The Shack

Has anyone else read "The Shack"?

You might want to stop reading this post if you haven't b/c for all I know I'm giving away a big part of the story. Anyway, I just got through the chapter where God is revealed to be a large African American woman, the holy spirit is a little Asian woman and Jesus is a modern-day carpenter wearing a flannel and jeans. As much as I love God and large African American women, this past chapter has been hard to get through.

Does it get better or start to make more sense?

On a random note, I always picture real-life people to play my mental version of the characters in a book. At this point, God is being played partly by Della Reese from Touched By An Angel, and then sometimes by the oracle from The Matrix...even a few times by that lady in the new Ikea commercials. At least it's not Oprah! I'm picturing the little Asian woman as the lady who altered my wedding dress and kept arguing with me that it wasn't "too poopy" (when I thought that it was too poofy), and Jesus is being played by the somewhat cute Middle-Eastern looking American Idol contestant who got kicked off last night - that would obviously never happen to Jesus, as I'm sure he has a lovely singing voice. Was that blasphemous?

I'll post an update when I'm done. I've heard it's a wonderful book.

My Little Mardi Gras Man

It's scary what they find in the basement! He did all of this himself and came upstairs to show it off. By the way, these beads were not mine. I never did anything to earn them at Mardi Gras!!!!

You Want Me To Wear What???

I bought the boys' Easter outfits early for some professional photos we're going to have taken soon. I thought I had picked out a cute ensemble for the little guy and tried it on him during big brother's nap this afternoon. The look on his face says it all. I think I'll be taking it back and going with something a little less old-man-golfing. Regardless, he's still a cutie!

A Very Special Meal

Three-year-olds have quite the imagination.

Hayden placed his most loyal toy, Woody, on a "platter" (a pillow), stuck him in the "oven" (underneath the coffee table) and turned the oven on and then off. He then took him out and stirred him all around with various wooden spoons, spatulas and whisks he had gotten from the kitchen drawer.

"I've made you a very special meal," he said as he handed Woody to me on the platter.

"I don't want to eat Woody, honey!" I replied.

"He tastes like chicken," he told me.

Where do they get this stuff?

Wonderful Weekend

It went fast, but we had fun! My parents came this weekend (thanks, mom & dad!). Mom and I got makeovers on Saturday morning, and although I came away looking a bit like a streetwalker (seriously...I asked for a smokey eye and got the "red light special"), my mom looked beautiful, and I finally found foundation that I like (b/c it doesn't look like you're wearing any). Troy and I went out on Saturday night for a great dinner. We made some friends at the bar while waiting for our table, and then proceeded to run into my Weight Watchers meeting leader (we did NOT discuss how many points are in a Bloomin' Onion) and Troy's boss and his wife. It was obvious that we now live in a small town, and it was nice! Here are some pics. I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and has a great week!

E-I-E-I-EIU!

We were going through the wedding album earlier in the week, and I though I'd post the pic we took of all of our EIU pals...although we were missing a few.

The Lighter Side of Life

All is right with the world again.

I've returned to my former blonde self. I don't regret going natural. In fact, I'm glad I did. First off, I've always wondered how it would look. And it also gave me a clean slate to add a few highlights. It's not as blonde as it was before - just blonde enough.

I realize this is all very petty compared to bigger things going on in our lives. But since I shared that I was going "brunette", I thought I'd fess up that I'd gone back to the light side. I just didn't feel like myself, and it was not flattering by any means.

Sorry I didn't post a pic. The only one I managed to get was one I took myself, and it was one of those crazy self portraits that looks like it was taken through a peephole - ginormous head!

Enough about that. I hope you all have a fabulous Valentines Day!

Hope for Change

No, this isn't a post dedicated to our newly elected president.

I've just been thinking a lot lately about my goals for the year, otherwise known as my "New Years Resolutions". I think resolutions get a bad rap. It seems as though everyone makes them and no one sticks to them, so people decide not to make them at all.

A "fitness expert" on The Today Show said that resolutions are pointless. His argument is that Jan. 1st isn't any different than any other day of the year. What makes us think we're going to magically change our lives and habits to fulfill our goals?

I disagree with him. I think there is something "magical" about New Years...or whatever time you resolve to make significant changes in your life. It's HOPE that makes everything seem so possible. It's the hope of looking better that makes you start to like what you see in the mirror after only 3 days into your resolutions, even though you probably are worse off than ever due to holiday binging. It's hope that gets us out of bed at 5am to go to the gym. It's hope that gets us signed up for a new class.

It's the HOPE for change.

The hard part, I'm learning yet again, is when the actions have been in place for a while, the hope fades and you are simply waiting for, well...change!

That's where I find myself now. I've done well with sticking to my resolutions. I've stuck to my Weight Watchers points, hit the gym 5 times a week, have whitened my teeth, gotten a new hair style & color (yes...I will post a pic, but it is seriously not pleasant!), taken better care of my skin, etc...

Yet when I look in the mirror, I look the same. The pounds are coming off very slowly, my teeth are only a slight shade whiter, my hair...well, I won't even go there! Now that I've put into practice many of my resolutions for weeks now, the hope has faded.

This is the toughest part. Battling through without the overwhelming excitement of hope, trying to get to the CHANGE part.

I think this applies to so many other things in life, though.

Relationships.
Jobs.
Walk with God.

Staying on course, working hard and doing what you know is right, even when there isn't an immediate reward or "high" and you just don't feel like it.

So I guess if there are any of you out there feeling like me, let's just resolve again to stick with it. Regardless of what we do or don't do, 6 months from now will come. Would I rather feel good and know that I have worked hard come June, or look back at the past few months and utter under my breath, "well, maybe next year."

I'm not trying to be some type of motivational speaker. I think I'm writing this to get myself amped up again. To remind myself that good things take time, especially if you want them to last. And to remind myself of all of the truly wonderful things I do have in my life!

One of Hayden's new books is "Goofy's Big Race". I secretly despise Goofy, but that is another post entirely. Anyway, he does make a valid point throughout the book.

"Slow & steady, steady & slow. That's the only way to go."

Goofy, I can't stand you. But I think in this case, you just might be right.

My Boys

Here is a new pic of the boys. They're both under the weather, but they can still smile :)

To Schellster on Her 33rd Birthday: An Ode

My Dearest Michelly,
How the years have flown by;
It seems like just yesterday,
We were kids on the fly.

Living in Park Place,
And then on the square;
Wishing the bathroom weren't in the kitchen,
and wondering where...

Your Guns & Roses CD
Had disappeared to.
And then after college,
We all moved to the 'Lou...

Where even more craziness
Ensued without a hurdle;
Cardinal games, float trips,
And a strange guy named Turtle.

Now we have kids,
And life's not as wild;
But regardless, with you,
I can still act like a child.

So thank you, dear Schellster,
For all that you've done;
And for the unforgettable moments
That are still yet to come!

Happy Birthday, Darlin! I love ya!