Breakfast

I love costco muffins and was so disappointed to find out that one of those muffins has about the same number of calories as three cream-filled donuts. I love cream-filled donuts, but it's a treat to have one because they aren't very healthy and I would never dream of eating three at a time. Why make a muffin (that I eat in its entirety without giving it a second thought) that is just like eating three donuts?!

This is currently my favorite breakfast, and it is MUCH healthier.
















The Clif brand makes three bars that I've seen : the Clif Bar, the Luna Bar and the Clif kid Z-Bar. Cousin Sarah introduced me to the Luna bar, and I love it. Because I love the Luna bar, I tried the Clif bar, but I found them to not be nearly as tasty. In fact, I would recommend not trying it. I have since discovered these Z-bar treats. I'm hooked. They are smaller than the Luna bars, so they have less calories, etc., but are still full of good stuff for you and the Chocolate Brownie (as shown above) is like eating dessert for breakfast. I buy them at Target in the same section as all the other protein/energy bars.

Highly recommended.

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After my visit at the dentist last week, I once again resolved to be more disciplined in flossing my teeth. I have no problem consistently brushing, but for some reason I just can't get in the habit of flossing. Every time I go to the dentist and start out with freshly-cleaned teeth, I decide "now" is the perfect time to begin flossing every day. Well, it took a week for me to even begin my resolution, and now, because I flossed this morning, my mouth has hurt all day. I know that's a bad sign and just proves that I really need to floss, but it's so hard to motivate myself when it causes such discomfort.

I read Jenny Simmons' blog (from Addison Road) and she posted some wisdom I'd like to pass along. Not sure why I didn't think of it before, it makes so much sense. I think I just always feel the need to be forthright and resolve issues while they're happening, when sometimes I just need to HALT and come back to it later. Read her post here.

jj

Street View

I love looking at street view on Google Maps. I planned a trip to Baltimore using street view, we checked out my in-laws new hometown in Montana (of less than 4,000 people) using street view, but Lancaster took forever to have street view!

Well, we finally got it, and they really should send out notices so you can prepare the front of your house. I mean, I understand why they don't because people would do dumb things, but I really would have appreciated some warning.

The long-awaited day when our house was on street view finally came, just to find that the picture had been taken sometime after I hacked all my bushes in preparation for being pulled out (which will now take place in the spring because we never got around to finishing this project before the ground froze) and my trash can and recycling bin blown over and laying by the curb.
















My first thought was "What are the chances?! Why did they have to drive by after trash day before I picked up my cans?!" Then I realized, my neighbor's cans aren't out (which you can't see in this picture), which means the picture probably wasn't taken the same day the trash was picked up and I was caught.

Trash goes out Tuesday night for Wednesday pickup and sometimes I don't go and bring the cans back around until Thursday or Friday . . . or Saturday . . . I think they're always in by Sunday . . . I think.

See, the trash goes out the front of the house, but our main entrance is the back door - we rarely use the front door (except when I go out to the bus stop, and I'm usually running late) - so it's easy to forget the cans out front or not have the time to run around and get them or just not feel like going out front to get them and now I will be forever punished for this combination of busyness and laziness which has my cans out front for longer than they should have been and there is no denying it. I don't even know if they ever come by to take another picture!

Ever.

It's not satellite (which is good, that would be creepy having satellite zoomed in that close).

It's a picture (which won't change when we do get around to finishing our landscaping in the spring).

Unbelievable!

jj

Ugg(h)!

Well, I did it. I'm wearing my uggs over my pants. I know this has been a style for years now, and I have been consistently mocking people who wore them this way since the trend started. One time Dave and I were at the mall with his family and while one of them was finishing up some shopping, we decided to sit on a bench and wait. I spent the time counting how many people walked past me with their uggs outside their pants just so I could talk with Dave about how silly it was - I don't remember the exact number, but it was astoundingly high and we just could not believe how many people would do that. Any time I wear my boots like normal shoes with my pants over top of them, Dave starts to groan (just the sight of them causes him to make fun of me) and I just remind him that at least they're not outside my pants.
But today, I did it. And there was no "oops, I guess my pants don't fit over the top, I'll have to tuck them in." I planned for it. I wore my skinny pants today (which, like everyone agrees, do not make me feel skinny) and tucked them into my uggs as best I could. Can I just say it's not that comfortable? It snowed this morning and that's how I justified it. I didn't feel like carrying along separate shoes to change in to at work, so I just thought I'd prepare to wear them all day. But my pants just feel all bunchy, and I question whether uggs are made for pants to fit inside...with all that fur...I don't think it's even supposed to work like this. I don't feel trendy or comfy, just bunchy and a little itchy on my shins. But after so many years of mocking others who did it, I felt the need to confess (and apologize for offending those who love uggs outside their pants) -- I'm sorry I made fun of you in my head and told Dave about how funny I thought your outfit looked and then turned around and did it. I admit my hypocrisy. And although I won't wear them like this again, I'll work on not making fun of those who do.


Three more thoughts:

1) I am always hungry after going to the dentist, but don't want to eat because that dentist-clean feeling only lasts so long. Now that I've had lunch, I just want to brush my teeth again...

2) I LOVE Chobani greek yogurt. So yummy and I feel healthy when I eat it. You should eat it too.

3) I'm glad it's Friday and I'm so thankful for my husband.

jj

p.s. Please don't make fun of my faded boots...my mom bought them for me so I could survive my college winters in Indiana and, yikes, that was 8 years ago. So I wore them and continue to wear them in the snow, not just for fashion, and they are, therefore, not very fashionable.

Blame it on the Boogie

Just wanted to begin by noting this song by the Jackson 5 is a great way to start the workday.

So my first entry in this digital diary reminds me of all the diaries I've had in years past. I started each entry "Dear Diary" like you're supposed to, and wrote down every detail of my day for maybe a week or two and then just quit. I never finished a complete book with this moment by moment detail (even the special one I got when I was 12 with the lock on it is only half full).

Not to worry, my digital diary won't be like that. I won't stop after a week and I promise not to give you every detail of my life. I'll share pictures, thoughts and convictions, and probably highlight some of my favorite products because I love talking about great finds.

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To start my blog I thought I'd share how I start and end my day everyday because it is the same everyday. My cat is hungry. Now I can empathize because I love eating too, but each morning she sits on my hair and licks my face and hair until I wake up and feed her (with me trying to push her away and stall as long as possible, of course). Each night she follows me around the house beginning around 9pm until I feed her around 11. (I'm working on moving my bedtime up to a more reasonable hour so I can get up earlier, which I'm sure will make her happier too.) Now what makes this all noteworthy is the food ball we started using.

I don't know if it's helped her lose any weight, but it takes her longer to eat her food (which I think is a good thing) and she seems to enjoy playing with it and rolling it around until the food comes out. The one downside: I have to crawl around on the floor in the dark every morning (because Dave is still sleeping and Adi doesn't even attempt to wake him up to feed her) trying to find the ball which inevitably ends up in some small corner or under the bed. This is a bit of an inconvenience, but overall I recommend the food ball - and the good news...it's only $5 + s&h at amazon.com!

Adilyn during one of her sweeter moments: :)

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I promise not to always write about Adi. I will not be a "cat lady". But look at her snuggling on my lap - how can I not love her and mention her just every once in awhile?

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I need to get to work, but I'll end with something meaningful:

In our small group we are currently reading the beginning of James 4. This has been my conviction the past few weeks:

James 4:5-8 "Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, "He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us"? But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded."

I need to give Him time - I keep trying to multi-task during my "quiet time" (which makes it not very quiet) and I'm not going to grow closer to Him if I don't get myself away from everything else and just be with Him. He gives more grace. I need that. Submit myself and resist the devil. Draw near to God and He will draw near to me. Today, I'm thankful for that promise.

jj