In case you haven't heard...

I LOVE PAPERBACKSWAP.com! It's this really neat website that you can post your old books, books that you read once and didn't enjoy, books you got as gifts, or books you buy at thrift stores for way cheap, and post them to this website. Once you post 10 books you get 2 free credits and can order ANY book in their vast database, or save them for a book you really want on your wish list. :) Then if someone requests a book from you, you print off the sheet and mail it to them (usually only a couple of bucks) and then when they receive the book you get a credit to order another book. You don't have to pay for shipping on the books you receive. It's really fun and it's a cheap way to get rid of books you no longer want and order new and interesting books. (They are all in really good condition too!) Check it out, and if you sign up, tell them I sent you. My email address is scrapbookmomma@gmail.com!

1940s hair

For some reason I got the hankering to learn how to make vintage hair styles. I've always loved the look of 1940's hair. So I looked it up online and apparently, there is an underground world of people who think they were born in the wrong decade. It's actually kind of neat. Anywho. I want to try 1940's style without being too wild and crazy. (History aside: Women had elaborate hair styles because during the war clothes were rationed so hair styles were the main form of self expression...) So here I am with my VERY FIRST attempt, no hair spray, rats (foam rolls or bags of hair) and just 4 bobby pins... I think I could make this look for me!

Some Quotes

Some quotes I liked from the book I'm reading "Behind Every Good Man" by John Bytheway

"The Grass isn't greener on the other side
the grass is greener where you water it"
-some guy named Mel from inter mountain sprinkler

"Pride is manifest in so many ways, such as faultfinding, gossiping, backbiting, murmuring, living beyond our means, envying, coveting, withholding gratitude and praise that might lift another, an being unforgiving and jealous." - Ezra Taft Benson

It brought me to mind of the fantastic Relief Society lesson yesterday, and the teachers challenge to not be critical of anyone, especially those in our ward and families. I am beginning to see the bigger picture here and wonder where this book was a year ago when I could have really used it. (I can really use it now, but it would have gone a long way to soothe a troubled heart...

I highly recommend it.

I really want to do this. A couple of weeks ago I made a skirt out of a pair of pants that were too long for me and I love it. (Next time I will try a little harder to make nice seams and use the right color thread, but it kind of got me excited to find other ways to recycle my clothing. The other aspect is that is sometimes hard to find modest and cool looking clothes at the stores, and this is a good way to make a unique outfit and tailor it to your needs. :) I will post a picture of my awesome new skirt soon. Maybe with a tee-shirt that I've fancied up! :)

Happy Earth-Day! (and Birthday, Dad!)

I am not an Earth-hippie as my husband calls them, but I won't deny that I long to be more eco-friendly and more self-reliant. I have recently read the Foxfire books and know how to slaughter my own pigs, build a log cabin, and make soap from lard, (none of which I think I'll need anytime soon.) It's fascinating to me- self reliance- and I really want to get there. I'd like to be like Henry David Thoreau on my own little Walden... but I also want the complete seasons 1-2-3 of Bones... I am torn. So I do what I can to live with one foot in and out of eco-hippiville...

I recently found this website that I am now a HUGE fan of, and would love to help out. If you save your old candy wrappers or juice pouches they will donate 2 cents for every wrapper to the charity of your choice or to any school in the USA. Isn't that Awesome? I'd like to do my part, but I am also trying to lose weight and it's better if I just don't buy the cookies/candy in the first place.

http://www.terracycle.net




Here's another great book and website for those who want the best of both worlds.

http://www.gorgeouslygreen.com

I have also recently found a man who could go on my list of personal heroes (Somewhere near John Denver and Mr. Rogers) - They call him the Garbage Warrior. He's amazing! I recommend these videos.

More

I weighed in tonight at Weight Watchers. I gained 1.5 this week. :( I'm pretty bummed about this because I have been walking and trying to exercise this week. I even walked to weight watchers- uphill! But these things are often a week behind so maybe I'll see results for my hard work next week.

"But don't give up!" The lady across the table from me said as I crammed my feet back into my walking shoes.

"I wouldn't give myself the satisfaction!" I said stoutly, drawing laughs from the women in line. I guess that did sound a little pscitsofrenic.

So when I got home tonight I popped in a 15minute dance workout video and realized again why I don't do that dvd very often. Besides a total and utter lack of coordination, a sandy haired dance fiend intent on showing me up keep tripping me up. Argh!

So, I'm going to have to challenge myself. My biggest hang-up with W.W. is tracking. I just can't seem to do it. I mean when I do track what I eat it's during the day while I am at work and that's easy, then I get home and it all goes down the toilet... wait that didn't sound right.... I mean out the window. So I'm just going to have to challenge myself to track, and I'm counting on you, gentle reader, (I don't know if you're gentle, but it sounded nice) to keep me in line. I will post again on how I'm doing with this... feel free to leave scathing comments if I fail miserably.

pedometer: 11519 miles:5.44

5 things

5 Things I am proud of myself for today

1. 5 minutes early to work
2. wrote 5 articles today (only needed 2)
3. wore my pedometer (as of 4:30 today 5424 steps)
4. Ate responsibly.
5. Encouraged a student

5 things I could have done better

1. used less "embellishing" when telling stories...
2. Organized my workspace
3. Smiled more
4. Read my scriptures... but there is still time
5. waste less paper.

Wanted: Clothes line

It's such an amazingly warm and sunny day I decided to dry some of my clothes outside in the fresh air. It's crazy how expensive it is to run a dryer. I am trying to think of some way to have a clothes line outside without having to put in posts.... My landlady would have an aneurysm. I only put out some hand towells and bath mats today, but it would be nice to dry all my clothes this way this summer. I've been racking my brain about how to save money on our energy bill- and I think if I had an indoor line down in the basement and an outdoor line outside it would help to cut back on the massive amounts of energy this is wasted by the dryer...

I am also excited to start gardening a little. I have found the ideal sunny places in my back yard and I want to get some of those hanging "over the rail" type planters to put on the back fense. It's my hope that having them off the ground will discourage weeds and also cats...

I am not a big fan of cats- at least not my neighbors cats- who use the yard a litter box. I have heard that dishsoap and vinegar with some lavander mixed together and sprayed around the permiter will help discourage cats from our yard... I'm thinking of trying it. :)

Hurray for Spring. I am feeling my spirits lift every day!

A Montana sunset

Last night I had a pretty short fuse. I get frustrated when Hudson whines and Jason is thirsty and doesn't like our choices of beverages. It was generally chaotic in the house and I just needed to get out. So I went for a walk, ignoring Hudson's plaintive pleas to join me and set off at a brisk pace around the block.

It's April- but here in Northern Montana, we still get the occasional snow flurry. But last night was beautiful! It was almost 8:00 and the sun set was pink and orange and stretching across the horizon. At first all I could hear was my swirling thoughts and the slapping of my flip-flops on the pavement, but then I heard a birdcall and it made me stop. It was the most beautiful sound in the world at that moment, and it took me back to the shady Soos Creek Trail near my childhood home. I used to walk the Soos Creek Trail with my friends or with my dad all the time- it's a beautiful preserved wetland that is home to all sorts of birds and animals.

I stood in front of someones house for a long while, probably making them pretty curious, and just listened to the birds. It really cleared my head... Not to mention that I felt pretty good about getting some exercise.

When I came back in, Hudson wrapped his little arms around my legs and said "I thought I lost you! I don't ever want to lose you again!"

It made me laugh, I hadn't "stormed" out, I just said I was taking a quick walk and would come right back- Jason had reassured him that I'd be back in a minute- Hudson just has a flare for the dramatic!

It's amazing to me what a little fresh air, a sunset, and some birds can do for the spirit.

Some things on my mind this morning-

1. Morse code
2. Northern Exposure (1990's television show)
3. Cherry Lime-aid
4. Soy milk
5. Bloons Tower Defense 3
6. Weight Watchers Walk-!T Challenge
7. The March of Dimes
8. WIC Appointments

A NEW BLOG!

I have a blog dedicated to my sweet and spunky 3 year old, and one to my cathartic poetry... which am I surprised some of you have actually perused... but don't have one just for me. I journal all the time in what has quickly amassed to the Chronicles of Kelly- a rambling, disjointed litany of complaints or accolades depending on my mood- but I want a blog with a pretty background darn it! And I want it to be out there ----> you know, in the great vastness that is cyberspace. I know I have a few online fans of Hudson's that have at times questioned the fact that there are rarely any photos of me (unless Hudson is on my lap) and also very little news of what I am doing. I don't know if I can handle juggling this many blogs- I have a feeling that there may be long stretches without posts, but oh well. Cyber space has room for one more person's rambling.

I actually wanted to dedicate this blog as a way of publicly acknowledging my goals and making myself more accountable for them. So, dear reader, you will probably discover that I am continually getting stuck in Alma, forever losing and gaining 2 or 3 pounds, and have a to do list that always includes dishes, laundry, and organization...

Here's to the launching of my new blog... I hope I keep it up.