If You Gave A Toddler A Vegetable

We had tacos for dinner tonight. Hadn't had them in a while, so I thought I'd fix them. The seasoning was very mild, so I thought I'd have no trouble getting my almost two year old to eat one. So, I cut a whole wheat tortilla in half, scooped out some taco meat, sprinkled on some cheese, added a little diced tomato and gave it to him. And what does he do? He turns his head and adamantly says, "NO!" and then to top it off, he unrolls the taco, shakes the insides off the shell, and proceeds to eat the tortilla. Just the tortilla. We tried everything! Giving him his own fork, scooping the insides up and helping him feed himself, letting him take a bite of our taco, force feeding him with arms held down and head held back. Nothing works! And as my meal is getting cold, and I feel like my world is crumbling around me, I think about how I never want to see my child get fat. I don't want to see him have to diet like mommy (even though I did get to goal at Weight Watchers). Why the heck won't this child eat the food I give him? Why won't he eat vegetables? Why why why!? I feel like I've failed as a mother. This child is going to grow up only wanting to eat unhealthy foods. It's just so frustrating for me when all he asks for are cookies and crackers or chips. And I don't give those to him regularly because I don't have them in my home on a regular basis. He does eat fruit, and I only feed him whole grain or whole wheat bread. I just don't know what to do anymore. He knows I'm not a short order cook, so if he doesn't eat what I give him, he doesn't eat. I just wish his child would eat a piece of lettuce and tomato on a sandwich, or some baby carrots with a little dip instead of licking the dip off the carrot and throwing the carrot on the floor for me to have to pick up. I'm at a loss, and I feel like there's no hope for me to get this child to eat his veggies. I mean, aren't these years the building blocks for good nutrition? Am I at a total loss? I just wish I could wave a wand and the Magic Vegetable Fairy would come down and work her magic. Please! Why does this have to be so hard?

Ooohhh baby!

Because I can! That's why.

One Silver Wire

As I was awakened by my wonderful alarm clock this morning, I lay there in bed saying to myself, just one more hour. Then it occured to me that I am scheduled to work at Curves this morning. So, I rolled out of bed, gathered my clothes and staggered into the bathroom. As I turned on the light, through my blurry, goober crusted eyes, I spied a shiny, silver wire sticking out of my head. I leaned in closer to the mirror, being careful not to frighten myself, and was appalled by the sight of an acutal gray hair poking out of my head. I thought to myself, "dear Lord, has my life amounted to this?! Can this really be? I'm 26 years old, for Pete's sake (whoever Pete is)!"

So, I gathered my composure, got ready for the day, and quickly swooped up my sign of aging and shoved it in the trash. No way is a silly little gray hair going to get in MY way!

So there! <>

Best Friends

Isn't there a quote that says "a dog is a man's best friend"? Our son and dog, a beagle named Anakin, have really come to enjoy each other's company. They play together, and my son laughs and giggles and carries on as Anakin zips around the house. Here are some pictures of them just chillin'.

Let Me Be A Light!

Warning: This post might be a bit hard to swallow for some who read this.

My husband and I attend Grace Fellowship Church, a Bible based church that believes in Jesus, the one and only son of God. We have a strong faith. This faith was strengthened by being involved with our Intervarsity Christian Fellowship in college as small group leaders and worship leaders. Strengthened by involvement in small groups at Grace Fellowship Church as members, and most recently we became leaders. Strengthened by Bible study with Community Bible Study and The Bible in 90 Days program. Strengthened through the amazing worship we experience at church, that often brings me to tears. God is so amazingly present in this world. Why can't everyone just submit to Him?

Over the Christmas holiday, we discovered that a friend of mine, lets call her Sally, is attending a Unitarian Universalist church, and recently I decided to do some digging and find out a bit more. First of all, please pray for those who believe in Unitarian Universalism. As I read the website for the church she attends, I had an ill feeling come over me that Satan was very present and real and that he has a hold on those who attend this church. Having a strong faith in the truth that embodies Jesus Christ, I realized that Jesus doesn't seem to be in that church at all, which makes me wonder how it can be called a church. Here is the definition of church: a building for public and especially Christian worship. It really just blows my mind to think how people are so mislead about the truth. That they can find truth in all kinds of deities? That's so completely wrong! Please Lord Jesus, help me to be a light unto this world that they may see You in me and know the truth so they may be set free. I pray that I can be a light to as many people as possible. And please, Lord, give me the courage and strength to tell people about You so they won't go to Hell, because in the end, there will be chosen people and there will be those left behind. It pains me to think about how people are going to be left behind to burn and suffer. I can't reach everyone. Lord, could Sally be one of them? I pray that she doesn't think that she can find truth in herself. Truth is only found in Jesus. Why is it so hard for people to believe that? Don't they want total freedom? Don't they want to spend eternity in Heaven with our Wonderful Father? Father God, help me to see the world as You see the world, so that I may know how to reach the unbelievers so that they can see the truth and believe. Amen!

How To Make A Desk For $100

Supplies: Two assembly-required filing cabinets from Ollie's (one,a lovely cherry finish, the other, black with "alumacast" fronts, oops!), a solid slab door from Home Depot, and some grip liner to hold the door/desk top in place.

Instructions: After hubby disappears to the basement to start a project, suggest that we finally make the desk we've been talking about. After child is put down for a nap, offer to go to Home Depot to buy the door and grip liner while hubby puts the filing cabinets together. Return home with door and grip liner. Argue a bit about how to get the 3,000 pound door inside the house. Finish arguing. Finish putting cabinets together, which takes the longest. Darn you assembly required furniture! Thank God that hubby offered to do it instead of you. Cut grip liner to fit tops of cabinets. Position cabinets so that the door will be directly over top. Lift 3,000 pound door and position over top cabinets. And voila! A huge, brand-new desk for less than 100 dollars! Enough work space to spread out. Enough room for the computer. And enough leg room too! Fantastic! And it even has shiny, new "alumacast" fronts on one side! How modern!

Merry Tossmas!

A friend of mine sent this video to me today. Let us all remember the true meaning of Christmas. It's not about getting gifts, or going into debt to buy gifts, or seeing how much light you can display on your home! It's about celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, the only Son of the one and ONLY God! Check this video out!

Just cut and paste this link into your browser thingy:

http://www.citizenlink.org/Stoplight/A000005834.cfm

Nuff said!