Enthusiastic Sullen heading to 8th grade. 

First day of school. Back left is my only daughter on her way to 4th grade, back right is Jake the Great entering 2nd grade. Front left is Doodles heading to kindergarten to be a classmate to his slightly older brother Izzy Man (front right). 

A happy Jake the Great with his birthday bike. Notice our brick patio that we built ourselves! 

Hey Mom--I have no idea why he was doing his eyes that way, but this is what he got from you for his birthday. It's a camel back water thingy. Booboo used it at camp, too. Works great! 

You carry water in here! 

No School

The kids have a day off from school today because of some teacher in-service thing. Mine have been running around having a great time. I upped the fun-o-meter by stopping by the local hardware store to see if they had any big boxes I could have. Sure enough, we got a huge dryer box. I cut a door and windows for them, and they have played happily ever since. Good, clean, free fun. Can't beat it!

Be Careful What You Pray For!

Today I have made great progress on my book, and since I know you were all on the edge of your seats wondering "What about the lice book? We must know!!" I didn't want you to suffer any longer.

It was a few months ago that my husband and I started praying in earnest for our business to pick up and start making some money. And here we are now, with so many opportunities dropping in our laps left and right, it's c-r-a-z-y!! But fun. It's just very, very intense.

I tend to get all fuddled up with all the plates I'm trying to spin. I get really focused on one thing for awhile, and then all of a sudden one of the other projects rises up and bites me in the butt and I'm like, "Holy moley I forgot about that one!" This morning I actually got out a bunch of paper plates and labeled them with the various projects I have going, so I can put them on my wall and have a visual reminder. My husband's comment when I told him what I'd done? "Oh great! Now you'll have to go buy more paper plates!" hahahahaha

Seriously, it helps me to have a visual of what it is I have going on. Otherwise it's easy to forget, and I don't just want to have a handful of mediocre businesses. Gotta tend those gardens or they get weedy, ya know.

Due to a combination of work issues, child issues, weather, and husband's work schedule issues, I didn't get to work out yesterday or today, and it's looking like I won't be able to go again until Tuesday. Sounds like I'm going to have to get my Richard Simmons Sweatin' to the Oldies video out!

Why is it...?

Why is it that I can write and think of great ideas day in and day out, but when it comes down to needing to actually churn out some decent writing I go blank? Even when I have at least 60-80% of the writing done (in various formats that need to be found and dissected and tweaked)!

In Anne Lamott's book Bird by Bird (which is all about the process of writing), she talks about how every day she sits down to write, and most days she becomes very, very interested in "gathering wool" as she puts it. Basically, having your brain go blah-de-blah-blah and finding urgent needs for you to get up and leave your writing such as multiple trips to the bathroom, cleaning little tiny details of things that you would not normally notice, or learning new stunts like balancing your pen on your finger. That's me right now. Blogging because I can't write! How stupid is that?

(I got a bee in my bonnet today to finish up an ebook idea that I had set aside. I need to finish it. It's so close I can taste it! And here I sit, one paragraph victorious at least, but the kids will be coming home in 10 minutes so my time is done for the day. All that skipping around the house cheering myself on and congratulating myself for a brilliant introduction...and now I have to wait til tomorrow. What is more likely is that right in the middle of helping someone with their homework or hearing about some social woe, I will suddenly get a HUGE burst of inspiration and have to go running to the computer to get my thoughts down before they escape......)

What are we here for?

I found this great post today and thought it was worth passing on. Whether it passes by snopes.com as true-blue or not doesn't matter to me. The message is a good one regardless.

Dog Tired

Worked out today, including a harder cardio than I had previously done. The question I had on my mind after an hour or two of being home was, when does this start to feel better? Supposedly people feel so much energy when they exercise regularly. Well, for me, I feel tired and sore. I exercise, am proud of myself, want some lunch and a nap. The end.

I asked my husband this question and his answer went something like, "Well, if you aren't feeling good and energetic after you exercise you probably need to work harder on your cardio....if your heart rate isn't getting up high enough blah blah blah..." at which point I had to tell him to stop or else I was going to be very tempted to injure him. He didn't quite get it that I was serious. After I, uh, explained it more clearly, he decided to go out and mow the grass. heh.

I worked my way through the oodles and oodles of clothing to swap out for the kids. Got rid of 3 garbage bags full of clothes, and found that I won't need to buy much at all for the season. That was good news. Had my newest Six Feet Under disc here, so I got to find out what happened to Lisa.....

Found some new items to include in the baby boutique so that gave me a little mental boost. I need that new stuff coming along to keep my wheels turning for the current project.

Today's Agenda: Not a Darn Thing

Got up today and got the kids on their way.

Sat at the computer and pondered whether or not I would workout today.

My back started bothering me yesterday because I did some mopping, so I had the idea that I would take today off. No sense messing with the Big Bad Bulging Disc if it isn't absolutely necessary.

I hoped against all hope that my latest Six Feet Under disc would arrive. I'm in great suspense about What Happened to Lisa?! and am waiting on pins and needles for the next 3 episodes. (And if you write and tell me in the comments you shall be cursed! I do not like spoilers. DO NOT TELL ME!!!)

No disc. Bad back. Do I go work out? Better not. But now I don't have any movie to watch while I sit and fold laundry endlessly.....So what's a girl to do?

My brain said NO to working on my Search Engine Optimization class. My brain said NO to working on my book.

What did my brain say YES to?

Investing in a big, long nap.


Yep. I slept until a few minutes before the kids got home. It's the first time in the entire school year that I've done that. It sort of half feels GREAT and half feels like a bad omen that I have already fallen off the workout bandwagon and have run out of inspiration to continue forth with my business ventures.

It ain't true, though. It's just the bad me in the background making everything more dramatic than it really is.

My current lifestyle is making me feel that my life is quite luxurious, even without all the money I'd like. In most places on earth women don't just have 2 hours a day for exercise or naps or peace and quiet. For the past 15 years I have either worked outside the home or had children to care for all day, every day. Having some quiet time 4 days a week is positively soothing. Going to exercise anyplace away from home was not even a remote possibility, and getting it done at home was doomed to failure thanks to kids who steal weights, jump on their prostrate mothers, or try to be the second wheel on a one person rebounder. Naps I've had, but always at that half-mast motherly sleep where you always have one ear open to pending distaster or need to wipe somebody's butt. Taking a Lazy Day today was part of the "trying to get my current schedule into balance" so I'm deeming it a good thing. One more piece of the puzzle trying to figure out where it fits in.

The Killer

Worked out again today, just like I said I would. :) Between having to save face here, with my husband and kids, and with the people at the fitness center, I have plenty of positive peer pressure in my life to keep me going.

I decided to shake things up today by doing 15 minutes of rebounding here at home before heading in, substituting for my usual 15 minute bike ride at the fitness center. I was on a little bit of a time crunch so that helped.

I did a full round of all the weight machines that I normally do, and at the end right before I was about to hop on the treadmill some people came in and took over all of them. Not wanting to wait, I decided to be brave and make my maiden voyage on the machine affectionately known at The Killer. Trust me, it is aptly named. The above picture sort of shows what it's like, except I think the one I used is bigger, scarier, and more painful. It starts out seeming easy, and then after about 30 seconds you know how wrong you were to think that. I only did 5 minutes on the easiest setting (called "Walk in the Park" HA. HA.) and I burned as many calories in that Very Long 5 minutes as I do in the 15 on the bike. It is TOUGH, but I like that it has quick results. I have been spending about 90 minutes on the workouts and although it's ok, I would prefer to be done in an hour or less. So, I am going to see what I can do about spending my time with The Killer and burn up some calories faster.

Over the weekend my husband has torn down walls, built shelves, and tossed a bunch of stuff out to the garbage pile. We are making progress and that is exciting.

We watched Nanny McPhee with the kids over the weekend and it was a hoot. Much better than I expected it to be, plenty of clever uses of vocabulary, and a happy ending. We all recommend it.

Worked out again today. Did 45 minutes of cardio plus everything else. Yay me! ;) Will be back at it on Monday.

Worked out again today. Doubled the ab workout and increased cardio by 3 more minutes. Plan to go again tomorrow.

Business stuff looms large. I know what I want for Christmas--2 more of me, at least. Thank you.

Keeping at it....

Seeing as how this is my blog and I'm writing it mainly for myself, I'll take the liberty of being supremely boring and charting my progress with working out and losing weight.

I had an extremely busy day full of errands yesterday so didn't get to work out, but got there bright and early today. I did a full workout on all the weight machines, increased my ab workout, and increased my cardio by one entire minute. ;) (Hey--every bit counts!) I'm planning to weigh myself once a week to track my progress in that area. I was really excited to find out that my fitness center is now open on Saturday, which means that I should definitely be able to get to workout at least 5 days a week, and sometimes 6. I do best when I'm on a roll to stay on a roll, so I'm going to go every possible day that I can. I have a boatload of weight to lose, so I might as well get to it. I would love to drop 20 pounds by Christmas.

Business stuff is going well but is challenging at every turn. I hope I can pull off getting the baby boutique open in about 4.5 weeks. Right now that is feeling doubtful. Most of the time my accomplishments are fueled by inspiration, and these days with so much depending on the winds of inspiration I am a little fearful that suddenly my inspiration will dry up. It's never happened so probably won't, but still, it's in the back of my mind.

With all the business developments in my life we've seen the need to create an office space for me. The corner of the bedroom is getting kind of overrun with boxes and files and papers.... Hubby knocked out a wall downstairs today as a step toward this goal. We're typically slow in household projects, but hopefully this one will take shape in the next few weeks.

That's all for now.

To answer your question

Kat left me a question:

I have been following a families tragedy since June. They found out that their baby had Potter's Syndrome and that it would only live a few hours after birth. They decided to carry the baby to term (four more months). She and her family are so strong! I'm not sure I could be that strong in that situation. As a woman of faith...what would you do in such a situation?



I'm somewhat familiar with the family you mention here. Although I would say you never know for sure what you would do until you're personally faced with a situation, I have a pretty good idea of what I would do.

I would pray like mad for a miracle.

I would relish every movement, bump, and in-utero hiccup that my baby had.

I would plan the best birth possible.

I would buy some sweet baby outfits and the softest baby blanket I would find.

I would prepare my kids for what was to come.

I would go into labor on my own and do all the work of bringing my baby into the world.

I would remember that just because my baby doesn't have kidneys doesn't mean she wouldn't appreciate our loving touch, the feel of being against my skin, the voices of those that love her, and the taste of her mother's milk.

I would make sure my kids were on hand to see their new baby.

I would take as many pictures as we could.

I would appreciate every minute of my child's life and give her all the love and comfort I could pack into whatever length of time she had with us.

You say that these folks are strong. Not to take anything away from them, but having been in a tough situation or two myself, I ask you: what choice do they have?

Sometimes God puts you on a path that is hard and dark and painful and frightening, and the only way you can get through it is to live it out one tough day at a time. Surviving it doesn't mean you're strong. It just means that wishing you would die doesn't make it so.

The Journey of a Thousand Miles.....

Well, my kids have all been in school for three weeks now, and I've spent close to every available hour working on business stuff. While I've made great progress and even earned some money, my new sedentary lifestyle has already found me gaining weight. One of my back-to-school resolutions was that I would start working out and losing weight, but of course in the frenzy to work on business stuff I just hadn't gotten started yet.

One of the hardest things about working from home is that there are no built-in parameters. I can do whatever aspects of my business ventures or homemaking or hobbying or whatever I choose, but enforcing any sort of balance is up to me. And that's something I typically struggle with.

I actually had to remind myself that even if I end up with successful businesses that brings in thousands upon thousands of dollars a month, if I am still this fat in a month or a year, I would be very, very unhappy. I am now at about the fattest I've been, save post partum. This is definitely the maximum yukk I can afford to let myself get to.

So, today I took the first step and joined my local fitness center. Yes, I could have technically exercised at home, but I wouldn't have done it. There are too many distractions, too many people carrying off my weights, phone calls coming in, etc. etc. I know that for right now I need to go away from here and be focused on a workout. It's only $20 a month, 2 minutes from my house, clean and nice and not much of a crowd during the daytime hours.

I exceeded my goals for day one by doing all the machines at respectable weights and reps (I was told I was already stronger than most women that come in there, which maybe isn't saying much, but I'll take my happy moments where I can get them) PLUS did 40 minutes of cardio, when I thought I'd be dying after 15.

I have solid time that I can do work out 4-5 days a week and that is what I plan to do.

I was kind of nervous to get over there for the first time, but am really glad I finally took the leap. I am looking forward to looking and feeling better, and getting closer to creating some sort of balance for myself between being a work-at-home mom and taking care of myself.

Am I The Only One?

Am I the only one that doesn't want to relive the 9-11 tragedy? The only one that doesn't want to drag up sad stories? Yes, I think we need to remember what happened on that day, and certainly those that were injured and died that day should be remembered as well. But a lot of what I'm seeing seems to almost cheapen the memory of people (using their stories to get us all crying, for instance).

What I wish people would get out of 9-11 is that there are brave, giving people in your community that would make the same courageous choices on your behalf as those that died that day. So many communities want to make a big spectacle when a police officer or firefighter dies in the line of duty, yet it is also very common that the same people and government organizations will not spend the money BEFORE a tragedy to AVOID a tragedy. We appreciate these people after something terrible happens and they die, but we don't appreciate them enough beforehand to pay them enough, give them safe equipment, or give them a really good work environment. That's not enough appreciation as far as I'm concerned.

You want to honor the people that died on 9-11? Do what you can to help your local firefighters and police to get the raises they deserve, the training they need, and the equipment they should have. Drop by with a few pizzas, gas gift cards, or homemade cookies and pictures that your kids made. When the Girl Scouts sell cookies next winter, order some extra boxes and take them by the fire station to say Thank You. Do something selfless for somebody who needs your help. Maybe it's an elderly neighbor or a helpless child or somebody hungry that lives on the street. Do something that helps you have to give without getting anything in return, including the admiration of others.

No amount of money or equipment would have saved the rescue personnel that died on 9-11, and there were plenty of other courageous people who weren't emergency service workers that also lost their lives that day. There are tons of husbands, wives, parents, children, friends, and relatives who are still hurting from their losses. To me, memory is good, but moving on with renewed appreciation that makes us live our lives in a better way is worth a lot more.

Would you? Could you? Under any circumstances?

The other day while at my book group discussion the fabulous Outlander series, I learned about UtiliKilts. What do you think? Want to see more guys wearing kilts?

Outlander fans, unite!

Diana Gabaldon's latest book Breath of Snow and Ashes has been nominated for a Quill Award. You can go to her site and follow the links to be able to cast your vote. (she's in the sci fi category--what a hoot)

Also, have you ever wondered who would play all the different characters if Outlander ever became a movie or TV series? This is a fun site to go and imagine the possibilities. Diana Gabaldon says that Jamie would be a combination of Jason Flemyng and Gerard Butler. I've never heard of either of them before, but...be still my beating heart.....I think Gerard Butler would INDEED make a pleasing Jamie.....yowza! (that's the guy in the picture here.....my my my)

(other pics of mine: Kristin Scott Thomas as Claire, and the woman that played Brenda on Six Feet Under for Geillis Duncan.)

When do you stop worrying?

Katy left a comment asking the question, "when do you stop worrying?" in regards to an unborn child. Katy is newly pregnant--YAY! Congratulations!

Katy, I hate to tell you this, but--your worries have only begun.

While different parents have different degress of worry to which they are inclined, and different children and situations cause varying amounts of worry, I think that becoming a parent makes you vulnerable like nothing else ever has or will. Your heart will soon be living outside your body, in many ways, and you'll probably never feel completely without some degree of concern for your child ever again.

In pregnancy, I have had all sorts of worries. I worried about things like, "What if the baby is born without a body part?" (I didn't have ultrasounds for 3 or 4 of my pregnancies) and "What if I am really having conjoined twins and we don't realize it and when it comes time to give birth I can't do it?!" (far-fetched concerns are fun ones but if you watch too many unsolved mystery type shows you might start to feel like oddities are statistically more likely than they really are)

I worried my way through my entire third pregnancy and everything was perfect, right down to the world's most perfect baby ever. :)

For my fourth pregnancy I had very high expectations, and ended up with a high-risk nightmare pregnancy. Thankfully, we still got an adorable, wonderful son out of the deal, though he was born 3 months early.

During my 6th pregnancy I felt a deep concern that I didn't fully understand but prompted me to do alot of praying. I literally prayed and prayed for my child's life and for God to protect us. There were no warning signs of anything going wrong. The entire pregnancy was smooth sailing. And then one day I woke up gushing blood. I had a placental abruption. Thankfully we ended up with our adorable Squiggy Magoo and he got a live and kicking (well, not so much kicking after an emergency c-section, but alive nonetheless) mom out of the deal. I still feel that my prayers "availed much" in that situation.

The good news is that most of the time pregnancy goes just perfect. Worry is a normal part of being a parent. But it isn't fun. Somewhere along the line you get used to it. Sort of.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Want to see some amazing photos of some unborn babies? You can go visit Womb's Window, which is my mother's business. And after you get done looking at the babies, you can go check out my latest project, the Womb's Window Shopping Mall. Be sure to sign up for the newsletter--it is going to be really good, and we have a lot of exciting things coming up, including The Baby Boutique at Womb's Window, opening next month! Katy--we'll have the goods to get you and that new baby of yours looking totally adorable!

For Your Daily Tear-Jerker...

I found out about this beautiful post about a family that is learning more about living out God's purposes even in the midst of difficulty. Don't miss it.

Who Says Your Opinion is Only Worth Two Cents?

Do Not Call

This may be old news to you, but if you want to stop most telemarketers from calling you, use that phone to call 1 888 382 1222 to register your phone as off-limits for the next 5 years. Or, you can get the job done online here.

If You Wanna Be Happy for the Rest of Your Life....

There is an interesting article in Forbes from last week and a lot of people in the blogosphere are commenting about it. The article states that if men want to be happy they should not marry a career woman.

A lot of those comments come from conservative Christian stay-at-home women who seem to want to say, "Yeah, see?! If you're a career girl, your life is going to stink. And that's because you're not staying at home like you should be!"

These are often the same women that want us to believe that they are so utterly fulfilled in what they do at home that nothing could top it, and of course that's just one more side benefit to doing things the Right Way. I notice that many of these women also have home businesses, write books, have a blog, etc. so really they DO enjoy getting to do some outside activities besides just the basic housekeeping and childrearing....but they kind of overlook that point.

One woman commented that if you are spending your time doing what GOD wants you to do, you do not have time for anything else. Interestingly, she found time to be reading and commenting on blogs that day....huh. ("and on the eighth day God said, 'Let there be blogs!'")

I've had a lot of thoughts about this article and the comments I've read about it, but it's been difficult to put it all into words. Today I think I have the simple points that this article made me think about:

1. The article is basically saying that women who have options aren't necessarily willing to stay at home or stay in an unhappy marriage. Makes me wonder how many women without options are feeling stuck and unhappy.....

2. Many men want what a career woman brings to the relationship, but apparently then are disappointed because they didn't marry a person who wants to be a homemaker.

3. I seriously wonder about this talk of being happily married. All that glitters is not gold, my dears. Just because people stay married does not mean they are happy. Right off the top, 50% of couples divorce. And who knows how many of the remaining 50% are actually happily married? ( I would venture to guess that at least half of the remaining group are not happy.) Marriage is difficult even under the best of circumstances. Why do people wed and think they'll be happy for the rest of their life?

4. I can also tell you from years of being on large egroups for women who are mainly Christian homemakers, moms, and homeschoolers, that there are LOTS of unhappy marriages and major problems for these folks. It doesn't seem that being Suzy Homemaker is helping things in those situations, either.

5. It's interesting to me that the "Proverbs 31 Woman" is held up as a shining example for Christian women of hard work, lack of sleep, and industrious behavior. Interestingly, this passage of scripture mentions nothing about this lady cooking or cleaning or interacting with her husband and kids. (it does say she makes sure they have clothes) She works, she manages servants, she handles a home business and real estate transactions, and makes her husband look good in society. From what the Bible says, he doesn't worry about anything she's doing--he knows she's doing a good job and he can trust her. She's a free agent, running her own ship.

She sounds like a career woman to me, actually. She manages it all and works hard at it. But she's not reported to be cleaning out the toilets and making casseroles and homeschooling......

What did the Proverbs 31 husband like about his wife that would be useful today?

Shaggy Dog-movie review

We watched The Shaggy Dog the other night with all the kids. I don't have the brain power left to give you a long and witty review. Let's just leave it at
1. it was funny
2. it was cute
3. We all liked it (good for kids 3-36)

Watch it! :)

Swap Your CDs!

Hey folks--Paperback Swap now has a sister site--Swap a CD. This is a great place to unload your old CDs that you don't listen to any more, and pick up some goodies that you want. I have LOVED using Paperback Swap and have gotten probably at least 2 dozen books there since joining. It has saved me time and money and the books are almost always very good quality. Now I am working on swapping CDs and am excited about that as well. Check it out!

Out of the mouth of babes....

I had to stop by the school today to drop off something that Jake the Great forgot. When I pulled into the parking lot I saw our preschool teacher and her assistant. The assistant teacher shared with me that she had a funny interaction with my youngest kiddo the other day. Apparently she was trying to help him with something and he very calmly said to her,

"You're really bothering me. Would you please go away?"

There's nothing quite like a painfully honest, polite, articulate three year old....

Brain power returns!

Well, thanks for all of your encouragement. As usually happens, once I got past the PMS zone my brain cells jumped back into action and I am on a roll again.

One fine reader asked me what kind of business stuff I am working on. Well, you've twisted my arm and dragged it out of me!

First of all, most of you know that I have my Supermom's No-Lice Advice business already. Well, that is still going, but it was only a starting point. My next stop on the Supermom train is Supermom's Health and Wellness. It is going to be a store that has
-encouragement
-appreciates that most people will do better in achieving their health goals if they take baby steps
-community forums and a blog
-lots of content to teach people why a particular product may be helpful to them
-not a million products to choose from--just a few select ones that my family uses and loves and feels is a really good value

And when I say "wellness," that is going to incorporate a wide range of life, since I believe we are all better off when we can laugh, love, think, play, rest, and just be.

So, that in and of itself is a big undertaking.

But, I'm also working on my first book, and it's almost done! It's tentatively entitled Supermom's 50 Simple Steps to Healthier Eating. Basically, it's for people who have a vague notion of wanting to "eat healthier" but don't know where to start, or fear that their family members will not be receptive to "healthy" foods. It's got lots of ideas, recipes, and resources for people to make simple healthy changes little by little. I don't know of any other books like it on the market. Most books about healthy eating seem to revolve around some fad diet that people try and then burn out on. I created mine to be something that people can come back to again and again for new ideas and encouragement when they are ready to "pump it up" in the healthy eating department.

AND, as if THAT wasn't enough.....right after I got started with Supermom's Health and Wellness, a fabulous opportunity presented itself for me to open a baby boutique in conjuntion with an already popular web site that attracts pregnant women. Basically, I have had a chance to open a store in a place that already has the traffic I need and the brand recognition that will make the customers feel comfortable. So, this baby boutique has kind of jumped to the top of my list and I am very excited about it. I have been busy thinking through lots of issues in regards to the business and have been combing the world over looking for the cutest, funkiest, most wonderful and personality-packed items for the store. We are going to have several very exclusive items and just gorgeous stuff all the way around.

From there I have actually developed some additional ideas for web-based businesses that will just have to wait on the back burner until I get these three babies of mine up and flying on their own.

I am really encouraged because the internet offers so much potential to people, regardless of your location, education level, looks, time availability, and so forth. The more I learn, the more I see. So I am working on building something that can be special and valuable to others, and a blessing to my own family. It's a really exciting time here.

Paralysis

I'm paralyzed.

Not literally exactly. I can still walk and wiggle my fingers and toes.

It's my brain that's the problem.

I've got several very difficult projects sitting in from of me, some that I literally do not know how to do. Yes, I can learn. But all of that takes T-I-M-E and brain power. My brain feels shot. This is not my best time of the month for energy or ideas.

I do not like a learning curve that requires me to take hours upon hours to learn stuff that, if someone was sitting right next to me, would take me 5 or 10 minutes to understand.

Since my kids have been back in school I have been feverishly slaving away at the computer, working, working, working on my business escapades every moment that I could.

And I burned myself out on it in less than a week. (That's PMS for you!)

The other day I forced myself to make a little schedule (just a general one) for times to do house stuff, times to do work stuff, and times to do kid stuff. If I can stick to it, I'll be a sane-r woman.

For this week, though, when my brain is so fried that I can't hardly start, I decided to just chill out with my preschooler. He starts school on Monday, and then I will be alone for 16 hours a week (except for when my husband is here, which will be more demand on my time than when the kids are home....).

My brain is so fried that when I went for a hair cut (to fix the bad, bad, made-me-cry pre-vacation hair cut) on Tuesday and my stylist asked me, "So, do you want bangs or want to grow this out?" I was completely and utterly unsure what the answer was. I was like, "Um, well, hmmm, I'm not sure......let's see......well.....huh.....um.....I don't know......." Yeah, it's bad. [Note to self: No more hair cuts while under the spell of PMS. Furthermore, the bangs were a bad call. Next time, grow them out.]

So, naps, movies, and outings this week. Next week...hopefully I won't be paralyzed any more.

RV: movie review

Since my brain is so fried between trying to learn how to build a web site, having too many projects going at once, and being overly emotional about birthdays, I took a break from my computer work today to watch RV. Robin Williams is the dad of a family in need of some time away from their electronic gadgets and to make some real connections. They set out on a road trip in a rented RV, and of course are met with a variety of crazy situations and people.

There were some very funny moments and some talented performances, and the overall message was good. However, I didn't think it was that great and decided not to offer it to my children to watch. Despite it's PG rating it did not pass my test for my kids to watch. Sexual innuendo, cruddy displays of teenagers acting like complete brats, potty talk, and a lot of cleavage were enough to make me think that I can do without it's influence in my children's lives.

Somebody pass me the tissues.....

My oldest child is 14 today. He has a moustache. In 4 more years he'll be an adult.

I'm feeling uncharacteristically emotional about this birthday. I'm not sure why that is, but it is.

The day I gave birth to this boy was probably the most important day of my adult life. Being a mother has so much to do with the rest of the choices in my life. You become a mother...and you lay your life down for it. Over and over again.

This is my favorite picture of me as a mother. It was taken just a few minutes after my son was born. (I even have the bloody hospital gown to prove it. Do you see that?) I'm so young...only 21 when he was born. And I felt like I could leap tall buildings in a single bound.

It's both sad and exciting to have my kids growing up. You have know idea what's coming around the bend, so it's scary too.

Even though I dubbed him Sullen here, he's a really great person and I like him so much. Now I'm gonna go blubber some more on my own....

(You can leave Sullen a Happy Birthday comment over at his blog. He'll be delighted.)

Life As A House

Today I watched one of my very favorite movies, Life As A House. This movie gets more meaningful to me every time I watch it. If you've never seen it, it's a wonderful story of love, redemption, and getting to the heart of what matters in life. Though it has some very difficult-to-watch scenes I find it to be a very powerful, beautiful film.

Peach Cobbler

Peach Cobbler

It's peach season! We are enjoying getting big boxes of peaches for only $12 these days. I freeze a lot of them and use them later for smoothies and peach cobblers. Here is a simple recipe for a peach cobbler that you can make in a jiffy.

Quick Peach Cobbler
4-6 cups sliced peaches (If you freeze your peaches just measure and put into a freezer bag. When you are ready just dump the frozen peaches into the casserole dish.)
1 cup self-rising flour
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup melted butter
cinnamon nutmeg

Toss peaches with cinnamon and nutmeg and place in 13x9 dish. Mix flour, sugar, and egg to a crumb-like texture. Pour over peaches. Drizzle melted butter over the crumb topping. Bake at 350 for 30 min. or until top turns slightly brown and crusty. Serve hot or cold.

Snap!

Alligator Snapping Turtle in the Road, Oklahoma

Two of my kiddos have recently become interested in learning how to snap their fingers. First it was the 6 year old, then the 3 year old had to get in on the action. Much to his delight, the 3 year old has accomplished this task and is now delighting in his newfound skill of making little noises with his fingers.

What next? Arm pit farts?

Probably.

Cheese: My success story for the day

Today was grocery shopping day, and I had one of those little Thrifty Homemaker victories that make me smile.

As I rounded the end of an aisle at the store I noticed a little handwritten sign that said something about cheese on sale. This is not the space where cheese normally is, and not a space where they normally have anything I even consider buying, so I am used to walking right past. I did actually walk past, and then as the sign registered in my brain I backed up to see what the deal was.

In this section there were 2 lb. bags of shredded Sargento Mexican blend cheese, 1 lb. Kraft mozzarrella slices, cheese sticks, and other cheese packaged like you would put in a lunch box.

And just GUESS what the prices were!

Go ahead. Guess. I dare you.

The 2 lb. shredded cheese was $2, and the other items were $1 each!

Do you hear me?!?!?

I stood there in a stupor trying to figure out if I had missed something obviously wrong about this cheese. A store employee was finishing up stocking items there. He said to me, "There's nothing wrong with any of this stuff, you know. It's not even near it's expiration date. We just got too much of it in our shipment and need to get rid of the extras."

So, basically, the same items were over in their usual resting place at full price, and these extras were marked down to dirt cheap.

Needless to say, we are now very stocked up on cheese. I spent $23 and saved probably $50.

All that guilt for nothing!

As penance for being a terrible mother and forgetting to wave, I did make cookies for my children to have when they returned from their first day of school. While they ate I asked them,

"Were you sad that I didn't get to wave? I felt so bad that I missed it!

Them: "What? Wave? We didn't even notice."

All that guilt for nothing!

Now I know why web designers make the big bucks...

So today is the first day of the rest of my life, you know. And what with the kids off to school (with nary a wave from their negligent mother!) this is my first day of getting to dig my heels in more than usual, working on my upcoming business.

Yesterday I purchased my domain and shopping cart, and now have various administrative panels of options at my fingertips. A whole new world of strange vocabulary has opened up to me, and I am already about at my wit's end and seriously considering a nap thanks to it all.

You know it's bad when you can't even figure out how to get your email thingy set up for your new store, right?!

Now I understand why people *hire* others to set up their web sites. I think I am going to have to do the same, or I will probably still be stuck on "shipping options" or "sales tax" come Christmas!

Country Bunny Bath and Body

Hooray! Another product review day!

Awhile back I received some lovely products from Aileen Casillas. She is a rep for Country Bunny Bath & Body, which I had never heard of until recently. Country Bunny has tons of products for every member of the family, with some interesting twists to commonly found products.

For instance, Aileen sent me one of their Lip Bars. This item is a firm molded bar that comes in a little tin. You just swipe your finger across the bar and rub onto your lips. I particularly liked this product because it is unscented. As I've mentioned before, I have a real sensitivity to artificial scents. I appreciated knowing that Country Bunny has some products that are good for people with that issue.


Their lotion bars work basically the same way. Instead of a liquid lotion you are getting a bar sort of like soap. You just rub it on with your fingers or directly. Aileen sent me two samples of their lotion bars. One is grapefruit & lime, the other is sugar sweet pea. Both have an appealing, mild scent and the lotion feels very nice.

For those of you that still want something liquidy to smooth onto your skin, they have that too. I got to try out their Satin Shea Body Butter as well. It has a nice feel to it as well.

My kids had fun using one of their toy soaps. These scented soaps are fun to use because you can see the cute toy inside just waiting for you to use enough soap so that you finally set it free.

Country Bunny products have a very cute presentation that is very appealing. If you are like me and do not do well with artificial scents you may want to stick with the unscented items or ask for samples first to see how you do with these.

As usual, I asked Aileen to share a little about herself and how she got into her business:

I am first and foremost a wife of a United States Marine, we've been married for 11.5 years, together 15. We've been attached to the Corps 12 years now. I am a mom and we have 3 children together-our daughter (7) and twin sons (2). It's been such a wonderful thing to have a family after we were told we shouldn't have any children. Early in our marriage we discovered I had a rare kidney disorder which put having kids on hold. We were strictly cautioned against it but I left it in His hands. I said if it's meant to be then so be it. The twins put an end to creating a bigger family but that is fine with us!! We've got enough!

How I joined Country Bunny Bath & Body

It was a fluke experience happening upon Country Bunny Bath & Body. I had never sold ANYTHING before and wasn't too into the whole party plan scene. I would attend but was never a hostess. One day I am reading the paper and I see this small black text ad that read plainly Country Bunny Bath & Body. So I was wondering what it was and hopped on the computer. I got to their main site and found a rep in my area. Not 5 minutes after emailing her did I get a phone call from her. I met with her the next day. I was adamant that I was not going to be talked into joining. We talked, she sent me home with a bag of goodies, I tried them and fell in LOVE with the products. The thought behind the ingredients, the dual purpose and budget conscious thinking all got me to feeling like this is a company I could be proud of representing. I fell in love with the morals and ethics of the company, of how they do business. I signed just two days later and was in business that night!! My husband was in shock that I actually signed up with a direct sales company. I have been happily with Country Bunny Bath & Body for three years now.

My special: Send orders to Aileen directly (cbbbrep4922@wowway.com) and receive Free Shipping!!! Must mention the Dollymama blog!! Sign up for my newsletter at http://bunnybiz.bravejournal.com and get coupons for $10 off $60 purchase in August. for the month of September Aileen is offering a "Buy a Salt Scrub, get a Spa Glove Free" promotion. Contact her for more details.

Thanks, Aileen, for sending the products and for the great offer! Readers, wouldn't you like to support one of our military families? Go check out Aileen's business and bless both of you today!

They're Off!....and I'm a Terrible Mother

It's the first day of school! My children just got on the bus moments ago.

And you know what?! I missed it.

I was trying to send out one quick email while they waited, and thought they would yell in to tell me when the bus came into view so I could wave goodbye. But they didn't.

By the time I heard the bus and ran down the stairs it was down the road.

How sad! I feel terrible. Didn't even wave goodbye to my kids on the first day of school. L-O-S-E-R.

Modest Mums Nursing Covers

**I just wanted to let you know that I now offer these fabulous nursing covers here. The product line has now expanded to many more fabric choices, including minky fabrics and UV-protective fabrics!

I've gotten behind on my product reviews, but have had a little break in the action around here so wanted to take this opportunity to tell you about a really great product.

If you've ever been a nursing mother you know that although it's natural, beautiful, and necessary, breastfeeding in public isn't always comfortable. A little blanket or burp cloth can be ok for keeping things under wraps, but that only lasts as long as it takes for your little nursling to grow old enough to start flapping their arms around while they eat.

Modest Mums Nursing Covers are the perfect solution to this dilemma. These lovely, reversible covers are well-made, soft, and come in a wide variety of fabric types and prints in order to suit your personality and wardrobe. Although they easily roll right up into a small bundle that can easily fit in your purse, backpack, and diaper bag, it is wide enough when in use to cover you, your baby, and your post-partum love handles as well.

One of my favorite features about these covers is the neckline that features a flexible-but-firm wire of some sort (I assume plastic because it is nicely lightweight) that holds the fabric away from your body so that you can still make eye contact with your baby and make sure they are latched on correctly. I love it that the baby doesn't have to have the fabric sitting right on their face, making them hot. They will get plenty of air flow while cozily tented under these covers.

Most mothers know that babies go through a stage when they are easily distractable while eating. When they hit that stage, even the most modest mother can find herself with her breast hanging out for all the world to see when her little 6 month old decides they have to break away from their meal to check out the noise they just heard. This cover is especially great for that time period, even for bottle feeding moms. Just the ability to cover the baby up, and to block out some of the light and visual stimulation can be a big help.


Since I'm not breastfeeding any more, I passed the cover that Kim sent on to a friend from my church that has a new baby. She had spent a lot of our small group meetings camped out in another room to nurse her baby, or else kept trying to make her baby sling work to cover him up. She was quite thrilled with the nursing cover because all she had to do was put it on and then she was totally covered and able to get her baby all set up to nurse without being exposed at all. She enjoyed getting to stay with the group instead of feeling like she should run off to some other room. She said that her baby loves to be covered up when he nurses, but he gets hot and she can never see him when he's getting latched on. She was really happy with this product.

I asked Kim to tell a little about how she got into her business:

I'm the mother of two boys, ages 11 & 1-1/2 and am expecting my third child in December. I launched Modest Mums in April 2005 when, as a nursing mom, I couldn't find a decent nursing cover in a print that I was really crazy about. It's been a dream to be able to be a stay-at-home/work-at-home mom, and to not have to leave my little one in daycare while I go to work every day. To be able to offer something special to nursing moms, whom I really support, is just another big plus! I believe our Modest Mums nursing cover is different than other nursing covers on the market because of our outstanding and very personal customer service and because it is very important to me to constantly introduce new prints into our line to keep it fresh and give moms a different look than other moms out there.

Kim was also kind enough to make a special sale for DollyMama readers:

Here's my special for your blog visitors: at checkout they can use the coupon code dollymamarocks to receive free shipping on any order AND a Modest Mums burp cloth to match their nursing cover!

Failure to Launch (movie review)

The hubby and I watched this movie the other day and my review for it is short and sweet:

Failure to Launch fails to be funny. And I just do not enjoy looking at Sarah Jessica Parker.

If you want to see the same basic story, but be entertained and laugh, just watch Hitch again instead.

15 Years

Today is our 15th anniversary. We celebrated by going to back-to-school night with our kids. So romantic! :)

Swamped

Sunlight Through a Cypress Swamp with Reflections

Sorry for the lack of whitty posts and so forth. Since returning from our trip I've just been swamped with household, back to school, health, and business issues. Once I get through the current wave of must-get-done items, I will be back with some more product reviews and more of the usual blather that you have become accustomed to.

That Jesus, He sure does have lofty ideals....

Loved this post. Reminded me how broken we are even in our efforts. Good thing God can still use us.....

Groovin'

I heard this song while flipping through channels on our trip and am hooked.....my husband didn't mind me singing it to him every now and then as we drove for 26 hours, either. ;)

Go. Read.

This post from Chris (formerly of Big Yellow House) is possibly the best thing I've ever read by her. Go check it out.

Thank You

(found this in my husband's inbox and it made us laugh, so thought I would share)

Thanks to all . . .

I must send my thanks to whoever sent me the one about rat poop in
the glue on envelopes because I now have to use a wet towel with
every envelope that needs sealing.

Also, now I have to scrub the top of every can I open for the same
reason.

I no longer have any savings because I gave it to a sick girl (Penny
Brown) who is about to die in the hospital for the 1,387,258th
time.

I no longer have any money at all, but that will change once I
receive the $15,000 that Bill Gates/Microsoft and AOL are sending me
for participating in their special e-mail program.

I no longer worry about my soul because I have 363,214 angels
looking out for me, and St. Theresa's novena has granted my every
wish.

I no longer eat KFC because their chickens are actually horrible
mutant freaks with no eyes or feathers.

I no longer use cancer-causing deodorants even though I smell like a
water buffalo on a hot day.

Thanks to you, I have learned that my prayers only get answered if I
forward an email to seven of my friends and make a wish within five
minutes.

Because of your concern I no longer drink Coca Cola because it can
remove toilet stains.

I no longer can buy gasoline without taking a man along to watch the
car so a serial killer won't crawl in my back seat when I'm pumping
gas.

I no longer drink Pepsi or Dr. Pepper since the people who make
these products are atheists who refuse to put "Under God" on their
cans.

I no longer use Saran wrap in the microwave because it causes
cancer.

And thanks for letting me know I can't boil a cup water in the
microwave anymore because it will blow up in my face...disfiguring
me for life.

I no longer check the coin return on pay phones because I could be
pricked with a needle infected with AIDS.

I no longer go to shopping malls because someone will drug me with a
perfume sample and rob me.

I no longer receive packages from UPS or FedEx since they are
actually Al Qaeda in disguise.

I no longer shop at Target since they are French and don't support
our American troops or the Salvation Army.

I no longer answer the phone because someone will ask me to dial a
number for which I will get a phone bill with calls to Jamaica,
Uganda, Singapore, and Uzbekistan.

I no longer have any sneakers -- but that will change once I receive
my free replacement pair from Nike.

I no longer buy expensive cookies from Neiman Marcus since I now
have their recipe.

Thanks to you, I can't use anyone's toilet but mine because a big
brown African spider is lurking under the seat to cause me instant
death when it bites my butt.

Thank you too for all the endless advice Andy Rooney has given us. I
can live a better life now because he's told us how to fix
everything.

And thanks to your great advice, I can't ever pick up $5.00 I
dropped in the parking lot because it probably was placed there by a
sex molester waiting underneath my car to grab my leg.Oh, and don't
forget this one either!

I can no longer drive my car because I can't buy gas from certain
gas companies!

If you don't send this e-mail to at least 144,000 people in the next
70 minutes, a large dove with diarrhea will land on your head at
5:00 PM this afternoon and the fleas from 12 camels will infest your
back, causing you to grow a hairy hump. I know this will occur
because it actually happened to a friend of my next door neighbor's
ex-mother-in-law's second husband's cousin's
beautician...

Have a wonderful day....

USANA Reset Program--I lived to tell the tale!

(I started this review on Saturday but it's taken me a few days to finish it up.)

So my five day long Reset program is over and this morning I celebrated with a low-glycemic breakfast of scrambled eggs.

The Reset program is a 5-day plan that includes three meal replacement shakes plus two snack bars per day, plus you are supposed to have one serving of fruit and one serving of veggie each day. The shakes and snack bars are low-glycemic, and the whole idea of the plan is that diets high in hig-glycemic index foods create a situation where your body holds onto fat.

Included in the kit is a DVD that explains the science behind the system and the information there resonated with me. I have definitely noticed that I never feel full after eating a meal based on potatoes, for instance. Now that I have gone through these five days I have realized that high-glycemic foods probably have a lot to do with my inability to lose weight, and even my recent weight gain when I was eating mostly raw foods for two months. (I gained 7 pounds doing that!) Even when I ate all raw, there was a lot of fruit and grains in there, and the non-raw food exceptions I allowed myself were almost always high-glycemic items.

As you know from reading my day-by-day journaling, at first I really didn't like the shakes. I actually considered dropping out of this review because I felt so distressed by my hunger and the limited choices. However, by day three is was easier, and I think if I had had only chocolate shakes I would have been just fine. (chocolate covers a multitude of sins!)

USANA rep Anne Marie Litz told me that I didn't have to only eat the shakes and bars, and that I could add to the plan if I wanted to. I did, adding one or two additional fruit/veggie servings to each day plus one serving on a protein in the evening.

I did do some exercise as the plan recommends, but did not manage to get it done every day. Still, I lost 9 pounds and one inch from both my waist and my hips! Not bad for five days, eh?

It would have been helpful if the DVD had reminded me that the first day or two on any dietary change is usually the hardest. Sometimes it is so hard that you feel like you can't go on. In every case when I have radically changed my eating I have experienced that after the hardest days it gets much, much easier.

It would have also been helpful if I was single and could have just had no temptations around my house. It is hard to do a diet like this when you still have to cook for everybody. If I could have just done other things and stayed away from the kitchen altogether it would have been way easier.

The Reset products have a lot of soy in them, and I do not believe soy is a good thing for most people to consume on a regular basis. (menopausal women would be the one possible exception) Soy can mess with your hormones in some unpleasant ways so I would encourage you to do some research on the subject before making soy a regular part of your diet. Mercola.com is one good site for getting a lot of information about why soy is not a healthy food. However, for a short-term situation, I felt reasonably ok to go ahead and use it.

Would I recommend Reset to you? Well, that depends. Some things to consider:

Are you comfortable with the idea of replacing your regular food with a shake?
Are you comfortable with adding soy products to your diet?
Do you feel that you can dedicate 5 days to the ups and downs of feeling hungry, withdrawal from high-glycemic foods, etc. so that you can have optimal results?

Since Reset wasn't something I was specifically looking to do I wasn't as great a test case as I might have been under different circumstances. However, losing 9 pounds in 5 days is losing 9 pounds in 5 days! It is over and I can't complain about that!

Obviously now that I have lost some weight I would like to keep that going, rather than just gaining it all back right away. I am going to try out low-glycemic eating and see what kind of results I get. USANA has a nice page about that on their site, so it gives me a good starting point for knowing what would be good choices. (Unfortunately the individual page links don't seem to work for this site, so I am including the information at the end of this post as well.) I also found a really great little workout place near my home that is also inexpensive, so once the kids get back into school I am going to start working out and hopefully dropping another 30-40 pounds.

Anne Marie shared a little about getting into USANA:

I am married, and mom of two kids ages 7 and 5. I work part time as an engineer and got involved with Usana after speaking with Lynn Allen-Johnson. I told her that I had been looking for a home based business, tried a few things, and they didn't work. She told me it was because I didn't have the team support required to build a business. She told me everything offered by her team and I joined right then! It was the best decision I ever made!

I plan to replace my income and quit my job by next summer - I can't wait!

Anne Marie has a special offer for my readers:

Anyone who becomes a preferred member this month will receive a free Sense sampler pack. It has trial sizes of all the Sense products. Retail value: $19.95

I don't know what all is involved in setting that up, so go check out her site or email her at
mela_mom1@yahoo.com

Low-glycemic breakfasts

Start your day with a healthy breakfast to boost your metabolism. Eating low-glycemic foods will give you energy to get through the morning and won't leave you feeling hungry again an hour later. Try these suggestions for a healthy breakfast:

• A USANA NUTRIMEAL™ shake
• 100% stone-ground, whole-wheat toast topped with low-sugar, natural peanut butter and sliced banana
• Light yogurt mixed with fresh fruit and low-fat granola or bran buds
• Steel-cut or old-fashioned rolled oats cooked in fat-free milk mixed with dried apricots and nuts
• Low-glycemic cold cereal (look for whole grains, oats, and bran) with low-fat milk and fruit; hardboiled egg
• Whole-wheat pita stuffed with scrambled egg; fruit
• Sourdough French toast topped with natural applesauce
• All-bran muffin with low-sugar fruit topping; fruit
• Buckwheat pancakes topped with fruit
• Multi-grain waffles topped with natural applesauce
• Pumpernickel toast topped with melted low-fat cheese; fruit
• Rye toast topped with light cream cheese, fruit
• Vegetable omelet; extra lean turkey bacon; whole-grain toast
• Low-fat cottage cheese with fresh fruit and almonds

Low-glycemic lunches

A light afternoon meal will help you get through the day. If you order out, substitute vegetables or cottage cheese for high-glycemic sides such as chips or fries, choose whole-grain breads, and include some low-fat protein. Here are some other ideas for lunch:

• Homemade or canned soups--vegetable, lentil, black bean, split pea, minestrone, or barley (feel free to add extra vegetables)
• Sandwiches made with lean meats on whole-grain wheat, rye, pumpernickel, or pita bread; fresh vegetables; fruit salad
• Veggie burger with lettuce, tomato, onion, and mustard on whole-wheat bun; cottage cheese
• Pasta salad with vinaigrette dressing; assorted fresh vegetables and low-fat cheese
• Mixed green salad with grilled chicken and vinaigrette dressing; whole-wheat toast topped with natural peanut butter
• Vegetable quiche; sliced tomatoes; fruit
• Light yogurt with fruit; whole-grain muffin with melted low-fat cheese

Low-glycemic dinner

Enjoy the many low-glycemic possibilities available for dinner. Watch out for high-glycemic side dishes and large portion sizes that could sideline your weight loss efforts. Here are some tips to keep your dinner healthy:

• Limit intake of high-glycemic starches--baked or instant mashed potatoes, fries, instant rice, boxed side dish or stuffing mixes, refined white breads
• Choose low-glycemic starches like pasta salad, whole-grain or sourdough breads, baked sweet potatoes, small new potatoes, corn, peas, or basmati rice
• Fill up on fresh, non-starchy vegetables and leafy green salads
• Include lean meats, such as chicken and fish, or substitute legumes for protein
• Try any of the breakfast or lunch suggestions for your evening meal

Low-glycemic desserts

You may not be able to have your cake and eat it too, but you can eat some tasty low-glycemic treats. Try some of these sweets for dessert:

• Sugar-free jello or pudding layered with fruit
• Natural applesauce with light whipped topping
• A small piece of dark chocolate
• A few chocolate-covered strawberries
• A few chocolate-covered almonds or peanuts
• A couple oatmeal cookies with low-fat milk
• Poached fruit
• A root beer float with low-fat vanilla ice cream and sugar-free root beer
• Baked apples with dried fruits and nuts

Low-glycemic snacks

Snacking can be the quickest way to undo all of your weight loss efforts. You can stay on track by grabbing some healthy alternatives when you get the munchies. Try these smart snacks:

• A USANA NUTRITION BAR or FIBERGY BAR™
• A small handful of mixed nuts or trail mix
• A small bowl of low-fat popcorn
• A few whole-wheat crackers topped with low-fat cheese
• Celery or a banana topped with natural peanut butter
• Some whole-wheat pita chips topped with hummus
• A handful of baked tortilla chips with fresh salsa
• String cheese and an apple
• Fresh or dried fruit
• A hardboiled egg
• Fresh cut vegetables
• An oat bran muffin
• A 100-percent-juice bar

Tips for maintaining a low-glycemic diet when eating out

Let's face it, everybody loves eating at a restaurant now and then, but it seems almost impossible to make good food choices when faced with so many options. Here are some suggestions for eating well when you're eating out:

• Avoid buffets and other all-you-can-eat restaurants
• Don't go when you're starving; eat a small snack first
• Limit alcoholic beverages
• Keep your hands out of the breadbasket, or even better, ask the server not to bring it
• Go for the salad bar
• Order items that have been prepared healthfully: steamed, broiled, roasted, etc.
• Don't be afraid to ask for substitutions
• If portions are large, split yours with someone
• Keep low-glycemic foods in mind and order the best choice available

The following are some tips for specific types of restaurants: Chinese

• Order traditional dishes that feature moderate portions of proteins (meat or tofu) stir-fried with an assortment of vegetables and flavorful sauces
• Avoid the fried foods and white sticky rice, order brown rice if available
• Broth-based soups like hot and sour, egg drop, or wanton are good choices
• Order foods cooked in black bean, oyster, Szechuan, or hot mustard sauce

French

• Look for Mediterranean-style items
• Avoid the bread and high-fat sauces
• Order broiled, steamed, or poached foods
• Choose tomato/wine sauces, broth-based soups

Greek

• Choose roasted lamb or chicken dishes prepared with lemon and yogurt
• Order gyros and Greek salads
• Avoid the filo-dough, mounds of feta cheese, and puddles of olive oil
• Try baked fish and chicken dishes that are healthfully prepared

Indian

• Order healthfully prepared legumes, chicken, fish, and vegetables
• Choose basmati rice--as a side or in biryanis--and chapati bread
• Try the tomato-based sauces and tandoori dishes
• Avoid sauces made with large amounts of coconut or coconut milk

Italian

• Steer clear of the white bread and cheesy, creamy sauces
• Choose tomato or marsala sauces
• Order a half-portion of pasta and combine with a salad
• Go for the thin-crust pizza loaded with vegetables and low-fat cheese

Japanese

• Try miso soup and edamame (soy beans) for an appetizer
• Limit the sticky rice (ask if brown rice is available) and avoid tempura
• Choose sashimi, yakitori, teriyaki, sukiyaki, and grilled dishes
• Order udon or soba noodles

Mexican

• Stay away from the cheese and refried beans
• Order grilled seafood and chicken dishes: tacos, burritos, fajitas
• Ask for low-fat cheese, whole-wheat tortillas, and light sour cream
• Limit guacamole if watching your weight

Thai

• Order dishes that combine proteins (meat or tofu) with vegetables
• Choose curry, chili, basil, lime, and fish sauces
• Opt for long-grain rice over white rice
• Try pad thai and other stir-fried noodle dishes, ask for less oil to be used in the preparation

Stocking the refrigerator

The grocery store may seem overwhelming when you are trying to eat a low-glycemic diet. Shopping for food shouldn't be stressful. Keep the following tips in mind next time you are at the store:

• Don't go hungry; eat a snack to avoid impulse buying
• Shop the outside edges of the store first, which is where you will usually find the better food choices
• Check out the ingredients. Limit foods with large amounts of sugar, flour, salt, refined grains, and hydrogenated vegetable oil.
• Peruse the "Nutrition Facts." Look at calorie, carbohydrate, and fat amounts for each serving. Also look at the fiber, sodium, and sugar content. Evaluate them against your weight loss and nutrition goals.
• Focus on making healthy choices of whole, unrefined foods.
  • Stock up on legumes, whole grains, nuts, healthy oils, fruits, and vegetables, low-fat proteins, and light dairy products.
  
  
  What Counts as a serving?
  
  
  Vegetables

  • 1 cup raw or cooked vegetables
  • 2 cups raw, leafy green vegetables
  • 1 large whole tomato
  • 1 large pepper

  Fruit

  • 1 cup whole fruit juice
  • 1 medium apple, orange
  • 1 cup whole grapes
  • About 8 large strawberries
  • 1 cup diced melon

  Grains

  • 1 regular slice of bread
  • 1 cup cereal flakes
  • 1/2 English muffin
  • 5 whole-wheat crackers
  • 1/2 cup cooked pasta or rice

  Dairy

  • 1 cup of milk or yogurt
  • 1 1/2 oz. natural cheese

  Protein

  • 1 oz. meat, poultry, or fish
  • 1/4 cup cooked dry beans
  • 1 T. peanut butter
  • 1 egg

Day Four: Stayin' Alive!

So it's day four on the USANA Reset program and it is going fine. I am now accustomed to being hungry and it does not bother me that much. I do not feel weak or miserable, and the shakes no longer taste quite so bad. I have definitely lost weight and on Saturday I will check to see if I lost any inches.

I have added about 2 extra servings of fruit/veggie each day, plus usually one small portion of protein. I was just too hungry and too weak to not have those items. I have six kids to take care of plus a husband who likes for me to not just lay around complaining about hunger. :)

So, so far, so good.

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And so it goes....

It's the start of day three and things are going better. I'm not even going to tell you how much weight I've lost yet....I'm saving it for the grand total at the end. I do feel a little better today. It's probably part "Hey I'm losing weight!" and part getting through the first two days. I am getting used to the shakes, and was even brave enough to try the strawberry one yesterday and did not hate it. :) I hope Ann Marie is going to have a good laugh over my change of heart on her Reset program.

My belief is that the low-glycemic eating (plus starvation!) is making a big difference. I am planning to continue eating low-glycemic after Rest is through and see if between that and daily exercise I can drop off this extra weight.

4 of my kids started day camp today, 1 is visiting his grandparents, so it's just the littlest one hanging out around here today. I have been working my tail off on business stuff so there will be plenty of time for more of that now that the kids have a daily activity. What's going on in your world?

It All Starts to Taste a Little Better When....

you step on the scale and find out that you're already losing weight!....

Day Two--Getting Grouchier

Yesterday was a hard day. I was hungry and shaky by early evening. Today I started out just drinking water because I couldn't deal with the thought of another day drinking these shakes...

I finally did have one of the chocolate shakes with a banana mixed in, and it's not too terrible but definitely not that good. I also had the morning vitamins (5 of them, and they smell gross) and later one of the bars. I am tired, grouchy, low energy, feel like crud. I am dreading the two other shakes for the day.

I can definitely see why someone desperate to lose weight would choose a diet pill over meal replacement shakes. gah!

Grumbling through day one

I guess every first day of a diet is hard. Of course, the USANA people want us to believe that this Reset system isn't a diet at all. Yeah, well, whatever!

I got hungry around 11:30 and had one of the snack bars and it was ok. Now I am slurping down my "lunch" and hating every minute of it. This shake is vanilla which is not my favorite. I have equal amounts of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry shakes, so I guess I will suffer through one of each per day.

I have already been sad while cutting up a gorgeous watermelon for my kids. It smells so good, and I can't have any because I've already had my fruit for today. It has felt rather sad to look into the fridge and realize that I can't have anything in there (except for my one veggie serving left for today).

I say that it's abnormal to not eat regular food.

Still, I'm going to do this. If the Super Size Me guy could do his experiment for a month, I can do this for five days....

Let The Games Begin!

Welcome to What's Cool Week 2! This week I am going to have some great product reviews for you, PLUS you get to come each day to watch me whine and complain about this 5-day weight loss system I agreed to use!

Oh. My. Goodness. WHAT have I gotten myself into? I posted on Mom Pack that I would be happy to help out some other small businesses by doing product reviews. Ann Marie Litz, a USANA rep, contacted me to say that she had a 5-day weight loss program she would like to send me, but of course she didn't know if I needed to lose any weight.

Well, you know, as a matter of fact I DO need to lose weight. And later this month I'm going to a small class reunion. So, time is of the essence. Send it on!

Now, you all know that I like to go with the healthy option any time I can. I have never used any sort of weight loss system or pills or whatever. They always seem overpriced and unhealthy to me. So far I will say that while I understand the concept behind this plan, I would still say it's overpriced and somewhat unhealthy. (She told me this 5-day pack was a value of $132)

I looked over the program contents when it arrived:

3 meal replacement shakes per day (a little over 200 calories each) (ingredients scared me--fructose is the first ingredient, and it goes downhill from there)
2 snack bars per day
5 days worth of vitamins (apparently the pack only comes with one day but Ann threw in the 4 extras for me)
a little booklet and checklist (so you can check off what you eat so that later when you are starving you will see that, yes indeed you *did* already eat! Oh no!)
a DVD that explains the concept behind the system (low glycemic emphasis) plus has a circuit training video for you to use (i doubt that I'm going to do a 40 minute workout on 1500 calories a day)

In addition to 3 shakes and 2 bars a day you get the BONUS snacks of one serving of fruit and one serving of veggies. Yee haw! I'm gonna go crazy with those baby carrots later on tonite when I sit down to watch a movie.....

So, it looks to me like you get less than 1500 low-glycemic calories a day, plus they want you to exercise. So, it makes sense to me that I should indeed lose weight! You think?

So, I decided to start today, despite the holiday tomorrow. It needs to be done, and I'm ready to get it over with. (snort)

So far I have had my first shake for breakfast, and mixed in a banana since I'm used to having a morning fruit smoothie every day. The shake wasn't terrible, but it wasn't exactly yummy either. I am scared of how I'm going to cope once I'm out of the chocolate kind and am left with vanilla and strawberry.....

I have taken my measurements and in a few minutes will weigh myself, andwill do the same when my 5 days is done. Then I'll know if there are any physical changes after my 5 days of torture. ;)

It's Time for the Church to Really Care About Abortion

And I don't mean screeching about how bad it is. I mean, it's time for the church to love, care, reach out, and educate itself about the victims of abortion and to show the love and compassion of Christ to those that are suffering from past abortions. This excellent site is a great starting point.