I have been wanting to take my scouts to the pumpkin patch the last few years.
I was at the Taste of Georgetown with my kids and Dar Cars had a table there with a mini pumpkin decorating activity. After the event was done, I was able to ask for them to donate what they had leftover and would not use (so they would not become trash) and the scouts who would not get the chance to pumpkin decorate this year could. They were awesome and donated pumpkins.
Since I do both boy scouts and girl scouts-- I was amazingly able to get 1 for each of my scouts. Small tiny pumpkins for them to decorate.
I am super glad the pumpkins were small-- why? Because I was carrying 50 pumpkins on the bus by myself in a stroller. Needless to say, even my 4 year old had to walk a few blocks. He was a champ. And excited for the pumpkins, which always help.
So my girl scouts did it in the park at our meeting-- they got their pumpkins. They used stickers and permanent markers to decorate their pumpkins. Surprisingly, no one tried to 'permanently' decorate themselves. It was cool to see the different things the scouts did.
My boy scouts did it when they were at their den meeting at their normal meeting location.
There were super happy about getting a special pumpkin-- as soon as I put them out on the table they went wild, jumping and trying to get the biggest best one ever. That is what every 9 or 10 year old does, don't they?
Remember, to have fun! Be creative and think outside the box.
I know, on a local listserve I am on, there was assumptions and disrespect around pumpkins and Halloween-- so be respectful of all beliefs today!
Dress what and however you want, whether that be Donald Trump costume, the pizza rat (yes a thing), a witch, goblin, or Jessie from Toy Story.
How far have we actually come?
If you were to look back 10 years, where were you?
I was going into my Sophmore year in College, pregnant with my first son, which is the craziest thought in the world to me...
I know you can't escape it....you have seen this posted everywhere today. Maybe on the news.
Did anyone did Doc Brown pop out of the car somewhere at 4pm? Hahaha.
He came to give a different and important message....
But what is the future for you?
We get so engaged in and worried about what is to come.
Would we marry that person if we knew what would happen?
Would we take the job across the country or world knowing we could get let go from the job?
Would we step out our door if we may slip on the ice in the winter?
Really...
We try to break down possibility and take chances based both on experience and statistics...don't you wish more that you stayed awake in that class, am I right?
For real though, we are creatures of habit. But are our spirits really that way?
I think I can argue that we can do this-- make our own future. How?
Great question. I will let you know when I figure out the secret. But I do know something...
I know I have been talking to someone very close to me and she has been telling me to take the bricks down that have built my walls up one at a time. It is not pleasant but needed. I will feel hurt and pain. I mean, why else would I have put up walls? Uh, duh! But working on what each of those bricks represents is super important to working on what I need to in order to make a future where I break the wheel and invent something new.
Every day is one step at a time. Forgive yourself first, fix the here and now allowing you to move forward and on into the future.
Where will you be in 10 years? Who knows.
Try to make the list today.
My son will be off in college-- I shudder to think of that, but true. I will have two other high schoolers and I will still be young! Oh yea! Where I will be, I don't know. I do live in Washington D.C. Maybe, I will be president.... :D
How are you taking charge of your today and tomorrow?
Rock The Kasbah is directed by Barry Levinson. The brilliant mind behind many movies and Academy award winning productions. Open Road Films. This is not a film I normally see. And this is good. Yes, that good. I went in to this film not knowing what to expect. It was this or "Goosebumps" movie. As much as I loved Goosebumps Book Series growing up and I did R.L. Stine, I did! This lured me in many new ways. I took my beer and popcorn and went into the show. No ads- very important, of course. Sitting next to a retired couple from Cleveland Park in Washington DC (who may come speak to my Girl Scouts, woot) and many ambassadors, UN people, and other film reviewers. The movie started. I sat behind one of the producers of the film. As someone who felt less regarded in some ways, I felt privileged to view this movie. There was not a moment that was boring or left in misunderstanding.
As someone said the Q&A, it has comedy but with the restrained laughter. To appropriately laugh at the moments but never ever at the people portrayed in the movie. This was such an important and amazing distinction. Another viewer, who happened to be sitting next to me, (and offered to come talk to my girl scouts, always I pull double duty), asked about how many of the people who were hired for the film were actually Afghanis and how much they were paid. They responded saying they had a lot that were not actual Afghanis, but some were and that they were paid well. (A definite plus). It is amazing-- apparently, they have places, within Morocco and within Afghanistan that are used in the film and that is all these areas are use for. One of the speakers at the q&a was a gentlemen who started a TV station, Tolo TV, that feature Afghan Star, equiv of American Idol, and took out 250,000 to start a business in television. If you know history of Kabul and Afghanistan, there is a lot of moderation of what is shown. It is not normal to have a woman sing or be on TV. In fact, women and their families/villages can be killed for allowing this. Yes, you read that right, if they "allow it". A girl, the daughter of the head of the village, loves to sing. To do so, she has to go to a cave- where no one can here her. It's the law, she is not suppose to sing. But she does. She has the voice of an angel. Every night she watches Afghan Star on her TV, with her TV attached by a car jumper cable to a battery for power. The songs she learned are not in her native tongue. They are in, you guessed it, English. When Mr. Richie Lanz goes out on one last gig with his opener (Zooey Deschanel), she steals everything from him and runs. His money, his passports, everything. He is left trying to figure things out for himself with nothing in a place that does not fancy Americans. He somehow ends up in the Pashtun village, after teaming up with a US Army Soldier (Taylor Kinney), a hooker (played by Kate Hudson) and a mercenary (Bruce Willis), where the head (Fahim Fazli)has raised his daughter right. He does not want war, but he can't ignore his neighbour enemies. He loves his daughter but can't afford the expense to have his daughter sing and is not only offended but threatens Mr. Richie if he even dares to bring it up again. That beautiful voice belongs to a teenage girl named Salima Khan (Leem Lubany). She does end up going on stage, you have to watch to see how, but sings in English- a song, by Cat Stevens, called "Peace Train" that centered the movie and turned it to a new direction. She does end up in the top three. Does she win a contract and $5000? Where does it go from there? Well you have to watch the movie! This is an amazing movie-- honestly and truly. It shows the humanity of the Afghanis. They show that they dream just the same that everyone does. We are not all so different in our wants and dreams. I was immensely impressed by this movie and I was very moved at the humanity that was kept within the movie. You felt that you were there and experiencing them as humans not just "people" of war. It stayed true to the culture, to the want and need of doing better.
In listening to the Q and A after, you learned that this movie took 7 years to make. As many studios, in good ole fashion Hollywood tradition, all turned it away many times. One of the studios on this, started in Afghanistan and really has a major impact on the every day life of Afghans, as you can imagine.
More and more girls are starting to try to make their way... in ways that are taken advantage of in other parts of the world.
Social media presence, as we know, always have a huge impact on us and our children growing up. It is that much greater and full of impact for the children, women, and dreamers in Afghanistan and this movie really shows that. Is it the American dream they seek? Maybe, maybe not. They just seek finding themselves, like we all do.
The dramaturgy behind this movie, in my opinion, is well done. I really appreciate all that was put into and think it was genuinely a great movie.
My only critique is that it ended too early. Seriously. What happens in the end? What becomes of Salima? Maybe my want to know how it ends is the point- relating is more important than how it ends. Maybe it is that is more about relating to their lives and as they said in person, having a "happy ending, you know, because that is what people want."
Either way, I think it could be longer and more real. I want to see it in totality, including the ending. America is and should be ready for that. Maybe, add as an "extra" after the movie for those of us that want to see the full ending.
I would overall give it an A-/B+ because of the ending. Otherwise, I loved it.
Okay, the title rhythms but this matter is not cute or funny.
I am a very pissed mama and woman right now!
If you say media has not gotten to you...it very obviously has! It has gotten to everyone!
Speaking of social media-This really needs to be shared so please share after you read!
I think that throughout a person's life, they have heard at one point or many points comments from other people based on their weight or looks. It is wrong! Let me say that now!
I was sparked to write this post after being fed up-- finally, just really seriously, fed up-- of people around me or myself getting negative body image comments from those that they know and love or complete strangers about their weight or looks that were healthy and beautiful!
So you think I am fat?
~> I am a size 6-10 depending on who makes the bottoms.
~> I am a size S-M in shirts.
~> I have gone down in bust size (after having kids).
It is SO hard to hear that someone thinks your fat-- especially when it comes from someone you know and love, whether a friend, sister, mother, husband, brother, father. And especially when it is not not something you can change because otherwise you would be skin and bones and start developing diseases and cancers.
I may not have the highest of self esteems or self confidence (and this does not help), but I am not taking this one laying down or lightly. I have been told this many times in my life by many different people- that I am fat. I need to lose weight. I am ticked. I am ticked for me. I am ticked for all women around the world who have enough of this bullshit trying to please people that we don't need it from those that are the closest to us.
Honest criticism is fine and encouragement is fine. If it is needed, I completely understand it. If the person's health was affected by their weight or you were just encouraging someone to lose weight for their benefit, fine. BUT... It is NOT okay to expect your sister, mother, partner, wife, friend, whoever to be a freaking size 0. That is unrealistic and unhealthy.
Here is what I think of that!
~> I am not overweight.
~> I exercise daily.
~> I am running after kids all the time.
~> I walk everywhere if I can, instead of taking the bus or driving. We are talking sometimes 6 miles in a day! (Now, I would like to get outside even more, but sometimes it's not possible).
Men/Partners/Husbands
~> You can not both love curves and expect your sister/partner/wife to be a size 0! That is contradictory, rude, and not progressive at all.
~> Those beautiful bodies you enjoy also give life. They change and the grow just like yours. And unlike yours, they grow human life and go through tremendous sacrifice for another human being-multiple times usually.
~> You are hating the very body that gave you life by expecting woman to be a size 0! Would you ever insult your mother on her scars or body size?
~> You want sex or love making? Do not make a woman feel less than because she is not a size 0- you would not want to have sex with a stick would you? You want something to grab on to? Treat a woman with respect and her body the same. It is not an object just for your affection. And when you do, bets are your sex life will flourish and be awesome.
~> When you insult her body, you insult your sex life- because your sex life will suffer if you make her feel less than and inferior- then you have no one, no one, to blame but yourself!
~> If you have issues with the weight or body image of your girlfriend, partner or wife, think of this awesome novel concept-- if you stop judging her and start loving her, she will pick healthier habits because she is loved. Some women, will either starve themselves or overeat when they are told they are not good enough (especially in body image- I mean why care if the one you love doesn't think you're beautiful, right?)
~> You make the one you love question If I knew then, what I know now, (like the book I reviewed) and whether they should continue being with you!
Women/Partners/Wives
~> Don't allow your brother/sister/husband/wife to make you feel less than
~> DO try to be the healthiest you can!
~> Don't let it get you the way I did me for many years
~> DO let it roll off your shoulders
~> Don't, please don't, down another woman, either to her face or yourself, for the way she looks. To stop others from doing it, we need to start within ourselves to love ourselves, our sisters, our friends, our mothers.
~> DO empower yourself-- run around naked in your house- LOVE yourself. Support your sister women in letting them know they are beautiful!
~> KNOW your body is a temple, giver of life! It is beautiful and we need to teach our daughters the same!
If you are a guy, and you have someone judging your image, love yourself and take the same advise I give the ladies! Don't let anything tell you who you are!
YOU! Everyone!
~> Know the person sitting next to you on the bus, in the chair next to you, your co worker, a total stranger, may have situations that affect their weight you have no clue about. Don't judge.
~> We should not be afraid to ask a woman if she is pregnant but because people think you are either fat or pregnant, which means we associate the two, so don't ask a woman if she is pregnant unless she is very clearly pregnant.
~> Remember, health conditions can cause people to be over weight.
~> Some people have muscle and lots of it and very little body fat. Don't judge someone "big" for always being fat. (They may just use their muscle to show you...lol)
~> A size 0 is super unnatural and unhealthy. You want a woman or man healthy!
I decided to even take to my Twitter page and my Facebook page asking my readers to be apart of this post! We MUST encourage each other.
Be Featured on my blog! If you have a comment about #bodyimage -- tweet me @Via__Bella with your thoughts! It may end up on my blog post!
I am writing a piece on body image. Please answer the following:a) What is something you have struggled with?b) What...
Posted by Via Bella on Monday, September 28, 2015
Heart of Mexicoa) my weight b) still my weight, but now I want to be fit, not thin c) I've lost 55 pounds after pregnancy and I have become healthier d) love yourself before you try to change yourself
Sydnee Percya) I've had "lose weight/work out" at the top of my NY Resolutions list since I was about 13 (I'm 24 now). I've never been heavy/overweight but I've never been super toned either. I've wanted bigger boobs and a smaller waist/more curves but it's just not my body shape and it took me a long time to realize that. Now I appreciate what I have and use fashion to help in the places I need it wink emoticon b) I'm working on muscle tone; I'm not so worried about weight, it's the inches that matter more than the numbers on a scale. Focusing on my arms and abs and overall tone for my body. c) I gain almost 20lbs from 2013-2014 but since Dec '14 to now I've dropped almost 15 pounds. It can be done and I'm not finished yet. d) it's difficult to love yourself, and people say if you don't love yourself how can someone else. I find people often love us for things that are unexpected or something we often don't like about ourselves but appreciate what your body does for you and just take care of it, however that looks for you.
Summer HeideA. I've struggled with losing 20 pounds rapidly after having my stomach removed to prevent a rare and aggressive form of cancer that is caused by a gene I carry. I have never been one to really diet or feel the need to lose weight. I've kind of just wa...See More
Via BellaSummer Heide That is so deep! I seriously appreciate you sharing that and sharing from the other perspective-- it shows that people have health reasons to be on any side of the scale. I give you super big hugs!!
Jaime Blunier Groleaua) I have struggled with getting my body into the shape I would like and used to have. b) I am working on creating a consistent workout schedule. c) I have succeeded in finding confidence even though I am at my ideal image yet. d) My advice would be to be who you are, love who you are, no matter what anyone else tells you or thinks. http://partangel.com
Diedre AnthonyAS a teenager I struggled with not having a shape like most girls my age. I was a late bloomer. Right now I'm working on losing my midsection I gained after having children. I have succeeded at being consistent working out on the past. I'm making better choices about portion sizes and watching the kind of food I put into my body.
A. Depression and Anxiety, B. Becoming more fit and healthier- physically and mentally, C. Controlling my Depression and Anxiety with exercise, D. Use positive affirmations and positive thinking- refocus on what you like most about yourself.
I wrote a blog post a while back about my Happy Journal and I've found it forces me to think positive when I wouldn't otherwise. Thinking positive is super powerful.
I leave you with this and encourage you to take a very deep reflection on yourself!
What you see on the outside does not change what is on the inside. Remember that!
(Yes, I love me some Disney, and this rings true.)
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