sugar substitute

Kisses have always been sugar free but most everything else causes a rise in blood sugar. That is one of the big problems in our diets today, at least in America.

Now there seems to be a natural alternative: Agave Nectar. It's enough like honey for your tea and oatmeal in the morning. I haven't tried to cook with it yet but I am looking forward to trying it out.

Good luck with your food choices. Remember the closer to nature you eat the better.

Joyous Season

It's been dry here in the Pacific Northwest for the last couple of days. It's also been warmer that I expected.

Fall came early and then sslloowweedd way down. The colors have been great. Of course, the colors prelude the falling of the leaves.

Ashley and I walk to the bus 4 days a week and walk to the swans on Wednesday. Walking during this season is so much fun.

My advice to you is this...watch for falling leaves and shuffle your feet through them. The rustle of sound and color is just what the doctor ordered.

...sigh of contentment...

another clue

We define ourselves in many ways...
I am Eric's wife.
I am Ashley's mom.
I am Jill's employee.
I am a member of John's congregation and our congregation belongs to the PCA.

But that is not all.
I sing.
I was born in Texas.
I live in the Seattle area.
I scrap book.

Well, last night I identified something else that I am...
I am a red head.

These last couple of weeks I have noticed a change in my face. Not bad really but not good either. Different somehow. Last night Eric colored my hair. And when I took off the towel, I was back.

I may not have been born a red head and even now, if nature had it's way, I wouldn't be one. But Eric and L'Oreal override nature in this instance. And...

I am a red head.

TV Truths

Do you ever have "Whoa, Dude" moments? You know when you are just living life and POW out of the blue "Whoa, Dude!"

I am watching the first season of Monk on DVD. What a crack up! So scitchy, yet so right. Frustratingly, right. Well, in one episode he really wants to see this runner. He is standing on the sidelines waiting, waiting, waiting. He notices a missed button...on someone else's sweater and, of course, HAS to fix it. While he is fixing this poor guy's button, Monk misses his guy. The guy he has stood for how long to see passes him by.

Whoa, Dude! How often does this happen to me? To you? So busy fixing something that doesn't matter at all and POW life passes us by. Mine is not buttons. Mine is Spider Solitare. I play till I win while the bed doesn't get made and the dishes don't get done. I play till Ashley stops asking me to "Come see!"

Play till I have no time to blog.

PUSH

Why is it so hard for some of us to push ourselves?

As I look back I am amazed at some of the things I did in the past when I had someone to push me. I played JV basketball in high school, (it was a small school everyone made the team) I could not count the number of push ups I did, and I had never run that much before, (nor will I in the future). That coach pushed me hard and although I wasn't as good as the others, I did more than I ever thought possible.

Then there was the choir director in college. He would hand us new music and have us sight-read it a capella. This was the same man that in my voice lessons handed me Mozart and said I was going to lean it, (most of my previous experience had been Broadway songs). I ended up singing the solo part not only with our choir, but with three other church choirs all together in a large community event.

I say all this not to brag about things many years ago, instead I want to know why don't I push myself? Why do I think of things and not do them, or only half do them? What could I accomplish if I had a coach next to me every day? (Well, maybe not everyday:) )

In the same way, how can I be that coach for my daughter? To push her to go out of her comfort zone and try new things and reach higher without causing her to feel the need for perfection to please me?

I know some people have good friends that hold them accountable, I would be interested to see that work, the one time I tried it was with a friend that struggles as much as me so we didn't last very long (sorry Steph).

Let me know what works for you, and if I try anything that helps I'll let you know, too.

Mom of Little Ones Tip #124

Two words:

Baking Soda!

Just fyi, baking soda can take the stink out of just about anything. At least until you can get somewhere to clean it up properly.

Both my kids were easy vomiters when they were babies. (Stephanie can attest to that...) My husband and I used to keep a container of baking soda in the diaper bag, one in the bedroom, and another one in the car (with an extra shirt for mom/dad).

Baking soda saved many a car trip. There isn't much we can do while they're crying in the car, but at least baking soda makes the mess manageable until we get the baby cleaned up and settled (and ready for the next challenge!!).

Hope this helps!

Now, if it were just so easy to get the stink out of some of our attitudes...!

What's in a Name?

So, my name is Stephanie now. I mean, I was born with that name. Don't know where my folks came up with it. And most people call me that. Ashley does, too. She has called me by many names in these last few months. Mostly a Disney Princess...Snow White, Mulan or Sleeping Beauty. She's usually Ariel, Cinderella or even Tinkerbell. But lately no matter who she is, I have been Stephanie. Eric is still Daddy most of the time. Maybe it's because we spend so much time together. Maybe she just likes saying the word. Or maybe she likes the way I giggle every time she says it. I'm sure I'll go back to being Mama soon. Or maybe one of the Backyardigans. I was Tasha at one time. Ashely was Uniqua. It's all one huge pretend game. I love it. I never know from one moment to the next what is going on!!

We are in so far over our heads. And having a blast!!!