Ode to Peeko

Peeko, the Sturgis family cat, was last seen on the evening of Monday, July 17th. My parents let her out for the night and she never returned. A myriad of possible outcomes went through my head as to what might have happened to our beloved cat - was she hit by a car, killed by another animal, taken in by another loving family, tortured and killed by a cruel person? I wanted to hope for the best - that she was taken in by some loving family. But truth be told, Peeko had been an outdoor cat for the past eight years and knew her way around. She probably wouldn't have let another person take her somewhere she wasn't familiar with so that probably wasn't what happened.

My parents put forth a valiant effort to look for her throughout the yard and even passed out fliers to the neighbors but to no avail. In my father's most recent newsletter to the family, he hypothesized the following:

In talking with others in the neighborhood, I’ve found out that there are other domestic cats missing, too. There seems to be a consensus that there is a fisher cat around. I had never heard of such an animal before, so I looked it up and here is what I found. A fisher cat is not a cat but a member of the weasel family. It is nocturnal and used to be called a “polecat” and can grow up to thirty pounds. It is a ferocious predator of small game and is very fast on its feet. (This might explain why we haven’t seen any woodchucks this year.) Fishers are widely blamed for devouring housecats that venture out at night. During the mating season they have a chilling scream very much like that of a high-pitched child. I think I’ve heard them before, but always assumed it was Peeko or another cat. The sound was like Peeko crying when Mom gave her baths, only louder. If indeed Peeko met up with a fisher, she wouldn’t have stood a chance.

Last night, I cried for the first time over the possible and very probable fate of our cherished cat. She was adored by the whole family and although Brandon laughs about this, she seemed to exude these human-like qualities. I know, I know - it sounds extremely silly but I swear, the times when I was sad, Peeko would come curl up on my lap or stroke my face with her own. She knew when we needed to be comforted and was willing to alleviate our pain - whether it was caused by a stupid boyfriend or a stomach ache. She even would get embarrassed - when she went to the veteranarian and he gave her a shot, she pooed in her carrier and she was extremely embarrassed. Brandon jokes around with me when I tell him this story and asks, "Was she blushing?" but my sister and I will attest that she really was embarrassed but appreciative of our care, nonetheless. But she was motivated too - like when the vet told her she needed to lose some weight - Peeko really went out and did more exercise and also cut back on the wet food. If only we all could be so motivated.

Peeko was the first thing we asked about when we visited home from school or married life. We would love to find her in our sock drawer or curled up with the clothes in the laundry basket. Her favorite place to lounge was on top of the bookshelf in the living room where she could overlook her domain. However, she would never pass up the opportunity to explore a new box, bag, or annual Christmas tree. She loved canned tuna and I think was quite a fan of shrimp.

Brandon tells me that I'll see her in heaven but it makes me sad that the next time I go home, Peeko will not be there. There are people out there who say they aren't cat people - they seem to have a built in aversion to all things feline that exhibited itself at a young age. But if there was one cat that could have won over those types of people, it was Peeko. How couldn't you love the cat that found the most perfect sleeping position draped over your neck. Granted, you'd have a sore neck in the morning but Peeko's motivation was to warm it throughout the night.

Perhaps one day, Brandon will gift me with a cat that may live up to the legacy of Peeko. But for now, she has left a gaping hole in our hearts that will not easily be filled.

The 9-5 Daily Grind

Technically, work is really from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. but you know what I mean.

Work - it takes up massive amounts of time in our lives so I figure I should devote at least one post to it. And I'm at the point in my life where the conversations start with, "So what do you do for work." It's almost as annoying as, "What are you majoring in?" in college but seemingly, a necessary evil. I myself am guilty of the above although I hate to think that people are summing me up in their heads by that one little piece of information. I'm really much more interesting than my job is. But I thought I'd try to explain it at least a little, cause you know - necessary evil.

I am currently in the tenth month of a year long committment of national service with AmeriCorps and the Medically Underserved in Utah (AMUU). The best way to describe AmeriCorps is like a domestic PeaceCorps (they're like cousins). There are several branches of AmeriCorps such as AmeriCorps*National, AmeriCorps*State, AmeriCorps*VISTA, AmeriCorps*NCCC, and Senior Corps. Within these branches of AmeriCorps, there are also several programs in the areas of healthcare, education, environment, and homeland security. All the AmeriCorps branches and their respective programs are under the Corporation for National and Community Service which funds the programs on a federal level.

The particular program I am in, AmeriCorps and the Medically Underserved in Utah is a program under the AmeriCorps*State branch. Because we are actually a state program, but also funded federally, we have a parent organization which is Association of Utah Community Health (AUCH). And on top of all of that, the Utah Commission on Volunteers is somehow thrown into the mix by administering and coordinating the Corporation for National and Community Service programs. This has all been very confusing to me as well.

So what do I do? Well, within AMUU, there are several different "host sites" - non-profit organzations and agencies which are devoted to promoting health care for underserved populations in Utah (mostly low-income and minority populations). Many of the AmeriCorps members are placed in low-income health clinics, local health departments, and Planned Parenthood. My host site is Midvale Family Health Clinic, a low income clinic which is a private, non-profit organization.

The mission of AmeriCorps and the Medically Underserved in Utah is to "reduce economic, geographic, cultural, and language barriers to health care and to expand primary services for the medically underserved populations of Utah." So how do I help to fulfill this mission at Midvale Family Health Clinic. Here is a short summary of what my responsibilities are as Medical Resource Coordinator:

1. Patient Assistance Programs - these programs are offered by most pharmaceutical companies where patients without health insurance and who qualify financially (usually 200% below poverty level) are eligible to receive free medications. I help patients apply, do all the follow-up, and refill medications. The majority of my time is spent doing this.
2. Health Access Project (HAP) - I do all the referrals for this program in Salt Lake County which provides specialty care such as surgeries and evaluations by specialty providers to low-income, uninsured patients.
   
3. Tuberculosis Scheduling and Coordination - Many of our patients are immigrants from South and Central America and have been exposed to TB. In most cases, the disease is not active but they still need to get medication (through the health department) in order to prevent it from becoming active. I coordinate the follow-up appointments after the initial PPD testing for Liver Function Tests, chest x-rays, and referrals to the health department for treatment.
4. Patient Advocate - When patients need other services such as financial assistance to help pay hospital bills, information about food stamps, where to apply for Medicaid or CHIP, or information about other programs for other services, I'm usually the one to help them out.
5. Dental Access Program - This is a brand new program that allows patients who are in need of emergency dental services to access dentists at a nominal price. It's pretty vague and needs a lot of work but it is a start. Right now, we're limited to patients in need of small fillings, extractions, or who have lost fillings - nothing major like crowns or root canals.
   

It sounds like a lot of work but it's not. In between the regular clinic hours I put in, I also am doing an independent service project (part of my AmeriCorps hours) with Salt Lake County Aging Services once a week on Fridays. At first, I was doing outreach and helping people on Medicare sign up for the new Part D Prescription Drug Plan. I learned a lot. But open enrollment is over so I am working with residents in a mobile home park who are being evicted after a developer bought the land. We're just trying to get people who already have so little some assistance to help them move their homes.

A lot of people ask me why I chose to do AmeriCorps. It's not exactly a lucrative position and a year is a long time. I get a very meager living stipend (I won't even say how much it is cause it is slightly embarrassing but it's less than minimum wage) and an education award after my year is complete for past school loans or future schooling (a more substantial amount but still not that much). I do get health and dental insurance but it's kinda crappy. And if I had kids, I could get free childcare but I don't and I hope when I do, I can stay at home so I won't have to put them in daycare.

So needless to say, it really wasn't for the money but more for the experience. When I graduated from BYU with a degree in exercise science, I was looking for jobs in Public Health or Nutrition but couldn't land any because my degree wasn't specifically in those fields. I thought I might want to go into graduate school for Public Health so I thought I should gain some experience in the field before I made such a major time and financial committment to graduate school.

However, after almost a year of this experience, I am still not sure if I want to go into Public Health. This past year has not been as fulfilling as I hoped it would be and it has been really frustrating to work with underserved populations (underserved is usually synonymous with low income and low education - not an easy population to work with). The money has also been an issue for me - not that I feel entitled to hundreds of thousands of dollars but living paycheck to paycheck sucks and it's hard for me to swallow that a lot of my "low-income/uneducated" patients make more than me when I have a college degree. Perhaps I'm being a little too proud and/or selfish but I just like to think that I am worth more than that. And maybe if the patients I served were a little more gracious, it might be more worth it and the money wouldn't matter but sadly, that is not so.

I have the option of going one more year in AmeriCorps but I am opting out. I am not even sure if I could go back in time, if I would choose to do it. Not to say that it was a bad experience, I was just hoping for a little more. Brandon is always asking me what my passion is - what do I love to do? I like a lot of things but it's hard to imagine doing any of those things as a full time job or even finding a job in those areas. I don't think that I am passionate about any one thing to exclusively choose to work in that one area. I think I am afraid that if I do something that I like as a job, it might be tainted and then I won't like to do it anymore.

Just for fun, here are some of the things that I have thought about doing and some of the rationalizations of why I'm not doing them:

• Pharmacist - my original plan (and major in college) because it was so safe, and very rational. I read one article my sophomore year in high school about how pharmacy would be huge in the upcoming years due to the aging baby boomer population and that pharmacists make bank without so much effort/school as being a doctor/dentist and I thought, this is it. Then I got a little disillusioned about the healthcare system in America and how people just want a pill to take away their problems and aren't willing to make sacrifices in the lifestyles. Kind of a loaded statement but it was also fueled by a relationship with a former pharmacist who got addicted to Oxycontin. And I also thought I might get really bored and end up not liking it. The ironic thing is is that I feel like a little pharmaceutical case worker at my current job.
• Massage Therapist - This appeals to me because I like to think that I could help people to relax and be in a really soothing atmosphere. There is also an appeal to be the favorite one at the get-together because you give out free mini massages. There is also a sort of freedom in my mind to this - flexible hours, flexible locations, maybe even in your own home. Downside to this is hairy, zitty backs. And then getting annoyed when your family/friends are always asking for massages. And I've also heard that tuition for these schools are ridiculously expensive. But I hear massage therapists make pretty good money. It's still an option but I'm not pursuing it very seriously or rather, at all at this point. It's just something to think about.
  
• Florist - For no other reason more than I think flowers are beautiful and who wouldn't want to surround themselves by gorgeous, non-threatening things. And people mainly buy them as expressions of love (or sometimes when they've really screwed up). But I have heard that it gets pretty crazy around Valentine's Day and Mother's Day. And I'm guessing there's not really big bucks in the flower industry - not that that should be a deciding factor if you really love it but it's definitely something to consider. It's more of a whim for me, maybe not all that realistic.
• Registered Dietician - I kinda wish I majored in dietetics at BYU instead of Exercise Science. I could potentially go to University of Utah to get my Master's in Dietetics but again, at this point, I'm not sure if I want to committ the time and money. But I do love food and nutrition and I am incredibly intrigued about the connection between our dietary lifestyles and how it affects our quality of life. But I also fear that I will have clients who aren't willing to make nutritional changes in their life and that thought really frustrates me. There is this recurring idea in my head that if I were to choose this path, that all the clients I would see would be overweight or obese and complaining about their lack of energy, health problems, etc but then wouldn't be willing to make the necessary changes. Probably slightly irrational and very cynical. I'm still juggling with this idea.
• Yoga Instructor - I could probably count how many times I have done yoga on my two hands but the times I have done it, I've really enjoyed it. This would require me to be doing a lot more yoga than I am doing now (not a possibility because lack of money) and somewhere down the line, to be certified. I think that this is an option that I will probably want to fulfill in the future - just not now. You could probably add kickboxing instructor as well. This seems like the optimal job to me because you could get paid to stay in shape and be relaxed. And it would be very do-able for a mother who needs a break - to teach a couple of classes a few times a week. And thanks to my degree in Exercise Science, it wouldn't require too much effort/time/money on my part to be ACS certified. Definitely still an option for me and makes me feel better that my degree is not completely worthless.

I've touched on a million other things like teacher (but only high school), PA, optometrist, chiropractor...I think I am held back a lot by my own ambition - I want to be something really cool, or something everyone is jealous of, or something that everyone expects. People often say, "You're so smart - you should be a [insert doctor/dentist/businesswoman/professional here]." That statement makes it really difficult for me because I feel like if I don't do something lucrative or hard, people will think that I am wasting my talents or abilities.

Maybe I am the only holding myself back for caring too much what other people think of me...or being concerned with money, status, or prestige. Work is a hard one. For more on how people struggle with their careers, check out these two SWAB threads: 1 and 2. I am just glad that I am not the only one. The big question is this: Can you really do something you really love and never feel like you've worked a day in your life or is work just a job to make money to enjoy for all those other things you like to do in the evenings and on weekends?

New Rules

So Morning Routine has proven to be a great struggle in my life - waking up that extra half hour earlier is just so easy not to do. That often means that I skip out on exercise in the morning. So far, the average amount we exercise throughout each week is about 2-3 times - not the best statistics and definitely not where I want to be. But this is really, really important to me - I want to make Morning Routine a permanent lifestyle. So I've come to the conclusion that new rules must be implemented.

I've found that achieving goals and maintaining discipline requires a lot of positive reinforcement. If you wanted to accomplish something, you need the right motivation. Exercise obviously has a lot of benefits - rock solid bod, more energy, more healthy, etc. But for some reason, sleeping in still finds a way to take precedence. So I need to find more motivation, more positive reinforcement.

This led me to think of the things I love - the things that I don't need but I really enjoy. Something that I can actually sacrifice if I need to. There is usually one television show that I look forward to watching every single week. I wouldn't say it is the highlight of my week, but I have it blocked out on my calendar and moan and groan if I have to miss it for any reason. So they're not like "must-see" TV for me but I really, really try not to schedule anything on these days. Right now, the TV show is So You Think You Can Dance. Last season, it was LOST.

I love these shows. I read every article I find about LOST. I love to read the SWAB thread about it. I frequent the website for So You Think You Can Dance to read the bios about the dancers. Dorky you might ask - yes, I admit that. But a very powerful motivator.

So the positive reinforcement goes like this - TV is a reward. I already try to avoid passive watching - I usually only watch shows that I know are on and try to avoid just turning on the TV and vegging out. But now, those shows, my favorite shows, can only be seen if I have successfully completed Morning Routine that day. These shows are only on once or twice a week so I can at least guarantee that I will get in a perfect Morning Routine that much. I can just imagine it, in the morning when I am so tempted to sleep in but I think, "But then I won't be able to see Benji and Donyelle dance tonight!" (Benji and Donyelle are my favorite couple from So You Think You Can Dance). That will get me up - knowing that I will miss out on something I really enjoy.

Silly - yes. But I think it will be a very powerful motivator. It's amazing what people will do with the right motivation.

This post was also an excuse to talk about my two favorite TV shows.

Recipe of the Week: Triple Strawberry Shortcakes

For a delectable dessert, this is one of my favorites. It tastes delicious without being too heavy - very light and refreshing yet satisfying. It's from the Better Homes & Gardens website, another favorite of mine. I've only made it twice but it is fool proof and will garner accolades from all who partake of it.

Triple Strawberry Shortcake

Prep: 30 minutes
Bake: 16 minutes

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup cold butter, cut up

2/3 cup buttermilk

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 cup diced strawberries

1 cup Strawberry Sauce (recipe below)

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon sugar

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Mix flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut in butter with pastry blender until crumbly. Stir in buttermilk, egg and diced strawberries. Knead few times to blend. Drop batter by 1/3 cups in 8 mounds onto baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining tablespoon sugar.

2. Bake at 400 degrees F for 16 minutes until golden. Cool on rack.

3. Spoon 2 tablespoons sauce onto each of 8 plates. Slice each biscuit in half horizontally. Place bottom half on dishes. Spoon 1/4 cup berries on each. Dollop with whipped cream; cover with biscuit top. Garnish with cream and sauce. Makes 8 servings.

Strawberry Sauce: Puree 1 quart hulled strawberries and 1/4 cup sugar in food processor. Strain.

Nutrition facts per serving:
calories: 406
total fat: 18g
saturated fat: 11g
cholesterol: 84mg
sodium: 389mg
carbohydrate: 56g
fiber: 4g
protein: 6g

Reactions

After just four days, I already feel my hair growing back. I notice it gets darker every day. The very first day of shaved head, my hair felt like velcro and would catch on my clothes but it is already softening up. I'm afraid that I might get addicted to touching it because it feels so good right now.

There have been many additional, unforeseen benefits to shaving my head. Obviously, I don't have to spend any time doing my hair and it dries very quickly. No more going to bed with wet hair causing wet pillow and having hair stick to my face. But the feeling of taking a shower with shaved head is unsurpassed. I have just never felt anything like it and it is hard to explain unless you have actually shaved your head for the first time and taken a shower. My head must be very sensitive and I've always been a very tactile person.

The downside to all of this is that I am freezing. I love taking a shower but despise getting out of the shower because I get so cold. My head is really cold at work now too. I suppose shaved head helps me to stay cooler when I am outside in the heat but the majority of my time throughout the day takes place in air conditioned places.

When I am actually outside and do get to take advantage of the cooling effects of shaved head, I am suppressed with a great fear of mine - sun burns. I was so surprised by how white my skin naturally is (though I tan quite easily) and I just knew my ghost-white scalp was in jeopardy of burning like toast. The solution to this is easy (hats and sunscreen) but one moment of negligence will leave painful, burning memories. Has anyone ever had a burn in the part of their hair due to their carelessness - I have. It sucks. Constant vigilance is also part of my solution as well.

In terms of the reactions I have received, they have been surprisingly moderate. Initially, I was met with a lot of surprise and even some disbelief. But just a little more than if I had only cut my hair really short. Because anything would have been considered a drastic change with my boring hair before. But everyone gets used to it, eventually. I myself still get a little surprised when I look in the mirror and so does Brandon (when he looks at me - not in the mirror). Probably, by the time we get used to it, my hair will have grown out quite a bit.

Most people have thought my shaved head looked cool but there are a few who even though they don't say it, very obviously think I should have kept longer hair or that I look better with longer hair. I will be the first to admit I look better with longer hair. But I don't agree that I shouldn't have shaved my head at all. Life's not all about looks - it's about experiences too. And I wouldn't have passed this experience up for anything. I'm still glad I did it.

By the by, I forgot to mention in my previous post that I donated my hair to Locks of Love. If you are interested in donating your hair to cancer patients who have lost their hair while undergoing chemotherapy, click here. Ten inches is all you need (it's not as much as you think) and it's been an added bonus to shaving my head, maybe even the reason why I thought of shaving my head in the first place.

Shaving Head

I don't think that there is any need to label these "Before" and "After" pictures. The above head shaving took place on Friday night, June 23rd at my brother-in-law's house in Murray. Several other people attended the event and had the opportunity to cut off a braid or two.

My hair had been growing pretty much since the summer of 2003 when I last received a pretty short hair cut (though not quite as short as above) minus the trims along the way. It got pretty long over three years and I was pretty sick of it. It had been fun but I was mostly wearing my hair in ponytails and felt like it was time for a change.

I had been mulling over the idea of shaving my head since around February or March and Brandon fully supported me on my idea, even encouraged it. But I felt like I needed a really good reason to shave it. Then came the going away party for Jeniece before she left for Botswana back on May 5th. She had chopped off the majority of her beautiful, curly brown locks and looked gorgeous. Then she revealed that once in Africa, she would shave her head. I expressed my interest in shaving my own head and my excitement grew. However, everyone at the party wanted to see some head shaving entertainment right then but I wasn't quite ready for it. I actually felt really pressured and didn't want to shave my head without really thinking about it just to look cool for everyone else. Jeniece offered that we shave our heads together once she was in Africa and she would e-mail me when she did.

The day after the party, I couldn't believe how close I was to shaving my head and decided that I didn't think I wanted to do it after all. Jeniece left for Africa and the idea was pushed to the back of mind, re-emerging every once in a while. I then received an e-mail from Jeniece with pictures of the shaved head - and she looked beautiful! I decided right then I wanted to shave my head too. But I needed a little moral support - enter SWAB thread. I just had to find a good time to do it.

Good time came this past Friday and of course, was documented for friends and future posterity. It wasn't traumatic at all though I was slightly nervous. And finished results exceeded my expectations - I felt like all my features were accentuated a little bit more and the focus was completely on my face.

I won't kid myself and say I looked better with a shaved head. I actually prefer myself with hair but the experience was worth it. I'll probably never shave my head again but I am glad to have done it at least once.

Experiences that Enhance Balance

I attended this workshop at a conference for my work. It seems that I must constantly remind myself to relax, breath, and enjoy life. Here are some ideas that the keynote speaker brought up.

• Spend time with someone who makes you laugh.
• Instead of eating lunch inside, take a short walk and find a quiet place to sit outside and enjoy your meal.
• Ask someone to rub your back and shoulders.
• Put on your favorite music and dance until you can't catch your breath. Let your body find its own rhythm.
• Go for a walk. Alone or with a good friend you can be silent with.
• Buy yourself flowers the next time you are at the grocery store. Take a moment to feel gratitude for all of the ways that you show up for yourself and your beliefs.
• Think of ten things you are grateful for.
• Tell someone what you appreciate about them.
• Spend ten minutes finding shapes in the clouds.
• Take a long bath.
• Do something you've never done before.
• Learn one new thing about something that has piqued your curiosity.
• Breathe, breathe, breathe, breathe, breathe.
• Watch a sunrise/sunset.
• Wear clothes that feel good rubbing against your skin.
• Give yourself a foot massage.

~ Cindy Ewing


"Every human being possesses an effective internal health maintenance system, one guided by pleasure. Indeed, there is good scientific evidence that we are built for pleasure. Deep brain centers respond directly to pleasure sensations. Many of us are not getting our daily requirement of sensual pleasure."
~ Dr. R. Ornstein

The Morning Routine

Our routine in the morning may not sound like the most exciting topic in the world, but we have found that how we start our day can make or break the rest of the day and sometimes even the week.

Since we have been married, Brandon and I have constantly been striving to get up earlier in order to get more accomplished. Once we got home from school or work, we were so tired and ended up in front of the television all night, getting nothing done.

We have started off slowly for the past two years, resetting goals about when to wake up and what to do. In the the old apartment, 6:00 a.m. was the goal and we would try to do ab exercises. This would perhaps last one or two days out of the week and we would fail the rest of the week and start all over again. Eventually, I think we just gave up and tried to get as much sleep as we possibly could.

That original goal has been reinstated and expanded since in our new house. Where getting up before just 7:00 a.m. was the ultimate (and often unacheived) goal in the apartment, our bodies have grown accustomed to the early morning and getting up at 6:30 a.m. has been the norm since we moved in. Our closer proximity to work has allowed us to get more done in the mornings than ever before.

However, we still needed more time in the morning to get all we wanted to get done. So the wake-up time was moved up to 5:45 a.m. This was mostly to accomodate morning runs because it is just too damn hot in Utah to exercise any other time besides early mornings.

The morning routine has been in effect for the past four weeks. Week 1, we successfully accomplished the task on Monday and failed miserably throughout rest of the week and was late for work Tuesday through Friday. Week 2 was similar. Week 3 brought renewed committment over goal and we successfully woke up Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Three out of five was marked as first success. We are currently in Week 4 and we are one for one - success on Monday, slight setback today. Brandon actually woke up on time but had some work to do and so skipped normal routine. I, on the other hand, woke up half an hour later and skipped out on exercise but followed remaining routine.

For those of you who are curious as to our rigid morning routine, here it is:

5:30 a.m. - Wake Up
5:45 a.m. - Run/Ab Exercises (we switch off every other day)
6:15 a.m. - Stretching (very important for Brandon who suffers from back problems since St. George Marathon '03)
6:30 a.m. - Breakfast
6:45 a.m. - Scripture Study/Sunday School Lesson Prep (Brandon and I both teach every Sunday at church - 14-19 year olds for me, 19+ year old men for Brandon)
7:00 a.m. - Shower/Get ready
7:40 a.m. - Leave for work

When we actually follow the schedule, it works out perfectly and though tired, our day goes smoothly. And before we even "start" the day, we already feel like we have accomplished so much. And mornings really are beautiful in Utah. How I wish I was a morning person! But it's never too late to train yourself to be one.

It's funny how your desire for something else can actually have a positive iinfluence in man other areas of your life. We commenced this goal mostly because we wanted to excercise more. The result that have stemmed from this also include more regular gospel study which in turn produces better prepared Sunday school lessons, better sleep and more energy among other things.

There are sacrifices involved - bedtime is a non-negotiable 10:00 p.m. which requires some coordination on our part of what needs to get done after work. There is no mindless tv watching allowed - TV shows that we desire to spend any time on are usually discussed in advance so we don't get into the habit of just turning on the tv and vegging out. We actually mark on our calendar when we want to watch a show. And we refuse spending money on tv - there is more than enough TV with bunny ears alone and I can't fathom spending money on cable or a dish. Evenings are often concluded with an evening walk in order to relax us before bed and clear our minds. Sleep doesnt come as easy after watching TV or playing on the computer.

We are in the constant process of recommiting ourselves to this goal but the hope is that it will eventually stop being a goal and become a way of life. We're constantly struggling on this one and the rules are never hard and fast - some flexibility must be maintained in order to accomodate other things like social endeavors, work at times, and bad days.

Brandon was telling me that there is an old ranch saying, "One hour before 9:00 a.m. is worth two hours after it." Never were words so true.

Recipe of the Week: Addicitive Sweet Potato Burritos

This was actually a recipe that I made last week for Meatless Mondays (I'm not vegetarian and Meatless Mondays isn't a regular occasion in our home but I like to experiment with vegetarian dishes).

It sounds so weird to have beans and mashed sweet potatoes but the fusion of flavors was very good. It's for those of you who like salty/sweet.

I'm always trying to integrate more beans and lentils into our diet for the nutritional benefits and great source of fiber. However, be warned - if your suffering from irregularity, this will make you regular really fast. And if you are already pretty regular, make sure you have access to the bathroom all day long. I really felt like it helped to clean my system out though.

The recipe is from All Recipes which is a great website for those who like to try new recipes but want to make sure you don't get a stinker. Ratings make it very easy to guarantee you'll have a winner.

Addictive Sweet Potato Burritos

Submitted by: Karena

Photo by: Allrecipes

"Once you've had one - you'll want another. The recipe is a little different from most burrito recipes, but I've had many, many requests for it. Serve these with sour cream, chopped green onions and salsa. For vegan burritos, omit the cheese and sour cream. These may be made ahead of time, individually frozen, then heated. For an interesting variation, try deep frying these tasty burritos." Original recipe yield: 12 burritos. Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cook Time: 20 Minutes Ready In: 50 Minutes Servings: 12

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INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups canned kidney beans, drained
• 2 cups water
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 4 teaspoons prepared mustard
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  
• 4 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
• 12 (10 inch) flour tortillas, warmed
• 8 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese

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DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Heat oil in a medium skillet, and saute onion and garlic until soft. Stir in beans, and mash. Gradually stir in water, and heat until warm. Remove from heat, and stir in the chili powder, cumin, mustard, cayenne pepper and soy sauce.
   
3. Divide bean mixture and mashed sweet potatoes evenly between the warm flour tortillas. Top with cheese. Fold up tortillas burrito style, and place on a baking sheet.
4. Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven, and serve.

V for Victory - The Dayton Victory Garden

We started work in our soil slightly late in the season so we didn't have many options. The final decision was to dig up as much soil as we could throughout the week, dispose of it in our trash can, and replace it with store bought topsoil. This took a matter of weeks (mostly because I could only fit so much in my trashcan) and lugging that trash can was one of the hardest physical feats I have ever had to overcome. Because we live in a townhome, we were very limited in what we could do with our extra soil/clay and the only option was to dispose of it in the trash.

In the beginning, we were slightly naive in understanding just how much work (and money) would be invested in our small little garden. Our soil was atrocious - almost pure clay. We thought adding 6 bags of topsoil would do the trick but alas, in a few days, the sun continued to bake the soil to a crisp.


But the results have been well worth all the effort. After killing off one of my cucumber seedlings by leaving it in the sun too long without enough water (a small failure), I took what had survived and planted my 4 remaining cucumber plants. By this time, I had already planted my kabocha plant which was doing extremely well. Lettuce and spinach had already been thriving in the shady corner despite the poor soil quality. And store bought tomato plants (two DX 5212, one Sweet 100), zucchini, and summer squash rounded out the mix. And last but not least, some edamame was thrown in, compliments of my mother who also supplied the cucumber, kabocha, and herb seeds.

Needless to say, it has been truly been a labor of love and the sunburned back was totally worth it. And we have already enjoyed some of our labor with delicious lettuce and spinach for salads. I just can't wait for all the rest.

Home, Sweet Home - The Lodge

Brandon and I moved into our house (affectionately nicknamed, "The Lodge") on December 31, 2005. After an exhuasting day of moving, we didn't even have the energy to stay up for the New Year. Since that day, we have fallen more in love with the home that we have created and feel very blessed to have found something that fits our needs so perfectly.

Our criteria for the home we wanted may seem sparse to some but we felt somewhat demanding considering the budget we were working with. The secret to finding a house is knowing what you want and these were our non-negotiables:

• 3 bedrooms - We definitely wanted an office and guest room.
  
• Master bathroom - After sharing a bathroom most of my life, some privacy was in need.
  
• One car garage - Couldn't stand to scrape another windshield in the cold.
  
• At least 1200 square feet - Everyone needs this much space to breathe.
  
• Air conditioning! - With Utah summers, you should know why this wasn't optional.
  

We found all this and more within a month of searching (feeling divinely directed in a way). The other perks included that added a major bonus was a small yard (in which we could have a garden, per approval by our HOA, of course), pool, and clubhouse with fitness facilities. The location was optimal for both of our work situations and shopping was right around the corner at Jordan Landing.

And the price was just right - our phenomenal real estate agent was able to knock $10,000 off the asking price. And thanks to the kindness and generosity of Brandon's parents, we were able to put 10% down and save up closing costs on our own (no small feat when living on our salary).

First home buying experience = great experience.

What it's all about...

This blog is devoted to all things wonderful in life, from favorite recipes to the experiences that make us grateful for life, love, and good friends and family. The "lean years" is the all encompassing term describing those first years of marriage where we live, love, and learn.

Brandon and I have found that we have grown incredibly together as a couple and individually as well. We don't really mean to impart the wisdom we have learned, but rather to share the experiences that have brought us joy and happiness in our lives.

Some of these experiences may seem mundane to some but it is the simple things in life that usually bring the greatest joys and pleasures.