Oh the Places You'll Go!

Well, I may have the candida in check. Now I just need to keep it that way. New goal; set a deadline for the book and get back into shape! I refuse to weigh myself today, don't want to know. All I know is my clothes are getting pretty snug. Set a new goal to do a marathon this year. Start belly dancing lessons Thursday for fun and for the health of my body. Second week of guitar club at my home, for spiritual, emotional and social health.

Today starts the first day of focus on putting healthy things into my body. Only those things that sustain me truthfully will pass my lips. Meaning, foods with nutrients my body needs to be good to me, and things my soul needs to keep it healthy and strong and things my mind needs for it to be healthy. Oh the places my mind, body and spirit will take me when I take good care of them. Let the new day begin!

Candida be gone!

Well, I've written one chapter of my book and am mulling over the topic of the next chapter. Since I've started this sugar free, gluten free, low carb regime I am thinking about blogging about that journey. It's been 2 weeks and I lost 3 lbs and then gained 3 lbs, then lost 2 lbs. So, not sure what's going on with my weight. But, in terms of the candida, it's angry my friend! Very angry. I can feel it multiplying and going to battle. It's in the fight for it's life and it's not going to win! I am coming at it with all guns loaded, strategically, offensively and defensively. It will not conquer me, I will dominate it and demolish it! Candida be gone!

It's so confusing! Do I eat something with Splenda and 0 carbs, because after all I am counting carbs since yeast feeds on it. But, then do I believe that even though it's sugar free with zero carbs does that mean it's not going to convert to glucose once I eat/drink it? If my goal is to stay at 7 or lower carbs is that per meal, or per item, or per serving? For example if I am to stay at 7 carbs or lower per meal and I have 1/2 an Atkins bar that has 14 carbs does that mean I stayed at my 7 carb count? Or if I drink a V8 at 3 carbs and then eat celery with cashew butter that has 5 carbs have I exceeded by carb count of 7 carbs? Last of all, the live cultures in yogurt are supposed to help get the balance of good/bad yeast/bacteria back in my system so I should eat it. But, even plain yogurt far exceeds 7 carbs! It's like 19!! Does that mean I can have 1/4 serving to stay in my 7 carb count range, or does that mean I can't have any of it because it also has 18 sugar grams, even though no sugar is added. I mean really. How does one ingest yogurt to get the live cultures, yet not have dairy because it has too many natural sugars and too much mold or whatever. Geesh, I'm confused!

Moving on!

Okay...I'm moving in a few days. I'll be packing tonight! Merry Christmas to all. I'll be renewing my blog entries hopefully after the move. That's my goal. Inspired by Julie Julia, the movie. I need to get myself in gear and start working on my book I keep talking about. I have plenty of endless hrs at night these days so no more excuses. Well after the move, no more excuses. Merry Christmas to all!!!!

Rafting!

It's been a LONG time since I've updated my blog. FB sort of took over. But, I'll try to stay on top of it. I've been having a great summer, though I haven't taken an official vacation yet. Just several day trips. I'm hoping to plan something in August. Probably camping around Crater Lake, or a trip to the Redwoods. Guess I'll be working that out this week. I would love to hear how your summers are going.

Just a collection of spring break so far. More to come.....

Texas Hold 'Em!

We got a real warm Texas welcome!

Hospitality with a smile.

But, I caught on ree'al faaasst!

As did Emily.

She looks like a ree'al native now.

Hannah, never one to be too far behind either.


I'm catchin' on to this poker thang...

Never let 'em touch your cards.

Ya. I think I've got the hang of it y'all.

Soon, we all made up.

Good to be with my little sister Mary and little brother Seth!

Oh......

We kissed and made up! Do they come any sweeter?


Next stop....Hangin' Tree Saloon.

Don't worry Lori and Paul, as you can see I'm taking very good care of Hannah and Emily.

Disclaimer...of course no REAL drinking or guns were used in these photos...come on y'all!

Happy Birthday Mom!

The birthday girl! Please don't hate me because I have man hands. But, boy is the cappucino delicious.

Yum!

In the pink! I'm so lucky to have such a beautiful mother!

The New Year Brings Old Friends in and Takes Some Friends Out.

The year of 09 is the year that I say goodbye to old friends, and hello to some old friends made new again.

And saying hello to old friends who've become new friends again.

Me and my friend since my freshman year of high school, Brandy.

My sister Sherri with Brandy.


The three amigas enjoying catching up with one another.

We met at my favorite restaurant in Lake Oswego, Standfords.

"So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. Follow after love..."

To follow love it requires the ability to recognize love. Sometimes seduction, control and manipulation can be mistaken for love. In order to love it also requires seeing others clearly. So trust wisely, not blindly. Remember to truly love those in your life it requires maintaining a centered harmonious relationship. This requires valuing integrity, being truthful and taking care of yourself.

To all my family and friends. I love you.

Last days of Winter Break

In the bamboo jungle!

Sparky venturing into the jungle.

The entrance of the bamboo jungle!

Sparky in the creek he nearly drowned in.

Here he goes unaware how deep and swift the current was.

I missed the photo of him swimming for his life. He got in the creek and realized the water was swift and deep. Then he tried to come back to shore, but a floating log trapped him in the creek. It was very scary. But, he prevailed and made it out alive. Thank goodness!

Here Sparky is enjoying his day at the park and happy to be alive.

Watching kids play.

Playing fetch!

You're never too old to play on the playground.

Showing off my masterpiece.

The finished tile that was the big finish to winter break. Oh back to the grindestone!

Deep listening is followed by loving speech. And loving speech is followed by loving cooking!

The next chapter in True Love is titled Learning to Speak with Love Again. It's a fairly brief chapter that basically states that after you've practised deep listening you must also have the ability to hear your loved ones suffering and empathize with it. Then express that empathy with loving kindness in your words. In order to do this the book advocates being able to recognize and embrace your own suffering. Next follow up by visualizing your loved one experiencing a similar form of suffering and in your mind offering them a smile and a loving embrace to ease their suffering. In practising this the author believes you will find freedom, joy and calm from acknowledging your pain along with your loved ones pain and then embracing the suffering itself. I don't feel this chapter does an adequate job of depicting the process. But, you get the general idea, feel your pain, know your loved one feels the same pain and offer them compassion.

Now onto cooking. October's soup was pumpkin soup, November's was both chicken and dumplings and Tx bbq chili. December's soup is taco soup. I've made it 3 times this month and with each batch it's gotten better and better! Thank you to Marianne for sharing a bowl with me last night, and to Nancy for sharing one with me tonight. I photographed the process of making it by using my timer, so my head is chopped off in one or two of them. Don't worry it's a headless soup.




The finished product. Top with a teaspoon of sour cream and cheddar cheese. Yummy!

The pot's a brewing.....or is it stewing??

Okay, I chopped my head off, but I screwed it back on nicely before it landed in the pot.

See all back to normal.

Getting ready to enjoy my soup. All dressed up with no where to go. But at least my head settled back onto my shoulders very nicely.

Marianne fixed my mac & cheese on Christmas Day and said it was a hit! I'm glad you got to enjoy it Marianne. Today I'm replacing it with my taco soup recipe. So, if you want to fix Lisa's Mac & Cheese you'll have to email me a request and I'll send you the recipe.

My recipe for you for the day is deep listening, loving speech and embrace your suffering. Then make a big pot of soup and eat up buttercups!