Author Archive
I feel like I must start this post with a disclaimer…I am an avid Harry Potter fan. I spent my childhood attending midnight book releases at Barnes and Noble and sitting in lines for hours to see movie premieres. I recently cleaned out my closet and found more than 10 Harry Potter shirts…and forced myself to donate the one that really didn’t fit. It wasn’t easy. With all of this in mind, it’s hard to write a non-biased review of a new addition to a series I already love, but here goes nothing.
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!
I’ll start by saying that I thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself into the Harry Potter world once again. These are characters I know and love, and some of my issues with the plot were easy to ignore when I had the chance to read these old names on new pages.
The script picks up right where the books finish, opening with the Potter and Granger-Weasley families shepherding their children onto the Hogwarts Express. From there, we’re taken on an adventure across time, literally, starring Harry’s moody and petulant son, Albus. A member of Slytherin, Albus has been convinced by Delphi Diggory, cousin of Cedric Diggory, that Cedric’s life needs to be saved in order to get some of the blood off of Harry’s hands (um, what?). In order to carry out this death wish, Albus, Delphi, and Scorpio (Malfoy’s son) break into the Ministry of Magic to steal one of the only remaining Time Turners from Hermione, the Minister of Magic. From here, the story takes on the qualities of Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” The trio travel back in time three times, suffering the consequences that occur when a small change in the past drastically changes the future: Voldemort World, Cedric the Death Eater, and Ron and Hermione’s tragic lost love. Albus and Scorpious must find a way to fix the future with the help of our original favorite trio, while facing a new and incredibly dangerous enemy, one who was a friend.
While each separate adventure had its own bit of fun, I found the idea of the plot to be a little contrived. I know that this is a script, and therefore has a different life when it’s not being performed on a stage (as it is intended), but the idea of Cedric becoming a Death Eater because he was humiliated by his loss at the Triwizard Tournament seemed ludicrous to me. I also really hated the idea that Ron and Hermione would have remained friends just because they didn’t have a fight at the Yule Ball. At times it felt like this play was created purely to help us wade in a bit of nostalgia, bringing back old characters we loved and loved to hate and giving them a moment to shine again. The worst of which was Ron Weasley: we all love Ron because he’s a bit of a doofus. However, Ron’s character in this script was a complete joke. He was turned into an idiot with terrible timing, a feeble demeanor, and sub par dad jokes. After seven novels, I felt like Ron was not a static character. As he faced each challenge with Harry and Hermione, he grew to become a more skilled and capable wizard. Now he feels like the version of Ron we met on the Hogwarts Express as an 11-year-old, in other words, a buffoon. Not my favorite.
Some of the altered futures however, were amazing to imagine. When Umbridge shows up in Scorpio’s face, demanding he stop fooling around in the lake and help her celebrate Voldemort Day, I was giddy. Yes, that meant the tragic death of everyone we loved from the original series, but the world was so dark and fascinating. The Nazi-esque Death Eaters chanting “For Voldemort and Valor!” To one another was pretty exciting. I’m not a Slytherin myself, but I enjoyed the new version of Hogwarts, complete with muggle murder dungeons and Dementors as castle guests.
In the unaltered reality, I loved Hermione in all of her glory. She felt like the star of the play, and after the horrible race issues surrounding the casting of her role, I felt even more pride for how amazing her character is. Hermione is the new Minister of Magic. She’s powerful, but kind, skilled but humble, and a caring boss. She understands the seriousness of the situation and uses collaboration to save the day. She is by far the best character of the series, and luckily HPATCC doesn’t change that.
Finally, and most importantly, I loved that this play was still filled with magic. It is no easy feat to put on a show filled with magic spells, disappearing humans, flying wizards, and characters walking around stage with their exact replicas, and yet, HPATCC does it all. Reading the script, even with its flaws, made me want to see the show even more than I already did. From what I’ve heard, it is a truly magical experience.
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In January I hit a huge milestone. A bucket list item, if you will.
My husband, roommate and I flew to Florida to run the Disney World Marathon. The trip was a dream. We spent a week in Orlando playing at Harry Potter World, the Magic Kingdom, and Epcot. We ate every piece of food we saw and tried to drink around the world (we stopped in Germany).
And for some reason, we decided that every vacation should end with a 26.2 mile run…right? Well, here are 17 thoughts (a little late, I know) I had while running my first marathon.
In the hotel:
1. Next time I decide to do something that involves waking up at 2am, I need to remind myself not to.
2. Maybe one of these days I’ll actually want to eat before a race. Doubt it.
At the starting line:
3. How is Florida so cold?!? Isn’t this a tropical state?
4. Star Spangled Banner time…don’t mind the crying girl.
5. The race is starting. The race is starting. The race is starting. Pace yourself. Pace yourself. Pace yourself.
Running with the pacer:
6. Six miles already! This is going to be a breeze. OH WAIT THE CASTLE IS RIGHT THERE. THERE ARE PRINCESSES IN THERE.
7. Why did I think that?! I am an idiot. Where is the pacer?! I lost her! There she is! I caught up! Why did I run so fast. I think I might die.
Crossing the 13.1 marker:
8. I’m only half way done. Oh. My. God. Why did I commit to this? Why on earth did I decide this was a good idea?? (Cue emotional breakdown.)
9. I wonder where Roommate is. Maybe I’ll see him! (Nope. Never did.) I mean, how many people are running in Mickey Mouse boxers? Hmmm…kind of a lot, actually.
Mile 16:
10. I still have 10 miles left. That’s double digits. I really, really don’t want to run any more. (Mrs. Mowry has hit the proverbial wall. Cue emotional breakdown #2.)
Mile 17-19:
11. If we have to run one more step in the World of ESPN I am going to scream.
Mile 20:
12. SIX LEFT. POWER THROUGH, LEGS. YOU CAN DO THIS. DRINK ALL THE GATORADE!
Mile 23:
13. Rain?!? Are you effing kidding me!?!? (Cue strange blink attack as the salt in my hair ran into my eyes.)
Mile 25:
14. (I’m trudging along at this point, until a park employee calls out my name.) “Brianna! You’re almost there! You got this!” Maybe I AM almost there! Maybe I do “got this!”
Mile 26.16:
15. Where is that stupid finish line? It better be right here. I want to be done. Please let it be here. Please please please. (Turns corner, see finish line ahead.) IT’S RIGHT THERE!! DEAR SWEET JESUS! (Cue emotional breakdown #3.)
Finish Line:
16. I AM THE MOST AMAZING PERSON IN THE WORLD! LOOK AT MY FANCY MEDAL! LOOK AT MY FABULOUS ACCOMPLISHMENT! Oh man, I think I might puke. Am I going to puke? Maybe I should walk around a little bit. Or drink some Gatorade. Is that Roommate? ROOMMATE! (Continue celebration.)
Holding pen, waiting for Husband…still raining:
17. How hard can a person shiver, really? (Furiously checking runner update on cell phone.) IT SAYS HE CROSSED! Where is he?! Why can’t I see him!? HE’S THERE!!! WE DID IT!!! (Cue final emotional breakdown and incoherent yelling. Three entrants, three finishers, three PRs. Life is good.)
Best. Vacation. Ever.
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My First Marathon
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In no particular order…
Stuff Mom Never Told You (SMNTY): This podcast, hosted by Cristen Conger and Caroline Ervin, is a women-focused show that I credit with introducing me to feminism. These ladies tackle women’s issues in a very approachable way and aren’t afraid to tackle the biggest taboo topics. This week the ladies focused on our society’s obsession with baby bumps and how we’ve deemed pregnant women the opposite of sexual. This show is a fascinating listen that really opened my eyes to some of the amazing women in the world.
Call Your Girlfriend: Hosted by Ann Friedman and Aminatou Sow, is a show for “long distance besties.” Coincidentally, I was introduced to this show by my soon-to-be long distance bestie and listened to all 24 episodes in two weeks. These women are intelligent, hilarious, and also love to talk about modern women’s issues. Each week they start with agenda that covers a variety of topics from politics to Beyonce, Menstruation News and beyond. In a recent episode these ladies begged journalists to stop reporting on Hillary Clinton’s wardrobe, as this is not something essential to any of her potential policy-making. A great listen for all the baby feminists out there or even just devout T. Swift fans.
The Nerdist: Hosted by Chris Hardwick. I absolutely adore this show. Chris hosts a variety of guests with whom he sits down for simple conversations. No scripts, no direction, just a lovely chat. He has a way of getting celebs to open up to him and I find myself surprised when the hour is over. Every time I listen to a new guest I’m always dying to see the show they’re promoting and I’m usually not wrong. Recently Billy Crystal visited Chris and spent the hour telling amazing stories from his experiences as a comedian. You’ll hear actors, producers, cartoonists, casting agents, technology gurus, comedians, you name it! You don’t even need to be a nerd to enjoy listening to the show!
Freakonomics: Hosted by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner. I haven’t listened to every episode of Freakonomics, but the episodes about our current education system are absolutely fascinating. These two economists, well a journalist and an economist, look at societal issues from a different angle. They aren’t afraid to make controversial claims and talk about issues without holding back. In my favorite episode, they talked about the state of tipping in our nation. Because we are a country that runs on tips, we are basically corrupt. Good service doesn’t guarantee a great tip and bad service doesn’t guarantee a bad tip…but what exactly does a ‘good tip’ even mean? To hear their argument stated in a much more eloquent way, give the show a listen.
TEDTalks: As an educator, I adore TED talks. The simple story is that a TED talk can be given by any knowledgeable person on any topic. These 20-ish minute presentations are designed to make a person think, or to wonder. To question the status of things or marvel in the current technology we use every day. My favorite TED talk was given by Rita Pierson, titled “Every Kid Needs a Champion.” Her positive attitude and incredible kindness are just mind blowing. I can’t say more, just watch it. She is a gift to education and greatly missed
.
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After a grueling 12 weeks in my own classroom, I’ve put some passing thoughts together.
I call them “passing” thoughts because I haven’t had space in my brain for anything more than a passing thought. So here they are…my disjointed, unorganized, all-encompassing passing teacher thoughts.
1. This is really, really hard work. Disguised as easy work. (Don’t tell me our work schedule means we can’t complain. I might have to kill you.)
2. I sleep (usually at 9:00 pm) because I MUST.
3. This is expensive. Who knew classes needed so many things?!? How did it end up being $600 worth of things?!
4. If I didn’t have so many meetings about my students and what I must do for my students, I might have more time to plan fun things for my students. But I need the meetings and I need the information, so this is a pickle.
5. Why did I choose to train for my first marathon right now?
6. Alarm clock is set for 4:00 am.
7. I care too much.
8. I get grumpy easily.
9. Common Core.
10. If you love me, bring me potato chips. All of the potato chips.
11. Kids are hilarious.
12. What can we do to motivate our students? Why don’t they want to be here? Why won’t they try? Is it something I’m doing wrong?
13. Is it always my fault?
14. I miss cooking at night.
15. Sometimes, changing everything you thought is not only a good idea, but necessary. Teaching must be fluid. The class rules can change. The teacher’s ideas can change. The students can change. There is nothing in teaching that can’t change. Maybe it won’t happen now. Maybe it will. Maybe it will happen all at once, or maybe it will happen over many years. But the biggest thing I’ve felt is that the teaching profession is always changing. There is always a new teaching technique. There’s always something that can help out students gain the skills they need to be successful in college. In 8th grade, we are honing those skills. 8th grade. That’s how important college is. And yet…does our society need everyone to go to college? (If you’ve read my first post, you know how I feel about this.)
So I’ve taken this huge step in my life, experienced this huge change…and it just keeps going. I must learn to be fluid. I must learn to accept change. This is my path and my life. My passing thoughts.
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This weekend I had an interesting conversation with a friend who is a speech pathologist. We both work in schools with active anti-bullying programs. Because we are both employed by public schools, we had to receive training to recognize the different types of bullying and how to prevent them.
We’ve seen young children ‘test’ mean statements on one another. After the child sees a classmate or playmate become visually upset, he usually knows that mean behavior isn’t acceptable. The child usually feels guilty. He or she notices that bullying words have a negative effect, thus preventing further bullying. The internet has changed this learning dynamic. When a child practices bullying online, he or she doesn’t get to see the hurt they’ve caused. They don’t suffer the negative repercussions. So what would trigger a psychological reaction to prevent future bullying? Nothing.
So why is this important today? To start, social media use is at an all-time high. A Pew Research Center study of teen and adult social media use shows that 81% of teens are using some form of social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, etc. While I celebrate the technological literacy in teens, I mourn the amount of cyber bullying that is running rampant on the internet. In October, a 12-year-old girl took her own life after being bullied by two of her female classmates. These girls repeatedly told her that she was ugly, that no one liked her, that she should kill herself…so she did. Without adult supervision on the internet, teens can say and do what they want. Teens are even finding new social media sites because they’re trying to avoid their parents on Facebook.
So what can we do? It is our job as adults (and mine as an educator) to prevent bullying, both online and in person. If your child approaches you with a problem, LISTEN. It may not be the usual teenage drama. Watch for extreme changes in behavior (Note: I know that teens are bursting with hormones, but I’m not making a joke here. Extreme changes.). I know your child wants privacy, but safety needs to come first. In my short time as a teacher, I’ve seen too many teens terrorize one another over the internet, especially in junior high and high school. Coach your child on his or her options to remove a bully from their social media sites. Facebook allows you to delete friends and block them. You can report bullying to HR and have the bully’s account suspended. Instagram and Twitter have similar security measures. If a teen is being bullied over text messages, you can have the number blocked. Be open and honest with your teen. It may seem like an overreaction to go to such measures, but if it saves a child’s life, it’s worth it.
Remember, bullying and teasing are two different things. When a teen is bullying another teen, those words are designed to hurt. The internet is a great place to completely slander another person without having to suffer any consequences. A screen can’t show emotion, a screen doesn’t show an emotional reaction. Cyber bullies can hide behind anonymity and distance to do permanent psychological damage. Don’t let that damage become part of your child’s life.
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There is a reason Henry controls the blog and not me…I might be the world’s worst blogger. Sorry for the hiatus friends. Life has been a bit wild over the past few months and it all has to do with my teaching career.
I first stopped blogging to focus on passing my English CSET(California Subject Examinations for Teachers). That test was one of the most miserable experiences of my life. I thought I knew things about literature and teaching the English language…I wasn’t wrong, but I definitely didn’t know ALL THE THINGS. The minutiae on this exam was astounding. Every greek god, every major work of literature from the dawn of time, every poem, every author, every grammar rule, every exception had to be somewhere accessible in my brain. But I passed and am now a credentialed English teacher! Hooray!
We just won’t talk about the fact that this was attempt #2.
Pitiful excuse #2: I finally got some teaching experience under my belt! This school year was pretty wonderful for me. I got to work on my first school musical, Cinderella. It was definitely a learning experience, but I had an amazing partner and we put on a lovely show(She’s also a fabulous blogger. Check her out at Bees Times Three!). We were the directors, the set builders, the costume designers, the choreographers, and the student wranglers. I’m a wizard with a safety pin, let me tell you. It might have been a nearly insurmountable amount of work, but it was awesome.
At the same time, I taught English as a long term substitute. Oh, the papers. If you know an English teacher, give them a hug. They’ve probably spent the last nine months grading papers and need summer break more than you could possibly imagine.
I finally feel like this is my year. Later this afternoon I’ll be headed to orientation for summer school. I’ll be teaching sixth and seventh grade. I couldn’t be more excited! I’m hoping this nervous energy will help me write lesson plans. Here’s hoping I’ll start sharing some lovely teaching anecdotes and blogging MUCH more. I’m slowly making my way towards having my own classroom. This journey hasn’t been easy, but I know the rewards will be great.
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I like to believe that I have a well-stocked kitchen. If you ask my husband, I have an over-stocked kitchen. This is also true.
I am not alone though! My mother-in-law beats me in this category by a landslide. While our cabinets may overflow with some strange foodie gadgets, asking us to throw one away would be akin to asking us to get rid of a beloved pet. We may not make fresh pasta for every meal, but we do make fresh pasta occasionally!
In large part, it is due to her that I have such strong opinions on what every young cook should have in their kitchen, beyond the basics.
1. A Dutch Oven
Every person should have a dutch oven. Whether it’s a Le Cruset or a 50-year-old iron behemoth from Ebay, it’s a must. A Dutch oven is a great way to slow-cook stews, roasts, sauces, you name it. The thickness of the iron helps cook foods evenly and keeps them hot. A Dutch oven also helps keep meat juicy while you cook it. No one can say no to tender meat!
2. A Food Processor
A food processor doesn’t just help make meal prep faster, it’s a great tool for making salsa, bruschetta, humus, etc. While most food processors are tricky to clean, the time you spend cleaning the Cuisinart is less than the time it would have taken to chop all of those vegetables. Think about it.
3. A Great Set of Baking Pans
If you have crappy baking pans, you will have crappy cookies. Throw away your old, burnt, ugly pans and buy new ones! I love Chicago baking pans. They’re not shiny, they’re non-stick, and they’re durable. I got an entire set for our wedding and I use them for nearly every meal. I even got a roasting pan that made my roasted chicken a family favorite! Invest in a set of Chicago pans, they’re not that expensive and so worth it.
4. A Crock Pot
Now, one could argue that a Dutch oven and a crock pot are basically fraternal twins. They’re not. They’re distant cousins that do two very different jobs. A crock pot is a gift to the working people. Prepare a meal in the morning, set it up in the crock pot, leave it alone all day and have something amazing when you get home. A Dutch oven requires time and attention which are great for a Sunday night dinner that you started cooking at 3 pm. A crock pot, however, requires little effort and has a great pay-off. It’s just so easy.
5. A Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer
I saved the best for last. My baby. The star of my kitchen counter- my Kitchen Aid. I adore this mixer. I’m glad I got married, not only because I love my husband, but because I got this mixer as a wedding shower gift. Velda was the person who gave it to me. Many say that having a stand mixer is a waste of counter space. They say that it just sits around going unused. WRONG. That mixer has helped me make amazing cookies. It’s helped me bake cakes, whisk eggs, beat dough, and make muffins. My Kitchen Aid has helped me smile on a sad day. It made me famous at work for Peanut Butter Cup Cookies. It helped me surprise my husband with tasty treats after a rough day at work. I should probably give it a name. Or take a photo with it. If you want to become a great baker, get a Kitchen Aid. I am a pretty fine baker, if I say so myself and half of the credit goes to my mixer. It’s reliable. It’s sturdy. It has multiple attachments and a flour shield. It has a great warranty and you can buy so many awesome accessories for it! I’ve definitely got my eye on a pasta-making attachment. Needless to say, this mixer is worth it’s hefty price tag.
This is my short list of kitchen tools. I could go on about fancy skillets, garlic presses, rolling pins, or fine knives, but I won’t…at least, not yet. With these five things, you can convince anyone you’re a good cook. Even if you’re not, you can at least prepare decent meals for yourself with very little effort. Incorporating cooking dinners into life can be challenging, especially for the inexperienced. Practice makes perfect! And great tools make everything easier.
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Roasting a chicken is one of the easiest and tastiest ways to make dinner. This is one of my best dishes, and is now a favorite of the family.
Here is the recipe for my famous Lemon Roasted Chicken.
Great recipe. You can do this!
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, 4-5 lbs
- 12 cloves of garlic
- 1 lemon (1/2 juiced, 1/2 sliced)
- 2 sprigs of rosemary
- salt and pepper
- garlic salt or Magic Dust
Instructions
Remove the giblets and neck found in the cavity of the chicken and discard. Wash the chicken inside and out under cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. Insert a paring knife about 1/2″ into the breast of the chicken and push a clove of garlic into the hole you made. Repeat this all over the body of the bird, using 6 of the cloves. If you’d like, slice up the garlic into quarters and push the smaller pieces into the thighs and drumsticks.
Preheat the oven to 425*.
Squeeze juice of half the lemon all over the chicken. Rub salt and fresh cracked pepper into the skin. I then sprinkle the bird with Magic Dust, the special seasoning used on the steaks at the Hitching Post in Buellton, CA. If you don’t have any magic dust, use garlic salt. Finally, stuff the cavity of the chicken with the remaining garlic, rosemary sprigs, and half of the lemon. Make sure you cut it into slices first. Take the half you used to squeeze onto the skin, slice, and lay them in the bottom of your roasting pan. They’ll heat up in the oven and perfume the skin with a hint of lemon.
Roast the chicken for 90 minutes. You’ll know when it’s done if you cut into the bird and the juices run clear and not pink. Take it out of the oven, cover it in foil, and let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes. Carve and serve!
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A long time ago, not very far away, I began a phase in my life where I tried to cook. Things didn’t go smoothly. The food I made in my parent’s kitchen as a 13-year-old wasn’t good enough for the dog to eat, let alone my human family. However, I had to cook for someone in order to practice for my Foods class at school. My poor family suffered (Don’t let me make cinnamon rolls. EVER.). Anyway, after I passed this junior high elective (How? I still don’t know. Thank goodness for group work.), I gave up any hope of learning how to cook…until I met my future mother-in-law.
As Henry has mentioned before, Velda is a wizard in the kitchen (He might have given her other titles, but I lean towards the spell-casting folk. Personal preference, if you will). We’ve spent many a night packed around the kitchen table, eating to our hearts’ content. When our family of ten (now eleven!) gathers for a meal, we need two sets of bowls for each side dish. Otherwise, it would probably take 20 minutes to get a single bowl passed around the table! The conversation is filled with jokes about making sure there is a bowl of mashed potatoes set aside specifically for me, or casting family votes on some silly topic (usually not in my favor). We watch as Christopher gets all of his food last (usually Lauren has already cleaned her plate). At meal’s end, we help move empty plates to the kitchen and congratulate Velda on another great meal. Our star chef loves the praise, but doesn’t always want to be alone in the kitchen. This is where I came in.
I began my part in the Mowry Cucina as a sous-chef. I did small things like chop garlic and mix sauces. Occasionally I would season chicken or man the stir-fry. Though my jobs were small, it felt important and I enjoyed doing it. When Michael went away to college, Lauren and I spent time in the kitchen with Velda learning how to cook. We started the clamor for VMICA: The Velda Mowry Institute of Culinary Arts. Later, Jeremy and Michael joined the crew and started cooking. That didn’t last long, but it was definitely fun! Lauren and I were the first graduating class. As we got more confident we did more complicated things. I would make a side dish, or bake some rolls. Lauren would make sauces or put together salads. When Velda hurt her back at work and couldn’t cook, I was named temporary chef. I remember the first meal I made … it was awful. I put way too much raw garlic in the potatoes. Overcooked the chicken. Burnt the broccoli. It was a Murphy’s Law type of dinner and everyone ate it. They were too kind. It still haunts me.
Years have passed since that day and I like to believe I’ve gotten much better. I love to cook. I’m not amazing, but hope I get an “A” for effort. I have my own set of signature dishes that the family enjoys, and I torture my husband with my cooking at home. Since we’ve gotten so focused on losing weight, finding ways to make healthy meals that taste good has been very difficult. You never know how much whole milk and real butter make a dish taste amazing until you can’t use them. But sometimes, the point of making dinner isn’t to impress your guests with your cooking, it’s to spend time with the people you love. I know that’s cliché, but it’s true. We spend our entire family dinner laughing, telling stories, talking about our lives. We make faces at our beautiful niece and mock each other endlessly. Eating family dinner happens two or three nights a week, which is rare for most families. Before college, family dinner was five nights a week. We’re lucky the food is great, but we’re luckier to have each other.
I cook because I love to assemble ingredients and go grocery shopping. I cook because I love food. But, mainly, I cook because I love to have a reason to surround myself with my friends and family.
More
Management and Parenting: Making It Work
Tammy’s Top Ten Reasons to Have Family Dinners
(ed. note: MrsMowry cooks fine meals … and she sets a great table, too!)
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Dinner at Cora Cook Baugher’s home, circa 1930. This would be my Great Great Grandmother.
I wrote the title of this post MONTHS ago. I was thinking about doing a commentary on obesity in schools and completely forgot what inspired that decision. As I was going through drafts and came back across this post, I realized it applies to something completely different…myself.
Last week I joined Weight Watchers. A while ago my doctor told me I needed to shed a few pounds to help my heart health (I have a heart thing. It’s not serious. We don’t think.) and the things I tried at home weren’t working. So I gave in.
The program is simple. Using a top-secret algorithm based on your age, height, and weight, WW gives you a number of points to spend on food every day. Veggies and fruits are free. Carbs have an inflated cost. So does wine (sad face). The website has meal ideas, recipes, and helps you keep track of all the points you’re working with. It’s pretty great.
What I’ve noticed is this: being forced to write down what you eat is enough to change your eating habits. If you want to lose weight, start there. If you write down all the foods you eat for one day, you’ll be surprised. You’ll feel guilty about eating potato chips or going out for burgers. With that alone I could completely change my diet. But that isn’t all of it. It’s the pride in noticing the good foods. This week I’ve had five servings of fruit or veggies every day. I don’t know that that’s ever happened to me. Pair that with five trips to the gym this week and suddenly you’ll not only feel better, but look better too. More annoying clichés, I know.
I’m lucky that being overweight has never really been a huge issue for me. An errant 15 pounds has chased me around since I graduated from college. Those last two years were probably the most stressful in my life (hence the heart issues). But beyond that I’m a pretty active person. That isn’t always enough. Looking ‘good’ and being healthy are two completely different things. I love my curves, but I haven’t been healthy. Changing my bad habits was surprisingly easy. Eating better is not only good for you, it feels amazing too. I lost nearly three pounds this week. It’s a small hurdle, but a hurdle nonetheless. And I’m proud of that. I’m proud to have cooked some tasty, low-fat chili. I’m proud of how hard I’ve worked out. The pride helps with weight loss too. Celebrate all the small steps and suddenly being healthy is a habit and not a diet. It’s not a chore, it’s enjoyable. It’s wonderful.
– MrsMowry
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I feel like I must start this post with a disclaimer…I am an avid Harry Potter fan. I spent my childhood attending midnight book releases at Barnes and Noble and sitting in lines for hours to see movie premieres. I recently cleaned out my closet and found more than 10 Harry Potter shirts…and forced myself to donate the one that really didn’t fit. It wasn’t easy. With all of this in mind, it’s hard to write a non-biased review of a new addition to a series I already love, but here goes nothing.
