Reflecting on Goals...2008 (age 23).

I have lists and lists of goals. 

I was looking back at one of my many journals.

There are so many repeats and patterns in my list of goals.

This one is from fall of 2008.

I was 23 years old. 

Happy to know I've accomplished a good number of these.

*Train for a marathon

*Run a marathon

*Complete a triathlon

*Write a book

*Stop swearing

*Stop biting my nails

*Worry less. Stress less.

*Spend less. Save more.

*Grow closer to my family/friends.

*Live one day at a time.

*Be friends with those who love you.

*Grow closer to God.

*Find a church. Become a member.

*LOVE.

*Be patient.

*Stay focused/productive at work.

*Volunteer. 

*Discover "what I am meant to do"

*Pray more.

*Read more.

*Enjoy life's little pleasures.

*Fix my stomach!

*Peace

*No regrets.

*Challenge myself.

*Eat healthier

*Don't be such a pack rat

*Scrapbook more.

*Listen better. Learn more. 

Happier at Home

I randomly found this book on the shelf of my hospital library and thought I'd pick it up.

Not because I am not happy.

But because I'm always looking on ways to improve myself, and I'm curious about what makes other people happy.

I'm not perfect. Far from it. But I like to consider myself at the very least, a good, kind person. If I can learn more lessons about how to keep a happy home (that can further impact my role as a wife, sister, daughter, nurse, friend), I'm all ears.

Especially because we are hoping to expand our family in the next coming years, if I can better manage our home, if I can learn to focus on the most important things, I'll be happy.

I am so far through the first chapter and am loving the book.

The author, Gretchen Rubin, first wrote The Happiness Project. She had such a great experience with it, that she wanted to do a more personal project, and thought, why not focus on her home. Thus...Happier at Home. Her work (at home), her husband, her children, her belongings is the focus of this second book...

The first topic she discusses has to do with possessions. I found section thought-provoking.

Mainly because it's something I've always struggled with.

I've struggled with the battle between necessity or want of possessions. And what possessions really are necessary. It truly is all subjective. But if certain possessions bring you happiness, then are they not beneficial to your life? For example books. As the author describes, she could easily loan a book or download an e-copy ... but to her, she finds true join in holding a book, turning the pages, etc. I feel the same way. I'd rather spend the money to have the book, the possession, in my hands.

But I've struggled with other things...like do we NEED a television? We eventually ended up with one, but only because we got such a great deal on it ($50). And, we mainly have it for movies or my workout DVDs, as we didn't purchase a network plan.

How about clothing...?! I've never been much into fashion, but I do like quality clothing. Not only because it lasts longer, but it fits better, looks better, and I feel more comfortable and confident in it. That has to go for something. As thrifty as I am, my husband is even more thrifty when it comes to caring less about clothing. He'd be happy wearing the same clothes his parents bought him a dozen years ago in high school...clothing doesn't make him happy.

In her book, the author says this in an argument about people overvaluing possessions. "People can be important to you AND possessions can be important to you."

She proceeds to quote a passage from Mihlay Csikszentmihalyi and Eugene Rochberg-Halton's The Meaning of Things: Domestic Symbols and the Self.

"Some of our respondents were upset by our questions about special objects and told us that they were not materialists, and things mean nothing to them. It is people, not objects that count ... This rejection of the symbolic mediation of things in favor of direct human ties seemed plausible at first, util we began to notice that ... [t]hose who were most vocal about prizing friendship over material concerns seemed to be the most lonely and isolated... Those who have ties to people tend to represent them in concrete object."

Thus ... it is OKAY to enjoy and appreciate BOTH people and the relationships you have AND your possessions. More importantly, a possession is important if and only if, it had meaning to you.

And yet...one final perspective.

In The Bible, Luke 12:15 reads:

"And he said to them, "Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."

As is such in life...it's about balance. Don't allow possessions or having more or more expensive objects define who you are. Don't allow these possessions to be the sole source of your happiness. Not your home, not your car, not your clothes, not your books, not your kitchen appliances. And yet, allow those things that bring meaning to your life and truly provide you happiness to do just that...enjoy them and appreciate them.

Consider your possessions. Look around your home at objects you haven't picked up in awhile. Why do you still have them? Is it because they bring back  memories, therefore giving them meaning to you? Or are they just sitting there collecting dust. Place objects you find meaningful in more prominent areas of your home so you can enjoy them more. If you have possessions that truly just sit there, serving no purpose to you or bringing you happiness, consider de-cluttering and donating the object(s).

I'm going to take a walk around my home as I do every year and look at the things I find useful and that bring me joy or simplify my life more.

And eventually I'll tackle the 12 or so boxes I have saved at my mom's house, sitting and collecting dust. There are mostly photos in these boxes ... thus, memories. But what purpose do they serve sitting in another home, in a basement closet, unopened and not enjoyed.

More to come on this thought-provoking book.

Believe.

Believe in yourself.

Start today.

Start small.

But just START.

You are worth it!

Marathon

What motivates you?

In high school my middle school track coach made the mistake of telling his "athlete" [me] that she "wasn't a distance runner." 

I remember volunteering to attempt the 2-mile run when one of our team's regulars was ill. My events were usually hurdles, triple jump, the 4x4, and either shot put or another random event. No...I didn't TYPICALLY run distance, but that didn't mean I COULDN'T or wasn't willing to try my best.

He laughed at me and then essentially ignored the offer. He ended up spending the rest of the day frantically trying to coerce another student to run the race.

I was, what... 13 or 14 years old, tops. That stuff sticks with you.

I vowed to prove him wrong one day, and my mission was a full marathon.

I ran the first 2/3 amazingly well. The last 1/3 was a struggle, but I finished the 26.2 miles.

I trained daily for five months. I found a training schedule online for novice runners and just went after it. I luckily was never ill in five months time and never missed a training day ... rain, snow, or shine (mostly snow). My longest training run was 20 miles and I did well with it. Too bad for me I didn't train on any hills as that is what "killed" me on the actual race day. It was a great experience and one I will never forget.

It happened to be Memorial Day weekend. All my friends and family had come to watch me run, jog, trot...whatever you want to call it (I think that was my progression through the race). Talk about dedicated support to watch me run for hours. My mom said it was actually one of the funnest days she's ever had. I managed to convince my sister and friend to wear running clothes in case I needed support. They ran the last 6 miles with me. And to top it off, my best friend rocked her first half marathon that day too! After the run, about 30 people made their way back to my place for a pot-luck. What an awesome day.

And to think ... it all started with someone telling me what HE believed I couldn't do ...

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

The Lucky Penny  has created a gem of a recipe. 

Grain-free cauliflower crust pizza.

This may truly be one of my favorite recipes, EVER.

And undoubtedly one of my favorite pizza recipes ever.

We followed her recipe nearly 100 percent, with the exception of not using onions in the sauce or adding the almond meal to the crust. 

We did add the crushed red pepper to the crust.

Because of extreme popularity of her recipe,
she requests that this recipe not be copied in full onto other sites.

 Therefore, I am sharing her page and this recipe with you HERE.

INGREDIENTS

1 small to medium sized head of cauliflower - should yield 2 to 3 cups once processed
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon dried basil (crush it even more between your fingers)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (crust it even more between you fingers)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
optional a few shakes of crushed red pepper
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
1 egg
optional 1 tablespoon almond meal

Here is our cauliflower crust pizza cooking experience via photos.

My husband set to work on the cauliflower crust.

I started on the sauce.

Then I began on prepping the veggies.

By this time, he placed the crusts in the over for 10 minutes, and 

then started on prepping the chicken. 

We did use the bloggers linked pizza sauce recipe.

It's essentially organic tomato sauce mixed with
 onion, garlic, oregano, basil, sea salt and a smidge of sugar.

You could use any pizza sauce.

For toppings, we decided to forgo our favorite chicken and pineapple.

We instead added chicken, bell peppers, sundried tomatoes, and mushrooms.

By the time the pizza finished cooking and cooling, we were famished.

And EXCITED.

Everything smelled so good.

The FLAVORS of the crust and sauce were incredible!

This isn't a type of pizza you can pick up and eat. 

You must cut it with a fork and it will fall apart.

However, it's safe to say this is one of the best crusts I've ever eaten.

We will surely be using this recipe in our home for years.

Hopefully our someday kids like cauliflower.

Good thing they'll never know...certainly doesn't taste like cauliflower.

Beyond thrilled to have added another "favorite" recipe to our mix.

We love to stay in and cook on Friday, so this is a great, healthy, clean addition.

Also ... you can find the link to her pizza sauce recipe HERE.

I hope you enjoy!

Message me with questions!

GOOD LUCK!

A Gym Story

I lifted heavy yesterday at the gym. 

I'm starting a new program to increase my strength.

I'm excited because I get to squat three times a week on this program. Yipee for me, and thanks to my husband for recommending this program to me. 

I'll be doing heavy lifting three days a week and adding in 21 Day Fix workouts the other days. Lots of good fitness going on. 

I like to finish my workouts with a quick sweat session of cardio. Usually this is no more than 20 minutes. I've been trying to increase my speed, so am running between one and two miles on the treadmill as fast as I can. It's going surprisingly well for the "not fast runner" that I am.

Upon finishing, I was cooling down at a walking pace and noticed a woman to my left. I had seen her walking a few days earlier and had the same thought I did previously, "That's awesome. Good for her."

I've been going to the gym off and on for years. There are "gym types." You see your super skinny runner-type people, the lean bodybuilder type, the bulking hulk-type, the ripped-out-of-their-mind women, the big upper body/small lower body middle aged newly retired men, the skinny non-muscular type, the athletic type, the curvy type, the basketball player type, the wrestler type, the super strong middle-aged man with a belly, the elderly man or woman who are there every day, the pregnant woman, new moms, overweight individuals, the freshman 15-ers ... and the list goes on. Yes...I am classifying, but only to make a point.

My point being, you hardly ever see obese individuals at the gym.

The woman walking to my left was obese. I thought to myself..."I should go talk to her." And then I thought, "No...maybe she doesn't want to be bothered." But then I thought, "I'd love to say hi and offer her encouragement." Then I thought, "Maybe she doesn't need or want any and will take offense to your offering."

I left my treadmill, grabbed a cleansing wipe, and returned to my treadmill to de-germ it. I looked at her again.

I decided.

I walked over to the left of her treadmill, looked up and said, "Hi."

She looked down and shyly smiled back, "Hi."

I said to her, "I've seen you in here a few times."

She replied, "Yes, I'm here every day."

I said, "That's awesome. What are your goals?"

She smiled, cocked her head and said, "Well...to keep losing weight. I've lost 127 pounds so far." (she beamed...obviously proud)

Amazed, happy, and excited, I said, "Wow...that's amazing! Good work! How did you accomplish that...by walking? Do you come here alone or with someone?" (I was curious about her support system)

She said, "I come here by myself every day to walk. And I only eat healthy proteins and vegetables."

Truly floored, I exclaimed, "That's great! Wow. I am so impressed! So, what are your goals now?!"

She responded, "Well...to lose another 125 pounds and to get healthy."

My heart was just overjoyed!  This woman, is a champion. She was confident, and SO proud! She is losing weight the healthy way, by exercising and eating healthy. She is consistent. She has goals. She has experienced the results of hard work and dedication. And she isn't giving up. Yes...she may be starting "small" by walking every day, but I guarantee you, this women won't be walking forever.

I went on to talk to her about adding strength training to her routine (which she already does "some" on the weekends when she "has more time." I introduced myself at the end, found out her name and said, "I'll see you around, then!"

Joining a gym can be daunting, especially if you don't know anyone else or understand how to use the equipment.

My goal was to give her a friendly, recognizable face to see at the gym, and I think I succeeded! Can't wait to see her continue to shine!

Grilled Squash & Pineapple

My next recipes are all paleo recipes adapted from 

Diane Sanfilippo's Practical Paleo cookbook.

Here is the first in a three-part series.

Grilled squash & pineapple. 

If this doesn't get you ready for summer, I don't know what will.

Ingredients:

1 whole butternut squash

1/2 of a pineapple, skinned and sliced into 1 inch pieces

1/4 cup melted butter, ghee, or coconut oil

1-2 T Smoky Spice Blend 

Sea salt to taste

1/4 cup shredded coconut for garnish

Smoky Spice Blend (yields 5 T):

1 T chipotle powder (I didn't have this)

1 T smoked paprika

1 T onion powder

1/2 T cinnamon (I used 1T)

1 T sea salt

1/2 T black pepper

(i also added ginger...no idea why, but it tasted good)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

I bought a cored pineapple, so just sliced it into thick pieces. I then cut my squash in half and placed both on a baking sheet in the oven for 30 minutes.

This softened the squash enough for me to remove its skin, gut it,
and cut it into one-inch pieces. 

I then placed both the pineapple (I flipped it) and the squash bake in the oven for 30 minutes to continue roasting (or until tender). 

Once the roasting was complete,  I melted coconut oil and drizzled it on my carbs. 

I then lightly sprinkled the seasoning mix over it. 

We have a griddle in the house which worked perfectly for this occasion
 (thank you wedding shower gift from my mother-in-law). 

I grilled each side for about five minutes, or until the grill marks appeared. 

It looked and smelled delicious!

I did happen to have shredded coconut in the house so I tossed
a little on the top for garnish purposes. 

This meal was hubby approved. 

Can't beat grilled pineapple in the winter.

Strength.

Strength is so often realized under the most difficult circumstances. 

"Out of the suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars." 

~Kahlil Gibran

Exodus 15:2 The LORD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

THESE PARENTS KNEW THEIR BABY WAS GOING TO DIE. HOW THEY SPENT HIS FINAL DAYS ARE UNFORGETTABLE.

Paleo vs. Clean Eating

This is a great visual I found from eMeals. I love it because I eat "both" ways. I am in the category of living a healthy lifestyle and I don't prefer clean eating over paleo, or vice versa. I tend to make many paleo meals because they are easy and tasty. But I also would never given up grains entirely. I rarely eat dairy, so that falls more to the paleo side of things. 

Paleo is pretty basic: meat, veggies, fruits, and good fats.

Clean eating is anything whole and natural and includes whole grains, beans, and dairy.

Neither allows processed foods or unrefined foods. Think periphery of the grocery store. Both eliminate added sugar or alcohol. Both include limited healthy fats, veggies, fruits, and lean meats.  

If you are looking to start eating and living a healthier lifestyle, it is "easier" to transition by eating clean first and then seeing if Paleo is a lifestyle choice that interests you.

For a more in-depth look at "clean eating" - check out this awesome blog post.

Healthy Granola Bites

Granola Bites

Ingredients

1 c. oats

3/4 c. unsweetened shredded coconut

1/2 c. raw almond butter

3 tbsp. flax seed meal

1 tbsp. chia seeds

1/4 c. semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 c. raisins

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 c. light agave nectar

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until well mixed.

Scoop tablespoons into your hands and shape into balls.

Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Photo and recipe c/o Honey We're Healthy.

Stuffed Peppers

This was one of the easiest and tastiest meals I've made. The recipe was adapted from Diane Sanfilippo's Practical Paleo cookbook. 

You can use any color bell pepper. My favorites are red and orange.

We had extra lean ground beef, so I decided to use that for the stuffing, but really any type of ground meat would work (chicken, turkey, venison).

First step is to preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. 

Ingredients:

Bell peppers

Oil/grease - eg. coconut oil

Veggies: tomatoes, onions, spinach

Seasonings - Italian, pepper, sea salt, etc.

Garlic

Ground meat of your choice, 1 lb.

Basil

First step is to preheat the oven.

Then you'll want to clean and halve your peppers. 

If you are adding grape tomatoes, you can clean and halve these as well.

Place facedown in a pan and cook for 10 minutes if you wish your peppers to be a little softer ... otherwise you can just skip this step (I should have...mine where too soft).  When they are softened, turn over in pan so peppers face up.

 If you like onions or other veggies, you can saute those on the stove top and mix in any of your favorite seasonings. I like to heat the pan first, then add a little coconut oil, and then add the veggies.

Next you can add your meat of choice. I used ground beef. Here you can add your chopped basil or wait until later to add it. 

When this was done, I just scooped the meat mix and filled the pepper boats. I then added a little basil to the top of each one and dropped in some tomatoes. 

Cook in oven for 15-20 minutes.
This will blend the pepper and meat flavor together. 

Remove from oven and there you go! Stuffed peppers!

You may eat right away, store in the refrigerator, or freeze for later!