Table for Eight

(c) Discovery/SeaWorld, 2012. If you haven't seen Sea World's LIVE 24/7 Penguin Cam , y ou MUST! It's just too great. I learned about it after Jenna Morasca (Survivor Amazon winner) mentioned watching it on Twitter.  And now our family's hooked on it.  It reminds me of having a fishtank.  There's  "no point," but that's the whole point: just non-stop coverage of the penguins in their habitat at Sea World (swimming, eating, walking in straight lines, etc.). And it kinda reminds me of Survivor for some reason. I love it--and think you will, too: http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/frozen-planet/penguin-cam/ **** PS: Don't forget Sunday is April Fools' Day.  Gotta have a good prank or two ready. (c) Pinterest, 2012.

(c) Food Network, 2012. Well, my original pick to win Survivor, Jonas, was "chopped" last night.  But, I had a feeling this was coming.  Maybe not this soon , but soon. Why? Well once Colton left the game I worried for Jonas--b ecause I really didn't see Jonas spend any time with Kim, Chelsea, Sabrina, Kay or Michael in the "One World" time in camp (first 8 days of game). (Remember, Jay and Michael were originally in an alliance with Matt and Bill.) And once the tribes merged last week, Nu Salani (Kim, Sab, Chelsea, Kat, Troy, Jay, Mike) had the majority--with Kim clearly at the helm (Holding an immunity idol in her bikini, ahem.).  So, in my mind, it was going to require A LOT of work for Jonas to gain some strength/staying-power in the game post-merge. (Because once the merge hits, you start looking to vote out players who can win/compete/take votes from jury. And as a result, you keep players like Tarzan and send home players l...

Two thoughts on my mind this morning: 1. April Fools' Day is Sunday. I need some good April Fools' Day pranks to play on my kids. Not the mean ones (like cellophane over the toliet seat), but the fun ones (like the above: google-y eyes on the food in the fridge).  PS: In the past, I've bought the Happy Meal boxes and toy from McDonald's, but filled them with homemade sandwiches, green beans, etc.--and had my husband "bring McDonald's" home for our kids. The kids didn't think that was very funny. (It kinda was though.) I also have a tradition of making rice krispie sushi on April Fools' Day. That's one the kids love! (You can find the recipe on Pinterest for sure.) 2. I want to make my own granola bars, but have to admit that makes me sound like a hippy. I'm on Day 10 of "no refined sugar," and while I feel good, it's seriously hard to cut Sugar out of my life. I mean, she and I have been BFFs...

Speaking at our local elementary for the kick-off of a Spring Fun Run. A few people have emailed asking me how the "speaking circuit" (we'll use that term loosely) is going? Well ... let's just say I love it! I love meeting people. I love hearing about their lives. I love that our family has been able to see new places. And I love talking about facing challenges and overcoming obstacles (adoption, Survivor, motherhood, etc.). And let's just also say that I'm learning.   A lot.  And fumbling.  A lot. For one, I'm not able to speak at all of the places where I'm invited (some are too far away, some are out  of my budget, some are in conflict with other events, etc.). So, I'm having to learn to say no--and not feel bad about it. That's been tough for me. (Have you read the book "I Feel Bad When I Say No"? I need to.) For two, it's actually kind of hard to balance my family-life, teaching, and the speaking en...

Some of you know my story, but just real quickly for those who don't-- I first auditioned for Survivor when I was 30. And I was eventually cast for Survivor South Pacific when I was 40. For 10 years I had this goal of being on Survivor! And while I know this is a silly goal for many people (the idea of being on a reality tv show), Survivor has literally changed/shaped my life in so many ways--it's been anything but silly. It's actually been incredible and life-changing. I have learned so much from the experience of auditioning (preparing, facing rejection), being cast, and eventually playing the game. But I think the most valuable lesson I learned playing Survivor is this: You're in charge of your life. If you're waiting for someone to give you permission, encouragement, inspiration, and the resources to live the life you dream about ... you've got it all wrong. Because if you're willing to work hard, be persistent, and face f...

(c) VW, 2012. I have one simple goal today. It's not --Clean garage or --Organize spice cupboard or --Change oil in car Nope. I'm buying a pi ñ ata. Blam! Have a great weekend.

I'm telling you, if you aren't watching Survivor, you should be. Why?  Because it's the greatest social experiment ever. Truly.  You can learn more about yourself (and society) by watching one season of Survivor than you can in a whole semester of university sociology. (Promise.) And with that glowing recommendation, here are some of my thoughts from last night's episode of Survivor One World: 1. It's just a game, but WOW , it can be a painful game. It was downright painful to watch Christina receive such mean comments from Alicia and Colton last night. And while I don't know the complete context for the comments, I do know one thing: it was painful to watch. (At a certain point, Christina was doubting herself, asking Tarzan if he liked her--and even Tarzan was unkind to her! What in the world?) This is the part of the game that really gets me thinking. There's so much room for discussion--because as a viewer you watch and wonder, ...

My new favorite book--which, I left in the hospital waiting room last week. And later found--in the hospital waiting room several hours later. (I love when that happens.) Kay, I'm keeping today's post short--because I'm hoping some of you will take a minute to comment/share. I'm trying to put together a gift basket of "Must Read" books for a friend (we'll call her "Dawn") ... so, what books should I put in the basket? (And why?) **** PS:  The comment function is really wonky with the new blog design. It's at the bottom of each post (see it?). If you're having trouble commenting, let me know: dawn_meehan@byu.edu

I just finished reading a book where one of the main characters (a Buddhist monk) asks another main character (a westerner) this one simple question: "Why so angry?" And the westerner's reply? Ironically, he's kind of angry about being asked such a question.  You see, he doesn't think he's angry at all. I have thought about that question a lot lately ( Why so angry? ). I wonder whether a lot of us (ME?) are walking around Planet E rather angry? Well, maybe not angry in the literal sense of the word, but angry as in frustrated, sad, short-fused, impatient, intolerant, overwhelmed, etc. Why? Well, for me and my house, I think when we are angry it's because we have filled our lives with too much noise. It's chaotic. And chaos makes us cranky. I love metaphors, so here goes: If life is a radio, then I'm trying to listen to 1.1 million stations-- all at once! And yet, I only have 2 ears. So, in an effort to ...

Congratulations "Katrina," the winner of our Glitter Lip Tattoos! (We'll be contacting you w/ the details first thing Monday.) And thanks to all who entered.

Papaya "flying" a Dollar Store kite. (PS: More like "running" the kite. I recommend spending more than $1.00 on your kite.) To be honest, there are times when I question living in Utah.  --We are far away from family. --It's cold for a good chunk of the year. --And it's kind of a long car ride to the ocean. But this week was not one of those times. For one, the Utah sky was INCREDIBLE: This is a man-made lake near our home.  (I'm sure some women made it, too, PS.) The park near our home. See ... the grass isn't greener. And for two, there are now enough Utah Survivors to hold a party. Heck yeah: Me, Cowboy Rick, Tyson, and Jonas. (With a fan--and I can't recall her name. Sorry!) **** Oh! And don't forget the latest Blog Giveaway ends Saturday (3/17) at 11:59pm. (Giving away glitter lip tattoos. Sounds like a Cracker Jack giveaway, but it's not. Promise.) **** PS: If you're a big...

(c) CBS, Monty Brinton, 2011. Did you see that tribe swap? How it turned out? What the what? How on earth did Kim, Kat, Sabrina, and Chelsea all land on the same tribe? This, my friends, is the part of the game that I like to call LUCK . You see, even though Survivor requires "outwitting, outplaying, and outlasting" ... it also requires LUCK . Because here's the deal, had Monica landed on Salani last night, she would still be in the game. Had Jay landed on Manono last night, with Colton/Jonas/Tarzan, Jay might have gone home last night. Had Kim and Chelsea landed on Manono, and Colton on Salani, Colton might have been sent home last night. The tribe make-up determines SO MUCH in this game. (Much like real life, the family you are born to--or raised by--really sets a strong course for your success/failure.) So, with that in mind, here are a few of my thoughts after episode 5 of Survivor One World : 1. The tribe swap could not have been worse fo...

(c) CBS, 2011. Okay, THIS is my favorite Survivor "thing": the tribe swap! And it's happening tonight on Survivor One World. (Woo hoo!) How do we know?  Well, in addition to the above video capture, showing Leif and Mike on different tribes, CBS released the promo confirming it (and yes, I'm old school posting the URL--I just like people to SEE where they're bein' linked): http://www.cbs.com/shows/survivor/video/2209169469/survivor-one-world-a-bunch-of-idiots   I can't wait! ( Can you? ) --Will Colton reign supreme? Will he get his comeuppance? --Will Sabrina continue to lead the women--even if they are on different tribes? --Will Mike, Leif, Monica, and Christina become part of a majority alliance after the swap? (Since right now, they all seem to be outside a majority on their respective tribes.) **** PS:  Why do I love the tribe swap so much?  1. Because it creates less stability and predictability in the game.  And...

I'm ready to celebrate! As of yesterday, I've been blogging for SIX solid years!  (Minus a month or two last summer when I played Survivor). I feel like that's a pretty big accomplishment. I mean, outside of breathing, eating, and praying, I can't think of anything else I've done--consistently--for 6 whole years. ( How about you? ) Anyway, my point! Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog (Dave, mom, dad, kids, Janae, Caralyn in Canada, Liz, Whitt, Rita the Mosquita, Megan in California--to name a few). It has meant so much to me to write each day, share my life, and connect with other people here on the blog.  Truly, thank you. Mwah-- from me to you! Oh, and wait! The giveaway! I thought it would be fun to do a giveaway for 3 temporary lip tattoos--since I learned all about them on my layover in Las Vegas this weekend. They really are all the rage. And the glitter ones are my fave. (c) Violent L...

I have spent a good part of my adult life training my brain to see the good in most situations. When something "hard" or "bad" happens, I really do try my best to reframe it--and FIND some life lesson or positive that comes as a result of said hard/bad experience. Sometimes this is easy. Like when the hard thing is gaining weight: Well, I'm fortunate I have enough food TO gain weight. OR when the bad thing is getting laid off: Well, this gives me more time with my family AND I never really liked that job anyway . But most of the time--and I mean MOST OF THE TIME--this is a difficult thing to do: --Like say for example, when you get in a car accident and one of the other drivers leaves the scene. --Or when your best friend is fighting an awful disease and has to bend metal with her mind just to tell you what's on her mind. --Or when your other BFF has to have a bone marrow biopsy. --Or when your other other BFF br...