So, music has never been one of my strong suits.  I have always wished that I was musically inclined, but I guess it just wasn’t in the cards for me.  My parents aren’t musical, and I had no interest as a youngster in learning about music, but now I wish I had. 

My neighbor is a piano teacher.  My son is six years old.  He wants to take piano lessons.  I want him to be musical, especially because I never took the opportunity myself, but I’m having a hard time convincing myself to spend money we don’t have on a piano that may or may not be used.  I can’t help but think that may have been how my parents felt too.  I have been searching thrift stores for used pianos, but I haven’t had much luck yet.  Any suggestions?

I have a good friend who happens to be somewhat of an athlete.  If we were the spice girls, she would definitely be sporty spice.  I on the other hand, would not.  We have been going to the gym together for a few months, and she often makes comments about how she is going to help me get into the sporty scene. 

I am not convinced.

I have however taken up a sport that I actually really enjoy.  I just play it with my family on weekend afternoons, but that is more sports then I have ever played before.  (I was actually on a competitive dance team in high school, does that count?) When I told my dear friend about my new sporting activity at a baby shower, her punch nearly went through her nose.  “Bocce doesn’t count as a sport!” 

Well, my dear friend, I beg to differ, here is a little excerpt I found on wikipedia:

Bocce (or Bocci, or Boccie)^{[1][2][3][4][5]} is a precision sport belonging to the boules sport family, closely related to bowls and pétanque with a common ancestry from ancient games played in the Roman Empire.

A precision SPORT!  So there!

I have once again spread my wings and went on an adventure.  I left my bubble world and took a plane ride to San Francisco!  I know, I know, I’m all grown up! 

Why go to San Francisco you ask?  To see Wicked of course!

It was splendiferous!  I know that the production has been on the road, so if it ever comes to your neck of the woods, I highly suggest you make a point to see it. 

Think of it as being. . . cultured!

Do you remember futons?  It seems like every college dorm and bachelor pad seemed to be donned with a metal framed, stained, uncomfortable futon.  When I use to hear the word, I would cringe at the thought of having one in my house.  However, my husband recently suggesting getting one for our office to have a place for guests to sleep while not taking up much room.  I agreed to look into them and I was quite pleasantly surprised.

Many people, including me, think of the cheap black metal frames, when they hear the word “futon,” but these days, there are many different styles of futons, and each part has multiple variations, allowing for an infinite amount of combinations, and in turn ensuring there’s a futon that’s perfect for you.

Take for instance the frame, while many futons do have a metal frame, they’re also available in wood. Wooden frames are sturdy and look good in many different settings. Also, wooden frames use slats to support the mattress which results in a more even and therefore a more comfortable, surface to lie on.

Speaking of the mattress, they’re no longer limited to cotton and polyfil. You can get them with an exterior made of several fabrics, including leather, and numerous fillings. Some have bed springs like traditional mattress, while others are made of space-age memory foam. They come in all levels of firmness from the most soft to the most firm, which means you can find one that suits you.

The last part of the futon is the futon cover. Most people either don’t know these exist. However they are an essential part, as they keep the futon safe and clean. They come in a wide variety of materials and designs.

This blog is all about trying new things right?  Well this week my new adventure went beyond traditional homemaking attempts. 

I am a youth group leader in my community.  We have weekly activities on Wednesdays and meet together on Sundays as well.  This past Wednesday, we decided that we would take the youth sledding. 

First I think you’ll need a little background information on me, I am a CHICKEN.  When I was in my youth I was invincible, but the moment I found out I was pregnant with my first child, I became somewhat of a scaredy-cat.

The girls in my group LOVE to keep me involved with their activities.  For some reason, of all the adult leaders, I am the one they beg to attempt their crazy teenage activities with them.  The other leaders are perfectly content watching the youth slide down the icy hill while they chat about their kids and their favorite recipes.  But for some reason, I just don’t get to enjoy that luxury.

This week, as soon as we got to our sledding hill, the girls had me sitting on a sled at the top of the hill ready for launch.  I was scared out of my mind!  But as I watched one leaders 5-year-old son glide successfully down the hillside, I convinced myself that I could do it too. 

It was a blast.

I hiked that hill time and time again with the girls and was perfectly content sliding down on my cute blue saucer.  I was convinced that I had fulfilled my leadership role, and kept the girls satisfied.  Which was true, the girls were satisfied, but out of nowhere, a boy from the group said, “okay, now it’s time to hop on my snowboard.”  Huh?

I live in a state with some of the best snow and greatest ski resorts on earth, and I have never placed a foot on a ski or snowboard.  Pathetic I know.  I resisted at first, thinking about my three young children and my husband who would be left alone to raise them, but then I spotted a “bunny hill.”  I decided that in honor of my quest to try new things I would give it a go.

The kids quickly strapped my feet to the board, gave me a few pointers, and away I went.  I have to say, I think  I kind of had a knack for it.  Unfortunately my scaredy-cat nature got the best of me and when I started picking up more speed I panicked so I sat my booty right down to avoid any high speed crashes.

That was the extent of my snowboarding career.  It was beautiful while it lasted, and I think that I just might be willing to give it another try!

In my  last post I ranted and raved and let everybody know that I was going to start body 4 life.  Well, it is going well, and I promise not to mention it every time I post.  I just had to get that out of the way:).

I tried something new today.  For the first time in my life, I made, other than a Halloween costume, that my little girl can wear!  I don’t know how long it will hold up, or how cute it will look when my initial pride wears off, but I am prouder than punch of myself for finishing a project. 

The whole thing cost me less than a dollar, and it’s pink and shiny, and very girlish!  What can I say, I just might be getting past the Mexican food only syndrome!

I hope everybody had a wonderful holiday season!  I really did have one myself.  However at three a.m. on Christmas Eve morning, my nearly two-year-old baby girl woke up throwing up.  She repeated that every fifteen minutes for four hours!  By noon my two sons and I joined her.  It was yucky!  Luckily it only lasted 24 hours with the worst of it being over after about 8, so we were able to enjoy Christmas day without repeated trips to the powder room. 

Even though that just might warrant a post in and of itself, the idea of my blog here is about my quest to find and try new things.  So, simply writing about our family flu bug just wouldn’t really fit.  So, I will continue on with the story.  After my sickness had ended, I had lost a few of the holiday pounds that I had packed on , and I used that as an excuse to feast like I have never feasted before!  When my family celebrates anything, we do it around food.  Great tasting, high calorie, delicious to the taste food.  I usually enjoy the food, but do so in smaller portions.  Not this year.  I really enjoyed my food.

That leads me to today.  Here I am, on a Monday morning feeling TERRIBLE!  Not because I am sick, but because I did things like ate Snickers for breakfast, had dessert after every meal, and enjoyed seconds on every serving.  I didn’t even exercise like I usually do.  Once again, I feel TERRIBLE!  I stepped on the scale this morning and nearly DIED!  I immediately rushed to my computer to find a healthy weight loss chart, and found that while I am still in the “healthy weight range” for my height, I am creeping to the side of the spectrum that I want to avoid.

My husband gave me a gym membership for Christmas.  I am always complaining about how hard it is to work out at home with the kids, so he felt like a gym membership would be something that I would enjoy.  I was offended.  I am shallow.  He kept repeating that he didn’t give it to me because he felt like I needed to lose weight, but because he thought I would enjoy some “me” time.  Deep down I know he is serious.  On the surface I’m still a little offended.

Anyway, on to the point, after a combination of my excessive holiday weight gain and my husband’s thoughtful Christmas gift, I have decided to start Body for Life.  I have done it once before, and I was thrilled with the results.  I loved the way I felt.  I didn’t feel like I was depriving myself  or like I was missing out on the “good stuff,” and I really felt like I could eat that way for life.  However once the 12 week program was over, I let my guard down a little bit.  Ever so slowly my old habits took over and I am right back to where I started in the first place.  How depressing! 

This time I am doing it and I am doing it right.  I started this blog with the hope of becoming a better person.  More experienced and more confident.  If I’m not feeling good about myself, I am far less likely to take risks and try new things.  So this is part of my new quest.  Wish me luck and feel free to join me if you’d like!

It all happened one night while I was lying in bed.  I was feeling kind of stuck.  Stagnant.  I felt like there was nothing that I had that made me excited. 

I began tearfully expressing my feelings to my ever-so-patient husband calmly asked these questions, “If you could do anything with your day, what would you do?  What are your talents, or your passions?  Do you have any hobbies?” 

I immediately began soul searching.  In desperation for an answer to his questions I responded with,

“I make really good tacos, oh and my enchiladas are pretty tasty too.”

I could tell he was holding back the laughter so once again I burst into tears. 

When he could see that I was hurt by the fact that he found humor in my “talent” he did his best to explain:

“Sweetheart,” he said “your tacos are fine, and yes your enchiladas are tasty, but you’ve got to go deeper if you want to be happy.  I just don’t think your talents with Mexican food will bring you all the satisfaction you deserve.”

He was right.

That began my personal epiphany.  I was so busy being a mom and a wife and cooking tasty yet simple Mexican dishes (just fyi, my meal plan did also consist of spaghetti and sloppy joes), that I lost myself.  I had to find the answer to his questions if I ever wanted to be fulfilled.  I had to find myself so that I  could be completely present for my family.

That’s how I began my quest to become a sensational skill seeker.  I decided that I would try anything I could get my hands on.  Cooking, sewing, crafting, kayaking, you name it, I just may try it.  I will find a skill.  I will be able to answer my husbands questions, and I am convinced that I will have a lot of fun along the way.