Take Me Away!

It has been hell all week!  It is only Wednesday, but it feels like it should already be Friday!  Not going to go into details, but I can say that the week has been very high on the stress meter!  I'm so exhausted!  I feel like I'm fighting to stay awake...because I must.  One meeting after another, after another...and all the normal stuff that has to be done on top of that.  This week has definitely been bad on my health!  I mean, my husband was just saying last night, "For someone who is all about health, and exercise, and eating this, and not eating that..."  I had to stop him..."I know!  That's what I'm not getting!  Nothing has changed!"  Then, this morning, as I was dragging myself out of the house, it hit me...IT MUST BE THE STRESS!  That is the only thing that has changed!  The bad stuff I have going on physically started last week when all this crap started, and my stress levels escalated!

Now, I know..."Just take a deep breath and don't stress about it!"  Yeah, my husband has already basically told me this, but it really isn't that easy!  When you are getting pulled in twenty different directions and no one accepts the answer "NO!", you can't just blow it off!

Today's Music Addiction!

For Lent...

...I'm not giving up anything.  I mean, why give up something for 40-days that you know you are going to go back to come Easter?  Give up T.V.?  Are you going to give that up for the rest of your life?  Give up sodas?  Really?  What is the percentage of people who have given up sodas, and stayed off sodas (btw, I am happy to say that I haven't had a soda in over a year, but for reasons other than Lent)?

No, instead of something temporary, I've decided I'm going to look to more of permanent change!  I've already gotten down to my goal size and weight range, so now it is time to get toned and ripped!  I am challenging myself to a fitness challenge for the next 40 days, to get rid of that last little bit of fat (yes, it is there, I can see the dimples), and get well on my way to a sculpted body (not body-builder...just so you can tell I have muscles, and that I can probably kick your butt at the gym).  What does this have to do with Lent, some may ask?  In the scriptures, we are told to care for the Temple of God.  We are also told that God lives in us.  Sooooooo...that means that our bodies are the Temple of God that we should care for!  For this reason, I want my body to be what God created it to be...fit, trim (not super skinny), able to do any kind of exercise without feeling like I'm going to keel over and die, etc.

Now, many may say, "But you are already all about fitness and eating right."  Kinda true...but I haven't totally dedicated myself.  I still make excuses for not hitting the gym, and still have junk food relapses.  So, for 40-days:

• At least 5 days of exercise a week, and will try my best to at least get up and walking on the weekend (this is a challenge, as this means me getting others to get off of their back sides).
• Little to no junk food...no chips, no potatoes, etc.  If I must eat out at a fast food place, because that is what everyone else is doing, I will make the healthiest choice available!
• Drink as much water as I can stand.
• Push myself during workouts...no excuses...no wimping out!

Let's do this!!!

This Is Just Awesome!!!

Priorities

This past week has had me thinking about where people place their priorities.  Whitney Houston dies, and an entire nation mourns.  Now, yes, she was a great singer and an okay actress.  However, no disrespect to her family, she was just another person.  So, her job was to entertain the world...but she was still just another person.  She made many poor choices in life...and it is still questionable whether or not her choices caused her untimely death.

On the other hand, every day, people die while helping other people and while fighting for freedom, be it ours or that of people groups across the world.

• How often does a police officer die in the line of duty?
• How often does a fire fighter die fighting the spread of a fire, or rescuing someone from a burning building?
• How often does a soldier die on the front line...in a bombing, a raid, etc.?
• How often does a health professional die due to an incurable virus caught while helping others?

Think about it!  Every day, someone in one of these professions dies doing their job...jobs that many people take for granted yet will never do themselves!  So, I will secretly mourn all of these people.  This will be my only post about it...I will not flood Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media with message after message.  Today, in this message, for those who have already past, and those who will pass in days to come doing what they do to help the world, I say "THANK YOU" and mourn the world's loss of such great people!

Thinking I Must See This!!!

Consignment Is Great!!!

Be it online auctions, thrift stores, etc...consignment is great!  There are so many things one can find when someone else cleans out their closet.  For instance, this past week, I got my hands on two vintage Cure t-shirts and the cutest handbag for a mere fraction of their original costs because they were used items someone simply didn't have the need for any longer.  I've also sold plenty of things as I've lost weight.  It's a great way to recycle AND refresh your wardrobe without dishing out a lot of cash!

It's crazy that some people just have this "thing" about wearing clothing someone else has worn.  Truth is, there is nothing wrong with used clothing!  Just be sure to wash it really good when you get it home!  Now, sure, things like undergarments and swim suits are out of the question...but I don't even have problem with used shoes.  I mean, a little Lysol works great on shoes.

So many treasures!

Evil...Evil I Tell You!!!

I'm so tired of feeling ill! Just as I'm getting over the bug, the juniper levels skyrocket, and now I feel worse!  UGH! Stupid, evil shrubs! Death to them all!!

Disappointment!

Since returning from vacation, I have been seriously considering a mostly pescetarian diet.  I won't be cutting out meat completely...I mean, Tuesday night is fajita night at our local Mexican restaurant so on those nights I will have chicken.  But for the most part, I would like to cut out most meat.  It is possible, as I was vegetarian many years ago for more than 12 months.  My only problem then was being addicted to carbs...all that meat-free pasta and those pastries caused me to gain tons of weight.  However, since finding out I'm gluten intolerant, that isn't an issue any longer, and I think changing my diet will have some really promising effects.

So, I've been having a craving for a good Gardenburger.  I remember how tasty these things were back when I ate a vegetarian diet.  I picked up a box today at the grocery store, and to my disappointment, the label said, "Contains Wheat"!  What?  They just had to go and ruin the Gardenburger for me!  I also noticed the list of  ingredients was very lengthy, so not as healthy as I once thought.  I went to the gluten-free section, and found what I hope to be a tasty replacement...no gluten, no ingredients I can't pronounce, etc.  I'm still disappointed, though.  Why do they have to jack with food so much?  Why all the fillers and preservatives?  What is so wrong with natural food?