Today I decided my blog needed a spring update. I changed the background from rain to flowers. I am so glad that the weather has improved and we are getting Sun again. It makes me want summer to come so bad. I am trying to get inspired to give my house a good spring cleaning too. It's hard because cleaning isn't my favorite. I don't know many people who love to clean but I think I dislike it more than most. I don't mind the picking up and stuff but I hate dishes, vacuuming and laundry. Usually I have Mike do that stuff but he also has to do outside chores now too. Luckily he actually likes mowing the lawn and gardening.
The start of April also means the start of competition season for my scout group. This weekend we went to Martinez and they participated in the first regatta of the season. It was a little rough but they seemed to have fun and got a chance to practice many of the events. The month of may we have 2 more competitions which means lots or work for me. I help train them to compete along with our other adults and I organize and help with the biggest one on memorial day weekend. My task right now is to hire a DJ and get the decorations for the dance.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Relaxation
I wanted to share with you all how I like to relax. These days people seem to be more stressed than ever and I feel it is important ,and most doctors will agree, to take time for yourself. So here are my top ways I like to relax in no particular order. It really depends on time and money available.
-get a massage
-watch TV
-take a bubble bath
-shopping (even grocery shopping)
-working out
-pedicure
-manicure
-go on a date with Mike
-swim
I know once we have kids it will be harder to take time for ourselves especially for me when mike is gone but I need to try to find time when I can to relax. Mike and I have started a weekly date night and hope to be able to keep up with them even after we have kids.
-get a massage
-watch TV
-take a bubble bath
-shopping (even grocery shopping)
-working out
-pedicure
-manicure
-go on a date with Mike
-swim
I know once we have kids it will be harder to take time for ourselves especially for me when mike is gone but I need to try to find time when I can to relax. Mike and I have started a weekly date night and hope to be able to keep up with them even after we have kids.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
What I Eat
When you tell people you are vegan they normally look at you funny and ask how I eat. I think it is hard for many people to understand not eating meat, milk, cheese and eggs. I eat lots of really good food. We love Indian food and Thai food which both have lots of vegan options. For a quick cheap meal we can go to Chipotle or subway. Also I have been trying to make snacky things that are vegan to have around. The other day I made vegan carrot cake and cornbread muffins. I eat pizza without the cheese, pasta with marinara, nuts, hummus, beans, bread, tofu, coconut milk ice cream and lots of other things. I am only a few weeks into this new way of life and it seems I am getting better at it each day. Tonight while mom, dad and Brandi ate a roast with veggies I had brown rice with black beans and tomatoes seasoned with cumin, garlic pepper and olive oil and a salad with almonds.
Not that long ago (probably just a month) I was one of those people that couldn't understand why people would eat vegan and I used to say things like "eating vegan is committing to feed yourself" It is a little true because when i go to other people's houses I have to either bring my own food or tell them ahead of time I am vegan. I am surprised how easy it has been to eat out and that waitresses seem to be understanding of what many would think of as a weird request. I guess before I started eating vegan I didn't understand. Now that I am I would ask people to try it for just a week before they judge it and me.
Not that long ago (probably just a month) I was one of those people that couldn't understand why people would eat vegan and I used to say things like "eating vegan is committing to feed yourself" It is a little true because when i go to other people's houses I have to either bring my own food or tell them ahead of time I am vegan. I am surprised how easy it has been to eat out and that waitresses seem to be understanding of what many would think of as a weird request. I guess before I started eating vegan I didn't understand. Now that I am I would ask people to try it for just a week before they judge it and me.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Substitute Teaching
Recently I started to sub for the same district I went to from kindergarten to Senior year. Also my mom works for the same district. I haven't done it too much since Mike has been home but hope to do more when he leaves again. So far I have been in a kindergarten class, 1st grade, 3rd grade, 5th grade and a couple different high school classes. I definitely prefer the high school because it is much easier and I find the kids pretty funny.
Being in the schools makes me think more about what I want for my future child. I went to traditional public school and mike went to public school until 4th grade, then he was home schooled, then he went to a charter school that supported home schooling. Then in high school he did an independent study program where he met with a teacher once a week for assignments as well as took some college classes at the local JC. As you can see we had very different experiences. I can't say if one was better than the other because we both turned out pretty good. Mike feels that a properly done home school program is better than the public school system. I feel that I got a good education and wouldn't mind my children having that same experience.
It also in a way comes down to me not feeling good about my abilities to teach my own children everything they need to know. Mike completely disagrees (he is sitting here next to me adding his two cents as I write so I thought I would share them). It seems like so much these days is based on test scores and specific knowledge and skills. Its one thing for me to go into a classroom and follow a lesson plan for a day but a whole different thing to teach my kids everyday. I know that every child is different and needs different things so I know we will do what ever is best for our children.
Being in the schools makes me think more about what I want for my future child. I went to traditional public school and mike went to public school until 4th grade, then he was home schooled, then he went to a charter school that supported home schooling. Then in high school he did an independent study program where he met with a teacher once a week for assignments as well as took some college classes at the local JC. As you can see we had very different experiences. I can't say if one was better than the other because we both turned out pretty good. Mike feels that a properly done home school program is better than the public school system. I feel that I got a good education and wouldn't mind my children having that same experience.
It also in a way comes down to me not feeling good about my abilities to teach my own children everything they need to know. Mike completely disagrees (he is sitting here next to me adding his two cents as I write so I thought I would share them). It seems like so much these days is based on test scores and specific knowledge and skills. Its one thing for me to go into a classroom and follow a lesson plan for a day but a whole different thing to teach my kids everyday. I know that every child is different and needs different things so I know we will do what ever is best for our children.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Going Vegan...
When Mike got home this time he hit me with a new life change. He had decided to become vegan while he was gone. He said he had been thinking about it for a while and had made up his mind while at work. At first i was really upset. Not sure why, i think it just bothered me that he came home different than he left and hadn't really told me about it until he had made up his mind. Now that I am used to the idea and have been having fun finding new ways to cook and eat it is better. I am trying to be supportive so I don't buy or cook things at home that aren't vegan. When I go out or eat at other people's houses I don't eat meat anymore but no dairy and eggs is harder. Mike and I are reading the book Eating Animals which is the book that made him decide to go vegan. We are about half way through and i definitely see the benefits of being vegetarian but not really sure about being vegan.
Mikes reasoning is the inhumane treatment of animals in the dairy industry. It's really hard for me to think about giving up some of my favorite foods. I guess i will have to update again when we are finished reading the book.
Mike would like our children, when we have them, to be vegan as well. I wonder how that is for kids also what kind of things you have to be careful of with kids? Also when i get pregnant if there is anything i have to do special if i become vegan?
Mikes reasoning is the inhumane treatment of animals in the dairy industry. It's really hard for me to think about giving up some of my favorite foods. I guess i will have to update again when we are finished reading the book.
Mike would like our children, when we have them, to be vegan as well. I wonder how that is for kids also what kind of things you have to be careful of with kids? Also when i get pregnant if there is anything i have to do special if i become vegan?
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Valentines Day
I know its been a while since i posted. There has just been a lot going on. Mike got home safe and sound which is always great but also means my schedule gets busier. Last weekend was the start of Girl Scout cookie time for my mariner troop. I am the cookie organizer for our troop so I convinced Mike to come and help me pick up our 988 boxes of cookies and organize them for the girls to take home.
After we got the cookies organized we left the scout meeting and headed out for our valentines day trip. We started in Morro Bay at my friend's parents cabin for the first night. Sunday we headed down to Orange County to meet up with our friends Stephanie and Zane and stayed at their apartment for the night. Monday all 4 of us headed out to Las Vegas and spent Monday and Tuesday nights there. It was so much fun. we saw the Beatles Love show which i would recommend to anyone able to go see it. We also saw Peepshow which was very good as well. The rest of the time we just walked around the different hotels and did a little gambling. Mike won about $25 at blackjack. We headed back to Orange County for Wednesday night and back to morro bay Thursday and home Friday afternoon.
After we got the cookies organized we left the scout meeting and headed out for our valentines day trip. We started in Morro Bay at my friend's parents cabin for the first night. Sunday we headed down to Orange County to meet up with our friends Stephanie and Zane and stayed at their apartment for the night. Monday all 4 of us headed out to Las Vegas and spent Monday and Tuesday nights there. It was so much fun. we saw the Beatles Love show which i would recommend to anyone able to go see it. We also saw Peepshow which was very good as well. The rest of the time we just walked around the different hotels and did a little gambling. Mike won about $25 at blackjack. We headed back to Orange County for Wednesday night and back to morro bay Thursday and home Friday afternoon.
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| The View from our hotel room of the New York New York We went on the roller coaster that you see. It was really scary |
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| The Front of the Excalibur |
Mike planned most of the trip which was very nice. He and Zane talked and planned a bunch of stuff together. We stayed at the Excalibur in Vegas, which for one of the cheapest big hotels on the strip I was surprised at how nice it was. When we got back to Orange County I decided I wanted to get a tattoo. I had been thinking about it for a while and decided that since steph had a few she would be a good person to go with. So I DID IT!!
It's a little hard to see but the flower is a Stargazer Lily and it represents me and mike. These are the flowers that we had at our wedding. On the petal there is a little ladybug which represents Zoey. This was my first tattoo, i have always wanted one but finally i had a design and reason that i know i will never regret.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Zoey's Due date
Yesterday was Zoey's due date. It has been hard to put into words how i really feel about it so sorry if this post is a little un organized. Mike and i were talking about it last night and we both feel like her due date isn't any harder than any other day. I feel like a baby's due date is just an estimate of when they will be born and not an actual date she would have been born. Because of this i don't feel much attachment to the date. We are doing really well with everything and are looking forward to the future. We definitely still think about Zoey all the time and miss her alot, but i am at peace with everything that has happened.
I think about how things were supposed to be so different. I should be huge and anxious to have a baby. Instead I am back to tracking my ovulation and trying to lose weight. It is amazing how things can change. I thought I had things figured out and was ready for how my life was going to change with a baby. Now i have to get ready to hopefully be pregnant all over again. I fear that something could go wrong again. I hear of many women who have had multiple losses and I worry that i won't be able to handle going through it many times. Every time i say that to mike he just says well lets just hope we never have to find out. I really hope that I will be pregnant by march. When i was looking at my ovulation calendar I found it interesting that if i get pregnant at the right time this month the estimated due date of our baby would be 11/11/11. How cool would it be to have that birthday.
I think about how things were supposed to be so different. I should be huge and anxious to have a baby. Instead I am back to tracking my ovulation and trying to lose weight. It is amazing how things can change. I thought I had things figured out and was ready for how my life was going to change with a baby. Now i have to get ready to hopefully be pregnant all over again. I fear that something could go wrong again. I hear of many women who have had multiple losses and I worry that i won't be able to handle going through it many times. Every time i say that to mike he just says well lets just hope we never have to find out. I really hope that I will be pregnant by march. When i was looking at my ovulation calendar I found it interesting that if i get pregnant at the right time this month the estimated due date of our baby would be 11/11/11. How cool would it be to have that birthday.
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