Produce

I had heard of these co-op things before, but never really understood what to do or how to order. I'd always been interested in trying it out, but then was faced with the daunting question of what to buy and was it worth it. This past week, I finally tried one out.

I was told to order a Produce Basket. It consists of 50/50 fruits and veggies, supposedly enough to feed a family of 4 for 2 weeks. It cost $23.50 and the only kicker is that you don't know what you'll get because it is based on availability and season.

Ordering was easy - completely online. I picked a drop-off spot about 2 miles away and I had a 15 minute time frame to pick it up. If I was late, I lost out on my produce and my money. Pretty great incentive to not forget. The only extra cost to take into account was that you have to buy a bag the first time you go for $1.

After I ordered, I was pretty nervous. What would we get? Was it worth it? We don't have a ton of any extra funds if this was a horrible flop. But, Hubs has been eating smoothies almost every morning of the week and we both want to eat lots of fruits and veggies.

Wednesday came and I went to pick up my order. The co-op is run completely by volunteers and they had it running smoothly. I walked in, gave my name, picked up my bag, and left. Here is what I got:

4 apples
1 pineapple
5 bananas
2 oranges
5 mineolas
6 kiwi
1 pound strawberries
3 broccoli crowns
1 bunch asparagus
1 bag spinach
1 head romaine
2 green peppers
1 zucchini
1 eggplant
2 tomatoes

Besides the eggplant, we will eat everything. Richard has fruit and spinach galore for smoothies, I froze the broccoli, and everything else can be eaten before it rots. Neither of us prefer zucchini, but I've heard it is really good in bread so I'm going to try that.

Plus, pineapples, asparagus and strawberries are too pricey for me to actually buy at the grocery store, so I really do think that we got a great deal. All those fresh vegetables and fruits for $23.50. I can't wait to see what kinds of goodies we get in the summer!

If you have every wanted to try something like this, I'd suggest getting the produce basket, if they have it. The one I ordered from was: www.communityhelpingscoop.com.

I said I'd never do this

It was cold and I was stiff. I would have rather been in my warm bed. As I looked around me, only one thought came to mind. I voiced it to Hubs, "I don't understand why this many people would get up this early when it's this cold to run that far."

We were at the Lincoln marathon. Hubs was running the half and I was there to support by grabbing Starbucks and then biking around to various mapped out spots to cheer him on. People looked happy and excited. I didn't see anyone dreading the fact that they were about to run for about 2 hours (at least). I didn't see anyone complaining that their fingers were about to fall off. The excitement made me wish I was a runner - but never enough to do this.

In fact, I hadn't really ever run. I jogged every once in a great while, but really I was pretty out-of-shape at this point in my life. I would come to realize that all the more when I biked around following Hubs.

I had no desire to run that far.

Even as I began to run, and began to enjoy the exercise; I still had no desire to run that far.

But, I am a woman who needs goals and a schedule. In my physical life and in my spiritual life (hence 90 days thru the Bible). Without them life gets crazy, I forget things, and I'm generally unhappy. For that reason (and a few others), I have decided to run a half-marathon.

Last night Hubs asked, "So, how serious are you about running this?" I answered, "On a 10 scale, a 9."

I'm still scared that on a snowy day I won't get up and run. I'm still scared when I think of running so far when I've only gone 5 miles before. I'm still scared that I will chicken out.

But today, I am declaring that I am training for this half-marathon taking place on April 25. I have at least one other friend who is running it, and she has a baby under 1 year old. If she can do it, I can. I also know that my parents - who are turning 50 this year - are running a half-marathon in March. If they can do it, I know that I can.

And since I have now told you, I know that I am committing myself to this. I know that this will give me another topic to blog about, which motivates me. And I am excited, and scared, about this new challenge.

I found it humorous to see this quote in my inbox today:
Consistency requires discipline. Force yourself out the door.


And that's just what I'll be doing for the next 12 weeks.

Back to the beginning

My very first post was about running. Two years ago I started running regularly outside. I was amazed that after about 2 weeks of pain and frustration, I was able to run without stopping and even wanted to push myself faster. Faster than I expected, I went from the slow 9-10 minutepace and was running in the 7:30-9 minute pace.

Since then, I have run off and on, but I have never had to go through that stage again.

The last time I ran was on Thanksgiving Day - 2 weeks after completing P90x. Three point one miles was comfortable and fun. Since that day, workouts have been sporadic and little to no effort has been put into them.

So today, when I saw the temperature was 47 degrees and I saw that my abs are hidden beneath a thick layer of pudge, my thought process went something like this:

1 hour before: I am going to take advantage of this weather and run. I'd really like to enjoy going out for a run again. Maybe I could even run a half marathon...that would be cool. Sorry Ransom, you are not coming.

30 minutes before: I think I will go 2 miles. Who knows maybe even further. I'm so excited that this may just turn out to be a long run.

5 minutes before: The sun is out. I am just going to put on some gloves so my fingers don't get cold. Ransom, don't look at me like that - you aren't going.

30 seconds before: Oh fine. You can come.

1 minute in: Lungs. Hurt. Air. Cold. Mucus. Gross.

3 minutes in: Ransom, GET OVER HERE. My lungs are starting to feel better. Oh, I forgot to turn on my ipod.

5 minutes in: Ransom poops. Great. I'm not carrying that (I proceed to tie it around his collar).

6 minutes in: Oh this feels okay. I wish I wouldn't have brought the dog along. My arm holding the leash is sore.

10 minutes in: Prairie dogs everywhere. Stop running so I can control the regular dog. Wow, I haven't run in a while. Maybe I won't do a half marathon.

20 minutes in: Ransom is never coming with me again. On the plus side, he is panting pretty hard - something he hasn't done since September. Feeling weak. Should have ate before running. Oh I should just walk the rest of the way. No, keep going. No walk. No go.

Home: That felt good. I think I may be able to get back into this.

It wasn't as bad as starting over again; but neither was it easy. Afterwards it just feels so good. And although Ransom is snoring right now; it isn't worth the extra expenditure of energy to take him along everytime. I think I said, "NO" approximately every 10 seconds the entire run.

Turkey Trot

Our family has made it a tradition to participate in a local 5k race on Thanksgiving Day - The Turkey Trot. We all planned to do more trotting than running or racing on this day since non of us had done much running in preparation.

Nonetheless we bundled up for the 34 degree weather and headed out to join 5,500 other people who are as crazy as we! The sun was bright and the wind was relatively calm.

To my delight, Hubs and my brother decided to run together. Hubs and I have different expectations for race day and it is usually better if we run separately. Mom and Dad ran together and I ran with my ipod. It was wonderful.

I had no expectations for myself, but I had not run 3 miles since before June. I was hoping to mix a little jogging with a little walking.

I completed the 1st mile with ease and felt good enough to continue running the 2nd. If you have ever been to the Sprint Campus in KC, or in KC at all, you will know that there are quite the hills. I met up with those hills during the 2nd mile. Although the slowed my pace, I kept on. I was very happy to make it all the way through the finish line without having stopped at all. All the while, singing along with my ipod and enjoying every minute of it.

I can't recommend this tradition enough. We went home and ate a great dinner 3 hours later and felt great having exercised. Plus, we had a lot of fun with each other and the thousands of others out that morning.

Results

Hubs and I recently completed the P90X workout. We did a full 90 days of excercising 6 days each week. Phew.

We now have memorized most of all the work-outs. We now find ourselves quoting Tony Horton in conversation. We now can say that we completed it. And we now we are taking a week off to figure out what is next.

But they have you take a fit test before and after to see if you improved and it was interesting to see our results.

Pull-ups: Hubs increased by 64%. My results don't really mean anything; I started at doing 1/4 of a pull-up and ended doing 3/4 of one.

Vertical leap: Hubs increased by 47%; I increased by 56%

Push-ups: Hubs increased by 47%. I increased by 104%. (Since I could not even do a regular push-up prior to this program, I recorded my results on my knees to be consistent.)

Toe touch: Hubs increased his flexibility by 6.5 inches! I increased by 3.5 inches, but we ended at about the same flexibility.

Wall Squat: Hubs increased by 69-seconds; I increased by 90-seconds.

Bicep Curls: Hubs increased by 50%; I increased by 60%.

In & Outs (ab exercise): Hubs increased by 50%; I increased by 248%.

You may notice that my numbers increased more drastically than Hubs's. One reason could be because Hubs was more in-shape when we began that I was. He definitely worked harder during the past 90 days, but I had more areas in which to improve.

Another reason could be that I wimped-out on the first fit test. I was not someone who pushed myself when working out. During P90X, however, I learned to push myself and work harder - another benefit of the program and that was seen in the final test. If I would have pushed myself at the beginning, I probably would have gotten higher scores, making the end scores not so drastic. I think Hubs' scores of about a 50% increase, are what people should expect.

Basically, P90X gave us a steady workout for 90-days. No matter what, if you work out consistently for 90 days, there will be results. I can obviously see results in my fit test and am happy that I did it. And especially excited that I can do over 20 regular push-ups today!

Notice I did not post final pictures or weights. I think the fit test says more than those ever would - believe me.

Getting in shape

Ten weeks ago, Hubs and I started a journey. A journey to get back into shape.

We thought about joining the YMCA. Hubs could swim laps. We could use the cardio machines, the weight room, and even participate in the classes. We could continue running when the weather was nice, but there are no hills and hardly any sidewalks here. Neither of us were motivated to run. We really needed something planned; something or someone who told us what to do each day so that we could really get back into shape. We didn't just want to workout when we felt like it or, for me, when the stomach flab started showing over my jeans. We wanted consistency and results.

So, we bought P90X. There are 12 workout DVDs; it lasts for 13 weeks. It combines weight training with some cardio and some yoga. We work out 6 days a week; 60-90 minutes a day. It comes with a nutrition plan which we stuck to for the first 8 weeks; since then, we have used it as a guide, but have also used our own judgement.

The pros: The workouts are outlined for us each day - no thinking about what you should do. The workouts push you to do more, give you modifications when you need them, and explain each move. We workout at home so I don't have to motivate myself to leave home when it is yucky outside.

The cons: It is a huge time commitment. An hour and a half of yoga really stinks.

So, 10 weeks into the program and I feel like I am fit - like I am in shape. I don't know that I have ever felt like this, even when I was running regularly. I have seen results in how I workout; but also in my body. For instance, I went from hanging on the pull-up bar to pulling myself up to 2 inches from the bar. Also, muscles in my back are appearing that I never had before.

As we end the program, I now have to face the decision of what to do next. Join the Y? Do P90X again? I'm not sure yet; but I do know that I am really enjoying the feel of being in shape!

Another success x2

The last two evenings have consisted of successful, yummy, and healthy meals. The first was a brisket roast. Combine 10 hours in the crock pot with 2 packages of Lipton Onion soup mix and you can't go wrong.

But last night's dinner was so good, I dreamt about it. Not really, but it was very yummy.

I got the recipe off of Tasty Kitchen. If you haven't browsed those recipes, I would suggest you do. They have some great ones.

Last night we had a basil pesto sauce over multi grain farfalle with some grilled chicken mixed in. And an extra plus was that I got to use my fresh basil that has grown like crazy. The recipe below is perfect for 2 people, but that is because I halved the real recipe.

Ingredients:

8 oz pasta (I used multi grain farfalle, but anything would work)

2 chicken breasts (or whatever kind of meat you prefer)

2 cups fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1 clove garlic (I totally forgot to put this in and it was STILL good)

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

salt and pepper to taste

reserved pasta water

Start cooking the pasta and then drain, reserving some of the water. Also, start cooking the meat of your choice. I grilled the chicken.

Put the basil, Parmesan, sunflower seeds, garlic, evoo, salt and pepper in a food processor or blender. Process until its all chopped up. If it looks gross; that is how it is supposed to look.

Mix the noodles and the pesto together in a bowl. Add some of the reserved water to the desired consistency.

I cut the chicken up and put it on top of each of our servings, but you can do whatever you want with it. Not gonna lie, typing this makes me want to make more of it!

Bring it.

It is just like us to have 2 months of calmness and then cram everything we can think of into 1 week. The theme of last week: Bring It!

It had been 2 months since Hubs or I actually and truly worked out. We were feeling pretty blobby, so last Monday we started our new, intense workout regime. It's very structured - 6 days a week. It's planned - we do they workout that is planned for us. It's intense - the hardest workout I've done in a long time ever. We are sore. We are tired. We are worked. But, we do feel better working out again.

Don't laugh. I took "before" pictures. No, I won't be posting them. End of discussion. But, I did want to see if there will be any noticeable changes in a few months.

Along with the workout, came a new diet. We are eating healthier, fresher foods which means there is lots of prep-work. Chicken to cook the night before, veggies to chop and store in the fridge, and thinking when it comes to deciding what to eat. But, we feel better, we enjoy the food, and it compliments the workout.

It had been 3 months since I had any sort of schedule, routine, and job. Monday was my first day working again. And even though it was for a few short hours a day, it was a change from being a bump on a log. It was good to talk to people and interact again.

Weeks ago, I committed to baking cookies for a conference at church. The conference was this week - the week we started our 1 hr workouts, the week we started eating food that needs considerably more work than popping it in the micro, and the week that I started leaving the house for 6 hours a day. SEVEN HUNDRED cookies later - bagged and tied with raffia - the conference is over and everyone got their cookies.

Once the cookies were bagged, Hubs and I set off cleaning the house for our guests! We love having people stay in our guest room and Hubs's parents made their first stay this weekend. I am happy to say we got the house cleaned and odor-free by they time they arrived.

Add in there hanging out with friends, coffee with family, a trip to the dog park everyday, dog play-date at our house, and getting caught in the hail and it was an eventful, busy, exhausting week.

So, I have no clue what this week will bring our way, but all I have to say is, "BRING IT!"

New foods

Hubs and I have begun a new workout/nutrition plan this week. Which means we are both putting down some new foods.

I knew this would be a different type of eating when I bought 75% of my food from the produce section, 20% from the meat department, and only 5% off the regular shelves. This food is fresh and yummy.

Tomatoes

Hubs has never "liked" tomatoes. I just found out this week that he hasn't ever HAD a tomato! He's had them for lunch each day this week.

Avocado

I've never been an avocado fan (I like guac, but that is different). We have both put avocado on our burritoes this week - can't even taste it!

Amount

We are both eating, what seems to be, a lot of food. However, we are just eating good food and the right food to replenish our bodies from high intensity workouts. Our diet consisted of lots of processed foods and carbs. We are eating more protein and veggies right now.

Meatloaf

We have lots of new recipes to try. My first new recipe was "Italian Meatloaf." I have always thought that meat made into a loaf is wrong. But, the ingredients to this meatloaf seemed good, so I gave it a try. Hubs was game for it since the substance that holds it together is marinara sauce rather than the traditional ketchup.

When it came out of the oven, I was very, very nervous. We tasted; it was DELISH! We both ate it up and Hubs has been eating the leftovers, too! But, I didn't tell you why I was even more nervous about this meatloaf. It was made with ground turkey instead of beef; and still, I have never had such a great meatloaf.

Salmon

People keep telling us how wonderful salmon is, especially on a cedar plank. As a rule, I have never eaten pink fish - I like the white ones better. So, I bought salmon and a cedar plank. I covered it in spices and tried not to gag while doing so.

When it came off the grill, it looked reasonable enough. But the more I thought about actually putting it in my mouth, the more I gagged. I didn't even take the whole fillet; I just cut off a portion to try. I tasted my first bite and maintained the same opinion - eww. Hubs gave me some of his potato and I forced my salmon down my throat, covered with potatoes.

Hubs didn't like it, but he didn't think it was horrible. He ate half of his fillet before the gag reflex hit. At least we tried.

Salmon isn't cheap. We have been considering putting Ransom on a salmon-based dog food to help with his itchy skin. So, we cut off the seasoned edges, cut the salmon into bite-sized pieces, and put it in Ransom's food bowl. He licked the bowl clean for about 5 minutes after he gobbled it down; then he searched the house to see if he could find anymore of that stuff.

At least someone enjoyed their omega-3 fatty acids.

Foreign Foods

High Fructose Corn Syrup & Hydrogenated Oils.

These two substances are absolutely foreign to our bodies. They have no nutritional value. They were invented for the sole purpose of allowing normal, perishible foods to sit on the shelf for up to 12 years.

Yummy.

Think of the foods we need to stay healthy and live. Water: God provided us with plenty of that. Vegetables: God made those. Fruits: God made those. Animals: God made those. Everything He provided has nutritional value and necessity.

Think of the foods we eat a lot of. Pop: man made that. Packaged cookies: man made that. Potato chips in a sack: man made that. Hardly any (if any) nutritional value.

I haven't wiped out those un-nutritious foods from our home (do you really think I could stay away from ice cream?). But, I have tried to buy more wholesome options.

For example, I've switched to this:

And, I love it. There are 5 ingredients, all real things. The consistency is more liquid than normal peanut butter because the partially hydrogenated vegetable oil is absent. The taste, however, is delicious and I have been eating it almost everyday. I haven't baked with it yet, but considering this is what they used to use in the olden days, I am not too concerned.

So, try to eat less foreign foods and more real foods. That is what you body needs and wants.

I don't think it is about losing weight or being thin, anymore. It's about eating and living healthy lifestyles.

Information taken from "Eat Well! Live Well!" by Pamela Smith, RD.

Oils & Fats

You should have 2 main oils in your home for cooking: Olive Oil & Organic Canola Oil.

Olive Oil should be the oil used most often and in low-heat cooking; the best to use is extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO). EVOO is derived from the first pressing of the olives and has the most delicate flavor and most antioxidant benefits. It is one of the most healthy foods, protecting against degenerative diseases and heart disease. The mediterranean diet is very high in olive oil (it is their primary fat intake), and interestingly enough, these people are the most healthy and live the longest. But, do remember, it is a fat and should not be consumed in great quantities.

Organic Canola Oil should be used when cooking at high heat and, of course, when baking. Even thinking about brownies with olive oil makes me cringe! Canola Oil does not have all the health benefits of olive oil

Both of those oils are monounsaturated fats and should make up no more than 20% of your total fat intake.

Examples of polyunsaturated fats are liquid vegetable oils and should make up no more than 10% of your total fat intake.

Saturated fats include animal foods and coconut and palm oils and should make up no more than 7% of your total fat intake.

And, trans fats are things such as shortening, margarine, crackers, and cookies and should make up not more than 3% of your total fat intake.

Information taken from Dr. Low Dog.

Organic or not?

I'll admit that I've always thought the whole "organic food" thing was a little ridiculous. I mean, I buy smart chicken because I like it better, but other than that, my cart steers clear of the organic section.

Then, I heard about a study that took blood from 10 newborns' umbilical cords . You would think newborn babies' blood should be pure and clean, right? An average of 200 industrial chemicals and pollutants were found; a total of 287 different chemicals between the 10 babies. Of those 287 chemicals, 180 cause cancer, 217 are toxic to the brain and nervous system, and 208 cause birth defects and abnormal development.

Now, I am not naive enough to believe that all those toxins came from food. Nor am I putting myself on a rigid organic diet. There is some produce, however, that we should just buy organic because we can't get rid of the pesticides by simply washing.

By the way, until 2 weeks ago I never, ever washed my non-organic produce before eating it!
There is a more complete list, but I think this one simplifies it pretty well. Keep in mind that pesticides cling to the fuzziness of peaches. Fruit with a rind or peel (cantaloupe and bananas)aren't a big deal because you eat the inside. Berries are hard to rid of pesticides, too.

I checked out our organic produce area this past weekend. Sadly, they had only 2 cartons of organic strawberries and no organic grapes or berries. The organic apples are delicious, though. I know I can't keep out all the toxins, and I know I can't buy everything organic; but I am going to check out our organic section more often and even purchase more organic items in the future.

Let me know if you are interested in the larger list of produce you should buy organic.

Information taken from Dr. Low Dog.

April Fools

This morning I turned on the wii fit and my balance board (on the screen) was wearing a funny hat. Odd. THen it told me, "Balance...board...not...responding...no...signal..." Hm.

Seconds later, it popped up and said, "Just kidding. April fools!"

It scares me how smart that thing is sometimes.

-------------------------------------------------------

Hubs and I are headed out of town, again. Which means no access to a computer and therefore no blog posts for 4 days. Gasp.

Wait, it's okay. I have good news!

For those two of you who will miss reading the Feather Files, I am still going to post. But, instead of it being all about Hubs and Feath, you will get little health and nutrition tidbits that I picked up at the dental conference.

I hope you enjoy them, but if you don't, I'll be back on Monday.

Stuck on a tonsil

I just finished eating some strawberries, blueberries and kiwi. Now, I have a strawberry seed (or kiwi seed) stuck on the top of my left tonsil.

I've tried swishing water back there.

I've tried reaching my finger back there to scrape it off.

It's still there, tickling my throat in a not-so-funny way.

Things get stuck on my tonsils all the time, especially popcorn and seeds. Do you struggle with this?

Well, you are probably fortunate enough to have normal sized tonsils whereas I have the extra-large sized version. Hubs thinks they're gross and mentions it when he looks in my mouth, which is more often than you'd think. He's a dentist almost a dentist, you know.

I am very fond of my tonsils, though, because they tell me when I am sick. They get white spots on them and grow even larger so that I can feel them touch the roof of my mouth. Hubs really thinks this is gross.

Back when I was a kid (Great. I've started using that phrase already), they weren't so casual about taking out tonsils. Or, at least in small town Pennsylvania they were so casual about it. I remember going to the doctor for tonsillitis all the time. But, I had to have it 7 (I think) times in one year before they'd yank out the silly things. I got it 6 times. The tonsils wanted to stay with me.

Now, I hardly ever get sick. Maybe it's cuz I still have my tonsils. Do you have your tonsils?

Man, this seed is really aggravating.

Retail Therapy

Some of you may wonder, What exactly does the spouse of a dentist do at a dental conference? I actually wondered the same thing, but I have always been able to keep myself pretty occupied, so I didn't spend too much time fretting over it.

It turns out that we attend session just like everyone else. I was surprised and excited to see many other people with yellow name badges (they color-code you based on your position, ie. dentist, hygienist, assistant, office staff, and spouse). Immediately, I knew we had a bond. We were in the same position - supporting our husband (or wife) and their career, their practice, their team.

Most attendees are there to get credit for their continuing education (CE). Although we should definitely keep up on what is going on in the dental world for the ability to have a conversation with our spouse about his day, it is not mandatory for our job. We signed up for 4 sessions, however, and I was delighted to see that 3 classes were on health and nutrition!

The routine was as so: Take the shuttle to the convention center, get a latte, go to the first session. Eat lunch and bask in the sunlight for 2 hours. Go to the second session, take the shuttle back to the hotel. Eat supper. Two days of this = great information (which will be shared in later posts), a reboost in my excitement to go back to school and learn, and a very tired bottom.

But what does all this have to do with retail therapy?

At these conferences there is usually one more day of sessions. I learned that this is the day that dental spouses, and others who have enough CE, go to retail therapy. I had not heard of this before, but I found that it is a definite highlight of the trip.

It goes as so: Find the best mall in the area. Take the subway to it. Divide and conquer the mall. Meet for lunch and find out where the best deals are. Take off again for round 2. That's retail therapy.

The particular mall we went to was ginormous. I was not able to even experience half of it, but I did take in the 2 story versions of Pottery Barn and Crate & Barrel.


I had a great time shopping, but even more so, getting to know the people that Hubs will be working with. They were so fun to hang out with.

I find myself looking forward to the next dental convention (and the retail therapy).

Stretching our boundaries

I could be called a picky eater. Hubs is also a picky eater. We both have certain foods we will not even touch (mayo, mustard, stewed tomatoes). However, in the past few years, we have both become better at trying new foods. We are more than willing to try what others have ordered, however, we would never order those foods for ourselves. Seafood is one of those foods we never order, but are willing to try.

Our first dinner in Atlanta was at McCormick and Schmicks: a well-known seafood restaurant with some non-seafood options. Hubs had eaten there before and I had heard of it. I had just sat through a 3 hours session entitled, Eat well! Live well! and one of the main themes throughout was that we should really eat at least 3 servings of omega-3 rich seafood each week.

So, when Hubs asked me what I was going to order, I proudly announced "The blackened mahi mahi from costa rica," although inside I was as nervous as could be. A whole meal of fish? What was I thinking? At least it came with potatoes and green beans!

I didn't choose this dish without thinking it through. I had tried mahi mahi in Hawaii (I didn't order it) and it did not have a fishy taste. I had narrowed my options to the tilapia or the mahi mahi and chose purely because of the word, "blackened." I love blackened chicken and figured cajun spices could cover up any fish-taste. The only thing to overcome was the texture.

Well, the mahimahi came and it really looked delicious. So, I dug right in and to my utter surprise it actually was delicious. Hubs asked, "How's it taste?" and I responded, "Just like chicken. Really." He tasted mine and said, "It really does taste like chicken." So, I have stretched my seafood boundary further than I thought possible. I actually ordered seafood and I would defintely order it again.

And to any of you who are like us and steer far away from fish, seriously try mahi mahi. If you hate the fish taste, there is none. If you hate the texture, it really isn't bad. And, if you are scared of the mercury level, mahi mahi is one of the safest fish to eat.

We both also tried oysters, crab cakes, and calamari on this trip. Hubs and I are continuing to stretch our boundaries.

What I have been doing today.

I was here from 6:30am - 1:00pm:

My mom had surgery on her elbow because she broke her elbow off. Wonder what a elbow broken off looks like? Let's take a look.

Here is what a normal elbow x-ray looks like:

Here is what my mom's elbow x-ray (pre-surgery) looks like:

The plan was to take the piece that broke off and pin it back to the ulna, wrap some wire around it to keep it in place, and check the cartilege for damage. By 7:30am, Mom was rolled off to surgery while Dad and I took off to the waiting room. Soon we were joined by Grandparents and Ruth, who brought us breakfast.

While in the waiting room, I snapped a few shots of us, well...waiting.

After about 2 1/2 hours, the very young surgeon came back and told us it wasn't as simple as expected. They had to place a plate and some screws in her arm. She gave us the post-op x-rays so we could see what she was talking about. I had to take a picture of them, so it is kind of blurry, but I think you can get the picture. There are obviously some items in the x-ray that are not usually located in the human body.

We are back home now. Mom is resting and I don't know about Dad, but I am about to do the same.

Tips for healthy living this holiday season

These tips are not for you, they are for me. If I write down what I plan to do, I am more likely to go through with it. Plus, if I write it down for you all to see, maybe we all can help each other.

How many of us decide we are going to eat all the yummy holiday food for the next 6 weeks and worry about our health later? I found myself contemplating what I was going to do next week at Thanksgiving dinner. Do I just forget about how much I love the food because I am being "health concious?" Or, do I forget about my health and stuff as much good food down my throat as possible? What about all the parties and get-togethers coming up - how do we handle resisting all those delicious baked goodies?

Well, my overall suggestion would be to not resist them all (enjoy the food), but not eat them all either (don't stuff yourself). Easier said than done, right? Here are 10 tips for doing just that. Some came from a couple of articles I read, and some are just from me. I don't believe in setting goals you can't reach, so hopefully this are practical enough.

1. We seem to hang out around the table on Thanksgiving day, even after the meal. As soon as everyone is done eating, take the food off the table and put the dirty plates away. I find myself eating more simply because my plate is in front of me - not because I am hungry.

2. Make lower-fat substitutions when it comes to oil (canola or olive) and butter. Do mashed potatoes really need butter? If so, let each individual put it on their serving themselves so they can determine how much is right for them. Oh, and use non-fat evaporated milk for your pumpkin pie. Nobody has ever said anything bad about my pies and I've never used the real stuff.

3. Continue your normal eating habits each day. Skipping meals or snacks will just make you hungrier and mess with your body's schedule.

4. Take smaller helpings. If you are still hungry, I am sure more will be available. But, don't just get seconds because you feel like you have to. Have leftovers the next day instead.

5. Don't stand and talk next to the food at parties and dinners. Make a point to stand farther away so that you have to make a concious effort to get more treats.

6. Get moving! Instead of sitting around all day, go for a walk or play football or some other game outside. Even go to the mall and walk around. Don't stop your normal work-out schedule either. Continue to make time to take care of yourself throughout the busy season. You might find that you have more energy.

7. Drink iced tea and water instead of drinks with sugar.

8. If your office is anything like mine, you'll start to receive Christmas gifts from various vendors and clients. Which for us, means 20+ boxes of Godiva chocolates - oh my, sweet goodness - sittin on MY desk. Don't even tell yourself you aren't going to have ANY this year - let's be realistic, people! Instead, bring your own snacks to work and eat those so that you don't fill up on the sweets. Eat 1 a day at the most; and don't just take one because they are there. Actually, be hungry for it and enjoy it more. (Like I said, I'm telling myself these tips too!)

9. Don't keep a lot of baked items and sweets around the house. Make them for others, or for get-togethers. You will eat enough treats at parties that you don't need to have them around you all the time. Take leftovers to the office so you can get rid of them.

10. Don't plan on losing weight. Just plan on being healthy and maintaining your current weight. Eat moderately, don't gorge. Enjoy the time with family and friends MORE than enjoying the food.

Do you have any tips for staying healthy throughout the holidays while still enjoying them? What works for you?

PS - Can you tell this is what I want to do with my life someday?

A Stye on my Eye

I woke up on Tuesday with a sore eyelid.

By Tuesday evening, it was swollen a little.

By Wednesday morning it was more sore and more swollen. After a trip to the eye doctor yesterday, I found out I have a stye. Which, for those of you who are interested in the medical world, is an infection in an oil gland around my eye by Staphylococcus aureus. Staph is on our skin naturally, but there are times that it can cause an infection. Maybe I didn't wash my hands when I touched my eyelid or something. However, it's nothing a little antibiotic can't fix and I should be back to normal in three days. Warm washcloths feel good on it, too. And it already feels better today!



This is a freaky picture! Can you even tell which eye is infected?