Christmas Confession

So here is the truth: I love Christmas. The tree, the lights, the music, the parties and time with family, traditions... But here is what I really love and I am just going to say it: I love getting presents. So I know it is not cool to say that. We can love giving presents, but we are not allowed to admit we love them ourselves. Why is that? why can we not talk about it? I think many of you love getting them too... You don't have to say it, but I know :)

So now that I put it out there, I will tell you why. First I love that someone took time to think of me and really think about what I might like. I don't care if it is a $2 ornament or a $200 camera, someone looked at something and said "Sarah would like this" So I guess that is my 2nd admission. I like it when people think about me. I like to be remembered.

Second, I love surprises. The anticipation that there is something wrapped in a box, that I will love and with in minutes I will find out what it is. I am holding a box of something that will make me smile, make me happy, make me cozy, make me sing, make me cry... whatever it is it holds an emotion and that emotion is just as much a gift as the object is.

Lastly, I now have a new collection of "stuff" that not only makes me happy, but makes me think of the people in my life that make me happy. Every time I see/use that gift, I remember that someone thought of me and loves me enough to want to give me something.

So there is my childish confession. I am not ashamed to admit my love of presents and my love of "stuff". I do have to call myself out here though before I sign off. I am all big talk about social justice, peace on Earth, equality, poverty...And I truly am incredibly passionate about these issues. They make my heart ache, but at the same time I will recognize that I am materialistic. I covet "stuff". I want. So this contradiction lives in my heart and maybe that is what strives me to work hard to keep solving the problems of the world.

Elementary Theology

I'm not sure what this year's Sunday school curriculum is, but all my kids want to do is talk about God and Jesus. Since it is supposed to be good to have the faith of a child, I decided to ask a few questions... Here are a few summaries of what I have learned:

The girls told me that God gives us talents and gifts about what we should do. She is very intent on finding out her gift. Abby announced my gift was helping people and I have to sometimes go away to do this. She told me it was o.k. and she missed me, but still loved me and know God wants me to help people. She said "Daddy's gift is helping people get babies out of there thingys" (SERIOUSLY!!!!! How stinkin' funny is that.. Poor Josh has never delivered a baby in his life, and also feels it is important for the kids to know 'proper' anatomy names so Abby's use of thingy and her belief that Josh delivers babies is awesome!) Abby decided God wants her to be a learner. Better keep learning kiddo : )

Hanna on the other hand decided God wants her to be a good friend, never leave anyone out and have fun. I think that is pretty fair for now.

The other recent conversation has been about dying and being with God or dying and living with Satan. The girls are very concerned about the whole Satan thing, Especially Abs. I asked why someone would "live with Satan". She replies "because they are bad. I don't think I'll be bad because I want to live with God" (foot note: she is currently downstairs jumping on my exercise ball which is highly illegal in this house)

dwell in dreams

"It does not do well to dwell in dreams and forget to live"

I am such a daydreamer... As far back as I can remember, I would think up story lines in my head... dream of unrealistic things, get caught up in a fantasy world...

I think this is maybe why I like to read so much, I love getting absorbed in others lives. Feel, for just a moment, what it is like to be someone else. When I read cultural books, I dream of travel. When I read historical books, I fantasize a simpler life of carriage rides and homemade dresses. When I read love stories I wait for my husband to stand beneath my bedroom window and serenade me under the stars... Lately it has been a certain t.v. show I have become obsessed with. I now dream of joining a glee club and singing and dancing my days away. *Sigh*

So I keep this quote close to my heart. I want to remember to live. I do not want all my goals to be hidden in my dreams. If I want to travel, I can make that happen. If I want to change the world, love my family, learn to dance, watch the snow fall under the street light, I will do no good for me to sit on my couch and dream.

I guess what I am processing here is that I have to remember to live. Every moment of every day is a moment that I can be living. I can be learning. I can be sharing and giving and laughing and loving. I can be singing and dancing... maybe not in glee club but who needs glee club when I have an Abby (the best dance partner ever!) Who needs a stage when I have a car and a 30 minute commute to work?

The thing about it is, is that my life is about as good as it gets. A husband who I adore, a couple of pretty cool kids, a job that lets me help the children of the world, clients that teach me more every day that I could ever imaging teaching them, and the continual hope, that I can do a small thing to make this world a better place.

You know, I think dreams are good, but they are only dreams if you keep them in your head. So dream and then remember to live, to share your dream, to live your dream, to change our world.

I will finish with a verse from "Imagine" a favorite John Lennon tune...

"Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one"

World AIDS day

Over a year ago I read 2 different books that changed the way I think about the AIDS crisis. These books "28 (stories of AIDS in Africa" and "There is no Me with out You" both talk about the sick, they dying, the orphaned. This I have always known about and have always been passionate about, but these books helped me look a little deeper. They pointed out to me the incredible injustice of the 2% of the rich in this world (and if you are reading this you are one of the 2%) who have access to everything they could ever want or need compared to the other 98% of the world who has NO access to medicine. Who suffer, who DIE because of selfish, greedy drug companies. Who suffer, who DIE because we bratty Americans think we get to change the world in ways that make sense to us. Who suffer, who DIE because of our politics and our ambitions, because we define people as lazy and ignorant.

We have this attitude of total greed, that we work hard therefore we DESERVE. What do we really deserve? What do I, a SINNER, a selfish person with a full stomach, a warm home and a job really deserve. I was born to privilege, yet all I see are those more privileged than me. What if I had been born in to a sick mother and in a dirt hut. How would my opinions be changed.

U2's lead singer Bono addressed the President a few years back: I find this speech very inspiring and would love to share it with you, But first here is a quote:
" I close this morning on very thin -- thin ice, probably. This is a dangerous idea I’ve put on the table, here: my God versus your God, their God versus our God, versus no God. It's very easy, in these times, to see religion as a force for division rather than unity. And this is a town -- Washington -- that knows something of division.

But the reason I'm here, and the reason I keep coming back to Washington, is because this is a town that is proving it can come together on behalf of what the Scriptures call "the least of these." It's not a Republican idea. It's not a Democratic idea. It's not even, with all due respect, an American idea; nor it is unique to any one faith.

"Do unto others as you would have them do to you." Jesus says that.²

"Righteousness is this: that one should give away wealth out of love for Him to the near of kin and to the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and the beggars and for the emancipation of the captives." ³ The Koran says that.

Thus sayeth the Lord: Bring the homeless poor into the house, when you see the naked, cover him, then your light will break out -- then your light will be like the dawn and your recovery will be speedily and spring forth; then the Lord will be your rear guard. The Jewish Scripture says that. It's Isaiah 58 again.

It's a powerful incentive: "The Lord will watch your back." Sounds like a good deal to me, especially right now. (Right? The Lord will watch your back. [turning to President Bush] You like that. Okay.)

Alright.

A number of years ago, I met a wise man who changed my life -- in countless ways, big and small. I was always seeking the Lord’s blessing. I - I'd be saying, "Look, I've got a new song...Would you look out [for it]. I have a family; I'm going away on tour -- please look after them. I have this crazy idea. Could I have a blessing on it."

And this wise man asked me to stop. He said, "Stop asking God to bless what you’re doing. Get involved in what God is doing -- because it’s already blessed. Well, let's get involved in what God is doing. God, as I say, is always with the poor. That's what God is doing. That's what He’s calling us to do."
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/bononationalprayerbreakfast.htm



Maybe AIDS is not your passion, maybe it is not orphans or poverty or social justice or woman's rights. Maybe it is education, pro-life, environment, religious freedom. But ever it is I ask you don't give up on it. Give it all you have. Believe in yourself and your cause, educate yourself and others. Learn from Ghandi who says..."Be the change you want to see in the world"

problem solving

So I had a few problems to solve today.

First the work:

One of my staff comes to me and says "Your majesty!" (I don't make them call me this, but I encourage it) "I just got back a RFE on an I800 that says I need to follow article 22.26 guidelines from the Hague. I also need to file a I864W and with the NBC and cable a DS230 to the foreign embassy." This made sense to me and I solved this problem in moments

Next the home:
"Mommy! Hanna just said Boo Boo Baa Baa!"
"Hanna, did you just say Boo Boo Baa Baa?"
"No, I said BooBoo and then I stopped"
"Is that ok Abby?"
"yes"
Problem Solved.

I should be a Diplomat.

Hosting

Remember 1 year ago when I went to China? If you were not a faithful reader, feel free to go back to mid October 2008 posts and read all about it. This weekend, China came to me. 13 Chinese "officials" came to visit the States and spent 3 days with Bethany. I offered to help, which much to my delight, meant a trip to Chicago to show them around and then a few days in Grand Rapids.

As fun as it was to be a part of this there is a little stress trying to lead a group of 13 people around a big city and only one of them speaks English. We thought it would be good to do some authentic Chicago stuff... So first stop, Deep Dish, Chicago Style Pizza... I neglected to think that the above mentioned pizza contains an absurd amount of cheese. Some where through the meal (they were all politely eating) it occurred to me that in the 3 weeks I spent in China, not once did I see a piece of cheese. I began to worry what this might do to their "system". Later, one of the group said "Americans dress in summer clothes in the fall b/c they eat so much cheese" Translation: We are fat.

They seemed to enjoy Navy Pier and the top of the Hancock, but trouble began brewing on the walk down Michigan Ave (if you happen to not know Michigan ave in Chicago it is hard core, name brand, shopping). The leader of the group said "NO WASTING TIME SHOPPING!" So here were are walking down the street surround by stores like Nike, Coach, Saks, Macys, Disney, Crate and Barrel, you get the drift. The women are drooling and gazing into store front windows as the men march by with out a glance. Until the Apple store appeared. All bets were off. That stoic group leader in his suit and tie marched right on intothat store and was determined to buy an iphone. (apparently the network does not cover Beijing...)

The third point of interest I will share tonight (there are many more) was also about food. You see, the group really wanted Chinese food. They had Chinese food in China town in New York and it was not up to their standards. They had Chinese food in Chicago in a snazzy, pricey restaurant and it was not up to standards. We had to find Chinese food, fast and we were in West Michigan. Things were not looking good. We had a group of 19 adults that had 1 hour to eat and we were in Byron Center (for those of you from far away, Byron Center is a farming community turned suburb, in the heart of Dutch, conservative, CRC W. MI). We all file into the Blue Ginger in a strip mall across from Metro Health Hospital. Then something wonderful happened. The owner greeted us and he was Chinese! He through out the "American" menus and spoke Mandarin and made them everything they asked for! His father came out of the back to do Tai Chi with some of the delegation. They ate with chop sticks, and drank tea, talked and laughed. Then they insisted we cancel our lunch plans for tomorrow and eat at the Blue Ginger (which we happily did). By the way, all 13 of them had NO idea what a fortune cookie was.


So I think the weekend ended with a happy delegation. On a more serious note, it was amazing to spend time with people who want the best for children and despite the cultural and language barriers we all share the same passion for the children of the world.

Neti Pot

I am a 9-5 worker so I never get a chance to see Oprah, but my mom is a die hard fan intrigue so she always fills me in on the must haves. She turned me on to Dr. Phil, Dr. Oz and all of Oprah's favorite things. This summer, the big fad was the neti pot. This is a small plastic genie lamp looking device that is supposed to solve all the problems in the world. Well, maybe not the world, but at least the sinuses (if my sinuses are clear, I can solve the problems of the world...).




What you do with this fancy device is fill it with a saline solution and pour it into on nostril while your head is tipped over the sink and it seamlessly flows out of the other nostril clearing all the junk out and making your allergies/cold/sinus infection... instantly disappear.

I have horrible allergies so I was intrigued, but certainly not enough to think I would pour water in one nostril and let it come out another. That is just not normal, I might as will blow milk out my nose.

Then the cold hit. At first I brushed it off as allergies. Then I faced the reality that I have the swine flu, seasonal flu, sinus infection and allergies rolled into one. I left work early to rest my weary body and started thinking again about the Neti Pot. Finally, I could not take the pressure anymore. I took my sick, yucky self to Walgreens and purchased one (coupon on line + $2.00 off at the store, total $10.00!) I instantly went to the sink to give it a go knowing if I thought about it I would chicken out. Really, how bad could a little warm salt water actually be?

I shoved that baby up my nostril and tilted... With in seconds I was spurting water everywhere... Out of my nose, out of my lungs, coughing like a maniac, sneezing, spitting salt water from my mouth like it was poison. Once I finished my fit, cried a little at my failure, I realized it worked! My sinuses were clear! I could breathe! Now I face the challenge of my second nostril. I decide to charge forward. This time with a little more instruction... I re-read the directions and am reminded to breathe through my mouth. So I do this, I am ready for the bizarre, uncomfortable sensation and make it abut 2 oz through the 4 oz total before I freak out and pour the rest out. Now I can breathe, my body still aches, my head is pounding, my muscles still, buy my sinuses?....Lets just say I can smell the roses.

Pronunciation

I love how kids mispronounce words. Here are a few of my favorites from my kids and a few other kids I love...

free = Three
firsty = thirsty
Bef = Beth
panpakes = pancakes
burburies = blueberries
bamatoes = tomatoes
mockamole = guacamole
spacific ocean = Pacific Ocean
pacific = specific
bremember = remember
bringed = brought

(All 4 of these cuties are quoted above)

Meeting in the middle (an editorial)

"Fear less, hope more; eat less, chew more; whine less, breathe more; talk less, say more; hate less, love more; and all good things are yours. ~Swedish Proverb"

Back to school time...A time for the children of the nation to get focused, to start a new year with big dreams, reaching for goals, anticipation is in the air.

Our President, Barak Obama, wants to address the school children of America on September 8. He asked all schools to broadcast his address in which he is going to encourage children to pursue their education, stay in school, dream big... But the protests have started and now few to none of the schools in W. Michigan will be playing the speech. These protesting parents... do they think he is going to convince the kids to vote for his health care plan? That he will talk for 15 minutes about stimulus plans. Seriously people...This is the President of the United States of America! Our President.

Here is an example from my life... I did not like G.W.'s 8 years in office. I do not know the man, but I did not agree with his policies and decisions on almost anything, but when he came to Calvin College (my alumni) to give the commencement speech, I was proud. The President of the United States, that is a big stinkin' deal! Can we have enough respect for each other as people to just find some value in everyone. To have some trust and to appreciate what our country believes in? Education for ALL people. This is truly a gift, a luxury some might argue.

A very wise and incredibly brave woman said the following "The highest result of education is tolerance." (Helen Keller, 'Optimism,' 1903)Ironic huh???

So all you protesting parents. What happens when Pete Hoekstra wants to come read a book in your child's classroom. Would that be o.k.? Or should I protest cause I think he is going to teach all my children to bomb Iraq?

What is education all about really? I want my children to go to school to learn new ideas, to think critically. To process ideas with their peers. To be challenged in their values and hold strong. To form their own opinions and be passionate about something. Even if we do not agree with our President, we can challenge ourselves, discuss with others and become a better person.

So... For all of us, Left and Right... even all you socialist : ), lets try to meet in the middle. Let's try to respect our differences and at least teach our children by example.

"If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other."
~Mother Teresa

Frog

We just got back from "Up North" (for all you out of staters, this means Northern MI, Leelanau County to be precise...). This is a must do for me every summer. There are great beaches, quaint little towns, dune climbs, and many many memories. The thing about "Up North" is that is it pretty expensive to stay anywhere decent. So we camp. And I love to camp, I really do. I love the chilly mornings in sweatshirts with a cup of coffee. I love the night time fires and star gazing. I love the outdoor cooking and picnic table dinners. Reading in lawn chairs, kids running around in the dirt finding treasures, playing games, using imaginations. I love that there is NO t.v., radio, luxuries that make us forget about each other.

But there is one thing about camping that I hate. The Shower. You pack up all your shower gear, towels, clean clothes and walk to the community bathroom. At this point there is usually a line to wait in before you enter the "stall" which is usually what is is; a small, skinny stall with muddy floors and a shower head that hits me about in the belly button.

Well, at Sleepy Bear Campground, Empire MI, the showers are worse than the typical. Let me share with you my experience.

A beautiful Saturday morning, I enter the neon yellow bathroom armed with my pile of shower gear. I find there is one open shower stall so I enter. There is a plastic white chair in which to put my stuff. There is a plastic white curtain to divide the shower "area" from the dressing "area" (the entire shower is as big a normal bathroom stall so I use the term "area" loosely). I squeeze my way past the chair to pull back the curtain. The floor is muddy. Really muddy. There are three or four hairballs that remind me of a family of ferrets on the floor. I manage to turn on the shower and spray the ferrets into corners and the mud gets a little watered down. I manage to stand on only one toe and start the washing process. I bend in half to wash my hair since the shower head hits me at lower back (this is very hard standing on one toe mind you) As I rush through the shower process, not even caring that the water temperature fluctuates between scalding and freezing, I make my critical mistake. I open my eyes. And what do I see, crawling up the shower curtain inches away from my soapy self? A Frog. An albino frog. Slowly wandering around the curtain, just waiting to make it's move...For I convinced this white slimy frog is going to take the leap from its shower curtain to my body.

There is a lot I can handle, bugs, spiders, blood, dirt, boogers, germs... but there are a few things on my list that I absolutely despise... Puke, snakes, fish and FROGS. I must cross this curtain to get to the safety of my towel and clothes. Back to the safety of the outdoors. I am so freaked out at this point that I allowed both of the soles of my feet to actually touch the floor of the shower! Those ferret hairballs could be coming dangerously near me, but I do not dare take my eyes off the frog.

Well, faithful readers, I did escape the shower with out contact from the frog. I of course did not use that shower again the remainder of the trip and, in fact, did not even use that bathroom, choosing instead to walk to the bathroom further away. I stalked the cleaning crew and showered only after they sprayed down and bleached the bathrooms.

I am already saving for one of the expensive cottages for next year.

A question was posted on facebook from one of my friends "why did you have children"? I have been thinking about this and really can not tap back into my feelings of why when I am living the chaos of parenting. I know when we decided to have a baby that was just it. Have a baby. It really never set in that I would be parenting this baby. Raising this baby.

Let me share with you a song, by Bill Stains, that puts my answer to this question into music.

Child of mine, you are the wildest wind and the dearest dream
I will ever know.
Love's lasting light shines out from deep within this father's heart
As I watch you grow.

Child of mine, you are the break of dawn and the brightest star
I will ever know
Love's lasting light comes shining on and on from this mother's heart
As I watch you grow

Chorus
There is a road, and that road is all your own
But we are here, you need not walk alone.
To face, not fear each coming new unknown
Is the way to lift your wings

Child of mine, you are the sweetest song and the greatest gift
I will ever know.
Child of mine, where spirits fly above there is but one
that belongs to you.

So let it grow and it will thrive on love
For it is love that sees us through

You have the hands that will open up the doors
You have the hopes this world is waiting for
You are my own, but you are so much more
You are tomorrow on the wing,

Child of mine.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO5kOFM4ivk

In My Mind

In planning our Colorado vacation, I listened contemplatively as my husband discussed the mountains. 12,000 ft lakes, summitting 14ers, “lets just climb and see how high we get…” I pictured myself with a bandanna on my head, outfitted in Patagonia, with a walking stick and a golden retriever by my side. (Just to let you know I do not have any of these things, not even a bandanna.)


As we drive through the mountains, my dream becomes more pronounced. I see the mountains, the summits, the Subaru’s with the Colorado flag and bike racks on top and I think: “This is where I belong. This is the image I want to portray”.

So fast forward to our cabin, which lies at 9,700ft with a view of Twin Lakes and various mountain ranges. (Mt. Elbert, La Plata Peak, Mt Perry…) I become seriously winded climbing the stairs to our front door. It’s not pretty. So, I drink some water and remind myself to stay focused on acclimating to altitude.

Our first hike is now before me. We are at the top of Independence Pass, 12,000 ft ready to stroll through a meadow trail for a mile, destination: Independence Lake. I do not have a bandanna, there is no golden retriever, and I am wearing GAP outlet instead of Patagonia. I feel like crap. I am stumbling through the rocky trail, feeling light headed, gulping water like a man in a desert. I am nauseous. I am pretending to be cheerful to my group: “Isn’t it beautiful? Can you believe this view?” Thinking in my mind as I say this: “Dear Lord, make it stop!” We make it to a patch of snow near a small waterfall in the mountain stream and I sit and admit to my group I am close to death. Josh looks at his GPS and announces we have not even made it a ½ mile.

I am not hard core. I am a West Michigan girl, as much as I want to be the Subaru, Patagonia girl, I am a Honda civic, Macy’s girl. I am a sit on the deck with my wine and look at the Mountains girl. I am a stroll through a down town with a latte and buy scarves and jewelry kind of girl. I am not hard core, but I am not out of breath so I am happy.

Scandals and Animals

*This blog is dedicated to Beth Z. Oh yeah, you know what's coming!

One of my favorite Seinfeld episodes is when Kramer gets the Merv Griffen show set in his apartment. He does a "show" titled "Scandals and Animals"


"It's the Merv Griffin set."
"How did you get this in here?"
"You just bring it in sideways and hook it."
"So where are you gonna sleep?"
"Backstage."
- Kramer and Jerry, in "The Merv Griffin Show"

Tonight I was at a large family focused picnic that involved some scandals and animals. Scandals with the clown competition and animals as in balloon animals. Here is how it went down:

A balloon animal creator was there making a large variety of balloon animals. Snakes, swans, rams, giraffes to name a few. There was also a face painter there who was quite talented. Finally a clown arrived. With balloon animals! The face painter turned out to be a clown as well and she seemed to be a little on edge that we hired her competition to clown. The balloon animal lady was on edge cause here is this great clown making balloon animals (I don't think she could make a ram though. Ram's are pretty cool). They all kept to their own corners and played it cool and the kids seemed to be happy (except my kid who is deathly afraid of clowns *sigh*). So scandals and animals right! Well there is one more scandal and animal to report.

The balloon animals were fragile, as all balloon animals are, and the would pop. But even while popping, some of the animal would stay in tact. We learned when the body and back two legs of a dog are left after the front legs and head pops it is really quiet obviously inappropriate. So now we have a little boy and his mother, with the bottom half of a dog, which looks, well, like the bottom half of a dog and a group of very offended adults (and by offended I mean laughing so hard tears are pouring out of their eyes and making every imaginable joke they can).

So lessons have been learned. Make sure your clown, balloon animal maker and face painter all all friends and make sure if the front half of your dog pops to hide it before the children start asking questions.

16 hours in the car:

Riding in the car for 16 hours with children there are a few experiences that seem worthy of sharing:

Children always have to go to the bathroom 2 miles after the rest stop and are hungry 2 miles after the last meal.

You can not escape the children’s questions
How do windmills work?
How much corn is that?
Who eats all that corn?
Is high fructose corn syrup good for you?
Do you want to play “I spy”?
Why…?
Where…?
When…?

Hanna had to say “sorry” about 1x every 10 minutes. Here are some reasons why:
Tickling her sister
Drinking her sister’s water
Shining the flashlight in her sleeping sister’s eye
Spitting
Hitting mom with stuffed animals
Talking to loud
Talking to soft
Complaining
Arguing
Asking the same question too many times
Waking up sleeping sister

The McDonalds in Lincoln Nebraska sucks
-A little more detail on this one….It took the staff 15 minutes to defrost the corn and beans for our salads. It took 15 minutes to brew a pot of coffee since they did not have any made and then another 15 minutes to locate decaf coffee in the basement and then brew it. Every table was wobbly. They used their “to go” coffee cups for decorations. I threw a few away before I realized it was the décor. The staff yelled at each other constantly and were always confused. But, thank goodness, to make up for it all, they gave us a few free meal tickets to use at that same McDonalds, in the future. Since we eat in Lincoln Nebraska all the time…

Status Updates

Lately, all I have been doing is thinking in Status Updates. It is a problem. I narrate my entire live in the 3rd person in 1 to 2 second clips. So, to indulge myself, here is a day as it would appear in a facebook status update:

Sarah Brower Zuidema woke up on the wrong side of bed. So I climbed over my husband in order to get a better start on my day.

SBZ hopes the 2 bowls of pure fiber she had for breakfast do not backfire.

SBZ wonders why the person in front of her feels the need to drive just slow enough to be annoying, but just fast enough not to be passed.

SBZ sang really loud to Legally Blonde for the 30 minute commute to work. I think I will audition

SBZ needs to keep kleenex in her car.

SBZ is moving to Canada in hopes that their government has a phone number you can call. We live in a society people! A democracy! Ever heard of communication?

SBZ wrote a very unprofessional letter to the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration division which she promptly deleted and then wrote a professional one. She feels a little better.

SBZ wonders how many times it is humanly possible for one child to say "MOMMY!!!!! Watch me!"

SBZ realized the lettuce is too overgrown to be picked so I better check out the beans

SBZ thinks gardening is not worth the effort.

SBZ thinks no matter what she offers for supper, one child will complain. Cook it yourself you little smarty pants!

SBZ had to rent her CD's from the library using about 16 nickels and 20 pennies. She had a few "looks" from other patrons

SBZ found an old bag of gummie bears in the cupboard while looking for missing scissors. Thank goodness for missing scissors.

SBZ's daughter asked for chocolate chips by saying "I saw mom eating them yesterday!" Dang, foiled again

SBZ thinks she needs to be more discreet with her chocolate consumption.

SBZ read 4 bed time stories, sang 2 songs and delivered the standard bedtime prayer. Now she is listening to her kids yell, "Mom, you forgot to sing us songs!" "Mom, we need our prayer!"

SBZ is contemplating a walk on the treadmill...And she should not have sat down to think about it since she is now reading a book

SBZ is laying in bed mentally writing a blog about status updates...

Guilty Pleasures

I was reading a survey in a magazine (Real Simple) about guilty pleasures. Some were pretty standard, others, unique. It got me thinking about a few things. First what truly is a guilty pleasure? Second, what are mine?

I guess how I define a guilty pleasure is indulging in something you normally would not for many reasons... Too much money, Too much fat, Too much time, not practical...

Some seem to define guilty pleasures as hobbies or normal every day stuff. For example: reading, facebook, drinking the first cup of coffee out of a pot, shopping, chocolate, salt... You get the picture. These are all pretty normal things, I assume, which makes me wonder why are we feeling guilty for our hobbies, simple pleasures and interests? Are we, as a society, so goal oriented, that we can not relax anymore with out defining it as a "guilty pleasure?" Can we not eat a piece of chocolate with out guilt?

There are also a few examples of what I would define as gluttony: Buying a new Coach purse every 3 months or missing a flight to spend an extra night in a luxury hotel.

Here are some examples of some "true" guilty pleasures: lingering in bed (ahhhh), using profanity(guilty), Hormel Vienna Sausages (Gross!), Sneaking in a purchase for myself when I go to Target for "groceries" (Done that!) Eating a big piece of Kentucky Fried Chicken (this from a vegetarian!), Spending the afternoon at a local bookstore with a latte and a stack of magazines I don't subscribe to but want to read (LOVE IT!), shopping on line and filling the basket with $400 worth of stuff and then log off (Again, LOVE IT!)

So, drum roll please, my guilty pleasures (not mentioned above):
-Leelanau Roasting Company Coffee, bought once a year when in Glen Arbor, maybe once more if my mom takes a trip and picks me up a pound.

-Broadway musicals (very expensive, but can not stay away, I have managed to see a few in the past 3 years, Spamalot (2x), Hair Spray, Mamma Mia (thanks Aunt Laura for all of those!)Wicked (2x) and Legally Blonde.
-Buying a book. This is a very very rare occasion since I get my books from the library. The last book I bought was Twilight book 4 cause I just could not wait.
-Disney World (and other vacations like Colorado... I hope to indulge more in this category in the future)

-Expensive makeup (cause I think I will look like a supermodel...*Sigh*)
-Wine tasting, Norther Michigan, cabin with a fireplace, stocked fridge, games, friends. (I think it is only a guilty pleasure as I spend way to much money on wine, eat way to much food and can not afford to do this as often as I can.)