You see, here is what bothers me...

Disclaimer: I am not trying to piss anyone off by posting this. I am not trying to make fun of anyone. I am not trying to be rude or insulting. I am stating my opinion. If you have a different opinion, feel free to voice it in the comments, as long as you play nice.


So. I have a problem with that one particular vampire franchise that just released a new movie. (I am trying my damnedest to avoid the name, because I do not particularly want to be spammed by anonymous haters after this post.)

My problem is that it makes people crazy. People who are normally quite reasonable, even.

I've heard men complain about how these movies make the women in their lives go absolutely bonkers.  "These movies are like porn for women," said one of them.
I have had many a girl friend tell me that they don't watch the movies because of the storyline, but because of the hard bodies. I have heard happily married women gush over the shirtless male actors. This bothers me!

And here is why:
If my husband was to sit in a theater and wolf-whistle and cat-call whenever a beautiful, half-dressed woman appeared on the screen, I would be insulted. NOT only because it would make me feel unsure about my own value in his eyes (and yes, I admit that I am insecure enough to feel this way) but because I think that this sort of behavior devalues and objectifies women, and is insulting to our gender as a whole. I am not flattered when a random stranger whistles at me. I am offended. My body is not an object for you to approve or disapprove of.
Am I alone in this? I don't know.
But, the point is that the same thing applies to our treatment of men. Why should we demand respect from our men, if we don't respect them in return?


Something to think about:
It is one thing to say "Hey, I think that person is attractive." It is quite another to swoon and shriek and yell "Edward is sooooo sexy! Woooooo baby!"



Now. I know that this doesn't apply to everyone. Some of you get absolutely no thrill from Edward and Jacob, and just enjoy the vampire and werewolf bits of the movie. And some of you might have no problem with your husband/wife admiring other women/men. I know many couples are fine with the 'look, don't touch' philosophy. To each their own. But... I felt like I had to get my opinion out there.

a day with The Girls

On Tuesday my two littlest sisters came over for a visit. Anicka loves it when they come over.
We stayed busy all day.

Making puffy paint

And then painting with it.

(The dots on the bottom left were painted by Anicka. "They're not dots, Mom! They're germs.")

Making cake balls

And decorating cupcakes

I love the cupcake picture, because it sort of showcases each of the girls' personalities. Serious Sienna, Goofy Anicka, and Shy Kaycee.

And any moms who have little kids at home for the summer should check out Skip to My Lou's Craft Camp.
There are a bunch of ideas on there to help keep the kids from getting too bored at home.
I would also recommend The Artful Parent, Angry Chicken, and Filth Wizardry for inspiration.

Hey, Mr. Postman!

Big thanks to Cathe Holden of Just Something I Made, who put these envelope writing sheet templates on her blog. For free. I love her blog! She's always sharing great graphics that she finds (or makes!).
Anyway. She gave me the motivation that I needed to write a letter to my brother, who is in Texas over the summer. We miss him! As far as I know he doesn't read my blog very often, so I think it's safe to post this here before he gets its. And if not...well, enjoy this sneak peak, Eric!

This was a lot of fun. Maybe I'll start writing more letters! It's always a treat to get something besides a bill in the mail, after all.

Fortress of Solitude

If you were to to see this:

You might assume that it was nothing but a regular cardboard box.
But, in fact, it is Anicka's Fortress of Solitude.

The perfect place to curl up with a good book and a flashlight, while her little brother takes a nap.
:)

P.S. No, I didn't put her in there to keep her quiet, haha! She set it up all by herself, and then asked me for a flashlight. 

Get over it

Yesterday was a big   fat  failure   of a day.
For some reason, when life gets messy, instead of diving in and getting my hands dirty I tend to dig in my heels and resist the change.
When I feel overwhelmed, I self-destruct. And that's not the sort of person that I want to be.
So. I'm done with that.

Today will be a success.

I will finish projects,

I will play with my children,

I will focus on the things that really matter.

I will accomplish something.

If the unexpected happens, I will meet the challenge head on.

And I will be happy, because I CHOOSE to be happy.

Because I have so many things to be happy about.

Because I love my life.