I got this in an email from Zevia. I wanted to share because this is a poignant reminder of what sugar can do to us. Hope they don't mind that I share...
Weight on It
One cool chic's adventures, thoughts, and random acts of dealing with life and her weight.
Tuesday, April 19, 2016
Poor Eating, Poor Attitude
We went out Friday night to celebrate Hotty Scotty's 38th birthday. That's right folks, we are careening towards 40...
We decided on Bonefish because, well, tuna. We love tuna. If you remember my favorite foods list (located here), tuna is definitely a favorite! So, naturally, this was our first choice for a birthday/night out/date night type of evening. We got there at about eight o'clock, and finally, by nine, we were seated.
Enter ahi tuna sashimi appetizer.
Yum.
Enter bread.
Fresh, warm, artisanal bread.
With olive oil.
And pesto.
Oh crap.
I made a bad decision and set off in a tail spin that did not end until today. FOUR days later. Thank goodness it has not been another five months...but let me tell you how the past four days have gone...
Saturday:
-woke up feeling yucky
-knees hurt
-dreaded facing the day
-ate pizza for lunch (another bad mistake, but I slipped into the well-I-already-messed-up-mentality)
-had to lay down for a nap
-miserable trip to Walmart to get camping stuff
-blood sugar crashes ALL DAY LONG
-continued to feed sugar cravings (cheesecake, crackers etc.)
Sunday:
-slept until 11:30 AM
-chose not to go to church
-knees and back hurt so bad, I moved to recliner
-slept until 2:00 PM while off and on waking up ill as a hornet and being ugly to my family
-completely overwhelmed with laundry/dishes that needed doing
-bad attitude combined with feeling miserable with off and on crying
-refused to help SK outside with pool prep
-started a load of laundry
-laid back down
-felt very depressed
-forced myself to get dressed (I looked awful...I can only imagine what people thought)
-cried some more
-SK took us to Jersey Mikes so I could get a sub-in-a-tub (he knew I was "off kilter")
-went to grocery store
-came home, ate more junk because blood sugar was still wonky
-did as little as possible the rest of the day
-skipped a shower
-went to bed
Monday:
-hit snooze button until last possible minute
-got up and packed lunches
-went to McDonalds for lunch instead of eating the low carb options I packed
-stayed super-sleepy all day
-got home and had zero energy
-fixed a crappy carb-laden dinner
-planted myself in the recliner until time for bed
Today:
-hit snooze button until last possible minute
-got up and packed lunches
-ATE THE LUNCH I PACKED.
-still hungry, tired, and miserable...but...
...it comes with the territory. Now I have to go through the withdrawals again. I have to have a solid two days of feeling icky while my body burns the last of the carb-binge weekend off and gets back to ketosis. Now I have to use every single ounce of my already floundering will power to stay on the straight and narrow. Now I have to tell myself that each and every decision I make about food these next couple of days will eventually earn me back my energy, my good attitude, my stable blood sugars, my joy.
Why all this? Because I know that if I let a derailed weekend turn into a week, it will spiral out of control into many months and pounds. At this point, I just cannot let myself go for too long. The misery from this weekend was ENOUGH. Sunday was bad. So bad. And it did not have to be that way. It was a beautiful weekend full of sunshine and opportunity. For the Kinley household, however, it was a bad weekend.
We decided on Bonefish because, well, tuna. We love tuna. If you remember my favorite foods list (located here), tuna is definitely a favorite! So, naturally, this was our first choice for a birthday/night out/date night type of evening. We got there at about eight o'clock, and finally, by nine, we were seated.
Enter ahi tuna sashimi appetizer.
Yum.
Enter bread.
Fresh, warm, artisanal bread.
With olive oil.
And pesto.
Oh crap.
I made a bad decision and set off in a tail spin that did not end until today. FOUR days later. Thank goodness it has not been another five months...but let me tell you how the past four days have gone...
Saturday:
-woke up feeling yucky
-knees hurt
-dreaded facing the day
-ate pizza for lunch (another bad mistake, but I slipped into the well-I-already-messed-up-mentality)
-had to lay down for a nap
-miserable trip to Walmart to get camping stuff
-blood sugar crashes ALL DAY LONG
-continued to feed sugar cravings (cheesecake, crackers etc.)
Sunday:
-slept until 11:30 AM
-chose not to go to church
-knees and back hurt so bad, I moved to recliner
-slept until 2:00 PM while off and on waking up ill as a hornet and being ugly to my family
-completely overwhelmed with laundry/dishes that needed doing
-bad attitude combined with feeling miserable with off and on crying
-refused to help SK outside with pool prep
-started a load of laundry
-laid back down
-felt very depressed
-forced myself to get dressed (I looked awful...I can only imagine what people thought)
-cried some more
-SK took us to Jersey Mikes so I could get a sub-in-a-tub (he knew I was "off kilter")
-went to grocery store
-came home, ate more junk because blood sugar was still wonky
-did as little as possible the rest of the day
-skipped a shower
-went to bed
Monday:
-hit snooze button until last possible minute
-got up and packed lunches
-went to McDonalds for lunch instead of eating the low carb options I packed
-stayed super-sleepy all day
-got home and had zero energy
-fixed a crappy carb-laden dinner
-planted myself in the recliner until time for bed
Today:
-hit snooze button until last possible minute
-got up and packed lunches
-ATE THE LUNCH I PACKED.
-still hungry, tired, and miserable...but...
...it comes with the territory. Now I have to go through the withdrawals again. I have to have a solid two days of feeling icky while my body burns the last of the carb-binge weekend off and gets back to ketosis. Now I have to use every single ounce of my already floundering will power to stay on the straight and narrow. Now I have to tell myself that each and every decision I make about food these next couple of days will eventually earn me back my energy, my good attitude, my stable blood sugars, my joy.
Why all this? Because I know that if I let a derailed weekend turn into a week, it will spiral out of control into many months and pounds. At this point, I just cannot let myself go for too long. The misery from this weekend was ENOUGH. Sunday was bad. So bad. And it did not have to be that way. It was a beautiful weekend full of sunshine and opportunity. For the Kinley household, however, it was a bad weekend.
Labels:
addiction,
anti-foods,
attitude,
aware,
carbs,
clean foods,
comfort,
control,
depression,
emotional eating,
food,
getting started,
Insulin Resistance,
low carb,
madness,
no sugar,
obesity,
sad
Monday, March 14, 2016
Lunch kayaking and random thoughts slash update...
I will start with this...lunch today was kind of a hodge-podge of things:
Cashews
Chicken Salad
Mozzarella slices
Arizona Zero Green Tea
I nibbled, and my stomach was satisfied, yet my mind tells me that eating just a bit of chicken salad and some nuts is not a meal. My mind wants a big meal because that is how I (we?) are programmed to think. When did food become this power, this thing? I have some thoughts on that. More on that later, I suppose.
For now, I will be happy with the foods I ate for lunch. They will fuel my body. My mind will just have to get over it...
Now, for the update...I have fought the good fight off and on for the last year. I did well, sticking to very low carb and almost no sugar for well over 5 months. I dropped 40 pounds and felt ah-mazing. I discovered kayaking, and we went camping, and we did all sorts of things I have only dreamed of doing. Heck, we paddled almost 8 miles down the Deep River and I was not even sore the next day!
I got derailed at the beach in July last year and never really got back on track. I gained 30 pounds back, but after several months of that "swing" I have mentioned many times over on this blog, I got back to it. 10 pounds gone as of this week, so 20 total. I am good with that. The rest will come off in time.
What got me back on track? Maybe that purple kayak sitting in my back yard ready to take the first trip of 2016? Maybe knowing how much easier it is to paddle, hike, etc. with less weight and tons of energy? Yep and yep!
Low carbing is easy, yet hard. You have to (well, I have to) be sooo careful. Hidden carbs or sugar, or even overindulgence on something artificially sweetened can put me off track for days. Last time I indulged in pizza (at the beach), I was derailed for five months. Five months. No one's fault but my own though: I could have just eaten the toppings.
So, here I am, doing my usual thing... trying, failing, picking myself back up, trying again...realizing this may never end. I will say I feel a bit better about things though. My attitude has changed a bit. I am not sure why, maybe it's just the pure joy I have discovered in actually doing some things that I always held myself back from doing just because I am fat.
Last summer some of that I'm-fat-and-can't-do-anything-or-should-not-do-anything-because-I'm-fat (and the I'll-just-wait-until-I'm-thinner) attitude changed. We went to a small lake with some wonderful friends and I got on a kayak for the first time in my life. I had always wanted to try it and felt deep down that I would like it.
#instantjoy.
I did a quick paddle across the lake and I. was. hooked. I told a good friend of mine that day, that I was buying a kayak. Three weeks later, I was the proud owner and captain of "Purple Rain"...the most awesome, colorful kayak ever! (My friend, well, he saw that sparkle in my eye too. Being a fan of paddling himself, he bought a kayak too. In fact, we kind of started a thing. Several friends bought kayaks last summer.)
I learned a few lessons over the summer:
1) Take a waterproof camera/get a mini drybag or something (River-1 Camera-0)
2) Get some croakers or don't wear sunglasses (River/Lakes-2 Sunglasses-0)
3) Shade-hop on the lakes. Mid-July is hot!
4) Paddle vests are way better than bulky regular vests. Must. Move. Arms.
5) Wear sunscreen AND bug spray on the rivers (Mosquitoes-43,658 Christina-0)
6) Eat right.
Yep, #6 is eat right. The payoff is in energy, overall health, and honestly, for me, joy. That, and I don't suffer from any inconvenient low blood sugar attacks. Win win!
That's the Weight on It update in a nutshell. I will try to do better and blog more. Just keep in mind, that if I continue to be infrequent with my posts, it's probably because I'm living my life and hopefully paddling on to my next adventure.
Peace, love, and kayaking my friends...
Cashews
Chicken Salad
Mozzarella slices
Arizona Zero Green Tea
I nibbled, and my stomach was satisfied, yet my mind tells me that eating just a bit of chicken salad and some nuts is not a meal. My mind wants a big meal because that is how I (we?) are programmed to think. When did food become this power, this thing? I have some thoughts on that. More on that later, I suppose.
For now, I will be happy with the foods I ate for lunch. They will fuel my body. My mind will just have to get over it...
Now, for the update...I have fought the good fight off and on for the last year. I did well, sticking to very low carb and almost no sugar for well over 5 months. I dropped 40 pounds and felt ah-mazing. I discovered kayaking, and we went camping, and we did all sorts of things I have only dreamed of doing. Heck, we paddled almost 8 miles down the Deep River and I was not even sore the next day!
I got derailed at the beach in July last year and never really got back on track. I gained 30 pounds back, but after several months of that "swing" I have mentioned many times over on this blog, I got back to it. 10 pounds gone as of this week, so 20 total. I am good with that. The rest will come off in time.
What got me back on track? Maybe that purple kayak sitting in my back yard ready to take the first trip of 2016? Maybe knowing how much easier it is to paddle, hike, etc. with less weight and tons of energy? Yep and yep!
Low carbing is easy, yet hard. You have to (well, I have to) be sooo careful. Hidden carbs or sugar, or even overindulgence on something artificially sweetened can put me off track for days. Last time I indulged in pizza (at the beach), I was derailed for five months. Five months. No one's fault but my own though: I could have just eaten the toppings.
So, here I am, doing my usual thing... trying, failing, picking myself back up, trying again...realizing this may never end. I will say I feel a bit better about things though. My attitude has changed a bit. I am not sure why, maybe it's just the pure joy I have discovered in actually doing some things that I always held myself back from doing just because I am fat.
Last summer some of that I'm-fat-and-can't-do-anything-or-should-not-do-anything-because-I'm-fat (and the I'll-just-wait-until-I'm-thinner) attitude changed. We went to a small lake with some wonderful friends and I got on a kayak for the first time in my life. I had always wanted to try it and felt deep down that I would like it.
#instantjoy.
I did a quick paddle across the lake and I. was. hooked. I told a good friend of mine that day, that I was buying a kayak. Three weeks later, I was the proud owner and captain of "Purple Rain"...the most awesome, colorful kayak ever! (My friend, well, he saw that sparkle in my eye too. Being a fan of paddling himself, he bought a kayak too. In fact, we kind of started a thing. Several friends bought kayaks last summer.)
This is me, on a friend's kayak, on my first EVER paddle. |
This is my sweet ride, "Purple Rain" |
We took several adventures over the summer. Mostly local lakes, Randleman, High Point City, etc. but the Deep River trek was my favorite. We worked hard, but the payoff was in seeing beautiful historical camel-back bridges, time with good friends, and the pure rush of joy I had in my soul that day. Here are a few pictures:
I learned a few lessons over the summer:
1) Take a waterproof camera/get a mini drybag or something (River-1 Camera-0)
2) Get some croakers or don't wear sunglasses (River/Lakes-2 Sunglasses-0)
3) Shade-hop on the lakes. Mid-July is hot!
4) Paddle vests are way better than bulky regular vests. Must. Move. Arms.
5) Wear sunscreen AND bug spray on the rivers (Mosquitoes-43,658 Christina-0)
6) Eat right.
Yep, #6 is eat right. The payoff is in energy, overall health, and honestly, for me, joy. That, and I don't suffer from any inconvenient low blood sugar attacks. Win win!
That's the Weight on It update in a nutshell. I will try to do better and blog more. Just keep in mind, that if I continue to be infrequent with my posts, it's probably because I'm living my life and hopefully paddling on to my next adventure.
Peace, love, and kayaking my friends...
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
Quote...
"The only time to eat diet food is while you're waiting for the steak to cook."
~Julia Child
And the people all said...
Amen!
~Julia Child
And the people all said...
Amen!
Thursday, January 8, 2015
Sugar.
I plan on doing a post on this, but wow.
Take the time to read this post by National Geographic author, Rich Cohen. It is fascinating.
And a little scary.
Take the time to read this post by National Geographic author, Rich Cohen. It is fascinating.
And a little scary.
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
Orange and White Stripes NOT Forever
I just wanted to say that ever since the day I wore that orange and white striped shirt and saw my reflection in a store mirror, it has made me feel terrible about myself. Every. Single. Time. In fact, I have not worn that shirt since. It has been nearly two years. Each time I see it in my closet, I relive how bad I felt that day.
I fail and feel bad enough on my own sometimes that I just do not need a constant reminder or anything that represents that.
Well, last night I threw that shirt away.
Enough is enough.
(Here is the original post.)
I fail and feel bad enough on my own sometimes that I just do not need a constant reminder or anything that represents that.
Well, last night I threw that shirt away.
Enough is enough.
(Here is the original post.)
Simplify.
I have been running around like a crazy woman. Remember the saying "running around like a chicken with its head cut off". That's me. At least it feels like it.
Literally running? Nope. Not me.
I have been working, mothering, wifing (yep, I think I just made up a new word), managing my Etsy store, eBaying, making endless to-do lists, etc. All things I love, but notice blogging was not even in that list. So sad. It's one of my major outlets.
I feel like I have been spending a lot of time pulling stickers (etc.) and getting them packaged and to the post office. Well, I have. I love it too. (The sharing/selling of awesome vintage stickers to those who have the same appreciation for them as me...not the lugging myself to the post office several times a week, dealing with listings, leaving feedback, etc.)
I am making a point, I promise. Stay with me.
I put my store on "vacation mode" over the holidays and to be honest, I felt free. It is bettersweet, but I am just being honest here.
Meanwhile...here is what I have been dealing with: [in no particular order]
Literally running? Nope. Not me.
I have been working, mothering, wifing (yep, I think I just made up a new word), managing my Etsy store, eBaying, making endless to-do lists, etc. All things I love, but notice blogging was not even in that list. So sad. It's one of my major outlets.
I feel like I have been spending a lot of time pulling stickers (etc.) and getting them packaged and to the post office. Well, I have. I love it too. (The sharing/selling of awesome vintage stickers to those who have the same appreciation for them as me...not the lugging myself to the post office several times a week, dealing with listings, leaving feedback, etc.)
I am making a point, I promise. Stay with me.
I put my store on "vacation mode" over the holidays and to be honest, I felt free. It is bettersweet, but I am just being honest here.
Meanwhile...here is what I have been dealing with: [in no particular order]
- Joint pain (knees, hands and majorly in my elbows)
- Eczema flair ups on my arms
- Low Fitbit step counts (aka: low energy and lack of movement)
- Extra fatigue, especially during regular daytime hours (see previous bullet)
- Weight gain. Obviously.
- No period for 4 months (when they had been quite regular)
- Floaters and wonky vision.
The floaters and wonky vision is kinda the most scary to me as I stop and think about it because I am sure my blood sugar levels have been redonk through the holidays (and October) (and September) (and most of 2014.) I know that my lack of healthy eating, astronomical sugar intake etc. could very well be the cause of this. Or at least, it is definitely not helping. That is not cool.
I took note of the stunning sunrise today on the way to work and I thought to myself, what a shame if I was not able to see this. I should probably get my eyes checked. Or at least eat better and see if there is improvement, and see a doctor. Preach!
So, how are these two things connected you ask?
Well, when I have my major focus on one thing in my life, I tend to lose it on another. My fabulous things-to-do-and-people-to-see-cup runneth over and I am NOT complaining. However, I need to prioritize better. If I cannot seem to manage selling, packing and trips to the post office along with packing my lunch and focusing on my eating, then something has to go. Guess which one it shall be?
I suppose the good news is that I now pack lunch for Miss Brandy, so I should take a friend's advice and pack mine at the same time. No excuses. [I mean, I am sure I could think of some, but they would probably be pretty lame.]
Can I get back to lean meats, fish, veggies, berries, nuts and seeds? We shall see. I have done it with success in the past, so surely I can. I need this. I am not at the "feel like total crap" stage, but I am close, and I do not want to get that far. Remember this post, where I briefly mentioned commitment? What about this one? Well, I am still stuck in Chapter 3. I walk down the same street, I see the hole, I fall in, I am aware and I know how it happened. I would love to make it to Chapter 4 and 5. A happy place with weight and food.
I take all of those issues I listed earlier as signs. Like I said, I am not at the miserable stage yet, but I know it is coming. I have fallen in the hole. It. Is. Coming.
Must. Stop. The. Madness.
Must. Eat. Better.
Simplify.
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
Zevia.
I ♥ Zevia. That is all.
Nah, I am kidding. Not about the loving it part though, I really, really do.
Hotty Scotty and I first heard of Zevia on a trip to Earthfare. We were armed with a $1 off coupon and we grabbed a 6-pack of the grape flavor. We tried it, we loved it.
Fast forward a bit to where I see a "Rainbow Case" of Zevia on Amazon. Yay-us! I put that baby on auto-subscription. Two days later, thanks to Prime, this lovely rainbow of sodas arrived at my house...
Zevia's definition is: "A zero calorie soda with no sugar and no artificial sweeteners. Available in 15 delicious flavors, this stevia sweetened soda is the natural pop you and your family will crave. Zevia is the answer to natural diet soda that tastes great. Zevia is the smarter soda choice."
I am a stevia fan, so this is a good thing. It took some getting used to, and I'll admit, I still do a half-stevia-half-splenda mix in my coffee a lot. Most folks will tell you full-on stevia is an acquired taste. Either way, Zevia rocks. Nope, I am not a spokesperson or whatever, just a new fan of this stuff!
I posted this pic to Instagram the other day... just being silly. Used the hashtag #sodaselfie, since I follow @ZeviaLife and love their posts...
Well, next thing ya know, I was chosen as the "Flavorite of the Week", lol! I love it! I'm adding in a screenshot of their post below. Guess this is my 2 minutes of fame folks! I will take it, and my free case of black cherry Zevia!! (Good choice on my behalf since it is Brandy's fave!)
I will leave you with these fab shots :) Yes, of course I laid them out like a rainbow... and then no matter what I do, the picture is upside down. Oh well, it's a smile now.
Oh yeah, here are the flavors available, if you were curious:
✤ Cola
✤ Caffeine Free Cola
✤ Ginger Ale
✤ Ginger Root Beer
✤ Lemon Lime Twist
✤ Grapefruit Citrus
✤ Orange
✤ Mountain Zevia
✤ Grape
✤ Dr. Zevia
✤ Black Cherry
✤ Cream Soda
✤ Lime Cola (not in the rainbow case)
✤ Cherry Cola (not in the rainbow case)
✤ Strawberry (not in the rainbow case) (but I wish it was!!)
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
VBS
Something profound happened tonight. Profound in the world of raising a four year old. I feel the need to share because it is something I will never forget.
Brandy has been going to vacation bible school this week. She missed the first day of it because, quite frankly, I forgot. After a slight four-year-old meltdown, I found out the schedule for the rest of the week and decided to let her attend. She loved Tuesday night and was excited to go tonight (Wednesday).
Tonight, the "lesson" they learned was that even though we do wrong/bad things, Jesus still loves us. To a four year old, that's a big deal. Their little minds are so busy processing good vs. bad and asking things like "Mommy, do you still love me even if I (fill in the blank)?", so this is a good subject to talk about.
Let's start with supper...they feed the kids a light meal before starting the program. Tonight (Wednesday) was spaghetti. My child quickly informed them that the spaghetti they served was "not like we have at home". They gave her some goldfish and watermelon as a substitute. Then, after some song and dance, they were off to their classrooms for their lessons.
The classes (grouped by age) all return at around 8:00 PM to listen to another story, do a group activity, then conclude the evening. By this time, my child comes up to me and says she is "starving". I encouraged her to return to her group since there was only 30 minutes left. That did not work. She is Scott's child too, ya know! I tried to share some grapes I had in my bag with her. Nope. Long story straight, the preacher himself left the soundboard to go find Brandy a snack. More goldfish and a second brownie. (They had just had brownies for an evening snack...)
Brandy climbed up in a chair and started nibbling.
Meanwhile, as you know, the show must go on...the bible school leader, Ms. Melody starts the groups on a special activity. Each group of children sat in a circle and the group leaders held open a big black trash bag. Up on the stage, in front of the children, was a beautiful cross, all lit up with tube lights.
Ms. Melody instructed the children to think of something bad or wrong that they had done (or said) and to "throw it away" in the big trash bags. Maybe they had been ugly to a friend. Or not listened to Mom or Dad. Whatever it was, they just had to think of it, then throw it away.
They turned down the lights, and when the children were done, the group leaders took the trash bags and draped them on the cross. Then a guy dressed as Jesus entered the room (lights still down, somber music playing) and proceeded to clear off the cross, essentially washing away the sins or "bad stuff" that had been confessed or "given" to Him.
MEANWHILE... Brandy is in her chair, munching, when all of a sudden she starts crying. She comes up to me and tells me that she didn't get to throw her bad stuff away. She said she was "left out". I gently told her to go up and put something in one of the trash bags. She was afraid to go alone and asked me to go with her, so there we went...
The kids and leaders are all still singing, the lights are still down low and here we go, Brandy Mae and Mommy, hand in hand, walking down the center of the room up to the stage. We get to the cross and she refuses to do anything. So we turn around and start walking back to our chair and she starts wailing. Ms. Melody, who is trying to start talking to the groups, gives me a pity look as I am trying to coax my inconsolable child back to either her group or the car at that point. I was torn between feeling so bad for her and trying to keep her from disrupting the entire program. Sooo, she is still bawling and I am about to cry for her because her little heart is just broken. She told me that she was "full of bad things" and that she "did not get to throw them away" and it was "too late because Jesus already left". One of her group leaders stepped in and held her and talked to her for a while. At this point, I was feeling pretty helpless anyways.
A few minutes later, it was time to go and Brandy was still boo hooing. We got in the car and I tried to convince her to "throw the bad things out the car window". I tried. I "threw" one of mine out to show her, but she said it would not work. She was pretty torn up all the way home. Longggg drive, by-the-way. I told her that He knows what's in our hearts. The next thing she said to me made time stand still...
"Mommy, I need to tell you something."
(pause)
"I did not really believe in Jesus until tonight when he showed up and I could really see him."
(then she started bawling again because she "still had bad things to throw away".)
I tried the "out the window" thing again to no avail.
As we continued to head down the road, I saw the big, lit up cross in the church parking lot at the end of our street. If anyone had been sitting at the stop sign there, I probably would have plowed into them because I literally swung my Pontiac into the church parking lot. I threw the car into park, and turned to face my sweet girl.
I said "do you see that cross?" ("Yes") "Do you want to throw away your bad stuff there, at that big cross?" ("Yes") "Then let's go."
We got out of the car and walked up to that big, simple, beautiful white cross. I have never felt so small and humble in my life as I did as I stood there in the dark, next to my child, who bowed her head and said "Please Jesus, take away my bad stuff. Please."
I repeated her simple plea. Then I said "do you think we should say Amen?". So we did, and then we walked back to the car.
We drove down our road silently and when we got to the driveway, I asked her if she felt better.
That simple "Yes." was all I needed to hear.
I am pretty sure I saw Jesus tonight too.
Brandy has been going to vacation bible school this week. She missed the first day of it because, quite frankly, I forgot. After a slight four-year-old meltdown, I found out the schedule for the rest of the week and decided to let her attend. She loved Tuesday night and was excited to go tonight (Wednesday).
Tonight, the "lesson" they learned was that even though we do wrong/bad things, Jesus still loves us. To a four year old, that's a big deal. Their little minds are so busy processing good vs. bad and asking things like "Mommy, do you still love me even if I (fill in the blank)?", so this is a good subject to talk about.
Let's start with supper...they feed the kids a light meal before starting the program. Tonight (Wednesday) was spaghetti. My child quickly informed them that the spaghetti they served was "not like we have at home". They gave her some goldfish and watermelon as a substitute. Then, after some song and dance, they were off to their classrooms for their lessons.
The classes (grouped by age) all return at around 8:00 PM to listen to another story, do a group activity, then conclude the evening. By this time, my child comes up to me and says she is "starving". I encouraged her to return to her group since there was only 30 minutes left. That did not work. She is Scott's child too, ya know! I tried to share some grapes I had in my bag with her. Nope. Long story straight, the preacher himself left the soundboard to go find Brandy a snack. More goldfish and a second brownie. (They had just had brownies for an evening snack...)
Brandy climbed up in a chair and started nibbling.
Meanwhile, as you know, the show must go on...the bible school leader, Ms. Melody starts the groups on a special activity. Each group of children sat in a circle and the group leaders held open a big black trash bag. Up on the stage, in front of the children, was a beautiful cross, all lit up with tube lights.
Ms. Melody instructed the children to think of something bad or wrong that they had done (or said) and to "throw it away" in the big trash bags. Maybe they had been ugly to a friend. Or not listened to Mom or Dad. Whatever it was, they just had to think of it, then throw it away.
They turned down the lights, and when the children were done, the group leaders took the trash bags and draped them on the cross. Then a guy dressed as Jesus entered the room (lights still down, somber music playing) and proceeded to clear off the cross, essentially washing away the sins or "bad stuff" that had been confessed or "given" to Him.
MEANWHILE... Brandy is in her chair, munching, when all of a sudden she starts crying. She comes up to me and tells me that she didn't get to throw her bad stuff away. She said she was "left out". I gently told her to go up and put something in one of the trash bags. She was afraid to go alone and asked me to go with her, so there we went...
The kids and leaders are all still singing, the lights are still down low and here we go, Brandy Mae and Mommy, hand in hand, walking down the center of the room up to the stage. We get to the cross and she refuses to do anything. So we turn around and start walking back to our chair and she starts wailing. Ms. Melody, who is trying to start talking to the groups, gives me a pity look as I am trying to coax my inconsolable child back to either her group or the car at that point. I was torn between feeling so bad for her and trying to keep her from disrupting the entire program. Sooo, she is still bawling and I am about to cry for her because her little heart is just broken. She told me that she was "full of bad things" and that she "did not get to throw them away" and it was "too late because Jesus already left". One of her group leaders stepped in and held her and talked to her for a while. At this point, I was feeling pretty helpless anyways.
A few minutes later, it was time to go and Brandy was still boo hooing. We got in the car and I tried to convince her to "throw the bad things out the car window". I tried. I "threw" one of mine out to show her, but she said it would not work. She was pretty torn up all the way home. Longggg drive, by-the-way. I told her that He knows what's in our hearts. The next thing she said to me made time stand still...
"Mommy, I need to tell you something."
(pause)
"I did not really believe in Jesus until tonight when he showed up and I could really see him."
(then she started bawling again because she "still had bad things to throw away".)
I tried the "out the window" thing again to no avail.
As we continued to head down the road, I saw the big, lit up cross in the church parking lot at the end of our street. If anyone had been sitting at the stop sign there, I probably would have plowed into them because I literally swung my Pontiac into the church parking lot. I threw the car into park, and turned to face my sweet girl.
I said "do you see that cross?" ("Yes") "Do you want to throw away your bad stuff there, at that big cross?" ("Yes") "Then let's go."
We got out of the car and walked up to that big, simple, beautiful white cross. I have never felt so small and humble in my life as I did as I stood there in the dark, next to my child, who bowed her head and said "Please Jesus, take away my bad stuff. Please."
I repeated her simple plea. Then I said "do you think we should say Amen?". So we did, and then we walked back to the car.
We drove down our road silently and when we got to the driveway, I asked her if she felt better.
That simple "Yes." was all I needed to hear.
I am pretty sure I saw Jesus tonight too.
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Brussel Sprouts?
I have never eaten Brussel Spouts. Scott has never had them. Brandy has never had them. We never really intended to either.
But then there was Pinterest.
And all of the yummy things on Pinterest.
I saw a delicious looking pin and dutifully, I virtually tacked it up on my NomNomNom board.
I pinned it only a week ago, and I think I broke some sort of pin-then-actually-attempt-to-make-something record. I got all my ingredients together and later, when we went grocery shopping, the brussel sprouts at Harris Teeter were gorgeous. It had to be a sign!
Here are my very own sprouts looking majorly delicious on the stove top yesterday evening:
I will admit, I did not use the recipe's suggestion of what to deglaze the pan with. I did not have chicken broth or white wine on hand, so I grabbed the first "fruity" thing I had in the fridge... which was an opened bottle of Hint Fizz Peach.
It worked quite well. LOL
The verdict was mixed in my household, as you will read below. Bottom line, though, definitely try this recipe if you have never had this lovely little vegetable. It might surprise you.
Verbatim Verdicts...
Christina: ★★★★ "Yum! I will make these again. But with less red pepper..."
Scott: ★★★ "I don't like cabbage and these are like little cabbages. I like the sweet/spicy glaze though. Can you put it on something else besides baby cabbages?"
Brandy: ★ "I'm not eating that thing." (tried half of one...swallowed it) "Thank you mommy, but I do not ever want any more of those things."
Momma tried...
Here is the recipe for you to try. Let me know how you and your family liked it!
Sweet & Spicy Brussel Sprouts
1 lb fresh Brussel sprouts, ends trimmed and sliced in half
1 T fresh ginger
1 T sesame oil
1 T canola oil
2-3 T soy sauce (low sodium is good!)
Pinch red pepper flakes
Black & white Sesame seeds
¼ cup chicken broth or white wine
1/4 cup honey
In a large sauté pan, over medium to medium high heat, add both sesame and canola oils with the grated ginger and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Once oils are heated and ginger starts to bubble add brussel sprouts. Shake pan to distribute brussel sprouts and add soy sauce.
Cook for about 10 minutes, once brussel sprouts begin to caramelize (turn a golden brown) you can deglaze the pan with your broth or white wine…just need a splash. Cook another 2-3 minutes, shake pan a few times.
Add honey and a few sprinkle of sesame seeds, cook another 2-3 minutes or until brussel sprouts are tender.
Link to original recipe and poster.
But then there was Pinterest.
And all of the yummy things on Pinterest.
I saw a delicious looking pin and dutifully, I virtually tacked it up on my NomNomNom board.
I pinned it only a week ago, and I think I broke some sort of pin-then-actually-attempt-to-make-something record. I got all my ingredients together and later, when we went grocery shopping, the brussel sprouts at Harris Teeter were gorgeous. It had to be a sign!
Here are my very own sprouts looking majorly delicious on the stove top yesterday evening:
Are they stunning, or what? I shot this pic just after I had deglazed the pan and added the sesame seeds and honey.
I will admit, I did not use the recipe's suggestion of what to deglaze the pan with. I did not have chicken broth or white wine on hand, so I grabbed the first "fruity" thing I had in the fridge... which was an opened bottle of Hint Fizz Peach.
It worked quite well. LOL
The verdict was mixed in my household, as you will read below. Bottom line, though, definitely try this recipe if you have never had this lovely little vegetable. It might surprise you.
Verbatim Verdicts...
Christina: ★★★★ "Yum! I will make these again. But with less red pepper..."
Scott: ★★★ "I don't like cabbage and these are like little cabbages. I like the sweet/spicy glaze though. Can you put it on something else besides baby cabbages?"
Brandy: ★ "I'm not eating that thing." (tried half of one...swallowed it) "Thank you mommy, but I do not ever want any more of those things."
Momma tried...
Here is the recipe for you to try. Let me know how you and your family liked it!
Sweet & Spicy Brussel Sprouts
1 lb fresh Brussel sprouts, ends trimmed and sliced in half
1 T fresh ginger
1 T sesame oil
1 T canola oil
2-3 T soy sauce (low sodium is good!)
Pinch red pepper flakes
Black & white Sesame seeds
¼ cup chicken broth or white wine
1/4 cup honey
In a large sauté pan, over medium to medium high heat, add both sesame and canola oils with the grated ginger and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Once oils are heated and ginger starts to bubble add brussel sprouts. Shake pan to distribute brussel sprouts and add soy sauce.
Cook for about 10 minutes, once brussel sprouts begin to caramelize (turn a golden brown) you can deglaze the pan with your broth or white wine…just need a splash. Cook another 2-3 minutes, shake pan a few times.
Add honey and a few sprinkle of sesame seeds, cook another 2-3 minutes or until brussel sprouts are tender.
Link to original recipe and poster.
St. John's Wort
I really do not know where to start with this post, but I definitely want to put it out there. Perhaps the Christinipedia version will work. :) I will keep it short.
What is St. John's Wort?
Definition: a flowering perennial plant species of the genus Hypericum and a medicinal herb that is sold over-the-counter as a treatment for depression.
Aliases: Hypericum perforatum, Tipton's weed, goatweed, chase-devil (my personal favorite), or Klamath weed
Known species: 370 of the genus Hypericum
Typical Dosage: 300mg 3 times a day
What does it look like?
Side Effects?
I have read that side effects can include light/sun-sensitivity, dry mouth, stomach irritations and dizziness. I have experienced none of these myself. There was one particular brand I tried in the past that I swear gave me horrible headaches...
Keep in mind, you can always google this stuff for yourself. (I wonder if anyone has ever googled themselves to death...)
Here are my personal thoughts...
This stuff works. It's amazing. If I miss a day or two of taking it, I can tell a very noticeable difference in my attitude, feelings, and general state-of-mind. So can my family and friends. (Sorry y'all!) It keeps my depression at bay. For real. For. Real.
I only take one 300mg capsule a day, around lunchtime. It's enough for me. I always believe you should just take enough of this stuff to be effective. My doctor knows I take it and is fine with it. She agrees that it is a known anti-depression supplement and believes in the use of SJW. She always reminds me that there are prescription drugs out there that "will do the same thing" though. Ugh!
I encourage anyone out there to explore the possibilities of SJW for mild depression. Always consult with your doctor of course, cause y'all know I'm just blogging about myself and what works for me. :)
Another easy quick fix that I have found is Badger Balm's Cheerful Mind Balm. It "uplifts the mind". I found mine at Earthfare and I keep it in my purse. This stuff is great and Brandy loves to take a whiff too! Portable, happy aromatherapy at its best! Sweet orange, lemon, spearmint and ylang ylang coming right at cha!
Smile!
What is St. John's Wort?
Definition: a flowering perennial plant species of the genus Hypericum and a medicinal herb that is sold over-the-counter as a treatment for depression.
Aliases: Hypericum perforatum, Tipton's weed, goatweed, chase-devil (my personal favorite), or Klamath weed
Known species: 370 of the genus Hypericum
Typical Dosage: 300mg 3 times a day
What does it look like?
St. John's Wort shrub |
Quite beautiful flowers |
Bottle of SJW |
Capsule form |
Side Effects?
I have read that side effects can include light/sun-sensitivity, dry mouth, stomach irritations and dizziness. I have experienced none of these myself. There was one particular brand I tried in the past that I swear gave me horrible headaches...
Keep in mind, you can always google this stuff for yourself. (I wonder if anyone has ever googled themselves to death...)
Here are my personal thoughts...
This stuff works. It's amazing. If I miss a day or two of taking it, I can tell a very noticeable difference in my attitude, feelings, and general state-of-mind. So can my family and friends. (Sorry y'all!) It keeps my depression at bay. For real. For. Real.
I only take one 300mg capsule a day, around lunchtime. It's enough for me. I always believe you should just take enough of this stuff to be effective. My doctor knows I take it and is fine with it. She agrees that it is a known anti-depression supplement and believes in the use of SJW. She always reminds me that there are prescription drugs out there that "will do the same thing" though. Ugh!
I encourage anyone out there to explore the possibilities of SJW for mild depression. Always consult with your doctor of course, cause y'all know I'm just blogging about myself and what works for me. :)
Another easy quick fix that I have found is Badger Balm's Cheerful Mind Balm. It "uplifts the mind". I found mine at Earthfare and I keep it in my purse. This stuff is great and Brandy loves to take a whiff too! Portable, happy aromatherapy at its best! Sweet orange, lemon, spearmint and ylang ylang coming right at cha!
Also comes in stick form. *Sniff* |
Smile!
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Tomatoes and blogging for lunch
Guess what's for luuunch...
You know it! Mater sandwich!!!
I will not mislead you. I have not been eating this fresh and this healthy 100% of the time. You can look at me and tell that. However, let's all rejoice at the beautiful lunch I packed today...
✿ Kinley tomato
✿ Light Honey Wheat Bread
✿ Sugar Snap Peas
✿ Grapes
✿ Miracle Whip Light*
Seriously, let's have a moment of silence for this glorious sandwich.
...
That tomato was juicy and everything that a cardboard-grocery-store-tomato wishes it could be. My father-in-love shares his garden bounty with us and I love it!
Yeah, I'm getting to that mayo situation in a minute. I just thought that the sandwich needed a moment all to itself.
OK, so back to the business at hand. I know it is a cardinal sin to use anything other than Duke's on a tomato sandwich, but let's face it, at 100 calories per tablespoon, I just can't. Lately, I really cannot justify Duke's Light at 50 calories per tablespoon either. Why? Because I like a LOT of "mayo" on my mater sandwich dang it!
Enter: Miracle Whip Light
Ugg.
I know.
I am managing though. It's not so bad. For a first-timer, I was pleasantly surprised. Plus, I can have 2 big ol' tablespoons for 20 calories each. That definitely makes MyFitnessPal happy... In order to maybe, possibly, eventually meet our goals, we have to make adjustments. Sacrifices if you will. This is a small one. The sandwich was great. It was a juicy, local, family-grown tomato for Pete's sake. The tomato makes the sandwich. Themayo Miracle Whip is really just an assistant stagehand background singer (fill in something here). I don't know what to call it because all the other words are very important positions! Anyways, let me not turn this into another tangent, you get my point. That Kinley tomato was the star!
And none was left behind. Here I am eating the "butt" of the tomato. :)
You know it! Mater sandwich!!!
I will not mislead you. I have not been eating this fresh and this healthy 100% of the time. You can look at me and tell that. However, let's all rejoice at the beautiful lunch I packed today...
✿ Kinley tomato
✿ Light Honey Wheat Bread
✿ Sugar Snap Peas
✿ Grapes
✿ Miracle Whip Light*
Seriously, let's have a moment of silence for this glorious sandwich.
...
That tomato was juicy and everything that a cardboard-grocery-store-tomato wishes it could be. My father-in-love shares his garden bounty with us and I love it!
Yeah, I'm getting to that mayo situation in a minute. I just thought that the sandwich needed a moment all to itself.
(It's gone now, btw. In. My. Tummy.)
OK, so back to the business at hand. I know it is a cardinal sin to use anything other than Duke's on a tomato sandwich, but let's face it, at 100 calories per tablespoon, I just can't. Lately, I really cannot justify Duke's Light at 50 calories per tablespoon either. Why? Because I like a LOT of "mayo" on my mater sandwich dang it!
Enter: Miracle Whip Light
Ugg.
I know.
I am managing though. It's not so bad. For a first-timer, I was pleasantly surprised. Plus, I can have 2 big ol' tablespoons for 20 calories each. That definitely makes MyFitnessPal happy... In order to maybe, possibly, eventually meet our goals, we have to make adjustments. Sacrifices if you will. This is a small one. The sandwich was great. It was a juicy, local, family-grown tomato for Pete's sake. The tomato makes the sandwich. The
And none was left behind. Here I am eating the "butt" of the tomato. :)
Medicine and Supplements
Occasionally I get asked what medicines/supplements I take for my PCOS, so I thought this would make a good post. Interesting, maybe not for non-PCOSers, but informative none-the-less.
Before I start rattling off a list of drugs, I would like to point out that I have now had about 18 regular menstrual cycles in a row. Yep, you read that right, 18 months of periods! I guess regular is not a good word...they are not like exactly 28 days apart or anything, but wow. Never. Never in my life have I been thisregular steady. I've talked about my absence of periods here, and with my history of few to none, I am most definitely happy to be having them now. I contribute my regularness (new word! yeah!) to my combination of meds and supplements.
Now, we all know I am certainly not Dr. Christina by any means. I only know what works for me and my body. I'm not handing out medical advice here ya'll...
Prescription Medicines:
Questions you may be dying to ask:
Do I use one of those little pill boxes? Yep!
Do I feel like a little old lady? Yep!
Does my husband occasionally poke fun at me for it? Yep!
Do I sit down every Sunday morning and divvy out my pills? Yep!
Does he call me a pharmacist? Yep!
Do I look like a pharmacist counting out my little pills and putting them in to the right sections? Yep!
What does your pill box look like? Keep reading...
My pill box looks like this one. I got it at the Dollar Tree for, you guessed it, $1. The text has almost rubbed completely off of mine, but I use a sharpie and re-do it on occasion.
I also learned the hard way that if you bend the little lids back too far, they will snap right off, leaving you with no other choice but to go spend another dollar!
Keep reading, I addressed each one below. I kept it simple. I have done my research (online, discussions with my doctors, personal preference, trying different supplement combinations) and so can you. My "reasons" below are my personal reasons and definitely not the only things these vitamins can do for our bodies. I just listed the ones that really stick out for me. If you want more information, I encourage you to do your research. There is plenty out there, so I am not going post it all here. This post could go on for days! Just make sure your sources are reliable.
Vitamin B Complex (1 caplet in the AM)
Energy, supplement possible deficiency
Vitamin C with Wild Rose Hips (500 mg in the AM)
Immune support, fight free-radicals, much more
Vitamin D3 (1000 IU in the AM)
Depression, seasonal disorder, immune, strong bones & teeth
St. John's Wort (300 mg at Noon)
Depression.
Potassium Gluconate (550 mg every other PM)
Heart, nervous system
What brand of vitamins do I use? Puritan's Pride. They are SO affordable and work well for me. (exception: Potassium Gluconate is from Walgreen's...) I actually linked you right to the ones I use in the first med list above. You're welcome!
Their bottles are beautiful translucent colors too, with flip-top caps. It never hurts to have a little color :) I also buy coconut oil, Scott's vitamins, and other things from them. They do B1G2 and B2G3 sales a lot. Totally awesome!
Before I start rattling off a list of drugs, I would like to point out that I have now had about 18 regular menstrual cycles in a row. Yep, you read that right, 18 months of periods! I guess regular is not a good word...they are not like exactly 28 days apart or anything, but wow. Never. Never in my life have I been this
Now, we all know I am certainly not Dr. Christina by any means. I only know what works for me and my body. I'm not handing out medical advice here ya'll...
Prescription Medicines:
- Metformin (1000 mg twice a day)
- Aldomet (1000 mg twice a day)
Supplements/Vitamins:
- Vitamin B Complex (1 caplet in the AM) (find it here)
- Vitamin C with Wild Rose Hips (500 mg in the AM) (find it here)
- Vitamin D3 (1000 IU in the AM) (find it here)
- St. John's Wort (300 mg at Noon) (find it here)
- Potassium Gluconate (550 mg every other PM) (find it here)
(Here is a whole separate post about St. John's Wort and how it absolutely manages my depression.)
Questions you may be dying to ask:
Do I use one of those little pill boxes? Yep!
Do I feel like a little old lady? Yep!
Does my husband occasionally poke fun at me for it? Yep!
Do I sit down every Sunday morning and divvy out my pills? Yep!
Does he call me a pharmacist? Yep!
Do I look like a pharmacist counting out my little pills and putting them in to the right sections? Yep!
What does your pill box look like? Keep reading...
My pill box looks like this one. I got it at the Dollar Tree for, you guessed it, $1. The text has almost rubbed completely off of mine, but I use a sharpie and re-do it on occasion.
I also learned the hard way that if you bend the little lids back too far, they will snap right off, leaving you with no other choice but to go spend another dollar!
So why these specific vitamins?
Keep reading, I addressed each one below. I kept it simple. I have done my research (online, discussions with my doctors, personal preference, trying different supplement combinations) and so can you. My "reasons" below are my personal reasons and definitely not the only things these vitamins can do for our bodies. I just listed the ones that really stick out for me. If you want more information, I encourage you to do your research. There is plenty out there, so I am not going post it all here. This post could go on for days! Just make sure your sources are reliable.
Vitamin B Complex (1 caplet in the AM)
Energy, supplement possible deficiency
Vitamin C with Wild Rose Hips (500 mg in the AM)
Immune support, fight free-radicals, much more
Vitamin D3 (1000 IU in the AM)
Depression, seasonal disorder, immune, strong bones & teeth
St. John's Wort (300 mg at Noon)
Depression.
Potassium Gluconate (550 mg every other PM)
Heart, nervous system
What brand of vitamins do I use? Puritan's Pride. They are SO affordable and work well for me. (exception: Potassium Gluconate is from Walgreen's...) I actually linked you right to the ones I use in the first med list above. You're welcome!
Their bottles are beautiful translucent colors too, with flip-top caps. It never hurts to have a little color :) I also buy coconut oil, Scott's vitamins, and other things from them. They do B1G2 and B2G3 sales a lot. Totally awesome!
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)