Button Factory: October 2011

Monday, October 31, 2011

Meditation - in a word

Last night, Josh was surprised to be jolted out of his study of the Old Testament by a torrent of excited explainations from me. From his perspective, I was just reading one of those 'girlie' books that a recent chick flick had been made of (he had been gracious enough to watch it with me) and was not expecting it to spark any bit of real interest.

I have been reading 'Eat. Pray. Love." by Elizabeth Gilbert. Yes, the same in which Julia Roberts starred on the big screen. My little sis had suggested reading the book and I had subsequently found it on a garage sale table. I began reading last week. I liked her foreward and was entertained by the first section 'Eat' regarding her lessons of self discover in Italy. I do appreciate her writing style which easily marries personal perspective with factual relevance. I had been looking forward to getting to the middle section of the book though. Saturday night I pushed through the end of the Italy episode and went headlong into India.

As she begins to ruminate on what brought her to India, the idea of finding a spiritual connection with God, I got hooked. I loved her description of the ancient form of religious Yoga - which is boiled down to learning how to meditate in order to find a connection with the divine. She points out how nearly every religious group has a relation to this very encounter with divinity. This is where I began to feel the urge to start highlighting.

I am so very intrigued by religious thought. By personal journeys to find a connection to the divine. The myriad of paths to do such are fascinating. All in the pursuit of truth, mankind has found out what helps them personally, and then done their best to replicate it, if it really works they teach others the same processes. Thus springs religion. Personally, I believe in one truth, which I willingly share with all if they want to share the path that God has set out for man to find Him. However, I enjoy reading what others have done with the best they have, which contains a great element of truth.

Gilbert's discussion of meditation got me thinking of what was the equivalent practice in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. We absolutely believe in divine connections and often call that communication from God to man revelation. What then, was the process by which we receive revelation? What was the word that would best relate to the experience that others are creating in Ashrams around the world through meditation. AH-HAH - the word given to us in scriptural terms is Ponder.

I have been particularly driven in creating this connection in regards to the upcoming month challenge of my Happiness Project. October has been difficult, shamefully, to focus on positivity and gratitude. I blame that mostly on poor measurable daily goals. Now moving into November my goals are centered around "Becoming," that is, becoming the best version of myself and what the Lord would have me be. For that to come about, I recognize I need a much better connection with the Lord.

Now having identified my version of the word, I seek more to ponder on the great things and am excited to study according to the spirit what the Lord would have me become. I know that I have a divine potential that is immeasurable, but I will try to measure up a bit better now.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Backyard Baseball

Danny just started having 'his baseball class' on Saturdays. Boy is he excited about being a baseball boy. Thus, we have been playing more baseball in the backyard. It is standard that if you want to play baseball you must wear a hat. The rest of the game turns out to be a bunch of Danny and Josh yelling and everyone else to get to the right place and a mele of running around to scattered shoes on the lawn.

As long as you look cute for the camera's the game is in the bag. She reminds me of the character on 'A League of Their Own' who was a former beauty queen. And yes, Josh emphasized many many times "There's no crying in baseball!!"

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Never Too Old...

Being the most excellent daddy that he is, Josh sat down with the kiddos Sunday evening and tutored them on how to create the ultimate lego castle. He showed them how to bridge arches and make corners while building walls. The objective, use all the legos in one great cabin. The kids were ecstatic! They have been building intricate buildings ever since and calling them their 'fabulous creations.' I love it!

The best part was how very 'in' to the building process Josh was. I got a tiny glimpse of my husband as a little boy, playing with his own legos and making his most 'fabulous creation.'

Never too late...

As a dedicated missionary serving in Brazil, I came to know a particular version of fall festivities pretty well - the waterless bobbing for apples. That is, I watched the game being played a lot at ward functions, of course never could participate, because......well.....you see.....

contact range is a bit closer than arms length. And, well, being this close to my companions at the time was not a very pleasant thought. Now, as it finally game time that Josh and I could host our neighbors' couples' night out, I was determined to have a go (and with my own chosen companion). Our neighbors were all good sports and we all had a very good laugh playing with our spouse. I think mostly the men were determined to be competitive and all the wives were trying very hard not to get bitten or choke on apple while laughing a lot.

No, we did not go twice, I just had to prove that I was mostly laughing while Josh was mostly chasing the apple around with his mouth wide open determined to bite off more apple in one minute's time than any other couple.

Pretentious Atletisism

I have on my desk accompanying me a pile of four books:

Racing Weight by Matt Fitzerald

Run Your Butt Off by Sarah Lorge Butler et al

Run Less Run Faster by Bill Pierce et all

Beginning Runners Guide For Women

This categorical stack is here for a bit of personal research. Unsurprisingly I am hoping to get in a bit of better shape and have channeled that desire into something more 'meaningful' than just weight loss. In a flourish to get into some by-gone jeans I am working hard both running and doing INSANITY daily. My body is taking form.

As any particular athlete knows fitness is not purely determined by out-put, but by in-put as well. I have dutifully charted calories in/calories out, figured out BMI and resting heart rates. I have determined what would be a likely peak performance body fat percentage and even invested in a fancy scale that can show me my digital results.

However, right next to my stash of weight-loss wisdom is a beautiful bowl of homemade apple-crisp. During all the experimentation of over-exursion and the magnificent meal plans, I have stopped to think- and what was altogether so bad about how I ate before. I wasn't as conscious about all that entered my mouth, certainly, yet, overall it was good stuff (helpful to only have whole ingredients lying around).

I appreciate gaining a well-rounded base of knowledge in any field. I appreciate more when people present information as un-biased reporting and then letting the opinion or execution up to you (at this I have to say Fitzgerald has done the best). I do appreciate being more aware of my body and more understanding of what a level of fitness I have a potential for. I also appreciate seeing little square numbers give me happy results to my hard work.

Although I may not become a supreme athlete, I have began to think that being athletic is more than just 'running on the team.' Now I can actually be in the race and working for my best results. And for the record, I figure: Homemade Apple Crisp = 1 serving fruit, 1 serving whole grains, aprox 257 calories

good enough for an afternoon snack.

Friday, October 14, 2011

Autumn in Arizona

Sun shining bright. Dust kicking up all over the place in dry bursts. AND really tall green cornstalks! Finally, this year we found a really cool, and close, little farm to fulfill my quota of autumn festivities. Vertuccio farms had an amazing corn maze - 2.9miles deep! It was a bit funny walking around on the bumps since irrigation of Arizona fields is all flood irrigating so everything has to be built in mounds. Although it would be super fun in that maze - I don't know if I would be the crazy running teenager at night, would probably twist an ankle.

The other 'farm' aspects of this little place were memorable. I loved the milking station they set up with tits that actually squirted water if they were squeezed right.

My three in a little barrel train, can't beat that.

On a memorable side-note; I knew that once we got into that maze someone would have to go pee. I kept asking and asking and refused to let us wander too much away from the entrance. Faith started showing the signs of impending emergency so I started heading us back to the entrance after only 15 minutes. I instructed Josh to move a little faster with Faith toward the entrance since Viv was taking the world's smallest steps. I lost them around a corner only to hear the emergency peals from Faith. I saw them squatting a couple rows into the corn, not so camouflaged, and Faith distraught. She wasn't able to hold it and they weren't even able to get her skirt down in time. I figured the easiest solution was for me to cheat my way out of the corn maze and drive swiftly to a children's clothing store just down the block and get some dry stuff and then stay and let the kids play. Josh was a trooper for staying with the distressed situation.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Boys' room

We finally bit the bullet and moved the boys into their own room (former guest room left unused for the better part of a year). With a stellar garage sale bunk bed set the deal was done. Now Danny gets the top bunk and E is on the bottom and they are loving the 'boy' ness of their own room.

The middle ground got a coat rack to belay the confusion of where the 'winter' wear is. it looks cozy.

And with a bit of reconfiguration the girls' room seems a bit roomier. Danny's old bed is now the guest bed (not that we are saying we can only have one guest, we have a trundle mattress under Viv's bed that is available too).

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Happiness Project #5 Positivity and Gratitude

Review of Last Month: Awesome. Worth every conscious effort a person can muster in to the person that can make you most happy. I love my husband more and more and hope to continue being the most amazing woman he has ever know.

This month: Positivity and Gratitude

It may seem as though I am jumping the gun on Thanksgiving with this one, and it truth, that was the idea. I wanted to make sure I was in the right frame of mind well ahead of the national day dedicated to gratitude. The best part of this whole focus this month is two fold: One- I have read a really good book that has put me in a much better mind frame of the purpose and source of positivity and gratitude, GIVING. And Two - I have recognized, sadly, that I do not pray quite enough, nor to I give personal prayers of thanks. Not that I am a non-praying kind of person. I very much value my relationship with my Father in Heaven and the time that I talk with Him throughout the day, I just haven't made a very dedicated meditated time to do such.

The key word through this first half of October has been 'mindfulness.' Really, that is what it I have learned in the past 5 months and what I am learning about much better now. And I am happier, and I have confidence that I will be happier.

Monday, October 10, 2011

Best Teachers

I love standing back and observing what kids will do when left to their own devices. Blessedly, my darlings have always amazed me with their creativity, ingenuity, and tenderness (where it could have been mischeveous and mal-adapted). Viv, with her ultra adaptability skills and leader (bossy) skills has absolutely shone lately in her role as mentor to Earl. I suppose she gets it - all that he is going through - and really wants him to succeed. So one evening as I prepared dinner she became the literal teacher of their little schoolwork. Faith and Danny joined in and didn't mind being directed by the little mini-mama. I am sometimes shocked when I hear what I sound like to them repeated in their little voices (better to know they are hearing me though I think).

Viv with Earl teaching him how to write the letter A (which Earl had just mastered that morning with a lot of persistence on my part - pat on my own back) and how to trace your hand. He liked the tracing better.

Viv then gave out assignments in their 'workbook' to all the kiddos, yes, Danny was a bit incredulous.

In the end, Earl was ignored, Danny didn't care, and Viv and Faith were left to debate what was the actual best way to draw a B.

Who wears them best?

It always starts with us laughing at one of the kids wearing the smash-face play goggles. We think it is cute and want a picture, then everyone needs their picture taken. This time it actually all started with Earl. But since you can't see that ever cute picture because of confidentiality...here are the other canidates:

Faith, who insisted on wearing them partially on her forehead - don't know the advantage there.

Josh, goofy and debonair at the same time.

Danny, the original smash-face, mostly because there is still so much to smoosh.

Monday, October 3, 2011

End of Year Resolutions

I am a very goal oriented person. I like making progress and ridiculous requests of myself. I stick to my goals and thus make a lot of good things happen. I might even believe sometimes that I can control my destiny. And yes, I do keep our new year's resolutions.

However, by October, the 10th month of the year, the new years's resolutions have either been resolved, are well on their way to finished, or have been determined impossible to reach based on outside sources. Thus a void is created in my 'need to exceed' quota of motivation. Hence, the End of Year Resolution was born.

Whereas most women look at a scale at the beginning of a new year and the end of a holiday season in disgust, I look forward to the opportunity to beat myself to a pulp before the year officially ends. I have kept my fitness resolutions all year long, mind you, I have just gotten a little softer on the definition of fitness seasonally. Right, were people have winter blues and pounds added to keep on the heat; I just slump to a stop in the heat. I refuse to run if it is over 85 degrees, which has constituted about the last 5 months. It is October, and still 100 degrees, but I have to make something happen before Christmas. Three months is a reasonable time to get in some killer shape. This year is also one of those rare years when I can weigh less than my two older sisters (who are gorgeous and thinner than I) at Christmas.

The real motivation? It might actually get cool enough to wear pants this winter, at least when we go to Idaho for vacation, and my nice skinny pants are more like sticky pants. And yes, I have the proverbial pair of 'goal jeans.' What woman doesn't?

Happy for me I have a super awesome supportive husband with a very nice work schedule. That, and he understands my neurotic need to progress (for he is even more nutty about it). So he went to work to pay for some new gear and videos and is going to do the workouts with me! What a man. Of course, his goal regarding his thighs is a bit different. ;)