Giving Credit...

http://www.quileutenation.org/index.cfm?page=home.cfm

Being from Oklahoma... I thought it was so great to see the role of Native Americans being played in such a positive light...
I found the above link and was so happy that it wasn't just some made up story!
I applaud Ms.Meyer for doing due diligence work in her writing...
Wish more would use real life facts when it's plausible.

Rob Pattinson at Red Rocks...

I made the mistake of watching the cult classic Twilight movie over the weekend... due to my"motherhood" duties and my age... I hadn't watched it yet.
I say made the mistake because I actually ended up watching it like five times.
This story that Stephenie created... is beautiful. She did a masterful job of drawing in her audience... I have yet to read the books... but found a movie that drew me in so much I had to find out more about it.
I think it's mass appeal is the choice of roles for her characters.... Bella... the new girl... Most everyone at some time in their life has been this person. Not sure where you fit in... trying to figure it all out. I loved how the movie picked up on not only the feelings of cliques in the lunchroom... but the way that everyone reacts. It was so realistic- how could you not get drawn in... you can remember doing and saying those exact things. Can't wait to read the books now that I'm into it...
But onto the real reason I'm writing today...

I have to admit... I didn't know the names of the actors... I just knew I HAD to find out who sang the songs... when I went to google it... I had no idea who "Rob Pattinson" was... when I looked him up to see where I could buy his songs... I was tremendously disappointed to see he had nothing out. When I went to YouTube to listen to some more of him.. I saw who he was.
While he did an amazing job in the movie... and I am looking forward to watching him grow not only in his next role in the Twilight series... but overall. I would love to see him work on his music career. Obviously being out of the teenie bopper fan club ... I had no clue what the newbie's name was.. but immediately liked him immensely more once I discovered it was his voice in the song that gave me goosebumps.
I really hope that someone with a talent like his will take the high road and not get caught up in the Hollywood Hype... As a voice is something that doesn't go out of style and can touch so many lives without anyone ever knowing it. I know his voice immediately relaxed me and drew me in... It gives me chills to think about what he'd sound like at a venu like Red Rocks! ..... sorry- had a moment while thinking about what that'd be like..
I like to think I have an ear for music... and he definitely got my attention.

Elmo!!

My wonderful daughter is now at the age where she's starting to enhance her communication skills... and trying to repeat what is said when she is in earshot....
this being said- I have to share with you my "first" of the toddler misunderstandings...
so yesterday morning we were sitting down to breakfast. Breakfast at our house is our family sit-down meal because of Eva's "no tolerance" policy for a delay time for cooking dinner- and with my husband working until 9:30 a lot... breakfast is our family time.
So we're about to eat and we say our prayer.. and I say "amen".
Eva thinks that I said "Elmo".... and she gets so excited she screeches "MMEEEELLLLMMMOOOOOO"..... and continues to express her excitement for the fact that mommy said "elmo" during the prayer... and she says "melmo" about fifteen more times while she's eating... all while having a huge grin on her face...
It was probably one of the funniest misunderstandings I've encountered...
It's the little things in life that make each day amazing. :)

Spring Fever!!!

Alright I'm wearin' capris and a t-shirt.... it's the first week of March!!! SPRING FEVER HERE WE COME! I'm not sure about everyone else... but I'm ready for the winter to be D-U-N! (yes i know- that's NOT how you spell it- but it's for emphasis)
Time for shaking off the winter... putting away those winter clothes and moving the short sleeves to the FRONT of the closet- YEAHHH BUDDY!

So this means hikes and camping and cookouts and fishing and swimming is RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER!!!
I'm fully convinced that Denver IS the best place in the world... especially during the summer. No better place in the world than the front range and the Rocky Mountains.

In preparation for the summer... I'm evaluating how the winter went... and what I've got coming up.
So... for next winter- I vow the following:
I will not use the excuse "I'm storing up for winter" when I start to put on those five lbs as the weather cools off.
I will NOT allow myself to let things slide during the holidays.
I WILL get all my Christmas Presents to the people BEFORE Christmas... and I will have my Christmas shopping done before the mad rush hits.
I will be simplifying the holidays this year so that I can enjoy them- as opposed to them stressing me out.


Now... for this summer...
I will make sure that Eva gets out and plays as often and as much as possible!
I will be doing a triathlon this summer.
I will ENJOY swim suit shopping :)
I will make more time for "date nights" with the hubby...


Now that I'm done with my short-term goals... It's time for my random thought of the day..

So.. we all know how much I love my husband. Last night it occurred to me- that you CAN actually say one thing to him.... and he hears a TOTALLY different thing. I never really believed it- until last night.
Dishes have been sitting clean in the dishwasher for over a day now... so they start stacking up in the sink. Husband hears frustrated sigh from kitchen and volunteers to do this in order to avoid beginning of what could be the equivalent to the D-Day Storming of the beach of listing of what all I have been able to accomplish in the THIRTY minutes I've been home compared to the whopping list of ZERO he's done in the past 2 days. So in my mind- I'm like GREAT! It'll be done tonight- I will come out to make breakfast in the morning... and it'll be nice and put together! A freakin awesome way to start the morning.
Yeah- not so much. This morning I go out to get the coffee started- and what am I greeted by???? This looming, food crusted pile of plates... that has MIRACULOUSLY grown overnight....
It took everything I had not to yell- YOU LEFT THE FREAKIN PLATES!!!!!!! but then I realized this would only add to my frustration because it would wake Eva up... I felt like the commercial for "the Motherhood" where she yells- "STOP YELLING!!! YOU'LL WAKE THE BABY!!!!" (a show which- by the way- I CANNOT wait to see)
So in my mind- I'm throwing the plates at his head.... however- against my better judgement- I refrain and make the coffe... as I'm doing this he comes into the kitchen and... it's like it was PROJECTING off of me that I was screaming YOU DIDNT DO THIS!!!.... because literally- the first thing that was said was "I said I was going to do that... " at that moment... it hit me... we have two totally different time frames playing out here. To me... you just DO whatever it is that needs to be done as soon as possible... to him... it was "Yeah- I'll do it.... before the year ends".... At this point in time... I deferred to the AWESOME Pepsi commercial... you know the one where it's the woman.. and she's talking about how it's a woman's JOB to "share" her knowledge of what you're doing wrong with you- so that you can fix it... immediately.
So I took it upon myself to SHARE my infinite knowledge of GETTING SHIT DONE with my lovely husband... see apparently women- we fail to add the timeline in which we expect "yeah I'll do it" to be done... so now that I've shared that with my loving husband... I felt it was EXTREMELY important to share it with all the other wives as well :)

Have a great week!

Critique on Article about love...

Alright so- got a magazine that is sent out to North Metro/Boulder County area- "What's Love Got to do with it?" by Dylan Krider. It had this article in it that attempted to explain how love got started... "The latest science says romance has a lot in common with war, narcotics, and meat"... yeah- I know. It caught my attention as well. Basically it starts by using the example of Adam and Eve... asking what it was that actually gave us the "potential" to act against our instincts and do what is right as opposed to "spreading our genes".

The article goes on to talk about how with animals- only the ones with higher levels of intelligence have been show to develop close working relationships with its own kind. Saying there's a direct correlation between the "socialness" of an animal and it's inherit intelligence. Alright- I can get that.. it makes sense. Then it goes into how as humans became smarter- more women started to die during childbirth due to increased head circumference... so when you can only have one maybe two offspring at a time- a lot rides on it's survival- genetically speaking. Men took on the roles of "provider" only after it became apparent that increased protein led to healthier, longer living kiddos. Keep in mind- while men were out spearing things, women were busy laying the groundwork for modern civilization... agriculture, pottery, education... you name it.

Now is when I really got interested... the genetic basis for "cheating".... so the article says "...women are genetically wired to ensure they're impregnated by their lover- NOT their husband." He goes on to say.." as a general rule- you can determine the promiscuity of females as a species by the size of the males testes. For example, the enormous but monogamous gorilla only sports a pair of golf balls, whereas the female chimp....is courted by bow-legged males who look like they're lugging around a bag of canteloupe."
- I guess to me- this seems contradictory. Espcially since most men's "ahem" are much more comprable to golf balls than to canteloupe. So to me- the whole idea that men are "hardwired" to spread their seed doesn't exactly get it's roots in nature. Guess I'll have to add that to my list of questions to ask an ecologist (closely followed by the need for the pinky finger).

The article goes on to cite a recent study that boasts figures of anywhere from 45-55% of married women and 50-60% of married men have strayed at some point in their relationship.
HOLY CRAP... that's over half of the married men. The premise of this is to point out that while we are "wired" to cheat... that there must be a reason.. or force... powerful enough to nip the urge to cheat in the bud... enter dopamine.

The heroine of lovers... dopamine, is the said cause to keep wandering eyes (and other parts) in check. Krider goes as far to say that once dopamine wears off- that the attachment is formed- and the bond is solid- and strong enough to keep the want to cheat in check.

This is where I disagree- someone can have a bond without first having the dopamine fix. Look at frienship- for example. This easy example leads me to believe that there's much more to a lasting love than simply "bonding during the love high". Anyone who has been married for more than 15 years can tell you that. Hell- I've been married for two years and I promise you it's more than just a love-struck bond between my husband and I. Marriage is work. Marriage is a lot of work. There is no environmental/animalistic benefit to have to work so hard at something that can completely drive you crazy. So what is it that keeps people married? To me- it's the love of that person. Not looking at what they can do for you, and if they do enough- its beneficial to have them around (given those kinds are nice- but definitely not worth a lifetime of faking it). Most people enter into a marriage because the person complements their personality, lifestyle, timing, beliefs, etc.

In summary, if a person isn't happy- they'll cheat regardless of genetics. I have a hard time believing that cheating genes are the cause of adultery. Let's take a good hard look at a theory before giving "cheaters" and out to use as an excuse.

So I'm a Slacker!

Fine Fine... I'll admit- I've been slacking on the blogging side of things. However- I must say that I've got a dang good excuse... for those of you who know me- I am slightly competitive... FINE I'm EXTREMELY competitive- I said it OKAY. Anything that is capable of being won by me- I will try to win it. That's just how I am... with that being said... Jan. 15 I entered into a "fitness challenge" at the gym I go to- OneBoulder Fitness. It is a two month competition that basically pushes contestants to keep a daily food journal- and document everything you eat- keeping track of calorie values, protein content, carbs, fat, fiber...etc. I thought this was a fantastic way to channel my motivation for my lifestyle makeover. And well... It has been! The way it works is you start off with a beginning weight, total body measurements, body fat %... then you do a series of tests that supposedly test your "fitness". So basically- I've been working out 6 days a week now for about a month.. at my midpoint check in- I had lost 6 lbs.. almost 7 inches.. and my body fat % had decreased by 6% points. I was amazed. My endurance is better than it was in highschool... I was actually able to run 3 miles without stopping at the end of the first month- something I was NEVER able to do before... and I've been reminded that "round" isn't the shape of my face. Needless to say... been a little busy juggling being a mom, working and getting into "Hot Momma" shape :). However... I was reminded that this is such a healthy outlet for me. I'm really going to try and do better at it because I love writing.

My point today is that I'm happy with how I'm looking- and I really haven't been able to say that honestly in a very long time.
I've found out that I have a passion for helping people succeed. If the economy wasn't the way it was... you can bet your sweet butt I'd be getting certified to be a trainer and nutrition advisor. I love it and it truly makes me happy- while still being able to help other people.

However... until I'm able to seriously entertain that idea... I'm TOTALLY happy doing the job I have... which I love. Because like I've learned... you've gotta make the best of whatcha got.

The Holidays....

Hope that everyone had an extraordinary Christmas! I'm writing this while drinking a glass....or two... of "da vino"...
My Christmas was extremely good. Miss E. got her foam climbing blocks and has kept busy with them ever since- using them as slides and figuring out the best way to go down the fastest- usually sitting up going backwards. She's so amazing, and so much fun... I know that any day now she's just going to start talking in full sentences.
For Christmas I was the lucky recipient of CROSS CANADIAN RAGWEED and Pat Green tickets!!! As well as some "unmentionables" from my hubby... it was sweet- and I was flattered by the fact that he thought I'd look hot in "fire truck red" .... however due to my recent lifestyle change.. it's left me with a lack of undergarments that fit properly.... so while it was extremely flattering... it wasn't the most practical... but he scored MAJOR brownie points for trying!
I guess this Christmas for me- was more of a reality check... who are we kidding- everyone says they love the holidays... but I'm calling BULLSHIT on that one. Who REALLY enjoys the scramble to find those presents for everyone... not to mention the stress of getting cards out in enough time to cover your ass should someone send you a card that you didn't send one too. Also dealing with wrapping presents and unruly family... who you usually end up wanting to strangle. I don't think it's really the holidays we love- I have come to the conclusion that we love the idea of the holidays. Feeling warm and fuzzy watching those hokey Holiday specials... and feeling an increased sense of "friendliness" that is usually forgotten in the mall parking lots when that bastard in the Lexus decides to take the parking space that you've been sitting there with your blinker on, pining for the past twenty minutes... you really have to remind yourself that no level of satisfaction is worth a criminal record for harassment or violent behavior... although for a few fleeting seconds- you honestly feel it might break even.
No- I really don't relish the Holiday Fever... what I love about Christmas is actually Christmas itself... as well as the Christmas Eve service you go to- after of course you and your husband get into a fight because of his disdain for the fact that it really IS necessary that if you're showing legs- you DO shave even though it IS dark out...because you have to wear a dress last minute because you see him pulling out his suit coat and you know you can't show up in something simple if your husband is wearing a suit.
But back to the service... I love the sermon... the reminder of the birth of Christ... the candles and low lights minutes before you sing Silent Night... that is my favorite. Going to bed and knowing that when you wake up- that morning will be a part of your memory for the rest of your life. Everyone can have an appreciation for the notion that even though the world isn't perfect- on Christmas eve- there is the feeling that something so much bigger than anything you could ever imagine is taking place before you. That you have a role in the Nativity of Life... you have a fleeting glimpse of how much good is actually in the world.
I use the word glimpse- because one of my absolute favorite movies is "The Family Man". Jack gets a glimpse of what his life could've been like... and he sees all the good that is possible... I love that feeling. Waking up each morning and knowing that you have the chance every morning to life that day fully... it's really something we take advantage of. Being alive.
This Christmas as I watched my daughter placing her toys around the house- and reveling in her brilliance of playing with each of them in random order... I was reminded how thankful I am of being alive- and how blessed I am to wake up knowing how much I have to be thankful for.