Your Body Rocks: Day 4

This week is National Eating Disorders Awareness Week.

 I thought I would join in on the good old blog to promote some self-love around here.  Each day this week I will issue a challenge (ideas from the the NEDA website), something you can do to promote a healthy body image, because I am sure we could all learn to love our bodies a little more.

Challenge #4:
Avoid stuff that makes you feel crappy.

 Sometimes great things can be not so great.  Are there blogs, magazines, television channels/shows, or social networking sites you use that make you hate/dislike/fight your body?  I am sure there is something out there, because media is bombarding us at all angles.  The things that I sometimes find triggering are the workouts pinned on Pinterest with pictures of barely-clothed girls with perfectly chiseled muscles and completely flat stomachs.  If I just follow the easy(or crazy hard) workout along with the fad diet highlighted I can look just like her, right?  I suddenly go from feeling great about my body that can do so many things to feeling like my body is suddenly lesser than, inadequate, not good enough.  So take notice and today choose to avoid stuff that you know erodes your self-esteem, body image, and sense of positive self.

Your Body Rocks: Day 3

This week is National Eating Disorders Awareness Week.

 I thought I would join in on the good old blog to promote some self-love around here.  Each day this week I will issue a challenge (ideas from the the NEDA website), something you can do to promote a healthy body image, because I am sure we could all learn to love our bodies a little more.

Challenge #3:

Get rid of a pair of jeans that are too small.

From NEDA, "There is a growing body of evidence supporting the fact that body size and shape is largely determined by genetics. However, too often individuals struggle against their natural, genetically determined size just to fit into that pair of 'skinny jeans' in the back of their closet. Fighting your natural size and shape can lead to unhealthy dieting practices, poor body image and decreased self-esteem. While you can adopt a healthy lifestyle and aim to be fit for your particular body type, you cannot change your genes (nor do you need to)! ...Think twice about the fit versus fashion dilemma and the pressures of our culture’s unattainable standards of beauty. NEDA wants women and men to stop waiting to be a smaller size in order to wear certain clothes and to stop squeezing into jeans they keep hoping to 'lose a few' to get into. Instead, people need to be encouraged to change the size of their jeans to fit their genes. After all, everybody deserves to feel comfortable and confident in his or her clothes and body!"
 Take care of yourself and show your body some love by getting rid of those jeans (or whatever article of clothing it may be for you)!  Start to love the body you have, rather than wishing it was everything it's not.

Your Body Rocks: Day 2

This week is National Eating Disorders Awareness Week.

 I thought I would join in on the good old blog to promote some self-love around here.  Each day this week I will issue a challenge (ideas from the the NEDA website), something you can do to promote a healthy body image, because I am sure we could all learn to love our bodies a little more.

Challenge #2:

Cover your mirrors with paper and write positive things on them.

Don't pick apart your body today and show it some love instead.  Instead of looking at the mirror to check your appearance, write positive affirmations about your self anytime you walk by.  Positive affirmations are statements like: I am beautiful.  I am smart.  I am strong.  My body rocks.  I am a good person. You could also write things you like about yourself (your strengths, inner qualities, and talents). This one might seem like a big project, but it can be done on many levels.  You could cover the entire thing with butcher paper or just add some sticky notes to your mirror and put a pen next to it.  If you want to get others involved, print out a flyer from the NEDA website to put by the mirrors at work, cover those suckers up with paper, and leave some markers.  You don't need a mirror to tell you are beautiful. 

Your Body Rocks: Day 1

This week is National Eating Disorders Awareness Week.

Naturally we are doing special things at my internship to try to raise awareness and provide accurate information to friends and family members.  I thought I would join in on the good old blog to promote some self-love around here.  Each day this week I will issue a challenge (ideas from the the NEDA website), something you can do to promote a healthy body image, because I am sure we could all learn to love our bodies a little more.

Challenge #1:

Don't weigh yourself for the rest of the week.

Why should some number mean so much?  Step off the scale this week and if you are feeling particularly brave, toss the scale FOREVER.  Yes, I am serious.  There was a time when I would weigh myself 2-3 times every day.  I would be having a great day and I would jump on the scale just to see how much I weighed.  Almost every time the number just wasn't low enough and I would become angry and sad.  Jeremy noticed the immediate mood shift and started hiding the scale.  When we moved, we decided to toss it; it wasn't doing much good.  Tossing the scale didn't magically make me love my body more (that takes work!), but the number has become less important.  At my internship, we often have funerals for scales. We have our patients bring in their scales, write a good-bye letter on them, and then throw them away.  It is a step towards refusing to let that number have so much power.  You are worth so much more than the number on the scale.  Don't let it become the way you measure how you feel about yourself.

lookie, lookie!

we got all adventurous over here and made chicken pot pie.  it's even packed with veggies... and i actually ATE them.  here's the recipe in case you are feeling adventurous, too.  or maybe this isn't deemed "adventurous" for you.  no matter.  our version has lots of shortcuts.  :)

pillsbury pie crust
1/3 cup butter
1-2 tablespoons minced onion
1/3 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 can chicken broth
1/2 cup milk
2 1/2 cups shredded chicken
(we just use 2 cans of chicken)
1 bag of frozen veggies

heat oven to 425 degrees.  in 2 quart saucepan melt butter.  add onion and cook until tender.   stir in flour, salt, and pepper.  stir in broth and milk gradually.  stir until thick and bubbly.  stir in chicken and veggies and remove from heat.  line pie pan with crust, fill with goodies, top with more crust, and cut slits.  bake 20 min, put foil strips on edges so they don't burn, cook for 15-20 more minutes (35-40 minutes total).  let stand for 10 minutes... and then EAT!

Phew!

I just submitted my application for a few Social Work Fellowships at Boston Children's Hospital (and that is what I have been doing all week).  Wouldn't that be AMAZING?!  I would start in September and go through August 2014, which means I would get this whole summer off!  YAY!  I can focus on studying for the licensing exam and just play around.  Sounds dreamy!  I would get paid for the fellowship which is nice, but it is less than if I got a full time job, but a fellowship at BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL!  Who are we kidding here?!  That would be amazing on my resume, plus can you believe the training opportunities that would be available there.  I really hope I get it.  They have three that I am interested in, but my top choice is Pediatric Oncology. I would get introduced to medical social work as well as grief and bereavement work.  I'm praying I get an interview.... but I also know that if it doesn't pan out for me, it would be just fine.  Something that is just right for me will come my way.  Now it is just the waiting game, which may take up to 8 weeks.  Bleh!  But I need the time because I need to go suit shopping in case I get an interview.  Who knew a suit was a prerequisite for an adult job??!  Not me.  Exciting stuff.  So it is all emailed off and now I can take a deep breath and... get started on my other homework.  hooray!  Someday, I will not have homework.  Someday, I will not have homework.  Someday, I will not have homework.

52 and still so young

Happy Birthday Daddy!

hey there daddy!  i hope your birthday rocks because you sure deserve it.  you are: full of service, hilarious, a good listener, always there for me, a constant supporter, a great example, steadfast, a best friend, so good to our family, and an all around awesome person. thanks for being the best dad i could ever ask for! i'm bummed i can't be there to watch you open presents and eat delicious wafer cake.  be sure to have a party anyways.  i love you.

xoxo - your favorite daughter

pinata time

today i broke the pinata!

and jeremy recorded it at the request of some of our friends.

it took two attempts, but here it is:

it took some serious brain power to suspend it in the air after the stairwell didn't pan out.  the swiffer, the jump rope, and jeremy made everything possible.  and IT WAS TOTALLY AWESOME!  i love pinatas and have been wanting one for years!  my dreams came true this year.  :) it was filled with confetti, jelly beans, and dove chocolates! what a treat!?  HAPPY FOUR YEARS OF MARITAL BLISS!

at school on a friday night

i have really been wanting some models of my teeth (doesn't everybody?), 

so last night we made it happen. we took our date night to dental school.

jeremy first took some impressions of my teeth and then he filled them with plaster.

we waited around for the plaster to harden.
then jeremy sanded them down to look pretty.

and ta-da!  we were done! 
there are my teeth OUTSIDE of my mouth. ha!

jeremy did an awesome job.  i love them. they totally crack me up.

 after playing around, we stayed downtown for dinner and walked over to UBurger. they were voted to have the best frappes in boston (frappe=milkshake over here on the east coast), so we of course had to get one.  we went with oreo based on the cashier's recommendation.  when in doubt have the employee decide, it's easier, faster, and they know their product.

 i ordered the cowboy burger sans mushrooms (bacon, pepper jack cheese, and bbq sauce) which was super tasty and the oreo frappe was just as satisfying.  oh and major bonus... THIS PLACE HAS FRY SAUCE (their house spread).  can you believe it? it exists outside of utah.  praise the heavens!  i love that stuff!

after our bellies were full, we hopped on the subway and headed for home.

love-ly days

first up, our anniversary!  

we both had a full day of classes, but after school we met up at P.F. Chang's for some delicious food.  we love that place.  then we came home to make a our fruit pizza and open presents.  (presents are the best!)

 

one of the presents jeremy gave me was a... pinata!!  WOOHOO!  he certainly knows me.  it's all filled with candy and i can't wait to bust it open this weekend. 

here's our fruit pizza:

and here is where i got the idea.

we always blow out candles on our birthday.  we are now 4!

love... we are so in it.


next up, v-day!
i didn't get home from class until 9 so we just opened presents for the special day.
(we also dressed up for the occasion: i wore my hot pink pants and jeremy wore a red polo.)

i walked in the door to find these pretty flowers.  i was so surprised!  he also gave me a yoga mat and some peach rings, which take me back to when we first met.  it was probably the second time we were sitting next too each other in the back of class and jeremy pulls out some peach rings to share with me.  i basically ate the whole bag and i decided we should bring candy to class on a regular basis.  we didn't really follow through with the ongoing candy party in the back of SOC 112 - Current Social Problems, but we did certainly start to meet before every class and walk home together. awwww.. the beginning of our love.   give a girl some candy and she will be yours forever.

 i gave him a movie and some of his favorite treats... i also colored this masterpiece.  check out that ombre effect.  yeah, i worked pretty hard on that.  :)

and that's a wrap of the back to back love-ly days.  what a blast!
 i love taking a step back and focusing on the wonderful people i love in my life.  love is the best!

four

 today we are celebrating four years of marriage.

four years of fun i like to say and an ETERNITY to go! 

i am truly the luckiest!  i am so happy that this fun never has to end.  ever!  i love us.

 i found this gem today while looking through pictures.
it was the first picture we took together a couple months
 after we started dating back in 2007.  

   it was saved as "katie_and_the_boy_of_the_semester."  how funny is that?!

pick your fast

lent starts tomorrow!
  will you join me in giving up something (or adding something) to enrich your life? i don't recommend giving up desserts though, because deprivation is not the answer.  come on, it will be fun.  and you have a whole day to ponder and decide what to do. after much thought and internal deliberation i have decided that for this year i'm going to give up:

reading strangers' blogs.

sometimes the blogging world can suck you in.  (am i the only one?) i bounce from blog to blog and read about the lives of people i don't even know. this isn't an everyday occurrence for me, i haven't the time to get that sucked in. but every once in a while i do.  i waste time, i start to want what others have (clothes, house,  hair, skinny body, etc.), i forget my own strengths and accomplishments and blessings, and i come out the whole thing feeling crappy about myself.  it is not a healthy thing.  i think i will try to add more of the not so great stuff on here as it comes along, so i don't contribute to the problem of creating some picture perfect reality that doesn't exist.  (like right now i have a monster zit that i destroyed and its taking over my face! argh!)

 so why not have a little reprieve?  that sounds so refreshing to me.  i will dedicate more time to living instead of looking and doing instead of dreaming.  i can't wait! so from tomorrow until Easter i will give up reading strangers' blogs. i even deleted the blog links on my sidebar.  if i really want to read them after lent, i'm sure i will be able to find them.  let the blogging fast begin!

what will you give up?  (or add?)

weekend away

we went to portland, maine for the weekend to celebrate our upcoming wedding anniversary (four years of fun! woohoo!).  we got out of town before the big blizzard and this is what we did:

     

     

 

 we bought a sled and went sledding before nemo hit.  it was WINDY! and then it was snowy and windy.  we got snowed in for a little bit and utilized the 24/7 free hot chocolate and warm pool at the hotel.  we also packed games so we had a good time.  portland got 32 inches of snow! - a record for the city.  luckily we had snow gear to play in it all.  we eventually got our car out to explore a little.  we skied for a couple of hours, but plan to get some more of that action before the winter ends.  we also visited the local farm for some delicious milk in glass bottles.  and you know i saved the bottles as my souvenir. fun stuff!  i love a weekend away!  we came home to find that the city will be functioning tomorrow... dang it.  we were hoping for another snow day.

busting out of here

the snow is coming!
and we are heading out in the early morn to embark on our planned adventure to maine.  we are hoping to cross-country ski and have a blast.  we may get snowed in, but hey, they have a pool.  i better get packing!

survey says...

I sent Riley a survey to fill out at his half-way mark (just last week).  
 He managed to get around to it and emailed it back to us today.

Here's what Riley had to say about being 
a missionary for a whole year:

The Short Version:

Yearly Reflections: This has been a crazy fast year. I look back and think about how much has happened, how many people I've met, how many people I've grown to love. It is nuts. Being a missionary has brought me the most joy. I love it. Everyday I wake up and do all I can to bring people closer to Christ. What a great calling.  Nutshell: This year was hard. This year was fun. This year was immensely fulfilling. My hope: This next year doesn't go quite as fast.

The Full Survey: 
1. So how has the mission been so far?  

Incredibly rewarding.  Watching people's lives change as they accept the restored gospel is marvelous.  There have been disappointments but the joy outweighs all else. 

2. Has it been harder than you thought? Easier?  

Harder.  I didn't expect the disappointments.  I expected rejection but not the sorrow and frustration that comes from it.  Doing all you can to help a person come closer to Christ, closer to happiness and watching them turn back from the edge instead of taking the leap of faith is heartbreaking.  When they don't stall though and make the leap it is all worth it.

3. What has been your most favorite experience?  Your most spiritual? 
Favorite: Listening to B. Rak bear testimony about the Book of Mormon.  Hearing him say that he knew it was true was wonderful, joyous.  Spiritual: Setting some lofty goals.  I fasted and prayed to know if they were in line with God's will.  They were.  I felt the Spirit tell me that the goals I was setting were what God wanted me to do.  Knowing the goals you are setting are not only church-approved but God-approved gives you such confidence that He will help you achieve them.

4. How has the food been? Have you had to eat lots of gross veggies so far? How do you eat that gross stuff? Have you been learning to like them? 
Grossest thing:  Pork from the pig's leg complete with skin and hair.  Yeah, hair too.  I forced it down.  Almost wanted to force it back up too.  The greens:  They are still a chore but they don't make me gag so it's easy money.  How do I eat it?  I put it in my mouth.  I chew.  I swallow.  Aka I don't think about it, I just do it.  Some of the food you learn to like, some of it you learn to not think about.

5. What has been the funniest experience? The scariest? 
Funniest:  Watching E. Barfuss (epitome of a macho man) trying to get rid of a cockroach and screaming his head off.  Best video ever.  Scariest:  Chiangmai.  We were just going on a casual elephant ride through the hills when a tiger charges us.  It leaps into the air to tackle us off the pachyderm.  I start saying, "I'm going down."  I hear my brother's voice, "Clip out! clip out!"  Then the guide shoots it dead mid-leap.  I didn't tell you before because I thought you'd get really worried about me.  That and it's also not true.  Gotcha!  Legit Scariest:  When B. Rod couldn't get the words right to baptize his wife.  After about the 4 time I thought he was going to give up and bail.  It was a sweaty 5 minutes.  Worst feeling.

6. What’s your favorite thing about being a missionary? Least favorite? 
Favorite: The relationships we build with investigators, members and other missionaries.  The bond that is forged is so unique, so strong.  Love.  Least:  Moving.  You spend all your time building these great relationships and then have to peace out.  Awful. 

7.  When did you know you were going to serve a mission? 

It was never a question.  I always wanted to do it.  Watching Sam serve solidified it. 

8.  Do you know your family misses you and loves you A TON?! 

They holler at me like they do so I guess that means they really do!  Yeah, I know.  Our family rocks.

And that is the end of it... straight from the boy in Thailand.  What a stud!  I'm so proud of you little brother!  Keep up the great work Riley.  Unlike you... I hope this year flies by.  I miss you. 

 

and phil reports

happy groundhog day!
(spring is around the corner - hooray!)

i had great intentions of taking a picture of my shadow today to celebrate the holiday, but by the time i got around to doing just that, the sun hid behind the clouds and never returned before it became the moon's turn to reign.  so i took a picture of my shadowless bottom half instead.

side note: i am loving my converse these days.  jeremy gave them to me years ago and i finally wear them.  you know how you think things look great on other people, but that they look funny/awkward on you?  is it just me?  well, that was me and my converse. i loved them on other people, so i wanted them, i got them, decided they looked terrible on me, never wore them, got sick of not wearing them when they looked so cute on other people, wore them a couple of times (just this week), and now LOVE them.  what a journey! sometimes it takes a lot to conquer dumb distortions.

first entry in the book of sketch

where have i been?

around i guess.  just doing the school thing is my only excuse for the almost week of silence, which is pretty rare around here.  i guess i usually have a lot to say.  january was pretty quiet around here though. getting back into the routine of more school.  fun fun.  i am loving my classes this semester. i have good friends in each class so we are having a blast.  and my classes are way less overwhelming than in past semesters, so i am enjoying the lighter load.  i have also been making time for fun little projects. 

this is what i created this morning:

nothing fancy.  just cutting and pasting, which is awesome because it is foolproof and i felt like i couldn't mess up, so it was safe enough to have as my first entry in the sketchbook i got for christmas.  eventually i hope to get to sketching without restraint, but we are taking baby steps around here.  i have been wanting to do this project for some time so last night i just started cutting up an old magazine i had laying around.  this morning i cut out more and started playing with the words, putting it together (while trying to avoid the day of homework i had planned) until i came up with the phrases above.  the whole thing became a rather therapeutic endeavor. cutting out words and thinking of various possibilities of positive, motivating phrases seemed to heal my confidence (which can sometimes be chipped at while in the role of a student).  while i feel like the end result represents what i wanted to portray, the actual experience of the project was just as meaningful.  

bottom line:  if you are feeling a tad bit crafty but not overly inspired, cut up a magazine and glue some phrases together.  you will be surprised with what you come up with.