New Year, new goals?

You know how people make resolutions every New Year? I used to be one of those people. Perhaps I still am. Or not. I dunno.

One of the most common resolutions is to lose weight, henceforth, the word "diet." Of course, I need to lose weight. I'm not the only alone in this but you know what I hate? The letters "DIEt." Why? Because it has such a negative connotation and it's almost like I'm being set up to fail.

The word resolution is the state or quality of being resolute about something, to have firm determination. I can't say I meet the criteria. I'm not resolute about anything because I know myself too well. I may have good intentions but as some good intentions of mine go, they sometimes end up disappearing. Then I feel bad or guilty about them and before you know it, it's another year come and gone with nothing to show for it.

This year, I'm not making resolutions. I'm going to have good intentions and if they don't all work out, I'm not going to kick myself for it (or at least I'll try). I would like to commit myself to changing my eating and exercise habits. I would like to save my family even more money. I would like to have more patience parenting my son. If these "would like to's" don't work out, so be it but I won't kick myself for it either (except maybe the last one).

I'm not perfect nor will I ever be. That is one thing I CAN be resolute about. And that's okay.

The RAOK Challenge

Have you committed a Random Act of Kindness lately? If not, i invite you to join me in my RAOK Challenge starting now and ending (maybe) on Christmas.

There was a food drive being held outside of my local grocery store today. A young man gave me a flier with a wish list of pantry items on it, asking if I wouldn't mind shopping for something to donate so I donated 2 boxes of instant oatmeal and a can of pasta.

There's also a blood drive being held at my DS's school next month. I've never donated blood because of my fear of needles but I feel compelled to donate blood so I can in some way help my friend's son fight Black Diamond Anemia.

These are such small acts of kindness but I'm setting a personal goal for myself to commit one random act of kindness each day until Christmas. One person's contribution may not make a huge difference in the world but when joined by thousands of others, there may just be hope for mankind.

How will YOU help someone else?

Could it be?

Could it be that I've made a couple of very cool new friends in real life? Has Christmas come early this year?

I've had a couple of playdates recently with two other moms, whom also happen to have only children. The first one was nice but still a bit awkward, not unlike a first date, with the getting to know all about you deal. I kept thinking "Please don't let me say something stupid." and "I hope she likes me for me and not just because our kids are playing together.". Sounds stupid, huh?

The second playdate was with a different mom today. My son and her daughter are in the same class (apparently they're boyfriend and girlfriend already!). We chatted for two and a half hours about everything. The time just flew by. Before we knew it, the playdate was over.

How are these moms so cool? They're down to earth, friendly, not fussy about their appearance and sociable. The fact that they have only children also is a huge plus in my book. It's nice having a commonality.

We've been invited to a birthday party and many more playdates in the future as a result. I'd say those first time encounters are working out quite well already. Now, will she or won't she call me????

The Circle Game

The Potato Head Family recently enjoyed a 3 day family vacation together at one of our favorite beach places. There were old favorites revisited and new ones discovered. Gorgeous pictures were taken as timeless depictions of our "happy place." Remembering my ride on the Ferris Wheel with Tater Tot, it seems the Joni Mitchell song "The Circle Game" is so poignant and apt in its entirety but the refrain is especially so even if it does describe a carousel instead of a Ferris Wheel.

And the seasons they go round and round 
And the painted ponies go up and down 
We're captive on the carousel of time 
We can't return we can only look 
Behind from where we came 
And go round and round and round 
In the circle game 

Every fall, we revisit the same happy place as a family. It was my husband's favorite childhood summer tradition and now together, we're creating the same for Tater Tot. Life changes, sometimes rapidly in the blink of an eye and sometimes gradually, so slow you barely even notice, but there will always be constants like the rhythmic crashing of the waves in the ocean, the tang of the salty breezes coming from them, the taste of fresh seafood and seeing the joy on childrens' faces (and adults too).

Perhaps I was more nostalgic during this year's vacation due to the loss of some people I knew - good guys who were taken in the prime of their life. One was more gradual and one was sudden. They left behind wives and children who will forever mourn their husbands and fathers. The circle game only stops for those who were taken from us in death yet we remember them as we continue with our own circle game. There's something about a loss that makes me more cognizant and ever more grateful for the blessings I do have. For all the minor grumbling I do, I'm deeply appreciative of the life I have, a life I would not want to trade for with anyone else.

What a crock!

Today, I used our crockpot for the first time this season (beef stew). Now, anyone who knows me knows I'm a big fan of the crockpot. It's so easy to use that even virtually inexperienced cooks can make it seem like they've slaved over a stove for hours. It's budget friendly in terms of cost and it often can be stretched out to 2 meals.

We have a couple of crockpot recipe cookbooks we occasionally peruse so Mr. Potato Head and I sometimes alternate picking out recipes we want to try. It's rather ironic, however, that the authors' last names are "Good" and "Ranck" so seeing those names together on the covers makes for a rather amusing thought.

She's the kind of mom I hate!

My husband was describing to a friend the Bento box lunches I make for Tater Tot. Her response was "She's the kind of mom I hate." Really? Why? Because I have a hidden agenda for making Tater Tot's lunches varied and exciting so he's not tempted to eat the cafeteria hot lunch? Because it usually takes no more than 15 minutes to make a lunch that looks like I spent more than that on it? Because I'm trying to be creative and fun with them?

I think it it as no more different than a creative hobby an adult has, whether it be painting, sewing, knitting, cooking, etc. They're all expressive outlets. According to some of the other Bento blogs I've seen, the lunches I make don't even compare to theirs in terms of style, presentation, variety and fun.

It's just a fun hobby with a hidden agenda. No more, no less.

Top 10 list of reasons to fall for Fall

10) Temperatures are dropping.

9) Time to decorate pumpkins.

8) Apple cider.

7) Crockpot recipes.

6) Freshly picked apples.

5) Halloween candy (for me, not Tater Tot).

4) Smell of smoke drifting from chimneys.

3) A riot of gorgeous leaf colors.

2) Snuggly warm sweaters.

1) The holidays are just around the corner!