living budget wise

Dirt in my fingernails...

2010-07-12T13:15:00.000-03:00

I've been in the garden! Check out my lettuce and how big they are!! Some nasty slugs got he best of a few heads of lettuce but I've learned a few things about organic gardening:
1. If you want to be rid of pests, you will have to pick them off by hand
2. You have to check your garden 3x a day, everyday
3. You must keep up on your research. There are things I would have never known about such as using grass clippings as mulch, that was SO easy!
4. Marigolds do nothing to protect my garden in particular, they've just provided an appetizer for the slugs on a rainy day before they continue on to my beloved lettuce!!
I've been reading Time Life's Organic Vegetable Gardening which you can find here and I've found it invaluble.
Check the gardening section of this site to see what kind of goodies you might just find...

New Pages Added!

2010-04-07T12:56:00.000-03:00

Check out the different pages added to Living Budget Wise!
Now, you'll be able to surf this blog based on what YOU want to read about!

Grow - is going to cover my adventures in organic edible gardening to save me from spending money on poduce I can grow for a fraction of the cost!

Eat - shows new recipies, methods and discussions about how we can chop our food bills every week

Kids - is well, about kids and all things pertaining to how our children can be stimulated, loved and nutured using little or virtually no money

Articles - is an archive of past articles I've contributed to KV Style's "Budget Wise" column. If you missed a past publication, this is the place to find it :)

Space - is all about our living space where we can frugally create a place that suits our families best and contributes to simplifying our daily lives

I've recently added a new post under "EAT" for a fantastic Budget Wise Vegan Chili that is sure to become a new fav! I used Azuki Beans, my new favourite bean instead of ground beef. It tastes different but if you would like to reduce some of your grocery bill, replacing meat dishes with those that contain beans and legumes instead will do JUST that!Try it today, and if you have a hard time finding Azuki beans, try the bulk barn! They sell them dried but they only need an overnight soak and 45 minutes in a pot with water to be ready for this recipe!

Yogurt Cheese

2010-03-19T16:42:00.001-03:00

I love eating clean (aside from when I secretly gorge on the salt and pepper organic chips in the drivers seat of the car on my way home from grocery shopping)

And I love stuff that spreads onto other stuff. With so many 'spreads' options at the grocery store and even more freaky chemicals added to them to give them a longer shelf life, I resolved to take the matter of an over-priced tiny tub of spreadiliciousness into my own hands and make my own.
Here's how I made some yogurt cheese recently:

You need:
medium glass bowl
a strainer that fits in it but leave room in the bottom
cheese cloth
plain balkan yogurt that contain no gelatain

Dump your yogurt into the strainer which has been lined with cheesecloth.

Leave it in the fridge for at least 4-6 hours. To get a thicker, cream cheese like consistency, leave it to drain for a full 24 hours. You can see in the pictures above that the liquid has drained and there's quite a bit of it, once removed from the cheese cloth, it should look like what's in the bowl picture.

A friend of mine uses this as a base for icing! Yes ICING! her blog is http://www.laundryontheline.wordpress.com check it out! She rocks!

On it's own, yogurt cheese can be kinda bland, but with only a few things added, I was hooked. slurp, yum.

For a savory variety, add dried herbs such as oregano, basil, thyme, garlic powder, sea salt and pepper. The longer it sits, the better it's been infused with flavor.

For a sweeter variety, try pure maple syrup or agave nectar (will make it a bit thinner in texture), cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and pure vanilla bean guts :D

So delicious, I leave you to salivate while I go make a bagel....mmmmmm :)

Simple

2010-03-19T16:16:00.001-03:00

When I'm not cleaning paint and dirt from underneath my fingernails or making a new iTunes list for my next spin class, I'm doing either one of three things.
1. Cleaning the kitchen after yet another meal/snack
2. Laundry
3. Desperately seeking time alone to pray/read/just "be".
On one of those rare occasions, I picked up a book at the Library called "By the Rivers of Brooklyn" by Trudy J. Morgan-Cole
It's a fiction transformed from some fact of how 75,000 first and second generation Newfoundlanders lived in Brooklyn, New York-did you know that happened? me neither.
Aside from the rich history in the book, the novel chronicles all female characters from the 1920's, through to 2004 describing their lives in the times we so often hear as 'a simpler time'. I couldn't help but feel comfortable reading and imagining the years in which the pages took place, knowing full well that as much as it's fiction, it's fact too. Visceral images of hanging wet laundry on a line, stirring a tea cake batter up, poking coals to heat a small kitchen or the reference to how far a few pennies went in the 1930's; it's impossible to not have a warm feeling associated with all those things. One of my favorite passages in the book, I felt, related so much to partly why I write 'Budget Wise' or even have this blog to begin with. Ethel, of the original head of the Evan's family, has been responsible for her house hold for the seven years since she married Jim. This passage takes place during the depression when Jim, a steelworker who helped to build the Empire State Building, hasn't had work for 3 months...

For nearly seven years Jim had been working to support her and their children. Now it was her time, her moment. She stood up and crossed the room, dragging her chair with her, climbing up to stand tip-toe on it and reach up to the top of the cupboard over the counter, reaching way in back for the biscuit tin. She had been putting money into the biscuit tin ever since they got married, always keeping it a secret from Jim and even in a way, from herself, for no matter how badly she wanted to she had never opened it up and counted the money inside. It was mostly coins but quite a few bills too, especially from the first years when Jim's pay was steady. "For a rainy day, " her mother had told her. "You puts aside a little, whenever you can.".....
"Wherd'd you get this?" Jim said, as if she'd robbed a bank and asked for it all in small change. "I've been saving it," Ethel said. "Ever since we were married. Saving it for a rainy day. "

How amazing would it be for all of us to have a 'biscuit tin' for each of our households. Where now, a few coppers doesn't count, but instead replacing them with a few toonies or some five and twenty dollar bills, just collecting over time, for one of our rainy days.
A biscuit tin now is often referred to as an emergency fund. Something as small as $1000 to give you a cushion in the event something arises. The idea of putting money aside seems impossible to me at times, especially $1000!!?? , but ya know, if Ethel (as in any women in the depression who could save enough to cover three months wages) could do it? So can we!

Potato Stamps

2010-02-24T16:24:00.001-04:00

There's alot of things I remember about primary school,and potato stamps was one of them...I think I'm onto a 'retro craft' binge for the next few posts!

You'll need some liquid tempra paint

a few large potatoes

newspaper

a plate to hold your paint and dip your potatoes in

Cut your potato to desired thickness. It doesn't need to be too thick, you can make three stamps out of one average sized potato (and not a lot of wasting)

Design your shape, like a heart, stars, basic shapes or if you had your afternoon coffee, a more intricate design like a happy face

...and then, let 'er rip!

And once the potato stamps lose their charm...Get messy, really, really messy :D

Dont' stand up too quickly now...

2010-02-15T20:27:00.002-04:00

On this particularly snowy day, besides going outside to bash our partially melted colored ice blocks into sparkly ice confetti, we weren't feeling all too keen to create anything new.So many valentines have been handed out, a few too many chocolate kisses have been consumed, so with all that unfortunate-sugar-induced winding, we had to spin back out!

Items required:

One large steel bowl

hard flat surface

a cute bum(s)

Instructions: Place bum in bowl...spin fast...really, really fast! Hilarious, so much fun. Beware, the bowl used for kid bums will NOT fit a mommy bum ;)

Table Top Shuffle Board

2010-02-03T16:29:00.001-04:00

After experiencing how much the kids liked air hockey over Christmas break (and how much money those smarty pants movie folk make on arcade games in the movie theater), I though we'd try a different game at home, trying their hand at pace, prescion and adding up numbers by 5, 10 and 15 (for Kalea anyhow)

Lay out tape on your table. Painters tape or a lower adhesive tape leaves less residue. We, being a family of builders and renovators, have many things such as the tuck tape used here, but any thin tape will do (duct tape will not allow your markers to slid across)

Mark out 4 lines, with the highest number in the middle, which ends up being the hardest to achieve.

I cushioned the end with a few books, as our markers kept falling of the end of the table due to high powered slides.

Using bottle caps or in this case, some think wooden hearts, it took a few tries to get the feeling for how much force is needed, but it was fun. Kalea really enjoyed this, Sam (4) was frustrated as he always pushed it a little too far :(
(nothing a few secret cookies couldn't cure)

Colored Ice Blocks

2010-02-01T09:48:00.000-04:00

It all starts with some empty yogurt containers, water and various food coloring. I didn't really like the type of colored we had on hand for this project, which was the gel food coloring. It doesn't completely dissolve like a liquid coloring. But, the colors were vibrant in the end and so very cheerful!

Mix your colors as best as you can, Sam and Kalea had a great time picking out the colors they wanted and mixing colors to create new ones! Our activity of mixing and pour lasted about 45 minutes from start to finish and the clean up was easy with just bits of water puddles here and there.

Take outside to freeze. I wasn't willing to give up my freezer space for all of these so chanced some different frozen shapes to emerge. To my surprise, it they were all frozen solid and took on the shape of each container :)

Dip in warm water to free the shape....

Start to build!

Us a small dribble of water (your glue) to adhere to each block, it quickly freezes...um...if it's -14 like it was the day we did this

Everyone, myself included ,was thrilled with how beautiful our ice blocks turned out!

We eat alot of eggs...

2010-01-29T21:23:00.000-04:00

....so, in turn need to use up our egg cartons. No step by step pictures here. Just the finished product but it's as simple as anything. Cut out two side by side egg holders-you will need to cut them fairly shallow so they sit close to the face and are comfortable. Use pipe cleaners to make antenna and to arms to hold onto little ears. Decorate and go buggy!

L.A.Z.Y - Lazy Art "zy" You

2010-01-28T21:55:00.001-04:00

I recently found out that the last week of January is the most depressing-huh...maybe that's why I have no creative powers left to think of something fun to do today. Guess we'll make....um...a hat.

Popcorn Snow'people'

2010-01-27T16:40:00.002-04:00

Who can resist sticky, gooey popcorn balls...especially when they are rolled into cute snowmen complete with carrot noses? Kalea and Sam loved this activity but true to the children they are, thought the concept of putting margarine on their hands to roll their balls was the most exciting!

All you need:

4 cups popped popping corn

1 cup mini marshmallows

1tbsp margarine

carrots cut lenthwise about 3/4 of an inch long

raisins

pretzels or candy canes for arms

fruit leather for a scarf

Melt the margarine and marshmallows together in a large pot over medium heat. Add the popped corn and mix thoroughly. Wait a few moments once removed from heat. Slather a bit of margarine on hands and roll three balls from biggest to smallest to form the shape of a snowman. Decorate with whatever you have around the house, all that was missing I think was some fruit leather scarves which we will try next time for sure!

Elephant Valentines

2010-01-27T16:24:00.000-04:00

Adorable doesn't fully encompass these sweet little heart elephants, but being true to my pledge last year of being on top of Valentines day preparations starts not in February, but the month before! Easy cut out hearts, hand traced by Kalea (6) and assembled by both Sam and Kalea were simple and made for little preparation on my part.

Every good paper elephant needs a few flea market button eyes...

And a few dedicated kids to assemble. Easy, cost nothing using everything we had in our craft box. Now I can safely say we are beginning to be ready, just 33 more to go! :)

Unbelievable price on perfume...

2010-01-02T15:52:00.001-04:00

I'm not a woman who waits for her dear, sweet and adorable husband to buy her perfume. There are so many other things that I'd rather have actually, hmmm, things similar to kitchen mixers and newer door knobs. But,when it comes the deal I found this week, it's up to me to fill that void of scent. Now mind you, I'm not a big perfume fan, it's banned from so many places now that it's not worth trying to put it on, but by golly, it's nice to spray the crowing touch after a shower, before a night out with the hubby.
I found huge clearance at Atlantic Superstore in Rothesay...some perfumes were marked up to 75% off! I got a bottle of Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker for $15...regular price $59.99.
I noticed a Burberry Perfume on for $10, regular price $49.00...and on it went!
Nuff said-don't wait for perfume, go and get it girls!

15ish day?

2009-12-09T22:42:00.000-04:00

As my plight ensues, I've carried on with my quest to see how well I can not spend much money over Christmas. Firstly, it actually helps quite a bit that I have no money. Easy enough.

Secondly, I am finding myself too busy to spend money. This is why I post this particular blog. Today we went sledding after school, infact, we forgot to get homework done because we were cold from sledding and needed copious amounts of hot chocolate and a viewing of Polar Express to warm us back up.
Prior to sledding, I've been attempting the challenge of baking bread, like let-it-rise-then-knead-it-then-let-it-rise-and-then-bake-it kind of bread. This mornings challenge was rolls, the ones in the middle of my pan are out of this world, the ones on the outside would be better used for target practice.
With all the mixing, kneading and water warming going on, I've become forgetful as my mind has been so consumed with all said activities. I've found it helpful to write things down. Writing things down as I've discovered also takes time, once a to-do list is written, it is put in one of the following things:

1. purse
2. winter coat
3. gym bag
4. son's spider man back pack
5. accidentely put in daughters barbie lunch box
6. in jeans pocket
7. in wallet - which is still sitting on front hall table---darnit!

ok, so the to-do lists are getting misplaced, so once I get out, I forget what is needed such as toilet paper and new socks, and the vicious cycle of needs/supplies/notes/misplacement continues.

All this to say, the more I intend to do-but not actually get done is leaving me very little time to be shopping to spend money I do not have! Life is good people!!!

A sneak Peak for next week in KV Style..

2009-11-29T21:50:00.001-04:00

I hope you had a chance to view the 2 minute video I had told you about in my last article, if not, check it out now at http://savespinwrite.blogspot.com. Or YouTube “Advent Conspiracy Promo Video”. For those of you who are not familiar with Advent Conspiracy, in a nutshell it’s about doing Christmas differently. And based on the nature of this column, you guessed right, it’s partly about spending less. But more importantly, it’s about acts that are much greater than that.

How about looking at our holiday season differently, whether you celebrate it modestly or elaborately, do you think you could make a few changes? I dare you, and guaranteed, you won’t regret one second of your time or one penny that you spend toward a greater cause.
What I really wish in writing this is that you not feel guilted or obliged into anything, I hope you find these ideas simply inspiring and thought provoking. Maybe suggest some of these things to your family and friends and see what you can do TOGETHER this season.
Something I’ve specifically felt prompted to write about is teaming up with other organizations and involve your whole family or group of friends and co-workers in collecting food, supplies, clothing or general personal items to donate to places in Saint John such as as Romero House www.romerohouse.ca, 506 642-7447.
Another community ministry in our city is OutFlow. If your not familiar with it, read on, I am always amazing at when you just ask, how you quickly become aware of the great need of other people. Every Sunday night Outflow has a large group dinner that meets at Grace Presbyterian Church. The meal served at 5:30…. And music is played during dinner as well. More than 150 people are served every Sunday. They serve the homeless, the working poor, prostitutes, drug addicts, alcoholics and many emotionally hurting people.
Outflow also occupies a storefront on the corner of Waterloo and Union by Topps restaurant. This is where a smaller (30-50 people), intimate setting is created. A place to sit, have a small meal and get to know one another. Outflow believes that the #1 thing missing in ministry to the homeless, the poor and oppressed is someone willing to build a relationship. This is where this ‘family connection’ is created! This Street level acts of kindness house is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights from 7-9pm. It will be open 7 nights a week in due time.
The need list will sound a little random… but it’s the reality of what they really need. Between the two places they regularly need disposable paper plates, bowls, cutlery, water bottles, juice boxes, coffee, hot chocolate, sugar, creamers, Granola bars, mittens, winter coats, blankets, sleeping bags, any type of hygiene products, warm socks. Eventually they want to re-furnish the street level house on Waterloo with new couches, chairs, new fridges and stove, freezer. Beyond all the physical stuff, outflow needs people with passion to help the hurting! Even if people come to just sit and hang out with people during the meal our at the outflow house on Waterloo… its all of value! They have seen some incredible breakthroughs since they have started to walk slower and tried harder to be found in the moment.
The easiest way to go about contacting Outflow staff in order to give something or get more involved is to e-mail outflowministry@gmail.com From here someone will get back to whoever wants to help.

My hope is you find a way to use YOURSELF this season rather than your money.

It's a new era..

2009-11-21T22:54:00.001-04:00

As part of our participation in AC (see previous posts for further info), Kalea had a fun afternoon together, just the girls. We met up with a few of my cousins and their friends for lunch at Holly's Soha Cafe and then we headed to Rhoda's Craft Fair.
I knew there were a few things I wanted to accomplish there today, but both of us (yep, a 6 year old and I), determined it was a day to peruse at length, all things crafty, sparkly and sweet. We got some brown sugar fudge for daddy and sammy, an elastic headband with a cutesie crocheted flower for Kalea and I picked up a piece of original photography by Sara Wormell to accent our bathroom reno. As usual, there were truckloads of knitted goods, toll painted signs, colorful cupcakes and plenty carvings, antiques and sweets in general. We had fun day.It was easy.
As a mother, it was a bit of a thrill to experience my very own daughter in a new, un-charted light. She was charming our fellow shoppers and vendors with the giant gap where two front teeth used to preside and having patience,yes, patience with the whole outing. It's almost like we have entered a new era of life where I can take one of my children to an event we both enjoy, can hold out for food and drink for more than 1 hour and where no monkey bars, slide or swings exist!

It's getting difficult...

2009-11-18T11:52:00.000-04:00

I've jumped into the Christmas season with two feet. Not to shop, not to re-decorate but to really try and warp my thinking around the concept of Advent conspiracy (www.adventconspiracy.org)
I've been really good the past three weeks since this all began when our family determined we weren't spending much of anything on Christmas besides some things for the kids, and instead putting our money towards clean water overseas.
It's getting difficult.
The few times my kids are allowed to watch YTV, 40% of their time viewing a show contains commercials for every new Littlest Pet shop, Transformer, Barbie, Disney movie or Lego Castle. In turn, they talk about what they want, alot. Kalea is writing and reading a ton now, so she has written up her christmas list...and Sam's list too. oh, thanks honey.

I can handle my children wanting things, they're still young and impressionable enough to convince them having three gifts is super-de-duper awesome.
What I can't handle is these waves of 'wanting' when I go out. I'm feeling today like I might be missing out and I'm not going to get a satisfied feeling at the end of December. I wish I could ignore the consumer deep within me, desperately wanting to seek out what sales await.

The official Blog of KV Style's Budget Columnist, Jill Lewis-Watts: Spend LESS, give MORE

2009-11-16T12:23:00.000-04:00

http://www.adventconspiracy.org

Spend LESS, give MORE

2009-11-10T23:44:00.001-04:00

As I continue to borough myself into the facts, interviews, videos and so forth of Advent Conspiracy's site, I am continually amazed at what is happening among SO many people around the world fighting the oceans of pain and suffering of individuals. In fact, I'm embarassed it took me this long to find out. The more you read, the more you investigate information about this topic that we are so shielded from with our idyllic lives, it's staggering and just about impossible to wrap my puny mind around it.

If you take the time to look at Advents site, be sure to check out an interview done with Nathan George of 'Trade as One' (Trade as One is an online fair trade company that sells products that people in America need (things like coffee, olive oil, chocolate, T Shirts, bags, gifts), all made by the sort of people that Jesus called “the least of these” - people released from human trafficking, women affected by HIV/AIDS, people escaping abusive poverty)

Here’s an amazing statistic from his interview:

"If every churchgoer in America made just one fair trade purchase this Christmas, we would collectively lift one million families out of abusive poverty for one whole year."

This is just ONE of hundreds of organizations working for the good.

It's easy when you just stay away

2009-11-09T20:51:00.000-04:00

So far, our new "cut down on Christmas spending" thing has been easy. I was truly urked by how they were slipping Christmas stuff on the shelves before Halloween, and now they that marketing holiday is over, they went full tilt, with "White Christmas" crooning a layer of Christmas spirit over the grocery store.

Besides that, I've not been shopping anywhere and was only at an indoor playground with the kids over the weekend, thankfully with no christmasy theme or decorations...speaking of, ugh...I LOVE decorating for Christmas, but I'm determined to NOT buy anything new to add to my decor, not even more lights. so, we'll see how THAT all goes.
Maybe this won't be so hard?????

2009-11-06T21:14:00.001-04:00

There's alot of things I want to spend money on. I'm no different than anyone else. If I have some extra cash (ha, what's that?), I want to buy new jeans, new clothes for the kids or go our for dinner, rather than cooking. It's all really tempting. And now that it's Christmas, it's worse.
The grocery store is playing Christmas music, the decorations where up the day after Halloween for heavens sake, and the "buy me, look at me, I'm so cool" commercials are starting, hoping to borough a tunnel into my ever consuming nature.
This is madness, there must be a way out!
Coincidently, my sister Crystal had suggested our family participate in Advent Conspiracy, a program that our church, Kingsvalley Wesleyan signed up to participate in, designed to provide clean drinking water to those who have no access.
A few eye-opening points:
450 BILLION dollars spent on Christmas each year
10 BILLION dollars drill for clean water wells
$10 for one child to have access to clean water for LIFE! yes, that's LIFE!

http://adventconspiracy.org

As we continue on over the next six weeks, between this blog and my article in KV Style, I will be journaling what it's like NOT spending money over the Christmas season. Let's just say this, if Christmas were my obesiety, than I'll be going on a radical diet and logging the pains to attain my goal.

I am excited if you are willing to ride this journey with me, either by simply reading what I write, or by being inspired to join in on the sacrifice to better someone else's life.

Swapping is the new Fur Trade

2009-10-07T13:27:00.000-03:00

I am giving the weather the finger today and baking up BlueBerry Lemon Muffins and BlueBerry Sugar Tarts. I tripled the recipe and now have more than enough to share. Hey, maybe I'll host a swap party to go with my most recent article! Here's something for you to chew on today!

KV Style - Budget Wise - Jill Lewis-Watts

Remember history class? I remember learning about the fur trading era and how ancestors used beaver pellets to buy sugar and tea? Well, we have our own version nowadays, it’s called ‘swapping’. You see, some people like the mall, others like big box stores while many may choose thrifty marts. It’s all fun and games until your credit card, cash or bank account run dry. Forget paying for new clothing, children’s items or even items in your pantry with money…pay like how they used to, using something you already have.

Swap parties are the new wave in budget conscious shopping, here is a guideline for hosting your own party and hopefully walking away with some ‘new to you’ stuff.

Decide on the date of your swap party and invite everyone that you think would be interested. The best way of doing this is with emails. In the email, make sure that you tell your friends what it's all about. This for example, if you decide to have a clothes-specific swap party:

Hi Fashion lovers! I have decided that I need some new clothes, but I don't want to spend any money, so I have decided to throw a FASHION SWAP PARTY! I came to this decision after looking through my closet and seeing all these great clothes that I'm a bit tired of but I know some of you might love. So if you want renew your closet then keep Saturday night free from 5:30pm onwards. Please bring as many clothes as you can. The more you bring the more you get. Please be sure that you wash and press all your items. Try to have them in a condition that you would like other people's clothes to be. Please RSVP. Emily.

Make up 3 "value spots" on a table or on the floor. Mark them as Cheap, Mid-price and Expensive.
Create tickets for each pile (about 20 for each). Make sure you leave a spot for people to put their names. A good thing to do is pick up 3 different coloured post-it notes, one colour for each pile.
When your partygoers arrive, tell them to put each item they have in the value spot that they think suits it best. For each item they put down, give them a corresponding ticket and tell them to put their names on each.
Once everyone has arrived, tell the party to put their tickets into a box.
Put some cool music on to keep a festive mood going.
Get the box of tickets and shake them all up. Reach in and pick out a ticket (you can ask random people to do this to make it more fun.)
Each ticket you pick will say a name and have the colour of a value spot. So, for example, if a ticket says EMILY and MIDPRICE, then Emily can go and pick something from the mid-price pile.
When Emily has chosen her item she sits down and the cycle repeats.
If Emily chooses an item that somebody else really wants then draw those two names again to determine who ends up getting it. You can also set up a simple game such as “Who’s birthday is closest to Christmas” to determine who gets that much beloved item.

A final note…I have heard of swap parties that have involved participants bringing anything from un-opened bulk bags of chocolate chips to un-used florescent bulbs! Don’t limit your swapping to clothes only! Have fun!

Swapping

2009-10-02T08:04:00.000-03:00

I'm going to make my next article regarding Swap Parties. I've heard all about them and never tried one. I hear you get to walk away with anything and everything from clothes to extra large bags of chocolate chips?
If you have experience in these parties, I'd love some input as to how they work!

1:48:35

2009-09-27T20:24:00.000-03:00

First half marathon-check.
I owe a big thanks to my my dearest friend, Corinne, who rode her bike alongside me. Without her, I would have had a running jacket tied around my waist the whole race and no one to pass my gels to me. That is true love. I know what to expect for next time *wink, wink*
Feeling good aside from knees and hips that, if they could, would give me the finger.
Must go ice them, will post a picture once they become available!

Race day is tomorrow...

2009-09-26T15:02:00.001-03:00

I got my race kit today. My number is 3126 and I am registered as Jill Lewis-Watts, F, 30, shirt size - small.
I'm trying to rest today, after John determined he was not pleased with the coffee maker I picked out (grumble, grrrr, grumble), I happily went to buy a new one at Walmart. I've determined a few things the past few weeks of coffee maker shopping and sucky retailers.

1. Walmart is full of grumpy, trodden down people who are never able to find what they need
2. Walmart makes children cranky, hyper-active and sinful
3. There are always 100% of display coffee-makers and only 70% of them are actually in stock
3. Walmart gives mothers the understanding of why some species eat their young
4. If you want to sell a coffee maker, you have to include overtly odvious statements on the box convincing the consumer that your machine is unique because it has a programmable clock/timer and you just add water.

With regards to marathon training, there is a new 'human' touch about it I never considered before training for it myself and a few things I have enjoyed.

1. Poop is a really big deal for runners, and if you have not taken the time to understand your bodys elimination clock, then you may become one of those runners who actually squat mid race and then keep going; gross.
2. Some marathoners actually pee themselves while waiting to start big races so they don't lose their spots
3. You can rudely grab a cup of water from a volunteer, drink it while getting it all over your face and then throw it on the ground!!!
4. You can talk to other runners ~~under your breath~~ in your mind like "get out of my way", "ha, beat cha", "damn you for passing me!" and " wow, could your pants be any tighter dude?"

After 12 blissful years...

2009-09-25T15:18:00.001-03:00

... it was time to get a new coffee perk. I bought my original 12 years ago when I first moved out on my own in my first apartment. It was a Mr. Coffee and I purchased it from Walmart for $25. It's always made good and quick coffee, a staple for me right up there with fruits and vegetables. But after a few weeks of burbling, over steaming, leaking and exploding, Mr. Coffee had to be booted to the curb.
To replace him is a new, sleek and sofisticated Hamilton Beach Thermal Perk. No more java burning element or glass carafe to go cold if brought to the breakfast table. Now, it's tranferrable and exceeds my expectations. How is it so satisfying to have such a new item, despite our years together with Mr. Coffee and all the caffienated joy he brought to our lives, to send him along his merry way to the dump while Hamilton takes his former place on my countertop? The love of newness, the need for efficiency and the discovery that it's not a ~~person~~ man, it's an applicance! geez, time get over myself and my attachment to stuff!!!

time for a snack...

2009-09-23T13:15:00.000-03:00

After replacing a new element in our stove-(to go along with the half dozen other things in our home which have expired in recent weeks), I've been eager to bake again. It's been almost a week and it's like there was nothing to round out the lunch boxes with no baked goods in the cupboard. There's lot's of un-knowns in mass produced baked good, ingredients such as "tartaric acid esters of mono and diglyerides", sound scary. Just for giggles, I googled that item and this was my findings....
Functional uses:
It is usually used as the additive in bread, cake, butter, hydrogenated vegetable oil and vegetable oil powder, and has the functions to emulsify, increase stabilization, improve preservation, protect fresh etc.
1. Strengthen the toughness, elasticity of dough, enlarge the physical volume of the bread. Improve the structure of tissue, prolong shelf life and increase the soft feeling and pliability.
2. Complex compound can be formed by starch and DATEM to avoid starch from swelling and losing.
3. It is used as the emulsifier, dispersion agent to improve emulsification and the intermiscibility between oil and water.
4. It is used in butter to make the taste better.
sooo, to translate, it just keeps the bread on the shelf longer.

So, onto the good stuff, I made some fabulous pumpkin muffins.

Recipe has been adapted from www.smittenkitchen.com for one who wanted a "cleaner version"

Pumpkin Muffins
Adapted from the American club, in Kohler, Wisconsin via Gourmet Magazine

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin (from a 15 ounce can)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup of egg whites
1 teaspoon pumpkin-pie spice (or a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves)
1 1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon sucanat*
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Put oven in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Put liners in muffin cups.

Whisk together pumpkin, oil, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, 1 1/4 cups sucanat, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until smooth, then whisk in flour mixture until just combined.

Stir together cinnamon and remaining 1 tablespoon sucanat in another bowl.

Divide batter among muffin cups (each should be about three-fourths full), then sprinkle tops with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Bake until puffed and golden brown and wooden pick or skewer inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 15 to 18 minutes.

Cool in pan on a rack five minutes, then transfer muffins from pan to rack and cool to warm or room temperature.

* sucanat is the product that is the result of a process of hand paddling the crystals derived from natural sugar cane juice. It has a lower sucrose value than white sugar.

Enjoy!

17 clicks down...long run to go...

2009-09-16T16:22:00.000-03:00

got new shoes (thank you Adidas for making shoes for those of us that have narrow feet) which needed to be compressed, got 9 clicks on them today so I'm feeling they should be ok for the marathon. The ol' shox died on me after sunday...I don't think I can run 20k in them...they're now only good for x-training. felt good today, had some minor irritations in my ankles, like tiny pin like pains but nothing that slowed me down, they went away after a few minutes. Legs felt good but felt some pressure in the pelvis after 8k.
I also always get a small stitch in my left shoulder/ribs in the first kilometer that I seem to get rid of but it lasts for 4-5 minutes with some deep, diaphram expanding breaths.
So 8 K on Sunday, 9K today, I have two spins ahead this week and hopefully a longer...16K on Sunday. Then, on from there...

Here's the next map of the next run ahead...11 days!

2009-09-15T21:21:00.001-03:00

MBTS 13.1 Half Marathon
Find more Runs in Saint John, New Brunswick

Dear Lord, what have I done?

2009-09-15T17:59:00.000-03:00

Like the great words of Jim Carrey...somebody SSSSTOP me! After doing the 5 miler on Sunday, I've got the running fever and am now attempting the 13 miler (half marathon) in 12 days. What on earth have I gone and done now? Marathon by the Sea! Aughhh!

Hooked

2009-09-13T13:52:00.001-03:00

I did the race, 8K in 40:(and a few seconds that I can't remember). Five minutes faster than I expected! It was great, but thanks to my ipod. I don't know how I'll ever survive running without one as I hear they're not permitted in a lot of races, but I must admit, I'm hooked. Hooked on beating people! hah! Watch out, they've created a monster! I've entertained the thought of doing Triathlons for awhile now that I have bike conditioning. Now-I'm ready to be one of 'them'.
but first. I need a soak tonight and a stretch of rest time b4 I teach tomorrow night for a 60 min spin! Yay!!!!! I just love it!
Kalea and Sam did the Kids Kilometer (after I carried Sam the first .5 clicks due to his stubbornness) and as it is now a few hours after the whole event, Kalea is still wearing her t-shirt and medal-what a fantastic event, we're doing it next year for sure!

Sore

2009-09-11T13:57:00.000-03:00

I'm sore today but overall feel good. I did the epsom salts last night after I taught an 8pm class and will again tonight as I taught at 9:30 and am keeping the water to me.
I've determined I should not have big expectations of myself as I've learned that this race, the Hampton 5 Miler, is not only a little community endeavour, but a full blown CLASSIC in our region. Lot's of guys running this race use it as a tuner for the Boston Marathon - gulp, what have I done?

Training...for 8k...in 4 days.

2009-09-10T08:08:00.000-03:00

I scouted out the route last night to see what I was in for. I know 8k isn't much in the running world, like what one child is to the mother of four, I know what I'm dealing with itsn't exactly a beast.
Nonetheless, I attempted the route and it was pretty good, for a 3x/wk spin instructor/circuit trainer.
I discovered I could push myself a little further next time, hit the down grades with more speed and know where I have to hold it together to make it to the top of a few steady climbs.
I need to be prepared next time with a thick layer of lip balm on and get a jacket that doesn't ride up my waist so much. I also need to tape my earphones to the back of my shirt so I'm not so distracted with fidddling wires-that was very annoying.
By by 5K, I got a pain on the inside of my right leg near my shin, but it dimiinished within 5 minutes and by 7k, my hips felt much older than 30 years.
All in all, I think I'm in good shape to not come last. I compared my time to those who did the race last year, out of 180 participants, I'm thinking I'll come about 70-80th. Let's see how close I actually get to that.

Signed up to race -

2009-09-08T21:18:00.002-03:00

Hampton 5 Miler New Brunswick Provincial Championship Road Race
Find more Runs in Hampton, New Brunswick

Cheap n' Clean

2009-08-28T17:00:00.000-03:00

After the purchase of a new cookbook, I'm always inspired to get out and try the new recipes. So many soups, baked goods and kid friendly kinds I can barely make up my mind on where to start first...in this case, it's was they "Eat Clean for Family and Kids Cookbook". I Love, so appealing with overly stylized pictures of each recipe..but my gosh, a lot of new ingredients I don't normally stock-but want to, really.
Agave Nectar $8.79
Sucanant $4.69
Kefir $2.99
Organic berries, um..double the price and never again is all I'll say about that. Now I have to sit down and really figure out how I can afford this improved way of eating.
We have ALWAYS been healthy here, or, at least I have been and continually attempt at convincing John and the kids to be, but aside from that, we don't eat like crap. I don't allow it.
But eating 'clean' is a whole new ballgame, right down to making your own ketchup. That'll be a whole new posting...

Eat Clean vs Julia Child

2009-08-27T10:25:00.000-03:00

How was Julia Child not the size of a barge after cooking like the french do? I am fully aware of the concept of "Why French Women aren't Fat", but holy butter batman.
I'm a clean eater, or, at least learning to be in hopes to help my children see food as fuel, but Julia never mentions egg whites or agave nectar in her writing. In 1961, 'eating clean' was more about washing your duck before boning it as opposed to understanding the glycemic index of your food. The methods,ingredients and outcome of food produced by gourmet cooks is so much more romantic and eating clean can feel like a responsibility, which really doesn't inspire the same feeling. hmmm, I am going to continue on after seeing how Julia inspired so many to master the art of french cooking, thinking of ways I can 'clean up' a Beef Bourguignon...

My most recent article published in KV Style...

2009-08-27T10:08:00.000-03:00

By way of some ‘educated’ advice, I learned recently about a website I just had to share with you. It’s called SOS Cuisine.com.
It’s a simple and FREE, 4 step way of determining your needs for what you want to eat for the week and it does everything and as their website boasts…”Who said you should sacrifice good food in order to save money? We propose balanced 3-course meals that cost $3 per serving or less, using items that are fresh and always at a good price. You won't be wasting anything you buy, since ingredients are either used up in full in one recipe or used over several meals. You will be able to personalize your Menu by adding or removing recipes. When you print out your Grocery List you will see all of the items that are available at a reduced price. Finally, consult your Action Plan, which outlines all of the steps that need to be taken in to make your week of meal planning a success”
For the purpose of my particular interest pertaining to this article, I went onto the site to check out what kinds of meals were offered for the prices stated.
I chose the ‘Budget’ option out of several types of meal plans they offer including, Beginner, Gourmet, Cooking for Kids, Express, Vegetarian, No fish or Seafood and it goes on. It is definitely optimized for Ontario and Quebec which means the price will be a little higher for us here in NB, but still adheres to what available in our local grocery stores or farmers markets. It’s normal ingredients and nothing you haven’t heard of before.

The average cost of each meal was $3.06 and they provided me with the average per day and per person breakdown of how much Canada’s Food Guide is included.
A full nutritional breakdown is provided for each recipe. I do have to say that some of the recipe options can be higher in calories, sodium and fat but you have the option of making modifications before you even print off the grocery list (for example, choosing lower fat dairy products, opting for leaner meats or choosing lower sodium broths)
Each recipe is listed in full detail, right down to whether or not you have to soak your beans overnight. SOS Cuisine provided me with reviews from other members and information such as whether or not I could prepare it ahead of time or if it was freezable.

All in all, a very helpful site, worth the 20 second, no charge sign-up. My family and I ate well, I chose some of the kid friendly recipes and everyone was happy without breaking the bank.

2009-05-05T20:24:00.000-03:00

holy moley it's been a long time since I got on this thing.

I'm blaming it on being a woman.

I enjoy a lot of things and not just enjoy them...but NEED to do them because I HAVE to, otherwise I feel dead inside. Like for instance.

1. socialize. I must be around other people on a daily basis, not including children, namely women
2. enrich my children's minds. I am obsessed with them being exposed to all things such as nature and art. I am fearful they will grow to be dis-functional adults with low I-Q's and then aimlessly live with us till they are 30. 3. be in control, and on top of all things related to my life. This is not only exhausting (and might I add I know I am in denial)...impossible. 4. plan stuff. again, this is related to socializing but I am a leader and like to have a plan of Friday nights, long weekends and vacations 5. tidy the slip covers on my stupid living room couch. I refuse to replace them because I KNOW Sam will ruin a new set, so I keep the sloppy, droopy, atrocious, stupid, stupid things 6. clear the counters of junk. I hate clutter almost as much as I hate when people clip their nails in public 7. write. I need to share it all

These all take a copious amount of time. After being away for a weeks long vacation down south and my requirements to plan, pack and stay on top of it all, I am left with giant blanks in my communications.
I think i am back now.

Something different.

2009-03-19T13:27:00.000-03:00

Each 'holiday'...whether it be a special occasion or what have you, I like doing projects with the kids. Through fun activities, I feel it helps teach them what that holiday or special day is really about. For St. Paddy's day, we made green cupcakes with little green marshmallows on top to represent a shamrock. I added some green food coloring to their morning eggs too. (turned out very well but they refused to eat them-a waste of 6 eggs)
I read this fantastic article almost a year ago about thinks you can do to enjoy being a parent. One of their ideas struck me and I resolve to do it next year! The night before St. Paddys day, once the kids are in bed...trash your house. By trash, I mean, take some cushions off the couch, turn some chairs upside down and leave little green handprints on things (using washable paint and a leprichaun sized hand stamp). Color the milk green too. Good idea!!!
Then leave little pots of green jellybeans and foil covered chocolates laying around to prove the wee little men were there!
haha, I though it sounded so much fun and wished I'd remembered this idea..BEFORE March 17th came around! next year for sure!

My mother in law also shared about this project she came across called "The Creativity Project". It sounds so much like what I've been doing in the past, but reading this blog about it re-ignited my desire to tap into my creative resources. I just don't get to use them as much as I'd like.

Some good news to share. Bonnie (John's mom) has recenlty found out about her course of treatment regarding her cervial cancer. I was relieved to know she can start her treatment as early as March 27th and it will go on for five weeks with radiation each day and chemo on Fridays. The sucky part about all this is there will most likely be some weak, tired and sick times for her, I wish we lived closer to help her. Please pray for the healing of this disease in her body and have her back to normal again.

That said, it is time to celebrate life now, I know Bonnie agrees with me. Thinking up some 'springy' projects to do for tomorrows induction of 'The first day of Spring'...dirty snow banks and all.

Being 'down' with IT!

2009-03-18T20:46:00.000-03:00

After a recent conversation I had with someone I hadn't seen in awhile, I was stunned to actually hear myself say "I am really in a place where I feel a good balance".
What's that all about?
You see, where I grew up, in the center of the Universe..."Ontariariario", balance appeared to be a hard thing to find. It was a large city with so much to live up to, at least, that's how I perceived it at the time. See, we were a single income family who had moved from the slow economy of the Maritimes in the late eighties, to the 'bright lights' as my grandparents call it.
My parents loved the concept that there was more opportunity there than lil' ol' Saint John, NB and sought a new adventure in their lives.
So I went to an elementary and high school in an affluent section of the city, where most families rolled in it, and my sisters and I rode our second hand banana seats from our modest bungalow to Beckers to rent movies and pick up milk for mom.
I really believe I've had a complex since that time which I havn't ever been able to shake.
Most kids may grow up in that very modest way and be cool with it, and dream that one day they'll have more. And then other kids would be oblivious to it, see thier daily activities as super awesome and just continue on being a kid. I just wasn't there and never was.
I continued on, well into my twenties striving, comparing the crap out of things (yeah, I still do this time to time, I won't lie) and justifying 'My Life", flattering myself, as though the world even tuned in to see how I turned out.

Ok, so I, I'm back to the present, and I'm saying this about having balance and all. I really meant it! Like, I really, really did and I sorta couldn't believe it and yet...here I am writing abou it all.
I like just about everything, my husband and our relashonship, my children and my role in their lives, our friendships, my personal time, our future in business despite the ongoing stress of potentially owning it and just...me as me.
I said almost just now because of that frustrating element of why the heck I can be 100% about everyTHING, all the TIME. There wasn't a switch that forced my thinking into what it is today, because there's always something going on which I beleive are the hurdles we must experience to have a truly rewarding life. Overcoming them and learning from them are essential in my minds eye.
The fantastic part of my little convo today was that I believed for one of the first times, that I actually don't give a rats ass anymore!!! (and that I just wrote ass!)
I really don't care if my life compared to anyone elses is better, stronger, happier, richer, dreamier...any of that.
I'm quite content with it, even with it's hair pulling moments, dreadfully nervous 'firsts' and of course it's joyousness . It's all good.

I'm 30 this year, and I'm thinking that has something to do with it...oh wait....does it just keep getting better??!!!!

2009-03-01T18:49:00.000-04:00

*%$*&&$#*#*!!!.....ahem. Ok, that's a bit better.

Money.

That word conjures up images of so many emotions. Instantly I replay the theme song for The Apprentice "Money, money, money, money, money, money.....MONEY!" and then it stays in my head until I hear another tune to cause more madness.

Next I move along to the dreadful feeling of how it never seems like there is enough. I'm kinda putting myself out here as it's not something many people are willing to admit to-but I know you're out there!!!!!! Please say you can relate with me on this, don't leave me hang'n!
It appears to me, with my rose colored lenses and all, that everyone is 'coasting' quite nicely, snuggly in comfortable homes, wearing fairly new clothes, kids and pets all well fed and dressed . Most of us don't drive a Jalopy, we all have our teeth and we have access to pretty much all the basic medical needs.
There's a few folks who seem to have it, including a golf meeting with their banker
For most of us, our bases are covered by far, but it never seems to be enough.
A comfortable home isn't really much to brag about unless it has hardwood floors, a jacuzzi and finished basement. Our clothes aren't 'cool' unless they're 'juicy' and 'phat'. Our kids may not be accepted if they have second hand or slightly dated clothing and toys and we would be mortified to drive a vehicle older than 7-10 years old. I humbly put myself in this statement and certainly wouldn't hide the fact that I too wish for more and better. Play your tiny violin for me.
You gotta have money for alot of different things, I'm talking about just a drop in the bucket here.
What more and why I'm posting tonight, is the unsettling feeling I have in thinking our family is the only one who has to think about our finances. I get this unusual impression that everyone else is coasting and stuggly while my eyes are blistered from the sight of our bank account. Ok, chime in anytime now!

Hey, have you ever seen that Our Lady Peace video done a few years back, where the characters in the video had these little blips of text attached to them where ever they went? It makes me think...hypothetically speaking of course, if we were to all walk around with those bits of text attached to us everywhere we went, citing the exact numbers of how much we owe, or how much we have, financially speaking, would we look at each other differently?
Would we finally feel like maybe we're doing pretty good after all?

Go ahead, have a good cry

2009-02-16T08:54:00.000-04:00

I am told I'm 'healthy'. Emotionally....healthy.
I, like many women can cry quite easily. For the women who do cry easily, you'll relate to this. If you don't cry easily, I want to buy you a coffee and dig deep into your soul to find out how you do it.
It starts with a feeling of heat in my face, my heart starts to beat harder, my ears start to ache as I push down the knot forming in my throat. I don't really want to cry...number one... because the 10 minutes I spent on my eye make-up will run (superficial...I know)...and number two....because I care about what others around me think (an ongoing character trait I continuously work on)
They might think I'm weak.

But several years ago, I remember one particular time I cried and have thought differently about crying ever since. It was when John and I were leaving Ontario to move to New Brunswick. It was our last Sunday at the church we'd been attending and it was very sad to say goodbye to a great community church which we'd really grown to love.
I cried, and cried. John..in his usual melancholy nature, was perfectly aware of my emotion and as he's always done, just let me do my 'thang', quietly listening to me go on and on about how sad it was.
The service ended. With bloodshot eyes, I asked John 6 times if it looked like I was crying and pasted a mannequin smile on my face to head out to the lobby.
I ran into a wonderful woman I'd known for many years who just had to look at me once for me to fall apart all over again. I apologized for myself and tried to wipe my tears with an already wet/snotty tissue.
She put her hand on my shoulder and said " Jill, your just so emotionally healthy, anyone who cries easily and can display emotion, are the most emotionally healthy people!"

huh.

Still to this day, there is a part of me that doesn't believe it. But, I continue to feel like a wuss everytime I cry, especially during worship services (and when I hear about tragic news involving families or children, romantic comedies, everytime a baby tooth falls out, when I stub my toe, an inspiring commercial, when Matt dances with a big group of people www.wherethehellismatt.com) ...but I cannot help myself.
I truly believe that when the Spirit is touched in an emotional person, it's like trying to cap off a fire hydrant.
Oddly enough though, when I see or hear another woman cry, I hardly think twice before crying along with them. I think it's so great they're open to display themselves in a way that shows they too are human beings...right along with me.
It's reassuring to know I am not the only female human who isn't strong all the time, doens't bat 100% each day, screws up royally, dissapoints myself and others, feels trodden down, is exhausted, feels inspired, is proud and wishes so badly she could do and be better in most aspects of her life.

Anyone have a tissue?? *sniff, sniff**

Idealism that fades

2009-02-11T09:02:00.000-04:00

It's been a lifetime of figuring out.
I don't understand it and even writing this blog, am not sure if I ever will get it.

Here is my example.

Early on in September, with the beautiful foliage of fall in full swing and the air crisp and fresh, my first-born five year old started school.
This was a moment I'd been thinking of and dreaming on for most of my life. Having a little child to merrily send off to school.
I could en-vision myself at the end of the driveway on a day described exactly as above.
(the following IS ridiculous but just go with me here, I WAS idealistic) After getting up promptly at 6:30 to prepare my dear child without rushing them, sporting a tidy pony-tail , wearing a freshly pressed LLBean cotton blouse, khaki pants and leather loafers, we would descend to the bus stop. While waving to my adorable child once she boarded the bus, I would also be holding a hot, steamy cup of coffee in my hand while fingering the diamond stud earrings adorning my wonderful, domestic self.

Fast foreword.

Today, as I walked back up my driveway after seeing Kalea off to school, I couldn't help but think " wow, my idealistic visions have really faded"... this is why.

I got up this morning at 7:07. That was because at 4:31 last night I was woken by Sam crying because he had a cough and needed a drink. I thought I would check on Kalea while I was up and discovered she had moved herself from her bed (that has a plastic mattress cover), to my cotton, slip covered living room couches. They and her were soaked in a healthy kindergarten kid pee. I was too tired to deal with it and she was sleeping deeply, so I left her (yes, mother of the year over here)
Once we got up and going, and while wearing pajama pants that John dubs "Hammer Pants", I heard myself yelling a few times " Eat now!"..." Where are your snow pants!"..."Stop bothering your brother!".
Looking at the clock, I discover we have less than two minutes to get to the end of the driveway. So, I pull on my uggs, a long, puffy winter coat, hat and gloves and head to the end of the driveway where the driver picks up Kalea.
As always, she is excited to see Huey, her bus driver and waves to her beloved friends on her bus, she hops on, I wave to Huey and head back into the house.
This is where my idealism faded quickly.
My 'hammer pants' with their graphic, bright print were hanging out of my salt stained boots, my coat needs to be stitched at the bottom where the zipper started coming undone and needs a good washing. My hair was thankfully covered up by a toque and I desperately needed to brush my teeth. No diamond studs, no leather loafers...no steamy hot cup of Joe.

Am I a little less glamorous, yup.
Am I an less happy?

NO.

Spiritual Image

2009-02-10T20:38:00.001-04:00

I went to Heathers spin class today. I had to sub out my own class last night as there were complications regarding John's IV appt. and the usuall 6pm start time of my class. I missed it soooo much!
Can honestly say I am ADDICTED to high intensity cardio.
I can easily start one of my own classes or someone elses and think " This is going to be a hard ride today"...and then within 15-20 min...be hardcore into it! LOVE it!
Love the high of muscles burning and lungs squeezing. Plus, the aftermath of it all...the happiness you feel from the 'happy chemical' rush to your brain, the satisfaction you just did something really good for myself and de-toxified mybody with a heavy sweat.

Superficially, I know I also burned 4-700 calories and thankfully, that is just one step closer to getting rid of the layer of maternal fat that is covering up my six pack. Buuuuuuut, is that really wrong to think that way?

I need to go back and read some of my own posts .....

Cellulitus Stinks

2009-02-10T19:59:00.000-04:00

Today was the first day since last Thursday that the swelling in John's arm has gone down. It all started last week this time when he came home from playing a hockey game and had fallen on his elbow, causing a wound. Some evil bacteria got into the wound and so our 'adventure' began.
He saw our family doctor who diagnosed him with Bricitus. But, a day after seeing him, John's arm from his elbow down to his wrist, became red, hot and hardened. But even more so, stiff and sometimes very painful.
So, we went to Emerg on Saturday, were in and out after two and a half hours once he got IV antibiotics. After that, we had to go back for two more IV treatments. Sunday was the worst with a 4 hour wait to get into his treatment (and that was after talking the triage nurses into giving him the IV in a chair somewhere in the waiting area)
John went back yesterday and finally today to the day IV clinic. He has two more IV treatments to go.
We got home the first day after being at the hospital and found out that his mother has also been diagnosed with Cervical Cancer.
It has been a dark few days. I was surprised at how much I felt affected by two days spent in an un-inspiring hospital. My heart goes out even more to the people who stay at the hospital.

Trusting a few more days in the real world with our regular schedule, some time at the gym and decent bedtimes will get things back to normal.

Dry

2009-02-06T09:37:00.000-04:00

Ever feel like a dry, withered plant? I do today and have for the past few months. Winter probably has alot to do with it, that depressing lack of sunshine makes me feel un-motivated and un-inspired. It's not the dry air or the fact that everything else around me is in a state of frozen hibernation...it's the aspect of how everthing I do, spiritual or not, seems cold.
My attitude has sucked lately. I've not exactly been the encouraging person doleing out half-glass-full manta's. My perspective about issues in my life have only left me grumbling and shaking my head on how stupid people can be or how ridiculous a decision is. This isn't how I like to be and I'm not proud of it, but it's honestly how I feel. Kume-bye-Ya.

I haven't been reading much in the past few months actually and am embarassed to say it's due to the classic,cliche reason of the holidays and then sickness in my little family. If your a mom or even remotely understand a mothers role, you might 'get' me here-our work is never done.
Not reading literature pertaining to christianity or even sitting to meditate or pray, leaves me feeling dry.

..like...we're supposed to be 'watered' all the time right?

But, if we don't water ourselves, then who will?
We're meant to SEEK the spirit right?
Am I missing something here?

When I have plants (which isn't often, becuase I most always kill them), I put them somewhere that looks good (hmmm, self-discovery moment...I really am about impressions) Like as part of a vinget. Then I leave it...and leave it...and leave it. Oh, and then, it gets a little crispy and the soil starts to get kinda gray...but it's still green, so it'll be fine.
Then two weeks later when I really look at it again, it's brown and ugly. I scurry to water it, hoping my splash of water will bring it back to life. Sometimes it does, but sometimes it needs more than just water and a full blown fertilization process.
Converting that to how I live my life spiritually....ouch.
I'm not consistent which explains my current dry and withered state.

I resolve today to start back into my reading, if only few a few splashes.

It's getting dizzy in here ('here' being my brain)

2009-01-17T16:24:00.000-04:00

I have THEE worlds biggest imagination. I can put myself (in my imaginary world) in the worst possible situations. It's how I got wired. Lucky me. With all the cold weather we've had lately, and especially when things get to -25 or below, I find myself going into a panic mode.
My heightened sense of paranoia has me putting extra blankets on the kids at night, insisting everyone wear long underwear before they leave the house (even if it's just to go to the car) and triple checking that my cell phone is charged before I leave the house. I worry about the car (even though it's new), giving out on me due to the cold, mainly when the kids are with me.
Sickness is just a way of life too when you live in our climate, everyone gets a cold now and then. Kids especially. Despite all my valiant efforts to keep their diets heathly, healthy, healthy, those stink'n bugs weasle their way into the immune systems of my young and break 'em down, resulting in neon green snot and quite possilbly a puke fest.
Oh yeah, and then there is the money required to keep our home warm enough while the temperatures outside drop to -30. Being the financial head of the house, this has my heart pal-pi-ta-ting... oi.
Once I have odd occation to stop for a moment, after cleaning the toilet, folding the thermal underwear, adding free wood to the fire and plugging my cell phone, I get that little whisper which I try to ignore.
Nah, I've got things under control...my control.
I want to be in charge, afterall, I'm good at it.
But I'm not in control.
And I know who is.
Geeeez. Why can't I just remember that the first time? Before all the hot sweats over bank statements and the current rate per kilowatt....

Importance...Un-Televised

2009-01-14T09:20:00.000-04:00

I watched the Golden Globes a few nights ago, my un-glamorous life has never seemed more...well....dull. By no means am I short on activity, events and overall things to do, but somedays, I am tempted to think I could use like, an awards show or a crew of stylists to make it seem more...important.

It's a crutch I think most of us stay-at-home mothers struggle with. How many times have I walked past a store full if beautiful dresses or for this example, seen Kate Winslet dressed up in Yves St.Laurent, humbly accepting her two GG's and then thought "Gee, it'd be nice to have a place to even wear that!"

On a day such as today, these desires become even more prevelant as I am fully aware of my 'Worst Dressed' state. If Kujo could only see me now in my cut off stretch pants and faded t-shirt.

And yet, I sit here, blogging my thoughts away to come to terms with the state of my life today, in order to go ahead and unload and re-load the dishwasher. Only for it to require a re-load at the end of the day. *sigh*

Within the mess of my thoughts, God brings my thoughts back to a simple sunday school song; "This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it!"

Apart from having two small children of my own, it's difficult to escape the stuff you were exposed to as a child. I was exposed to church, and alot of it. Amid all that time spent in church, AWANA and kids/youth clubs, I learned alot of bible themed songs. Their simplicity is memorable and I regularly go back to singing their repetitive chorus'. I don't believe we all have to be spiritual 101 scolars to have a deep understanding of our purpose each day. This is the day that the Lord has MADE! As I believe HE made it, then it is important. I am important, and the endless list of scripture and books written about my purpose proves that. I will rejoice in my life today and confirm many things!

Being home to raise my children is creating LIFELONG memories I would not have if I worked outside of the home (yes, I've been home for five years and am still coming to terms with this)

It is an honor to serve others. Even it's it's serving my husband and children dinner each night and putting away clean and folded underwear in their drawers. I am doing God's work at home, it's just not been televised.

Being selfless for the amount of time I am unshowered so I can make a lunch and kiss someone goodbye takes the focus off me, me, me! (as it's usually about due time)

No amount of Gucci can compare to the importance of me standing at the end of our driveway to welcome Kalea off the bus each day

I am loved. My family loves me like I love them.

I have all I really need and am to be SO gratefull for it. We have a warm and comfy home to live it (as I look outside at giant snowflakes falling in high winds)

food to eat each day and very good health.

Maybe not so glamorous, but today I will go foreward, knowing it really is worthy!!