easy, inexpensive easter/spring decorations

i have another copycat craft idea for you today. harrison and i made this easter egg garland in less than an hour while graham was snoozing. the best part is it was free!

can you guess what we used to make it?

paint chips! 

i borrowed this idea from the red barn candle company blog. we made ours a bit differently, using both solid and striped paint chips. we also punched holes and strung ours with curling ribbon (because that's what i had on hand) as opposed to hot gluing them onto twine like she did. check out her blog post for the full tutorial.

basically you
1) get some paint chips
2) draw an egg shaped template on one of them
3) cut it out
4) trace around your template on the back of the rest of the paint chips
5) cut out your eggs
6) punch holes
7) string together
8) hang.

we also decorated the front porch...

our spring bunny comes out every year. i believe i bought him for less than $5 at hobby lobby a few years back.

the boys love decorating our easter tree. as opposed to our christmas tree, i let them hang every egg and carrot all by themselves with absolutely no input from me! 

we took a walk around the neighborhood to find branches then simply stuck them into a planter and decorated with ornaments i purchased at the dollar tree last year. total cost: $3 for ornaments. the tiny carrots are my favorite. we hang them so the easter bunny will want to stop at our house!

and lastly we set out a couple of faux bird's nests. you have to mix in a little faux spring decor to offset the bling of the fake easter decor. it brings balance to the arrangement.

oh, don't listen to me. i'm just being silly! i actually bought these nests for our N is for Nest homeschool unit last semester. why not set them out? they look cute underneath the easter tree.

and that's it!

let me know if you end up making your own paint chip easter garland, easter tree, or paper plate baby chick. i'd LOVE to see photos!

graham had a little accident

do you see these lips?

and these?

and these?

well, now they look like this...

and this...

and this...

my sweet boy took a spill on the playground equipment at preschool yesterday which resulted in receiving two stitches in his bottom lip. even so, it's the top lip that seems to be most painful. it is so, so swollen, the inside is deeply bruised and the little connector thing that attaches the lips to the gums was severed. his top lip is a mess! both his lips are a mess! what is the name of that connector thing anyway? it's gonna drive me crazy. hang on...frenulum. don't say you never learned anything on this blog.

graham was such a trooper. he was brave and tough. we went straight from preschool to the emergency room. they got us in right away and, thankfully, had a tv in the room and, thankfully, curious george happened to be on. let's all just stop and take a moment to thank jesus for curious george.

amen.

the doctor examined graham's lips and made a plan of action which included applying a topical numbing agent, an injection and two stitches. graham protested when the topical was applied. i had to have a very calm, yet very firm, talk with him and after that he did great. they wrapped him up tightly with a sheet to keep him still before the injections and stitches. we made a big deal about how harrison and graham loved to be wrapped up like burritos when they were babies. graham didn't seem to mind it at all. of course, the injections were painful. poor guy. but he calmed back down quickly and did fine while the actual stitches were put in.

he was a bit teary all throughout the afternoon but two popsicles and two chocolate milkshakes helped a little bit. he wanted to go back to school this morning (the doctor said that would be fine) and he was his normal energetic crazy-man self while there. he started eating solid foods again at lunch today and has only complained once that he needed medicine.

all in all, it's safe to say the experience of "getting hurt and needing stitches" wasn't anywhere near as bad as i had feared it would be.

and he still looks super cute with busted lips doesn't he?!

the extremes

over the course of the weekend harrison managed to punch me, scratch my face and pinch me. the punch and the scratch were in an effort to defend/stand up for/be on the side of graham. it was harrison's misguided effort at being a good big brother. the pinch seemed to be completely random and we still can't quite figure out what was going on in his head other than what he told us which was "i thought it would be fun".

these things happened after my feedback/counseling session at STAR last friday which visually showed me (literally on video) how defensive harrison is with regard to touch. he tends to scoot away from me, shift his position or get up and move in order to create distance between us. as i was watching the video, the counselor or "coach" - i like the word coach - said, "that hurts". meaning it hurts MY feelings when he does that.

they are slow, almost subliminal, shots to my heart.

and then yesterday, at the tail end of our first occupational therapy session at STAR, harrison was acting silly. i started acting silly with him (which included touching him) and he turned around and started kicking me. lord help me. so...he can be silly but i can't be silly back? or he can be silly and i can be silly back but not in that way? or maybe he just didn't like how i touched him? can you see why this is so confusing and frustrating for me?

how in the world do i figure out what to do and when to do it and what to say and when to say it and what to touch and when to touch it? clearly, this is all quite painful for me. it's no wonder i spent the better part of two hours in tears with coach lisa last friday!

but here's the opposite scenario...

yesterday afternoon the boys and i were playing upstairs in the master bedroom. because i had just switched out the sensory bin to make it easter themed, all the valentine's contents were sorted out on my bed. when i wasn't looking harrison put together a valentine for me. he brought it over and handed it to me. i smiled and said...

me: what's this?

harrison: a valentine.

me: what does it mean?

harrison: i love you.

me: you do?!

harrison: yes.

me: well, i need to make a valentine for you! (i stand next to him while we both make valentines)

me: what are you making now?

harrison: a bigger valentine. this one is for you too.

me: wow! thanks buddy. here's your valentine. it means i love you.

harrison: thank you.

clearly, that was an incredibly beautiful and heart-healing moment for me.

here's the thing, there can be no good unless there is also bad. you can't know pleasure unless you've experienced pain. you can't have tenderness without toughness. you don't recognize gentleness without also having seen roughness. it's newton's third law. it's also "this law at work: although i want to do good, evil is right there with me.  so then, in my mind i am a slave to god’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. thanks be to to god, who delivers me through jesus christ our lord!" (romans 7:21-24)

there are extremes which are constantly at work around us.

i can take the punches because i also get the valentines. 

if i'm honest, although i'd rather do without them, the punches make the valentines all the sweeter. if i'm really honest, the only reason i can take the punches is because of jesus. i used to have a roommate who said, "anything good you see in me is jesus. anything bad you see in me is me". it is only because of jesus that i don't haul off and hit, scratch and pinch in return. it is only because of him that i am able to endure the bad and enjoy the good. it is only because of jesus that i am able to find the "just enough" in each day. it is only because of him that a valentine reveals itself as more than just enough.

we humans tend to shy away from extremes. we like to live in the middle. in the grey area. in the postmodern what's-right-for-you-is-right-for-you-and-what's-right-for-me-is-right-for-me area. in the politically-correct area. in the afraid to offend anyone area. and, listen, i'm not saying those things are all bad. i don't think we should walk around offending others. i believe in love. i believe in tolerance. more than that, quite frankly, i believe my opinion is not that important! and yours really isn't either! (no offense, of course).  

what is important is god. 

and god is extreme.

he loved us extremely. he loves us extremely. 

and it's only because of him that i, too, can love my son.

even in the extremes. 

sensory bin - easter theme

so...have you ever written something - an email, a document, a blog post perhaps - and then accidentally deleted the entire thing? yes? oh good. then you'll understand why this post is short and sweet and to the point. i don't want to rewrite everything i just deleted. i can get cranky like that.

this is our easter themed sensory bin. at least it's bright and colorful. and happy and light. and cheery. and spring-y. i can feel my mood improving with every adjective.

porcupine balls for sorting or organizing...or for throwing at each other. because, with boys, it all comes back to throwing.

bendable bunny rabbits...that are "eating carrots for dinner" in the photo above and "playing catch" with the porcupine balls in the photo below.

harrison wanted to add our set of small plastic planets because "they are pastel colored" and match the other colors in the bin. i obliged him. after all, maybe the rabbits could play catch with the planets too. or maybe they could brush up on their astronomy. who know what those wascally wabbits do behing closed lids.

plastic easter eggs...for "easter egg hunts" around the room, which is graham's favorite part of this bin. or for filling with other items from the bin and having someone try to guess what's inside.

mini erasers...for making patterns, or stacking, or picking up with tweezers, or sorting, or counting, or hiding inside eggs, or for rabbit food...

all in all a VERY simple bin...basically just throw a bunch of easter stuff in a box and call it done. kinda like writing a few words in blog post and calling it done.

and trying really hard not to delete it this time.

resources:

porcupine balls - HERE is a link to the ones we have.
yellow cup -HERE is the link to the set this is a part of.
purple tweezers - HERE is a link to a similar set.
plastic easter eggs - you can get these anywhere this time of year.
mini erasers - purchased last year at target's dollar spot.
planets - HERE is the link to the ones we have.
bendable bunnies - memeandpapa put these in the boy's easter baskets last year ??

paper plate baby chick - an easy easter/spring craft

i recently stumbled upon a new-to-me blog - simpleasthatblog.com. let me tell ya, the photos on that blog are divine. the photos are stunning. the photos are dreamy and lovely and swoon-worthy. and there are also some great children's book lists (oh how i love children's books. if i had unending wealth i would open a children's book store and host "reading time with rachel") and cute craft ideas.

this week we copycatted her paper plate baby chick. you really should click on the link and see her perfectly well lit baby chick photos.

what you'll need:

yellow dessert plate*
yellow feathers*
googly eyes
orange paper
glue stick

~ simply cut two long strips of orange paper and accordion fold to make legs
~cut out two feet. i did mine free hand.
~cut out a square or diamond shape for the beak and fold it in half
~glue feet to legs
~glue legs to the back of the plate
~glue feathers to back of the plate
~glue eyes and beak to front of the plate

viola! you're done! 



*i found the yellow plates and feathers at hobby lobby.

real life conversations...

photo by leslie norgren, november 2012

...about love.


the other day i got sentimental and weepy about the lack of iloveyou's from my sweet harrison boy. but i can see the humor in it too. i mean...it is kinda funny. as proof, here are two similar, yet very different, conversations that took place yesterday:


the scene: graham and i are sitting on the couch watching dinosaur train. graham leans over and rests his head on my arm.

graham: mommy, i love you so much.

me: graham, i love you so much too.

graham: i love you to the moon and back and the sun and back.

me: well i love you to the stars and back and the planets and back.

graham: well who loves more?

me: i do.

graham: no i love you more.

me: no i love you more.

graham: no i love you more.


and so it went.


the scene: harrison and i are sitting on the couch watching wild kratts.

me: pssst. harrison...

(harrison looks over at me)

me: i love you so much buddy.

harrison: you've already told me that.


and so it goes. 




 

yesterday was my birthday

these two little misters are my forever birthday present. building snowmen with these two little misters was my present this year.

so proud of their creations.

there's that tongue again. apparently he is having a hard time extrolling himself.

after coming in from playing outdoors the boys helped me make my next birthday present - gluten free cupcakes. harrison was thoughtful enough to make an amendment to my previous declaration:

he wrote "mommy's birthday tomorrow". you better believe i used that special birthday caveat and enjoyed a cupcake.

or three.

hey, if it's wrong to have sugar on your birthday then i don't want to be right.

while the cupcakes were baking i snapped two more photos of the tulips jeremy bought me as an early birthday gift. they have stretched and bent and grown so much the arrangements are nearly two feet wide. they smell even better than they look.

 

i've had some really fun birthday parties over the years. i remember going to the bowling alley for my birthday in elementary school. and the sleep over parties were a blast. i've been the recipient of a couple surprise parties - i'll never forget the champagne toast at my 21st. and there was one special st. patrick's day-themed party, my 24th i believe, where the invitees couldn't get in unless they donned a shamrock tattoo. everyone wrote wishes for me on a large rock that symbolized the blarney stone. (which i've have the good fortune to actually kiss! did you know you have to lie on your back, hang your head and shoulders backward off the edge a castle to reach it? it's a once in a lifetime memory). i still have that birthday blarney stone.

it's safe to say i'm growing up. not because of the sciatic nerve pain and fear of driving at night (yes i do feel geriatric most of the time. why do you ask?) but because, now, parties are just not as important. or i should say being the one celebrated is not as important. being with my people is. celebrating them is. cherishing our life is. acknowledging another year together is.

i am deeply, richly, unfathomably blessed.

and that's the best birthday gift in the world.

in that light, the boys and i dropped in on some friends yesterday. we took them a present. giving someone else a gift on my birthday? not that will be a very special memory for many birthdays to come!

just like a march snow

there was an event three years ago that touched me deeply. a moment with my sweet harrison boy. i knew at the time it was special but as with most precious moments, although we might have some understanding that we ought to soak it up, although we might actually take the time to soak it up, our human minds are never fully aware of just how fleeting things are until they are gone. and it's only then that we realize we should have soaked up a bit more.


this is what i wrote back on march 24, 2010:

..........
last week the boys and i were outside as much as the weather allowed. we had some gorgeous sunny days in the high 60's. and then the snow came. and then the snow melted. and then the snow came again.

and so it is with march weather in denver.

truthfully, i actually kind of like it. when it's gone as quickly as it comes, you have to enjoy it while it's here.

all that to say we went for lots of walks last week. one, in particular, will forever be etched in my memory. i was pushing graham in the stroller - something he is quickly beginning to resent as he'd much rather be running around like big brother. harrison was riding his bike (aka big wheel). we were strolling along when harrison, out of the blue, said, "i love you, mommy."

i had purposefully never taught him to say that. nor had i ever told him, or forced him, to reply back when i say "i love you". i knew that one day that phrase would have so much more meaning if i just let him come to it naturally. and i was so right.

what a sweet moment! i let the weight of it soak in, even got a bit teary-eyed. and then harrison steered his big wheel right into the street.

and so it is with precious moments.

you have to capture them while they're here because they so easily melt away.
..........

that was the first time harrison said i love you.

it was also the last.

over the years, i could count on two hands the times harrison has replied back to me when i say "i love you". he'll say "love ya", most often when he's at memeandpapa's house and we are talking on the phone. harrison is comfortable saying it in that situation. it's more of an auto response than an emotional declaration, which is easier. but i cannot recall any time since that day three years ago that harrison has initiated a heartfelt "i love you".

i know i should be grateful for those replies. and i am. or i try to be. but, you see, graham is very free with his hugs, kisses, cuddles and iloveyous, which i adore, and what has resulted from that is the recognition of the complete lack of those same emotional things from my first born.

replies aren't on the same level. they aren't enough.

i know he loves me. i don't doubt it at all. not even for a second. but it's interesting, isn't it, how my heart still longs to hear it, even though i can plainly see how difficult it is for him to say it.

and you know what else? my heart longs for him to be able to say it. i desperately wish harrison could recognize his emotions, feel comfortable feeling his emotions and feel confident expressing them.

not for my benefit. for his.

i bring this up today because we've recently noticed a desire in harrison to write his feelings. he has written one note to me, two to jeremy, one to graham and one to memeandpapa. most of the notes have said the same thing, "dear ____, i love you. love, harrison".  the letter he wrote to graham said, "you hurt my feelings".  haha!

i can laugh about it, and i do think it's funny and cute, but i don't want to overshadow the importance of this new behavior. harrison has found a way to express his feelings, at least some of the time. for this, i am thankful.

i do believe there is still considerable room for improvement in this area. but i'm left soaking up these precious messages, taking stock of their value, holding them close to my heart, locking them away (literally) in a special place, and trying to remember to capture this stage and enjoy it while it's here.

because we never know when it might be the last.

a real life conversation

the scene: graham has a new habit of sticking his tongue out at his brother, or me, or...everyone. i've had to have quite a few discussions with him about it. so, one afternoon, not long after he'd just heard another talk about this behavior he said...

graham: mommy, guess what, i was extrolling me.

me: huh?

graham: i extrolled me.

me: what?

graham: I EXTROLLED ME!

me: graham, i don't understand you.


time out: in my defense, when graham says extrolled it sounds like ex-two-woed.


graham: i ex-troll-ed me.

me: you extrolled yourself?

graham: yeah. i wanted to stick my tongue out, but i didn't. i extrolled me.

me: oh! you had self control? you CONTROLLED yourself?

graham: yeah. i controlled me.

me: good job, buddy. i'm so proud of you for having self control and for not sticking your tongue out.

graham: yeah. like this. (proceeds to stick his tongue out at me).


little stinker.

the best thing about tulips...

they search for the light.

they reach for it.

they capture every moment of it.


tulips are a beautiful mentor.

our STAR visits - 3/4-3/8

this past week we went to STAR twice. on wednesday we went to participate in a study. if i understand it correctly, the spd foundation is attempting to create a new evaluation test. i guess it's been something like ten years of research that is finally nearing the end. i don't know much more than that, sorry.

a lotta help i am.

i was in the room with harrison for a little while and watched as he did some of the "activities". he had to touch different things, stare at different things, try to complete some worksheets while the researcher was distracting him, listen to loud noises and decipher different things...

about half way through graham decided he didn't want to be in the room any more and asked to leave. but, of course, as soon as we got out into the hall he wanted to go back in. tough luck, little man. the researcher was so sweet to let both boys play in the big gym for a few minutes after harrison was done with the research activities. it was a great way to end the appointment.

our second appointment was last friday afternoon. graham stayed with a sitter while harrison and i went to STAR. as we were driving i commented that he had better get used to this drive because, soon, we will be making it quite frequently. harrison replied back something about how he was going to "grow up" during his time at STAR. i told him not to grow up too quickly.

but i don't think that's the type of growing up he was referring to.

he also made comments about "building his muscles" and "moving his body a lot". when you put it all together, i think his words "grow up" were more to do with the changes that may be occurring in him and his body over the next few months as we do therapy.

it's clear to me he knows we are doing this for a reason, but it's not clear to him exactly what that reason is.

he has also made comments about how "someday when graham gets bigger he'll get to go to STAR too" to which i say, "maybe".

for today we are leaving the conversation just as it is/was. no further explanation needed. tomorrow, though? well, let's just take each day (and conversation) as they come, shall we?

the intention of friday's visit was to videotape harrison and me playing together, just as we would do at home. the goal is to be able to provide me feedback about how i can better interact with my son. oh lordy. first of all, i have to say playing at STAR is quite different from playing at home. as much as you try to act like you're at home, it's just not the same. so there's that. secondly, i was not excited to be videotaped. nor am i excited to watch myself on videotape. nor am i excited to hear someone tell me what i could have done differently while watching myself on videotape.

but the end goal is information and education and transformation, right?

socrates said, "the unexamined life is not worth living". if this helps me learn more and interact better then the momentary discomfort is well worth it.

so bring on the analysis, STAR!

our next appointment is for me alone, when i'll receive feedback from harrison's and my home-esque play time and also have a counseling session. should be equal parts tear-me-down and build-me-up. kidding. just kidding. but, in case you couldn't tell, even with socrates in my corner, i'm still not excited about it.

i'll let ya know how it goes. 

follow me! and an spd survey! and an old photo!

look! over to the right of your screen! you can type in your email address and have my posts sent directly to your inbox! (if you are reading from your mobile device you may have to switch to "web version" to see it).

doesn't that just make life easier? one less thing you have to remember to check?

and on a completely unrelated note, i received an email from the spd foundation that i wanted to pass along:

parents of children 0-6 years old are needed for an online survey.

parents of BOTH typically developing children as well as those with a diagnosis of adhd, autism spectrum disorder, anxiety disorder, or sensory processing disorder are needed for their research.

i completed the survey and it took about ten minutes.

you can take the survey by clicking here. 

STAR (as in the STAR center, where we take harrison for therapy) is an acronym for Sensory Therapies And Research. STAR is a collaborator and sponsor of the spd foundation which exists to "expand knowledge, foster awareness and promote recognition of sensory processing disorder". they're sort of a two-in-one deal. we get the best treatment because we have the latest research backing it up. in turn, harrison is included in some of their current research studies.

i think it's a win-win.


i'll leave you with this...a photo taken THREE YEARS AGO on a march day that wasn't as snowy as today, but just as much fun for two boys who never fail to find adventure.

 

time flies when you're having fun.

time just flies.

                                                                                                                                               

what a difference a day makes

cardboard construction set

some of my favorite blog posts are when authors write about, and post links to, the things they found interesting, insightful or inspiring around the internet that week.

i i i i. that was a lot of alliteration for a saturday morning.

i'm listening to the lumineers while i type.

illuminate.

illiterate.

that was supposed to be read with a long a sound. illiter- ate.

alright i'm just being silly.

synonyms for silly: idiotic, ignorant, illogical, immature, imprudent, inane, inappropriate, inconsistent, irrational or irresponsible.

anyway, i like them because they offer lots of gems in one post. one stop shopping! just like target!

"friday favorites" or "weekend links" or "the best of the blogosphere" are just a few of the ones i look forward to each week.

last sunday, simple kids offered up a link to this homemade cardboard construction set. i filed the idea away in my brain under "things to do with cardboard". just kidding. nothing gets filed away in my brain. thrown away, maybe. filed away, never. not enough space up in here!

so on monday, after a big costco trip and kitchen restock, the boys and i were left with a bunch of cardboard boxes. as harrison was tossing them into the recycling bin i said, "hey, wait, i saw an idea online yesterday...something we can make with these." his interest was peeked.

i cut long strips of cardboard and let the boys cut the strips into squares. this kept them busy while i continued to organize the eight million granola bars that are currently holding court on our pantry shelves. after they finished with the squares i took over and cut the little slits in them. quick and easy!

i can foresee this being a great "toy" to take on a trip. they don't take up any space at all to carry with us and if they get destroyed or left behind it's no big deal!

in perusing other "cardboard construction sets" around the web i found this one which has great ideas for 1) using different shapes and 2) letting your kids color the shapes. fun!

so that's our copycat craft for this week!

crafted copycat cardboard construction set.

c c c c.  okay now i'm just being crazy, confusing, comical...

contradictory?

cuddly?

cool?

yes, that's it. clearly, i'm cool.

f is for friday and flowers

jeremy left early this morning and came home with these beauties. he knows tulips are my very favorite flower (irises are a close second) and whole foods just so happens to have tulips on sale today!

source

if you have a whole foods market near you i suggest you run in and snag this fantastic deal. i can't think of a better way to add a touch of spring to your home!

jeremy purposefully bought tulips that haven't opened yet so they will last longer. he's a smart man. i filled two vases so i could spread the cheer around the house. i have a feeling these tulips are going to be what gets me through tomorrow's winter storm and the 8-14 inches of snow that are expected to fall.

i'll be sitting right next to these guys watching the snow come down outside and sipping a steaming cup of cocoa. a perfect march day.

or i might end up sitting next to these guys while yelling at my children to stop fighting and pick up their toys and no you may not have another snack!

either way, even though life is sometimes ugly, you can't deny the prettiness of a tulip. and we can all use a little more pretty in our lives, can't we?



**i was m.i.a. yesterday due to another migraine. sigh. that's about all i can say about it. anyway, i'm going to try to use the weekend to catch up on posting as we went to STAR on wednesday and we have another appointment there today that i'll want to tell you about. we also did a quick and easy project that's worth passing along! but, for now, i hope y'all have a great friday! now go get some tulips!

a target run and running toward a target

after i dropped graham at preschool this morning i stopped at target for a couple items. jeremy needed shave gel - gillette fusion hydra gel ultra sensitive, to be exact. all other shaving creams/gels are dead to him. the boys needed glue. we have taped together far too many craft projects because our glue sticks ran out weeks ago. and taped-together crafts just don't look as cute as glued-together crafts. so those were the only two items i needed but you know i walked out of the store with 13 extra somehow-they-just-hopped-into-the-cart items.

oh how i love you, target.


on a completely different subject, i read something last night just before falling asleep. it's a keeper, this quote...

"...the best, sanest people on the planet know: that life is long, that people both change and remain the same, that every last one of us will need to f**k up and be forgiven, that we're all just walking and walking and walking and trying to find our way, that all roads lead eventually to the mountaintop."   
~cheryl strayed, from the book "tiny beautiful things; advice on love and life from dear sugar"

can i get an amen? 

i mean...that's exactly what i would write if i knew how.

i love you, cheryl strayed.


my friend, debbie, gave me this book. she is my go-to girl for anything book, movie, theatre and
restaurant related. she's a keeper too, that debbie. she's given me a number of books over the years but this one seems to have "coincidentally" found it's way into my hands at just the perfect time. i have loved reading a few pages each night before i turn out the light. it's been a great way to focus a bit less on myself and turn my attention toward the plights of others...while still soaking in the wisdom from which each one of us, no matter our personal demons, can benefit.

and that's my hump-day nugget for ya. happy wednesday y'all!

 





 

jeremy is thinking "who is this woman and what has she done with my wife?"

guess what!

i have not had any sugar!

can you believe it?!

well neither can i!

i DID eat some cookies, though. our friends, the norgren's, came over for dinner sunday and leslie brought gluten-free cookies for dessert (so thoughtful of her to consider my high maintenance needs!). they were sweetened with honey instead of sugar, though, so that doesn't count, does it?

and guess what else! this morning i woke up before my alarm, opened up the blinds to let the sun shine in, got dressed and ready for the day, made our bed, made the boy's beds, made coffee, made breakfast, served breakfast, cleaned up breakfast, unloaded, reloaded and started the dishwasher, pulled the laundry out of the dryer, put the wet laundry in, refilled the washer with another load, walked harrison to his carpool pickup location, played with graham, drove graham to school, caught up on a couple phone calls and emails, folded and put away the laundry that came out of the dryer and, now, am blogging.

so, basically, what i'm thinking is I SHOULD HAVE GIVEN UP SUGAR A LONG TIME AGO!

i don't even know who i am anymore!

i feel like all those whole30, paleo-loving people who have given up all manner of foods and come out screaming about how awesome they feel. have you heard or read about that food trend? the thing i don't understand is isn't "paleo" just a new way of saying "atkins"? they may not be completely the same, but they are essentially the same. it seems to me paleo is the organic, unrefined, unprocessed version of atkins. but take out the dairy and add in some fruit. or something like that.

in any event, i don't see myself becoming a cavewoman. well, actually, i did become a cavewoman once, but i don't see myself eating like someone from the paleolithic age. at least not this week.  

this new found zest for life might be due to my break up with sugar. or it might be due to the lengthening of daylight hours and nearness of spring. or it might be due to just getting back to who i was before the great depression of january 2013 took over my body. whatever the case, i like it. and i do so hope to maintain it.

it's refreshing to actually enjoy life again.

even if it's a sugar-free one!

at least i can still have coffee

happy friday everyone. i'm off sugar.

depressed rachel will soon be turning into cranky rachel because i'm quitting my very real sugar addiction cold turkey. starting today.

i've cleared most sugary substances from the house. i thought that would help me yesterday (when i originally tried to quit sugar) but when afternoon rolled around i began frantically looking for a fix and i sure did whip up a batch of gluten-free chocolate chip muffins. they were the best muffins i've ever tasted. i ate four. (the boys each got one muffin. i'm not a complete monster.)

so...yeah. yesterday was a bit of a failure.

but today - today! - i've posted a sign on the fridge.

think it will help?
 
there was a time this past summer when i went off sugar and dairy completely and i felt so much better! my skin looked clearer, my body ached less, my tummy wasn't bloated. but winter does something to me. it's like i'm eating for fat storage! to keep myself warm in cold temperatures? to keep myself nourished during hibernation? i mean, i realize i'm not a bear. but lately i've been feeling like one, so...

or maybe it's the opposite. rather than hibernating, perhaps my body has been trying to wake itself up...to get energized!

either way, for me, winter + depression = sugar consumption.

so now i'm stuck wondering what to do about it. well, i know what to do about it. but it's the actual doing that seems to cause problems. i am intentionally write this blog post so i have a bit of cyber accountability about this whole thing. we shall see if it helps.

anyone want to quit sugar with me?

beuller? beuller? ...?