Finer Things & Photo Story Friday: Graduation & Fresh Produce

It's been a whirlwind week here. Here are a few highlights that made me smile.

Ladybug "graduated" from Mom's Morning Out. I've always been one to think that we celebrate graduating from one thing to another all too often. MMO graduation, preschool graduation, kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, finally high school. It's a bit much in my opinion. But Ladybug and her friends were VERY cute in their little robes this week. (Ladybug is in the middle of the trio, with the pink shoes.)And proud Mama and Daddy with Ladybug.
We also received our first delivery from our CSA (community supported agriculture). Oh my. I am in love with fresh produce. We got: cucumbers, corn, strawberries, peas, a cantaloupe, peaches, yellow squash, beets, new red potatoes and yellow onions.

For dinner last night, I roasted potatoes, onions, squash and beets. Yum! I'm not a huge fan of beets, but one of my goals with the CSA is to try everything. (Hubby loves beets, so I don't have to worry about them going bad.) I'm looking forward to the new produce this year!

Finer Things Friday

Hosted by Cecilyand Mamarazzi

Ten Questions the Lost Finale Didn't Answer (And I'm Okay with That)

If you haven't seen the Lost finale yet, then don't read this. Fair warning - spoilers ahead!

In the six seasons of Lost, tons of mysterious things happened on and off the island. I know so many fans who were hoping for lots of answers in the finale. Well, we got some. But there are still a lot of unanswered questions.

I'm totally okay with unanswered questions. I loved the finale. I love all six seasons. It was an amazing series. I guess we'll have to answer these questions in our imaginations (our write our own screen plays!).


1. What happened to Walt?

2. If the Flash Sideways scenes were the characters' journey to heaven, did Jack really have a son?

3. How long did Hurley serve as Protector of the Island?

4. Who was the first Protector? Was it Mother or was she chosen for that position?

5. What was the significance of Dogen, the Temple, and the healing pool?

6. How did Smokey "infect" Claire and Sayid?

7. What was the point of the Dharma Initiative?

9. Who built the statue? (Was that question answered? I can't remember!)

10. Why did Desmond have special powers to withstand electro-magnatism?


But as someone said in a Lost discussion post I read yesterday, this was about characters and their relationships. We didn't get answers, but we did get stories. I love that!

What was your favorite moment from the finale of Lost?


For more Top Ten lists, don't forget to visit Oh Amanda!

Mamavation Week #21

This will have to be a short post. I was so entranced with the final episode of Lost last night, I just couldn't do anything but stare at the TV. So now I'm short on time. Oh well!

Exercise: 6 out of 7 days cardio. Mostly EASActive workouts. I'm finally figuring out how to making it work for me. It's frustrating that I don't get a lot of steps with those workout outs, and my legs are always killing me. So I haven't done great on step counts this week. Plus, I think I'm beating up on my pedometer. I have to wear it clipped on my underwear band instead of my pants because the clasp broke and it won't stay closed. I can't afford to buy replacement pedometers every month! I got 10,000+ steps only 3 days this week.

Food Journal: I did well with eating in spite of the busy schedule. I need to continue focusing on getting 7-8 servings of fruits and veggies every day. I always feel better physically when I can get my freggies! Here's my healthy menu plan for the week.

The Scale: Down another .5 lbs for a total of 19 lbs in 21 weeks. Dude, I'm killing myself! I want to get to that 20 lb mark so I can order my new swimsuit! So close!! This week for sure!

Hope y'all have a healthy and active week! Thanks so much for your support and encouragement!! It keeps me going when I lose focus.

Saturday Stumbles

Okay, so maybe this will be a monthly feature since I haven't been able to keep up with weekly stumble posts. Here are a few great posts I've read recently.

10 Thoughts on Having "The Talk" (Yes, THAT "Talk") with Your Kids at Tree, Root, and Twig

Coming Full Circle by my friend Heather @ Desperately Seeking Sanity (a MUST read!)

The Most Heavenly Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookie This Side of Anywhere at This Week for Dinner (oh, my. I'm drooling.)

I absolutely LOVE this Birthday Wreath at How Does She? Ladybug's 3rd birthday is in nine days, so I want to make this!

I had a baking day last Saturday and made these wonderful Strawberry Ricotta Muffins. You really need to try them!!


For more Saturday Stumbles, visit Mandi @ It's Come 2 This.

Randomness on a Thursday Morning

It seems I don't have as much time to blog these days. Either to read blogs or write. But I always have "stuff" on my mind that I want to share. So here's my brain dump for the day!

1. I got a new smartphone for Mother's Day! It's a Palm Pixi and I love it. I'm still trying to figure out a few things on it, but it's great. The last time I got a new phone was Mother's Day FOUR years ago! No, it was FIVE years ago. I wasn't even pregnant with Ladybug yet. I'm glad my cell phone lasted that long, but it was definitely outdated.

2. I'm not spending as much time on the computer as I used to. That's a good thing. I try to stay on my feet more to work at getting my 10,000 steps a day. Plus we are borrowing a Wii and having lots of fun with that. I think we will have to get our own. Yes, welcome to the 21st century!

3. Ladybug is sleeping in her own big girl bed in her own room. We will still lay down with her at bedtime, and some nights she'll stay there longer than others. But she loves her big girl bed! She even took a nap there yesterday. A nap AND in her own bed. Wow!

4. Our CSA will start deliveries next week. The season was delayed because of a wet winter, so deliveries are starting later than expected. But I am so excited to see what will be in our first box! I'll definitely have to blog about that!


I think that's about it this morning. I'm sitting her with Ladybug, while she's watching a little bit of TV and I'm enjoying my coffee. I need to workout still this morning, then get moving on another busy day. Hope y'all are well!

Ten Ways to Get 10,000 Steps a Day

One of my healthy living/getting fit goals is to be more active, and a good way to track that is by using a pedometer. I recently got a new one, so I've been challenging myself to get 10,000 steps a day. That may seem like a lot or a little, depending on your situation. But if you're a couch potato or someone (like me) who likes to be on the computer, it is definitely a challenge!

Without exercising, I usually average around 6,000 steps every day. Not bad. But I want to reach that 10,000 step goal. So here are some ways that I have discovered that help me reach that.



1. Exercise - a 1.5 mile walk (or "wun," depending in the day{"wun" = walk/run}) adds over 3,000 steps

2. Housework - generally 30 minutes of cleaning, including sweeping or vacuuming, adds 1,000 steps

3. Gardening - spending 10-15 minutes watering my garden adds a minimum of 500 steps

4. During TV time - I can pace or walk in place while Ladybug is watching a show instead of sitting on my behind.


5. Shopping - Even grocery shopping add extras steps!


6. Playing with Ladybug - Playing catch or chase adds lots of steps too.


7. Not taking the closest parking spot - Sort of self-explanatory, no?


8. Pacing while waiting - If I'm waiting on the microwave, talking on the phone. Instead of standing still, I move.

9. Stand more - which means you move around more. I have started folding laundry while standing. I pile the clothes on the table, then as I fold, I pile them on the counter. It all adds up!

10. In general, quit being lazy. I know we all have kids so they can wait on us hand and foot. But you can get up and get that glass of water all by yourself, ya know!


For more Top Ten lists, don't forget to visit the lovely Oh Amanda!

Mamavation Week #20

Another crazy week! I can't remember what I did in terms of exercise and eating unless I look back at my SparkPeople. I know I did well this week; but we were so busy that I can't remember! Another good reason to keep a food and exercise journal. You can tell how busy I was by my daily step counts below.

Exercise: Cardio 6 days of 7. We are borrowing my sister-in-law's Wii so I can try out the EASActive workouts that I received for being Mamavation Sista of the week (again, thank you!!). Wow. Wow. By Friday, my legs were aching from the EASActive workouts plus working on my 10,000 steps a day.

Monday - morning "wun," 12,425 steps
Tuesday - SparkPeople bootcamp video, 15 minute walk while waiting for Ladybug, 11,035 steps
Wednesday - morning "wun," 10,317 steps
Thursday - EASActive workout, 10,834 steps
Friday - EASActive workout, 7,379 steps
Saturday - intended to be a rest day, but took a walk with Ladybug & she rode piggyback for a while (definitely a workout!), 11,415 steps
Sunday - EASActive workout, 6,394 steps

Food Journal: It was a good week with eating. I'm focusing on getting 7-8 servings/day of fruits and veggies and that is really helping me make good choices. Instead of reaching for bread, I grab a banana, raisins, or carrots. If I need a snack on the go, I throw an apple in my purse. Also, I had a baking day this weekend to restock our freezer with healthy baked goods. That makes it easier to grab a healthy snack as well. And here is our healthy menu plan for the week.

The Scale: Down 1 lb this week, for a total of 18.5 lbs in 20 weeks! So close to the 20 lb mark! I'm going to keep focusing on fruits and veggies and making wise choices.

Inspiration: I love this time of year, with fresh produce, wonderful weather, & all the outdoor activities that we can participate in. These verses from Psalm 104 remind me of the source of all these good things!

How many are your works, O LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.... ²⁷ These all look to you to give them their food at the proper time. ²⁸ When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand,they are satisfied with good things.

I hope everyone has had a great week! Thanks, as always, for all of your support and encouragement! It keeps me going when I get discouraged.

Every Word

Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
Ephesians 4:29 NLT

I read those words this morning and was deeply convicted. Let everything you say be good and helpful. Ouch.

You see, I was upset with a friend and I was thisclose to letting her know that I was upset. I was even thinking about leaving a voicemail telling her why I was upset. But I didn't. And I am so glad that I didn't.

My criticism of her behavior would not have been "good or helpful." It might have even damaged our friendship. Yikes.

I think I have a good handle on not using "foul or abusive language." I do have occasional moments. But making every word "good or helpful" is a tough assignment. Every.Word. Not 50%, not 75%, not 99%. One hundred percent. All. Every. No exceptions.

I am thankful for this stop-in-my-tracks moment. I needed to read those words from Paul's letter this morning. Thank you, Lord.

Keeping a Schedule

Can I share my latest navel-gazing with you?

One of things that I enjoy about being a stay-at-home/work-at-home mom is that I don't have to be tied to a strict schedule. No punching a time clock. No checking in with a boss. A few times a week, Ladybug and I do have certain activities, but those of our choosing. I love the freedom of not keeping to a tight schedule.

I do like routine, however. It's predictable. It helps me frame our days.

But I wonder...

Ladybug will be 3 this month. How much of a schedule does she need? We've enrolled her in preschool starting in the fall. Only three mornings a week. But they will definitely have a schedule.

Should I start establishing a daily schedule now so that she gets used to it? Or should I have a schedule for the fall on the days that she isn't in preschool to help her have some predictability? Or does she just need to be a kid? And do I need to allow her to enjoy the unstructured days of childhood?

More pondering ...

Will a stricter schedule at home help with discipline problems? Do I need to start expecting her to contribute with daily chores?

All these questions make me a little anxious and a bit overwhelmed. I don't WANT to keep a strict schedule. I know it will take more discipline on my part. If craft time is every day at 3:00, then I'll need to prepare crafts ahead of time. Plus, if I need to run an errand and it's reading time, how much leeway can I allow us and not get over zealous about schedule-keeping?

I don't have any answers right now. Just doing some wondering. I'd love to hear about how strict you are with a daily schedule, especially if you're a stay-at-home-parent. And if you're a working parent, how does schedule keeping help you manage your family?

Please share!

Photo Credit: stock.xchng

Mamavation Week #19

It was a crazy week. So much going on! Here's the week in review.

Exercise: Cardio 6 days of out 7. I tried some new workouts this week, just trying to mix it up and not get bored. My favorite workouts are still the exercise bike and Pilates. But with trying to get 10,000 steps a day, neither of those give me many steps. So I wanted to try some new things. I had 3 days with over 10k steps, so this week I want to have at least 4 days over that mark!

Monday - morning "wun," 9097 steps
Tuesday - Pilates, exercise bike. I usually try to walk for 15-20 minutes between Bible study and picking up Ladybug from Mom's Morning Out, but it was raining, so I paced the hall to get in extra steps. 8910 steps
Wednesday - power walk, 10,050 steps
Thursday - I started the 7-day Bootcamp series from SparkPeople. I did the Day 1 video and a short power walk. 9733 steps
Friday - Bootcamp video Day 2, Pilates and an afternoon at the pool. Lots of exercise! 10,320 steps
Saturday - Bootcamp video Day 3, started coming down with a cold. 7598 steps
Sunday - rest day, but in spite of this cold, got 10,130 steps

Food Journal: I did pretty good with eating this week. I did treat myself on Mother's Day but did watch my portions. I know I didn't get enough fruits and veggies this week. So I'll really be focusing on that in the coming week. Feel free to remind me to eat my freggies when you see me on Twitter!

The Scale: Yay! Down 1 lb this week for a total of 17.5 lbs in 19 weeks. My reward for losing 20 lbs was originally a massage, and I'm almost there. But I think I'll be buying a new swimsuit instead. I've been wanting a new one anyway, so it be a great reminder of those 20 lbs gone for evah!

It's another busy Monday, so I need to keep this short! This week's Mamavation Monday carnival sponsor is Aquahydrate. I've never heard of this product, so I need to check it out! Thanks to everyone for your continued support and encouragement! I'm so thankful for my sistas!!

Compliments

I received a wonderful compliment the other day. A friend said that I am like a mama to everyone. And this really is a compliment to me.

I love to nurture and take care of people. I guess that's part of my love language.

When I did youth ministry, some of my kids called me Mama (MyMaidenName). I know they loved to pick on me, but I also know they said it because they knew I'd take care of stuff for them when needed.

This was a compliment that I liked, even if it sounded derogatory to someone else. I had a college roommate who hated to be called "cute." I'm sure no one intended to offend her with that, but she didn't like it.

That makes me think about the way that I give compliments. The words I choose and even the tone of my voice convey a lot more than sometimes I intend. If I give a compliment that is sincere but with a funny tone in my voice, how will it be received?

Our words, our body language, and our facial expressions are important. Do they all match? Or are our words saying one thing while our body says another?

That brings to mind James 1:26-27.

Anyone who sets himself up as "religious" by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world. (The Message)

Basically, is our talk and walk matching up? Are we saying something AND following through on it?

Time to talk the talk AND walk the walk.

The Television

For about eighteen months, we didn't have cable or satellite TV. While Hubby was in grad school, we canceled the satellite as we needed to tighten the budget. The main thing we missed was watching Lost and football. But we were still able to watch those on the internet. I actually enjoyed the lack of television in the house. No daily distractions, no extraneous noise.

Now that Hubs is done with grad school and working in his chosen field, we decided to add TV back into our household. It's been interesting, to say the least.

One of the challenges has been monitoring Ladybug's television use (she's almost 3 years old). She doesn't know how to operate the remote yet, thankfully. But if I'm not careful, she could watch TV for four hours straight. Sure, I'd get lots of blogging, er, housework, done.

Because I want to encourage Ladybug to be active and not be a couch potato, I need some advice! What TV rules do you have for your preschooler? When do you make exceptions? What kinds of shows do you allow them to watch? And how do you teach your kids that they don't always get to watch what they want to watch? Mama and Daddy get a little tired of kids' shows all the time.

Looking forward to your input!

Ten Ways to Enjoy Chocolate

I've had chocolate on the brain (PMS much?) so today's post is dedicated to my craving. You'll notice I'm a huge fan of dark chocolate.


1. Dark Chocolate M&Ms (1.69 oz has 240 calories)

2. Dark Chocolate Hershey Kisses (9 pieces has 200 calories)

3. Hungry Girl's Yum-Yum Brownie Muffins (so easy to make, 1 muffin has 181 calories)

4. Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Chips (1 Tbsp has 70 calories)

5. Chocolate Truffle coffee

Okay, those are all great straight-up, but here are some favorite combo snacks!

6. Hershey kisses with animal crackers

7. chocolate chips sprinkled on yogurt & peanut butter

8. chocolate chips with mini marshmallows & graham crackers

9. chocolate covered strawberries

10. and no-bake cookies! (now, I have to go make some!)


What's your favorite kind of chocolate and way to enjoy chocolate?

*Disclaimer: I am not responsible for causing chocolate cravings that you may now be experiencing.

For more Top Ten lists, visit Mandi @ It's Come 2 This. She's hosting this week while Amanda is in the Dominican Republic.

Photo Credit: stock.xchng

Mamavation Week #18

Eighteen weeks since I started on this journey of making permanent healthy lifestyle changes. Wow. The great part is that a lot of these changes are HABITS now. Exercise is a habit. Eating fresh, whole food is a habit. Drinking water is a habit. And what I love about HABITS is that they seem easy! (not all the time, but it definitely helps!)

First, I want to say thank you to all my Mamavation Sistas who nominated me for Sista of the Week. I am so honored!! The reason I have stuck with these healthy changes making them into habits is because of YOUR support! Yes, I have the support of my family. But when no one is around and the stinkin' thinkin' starts creeping in, y'all are there for me on Twitter. I appreciate y'all SO MUCH!! Thank you!

Here's the weekly recap.

Exercise: Cardio on 5 days out of 7. Plus I got a new pedometer (thanks, Karla!), so I've been challenging myself to get 10,000 steps a day. That was definitely easier on days that I went "wunning." I did set my laptop up on the back of my overstuffed chair so that I could walk in place & be on the computer while Ladybug (almost 3) watched TV. I didn't really count that as exercise, but I was moving instead of sitting on my rear, which is a good thing! (Thanks to Kim for that inspiration!)

Monday - wunning, got my pedometer in the mail so no daily total
Tuesday - Pilates, plus a short walk while waiting for Ladybug, 6777 steps
Wednesday - wunning (more walking than running), plus playing outside with Ladybug & the nieces, 10,170 steps
Thursday - exercise bike, 8161 steps
Friday - rest day, plus I sat in the pediatrician's office for two hours, 6125
Saturday - wunning & a very busy day, 13010 steps (!)
Sunday - rest day, 7030

Food Journal: it was a good week in this department too. I don't have too many treats in the house, so when I get a craving, I either have to find an alternative or try to ignore it. Most of the time some water and ignoring the craving worked. Here's my menu plan for the week. I have one new recipe that I'll be trying and I'm looking forward to that!

The Scale: Down another .5 lbs for a total of 16.5 lbs in 18 weeks. Slow and stead wins the race. And I did my once-a-month check of my measurements. I lost 1 inch in my hips and .5 inch in my thigh. And my pants are getting loose! It's getting summer-like here and I probably won't wear my jeans much until fall, and by that time I WILL need new jeans! Woohoo!

Inspiration: Another song from my MP3 player that inspires me, not only because of the great lyrics, but also because it has a great tempo for wunning. From the group Jars of Clay, "I Need You."

Strangely out of place
There's a light filling this room
Where none would follow before
I can't deny it burns me up inside
I fan the flames to melt
Away my pride
Do I want shelter from the rain
Or the rain to wash me way?

This week's Mamavation carnival is sponsored by Earth Footwear. I would love a pair, especially since Kim showed her new Earth Footwear in her vlogs.

Thanks again for your continued support & encouragement!