Mistaken (Actually for the First Time)

I was at the grocery store the other day, and this adorable little old lady with big glasses and crazy hair stops me. "Ooo, you looked so strong carrying that car seat through the parking lot!" she tells me. Then she sees Mac and literally gasps.
"Oh my, she is just goreous! I've never seen such a pretty girl!"
He is wearing baseball stuff, which I will also put my girls in, but still . . .
"He is a girl . . .isn't he?" I laugh and break the news that no, he is my little guy. I also add that someday I would like a girl as well.
"Well he's pretty enough to be a girl. I used to dress my son up like a girl all the time. I hid it from my husband."
I wonder what Mark would do if he thought I was doing that . . .
It was an entertaining little afternoon. :)

Yes, I Am A First Time Mom

And I do feel like everything Mac does is amazing. He has officially said "Mama"! Well sort of . . . at least the "m" sound has made it into his cooing. Still, it makes me pretty happy when he does it.

Another one of my favorite new tricks of his: it looks like he's saying "wow" over and over again, but he whispers it. It is so precious, and he seems to do it a lot when I'm talking to him, almost like he's mimicking my lips. It's so fun to watch him learn!


He still hollers at me when I leave him, but now it's only if he's really tired. It's still funny. One of his not-quite-as-funny tricks is he's getting really good at pulling hair and lips. No more big earrings. Ouch.

He's also attempting to sit up. It's quite entertaining because he makes these ridiculous faces and you can see his shoulders rise, but that big old head just holds him back. If I give him a bit of help though, he can sit up.

I am worried though, about the shape of that big old noggin of his. It looks too much like a certain famous egg-head . . .


Mac's is cuter.

Sources of Entertainment

I just thought I'd blab a bit about things that we do for entertainment lately; it might be fun to look back and see what was going on these days.

BOOKS:

Oh my goodness, I do love reading! It's so fun to be taken to another world in novels, and then to learn a bit more about your own, or at least get a new perspective on it, in non-fiction. I never used to be much of a non-fiction reader, but I think I am enjoying it a bit more. When it was ridiculously hot right before I had Mac, Mark and I used to go enjoy the air conditioning of Borders and read all evening. I really liked that! Perhaps we'll have to go again sometime . . . of course it will probably be more fun when Mac is entertained by books for longer that 2 minutes. These are some real winners I've been reading lately:
In Defense of Food - Michael Pollan
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer
I Capture the Castle - Dodie Smith
The Book of Eleanor - Pamela Kaufman
Zorro - Isabel Allende
Ines of My Soul - Isabel Allende (I LOVE this author, want to read everything written by her!!!)

MOVIES:

Well I do love movies. Mark and I have currently fallen in love with Netflix, although it is a bit of a love/hate relationship. It just makes staring at the t.v. too easy! It is fun though, to make a bit of a date-night out of it. The other night we got Tristan and Isolde and made a huge heaping cookie sheet of supreme nachos (baked in the oven; hence the cookie-sheet) filled with beans, chicken, cheese, tomatoes, sour cream, and some home-made guacamole. We were going for Durango's, which it didn't quite achieve, but it was still super tasty. Uncle Jeremy would have been jealous. The movie was pretty good; but I am disappointed in Isolde. She wouldn't leave her country for Tristan, and yet she expects him to ruin his for her? Come on. And why did Mark have to be such a good guy? Made the whole movie tragic. ANYWHO . . . some other winners we've watched:
Brothers Bloom
The New World
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Terminator Salvation
Avatar (this one isn't out yet, but we really liked it in the theater!)

T.V.:

The only t.v. show we really watch together right now is Biggest Loser. Love it!!! The red team is ridiculous; I can just picture Melissa sitting in their little room thinking: "Oh, this is going to be so good . . . and then we'll shout at each other, and I'll have to defend my honor . . . and then I'll cry and hug him when he lets me talk to my kids . . ." Ugh. Give me a break. I LOVE the grey team. And the black team . . . and, basically everyone except the red team and Miggy. Wow she is scary, I was pretty sure she was going to beat everyone down when they fell behind the yellow line. Good thing Migdalia left, I think she's a ton happier without her mom around!
Other than that, I love watching Ellen and Oprah while getting dinner ready, and Mark of course loves to unwind to ESPN or CSI. (The lead character in CSI:NY has the same name as our boy . . . a coincidence not planned, but one that Mark was definitely okay with.) I'm not quite sure which one he loves more; he generally goes back and forth between the two.

Other than all that media for entertainment, as you can tell I do enjoy blogging a bit. I just really like to write, and with the goal of a big fat journal I can print out, I feel justified blabbing about our little lives on here. I really wish I would've been better at journaling while we were dating, engaged, newly married . . . but oh well, you've got to start somewhere, right? Besides, our posterity probably will be more interested in what life was like once they came around I'd imagine. We also like to go on walks, go walk around stores like Michael's or Big Five, or take an afternoon and just hang out at the beach. Cooking has become an event for me; we like cooking for people, lately it's been the missionaries. Life is fairly simple for me these days, and it's been an adjustment, but so rewarding. I kinda like this mom business.

I have also started attending "Mommy Meetings" on Friday mornings. Love it!! It's so nice, especially on Friday when I've been home alone all week, to get together with other young moms in the ward and let the kids play while we talk. Of course Mac doesn't do too much playing yet . . . but I love it. Yay for new friends! And Mark is currently playing a whole lot of basketball. On Tuesdays it's intermurals for the school, and on Thursdays its good old church ball. And that is how we entertain ourselves these days.

So, I would love to take any suggestions of books/movies to add to my list!

FREE Disneyland Tickets!

Look look look! Do you remember how last year you could get into Disneyland for free on your birthday? Well this year, if you do a Disney-approved service project, you can get free tickets for everyone!! Doesn't that sound fantastic?? Go HERE to get more information!

And you know you have a friend in California . . . you are welcome to come stay with us, we have plenty of room. In case you are not feeling up to a service project, there is also a deal for California residents: buy a day at one park, get the other one free. We can help you out there as well!

In Defense of Food

Mark brought home this great book the other day; "In Defense of Food" by Michael Pollan. I've started reading it, and I really like it! It's all about food; something that has really been in the forefront of my mind the last couple years. With working at a recovery center for girls with eating disorders, being a new wife and attempting to cook, and learning the chiropractic ways of Mark and his family, it's been impossible not to think about it! It's crazy to me how differently food is interpreted within family cultures. With my anorexic gals it was generally associated with fear; with Mark's family it's largely associated with health; with my family it's mainly associated with tradition. (My dad is a regular Tevia, and that is no exaggeration. He is also part Jewish . . . makes sense. Love love love him.)

This book addresses all those things. I've been trying to learn a bit with Mark; going to some of his seminars and whatnot, and even though most of it is over my head, I really love the idea that health is a holistic thing. You can't look at it in parts; it's all too intertwined. Your emotions, you diet, your attitude, your activity, your perspective; everything plays a part. Our spirit and body need each other, and I think when one is suffering the other can't help but feel the effects.

The book doesn't exactly talk about that, at least I haven't gotten that far. (Perhaps I should read the whole thing before I tell you to read it . . . oh well. Just know that the first part is great.) My favorite ideas from his book include:

• Eat whole food; not processed. We don't ever seem to know quite enough to be able to duplicate foods accurately. We keep messing with processed foods depending on the diet fad of the day; no carbs, low-fat, high protein, vitamin C, etc. Our ideas keep changing on what are "good" nutrients and what are "bad".
  
• Food should be a complete experience instead of a hurried necessity. It should be enjoyed, our bodies let us know when we are satisfied and feel good.
  
• Food has been transformed into a sum of nutrients, instead of a whole. Our entire way of thinking about food is centered around its parts. We take vitamins, fortified food-like substances, and yet somehow it doesn't quite seem to be enough.

From that last thought, I kept going -- this is a little weird and might just be the product of my having way too much time to think these days -- and I started to think about how God created everything on this earth. We were all made from "intelligences" and created to have joy, so don't plants have a soul as well? When we take in a whole food, we are taking in its being as well . . . okay just writing that down sounds bizarre. A little too . . . Avatar, right? Maybe it's that microscopic bit of Native American blood coming out in me. :) It seems to hit me right, though, as weird as it sounds. There is just something man cannot duplicate in God's creations. So far anyway. Who knows what we'll be doing in the future.

Don't worry though, I still enjoy a good heaping pile of processed loaded cheesy fries; life's too short not to. But in general every-day eating, I really like the idea of eating as many whole things as possible. I will try it a bit more. Balance in all things, right?

A Charlotte-ism

This morning I was cleaning a bit and began feeling the monotony of it. Didn't I just unload the dishes yesterday? Hm. Then suddenly Pride and Prejudice popped into my head; probably one of the best books/movies (the six hour version and Kira Knightly's) ever. Remember when Elizabeth comes to visit Charlotte (her best friend/cousin's wife) at her new home? She asks her how she is, and Charlotte replies:

"Oh Lizzy, it is such a pleasure to run my own home."

And you know what? It is. And when I say it, it holds even more true because I do not have a husband who is ridiculous. Thank you Charlotte, you've brightened my day. I hope she brightens yours too, when you are feeling monotonous.

Lesson on Being Prepared

Our back porch converted into a kiddie pool. The golf balls even floated in the holes. So much rain!!


Okay, does anyone else think the world is about to end??? I know I am being paranoid, and I am probably being 70% sarcastic here. (I know, it's hard to tell when you're reading something.) But let me tell you about my adventuresome afternoon:

Mac had been asleep about an hour and a half. I was sitting upstairs, attempting P90X, when I start thinking of all the things I'd rather be doing. I started thinking about Haiti, and decided I should watch the news a bit to learn about the latest updates . . . perhaps get ideas for something I could do. So I'm thinking about Haiti as I flip on the t.v., and there is a tornado warning. ??? It is coming right for us. Here?? I am glued to the t.v. "Get inside", "stay away from all windows", "stay in the center part of your house", "warning in effect until 2:00 pm". Is this real? I text Mark, thinking they probably don't get the news at school. I start to feel a little bit like I am in a movie, and then a reporter comes on who is at the beach. She says there are cops trying to get people off the pier, they want to watch the storm but don't realize a tornado is coming. She is sounding very official, but then she says, "Yes, yes, we have just seen a tornado touching down!" And the t.v. turns off. Blank! It won't come back on! In my theatrical mind, I am POSITIVE the tornado is right outside our house! I run upstairs, grab Mac, my phone, a blanket, tennis shoes, and (I'm not kidding) some cash. I immediately go down to the bathroom and shut ourselves in. You know how you can hear the outside through the bathroom fan? Well I can hear wind, rain, and sirens. (I forget that a fire station is right around the corner; I always hear sirens.) Mac is hungry, and I have a random thought: another bonus to breastfeeding. If we are ever lost or homeless, as long as I can find something to eat Mac will always have something. Sure am glad I'm able to do it. Anyway, then I am back to worrying, so I call Mark.
"Mark! Did you get my text? There's a tornado coming!"
"Yeah, I did." (laughter)
"This is serious! They said on the news it's coming right for us! And you should stay away from the windows!"
"Okay yes I will."
"Just be safe."
"Are you being safe?" (I actually think he said "serious")
"Yes I'm being safe. And serious."
(Laughter) "Okay, well, be both of those things."
"Call me."
"Alright."
I hang up. And laugh a little bit. Now my adrenaline makes me feel like this might be a little fun . . . kind of an adventure. Mac is grinning like crazy now. He is a great companion to have during a natural disaster. We can survive! My mind starts racing about food storage, 72 hour kits (which we don't have), and other survival necessities. I vow that if I make it out alive, I will become super prepared. My family will not have to worry!

Eventually I become a little bored. But don't worry, I was prepared and brought a book. After I read to Mac for a while, I start to feel silly. Why am I reading to Mac in a bathroom? I still hear rain, but it's not so windy. I clutch Mac tight to me, and venture out. The t.v. still won't turn on. I come upstairs to the computer, I find a website for tornado warnings and it says we are in the clear! Probably ten minutes later the sun came out. We are survivors!

Turns out there was indeed a tornado, it flipped over some cars and boats and caused some real damage, but it didn't last very long. And it didn't make it anywhere near us; we were too far inland. Tornadoes generally do not come to southern California. Kind of creepy . . . but an adventure. We will be prepared!

Oh and don't worry about our t.v. . . turns out I just needed to flip the circuit breaker. It was up and running before Biggest Loser came on. Whew! Can't STAND Melissa, by the way.

Room at the Inn

Well we have experienced another Craig's list miracle. We now have a bed to offer guests! As we began looking, we were hoping to maybe get a king size for our room and then move our queen-size over to the guest room. However, we found a fantastic deal on quite a comfy bed and just didn't dare wait it out for a bigger size. This is actually kind of nice in that new bedding is unnecessary! It will be cuter soon, don't worry. Unfortunately, the battle for space on our queen-sized bed is raging. Mark is currently taking a new, stealthy angle: he cuddles up to me really close. Awww. Actually, too close.
"Mark, I'm falling off the edge!"
"I just want to be close to you."
"You're pushing me off!"
"Can't we just cuddle?"
Grrrr. Unfair. He knows how to get to me.

So . . . come visit us.

Empanadas de Posho

Tonight was oh-so fun! We spent the entire day inside, it was pouring so hard I felt like we might be swallowed up into the sea! Our poor little putting green out back was completely flooded; the golf balls were floating in their little holes, not to mention our roof has been leaking a bit. It really does make you feel rather small and insignificant. Mother Nature is quite powerful. Speaking of which . . . I have not put one thing down here about the disaster in Haiti. I cannot imagine all the heartache that is being experienced there. It's crazy to see those images on t.v. and know that this is no movie -- this is real life. These people have absolutely nothing. It doesn't feel quite real as I sit here in my cozy home with my wonderful little family. I really need to look into something I can do. Any ideas?

So we spent most of our day inside today, it was nice to have Mark around! I think Mac really likes having someone else to talk to. He did seem to love the rain, he took the most ridiculously ginormous naps today. But of course by late afternoon we were all a little stir-crazy. I actually finished our wedding book this weekend!! Can you believe it?? Only took me two and a half years. But hey, it is now here for all to enjoy. I needed to get a few more plastic page protectors to add the finishing touches, and so we braved the storm and went to Michael's. That is a really fun store to look around in. It's so fun that I came home and filled out their store survey in an attempt to win a $500 gift card there. Wish me luck! Afterward we decided to throw our free groceries to the wind for the night and go visit The Bloom Cafe! A friend told us about it; a tiny hole-in-the-wall Argentine deli. Turns out it was across the street from the hospital where Mac was born! We walked in and it was very cute! Brightly colored, Argentine flags all around. One man sat in the back watching t.v., he jumped up and smiled at us as we walked in. We told him Mark had lived in Argentina for two years serving an LDS mission, and boy did he light up! (I think his name was Nelson maybe? That's what Mark said. It sounded more like "Neshoh" to me.) He immediately switched over to his very fast, smooth, Argentine Spanish. I quickly told him my Spanish was not as good as Mark's . . . good grief, I was getting a headache trying to follow what he was saying! Mark just smiled as he offered us an "empanada de posho" (the "sh" sound has voice to it . . . not sure how else to describe it.) The Argentine saw it and said, "Ah, o de pollo." Mark laughed and said, "No no, hace mucho tiempo . . . es musica para mi." Hehe. He gave us two free empanadas with chimichuri . . . gads it was great. He only serves milanesa de pollo on weekends, so we had milanesa de res instead for our entree. Faaaantastic. Thank you Argentina for having such great food.

I Know Who I Am ...

Today was Stake Conference; it was broadcast from Salt Lake to 88 stakes here in southern California. Elder Jeffery R. Holland and President Dieter F. Uchtdorf spoke. It was wonderful! Mark had Mac the entire time, and so I was able to focus a little more on the talks, they were good and powerful and of course brought the Spirit. There was a lot of talk about missionary work, and I know some fantastic missionaries out right now! I thought a bit about my own life and if I'm truly living what I believe, and naturally came up with some mixed results. There is always room for improvement, isn't there? That's why we're here.

I thought about this blog and how really it mostly serves as a journal for me; I much prefer typing to writing and it has the added bonus of updating my family and friends that are so far away right now! But I also realize because this is not a private blog that there could be random people reading my thoughts and experiences. It's a little disconcerting of course, but I've never really been one to keep secrets -- at least about myself. I've always thought that we're all in this life together, right? Why not share, and learn, and grow together? So in case somebody reading this is curious, I just thought I would let you know that I have been given a very special gift . . . I have found truth. The truth. It's real, it's unchangeable, and I can feel it deep within me! There is indeed a plan, everything here has meaning and there is One who loves us all. My knowledge of our Redeemer is a simple one, but it grows slowly and steadily as I strive to be better, to learn more. But it's true. I know it. I just . . . I feel it. Jesus is the Christ, He died on the cross to atone for our sins. There is a God in Heaven, a man of perfected flesh a blood, our Father. He loves us and sent His Son to balance out our imperfections, so long as we are making a valiant effort. I know that the Father and the Son appeared to Joseph Smith and restored the fullness of the gospel. It used to be here, but as time went on and man forgot, it was changed and made confusing; open to any interpretation. Pieces of truth still existed, but nowhere as a whole. But it is here now. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is His church. I just know it. We are not a perfect people, only the doctrines are perfect. I know you can know it, too. God loves us all.

I don't know how to get youtube videos on here, but this is a good basic overview if you're curious:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnX66fN91-0&feature=related
Go to mormon.org or lds.org to learn more.

Date Night

This week I started to get a little stir-crazy sitting around the house all the time! I don't know . . . it's not that I don't do anything, I'm usually bumbling around the house doing something. Cleaning, reading, blogging, grocery shopping, cooking, and of course playing with my little man; they all definitely keep me busy. I think this week I have missed talking to people. Mark has come home several times this week to a wife starved for attention and looking for entertainment. Mark has never been an entertainer, and so frustration emerges in me!

It's all really silly, I know. I'm trying to adjust my attitude, because really, I will never have this time again. I will never be able to just play with my one little man all day. I will never be able to just sit and do nothing with my little family; each phase of life comes and goes so quickly! But you know, I have to say that being at home has been such a benefit for us, because my home and my family is now my job. I actually am starting to enjoy cooking and cleaning a little . . . shhh don't tell! It's just something for me to do that really seems to improve the lives of those I love most, and I really like that. It's kind of fun to go to the grocery store and plan a big meal I know is going to impress Mark, and it's even more fun to invite others into our home! This week we had the sister missionaries over, they were so sweet! One sister was straight from Tonga, she had only been out of the MTC two weeks! I loved her accent and she loved Mac. He could not stop grinning at her. I told her I had been trying and trying to figure out something Tonga-ish to cook for them, but couldn't come up with anything! She laughed and informed me that her favorite meal was roast dog . . . yeah don't think I could've topped that.

I also went to Enrichment night. I never go to enrichment night. The only time I have ever gone was when I was in a single's ward and was the enrichment counselor in Relief Society. Even then I don't think I went to all of them . . . and you know what? I loved it. It was so nice to talk to these women! I truly do love our ward, it's full of so many interesting people from all walks and in all phases of life! The variety is fantastic. I had so much fun talking to these gals that I went to a Mommy's club meeting later on in the week! We just met up at a park and talked while we watched the kids play . . . and I loved it. It's just so nice. I think staying at home is making me really want to reach out to others again; being married to Mark for the last two years has gotten me so comfortable and relaxed that I have really slacked on thinking of others lately. It's just too nice to only be with him.

And Mark notices everything. My sister-in-law Heidi once said he has great "womanly instinct", which sounds insulting, but it's not. He really truly sees what people are feeling . . . I try to learn from him. Anyway, of course he caught on to my exasperated feelings this week, and so Saturday we had a date night at the beach. We walked around, enjoyed the sunset and each other, and he even gave up eating at Subway (his absolute favorite place in the whole world) and we ate at Ruby's on the pier instead, because "it would be more like a date". Thanks Mark.

Mac was a gem, as he always is when we go places.

Happy Four Month Birthday!

Today Mac is four months old! I wish I could think of a new way to say "It goes by so fast" so that I could really get across this feeling that everything in my little man's life is just zooming by . . . just when you get used to one thing he springs something new on me. It's crazy and humbling and I love it. Here are some things I want to remember about him at this stage:

• He is starting to kick himself in circles. Whenever I leave him on his play mat or his crib, I come back and he is generally facing a completely different way!
• When he nurses on the right side, he likes to play with my nose. When he nurses on the left, he likes to play with his hair.
• He is starting to really laugh! It is SUCH a joy. Depending on his mood, laugh-inducers include: daddy eating his neck, mommy eating his armpits, lifting him high and bringing him down quickly, and bouncing on the bed.
  
• His left eye is numb. I can't count how many times I've gasped out loud as he jabs his finger into his eye, but then smiles at me, not phased in the least. I think it's because he's had that clogged tear duct since he was two weeks old and we have been rubbing it for almost his entire life.
• He loves to be outside. Stroller walks and laying on the green are some of his favorite things to do. I love to watch him inspect everything so intently.
• He smiles at everyone. I don't need to even be near him. He loves to be held and talked to by anyone. I actually really like this, it's been great to witness how a smiling baby can really lift the soul.
• He has recently discovered his toes. He's not eating them yet, though I feel like he will very soon. He just likes to grab them.
• I love to watch him on his little play mat as he reaches very slowly for a toy . . . and then squishes it very gently . . . and then suddenly starts hitting it like crazy. It's really funny, I always wonder what he's thinking about.
• His dimples are getting a little harder to see as he gets chubbier, but it's a good trade. I love the chub.
• He rolls from his belly to his back if he can remember before he gets too annoyed with the position. He's also starting to go from back to belly, and it surprises him every time.
• He loves shoving both hands as far as he can into his mouth. It's quite impressive.
• He only poops once a week to ten days, and then always has a major blow-out. Plus his gas is murderous.
• Baths are his absolute favorite. Mark usually handles these, and I really love to sit back and watch my cute boys smile at oogle at one another.
• He really seems to have a gentle, loving presence. He has a good heart. I love love love him, and can't wait to see all the things he will do!

And now for more of his four month photo shoot:

Body Image

Oh curse bad body image! It's been one of those days. I think everyone, guys and gals have days where they just look at their body and think: ugh. I've had quite a few of those lately, seeing as how the baby weight has completely stopped coming off on its own, and with the holidays a bit might have even come back. I can't really be sure, seeing as how I have sworn off scales forever! I absolutely hated being weighed so regularly while pregnant; to be honest, I really don't want to know. It's not so much that I'm scared of the number as it is that I just don't think it matters. If I am eating well and moving around enough, I am a strong believer that my body will be what it's supposed to be.

Of course, eating like crazy over the holidays + sitting around after the holidays to re-coup from traveling = 0 endorphins and therefore a very blaaaaah-ish attitude. Time to get back into some sort of routine!

I think that my views on weight are slightly unique in that I worked at a recovery center for girls with anorexia for over a year. It is just unreal to see what those girls do to themselves! They are so dedicated they are killing themselves. It was absolutely tragic to watch; that job owned my soul. You just can't help but pour your heart into helping these girls! I am no therapist, and my approach to the job did morph a bit the longer I was there, but there is no mistaking that I thought about those girls day in and day out! I have no idea how people can work there and have families; I could hardly think about anything else! It's now been about a year since I worked there, and I've gotten better at not watching and judging every single person's eating habits (Mark is thankful that is wearing off), and I don't have to battle any urges to hand out Avalon Hills business cards to gals who really look like they could use it, but I don't think I will ever lose the important things I learned in there about health, balance, love, dedication, and the power of the human mind. Gosh there is just so much more to life than counting calories!

On the flip side, I have become a ginormous fan of the Biggest Loser. Fantastic, it's so inspiring! And it's on tonight. Now I don't consider myself to be morbidly obese by any means, but I am so impressed by these people's stick-to-itness. It never fails to amaze me how much they lose in the beginning, it really reinforces my theory that the body will go back to what it's supposed to be, as long as you put forth some effort. We are not meant to be that big. It works on the other side too, my girls would gain weight back very quickly at first! Their bodies were not meant to be that tiny. As time goes on things balance out, your metabolism stabilizes, and you reach your body's ideal form.

So! In case you are curious, here's what I'm trying to do to live an active lifestyle:

1. Walk wherever I can. I am no more than two blocks from every store I will ever need, the library too! Plus Mac LOVES the stroller.
2. Jog outside. This is my absolute favorite thing, the weather seems to always be perfect for it, it goes by soooo much faster than being in the gym, and there are always people around so I feel pushed to keep going. (Does anyone else do that? I always think, "Don't stop! That person will see you and think you're a wuss!) The only difficult thing about this is what to do with Mac . . . generally I wait till I take Mark lunch, drop him off, and jog around the school a couple times.
   
3. P90X. Courtesy of the wonderful Chris Gunn, we now have this great workout video! There's a huge collection of workouts, and they really leave me sore. They're fantastic in that they cover all parts of the body in different ways, plus Mac seems to think it's entertaining to watch me flail my arms around. The only downer is it's a bit more difficult to push myself . . . my attention span always wanders and I get bored. Some of these are an hour and a half long! But I suppose that it will just teach me a little dedication.
4. 24 Hour! I have a membership to this great gym! Unfortunately, it's rare that I go there right now. Mac is too young for the kid's club, and typically at night when Mark's home I just want us to all be together as a family. But I am going to make a little effort to get there more often while I have the membership!

Chiropractors Gone Wild

So generally I bring lunches to Mark at school. It gives me a reason to get dressed and get out of the house for a bit every day. Also sometimes I leave Mac with Mark and go work out, or run errands, or something thrilling like that. Well yesterday we had a special treat; good old SCUHS provided me with lunch instead! They had a Hawaiian barbecue to top off their "rush" week of sorts, and I made myself welcome. I love Hawaiians and their barbecues. Come to find out, it was Mark's term who put it all on! I'm quite sure we lucked out and got into the best term ever. They are so much fun; they are constantly throwing parties and getting involved in school activities, they treat my boy like a superstar:

And they are really just some good, fun, down-to-earth people. I have loved getting to know them. To top off their BBQ extravaganza, they had a gladiator competition! It was hilarious. You first had to face down the velcro track,

passed the bullies in lacrosse gear,

then through the blow-up course (which was actually a lot bigger than I imagined) and then fly down the slide and hit the circle at the end.


There was an itunes gift card for the fastest time, but unfortunately neither Mark nor I were fast enough to win it. Oh well, it was a super great time.

Welcome Home

Hm. I walked to Mark's school today to bring him lunch, it was a lovely 75 degrees and as always very sunny. It seemed like a perfect day for walking. Unfortunately on my way I came upon a man who was slightly wobbly. I was reminded of a day several months ago when I jogged past a stumbling, mumbling drunk who thankfully was being persistently tailed by a cop car. There was no officer rolling behind this guy, and as I neared him I couldn't help but notice his pants were stained and he definitely did not smell like alcohol. I smiled as I past him and tried not to look at what was running down his legs. GEE. What do you do in a situation like that? Ask if he needs anything? Run away quickly? In my struggle to decide, I did nothing. I somehow feel like I let the poor guy down, but how does one prepare for a situation like that? California is an odd place. I'm sure things like that happen in Logan from time to time, but I never saw it.

Here it is

So, after taking down all my Christmas stuff I have become painfully aware of how empty my house looks! So after a great amount of searching, I have found them . . . the rugs of my dreams. These would spice up my home soooo wonderfully. I found them here, a store that I will model my ideal home after.


Unfortunately both of these are quite a bit out of my current price range. Someday. Perhaps I could just paint the carpet to look like this. I wonder if Hugo would mind.