What Would Chad Buy?

So, I have mentioned that Chad and I spend money differently. As evidence, here are Chad's top three picks (at least, what I think are his top three picks, based on the frequency with which he talks about, drools over, and researches each of these things. :)

1. Google glasses. Apparently, it's like wearing a computer on your face! With these things on, you will enjoy notifications and updates flooding your retinas ALL. DAY. LONG. You're driving down the road and you want to know the temperature? How to get to the nearest Wendy's? How your March Madness bracket is doing? Who's tagging who on facebook? BAM! But seriously, they actually seem kinda cool, even if I'm a bit overwhelmed by the idea. And you can't beat that fashion. So chic. Right?

2. A 3D printer. Apparently, you can print up anything you can think up! We watched a video yesterday of a guy printing up a little plastic whistle. Chad says this is the future of dentistry. I am documenting it so he can say he called it before they were popular. Also cool, and also a little overwhelming. Are we so opposed to delaying gratification that we need to have a means to "print out" anything we want, whenever we want? 

3. LED lightbulbs. We also watched a fancy shmancy video on these babies a few weeks ago. Apparently (do you like how much I'm using that word? I don't mean to sound like such a skeptic), you can control everything about these lights from your smart phone or computer. Turn them off while lying in bed, adjust the intensity, change the colors, create a light show right in your own home! 

And those, my friends, are the things my husband desperately wants for his birthday and which I have no means to provide for him. Oh, this is sad. Really though, don't these inventions seem fake? Like, straight out of a sci-fi movie from like, 3 years ago. Unbelievable.

Happy Birthday, Mary!

So, I really don't expect 10 year old Mary to read my blog. But it's her birthday today, so I'm thinking of her.

Mary is really awesome because she makes everyone feel good. I have noticed this about her since she was way too young to feel the nagging feeling we adults often feel when we are nice to people out of a sense of obligation. (I mean, she's only 10, but I remember watching how nice she was to a kid with disabilities in her kindergarten class. It just seems to be natural for her.) I always loved bringing home friends from high school/college, because she would snuggle right up to any visitor and make him/her feel like the most special person ever.

My favorite thing to do with Mary is play Pet Shops, her favorite. I also think Mary is really good at sports, like basketball. She looks cute these days with her braces. Mary, if you're reading this, I hope you have the best birthday ever! Love you tons.

Guest Post: What Makes YOU Happy?

I mean really, truly happy. When do you feel your best? Today we've got another weekly write-in from my little sister, Emma! I love the thought she has to share today on where we can find genuine happiness. This is something I think about a lot. I work with a lot of clients who are decidedly unhappy, and I want SO BADLY at times to point them to the gospel. I know it is the thing that brings us peace of mind, purpose, and joy. Even knowing this, I still need the reminder myself from time to time.

Emma's thought brought to mind a couple of scriptures. This one, in Matthew 11: 28-30, which tells us to "come unto [Him]. . .take [His] yoke upon [us], and [He] shall give rest unto [our] souls." And a line from this verse, which states simply that "wickedness never was happiness." I don't know how to say how true this is.

So maybe I'm not gonna try right this second. I'm always happy to hear your thoughts, though! And of course, here's Emma.

It is easy to spend time doing worldly things that won’t really bring us happiness. It is cool to look through the Book of Mormon and see how when the people are being wicked, things usually go wrong and the people aren’t happy. To me one of the great reminders in Fourth Nephi is that righteousness is what brings us happiness. Fourth Nephi 1: 15-16 says, “And it came to pass that there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people. And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor whoredoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of lasciviousness; and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God.”

This is a powerful statement to me. By the time this was written, tons of people had already inhabited the earth. Many of those people probably came up with their own philosophies and tried their own ways to be happy but were never as happy as these people in Fourth Nephi, a powerful thing. This scripture reminds me that I don’t need to look very far to learn how to be happy. Living the gospel of Jesus Christ is what can make us most happy if we choose it. I am grateful for this knowledge because things that bring me temporary happiness aren’t going to last forever. My good grades from last semester aren’t going to last, clothes will go out of style, etc. But what was true thousands of years ago about righteousness bringing happiness is still true today and that is great news!

What I Would Buy

Chad and I spend money differently. I spend it on trinkets and clothes and snacks. He is better about not wasting it on "little" things, but he likes to make big purchases. At least, he talks about making big purchases. We both talk about making big purchases, which only occasionally ever happen.

Here, in no particular order, are the little things I think I would buy, given unlimited resources. I know they are kind of silly. Also, at least one of them isn't really little at all! Hmmm.

1. Bahama Mama bronzer. Because I watched this makeup tutorial about highlighting and countouring, and I got totally sold on this product! Kind of silly. I am 27, and I still don't really know anything about makeup, but every now and then I see something that I'm so sure would revolutionize my whole beauty regimen. Probably not likely.

2. Isn't this Target swimsuit so adorable? Chad made me throw out an old favorite after our Aruba trip because it was stretched out in places. I only relented because he said I could get a new one. Still, NOT a necessary purchase. But tempting.

3. Baby clothes, baby clothes! Ever since I found out my sister Elise is expecting, I can't stop looking at baby clothes. And it's gotten even worse now that we know she's having a girl! I could spend A LOT of money in this department.

4. Okay, not a small purchase. I just think antique-looking hutches are cool. And our kitchen needs some serious organizational help, not to mention a complete aesthetic overhaul. 

5. Pride & Prejudice piano solo music. We have an awesome upright piano, and I have been playing the same stuff forEVER now. This kind of music is perfect for me, because I can sightread a lot of it, so I don't have to put in hours and hours perfecting it, but it sounds really elegant and solo-ish. Perfect for showing off. (kidding)

6. Maybelline bouncy blush--also something I saw on that makeup tutorial (along with #1). I lose interest in makeup products so quickly, I feel like just posting it on here has gotten the need out of my system. What a relief!

Gotta go run my 9 miles today (ack) and I've got an evening-full of appointments. I also have a guest post from Emma coming at you tomorrow! Happy Tuesday!

Pineapple Tofu Stir-fry

This recipe came highly recommended. "Since we found this recipe, we eat it at least twice a week," said Maggie. (Note: I never knew Maggie to be a tofu eater in all the 10-ish years since freshman year of college, so I felt like this was really saying something.)

"I never thought I liked tofu, but I would definitely eat that again!" said Chad. I agreed: and I have eaten (and enjoyed) tofu before.

So, whether you are intimidated by, grossed out by, or just plain too good for tofu, this recipe is definitely worth a shot, imho. Enjoy!

Pineapple Tofu Stir-fry 

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you will need:

• 1 8-ounce can pineapple chunks or tidbits, 3 tablespoons juice reserved
• 5 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 7 ounces extra-firm, water-packed tofu, drained, rinsed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 3 teaspoons canola oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons minced ginger
• 1 large bell pepper, cut into 1/2-by-2-inch strips

 

1. Whisk the reserved 3 tablespoons pineapple juice, vinegar, soy sauce, ketchup and sugar in a small bowl until smooth. Place tofu in a medium bowl; toss with 2 tablespoons of the sauce. Let marinate for 5 minutes. Add cornstarch to the remaining sauce and whisk until smooth.
2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Transfer the tofu to the skillet using a slotted spoon. Whisk any remaining marinade into the bowl of sauce. Cook the tofu, stirring every 1 to 2 minutes, until golden brown, 7 to 9 minutes total. Transfer the tofu to a plate.
3. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil to the skillet and heat over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add bell pepper and cook, stirring often, until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in the sauce and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 30 seconds. Add the tofu and pineapple chunks (or tidbits) and cook, stirring gently, until heated through, about 2 minutes more.

Summer Vacation

Just made a LARGE purchase. I balk at large purchases, but this is my very favorite kind of large purchase, for what it's worth.

We will be going HERE:

Ragged Mountain (Colorado)
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. . .and HERE:

Zion National Park (Utah)
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. . .and we will be spending a week and some change with family. (Both families have reunions, back-to-back! What are the odds?) I am just so excited. I've never been to Zion's before, but HELLO! (Reference above picture.) And Ragged Mountain is one of my very favorite places on earth. This Kentucky family is headed west!

What are YOUR summer plans?

Bad School Names.

I think names are important. And even if you're naming something other than your child, I still think you should think about it for like, more than 5 seconds. I am new to Louisville, but as a therapist I am getting to know many of the public schools in the area. Some of the schools have some downright silly names.

Noe Middle School. My Hispanic clients pronounce this as "No-way Middle School," but school officials call it simply, "No" Middle School. Like, everyone is in denial about this school. We're not sure if it's really a middle school, or if it's even really a school at all. Or maybe "No Middle School" is more like a collective groan from everyone who has ever been through middle school, is going through middle school, or works in a middle school. Nooooooooo!!!

Male High School. At first I wanted to include this one because my husband told me he thought "male" was actually being used as an acronym for something, since this is a co-ed school (as in, M.A.L.E.). I thought, "That is ridiculous, using an acronym that spells out a word that means something untrue about the object it is being used to abbreviate." Right? But then I found out the school actually was an all-male school. But only until 1953! So, still dumb. Their website is awesome, however.

I love this mascot because if you just saw him on the street, you'd be like, "Oh, you're a male bulldog!"

Moore Traditional School. My friend Maggie and I laughed about this name for like, half an hour one day. Because I was talking about the school, and she didn't realize it was M-o-o-r-e, so she was like, "More traditional than what?!" Are they hitting kids with paddles? Do the kids use slate boards? Is there a red-haired teacher living in a house behind the school?

It's just so much more traditional than most schools, Maggie. That's why I'm sending my kids there someday.

But really, what's in a name? I'd love to hear YOUR best/worst school names! Don't be shy.