RazNoggle

I resolve to be in FRONT of the camera more often.

It’s actually pretty sad and pathetic how few photos I have of me from this year. It’s very few. Not that I want a whole library full of pictures of me, but I do want pictures of me with the kids, and me with Stu, and me just doing things I do.

With the stuff that’s been going on with Heather, and other stories like hers, I realize that those snap shots are important. The “big” photo opportunities are important too, and I’m working on getting together with another photographer for some great family photos hopefully in the next month or 2. But besides those, I want there to be photos of me playing with the kids, or doing projects with them. Me in the picnic shots and whatever else we do together.

I know that since I’m the “photographer” it naturally falls to me to take pictures and document things. BUT I confess that I’ve often used that as a “good reason” not to be in front of the camera because…. well, pictures don’t lie, like I mentioned before. I’m not perfectly pleased with myself so I don’t want to see those photos. I’ve realized though that it’s just selfish to think that way. What if something did happen to me, and my kids were left with no tangible memories because I was too self-conscious to have pictures taken of me?

So this year I resolve to make sure I’m IN more photos. I’m also resolving to take along my point and shoot camera, which sometimes it drives me crazy to use, and capture more candid snapshot memories. Because I realize I’ve missed a lot of those this year due to the fact that I didn’t want to “lug” my big camera wherever. No more excuses this time!

I’m going to be in photos. Even if I look like this:

Ha ha ha ha ha!!

I resolve to stop living a cyber-life and really live my REAL life!

This is the resolution that has kicked me off of facebook for the month of January. It takes a month to make a habit, and I’m trying, with this resolution, to make a habit of being more in the moment with my kids, hubby, and house, instead of frittering away the time online “pretending” to be important to all those people out there.

Now before you get your girdle in a twist, I know that some of you are my friends on facebook and would argue that I am important. Thanks!! I know who you are, don’t worry. I just need this time as a refocus for moi.

I took steps in Dec to whittle down my friends list by over half, and you know what? that helped a lot! My news feed wasn’t that long, and I didn’t feel like I had as much to “do” when I visited facebook-land. I also “hid” all of the pages that I like so that they don’t show up as well.

Too often over the last year I have used facebook as an escape. I’ve used it as a way to connect with people, yes, but more often, I used it to “get away” from things that I really needed to be doing here and now. I will always say that FB has it’s place, because the truth is I don’t get out much. I don’t have friends close by, and I do need some “connections” outside of my hubby and kids. Still, I was plugged in enough to realize that it had gotten out of control for me.

Now you have the mental picture of me hunched over a laptop in a dark corner for 13 hours a day. Ha ha! No, it wasn’t like that… not quite… I sat by a sunny window. Just kidding! Still, I know that for me, I was spending way too much time plugged into cyberspace and not enough time dealing with my kids and the other responsibilities surrounding me. In fact, I started to resent some of those responsibilities because I felt like I never had enough time for them. The reason for that? I was pinning or following threads in a facebook group all afternoon and it left me rushed and stressed out. Not good.

So that’s what the lack of FB is all about this month. I plan, of course, to let it back in a little bit after I’ve made the deconnection. I want to live my real life. You can’t really make memories in cyberspace, it just doesn’t work. Meanwhile, my kids are a hoot, and I love living real life with them, and my Man!

P.S. I am updating my biz fan page on FB so you might see some activity there, but I am completely avoiding my personal page and my groups. See ya in Feb!

And it’s because of that I am resolved to loose the last of the pesky weight that I’ve been toting around for no good reason.

Last year I had a weight loss resolution as well, and no wonder since I was only 3 months post baby. So hard to believe! Ella’s getting so big! And even though I didn’t complete that resolution, I did manage to loose the baby weight. And I learned a few things in the process about how my body “likes” to lose the extra flab. I can’t just do it all at once. It goes in spurts. I lose some, then plateau and maintain for awhile before I can lose again.

This is a revelation to me because, fortunately, I have not had to struggle with weight issues my whole life. It’s a relatively new concept to me, so the learning curve is a little tight. (snicker) I do have a lot of respect for people who DO struggle with weight as a continual thing. I think that pressure is difficult and it’s hard to see progress. Which is why looking at where I’ve come from can be helpful.

Because I saw some pictures that I happened to be in (which is a rare occurrence any more) over Christmas break, and the only thing I could think was, “YUCK!” And I realized that mirrors really can lie. Because mirrors sometimes show you the you you want to see. (How many times can YOU use “you” in a sentence?) We all have a mental perception of ourselves and sometimes you can really truly not see the real you. That’s why the anorexic person will be emaciated and look in the mirror and see a fat person. It’s mental.

Anyway, mirrors may lie, but pictures do not. And when I saw “those” pictures I realized that the muffin top has GOT to go, and the rest of the poundage that I just do not need! So I have resolved to get a good jump on it in January. Now that I realize I most likely can not lose it all at once and be done with it forever, I’m taking it a bit at a time. Divide and conquer!!!

I will do my low-carb thing for January (by the way I have lost 2 lbs in the last 2 days by just cutting out carbs… no exercise yet, even!!) and then in Feb I will maintain whatever I have ended up losing. In March…. we’ll see what happens in Jan first.

I’ve made some modifications to the “slow-carb” diet that I lost weight on last year. I am including fruit, which was forbidden on that one, but cutting out dairy. Apparently dairy can be a big weight-loss killer. Who knew? And that’s going to be difficult for me because I’m totally in a dairy loving rut! Still I’ll save all that yummy yogurt and sour cream for February. I’m even doing something I consider radical and that is to have almond milk in my coffee…. I have never tasted the stuff before, so this will be an adventure!

Anyway, wish me luck, I will be starting my kettle bell/ball crunch exercise routine up again tomorrow. Can’t wait to be the new me in a month! Ha ha!

More resolutions coming your way…. stay tuned!

Analysis doesn’t really thrill my little heart. I’m not a geek, nerd, or pinhead. I don’t get all hyper about numbers and statitistics and charts and graphs. It’s all a little too much like *gasp* Math, and makes me start to have anxiety attacks if I think about it too hard!

But I do find the Google Analytics site interesting. You can see how many times your blog is viewed and even the countries and CITIES that people are viewing your blog from! Wow! Big Brother is watching!!!

So out of curiosity I was looking at the numbers for my blogs, I have 2 remember???? Oh, you don’t? Well, stay tuned for my little commercial (or whine) later.

For THIS blog that you are laying your eyes on right now. My biggest “Country” fans are, the USA, of course, and Canada!! With a third being Ukraine. I don’t know of anyone in Ukraine, but welcome, happy to have you along.

For the cities Albuquerque is the biggest with a second being Woodstock??? Where is that exactly? I’m very bamboozled by that one for sure. Anyway, there’s a good showing from Los Angeles and Prescott as well. Thanks for tagging along! What fun!

Anyway, now the commercial/whine. On my business blog at cdostudios.com I have had 2 visits….. from Brazil! This may be part of why I keep getting spam comments on that particular blog. Ha ha! Actually though, I did get 2 honest and genuine comments from a friend of mine recently, so I can’t be too down about it.

I just want to encourage you to “pop” over there to see what’s going on in my little photo-mind. There’s generally pictures involved on that blog, sadly lacking here. I just get tied up in the words over here and forget about pictures. *sigh* SO maybe if you combine the 2 in your reading you can get the words here and pictures there!!!

Can you sense the “begging” aspect yet? No? Okay how’s this….. PPPPPPPLLLLLEEEEAAAAASSSSSEEEEEEE come visit me on my other blog tooooooooooo!!!!! Please?

If only to help a gal out with her ego issues. Thanks! You’re the best! Ha ha!

In order to help along the “deGrinchification” process I have recently read several articles that I found helpful. I’ll pass them along to you in case you too might be suffering from a bite from the Grinch bug!

I’m glad I came across this one because really the only thing I have left on my “list” is stocking stuffers. I haven’t yet established any real traditions with our stockings yet, so now is the year to start! I don’t like just packing them full of sweets so now I have a couple more ideas for them. I especially like the “unders” and the bandaid ideas!

This is a list of the TOP 5 toys for kids EVER! Seriously. I think I’m going to find some good gift ideas in this list!

And here’s another from The Modern Mrs. Darcy about practical gifts. I appreciate her approach to things. And after “pruning” the kids toys today and the inevitable “trauma” of it all, I’m thinking practical is oh-so-much better than just “stuff.” Ha ha ha!

So anyway, some of these ideas are helping me with my deGrinchification process. I’m already looking forward to next Christmas with a slew of home-made gift ideas, and a better appreciation for a Simple Season.

Well we had a fun time at my parent’s house this weekend celebrating a bit of an early Christmas. The kids were wild as always when any kind of “gift” is involved, but it was so much fun! Stuart got the “iPod nano watch” of his dreams, and is now obsessed with checking the time. The boys were given a set of “marble works” that they think is the coolest invention EVER! I have to admit that they are pretty fun! Now the challenge is going to be keeping the marbles from de Bella.

I had expressed an interested to my mom earlier this year that I would like a sewing machine. Now this is noteworthy for a couple of reasons. 1) I don’t “like” to sew 2) The last time I attempted a project on my mom’s demon possessed machine I came within a hair of throwing that thing through the window…. really. So it doesn’t really seem like a good match for me.

I took a couple of years of 4H when I was in 5th and 6th grade. Or so… And the first year I made a skirt that I loved, a book bag that was amazing for carrying my piano books, and uh… well, that’s all I remember. The second year, we were moving on to patterns and I picked out a fun jumper pattern to make out of a BRIGHT yellow fabric. I guess, looking back now, I should be glad that I never made it through that project. LOL! Oh my, what a sight I would have been!! Anyway, the 4H teacher from the year before had quit, and now one lady was handling the “work-load” of at least 2. There were too many girls sewing and not enough machines, and while I got my pattern all cut out, pressed and pinned, the sewing of it didn’t work out. I actually did get to use the machine a couple of times, but the settings were wrong on it, and I knew no different, so I spent a lot of time ripping seams before I lost heart with it all and Mom let me quit.

Since then I have tried different sewing projects with various levels of success. I never yet have liked an article of clothing that I “made” myself. And like I said above, most end with my complete frustration and firm vow to NEVER sew again.

So what changed you might ask. Well, I’ll sum it up in one little word pinterest.

It’s true I’m a pinterest junkie. There are SO many amazing projects on there. Many of which are “no sew” which gets my immediate attention. But I’ve also found some that are minimal sew projects. Meaning that yes, you need a sewing machine, but no, you don’t need to be a wiz at sewing. Those ones have me intrigued. And since I’m obsessed with making my own photography props for infants, I thought that a sewing machine would be a great addition to my tools.

Mom took the hint and called up my Grandma, who by the way is a fantastic sewer, and as it all turns out Grandma gave Mom her machine to give me!! It’s all “tuned up” and ready to go! I’m so excited about this sewing machine, and it’s even boggling my mind that I’m so excited about it, because I know that sewing and I have not been the best of chums. BUT I’m determined to give it a go, and I’m so happy that I can be attempting my this-n-that projects on Oma’s machine.

Thanks Mom!! Thanks Grandma!! You guys are the best!

P.S. Mom also gave me a really fun sewing basket! You might never see me again if I get buried in fabric, yarn and pinterest projects!

. I like to drink water at room temp, or at the coldest how it comes out of the tap. If it’s got ice or has been refrigerated, I need a straw because it hurts my teeth.

. I hate to wear make up. Hate it!!!

. I think that the “flat” side of the Ritz is where the cream cheese should go.

. Social interaction requires a LOT of mental energy on my part, and I can be completely exhausted after meeting new people. I’m an introvert… I’ve tried, it cannot be overcome.

. Math is not my friend.

. I have a serious coffee addiction. I’m trying to limit my intake to 2 cups a day…. it’s a struggle.

. Crochet is one of my favorite ways to relax. Though sometimes I forget about it for periods of time. Typically after I’ve tried a project that was too long or complex.

. I read Pride and Prejudice multiple times a year.

. I laugh at my children at the most inopportune times… like when I’m in the middle of discipline. I can’t help it, they are too hilarious sometimes!

. I dream of living in Colorado or Montana someday. *sigh*

. I don’t drink enough water during the day (probably because I’m too busy drinking coffee!) until right before bed when I’m scathingly thirsty, and of course that means I’m up at night.

. Handling raw meat makes me less inclined to eat the final dish… though I’ve gotten much better about it. Really!

. I’d rather read than watch a movie.

. Apparently I speak too quietly for most people to hear well.

. I absolutely LOVE photography!

. Sometimes I wish I had a Pomeranian so I could rub my face in it’s fur.

. Starting things is easy for me. Finishing things is not. I’m working on this…. later.

. I still sometimes find myself surprised that I’m married and have kids. I’m so very happy that Stuart picked me!! It was easy to pick him too!

. I forgot to eat breakfast today. I meant to… but I forgot.

. I miss “snail” mail.

. Thanksgiving is my favorite Holiday. And Christmas is second. Fun times coming up!!

My eyelashes have gone through some trials since having kids. Who knew that so much can change about you when you become a mom?? Weird!

Anyway, I randomly stumbled across a news article about this lash enhancer stuff. I was intrigued because recently my dad has had some amazing eyelash growth due to some prescription drops that he has to use for an eye condition. I hadn’t realized before that there really are products that can do that!! WOW! I wanted to snitch the drops and try them for myself, but didn’t think that would really be a wise plan since I don’t have an actual “need” for them.

So when I saw the article I clicked on some of the products. BTW, I can’t find the link to the article I read, or I’d put it up for ya. Sorry about that. Anyway, this product got rave reviews in the article, and said that 100% of it’s users had seen some improvement in their lashes in 30 days or something. Whatever, I can’t remember all of it. But the link it originally took me to said that it’s regularly priced at $129. Believe it or not! HOWEVER, right now (for a limited time of course) you can get it with free shipping for $29.95.

So I did. Hee hee. I want to have lashes as pretty as Qades… seriously, that lad has the most amazing eye lashes, and it’s simply not fair. Ha!

So I will let you know if I see any remarkable progress once it arrives and I start to use it. I hope to see some thickening and lengthening, but we’ll see. Anyway, here is the link to the stuff if any of you might be interested. It’s called… uh… well, I can’t remember, but if you click the link you can see it for yourself.

Toodles!

I can from time to time be recklessly impulsive. Most of the time it has to do with my hair. Don’t know why it just exhibits itself that way. I suppose because it’s one of the least permanent impulsive things I can do. I mean, it’s JUST hair, it does grow back. I’ve been less impetuous with my hair since I met the man beyond my dreams and he has declared a very decided preference for how he likes my hair. Long. That doesn’t leave much room for impulses. When we moved to Greenville after getting married and I went for a ‘trim’ the guy who cut my hair was surprised that it hadn’t always been that long. I guess if a gal has really long hair, people assume she’s never had it short. Well, I’m here to tell ya, it’s been Tinkerbell pixie short before.

It’s not now… no worries. But I do have a confession to make. I have messed up my hair on more than one occasion because I thought I could just do it. I’ve watched you-tube videos and online tutorials on how to cut/trim/whatever your own hair. And whether it’s because I just don’t possess the talent for dealing with hair, or it’s because my hair is THICK, and has a mind of it’s own, it nearly never comes out like the pictures online. And then I’m left with the mess and I get all depressed and just hate my hair more than I did before I was SURE that I needed to try this “thing” and well… while it does grow back, the process takes awhile.

Why I never learn from this process is what boggles my mind. Seriously, it’s been repeated enough times that you’d think I could learn. Still, I sit and fume over my own hair, and lack of style and then I browse websites like this one. And then I just chop 8 inches off of my hair without batting an eyelash. And this is what I’m left with.

I used to ALWAYS have bangs no matter the hair style. I have a rather prominent (to me anyway) forehead, and so I tried to minimize it with hair. But somehow (I still can’t remember how or when exactly it happened) I grew them out, and from that day to now I have had a strong aversion to hair in my face. BUT recently I’ve also been growing an aversion to NEVER looking put together. And I figure that if I have bangs, I can at least “do” them and I’ll look somewhat put together, even if the rest of my hair is still a hot mess. The last couple of times I’ve “tried” bangs have been a disaster, so I’m hoping this will be different.

Guess I’m stuck with it for now. It’s on trial for a couple of days. It’s a little on the long side for my liking, though you can’t really have sideswept bangs short. Oh well. One day I’ll have the perfect hair….. I think.

I just have to take a minute to tell you that my hubby is an amazing organizer. I’ve mentioned before that he’s been trying to reform my less-than-organized ways, and it’s uphill work for him for sure, but he hasn’t given up on me yet. Here is a shot of the “spare” closet that was an abyss of clutter until he took in in hand. It had been kind of a ‘catch all’ for stuff that really had no place. Well…. now it all does have a place!

Let’s take a little closer look. Yes, each container is labeled and organized. Uh… I don’t think it’s alphabetical though. But seriously, considering that all my photography “stuff” is in here along with various and sundry beading supplies (ha ha ha, hobbies, sheesh) this is an amazing feat!

On the bottom of that shot you might notice some wire baskets. THESE are the infamous and dreaded inboxes…. well, mine has been anyway. Stuart’s inbox is actually a very functional tool. He has had infinite patience with me trying to “learn” and implement this inbox system. It really is pretty simple…. but my mind just balks at it for some reason. My poor inbox stays in it’s space neglected and alone till it’s overflowing with stuff that I was supposed to deal with in a timely manner, until Stuart can’t take it any longer then he helps me deal with it. I do feel bad that I haven’t put more effort into the whole thing. But I have to say that a light was slowly dawning in my brain the last time that Stuart helped me empty/organize my inbox. The puzzling pieces started to fall into place and it’s making sense!! Uh-oh!! I don’t want to join the dark side, I want to stay in my own scatter-brained disorganization…. Ha ha, no, not really! I’d actually like to have more brain power to devote to the other things in life than trying to remember that next thing I need to do for whatever it was.

I’m very glad that my Hurb has the gift of organization, and I really do believe it’s a gift, and that he’s been patient and gentle with me. I know I still have a ways to go with this whole process, but I think that I really made a huge step in the right direction thanks to the help of my man! So stay tuned to see the new and improved Rachel who will be more organized and with it…. maybe.