As I look at my blog, I realize how much it mirrors my life.

I start an organizing challenge and I don’t want to post before & after pictures of my underwear drawer… talk about airing out your laundry! *not gonna happen*

Soooo, I haven’t kept up with operation-get-organized.

I meal plan but I don’t always make what I have planned – I don’t *feel* like eating that – or I’ve eaten off Little Dude’s plate all day and just don’t feel hungry.

Have I been spending time blogging? Nope.

Do I miss it? A little.

I am just so tired. Overwhelmed. Feeling stretched in various directions “life” is dealing me right now… I need a renewal.

Hang tight with me, while I pull it all together!

Today marks the beginning of lent. While I’m not Catholic, I have been participating in lent on & off my whole life.   I do it because it helps renew my heart.  Before lent my cravings & compulsive behaviors end up being for TV (zoning out), movies, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, chocolate, texting – but I want to automatically go to Jesus.  There will always be an empty part of my soul, unless I fill it with Him.

So just like last year, I’m giving up TV/movies for lent. I think it will be a challenge but a blessing… especially now that Little Dude is 17 months old.  Last year he was just a tiny tike and napped more – but now he’s a huge fan of Veggie Tales (he calls them “Veggies”), which came in handy during his epic nap strike.

I was relying on Veggie Tales (not a “bad” show at ALL) to give my son quiet time.  I forgot to ask for God’s specific guidance.

John 16:24 says to ask God for specific things in order to have the fullest joy.

I prayed that Little Dude would start napping by 1:30 every day, so our sleep schedule would improve enough for me to get up early (before he wakes up) and have my devotional time.

For the past 8 days, this has happened! If you have been following my Twitter or Facebook feeds, or talked to me in real life, you know how amazing this is.  (My chiropractor told me when a toddler skips a nap, it is the equivalent of an adult pulling an all-nighter, by the way…)

I am already starting to sleep better and so is Chris and our son…

There’s been a couple days where I wake up totally refreshed and then I look at the clock at o’dark-thirty in the morning…

Today was one of those days.

the dialog* this morning went something like this:

(I use the term dialog loosely, I didn’t hear God’s audible voice, but his words were pressed on my heart.. believe me, I don’t just rise & shine like this without God intervening)

God: 5:02 a.m.  You are rested and the house is quiet. Hint, hint.

Me: Geesh, God – that’s early! Let me sleep longer.

God: Today is one of those days. This is what you asked for.

Me: Um, I am a little bit annoyed at myself for asking that.

God: I am giving you enough time to do what you want before your son wakes up. *smile*

Me: Ok, I’m up.

God: good

Sure enough, I had *EXACTLY* enough time to get a drink of water, complete my study on James (through Beth Moore), say good morning to Chris and, like God’s clockwork, Little Dude woke up.

I realize not all of you who read this have the same believes I do, but I am sure you can relate on some level to a season of renewing your heart.  I am excited for lent… and the blessings God will reveal during the next 40 days.

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breakfast: protein shake, eggs, paleo pancakes

Lunch: spaghetti squash Alfredo, spicy tuna salad, hard boiled egg & turkey bacon salad, soup from Sunflower Market

snacks: lara bars, ants on a log, pumpkin seeds

Dinners:

• Chicken Sausage Lettuce Wraps inspired  by this recipe
• Almond Crusted Salmon
• Chicken, Yam & Chard Soup
• Apple Glazed Turkey Breast
• Coconut Shrimp
• Avocado Chorizo Sweet Potato Skins
• out or leftovers

Desserts:

Paleo Apple Pie Nachos

Fudgy Paleo Brownies

Please leave a comment below & share with your friends. All comments await my moderation.

This 21 DAY ORGANIZING CHALLENGE comes from A Bowl Full of Lemons blog… I copied her list for easy reference.

My friend Amanda reminded me that it was already February and that’s when I wanted to start this challenge!

I’ve gone around the house and collected tupperware and organizational tools, took some measurements and even ventured out to Ikea for the first time! I feel ready for this challenge!

I will be posting some of the before & after pictures as I complete them!  

Confession, I may not do all of these in order… but I will complete the list by the end of February!

Please join me!

Please leave a comment below & share with your friends. All comments await my moderation.

Last night I watched Biggest Loser and put together a fitness goal vision board.

Wearing only a sports bra & running pants, I took a picture of my front, side & back.  I am totally NOT going to post those pictures online, but they are on my computer’s desktop… reminding me to stay on-track.

Looking at the pictures, instead of myself in the mirror, really put my goals into perspective.

I can think of SO many excuses to skip the gym and eat whatever sounds good… I could make a list.

However, I wanted to focus on the POSITIVE first. So, I made a list of reasons to eat healthy & exercise:

[ ] Feel stronger

[ ] Care for Little Dude easier

[ ] Look better in clothes

[ ] Look better in swimsuit

[ ] Makes aging easier

[ ] Lower starting weight for next pregnancy

[ ] Helps body bounce back faster after pregnancy

[ ] Heal faster from illness

[ ] Endurance

[ ] Makes my job easier

[ ] Easier on knees

[ ] Better health

[ ] Endorphins

[ ] Stress Relief

[ ] Feel more confident

[ ] Sleep better

[ ] Proud of myself

[ ] feel beautiful

[ ] More compliments

[ ] Better self-control

[ ] Set a good example

[ ] Glory to God

So, it’s your turn… what are reasons you eat healthy & exercise?!

Please leave a comment below & share with your friends. All comments await my moderation.

This week I picked up a new Paleo cookbook from the library… The Paleo Diet Cookbook.

How have we been doing with eating Paleo all of January?  What have we discovered?

1. Eating Paleo SEEMS expensive, however I have found myself craving less junk food or what I refer to as “filler food” since I’m filling up on lots of protein, fruits & veggies. By avoiding extra snacks, it seems no more pricey than our “normal” grocery shopping. In fact, I had a conversation with a friend over lunch, where she admitted they spend the same amount of money each week on *eating out* (she doesn’t cook) as we do on buying organic, paleo foods.  I don’t drink alcohol, or soda, or caffeine. I don’t raid vending machines for sugary snacks or energy drinks… all these snacky-habits add up!

2. Paleo has a lot of emphasis on eggs… while I love eggs, I strongly believe that overeating any ONE particular food will result in a food intolerance… maybe even an allergy. You can overdo it… While I have explored new ways of eating eggs (some I NEVER thought I’d try), I am limiting my egg intake to no more than 7 eggs a week (on average.)

3. You don’t ‘have to do Paleo 100% of the time to feel better.  My sister has been reading up about Paleo also, and I think she mentioned sticking to Paleo 80% or more of the time WILL reap benefits. There were a few times this month where I absolutely strayed from Paleo. Cakepops, cheese trio platter, fully loaded baked potato & a lovely chocolate dessert. It doesn’t make me a bad person… I just treat each day, each MEAL (more accurately) as a new opportunity – as if I’m pressing the “start” button over again & again.  That’s how real-life decisions are, right?  Plan to succeed and if you don’t, get back up and start again.

4. While my weight generally fluxuates a couple pounds, I have a difficult time losing weight due to hypothyroidism.  I will preface what I’m about to say with *I have not attempted to cut back caloric intake* but I have become more aware of how much I’m eating. Happily, I have lost a solid 5 pounds.  I feel less pain in my joints and less less bloated.

5. So, this is MY take on the Paleo lifestyle… my husband, however, kindly pleaded for “real tortillas” a couple times this month. He luuuuuuuurves his tortillas.  While he appreciated the well thought-out meal plans each week, he definitely was resistant to all this challenge.  #1 change is not as easy for him, as it is for me. #2 did I mention he is a fan of tortillas? I have learned to “not bother” with gluten-free, or whole wheat, or any other than starchy white tortillas with him. So, I have learned a Paleo lifestyle is definitely something you have to commit to, personally. Sneaking it in, here & there, (as if it were extra fiber in a meal or pureed veggies in a casserole) is not going to be successful.  Paleo is *obviously* different. It’s harder to eat out, it’s a little more awkward to eat around non-paleo eaters who don’t understand what you are doing or why. There will be foods in your pantry to donate. It will definitely feel like a change, inside & out.

6. For now (and for me), my conclusion is I need to choose a healthy lifestyle that will LAST.  There’s no sense in depravity, followed by massive indulgence… I feel it is realistic to expect to stray from Paleo 10-15 percent of the time. So if I eat 2,000 calories a day, maybe I have up to a 300 calorie cheese snack.  Or brownies. Or a non-alcoholic beer (because that’s how I roll).  My goal from the beginning of this challenge was to get a grip on my sugar cravings.  Something I felt like I, honestly, might need sugar rehab for (does this really exist?).  Turns out, all it took was going Paleo for a month.  I am sincerely not craving a fraction of the sweets I used to… or carbs. It’s pretty brilliant, how this Paleo stuff works, huh?!

So, here’s what we have planned for this week’s menu:

breakfasts: Veggie Frittata page 58, spicy breakfast burrito page 62,

lunch: Grapes of Wrap page 71, Grilled Chicken Salad page 152

snacks: jerky, larabars, turkey lunchmeat

dinners:

Cedar-Plank Salmon page 128 & Strawberry Spinach Salad page 154

Spaghetti Squash & homemade alfredo

Homewood Chicken page 81

Steak & Signature salad page 156

turkey meatballs

soup

grilled paleo pizza

Please leave a comment below & share with your friends. All comments await my moderation.

In church today, our pastor continued the series on Malachi… I realize I haven’t shared much about faith on here, but today’s message really struck a chord.  This blog is my platform – for my voice to be heard.

I’m taking a chance and being vulnerable and putting my heart on there (out HERE, really) and hope, in the end, it makes a difference.

The book of Malachi has, so far, been relieving the priests roles during that time-frame.

A lot has changed since then, because Jesus’ atonement replaced the need for animals sacrifices and the need for priests to be our gateway to God. But now this priesthood responsibility falls on all Christians.

Our pastor broke it down and explained five key-points for followers of Christ:

[ ] We need to know the story of God and his people
[ ] Our corporate worship needs to be honoring & respectful to God.
[ ] Must follow the word of God.
[ ] Must delcare what we know.
[ ] Attempt to turn Christians from their sin.

I grew up going to church – I made a choice to follow Him at an early age. I have had plenty of veering and ups & downs, but my journey is with Him. If you ever want to ask me about the details, please do.

Confession: I love musical worship – but there are so many other ways I can worship & honor God.  It my words, which I don’t always pick so wisely. In my actions, which I sometimes regret as soon as I mentally relive what I did…

I’ve heard some parts of the Bible MANY times, but painfully admit, I don’t know it front to back. I am working on it.

I want to be more intentional with sharing what I *do* know…

My goal isn’t to change the entire world.  Maybe my story & life will affect just one other’s. I want to be encouraging to fellow believers and hope they would do the same for me.

The point is, that I fall short of accomplishing all this.

Our pastor says this is nothing new – everyone falls into this boat. But we are saved by God’s grace and call do all things through Him.

*whew*  I am very nervous about not doing this lesson justice.  You can listen to any of Colorado Ridge’s podcast, by clicking here.

Please leave a comment below & share with your friends. All comments await my moderation.

breakfast: hard boiled eggs, Paleo Pancakes, Paleo muffins, Paleo breakfast burritos

lunches: dinner leftovers, salads with avocado & turkey bacon, Paleo Tuna Sandwiches

snacks: beef jerky, protein shakes, raw almonds, sunflower seeds, dried fruit, homemade lara bars

dinner:

• fish & rice
• chicken & sweet potatoes
• Greek Meatballs
• turkey & avocado wraps
• loaded baked potatoes
• kabobs
• out or leftovers

Please leave a comment below & share with your friends. All comments await my moderation.

breakfast: hard boiled eggs, Paleo Pancakes, Paleo muffins, Paleo breakfast burritos

lunches: dinner leftovers, salads with avocado & turkey bacon, Paleo Tuna Sandwiches

snacks: beef jerky, protein shakes, raw almonds, sunflower seeds, dried fruit

• Paleo Hamburgers
• Paleo Roasted Chicken and Herbal Gravy
• Grilled Salmon
• Bacon Spaghetti Squash Alfredo
• Better Butter Chicken
• Paleo Pizza
• Salmon Cakes with Ginger Mayo

sides: twice baked chipotle sweet potatoes, guacamole, green salad, amaranth

Please leave a comment below & share with your friends. All comments await my moderation.

I was on Pinterest looking for organizing tips and came across this 21 days to get organized challenge.

While it’s a few days late to join the challenge in January, I will start my own challenge February 1st.

The goal is to knock off one item a day, with the exception of Sundays.

Make sure to jump over to A Bowl Full of Lemons blog to take the challenge yourself!

Please leave a comment below & share with your friends. All comments await my moderation.

In case you missed my previous post, we are still doing Paleo but not doing Everyday Paleo’s 30-day meal plan.  It felt too redundant for us… but her menus were extremely helpful and inspiring – to point us in the right direction.

Thanks to Pinterest and some of your feedback, I found some great Paleo blogs.

For breakfasts, lunches, & snacks, we will alternate between a few key dishes…

breakfast: hard boiled eggs, Paleo Pancakes, Paleo muffins, Paleo breakfast burritos

lunches: dinner leftovers, salads with avocado & turkey bacon, Paleo Tuna Sandwiches

snacks: beef jerky, protein shakes, raw almonds, sunflower seeds, dried fruit

dinner (all Paleo):

1. Grilled Fish & mixed green salad
2. Steak Chile Rellenos
3. Garden Fresh Meatballs & tomato sauce
4. Paleo Chicken Pot Pie
5. Beanless Chili
6. Paleo Hamburgers
7. Sweet Potato Lime Soup 

Please leave a comment below & share with your friends. All comments await my moderation.