Restlessness
Nerves jumping,
Eyes twitching,
Tummy rumbling.
Want to scream!
Want to hide!
Want to run!
Shallow breathing
Rushed heartbeat
Jumbled nerves
Speaking quickly
Freaking out
Shutting down
And yet:
Holding on
Fighting through-
and hoping for a better tomorrow!
Thursday, March 29, 2012
O' Honey Honey
Our plan was to eat the mango raw mixed into a fruit salad of strawberries, cantaloupe, and possibly a banana - kind of a tropical fruit sensation. We figured this would pair well with our spinach and bacon quiche, possible asparagus puffs, and then the fruit. However, plans changed. We still had the quiche which was delicious! No asparagus puffs because I ran out of time to try out a new recipe that required effort and/or time. So we substituted roasted brussel sprouts - one of my favorites. Probably my favorite new produce of the week find - they have such a wonderful nuttiness, with a bit of earthy quality and they are so cute!!! Little cabbages that roast so tastily! Also our fruit salad went through a major upheaval. The cantaloupe was too ripe. It was a bit mushy in texture for a melon. Then we didn't even think to cut up the banana and my husband after two bites of trying the mango said he was done. I offered him my incredible mixture of small toasts covered with a thin layer of cream cheese, sliced strawberries, diced avocado, and mango chunks. Together it was a pretty good combination. Again it was the combination factor not the yumminess of mango. I wouldn't say I will crave this creation a lot in the future. I did find the visual attractive, especially if you are going for a traffic light theme (red yellow and green). But most likely in the future I will leave the honey mango on the shelf. I am proud of us stepping out of the comfort zone but not all of our choices get to be winners! Sometimes they are just an experience that leaves us wiser.
May your HealthFULL Journey include lessons, experiences, and enjoyment. May every day be an adventure to appreciate all that is around you and inspire the willingness to keep learning new things.
'Til we meet again. . .
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Bloomin' GreenThumbs
They say you become what you eat. Well Corey and I must be eating more green these days as our thumbs are turning a smidgen green. Just a smidgen though. As a couple we did something tonight we have never dared to try. We planted flowers together. That's right people we planted flowers! Why is this such a big deal? In our eight years of marriage we have never even owned a house plant. And we certainly have never planted anything together. Yesterday afternoon after church we went to our neighborhood home improvement store. And the place was packed!!! I remember when shops weren't open on Sunday and when they started to open businesses I remember my family parking at Menard's when we lived up North many moons ago and waiting there outside in the parking lot. The doors were to open at noon and our family along with approximately twenty other cars waited for the noon hour to strike so that we could as a family peruse the aisles feeling like we were taking a nibble at the forbidden fruit. Nowadays it seems strange when a company chooses to close their doors on Sunday. I applaud that reasoning but I must confess I find myself more at the stores on Sunday than I like to think about. Back to our shopping trip. Now as I mentioned - my hubby and I not the real planting kind of people. Or at least haven't been for eight years. But time to turn over a new leaf (pun totally intended :) We found ourselves winding up and down the gardening aisles trying to make "practical" choices as we take our first turn at planting flowers. I get distracted my funky designs and shiny colors. Also a fun name to pronounce almost guarantees an impulsive buy which is why I bring my hubby who keeps me F-o-c-u-s-e-d!!! No we do not need two shovels(though we definitely needed one as many months ago I taugh a root a lesson and then it fought back destroying our one and only shovel :( and a hoe and a tool I can't even pronounced. No we don't need the thirty to forty dollar version of any tool. I sometimes ask my hubby if he feels like he has two kids and totally straight-faced he usually replies with a sigh "sometimes". This shopping experience was definitely one of those times as I demanded constant attention and our son has learned to sing aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh repeatedly and for long breaths!!! That's my boy! His highlight was when a great dane walked by him and sniffed his shoe and made Drew giggle. Then in response to the giggle the dog lifted his head to be patted. This dog was huge. My son had no problem reaching LEVEL from his seat in the cart to pat the dog on the head. So Drew's entertained and we decided on two bags of soil - six flowers (2 of each: petunias, marigolds, and pretty blue ones), two pairs of work gloves, and six tools (one starting kit of four tools). We waited in anticipation to start the work today (monday).
As work wound down for the day I debated if I really wanted to plant the flowers. My energy was waning and it wasn't a simple task of digging dirt, placing flowers and calling it a day. We have lived in our house for almost five years and we have not weeded in our front yard at all! There were a lot of weeds to attack and the weeds have the upper hand. Because I still have no idea what I am doing. As I stepped outside into the beautiful sunshine with the perfect temperature - warm with just a slight breeze - I knew I would be planting flowers when I got home. And sure enough as I pull into my driveway there is a pretty cute gardener already attacking those nasty weeds. I change into yard clothes (as if I know what qualifies here) and begin pulling weeds. Wow there is some satisfaction of pulling out the unfriendly weeds to make room for the beautiful flowers purposefully chosen. Also and though I am aware of this fact I am up close and personally aware now. Bugs are living in our dirt. I am not a fan of most bugs, actually I am a downright scaredy cat when it comes to bugs but I persevered. As we began to spread our soil we realize two bags is not going to get this small job done at all. So dressed as gardeners or our interpretation of gardeners we head back to the home improvement store and pick up four more bags of soil and two more plants.
The sun is beginning to set as we race back home. But my hubby won't let a little darkness slow down our couple bonding project. We spread out our soil. Have you ever seen those meditation gifts designed for desks - a little sand yard to rake as a way to promote peace and tranquility. The life-size version just as relaxing as I dragged the rake through the soil around the tree. Oh goody time for the best part - digging holes and placing the plants to create a beautiful front yard. This activity is not nearly as easy as it looks. First, you have to dig the right size hole - too big your plants get drowned by dirt. If the hole is too small the plants sit funny and won't be able to take root properly which means it won't bloom properly. Also the plants don't just pop out of their containers but have to be wrestled out of their container and nearly mangled to finally be re-planted. As the eight o'clock hour struck we were ready to finally call it an evening; with eight beautiful flowers newly planted in our front yard.
Already we are reaping the benefits. One we got to enjoy each other's company and laugh at trying something new together. Nothing can help form a bond or tighten a bond as approaching a new activity together. Two our neighbors seemed appreciative of our effort. We definitely didn't knock a grand slam on our first planting but our neighbors complimented, waved, and smiled their approval. We secretly think that our neighbors are just glad we removed the five years worth of weeds - at least that are visible in the front yard :) And the final quick reward is that I can't wait to return home tomorrow and not cringe at our weeds but to smile at our flowers.
May your HealthFULL Journey plant happiness all around you and come into bloom just when you need it. ' Til we meet again. . .
As work wound down for the day I debated if I really wanted to plant the flowers. My energy was waning and it wasn't a simple task of digging dirt, placing flowers and calling it a day. We have lived in our house for almost five years and we have not weeded in our front yard at all! There were a lot of weeds to attack and the weeds have the upper hand. Because I still have no idea what I am doing. As I stepped outside into the beautiful sunshine with the perfect temperature - warm with just a slight breeze - I knew I would be planting flowers when I got home. And sure enough as I pull into my driveway there is a pretty cute gardener already attacking those nasty weeds. I change into yard clothes (as if I know what qualifies here) and begin pulling weeds. Wow there is some satisfaction of pulling out the unfriendly weeds to make room for the beautiful flowers purposefully chosen. Also and though I am aware of this fact I am up close and personally aware now. Bugs are living in our dirt. I am not a fan of most bugs, actually I am a downright scaredy cat when it comes to bugs but I persevered. As we began to spread our soil we realize two bags is not going to get this small job done at all. So dressed as gardeners or our interpretation of gardeners we head back to the home improvement store and pick up four more bags of soil and two more plants.
The sun is beginning to set as we race back home. But my hubby won't let a little darkness slow down our couple bonding project. We spread out our soil. Have you ever seen those meditation gifts designed for desks - a little sand yard to rake as a way to promote peace and tranquility. The life-size version just as relaxing as I dragged the rake through the soil around the tree. Oh goody time for the best part - digging holes and placing the plants to create a beautiful front yard. This activity is not nearly as easy as it looks. First, you have to dig the right size hole - too big your plants get drowned by dirt. If the hole is too small the plants sit funny and won't be able to take root properly which means it won't bloom properly. Also the plants don't just pop out of their containers but have to be wrestled out of their container and nearly mangled to finally be re-planted. As the eight o'clock hour struck we were ready to finally call it an evening; with eight beautiful flowers newly planted in our front yard.
Already we are reaping the benefits. One we got to enjoy each other's company and laugh at trying something new together. Nothing can help form a bond or tighten a bond as approaching a new activity together. Two our neighbors seemed appreciative of our effort. We definitely didn't knock a grand slam on our first planting but our neighbors complimented, waved, and smiled their approval. We secretly think that our neighbors are just glad we removed the five years worth of weeds - at least that are visible in the front yard :) And the final quick reward is that I can't wait to return home tomorrow and not cringe at our weeds but to smile at our flowers.
May your HealthFULL Journey plant happiness all around you and come into bloom just when you need it. ' Til we meet again. . .
Monday, March 26, 2012
Momentous Momentum Take Two
Have you ever built a snowman? I grew up in northern Minnesota so I have made a few in my time (and snow forts - I love snow forts:). But the trick to a good snow man - it takes a bit of time to get started. To build the base of the snowman takes patience and time. You have to pack the snow a little bit at a time and keep adding to it. Once you get a ball started -just under the size of a bowling ball you can start rolling it around on the ground and it quickly builds itself. Two things begin to happen - one the ball kind of controls the direction it will and can move. Two - once you truly get rolling you will probably need an extra or a few extra hands to keep the momentum.
I bring the art of making a snow man because it has taken many attempts and a long time to feel in control of my health. It feels awesome right now in my life to feel as my life is bringing me to healthier choices and quickly adding them to my lifestyle. When I wrote this blog yesterday I said it felt like we had time and energy to spare. As my son napped I finished my blog entry, then called up my mom to meet for a later lunch. Before lunch I did a couple of quick chores (a load and half of laundry) and walked my son and my dog. This alone is an impossible feat that has scared me off several times. I am sure I have mentioned that my dog - LOVES walks. Well I can't take her and leave my son at home - neighbors and the police would definitely frown about that choice. And to walk just my son seems horribly cruel to my dog - who loves to go for walks. We go for walks as a family. Never have I attempted the dog (who just gets too excited) and my son in his stroller. But on Saturday my snow ball was on the upswing and gaining energy/momentum quickly! So I did the impossible I took them both for a walk. My dog eyed my every move as I unfolded the stroller and locked up Drew's harness. Belle (my dog) hung her head and stepped back as I put on my tennis shoes. But went crazy with excitement as I tied a plastic bag around my wrist in case she had some doggy business to handle on the walk. She jumped, she ran, she sang her delight as only a dog can do. If she could have clapped - I am positive she would have , but we'll have to settle for the wagging tail. In one hand I let her out our front door as she darted for the street to start her sniffing duties for the best smells of our neighborhood. Which left me straddling my entry way as I pulled my son with my left hand. As she continues her puppy dance of delight and I try to maneuver Drew's stroller with only one hand over the door bump and the front stoop step - I begin to mutter. I think to myself I am ready already to turn right back around and call this a failed attempt. But I just couldn't break my dog's heart. So I worked it out and we began our walk. Ten steps into the walk I am thinking - this is such a breeze. Step fifteen I can't imagine why I haven't done this sooner. Step seventeen I realized why I had never thought this activity as a good option. My dog oblivious to my needs and her limitations walked around a bush. I tried the old arm trick of stretching as far as possible to pull the leash away from the bush around and up and over the obstacle. Nope - Belle had tightened her leash grip making it impossible to pull the leash away from the bush. I then call her over to us and trying to coax her to follow her leash BACK AROUND the bush. She did not oblige. Not that she didn't want to please me but did not understand how to do so. I called her name she came right to me completing the circle around the bush. Finally, I pulled Drew unto the lawn and followed her around the stupid bush. But this little incident helped awaken my senses and I was able to divert her away from wrapping herself into any more trappings. We finished our walk and continued our fun for meeting my mom for lunch. Upon my hubby's return from work I suggested another family walk. (My dog must have believed that she was one step closer to heaven as she never gets TWO walks in a day. By completing two walks and trying to keep busy it was a lot easier to step up my game into 12,000 + steps once again.. It had been a long time coming.
But that really is the moral of the story. By placing plans into your schedule it encourages only more fun, energy, and opportunities into your life. But your Health FULL Journey sets its own pace. As you gather momentum and speed take time out to be appreciative because you never know which path will lead you and where.
May your HealthFULL Journey be full of teamwork end energy to spare. "til We meet again. . .
I bring the art of making a snow man because it has taken many attempts and a long time to feel in control of my health. It feels awesome right now in my life to feel as my life is bringing me to healthier choices and quickly adding them to my lifestyle. When I wrote this blog yesterday I said it felt like we had time and energy to spare. As my son napped I finished my blog entry, then called up my mom to meet for a later lunch. Before lunch I did a couple of quick chores (a load and half of laundry) and walked my son and my dog. This alone is an impossible feat that has scared me off several times. I am sure I have mentioned that my dog - LOVES walks. Well I can't take her and leave my son at home - neighbors and the police would definitely frown about that choice. And to walk just my son seems horribly cruel to my dog - who loves to go for walks. We go for walks as a family. Never have I attempted the dog (who just gets too excited) and my son in his stroller. But on Saturday my snow ball was on the upswing and gaining energy/momentum quickly! So I did the impossible I took them both for a walk. My dog eyed my every move as I unfolded the stroller and locked up Drew's harness. Belle (my dog) hung her head and stepped back as I put on my tennis shoes. But went crazy with excitement as I tied a plastic bag around my wrist in case she had some doggy business to handle on the walk. She jumped, she ran, she sang her delight as only a dog can do. If she could have clapped - I am positive she would have , but we'll have to settle for the wagging tail. In one hand I let her out our front door as she darted for the street to start her sniffing duties for the best smells of our neighborhood. Which left me straddling my entry way as I pulled my son with my left hand. As she continues her puppy dance of delight and I try to maneuver Drew's stroller with only one hand over the door bump and the front stoop step - I begin to mutter. I think to myself I am ready already to turn right back around and call this a failed attempt. But I just couldn't break my dog's heart. So I worked it out and we began our walk. Ten steps into the walk I am thinking - this is such a breeze. Step fifteen I can't imagine why I haven't done this sooner. Step seventeen I realized why I had never thought this activity as a good option. My dog oblivious to my needs and her limitations walked around a bush. I tried the old arm trick of stretching as far as possible to pull the leash away from the bush around and up and over the obstacle. Nope - Belle had tightened her leash grip making it impossible to pull the leash away from the bush. I then call her over to us and trying to coax her to follow her leash BACK AROUND the bush. She did not oblige. Not that she didn't want to please me but did not understand how to do so. I called her name she came right to me completing the circle around the bush. Finally, I pulled Drew unto the lawn and followed her around the stupid bush. But this little incident helped awaken my senses and I was able to divert her away from wrapping herself into any more trappings. We finished our walk and continued our fun for meeting my mom for lunch. Upon my hubby's return from work I suggested another family walk. (My dog must have believed that she was one step closer to heaven as she never gets TWO walks in a day. By completing two walks and trying to keep busy it was a lot easier to step up my game into 12,000 + steps once again.. It had been a long time coming.
But that really is the moral of the story. By placing plans into your schedule it encourages only more fun, energy, and opportunities into your life. But your Health FULL Journey sets its own pace. As you gather momentum and speed take time out to be appreciative because you never know which path will lead you and where.
May your HealthFULL Journey be full of teamwork end energy to spare. "til We meet again. . .
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Momentus Momentum
Oh life how you mock me! Drew woke up at the glorious time of quarter to seven. Sunshine why do you appear so early and then play a peek a boo all day long?!?!? As his babbling increased I began my typical morning race. Pit stop in the restroom for mommy. Stumble to the outside door and trip over the racing cat to let out the dog. (I know its an early morning when the dog stays sleeping in the bed.) I grab some treats for our cat. Change out the dog's water and give her food. Pour my son his milk. Towel off the dog. And then race to my son's room as he began to dramatically increase the volume and pace of his babble. I have seven minutes. What doesn't get done within those seven minutes immediately loses priority and enters Toddler time - where time revolves around the toddler's needs, wants, approval and satisfaction level. I enter his room and we begin our morning exchange of conversation. As he changes into his new diaper we began to discuss what should we do today? And then like a ton of bricks I remember. We already have plans today! Oh me! Oh my! Adrenaline surge and I have to quickly take a deep breath and grasp reality by running through the facts about our plans. Okay what time is it? Just before seven - good. What time does the breakfast start? 8:30 - I think? or was it 8? 8 would not be good - 8:30 is doable. Shout to hubby I need the car you'll have to take the truck. Switch out keys. And sweetly but also rudely tell hubby to hurry up in the shower. So that I too can get ready: as this mommy did not have immediate plans to leave her comfy jammies. But plans were made and now it is time to jump into gear. I grab my happy toddler in his pjs and get him dressed after he picks the one shirt I couldn't immediately find pants to match. I even questioned his choice : Are you sure this is the shirt you want to wear? He looks at me with arched brow "Yeah" . But the whole demeanor was definitely -why would I pick it if I didn't want it? Its like he knows we have a deadline and the other shirts had easy to reach pants. My fault - if I give him the choice I need to follow-through. I rip through piles of clothes find the pants - YAY small victory.
I sit him in his high chair for a small breakfast. We were going to a mommy and me breakfast but you know with toddlers - hungry now, and not sure what kind of day we are having taste wise nor what our options would be. Plus as we did a quick daddy/mommy transition of caretaker the boy was safely contained. Then back to mommy duty as we kiss daddy good-bye.
We made it to the breakfast on time with a little adrenaline to spare. Does that happen to you? You start your day in one state of mind and in the blink of the eye it goes a completely different direction. I thought we were starting an early lazy day and God reminded me that we actually had some place to be.
I think that is the moral of the story. It is tempting to be lazy and lounge and move at what is comfortable. Comfortable is comfortable but to move or to grow one needs momentum. How do we encourage momentum in our own lives?
Lists - simply writing something down makes the goal more tangible than letting it surf brain waves and getting lost in the web of your many thoughts.
Appointments - we are more likely to go somewhere if we mark our calendars. I know many people if it doesn't get in the calendar - time and life will steamroll right over the event.
Verbalize Commitment - this is one step past jotting on your calendar. You are telling someone I'll be there. You are asking for accountability from yourself and the person expecting you.
Because of this simple activity. My son and I had a great breakfast, time to socialize with peers (both of us - which is a huge WIN/WIN!) enjoyed the sunshine, had a quick nap as he wore himself out and now it is only noon and we both are itching to have some more fun! Momentum helps us to truly activate our own life. No longer am I sitting on the couch just hoping for a better life - I am actively living that better life I used to dream about.
May your HealthFULL Journey catch you by surprise and push you forward with momentum that blesses you FULLy. 'Til we meet again. . .
I sit him in his high chair for a small breakfast. We were going to a mommy and me breakfast but you know with toddlers - hungry now, and not sure what kind of day we are having taste wise nor what our options would be. Plus as we did a quick daddy/mommy transition of caretaker the boy was safely contained. Then back to mommy duty as we kiss daddy good-bye.
We made it to the breakfast on time with a little adrenaline to spare. Does that happen to you? You start your day in one state of mind and in the blink of the eye it goes a completely different direction. I thought we were starting an early lazy day and God reminded me that we actually had some place to be.
I think that is the moral of the story. It is tempting to be lazy and lounge and move at what is comfortable. Comfortable is comfortable but to move or to grow one needs momentum. How do we encourage momentum in our own lives?
Lists - simply writing something down makes the goal more tangible than letting it surf brain waves and getting lost in the web of your many thoughts.
Appointments - we are more likely to go somewhere if we mark our calendars. I know many people if it doesn't get in the calendar - time and life will steamroll right over the event.
Verbalize Commitment - this is one step past jotting on your calendar. You are telling someone I'll be there. You are asking for accountability from yourself and the person expecting you.
Because of this simple activity. My son and I had a great breakfast, time to socialize with peers (both of us - which is a huge WIN/WIN!) enjoyed the sunshine, had a quick nap as he wore himself out and now it is only noon and we both are itching to have some more fun! Momentum helps us to truly activate our own life. No longer am I sitting on the couch just hoping for a better life - I am actively living that better life I used to dream about.
May your HealthFULL Journey catch you by surprise and push you forward with momentum that blesses you FULLy. 'Til we meet again. . .
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Let's Use our Feet
Let's use our feet is an expression a dear friend of mine would ask when she wanted to go for a walk. On these walks we would share our daily lives, our dreams, our fears, and sometimes just the silence of walking with a friend. They are some of my sweetest memories. But why didn't she ask if I just wanted to go for a walk? She had a very smart dog who L-O-V-E-D walks! If we used the W word - the dog had to go. This was a dog with short legs and couldn't walk as long as we used to enjoy. Our penance would to be to walk with the dog around the block a couple of time or 1/2 mile and then we could go on our real "walk". Then the dog caught the spelling version W-A-L-K also meant pure bliss and that is how the Let's Use Our Feet became our secret code :)
Well I write this entry today because I want to use my feet. There are two causes in April that are both very near and dear to my heart. On April 14, 2012 I plan to walk a "FUN 5k" in support of Strides for Autism in honor of a sweet little princess named Madison :) I have worked in the past with peoples of disabilities. It is a career I miss very much as it was some of the most rewarding work (if you can call it that as there was much fun to be had and many memories that still make me smile) I've had the privilege to do. Autism used to be diagnosed in extremely rare situations and has endured some horrible falsehoods. One being that people diagnosed with autism were autistic due to refrigerator mom syndrome. Basically that their mothers did not show them enough love. What a horrible thing to believe and many people did for way too long of time. Much research is being done (and needs to be done) because the prevalence is very real: 1 in 110 U.S. children with boys outnumbering the girls four to one. (I don't have an article to support this fact as it is the most common stat I have read in at least ten articles/books within the last three years). Good chances you know someone or a family that includes a person with autism. I include family because this is a disability that doesn't change one person's life but all of those who support that person. Communication, behavior, and health can all be altered due to autism. This a disorder with a large umbrella of all those it affects and how it affects each individual. There is not a one size fits all solution. But as more research is done, more people can be helped, supported, and encouraged to live the best version of themselves. If you would like to support this charity please donate funds at https://scautism.org/strides/team/3/ for Team Madison!
The other charity I plan to Use my Feet is for the March of Dimes when we will March for Babies April 28,2012. I live in South Carolina and our statistic according to March of Dimes research is that one in seven babies are born premature. There is a reason a pregnancy is meant to take forty weeks and what develops the most in the last couple months of pregnancy- lungs and brains. Those are two very important organs; they help us breathe and they help us think. I started writing this blog as a reaction to take my health more seriously when my niece Lilli was born at only 24 1/2 weeks at the weight of one pound six ounces and twelve inches long. She could wear my brother's wedding band up to her shoulder! She is doing amazing! But thanks to research and support she is alive and can see. She faced a very real risk of going blind, but because of research - doctors were diligent in their observations and knew what warning signs to watch.
Almost a year after our niece's birth, my husband and I received news that we were to be parents. Our joy grew but I have to admit there was always a gray cloud hanging in the back of my thoughts. I feared my son being born prematurely. I witnessed a miracle and the wonders God can do. But I also witnessed and felt the rides of a frightening roller coaster ride that involves a NICU stay. When I hit my twenty-fifth week of pregnancy I rejoiced, but not for too long as my body started to show signs of distress a couple of weeks later. I was put on bedrest and four days later was admitted to the hospital. I was given steroids in hopes of speeding up my son's development. Every night I prepared myself for the possibility of my son's birth physically (no food or liquid after midnight) and emtionally (prayers of the healthiest timing) and every morning I was wheeled to an ultra-sound where tests were ran on both my son and myself. It was deemed on my ninth day in the hospital that the safest alternative for Drew and me was to deliver. I was only at 29 weeks. My son was born at three pounds and eleven ounces and seventeen 1/2 inches long. That is just a tish longer than a legal size piece of paper and lighter than most roasts. My son was placed in the NICU for forty-four days. I am grateful for the research that has been done on prematurity, the staff who cared for and about our son, and the prayers that lifted up our entire family. Not everyone has the success story that we experienced twice in our family. Every family should have the moment of welcoming home their own miracle. Please help me support the efforts of March of Dimes. My team page is http://www.marchforbabies.org/team/t1731408 where you can see a couple of our miracles and donate to our family team : Early Bugs. Or you can also donate online at www.marchforbabies.org/SuzySullivan .
Your funds are most appreciated for either or both charities - that is why I am Using my Feet in hopes of raising money for these two organizations. But there are other ways to show support; Prayers are always needed and appreciated, encouragement is nice, and advertising these web addresses through e-mail, facebook, twitter, or your own blog/website is beyond helpful :)
Thank you for your time, your assistance, and your support.
May your HealthFULL Journey motivate you to use your whole self. 'Til we meet again. . .
Well I write this entry today because I want to use my feet. There are two causes in April that are both very near and dear to my heart. On April 14, 2012 I plan to walk a "FUN 5k" in support of Strides for Autism in honor of a sweet little princess named Madison :) I have worked in the past with peoples of disabilities. It is a career I miss very much as it was some of the most rewarding work (if you can call it that as there was much fun to be had and many memories that still make me smile) I've had the privilege to do. Autism used to be diagnosed in extremely rare situations and has endured some horrible falsehoods. One being that people diagnosed with autism were autistic due to refrigerator mom syndrome. Basically that their mothers did not show them enough love. What a horrible thing to believe and many people did for way too long of time. Much research is being done (and needs to be done) because the prevalence is very real: 1 in 110 U.S. children with boys outnumbering the girls four to one. (I don't have an article to support this fact as it is the most common stat I have read in at least ten articles/books within the last three years). Good chances you know someone or a family that includes a person with autism. I include family because this is a disability that doesn't change one person's life but all of those who support that person. Communication, behavior, and health can all be altered due to autism. This a disorder with a large umbrella of all those it affects and how it affects each individual. There is not a one size fits all solution. But as more research is done, more people can be helped, supported, and encouraged to live the best version of themselves. If you would like to support this charity please donate funds at https://scautism.org/strides/team/3/ for Team Madison!
The other charity I plan to Use my Feet is for the March of Dimes when we will March for Babies April 28,2012. I live in South Carolina and our statistic according to March of Dimes research is that one in seven babies are born premature. There is a reason a pregnancy is meant to take forty weeks and what develops the most in the last couple months of pregnancy- lungs and brains. Those are two very important organs; they help us breathe and they help us think. I started writing this blog as a reaction to take my health more seriously when my niece Lilli was born at only 24 1/2 weeks at the weight of one pound six ounces and twelve inches long. She could wear my brother's wedding band up to her shoulder! She is doing amazing! But thanks to research and support she is alive and can see. She faced a very real risk of going blind, but because of research - doctors were diligent in their observations and knew what warning signs to watch.
Almost a year after our niece's birth, my husband and I received news that we were to be parents. Our joy grew but I have to admit there was always a gray cloud hanging in the back of my thoughts. I feared my son being born prematurely. I witnessed a miracle and the wonders God can do. But I also witnessed and felt the rides of a frightening roller coaster ride that involves a NICU stay. When I hit my twenty-fifth week of pregnancy I rejoiced, but not for too long as my body started to show signs of distress a couple of weeks later. I was put on bedrest and four days later was admitted to the hospital. I was given steroids in hopes of speeding up my son's development. Every night I prepared myself for the possibility of my son's birth physically (no food or liquid after midnight) and emtionally (prayers of the healthiest timing) and every morning I was wheeled to an ultra-sound where tests were ran on both my son and myself. It was deemed on my ninth day in the hospital that the safest alternative for Drew and me was to deliver. I was only at 29 weeks. My son was born at three pounds and eleven ounces and seventeen 1/2 inches long. That is just a tish longer than a legal size piece of paper and lighter than most roasts. My son was placed in the NICU for forty-four days. I am grateful for the research that has been done on prematurity, the staff who cared for and about our son, and the prayers that lifted up our entire family. Not everyone has the success story that we experienced twice in our family. Every family should have the moment of welcoming home their own miracle. Please help me support the efforts of March of Dimes. My team page is http://www.marchforbabies.org/team/t1731408 where you can see a couple of our miracles and donate to our family team : Early Bugs. Or you can also donate online at www.marchforbabies.org/SuzySullivan .
Your funds are most appreciated for either or both charities - that is why I am Using my Feet in hopes of raising money for these two organizations. But there are other ways to show support; Prayers are always needed and appreciated, encouragement is nice, and advertising these web addresses through e-mail, facebook, twitter, or your own blog/website is beyond helpful :)
Thank you for your time, your assistance, and your support.
May your HealthFULL Journey motivate you to use your whole self. 'Til we meet again. . .
Monday, March 19, 2012
A little Pep in your step!
On our family day (Sunday) we hit Whole Foods. It really is one of my happy places - which may be sad but it is very true. And I have confessed that my favorite place to stand in this grocery store is right in front of the peppers. Usually it is just visually appealing with all of these bright NATURAL colors blending and mixing. The sight alone puts a little pep in my step. Also they tend to have eggplants and summer squashes nearby mixing in those luscious purples and bright yellows and greens. Eat your heart out Da Vinci :) Well as a family we visited this section to pick out this week's produce. I tend to like sweeter flavors, but my husband likes spicy! And before I met my hubby I thought I liked spicy - I like a dash of cayenne and mild salsa spicy. My hubby is the guy who orders nuclear wings off of a menu to just "try" them and see if they really are hot. I now realize I don't really like "Spicy" I like spices not heat that leaves your mouth numb and tears streaming down your face. That is not enjoyable in my opinion. Together we chose the Fresno Pepper.
It's cute. It's small - it appears friendly , but it is not! The Fresno Peppers we picked up were bright red in color like a red bell pepper. I enjoy red bell pepper - raw, sauteed, broiled, in salads, with a little dip. I enjoy this type of pepper - crisp, with a little kick (very little) and some sweetness. I thought the Fresno Chili Pepper would be similar. It is not! It appears to be cousins with a jalapeno at least shape and size-wise. I enjoy the occasional jalapeno pepper (especially if you make it a jalapeno popper :) But that isn't a very healthy version of this produce. My husband starts chopping up the fresno as we planned to use it in a dish we make called chili rice which goes nicely with our turkey taco dinner.
As he is chopping I grab a SLIVER to try the pepper raw. Now this sliver comes from the top of the pepper where the seeds hang out. Now it probably wouldn't have seemed so spicy had I not prepared myself mentally for the sweetness of a bell pepper. I would say my taste of a fresno is at least double if not triple the heat of a jalapeno. And that one bite made my lips tingly. For a good ten minutes I could tell exactly where I licked my lips after trying this chili pepper. I was nervous to try this pepper in the rice. But as we approached dinner I scooped up the chili rice (the red specks were prettier than our usual yellow green specks) and hoped for the best. Chopped up and cooked I could barely register the chili's heat. Occasionally a bite or two of the rice would end with a satisfying tingle of heat but a vast improvement of trying the Fresno Chili Pepper raw. If you like the spicy and want a vitamin C boost to give you a little Pep in your step give the Fresno a try. And I have no problem picking this chili up for future recipes. But for raw snacking I am sticking with my bell peppers :)
May your HealthFULL journey surprise you, delight you, and give you a little pep in your step! 'Til we meet again. . .
It's cute. It's small - it appears friendly , but it is not! The Fresno Peppers we picked up were bright red in color like a red bell pepper. I enjoy red bell pepper - raw, sauteed, broiled, in salads, with a little dip. I enjoy this type of pepper - crisp, with a little kick (very little) and some sweetness. I thought the Fresno Chili Pepper would be similar. It is not! It appears to be cousins with a jalapeno at least shape and size-wise. I enjoy the occasional jalapeno pepper (especially if you make it a jalapeno popper :) But that isn't a very healthy version of this produce. My husband starts chopping up the fresno as we planned to use it in a dish we make called chili rice which goes nicely with our turkey taco dinner.
As he is chopping I grab a SLIVER to try the pepper raw. Now this sliver comes from the top of the pepper where the seeds hang out. Now it probably wouldn't have seemed so spicy had I not prepared myself mentally for the sweetness of a bell pepper. I would say my taste of a fresno is at least double if not triple the heat of a jalapeno. And that one bite made my lips tingly. For a good ten minutes I could tell exactly where I licked my lips after trying this chili pepper. I was nervous to try this pepper in the rice. But as we approached dinner I scooped up the chili rice (the red specks were prettier than our usual yellow green specks) and hoped for the best. Chopped up and cooked I could barely register the chili's heat. Occasionally a bite or two of the rice would end with a satisfying tingle of heat but a vast improvement of trying the Fresno Chili Pepper raw. If you like the spicy and want a vitamin C boost to give you a little Pep in your step give the Fresno a try. And I have no problem picking this chili up for future recipes. But for raw snacking I am sticking with my bell peppers :)
May your HealthFULL journey surprise you, delight you, and give you a little pep in your step! 'Til we meet again. . .
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Sometimes you have to just try. . .
Aren't Sundays nice? Remember the Sabbath Day and keep it holy. I do love the family day aspect and I am lucky enough to work a job that I can enjoy every Sunday afternoon with my loved ones. My hubby unfortunately does not have that luxury. He tries to take this day off as often as possible so that we can have a family day but as he works as a department manager for a grocery store he tries to be fair and let others also enjoy the day with their families. (He really is a good guy like that :) But I love when we can get up as family, get ready for church and worship together. Well here is the part when you just have to try. I have been an overprotective (with many many reasons - some good some just first time mom jitters :) mom of our little one. I haven't let my little guy out of my sight too often unless relatives have been around. I did try one time recently to drop my son off in a church nursery but I knew the caregiver and he was playing with one of his cousins. But today we did the big moment. We dropped off our little boy who is growing up way too fast with our church nursery. And both him and his mommy did great! He dove to one of the caregiver's arms for a cuddle (which lasted almost the entire hour :) And I'll admit a little bit of jealousy - it was really nice to sit with my hubby the ENTIRE church service including the whole sermon! It has been awhile since we have been able to do that since we have a babblin' toddler. Our son tends to have something LOUD to say just about the same time our pastor wants to start his sermon. So me and my little guy have tried to discreetly slip out so we can crawl and babble without competition. So that was successful attempt number one.
Our other milestone as a family was to have our son drink out of a straw. I tried to teach this feat quite awhile ago with little luck. Do you know how hard it is to demonstrate to a very young child how to suck up a drink through a straw? It is kind of like magic. Watch mommy put her lips around her straw. That is a pretty easy step to demonstrate. However the next step and the more important step a little challenging to teach. Now see how mommy sucks water through the non-clear straw. No you didn't see that? So without thinking about this lesson I just carried sippy cups in his bag. But play the disaster music in your head - dun dun dun - as a family we were going out to eat after church and major obstacle. I forgot to pack a sippy cup :( Oh no!!! We can't ask our kid to not have anything to drink since before church - eat lunch - and run errands without any beverage. So with a nervous request to the server we asked for a kids water. And wait for it - sure enough it comes with a straw - and the cup is pretty flimsy to attempt to drink from (and that takes a lot of rhythm and timing - not my strong suit). So nervously I hold the sippy cup in front of my son - angle the straw towards him - and success (play celebratory music)! What? When did this guy pick up such a tricky skill? I'll confess after a unsuccessful attempt the first time I figured let's chalk off this skill for a good couple of years and try again when we both speak the same language fluently :) But no today was the day to drink from a straw because we simply tried.
It's a long story for a simple concept - but aren't we all guilty of writing ourselves off or others because the first try wasn't a marvelous success. Many of us have tried many diets and say to ourselves after the last defeat " It's not going to happen for me. " Or perhaps we look for a job and go on many interviews that end with the all too common "We appreciate your interest but have decided to go another route - blah blah blah" . Its hard not to get discouraged. Especially it seems the harder you try or the more you want something the deeper "the failure" wounds your spirit. I like to get things right the first time. I like to be that star rookie who was meant to complete a certain challenge. But you only get a few times in your life to have that moment. And if we wait only for what we believe to be our guaranteed success stories we all tend to wait a little too long on the sidelines and miss those moments of learning that actually triple our chances of success, happiness, and opportunities that are far better than what we could even imagine. This message "Sometimes you have to just try..." is the foundation of why I write this blog. I realized that several years ago for too many years I had let fear not only control my choices but paralyze me from attempting almost anything. So slowly I began to challenge myself. Share my weight. Share my struggles. Attempt activities that seemed impossible. And to not be afraid of falling or failing. And even if I was to be afraid (because I am me through this whole journey and I can be a bit of scaredy cat!) to not let my fear paralyze me and keep from living. I have fallen many times on this journey. Sometimes, I have taken myself off the path and hid in the bushes for what seems forever. But then I remember I don't have to achieve guaranteed success in ALL of my attempts but that sometimes I do have to just try. . .
May your HealthFULL (Fully Understand Life by Living) Journey celebrate your successess especially the successes that came after many attempts, challenges, and the occasional heartbreak. 'Til we meet again . . .
Our other milestone as a family was to have our son drink out of a straw. I tried to teach this feat quite awhile ago with little luck. Do you know how hard it is to demonstrate to a very young child how to suck up a drink through a straw? It is kind of like magic. Watch mommy put her lips around her straw. That is a pretty easy step to demonstrate. However the next step and the more important step a little challenging to teach. Now see how mommy sucks water through the non-clear straw. No you didn't see that? So without thinking about this lesson I just carried sippy cups in his bag. But play the disaster music in your head - dun dun dun - as a family we were going out to eat after church and major obstacle. I forgot to pack a sippy cup :( Oh no!!! We can't ask our kid to not have anything to drink since before church - eat lunch - and run errands without any beverage. So with a nervous request to the server we asked for a kids water. And wait for it - sure enough it comes with a straw - and the cup is pretty flimsy to attempt to drink from (and that takes a lot of rhythm and timing - not my strong suit). So nervously I hold the sippy cup in front of my son - angle the straw towards him - and success (play celebratory music)! What? When did this guy pick up such a tricky skill? I'll confess after a unsuccessful attempt the first time I figured let's chalk off this skill for a good couple of years and try again when we both speak the same language fluently :) But no today was the day to drink from a straw because we simply tried.
It's a long story for a simple concept - but aren't we all guilty of writing ourselves off or others because the first try wasn't a marvelous success. Many of us have tried many diets and say to ourselves after the last defeat " It's not going to happen for me. " Or perhaps we look for a job and go on many interviews that end with the all too common "We appreciate your interest but have decided to go another route - blah blah blah" . Its hard not to get discouraged. Especially it seems the harder you try or the more you want something the deeper "the failure" wounds your spirit. I like to get things right the first time. I like to be that star rookie who was meant to complete a certain challenge. But you only get a few times in your life to have that moment. And if we wait only for what we believe to be our guaranteed success stories we all tend to wait a little too long on the sidelines and miss those moments of learning that actually triple our chances of success, happiness, and opportunities that are far better than what we could even imagine. This message "Sometimes you have to just try..." is the foundation of why I write this blog. I realized that several years ago for too many years I had let fear not only control my choices but paralyze me from attempting almost anything. So slowly I began to challenge myself. Share my weight. Share my struggles. Attempt activities that seemed impossible. And to not be afraid of falling or failing. And even if I was to be afraid (because I am me through this whole journey and I can be a bit of scaredy cat!) to not let my fear paralyze me and keep from living. I have fallen many times on this journey. Sometimes, I have taken myself off the path and hid in the bushes for what seems forever. But then I remember I don't have to achieve guaranteed success in ALL of my attempts but that sometimes I do have to just try. . .
May your HealthFULL (Fully Understand Life by Living) Journey celebrate your successess especially the successes that came after many attempts, challenges, and the occasional heartbreak. 'Til we meet again . . .
O.K. I feel Southern now!
Why do I feel so southern all of a sudden. Because this week our new vegetable of the week was ....OKRA! I can't even describe the trepidation I felt trying this vegetable. If you see one they look like amped up bean pods. You know not string beans but a bean that has been hittin' the weight room and crossed that muscle bound bean with a jalapeno. It has the exact same stem. But when you slice the vegetable, cut off the ends and then slice like a banana chip you get the cutest wagon wheel slices. To warn you though if you cut off the ends and look through the wheel shape - it almost looks like a mini corn is hiding inside the okra (I told you it is a vegetable that likes to bulk up - maybe because it does eat other veggies :) And when I say mini corn - please picture Tom Hanks nibbling on one at the fancy dinner in the movie Big! I say picture this scene because I did and it still makes me laugh 20+ years.
Before trying okra I knew three things. The South loves to fry okra. That it has a slimy quality. And if you want to make a good gumbo you really need this vegetable. This is what I know. This vegetable makes me feel Yankee (I did live in Minnesota for almost twenty years of my life!) I worked in a grocery store for seven years and I do not recall ever once a customer buying okra, seeing okra, nor anyone mentioning if we carried okra. And now around these parts it is a staple vegetable. OR at least seems that way - because now I see it and even know that it exists.
We ended up with okra because I sent my fabulous hubby to the store and he brought me home okra. That is a bit intimidating as this guy is from Louisiana and if you read the paragraph above gumbo was one of the three things I knew about okra. I double-checked that he didn't intend for me to make gumbo - that's one of those dishes that usually comes from a secret family recipe passed down from generation to generation - no written recipe but one you learn hands - on. You remember my family is from the Midwest/North - I did not learn how to make gumbo. I'm not saying I won't ever attempt it but I feel that is years into the future. So if we agreed gumbo wasn't the way to go and the whole purpose to try new veggies and fruits is an attempt to eat healthier I didn't really want to fry the okra; which between gumbo and deep frying it breaded wiped out at least eighty percent of the recipes we had to do some digging. Tip for okra recipe research - look for southern cookbooks. Don't look in vegetarian manuals, nor your commercial commodities - but a good ol' southern church cookbook is where we found several recipes. We even stumbled among one not deep fried or gumbo - smothered okra (I know you hear smothered and add the Southern adjective you are probably thinking gravy - but you would be wrong.....and disappointed like me :) Smothered in this recipe meant onions and tomatoes: which is an excellent combination.
So if two of my three bits of knowledge about okra are immediately discluded from my recipe (deep fried and gumbo) all I am left to deal with is - the slime factor. Who wants to eat a vegetable that is suppose to be slimy? I see slime on any of my produce it is time for that produce and I to part ways as I throw it away. Not okra! When I was growing up my mom did not have many house plants but she always seemed to have an aloe plant. You take the sticky slimy sap from the plant and place it on burns. I used the aloe plant quite a bit - I was a clutzy kid. And I have to tell you as my hubby and I started to slice our okra - flashbacks to the aloe plant kept popping in my head: especially, when I would have to scrape the vegetable and seeds off my knife as they would stick to the slime. Yuck!!!
But together my hubby and I were able to slice up our okra and ready to be smothered. We did use a little oil to "stir-fry". I think the heat helps to eliminate the slime factor; which is why you see okra fried or that it has time to cook down for a long time in a stew such as gumbo. The smothered approach was great as you cook okra with these big flavors - onions, garlic, and tomatoes. It isn't easy to describe okra. It had a good flavor - something like asparagus (which I really enjoy - especially for a "green" vegetable). It's not as earthy as you might imagine (especially if you compare okra to a bean or pea pod).
It was hard to get past the sliminess; but once cooked properly you completely forget that it did release quite a bit of sap. Okra is a tasty vegetable. It is packed with fabulous fiber and with lots of other nutritional boosts. I am now a true believer with Southern pride that will once again purchase this vegetable.
May your HealthFULL Journey not only test your boundaries but help you to face your fears and in turn make you stronger every single day. 'Til we meet again . . .
Before trying okra I knew three things. The South loves to fry okra. That it has a slimy quality. And if you want to make a good gumbo you really need this vegetable. This is what I know. This vegetable makes me feel Yankee (I did live in Minnesota for almost twenty years of my life!) I worked in a grocery store for seven years and I do not recall ever once a customer buying okra, seeing okra, nor anyone mentioning if we carried okra. And now around these parts it is a staple vegetable. OR at least seems that way - because now I see it and even know that it exists.
We ended up with okra because I sent my fabulous hubby to the store and he brought me home okra. That is a bit intimidating as this guy is from Louisiana and if you read the paragraph above gumbo was one of the three things I knew about okra. I double-checked that he didn't intend for me to make gumbo - that's one of those dishes that usually comes from a secret family recipe passed down from generation to generation - no written recipe but one you learn hands - on. You remember my family is from the Midwest/North - I did not learn how to make gumbo. I'm not saying I won't ever attempt it but I feel that is years into the future. So if we agreed gumbo wasn't the way to go and the whole purpose to try new veggies and fruits is an attempt to eat healthier I didn't really want to fry the okra; which between gumbo and deep frying it breaded wiped out at least eighty percent of the recipes we had to do some digging. Tip for okra recipe research - look for southern cookbooks. Don't look in vegetarian manuals, nor your commercial commodities - but a good ol' southern church cookbook is where we found several recipes. We even stumbled among one not deep fried or gumbo - smothered okra (I know you hear smothered and add the Southern adjective you are probably thinking gravy - but you would be wrong.....and disappointed like me :) Smothered in this recipe meant onions and tomatoes: which is an excellent combination.
So if two of my three bits of knowledge about okra are immediately discluded from my recipe (deep fried and gumbo) all I am left to deal with is - the slime factor. Who wants to eat a vegetable that is suppose to be slimy? I see slime on any of my produce it is time for that produce and I to part ways as I throw it away. Not okra! When I was growing up my mom did not have many house plants but she always seemed to have an aloe plant. You take the sticky slimy sap from the plant and place it on burns. I used the aloe plant quite a bit - I was a clutzy kid. And I have to tell you as my hubby and I started to slice our okra - flashbacks to the aloe plant kept popping in my head: especially, when I would have to scrape the vegetable and seeds off my knife as they would stick to the slime. Yuck!!!
But together my hubby and I were able to slice up our okra and ready to be smothered. We did use a little oil to "stir-fry". I think the heat helps to eliminate the slime factor; which is why you see okra fried or that it has time to cook down for a long time in a stew such as gumbo. The smothered approach was great as you cook okra with these big flavors - onions, garlic, and tomatoes. It isn't easy to describe okra. It had a good flavor - something like asparagus (which I really enjoy - especially for a "green" vegetable). It's not as earthy as you might imagine (especially if you compare okra to a bean or pea pod).
It was hard to get past the sliminess; but once cooked properly you completely forget that it did release quite a bit of sap. Okra is a tasty vegetable. It is packed with fabulous fiber and with lots of other nutritional boosts. I am now a true believer with Southern pride that will once again purchase this vegetable.
May your HealthFULL Journey not only test your boundaries but help you to face your fears and in turn make you stronger every single day. 'Til we meet again . . .
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Under Construction!!!
Oh don't you just cringe at the sign "Detour Ahead"? Blech! And we all have our gripes about road construction. But usually we all want the end results. Yes we want the wider interstates so there will be less traffic jams and hopefully LESS car accidents. But we hate the inconvenience. I want the awesome results just don't mess up my daily routine to get them, right?
Well as I tend to call this my healthFULL journey I am learning that I want the end results but that means I have to put in the extra work of adding detours and mapping out my new blueprints. You don't go from 300+ pounds and in two weeks at optimum health looking great in a bikini. (Although there are a lot of diet pills, scams, and books that want you to believe ANYTHING is possible ;) But if I want the end result to be better for the future that means some uncomfortable detours now.
First I have to listen to my body of today. Yes I want my future lifestyle to include healthy eating and exercise to be my daily fun not my daily chore. Its getting there, somedays I feel I am there at the end of the construction project and other days I look in the mirror and say "DANGER AHEAD!" . So first I have to eat for this body of today. Not the one I had two years ago and need to let go of those comfort foods of past (pop/soda, chips, and sweet pastries) and I look forward to craving my daily needs of beans, greens, and little meat. But not quite there. Too much health food might have me running back towards the comforts of the past :) I ate chinese two nights in a row. Oh many of you know how I crave those sweet sauces, and fried tastiness. How does this fit into my new blueprint. One night we ordered in and one night we cooked it ourselves. Our version twenty times tastier than the delivery version. I don't know how fresh the restaurant's food is but I know exactly the freshness and what ingredients we cooked with.
I want to get more active and I wish I could say that my family never overlooks the beauty of a beautiful day. Today was a gorgeous day for a family walk. We however ended up taking a family nap. Which also can be healthy. Obviously, we all needed a bit of extra sleep. This is something we should either adjust at night or that we all do have a tish of a bug. I am getting over a cold and my sweet darling son decided to puke on me three times in a row (there is nothing worse than sour milk). It actually was this last incident that made me think of the detours we need to take for the betterment of our later journey. His second bath for the night and my evening shower weren't necessarily on our agenda but when a detour pops up sometimes we don't have a choice but to follow.
It would have been easy to say after the low key day and not feeling a hundred percent to say oh phooey to the exercise portion. But after two suppers of Chinese food back to back - my body kind of begged for a little health stop. So I checked my pedometer at 11 pm and still had about 1500 steps to equal at least my regular daily goal of 7000+ steps. This had me exercise for my body of today and not for the ideal road conditions of the future or the abandonment of the past. I didn't grab shoes, or a sweat towel and honestly just stayed in pjs and began to pace my house. With a steady non-quick pace in twenty minutes I was able to check on my son, switch over laundry from the "sick" incident, straighten a couple of things in the kitchen, and manage to walk my 1500 steps to complete my daily goal. Yes, I could have easily finished those couple of things in less than two hundred steps and call it a night. But if I want different results I need to approach things differently so in my mind it was time for a detour.
It isn't easy to change old patterns of comfort into healthy routines but with a few detours and adjustments along the way; I have the utmost confidence we can all maximize our HealthFULL Journeys.
May your path conditions improve with the help of detours that encourage hope for a better life. 'Til we meet again. . .
Well as I tend to call this my healthFULL journey I am learning that I want the end results but that means I have to put in the extra work of adding detours and mapping out my new blueprints. You don't go from 300+ pounds and in two weeks at optimum health looking great in a bikini. (Although there are a lot of diet pills, scams, and books that want you to believe ANYTHING is possible ;) But if I want the end result to be better for the future that means some uncomfortable detours now.
First I have to listen to my body of today. Yes I want my future lifestyle to include healthy eating and exercise to be my daily fun not my daily chore. Its getting there, somedays I feel I am there at the end of the construction project and other days I look in the mirror and say "DANGER AHEAD!" . So first I have to eat for this body of today. Not the one I had two years ago and need to let go of those comfort foods of past (pop/soda, chips, and sweet pastries) and I look forward to craving my daily needs of beans, greens, and little meat. But not quite there. Too much health food might have me running back towards the comforts of the past :) I ate chinese two nights in a row. Oh many of you know how I crave those sweet sauces, and fried tastiness. How does this fit into my new blueprint. One night we ordered in and one night we cooked it ourselves. Our version twenty times tastier than the delivery version. I don't know how fresh the restaurant's food is but I know exactly the freshness and what ingredients we cooked with.
I want to get more active and I wish I could say that my family never overlooks the beauty of a beautiful day. Today was a gorgeous day for a family walk. We however ended up taking a family nap. Which also can be healthy. Obviously, we all needed a bit of extra sleep. This is something we should either adjust at night or that we all do have a tish of a bug. I am getting over a cold and my sweet darling son decided to puke on me three times in a row (there is nothing worse than sour milk). It actually was this last incident that made me think of the detours we need to take for the betterment of our later journey. His second bath for the night and my evening shower weren't necessarily on our agenda but when a detour pops up sometimes we don't have a choice but to follow.
It would have been easy to say after the low key day and not feeling a hundred percent to say oh phooey to the exercise portion. But after two suppers of Chinese food back to back - my body kind of begged for a little health stop. So I checked my pedometer at 11 pm and still had about 1500 steps to equal at least my regular daily goal of 7000+ steps. This had me exercise for my body of today and not for the ideal road conditions of the future or the abandonment of the past. I didn't grab shoes, or a sweat towel and honestly just stayed in pjs and began to pace my house. With a steady non-quick pace in twenty minutes I was able to check on my son, switch over laundry from the "sick" incident, straighten a couple of things in the kitchen, and manage to walk my 1500 steps to complete my daily goal. Yes, I could have easily finished those couple of things in less than two hundred steps and call it a night. But if I want different results I need to approach things differently so in my mind it was time for a detour.
It isn't easy to change old patterns of comfort into healthy routines but with a few detours and adjustments along the way; I have the utmost confidence we can all maximize our HealthFULL Journeys.
May your path conditions improve with the help of detours that encourage hope for a better life. 'Til we meet again. . .
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Refresh!
How often do you refresh? You refresh your browser when the computer runs slowly. You probably freshen up your make-up or appearance as you are running out the door. You might serve refreshments to guests. But how often do you remember to refresh yourself? Yes we may take time to relax but that doesn't always refresh us (especially if you are catching up on email, heatedly texting, or watching riveting or not so riveting tv). I mention this time of refresh as I had an amazing weekend - a pilgrimage if you will.
It was a time to retreat, reflect, and yes - REFRESH! The weekend included no watch, no cellphone, no computer, and no tv. For some people reading that sentence gave you minor palpitations. And if that is true - isn't that one indication you do need a time of refreshment? A time to just let go of those daily demands that drain us - sometimes a lot - sometimes a little. But drain us all the same. No matter the size of the leak if let untouched it will drain you completely dry.
Well I am feeling refreshed! Even though I am dealing with a stupid cold. But maybe that was my body's way of saying I needed some true rest. As I napped most of the day away. I am ready to recheck my priorities and though I feel I am on a good path there is still some pruning to be done. If I want to be a different person than I need to do things differently, right? For the most part I have made great progress on my 12 resolutions for the 12 months of 2012. But I still have plenty of room for improvements.
May you feel the peace of letting go and the chance to reorganize your priorities. If you felt palpitations at the thought of letting go of your electronics (watch, cell phone, tv, and computer) I strongly encourage/challenge you to try a weekend of shutting them off or even an evening at home (four hours to start). Its freeing and interesting to see what you end up doing :) 'Til we meet again. . .
It was a time to retreat, reflect, and yes - REFRESH! The weekend included no watch, no cellphone, no computer, and no tv. For some people reading that sentence gave you minor palpitations. And if that is true - isn't that one indication you do need a time of refreshment? A time to just let go of those daily demands that drain us - sometimes a lot - sometimes a little. But drain us all the same. No matter the size of the leak if let untouched it will drain you completely dry.
Well I am feeling refreshed! Even though I am dealing with a stupid cold. But maybe that was my body's way of saying I needed some true rest. As I napped most of the day away. I am ready to recheck my priorities and though I feel I am on a good path there is still some pruning to be done. If I want to be a different person than I need to do things differently, right? For the most part I have made great progress on my 12 resolutions for the 12 months of 2012. But I still have plenty of room for improvements.
May you feel the peace of letting go and the chance to reorganize your priorities. If you felt palpitations at the thought of letting go of your electronics (watch, cell phone, tv, and computer) I strongly encourage/challenge you to try a weekend of shutting them off or even an evening at home (four hours to start). Its freeing and interesting to see what you end up doing :) 'Til we meet again. . .
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Junk
Not a super impressive title but junk is very much on my mind. I have a lot of junk cluttering my mind, my bottom, my heart, and my house. I think I am cleaning most of the junk out and away and then I have some of those blah days. And I realized all I did for the most part was to move the junk out of my view; like dust the trash and stick it in a cupboard and call it a day. Yes that looks nice that must mean the junk is gone. Lah lah lah! And then wham I am hit by the junk when I am either having a great moment and realize "Oh there is still a lot of junk - and what does junk do ? It weighs a person down!" So bye bye super mood. Or what is actually scarier is when the junk sneaks up on you when you are already feeling down in the dumps and the junk doesn't just weigh you down; it downright suffocates you. You know that feeling? When you already feel overwhelmed and a friend calls with bad news or you are in the middle of a break-up or a fight with a loved one and you get demoted. The junk that tears you down can be as simple as you were tardy for an appointment because the car was low on gas and then you get home just ticked off about the events of your days and wham - you step on the toy someone left out and you trip - stubbing your toe, twisting your ankle - something painful but not the end of the world. But IT IS THE END OF THE WORLD - perhaps you throw the offending toy - or an unfriendly word - maybe you shed tears. But you have hit the point of too much junk!
Are you really that upset about the toy? No. Was the demotion out of the blue? Usually not. Feeling overwhelmed was it all foisted upon you at once - again probably the result of several if not many different choices and actions. Junk handled in small doses is usually pretty manageable. It's when we let the "junk" multiply and take over - that debt, that anger, that clutter, that weight, that procrastination. All that stuff that we like to push into closets has to eventually be dealt with. That junk isn't fading away, its not playing nice and planning to wave good-bye - it is plotting to steal your happiness, your health, and invade your life in everyway possible.
Some of the "junk" I had jump out is the clutter in our house. We have been purging in spurts and when we some open areas we rejoice and then fall back into the exact same old habits that first accumulated all of the junk. For instance we are weird paper hoarders because my hubby Corey and I don't always like to deal with papers immediately. And paper piles grow like you wouldn't believe. When we moved from North Dakota to South Carolina - we moved at least eight garbage bags of paperwork. 80% trash but 20% actually important documents that we wanted to hold on. We (I will admit mostly me) have that habit of stowing the papers in a plastic bag waiting to be sorted. And then that bag fills up so we grab another. And another - see the pattern? But then one day we'll sort the three bags into trash, shred, and keep. Well the keep pile rarely gets placed into proper storage and just becomes the new bag to gather paperwork. The garbage always gets a nudge out the door. So yay one out of three bags goes immediately away and we feel successful. The shred bag should be easy to deal with but as I say this three bags currently sit in my closet ready to shred. It seems inconvenient with a toddler. Either he's sleeping or would be way too interested or annoyed by the noise. And who wants to create an upset toddler when the world does that enough on its own :) So that is some of the junk.
Other junk is some emotional anxiety. I am going away for the weekend (alone) and won't be in control of my household - keeping it clean, keeping the family happy and not in charge of my own life. Which has me reaching for the junk food. Which I feel like my sal the snacker is taking over because Suzy tastes some of this junk and questions why am I eating this I don't even like it! And then some of the choices I just don't like the feeling afterward because its JUNK food. See how junk multiplies quickly.
So I guess thats where my obsession with junk is stemming from? I am tired of the junk surrounding me and complain about the junk. And yet, I have a lot of trouble letting go of the junk. Even though I find it disrupting and upsetting - its comfortable - its familiar - its excuses and rationalizations. And I know. Maybe not know, but truly believe that the other side through the junk is wonderful, its exciting, its freedom, its simple truth. But as I whine about my junk I pull my ice cream a little closer, I hide my shred piles a little deeper, and smile a bit harder to cover the anxiety and hide all my junk.
On this HealthFULL Journey I feel I have circled a lot of this junk several times as the pile to deal with "tomorrow". Tomorrow comes and I think one more time around should do the trick. The junk is just growing and the tomorrows are fading. Its time to grab the trash bag, and the broom. Let's not continue to sweep this junk under the rug (or other convenient hiding places) but let's truly sweep this junk out and away.
May your HealthFULL Journey reveal treasures as you clean out the junk. 'Til we meet again. . .
Are you really that upset about the toy? No. Was the demotion out of the blue? Usually not. Feeling overwhelmed was it all foisted upon you at once - again probably the result of several if not many different choices and actions. Junk handled in small doses is usually pretty manageable. It's when we let the "junk" multiply and take over - that debt, that anger, that clutter, that weight, that procrastination. All that stuff that we like to push into closets has to eventually be dealt with. That junk isn't fading away, its not playing nice and planning to wave good-bye - it is plotting to steal your happiness, your health, and invade your life in everyway possible.
Some of the "junk" I had jump out is the clutter in our house. We have been purging in spurts and when we some open areas we rejoice and then fall back into the exact same old habits that first accumulated all of the junk. For instance we are weird paper hoarders because my hubby Corey and I don't always like to deal with papers immediately. And paper piles grow like you wouldn't believe. When we moved from North Dakota to South Carolina - we moved at least eight garbage bags of paperwork. 80% trash but 20% actually important documents that we wanted to hold on. We (I will admit mostly me) have that habit of stowing the papers in a plastic bag waiting to be sorted. And then that bag fills up so we grab another. And another - see the pattern? But then one day we'll sort the three bags into trash, shred, and keep. Well the keep pile rarely gets placed into proper storage and just becomes the new bag to gather paperwork. The garbage always gets a nudge out the door. So yay one out of three bags goes immediately away and we feel successful. The shred bag should be easy to deal with but as I say this three bags currently sit in my closet ready to shred. It seems inconvenient with a toddler. Either he's sleeping or would be way too interested or annoyed by the noise. And who wants to create an upset toddler when the world does that enough on its own :) So that is some of the junk.
Other junk is some emotional anxiety. I am going away for the weekend (alone) and won't be in control of my household - keeping it clean, keeping the family happy and not in charge of my own life. Which has me reaching for the junk food. Which I feel like my sal the snacker is taking over because Suzy tastes some of this junk and questions why am I eating this I don't even like it! And then some of the choices I just don't like the feeling afterward because its JUNK food. See how junk multiplies quickly.
So I guess thats where my obsession with junk is stemming from? I am tired of the junk surrounding me and complain about the junk. And yet, I have a lot of trouble letting go of the junk. Even though I find it disrupting and upsetting - its comfortable - its familiar - its excuses and rationalizations. And I know. Maybe not know, but truly believe that the other side through the junk is wonderful, its exciting, its freedom, its simple truth. But as I whine about my junk I pull my ice cream a little closer, I hide my shred piles a little deeper, and smile a bit harder to cover the anxiety and hide all my junk.
On this HealthFULL Journey I feel I have circled a lot of this junk several times as the pile to deal with "tomorrow". Tomorrow comes and I think one more time around should do the trick. The junk is just growing and the tomorrows are fading. Its time to grab the trash bag, and the broom. Let's not continue to sweep this junk under the rug (or other convenient hiding places) but let's truly sweep this junk out and away.
May your HealthFULL Journey reveal treasures as you clean out the junk. 'Til we meet again. . .
Friday, March 2, 2012
Living means to be Aware.
This post was originally to be titled "Minty Fresh" and that the herb Mint was our new produce of the week. I thought about sharing how we used it with lamb. Considered doing light research on the computer about the benefits of adding fresh herbs to meals. But then life happened and I realized Mint was no longer on my thoughts but the importance of being aware seemed to be smacking me in the face.
Currently our house is in upheaval. My wonderful hubby is off on a retreat which I will be taking one myself soon. This leaves us separated for a couple of days at a time. We tend to be those couples that do a lot together. So this is a little surreal. We split parenting duties - a lot!!!! In the last day I have found myself communicating with his ghost. Alright you pour the milk and I'll grab the boy and change his diaper. And how rude, I return and no one has poured the milk! When I need to tag-team out of responsibility for just a three minute sit down. There is no partner to tag and our delightful toddling son only sees my weakness as his advantage. Isn't it funny how much more we aware of a person or an object when they go missing?
I also wanted to write from this present mind as I am doing okay healthfull journey wise today. I am not being super fit and super healthy but I also am not doing horrible and moping on the couch (maybe a small part of myself would love to be a couch potato :) I ate not the best choices today. But I did walk over 12000+ steps today. I had two slow days this week around 5000 steps. The rest right at 7000 steps. But I made myself AWARE of how many steps I took today as the day progressed. For most of the day I made myself get up and walk around or jog at least 1000 steps each hour. This helped keep me moving, but not to an impossible standard. That is less than fifteen minutes every hour of just moving. It didn't have to be working out and sweating (though there were spurts as I looked at the clock and saw I had less than ten minutes to add 700 steps :) .
I got some cleaning done today which helps me feel energetic. When we bog ourselves down with a guilt - laden to - do list it drags us down and drains our energy. At least I am AWARE of this phenomenon for myself. By clearing items off the list for the weekend I feel more available to my son, to myself (tell me I am not alone on withholding pleasures because chores are unfinished - a quiet hour of reading, an indulgent bathtub, a decadent dessert?) and to life. I feel stronger, more energetic, more sane, organized, accomplished which leads to confident, and frees up my spirit to be playful. Crazy how items that take as little as ten minutes steal moments, hours, days from my life because I procrastinate, whine, and sometimes just plain ignore the situation.
Another moment of AWAREness is how awesome that a regular everyday kind of day can be life - altering. Sometimes, this is not an awesome realization, but can be that kind of moment where your heart pounds in anticipation, how your mind begins to overwork the gears at the infinite possibilities, and how just for a moment you are lost in the surprise. Because sometimes if you are willing and AWARE life decides to sparkle in the simplest of pleasures - child goes to sleep, an old friend drops you a note, a book has an inspiring quote, or you just stop; breathe in, breathe out - and realize you are beyond blessed.
May your HealthFULL Journey help you gain awareness of your surroundings and the blessings that already glimmer in your life. 'Til we meet again. . .
Currently our house is in upheaval. My wonderful hubby is off on a retreat which I will be taking one myself soon. This leaves us separated for a couple of days at a time. We tend to be those couples that do a lot together. So this is a little surreal. We split parenting duties - a lot!!!! In the last day I have found myself communicating with his ghost. Alright you pour the milk and I'll grab the boy and change his diaper. And how rude, I return and no one has poured the milk! When I need to tag-team out of responsibility for just a three minute sit down. There is no partner to tag and our delightful toddling son only sees my weakness as his advantage. Isn't it funny how much more we aware of a person or an object when they go missing?
I also wanted to write from this present mind as I am doing okay healthfull journey wise today. I am not being super fit and super healthy but I also am not doing horrible and moping on the couch (maybe a small part of myself would love to be a couch potato :) I ate not the best choices today. But I did walk over 12000+ steps today. I had two slow days this week around 5000 steps. The rest right at 7000 steps. But I made myself AWARE of how many steps I took today as the day progressed. For most of the day I made myself get up and walk around or jog at least 1000 steps each hour. This helped keep me moving, but not to an impossible standard. That is less than fifteen minutes every hour of just moving. It didn't have to be working out and sweating (though there were spurts as I looked at the clock and saw I had less than ten minutes to add 700 steps :) .
I got some cleaning done today which helps me feel energetic. When we bog ourselves down with a guilt - laden to - do list it drags us down and drains our energy. At least I am AWARE of this phenomenon for myself. By clearing items off the list for the weekend I feel more available to my son, to myself (tell me I am not alone on withholding pleasures because chores are unfinished - a quiet hour of reading, an indulgent bathtub, a decadent dessert?) and to life. I feel stronger, more energetic, more sane, organized, accomplished which leads to confident, and frees up my spirit to be playful. Crazy how items that take as little as ten minutes steal moments, hours, days from my life because I procrastinate, whine, and sometimes just plain ignore the situation.
Another moment of AWAREness is how awesome that a regular everyday kind of day can be life - altering. Sometimes, this is not an awesome realization, but can be that kind of moment where your heart pounds in anticipation, how your mind begins to overwork the gears at the infinite possibilities, and how just for a moment you are lost in the surprise. Because sometimes if you are willing and AWARE life decides to sparkle in the simplest of pleasures - child goes to sleep, an old friend drops you a note, a book has an inspiring quote, or you just stop; breathe in, breathe out - and realize you are beyond blessed.
May your HealthFULL Journey help you gain awareness of your surroundings and the blessings that already glimmer in your life. 'Til we meet again. . .
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