J and I have just figured out The Next Big Thing. Forget P90X. Forget the Bowflex. Forget exercise balls, the Thighmaster, that thing that electrocutes your muscles into firmness while you lay on the couch watching tv. We have the perfect idea for total abdominal fitness. You'll see it soon on late-night infomercials.
Here it is: One simple inhaler. Just a puff or two every day that injects germs or an irritant of your choice into your lungs. Then just cough your way to rock-solid abs! You'll see results in just one week. That's right -- just one week! A flabby belly preventing you from fitting into that one sleek dress? Jeans a little too tight? A weekend of beach-volleyball coming up that you're not quite ready for? Just a puff or two a day and you'll have a 6-pack that is the envy of all who look at you!
After 10 days of coughing non-stop, J's abs are almost to their former glory. That core, 10 years ago, was a sight to behold. It went into hibernation under some squishy layers, but -- boy is it back! Who needs exercise when you can just get sick and cough your way back into that perfect body?!
Friday, January 29, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
For Erin...
Here is a super yummy recipe for chocolate chip cookies. Even though there are inordinate amounts of butter and sugar in it, it still feels healthy to me because of the oat flour.
Combine:
1 C butter
1 C white sugar
1 C brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 1/2 C oat flour (dump 3 C oatmeal in the food processor, turn it on, and voila!)
2 C white flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
chocolate chips
Bake in 375 degree oven 8-10 minutes or until lightly brown
Combine:
1 C butter
1 C white sugar
1 C brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 1/2 C oat flour (dump 3 C oatmeal in the food processor, turn it on, and voila!)
2 C white flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
chocolate chips
Bake in 375 degree oven 8-10 minutes or until lightly brown
Today Is The Best Day of My Life
Yesterday in Relief Society (the women's meeting of our 3-hour block), someone told of a woman in our ward (congregation) whose daily saying was, "Today is the best day of my life!" She said it to herself everyday of her life up until, and including, the day she died. Something about that really resonated with me. I've decided to make it my mantra. I think I want my awesome friend Brooke to put it in vinyl for every room of my house. This morning I wrote it in my journal three times in a row. S read it and asked why I wrote it three times. I told him that it would help me remember it and make today the best day of my life. Cynical S muttered, "So far." Maybe it needs to become our family motto.
I just love all that that simple sentence says. I love that it can lift my spirit, change my perspective, and alter my attitude as I strive to make every day the best day of my life. It encourages me to make the most of each day by working my tail off for my family, smiling at the kids -- especially when it's hard to, reading my scriptures and actively striving to feel Heavenly Father in all that I do. I'm excited to begin this lifelong experiment of trying to make each day "the best day of my life."
I just love all that that simple sentence says. I love that it can lift my spirit, change my perspective, and alter my attitude as I strive to make every day the best day of my life. It encourages me to make the most of each day by working my tail off for my family, smiling at the kids -- especially when it's hard to, reading my scriptures and actively striving to feel Heavenly Father in all that I do. I'm excited to begin this lifelong experiment of trying to make each day "the best day of my life."
Friday, January 22, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
Blogging Etiquette?
Are there blogging rules of etiquette? I've had people comment (which I love, by the way; keep 'em coming!) and ask questions. Do I reply in the comments or do I send an email and connect personally with the asker? I'm inclined to do the first, because it seems more polite and like a conversation between two people. Which is it? Are there any other blogging rules I should know?
Friday, January 15, 2010
Run
I want to go for a run. A nice long one on the Provo River Trail with a hill or two thrown in. I want to put in my earbuds and crank up my running music (RHCP "Stadium Arcadium") and go go go. I'll even run on the treadmill if I have to. One small problem:
I just have to keep telling myself that it'll all be worth it once I can start running again. Patience...
I just have to keep telling myself that it'll all be worth it once I can start running again. Patience...
A Weary Week
This week has not been stellar. It is looking up now, so I can (hopefully) objectively recap...
Monday:
I had a follow-up with the podiatrist who was very pleased with the surgery and very optimistic about the good it did. I am ready to kick off the cast; it's a cumbersome inconvenience that slows me down -- except for when I accidentally kick something and then I'm glad it's still on.
Tuesday:
I desperately needed to make many batches of peanut-butter cookies, so I did. If you've been reading this blog for a while, you'll deduce that Tuesday was not good.
Wednesday:
I went to S's school to watch the school spelling bee. He was #1 out of 18, the youngest and the tiniest. It took a little coaxing to get him up to the mic to begin, but when he finally did and spelled his first word, "glad," he was just fine. I expected him to be nervous and was proud of how he conquered his nerves, but I wasn't prepared for how nerve-wracking it would be for me. Every time he stood up to spell, I held my breath. Every time he completed the word, I'd let it out with a sigh (along with everyone else in the auditorium. It was so cool -- you could just feel everyone rooting for this tiny shy boy.) He stayed in to spell, "cartoon," "piano," "significant" (that was impressive -- I had no idea he knew how to spell that one), and "monarch," before incorrectly spelling, "scruple." As he explained to me later, "I thought it was a pole made out of screws," which explains "S-C-R-E-W-P-O-L-E."
Here he is before everyone started filing into the auditorium:
Wednesday night was bad for everyone, boys and mom. Yelling, crying, grumpiness all around. I went to bed determined to do better on...
Thursday:
3/4 of this day were great. I woke early for some quiet, spiritual rejuvenation and handled the morning grumpiness around me calmly and graciously. When we returned home from dropping S off at school, O and H painted. I was proud of myself for doing that since I rarely get crafty.
Thursday night was bad again. More yelling, screaming, crying. So bad that everyone was in bed by 6:30 (not happily) and I was very seriously considering abandoning my post as mother. My neighbor came over later to visit and buoy up my spirits. It worked. She's an angel.
Friday:
Today was great. Somehow a good night's sleep made me love my kids again and we passed a pleasant morning playing with cars and making chocolate cookies in preparation for J's homecoming tonight. For lunch we drove down to Springville and spent $2.34 on 3 kids' meals, a taco, a burrito, and 3 frosties. (Love those coupons!) We came home and rode bikes and now the younger two are settled in front of a movie. Life is good and my three little monkeys are fantastic, caring little people. I can't imagine a better trio with which to spend my days. And J will be home shortly -- hooray!
Monday:
I had a follow-up with the podiatrist who was very pleased with the surgery and very optimistic about the good it did. I am ready to kick off the cast; it's a cumbersome inconvenience that slows me down -- except for when I accidentally kick something and then I'm glad it's still on.
Tuesday:
I desperately needed to make many batches of peanut-butter cookies, so I did. If you've been reading this blog for a while, you'll deduce that Tuesday was not good.
Wednesday:
I went to S's school to watch the school spelling bee. He was #1 out of 18, the youngest and the tiniest. It took a little coaxing to get him up to the mic to begin, but when he finally did and spelled his first word, "glad," he was just fine. I expected him to be nervous and was proud of how he conquered his nerves, but I wasn't prepared for how nerve-wracking it would be for me. Every time he stood up to spell, I held my breath. Every time he completed the word, I'd let it out with a sigh (along with everyone else in the auditorium. It was so cool -- you could just feel everyone rooting for this tiny shy boy.) He stayed in to spell, "cartoon," "piano," "significant" (that was impressive -- I had no idea he knew how to spell that one), and "monarch," before incorrectly spelling, "scruple." As he explained to me later, "I thought it was a pole made out of screws," which explains "S-C-R-E-W-P-O-L-E."
Here he is before everyone started filing into the auditorium:
Wednesday night was bad for everyone, boys and mom. Yelling, crying, grumpiness all around. I went to bed determined to do better on...
Thursday:
3/4 of this day were great. I woke early for some quiet, spiritual rejuvenation and handled the morning grumpiness around me calmly and graciously. When we returned home from dropping S off at school, O and H painted. I was proud of myself for doing that since I rarely get crafty.
Thursday night was bad again. More yelling, screaming, crying. So bad that everyone was in bed by 6:30 (not happily) and I was very seriously considering abandoning my post as mother. My neighbor came over later to visit and buoy up my spirits. It worked. She's an angel.
Friday:
Today was great. Somehow a good night's sleep made me love my kids again and we passed a pleasant morning playing with cars and making chocolate cookies in preparation for J's homecoming tonight. For lunch we drove down to Springville and spent $2.34 on 3 kids' meals, a taco, a burrito, and 3 frosties. (Love those coupons!) We came home and rode bikes and now the younger two are settled in front of a movie. Life is good and my three little monkeys are fantastic, caring little people. I can't imagine a better trio with which to spend my days. And J will be home shortly -- hooray!
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