G&P's: Monday

G&P's stands for Grammy and Papa's in case you didn't catch on. :)

You know how I said that I was finally going to get to sleep in the big-girl bed while I was there?

Weeeelll about that.

Sunday night we settled down and watched Sherlock Holmes before going to bed. There's a lot of creepy stuff in that movie, so I Jonathan wanted me to sleep in the kids' room with him. Being the good sister that I am, I agreed to be in that room with him for the night. Just for Sunday night.

Plus this vent was making an evil noise....

Monday was the day that we were out and about the least, but we were still productive. It's amazing how much more productive you are when you don't have much television or electronics to use! Surprise, surprise.

It was really nice to just chat with Grammy and Papa over breakfast rather than watching an hour of tv. 

Buttercup and Abby Bell enjoyed the conversation too.

I've always been in love with my grandparents' house. With time on my hands, I took a few pictures of the rooms for a "tour" of the inside.

Starting with the front of the house, this is the foyer area/staircase that leads to the rooms upstairs. I lerv the tree and mirror!

Turning right from the front door (and left from where I was standing) is the dining room. We only eat in here on holidays or when the whole family is here.

Moving in another direction (I didn't plan this tour well....), this is the living room. You can see the foyer where the door is, and the staircase would be on the left side.

The opening on the far left is the small dinner table, where we will be eating the whole week. Turning around 180* from where I took this picture is the sunroom. We watch movies and Grammy + Papa use their laptop in here.

Looking out the window closest to the camera is the porch/gazebo thing. I love it. Sometimes we come out here to eat breakfast, read, or hang out in the evening. It's so lovely with the lights turned on. I suspect, however, it will be too hot and humid to be out there much. Sadness.

Walking towards the small dining room and turning right would be la cocina.

Now going upstairs and taking a left is the kids' room. It's, um, where the kids sleep. It's also where the kids' computer is. The decor is very appropriate for the ages of the kids that the house was built/decorated. :) Reibs and I were 5 or six, Bro wasn't born, Seth (cousin) was 2 or 3, and Makenzie (cousin) wasn't born. The bed I always sleep in is the one on the right.

Across the hallway (right of the staircase) is the parents' room, with the big bed. I unpacked an hung out in there.

Bird's-eye view of the living room.

After hanging out for the afternoon, getting chores done, reading, blogging, and chatting, Grammy and I got dinner started. 

Grilled chicken and roasted veggies was on the menu tonight. Simple, quick, easy, and yummy.

I quartered some beautiful red, gold, and purple potatoes. I love the color and flavor of purple potatoes!

Also sliced onions, squash yellow bell peppers, and 'sparagus. I cut waayy too many veggies (we had a whole onion, two zucchini, and a whole bell pepper I didn't even get to cook). I guess it's because I love them so much! Leftovers.....

Grammy grilled the chicken.

'Loupe.

I think Papa enjoyed his meal!

 It was a mighty fine meal if I do say so myself.With the help of Grammy, of course.

After dinner, Bro was really wanting to get the BB gun out. I'm pretty sure that my dad has one, but we always use Papa's. I guess the woods in the backyard makes it seem more fun or appropriate? Hmm...

We were mainly shooting at trees, since there were no targets to aim for. Buttercup wanted to join in on the fun, too.

As a whole, a really, really nice day. I think we're going to end it with a movie - Step Up tonight! Whoop whoop.

And tomorrow....Brave, perhaps? :) Adios.

Goin' Down South

It's the weekend. Time to partaaayyy.

As you know, last week I was at my grandparents' house down in Albany, Georgia. I sort of took the week off, and instead of writing about my days, I wrote my Love Your Body Mini-Series. So today starts the day that I catch up on my vacation posts!

Be forewarned: the posts will be (quite) lengthy, with lots of pictures! :D But I worked hard on them, and they were so fun to write. I hope you enjoy them!

Saturday Evening

Oh, the joys of packing. I actually love packing. I'm not sure how so many people find it stressful....

I'm so excited to be seeing Grammy and Papa! :) They live about 4 hours south of us, so we don't see them as often as we'd like. I'm think that the last time I saw them was Thanksgiving......yeesh.

The Madre, Hermana, and I hit up Tarjay to get a few travel-essential items. Reba will be at our church's camp for the week that the Bro and I are in Albany.

When we arrived at Target, I headed straight to what I refer to as "the Mini Section" (you know, the wall of baskets with all the little toothpastes and shaving cream and shampoos?). I think all the mini items are so cute!

We also went to that "Natural Foods" grocery store that I talked about a while ago, and got some nut butter goodies. :)

Chocolate peanut butter....mmmm......



I loaded up my stash of bars...

And my Tazo tea! I couldn't leave without it.

I also decided to bring a few movies.:D

My top choices are quite mature. Monsters Inc. always makes me cry. Even if it's not full-blown crying, I at least get teary-eyed ("Kitty!"). I also added Lilo and Stitch and Sherlock Holmes later that night. Hopefully we'll be seeing Brave, too.

I found this odd trick on Pinterest to keep your necklaces from tangling up. Quite genius, actually!

Can't wait to get going!!

Sunday

Woohoo!!!!!! Time to go!!!!

Lilly knows I'm leaving.....



Bro and I are quite exited. We woke up and went to church this morning, then got back home, packed up the car, and hit the road, Jack!



You know that weird heat you feel when you walk next to a car from the exhaust? Yeah, that's what it's felt like, all over, all day.

Desert heat, I tell you.

There were no exciting events on the two hour ride, so I have no pictures.

Since Grammy and Papa live 4 hours away from us, if just the grandyoungons' are staying with them, we meet halfway. That way my parents don't have to drive 8 hours just to drop us off.

So, as usual, we met up at the Pilot truck stop.

While waiting for the grandparents to arrive, I snacked on a Cliffy Bar. (Random joke: What did the mountain climber name his son? Cliff! Ha!)

Padre and Madre are so adorable!

Half an hour of waiting later, Grammy and Papa came to pick us up! I didn't take any picture of the exchange, because we were rreeaaddyy to get home!

The Arrival

I. Love. My grandparent's house. It's kind of in the middle of nowhere, and there's not the hustle and bustle of cars zooming by that I'm used to. It's only about a 15 minute drive to get into town, but still. It's a small town, and I love it.

Buttercup was there to greet us.

Since Madre and Padre weren't here this time, I finally get to sleep in my own room. Finally!!! Normally, the kids share a room with two twin beds, and since there are three of us, Brosef always gets an air mattress on the floor. It's hard to sleep with all three of us in there. (i.e. talking/giggling, fake snoring, etc...)

But indeed, I will be sleeping by myself tonight. Mwa ha ha.



As I unpacked, I found these Dark Chocolate almonds we picked up that I forgot about! I can't wait to try them.



Who are these two people?! They look familiar!

Who do I look more like? Madre or Padre?



Ah. I'm so happy to be here. YAY!

How to Love Your Body Part 3

(Missed Part 1 and Part 2? Read 'em!)

Okay, for some reason, I had a really hard time coming up with what to write about for Part 3. There is at least one post every week that I have a writer's block. 

Then I thought that today would be a good day to get into some of my personal experiences. I don't like to elaborate much on them with the blog, mainly because there are a lot of much deeper personal issues.

So, this is me being honest. I'm a work in progress. There are days when I feel completely weak and like I just can't move on. But I mean, this is completely normal, right? Everyone has a day when they just feel like poop. 

I think we're all a work in progress, all the time. Situations change. We meet new people. Relationships are tested, and relationships and bonds are formed. I don't believe that God holds any standards for us. Sure, he has expectations - to live for him. Simple, yet sometimes so difficult. That's what our life on Earth is about - learning and growing closer to God in the process, no matter what your situation is. 

Me, I had everything I've talked about the past couple of days - bad body image, low self esteem, society's influences, my own perfectionism and ideas, etc etc. Satan just had a tight grip on me. Someone once told me that Satan is very, very patient. He lets things build and build and build. My beliefs built so much that my world just collapsed with guilt, anger, depression, and anxiety. I hated myself. 

Words cannot really explain the crippling effect that thoughts like this have on everyone. I was hurting myself, and my relationships. 

I was at rock bottom. In a hospital, all by myself, 12 hours away from my family. There really were no emotions that I felt, except abandonment and hopelessness. I was physically exhausted and emotionally dead. 

I was in that hospital, meeting new gals and creating new kinds of relationships (hey Kristen!). I did the work. 

But the real work wasn't until I got home. It has been a major, major roller coaster. Like the Goliath, only 100 miles long with loops and turns and super giant hills where sometimes your butt flies off the seat a little bit and you feel scared and unsafe. 

It hasn't been until fairly recently that I've had a massive turn around. Like, a couple of months actually. Somehow I pulled myself together - being scared of food and hating your body sucks!!! I will admit, the work sucks too, but a year ago I would have never.....ever....imagined that I could brag on my accomplishments today. 

I'm a work in progress. But I have hunger and fullness cues. I eat. I love food. It's freaking delicious. I'm social. I hang out with my best friends. My weight is actually doing really well for the first time since I was in residential treatment. I have physical.activity. (<--I was slamming on the keys for the one!!). I like my body better than when I was underweight! Wheeeee!!!!!

My major points for the day:

• Work and emotions suck. Rewards rock.
• ^^Work and emotions are like tiny little bugs on the windshield of life compared to the rewards
• God, people, and coping skills help. Period.
• I'm probably one of the strongest people I've ever known. ;) Just and FYI.

Yup, there is a Part 4!

What are some accomplishments that you are most proud of?

How to Love Your Body Part 2

Missed Part 1? Read it here.


Good morning, and Happy Independence Day! (aka Fourth of Juuuu-laahh) <---said in a Southern accent.

So, yesterday I started discussing what I feel is a very important and understood topic among women - body image. Body image is such and issue in our society today - it's everywhere. In our families and home environment, in jobs and interviews, in television, magazines, and media.

Photoshop manipulates models' bodies into something that they're not, and fashion puts pressure on models to be thin in order to "wear the clothes." This ends up making both the model and the viewer feel like their body isn't good enough, therefore leading to low self-esteem, so on and so on. It's basically a lose-lose situation.

Today I'd like to talk about these views that society comes up with about image. It makes me a little, ahem, pissed off at society. Sometimes I just feel like God shakes His head at some of the things that are said and believed nowadays.

Right. This is going to be a long post.

I recently wrote my final paper for Lit about how society contributes to bad body image, low self esteem, and eating disorders among women. Yes, I believe that family and genetics and stuff like that plays a rather large role, but come on. Size 0? Really?

I have many, many....so many annoyances when it comes to society. (These are not listed in order of most obnoxious - they're all equal to me.)

One: the "Pear," "Apple," "Ruler," "Triangle," blah blah blah body shapes. If you have hips, you are not a pear. You just have hips.

Two: Certain body shapes cannot wear certain items of clothing. This is kind of a weird one. I believe that if you have a curvy body, larger bust, etc....you should probably stick to clothing that is, ahem, appropriate. The best example/analogy I can think of is the television show "What Not to Wear." It has women of every body shape - curvacious (and vivacious!), tall and lean, body-builder, wheel-chair, double mastectomy...they've seen it all. All of them feel like their body isn't worthy of dressing in a way that is not only stylish, but makes them feel beautiful. And every.single.woman. who is nominated onto that show - they look so, so beautiful. Not just because of the clothes, but because it looks like they take care of themselves, and they look happy - from the inside. Okay. Done gushing.

Three: Thin is happy. *Smacks forehead with hand and weeps a little exasperatedly.* I'm not even going into this one.

Four: You must look like a model/actress to be beautiful. This means lean, fit, and perfection. This annoys me *almost* as much as number three. It's more of anger/frustration than anything. People: models on magazines are Photoshopped. They are not real. I shall show you:



                                                 (Source)

They also eat crazy diets, like living on kale chips and hummus every day. A lot are just not healthy, and definitely not happy. (Drugs? EDs?)

Five: The Ideal Body. I think we all know what the ideal body is. It varies from person to person, depending on confidence level, personal preferences, etc. - but I have a suspicion that it's a pretty basic idea: lean, fit, toned, curvy but not too curvy. Thoughts like "Don't let your thighs touch!" or "Have perfectly toned slender abs and and a flat tummy!" bring you down. Some people's body types simply don't permit this - especially depending on age, if you have had kids, genetics, etc. Everyone wants what they don't have.

Six: Looks are tied to success. Tricky one, too. I think this goes along with number five. The thing with this is you have. To accept. Yourself. I can't stand that women think that they must have the perfect body in order to be successful in, well, anything. Getting a boyfriend. Having a good job. Liking the way you look. Having a good self esteem.


The last major thing I have to say is: Accept yourself. It takes time, and patience, and often it takes pain. But it's worth it. God blessed you with the body that He created. He planned it!!!! Take care of yourself, and you won't feel so trapped. Poor body image hurts. It cripples. It creeps into everything you do, everything you think.  

I leave you on this note: You can't change what you've been given. Accept it, and love it. Food for thought.

I can't wait for you to read Part Tres!!!!

What bugs you about society's ideas? Everything?!

How to Love Your Body (without hating it....) Part 1

I'm writing a few posts on this subject because I feel like it is a really important topic to discuss. It also really hits home for me - I'm opening up my heart and being honest. Note that I'm not a therapist, psychologist, or doctor - this advice is out of my own experiences! (Please) feel free to comment away!

Does this ever happen to anyone else?

I have come across this problem a lot throughout the couple of years that I have been recovering. Sometimes I would just get so wrapped up in trying to force myself to be in love with my body that, in the process, I just sort of gave up.

The goal mindset was: "Jessica, you will love your body immediately and it shall be the most perfect thing you have ever laid eyes on." (see any issues there?)


The actual mindset was: "Jessica, you WILL LOVE YOUR BODY NO MATTER WHAT EVEN THOUGH....etcetcetc....all right. I give up. I guess my gross body isn't worth my energy...." (see any issues there??)


I often felt alone in my problems, which made things a lot harder to cope with. I didn't (and, to be completely honest, still don't) really like to talk about my body image issues. It seems like such a fragile subject to me, and there sometimes are so many wrong things to say - it differs from person to person.


One thing I didn't fully understand until now is that pretty much every.single.woman. on the planet has some sort of body insecurity. Cliche news flash: there is no such thing as a perfect body!!! EVER!! Period.


(If I had a dime for every time I heard that phrase, I'd be backpacking around the Mediterranean right now.....)


 But, muffins, alas it is true. Every body has some sort of flaw. Some common ones that we hear a lot: "My thighs are too big. My arms are too flabby. My tummy is chubby. My hips are too wide. My butt is too round. My boobs are too big. My face is round. I'm fat."


The sad thing is, is these are pretty much the colloquial terms. We also have a lot of pleasant-sounding names for them. Thunder thighs? Bat wings? Muffin tops?


Anyways (rabbit-trailing much?), there are a few major things as to why we, as women, have these so-called "flaws".

1. Women are supposed to have a higher percentage of body fat than men. That's just the way it is. Sorry.

2. Women are supposed to have a higher percentage of body fat than men because we bear children. Babies are fragile - they need cushion. Cushion is a good thing.

3. Women are supposed to have thighs and hips in order to actually give birth. Love them! How hard would it be to push out a baby without muscular (they aren't fat!) thighs??

4. Bodies change all throughout our life. First, we're adorably chubby babies, then scrawny kindergartners, then "fluffy" grade-schoolers (puberty!!), hormones rage in middle school, in high school we start seeing our bodies change into womanly shapes,  we get married and start a family, we grow old. Every season of our lives, our bodies change. We need to celebrate our bodies no matter what!

5. The human body is so incredible. I could go on and on. Think about the things that it does on a daily basis (ex, secretes hormones, metabolizes food into energy, regenerates skin cells daily, keeps your heart beating nonstop for your entire life), our bodies are a gift/blessing from God!

6. There are sooooooooo many different body shapes. What's with all this "pear" and "apple" body shapes? What? No comprendo.

7. Everyone's body is their own. You are completely unique to anyone else on the whole.planet. You are you....out of the 6.5 billion inhabitants on earth. 


You see? Our flaws aren't so bad! God has blessed us with our bodies - they are vessels on the Earth. They allow us to run a mile, taste our favorite ice cream, sing as loud as we want.....celebrate them!


Stay tuned for Part 2.......

Do you ever struggle with body image? 

Forget it not......

Good morning!

My lame title is a totally awesome pun.

I'm here in South Georgia with my grandparents and brother. Reibs is on her way to church camp, while los padres are home alone (be good!). 

Despite the insane heat wave (I heard it's coming from the Arizona/Mexico area?), the bro and I are already having a great time! It's fun to be spoiled. ;)

I was all pumped up about, "Yeah!! My first trip on mah blog!" and took about 600 pictures in the time it took to get here - our parents dropped us off halfway and my grandparents drove us the rest of the way.

I remembered to pack everything that I wanted to come, which is practically unheard of with me. I also always leave stuff.

Anyways, about an hour away from the house, I suddenly remembered....

that I left my camera cord at home!!! Ugh!

Flashback to other blog at the beach last September.....

Yeeaahhh....so there won't be any pictures. I was totally disturbed by this until I thought of a cool alternative:

I'll just keep the blogging at a minimum this week, so that I can spend time taking pictures and hanging out with my Grammy and Papa.

Then next week, I'll use all the pictures I had and each day blog about what I did this (last?) week.

(^^takes a brilliant mind to think of that.)

Quick confession: I often dream that my blog will some day be super popular and thousands of people will read it each day. It shall happen.

On the agenda:
-Just hangin' out around the house
-Grocery shopping
-Movie theater?
-COFFEE

Have a marvelous Monday!