Oh Captain, My Captain!

Captain America stopped by Wahmert the other day and picked up a little action figure of himself for his handsome preteen spitting image to keep in case of loneliness. We call it Little Daddy or sometimes just "your daddy" like daddy is an item, as in "got your daddy in your bag?" lol, it can get pretty silly but here's the thing;

Now I want a Little Daddy. Sounds weird doesn't it?

You should see the places Little Daddy goes though, under the seat, he sits on the table, once he landed upside down on his Frisbee and stood on his head. Oh the fun we have with Little Daddy. We've only had his for a day! Stay tuned for the Adventures Of!

Happy Winter!

I needed a good feeling to follow up the yuck of my leftover dream. Winter wonderland is just the right picture in my mind.
3 more days until Christmas!!!

Memories Have Teeth.

I hate to dream because I have terrible dreams, some are fictional and some are based on the truth, or what the truth could have been.
Last night I had two dreams, both about my mom and dad who divorced when I was 17. The whole thing was horrific and unbelievable to us all, except for Dad, who seemed to welcome it joyfully.
In the first dream we were at our old church, the church my parents helped to build. We were in the sanctuary but not for church, many of the families with children I grew up with were there. It was present day and my parents were back together. Waking from that dream draws out every emotion that I've run from and taken every effort to dull for the past 13+ years. I could sob and beg right now, in hopes that something would change, just as I did when I was 16.
The next dream was set in Iowa City and we were visiting our family, as we did millions of times while we were a family. In this dream they were divorced and it was again present day, like reality kicked in, but only a little. Mom was on a walk, I could see her up on a hill, Dad must have seen her too and he walked on the same path but up ahead, slow enough that she would pass by. When that happened she accused him of tearing up our lives all for his own selfish pleasure, just as he knew she would. He jabbed her in the leg or arm with something like a blunt metal skewer, about the size of a pencil. She jabbed him back and he fell to the ground moaning and groaning as if he would die. By the time I got there people were staring. I got down on the ground beside Dad, out my hands on either side of his face, and told him to suck it up and take responsibility for his actions and their out come. I told him he'd better learn take what he dishes out. He did not comprehend.
These are the days I do not go back to sleep. I hate my dreams, and my memories are too bittersweet and painful to treasure.

New Years Resolutions

It's getting to be that time. I know you're probably thinking that I should let Christmas get here first but by the time the parties are over and family gets home the time has practically run out. So this is just a little nudge to say, "Hey, think about what you'd like to do differently in the up coming year."
So, start with what you loved about this year and intend to include those in your life as much as possible, whether it's an activity, special people, or a park you visited. Chose to keep those enjoyable experiences as regular as possible. Something as little as making your children's favorite meal reduces dinner time scuffles and helps to keep the mood light hearted.
For myself, I always add "lose weight" to my list. If you have something that you find difficult to do, like quitting smoking, add it anyway, you have a whole year! Don't beat yourself up for not getting it done, but purpose to come to a place in your heart, mind, or soul, that wants to do it. If you quit a bad habit at the urging of others, you wont enjoy the victory. If you quit for yourself, everyday is a win!
This year I plan to have 3 items on my list, not to check off one by one, but to work on for the whole year. As usual, I'll have "lose 20 lbs!" but a couple of other things on the list will be less about the outside and more about the inside, like maybe eat raw one meal a day or smile at every driver who causes me some frustration. I'll probably have some Spring cleaning listed and maybe a goal for my work too. I might even say "Eat cheesecake!" because, really, everyone wants to be good at something!

The Gift of Giving

Tonight we had a wrapping party which was such fun that I think we'll do it again very soon!
For one thing, I have lots of gifts yet to be delivered to my door so another round of wrapping is in the future. Another reason is that I'm not quite done shopping, though most of the people on my list have a nice (not naughty) check mark that says I know what they're getting! So the hard part is over and it's only December 4th!
Gift selecting, wrapping, and giving is really really really my favorite part about the non-spiritual traditions of our American Christmas holiday. I love looking for something special or hearing a little bird tweet the wishes of a friend or family member. It just feels so good to hit the spot with something personal. There is something more special than gifts though and I've posted a little, here and there, about the small group we're a part of at church.
We like to do volunteer opportunities when we find them so we've helped out at a Convoy of Hope outreach before, swept the floor at a local food donation site, handed out medals at a Special Olympics style event for children and older folks with special needs a few times, but what I think I have come to love the most is finding a local church that feeds the homeless and poverty stricken, every week. This is not only for the holidays or just in the wintertime but all year they serve food, supply groceries and clothing, and offer encouragement and prayer for their individual needs and circumstances.
One morning, I walked into their warehouse building and I was in a particularly grumpy mood, the special kind of grumpy that happens on days when I have had about 5 or 6 hours of sleep. I was thinking that I might just stay for a few minutes if I couldn't find it in me to have a single positive thought. I scolded myself about my selfishness and irritability when I was there, warmly dressed, with gas in my car, food on my table every single day, and a safe and warm home every night. My mood wasn't lightened but I pushed up my sleeves and walked through the door. Over the course of the next couple of hours I was greeted with faces that were filled with delight and gratitude. These were no grumpy people come to discuss their dire circumstances, these were people that were happily eating a warm meal, they could have enough, and then some more. I was immediately honored to bring each plate of hot food and my heart was bursting with love for these people whom I had never known. I could not do enough to serve them.
I wasn't growling when I walked in, I was nice and polite. When I left though, I was exuberant, filled with joy to over flowing. I had been smiled upon by beautiful people who had no reservations, no bone to pick, no homes and no attitude of self pity or despair. I had come to serve them but the reward was truly mine.
I tell you all of this not to brag, although to even speak of my small effort is the epitome of self exultation, but I am telling you, because I want you to do it too, not just at Christmastime but all year, every month, every week!
There are people in need all around us and what they need is you, but most of all; its you that needs them.

Last Time I Checked

I weighed myself last about 4 days before Thanksgiving, on the way to lifegroup to have taco night! :) I have to use my Mom's scale because, well because I don't like any one else's scale, and hers is really nice, and digital, and because every time I step on it I begin lose weight like crazy. I was scared to do it though. Because I was really hungry over the Summer and I gained. A lot.

So, I happened to be at Mom's on Nov 20, so I got up my nerve to take a peek. Then I went to eat tacos. Then I made two cheesecakes for Thanksgiving and ate at least a half of one over the next couple of days. Of course I also had Thanksgiving dinner (though I didn't go crazy I wasn't really watching it either, I just prefer to have cheesecake more than anything else). Then we had Thanksgiving again with my ugly little brother and his beautiful wife and darling children where we had more cheesecake type food and smoked turkey, sweet potatoes, honey ham, green beans, dinner rolls, fresh pineapple, stuffing, pumpkin dessert, even some salad. So this is to say that we didn't eat "lightly", or at least, I didn't. That was the day I saw the Going Raw dvd by Judita Wignall - told ya a lil bout that yesterday, remember? So I sipped a tiny tiny bit a chia because mom and Heather were making me look bad and I hated it (the chia seed and the looking bad). Then I went home and probably ate more cheesecake, and pumpkin dessert, then the next day some banana bread I made for Thanksgiving morning, a little ice cream, and there was that buy one get one free Starbucks deal they ran for 4 days from the 17-20. I had my precious steppy son so we took advantage daily. The very next day I started to think about the DVD I had seen the day before. So that's when I opened the book Going Raw. I told you about the veggie juice that I've had twice now, I made a smoothie another day, and I already sang about the chia pudding, toss in some Ezekiel bread because I'm always having that.

Now, this cheesecake everyday for every meal business is not normal, but it has been known to happen if some one's had a birthday or three. We like cheesecake and it's a cinch to make. I could eat it every day. Not kidding. I have recently had it from breakfast too.

So (I'm about to make my point), all that info was to brace you for the shock of finding out that not only did I not gain weight between Nov 20 (that day I weighed) and today, but that I have lost a little more than 5 lbs in the last 12 days, and Thanksgiving was only a week ago. Do you think is was the cheesecake? ;)

Do You Chia?

Are there any Chia lovers out there? Hello hello? Until 3 days ago I was not one of you.

I know, two posts in one day, it's what happens when my husband leaves me.

I've mentioned how my mom researches things - mainly health food - and then she breaks the info down so her children can process and possible learn from it, we mostly gag and scoff, but now and then something gets through, like Ezekiel bread, coconut oil, and now chia seeds!

My mom and my husband have been loving chia for some time now but I have steadfastly resisted the gagalicious super food. A few days ago I latched onto a copy of a book called Going Raw by Judita Wignall (hich belongs to my mom and which she urged me for days to crack open, and I wouldn't) and came upon the process of making your own almond milk - which we love to drink. I also found a recipe for Chia Pudding - made with almond milk!

So first I made two batches of almond milk, the beginnings of which I posted about a couple of days ago. Then I found the chia seed that I'd been scoffing at for probably two (TWO!) years and decided it would probably taste very close to tapioca pudding - which I l.o.v.e! So, following the book's concept stored safely in my mind, I combined chia, almond milk, cinnamon, and a smidge of honey. Honey, because I haven't bought any agave since I heard it might not be as amazing as it sounds(ultra processed and some other stuff that might not be malarky). I stare longingly as I pass it in the grocery aisle. I'll probably go ahead and get more because I think it's still better than honey and lower on the GI scale either way.
So there, haters.
Anyway, back to the chia pudding, right away it was runny and loose and kinda nasty but soon it started to thicken so I ate it, and then I ate a lot of it. Then I hid the rest in the back of the fridge hoping to forget about it until the next day so there'd be some left for later (dudes, I made 2 cups of it, saving some should have been no problem but I tell you, it just kept getting better and better!). Okay, grammatical problems aside here, I did save some for the next day and it was super thick and oh so delicious that now I am going to buy more chia seeds and make more almond milk. TODAY.

Also, chia is filled with protein, gives you hydration for long time, and absorbs carbs.

End.

PS, Do it.

Drill Weekend

My usual pithy thoughts about "sleeping single in a double (or king sized) bed" and throwing parties for all the neighbor kids aren't that funny this weekend. For one thing, it's a four day weekend so I'm not as brave as I usually am for the two day weekends that happen all the rest of the months. For another thing, it's the prep weekend for deployment which is coming right up. There will be another set of orders to report for duty between this weekend and deployment but, its still a practice run for me.
I had planned to tag along for this drill but neither of us can really justify me sitting in a hotel room for 4 long days with no way to work or accomplish anything. There are just too many things happening at home right now. The first of which is a shopping night for the family our lifegroup (small group with church) has adopted for Christmas. I don't need to offer any expert shopping opinion but I do need to show up with some cash. Then on Sat we're helping out at a community thing, I might have some smiling faces show up at my door this weekend, and Sunday is the Christmas pageant that 3 children from lifegroup are going to be playing in. So, to miss all that just to read and swim all day seems kinda silly, doesn't it?
On an up note, my darling husband did schedule some leave without pay for a few days before his next duty so I'll get to see him during the holiday rush and we'll spend a little time traveling to visit friends and family too.

I don't feel cheated or ripped off to miss drill, after all! I'm glad we had this talk.

PS - Happy December! I Christmas shopped last night, and I'm almost done!