Survey Says!

I used to love watching Family Feud... and they'd say, "Survey says!", and the contestant would try and guess the most popular answers.  Loads of fun.  

Which leads me to this, since this, (in my mind) is similar  :)  ....  I was bored one day, and did one of those "bored" surveys.  I thought it was fun.  I challenge you all to take this survey too.  It's fun to see what everyone's answers are. :)

Dislikes:

-watermelon flavored candy

-snobbery

-Spelling mistakes

-Grammatical errors

-greasy food

-spicy food (I'm a wimp)

-Tilapia (I call them "poop fish" for a REASON!)  

-dental visits

-Soggy cereal

-Bono-bashers

-Plastic/Saran wrap

-Getting up early

-finger pointers/ judgmental people

-dog hair

-rude/mean/manipulative people

-bad manners

-swearing

My Favorite Words:

deliquesce - to describe that the salad has started to liquefy and it's way past time to toss it out

Gephyrophobia - anxiety from a fear of bridges. Bad thing to have in this "river" city!! :)

Godiva - does that really need any explanation?

On Sale! Not a "word" exactly, but definitely something I enjoy

Places I'd Love to Visit:

-The Shire!

-London, England.. especially if The Doctor is there.. :)

-Rome

-EWTN

-The Holy Land

-Ireland

-Hawaii

Random Other Information:

- my favorite cartoon character is Garfield the cat

-the first cartoons I read is Famiy Circus, Marmaduke, Blondie, Garfield, and Pearls Before Swine

-my favorite game is Mah Jong

-I've had 4 hernias, 3 kidney stones, and two children.

-I could spend all day in a library or a bookstore

-I have seen the Rolling Stones one time in concert.

- I have seen U2 in concert three times. :)

Random (favorite) Activities:

-cooking/baking

-book sales/library/book stores

-museums

-thrifting

-farmers markets

My Favorite Things from When I Was Little:

Flintstones Push-Up Pops

Fun Dip

Space Dust

my hippety hop

turtles, frogs, and toads

Climbing Magnolia trees

Daddy grilling out

Camping in the mountains

helping Momma shell peas

feeding chickens and gathering eggs

sitting in my grandparents laps

Books on My Personal Reading List:

books about the Saints

Any book by Amy Tan

"What Do You Say To A Naked Elf?" by Cheryl Sterling  (don't judge me!) LOL

Anything in the "historical romance' section as long as it isn't smutty

I've read all the Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles, and all the Sookie Stackhouse books

Love reading classics with my kids

 "A mother is the most important person on earth. She cannot claim the honor of having built Notre Dame Cathedral. She need not. She has built something more magnificent than any Cathedral -- a dwelling for an immortal soul, the tiny perfection of her baby's body." -- Joseph Cardinal Mindszenty

Tea Deprivation, Fried Bologna, and Earth Mother Soup

Today was the official *Day One* of making changes to what me and my family are eating.  I have vowed that half of what we consume needs to be vegetables, and though we are not 'going vegetarian', we are definitely going more plant based and closer to the earth.  

So last night I, (in the spirit of starting things off right), had some stir fried cabbage for my dinner.  I wanted something "yummy" after the cabbage.. so I consulted one of my books and made my first "healthy" dip/spread.   I used a can of black eyed peas, drained and poured into my Ninja.   I peeled several cloves of garlic,  and added those, along with a drizzle of sesame oil and a bit of soy sauce and some dill.  Even the kids liked this.  The garlic is super strong, with a bite to it... but pretty tasty with sweet crunchy carrots. :)   We are safe from the Cullens.  Hahaa!

However, this morning my stomach let me know it was greatly displeased with me after the cabbage and bean dip from last night.  Undaunted, I was feeling rather happy and excited about this new journey, and after all, it was all delicious (all that good fresh stuff!) and I was "going to DO this!".  

Heading into the kitchen, I felt very aware of 'not' getting the tea from the pantry.  I have made a pitcher of tea every morning ever since we got married.  I make it fresh in the morning and we drink it during the day.  It felt weird to not make a big gallon pitcher of sweet tea.... but ... I don't want all that sugar.

Instead I dutifully ignored the tea and poured a big glass of water with lemon.   I missed my tea.   And I am not giving up caffeine.  Well.. I might later but it's not a priority right now.  I am wondering if I can get where I can drink a cup of tea with just a teaspoon of honey and lemon?    Instead of all sugared up and milky? 

What about my iced tea?  Can I learn to drink it unsweetened?    We should drink more herbal teas too.   And again, without all the sugar I am used to.  Gah.  It's going to take some getting used to.  

Breakfast... Instead of making myself a fried bologna sandwich like I REALLY wanted...  Nope... I toasted some Ezekiel bread with only a 'bit' of blueberry preserve.  (See my halo?  Haha..  I was also proud of myself for not touching the butter that was calling my name).

   

My stomach growling, (wanting that fried bologna I denied it, and is already saying, "Are you KIDDING ME?") I put on a simmering crock pot of "Earth Mother Soup", (for supper... soup is very comforting), steamed a dish of sprouted brown rice, (not a vat of it like my stomach wanted), and made a nice bowl of crunchy cabbage salad that we can eat today and tomorrow.  Looking in my fridge, I saw tomatoes that were getting "iffy", so I pan-fried slices of green tomatoes.   (waste is sinful, right?)  I ate two slices, and my stomach was VERY unimpressed.  

There's leftover pork in the fridge that can be eaten with the rice or crumbled into the soup.    There's also leftover bean dip I made last night that is quite good...  We need to get the mindset of having meat "with" dinner instead of "for" dinner.  More raw foods, such as the crunchy cabbage salad.  

My stomach is REALLY peeved at me.  I know a bad stomach ache is coming.  This happens every time I make the move to more natural foods.  It's a shock to the system.   My body will get used to this, right?

**************

Earth Mother Soup can be made many, many ways... love is the main ingredient!   Today's Earth Mother Soup recipe is: 

In the crockpot, measure out 2 cups of Bob's Red Mill Whole Grains and Beans Soup Mix, and 8 cups of water.  Add 2 cut up carrots, 1 cup of shredded cabbage, 1 can of organic diced tomatoes, and about a cup of dried mushrooms, which I chopped up before adding.  Salt and pepper, minced garlic, (a big tablespoon) and a bay leaf.  It's a nice thick soup.  Very tasty.  You can add meat or whatever you want to it. 

Crunchy Cabbage Salad recipe~  a head of cabbage shredded, a carrot shredded if you would like, apple cider vinegar & sesame oil.  It should have sprouts and watercress in it, but I will have to do without.  I plan to get a sprouter asap.  I can add flax seed... better than nothing.. and some dill.  Toss it all together.. lovely.  I even added a few English peas for interest. 

Finding Freedom

  

Being a big girl is not any fun.  From buying clothes, to not swimming with my kids for fear of public embarrassment, to sucking all the wind out of the state of Florida if I have to do any walking.  We won't even discuss theme parks, or just life in general... living every single day with too much weight on every single part of your body.  When you're a big gal, it's like being in prison.. except the prison is your own body.  I want out.  I want to find freedom from weight, and get my life back.

I've been on a billion diets.  I've had weight loss surgery.  (don't waste your time or money... it's a money maker like anything else, trust me on this).   I've done the shots.  Drank the protein shakes, attended the meetings where they applaud you when you lose a pound.  I've weighed and measure, mixed, blended, and done test strips.  I've given up veggies and grains, and lived off of meat only.   I've joined gyms and gotten literally pointed at and laughed at by a couple of skinny, nasty little witches who obviously had no manners, sense of decency, or hearts.  I left crying and never went back... but it took me three years to pay off the membership I never used.

So, I have decided I am going to do the best I can, on my own.  God knows I've done enough diets... and being not too terribly stupid, I have a decent sense of what I should or should not be eating.

I have also come to realize, that I tend to do better when I have to write down what I am consuming.  It makes me be accountable.

Today I've already had a couple of glasses of tea with sugar, and for late lunch, (since I skipped breakfast), some leftover haluski from dinner last night.  These were NOT good choices, obviously but what is done is done.

I will start by cutting out the chemicals and the  white stuff.  White flour, sugar, (Lord please help me with my sugar addiction), white rice and processed foods.  However I will still use raw honey.  I want to focus on traditional, whole, unrefined foods, and LOTS of fresh veggies, sea vegetables and fruit.  

I'm now doing water with lemon, which is actually quite refreshing.

I absolutely HAVE to do this.  Not a diet, but some life changes.   I am afraid if I don't, I will not live to be old.   And I don't want to merely exist.  I want to LIVE.  I've missed out on enough already.  I don't want to miss any more.