Smooth as My Baby's Bottom

I meant to post this weeks and weeks ago, but then things happened.  Like Christmas.  And friends coming over.  And other distractions.  Anyway, here it is now.

I just used the most amazing sugar scrub!  Okay, I can't really say it's the most amazing, as it's the first one I've ever tried, but OH. MY. GOSH.  My face has never, ever, ever felt so smooth, soft, and amazing.  Best thing? I had everything it called for in my kitchen.  It was so simple to make!  The ingredients are sugar, olive oil and . . . . . .


wait for it. . . . . . .


. . . . . . a drop of vanilla extract (I used flavoring).


Really truly!  That's it!  1 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon olive oil and a drop of vanilla extract.  I think the vanilla is in there to make it smell nice, more than anything else.  You could easily replace that with any essential oil you want to use.  And you're in business!  Just remember, when you use any kind of scrub, you don't need to tread carefully.  Don't make your face bleed or anything, but there is no need to be super gentle (just avoid the eye area).  The more dead skin you can scrub off, the longer the effects will last.  Then, hop in the shower to rinse (or just do it over the sink, but the shower is easier and less messy).  I wouldn't even bother with washing your face; you want to leave that lovely moisturizing oil on your face.  If you feel the need, rub a little of your favorite moisturizer on after your shower, or a little more olive oil.  Your skin will feel AMAZING, I promise!

Striking The Root of Wall Street Corruption from Sean McDaniel on Vimeo.

Braaaaaaaaains

Gleeeeeeeeeee!

Though I Should Probably Change it to Going to Bed at a Decent Hour

[source]

Just Peachy-Keen, Thanks For Asking!

Doe anyone else out there make themselves do things they normally wouldn't do when they are sick?  Not like, going to bed earl, or resting, or eating chicken noodle soup, or trusting that someone else will take care of the dishes.  I mean doing things like staying up later, cleaning and/or organizing more, going out, etc.

Just me?

I know I'm not the only one who won't take medicine when I'm sick.  At least, I don't until a few days in and I'm absolutely miserable and I'm just too tired and miserable and stuffy and achy to argue with The Man about it anymore.  You know, when it's too late for it to really do much.  I get yelled at a lot when I'm sick.

How about feeling guilty when you're sick?  About everything?  The fact that you can't go to work (even though  you played hooky last weekend so you could go ice-blocking), or the fact that you can't do more for meals than stare at the oven before getting out the cold cereal, or just making everyone get it from the cupboard themselves.  Or the fact that you can't manage to put on two matching socks, let alone decent clothes when you get up to shuffle to the bathroom.

I know that can't be just me.  Us Americans are supposed to have immune systems of STEEL!  That's the next video in that "..... of STEEL" workout series.  Kind of an underground thing.  You have to be in the know about the black market to have heard of it (I haven't tried it, as I'm not much for exercise).

How about eating nothing but CRAP when you're sick?  Because THAT'S going to make you feel better for SURE.  Forget toast and broth, bring on the pizza and hamburgers!  I mean, if I'm going to act like a slug, I really want to BE a slug!

Being sick is about the only time I wish that The Man had another wife.  Or two.  Maybe three.  The first one could clean, the second could take care of Baby Cakes, and the third could play video games with me, or change out my movies.  But only when I'm sick.  I'm not sharing that sweet piece of man-sauce!  Hands off!

I also get rambly and incoherent when I'm sick.

Can't you tell?

SOMETHING ABOUT ME YOU NEVER WANTED TO KNOW!!!!


Oops, can't do it.  The questions are saved on my lappy.  Sorry folks, you'll just have to wait until I remember to post something again.  I'm sure you can make it.

Why I Don't Support The Wars

FIRST:  I completely and totally support our troops.  I do NOT blame them for doing their jobs.  But I have been asked by others why I don't agree with the war, and when I say it's because Jesus taught peace, and my religion dictates that I live by peace, I usually get a look that tells me they think I'm crazy.  And I don't know my scriptures well enough to support it.  Well, I finally found some (all bold emphasis is mine):

(Oh yeah, if you don't agree with me, that's fine.  This is my personal interpretation of these scriptures; I am not a prophet, I am not claiming to know without a doubt God's will concerning any matter that involves more than me, or my family, but it is what I believe.  I also know that there are plenty of scriptures that support going to war, but again, I believe that we have to follow what is laid out in D&C 98 first, and I don't feel that we have done that; therefore, I don't support the war.)

Romans 12: 18-21:  If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.  Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath:  for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.  Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.  Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Psalms 34: 14: Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

D&C 98: 16:  Therefore, renounce war and proclaim peace, and seek diligently to turn the hearts of the children to their fathers, and the hearts of the fathers to the children;

D&C 98: 33-36:  And again, this is the law that I gave unto mine ancients, that they should not go out unto battle against any nation, kindred, tongue, or people, save I, the Lord, commanded them.  And if any nation, tongue, or people should proclaim war against them, they should first lift a standard of peace unto that people nation or tongue; and if that people did not accept the offering of peace, neither the second nor the third time, they should bring these testimonies before the Lord; then I the Lord, would give unto them a commandment, and justify them in going out to battle against that nation, tongue, or people.

D&C 105: 38-40 And again I say unto you, sue for peace, not only to the people that have smitten you, but also to all people; and lift up an ensign of peace, and make a proclamation of peace unto the ends of the earth; and make proposals for peace unto those who have smitten you, according to the voice of the Spirit which is in you, and all things shall work together for your good.

Baby Cakes Gets a Cake

Well, a cupcake actually.

Today is Baby Cakes 1st birthday.

!!!
!!!!
!!!!!
!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, I'm done.

But really, why is she a year old?  I swear she was just born.  I miss those days.  She actually slept then.  Well, sort of.

She's pretty much standing on her own now, and she copies everything you say and do.  Especially "uh-oh."  She loves music, and things that make noises, and making noise.  She also loves books.  And dogs.  She thinks they are funny.  I don't blame her, since ours are morons; any baby could see that.

And she also likes chocolate, we found out today.  The Better Half of The Dog Friends made a chocolate pumpkin to put on her cupcake, and that's pretty much the only part she ate.  She just kind of smashed the rest.  Of course, she did get chocolate all over herself and her clothes in the process of eating this pumpkin.  She got some great clothes which I'm really happy about, because she really didn't have much to wear that was warm, but now she does, and it's cute too!  And she got an awesome book about how rainbows are made and it's all magically with ribbons and stuff.  And a sweet frog table and chairs that she can't get enough of.

And she's not getting sugar again for a while.  Because it's 9:30, and she's still awake.  And not acting tired at all.  And I'm exhausted.  Of course.

Other good news, The Mother-In-Law is moving in to her own place tomorrow!  The Dog Friends fixed up their upstairs apartment for her, and it's ready and waiting.  So congrats to her, I know she's wanted out on her own for a long time.  I will miss not having to cook every night.

And I'll miss her too.

Happy birthday Baby Cakes!

Clear As Mud?

The Atonement: After All We Can Do

There needs to be many many more talks like this given.  This is one of the few talks I have ever heard about the atonement where I don't end up feeling inadequate, undeserving, unworthy, and generally like a screw-up.  Sometimes I feel that there are huge amounts of pressure put on us to be perfect BEFORE we turn to Christ for help.  To do all we can do, and only THEN do we receive grace.  Bradley Wilcox points out some of the mixed messages that are frequently sent.  Example: we sing the hymn "I Need Thee Every Hour" (one of my personal favorites), and then we hear a talk given on how we can't have access to the atonement until we repent and better ourselves.  Once we do that, we will receive the grace we need to get back to Heavenly Father.  Brother Wilcox states that grace is given to us before we better ourselves, because we can't better ourselves without it.  And I like that.  It makes a lot more sense.  It seems like so much emphasis is put on our works, what we are and are not doing, whether we are doing good enough to be worthy of the blessings we have, let alone the blessings we want/need.  Home teaching and visiting teaching numbers are kept track of, with the goal of reaching 100%, and reaching that goal is pushed pushed pushed.  Then we are told that the numbers aren't important, but.....  I have been told in lessons that blessings are withheld by not serving others, not using my talents, by doing this, and not doing that.  Then I'm told that Heavenly Father loves me no matter what and will bless me when I need it.  Missions keep track of how many baptisms are made each month and by which missionaries, making it a contest to see how many people can be dunked, instead of making the focus on finding those people who are truly ready to be baptized.  If the numbers aren't important, than why are the numbers focused on?

Anyway, rant over.  I know that the intentions of our leaders, both locally and worldwide, are to get out the message that Christ loves us, and He wants us to return to Him, and that He will help us get there, and that we won't be perfected, no matter how hard we try, until we get there.  That we CAN'T be perfected on our own works.  I also know that they are as human as I am, and that makes them pretty imperfect, and maybe they have a hard time getting that message out while at the same time, doing their job of saying that we still need to do good works, and better ourselves, not because we have a debt to pay back to Christ, but because that's how you learn and grow.  And I love them for trying.  They are certainly doing the best they can to do what they feel they are being told to do.

Also, Brother Wilcox explains it much better than I just did.  So listen!

60 Days of Bloggerness in One!

Name a talent of yours you want to cultivate more.


Uh, really?  


Let's see.....


My singing.  That's always on my mind.  I miss being able to take singing lessons, and I can tell that I'm not as good as I was before.  I was always proud of my voice, but I haven't been able to do anything with it for years, except for church choir which is not something that I've really been able to get into, even though I kinda of want to.  


Your Mother (or mother figure in your life--the woman who raised you). Share a picture of her here, if you can--try and get a photo of her when she is around your current age. If you know any interesting facts or traits and stories about her, maybe explore her past a little, before she was your Mom, who was she?


I won't be sharing a picture of my mom, per my non-people-pictures policy.  She's an artist and is constantly decorating her house.  She tries to be nice to everybody, and I rarely hear her say a flat-out bad thing about anyone.  She's a really strong Mormon and is really involved in a lot of what goes along with that.  I don't feel I actually know that much about her before she was a mom.  She doesn't really talk about her past much, or else I don't ask about it.  One of the two.  We don't have a very good relationship, which sometimes makes me sad.  But I'm so used to it, that I don't really think about it anymore.  We've never been close that I can remember.  

Life is Hard for a Control Freak

When is this going to end?  My poor husband has hurt his back 3 times at work in the last 3 weeks and we are suspecting a herniated disc.  Today, he is going to the med center because he hurt it in a crisis situation dealing with a client.  On top of this, he is beyond stressed from the ridiculous workload that his company expects one person to do.  So stressed, that he can't even really relax.  He's been seriously looking for a new job for almost a year now, but he's getting nothing.  And what can we do about it?  He doesn't really have any skills except for in the field he is currently in, which he does NOT want to do anymore.  We have no money for him to go to school to get more, and he doesn't want to go anyway.  He wouldn't even know what to study.  And he's the money-earner, so he can't take just any job.  I could go get a job, if I had a car, and if I knew that I would get paid more than enough to cover daycare.  But I can't earn that much, since I have no marketable skills either.  And it's not right for our family to do that anyway.  We've been praying every night for so long for him to get a new job, for some kind of relief to come along, and we are getting silence.  While I believe that there is some reason for that silence, it is still so extremely frustrating to see him shouldering this burden, and seeming to get no help, no lightening of the load.  Something is going to break, and I'm so afraid that it's going to be him.  Something needs to be done, something needs to change, but there is nothing that either of us can do to change the situation.

In good news, I got a 99% in my last ever (hurrah!) anatomy and physiology class, but only because circumstances forced me to take the final as an open book.  So, while I'm a little proud of my A (some of that at least comes from a paper I had to research and type up, which I did do without cheating.  This paper is part of the reason I had no time to study for the final, resulting in the open-bookness of the final), I'm not as proud of it as I have been for my other A's.  In my mind, I give myself a C+.  Because I can't remember this stuff, even if it turned around and bit me.  I'd be all, "What?  What just bit me?  I've never seen such a creature as this my life.  It's an anatomy&physiology, you say?  I've never heard of it.  I hope it didn't give me rabies.  It seems to be foaming at the mouth a little," if it did.  So, I get a break until the 19th, when my next class starts.  I'm a little more excited for this one, because I'm getting back into the herbs and such with it.

If Colbert Says It's True, It Must Be

See, I keep telling you I'm normal!

The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

Get With The Program

It's things like this that makes me hate politics.  It's also why I don't believe that America is the "promised land".  Pulling yourself up by your bootstraps, a concept that is believed to be the epitome of "American-ness", is now nearly impossible to do, thanks to the criminalizing of the poor and the needy.  It is pathetic.

Also, I 100% agree with this:

"So what is the solution to the poverty of so many of America's working people? Ten years ago, when "Nickel and Dimed" first came out, I often responded with the standard liberal wish list -- a higher minimum wage, universal health care, affordable housing, good schools, reliable public transportation, and all the other things we, uniquely among the developed nations, have neglected to do.

Today, the answer seems both more modest and more challenging: if we want to reduce poverty, we have to stop doing the things that make people poor and keep them that way. Stop underpaying people for the jobs they do. Stop treating working people as potential criminals and let them have the right to organize for better wages and working conditions.

Stop the institutional harassment of those who turn to the government for help or find themselves destitute in the streets. "  (emphasis mine)

In Which I Attempt to Give Them All The Bird

Feeling much better now, thanks.

I'm trying to really look hard at myself and figure out what exactly it is that I'm so unhappy with.  My life is so full of amazing things!  I have a lot of good friends (you love me, you really love me!), people who actually WANT to hang out with me (my diabolical plan is working!  Mwha hahahahahahahahaha!), a wonderfully easy baby to take care of (even though she STILL WON'T SLEEP), an amazing husband who loves me and is easy on the eyes, and my family, well, they are my family.  I love them.  And they won't leave me alone anyway, so I guess I'm stuck with them.

I've gotten a lot of good advice and I'm working hard at convincing myself to follow it.  I think a big part of it is that I'm so used to being unhappy, having something that needs to be fixed, that I'm looking for it.  Even though I've been happier than I've ever been for the last 8 or 9 years, the idea of happiness still scares me.  Depression is certainly a security blanket, though I don't want it anymore.  I guess I just have some old habits that I need to finally let go of that I'm struggling with.

I did read somewhere that the pursuit of happiness that is currently in vogue is actually a fairly new thing and is making more people unsatisfied and UNhappy than ever before.  A lot of people believe that the grass is greener on the other side, and aren't looking at what they already have to be happy.  Some ideal (wealth, skinnyness, no gray hairs, fancy cars, stuff, etc.) is what is going to make them happy and satisfied and they keep trying for it.  Then they reach it, and they don't think they are happy, so they keep looking.  Pop culture is telling us that the search for happiness is more important than anything else, and it's blinding people to the fact that they may already have everything they need to be happy.  Happy people aren't searching to be more happy.  In fact, happy people don't REALIZE they are happy.  They realize they are satisfied with life, and they realize they are very blessed, but being happy may NOT be a conscious choice.  It's just a state of being.  And oddly enough, being unhappy sometimes, is a part of the general happiness.  (Depression and unhappiness are not the same thing.)

So, I'm not depressed, I know that for sure, I AM bored a lot of the time, and I think because of that, I worry way way way too much about how happy I am or am not.  I have to fix my way of looking at things, the way I talk to myself.  I have to stop being ashamed of my some of my interests and start being proud of what I can do and of myself. To stop being ashamed of my past, but also not keep looking at it for the source of all my "problems".  I need to learn to move on and let go.  And maybe stop watching so much tv.  (Nah, I like it too much.)

Will I achieve this?  I have no idea.  I may not in this lifetime.  I certainly don't want to think that I can't anymore.  Because if I believe that, than I definitely won't.

Hide and Go Seek

I have been having the strangest of struggles lately.  Of course, these struggles show up mostly at night, when I'm tired and can't really think clearly.  I'm not sure where they are coming from, or what they are trying to tell me.  During the day, I have a tendency to hide from them, through watching tv, not eating, or eating things I don't really want to, or by spending hours online, doing nothing.

I think I'm searching for something, but for what, I'm not entirely sure.

I recently got a wonderful card from some wonderful ladies for my birthday (okay, so June isn't really that recent, but it IS more recent than, say, December).  It was filled with lots of wonderful birthday wishes and hopes and it made me feel more loved and noticed than anything has in a long time.  One note in particular really touched me.  It said that I make this woman want to like herself for her.  I was so flattered.

But I don't get it.

I don't like myself, at all.  (I know, I know, I'm amazing, wonderful, smart AND beautiful.  Stop it, you're making me blush!)

Really, I don't.  I never have, except possibly for a very short time when I was little, which is a time I don't remember (I seriously have the worst memory of anyone I know.  At least, if I remember that I know you).  I know all to well what all my flaws are, and I am constantly embarrassed by them.  I spout words of acceptance of self to everyone else, because I don't want them to be like me.  I am plagued constantly by thoughts and feelings (feelings are the worst.  You can't just push those aside, like thoughts) of not being good enough, clean enough, perfect enough, at anything.  My house gets cleaned in a whirlwind every couple of weeks, not at a steady, constant pace like I'm "supposed" to.  I vacuum a couple of days after I notice animal hair has intolerably built up against the furnace intake vents.  I wear my pajamas almost everyday.  I don't think I have a single flattering piece of clothing available for me to wear right now.  Just old t-shirts and 2 pairs of pants that don't really fit well.  We're too poor for me to go and try to find something, but that doesn't matter anyway, because I'm too fat to even bother trying to find something flattering (this thought is just me being unable to put a finger on what is really bothering me.  It's my safety net.  I feel bad, so it must be because I'm fat).  I don't exercise like I'm "supposed" to.  I don't eat at healthy as I'm "supposed" to.  I don't WANT to eat as healthy as I'm "supposed" to.

I feel constantly judged, constantly battered by "supposed" to's and "have" to's.  I am constantly looking at other people and seeing them do what they want, doing what makes them happy, experiencing things and letting them flow through them, letting the experiences mark their surroundings, and all I see me doing is trying to be like everyone around me.  Bland, boring.  (Not you, whoever is reading right this moment!  You're full of colors and are extremely exciting, really!)  That's how I feel.  These people I admire so greatly, I'm sure they feel constantly judged, but they do what they want anyway.  They are the embodiment of freedom to me.

There are people I know, friends and family, that would/will read this and say, "Have you looked at your choice of religion as the root of your feelings of judgement and confinement?"  So to get it out of the way, to them I say:  Yes.  I have.  And for me, my religion has actually given me the courage and the tools and weapons to break away from the judgement and confinement I feel.  I was feeling this well before I joined the LDS church, and it has brought me the most peace to my heart and soul, the most healing, out of anything else I have tried.  I also look at the LDS church very differently from most people and members, I feel, and that's a big reason that it does bring me peace.  Also, I met The Man because of it, and well, you all know how sexy-hot he is!

But I seem to have gotten stuck in this awful purgatory of not quite bad enough to need massive amounts of help and pills and therapy and pity, and the wonderful sense of joy and peace that everyone craves and needs.  Few people find it, and I want to be one of them.  I really do want to love me for me, not for how I look, or how my clothes fit, or how clean my house is.  But right now, that is where all my worth is tied up.  In outward appearances.  It sickens me, yet I can't move on from it.  I so want to, but how do you break away from these chains?  How do you truly live apart from the world, yet still be an active participant?  How do you really embrace those things that make you different, even if it makes others uncomfortable, or even dislike you?

Zzzzz.....

I'm so so so so so tired.

Because of said tiredness, I can't ever think of anything to write about.

Baby Cakes is getting into my yarn.  And playing with a miniscule piece of newspaper.  And hugging the couch (at least, that's what it looks like).

She also hasn't been sleeping well the last couple nights.  It's been a fun situation ever since we took our trip to Florida and she got sick.  She now HAS to be nursed before going to sleep, both before naps and bedtime.  For the longest time, she was waking up 4 or more times a night, and needing to be nursed every time.  That has mostly stopped (except for the last 2 nights) and she has reduced it to 2 times a night.  Thankfully with about 4 hours in between each waking.

She has also decided that afternoon naps are for chumps.  I keep telling her that only the coolest kids take 2 naps a day, but she says "Nothing doing."  So at 9 months, she is down to 1 nap a day.  *sigh*

Thankfully, that lack of an afternoon nap hasn't been the reason for poor sleeping at night.  That's been all me.  Night before last, I decided it was bedtime before she was actually tired enough.  So she kept waking up.  She finally slept for longer than 1 hour at 1 am.  Then she woke up at 3.  Then at 7.  And she was up for the day.  Last night, she should have been in bed by 6 probably.  She didn't get laid down until 8, because The Man had to work late, and I wanted him to at least see her for a few minutes.  She was pretty much a mess.  And woke up every hour at least once until about 3 (I didn't get up every time, but I certainly woke up).  And she was up BEFORE 7.

So I'm pretty much the walking dead right now.  

I hope she takes a really long nap today, because I need it.

How To Save Money On Gas

Because I'm Sick

and lazy, let's be honest here.  I mean, this is the internet, paragon (did I even use that word right?) of honesty and integrity.

Someday soon, I will write about our glorious trip to Florida.  Like when I stop getting depressed about us not being there anymore.......it may be a while.

In the meantime, I came across a woman who occasionally writes posts for the blog C. Jane.  And those posts are about body image issues and overcoming them.  Because, well, she is a therapist who focuses on that.  And I like what I'm reading. So, here is the link to the page with her current posts on that blog.  Read them, for they are good.

Post of Controversy #0.5

“I’m concerned about a better world. I’m concerned about justice; I’m concerned about brotherhood; I’m concerned about truth. And when one is concerned about that, he can never advocate violence.  For through violence you may murder a murderer, but you can’t murder murder. Through violence you may murder a liar, but you can’t establish truth. Through violence you may murder a hater, but you can’t murder hate through violence. Darkness cannot put out darkness; only light can do that.” ~MLK jr


Sorry folks, but I refuse to celebrate the death of Osama bin Laden.  Yes, what he did and believed and promoted and preached was horrendous.  But he is and was still a child of Heavenly Father.  And Heavenly Father loves him.  And because of that, I refuse to celebrate his death.  I do not mourn him, he is certainly no loss to this world.  And I will celebrate that he is no longer capable of spreading hatred.  I commend the men who buried him at sea according to his religion.  He didn't earn that much respect.  But I feel they were trying to prevent his supporters from finding yet more things about America that is "wrong" with us.  The ones that still weren't satisfied, well, they wouldn't have been satisfied no matter what we did with his body.  That doesn't mean we should have just said "screw it" and dumped him unceremoniously overboard.  Being respectful makes us the bigger "man", not cowards.  Being respectful was not us bowing to the demands of the terrorists.  They didn't demand that we do that for him before we did it.  And who knows, the actions taken that day may have changed someone's mind about us.  It may have made them stop and think about why they hate America.  And that is a good thing.  I believe, and will always believe, that it is better to change someone's mind through peaceful actions and respect than through violence.  You can't use the argument that we don't even treat our own criminals as well as we treated him, because that isn't true.  Criminals who die in our prisons are buried according to their religions dictates (I'm not sure about those who are executed).


I am so grateful for the Navy Seals that risked their lives to go in and get bin Laden.  And I am grateful for all the men and women in the military who are willing to risk their lives to keep mine safe.  Thank you.


***This is my OPINION.  I know that about 3 people read this blog, but if anyone attacks anyone else in the comments for their opinions,  they will be deleted.  BE NICE.  And don't start debating about the war.  That's not what this post is about. 

Adventures in Hippieland: Cleaning of Self

So I ran across a website that had some intriguing ideas on how to clean my face relatively cheaply, and easily.  Of course, since I have a burning drive to do everything the wrong way, I decided to try it.

The Method: OCM
OCM = Oil Cleaning Method.  This is a way of cleaning your face using oils instead of soaps or detergents.  I have extremely dry skin, and it doesn't matter how moisturizing your cleanser says it is, my face WILL be dry after using it.  It got super bad after I got pregnant, with red, peely patches, mostly by my mouth.  Every time I shower, I rub my face, and dead skin comes off in those icky rolly things.  What sold me on trying this was this quote from acne.org:

“Oil dissolves oil. One of the most basic principals of chemistry is that “like dissolves like.” The best way to disolve a non-polar solvent like sebum/oil, is by using another non-polar solvent similar in composition: other oils. By using the right oils, you can cleanse your pores of dirt and bacteria naturally, gently and effectively, while replacing the dirty oil with beneficial ones extracted from natural botanicals, vegetables and fruit that heal, protect and nourish your skin. When done properly and consistently, the OCM can clear the skin from issues like oily skin, dry skin, sensitive skin, blackheads, whiteheads and other problems caused by mild to moderate acne–while leaving your skin healthy, balanced and properly moisturized.”

 Makes sense.  Especially since I have a doctorate in chemistry.  From Harvard no less.  But I'm being too modest......
Here's the webpage I went to.  Totally check it out.  Because I said to, that's why.

So I tried it, following the directions for dry skin: 1 part castor oil to 3 parts olive oil.  Rub all over face for 1 minute, lay a warm, wet washcloth over face until the cloth is cooled to room temperature, rinse cloth, and wipe my face off.

That's it. 

Results?  Nothing short of AMAZING.  I am in love with cleaning my face this way.  My skin feels amazing, looks amazing, and is most definitely clean.  It feels like my skin has been taken back to high school (don't be fooled by my amazing good looks, high school was over 10 years ago).  I LOVE it.  While I still get dry patches, it's only because I don't clean my face everyday.  Come on, 11 pm rolls around, I never got out of my pajamas, let alone put on make up (which this will clean off, including the devils own eye makeup).  I don't want to clean anything, I want to go to bed.

(Don't hate on me for going to bed at 11.  Best way to say I only had to get up once, is to stay up late.

But on the days that I do clean my face, it's not dry.  It doesn't flake, it doesn't peel, it doesn't crack, it doesn't get red and itchy.  It's AWESOME.  And my skin is clearing up too.  If I could use this on my whole body, I'd never have to bathe again.

And that would be SWEET.

Extra Things About Me That You Never Needed To Know!

What is something you miss?

I miss Louisiana.  I miss the humidity, I miss the rain that was actually warm enough to walk in, I miss the Spanish moss on the trees, I miss the smell.  Oh, how I miss the smell!  That was the best part of being there.  I miss my grandmother's house too, but I will never get to see that again.  Or the massive red anthill that was in her back yard.  We used to take cans of Black Flag and spray the crap out of it and watch the ants come pouring out.  And we'd spray them then too.  And when the can ran out, we'd pour boiling water on them.  It was AWESOME.  

I also miss the driving motivation I had to exercise.

Oh wait, I never had that.

Nevermind. 

Food and Travel, What a Combo!

A picture of your favorite food, and a short story or memory involving it (example: the first time you ate it, a memory cooking it--the conversation involved, etc). If you can, provide the recipe.

Well,  I don't actually have a specific favorite food.  I used to luuuuurve tacos, and while I still do, they aren't my favorite anymore.  I also like chocolate, but not all chocolate.  I don't like dark chocolate, chocolate cake, chocolate ice cream, or chocolate pudding.  Actually, I don't like pudding at all.  I have newly discovered that I really like pudding when it is mixed with whipped cream (as long as the pudding isn't chocolate). 
My favorite TYPE of food, at the moment, is anything sweet.  Mmmmmmm, sweet.  Ice cream, cookies, pie, cake, candy, doughnuts.  I've turned into a total sugar whore since having Baby Cakes. 

I also like Mexican food.  If we are going out to eat, I will always pick a Mexican place.  Los Hermanos is divine.  There used to be a place, Taco Reindo, or something like that, that was soooooooo goooooooood.  It's gone now though.  So sad. 

And, since this one is so short, I'll treat you to.......

Everything About Me That You Never Wanted To Know :
(hopefully this one will be easier than the food thing)

 Where do you dream of going someday?

Ooooo, so many places.  France comes to mind first.  I love the french language, I think it is gorgeous.  I wish I had the motivation to learn it.  Or the money to take a class to learn it.  I'd also like to go to Italy and Ireland.  I want to go to Japan because The Man says they are crazy, and I want to see for myself.  But if I do ever get the chance to go anywhere other than the US or Canada (sorry Canada), I don't want to do all the tourist trap things (okay, I do, really, but not at the same time).  I want to immerse myself in the culture and see how people there really live.  Because the tourist places are going to be so different than the places no one goes to. 

Uniquely Normal Mom: Breast Milk Baby Doll- Hypersexualizing our daughters?

It makes me sad to think that so many people in our culture think breastfeeding=sex. Because it involves breasts.

Uniquely Normal Mom: Breast Milk Baby Doll- Hypersexualizing our daughters?

A Thing

So a friend on Facebook invited me to do this thing.  It's uuuuuuuuh......I don't really know what to call it.  She is taking a creative non-fiction writing class, and it either got her nosy, or it's an assignment.  Either way, I'm nosy too, so I'll gladly let someone else be nosy.

Word of warning, it might get depressing, because my life has been good, and it's been really bad, and depending on my mood, you just might get bad memories.  Also, there won't be any of the requested pictures, because, well, I just don't do that.  So, here's the first question: 

(oh yeah, when I do this, I won't be doing the Extra Things You Never Wanted to Know About Me.  Because these could end up even longer than my usual novels.)


1. A picture of yourself as a baby or kid.











Write about your birth, what you know of it, random details of that event that you are aware of.

Let's see.....I was born 2 weeks early, and my mom says it was the easiest of her 4 births.  She said I came out smiling; I never cried.  She said that the doctor told her to push, then told her to stop pushing, but I came out anyway.  I was the only one of us born in a birthing room at the hospital, which my parents really liked.  I had a lot of hair.  I was 6 pounds.  The doctor said that I would have skin problems (of course they don't show up until NOW).  

If you can, call your Mom and ask about it. What was her experience? What was your Dad's?

I don't know, and I already talked to my parents today.  I have to ration my love, or they gorge themselves and get sick.  Can't have that.

How did they choose your name? Middle name?

Seeing as how my dad is a (retired) Methodist minister, my parents chose my name from the Bible.  Quick, which story?

.

.

.

.

Good job!  You get a cookie!

For those of you who didn't get it, my name comes from the Old Testament story of Ruth and Naomi.  I did get named after the old lady, but that's okay, because I really like her.  She's a strong woman, and I've always imagined her as quite an opinionated one (she would totally ride a motorcycle).  She knows what she wants, and what she needs, and she goes out and gets it.  She also doesn't push her religion on people who she knows doesn't believe the same as her, but she shows her love for them, and accepts them as her friends and family.  She tells Ruth to go back home to her people after her (Naomi's) son dies, but Ruth says that Naomi's god is now her god and she will stay with her and go where ever she goes.  She is very faithful and has a strong testimony, something I hope to also achieve someday. 

My middle name, I'm not sure about.  I think I was named after some great aunt or something.  No, I was not named after Magdalena in the Bible (my middle name is Dalene) though I'm sure it is a derivative of that name.  I really like it, and I've debated naming a daughter that.  We shall see.  Not many people ever picked up on the fact that my middle name is similar to the name of the woman who has the reputation of being a prostitute in the Bible.  Do you realize that there is no where in the Bible stating she was one, or even hints at that?  I think it was the Catholic church that came up with that one.  Not sure why. 

So there you go.  Now I'll have lots to blog about.  You may even get to come here once a week!  Yay!

Squish, Squish, Squish

Sometimes I am amazed at people.

I decided to do some grocery shopping today with Baby Cakes, which means she was in her wrap on my front.  I had one girl offer to help me load my cart after checking out, though I turned her down.  Then when I was loading my trunk, a lady came running over and just started helping the weird lady who didn't put her baby in the car seat before loading the car.  They were so nice, and I really appreciated the help. 

Then, our wonderful home teachers came over to help fix our clogged pipe running from our washer.  We kept putting it off until Jesse would have time to work on it, but when you are doing laundry 3+ days a week, all that water NOT draining down the pipe will decide to rot the wall instead.  When a big piece of it was laying on the floor today, instead of standing up with all the rest of it's dry wall friends, I decided that it was time to get some help.  That water is just a bad seed.  That and I had to wash diapers and Baby Cakes laundry and just didn't want to deal with all the water again.  (Thankfully we have a drain in our laundry room floor, so at least the water WENT somewhere.) 

I really love being on the receiving end of service.  It makes me feel like people out there really care about us, that we aren't invisible and alone.  What a lovely squishy feeling. 

Things I Will Not Feel Guilty For

1.  I will not feel guilty for nursing and/or rocking my 4 month old baby to sleep at nap time, and at night time.  I will only get a couple of years where she will let me, let alone be small enough.  Most of her life will be spent out of my arms, so I will take all the cuddling I can. 
2.  I will not feel guilty for not being "political".  I have very little to no interest in following politics.  I hate how emotional and stubborn people get over the "issues".  It seems to me that people forget that everyone is a child of God, and forget to be charitable to everyone, even those who disagree with you over what that means.  I will listen to what people have to say, I may even ask questions or venture to give a very uninformed opinion on something; but mostly, I don't actually care.  I don't vote, and I probably won't except at very local levels.  And even that is iffy.
3.  I will not feel guilty for skipping church if it clashes with the Baby Cakes nap time.  I prefer a happy baby, thank you.
4.  I will not feel guilty for not eating as healthily as I know I should.  I'm sorry, but my eating disorder just doesn't let me think about that stuff very much, no matter how much I try, or want to.  I start out all the time with all sorts of good intentions, but that good old anorexic voice soon pops up and starts twisting everything.  Last time, if it wasn't a leafy green, it was bad for me.  And bad for me means it will fill my heart with artery clogging cholesterol, and cholesterol only comes from fat, and fat makes you, well, fat.  Don't eat that carrot!  Yeah, it's strange.
5.  I will not feel guilty for being confused by all the advise out there for new mothers on the best way to mother my baby. 
6.  I will not feel guilty for ignoring said advise and following my instincts, even if they turn out to be wrong.  I can pay for therapy later.
7.  I will not feel guilty for not doing chores or keeping my house picked up or even vacuumed.  There are 5 animals living here (6 if you count The Man, and I DO).  That's a lot of hair.  And dirt.  I'll do it when it's super visible.  Or when Baby Cakes decides to sleep all day and I have time to.
8.  I will not feel guilty for choosing to watch tv over reading a book.  Sometimes, I just like to turn my brain off and watch Buffy.
9.  I will not feel guilty for not making it to 10.


Extra thing about me that you never wanted to know!  
What is something you miss?

Warm weather.
Being a lot more imaginative with my decorating.
The ability to not be afraid to wear whatever I want.
Louisiana. 
Staying up late.
Being assistant freight manager.
Chocolate.
Broccoli too (yes, I like broccoli).
Being able to sit still long enough to read a book for hours.
The time to take a long bath without having to stay up really late.
My long hair.
My smaller boobs.
My baby.

Things Going Through My Mind While Eating "Lunch"

To paraphrase: as for me and my house, we will contribute to the obesity epidemic.  Bring on the bowl of strawberries and cream for lunch!  Tomato soup will have to come after.

Since becoming a mother, I have EVEN LESS interesting things to write about.  Wooo!  She rolled over!  Wooo!  She's yelling at her toys!  Wooo......She pooped....again......bother.

Genetically modified food.  I support it.  But why?  I must research this. 

Oooo!  I have time to play Lego Harry Potter today!  I lurve lego games!

Is it bad that Baby Cakes likes Buffy?

I should blog something......

Man makes plans, and God laughs.  Why must he be laughing right now?

Maybe I should eat that tomato soup.  Man, I need someone to make me a grilled cheese samich.  I suck at that.

Do I eat too much?  Am I getting fat? 

Baby Cakes needs a swing.  She would love that.

I'm busting out of this bra.  I don't want to buy another one.  This boobage growth needs to stop.  I said stop!  STOP!  Bother.

Oh, crying baby.  Must go mother.

Don't Count On It

Hey, this one might actually be short.  Imagine that.  Because it probably won't happen again.

So, diaper rash struck Baby Cakes, and it has never really went away.  This is a problem because we can't just slap some Desitin on her butt and go.  With cloth diapers, you have to be careful what you use.  Most conventional rash creams cause cloth diapers to repel pee.  We tried everything anyway, because her poor little tushy was so red.  Plus, she has super dry skin anyway, which doesn't help.  AND genetics aren't on her side.  Apparently I was prone to diaper rash, and so was The Man.
We ended up taking her to the pediatrician when I was sunning her butt and it looked a little blistered.  We got a prescription, which meant that we either had to find liners, or go with disposables.  We went with disposables, because we had them, and we only had to use them for a week.  The cream worked wonders, and as it was doing it's butt rash magic, I did some research and came across something interesting.

You know what works for diaper rash?

Coconut oil.

Yep.  Straight coconut oil.  We tried it, and it sooooo works!  Her bum isn't beautiful, because I'm not good at changing her as often as I should, but any rash that starts is cleared up almost immediately because of the oil.  AND it helps her dry skin.

Awesome.  I'm such a good mom.

Extra Thing About Me You Never Wanted to Know:

Post your favorite picture of yourself.

I was in a bad mood.  But I think it turned out well.

The Beauty of Lacking Consciousness

I always said that my sleep schedule would probably change after I had kids.  Boy was I ever right.  I am wiped by 9 pm most nights.  But just like my baby, I fight sleep, whining and crying about it.  But I'm still almost never asleep later than midnight, most of the time it's 11, and I tell myself every day that I am going to try for 10.  Because, dang it all, I'm tired.  Because I'm up between 6:30 am and 8 am every morning.  In fact, today I got up at 8, and I felt like I had slept in! Even though for the last 1/2 hour of it was spent listening to my baby make happy noises in her crib.

You heard me right.  I said (typed?  spelled?  pushed-little-buttons-onto-computer-chips-resulting-in-letters-forming-into-words-on-a-screen?  The miracles of computers!) crib.  Not cosleeper.  Crib.  4 days ago, I woke up at 6:30 to a baby who was done sleeping for the night.  But I wasn't.  I had barely started.  I was exhausted.  I hadn't gotten more than 4 hours of not-good-sleep a night for about a week, because The Daughter just wouldn't sleep quietly.  She would thrash around, and make little noises, and get upset because her pacifier had fallen out of her mouth yet again.  We usually put her to sleep in her little cradle that we keep in the downstairs bedroom, and would bring her upstairs to her cosleeper when we would go to bed.  She would sleep great until about 12, and then it would begin.  I was soooooo tired.  That morning, I broke down sobbing when The Man got up.  I just wanted to sleep, and sleeping when she does doesn't work, because she only naps for half an hour to an hour at a time, and it takes me that long just to get to sleep.  I was mad at Jesse because he gets to sleep all night

(to clarify:  I'm the only one who gets up, because I'm nursing, and she only gets up to eat.  I would nurse her in bed --in fact, that was the original plan-- but she nurses for at least 20 minutes, if not longer, and I learned that I can't sleep sitting up while holding a baby, or nurse laying down comfortably.  So I take her into her room to nurse, so I can read.)

because he doesn't have to get up with her when she's hungry, and because he can sleep through her little night noises (he does take care of her before bed, for both her and us.  I'm just there as a milk dispenser, really, once he gets home).  I'm a light sleeper if there is any noise in the room I'm in at all, so of course, every thing she did woke me up.  When she was smaller, I slept with her on my chest, and she was much quieter, which is how I managed to make it 3.5 months before totally losing it.  But she's too heavy now to do that.  And she was getting plenty of sleep, she was just loud about it.

ANY way, we put her in her own room that night, to see if I could get more sleep.  And I did!  I was still tired, because I was still alert a little so I could hear her if she cried, but I actually had dreams!  And then the next day, in a minor hostage exchange, The Dog Friends brought us a baby monitor set that they are letting us borrow.  So now, I don't even have to be as alert, because I can definitely hear her.  So for 3 nights in row, I have gotten sleep.  Not great sleep, and I don't expect to get that until she has moved out of the house, but much MUCH better sleep.  And I was sad for only one of those nights.  But she's still close, and she's sleeping fine in her crib (in fact, I think she's sleeping better too), and I still get to hold her and cuddle her when I nurse her.  It's not what I wanted, or what I planned on, but it's what I needed if I was going to be a good parent to her during the day.

And now The Man is getting woken up too, which makes him grumpy.  Thankfully, he knows it comes with the territory, and hasn't gotten mad at me about it.  Just the monitors (we had fun with them last night.  But that's another story).  I now have the energy to watch the teenage angst dramas that played on the WB that I missed seeing when I was in high school (I just started Dawson's Creek.  Next up is Buffy, then probably Felicity.  So angst-y!).  Or blog.  I suppose I could do chores, but where's the fun in that?

Time for:  Random Things About Me That You Never Wanted To Know!

What musician do you love that would surprise people because it doesn't seem to fit with the rest of your favorites?
Hmm, this one is a toughy.  Pretty much everyone knows I love the Beatles.  They are my all time favorite.  Second to them is No Doubt.  3rd in line?  System of a Down.  But I'm not sure how many people would find this surprising.  I know that The Man has been surprised when I told him that I like the eMotive album (or is it Lateralus

I Analyze Myself Yet Again

I've been pretty reflective lately.  Any of you who read my blog probably picked up that I had a major rough patch a while ago (a loooooong while ago).  I had questions posed to me that I didn't realize I had answers to, and I got very very lost.  And lately, since it's been a while, I've been thinking (probably too much) about why I went through it.  I'm starting to believe that the whole thing was mostly unnecessary, at least the intensity of it.  I made a lot of big mistakes that I'm still struggling to forgive myself for, and it almost ruined a very good friendship.  Why must I be so silly?

Because I don't remember ever living a life that didn't include some major emotional crisis going on.  I was either ignoring it (though the effects were still felt), or trying to deal with it.  And those of you out there who have dealt with major depression know how catastrophic it can be when the reasons for that depression start surfacing.  I knew I was looking for something, so I created chaos, because that's what I was used to having around me.  And then I wondered what the hell was going on.

I was very spiritually lost, and it was entirely my own fault.  I had the answers in front of me, and I knew them, but I turned away from them because they were too simple.  I have a very bad habit of doing that.  If something is simple, than I MUST find something complicated instead.  I would have been one of the Israelites that turned from Moses' snakes on the staff.  Sadly.

But I'm at peace now.  And I always would have been if I had just listened to the counsel I had received in many blessings over the years in the first place (I still haven't followed that counsel, but at least I know where my answers lie).  It all has to do with the Atonement.  How wonderfully simple.  And yet, how wonderfully deep and compelling.  A simple answer does not mean a shallow one.  That is something I have always believed.  If it was complicated and difficult to receive, that answer was worth more than any other answer.

Now I just need to find a book or something about the Atonement that isn't B-O-R-I-N-G.

And I realize how blessed I was at the time to have many good friends who helped me to understand, and helped me to stay on the path that was best for me, even though I already knew it.  2 of them probably don't even realize how much they helped keep me on there, because they were having their own struggles at the time.  Two others had already come through some of those struggles and knew where they stood.  Both talked to me at length about things, and I have realized that I fall neatly in the middle of them. 

Most of my opinions haven't actually changed.  I've just realized that when the world is run by humans, when people are taught by other people, what is actually the truth and what isn't is very much left up to interpretation.  And mistakes are made.  But the answers for me lie in 2 very simple actions:

Pray
Read my scriptures

Will I do those 2 things nearly as much as I should? 
Not on your life.

But I will keep trying, and that's ultimately all that Heavenly Father has ever asked me to do.   

30 Days

Once again, I should be doing my homework.  I'll call this one a study break. 

I was catching up on blogs, and I found this on a good friends site:

1- What musician do you love that would surprise people because it doesn't seem to fit with the rest of your favorites?
2- Post your favorite picture of yourself.
3- What is something you miss?
4- Name a talent of yours you want to cultivate more.
5- What tv show or movie do you watch when you really need to calm down and come back to yourself?
6- What book has made the biggest impression on you so far?
7- Where do you dream of going someday?
8- Who inspires you to be more and why?
9- A picture (new or old) of you in your very favorite shirt.
10- Name a geeky hobby you have.
11- What tastes like Christmas when you eat it?
12- Make a recipe you've been scared of, take a picture to post here, then have fun eating it and tell us about it later. =)
13- Who, outside of family, do you still keep in touch with regularly that has known you the longest?
14- Name a comic strip you love.
15- Post a picture of you from a time you were very happy.
16- What is one thing you would change about yourself?
17- Post a picture of your favorite bird.
18- Favorite Sean Connery role.
19- A song you turn to when you really need that whatever-it-is.
20- What language do you wish you could speak fluently?
21- When you are bored, what do you doodle pictures of?
22- Your favorite poem.
23- What is the name of the scent of candle you have that you love the most?
24- Your favorite color to wear.
25- If you could start your own business, what would it be?
26- Try a food you've never tasted before and tell us about it.
27- What are the pros and cons of your place in your family (ie youngest, middle kid, oldest...) and how do you think it has shaped you as a person?
28- Name 2 animals - one tiny, one big - that you think are cool.
29- Your favorite movie in black and white.
30- What do you love most about yourself?

What you do is answer one of the questions every day.  I'm stealing it, and doing it myself.  Now, will I do one every day for a month?  Don't be silly.  I'm not that good at schedules.  But I'm hoping I'll at least get through 30 of these in a year.

Time me.  

Zzzzzzzz.......

I am so tired.  I think I actually got more sleep, consistent sleep, when The Daughter was a newborn.  I think I got 3 hours last night.  Maybe 4.  I just couldn't shut my brain off.  So of course, it has to be the night that The Man is thrashing around in his sleep all night (he had no idea when I told him this morning), and The Daughter is making noise all night.  All 3 of us are tired.  And she's the only one who can actually just sleep when she wants to.  But is she?  Nope.  She's rubbing her eyes, vasilatting between fussing and smiling, sucking on her soothie (can I just defend myself here for giving her one?  She has such a need to suck on something, though you would never know it for how often it comes out of her mouth.  If I didn't give it to her, she'd be sucking on me, or crying.  I put up with that for about 3 weeks.  I feel enough like a cow, I'm not keen on feeling like a pacifier too), pulling her soothie out to suck/chew on her fingers (it's so CUTE!), and squirming around, doing all she can to fight it off.  I would take her upstairs to nap with her, but I have homework I'm procrasitnating doing.  I plan my days around when The Mother-In-Law gets home from work so I can get some good sleep.  Not sleeping makes parenting hard.  I think God should have made babies to sleep at night from day one, so that parents could be better parents.  The Man thinks that He didn't because of agency or something like that.  He's probably right, but still.  I will be asking that question when I'm dead. 


I can barely function with one kid and no sleep.  I don't know how you parents out there with more than one can do it.


I was so hoping that having a baby would bring me and my mom closer together; that I would understand her better.  I was also hoping that she would finally see me as an adult, since, you know, I have my own kid and all.


Nope. 


If anything, our relationship right now is even more tenous, though I'm not sure she knows that.  I had to see her 3 times in 3 months (when the baby was born in October, in November for her blessing, and at Christmas).  I will be seeing her again in April, probably.  And in the summer.  And next fall.  And so on.  4 times a year.  I could barely stay civil to her seeing her 2 times a year.  I've got to learn some trick to keep my sanity now that I have to see her twice as much.  The only reason it's happening is because of The Daughter.  I'm certainly not going to deny her knowing her grandmother just because I have a slightly bad relationship with her. 
What brought this on?  Well, there is a family "reunion" that is being planned for the immediate family on my side.  Me and The Man, my brothers and their families, and my parents.  The plans were to go to a campground that we used to go to as kids.  The last family reunion was held there (we didn't go).  I found out that the cabins aren't baby safe, especially for one that is at least crawling, if not learning how to walk.  So I said "Let's do this somewhere else.  Somewhere where we are all happy with the accomidations."  My mom could NOT believe that I wouldn't want to go there.  I mean, my brothers had such fun last time!  Why do I want to deny them that?  I'm sure my baby will be just fine, really!  Ignore what you heard, it doesn't matter.  My brothers had fun!  I don't want to ruin it for them.


Really?  Apparently MY opinion on where we go doesn't matter.  Whether I feel my child is safe or not doesn't matter.  So I talked to my brothers, sort of (I actually talked to Seattle Sister-In-Law #2, who talked to both my brothers.  The fact that I now have a child didn't really occur to one of them.  They were very open to going somewhere else).  They came up with some ideas of other places to go, and I liked some of them, so I suggested them to my mom instead.  What do I get?  HER suggestion that The Man, The Daughter, and I stay at a hotel that is 10 minutes away from the campground instead, while everyone else stays there.  It felt like she was punishing us for daring to suggest that we go somewhere else.  Like we had to be seperated from every body because we aren't any fun.  Not that I would normally mind the seperation, but to completely ignore my suggestions?  That stung.
But I had family on my side, and after Seattle Sister-In-Law #2 found out, she called my mom out, and more nicely than I would have.  And since her children-in-law can walk on water, my mom was quite open to the idea of EVERYONE deciding where to go so that EVERYONE is satisfied with the trip and EVERYONE has fun.  Imagine that!
Then she sent me an email implying that we aren't thinking about our baby and her size in relation to the size of our dogs (HUGE) and how we play with them and that she is going to get hurt.  Because apparently we would never think to make sure she was out of the way before we started throwing a ball for them to chase (yes, we play that game in the house.  I'm amazed that we haven't broken the tv yet).  Her reasons?  Our German Shepard (the only one in question, actually) ran into her last summer, she ran into The Mother-In-Law, and one time she jumped over the baby and her paw hit her forehead leaving a little red mark and a bump for about a day (we weren't playing with her that time.  It was dinner time and we didn't think she would jump over The Man, who was holding The Daughter, to get to the stairs.  She's never done that before).  I just deleted that one.

She's a very clumsy German Shepard.   

I Really Should Be Doing My Homework.....

.....But this is more fun.

Hmmm.....I haven't been writing much good stuff lately.  So, to make up for it:  The Japanese hot pot resturant I went to recently was soooooo good!  So many people seem to think Japanese = sushi, but, according to The Man, Japanese does not = sushi.  Apparently, it's considered an appetizer over there.  Who knew? 

Any way, what you do, is, you pick out a meat (they do have a vegetarian option), and they bring you a plate with the meat, veggies, and udon noodles on it, a little tray with dipping sauces in it, and a bowl of rice.  There is a pot in front of you in the table that has boiling water, and they add some flavorings to it, including green onions (I don't remember the rest).  Then you take a third of the vegetables and dump them in the broth; let them cook for a bit, then add a piece of meat, cook it for about 30 seconds, then take it, with some veggies, dip it in a sauce of your choice, and eat with some rice.  Delicious!  Then, when you are done with that, they come over, add some kind of broth to what's left of your water, the rest of the vegetables, and the noodles, and you eat it like a soup.  Fantastic!  I loved it.  It's called the Shabu Shabu house, and it's just a few blocks from where I live.  It's a little on the high side for price, but their lunch special is a really good deal.  If you have a little extra dough, spend it there on a special night with a sweetie of your choice.

Now back to your regularly scheduled program.

Being Lied To Is Fun!

The study that got everyone crazy about vaccines has been refuted, and the doctor has had his license revoked.  I am now glad that I listened to my doctor and decided to vaccinate my baby on schedule.  I really hope that this news gets as much exposure as the "study" did.

http://blogs.babycenter.com/mom_stories/mmr-vaccine-study-a-fraud/

The Blathering Just Won't Stop!

So I spent the seconds counting down to a new year cleaning an actively pooping baby.  Such fun!  She just wouldn't stop.  And of course it was runny.  And of course she stuck her foot in it, then rubbed it on one leg, which then got on her other leg.  She's a baby; she squirms.  Then it got all over my hands.  She finally stopped pooping, and so we managed to get her cleaned up.  I did get a kiss though.

I saw a sign board telling me that it was -0 at 1:30 am last night.  I think it was lying to me.  I don't know why it would single me out to lie to.  What did I ever do to it?

I broke my party pooperness and played Scattergories (as much as The Daughter would let me).  I had fun.  And there should be more than 12 lists.  I will now play 3 games with a group of non-competitive (this is important) people.  A party will be held in celebration.

I found the laptop my parents gave me (The Dad's old one.  Don't be jealous) a week after they left.  I am choosing to use post-pregnancy brain as an excuse.  Putting it at my place at the table doesn't mean I'll see it.  It must be wrapped and presented to me.  Preferably with great ceremony.

I was thinking about why purple is my favorite color (I over analyze every thing) and realized that purple is traditionally the color of royalty.  I have decided that I must have been royalty in a past life.  It's only fitting.

Nursing has really given me practice typing with one hand.  I'll be great at this after a year.

Happy New Year.