A Year Without Meat

I give up something every year for just a year. I get a lot of "what's the point" or "I could never do that". The point is, "I can"; I want to challenge myself without making permanent changes. So, yes, it does matter, knowing that I can have a semblance of self control for a year, a whole year, well, it's quite liberating, not to mention empowering!

I had a hard time coming up with it. I thought about giving up Facebook, but that wouldn't work with my Etsy stuff, I have already given up chocolate one year (let's face it...that was THE HARDEST). I asked Tim and he threw around a few ideas. Then I thought, why not give up t.v.? Like, the whole family gives it up!

He said no. Absolutely not. Ha! But, then he surprised me and agreed to one of my earlier suggestions: meat. The one that he so casually dismissed.

Let me tell you something about Tim. He's a meatatarian. He loves to eat meat. I really think that he is addicted to it. One of his favorite meals is this stir-fry that I make. It's like 80% beef and chicken with minimal vegetables.

I can go a long time without meat. I am really just not that interested in having a main meat meal.

Alrighty, I'm done typing "meat". It's getting weird.

So that's what we as a family are giving up. I'm personally giving up t.v. for the year. I understand there are going to be times when I have to go to the other room so the family can watch a movie, but I was really hoping that if I gave it up, the hubs and kids would follow suit and be kind not to watch it when I'm home.

So far, it has been going well. We have been lounging around the living room with blankets thrown about and books in hand.

I hope that by not watching television, or movies (or clips, videos and such), I'll be able to read 50 books this year, I'll get accomplished on Etsy and this blog!

I have been enjoying my soda -which is what I gave up last year, along with not being passive-aggressive! I would like to think that I will continue to be assertive! So, fingers crossed and mouth shut!

I want to add that I don't think this makes us vegetarians! We, of course, don't know how we're going to feel about it at the end of the year, but we DO believe animals are for eatin'! Well, not all of them...and the quality of them has gone downhill. We are going to be eating animal products still, just not the meat (or fish).

Taking Stock

I borrowed this post from http://www.eloquentenglish.me/ & http://www.bonjourblissblog.com/2014/05/taking-stock-002.html

It really helped me sort through a few moments in my life. What are you really thinking about? I had to change a lot of my answers so I wouldn't be passive-aggressive and give into gossip.


Making : bows

Cooking :cupcakes

Drinking : water

Reading: blogs

Wanting: a pedicure

Looking: at my small space

Playing: minecraft sounds in the background

Sewing: bowties

Wishing: all was well

Enjoying: my kids sleeping

Waiting: to find motivation

Opening: a can of worms

Pondering: how I should clean upstairs

Liking: that my etsy shop is successful

Wondering: how to be assertive

Loving: the calmness around me
Hoping: that I can have a relaxing day tomorrow

Marveling: at my life

Needing: to organize & clean

Smelling: cupcakes a' baking

Wearing: sleeping shorts and a tank top

Following: inspiring people who can change my life

Noticing: how I should really drink more water today

Knowing: I should let Tim continue to relax with Minecraft

Thinking: about how sad things can get

Getting: cold

Bookmarking: potential templates for fancy bows

Opening: a bottle of water

Giggling:not so much today

Feeling: the need to make a chiro appointment

Day 6 Of No Refined Sugar

People keep asking me why we are doing this. Tim keeps asking me why he agreed to it, I keep asking myself, why am I doing this? We keep saying never again! NEVER AGAIN! Grazing yesterday did not help. Maybe my waistline, but that's not why we are doing this.

Let me make that clear, we aren't doing this to lose weight. Will it be nice to lose weight from it? Yes. Very much so. I stepped on a scale because it was right there and I have dropped 8 lbs. Maybe less, since the scale might be off a little. Am I excited about it? Not really. I am happy to shed the weight but it's not really a fat weight. It's really my body detoxing in a way. Just emptying out. 8 pounds seems to be nothing lately for me to lose and gain and lose.

We're doing this because we can. Because we feel like it's going to be a real eye opener. Because we know that if we keep going on the way we have been, bad things are going to happen to our health, now and in the long run. I would not have thought that my food has sugar in it, ALL of my food has processed sugar in it. Here we are "treating" ourselves to these cookies and sweets and candy bars because we think that we aren't consuming it everywhere else. We've been fooling ourselves! Completely ignorant and oblivious to what we are putting in our bodies.

We know that with challenges like this, we are going to learn an abundant of healthy ways to live. Some we might leave behind, others we'll keep. But we are never going to truly know what it's like until we do it. If we don't do it, we'll never even try. We're holding ourselves accountable to this simple principle of no refined sugars. To be honest, it can't be that hard. Think of the people who HAVE to do this every single day or experience extreme health problems and set backs. We can learn to enjoy it. It can't be that hard. It's ONE month of our lives. 1.

With that being said, let me tell you about our day! It was great. Tim fixed a piece of exhaust on the mustang while I cleaned two rims and Jim cleaned his car windows and Valerie gathered supplies. We put the first top coat on her counters (looks GREAT!), packed and left. On 75 north Tim decided that my parent's house was close enough to Lexington to go ahead and take the split towards Louisville (rather than Cincinnati). My dad and sister were supposed to be throwing a very late birthday party for my mom right around the time we would have arrived. Well, that fell through and she was pretty upset about it. We met Marybeth at Target by Tinsletown and bought the madre cupcakes we couldn't eat, then headed up there. It sure was a surprise for her!

It worked out wonderfully. We did end up driving for 2 extra hours but it was worth it.

We ended up snacking on fruit and nuts in the car. We were starving by the time we got home. Tim found noodles that were acceptable and ate those with something and I made a Potato, mushroom, kale dish that was very tasty.

New Yearly Goals

The New Year bring new goals! While I may not make resolutions so to speak, I do embark on some "goals" (not sure there is a difference, but...people just don't like the word "resolution").

Even though it's taken me this long to write about it on my blog I have been keeping my goals.

Here's my short list:

Goals for 2014:

No soft drinks

Organize Toys more often (and then teach the younger ones to do it)

Read my Bible in front of my kids.

Pay attention to the words in songs I am singing (esp. at church)

Write More Letters

Drink More Water

Send Out Birthday Cards

*100 Miles Workout* (facebook thing)

Buy a House, or rent an apartment

Build Better Friendships

We've been working on some here and there and not doing obvious ones (like no soft drinks).

My Box

I have immersed myself completely into my husband, my family, student loans, house searching, the Bible, church, Ladies class, friends and family (not really in order). I've done this slowly for the past two years. I was confused and angry and mean, anxiety was written all over my face when I graduated. I had left a friendship horribly, left a religion, and stepped away to a new scenario.

I mean, I came out pretty well. I have some more tools in my belt. I have a great relationship with my husband and love him and my kids too deeply to describe. I have made new friends, lost some, and made newer ones. I understand the Bible better, even though I get confused with a different doctrine sometimes. I took a step back from "the world" without knowing it and zoned in on me. I let myself feel everything I needed to feel. I have figured out honesty is best, and know how to speak it.

When I realized I didn't know anything that was happening out there, that I wasn't making friends around town, and that I basically didn't have any substantial long term goals, honestly, I was okay with it. I soaked in it. It was freeing. I loved being able to see things from an unbiased view.

There's always something that knocks you off your feet though. We were visiting with a friend and I realized I didn't know anything new. I mean, shoot, what a great way to feel so stupid: when you're conversing with a group of people. Ugh.

It's all great and dandy to know and love yourself and all this great stuff I'd been working on, but sooner or later I have to figure out what's going on around me. The thing is, I think I can do the things I have been doing and figure out how to learn some other things. What would it hurt to read some books every now and again? How about helping out and volunteering, or toting my kids around at the library more, to sports, and school functions. Exposing them to the harmless, and appropriate activities. Gosh, maybe whip my behind in shape like I've been wanting to for a year and a half?!

Maybe, since I have all the important stuff together, I can step out of the nice, tight square box I so willingly like to sit in.

This Should Be Good

These are my resolutions for this year.  I pray that I remember I made them and keep up with them.
For my blog:
-Blog Flashback Linking. Like, this one. It's my first post.
-Post recipes I have tried and LOVED. I have quite a few already
-Wordless Wednesday.  I read Lil~Kid~Things and she does it. I love it.
-Post more often.  We all say we will. I just hope I do.

For my personal self:
-Make my blog cooler. See above.  What I write does in a way speak for who I am.
-Lose weight.
-Read more books or whatever.  I am currently reading 5 different books.  Finish them.
-Find less gassy foods. Anyone know of tasty ones? My husband says I stink.
-Give up sweets one day a week. I'm doing this mostly on Tuesdays. Except for three Tuesdays this year.
-Drink only water on another day of the week. I think on Saturdays, so that will start tomorrow.

I have to feel completely prepared for the Food/Drink so I don't get all anxious.  Controlling that sort of intake is huge for a fat girl. Just saying. I could weigh 100 lbs and still be a fat girl. I'm so serious.

A New Perspective?

Maybe so... I have never really been good at answering the phone and texts and I honestly just thought that was one of the things that made me who I am, but today I overheard my manager talking to Charter Foods people, in no way about me, that he couldn't stand when people don't answer the phone and that it was just plain rude.  I hope that's not what people think about me when I don't answer because I don't do it to be rude.
Actually, my personal philosophy is that I have my phone on me for 2 reasons: Sehara & Tim.  Now this has to extend to include my family because they are paying for it... BUT if I'm at work, driving, at home, on a date (okay, this list includes all of my time) then I don't feel obligated to respond.  I will glance at the phone every now and again to make sure Sehara's school/daycare or Tim hasn't called so I DO see when other people text or call me but by the time I get off work, I'm driving, getting Tim and kids, cooking, etc., and I just don't remember to check it again.
Tim is so much better at it.  He EVEN answers calls from unknown numbers.  So, sometimes, it's just best to call him.  
I'm going to try to work on this.  Maybe I do need to connect more with family and friends.

**I wrote this last night, but this morning I thought of another new perspective: Tim.
Sehara has been my number 1 priority since I was pregnant with her. Always.  To this day, granted I've only been married 2 months and with Tim several more months than that, I still say that she is #1, then I catch myself or think about it later and realize; you know, Tim is my priority too and how unfair that I have promised him to be by his side forever and he doesn't get that spot.  Fact is, he simply can't take it alone.  Seems that (as of right now) they have to share.  So, my number 1 priority is my FAMILY.

Oh, crap.  Hold on... isn't God supposed to be #1?  Oops, well... (haha) let's just make it clear that other than Him, my family is ( I don't know if this is a true statement because I am working on it).

Top Chef

I spent a good portion of the last hour trying to figure out what it means to be a good chef.
Trivial stuff to me, considering the best I can do is bake, but I really put some effort into it.
I have figured out the most important quality a chef can have: cleanliness. I wonder if that makes sense? I was making tuna salad, and if you have ever made it with a ton of ingredients, it can get really messy. So, while I'm cleaning these little messes as I make them, I can't help but think about all the people in my life that I have thought were good cooks, until they started making their dishes and left the kitchen a disaster. How can anyone enjoy a meal with a mess they KNOW they're going to have to clean up eventually? I know I can't.
And here's the real kicker: literally, the only person I can think of (mind you, a chef has to make a delicious dish too) that can cook a little piece of heaven and leaves no mess is my dad. And I have gone through a list of just about everyone in my head. My daddy and I don't always see eye-to-eye, but at least I can say that I learned how to clean up after myself from him. It's kind of funny to think about too. What you resent most about your parent is what you value most as an adult.
So, to reiterate, the most important quality of a chef, to me, besides the actual ability to cook, is how clean they are, while the masterpiece is cooking.
If you really think about it, and hopefully someone out there does, how many great chef's do you know?