ALL TIME FAVORITE

THIS IS MY ALL TIME FAVORITE SONG, EVER!!!  IT IS SO PERFECTLY ROMANTIC!!  IT HAS BEEN MY FAVORITE EVER SINCE I SAW THE MOVIE VALLEY GIRL.

Moving forward using all my breath

Making love to you was never second best

I saw the world thrashing all around your face

Never really knowing it was always mesh and lace

I'll stop the world and melt with you

You've seen the difference and

It's getting better all the time

There's nothing you and I won't do

I'll stop the world and melt with you

Dream of better lives the kind which never hate

Dropped in the state of imaginary grace

I made a pilgrimage to save this human race

Never comprehending a race that long gone by

I'll stop the world and melt with you

You've seen the difference and it's getting better all the time

There's nothing you and I won't do

I'll stop the world and melt with you

The future's open wide

I'll stop the world and melt with you

I've seen some changes but it's getting better all the time

There's nothing you and I won't do

I'll stop the world and melt with you

The future's open wide

hmmm hmmm hmmm

hmmm hmmm hmmm hmmm

hmmm hmmm hmmm

hmmm hmmm hmmm hmmm

I'll stop the world and melt with you

You've seen the difference and it's getting better all the time

There's nothing you and I won't do

I'll stop the world and melt with you

(Let's stop the world)

I'll stop the world and melt with you...

Juggling

Tonight at Bunko there was no Bunko!  Just 8 lovely ladies sitting around eating fajitas and drinking margaritas.  Sitting there listening to all the funny stories about our children and our lives I realized that girls never really grow up.  After talking about our children and our lives we ended up discussing our imperfect bodies and how many calories we do or don't consume each day. 

 Do we ever get to a point were we are just satisfied with the progress we are making towards the perfect bodies we covet?  Or maybe happy to take a little break from obsessing and allow ourselves to gain a couple pounds without freaking out? 

Being a wife, mother, and woman is hard to juggle sometimes.  When we get focused on one aspect of our lives we lose touch with something else.  I really think that growing up means we come to terms with the fact that we can't do everything perfectly all the times.  When we finally decide that it is okay to improve one or two things at a time.  

All the ladies at the table are 30 something mothers.  Each one is above average intelligence and beautiful.  Not a single lady at the table would be considered even a little over weight.  Nonetheless, we can't just be grateful for the healthy bodies that we have.  

A very close friend ask me the other day if I was happy with my body and I realized instantly that I was.  I've obsessed about my thighs since about 8th grade.  That's almost 20 years!  And just this week, at almost 33 years old, I can honestly answer that I'm happy with my body.  I am happily working on improving it, but not because I hate it.  Maybe it is because I'm older and wiser, or maybe it is because I'm too busy juggling.  

Dragon in the Magic Forest

A nap time story told by Nathan...  I'm dictating it verbatim!

Once upon a time there was a little boy who wasn't afraid of anything, except monsters.  He didn't like monsters because they were too scary, and too messy, and too grabby, and too eaty.  One day the little boy, named Nathan, was walking in the spooky forest.  He met a beautiful princess named Mama  and she had a gun.  Suddenly, there was a monster.  Mama protected Nathan from the dragon.  Then she licked Nathan on the nose and he turned into a little mouse, named Desperaux.  They went walking through the forest together until they met another super beautiful princess, named Nanny.  She touched the little mouse and magically he turned into a beautiful princess, too.  Then there were 3 beautiful princesses in the magic forest.  The End!

This is a picture on an injured donkey.  This is how I feel after today's edition of the "pain train".  

Seriously, AGAIN?

So, today ERic had shoulder surgery.  As I'm driving him home, I get pulled over.  77 in a 65!  Great!  In case you don't remember, I've recently had another blog on the same subject.  You would think I would learn something.  Yes, I have learned something! ! I will no longer donate to the police department when they call, I will simply tell them that I donate regularly through traffic violations.  To add to the fun, my address is incorrect on my license, whoops!  and I didn't have proof of insurance, whoops again!  So I get to show up for a court date in April.  Nice!

JUSTIN ROBERTS

In case you haven't heard of him, Justin Roberts is a great kid's musician. It is the kind of music you can listen to and not get tired of. Here is a little sample. Personally, I think he sounds exactly like JD on Scrubs. :)

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

MAY YOUR DAY BE FILLED WITH PEACE, LAUGHTER, AND LOVE!!!

According to legends, ostriches have a tendency to bury their heads in the sand as a way to avoid danger, but there is no scientific evidence to show that this is true. Some believe that the rumor that ostriches bury their heads in the sand comes from the fact that ostriches ingest sandand pebbles, which help them swallow their food; people may have noticed them picking up pebbles in their mouths and believed that the ostriches were burying their heads instead.

Today, people are often said to bury their heads in the sand when they refuse to confront or deal with a problem, and choose to deny it. The saying comes from the belief that ostriches bury their heads in the sand, which was first recorded by Roman writer Pliny the Elder. Now that we know ostriches do not actually bury their heads in the sand, perhaps the phrase should be corrected. Ostriches are not as stupid as people seem to think.

I'M HAVING ONE OF THESE MORNINGS!!!  

P.S.  BUT I'M STILL GRATEFUL TO HAVE THE CHANCE TO HAVE A MORNING WHEN I WOULD LIKE TO BURY MY HEAD IN THE SAND.  TODAY'S CRAZINESS WOULDN'T BE POSSIBLE IF I DIDN'T HAVE NATHAN AND ZACHARY.  :)

About the title...

I chose the title "Cultivate Gratitude" to remind myself to be grateful for the things I have in my life. That is easy to say, but sometimes difficult to remember. I'm reading a new book, "Real Love in Marriage." I've basically devoured it. It is very good. The author talks about gratitude in a way that really makes me think. He writes...

"When you choose to be grateful, you immediately feel more loved. When you're grateful, you appreciate everything you receive as a gift. You don't keep score. You don't have expectations. You don't cling for more time and attention."

VALENTINE THOUGHTS

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU LOVED SOMEONE UNCONDITIONALLY???

CARING ABOUT THE HAPPINESS OF ANOTHER PERSON WITHOUT ANY THOUGHT FOR WHAT YOU MIGHT GET FOR YOURSELF.

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU TOLD SOMEONE THE COMPLETE TRUTH ABOUT YOURSELF AND GAVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW YOU UNCONDITIONAL LOVE???

Face the Pain

In an effort to indulge me, two of my closest girl friends, Carrie and Jolyn, have decided to workout with me.  I've put a few things together that I've been doing for the last month and a half.  Now these lovely ladies are coming over, with their children to entertain Nathan, on Monday and Friday mornings.  We lock all the children in the basement, turn up the music, and yell words of encouragement like, "30 seconds".  Today was particularly hard on our inner thighs and hamstrings.  But this summer at the YMCA pool... we will be totally glad that we faced the pain.

P.S. We are in the basement with the children!  Please don't call Child Services!

oh I remember

It has been years since I've had an oreo cookie.  I forgot how deliciously satisfying they are!  Yummy!