Choice of Thoughts

I was reading "The Twits" by Roald Dahl to my kids tonight and I came across this line:

If a person has ugly thoughts, it begins to show on the face.  And when that person has ugly thoughts every day, every week, every year, the face gets uglier and uglier until it gets so ugly you can hardly bear to look at it.

A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly.  You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if  you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.

Wow. What an idea.  I have never thought about a person's thoughts reflecting their outer beauty.  We have always been told that beauty if only skin deep, but this idea clearly conflicts with that idea.

I work hard to keep drama and ugliness out of my life as I just don't want those ideas dragging me down.  I strive to surround myself with positiveness so that I can be a good example to others and my children.  Now, I have another reason why: to have it shine on the outside.

Now, that I think about it, there are women that others would consider "beautiful" and I thought something with off with them.  Maybe this is why??

What do you think?

I am Co-Hosting Battle of the Leading Men!

You didn't know that you could find a romantic retreat on a Mom blog, did you?

Welcome to Battle of The Leading Men!

Your Romantic Getaway...

Would you like to play?

Round 2 is Here!

First, meet our one and only Hosts, Clint Eastwood & Timothy Olyphant of Justified. 

  Why are these two so special you ask?  They have been designated Untouchable, and shall never battle!

Thank you Gentlemen for guiding us through Round 1.  We trust we are still in good hands.
Here’s how to play:

1: Please G+follow, visit and comment on our Co-Hosts blogs, Mommy LaDy Club and The Confessions of a Doer Mom. 

2: Please vote in the Battle below by commenting the name of your Battle champion. 

3: You may also link up by Sunday at midnight to be drawn to win next week’s co-host spot!

The Battle voting will remain open through the week, even if you missed linking up for the co-host spot.  Get all of the details of our Battles at your Romantic Getaway central, where you can view all past winners and losers from Round 1 and 2.  
These lovely contenders were some of our top competitors last Round.  It is going to be tough, but you will have to choose whom you want to see again.
Now...Battle On!
 Ryan Gossling, Battle Cry: The Notebook

vs.

Johnny Depp, Battle Cry: Captain Jack Sparrow

 

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Issues with Friends

Over the last few weeks, I have been going through a lot with friends.  I don't know what happened and that is what hurts.

A group of my friends had discussed something about a group we belong in and I was not part of that discussion for a very good reason.  I did not agree with the decision that was made for various reasons and I sent a rational, well thought out email to the group.  And I wondered if I did the right thing.  But, I thought my information was missing in the discussion.

A few days later, two of the people I thought I was friends with said they no longer wanted to be part of the group, one in person, the other via email.  And I was hurt as they gave me no reason why.  I don't ever want to hurt another person and I was hurt as they won't talk to me about it.

So, I tried to move on.  I felt I had did nothing wrong.  Over the next few weeks, while figuring things out, more and more information came to me and I found out that one of them may not have been the true friend I thought she was.

So through all of this, it is hard for me to trust who are my true friends and who were not, especially as I heard more from other people.  But one of my resolutions was not to worry about other people think about me as long as I did my best.  My faith in people was restored when a friend called me to tell me something that she knew may not have made my day, but wanted to hear it from me.  A lot of people have been there for me and I have to focus on that.

So, why am I writing this as I am trying to not to focus on it?  It's a plead to be honest to your friends.  Even if what you have to tell them may hurt at first, but it allows communication to happen.  And that is important.  If you truly value them as a friend, they will appreciate the fact that you allowed them to speak their mind.  And your friendship will grow.  If not, the other person may wonder what else you were hiding.

Food Goals for Week#3

I am working hard on the food thing.  I am getting frustrated as I don't see things changing.  I think this week I am going to work on another thing.  I am going to chew gum while I make lunch and dinner.  I know I eat a lot of calories during meal making.  Let's see if this helps.

Don't have anything to say

I am out of words.  I finished my scholarship essay for graduate school and all my words went there.  Now, all I have to do is wait and wait for my words to come back.

2006

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Food Goal Week #2

Last week's goal was not eating after 7pm.  I admit I did eat one night at about 9:30PM, and that was because I was starving.

This week, I am going to work on only snacking on fruits and vegetables.  If I really want a carb, I must eat a fruit or vegetable first.   I don't remember where I got it from, but some where I read that if you are not hungry enough to eat an apple, you are not truly hungry.   Makes sense to me.

I got my body fat done today and it was at 28% - not bad, but not so good either.  Need to get out of the Christmas eating habits.


Are you in this week?

Essay Frustrations

I am in the middle of applying to Grad School right now.  With my littlest going to Kindergarten next year (wow, that was odd to write) I am going back to school so that I can get a job where I work when they are at school and hopefully I can be as involved as I am now.  My undergraduate degree is in math, so I figured working at the local community college would work nicely.  I certainly don't want anything full time until they are significantly older, and my local campus to my knowledge doesn't have full time faculty.  I don't want to work in the local high school for a variety of reasons even though my original intent was to teach high school math.


My application is finished except for one thing: the scholarship essay.  I thought my application was due on February 1st, but I received an email that says I should turn in my application 10 days ahead of time.  So, I really have to work on it now.  500 words on the importance of graduate education to your career goals.   How can I say in 500 words that for a community college to look at my application, I need a master's degree?  I think that took 10 words.  I was thinking I could talk about why I wanted to teach at a community college, but that would not fit the topic at all.  I thought I could talk about why I don't want to teach in a high school, but that won't cut it either.  I guess I could talk about how the curriculum would better prepare me to teach at a community college, so if there are 10 classes I need to take, I guess that would be 30 words a class, with 100 for an introduction and a conclusion, right?


Then I wonder, how are they going to judge this essay?  Is it going to be on grammar and spelling?  Or is it going to be on my career choice?  They give no remarks about the judging at all.  Errr............there is a reason I am math major here - words and I don't get a long.  


Let's see, I just wrote 370 words.  I guess 500 is not so bad, I just would like an essay topic that is not so broad.

Wordless Wednesday

Food Goal Week #1

 This week, my food goal is simple.  Not to eat three hours before bed time.  This one is not hard, or is it?

I have to admit, that I look forward to a little "me snack" right after I put the kids to bed.  But what is that snack?  It is usually something sweet that you don't want the kids to eat, so you eat it when they are in bed.  Is that snack good for you or are you really hungry?  Nope, you just don't want the kids to have it.  Then why are you eating it?

Science also shows us that not eating before bed also helps digestion, sleep and other things like that.  But, we have to admit that nighttime eating is not good eating.

Are you in with me?

New Year's Resolution

Every year, lots of people make resolutions.  I do to, but most of the time, I forget what they were by March.  This year, I have two that I really want to work on.

The first one came to me over a few different events.  I want to stop worrying about what people think of me and concentrate on being the best Amber I can be.  Don't take it wrong, I am not saying that I won't care or think about other people.  I just want to be more confident in who I am and not change my mind based on trying to make other people happy.  I think that new confidence will help me in so many other ways.

This year, I really want to be in more control about what I eat.  Through slow changes, I want it to become natural to eat healthier.  I don't want the constant fight inside my head anymore.

Do you have resolutions?

Wordless Wednesday

Girl Scout Cookie Time!

There is a buzz in our house.

It's Girl Scout Cookie Time! Girl Scout is the largest girl owned business, with Thin Mint Cookies being the #2 most sold cookie in the US (second only to Oreo's). Ann is selling cookies to help her troop go to Washington, DC this summer to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Girl Scouts. Her goal this year is 1200. (Last year she sold 508 - a loft goal, but if she is willing to work for it, I will willing to help her) Would you consider ordering a box or 2 from her?

The varieties are: Shout Outs, Thanks A Lot, Thin Mints, Caramel Delights, Peanut Butter Patties, Peanut Butter Sandwiches, Lemonades and Shortbread.

Boxes are $4 a box. If you would like to help, but don't want to order cookies, she is also selling boxes to send the Military through Operation Sweet Treat. If you are interested, please let me know. Thanks!