Mom, It's Your Bi-i-rthday...

Hey, it's my birthday!

Last year, I had a give-a-way.

The year before that, I gave you info about my life (including cute pictures! Seriously. You should read it. Unless you hate cute pictures, then I forgive you).

This year I'm just gonna share this song with you, because I know my kids would have come up with it even if Candace hadn't. I think. Maybe.

Oh, well. I can pretend, right?

American Idol Guys

Blah. They weren't much better than the girls.

I liked:
Casey (he really was good last night. He may look good, but his singing/performing is right on --if the judges would stop trying to make him laugh)
Andrew (I like him a lot)
Aaron, Alex, and John all have fabulous voices, they just didn't do so hot last night.

Yeah, I'm just phoning this one in. Which is sad because I usually don't phone AI in --I'm all about blathering on with my opinions and such. I'm just so disappointed with this year's group, I guess. Which I shouldn't be, because there truly are some very talented people. Sigh. I don't know. What did you think? Girl's year or guy's year?

{The Sacred Grove by Greg Olsen}

Although we have been made to believe that if we let go we will end up with nothing, life itself reveals again and again the opposite: that letting go is the path to real freedom.

~Sogyal Rinpoche "The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying"

The Biggest Loser: Week 8, and American Idol!

American Idol

Last night was just okay for me. I'm thinking that we're finally getting to the point, after 8 years, that everything is just kind of sounding the same. Nobody is doing anything better than anything that has been done or is currently out there. In fact, I think Simon was right when he told some of the girls that they sounded just like singers on the Internet or in the subway. Sure, they sound good, but they sound just like everybody else. Luckily Adele and Colbie were at the fore-front of that sound! Anyway, even the ones I liked last night still didn't blow me away. It's sounding a tad boring. At least for me. I don't know. Maybe I'm just calloused?

I won't comment on every girl that sang last night, but I will say that I really enjoyed:

Crystal --she got new teeth! But that's not why I loved it, but it helped a bit

Lilly --she's very confident in who she is

Didi --I just love her voice (and the song she sang, and I agreed with Kara that she made it her own)

Michelle --although it was boring, her voice was fantastic

Paige --same as Michelle

Siobhan --that quirky girl is making a fan out of me...

I had high hopes for Janell and was disappointed. I had high hopes for Lacey and was REALLY disappointed. Sigh...

What did you think?

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My weight this week:

I lost .2 pounds!

I think the scale might be broken. Or running low on batteries. Because I don't think I did that well.

Sad, really.

Brandon's weight this week:

He stayed about the same.

Thoughts on the show: Hahahahaha! There was no show!

Thoughts on weight-loss:

This week I'm just trying extra hard to remember my mantras from week's past:

If it's not in the house, it won't go in my mouth!

Nothing tastes as good as being thin feels.

and a resurrected one from a few years ago:

I can do hard things!

How did you do?

Stuff. About Today.

This morning I managed to take care of health insurance claim coverage thingy concerns, get the safety/emissions/registration finished on the van, and...well, gosh. That's about it. But it took time, effort, and cold-calling the insurance company TWICE.
Dude! I rock.
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After the safety/emissions at the Toyota dealership this morning, I began driving back home and I saw a woman walking on the sidewalk. She was carrying a diaper bag and a baby wrapped in a large quilt. I looked up at my little thermometer thing and saw it was 25 degrees outside. I thought for just a second and then I stopped:
"Would you like a ride?"
Hesitation...
"It's just so cold out there, and I don't have a car seat for your baby, but...where are you going? Would you like to ride or rather walk?"
"Just there to the college."
Hesitation...
"Well, maybe I could get in the back?"
"Oh, if it's just right there, no worries. Hop here in the front..."
She did.
"How far do you walk to the college?"
"I get off at the bus stop over at ________"
"Really? That's kind of far."
Awkward silence.
"Well, it's good exercise, right?"
She smiled. "Right."
I dropped her off at the front door of the college and she thanked me. #4 yelled "Good-bye!" really loud and we left.
As I drove home, all I could think about was:
1. She is going to college and has a small child. Does she have other children?
2. She took the bus. Is this because of practicality or necessity?
3. I'm glad I was there today. I wish I took her name and could be there for her every day.
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Horrifying news:
A friend of mine from high school went missing, along with her 4-year old daughter --and her husband, who is accused of shooting and killing his mother and his mother's boyfriend. They were found recently in Virginia (although the shooting was in Oregon) and my friend is being held as a material witness. One of her best friends started this Facebook page and I'm praying with all my heart that things get resolved soon. It appears that my friend was kidnapped by her husband. Their daughter will be placed with family members until stuff gets resolved. I'm heartbroken! What an awful experience to have to endure. Please add her to your prayers! Her name is Jessica.
[For details, just go to the Facebook page. There are links to newspaper articles and such, although this one is pretty clear on the details...]
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Not wanting to end on such a sad note, I will share with you something beautiful. Do you recognize these pictures?


The first three are in Shanghai, China.
The last three are in/near Beijing, China.

I'm going to China! (Maybe you already knew.)

Brandon's class picked Beijing and Shanghai for their international trip this next fall and they highly encourage spouses to go. At first I was kind of put out. China? I've never had an interest to go to China. None. England? Ooh, baby! France? Italy? Bring it on! However, Brandon brought home some travel books for both cities and I have been eating them up. I'm so excited to go! I cannot wait. Can. not. wait!

If Only

My just-about-7-month-old now has a tooth (as you know) and won't take a bottle (as you know) and refuses the binky (although I may try again) and hates to sleep in his crib (unless I trick him and put him in it right after nursing and he ends up sleeping for almost 3 hours but then he realizes where he is and he freaks out and then we do it all over again). We've tried Ferberizing him, but it's not working this time (and believe you me, I'm a big fan of Ferber because it worked with our other four children). And co-sleeping is killing my back and my head and my arms and...it's just not working out very well. In fact, I hate it. But getting up and down three times a night isn't working out very well, either, even though that doesn't hurt my back nearly as much. What can I say? We have a queen. So, the dilemma continues. And needless to say, I'm tired. Very tired.

Today, I was sitting here lecturing myself that I should be getting the safety/emissions on the van instead of being lazy and being on the computer (regardless of the good things I was doing) and then I wondered if I would be less tired if I just started exercising again, as per my promise to Alison Wonderland, and I realized it would. So, I ordered the following as a birthday present to me (because it's my birthday this week, yo!):

Master Your Metabolism: The 3 Diet Secrets to Naturally Balancing Your Hormones for a Hot and Healthy Body by Jillian Michaels
and
Jillian Michaels - 30 Day Shred DVD

Yeah, yeah. I know. But I need a swift kick and new ideas always help me in the swift-kicking department.

And I know I keep boring the public with my drivel about my inability to lose weight and such, but I'm a tad obsessed right now. I'm obsessed because I keep failing. But all of my failure led me to write this for the neighborhood newsletter this week, so it's not all bad, right?:

By the end of February, most of us have stopped working on our New Year’s Resolutions. January is full of promise and resolve, but after a month or so, the resolve wanes...life gets in the way, our goals are too ambitious, we never really wanted to change after all.

I have been thinking of late as to why the things we want most in life take the most work. Being healthy means eating right, exercising, and staying away from temptations. Getting good grades means attending class, studying hard, and getting enough sleep. Learning a new skill (such as playing an instrument or sport) means hours and hours of practicing. Maintaining faith in God requires dedication, practicing what we preach, and consistent prayer. All of these things take work. Lots of work.

Goals, in and of themselves, are nothing if there is not a plan made. Goals are also nothing if we don’t work to follow through with those plans. But the point, I believe, is not to begrudge the hard work, but to just keep trying. Sure, the New Year’s resolutions may fall flat before the grass turns green, but where is it written that new goals can only be made and accomplished in January? Making goals in May or August or November are just as important. If we fail in our efforts, we get up again. We try again. And again, and again. We only fail when we stop trying. It may take us a thousand tries before our goal becomes a reality, but in the end, it will be worth it. And we will have had a thousand reasons to be grateful.

However, if a goal seems to be taking more than a thousand tries to reach, perhaps there are other things in play. Anthony J. D’Angleo once said that “when solving problems, dig at the roots instead of just hacking at the leaves.” If you can’t seem
to get healthy, figure out what is holding you back. If you won’t fit in piano practice, find out why. If you are failing math, go back and find where it got hard. If your faith in God is faltering, find where doubt first started. We cannot expect to succeed if we
keep “hacking at the leaves.” We must find out why we do the things we do, and
in order to succeed, we must change them. Then it won’t matter if we succeeded in January or February or even March. We will succeed in December, and be just as joyful!

It is a mistake to suppose that people succeed through successes; they often succeed through failures. ~Author Unknown

~The Editor

So, there you go. We're all failures that are learning from failure and moving on and getting stronger and stuff. In my case, it would be easy for me to say "If only my baby slept through the night..." "If only I didn't have children..." or "if only I didn't have as many children..." or "if only I lived here or there..." or "if only, if only, if only" and then EVERYTHING would be fine.

But it's not true. Because no matter how many "if only's" came true, I would still be stuck with hard stuff. Hard stuff doesn't go away, no matter the life, the location, or the luck. In fact, I bet you a bazillion bucks that if I was super-healthy and thin I would still be saying "if only..."

But I bet you I'd still like it! ;)

Cakes, Teeth, and Imaginary Friends

Why I should never attempt to bake cakes:

If you can't tell, they are light sabers. The green one is winning. #4 desperately wanted a Star Wars theme, and I figured, "hey! My sister rocks at this (go to the link and look at her April month. Ooh, and go here, too! She is amazing, people). Maybe I could do it? Sure I could do it!"
Dan, do you wanna submit it to cake wrecks?

This one is funny. I tried to make it all Weight Watchers friendly, and so I mixed the chocolate cake-mix with diet 7-up. My plan was to make a layer cake with strawberries and whipped cream. Well, just to warn all of you, a diet soda cake is very sticky. And will not come out of a pan easily. At all.

So, I turned it into a trifle. Not bad, eh? Yeah, until #2 says "Mom, I hate whipped topping."

Sigh.

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#5 got his first tooth yesterday! I didn't even realize he was teething. Good boy doesn't bite, so we're all happy.

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#4 has been talking about "Caden", Caden's baby brother, and Caden's mom lately. "Caden", I discovered, is an imaginary friend. Here are some of the things Caden does:

*He goes in the potty.

*He steals #4's candy.

*He goes to school with #4 (which is how I picked up it was imaginary because #4 doesn't go to school).

*He taught #4 bad words.

I've never had a kid with an imaginary friend before. It's kind of fun! And hilarious. I've told #4 "if Caden goes in the potty, why not you...???" Think it'll work?

American Idol Has Begun. Sort Of.

So, I promise I'll start my AI posts next week when the actual singing/voting commences. But I had some thoughts...

First of all: I hate it when contestants cry and whine and say "this was my last chance" or "this was the only way to support my family" or "if I don't make it here, it's over" because that's just crap.
Crap.
Look, I know the music industry is hard. Harder than hard. To get ANYONE to look at you, let alone someone who can give you a record deal is akin to Dante's Inferno. I get it. I know it's tough. But you know what? It's NOT your last chance. You know why? You can get a job. You can go to college. Can't get into a University? Go to community college. Can't do that? Go to vocational school. Then get another job. Work hard, scrimp, save and then one day: Voila! You will have provided for your family. It may not be as easy as sudden fame, but it sure beats the heck out of "I'm all out of options! I might as well send my children to the sewer!"
Bugs me to death.
Had to get that out.

As far as this year's contestants go, I'm pleased. I think it's going to be a woman's turn to win. I'm really liking that Crystal Bowersox (although she might need some teeth-whitening. Just sayin'.)
Other contestants I'm digging:
Andrew Garcia
Casey James
Janell Wheeler
Lacey Brown
Lilly Scott
Tyler Grady
John Park

I reserve the right to change my mind after I've heard them all sing, of course. Who do you like?

The Biggest Loser: Weeks 6 and 7

Last week, I weighed this:

Yeah, I gained 1.7 pounds. Yuck.
But then, last night, I weighed in at 190.7! (yeah, no picture. I got home late because of book club and so I weighed in really quick and forgot to take a picture. Sorry!)
That means I lost 2.7 pounds! How did this happen? I absolutely have no idea. My exercising was bad, my eating was bad, and in fact, the only explanation I have is this:
My baby is literally sucking the life out of me.
That could do it.
But what's great is that since week one, I have lost a total of 6.9 pounds. Woot-woot!

Anyway, here is Brandon last week:

He lost 2 pounds that week! But then he weighed in at WW yesterday and gained about 1/2 pound. That's still pretty dang good. In total, he has lost about 7 pounds! Seven pounds in seven weeks is good. Very good.

Now Marianne and TaLaisa have been pretty good about sending in pictures, and even though I'm not showing them this week, just know they are good about reporting to me. But I'll let them do it this time in the comments, since we've had two weeks to report.

Thoughts on the Show:
Ummm...I forgot what happened last week. Olympics, right?
And was there one last night? I'm thinking not because of the Olympics. Maybe I should actually find out. Hmmm....

Thoughts on Weight Loss:
*I found this amazing quote in Brandon's weight watcher's take-home-thingy-thing and I'm going to print out in big letters and tape everywhere in my house:

NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS BEING THIN FEELS

Ain't that the truth!
*Why is it so hard for me to exercise alone? Do any of you exercise alone? How do you do it? How is it possible? I think I'm just this crazy-social-being who craves socialization and needs it. Plus, exercising is kind of boring. Conversation makes it fun!

Okay, dear reader! Your turn. Did you lose weight this week? Gain? How much have you gained or lost in the last 7 weeks? What are you going to do to be successful this week? Do you realize how much I admire you for doing this?
Love you all!

Random Tuesday Ramblings From a Wannabe

So, there I was today, sitting in the car, waiting for #4 to come out of her theater class, flipping through the radio stations and I stopped and listened to Miley Cyrus.
I know.
But it was "The Climb" and I remembered how Alison Wonderland and I agreed that we liked Selena Gomez and Demi Levato much better than Miley Cyrus, but some of Miley's stuff was okay. And we also agreed that "The Climb" should have been sung by somebody who actually knew what it was like to work hard for what they had. Or was at least 20 years old or somethin.'

But anyway, I was listening to the song and I got to thinking about all the things one shouldn't think about when they are pre-disposed to being depressed or pity-filled or wishing they could accomplish something more in their life. I thought them, anyway. I thought them because I have so many of them. And so many of them are there because of choices I've made in my life.

I made the choice to marry young. I chose to get married and then have a baby at age 22. I made the choice to have five children in 8 years. I've also chosen to live in Utah, to teach piano lessons, to do whatever else it is that I do. I've chosen not to exercise today and not to eat well. I've chosen to whine that the sunshine outside will be short-lived instead of walking outside in the sunshine. Everyday I make choices that affect me, my kids, my hubby, my friends, and my future. And every day I sit and lament about how I don't have what I want. I think about those who have what I want, and I wonder what I can do to get the thing that I want.
For example!

My aunt and my two sisters-in-law just ran a marathon recently. They kicked butt. Kicked it! All three of them are in good health and enjoy running, biking, swimming --oh, yeah. Triathlons. They are not just marathoners --they are triathloners, too. Is that a word? No? Anyway, they trained for this. They worked hard for this. And they are awesome! I'm so proud of them.

So, I was thinking, hey! I've done a couple 5K's. Why not train for a 10K? I need to lose this weight and experience has taught me that exercise (regular exercise) is a must. But then I stopped myself because:
A. My shoes don't fit me right and I will injure myself again like I did a couple of months ago. I could buy some more, but we really can't afford that. But maybe I could save for some? Oh, yeah. I'm saving to just buy me some regular clothes that are less than 3 years old. Shoot.
B. The only exercise pants I own have four holes and are so faded they are now purple. But I can still run in 'em. They don't have to be nice. But maybe I could buy some...? Oh, yeah. See "A."
C. The best way to train for a 10K is to start training. I could go at 6AM with the other ladies, but...oh, yeah...my asthma was so bad in the cold air that I had to stop just so my chest wouldn't keep hurting. It took weeks to fix that! Maybe I should wait until Spring. Or is it Spring? This sunshine that won't last is so cruel! I hate it!

Yeah, so my brain is all ramble-like and complains a lot.

But do you see my point? I could make an excuse for every single thing I want. Gardening. Writing. Losing weight. Yes, my kids and my responsibilities hinder some of this personal growth. Yes, it is my own fault. And I'm okay with that --with them. They are my favorite part of myself, so I honestly don't regret having them when I did. So, I guess my point (in a very round-a-bout-I-can't-believe-I-wrote-this-and-have-humiliated-myself-instead-of-making-dinner-way) is that although Miley Cyrus doesn't have the life experience to understand what it's like to have mountains in the way, I like her song. Because it feels like that sometimes. And just climbing up the dang thing teaches me more than anything up on top or on the other side. Or somethin' like that. If you wanna get all sappy.

Oh, hey, does anybody wanna move next door and be my personal trainer? Anyone? Anyone? Hello? Is this thing on?

Hello, There. I've Got Nothing.

My favorite Valentine's Day quote ever:

I don’t understand why Cupid was chosen to represent Valentine’s Day. When I think about romance, the last thing on my mind is a short, chubby toddler coming at me with a weapon. ~Author unknown
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Yesterday I gave a talk in Church. And I want to share some of it with you. Because I don't think a lot of you realized we were inches away from moving to California next month.
That was what this post was all about.
But anyway, here's the paragraph where I talked about it (oh, and my topic was Feeling the Spirit of the Lord Through the Scriptures):

As many of you know, Brandon just accepted a new job last month here in Provo. However, what many of you may not know is that he was also offered a job in California. For the last three and a half weeks, Brandon and I had the monumental task of deciding what to do with our small family. Do we stay? Do we move? Which job is better? Which place is better? Where does the Lord want us? How will it affect our future? How will it affect Brandon’s employment future? How will it change or improve our financial situation? These questions plagued us as we made spreadsheets with the pro’s and con’s, visited the Temple, prayed together, and searched the scriptures. I was fearful of either answer. I wasn’t sure if I could handle another move. I wasn’t sure if I could handle NOT moving. I was lost and confused, as I knew my husband was. But I found solace in the scriptures as I came across Psalms 56, verses 3-6; 11, and 13. (READ VERSES) Another verse that helped my perspective was again in D&C section 6, this time verse 7 (READ VERSE). Although neither of these verses gave me the “answers” to the questions we were asking of God, they did give me peace. I felt the Lord’s Love envelop me as I read these words. I had been seeking a specific answer, but what I got instead was comfort and peace. I hadn’t realized I needed that even more.
Oh, and by the way, we are staying here in Provo. Just in case you were wondering.
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Hey, hey! Tomorrow is weigh-in day! Get yourselves ready, dear reader. I'm gonna blow your mind with the results of my inability to lose weight. And then we will start again. A re-committing, if you will. We shall be victorious!

That last line was for you, Bythelbs. I think that song rocks, too.

I Don't Take These Things Lightly

Next Tuesday will be a double-whammy weight-loss-biggest-loser post. I have a picture of myself weighing in on Tuesday, but I'll just have to post it alongside next week's picture. We're all okay with an extra week, right? If we gained, we'll lose. If we lost, we'll lose more. See how great it is??

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My Carbon Footprint

Well, according to extreme-environmentalists, it probably stinks. I haven't taken any of those online tests (that I can remember), but I do know a couple of things:

1. I do not think I am environmentally or socially irresponsible. Some people disagree with me, and that's fine. I disagree with them on all kinds of things, too. It's only fair.
2. Before I list the things I do, I want you to be aware, dear reader, that I do these things because I want to. And I have been doing them for years and years. I don't do them because the government wants me to. I have never seen Al Gore's movie. I don't care what the Lear-jet-flying man thinks. I do this because my Church (gasp!!) has taught me to be a steward of the Earth. I do these things because I love the Earth and I love God. Plus, I have some intelligence.
3. Having a big family is constantly looked down upon by environmentalists as socially and environmentally irresponsible. I'll talk about why it's actually the reverse in a bit. But first!

What I do (this list isn't perfect, but it's honest):

• Recycle. A lot.
• Buy used goods; donate used goods. Garage sales, Deseret Industries, KSL (the Craigslist of Utah), etc.
• Energy-saving light bulbs
• h/e washer/dryer
• Brandon drives a Prius, but come summer, he'll be biking to/from work.
• Our kids walk to/from school, except the Kindergartner --we have a neighborhood carpool after school for them.
• I turn off the lights (and get after the kids/husband if they don't).
• I try to buy locally, especially produce.
• I don't buy Styrofoam and hate to buy plastic unless it's recyclable in my city.
• We only get the Sunday paper. And then recycle it.

Like I said, it's not perfect. I mean, I still shop at WalMart (it's closer than Target by about 6 miles) and I still drive to church when it's cold (yeah, that's really bad). I also don't have a garden, yet (curse my black thumb!), but anyone who reads this blog knows that gardening is a huge dream of mine. So, yeah. It's not perfect. But I'm trying. And like I said, I'm not doing it for anybody else. I do it because I want to.

Now, as far as having a large family:

I know there are several women the world over (mostly in the UK) who have decided to sterilize themselves in order to protect the Earth. To me, that's just ignorant. I won't even address that. However, I have come under attack in the past for being socially and environmentally irresponsible for having "so many" children. Here is my counter to that:

• Chances are, all of my children will go to college, get jobs, and be responsible citizens in their communities. Every. Single. One. It won't matter if we end up with 10 kids --they will all have the chance. This is due to A. their parent's stable marriage and B. their parent's education level. Now, if I was a single mother on welfare and I kept having children? Yeah, that's irresponsible. But my children will become hard-working, educated, Earth-saving adults. Because they have hard-working, educated, Earth-saving parents.
• Larger families can be more Earth-friendly than smaller families. They can! I mean, one energy-saving light bulb can light a room for 1 person or for 14 people. Doesn't matter. Hand-me-downs and used merchandise is a must because of the size! My kids don't pine for new things; the used ones are good enough. Larger families tend to have more food storage, gardens, used goods, and carpools. Meals are stretched further in order to save money.
• The idea of over-population is ignorant when we're talking race. It takes two children to replace two adults. Even then, they will only replace the adults, not replenish. If people end up having less children (1 to 2 per couple), we're talking race extinction. It doesn't matter which race or culture it is, it will eventually die out. We all talk about how awful it is when entire civilizations have died out or are about to die out (Native Americans, that one Chinese race Genghis Khan obliterated, the Incas, the Aboriginals in Australia, tribes in New Guinea, tribes in Africa, etc.), but holy cow! Who knew we could do it to ourselves by just not having enough children in the name of ecology??!

I know my post the other day ruffled some feathers and it was irresponsible of me to word them in such a way. But I guess my point was that I'm tired of being told I'm destroying the Earth when --in fact --I am not. The inversion in Utah has been around since the 1800's --it's not my fault, and I'm tired of being told it is. The ice-caps have been melting since who-knows-when (and reported in the 1920's), and I'm tired of being told it's my fault. Political environmentalism and extremism is a disease that causes fear and prejudice. Should we do our best to take care of the Earth? Yes. Should we do it because we care about the Earth? Yes. But when we're bullied into it by a few who think they know all the answers, it isn't fair. When we're told we're not doing good enough because we have a lot of children, it isn't fair. I have a college degree. I have a brain. I have charity-driven, Earth-day-lovin' children whom I teach. I don't take these things lightly.
The irony is that I never have.

*Last point: I don't take these things lightly "regardless" of my Mormon religion --I do it BECAUSE of my Mormon religion. Now, don't that beat all!

What Day Is It?

*I realize I'm behind in so many posts. I've got the weight one (doh! I did weigh in, I promise!), and one on my own carbon footprint. But life is crazy right now, and it mostly has to do with this...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, #2!

She is Seven years old today. S-e-v-e-n. Can you believe it? Like #4, she started out so young:

Then grew into this!

Love you, girl!

Rantings and Ravings, But Not Really

When did Pro-Choice automatically equate abortion? A woman choosing to keep her baby rather than abort it is still exercising "choice."
Duh.
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To the EPA and others who think Utah's inversions are a result of massive pollution because of all those breeding Mormons and their gazillion cars, please read this:

Here's a news story I read recently:
"Smog smearing a wet, gray blanket over the Great Salt Lake Valley will get worse before it gets better — and no telling when it will get better, weather observers predicted Wednesday. … Meanwhile, Wednesday ground traffic was still slow and air movement in and out of the Salt Lake City Airport was at a halt."
Here's another: "Thick, murky, undulating fog socked in the Salt Lake Valley Monday, causing numerous traffic accidents and shutting down air traffic at the Salt Lake Airport all morning. … Several planes hovered over the airport some time before going on to alternate airports."
And here's a third: "Even London hardly boasts of thicker ground clouds than nature has laid over Salt Lake and much of Utah for the past three days."
I said I read them recently. I did not say they were written recently, although they could have been. It's hard to know what the skies will be like Sunday morning, but from where I sit as I write, David Copperfield couldn't have done a better job of making the mountains disappear.
The first quote came from the Deseret News on Nov. 29, 1950. It went on to say several more bad days were expected.
The second one was from Dec. 6, 1965. That year, a prisoner tried to escape under the cloak of bad air. It was a good idea, except that Dr. Brian Moench, president of Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, said recently that running outdoors in this type of gunk is the equivalent of smoking a pack of cigarettes. The prisoner was caught fairly quickly, wheezing, no doubt.
The third quote is from Feb. 3, 1931. Later in that same article it said, "The present record for number of days with dense fog is 23, established during the winter of 1876-77."
In case you haven't figured it out, the point is that bad winter air has been a part of Wasatch Front life for a long time. The only thing that changes are the creative ways reporters try to describe it.

*Well, boy howdy! That both makes me sad (do we honestly think we can change this?) and confused (wait, can't we change this? My asthma wants us to change this!) at the same time.
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To the fans of Al Gore:

The Associated Press
The Arctic Ocean is warming up, icebergs are growing scarcer and in some places the seals are finding the water too hot, according to a report to the Commerce Department yesterday from [U.S.] Consul [George] Ifft, at Bergen, Norway.
Reports from fishermen, seal hunters and explorers all point to a radical change in climate conditions and hitherto unheard-of temperatures in the Arctic zone. Exploration expeditions report that scarcely any ice has been met as far north as 81 degrees 29 minutes. Soundings to a depth of 3,100 meters showed the Gulf Stream still very warm.
Great masses of ice have been replaced by moraines of earth and stones, the report continued, while at many points well known glaciers have entirely disappeared. Very few seals and no white fish are found in the eastern Arctic, while vast shoals of herring and smelts, which have never before ventured so far north, are being encountered in the old seal fishing grounds. Within a few years it is predicted that due to the ice melt the sea will rise and make most coastal cities uninhabitable.
— The foregoing AP article was published in The Washington Post on Nov. 2, 1922.
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It's been a while since I've done some "controversial" stuff on my blog. Not sure if I'm up for it. But with great bravery (and some trepidation and ready to hit the delete button if necessary), I say...

Discuss.

Happy Birthday, #4 and All That Jazz

My little guy is three years old today! Where did the time go? Wasn't it just yesterday that he looked like this?


Now he looks like this!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BUDDY!
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The Provo High School dance team had a clinic last week for kids ages 3-14. They learned a dance routine, played games, and the put on a concert for the parents. The girls had so much fun! I loved that I dropped them off, and three hours later they put on a 10 minute concert. That's my kind of concert! Please ignore #1's super-tight shirt. We kind of mis-judged the size; luckily she had another one on underneath!

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Six Month Old Number Five:

I Wish Spring Was Here RIGHT NOW

Because I love sunshine. And the other day when #3, #4, #5 and I went for a walk in the sunshiny-sunshine, I felt something glorious! I think it was pure happiness, dear reader. I love me the sun. Not blazing, Arizona-type-heat sun, but cool, see-the-tulips-blooming type of sun. And I miss it. I want it.
The grass, too.
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#5 likes pears! Who told me to try pears? I can't remember now. I guess I could look it up...
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Yesterday was crazy. In fact, here is my Facebook status for all you non-Facebook people:

Cheryl...put together some bunk beds all by herself! It took all day, what with the nursing baby, the I-will-never-go-to-the-potty 2 year-old, babysitting the cousin's 13 month-old, teaching piano lessons, having lunch with the hubby, cleaning the house, doing laundry, making brownies, and helping children with homework, chores, and brushing of the teeth, but I'm okay with that. Because I did it!
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Oh, and KSL rocks for buying used goods. In the Bay Area, it is all about Craigslist. In Utah? It's all about KSL, baby.
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Brandon is loved and wanted by companies. Okay, at least two. And for you people patiently waiting to figure out what I was patiently waiting for, we were trying to decide if we should take another job in another state.
For now, we are staying here. The decision was made!
However --
That doesn't mean we'll be here long. Or forever. Because it seems like CA is still calling our names. If we end up going again, I'll be sure to let you know.
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And now, for your viewing pleasure. Have a great weekend, everyone!

The Biggest Loser: Week 5

TaLaisa and Marianne, where are your pictures? Hmm??

Hey, hey! So, I was totally expecting to gain weight this week. Stomach flu is over, but exercise and eating right was still a tad off. But lo and behold, I lost! Woot-woot!

I lost only 1/2 a pound, but I'll take it! My goal for next week is to be out of the 190's. Think I can do it? I do! I can do it, I can do it, I can do it, I can do it...


Brandon lost THREE pounds! He is doing awesome.

Okay, now you people:

• Aunt Kathi: My guess is that you are not eating enough. You probably know all this, but if we don't eat a certain calorie amount each day, our body will actually hold onto weight because it thinks we're starving. But you rock at the working out! You'll get it, I'm sure. How did you do this week?
• Judi: Therapy ROCKS. I won't lie to you --I think everyone should have therapy. Even me! But I have a tip for you: Gum. Sugar-free gum. Grab a piece every time you feel like munching, even if you end up chewing gum all day! It helps me a lot.
• Dianne: I blame mine on the "whatever week this is" curse, so you're good! I'm sorry about your grandmother. That's hard. And yes! Cleaning the house is definitely aerobic-related. :)
• Kimberly: 5.2 in two weeks!? That is amazing! How did you do this week?
• evitafjord: Water is so important, so yes! Drink water. I think it helps with almost everything --skin, hair, digestion, etc. Did you lose any weight this week?
• katelisa: It's totally normal to be in a funk. It's totally normal to hate the scale, too! But don't give up --weigh in today and tell me what it is. Even if it's bad news, it's still important to stay accountable. One thing I've learned through all of this is how easy it is to just give up. We get to the point where we feel like we can't do it, or we're failing, and so we just throw our hands up in the air and yell 'it's not worth it!' when in reality, it is worth it. So, don't give up!
• TaLaisa: See my comments to katelisa. And you rock. And did you lose?
• Desi: CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!
• Julie: I hope you lost an ounce (or more) this week. Did you?
• Cardalls: I love the grey team, too. They are so real and work so hard.

Thoughts on the Show:

1. Wow. I have a new-found respect for stubborn Miggy. Surgery? And still losing 5 pounds!? She is amazing. Amazing.
2. I was so sad that John went home. I wanted the red team to go because of all the drama they've caused. At the same time, however, I know how she felt when she made it out of the 200's. It is such an incredible feeling!
3. My favorite part of the entire show last night was when purple (dang, what's her name?) had all those people running for five minutes. When they did it, and Sunshine was all crying because she did it, and they were all amazed at themselves, I seriously started crying myself. THAT'S what this show is all about! Not the immunity or the drama or the voting --it's about realizing we can take control of our bodies and our lives and accomplish great things.

Thoughts on Weight Loss this week:

1. Follow this mantra: IF IT'S NOT IN THE HOUSE, IT WON'T GO IN MY MOUTH! Seriously, stop buying junk. If you have it in the house, you will eat it. Stop pretending you have self-control. I had to! I can't have it in the house. Because of that, I actually threw out some chocolate truffles the other day (the rest of the bag). Did I waste some money? Probably. But do I feel awesome now? Yes!
2. Chew gum and drink water. If you don't like gum, then suck on a mint. I promise that not only will your thighs thank you, but so will your friends. Because your breath will rock!
3. It's February, the month when all weight-loss resolutions go flying out the window. Don't be a statistic! Keep trying. Keep working. I didn't get any exercise in last week because of the stomach flu, and it's been hard for me to get back into it, but I'm not giving up, and neither should you. In fact, I'm very seriously considering signing up for a 5K this summer. Maybe even a 10K. Maybe.
4. I keep remembering THIS. I have to. Because I remember so clearly how good it felt. I want to feel that way again!

And you?

Patiently Waiting Patiently

I did something I swore I would never do: I have put Pull-Ups on #4. During the day.

I said something I swore I'd never say: Yes, you can have another snack.

I wore something I swore I'd never wear: Sports Bras are more comfortable, anyway.

I ate something I swore I stopped eating: Truffles rock, man.

I am doing something I swore I could never do because I'm not strong enough: I'm waiting patiently. Patiently, patiently, patiently. I'm waiting as if I have never waited before and this new sensation is something akin to poetry (or a miracle?), because I am not a patient person.

Really.

I make decisions. I make them fairly quickly and pretty deliberately. After I have made said decisions, I make a plan. I plan and plan and plan and plan and then! I do the plan. I am a getter-done type of gal. If I were a word, I would be a Verb. I do not like to wait around for the sake of waiting around. I don't like to wait around for the sake of getting a really good answer, either. And this, dear reader, is the problem sometimes. Sometimes we NEED to wait around for a really good answer. Sometimes, the waiting leads us to a really superior answer. Other times the waiting around creates the amazing answer. And even on occasion, the waiting around IS the answer.

So, I am waiting. As patiently as I can. And when I know the answer, dear reader, I will tell you the answer. If there is one to be had, of course.