The Challenge

This is our message center. It is right by the back door. I put reminders to the family on it. Sometimes I put up inspiring quotes or even silly pictures. The message posted right now is for me. Although, isn't it really a good reminder for us all?

Be Active Everyday.

Being active is an integral part of a healthy lifestyle. Yet when things get busy, what is the first thing that gets pushed to the side? Exercise.

So my goal is simple: Everyday between now and January 2012 I will do something active. It can be anything.  Take the dogs for a 3 mile walk. Do an exercise video. Go hiking. Play tennis with my husband. Go for a bike ride. Take a yoga class.

The possibilities are endless, and I am ready.

Be Active Everyday.

Who's with me?

If There Was One Thing You Could Change, That Would In Turn Change Everything, Would You?

Two months ago I decided to try something new in the morning. On one of the blogs I follow, Oh She Glows, Angela talks a lot about the Green Monster. In fact, there is a whole movement associated with it. Angela said it would improve your hair, your skin, your energy level. To put it mildly, I was skeptical.

So why did I try it? Honestly, I was desperate. I am 38 years old, and I still have break outs all the time. Since we have moved cross country, I have had major hair issues. It is thinner than it has ever been (and my hair is baby fine), and I have had a massive amount of breakage. Consequentially I have a much shorter haircut than I like. And then there are those 10 pounds. 1 year and 10 pounds. That is a big difference on a 5'2 frame. Oh and a good majority of those pounds landed around my middle, which is not an area I have ever had trouble with before now. Basically ...

I was a hot mess.

So here I am two months later, and what are the results? My skin is clear. I swear it's true. I don't remember the last time I had a zit, or a blackhead for that matter. The hair is growing. I haven't noticed any dramatic thickening, but I definitely have less breakage. I think the hair will be a more measurable difference over time. As for the weight, there has been no difference, but I haven't changed my eating or exercise habits either. Until this week that is. This week I am trying to get my act together... again. What I have noticed is a thinning through the waist. Maybe that is due to the cutting down on refined sugar. Prior to the Green Monster I had two hot teas a day and about 1.5 teaspoons of sugar in each one. Since I have started the Green Monster, I have dramatically cut down on my tea consumption. I never have a tea to get going in the morning, and I only occasionally have one at any other point in the day. Usually if it is raining...

What is shocking is the unexpected changes. Let me start with an apology to all the men reading right now, but it has to be noted. My period has shortened in duration, my flow is lighter, and I have almost no clotting.This is a big difference from the girl that had to have a DNC because of fibroid cysts. The girl who couldn't leave the house on Day 2 each month. Additionally, my energy has doubled. A shake in the morning and I am awake and energized for the day. I have been able to substitute it for my morning tea, and my breakfast. One shake and I am good until lunch. Plus it is two servings of fruit and veggies prior to 9am. When does that ever happen?!

So here is the question again. If there was one thing you could change, that would in turn change everything else, would you do it?

The Green Monster - As created by Angela Liddon at Oh She Glows
1 tbsp Flax Meal
2 cups baby spinach
1 whole banana
8oz milk (I use skim, but you could use Almond, Soy, Lowfat)
5 or 6 ice cubes

In your blender layer, flax meal, spinach, and banana. Pour milk over top. Blend until smooth. Add ice cubes and blend again. Enjoy!

Note:

Tim has made this switch as well, and he has had the same skin and energy benefits that I have. The hair and the period, not so much..

Charlie and the Incredible, Amazing, Stupendous, Really Good Day

I took Thursday and Friday of School Vacation Week off. I wanted to spend some time doing fun things with Karen Ray. So when the phone rang on Wednesday, and it was a friend and her daughter asking if we wanted to go to The Wild Animal Park on Thursday, we jumped at the chance.

We packed lunches, stopped for coffee and were on our way. If you have ever been to The Wild Animal Park (now called The Safari Park) in San Diego, you know that once you get off the highway, the drive in to the park is gorgeous! There are orchards, vineyards, Ostrich Farms, Horse Ranches, and you are surrounded by beautiful , untouched mountains. The Wild Animal Park owns 1800 acres. Of that number they have set aside more than half of them as conservation land. Their conservation makes the landscape (just 15 minutes off the highway) feel like an entirely different world.

The best thing about the day though, was the company. Both mothers and both daughters enjoy a good food adventure. So between the four of us, we were quick to decide to see the park, but to also cut out early and enjoy the farms, orchards, and vineyards!

Enjoy the story, as it unfolds in pictures...

Charlie and the Incredible, Amazing, Stupendous, Really Good Day!

Start with good friends.

And wild animals.

Indulge your inner child.

Head off the beaten path.

Enjoy the view.

Follow in a friend's footsteps.

Value individuality.

Marvel at the bounty of our Earth.

Make memories.

Keep your options open.

Try not to pass out from sheer joy.

Realize that art can be made from the ordinary.

Play hide 'n seek when asked.

Because you won't always be asked.

Never give up.

You hold victory in your hands.

And it is magnificent.

Work together.

Look for creative solutions.

Put some elbow grease into it.

Shake your groove thang.

And always eat your vegetables.

Notes:
1. An Ostrich Egg is the equivalent of 23 chicken eggs. The flavor is the same (although Tim says it is a little meatier tasting). It is higher in protein and lower in cholesterol.
2. We made omelettes with the egg, as it would have been a little difficult to cook it over easy.
3. The Vineyard is Orfila. If you are headed out to Escondido, you should check it out. The wine was delicious, and they have a lot of fun events. We are headed back there for the grape stomp later this year.
4. The man that owns the Ostrich Farm, is a retired exotic animals vet from The Wild Animal Park. In addition to providing eggs, his ostriches have been used in many movies... including "Out of Africa". (You can't make this stuff up.) He was incredibly interesting to talk to, and he drove an egg out to the gate of his farm, when we couldn't find one at any of the local farm stands.
5. An enormous bag of organic oranges was $10, and reaffirmed my belief that fruit eaten in an orchard is twice as sweet.
6. And finally, the best plans are the plans you break... The proof is in the omelette.

Dear Sixteen Year Old Me

I clicked on this video that a friend posted on Facebook, expecting it to be funny. Really, the only funny part was that in a week that I have been missing my mom like crazy, I clicked on a link that is about Melanoma.

My Mom had a mole removed when she was 27 years old. It was Melanoma. They thought they got it all.

It came back in a 4 inch tumor in her thigh bone when she was 47. They radiated it.

It metastasized to her thyroid. They radiated it.

It metastasized to her brain. They radiated it.

It metastasized to her lungs.

At 48, she died. 7 months from when they found the tumor in her leg.

I was 20. My sister, Katy, was 15.

So please, watch the video, check your skin, and above all else, wear sunscreen.

Love and miss you, Mom... every single day.

Buy and Drink a Bottle of Opus One - Check!

It's about Ray. As it so often is.

We are sitting at dinner, the San Diego skyline is sparkling in the distance and I have just been gifted with the most incredible bottle of wine, a check for the Life List, and a question.

Opus One?

The answer is so much simpler than the feelings behind it.

For Rays' 70th birthday, a group of friends took him out to dinner and bought him a bottle of Opus One. And then they drank it... right then.

Ray wasn't really a wine drinker. He liked Crown Royal, on the rocks. This man, whom I loved and respected above all others, and who normally drank Crown Royal, thought Opus One was a great wine. A wine to celebrate your 70th birthday.That fact, made an impression on my 21 year old, no wine knowledge self. A mere three years later he was gone, and I made a note:

Buy and drink a bottle of Opus One.

Memories. Tucked away and stored like the silver spoon Nanny's Mama buried in the back yard when those damn Yankees came.

My memories.

And that night, a new one.

This is my nephew Joe and his terrific girlfriend Katie. Joe goes to a great college here in San Diego and it is for that reason that we get to see much more of him... and his family!

Next we have my nephew Luke and Karen Ray. Could there be cuter cousins? I'm not entirely sure. My nephew Sam isn't pictured because it is Baseball Season. There are no vacations during Baseball Season. Or trips from college for a family dinner. Which is why you don't see my lovely Megs and Erin...

And then we have Nancy. I am lucky to call her my Sister. There are so many people in my life that I am blessed to know. Nancy tops the list. Her equally awesome husband Mark is not pictured, because he is in the CIA. I'm just kidding. Mark was unable to make the trip this time, but next time... LOOK OUT San Diego!

So the story is this. Nancy and Mark decided that I needed another check for my Life List (which is amazing and wonderful and kind and thoughtful)... And because they love food and wine as much as Tim and I, they bought me a bottle of Opus One.

I'm sorry, I need to repeat that.

They bought me a bottle of OPUS ONE!!!

I nearly fell over.

And then I teared up.
Joe asked me why Opus One.
And I told my story.
We ate.
We laughed.
I loved every single drop and every single minute.

And I am pretty sure Ray was there with us.

Taking Stock of What's Most Important

You may or may not have noticed my absence in the last month. I have been struggling. Struggling with motivation, inspiration, energy, and joy. It is hard to post when you are unsure of what makes you happy,

You see, I was struggling with my image both on my blog and in my life. I tackled a diet trying to get back to who I wanted to be, and that only made matters worse. Adding deprivation into uncertainty can never yield a positive result.

So for the last few days I have been taking an inventory of what makes me happy. Blogging is one of them, but it is not number 1 on the list.

Number 1 is my husband. Tim is where this amazing life began, and without him it would be nothing.
Numbers 2, 3, and 4 are a 4 way tie with number 1, and those are my kids. Loving them and making them feel loved is paramount to my happiness.
Number 5 is my family and friends and in many instances those things overlap. I am blessed to be able to call much of my family my closest friends, and many of my friends are my family of choice.
Number 6 is volunteering. Having the opportunity to make the world a better place and then doing it, is a gift.
Number 7 is food and wine. I was shocked to see that it falls this far down the list, but it does. It is still ahead of all other extracurricular activities, and finding a way to enjoy it both as a healthy lifestyle choice and make it affordable are what drive me. Expect to see more of this here on the blog.
Number 8 is being outside. When I spend too much time indoors, or sedentary, I am miserable. Being a part of the world around me is a vital part of my soul.
And lastly,
Number 9 is exercise. When I am more active, I feel better. And when I feel better, I have more energy for the first 8 items.

So that is it. I would love to wrap it up in a nice and neat 1-10 list, but there are no bonus points for neatness here. Being real and valid are much more important.

You should expect to see some changes on the blog over the next week or two. I am excited to get back to it, and include more of the things I am passionate about.

Sophia Loren said it best, "After all these years, I am still involved in the process of self-discovery. It's better to explore life and make mistakes than to play it safe. Mistakes are part of the dues one pays for a full life."

The first makeover starts tomorrow.

A Snail's Pace

Lately life seems to be moving at lightning speed.

But I'm moving at a snail's pace.

Literally.

I am lethargic. Which lends itself to feeling uninspired, and sometimes down right grumpy.  These are not things I am used to feeling.  Normally, I am energetic, creative, and fun. Or at least I think I am!

So what has caused this dramatic change?  After some reflection I think I may be struggling with anemia. I am a vegetarian. However, I have never been anemic before.  I eat a wide variety of iron rich foods.  Plus I take a multi-vitamin. I have been doing this for more than 20 years, so I am pretty in tune to what my body needs.

But anemia is the only thing that makes sense.

So I started an iron supplement today.  It is a liquid, and boy oh boy can it ruin your taste buds for an hour.  The very nice lady at my local vitamin store told me that she thought it tasted good. We obviously have very different palates. (Thank goodness I wasn't looking for a wine recommendation.) But if it can put a pep back in my step it will all be worth it!

Cross your fingers for me. Oh, and if you have any guidance, feel free to leave it below.

I am open to suggestions!

Consider Yourself Warned: It's Monday Morning ... and I'm Singing.

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens;
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens;
Brown paper packages tied up with strings;
These are a few of my favorite things.

My three girls. Always my favorite thing.

Cream-colored ponies and crisp apple strudels;
Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles;
Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings;
These are a few of my favorite things.

What the morning looks like when everyone is home.
Have I mentioned this takes place in less than two weeks?
I haven't?!  Well let me tell you...
10 days baby! 10 days!!

Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes;
Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes;
Silver-white winters that melt into springs;
These are a few of my favorite things.

Wait a minute.  Wait a minute. 

Hold the phone.  

All of this singing was an advertisement?  This blog is sponsored? Do you even have enough readers for that?!  

Well, no.  

In fact no, no, and no.

I just love this tea.  

It is full bodied, has a terrific taste, and it will kick you in your butt at 5:30am.  All of which are requirements in my daily life.  So I am sharing my love for PG Tips with you.  If you are a tea drinker you should get some.  If you know a tea drinker, buy it for them! 

Now, before the kettle boils, I have two quick things for you:

First:

When the dog bites,
When the bee stings,
When I'm feeling sad,
I simply remember my favorite things,
And then I don't feeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeel so baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad!

You didn't really think I would leave without singing the best part, did you?

Second:

Hit play on this and then go about your morning routine.  I love John Coltrane, and this is a much, much better version of the song I was just singing.  

Happy Monday!

Run a 10K - Check.

About 30 minutes after I posted my Life List, I received this.  That's right.  You've never met my husband, but there is nothing that Tim likes better than a training plan.  He likes goals.  He likes to be supportive and motivational. He likes to make sure you get enough protein, go to bed on time, and Lord help me... get up in the morning.

You see, I thought by putting my Life List on my blog, I was holding myself accountable.  

I forgot who I married.

And so...

I have completed a 10K.

And truthfully, it wasn't that bad.  The training plan Tim found for me was excellent.  The race we picked was flat  (Glory be).  The day was the perfect temperature and wind free.  

I survived.  

In fact, I enjoyed myself!

You know it's real because this is my number.

The Goose hopped in and ran the last 100 yards with me!

And this is my incredible support network... minus 1.
My dear friend Katrina manned the camera!
Thank you Todd, Katy, Caden, Karen Ray, Jody, and last but not least Tim.
I couldn't have done it without you Love!

Charlie's Life List

I have been thinking about New Year's Resolutions lately.  Exercise more, eat healthy, lose weight, spend more time reading/less time watching tv... you know the drill.  The problem is that I'm not very good at resolutions.  My will power and motivation last less than the one month average most people maintain their resolutions.  There are many reasons for this.  Some of which are: I like the way I eat now, and I like to drink wine.  I guess, much like Popeye, I yam what I yam.

So I'm taking a new approach this year.  I am starting a Life List.  Not a bucket list, because I don't really want to plan on dying, but a list of things that I want to do in my life.  There are adventures, skills, and opportunities to give back.  Some of them involve healthy living, which is a great life goal all on it's own.

For now the list is 37 items.  Generated for my years on this earth so far, and because I was reaching to come up with more.  The 37 here are valid and true, and that seemed like a logical place to stop.  That said, I reserve the right to add to it and edit it, as I see fit.  It is my life after all!   

Charlie's Life List:
1.  Build a well. 2.  Learn to speak 3 languages (conversationally), other than English.  Spanish, French, American Sign Language. 3.  Hike Angel Falls in Venezuela. 4.  Complete my Grandmother's book.  5.  Race in the Camp Pendleton Mud Run.  6.  Buy and drink a bottle of Opus One. 7.  Hike the Mayan ruins. 8.  Make my own bedding for my room.  Quilt, Shams, Pillows, Dog beds. 9.  Tithe. 10.  Drive cross country. 11.  Visit all 58 National Parks. 12.  Learn to make pasta.  13.  Go back to France.  14.  Attend the Olympic Games.  15.  Learn to Swing Dance.  16.  Volunteer abroad.  17.  Volunteer at home.  18.  Hike to the top of a Volcano.  19.  Go Whitewater Rafting.  20.  Learn to knit.  21.  Knit a sweater.  22.  Learn to do a Back Handspring.  23.  Spend a romantic weekend in San Francisco.  24.  Improve my piano playing to be able to sightread proficiently.  25.  Sing Karaoke in a bar.  26.  Soak in a natural hot spring.  27.  Run a 10k.  28.  Fly on a Trapeze.  29.  Make my own tortillas.  30.  Design this freakin' blog.  31.  Visit Monique in Australia.  32.  Texas-OU.  33.  Snow Shoe.  34.  Hike Mt. Marcy. 35.  Financial Independence.  36.  See Alaska  37.  Kiss my Grand Babies.

So there you have it.  It may not be much, but just looking at it makes me want to get started!

Oh, and if you have a list, or you just want to share a few goals leave it in the comments. 

Share your dreams, they might inspire someone else!

What I've Been Doing While I Haven't Been Here.

Sometimes life gets in the way of even the best of intentions.  You know... my plan to blog everyday in October?  I was doing great for awhile, but then it all went to hell in the proverbial hand basket.

The source of my downfall?

Well first:

We went to Chicago to visit Erin at Northwestern.
Holy fun time Batman!

then:

I made this costume.
(The incredibly adorable baby is my niece!)

 

And this costume.



Yes, Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt has a wine tube for a quiver. 



 after which:

Tim hurt his back.  So we took advantage of his weakened condition and dressed him in a Rapunzel wig.

followed by: 

My amazing sister, her wonderful husband and myself throwing the Chili Cook Off (that was Tim's idea), without him.

and ultimately:

Megs came down to visit us from UCLA!

This picture isn't from her visit, but I didn't take a single shot this weekend.

And I think this pic is cute and fun.  So there!

In synopsis: I've been busy.

But I'm back now.

Consider yourself warned!

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

There is nothing I like better than being a mom.  That statement will either make you love me or hate me.  If you had told me, even 15 years ago the level of joy that motherhood would bring to my life, I would have laughed in your face.  I had no intentions of getting married.  Oh and kids?  Well they were a far off... maybe. 

For me the highlight reel of motherhood is filled with moments of growth.  There is nothing more amazing than watching my girls develop the skills and traits that will turn them into Badass Women.  That is exactly what the world needs more of: unabashed, strong, beautiful women.

And while baking may not seem to go hand and hand with that ideal, I assure you it does. 

Anything that we learn. 

Anything that makes us more confident. 

Anything that we do independently. 

Anything that we conquer (Attila the Hun started somewhere). 

              Those things. 

                        Those things form the women we become.

That said, I give you Karen Ray and the Pumpkin Whoopie Pies.

This was her first solo baking endeavor.  I did nothing. 
(Well other than take pictures.)

Ancient family secret:
An ice cream scoop makes perfect cookies and whoopie pies.

This is one of my favorite "tells".  Whenever she is really concentrating, she cocks her foot to one side.  So freaking cute!

Proud moment with her finished product!  Where's mine?

If you would like the recipe for these amazing whoopie pies, you can find them under Pilgrim Pies on the Family Fun website (or just click the link.  I did all the work for you.).

These whoopie pies are delicious!  They are perfect for fall.  In fact, they make a great addition to the Thanksgiving dessert display. 

As for the girl...well she's pretty amazing in her own right. 

I can't wait to see the woman she becomes!

New leaf. New tree. New me.

I am starting a remodel this month. 

No, not the house.

This is a life remodel.  I have gotten in to some bad habits, and it is time to correct them.  That said, there are some things I have been wanting to do that keep getting pushed to the back burner.  Time to dust them off and as my sister would say, "Get a wiggle on it." 

It takes 21 days to make something a habit.  That means that by the end of the month, I should be a lean, mean, organized machine...

Here's my Life Remodel Plan:
1.  Blog.  Everyday except Saturday.  I want to sharpen my skills, and the only way to do that is by using them more regularly.
2.  Exercise.  4 days a week.  Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday.  I want to look better, but more importantly, I want to feel better.
3.  Eat healthy.  All right... I know I'm a vegetarian and I already eat a lot of healthy things, but I also make a lot of terrible choices.  Step away from the Cheez-Its, Charlie, and nobody gets hurt!
4.  Organize my cr- I mean stuff.  I have yet to finish the organizational part of moving into a new house.  Before holiday season is upon me, I need to get my house/act/life together.
5.  Read.  To be honest, I had quit reading very much because I was too vain to get glasses.  I didn't want to admit that at 37 years old, my eyes weren't what they used to be.  I have them now, which takes me to my last item.
6.  Wear my freakin' glasses.  It is time to quit being vain, and start being practical.  While my eyesight isn't terrible, the glasses make a big difference.   I have always thought of myself as no-nonsense.  It is time to apply that principal to my vanity.  Being 37 is better than the alternative!

If you want to join in the remodel, leave your list in the comments section.  I'll post my progress on Mondays and you can too.  Together we can raise our spirits, and our tushes... not that mine needs it.

This is suppose to be a wine blog.

When I was young I was passionate, outspoken, and deeply opinionated.  It came from a good place.  A place of righting wrongs, and speaking for the underdog.  I was often brash though, and reckless.  And as I look back now, sometimes I struggle with the picture of the girl I was.

As an adult, I have become quieter.  I hate conflict, and while I still hate injustice, I am more apt to keep my opinions to myself.  Some of that comes from feeling as though everyone is entitled to their opinion, and some of it comes from not wanting to be told mine is wrong.  I don't know when I changed.  Maybe it was when my mom died, but I'm not really sure.

The point is that I usually keep both my religious and political views to myself.  Yet here I find myself, days before September 11th, caught up in a media uproar about how we see God, what it means to be a Christian and an American, and the fundamental differences between being patriotic and being prejudiced. 

I am of course speaking of The Dove World Outreach Center, Pastor Terry Jones, and their plan to burn as many Qurans as they can get their hands on this coming Saturday, September 11th.  They believe that "Islam is of the devil." and that they are standing up to the terrorists who committed the horrors of September 11th.  The broad, sweeping generalization of this statement scares me.  The Quran is the holy book of Islam.  It is a book filled with the teachings of The Prophet Muhammad.  Much of the book is filled with peace and love, just like the Bible.  It is religion from another perspective, and who are we to judge it. 

Certainly, Pastor Terry Jones and The Dove World Outreach Center has a right to their demonstration.  We are blessed to live in a country that allows us to say what we think, regardless of the harm it may cause.  It is called Free Speech.  I will say this though.  I don't believe that their choice to burn the Quran on September 11th has anything to do with Free Speech.  It is hate mongering dressed up in a free speech prom dress.  As a Christian and as an American, I am disappointed at the deepest levels of my soul. 

So this Saturday, I will be praying.  I will pray for peace.  I will pray for understanding.  I will pray for tolerance, but mostly, I will pray for a miracle.

11:06pm Pacific Standard Time

Packing up your life and moving cross country teaches you things that you cannot learn in any other manner.

You learn patience... when your house isn't ready and you have to sleep on mattresses on the floor.  You learn perseverence... when you are brushing your teeth in the shower because you have no sinks.  You learn that things are only things while unpacking boxes of broken treasures from a mother that you lost many years ago, because the memories are still in your heart. 

But mostly, you find thanksgiving.  For there is no joy greater than a family that will go through it all with you.  A family that will see the outcome despite the turbulance of the path.  A family that will prop you up when you are exhausted from propping up everyone else.  And a family that can find humor at your expense as well as their own.

It has been an eventful 6 weeks, and I am thankful for every minute of it.

I'll be back... and no, I'm not the Terminator.

I'm just a little busy right now!