Why Does She Dress Like That?!?!

Wow, seems I haven't "blogged" for a while! Guess I've been a little busy with moving. . . and unpacking. . . and a constantly sick baby. Well, here's hoping I can get back on track!

I wanted to write about my dress standards because I read a quote that inspired me. "Dress in front of other men as you would want women to dress in front of your husband." It led me to think that people may not know why I wear skirts/dresses all the time. I don't intend this to be "preachy" at all! I grew up wearing all different types of clothes and did not have my current standard of dress until I was in my early 20's.

Let me start off by telling you that I do NOT have this dress standard because I attend a Baptist church and I do NOT have this standard because my husband. . . or father. . . told me I should. My dress standard was a personal choice that took months to become "settled" in my heart. I will also state, the way I dress is a STANDARD not a CONVICTION. As a former pastor once stated, "If a man with a gun tells you to put on a pair of slacks, PUT THEM ON!" This is not something I will die for . . . or leave friends for. . . or preach at somebody.

OK, so now let me give you some of my history.

I grew up a "tom boy." I loved playing with LEGOS (and they didn't have pink ones back then) and Matchbox cars. I HATED Barbie and only had 1 or 2 other dolls (one of which was a Cabbage Patch Kid my grandmother won for me). I loved climbing trees and playing in mud puddles. I got greasy with my dad when he worked on the car and I climbed up on the roof with him when he was fixing the shingles. I played soccer and tennis. Up until 6th grade, I could run faster than anyone in my class (which included a group of 20 boys) and I could beat all but one in arm wrestling. I loved riding my bike and playing outside and beating up boys :)

Now, none of those things is wrong. I hope my own daughter will enjoy some of those activities (I know she'll learn to beat up boys!). But, the thing with me, is that I didn't want to be a "lady" AT ALL! I hated dresses. . .oh, and those Easter hats! I didn't paint my nails or wear bows in my hair. I didn't dress up like a princess or read fairy tales (I did read a lot of Nancy Drew though). I did not want to learn to cook or sew or clean. Ironically, I did like ballet (but not the tutu part). ;)

So, I grew up wearing pants and often put my hair in a ponytail. When I started going to a Christian school, the dress code required me to wear knee length skirts and nylons - blech! Needless to say, I did not own any and my mom had to take me on a shopping trip. Through high school and college, I had the same dress code, so I obeyed the rules, but it was not my personal standard.

When I was in my 20's, I attended a church that "preached" standards. By that, I mean, the pastor would give Biblical reasons why he had certain standards in his life (not smoking or drinking, not listening to certain music, how his family dressed, etc.). I think it was the first time I had heard such preaching.

The Lord started working in my heart and led to two thoughts that really formed my dress standard. First of all, I wanted the way I dress to be modest and secondly, I wanted it to show others that I am a lady.

As for being modest, I know there are some who will say, "If a man looks at you the wrong way, that is his problem." WRONG! It is not his problem - it's his natural tendency. He is a man. That is how God created him. If you have a man who does not notice a woman in tight jeans or a low cut shirt, then I'm sorry. Men were made to be attracted by sight. And on a side note, that's why you should stay attractive for your husband :)

Others will say, that dressing "does not a lady make." And you are correct - to some degree. I am a woman no matter how I dress, but for me, dressing in skirts helps me to act more like a lady. When I wear skirts, I don't sit with my legs spread open. When I wear skirts I don't bend over with my behind in the air. When I wear skirts, I usually "feel" more dressy and therefore "hold" myself differently. I command more respect.

Take for a minute, the lady in Proverbs 31. She was a hard worker, no doubt, but she also earned the respect of others. She bought fields and sold linen. I assume this means she did business with men - which was not the custom in those days. That leads me to believe they respected her. And also, she didn't run around in "house clothes." The Bible states she dressed in "silk and purple." She didn't look like a "street rat." She had wisdom and was virtuous.

Now, I said all that to explain my dress standards. I do not intend this to change anyone else's mind. I have many friends who dress differently than I do. They are still my friends, and I do appreciate the fact that most of them dress modestly, even if their standard is different than mine.

Our pastor has said, "What do you think when you see a lady in a skirt?" The answer? She's a Christian (or at least she's religious). How you dress identifies you (whether you like it or not). I'm proud to think that people may see me and think "Christian" instead of seeing me and thinking "Soccer Mom." Although, to be honest, most people who see me probably think "Baby Factory" - lol!

Anyway, that's my two cents and you can take it or leave it. I just felt like taking the chance to explain my dress standard. Everyone has a standard, whether they can explain it or not. I am glad I know why I do what I do, and that I am able to give an answer to others!

I Did It!!!

On January 1st, 2012, I set out on a 30 day challenge to not eat any sugar or foods that act like sugar. That meant NO SWEETS, no bread, no pasta, no chips, no crackers, no store bought salad dressing or dip or barbecue sauce, no cereal, no flavored yogurt, no pizza, no juice, no potatoes or corn or bananas, no hot chocolate or coffee with creamer. Many other things were off limits too, but. . . I DID IT!!!

You may wonder, "What on earth did she eat?"

I ate carrots or apples with all natural (and sometimes homemade) peanut butter, salad with homemade dressing, lots of eggs, chicken and ground beef, plain yogurt with fruit, and sauteed vegetables. I ate spaghetti squash instead of pasta, and learned how to make chili and meat sauce that was sugar free.

So then you ask, "Was it worth it?!?!"

Definitely, YES! Not only did I lose 15 lbs and 4 in off my mid-section, but I also realized how to "survive" without sugar! Do you know how many things contain sugar?!?

Look at the labels of the products in your pantry and fridge. There is some form of sugar in just about everything! Why? Because sugar is addictive. . . and companies want us to buy more and more of their products!

During the first two weeks of my journey, I was hungry all the time. . . so I ate all the time - but the weight still came off! I stuffed myself "chock full of nuts" ;) I love almonds, cashews, and macadamia nuts, so I ate them as much as I pleased. They do contain fat, but it's a "good" fat.

After those initial two weeks, it seemed my body "regulated" itself and I became less hungry which resulted in snacking less. It was amazing!

I thought this lifestyle would be too expensive (there are not usually coupons for fresh produce, dairy, and meat), but once my body was cleansed from all the sugar, it seemed I required less food. In the end, it wasn't any more expensive because I was eating less.

My 30 days are done, but I am still maintaining a mostly sugar-free diet (I did eat some of my son's b'day cake today). I used to live for my piece of dark chocolate every afternoon, but yesterday I tried a piece and it tasted too sweet! I do like pasta, so I will probably add in some of the whole wheat variety and I do like baking, so I will try some recipes that have less sugar.

Another benefit from my taking on this "challenge," is that I found my children like many "non sugar" items, so they have been eating healthier too! All of them eat salad and fruit - and would often walk off with one of the carrots I had just peeled for myself.

I am very glad I chose to try this "challenge," and would like to "challenge" you to investigate the harm that sugar can cause. I'm no expert, so I won't try to inform you, but look into it! I feel like my body is working properly and is getting healthy again.

Now to lose another 15!

". . . called their name Adam. . ."

Last night I was speaking with a very nice lady, but was a bit bothered when she started talking about her husband in a negative way. It was not a "big" issue she was complaining about. She was just bothered because she liked having short hair, and he liked her hair to be longer.

Big deal.

Honestly, if my husband had a preference, I would cut my hair to suit him. Not because he "made me," but because I love him and he's the one I want to please. As it is, my husband does not seem to have a preference in that area, but does have requests in other areas.

The other day, my husband was mentioning how the Bible says, in Gen. 5:2, that God made Adam and Eve, and blessed them, ". . .and called their name Adam." In other words, God saw Adam and Eve as one being. Two parts of a whole.

If someone were to speak bad about part of you (say your voice or your natural hair color), wouldn't you be offended? Yet, many times, spouses speak ill of each other without giving it a second thought.

Honestly, when I hear someone speak negatively about their spouse, I usually have a poor impression of the person who's doing the speaking. Haven't you ever wondered, "Why did she marry that guy if he's such a jerk?!?"

I know we're far from perfect, but I do believe my husband and I have a good relationship because neither of us makes a habit of speaking ill of the other.

I love my husband! :)

In Memory of My Mom

January is known to be the month of "new beginnings," but I don't always look

forward to this month of the year. When I was 5 years old, my baby brother died in January. When I was 17 years old, my mother died in January. Both are in heaven. . . but both are missed.

I'm writing this post because the end of January marks 20 years that my mother has been gone. I don't want to tell you how her death has affected me, but rather how her life influenced me. I love you Mom!

My mom was sick. . . often. She developed Mono and Hepatitis C when she was a young adult.Though I don't know all the medical "lingo," I do know that the Hepatitis C causes Cirrhosis of the liver. Through her life, my mother had many health issues due to those two illnesses. In 1992 she had a liver transplant, but her body did not accept it. She died at the age of 42.

Through all her sickness, my mother never "let on" about how badly she felt. She was a very strong and determined woman. She was given a poor prognosis early on, but it did not cause her to give up. She often said she wanted to live long enough to see me graduate high school and get married. . . she did not make it for either.

She was a wonderful mom and all the friends in my neighborhood thought she was the "cool" mom. They would come over and chat with her and I remember one of my friends even bringing her roses when she was sick. She loved buying things for me, but didn't want me to be too spoiled. . . don't know if that worked out ;)

She was very strict with me concerning school. She pushed me to do what she knew I could do. I remember

when I was in 4th grade, I received a C in math. She was NOT happy, but my dad thought it was no big deal. She told him that it would be no big deal if I were a "C" student, but I was and "A" student, so I better get my act together. Needless to say, that was my last "C" until I took a 4 credit Chemistry course in college.

And, speaking of college, there was no question as to whether I would go or not. I grew up knowing I would attend college. Now, mind you, I could never decide what I wanted to "be" when I was an adult, but that's probably because she had me involved in so much - gymnastics, dance class, tennis lessons, soccer, track, piano,

acting, choir, . . .

Anyways, I wanted to share some pictures of my mom. I do still miss her and wish she could have met my children. I know she would have spoiled them rotten! :)

No Sugar Added!

I feel like I should explain my "no sugar" diet since so many people have commented on my FB status :)

When I was a young child, my dad really became concerned about being overweight because heart disease seemed to run in his family. He decided to incorporate a "whole foods" diet into our home. That meant no sugar cereals, no boxed cakes or brownies, no white flour or white rice, and not even cow's milk (which was fine since I was allergic). At the time he was an "extremist," but now I think he would "fit in" with many people.

With the change in diet and some extra exercise (tennis and jogging) he lost A LOT of weight! Those who did not know him back when he was overweight would never believe he had been!

So I say all that to explain that I grew up on a healthy, whole foods diet. what happened? School!!!

In 10th grade I started attending a boarding school (NOT a reform school - lol!) and the food there was much different from home. I had a roommate who enjoyed HoHo's and there was plenty of junk food besides that! In the cafeteria, the food was good, but when you're feeding a large group, it's hard not to use canned vegetables and sauces (which we never used at home).

So started my demise.

After high school, I went away to college and continued eating junk food. I did not indulge in candy and soda as much as carbs. I remember eating lots of macaroni and cheese and pizza and breadsticks - yum!

I guess because I was fairly active and had a good metabolism, I did not gain much weight. Unfortunately, my sins have found me out, and now I weigh more than I ever have in my life! :(

After my fourth baby was born in August, I started keeping track of my calories on http://www.loseit.com I did lose some weight, but still felt sluggish. I had done a "cleanse" the year before, but couldn't do one now due to nursing my baby. The "fast" I had done before left me feeling good and with tons of energy. I wanted to feel that way again.

I looked up "sugar free diet" online and found http://olsonnd.com/30-sugar-free-days/ . After reading about the negative affects of sugar on many other websites, I figured I was up for the challenge - not just for weight loss, but for overall health.

I am on Day 4 and it has not been too bad. I am re-learning what snacks are "healthy" so I never feel hungry enough to grab a cookie or chunk of bread to fill up. I keep apples, almonds, cashews, and baby carrots in close reach.

After my 30 days, I am hoping to stay away from sugar as much as possible, but will probably use Stevia and some raw honey in it's place. I love to bake, so I'll just need to find some recipes that are low to no sugar.

Wish me luck!

Mawwwiage. . .

I know some of you do not appreciate 'The Princess Bride" due to your young age ;) but to me, it's a classic! Even my boys enjoy watching the movie. My oldest son will say, "No more rhyming, and I mean it!" and my youngest will answer with, "Anyone want a peanut?!?" Hee hee - I think it's so cute.

Speaking of marriage though, I was under the impression that girls were mainly the ones who dreamed of growing up and meeting their "special someone." Recently, I realized otherwise. While tucking my 3 year old into bed the other night, he looked at me and seriously asked, "Mom, can I marry a girl in the morning?"

My other two boys also talk about getting married. The problem is, they do not realize that they may not have yet "met their match." One has a crush on a 13 year old and the other thinks he will marry his sister - lol!

I started thinking today - it's probably a good thing they want to get married. Hopefully, it's due to the fact that my husband and I enjoy being married to each other and they want to experience the same thing. My husband and I have been married 13 1/2 years, and we have not had any screaming matches, have not slammed doors, punched walls, or made the other one sleep on the couch. We certainly have disagreements, but after 13 years, they are few and far between and are resolved quickly.

I'm certain that my in-laws relationship with each other has had an impact on our relationship. They set a great example for their children, and my husband expected our marriage to be just as strong. I think that's part of the problem with marriages today - people don't have high expectations!

When my son says, "When I'm married, maybe I'll wash the dishes to help my wife" - it makes me smile. When they play "make believe" and the "Dad" goes to work while the "Mommy" stays home - it makes me smile. When I hear them say to their sister, "You are so beautiful" - it makes me smile.

I pray that my husband and I will be a great example of a wonderful marriage relationship and that each of my children will marry the proper mate. Apart from our relationship with God, marriage is the closest relationship we will have outside of family. So, it's important to have a good one!

Mmmmmm. . . cookies. . .

Yesterday I started "30 Sugar Free Days." This means that for 30 days (Lord willing), I will not eat anything that contains sugar or acts like sugar in my body. It does seem a bit overwhelming, but not impossible! :)

OK, so you're wondering why I'm posting a cookie recipe?!? Because making goodies is fun for me! I just can't stop!!!!

These are good for many reasons. . .

- they contain peanut butter (and isn't anything with peanut butter yummy?!?)

- they can be made in one bowl (yay for less clean-up!)

- they can be made in less than 15 minutes (ahhh, efficiency!)

- they contain only 4 ingredients (cost-effective for sure!)

So, are you ready?!?

No-Bake Peanut Butter Cookies:

1 c light corn syrup

1 c white sugar

1 c peanut butter

3+ c Rice Krispies

In a medium saucepan, mix sugar and corn syrup and set stove to medium heat. When mixture starts to boil, let it boil for 1 min. Remove from heat and add the peanut butter. If you would like, you can also add some chocolate at this point (mmmmm!). Mix until smooth, then gradually add in Rice Krispies. I honestly don't measure out my cereal, so I'm guessing at 3 cups. Just add until all the peanut butter mixture is used up.

When all is mixed, drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper (I pat mine down a bit). When they have cooled, they are ready to eat! And oh, are they yummy!

Now, since I'm on this "Sugar Free" challenge, I did not eat any, but sent half to work with my hubby and wrapped half for the boys for a snack tomorrow. For some reason, just making them eased the stress in my day!