Songs That Feel Like Home

No, this isn't a Christmas song. But somehow, Russell managed to set my iTunes settings to Random and this song began to play. There was one point in my young life, where I would play this song almost five times a day and I am still in love with it. When I hear it I think about my family, my life as well as the places and people I have learned from. There are some things that I wish I was mature enough to have done differently but I have accepted the fact that I didn't but now I can. It's amazing what feelings this little song can conjure up and it almost always makes me teary eyed. Are there any songs that do this to you?

-J

Book Review: The Sisters Brothers

I just finished The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt and was very pleased with the overall experience of it. Set in 1851's American West, it tells the story of Eli and Charlie Sisters, two fiercely loyal and flinty brothers, whose affinity for killing has garnered them, not only a notable reputation, but a permanent position as assassins for the local bigwig. The book starts out with the brothers setting off to kill a man named "Warm" who has unluckily somehow offended their well paying employer, "the Commodore." Eli is the narrator and supposedly "softer" of the two brothers in manners and temperament and I found myself trusting in his rustic charm and sometimes poetic judgement. However, it soon becomes apparent, as the brother experience varying challenges and memorable characters along the way, that Eli, too, is not to be trifled with. The casual manner of the brothers' violence is juxtaposed with their filial love and allegiance for each other while their dark humor reflects the case hardened reality of their existence. I found myself laughing along with them one moment and being disgusted with them the next.

At first, I perceived the chapters to be a little choppy but that quality seemed to lend itself well to the journey feel of the book. Stop, go. Stop, go - as though imitating the bumpy ramble of a horse.

I was also surprised to discover that the book reads very much like a movie - and a good movie, at that - if it were to be treated correctly. It reminded me very much of the Cohen Brothers' interpretation of "True Grit" and I would not be surprised if a screen play were to emerge in the near future as it has all the elements of a Hollywood blockbuster: love, hate, violence, humor, redemption and a bit of mystery. Mix those ingredient with the blood and dust of the old West and you'll not only have a hit on your hands but maybe some manure too.

Overall, it was a great read and I would recommend it but with a warning that this book isn't for everyone - especially those with an aversion to strong language and violence.

Has anyone else read this book? What are your thoughts?

-J

Merry Craftmas

I am not a terribly crafty person but when someone sets up an craft event and provides all the supplies and direction...I'm there! I made this with a few ladies from church and think it's pretty cute.

If you're wondering how to make your own (or something like it), it would probably be pretty simple, although you may need to borrow someones Cricut or Silhouette machine to cut out the vinyl. Then you just need some transfer paper, an ordinary floor tile and voila!

Have fun crafting!

-J

The weather outside is frightful...

As we travelled down the highway at a snail's pace, barely able to see two cars lengths in front of ourselves because of the blustery snow, Ken and I had a simultaneous epiphany: let's cancel our plans and just have a cozy night in . As much as we were looking forward to those plans, a stressful night in the snow seemed a good reason to reschedule. So we made a very cautious u-turn and hightailed it home to some delicious Indian food and a warm house.

Then, since we were already snowed in, we decided to finally switch out our old chandelier in the kitchen for a much nicer, updated, yet economical replacement. My "before" and "after" photos got all mixed up and I'm too lazy to reload them so I'm going to spoil the surprise and show the "after" first.

AFTER: Lovely

BEFORE: Eighties Monstrosity!

A closer look at the blight on my kitchen.

Doesn't it remind you of a flying saucer?

I am so happy with the end result! However, now I want to switch out the table too...haha. It's a slippery slope this home improvement/decorating thing.

Now it's time to whip out the hot chocolate, gaze upon the beautiful Christmas tree and enjoy a classic family film that just so happens to be on TV tonight: Uncle Buck! Oh John Candy, you are a comedic genius!

-J

Soap Box

I just read this story and it made me want to spit with rage. It is so frustrating to know that we live in a world where women are still treated like little more than commodities and scapegoats for the gross improprieties of "religious," Patriarchal, power mongering, victim blaming men. It's absolutely disgusting and it breaks my heart. Thank goodness for initiatives like "Because I am a Girl." Gender equality furthers the cause of child survival and development for all society, which is why we should never underestimate the importance of women's rights.

Rant over. I shall now descend from my lofty soap box and get back to watching "Diego" with the boy.

-J

Now That's Love

I sometimes complain about my husband and most of the time these complaints have something to do with him being "insensitive" or "oblivious." I joke about it and often it really is funny the way he seems blissfully unaware of tone and/or body language. I know that these aren't always the best ways to communicate with him and I have made a conscious effort to retrain myself to say what I want and not just assume that he will be able to "read" me. But there are times when how I feel really cannot be put into words and that dear husband of mine IS able to read me like a book.

Last night was one of those instances. I was sick, tired and stressed out. I just wanted to have a relaxing bath and so I filled up the tub, forgetting that our hot water tank doesn't have the capacity to fill our big soaker tub. The running water turned cold and I still had 2/3 of the tub left to fill but I got in anyway, hoping to salvage the moment. And do you know what my dear husband did? He filled every pot of water in the kitchen with water and boiled it on the stove. Then he took a big bowl of water and boiled it in the microwave and carried them all up to the bathroom to fill my tub up with hot water. Then he refilled them all and did this another three times!

The tub still didn't get filled all the way but my heart sure did! So the next time I feel like sharing a funny story about my hubbie's insensitivity, I think I'll share this one instead.

-J

Book Banning

The American Library Association will soon be celebrating their annual Banned Book Week in the States which has got me thinking about this very interesting and controversial topic. This time last year, I was able to experience BBW while Ken and I were living in Houston and found it to be incredibly eye opening and fun. My local library there in Houston put out a lively display of banned books from history as well as books that were being challenged at the time. I was not surprised to see books like Slaughterhouse-Five, 1984, Naked Lunch, A Clockwork Orange, The Catcher in the Rye and other more infamously known and commonly banned books; however, I was startled to see so many contemporary children's books on the list: Harry Potter (series), Captain Underpants, How to Eat Fried Worms, James and the Giant Peach, and A Wrinkle in Time. I read all of these books as a child and have reread many as an adult and was flabbergasted as to why they would be banned from any library.

This is the slippery slope of censorship. If you don't like the book and think it is a bad influence on you then PICK A DIFFERENT BOOK. If you don't want your child reading something that you think may have a negative influence on him/her, have him/her PICK A DIFFERENT BOOK. And if your child comes across any material in a book that he/she/you deem inappropriate then TALK ABOUT IT and then, if you deem it necessary, you guessed it, PICK A DIFFERENT BOOK.

I recently came across an article over at The Exponent, a blog that I peruse every so often that sums up how I feel about book banning:

Book Burning “Friends”

Posted on September 15, 2011 by April

A few books that have been banned at some children's schools

Remember that cute story in the Friend about the eight-year-old who read some bad words in a children’s book she checked out from the school library? She went home and talked to her parents about it. They explained what the words meant and why they chose not to use such language. They also talked about why the characters in the book used such words. Maybe the characters were struggling to choose the right. On the other hand, maybe they came from a different background where such words weren’t taboo. They talked about how they could maintain their own language standards while showing tolerance and respect for people with different standards. They used the book as a tool to reinforce their family’s values while gaining new insights and appreciation for the perspectives of others.

You don’t remember the story? That is because I am telling it wrong. In the actual story, the girl got the book banned from her school...

I think we need to be very careful when it comes to supporting censorship - book banning in particular. Instead of dealing with/talking about any particular issues addressed in controversial books, many think simply banning the book will make those problems just go away. I'm not saying we shouldn't protect our children from material that is not suited to their ages and moral principles but banning the book completely is not the answer; education and tolerance is.

What do you think?

-J

Checking Out

About 8 months ago I was unlucky enough to have a miscarriage. It was difficult. Period. However, I waited the 3 months to recover (as per the doctor's orders) and we started to try again. Month after month we waited to see a positive pregnancy test but to no avail. So I decided that I was just going to take the pressure off and try to live my life like I wasn't trying to get pregnant. Enter the 3o lbs in 3 months goal. Two weeks into that goal I discovered I was 8 weeks pregnant! But two weeks after that I feared that I had miscarried again only to have my fears confirmed by an ultrasound. I didn't have a D&C and so have been going through the whole miscarriage process again - because, as anyone out there who has had a miscarriage knows - it takes time for the products of conception and the endometrium to shed. To make a long story short, for the past month, I have pretty much checked out of anything having to do with a diet - unless that diet consisted of all of my comfort foods! Jane Austin adaptations have also become a staple!

Today I realized that I was ready to get back on the horse and resume my diet/exercise routine. I'm pretty sure I won't be as consistent about blogging about it but I do plan to share some highlights/lowlights.

Although, to say that I am sad about having another miscarriage is an understatement, I am certainly very grateful for the beautiful little boy that is such a joy in my life and am very hopeful that the next pregnancy will have a successful outcome. I am also very appreciative of an understanding and patient husband who had to put up with an extra long, extra hormonal episode of PMS!!

On the upside, now I can start drinking again...j/k. Wish me luck!

-J

The Fountain of Death

When we moved into our house we discovered that the previous owners had left a few "gifts" behind for us. Some were pleasant: mirrors, floating shelves and curtains. While others were, shall we say, pretty crappy. No, I mean, literally crappy. When we viewed the house in December, the backyard was covered in snow so we had no idea until the snow melted that the entire backyard was littered with mounds and mounds of dog feces! They must have had four dogs or one really big mother...you know what I mean...to leave that much crap laying around. Ken spent two hours one Saturday raking it up and only managed to clean 1/4 of the yard. I have to give Ken some big props though because the next Saturday he spent nearly the entire day in the backyard and cleaned it up so nicely. So now we are poop free but have yet to be rid of the giant yellow grass spots left behind by copious amounts of dog urine. I'm sure in another year...or two the grass will be back to normal, but in the mean time, things are a little patchy.

The other thing that the previous owners left behind was a giant lion-head fountain in the front entryway. Yes, you heard me - GIANT LION HEAD FOUNTAIN! This thing is the bane of my existence. At first it was a quirky novelty. We would turn on the "scary" (Russell didn't seem to enjoy the lion head) fountain to surprise guests. Ken, especially, got a kick out of filling it up and turning it on for special occasions. However, my relationship with the fountain soon turned sour when a certain little person decided it was a fun new toy (after he quickly overcame his fear of the monster). Now everything goes in the fountain: running shoes, PB & J sandwiches, hands, feet, sippy cups, cousins and diapers. It drives me nuts! This concrete, tacky, monstrosity has to go...and soon...or I will not be a happy camper. Cross your fingers for me that it will be gone by this weekend. Then all I'll have to deal with is a giant hole in the wall. No biggy.

-J

Wrench in the Works

I was doing so well...until the the weekend when I attended a wedding in Edmonton. Then my family was staying at my house until this morning and it was difficult to find healthy, cost effective meals to feed seven kids and seven adults. Boo! Skip to this morning when I stepped onto the scale - it wasn't a pretty sight. In two weeks I have only lost 4 lbs. On Wednesday when I weighed myself, it read that I had lost 6! How can you gain 2 lbs in one weekend?? I am hoping that some of it is water weight and that when I go back to the grindstone...I mean healthy routine and start drinking lots of water again that it will go back down...haha. Let's hope so!

The wedding was beautiful though and I'm so happy we were able to attend. My cousin, Stacey, made one gorgeous bride!

Congratulations Stacey and Ken! You two are going to have a fantastic life together!

-J

Quinoa For Breakfast?

Before you shake your head at me, you should try this recipe. It's healthy (the Quinoa is a good source of protein and amino acids), tastes great and can be adapted to suit your tastes. This is the way I ate it:

1/2 c. cooked Quinoa

1/4 c. soy milk (or less depending on how think you like things)

1 Tbsp Agave Nectar (or brown sugar)

1 Tbsp Flax seed

1/2 Apple diced

1 tsp cinnamon

Heat everything up in a pot on the stove until the apples are soft and that's it: breakfast! Feel free to tweak the amounts and the type of fruit you use. It would also taste delicious with a splash of vanilla instead of cinnamon and blueberries instead of apples. It's up to you.

-J

Do the Math

The basic tenants of weight loss are to burn more energy than you consume. But how do you know if you are burning more? The calculation to see how much energy you burn in a day without any exercise (otherwise known as your basal metabolic rate or BMR) in women can be found by doing this simple calculation: 655 + (4.35 x weight in lbs) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years). That seems complicated but it's really not. Remember, calculate the brackets first! I punched the numbers and my BMR came out to 1744.1. Therefore, in theory, to lose weight I need to consume less than that in a day. According to all the sites I googled, in order to lose a pound, you need to burn 3500 calories a week or 500 calories per day. So in order to lose 2.5 lbs/week, I need to consume 500 calories less than normal and burn 700 calories a day through exercise, that is, if I'm doing the math right but math was never my strong suit so hopefully this all makes sense. Currently I am eating a 1500 calorie/day diet; however, it seems that since my BMR is approx. 1740 that I really need to be consuming a 1240 calorie (500 calories less than what I need) diet in order to lose 1lb. That doesn't seem like enough food to me but maybe that's because I love food! Perhaps I should up the ante in my exercise so that I can keep my food calories? Hmmm...I'm not sure. What has worked for you guys?

-J

At a loss

I've been noticing lately that my pants have been fitting a little more snugly and my face has become more round...so...it's time for some serious action. My plan is to lose 30 lbs in 3 months which is just over two pounds a week. Ken thought I should shoot for 40 but I don't really think that is realistic for me so 30 it is!

How: ~1500 calorie diet high in protein, veggies and low in sugar and carbs

- Keeping a food journal to keep myself honest about what and how much I actually consume

- 30 minutes of cardio (walking, running, zumba etc...) a day coupled by 30 minutes of strength training (weights, crunches, squats etc...)

My weight and measurements are too embarrassing to post to the world but every two weeks I will post how much I have lost. And if I actually reach my goal, then I might post what my real weight and measurements were. In between, I hope to post some yummy, healthy recipes and tricks/rewards I use to keep myself motivated. Hopefully this will keep me accountable to myself and, perhaps, also to you.

I started on Monday and so far I'm on track. Wish me luck!

-J

The Hunt

Ahhh...Easter Sunday was beautiful. Which means it was a perfect day for an Easter egg hunt - Russell's first! What a good little seeker.

My child is a bit of an oddity in that he doesn't enjoy eating chocolate but he loves to unwrap it and give it away, especially to Daddy. He doesn't get that from me!

I'm excited to get out today and enjoy the "hustling obstreperous wind." Good word eh? Obstreperous - meaning unruly or difficult to control. Thank you for your vocabulary lessons Mr. Carl Sandburg. I shall henceforth refer to Russell as obstreperous!

Happy Easter to you all!

-J

Filling up Space

We not only have a lot more square footage now but that means we have a lot of empty wall space. So, since we don't really have the money to spend on artwork, I thought I might try my hand at painting something to put above the bed in the master bedroom and make the wall a little less naked. Russell slept just long enough for me to finish and I'm pretty pleased with the final product.

This picture doesn't quite capture the colors but meh...what can you do? Now all I have to do is sign my name to the bottom and hang it. I'll be sure to post what it looks like above the bed.

-J

Basement Blues

So, as I stated in an earlier post, Ken and I recently bought and moved into a house!! It only took a couple of days for us (and by us I mean me) to organize the entire upstairs and main floor because we really didn't have that much stuff. However, the basement was a different story altogether. I wish I had a before picture to show you how piled high with random storage it was. Every time I walked down the basement stairs, I nearly had a nervous breakdown just thinking about how long it was going to take to organize everything the way I like it. I must admit that I am a little anal when it comes to organization. "A place for everything and everything in its place" is definitely my motto.

Thankfully for me, I have a Mother who is even more anal than I am! She came out for a week and we managed to tackle the basement in five days, adding resin shelves, bookshelves, wall hooks and more to make sure everything was stored away neatly and compactly. Phew! I cannot tell you how much I enjoy the basement now. Ken and I go down in the evenings to work out, I can escape down there to do crafts or artwork while Russell us napping and, most importantly, I can easily find everything that I need when I need it. Thank you Momma Kearl! You are the best! Here are some terrible pictures of the finished product.

Most of our storage, we were able to fit conveniently under the stairs

I love having a basement! I know most of you don't really want to see pictures of this stuff - you want to see the rest of the house. Don't worry, those pictures are coming too. I just have to wait for a time when the house is all clean to take pictures, like when we're having company over or something. Hmm...in that case, you might have to wait a little bit...haha.

-J

Pitiful Poster

So...I've gotten super lazy with my blog posts. However, Ken and I just bought and moved into a HOUSE! So, I have some projects in mind that hopefully I will remember to take pictures of and let you in on all the fun! In the mean time, here's a pic of my sleeping beauty. If I fell asleep like that, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to move when I woke up.

-J

Cell Phones and Education

This holiday, I happened to be listening to a conversation between two educators about the prevalence of cell phones in schools. I thought they would complain about kids texting all the time and becoming insular; however, much to my surprise, nary a negative comment about cell phones was made. To be honest I was a little shocked to hear them describe how many teachers in their schools use cell phones to distribute pop quizzes. Apparently, there is a quiz program where once you begin the quiz on your cell, you are unable to navigate away from that page until you submit it to ensure that students aren't cheating by googling for answers. One of these educators also described how a particular teacher in her school texts her students if she sees that they are struggling with a particular concept. This way, the student isn't embarrassed in front of his/her peers and feels more comfortable "talking" to the teacher from the comfort of his own seat across the room. Moreover, if a topic is of particular interest to a student, he or she can google it on his/her cell and find media on the net that, if appropriate, can be shared with the class to improve upon their collective understanding. To give them the benefit of the doubt (although, it wasn't discussed afterwards) I am pretty sure these educators are also well aware of the negative effects of cell phone use.

Am I a dinosaur already? Are the days of "no cell phones in class" a thing of the past? I just don't quite know what to think about it. I guess distributing quizzes digitally would save paper and those without a cell could perform them the "old fashioned way;" and a student may improve scholastically if he or she can discuss things with as teacher in a way that is more comfortable via text message. It just feels weird. What do you think?

-J