Okay - I know I have said it before, I LOVE cake. I really do, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE vanilla cakes with vanilla frosting from Safeway (a grocery store here in Canada). It is a sick obsession, honestly it is...someone close to me must come to my house and save me from myself. I accidentally bought to much cake and it not as much was eaten as I had predicted (there was two kinds) and I was left with alot.
...So, I had cake last night, then I had cake at midnight, then a bit more when I woke up at 2 am, then cake at breakfast, then a bit more for a morning snack...some at lunch too, and a bit more for afternoon snack too and maybe some for supper and well, maybe some after supper as well...and there is still more left!!!!
My very good son took a large piece to help me out when he saw I was going back for more and I even sent some home with my mom today - but help me!!!! I have no ability to walk away from the cake!!!! It is a sickness, I can't even help myself! I actually wrestled my son to shove a piece whole into my mouth!!
The sugar level has reached toxic levels, I actually wrestled my son when he tried to stop me and shoved a whole piece into my mouth!!! It is a sickness, I can't help myself! I need reinforcements! I need backup, so please, please come help me!!
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Summer
During June I am dreaming of long, lazy days spent basking in the sun. Warm skin, cool drinks and the shrieks of happy kids playing. I am dreaming of doing nothing and having to go nowhere. Yet summer is over in a blink of an eye. The end of summer is looming ahead of us and the back to school shopping and preparing will soon begin.
My summer days passed with not a whole lot to show for them. I have totally put aside all goals of learning for easy reading historical romance books, all the while doing the bare minimum around the house, which is basically laundry and dishes, and I don't remember the last time I went to bed before midnight or got up before 10. But that is what summer is - a break from all the mundane, everyday tasks, chores and demands that occupies my time during the school year, yet, I have to admit that I am a bit ashamed that I am not using my time a bit more effectively.
Over the next three weeks my Jesse and Tia's days will be filled with back to school prep (Justin is away for all of August). Tia will be have two weeks dedicated to getting ready for fall dance classes and will spend most of her days at the dance studio preparing for fall exams. Tia's final week will be spent in a volleyball camp getting ready for fall tryouts. Jesse on the other hand will fill his final summer days with First Aid and lifeguard training, with some extra time spent lane swimming as he wants to increase his strength and speed. Plus, Jesse wants to prepare for his driving learners test and do a bit of driving training - hmmm, we will have to see about that one.
With two of my kids buckling down and ready to work hard towards their goals, I too will resume working on goals from my Ten Year Plan. The first thing I am going to re-focus on is studying sign language. I know I will want to use it during volleyball season with Tia, so I need to study hard and then practice with Tia so that she will have some practice too (although she reattains it far better then I seem to).
I will also clean my house on Monday - I mean REALLY clean my house. The kids will be out of the house all day and I am going to do both my weekly and monthly clean jobs - both of which have been largely neglected as of late. I will then move on to the yard work. Jesse, Justin and I have been keeping up with the yard work, but I think that some extra time spent weeding and fertilizing may be needed. Plus, it seems like a endless pile of flip flops and runners is growing on my front porch and balls seem to be laying everywhere - soccer balls, volleyballs, basketballs, and kick balls. So before the rain hits - and it will - all those balls will need to be picked up and put back into the bin in the garage. All in all - I think my cleaning will take me all day Monday and some of Tuesday.
Summer is coming to a close and days filled with nothingness is definitely over...but it was nice while it lasted!
Christine
My summer days passed with not a whole lot to show for them. I have totally put aside all goals of learning for easy reading historical romance books, all the while doing the bare minimum around the house, which is basically laundry and dishes, and I don't remember the last time I went to bed before midnight or got up before 10. But that is what summer is - a break from all the mundane, everyday tasks, chores and demands that occupies my time during the school year, yet, I have to admit that I am a bit ashamed that I am not using my time a bit more effectively.
Over the next three weeks my Jesse and Tia's days will be filled with back to school prep (Justin is away for all of August). Tia will be have two weeks dedicated to getting ready for fall dance classes and will spend most of her days at the dance studio preparing for fall exams. Tia's final week will be spent in a volleyball camp getting ready for fall tryouts. Jesse on the other hand will fill his final summer days with First Aid and lifeguard training, with some extra time spent lane swimming as he wants to increase his strength and speed. Plus, Jesse wants to prepare for his driving learners test and do a bit of driving training - hmmm, we will have to see about that one.
With two of my kids buckling down and ready to work hard towards their goals, I too will resume working on goals from my Ten Year Plan. The first thing I am going to re-focus on is studying sign language. I know I will want to use it during volleyball season with Tia, so I need to study hard and then practice with Tia so that she will have some practice too (although she reattains it far better then I seem to).
I will also clean my house on Monday - I mean REALLY clean my house. The kids will be out of the house all day and I am going to do both my weekly and monthly clean jobs - both of which have been largely neglected as of late. I will then move on to the yard work. Jesse, Justin and I have been keeping up with the yard work, but I think that some extra time spent weeding and fertilizing may be needed. Plus, it seems like a endless pile of flip flops and runners is growing on my front porch and balls seem to be laying everywhere - soccer balls, volleyballs, basketballs, and kick balls. So before the rain hits - and it will - all those balls will need to be picked up and put back into the bin in the garage. All in all - I think my cleaning will take me all day Monday and some of Tuesday.
Summer is coming to a close and days filled with nothingness is definitely over...but it was nice while it lasted!
Christine
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Growing Up and Moving Out
It feels quiet around my house as of late. It is very different then when I had four young kids running around my house. When my kids where young there was a constant clatter of noise that made me feel like I would sell my right arm for a bit of piece and quiet. Something was always happening - fighting, crying, banging of toy trucks, the bossing a small, but determined little princess...
Quiet was only reserved for night time when everyone was gloriously all asleep or when the kids were being particularly naughty, like making a magic potion out of laundry detergent or causing a great flood like in Noah's time in the bathroom with small men and animals. Quiet time was basically unheard of.
Yet things do change - one day I woke up and realised that things have definitely changed around here! Now quiet seems to be the norm. Sleeping in and taking naps is loved by all and quiet reading or watching movies is a favorite activity. Every now and again I hear music coming from my daughters room and some pounding on the floor and I know that Tia is once again practicing her ballet, or I hear the kids make plans to go into the field to play soccer or someone bangs around in the kitchen to put together a sandwich, but all in all, it is eerily quiet around here.
This summer also came with another big change. I helped my eldest son pack up his stuff and move out. His once VERY messy room now stands clean and empty and his spot at the dinner table now sits empty.
It is a weird feeling, mixed with happiness and relief of not having the argument to clean his room or having to do his laundry, along with the terror of not having my child under my watchful eye, and knowing that it is totally up to HIM to make good choices now, not me.
As I watch my eldest son work his first full time job and take on the responsibilities of bills and rent I have to admit that I feel a mixture of pride and fear, all mixed up in a tangle of emotions. Questions and thoughts have swirled around in my mind of what I did right...what I did wrong...what is my role now...what does he still need from me?
Even though there is some relief when your kids move out, it is hard to let go. Now, when I look into the eyes of my adult child I remind myself that he will never be too old or outgrow his need for the love, guiding and understanding of his mother and I am reminded that the argument over a messy room will not last forever!
Christine
Monday, August 2, 2010
Just Had to Share...
So I was doing some random reading and I came acrross this:
“A lifetime can be well spent correcting and improving one’s own faults without bothering about others.”
-- Edward Weston
I have no idea who this person is, but as soon as I read this it hit me hard. How often do I focus on what I see as other peoples faults? Far too often...maybe I should change my focus...
“A lifetime can be well spent correcting and improving one’s own faults without bothering about others.”
-- Edward Weston
I have no idea who this person is, but as soon as I read this it hit me hard. How often do I focus on what I see as other peoples faults? Far too often...maybe I should change my focus...
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Rain, Rain, Go Away!!
We are in the middle of torrential downpours! Here in Alberta we sometimes have wet springs, but more or less dry summers. We are known to be quite a dry climate overall...
Well sump pumps have been working over time for the amount of rain we have gotten in the last two days! It has been raining...and raining...and raining...and hmmmm...raining some more!
I have decided I don't like rain - NOT AT ALL! Rain is cold and wet, it makes my hair frizzy and makes me want to hide inside and drink tea and eat yummy baked goods. So I broke down today and whipped up a strawberry-rhubarb pudding cake. You know the kind of cakes, the batter rises to the top and the fruit pudding is hot and gooey on the bottom. The kind of cake that goes perfect with a dollop of whipped cream on top and a cup of tea on the side.
So I am going to sit down with my frizzy hair and try not to scowl at anyone and eat my cake and drink tea.
Hope everyone else's summer is warmer :(
Christine
Well sump pumps have been working over time for the amount of rain we have gotten in the last two days! It has been raining...and raining...and raining...and hmmmm...raining some more!
I have decided I don't like rain - NOT AT ALL! Rain is cold and wet, it makes my hair frizzy and makes me want to hide inside and drink tea and eat yummy baked goods. So I broke down today and whipped up a strawberry-rhubarb pudding cake. You know the kind of cakes, the batter rises to the top and the fruit pudding is hot and gooey on the bottom. The kind of cake that goes perfect with a dollop of whipped cream on top and a cup of tea on the side.
So I am going to sit down with my frizzy hair and try not to scowl at anyone and eat my cake and drink tea.
Hope everyone else's summer is warmer :(
Christine
Friday, July 9, 2010
Two Week Challenge - Update
So for the last five days I have been trying very hard to eat better, not just better, but with more awareness of what I put in my mouth. I have realized that I have become desensitized to what I have been eating in our over processed food society.
This week I planed meals with fresh cuts of meat, fish, lots of veggies and lots of snacks of fruits and nuts...but wow...this is harder then I thought!
So I was just wondering...I wanted to take a poll, do you think I could sneak a couple of Tim Horton donuts, a half a bag of salt and vinegar chips (eaten while shopping), a meal of KFC and a couple of hot dogs into the "whole foods" category???
No matter how much I bake and cook for myself, I am realizing how much I depend on others to supply me with my families food. So I am going to keep on doing this challenge, encouraged that I have become much more aware and am thinking more about what I put in my body. How is everyone else doing?
Christine
This week I planed meals with fresh cuts of meat, fish, lots of veggies and lots of snacks of fruits and nuts...but wow...this is harder then I thought!
So I was just wondering...I wanted to take a poll, do you think I could sneak a couple of Tim Horton donuts, a half a bag of salt and vinegar chips (eaten while shopping), a meal of KFC and a couple of hot dogs into the "whole foods" category???
No matter how much I bake and cook for myself, I am realizing how much I depend on others to supply me with my families food. So I am going to keep on doing this challenge, encouraged that I have become much more aware and am thinking more about what I put in my body. How is everyone else doing?
Christine
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Two-Week Challenge
For the last two years I have been slowly putting on some extra weight - nothing huge, 5lbs - 10lbs. I told myself that this was just the mid-30's spread and that my metabolism was starting to shift and I had also decreased in exercising off and on over that time.
"This is normal", I told myself over and over again and what was a few pounds anyways?
So I just increased my exercise routine, still determined to eat as I was and to fight those extra pounds by some good old fashioned exercise...but wait, it has been 10 months and I haven't lost a single pound! If anything I have put on a pound or two.
Now, I wouldn't care what the scale said if my clothes were fitting better and I felt leaner and healthier, but that is not the case. All my weight is sitting around my middle - the most dangerous place for extra weight to sit!
I am pretty sure I know what is happening - I have slowly been neglecting my diet and allowing much more processed foods into my life - fast food (I am crazy over hamburgers and fries), creamer (you know the kind - the stuff that lasts for a year in your fridge!), store bought cookies and snacks is only to name a few! Plus, I love to bake, I particularly love to eat whatever I bake, which is often filled with sugar, white flour and bad oils (like margarine and vegetable oil).
But, here is the big BUT...I also love my body and want to be fit and healthy! I love the feeling of my muscles taunt and stretching, not so much my fat jiggling! Plus, there is the old saying "junk in, junk out". How can I be healthy when I am filling my body with foods I can't even pronounce when I look at the labels?
So here is my challenge to myself and to all of my family and friends:
For two weeks:
1. Stick to a diet of whole, unprocessed foods.
You know the kind - foods that are in the form in which God created them, fresh, unprocessed and simple. You can also think of this as part of a "Green Challenge" - real food = less packaging!
2. Eat 3 meals a day, with 2 snacks - never miss breakfast and do not eat for two hours before going to bed.
Breakfast kick starts your metabolism for the day - it is the most important meal of the day. Eating consistently over the course of the day helps maintain your metabolism and insulin levels. Helping you burn more calories and store less fat. Eating before you go to bed is the best way to ensure you gain weight, our body goes into repair mode and starts to store all that "fuel", normally as fat.
3. Ensure I am getting 25g of fibre every day.
Fibre not only cleans out your insides, but it helps stabilize your insulin levels, which will increase your metabolism, help you absorb the nutrients in your food better and help decrease the ups and downs in your energy levels throughout the day.
It sounds like a pretty easy challenge - that is until you really think about it! We are such a processed generation that I didn't even realize all the processed food I eat until I sat down with this challenge in front of my! Some of my biggest processed culprits are things I never gave much thought to - salad dressings, packaged yogurt, condiments, sauces, high sodium spice blends, plus all the breads that are filled with preservatives to increase their shelf life.
So for the next two weeks, I am going to be thinking about what food I use to fuel my body, is it good, whole food that will increase my health or is it just something to fill me up. I encourage all of you to take this challenge with me, and as I post over the next two weeks, I would love to hear your comments about your journey to better health!
Christine
"This is normal", I told myself over and over again and what was a few pounds anyways?
So I just increased my exercise routine, still determined to eat as I was and to fight those extra pounds by some good old fashioned exercise...but wait, it has been 10 months and I haven't lost a single pound! If anything I have put on a pound or two.
Now, I wouldn't care what the scale said if my clothes were fitting better and I felt leaner and healthier, but that is not the case. All my weight is sitting around my middle - the most dangerous place for extra weight to sit!
I am pretty sure I know what is happening - I have slowly been neglecting my diet and allowing much more processed foods into my life - fast food (I am crazy over hamburgers and fries), creamer (you know the kind - the stuff that lasts for a year in your fridge!), store bought cookies and snacks is only to name a few! Plus, I love to bake, I particularly love to eat whatever I bake, which is often filled with sugar, white flour and bad oils (like margarine and vegetable oil).
But, here is the big BUT...I also love my body and want to be fit and healthy! I love the feeling of my muscles taunt and stretching, not so much my fat jiggling! Plus, there is the old saying "junk in, junk out". How can I be healthy when I am filling my body with foods I can't even pronounce when I look at the labels?
So here is my challenge to myself and to all of my family and friends:
For two weeks:
1. Stick to a diet of whole, unprocessed foods.
You know the kind - foods that are in the form in which God created them, fresh, unprocessed and simple. You can also think of this as part of a "Green Challenge" - real food = less packaging!
2. Eat 3 meals a day, with 2 snacks - never miss breakfast and do not eat for two hours before going to bed.
Breakfast kick starts your metabolism for the day - it is the most important meal of the day. Eating consistently over the course of the day helps maintain your metabolism and insulin levels. Helping you burn more calories and store less fat. Eating before you go to bed is the best way to ensure you gain weight, our body goes into repair mode and starts to store all that "fuel", normally as fat.
3. Ensure I am getting 25g of fibre every day.
Fibre not only cleans out your insides, but it helps stabilize your insulin levels, which will increase your metabolism, help you absorb the nutrients in your food better and help decrease the ups and downs in your energy levels throughout the day.
It sounds like a pretty easy challenge - that is until you really think about it! We are such a processed generation that I didn't even realize all the processed food I eat until I sat down with this challenge in front of my! Some of my biggest processed culprits are things I never gave much thought to - salad dressings, packaged yogurt, condiments, sauces, high sodium spice blends, plus all the breads that are filled with preservatives to increase their shelf life.
So for the next two weeks, I am going to be thinking about what food I use to fuel my body, is it good, whole food that will increase my health or is it just something to fill me up. I encourage all of you to take this challenge with me, and as I post over the next two weeks, I would love to hear your comments about your journey to better health!
Christine
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