tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26626837991523216262024-03-19T06:28:29.796-06:00My Meandering MusingsThe dreamy musings of a musing dreamer.Andriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11399682348211528396noreply@blogger.comBlogger284125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2662683799152321626.post-21521912226036748492015-01-04T12:04:00.000-07:002015-01-04T12:32:36.676-07:002014 in Books: Part 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JneS792j40s/VKYEbMSWADI/AAAAAAAAHHI/NQdGAFgUvDc/s1600/IMG_20141031_191044.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JneS792j40s/VKYEbMSWADI/AAAAAAAAHHI/NQdGAFgUvDc/s1600/IMG_20141031_191044.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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(My companions on Halloween night--Bella the cat and GONE GIRL)</div>
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According to my 2014 bookshelf on Goodreads, I read 104 books this year. Whoa.<br />
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This is the first year that I've tracked what I've read for an entire year and it's been kind of fun. And informative too. </div>
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This year I read:</div>
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<li>20 Young Adult novels (this is probably way down from my YA consumption of the last several years).</li>
<li>14 nonfiction books--mostly memoirs (nonfiction is not what I generally read, but I've been in the mood this year)</li>
<li>48 fluffy romances (I've never been shy of admitting that enjoy romance novels; they're like cotton candy for the brain)</li>
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The rest of the books I read were a combination of genres. Some of my favorites have been the following:</div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11832043-the-haunting-of-maddy-clare" target="_blank">The Haunting of Maddy Clare</a> by Simone St. James--A ghost story with a touch of romance set in England after World War I. I then devoured St. James' other published works, but I liked this one the best.</div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17167084-how-the-light-gets-in" target="_blank">How the Light Gets In</a> by Louise Penny--This is #9 in Penny's Chief Inspector Armand Gamache books. I have never read any of the others, but I'll be coming back for more.</div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/153025.Heart_Shaped_Box" target="_blank">Heart-Shaped Box</a> by Joe Hill--It's been so many years since I've read an adult horror novel, not because I don't like them, but because I dislike sleeping with the light on. But this one was worth it. </div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13247046-the-care-and-handling-of-roses-with-thorns" target="_blank">The Care and Handling of Roses with Thorns</a> by Margaret Dilloway--Again, this is another kind of book that I don't usually read but have been absorbed by a lot this year. One thing I enjoyed about this book is that the protagonist is as prickly as her roses. </div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17262149-the-wishing-thread" target="_blank">The Wishing Thread</a> by Lisa Van Allen--I can't help but love a novel with magical realism set in the environs of Sleepy Hollow. </div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6437061-the-hundred-thousand-kingdoms" target="_blank">The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms</a> by N.K. Jemisin--This is another genre I don't spend as much time with as I did as a kid--high fantasy. But this one sucked me in and kept me going until the very end. </div>
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I'll be doing a few more posts with my favorites from the other categories I read in 2014, but until then have you seen Huffington Post's <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/23/best-books-2014_n_6358040.html" target="_blank">The Best Books of 2014</a>? Have you read any and would you recommend them? Or is there something else you would recommend? </div>
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Andriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11399682348211528396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2662683799152321626.post-59216145204205182015-01-01T11:16:00.001-07:002015-01-01T11:16:58.079-07:002014 in Pictures<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My bub meditating. </div>
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With the Westminster College griffin. </div>
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Tulips from the backyard.</div>
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Smelling the dandelions.</div>
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Playing with selfies.</div>
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My buddy on Trax.</div>
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Hello, eye!</div>
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Word tickets.</div>
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HUGE dragonfly.</div>
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Walking and writing.</div>
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My boys at Yellowstone Park. </div>
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PAINT!</div>
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Thrift store Marys.</div>
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Playing with printmaking and paint. </div>
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Sedona.</div>
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Two Buddhas in Sedona.</div>
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Last days of summer. </div>
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My boys waiting to take family pictures</div>
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Advice from a tea bag. </div>
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At the zoo.</div>
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My bub reading. </div>
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Poetry flags in my classroom. </div>
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At Silver Lake.</div>
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My favorite trick-or-treaters.</div>
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Just looking up. </div>
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Heart in nature.</div>
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Playing with bookmaking. </div>
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I won NaNoWriMo!</div>
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More clouds.</div>
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The tree.</div>
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Hand-decorated wrapping paper. </div>
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Frozen yogurt in December. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LB9V-MfQ6OU/VKWLx4waYPI/AAAAAAAAHF0/iPnLfkM2BrY/s1600/IMG_20141206_180928.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LB9V-MfQ6OU/VKWLx4waYPI/AAAAAAAAHF0/iPnLfkM2BrY/s1600/IMG_20141206_180928.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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Pizza as big as his head.</div>
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Santa!</div>
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Hot chocolate stirrers for the family Christmas party. </div>
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A little gift from a student. </div>
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Family Christmas party selfie. </div>
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Blue skies!</div>
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Doodled snowflake wrapping paper. </div>
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Ready for bed so Santa will come!</div>
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Playing with paint on New Year's Eve. </div>
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Love you, 2014. Thanks for an awesome year!</div>
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<br />Andriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11399682348211528396noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2662683799152321626.post-7354691899258889842014-08-05T19:42:00.002-06:002014-08-05T19:42:50.023-06:00Art Unraveled and Sedona 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oUWavQbJgHg/U-GCmaVd3rI/AAAAAAAAEYc/M0ts5k7a4po/s1600/14+-+1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oUWavQbJgHg/U-GCmaVd3rI/AAAAAAAAEYc/M0ts5k7a4po/s1600/14+-+1" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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This was my first year at Art Unraveled in Phoenix, AZ. I took classes with the lovely Jane Eileen, Jane Davies, Kelly Kilmer, and Traci Bautista. It was a very different experience than Artfest (better accommodations, no beach to walk along in the during the down time, 108 degree weather), but it was still a great time. I'm looking forward to going again soon!</div>
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After Art Unraveled, we drove up to Sedona for a couple of days. What a GORGEOUS place! </div>
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These are from our shortish walk around Bell Rock. So much beauty all around us. </div>
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We did LOTS of shopping while were there. One of my favorite places was this store. Do I remember the name of it? No, because my mom kept calling it the Ticky Tacky store. It's a better name than the original anyway.<br />
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I'm looking forward to both Art Unraveled and Sedona again. </div>
Andriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11399682348211528396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2662683799152321626.post-76460952500898863082014-06-14T23:26:00.000-06:002014-06-14T23:26:34.107-06:00Stop Thinking and Start Writing and a writing prompt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g-s6GxxRPkA/U50of3u85kI/AAAAAAAABMc/kDQeerNLiEk/s1600/IMG_20140614_180524_299~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g-s6GxxRPkA/U50of3u85kI/AAAAAAAABMc/kDQeerNLiEk/s1600/IMG_20140614_180524_299~2.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
I used to teach a community ed class called Stop Thinking and Start Writing. I loved it. I loved inspiring others to put pen to paper, loved their excitement when they brought their writing to class to share. I think teaching that class will go down as one of the highlights of my teaching career (11 years now; who knows how much longer),<br />
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I stopped teaching it for a couple of reasons. 1) It was just too much to teach it (and plan for it) and do my master's work (and my husband was soon to be deployed for the 2nd time).<br />
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2) It stopped being fun. This, I'm sure, had to do partially with being overwhrlmed and exhausted. But it also had to do with a shift I saw in what many of my students wanted. Before, they just wanted to write, to have that rush that comes with a well written piece or a page or even a sentence. Later, many people wanted advice on publishing. They wanted to be "great" writers and get big advances. And I totally get that because, as a writer with a rather large student loan debt from my MFA, I, too, would like to "make it big" someday. Or at least pay my bills.<br />
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But I'm not there yet and so I began to feel utterly unqualified for that work. And teaching became a chore because, instead of finding new ways to inspire my students, I was trying to help them be something I wasn't yet.<br />
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Here's the whole point of this ramble: I still just really want to inspire people to write. I still love it. So, I'm going to use my blog to do so.<br />
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Is this going to be a regular gig? Pfft, I don't know. I always have the best intentions to blog regularly, but often fail. So I am choosing to make no promises.<br />
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But I shall try.<br />
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One thing I want to do us share some of my collages as writing prompts. Today's prompt is at the top of this post: look inside.<br />
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If you'd like, you can respond to the prompt and leave your writing in the comments. Or maybe you'd like to post it (if so, instead of posting my picture on your blog, would you kindly just give a link to mine?) on your own blog and leave a link in the comments.<br />
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Lovely! I can't wait to see where this inspiration takes you!Andriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11399682348211528396noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2662683799152321626.post-25237974386938110872014-05-19T13:08:00.003-06:002014-05-19T13:09:02.843-06:00Andria's Camps for Awesome Girls<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fByK3nnjkm0/U3pWNAMeYRI/AAAAAAAABLs/6amnuvgB2Os/s1600/10176018_270384429808634_8158912382791926471_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fByK3nnjkm0/U3pWNAMeYRI/AAAAAAAABLs/6amnuvgB2Os/s1600/10176018_270384429808634_8158912382791926471_n.jpg" height="320" width="247" /></a></div>
If you live in the Salt Lake Valley and have a daughter age 8-12 who likes arts and crafts and/or creative writing and would like more information on the camps I'm teaching this summer, please email me at craftycampsandria@gmail.com.<br />
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P.S. The previous post's video is shows an example of a junk journal we'll be doing for the Arts and Crafts camps. Woohoo!Andriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11399682348211528396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2662683799152321626.post-48306948457295996582014-05-19T13:02:00.001-06:002014-05-19T13:02:55.928-06:00Junk Journal Video <div id="fb-root"></div> <script>(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script>
<div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=276254329221644" data-width="466"><div class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=276254329221644">Post</a> by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/craftycampsandria">Crafty Camps with Andria</a>.</div></div>
Andriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11399682348211528396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2662683799152321626.post-41163644338404831412014-02-25T19:12:00.001-07:002014-02-25T19:12:42.263-07:00Fat Tuesday: Dear TargetDear Target,<br />
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I don't get you.<br />
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For the longest time, if I dropped by your "Women's Plus" department, I couldn't find <i>anything</i> that would be appealing to a plus-sized thirty-something. All of your plus-sized clothes were for women much more...matronly than I am. Even though I am closer to 40 than I am to 30, I still don't want to wear something my grandma would wear.<br />
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I've never understood why you have so many cute clothes in your misses section and yet only stocked things which vaguely looked like circus tents and the like in the "Women's Plus." Maybe you don't think chunky chicks shop at your store? Or maybe you want to discourage us from shopping there altogether? Send us over to Evil*Mart instead (who <i>is </i>starting to have cuter clothes for luscious ladies) because we're a "lower class" of person?<br />
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But, last summer, to my delight, I discovered that you had cute, young dresses and shirts and more (oh, my!) in that little corner next to the dressing rooms where I had been disappointed so many times before. In fact, it seemed to be bursting at the seams with fashionable frocks, and I felt like you had finally heard my silent prayers.<br />
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I guess it wasn't meant to last, because, when fall began, the number of cute clothes began to shrink and the number of clown clothes grew once again. Still, you'd conditioned me to keep checking back every time I dropped by on a whim.<br />
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So, imagine the combination of excitement and dismay when I saw this sign on February 13 in an empty Women's Plus department (well, it wasn't actually empty but overflowing with clearance items from your <i>other </i>department):<br />
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Excitement because, I couldn't help but think, "New? New! This means they're going to start having clothes that I'll want to wear! Clothes that, like the thin girls, I can walk down the street in and feel proud."<br />
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Dismay because, well, look at that sign: "Women's Plus Collection arriving early February." Um, Target, February only has 28 days this year, which means that, by the time I took this picture, the month was half over. Where are my "new" clothes that this sign promises?<br />
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I went back to your store this week, and, what did I find? Did I find brand new, cool, funky, comfortable, affordable clothes to fit my size 22 physique? Nope. I found this sign. Still. No clothes that I could wear <i>and </i>like myself in. Disappointed? Yeah, a little.<br />
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Dear Target, I do hope when your store actually gets some new clothes in my size (looking like it'll be in at least March by this point), that I will be writing another blog post extolling the virtues of your garments. Until then, I wait, half hoping, half dreading, what I'll find the next time I wander down to that corner next to the fitting rooms.<br />
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Sincerely,<br />
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AndriaAndriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11399682348211528396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2662683799152321626.post-44137576694182510132014-01-28T19:14:00.000-07:002014-01-28T19:14:32.980-07:00Fat Tuesday: Standing in the Checkout LineA couple of weeks ago, I was standing in the checkout line at Evil*Mart and started reading the magazine covers. Here are a few:<br />
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"Look Good in Cozy Clothes" </div>
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(Isn't the <i>point </i>of wearing cozy clothes being comfortable? And, you know, warm?"</div>
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"How They Did It: Half Their Size!"</div>
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(You know I'm going to open this magazine and it's just going to tell me all about their amazing diet and how they walked a little more. I <i>always</i> get sucked into these kinds of stories. And I'm always disappointed.)</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--YY9U73SAIY/UuhcsYlSWdI/AAAAAAAABJw/T4aQeo84O-U/s1600/magazine+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--YY9U73SAIY/UuhcsYlSWdI/AAAAAAAABJw/T4aQeo84O-U/s1600/magazine+3.jpg" height="320" width="170" /></a></div>
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"Improve Your Diet"</div>
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(Okay, maybe this one isn't so bad. But, still, it feels like all the magazine covers are against me!)</div>
<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0h0_XKG304A/UuhcsdnWl7I/AAAAAAAABJ4/aQmDcrsohyY/s1600/magazine+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0h0_XKG304A/UuhcsdnWl7I/AAAAAAAABJ4/aQmDcrsohyY/s1600/magazine+4.jpg" height="320" width="151" /></a></div>
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"Get An Insane Body: It's Hard, But You'll Look Hot!"</div>
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(Yep, that's what matters, seventeen year old girls: Looking hot! *growls*)</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-twp5BoErpnU/Uuhcs_lTTWI/AAAAAAAABKI/JhPS0FAAfh8/s1600/magazine+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-twp5BoErpnU/Uuhcs_lTTWI/AAAAAAAABKI/JhPS0FAAfh8/s1600/magazine+5.jpg" height="320" width="275" /></a></div>
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"Hollywood's Secret Diets: Get Thin Fast"</div>
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(Because losing weight quickly has always helped me before!)</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N9FEUsqhUV8/UuhctLbqvlI/AAAAAAAABKA/t_z_s5d3tlA/s1600/magazine+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N9FEUsqhUV8/UuhctLbqvlI/AAAAAAAABKA/t_z_s5d3tlA/s1600/magazine+6.jpg" height="320" width="283" /></a></div>
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"Outsmart the Over-40 Hidden Fat Trigger To Lose 1 LB Every Day!"</div>
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(This is another one that I get sucked into every time. Of <i>course</i> there's a hidden fat trigger! That is the only reason I'm fat. Because of that darn hidden fat trigger!)</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NRcAH_GsKMU/Uuhctj6q50I/AAAAAAAABKQ/zCQtrHcy2yA/s1600/magazine+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NRcAH_GsKMU/Uuhctj6q50I/AAAAAAAABKQ/zCQtrHcy2yA/s1600/magazine+7.jpg" height="293" width="320" /></a></div>
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"Lose 20 LBS in two weeks on the DUKE DIET DOCTOR'S LAST-CHANCE DIET!"</div>
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(Wait, this is a <i>doctor's </i>diet? I might have to go back for this one...)</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aACBOc407Ig/UuhcuDyWUNI/AAAAAAAABKY/o6M9PNauTzQ/s1600/magazine+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aACBOc407Ig/UuhcuDyWUNI/AAAAAAAABKY/o6M9PNauTzQ/s1600/magazine+8.jpg" height="320" width="191" /></a></div>
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Sorry this is so blurry. I was afraid that the Evil*Mart security was going to tackle me.</div>
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"The Bikini Body Plan"</div>
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(I already <i>have </i>a bikini body...just nobody's gonna be wanting to see it.)</div>
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I was getting, not surprisingly, very irritated by the many, many covers that touted hot bodies and losing 50 pounds a month. </div>
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<br /></div>
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But, I decided not to get mad. Instead, I decided to think of <i>other</i> headlines for magazines. </div>
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Like...</div>
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"Enjoy Wearing Whatever You Want <i>When </i>You Want!"</div>
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What do you think? What would you like to see on the cover of a magazine? Tell me in the comments! </div>
<br />Andriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11399682348211528396noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2662683799152321626.post-5269102648280626732014-01-14T19:21:00.000-07:002014-01-14T19:21:26.394-07:00Fat Tuesday: 2 Reasons I Hate PhotoshopI hate Photoshop. Why?<br />
<br />
Well, first, is that I have no idea how to use it. Seriously, Adobe, could you create some product that I can actually figure out and use? Because, right now, the best I can do is save my documents as a PDF. And that's just because it's an option for Pages (at home) and Word (at work).<br />
<br />
I sort of think that Photoshop was created to make people who think they're intelligent, educated human beings and transform them into monkeys hitting the keyboard, hoping that SOMETHING will work!<br />
<br />
And then, of course, there are things like this:<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/KtquNV1fr64" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
Did you SEE that? People who wield Photoshop are like magicians! They can totally change a human being (perfectly normal human beings who, if they walked down the street, you would think, hey, that person isn't ugly) and make this person into something that will never be seen in nature! (Or, again, walking down the street.)<br />
<br />
Back "in the day", when magazines airbrushed the models on the front covers, there really was only so much that could be done, you know? But now, with Photoshop, they (I don't really know who "they" are; perhaps "they" are actually the robots who are plotting the demise of the human race; I know they've been working on getting rid of human teachers for years) make a person perfect.<br />
<br />
Perfect.<br />
<br />
There is no competing against perfect. Not for me. Not for the, as the video points out, the elementary school girls who read magazines and think that they're fat.<br />
<br />
Photoshop, I hope you feel some shame for making the rest of us feel like hideous beings in comparison to your glittering images. Although, as you are computer software, I know you have no feelings. But you and your robot companions better be careful, because I'm watching you.<br />
<br />
Always watching...<br />
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Andriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11399682348211528396noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2662683799152321626.post-20500030878847560622013-12-15T17:38:00.001-07:002013-12-15T17:38:39.850-07:00A thought for you<p dir=ltr>"I am not what has happened to me. I am what I choose to become." --Carl Jung</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-l-Vy7lu8WgU/Uq5Li026zjI/AAAAAAAABHU/WXPXkeYieo4/s1600/IMG_20131215_173511_266%25257E2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-l-Vy7lu8WgU/Uq5Li026zjI/AAAAAAAABHU/WXPXkeYieo4/s640/IMG_20131215_173511_266%25257E2.jpg"> </a> </div>Andriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11399682348211528396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2662683799152321626.post-59623607676399772952013-12-08T07:17:00.001-07:002013-12-08T07:17:23.225-07:00A Thought For You: Now is the time...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-E9pKdN1bEj4/UqR_NuwkO1I/AAAAAAAABHE/hE8tqjFUR2A/s1600/now+is+the+time+to+know+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-E9pKdN1bEj4/UqR_NuwkO1I/AAAAAAAABHE/hE8tqjFUR2A/s400/now+is+the+time+to+know+2.png" width="277" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
"Now is the time to know that all you do is sacred." --Hafiz</div>
<br />Andriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11399682348211528396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2662683799152321626.post-19056764918877904932013-12-03T08:39:00.000-07:002013-12-03T08:39:08.263-07:00Fat Tuesday: A Special Guest Post<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>This blog post was written by my dear cousin <a href="http://thenicoleshow.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Nicole</a>. She asked me if she could write a post for Fat Tuesday, and, of course, I said, "Yes!" And I'm so glad she did, because this post hits spot on with many of the reasons that I started Fat Tuesday. So, without further ado, here is Nicole and her beautiful daughter Zoey:</i></div>
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This is Zoey. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9Uw2dWMEJTE/Up34ICPHR9I/AAAAAAAABGU/VuC8SWnkuW4/s1600/zoey+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9Uw2dWMEJTE/Up34ICPHR9I/AAAAAAAABGU/VuC8SWnkuW4/s320/zoey+1.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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She’s almost 8 years old. She is a dancer, a musician, a
writer, a swimmer, a rainbow loom jewelry maker, a singer, a friend, a
bookworm, and my daughter. </div>
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I recently came across a Dove advertisement on YouTube that said that 6 out of 10 girls
will stop doing what they love because they feel bad about the way they look.
Here-you can watch it for yourself. It’s short. I’ll wait for you.<br />
</div>
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<br />
Are you back? Oh good.<br />
<br />
When I saw this ad I began to cry-because my beautiful
daughter Zoey is a LOT of things, but one things she isn’t is stick thin.</div>
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<br />
Now don’t get me wrong, I think she’s perfect. She is a very
active girl and I’m not the least bit concerned about what her waist size is at
age 8. Unfortunately it seems that manufacturers of children clothing don’t
seem to agree with me that Zoey is perfectly sized for an 8 year old girl
because clothes for 8 year old girls are made for little girls that have legs
the size of toothpicks and a waist the size of my wrist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve been struggling to find clothes to fit
my perfectly sized daughter almost since the time she stopped wearing diapers.<br />
<br />
See, they make toddler sized clothing with stretchy waist
bands that are wider in the waist and bottom because these clothes have to fit
on a child around a diaper. But as soon as you outgrow toddler sizes I guess it
is assumed that all little girls suddenly become<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>twigs.<br />
<br />
In the past in order to find jeans that Zoey is comfortable
in I have typically buy the “loose” style jeans and I buy a size larger then
her normal size. This gives her the room in her waist and legs she needs to
feel comfortable in her jeans but then they are WAY too long. So we ALWAYS have
to roll her jeans. Which is ridiculous because look at her!<br />
</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZUVvHQd5sqo/Up35rAxiXzI/AAAAAAAABGo/Z9mx2LszXnM/s1600/zoey+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZUVvHQd5sqo/Up35rAxiXzI/AAAAAAAABGo/Z9mx2LszXnM/s320/zoey+3.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
She’s a perfectly proportioned little girl! So why aren’t
her jeans????</div>
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<br />
I walked into Old Navy recently to try and find some jeans
for Zoey. I was intending to buy a size up, as usual. This shopping trip,
however, I discovered that I had a very limited selection. It seems that this
season the style is Skinny jeans, or Super Skinny jeans.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
I walked over to the boy section and boy jeans come in Slim,
Regular, and Husky. Now granted, no girl wants to wear clothes that say Husky
on the tag-but I was sad and mad and confused at the idea that it’s ok and even
expected that there will be boys who fill out and bulk up at this age but that
girls but not okay for girls. 8 year old girls are apparently expected to be
Super Skinny.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
As a mother I dread the thought that someday Zoey will
realize she doesn’t fit into Super Skinny jeans, and that she’ll think this is
somehow a bad thing. I dread the day she stands in her swimsuit at the pool or
her leotard and ballet and feels inferior to the twiggy girls. I pray this day
never comes. I pray she is always able to look in the mirror and see the same
beautiful, talents, smart, brave little girl that I see.<br />
</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WaAcIp7bByU/Up35tr_9xbI/AAAAAAAABG0/O17N659pSPU/s1600/zoey+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WaAcIp7bByU/Up35tr_9xbI/AAAAAAAABG0/O17N659pSPU/s320/zoey+2.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
</div>
<i>
</i>Andriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11399682348211528396noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2662683799152321626.post-52172786994901841832013-11-12T21:23:00.001-07:002013-11-12T21:29:23.307-07:00Fat Tuesday: My first Polyvore! Comfy Fall Clothes<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
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So, everyone else in the world probably already knows about Polyvore. I've seen the cool collages of clothes and other "stuffs" on Pinterest and other blogs, but couldn't quite figure out how they were done. Until today! This is my first Polyvore outfit. This may be my new favorite thing. Seriously. I can put together outfits without actually buying them? Bring it on, baby!<br />
<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/comfy_fall/set?.embedder=9002958&.svc=blogger&id=103735217" target="_blank"><img alt="Comfy Fall" border="0" force="1" height="555" src="http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/CMHSUA9BTI6I5KNK0XKL5g/cid/103735217/id/5mB_XBtM4xGKmiFdNxsv_g/size/c600x555.jpg" title="Comfy Fall" width="600" /></a></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/comfy_fall/set?.embedder=9002958&.svc=blogger&id=103735217" target="_blank">Comfy Fall</a> by <a href="http://laguapatona.polyvore.com/?.embedder=9002958&.svc=blogger" target="_blank">laguapatona</a> featuring <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/black_flats/shop?query=black+flats" target="_blank">black flats</a></small><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
Did you know that I have a <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/andrialarnold/fat-tuesday-fashions/" target="_blank">Fat Tuesday Fashions</a> board on Pinterest? Where I pin all the clothes I wish I had once a week? </div>
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Andriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11399682348211528396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2662683799152321626.post-36732534757966446712013-11-05T07:00:00.000-07:002013-11-05T07:00:01.585-07:00Fat Tuesday: Who Am I Hurting?You may have noticed (or not) that there was no Fat Tuesday post last week. I was tired and didn't want to blog and wanted to do something else. So I gave myself permission. And it felt good.<br />
<br />
Anyway...<br />
<br />
I have a very self-deprecatory humor at times. It's how I <i>deal</i>. With being fat. And other things, too, but since it's Fat Tuesday, I'm talking about that.<br />
<br />
When TSH (Tasty Soldier Husband) and I were dating, back when dinosaurs roamed the earth and cavemen hunted them on the backs of wild, wooly mammoths (yes, I know, they didn't exist at the same time; I'm being WITTY here!), I made a comment at the end of the date that he was only taking me out for pity. This is when I weighed less than I do now but was necessarily "thin" and I've never really been able to see myself as pretty.<br />
<br />
And I don't remember if he said anything about my "pity date" joke right at the time, but the next week, he called me and told me how mad the comment had made him. For a week, I fumed. What right did <i>he </i>have to get mad about my comments about myself?!<br />
<br />
A week later, I called him and apologized, not because I really thought he was right, but because I wanted to continue being friends with him, even if we were no longer dating (I guess that means I kind of liked him, huh?).<br />
<br />
Fast forward 12 years (yeah, it's been almost 12 years since that happened). I have not lost this self-deprecatory humor. I still make fun of myself--mostly my weight--and now I do it in front of my children.<br />
<br />
This makes me a little sick to write. Because, seriously, what right do I have to make fun of the mother of these three sweet little guys?<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kJLEWdFA0YI/UnZWb1uQwbI/AAAAAAAABFc/ScVU1hgy5aw/s1600/1379925_213843915462686_584542041_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kJLEWdFA0YI/UnZWb1uQwbI/AAAAAAAABFc/ScVU1hgy5aw/s320/1379925_213843915462686_584542041_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here's the thing: these boys think that their mom is pretty freaking awesome. Why? I have no idea, but they LOVE their mom. And their mom loves them right back. And she would never tell them that they are fat or funny-looking because she thinks they're pretty darn perfect.</div>
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Okay, I'll stop talking about myself in the third person.</div>
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<br /></div>
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But, here's the thing, they, like their dad, do not like when I make jokes about me being fat. It makes them very upset. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
My little jokes are a way to keep me safe, a way to keep me from caring too much. But at whose expense? Are these little guys going to grow up with distorted body images and with food issues because of my comments or how I've lived my life? </div>
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I hope not. It's one of the reasons that I don't talk about the "D" word. I don't want them to grow up thinking that women need to be constantly concerned about their weight and what they're eating. Being healthy is one thing. Dieting, well, we know that's something else entirely. And I want them to date girls and fall in love with girls and marry girls who are bright and brilliant and witty and who make them better people and who love them despite--or maybe because of--their flaws.</div>
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So, today, I am making a vow in front of the 27 people who read this blog (okay, who follow it but who don't necessarily READ it) that I will not make fun of myself for my weight or my looks or even my lack of housekeeping skills. Because my children--and, I guess, myself--deserve better than that. </div>
<br />Andriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11399682348211528396noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2662683799152321626.post-26185035008206505542013-10-22T07:00:00.000-06:002013-10-22T09:09:29.351-06:00Fat Tuesday: It's my birthday! Today is my birthday. And so, I'm going to show pictures of me looking pretty in my birthday outfit I bought from Maurices. Yeah. You can get one two, but it will look differently on you, 'cause our bodies? They're different.<br />
<br />
After last week's melt down about some pictures I saw, you'd think I might avoid this, but no. 'Cause I looked AWESOME today. Word.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bHIcZw-wYUM/UmXdlLHC1pI/AAAAAAAABEk/YLOWlrfiajs/s1600/maurices+outfit+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bHIcZw-wYUM/UmXdlLHC1pI/AAAAAAAABEk/YLOWlrfiajs/s320/maurices+outfit+1.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
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I know. I know. You're drooling. But, seriously, you can pick up the shirt and the cardi at Maurices, which has some really cute plus size things. And some awesome boots! Oh, I'll have to show you the boots another time. They're uber-cute!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Tpq_hSxo92c/UmXd9MfpLwI/AAAAAAAABEs/Da8pk3q9RAI/s1600/maurices+outfit+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Tpq_hSxo92c/UmXd9MfpLwI/AAAAAAAABEs/Da8pk3q9RAI/s320/maurices+outfit+2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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And here's a selfie. Yay! It's my birthday! 37 is the new 25, right?<br />
<br />
(The necklaces I'm wearing, sadly, are not from Maurices. The loooong one is from Vegas. The short one is my Pyrrha pendant that's become my talisman. I wear it day and night and, yes, in the shower. I occasionally take it off if I'm wearing another short necklace OR when I'm going through security at the airport. Otherwise, if you see me, I'll be wearing it. It has a raven as well as "Live in peace" in French. Yes, I do need that reminder every single day.)<br />
<br />
Now I'm going to eat cake and ice cream. 'Cause it's my birthday! Woot!Andriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11399682348211528396noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2662683799152321626.post-58101823936076694172013-10-19T20:43:00.002-06:002013-10-19T20:51:35.203-06:00Storybowl!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Two weeks ago, I had the pleasure of spending two days with Andrea Scher of <a href="http://www.superherolife.com/" target="_blank">Superhero Life</a> and I had the opportunity to experience Storybowl. When we finished, I knew I wanted to bring the experience home. So, here are the details for my first Storybowl! Woohoo!</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-De0dn1aW1GY/UmNDMarusFI/AAAAAAAABEU/Asw362bHFIo/s1600/storybowl+nov+2013+web+version+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-De0dn1aW1GY/UmNDMarusFI/AAAAAAAABEU/Asw362bHFIo/s640/storybowl+nov+2013+web+version+2.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />Andriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11399682348211528396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2662683799152321626.post-71900602789835877622013-10-18T07:00:00.000-06:002013-10-18T07:00:01.200-06:00I tried it from a cookbook! Yes. I cooked. And the recipe DID NOT come from Pinterest (huge surprise, I know!). Instead it came from <i>CrazySexyKitchen</i> by Kris Carr.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-seznQ-ipdrI/UlthgGE1DdI/AAAAAAAABDA/94a0iMu4Bp0/s1600/10260741964_b816ce5932.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-seznQ-ipdrI/UlthgGE1DdI/AAAAAAAABDA/94a0iMu4Bp0/s320/10260741964_b816ce5932.jpg" width="269" /></a></div>
<br />
I don't do a lot of cooking, and I'm definitely not vegan or a vegetarian, but I have been wanting to add more veggies and fruits to my diet, so I when I read about this book, I quickly put it on hold at the library.<br />
<br />
When Sunday looked like this<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jCt4p4HSkoc/Ulth6bATd0I/AAAAAAAABDI/QjZ99tB55io/s1600/10260928296_67e1336554.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jCt4p4HSkoc/Ulth6bATd0I/AAAAAAAABDI/QjZ99tB55io/s320/10260928296_67e1336554.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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I thought it was the perfect moment to try the Coconut and Red Lentils soup recipe. It took a lot longer than I thought it would to prepare it but it was SO worth it! (FYI, I love curry and coconut and ginger, so if you're ever trying to impress me at dinner, you might want to experiment with those.)</div>
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Here are some pics from my adventures in cooking (sorry, I'm not going to include the recipe here; I know other bloggers might, but this is Ms. Carr's intellectual property, and, as a writer, I feel uncomfortable giving away her hard work; I bet you can find the book at your local library though...).</div>
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And the piece de resistance: (drumroll, please)</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M7YmjJhQT_Q/UltjXLDpB1I/AAAAAAAABDs/aCwpsmtiXd4/s1600/10260935515_cb40699fcd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M7YmjJhQT_Q/UltjXLDpB1I/AAAAAAAABDs/aCwpsmtiXd4/s320/10260935515_cb40699fcd.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
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And, the best part of this soup, my boys are extremely picky eaters (although I made them each try a spoonful) and my husband doesn't like leftovers, so I have TONS of soup left over for me! Woohoo! I've put them in separate Ziploc containers and I took some to work this week as well as put some more in the freezer. So when I'm feeling a little under the weather, I can pull this delicious concoction out, heat it up, and enjoy. </div>
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So, do you have a favorite easy-ish soup recipe you'd like to share? </div>
Andriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11399682348211528396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2662683799152321626.post-89820742864490211492013-10-15T07:00:00.000-06:002013-10-15T07:00:00.463-06:00Fat Tuesday: When I rule the world, I'll break all the cameras...So, my plan for last Tuesday had been to do some fabulous Fat and Pretty in the Big City edition of Fat Tuesday, because I was in the San Francisco Bay area the weekend before, but it didn't happen. I'd thought I would go to some awesome stores and find cute plus size clothes and take great pictures of myself wearing those.<br />
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But that didn't happen. What did happen was probably so much better, but still, it left me blogpost-less last week. Hence, Lady Buddha. (I'll tell you the story some day of how she came into my life. I promise.)<br />
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So, I decided that this week would be sort of an "accessories" week, because accessories almost always fit. I LOVE them!<br />
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But that's not going to happen. Because something else happened, and I'm going to talk about that. (Don't worry, though, you'll get a good look at my obsession with jewelry and other fun things soon.)<br />
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Today I'm going to talk about...pictures. And how I wanted to cry last Tuesday after an a-MAZING weekend with some of the loveliest, loving women I've ever met.<br />
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The first weekend of October, my cousin and soul-sister, <a href="http://thenicoleshow.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Nicole</a>, and I went to a creativity retreat led by <a href="http://www.superherolife.com/" target="_blank">Andrea Scher</a> and<a href="http://www.27powers.org/" target="_blank"> Laurie Wagner</a>. I know. I sort of couldn't believe it either. Do you <i>know </i>who Andrea is? Did you take a <i>look</i> at Laurie's house? I mean, it was kind of a "wow" for me all weekend long. And there was a lot of laughing and crying and introspection this weekend that was entirely a surprise for me. There was writing and painting and gluing and eating going on as well, but that ended up taking a backseat to all of the other incredible things that were happening.<br />
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As with all weekends like that one, you don't want to go back to your normal life, right? You want to just float on the positive emotions until you get to your next chance to feel...blissful. When I saw, Wednesday morning, that one of the attendees had posted pictures of me, I was excited to look at them.<br />
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And then I saw them.<br />
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And all I saw was a really fat girl.<br />
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It made me sort of sick to my stomach. In fact, I texted Nicole about it right away, telling her that I was trying to not let the upset me. But they <i>did</i> upset me.<br />
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All those warm, fuzzies I had from the weekend flew out the window (okay, not out the window because you can't actually open the window in my classroom, but out the door and down the hall) and I was left with this sadness.<br />
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Because I felt like the real Andria wasn't there. How could she have been when the real Andria looks <i>nothing </i>like the Andria I was seeing in those images?<br />
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I'm not saying real Andria is thin. I know I'm not. But I didn't realize what I really looked like<i>.</i><br />
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(Yes, I <i>do </i>look in a mirror every day, but even the person in my mirror, while overweight, doesn't look like the person I was seeing there.)<br />
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Nicole texted me back: "Just flipped through Allison's and Erin's pictures. Many of you because you are beautiful! The camera was drawn to you."<br />
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Pfft.<br />
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I really do wish I could believe this. But, at this moment, I don't. I don't like those pictures of me. I want them to be erased from memory cards and the internets and never ever to have existed.<br />
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But that won't happen. And so, I'm going to just keep on keeping on. I'm going to get up in the mornings and dress the best I can. I'm going to try to love myself and show myself that love in ways other than eating (although it's still going to happen; I have to be honest with myself). And I'm going to try to not let myself be dragged into the self-hate votex that is swirling around me.<br />
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Honestly, I could use some help. Friends, what are some ways that you show yourself love when all you want to do is eat Phish Food? <br />
<br />Andriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11399682348211528396noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2662683799152321626.post-33776119608825356112013-10-08T10:42:00.002-06:002013-10-08T10:42:45.477-06:00Fat Tuesday: Postponed...<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hpw4mmUfeJM/UlQ17TBodYI/AAAAAAAABBg/9JoP7qQTHuU/s1600/lady+buddha.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hpw4mmUfeJM/UlQ17TBodYI/AAAAAAAABBg/9JoP7qQTHuU/s320/lady+buddha.JPG" width="166" /></a></div>
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Lady Buddha is here to tell you that Fat Tuesday is postponed until next week. Thank you. </div>
Andriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11399682348211528396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2662683799152321626.post-91221478492287899742013-10-01T07:00:00.000-06:002013-10-01T07:00:01.584-06:00Fat Tuesday: Go ahead. You deserve something pretty today.So, last week, I received an email with a link to Sarah Jenks' program <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.flickr.com/photos/ladamadecollage/9924089553/%22%20title=%22Flowers%20from%20someone%20special%20by%20La%20Dama%20de%20Collage%20/%20Andria,%20on%20Flickr%22%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3716/9924089553_d167e354f6.jpg%22%20width=%22353%22%20height=%22500%22%20alt=%22Flowers%20from%20someone%20special%22%3E%3C/a%3E" target="_blank">Live Well Weigh Less</a>, and I have to tell you, it looks pretty darn cool. If you sign up for the free training, you'll get access to four videos of varying lengths and, quite honestly, varying degrees of usefulness.<br />
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However, there were a few things that really resonated with me. And a few things I've always wanted to do. And I'll let you watch the videos, because I don't want to steal Sarah's content, but one little thing she said was to buy yourself flowers every week.<br />
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On Tuesday, I ran into the grocery store for peanut butter and bread for my kids' lunches and was stopped by the small floral area which actually has a lot of different bouquets for really great prices. So I bought four to make two arrangements (confession: I don't actually know how to arrange flowers, so my pics might make you cringe a little). One is for my front room (which I actually cleaned and then rearranged the furniture on the autumnal equinox):<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ladamadecollage/9924089553/" title="Flowers from someone special by La Dama de Collage / Andria, on Flickr"><img alt="Flowers from someone special" height="400" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3716/9924089553_d167e354f6.jpg" width="281" /></a></div>
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And another for my bedroom:</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ladamadecollage/9923838245/" title="Roses from someone special by La Dama de Collage / Andria, on Flickr"><img alt="Roses from someone special" height="400" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2809/9923838245_3852e4d437.jpg" width="226" /></a>
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What's does this have to do with Fat Tuesday? </div>
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Simply put, my friends, we all deserve to have beautiful flowers. No matter our body size or shape or our level of health. We deserve to enjoy all of the lovely things, all of the wonderful, fun experiences, this world has to offer us. And we don't have to wait until we're our "perfect" size in order to have and enjoy those things. We really can have them now. </div>
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Friends, have you been waiting for the "perfect" moment to do that fun activity? Or go to that store? Or eat at that restaurant? Guess what? That perfect moment is now! (Okay, not right now. Finish reading this <i>then </i>go get in your car.) </div>
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So, what're <i>you</i> going to do right now instead of waiting for that perfect moment? </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ladamadecollage/9960002234/" title="You Deserve Beauty by La Dama de Collage / Andria, on Flickr"><img alt="You Deserve Beauty" height="320" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3707/9960002234_38b98d3649.jpg" width="290" /></a>
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Andriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11399682348211528396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2662683799152321626.post-11411622370280376412013-09-24T10:00:00.000-06:002013-09-24T10:00:00.768-06:00Fat Tuesday: Does my sexiness upset you?Last year (and by "last year" I mean "last school year" because my beginnings always come at the end of August)...<div>
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Where was I?</div>
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Oh, yes. Last year, I had a bit of an epiphany. Part of this is related to last week's Fat Tuesday post. My epiphany was this:</div>
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Even though I am fat, I can still look good.</div>
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I don't have to dress in jeans and sweaters and comfy tees all the time. I don't have to wear sensible slacks and blouses and cardigans to work. I am allowed to dress well. Even trendy. Even *gasp!* wear heels! </div>
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(But not at work. However, if you know some heels that are easy to wear and comfortable and can be worn all day on your feet, please feel free to let me know). </div>
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Anyway. I started dressing better. Cuter. And I felt better about myself. So much better!</div>
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One day, when it was cold and I went to put on a sweater I'd been wearing just months before, I looked at myself in the mirror and thought, <i>I can't go to work like this! I look so...slouchy. </i>And I quickly pulled out something I looked much better in. </div>
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I had this new-found confidence that came just from changing what I wore. And people were noticing. I got compliments from students and others at work. And it was kind of nice.</div>
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Until I started realizing that some of those compliments from people I worked with didn't sound like compliments at all. They sounded more like, "Why do you get to have all of these new clothes? Who do you think you are? Fatso."</div>
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Maybe that's not really what was being said behind their kind words. Maybe I was imagining things, born out of my old insecurities which weren't really gone, but just hovering in the background, waiting to take over again. </div>
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I tried to not let it bother me, but it did. My inner fashion critic was having a hay day with it.</div>
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Until one morning as I was getting out of my car, ready to walk into work, and the words of Maya Angelou came from somewhere in my brain to lodge itself in my heart:</div>
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"Does my sexiness upset you?</div>
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Does it come as a surprise</div>
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That I dance like I've got diamonds</div>
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At the meeting of my thighs?"</div>
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(from <a href="http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15623" target="_blank">"Still I Rise"</a>)</div>
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And I realized: That's it. Those people who I felt like were giving me backhanded compliments were <i>threatened </i>that a girl who was fat <i>dared </i>to look good! </div>
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I upset the entire social order! Fat people should wear baggy clothes and thin people should show off their curves and that's it!</div>
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Pfft. </div>
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A couple of weeks ago, I was wearing a striped pencil skirt (my new favorite wardrobe must-have!) with an orange tank and matching cardi, and one of those people saw me and commented on my new outfit ("Oh, just so cute!"). And the words she said didn't smart like they had before. Perhaps I really HAD been imagining it. Or perhaps the words didn't have the power of me they had before because, honey, I knew it! I just said, "Yes," smiled, and sauntered on down the hall. </div>
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So, I hope--oh, I really, really do--that my little story has inspired you, to ditch the "comfy" clothes and wear something fun and maybe a little <i>va-va-va-voom!</i> for a day. Or maybe just an evening. Try it. See how it feels. And then share it! With a friend (I'm always taking pics of myself in the bathroom at work and sending them to my cousin so she can tell me how awesome I look). With Twitter. On Facebook. Maybe even on your blog and with a link to it in a comment below? :)</div>
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Show the world that your size doesn't mean that you can't look AMAZING. </div>
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Andriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11399682348211528396noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2662683799152321626.post-78139238192342361382013-09-22T07:00:00.000-06:002013-09-22T07:00:00.802-06:00A Thought For You <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tvRvK3UaHWM/Uj5KOuE7ImI/AAAAAAAABBA/Pdxj8cjZhKE/s1600/recite-6029-1127678531-5udabi.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tvRvK3UaHWM/Uj5KOuE7ImI/AAAAAAAABBA/Pdxj8cjZhKE/s320/recite-6029-1127678531-5udabi.png" width="308" /></a></div>
<br />Andriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11399682348211528396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2662683799152321626.post-20534341049996369212013-09-21T09:22:00.000-06:002013-09-21T09:22:47.636-06:00I Tried It From Pinterest! Maple GranolaThis is actually the third time I've made <a href="http://confessionsofabakingqueen.com/homemade-maple-granola/" target="_blank">this granola</a>, but each time I make add something different to it. I am not embarrassed to say that I'm a little addicted to it.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ladamadecollage/9855360235/" title="Granola: All the ingredients in a row by La Dama de Collage / Andria, on Flickr"><img alt="Granola: All the ingredients in a row" height="249" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2809/9855360235_2be58ce626.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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Ingredients Gathered </div>
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(Sadly, you can't see the maple syrup well. It's in the brown jug in the back and is Vermont Grade A Medium Amber from Bragg Farm Sugarhouse in Montpelier, VT.)</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ladamadecollage/9855359845/" title="Granola: Pretty mixture of yummy dry ingredients by La Dama de Collage / Andria, on Flickr"><img alt="Granola: Pretty mixture of yummy dry ingredients" height="500" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3827/9855359845_208ebc1090.jpg" width="351" /></a></div>
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All the dry ingredients ready to go!</div>
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This time I used pumpkin seeds and mixed dried fruit. Yummy!</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ladamadecollage/9855333594/" title="Granola: Super sticky and ready for the oven by La Dama de Collage / Andria, on Flickr"><img alt="Granola: Super sticky and ready for the oven" height="403" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7450/9855333594_b442664b82.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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The granola is now super sticky and laid out on a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Ready for the oven!</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ladamadecollage/9855377386/" title="Granola: Warm and Toasty by La Dama de Collage / Andria, on Flickr"><img alt="Granola: Warm and Toasty" height="365" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3715/9855377386_b362358e5e.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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25 minutes later and I have this beautifully toasted mixture of amazingness.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ladamadecollage/9855376856/" title="Ready to eat my granola by La Dama de Collage / Andria, on Flickr"><img alt="Ready to eat my granola" height="358" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2809/9855376856_1cc0d8aafa.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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Usually, I eat the granola on top of Greek yogurt, but today I just wanted to taste</div>
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the pure awesomeness of the granola with unsweetened Almond Coconut milk.</div>
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In a Vermont College of Fine Arts mug!</div>
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This is so easy to make that I know I'll be doing it for a long, long time. </div>
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What are your favorite recipes you've found from Pinterest? Or anywhere else online?</div>
Andriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11399682348211528396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2662683799152321626.post-22411148313056805902013-09-17T10:00:00.000-06:002013-09-17T10:00:00.707-06:00Fat Tuesday: You can be fat AND beautiful!For, oh, about forever, I believed that these two things were true:<br />
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Thin = Beautiful<br />
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and<br />
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Fat = Ugly<br />
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Really. It was basic mathematics, or whatever you may call it (I majored in English and only had to take one math class in college, so I really don't know).<br />
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In order to be beautiful, one also had to be thin.<br />
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The funny thing is, that I didn't really believe this about OTHER people. There are so many women in this world who are not of an "acceptable weight" who I've never looked at and thought, Oh, she would be so much prettier if she were thin!<br />
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For example:<br />
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Queen Latifah. She is GORGEOUS! I mean, I just can't explain how beautiful I think she is. And I'm a writer! I should be able to put words to it. But I can't. She's just so many perfect elements put together and she's been beautiful at every weight. <br />
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Jennifer Hudson. Before she did the WW, I was horribly confused as to why people were calling her "fat." She was (and still is) this lovely, talented woman and everyone was focusing on her weight? Egads! AND she was much to thin (and young) to play Rosaleen in <i>The Secret Life of Bees</i>. I still can't believe they did that. Craziness.<br />
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Rebel Wilson. She's lovely and funny and has the world's most amazing smile!<br />
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Adele. I've never been able to figure out why she is considered "fat" as well. She looks perfect to me. And her voice is incredible! And I love her.<br />
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HOWEVER...<br />
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...they didn't make me see myself any differently in my mirror. Or how I thought I looked to other people.<br />
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I was (and <i>am</i>) fat<br />
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therefore<br />
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I was not beautiful.<br />
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Did it matter that my husband would tell me that I was beautiful? Nope.<br />
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This past year--as I've lost some weight and then gained it back--I've come to realize that I am not <i>not</i> beautiful. This is a process, and I'm still learning to love me as I am, but it has changed me. A lot.<br />
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I have much more confidence in myself than I have had for a long time (probably since the first time I was doing the WW), I'm not beating myself up for my food choices all the time, and I'm happier in general.<br />
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But I'm still trying to remember that fat doesn't mean ugly and thin doesn't necessarily mean beautiful.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BGopVs18K74/UjZuyi2b29I/AAAAAAAAA9k/0pzrULs-rTY/s1600/1343674394759_804769.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BGopVs18K74/UjZuyi2b29I/AAAAAAAAA9k/0pzrULs-rTY/s320/1343674394759_804769.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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What about you? What body image "triumphs" have you had this week? (Any tips are greatly appreciated.)<br />
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<br />Andriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11399682348211528396noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2662683799152321626.post-55264845210670426112013-09-15T10:00:00.000-06:002013-09-15T10:00:00.430-06:00A thought for you<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-USFkPEE56vQ/UjRbwRNAEfI/AAAAAAAAA9I/9krDeR98xYg/s1600/9644449803_e684a9870c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-USFkPEE56vQ/UjRbwRNAEfI/AAAAAAAAA9I/9krDeR98xYg/s320/9644449803_e684a9870c.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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