trophy or teacher?

I'll be posting a review of this book in a few days, but wanted to share this quote tonight.

the quarantine has been lifted!

Last week, the day before I was hosting an event, Hadden seemed to be getting sick.  We kept a close eye on him and thought he was doing better, so Caleb took him out for the evening during my party.  Sometime between when we all went to bed and when the sun rose the next morning, Hadden and I got horribly sick!

We spent the last five days or so recovering, but I think we might be over it!  Hopefully I'll get back to posting soon.  We've been doing the bare minimum each day to save energy so blogging wasn't even on my mind!

Government Shutdown Day 5 - How You Can Get and Give Help

Everyone is full of doom and gloom about the government shutdown.  While I can't necessarily blame them, I don't really care to add my voice to that mix.  Instead, here are a couple of things to be aware of, especially if you are a military member or dependent.


1.  No Commissary?  Try Sam's Club
Since all stateside commissaries are closed during the shutdown, Sam's Club has gracious offered a free (temporary) membership to anyone with a military ID.  We don't have a Sam's Club membership, but are planning on taking them up on this offer! 

2.  USAA Loan
According to their website, USAA is "ready to offer a zero-interest, 0% APR payroll advance loan to affected members if the next federal budget issue — the debt ceiling — disrupts pay to active-duty service personnel."  Keep this in your back pocket, in case you end up needing help.

3.  Give.
This would be an awesome time to donate to a local food pantry.  Go through your cupboards and pick up a few extra things at the grocery store.  Since government programs (including WIC) are shutdown/delayed, people may be going hungry.  Not sure where one is?  Use this handy website to find one close by!

And now let me just hop up on a soapbox for a moment: I have often heard Christians complain about government programs.  When questioned about all the verses in the the Scriptures about helping the poor, they say that it should be the Church's job, not the government's.  Well, right now is that time for all those people to step up and live out what they said.

How are you dealing with the shutdown?  Have you felt the effects?

whole30 meals and more!

Well, we are now on Day 23 of Whole30!  It has been a lot easier than I anticipated.  The first few days were hard, but now we don't have to think about it so much.  Additionally, I've noticed that I have more energy.  Some people talk about having "tiger blood" which means having boundless energy.  For me, I've noticed that I crash less often.  I used to go CRAZY waiting for Caleb to come home...I was so tired and could never have him get home soon enough to help with the baby.  Half of the time I had a migraine so I just needed to lay down.  My migraines have been so, so much better (I've only been having them if I haven't eaten or slept enough.  Totally a change from having them day after day).  I've spent more time outside being active with Hadden and haven't been on edge waiting for Caleb to get home.  Additionally, a pair of shorts that 23 days ago were tight can now (literally) fall off me.  I really need to find my belt!

This week I was preparing a meal for a friend, but since I couldn't taste what I was making (it wasn't Whole30), I asked another friend to come over and taste test some apple muffins for me.  Thankfully, she didn't mind that job. ;)  We got around to talking about Whole30 and what we ate so I thought I'd give a brief description.

Here is our official shopping list.  The first week or two I took this with me the store to make sure I was buying Whole30 approved foods.  Now that I have it in my head, I don't usually carry it because I already know what to buy.

This is what WE have been eating.  Sometimes on the different forums, I see people who have different opinions about what is allowed on Whole30 (e.g. one person says to drink only water, but most people agree that other drinks like tea are fine).  To the best of my knowledge, everything I've eaten has been compliant with Whole30, but if someone who is more advanced with Whole30 recognizes that I did something wrong, please don't rake me over the coals! ;)

Breakfast:

Eggs

  Egg casserole with compliant chicken sausage and spinach

  Omelets with peppers, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes

  Fried or Scrambled Eggs

Cowboy Breakfast Skillet

Fruit

Main Dishes:

Grilled Chicken

Grilled Steak

Tilapia

Salads (including a modified version of this one)

Homemade Meatballs and Spaghetti Squash

Turkey or Chicken Burgers

Shrimp and Avocado Salad

Tuna Salad (with homemade mayo)

Sides/Snacks:

LARA bars (we've found about 5 flavors that are compliant)

Kale chips

Fruit (sometimes with a side of almond butter)

Vegetables (LOTS!)

Almonds

Guacamole (we like it served over grilled chicken or tilapia)

Baked Apple Chips

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Homemade beef jerky

Eating Out*:

(*It's especially important if you're doing Whole30 that you are a compete pain in the butt for the restaurant staff double check how that location cooks their food...it might be different from place to place.)

Panera Bread: "Power" Mediterranean Turkey Salad (no pepperocini, add avocado)

                       "Power" Steak Wraps Salad (no pesto, add avocado)

5 Guys:           Burger (no cheese, no bun, lots of vegetables!)

Texas Roadhouse: Steak (no seasoning - just grilled), broccoli (no seasoning), house salad (no cheese, no croutons, oil and lemon as dressing)

Chipotle:           Bowl with carnitas, mild salsa, guac and lettuce)

Are you up for it??  Ready to start Whole30? (I'm hoping at least ONE person decides to do it after me...I have a few people considering it)

 

currently reading: Notes From the Tilt-A-Whirl

This book review is long, long overdue.  Usually I review a book within a couple weeks of receiving it, but this one arrived over six weeks ago!  Yikes!

I am very conflicted about this book - I'll do my best to explain why.  When I read the summary, I thought I would love this book and I was thrilled to be reviewing it.  But when it came and I actually started reading, I really labored over it.  The first few chapters were mind-boggling.  Each time I picked up the book, I literally got a headache and had to put it down within a few minutes.  I was thrown off by Wilson's style and really struggled to keep reading.  It was the first time I seriously considered not finishing a book I was given to review.  For me personally, the first chapters felt like I *was* on a tilt-a-whirl.  Since I wasn't following the book clearly, it felt like I was being spun around and couldn't tell up from down.  

Then, about four or five chapters in, I started to catch on a little bit, like I finally learned to go with the rhythm of the ride.  Soon I was pausing to marvel at Wilson's insight.  He changed the way I thought about creation, heaven and hell.  Throughout my days, I found myself thinking back to the book and looking at the world around me differently.  And isn't that what a good book is?  Not only did it change my thinking, it stuck with me and changed how I viewed life.

Overall, the poetic style of this book was difficult for me to follow.  I wasn't expecting it and I usually prefer books to be more straight-forward.  However, Wilson wrote such profound things that I want to read it again sometime.  Since I'm prepared for the unusual style, I think I'll enjoy it better.

Now that I am (finally!) finished with that book, I can start on the next two books on my list: Crazy for God by Frank Schaeffer (a gift from my sister) and The Meaning of Marriage by Tim Keller (a gift from my friend, Megan).  I'm taking a short break from reviewing books for publishers to read these two!

**A copy of this book was given to me through BookSneeze in exchange for an honest review.   

brave words

It's been said that writing is easy.  "You simply sit down at the typewriter, open your veins, and bleed (Red Smith)."

Open your veins.

And bleed.

Oh yes.

Sometimes I sit in front of the computer and try to transcribe the words in my head.  Essays about the Church, feminism, parenting and all sorts of other things.  But the words don't come.  There is a language barrier between my brain and my fingers.  Can't. Get. The. Words. Out.

Is it fear?  Fear because I know people who won't agree and I don't want to hurt them?  Fear because I know I'm not skilled enough to express it perfectly?  Fear because I have so much learning left to do?

I've heard people say that all bloggers are narcissists.  That no one else would write a publish a record of their lives.  Perhaps they're right.  But at the same time, I think people get something confused.

I don't write because I want to be a writer.

I write because I AM a writer.

I don't say that in a pride or in grandiose dreams of being published.  That's not at all what I mean.  I mean that I have always written: journals, lists, blogs, papers.  It's how I think and how I process.  Calling myself a writer doesn't even mean that I think I'm skilled at writing.  It's just who I am.  I write.  As one of my dear girls in college would say, "I like words."

It is a fearful thing to hit 'publish'.  It is hard to find time to transpose my thoughts and to rework them to make sense on paper.

But I'm trying to do better - I write even though people might not like it.  I write even though I don't know it all or I'm still figuring things out.

If you blog (or journal), I'm challenging you today:  Use brave words.  Write something bold.  And click 'publish'.

oh, happy day!

To my love,

I'm so, so happy to be celebrating our anniversary today!  Love is complicated and marriage even more so, but I'm glad we're figuring this out together.  :)  This year I hope that we continue to learn to love each other more sacrificially.  Thank you for being so kind and patient.  Thank you for encouraging me to follow my passions and enabling me to serve others (and serving alongside me).  I'm thankful for each day I get to spend with you!  I'm glad that for our wedding we decided to memorize our vows and that we still remember them and can look into each other's eyes as we recite them.  Today I'm looking forward to a wonderful day with you and also looking ahead at another adventurous year!

  Love,

    Callie

"I would do it for you, for you

Baby, I'm not moving on

I'll love you long after you're gone

For you, for you

You will never sleep alone

I'll love you long after you're gone

And long after you're gone gone gone"