Running in September and Blessings

I've been following a 10k running plan to get ready for the Turkey Trot in November, and am excited to share that I am running faster, longer than I was before! I've been averaging a 12 min/mile and regularly running for a time in the 10 min/mile range, hills and all! This past week (I know it was the beginning of October), I had my first day that I just didn't feel like I could do the run that was scheduled. So I didn't, we went for a walk, instead. We didn't plan it that way, I just never got up the gumption to start running. Every time I tried, it was a like a mental/physical wall went up and my legs and mind said, "nope, not going to happen." So I didn't.

I've been regularly running 3 or 4 miles, 3 times a week, with a 5 or 6 miler on Saturday. I've found that I have to eat EVERY 4 hours to have the stamina when I run. Normally, I will eat a snack of trail mix or cheese or fruit or something like that. If I don't drink at least 1 liter of water a day (plus juice, and other things like milk and I take part of a powerade when I run), I can't run as fast, long or as hard as I normally do.

We've been getting some forced change of scenery on our runs, but it has been nice. We ran up near the dam this week, and enjoyed our time tremendously. They have some nice inclines and declines and it's not too terribly crowded, at the time of day that we went. The sound of the water and the scenery went from city park to country, and open. It was nice.

Jianna has been more and more talkative the past few weeks. This morning, her allergies were acting up and she sneezed. On me. :) After she realized what had happened and we laughed a second about she said, "Mommy, I blessed you!" I thought, yes, baby, you did! In more than the ways you're thinking about! It was a precious time.

To Run With Music or To Run Without?

I had purchased an mp3-player at one time to run with. But I haven't used it more than 3 times and I was thinking about why last week as I was running. If you know me, I always have some music going at home. I drive with the radio tuned to music. I like to listen to music most of the time. But I've realized that, for me, running is my unplug, disconnect time. It is a time that I put aside my devices to hear and listen and think. It is a time to hear the rhythm of nature (all those wonderful bugs, frogs and birds). To listen to the whir of the wheels on the pavement. To study the changing scene of the trees, grass and foliage during the year. To hear my feet, sometimes slapping the pavement, sometimes lightly being placed on the pavement, sometimes stumbling. It is a time to point out all these things to Jianna. It is a time to just think and ponder life and maybe where I am and where I want to be. It is a time to pray. I spend this time enjoying life and working hard spiritually, mentally and physically to slough off the stress of the day, of the week, of the month. For me, running wipes the slate of my mind clean so that I can face a new day fresh and without the past hanging over me. It is something I enjoy. And I like it to be peaceful, without the input of the radio or mp3-player.

What about you? Which do you prefer? To run with music or without? Have you ever thought about why? Have you ever thought about trying a different way? Did it work for you? Or did it not? Why did/n't it?

Running Goals for September

Well I have a new toy that Jason bought me. It's more of a tool than a toy, but it puts science behind my goals and experiences as a runner. I have a new running watch with a heart rate monitor. Included with this watch is access to a website to help set goals, train and keep track of how I'm doing as a runner. I have found that running with the stroller, when I first started running with the watch, put me into the 16 min/mi pace. And I was huffing and puffing to keep up with that pace! Not good. I have been using the 10k training plan to prepare for the Turkey Trot (even though it is only an 8k). They have had me doing interval training. During interval training, you run for a harder pace for a shorter distance (say for 2 minutes at race pace - 10 min/mi), then rest for 1-2 minutes (slow walk), then repeat 4 or 6  or 8 times, depending on the workout. I have been able to drop my pace to 13-14 min/mi pace for over 4 miles. I was pushing the stroller, as well. I was thrilled! I can see immediate results telling me if I am progressing or if I may need to slow down and rest or whatever the case may be.

So my running goals for September are to continue interval training once or twice a week. I want to include a long run once a week and maybe slip in hill repeats to train for running hills two or three times a month. Maybe I could lose 1-2 lbs this month. We'll see.

Blessings... It's the Simple Things!

Have you ever prayed for something and hoped for something and wished for something that you kind of, sort of needed and would use every day, but you wanted it more than you needed it? And you understood that, so you waited. Then got impatient and started looking around for that something. Then waited (because God said, "Not yet.")... You know where I'm going with this? You (really, I) repeated that cycle several times, then one day, out of the blue, God dropped that something in your lap. And it was perfect. And you were thrilled! And you couldn't contain yourself, because you were so excited! Well, you could say that the "you" in all of the above paragraph is me. Today.

I've seen Jianna growing up for the past several months and I wanted to be prepared and have just the right furniture and just the right bed and, and, and... And God told me, "Not yet." Through circumstances, through wisdom and through Jason. But I got impatient with the waiting and prayed and looked around for what I thought we needed. And everything that I saw I wanted, but God and Jason said, "wait". Well, I wanted to finagle (is that a word?) and work it out on my own, but I decided they probably knew better than me. And I hate conflict, so I waited. Then I would get impatient again with the waiting, and start looking again. And they would tell me to wait, again. This has been happening on and off for the past 6 months or so. Sometimes on a weekly basis. But today, God provided just what we needed,  at just the right time!!

It is a beautiful bed, chest of drawers and book/toy case/bench. All white. And just right! Thank you, God! You know so much better than I do what we need and when! Thank you!

Crochet Baby Blanket

Hello Everyone!

I haven't been on in a while and thought I'd share something that I recently made. But before I do, a little back story...

I started crocheting just at a babysitter's house when I was very young (maybe 6 or 7?). I didn't do much with it after we were no longer seeing her as often. While I was browsing  the crafting section at the library I found a crochet stitch dictionary, "The Ultimate Crochet Bible" (link takes you to amazon.com). I loved the idea of trying out some stitches, so I borrowed it. As I was browsing the different stitches, I saw several I thought looked interesting. So I decided to try them together and see what they looked like. I loved the look, so I made a baby blanket for a baby shower. A guest saw it. Her daughter-in-law was expecting and she asked for me to make her one just like it. The picture below is that blanket. It took me 7 weeks to complete. Some weeks I worked up to 20-24 hours on it, others I worked less. I averaged about 45-60 minutes to complete a 1 inch row 48" long (after it was the proper width, I added an inch border on all sides).

Crochet Baby Blanket 40" x 50"
Finished  July 2013

 It was a fun project to work on while I watched the kids. I could leave it at any time and pick it up at a drop of the hat. I really enjoyed it.

Running is on hold...

Well, running is on hold for about 3-4 weeks or so. Last Thursday (7/18) I was running down hill on a sidewalk and centered a stone (placed my foot directly on top of it when I took my step). I twisted my ankle pretty bad and probably sprained my ankle. For the past week, I've been nursing it, trying to help it get better. And it is, slowly but surely. I am hopeful that I will be able to have it heal up enough that I can run soon. Meanwhile I am itching to run, but taking my time getting back to it. I really don't want to re-injure it and have it take longer to get back to running.

As of right now, our plans for the Turkey Trot and Reindeer Run are still on. I'll update my progress here as I heal.

Mid July

Well, July has brought some new things for us. Hot, humid runs and a toddler who is trying to grow up. The runs have been hard, but not impossible. I am learning how to slow down so that I can run farther, longer. It doesn't seem to make much sense to my mind, but when I slow my pace down, my overall time is faster. The last couple Saturdays I've tried to run the same course, just to give myself something to gauge how I'm doing by. Last Saturday, I slowed my pace down, but I ran more than I had previously run. I knocked a couple minutes off of my finishing time! I was so thrilled! I did have to walk a couple times, but I kept them short and just until my breathing slowed to the point of no longer gasping. :-) It was an enlightening experience. Before, I would try to run as fast as I could for as long as I could. That doesn't work for me. I need to slow down and try to run as far as I can.

This month, Jianna's vocabulary has sky-rocketed. She has started putting words together into sentences, and wants to communicate almost from the time she wakes up until she lays down. She asks "why?" and "what's that?" a lot, too. It is fun to see her changing and growing.

Well, that's what's new with us so far. Not much exciting going on. Hope you all enjoy the rest of your summer!

New Month... July 2013

Well, it is a new month! I wonder what it will hold for us. Jason and I are planning on running an 8k together on Thanksgiving day this year. We decided to use this time as training for that race. It will be in colder conditions and I can almost run the distance already, but I want to be able to run it non-stop and at a 10:00-11:30 min per mile pace. It will be a challenge! I don't know if strollers are encouraged or allowed on the course, so my goal pace is without the stroller. We'll see how it works.

So far, my training schedule includes 3 days of running a week, with 2-3 days of cross-training usually. I have a long run day that I try to go out for the distance and simply finish it within a certain time. I try not to stop, but usually I am only able to run 2/3-3/4 of the total distance. Right now my long run days are 4.5 miles long. On my shorter run days I run two+ miles and I try to walk only 2-3 minutes of the total distance. Sometimes it works, other times, I learn something from the run. :-) I would like to include some hill repeats and some interval training, but haven't figured out how to incorporate those yet. I'm going to try to work on that this week.

What's new with you this month? Do you have any plans for the fall? What do you enjoy doing for fun? Are there any exercises that you simply enjoy doing?

"Un" Cheesecake

Hello Everyone!

Last week we celebrated Father's Day and Jason's Birthday. One of his favorite desserts is cheesecake. I can eat some good cheesecake, also, but for him, it is the best dessert ever! Most cheesecake recipes have a lot of fat and sugar in them, so they don't fit into the ideal of what Jason needs to eat, but because there are two special days so close together, I wanted to make him something special. I wondered if there is some way to up the protein content of cheesecake. I found it!! I was so thrilled! Instead of using cream cheese, this cheesecake uses plain greek yogurt. It calls for sugar, but I substituted sucanat. Sucanat is unrefined crystallized cane juice. It doesn't bother Jason's blood-sugar levels like regular white or even brown sugars do.

I used this recipe from A Baking Girl. (I will include it below with the nutritional information) I think I may have whipped it too long in the food processor so it had a texture more like a custard than creamy cheese cake, but the flavor was amazing! It wasn't tart or too "greek" tasting. I want to try it again and see if I can make it creamier.

For on top, we had some fresh strawberries we purchased a couple weeks ago. Strawberries go out of season here just about 2 weeks before Jason's birthday, so I froze some. I simply washed them, sliced them and put them in freezer bags in the freezer. The day before, I took them out of the freezer and set them in the fridge to thaw. They created their own juice and were tender and sweet tasting on top of our cheesecake! Mmmm.... So very good! And no sugar added! Woo hoo!


Un-Cheesecake Recipe
(Thanks to A Baking Girl! Slightly adapted for our needs.)

**Please note that this is the exact recipe as found at A Baking Girl. I have made notes in italics that have helped me and I thought might help others. The changes I made to the recipe have been noted in italics**


2 cups fat free plain Greek yogurt1/2 cup sugar (I used sucanat instead....1:1 ratio)
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean (seeds scraped out)
pinch of salt
1 T cornstarch
optional: sliced strawberries for garnish (I used frozen)

Preheat oven to 350F. In a blender or food processor, combine the eggs, sugar, yogurt and vanilla. Blend until smooth, then add cornstarch and pinch of salt and blend again. Pour filling into a 10 inch springform pan, and bake for 35 minutes. (I used a pie plate with some non-stick aluminum foil shaped to the pan. It worked just fine. I chose not to include a crust, though I am working on finding another crust that would work.)

When the cheesecake is done, it will still be jiggly in the center but will have a “done” look to it. The edges of the cake will start to pull away from the sides of the pan. Make sure you don’t overbake. It will continue to set up as it cools.

Let cool then chill for 2-3 hours in the fridge before releasing springform. (At this point, I turned the pie plate over and let the aluminum foil and cheesecake fall gently onto a plate. I then gently removed the foil. It stuck a few places, but generally came out beautifully!)

Arrange the sliced strawberries over top of the cooled cheesecake and serve. It will easily serve 8-10 people. This is a rather thin cheesecake at only about 1/2", but it is delicious and I didn't miss the extra thickness.

ENJOY!! :-) 

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 8
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 95.3

• Total Fat: 1.2 g
• Cholesterol: 46.5 mg
• Sodium: 44.2 mg
• Total Carbs: 11.8 g
• Dietary Fiber: 0.0 g
• Protein: 7.3 g

Jianna's newest things and summer time fun

Hello again!

Jianna started singing this morning and it was precious! Recently she has started singing more and more. She sings her ABC's (A B C C E F E) :-) and she tries to count (two tree fo five eight nine). It is so amazing to hear her learning and putting into practice what she is learning. She has started counting more especially when I am crocheting, because I will count aloud so that I can keep the pattern the same.

This summer we are participating in the reading program at the library. Jianna has already earned a free pass to the Children's Discovery Museum. I can't wait to use it soon and see her responses to all the cool stuff they have!

Another thing she really enjoys is wading and just playing outside. It is so much fun to see her enjoy the outdoors!

Are there any fun things to do in the summer that are free or inexpensive that you would suggest?

Running Funny...

Hey Everyone!

Dusky-dark + running + thunking a frog with my foot = "what was that!?" response. :-)

Yes, that really did happen to me... I was in the middle of the city, too! Sometimes what we can't see coming can startle us the most. But then we laugh because we weren't expecting it and it changed our focus, even for just a second. And it was a good thing. :-)

Has there been a good surprise dropped in your lap recently? Has something startled you with a change in focus, but been a good thing after all?

Can a Christian Have Joy?

Hey all!

Recently, I have been thinking about how legalism tends to sneak into my life and actions. I don't want it to, I don't intend for it to, but it does. I was watching a mini series from our pastor that brought the subject to the front of my mind, though I had been wondering about it for a while.

The sermon/lesson was titled "How To Have Joy Even Though You Are A Christian (parts I and II)" (I am not going to repeat everything he said, because he said it much better than I can, but if you get a chance to follow the links, the lessons are great!) I've realized that the legalism that I have allowed into my life is stealing my joy and I don't like it one bit! Pastor's sermons helped me identify some of the things that I need God to help me change to not continue down the path of legalism... to get my joy back. That's what I want.

Is there something you have recently learned, heard or thought about that was a light-bulb moment?

Alfredo, Healthy-fied (is that a word?) :-)

Welcome! Here is another of my Foodie Friday entries just for my own records. I hope you are enjoying seeing some of these as much as I am enjoying sharing them with other people!

One of my favorite dishes of all time is Spaghetti with Alfredo sauce. I think of it as comfort food! The only problem is that Jason's body can't handle Alfredo sauces that I would get out of the store or in restaurants. So I was searching for another way to use spaghetti one day and I found this recipe. I knew that some of the original ingredients might not work for Jason, but that I could tweak it to meet our needs. I was thrilled!

This is my variation of Rocco's Alfredo Sauce:

Prep. Time:  3 minutes      Cook Time: 20 minutes    Serves: 4 meal-sized portions

Ingredients:
1/2 pkg. whole grain thin spaghetti
salt

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. corn starch (or 2 Tbsp. flour, if you don't have corn starch)
1/2 cup low-sodium fat-free chicken broth 
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
2 cloves fresh crushed garlic (more if needed. I also substitute 1/2 Tbsp of garlic powder, and it tastes just as good!)
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated; plus more for on top
6-oz. plain greek yogurt

1. Bring large pot of water to a boil. Add the salt and the thin spaghetti. Boil until desired tenderness is reached, then drain the water off.
2. Meanwhile, put the oil and the corn starch in a pan over low heat. Stir continuously while adding the broth a little bit at a time, until a nice sauce consistency has been reached. (You can use more or less broth, as you need to.) Stir in the spices (add any others that you like! Sometimes I add diced onion. It just tastes great!) Add the cheese and mix until completely incorporated and melted. Remove sauce from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Fold in the yogurt until well incorporated. Dish up the spaghetti and spoon the alfredo sauce over top. Serve and enjoy!

What is your favorite pasta recipe?

According to the Spark People Recipe Calculator, this recipe has:

Calories		546.0
Total Fat		10.9 g
	Saturated Fat	5.2 g
	Polyunsaturated Fat	0.4 g
	Monounsaturated Fat	4.7 g
Cholesterol		19.8 mg
Sodium		557.1 mg
Potassium		26.9 mg
Total Carbohydrate		6.5 g
	Dietary Fiber	0.0 g
	Sugars	1.9 g
Protein		15.3 g

Vitamin A	3.5 %
Vitamin B-12	5.8 %
Vitamin B-6	1.3 %
Vitamin C	0.0 %
Vitamin D	0.0 %
Vitamin E	3.1 %
Calcium	39.4 %
Copper	0.5 %
Folate	0.5 %
Iron	1.5 %
Magnesium	3.2 %
Manganese	0.3 %
Niacin	0.4 %
Pantothenic Acid	1.3 %
Phosphorus	20.2 %
Riboflavin	5.7 %
Selenium	9.4 %
Thiamin	0.8 %
Zinc	5.4 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Baking Soda In The Bathroom

Hello again!

Last Wednesday I shared how I clean the kitchen with baking soda and vinegar. Today I want to share the cleaning power in the bathroom. I love to use it in my tub/shower, sinks and even the toilets! It is a simple cleaner that I don't necessarily have to open all the windows to allow the fumes to escape.

Bathroom:

• Tub/Shower:  I sprinkle some baking soda in the bottom of the tub and wet it with vinegar. Allow it to fizz and then spread it around with a sponge or a rag. Sometimes, I scrub it a little bit, just for good measure. I leave it about 5 or 10 minutes and when I come back it is ready to rinse! I rinse it well with water and no water spots or rings remain! I like to also use this on the walls of my shower. It rinses clean and doesn't leave my walls feeling gritty. I put some baking soda on my sponge and use vinegar in a spray bottle to activate it. Scrub it around, then I rinse like normal. I give this a 98% on effectiveness.
• Sink: Same process as the tub, just on a smaller scale. I love the quickness and the simplicity of it. 
• On the faucets and mirror, I just rub a bit of the activated solution around, rinse thoroughly and dry with a dry towel. Works like a charm!
• Toilets: The toilets can be the trickiest part for me to clean. I flush the toilet when I first get in the bathroom, sprinkle baking soda on the tub and sink, then sprinkle the bowl of the toilet with some baking soda. I spray vinegar on the baking soda to activate it, spread it with a toilet bowl brush and let it sit about 10-15 minutes. I like to make certain all the dirt, germs and everything else are killed. :) Once that is done, I give it another scrub, use some of the solution on the seat and rim and rinse well. 

Now, that the kitchen and bathrooms are clean, I think I'll show you the powers of baking soda on carpets and soft surfaces next week. Have you all used baking soda, vinegar or any other natural products to clean your house? How have they worked? Do you have any tips or tricks or suggestions to make cleaning easier?

Slinky Living vs. Linear Living

Hey Everyone!

I just wanted to share a lesson I have been learning recently. A couple weeks ago, I watched a vlog by Beth Moore about the cycles we can get stuck in during this thing called life. She explained that God has ideas about where we need to go and builds hard things into our lives to help us learn to be humble. Sometimes we handle the lessons in a cycle, other times we learn from the lessons more in a line... In other words, sometimes we are broken by a situation, and we respond to the brokenness with offense, insecurity or devastation, but we don't look up for a while to allow God to restore and heal us. Other times, we will encounter a situation that is meant to humble us and we will be humbled and look to God. He will then set us on our feet and make us powerful and anointed by him, because we have died to ourselves.

I've realized that I will be doing OK for a while, going along in a straight line, when I'll be hit by something and I'll fall into the spiral or slinky of doing the same thing over and over again. I'll repeat the same lines of complaining and moaning about how my life shouldn't be affected by these things that I am experiencing. After a while, I get so fed up with my own moaning and groaning and I'll ask God to help me change. When I ask, He helps me immediately. I may not see results I want to see, but He is there. I don't want to live life in a slinky. God has too much to teach me to try to relearn the same lessons over and over again. I want to learn the lessons and move on.

I am so grateful that God doesn't throw me to the side when I don't get the lessons right! God is good!

Jason's Breakfast

Good Morning Everyone!!

I thought I would share Jason's filling breakfast with you. I know that many people have heard that oatmeal is a fabulous breakfast, but it is one of the best breakfasts for my husband. It gives him sustained energy to accomplish what he needs to during the morning hours. He eats it every morning.

Jason's Oatmeal

1 1/2 serving of oatmeal, cooked according to the directions (this could be quick oats, old-fashioned oats or steel-cut oats)
1 tablespoon peanut butter (we use smucker's natural because it is sugar free and only has peanuts and less than 1% salt)
2-3 teaspoons raw honey, to taste (we prefer an all-natural, raw honey sourced from local keepers if we can get it.)
dash of milk (to cool everything off and make it not quite so thick.)

He stirs everything in as soon as the oatmeal comes off the stove, so that it doesn't thicken too much, then eats it with fruit or applesauce. It is filling!

If I am eating of a morning, he will make 2 servings and just heap the peanut butter on the spoon. On active, busy mornings, it will keep me going for a good 4 hours or so before I start feeling hungry again!

Baking Soda As A Kitchen Cleaner

Hello again everyone!

Last week I talked about using baking soda to deter ants from entering the house. Today I want to show some of the cleaning powers of baking soda. Like I said last week, I try to use more natural cleaners. I use them more because I don't want to endanger Jianna and the boy I babysit than any other reason. I feel like if I use cleaners that can be found in a kitchen cabinet, if the kids happen to ingest a little bit it won't harm them as much as some of the chemicals we used before we became parents.

So baking soda as a cleaner... hmm. does it work? I will only share the things that I know work from experience. I will also share how effective I believe it to be. I love to use baking soda in the kitchen, bathrooms and even on carpeted areas. Today, I'll share my favorite kitchen uses.

In the Kitchen

• Bake-ware/pots and pans: I make a baking soda paste with a little bit of water and a dot of dish detergent and spread it on burned/baked on food. Let it sit for at least 10-15 minutes, although an hour or even a day works well, too. :-) It may not work if the pot is completely scorched (like if you forget about the rice you're cooking - not once, but several different days - and the bottom becomes a completely black surface more than once. Yes, that really did happen to me.) :-) , but it works pretty well on things that would be rather difficult to get off without using a lot of elbow grease. I grade this one as 85% effective.
• Stove/Oven: For an oven that just needs a little bit of a touch up or on the stove top it works well. On an oven that has seen better days, it doesn't work so well. I think it still works, but it isn't as effective as a store-bought oven cleaner. Make a paste and rub it over the eye,  stove or oven surface. For the oven, I scrub the baking soda mix into the grimiest parts of the oven. Then, I pour just a bit of vinegar onto the baking soda mix to amp up the cleaning power. The chemical reaction between the vinegar and baking soda makes it bubble and fizz. Then, I let it sit for a while (normally on the oven 1 1/2-2 hours). At this point I scrub the oven some more and see how clean it is by using a sponge to sop up the extra. If it isn't clean enough for my tastes, I rinse and repeat until it is nice and clean. It leaves a streak-free shine! I would rate this as 90% effective on a lightly soiled oven and on just about any stove top. 
• Clean That Sink!: Again making a paste of water and soda, I use a sponge or wash cloth to scrub the sink. I add a bit of vinegar, and it is disinfected. I wipe down the faucet and fixtures and then I rinse it all. Shine up the faucet with a dry cloth, towel or paper towel and no water spots! This one comes out at 95% effective. An added benefit of this is that any baking soda that "happens" to fall down the drain will also help unclog your drain when the vinegar is poured down it! :) Double duty!

Well, that's how I use baking soda in the kitchen. Do you have any other uses for baking soda that you have tried? What is your favorite kitchen cleaner?

Running Part II... a continuation of the story

After the first 3 or so months of running, Jason and I began to interact with a local running group that ran on Saturday mornings. We would join up with them and run whatever distance we wanted to at a pace we were comfortable with. It really encouraged me to keep on running, run farther, run longer and even learn how to pace myself.

Then we went back to Romania. We went to a new city and I didn't know the safe routes. So I stayed home and used cardio exercise videos. Several months later I found out I was pregnant, so I tried to keep up the exercising after my doctor okayed it. Once winter set in, we got a gym membership at a small local gym and I would walk and lift light weights. I tried running a few times, but as I grew, it became uncomfortable, so I power walked.

We decided to return to the States and I continued power walking several days a week, with the approval of my doctor. Towards the end of my seventh month of pregnancy, I walked a local 5k (3.1 miles) race. It was the first race Jianna did, even though she won't remember it. :-) It was also a week before she would decide to make her surprise appearance.

After Jianna was born, finding time to run became more difficult. For the first 3 or 4 weeks, I didn't exercise at all. Then, we were able to time our schedule to fit a walk in. She loved the stroller, so we went again the next week... and the next... and the next. Working around her schedule became easier over time. As her feedings became more spaced out, it became even easier.

Once I was able to walk a slightly longer distance (2 miles) and my doctor cleared me, I started running short distances again. I remember getting so excited that I was able to get a full 2 miles in before she started fussing! Then, the distances I was able to accomplish began to get longer and longer. I was able to get 4 miles in running and walking before winter set in. Even with mild winters, we decided not to get Jianna out too much in it. We did bundle her up a couple times when it was 40-45 degrees and ran anyway. It was so refreshing!! Once spring came, we were set and ran through the summer as much as we could. Last winter was hard, since it was again cold. But now, we are running again 3 times a week and enjoying every minute of it.

What is your story? How did having children change your schedule? Are there other things in life that have had an impact on your schedule?

Favorite Breakfast... Whole Grain Pancakes!!

Hello all!

I am going to try to share my favorite recipes on Fridays.This will provide others with an idea of how we eat, but it may also help others who struggle with hypoglycemia to find options that work for them. This pancake recipe is not mine. I found it in a Reader's Digest cook book called Magic Foods For Better Blood Sugar and have adapted it for our family's tastes and needs. I like to make 1-2 batches at a time and put the extras in the freezer to pull out for a quick, easy breakfast. Jianna really enjoys these, also. So, without further comment, here is the recipe for our favorite breakfast.

Prep. Time: 20 minutes           Cook Time: 15-20 minutes         Makes: 8 servings of 2 pancakes each

Ingredients:
2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup toasted wheat germ
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon (When I make this for Jason, we omit the cinnamon. It drops bloodsugar levels.)
2 large eggs
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar (I prefer to use Sucanat 1:1 ratio, if at all possible. It is crystalized sugar cane juice. It doesn't interact with Jason's bloodsugar. Another option is to half the amount and use that much honey. Here, it would be 2 Tablespoons.)
1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions:
1. Mix buttermilk and oats in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside 15 minutes to soften the oats.
2. Whisk the whole wheat flour, wheat germ, baking powder and soda, salt and cinnamon together in a large bowl.
3. Whisk the eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla in a medium-sized bowl. Add the buttermilk mix and stir to incorporate. Add a little bit at a time to the flour mixture and whisk so that no lumps form. Add the rest of the liquids and mix the batter together well.
4. Heat up a lightly greased skillet or waffle iron over medium heat. Pour 1/4 cup of batter onto heated surface. Cook until it looks dry around the edges (it will look wet in the center still, but dull around the edges) and bubbles have burst on the surface of the pancake. Turn over and cook until lightly browned on other side. Remove from heat and either serve imediately or cool to freeze.

Served with pancake syrup, fruit and maybe yogurt or sausage, this is an amazing breakfast!

Nutritional information:
292 calories
8 g. protein
60 g. carbohydrates
3 g. fiber
3 g. total fat
     1 g. saturated fat
56 mg. cholesterol
331 mg. sodium

Like they say in Romania, "Pofta buna!" (translation: Enjoy your meal!)

Homemade Ant Deterrent

Hey Everyone!

On Wednesdays, I am going to try to share some of the things that work for us. I won't be linking up to Works For Me Wednesdays right now, but you can check them out and see some of the cool stuff that everyone else comes up with.

Because two little ones hang out in our house most days of the week, I wanted to find more natural ways to handle most household cleaning. One of those jobs is getting rid of ants. I don't like the ants marching one-by-one, or two-by-two, or any other way in my kitchen! (Do you know this childhood song?)

Ants tend to make a dash inside in the spring and then again in the fall here The ants I have seen are the tiny little ones that are more anoying than dangerous. I try to keep a pretty clean kitchen, but I have found two things that work together to keep the ants outside and to kill the ones I see inside. And they are both baby-safe! I use a barrier about 1/4-1/2 inch wide of baking soda (the normal, everyday baking soda, found in the baking section at the store) spread all the way across the window ledges and door ledges that the ants tend to use the most. If I find any in the house, like if I forgot to put down the baking soda and the ants found their way inside (oh, yes, it has happened!), I spray a bit of lemon juice (not dilluted at all, just straight 100% juice) on them and they die soon after.

I found this idea on a blog, unfortunately I don't remember which one. But I do know that it works!!

How do you get rid of pests at your house?

Running. Running? Running!!

Running is one of those things I never thought I would do. I was an awkward teen with legs too long and a wierd gate when I ran... Me?? Run?!? Not on your life! Then came that year... The one that I was 40 pounds over my target weight and I was walking to beat the band, but it just wasn't raising my heart-rate enough. Now what do I do? (*Note* I know that 40 pounds may not be a lot for some people, or it may be a huge amount for other people. This is just where I was.)

So I figured, well, I'll run from where I am to that sign. I did it! That felt great! Let's try from the next sign to that stand of trees. And that felt even better! I finished exercising that day in the same way and thought, "Well, now what? I guess you're a runner, after all." I thought I knew what I could do, but I didn't realize that I could do more than I dreamed.

I have continued to try to run. As I have worked on it, I have gotten to where I'm able to run a 10-12 minute per mile with a stroller instead of a 16 minute per mile walk/run without a stroller. It is my favorite form of exercise. I am able to get out and not think about what my house looks like, what I need to do for the rest of the day or anything else that might bother me. Running is my reset button... my "pause, pray, think, try again" button.

Is there something that you never thought you would be able to do that you were able to accomplish? Is there something you would like to try to accomplish that in the past you thought you couldn't do? What is your reset button for life?

Spiders don't like vinegar!

Yesterday afternoon, a rather large spider showed up on the wall in my kitchen. I don't like spiders! At all!! I didn't have any bug spray on hand, and so I ran to the cabinet and pulled out my vinegar spray. (It is just vinegar and water at a 70:30 ratio) I didn't know if it would work, but I thought maybe the smell would stun it long enough for me to kill it with my tennis shoe. I sprayed it once, it kept on going. I sprayed it again. It jumped/fell off the wall and onto the floor. I sprayed it twice more and it finally started acting like the vinegar was having an effect. I waited a few minutes, watching from a safe distance. It started to shrivel up! Woo hoo!! I was thrilled!

I decided to show it to Jason, but I didn't want it in my house, so I swept it into the dustpan and set it on the back porch. A while later I decided to sweep the kitchen floor and needed the dustpan to pick up the dirt. I went to transfer my prize to a sheet of paper. When I bumped the dustpan, the spider took off and disappeared under the porch! I guess the vinegar just stunned it pretty good. At least it was out of my house and in the great outdoors where it belongs!

Does anyone have any tips on killing spiders? Or any natural, homemade, effective bug sprays? I would love to hear about them!

Memorial Day Weekend

Thank you so much to all our armed service members for their protection and sacrifices so that my family and I can live in peace!

This past weekend to celebrate the long weekend, we spent time relaxing with family. Starting Friday night, we went galivanting, just to get out of the house. Saturday, Jason and his dad worked on a new front deck at the parents' house. They measured, cut and stabilized the frame. Then, they layed the decking.  Sunday after church, they finished the other half of the frame and layed more decking, to make a 16-20' long deck. It looks good and is solid!

While Jason was helping Dad on Saturday and Sunday, and then fishing on Monday, I spent some time relaxing with Mom. It was so nice to have an adult to talk with face to face!

On Sunday, Jianna had a bow in her hair. She kept taking it out, then giving it to me. I would fix it, then she would take it out again. After church, she told me she wanted to drop it in the parking lot. I told her no, that it would get dirty. I kept walking, and she turned to me and said, "Mommy, I drop my bow." I looked, and sure enough, she had. That is the most complete sentence she has said, to date! Who knows what she will say next!

Happy Memorial Day!

Hello again everyone!
We decided that since our situation changed, it was time to move and change the blog around. This will be our personal family blog and I will try to share updates at least once a month on what we're doing.

Jianna is now two! How the time has flown!! She is learning more and more every day. She loves to climb on the jungle gym at the playground. She loves to swing and go for runs or rides in her stroller. She points out birds and animals and makes their sounds. She is slowly changing (or too quickly, depending on the day) into a young girl, instead of a toddler. She is continuing to learn to enunciate more and more clearly.

Just yesterday, I was in the kitchen and was fiddling around with some things and when I looked up, she was on her stool at the stove. She had 3 pots out, several spoons and ladles and was moving beans from one pot to another on the stove. When I asked her what she was doing, she said, "I cook!" She was so proud of her accomplishment!!

Jason is working. He is working long hours, but he is able to provide what we need so that I can stay at home. I am very grateful for his dedication. He is also a youth pastor now, at a new church in our area. He seems to be hitting his stride with that and enjoying it.

I am working from home 3-4 days a week. I babysit a one-year-old little boy. He has just learned to walk and is exploring like there is no tomorrow. By the time he is ready for a nap, so is Jianna. It works out well, usually.

Well, that is what is new with us right now. If you get a chance, let me know what is new with you!