Life

While out and about today hubby and I were having a discussion. Unlike most typical couples our discussions usually don't revolve around kids or financial situations, but in-depth topics such as spirituality, fear, religion, education, etc.

For instance, today our topic was about living beings. e.g...why is is it considered by some to refrain from eating meat because it is considered a living being but yet it's o.k to munch on a salad or veggies (which are also living beings)?

The conversation was sparked by me today as we were passing by a farm on the way to errandville. I noticed a few cows by the fence. I made the comment that I had been made aware lately about the negatives of eating animal flesh. It's really something ordinary folks don't think about as we stick our teeth into that juicy burger or steak.

I made the comment that I thought the cow was cute and that I was rethinking eating meat products because the cow was a living being..like myself. I am using the cow as an example, but there are many other meats that are forbidden by "vegans".

Of course, hubby always loves a good debate and proceeded to inform me that if I were going to quit eating meat for this reason than I should quit eating salads too. After all, plants are also living things that also react to their surroundings and stimuli. Plant life can feel and react just as an animal can. Maybe not in the extreme but in their own living way.

This got me to really thinking about living things in general. It is so true...all living things survive off feeding off other living things. There is no way around it. Animals feed off other living things with no qualms at all...it's survival of the fittest...and yes, humans are animals in every form and fashion.

I began to think of all the alternate things that I could eat that I could sustain my life on and realized that there was absolutely nothing that I could eat that is healthy or good for my body that is not a living thing.

So to all you vegans out there I ask....my question of the day is what is the difference between eating a good burger and a salad???

Maybe I Am Just A Little Envious.....

.....but everyone that has their children in formal school seem so anxious to get their kids back to school - or the babysitter as I call it. I have heard expressions like yohoo, yippee, and parental freedom frequently used the past few days. Have we really drifted that far away from family unity???? And folks think the government officials are the problem for our declining family values!!!!!!

Don't get me wrong, my grown son was public school educated his whole life and I do know the pleasures of letting someone else deal with your kid for a while, but what is really going on here??? It makes me wonder why people even bother to have children-or are children another one of those American dream ideas subject to expendibility at our selfish convenience??? Again, I wonder..why even bother to have kids if you are so happy to rid them at the first chance??

I can honestly say that I have always enjoyed my kids company. Even when I was a working mother I always made sure that I would take personal days off that included taking my son out of school/daycare to enjoy them with me. Every time I was able to be out of the confines of my office cubicle, my son was with me....and YES, I even picked him up at after school care BEFORE I went to the grocery store. Time with my son was precious....

In my younger years I was one of those rare women who never liked the idea of having curtain climbers. I was selfish. I wanted to be able to do what I wanted when I wanted without the limitations of dragging extras along. Somehow along the way my storyline changed and I am blessed with two beautiful kids. That's o.k.

That said, you would think I would have been one of those mothers that was doing everything in my power to rid my kids to the first available taker.

I have always been a little on the odd side anyway. My husband is my best friend and I enjoy being around my kids...most of the time. :-)

Thoughts Become Things...Choose the Good Ones

In my doom and gloom of late, I have not felt much like doing my daily wifely/motherly duties, much less feeling creative enough to blog. In all honesty, I have had the strong desire to disappear off the face of the earth. Of late, I have felt worthless, ugly inside and out, unfulfilled, and unimportant to anyone and everyone. I am pinning all these feelings on that wonderful gift from God us women call "hormones".

On a more hopeful note, I do feel like my hormones are shifting back into place and I am feeling a little more like "myself".

Earlier tonight I got on a cleaning binge and decided to clean out my e-mail inbox. I had tons of e-mails awaiting to be read, you know the ones that you intend to read but never find the time. I went on about the business of checking and deleting - hoping there was nothing important in my mile long inbox.

As I was checking I noticed something that read FutureMe on the subject line. It sounded remotely familiar so I opened it. This is what I read....

Composed on October 13,2007

Dear FutureMe, I know your living in the lap of luxury in Texas right now. Your finally financially comfortable and living the life of your dreams. All your spiritual practice has finally gotten you somewhere and you are blissfully satisfied and happy with your beautiful new home and family. You have a few close friends and Summer is doing well in "school" and also has a few good friends. Toby is finally where he wants to be in his dream....a good shop where he can grow and develop his art. Thank you GOD.

In the midst of mine and Toby's spiritual journey a few years ago, we had subscribed to a website called TUT. The main idea is that thoughts become things. Whatever you believe and think you draw to you...if you have negative thoughts, you draw negative things and vice verso. It makes absolute sense if you think about it. I'm sure everyone can account to the fact that when you think you will be sick or something bad is going to happen to you, it usually does. If you are on a more positive mindset you seem to draw positive life experiences.

Anyway, one of our assignments for TUT was to write a letter to ourselves visualizing what we see our future to be like in a couple of years. Amazing that the future that I had visualized over two years ago before I even moved to Austin manifested itself exactly like I had visualized it over two years ago.

Toby and I had been practicing bringing those positive thoughts to us since approximately 2004. Problem is, sometimes life works on it's time schedule instead of your time schedule. We still kept our positive thought mode only "backsliding" every so often.

After opening that inbox letter to myself I was once again reminded that thoughts really do become things....ALWAYS choose the good ones.

Off to do some more visualizing. :-)

Friday August 14, 2009

Not too much can be said for the day today. We kinda just hung out together. We grilled out some yummy Elgin Sausage and went to the local pool for a swim. The pool was great! We had the whole pool to ourselves.

The rest of the day was spent hanging out at the house doing this and that.

Like I said..not to much can be said for the day. :-)

Thursday August 14, 2009

I finally got some much desired hiking in today. Actually, it was a little more hiking than what I was looking for considering the shoes I was wearing. Flip flops and 4 mile hikes through rocky terrain don't really mesh well.

For the most part I really enjoyed our hike though. I'm always impressed with Summer's ability to keep up with us on our long hikes. She is a very physically strong girl...just like big brother, she hangs with the best of 'em. In actuality, I was the one that was lagging behind at the end of the hike.







Our trail was the Barton Creek Greenbelt. This is the first time we had ever been on this trail. We had heard it's one of the best in Austin and I have to agree. It was absolutely BEAUTIFUL. I'm sure it would have been even better if there had been water in the creek and water flowing down the falls. Maybe by next year the drought will have subsided and we can enjoy some of our beautiful creeks again.

As it sometimes goes, the pics do not even come close to capturing the beauty and serenity of the trails. As you can tell someone has took the time out to decorate the 360 bridge that crosses the trails at one point.

I hope you enjoy my pics as much as I enjoyed my hike with my family through Mother Nature's path.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Today we all went to Krause Springs. It was VERY VERY slippery there but that didn't seem to stop everyone from just diving on into the springs....all except me of course. I had to sort of slide into the water. Very amusing for the onlookers, I'm sure.

I have to say that Lucas was having a blast at the springs. He was definitely in his realm with the rope swing and diving from the cliff - which I might add was prohibited.

Here are some pics of our day at Krause Springs....






While we were there it started sprinkling just a little. On the way home we had a pleasant surprise of a nice rain storm - a rarity in these parts. It was also a pleasant surprise that the system had passed over Manor....YAY! My wilting vegetation got something to drink!

Tuesday August 11, 2009

I think today was probably the highlight of Lucas's trip to Austin. Being an avid cyclist himself he is a really big fan of Lance Armstrong so we headed downtown so he could check out Lance's cycling store, Mellow Johnny's.

Although I am not a cyclist of any sort, I was rather impressed with the store myself. There was a little more to it than what I thought it would be.

After Lucas collected a few souvenirs from the bike shop, we decided to take an afternoon dip in Barton Springs. As usual the water felt wonderful....and cold. Although, Lucas had seen the pool before, this was the first time he was able to swim in it. Lucas and Toby were having so much fun jumping off the diving board that Summer even decided to take the plunge.....



As luck would have it, as I was trying to video Lucas and Toby's dives my camera decided it needed some fresh batteries which were not easily accessible to me at the time.

After our swim we were getting hungry so we decided to treat Lucas to some tasty Texas barbecue at one of our favorite's the Southside Market in Elgin. It was delicious as usual and Lucas seemed to be pretty impressed. If I can just keep impressing him every time he visits maybe I can eventually lure him......