Self-Portrait Tuesday

I found a fun blog where a question is posted every Friday that you answer on your blog every Tuesday.

The Self-Portrait question is one I have been musing about for a while now:  

What do you turn to when you need 

a quick "pick me up"?

I actually have quite a few "pick me ups" in my arsenal.

• Living vicariously through others (translation - reading other people's blogs) often cheers me up.
  

• Going for a fast-paced walk with some upbeat tunes on my iPod is a great way to help me get out of a funk. In fact, this works so well that I try to do this every day to avoid getting in a funk to begin with!

• I'm never happier than when I'm reading a good book. So when I'm feeling down, grabbing a good book is a great way to escape my life.

• Of course, eating chocolate always puts a smile on my face. (Unfortunately I don't have ANY chocolate in my house right now so I couldn't take a picture of me eating it! Bummer!)

• A few other pick me ups:  snuggling with my dog (she's soft like my kids, but doesn't complain), drinking a mug of Swiss Miss hot chocolate,  taking a nap, or calling a friend.

One way I have found to beat the blues is to always stay busy. If I have a minute to sit down and think, I might realize that things aren't as I'd like them to be. But if I'm busy, I never have time to let those thoughts sabotage my mood!

***What do you do when you need a pick me up?***

Grateful Sunday

This Sunday I'm grateful for something I don't always think about - 

my children's good health.

Earlier this week, as I was taking my morning walk (22 minutes of walking fast around the neighborhood), I passed a house where a woman was wheeling a wheelchair out of her front door. In the wheelchair was a little girl, maybe 8 years old. It was one of those full-body wheelchairs. The girl could not even hold her head up on her own. The woman pushed the wheelchair around the block and made comments to the girl (her daughter or granddaughter?) The girl made little gurgling sounds, chirps, and squeaks. She could not talk. 

This experience stuck with me all week. It forced me to think about how blessed I am to have children who were born healthy and whole. 

They are able to dance - 

Peter and Emily showing off their dance moves while playing Twister: High School Musical edition.

They are able to feed themselves - 

Laura eating ice cream. Felicia hopes Laura will spill some!

They are able to laugh and play and have fun - 

I am so thankful that my kids are healthy enough to be able to drive me crazy!

Time Out For Women - Group Rate Part 2

I just found out that to get the group rate everyone needs to be getting the same type of ticket, either Friday and Saturday or Friday only. Please let me know which ticket you need and I will see if I can come up with a group of 5 for that kind of ticket.

Kids' Choice Night

Tonight was Emily's turn to pick dinner and a movie. She chose calzones for dinner.
Here's a picture of her making her own calzone.

I just use homemade pizza dough and divide it into fourths to make 4 calzones. I put chopped up meatballs, some spaghetti sauce, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses on one half of the pizza dough circle/rectangle. Then I fold the dough over the toppings, press the edges with a fork, and bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Here's how the finished product looked.
(Too bad you can't post tastes and smells on your blog because this was yummy!)

For our family movie, Emily chose one of my favorites from when I was in junior high and high school:

I loved this movie as a teenager. My brother and sister and I would watch it over and over again. In fact, I'm surprised my videotape has held up so well considering how much we watched it and considering the fact that this movie is now 20 years old (gosh that makes me feel old)! At one time, we could quote most lines from the movie. I'm glad my kids can enjoy this classic and I think someone needs to get me the DVD copy for my birthday (hint, hint).

Time Out For Women - Group Rate

I already have 5 people in my group, so we qualify for the much cheaper group rate!  If you're interested in getting the group rate but don't have 4 other friends who can go, join my group.  I'll need a check, made out to Windy Solis, by Sunday March 9th. I'll also need to know if you want to attend both Friday and Saturday, or just Saturday, and if you want to order a box lunch (salad or sandwich for $15).

Group rate prices are:

$50 for Friday 4/18 and Saturday 4/19

$37 for Saturday only 4/19

Click this link to get more information about Time Out For Women in Albuquerque.

Happy Valentine's Day!

The kids were so excited for Valentine's Day! They gave us lots of hugs and kisses this morning before school.

How can you look at something as beautiful as this flower without knowing that God loves us! Why else would He have created so many beautiful things for us to enjoy?

Hope you felt loved today!