A Bloggie for My Doggie(s)

Today I am writing in honor of the 3rd and 4th members of our family, Bosco and Lucy. Today I read a friend's blog post about having to put down the dog she and her husband got as a newborn and had had for 11 years. The dog had an emergency medical problem and he was fine in the morning but by the afternoon they were having to make the hard decision to spend thousands of dollars on surgery with no guarantee of recovery or put him to sleep. They chose to put him to sleep and as I read her sweet words and memories about their four legged family member, I hate to admit it, but I shed a tear or two. It just really got me thinking about the inevitable, that one day, my sweet puppies will no longer be with me. It's the sad truth behind pet ownership that no one likes to talk about, but it is extremely likely that you will outlive your pets (and not just one pet, but probably multiple cycles of pets in a lifetime).


If you ask our friend Derek, we spend way too much time and energy on our dogs (which is most likely true). When thinking about going on vacation or discuss our hectic schedules for the week, we always have the "who's going to take care of the dogs?" conversation. Yes, we give them way more attention and loving than they need but at the end of the day they are a responsibility and they have to get fed and cared for even without our constant coddling. 
But what Derek and others don't understand is that most of the time it's really not a hassle for me because I love them like family members. They are included in our occasional date nights at home (NBC Thursday Night Lineup, takeout, and a two person/two dog pileup on the couch), we love taking them on day trips to see family or go to the river/park/hiking trails, and they definitely have distinct personalities that keep G and I laughing constantly at their interaction together. I know my dogs likes/dislikes better than most of my friends (Bosco hates broccoli but loves bananas, Lucy will eat literally anything-including rocks, her own fur balls on the floor, and dead bugs), and they can tell by the tone of my voice what I want them to be doing (or stop doing on most occasions). And the best part is, they listen.
I think most importantly (and this is literally about as sappy as it gets, so don't read on unless you're ready to be taken into Lifetime Movie Script), they unconditionally believe the best of me. I can yell at them for eating my shoe, forget to walk them, or banish them to the backyard when they are annoying me, but each morning I will still be greeted with Lucy putting her front paws up on the side of the bed and licking my arm "good morning," and Bosco will still lay at my feet while I brush my teeth just to be close to me. 
They are refreshing friendships in which I never have to worry about them holding a grudge, or telling them they don't look fat, or make up small talk if there's an awkward lull in conversation. They never care if I'm not wearing makeup, or if I don't feel like pretending I'm happy when I'm not, or if I watch completely vapid TV shows like Real Housewives (this is one of their favorite to nap during). 
We have inside jokes (if Lucy is hiding under a bed I start singing "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" and she always comes running) and silly bits (I have gotten Bosco's "Diva" and "Bang Bang Play Dead" trick down pat) and I know they will always be a source of comfort and cuddling and non-judgement in even the worst of moments. I can't tell you the number of times I've come home from a hard day at work or after a silly fight with the Hubby and they just crawl up on the bed beside me and lay their heads on my leg/lap/chest and look up at me. It's that quiet, that easiness of just laying there and soaking in their adoration that lightens the moment and makes it seem like maybe it will be okay after all.

So here's to you, Bosco, who thinks he is a guard dog but instead of attacking only licks your arm and tries to play, and Lucy, who we like to think is half pug half pig and sometimes looks like a bat when she is really tired. You are the best doggies in the whole world and I don't care what anyone says, until we have children you will be spoiled like children!

Quick Entry...

I don't have much time today so I'm just gonna give you the highlights of wrapping up the diet!

Here is what I have learned from the past 17 days:

---I cannot sustain this diet for 2 reasons:

1) It is too expensive to buy only fresh produce right now and nothing else.

2) I genuinely LOVE food. I didn't realize this before but it's not just being addicted to junk food, I actually enjoy tasting the different cuisines and flavors like a hobby.

---I have grown a "food conscience" that kicks in anytime I could be eating healthier but I'm thinking about not. For instance, it is not even a question that I will eat wheat bread instead of white, skim milk instead of 2%, and low fat or fat free everything where it's an option (rolls, dressing, cheese, yogurt, etc.).

---I had ice cream for the first time in 3 weeks yesterday and it tasted like absolute HEAVEN. I really do enjoy the feeling of ice cream as a special treat instead of an every week dessert.

---I still desperately miss coke, but I am trying to only drink it on the weekends if we go out to eat.

---My weight is about the same but I do feel healthier and better about myself knowing I'm putting (mostly) only the good stuff in my body!

And so it continues...

Yay! I've made it to Day 4, which according to the book (The 17 Day Diet) is when the cravings for fatty/greasy food start to lessen just a smidge. I have definitely been craving the "good stuff" so I'm hopeful that Day 4 is when that will stop nagging me!


Easy parts so far:

Drinking water instead of coke. For someone who went from having at least one coke a day to absolutely none, it was surprisingly easy! I haven't even really thought about it at all (which is probably because I spend most of my time drooling over pizza/burger/fries/cheese dip).
Finding a variety of things to eat. I havent really eaten the same meal or snack twice. There are tons of great recipes out there for this diet which I just found by googling it.
Yogurt really can be a delicious substitute for a dessert. Say what?! I thought this would be one of the hardest parts for me, switching from my delicious chocolate and ice cream cravings to (ugh) fat free yogurt. BUT so far I've branched out from my usual strawberry and I'm eating Boston Cream Pie, Triple Berry Torte, Strawberry Cheesecake, Key Lime Pie, Citrus Splash, and many other FAT FREE delicious flavors! They are just heavy enough to fill my need to be "full."
I'm more adventurous with herbs and spices. Normally, I am a follow-the-recipe-EXACTLY kind of gal because I haven't ever been confident in guesstimating the amount I need. However, since starting this diet I find myself throwing stuff together in a pan to get a new taste since I'm so concentrated on the same rotation of foods. Definitely expanding my cooking bravery!


Hard parts so far:
I really, really love my "go to" foods. I don't think I realized just how much I enjoyed foods and different flavors and sauces until I couldn't have them any more. I had to sit at cell group last night and eat a bag of carrots while my girls chowed down on delicious pizza! While I think I can make it on this diet for a couple of weeks, I could never do this for a lifetime.
Buying food for this diet is EXPENSIVE. Two things are colliding here to make this so: 1) I literally never leave the fresh produce section of Walmart because we can't eat anything besides fruits/veggies/lean protein. 2) We are eating a LOT because we are hungry about every 2 hours since our food is digesting so quickly. As of 4/20 we are already over our grocery budget for the whole month and we still have 10 days to go!
Nothing is quick and easy for food prep. I got sick of raw veggies REALLY QUICK so I cook every veggie we eat and of course, any uncooked chicken/turkey/fish has to be cooked. On the other hand, this is giving my cookware a pretty good workout! My pots and pans never make it back into the cabinets because I use them so often.


Here is my meal worksheet for yesterday:

DAY 3

Breakfast

Protein: Scrambled eggs

probiotic serving: Strawberry Yogurt

Lunch

Protein or probiotic serving:   Stir fry chicken with lowfat soy sauce

Cleansing Vegetables:  Sauteed Zucchini with Garlic Salt (my FAVE!), broccoli, onions

Dinner

Protein Serving:     Grilled Baha Citrus Chicken

Cleansing Vegetables:   Mixed Green Salad 

Snacks

Fruit serving: Grapes

2^nd Fruit serving:      Orange

2^nd Probiotic serving:   Boston Cream Pie yogurt (fat free)

Other

Friendly fat serving:    Light Balsamic dressing for dinner

Friendly fat serving:    Olive Oil to sautee zucchini

As for results... I have lost 5 pounds in three days! Water weight maybe, but still 5 pounds less!

One Day Down...

16 more to go!
And the good news is, I am already 2.3 pounds lighter! Now I know that this is not actual fat loss, but hey, seeing that smaller number gives me a great incentive after my first day to stick with the strict diet!


Here is what I have learned so far:
1) Eating healthier makes you hungry quicker. I start to get hungry about every hour to hour and a half because I am not eating heavy, complex fats that take a long time to digest. This is both good and bad because I am eating much smaller portions but man am I eating a lot! If my schedule wasn't so flexible this could be a real problem because once you are hungry your resolve starts to soften and a drive-thru window starts to sound pretty incredible.
2) Drinking 64 ounces of water a day makes you pee A LOT. It really makes me happy to know that the only liquid I'm drinking is God made and FREE! But drinking this much of it means I go to the bathroom like 15 times a day (no joke). I know it's flushing out my system but it's a little annoying.
3) My junk food craving is worse at night. Normally, I start my day off with a coke and maybe a granola bar. Then for lunch I either eat leftovers, salad, fast food, lean pockets, or soup. I really don't eat much during the day because in the past my plan was to save up all my calories for dinner when I could eat the REALLY good stuff. This, of course, was a terrible idea because while I was up and moving around all day my body could be working off calories but instead I waited for my calorie overload when I was about to sit/sleep for the rest of the night. Needless to say, after years of this habit I am experiencing what I call "Phantom Hunger" around 8pm at night. I'm not actually hungry, I'm just used to being stuffed like a turkey at night.


Here is my meal worksheet for Day 1:

DAY 1

Breakfast

Protein or probiotic serving: Strawberry Yogurt (non-fat)

Fruit serving:         Strawberries 

Lunch

Protein or probiotic serving:    Grilled Chicken Salad

Cleansing Vegetables:    Lettuce, cucumber, carrots  

Dinner

Protein Serving:     Ground Chicken burgers

Cleansing Vegetables:   Steamed Broccoli, onion in burger

Snacks

2^nd Fruit serving:      Strawberries       

2^nd Probiotic serving:   Blackberry Yogurt (fat free)

Other

Friendly fat serving:    Light Balsamic dressing for lunch

Friendly fat serving:    A teaspoon of low fat steak sauce in burgers

Is it April Already?

I can't believe it's already April.

All your life years and seasons and months are measured in semesters and midterms and school years; but for the first time in my life, I am no longer in school this year. As I started student teaching in the fall of 2009, I thought that although my traditional schooling was over, I would still be on a "school schedule" as a teacher. As it turned out, God was calling me to do something besides teaching and now here I am, mixing up months and losing track of time like the rest of the world.

Anyway, here is what we are focusing on this month in the Autry household:

--Today we started a new diet called the 17 Day Diet. It's really more of a cleanse, which Garland and I could definitely both use. I try to exercise 2-3 days a week for 45 minutes and Garland plays basketball once a week, but we both definitely enjoy some unhealthy food. Ideally, On this diet there are four 17 day cycles, and we are on day 1 of cycle 1. Basically for this cycle you can have veggies, fruit, lean protein (chicken, tuna, fish, turkey), two servings of eggs a day, two servings of yogurt a day, 64 ounces of water, and fat free cheese and condiments. Other than that, most food is off limits (breads/grains, fats, dairy, sugar). I like this diet because at the root of it you can still eat a ton of food, so you're not starving yourself, you're just retraining your body what it should be craving. We will also be working out everyday for 17 minutes (kind of arbitrary, I'm sure they picked it to be catchy with the title of the diet instead of saying the boring old, 15-20 minutes) which will consist of walking and using my elliptical. 

One thing I am not a fan of is diets that get you to lose weight really quick but then you balloon back up once you get off. My goal is to lose 10-15 pounds with light working out and then when we transition into cycle 2 (the second 17 days which allows for some dairy, some whole grain bread/carbs, beans, a little sugar and a little fat) I will amp up my exercise a little more, this way by the time we're ready to indulge a little (which I plan on doing at some point) my body will be ready.  By eating whatever I want and working out 3 days a week I had plateaued my weight and kept myself from gaining any weight for about a year. The problem is that I plateaued at a weight that's about 10 pounds heavier than where I want to be. I am not trying to become some super think waif model, I just want to get back to a place I feel better about myself and keep it there.

So today was day one and I had strawberries for breakfast with 32 ounces of water and then salad for lunch with cucumber, carrots, and light balsamic dressing. For dinner I will be making some sort of grilled chicken concoction which should be pretty normal.

My BMI (Body Mass Index) is at 24.4 which falls in the healthy range (18-25), but I'm at the top end. My goal is to get down to 22.5-23, which is about 10-15 pounds.

More updates to come as the weight (hopefully) falls off!

Etsy Store

I've been gone for a while but that's because I've been so busy opening my new store on ETSY! If you haven't ventured to this handmade crafters dream of a website, you need to get to it! Etsy is basically the representative of the proverbial "little man", meaning it showcases small businesses or individuals like myself who are trying to sell some of their homemade goodies.


So this week, I opened up my very own store to sell my homemade cards. You can go to my store, Oh, Happiness!, and order right now!


And as a extra fun incentive, I am offering FREE SHIPPING in honor of the grand opening! Just use the coupon code SPRING2011 when you are checking out and you will get the discount.


Here are a few of the new cards I made and placed up for sale this week:

Hope to see you in my store soon!

Book Wreath Completed!

Last week I posted about a paper flower wreath made out recycled paper and I decided to try my hand at making my own (see the original project here). Success! Here are some pictures of the completed project:

Here are my thoughts on this project:

1) Making the flowers was pretty easy, however, it probably took me 5 hours to make enough flowers to cover this small wreath, and there are still some spots on the back of the wreath that are uncovered a little (but you can only see them up close and from the side). Once I got the hang of rolling the flowers it became brainless and I watched TV while I did it. The upside is once I got done rolling the flowers, gluing them to the wreath only took me about 15 minutes!

2) I used craft glue to hold the flowers together and this worked pretty well, but I would suggest using a hot glue gun if you are impatient. However, I try to stay away from hot glue guns as much as possible because they are a hassle to keep pushing the glue stick in plus you get those spider-webby strings attaching to everything. I did use a hot glue gun to stick the flowers to the packaged raffia wreath that I used which saved a lot of time.

3) It's a lot harder than it looks to get the flowers to be the exact same size as each other like with the example wreath I used as a model. I chose to take the shortcut and allow my flowers to be all different sizes, which gives it a little more laid back look. It's totally a personal choice but as a time savor I endorse letting your little guys be unique!

Overall, I felt this project was worth the time because I can keep this wreath up in any season and for as many years as it will hold together. On a scale of 1-5 of TIME CONSUMING I give this project a 4.5. On a scale of 1-5 of EASINESS I give this project a 2. On a scale of 1-5 of EXPENSIVENESS I give this project A 1.5! I used two old books, craft glue, and a glue gun that I already had at home. The only purchase I made was a small raffia wreath that was bound tightly in plastic and cost me about $2 at JoAnn's. 

Let me know how this project goes for you!