Gifts on my Doorstep

   Today my stomach decided to behave and allow me to eat a few things which included: grass fed sausage, and carrot fries for breakfast, and Cesar salad and minestrone soup for lunch. Dinner did not sound appealing so I went about my merry way. My 25 minute discussion during my organizational behaviors class went better than I expected and I even had fun doing it. Discussions ran very long so I didn't leave class till after 10 pm tonight. When I got home my Pete's Paleo Kits order had arrived!! Dear Lord my day was made excellent with the arrival of this treasure.

  Grass-fed beef jerky, a Paleo Krunch bar, and Berry and Beef Jerky mix are the first products I elected to try from this wonderful company. The grass fed jerky is almost gone and was damn good!

   I decided tonight was a lovely night to begin Watching Mad Men, yes I realize I am way behind the curve. Better late than never as my darling grandmother Audra would say. This show will become my new distraction.  Hope everyone has a safe and happy evening.

God is not Dead

   Usually, I am not comfortable discussing painful aspects of my life or my relationship with God. Some things should remain sacred and intimate to one's self. The past few days I have received multiple text messages with the words "God is not Dead", because the movie has hit theaters and has made an impression on people's hearts. I have No Qualms about people expressing their love for God. However, I do not need to see a movie to know that God indeed is not dead.

   My family experienced a horrific tragedy in that my beautiful 15 month old niece was murdered a year ago, last December. No details need be divulged. I only want to write down an experience that my father and I shared in church several months ago. When tragedy hits close to home it is hard to know that life goes on, the sun still shines, etc. How can the world continue to turn without my niece in it? One Sunday during communion, my father and I were kneeling at the altar. We both glanced to our left and saw a sweet toddler being handed her wafer. Her hair was styled in a similar fashion as my late niece. This darling little girl was a bright beam of sunshine as she smiled at Father David. In my head I calmly thought "Life does go on", and then my father looks at me, shrugs, and says "Life really does go on". I could not believe we both had the same thought at the same time. This moment was needed ever so badly. You have to find the light through the darkness, and that sweet girl at the altar was a bit of fresh hope. We made our way back to the pew and hugged as tears silently made their way down our faces.

   It is my fervent belief that God helped us to have that moment at the altar. I miss my niece every day and I try to be a person that she could be proud of. God is indeed Not Dead. He is alive and helping to mend my shattered family. I do not feel the need to see a movie to validate my feelings about God. For, he is everywhere and in all things. Amen. 

Please try not to take offense at my post, I merely wanted to relate a story of faith and hope.

What I Ate Today

 

These were my carrot fries (recipe from paleoomg.com). 

   Today I ate very little due to my stomach and intestines waging war with each other. The past week I have had to miss work and school due to severe abdominal stress, throwing up, chills/fever, and just feeling crappy. I went to see my nurse practitioner Laura who was a God send!! Instead of telling me to go home, she took action. She had my blood drawn, stool samples taken, and went over my long list of symptoms. Laura thinks it might be irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), celiac disease, etc. Personally, I find these options a bit comforting because it validates my symptoms and my gut instinct (could not resist). In a few days I should have answers and hopefully an easier time with my stomach troubles.

   In the interest of saving myself from doubling over, I refused pizza from my husband. Severe gastro symptoms have taken away any craving for junk food. While perusing my new cookbook +Michelle Tam Food for Humans , I found a recipe for baked carrot fries. My bountiful basket gave me lots of carrots and I have olive oil, Himalayan pink sea salt, and crushed red pepper. This recipe is so easy a girl sick as a dog can do it! Pre-heat the oven to 425 and slice up 6 carrots, spread them on a parchment lined baking sheet, pour olive oil over the carrots, add sea salt and spread mixture evenly over the carrots. I added crushed red pepper flakes for fun and because I live in Texas :). Bake for 15 minutes, flip over the carrots, and then bake for an additional 11 minutes. Viola! Easy, healthy, and very delicious. My fries did not upset my stomach in the slightest and I can't wait to make them again.   For dinner I made a beet smoothie that also played nice with my insides. The website www.paleomg.com gave me the recipe for the smoothie. This is a great website if you are curious about Crossfit or paleo. 

Stomach friendly beet smoothie.   

Here is the recipe from paleomg:

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• 1 large beet, peeled and diced (equivalent to 1 cup diced beets)
• 1 banana, peeled and diced
• ½ cup frozen berries (I used strawberries and raspberries)
• ½ cup canned coconut milk
• ½ cup water
• 1 scoop egg protein (or protein powder of your choice)
• 1 tablespoon raw honey (optional)

Instructions

1. First you gotta roast your beets. Try biting into one of those raw. No fun. So preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Wash and peel your beets and dice them up.
3. Arrange pieces on a baking sheet then drizzle with about 2 tablespoons of coconut oil on top.
4. Bake in oven for about 45 minutes or until they are tender.
5. Let cool.
6. Once your beets are cooled, add all ingredients to a food processor and puree until smooth. Add more coconut milk or water if needed.
7. Drink up!

Bountiful Baskets

My bouquet of kale and parsley    

   Last night I picked up my bounty from Bountiful Baskets in Midland, TX. I always end up with way more food than I need so, I give some to my parents, my father in law, and brother in law. Not only do we all get fresh and healthy food, we also support our local farmers. Winning!

Look at all this food! So pretty! 

  I recently bought a book by an amazing blogger +Michelle Tam, NomNom Paleo, Food for Humans which is a great read and has tons of yummy recipes. The kale from my basket will be made into crispy kale chips with the recipe from NomNom Paleo. So excited to try out all the fun new food ideas from this great book. Y'all should check it out!

Shopping and Craving Junk Food

   I am so excited because today I have placed an order with Steve's Original Paleo Kits! I have heard nothing but great things about this company, which makes wonderful products and also gives back. My box full of goodies will have: Grass Fed Beef Jerky, Berky which has Jerky & Berries, and a Paleo Krunch Bar (shredded coconut, raw pumpkin seeds, raw sunflower seeds, raw almonds, and honey).  After consuming all the deliciousness I will report back with a post Paleo Snack Glow.

   Today marks Day 13 of the 24 Day Challenge and I feel fantastic but like most people I battle cravings. I have been an emotional eater for many years and a carboholic that loves ice cream for breakfast. However, yesterday was payday and I did not give in and buy ice cream or candy. Instead I went to Target and bought new lipstick because makeup makes me happy and is calorie free, and I also bought new jeans.Spending hundreds of dollars on things whenever you crave junk food won't do your wallet any favors. But I think treating yourself every now and then to a new outfit or a spa treatment is much healthier than cleaning out the office candy bowl. My lovely coworker has a candy bowl on her desk which calls to me on a daily basis. So I have decided to keep nuts and beef jerky at my desk to help keep me on track. I am not determined to be perfect or to never eat sugar again, I only want to help my body feel amazing.

  

I identify with this child.

I love bacon and I love these adorable pups :).

   

Day 8 of the 24 Day Challenge

   It is day 8 of my 24 Day Challenge and things are looking up. My energy levels have evened out and I feel less lethargic than I did on days 1-4. I started this whole process out of vanity, yep I can admit that when my "fat jeans" are snug I get desperate. Being from Texas I live in jeans and a great pair make my heart skip a beat. I could not ignore the fact that I allowed my hectic schedule and emotional eating packed on a few pounds. A few pounds amounted to around 18 on a 5 '2' frame which A) is not a good look for me and B) my knees were not appreciating the extra weight. Besides vanity reasons I also just wanted to feel good. You are what you eat unfortunately. Eating like a 16 year old boy made me feel like crap.

   Advocare came into the picture via my lovely classmate Ashley. At first, I was completely skeptical and tried out a few products before jumping in headfirst. I'm glad I did because I feel better which is important. My gut can be on the sensitive side and when I don't take proper care of her, she turns into a raging bull. The challenge has been a great tool that helped me to curb my bad eating which has made my stomach feel fantastic. I am no longer bloated or in pain because I am choosing to eat whole foods, even when my wonderful spouse gets pizza, I now abstain. In my opinion the Challenge is a great way for people to get back on track with eating well.

   Abs are made in the kitchen. The Challenge works by having people cook most of their own food. The kitchen can be a fun and happening place to be, with the exception of grease fires. I am not a professional cook but I can at times cook things that are edible and healthy. If I can do it, anybody can!

Release the Kracken!

   I have been officially released from post-op care! I feel as though I am making huge gains in my recovery and today just made life a little better. Physical therapy is going well and I am being allowed to use more weight and do new things. I have finally gotten to a point where I can start working out on my own in addition to what I do in PT. I am so ready to punch a heavy bag and feel like myself again!

  This evening I held plank for 2 minutes and down dog which makes me a very happy person. I find that for me doing a very light workout before bed allows me to put aside the day and go to sleep. Hope everyone has a lovely evening!

Here's Looking at You Kid

   My husband has really impressed me and thus deserves some pomp and circumstance for his efforts. Friday, I come home in a piss poor mood and really just wanted to be alone, in our bedroom watching Netflix. Instead my husband with a gleam in his eye, excitedly tells me to pack an overnight bag. With arms defiantly crossed over my chest I refuse. I had a date with Netflix and I was adamant about being left alone. He packed a bag for me and before I knew it, we were barreling down the road to somewhere. Steven refused to let me know our destination. I sat in the passenger seat seething and moody. PMS is a bitch and coupled with stress makes me an animal that should be caged for the good of humanity. A few hours into this adventure, I figure out we are headed to Dallas. Steven suggested I look up things I might want to do via +Google. Grudgingly I comply with this request and find that a ton of great things are happening, next weekend. I found several operas and symphony shows I wanted to see which of course, were not showing the night we would be in town.

   We get into town around 5:30 PM and check into our hotel. After freshening up we decided to walk around the galleria which is a three story mall and has several amazing stores that don't exist in Odessa. I found a +LUSH Cosmetics store which is a personal favorite of mine. Lush is the organic version of Bath & Body works and everyone needs to check one out! While I looked around Steven bought me two of my favorite products. Ocean Salt is a shower scrub that softens while evening out skin tone and he also bought me a shampoo called daddy-O. This shampoo helps to brighten blonde hair and leaves your strands silky soft. He scored so many husband points. We walked around for awhile and drooled over the very expensive things we could not afford. Our lovely night ended with an Amazing dinner at Ruth's Chris which is my favorite steakhouse. This restaurant has superb service, the food is always delicious and they have a remarkable wine list. Steven and I always drink Silver Oak which is a Cabernet but our waiter suggested we try something new. We were introduced to a new wine called Scarlet, if you drink wine then you must try this one. Steven ordered a New York strip with garlic mashed potatoes and I had shrimp cooked New Orleans style, with white wine and butter. A Cesar salad and garlic green beans rounded out the rest of my meal.

    I wrote this very long blog post because my husband deserves a ton of credit for making me a happier individual. He drove us 5 hours just to have a very fine meal, and sight see for a few hours this morning. The last few months have been very tough for me emotionally due to several things happening in my life. All he wanted was to make me happy and give me a night away from home. Words alone cannot express how thankful I am to have this man as my husband. Keep up the great work Steve!!

This is the wine we had at Ruth's Chris.   

Lush products that I am in Love with!

Kitchen Adventures

   Hey y'all! Yesterday kicked off the beginning of my +AdvoCare 24 day Challenge and today hasn't been half bad. This morning I mixed my fiber packet into my spark drink and the taste was phenomenal but the consistency was awful. Dear Sweet Baby Jesus I finished the drink off using my spoon due to the thickness. Then I drank a chocolate mocha meal replacement shake which was so good that even my husband had one. I am so happy that I listened to the wonderful Ashley Doran when she suggested the chocolate mocha. Hopefully, the next 23 days will go as smoothly as Day 1 did.

   The rest of my day was filled with grocery shopping, visiting with my mama, and cooking dinner. I hit it out of the ballpark with dinner! As I was perusing my kitchen cabinets and fridge I noticed that I had all the ingredients for chicken Florentine. Being the rebel that I am, of course I changed the recipe a little. I thawed out four chicken breasts, cut them into bite size chunks and threw them into a hot pan with olive oil. Salt, pepper, garlic, and crushed red pepper dressed the chicken as it cooked through. A 14 ounce can of tomato sauce went into the pan along with finely chopped brussel sprouts. This lovely concoction simmered for 15 minutes while I tried to work on my essay exam. I am a firm believer in hiding vegetables in most of the meals that I prepare for my husband. Steven likes to believe that man can exist on pizza and +Monster Energy drinks alone. That darling husband of mine ate his entire meal and never once noticed the brussel sprouts which he despises. Winning!

My version of Chicken Florentine

      Another winning moment came when I bought a very adorable octopus from +Bath and Body Works that holds hand sanitizer. This little beauty clips onto my new purse. This was a winning moment because I did not buy several chocolate chip cookies that looked equally delightful.

My new purse buddy. What should I name her?   

  Today has been both productive and satisfying in that I checked off several things on my to do list. Tonight we are taking mama out for her birthday at a nice Italian restaurant which will be so much fun! To top it off the weather has been glorious. Have a lovely evening everyone :).

It's Here!

Thank goodness they sent a daily guide.

A box of happiness and opportunity.

   Today a box came with a special logo on the front of it. Advocare's 24 Day Challenge came today! Steven and I will be tackling the next 24 days together as a team, a fat fighting team. It is high time that we start taking better care of ourselves and I think this program will be a wonderful jumping off point. The Challenge begins Monday which is the start of Spring Break and this means I have a little extra time to cook and focus on the challenge itself. Time to kick ass and take names!

Blonde Moments and Mentally Correcting Other's People's Form in the Gym.

      While on the treadmill, bike, or elliptical machine I like to people watch. People working out with a private trainer are my favorite to view. From my perch I can spend several minutes mentally chastising a person using incorrect form while doing a: burpee, push-up, jump squat, etc. Bad form can be easily corrected if the personal trainer were paying attention to her clients. @OptimusPhysicalTherapy, there is a small gym with several great pieces of equipment that personal trainers utilize. One in particular did not notice that her trainee's had no clue in what they were doing. At times I would like to quietly walk over and gently say "You, Stop That" and then perform the move correctly. My knee surgery scars may be sexy but trust me, you do not want to earn them by using poor form.

        I had a blonde moment while throwing a ball against a trampoline and standing on a rubber foam brick. While swaying to and fro, it suddenly occurred to me that if I simply squeezed my left quad while bearing full weight, then my patella doesn't roam. Thursday morning I had quite the surprise when my patella popped back into correct alignment while standing on the foam brick. This most likely happened because I failed to utilize my left quad muscle...DUH!

       This weekend is my wonderful niece Anna's birthday and I am so excited to be in Lubbock tomorrow to celebrate with her. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend :)!

                                                           Funny Friday

Grown Up Advice

   I have a life tip for everyone in the working world. If, heaven forbid, you are throwing up and have a fever, then you should stay home. Yes, it really is that simple, stay home. Due to just two co-workers coming into work very ill, now I am ill. Thanks y'all, I really appreciate hurling my guts up. Thankfully, after sleeping for 14 hours, cleaning out my stomach, and sticking to a bland diet I am on the mend. Remember kids, no job is worth your health or the health of others.

Ready for Change

    When your physical therapist gives you more exercises, its as if he/she handed you a promotion. In addition to the existing things I get to do are: mini wall squats, 10 minutes on elliptical machine, single leg squats done on a shuttle machine, wall ball, calf raises done on foam pad, hamstring curls done on a foam pad, quad sets, and walk aways with exercise band. I am in the gym from 8:30 am till 11:15 completing my workout. Being challenged in the gym has always been fun for me. I like to push my body to the limits to become stronger and faster. It is also very gratifying that my physical therapist feels as though I am healing well enough to handle the added exertion.

    March 10, 2014 will mark the first day of my 24 Day Challenge with +AdvoCare! I want to reset my body, feel better, and see what all the fuss is about. I began my +AdvoCare journey with replacing Monster energy drinks with #Spark and #Slam. The difference was Incredible in that I didn't have a carb crash and felt focused with no sucky side effects. Many of my friends have changed their lives for the better with the help of +AdvoCare. Being a Nosy Nancy I have to try this challenge out and will report back with my results. I will post my starting weight and how my body changes throughout the process. I think its important to back up any claim with verifiable facts. !


    As a graduate student I am constantly thinking about what assignment is due next. I don't always want to make time to eat healthy because usually I am too tired to care. The middle of the semester is upon me and I need to feel better pronto. With the help of +Onida Bountifulbaskets, Advocare, my stubbornest, and getting back in the kitchen I know I can meet my goals. It is high time to take care of me!

Food Love

    If you have never heard of a little website called www.primalpalate.com, then you must go visit it right now. Laundry, dishes, and a small grease fire can wait.  The food pictures will make you drool, the easy recipes will inspire your inner Betty Crocker, and did I mention the pictures are wonderful?!

   For the past several months I have been experimenting with different recipes that lean more toward the Paleo side of the fence. I happened upon this gem via www.paleomg.com while reading one of Juli's posts. Now I am in love and want to neglect my homework in favor of making duck confit with roasted lemon green beans.

  
   Speaking of wanting to be in the kitchen all day, my mama has lovingly fashioned a recipe book of food that she and my grandmother made, when mama was a child. I cannot wait to get my hands dirty! There is something quite special when recipes are handed down through the generations. From farm to my table is how these recipes came to be.

   Happy cooking to everyone :)!

My Weekend

   

    I had such a wonderful weekend with these two badass women. This weekend I was able to attend a Texas Blood Tracking seminar in Hamilton Texas. Hunters use dogs that have been certified to be Blood Trackers when an animal is wounded during a hunt, and needs to be found. The gorgeous pregnant woman in the picture is Bliss Lay and owns a Blue Lacy named Kiyah (Ki-Uh). A Lacey is a working dog that can track, bay, and herd cattle. They have boundless energy, are quite protective, and are hard workers.  Most of the dogs at the seminar were Blue Lacys, with one vizsla, one Rhodesian ridgeback, and a few terriers. All the dogs were beautiful and did a wonderful job at the seminar! I was so impressed with the dogs and the seminar that I would like to own a vizsla and train her for search and rescue.

   My knee performed above and beyond the call of duty this weekend. No swelling, little pain, and great stability despite walking around for 10 hours with the dogs and working on rough terrain. Good job Hertha! I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend :)!