Baked Mac & Cheese

Baked mac & cheese with Colby jack and mozzarella.

   Hey y'all, hope everyone is having a great and relaxing weekend! I am trying to relax and do a lot of nothing myself but I suck at sitting still. Last Friday morning I had my Synvisc-One injection done on my left knee. For the next 48 hours I can only walk to the bathroom or take a quick shower. It's actually doctors orders to do nothing but watch Netflix and read. The swelling has finally gone down but I am still very sore and grumpy. Synvisc-One is a wonderful gel that is shot into the knee joint to prevent swelling, and pain from arthritis. I began getting these injections after my ACL transplant and they have been a God send. I can work out harder, run farther, take the stairs all the time, and be a normal active adult. People who have had multiple knee surgeries should think about talking to their doctor about this gel to see if it is right for them. Since getting the injections I am not having to eat anti-inflammatory meds like candy anymore. Once in a great while I will take 2 Aleve for slight pain.

   Let's talk about that gorgeous container of mac & cheese. Tomorrow my church @St. Barnabus is having a Blessing of the Backpacks for all the kids going back to school on Monday. I am bringing my laptop, research materials, and books to be blessed. I think having the kids see that school can be fun and exciting when you get older will help their morale. Knowing that life gets better helped me in junior high and especially high school. College has been a wonderful experience and I am forever grateful that I was able to go. After church services we are having a pot luck and I am bringing baked mac & cheese along with chopped cantaloupe.

   Since I cannot move around much I enlisted the help of my mama to make this yummy dish. I got a cooking lesson while sitting in a chair inside the kitchen. I did get to grate the Colby Jack and Mozzarella so I kinda helped out. Mama taught me how to make a white rue sauce which is known as one of the great mother sauces. When you begin to learn how to cook, this sauce is a must have. It is versatile, velvety, and easy to make. I will write out the full recipe in the next blog post.

   What books or movies do y'all like to distract yourself with when you have to lie around the house?

"ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN" -ELLIE GOULDING

  Jamming out while recovering from Synvisc One injection.

Back Home and Yoga Love

   
  Hey y'all I am back from beautiful Santa Fe, New Mexico where I saw two operas and ate a lot of great food. I took my laptop with me so that I could blog while I was away but alas my sweet computer would not link up to the hotel wifi. The weather was amazing with temperatures in the 70's with several late afternoon showers. I could have stayed for a month but Steven was getting lonely so I grudgingly came home. While I was there I did keep up with the yoga challenge on Instagram #confidentyogis by doing most of my poses in the hotel room. Yoga on!

Here is the rundown:

Day 4 Goddess Pose

 

Day 5 Upward Dog

Day 6 Warrior 2

Day 7 Camel (a personal favorite)

Day 8 We were asked to choose our favorite pose, mine was Tiger pose grrr

Day 9 One Legged Chatarunga

Day 10 Tiger Pose

Day 11 Bound Half Standing Split

Confident Yogis Challenge

   For those of you on Instagram there is a yoga challenge that has begun. Every day a new pose is posted on Instagram. Everyone is invited to take a picture of themselves in the pose and post it with the hash tag #confidentyogis, tag @busybodyogi, @paigepodbelsek, @aquaazulboutique. Here are a few of the poses that have been posted.

Reverse plank

Triangle 

King Dancer Pose

Frustrated pose

Guest Post: Healthy Living by DesaRay Goff

 

Me and my little sister :).

 So honored doesn't begin to describe how I felt when my beautiful sister asked me to guest - write for her blog. I am a typical little sister: I adore my older siblings, because I can see the brilliance that most of the world doesn't take time to appreciate.

As I sit here, writing between sets at the gym, I have to take time to tell y'all that I have always had a weight problem. I carry my weight well, meaning most people are surprised when I utter the secret numbers, but you have always seen the chunk on me. In high school Mom and I would do hours of aerobic and walking tapes. The years that followed have been filled with extremes and yo - yo diets, despite the fact that I actually know quite a bit about proper nutrition and working out. I have even been a fitness trainer previously...

Presently my amazing boyfriend and I are members of the same gym. Both of us have a history of being overweight and mistreating ourselves nutritionally. I have recently begun to love me for who I am despite how I look. My gym motivation? Health. Forget looking like a size 2 anorexic model. I want to be able to play with my niece and nephew and not feel winded. I want to know that I can climb that hill if I choose.

All that being said, I take for granted what I know about healthy eating and often forget that not everyone has seen nutritionists for the last 20 years or so due to a chronic illness. All this to say that Ray and I work out together and encourage each other to eat well. He did not grow up with the same knowledge that I did, and I have had fun introducing the idea of fruit as a dessert to satiate a sweet tooth. I give him tips on how to use machines at the gym, and he pushes me to challenge myself. I'm the personality that does the bare minimum at the gym, though I encourage others to do more. Ray doesn't let that slide. Ever. Talk about relationship building! We have been together 5 months now and the gym and nutrition have caused a great deal of arguments due to one or the other of us being lazy or wanting junk. You have not seen wrath until you have told me to put down the French fries. My loving boyfriend is motivated by a desire for me to be healthy that often comes out in a not - so - loving manner. Tact is not his strong suit, so I have had to adjust how I process what is said as he works on his tone and wording.

Despite the frustration, nothing makes me happier than looking over at my guy on the next machine and him pausing to give me a thumbs up followed by his fist pumping in the air to cheer me on! Here's to a healthy lifestyle! 

The healthy and happy couple!

Ray and DesaRay hanging out at the San Antonio Farmer's Market making healthy choices.

Thanks Y'all :)

    Where has July gone? Oh Lordy August is right around the corner which means that my last semester in grad school is about to start. Also, with July coming to close I am closer to celebrating my one year post op anniversary. Nearly eight months ago I was lying on an operating table with the hope of having a normal active life. My recovery has presented me with a few hurdles but for the most part has been great. Having a cadaver ACL transplant was the best decision for me. I feel healthy, strong, and so very grateful. I want to thank a few people who have helped me along the road to recovery.

+Steven Larizza best husband and nurse ever! Thank you for all that you do every day.  

+Shawntee DesaRay Goff your smile and words of comfort were always appreciated. The snuggles were an added bonus.

+Lindsay Fedele my person who listened to my ranting & raving at all hours of the day & night.

Mama I got my crazy from you as well as my dogged determination to keep on fighting. Thank you for putting up with me.

Daddy thank you for supplying me with amazing books and enduring my endless chatter about Lord Byron.

    Recovery is easier with a support team that can pick you up when you face plant due to muscle fatigue. Who has helped you out during a difficult time in your life?

Some People get Botox I get Synvisc-One

    It is that time of year again and no Santa is not on his way. The time has come my friends for me to receive another Synvisc injection in my left knee. The first injection helped me so much that I didn't notice the wonders of Synvisc until it wore off. Two weeks ago I noticed a sharp pain in my knee especially when I would walk on hard surfaces or in any standing yoga poses. While boxing at the gym it hit me like a foul ball to the face. Seven and a half months have passed since my last injection which I should get every six months. Synvisc alleviated all my swelling and 90% of pain that I would experience while working out. Due to the small amount of arthritis that developed in my left knee the injections are a necessity.  

   
    To help people with their first injection I have some handy tips. Bring someone with you to hold your hand or tell corny jokes while the needle is inserted into your knee joint. Ask any questions or present any concerns before the procedure. Freaking out before the ice is applied to your knee will make for an awkward visit. Have your favorite treat on hand after the procedure and be prepared to sit on your buns for 48 hours. Staying off my feet for two days is hard for me and not fun at all. However, I have access to Netflix and a husband who doesn't mind helping me out with cooking and other domestic chores. How do y'all handle stressful medical procedures?