Walking Baby

On Sunday, Sir Lancelot walked from one couch to the other. It was so cool. He's doing more and more of that lately. It's no wonder, he's almost 1 year old. I texted my parents, my friends, my aunts and my cousins when he did that. Most of them responded. Most notably, my Dad who was taking a break from communication with me. That made me happy that he responded. And my girl, Candy, who said something to the effect of Sir Lancelot turning into a walking Texas ranger. Lord, I love my girlfriends. They tickle me so. I am so looking forward to his 1st birthday party (backyard BBQ) and baby dedication and reception at church. It's going to be a great Labor Day weekend. Go, Lance, go. Grow, Lance, grow!

I love my life.

Skincare Regimen: Day 1-2

So, I'm 40 and I really should have a skin care regimen. Not that I've never had one before but I'm rarely consistent. Rarely. But I wanted to try again. I figure if I'm going to live to be 102, I should take care of my skin. Because at 102, you don't want to look a day over 90 and 85 would be even better.

I decided to try the skin product I saw in my friend, AJ's bathroom last time I visited. She had a Neutrogena Naturals bottle on her vanity. I eyed it and decided to go buy some. So a few weeks ago, I bought the pore purifying scrub and fresh cleaning + makeup remover. I also purchased the Neutrogena pore refining toner because I get oily sometimes and my pores tend to show it. I'm also using the Aveeno Postitively Radiant Daily Moisturizer with spf 15.

Day 1: I tried the pore purifying scrub, the pore refining toner and the PRD moisturizer.

Day 2: This morning, I tried the cleanser, the toner and the PRD.

My goal is to wash cleanse and moisturize morning and night. More, if I feel oily and sweaty. I hope I can keep it up for 30 to 90 days and make it a habit. If I'm not satisfied, I'll add some anti-aging or a salicylic. I figure it will either be age or oil that will be the focus, if anything.

It's interesting that I wasn't doing much with my skin. I kind of let a lot of things go when I got married and started having children and became more budgeted. I think I got frustrated with a lot of things (time, money, organization, school, etc) and kind of stopped. i also took my skin and fitness for granted because neither have been a serious issue, up until recently(weight). I have noticed lately that I had kind of put my life on hold. I seemed to be waiting for things to get better before I did what I loved. I gave up a lot of loves for several years but now I'm trying to take better care. To be more mindful and a little less seat of my pants. I'm trying to be a grown-up, on one hand. And on the other, I'm trying to do what I enjoy. More organization, more self-care, more intentionality and more mindfulness.

So, I guess it's about way more than skincare. I'm kind of happy that I'm doing this. I'm also happy to be writing on this blog after so long.

Link Card Debacle

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/13/photo-ids-on-link-cards-f_n_848748.html?ref=fb&src=sp

So politicians in Illinois (read Republicans) are concerned about people misusing the Link Card system. They are concerned that people are trading their food card usage for money that they will, in turn, use for drugs. I believe this is a real issue but I do not think an photo will help.

A quote from HuffPost:

Aside from skepticism about the reasons behind the bill, the very notion of photo IDs on LINK cards is complicated. Food stamps are assigned to families, not individuals, and a photo ID would inhibit the ability of children or spouses to do the grocery shopping for the household. Plus, food stamps are a federal program, so the US Department of Agriculture would need to create a special exemption for Illinois to allow the state to make such a mandate, DHS spokeswoman Marielle Sainvilus explained to Illinois Statehouse News.

So I'm wondering...Since these cards are assigned to families. How many photos on the card?! Huh? Can we pick the photos? Can we put the baby on it too? How often can we change the picture? Kids grow up, ya know.

Another quote:

Representative Chapin Rose, a Republican from the suburbs of downstate Champaign, was the sponsor of the bill, HB 161. The legislation was originally a mandate that all LINK cards, the state-issued debit cards on which food stamp benefits are disbursed, have a photo ID of their owner.

After much amendment, it is now simply a measure requiring the Department of Human Services to consider the cost of such a mandate. But it still encountered uproar from Democratic legislators.

So are we are going to spend money on a cost analysis that could be done in two phone calls. I know the answer. The bulk production of cards is cheaper than individually personalized cards so we are looking at multiplying the cost 3 to 5 times what it normally is. Why do I know this? I asked my husband who worked in card production two years ago.

Another quote from HuffPost:

For his part, Rose claimed that the bill would save the state $750 million in fraudulent use of food stamp funds, though he provided few facts to back that claim. And he cited oft-quoted arguments about abuse of food stamps: “I don’t see what the efficacy is in handing someone the ability on a weekly basis to trade a card easily for drugs, for cash to buy drugs,” he said on the floor.

The persons sponsoring this bill obviously have no grasp on how this is actually done. Do we really think the images of a family of 4 are going to stop a "hype" (see www.urbandictionary.com , definition #5) from trading Link for cash? The answer is no. Which then causes me to wonder.. Is the strategy to spend the baby's food money on a cost analysis instead?

There is another option, spend the money for this discussion and analysis on education for children and parents, drug rehab for those who need it, more teachers, healthier school lunches, after school programs and decent grocery stores in food deserts. Heck, life skills training for parents and kids. We could do some much more and so much better than we are doing now and it wouldn't look like anyone was picking on poor people.

Stop Stressing out our Kids!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20110413/ts_yblog_thelookout/hot-pink-toenailed-boy-in-j-crew-ad-sparks-controversy

Apparently, folks went crazy nuts because Jenna, J. Crew's creative director, painted her son's toe nails pink because it's his favorite color. There is drama about the "gay agenda" and all manner of crazy talk as a result. This pisses me off. Everything is not the gay agenda, the kid is not cross dressing and he's not going to be scarred for life because of a little pink enamel. She says in the ad, "Lucky for me I ended up with a boy whose favorite color is pink. Toenail painting is way more fun in neon." And people lost their minds!!

I posted on Facebook, the following:

"People should shut up. Repeatedly. I'm exhausted by foolishness. My son's fav colors are pink and purple. What am I gonna tell him they CAN'T be his fav colors? Everything is not the gay agenda. STOP STRESSING OUT CHILDREN!"

Children choose colors because they are bright, pretty fun or whatever. I have really had to work with this since I've become a parent. My boy likes stuff because he likes it. He's only five and I'm not going to stress him out or berate him. THAT might send him to therapy way before his color choices will. When he tells kids at school about his favorite colors, they say, "Eww." Probably, because they've already been told those colors are unacceptable for boys. Stuff seems pretty cut and dry with the kids at schools sometimes. They'll find out later that it's not that simple.

In my circle of friends, we believe that we have some pretty good "gay-dar" and we actually think my son is straight but that is not really the point. If he were gay, I think I'd know by now, AND I do not think that avoiding pink nail polish would "ungay" him? I really, really don't.

Of all the things that people could point to for the "gay agenda," this was a dumb choice. Gay people will tell you what their agenda is. Use the internet and you'll find out all kinds of stuff like, no agenda, some agenda, more than one agenda, and the agenda is not about you, either. And I don't think they are using Jenna. Chill out! Of course, there are people who believe that everything should be lined up by gender. No trucks for girls but all the pink and skirts they can stand to wear. And no nail polish for boys but plenty of camo, cars and plastic weapons, and on and on but I don't think it's really that serious.

Now to be totally honest, I have never painted my sons finger nails or toe nails. And I have informed him already that some people will not understand his love for pink and purple. So, I'm guessing that I'm not as liberal as Ms Jenna but I'm not hating on her either. I tell him that so he won't be surprised by the judgement and because I hope that he will be resilient in the face of their silliness. I also want him to be proud of who he is waaay before I was.

I know I cannot guarantee that my son will have fantastic self-esteem but I can at least avoid crushing his happy and creative spirit. I can love him, I can teach him right and wrong and I can encourage his gifts. But none of that puts the usage or non-usage of nail polish on my list of major tenets of child rearing.

Poor Ms, Jenna, I'm sure people will be watching and waiting to see if that cute little boy "turns out" to be straight or gay. I'm sure if Jenna had thought about the crazies, she may have hidden his identity. I'm concerned that fools might be watching to see if they will be right. And I have a problem with that because watching other people's kids like that is just creepy.

Stop stressing out our kids. Please.

Migraine Relief as suggested by my friend Brian

Sorry for the delay (just got home). From the article: Try rubbing peppermint or lavender oil on your temples and the base of your neck; sniffing these oils may also help.

Rub a fresh cut lemon or lime on your forehead. Feverfew is a good herbal remedy for headaches.

Have a little caffeine by way of green tea, and don’t forget to use an ice pack for 20 minutes to dull the throbbing.

Original link: http://shine.yahoo.com/event/green/natural-remedies-for-the-15-most-common-aches-pains-and-health-complaints-2451193/

Ginger Pea Soup

Ginger Pea Soup

This looks good. I have most of the ingredients, just need some fresh basil.

Brew-lanthropy award recipient: Blackstone Bicycle Works

My friend Aaron is the man with the locs in this video. I'm so proud of him.

03/24/2011 Update on Fitness Goals from 11.22.2010 & some other personal goals

03/24/2011 Update!!!

Operation Sexy Mama 11/22/2010: Fitness Goals

Fitness Goals for Now and into 2011 (God willing!)

• Get my new prosthesis before the new year. - Got it, love it, working on getting strong and coordinated so I can do some things.

• Start weight training consistently. - started working out with handweights just last week. My friend Toya is buying a pair of MMA weight gloves, I'm very excited.

• Start exercise consistently. Get off the couch and get active. - It has begun!!! I am so proud of myself. I do Zumba, I go dancing, I go walking with the boys, I went on the swings with Lo...IT'S HAPPENING!

• Dance more! - dance at home, dance with kids, dance at church and go out dancing. Also happening, I went out dancing with Corina twice, I do Zumba with Toya, I dance whenever I can pry myself up. More to come.

• Weight 135 by March 2011 - evaluate and decide if I want to go for 125. Okay, this changed. We are looking at a goal of 140 by May 1 or June 1 at the latest. I want to be strong too though. So I will evaluate more heavily on look and clothing fit then I will weight. I want to wear a bikini and show my belly without shame.

• Walk a 10K by next summer. Keeping this goal. This will happen. 2012 better get ready.

• Make walks part of my weekly routine and build endurance.

I cannot tell you how happy I am that I am walking. Lo, Lance and I have been on the track and in the neighborhood walking. Lo loves it and Lance gets a good nap. We are getting it in!!! I feel great! There is a parents walking group at the school so I think I am going to join it and walk with them on Mondays and Thursdays, IF I can get my behind out of bed and get the boy to school by 08:30. I'm so excited!!!

• Do fitness and charity walks throughout the Fall of 2011. Keeping this one.
• Learn how to run again in 2011, since I became and amputee at age 17, I have never really done it consistently. Not as vested in this one as I once was but it would be good to have a burst of speed in case of emergencies. It would also be great to have a burst of prayer and some MMA, in case of emergencies but that is probably another blog post.

• Run a 5K before winter 2011? Sounds painful but I'd like to try. Again, maybe not running but I'll get this done.
• 125-135, muscular and athletic by October 27, 2011. Yes, this will happen. New goal is 140 with prosthesis which will put me at 132 or so without it. But again, fitness, strength, clothing fit, athleticism and muscle tone (rippednesssss!!!) are more important to me.

• Maintain this weight into 2012 Yes. Maintain the weight and muscle tone so I will be ready to have another baby, adopt, do more fitness goals and have an awesome life with my boys and my man. Ministry as a fit girl could get wild and fun. I hope they're ready, whoever they are. I hope I'm ready! I'm sure I'm not but I'll get there.

Other goals:

• I am beginning the process of launching my crochet biz. Building my facebook page for deiejdesigns and picking a design for my business cards and other items for craft fairs and online sales this summer.
• I am working on organizing, goal setting and changing my mindset.
• I've found a place that nurtures me and will support me spiritually while I'm in school.
• I have begun a to do list.
• I have a plan for combatting anxiety over difficult work.
• I have friends who are giving me wise counsel and sharing their expertise.
• I am blogging!!! I'm blogging! Do you see this. That is huge for me.

So basically, a lot is going on and I'm going to keep working and growing and devoting my life to God and my family and living as happily and healthfully as I can.

Thank you, Lord for the chance to do this. Please provide for us and lead us and if we get off track, steer us back on course. We love you!!! Amen.

Had to pray. Super happy. Super Tired. Some things are bittersweet right now but I'm also super thankful.

Sight Words for April

in as can had

a that up did

said go has am

is you be and

it no was yes

like come look to

me of at jump

big he the they

she for my must

I on see what

saw here

Wednesday 03/23/2011

Oh, yeah, OSM exercise report. On Wednesday, we watched Zumba, yeah, we watched it. But after that, we walked to parent/teacher conferences and took the longer way home. I broke a tiny sweat. I felt good about it. Not bad for being sick. If only I could keep track of my pedometer.

Lawrence got a great report. Suggestions for him/us were to practice his handwriting, read harder books, have him figure out how to spell by sounding out the words and don't have a cow or over criticize if the sounded out spelling is not perfect, it's part of the process.

I think I can do that! We also got new sight words so now he has 42! I know he will totally ace this next test in April.

I'm so proud of my boy.