You Capture: Joy

So, I stumbled upon this cool blog the other day: I Should Be Folding Laundry. Every week a new photo challenge is posted. This week's theme is Joy!

Here is the first picture I thought of! It is an old one of Ms. M when she was a baby.


Here is another right after Ms. M's birth.


Here is one of her enjoying the great outdoors at Pedernales Falls.


Here is Ms. K laughing at the animals from a petting zoo at school.


Here is Ms. K and Daddy Land at the lake last year.


I am so blessed to have these little creatures that bring me so much joy! Sometimes I need to remind myself of that when the days get tough.

For more JOYful pics visit HERE.

Texas Round-Up

Over the weekend, Ms. M ran in her first ever race! The Texas Round-Up family mile! We started off with a full 30 second sprint. Then a little break...then a sprint...then a break...then another sprint to the finish line! It wasn't really a mile, more like a quarter mile. But we had fun and I am so proud of her! Now we just need to work on endurance...

Here is a picture of Ms. M and Ms. K enjoying a post race bagel and power aide. (They also handed out Cheetos at the finish line. Must have been hurting for sponsors considering this was part of the Texas health and fitness initiative...)

MSG?

So, today at Ms. M's gymnastics, Ms. K was eating Gardetto's (you know...the snack food with pretzels, bread sticks, etc.). There was another mother there watching her daughter. She also had a 1 ear old. Ms. K offered the little girl a pretzel and the mother said, "No thanks. That has MSG, right?" I had no idea, so I decided to look it up when I got home.

I had always seen food labels and restaurants touting "No MSG." I knew that I should stay away from it and that we should eat processed foods in moderation. But, I was really shocked at all the negative information out there. This makes me think that there has to be at least something to this.

Apparently, MSG in one form or another is in almost everything on our supermarkets shelves. It is supposed to be a "flavor enhancer." Here is a list of ingredients that contain MSG if you are wondering:

Autolyzed Yeast
Calcium Caseinate
Gelatin Glutamate
Glutamic Acid
Hydrolyzed Protein
Monopotassium Glutamate
Monosodium Glutamate
Sodium Caseinate
Textured Protein
Yeast Extract
Yeast Food
Yeast Nutrient

It has been linked to obesity, eye damage, asthma, headaches, fatigue, and depression. While the FDA has not decided to require manufacturers to label clearly that a food has MSG, they have a name for a reaction to MSG: MSG symptom complex. Here is what they said-

An unknown percentage of the population may react to MSG and develop MSG symptom complex, a condition characterized by one or more of the following symptoms:

burning sensation in the back of the neck, forearms, and chest
numbness in the back of the neck, radiating to the arms and back
tingling, warmth, and weakness in the face, temples, upper back, neck, and arms
facial pressure or tightness
chest pain
headache
nausea
rapid heartbeat
bronchospasm in MSG-intolerant people with asthma
drowsiness
weakness


MSG is also an excitotoxin. This means when added to food, it makes you crave more even if you are full. No wonder I love fast food and pizza! I also read several studies that say scientist use MSG to fatten up their lab rats for obesity studies.

Anyway, I just thought I would share what I found. I am not saying that our family will never eat fast food or anything processed again, but I will definitely be paying more attention to what we put in our mouth. For more information, here is a link to a site that covers everything you want to know (or not) about MSG.

http://www.msgtruth.org/

Just Say Yes

I recently read an awesome devotion from the book Hold You, Mommy written by Laurie Lovejoy Hilliard and Sharon Lovejoy Autry. It talked about the times as a mother that you feel like all you do is say "no" to your kids and everyone is in a crabby mood. It is a vicious cycle! When mom is frowning and stressed all day, so is everyone else in the family. It tends to rub off on the people around you. Believe me, I know! I do it all the time! At the end of the day, I ask myself sometimes, Did I say "yes" once to the girls today? The book describes this as a "basement day."

On the other end of the spectrum would be the "balcony day." These are the sort of days I would like to aim for! They are the days when you have patience with gum on the carpet (yes, happened this week), arguments about who gets to turn off the TV (happens daily), and questions like "Mommy, do you have a baby in your belly?" (happened today... no, I'm not pregnant). Balcony days are days when you stop saying "no" and start having a little fun with your kids. The laundry that needs to be folded can wait. Let them help with chores or make their lunch, even if it takes ten times longer and you end up with a mess. Take this time to lift them up and show them gentle guidance instead of bossily telling them what to do all day. Trust me, you will end up with better behaved, loving kids!

Well, I have been trying very hard to be a balcony mom lately. I admit I am not perfect, but at least I have a goal, right? One thing that I said "yes" to this week was breaking out the sidewalk paint. It has been hidden and forgotten in our laundry room for several months, possible a year. I have not wanted to mess with it to be honest. However, the other day, my girls had a blast in the driveway. We even had our neighbor out with us (I apologize for your messy child, neighbor!). At the end of the day, yes, I had a huge mess on my hands. They were covered head to toe. But, the joy they received from this moment of freedom was worth it!

Cute Things Laughing

This is one of the cutest things ever! Check out this website:

http://www.cutethingslaughing.com/

My favorite is #19 because our girls laughed the same exact way! I do wish we could see what the parents behind the camera were doing. I know we have done some pretty silly things trying to get our kids to laugh!

For more cute things check out:

http://www.cutethingsfallingasleep.org/

Crossfit Women

girl at the gym

Scene: Me getting ready to do my Crossfit workout at Gold's (blech, I would rather be at another gym instead of the meat market). I am getting myself situated at the squat rack and loading the weight.

Gym guy: Do you have any interest in this machine here? (pointing to the smith machine, he looks at me with genuine concern)

Me: No, thanks.

Gym guy: Are you sure? I am almost done here? (again, the concerned look)

Me: No, thanks.


Man that annoys me! Just because I am a girl, I can't be trusted with the squat rack. I need the smith machine so I don't hurt myself...

Check out this Crossfit video for some of the workouts. I apologize for some of the language in the song...but it is a good video.

Llittle Blessings

God has graciously blessed me with an early riser, Ms. M. This is something that I will probably be thankful for in the teenage years. However, my little morning person isn't even in school yet (starts in August). Not to mention that I am NOT a morning person. I get as much sleep as I possibly can with a 2 and 5 year old.

Today was spent at Lowes and Walmart shopping for blackout curtains and a fan to drown out noise. I did this even though I know that she will be up, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, at the regular time. It doesn't matter that she will be sleeping in something that resembles a cave.

But, after our busy day with no daddy to help at bed time, I found myself taping (yes...taping) a blanket to the wall to cover the window. We had to settle with thumbtacks after the duck tape did not work, surprise...surprise. I guess you could say that's the way we do it here in Texas.

funny poop video of the girls

In the Beginning...

OK. Here we go. I am attempting to start a blog...again! I promise I am going to stick with it this time. More later.