My Family and Mmmmmm Boy a Dirty Dr. Pepper How-To

Let me tell you about my family, extended family. I grew up in a childhood filled with love. I was nurtured and nestled by not only my parents but Aunts and Uncles and Grandparents who loved me. It was magic. I always had friends in my cousins. I was always included and our parents made it a point for us to see each other OFTEN. I think summers we just rotated around houses. Our Mom's had rotating summer classes like How-To Draw, or Make Whole Wheat Bread...I am pretty sure to give each other a break. (They were smart) We had family dinners at the park or at someones house once a month, what we call Family Home Evening. We had a nativity play EVERY Christmas that my Grandma had sewn all the costumes and wrote a script. We went camping for a week together every summer. Every family was expected to put on a "show." Watching these "shows" now makes us all howl with laughter. Well..and somehow there is a lost tape of the most recent "show" that was over the TOP AMAZING. Where is that? I want to see it again! It was a childhood filled with wonder, safety, and FUN. So when someone gets married, or has a baby shower, or comes home from a mission. We are expected to be there, to support each other. We are all grown and have our own families now. Sometimes it can feel like a bit of a hassle to get to these things, like another thing to do. That isn't right though, I have realized. It is important to support and lift each other up and when we meet like this I think we can all see how much we love each other, NO MATTER WHAT.

A fuzzy picture of some of us..lots of cousins are missing, and half of my bedspread over there. I promise I cropped this. UGH. Left to Right: Ben, Stacey, Jessica, someone behind..I bet Meghan and half of me. Probably circa 1988...

A few weeks ago my cousin came home from a two year mission for our church. We all went to his "homecoming" where he basically tells the congregation highlights of his mission experience at church. We then have a big party at someone in the families house to celebrate the return of the missionary. We went to my cousin Paul's house. It was lovely. I mean everything. The house, the beautiful brunch served, and his wife who happily hosted, provided LOTS of POP for this soda loving fam bam, and whisked around the kitchen toasting bagels and making sure everyone felt right at home. We all did.

It was in their home that we renewed our love for each other. We talked, laughed, ate and drank....the hit of the party, Dirty Dr. Peppers. Apparently, this is no new thing. However, to me it was. I had never heard of one and only ever enjoyed my virgin Diet Cokes. I am telling you folks making it dirty is the only way to go. It's a total game changer.

Oh AND they had an ice machine that made SONIC ice. I have decided that an ice maker would improve my quality of living so much. I am pretty sure there isn't anything I want more. I'm serious. I mean it's hotter than a corn kernel in a cast iron skillet, so why not cool down with a creamy, tasty drink. Your kids will love you. I am pretty much in love with Raquel for introducing me to this.


Dirty Dr. Pepper Recipe
Crunchy Ice- sorry you chumps like me are going to have to go buy a bag at Sonic. Fill glass to the TOP with ice
1 Can of Dr. Pepper (I actually love it with Diet Coke)
Two Squirts of Coconut Torani Syrup-  I bought sugar free, my kids can't tell the difference..Found at Smart and Final for about $3.00 the pumps are extra.
About 1 Tbsp. Half and Half (I used Fat- Free at home not as rich but....I am trying to stay on the light side of things)

We have had so much fun making these drinks. We have them for a treat Sunday night or for our own Family Home Evening on Monday. (Mommy has one more often than that but.......) I also bought some clear plastic cups/lids/straws at Smart and Final on the cheap. I bought black cherry syrup, coconut and mango. I also bought some Diet 7-Up and a squirt of Mango and a squirt of Coconut is so yummalishes.

Raquel has another recipe for these smashing drinks, here is a link to her blog: 
Rocky as Herself. You must read it. She is witty and smart and so ON the MONEY about life in general. You will see why we all love her so.


Crunch, Crunch, Crunch, Crunch......MMMM boy, Sonic Ice......XOXO The Sunny D

Back to School Pretty for Teacher/Body Issues/Goodbye Summer

I have several thoughts going on in my head right now. One is that my brain is slowly grasping that summer is over, that I have a classroom to get ready, kids to get ready, supplies and lesson plans to get ready, and ME to get ready. I always like to have a couple new outfits for school each year. It helps me to feel fresh. I will be using the next few weeks to not only "get pretty" but get ready for those cute fourth graders heading my way. So bear with me I am in transition and I need to talk a little bit about summer here first. Stay with me. It will be worth it. 

Have any of you seen that article about not caring about your body and wearing a swim suit so you can whole heartily play with your kids on the beach?  Here it is in case you missed it: Moms, Put on That Swimsuit I was inspired. I put on my swim suit. This is what followed:

It was in fact this very day. 

After we had played at the beach we headed back to the hotel. The kids showered and I flitted about organizing our stuff. I was still in my swim suit. Ellie walked out in her jammies and lightly rubbed my outer thigh and said, "Mommy, you're a little chubby right here." 

I mean. Awesome. 

I was all geared up to be in my swimsuit glory on the beach with my kids. It was hard for me not to say, "Well sister, you have pretty much inherited this same body type sooooo good luck with those thighs in thirty years. " 

I feel like a lot of this is my body, healthy eating, work out obsessed, but still chubby fault. All I have to say is I have body issues. I am not sure I know one woman who doesn't. Except maybe that naked weird girl that was on the "Bachelor" last season. Mostly, I think that is all a farce anyway. It is now blatantly obvious that I have passed this on to my daughter. I have tried SO hard to be a healthy example to her and Aydan. Sigh. Epic Failure. I pretty much feel just like this. (On a bit of a Jack Handey kick)

With every new sunrise, there is a new chance; but with every sunset, you blew it.

Jack Handey

(1949 – ) comedy writer & humorist 

So let's talk about getting this 36 year old body dressed for school. After all, I am still a girl. I still want to feel like I am pretty. I am a tall 5'8, size 30-31 jeans, dress size 10 FULL FIGURED woman. I am still UNDER the national size 14 standard US size for a woman and yet I feel less than. <  Why is that? 

I have been told millions of times that I am beautiful. I have been told millions of times that I am stunning. 

I have also been told:

• I am built like a farmer ( I tried not to be offended but my ancestors are farmers, so now what?)
• I have a muscular back and shoulders ( Only bad if taken in the "you look like the hulk" sort of way...Oh and you're a girl)
• I am built like a German (again German ancestry in there somewhere) 
• I was told once by a girl in Jr. High that I looked like an egg standing on two toothpicks
• bird legs
• apple build
• sturdy

and the list goes on and on. Unfortunately, these phrases run through my head as I get dressed. Trust me. I have to shut them up EVERY SINGLE time I look in a mirror. So getting dressed can be a chore.  Let's also not forget to mention that I live in the lovely Sonoran Desert. Our days are hovering in the one hundred and ten to fifteens right about now.....staying cool is key.....modesty for me is also very important. What I am looking for as I get ready for school are several things: Musts.

Dressing the Teacher Musts:

1. Comfort
2. Mobility
3. Avoid looking frumpy
4. Stylish
5. Affordable...I want Kate Spade style on the cheap...
6. I need an outfit that will last all day and work as hard as I do.

I love Nordstrom. Love. It. I was recently shopping their anniversary sale. (Another thing I love each year) I found a couple of adorable skirts that met my requirements.

 

The Vince Camuto tube pencil skirt. They were 2 for $69 at the Anniversary Sale. They had several adorable prints but I didn't want to spend seventy bucks. Upon inspection, I realized that these skirts were probably very easy to make. So, that's what I did. The skirt I am about to show you cost me less than five dollars and an hour of my time. My Mom helped me figure out how to make it, but with my serger it was a cinch. 

First I laid a skirt I already had to use as a pattern. It was the exact length I needed but two sizes larger than my actual skirt size. I traced around the skirt, cut it out, zipped up the sides with my serger and my Mom folded the waist over for a quick waist band. The material was a polyester stretch so I didn't even need to add elastic to the waist band. The material is super thin and cool. THE BEST PART about this skirt...because of the fabric it is made out of, there is no need to hem the bottom. In fact, upon inspection the skirts from Nordie's weren't hemmed either.

Here is the look:

Teacher Outfit Numer Uno

Skirt: custom aka homemade, Top: Dolan (Anthropologie) Necklace: Anthropologie 

Shoes: Franco Sarto

Sneaky Tips: I worked at Antrhopologie for awhile. I love that store. It is my favorite. In fact I am anxiously waiting my 15% birthday discount card. A lot and I mean A LOT of their styles are recycled each season in different colors. Check Ebay! Also, if you live in Arizona there is a store in Gilbert on Market Street. It is called DownEast Home. The have last seasons Anthro clothes for a fraction of the price. I scored an ADORABLE tea party dress there for $12. Another Anthro Tip: Don't avoid the store if you love their clothes. I often shop for ideas and pick up cheaper copies at Marshall's or on Ebay. Also, they have GREAT sales. I have bought several dresses there for $40. A great price for a whole outfit, I say! 

Here is the same skirt styled a little bit differently. Color Pop. 

Top: LUSH check Nordstroms, Marshall's and Ebay Belt: Forever 21 and a TOTAL Anthro copy cat they have this belt every winter. I scored for under 10 bucks and have worn it for YEARS. Platforms: Guess..super comfy.

Skirt Length: You want to make sure your skirt is modest for teaching. (Sit Down in it when trying on!) If it comes to your mid thigh..I say too short for school. You also want to make sure it isn't a length that looks dowdy. We're going for pretty, not school marm. 

Back to school Pretty....

XOXO- The Sunny D

Camping 101: Where did my tent go?

Hooray for Camping! 

All of a sudden I had this urge to get out of town, I won't tell you what that urge was. Let's just say it was a great time to be on vacation. The heat was squelching my will to do anything productive. My kids were gone baby gone with their Dad. So J and I decided that we would leave at about 10 AM the next morning and head up to the rim. We didn't have any specific plans just to get somewhere cooler. It was 10 PM so I went to bed. I woke up the next morning threw a few camping necessities in my trunk picked up J and we were off to the wild unknown. 

All you need to know is I am an expert camper. I camped every summer growing up. Man OH Man that blue and white tent my family had for YEARS could be constructed and deconstructed in a matter of SECONDS. We had all kinds of gear, which made camping very fun. 

J and I....had no gear. Just our brains and our bare hands. Oh, and those three flashlights I decided to grab at Wal-Mart with the free batteries. Hint: If you buy three flashlights with FREE batteries you MAY want to think of buying back up batteries. 

Now, if I am an expert camper that would make J a big league camper. I mean the equivalent to holding a doctorate in camping. Since he pretty much built a log cabin once, and lived a whole summer in the woods. I learned this on our trip up north. I was pretty impressed. Mostly with his mother though, who somehow managed this experience. 

Anyway. We ate lunch at some Mexican food restaurant that had great reviews but ended up being mediocre mexican food. Florindos or something in Payson. We then headed to the Payson Wal-Mart to get our "supplies" meaning chips and guacamole...and a few other food staples. 

We headed to Christopher Creek to check out the campsites. I did not REALIZE that you can actually PAY for a campsite that has a fire pit and potties close by. I mean as long as I can remember we have just camped in the woods.  A campsite with a fire pit, picnic table and potties was like The Ritz of the wilderness to me. Except, there was no water in the creek bed and the campsite was full. So, we headed to Woods Canyon Lake to see what we could find. 

We found this aspen grove which was pretty cool. 

Most of the campsites were full. We did find one just past the turn off to the lake on the left side of the road. It was pretty nice and Rodney was the camp-keeper. He really liked Joe's BBQ. We set up camp and then went to check out the lake. 

There is the tent I borrowed from my sister. J had his own tent across the way. Pretty nice right? $15 a night. We went to the lake which was amazing. We walked around and then climbed down the dam. There were two elk mommies and a baby Bambie that were just laying in the Meadow. It was very endearing. We walked through this lush valley of green, water and trees. We forgot our camera's in the car, we first thought we would swim or rent a kayak but ended up just wandering around and exploring. It was amazing. I kept thinking how grateful I was for the beauty of the earth and how peaceful I felt to be surrounded by it. I realized then I need to make more of an effort to be in nature and  create opportunities for my kids to be in nature. Then the sky filled with ominous clouds and the sky began to darken. We reluctantly headed back to the lake. We walked around the edge of the lake which was dotted with fishermen. It started to sprinkle, we walked a little bit further and then the sky cracked its thunder whip. The clouds opened and let go of that heavy rain. J saw a rock overhang and we huddled under it. It was amazing there were these birds that were swooping down and catching fish right out of the lake in the downpour. I think we were both mesmerized by these birds and happy when we saw one had caught a fish in its talons. The rain subsided and we headed back to our campsite. As we arrived something was missing. 

My tent. 

Where'd my tent go? I cried. 

It had been blown over by the storm and was full of a few gallons of water. Luckily, I hadn't set up my bed yet! My clothes and tennis shoes were soaked. We got the tent situated and then decided to look for firewood. There wasn't any around the campsite it was picked clean....and we didn't have an ax. So we drove down the road to where J spotted some dead trees on the side of the road. He literally karate chop ninja'd that tree trunk into submission. We had our firewood. It was then I knew I was with a camping master. Master Miyagi fire wood collector. You can call me Daniel-san. I'm actually not kidding. I did help push the tree over a little and sat on the branch so J could snap of some of the other pieces. We went back to camp, started our fire and made dinner. We had smoke popcorn, which was not edible, hot dogs and s'mores. It was yum. 

The company was good, nature hugged us from every side and the fire warmed our bones. Sometimes you have people that come into your life that become wonderful friends. I have learned a lot from J ( I mean Master Miyagi). I have observed him and how he treats others. He is always willing to help. He is one of the kindest people I have ever met. I am glad to have him as my friend. Plus, he's pretty funny. 

The night was black. Pitch black. I didn't want to go to the bathroom by myself. My flash light was dimming after being on for two minutes. (Those excellent free batteries) So J and I walked over together. We walked in and I realized I could hear everything going on next door. It was strange, so I said out loud how strange it was. "Ummmmm...I can hear you." 

It sort of felt like this. Except we were in our own bathrooms.

We walked back to our tents and went to sleep. I had a dream that I woke up and the top of the tent was falling down on me. I screamed and then realized it was a dream and went back to sleep. There are strange noises in the forest at night. 

The next day we headed to Tonto Natural Bridge. It was such a beautiful place. I had never been. I hiked the whole thing in Havaiana flip flops. I'm talking SCRAMBLING hiking. It was pretty tough. The hike was hard and I had another revelation. I am not as in shape as I thought. I huffed and puffed...I could have blown the house down. I must increase my cardiovascular exercise! I was sort of shocked because I have been working out four to five times a week at Orange Theory. 

If you have never visited this natural wonder, YOU MUST. It felt so good to be in nature, hiking, swimming and sweating. Plus, it is magnificent. In my opinion nothing is more beautiful than the earth and all of the wonders within it. My pictures do not do it justice. 

We headed home back to the 116 degree heat. It had been a perfect reprieve from the heat, and life in general. 

Earlier that day J had mentioned the date and I realized that it was my wedding anniversary. It's weird when you realize that. A flood of thoughts ran through my head. Many memories happy and sad, broken or maybe just postponed hopes and dreams. I decided to focus instead on the present and I thanked the Lord for my blessings. How lucky was I to be in this beautiful place at this moment with one of my dear friends. I realized it was a tender mercy, and how thankful I was to have it. 

We went to Sonic and it was happy hour. Perfect. 

Two pina colada slushies and a drive home listening to Jack Handy quotes. I laughed so hard I had tear crusties at the corner of my eyes. 

Here are a few:

“If God dwells inside us like some people say, I sure hope He likes enchiladas, because that's what He's getting”

Children need encouragement. If a kid gets an answer right, tell him it was a lucky guess. That way he develops a good, lucky feeling.

The face of a child can say it all, especially the mouth part of the face.

If you think a weakness can be turned into a strength, I hate to tell you this, but that's another weakness

If a kid asks where rain comes from, I think a cute thing to tell him is "God is crying." And if he asks why God is crying, another cute thing to tell him is "Probably because of something you did.".

I bet one legend that keeps recurring throughout history, in every culture, is the story of Popeye.

If they ever come up with a swashbuckling School, I think one of the courses should be Laughing, Then Jumping Off Something.

-Jack Handy

It was a great day. 

XOXO-The Sunny D

Back To School Thinking...

These are some special shoes. Now, I love clothes. I love accessories and I ESPECIALLY love shoes. I EVEN love Jeffery Campbell who designed these beauties. I can't decide if they are horrible or clever. I'm leaning toward horrible unless your name is Miss Frizzle of course. I am a teacher. A fourth grade teacher and getting dressed for teaching can be tricky. There are rules. 

At my employment you cannot wear:

colored denim

ANY DENIM including that adorable chambray number hanging in my closet

anything immodest or too crazy

Let me tell you a story. 

One year I was teaching, my class was sitting on the floor and I was waltzing around them. I am sure with some very important ideas to share.  My lovely little class with their happy, shiny faces were looking up at me. I was in the middle of my very important lesson when I looked down and noticed a young fellow laying on his back trying ever so non-chalantly to look up my skirt. (which was ankle length) I could tell from the awkward angle he was craning his neck. Luckily, I wear very modest underwear that could be compared to a biker short. Which is lucky in cases like this. I looked at this young man and said, Sit up. He obliged, was surprised I had noticed and I never did have that problem again. 

Teacher Fashion. 

It sort of gives me a pit in my stomach. Teacher attire can go anywhere from...Did you comb your hair today to professional. I of all people would just LOVE to make work out attire appropriate for the classroom. And I mean regular classroom not PE. Oh boy do I love my yoga pants. 

I also have a slight, OK not so slight anxiety when it comes to dressing for work. I was told by someone I was once married to that I dressed like a "teacher." I was sad and hurt because, I am a teacher. I had images of this floating in my head

When I asked what was meant by teacher he said, "You know, you wear too many cardigans." The thing is this is true. I still wear cardigans, all the time. 

circa 2009

2009

2010

2010

2011

Hmmm..What year did my sister get married?

2013

2013

2013

2013

2014

Spain

The cardigan...a teacher staple. Or maybe a Dior staple. I'm going to try and post a few cute teacher outfit ideas this year. Coming soon. 

Just remember. It is still summer. Try not to email your favorite teacher overwhelming questions. In training I was talking to a colleague who just got caught up on her laundry from the school year...LAST YEAR. :) We love you, we can't wait to see you but please, PLEASE know we need the next few weeks of break just as much as you need your kids to get back to school. That is the Sunny D truth. 

XOXO-The Sunny D

Sunsplash....I Double Dog Dare You

Sunsplash is kinda like Birkenstocks. It never really goes out of style and is always effortlessly cool. I was telling my cousin Aubree as we walked into our work out at Orange Theory that I remembered one summer day we went to Sunsplash. I know we went to Sunsplash but the only thing burned into my memory of it was the fact that my Uncle David brought home red Squeeze-It's for us to drink afterwards while we were watching a movie. I thought that was awesome! Oh, and I was sunburned as usual.

Remember when there were only three blue slides and then the BONZI speed slides at Sunsplash? It was the coolest thing ever, and it still is.

My children are now in the golden school age years where Sunsplash is the epitome of summer fun. We have summer passes. We have been to Sunsplash in the past and every year it seems a new slide is added to the fun. I mean maybe not so much fun for Mom who has to LUG the giant rafts up 300 flights of stairs. At least I can count it as a workout. This summer Sunsplash did NOT disappoint. They added the new ride DOUBLE DARE.

I DOUBLE DOG DARE YOU TO TRY IT.

I did.

Yup.

Let me tell you what it is like. My kids wanted me to go with them, I had a slew of their friends in tow and so I said...Ok. I mean I love a thrill. How hard could this be? We climbed the stairs and just as we were to the top the ride quit working. I was so sad. (Not really) Then it was fixed. I heard the countdown and then the nerves started rolling in my intestines. Or maybe that was the Iceberg Ice Cream Shake we had just shared. Probably a combo. Anyway...we reached the top and it was my turn next. Ellie hopped right into her tube. As you can see from the picture above you stand in this tube. There's a countdown and you are DROPPED. The bottom literally falls out from under you. The shock of it all feels like you have been Karate Chopped to the throat and not even a slight whimper can pass through your lips. Its more like a GGHHuuurghh sound. Forget screaming. Which is pretty much my go to reaction on rides like this one. I remember thinking this must be what it feels like when people jump off of buildings. What a dumb thing to do, accompanied with not being able to breathe. Or scream. Then water is rushing into your face and your pretty sure you had an out of body experience. Then GASP. You can breathe, you get up and you walk off. Almost like a deer that has been hit by a car. Your pretty sure the poor thing is dead, then it just hops up and runs off into the meadow. That's what it feels like. Yeah, so go enjoy that.

My nerves were fried and my body shook for about an hour. I am serious.

It sure didn't stop me from dragging that inner tube another 10 flights of stairs to ride down what we lovingly call the "toilet bowl." However, I think once down the Double Dare may be enough for this old girl.

Sunsplash last summer

Summer Fun XOXO The Sunny D

A Breakfast Date

I literally had two warts burned off my body this week. What 36 year old seriously gets warts? The truth of the matter is I looked at my hand and there was a tiny little bump and in that tiny little bump was a little brown dot. hmph. I met one of my BFF's at Sunsplash yesterday to lay out. I held my hand up to show her my wart blister from the Dr. burning it off. She instinctively gave me a high five. To which I replied, "No! Look at my hand!" She said, What IS that? I said...HERPES, and laughed. Then I decided to tell her the truth.

My Mom always said not to show all your warts in the beginning of any relationship. Which basically means...keep all the crappy parts of yourself to....yourself.

All those parts will come out eventually right?

I had this breakfast date. This guy, I'll call him Monterrey was incredibly handsome. He was a hard worker, a good Dad. I mean all the checks on the checklist were checked. He had been texting me for a bit and wanted to talk to me on the phone one evening. I however, was deeply engrossed in one of my Netflix shows. So, I told him to give me five minutes. On the phone he was nice and had a lot of compliments to say which made the heat creep up my neck. I am sure it was red since I never know what to say to stuff like, "I can't figure out why you're not married yet, you're hot."

 Do you say....I can't figure it out either, or Yup, that's right buddy I am, or Thanks?

Or the truth, which is you haven't met anyone yet where you have that moment where you just know your willing to make the sacrifices necessary to be in a marriage with them, because you love them so much and they are your best friend. Or that you have an emotional wall that keeps pretty much everyone out except for the persistent.

He said some really nice things and a few things that made the hairs on my neck stand on end in that phone conversation. After that conversation I decided that I would go on that breakfast date to just SEE if this was someone I wanted to get to know better. The warty truth of it all though was, I was really just in it for the pancakes. 

So, at 9:53 I received a text asking my my ETA. We had previously decided 10 am would be our meet time and I was pulling into my parking spot. I was irritated. I met him at Kneaders and he was really into discussing blending families and stuff which made me feel pale and like this date was lasting four hours. Plus, some parenting things that just didn't jive with me. I just wasn't feeling it. Plus, he asked me if I counted calories and when I said yes he seemed annoyed.  To which I told him I also worked out pretty much five days a week. After a little bit, I said it was so nice of him to take me out but I had a lot of stuff to do today. (Like check out the Nordstroms Early Bird sale and finish Season One of my Netflix show) I hugged him goodbye and then looked at my phone to which I noticed that it had only been 45 minutes and quite possibly one of the longest shortest dates of my life.


It made me think. I was thinking about it a lot in fact. I wondered if there would ever be a man that just got the fact that they have to ease up a little bit. I can't be rushed to the alter on date numero uno. I also hoped that when the right thing is sitting in front of me I sure hope I'll recognize it. I know I will. I know because there will be peace present and not anxiety or hot insecurity creeping up my neck. Everything will just be ok. I know it. I'm waiting for that guy.

Warts are stupid XOXO The Sunny D

Anatomy of the Middle Aged Selfie

The Common "In the car selfie"

I was having a conversation the other night with some of my besties. We were discussing the selfie and middle aged women taking selfies. We discussed the "art" of taking the perfect selfie, there is a certain angle you want to get. The chin dipped, perfect lighting, wide doe eyes while minimizing wrinkles. We have found ourselves in this odd, LDS, mid-thirties, divorced with children group...... dating and trying to figure out life.  There are A LOT of women that post selfies on Facebook and Instagram, some of them post daily/bi-weekly selfies. I started wondering WHY? What is the purpose of all this picture taking? 

I have come up with a few thoughts that answer that question.

#1 Reason for the selfie....there is a man you are dating or talking to that wants you to send him a picture of what you look like. (Which I still totally DON'T get)

#2 Reason for the Selfie....You are a single parent and there is literally no one else to actually take this picture. 

#3 Reason--The " I have friends....and we do fun stuff selfies" 

Mexico

Road Trip

Depeche Mode Concert

#4 Reason for the Selfie...I'm in shape selfie...See? I work out and participate in competitive races

#5 Reason for the selfie.....The I love animals selfie. 

I don't think there is anything wrong with the selfie. Obviously, sometimes there is only one person to capture that picture of that cool moment in time. I do see a problem when someone posts, and posts, and posts obsessively...daily selfies documenting WHAT? That you worked out today? You ate lunch? I see this a lot with people my age. I think there is an underlying issue. Loneliness. People need love, attention, validation. When I see those chronic posts I want to say: You are enough. You are beautiful..YOU NEED TO BELIEVE IT TOO! The two second validation you get from someone liking your picture will not ease that hunger for someone else to notice. It has to come from somewhere deeper. We all have to learn to love ourselves and to know that we are enough. 

So if you feel the need for a little validation, a little love, to know someone cares about you....crank up this song. 

Try....Colbie Calliat

And know that YOU are AWESOME. The key is believing it. 

XOXO-The Sunny D

Asian Elephants

Not too sure about this elephant putting a wreath on me...........

Maybe by now you have read about the elephant in India that was released from abusive captivity. He was 50 years old and his feet were shackled in spikes until he was rescued just this week. He was owned by an Indian drug warlord and survived on handouts from people who passed by. When the elephant was freed the people spoke kindly and softly to him and he cried. Really. I saw the pictures and it made my heart break for this gentle animal. Especially, since my Mom and I had a few hours to spend with these beautiful creatures in Bali. It made me sad that there is cruelty in the world to animals and people. However, we visited an elephant sanctuary where the elephants are treated kindly. Oh they were the CUTEST. Let me tell you a little about it.....

All these elephants wanted was a snack. They were like giant golden retrievers, smart and gentle. Their tusks were not what I thought they would feel like. I thought it would feel like a soft squeegee or like my sons best friends hairless pug. Their trunks are rough like a heel with a cracked callous. They have sparse bristly hair on their trunks that are REALLY poky. These were Asian elephants, much smaller than their African counterparts. The way you can tell the difference from an Asian Elephant and an African Elephant is the Asian elephant only has one finger on its trunk. The African Elephant has two. They were SO sweet.

Elephant says: Where's my snack lady? 

See how happy she is? 

Look at those AWESOME toenails! 

I loved the sensation of them curling their trunk around the snack. Which was some sweet, barky stuff. 

Uhhhhh.....not sure if I can do this......nervous. 

Mission Accomplished

Ohhhhh boy that is unexpected.... and their trunks are HEAVY like a thirty pound rope resting on your head. I am glad my nose is just a little nose and not an appendage. 

And then.....there was the BABY. Who was TO DIE FOR, and just wanted......snacks. 

It has this adorable halo of bristly hair and it just loved its caretaker. See it lean against him? Can you see the Momma elephant close by in the background? 

I wanted to squish that cute little thing. It was SO sweet. 

 They let the elephants go for a swim in a big lagoon. They were so happy to be in the water they were rolling around and leaning up against each other. Then when the caretaker called to them, they BOTH SUNK deep into the water...just like my kids do.They were totally immersed. It's like they were saying, "We can't hear you..." Finally, after about ten calls they came and went to get their dinner. 

This is a male elephant, it has tusks you see. We went for an elephant ride. It was slow and bumpy! We had such a grand time spending an evening getting up close and personal with these beautiful gentle animals. 

I hope we can all be kind to animals and each other XOXO The Sunny D