Fill That Car Up

Love.

Have you ever been sitting watching someone, or driving somewhere- coming or going, or maybe sitting in nature communing with the silence of the Fall, and you are just overwhelmed with the peaceful presence of love. It’s tangible. Palpable.   It’s present. I don’t even remember this weekend where I was driving or where I had just come from but I felt the presence of God and overpowering love. Love that conquers all hate and all pain- it’s the love that conquered death. And I felt it. It was real. It was in my little blue car.

While we are chasing earthly love, God is chasing us with His love.

Zephaniah 3:17- “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”

That is a love that is tangible. Palpable. Present.  It makes me think of those peaceful car rides that I am fulfilled beyond comprehension with happiness and silence, or the times this summer singing Call Me Maybe at the top of my lungs with 60 international students woke up a part of me that had been quiet for too long, or this weekend when an experiment of sorts landed my mom, sister, aunt and myself on the living room floor laughing hysterically. Or the times when comfort found me and I didn’t even realize I was hurting yet.  How amazing is that love.

We were made to love and care for one another, so I definitely am not saying seeking love from one another is wrong. It’s when we forget that we have already been cared for, fulfilled and loved more than comprehension can even fathom; if we would just accept it and allow ourselves to experience it. For those who are single, such as me, I think one of the biggest difficulties is for wanting companionship in a spouse that isn’t yet present. When you are already a wife or a husband and your cake topper partner needed to take a pit stop before arriving to where you are; that is when I need this reminder.

Just my random thought of the day, wasn’t really what I intended to write about. Couple of updates- I am now officially teaching a college level class, just twice a week. It’s been a lot of fun so far and I can’t wait for my class and myself to grow together this term. I am still in my position with TRiO as a College Advisor and my position with Corban as the Town House RD, so don’t worry, you’re not that far behind, I think I just forgot to tell people I was teaching now and have had a ton questions from people confused…and by a ton of questions, that pretty much just means my mom asked. J

Garden update- I think I brought in one of the last batches from my garden. It got hit hard by heat and slugs while I was gone this summer, but I did have a huge batch of deformed carrots that tasted like nutritious dirt, I have a bunch of kale and swiss chard in my fridge, have had tons and tons of yellow pear tomatoes, a couple of yellow stout squashes, the world’s smallest red cabbage, and lots of beautiful wild flowers. Throw in a plastic corvette and a Ken doll and it’s pretty much a feast for barbies.

I’ll be in Seattle for the Seahawks vs. Jets game with my amazing cousin who is flying up for a girls Seattle weekend. Wasn’t planned to overlap, but what a bonus to be the same time as a great game and what will definitely be an explosively lively weekend. The following week I get to spend some time at the Holloman Air force Base in New Mexico to visit one of my absolutely favorite little families.  So even without my cake topper hubby I’m certainly enjoying the love, support and hilariousness of those in my life, the depth and experience my jobs are providing me, the humbleness and skillset it takes to grow things with a black thumb, and the peace that my God who loves me so provides me in my little blue car.

Pinterest Food Success Finds

This will be a quick post and mostly just about some delicious recipes I recently tried out. As many of you know I try to watch what I eat, and more than just "watch" what I eat as in eat healthy I take it a step further and try to pay attention to the specific amounts of protein, carb, sugar, vitamins, and fat I intake and in what forms. Is it good fat like avocado and nuts, or bad fat like the bacon maple cupcake recipe I'm also going to talk about today. 

The two recipes on the docket today are: baked oatmeal muffins and bacon maple cupcakes. Both made in my trusty muffin tin but extremely different, its the good and evil of the food world. 

My breakfasts have been a bit lackluster lately and I was hoping to spruce things up and cut out some protein but still get a full stomach and a jump start to my energy level. I think this pinterest find managed to give me both and has been delicious, filling and about 100 calories a muffin. I made 30 of them with this recipe. Best if you freeze the ones for future use and thaw out in the fridge over night. 

Recipe from Sugar Free Mom (tweaked just a smidgen by me):

• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups applesauce, unsweetened
• 1 banana, mashed
• 6 packets of Sweetleaf Stevia or 1 1/2 teaspoons stevia powder or use 1/2 cup honey (I used stevia concentrated liquid drops)
• 5 cups, Old Fashioned rolled oats { I used Bob’s Red Mill}
• 1/4 cup flaxseed meal
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 3 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 3/4 cups milk (I used 1%) (I used coconut milk)

Here are some pictures from my muffins and a preview of the Bacon Maple Cupcakes.

Dark mini chocolate chips with organic PB blob                                                  Blueberry

The Bacon Maple Cupcakes I decided to make for my office (I take them in tomorrow so I'll see what my non biased reviews are), however, I tried one and it is DELICIOUS and in no way nutritious. Voodoo Donuts would be proud though, these babies are like sweet manna meant to solve most every life problem.

The recipe I used was from BT Bacon for Life:

Bacon Maple Cupcakes

* 4 1/2 tablespoons butter, room temperature

* 1/2 tablespoon bacon drippings (left in the fridge to become solid)
* 1 egg
* 5 tablespoons brown sugar
* 4 tablespoons maple syrup
* 1 1/4 cups self rising flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* tiny tiny pinch kosher salt
* 1/4 cup milk
* 1/4 cup of minced bacon, cooked and drained

Maple Syrup Frosting

* 4 tablespoons of butter.
* 2 tablespoons of maple syrup.
* 1 cup of powdered sugar.

"What you’ll do–
* 1) Cook some bacon in a fry pan (about 6 thick strips). Reserve the drippings and place in the fridge to solidify. Mince 1/4 a cup of the bacon. The chef should eat whatever is left to assure that the bacon is tasty.
* 2) Beat the crud out of the butter and solidified bacon fat ’till light and creamy. Add the brown sugar and maple syrup and beat well until combined.
* 3) Add the egg and beat until incorporated.
* 4) Sift the flour, salt, baking soda and powder together.
* 5) Add some of the flour and mix, then some of the milk, then continue to alternate the dry and wet ingredients, ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in the bacon. Taste and add more maple syrup, flour, or milk if needed for desired taste. Keep in mind the maple frosting is very sweet, and to add in very small increments for alterations as maple syrup in large amounts can break a cake batter.
* 6) Scoop into cupcake papers and bake at 350 F for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Be sure to rotate the pan after the first 15 minutes for even baking." (From BT Bacon for Life)

So far Pinterest has proven very SUCCESSFUL with supplying me with great new recipes! If you want the cooking instructions on the cupcakes just click on the link above (BT Bacon for Life) and it's all right now. Personally, when I made the frosting I used 7 TBS butter, 3 TBS maple syrup and 1 1/4 C powdered sugar. 

East Coast kind of Summer

Did summer happen already? It’s been such a whirlwind couple of months; scratch that, couple of years. 

As many of you know I spent the summer in Boston, plus about 8 days in New York City. What might have I been doing on the East Coast? You might ask, I’m not 100%, but if you are curious I was working for a group called International College of English (ICE) with some phenomenal individuals from around the world teaching English to kids from all over the world on an education vacation in America. You may have seen pictures floating around facebook if you are also a stalker, I’m not judging, I do it too. This incredible experience allowed me the chance to tour Harvard, do the Freedom trail, scream at Six Flags and Canobie Lake Park, walk the plank on the Mayflower and experience the Plymouth Plantations, I gazed at the bright lights of Times Square, walked 5^th Ave, stared in awe at the Statue of Liberty, got sick on the ferry that took us to said statue, I ate a hot dog in Central Park, jumped through fountains at Battery Park, I felt the sadness of Ground Zero, sat through three open top bus rides with the rain in my face and wind in my hair, stood face to face with a Van Gogh and other famous paintings, walked on a high rise garden, “heellllooooo’d” at the Seinfeld restaurant, took a stroll along the Hudson River, rode the NYC subway alone, ate massive amounts of icecream and didn’t even feel an ounce of shame, ate New York cheesecake in Brooklyn overlooking the NYC night skyline on a park bench, sweated it out at Bunker Hill, let my nerdy side out at the Boston Science Museum, went to a New Hampshire jersey shore wannabe beach, “pretended” to jersey chase at a private Boston Red Sox tour, I rock climbed for the first time, I played house mom to 13 Chinese middle school boys, and taught some high school boys the joy of American Football. 

That is what I did this summer. Oh, and I taught English for 3 hours a day, 5 days a week. I stayed up way too late, and I woke up way too early. I sat on the miranda (AKA- the veranda) and talked openly with friends about life, I grew close to people who live oceans away from me (literally), I stole diet coke, ate horrendously horrible disgusting boarding school food that constantly made me sick, I fell asleep sitting straight up mid conversation, I got really strong butt and leg muscles, I found out I can push myself a lot harder than I knew was possible, I learned a square dance in five minutes and danced it for 80+ people(I’m sure it’s floating around youtube somewhere by now), I actively listened to kids, I gave hugs out freely, and I learned a lot about who I am. And a lot about Justin Beiber.

It was truly a wonderful experience.

That I would do again in a heartbeat.

            I’m still not sure why the Lord opened this opportunity up for me but I am so thankful that He did. It was truly God’s timing and His will because for me to get over a month off from both of my jobs, to have passed my certification with a 94% and to get my stubborn self to do something out of the norm could only have been orchestrated by one who is much wiser than I. I know a mission of being a Christ follower is planting seeds where ever we go, and I hope I was able to embody the love of Christ to all I came across and show that Christianity can, should and does equal love; but today, I eagerly await to see what blossoms from the seeds that I know were sown into my very being while I was there. 

 David & I are Seinfeld Restaurant

Elena (Italy), Valentina (Columbia) and Esther (France) at Plymouth Planations. 

 NYC view from the double decker bus.

 Boston Red Sox Tour

NYC Public Library.

And to the right, David and I at Grand Central Station

Who I Am

Love this. 

Today, I am 26 years old. Today my friend Natalie is also 26 years old. My friend Paul is 24 and my 7th grade history teacher must be in his 70's.  It's a pretty exciting day here in the beautiful NW.

26 things I would like to do this year:

1. Be a nobody. Tell everybody about somebody who can save anybody. 

2. Ride in a hot air balloon

3. Star gaze late into a warm summer night. And identify constellations. 

4. Go to New York. Whilst there pull an Audrey Hepburn and eat breakfast foods in fancy clothes while pondering beautiful things.

5. Hatch praying mantis eggs. You read that right. 

6. Make one full meal from my garden alone.

7.  Sow something beautiful. Without the help of a hot glue gun.

8. Learn to shoot a bow and arrow. Summon my inner Katniss I guess you could say.

9. Learn to trust in the Lord for everything, but especially number 10.

10. Wait for the right man to sweep me off my feet.

11. Start writing a book. Hopefully without that sounding too narcissistic thinking anyone would want to read it. 

12. Be an extra in a movie.

13. Make an unexpected new friend, in an unexpected way.

14. Cross off a couple more states from my list of visited.

15. Find time everyday to learn something new about Christ.

16. Find time for every single one of my friends and family members to do something special together. Whether simple, extravagant or crazy.

17. Finally watch the last of Friday Night Lights...I put it off because I didn't want it to end.

18. Save three months worth of expenses. Save 1 big trips worth of expenses. Save 2 small trips worth of expenses.

19. Do something last minute...for once in my life.

20. Make someone cupcakes for no reason other than I love them.

21. Be the kind of woman I would hope to see my sister become.

22. Go to a country concert, preferably at dusk and on grass. Outside, obviously.

23.  Go to the top of a skyscraper.

24. Learn to be less prideful, more humble. Less stingy, more generous. Less vain, more beautiful.

25. Dance. Dance like there is no tomorrow and no one is watching.

26. Change something big...I'm thinking- nose piercing, tattoo, chop my hair off, etc. 

I guess in 365 days from today we can see how I did. 

Thank you everyone for all the birthday love today, I have truly felt loved more than any other birthday ever, which I didn't even know was possible!

God & Greens

This may be a completely uninteresting topic to most but currently for me it’s as refreshing as a crisp afternoon sipping soy lattes and watching Ellen. This weekend I planted my very first grown up garden! Not knowing what I’m really doing my dad provided some much needed gardening knowledge and muscle power to help rototill my dried out dirt plot that was home to weeds and not much else. Now that it’s transformed into a mini paradise of soft nutrient rich dirt I was able to plant: watermelons, zucchini, eggplant, tomato, cauliflower, carrots, wild flowers, lavender, sunflowers, cucumbers, pansies, catmint, these beautiful big  purple flowers, rosemary, poppies, red cabbage, sweet potato sprouts and a mini strawberry patch. On my modestly small deck I also have snow peas, kale, swiss chard, basil, more wild flowers, mini roses and a beautiful frilly large flowering plant. Oh no, it doesn’t end here. As a final touch I’ve noticed some low spots that really hold water puddles all day after watering sessions and rainfall, where I’ll be planting Katniss, also known as arrowhead, which can grow in the soppy wet low spots and provide a nice tuber to roast and an airy white flower for show.

To say I’m pleased would be an understatement.

I like the feeling of dirt on my hands. I will proudly sport the elegant tan lines of a wife beater and the equally attractive ankle sock lines. I will even forgo sitting on the couch for crouching in the dirt to pull weeds until my legs are sore and my heart is full.

And believe you me, I will be posting some photos of the progress as my plant babies grow into adulthood.

I’m realizing this is a whole new way for me to commune with God. I feel His presence in Creation when I immerse myself in the basic elements that make it what it is. I see the scientific circle of life and the intricate details that can only have been bridged by one who is loving and wise. The internal workings of a plant are far more interesting when you consider the hands that carefully whispered them into creation and the delicate balance and dependency of all living things. It’s truly breathtaking.  

Food for Thought

 For a change of topic, here is a helpful trick I decided to try out last night. Now, some nutritional value is lost, but the convenience of it might outweigh the cons. I had some kale, spinach and celery quickly declining in my fridge so last night I decided to juice all of it with some lemons and freeze it all in ice cube trays. Like I’ve said before, freshly juiced items quickly oxidize and lose their goodness and spoil, although freezing is a way to keep juice for longer there are still elemental reactions to the air. This morning with my frozen green cubes I transferred them into an airtight freezer container for ready to use smoothie ice cubes. Now that’s a way to sneak spinach into any anti-greens diet individual! I suggest for kids using the line “it’s green because The Hulk blessed this smoothie for you personally.”

Count Down: 21 days until May 16^th, my 26^th birthday!

Some interesting garden info I found on companion planting

A delicious greens garden recipe, maybe accompanied with this fragrant cupcake for dessert?

Lastly, the work out class I’ve joined if you're interested in toning up and slimming down.

Have a great week!

Words that start with F

I can associate myself with a lot of things that start with the letter F. I’m a foodie. I’ve been asked if I used to be a fatty (apparently eating healthy means you once had a significant weight problem).  Faith, I think that one speaks for itself. Fall- my favorite season. Family. Football- my favorite sport, and not just because of Tebow, besides his name doesn’t start with an F. The F words really worked their way into the very core of who I am and who I am becoming.  

A new F word that might have made its way into my repertoire might be “fanatic.” I get easily distracted with new ideas, or new fads if you will. Mainly fads involving food. Before you go passing judgment, I always research new ideas until I’m blue in the face and have covered what I think are some pretty important components to one’s health & happiness: nutrition intake, time and money spent, fullness and taste.  Last week I completed a week long juice fast. I could see and feel the health benefits derived, felt full, spent more than a couple pretty pennies to indulge in this way of life, taste was…natural, and nutrition intake was incredibly high. To give you insight into an average meal, for instance, my breakfast go to was this juiced:                                                                                                                                                                          
1 cucumber, 4 stalks celery, 3 carrots, 1 orange, 1 apple, half a lemon, large bundle of spinach, few sprigs of parsley and two large leaves of kale.                                                                                                                                                                  Sometimes I would leave out the apple, it was almost too much for me to consume in one meal. I did this three times a day with lots of hot herbal tea and water between. I splurged and put some pure honey in my tea one day, and another I ate the heart of celery I was cutting up. Delish.

This week I started a new book: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver and I have something new to be fanatic about. It has opened my eyes to the devastating truth about America’s food industry, governmental manipulation (much like the corn and soy crop fiasco that has caused high fructose corn syrup to be one of the most used materials in food to date , read Toxic Fat for an interesting take), and the overall irredeemable quality of society to center around money. For instance, did you know that America ships out 1.4 million dollars’ worth of potatoes, and we ship in 1.1 million dollars from out of country farms; which might seem great until you realize the undernourished, poverty stricken farms aren’t the ones reaping the profits, just the soil. When I read that it was normal a few years ago for 300 farms, large or small, to shut its doors for good every week, sold out to its multibillion dollar chain facility with corn fed cows, hormonal chickens and overseas fruits I shuddered to think where we’re headed. The economy is in a large slump that coincides with our oversized backsides.

 I now long for a small farm, somewhere I can plant a huge garden, swap ridiculously large cucumbers with my neighbors, and scoot chickens out of the walk way to my fragrant flower field. A home with a covered front porch, where I can read my weird books that my cousin seems to be the only other human having heard of it, drinking coffee with soy creamer (I gave up dairy about two months ago) and sweetened with local honey (which actually helps alleviate allergies if it’s derived from nearby your home). Don’t worry, I still plan to shave my legs, dawn Audrey Hepburn style sunglasses and giggle like a school girl at insanely attractive pro athletes and episodes of Happy Endings. This is just a new letter F that I can’t wait to try out, farming.

And all this discovered on my quest for fitness.

P.S. I have continued juicing, just not strictly juicing. I am in the works of planting some flowers and if some vegetables end up in there....well, that'd just be such a coincidence. 

And I really do love football. I grew up watching my brother play, which having no brothers he passed on his football wisdom and throwing technique to me (I could out throw the majority of the middle school boys I knew and definitely with a more precise spiral and end location). I love watching, I love playing, and yeah, I wouldn't mind being on the arm of a player.

I do love food. Someday ask to check out my hand written recipe notebook, which I tend to tweak until it's what I want, although I don't claim to be a great chef because that would be blasphemous to real cooks. I adore my family, as proved by this Easter photo of us, and the close up of the most wonderful squealing nephew a girl could ask for. 

Top: Dana, Kate, Nicholas, Colt, Me, Mom, Dad   Below: Colt, flying high.

For those brave enough to try an all juice diet (largely consistenting of veggies), here is a great site for some unique recipes to buffer the day in day out go to mixes- http://www.jointhereboot.com/index.php?option=com_zoo&task=category&category_id=8&Itemid=695&lang=en

For those going dairy free- So Delicious http://www.turtlemountain.com/ and Silk http://silkpurecoconut.com/ offer some amazing and tasty treats to satisfy the finicky eater.

Chocolate Covered Katie is also an excellent site, which I frequent almost daily- http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/ . Vegan. Gluten free. Dairy free. Sugar free. She’s got it all.

And it’s that time of the year- http://www.salemsaturdaymarket.com/ . See you Saturday!

2.22

I’ve never really told anyone this before, mostly because it’s weird. Although, I bet I could say that about a few things in my life, it’s not limited to this one fact I’m about to divulge. I see the number 222 everywhere. I’m not a superstitious person, but a long long time ago Kendra’s dad saw the number 222 and told her about it, then she started seeing 222….then she told me about it and what do you know, now that number perpetually follows me around. I wake up at 2:22, often, not just a couple of times. My office is next to 222. My dorm room was next to 222, I’ve flown on flight 222, ridden in a taxi that was 222. These are minor occasions, but I promise, it never ceases to appear in the oddest places. You know what made me think of this random fact- The Hunger games movie, which is 2 hours and 22 minutes long.

222.

You’ll have to tell me if you now start seeing it everywhere you go. You’ll also have to tell me if you’re as excited about The Hunger Games movie as I am!

To go with the number theme did you know that:

1.       It is 8 days until the four year anniversary of Kendra’s death. I love that I’m starting to see tulips everywhere. New growth is finally starting to appear.

2.       It is 30 days until Easter, the resurrection of our great and holy Lord.

3.       It is 69 days until my 26^th birthday. Yikes! I feel old.

4.       It is 118 days until July 4^th. God bless America. Rodeos. Tim McGraw. Ribs. What a great day.

5.       It is 177 days until I’ve been at my “new” job for a full year.

6.       It is 180 days until my little baby sister is a high school student. Talk about ninja growing, she snuck up on us as a teenager. She Chuck Norris’d the H out of us. Bam.

7.       It is 221 days until my adorable nephew turns one and my beautiful sister in law turns 31.

8.       And it is 351 days until February 22^nd, also known as 2-22.

9.       Oh, and it’s….well, I was going to make a joke about being so many days until my wedding day but I creeped myself out too bad to actually post it.

We have so much to look forward to in life. Every day might not be filled with an abundance of joy and comfort, but how lucky are we that we get to live it. We get to have hope. We get to love. It might hurt, it might test our patience, but we are privileged to try. Privileged to fail and privileged to succeed. A lot of people might accuse me of being optimistically happy, or of having an easy life and that is why I see joy in the days that are dark and the days of light. That because I know where my next meal is coming from (and probably the exact calorie count and nutritional value of it) or that I always have arms to run into when I’m scared or hurt, or that I have people in my life reminding me that I’m wanted, I’m beautiful the way I am and that I can do whatever I want with my future- that these things have skewed my reality to the nature of the real world. And maybe it has. Or maybe I choose to see the good, in my life and in the people around me. Maybe my hope doesn’t fall on any earthly shoulders, so I am utterly never abandoned, even when I’m alone. I have 69 days left to breathe in life and enjoy it before I turn 26, and you better believe I don’t want to sit out a day just because of a little rain. 

  

PS- Can’t wait until the clock starts over and I can count down to my 27^th!

And because it's not a real post unless there is a little food involved, here is a great recipe I tried out this week. Except I used cauliflower, egg white substitute, and soy shredded cheese. I didn't take this picture either, its from the link posted next to it.

Cauliflower Crust Pizza- 

http://www.eat-drink-smile.com/2011/04/cauliflower-crust-pizza.html 

And because it is hilarious-

Enjoy your week, full of food, exercise and love!

Learned a Little Something

       There have been a few things I've realized this week. The first is my new mantra for life right now- Love Widely. You can thank my parents for that one, although if I had to guess I'd say my mom had a bit more to do with this purchase. For Valentine's Day, not only did my lovely parents get me a sweet card, an even sweeter Starbucks gift card but also attached to it was a little butterfly that said Love Widely on it. The phrase was what caught my mom's eye, my new life goal that I'm continually working at- loving others. Loving widely. I love that terminology, the imagery of what  "widely" paints in my mind. It's so vast and endless.

       The other thing I thought of was while sitting in church, slightly distracted with my own thoughts and my low intake of coffee that morning was this- do most of us go to church because we feel that's what a "good Christian" does or do we go with open hearts and minds ready to learn and question, to digest and process. That morning I don't think I could have even answered which girl I was, the one doing what is right because it is just what I do or the one trying to be a better person by doing the things that I know will tone my Spiritual life, my soul and my mind. I go to a big church, with five services and how easy it would be for me to just show up, listen to the sermon and leave. What a huge waste of time that would be, I'd probably do myself better to just sleep in, unless I take the time to truly take the wise words in of Christians who are smarter, wiser, braver and far far superior to me in probably every way. I want to be the latter, the one with an open mind and heart. Cutting with dull blades is tiring, so let's let iron sharpen iron.

Dull blades, that brings me to my last realization from this week. This weekend my family and I finally did something I've been wanting to do for quite sometime! It is something I can cross off my life goals list, although I hope it is a goal that is repeated throughout my life. We served at the Union Gospel Mission! Now I tell you this not to sound like some super amazing person but to preface the last realization. While serving I ended up walking around to tables a couple of times to give out cupcakes, which brought up my years of waitressing and catering at the Wild Pear. You know what I'm talking about, it's like riding a bike, except not. While I had noticed Waitress Casey do this before, I heard it once again coming out of my mouth before I could stop it. Realization #3: while serving food I become a less graceful southern belle who refers to tables of people as ya'll. It so naturally falls off my lips that I have to wonder if my mother only ate fried chicken, grits and...potato salad? Is that Southern? While she was pregnant with me. I honestly don't know where it comes from, but I'm not going to lie, sometimes I like it.

Oh, and the dull blades was because I was cutting I think like 1500 cabbages and it was all done with a very dull blade.

Fitness Update: Been doing okay with the food. I've been doing a lot of researching into different diets, as in lifestyles of eating and not even so much a caloric cut diet, although that has occurred too. I have settled on a diet consisting of the top ten of foods that are highest in natural anti inflammatory- thinks like kelp, smoked salmon, blueberries, etc. And to really take it the next step I've taken out the top ten things that create inflammation in the body, things like- dairy, white flour, high sugar, Splenda (my weakness), etc. I feel great! My back hasn't been having any more pain, my energy level is increasing and I just feel really good. Of course, I slip in some dark chocolate...shh.....I know it breaks the no dairy rule, don't tell anyone.
I also found this terrific at home work out routine for every day of the week.
If you want more information on the types of food that increase and decrease inflammation in the body, check out this site-
http://theconsciouslife.com/top-10-inflammatory-foods-to-avoid.htm - don't eat
http://theconsciouslife.com/top-10-anti-inflammatory-foods.htm - EAT!
http://allyfit.tumblr.com/post/15968075542/photoset_iframe/allyfit/tumblr_lxwus9c3lF1ql2uvy/500 - Awesome at home work out schedule

And of course, we all need a little something sweet, it makes life more enjoyable, and it makes people much easier to love-

 Nonstick vegetable oil spray

1 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips (about 9 ounces), divided 
3 large egg whites, room temperature 
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, divided (I used 2 cups)
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 
1 tablespoon cornstarch 
1/4 teaspoon salt

Life Goals and Bachelor Woes

*Resolutions Update*: they have taken a rocky path, but I’m still moving forward, just at a slower rate than anticipated. I hurt my sciatic nerve, not sure how, but it’s been causing a lot of pain (although my mild scoliosis probably didn’t help they think). One fix to the pain via doctor’s orders was to stop any impact work outs and to take some time off all together. Devastating, but an opportunity to get creative with new ways to get into shape, water aerobics and yoga here I come!

What do you want to be when you grow up? What are you doing after you graduate college?

 

These questions are ones that I’ve avoided like the plague… and I’ve been graduated for three years now so it’s starting to get a bit difficult diverging conversations into a different arena. Honestly I haven’t had any idea of what I’d like to be as I continue growing up, but I do know I have with all my heart been trying to walk through the doors I feel the Lord leading me.  I was talking with a coworker last week and something occurred to me, mostly because I answered before I had the chance to think about my answer- isn’t this often when we either come to some great solution and/or say something we will completely regret, what a tricky sharp sword. I don’t remember the question but my answer was that I can see myself and would like to be a part of an international missions organizations; something that serves kids or poverty stricken individuals by doing. I want to serve Christ and spread His abounding love by doing something for others. By providing income, food, shelter, medical care, clothing- something tangible.  Maybe it’s in part to how I process love, you can spend lots of money on a gift and I will honestly be astonished and appreciative of such an exuberant gift (and probably a little uncomfortable and undeserving), but for me if you choose to spend time with me, bring me food when I’m sick, provide emotional support when I’m down; well that’s when I truly feel loved.

I think, for me at least, to truly be a servant of Christ means I spread his love by meeting the needs of people, by first being there and doing, and through this opening up the world of the Gospel to those who are lost or hungry in more ways than one.

So with that all said, I’m glad I didn’t take the path of the reality tv star, because those ample offers poured in, much like the rain in my beloved Oregon. Just kidding. But really, my love hate obsession with the Bachelor, where in I love watching it and hate myself for enjoying it, continues. Here are all the reasons I would make a horrible Bachelor contestant (sorry to break it to you Nana, I do know how much you’d love for me to go on there).

                           1.  I close my eyes in pictures. Not on purpose. Not in a cute playful way. Basically, the flash scares my poor lids into closing so fast I look perpetually high throughout my lifetime of photos. So bad that 7 years after taking my senior photos, my photographer still remembered me.

                         2.  I don’t nearly have enough glitz and sparkles. I own no sparkly dresses, although confess I’d like one. I prefer less make up than more. I will wear heels but have to agree with Amanda Bynes in She’s The Man when she says (summing up here) that heels were designed to let men chase down women easier, so they are worn quite irregularly and with hesitance by me.

                              3.   My meanest version of a put down I could muster in a woman’s Bible study was “oh you silly B.” Let me clarify it wasn’t directed at anyone though. I’d get eaten alive by the catty girls, and the others I would like so much as people I’d never want to beat them and see them crying. I will say my quick wittedness would give them a run for their money though.

                          4.   I would never ever, ever…ever accept a key to a man’s bedroom. Really? One, I’m not a concubine in the kings harem. Two, I can proudly say I’m waiting until there is a ring on this finger and a wedding certificate signed. And three, they make the women do all the work and I just plain put my foot down to that. How about a little chivalry men.

                     5.   I like bugs, dirt, science, odd medical marvels and watching fascinating documentaries; which some may say I throw the word fascinating around a little too loosely.

                         6. I prefer quality over quantity. Which almost sounds mean. I’m sorry, I’m just a silly B sometimes.

So there you have it, reasons why it’s a good thing I’ve been led in a different direction as far as my occupation. Do I dream of walking the red carpet in a glamorous yet classy gown- of course I do. But do I dream more of humbly serving others in need- yes, I think I realized I do.

New Year, New Look

Any of you who might take a gander at this now and again will notice it's had an extreme make over, including the name. Chasing Love. You might be wondering why that name, asking yourself if I've decided to take the approach of actually chasing men who I deem eligible...but that answer is a solid no, I have not yet succumbed to that means so you can continue to tell me all about "this great guy you know" or how "your son is still single". I changed it to Chasing Love because, as I've said in the past, I want to personify a life of love, I want to love everyone I meet no matter how difficult that might be (and sometimes it really is). I want to be the best example of God's love that I possibly can be, I want to seek it in all that I do, and in all who I come into contact. I want to chase it. And I want it to chase me.

I decided this year to take some time to come up with my new years resolution. More often than not I never follow through with NYE resolutions, and I mean really, how many people actually do. Not this year. I AM DOING IT. Not that I've ever been in the best shape of my life, but I'd like to start working towards that goal. I've made an excel spreadsheet so we know its the real deal, and I've been going to the gym with the mindset of a 3 mile minimum. A trick I've learned is turn on a great football game and inner mix that viewing with Keeping Up With the Kardashians and I've got a perfect mix of intensity and hilarious fluff to so immerse me into my workout that I don't even realize how far I've gone. So there is my accountability, I'm making it public knowledge and give full permission to literally slap processed and sugar loaded food out of my hands (unless it's frozen yogurt, then I might be tempted to use the moves I've learned in kickboxing on you).

This new year has also brought on new website addictions, facebook is so yesterday. Try Pinterest (you can follow my link on the right), which has so many amazing ideas and creative outlets that your face might explode. Explode with delight. Caloriecount.com, I find it incredibly satisfying and entertaining to track my calories and exercise. You might think I've lost it but give it a whirl, it is so fun! Oh, and one other addiction, albeit not technological, is the Coffee Toddy. Want the smoothest, tastiest iced coffee in the world, try the coffee toddy. O...Mmmmm....G.... Delicious.

Back to my name change. I've really been praying a lot recently, and I think there is something big coming, or something I'm meant to do or be. I'm not sure what it is, but I know I want to be the best prepared I can be for it. That means changing my heart, my mind and I think my fitness level. God has done some pretty incredible things in my life, and I hope through my life. He's done these things with such a meager amount of who I could be, so what could He do with me at my possible best? Or at your possible best? The thought of finding out about this excites me to my tip toes. Driving home from work today I was so enamored with the vibrant sunset I'm surprised I didn't rear-end the car in front of me. If God takes the time to display this extent of creativity with the sky, what more will He do with His children!

So I look forward to this new year, with unknown futures, the best coffee I've ever had, creative experiments via pinterest, complete caloric and nutritional awareness, a better self and for what I can only hope will happen tomorrow- the Bronco's beating New England.
PS- I promise future posts will actually have a point. Scratch that- I promise that they will attempt to have a point.

A peek Into My Journal.

Recently I was sorting through some books on my nightstand and there tucked under a copy of Jane Eyre, a Bible, a daily devo and a thoroughly read Don Miller book (I sound so spiritual don’t I?) I found my brown weathered journal. When I say weathered, I actually mean that pieces of the leather are missing, showcasing a soft material peeping through, accidently created from placing the journal on a somewhat tacky service and applying pressure for an extended amount of time. Now this wasn’t done on purpose, but it does make it look well-loved and vintage. Kind of how I hope to look when I’m a crazy old lady who wears velour jumpsuits willingly and mall walks with cans of soup, which will later be served up for dinner.

I haven’t written in the journal for quite a while. I wrote a lot after Kendra passed away and throughout her sickness. In fact, I think it was my only outlet during her sickness, and you can tell. I’m pretty sure the ink used to script every word was first mixed with tears because every page read anguish and pain and heartbreak. It’s numbing to look back and see how much you were hurting and didn’t even realize it. Makes you wonder what you’ll find out about yourself in the future about the present, what life are we living that we don’t even realize. Here is one thing I wrote that stands out, it was the last entry I wrote:

“It has been said that love is a battlefield, love is a gift, love is giving without expectation.

Love is an emotion, love is a verb.

Love is life.

Love is living, breathing, yearning, shelter, comfort, pain.

Love, is life.

Love is losing and gaining, setting free and holding tight. What isn’t love?

Because love is life.

Created in the image of pure love; to be loved and to love. If I know not any other words to personify in life, I will be completely satisfied with pure love as my only goal.

To live is not to love, but to love is to finally live.”

There was one emotion I didn’t disclose earlier that was threaded and woven throughout my words, tightly clinging to every thought like a brand new pair of spanx. It was hope. It was unadulterated hope that our Christ and King would not falter, would not turn His back on his people, hope in the future and hope in the healing and redeeming power of Christ. A hope that is daily healing the open wounds of living in a broken world.

Reading my words written just a few years ago has brought up the question of “Am I embodying love?” I now wonder if I were gone would people remember me as the girl who loved and cared for others or the girl who had a quick witted tongue and was a little obsessed with mustard yellow? I suppose I can only hope for both. But in all reality, I want to daily find a new way to express my love for others and my engulfing love for my Lord and Savior. What holds us back from that vulnerability? Why is taking that extra moment to genuinely express love to someone much like moving the Eiffel Tower with well-manicured, bare hands?

I could delve into the egocentric persona that encases society. The selfish overpowering the selfless. But why? Why, when I can just love. Why complain about the problem, we already know it, so now let’s make love a verb. An action.

  So hear me loud and clear. I love you. I will always love you. And I don’t mean the kind of love with floating pink hearts or i’s dotted with itty bitty spectacles of an embarrassing abundance of emotion. I want the life that is love, raw, empowered, and real.

Get Me to Japan & Read my Thoughts While You're At It.

There have been many things on my mind lately. Every time I pick up a new book I am ambushed with new thoughts, feelings and motivations. I suppose that backs up the mantra “what goes in is what comes out.”

I’ll start with this, a little news update for those of you who don’t own a tv or believe in the powers of Google. Japan is giving away 10,000 free tickets a few months from now. They want individuals to travel their beautiful and recently devastated country, and then write travel reviews and blogs about it to spread the word that Japan is in fact a great place to go. I want to be one of these people. Help me be one of these people. Thus, my sporadic blogging may begin to pick up its own tempo.  This once work travel blog is beginning to take on a whole new life.

I recently went to Seattle for my mom’s 50^th Birthday. A girl’s weekend to the max.  We’re talking delicately made truffles, champagne, Bridesmaids (the movie), shopping, extravagant and delicious meals, and flowers. Lots and lots of flowers, thank you Pike Place Market. Within this weekend, one of my mom’s closest friends asked her to list the top events that have taken place in the last 50 years. A pretty simple question in the storefront, but it’s like asking a blind person to find the marble in the top to bottom packed vintage shop.  My mom’s answer- that it hasn’t been the big things that have impacted her life but the day to day happenings that have made her happy. How true it is, if we can’t appreciate the beauty of each day before us, how will we ever appreciate the “big” things in life.  The marriages. The births. The deaths. The graduations. The BIG things. These big events in life symbolize change, but life is in the day and night of an individual, not the direction in which they start traveling, because we know another big thing will change that direction again but it will never change living in the day.

This answer didn’t seem to appease the group much, although I liked it. Factual dates, with details, that is what people are thirsty for. The obligatory births of her children, her marriage, some childhood memories with her siblings and best friend-cousin made the list.  But my favorite, my absolutely favorite one, and perhaps because I think it is on my list of favorites was the last fragment of a memory she mentioned. And yes, I’m going to tell you what it was.

This past summer my parents, sister and I went to California to see our family. My Grandpa has been sick with cancer for a few years now and it has been rapidly taking its toll on his health. After spending 8 long days in Ventura, California catching up with cousins, grandparents, fathers, uncles and brothers we jumped in the car and headed home. The week ahead was busy and I think weighed on our minds, but not as heavily as the trip we just completed. I believe I said something to the effect of “back on the road,” to which my dad replied “it’s time.” He proceeded to turn on the CD player, and out comes the brand new The Band Perry CD. The following weekend we were all going to their concert and on the drive down had been talking about how we wanted the CD so we could learn the songs prior to it. Such a small gesture but it was so powerful and moving. The first song out was If I Die Young, a fan favorite, but an emotional and heart wrenching song when you’ve just finished visiting a loved one plagued with cancer. When in the last few years you’ve watched your best friend die and the future you had built together sipping ice tea and conspiring to arrange your children’s marriages to officially become related. Or when you’re just plain tired, living on faith, hope, and probably caffeine.

That is one of my favorite memories.

I pray to God a man finds me that takes care of his women as well as my dad does.

Why Singleness is Like Sports Try-Outs

The realization that being single in your 20's and beyond is much like continually trying out for a sport, or a team, occurred to me today while curling my eye lashes and faithfully bronzing my cheekbones to highlight my better features. This thought has no spiritual significance, it's just a thought.

There are the try-out goers and the wanna-be players, the game wear, the fans, the team, and the coveted position as the starters on the team. Yes, all of this relates to being single.

 As a single we wake up, go about our daily business, we put on our best try out clothing, smile at frustrations and failures because we want to be gracious and show the world how much we want to be on the team, we put our best foot forward in every aspect in attempts to move forward. And by moving forward I do mean making the team, hopefully a starting position someday, but also that we attempt success to make up for other lacking relationships in our life, to fill the longing for the team. The wanna-be players, those trying desperatingly to be seen and heard, who walk home with cracks in their thick make up and gel droppings on the muscled shoulders of their ed hardy t-shirts, are those you see and think "did I see them on Jersey Shore last week?" Where the try-out goers are those trucking along, every day joes and janes, in a holistic sense some are beautiful and some average, but all working towards the same goal- making the team.

Try-out clothing are those go to outfits meant to highlight our best assests, or skills. They are often over priced, but it's worth it right? It's all for the sacrifice of making the team. We dawn these articles of clothing like a basketball player putting on his lucky air jordan's, they don't actually change our skill level but sure make us feel like we could be the number one draft this year. We want to present our best and hide our worst. Those that have made the team, well they get to put on their comfortable, slightly looser fitted game wear. Game wear needs to be durable, washable, stain resistent, and able to get the job done effectively. Aesthetics don't mean quite as much, although still have their role, but it's more about quality, because they've already proven their skill to make the team, now it's about keeping that position.

This brings us to the never ending fans. Everyone has them, from the wanna-be players to the starters on the team, we all bring a fan or two or five thousand. For those who are trying out for the team, whatever their skill level is, usually bring along the doting parent fan, perhaps the protective sibling fan who just wants to see them succeed. Quite often there are also the close friends who are loyal fans, encouraging the try-out goer, giving them pointers on improving their success level, and sometimes for those who are lucky, there is the extended network fan base. The church members, the friends parents, the aunts, grandma's, co-workers, friends of friends and friends of the doting parents; now these fans create that strong support system meant to elevate a try-out goer to the ability and skill level of the existing team. They talk up the player so much that often times their words alone are so persuasive that try-outs are almost pointless as they have their spot on the team in the bag. However, the latter can have a catch, and that's when a taste of success meets a rained out game. The times when extended fan bases do their job perfectly, with initial success but the hopes are dashed, the player is side lined and the rain pours. It's the putting on of the jersey, the proud sporting of the lucky number, but one never actually gets to play in the game.

There are cheap tricks to making the team too. Steroids. Those that go to extremes to make the cut, changing themselves and the perfect way God made them in order to meet a preconceived notion of what they believe the team is looking for. Flashy shows. This would be the the try-out goers that have the ability to dominate a room, conversation, attention seekers. Not always a bad thing, in fact I know many great people with this trait, but it also runs the risk of a voice proceeding actual depth, a showy display of personality without sustenance.

Making the team. After all the hard work of prepping and training, making the team is like instant gratification. A moment of bliss, unadulturated by the knowledge of what the future holds- more hard work and training. It isn't easy making the team and it's certainly not easy keeping your spot on it once you do. It's like varsity golf, you must stay within the top five lowest scores to get to play in the tournament, meaning, the work isn't over, your spot isn't safe. While you've moved over to the ability to go between try-out clothes and official team wear you're still not a starter on the team but you do belong to a team now.

If you're asking yourself, does she mean marriage is like starting on the team, then you are quite correct in your assumption. The starters get out there, they get dirty and injured, their jersey's are earning the number they are proudly stamped with. They have trained to make the team. They have trained to become a starter. And now their training is paying off in the play offs. These people, they are part of a team, and they play for the team and with the team. They may go home from a win or loss and throw on sweats and an oversized t-shirt but they secured that right when they battled together, when they started and ended the game for their team, with their team, because of their team.

I'm an 8

"How'd it turn out?"
"I'm an 8."

Name that show. Perhaps one of the best episodes of Friends, when Ross goes in for a spray tan and accidently tans his front 4 times in a row, rather than his front and back. Yeah, similar experience to me yesterday.

In truth though, the machine malfunctioned AND I messed up. Thank goodness for the machine also not working properly or I might have walked into my family reunion looking like Ebony and Ivory, just depends on if you saw me from the front or the back. Anyway, having a free spray tan left from awhile ago I decided to even out some tan lines for the big family photo this weekend. Not only did I accidently get stuck in the same pose twice, spraying my front half twice, the machine stopped at that point and proceeded to dry me. With tanner dripping down my legs, I threw on some clothes (which are definitely tan on the inside now as well) and had to walk to the front desk to see what was up. Since they made a mistake, they gave me a free future spray tan and I went home and showered off the radioactive hue my front side was turning, although not much better than the brilliant white of my backside.

In other accomplishments of the week, I finally found the hidden tree fort on campus tucked away in the miles of nature trails. If you've never walked the nature trails, I highly recommend it, you'd forget you're even in Salem. They are beautiful, lush and green, with cascading branches creating canopies above the walk ways. I've been listening to my Bible on my iPod, which I'm now in Leviticus, and walking these trails, and literally standing in awe at the work of my Creator, that and the trails are steep so I get out of breath after awhile. Anyway, upon discovering said tree fort with past coworker Courtney, I attempted to climb the ladder. The first step is about the reach of arms above my head, not really an easy task for a girl with no upper body strength. With some struggle I was able to get myself to the second step, my  feet still braced against the trunk of the trees. I got scared to go for the third step, but really had no where to go, just a hill and a large rock below me, so while attempting to get down I fell. I have a really nice bruise on my knee, but hey, it matches the large bruises on my arms from this crazy hard server at volleyball on Thursday. I am a very bruised, but very tan, woman. But I will make it to the top of that tree.

What is the significance of 8 in the Bible? It first appeared for young Hebrews needing to be circumsized at day 8 of their lives, and then again in Exodus 23 with sacrifices. I brought this question up last night at a fire pit, which put out some interesting concepts on the significance. I feel like I once learned this and just can't quite grasp that knowledge out from my brain, so I'm hoping either someone can help me out or continuing to dig deeper into the Word the answer will reveal itself to me. I understand 3. I understand 7. I don't understand 8. I'm also curious why with Noah it was 40 days and 40 night, and again on Mt.Sinai with Moses it was 40 days and 40 nights- twice. Why 40/40? So there you have it, some numerical ponderings for the week. In college, I had to read the whole Bible for a class, Biblical Literature of the OT and NT. I remember reading it, and learning it and then forgetting it. Looking back, I was passing a test and not so much tucking it into my heart and really delving into the questions it brings up. I'm changing that now.