The Crazy Hair, Bad Breath, No Make-Up You

Welcome to day one:
"The Identity Games" starts now...

There are these ridiculous standards that us ladies are "supposed" to live by. Here are some examples:

Be skinny
Be a size negative zero
Have the most put together house
Have the dream relationship
Have perfectly well behaved kids
Be talented
Never let your weakness show
Never break out

Where these absurd ideas of what's normal, came from, I don't know.
I just know that one size does NOT fit all.

Weight, relationships, looks, and lifestyle are relative to your unique self, story, personality, and experiences. Those are what make you, you. Nothing else

Jenny and I are going to be touching on a lot of those issues this next week. We want to be truthful with you, about where we're at and hopefully start some good conversation.

The bottom line in all is that YOU matter incredibly. A well-rounded perspective on all things "self" starts with loving who you've been created to be on the most basic level. You are loved simply because you were created. Not how you look, or by how much you weigh. We women need to encourage one another, not criticize.

Now I recognize that living out that idea is so much easier said than done, and I really do believe it's a lifelong journey, but it's an important journey to be on- and for the record, I'm in the midst of this now.

Having a healthy relationship with yourself gives you freedom and the resolve to say, "Forget what the outside is saying, I know who I am and what I'm capable of," and to push the unhealthy influences we are constantly bombarded with, to the side. Jenny is a fabulous example of beautiful woman, who can do just that.

When you know what a healthy weight and size is for YOUR body, comparing yourself to others seems silly.

When you know what you're good at, you don't need compete with someone else to be better at something.

When you are 27, 30, 33, etc, and still breakout every once and awhile, you can laugh it off.

I'm learning how to take care of myself, and learning to embrace my quirks.
I just want to take my make-up off and be honest.

Here are some pictures to illustrate my point.
From waking up, to no make up, to day and evening make up- you'll get the idea.
Be sure to check out Jenny's pictures too!

The "Good morning" me

The "No Make-Up" me

The "Simple Make- Up" me




The "Going out-ish" me

Don't be fooled by any pictures you see on facebook or on this blog
I am not sexy when I wake up.
My hair is crazy
I have bad breath
My face often looks puffy
I have pillow mark creases on my arms and face
My shirt and pants are twisted in ever direction

As unglamorous as the just woken up, and no make-up me is,
That is the real me.
That's who my husband and kids wake up to, and see the most.
That's myself in my most basic form.
That's who I want to keep coming back to, and be working on.

It's fun to put on make-up, it's great to put yourself together when you want to, but just remember
that no amount of make-up makes you, you, nor does is erase the fact that you started the day with crazy hair, bad breath, and pillow marks all over your face-  THAT is the you that matters, and is most important. It's THAT you, you need to have a healthy relationship with.

Jenny has some awesome thoughts to share today, too. Head over there and see where she's coming from. Link up over there, too, if you want to show us your "Good Morning" selves :)

Until tomorrow!
~Jessica

The Identity Games

Hey Everyone!

Check out the video below, then go ahead and hop on over to Jenny's blog to see exactly why we're linking our blogging arms to bring you a week long series called

"The Identity Games"




Every single one of us was made to be exactly who we are, yet there are so many outside influences that play "games" with us ladies, telling us who we need to be.

Well, enough. Let's spend this week talking about what matters, and reclaiming our unique, beautiful, and specific identities.

Please interact and engage! Jenny and I want this to be a conversation starter, so feel free ask questions, speak, link up, and join us this great week! We can't wait to get to know you better!


See you tomorrow for the first post of the week!

Pause. Breathe. Look. Listen.

The last two weeks have been some of the most challenging weeks in parenting that Bobby and I have had. Layla turned a corner and starting exerting more will, pushing the boundaries, and was pretty defiant when she didn't get her way. I think I always knew that a phase like this was bound to happen, but I'm not going lie, I was taken by surprise when her new found attitude flew in like a tornado.

Whether it was an argument about listening, throwing things at me in the car, kicking me while I buckled her in her seat, saying awful and hurtful words out of anger, or simple saying "no" in a very matter of fact way, our Layla was clearly communicating that she wants to be boss.

Bobby and I chalked it up to lots of factors, but the bottom line was that we needed to get our act together as parents. We had spent the first 4 years of her life providing shelter, safety, food, warmth, and love, which is exactly what kids need in the first few years, but she needs more now. We entered the phase of parenting where she not only needs the basics, she needs guidance and directions. She needs to learn how to be a healthy, functioning human. You know what that means though, it means that Bobby and I can no longer parent her the way we were so accustomed to. We needed to step up our game, and start leading by example, getting creative with consequences because she's smart enough to understand some logic now, and follow through- oh, the following through.

I am convinced that parenting ends up being so much more about the parents growing up, than the kids. This whole experience of shifting our parenting the last few weeks, has forced ME to change first. I have to pave the way for my kids, I have to lead by example, I have to model to Layla- and Cullen, how to treat people, behave, and how to be healthy. Well, you can't teach those things well, if you haven't learned them yourself, so it's safe to say that I have learned a lot these last few weeks.

Parenting is tough, it's very personal, and it's relative to your children, and the relationship you have with them and their needs. But, as personal of an experience as parenting is, it's something I don't want to do alone. I'm talking about outside of Bobby and I. We need help from others who have done this before. We need support from those who know and love our kids. We need help with creative and logical consequences when we are in the heat of anger. Parenting is almost nearly impossible when you do it on your own. In this crazy time with Layla, I've been grateful for the help I've received from family and friends, and the support that Bobby has given me since he knows that I'm dealing with these issues all day. He's swooped in many times when he's gotten home, and taken the reigns for me, and backed me up. He's a keeper.

I have posted about how deeply moved I am by creation and the beauty in this world. Refer to my
"We Live in a Beautiful World" post to get the full picture. I have found, over the past year that when I've felt stressed, burnt out, frustrated, or just need some quiet time with my thoughts, that taking time to look at my gorgeous surroundings, and capture the best I can, what I'm seeing, puts things in perspective for me. I can hardly put into words how much peace and clarity I feel after a time out- outside. Well, between the craziness we've had with Layla, the pace of life speeding up a bit with fall activities starting, the hope of things to come coupled with the fear of disappointment (I'll explain more in another post), AND the fact that beautiful fall is here, I thought it was time for a walk and mini photoshoot nearby our house.

So, I wanted to share with you the pictures that I took this last week, that continue to hold me together, remind that there is beauty all around me no matter what's swirling inside me, and that even when there are twists, turns, and uncertainties in life, that there is consistency, and there is also a rhythm to life- seasons being proof of that. I need reminders like that more often than not, and that's why these are some of my new favorite pictures.

Enjoy, and be encouraged through these pictures that whether you're struggling with parenting, fear, doubt, confusion, and uncertainty, that you are less alone than you think.

Pause. Take a deep breath-literally. Look-really look. And listen.
You'll hear more in the silence, than you could ever hear with noise.

Those are four things that are wildly important with parenting and everything else in life, and I just happened to learn them from taking a few steps outside.

And my two greatest reminders
to pause, breathe, look, and listen are...

Cullen

And Layla



Welcome to October!

Thursday Latelies!

What's making your world a little brighter this week?

Well, click here to find out what's making my week a good one.
 Then, link up with BEX
to meet more fun ladies with some great things to share.

(There was a weird break in the video- hmmm, I'll have to look into what happened. I was playing around and didn't mean for anything to stay on the video. Also the lighting changes too. Sorry!)

There's nothing like new music. GOOD new music that is.
Allow me to introduce you to...
Young the Giant
My current favorite of their is the song "I Got." Check out itunes for their full album.


I am still hooked on the Hunger Games books.
Book number 3 Mockingjay is what I'm currently reading.
Don't say anything if you know how it ends- spoilers are not allowed on this blog!
I'll report back when I'm done with the book, but don't say anything to me yet about the third book until then. Only books 1 and 2 please!

The Asiago and Spinach Pasta has been a hit at our house. If you try it, let me know what you think. Also, if you have any quick, easy, and fairly neutral-not crazy dinner ideas, feel free to throw them my way! Oh, and I forgot to mention that I used whole wheat pasta. It's obviously up to you, but I am really loving it.

The Seattle AIDS walk was a great experience. Thanks for letting me share it with you. Here are a few pictures of the event.

My dear friend, Jess, and me at the walk

My girl and me

Post walk view- beautiful!



Stay tuned for next week! Jenny and I will teaming up to do a week long blog series. We cannot wait! October 3rd is when all of the fun starts. Be there.

Got any questions, thoughts, and/or blog ideas for me? I'd love to mull over some questions, and respond via post or comment. I'm always up for a good thought provoking question or idea.

jmcadriel@gmail.com

Thanks for letting me share my life with you- let's do it again next week!

~Jessica

"Everything's Amazing and Nobody's Happy"

This weekend, I started watching the show, 

"Louie"

Have you heard of it?

The comedian Louis C.K. does stand up bits, and then there is a scripted scene after the stand up routine that mimics what he was just making jokes about.

It's hilarious. There are plenty of parts I shouldn't be laughing at, but when you're folding laundry and your kids aren't around, and you have complete control of the tv, you should relish in those moments. They don't happen too often. So, I laughed hard at jokes that I shouldn't have, and at the awkward moments that Louis C.K. plays so well, and I enjoyed the few moments to myself- even if it was just while folding 547245743543745 loads of laundry.

I do have a purpose in telling you this. This post is a fusion of several different random bits of info that mesh into one. I heard an interview with Louis C.K. from 2009, a few months ago, when he was on Conan, and it has stuck with me. He's absolutely hilarious- but he's also absolutely correct. Just watch.

I remembered that interview last week, when all of the new Facebook changes were being made and knew right then, I had to write about my thoughts.

So, last week, Facebook made some changes, and updated the website. And guess what? Everyone complained and griped about how they hated it, or were going to email Mark Zuckerburg, and demand the old Facebook return.

We are so silly sometimes

Facebook is awesome, I'm obsessed. I love the connectedness I feel towards friends I don't get to see often and the ability it gives me to keep up with my loved ones. But, no one is forcing me use it, so if the "powers at be" at Facebook want to change a few things, they can go right ahead. I don't have a right to complain.

This picture says it all



The amount of  entitlement that runs so freely
through all of us, is really ugly at times.

How is that "everything's amazing, and nobody's happy?" We have brilliant technology, access to anything we could want, the ability to travel anywhere, and yet somehow we end up complaining about the smallest inconveniences that those advances sometimes bring.
 It's so absurd! How did we get to a point where feel like we are owed something, or deserve these luxuries that are available to us?

This whole Facebook drama got me thinking. I asked myself, "What are the things that I am guilty of complaining about that are absolutely ridiculous, and can I please get that out of my system?"

So here are some examples that I, myself, have complained about at one point or another, and that I have heard others also complain about. Somehow reading the list out loud, makes me feel even more ridiculous for ever complaining.

1
When my internet is going just a little too slow for my taste, I get so impatient. Like I'm trying to save the world or something and it depends on my internet connection. Truth: I'm uploading my latest pictures to facebook and am mad it's not going as quickly as I had hoped.

2
When I drop a call on my phone I'm annoyed I have to push the "redial" button, and pick up where I left off, without even taking into consideration that it is amazing we even have little computers we can carry around to stay connected at anytime? I can spare a few seconds of "redial" time when I realize it's a luxury in the first place. And hello! I only have to push one button, one button people. Not even the full ten digits that are already stored in my phone anyway. Silly, so silly.

3
We can pause our televisions now!
And we get mad when it doesn't rewind or fast forward in the exact way and time we were hoping. This one isn't as big of a deal to me, but I know people who get so angry when their DVR box isn't working just right. I just want to say, "Hey! Remember 10 years ago, when you had to actually watch a show when in aired? Yeah, we've got nothing to complain about.... Oh, and remember there used to be no tv at all, and people actually had to engage with one another?"

Do you realize how ridiculous all of that sounds?!
(I'm saying this to myself too, by the way)


We whine and complain about these tiny inconveniences, when we're not even appreciating the fact that they exist in the first place. Nobody "owes" us anything. We are not entitled to have internet, phones, and televisions. We don't "deserve" those things. They are gifts. The product of an amazingly advanced culture with technologically savvy people, inventing creative ways for us to stay connected, and have fun. A complete gift.

Entitlement blinds us, and removes
the power of gratefulness.
Gratefulness is the anecdote to entitlement.
I don't want to be lumped into the generation that Louis C.K. was talking about. I don't want all of these fantastic new toys, and services to be wasted on people that don't care, or rather, only care about what they want. I want to be grateful instead of demanding. Aware of the beauty in this world, not mad that I don't get exactly what I want, when I want it.
I fully believe that gratitude changes anybody's perspective.

There is nothing wrong with enjoying the items and services we are offered these days, but they're not something we've earned or deserve. You deserve something if you work hard for it, not if it's a luxury you are choosing to pay for, or is handed to you for free. 



And guess what?! Facebook is going to change again, and you're still going to be using it. :)

Lovely Monday wishes to you all!
~Jessica

Everyone Loves a Good Pizza

If I could eat one food for the rest of my life, it would be pizza.

I LOVE a good pizza. 

This last two weeks, I made a commitment to my hubby to start cooking dinner for him. We've spent the entirety of our marriage with him being the chef, and it's worked really well. He loves cooking, and I don't mind cleaning. But, he has long hours, and though he enjoys cooking, I realized that it would be a gift to him if I had something ready, or at least in the works, when he got home.

The problem: I don't particularly enjoy cooking.
Baking is another story. I love anything sweet, so baking is much more enjoyable for me.

The solution: Meal Planning for the week
Easy meal planning that is

In my quest for easy meal plans, that take little prep work, and are done fairly quickly, I remembered my love for pizza.

I found a recipe for a Salami and Provolone calzone, and Bobby and I decided to make it into a pizza instead. We love calzones, but neither of us were in the mood to meticulously fold the dough and chop up the ingredients at that time.

SO, the Salami and Provolone Pizza was born!
Are you read for this? It was amazing and we WILL be eating this again very soon.


INGREDIENTS 

1- Uncooked Dough
We used whole wheat dough from Trader Joes.

2- Salami
Any grocery store sells them in the sandwich meat section.

3- Provolone Cheese
If you get the sliced kind that comes in circles, it's so easy to put on the pizza. No grating, less mess, and for a cheese lover like me, good coverage.

4- Mozzarella Cheese
We used the already grated mozzarella to sprinkle on top. 

The mixture of the provolone and mozzarella is absolutely de-lish.

5- Olive Oil

6- Parsley

7- Basil

8- Flour

9- Salt and/or Garlic Salt

10- Pizza Stone or Pan to cook pizza on

HOW TO 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

-Throw some flour on a large surface: a counter or big cutting board

-Take out your dough and put some flour on it as you begin to roll it out, so it becomes less sticky

-Use your hands and/or a rolling pin to roll the dough into a pizza circle

This is the part I like the least- Bobby always helps me, because I get frustrated trying to get the dough in a perfect circle. The OCD comes out!

Once you have the dough rolled out, and it's a good consistency- not too sticky, not floury- you're done with the dough prep.
Set the dough aside

  It's time to make the olive oil and herb mixture to cover the dough

Pour a little bit of olive oil in a ramekin or bowlYou don't need very much, maybe half a cup? You can use your discretion on this one. You just need a nice covering, so the bigger your pizza the more you might need.

Throw in some salt and/or Garlic Salt- as much as you'd like

Finely cut the parsley and basil. Mix it in with the olive oil

Spread the olive oil mixture over the dough before the toppings. This will give the crust a really nice fresh herb taste.

It should look something like the picture below




Now the fun part- TOPPINGS!

Our favorite way to top the pizza: Salami on the bottom, then the Provolone Cheese on top of the Salami, more Salami, and finished it off with Mozzarella cheese sprinkled on top. 

You, of course, can do it however you'd like. We love lots of toppings, so we just went for it!

Put in the oven, and cook for 20-25 minutes

Then, enjoy!


If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at
jmcadriel@gmail.com
I'd love to hear how you like it, if you make the recipe.

Happy Pizza Making!

Thursday Latelies: Good Music, Good Smells, Good Books

I hope you've all a good week!

I started today by renewing my license, so I was very happy to get home after a busy morning and link up with BEX to do another Thursday Latelies video, since it's way more fun than waiting for your number to be called.

The process I went through to convert my video to an acceptable file, had me a little frustrated because  my music didn't line up how I edited it after it was converted :/ ...Lame!

So just enjoy a random nine second snippet of music in a random spot, and pretend it's where it was supposed to be. I'm teaching myself how to edit videos and obviously need more practice!

Enjoy this week's THURSDAY LATELIES VIDEO

Foster the People

"Call It What You Want"

"I Would Do Anything For You"

Check out their album on itunes

Scentsy Wickless Candles are a great and safe way to give your home a yummy smell and a little more light. Check out my friend Crystal's, scentsy website to peruse through the warmers and scents. My favorites are "Luna," "Pumpkin Roll," and "Autumn Sunset."

The Hunger Games series is keeping me entertained, thrilled, and wanting more. If you're looking for a great book to read that will hold your attention, read these books!

Well, it's a simple week for you, but those three things are giving me lots of joy, so I hope they bring you joy too.

Have yourselves a wonderful first full week of Fall!