4/15/2015
For weeks of 4/1 - 4/15/2015
Weigh in Weight: 151 lbs. gain of 1.4 lbs.
Weeks 12 - 13 were not typical weeks for me. Part of week 12 was Holy Week and Easter. After Easter services we drove up to my in-law's house which is about 2.5 hours away from us. We then went to a retreat down at Chico Hot Springs, which we do every year the week after Easter. So for the rest of week 12 and part of week 13 we were relaxing at Chico Hot Springs. I allowed myself some leeway in the exercising department the last two weeks because it was so chaotic and then I just needed to rest after a very busy Lent, Holy Week and Easter.
I am shocked that I gained less than 2 lbs these last two weeks. I was hoping to not gain any weight or just a few ounces if I did gain weight, but considering I didn't get much intentional exercise for two weeks, I'm impressed. I think I actually gained more weight than my weigh in weight today, but I've already started to lose some of my water retention weight that happens when I travel, so I am down from what I weighed when I got back from vacation. YAY me!!!
One goal I did stick with over the past two weeks is daily prayer and meditation and journaling. So though, my physical activity and health needs some work, my mental and emotional state are going strong. There is just something so therapeutic about writing in a journal. My daily prayer and meditation have taken on different forms. Sometimes in the middle of the day, when I get a chance to sit down for a few minutes and relax, I find myself meditating and praying about something. Usually it is very random, but it is wonderful. My prayers are typically prayers of thanks, sometimes prayers for patience and understanding when I am feeling overwhelmed. I often prayer for the people I care about at random times throughout the day. This exercise has been wonderful for me because it has really helped me to appreciate all of the blessings in my life.
And now for my goals for week 14, most of which deal with re-introducing physical healthy living back into my routine after 2 weeks of slacking.
Goals for week 14: 4/15/ - 4/22/2015
1) Treadmill speed walking at least 2x for 40 minutes
2) Get outside and be active on nice days, with my son
3) Be gracious to myself and allow myself to take a break when I need it
Note: Next week I will not post until Thursday because I will be traveling to Minnesota with my son on a 6am flight next Wednesday morning. Next Wednesday will be a day of recovering and relaxing as much as possible. So until next Thursday, keep on keeping on!!! :)
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Friday, April 3, 2015
I've Caught the Spring Cleaning Bug!!! It's Rummage/Garage/Yard Sale Time!
I've caught the spring cleaning bug. Not long ago I was looking around our living room and a thought came to me, "I hardly use any of this stuff, why do I still have it in my house?"
So I have decided, after conferring with my husband, that we are going to have a rummage/garage/yard sale this summer.
Most of what I want to sell are books and some movies, but there is a lot more that I have to go through of mine too. I have been dragging books around with me that I will not read again or haven't read yet and won't. I have dragged old grade school and high school papers around with me that just need to be thrown away.
I have shoes that I won't wear again because they are either too small or have higher heels than I am comfortable wearing now that my feet have grown and I have children. It's hard to run in heels.
I have clothes that don't fit me anymore or from trips that I have taken that I won't wear again.
Why do I keep these things?
The clothes I keep out of sentimental value. The books I keep because I just couldn't get myself to get rid of them. The shoes I keep because maybe someday I'll want to wear them again.
But after looking around my living room that day, I realized, I keep them because I am a bit of a hoarder. I keep these things because I just haven't taken the time to go through all of my stuff and really, realistically weed out the things I don't use, won't use and don't need anymore.
My husband has agreed to go through all of his things thoroughly as well in the next couple of months and then we will have our sale in July or August this summer.
I've never had my own rummage/garage/yard sale before, so I've been doing some research to find out the best way to do one. I've come up with a lot of good ideas so far and am excited to clear out our house of unneeded things.
All of the things we don't sell are being donated to various organizations that take donations around our area. The things we can't sell or donate are being recycled or put in the trash.
It will be nice to have less clutter in our house, make a little money and give to those who are in dire straits.
I'm looking forward going through my things. I've already found some great stuff that I'm going to keep and some things that we can sell. :)
So I have decided, after conferring with my husband, that we are going to have a rummage/garage/yard sale this summer.
Most of what I want to sell are books and some movies, but there is a lot more that I have to go through of mine too. I have been dragging books around with me that I will not read again or haven't read yet and won't. I have dragged old grade school and high school papers around with me that just need to be thrown away.
I have shoes that I won't wear again because they are either too small or have higher heels than I am comfortable wearing now that my feet have grown and I have children. It's hard to run in heels.
I have clothes that don't fit me anymore or from trips that I have taken that I won't wear again.
Why do I keep these things?
The clothes I keep out of sentimental value. The books I keep because I just couldn't get myself to get rid of them. The shoes I keep because maybe someday I'll want to wear them again.
But after looking around my living room that day, I realized, I keep them because I am a bit of a hoarder. I keep these things because I just haven't taken the time to go through all of my stuff and really, realistically weed out the things I don't use, won't use and don't need anymore.
My husband has agreed to go through all of his things thoroughly as well in the next couple of months and then we will have our sale in July or August this summer.
I've never had my own rummage/garage/yard sale before, so I've been doing some research to find out the best way to do one. I've come up with a lot of good ideas so far and am excited to clear out our house of unneeded things.
All of the things we don't sell are being donated to various organizations that take donations around our area. The things we can't sell or donate are being recycled or put in the trash.
It will be nice to have less clutter in our house, make a little money and give to those who are in dire straits.
I'm looking forward going through my things. I've already found some great stuff that I'm going to keep and some things that we can sell. :)
Thursday, April 2, 2015
Week 11 of Healthier Living in 2015
4/2/2015
For week of 3/25 - 4/1/2015
Weigh in Weight: 149.6 lbs gain of 6 oz.
Week 11 was a good week for me, emotionally and mentally. Though I continue to gain a little weight, probably because I ended up having more sodium in my diet, unintentionally, this week, I feel pretty good in general. We had a busy week here too, so I wasn't able to get in my speed walking exercises as much as I typically do. I have started off week 12 on a much better note exercise wise. I did what I could to stay active and got creative about getting exercise daily. I wrestled and played with my son. Together, he and I hopped around our basement den, him on his small trampoline and I around the floor. You can work up quite a sweat doing this for 30 minutes with the occasional stop for a water break.
As I wrote in the beginning of this post, week 11 was a good week for me emotionally and mentally and I attribute this to two things: 1) Daily prayer and meditation; and 2) writing daily, whether it be in my journal, blog posts or working on my next writing project that I would someday like to get published. I prayed and meditated every morning and then wrote down some of my thoughts down afterwards. Some of what I discovered was very insightful and I have been able to calm myself and deal with stress better by not only practicing daily prayer and meditation, but also writing about it afterwards. I want to keep practicing this exercise and make it part of my daily routine, so it's going on the list of goals for a while starting week 12.
I definitely need to work on eating more low-sodium food and meals. I am going to spend some time in the next couple of weeks finding some more low-sodium recipes that we can make for meals. Pinterest here I come! Part of week 11 and part of week 12 are extremely busy because it is Holy Week. For pastors and their families, it is one of the busiest times of the year. (More to come about this in a future blog post) So I have decided that I am going to give myself a bit of a break. I am going to do what I can as far as daily, breaking a sweat exercising goes and get what exercise I can. For most of week 12, I am going to focus on trying to stay calm in stressful situations. I am going to focus on my emotional and mental health and be active daily. I might not break a major sweat, but movement and being active is calorie burning too, which will hopefully help me maintain my weight under 150 and possibly I will lose some weight too. My goal is to not gain any significant weight over the rest of Holy Week and Easter. I think by staying calm in stressful situations and not overeating, I can do this. Holy Week is about the forgiveness we have been given by God through the death and resurrection of his son Jesus Christ on the cross for our sins, so that we may have eternal life through him.
And so I will conclude this post by saying have a blessed Holy Week and Easter!!!
I will be on vacation with limited internet access from 4/5 - 4/11/2015. My next Healthier Living in 2015 post will be on 4/15/2015. Until then, Keep on keeping on!!!
Goals for week 12 - 13: 4/1 - 4/15/2015
1) eat low-sodium meals and foods
2) Find low-sodium recipes (cook books and Pinterest)
3) Stay active and get some kind of exercise daily
4) Continue my daily prayer and meditation exercises
5) Journal about prayer and meditation exercises
For week of 3/25 - 4/1/2015
Weigh in Weight: 149.6 lbs gain of 6 oz.
Week 11 was a good week for me, emotionally and mentally. Though I continue to gain a little weight, probably because I ended up having more sodium in my diet, unintentionally, this week, I feel pretty good in general. We had a busy week here too, so I wasn't able to get in my speed walking exercises as much as I typically do. I have started off week 12 on a much better note exercise wise. I did what I could to stay active and got creative about getting exercise daily. I wrestled and played with my son. Together, he and I hopped around our basement den, him on his small trampoline and I around the floor. You can work up quite a sweat doing this for 30 minutes with the occasional stop for a water break.
As I wrote in the beginning of this post, week 11 was a good week for me emotionally and mentally and I attribute this to two things: 1) Daily prayer and meditation; and 2) writing daily, whether it be in my journal, blog posts or working on my next writing project that I would someday like to get published. I prayed and meditated every morning and then wrote down some of my thoughts down afterwards. Some of what I discovered was very insightful and I have been able to calm myself and deal with stress better by not only practicing daily prayer and meditation, but also writing about it afterwards. I want to keep practicing this exercise and make it part of my daily routine, so it's going on the list of goals for a while starting week 12.
I definitely need to work on eating more low-sodium food and meals. I am going to spend some time in the next couple of weeks finding some more low-sodium recipes that we can make for meals. Pinterest here I come! Part of week 11 and part of week 12 are extremely busy because it is Holy Week. For pastors and their families, it is one of the busiest times of the year. (More to come about this in a future blog post) So I have decided that I am going to give myself a bit of a break. I am going to do what I can as far as daily, breaking a sweat exercising goes and get what exercise I can. For most of week 12, I am going to focus on trying to stay calm in stressful situations. I am going to focus on my emotional and mental health and be active daily. I might not break a major sweat, but movement and being active is calorie burning too, which will hopefully help me maintain my weight under 150 and possibly I will lose some weight too. My goal is to not gain any significant weight over the rest of Holy Week and Easter. I think by staying calm in stressful situations and not overeating, I can do this. Holy Week is about the forgiveness we have been given by God through the death and resurrection of his son Jesus Christ on the cross for our sins, so that we may have eternal life through him.
And so I will conclude this post by saying have a blessed Holy Week and Easter!!!
I will be on vacation with limited internet access from 4/5 - 4/11/2015. My next Healthier Living in 2015 post will be on 4/15/2015. Until then, Keep on keeping on!!!
Goals for week 12 - 13: 4/1 - 4/15/2015
1) eat low-sodium meals and foods
2) Find low-sodium recipes (cook books and Pinterest)
3) Stay active and get some kind of exercise daily
4) Continue my daily prayer and meditation exercises
5) Journal about prayer and meditation exercises
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Next Up: A Collection of Short Stories, a Devotional, or a Children's Book
Lately, I have been trying to decide what my next writing project should be. I go between starting a collection of short stories, writing a devotional focusing on Jonah and Ruth or writing a children's book.
I am leaning towards writing a children's book. I have some ideas already, one based on an amateur children's book I wrote in 8th grade. I want to revise it and include a few wisdom scriptural passages about forgiveness and love of God and our neighbor; both extremely important lesson to teach children. My hope would be to find a publisher for my new endeavor.
I think a devotional would be fun to do, but I need to do some research on writing a good devotional, as I have not written one before. It would be interesting to write a devotional connecting the books of Ruth and Jonah somehow with an emphasis on Lutheran biblical understanding.
Writing short stories would be the most time consuming at this point and so I am going to put them aside for a while. I still hope to write short stories one day in the future, just for myself and maybe one day find a publisher.
As for my current writing exercises, I am going to continue to post on this blog regularly. I am going to start on my children's book idea and see where it takes me.
I am leaning towards writing a children's book. I have some ideas already, one based on an amateur children's book I wrote in 8th grade. I want to revise it and include a few wisdom scriptural passages about forgiveness and love of God and our neighbor; both extremely important lesson to teach children. My hope would be to find a publisher for my new endeavor.
I think a devotional would be fun to do, but I need to do some research on writing a good devotional, as I have not written one before. It would be interesting to write a devotional connecting the books of Ruth and Jonah somehow with an emphasis on Lutheran biblical understanding.
Writing short stories would be the most time consuming at this point and so I am going to put them aside for a while. I still hope to write short stories one day in the future, just for myself and maybe one day find a publisher.
As for my current writing exercises, I am going to continue to post on this blog regularly. I am going to start on my children's book idea and see where it takes me.
Monday, March 30, 2015
A Pastor's Spouse Perspective, Part II: The Season of Lent with a Toddler Son
The Lenten season is quickly coming to an end with Holy Week upon us. Lent has been a bit of a blur this year for me. These are some of the things that I remember happening, in what I like to call my "Lenten hazy".
I know my husband and I had a date night on a Sunday evening. We went to see the newest Cinderella movie and went out to dinner afterwards. I know my in-laws bought a new house that they will be moving into sometime this summer. I know we have practiced for the Good Friday and Easter cantata every Wednesday since Ash Wednesday after Lenten services. I know that the farmers are getting ready to seed their fields because of the burning and move their cattle to their summer pastures. I know that my son is growing in so many ways and it is amazing to watch.
All of these things have happened and continue to happen, but it is all a blur to me. I think the "lenten hazy" is a coping mechanism to get me through the chaos that is typically part of Lent for pastors. But what people don't always realize is that it is just as busy and chaotic for pastor's spouses. Whether we work and don't have kids yet, work and have kids or stay at home without kids or stay at home with kids, we are dragged along on our spouse's crazy journey. I may be alone in this, but I personally can't wait until Easter Sunday at 12:30 pm when I know all of the Easter services will be done and we'll be getting on the road to head up to my in-law's house for Easter dinner and several relaxing days afterwards. In our synod, the pastors and spouses (if able to) get together for a few days after Easter at Chico Hot Springs, which is about 45 minutes from the Montana/Wyoming border. The border is in Yellowstone National Park. Let's just say, it's amazing. I typically use these days to recoop from the chaos of Lent and Holy Week, taking the time to sleep in and read through my TIME magazines that I am way behind on reading. My wonderful in-laws take care of our son for the week, so my husband and I can get a break, and frankly, my son needs his grandparent time. They always have a great time together. :)
I used to love Lent and Easter. But now that my family is in the thick of all the behind the scenes stuff that goes into planning each service and the time and energy it takes to deal with a 2 year, 8 month old is exhausting. I just want to go to sleep and wake up at 12:30 pm on Easter Sunday. Lent and Holy Week has become more of a season to survive, to get through. But I have also discovered some things about myself during this Lenten season. I discovered that even with my son being a menace the vast majority of the time during Wednesday services, I can still enjoy the services. I enjoy them in a different way than I did before when I would go and sit in the pew and leave right afterwards. Now, I go and sit in the pew, pay attention when I can, and try to see the service through my son's eyes, which is a mix of awe and just wanting to be in the thick of it. He gets so excited that he wants to be right up front and involved. It is just so wonderful to see him grow in his faith and be excited about what is going on. And of course, he wants to be up front with his dad too. ;)
Despite seeing less of my husband, feeling like a single mom sometimes, being alone at services with my son who depending on the day behaves or doesn't during worship services, Lent, Holy Week and Easter are still some of my favorite times of the church year. Now I am going to re-enter my "lenten hazy" so I can survive Holy Week with my toddler son. I just have to make it until 12:30 pm on Easter Sunday and then I can breathe a huge sigh of relief that we all made it through another crazy, chaotic Lenten season.
I know my husband and I had a date night on a Sunday evening. We went to see the newest Cinderella movie and went out to dinner afterwards. I know my in-laws bought a new house that they will be moving into sometime this summer. I know we have practiced for the Good Friday and Easter cantata every Wednesday since Ash Wednesday after Lenten services. I know that the farmers are getting ready to seed their fields because of the burning and move their cattle to their summer pastures. I know that my son is growing in so many ways and it is amazing to watch.
All of these things have happened and continue to happen, but it is all a blur to me. I think the "lenten hazy" is a coping mechanism to get me through the chaos that is typically part of Lent for pastors. But what people don't always realize is that it is just as busy and chaotic for pastor's spouses. Whether we work and don't have kids yet, work and have kids or stay at home without kids or stay at home with kids, we are dragged along on our spouse's crazy journey. I may be alone in this, but I personally can't wait until Easter Sunday at 12:30 pm when I know all of the Easter services will be done and we'll be getting on the road to head up to my in-law's house for Easter dinner and several relaxing days afterwards. In our synod, the pastors and spouses (if able to) get together for a few days after Easter at Chico Hot Springs, which is about 45 minutes from the Montana/Wyoming border. The border is in Yellowstone National Park. Let's just say, it's amazing. I typically use these days to recoop from the chaos of Lent and Holy Week, taking the time to sleep in and read through my TIME magazines that I am way behind on reading. My wonderful in-laws take care of our son for the week, so my husband and I can get a break, and frankly, my son needs his grandparent time. They always have a great time together. :)
I used to love Lent and Easter. But now that my family is in the thick of all the behind the scenes stuff that goes into planning each service and the time and energy it takes to deal with a 2 year, 8 month old is exhausting. I just want to go to sleep and wake up at 12:30 pm on Easter Sunday. Lent and Holy Week has become more of a season to survive, to get through. But I have also discovered some things about myself during this Lenten season. I discovered that even with my son being a menace the vast majority of the time during Wednesday services, I can still enjoy the services. I enjoy them in a different way than I did before when I would go and sit in the pew and leave right afterwards. Now, I go and sit in the pew, pay attention when I can, and try to see the service through my son's eyes, which is a mix of awe and just wanting to be in the thick of it. He gets so excited that he wants to be right up front and involved. It is just so wonderful to see him grow in his faith and be excited about what is going on. And of course, he wants to be up front with his dad too. ;)
Despite seeing less of my husband, feeling like a single mom sometimes, being alone at services with my son who depending on the day behaves or doesn't during worship services, Lent, Holy Week and Easter are still some of my favorite times of the church year. Now I am going to re-enter my "lenten hazy" so I can survive Holy Week with my toddler son. I just have to make it until 12:30 pm on Easter Sunday and then I can breathe a huge sigh of relief that we all made it through another crazy, chaotic Lenten season.
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Week 10 of Healthier Living in 2015
3/25/2015
For week of 3/18 - 3/25/2015
Weigh in Weight: 149 lbs gain of 2 oz
Week 10 especially Monday and Tuesday, was a much better week than the previous few weeks.
I got to hold my first published book in my hands for the first time on Monday. In a few weeks I will be getting copies of my book that I can pre-sell before it comes out nationally in stores in a couple of months. Monday was amazing.
On Tuesday I got some wonderful news and we started planning our box garden for this year. We are going to plant herbs this year too, which will be a fun experiment.
Every morning of week 10, I practiced mediation and prayed about what I am grateful for in my life. I also prayed about things that I need help with. I prayed for patience for the things I can not change quickly in my life. I asked for guidance so I can be the best version of me to my husband and son. I prayed for calm and graciousness towards myself; to allow myself to take a break when I need one. On Monday, instead of working out, I decided to give myself the day off and started watching a show on DVD that I think I'm really going to like, "The White Queen". I'm trying to decide if I am going to make watching one episode on Monday mornings a routine, so I can relax. As long as I get 3 days of speed walking on the treadmill in a week, along with all of the less intense exercise I get from daily life, it will be okay to take Mondays off for a little while. My practice of daily prayer and meditation has been wonderful for my well-being.
I made time to journal 3 times during week 10. Between writing blog posts, which I am doing more of to hopefully build a bigger audience, and everyday life, I'm impressed that I found time to journal. I mostly reflected about my morning prayer and meditation. Journaling is so therapeutic for me all the time.
Despite my lack of sleep (yes, I failed to get 7-8 hours of sleep a night again), week 10 was a great week for me. I am back to 149 lbs, but with healthy eating and staying active, I think I can get back to 148 or even 147 by next Wednesday. Good things are happening! Until next week, Keep on keeping on!!!
Goals for Week 11: 3/25 - 4/1/2015
1) Eat low-sodium meals and foods
2) Make a least one new recipe/meal
3) Speed walking on the treadmill at least 3 times a week
4) Journal 3 times a week
5) Continued morning prayer and meditation
For week of 3/18 - 3/25/2015
Weigh in Weight: 149 lbs gain of 2 oz
Week 10 especially Monday and Tuesday, was a much better week than the previous few weeks.
I got to hold my first published book in my hands for the first time on Monday. In a few weeks I will be getting copies of my book that I can pre-sell before it comes out nationally in stores in a couple of months. Monday was amazing.
On Tuesday I got some wonderful news and we started planning our box garden for this year. We are going to plant herbs this year too, which will be a fun experiment.
Every morning of week 10, I practiced mediation and prayed about what I am grateful for in my life. I also prayed about things that I need help with. I prayed for patience for the things I can not change quickly in my life. I asked for guidance so I can be the best version of me to my husband and son. I prayed for calm and graciousness towards myself; to allow myself to take a break when I need one. On Monday, instead of working out, I decided to give myself the day off and started watching a show on DVD that I think I'm really going to like, "The White Queen". I'm trying to decide if I am going to make watching one episode on Monday mornings a routine, so I can relax. As long as I get 3 days of speed walking on the treadmill in a week, along with all of the less intense exercise I get from daily life, it will be okay to take Mondays off for a little while. My practice of daily prayer and meditation has been wonderful for my well-being.
I made time to journal 3 times during week 10. Between writing blog posts, which I am doing more of to hopefully build a bigger audience, and everyday life, I'm impressed that I found time to journal. I mostly reflected about my morning prayer and meditation. Journaling is so therapeutic for me all the time.
Despite my lack of sleep (yes, I failed to get 7-8 hours of sleep a night again), week 10 was a great week for me. I am back to 149 lbs, but with healthy eating and staying active, I think I can get back to 148 or even 147 by next Wednesday. Good things are happening! Until next week, Keep on keeping on!!!
Goals for Week 11: 3/25 - 4/1/2015
1) Eat low-sodium meals and foods
2) Make a least one new recipe/meal
3) Speed walking on the treadmill at least 3 times a week
4) Journal 3 times a week
5) Continued morning prayer and meditation
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Vegetable and Herb Garden Preparation, 2015
It's that time of year again, when every who plants a garden is in preparation mode. Last year my husband and I planted a small box garden with various vegetables, which ended up being taken over by our squash and zucchini plants. It also produced peas and tomatoes, but everything else was crowded out by the squash and zucchini plants.
So this year, we are going to plant similar vegetables but instead of planting our tomatoes in the box garden, we are going to plant them in planters and I am going to decorate the planters beforehand with some neat DIY ideas I found on Pinterest. Thank God for Pinterest.
This year we are going to plant an herb garden too in little planters. I have found some really nice looking DIY projects to make our herb planters look fun while not spending tons of money. I'd like to have some outside and some inside, so I better get cracking on these projects so they actually get done before we actually plant the seeds. I also found some good instructions on when to start planting certain vegetables and herbs so they harvest at the right time. And instructions on how to dry herbs too. Pinterest is amazing!!!
I am very excited about planting our box garden again this year as well as starting our first herb garden. I would love to eventually have a green house so I can plant and harvest vegetables all year long. The idea of sustainable living and homegrown food really appeals to me and has for a long time. I can't wait to start our garden and herbs. Ultimately, the best part of preparing one's garden is that warmer weather is just around the corner!!! Thank the Lord!!!
So this year, we are going to plant similar vegetables but instead of planting our tomatoes in the box garden, we are going to plant them in planters and I am going to decorate the planters beforehand with some neat DIY ideas I found on Pinterest. Thank God for Pinterest.
This year we are going to plant an herb garden too in little planters. I have found some really nice looking DIY projects to make our herb planters look fun while not spending tons of money. I'd like to have some outside and some inside, so I better get cracking on these projects so they actually get done before we actually plant the seeds. I also found some good instructions on when to start planting certain vegetables and herbs so they harvest at the right time. And instructions on how to dry herbs too. Pinterest is amazing!!!
I am very excited about planting our box garden again this year as well as starting our first herb garden. I would love to eventually have a green house so I can plant and harvest vegetables all year long. The idea of sustainable living and homegrown food really appeals to me and has for a long time. I can't wait to start our garden and herbs. Ultimately, the best part of preparing one's garden is that warmer weather is just around the corner!!! Thank the Lord!!!
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