such small hands

At the Moment

Outside my window ... rain is falling on the robins in my neighbor's yard.

I am thinking ... I ought to be clearing stuff off closet floors to prepare for new carpet arriving (I hope) in a week.

I am thankful for ... answered prayer in finding a reliable new car for Amy, the first car she has bought for herself.

From the kitchen ... tonight's dinner will be chicken alfredo.

I am wearing ... jeans, a T-shirt, light sweater --- and a bathrobe over it all because it's a little chilly in the house.

I am creating ... a blog post.

I am going ... to a friend's Confirmation party this weekend!

I am reading ... the "Shift Omnibus," the prequel to Hugh Howey's "Wool."

I am hoping ... Amy has time today to call the car insurance agent, and that she gets a good deal on her policy.

I am hearing ... the clock ticking on the mantel.

Around the house ... the kitchen cupboards need to be cleaned out and degreased.

One of my favorite things ... Garden Fresh salsa and chips

A few plans for the rest of the week ... help Ken move the aquarium to get ready for the carpet installers.

 

Eating Healthy on Vacation

A Guest Post by Cole Millen, an avid traveler and foodie who frequently contributes to food-related blogs.

Going on vacation is an exciting experience, but it often also presents many opportunities for making poor food choices. Instead of "winging it" and hoping that you'll make the right choices, use these tips to ensure a high chance that you'll withstand all the temptation that lies with going on vacation.

One of the first things you'll more than likely do after setting out for your vacation is take a flight to your destination. While at the airport, use the stairs and carry your own luggage to ensure you get proper exercise. If you find that you've got a long wait before you can board your plane, walk around and check out what the airport has to offer! Grab a fruit cup to snack on while you explore.

In our fast-paced society, it can be difficult to find health-friendly hotels or areas that won't present constant temptation. To find an area that will be conducive to healthy eating habits, search for neighborhoods that have a lot of options available. You also can find health-friendly hotels by checking with the menu/food options before making reservations. Making sure the hotel has exercise equipment is a good idea as well.

Once you've checked into your hotel, this might be where the real challenge sets in. Hotel restaurants generally aren't great for offering healthful food options, so it's probably best to avoid them. Besides, many hotel rooms come with a microwave oven; use it to make healthier meals. Additionally, go straight for the food bar when it's time for breakfast. Make the healthy choices such as oatmeal, fruit, hard-boiled eggs, and whole-grain toast. The bagels and doughnuts aren't worth it.

Eating healthy in Key West

At some point during your trip, you'll probably want to treat yourself to a nice meal at a restaurant. I have found that it made a big difference in my travels when I began to read reviews of the restaurants and areas where I was staying before I left home. Without this preparation, you'll be in a blind food frenzy trying to pick a restaurant --- and this often leads to unhealthy eating. I did a poor job of this in the past and paid the price. For my most recent trip out west, I searched the Las Vegas hotel reviews and ended up with the best option for my personal eating habits, avoiding the buffet zone.

The first rule of thumb is to avoid buffet-style restaurants or any place that serves a lot of bread and starch. You can make great preparation by checking with online menus for restaurants before setting foot in them. Also, it doesn't hurt to munch on an apple and drink a glass of water before heading out the door. These can help fill your stomach and lessen your chances of overeating.

At the restaurant, be sure to make smart menu choices. For example, avoid foods that are battered, deep-fried, "loaded," stuffed, etc. Foods that are likely to fit into your healthy eating plan will be described as broiled, multi-grain, fat-free, light, etc. When you order, you may be asked to choose a side dish or dishes for your entree. Avoid carbs at all costs! If possible, always go with the veggie option. If you're completely clueless about what you should order, remember that brightly colored foods are generally better for you. Deep greens, red, orange, yellow and white are good choices. If you can follow these tips, you shouldn't have any problem staying on track health-wise while on vacation.

Mediterranean Diet

By now, everyone's probably heard about the article published yesterday in the New England Journal of Medicine, showing the results of a study of the benefits of following the so-called Mediterranean diet. Ken and I have been trying to modify our diets since the first of the year, so I wanted to see how closely we are already following Mediterranean guidelines, and what we can do to improve. Here is how the NYT article describes the diet followed by the study participants:

One group assigned to a Mediterranean diet was given extra-virgin olive oil each week and was instructed to use at least 4 four tablespoons a day. The other group got a combination of walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts and was instructed to eat about an ounce of the mix each day. An ounce of walnuts, for example, is about a quarter cup — a generous handful. The mainstays of the diet consisted of at least three servings a day of fruits and at least two servings of vegetables. Participants were to eat fish at least three times a week and legumes, which include beans, peas and lentils, at least three times a week. They were to eat white meat instead of red, and, for those accustomed to drinking, to have at least seven glasses of wine a week with meals.

They were encouraged to avoid commercially made cookies, cakes and pastries and to limit their consumption of dairy products and processed meats.

 Just for fun, I took the quiz (sidebar to NYT article) to see how closely I am following a Mediterranean diet. Here are the points where I need to improve:

• More olive oil, in cooking, salads, maybe even as a bread dip?
• More vegetables, at least 2 servings a day. Which I do sometimes, but not every day.
•  I don't eat red meat daily, but we probably have beef, pork or lamb two or three times a week.
• More beans!
• More fish!
• Give up the Oreos and Girl Scout cookies. Have homemade treats instead. Sparingly.
• Sofrito? What's that?

It could be hard for me to give up the cookies cold turkey and start making my own. Of course, what do you find on Pinterest except desserts and healthy recipes? Dark chocolate is OK, so Ken and I can keep enjoying our 72% cocoa Ghirardelli square every night. Here's another article that offers a few more specific diet guidelines.

Other health factors also help determine the food choices I make. Because I'm a petite Caucasian woman, I need to take in calcium and Vitamin D through dairy products, so I don't see myself giving up milk, cheese and Greek yogurt. Because alcohol consumption is a risk factor for breast cancer, I've worked hard since December to reduce my wine drinking from about 14 glasses a week to 8 glasses. That's a level I'm comfortable with, and it's within the Mediterranean diet guidelines.

What kind of changes are you making to follow a heart-healthy diet?

Simplifying My Life

I can't believe it's been nearly a year and a half since I last posted in this blog. But after reading this blog post, "What I Learned About Blogging When I Quit Blogging," shared by my dear blogging friend and sister in Christ, Leann Richardson, I feel confident enough to begin writing again.

Ken and I became official empty-nesters last September, when Amy moved into an apartment/flat with her friend, Julia. I remember taking a break from loading the moving van, clearing out all her college apartment furniture and boxes from half of our garage. I looked up at the six or seven plastic storage bins up in the rafters, crammed with her dolls and stuffed animals since we'd moved in this house in 2000. 

"So when you get your own house, Amy," I said, "you'll have to take all these toys of yours with you." She looked at me as if I'd just grown wings and crowed. "I don't want all that junk, Mom!" she said.

"What? Not even to save for your own kids to play with someday?" I whined. She just rolled her eyes.

So began the great "clean up and throw out" of Fall 2012. Out went clothes, books, magazines, VHS tapes and cassettes. Old dishes and ugly knickknacks. About half of the toys and dolls. Frankly, I couldn't bear to part with her American Girl collection, remembering how I had scrimped to buy one for each Christmas. Nope, I'm keeping those so I can be the "cool grandma" someday.

I might have been a little overzealous, donating Amy's "Twilight" trilogy and her favorite ugly Christmas sweater. (Hey, it used to be mine, and I thought it had a sort of ski lodge elan to it!)

Realizing that, at this stage in my life, I need and want less stuff in general is leading me to think I need some personal "clean up and throw out." Restarting this blog is part of that. But so is reconsidering other ways that I spend my time. Ash Wednesday is a week from today; Lent is a good time to repent of the path we've been walking and take a new direction.

So maybe I'll be spending less time on Facebook games, and more time on the things I really want to do:  read, write, walk, pray, garden, sew, dream and plan.

I'm ready.

Pistons vs. Pacers

Months ago, Ken bought Pistons tickets for our anniversary (which was in January). Game day was Sunday. We were expecting a heated match, given the fierce rivalry between the Pistons and the Pacers. Too bad the Pacers didn't show up for the game. Or they left after the first quarter. I've never seen such a trouncing (98-73). I think the Pistons were up 30 or 32 at one point in the fourth. We had a lot of fun anyway. The experience of actually being at a game and watching on TV is so different. Lots of stuff going on during time-outs and halftime ... like watching the dance team, fan competitions and the like. Just a great, great time. Oh yes ... and I now have an official NBA Chauncey Billups jersey I can wear while I'm cheering during the playoffs!

Vacation Pictures ...

... are posted in a photo album you'll find in the righthand column. Looking at all that white sand and turquoise water sure makes me want to go back. Especially because here in Detroit we had big thunderstorms last night and today is overcast and cool.