tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-119491022024-03-23T11:25:31.053-07:00The Monsbeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11065095735541686432noreply@blogger.comBlogger538125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11949102.post-10151863956871305972013-12-11T11:43:00.001-08:002013-12-11T12:45:18.350-08:00Mom identities: the MIKs vs. the MILOSI have a ton of grading to do, so that means I must procrastinate with something so uberimportant as a blog post. Sigh...<br />
<br />
Since first becoming a parent 6 years ago, I've begun to fully understand the Stay At Home Mom vs. Working Mom thing. Actually, I don't think it's a VS. thing at all, but some people see it that way. What seems like more of a VS. thing to me is a mom's identity, i.e., my identity is my kids (MIK) VS. my identity is lots of stuff (MILOS). (Hey, if SAHM can be an acronym, why not MIK or MILOS?) I know plenty of SAHMs who are MILOS, but I also know a few who are MIKs. I can't think of any working moms who are MIKs, but surely they are out there. (To be honest, I also know a couple MIWs -- work is my identity and MINs -- nothing's my identity, and those are also problematic!) <br />
<br />
So, why am I writing about this? Well, since becoming a parent and meeting a few probable MIKs who were also SAHMs, I've been bothered by them*. I couldn't quite figure out why. I knew I didn't have a bias against SAHMs. In fact, some of my best friends stay at home, do what I think is the toughest job day in and out, and also pursue their own interests and passions. Way to work it ladies. No, it's not these folks that are a burr under my saddle. It's the MIKs. And are the MIKs bothersome because they are doing all the stuff I would like to do but don't have time or energy for? Is a little jealousy or guilt going on? No, that's not it. So why do I care?<br />
<br />
How healthy is it to focus your entire life and identity around your children, both for the mom and the kids? All that energy put into making the best possible childhood for wee ones may actually be a disservice. Our job as mothers is to nurture, protect and teach our children. One of the ways we teach is to be a model. Do I want my kids to learn that my entire existence is about them? Wouldn't they learn more about pursuing and creating a productive, satisfying, and less insular life if they learned from both parents' examples? This also means that I may not have as much time to volunteer at the school as some other moms, or ferry my kids to as many activities as them, but that's teaching them something too. Maybe mom and dad can't be around as much as they'd like, but learning this kind of independence (and dare I say it, disappointment) is good preparation for life.<br />
<br />
My mom was a wonderful SAHM, and I had a great childhood filled with lovely memories. When I became an adult, I really struggled to picture myself in a career. I made a lot of missteps (more than a decades worth) before finding my calling, and still really struggle for how its suppose to look with kids in the picture. I don't have a model for this, other than the women that I've met as an adult. Everyone's path is different, but I would've liked a model for how to do this general type of life.<br />
<br />
When I talk to probable MIKs, where they exclusively discuss every facet of their kids lives and activities, I can't help but wonder what happens in 10-15 years. Childhood is not that long, and what do moms do when the kids become more independent, don't have that school project, and don't want lavish birthday parties anymore? What do you do if the better part of your adult life has been laser focused on something important, but temporary? This must be a huge, and for some, devastating, identity hurdle. <br />
<br />
So MIKs, wherever you are...next time you're on Facebook, post about something you are doing for YOU today. Tell your husband or babysitter you're going out some night soon to take a class or brainstorm or work on a project unrelated to kids. When on Pinterest, pin some stuff that has absolutely nothing to do with small people, their activities and interests. Because while you will be a child's parent for 18 years, you will be YOU for much, much longer. Diversify your identity and make it count, all of it.<br />
<br />
* Example of bothered: talking to a probable MIK the other day who expressed her sympathy that I "couldn't" participate in XYZ kid function. Uh, really...that's okay.beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11065095735541686432noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11949102.post-25948973918982167442013-11-03T20:21:00.000-08:002013-11-03T20:21:33.108-08:00"Try again!"Parenting is such a mutual-learning experience. Today I caught myself apologizing for a bad return when August and I were hitting the ball around. Do I want her to think she needs to say "sorry!" for this kind of stuff? No! I'm teaching both of us to say "try again!"beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11065095735541686432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11949102.post-18268864334827583202013-10-08T14:29:00.001-07:002013-10-08T14:29:22.531-07:00Slow learnerVery, very slowly I am learning that it really does make a difference to do a couple of simple, small things to decrease stress and maybe increase productivity. The bad news is that these things seem so obvious that I can't believe I didn't figure this out before. Duhhh. So building upon my list...<br />
<br />
1. making the bed in the morning (why is this so effective?)<br />
2. heading upstairs<strike> to bed</strike> no later than 10 at night<br />
3. reading something for enjoyment before trying to sleep; little to no screen time<br />
4. getting up <strike>at 6ish</strike> early to do a brief, intense workout AND/OR stretch<br />
5. regular fun activity wholly unconnected with work or kids: tennis lessons!<br />
- well, I sprained my ankle pretty seriously on lesson 2, but I'm registering for the next session<br />
6. conquer the 1-2pm slump: stop spinning wheels on actual work and instead clean/organize/declutter/catch-up on little mindless things.<br />
<br />
...and the goal for this week...<br />
<br />
7. Get friends on the calendar regularly!beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11065095735541686432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11949102.post-5132822578859816302013-09-23T09:52:00.001-07:002013-09-23T09:52:33.422-07:00If this blog was named "Trying to manage time and live healthy, but not often succeeding," maybe I would post more frequentlyCrunch. That's the sound my life makes, and has for some time. It's difficult to blog when you feel like you're a broken record theme-wise. But who cares: attempting to manage stress, frustration about time, figuring out schedules -- that's gonna be on my mind for the foreseeable future. <br />
<br />
Thankfully, I have made a little bit of progress on the healthy living/stress management front. Let me record it quickly so I can get back to work ;)...<br />
<br />
The following small activities appear to make a difference in my stress level:<br />
1. making the bed in the morning<br />
2. heading up to bed no later than 10 at night<br />
3. getting up at 6ish to do a brief, intense workout<br />
4. starting up something wholly unconnected with work or kids, just for me: tennis lessons!<br />
5. having good sleep habits (little to no screen time in bed...sorry iPad)<br />
<br />
Later, I hope to write something about the source of stress/time management challenges, i.e. being a parent and forging a life in academia...beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11065095735541686432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11949102.post-74560487210937235922013-05-12T07:31:00.002-07:002013-05-12T08:37:45.047-07:00I'm baaackIt has been one year and 4 months since my last post. Life has been busy in that time. I've not only felt as if I've had no time for creative writing, but also nothing to say. My mind was so focused on research that I gave myself little room for other writing beyond a Facebook or Instagram entry. However, I need to write, and I need to write more than just for work. And as I'm typing these words now, I'm realizing that blog thoughts used to just flow, and now I have to think about it. I hope to change that.<br />
<br />
I am 3 days out from my dissertation defense. I think it will take awhile to get used to this major milestone and what it means, not only through how it changes my career, but also because it marks the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. I'm using this new start to reconfigure my life priorities. It will take a while to habituate to the adjustments that I have set for myself, but I need to push through. Some of them are critical, others of them will make life more balanced. All of them are intended to help me take a step back from the hectic pace of the last 2 years as that pace can't, or at least shouldn't, be maintained long-term. I expect this will be a difficult transition as the use-every-moment-for-work multi-tasking has become a habit. So, I am embarking on an exercise in "retraining the brain" -- and I hope to make permanent.<br />
<br />
Daily<br />
o stretch/meditate every morning<br />
o make bed<br />
o pick up one space <br />
<br />
Weekly<br />
o exercise 3xweek (beyond walking/dog park)<br />
o declutter/organize one room<br />
o take bus to work 3xweek<br />
o blog <br />
o visit friend(s)<br />
o yard clean <br />
<br />
Monthly<br />
o 1-2 date night<br />
o 1-2 friends over for dinnerbeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11065095735541686432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11949102.post-25333161459739109242012-01-01T09:07:00.000-08:002012-01-01T10:58:15.995-08:00Caffeine-fueled, obligatory New Year's postToday is the first day of 2012. This year I would like to learn about balance in my life. The last 6 months -- no, 18 months -- have been all about pushing myself to the next deadline. Everything that was not work or family got seriously squeezed out. Like exercise. And friends. Not good. This year I'm going to do things differently.<br /><br />There are two reasons to change in 2012. The first, and obvious reason, is I need to exercise and see friends to be healthy. Period. The second, and less obvious reason, is because I am nearing the end of my degree and starting a new phase of my life. This next year needs to be an "experiment" in how work should look within the entirety of a balanced life, giving me good information on how I should shape my career.<br /><br />The importance of this task is especially fresh in my mind. This holiday "break" has been anything but. The new quarter starts on Tuesday, and instead of refreshed and ready, I'm exhausted. I've spent every free moment reading, writing and stats-ing for a mid-January deadline, sacrificing time with family, sleep, household upkeep, etc. This is not acceptable. I really don't mind this level of intensity sometimes, but it has persisted for FAR too long.<br /><br />This must change immediately. Overall, I am going to get way more cozy with my calendar.<span style="font-weight: bold;"> First</span>, I am scheduling time at the gym like I schedule everything else in my day. Two one-hour sessions during weekdays, and one on the weekend. Second, I am riding the bike at home for 30 min on 2 other days during the week. This should not be that hard to do, right? <span style="font-weight: bold;">Second</span>, I need to start scheduling times with friends, even if it has to be weeks out. This can start with some email blasts to friends with some potential dates. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Third</span>, I am refocusing on cutting out most white sugar and flour. This has been pretty successful lately, but I want to continue and improve on it. Oooh, thought of a <span style="font-weight: bold;">fourth</span>: I need time for some creative pursuits, like writing, or creating things, or seeing things other people have created. I can double up this items with the friend time often as well.<br /><br />So, those are the things I'd like to add, and now for what I'd like to take away: First, I want to decrease email time to just a few times a day. Second, I want to decrease Facebook time to just once a day. These are time sucks, which while they help keep in touch with people, are not usually terribly productive.<br /><br />One other thing I want for this year, like every year: a made bed every day. Wish me luck.beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11065095735541686432noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11949102.post-18692935473006506002011-12-20T21:43:00.000-08:002011-12-20T21:49:48.363-08:00Enough already with “War on Christmas”<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark/> <w:dontvertaligncellwithsp/> <w:dontbreakconstrainedforcedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> 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mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">A few weekends ago, our lab hosted a holiday party for research participants and their families. During the party, I noticed the diversity of the group. I also realized that of the 75 or so guests at that party,<span style="font-style: italic;"> at least</span> one-third likely do not celebrate Christmas for either cultural or religious reasons. Which makes me wonder…why are some people so angry about saying Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas?<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">I’m pretty sure most people who do not celebrate Christmas are not offended by Christmas greetings and décor, but what’s wrong with making our sentiments a little broader and more gracious in more public contexts? There are lots of people who celebrate Hanukah or Ramadan or Hindu holidays, but I’m wondering if the "War on Christmas" people know any of them. If they did, maybe they’d have a change of heart. It’s really not difficult or offensive to be inclusive. Really.</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p>beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11065095735541686432noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11949102.post-82251262147241978522011-11-26T10:05:00.001-08:002011-11-26T10:07:06.510-08:00"Lil Ging" 10 months old<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJCRYRgqPC3tSKf6gnCMNtdf4mbapt31FF1Yfh3G7V_ffaQDGKJqwiuE49VrUceXoIguN8bqQuzj8NWxnzTRDPKWX3pptqkZm21zifZGRiJuW55xJDsrU_vZ9j_BsPky-87ZmG/s1600/10+months+old.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJCRYRgqPC3tSKf6gnCMNtdf4mbapt31FF1Yfh3G7V_ffaQDGKJqwiuE49VrUceXoIguN8bqQuzj8NWxnzTRDPKWX3pptqkZm21zifZGRiJuW55xJDsrU_vZ9j_BsPky-87ZmG/s400/10+months+old.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5679367329448494914" border="0" /></a>beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11065095735541686432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11949102.post-68437006846670763192011-11-16T20:08:00.000-08:002013-09-23T09:53:38.557-07:00Advice for future doc studentsNow that I'm realizing that I actually may graduate one day, I keep thinking about what I wish I had known (or fully embraced) when I started. The problem is my brain is so gone that I can't remember all these tidbits at once. So, I'll just try to log them here when I think of them.<br />
<br />
1. Keep all your books, articles, notes, posted slides, everything from your coursework and seminars. Be geeky and organize them for easy access later. It's very likely that you'll one day be TEACHING the very topics you thought you could doze through since they don't really relate to your research.<br />
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2. Everyone is required to read journal articles that are dull, utterly confusing, seemingly irrelevant, and/or, again, do not relate to your line of research. When pressed for time (or losing your sanity), read the abstract, then skim the introduction and the discussion. Look for phrases like "In other words" and "To summarize" and "For example" as they will shortcut you to the learnin.<br />
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3. When you are reading stuff that actually DOES relate to your line of research or is otherwise important, and you're having trouble focusing, synthesizing, retaining or even understanding the material, come up with your own examples. Write them down. Draw an illustration of the example. Then explain it aloud to your dog. Multi-modal learning works!<br />
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4. Similarly, when preparing for general/qualifying exams, write while you read. Read a few paragraphs, think about it, and write about the concepts for yourself, including your nifty examples (be very careful to note any paraphrasing and put verbatim in quotes to avoid plagarizing). You will learn the material more thoroughly, and hey! how cool is it that I already wrote two pages about this construct that I can now synthethesize with another two pages I wrote about the Schmedly & Furgus 2007 article and dump it into my exam!<br />
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To be continued...<br />
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5. If possible, try to have a baby during your doctoral program. It will make study time feel like a vacation. (Kidding...kind of...)beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11065095735541686432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11949102.post-44090467633947653792011-11-13T09:44:00.000-08:002011-11-13T09:48:55.286-08:00NovemberStyle appointment. New car. Playdates. Doc appointment. Conference call. Cider. Model discussion. Lantern walk. Trader Joe's. Good conversation. Seahawks. IRB. Grant reviews. Conference proposal. Error analysis. Stats consult. Lunch. Caregivers group. Art with Heart. Meet with Nancy. Thanksgiving.beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11065095735541686432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11949102.post-88991056358467898642011-10-12T09:20:00.000-07:002011-10-12T09:48:08.774-07:00Style fileI recently signed up for an in-home clothing/style consultation as part of one of those 50% off Groupon-type deals. This is incredibly exciting to me as I've been wanting to do something like this for ages, but just couldn't justify the expense. Anyway, I decided to write down a list of style likes and dislikes to maximize my 90-minute appointment. No use spending time telling them No Thanks on peasant skirts and wedges...but I'm getting ahead of myself.<br /><br />LIKES<br />wool plaid skirts (above knee, esp with tights and boots)<br />wool in general<br />boots, boots, boots<br />wingtip inspired footwear (e.g. platform heels)<br />leather (esp camel-color)<br />argyle!<br />stripes<br />wrap shirts and dresses<br />minimal jewelry<br />New England prep (sometimes meets British punk)<br />neutrals, orange, blue, red, yellow<br />jackets and cardigans<br />tailored shapes<br />jeans<br />v-neck<br />t-shirts under jackets and cardigans<br />patent leather<br />mary janes<br />stylish shoes okay for longer walks<br />penny loafers<br /><br />PARTICULAR ABOUT<br />prints (graphic preferred, some floral okay)<br /><br />DISLIKE<br />skirts cut on a bias<br />peasants skirts<br />most purple, many pinks, many greens, most pastels<br />wedge heels<br />flowy<br />hippyish<br />bedazzled<br />crew neck<br />elastic hem/hip shirts<br />many florals<br />overt polyester<br />Uggs except as slippers<br />hoodies except to the gym<br />patchwork leather<br />matchy-matchy<br />heart-shapesbeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11065095735541686432noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11949102.post-91855247162000622011-10-03T12:13:00.000-07:002011-10-03T12:35:42.247-07:00My husband also has 2 kidsWhile from the title it may look like Ray has 2 <span style="font-style: italic;">other</span> children, what I mean to say is...my husband has the same general life situation as I do, and yet he doesn't seem prone to dropping 8 balls a day. He works full-time, he has a 4-year-old and a baby, and yet, he remembers what's in the fridge, what resources are available to fix a problem, what appointments he has each day. Me...not so much.<br /><br />I've always be an organized, on-time kind of person. I've always kept a calendar, but often didn't need to refer to it even when it was chocked full of plans. I also used to remember my list of to-dos without much trouble. I'd write them down, but generally they'd percolate in my head until I could check them off. No longer.<br /><br />In the past few weeks, I've "no showed" for 2 appointments. This is surprising and embarrassing. I am NOT a no-show kind of person, at all! My present to-do list is so long, that I can't keep track of even half of it. At most I can think of 3 or 4 things that are the most pressing, and then occasionally one of the other 41 things will drift randomly in my head. I am lucky if I'm near a piece of paper to write it down in that moment, because a moment is all it takes before it's out of consciousness for another few weeks.<br /><br />I guess I have to attribute this to lack of sleep (please, Baby, sleep through the night SOON), 2 kids, several big-push deadlines in the last 4 months, and the general stress of graduate studies. But again, is this really any different from my husband? We trade off nights with the baby, he has lots of stressful changes at work, and to be honest, he does most of our cooking and all of our laundry. I guess I pick up the other household stuff -- general errands, projects and household upkeep -- but still.<br /><br />I guess the problem is really that my working memory capacity has shrunk, but my need for it has increased exponentially. Regardless, I've got to work out a new system for things. Maybe a talking calendar or flashing to do list. Something!beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11065095735541686432noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11949102.post-3055113237051056102011-09-23T09:56:00.000-07:002011-09-23T10:28:50.761-07:00Hello, er...40!Today is Friday of Birthday Weekend. I am not working today, getting home stuff done that has been languishing while I've been marathon reading and writing for the last...forever. And having a leisurely lunch and nail appt with Jana. Nice way to start the new year/decade/life, part II.<br /><br />Anyway, this birthday is one where people like to take stock, look at their lives so far, look ahead, mull, evaluate. Not a bad exercise...<br /><br />Aside from the typical why-didn't-I-figure-<span style="font-style: italic;">that</span>-out-sooner! moments, life's been pretty darn good and satisfying. When I was a kid, I had no idea what I wanted to do after college. I imagined myself married by 27 (...???). Though I consciously envisioned myself with a Career, I've recently realized that the only career I could actually picture was being a housewife. That was a shocking realization, but it makes sense: my mom, my first and most influential role model, was a full-time stay-at-home mom, and a darn fine one at that. It's a tough job...and one that does not fit me at all. However, it took me a gazillion years to finally land on what I <span style="font-style: italic;">should</span> be doing after twisting around down some inappropriate (and expensive) for me paths. I've always had a sense that I'm here to do something, and I'm so glad I've found what that something is.<br /><br />I think my biggest...not regret, not disappointment...wish is that I had not listened to the messages in my head that said "you are not good at math" and "you don't like science" -- because guess what? I CAN do math. Dare I say, I even LIKE it. And I DO like science. Had I known this long ago, my path to the really satisfying "should be doing" part of my life would have been much, much shorter. However, there's no reason to dwell on this now, other than to make sure that my kids have access to the fun of math and the fun of science, and let them make career plans based on real information rather than unhelpful (and unhealthy) BS internal messages.<br /><br />------<br /><br />There is more to say on this general topic...but I'll have to tackle it later. Birthday kick-off awaits!beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11065095735541686432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11949102.post-83615121751771873062011-09-20T22:16:00.001-07:002011-09-20T22:21:42.746-07:00On my way backSince June 2010, I have written more than 200 pages and read more than 100 journal articles. I've birthed a general exam and an 8 lbs baby. But I've missed my blog, and I'm ready to write about something besides aphasia, working memory and cognitive inhibition. Seriously.<br /><br />I'll do that before the end of this week.beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11065095735541686432noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11949102.post-20475273710014235952011-06-27T22:10:00.000-07:002011-06-27T22:21:18.620-07:00Time to post<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyzS_H1Q1tTGL8M7QXSGX2t9qDEzcx0SinokvsqBg2j2NCgM1SpTmx1JP8QBjbH4wWwOrMevF-SMz9ZctXnUN2GeTIfXpD37l4m0aDBRzuZVfD30evu-SLIe5YLWfLZD3hChQw/s1600/Easter+11o.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyzS_H1Q1tTGL8M7QXSGX2t9qDEzcx0SinokvsqBg2j2NCgM1SpTmx1JP8QBjbH4wWwOrMevF-SMz9ZctXnUN2GeTIfXpD37l4m0aDBRzuZVfD30evu-SLIe5YLWfLZD3hChQw/s400/Easter+11o.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623136058412467458" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuF6Epw1VVfcIwj8ehq1tEo8ovKuFRbDwOMVpBMGL673gQ86QqGbS9VTcKVyxahkAV9XOvSI6VFxxqeVZZrbLtEPKJUIqb6YIXsZ4V2gc-skjT7-Qg6KhG8NVegtp5Fbrq0atJ/s1600/Easter+out+e.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 287px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuF6Epw1VVfcIwj8ehq1tEo8ovKuFRbDwOMVpBMGL673gQ86QqGbS9VTcKVyxahkAV9XOvSI6VFxxqeVZZrbLtEPKJUIqb6YIXsZ4V2gc-skjT7-Qg6KhG8NVegtp5Fbrq0atJ/s400/Easter+out+e.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623135565234057442" border="0" /></a>beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11065095735541686432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11949102.post-31559428725994046392011-04-12T19:08:00.000-07:002011-04-12T20:27:18.686-07:00Breakthrough!Last post I wrote about my plan to follow a gestational diabetes eating plan. That is still true, though I haven't made much progress. However, I now know why that is true, and a <span style="font-style: italic;">whole lot</span> more.<br /><br />Years ago, when I worked for a medical center and had access to all kinds of specialists, I saw a neuropsych about my foggy brain. For years I had experienced nearly daily brain fog and trouble initiating, especially noticeable at work. Though I rarely talked about it, I described it to a few people as akin to writing with a really dull pencil, or even closer, being asked complex questions after waking from a dead sleep. Bottomline, I struggled to maintain focus on my work, reading, and sometimes had trouble figuring out what I was "suppose" to be doing in the given moment. I was also tired, even groggy, more than I thought was normal. The neuropsych listened to my (brief) description and said, "Oh, you have dysthymia. You'll probably need to be on anti-depressants for the rest of your life." (Dysthymia is chronic, low-grade depression.) It kind of made sense. What I had been experiencing were symptoms of depression, except I didn't actually feel depressed. Anyway, she wrote me a prescription and sent me on my way. Oh well -- better living through chemistry, right?<br /><br />I took a low-dose of anti-depressants for a while, maybe 6 months to a year. They did seem to help my mental agility and fatigue, but I also felt a little too amped sometimes...a little like being over-caffeinated. I eventually decided that the brain fog was better than agitated productivity.<br /><br />Since then, whenever I'm seeing a new clinician and am asked about my medical history, I always have included "dysthymia." And as a grad student, it felt almost comical to devise ways to trick my brain into doing what every grad student does most, read, think and write. I felt really slow at these fundamental activities about 80% of the time. Once in a while (maybe once a month), I would have a whole day of clarity. Otherwise, my strategy: suck it up, persevere, drink coffee.<br /><br />Flash forward to a few months ago. I saw the endocrinologist about my gestational diabetes, and he mentioned the 'slight hypothyroid' note in my chart. I told him I had been borderline hypothyroid, as discovered by my naturopath after August was born. He wrote out a lab slip and said with some gravity, "Make an appointment with me 6 weeks post-partum. We need to talk about this." Okay Doc, whatever.<br /><br />At six week post-partum, I showed up in his office, complete with my latest thyroid labs. I figured he would give me the low dose thyroid med my regular doctor had prescribed a couple years ago and I'd be on my way. Instead, he looked at me and took out a blank sheet of paper and a pen.<br /><br />"You see, most people use this range to diagnose hypothyroid. See how broad it is? Well the American Academy of Endocrinologists have recommended a narrower range. See how your numbers are at the outside of that range? Now, even more recently we have research to show that the range should actually be even smaller. Given this, see how you are way outside the range. And the way your labs look, you probably have some trouble with mental function, like concentration and fatigue. Your previous thyroid meds wouldn't have addressed this at all. So I'm writing you the following script..."<br /><br />I don't know what my face was doing through this description, but I finally managed to say "Doctor, you have just described my entire adult life."<br /><br />I am now about a week and a half into my new prescription, and I think it's making a difference. Unfortunately, my infant-related sleep deprivation surely confounds the effects, not to mention I'm not doing much heavy mental lifting since I'm on maternity leave from school. But I think I feel better. I'll really be able to tell when I get a few more weeks out. Also, as it relates to my eating plans, it will also impact my metabolism. And I believe it will make a dent in the intense sweet cravings that have surfaced in the last month (intense enough that I am blaming my post-partum down-drifting thyroid function).<br /><br />I'm excited to see what happens next -- though I wish I would've figured this out before my general exam.beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11065095735541686432noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11949102.post-63448458226167147152011-02-24T19:22:00.000-08:002011-02-24T22:22:09.423-08:00GD eating planIn my last post I wrote about a number of surprises which came from Baby Theo's delivery. One surprise I neglected to mention was the little gift which manifested over the course of the entire pregnancy. In short, this gift was a dark cloud with a monstrous silver lining. Or so I believe now.<br /><br />During my third trimester, I got the dreaded gestational diabetes (GD) diagnosis. Ugh. In some ways this was more challenging on a day-to-day basis than the pre-eclampsia had been with the previous pregnancy, as it required constant vigilance. And, it required some interesting eating since, remarkably, I had not gained more than 2 pounds over the course of the pregnancy when I received this diagnosis. I wasn't interest in eating much at all throughout the pregnancy, so I had to work with the nutritionist to eat enough calories, and the right calories. It's a pain to force yourself to eat when you don't want to.<br /><br />Initially I lost weight. You can imagine how nervous this made me when you're suppose to put on weight during the 3rd trimester, not lose it. I went down 4-5 pounds in the first few weeks following the diagnosis. Then I got the hang of eating extra of certain foods to put the weight back on. All told, when Theo was born, I probably was about 2 pounds over where I was in my first months of pregnancy and before.<br /><br />Alarming? For some, yes. Because I had been carrying extra weight before the pregnancy, I wanted to gain no more than 20 pounds total. When it was clear I wasn't gaining <span style="font-style: italic;">any</span> weight, my doctor scheduled a few extra ultrasounds to make sure baby was on track. Since he was gaining weight and length appropriately, my doctor wasn't too concerned (though kept an eye on me).<br /><br />Flash forward to delivery...in the course of a morning I lost 15 pounds. Two weeks later, I was down another 10. My pre-pregnancy jeans needed to go to Goodwill as they were too baggy. What the hell?! Can this be healthy?<br /><br />Of course, now that fully accept what the doctor has told me, I am ecstatic about this little gift that came with Baby. And I don't want to squander it. In fact, along with the "free" weight loss, I also received a potentially powerful tool in getting rid of the rest of the excess weight: the Gestational Diabetes eating plan. I seriously think this could be the key for me.<br /><br />Here's the deal -- the recommended eating plan given to pregnant women with GD is all about consuming a limited number of carb grams, spread out evenly throughout the day. If you are someone who eats pretty healthy -- i.e. sufficient fiber, veg, fruit, good fat/lean protein and little to no processed foods -- there is really no need to count anything other than grams of carbs.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Recommended grams of carbs per meal/day:</span><br />Breakfast -- 15-30<br />AM Snack (2 hours after breakfast) -- 15-30<br />Lunch -- 30-60<br />PM Snack (2 hours after lunch) -- 15-30<br />Dinner -- 30-60<br />Evening Snack (2 hours after dinner) -- 15-30<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Details:</span><br />1. I was told that I should eat at least 175 grams of carbs for the day, but that wasn't always doable. Ultimately, I tried to eat at least 150, and I had a few occasions of eating up to 200. The way the carbs are spread out over the day forced me to make good and thoughtful choices (and since we stock our kitchen with 'good choices' anyway, this wasn't that hard). As a result, I think my diet was more balanced and healthy than what's typical for me.<br /><br />2. I had to eat a meal all at once...meaning I couldn't eat a little bit, then go back 30 minutes later for a little bit more. This is because I had to take a reading of my blood glucose 2 hours after starting a meal, so I didn't want to get a high reading just because I finally finished my breakfast an hour or more after I started. Basically, this means I would make myself eat the entire meal within 15-20 minutes.<br /><br />This was probably the most challenging aspect of this regimen, as I realized I rarely sit down and actually "eat a meal." With the exception of dinner, my meals are usually larger snacks spread out over an hour or two. While this may work for some, I think it probably leads me to eat more than I need. Forcing me to figure out the entirety of what I want to consume in one sitting, and then eat nothing for the following 2 hours was really weird, and difficult. But as a result, I ate more mindfully, and therefore less.<br /><br /><br />ANYWAY, without making this post a magnum opus, I am going to do a month of this eating plan now that I am not pregnant and see what happens. I want to see how I feel and see if I lose an appropriate amount of weight during the month of March. As part of this process, I'm thinking I'll spend some time blogging about the experience, what I've learned and am learning, mostly for my own use and motivation. And, as usual, writing about it and putting it out in the universe <span style="font-style: italic;">makes it so</span>.beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11065095735541686432noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11949102.post-37416727323611367492011-02-17T18:57:00.000-08:002011-02-17T22:52:38.496-08:00Baby TheoNow that it's been four weeks since his arrival, I am finally realizing I need to write up a few things about newborn Baby Theo before it's all a distant memory.<br /><br />Baby Theo's arrival was thankfully a really smooth operation. Compared to August's birth, there was no pre-eclampsia, no hospital bedrest, no induced labor, no baby-in-distress delivery. In fact, there was much less physical trauma than I expected, even though major surgery was involved to get this baby out.<br /><br />However, smooth does not mean it was a surprise-free birth.<br /><br />Surprise 1: They had me walk into the operating room and climb up on the table myself. Quite different from being wheeled around the hospital for a week prior to a rush into the operating room.<br /><br />Surprise 2: Theo did NOT arrive with a shock of black hair like his sister. Ray and I spent a few days after the birth in bewilderment over our "generic white baby." We had counted on nothing being the same between the two kids...except lots of dark hair.<br /><br />Surprise 3: Recovery from surgery was incredibly fast...less than half the pain, discomfort and general side effects following surgery than I experienced last time. All I needed was some ibuprofen for a few days once home, and then even that wasn't necessary. I felt ready to do stairs after about day 2 at home as well. Amazing.<br /><br />Surprise 4: (Not for the faint-hearted) I asked my doctor to walk me through the tubal ligation while I was on the operating table, which she did, followed by showing me the removed portion of tube. "It looks like penne!" she said. And it did. A flattened, smallish piece of penne pasta. Wow--I was expecting something more like spaghetti!<br /><br />All in all, it was an incredibly positive birth experience for someone who had so much go wonky the first time around. I'm grateful. And I'm super pleased with our very hungry and vocal little guy, who has already gained about a pound in his first month with us. He not only eats well, but he also sleeps well, and I'm crossing my fingers that this trend continues!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitfWov8pH2a3Kqm4NpRwAstLXXvFNdjnDMtmLkdOV1ypeyh6t9CYVeZ4UZ0XVxtBYxxgX4QfkYR7ZckQcUO1TngqgPlJ9aGV5Abzuw2w1W_b_S-7nARdnCT-pDi5k3GuSqj9xU/s1600/IMG_2045.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitfWov8pH2a3Kqm4NpRwAstLXXvFNdjnDMtmLkdOV1ypeyh6t9CYVeZ4UZ0XVxtBYxxgX4QfkYR7ZckQcUO1TngqgPlJ9aGV5Abzuw2w1W_b_S-7nARdnCT-pDi5k3GuSqj9xU/s400/IMG_2045.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574916485049223090" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQB44n75ZujEQnSGO97LthBTsGGRjzABTmbm-3kGdryqlnEfflwy9WN-Y7tD2F7DprnY8bgAheY-iTrUHtPpBfxXzeHidGCYVwnMDZWdYyGxd1OlfFCOKfPZ3D12m0LdtHX-_d/s1600/Aug+and+Theo+crop.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 260px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQB44n75ZujEQnSGO97LthBTsGGRjzABTmbm-3kGdryqlnEfflwy9WN-Y7tD2F7DprnY8bgAheY-iTrUHtPpBfxXzeHidGCYVwnMDZWdYyGxd1OlfFCOKfPZ3D12m0LdtHX-_d/s400/Aug+and+Theo+crop.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574914800760626290" border="0" /></a>beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11065095735541686432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11949102.post-79745258715540600172011-01-04T20:18:00.000-08:002011-02-16T22:29:55.260-08:00Justifying dessertRay and I have regular conversations about healthy foods and eating habits, maybe even more than most people. We are pretty active in making good food choices and acknowledging what trips us up. However, what does one do when one really wants to try recipes for things that one should not eat. I'm talking about dessert. And just recently I realized that I've been stockpiling (both physically and mentally) about 5 dessert recipes over the last 3 years or so.<br /><br />1. Panna cotta -- This dessert always looks so good when they make it on tv...even though it seems more or less like jello-fied custard. I think I tried it once but it was runny and disappointing. Must attempt again.<br /><br />2. Banana pudding (DONE) -- Every time Alton Brown or Ina Garten or whoever makes this, I run to the computer, find and print the recipe. Alton Brown even makes his own Vanilla Wafers to go with the pudding. Anyway, I have several variations in my recipe stash...and have attempted none. (Feb 14 -- Well, it was good, but not <span style="font-style: italic;">that</span> good. Not adding it to my permanent dessert line-up...like item 5.)<br /><br />3. Zabaglione/Sabayon -- Oh Italy, why do you come up with so many good things to eat. I had never heard of this dessert before having lunch with my old boss/favorite priest Terry several years ago, who loves everything Italian...especially the food and drink. He insisted I order it to "share" and then made me eat the whole thing. No joke. Thankfully it was very worth it. I haven't had it since. I'm not sure I've seen a recipe for this custard/fruit dessert, but I WILL find one. And it will probably take a few attempts to get it right -- it seems challenging.<br /><br />4. Pavlova -- Ina Garten does this nifty meringue shell/roasted berry thing that looks so good. And pretty. And doable.<br /><br />5. Chocolate loaf cake -- I'm throwing this one on the list even though I have already made it 2-3 times. It's a really simple chocolate cake that you make like you're whipping up some banana bread, and somehow it puts other chocolate cakes to shame. Seriously. It's that good. Leave it to Nigella.<br /><br />Oh, I have one more in the "already done it" category:<br /><br />6. Ginger ice cream sandwiches -- A bunch of years ago, I saw a recipe for ginger ice cream with chocolate cake. Intrigued, I borrowed a friend's ice cream maker, and bought some of those Famous Chocolate Wafers or whatever they're called. The ice cream came out great, wasn't too hard, and was TO DIE FOR sandwiched between the wafers. I've been pining for a redo ever since.<br /><br />I am not someone who believes in 100% deprivation, so I will attempt these desserts sometime this year. In fact, I kind of want to perfect the ones that are hard, so I have them in my arsenal of go-to desserts for company and occasions. I'll just need to really pace myself on the "perfecting" process. Maybe one a month is a good pace to set, and shared with a couple willing taste-testers.beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11065095735541686432noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11949102.post-69091529411042023362011-01-01T16:25:00.001-08:002011-01-01T16:41:18.182-08:00New yearToday is the first day of 2011. Trippy. There are 18 days between me and birthing a small boychild, if not sooner. There are about 170 days of "time off" before I'm officially back at school. There are probably 75 loose pages of recipes sitting in an inbox next to my desk. There are way way more photos that have been taken, but not uploaded, much less printed, from the last year or more. There are about 10 cupboards and closets that need a good sorting out (see last post). There are XX pounds to be lost after boychild arrives, which I'd like to take care of in the first 162 days post-partum. There are more than 100 cds that I have yet to upload to my computer/iPod. There are at least 10 friends that I haven't seen in far too long. And there is one cell phone that needs to be replaced in the next 48 hours, before it cramps my style any further.beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11065095735541686432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11949102.post-40189022414405405522010-12-15T06:40:00.001-08:002011-01-11T15:54:25.142-08:00The listNow that the big adrenalin rush of "Birth 1" (as I've been calling it, i.e. general exam) is over, I now am faced with the unusual prospect of f.r.e.e.t.i.m.e. before "Birth 2" (small human). That is until bedrest is ordered.<br /><br />I had made several appointments (dentist, car stuff, etc) for this week thinking bedrest was imminent, but behold...it may not be. So, what's a girl to do?! I haven't had this kind of time-off since right before I went back to school in 2005. In essence, now is the time to do all that organizing and throwing out of stuff that we basically shoved into closets when we first moved in. And hopefully get rid of a lot of stuff.<br /><br />- clean desk/office (why is this always at the top of the list?) (basically done)<br />- new phone (done)<br />- finish baby room (almost done)<br />- organize hall closet (done)<br />- organize upstairs hall closet (done)<br />- organize downstairs bathroom closet (done)<br />- take books to bookseller (done)<br />- organize pantry shelves<br />- clean out trunk (done)<br />- organize kitchen cupboards<br />- organize office closet<br />- organize journal article stash (ugh...don't even know where to begin on this as it'll require new file cabinet. Best leave this at the end of the list.)beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11065095735541686432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11949102.post-90006148511642673562010-11-04T20:50:00.000-07:002010-11-12T10:07:10.922-08:00Academic marathonDear blog,<br /><br />I'm sorry to neglect you. I don't mean to, but all my writing energy is being expended elsewhere right now. I'm taking a moment now to document this point in life so I won't forget it.<br /><br />On Oct 20 I started my general exam. I'd been prepping for it since July. What this means is a grand synthesis of my subject area, boiled down as written responses to 3 questions. I cover about 70-80 papers and book chapters, and then some. The final document will be around 100 pages, which my committee of 4 will read. Then they'll ask me questions about it and the papers I've covered in an oral defense that's about a 2 hour process. This is the hardest part of a Ph.D. program. Once you're through generals, you're considered a doctoral candidate, and you just have a dissertation to go (which is rigorous, but not nearly as demanding as the exam). I don't know if that's how the exam is at every school, but I think so.<br /><br />At the moment, I am more or less done with question 1, and yesterday I started question 2. I will work on question 2 for another 10 days or so, then I'll hopefully be ready for question 3. That's how my timeline is constructed anyway. I am trying to turn my exam in to my committee by Wed before Thanksgiving, and I'm hoping to defend it by Dec 6. Will I make this deadline? I'm cautiously optimistic.<br /><br />What makes me nervous is that I'm really pushing to be done before I get to my 33rd week of pregnancy, as that's about the time when I went on bedrest last time. The deadline is very real. However, as I keep telling myself, if I don't make it by then, the world will not end. I can finish my exam after the baby arrives and I return to schoolwork. I am taking 6 months off, but will go nutso if I don't have something intellectually meaty to do. In any case, things like this work themselves out. But it would be really really good to be done before my leave.<br /><br />Also, I don't want to rush things and not be ready for the defense. This is where people fail. I know 2 people who failed. It's not pretty, though both of them were able to address the committee's specific concerns and get through it. (Actually, I don't know if person 2 has had a chance to do this yet, but I assume she'll be okay. She's very smart.) It would just really suck to fail. It would take the wind out of my sails right before going on leave, when I'll naturally take a mental hiatus. Scary.<br /><br />All I can do is keep plugging away, keep focused on the immediate part of my writing, and take chunks out of each response every day. I have about 40 pages written already. Easy does it. (Well, maybe not easy...slow and steady?)beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11065095735541686432noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11949102.post-43272940797535902772010-09-07T12:25:00.000-07:002010-09-07T12:28:14.278-07:00Future Mountaineer?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO_eJWitiNWfevlrJmpEGTEkjRvRFSk6ph7G5A5cBhnKWA1MNsgTYWfFOc3voMXDqbNFlvxHJQ17eAwxcxmOB1C4QGolxbud0H1yAYS-TI5ZUzOd_qY1BjOSxbjBZIe7_hJmm-/s1600/Twin+Falls+9-6-10.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO_eJWitiNWfevlrJmpEGTEkjRvRFSk6ph7G5A5cBhnKWA1MNsgTYWfFOc3voMXDqbNFlvxHJQ17eAwxcxmOB1C4QGolxbud0H1yAYS-TI5ZUzOd_qY1BjOSxbjBZIe7_hJmm-/s400/Twin+Falls+9-6-10.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514255293660953538" /></a>Yesterday, August and I went on a hike up to Twin Falls in the Snoqualmie area. I'd read it's not a difficult hike, but there is some elevation gain (and loss, and gain again) after starting as a mostly flat trail. I figured we'd just go as far as she could take. Every time I asked her if she'd like to take a break, have some water, snack, etc, she simply said "no thanks" and we kept going. I worked up a pretty good sweat...I certainly didn't want to stop for a break if she didn't! She did the entire hike, up and down, rocky terrain, 3 miles round-trip overall.<br /><br />Along the way, we saw lots of kids...some of them older than her being carried in backpacks, or stopping for a rest. Several adults were huffing and puffing up the switchbacks. A number of people on the trail remarked about her stamina. <br /><br />It's hard for me to believe she's only 3. We are again reminded that she is very physically able + stong-willed/focused kid.beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11065095735541686432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11949102.post-71402468009793467682010-08-28T20:37:00.000-07:002010-08-29T17:49:09.496-07:00Pony, Montana<span style="font-weight:bold;">Saturday, August 21st</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_xtp61QmRyEAX-J8TBeWSLZfto01wPtWSICzbhuP-iSUYAm-cULWzqRR6UFkyvLshYYrepUCKaX8ue6oLQTUgzm_cvZIUX3k7EO8kjOWGJZZKRh1XCXOtli4IhgRYp88Gej_0/s1600/Montana020.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_xtp61QmRyEAX-J8TBeWSLZfto01wPtWSICzbhuP-iSUYAm-cULWzqRR6UFkyvLshYYrepUCKaX8ue6oLQTUgzm_cvZIUX3k7EO8kjOWGJZZKRh1XCXOtli4IhgRYp88Gej_0/s320/Montana020.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510987673161027362" /></a><br />We arrived at the cabin in Pony later in the day than we expected. The drive from Spokane to Pony was abut 7 hours or so, including the hour for lunch and several stops for bathroom/drinks. Driving in to Pony was a surprise. I didn't know what to expect, but I guess I didn't expect the town to be nestled at the foot of some beautiful grassy hills -- but then again it is at the edge of the Beaverhead-Deerlodge Forest. It's easy to see how Richard Hugo, and later Frances, were both inspired to write here. Its stunning surroundings and fascinating ghosttown-iness are food for the imagination.<br /><br />The cabin itself is quite humble...one big room, with two bedrooms, a bathroom and laundry room off of it. The hot tub reminds me of hillbillies -- a large wooden barrel with a stove attached. Just behind the cabin is the creek (I think it's the North Willow Creek), giving the cabin continuous background music of running water.<br /><br />The cabin has stone-composite tiled floors and the thickest towels I've ever felt. August's room has a twin bed with a trundle underneath, and Ray and I's room has a saggy doublebed -- we roll toward the middle when we're both laying down.<br /><br />Waiting for us were a loaf of fresh homebaked wheat bread and some wrapped packages of elk meat and deer sausage in the fridge.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Sunday, August 22nd</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOxIF6ez57AwI2SOlZ9xJGLg7R3le4_pjDTRJs4vcUjnv_Mi4FAMczABqGOh-UXG-OoxdUcSU90XwJlRGiFBKqCwLfVYLKRIoItDQqW6S1yQ3_9c38wHg37ENp0RfSfSnVlqdC/s1600/Montana007.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOxIF6ez57AwI2SOlZ9xJGLg7R3le4_pjDTRJs4vcUjnv_Mi4FAMczABqGOh-UXG-OoxdUcSU90XwJlRGiFBKqCwLfVYLKRIoItDQqW6S1yQ3_9c38wHg37ENp0RfSfSnVlqdC/s320/Montana007.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510989401873171074" /></a><br />After a leisurely morning (deer sausage scramble for breakfast!) we head south to Ennis to find the "real" grocery store, since the one in nearest town Harrison is not much more than a convenience store. Most of the way there (26 miles) we wonder if it'll even be open, given it's Sunday. Thankfully it is, and we wander around filling our cart with cabin-meal staples.<br /><br />In the afternoon, we walk through Pony. The old 2-story brick bank building (now abandoned) is at the end of our block, where it intersects with the main drag. We walk down the street, past the only really thriving business in Pony -- the Pony Bar. We see people! We continue on to the antique store (open Sun - Wed, 12-5) and pick up a couple curios. Then back to the cabin to play, make dinner, and possibly try out the hot tub barrel. Ooops, rain storm -- we'll attempt it some other night.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Monday, August 23rd</span><br />On today's agenda are the Lewis and Clark Caverns, and then the Museum of the Rockies at MSU in Bozeman.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbWSZXngxNRFl6axXDNpk0p1QEg8a6nKHqjW-fZ2NP2D6uBE_dXgASmc6E9xIZiWP_Hy_unRBh3hrUtXKcwGd9yZ4sghziQsYbfKDjO78_ow1dK9QmBrM5Wh-lFc6lIl2ns-a_/s1600/Montana027.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbWSZXngxNRFl6axXDNpk0p1QEg8a6nKHqjW-fZ2NP2D6uBE_dXgASmc6E9xIZiWP_Hy_unRBh3hrUtXKcwGd9yZ4sghziQsYbfKDjO78_ow1dK9QmBrM5Wh-lFc6lIl2ns-a_/s320/Montana027.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510990466275001986" /></a>Today's big learnin'...August can go HOURS without using a bathroom. We decided against the 2 hour hike through the caverns because of the lack of potty, and then she refused to use ANY potty until we were back at the cabin hours later. Seriously--6 hours sans toilet. That can't be healthy. Anyway, back at the Caverns we walked through the visitors' center, watched the movie about the Caverns, and did a micro-hike and picnic in the woods. Got some great pictures from way up in the hills looking down toward the Jefferson River.<br /><br />About 30 miles east was Bozeman and the Museum of the Rockies. The dinosaurs were pretty darn cool, though we were a bit confused about the Triceratops...both Ray and I had vague recollections about reading/hearing something recently "debunking" it in some way. Hmmm...oh, Wikipedia--. Anyway, August liked the museum okay, but was more interested in things like the "furry ropes" and standing on platforms than any of the exhibits. We also watched the "Dinosaur Chronicles" movie, which ranked "scawy" in her book.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Tuesday, August 24th</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8QFbSpoMxrgg3GdsZcbPddOSejgznIAkPr-3jQUN3xsZCYdkZsZJY8b14RYslzjD1Ow9yolohWm6ksrXttR9stDG2qhrQG3xjSRvhrot6c1d3X_-38i2mpde_XLQk6N9wbdl0/s1600/Montana048.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8QFbSpoMxrgg3GdsZcbPddOSejgznIAkPr-3jQUN3xsZCYdkZsZJY8b14RYslzjD1Ow9yolohWm6ksrXttR9stDG2qhrQG3xjSRvhrot6c1d3X_-38i2mpde_XLQk6N9wbdl0/s320/Montana048.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510991581905234210" /></a>Stayed "close to home" today by driving down to Virginia City...which I had vague recollections of visiting as a child. On the way there, we had some excitement (according to small person) by witnessing an overturned cement truck. The town itself is a pretty cute Western-style town, with lots of stores preserved from the 1800s heydays, and some horse-drawn carriages to boot. We had lunch and walked around, and then let August pick out a few pieces of candy at the candy store. Thrills!<br /><br />After driving back to the cabin for a nap, August and I drove up to the trail behind Pony. On our drive up, a small black bear ran out in front of the car…and since I was driving slow he ran way ahead of us for a bit, then ducked into the forest. Cool. We walked a little ways up the trail, which paralleled the creek for a bit, and took us up through grassy and rocky terrain with some brush a trees here and there. August tuckered out pretty quickly.<br /><br />After dinner, we finally tried out the hillbilly hot tub...which took eons to heat up. August and Ray loved it. Me, the cold water lover, was too cold (must be a first/pregnancy thing).<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Wednesday, August 25th</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_C5cXll4S69dGWvY2AWE0XJMf7PO0PTXV0Mh_Cy_T4epvMAwbjXKgwEUvF9UGWFhEDsk0-Y1zZ6K1o0c2qJIbfXeWFC7vkeW3OnxzzcOYeA_Jp81mxsIFuS_74OAiLibrw_YP/s1600/Montana112.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_C5cXll4S69dGWvY2AWE0XJMf7PO0PTXV0Mh_Cy_T4epvMAwbjXKgwEUvF9UGWFhEDsk0-Y1zZ6K1o0c2qJIbfXeWFC7vkeW3OnxzzcOYeA_Jp81mxsIFuS_74OAiLibrw_YP/s320/Montana112.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510992707240553202" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9y1gNF5cD6-KJOJaRLD2xJHaTFunMAkJPaar-Ayn0ldmstjyLOJNauqFal54hMyk9F0DYqb03Vkn-zilq7AYN4r4TgRlzxYYoIkhw2JuqE9a_n3ywwZsg5CiV6NtPfx1q_v76/s1600/Montana133.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9y1gNF5cD6-KJOJaRLD2xJHaTFunMAkJPaar-Ayn0ldmstjyLOJNauqFal54hMyk9F0DYqb03Vkn-zilq7AYN4r4TgRlzxYYoIkhw2JuqE9a_n3ywwZsg5CiV6NtPfx1q_v76/s320/Montana133.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510992717684048322" /></a>Big day today -- we drove down to Yellowstone, about 1.5 hours south of us. We first stopped in at the Wolf and Grizzly Discovery Center in West Yellowstone (not sure it was worth the $10.50 each), then drove into the park. Had a picnic and a wade in the Madison River, then drove to see the geysers...impressive blues and oranges. Then to Old Faithful, the visitors' center, watched the Yellowstone movie, snack, and back to see Old Faithful blow again. We picked up a little wolf for August, which was quickly adopted as a near-equal to Teddybear (!), and a little black bear for baby bro. On our drive back, we got several nice views of roaming bison, and some distant elk. Long, hot day, but absolutely worth it. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Thursday, August 26th</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrqTdU5rx99xa77vUuvNcdArJ2viREg5Dmtqc2mjOhfBfVRNdlJhqzHoCNIS3PHrM9gubkLy5mml_FkE5wa1YoTz9hEz8QgS7jNnMAZuYKQ24Am5sykjVzTAir7b5hjCLv31Ep/s1600/Montana157.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrqTdU5rx99xa77vUuvNcdArJ2viREg5Dmtqc2mjOhfBfVRNdlJhqzHoCNIS3PHrM9gubkLy5mml_FkE5wa1YoTz9hEz8QgS7jNnMAZuYKQ24Am5sykjVzTAir7b5hjCLv31Ep/s320/Montana157.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510993572634722130" /></a>After our long Yellowstone day, we stayed close to home again…spent the morning up at the trail at the edge of the Forest, and came across some cowboys packing up to head into the forest to repair a dam. There was one guy on a horse, leading 3 other pack horses, and then two other guys on dirt bikes. Real deal cowboys, and surely infamous Pony bar regulars. Rugged. Then we drove around Pony a bit, back to the cabin for lunch, nap. Walked to the little picnic park in Pony, took more pictures and back before dinner and packing. Nice easy day before big drive out of Montana.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Friday, August 27th</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ME8tZhR0DaCna2A_mfidHEsHs_cH5F0gs1VCYNxSB3w8vMQkBrwMsERDAJBHlneXix8AKLV8hY2qlLRN6G9kEOG-YH64jKE39nlmPe4DQbWMDMuwdNIHxBcucLmmnGBUJIc5/s1600/Montana141.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ME8tZhR0DaCna2A_mfidHEsHs_cH5F0gs1VCYNxSB3w8vMQkBrwMsERDAJBHlneXix8AKLV8hY2qlLRN6G9kEOG-YH64jKE39nlmPe4DQbWMDMuwdNIHxBcucLmmnGBUJIc5/s320/Montana141.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510997156571666194" /></a>Loaded up the car and left by 10 am. Drove all day, and once again (like several other days) August refused to use any bathroom, demonstrating impressive bladder skills (again, like 6 hours!). Arrived in Spokane and at hotel, and had a much appreciated swim. Dinner at Perkins...interesting. Our waitress seemed to be running the whole place, with a smile on her face. Big tip.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Saturday, August 28th</span><br />One more swim, breakfast, and on the road...we're ready to come home.beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11065095735541686432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11949102.post-77360334751298035762010-08-09T22:18:00.001-07:002010-08-09T22:19:51.269-07:00Getting all domestic-y<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlIxwMH7KT7Bu4PZfEzpzR7eQy3-qjd7Qa466e_I6Y2Ptaq3_PKA8zKEHgYXtmZbaf0EausoR4_p2UHJLOmEWL_yATQFJ-dEaT7IQivhqlaHP_JvrLQNDmw2fXBZ3Q7IJdsbQn/s1600/strawberry+jam.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlIxwMH7KT7Bu4PZfEzpzR7eQy3-qjd7Qa466e_I6Y2Ptaq3_PKA8zKEHgYXtmZbaf0EausoR4_p2UHJLOmEWL_yATQFJ-dEaT7IQivhqlaHP_JvrLQNDmw2fXBZ3Q7IJdsbQn/s400/strawberry+jam.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503646631449560498" border="0" /></a>beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11065095735541686432noreply@blogger.com0