My Top Ten (Eleven) Serious Life Lessons learned form Disney!

So we did the whole silly lessons learned thing a few weeks ago and it just seemed fitting to do some real life lessons learned.  I hope you enjoy my Disney take on life.

10. Finding Nemo: Never, ever give up!  Just keep "swimming" and eventually you will get there.

9.  Up:  You are never to old to go on an adventure, make new friends and learn new things.

8. The Incredibles:  Embrace the "super-hero" in yourself. You can do things you never dreamed were possible.

7. Brave:  If you find yourself in a disagreement with someone explain to them why you feel the way you do about the situation.  You may never be able to agree, but you may be able to understand one another and come to some sort of compromise on the issue.  Who knows letting them know how you feel could "change your fate".

6. Mulan:  Just because your a girl does not mean you have to give up your dreams, it only means you may have to work harder to make them come true.

5. Tarzan: Make time for fun as a family. They will be memories you will look back on for a lifetime.

4. The Lion King: "Hakuna Matata!" Seriously, we worry so much about everything that could happen and out of 100% only about 1% actually does.

3. The Little Mermaid: Real true friends are very important, do not ever take them for granted. They will always be willing to help you out of a "pinch".

2. Frozen: I actually learned two lessons from Frozen. The first is that, there is nothing else in the whole world like family. I know sometimes they hurt you and make you sad, but they are still your blood and nothing will change it. We just have to learn to forgive them and love them anyway. The second one Anna learned the hard way, just because something seems meant to be, it can still be wrong. If it is to good to be true, it mostly like is. Be ever watchful for those sheep in wolves clothing.

And last, but certainly not least...

1. Tangled: True love will always find you, (even if your locked in a tower). Make sure your eyes are watching and your heart is willing and waiting.

Imagination: Thank God my kids have it

Recently my husband and I were discussing how much we see the children of today with some sort of electronic device, sitting around glued to the screen of their ipods, tablets or phones. It made me think of my own childhood and the lack of electronic toys that we had.  When I was a little girl I would go outside everyday and play in the dirt, building whole worlds out of rocks and sticks. I  remember that we would spend whole afternoons building  "frog houses", I'm sure I need to explain that. We would put our hands or feet flat on the ground and covered them with wet dirt, packing it down really good. Then we would pull out or hand/foot and it would leave an opening in the dirt.  We would build them and make little roads to and from. We built whole neighborhoods and then would pretend rocks were cars, because we didn't have any cars to play with.

Getting ready to build our "frog house".

You have to pack that wet dirt down really good!

Now slowly pull your foot out. 

Smooth out the entrance and you have.....

......our completed "frog house". 

I remember a time when a stick would become a sword, a digging tool or even a gun. A pillowcase could be a super hero cape, a sack or even turn you into a ghost.  A box would be anything from a car to a boat to a spaceship. A flower pot, a few household items, a few outdoor things and a toy tea pot could become a Fairy garden for Tinkerbell (see picture below).

I am not trying to say that electronics are bad, they do have a use in our society.  It just distresses me as I look around and see all these children, even little toddlers with some type of "device" in their hands. It seems they have no idea what is going on around them and I have to wonder what has happened to imagination?

Our children are limited to thirty minutes of technology time a day.  I try to encourage pretend/imaginative play.  They play board games, play with dolls,  blocks, read books and stay outside  when the weather permits.  Maybe all of this comes from my Early Childhood Education background, but I sincerely believe that children learn from play, no matter their age. 

Without imagination we would have no more inventors, authors, artists, the list goes on and on. Let us, as parents, take the opportunity to foster imagination in our children so that future generations can see how very important it is.




 I have to say I had an awesome childhood!!

"That's my 'two-cents worth', what's yours?"



My Weight Loss Journey: Part 2

It has been five weeks since I wrote the first part of this blog. I have to say I have been super slack in writing anything, because I have been spending time with my kids and enjoying the few days of pretty weather we have had here.

When I wrote the first part of this on March 10th I was down 8 pounds and I am now happy to report I am down a grand total of 13 pounds. I met the goal that Weight Watchers set for me, so I decided to increase it by 3 more pounds. That may not sound like much to anyone, but losing 16 pounds total would put me down
ten percent of my body weight.  I had heard somewhere that ten percent was a pretty important achievement so I decided to research it out. According to the OAC (Obesity Action Coalition) losing 5-10 percent of your body weight can significantly alter your health for the better.

http://www.obesityaction.org/educational-resources/resource-articles-2/general-articles/benefits-of-5-10-percent-weight-loss

Just watching what you eat is not enough, you have to maintain an appropriate exercise program that will not only help you continue to lose, but to keep off what you have already lost.  I often hear people complain about being overweight, unfit or unhealthy. I do not care to hear people's excuses!!! I know  that there are medical conditions that people have that prevent weight loss. My husband suffers from hypothyroidism (under active thyroid) and it has been impossible for him to lose weight. The best that he has been able to do is just maintain the place he is at.  Some people however will moan and complain about their weight, size or how unhealthy they are, but they are not willing to do anything about it.  Years ago I never even gave being healthy a second glance, but now I need to take the time to take care of myself. I need to do all that I can to try and stick around for my family.  I want to see my children grow up and live their lives to the fullest. If that means giving up a few foods that I love and dedicating some more of my time to exercise, then so be it.  I have just a few more weeks left with the Weight Watchers program, hopefully I can hit my "new goal" and continue to maintain it.  We need to get healthy if not for ourselves than for our loved ones.  Summer is coming people, it is time to get off the coach and get it moving.

"That's my 'two-cents worth', what's yours?"

The Top 10 (silly) lessons I have learned from Disney movies!

I was joking with my children the other day and we started to talk about some life lessons you can learn form Disney and I decided to go about it a silly manner. So here are our top ten silly life lessons that Disney has taught us!

10. Finding Nemo: Learning to speak whale would be so totally cool. You could to to the ocean, call one and ask for a ride.

9.  Up: Watch out for the elderly, trying to help them can be very dangerous.

8. The Incredibles: In the words of Edna Mode, "No Capes!!" (Enough said)

7. Brave: Anytime you encounter a woman with an enchanted broom, she is a witch, not a woodcarver, no matter what she says.

6. Mulan:  No matter what you have heard your whole life, crickets may not be lucky after all.

5. Tarzan:  Never say no to a baby baboon. It will not turn out well for you (unless you are rescued by a flying wild man in a loin cloth.)

4. Frozen: Snow is fun, but I'm so glad it does what it does in summer!! (No offense Olaf)

3. The Lion King: The Hula is fun, but not while dressed in drag and being chased by hyenas.

2. The Little Mermaid: Never, ever trade your voice to a sea witch for anything. She is going to who-do you and you will regret it.

And last, but certainly not least...

1. Tangled: A cast iron frying pan is the handiest of weapons a girl can ever have.

"That's my 'two-cents worth', what's yours?"

The Fighter

Here I sit at four in the morning unable to sleep, my mind wandering from one thing to another, trying to decide how to proceed on so many things.  I have some decisions to make and I just don't know which way to go. 

I have always been an outspoken, opinionated type of woman. I am what some might call a fireball when it comes to certain things.  I love my family, my husband and my church family.  Ask anyone and they will tell you I am also tenderhearted and compassionate.  I feel blessed when I have the chance to help out someone in need. I use to wear my heart on my sleeve so to speak, I would get my feelings hurt very easily, but  life has made me hard.  This thing called life has turned me into a person with a thick skin, most of the time. I still get hurt, but I don't let it show until I am alone. 

I have been a fighter my whole life. I had to fight two mean brothers when I was little (LOL), then I had to fight being bullied in school. It seemed that at every turn I make I have always been in some type of "fight". In the last three years my fight has become one that centers on the emotional and spiritual aspects of my life.  I have to fight something everyday. People are quick to judge me, thinking they know me and how I feel. Well let me tell you they couldn't stand to walk a quarter of a mile in my shoes, they would be begging for their own back. Yes, I know that there is always someone out there in worse shape than me, but there are others who think they could handle what I have been through and come out unscathed.  What am I fighting you might be wondering? Well let me tell you.

My fights:

1. I fight a battle everyday to keep my faith.  There have been so many things that have happened that has shaken my faith to its core. Each day I struggle to deal with why God has allowed us to go through so much and others seem to have it so easy. (It is often at these times I think about how good God has been to us, things could be much worse. This helps me in this fight.)

2, I fight to keep from becoming depressed.  I see the signs so well, how easily I could give in to my depression and let it take over me.  I have to stay on constant vigil to keep my mind busy, so I don't have time to dwell on things.

3. I fight for my marriage.  Due to the above two fights, my marriage has suffered and I have to fight to keep it together. My husband is very loving and takes wonderful care of me, but he can not fight the thoughts of my mind and heart, that is a battle all my own.

4. I fight for my family.  Each day I have to stand up against someone or something that would love to destroy my marriage and children. It may be other family, people that we know or even things of the world that are creeping into our lives.   I have to work to keep my cool when people mess with my children or my husband. The old me wants to rise up and knock someone upside the head (as my Pa would have said), but I have to put those feelings aside and pray for those who seek to hurt my family.

5. Finally I fight the one who is the cause of trouble. The father of lies, who manipulates our minds and tries to defeat us.  I do not want to give him any more credit than is due, but he will convince you to make a mountain out of a mole hill. He will make you feel useless, unloved and unwanted. He will do all that he can and use anything that he can to destroy us and our families. In 1 Peter 5:8 it says, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:"  

The things that help me in this fight are:
1. To be vigilant, to keep my eyes and ears open for attacks. 
2. To be thankful. Each day, first thing,  I try to list 10 things I am thankful for. 
3. To read my Bible. In Ephesians 6:11-18 it says,"11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

By practicing these things it helps me to keep my focus and to be ever ready for the battle that is going on around me.

"That's my 'two-cents worth', what's yours?" 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8VoUYtx0kw

My Weight Loss Journey: Part 1

Last year I unfortunately gained 10 pounds while my daughter was sick and taking treatments. All that sitting around and eating hospital food really took a toll on me. That being said, I decided at the first of the year that I would make the attempt to lose that 10 pounds, plus a few more.  I started off by cutting out soft drinks and getting back to exercise. I added in twenty minutes of step aerobics about 4 times a week.  In the first three weeks I was able to lose four pounds. I was happy with that start, but still had more to go. After about five weeks I had lost five pounds but just couldn't seem to bust through that place. I had tried watching what I ate and even added in a Zumba routine four to five days a week. I was beginning to get so frustrated when my husband encouraged me to try Weight Watchers. I have to say that I had used their program in the past and was able to lose 17 pounds, but I just do not have time to do meetings each week. I found out that they had a complete online option. I checked into it and was able to sign up for three months of online service for $56.00 and my $19.00 sign up fee was waived. I figured it couldn't hurt, so I decided to give it a try. After two and a half weeks I have lost an additional 3.4 pounds, putting me at eight pounds down total. I admit the program is not the easiest to do, but each day gets a little easier. The biggest thing is just learning the program and knowing what you can and can not do. The last time I tried it you had a limited amount of points to use, but now they have added the pointsplus program that gives you extra points during the week. That way you can use a few each day if you need to. Trust me, if you try it there will be days you need the extra points. I have just a little over two months to go, I may not continue after that, but I have learned some valuable information on how and what to eat. I will do part 2 of this blog in about three or four more weeks to catch you up on my progress or to the fact I have quit, who knows which way I will go. Here's to taking care of ourselves this year!!

"That's my 'two-cents worth', what's yours?

Waiting on Spring

Since it seems to be taking spring so long to get to our neck of the woods, we thought we would do a little project to try to encourage winter to get out of here and let spring roll in. My youngest daughter loves sitting by the front door and watching all the birds in the yard, so we decided that our first spring project would be to make a nesting bag for the birds.  It was very simple and easy. Maybe you would like to try it out for yourself or with your kids. 

Materials needed: 

Empty mesh onion bag

leaves, grass, twigs (anything in nature that the birds can use)

Easter basket grass, shredded paper, yarn (man made things) 

*You could try making two bags, one with natural materials and one with man made materials. It would be interesting to see what the birds like best. 

All we did was add the materials to the bag, tie it shut with some yarn and then found a good central place to hang it. We wanted to put it in a place that was easily accessible for the birds and one that my daughter could easily see. We decided to hang it up in our trellis in the front yard. 

Hopefully this will encourage the birds to start nesting and bring spring on to us. ( side note: they are calling for us to get more winter weather tonight.)  

Spring, please come quickly. 

"That's my 'two-cents worth', what's yours?"

(Our onion bag and yarn)

(Easter grass)

(Broom grass) 

(Leaves)

(Shredded paper)

(sticks and twigs)

(Our finished project)

(Perfect place for hanging)

(Ready for the birds!)