It's JULY!! What has happened to summer? It's more than halfway over! I am trying to enjoy the rest of it while I can. Our summer has actually been relaxing. We had VBS the first week in June, but other than that we haven't had any commitments. There is not much to do at Ft. Irwin unless you want to travel an hour and a half to go into town. But there's not much to do there either, unless you want to go to Target, the mall, or eat out. To do something active and outside without it being 100 degrees, you have to travel more than 2 hours. So we've been making the most out of what this post has to offer...going to the pool. We go for several hours in the morning when it opens, come back home and relax (because it's over 100 in the afternoon so it's too hot to play outside), then we sometimes go back to the pool later in the afternoon or get snowcones. Yes, the routine can get pretty old but that's what we have on this tiny post. And the kids haven't complained. I just started my 3 college classes on Monday, so that has been keeping me busy. I am trying to multi-task which I hope I will conquer it by next week. The fall is going to be busy with homeschooling, college classes, volunteering with AWANA, helping with FRG and children's ministry, and several other extra-curricular activities. On top of that trying to maintain a clean and healthy home. Maybe I should hire a house cleaner?? :-)
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Wednesday, July 5, 2017
Whole30, days 15-17
I just finished day 17 yesterday, so I'm going into day 18. The past couple days have been awesome, but very hard. It's been awesome because for over a week, I've been waking up at 4:15am and have been able to accomplish a lot before the kids wake up. And I've been working out! Woo hoo! However, I am taking naps in the afternoon. Whole30 calls this energy "Tiger Blood." Whatever it is, I am loving it!! But it has been very hard because I am hungry. I am tired of knowing that vegetables and protein are an essential part of Whole30. And I am tired of eating those things. I've been eating more fruit than suggested and have also been eating a lot of white potatoes, which are allowed but I'm sure it's limited because of its starch. So besides eating lots and lots of fruit and starchy vegetables, I have not cheated!
So the positives of Whole30 so far:
- I am enjoying cooking healthy meals (shocker!)
- Even though I crave non-Whole30 foods, when I think about eating them, I get turned off knowing how it will make me feel
- I don't like to eat out anymore
- I will eat leftovers until they are gone (which lasts several days)
- Energy will come, you just have to be patient
- I can survive without dairy, bread, cookies, and sugar!!
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So the positives of Whole30 so far:
- I am enjoying cooking healthy meals (shocker!)
- Even though I crave non-Whole30 foods, when I think about eating them, I get turned off knowing how it will make me feel
- I don't like to eat out anymore
- I will eat leftovers until they are gone (which lasts several days)
- Energy will come, you just have to be patient
- I can survive without dairy, bread, cookies, and sugar!!
Saturday, June 24, 2017
Whole30
I am on Day 8 on Whole30. I am tired, cranky, and I want to cave in and eat peanut butter and chocolate ice cream (um, hello the best kind ever!). I love peanut butter and chocolate together...like the reeses peanut butter and chocolate cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory, Reeses' peanut butter cups, and peanut butter M&M's. I'm drooling and dying at the same time right now. And I am so lazy. I took 2 naps yesterday and I'm about to crash at 12:30 in the afternoon. I'm thinking, should I eat bread or ice cream to get out of this funk?? BUT, I know if I did, it will have a consequence. Headaches, bloating, stomach issues, and guilt. Last night I printed out a 30 day count down calendar so at the end of the day, I cross it out. I'm looking at it now and I have 7 days crossed out and a lot more days uncrossed. Is it discouraging? Yes. However, it is motivating. I've made it for 1 whole week without carbs, added sugar, and processed foods. Why not keep going? Let's see if I can make it 2 weeks. It is all about discipline. And lots and lots of praying! :-)
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Wednesday, June 21, 2017
Whole30
Our dear friends who have been doing Whole30 for the past 2 months are the inspiration for me to jump on board. And y'all, it's been eye opening. I started 9 days ago, but I've had to start over twice. The first day, I chewed gum in between meals. It was out of habit, I'm a big gum chewer, so I didn't think how it was not allowed in Whole30 until the end of the day. So I restarted the next day. However, on Friday we went to Red Robin and I ordered a lettuce wrap burger, praying that it was Whole30 compliant, but I don't think it was because it did a number to my stomach that night. So back to Day 1 on Saturday. Does it sound silly to start over because of those little slips? Maybe. But if I'm going to commit to this, I want to do it right.
So I should be on day 9 if I had followed through, but officially I am on Day 5. I had really big cravings over the weekend. And I've felt like I had morning sickness...bad headaches, nausea, and I was tired. I've read that it normally happens within the first week. But I think it's getting better. I begin a meal hungry, but end up not finishing it. I think I'm getting full more quickly. And I'm not snacking as much. My energy doesn't seem to be going up. Probably because I take the kids to the pool almost everyday and the heat is on!! I am wiped after a couple hours there!
It does take awhile for me to meal plan. I did buy a Whole30 cookbook, so that has been helpful. But some of the recipes calls for mayo, ranch, fish sauce, mustard, and they all have to be Whole30 compliant. So I can either make my own (no, thanks) or buy it online, which is expensive. We'll.
Physically, I am definitely less bloated, and that feels great!! However, because my sodium intake has decreased, I have realized that when I do eat things with sodium, my legs swell. That usually happens after I finish a period of clean eating then go back to my usual eating habits. So I am really watching how salt I put on my food. And I have never cut out carbs and dairy, so this is really a test. I LOVE carbs and sweets and I crave them, but I remind myself how I might feel if I gave in and ate them. I'd feel guilty and probably sick.
My goal for Whole30 is to be healthy. It would be great to lose a couple pounds, but I want to be healthy and make it a lifestyle. I would love to continue doing it past the 30 days. There are so many people who have health issues, so why can't I make a change in my health to prevent me from having issues. I am sure it will be eye-opening!!
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So I should be on day 9 if I had followed through, but officially I am on Day 5. I had really big cravings over the weekend. And I've felt like I had morning sickness...bad headaches, nausea, and I was tired. I've read that it normally happens within the first week. But I think it's getting better. I begin a meal hungry, but end up not finishing it. I think I'm getting full more quickly. And I'm not snacking as much. My energy doesn't seem to be going up. Probably because I take the kids to the pool almost everyday and the heat is on!! I am wiped after a couple hours there!
It does take awhile for me to meal plan. I did buy a Whole30 cookbook, so that has been helpful. But some of the recipes calls for mayo, ranch, fish sauce, mustard, and they all have to be Whole30 compliant. So I can either make my own (no, thanks) or buy it online, which is expensive. We'll.
Physically, I am definitely less bloated, and that feels great!! However, because my sodium intake has decreased, I have realized that when I do eat things with sodium, my legs swell. That usually happens after I finish a period of clean eating then go back to my usual eating habits. So I am really watching how salt I put on my food. And I have never cut out carbs and dairy, so this is really a test. I LOVE carbs and sweets and I crave them, but I remind myself how I might feel if I gave in and ate them. I'd feel guilty and probably sick.
My goal for Whole30 is to be healthy. It would be great to lose a couple pounds, but I want to be healthy and make it a lifestyle. I would love to continue doing it past the 30 days. There are so many people who have health issues, so why can't I make a change in my health to prevent me from having issues. I am sure it will be eye-opening!!
Friday, June 2, 2017
Rest
Yay, for me! It's my second post for this blog! And it's within 4 months! I'm on a roll, haha!
Anyway, for the past week or so, we have been keeping it chill. Meaning that we have not been waking up at certain times, very lazy days relaxing watching movies, reading, playing games, and we haven't really left the house. It may sound so boring, but it was rest. And maybe that's what we needed. Before we moved to California, we were doing something everyday, from serving in church, small groups, extra curricula activities, going to Nashville a lot to see my family, and so on. While it was great, we were super busy and we were just done and exhausted. Since we have moved, we have made no commitments, except for homeschooling and riding lessons which is scheduled 2 weeks out, and we have rested. I really believe that is one of the reasons why God brought us here...to rest. We have had so much family time; Tim gets a 3 day and a 4 day weekend once a month. We either go on a mini-vacation or stay home and rest during those weekends. What more can you ask for? He is gone 10 days out of the month but that's it. And yes, we are in the middle of nowhere, but I always need to look at the bright side of things!
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Anyway, for the past week or so, we have been keeping it chill. Meaning that we have not been waking up at certain times, very lazy days relaxing watching movies, reading, playing games, and we haven't really left the house. It may sound so boring, but it was rest. And maybe that's what we needed. Before we moved to California, we were doing something everyday, from serving in church, small groups, extra curricula activities, going to Nashville a lot to see my family, and so on. While it was great, we were super busy and we were just done and exhausted. Since we have moved, we have made no commitments, except for homeschooling and riding lessons which is scheduled 2 weeks out, and we have rested. I really believe that is one of the reasons why God brought us here...to rest. We have had so much family time; Tim gets a 3 day and a 4 day weekend once a month. We either go on a mini-vacation or stay home and rest during those weekends. What more can you ask for? He is gone 10 days out of the month but that's it. And yes, we are in the middle of nowhere, but I always need to look at the bright side of things!
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
This is our family. And this is our family digital scrapbook! This is my 7th blog I have created in the past 10 years. Yikes. Fingers crossed, this one will stay active for more than a month. Since I don't scrapbook and I don't have photo albums, I thought this would be a good way to chronicle our family's lives (that way we can avoid looking on facebook and instagram).
Enjoy!