Living the Word

Living the Word:

Or lots of words: kind, helpful, generous, creative, active, inspired, polite. I have to take stock once in awhile, and look at how what I am doing and my vision of the world can affect my family. It may not be fair to put so much on one woman, but as mother goes, so goes the household, or; if Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy. This can be a good reason for everyone else to tiptoe around and appease mom, or it can be a wake-up call for me to be aware of how my mindset influences my children and husband. I can choose to blame their behavior for my bad temper, or work on being at peace within, in order to bring peace without.

Manners is one area in which my kids seem to do well when out in the world, but at home things tend to fall apart.Tone of voice, using polite words, kind words; we leave no room for negociation here. But do I give the right example every single time I speak to my kids or husband? Do I face each new situation with an attitude geared toward a successful outcome? 

I think my work over the next days, months and years, has been cut out for me. Steps to follow:

1) Think; take time to think before speaking

2) Give myself time to relax/knit/exercise/read in order to be able to be available to my family and generous with my time

3) Meditate every day to cultivate inner peace and harmony

Next up: planning our days

One of my Favorite Walks Ever: Rockies

 

Mama Fitness: Time for a Walk

Except that my computer holds so many fascinating tales this Sunday morning. Hard to tear myself away, I want to tell you how much I love my readers and want to encourage them to get up and move too. The dog is moping over in his corner...um, armchair, with his little furry chin reposing sadly on the arm rest.

Why am I still sitting here?

My feet are tender. So what, I'll put on my cushy tennies today. My elbow is not the size it should be, so I'll ice it later. My head is fuzzy; the fresh air will clear it, if I will only get up and go. My hands are killing me, but I have a remedy for that too; a pair of cotton gloves with the fingers cut off under biking gloves to hold the leash...or barbells on alternate days. My running clothes are in the laundry, which is OK, since I will be mostly walking.

I guess that's it then, time for a walk, enjoy yours today!

3 Steps to Craving Fruit for Breakfast

1) Step One: define your parameters

I am up, with 2 hours to go before my workout today. My old routine; make a pot of tea, have a bowl of cereal...write or read while I eat, have another bowl because the box is there, drink my tea, maybe eat a banana or apple too. I used to follow the regime in Fit for Life; nothing but fruit until noon, no mixing of carbs and protein. It shaves off pounds like mad, but I am hungry in the morning!

Even though I am working to lose weight, I had gone back to my breakfast cereal routine, since it was just so simple; bowl of granola and almond milk, saving the morning smoothie for later, when it had defrosted. This morning I came downstairs determined not to have grains today. What options were there? I was out of smoothies and the trainer told me to have protein after working out.

2) Step Two: examine your options

Non-protein (no eggs, protein powder or sardines), non-grain (that left out the granola and the rice cakes), so I was left with fruits or vegetables. 

3) Step Three: enjoy and love what you CAN have; decide to do it and it will be so

The peaches in the bowl suddenly looked absolutely fabulous. While the water boiled for the tea, I rinsed and carefully peeled the peach, putting it on a pretty plate with a fork, to be savored while my tea cooled.

It was a beautiful, juicy, ripe peach with all the best flavors of the summer bursting out of it. I am happy I could call it breakfast.

Quick Remedy for a Yeast Problem

It is summer, and it is hot and humid, and these things will happen. In case everything else has failed, or if you just don't feel like messing around this time, this is a tried and true way to deal with yeast.

Recipe:
Boric acid (keep it in a safe place, it is also, after all, rat poison) (do NOT ingest, ever)
Clear capsules (size 0)

Fill capsule by scooping the powder in. You know where to put it. Twice daily, or just at night, for 3-7 days. 3 days usually does it, but stubborn cases may need 7 days to be sure of resolution.

That's it, these should both be available at a pharmacy, though, like gentian violet, you may get raised eyebrows when you ask for them; you will need to go see the pharmacist and request them, most likely. 

Aboard the Unicorn, with Sisters Under Sail

 

 

 

Sisters Under Sail

Sisters Under Sail is the organization my daughter is with this week in Lake Huron for her first tall-ship adventure. You can see photos from the week as well as info on this family-run operation at the link to their FB page above. My little girl is the one with the long, red hair. It's pretty hard to see her up in the mast, but not in the water during their daily dunking. Sisters Under Sail is an all-female crew for an all-girls week-long learning trip. I can't wait to hear about it when C. gets home. Thoughts and prayers for her safety are much appreciated.

Mama Fitness: NOT Giving Up

I have some of the stupidest joints ever given to a human. And I've been awfully busy.

Great excuses, right? I bet you have some too. Here are mine, and here is my two bits worth of encouragement for you anyway.

So, firstly, the stupid joints. One week it's an ankle, another week it might be a knee, or, like this week, an elbow. They take it in turn to fail me miserably.  The whole thing is preceded by a twinge, a fall or nothing at all. I just wake up the morning after a workout (or intense knitting session) unable to move that part without pain. It is inflamed and red, black or blue. Until recently, this meant a long period without much activity between injuries. It became an excuse for being out of shape.  Oops, can't exercise, guess I'll just have to sleep in, read a book, knit socks. No more. This time,  I missed class on Monday, but went back today and learned...a lot.

The movements themselves, getting each one right and in rhythm, with proper positioning, took up much of my attention. I paid extra attention to the way the instructor held her wrists, shoulders and knees as she modeled each move. I could spend the extra energy that was not holding any weight to observe and imitate correct posture. The squat section was, if possible, more leg-liquifying than ever. The abs had to be all crunches and no planks, so I did beautiful crunches after so much practice, or at least I hope I did. It was a very light workout, but it was a good one. 

Work and children have been crazy the past two weeks. My writing time has been shot in the pa-tooty, but not the exercise. The dog has been getting a lot more walks these days, as I transfer his leash to the right side and go. He is always up for a stroll. In the past week I've had marathon days of chauffeuring kids around (theatre, reptile show, kung fu, pool, shopping, Michigan, ((OK, Thierry, not me, took C. to Michigan for her sailing adventure)), but I held down the fort at home with sick kidos). Work meant regular appointments as well as one all-nighter in the E.R. followed by mental illness ward and an all-day, beginning at 6am, very sad, hospital job. Did I miss a day of exercise? Yes, maybe even 2, but the dog still got a walk, even if it was a short one in 95 degrees, super ugh. 

So, trot them out, those excuses, and then give them along, hard look. It can seem impossible, even irresponsible, to let something go for the sake of staying or getting in shape. But really, it is just the opposite. There are many things we find to do each day that are superfluous, from the extra ten minutes in front of the computer to the time spent sorting through the mail when nothing but ads are in it that day. These eat up our time and bind rather than free us to our unhealthy selves and bad habits.  If you're struggling, what will help you let go and get some exercise. If you've overcome a challenge, how did you do it? I'd love to hear from you! If the comment box will not cooperate, send me an email and I will post it for you. Happy Weekend; be safe, stay active!

Encouraging Each Other

In a family of seven, one can easily imagine conflict, arguments, chaos. This happens. At times it feels like it happens all the time, but, but, there are just as many sweet, loving moments between the children and from them to us.

Some of those are out of self-interest; they need a partner in crime; water-balloon tossing comes to mind. At times the need is a second body to make something work; for example, asking your little brother to play football when no one else is around. And then that can morph into an adorable gesture; making sure that little brother gets some football gear for his birthday because he knows how happy that would make him. Other times I am simply amazed; three boys playing Legos for hours on end; ages 15, 8 and 6, willingly, pleasantly. Or the girls going on a bike ride together in the heat, and enjoying each others' company.

As for T. and I; I love it when one of the kids offers spontaneous help, hugs or words of wisdom to the adults. Running with Cate is one such opportunity; she can run longer and faster than I can. Still, she will run with me and keep me going with her example and words; "Just don't stop, mama, come on!" Duncan will massage knee caps of an angry sister, brother or parent, explaining that the knee cap is the hardest bone of the body, thus all of the anger accumulates there. Do you know how much it tickles to have one's knee caps tickled? It gets awfully hard to stay mad. Valentine has the sweetest way about her. She can become the most helpful. loving munchkin on the face of the earth, willing to take on any task that needs doing. Charles has the gift of extreme self-sacrifice; he always makes sure the other person has what they want or need before he serves or looks after himself; "no, really Mama, you go first." Gaël gives great back massages, pounding out the sore spots like a drummer, followed by a big bear-hug.

So, in the midst of the noise and bedlam, I breathe, and think of the nice moments, knowing they have been and will be again, preferably sooner rather than later.

Mama Fitness: Five Tips for Cooking Dinner without Gaining Weight

It's dinner time and you are ready to cook, but dreading the terrible munchies that can accompany this task oh-so-naturally. Here is how to feed your family and not end up blowing your calorie intake for the day.

• Water; drink a huge glass before pulling out any ingredients, keep a second glass handy for the remainder of the job

•  Menu; establish one and stick to it. Don't allow a search through the cupboards and the fridge to distract you from your goal. Glance at the menu, gather what you need and ignore the chips, leftovers and drinks

•  Focus on the task at hand. You are creating a lovely meal for your loved ones. This is a gift to you and to them. Make it a special time each evening rather than a chore (in your mind.)

• Listen: have a podcast or your favorite music ready to go and fully enjoy it. In our kitchen at dinner prep time the choice is between helping or keeping quiet. If a child is helping, give them your time and encouragement...and a job to do!

•  Keep going; don't stop once dinner is cooking. Set the table, sweep the floor, clean out the fridge or a cupboard. 

Bon appetit!!!

Mama Fitness: Weight Update

After 3 full weeks of my new regime, I have lost, hold onto your hats, taa-daa......................................................2.5lbs. It's enough to make one want to bang one's  head against something hard. However, last night I changed into a pair of pants I could not even button the last time I tried, and they fit! This is also a permanent lifestyle change for me; smaller portions, less meat, more fruits and vegetables, less worry and more action. It is not a magic pill to instantly transform my weight.

But...there is something about age that is just not fair. Had I followed this cleanse, diet and workout program in the past, I would have lost 15lbs.by now. Am I despairing? Noooooo, well, just a little, but the pants were a great boost to my confidence that I am on the right path. Anyone else struggling with weight loss with the years or pregnancies or disability? Anyone find a good solution? Please share!

Mama Fitness: You've already been pumping iron!

Moms: You've been pumping iron. Ever since the very first time you held your sweet baby in your arms. At an average weight of 8lbs.per newborn times 12 hours a day, that's a lot of effort. Well, it has always been my theory, and today I had the chance to prove it. Of course, before my own experiment, Dan Buettner, of Blue Zones, proved beyond a doubt that people live longer when engaged in natural movement; like fishing, gardening, carrying water. Carrying and rocking a baby...natural as anything.

As I wrote earlier, I've been attending a new class, and for the first few classes, I kept my weight low, as suggested by the instructor, in order to get used to the class without injury. Besides the squats, nothing hurt, burned or challenged me, and nothing was stiff or sore the next day (excepting for the traitorous quadriceps). The rule of thumb for exercise is that you should not be in pain while doing it, but should maybe feel a little something the next day or so. Nada the next day.

So, I added more weight today; doubled some, added a third more for others...and got through it just fine. I did not keel over or pass out or drop a dumbbell.  Mothers truly are strengthening their bodies for the task at hand and beyond when we give birth and carry those babies around.

You may look or feel out of shape (I do), but don't you believe it for a minute; you are stronger for having children, and in more ways than one. Believe, because you can do more than you think you can, you already have.

Mama Fit Grammar

I used Grammarly to grammar check this post because it allowed my fitness-addled-brain to take a break from considering whether or not the parallelism of my phrases was "faulty" and other such delights that only a true grammar geek would enjoy. Grammarly would also like very much to help me with my run-on sentences and keep me from ending a sentence with a preposition. I can see this becoming habit-forming. It really covers the whole gamut of English usage, from spelling of "to, too, two," to use of verb tenses and beyond. Sometimes I simply write too fast to be as precise or as careful as I'd like to be.

Exercise has become the same way. I have been twiddling my thumbs and wringing my hands the past two days over a lack of time to fit in a work-out. Making that time is a priority, you know it is as well as I do, but time is not, alas, elastic.

Part of staying healthy is being able to forgive yourself for your short-comings, and get on with life. I plan to chill reading to my kids for awhile, then go out and enjoy date night with T. I will get up and go to the gym tomorrow morning, no regrets.

Full disclosure: Grammarly invited me to test their grammar check program. I did so over a period of time, and with thoughts of whether or not this would be useful to homeschoolers and bloggers. After thoroughly testing it with excellent support from their tech team, I decided to accept their offer of sponsorship; it is a top-quality product.

Cleansing Recipies: New and Improved

 Last week, I gave some ideas for cleanses, based on what I've used over the years. Here are a few more details on how to prepare each one and hints for success, by which I mean creating something that tastes good so that you will be happy to come back to it over and over.

French-style: bouillon de legumes

This is as it sounds, as least in French: boil vegetables and drink the broth, or eat the vegetables as well for a little additional fiber.

Basic bouillon: 3-4 boiled leeks. What is a leek? Look for it in the cold section of the produce aisle; near the radishes, collard greens and spinach. It looks and smells like a giant green onion.

Optional: carrots, broccoli and any other veggies you may have in the fridge; no potatoes this time.

Optional: bouillon packet (most cubes have msg). In France, we put bouillon in everything. My favorite way to go is Better than Bouillon, a jar you can find in the same spot as the cubes or packets, it really is good stuff.

-Wash and slice leeks in half. Keep the white part and some of the green: soak and scrub to remove the sand from under the layers.

-Rinse, soak, rinse again, there is a lot of sand in normally grown leeks.

-Wash and peel or scrub additional vegetables.

-Slice, chop or otherwise make into smallish pieces.

-Add them to a boiling pot of salted water and simmer for 30-45 minutes. Serve hot or cold, with or without pieces. You can drain the broth, mix it all in a blender/food processor, or eat it as is. Some kids will eat it blended but not "with pieces." Once they get used to the taste, they may want to try it unmixed.

Cold smoothies:

Basic detox cleanse: (makes 10 7oz servings)

Spinach, kale, other greens: Note about greens and your typical mixer: even my great Ninja Kitchen System 1100, which makes any soup into a velvety smooth beverage, cannot handle lettuce or kale. The only thing that can make those into something palatable for me is a juicer. However, spinach is soft. Spinach has saved my green smoothies. You can put in as much as you like, with a little water and a little stuffing down of the leaves with a spatula as you go along, and it will mix up like a dream. I now look forward to my healthy morning and noon drinks.
I used 2 big bunches of spinach
1c frozen blueberries
2 cucumbers
Water (add little by little as the ingredients blend)
Cinnamon

Wash and blend all but the cinnamon in a blender until completely smooth. Tip: I start with the spinach, as described above, add the berries, and finally the cucumbers and water.  Divide into 10 portions and freeze 9, drink the other. I use plastic cups and plastic wrap to freeze a batch for the week. I do not microwave them, but set a cup out 30 minutes before a meal in warm water and eat it with a spoon. Cinnamon is optional for flavor; it is also known to kick-start your metabolism and help with weight loss.


Week 2: more substance: (makes 10, 7oz servings)

Spinach
Frozen strawberries
Frozen orange juice
Greek yogurt
Water/almond milk

Wash spinach and/or other greens, place in blender with a little water, blend. Add other ingredients and blend, adding water and or almond milk as needed. See above for divvying up into portions and freezing.

Bon appetit!

No Such Thng as a "Typical Homeschooler"

It all started with a glance in the mirror and the thought, "My, you look almost civilized, no one would guess you were a muddy, sweaty mess out gardening 10 minutes ago." I realized, incidentally, (since we were out of milk and I was dashing to the grocery store), that none of us had any inkling what the others might have been up to 10 minutes before they arrived at the store. People could have been doing all sorts of things just prior, but now they were cleaned up (for the most part), with their public masks on; and they looked the part of the innocent shopper, just as I did.

Of course, one thing led to another, as it will, and after considering a few of the possibilities of what other shoppers might have been up to just before arriving at the store, all purtied up; like massive water-balloon fights, finger-painting, cleaning out horse poo from the stables, I had an elucidated moment. Homeschoolers are just like this. The only part of us that's showing is what we choose to communicate to the world, and the image they see when we are outside our homes. There is no one recipe or formula for the way our days go "as homeschoolers." Even writing down what happens all day in a home is a tricky affair, since it changes from day to day, from season to season, from sickness to health and from child to child.

A friend may say; "Oh, we did nothing today," but what she is omitting may be life-shattering in the real world. They might have cooked enough food for a week's worth of meals. Perhaps she ran five miles behind a stroller carrying two children. Volunteered at a nursing home, finished reading Narnia aloud to her children. Maybe a pet died and the whole family is in mourning. When we say "nothing," and we have a house full of people, this is a misrepresentation of facts. We can judge ourselves too harshly, allowing for only academic activity to count as "something" worth mentioning. 

No one need start confessing their every whim and burden (some of us do enough of that already), but look perhaps, with more compassion at others, and judge not homeschooling styles.