Something to think about.

Borrowed from here.

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar...and the coffee...

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "yes."

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, " I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things-your God, your family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions-things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car.The sand is everything else-the small stuff.

"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18 holes. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal." Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented.

The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."

Being sneaky didn't work

I made a smoothie today.

In it I put:

2 bananas,
a tbsp of cocoa powder,
a tbsp of honey,
a cup of milk,
4 ice cubes and...
a big handful of baby spinach leaves.

I whizzed it up in the blender and offered the kiddo some chocolate milkshake.

Now he knows this isn't a regular milkshake - while on the 1st phase of the south beach diet, I used to make a milkshake with milk, ice cubes, cocoa powder & stevia that he loved.

So when I offered this, he said yes.

He asked why it was a weird colour...I said because I added banana. He took a sip and promptly stated that he did not like bananas in chocolate mikshakes.

Darn, and I thought maybe I had a new way to sneak some veggies into him :)

It did taste a little green - maybe next time I will use a little less spinach and a bit more honey.

Another catch-up post

I am sorry it has been awhile since I last posted, life is getting in the way again.

I babysat my niece's year old daughter last week. It has been a really long time since I have been around a baby - luckily, my sister came over to help me.

I had forgotten how much energy babies have and how much I need to have to take care of one! I am SO glad my kiddo is totally independent now.

We had a good time though. She is mobile so that was fun :) J has never really been around a baby before as he is the youngest grandchild on my side and didn't get to see the younger cousins on my DH's side very often.

He was amazed at how little she was. He took off her socks to marvel at her toes LOL

I don't think the dogs knew what to think of her either :)


I have been reading like crazy over the past couple weeks - lately it has been the Elm Creek Quilt books by Jennifer Chiaverini. They are quite addictive.

I was contacted by an author to write a dust jacket blurb for his new book. I don't know this author so asked how he got my name. Apparently some time ago, I put my name on a list stating that I was available to review books.

So he sends me his manuscript to review and write a blurb about. Well I quickly notice that the manuscript has not yet been edited and the glaring errors and inconsistencies are just jumping out at me left, right and center!

I googled his name to find out if he ever published anything before as this seems kind of unprofessional.

I find he has published several books but they don't seem to be carried by Amazon, so maybe he self-published. I also find a website where he is listed as a technical writer/editor (exactly what I am). He has written an article (2006) on what NOT to do, listing EXACTLY the errors that he has made in his current manuscript.

I emailed him to let him know that I have noticed the errors and have started editing the book for him. I ask if perhaps he has sent me a very early draft version by accident? No, just the unedited final version. I would think a writer/editor would have done a much better job.

I told him I would complete the edit and mail it back to him, which I did yesterday.

After doing this I have realized it is time I sat down and attempted a novel myself. If this guy can write several and somehow get them published, I too have a shot.

Now someone give me an idea of what to write about :)

Last week J came home and told me about a conversation with his teacher where she stated that she was convinced he had ADHD. Now J was tested for this when he was very young and was found to not have it and instead was quite intelligent and the Dr assumed he was acting out in class out of boredom. After this talk with his teacher he was quite concerned that there may be something wrong with him.

I decided to give his teacher a call, who is she to say these things to an impressionable 13 yr old?

She blatantly denied the entire conversation. She said some kids were talking about ADHD and J must have misunderstood. J isn't stupid, nor did he misunderstand.

This is the same teacher that called J's best friend stupid when he asked her to explain something again. He told his parents who contacted her. She denied it completely, even though other kids heard her say it.

Someone is lying and getting away with it. We have spoken to the vice-principal, but he backs her up.Only one more year in that school thank God.

J gets sworn into cadets on Tuesday evening, so I'll have new photos to show soon.

Stumbled Upon...

And then the fight started...


Some neat ideas, some weird ideas...


McDonalds' menu items from around the world

Exactly 13 years ago today...

at 7am I was getting ready to go to the hospital for my scheduled C-section.

After many hours and all the necessary stuff (nice medical terms huh?) you were born at 2:40pm.

You weighed in at 8lbs 8 ounces and were 50 cm long. You were tiny and oh so perfect.

You looked even tinier in Daddy's strong arms.

The years went on and we learned from each other, growing and loving.

Through the adorable, mischievous, full-of-energy toddler years (that you have YET to grow out of), when all you needed was Mommy's kiss to make it all better,



the inquisitive pre-school years when everything you did was new and oh SO exciting,


to the try-my-patience, push-my-buttons and make-me-go-grey-early pre-teen years

(school project testing phase)(baby racoons)

and even through the multitude of hairstyles :),

...I have absolutely loved every second (ok not every second, those times you were sick and I worried myself sick, I could have done without), but most of it.

You are growing into such a loving, thoughtful, responsible young man and you make me proud.

The time has just flown by and I hope the next 13 slow down a bit, I don't want to miss a minute.

Happy Birthday to my one and only thirteen year old! :)

Love you
Mom

End of Phase 1

Yesterday was the last day of Phase 1 on the South Beach Diet. It was probably easier than I thought it would be.

I did cheat a teeny tiny bit. I had 3 small new potatoes with dinner last night and couple mini chocolate Easter eggs.

And the answer everyone is waiting for... I am down 8 lbs as of this morning. Not bad.

Phase 2 reintroduces fruits, whole grain breads & pastas and brown rice - however, only one of these to be eaten each day for awhile until your body gets used to them or you may just regain all you have lost.

I bought blueberries & strawberries on sale Saturday (3 for $5) so will be adding some of them back today and the next few days. I really missed fruit, even though I don't eat all that much of it. Will save the breads, pasta or rice until next week.

I hope you all had a lovely Easter weekend - we had great weather for Thursday, Friday & Saturday. Sunday got kind of chilly again and now we are expecting cooler temps and 4 days of rain :P

Oh well.

Simple Asparagus soup

Since starting the South Beach Diet 11 days ago, I have often found myself NOT interested in eating, even when it is time to eat.

Tonight the boys have gone scouting (hunting) and so I am on my own for dinner (they will hit a chip truck on the way there). Not wanting to make something big for just me, I went rooting around in the fridge, which is quite full these days with all the veggies I bought. I found two bunches of asparagus that will go bad if I don't use soon so....

I chopped an onion, broke the ends off an entire bunch of asparagus then chopped them small, put them in a pot with chicken stock (a box) and boiled the bejeesus outta them :)

I added seasoning salt, garlic powder and pepper.

Then I purred it all with my hand imursion blender and finally added about an ounce of light cream cheese and stirred til melted and mixed.

Fast - easy - and really yummy and I know I'm getting my veggies in.

I'm on my 2nd bowl :)

I'll freeze the rest for lunches next week.

EDIT: I just went to Allrecipes.com to see how similar their asparagus soup recipes were - holy crow - did you know asparagus comes in cans!? Cans? really? That is just ewwwww!
Ok done now :P