Chocolate

Mundo chocolate
Originally uploaded by paolita_iris

My most favorite thing in life, besides my children, is chocolate. I grew up on chocolate. My grandmas house smells like chocolate. Everything about chocolate makes me feel better.

This week for my speech class, we have to give an informative speech. Why give it on anything other than chocolate!

Here are some fun facts that I have learned already that will support my chocolate addiction in case I ever need a justification!

"Placebo-controlled trials suggest chocolate consumption may subtly enhance cognitive performance. As reported by Dr Bryan Raudenbush (2006), scores for verbal and visual memory are raised by eating chocolate. Impulse-control and reaction-time are also improved. This study needs replicating.

A "symposium" at the 2007 American Association for the Advancement of Science - hyped as a potentially "mind-altering experience" - presented evidence that chocolate consumption can be good for the brain. Experiments with chocolate-fed mice suggest that flavanol-rich cocoa stimulates neurovascular activity, enhancing memory and alertness. This research was partly funded by Mars, Inc. " found at http://www.chocolate.org/ last viewed April 10, 2009.

As if having chocolate taste yummy wasn't good enough, now they are saying it increase your brain power. The Aztecs had it right when they said that cacao came from the Gods!

Happily Never after 2 ( Animation )

Happily Never after 2 ( Animation )
Originally uploaded by see_movie

I usually don't make movie reviews but this was possibly the worst movie I have ever seen. Snow White has been turned "valley girl" and even their attempts to fix her in the end were less than fairytale. They have taken a classic story and slaughtered it. The graphics were stiff and often the mouths didn't even match up with words. I wasted a dollar at the redbox for this.

Childrens Literature

The Poky Little Puppy

I love books. I love the way they feel in my hands, the way the binding bends when it is opened. The way they smell of paper and ink. I especially love children's literature. I love the artistry that captures a good children's book. It amazes me how even as an adult, I find myself looking through the children's section not only for my children but for myself as well.

This month is National Library Week. I thought I would celebrate by sharing some of my favorite childhood books with my preschool/childcare kids. Narrowing down the list is the tricky part.

I'll start off with my absolute favorite and work from there.
The Poky Little Puppy
The Real Story of the Three Little Pigs
Hansel and Gretel
The Little Red Hen
Snow White and Rose Red
Corduroy
Where the Wild Things Are
Alligator Pie
If You Give a Mouse A Cookie
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
Pecos Bill

Some have been my favorites from when I was a little girl. Others are new stories that I have fallen in love with while reading them to my own children.

If anyone has other good books that I can share with the kids, please drop me a post. I would love to give them a read too!

Catalina Island

Catalina Island
Originally uploaded by /Jon/

My Grandma used to tell me stories when I was a little girl, about her adventures as a young woman in her twenties full of virility. She lived in Catalina Island with her older sister who was there sewing all the sailors pants into bell bottoms. She would get out the long shell necklaces and let me wear them, gently around my neck. I would longingly gaze at old postcards of white sandy beaches and blue oceans and wonder...

As an adult... that is the one place I still wonder about.

Eulogy for a cat...

I am not the type of person to get all emotional over animals. To be perfectly frank, I find it silly to cry over any type of animal, they are dispensable. At least that is what I used to think until this afternoon.

My Mom called me to tell me that they had to put "kitty" our family cat of 20 years, to sleep. Its not as though it came as a surprise. She was well passed antiquity for kitty years. But then it came, all the memories of our beloved cat, and I cried real tears. She was truly a member of our family and will be greatly missed.

Sunday Session

Sunday my children were angels! No doubt the licorice, notebooks and new pencils helped them in their transformation. It was wonderful to have my quiet occupied children sit and listen to the words of the prophet. Conference was just what I needed and had the answers that I had been seeking. The talks of trials and tribulations strengthening who we are. Shaping what we are to become. The talk about picking up where you are and moving on. Ever stalwart.

I have lately become astutely aware that my life is much harder than it is likely meant to be. With faith in the Lord I have made some very big changes to remedy the situation. I have been working very hard the last four years, investing ever fiber of my being into something that is not reciprocated. It has affected me tremendously and I feel as though there are only parts of "me" left undamaged. Hopefully parts that are all salvageable.

With that being said, I carry on. Joyful, hopeful and looking ever forward to the day that I may return to my Father in Heaven.

179th General Conference Saturday Session

Why is it that when I really need to sit and listen to something, my children do just the opposite? Never before have I had such an unruly time trying to keep my children occupied and quiet. Had we been at church I would have escorted each one of them out by their ears!! So needless to say, I did not feel the spirit. I felt something... but it definately was not the spirit!! I guess I will have to wait for bedtime since I recorded it and watch it by myself with a pint of Ben & Jerry's. Man, I usually love Conference weekend. Now I'm dreading tomorrow... how sad.

Renovation

Since I have negligently let my blog fall into the same category as lost left socks and the gunk on top of the toothpaste lid. It is time for a vow of renewed diligence.

VOW:
I, Jen, do hereby promise to myself and all others who care to randomly browse through my blog to post something at least once a week. If I shall fail this obligation may I have guilty feelings of inadequacy and remorse.

Wish me luck!