long dark journey into light

Modern Sage shares her weird Candy Striped Grub drawing.

SocGradMama is pulling her hair out in Homework Hell(p)!

Equality and Justice 4 All tells us What Pissed Me Off This Week.

Are you Missing the Miraculous? Spectacular Me! says, “snap out of it!”

Calming Winds reminds us that no matter what happens around us, we can survive by Clinging to the Core.

Melia Lore is corrupting the youth with her feminist sex studies. Read all about it: Sex and the Melia.

The Official Hippymom Blog has a great Valentine Kid Craft Project for your family to try this month.

Wouldn’t You Like To Know what she’s watching on TV?

Luscious Decadence has come up with 10 Ways to Give Back.

Moves in Curves is Snowed In!

I don’t think you’re ready for this Jelly Jaunt on the Inside Life.

Gray Gaia is just looking for a reason to celebrate.

Don’t forget to sign up for the upcoming online workshops being offered at Hippymom.com during the month of February:

Tuning Your Senses

Scrapbooking

Freelancing

The girls and I have come to a compromise that if we three want to watch tv together we have to agree on something all of will enjoy.   We only watch maybe 3 shows a day together but if it’s how they want to spend their *wintry* time with me.. then that’s fine by me. 

So, the shows we have agreed upon are Backyardigans, iCarly, Spongebob, and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen episodes!

Backyardigans is about 5 different characters and they all star or 4 out of the 5 star in an episode.  Most episodes are set to certain genres of music.  My two favorite episodes are Surf’s Up and Castaways.  Even, my 23 month old loves it and he doesn’t watch much tv! I love that it teaches them different genres of music and it doesn’t limit itself to pop, indie, rock.. etc.  I completely believe that music should be an important part of their lives, so hearing them learn these songs isn’t to bad.

iCarly is about 4 (sometimes 6) characters.  We each have our favorites.  I love Carly and the girls like Sam.  I think it’s because she’s in trouble the majority of the time but that’s another story.  Every once in awhile it’ll have a more “teen” situation, such as Carly and Freddy alone… in his room… kissing, we can bypass that because at least they really don’t understand that yet.  I will make the appropriate reaction such as, oooh his mom is gonna get her *snicker* but this show makes us laugh especially when Carly’s brother Spencer is around.  He’s always inventing something goofy or getting into crazy situations.. such as winning a boat but having no where to put the boat but his parking lot..

Spongebob Squarepants.makes.me.laugh Enough said.

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, admit it, you wanted to be them before they became hobo elite.  They have been powerful females since they were what 5! Anyways.. their teen made for tv movies always entertained me and the girls like seeing sets of twins.  So it works for us!

Anyways, this is what happens when mom is sick and doesn’t feel up to chasin’ monkeys around all day! We have marathons!

Wouldn’t You Like to Know exercises self-control with Chocolate Graham Cracker Crunch.

Take a Little Sip of Sunshine with Luscious Decadence.

Browniegasms on Moves in Curves. YUMMO.

Tribal Style featured a video of the Florida Tribal Dance Advanced ATS Students’ Hafla Performance.

Spectacular Me! has A New Set of Tools and wants to know if you’ll use them, too.

Modern Sage ponders the Destruction of the Ego.

Melia Lore documents a Night of Insomniac Hell.

Every Child Deserves a Voice, and the Official Hippymom Blog discusses Childhood Apraxia of Speech.

Love Them or Leave Them: Calming Winds talks about affirmations.

The Inside Life Howls at the Moon.

It’s taken me three weeks but I have finally watched and finished Julie/Julia.  Julie/Julia is about a 29 year old woman who is a writer, but doesn’t realize her full potential.  She is working at a job answering phones for those affected by 9/11.  She is married to a man who works for an architecture magazine.  She goes out with her 4 friends who seem to be successful.  One who wanted to interview her and ended up trashing her.  This is when Julie decides she’s going to blog.  With the help of her husband, she decides to blog Julia Child’s cookbook.  524 recipes in 365 days.  She cooks and cooks while we see flash backs of Julia Child’s life.  I, personally, had no idea that when Julia Child first started she didn’t know how to cook at all.  I guess I just figured she was born a cook!

Through meltdowns and almost divorce Julie does finish 524 recipes in 365 days.  Towards then end she is reviewed by the New York Times as she comes home the day the review comes out she has 65 messages on her answering machine.  All from publishers, reviewers, agents and she finally feels like she is a writer.   Even though, a columnist calls her for her comment pertaining to Julia Child’s comment that she is disrespectful and in Julie’s eyes hates her.

I loved this movie.  I am by no means a cook but I really don’t think it had much to do with it.   Julie gave herself a goal and she set out and accomplished it and received so much from it, not just agents, a publisher, a book (and a movie).   And even though obstacles got in her way she was able to smooth out the rough course, even with the source of her creativity bashed her and her blog.

I have set some goals for myself this year.  Goals, that I intend to accomplish.  For a long time, I would have goals and never follow through but some how this time feels different.  Life is different.   Obstacles will come, oh how I know they will come, but I will be ready for them and I will work hard to push through them.  All I can ask is for support and positivity throughout my journey.

Oh, by the way if you haven’t seen the movie, you should.  Have I mentioned lately how much I love Meryl Streep! Amy Adams is also moving up on my list of actresses that I love!

So I attended a baby shower yesterday and it totally makes me want another. It was very nice and the mother seems very excited.  We did the usual eat, fawn over the mom, and play gift bingo.  Well, it took about twenty minutes but I won and yelled out bingo.  So I dig threw the pile and get a gift.  Bring it back over to my seat and unwrap it excitedly.  To my surprise it was a chocolate graham cracker crunch.. at first I was like gross it’s a crunch but as I looked it over I had to wipe the corner of my mouth because I started drooling over it’s obvious deliciousness….

Then it hit me… I start my healthy challenge on Tuesday (the 19th).   My usual self would say “can I stuff my self silly with it’s delectable goodness by tuesday?”

As I sit there contemplating and still drooling, I have decided not to eat it at all.  omg what the hell have I just said!!!!!

That’s right, I have decided not to eat it and I will stay strong.  I am actually thinking of dropping it off at my aunts house so her skinny self can drool all over it and eat it herself! Let’s fatten her up a bit!!! insert evil laugh here

Tribal Style begins her series on The Care and Feeding of Zils.

Spectacular Me! only has one resolution for the new year.

Modern Sage is at a Crossroads.

Wouldn’t You Like To Know? struggles with addiction. And not her own.

Socgradmama is reminded of her own power.

Get MamaBirdie’s perspective on Reiki at the official Hippymom.com Blog.

Melia Lore takes a slightly painful, slightly humorous walk down memory lane with the Ex Files.

Moves in Curves has a new book review: What Happens in London.

Luscious Decadence takes herself Out to Dinner.

The Inside Life Regains Herself.

Catch up with the Social Justice Week in Review on Equality and Justice 4 All!

Mama Duck reminds herself to Stop Waiting and Live in the Moment.

It doesn’t matter if it’s your sister, brother, father, mother, grandmother or friend they will lie to you, they will hurt you, they will do anything in order to feed their addiction. They “may” be clean but addiction doesn’t just stop at doing drugs. Along the way they have developed certain things that fuels this addiction, whether it be through lying, manipulation, sweet-talking or a “polite addict”. It doesn’t matter.

A situation took place last week and I was basically slapped in the face. I am devastated. Not so much because he lied to me but because something unsafe was brought into my house and could have easily been snatched up by my children and, also, because I feel like I’ve lost my brother.

People kept telling me not to trust him and do not put all your faith in him. I did just that: I trusted him and I put my faith in him. I thought I had my brother back, and even better, new and improved. I thought things were changing. How could I have been so stupid. He hadn’t been through rehab or therapy. I thought he could have stayed clean without them.

The truth of the matter is I lost my brother a long time ago and I am finally realizing it. I love my brother but I hate hate hate his addiction. His addiction has destroyed our relationship and countless others, including our fathers’.

My heart aches.

The Inside Life is Taking Inventory.

Modern Sage invites her readers to Come Out Come Out WHOever You Are!

Moves in Curves has a list of Movies to See in 2010.

Melia Lore has kindly provided us with her Favorite 15 Songs of 2009. Turn it up!

Moments to Keep posted her first post, The Semi-Beginning.

Wouldn’t You Like to Know…How Long the Hair on Her Legs Is?

Got a Special Spot? Luscious Decadance does!

SocGradMama is only one week into 2010 and already has Learned Some Lessons.

Equality and Justice 4 All at Camp Courage!

Know CPR? Mama Duck reminds us all how important it is to learn.

Gray Gaia has a Funny Perspective for you.

I am the laziest person ever when it comes to shaving.  I’d rather wear pants in the dead of summer than to have to shave.   Right now, I completely believe my leg hairs might just be longer than the hubby’s! No lie….and I am definitely not bragging..okay maybe just a little !

So Smooth Away, does anyone have this?  Is it easier? Worth the money?

I really think this would solve my problem I can do it in the shower or out, I don’t need shaving cream or soap and I wouldn’t get any nicks and cuts.

I want soft and smooth legs dammit!

Smooth away!

I can’t believe a decade is over! I can’t believe I survived the decade! Here’s to new beginnings, closing of chapters in one’s life.  Here’s to having more peace and love!

Here’s a couple songs to dance to, to bring in this New Year!

Train- Hey Soul Sister Love it, you can’t help but at least sway your head to this song and maybe your hips!

Black Eyed Peas- I gotta feeling Once this song is in your head you can’t help but start humming it later!!