Friday Five Faves - vol. 2

So I've cooled down a bit about the whole IRS thing. By cooled down I mean I'm not shaking my fist in the air and I'm not dwelling on it. I truly believe what goes around comes around. That actually makes me feel sorry for the IRS.

It's not like we don't get a refund, it's just not what I was expecting. Then again, to think I could retire to the beaches of O'ahu at 32 isn't exactly realistic either. Thank you IRS for giving me a reality check.

This week has actually been good, minus the IRS fist fight I was in. Here's why:

1) Date nights. N and I are going on a date tonight. We are doing the whole dinner and a movie thing. I'm beyond excited. Our dates nights provide us with an opportunity to reconnect. When we start to miscommunicate or get irritated with each other, we know it's time for a date. I think we're going to see Valkyrie. Although I'm not positive it's still playing. If it's not, I'm sure we'll go see the new Underworld movie.

2) The History Channel. We've had an on-again/off-again relationship over the years. Right now, we're on-again. I watched a documentary on MLK that was awesome. I cannot even fathom segregation or feeling superior to someone because of skin color. What he did for civil rights was impressive and totally humbling.

I also watched a documentary on Valkyrie. I saw Tom Cruise on some morning show talking about how dramatic the actual story was and it intrigued me. What I loved about the documentary on The History Channel (not Tom) is the only WWII memorial in Berlin is dedicated to the 5 men who lost their lives trying to eliminate Hitler. Kinda makes me want to see the movie.

3) Roaster Ovens. For Christmas my sister-in-law got me a roaster oven. At first I was unsure how I would use it because it seemed a little like large crock pot. Then I did a little research and I can cook anything in it. Like whole chickens, a small turkey, veggies, brownies. It's in less time than a crock pot. Then I can take it somewhere to share the food. How cool is that?

4) Make-up brushes. Yesterday I spent a gift card I got for Christmas on some new make up. I've been having terrible break-outs and decided to go back to mineral make-up. Because it's all powder, it goes on with a brush. Last night I was at the table, getting all my make-up sorted and packed for the gym this morning. Zoe was up at the table with me, totally into the brushes. I showed her what to do with them. For the rest of the evening, she insisted on applying some pretend blush on her cheeks and mine. It was a moment that I realized how much fun having a girl is. We're entering the dress-up, play make-up stage. I cannot wait. It was one of the things I loved about growing up. I think she will too.

5) The scale. That's right, it was another good week for me. A 2.6 pound loss. That's a total of 4 pounds in the last two weeks. A 2.6 loss is really setting the bar high for next week, but I'm in the groove. I've got my meal plan down. I've got my working out down. I'm already starting to see the benefits of those. I have more energy at night with Zoe. My attitude is better. My eyes are a little red, but I've got new make-up to take care of that!

I hope your week has been as great as mine. Sans any kind of government rule that makes no sense!

Have a fabulous Friday.

I'm all kinds of fired up today

Each year about this time I sit down to do our taxes. While I don't have all our tax information yet, I've started with the preliminary stuff.

I've actually been itching to get our taxes done since November 21st. That was the day the house in Puyallup closed and we had MUCHO losses to report.

Only one problem.

You don't report losses on residential home sales. Only on investment property. If we had a renter in there for even just one month, we could claim this loss.

However, our HOA wouldn't allow that to happen, so this house sat empty for the entire part of 2008 that it was in our name. When we sold it, we had to come up with the difference.

A difference almost equal to my salary. My annual salary.

Now the IRS is telling me, sorry, that sucks, but we don't want to hear about it.

If I had sold it for a gain, the IRS would be all up in my business wondering where their cut of the money was.

They'll take, but they won't give.

What else is sad with this story? We would've been better off going into foreclosure in 2007 when we moved.

Our credit wouldn't have been better off nor would our conscience, but our financial situation would've been. Our tax return would've been the same.

Tell me how that makes sense?

I'm so mad I could just...could just...raise my fist, grit my teeth and say "IRS" like it's a bad word.

Word of the day

For the last month, Zoe has had a new word of the day. She is learning so much so fast that I have a hard time keeping up with her. One day I'm going to wake up and she'll be talking in complete sentences. Then I'll wonder where my baby went and realize we're only a couple more years away from the teenage years, a driver's license, graduation, marriage, etc.

I'm sure I'm overreacting, but the time. It keeps on ticking.

When I got home a few evenings ago, she was all excited to tell me some story. While I have no idea what the lead up was, the story ended with her pinching her nose and saying, "p.u."

I asked what made her say "p.u." She replied, "dad."

She will totally rat you out without a second thought.

While she's getting bigger and learning so much, there are moments when she's still my little baby. She will cuddle with me before bedtime, wrap her arm around my neck and pull me in for a kiss.

There are no words that can describe that.

Got hope?

A few weeks ago a pastor spoke at our church on the subject of hope. It got me thinking about our country and where our hope really comes from.

During the last part of 2008 I saw many ads and posters that said "hope" with the picture of our new president on them. There were even shirts like the old "got milk?" ads that said "got hope?" For some reason I was always bothered by these things, but couldn't quite figure it out.

In November, when the election was over, a certain talk-show host, who shall remain nameless said, "it feels like hope won." Then it hit me.

Our nation's hope was associated with a human. A politician. I'm not here to get political because he is our new president and I will respect him while he holds that position. What I am concerned about is our nation. Specifically where our hope lies.

Are we really to a point in this country where our hope lies in some politician? Or some celebrity? Because last I checked these people are human. I'm not sure about you, but I don't like putting my hope in someone who is so fallible. As all humans are.

It's like being in high school and having a crush on a boy who likes the head cheerleader. That kind of crush leads to some heart break and tears. Maybe that was just me.

I fear, with this mis-directed hope, that's where this country is going. I fear we're in store for some heart break and tears. I'm concerned that our nation has turned its focus from the One who is infallible. The One who won't break our trust. The One who does provide hope.

We are missing our Shepherd. When that happens, we place our hope in the temporary.

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

My hope for this nation isn't in the Oval Office. Isn't in the media. Isn't in a person. My hope is in God to do great things through those and in those. Without Him there is no hope.

The moose and the cookie

So you all know I'm on this new diet/exercise regime. I'm not going to sugar coat it. This is tough. I would've given my right arm last night for a big bowl of cookie dough. My dear friend April gave me a quote from The Biggest Loser, "thin feels better than food tastes."

I'm pretty sure they're right. Although cookie dough tastes pretty good.

Since I don't want to talk too much about cookie dough this morning, I thought I would share a story with you about a little moose.

With all this snow that we've gotten big game animals, such as moose, wondering around neighborhoods and in places you wouldn't see normally see them. On the way to the store last weekend there was a moose about a block away from our house.

One on hand that's a totally cool, grab the camera thing. On the other, it's a bit scary because moose are big. Really big.

Which is what one couple in our city learned.

There is a section of the city that I grew up in. The houses are all the 1940's WWII type homes. Ranchers, about 1,500 sq. feet, 3 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, big yards, unfinished basements, single car garages. It's all pretty standard and they all look about the same.

A young couple, who live in this neighborhood, are expecting their first child. In anticipation of this blessed event, they have been working to finish their basement. About a month ago they finished the basement bedroom. New drywall, new carpet, new window. It's lovely.

Until a mother moose and her two calves wondered into their neighborhood looking for food.

The male calf fell into the window well leading into their basement. He couldn't get out, so he knocked in the window. They came downstairs to a moose in their newly finished bedroom.

The cops came and called the wildlife department. Fortunately the young calf was tranquilized and just layed down to sleep. Not before he left MANY unwanted gifts for the new couple.

It took 6-7 men to get this 375 pound calf up the single flight of stairs.

Can you imagine that insurance claim? Wildlife and snow are fun!

Friday Five Faves, vol. 1

I’m back on the Friday Five Faves because it’s a new year (hence the start over in numbering)and well I really like Top 5 lists of all kinds. Which is probably why I’m also a huge fan of the movie High Fidelity. Not Rick Dees though. I only like Top 5 lists without immature jokes and comments. Technically his lists include the Top 40 or Top 100 or something like that, which require way too much commitment for me.

Onto the things I love about this week:

1. Zoe’s new birthday outfit. It looks so garden-like with all the daisies. It’ll be perfect for her butterfly/garden party.

I know I really sound like that mom who takes things WAY over the top with having a theme and everything matching. I probably am. Birthdays were always such a special day for me as a child. I had big parties with all my friends and my mom always made me feel so special. I want the same for Zoe. Besides, she’s my only child, so she gets all my neurotic mothering.


2. The Office. Yesterday Zoe did not take a nap. She spent the entire day chasing daddy or climbing all over grandma’s couches. By 7:00, on our way home, she was asleep in the car with some blue, M&M drool coming out the side of her mouth. By 7:30 I had gotten her changed for bed, made a bottle and she hadn’t budged. She actually snored a little. I had two free hours to myself.

You guessed it, I watched The Office. Hilarious. I don’t get to watch it much because 9:00 is Zoe’s bed time, but last night was reason why we need DVR. I’ll be laughing at the speed radar scene all weekend. “31. That’s my new number. Beat that.” If you want a really great recap, go to BooMama’s blog for great quotes.

3. Steamer Bags. Did you know that one of those sandwich bag companies makes steamer bags? You can steam veggies, fish, chicken in your microwave. Maybe I’m new to this, but so convenient. I am queen of convenience cooking. Not to mention delicious. No more broccoli stems with no fronds. Is that even the right terminology?

4. Disney Playhouse Live. They are coming here! On Friday, February 13th! It’ll be like an early Valentine date with Zoe! N and I are so excited! If you couldn’t tell from all the exclamation points! Seriously I can’t stop.

Taking Zoe to these types of things has been one reason I’m excited she’s growing up. This will be her first experience going to the theater. She’ll get to see all the Hundred Acre Wood gang, the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse crew, Handy Manny and the tools and the Little Einsteins. I realize we may be setting the bar high for all future trips to the theater, but I’m excited to see how she’ll do. Some of her first works were Tigger and Pooh, so I think we’ll be good. Now she says “cheers” along with the Clubhouse gang. I think it will be fun for her. Going to the children’s theater when I was little was one of my favorite things EVER, so I hope to continue the tradition with her.

5. The moment of truth – how has this week on my challenge gone? GREAT! FANTASTIC! MUCHO WONDERFULO! (Like my attempt at Spanish? I need to watch more Handy Manny.) I lost 1.4 pounds this week and made it to the gym all the days I could. I’m setting the bar kinda high for the gym appearances. However, I work out with a lady who kinda gives you a guilt trip if she doesn’t see you. I totally need that. Now if I could just get a recording of her for every time I opened the bread cabinet, we’d be set. We’re starting off strong, but not overly so. I keep telling myself, “marathon, not a sprint.”

Which has kinda been my motto behind the FFF posts apparently because they've been MIA. I'm back and ready for action.

Have a great weekend all.

But bacons tastes so good. On everything.

I'm usually not a big resolution girl. The thought of having to stick to something for a full 365 days is such a daunting task. It freaks me out. If I vow to give up desserts, it becomes all I crave and then I eat the sweets for the meal because technically it wouldn't be dessert. Because you know, it was the whole meal. I'm very good at making excuses as to why I cannot follow through with my resolution. Instead of starting out the year on that note, I just don't make resolutions.

Basically I want to be a better version of me by the end of the year than I was on January 1st, but it's broad and not so overwhelming. Besides I know there are LOTS of areas where God can mold me more into who He wants me to be, so I give it to Him to determine the area that needs the most work.

I've got to be honest, it's much more difficult than eating dessert as a meal, but the outcome is much better. Last year God was obviously working on my faith. It was bumpy, VERY BUMPY, but I do have a different outlook on life now than I did January 1, 2008. I have a deeper faith because of it. Resolution accomplished. Thank you God.

This year is different. I'm still going to let God work on me and determine where and how I need to be the person He has designed for me to be. I've also thrown in a little resolution of my own. Which is why I'm here today.

One week ago today I started a weight-loss challenge. It's a pretty intense 12-week program that requires a diet and exercise regime 6 days a week. The exercise part of it is easy. I love the gym. I would go twice a day if I could. I have no idea why. It's one of my happy places. In fact, for the last week I've been losing 90 minutes of sleep to get there. Surprisingly, I'm not cranky. Which makes N happy.

It's the diet side that I don't really do well at. I like bread. I like pasta. Apparently I eat enough of those for two people. I have what they call a portion control problem. If I like it, I eat it. Lots of it.

I'm writing this because I need accountability from all three of you who read this blog. I'm going to post an update every Friday with my stats as one of my Friday Five Faves. I'm hoping by putting on the Friday Five FAVES, it will be that I lost something I hope to never find again. It's that brain trickery I'm so good at.

I know I need to do this and to be successful. I want to be the mother who shows her daughter healthy habits. I want to be able to keep up with her. Shoot, I want to be able to keep up with N. Just walking beside him wears me out. Not to mention all the cute, spring fashion. My wardrobe needs an overhaul (this is where N starts to get light-headed).

While I know God is working on and holding me accountable, I am using this blog here to hold me accountable to that resolution.

I'm off to have some egg whites and low-fat cheese while I pretend it tastes like bacon.