This Is 2: lessons from a toddler on living your best life

The opinions expressed below are only those of the two-year-old in question, and do not necessarily reflect those of her parents.

Since it's a new year and everyone's turning over a new leaf (and I'll only be two for a few more days), I wanted to hop on and share my advice for those of you wanting to get more out of life.  Since I'm two, I live life LARGE, with a whole lot of intensity.  So I thought I would be pretty qualified to help you enjoy every single moment of every single day. Here are 10 tips for living full-throttle, every waking moment.

1.) When it comes to fashion, more is more.  Layers are always great, but make sure to pay attention to matching.  Consider my outfit below: the pants and the undershirt have flowers, and the undershirt and top shirt have pink.  So everything matches.  See how this works?

2.) The best way to get from point A to point B is not to walk directly there.  Using unconventional methods is much more fun.  Personally, I prefer a mixture of parkour and dawdling, but hopping is super-fun, too.  Whatever you do, DO NOT RUSH.  Take as much time as possible, stopping point out every airplane, dog, cloud, leaf, crumb, and fire hydrant (is it just me, or have you guys recently noticed there are fire hydrants EVERYWHERE!?)

3.) Exercise regularly.  Some people say 3-5 times per week, but I don't know what a week is, so I do 3-5 times per day.  I move a lot, and I jump on my trampoline, or I dance, or I run back and forth.  If you don't work hard enough to feel a little short of breath, then just pretend by breathing fast for a few seconds so your parents notice you.

4) Help somebody. I love, love LOVE to be busy, and my mom has a lot to do, so I like to help her. 

I like to help Mom bake bread, and I love to help with the dishes.  Here's a bonus tip about dishes Mom just taught me: you can use a sponge to scrub the food off, too!  You don't have to rely completely on soap and water to get them clean!

5.) Stay organized. Personally, I like to keep all of my papers and toys in the living room, dining room, kitchen, breakfast nook, my room, Mom & Dad's room, and the hallway. That way they're contained and I don't have to look all over the house to find what I need.  I like to keep Mom and Dad organized the same way.  Different systems work for different people, though, so just find what works best for you!

6.) There is never a bad time for a selfie, even when you're in the bathroom.  I got Mom in on this one, too.

7.) Find your happy place.  Somewhere that even the thought of going there makes you happy.  Mine are the library and Aldi.  The library is good for so much more than books!  There are toys and computers, and I get to stand on a stool and help check things out--they even have a drinking fountain!  Aldi is great, too, and I love to ride out to the car hiding under all of the grocery bags.

8.) When you get an ouchie, just put a band aid on it and go to bed. 'Nugging someone you love can help you feel bebber, too! In the picture below, I didn't even know how much my ouchie hurt until I saw the band aids.  It would have been a lot of work to take of my jammies and stick them on my knees, so I just skipped a step and put them on my jammie knees...

9.)  You have a voice-- make sure you are heard!  Say it LOUD.  Repeatedly.  Tell people what you need/want/think/see/smell/hear all the time.  If you're not sure they got it, say "Do you understand?" 

10.) Eat your cinnamon roll from the inside out.  You don't know when you will be full (or ready to stop eating for some other reason), so make sure you eat the good stuff first!

Egg Curry with Blessy

A couple of months ago, Tim was in London for a week on a site visit.    Autumn was "babysitting" me, and Blessy's husband, Tony, was in Germany. Blessy has been wanting to learn how to make bread, and I have been wanting to learn how to make egg curry.  So the 3 of us teamed up with Yohan and made a ridiculously delicious meal.  

So now--two months later-- I am sharing egg curry with you.  At least the best that I can remember.  Let's get started, shall we?

summer salads and songs

You may or may not know this about me but... I'm kind of a health nut.  So while I sit here and drink my milkshake after a dinner of pasta and cheesy bread sticks and wonder why I gained 2 pounds this week,  I'll share with you some awesome salads I've found, tried, and loved.  You will probably notice that they are all from two of my favorite ladies in the world of the wide webz.

a week of meatless meals

I've been trying to incorporate more meatless meals into our repertoire here at the Taylor home for a couple of reasons:

1.)  Having a "plant slant" to your diet is supposed to be a step toward healthier eating.  That is, eating a more plant-based diet is better than one heavy on animal products.  You get more fiber and a wide variety of vitamins and minerals.  Or something.

2.)  I thought it could help us save money.  We cut our monthly grocery budget this year--partly to save money, partly because I wanted a challenge.  Shortly after that, beef prices skyrocketed.  Since I'm not so good at cooking chicken, I needed to come up with some other options.  (Also: we at a LOT of pork).

Peanut Butter Week: Satay Lettuce Wraps

This recipe is probably my favorite recipe this week.  It is good.  So, so good.  Based on this recipe from Rachel Ray, I modified a little bit based on the ingredients I had on hand.


Bonus: Its relatively cheap to make,
Double bonus: Its good for you!


Here we go...

Weekly Meditation: Psalm 126:2-3

This weekend and beginning of the week have been a little crazy, and not at all as planned.  But in the middle of getting overwhelmed, God has blessed us immensely.  I am amazed at how He works.  So this verse seemed so appropriate, especially because of some blessings we have received that will be a blessing to other nations as well.  Have a great week!

Our mouths were filled with laughter,

our tongues with songs of joy.

Then it was said among the nations,

“The LORD has done great things for them.”

The LORD has done great things for us,

and we are filled with joy.

 

Psalm 126:2-3

Weekly Meditation: 2 Corinthians 12:9

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Read more of my thoughts on this here.

Weekly Meditation: Psalm 61:2

"When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I." Psalm 61:2

Weekly Meditation: 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up...

Weekly Meditation: 1 Peter 1:13-16

Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given to you when Jesus Christ is revealed.  As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.  But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written:"Be holy, because I am holy." 1 Peter 1:13-16

Meditation

I was just reading in a magazine about the health benefits of meditation, and I started thinking about why I don't meditate.

Actually, I do meditate.  I meditate on things that I want that I don't have.  I meditate on things that I want to be that I'm not.  I meditate on how to get those things and be those things.  I also meditate on many of the world's problems and how they are way too big for me to solve.  I meditate on how I mess up, and how others mess up, too.

I also meditate on the bakery I want to own someday :)

Oatmeal Week: Oatmeal Bread

My mom and I had grand plans to bake bread over Christmas (and by "bake bread" I mean mom would make it and I would take pictures), but things got busy and it didn't really happen.  So I guess she just needs to come visit and bake bread so I can give  you the step-by-step for this recipe with mom's tips.

Oatmeal Week: Granola

Sometimes when we were growing up, my mom would make granola.  When we got to junior high and high school, it became a favorite snack before track practice and during meets.  Our friends loved it, too.

Oatmeal Week: Baked Oatmeal

Have you had McDonald's oatmeal yet?  You should!  Man, is it delicious.  Yes, it is high in sugar, but you can order it without the brown sugar if you want.  And did you know you can order it any time of day-- not just at breakfast?  Mmmm... a warm cup of comforting, healthy, yummy goodness.

Oatmeal Week: Oatmeal

January is the perfect month to do Oatmeal Week, is it not?  January is usually cold, so you want something warm and comforting that "sticks to your bones."  Also, many people have made resolutions to eat healthy, lose weight and save money.

Homemade Yogurt

I've never been much of a yogurt lover.  I have gone through phases were I enjoy it more than other times (like my senior year of high school where every day I would pack a strawberry Yoplait custard-style yogurt in my lunch, and  every day when I would scoop out the first spoonful perform the ritual turn-the-spoon-upside-down-and-say-to-my-lunch-buddies, "look! it sticks to the spoon!-- and then they would all react with obligatory awe and amazement), but I've never actually been crazy about it.

before Hilton Head

The week(s) leading up to our departure for Hilton Head were slightly hectic.  I had lots to do at work with the end of a month and the end of a quarter.  At home, there were lots of "before the ground freezes" project that may or may not have been completed before we left.  For all we knew, we would come back to a blanket of snow!

Apple Week: Apple Crisp

This recipe is from a cookbook I have called More With Less.  The premise of the cookbook is that we should be good stewards of ALL the resources God has given us, and that we should take that into account when cooking.  The recipes are healthy, nutritious, and filling, as well as very tasty.  It is a great cookbook for people heading overseas because the recipes are flexible so you can use whatever grains and cereals are available.  It is also a great book for frugal cooks that appreciate making foods from scratch (I'm looking at YOU, Rachel).  A few times a year I resolve to use the concepts and recipes in the cookbook more.  I can't say I have made significant progress, but I have made small steps toward eating less processed foods and make a few more things from scratch.  And we eat more beans.  Check out the cookbook for WAY more info on balanced meals and nutrition.

Crash Hot Potatoes

I have been a little bit obsessed with this recipe this summer, and rightfully so.  It is tasty AND healthy...ish.  And who else would I get it from than Pioneer Woman?  Yes, she has one or two recipes that could be considered "healthy."

Raspberry Week: Smoothies

Sometimes I want a milkshake, but I know I should make a healthier choice.

I have been making the healthier choice a lot the past week.  And guzzling it all down myself :)