52-Week Challenge: Week Twenty-Two

This week's challenge is entitled "Downshift Your Dairy."  I almost panicked when I read it; I REFUSE to give up my dairy!  I've seen a lot of diet plans that I thought I could almost be on-board with. . . until I saw that it involved removing dairy from my diet.  Nope.  Sorry.  I'd rather be fat.

Okay, that's not true.  But I still couldn't survive a plan that didn't include dairy.  Luckily, this week's challenge involves only changing from whole-fat dairy to low-fat (1%) or fat-free dairy.

Dairy is not inherently bad for you, as some health gurus may have you believe.  It's high in protein and loaded with calcium.  Unfortunately, it's also high in saturated fat which, as we learned earlier, is the "bad fat," and therefore gets an unhealthy rap.  This can be alleviated by simply switching to low-fat or fat-free.

This is an interesting fact from the book. . .

"A simple shift to low-fat milk from whole milk saves you almost fifty calories and six grams of saturated fat per glass of milk.  If you shifted to non-fat or skim milk, you'd see a savings of sixty calories and eight grams of saturated fat per serving.  If you typically consume a glass of milk a day, this would represent fix to six pounds in weight loss within one year, just by making this simple change."

How's that for incentive?  By doing this ONE THING, you could lose 5-6 pounds.  No exercise involved. ;)

I firmly believe that most people eat or drink the type of dairy they do because they are used to it; they've always consumed it so anything else tastes weird.  For example, I grew up drinking skim milk so, to me, whole milk or even 2% tastes gross.  However, I realize this probably isn't the case for most people.  So here's a few ideas on how to make the switch:

1.  Start Slowly.  Whatever type of milk you're drinking today, shift down to the next level of fat content.  For instance, if you're drinking whole milk, start the week by drinking 2% milk instead.  If you're drinking 2%, switch to 1%, and so on.  After you finish that carton or jug, go down to the next level, with the goal of eventually drinking milk that is 1% fat or lower.

2.  Switch to Low-Fat/Free-Free.  Some dairy products have virtually no change is taste when switching fat levels.  For example, it's pretty easy to switch to fat-free or low-fat yogurt.  If you miss the creaminess of full-fat, try fat-free Greek yogurt.  Same goes for ice cream.

3.  Watch Your Cheese.  Fat-free cheese is usually rubber and tastes. . . well, gross.  This is one area where it's okay to simply make the switch to reduced-fat or part-skim.

4.  Watch Your Coffee.  It's easy to over-look your full-fat coffee creamer.  I know I sure do. ;)  But this week, follow the same 'start slowly' principle:  step down to whole milk, then 2%, then 1%.  If you're like me and need to have flavored cream in your coffee (HELLO, Caramel Macchiato!), there are lots of fat-free varieties available as well.

Good luck!!

My Vegas Baby Does Vegas (and Ben and Angela Visit)

This past week, we have enjoyed a visit with some good friends from Texas.  We haven't seen Angela, Ben, and their two kids since we left Germany three years ago, and we were so excited to catch up and show them around Las Vegas.

First things first:  momma needed a night out.  Jonathan and I have been in desperate need of a night out for some time, but I have been so nervous about leaving Matty with a non-family/non-friend sitter.  However, I took a chance on a girl who came very highly recommended from another wife in our squadron and booked non-refundable tickets to see 'Phantom of the Opera' so that I couldn't back out of it at the last minute. :)  

So, with minimal tears (from mommas and babies), the adults headed down to the Strip and hit up the Venetian for some dinner, gambling, and a show.  The guys weren't all that excited about seeing a musical, but it was something Angela and I had wanted to do for awhile, and they were gracious enough to sit quietly through it (possibly because we said they could go gamble for a few hours afterwards).  Anyways, the showing of 'Phantom' in Las Vegas is unlike any performance of the show elsewhere.  The theater was built specifically for the show, and it is, in a word, amazing.  I wish I could have taken pictures inside, but they were pretty strict about it.  Here's the only picture I have; the outside of the theater. . . 

As expected, Angela and I loved it (I'm STILL singing songs from it!), and the guys tolerated it.  After the show, they headed straight for the craps tables and Angela and I decided to play some slots.  I was actually "hot" that night and made a profit.  Okay, so maybe it was only $30, but that's still more than I've EVER made at a slot machine.  

The guys were even more successful (and by that I mean they won MORE than $30).  All in all, it was a VERY successful parents' night out, and we came home to safe and happy babies much more relaxed than when we left.

We also decided to take the kids down to the Strip and check out the Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay.  Although MJ was born in Las Vegas, we have never taken him down to the Strip.  I've always felt a little weird about it.  There are TONS of kid-friendly things to do down there, and I see kids down there even younger than MJ every time I go. . . but it still doesn't feel right to me.

BUT, the aquarium was calling, so we headed down.  We were inside Mandalay Bay exactly ten minutes before the first break-down happened.  Out of the blue, no reason--MJ was screaming.  Hysterical, unconsolable screaming.  It took almost 15 minutes to get him calmed down, and we still don't know why he started screaming in the first place.  It was only the beginning of what Jonathan and I are now calling the "Mandalay Bay Massacre."

As with all places on the Strip, you must walk through the casino to get anywhere inside the building.  And, I don't know if you've ever been to a Las Vegas casino, but they are loud, smoke-filled, and crowded.  In other words, the perfect place for another melt-down.  This one wasn't as bad as the first, since I was carrying him, but it was still completely uncharacteristic for MJ.  After what seemed like forever, we made it through the casino and began to search the restaurants and shops area for some lunch.  We didn't get far before we noticed a sign advertising a meet and greet with Gale Sayers, the former Chicago Bears player.  Jonathan's lit up like a little kid.  We, of course, had to stop.

Jonathan chatted happily with one of his heroes as MJ and I stood by quietly.  Jonathan then brought Gale over to say hello.  The football great smiled broadly and leaned down towards our son, tickling his heels.  "How are you, little man?" he said.

Our normally happy, smiling baby turned into a. . . well, baby.  His lip quivered, his eyes watered, and he clawed at me as if trying to escape from the terrifying, nice, smiley man.  It was also at this point that I happened to notice (in other words, smell) that he also desperately needed a new diaper.  Yep, we were THOSE parents with the crying, stinky kid.  My son met his first celebrity--and he cried and pooped his pants.  Fantastic.  Luckily, however, Gale and Jonathan didn't seem to mind.  And we did get a couple of good pictures, at least.

A few more MONSTER break-downs occurred, including MJ hitting his head on the floor, being scared of the echoing toilets in the restroom when I changed his diaper, me freaking out (and, in turn, him freaking out) thinking he had swallowed the charm from my necklace after he ripped it off, and the absolutely overwhelming lights and sounds of the casino as we walked BACK through it.  To make a long story short, both mama and baby were EXHAUSTED by time we actually made it to the aquarium.  I debated about whether or not to take him in but finally decided that we were here, we'd already bought our tickets, we were DOING THIS.

We let Ben and Angela go separately so their children could actually ENJOY the aquarium as we walked through, paying close attention to MJ's break-down cues and moving on quickly from one exhibit to another when we saw them.  He seemed to enjoy it (as much as a tired, fussy baby could enjoy it), and I think we'll try it again on another day that isn't so dramatic.

He honestly seemed to be more interested in the rocks than the fish. . . 

Chasing the fish. . . 

"Hey! Come over here!"

"Daddy!  Did you see that shark?!"

Looking at jelly-fish. . . 

So, bottom line, we had a wonderful time catching up with great friends.  And, my Las Vegas baby seems to not care so much for the lights and noise of the city.  He may be more Midwestern than we originally thought. :)

52-Week Challenge: Week Twenty-One

So how did you all do with last week's doozy of a challenge, living your life with purpose?  As soon as I read last week's chapter, I was immediately taken back to Rick Warren's book The Purpose-Driven Life.  I read it several years ago and, as corny as it may sound, it changed me.  It changed my whole perspective on life.  It may have taken several more years before I fully accepted Christ, but this book was definitely a starting-point on my journey.  As so, as I sat down to write my mission statement, the beginning of the book kept coming back to me:

It’s not about you.

The purpose of your life is far greater than

your own personal fulfillment, your peace of

mind, or even your happiness. It’s far greater

than your family, your career, or even your

wildest dreams and ambitions. If you want to

know why you were placed on this planet, you

must begin with God. You were born by His

purpose and for His purpose.

I fully believe this.  First of all, if there is no God, then you are here as a result of chance and chaos, which means your life CANNOT have purpose.  So why try to find it?  It seems natural to me link the belief in a purpose for your life along with a belief in a higher power.  Secondly, I believe that we will never find our purpose in life by looking INSIDE ourselves.  If God is the one who made you, wouldn't HE have a purpose behind it?  Therefore, how can you possibly find that purpose by looking inside yourself as opposed to looking to your Creator?

As it is, some may say that I cheated on this week's assignment.  Perhaps it is because I just finished studying the book of James, but I could not find a more appropriate mission statement than this:  "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says." -James 1:22 (NIV).  

All of the questions the author suggested asking yourself to determine your purpose led me back to this verse. Sure, when I die, I want people to say that I loved my son and my husband, that I was a good person, that I did good things here on earth.  But, when it all comes back to it, WHY would I have done these things?  I would do these things because I love God and, as it says in His Word, "if you love me, you will obey what I command." (John 14:15).  So when it comes down to it, I want my faith to manifest itself in my actions at all times.  I don't just want to SAY I have faith; I want to SHOW it.  Hence, my mission statement.

Okay, moving on.  For those of you who stopped reading because of the religious references, you can come back now.  Here's this week's challenge:  Go Organic.  Whenever possible, buy organic fruit, vegetables, and animal products.  

When I read this, I immediately thought of Amy Poehler's character in "Baby Mama" who, while pregnant, was encouraged to eat organic.  "Ehh," she says, "that stuff is for rich people who hate themselves."

And yes, organic food is more expensive.  But, in this case, being more expensive actually DOES mean it's better.  Organic food is made without synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, antibiotics, growth hormones, and other nasty stuff that is questionable to your health AND may cause serious effects that will lead to more medical bills down the road.  So why not pay a little more now?

I'll admit:  I'm a cheapskate, and I don't always buy organic.  But, since I started making Matty's baby food, I use all organic fruits and vegetables for him so I already have it on-hand for my meals as well.  However, if you can't afford to buy EVERYTHING organic and need to prioritize, here's a tip:  thin-skinned fruits, such as apples, pears, and berries; and thin-skinned vegetables, such as lettuce, peppers, and potatoes, tend to retain pesticides even after washing.  However, thick-skinned fruits and vegetables, such as bananas, grapefruits, onions, and corn, tend to be safer.  So, if you have to prioritize, it's more important to buy your thin-skinned fruits and veggies from the organic section.  

So take one or two un-necessary things off your grocery list (maybe those cookies or case of beer, even though, yes, I agree--they are both delicious) and spend the extra dough on organic fruits and veggies this week.  Maybe even spring for organic eggs, meat, and dairy, if you're feeling saucy.  

Best of luck!

52-Week Challenge: Week Twenty

This post is delayed a bit, but I was busy yesterday celebrating my FIRST Mother's Day with my beautiful little boy and my husband.  I hope all you mothers were treated to something special yesterday, and I hope all you non-mothers did something special for your own mothers. :)

Anyway, moving on to this week's challenge.  The challenge is entitled "Live with Purpose."  Sounds vague, but the author says we are to "find your purpose in life and live it every day."  Wow.  That's not intimidating or anything.  Way to lay one on us, Blumenthal.

For all practical reasons, living with purpose means being proactive in creating the life you want while also creating a life with meaning and significance.  Having purpose makes it easier to make decisions, take responsibility, and choose which path to make while standing at a cross-roads.  The key is FINDING this purpose.  Brett Blumenthal gives some advice on how to do this:

First and foremost, answer these questions about yourself as honestly as you can:
1.  What do you want?  Be honest about this.  Don't answer in a way that you THINK you should or answer it based on anger or fear.  Sit down and honestly think:  When I'm 80, what will I have wanted to accomplish in my life?  What do I want my child to think of me?  If I died, what would my eulogy say? Be honest, but also be realistic.  ;)
2.  What are your passions?  What is it in your life that brings you the most joy?  What do you do because you WANT to, not because you have to?  THAT is your passion.
3.  What are your strengths?  Easy enough:  what do you do best?  This should be almost automatic.  If you have to think to hard about it, then it's probably not truly one of your strengths.
4.  What matters most to you?  Is there something that lights a fire in your belly?  Is there something in this world you want to change or make better?

Answering these questions should help you come up with a mission statement.  Sounds corny, I know, but I believe this will ultimately have value if you sit down and do it.  In a few sentences, describe your purpose in life.  Include everything you just reflected on:  your wants, passions, strengths, and things you care about.  Basically, why are you here?  What do you want to contribute to the world?  What kind of influence do you want to have?

Having your mission plan written down will help you make goals and plans for you life.  If a decision needs to be made, choose the solution that best goes along with fulfilling your purpose.  Set goals and try your hardest to reach them.  Choosing your activities for the day will be easier (and more structured) if you have a PURPOSE to them.

So, I guess for this week, the main thing you should try to do is to answer the above questions and come up your mission statement.  Find your purpose for life and, as soon as you have it, start living it.  I'm actually excited about this.  I have a general idea of what I for my life, but sitting down and really making it something concrete can only help me.  I'm going to go out on a limb and share that mission statement with you in next week's blog.  I hope you're willing to share too!

Good luck!

Swimming with Brits

This past weekend, our British friends invited us for tea, BBQ, and a dip in their pool.  Aside from our kiddie pool, this was MJ's first swim and, of course, he LOVED it.  

All decked out in his new trucks, swimming shirt, and a sun bonnet that actually fits!

In the pool with Daddy.  

 "Don't drop me, Daddy!"

He enjoyed this MUCH more.  He's so independent that he HAS to do things on his own; he didn't quite realize that swimming is not something he can do by himself. . . yet.  This made him feel like he was doing it all on his own. . . 

. . . and that was quite alright. :)

Pretty soon, Neil and his daughter, April, joined them.

Babies and daddies in the pool while the mommas lounged in the shade.  Perfect Sunday. :)

A Bit of Gardening

Jonathan and I have had a lot of fun spending the past two weeks gardening and landscaping our home.  I guess not being able to do so for the past five years has really created quite an itch in us.  Let's put it this way, Lowe's (and its awesome military discount) has become our new favorite go-to place (sorry, Target).  Anyways, I wanted to share a few pictures of what we've done so far.

MJ, of course, had to help, but the sun-bonnet I got him was just a LITTLE too big.

I tried to get a picture of him with the flowers I was planting, and he promptly shoved the flower in his mouth.  *Sigh*  Will teething ever end?

So, we compromised, and I gave him the hose instead.

One of Jonathan's projects:  creating a mini-patio for our grill.  Our backyard is surrounded by rocks, creating an un-even surface for the grill, and it's kind of a pain.  A few stones from Lowe's and a little soil to even out the ground--problem solved!

One of my projects was installing solar lights on either side of the drive-way (and the American flag was my idea, too).

I also planted some flowers along our front entry-way.  These will be the THIRD set of flowers I have attempted out here.  No matter how hard I try, I have such a black thumb!  These, according to the nice lady at Lowe's, are heat-resistant, drought-resistant, and deer-resistant (huh?) so if these die, I QUIT.

Jonathan loved the solar lights along the drive-way so much that he decided to put some around the edge of our yard.  Oskar helped, of course.

Finished project.  Ignore the dead grass.  Our next "to-do" is replacing the real grass with artificial turf.  It's too much of a pain (and an expense).  Grass is just NOT supposed to grow in the desert.

Jonathan also added some stepping stone to our side walk-way.

Another one of my projects was our upstairs back balcony.  I added some coconut planters, a small tree, and some gorgeous low-light flowers.

Love the colors of these flowers.  And they are actually doing really well (knock on wood!)

And, finally, together, Jonathan and I planted a small herb garden in our backyard.  Parsley, cilantro, thyme, oregano, mint, green onions, and peppers.  LOVE having fresh herbs!

What does MJ think of it all?  He doesn't care.  He just LOVES to be outside!

52-Week Challenge: Week Nineteen

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away."

Or so they say.  This week's challenge is entitled "For the Love of Fruit."  Consume 2-4 servings of whole fruit per day.  One serving equals 1 cup of berries or other fruit, 1 medium-sized fruit, OR a 1/2 a banana or grapefruit.

Just like vegetables, fruits contain a variety of nutrients that help fight disease, obesity, and aging.  And, just like vegetables, the color of the fruit is a good indicator of the types of nutrients inside.  This is why it's important to eat a variety every day (in ADDITION TO and not INSTEAD of vegetables, as there are some nutrients ONLY found in green vegetables).  Also, fruit tends to be higher in calories than vegetables.  This is why you only need 2-4 servings a day instead of the 4-6 recommended for vegetables.

I will admit:  I am not a fruit person.  I like bananas, apples, and grapes.  That's about it.  However, this week, I am going to to TRY some new kinds of fruit.  Not promising I'll like it. . . but I'm going to try.

Here are some suggestions to incorporate fruit into your day:

BREAKFAST:
This is about the only time of day I eat fruit.  It just seems to go naturally with breakfast.  Add strawberries or blueberries to your cereal or oatmeal or eat a banana, grapefruit, or orange with your meal.  Try to always go with whole fruit as opposed to juice, as juice contains more calories, more sugar, and less nutrients.

LUNCH AND DINNER:
Add fruit to salad.  Put apple or pear slices on a sandwich (this sounds gross to me, but the book suggests it).  Use fruit or a fruit salad as your side instead of fries or potato chips.

DESSERT:
Instead of cookies or pie, reach for a piece of fruit with a small piece of chocolate (preferably dark) after a meal.  This will be hard for me, but I'll willing to try it.

Best of luck!

Happy 9-Months, MJ!

Happy 9 Months, MJ!  We're coming into the home stretch for your first birthday.  Incredible.  This past month has been one of the most challenging since you were born.  You started crawling, which means you started getting into EVERYTHING and means we started having to tell you "No". . . which you did NOT like at ALL.  This entire month also seemed like one big, long fussy period.   Whether it was teething or just all the rapid changes, I don't know but, honestly, most days you were a GRUMP.  But those time periods in between grumpy times (even if it was only a half hour each day) were SO much fun.  Here's a look at a few non-grumpy moments. :)

The month started out with a haircut.  And not just any haircut, but a BUZZ cut.  It was all Daddy's idea, I promise.

You got to meet some of your cousins on Daddy's side when Aunt Amy visited with her three boys.  Here you are with your OTHER cousin Gabe.

A visit to Red Rock Canyon with Aunt Amy and Isaac, Philip, and Gabriel (and Mommy, of course).

With Mommy and Daddy one day before he went to work.

Sweet little baby toes in the grass.

You LOVE the park!

Your cool new "strap-on" shades. . . that always slide down and flip down your ears.

Hooray for opening day!  Go Cards!

You're now standing in your crib.  This was the first morning I walked in and found you like this.  You thought it was hysterical.

Relaxing after a long day at the office.

Supporting Daddy's team for the play-offs.  Too bad they lost in the first round. ;)

My new favorite "Matty-ism:" scrunching your nose and breathing really fast.

And yet again. . . 

Playing in the hose is FUN!

REALLY FUN!

How cute is this?  Oskar can always make you smile.

No one told when I became a mother that "jungle gym" was included in the job description.  This picture was snapped while you were climbing on me. . . 

. . . and then you ATTACKED!

I love this picture.  It really highlights your eyes and Daddy's, which are the exact same color.

Water baby.

Only my parents can truly appreciate this picture of my little bucket head. :)

Too cool for school (or just bored).

Look who's crawling!

My little country boy.

Baby-proofed!

"Hmm. . . what shall I watch?"

We love you!  Onto the next month!