1) The lyrics refer to a baby's "one year of crying." When was the last time you cried ... felt weepy ... or at least teared up? Today... I've had a horrible headache for the last two days. It's getting quite old.
2) Let's lighten it up a little. When was the last time you laughed really hard? Today when I heard a funny joke. I'll have to post it. You see, I'm a huge fan of Batman... so this just resonated with my sense of Bat humor.
3) Do you have "so much to say" that hasn't been said yet? Tell us if you owe someone a phone call, note, email or text. I'm sure I owe all of the above. But... I don't care.
4) Earlier this summer, Dave took a bike ride before a show and his tire blew out. He didn't have a cell phone with him and was afraid of missing that night's performance. Fortunately two fans -- driving to see Dave Matthews Band in concert -- recognized him by the side of the road and gave him a ride to the show. Share a recent act of kindness you either did, or received. I let my children live. I think that is huge considering their behavior as of late.
5) Before he hit it big, Dave Matthews was a bartender. What job did you have right before the one you have now? I was a paralegal. I miss it.
6) The Dave Matthews Band recorded an album live at the Red Rocks Amphitheater, in the mountains near Denver. Is there a trip to the mountains in your future? No, unfortunately. But I plan to go back at the first available opportunity. Red Rocks is an AWESOME place to see a show! I saw Van Halen there during a freak snow storm when I lived there.
7) Do you suffer from hay fever or allergies? No, thankfully not.
8) What's in your pocket right now? Nothing. I'm not wearing anything with pockets.
9) American Express promotes "Small Business Saturday," and encourages us to shop at local, independent retailers. Is there a shop, boutique or restaurant in your town that you're particularly fond of? I love Funky Baha Cantina's fish tacos.
Want to play along? Link up here.
In a moment of transparency and a need for clarity, I'm divulging that I'm about to embark on a journey of sorts. I met with my doctors on Wednesday and after an evaluation, discussion and a few prescriptions, I was advised to do a Whole30 and then remain on a gluten free diet. I wanted to document the journey not only for myself but so that in the event my journey could somehow help someone else possibly suffering the same symptoms and/or ailments.
I tend to be much like a man in that I greatly dislike going to the doctor. I am not one to run to the white coats at the sign of a sniffle. I like to let my body heal itself. I tend to lean much more towards a holistic approach than a pharmaceutical one.
However, in my attempts to avoid prescriptions, it is thought that I have somewhat eroded and/or damaged the lining to my stomach by overdoing it on the ibuprofen. I get frequent cluster headaches. A couple of times a month, they DO lead to migraines, but more often than not, I try everything I can to head them off at the pass. The problem lies in that I'm a mom. I don't have time to be shut down in a a dark, cool room in a fetal position wearing sunglasses in the house... even when I'm "down" with a migraine or cluster headaches, I am carpooling, cooking dinner, shopping, keeping my house running.
Yet, I'm not supermom. I have to take care of me first. I have to take care of my body so that it allows me to take care of my family.
I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease at a young age... something akin to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. A couple of years back, a rheumatologist declared it was RA without the RA signal in my blood (my grandmother didn't have it either but had RA as well). My bloodwork, however, showed inflammation. Fun, right?
Couple this with the other plethora of symptoms (insomnia, IBS, headaches, migraines, swelling, boating, yadda, yadda, yadda), the PA smiled, laughed and said we have SO many similarities and so here is my suggestion. Beyond the medical necessity for a baseline reading on my bloodwork, she suggested that I do a Whole30 diet and then remain gluten free.
You see, she also has an auto immune disease with chronic inflammation. She, too, has had bloating, etc. She, too, has had migraines. And, she, too, has done a Whole30 and remained gluten free... she no longer has any symptoms... or headaches... or bloating...or migraines.
And, frankly, I totally love the idea of a diet change, body reset and a holistic approach rather than going for an upper and lower GI scope. Not that I'm afraid of doing it, I just really don't want to be put "under."
So, I'm about to embark up on a Whole30. What exactly IS a Whole30? A whole 30 is an opportunity for your body to naturally reset itself. You're removing dairy. You're removing sugar (natural, chemical, all sweeteners -- no sugar, no honey, no agave, nothing). You're removing grains (from their website: This includes (but is not limited to) wheat, rye, barley, oats, corn, rice, millet, bulgur, sorghum, amaranth, buckwheat, sprouted grains and all of those gluten-free pseudo-grains like quinoa. Yes, we said corn… for the purposes of this program, corn is a grain! This also includes all the ways we add wheat, corn and rice into our foods in the form of bran, germ, starch and so on. Again, read your labels. ). You're removing alcohol (this will be REALLY easy for me.) You're removing beans and peanuts (THIS... THIS will be hard!)
You're also removing the scale. You're not to step on the scale during the thirty days of the system nor are you to take measurements. BOO!
Once you remain gluten free, it's kind of like what they call a "Paleo" diet. I really was quite skeptic about "Paleo" because I am NOT a fan of ANY fad diet. I've never done Adkins. I didn't do the cabbage soup diet. I never bought into any of that nonsense. And I wasn't "sold" on this, that was UNTIL I started to read and watch the testimonials of people who ARE gluten free or who have done the Whole30 (people that I KNOW). There has to be some truth in what they're saying. Especially becuase they weren't doing this in an effort to lose weight, they were doing this in an effort to gain HEALTH. The testimonials also really makes me keenly suspicious of the whole GMO issue. Saving Dinner (one of my go-to sites for meal planning) gives a Paleo plan for her subscribers, because she too went Paleo to gain health. Here is her testimonial.
So, I will be posting my meal plans. I will be posting my thoughts on the process. I will be posting my struggles. I will be posting my daily journey. It all starts Monday. I'm really ready to take back my health.
Today's request at Paula's Place is to post a picture of something yellow.
:)
I'm too predictable aren't I?
1. What is your best secret cleaning tip? Don't have children.... or dogs...
If I have to list something to help those who already have ruined that notion, I'd say that using Cascade dishwashing detergent to clean the ring around the sink works heavenly. You know the sink drain ring that is attached to the garbage disposal? The silver one with the embossed lettering that always seems to fill with disgusting gunk that you can't ever get silvery and shiny again? Yes, that one. Dry your sink. Put a rink of Cascade gel and push it forward a little with your finger. It will sit and start to slowly creep down the sides of the drain. After a little while, rinse it clean. It's shiny and gunk free. You're welcome.
2. What is your favorite food to snack on during movie night? Cheese, crackers and grapes.
3. If it was up to you, what would you have named the royal baby? I wouldn't have... nor do I give a flying flip about a royal ANYTHING. Who cares? Not me!
4. If you could be any Disney character who would you choose? Hmmmm well, let's see...
Sleeping beauty has to grow up without her parents... pass.
Fiona is fat, and green... and has to live with... Shrek... who is fat... and green... pass.
Jasmine has to live in the desert... pass
Ariel has to give up her family and her entire life to live on land... pass
Cinderella has to endure quite a hardship living with her step monster and two wicked, evil stepsisters. But then she meets her Prince Charming and lives happily ever after in a palace. Sounds like a fun gig. I mean, she'll have a cook, maid, tailor, chauffeur.... Sounds pretty awesome.
Minnie Mouse has the most annoying voice so I'd literally be forced to shoot myself... pass.
Daisy Duck has to put up with Donald and his temper... pass
Should I consider the non-female Disney characters? Cheshire cat? Goofy? Pete? .. naah...
However, Belle, learns to love someone for his heart... in an enchanted castle. And then let's not forget that HUGE library... plus, she's not a blonde. (No offense blondes, I'm just not a fan of blonde.) I'll take Belle!
5. What's the most important part of a healthy relationship? Being able to communicate your wants and needs and then, more importantly, know that they're not only heard but acted upon. Part of loving someone is doing what you need to do to make them happy... because THAT should make YOU happy in return.
Today Paula over at Paula's Place want to know what was your favorite childhood book. If you know me like I think you know me then you KNOW that I don't have one.
I don't play favorites.
Really, I don't.
Unless it's with my children and one shows up with a Dove dark chocolate miniature bearing an unique and heart moving message, fuzzy slippers, flannel pajama bottoms and has agreed to entertain the other two for four hours... then and only then would I play favorites.
But that doesn't, won't and will not happen so I don't like them anymore than anyone else. Sorry boys, too bad so sad.
I do, however, remember some books (a couple that I actually still possess and are on my bookshelves) that I have shared with my children from when I was very young (six or so). I was a big fan of the Little Golden Books. They will always be treasures!
The Roly Poly Puppy, The Saggy Baggy Elephant, The Little Engine That Could...
If you must know, I was a voracious reader as a child. We had a HUGE collection of Disney books that I would sit and read for hours. They were awesome. It was like the Disney movies only in explicit detail, hardback and bearing drawings I could only hope to replicate. I don't remember those specifically, but I do remember one...
Mr. Goat - It's the story of a goat who is also a doctor. Unfortunately, he gets sick and all his patients take care of him.
I loved Henny Penny and Chicken Little, too.
As I got a little older (3rd or 4th grade) I became a HUGE fan of Little Women by Louisa Mae Alcott. I must have read that book ten times between the third and the fifth grades.
I also thoroughly enjoyed The Last of the Great Whangdoodles by Julie Andrews. I even wrote to her as a kiddo just to tell her how much I loved this book and was so pleased to receive a hand-written letter back from her.
But to name a favorite, naaah. I just don't have one.
Today Paula wants to know: Who was your childhood celebrity crush?
My inability to have "a favorite" of anything has impacted me my whole life you know... even when I was a wee little lass, I didn't have just ONE celebrity crush... I had many.
Donny Osmand - definitely a Donny's girl. We had his albums. I had the doll... with the purple socks. I knew the songs. I watched the television show. I was even afforded the opportunity to meet him once after a concert my dad worked (he was a police officer doing a security detail).
Leif Garrett - He was just ... sexy. I had this picture on my wall at some point on my youth.
John Stamos - yeah... he was dreamy!
Matt Dillon - Any girl that watched Little Darlins and didn't wanna be with him was just CRAZY in my opinion! Those eyes...those lips... swoon!
Scott Baio - Any girl of the 70s couldn't NOT love him... he was Joanie's love on Happy Days! Completely drool worthy.
Shaun Cassidy - Again, no girl of the 70s room was complete without a poster of Shaun.
And last, but CERTAINLY not least... Rick Springfield - Yes, even then... I was still a fan. Before it was cool... posters on the wall and all! I saved the best for last.
Join us for more fun every day in July at Paula's Place for the
Welcome back to your daily edition of nonsense. Paula's Place's QOTD is: What is your favorite part of the day and why?
I would have to say that my favorite time of the day is generally early morning when no one else is up. And let's be honest here, however, I'm not talking 7am... I'm talking 430am-5am (assuming I've actually been able to SLEEP for at LEAST 6 hours which doesn't seem to happen anymore). I'm up before the roosters!
I can get out of the house and get my sweat on (the gym opens at 5) and be back before anyone has even had an inkling that I was gone. I get back in time to get breakfast going and everyone ELSE up and on their way to having a great day, too.
If it's a weekend, however, that is my "ME" time. It's time to read, zone, think, relax. I get to enjoy the quiet, the peace.
Besides, my mood is generally better in the mornings when I've been able to get my heart rate up a bit. Funny how that works that way.
