A Whole New World!

(Please sing the title of this blog the way Aladdin and Jasmin did.)

So in the frozen food section of every grocery store there are about 2 shelves dedicated to vegetarians. While aware of their existence, I had not previously shopped these shelves until recently. I decided I would try ONE thing. So I stood there looking at the green boxes (I'm not sure why but all the boxes seem to be green) for a really long time. But I had a problem:

If I don't like the way meat tastes why would I want to buy a veggie-burger that tastes like meat? I wouldn't.

At this point I was officially grossed out and decided to choose something other than a veggie burger. So I picked up each box and carefully studied the description, ingredient list, and picture until I decided on a box of little breaded things (to this day I do not know what they were supposed to "replace"--chicken nuggets maybe). They were small and round and filled with spinach, artichokes, and mozzarella. And considering I liked all those things I figured they couldn't be TOO bad. And actually they were really yummy. (Now I would love to put a picture of them here, but seeing how I already ate them all and threw away the box I guess I am out of luck.)

The next time I was at the grocery store I decided that since my first experiment had gone so well I would try something else. This time, I firmly told myself, I would choose a box of veggie-burgers. Because, I rationalized with myself, how would I know if I liked them or not if I didn't try them. So once again I stood carefully reading every single letter printed on the box to try to determine if it would taste like meat. I eventually decided on a box that claimed nothing about meat taste or texture (although I have to say I'm confident none of them have accomplished a meat texture with vegetables, come on) and I put it in my cart.

Flash Forward: I still haven't been able to try them...I am a total wimp. And so they sit sad and lonely in my freezer. So this whole post has just been one big lead up to this: an invitation to anyone who would like to come over and help me try veggie-burgers. I know Brock and Uncle Reid will jump at the chance but I have 4 burgers so that leaves 1 more spot.....call me!

Why...I Mean REALLY, WHY?

So my cousin Amy told me on Monday that she likes that I have been posting so much lately, and that is enough for me to post every day! Ok not every day but a lot and I also dedicate this random (basically useless) post to Amazing Amy Johnson. Now to the actual post, please to enjoy:

So right now it is a little after midnight and I am thinking "why?"
Why is it that at 3:45 in the afternoon I find the world dull and boring to the point of taking a completely unnecessary nap OR spending about $5000 in a smallish online shopping venture.
And Why is it that after midnight I find everything interesting and I suddenly feel able to AND desirous to do my laundry (at least until it is time to carry it upstairs) and I am the farthest thing from sleepy. You see, I know that even if I crawled into my little old bed right now, I still wouldn't sleep for at least an hour so why not watch a little more "What About Bob?" on TBS?
Why can't these be reversed?

Vegetarian? (again)

A long time ago I posted that I was "leaning toward" vegetarianism. Over time things have only continued on the way they were heading and now I am officially done eating meat. Most often when people learn this about me they just really can't imagine why I would want to do such a thing. Here is a fairly typical conversation:

someone: "You really don't eat meat?"
me: "Nope."
someone: "Like, not ANY meat?"
me: "Um...no."
someone: "What about _____?" (You can fill in this blank with every type of meat you can imagine because we usually go through them all.)
me: "Well seeing how ______ is meat....no, I don't eat that."
someone: "why not?"

I don't mind the questions, I know people are just trying to understand. I do find it amusing though, I must admit. I think that I am more concerned with people understanding my reasons for not eating meat rather than anything else.

While many people choose to be vegetarian for moral reasons (and good for them) I am not in that group. I think my cattle-rancher grandpa might disown me if I told him I believed we shouldn't kill animals for our own purposes. (which by the way I don't really believe. I mostly go with the "moderation" in all things theory). And I really don't want to be disowned by my grandpa!

I don't eat meat for 2 basic reasons; 1. It really makes my stomach turn to think of eating the flesh of another living creature (but I don't care if other people eat it...go right ahead!) 2. It tastes gross to me.

For a long time I have been adverse to be called a vegetarian. I'm not sure why I cared, but I think mostly I just didn't want to be labeled. But now I am feeling more confident in saying: I am a vegetarian.

Letter Of The Week

This week's letter is a great one, good old reliable letter 'I'! We do different things with the letter all week long. Today we were making a list of things that start with the letter....

Miss Dawn: "Well...no, eyeball actually does not start with I. It starts with E. I know it is very confusing.....(attempted explanation). Does anyone else know something that starts with the letter I?"

Little Boy: "Miss Dawn?! I know something that starts with the letter I!!!"

Miss Dawn: "Okay.....what?"

Little Boy: "i-pod!"

Miss Dawn: "Yes it does."

Not one of the kids had to ask what an i-pod is....they all know already!

P.S.-Can I just say in response to the "eyeball" starts with an I situation, Are you joking me?! I mean REALLY?! Could we make it any more difficult for 4 year olds to understand phonics?

Giant Sunglasses

So you always see the "celebrities" wearing those huge sunglasses that cover half of their faces and I always thought, "Well....they wear those because somebody, somewhere said it was the THING to do."

But this summer I was at a fair-type-experience-thing and I had forgotten my sunglasses so when I saw a booth selling sunglasses it wasn't difficult to convince myself to buy a new pair. Problem was all they had were those huge sunglasses. They were cheap, and I needed sun protection for my eyes (I really don't want to get eye wrinkles prematurely) so I just bought the pair that Emily said looked good on me. Over the past couple months I have come to realize that there are MANY useful reasons to have GIANT, face covering sunglasses.....

1. They are virtually impossible loose in your purse, even the black hole purses that I always seem to choose.
2. Covering up laziness induced make-up free (scary looking) eyes.
3. Hiding annoying people induced eye rolling.
4. Covering up a large portion of your face so that you can "hide" from people you may not want to see or talk to. (particularly great in combination with a hoodie and/or hat)
5. Covering up crying induced red eyes.
6. Covering up actual crying.
7. Holding your hair out of your face when you forget a headband.
8. Covering up sleepless night induced black bag undereyes.
9. Being able to flat out stare at people without them knowing and therefore thinking you are a crazy person. (I love people watching...people are so interesting)
10. Covering up drunken night induced blood-shot eyes. (A really big one for me actually.)
11. Protecting the all important eye skin from the deadly sun. (I really don't want to get eye wrinkles prematurely....or even at the regular time you are supposed to get them)
12. Making it possible to have new, important, and really deep things to ponder....such as the reasons that it is great to own really big sunglasses.

I HATE FOOTBALL

My mom recently asked me why I hate football so much, am I harboring unkind feelings towards it because she neglected me to watch it when I was a child? No. I don't think so. I just think it is stupid.

So football season has started again.....LAME! And every Monday night there is nothing good on TV because the programers know that everyone else is watching football. So I was whining about this to myself but then I thought to myself that instead of complaining about it I should just DO something about it!
So I am! I am instituting Monday-Night-Movies! (Obviously in replace of Monday-Night-Football)
The plan is this:
Week One (September 15th): Go out to a Movie--I am thinking Mama Mia (I haven't seen a new movie in forever) but I don't have times yet.

Week Two (September 22nd): Stay in for a movie at my house--Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (to get ready for week three).

Week Three (September 29th): Go Out To a Movie--Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants 2. Again time to be announced.

Anyway you get the basic idea, alternate between going out and staying in. I know it is Family Home Evening night-so we will try to schedule this for the evening (after you do your family home evening...might I suggest 5:00pm for FHE?)

Let me know if you are in so we can start making a plan!!

Tagged

Tera tagged me with what I think is a rather difficult tag--

5 Things That Not Many People Know About Me Or That Are Unique To Me:

1. I am fascinated by this TLC show "Mystery Diagnosis" where everyone on the show starts by having a bad headache as their symptom and then they end up having some impossible to pronounce disease that only like 1 in 20 billion people get. And while I am not a hypochondriac-I do spend HOURS completely terrified that I will get whatever random disease I heard about recently.I should probably stop watching that show.

2. I love to look at baby clothes in the store but I refuse to buy them because I think it is bad baby karma (you know if I buy the clothes I will never have a baby) but then I think about the outfits for days and lament that probably when I do have kids the clothes available then won't be half so cute as that one outfit I didn't buy. Sad Sigh.

3. Now that I am only working 1 job I feel like the biggest slacker on the earth. I think that I am wasting my day from 3:30-10:00pm. Lindsay suggested I get a hobby--but I can't think of one...at least one that doesn't cost a ton of money.

4. I think my best feature is my blue eyes. I love the way they look when I go to the effort of applying eyeshadow, eyeliner, and mascara. I can't fathom leaving my room without AT LEAST mascara on.

5. My favorite place in the store (namely Target) is the organization section. I will often go stand there, look at all the beautiful containers, smell the wonderful organized smell (yes there is a smell if you are in tune to it) and let my thoughts drift to how I would use each of these marvels of plastic in my life. Happy Sigh.

So now I am supposed to Tag 5 people. So I Tag Lindsay, Kelsi, The Manzuscrpiters, Alisha and Amy Johnson. :)

Attempted Sneakiness

Recently in preschool:

A handful of little boys had built guns out of duplos, this is expressly against the rules. (I know that it is fun for little boys to play guns but I don't allow them because 1. They ALWAYS cause fights and 2. I HATE guns)

Miss Dawn: "Friends, remember that we don't build or play guns at school. Why don't you build a spaceship or airplane instead?"

Little Boy #1: "Ok Miss Dawn."

Little Boy #2: "Yes Sir!!" (I mostly just shook my head at that)

A few minutes go by....and because they couldn't see me over the shelf they assumed that I could not see or hear them. Silly boys.

Little Boy #2: "Look at my gun!"

Little Boy #1: "Miss Dawn said no guns."

Little Boy #2: "Well, just don't show Miss Dawn." (Insert his eye rolling here)

Little Boy #1: "Oh! Good idea!"

Miss Dawn: "No. Not a good idea. Boys, it is not okay to build guns even if I DON'T see them." I further elaborated on the rule, why we have it, and how if their mom says they can play guns at home that is fine but not here, yada-yada-yada.

I know that negotiation skills are an important part of learning at this age, but sometimes I think they twist negotiation into manipulation and down right sneakiness! I sure do love them though!!

P.S. To any parents reading this you will just have to wonder if it was your little boy or not....I'll never tell. :)

Pie Karma

I generally believe in Karma...just last week I let someone with only one item to laminate cut in line because I had like 200 items to laminate. While the results were not immediate I am confidant that this lamination Karma will catch up with me eventually.

Tonight I discovered a new, and very relevant, type of Karma. Pie Karma. (In case you didn't know we Washburns place a rather large emphasis on all things dessert.) So here is what happened to bring about this discovery.

Not long after we had finished eating it was time to break out the pie.

Mom: "What kind of pie does everyone want? I have apple, rhubarb, and peach."

It seemed that everyone was saying "peach." This concerned me because that is the only kind of pie I like.

Cami: "I want peach with whipped cream."

Me: "Um..Cami you like apple pie so why don't you eat that? I know you like apple pie and I only like peach so why don't you leave the peach for me?"

Cami: "Well, I do like apple pie. But if I eat peach pie now, I know mom will give me the apple pie when I go home."

Me: "That hardly seems fair." But what was I to do....absolutely nothing. So I ate my peach pie.

Later that evening as everyone prepared to leave my mom began to hand out the leftovers for everyone else to take home.

Mom: "Brent would you guys like some apple pie to take home?"

Brent: "Yeah."

Cami: "NO! I am taking home the apple pie."

Mom: "There is plenty of apple pie, you can both have some. I also have rhubarb so you can take some of that too."

Cami: "I don't like rhubarb."

Cami was not happy about this situation, and that was the moment that Karma hit, but not just any Karma.....

PIE KARMA!!!

Sore Throat

So I think the worst part about being a grown-up is when you get sick. When you were a kid and you had a sore throat a lot of great things happened:
1.Getting to stay home from school and watch TV all day.
2.Having your mom fix you whatever food you wanted.
3.Your siblings having to leave you alone.
4.Not being required to do any of the regular everyday things like clean your room.

Being sick as an adult is really LAME! All I want is my mom (and by that I mean "anyone with a valid driver's license") to make me something to eat (and by that I mean: "go to jamba juice and get me a big old Caribbean Passion") and then dote over me for awhile (and by that I mean "do my laundry and clean my bathroom").

*As a side note I give a big shout out to all the moms I know who not only take care of their kids but also have to take care of their kids when they themselves are sick. I don't think I could do it (and that's probably why I don't have any kids yet. Well, that and throw up....gross)