what's that? you wanted beach pictures?

ok, maybe not

but i'm sharing them anyway :)

first, the beach story

so, thursday my friend meghan called

and said

"i'm in serious need of some girl time

and to get out of nashville

and see some place beautiful.

so...if i pay for hotel and gas

would you please go with me to florida for a day?"

(i didn't have to think about it for long.

i checked with anthony since i felt bad leaving him right after his grandma's funeral

and he said "are you kidding??

as much as you love the beach

you HAVE to go")

so sunday afternoon

when i got back from encounter

i quickly switched dirty clothes for clean

hung out with anthony for a few moments

and eagerly awaited my ride

:0)

laura and meghan arrived at 4:45

we packed up the car

grabbed a few snacks

i kissed my boyfriend goodbye

and we piled in

on the way, laura and i shared with meghan about encounter

meghan shared her latest news

we laughed and joked

there were even a few tears

revelations came to light for all three of us

it was one of those drives that only happens

with a couple of your best girlfriends

we had a gorgeous moon to look at once the sun went down

eventually laura fell asleep in the back

as did her darling baby

and meghan and i made small

and big

talk in the front seats

we also had a few

"find the blue dot" moments

(the blue dot being the dot on my iphone's gps)

and when we arrived in destin

meghan and i were excited to see our hotel

right next to a...

whataburger!

we literally pulled into the drive-thru lane

and laura popped up from the backseat saying

"food?"

which made us laugh

a lot

(whataburgers are goooood, but i just got a picture of the drink)

since we got to the drive-thru at 12:29

we pretty much checked into the hotel

brushed our teeth

and collapsed into beds

we slept in a bit the next morning

i grabbed coffee, the girls got breakfast

then we started showering and getting ready

(well, meghan and i did)

and meghan at one point while we were sharing the mirror said

"you know why i'm doing all this, right?"

and i replied,

"of course! for pictures!"

at that point laura said

"OH!

i was wondering why the makeup and hair straightening..."

anyway, we left the hotel at 11:03

(thank goodness we opted for the late check-out...)

meghan knew her way well

and soon we arrived in seaside

what a FUN little place!

meghan and i enjoyed our temporarily straight hair

there were beautiful walkways and shops

and the taco bar

oh.my.gosh

yum

iz and i found a way to occupy ourselves while we waited for food

(the blocks they gave us to wait with

and the camera)

(take a look at these fish tacos and tell me they weren't worth the wait!)

that's enough with the narration.

i'll let the rest of the pictures speak for themselves.

just enjoy :)

(no oil here!)

(izzy feeds mommy)

(meghan reads while izzy sleeps)

(it doesn't even look real, does it? all these were taken with my iphone....)

(laura took this awesome pic of izzy and me)

(i got a little sunburned...but you can't really tell here)

(pretty sky on the return trip)

we got in a little before midnight

laura and izzy crashed on my couch

and i collapsed into bed

worth.every.moment

fitness friday: organics

my approach to a lot of things is that the natural way is better

(although the jury is still out on childbirth. we'll see how i feel about that when i'm in labor one of these days!)

food is my main soapbox on the natural, non-processed way though.

don't get me wrong. i'll eat (organic, all-beef or turkey) hot dogs with the kids on occasion. sometimes to save time i'll eat processed food, although i DO try to make it natural or organic to at least feel better about the processing :)

but as far as my fruits and vegetables, dairy products and meats...

unless i'm eating out or at someone else's house

it's at least 90% organic

(allowing a 10% margin for those rare occasions that i can't find an organic product that i need for a recipe)

here's a couple of reasons why:

for me, i look at it with a spiritual context. if my body is a temple, do i really want to be shoveling crap in it all day long? do i want to put pesticides, preservatives, and other MAN-made chemicals in my body when on the flip side i could pay a few extra dollars to eat food the way God made it?

when i first started buying organic fruits, vegetables and milk, i balked a bit at the price tag. then i gave myself the "my body is a temple and this temple is going to try it for a few weeks and see what happens" talk. and a few amazing things happened.

-- my energy level went up

-- my body just FELT better

-- food tasted better

-- and my grocery bill remained about the same as it had been

(because i began craving the GOOD food and stopped buying the processed and boxed food...and the price tag of those boxes and cans is actually higher in most cases than buying fresh and natural ingredients. oh, and trader joe's helped :)

for a long time i stuck with the fruits, veggies and milk

then i snuck cheese into the equation

and finally meat. meat was my hold-out because, well...it really IS expensive to get organic meat.

(thank you again, trader joe. it's not THAT expensive there)

sometimes i don't have time to get to trader joe's and will buy conventional meat at the grocery. honestly, that probably stops after i write this post. there are organic options at publix and kroger...or i can suck it up and eat something that doesn't require meat for the meal i'm buying for!

do i say all this to change your mind?

maybe

but with all sincerity, i think we all have to make our own decisions about this stuff

i just want everyone to make an informed decision

mostly, i just want to help you think.

i know some feel it's not worth the extra money

some think it's just plain stupid or unnecessary

some are on the fence

and some buy into the organics idea but haven't really gotten started

i would encourage you to do what i did if you're considering it at ALL

experiment.

set a goal (3 weeks, for example) and a specific food group (vegetables, fruits, or dairy are good places to start)

buy 75% organics in that category for 3 weeks

if you can't tell much of a difference in the way your body feels

make a decision based on that (likely to go back to conventional)

if you can't tell much of a difference in your wallet

make a decision based on that (likely to stick with it a little longer and perhaps introduce more organics into your regular shopping)

but if you CAN tell a huge difference

you probably have your answer one way or the other.

don't take my word for it though. check it out for yourself!

※ here's an interesting article on whether organics is "worth it". it's written from a non-biased perspective from what i can tell. (and i'm definitely biased!)

※ here's a good list to help you decide which fruits and vegetables should be bought in organic form, and which are probably not necessary to purchase organically

dirty dozen and clean fifteen

(you can download a printable version OR an iphone app from that link!)

(more in depth article and more user friendly article both about the dirty dozen)

※ another article about organics in general

Thursday's Ten: things in the not-so happy category

i try to keep it positive around here, really i do.

but sometimes you just NEED to vent

so join me, won't you?

here's 10 things i'm less than thrilled about today:

1. that my car was the victim of a hit-and-run about 30 minutes after the graveside service on friday. no one in it, thankfully, but it's pretty banged up. i won't even get into the story.

2. that for 2 months in a row i've had to call my cable provider *after midnight* to get my service turned back on. i'm current with my payments...but i found out a few minutes ago that my email address was never transferred and so it looks like i haven't paid a thing. instead they set up a stupid bogus email account when my service was transferred and never bothered to tell me either the address or the password. um...

oh, and while they figure this out i have no access to my main email address. NOT.HAPPY

3. (relating to #1) that even though i didn't do anything wrong, i have to deal with the insurance and repair of my car...and pay a deductible. doesn't quite seem fair, does it?

4. that my health insurance basically sucks. i'm actually canceling it today and looking for an alternative healthcare plan a couple of months from now. that way, i'll be able to do my research and save the money that i have been spending on health insurance (which is a LOT) until i can find a plan that's either decent or more affordable--hopefully both!

5. that although i've meant to, i haven't yet made it to bed at a decent hour this week.

6. that i haven't yet unpacked like i meant to. things keep coming up and i feel like i need a good solid few days to concentrate on it. otherwise i get overwhelmed when i only have a few hours

7. that i don't yet have jobs lined up like i would prefer for the next 2.5 weeks where i'm between nanny positions. while i can definitely use a couple of days off, i need to keep income coming in!

(i say that knowing that i will be provided for...jobs have already come in out of the blue. it's just that even though i'm living in this amazing time of provision, i also feel like it's my responsibility to stay busy and productive, ya know?)

8. that i haven't yet found all my clothes. that could be solved had i done #6

;-)

9. that i haven't been to a movie in awhile

10. that i have to remember my pesky inhaler when i think about exercising that doesn't involve wiifit

what about you? what are you shaking your head...or your fist...about this week?

re●ve●la●tion

so this weekend was amazing

with the encounter retreat friday through sunday

and then a whirlwind trip to destin, florida

sunday through monday

(i'm happy to report that there is no sign of oil at seaside beach)

somewhere between tennessee and florida

the wheels that had been turning all weekend clicked

and since we had practiced "walking in the light"

(basically being completely honest about struggle/sin)

and had cast out all demonic influences

(including spirits of fear)

i had to share it with laura and meghan

and when i got home, anthony

and now i'm sharing it with you

for a few months i've been increasingly frustrated

that i keep losing 10 pounds (or so)

but gaining back 5

or losing 5 pounds

and gaining back 3

or losing a couple of pounds

and staying stuck at the new weight

because i am eating healthily(ish)

i have a fairly active lifestyle

and i'm young enough that it shouldn't be affecting my weight loss

and i've kind of had the feeling i'm sabotaging myself

with excuses not to exercise

with buying the occasional pringles can

and finishing it within 24 hours of purchase

with other very unhealthy choices

like crappy bedtimes, for example

but i've had no idea WHY the sabotage

(on another note: i've wondered how i let myself put ON this weight in the first place)

well...

here's the "click"

number one

i know myself

i know i have been delivered from my eating disordered past

and i know that i know that i know

that i'm not going to slip into old patterns

however,

because people who genuinely care about me

have made it a point to caution me about "my history"

they've instilled into me

(without meaning to)

a spirit of fear

so while *i know*

i'm not going to screw this one up

when someone says something

(or has in the past said something)

about the fear of me returning to old patterns

it makes me worry that i will

so therein, i lose 10 pounds

and think

"oh no!

what if i DO fall into old habits?"

or i lose 3 pounds

and say

"it could happen..."

well, yes

it COULD

but the reality is

i'm free of that

so why the fear?

because i'm letting other's expectations of me

(or the ones i perceive they have)

define my expectations

and since i perceive they expect me to fall into patterns

i'm trying to "prove them wrong"

(ps, this is how the weight crept on

because i was afraid of appearing to be obsessed with diet and weight

so instead i ate like i didn't care

and stopped moving

fear)

i'm not afraid of that anymore

and i won't let anyone return that spirit of fear into me

it's not from God

and i refuse to accept it anymore.

number 2:

because at my root

i'm a people pleaser

i also don't want to make anyone worry

or be disappointed with me

so if i'm not afraid of failing

i'm afraid of worrying someone

i have to do this for me

and if others worry, so be it

if others make comments

i'll simply "walk in light" with them

so that they know

i know

what i'm doing

so spirit of fear:

be gone

you have no place here

you are not welcome

extra pounds:

you're toast

Monday's Memory: the one with the motivation

i'll write more about this another day

but i kind of had a revelation about why i am "stuck" with weight loss

and it has little to do with me

so,

see this girl from 4 years ago?

(july 4, 2006)

she will be appearing again here shortly.

and by shortly, i mean within a reasonable amount of time

but soon.

fitness friday

will return next week. i've spent a lot of time with anthony and his family this week, and i'm leaving for a retreat today literally right after the graveside service. i doubt i'll have internet access there...so i'm putting it on hold.

however, my reasons for choosing organics more often than not will still be the forefront of the discussion!

i'll leave you with a little tidbit: i get this email daily and love it. i'm better at reading a week's worth at once or so but still.

it's the "eat this, not that" movement, and it's a daily email chock full of good and surprising info. some of it's common sense stuff...some is more surprising.

you can go to this link and sign up--don't let the "men's health" bit scare you off--it's gender-neutral!

thursday's ten: i confess

true confession time! join me for your thursday's ten confessions if you like :)

i confess

- that i'm often spurred to write a blog post because of my boyfriend's disappointment that i haven't updated in awhile

- that i can be rather lazy when there is a computer, couch, or tv involved

- that i hate yogurt. ok, hate is a strong word. i despise yogurt.

- that i often find myself watching children's programming after the children have left the room

(or that i dvr it for myself)

- that i'm completely addicted to texting

- that i kinda think photoshop is cheating. although if i had it i'd totally cheat.

- that i'm really into america's got talent lately

- that i may never stick to a decent bedtime

- that as much as i love organics, sometimes mcdonalds calls my name

- that i can't remember the last time i had a pedicure...and one is badly needed!

please join in!

recipe of the week: deli knockoff wrap

i met a friend at a dr's appointment the other day

and stopped to grab a bit on the way

at this little deli that i had all but forgotten about

but i love

and i read the description of one of the wraps and said

"omgoshiwantthatrightnowrightNOW"

(i mean, the description included ranch dressing AND guacamole. um, yeah)

so i ate it

heartily

and wanted MORE

so i simply went home and created my own :)

my ingredients:

1 spinach wrap (i used mission because that's what was available.)

3 - 4 slices organic turkey (depending on thickness)

2 slices organic provolone cheese

3 - 4 organic cherry tomatoes, sliced

a handful of sprouts (i used trader joe's organic pea shoots)

my own ranch dressing, made with olive oil mayo, organic skim milk and hidden valley seasoning

my guacamole made with 1 avocado, a handful of cherry tomatoes, and a clove of garlic...unfortunately i didn't have a jalapeno this time around!

my layering:

place spinach wrap on plate

spread guacamole on the wrap

place turkey slices on top of the guac

spread a thin layer of ranch on the turkey

place cheese on top of the ranch

put sprouts and tomato slices on top of the cheese

roll/fold/coerce, slice in half and enjoy!

on a life well - lived

she was older when i met her

and her memory wasn't what it had once been

and so she often had to be re-introduced to me

or just reminded of who i was

but every time she saw me

she took my hand and squeezed it

or gave me a hug and kiss

and told me she thought i was beautiful

or sweet

or some other really nice thing :)

you could tell that she was a nurturer

she cherished moments with her husband

though she no longer was able to live with him at their house

and she doted on her grandchildren

the love she had for them was obvious

the dogs of the family preferred her lap over any other

anytime she was around

and she seemed to enjoy just sitting and watching the flurry of activity

because that flurry was made up of the ones dearest to her

when the idea of me moving into her house

to keep an eye on things

was proposed to her, she said

"i think it's a GREAT idea"

and that's all the confirmation her husband needed

she suffered with multiple health issues for several years

although every time i saw her

she was smiling and enjoying the company of people she loved

her latest bout came last week

and she prayed saturday night that she would go home

she woke on sunday, disappointed

because she was ready

but on sunday they brought her husband to see her

and they spent some precious moments together

and a few hours later

her prayer was answered

peacefully

anthony's grandma

was a wonderful woman

and i've learned in the past few days

just how wonderful

but MY favorite memory

(besides those sweet hugs and hand squeezes)

will always be

that on father's day this year

she out-ate the entire family

putting down more baby back ribs

than either her son or her grandson

(and THAT is an accomplishment!)

treasure

friday afternoon

i came downstairs from putting P (3 year old) down for his nap

and K (6) had a big smile on her face

and with sparkling eyes she said

"i've hidden treasures for you to find all over!

and they all have your initials on them

and you'll have to look under things

and in things

and around things

and they're all in the living room

and i'll help!"

and all over the living room

were small pieces of construction paper

that she had labored over

drawing hearts

and pictures of her and i together

and the ones that made my heart melt

that said "I♥U" and "I♥L"

and she did help--if i was near one she would say

"oh, don't forget to look in the drawer"

"there might be one on the train table"

i kind of giggled to myself

because most of her hiding places were oh-so-obvious.

and when i had found all 8 slips of paper

she said "now YOU do one for ME!"

so i obliged

happily

even though there were emails to be sent, and toys to be picked up

i wanted to return the favor

of such a loving and special game

when we were finished and a friend had come to pick her up for an afternoon of play

i continued on with my work

and then it hit me

WHAT a picture of God i received today!

because all through my life

He's hidden treasures

and i have to look under

and around

and inside

and all around my path

but He helps me find them

some of them are small, unexpected blessings

like a phone call from an out of town friend

saying she's coming through town

or seeing someone's facebook status

and it's a scripture or a song lyric that i've been meditating to

and some of them make my heart melt

like holding a newborn

or hearing "i love you"

or being so consumed in His presence

that nothing else matters

and the funny thing is

i'm pretty sure that sometimes i can hear Him say

"lora...look over here"

because the hiding places which are oh-so-obvious

i'm missing somehow

and when it's all done

(though it will never be done)

i want to return the favor

such an amazing, loving God

how can i hide little treasures for Him to find?

this life

is a treasure hunt

with amazing and divine surprises

hidden everywhere

and sometimes

it takes a child to remind us.