Friday, January 29, 2010

Me Want Cookies!!


"C is for cookie and that's good enough for me!" - Cookie Monster

No, this is not me dreaming of delicious cookies that I can't have. This, believe it or not, is a yeast-free peanut butter cookie and on a scale of 1 to 10 normal peanut butter cookies, I would say it's probably a good 6-7. Actually, the longer on yeast-free I am, the higher that number goes. Your tastes become accustomed to less sugar so that any trace of sweetness is pure bliss. In fact, the first time I bite into a real piece of chocolate which will probably be on Valentine's Day, it might just knock me out.

You should see Joey and I eating fruit, which we added to the eating program this past week. We bought $30 of fruit on the first day we were able to add it. And we ate every bit of it within a few days. Pineapple and strawberries taste like heaven. I am absolutely positive that pineapple and strawberries were cavemen's candy. Instead of "honey pie" and "sugar baby" I'm thinking they probably used terms like "honey pie-neapple" and "berry baby". I haven't studied the caveman language, but this is just my guess of course. Anyway, I don't think we truly get the flavor of fruit and its natural deliciousness in today's world. We eat too many sweets, yours truly included, that we are dulled to their natural sweetness.

I am also planning on making yeast-free cinnamon scones and coconut macaroons this weekend. Can you tell that I'm missing baked goods? We'll see how that goes. Oh and I forgot to tell you that I added apple butter into thumbprint peanut butter cookies and they taste just like PB&J. What can I say, peanut butter is becoming my medium.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

These Boots Are Made For Walking



Last night my husband came home with a huge box and a grin about the same size. The outside of the box was covered in a western cowboy scene and low and behold, inside that box was a pair of size 14 cowboy boots. Fancy cowboy boots. Note, these are not the boots above, but just an image for your mind. He and a friend had been shopping for a pair about a month and now the blessed day had finally arrived when they were delivered.

He watched me as I took the boots in. I could tell it was a crucial moment so I tried to remain neutral and nod like these were the best pair of boots I'd ever laid eyes on. It didn't work and Joey saw through my sham. Dang it, why do I have to be so expressive?!

And then it came. "Do you like them?" Oh dear. Caught between lying and bursting his bubble, I proceeded with caution. "Well, you've been looking for a pair of boots and these look like they'll fit the bill!" "But do you like them?" Umm, well, errr, you see I'm not the best judge because I'm not the biggest fan of cowboy boots unless you are in full out cowboy gear."

This didn't go over well. "So, you're saying you don't like them." And then it just came out: "They look like Herman Munster shoes." There. I said it. The cat was out of the bag. And so was Joey. He immediately started packing the boots up in all their western glory. "No, no, wait! If you like them then that's what matters!" Too late. I had officially hurt his feelings.

To make matters worse, he said "I'm going to take them with me to the gym when I meet So-and-So tonight and see what he thinks about them." The Ultimate Shame. See, So-and-So is this new guy that Joey has been what I like to call "Man Dating". It started with working out and bike riding together. Then it was a few shopping trips to Bike Barn. Shopping for boots. Watching football. And my favorite, a movie. Now, I will say that there was a third guy at the movie. I wonder if he felt like a third wheel?

Anyway, I felt like I was reliving a scene from a nineties movie where there was That Guy who was dating the Mean Girlfriend who tells him how to dress all the time and disapproves of everything he does. And all the while there's this Other Not So Popular Girl who really likes him and loves everything that he does so he ends up going back to her for encouragement. In truth, I'm usually the Other Not So Popular type, but in this instance I was The Mean Girlfriend. This was a long run-on paragraph, but are you tracking with me at all? I can't believe I was the Mean Girlfriend! I always loathe that character!

My question is: what is the line to being honest? How do you know when someone wants the truth or when you should be an encourager?

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Beth Moore Bible Study Starts Tonight!

I am so excited. Let's make that a little more exclamatory. I AM SO EXCITED!! Beth Moore Bible Study starts tonight! Yahoo!

Yes, it is a commitment. Yes, sometimes there a nights when I would like to just stay home and take the night off. But let me tell you, there is nothing like 4000 women joining together in worship and learning more about our God. I feel more refreshed and excited at the end of each Tuesday night.

If you want join me, just send me an email and I'll tell you where we can meet up. I hope you can make it!

Monday, January 25, 2010

My Leonidas

My phone broke. For two weeks. Well ok so it wasn't broken-broken, but when you lose all of your contacts it might as well be. Who knows anyone's number these days? I couldn't even call Joey if pressed for a number!

This weekend Joey and I finally went to T-Mobile to see what was up. An entire hour of my life spent on a hard chair watching Saul, my T-Mobile consultant, draw his name in block letters while on the phone with support. Side note: I was slightly jealous of his block letters because they were pretty good. I always wished I could draw good block letters, sigh...

Anyway, back to the point of this post, which is my husband. My husband is memorable. Unlike me, who blends in with all the other tall girls with brown hair, my husband stands out in a crowd. He would not be a good Where's Waldo prototype - too easy to spot. How many guys do you know that are 6'4, dark eyes, dark hair, muscular (if I don't say so myself - he's going to kill me for saying this by the way - hush don't tell, just between you and me) with a beard? The beard really does it. And he's a big guy.

Another aside, when Joey and I were dating my Mom asked me what he looked like and I told her that Joey was a "big guy". Up until the day that she met him, Mom was always really sensitive around me because apparently she thought I was dating someone who was really overweight. I should have qualified the statement "big guy".

I am used to blending into the crowd and get the statement "Don't I know you from somewhere?" quite often. Yes, you do. You probably met another tall girl with brown hair yesterday. I'm ok with this and used to it. As long as I'm not being compared to Martha Hooch, I'm ok. Now Joey on the other hand, is not used to being compared to other people which is why I got really really tickled this weekend and well, one time before.

When we walked into the T-Mobile store Saul immediately exclaimed "Wow! You look just like Jesse James! You know, Sandra Bullock's husband? Has anyone ever told you that before?" I think the word "gush" could accurately identify the block letter artiste's reaction. And of course no, Joey has never been told that he looks like Jesse James. Hmm...maybe minus the tattoos I can see a resemblance.


The only other time Joey has ever been compared to anyone else was during Halloween. It was Joey's turn to answer the door and pass out the candy. He opened the door to a group of thirteen year old girls. One of the girls said "Woah. You look like Leonidas. And that is NOT a bad thing." And that's when I stepped in and said "Look, chick back off. Get your own Leonidas." Ok, I really didn't say that. I heard it in the other room and died laughing. I didn't even know who Leonidas was. So I googled him and you know what? I can totally see it! I would be scared if Joey made that face too! Geez!


I don't think Joey likes being compared to Jesse James or Leonidas especially by a guy or a thirteen year old girl. But they got it right. My hubby's rugged and manly. And I like it. I just know he will always fight for and protect me. That's one of the best feelings: being taking care of.

Oh and one thing I have on Joey. He could never be an FBI or CIA agent. He couldn't blend in. He'll have to leave the spy business up to me.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Day 11 | Yeast-Free's Going Well

I am on Day 11 of the Yeast-Free Diet. Now is usually the time that I start to get a desperate. Usually, I'm all jelly (no sugar jelly of course) when it comes to being around other people eating sweets and stuff like Mexican food. I begin to hate all people that can eat chocolate and cheese. But this time it's actually going a lot better. In general, my diet is slowly morphing toward clean eating so that's been helpful. It's been a process.

I think it also helps that I'm super busy with work and this is third or fourth time to do this diet strictly. No time to think about eating yumminess. Well, except the Lindor Truffle commercials. And the Pizza Hut commercials. And passing by our favorite restaurants. And the time I could have sworn that all of outdoors smelled like fresh donuts. Except for those times, everything's good.

Today we actually had a birthday party yeast-free style. It was quite good. Our sweets consisted of yeast-free peanut butter cookies and fudge. My boss is vegan so she made vegan food . She's actually doing yeast-free as well and that's pretty much like "cheating" for her. Can you imagine yeast-free eating being a "step up"? Sheesh! I wish I could be that disciplined!

Tonight we are having fish and veggies, but I promise yeast-free doesn't have to be that boring. I'll share a few things you might find interesting sometime later.

I will be done just in time for Valentine's Day so Joey and I can go out for a nice dinner and yes, then I will get to have my chocolate! But not too much.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Bathtime Prayer

Hot baths. They are absolutely delicious. Kind of like chocolate. One melts away your troubles and the other melts in your mouth. Mmmm...chocolate AND a bath, even better. I'm on yeast-free for another 2.5 weeks so I'm just going to have to settle for 1 bath and 0 chocolate. But it's an idea at at 2.6 weeks for sure.

Funny fact about my husband and baths. He takes them more than I do. Then he showers after his bath.

I truly believe that a prayer of thanks is in order before every hot bath. Why should meals only get one-on-one prayer status?

Dear Lord, thank you for this hot bath of which I am about to partake. Amen.

Friday, January 15, 2010

Apparently an Adult

It is Friday, people. Friday. Sorry, I need to be more exclamatory. Friday!!!!!!! It's shaping out to be a cozy kind of day of which, I'm quite a fan. It's a Read Books & Watch Movies kind of day. Alas, I don't know how much of that I'll be doing, but if I could be doing anything right now, that would be it. Instead I have more glorious pursuits like giving Bo a bath, grocery shopping, cleaning and catching up on work. The Life of a Grown Up, I suppose.

Does it ever still just hit you that you are an adult? Does anyone other than me think this is weird sometimes? I have a house. Weird. Furthermore, I live in the suburbs. Only adults do that sort of thing. I have my own furniture, not strange compilations of my grandmother's leftover stuff, but I have now acquired my own stuff. Surprising. I have a husband. Both weird and surprising. I am now addressed by all checkers at the grocery store as 'M'am'.

Looking at the symptoms, I am definitely an adult. I am older than the Friends' characters during the opening season. Now that's weird.

Monday, January 11, 2010

Back in the Saddle Again

Today is Day 1 of the yeast-free eating program for me and Joey. If you want to learn more about it and why we're doing it, check out the following link on yeast overgrowth.

Day 1 is going ok. It would have been a lot better had I remembered to pick up turkey deli meat from HEB last night. It was supposed to go along with my veggies for breakfast. Alas. So I ate almonds for protein instead. For inquiring minds that want to know this sort of thing, breakfast specifically was cherry tomatoes, sliced red, orange, and yellow bell peppers, and sugar snap peas. And of course the almonds. Yeah, I know - it's weird. But I'm not necessarily the type that gets up to make breakfast. I would much rather get a few extra winks. I could have had eggs and turkey bacon or an omelet, but instead opted for the easy route today. Joey had yeast-free protein shake. YUM! That'll be mine tomorrow probably.

Lunch was grilled chicken salad sans dressing. Joey forgot his lunch today so he went to Luby's where you can for the most part stick to the diet if you make good choices. And he did. :)

I'm about to make a snack for tonight: roasted red pepper hummus with Terra chips.

And dinner is salmon patties which make you feel like you're eating something bad, but are actually made with oat flour. Broccoli. Cauliflower.

So that's my day in food. I know you so wanted to know that.

I just got back from Kroger, which I don't usually visit except when I want to get something really quick - like turkey deli meat. I still don't have turkey meat.

I asked the lady at the counter if she had any all natural deli meat (free of sugars and nitrates both key for the yfd) and she looked at me like I was absolutely loco. She and her co-worker just looked back and forth at each other like maybe they should check to see if the psych wards had anyone missing. She said "They are all natural." "Oh ok, so they don't have any nitrates?" "They come from a turkey - of course they are natural." She was basically saying duh, chica! There was a bit of a language barrier so I just decided to say thank you and not say anything.

Close, but no turkey.

Friday, January 8, 2010

Thank God I'm Not in Charge

Do you ever feel completely and totally overwhelmed? That's a dumb question. Of course you do. Everybody does at one time or another. Well today's one of those days. Let's extend that to this week. It's been one of those kind of weeks. You know, the kind that just kicks your tail? The kind of week that you are glad to get out of alive? That's this week. Thankfully, was this week.

I have been given a wonderful opportunity lately, for which I am so so so grateful for - exclamation point grateful. Along with opportunity comes responsibility and quick on its tail is that little word which wheedles its way into my brain every once in a while. I'm talking about the word failure. There. I said it. It just creeps up in times of high stress. It's half the reason why people don't take risks including yours truly. So amongst the stress I've been battling in my head the thought what if I fail at this?

So what does God say about it? That is the question that I'm leaning on. He says that I can mount on wings like eagles and do all things through Him. He says that he has given me gifts to be used for his glory and kingdom. That's what God says. The same guy who brought us the sun, moon, earth and stars is the one who loves me and gives me my strength. I've been looking to the wrong person: me.

Most of the time I know this. But it's so hard to let go! My little fingers are wrapped tightly around stuff. Anything I can hold on to and take credit. Tight. This is a big lesson in learning to let go. A puts you in your place kind of a lesson and yet it's comforting that I'm not in charge all at the same time. That's how He rolls I guess.

Good lyrics from Josh Wilson to keep in mind:

I try to be so tough,
but I'm just not strong enough.
I can't do this alone, God I need you
to hold on to me.
I try to be good enough,
but I'm nothing without your love.
Savior, please keep saving me.

Savior, please help me stand.
I fall so hard, I fade so fast.
Will you begin right where I end?
And be the God of all I am because you're all I have.

Hallelujah!
Everything you are to me
is everything I'll ever need.
and i am learning to believe
cause you're the one who's saving me.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

My Green Thumb in Action

It's going to freeze tonight. Do you think I should cover my beautiful plant?

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Pita Piper


What's on my mind right now? Stacy's Pita Chips. Oh how I love Stacy's Pita Chips. Pure goodness in a bag. Parmesan Garlic & Herb is my favorite, but any flavor makes me happy. They are all natural, but let's face it, not exactly healthy for you. And most importantly, NOT on the yeast-free diet which is why I am eating them now - before I go strict yeast-free for a month. I could seriously eat the whole bag - another reason why they are usually not in my house. If Lay's Potato Chips can say 'you can't eat just one', Stacy's Pita Chips should say 'you only have to smell them'.

This is the typical scenario. I wake up covered with crumbs, an empty bag lying next to me saying "What happened?!" and the last thing I can remember is putting a bag of Stacy's Pita Chips in my shopping cart. I think they call this Pita Chip Amnesia. Like I said, typical. Again why I rarely put them in my cart.

But next week I start yeast-free so I'm eating Stacy's Pita Chips and no one can stop me.

Monday, January 4, 2010

Happy New Year!

I absolutely LOVE the start of a new year. There is just something about getting a fresh start. Thinking about what the year could possibly bring. I get inspired. I also clean. Yup. I spin into super cleaning mode. I don't what the deal is but I have this urge to clean the most insignificant things. This weekend I found myself cleaning things like candle holders and inside the toaster. Geez. Anyway, back to this year and not my cleaning obsessions, this year is also the start of a new decade. Can you say crazy?

A lot can happen in ten years. Just looking at my last ten puts it in perspective. I graduated high school, college, found the guy I had always been looking for and then married him. That's quite a few milestones in the last ten years. But when I started out at this time ten years ago all of that was unknown. Ok, pretty sure I knew I was going to graduate high school, but where was I going after that? Who knew? I certainly didn't. My life looks nothing like it did ten years ago. Couldn't even have imagined it.

So what will happen in the next ten? I have set my resolutions or I like to say goals instead (it gives me something to work toward and not be so strict). I usually pick a few in each area: physical, mental, spiritual, financial, career and family life and then write the steps necessary to make each goal happen.

Here are just a few health related goals that I will share so I don't bore you to death with all :)

Exercise 5x/wk
Improve eating plan (I'm doing the yeast-free diet beginning January 1th for 30 days - if you're brave you can join me! We have an FB group and all.)
Switching cleaning chemicals out for non-toxic cleaning products
Train our dog Bo to be an inside dog (I'll fill you in on why later)
Be more encouraging to my husband
Spend more time in prayer
Get organized (boy do I need this one - I have such great aspirations, but alas...)

Like I said, these are just a few. My list is actually long and detailed, but I'm sparing you the pain. I just had to tell you that I'm excited. I can't say that I didn't enjoy 2009, but I just feel like I'm getting into my own skin, you know? Anyway, I wish you and your family a very happy New Year and hey, write down some of your goals. They have a better chance of being achieved.