From Crack Soup to Canadian Accents: Things I Learned from YOU This Week [Plus: 8 exercise-induce skin afflictions. I’m sorry]

This is how we spent our Friday night! Dinner and a show at IKEA. Doesn’t get better than this. (My fave part is how Son #3 looks like he’s ascending to heaven rightthisverymoment.) 

I’ve long maintained that the best part about this blog is you guys – readers, blog friends, internet confidantes. And it occurred to me today that perhaps I should share some of my comment-reading joy because, seriously, you guys are SO smart and sweet and funny. So here are some things that I learned from you this week! (And please accept my apologies that I couldn’t highlight all of you – I’m limited on time and wrist-strength for typing;))

Things You Guys Commented

From my post about soup, winter and Minnesotan accents I learned some very interesting things!

1. I loved Shady’s tip: ” I’m single and even a gallon of frozen soup can be a lot. For individual servings, put your soup in muffin tins, than stick the frozen muffins of soup in a ziplock back. And take out 1 or 4 for any serving size you wish. Ta da!” I’m totally going to use this one too since those muffin-sized servings will be perfect portions for my kids when I want to just grab them something quick! (Plus it will take way less time to defrost than a gallon bag!)

2. I got schooled by the Canadians about what constitutes a real Canadian accent. JavaChick, Jennifer, Geosomin, Nicole, Smac-a-roo, and Jasmine said I cannot blame the “bAYg” and “flAYg” phenomenon on our Northern Neighbor because they do not do that. (Nicole even practiced saying it out loud to herself to see if she really did say it like us Americans – which made me giggle at the thought that I’d driven sane Canadians to muttering random words under their breath. I have that effect on people!)

3. Heather @ Bake, Run, Live informed me there is such a thing as an electric blanket you can plug into a car charger so that I need never bemoan the fact again that we didn’t splurge on heated seats! How did I never know about this miraculous invention before?! That combined with a remote car starter might actually make me stop hating winter! Maybe.

On my confession about my failed vegetarianism there was a lot of interesting discussions going on in the comments!

1. Abby and Hannah pointed out that there is “a huge difference in the way I (and other people who were raised vegetarian/pescatarian) and people who chose to live that way later approach a vegetarian diet. From the very beginning I had the tools to get complete nutrition on a pescatarian diet since all the foods I grew up eating fit into that. I can see where that would be a huge lifestyle adjustment if you didn’t. Also I find that a lot of people who chose it later are more militant and want to “convert” others more.” I think they’re right and I’d totally never thought of it that way before! Probably because I wasn’t raised veg…

2. Hannah (apparently on a role) wrote in a different comment (so maybe a different Hannah?) about how we all need to keep the bigger picture in mind: “The thing that frustrates me is that paleo and primal and vegan and raw and fruitarians, etc all spend so much time hating on each other when they are all fighting for a common goal – real whole food! We should all work together to get the standard diet changed and fix regulations that make whole foods so much more difficult and benefit the big companies.” Amen to this!

3. Julie, who is a chemist AND a chef (what a brilliant combo is that??), wrote “What I realized is that everyone eats. And, every one has an opinion about it. I just wish people would enjoy their food, and stop trying to make soy into creations that taste like meat.”

The comments on my post about choosing happiness (and on Facebook – thank you so much to all of you who took the time to pin/share/tweet it! I was surprised how far it went!) made me warm and fuzzy all day.

1. Sarah made an interesting and important distinction that I loved: ” I realised I wasn’t cynical – I am skeptical, and that’s a great attribute for critical thinking.”

2. Crabby McSlacker over at Cranky Fitness has more great tips about how to be happy and she even includes the science behind why they work! Great minds post alike;) (And thanks for the shout-out to my post – so sweet of you!)

3. Alyssa added a great comment about a book she’s currently reading: “I read a quote in a book last night, and I’ll give part of it: “Eventually you will realize that you are perfect.” LOVE that! Not “Will be perfect AFTER YOU HAVE lost 20 pounds/gotten plastic surgery/quit smoking/bought a house” etc., etc., but NOW.” I love it too!

You guys had lots of fun things to say about different cultural traditions around food that you’ve tried on my post about serving my kids meals in courses, a la the French.

1. Tess brought up a very interesting caveat and one that I’ll admit I didn’t think about at all: “I think for some kids, picky eating is related to other types of sensitivity (e.g. sensitivity to textures, being generally more hesitant of novel things). I was definitely a picky eater and I remember how upsetting it was to be expected to eat something I wasn’t comfortable with. One discolored cornflake in the bowl could make me nauseous all through breakfast. Textures were particularly problematic, especially with cooked vegetables.” I do think my kids tend towards the sensitive side so now that I’m aware of it I’ll definitely try and be more conscious of it. For what it’s worth, my 3rd son does seem to be handling it just fine. There were tears the first night but haven’t been any problems since then. I think if they really dug their feet in I wouldn’t force them – for instance my 2nd son just gags on squash so I don’t make him eat it. He’s tried it enough to know he doesn’t like it. And that’s okay too. Thanks for the reminder!

Things You Wrote on Your Own Blogs (I wish I had time to include more!)

“My Metabolism: A true life horror story” Gaye at Confetti Drop outdid herself with this one! I don’t know what I loved more – the fact that she argues with her metabolism like I do or the fact that she actually illustrated said arguments with chalk and a very accurate rendering of Jabba the Hut. You will laugh.

“It’s the Little Things” Abby at Abby Has Issues tackles all the little annoyances that are part and parcel of daily life – and she does in hilariously. I couldn’t decide which was my favorite – the losing the sock in the snowboot or the avocado that’s 90% pit – until I got to this winner: “leaving a very long and insightful/witty comment on a blog only to be confronted with a captcha. Not just any captcha, but one that completely resets the page—erasing your comment in the process—every time you fail the captcha (one that looks like an impossible Rorschach test, I might add.)”

Other Things I Wrote This Week

8 Exercise-Induced Skin Afflictions. Let me tell you the research for this one made more paranoid than Chuck Norris in a Bruce Lee movie. Enjoy!

7 Nutrients That Help Increase Muscle Tone. Sure your workouts affect how strong you get but what you eat can also affect how you grow your guns!

In the Gym With Pro Skier Paula Moltzan. I got to watch one of the youngest skiiers on the US national ski team train – and then I got to try her workout. It was ALL the fun! Look for more on this workout next week;)

And don’t forget – there’s still time to enter my Archetype Me giveaway and get you a $50 Visa card!