Waiting for Patience

The last time I was at the doctor I was talking about my health, which was great, and I mentioned that I wanted to make some changes to be healthier (read: smaller). I prefaced my question with something that I know to do which is to lose weight: exercise more and eat less. Dr. W confirmed it is really all about math - more calories out than in. Her advice wasn't just "eat less, exercise more." It was actually more helpful, take the next year and make a different lifestyle change every month and in a year your life will be different. I really took that to heart and when I got home, I made a list of 12 habits or lifestyle changes that I wanted to undertake. I gave myself credit for a few that I had started a while ago that were great changes that I felt made a huge difference. At the end of the year I will probably have made about 7 or 8 overall changes but some of them were steps to bigger things. They are small steps that have made a huge difference in my life. I'v...

--- 1 --- Well, I completed my first Whole30 on Tuesday!  January 5th through February 3rd - 30 days of fruits, veggies, meats, healthy oils, and okay nuts. I've been thinking about what I might write about how it went and here are my thoughts, in no specific order, and with no scientific evidence beside how I feel. If you're new to whole 30 - basically it's a nutritional restart where you thinking differently about food. The No's  are: alcohol, sugar (including added sugar in condiments and processed food), grains, gluten, dairy, legumes (including peanuts), and bad oils (ie: I only used coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil). You are also supposed to avoid SWYPO foods, basically changing trigger foods into 'whole 30' foods. The point being to create a new you and a new outlook on food.  So how'd I do? --- 2 --- Well one of the blogs I wrote said not to dive in and cook every night - but I didn't listen to that at all. I cooked like craz...

How are we going to make 2015 different than last year? What goals are you planning/making to be more YOU this year? These can be goals can be personal growth, spiritual life, physical/health, or even your love life! Maybe you don't have concrete ones yet, but it helps to talk them out and get motivated! Well I don't have a ton of concrete 2015 goals and also feel like I've already discussed them on this little blog a few times ( here and here ), but not explicitly so I will outline a few things. 1. I want to make a greater effort in deepening my friendships.  Sometimes I can get kind of lazy in friendships and don't make a good effort in keeping in touch, getting together often, or sharing important things - keeping good friendships closer to the surface rather than revealing myself.  To help achieve this goal we are beginning First Saturday Dinners - a time for us all (ladies, spouses, and kiddos) to get together, catch up on the past month, enjoy some go...

--- 1 --- The first week of work in 2015 has been long ... very long.  All of the problems we had before I left with the facilities are all still happening.  We cannot seem to solve our HVAC problems and intellectually I know that it's not my fault.  However, it feels like I just cannot get this problem solved and it's my failure.  So hopefully tomorrow when I get it it's nice and warm in our office and only one building is a problem child . --- 2 --- This Sunday (and Tuesday for that matter) we celebrated the Three Kings and the Epiphany!  It's such a fun day - usually I move my wise men closer and closer as this day comes closer, but this year I had all of my nativities around the house and since I was only home for a few days before the celebration, they all stayed put.  But having three sets of wise men is very exciting! And yes, one of my wise men is missing his head, has been for years! --- 3 --- I started my first Whole30 on M...

It's 2015 and Tuesday so that means that we are back at the Not Alone Series !  A huge thanks to Jen and Morgan for hosting and for helping all of us ladies gather together to remember that we aren't broken, we aren't alone, and we are loved by God. Let's get back in the swing by sharing what our typical day is like! Tell us however you like, minute by minute or a blurb about your day! Be sure to answer these questions:  - What is your favorite part of your day? - What is your least favorite part of your day? - Are you making any changes to your daily routine now that the new year has begun? Well my typical day use to be not so typical, but then I took a huge leap and got a new job that is a lot eaiser to have a routine that is pretty set.  I am someone who loves routine, I crave stability, and although I can make changes into my routine, they have to be determined by me to stick.  So a typical day? I set my alarm to go off at 6:46am, I get ou...

--- 1 --- Well, there's a new host in town for Seven Quick Takes ... it's been a few weeks since I shared in on the link-up fun and I've got lots to say, well, if you know me, that's not really a unique statement ... to be entirely truthful.  Super excited to link up over at Kelly's - she's hilarious, inspiring, and just seems like super fun!  So here we go... --- 2 --- Life has been a bit of an emotional roller coaster the last week or so.  Wrote a little about that on Sunday and my need for Validation .  The button that Satan uses ALL. OF. THE. TIME. for me ... trying to push him away before the doubt creeps in. --- 3 --- Thanksgiving was last week as well - and the recipes we chose for dinner were all a great success ... planning a holiday dinner for your family or friends, these would be great additions to your table! --- 4 --- MG and I tried our hand at making sushi last weekend too ... not as bad as you'd like for the first time!  C...

So MG and I cooked Thanksgiving for us and some friends of ours - the family who took me in when my house was rejecting me.  It was nice to have them and their 17 month old twins!  Great times were had by all.  Since we cooked all 'new to us' recipes, I'd thought I'd share them along to you, if you need some Christmas ideas! Breakfast: Fresh Cranberry & Orange Scones from Two Peas in their Pod  ... and there's enough for breakfast all weekend!  Score! Our Thanksgiving table was quite beautiful! Appetizers were some crackers and Cranberry Cinnamon Goat Cheese (log from Aldi). Crackers with Brie, Sugared Cranberries, Jam, and Mint adapted from Yummly Mummy Kitchen  ... no maple syrup around here so we warmed white wine and honey for the berries to soak in overnight. They were so beautiful!  And delicious! For Dinner we had Buttermilk Brined Cornish Hens from Kitchen Confidante  ... doubled the recipe to get 4. ...

--- 1 --- On Wednesday, Kendra posted this picture on Facebook: I thought it was an excellent source for inspiration as I prepare for the festival that is tomorrow at my parish.  There's so much to be done and so many people involved.  I have been having the hardest time keeping it together, being kind and charitable toward others, and making sure that I get the things done that I have to get done.  It's been touch and go, but on Wednesday I was able to actually remember this in those hard moments to prevent me from screaming aloud in my office all day long. --- 2 --- What would I have screamed?  Well, "The Ship is Sinking" would have been the first words out of my lips! It wouldn't be the first and honestly it probably won't be the last! --- 3 --- A couple of weeks ago the Fathers stopped over my house for a blessing - but the other day as I was coming in to the house during the rain was the first time I noticed the inscripti...

--- 1 --- The last time I linked up I was heading to Pennsylvania for my grandmother's 90th Birthday party.  Check out this super cute family picture from the event! and one of gram, the siblings, and me! Grandma, the Siblings, and Me --- 2 --- When we were home, we celebrated Amy's Birthday!  Of course, a cake was in order! Amy's Birthday (9/20) Nate's Birthday (8/31) This couple seems to have a similar "lighted candle, cake, birthday" face!  I'm glad I was able to spend time with both of them on their birthdays - seems like this is pretty unlikely to ever happen again. --- 3 --- I also had a chance to see Matt Maher at the fundraising dinner for the  Pregnancy Resource Center here in Charlotte. He gave a great concert! a beautiful girl's night! --- 4 --- When I was in New York, Nate, Amy, and I tried a roasted beet salad which was delicious (I thought I disliked beets, but I was proven wrong wi...

Welcome to this week's edition of Answer Me This  ... thanks Kendra for hosting!  It's been fun this past few weeks, I'm sad we won't be getting together regularly for this cocktail party! 1. What is your favorite picture book? I don't have an answer to this question - since I don't read to children on a regular basis, I don't really have any opportunities to read picture books on a regular basis to get a favorite. 2. Are you a boycotter? I can be, but only one company right now.  Johnson & Johnson because I think they are crazy if they think that they can make money from babies AND from selling contraceptives.  I know that there are many other companies who sell products that I disagree with, have stands that are opposite of mine, and who are vocal about it - but well, I, personally, cannot boycott the world. 3. How do you feel about cheese? Um, what kind of question is this? I love cheese, maybe too much!  The smellier and stranger the ...

While I was in the Congo, I asked Father Emmanuel if the sisters and Bea could teach me how to cook.  The date was set for Tuesday of the second week where I was told I'd be cooking a chicken from alive to table ... thankfully when I was called to the plate to start cooking - the chicken was dead and even de-feathered.  I was only about 3% disappointed since, um, that would have be the craziest I have ever done - and um, I had just flown to a village in the middle of a war-torn country on my own to village where about 2 1/2 people spoke English ... all by myself.  Yeah, and killing a chicken would have been crazy!  Anyway - I learned to make chicken, cassava, mashed plantains, rice, and preparing cocoa pods for eating.  Here are some pics of the adventure! Boiling, Frying, and Steaming chicken on the 'stove' ... yup that's a camp fire! Mashing plantains in the biggest mortar and pestle I've ever seen ... this is much more difficult than I had imagined. ...