Detox Day 9

Well, I'm down 9 pounds this morning and still rolling along just fine with this detox journey.  No real cravings.  Desires...yes.  Cravings...no.  The nasty shakes are tasting really quite good now, 9 days into it.  Go figure.  It's hard to believe I was having a hard time getting them down on day 2 and 3!  I guess I've come a long way and my taste buds have been nicely reset!  I see a difference in some of my clothes.  That's exciting!  I've worn things that I have not worn in AGES for the past couple of days now.  Don't get me wrong.  There is at LEAST another 9 pounds to go!  But I'll take my nine any day!  I've had a great week in the gym and have worked out every day this week.  I'm back in there this morning with two good buddies, so it should be a good time!  And a good work out!  I get to add chicken, and/or fish to my diet this weekend!  So tomorrow night we are grilling some salmon!   Yum!  Oh...and brown rice!  What a treat!  Yippeee!  I never thought I'd make it this far.  What's funnier, is that I thought I'd be DESPERATE for fish or chicken by now.  But unbelievably...I'm not missing it.  I just don't care!  I'm just so surprised by this whole detox thing!  Really, really surprised.  Only 12 days to go after this one!  Bring it on!

Detox Day 7

Well, it's a beautiful spring morning here on Day 7 of the detox journey and ALL IS WELL!  I have lost a total of 7.6 pounds so far and am feeling GREAT!  I am sleeping great, feeling great, not craving ANYTHING really.  Though I will freely admit that I could eat a pizza if it were offered and under my nose.  Food smells good to me out in the world...but I don't feel like I have to have it.  This morning I find myself not wanting ANYTHING.  Not food, not drink...not my shake.  Nothing.  I'm not missing coffee or tea or caffeine in any form.  Not missing chocolate.  And thankfully, I don't think I'm missing salt nearly as much as I was.  I actually find myself looking forward to my spinach salad each evening.  Tomorrow, Kyra says I can have chicken or fish and brown rice.  But to tell ya the truth, I am not sure that I want it.  I'm happy where I am.  I may just wait until Sunday to add all of that back in.  We'll see!  And so...that's where I am right now.

What else?  I'm sore...for one.  I worked out at the gym yesterday with two friends.  It was such fun and I'm glad to feel that familiar ache that says I actually DID something there in the gym yesterday.  I had to be very careful, as my shoulder is STILL bugging me.  Man...I am never going to paint again.  It just sets me up for too much difficulty.  It's still swelling and inflamed and angry.  Kyra keeps putting me back line again, but with all the swelling and spasms it doesn't seem to hold.  Although...what she did yesterday really does feel SO much better today.  Finally my neck feels free of it all and it is ONLY my shoulder that is aching.  I will totally take that!

On the schedule today?  I need some grocery basics...water, soap, lotion...those little essentials.  I bought Max a bunch of clothes yesterday and they DO NOT FIT...again!  So I have to return all of those.  He is officially in the men's sizes now.  YIKES!  I can't believe how fast both boys are growing.   They were such little peanuts for the longest time!  But they are peanuts NO more!  Then I am off to the gym with Kyra to walk off and work off some of this soreness.  Clara has gymnastics tonight.  She is doing SO well in her class!  She can do a back walkover now from standing and great hand stands and cartwheels, round offs and rolls.  She can do her front roll on the balance beam all by herself and stay on there...she really is doing a great job!  And is having a blast too!  I think that's about all our day is going to hold today.  I guess I should also grab something to throw in the crockpot for the troops tonight that can cook while I am out and about.  Gymnastics at 6 p.m. kind of cuts into my dinner cooking time!

That's the update at our house!  Day seven is looking GREAT!

Detox Day 5

Today was a GREAT day, detox wise.  I don't really feel like I craved anything.  NOTHING.  The boys even baked homemade, chocolate chip cookies when they got home from school.  And while the smell was intoxicating, for sure...I was never tempted once to cheat and sample one!  So yay me!  I found it the easiest day yet to follow through on this crazy diet thing.  I wasn't hungry at any point, nor did I find myself lingering in the pantry and pining for things forbidden right now.  So it's a definite step in the right direction.  I feel really good.  No headaches...no problems with the lack of caffeine.  I am sleeping well at night...even with several wake ups to go pee in the night (which usually really mess with my sleep).  I feel really refreshed in the morning....at least, THIS morning I did (and Monday mornings aren't known for their refreshment factor around here!), and all in all I just feel...well....fine!  I lost, yet another pound, for a total of 6 now.  So that makes me happy, happy, happy!  I can't believe I've made it through a full five days with no cheats or problems.  I haven't even been terribly cranky or difficult...at least, not that I am aware of.  I think day two was quite a bit challenging.   Definitely the worst day for me thus far.  I hope it only continues to get better from here!  Today was definitely a good day and I am hoping for 16 more just as good, if not better ones!

Detox Day 4...2:00 p.m.

Well, it's day 4. And so far, so good.  I'm not really craving anything crazy.  I am still wishing for real food.  I'd LOVE a big juicy burger, a steak, some enchiladas, some chips and salsa, spaghetti, etc.  If it's not a fruit or vegetable...I'd LOVE to have it.  But I'm not desperate.  It's all good.  I'm really doing quite well.  And I'm REALLY surprised!  I didn't think I could do it.  I mean...I've done my three day diet in the past.  And nearly died every time.  I've actually only finished it ONCE.  But I've tried it often.  I wasn't sure if I would be able to really stick it out, but I am starting to think that I really might do it!  Granted...it's only day 4.   Still a LONG way to go!  But I really do think I might be able to do it.  I lost another pound...bringing the total to 5 thus far!  THAT makes me smile and very happy.  I'm more than a little curious as to just how long this wonderful shedding of a pound a day might last.  It can't possibly last the whole 21 days.  THAT would be nuts.  But I'm loving it while it lasts.  If I can get enough off, then it's definitely motivation to work hard and watch what I eat to KEEP it off!  I understand that I will feel SO much better when this is all done that I will PREFER to eat better and fresher and just feel so much better when I do.  We shall see.  I am not there yet.  I don't feel necessarily any more energetic.  But I am not nearly so tired or moody as I thought that I would be.  I feel fine.  I'm not hungry on this cleanse...and I really thought I would be.  I thought I would feel like I'm starving.  But that has NOT been a problem.  I am truly surprised.  And so, there is the update for day 4...it's all good!  If this is truly the worst day, as I am told it is, then I am home free on this cleanse journey!  Woo Hoo and Yee Ha!

Detox Day 3-P.M. update

Today was great and SO much easier than yesterday.  Not having a headache totally changes the game for me!  It was a super busy day...maybe that's why it was so much easier!  We started our day with a trip to Home Depot and then Lowe's.  We picked out a new paint color for the bathroom that Chris insisted needing texture.  And so, now that the bathroom has been textured...we have to finish it out with paint.  And so...off we went and are now midway through painting the bathroom.  The color?  A deep, deep purple color...it's called Tannin.  We both truly liked it and it is drying out a very rich and deep color that, thus far, I am happy with.  We'll see how it is tomorrow!  In addition to the paint project, we ripped all of the bushes out of the bed by the kitchen breakfast nook and replaced them with a flower garden.  I hated looking out at the green ball bushes.  I wanted something fresh and pretty there to see.  And it looks SO pretty!  Pictures to come!  THAT was a huge job.  When we had all of the flowers in place, we took a couple of the bushes that we pulled up and transplanted them to the front yard into the spot where Chris took out a huge bush right after we moved in here.  They filled in the gap PERFECTLY.  You would never know that they have not always been there.  In addition, there was a lot of weed wacking and edging and hedge trimming going on too.  It was a busy day for sure with LOTS accomplished!  And so, at the end of detox day 3, I am surviving.  And it wasn't a bad day at all.  I understand that tomorrow is the worst.  But it will be a busy day for us with church and all...so hopefully it won't be too bad.  And Mondays are ALWAYS busy in this house with the getting of kids off to school and what not.  Here's hoping for a smooth few days.  I'm feeling really good about it tonight.  I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.  Bring on day 4!  I'm ready!

Detox Day 3- A.M.

Well, it's Saturday.  Day 3 of the detox journey.  I woke up to beautiful sunshine after storms rolled through in the night.  And I am so excited to say that I am headache free!!!!  Which confirms for me that this is less of a caffeine problem and does indeed seem linnked to the weather.  I'm like a walking barometer.  I have to say that it was something I rarely dealt with in the desert.  I find it to be a bit annoying here in Texas because it seems there is almost ALWAYS some sort of weather happening.  I've had more headaches here than I can count.  Weird how weather can bring them on that way.  But there is none TODAY and my head feels glorious and I will shout some praises for that.  Being headache free and seeing sunshine in the skies gives me a whole new perspective and attitude for the day.  I'm not feeling quite as gloomy about it all like I was at bedtime last night.  AND...we have lots of projects to tackle today.  We've had workmen in the house for two days repairing our ceiling in the kitchen where we had that leak.  They still aren't done.  They will be back on Monday to paint it all.  But the holes are gone and it looks wonderful!  Anyway...not being able to get into my kitchen and family room and most importantly...my laundry room throws the life cycle off, more than a little bit for me.  PLUS...Chris and I were both sick this week.  I had two days flat on my back with the cold, and then another full day where I could not move because of my neck.  I was barely moving when the work began in the house.  And so...lots of catch up projects to take care of today.  Lots of areas to clean up and declutter.  Fun stuff. Also, we have to go and choose some paint and paint the little hallway half bath.  We had it textured while the workers were here because it drives Chris crazy.  It was a cheap thing to do...so long as we painted it ourselves when it was all said and done.  Now it's said and done...so we have to go get some paint!  Decisions, decisions!  And finally, I think there is some closet organizing on the horizon.   So I shall have plenty to keep me busy I imagine!  And being busy always helps!  So...at 8:30 a.m. on detox day 3...I'm feeling MUCH more positive!  Bring it on!  (oh...and total weight loss at this point is 4.2 pounds)

Detox Day 2

Today was not as fun...or as easy as yesterday.  Yesterday I just really thought it was a breeze.  Today I found it to be a bit more challenging.  Not horrible.  I lost 3 pounds.  So yay for that!  I'm very certain it's water weight as I had to get up and pee more times than I can count last night.  I've had a headache most of the day.  Of course...that could be WEATHER related...imagine that...Texas getting  weather.  There is a front hovering right now and that could be pumping up my headache.  Weather usually does bring on a headache for me (man...have I ever moved to the WRONG state?!).   OR...it could be the lack of caffeine.  Either way...head hurts.  And I am trying to be good and not take anything for it if I can help it.  But I must honestly report, that at 9:48 p.m. the headache sucks.  Everything else went well today.  My sweet friend Kyra spent all day with me.  And I appreciated and needed that.  I'm pretty sure I'm getting some cranky going on.  It's sweet of her to put up with me!  I choked down my two shakes and I found them to be a good bit more revolting today than I did yesterday.  YUCK!  Only 38 more of those to go!  And so...I survived day 2.  I don't think I am looking forward to day 3 and Kyra tells me that day 4 is the worst.  I may just have to sleep through Sunday!  She assures me that after that it all gets better.  I guess we'll see.  For now, I am just glad to have day 2 checked off!  One day at a time for sure on this one.  Only 19 more to go!

Journey Into Detox

I have decided to do a 21 day detox program.  My sweet doctor friend is a huge advocate of them and I have been paying close attention to what she says about these cleanses for months now.  There are tons of benefits and I've heard of a lot of patients having some really amazing benefits come from the process.  Granted...I don't have heart medication or high blood pressure or lots of other things that people are getting relief from...but  I do feel like sometimes the body could just use a good healthy overhaul.  A break from all the crap we tend to pour into it rather thoughtlessly on a day to day basis.  I'm told that it will improve PMS symptoms.  Now...I'm certain that she surely didn't mean to imply that I would EVER display any kind of moodiness or irritability or mean and nastiness around my cycle.  I mean...just look at how sweet I am!  Shoot... Chris and my kids will totally vouch for that.  Except for maybe that couple of days of the month.  But I'm nice-ish those days.  Well...maybe not so much.  I guess issuing a blanket statement of "aggravate me and die" isn't really being as sweet and lovely as I am capable of being.  It's nice that I WARN them that I'm not feeling very nice though...isn't it?  Anyway, I might be sweeter when it's all said and done.  And I SHOULD drop a few pounds.  And that right there needs no further explanation!  I could stand to drop a few pounds.  No arguing with that one!  Also..this cleanse should be good for this nasty persistent shoulder and neck problem I keep having.  Today, my doc friend asked me if I have had shingles.  Shingles?!  On my roof...yes.  My body....no.  However, she said that there is a definite pattern here and that it could be a possibility.  Interesting.  I'm all for ANYTHING that will make that constant lock up and pain go away!!!  I've been dealing with it for a solid couple of years now.  And so...today...the journey begins!  What does this journey involve?  Well...this first week I can have all of the fruits and vegetables I want.  Unlimited.  Of course...that's pretty much ALL I can have.  But hey...I won't go hungry.  After the first seven days I can add in A piece of chicken or A piece of fish each day and some rice I think.  There are also a bunch of supplements and a protein shake of some sort.  It should all be interesting.  Bring it on!  So far...so good.  I'ts day one.  I have had green tea and a banana so far.  I feel good about it.  I don't have a caffeine headache from not having coffee...yet.  And I'm not starving.  Though I am starting to think I need to get some grapes or strawberries to go with my banana.  Right now...on day one, hour two...I THINK I can do this!  We shall see!

As for sickness...Chris and I are still getting over it...but are both feeling much better.  Of course, in true Chris fashion...he refuses to rest and listen to his body.  He thinks the second he's able to get out of bed he can get right on back into the gym.  He does this nearly every single time and every single time has a day where he WAS feeling better, pushes himself too hard, does insane workouts at the gym WAY before he should, then totally hits the wall and comes crawling home from work midday and is in bed again...miserable.  If I've told him once I've told him a hundred times...but he refuses to listed to me!!!  He does like to learn things the hard way.  But we are both on the mend...for real.  My neck is still so totally locked up.  I will NEVER take that sinus stuff again!  I'm STILL paying for that little nap!  Eventually it will sort itself out.  I'm rather tired of the pinchy, burny, annoying pain.  I'm over it and ready to get some stuff done and I need my shoulder and neck to do it.  Grrrrrrrr.  Hopefully, the ice, the rest, the cleanse....will all bring this little episode to an end...once and for all!!!

On another note...it's report card day today.  It won't hurt one bit to start praying up Max Roberts.  I have a strange sense of peace about it all.  Of course...it's 10 a.m. and I haven't actually SEEN the report card.  I might be much less peaceful at 4:00 this afternoon.  LOL!  Hopefully the cleanse grumpies won't be kicking in too hard by then.  I hear the first three days are the hardest.  Only 12 hours left to get through of THIS day!  I am hopeful.

And so...there's the current update. We are cleaning...and cleansing....healing and happening here in the great state of Texas on this fine Thursday morning!

Sick...Day 2

What a wild ride this latest disease has been.  I spent all day in bed yesterday.  Never climbed out of my pj's.  I never just stay in bed all day.  But yesterday...I did.  This morning, at first, I thought I was feeling better.  Was excited to be able to breathe and that my teeth weren't hurting.  But after only a short few minutes, I realized that while my teeth weren't hurting...my stomach most certainly was.  As in, really REALLY hurting.  major pain.  Could not stand up straight kind of pain.  I managed to get Clara off to school, doubled over in pain...hobbling around the kitchen.  And the boys, thank goodness, took care of themselves.  And I quickly found myself back in bed, under the covers and trying to sleep off the pains.  At 10 a.m. I felt a bit better and took a night time sinus formula medication, hoping to open up my sinuses a bit and breathe easier.  It worked.  However....there is a reason why it's called a nighttime formula!  The rest of the day I was in a deep fog...sleeping through most of it.  Every couple of hours I would try to fight my way up and out of the darkness, only to have the waves reclaim me and pull me back down into the drifting sleepiness.  I'd wake up, drooling, and confused.  And with my neck hurting from being in an awkward position in too deep a sleep for way too long.  Tomorrow, I will be calling my dear sweet chiropractor friend and setting up an appointment for intervention.  It feels as if a giant took his arm and made a fist and just pounded my head straight down into my body....like a nail into wood.  I've iced it and drugged it and sat in the massage chair...and basically, it just hurts to have my head sitting there on my shoulders.  Most unpleasant.  But I can breathe...so at least there's that.  I am about to take yet another hit of this magical nighttime sinus formula and will gladly submit to the waves of sleep and easy breathing that seem to come with it.  And hopefully tomorrow, i will awake a whole new person.  Rested and able to breathe, able to move without pain, and ready to take on the rest of this week.  That's my hope anyway.  Two days of sickness is enough!  I have been nearly 100% disfunctional for the past 48 hours.  So here's hoping that Tuesday will be a fresh and new day for me....an end to this phase of congestion and coughing and stuffiness.  A new dawn and clarity!  Here's hoping!

SICK

woke up sick today.  like totally yucky sick.  head hurts.  throat is throbbing.  head is totally congested.  my face hurts.  my teeth hurt.  can't breathe.  slept awful last night.  kept waking up to throat hurting and feeling like i was suffocating.  it's now 1:00 p.m. and i am still in bed...still in pjs....still miserable.  it's a dark, gray, rainy day here in texas.  fitting for the way i feel.  isn't it weird how it's always gray and dark on sundays in texas.  like EVERY single sunday...i think its weird....just saying.

Bluebonnets

It's what the fuss is all about.  It's all the Texans seem to be able to talk about.  It's Bluebonnet season folks.

Sundays in Texas

There is a most amazing phenomenon here in Texas.  Pretty much every single Sunday...without fail...it is CLOUDY and overcast here.  I mean like YUCK cloudy where more than once you ponder if it might rain.  Some Sundays start out a bit sunny...but by the time you walk out of church services, the clouds have rolled in and the darkness seems to descend.  It's really quite weird.  Today is no exception.  It is CLOUDY out and DARK.  There is wind and one would think that some serious weather is rolling our way.  Yet we are not slated to receive any rain.  Just this weird cloudiness.  I don't know that I have ever lived anywhere where there are so many cloudy Sundays!  Very strange.  Very strange indeed.

I went to church this morning...just me and the three kids.  Chris had to work this weekend due to a national sales meeting or something like that...so it was just me...against them.  We made it out the door, grumbling and complaining, fussing and fighting...the usual Sunday morning commotion.  Isn't it weird how kids seem so intent on killing each other on NOT showing examples of brotherly love on Sunday mornings.  It's enough to make anyone crazy really.  But boundary pushing aside...we rolled into church right on time and I got everyone distributed into their proper classes and me off to mine.  All in all it was a good morning.  After Sunday school we headed into the worship service.  The people watching was great today.  Several interesting personalities around us today.  Jumping Bean was there in the choir.  I think she's on springs.  She gets so excited that she literally jumps up and down through all the upbeat songs.  Jumping Bean was joined by Bust a Move Betty today.  She was just all out dancing and I do not mean just a little bump of the hips.  I am talking she was peace signing and arm rolling and had her disco fingers going more than once.  She was definitely 'getting jiggy with it".  It made the singing part of the service OH so interesting to watch and take in.  Besides my choir personalities, was Rainbow Bright right in front of us.  She and her family slipped in late and within about 2 seconds had hands raised in the air just a praising away.  A couple of minutes later was when I realized that those raised hands were sporting rainbow colored gloves that looked a lot like the tights Rainbow Bright wore on her cartoon.  Yes...it was indeed an excellent people watching day!

After church, we headed towards home and met up with Chris at McAllister's Deli for some lunch.  After refilling our tanks and calming the troops a bit we made a quick run to the grocery store, then came home for a nice relaxing and quiet afternoon.  Chris has had a nice long nap, the kids have been reasonably argument free...and I too have enjoyed some quiet and somewhat relaxing time between plugging in laundry and what not.

Tonight we are grilling some steaks and baked potatoes and just relaxing before heading back into another busy and action packed week!  Tomorrow will not be Sunday...so the sun should reappear!  I am SO looking forward to that!  Life is good in the Lone Star State!

These Are a Few MORE of My Favorite Things...

And there you have it!  All of my favorites from yesterday's session with Clara.  She's such a delightful sweetheart.  And I am beyond grateful to be able to capture so many sweet images of her.  When she's all grown up I KNOW I am going to miss her like crazy!  It will be nice to have these to "remember when"!

Girls in White Dresses...

THESE are a few of my favorite things...crisp blue skies, bright sunshine, picket fences, the famous bluebonnets that are blooming everywhere, warm weather that wraps it's arms around you like a sweet caress, gentle breezes that carry the promise of even warmer weather whispering through the trees, and of course...this baby girl of mine!  I am LOVING this warm and sunny weather!  And I DO mean LOVING it!  Today, I took my Clarabelle out and did some pics. There is a cool little cottage place right by the railroad tracks on my walking route that I have had my eye on for quite some time and today I finally grabbed my favorite little subject and my camera and beat a path over there.  Here are a FEW of today's favorites!  I'll post set two later!

Update From the Rainforest...I mean... Wind Tunnel State

WOW!  Texas finally turned off the faucets and opened up the wind tunnels full speed ahead!  It's been hurricane force crazy windy here the past few days.  Sunny...and you KNOW I'm thrilled beyond words about that!  But windy, just the same.  Despite the wind, today was just lovely and I found myself drawn to the great outdoors.  It all started when I went out to check on our little garden.  It's not dead coming along quite nicely!  Our seeds have sprouted and there is evidence of life there in that little garden box!  Here's a peek!

The sunshine felt so beautiful and delicious and so I lingered over the garden for a few minutes.  I also wondered why in the world I had just spent an hour on the treadmill instead of walking OUTSIDE!!!!  And while I was lingering I decided that the back yard was definitely in need of a meeting with the lawn mower.  And so....I cranked her up and quickly set to the task of making those beautiful straight lines of

fresh cut lawn.  The smell of it all was so crisp and fresh and I just relished the springtime moment.  After I was done making the lawn all even and pretty again, I noticed that the nasty little tree above the swimming pool had dropped TONS of debris in the pool.  Some kind of fuzzy, pollenlike stuff that was EVERYWHERE.  I spent quite a large chunk of time with the net capturing it all and getting it out of our pool.  Fat lot of good THAT did since two hours later, thanks to the WIND, there was just as much as I had removed and even MORE!!!!  So of course...I did it AGAIN!!!  Once THAT was all done, I noticed the flower bed under the window was just a nightmare.  ALL of the flowerbeds here have been in sad, sad shape.  They have had little to no attention.  And this one was no exception.  It was just crying out for some major TLC and attention.  See...isn't this just so sad?  

After another good chunk of time crawling around on my knees on the concrete and yanking and pulling the weed flower bed looked SO much better.  Like this....

Of course....there are no flowers.  And I am not certain that there will be.  But then...you never know!  I AM...just so you know...pretty good with rocks and have had pretty good success with them in the past. I haven't lost one yet!  Might be best to just proceed with the "rock" garden!  

And finally.....with the arrival of spring, we seem to be having some rather frequent visitors to our yard.  Specifically...to the POOL area of our yard.  I call them Charlie and Lola.  They seem to think that our pool is a "community" pool.  Specifically for the DUCK community.  Meet Charlie and Lola...

They splash down in our pool at least a couple of times a day.  They are making Oscar crazy.  And I'm none too excited about the idea of them pooping and doing who knows what else in my pool.  I tried to nicely explain to them that there are two perfectly lovely ponds right down at the end of the street and that they are open to duck visitors.  Whereas OUR pool is a PRIVATE pool.  You know...kind of an "invitation only" kind of deal.  I don't really speak duck very well...however...something I said must have struck a chord with them because they took off in quite the huff after our little chat.  

And so....that's about all the news from the Wind Tunnel Lone Star State.  We are loving spring and all the fresh and green that seems to be escorting this delightful season in!  Loving the sunshine and cherishing the blue skies.  Everyone tells me that Spring here is very, very short and that I will be sorry once summer gets here.  Ha....we'll see about that.  Bring on the heat!  Life is good in the Lone Star State!

Benjamin

Do you know this one?  Our Ben?

Sweet.

Loveable.

Twelve.

I love this kiddo!