You've Been Pep Talked.

"The world needs to stop being boring."  ~Kid President

Have y'all seen this video that's going around?  I love it.  This kid is awesome.



How funny was the part where he says, "Not cool, Robert Frost!"  I laughed for like 10 minutes.

Happy Thursday!

Peer Pressure

“As we work to create light for others, we naturally light our own way.” ~Mary Anne Radmacher

I've given into peer pressure again.  In college that usually meant that I ended up at the Penny at 2 in the morning with a bunch of drunk boys who needed a ride home.  Sigh...I love those crazy kids and miss those crazy nights!

Nowadays, my friends have grown up and it means that I've signed up to send letters and care packages to a soldier serving overseas!

Two of my real life friends--Pharmer Girl and Almost Gypsy Soul--both adopted soldiers through this program and blogged about it.  You just commit to sending a letter a week and 1-2 care packages a month. Pretty easy, right?   Now I'm not nearly as crafty as Pharmer Girl and I'm not as good at coming up with fun ideas (Taco Bell sauce) as Almost Gypsy Soul, but my poor soldier will just have to deal with what I can come up with.

I'm working on my first package. I'm thinking a football theme for Super Bowl weekend!

If you are interested on adopting a soldier, check out the website for Soldiers' Angels here.

If...

Weekend Update: Granting a Wish

"Volunteers are paid in six figures... S-M-I-L-E-S." ~Gayla LeMaire

I love being a Wish Granter for Make-a-Wish.  I mean, first off, the title "Wish Granter" sort of makes me feel like a fairy who goes around with my magic wand and makes people happy.  "Your wish is my command!"

But seriously, the fact that I get the chance to help make wishes come true for seriously ill kiddos and their families?  It really is the best gig on the planet.

This weekend, I was able to help make a wish come true for the sweetest boy. 
Unfortunately, privacy rules make me unable to give you any details on the kiddo, his wish, or share any pictures.  But let me just tell you that getting to see him smiling and laughing and surrounded by toys and balloons and a whole house full of people who clearly love him to pieces....well that's a picture that I'm never going to forget. 

I cannot encourage you enough to support the Make-a-Wish organization.  They make dreams come true for sick kids, and give precious memories to families who more than deserve them.  A wish is granted every 38 minutes.  Those are a lot of lives that MAW is making better!  To read some of the wish stories, you can click here.

You can donate money, donate airline miles, or get involved as a volunteer.  It's super easy and I cannot think of a more rewarding organization to be involved with.  For more info, feel free to contact me or check out the Make-a-Wish website.

Letters to Mr. Right: Letter #16

“No relationship is perfect, ever. There are always some ways you have to bend, to compromise, to give something up in order to gain something greater...The love we have for each other is bigger than these small differences. And that's the key.  Love can make up for a lot.” ~Sarah Dessen, This Lullaby

Dear Mr. Right,

When I was in college, I had a list of qualities I thought I needed to find in you.  Things like the ability to bench press my weight.  Have health insurance (I was quite practical for a 20 year old).  Never wear flip flops.  Know how to put your hand on the small of my back when walking into a room.  Beat me in a game of 1 on 1.  Have a job.  Not believe in dogs sleeping in the bed.  Wear cologne that made me weak in the knees.  Propose in the correct manner.  Know how to ride a horse and have branded calves.

Photo via Pinterest

And now?  I think I'd throw that entire list in the trash so long as you really love me. I haven't lowered my standards, but I've grown up.  Which is why it's probably good you didn't come along when I was 20.  Because I might have missed you.

(But if you happen to ride a horse and smell really good, well I wouldn't mind that much.)

Waiting for that day,

Me

*Linking up with Ashley for Friday Letters.  To see prior letters to Mr. Right, click here. 

Thankful Thursday

“We would worry less if we praised more. Thanksgiving is the enemy of discontent and dissatisfaction.”  ~Henry Ironside

My dear sweet friend College Roomie did this little link up last week, so I'm excited to join in this week!

* Speaking of College Roomie, I'm thankful that she asked me to be a bridesmaid in her wedding!  And even more thankful that she's letting me pick out any black dress that I want.  Love those kind of brides.  Love, love, love.  Feel free to send along any dress ideas you come across.

Me and CR at Bay to Breakers 2010

*  I'm thankful for the opportunity to volunteer with Make-a-Wish.  This weekend we will be granting the most amazing wish for the sweetest boy and his family.  I cannot put into words what it is like to be involved with something like that.

*  I'm thankful that I get to see BFF and Mrs. BFF this weekend.  These two are just my favorites.

*  I'm thankful for the "stress relief" aroma therapy bubble bath from Bath and Body Works.  Is it over priced?  Sure.  Does it relieve stress?  Probably not.  But dang it, it makes me smell good.  Good enough for this girl.

*  I'm thankful for LOKG who I will be running a half marathon with in exactly 93 days.  93 days!!  She's totally kept me going with my goal of eating healthy and getting back into the running game.  Bring it on, Oklahoma City Half Marathon.  You bring it on.

*  I'm thankful for all the babies in my life that are having birthdays this month.  I may have spent entirely too much money on gifts for the birthday kiddos (and their siblings...you can't leave them out!) and shipping them last weekend.  It's probably a good thing I don't have my own children, because I'd be broke as a joke at this rate.

On that note, check out this video of Little Linebacker (who turns 3 in two weeks!) singing "My God's Not Dead" and playing the drums--tree stumps, whatever--in the back yard.  Is this not the most precious thing you have ever seen in your life?  I just love that kid to death, and his parents are clearly doing something right!

* I'm thankful for ND Friend, who has to be the kindest person I know.  Right now she's praying multiple Novenas at the same time for other people and I'm still unsuccessfully avoiding the amazing homemade Nutella that she gave me for Christmas.  She's a Saint.  And a Betty Crocker.  Good combo.

*  Basically, I'm just thankful for my life and for all of the people in it.  I am blessed beyond belief.

Throwback Thursday #61: Homecoming

"Cheer up, Sleepy Jean.  Oh, what can it mean?  To a daydream believer, and a homecoming queen?"  ~The Monkees

[I know it's Wednesday, but I have another blog for Thursday.  So it's Throwback Thursday today.  Go with it.]

Oh, y'all.  I'm old.

This weekend was Homecoming at my alma mater, Logan High School.  I didn't go (does anyone actually go to high school homecomings?) but seeing the posts about it on Facebook made me remissness about the olden days.  You know, dances in the gym, the big mums that are totally impractical and illogical but for some reason are deemed "cool", putting on a prom dress immediately after finishing playing a basketball game (read:  sweaty and gross), gluing balloons to arches, and crooked plastic crowns.

And there's nothing like a few decade old pictures to make you remember the good ol' days.  Shall we?

Just for the record, that dress cost me $25 (Blue Eyes' poor tie cost twice that) and I wore it to homecoming and two proms and two different younger girls wore it to their prom.  That, friends, is $5 bucks a wear.  Years later and that is what I remember about homecoming.....you can see just how cool I was!  Ha!

Nobody Gets To Watch The Parade

"Most great adventures work that way. You don't plan them, you don't wait to get all the details right, you just do them."  ~Bob Goff

I love Bob Goff.  You know this from my raving about his book, Love Does.  Seriously, this guy is a genius and I wish there was some way that I could move to California and pitch a tent in his front yard and just follow him around every day.  No, seriously.  I do.

So imagine my delight when I was reading a book last week, and it turns out that the author is friends with Bob Goff.  Even better, dude told stories about Bob Goff.  (I could have just said Bob there, but I think there are some people who just have to be addressed by both names.  George Strait.  Michael Jordan.  John Lucas.  Bob Goff.)

The one that stuck with me was the story of Bob Goff and his kids starting a New Year's Day tradition of a neighborhood parade.  Bob Goff's kids were bored one New Year's Day, and Bob Goff relaied that it was probably the most boring day of the year.  So he asked the kids what they might like to do.  One suggested a parade.  And, becuase Bob Goff is the most awesome person on the planet, a parade it was.  Bob Goff's kids went door to door to invite the neighbors to join in the parade and end up in the Goff's yard for a picnic.  That's how it started.  And now, it's an annual tradition. Involving over 400 people. Some neighbors who have moved away plan vacations back just to be part of the parade. See why I want to pitch my tent in this dude's yard?

Now, there was only one rule about the parade.  Nobody gets to watch.  That's right, no spectators allowed.  Why?  Because Bob Goff says that it's more fun to be in a parade than to sit by and watch the parade.

Well, isn't that a metaphor for life?  It's more fun to be in the parade than watching.  There should be no spectators.  Instead of lining up and watching other people do things--have fun, make a difference, chase their dreams, dance like a crazy person, fall in love--we should be right there in the middle of the parade with everyone else.  Sure, it's easier to be a spectator.  It's not scary, there's no risk, you don't have the chance of failure or getting hurt or getting laughed at.  But we were created to live, not to spectate.  We were created to be out there marching in the parade.  And hopefully wearing a funny hat and carrying balloons.

Martin Luther King Day

The Trouble Is...

A Little Giveaway...

"If you look for the good, you will find it." ~Sweetness Itself Blog

My sweet friend, The Crazy Canadian, posted the following on her facebook page last week:

2013 Inspirational Pay It Forward:  The first five people to comment on this status & re-post, will receive in the next calendar year, an "inspirational" gift or surprise from me...you never know what you will get! If you're 1 of my 5 lucky friends, I'll need your address if I don't already have. The catch is that you have to be willing to post on your page and do the same for others (creative, inspirational (like me) or whatever is authentically you)! Let the posting begin! 

Well, I couldn't pass this up because if I know my friend, it's going to be something awesome she gives to people!  So....I'm joining in the fun.

The first 5 people to comment on this blog will get an inspirational gift from me sometime this year!  And, as you know from my 30 by 30 list, I'm all into this do-it-yourself craft business right now, so it could get interesting!

And, because I hate posts without pictures, here are a few inspirational gems for your Thursday.

Let Us Celebrate

“People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can't find them, make them.”  ~   George Bernard Shaw, Mrs. Warren's Profession

So I was going to save this blog until the 30 by 30 monthly report for January, but I'm frankly so darn proud of myself, that I just can't wait.  Remember how cooking 10 new recipes is one of the 30 items on my list?

Well, this past Sunday I decided to make two new recipes that my dearest friend Loud Oklahoma Girl sent me....at the same time.  Now, normally this would spell disaster for me.  If you've followed me for any amount of time, you know that cooking for me frequently involves a smoke alarm, fire extinguisher and/or second degree burns.  In fact, I think that this was made in my honor by the internet fairies: 

However, this weekend I successfully made my two new (and healthy!) recipes At. The. Same. Time.  No fire, no smoke, no injuries.  BAM!  Here's the scoop.

Skinny Taste Baked Potato Soup
So first up we have a healthy baked potato soup.  (Recipe and nutrition info here.)

The main idea of this soup is that instead of using all potatoes, you use about half cauliflower instead.  Veggies instead of carbs.  I'm here to tell you, I couldn't taste any difference and this stuff was AMAZING.  Seriously perfect for the cold weather we've been having.  Here's a picture:

I made two minor modifications to the recipe:  (1) I added an extra 1/2 C of chicken broth because the soup got pretty thick on me; (2) I don't like chives, so I used parsley instead.  I honestly cannot recommend this recipe enough.  Try it.  You'll thank me.  And Loud Oklahoma Girl for finding it!  I'm linking up with Leslie for The Great Souptacular and Kelly's Corner....so you can check out other soup recipes on her page!

Protein Packed Banana Bread
Second up we have a recipe for Protein Packed Banana Bread.  LOKG got this one in an email and we're always struggling with what to have for breakfast, so I was excited to try it!  Again, it did not disappoint.  It was awesome.  Plus it's super healthy and the protein will fill you up so that you're not hungry in an hour.  This is becoming a regular for this girl!  Here's the recipe for ya:

Ingredients for bread:

1.5 scoops chocolate protein powder
.5 C whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
.5 teaspoon cinnamon  {I also added nutmeg because I don't pay attention to what I'm doing and might have though it was cinnamon...no harm, no foul.}
2 mashed ripe bananas
2 egg whites
2 tbsp vanilla greek yogurt
Optional:  1/3C chocolate chips  {Optional?  Listen, people, in my book, chocolate chips are never optional. You better believe that I included these bad boys.}

Ingredients for topping:

1/3 C oats
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
Drizzling of honey {I'd estimate 2T ish for this}
Sprinkling of cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 and then mix dry bread ingredients in a medium sized bowl.  Add bananas, egg whites, and Greek yogurt.  Mix well.

Spray a bread pan with non-stick spray and then pour mixed ingredients into the pan.

In the same medium mixing bowl (which is now empty), mix toping ingredients with clean hands.  {Two things here...recipe that lets me just use one bowl?  Victory!  Second, I used a spoon, I don't like mixing food with my hands.}  Be sure you use enough honey that the topping begins to stick/clump together.  Sprinkle on top of bread batter in the pan.

Put in the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until toothpick comes out mostly clean.

Nutrition Info:  {This was calculated by me, and I suck at math, but I think it's close!}

Serving size:  1/6 pan
Calories:  204
Carbs:  37
Fat:  4
Protein:  7
Cholesterol:  3
Sodium:  39

On Being Single...

"If you ain't got two kids by 21, you're probably gonna die alone, at least that's what tradition told you..." ~Kacey Musgraves, Merry Go Round

Listen, I try to have a good attitude about this "always a bridesmaid (or groomsma'am) never the bride" situation that I live in.  And I've got a dress full of poofy dresses to prove it.  I blog about how great it is to be able to sprawl out in the whole bed, go on vacation without having to run it by anyone, and how I enjoy there not being boys dirty socks strewn all over my floor.  And I mean all of that, I really do.

But.....  Yes, there is a "but" here.

It's hard being a single lady.  Particularly when you're getting *ahem* older, and everyone else in your life has traded in their single status for shiny engagement rings and baby car seats and wedding planners.  It's easy to feel like there is something wrong with you, some reason that you are not being chosen.  And lots of people, as good as their intentions may be, help to make this feeling even worse with comments like, "What are you waiting on?"  "Why are you being so picky?"  "If you want to have kids you better get to finding you a husband."  Trust me, I've heard them all.

That's why I absolutely loved this article about how society treats single women. If you ask me, it's spot on.  Here's my favorite quote:

"Marital status does not reflect the loveliness of one’s personality—or God’s special favor. The world is more complicated, marriages are more diverse, and God’s ways are more mysterious than that." 

Amen to that.  Just because someone is married does not make her prettier or funnier or kinder or smarter or nicer or better than a single girl.  And there is not something wrong with those of us who are still looking for Mr. Right.  We are not less, we are not worse,  we are not unchosen.  We are enough:  good enough, pretty enough, smart enough, just enough.  We are just on a different plan and timetable.  

Sometimes it's nice to just have that reminder.

Elk Steaks and Hoe Cakes: 2012 Ski Trip Report

"If I wasn't fat, I'd eat one of those cookies."  ~Ski Trip Jerry (deemed quote of the ski trip)

Today I'm recapping the last weekend in December when I headed to Red River with a group of crazies for our annual family ski trip.  There were fun nights at The Lift House, making smores, cooking elk steaks that one of the Hepburns shot that morning, laughing until I couldn't breathe, hoe cakes and Natty Light, relationship advice from Ski Trip Jerry, naming another portion of the mountain after a curseword, green chile chicken alfredo, and lots of fun!

Traditional first stop:  The Lift House Bar

Me and the Hepburn children (who I used to babysit..I'm officially old!)

Me and the Old Man

The men cooked while the women watched football...my kind of set up!

Hoe cakes and Natty Light....a Ski Trip Jerry tradition.

Fresh elk steaks courtesy of One Shot Pat 12 hours before!

Hittin' the slopes.

Me and Cousin Whitney

Daddies and daughters

When we started this ski trip 7 years ago, we were just a bunch of kids who wanted to do something more fun than lambing out ewes on Christmas break from college.  It's sort of taken on a life of its own and ended up creating a ski trip family of people who I can't really imagine my life without.  It accidentally became a tradition, but it's one I am so grateful for!

2012 Ski Trip Family Photo

*Linking up with This Weekend I and Weekend Update.

Friday Book Club: December Books

This December I read two Advent books, and I would highly recommend both for anyone next year.  I thought they were both really great!  Both books had daily scripture verses and writings by various people--saints, ministers, regular folks.  They really made me think and were easy reads.

Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus

"She might have doubted, but she shut her eyes and trusted God who could bring all things to pass, even though common sense were against it; and because she believed, God did to her as he had said."

"Do you know what a stable smells like?  You know what that family would have smelled like after the birth when they went out into the city?  And if they were standing next to you, how would you have felt about them and regarded them?  I want you to see Christ in the neighbor you tend to despise--in the political party you despise--in the race you despise--in the class of people you despise."

"If though hast but room for Christ he will come and be thy guest."

"Why is the world in such a mess?  You and I are the problem.  Our good intentions are not strong enough to control our evil impulses.  We need a Savior to rescue us from ourselves."

"There may be true servants of God in places where we should not expect to find them."

"These wise men believed in Christ when they had never seen him; but that was not all.  They believed in him when the scribes and Pharisees were unbelieving; but that again was not all.  They believed in him when they saw him as a little infant on Mary's knees, and worshiped him as King.  This was the crowning point of their faith.  They saw no miracles to convince them.  They heard not teaching to persuade them.  They saw nothing but a newborn infant, helpless and weak, needing amother's care like any of us.  And yet when they saw that infant, they beleived that they saw the divine Savior of the world!  We read of no greater faith than this in the world.  It is a faith that deserves to be placed side by side with that of the penitent thief.  The thief saw someone dying the death of a criminal, and yet prayed to him and called him Lord.  The wise men saw a newborn baby on the lap of a poor woman and yet worshipped him, and confessed that he was Christ.  Blessed indeed are those who can believe in this way!"

Advent and Christmas with the Saints

"Dear God, if you were with me in any infinitesimal moments of sheer silence, then I'm sorry I missed you, because I was not silent myself."

"Keep this light burning brightly within me, I pray, that I might never lose my way, and so that everyone I encounter todaymight recognize your Spirit in my soul."

"Oh Child of Divinity, why do I seek God in the spectacular--in a glorious sunrise, a sweet melody, a sacred ceremony, an inspired prayer?  Teach me, rather, to seek the Divine in the ordinary--in my grandmother's hands or my brother's face, in my child's laughter or my own baby's wail--so that I might, finally, come to perceive God in all things and to be with God as God is always with me."

30 by 30 Report: Month 2

"There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.”  ~ Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

Just in case anyone missed the 30 by 30 list, click here to check it out.  Two months down and I'd say things are going pretty well!

#1:  Cook 10 new recipes.  (4/10 completed)

First up this month, I made zucchini cakes.  My sweet cousin put a picture of zucchini cakes on facebook.  Now I love me some zucchini, so I knew I had to try them.  Y'ALL.  Seriously, these are amazing.  So easy (no explosions, no fires, no problems), so delicious, and not horribly unhealthy.  Here's a link to the recipe.  Trust me, you must try these.

Second, I made some crock pot turkey meatloaf from a recipe I found on Christin's blog.  Now, I'm a beef girl, so I would normally substitute hamburger for turkey here, but I was trying something new so I went with it.  I don't care for mushrooms, so I substituted green bell pepper instead.  I thought it was pretty good.  Not something I want to eat every week, but a recipe I'll add to my book.

#7:  Read 24 more books.  (4/24 completed)

I knocked two more books off of this list with the two Advent readings I chose this year.  You read earlier about the main lesson I learned in my Advent reflection this year.  Tomorrow, I'll get up a recap of the two books I read.

#8:  Send my friends little gifts once a month (2/12 completed)

I totally got this idea off of pinterest, modified it slightly, and incorporated it into some of my Christmas gifts.  It was really fun, super easy, and people loved it.  The original idea was to get nail polish and make a cute little tag that said "for your mistle-toes."  Well, I'm a fuzzy sock lover--I mean for real--if fuzzy socks don't make it better, you might as well give up.  So I added fuzzy socks to the mix and ended up with this.

I just bought socks, nail polish, string to tie it all together, and these cute little wooden gift tags from Hob Lob that I painted red and green.  I thought it turned out pretty well!

#22:  Send money anonymously to someone at Christmas.

This was one of the items I was the most excited about checking off the list when I wrote it.  I'm a sucker for Christmas.  Those Angel trees where you take a tag and buy the person gifts?  They see me coming.  I took like 5 tags at church last week and I've still got to go by the Wal-Mart that does one for people in the nursing home.  Last year I went on the last day and was so upset thinking that if I didn't take all the remaining tags those people would have no Christmas, that I was in tears in the store and bought them out of sweat suits (apparently that's a popular request at the nursing home!).  Anyway, I digress.  Every year I like to give some money to a family that I know needs it.  I've had my family selected since July and I love knowing that they just got a random gift card in the mail that will help make Christmas a little more fun.

#29:  Bring home a bouquet of flowers once a month (2/12 completed).

What I'm Loving Wednesday!

“Dear old world', she murmured, 'you are very lovely, and I am glad to be alive in you.”   ~L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

I haven't linked up in a L-O-N-G time, so I've been saving up lots of likes for today!

1.  This article written by a mom about the Sandy Hook tragedy.  I identified right away because I, like her, am just not a crier, but this really got to me.  Her explanation of why is spot on.  I know what six looks like, and because of that, I understand too much what must have happened in that school.  God bless everyone involved.

2.  This video that I found thanks to Miss Ty's blog.  It's called Sh** (Bible Belt mom editing) Southern Women Say.  I was in tears.  And I guarantee you I say at least three of these every single day.  No lie. http://www.arkansassyblog.com/2012/12/does-this-pistol-come-in-pink.html

3.  The new song by Tim McGraw. Even though I'm much more of a Texas Country girl than a mainstream music fan, I love this song!
 

4.  This blogger who volunteered to lay a wreath on every grave at Arlington National Cemetery for Christmas.  What an amazing thing to be part of!

5.  I'm not one of those girls who plans her wedding out in her head.  I've explained that in a Letter to Mr. Right before.  But last week I heard this version of 1000 years and loved it so much that I think it would be the perfect wedding processional....and then right after that, I heard the One Direction song called Little Things that I'm quite certain will have to be played at any future wedding I have.  Perhaps it's a sign of Mr. Right's impending arrival??




6.  This article by The Single Woman.  It's all about how we need to stop overthinking everything in our lives and just do something!  She talks about how she will overanalyze little decisions like whether to go into Target or if she should buy new lipstick....um....completely guilty.  I've done the same thing more times than I can count.  Here is her advice:   "Chances are, sometimes this plan of less thought and more action is going to inevitably lead to mistakes and mishaps and maybe even rejection…but isn’t DOING and KNOWING better than WAITING and WONDERING?" 

7.  This t-shirt I saw online.  Yes, that would be me.  But never fear, I'm back on a running plan (I have a half marathon with Loud Oklahoma Girl in April to train for!) and on the trusty ol' my fitness pal. 

8.  My sweet friend Almost Gypsie Soul has started a blog!  We went to school together at OSU, she was the one who suggested we run Remember the Ten last year, and she's just generally awesome.  Check her out, add her to your blog list.  You'll love her.  Oh, and she's doing a playlist for the blog every month, which I love!

She's the tall one in blue....dang tall people make me so jealous!

9.  My adorable friend (who I used to babysit.....hello, my name is Tiffany and I'm old!) is in school at OSU.  Well yesterday, our quarterback--Clint Chelf--retweeted her!  Now, once I had her explain to me what exactly re-tweeting meant, I was super excited.  She's basically famous! :)

10.  My dear friends Nomad and Emily from Friends got hitched!  That's right, they got married in what looks to have been a picture-perfect ceremony over the holiday.  Who wants a guest blog wedding report from these two???

Word on the street is that they may have a second wedding in England, to which I'm invited!  Little European adventure in my future??  I think so.  I'll totally channel my inner-Joey!  "It's LONDON, baby!"


Nomad and Emily from Friends:  Please don't un-invite me because of this! :)