The Contract

On top of the coincidental events I decided I would like to get Chris involved in a motivating way. I asked him to come up with something that he would do for me that would be a really good motivator. Something fun, not having to do with numbers, weight or size, but just something great he would be willing to do if I meant my goals well of beautifying my soul and changing my nutrition path.

I pleaded and prodded and then one night as we were in bed I asked him once again "Did you think of a good motivation yet?" and then he said half asleep "How about I'll buy you laptop?" I quickly responded back "OK! I'm in! I'll do it!" {A laptop would be awesome I am always jealous of the mobility he has while computing.} Then he said, "Then write up a contract."

It took me a few days to finally have time to write up The Contract, but I finally did it and it has been signed and dated by both parties.

I've printed it off and posted it on my bathroom mirror.

The basics of The Contract: I'm going GREEN!

I have to eat or drink 1-2 lbs of green leafy vegetables, at least 4 fruits, and another pound of cooked green vegetables a day. I'm cutting out the dairy, sugar, and almost all meat. I can have beans, small amounts of nuts, and one serving of starchy vegetables or wholegrains. Anything else follows the 90% rule meaning %90 of my calories has to come from nutrient dense food and 10% can come from other low-nutrient food (meaning about 200 calories).

It's going to be strict but I am convinced by what I have read that the change will be good. I'm told I have to give it at least 6 weeks to really see how it feels to be "greenified" and change my ways {which is why I needed a really good motivator} I have also decided I am going to dedicate part of my blog to my beautifying revolution under the label "Mommy Feels Good"

This is going to be fun and in the end I'm going to feel great, have a new way of life and a new laptop {and a new pair of Toms and a dinner to The Cheesecake Factory, for a salad of course:) I had to write those into The Contract too:)}

{Here it is signed and dated In small version. I don't want to share all the details! :)}

Coincidence???

So, just as I had made a resolve to "beautify my soul" a group of women in my neighborhood asked if I wanted to be apart of a "Health Challenge." We each made our own goal and at the end of 6 weeks we get to have a girls weekend to celebrate how awesome we all are! Then I saw an add in the newspaper for The Love Your Body Race, a women's only 6K/10K run/walk around Thanksgiving Point gardens. I'm totally in! (for the 6K-I don't think my hips can take a 10K yet, maybe next year.) Anyways, funny how things happen so nicely sometimes. Love Your Body!

Knowledge

I love knowledge. I love that a person can learn about anything. I love that something can be learned in so many different ways and that information is so readily available in so many different places. I love that I have a library so close and a computer with internet access. (I love that my prince charming knows how to set that all up.) I love that my girls can go to school and be taught by such loving and dedicated teachers. I love that I can learn about whatever fancies my interest at that moment.

{This is pretty much what I've been reading the last couple of months}

I feel like I've been on a learning journey lately and sometimes I feel a little overwhelmed with all the knowledge that is possible to gain. I feel like Elder Faust when he said in one of his wonderful talks, "I am reminded of the poet T. S. Eliot’s words: “Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?” I've been confused with this person's thoughts and that expert's theories, but I feel I've been led on a path that was just what I needed to learn.

{And this is pretty much how my night stand looks most of the time. Chris can't stand it! It does tidy up nicely on cleaning day.}

Lately my fancy has been nutrition and health. (That seems to be my fancy a lot:) I love learning about the body and how amazing it is. I've been reading about just how amazing it really is and how all we have to do is stay out of its way to have incredible health.

One of the most interesting things I've learned is that our body just needs to be given the right nutrients and this beautiful creation knows exactly what to do with it. If we listen to our bodies and give it wholesome nutrients (which comes mostly from greens!), I'm reading, that our bodies will feel so good and work just as it was designed to. Our bodies are such beautiful creations!

Reading and studying the Word Of Wisdom again I'm seeing things I haven't seen before.

Vegetables and fruits, which should be used "with prudence and thanksgiving"

The flesh "of beasts and of the fowls of the air,"are "to be used sparingly" (D&C 89:10-13)

And then the promises:

"... shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones;

"And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;

"And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.

"And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them" (D&C 89:18–21).

I knew all these things but I didn't really think about how much "prudence" and "thanksgiving" and "sparingly" really meant nor did I realize how literal these promises are.

In much of my reading by many who do not even know what the Word of Wisdom is, they are stating these same health benefits which come to them basically by following what the Word of Wisdom says.

So, I've decided I want to Experiment Upon the Word!

I want to follow this great knowledge I have learned so that I too can gain these great promises: clarity of thought, being full of energy, and glowing with health!

I don't want my spirit hindered by my body. I want my body to be "the instrument of [my] spirit" (Elder Boyd K. Packer, Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled). In this way I see that my spirit can be strengthened and in turn my soul beautified! I can't imagine all the things that I could miss out on because of an unhealthy body! Who knows what is in store for me down the road but if I can at all make the road better by what I put in my body why not?!

So, here's to beautifying my soul as I experiment upon the word!

I'll let you know how it goes.

It's the Little Things that Mean the Most

We have been without speakers for our computer for some time. {Our computer is used more than our TV!} Well today my hubbie got us new speakers!

And I was reminded again today how much I love music!

Chris had a meeting to go to tonight but I {with a little coaching} plugged the speakers in all by myself! And tonight...we {the girls and I} jammed to the music. It was so much fun!!

Thank you Honey!!

beauty is in the eye of the beholder

G R A C I E

Every day I get such a kick out of watching my Gracie as she carefully applies and reapplies her cute pink lip gloss (that magically disappeared from my purse and reappeared in hers). She will hold a small make up mirror to her lips and look at it over and over making sure it is just right, then dance around and talk and act like she is so grown up as she walks around in my high-heels (never, ever if she knows someone is watching. I have to be very sneaky).

She has such a passion and interest for beauty, hair and make up. Every day she carefully plans what she's going to wear, how her hair will be done, and what color lip gloss she will wear. I seem to "lose" every lip gloss I ever buy and then they suddenly show up in one of Gracie's many purses. My high heel shoes seem to always be scattered in random places around the house.

She loves to put on make-up when I let her (she's actually quite good at it) and she loves to watch me get ready in the morning. She asks question after question of what I'm wearing from shoes to accessories, how I'm going to do my hair and make up, tells me how cute I look (I don't mind that) , and then always so sweetly asks she can have some make-up too. To which I reply, "You're too beautiful, I can't let you wear make-up too! Make-up is just too help mommy's not look so tired." To which she replies, " Oh, you should put some more right there by your eyes."

As she sat with me again this morning I started thinking about what I am teaching my girls about beauty. What does it mean to be beautiful? I read a quote I really liked in an interesting book I'm reading called Eating for Beauty:

"Many people are out in the world trying to 'get' beautiful. One cannot go out and get beautiful, because beauty is not something you get! Beauty is something you earn by refining the type of person you are becoming. The beautification process is about becoming the type of person who can be beautiful. If you want to become beautiful you have to become that type of person on the inside first and then attract beauty to you."

I am realizing this "becoming that type of person" to be so true from our spiritual growth even down to what food we put in our bodies. I do think it's fun to put fun outfits together, to try new hairdo's and hair colors, to wear a little make-up to accent the beauty we have, but I don't want it to mean everything to me or them. I hope I am showing them that by spending minimal time getting ready in the morning (or afternoon) and having many days where I don't wear makeup at all (not necessarily on purpose) , and wearing my paint clothes or work-out clothes all day long. I hope I am showing them it's about being a beautiful person inside, becoming the type of person we want to be and letting it show by what we do. I want them to feel beautiful because of the divine beauty within them. I hope I can teach them how to let that beauty grow and shine.

Anyways, this book is making me think a lot. And Gracie makes me smile a lot! I might have to write more about it another time. For now, here's to becoming a beautiful person inside!

Life is exhausting

Why does life have to be so exhausting? Just when I finally get a minute to myself, my brain is too exhausted to think anymore. My creative juices have run dry. And I feel like I'm running in circles while staring at a blank page. There are so many things I want to do, and learn more about, but the thought of learning something new most of the time becomes too daunting and overwhelming...It's easier to just stare...I read about lots of great ideas, but I never seem to put them into course. I greatly admire those that run with new ideas and don't worry about things more than necessary. I have lots of excuses but no good reasons. But the fact is after a long day of mothering (that is just keeping up on kid necessities, kid homework, and household chores) my brain and body become numb and tired and I just want to sit. 'The question is how do I overcome this? Because if this keeps up, I'm never going to get anywhere.