My New Toy

It's funny how a kitchen appliance can make me giggle with glee.

My first batch of ice cream: vanilla with caramel and Snickers.

A shot of triple berry with almonds. Yes, it tastes as good as it looks!

The Trouble with Brynnlee

The trouble with Brynnlee is that some days she is too smart for her own good. Today was one of those days. First, she patiently waited for Kevin to fall asleep, and while he napped, and I read a book, thinking Kevin was watching her, Brynnlee got into my make-up. This is how I found her.....

Bunny

This isn't just any old picture of Brynnlee. It is a picture of Brynnlee with her new friend, Bunny! Can you see him? He is sitting right next to her. I know he is there because Brynnlee showed me exactly where he was sitting to take the picture. She even looked at each of them to make sure I got him.

We don't know much about Bunny around here. But we do know that he is yellow and that he likes to come shopping with us. He also goes to Daddy's work sometimes. Bunny has been known to make messes and run up the stairs at church. It seems that he is turning into quite the trouble maker.

Having Bunny around seems to add excitement here. Brynnlee is always talking to him. And she often yells at him too. She is always getting after him about something or putting him in timeout for being bad. It has been interesting having this new friend in our home. I am curious each day to learn what bunny is up to.

Bunny posing with Brynnlee.

Bunny playing inside Brynnlee's house.

I had to sneak up on him to take the picture.

Bunny standing if front of the pink door.

Getting Out

I am a home-body. If I had a choice of staying in or going out, I would stay in. But as I talk to my friends here in Okinawa, I realize they are having a lot more fun than I am. So, I made a resolution. I thought to myself, "Lindsay, you live in another country. A beautiful country. Not many people are given this chance. Get your butt out and see what there is to see."

Well, the other day a fellow book club member told me about a little farmer's market down the street from where I live. I didn't really listen to her instructions very well because, honestly, I had no intention of going to it. Then I remembered my new getting-out-and-about-goal and decided to get there. I am certainly glad I did. Not only was it filled with fresh fruits and vegetables, but the people were so friendly. {AND} I finally was able to bite into a fresh peach.

Shoe Tragedy

Sometimes a pair of shoes enters your life, and you never want to let them go. This is the case with my favorite shoes ever: a pair of black flip-flops with multi-colored beaded flowers on the straps. They are perfect because I can wear them dressed up or down, and they match so many of my clothes. The interesting thing? I bought these shoes at PaylessShoeSource over {TEN} years ago. Hard to believe, right!?

Unfortunately, like most good things, my multi-colored-beaded-flower-on-the-straps-black flip-flop wearing days have come to an end. One night while at a church dinner, one of the straps broke. I am pretty broken up about it. In fact, I haven't thrown them away yet!

Picture Puzzle

I found a really cute craft idea on http://familyfun.go.com. The idea is to make puzzles by taping craft sticks together and having your child draw a picture on them. When you untape the craft sticks, you have a new puzzle. Well, Brynnlee is more of an abstract artist. You really have to look hard to figure out what she has drawn. But I really wanted to make these cute puzzles, so I decided to use some cute pictures I took a few weeks ago. It was really easy, and they turned out to be very cute. Plus, Brynnlee likes to play with them!

Diaper Duty

Brynnlee is really loving being a mommy to her dolls, bears, and other stuffed animals. Now she likes to change stinky diapers. The only problem? She is stealing Pressley's to use. So, I went searching for a solution. And I discovered one.

I found an adorable and easy doll diaper pattern here: http://www.skiptomylou.org/2008/09/19/how-to-make-a-diaper-for-a-childs-doll/.

I am not much of a sewer, but I did my best, and Brynnlee is already having fun with them.

Communication....

"'Words do not convey meanings; they call them forth.' I speak out of the context of my experience, and you listen out of the context of yours, and that is why communication is difficult."

--David O. McKay

Communication is difficult isn't it? There are some people who talk too much; they over share and spill out information that may be too personal, not thought out, or mean. They speak their minds too often and offend people. (Yes, I usually fall into this category.) But there are others who do the opposite. They hold in a lot of what they think and feel. This form of communication is just as reckless as blurting every thought, feeling, and story we have on our minds.

When we don't share what is bothering us, many things can happen. The feelings can grow, and fester, and cause damage in our relationships. I've learned over the years that instead of sulking off and crying when Kevin hurts my feelings that I should tell him. It makes me feel better, and he learns what to avoid saying in the future. When we don't communicate that others have upset us, how do they know when to apologize or change their actions. It's so hard to have someone mad at me. It's even harder when I don't know why.

I bring up communication because Kevin and I had an interesting experience the other day. It was almost 4:00, and I overheard Kevin tell Brynnlee that he wanted to play a game on the Wii. Well, I wanted to watch Dr. Phil. There was an interesting show on the day before about an intervention, and I wanted to watch the follow-up so. I hurried in Brynnlee's room and told Kevin that he couldn't play the Wii because I wanted to watch this particular Dr. Phil show. He was nice enough to put off playing a video game for awhile. Well, 4:00 came, and I went to watch tv. But when the show started, I discovered it wasn't about the intervention, so I turned off the television and found something else to do. About a half an hour later, I hear, "Lindsay, could you come here." It was Kevin, and he sounded upset. He said, "Is this the Dr. Phil show you wanted to watch?" I look at the screen, and the title of the show is "My Mate's Not Hot Enough!" I almost started laughing when I saw it, but I realized that he thought I was really going to watch this. Maybe he was thinking I felt this way. I explained what happened, we got a good laugh out of it, and he changed the channel.

But I started thinking, what if Kevin hadn't said anything to me? What if he had thought that was the show I wanted to watch? What would his attitude toward me been? Would we started having problems because of this lack of communication? It could have happened. I hate to think of the damage that miscommunication and no communication can do to a marriage.

Bonds That Make Us Free

If you have talked to me or been a part of my life for the last 15 years, you may have noticed how unhappy I was....a lot. You probably felt my biting comments or saw my eye daggers. You may have been on the receiving end of my sarcastic jokes. I thought it was just me. I mean I come from a family of sarcasm. I thought I was funny. I thought it was just the way I was. It turns out I was wrong.

One afternoon , Kevin presented me with this book. He told me that he thought it would help me. I read the title, threw it aside, and cried. I was betrayed. How could my own husband think that I needed a book to help me with my relationships? I gave him the silent treatment for awhile, and I definitely did not read the book.

Years later, I picked it up and started reading it. I don't even remember why. But I am so glad that I did. I needed this book because I was miserable. I didn't even realize I was miserable. I was angry. I didn't even realize how angry I really was.

There are so many thoughts and tidbits that really made me think. Here is one that caught my attention right from the beginning: "Much of the time, the advice we give one another, like the advice of experts, is based on misguided diagnosis. Our advice trusts the experience of those who feel 'stuck' to identify the cause of the trouble. But when we are 'stuck,' we think, falsely, the problem lies with other people, when the truth is that the problem lies within ourselves" (pg 13). I was blaming everyone, especially Kevin, for my sadness or my misfortune, or my anger. It was really me who needed to change.

Another part that caught my brain: "...those times when we feel most miserable, offended, or angry are invariably the occasions when we're also most absorbed in ourselves and most anxious or suspicious or fearful, or in some other way concerned about ourselves" (pg 19). It could be that many of you are thinking, "Um no kidding, Lindsay!" But when you are caught up in your own misery, it is so hard to see it.

Bonds That Make Us Free is filled with information and ideas that explain why we may not be getting along with others or why we are so unhappy at times. The author, C. Terry Warner, brought me face-to-face with myself. I was so surprised with how much the people with unhappiness in this book were like me.

I still pick up Bonds That Makes Us Free when I need a reminder. I have highlighted important parts: sentences and ideas that I like to read over again. I read these concepts that make me know that I can do better and that I am better.

Why am I sharing this? Well, I want those of you who have been caught in the tornado of my anger to know that I am sorry. I realize how sad and angry I really was. And I have changed. I also want to share with others, if you feel like you just need a little help to understand why you're not as happy as you could or should be, you should take a look at this book.

Book Description from Amazon.com:

Life can be sweet. Our relationships with friends, spouses, colleagues, and family members can be wonderfully rewarding. They can also bring heartache, frustration, anxiety, and anger. We all know the difference between times when we feel open, generous, and at ease with people versus times when we are guarded, defensive, and on edge.

Why do we get trapped in negative emotions when it's clear that life is so much fuller and richer when we are free of them?

Bonds That Make Us Free is a ground-breaking book that suggests

the remedy for our troubling emotions by addressing their root causes. You'll learn how, in ways we scarcely suspect, we are responsible for feelings like anger, envy, and insecurity that we have blamed on others. (How many times have you said, "You're making me mad!")

Even though we fear to admit this, it is good news. If we produce these emotions, it falls within our power to stop them. But we have to understand our part in them far better than we do, and that is what this remarkable book teaches.

Because the key is seeing truthfully, the book itself is therapeutic. As you read and identify with the many true stories of people who have seen a transformation in their lives, you will find yourself reflecting with fresh honesty upon your relationships. This will bond you to others in love and respect and lift you out of the negative thoughts and feelings that have held you captive. You will feel your heart changing even as you read.

"It would not be accurate to describe this book as supplying the truths upon which we must build our lives," writes author C. Terry Warner. "Instead it shows how we can put ourselves in that receptive, honest, and discerning condition that will enable us, any of us, to find these truths on our own."

Finding these truths is the key to healing our relationships and coming to ourselves, and Bonds That Make Us Free starts us on that great journey.

Brynnlee and Her Imagination

One of my favorite things to do is watch Brynnlee play. All of the toys we have given her are suddenly worth it. The girl has such a great imagination and uses it every day. From the bath tub to her bedroom, she is pretending that she has a dog and a cat or that her grandparents are here visiting. Yesterday, I had to go to our front door and "hug" Grandma and Grandpa. She also loves to play Mommy. She takes her babies and feeds them, changes their diapers, rocks them, and put them down for a nap. She is a great mom. Brynnlee is also into cooking us dinner with her play kitchen, dishes, and food. She is always bringing us something to eat--usually ice cream. We are really full around her! Like I said, it's fun to watch her play. It's even fun to play with her.