My new brainstorm

Rise and Shine!!! I am going to attempt to get the kids and myself, up 1/2 hour earlier in the mornings so that I can get them moving. Literally. I've been thinking about how difficult it has been for all of us to get going in the morning and to focus and have energy throughout our day.
So, I decided that we'd have dance parties in the morning for 15-20 mins (or more, depending on time). I'll put some fun music on and turn it up and we'll just jump up and down, dance, jump rope and just act crazy for awhile. While they are cooling down and getting dressed afterward, I'm going to make sure I fix a nutritious breakfast. Most mornings, my kids do eat breakfast but it is usually just a hurried bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios or something similar. I'm thinking of a cooked breakfast with a side of fresh fruit and glass of milk. Some mornings might consist of cereal and fruit or maybe some whole grain toast with fruit. I'm not exactly sure of all the details, yet. I will get ready for work while they eat.
I'm going to attempt this tomorrow. We'll give it a trial run and see how it goes. I'm hoping it will help us all to get active, and to start the day fresh and alert. We'll see. I know this means more work for me, but if it helps us all start the day off on a good foot, it's worth it.

EAT DIRT!

GO EAT DIRT!!!! Well, okay, not dirt. But, maybe some of this pudding dessert instead? This is a fun treat to make for the kids. If you have never tried it before, give it a whirl! I'm going to try and make it this week with my kids and see what they think! I've had it before at church and at school and all the kids enjoy it!

Dirt Cups

				Prep Time: 15 min Total Time: 1 hr 15 min Makes: 10 servings

Ingredients: 1 pkg. (3.9 oz.) JELL-O Chocolate Instant Pudding 2 cups cold milk 1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed 15 OREO Cookies, finely crushed (about 1-1/4 cups), divided 10 worm-shaped chewy fruit snacks Preparation: BEAT pudding mix and milk in large bowl with whisk 2 min. Let stand 5 min. Stir in COOL WHIP and 1/2 cup cookie crumbs. SPOON into 10 (6- to 7-oz.) paper or plastic cups; top with remaining cookie crumbs. REFRIGERATE 1 hour. Top with fruit snacks just before serving.

Spring

Today marks the first day of Spring! Yay!!! Welcome Spring! I wanted to have a party to celebrate but David spent much of last night in the bathroom on the seat of the throne, so I'm not sure how much partying we'll be doing. If he is up to it later on, I'd like for all of us to go 0n another hike and enjoy the weather. It looks like we'll be either rainy or snowy, or both, over the next few days so we'd better get out while we can.

I had hoped to make some fun Spring treats but didn't get around to it. Maybe I can find some fun Spring activities for us to do. The web is a good place for that!

Well, I hope you all have a good first day of Spring!! I'm hoping that we'll be outside enjoying the day soon!

Pics of Chickies Rock County Park

Click on the picture to view it larger! Enjoy!

Hello Friday!

With a beautiful day in store, the kids and I are heading out to Chickies Rock County Park. It boasts beautiful vistas and water scenes. We've never been there before but it looks like an easy 40 minute drive from us. I'll try to post pictures later. Well, I'm off to pack some lunches and snacks and get everyone geared up for a day of sunshine, fresh air, and hiking trails! Wonder how many ticks we'll bring home? Oh, here's a link to the website for anyone who wants to see some pics ahead of time! Enjoy! http://www.co.lancaster.pa.us/parks/cwp/view.asp?a=676&q=518276

FB

When I first signed up for FB, I was very excited to befriend old schoolmates, connect with family, and stay in touch with friends of various circles. It was very nice to be able to send photos to Granny in SC and to share albums of the kids with other people in such an easy way.

But, over time, I started to have problems with FB. Well, not really FB, but more so with my own thoughts and perceptions. It didn't take long before I'd see statuses by friends and start thinking and comparing them to my own life situations.

I'd see someone on vacation somewhere and think, "oh, it must be nice to go away and not have to worry about the cost." I'd see someone flirting with their husband online (in a modest manner) and think, "oh, I wish Eddie had FB so he could say cute things like that to me." Or, I'd see that people went away for the day as a group and think, "it must be nice to be able to hang out with a group and laugh and live life together." Do you notice a trend? Every time someone was happy about something in their life, I was beginning to turn it into something to be jealous of. So, instead of being excited for a vacationer, I'd be annoyed. Instead of being happy that a couple remembers to make time for one another, I'd feel like my own relationship wasn't where it should be. Instead of being excited for people who got out and had fun with others and asking to see pics or hear funny stories about their adventures, I'd begin to seethe and wonder what was wrong with me that I didn't get invited, too.

Simply put, I've entered into a battle with myself. It's a battle of self worth, jealousy, and contentment. It's probably always been there but FB shone the light on it. So, now I need to put my focus back to where it belongs and that starts with remembering who God says I am and looking to Him to fill my voids....not FB.

So, for those of you wondering why my sudden departure from FB, that's why. It's ugly. It's immature. It's also the truth of the matter. Someday, hopefully, I'll be able to rejoice when others rejoice and to stand in the mirror and see a person wonderfully made by God but right now, I struggle with it so FB is not the place for me. Hopefully, others reading this do not struggle as much as me with this and are able to view FB for what it is... a social interaction tool. Not a measuring stick.

I'm not exactly sure what I want to say here. So, I guess I will just speak from the heart, or head, as the case may be.

This Summer has been a growing Summer. I am slowly learning (and, I might as well add, AGAIN here) that there are always things in life that you cannot control, there are those things which you can control (whether or not you choose to is another topic), and those circumstances that make your problems seem like child's play.

I've had my share of times when I am looking into my situation and shaking my head but then I hear of something far worse and I'm ashamed at my attitude and humbled by how little I've been given to really dread and bemoan. I guess what I am saying is that if a person could be inside my brain for long enough, they'd probably walk away saying "what a spoiled little brat" and how I sound so similar to a whining toddler.

We have all heard the phrase, "there will always be somebody better than you at something and somebody worse than you." I don't care so much about that any more. Now, my lesson has changed more to, "there is always someone with more of a burden than you and someone with less of a burden."

What do I do with that information? Do I let it change my attitude from one of self introspection to one of outward empathy? Right now, I'm trying to quiet all the times I've been thinking about how terrible this or that is in my own life and I'm trying to focus on what my friends may be going through. And not just focus on them, but pray for them and when possible, help in practical ways...and I am far far from perfect in these areas! A dear friend (one I am not "close" to...but remember fondly) is in the final breathes of his life. He's not much older than me. 35 I think. He'll be leaving behind a wife (whom, I haven't met, but I've heard she is an amazing, strong woman of God), and 4 young boys. I can't even begin to imagine what that must be like. I am so glad that they have a group of friends and family around them to support them and to minister to them. People who are giving up their time to help. People who are there no matter what. And, I guess, what I'm saying is, that I hope I can be like that someday. Someone who can put aside their own junk to help other people walk through theirs. Lately, I don't think I would be able to do that b/c I'm so busy trying to fix the things in my own world, that I really don't even have any control over in the first place, that I would probably miss what others around me are going through.

So, I'm learning to wake up to what is around me. I'm learning to cherish the people in my life, because you really don't know from one day to another what life will bring your way. There's more that I could say but I think I have given myself enough to think over for one day.