Wednesday, June 9, 2010
The truth.
Truth is, I have some pretty sexy daughters. Here's a sampling. Sorry, boys, they're taken.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
The Secret's Out
This is hard to say & it will be harder for some of you to hear. But I can't hide it anymore. I'm tired of the lies, the deception.
The truth is.... my daughter Cindy is the best-looking of all my children. There. I've said it. I can't unsay it now. Look at her; she's a vision of beauty!
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Exercise buddies
Michael and Laura have a new exercise program. It's called "Sweating with the Oldies." That's right, they are getting Tom and me to exercise with them. They have these DVDs called "Insanity." It's a pretty good workout. If it doesn't kill me I'll be in pretty good shape in a month!
My main goal is to tighten the core so I don't feel so flabby. I have struggled a great deal the last year because of health and other issues. But I'm determined I'm going to keep my strength so that when we are financially able to do so we can serve a mission. Besides spending time with my family as often as possible, the only other big thing I want to do with my life is serve a full-time mission. I would be so disappointed if I found I couldn't go because I had not taken good enough care of this body of mine. So thanks, family and friends, all of you who are doing your best to encourage me to do what I can to get and keep in shape. I appreciate it so much! Now I need to go shower and get rid of all the dried up sweat!
My main goal is to tighten the core so I don't feel so flabby. I have struggled a great deal the last year because of health and other issues. But I'm determined I'm going to keep my strength so that when we are financially able to do so we can serve a mission. Besides spending time with my family as often as possible, the only other big thing I want to do with my life is serve a full-time mission. I would be so disappointed if I found I couldn't go because I had not taken good enough care of this body of mine. So thanks, family and friends, all of you who are doing your best to encourage me to do what I can to get and keep in shape. I appreciate it so much! Now I need to go shower and get rid of all the dried up sweat!
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Life as I knew it....
...is no more. But that doesn't mean I wish for it to be what it was. Now I have two little boys here to delight me and keep me moving every day! Michael and Laura and their twins, Kalsin and Kodiak (3 1/2 years old) have moved here and are staying in a trailer by us until they can find a house. We told them to treat our home like theirs so the boys would have space to move during the day. With each day I am more and more delighted with them and their antics. Laura is an angel and so pleasant to have around. Tom is truly enjoying having Michael here as a friend--a buddy--to help him with home projects and to ride to the mines with him every day. We are very happy they made the decision to start over again in a new place--our new place--and that they were willing to share their lives with ours. Thanks, Michael and Laura. Good-night, "Alsin" and "Odiak!" I love you!
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Modern Marvel
I may have posted this sentiment previously, but I just have to comment again about the marvelous technology that helps us stay connected with those we love. Last night as Eli held my cell phone in his little hands and conversed with his parents who were hundreds of miles away, it was nearly as though they were in the same room. They heard him instantly and responded just as instantly. There was no moment of waiting for them to be able to hear so they could respond. It's just a little piece of metal and wires and chips or whatever it takes to make it work, but it is priceless. My cell phone. My link to my family and friends.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
The Ultimate Diet
Yesterday when I waited for an hour to see my doctor, I read a health magazine. It was full of helpful information, much of it addressing issues I face in my life. What excited me most was an article listing FOODS that BURN CALORIES! Imagine that! We can eat good food and lose that belly fat at the same time. So I am working on a new menu based on that information.
From now on, my breakfasts will include: one cup of oatmeal with chopped walnuts and blueberries; one egg with hot sauce served on a slice of high fiber toast spread with half an avocado instead of margarine; either an orange or a grapefruit (or maybe both--if one is good, wouldn't two be better?); yogurt with berries (yep, I'm going to get all the berries I can!); and a cup of milk. This should keep me from being hungry until it's time for a fat-burning snack!
Mid-morning snack: one apple, sliced and served with peanut butter.
Lunch: Black bean salsa served with a whole-wheat quesadilla full of calcium-rich cheese; yogurt and--you guessed it--berries!; and sweet potato fries (baked, actually). The sweet potatoes will be coated with olive oil so I can get my good oil for the day. It's good for the brain. I'll eat lots of the sweet potatoes so I can get the fiber, burn belly fat, and reduce my chances of going senile in my old age. And I do have about twenty pounds of belly fat I want to burn, so the more fat-burning foods I can eat the faster I should burn the BF!
Mid-afternoon snack: The article said that dark chocolate is good for you. Since I don't have dark chocolate but I do have milk chocolate, I figure two milks would equal one dark so that's while I'll have for my snack. Of course, I won't eat this every day. On some days I'll eat chocolate chip/oatmeal/walnut cookies. There was a recipe in the magazine that was called "America's Healthiest Cookie." Sounds like a good option to me! Oh, and I should have more berries, so I think I'll add strawberries--dipped in chocolate, of course!
Supper (or dinner, depending on what it's called in your part of the world): Vegetable soup with broccoli, asparagus, carrots, tomatoes, celery, peppers (every color I can find), mushrooms, cabbage and cauliflower. I'll use chicken broth and shake in some cayenne pepper or hot sauce so I get that capsaicin that is in hot peppers and is supposed to burn fat. I'll have whole wheat bread with it (you can't eat soup without bread!). And I must have another yogurt because I have now read three articles telling how yogurt burns fat and that you should have three servings a day. Of course, I've got to toss in some berries and this time I'll add some nuts, too.
After dinner snack: The article said that you shouldn't ignore your cravings. If you have been wanting to eat a donut, then eat it! No one ever died from eating a donut, the article said. But for me it will probably be a cookie that will call me. Or Tom's cinnamon rolls. And if it's supposed to be good to eat one, then what's wrong with two--or three?
Bedtime snack: When I am lying in bed relaxing after my hard day of dieting I'll reward myself with a Skinny Cow Frozen Truffle or a Weight Watcher's Giant Fudge Ice Cream Bar--but not both! I wouldn't want to overdo it! Ahh, that will feel so good. You must treat yourself well when you have been faithful to your diet plan. That way you'll want to keep doing it.
I bet than in a few weeks when you guys see me again you won't even recognize me! I am SOOO glad I had time to read all about these foods while I was waiting in the doctor's office.
p.s. You may be wondering why I was in the doctor's office. No big deal. I had my thyroid checked again last week and needed to see what the doctor thought of the results. It turns out I need another boost in the hormone so he increased my dosage. You know, if your thyroid isn't working right it is harder to burn the fat. With my new diet and the increased medicine, I'm bound to see some changes!
From now on, my breakfasts will include: one cup of oatmeal with chopped walnuts and blueberries; one egg with hot sauce served on a slice of high fiber toast spread with half an avocado instead of margarine; either an orange or a grapefruit (or maybe both--if one is good, wouldn't two be better?); yogurt with berries (yep, I'm going to get all the berries I can!); and a cup of milk. This should keep me from being hungry until it's time for a fat-burning snack!
Mid-morning snack: one apple, sliced and served with peanut butter.
Lunch: Black bean salsa served with a whole-wheat quesadilla full of calcium-rich cheese; yogurt and--you guessed it--berries!; and sweet potato fries (baked, actually). The sweet potatoes will be coated with olive oil so I can get my good oil for the day. It's good for the brain. I'll eat lots of the sweet potatoes so I can get the fiber, burn belly fat, and reduce my chances of going senile in my old age. And I do have about twenty pounds of belly fat I want to burn, so the more fat-burning foods I can eat the faster I should burn the BF!
Mid-afternoon snack: The article said that dark chocolate is good for you. Since I don't have dark chocolate but I do have milk chocolate, I figure two milks would equal one dark so that's while I'll have for my snack. Of course, I won't eat this every day. On some days I'll eat chocolate chip/oatmeal/walnut cookies. There was a recipe in the magazine that was called "America's Healthiest Cookie." Sounds like a good option to me! Oh, and I should have more berries, so I think I'll add strawberries--dipped in chocolate, of course!
Supper (or dinner, depending on what it's called in your part of the world): Vegetable soup with broccoli, asparagus, carrots, tomatoes, celery, peppers (every color I can find), mushrooms, cabbage and cauliflower. I'll use chicken broth and shake in some cayenne pepper or hot sauce so I get that capsaicin that is in hot peppers and is supposed to burn fat. I'll have whole wheat bread with it (you can't eat soup without bread!). And I must have another yogurt because I have now read three articles telling how yogurt burns fat and that you should have three servings a day. Of course, I've got to toss in some berries and this time I'll add some nuts, too.
After dinner snack: The article said that you shouldn't ignore your cravings. If you have been wanting to eat a donut, then eat it! No one ever died from eating a donut, the article said. But for me it will probably be a cookie that will call me. Or Tom's cinnamon rolls. And if it's supposed to be good to eat one, then what's wrong with two--or three?
Bedtime snack: When I am lying in bed relaxing after my hard day of dieting I'll reward myself with a Skinny Cow Frozen Truffle or a Weight Watcher's Giant Fudge Ice Cream Bar--but not both! I wouldn't want to overdo it! Ahh, that will feel so good. You must treat yourself well when you have been faithful to your diet plan. That way you'll want to keep doing it.
I bet than in a few weeks when you guys see me again you won't even recognize me! I am SOOO glad I had time to read all about these foods while I was waiting in the doctor's office.
p.s. You may be wondering why I was in the doctor's office. No big deal. I had my thyroid checked again last week and needed to see what the doctor thought of the results. It turns out I need another boost in the hormone so he increased my dosage. You know, if your thyroid isn't working right it is harder to burn the fat. With my new diet and the increased medicine, I'm bound to see some changes!
Sunday, February 21, 2010
My Day
Monday through Friday, this is my day's schedule: I get up, shower, go to Spring Creek Middle School and accompany the choir from eight o'clock to eight-forty-five. (There are two choirs; it's a different one each day.) Then I go walking for an hour. I head home, take care of things that need to be done (I've got some projects I'm slowly making progress on, plus I do my cleaning, piano lesson preparation, etc. during this time.) I drive back to the high school at 11:10 a.m. to accompany first the Select Choir, and every-other-day I also accompany the Chorus (all girls this year). Once home I begin supper if I have decided on the menu and shortly piano students begin showing up. I finish teaching in time for supper. Unless I have meetings in the evening (rare, but this week it so happens I have something every night except Monday!) I get to relax a bit, read my scriptures, write in my journal, say my prayer and go to bed to get sufficient rest to do the same thing again the next day.
I was sitting in the Salt Lake Temple yesterday and looked at my hands and felt a surge of gratitude for all I have been able to do in my life because of my hands. I am very glad I can play the piano, that these fingers listen to the directives from my brain, and that because I have this talent I have had so many opportunities to serve and to get to know very many wonderful people!
I was pondering my purpose in life recently and came upon the realization that I don't need to wait for God to tell me what my purpose is. I need to decide for myself what reason I have to get up every morning. I determined that my purpose is to touch as many lives as possible with my music abilities. Music reaches the heart in ways nothing else can. It is healing, it teaches, it soothes, it excites, it calms, it provides enjoyment, and in many cases it leads one to Christ. That is my purpose. I recall reading that Beethoven's brothers found a letter he had written to them in which he explained that he had contemplated committing suicide as a result of his deafness. But he realized he could not end his life because God had given him a gift which he needed to use until God said it was time to stop. I am certain I didn't explain that adequately but you get the idea. Everyone needs a reason to live. I have mine.
I probably ought to explain to my family that I do count them as a reason to continue living. They have been my life. But something changes when your children marry and have families of their own. Mothers don't play the same role they used to. It is very satisfying to me to see my daughters being taken care of by wonderful husbands, and watching them take such good care of their own terrific children. I am also pleased that my sons have such special, angelic wives who satisfy their needs and are raising such beautiful children. We all have such a terrific relationship but I am not needed to solve problems or do the things that I was needed for as they were growing up. I need to be needed daily, and my students and those choirs fulfill that need for me. Whereas my family used to need me, now I need my family. I couldn't live without them. They are my world and always have been. I love them with all my heart. I am thankful to know that we can all be together forever. If that couldn't be I'd give up trying completely. Heaven wouldn't be heaven without those people who have made me who and what I am, those who love me and whom I love.
Now I'm going to bed so I can get up and start "My Day."
I was sitting in the Salt Lake Temple yesterday and looked at my hands and felt a surge of gratitude for all I have been able to do in my life because of my hands. I am very glad I can play the piano, that these fingers listen to the directives from my brain, and that because I have this talent I have had so many opportunities to serve and to get to know very many wonderful people!
I was pondering my purpose in life recently and came upon the realization that I don't need to wait for God to tell me what my purpose is. I need to decide for myself what reason I have to get up every morning. I determined that my purpose is to touch as many lives as possible with my music abilities. Music reaches the heart in ways nothing else can. It is healing, it teaches, it soothes, it excites, it calms, it provides enjoyment, and in many cases it leads one to Christ. That is my purpose. I recall reading that Beethoven's brothers found a letter he had written to them in which he explained that he had contemplated committing suicide as a result of his deafness. But he realized he could not end his life because God had given him a gift which he needed to use until God said it was time to stop. I am certain I didn't explain that adequately but you get the idea. Everyone needs a reason to live. I have mine.
I probably ought to explain to my family that I do count them as a reason to continue living. They have been my life. But something changes when your children marry and have families of their own. Mothers don't play the same role they used to. It is very satisfying to me to see my daughters being taken care of by wonderful husbands, and watching them take such good care of their own terrific children. I am also pleased that my sons have such special, angelic wives who satisfy their needs and are raising such beautiful children. We all have such a terrific relationship but I am not needed to solve problems or do the things that I was needed for as they were growing up. I need to be needed daily, and my students and those choirs fulfill that need for me. Whereas my family used to need me, now I need my family. I couldn't live without them. They are my world and always have been. I love them with all my heart. I am thankful to know that we can all be together forever. If that couldn't be I'd give up trying completely. Heaven wouldn't be heaven without those people who have made me who and what I am, those who love me and whom I love.
Now I'm going to bed so I can get up and start "My Day."
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