This Little Piggy Took a Photo...

Just went to upload some new pics.  Someone's been taking pictures of her sweet little piggies again...

Father's Day 2012

"You'll never be happy with what you get unless you can be happy with what you've got." ~my dad

In other words, stop saying, "If only I could have ______, then I'd be happy."  It doesn't work that way.  You can live your whole life perpetually thinking that your happiness just hasn't come yet (but it's bound to, right?).  Happiness doesn't come from a retail store or David Yurman or the real estate agent.  It doesn't come from some super-popular person validating your existence or from some life event that you're anticipating.  This moment is where you are right now, and if you're wasting it by pining away for the next big moment, then you're wasting it.  Get joy where you are.  Plain and simple.  

Thank you so much, Daddy.

Love,

me

Father's Day Interview with Sadie

• What is your daddy's name?  My Daddy's name is Eric.
• How tall is your daddy?  He's taller than a lamp. {haha - yes...taller than most lamps, I'm sure}
• How old is he?  I don't know...forty? {gettin' there!}
• How much does Daddy weigh? Um...four pounds? {plus a few...}
• What does your daddy like to eat?  He likes to eat all different kinds of foods. 
• What makes your daddy smart? Because he knows all about me. 
• What does he always say to you?  He always tells me "go to sleep."
• What color are daddy's eyes? Blue...is that right? {yes, love...that's right} :)
• What color is daddy's hair?  His hair is yellow.
• What is your daddy's favorite tv show?  basketball.
• What does daddy do for fun?  go on dates with me. {thankful}
• If he could go anywhere, were would he go?  He would go to Florida, and he would take me.
• What is your very favorite thing about daddy? His funny faces.
• Fill in the blank:  "I really love it when my daddy____":   paints with me.
• What does daddy work hard at?  Eyes.
• What does daddy like to wear?  Clothes that don't show his belly button. {thank the Lord!}
• Who is daddy's favorite superhero? Mr. Incredible.
• What is the first thing he does every morning?  Put his clothes on. {ones that don't show his bellybutton, of course}
• Where does Daddy like to go?  Stores.
• What do you do that makes your daddy laugh?  When I tell a story.
• Why do you love your daddy?  I love my daddy so much because he is awesome. {agree.}

And one to grown on for ALL the dads:

Sadie, what is the most important thing dad's should know about being a dad?  Protecting their families.

Happy Fat :)

Bacon, burger, grilled tomatoes, baby spinach, baked asparagus, sweet potato fries, homemade ketchup.

We've been eating stuff like this (meat in between slices of meat) for 2 and a half months and have lost a combined total of 42lbs.  It's a big, juicy, fat-filled, flavor-drenched, spicy, beautiful thing. 

Eat More Saturated Fats, Please...

CBS News Clip.  A few important points (in case you're too lazy to watch like I sometimes am):
1) Sugar triggers reward receptors in your brain.  The more you eat, the more it takes to feel the "reward."  The more it takes to feel the reward, the more you eat.  Welcome to unhealthyville.

2) Low fat diets are unhealthy.  The "health benefits" of eating low-fat are all myth.  Since Americans started low fat dieting, health problems have skyrocketed (heart disease, cancer, etc.)  Please eat more (good) fats. Stop trying to reduce your fat intake - it's unnatural.

3) Grain-y foods turn into sugar, trigger an insulin response, and cycle you back to point #1 above.

4) Please, please, please watch this clip at least until the part where he talks about how we were created to recognize "sweetness" in food as "not poisonous."  Our ancestors would eat a fruit and realize that it wasn't going to kill them because the taste was sweet.  This is important...

5) Counting calories doesn't work.  If you're thinking only about calories, you're thinking incorrectly.  If your intake is full of the "wrong kind" of calories (i.e., calories that come from unnaturally sweetened foods/grains), it doesn't matter if you have 500 or 5,000, you're not going to lose weight.

6) There is a LOT of science behind this.  Doctors have finally realized that the 1970's approach to lowering fat intake and replacing it with jazzercize and high fructose corn syrup was wrong.  Lowering our intake of "good fats" and increasing our sugar consumption (because fat-less food tastes like crap) has led to insanely bad medical problems.

7) It is highly likely that you already know all of the above.  Some of your friends might not, though.  Encourage those people to put down the twinkie, please.  The longer the shelf life, the shorter the human life. Meat, veggies, fruit = Good stuff.  Boxed food, canned food, plastic wrapped food = bad stuff.

8) I apologize to all of my friends who wonder when this phase of my life is going to be over so that I will once again enjoy Cokes and Little Debbie cakes...probably never, although I have switched back to non-organic anti-perspirant.  Aluminum be damned.  You're welcome.

Our Family Rules

I made a new "Family Rules" poster tonight to take the place of our old one.  I originally heard of the idea prior to discovering pinterest (what?!) through a friend and found this one on the former Ohdeedoh (now Apartment Therapy Family) and knew we had to have one.

I made a printable version for you, my friend.  Enjoy! (Prints to 10x14 on 11x17 paper - feel free to save and resize!)

Basis in scripture is important. Here are the scripture references to go with our family rules:

1. Put the other person first. "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves." (Philippians 2:3)

2. Speak with love. "The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit." (Proverbs 15:4)

3. Tell the truth. "Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices." (Colossians 3:9)

4. Mind your manners. "Do to others as you would have them do to you." (Luke 6:31)

5. Make the right choice. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6).

6. Be courageous. "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."'(Deuteronomy 31:6)

7. Guard your heart. "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." (Proverbs 4:23)

8. Forgive freely. "Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." (Colossians 3:13)

9. Always do your best. "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters." (Colossians 3:23)

10. Be thankful. "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Eight Years of Awesome

The past eight years have been a swirl of student loan debt, old cars, hard work, out-of-date dairy products, apartment hopping, last-minute-dinner-making, bedtime stories, bargain shopping, philosophical conversations (when we should be sleeping), boo boo kissing, out-the-door-in-a-rush, forgetfulness, changing plans, selfishness, selflessness, belly laughs, mind reading, hugs, tears, snooze-button-pushing, forgiveness, cover stealing, collapsing onto the sofa in a pool of exhaustion, corny joking, board games, tickle fights, apologies, reinvented lyrics, hopefulness, daydreams, and you-and-me-against-the-world kind of love.  

Me and Eric in 2004...

It has been simultaneously imperfect and perfect, and there is no one else in the world who could have put up with my shenanigans for so long.

When I asked Sadie this morning what the secret was to a "great marriage," she simply said, "God."  Yes, kids...she's a profound 5 year old.  Either that, or she realizes that all great mysteries of the world (such as how a man and woman can possibly live together forever in relative harmony) can only be explained supernaturally.  I tend to agree.


Happy 8th Anniversary to my husband, my very best friend, and only person in the world who knows everything there is to know about me and loves me anyway.  

Recital Dress Rehearsal 2012

Sadie had her dress rehearsal tonight, and much like last year, I forgot to get her studio portraits.  What did you just say?  You want to nominate me for "best mom ever?!"  

Thank goodness I have a camera, and this year, a very cooperative little ballerina.  Here are Sadie's recital shots for 2012:

Her entire little class...aren't they cute?!

One of the moms said, "Girls, pose sassy!" and guess whose baby knows how to strike a sassy pose on command?  

What?!  That's right, kids...she's trained.

Arabesque...

First position...

 ballet shoes

Sweet smiling girl... 

Passe... 

She looks so very like her Nana in this one... 

She's really just shading her eyes from the sun, but I like to call this one:

"Oh heavens!  Whatever will I do?  I do believe I have the vapors." 

This one looks like a studio portrait, so I guess I don't feel too bad about not getting them... 

Passe shadow... 

So urban. 

Ruffle booty :)

Silly girl :) 

I didn't make her hug the tree...she just wanted to.

Um...on this one, she literally said, "Uh...really, mom?"

"I don't want to take any more pictures, I just want to play!"

It's cool...we got one more :)

My Little Graduate

Sadie graduated from preschool today and I only used ONE Kleenex!

Oh Sadie...I have about a million and one things I'd love to say to you, my precious girl.  I'm just gonna say one, though:  I am always proud of you.

My heart is full tonight!