Thoughtful Thursday....Intentions

As I took Rally for his early morning walk, I asked myself, 'Self...what have you been thinking about this week?" And while I haven't been thinking about it all week, last night at church got me thinking about intentions....
I have been attending the Love & Respect class on Wednesday nights. I read this book years ago. I hated it. I still hate it. It asks us to do things that do not come naturally to us. I get that it is for our greater good, but I hate it.
BUT...I know that it is all true, and it is really good stuff.
Anyway.......the foundation of the class is:

Ephesians 5:33
However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Husbands are to love their wives and wives are to respect their husbands. Not as easy as it sounds! But it is mandated by God.

Another big idea that is taught in the class is to give one another the benefit of the doubt. Don't assume that your spouse means what you think they mean. When your spouse says something to you that you find offensive or hurtful, give them the benefit of the doubt that they did not mean for their words to be taken in the way that you receive them.  Hard work!!!!!

Let's face it...most arguments/disagreements/deep discussions/divorce? are caused due to misunderstanding. Communication is not the key...understanding is! We can talk and communicate until we are blue in the face, but if we do not understand one another, it is useless.(just a note: I suck at this! I am writing this for myself. I am probably the only one reading this that needs to hear it.

So, how do we do this? I DON'T KNOW!!!!!!!!!!
Maybe, we could purpose to not react to one another's words until we are clear on what is being said and why.

Here is my example that I shared in class last night
(I don't usually like to share in class, but as I was sitting there and different people were speaking, it sounded to me like they all have perfect marriages and don't need to be in a marriage class. So I wanted to speak for those of us that do struggle.)

When I feel that Jeremy is being too hard on one of the boys, I usually give him a "look" that is meant for only him to see.

My intention in this "look" is for Jeremy to step back and think about what he is doing and hopefully, back off realizing that he is going overboard. The heart behind that intention is that I want Jeremy and his sons to develop and grow a rich, meaningful, lasting relationship. When I see one of the boys shut down and internalize his anger, I see that relationship being torn down rather than built up. I also know that when you get caught up into the cyle of the battle-of-the wills, it is hard to draw yourself out without some external interruption.

When Jeremy sees my "look" he reacts as though I have completely undermined who he is as a parent. From what I am learning, I assume that he feels disrespected. And he reacts accordingly. Which usually ends up with us not talking for a period of time.

So, I need to find a way to let my heart and intentions be known and, in this case, Jeremy needs to not assume that I am undermining his authority.
Am I wrong? Are we the only ones?

Truth Tuesday....Being a Mom

Having kids is…….so many things….
My friend, Rebecca and I often joke that if someone had told us how stressful having kids would be, we would have just chosen to have dogs instead. But, nobody informed us. We also know that if we didn’t have kids, we would be yearning to do so.

Like any mom, when I gave birth to my first son, I was overwhelmed with the love that I felt. I did not know that this level of love even existed. It hadn’t yet, in me. Having a child really is like having your heart walk around on its own. It is an indescribable love. You cannot know it, unless you are a mother. I believe that a mother having a child by adoption feels the same love.

So, when your child is a baby (if they are healthy) it is the most wonderful time. Getting to know this new little person that you just met, but love more than anyone else. If they have medical problems and as the healthy ones grow, it gets scary. What if something happens to them? What if this child is taken from you? What would you do? How would you survive having had this love and lost?

A mother’s love is scary and yet wonderful and beautiful and empowering. Crazy!

My kids make me insane! If you know me at all, this is no surprise. I like to be in control. I like to know exactly what is going to happen. What the outcome will be. Having kids does not fit my picture-perfect fantasy. What if they turn their backs on Christ? What if they choose a lifestyle that I don’t approve of? What if they make really horrible choices? What if they decide that they hate me and never want to see me again after they graduate? Ugh!!!! Any of those things would devastate me.
Although, none of those things would make me love my child any less. It would hurt. I have watched this happen to mothers that I love. It hurts.
I don’t know. I think that I may have preferred to be ignorant of this level of love. That would have been much safer.
I am praying that my kids will grow to be adults that love God and want to walk in His will and plan for their lives. Will they fail? Of course. I do all the time.
But, I know that as much as I love my kids, my God loves them and me, even more. That is a love that I cannot comprehend.
I am guessing that in the end, the good times will outweigh the bad. And maybe I will not remember all of the bad as my boys grow up. My heart’s desire is to have a deep and personal and real relationship with them as they grow and as they go out into the world to make their way. That would make my heart happy.
And in the end…it will all be worth it. Sometimes God gives me little glimpses that makes me think that it is.

Mmmmmmm.. Monday..........

Artisan Bread

What you need:
6+ Cups Flour
1.5 TBP Kosher Salt
1.5 TBP Dry Active Yeast
Corn Meal
3 Cups Water
Cookie Sheet (I use my Pampered Chef Pizza Stone)
Heat Oven to 450 for 30 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the Yeast and Salt. Pour 3 Cups almost hot water and mix well. Add 6 Cups Flour. Mix well. If the dough is not wet and sticky, add a little more water.

Cover large bowl with a clean dish towel. Let sit for 2 hours.
On baking sheet, sprinkle Corn Meal.
Take out enough dough to make a loaf of bread (this recipe makes 3 loaves.). Form into loaf and place on corn meal cookie sheet.

I usually make a couple of cuts on the top of the loaf, with kitchen scissors and try to make a lattice-type top.
Sprinkle with flour.
Let sit for 40 minutes.
In another oven-safe dish, put some water and put in oven on bottom rack.
Place bread in oven and turn oven down to 375.
Bake for about 35 minutes, or until it is the golden brown that you want it.

Let cool for 15 minutes or so. Cut, butter and serve.

Note:

My family likes it when I make pizza bread with this recipe.
For this, I cut the loaf of bread lengthwise and add pizza sauce, cheese and toppings and place back in oven until the cheese is fully melted.

Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!

Truth Tuesday....

There is so much hurt and ugliness in the world. I hate that. Life is not fair. People should not go hungry. Kids should not suffer. People groups should not have to endure torment by others. A mother should not have to say good bye to their child and walk out the door knowing that all that will be left of that child's body is ashes. People should not feel so alone and hopeless that they take their own lives. Kids should feel safe going to school, but not all do. These things hurt my heart. My soul cries out.."NOOOOOO!!! It isn't fair!!!!!!!!"

I don't have an answer to why these things happen. What I hold onto is my hope in Jesus. I believe that the Bible is the infallible and complete Word of God. I have faith (hope in what I cannot see). I cannot see wind. But I can see how the wind blows the leaves all over the place and makes the tree sway back and forth. So I know that wind exists. It is the same way with God. I cannot see him. But I can see how he affects people and lives.

John 16:33, in the Amplified Bible, says:
I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]

Nahum 1:7 says: The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him,

and one of my very favorite verses...

Isaiah 26:3 You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.

The Bible does not tell us that we will not have any problems when we turn our hearts and lives over to Christ. It tells us that we will experience hardships and turmoil and temptation. BUT...God will be there with us to walk us through these things. He will hold our hand or carry us, if that is what we need. BUT...first we have to put our complete trust in Him. Focus on Him. We have to give our lives to Him, completely and unreservedly.

I do not know how people can go through this life without the hope of eternity with Christ. Without knowing that everything will be made right. That Jesus has overcome sin, death and the grave through his death and resurrection. I would be an alcoholic or a drug addict without that assurance. It is not always easy. But the reward is going to be worth the journey. I just know it!

p.s. One of my favorite websites is http://www.biblegateway.com/ You can look up passages by word searches or if you know the location. You can see the same verse in any translation It is very cool!!!!

Mmmmmmm.. Monday..........

This is THE BEST Tortilla Soup!!!!! I have ordered Tortilla Soup from several restaurants, just to test it out. I have not found any better!!!! I LOVE it!!!!!!! (Oh, and it is from Jennifer James-Rachi...whom you have previously read about. I love her to... If you would like to check out her blogspot, here it is: http://romeojen3girls.blogspot.com/. And her cupcake blog: http://gottalovethecupcakes.blogspot.com/

Crock Pot Tortilla Soup

4 chicken breast halves
1 garlic clove, minced
2 Tbsp. margarine
2-14 1/2 cans chicken broth
2-14 1/2 cans chopped stewed tomatoes
1 cup salsa (which ever you prefer)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp (or more) ground cumin

8-oz Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
sour cream
tortilla chips

1. boil, debone, and shred chicken ( I tend to shred in large pieces)
2. add minced garlic to margarine in hot slow cooker. Saute
3. Combine all ingredients except cheese, sour cream, and chips.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 8-10 hours
5. Put shredded cheese in bowl and cover with soup. Sprinkle with chips and a dollop of sour cream.

Enjoy!!! I wish that I had the time and all of the ingredients to put it in the crockpot right now!!!!!!

Fitness Friday.......

While contemplating which way to go this Friday, I mulled over what “fitness” means. The first definition of “Fitness” on dictionary.com is :
health –noun
1. the general condition of the body or mind with reference to soundness and vigor: good health; poor health.
2. soundness of body or mind; freedom from disease or ailment: to have one's health; to lose one's health.
3. a polite or complimentary wish for a person's health, happiness, etc., esp. as a toast: We drank a health to our guest of honor.
4. vigor; vitality: economic health.

Which perfectly matched what I was thinking. Fitness is not only about your body being “fit” and/or healthy.
There is mental health..spiritual health..physical health..finanical health..relational health..and on and on.

I don’t know about anyone else, but none of these things are easy for me. I know that the key to physical health is resistance. Resistance training involves weights or bands or something that is going to challenge your muscles to work harder than they are accustomed to working. This tears the muscles down so that they can be made stronger.
To be physically fit you need to be able to resist the temptation of food….whether it is quantity that is a struggle or the types of food to which you are attracted. You have to resist.
I struggle with this. You have to be able to keep yourself from doing things that you want (taking a fork to a whole Costco cake) and make yourself do things that you don’t want to do (drag yourself out of bed at the horrendous time of 4:25am to get a bike near a fan for the 5am spin class).
The reward is WONDERFUL. You feel better physically and mentally. You feel stronger, and more in control. You are controlling your body instead of allowing your un-healthy thoughts to control you and keep you where you are sick and tired of being.

Well, I find that this same concept challenges me in all of the other areas of health and fitness also.

I spend money that I don’t have because I really want something that I can’t afford. This is not healthy. I know it is not healthy. It takes the practice of resisting to change your mindset. “If I do not buy this item, do this thing, take this trip that I want so badly right now, it will help me to be able to pay off all of the other things, trips, experiences that I have already thrown away and forgotten about, that are still piled up on my credit card. It will enable me to get to a place that I am able to make a purchase and not regret it when that monthly statement comes.

I KNOW this in my head. I know that the benefit so outweighs the sacrifice. But, when it comes down to telling myself “NO”, I usually give in to the temptation and take the path of least resistance, which only keeps me from growing stronger.

Everything in life worth having, worth being, worth enjoying is a challenge. Things that come too easily do not have much value. How can you truly value something that took no effort?
If someone gave you the car of your dreams would you treat it the same as you would if you had worked for 15 years to save up the money to buy that same car? No! It would have so much more value to you….even though the actual value of the car is the exactly the same.

And then there are relationships. This is another area that the path of least resistance only leads to weakness. Weakening marriages, friendships, parent/child bonds. If we don’t make ourselves do the hard stuff, relationships can wither. Have that hard conversation, say “no” when you need to, deal with the issues as they arise so that you do not wake up one day and realize that the issues have so many caused so many symptoms you don’t even know where to start.

Keeping the house clean. Ugh! The path of least resistance….allowing clutter to build up, laundry piles to grow, dishes accumulate in the sink…leads to a major blow up in our house. But I always seem to go that path! Why can’t I just make myself and my kids, and encourage my husband to get things done at the time so that I don’t have to have a major cleaning session which includes a melt-down and a LOT of yelling and horrible feelings???? WHY???????????



Am I preaching to the choir? I am preaching to myself here! My goal is to be more thoughtful and deliberate regarding the things that I allow myself to do, things that I need to do, what I put in my mouth (and how much of it), needs vs. wants, etc. My focus is going to be, “what is going to help me achieve my fitness/health goals?”.

Is anybody in the same boat? Similar boat? Completely different boat?

I would love to hear your thoughts……….

Thoughtful Thursday... Thoughts about "My Friend" Jen.....

So, yesterday I was contemplating what I would blog about today. My thoughts wandered toward my friend, Jen. If you live near me or talk to me on any kind of regular basis, you either know her or know of her. She is WONDERFUL!!!! The topic "Thoughtful Thursday" fits her perfectly. She is one of the most thoughtful people that I know.....except when she moved to Arizona, which I refer to as "H.E.!!". But, even then she was being thoughtful, because she did it for her husband, mostly. I hope he doesn't read this..hmmm....no he won't.
So, here are some things that I have learned from "My Friend" Jen in the past 5 years.....
*Even though it is her first Sunday in a new church in a new state, she is willing to sign up to be a volunteer for VBS..
*You can use your phone as a reminder that you have set a limit and aren't supposed to eat past 7pm....
*I (yes ME) CAN go to the gym and work out at 10pm---but I don't enjoy it--...
*Blogging is fun...especially when you structure it with daily topics..even though I teased her about it when she mentioned it....
*Moovin' 92.5 is a great station to listen to when you are alone in the car...
*You should always have a stocked box of s'mores supplies....
*Salad everyday is WONDERFUL....
*I LOVE the sauna....
*Craisin are a staple...
*Not everyone loves to stay in their pjs all day...(I don't get it)...
*VBS t-shirts can be stylish!!....
*You can have a commuting partner, even if they are a stay-at-home mom....
*.....even if they move to H.e.!!.....


So, as you can see I have learned a lot of life lessons from Jennifer James-Rachi. I miss her terribly. She really is one of the most thoughtful people that I know. She is always willing to.....
...take someone a meal
...organize a work day for someone in need of help
...babysit your kids (especially if she knows that she will get that favor returned)
...organize the collection of virtually anything that will help a person, group of persons or family
...make the MOST DELICIOUS CUPCAKES for a special event, or just because
...chat on the phone when you need to talk
...drop anything she has going on if she is able to help in any way
.........


So, as you can she...she is great. WA is really going to miss her and AZ is lucky to have her!!!!
I heart you Jennifer!!!!!!!!!

WHAT???????????? (In a really good way!)

So, in August I had an appointment in Seattle with a Neurosurgeon to look at my aneurysm. This very SMALL aneurysm was detected last summer when I was diagnosed with a Right Internal Carotid Artery Dissection, through several MRI's and CT Scans. I went through the treatment for the carotid thing and was taken off the meds for that. I was then referred to the neurosurgeon that is an expert on aneurysms.
ANYWAY....
The day of my Seattle appointment, I left work early and went to the Everett Clinic to pick up the CDs with my imaging on them. Jeremy took time off work to meet me at Swedish Hospital. We had separate cars and both had to pay for parking. After getting all signed in, WEIGHED, and waiting for the doctor to make it to my exam room, the nurse discovers that the CDs are BLANK! No images of my brain nor my vasculars. Nothing.
Needless to say, I was ANNOYED!
I was told to definitely call the Everett Clinic and complain. I thought about it, but really? What could they do? It was a mistake. That happens.
Well....
2 weeks ago I got the bill for that office visit..(that reminds me...I need to fax them a copy of my insurance card)...$92.00 for nada! There is nothing that the neuro guy could have said to me without actually seeing the said aneurysm, eh!
So, I called the EC and spoke with a very nice older gentlemen who took my complaint. I simply asked that they pay for the office visit. Obviously I am going to get billed for the appt. The doctor did take time for me.
I honestly didn't expect to even hear back from them.
BUT......
yesterday, I got an envelope from The Everett Clinic, which is not unusual because I have been making monthly payments to them for a good year and a half now for at least one of us, and up to all 4 of us at once.
Upon further inspection, I realized that it was not a bill, but a check. Also, not unusual, I just figured I had over paid one of our accounts and they were refunding the over payment. Well......there was a letter with the check.
A REALLY NICE LETTER.
The director of the Advanced Imaging dept. completely and sincerely apologized for their error and reimbursed me the full amount of the office visit, as well as extra for other inconveniences. I got a check for $150 and the nicest most unexpected letter!
WHAAAAAAAAAAAAT???????? That was awesome!!!!!!!

Truth Tuesday....

Normally, my goal is to write a scriptural truth. BUT....I am sharing my truth for today....

My truth today=
*I am fat (have gained TWENTY pounds since hurting my knee in June)
*I NEED to stop eating so much.
*I DID go to spin this morning.
*Jeremy's car is in the shop so he had to take mine to work.
*I can't get to work (not sad about this.
*I have a doctor's appointment at 2pm (might make it, might not).
*Our washing machine broken.
*I am going to try to fix the broken washing machine.
*Most of the clothes in the house are dirty (no car to go to the laundromat)
*The house is a wreck (good thing I can't go to work).......

Also, I happened to watch Dr. Oz last week and saw a show on a challenge he has put out there.. lose 10 pounds by the end of the year...So I am taking it....
http://members.doctoroz.com/challenge/the-just-10-challenge

It is a program to help ME and you, if you want. It is pretty basic. But weight loss is basic. Eat fewer calories than you burn. Simple right? Ha hahahahahah!
So I signed up for it. I copied and pasted the eating portion of the program below. He also says to take vitamin b6 and some kind of mango supplement. I will be checking that out too.

Anyhoooo......that is it for today!

Dr. Ro developed a diet plan that breaks down the foods you love into the serving sizes that will help you lose 10 pounds.
TASK #1
Know Your Serving Sizes

Each day, you get a total of 10 servings of the food you love, but the key is portion size. Here's your guide:
Proteins and Fats 4 Servings
1 serving of chicken = 1 breast (skinless)
1 serving of meat and fish = no larger than the palm of your hand
1 serving of beans = 1 cup
1 serving of cheese = the size of 2 dice
1 serving of olive oil = the size of a poker chip

Complex Carbohydrates 3 Servings
1 serving of spaghetti = the diameter of a quarter (measure dry)
1 serving of grains (like cous cous, rice and quinoa) = 1/2 cup uncooked; 1 cup cooked

Fruit 3 Servings
Whole fruits = the size of 1 scoop of ice cream
Berries = 1 cup

Vegetables Unlimited Servings
You should never be hungry during the Just 10 Challenge. Fill up on the fiber and nutrients found in your favorite vegetables.

Additionally, you can have dessert every other day. However, that dessert can be no bigger than the size of your hand.

Family Friday

I was going to start out with Fitness Friday, but since today is the day that it is, I decided that Family was more suiting.
Today, we will be attending the memorial service for our 16-year old nephew that passed away three weeks ago. I can't even wrap my mind around this. I don't know what to say about it really. 25 days ago, Ryan was a vibrant, healthy, athletic boy who was working on getting good grades so that he could get his driver's license. On a Wednesday morning he passed away at home in his bed, completely unexpectedly. Why???? How does a family move on after losing a child? I don't understand. I know that it happens everyday. People lose their loved ones and somehow find the strength to keep on living. They have to find a new kind of "normal" to walk out every day. The other kids need to have a mom and dad. They still need breakfast, lunch and dinner. They still have to get to school and sports and events. But, how does a mom make herself continue to do all of those things. I am guessing that you just have to do what has to be done even though your heart is not in it. I don't know. I am struggling with this. My heart is broken for Glenda and for Russ and for Kaitie and Sean. I don't know how you move on from here.
I know that the right and the true thing to say is that there is a reason for everything. God knows the big picture. We have to trust that there is a bigger purpose for this suffering. But that really doesn't make anything better. Not now anyway.
I didn't know Ryan very well. He is quite a bit older than my boys and we weren't around him very much. But, I have learned that he had a huge heart. He saw people for who they really were, not who they were percieved to be or who they portrayed themselves to be. He was a good friend to all around him. He was outgoing and funny. He welcomed new comers to his school. He had a gorgeous smile. That I did know. I also know that his sister and his mom adore him.
It hit me yesterday, while talking to Russ and Glenda that we should not wait until it is too late to share positive things that we see in each others' kids. So, when I notice a young person being kind or going above and beyond, I am going to share that with his or her parents. We all need to hear those things about our kids.
I want to know my kids. I want to know how they feel about things, what they think about things. What are they passionate about, what do they do only because it has to be done. That is my new goal.
I need to appreciate the kids that I have and the young men that they are growing to be. You really never know when you will hug them, or hear their voice for the last time. That is a painful thought. I want to make sure that I have no regrets (well, from here on out anyway, because I already have plenty!).
So, hug your kids, tell them how special they are to you. Make sure that you don't just think that they know that they are loved. Make sure that they actually feel loved!.

Thoughtful Thursday...

When my friend, Janet Brown Hicks (as I like to call her), heard that we were flying to Sacramento, she offered to take us to the airport...and pick us up...and leave our car at her house. Jan has been an coworker, of mine, since last fall. A couple of weeks ago her position was eliminated, so she finds herself with lots of time to spend with her new baby grandson and being a wonderful friend!!!
I told her how nice the offer was and that our flight was at 7:30 am, which would mean that we would have to be at her house at 5am. "No big deal" she says!!!
So, we took her up o her very THOUGHTFUL and kind and generous and wonderful offer. So, here I am at the airport and praying that she made it safely back to her house as she was driving my manual transmission 5 speed car.
T H A N K Y O U J A N E T B R O W N H I C K S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WHAT???????? Wednesday

SERIOUSLY.....ARE YOU KIDDING ME???????????????
I would think that fire fighters everywhere would have a problem with this. Don't you become a fire fighter to help people? I am just saying!

Tennessee Firefighters Watch House Burn Down; Owners Didn’t Pay Subscription Fee
Oct 3 2010 Posted in U.S. News by Dan Evon with View Comments
In certain parts of Tennessee, there is a $75 subscription fee for firefighter services. Gene and Paulette Cranick of South Fulton, Tennessee, learned the hard way that that subscription fee is not a joke.
A group of firemen arrived to an emergency call, then watched the Cranick’s house burn down. The Firefighters were ordered not to put out the fire because of an unpaid subscription fee.
When the fire spread toward a neighbor’s house, the firefighters did step in. The neighbor, of course, paid the subscription fee.
Mr. Cranick, the owner of the house, said:
“I thought they’d come out and put it out, even if you hadn’t paid your $75, but I was wrong.”
The Telegraph reports that the Cranick’s live in a rural part of Tennessee, out of the firefighters typical designated area. The people who live in South Fulton, Tennessee, can pay a $75 fee to have their house protected by firefighters, but it is not a mandatory fee.
Timothy Cranick, the owner’s son, was arrested shortly after his parent’s house burned down for punching the fire chief.

Truth Tuesday....

I am going through the Beth Moore Bible Study, Believing God (albeit very slowly). One of the topics she covered is that God acts on what he remembers. In the Bible, it often says, "God remembered...." Well, I thought that God remembers everything all the time. Does he forget about people? NO!! When the Bible says this, it shows that God is going to act on that persons behalf, or against that person, if it is necessary. And, Beth makes the point that we act on what we remember also. Our pasts are always a part of us, but the parts of the past that are on our minds, the beliefs about our selves that have become a product of our pasts are the things that we act on. So we need to be deliberate about what we remember and what we think about, so that we act upon those thoughts and not just the random thoughts and memories that pop into our heads.
Beth says, "Beloved, both freedom and faith emerge from deliberate acts of the will to shift our focus from all that begs to differ to the great and glorious truth of the living God. Remember his goodness, we are far more inclined to believe him in our present and future. Be deliberate, Dear One. Remember, we're going to act on that which we remember most." p. 155.
God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded. Genesis 8:1

Gonna Try Something New

My friend, Jen (who is abandoning me to move back to Arizona this week) came up with this idea, or stole it from someone else, but I like it, so I am going to steal it. Each day of the week has a basic heading and you blog about something under that heading each day. So I am going to try. Sitting at Samuel's baseball practice last night, with no laptop or book, I got out a pen and paper (funny huh?) and came up with my list of topics. Here they are:
Mmmmmm Monday...a new recipe to try or just one that I love that I want to share.
Truth Tuesday....a biblical scripture or concept that has stuck out to me, recently.
WHAT? Wednesday...something that has made me say..."WHAAAAAAAT?".
Thoughtful Thursday...maybe a specific challenge in how to bless someone, or something that I found...thoughtful.
Fitness Friday (This might change to Family Friday.)...A fitness tip.
Sassy Saturday/Sunday....Just something fun for the weekend.
We will see what happens.
Oh, and I can blog randomly too. I also wrote a list of things to blog about on my family blog and this one.
So, are you ready?????

Ok.....Not So Much

Well, my Lemonade Diet is over. I got kind of scared by some of the comments and then it was clenched when a trainer that I trust told me, in no uncertain terms, not to drink anymore salt water. So, now what? I do not know. I was really set on making it through the 10 days, so I am a little frustrated. I guess I am going back to eating healthy and regulating my calorie intake and working out as much as I can. I did lose a few pounds in the 2 1/2 days that I was on the diet. But really I just want to get my body into fat-burning, weight losing mode.
I am going to make a Dr. appointment to talk to my naturopath about weight loss and my other issues. If you know me at all, you know what they are. :)
p.s. My friend, the trainer also recommended a book that she said I must read. I, of course, got on the library website immediately to put a hold on it. I am number 40 on the reserve list. I am thinking I might just go to Borders and buy a copy. I am curious. The book is:

Some Adjustments

So, the book says that day 2 is one of the hardest days. That was NO lie! I fought with myself all day. Going back and forth about allowing myself to eat. I was sooooo hungry. The popcorn in the children's dept at church was tantalizing! Sooooooooooooo....I finally decided to allow myself fruits and veggies for the rest of this craziness. Others were telling me how crazy I was to not be eating and still expect to be able to work out as usual. That made sense to me. I haven't found anything in the book about working out. As I am typing I am trying to get down my 32 oz. of salt water. I cannot describe how disgusting it is!!!!!!! What is causes is pretty disgusting too!!!!! For real!
I go to work today. I am going to take fruit and veggies with me and my oh so yummy lemonade concoction.
I have spin class today at 4:15. Woooooo Hoooooo!!!!!!!
Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cayenne Pepper and Maple Syrup and Lemons...OH MY!

So, a friend mentioned "the lemonade diet" to me a while back. So I looked into it. I checked out several books about it. It is officially called The Master Cleanse.

The bottom line is this:
10 days of eating and drinking NOTHING except:
-6-12 glasses of the "lemonade" (2 TBSP fresh squeezed lemon juice, 2 TBSP Grade B Maple Syrup, 1/10 tsp Cayenne Pepper and 8 oz. water)
-1 cup herbal laxative tea (I haven't gotten any of this yet)
-32 oz water w/ 2 tsp uniodized salt. FIRST THING EVERY MORNING!!!! (It is 6:57am on Sunday and I drank my first qt of salt water about 1/2 hour ago. GROSS!!!!!! I don't know that I can do that 9 more times!

So, I started yesterday. I forgot about the salt water part until I had already drank some lemonade. I started the salt water flush today. Drinking 32 oz of salt water is nasty!!!! I only got about 28 oz down actually.
The book says that 1/2 to one hour after drinking the salt water you will begin to have "urges to eliminate". I will spare you the details!

I am going to drink a cup or 2 of coffee each day. I don't want to go through caffeine withdrawals while I am starving myself. (The books say that you don't feel hungry. They lie!)

My goal is to keep a blogging journal of how this goes. I am not saying that I will last 10 days. I may not last through today. We will see!!!!!!

p.s. I am down 3.2 pounds from yesterday.

I am so tired of being consumed by the size of my body. I have committed to get back on track and stay there, knowing that I will stumble, but I am determined to make this a life change. I have been trying to make little changes that will help.
I am keeping a 32 oz. water bottle with me at all times. I try to drink 2 full bottles per day, plus whatever I drink while working out. Some days I succeed and some days I don't, but every day, I try.
I also have a workout goal for each week. It is a lot, so if I make most of the workouts, I am doing good. If I make them all SA-WEET!
I am trying to be more aware of my portion sizes, as well as what I am eating. I am getting a little bit better at telling myself "no" when I know that I want to eat something that I shouldn't.
I also have committed to NOT eating ice cream while watching Biggest Loser (hopefully not at all, but especially not during BL).
I am keeping healthy stuff (mini peppers from Costco) in the house, so I always have something to grab when I "need" something.
I am also adopting the philosophy that this is a life-long journey. I want to be a healthier more active person for life.
So far, I have not seen much of a difference in my weight, but I am feeling a little bit of a difference in my jeans and that is what matters!