Keeping Calm

Well, this post is a bit overdue but I blame that on being busier than usual what with birthdays, doctors appointments, leaving town and other things.  Plus all of my free time lately (since Tuesday, actually) has been eaten up by a certain book.  But that's another story.

But when I'm not stressing over how that book will end, I think about more lighthearted things.  Like art that I like. And I like art.  I like looking at art that makes me happy or interested, for no exact reason other than I like it.  And art can do so many different things for a room, besides just filling a space.

  

 

 You may have seen this "Keep Calm and Carry On" print in magazines or different places, it's pretty popular.  I like prints of letters and phrases that aren't too cheesy or lovey-dovey.  And do it in a bright color with fun lettering and I'm a sucker for it. This poster would be so great in a lot of different places - a kid's room, a kitchen, a laundry room.  Any space where a cheerful reminder that sometimes you just need to chill out and live life is needed.

But my favorite part about the print?  The story behind it.  This poster was originally designed and printed in 1939, by the British Government at the beginning of World War II.  It was intended to boost British morale about the war and in case of an invasion.  However, it was rarely used and only a few prints were ever made.  Fast forward to the year 2000, and the poster is found in a bookstore in Britain, which begins reprinting the poster for its costumers.  And now, especially in the last couple of years, reproductions of the print have been popping up everywhere.  And it's understandable why - the sentiment rings as true for modern society today as it did back in 1939.  You can read more about the history of the print on Wikipedia. (A plus for reading this post? You can check off your mini-history lesson for the day.)

 Like I said, you can find reproductions of this print in a lot of places.  One of those places is Etsy.  Lots of sellers sell this print very inexpensively, and all you have to do is pop it in a frame.  Along with the classic "Keep Calm" poster, you can find different colors and even slightly altered versions of the print.  One of my favorite shops that sells the prints is the Keep Calm Shop.  They have lots of different versions of the print in lots of different colors.  The print I'm going to get?


This one:

I think my surf-loving husband would approve.  

Eggy Toast

Thinking of things to make for your family can become really difficult, especially if you feel you are stuck in a rut.  Thinking of things that are healthy, tasty, easy AND cheap just adds to the degree of difficulty.  So what is a frazzled mom (or dad!) to do?

Well I was faced with that question last Friday night.  I didn't want to spend money and I didn't feel like heating up an already too toasty kitchen.  I opened my fridge and saw that I had plenty of eggs and bread and thought, "Hey..egg toast!"  Now, this is not a novel idea whatsoever but I was proud of myself for making a healthy, tasty dish in less than half an hour without going to the store for extra ingredients.  And this meal is versatile!  You can have it for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dunch OR dinner.  

You are going to need:

4-8 eggs depending on the size of your family

loaf of bread (we use Ezekiel sprouted whole grain)

mayonnaise

mustard

salt

pepper

paprika

cheddar, muenster or mozzarella cheese

First Step:  Boil those eggs!

 

Step #2: Peel the eggs and place them in a medium sized bowl.  Scoop some mayo, mustard onto the eggs.  Sprinkle on some salt, pepper and paprika and then mash together!

Step #4:  Place slices of bread on a cookie sheet and then set your oven to broil.  Put the cookie sheet of bread under the broiler for a few minutes until the pieces start looking like toast.  Take the bread out!

Step #5: Scoop the egg mixture evenly onto the pieces of toast.  Sprinkle on some cheese and place the sheet back under the broiler.  Watch carefully and take out when the cheese is nice and melty! Yes melty is a word.  I don't care what automatic spell check tells me.

After step #5 you should have yummy slices of egg toast!  Now here is where you can get creative with your toppings.  Maybe a little hot sauce?  Slices of avocados or tomatoes?  Or how 'bout some delicious guacamole?  I happened to have some leftover and let me tell you it was DELICIOUS!

Seems like a stingy meal right?  Well my hubby, who is a hearty eater, was filled after about 2.5 slices but it was so tasty he went for more!  ;)  Enjoy!

Thankful Journals

If I'm not careful, I can be somewhat of a pessimist.  I'm a worrier, a fretter.  (Is that a word??) In spite of living a blessed, happy life, I sometimes only focus on the dark side of things, though I say that I just want to be prepared for whatever is thrown at me.  I hate disappointment, so I anticipate the worst.  

But, obviously, that's not the best of attitudes.  Not very hopeful, not very happy, not very grateful.    So I try to remember to think positively, to focus on the goodness of life.  

One thing that helps me do this is a thankful journal.  I have a little book, something like one of these, although these are much prettier:

I try to write in this book at night before I go to bed.  I simply jot down something about that day for which I am grateful.   It's not always super profound; often it's something simple.  But it really helps me focus on all the good that is in my life.  

Here's a little peek at one entry:

"March 17, 2010

I'm grateful for this BEAUTIFUL day.  The weather was warm and sunny; Ryan was home from work.  We went to the Plains Conservatory and the boys feed chickens and cows.  We got dinner and ate at the park.  The kids were happy and played hard.  They went to bed nicely.  I love them SO much.  They are so special to me.  I love Ryan and the incredible father he is."

See, nothing profound, but definitely positive.  I especially love that this habit helps me capture little moments with my kids.  All moms know how easy it is to get bogged down in all the feeding, bum wiping, crying, etc.  The thankful journal helps me remember why motherhood is also awesome. 

My motivation to start a thankful journal came from Elder Eyring, a leader in our church.  I'm thankful for his words and my little journal.  Life is good.  

Awesome Workout Songs

I. Love. Music. There’s no denying it. I love finding a new song that has the ability to make me lose myself in the lyrics and melody and forget about the world around me. Cheesy, but seriously, music is my anti-drug. So, I thought I would share a list of some energizing songs that will give you that extra push you need to get off your behind and workout. Some are older songs and others are more recent. I was going to only list 10, but I got a little carried away. Enjoy and happy sweating! :)

In no particular order:
1. "Fighter" by Christina Aguilera
I’ve always loved this song, but never thought of listening to it while
I workout until I was in a spin class at the gym and the instructor
played it. It totally pumped me up and made me feel like I could do anything!

2. "Let It Rock" by Kevin Rudolf

3. "I Don’t Care" by Fall Out Boy
Great beat and it gives me a sense of empowerment.

4. "Dynamite" by Taio Cruz
I love this song. It automatically puts me in a great mood and it
practically forces me to get up and start moving.

5. "How You Love Me Now" by Hey Monday

6. "When I Grow Up" by Pussycat Dolls

7. "Bring Me Under" by Evanescence

8. "Dollhouse" by Priscilla Renea

9. "OMG" by Usher feat. will.i.am

10. "Bulletproof" by La Roux
Most of you probably already have this on your workout playlist. It is
very popular, but for me, it never gets old.

11. "Crushcrushcrush" by Paramore

12. "La la La" by LMFAO

13. "My Life Would Suck Without You" by Kelly Clarkson

14. "Shooting Star" by David Rush feat. LMFAO, Pitbull, and Kevin Rudolf

15. "Bad Romance" by Lady Gaga
This is also a very popular workout song. I love the beat and it’s long
so it’ll keep you goin’.

16. "TiK ToK" by Ke$ha
I know, I know. This is probably one of the most overplayed songs ever,
but it is still one of my favorites. It pumps me up and hey, maybe some
of you haven’t heard of it. That is, if you’ve been living under a rock
for the past year. ;)

17. "Womanizer" by Britney Spears

18. "Black & Blue" by Miike Snow
"Black & Blue" is great for a jog. The lead singer has a cool and
unique voice that I could listen to forever!

19. "Daylight" by Matt & Kim

20. "Blame it on the Girls" by Mika

21. "Animal" by Neon Trees

22. "1901" by Phoenix

23. "Dr. Feel Good" by Travie McCoy
This is a fast paced song with lots of energy.

24. "(If You’re Wondering if I want you to) I want you to" by Weezer
I can't help but move when I listen to this one!