Summer with Six

I have been trying to not only reinvent my blog this summer, but also my health. An exercise regime has been created, and I've done pretty well at sticking to it. (No, Debord, I havent quit yet.) I have also been trying to be more aware of what I put into my mouth, and the effect it has on me. We didn't eat terribly, actually way more healthy than some, but with two kids we sometimes go for convenience rather than wholesomeness. Ok, so having said all of that, I continue.... I frequent a great website called Fitsugar (I am addicted to all of the "sugar" sites...casasugar, popsugar, ect.) and I found these six summer fruits and vegetables that are "affordable and full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants." I was sold. Here they are and why we should eat more of them.

1. blueberries- These little guys do BATTLE ON BELLY FAT. 'nuff said. I want to eat them by the truck load. If that isn't enough for you, they are full of vitiamin C, A, and antioxidants. They help prevent ovarian cancer, aid in digestion, relieve constipation and the opposite. :) I also heard on Oprah years ago that they help your brain stay young. Who doesnt need that? None of you are getting any younger.

2.cantelope- This tasty fruit promotes healthy lungs and eyes thanks to the beta carotene it has. One cup is only 56 calories and has your daily fill of vitamin A and C. Awesome.

3.raspberries- First of all, these little diddies promote an active metabolism. Again, 'nuff said. At my age, my metabolism is one of themany things that has begun to slow. They are also full of the 3 A's...antioxidants, antimicrobials, and anticarcinogenics. One cup takes care of 1/3 of our fiber requirement for the day.

4.red bell pepper- This is a hard one for me. I dont care for any pepper, really.However, they are good for your heart, your lungs, and your eyes. They are incredibly high in the antioxidant vitamins C and A. One cup of raw red pepper slices is only 25 calories. This could be great for a snack. I'm thinking maybe I can coat the pepper in hummus and I wont notice how much I dislike bell peppers? Would that defeat the purpose?

5. spinach-Here is another one that helps prevent ovarian cancer, as well as helps protect your heart. A cup of cooked spinach provides 35 percent of your recommended daily intake of iron. It is also high in vitamin K and folate, which is great if your preggers and if not...helps prevent depression. What's not to like?

6.tomatoes-As a child I hated tomatoes. As an adult, I have come to appreciate them for so many reasons. Who knew tomatoes increase the skin's natural defenses and boost your skin's ability to protect itself from harmful rays? They also help decrease blood pressure, and fight pancreatic and breast cancer. If you eat tomatoes four times a week, which is easy to do in the Summer, you can lower your cholesterol. Tomatoes are also a powerful antioxidant that combats cancer-causing free radicals. Nice. Cherry tomatoes are my favorite...I actually crave them. yum.

So there you have it. Six for the summer. I have found some yummy recipes that may entice you into eating these six fruits more often. I will post them tomorrow. :) I know....the suspense will kill you....

Finally...Some Reality in Fantasy

I stumbled upon this really interesting series of pictures. I thought you all might enjoy seeing them as much as I did.

Fallen Princesses

E.L.F.

I think I sent this out to anyone that I thought might enjoy it, but maybe I missed a few people.



Right now E.L.F. makeup is giving %50 percent off if you use the promo code- 4mom.I found this fantastic deal on Freebies4mom blog. (Everyone should bookmark that one, she always has great stuff.) Anyhoo, I used the code and got 8 items for $10 bucks which included shipping. I also got a free lip gloss and a $5 gift card for free. They are also giving away free flip flops and a free french manicure set right now. The codes for those are on the website.

I dont really know anything about E.L.F. makeup...is it good? Not sure, but since I dont get to spurge very often on makeup it was pretty fun to get it in the mail. Christmas in July, I say. I got this plumping lip gloss...in fact I got three...it has a clear coat you apply first that feels all menthol-ie, and then a top coat of color. Julie has a similiar lip gloss that costs WAY WAY more, so I felt pretty cool for gettting mine for 50 cents. Of course, I dont know that it works as well....I will have to borrow hers and compare.

There you have it. This is what has made me happy the last few days. Makeup. I have actually looked forward to putting it on. Amazing. Maybe some of you ladies can enjoy a little of my happiness with me.

Reinventing the Blog, Not the Wheel

Ok, so it has been over a year since the last time I posted anything on this blog. I started thinking about the purpose of this blog, and if there was a reason to even continue it. It had been a place for me to write here and there, but I found that the things I wrote about most often were things too personal to post...so there I was debating whether to delete it all together. Then I started to think about all the emails I send out to people letting them know of things I find interesting or good deals I found. I decided to reinvent my blog. It needs a new purpose in order to continue. To keep this blog moving forward, I am going to just talk about what's going on in my life. Things I do, places I go, recipes that I use, links I find helpful, good deals, and just cool stuff in general will hopefully fill these unused pages that have been left empty for so long. I hope you all enjoy it.

Hoping to create something new for myself- Tracy

There's gonna be a change!

We in the Crosby clan are completely excited! We have been anticipating this type of change for months now. Looks like I am about 5 wks along, and will be due toward the end of February...27th ish.

Along with excited, I am completely terrified. I must confess that I am a worrier. I come by it naturally, as it seems to run in my family, HOWEVER...it really bums me out. I worry about time, money, debt, jobs, etc.....

BUT- Hear me now. I have faith. I serve a powerful God who has complete control of my family's lives even if I do not. He will provide what we need, and make straight our path. I believe this with all of my heart.

It's going to be a long nine months, and I am hoping for a more tolerable pregnancy this time around. Most of you might remember how dreadfully moody and depressed I was last time, not to mention...FAT. I feel and have prayed that this will be the "redemption" pregnancy. It will regain all my faith that pregnancies aren't all bad. :) Keep me in your prayers, too, folks and I will absolutely appreciate it.

NOW... I may be setting myself up for a let down, but I believe this one is going to be my girl. My sweet little ball of fluff, bows, and rambunctious ribbon! We have been tossing around names ( we already know if it's a boy it will be Luc Andre) and are noticing that we have no common ground. There is only one, maybe two, names that we both agree on. We both like Claire, but Andre doesn't want two C's (Cash and Claire) He's not into that, which is sad since it's been on my list FOREVER, and we both like it. He likes Grace, and I am a fan of Grace,but for some reason dont think it fits.

Here's the point. We need ideas. Throw them out there people. Let me know what you are thinking. I like all kinds....old fashioned, odd, short, long...we aren't fond of trendy names, though. No Sophia, Madeline, or Olivia. ( Let me also state that I actually love these names, or did before I couldn't turn a corner in the burbs without running into one.) So give us what you got. :)

The Alchemist

I have an inkling to write, but I am not sure what to write about. What's truly on my mind is a bit too personal to broadcast, so I am kind of at a loss. This brings me to the idea that I should use a writing strategy ( Ah HA!) that I teach my students to use. Genius. Let's see if any of these strategies actually produce anything blog worthy. :) "Writing off of Literature" is the chosen strategy for the day, so here we go...

Anyone ever heard of the book, The Alchemist? This was Erika's pick for book club last month. I had heard of it before, but I didn't realize how popular this book was. Or how widely spread this publication was. It's sold over 65 million copies in 150 countries, and is one of the best selling books in history. Wow. I had no idea. Having read all of that information on the front cover, I was really intrigued to read it and find out what all the fuss was about.

What I found was that within the confines of this book, there was no fuss. Yes, this was a brilliant book, but brilliant in a simple way. I suppose that is why it has become so popular. It's a book that anyone can read and take something away from. The ideas are not complex, and it's quite an easy read. I read it over a span of two days, and enjoyed it immensely.

The story follows a boy, Santiago, through his journey to find his "personal legend." This might be considered what we today call our "dream" or "life purpose," but I found that the more I read about Santiago the more I really liked calling it a personal legend. It kind of gives it a mythical quality, and to some that might make it seem unattainable, but to me it lends itself more to adventure.

Santiago travels across the desert, and finds himself in many different situations. At every destination he finds reasons, logical, good reasons, to stop his journey. He could create a life where he is and be comfortable. However, he treads on knowing that he will regret in the end if he doesn't continue seeking. He uses omens to guide him, and learns how to integrate himself into the nature of the world. He learns to allow his heart to speak to him, and he learns to truly know his heart.

As I read, I began thinking about my own "personal legend." Was I seeking it? Had it been fulfilled? I had a feeling of "Is this it?" pertaining to my own professional life. I know that teaching is something that I enjoy and I am good at it. I know that my heart is with these urban kids. But AM I fulfilled? Santiago found things that he was good at and enjoyed, but they weren't his personal legend. There was something more for him. Is there more for me? I guess in a way, it kind of woke me up out of a coma of daily routine. What have I been doing for that last nine years? Where am I going in the next nine? Will I be happy if I end those next nine in the same place? It's really a lot to ask yourself, and it's not always a pleasant conversation, if you are brutally honest.

There is a deep spiritual side to this book, and I was glad to see that. Again, I could parallel my life with Santiago. I am learning to relax and know that I may have these questions about my own life. I know that if it is something I seek God's guidance in, I will find the answers to my questions. God will lead me on to the next destination even if I feel fine where I am at. Looking back, I can see He has already done this numerous times. I just wasn't paying enough attention, and maybe that is just it. Maybe that is how Santiago became so connected with the earth and her elements. By sheer observation and allowing himself to be completely aware of his environment. I know by nature, I am not extremely observant. There is a tendency in my life to focus on what is right in front of me, to let the rest of the world become a blur around me. I realize now, that there is a need for me to make a conscious effort to change this. I want to see beyond me.

Along with Santiago, I took a journey myself while reading this book. I don't know all the answers, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't question. It just means I should use God's path to discover what's next, and understand that the walk will make me stronger once I am there.

So What Am I Doing?

It's late. I can't be held accountable for what this blog may say. This is my disclaimer.

It's the second day of spring break. I am starting to think that I could totally get use to this "Stay at home mom" business. As long as I could create a schedule full of outings, so I wouldn't go stir crazy...sure I could do it.

BUT...would I miss my crazy kids at school? Probably a little. Would I miss my strongly binded school based friendships that I have spent so long cultivating? Absolutely. Would I be doing a disservice to myself to be letting go of a gift that God bestowed on me? (teaching) I dont know. I would like to think, I mean, I know that my child is more important. Obviously, but would I be able to be the mother that I am if part of me disappeared? That I do not know. Is any of this a real issue since I will never be a stay at home mom? NOPE.

Sorry. I am rambling. It's 12:15 in the am, and I can't sleep. I have ten million things going on in my head, and it's creating quite the wall between me and my dreams. I am thinking about how much I want another child. How I hope this will be the month. How I dont understand why it's taking so long this time, since I only had to think pregnant before I became pregnant with Cash. I am thinking, "What is God thinking."

I am deciding what to wear tomorrow. I am already (after two days) tired of t-shirts and jeans. Since Cash and I are going to visit his dad at work for lunch, I figure it's a great time to wear my new skirt. I am debating on what color to paint my toe nails, as it's finally time for them to come out of their deep winter coma. I am wishing that my mama could be here for Easter again this year.

I am mentally renovating my home. I am mentally putting together shots for my photoblog. I am mentally planning the educational book that Lindsay and I are going to write. I am mentally getting myself ready to NOT gain 60 llbs. if I DO get pregnant. Actually, I am mentally willing myself to loose 10 llbs ASAP. Pregnant or not. Maybe I am just mental.

I am grieving over that fact that I have, at least 8 good hours of homework that must be done before this week is over. I am thinking over the pro's and con's of a subaru vs. a volvo wagon. I am trying to decide on the significance of the dream I had the other night that put me back in high school with Tyler Goodlad. Seriously, TYLER GOODLAD. What the heck?

Ok, I am thinking that you get it. I cant sleep. Mind going, literally, 90 miles an hour. Me hoping typing out my train of thought will somehow zap it all out of me, and I will once again be able to join Tyler Goodlad for lunch (platonic, of course) in my dreams. :)

Wishing you all a better night's rest...