Technology & new diet

Isn't technology great?  Sigh.  We have so many avenues of communication, but our tongues are still the same.  Unknowingly we can set fires and hurt people we do not mean to hurt.  That is why I have been away from my blog for quite awhile.

I've also been away because I was not feeling well.  Digestive pain flared up again.  My weight dropped down into the 90's.  Thankfully, I found a new way of eating called "food combining" which has helped my digestion.  I have been having less pain which is wonderful.  Finally, my body is gaining its strength back.  Surgery, stress, pain and poor digestion have taken its toll on me.  Through food combing I am making a comeback!  Also been learning that some foods touted as healthy are not really so healthy, due to GMO's.  It is important to buy organic whenever possible.  Especially in the area of meat and dairy.  As far as food is concerned, it is definitely it is a jungle out there!

Continuing on about "food combining", the principles behind food combining are as follows:  that there is a proper way to combine foods together.  One of the first rules is to not combine protein with starch.  So the typical sandwich is a no-no with food combining.  Food combining lessens gas, bloating and toxins that build up in our systems.  If you have a weak digestion as I do after all my surgeries, food combining can possibly help ease symptoms of poor digestion.  I still have pain from time to time, but with food combining it has lessened enough that it keeps me going.

Here is a website that has helped me a lot with food combining:  http://detoxinista.com/

Pintrest

A friend got me into Pintrest.  Last year when it first came out, I tried it, but was too confused by it.  This year my friend showed me hers and that is all it took for me to understand and get started.  I have gone crazy with it now.  It has been so much fun.  Here is a link to my board:

http://pinterest.com/becky7721/

Lots of ideas, recipes and inspiration on Pintrest.  And as with any media stuff there is the undesirable things to be wary of (I try to keep my site clean).  Hope you enjoy looking through my site. 

Our Anniversary Trip

Hello friends, Mark and I enjoyed our trip away.  We did pack a lot into our time.  We got to see Rifle Falls and Maroon Bells as well as many other things.  What we enjoyed the most was being able to be on a trip alone together.  It is how we were the first years in our marriage and now we are back to that, just older with wear and tear on our bodies.  Oh how I wish we still had our 20 year old bodies!


Here below are a few pictures from our trip.  Enjoy!

 Rifle Falls

 Maroon Bells, Aspen, Colorado

30 years together!

Getting Ready

Since our 30th wedding anniversary is coming up next week, we decided to plan a little getaway trip.  I stress "little" because we are only going to be gone 2 nights.  We are going to go to Glenwood Springs and enjoy the big mineral springs pool.  Also there are some awesome sights to see nearby, such as Rifle Falls and Aspen where you can see Maroon Bells.  Not sure how much we will be able to squeeze into our trip, but we plan to enjoy ourselves.

In preparation for my trip I decided to buy myself a new duffle.  The rage is Vera Bradley, which I can't afford.  So I picked up a knock-off at Target made by Danielle Morgan.

 This is "Floral Delight" at Target for $29.99.

It seems strudy.  Before I bought it I put something heavy into it and lifted the bag.  It held up just fine.  It has a simple flap pocket in the front and an outside pocket on each side.  The interior is lined in pink cloth.  There are no zipper pockets on the inside, just plenty of space to pack.  And it colapses nicely for storage.  I am looking forward to using it along with a Vera Bradley cosmetic bag my dear friend Monique gave me for my birthday.  Thanks so much Monique!

Cleaning can be Uplifting

This is how I am handling my discouragement...by cleaning!  In so doing I discovered that a baby bunny is living in our garage.  I leave the door wide open and that bunny will not leave.  So I made up a paper plate of greens along with a small dish of water.  She went for it right away.  She won't let me touch her, very fast is she.  She has been my little companion as I dive into boxes I have not opened since we moved from California.  Oh the things I am finding!  So many good memories of my boys.  Like Eric's stuffed kitty that looked like our first cat named Phyllis.  I found our old high school yearbooks, a paper I wrote in college.  Poems from a friend, old resumes from when Mark and I were fresh out of college and trying to start our careers.  Oh the memories!  So much life that has been lived...30 years...that's how long Mark and I have been married now.  So much to give thanks to God for.

Feeling Princess-Like

Here is Miss Daisy Mae looking very princess-like as she lounges in our living room.  She is our little princess.

Went to my local Whole Foods Market one evening and found these goodies.  The spray hand sanitizer by EO smells delightful and fits nicely in my purse.  The cute lip butters by Love & Toast I could not resist with flavors such as Green Tea Mint and Rose Sorbet.  And the body butter by Love & Toast was on sale (half price).  I picked The Salt n' Sea...it is a very neutral scent and wonderfully full of shea butter (a natural sunscreen).  Don't know about you, but picking up a few girlie items always makes me feel like a princess.

Summer Cooking and Strawberry Lemonade

Okay, my experimenting in the kitchen continues.  I am into quick and easy, but tasty.  So here below are a few summer offerings.  First is International Quesadillas and last Strawberry Lemonade.

As I told one of my girlfriends "Never underestimate the power of a tortilla."  Especially the ones you can get at Costco in the refrigerated section.  You have to finish cooking them which I think makes them all the more yummy.  What I do with these tortillas is make international quesadillas.

American:  Cook tortilla a bit on both sides.  Remove from heat and spread with favorite BBQ sauce.  Return to pan and add cheddar cheese and some chopped chicken (I usually boil chicken tenders, chopped them up and store them in their juice from boiling).  Fold tortilla over and flip to cook other side and melt cheese.

Italian:  Do the same as above only spread the tortilla with pesto.  Use shredded Italian cheese (available at local grocer) and add meat of your choice (mine is chicken of course).

Mexican:  I cook the tortilla a bit then add a shredded Mexican blend cheese that I find at my local grocer.  I then add chopped chicken.  Cook till cheese is melted.  To serve I spread on my homemade pico de gallo sauce, and top with fresh avocado slices (guacamole).  Yum!

These are fast, easy, won't heat up you kitchen and are delicious.  Serve with fruit or a salad and you have a nice summer meal.  I bet you can think of some more ideas of your own.

Below is my version of homemade strawberry lemonade.  Really, it is semi-homemade.  This recipe came to me in a pinch when I was expecting company and did not have enough lemonade to go around.  So I improvised.

Improvised Strawberry Lemonade

I first used half a calm shell of strawberries.  Washed them and cut the tops off.  Sliced them thinly into a storage container.  Added a few squeezes of lemon, some grated lemon peel and sugar.  Close up the container and shake to mix.  Let sit at room temp to mix flavors and create a juice.

When it was time to get the lemonade together.  I used these products:

I got out a pretty pitcher and poured half a bottle of Santa Cruz Organic Lemonade into the pitcher (as that is all I had left).  I then added the storage container of strawberries with their juice.  Humpf...still not enough lemonade.  So I mixed one packet of True Lemon lemonade with a cup of water and added that into the pitcher.  Since True Lemon is sweetened with Stevia it helps lower the calorie content of the lemonde.  Let me tell you, everyone loved it and the pitcher was empty in no time.

Enjoy!!!

The concept of "Chillin"

I've been reading about "relaxation" and I really need to go there.  I have been through so many trials in the past year.  It has become necessary for me to have a "time-out".  I think about my favorite prophet Elijah.  After his big battle with the worshipers of Baal and the Lord setting fire to that wet alter, Jezebel really got angry about all that God did and took it out on Elijah.  So Elijah, who had become weary, ran for his life out into the wilderness.  The Lord brought sleep to Elijah's tired body and even woke him with an angel and made him eat and drink.  Then the Lord had him journey to a cave and there the Lord came to him and dealt with his heart.  The Lord is that still small voice, gentle and reassuring.  Afterward the Lord gave Elijah a new assignment.  I like to look at this story and see that this is how the Lord deals with us as well.  We go through times where He uses us in a great way and then He allows us a time of refreshment and deals with our heart.

Summer, Gardens and Salad

I visited with my doctor and she said I am looking at a lazy summer.  She said I probably won't be feeling myself till Fall.  After she said that, I felt that order for a lazy summer was coming from the Lord.  Well, my summer does indeed look like it is going to be a lazy one.  The Lord has put the reigns on as most of my girlfriends are going places so I have no one to play with.  On top of that, my strength is not entirely back.  It feels good to have this free time to be lazy. 

I did have a girlfriend come stay with me for a few days while Mark was away in Germany on business.  That was a very fun time.  One day we did some gardening together.  Gardening with a friend is really fun.  We cleaned up my back deck and made a potted garden.  My deck turned into a little paradise and we had some meals out there with the awesome view.  Fun!

We also visited the Denver Botanical Gardens during her stay.  Here below are pictures from the gardens.

 This pic works well as wallpaper for your computer.

Loved these pale pink cabbage roses.

Another fun thing about summer is fruit and salad.  Since I still have to watch what I eat I have been trying to be creative in the kitchen.  Below is a summer salad recipe made up by yours truly.  You may like to try it out and tweek it to your taste. 

Nectarine Salad
Organic Mixed Greens
Ripe nectarines
Balsamic vinegar
Glazed chopped pecans (found in the produce section of my grocery store)
Crumbled Feta cheese
Brianna's vinaigrette dressing (or extra virgin olive oil)
Slices of roasted turkey, chopped

I make this salad for lunch.  What I usually do is slice up a nectarine or two and put the slices in a plastic storage container with a couple splashes of balsamic vinegar.  I shake the container so the vinegar coats the nectarines.  I let them sit at room temp to marinate.  I then go and do my chores or run errands.  When it is time for lunch I make the salad.  First, I load a salad dish with greens, sprinkle on the Feta, then chop up the turkey and put that on.  Next I spoon the nectarines on top and then sprinkle on the glazed pecans.  Then I drizzle on either Brianna's dressing or just plain olive oil.  If I use plain olive oil I salt and pepper the salad.  The taste of the glazed pecan & nectarine together is heaven.  You can also do this salad with strawberries instead of the nectarines.  Either way it is yummy.  Enjoy!!

Kitty Friends

It sure is nice having kitty friends.  My kitty friends are named Dusty and Daisy.  Dusty has been with me for 10 years.  She is a long hair Tortie with toe-tuffs.  I love her silky fluffiness.  Daisy is a man-made breed called a Color Point Shorthair.  She is white with orange tabby accents and light blue eyes.  She is part Siamese with eyes that sort of cross at times.  Both cats have their personalities.  Dusty is shy when people come and she hides.  Daisy however is Miss Congeniality when it is one person visiting.  She likes to rub feet.  Dusty knows how to nag and nag till she gets what she wants.  Daisy is our scavenger who jumps up on counters and rummages through closets.  We find things in odd places at times and know Daisy has been up to tricks.  For instances I left my wedding ring in a small dish by the bathroom sink and while washing up, then went to bed.  The next morning I am walking by the recliner in our living room and notice on the floor my wedding ring.  Daisy!

My kitty friends comfort me.  They follow me around the house, they sleep with me at naps and at night.  They know the routine of their feeding and what time it should happen.  They like to go outside and chew grass and chase birds.  Isn't it wonderful that God puts in our care these creatures for us to enjoy?

Yeast and other topics...

Well, this week I was supposed to get my wound vac off and I did.  However, I did not get it off for the right reason.  My wound still has some healing to do, but the yeast infection has gotten so bad I had to leave it off.  While in the hospital I developed abscesses in my incision after the 2nd surgery.  One was so big that it sprung a leak...it literally was squirting a mixture of blood and fluid!  Thankfully, I was in the hospital when that happened and they set me up with a wound vac.  When I went home the hospital set me up with a portable wound vac.  They are great, but unfortunately the dressings (which are not breathable) caused me to develop a yeast infection on my skin.  My skin is super sensitive to adhesives.  My nurse said its the worst one she has seen in a long time.  That says a lot when she has been in the business of doing wound vac care for years.  So I am currently on Diflucan in an effort to kill the yeast.  I have to take one pill for 3 days.  Thankfully the side effects have not been too bad.


This coming Saturday, Mark, leaves on a jet plane bound for Germany.  He will be there for a week.  My friend Cindy is supposed to be staying with me for the week.  Mark asked her to.  She said that worked for her.  Mark just wanted to make sure someone was looking in on me while he is away.  What a sweet hubby I have.

A Long Road

It has been a long time since I posted because I ended up having complications with my surgery.  I was in the hospital a total of 24 days.  When I finally came home I was incredibly weak.  I have now been home for 3 weeks and day by day I have gotten stronger.  Strong enough that I feel I can finally handle posting on my blog.

The original surgery was a wonder.  I went in thinking I was going to lose bowel and came out having nothing cut out.  It was a mess in there, but he was able to untangle the mess.  I had asked the Lord before I went in if He could spare me losing bowel.  He answered my prayer.  However, after surgery was when the troubles began.  On the day that I was supposed to go home I was ill.  I stayed an extra day.  I was home 4 days before I developed a painful blockage.

Both Mark and I were scared...a repeat of what happened in 2008 with my reconnection surgery.  But nothing happens the same way twice.  In 2008, I had a NG tube for only a couple days.  This time I had an NG tube for a couple of weeks.  During this time I could not eat.  And also during this time my doctor located the blockage on the CT scan and decided to go in surgically and remove it.  However, I had developed so much scar tissue, he could not safely get to the spot and so he closed me back up.

That 2nd surgery weakened me.  A day after the surgery my blood pressure dropped to a dangerous low and I woke up with nurses around me hanging lots of stuff on my IV pole.  I had become dehydrated and I ended up with a PIC line so that I could be fed through my artery.  I also received 2 units of blood which helped me come back to life.  After all that I developed an infection in my incision and developed abscesses.  One became so large that I had to get a wound vac.  At one point I became so depressed I had to be given a sedative and put to bed.

It was after that when my pastor showed up one afternoon and he brought another pastor with him and they laid hands on me and prayed.  It was after that I began to get better.  Finally they told me they could take the NG tube out and I could eat and drink again.  After a few days I was told it was time to go home.  I came home with a portable wound vac.  A nurse come twice a week to take care of my wounds which are healing great!  Soon I will be losing the vac and have more freedom.

During my hospital stay I had terrific nurses.  Many friends from church came to visit and support me.  My son, Brandon, called me from California and Eric came to visit me at the hospital.  We may not always understand why we have to go through such trials, but often times these trials not only affect us, they affect others.  God uses us to draw others closer to himself through our suffering...its just what He did with Jesus.

Counting Down

I did not feel like posting after Brandon left.  I was worried sick.  Finally my sister was able to spend  time with Brandon and after that I was able to calm down.  This past week I heard from friends in Cali who had connected with Brandon.  They are keeping an eye on him.  Brandon called me last week and told me he has a job and is rooming with an old neighbors of ours.  The Lord has shown us his love through our sweet friends and their concern for our son.

In other news, my surgery is coming.  On April 23rd I will be having major bowel surgery.  Last year this time I had a colonoscopy and the doctor found that there is a stricture in my colon.  He thinks that there is about a foot of colon that is folded back and forth on itself.  The last few months I have had increased problems and pain.  So I am very thankful that the Lord has opened the doors for this surgery.  Although Mark and I are very afraid, we have no choice in the matter as I really cannot keep on the way I am.  The surgery will take 2 to 3 hours and I will be in the hospital 3 to 5 days, all depending on how much work is done and how my body responds.

This week I have decided to enjoy my favorite foods (as tummy allows) before my bowel prep on Monday.  After surgery I will be on a bland diet till bowel heals.  Thinking about what foods I would like to enjoy helps to ease my fears.  Instead of sitting around being scared to death, I might as well enjoy life.

Birthday #52

This is the beautiful birthday cake Mark gave me for my 52nd birthday.  I am so blessed to have such a wonderful hubby.  He made turning 52 sweet!  Thank you Lord for my blessed husband!

Surgery

Finally have a surgery date...April 23rd.  Mark and I are moving forward and going to get my bowel fixed.  I am scared to death, but stepping out in faith.  In the last few months I have been able to gain some weight.  That is remarkable since I have not been able to gain much weight the past few years.  Please pray that the surgery will go remarkably well and that I will feel much better and gain health.  Thank you!

Nice Day

Today Mark and I got a bunch of furniture out of the house.  Two chairs and another desk left our house today, along with various odd and ends that were no longer needed.  It feels good to get things cleaned out.  After dropping the unwanted items off at our local thrift store we headed for Boulder.  We had lunch at our favorite restaurant called Breadworks.  Then we did some shopping.  I was able to pick up a lamp for my new desk for $20 and a chalk board (which will be hung over the desk mostly for decoration).  Once home I put both items with the desk and they all look great together.  Now all I need to find is a chair for the desk and it will pretty much be set to use.

Otherwise there is still plenty to do.  Brandon's bedroom needs to be painted and set up as a guest room.  And we need a new sofa and loveseat.  And there is also much more junk that needs to be sorted through.  We will just keep picking away at it all day by day..

Doldrums

The dictionary defines the word this way "unhappy listlessness" which I think describes me.  Listless means a lack of enthusiasm.  Yes, that is me, I have definitely had a lack of enthusiasm.  It has come to me that this is a time of resting given to me by the Lord.  I am struggling with it which I wish I was not.  I am learning that we cannot and should not hang on to the past.  That we have to let go and continue on with the Lord.

I am feeling better this week so I was able to get a few things done with the house.  We moved Brandon's desk out and took it over to the thrift store and then picked up from the same thrift store a new desk that I purchased.  Also moved some furniture around upstairs.  Moved out our old recliner that had seen many days with pets and children.  And we moved up the new leather recliner we bought in January.  I moved a lamp and accent table downstairs and set them up next to my new sitting chair.  Tomorrow Mark and I are going to be taking more things to the thrift store.  It feels refreshing to get the house looking good.

I can tell Mark is feeling much more relaxed at home these days.  All of this has come at a good time for him.  With the new position he has taken on at work there is a higher stress level.  It has been nice for him to come home to peace and pampering.  One day this week he worked from home which was great.  Since we have an office where he can work, I think he really enjoyed working from home.

I leave you with a bit of encouragement from Holley Gerth..."The goal is not perfection.  It's simply to be in an intimate relationship with Christ each day, embrace who He created us to be, and seek to fulfill the purpose He has for us."  This is what I am working on, but wondering a bit what my purpose is now (which I am sure empty nest moms all go through).  

Be My Valentine!

Thanks to the Lord I am slowly adjusting to my new life.  It feels good to have freedom and I am more relaxed.  I am keeping in touch with the boys.  They are both doing as well as can be for where they are at.  Mostly, I am over joyed to know that the Lord is definitely taking care of both of them.  It is so amazing!  I may not agree with all the choices they are making, etc., but the Lord is right there with them.  He is always able to establish hope in my  life when I, Miss Drama Queen, think there is none.

Right now I am struggling to overcome this virus that I have caught.  I'm in my 3rd week with it.  I start feeling better so I do stuff.  Then I get set back and have to rest.  Really looking forward to the day when I am well.  Otherwise I am enjoying church, Bible study and visiting with girlfriends.

I am also having fun with redecorating and rearranging the house.  Since my younger son no longer occupies the basement, the concentration of my redecorating is going on downstairs.  Its going slow, but I am having fun with it.  My redecorating plan includes visiting various thrift stores.  I have been blessed with good finds...praise the Lord!  One of the biggest blessed finds was a newly recovered chair for $55!  When I am feeling better I will have to take pictures.

Wishing all of my blog friends many blessings.  I hope to get back to blogging more regular and visit your blogs.  Know that you are in my thoughts and prayers.

   Happy Valentine's Day!

Gray Skies

Feeling a bit low...slightly depressed...but not so low that I am not moving through my days.  This week I went to our devotional group and house church, also visited with two girlfriends...a much needed lift.  The Lord has been speaking in His quiet voice.  Reassuring me that He is taking care of me...and my boys that have flown away.  It is now time for me to rest.  I was looking forward to this time, but having arrived...I feel differently than I thought I would feel.  I am not quite getting with the program...at least not yet.  I guess there has to be a sort of mourning period.  Sigh.  I know the Lord probably has some exciting things up ahead, but haven't caught a glimpse of them yet.  Still just muddling about in my mud puddle thinking the rain will never stop.  It will...but for now there are dark clouds above me.

As for Colorado, it seriously needs gray skies, but unfortunately the drought continues.  Here it is January with barely any snow and temps in the 60's!  I keep praying for snow (lots of it), but we remain dry.  It is scary.  The old testament speaks of drought as being a sign of judgment.  I can see why judgment would come to America.  Many are looking to government (man) for answers rather than to God.  Where has honor and sense of duty gone?  Is everything all about feeling?  Feelings come and go, but the word of our Lord stands forever.  I see our nation turning away from Israel and the constitution is not being upheld.  My course of action?  Prayer and keeping  my mind stayed on the fact that our Lord is in control.

Galatians 1: 10 - For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. 

Empty Nest

I do not know where to begin.  So much has transpired since I last posted.  On December 21, our youngest son, Brandon, left home.  He lives nearby, but he is living a troubled life.  However, he is keeping in touch with us much better than our older son, Eric.  Mark and I endured many hurtful things through the holidays regarding our boys.  But we praise God that our marriage has remained in tact and we continue to stand together.  We also praise the Lord for our church family and the many friends and family that have supported us through this difficult time.  We are starting out the year by participating in a devotional group at our church.  It has been a great way to start out the year and our new life as empty nesters.