Sugar Babies

Man, I needed this today.

This weekend has been hard. I tried to stay on plan the best I could, and I am pretty proud of how well I did. But today I took my "month #1 complete" photos, and I was a little disappointed.

While browsing Pinterest, I saw a pin that was about BBQ Danger Zones from the Skinny Mom blog (you can read it here). It was good advice, but this little fact is what totally blew me away:

I guess I shouldn't be so surprised. That really  makes sense. This was just the motivation I needed today to stay on track.

Remember, we're doing this day by day and meal by meal. This isn't a "quick fix" it's a long term lifestyle change.

Here's a quote from Made to Crave that I have printed on my fridge. It's a great reminder as we begin this 4th of July week:

Healthy Habits

• God has given me power over my food choices. I hold the power—not the food. So, if I’m not supposed to eat it, I won’t put it in my mouth. 
• I was made for more than being stuck in a vicious cycle of defeat. I am not made to be a victim of my poor choices. I was made to be a victorious child of God.
• When I am struggling and considering a compromise, I will force myself to think past this moment and ask myself, “How will I feel about this choice tomorrow morning?”
• If I am in a situation where the temptation is overwhelming, I will have to choose to either remove the temptation or remove myself from the situation. 
• When I’m invited to a party or another special occasion rolls around, I can find ways to celebrate that don’t involve blowing my healthy eating plan.
•  Struggling with my weight isn’t God’s mean curse for me. Being overweight is an outside indication that internal changes are needed for my body to function properly and for me to feel well.
• I have these boundaries in place not for restriction but to define the parameters of my freedom. My brokenness can’t handle more freedom than this right now. And I’m good with that. 

Victory is possible, sisters, not by figuring out how to make this an easy process, but by choosing—over and over and over and over again—the absolute power available through God’s truth.  

 

Summertime.

Turn on the radio.  Just kidding, you don’t have to.  But even if you’re someone who can say that the last time you listened to FM radio was when Justin Timberlake was sitting on top of the charts with 4 of his best friends known as ‘NSync, I’m sure that you would agree with my next sentence.  Music is a very powerful tool.  It engages the senses.  There are certain songs that, when I hear them, instantly transport me to the season of life and place where I first heard it.  Sometimes a song will make me nostalgic for my college days.  Other times, it will remind me of great times with my friends from youth group.  Often, a song can remind you of a sad memory or something unwanted.  To this day, I don’t know anyone who doesn’t hear Eye of the Tiger and instantly want to jog the stairs of a monument.   Colossians 3:16 talks about how music is a gift from God and can be used to praise God.

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God." - Colossians 3:16

Jessica and I were recently driving down the road without an iPod and Nickelback’s “How You Remind Me” came on.  Neither of us had heard that song in half a decade but somehow were able to scream every lyric at the top of our lungs.  Lyrics and melodies get stuck so far down within our subconscious that we are able to access them when we least expect it, and in this case for Jessica and me, when we hoped no one else was looking.

Psalm 119:11 says “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”  I want to be someone that stores scripture so deep down into my subconscious that I can retrieve it at any given moment when necessary.  I wish I could reference the book of Romans as easily as Nickelback’s break out hit. 

One of my favorite bands during college is a band called MAE.  Their name stands for Multi-sensory Aesthetic Experience.  That’s a lot of big words just to describe how music and sounds effect all of your senses to determine your experience.

Every year at the end of the Spring semester as I was about to leave college, the first song I would listen to after I packed my dorm into my car and headed home for summer vacation was MAE’s song “Summertime”.  It’s an upbeat song celebrating what’s ahead, and leaving something else behind.  Five years later, even when I listen to that song, I always remember that time in my life and am thankful for where God has brought me and the personal victories I have achieved since those days.  

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Today is the first day of Summer. As one season passes and we begin a new one, I will be sure to listen to that song and reminisce over the memories it brings back.

Turn on the radio.  Just kidding, you don’t have to. But if you did, you might just find a song that creates some new memories. 

What songs will you listen to in order to celebrate past seasons today? 

To download the song "Summertime" by MAE, visit the iTunes store here. Or visit their MySpace page here.

Scatterbrained

Good morning friends! I just want to warn you that I'm probably going to be a little bit all over the place today. I have a couple of things I'd like to say, but none of them really have a direct focus.

So, here we go...

Eating Better

Remember a few weeks ago when I went to the doctor, got blood work done, and he put me on a diet? Well, I told you that I'd share that plan with you. I think it is time.

Here are the basics:

This is the breakout of what I am allowed to eat each day.

According to the plan that the doctor gave me, I try to disperse between my calories, carbs, fats, and proteins like this -

Breakfast

• Lots of protein (eggs of some sort, which also has some fat in it)
• Little bit of carbs (fruit, yogurt, or skim milk)

For example, this is a pretty normal breakfast for me: 1-2 boiled eggs, a glass of skim milk, and coffee with a little bit of creamer and some Stevia.Usually if I eat two boiled eggs, I forgo the milk, but I was hungry this morning.

Lunch

• Lots of protein (usually from 99% fat free turkey of some sort)
• Little bit of carbs (fruit, yogurt, cheese)
• Green vegetable (salad, green beans, celery, etc.)

Here's another example - this is my lunch for today:

Dinner

• Lots of protein (lean chicken, lower fat ground turkey, grilled fish, or a very extra lean red meat)
• Lots of veggies
• Just a few carbs (sauces, cheese, MAYBE a piece of whole wheat bread, MAYBE a tiny bit of whole wheat pasta, fruit)
• Fats (just in random foods that I'm already eating)

Here's an example of a good dinner from a couple of weeks ago (dinners have been hard for me lately):

Usually, I eat a snack either in the morning or the afternoon. It's usually another Dannon Light & Fit yogurt, or sometimes a 0% Greek Yogurt with a dash of cinnamon.

Out to Eat

Jason and I have been SUPER busy lately. Lots of traveling, lots of friends/family in town. We have been eating out a whole lot, and I honestly don't know when that will change. I've had to really discipline myself in what I order though. Jason's tendency is to find something he likes on a menu and sticks with it. My nature is to try everything on a menu at least once. I've got to hand it to him, in this scenario, he's right. It's better to stick with items that you know will be healthier choices rather than jump around and try new things just for the sake of eating something new.

Remember that if you're going out to eat, you don't have to get off  your healthy lifestyle plan. Lean steaks are good to order with a veggie on the side. Fish is a great "night out" option as well. Say no to the rolls that are brought to the table, and always opt for a vinaigrette dressing on the side and steamed/grilled veggies as your side dish.

Here's my go-to meals for "out to eat" meals:

Japanese: Forgo the rice and add double veggies
Mexican: Fajita, no tortillas
Thai: Salad; chicken with brown rice (only eat half of the rice serving)
Italian: Salad?
BBQ: Salad or veggie sampler; sandwich with sauce and bun on the side
American chain restaurant (like Chili's): Fajita, fish, grilled chicken (look for their lower calorie options, usually they're marked)
Greek: Chicken with salad (dressing on side) and veggies

Fajita from Moe's Southwest Grill

Rock the Block 

Yesterday was day #2 of Rock the Block. Jason and I were in charge of games and we had a blast. Jason was Simon and kept a pretty consistent game of Simon says going on throughout all of the games (I'm not really sure how he did that, but it happened).

We played one game called "Mummy" and I got completely wrapped in toilet paper. I got a little bit claustrophobic, but it was for the greater good, so I toughed it out.

Tonight, Jason and I are in charge of the lesson. We are teaching on Romans 3:11 and John 1:29. We would seriously appreciate all of your prayers. We hope that the kid's (and hopefully parents) lives are changed through this week of Rock the Block.

4 Day Meals

As I said yesterday, Sunday Jason and I went grocery shopping. I bought enough food for dinner for four days. Since we have Rock the Block this week, I decided that we needed some easy-to-reheat meals for Sunday-Wednesday. So far, it's worked out well.

For Sunday/Tuesday I made BBQ Chicken Biscuits and Chicken Poppy Seed Casserole was (is) on the menu for Monday/Wednesday.


Chicken Poppy Seed Casserole:
Ingredients:

• 5 cups chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
• 1 cup fat-free sour cream
• 2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup (98% fat free)
• 2 cups crushed Reduced-fat Ritz crackers (about 1 1/2 rolls of crackers)
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 T poppy seeds

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Saute raw chicken breasts with salt and pepper until done. Let chicken cool slightly and place cubed chicken in a 9X13 casserole dish.
3. Stir together the condensed soup and sour cream. Pour over the chicken.
4. In a separate bowl, stir together the crushed crackers, poppy seeds and melted butter. Sprinkle over the chicken and sauce.
5. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until the top of the casserole is browned and the sauce is bubbly. Serve plain or over rice

Camp of Champions

Tomorrow Jason and I are headed to Shocco Springs for the Alabama Baptist Children's Homes Camp of Champions. Jason will be shooting a video and I'll be helping out with some general activities as well as shooting so photos.

We are so excited about getting to do this together. Our dream is to someday built a client base to where we can do this type of thing full-time to make a living. We love the ministry that the Children's Homes has and we love being a part of orphan care to advance the Kingdom.


Weekend Wedding

On Friday, Jason and I will head to North Carolina. Jason will be a groomsmen in a friend's wedding. We are so excited to celebrate this special day with our friends Cameron and Sarah, and we are praying for them as they begin their marriage. We are also very excited to have a little mini-vacay this weekend to a place that we've never been together! I'm hoping that Jason will love it so much that we can go back next year (fingers crossed).

That being said, this could be my last rambling for the week. I'm sure that I'll have access to internet, but I'm going to just enjoy myself and I'll post about all of our upcoming weekend activities next week. I'm so excited for these FUN TIMES!

"no one understands; no one seeks for God." - Romans 3:11

"The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, 'Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!'" - John 1:29

At A Stand Still

Do you ever have moments when you feel like life is moving so fast that you wish you could just stand still for five minutes?

That's me this week.

Jason and I got home last night around 9:30 and I walked into an apartment that was screaming transition. My roommate had been moving all of her stuff out over the weekend, we have a couple of Jason's things stored in the dining area, and our fridge was completely empty.

By next Friday (June 8th), Jason will be living in his summer residence, I'll have my 3rd roommate while living at this apartment, one of my sisters will be a high school graduate, and I'll be a couple weeks closer to the wedding.

I was planning on doing some sort of "where do I go from here" update. If you've been reading for a while, you'll know that I did a cleanse about a month ago and I've been trying to live a healthier lifestyle ever since. Unfortunately, I've decided to put that off until next week. This week will be filled with lots of eating out and less working out. Transition makes it hard to be healthy, but I'm trying to do my best.

Needless to say, look for the update next week.

Jason and I will be heading back down to Destin this weekend for my sister's graduation. I can't wait to see her walk across the stage!

In the meantime, be praying for this time of transition. I know that I'm not the only one who feels like it'd be nice to stand still for just a few minutes. So as we begin this week (a little late), I hope that any of you in the middle of transition will be encouraged knowing that you're not the only one.

'Tis the Season

Well, today marks the beginning of summertime in the South.

Growing up, Memorial Day marked the beginning of "the season" for everyone I knew. When you live in Destin, or any coastal town, Memorial Day marks the beginning of a three month long Black Friday.

So...in honor of my hometown and - well - we'll call it "heritage," here's my "Top 10 Summertime Favs"

10 - Less Traffic in the mornings

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As much as I absolutely loved growing up in Destin, I do not miss the summer traffic at all. Although I appreciated it, because I knew that it meant that people were supporting our economy, I have to say that sitting in traffic for hours a time just to get to work, the beach, the mall, or to a friend's house was not ideal. In Birmingham, summertime means less traffic. School is out and everyone goes to...well...Destin. Although my family may get annoyed at the hundreds of Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, and Tennessee tags that they pass (or rather sit in traffic with) on the way to work, it means that I get to leave for work five minutes later than usual.


9 - Baseball

I don't get as much into the sport as I do into the atmosphere. I love all kinds of baseball in the summer - from tee ball to pro ball. I grew up going to the occasional Braves game with my family and during high school, I was privileged to get to see a couple different really cool games around the country. Don't get me wrong, I'm all about the big leagues, but I also love going down to the ball park and just watching the kiddos play. Obviously, Jason and I don't get to do that because we don't have kiddos (or even really know any up here), but those are definitely some of my favorite memories from growing up.

Jason and I went to a Braves game last summer and it was really a blast. We're trying to plan a fun little trip back to Atlanta this summer to and go to a game.

8 - Parks and outdoor events

Sunset Cinema at Railroad Park
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I'm a sucker for anything outdoors. I love concerts, movies, food, picnics, markets, garage sales, plays, and truly anything that consists of sitting outside in the warm air with a cool breeze.

Again, growing up in Destin, I feel like I've been conditioned for outdoor events since birth. My parents would always take up to events out at Seaside or Baytowne Wharf. It's kind of fun to get to do things that tourists do and then go home and sleep in your own bed at night.

Birmingham has fun things to do outdoors in the summer as well. I'm just learning about them as we go along. I guess that's part of the transition from living in Destin (either full-time or even just in the summertime) and living in Birmingham full-time. Jason and I enjoy outdoor activities, so if you hear of one nearby, let me know...we'll be there with shorts on!

Jason & I at Harborwalk with my family last year for the 4th of July

7- Pool time

I didn't know this until I permanently moved to Birmingham last year, but most pools apparently don't open until Memorial Day weekend...or may a week or two before. I'm a big fan of clean pools. I love being able to lounge on a raft (like our friend Mr. Speedo Man) or lay out for a little while and then jump into a refreshingly cool pool.

6 - Weekend getaways

You're probably tired of hearing me say, "Growing up..."

But, growing up, my family and I would sometimes go stay on the beach for a weekend or some short amount of time. We knew a lot of people who would come to town or who owned houses/condos on the beach. Occasionally, we'd go stay out there. I loved doing that because I still got to hang out with my friends and go about my normal routine, but when I wanted to feel like I was on vacation, I could.

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Jason and I have a lot of little weekend getaways planned this summer. Starting this weekend, we're in Birmingham very little over the summer. I cannot wait for those Friday afternoons (and some Thursdays) when we get to jump in the car, turn on some good music, and drive out of town.

5 - New movies

There are not many things that can top the opening weekend of a movie you've been waiting to see for months. Many times, new movies that we've all been waiting for happen to open during the summer.

This year...here's what we're waiting for...

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We actually just discussed going to the midnight premier. We'll see if it happens or not.

4 - Sales

Summertime caterers quite specifically to the shopoholic. Now, I'm not sure that I fit quite into that category (especially since I've been "on my own"), but I do love a good sale. Lucky for girls like me, summertime also brings with it lots and lots of sales.

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Memorial Day sales
Fourth of July sales
Back to school sales
Tax holiday
Labor Day sales
Spring clothes clearance rack

Need I keep going?

3 - Vacation days

Oh the joys of vacation days. I've learned very quickly that there are vacation days and then there are vacation days.

Vacation days are days that you're actually on vacation. Most of us go on a summer vacation every year or so, and vacation days laying out by the pool, laying on the beach, nice dinners out, shopping, and sight seeing are familiar to us.

Vacation days are days that you don't work, but you're not on a vacation. These are used for days when you don't go to work because you've got things to do (yucky errands) that can only be done between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

None of this...
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So far this year, I've only taken vacation days. I'm so excited about getting to take vacation days this summer!

2 - Wedding season

Summer is the seasons of weddings. This year there are quite a few that Jason and I will be attending as well as few that we can't make it to. Summer weddings have always been part of my life. If you've been on the beach in Destin/Pensacola/Panama City on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday evening I'm sure you've seen a wedding ceremony.

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I'm sincerely excited for all of my friends getting married this summer (and next) and I can't wait to become a married woman myself.

1 - No school

Unfortunately, this one only applies to my life indirectly these days. I was always a huge fan of summer vacation. One year I heard rumors about how our county (or state?) might be going to year-round school and I cried...literally...sat down and cried.

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Now, I'm no longer in school, but summer means that my family is way more available for me to hang out with them! Having two sisters in school, a mom who teaches, and a dad who is a principal has made me feel a weeeee bit left out this year :( Luckily, now that they're all going to be on summer vacation, I get LOTS of family time!

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I hope that each of you have a wonderful holiday weekend. I will be heading home to Destin as soon as work gets out today. For those of you traveling, be safe! For those of you taking a little staycation, enjoy your relaxation!

I'll be taking a break from rambling this weekend...but next week I want to know: What are your summertime favs?