Day 22: Confessions of a BAD blogger

I knew when I started this whole challenge that if I failed at one thing it would more likely be at my attempt to blog everyday! :) This is has proven to be true! Sorry to those of you who were looking for updates---I am still doing the challenge, so here is a recap of the past few weeks.

On Day 15, my halfway point, I was visiting a friend who had just made a cake and insisted that I would be really rude if I didn't try it. So, confession #1, I ate it. It was SO delicious! I think a cinnamon apple cake, so it did have apples. That counts, right? :)

When I read the book, she talked about a few times when she had something that was NOT on the list. One of these times it was done because refusing would have been rude. I am going to use this as my excuse. If she could, i could, right?!?

Jen Hatmaker, the author of this book, is hilarious. Check out her blog, http://jenhatmaker.com/home.htm

Confession #2: I ate a crispy PLAIN chicken sandwich at Culver's the other day instead of a grilled PLAIN---they only used bread crumbs, right? I can have bread. It was SO MUCH BETTER than the grilled one. However, I won't do it again. I totally counted this as a successful flee from temptation considering I love their FISH sandwich and custard and don't get me started on those fries! 

I have, however, successfully eaten out for breakfast and dinner at big chain restaurants and succeeded. Got a lot of funny looks from waiters and waitresses at my reuqests, but never the less, I did it. 

Water is my best friend, and gum! Thank God for whoever invented GUM. It has saved me from failing MANY TIMES!

Confession #3: I met a friend at B&N the other day, and while I did resist ordering several of their drinks that I like, I did get a tea, per my friend's recommendation. It's mostly water, right? It was SO wonderful. I will for sure be getting that again. I think it was Cinnamon Spice tea, if I remember correctly.

Favorite New Foods on this Plan: 

• Grilled Chicken rubbed down with only salt and pepper and marinated in apple juice. Delish! Brandon even liked it, too! Best grilled chicken we have made on our grill. Less is more sometimes.
•  I also love the green machine smoothie, however I'd like to add other things to it like celery and pears or mango.
•  I have really enjoyed poaching eggs and eating them with spinach in a wrap with avocado slices. 
• Chicken taquitos: chicken, apple slices and spinach in a wrap. Rub top with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Eat with avocado! SO GOOD~ 

Things I have decided during this fast: I will NOT drink diet coke anymore. I don't really crave it, and it isn't good for you, apparently ;) I will be drinking MILK as soon as possible. I feel like my bones, which I take pride in never breaking, are getting weaker! Cheese better watch out because when I am done, that is the first thing I will be enjoying! Salt and vinegar chips---just you wait! 

More thoughts coming soon in the next post!

Day 8: Honesty Is The Best Policy

Physically, I have lots of energy, and I feel pretty good! However, my feelings, emotions, and desires are more like this!

Pulling.My.Hair.Out

Wow! It has been a tough, uncomfortable, challenging, rewarding, humbling experience so far! 

What do I miss today? Chocolate! Commercials are killing me, and I have never wanted to punch anyone so bad as when this one comes on! You know the one---"Me and you. A little rendezvous!" I'd like to have a rendezvous NOW! If you don't know it, watch this link 

Real thoughts I have had today (Yes, I am repenting again as I type this)

1. I will tell Madison that I have to go to the bathroom, lock the door, and eat all the Ghirardelli dark chocolate chunks in my baking cupboard. Yes, the whole.stinkin.bag!

2. Maybe I can just steal a few of the blackberries, and blame so many of them being gone on Madison. 

3. I will eat a healthy choice fudge bar while Madison is napping, and hide the trash. If caught, I will again blame it on Madison! Oops that won't work because she will know she didn't have one, so I will look for a way to reward her with one, and then eat another when she is napping. 

4. No one would know if I ate some of this baby food. Madison is napping, and Annaliese can't talk yet. 

Thankfully, I have not done any of those things! But there is still a lot of time left in the day, and both girls are napping!

One thing that has happened today is an AWFUL stomach ache. It may or may not have anything to do with me relying on my own strength in the things above, but it has definitely made me think about how WEAK I am. I can't even do this, eating 7 foods, on my own strength! I can't do ANYTHING by myself! God is at work in and through me at all times. Let that sink in for a minute. Yes, when I am changing another poopy diaper, God is at work. When I am explaining something to my almost 3 year old for the 100th time, God is at work. When I am just sitting down to drink my coffee that has been reheated 5 times since 8 am, God is at work. When I am looking around my house that is a DISASTER, God is at work. 

Honesty is the best policy, so let's be honest! I am WEAK, can do nothing on my own, and God is at work in all of my mess! Do I deserve that? Nope, but I am learning to be more and more thankful for it! 

Praise most certainly belongs to You, God! Love this song! 

  

Day 6: Blessed Beyond Measure

 
   Annaliese is 6 months today!

Blessed

One of the things I am learning through this fast so far is how GREATLY I am blessed! I have so much that I just use, eat, waste, etc. that I don't even think twice about!

 Here is what I thankful for today: COWS! I miss my glass of milk, or two, during the day. I miss cheese slices for a snack or on a sandwich! I miss ice cream and frozen yogurt. I remember telling Brandon when a friend had a baby with a milk allergy that if we ever had that I would not (more like will not) be able to give up milk. How selfish that was! Here I am, three years later, giving up dairy for 30 days. Wow! God sure took that selfish statement and reversed it. Isn't God doing that constantly in our lives? On my own, I'd never be able to do ANYTHING, but with God, all things are possible! Oh little me! You'd think I would learn but I continue to do things that scream, "Selfish woman!"

I am also so thankful for my sweet blessings, Madison and Annaliese! Wow! I get tears in my eyes daily at their precious lives and sweet noise they bring into my life. Lord, may I not waste my time with them, but use it to encourage their hearts and lead them to you!

I won't continue to bore you with the same listing of the same food line up, unless I find something fun to eat that is different, which is probably not going to happen! So, I leave you with the three verses I am memorizing right now!

Psalm 107:1 

Ephesians 5:20 

1 Thessalonians 5:18

Day 4

Started the day off today with a baked avocado with an egg inside! It was good, but I think I would still prefer having an egg with avocado slices. The avocado warm was a different taste, but still a nice change from the last 3 mornings! The coffee was good, but man, I can't wait to have some creamer, milk, half and half, ANYTHING!

Ran to the park in between breakfast and lunch today with Madison---drank lots of water as it is 72 degrees here in Greenville today! Woohoo! It was an awesome park, too, by the way. Check it out if you haven't been before! Conestee Nature Park on Mauldin Road! http://lakeconesteenaturepark.com/

For lunch I had a chicken salad sandwich AGAIN! :( I looked on, with jealousy, at Brandon's yummy shrimp! Oh dear, this could get really hard. Is it really only day 4?

I wanted to add also that I am chewing sugar free gum! I had to have something to take my mind off the hunger, so I am allowing myself that, it's necessary! Chomping hard as we speak!

Dinner was wonderful with a sweet potato that I made in the crock-pot---so easy! Just throw in crock-pot, turn on low, let sit for 6 to 7 hrs with about a 1/4 cup of water in bottom---wonderful! I shared with Brandon and Madison, so I really only had about 1/2. I also made Apple Stuffed Chicken, see recipe below! I did have to omit and substitute as needed! I also, and this was hard, shared my sweet potato rolls with Brandon at dinner! He better love me! I even made his filling for his chicken different including what the recipe called for...lucky man!

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/apple-stuffed-chicken-breast/

Apple Popsicle for a snack again---I guess! I got NOTHING else!

I love this thought from the book, Seven: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess, "This is a fast, a major reduction of the endless possibilities that accompany my every meal. It is supposed to be uncomfortable and inconvenient. Not because I am narcissist but because the discomfort creates space for the Holy Spirit to move. This shake-up of my routine commands my attention. I can no longer default to normal, usual, mindless, thoughtless. It's like having an eyelash under my contact all day." (page 16)

Lord, may you receive more of my time, attention, and focus! Don't let me default to "normal"!

Day 3

Today started off with egg on crispy bread slice with some avocado---notice a similar pattern here! It all tastes good now, but I am only on day 3! I am guessing scrambled eggs won't taste near as good without some milk and cheese! Oh dairy, how I miss you! If you know me well, then you know that I am a dairy girl through and through. I prefer a huge glass of milk over water ANY DAY! Watching my little one drink milk and even my baby nurse is already making me jealous! :)

Again---NO SNACK! :)

Lunch today was a green machine smoothie, and my little lady loved it as well! I used this recipe, but used 100% apple juice instead of grape juice! It was great! I also had a spoonful of chicken salad with avocado!

http://www.yummly.com/recipe/Green-Machine-Smoothie-Martha-Stewart-193962?fb_action_ids=10103453736985328&fb_action_types=og.comments&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582

Then, around 2:40pm, the thin mint cookies in the freezer started calling my name! AHHHH! I reheated my coffee from 8 am this morning, then chewed a piece of gum and had some water. It's not the same, I tell ya. Not the same at all! But, I did resist!

Dinner: Chicken Avocado Spinach Sandwich and a hard-boiled egg (noticing a trend here---yep, not a whole lot of variety you can have with 7 things). Madison asked me what I was doing, as I wasn't eating what they were eating, and I told her spending more time with God and learning to be more thankful. She promptly responded, "Just like Veggie Tales!" Yep, Madison, just like them!

Snack: Apple Juice (100%) Popsicle

I also wanted to clarify that this is NOT a weigh loss thing---although if I lose weight that would not be so bad ;) I just want to be thankful for what we have been blessed with and not take it for granted. I also want to be more prayerful during my day, and this is great way to do this, as I am constantly asking God for help!

Day Two

Breakfast: I had a piece of toast this morning---got too busy getting the girls around to run to grocery! I. NEED. AVOCADO! I also grabbed some apple slices on the way out the door!

Lunch: GLORIOUS! I had chicken salad with avocado, apples, dried apples for a crunch, and egg on a bed of baby spinach! Wonderful!  I also had a few avocado slices on the side and apple chips. When I was at the grocery, I spotted sweet potato rolls--so I had one of those, too!

Snack: Avocado slices!

Dinner: Baked Sweet Potato :) Avocado spread on little crispy bread pieces! Thank goodness that sweet potato is sweet---I do prefer the loaded version!

Snack: Apple chips

OH SO TEMPTED TODAY---I am so used to eating whatever Madison doesn't eat at lunch, snacking out of the cupboard, sneaking girl scout cookies out of the freezer, etc. I have probably prayed 5 times now to take away that temptation! Whoa---harder than I thought. I eat, far to often, without even realizing that I am eating. I just do it because I am home and it is SO easy. No self-control! Then, I feel bad later about all I know that I did eat that day---not anymore! "The fruit of the Spirit is ...self-control..."

Found a great recipe for a smoothie I can make with  my foods---substitute grape juice for apple juice! I can't wait to try it tomorrow morning! Green Machine Smoothie!

http://www.yummly.com/recipe/Green-Machine-Smoothie-Martha-Stewart-193962?servings=2&unitType=imperial

Seven: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess

Whoa! This book, Seven: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess, is changing me---watch out! I do believe we live in a country with lots of "stuff"! In fact, one of my daughter's favorite Veggie Tales movie is about a blueberry who wants to have more "stuff", but learns that she doesn't need it to be happy.

    I kind of always viewed that as things you buy, and I never really included food. So, when I started reading this book, and the first chapter was on limiting food intake to allow God to be your "daily bread" was a new thought to me.

So, the author of the book, Jen Hatmaker, did a 7 food challenge for 30 days. I decided to jump on board. So, here are my seven foods:

1. Bread---I plan to make my own most of the time, but other bread is okay, too!
2. Spinach
3. Sweet Potatoes
4. Apples (I am having apples, dried apples, and 100% apple juice)
5 Avocado
6. Eggs
7. Chicken (I am adding salt and pepper but nothing else when cooking it)

I am also drinking water only with one cup of coffee a day. However, NO CREAMER! Good-bye, Thin Mint Creamer! I will see you in 30 days :)

So, I have known for a while now that since I am home all day with my girls, it is SO much easier for me to just snack, and snack, and snack, and snack. I am nursing, so I can eat whatever I want, right? NO!!!! So, I am on a mission to get the snacking, over-eating, poor food choices under control! Having to limit myself for a time is allowing me to focus more on God, and pray to Him when I need control, instead of giving into self, and just eating whatever.

So, in the next 30 days, if you see me eating funny or denying myself certain things, this is the reason! Also, I will be posting here each day about what I have eaten and how I feel!