Concert and a Bunny

I've got to work on better titles for my posts.
This weekend Brian and I headed to Atlanta for a Lindsey Stirling concert. It was worth every min of the 4.5 hour drive, and driving in Atlanta which Brian swore he'd never do again. If you don't know who Lindsey Stirling is...you should! She is a "hip- hop dancing violinist" She was on America's Got Talent and made it to the top 48. Also, she went to BYU, and served a mission in New York. But mostly her music rocks. The 1st video is a cover she did, and the 2nd is one of her originals. Watch them!

We stood outside for an hour and a half in the cold to get a good spot, we were about 5 
feet from the stage.
It was a great weekend trip! 
Also, I'd like you all to meet Gus, the rabbit, but the picture wont upload. We have talked 
about getting a rabbit a lot before and finally
We decided to do it. He is about 3 months old and very fun. Molly is way more interested in him
 than he is in her.
Also bonus points for anyone who can tell me why we named our rabbit Gus. (
Hint it relates to a TV  show)
If he had been a girl his name would have been Anya, also from a TV show. 
More bonus points if you know
that show. 
That's the latest and greatest from Georgia. One day I will actually get to start the new job
 I got oh 2
months ago with Child and Youth Services on base. 
Stupid background check paperwork is taking FOREVER
Hopefully, this week I can start. 
Well we are off to bed, Brian's day starts at 3 AM. So we are old and go to bed early. 

When 3 boys get together..

We have a big nice oak tree in our front yard. However, big nice oak tree had a big nice branch that hung over the driveway and dropped stuff onto cars. Well today Brian and his 2 buddies: Mount and Lefler. Decided the branch needed to go.
Stage 1: How do we get up there to cut down the branch? We don't have a ladder...
Solution: Hoist Lefler into the tree using a tow rope and his truck to pull him up.

Stage 2: Cutting the tree limb down...We don't have chain saw. So they used these 2 saws...

 Oh and its the tree branch behind his right knee. The left if you are looking at him.

This was the "power tool" That saved the day...sort of.
















Stage 3: Getting the branch down without hitting the house, and lets make a swing while we're at it!

Stage 4: How to get Lefler down from the tree.

 Brian and Mount on "belay"

He's hard to see, but Lefler is up there trying to figure out if he really wants to just slide down the rope. Don't worry Brian threw him up gloves so his hands didn't burn.






Stage 5: What do we do with the tree branch now in the front yard?

 You can see it isnt' a tiny branch. Remember our "power tool?" That's what they are using...

Molly's part in this:

After the branch came down. Mount announces, "Sergent Ricks has a chainsaw..."

However, no one ended up in the emergency room. Happpy Birthday to Brian...let's cut down a tree :-)

Healthy

I know it's cliche to write a post about getting healthy and in shape on January 3rd. However, in my defense this is something Brian and I have been working on since October.that being said here goes my great plan to get healthy.

I would like go start by saying I feel like I have an uphill battle facing me. There are a lot of factors that are encouraging me to stay out of shape and unhealthy. Besides being lazy which is the biggest one, I am on medication that has caused me to gain 20 lbs since Aug, increases appetite and makes me crave carbs. I love all things related to cake, and cookies. 60% of people with narcolepsy are obese and did I mention I'm lazy? Okay so all that being said I am determined to win this uphill battle. Thankfully Brian is on board with eating healthy mostly cause his job makes him stay in shape  or else they will kick him out.
Last week I started thinking about everything we needed to be doing differently to have a truly healthy lifestyle and it was overwhelming. I decided to come up with a 4 week plan to healthily eating and living. Each week I am implementing 1 new healthy habit. I am not giving anything up completely, I have tried that and failed too many times. I know I will drink diet coke, I'll eat ice cream and I'll order French fries. Plus giving things up makes me want them even more. Soinstead im adding good things in. Join us this month on adding 4 new healthy habits to your life. You can use mine or come up with your own. Here are my first four habits.

Week 1: Drink more water. Water increases metabolism and so good for you...but I'm not a big water drinker. For the most part unless its really cold I don't love plain water. Especially here in Hinesville we have to use a brita water pitcher cause the water tastes nasty. However I have discovered Mio. You add a couple of drops and poof flavored water. Zero calories. Wal mart makes a generic brand. For 3 bucks you get flavored water for a month. It's in a little container that fits in a purse or even a pocket. So now I have no excuse. I'm aiming for at least 72 oz of water a day.

Week 2: Eat veggies. I could go days and not a vegetable. This is a problem. So my goal is to eat 4 servings of veggies a day. I love smoothies so I'm going to add spinach to smoothies, make a veggie to go with dinner every night, and pre cut raw veggies to make them easily accessible.

Week 3: Measure food portions. This is something I have fought against for years. I didn't want to be "that girl" the high maintence one. Then I realized "that girl" looks and feels the way I want to. Also, I read that if you measure out food portions for even just 2 weeks you get a better idea of what you should actually be eating. It isn't something I have to do for every meal for the rest of my life but it will allow me to get in the habit of eating correct portions and not over eating. 

Week 4: Slow down. I eat way too fast. Brian and I can finish a meal in less than 15 min. There is something depressing about taking longer to cook dinner than eat it. Not to mention you eat more when you eat fast. 

There you have it. The 1st 4 weeks of healthy habits. I know a ton of people start each year wanting to lose weight, get healthy etc. Maybe if we all work together we can actually do it. 

Random Acts of Kindness

I got on the Elliptical at the gym and watched as the news unfolded: A school shooting, 26 dead, Connecticut, Elementary School, Kindergarteners. As the news story continued to unfold through out the day I found myself attached to it. As a teacher I know what a school community is. I've been through the drills of what each class does if there is a threat in the school. I could see clearly what those classes would have been doing first thing in the morning. The atmosphere of the school ready for Christmas break. While the news story unfolded I watched as it all came crashing down. I've spent days thinking about what I would have done in the situation. Where could I have hid kids? What would I have in my classroom that I could use to stop someone? And 1 thing that is true of every teacher out there, no one would get near my students while I was physically capable of standing in their way.
Now almost a week later the world continues to spin as it always must do after a tragedy. It's easy to get angry or just forget. Instead, my awesome sisters proposed an idea to put some good back in the world that is filled with evil. Each of us is doing 28 Random Acts of Kindness. Little things to brighten people's day. Simple acts to remind people and ourselves that there is good in the world. Not only is there good but the history of the world has been written and good will prevail. That knowledge, knowing that those little kids and teachers were welcomed into the open arms of a loving Savior and that their families can find comfort through Him is what we need to win.
28 little things, not hard, time consuming, or expensive and each time I do one I think to myself, "Satan is a punk". Join us, spread some happiness, fight back, heal.

Facebook group: 28 Random Acts of Kindness
http://www.facebook.com/groups/238709522926570/239216312875891/?notif_t=group_activity

Pants

Apparently, today is wear pants to church day. The Internet has been a buzz about this for several weeks. I've read the varying opinions and seen the Facebook comments. I know this is a sensitive subject for a lot of people. At the surface it seems a little silly making a big deal about pants. But I guess if we dig deeper its a problem that several women in the church confront. People I love and in my own family have struggled with women's role, sexism in the church, etc. I know my thoughts about this aren't profound or unique but I feel like I should throw in my 2 cents.
I want to start with saying that I was raised by the most amazing woman. As an adult now I give her a hard time about being crazy and we don't agree on everything but growing up she was a super hero. Now she's something better just my hero. I promise this has to do with women in the church. I grew up with a mom who could have been anything. She is a genius literally, not an exaggeration. Given everything she could have been I watched as she CHOSE to be a mom. If the smartest person I know chose and found joy in being a mom somewhere in my growing up brain that was a big deal. My mother is also a spiritual giant. She knows every book of scripture better than just about anyone. Not only does she know it but she loves it. So it is with her example that I grew up. She wasn't a passive part of our gospel centered home. I watched as she and my dad were truly partners. So with her example to try and live up to I have been blessed to love and understand the gospel including women's part in it.
Moving on, in high school I read a book called Defining Beauty. It was a book about the history and evolution of the beauty industry. In the introduction the author explains that 10 years before the book was published she started her research on a quest to expose the deeming and degrading nature of the beauty industry. 10 years later her view of feminism and women had changed. She realized that women's power comes for their femininity and by being different than men. When a woman try's to be a guy she looses her strength. This is stuck with me. Women and men are different, even outside of the church they are different. I choose to embrace the difference and being a girl. I know I'm a girlie girl, I love heels and dressing up. But I don't think that makes me less than a guy, less intelligent or weak.
I know that lots of women in the church feel as if their "different role" is actually a lesser role. I remember a great seminary teacher ( the best I had) once explained it like this Christ came to earth and did 3 major things: Organizing his church, the atonement and ressurrection to conquer spiritual and physical death, and ministering/caring for those in need. If we look at women's and men's roles. Each role of the Savior is given to each specific gender based on their uniqueness. Men are ordained to oversee the organization of the church and its ordinances. Women bring children into the world and nurture  them play a crucial role in the Plan of Salvation. In some small way women have a part to play in the atonement. And all of us are called to be disciples of Christ and minister to those in need. And one thing I have always loved is that as He hung on the cross Christ thinks of his mother and ensures that she is taken care of and the 1st person He appears to after being resurrected in Mary Magdolen. I believe Christ and Heavenly Father have a place for women in their hearts and church.
the gospel is perfect, LDS culture is not. In our current ward there are people in jeans, ACUs, tattoos up and down their arms, and no one blinks. Sometimes LDS culture gets in the way.
Lastly, I know that each of us has to come to understand our role in this life. Not just a male or female but as children of God. It's personal and different for each of us. I wish that we could all focus a bit more on the the central purpose of the Gospel. Christ came and dies for us so that we cw live together with our father in Heaven as families forever. Our role is to ultimately make that happen for ourselves, our families, and those around us. With everything horrible in the world going on perhaps the best way to find peace with who we are is put aside ourselves and get to work.
I not trying to offend anyone. I know this whole pants wearing lds feminist movement is a sensitive subject. But hopefully, we can all be understanding of each individuals personal struggles and be there and be Christ like.

Waiting...

You know, I spend a lot of my life waiting. There's the day to day waiting in lines, for Brian to come home, for the dishwasher to be done, etc. but then there's also the waiting for life: waiting on adoption stuff, waiting for Spring to apply for teaching jobs, waiting to see if Brian deploys, waiting waiting. It's hard to not get caught up in waiting for life. I have to be careful or else I miss life right now. I guess I've always been like this, couldn't wait for high school, then college, growing up. But right now life is really good, so I'm trying to not get stuck waiting for the future and pay attention to today. Speaking of today we are gearing up for Christmas and the decorations are up. I love getting to buy presents for people but I'm terrible at waiting to give them out. So I'm doing the 12 days of Christmas for Brian so each day I get to give him a little something each day. Here are the pics of our little Christmas decorations.

Our tree is starless...I can't find a non hideous one.

I'm still working on the sign to hang above our little centerpiece. Brian being more artsy than me got this to look nice

DCA

Diet Cokers Anonymous

I am a diet coke addict. I have been for several years. I've tried to quit multiple times. The longest I've ever gone was 14 days. 14 very long days. I know there are others like me out there. This is for all the Diet Cokers in the world.

You may be a Diet Coke Addict if...
10) By 7:30 in the morning you already have one
9) You can taste the difference between fountain, bottle, and canned
8) You know the places that serve the best Diet Coke in your area (Thanks McDonalds)
7) When asked what you want to eat your response is Diet Coke
6) You have taken Diet Coke to funerals, weddings ( including your own), church functions, etc
5) The back of your car, your desk, and house is littered with empty and partially drank Diet Coke containers
4) You have forgotten what all other sodas taste like
3) When you meet a fellow Diet Coke drinker it is like running into a long lost friend, you are "kindred spirits"
2) Needing a Diet Coke on Sunday  is considered an ox in the myer situation.
1) You are drinking a Diet Coke right now

Now onto other happenings, if you want to try something absolutely delicious make Nutella Banana Bread. I got the recipe from this awesome website called Chef in Training. Here is the link
http://www.chef-in-training.com/2011/10/nutella-banana-bread/
It will change your life. 
Brian and I had a nice quiet Thanksgiving. It ended up just being the 2 of us but we had a lot of fun.   
He was supposed to work on Friday but they told him he didn't need to come in but had to be on call. So we wo
on our fire pit. Our backyard is mostly dirt and leaves. After lots of raking we took bricks from the front yard
and made a fire pit. It is awesome we had a fire on Saturday night and roasted marshmallows. It really 
makes you feel like your far away from everything right in our own backyard. We had a good lunch. Date
at Chilis on Saturday and a sleepover Friday and Saturday night. This means we take the mattress off 
of our bed and put it in the living room. We have a TV in our room but there is something sort of fun 
about sleeping in the living room. 

Sunday we put up our Christmas decorations, I'm still working on some of them so I'll put up some pictures 
when I'm done. 
Overall it was a great weekend!