Well, thanks to the very random Ohio weather most of the plans we had for this weekend didn't happen. I was supposed to go to Amish Country in Northern Ohio with Andrews mom, sister in law and our little niece, but there was a good 8 inches of snow up that way so we couldn't go. Andrew and his brother went to a farm equipment auction and the girls decided to do some shopping! We headed to some local antique stores and I found a few things (go figure) and then we went to lunch, the thrift store and the used book store. The boys came back around 6pm and Andrew and I headed home. Normally on Friday or Saturday nights we like to do dinner out, but the roads stunk both nights and we didn't get to go, money saved I suppose.
We must be turning into 90 year olds because by 8:30 we were in bed and I was passed out by 9....yeah we're those people. I've been a little stressed out lately by a lot of things (its kind of a long story that I don't really want to spill out on here) and I've had a hard time sleeping. Passing out at 9pm and not waking up till 7 the following morning was exactly what I needed. My mind wasn't totally clear when I woke up, but I felt worlds better and it amazed me what a good nights sleep could do!
I further relieved my stress on Sunday by doing some cleaning and laundry (yea that honestly makes me feel better believe it or not). Andrew went to a car parts store with my brother and I made a nice dinner for us - chicken fried steak (I am still trying to clean all this meat out and I'm getting closer and closer). Hope that everyone else had a good weekend and that you all keep praying for spring - I'm starting to see the snow piles slowly getting smaller!
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Friday, February 26, 2010
Texting, sexting and digital harassment
I recently watched a special on MTV news about "Sexting in America" explaining the problems with sexual text messages being created and shared among teens. They shared the story of two teens and how sending these messages had a dramatic impact on their life. One girl ended up having a picture she sent to her boyfriend of her topless forwarded all over the school and eventually getting to the principle. The other guy forwarded naked pictures of his 16 year old girlfriend to everyone in his email address book and got arrested for distribution of child porn and is now a registered sex offender. As I kept watching I hoped that there were teens watching the special and that it was going to make them realize that their actions are not innocent and that they do have consequences. The laws for child porn have not caught up with the sexting phenomenon but they seem to be progressing and more and more teens (and adults) are being prosecuted for these crimes.
It blew my mind to think that kids this young are being pressured to share nude photos with other people and that for some of them the thought never crosses their mind that it will get around school. There wasn't texting or sexting when I was that age, but I do know that I would not be dumb enough to let everyone at PHS see me naked via my boyfriends cell phone.
Not only is sexting an issue but now there is cyber bulling as well, this can happen via text, facebook or myspace and its also occurring in record numbers. During the sexting special, MTV kept showing commercials about thinking before you forward a mean text about someone or write something mean in a facebook message or email (you can view the commercials here). There have been several teens in recent months that have committed suicide due to comments that have been made about them on the internet or in text messages. I remember there being bullies growing up and being made fun of, but really things just seem to have gone too far.
I know that we've all probably sent a naughty text (hopefully nothing that got us in trouble, I mean we are all adults here) and that maybe we've said something mean on facebook or in an email but maybe we all need to think twice. If you have kids that are teens, make sure that you tell them there are consequences for the things they say on the internet and via text message and those mean messages can be stuck out in "internet land" forever. I know that we all try to stay away from drama, gossip and things that can get us in trouble, but lets remind the young people we are around of these ideas as well.
So I wanna know, what are your thoughts, what do you think about sexting and digital harassment? Have you ever been a victim of a mean text or email, maybe even said something rude to someone on Facebook or Myspace?
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Princess Dress
I haven't done something crafty in quite sometime that I have pictures of, and this seemed to be the only writing prompt from mama kat's that was inspiring to me this week. So I found a picture on my computer of one of the biggest craft/sewing projects I've ever done (with a good deal of help from my mom and one of our neighbors.
Yeah, that was me in 2003 off to my senior prom - and what I would give to have that body back! And yes, my mom and I made that dress! It had to be the most complicated pattern that I could have possibly chosen and of course it had to be pink (forever and always my favorite color). The top was almost like a corset, boning and all, something that my poor mother had never done. The skirt was 6 layers of chiffon and satin and was totally beautiful. We worked on that dress for two months solid until my prom in early May. I felt so bad for making my mom so frustrated with that dress, but at the same time it was fun and a learning process for both of us. I remember many pin stabbings, jammed up bobbins and broken machine needles but also lots of laughs and in the end a beautiful dress.
My mom made my homecoming dress that year too (far less complicated I might add) and my dress for graduation (which needed to be white = impossible to find for an 18 year old). I always loved doing sewing projects with my mom and hopefully once things are more put together here we can start working on window treatments and all kinds of fun stuff! And someday in the not-so-far-away future she is going to make my wedding dress. I've been looking forward to that project for most of my life, since we're making it out of my moms wedding dress!
What kinds of crafts do you like to do? Sewing, floral design, scrapbooking!?!?
Yeah, that was me in 2003 off to my senior prom - and what I would give to have that body back! And yes, my mom and I made that dress! It had to be the most complicated pattern that I could have possibly chosen and of course it had to be pink (forever and always my favorite color). The top was almost like a corset, boning and all, something that my poor mother had never done. The skirt was 6 layers of chiffon and satin and was totally beautiful. We worked on that dress for two months solid until my prom in early May. I felt so bad for making my mom so frustrated with that dress, but at the same time it was fun and a learning process for both of us. I remember many pin stabbings, jammed up bobbins and broken machine needles but also lots of laughs and in the end a beautiful dress.My mom made my homecoming dress that year too (far less complicated I might add) and my dress for graduation (which needed to be white = impossible to find for an 18 year old). I always loved doing sewing projects with my mom and hopefully once things are more put together here we can start working on window treatments and all kinds of fun stuff! And someday in the not-so-far-away future she is going to make my wedding dress. I've been looking forward to that project for most of my life, since we're making it out of my moms wedding dress!
What kinds of crafts do you like to do? Sewing, floral design, scrapbooking!?!?
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
My heart is full of fear.....
As most of you know, my dad has been unemployed since April 2009 - his position was eliminated from his company after he worked there for 28 years. He was not given the opportunity to be placed somewhere else in the company, but a person who was there a year longer than him was. He has sent out hundreds of resume and only had 8 interviews in the last 10 months and to make matters worse, on April 17th, his unemployment expires if he does not find a job.
I've been trying for days to hold back how much this is hurting me deep inside but I just can't do it anymore. I don't know what to do or where to turn. Congress is trying to pass another extension on unemployment, but who knows if it will happen since they only have till the 28th to pass it and they aren't moving quickly enough. If it does run out they will be living on the saved severance and my moms salary, which is not much. They've had a string of bad luck the last few months, their furnace went out and so did my dad's car causing them to have to tap into their savings account.
People from their church have been sending grocery gift cards and money to them about every other week which they appreciate more than words could ever express. They are not behind on any bills and are just barely making ends meet at this point, but once the unemployment is gone they won't be able to make it - their house is not paid off (but thankfully all of the cars are), they have a loan from my school and just general bills. I wish that I could do something, but I'm barely making it as it is....I cried myself to sleep for the last 2 nights over this and I'm just at a loss.
Some of my family has reached out to them, but my closest relatives act like its no big deal and that it will work out, well at this point I don't think it will. Just writing all of this is making me sick to my stomach and the tears are welling up in my eyes. If anyone has any suggestions or ways I can find to help them out please leave a comment with your email and we can discuss this further. Thanks everyone for listening, this has always been a good place to vent.
I've been trying for days to hold back how much this is hurting me deep inside but I just can't do it anymore. I don't know what to do or where to turn. Congress is trying to pass another extension on unemployment, but who knows if it will happen since they only have till the 28th to pass it and they aren't moving quickly enough. If it does run out they will be living on the saved severance and my moms salary, which is not much. They've had a string of bad luck the last few months, their furnace went out and so did my dad's car causing them to have to tap into their savings account.
People from their church have been sending grocery gift cards and money to them about every other week which they appreciate more than words could ever express. They are not behind on any bills and are just barely making ends meet at this point, but once the unemployment is gone they won't be able to make it - their house is not paid off (but thankfully all of the cars are), they have a loan from my school and just general bills. I wish that I could do something, but I'm barely making it as it is....I cried myself to sleep for the last 2 nights over this and I'm just at a loss.
Some of my family has reached out to them, but my closest relatives act like its no big deal and that it will work out, well at this point I don't think it will. Just writing all of this is making me sick to my stomach and the tears are welling up in my eyes. If anyone has any suggestions or ways I can find to help them out please leave a comment with your email and we can discuss this further. Thanks everyone for listening, this has always been a good place to vent.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
On becoming a vegetarian
I've decided that as soon as more of these steaks and roasts are out of my freezer I am going to work on switching the food around here. We're going vegetarian (well mostly) and I think its going to be a good change. I'm frustrated with the way that I feel about my weight and I'm going to admit I haven't worked out really at all this winter. With Andrew going to bed at 7pm and my work hours changing getting me home at 5pm and an array of other things have caused a total lack of motivation. It probably doesn't help that in order to cure my seasonal depression I want to cook and eat horrible food, which seems to be the only thing that makes me feel better. If I have to see anymore snow or deal with another month of this weather I'm going to turn into a cookie by way of eating too many!
I've watched how much Andrews parents health has improved from cutting out processed foods and meats, but I don't think that I can go vegan, I'm not ready for that step just yet. They have also lost a considerable amount of weight and just feel better in general. Its going to take some effort on my part to learn to change my cooking methods and at least with being a vegetarian we can still enjoy dairy, eggs and fish. My first plan of action is go to to Amish Country where they have a bulk food store and I'll start with dried beans and grains, testing new recipes and maybe letting us splurge with meat once a week (plus the two of us sort of have an addiction to chicken wings). I have one vegetarian cookbook and I plan on looking for more and as I get better I will start creating my own dishes and get creative. I don't want this change to be a burden in our lives, I want it to be something that is going to better our health and our future.
I'm getting ready to start on a new book here soon about the benefits of certain foods so I'll be sure to blog about it as time goes on. If anyone knows of any good blogs on this topic (and thank you to the bloggers that commented and sent suggestions when I wrote about this before) please leave a link in my comments!
I've watched how much Andrews parents health has improved from cutting out processed foods and meats, but I don't think that I can go vegan, I'm not ready for that step just yet. They have also lost a considerable amount of weight and just feel better in general. Its going to take some effort on my part to learn to change my cooking methods and at least with being a vegetarian we can still enjoy dairy, eggs and fish. My first plan of action is go to to Amish Country where they have a bulk food store and I'll start with dried beans and grains, testing new recipes and maybe letting us splurge with meat once a week (plus the two of us sort of have an addiction to chicken wings). I have one vegetarian cookbook and I plan on looking for more and as I get better I will start creating my own dishes and get creative. I don't want this change to be a burden in our lives, I want it to be something that is going to better our health and our future.
I'm getting ready to start on a new book here soon about the benefits of certain foods so I'll be sure to blog about it as time goes on. If anyone knows of any good blogs on this topic (and thank you to the bloggers that commented and sent suggestions when I wrote about this before) please leave a link in my comments!
Nothing exciting to report from the weekend, went out with my old roommate on Friday night and slipped and fell on ice, busted my elbow and it made this horrible back pain I've been having worse, but thankfully I didn't hit my head. Got my house cleaned really well and cooked dinner with Andrew - did my big Sunday breakfast today and that's about it!
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