A Book For You and a Book For Me

As I walked into the library yesterday a book caught my eye primarily because the cover was bright and multi-colored. It was Maya Angelou’s Letter to My Daughter. I remembered reading about it about a year ago, thought it sounded interesting, and then simply forgot about it. I picked it up and decided to check it out. It is an easy read (I read it in under 2 hours while the kids actually napped) and interesting. While it is filled with advice and life lessons, I didn’t find that component especially profound. What I did really enjoy was the stories of her life and experiences. Of that I would like to read more. She’s interesting, engaging, self-depreciating, insightful, and funny.
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I have been doing yoga on and off now for about 3 years. I have started doing it at home again and my daughter has joined me in some of the easier poses. When we were at the library I discovered My Daddy Is a Pretzel by Baron Baptiste. It is one of the Barefoot Books and I order from that site frequently and have deliberated for a couple of years now whether or not to buy this book. The answer is now YES. It is a great book that shows different yoga poses, primarily the easier ones, for parents and children to do together. My daughter, upon arriving home, started flipping through it, looked at the pictures and then mimicked each pose. I was floored. She was awesome. Some of the easier poses my son could do as well. Needless to say, she loves the book and spent close to two hours last night doing the poses over and over again. She now refers to herself as the Yoga Master. Indeed she is.

My First Year of Blogging

A year ago yesterday I posted for the first time on this blog. In many ways it feels like I have just started. I began without any specific idea about what I wanted this blog to be, other than a place for me to share ideas and experiences. Along the way, I have realized I really enjoy it. Looking back some of the posts are simply awful or boring or uneventful and then there are some I am really proud of. As I continue I am still not entirely sure where this will lead or where I want it to lead. It has provided me with an outlet and a sounding board and for me right now that is enough.

So, I want to thank you for reading, commenting, commiserating, offering advice and support, and for simply just stopping by. I appreciate it!

The Cockroach

We went to dinner. In our haste we grabbed a pair of our son's shoes that we had left in the garage and put them on his feet sans socks. We get to the restaurant and are sitting in the booth. Our son starts whining about his shoes. He keeps saying they hurt and he needs them off. My husband repeatedly tells him he has to keep his shoes on in the restaurant. Our son continues to fuss about his shoes. My husband finally takes his shoe off and out crawls, up my husband's hand, the most gigantic cockroach I have ever seen in my life. Serious gross out!

Living in Arizona I am just extremely thankful it was a cockroach and not a scorpion!

And The World Goes Black

All across the globe on Saturday lights went out in honor of Earth Hour. By all accounts it was a huge success and I’m sure those that spearheaded this movement are pleased with the results. While we participated I realize there are many that didn’t and frankly I don’t really care. So, that is why it surprises me so much that many of those NOT participating were so vocal in their opposition. What’s it to them if others do choose to participate? Why do some view it as a personal affront to their ideology if someone wants to shut off his/her lights?

Furthermore, I really don’t grasp the REASON behind the opposition to conserving resources. Even if you don’t believe in global warming, which unfortunately many don’t, and even if you feel it is your duty, mission, and God-given right to rape and pillage our earth and waste its resources why is the general idea of conservation so ridiculed and loathed?

Why would anyone want to pump vast amounts of pollution into our air making it more difficult to breathe? Anyone who has been to California can attest to the fact that pollution is a problem. Even if you feel it does nothing to actually damage the earth’s ozone layer or contribute to global warming why would you want to breath that air or allow your children to breath that air? Why is one’s concern for the quality of air he/she breaths criticized as part of some liberal left agenda?

Additionally, why not cut down on water, electric, and gas usage simply as a means to cut costs? For those that consider themselves fiscally conservative it is amazing the amount of waste (in the form of their almighty dollar) they are willing to waste just out of spite. Even if you believe, in my opinion naively and incorrectly, that there is an unlimited supply finite resources (there is a reason they are called FINITE as opposed to INFINITE) wouldn’t we all like to see a lower water bill or electric bill? While my husband and I are conscious about the resources we use because we do believe we have an obligation to treat the earth responsibly not far in the back of our minds is the bottom line: how much will this cost?

It is interesting to me that so many who disagree with the science of environmentalism have to not simply just disagree but to make it their personal mission to insult, criticize, and ridicule those who are concerned about the effects we have on our earth. Is it not enough to just simply disagree? If not, why?

Going back to Earth Hour. If it is not important to you why not leave your lights on, watch your TV, work on your computer, or take a drive you would have otherwise taken? But why lambaste those who choose to participate for an hour. Not only that but why make it a point to use more electricity or other resources than you would normally? To prove a point? What exactly is the point and to whom are you proving it? To me it seems the only point made is that you are a moron who just increased your utility costs for no reason other than spite.

I simply don’t know when, for many, caring about our earth became such a bad thing. Why is that something to mock and ridicule or label a liberal conspiracy to undermine the family or other individual rights? It must be a heavy burden to constantly feel so persecuted. As my husband likes to say, “Get down off that cross, we need the wood.” I guess simply I’ll close by saying that the illogical rational of many in our nation is simply frightening and mind-boggling. It is one thing to disagree, but another to make it a personal obsession and mission to relentlessly try to discredit, insult, or crucify those who hold beliefs opposite to your own.

My Pride and Joy

On many occasions I have jokingly said, "Our daughter is the reason we had another child and our son is the reason we will not have any more." I say this only because he is a typical boy: he is loud, active, all over the place, a complete handful. But in all seriousness if I could have another child as sweet, loving, and sensitive as he is I'd have a handful in a heartbeat. He's been sick for a week and so I have been holding him, snuggling him, and comforting him a lot. And I love it. The truth of the matter is though, that he is like this when he is well. It is just a bit exaggerated now. Sure, he is this rough and tumble boy but he hugs and kisses me and cuddles with me too many times throughout the day for me to count. Inside this typical boy is this kind, compassionate heart that I sit in awe of. I seriously hope he never loses this "gentle" side because it is what makes him who he is.

I love my children every day. Some days it is easier than others, but I love them nonetheless. There are times though when my heart feels like it will literally burst with the love and pride I feel towards them. It is almost unimaginable sometimes that I was a part of creating something so wonderful. They are these sweet, compassionate, intelligent, loving children who unconditionally accept others. It makes the sleepless nights, the frustrations, the tantrums, and the non stop questions completely worth it.

I don't think anyone can really understand the capacity a parent has for loving a child until he or she becomes a parent for him or herself. Even those glorious, delirious early days of a newborn don't adequately prepare you for the amount of love you are capable of giving to your children each and every day. As time goes on, as my children grow and I watch them become these amazing little people my heart swells and feels like it is in a constant state of near bursting.

When I see my kids interact or when I see how they treat people when they don't think I am watching or when I overhear them in conversation I am at times simply amazed and it is then that I think I would take a couple more.

In Your Face

The sound, smell, sight of vomit repulses me whether it be my own or someone else's. Obviously when having kids you kind of get over that and deal with being thrown up on, pooped on, and a host of other disgusting things. My son has been sick since Saturday with respiratory issues as usual. Poor kid has been so congested and he coughs and coughs and then chokes on the phlegm.

Today he has been beside himself. Totally out of it, crying, wheezing, and hacking up a lung, possibly two. So, I have spent the day holding him, rocking him, consoling him, etc. All was starting to go better until he looked at me and then vomited (a ton of phlegm) all over me, face included.

Oddly, it didn't gross me out, send me into fits of dry-heaves, or otherwise repulse me. I must be getting the hang of this parenting thing. :)

We Will Eat Red Meat No More

For years I have had a love-hate relationship with meat. I have gone through phases where I ate absolutely no meat, including fish. I have then gone through no red meat phases and also phases of consuming vast quantities of red meat: steaks, burgers, ribs, and the like. Looking back over all of these dietary phases I realize I felt my best when my meat intake, red meat specifically, was limited or eliminated entirely. Then I read this.

So, it is in that vein that my husband and I have decided to kick red meat for a while and just see how we feel. For now we plan to keep some chicken and fish in our diet, although I also go through phases where the thought of chicken repulses me completely, so that may be the next to go.

There is no anti-meat stance or moral opposition to eating meat that triggered this quest. Lately I just haven't felt like eating much meat so I stopped cooking it and started making more vegetarian based meals. It's only been about a week and how my husband does will be the real test as he loves red meat, steak especially.

So anyone have any good vegetarian recipes to throw my way?