Finally, My Head is Above the Water!

head above the water

I feel that my head is finally above the water and that I can "breath!"

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I have been struggling with a project at work. (It even had my consultant baffled.) This project has been no minor undertaking. I have been working long hours (even from home in the evenings and on weekends) trying to figure out the problems with the technology in this project. It has been frustrating and it has had a tremendous affect on me. My attitude has not been good (I even got in a tif with management). My eating has been all wrong to boot. I have (literally) had no time to work on my eating and health issues. I have not had time to plan.


running, running, running

To sum it up, I have felt like a hamster on an exercise wheel: running, running, running but not going anywhere. I have felt like I have had just enough energy to push through each day...only to start all over again the next morning.

BUT...Praise God! He is bigger than every problem and He has given me a break-through! I have been praying and asking Him to give me wisdom with the project. Little by little, He has revealed various issues to me and has shown me the solutions. Last Wednesday, He showed me the final solution. Everything is now working beautifully and I can move on to the next step in the project. Hallelujah!

Me, Mi, and her mom

I still had a busy weekend which included Mi's bridal shower. The last couple of days have also been busy. I have a meeting tonight but I am hoping to get a little bit of time to plan some breakfast options. I love eggs but I don't want to grow tired of them!

Blessings!!

Judi

Restart!

Have you ever attempted to make a change or do something in your life only to fall short of the goal? Well, I have. I have not had success at the "no carb" dietary change. There...I said it. I told you that I would be honest on this blog and my new adventure. I have wanted to blog about my frustrations but I would think about it when there just wasn't time. So, there are a number of factors involved in my lack of success:

• I am STILL totally stressed out by the virtualization project at work.We are having so many issues and I wonder if it was a good idea to implement a virtual environment.
• I have been having debilitating headaches and mild fevers. Some of my research indicated that going "no carb" is basically a detoxification of your system and that you can experience flu-like symptoms.
• We have had other activities that were not conducive for "no carb" eating such as our church's leadership retreat this past weekend.
• Life is busy and I have not totally prepared. Z has activities on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings. I have possible activities every other Thursday and every Friday. I feel like all I do is run, run, run!

Despite all of these factors, I know why I have not had success. It is because I am trying to do make these changes on my own. I am missing the most important component to my success: GOD! I have totally left Him out of the entire equation. I have really been trying on my own ability to decide how to eat, to find decent recipes, and to deal with cravings.

In Matthew 19, Jesus tells the disciples that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter Heaven. I believe that Jesus meant this statement as a condition of the heart. I do not believe that there is anything wrong with being rich. Anyway, the disciples were surprised and asked Jesus, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus replied by saying, "With men this is impossible but with God all things are possible." I love this verse because it gives me such hope! I believe that, if I put Jesus first in all things, He will help me to accomplish them when they line up with His Word (Philippians 4:13).

Now, I do believe that I am supposed to be a good steward and take care of this body of mine (see 1 Corinthians 6:19). So I am declaring a RESTART for this dietary change.

Blessings!

Judi

Happy New Year 2012!

Welcome to 2012!! It is going to be a GREAT year!

I am sorry to be MIA for a couple of weeks. I have been swamped with projects at work and projects at home. Also, Z and I went to G's after Christmas (as is tradition). My Love joined us all yesterday and we spent celebrated New Year's Eve with them. Wonderful week! We came home today. So, life will get back to routine again when we return to work on Tuesday.

I started my new eating habits this morning (which I will explain in the next post). I hope that you will continue to follow my progress on this new adventure!

Blessings!

Judi

Oh Snickerdoodle!

Last Friday, I woke up with a head cold...just in time to head to G's for the cookie bake. My head hurts, my eyes hurt, my body hurts, and I have not had much of an appetite. I am starting to feel better but some of it still lingers. I honestly don't get sick often. Yet, I have now been sick twice in the matter of a month (except that the last time was the flu...nasty fever, chills/sweats, and the like).

oh snickerdoodle!

Anyway, I just haven't had the desire to eat the cookies that I baked on Sunday. That's a good thing! I love my Chocolate Chip and M&M cookies but I just can't get "in to" eating them. Tuesday night, Z and I finished baking the cookies from the dough that I had prepared at G's. Well, I can tell that I am starting to feel better because those Snickerdoodles have been such a temptation to me. I will admit it: I came home from Z's karate tonight and ate 4 cookies with a small glass of milk. You know what happened afterward...that's right: Now, why did I eat them?! One cookie (without milk) would have sufficed. But I chose to eat 4 cookies instead. Urgh! However, I cannot live under the guilt and condemnation. I made a poor choice but it's over. Today is a new day!

On the eating note, I am still working on ideas for breakfast. I want to kick this thing (carb-free eating) off after the new year. I am not doing it as a New Year's Resolution. I have simply chosen that time frame because of the holidays and Z and I will be at G's after Christmas (annual tradition).

Are you ready for Christmas? Do you have all your shopping done? We are almost done. The boys and I will be going shopping for My Love on Saturday and then we are finished. Have I told you that I am notorious for taking small presents and wrapping them in big boxes? Well, you should see the presents under the tree this year!! Lots of disguising going on!! :-)

Blessings!

Judi

I Can Bring Home The Bacon

I absolutely love bacon...love it, love it, love it (especially Smithfield Thick-Cut Bacon). But, while I love bacon, I don't like making it. It is a mess to clean up. I have discovered that the best way (for me) to make bacon is to line a rectangular baking pan with foil and make the bacon in the oven. Yes, it takes longer but there are no splatters and, after letting the fat solidify, I just pull off and throw away the foil...UNTIL NOW, that is.

yummy bacon

Yesterday, I found a timer saver while at Sam's Club. They carry Hormel Black Label Fully Cooked Bacon. This is a resealable 72 count package of pre-cooked bacon. Open it up, take out the number of slices desired, zip it shut, and put it back in the refrigerator! Now, pop it in the microwave or do as I did this morning and place the slices in the skillet for 30-60 seconds after scrambling eggs. Voila! Already, I can see how this will help me in preparing breakfast meals on the fly during the week. Yippee!

What good protein-filled breakfasts meals do you have during the week? I'd love for you to share some of your ideas.

Blessings!

Judi

2011 Annual Cookie Bake

There was a lot of hustle and bustle in the kitchen today (well, technically, yesterday). I was the first to get all of my cookies assembled; HOWEVER, I never baked any of my cookies. I realized that I had forgotten my mixing bowls and I had to borrow G's mixing bowls. So, I went ahead and threw my cookies together and put the dough in containers. It was so cold up here that I was able to store the dough in the garage since the refrigerator was so full. Well, guess what? I never baked my cookies. It was just so busy in the kitchen that I decided to wait to bake my cookies when I get home.

I know what you are thinking:  did I eat any cookies? Well, yes I did. I tasted several kinds. They were good but I can definitely tell that I don't have as much of a craving for those kinds of sweets. That's a good thing! PTL!!

my cookies

Tomorrow (aka today) starts a new day. His mercies are new every morning. I just love that scripture. I will blog more once I am back home.

Blessings!

Judi

Recovering from a Hard Week with Technology

This has been quite the week. Remember my post from the other day stating that I had to work late. Well, it has taken me all week to recover from the problems that night. Plus, there were other obligations in my schedule. So, no posts.

baking

As I typing this post, I am sitting in my sister's living room while everyone else is sleeping. You see, tomorrow is our annual cookie bake and we all came up to G's place this year (about an hour and half from my home). We started this tradition years ago with my mom, my two sisters, and I. It was always meant as an adult time of fellowship and fun; although, there have been a few years when our young kids have had to be with us. Now, it has expanded to include nieces who have become adults. (This year has a special guest: my niece who lives in Germany with her husband and my first great-nephew.) We just love the time together!

So, I know what you are thinking: how does this fit into my victory over gluttony? To be quite honest, I really don't feel like baking the cookies. I just don't want them at the house. But it is tradition and My Love and sons have asked for some. This really will be a test, huh? Pray for me! :-)

Well, I better get some sleep. Tomorrow is a busy day!

Blessings!

Judi