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Category Archives: Thoughts

Fear

27 Friday Apr 2012

Posted by michele343 in Blogging, Friends, Girls Corner, Parenthood, Thoughts

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Think about it, we have all faced fear at one time or another, fear of losing a job, fear for a child’s health, fear of change. The Bible is full of stories of men and women like us who had to face many fears. Through these stories the Bible teaches us that 1: we will all have to face fear at one time or another, and 2: God will always be there to pull us through. God tells us and shows in the Bib…le that he loves us and we can trust in him; even when we are facing a Giant. By sharing and praying with someone close when they are going through a difficult situation, or when they are afraid, we can teach and model to them what a trusting God in the middle of our fears looks like; Praying and sharing together about life is a wonderful opportunity to teach our children & others that God is bigger than our fears.

Day Dream

26 Thursday Apr 2012

Posted by michele343 in Blogging, Girls Corner, My Story, Thoughts

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Oh yes I wish my windows opened up to this in the morning.  A place like this has been on my mind.  I would love to just wake up to sun, the beach, blue skies, and smiles.  I just don’t know why Washington has nice mountains and all the things it has but well honestly as I am getting older and have kids we want this more and more every day.  My son would love to skate board and surf.  My daughter is a total beach girl.  I would just love it.  I am just waiting now for this to not be a dream and for just a moment to wake up to something like this one morning.

Marriage & Love

26 Thursday Apr 2012

Posted by michele343 in Blogging, Family, Girls Corner, Parenthood, Thoughts

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My husband and I run a small group from our church during the week.  We are now on our 2nd session and have gone through the breaks because people just have connected.  We usually eat, gather, and talk about the message for the week.  We have hit many topics and some we have shared many personal things too.  Some nights we even have tears. 

We are on a new series about LOVE.  We have been talking about love in marriage and relationships.  How love impacts our relationships.  Well for some it has been hard because they are just getting into a relationship, some have been in a relationship or marriage for a while, and others are not in a relationship an more but can have lots of input too. 

I know for me that my marriage for the 17 years of marriage and 20 years I have known him has not been easy.  And well it shouldn’t be for that long.  I know that we married young and that opposites attract.  We have also been learning about bringing baggage into a relationship.  Well I think back at how young we were.  We didn’t know what baggage our families had, what we were going to be molded into as people, or how things would start to pan out.  This was a journey that we were going to have to go through life together with.  For us we have had things a bit different than some.  Some people that marry later and have had time and age to process some of these things in life yes these things can impact who you are and your relationship.  But when you are so young you don’t have that understanding.

For us in our marriage we so far have been able to work through things.  And yes we have talked about and worked out some really hard and tough issues in our years.  As we have told each other there are some friends and people in our lives that would have gotten a divorce over some or half of the stuff we have been through.  It isn’t easy and we will be the first ones to admit that but we do know that being alone is hard too.  So if you are going to have a great marriage, it will cost you.  What do you think some of the costs are to having a great marriage? 

In a marriage you also have to realize you come from different families.  What are some of the differences about your family you have learned maybe aren’t the same as other people’s family’s?  Well for us we talk about this from time to time and know that our families are very different.  My husband his family they sheltered him from a lot to protect him from things.  He didn’t know a lot about what was going on or what is still going on in the family.  Both of his parents came from parents that drank and had abuse.  Because of that both of his parents didn’t believe and raise their kids with physical punishment.  My family 3 out of 4 kids were adopted.  I grew up with one side of the family being Swedish (my mom’s) and the other side was southern (my dad).  I grew up with great family traditions, close family, in the kitchen with grandma. 

Sometimes you might think the grass is greener on the other side but that isn’t true.  It is greener where you water it.  When you take care of and water your relationship and care for the important relationship you have you won’t be tempted by things that can come into your relationship to tear it down.  In our relationship we have had our struggles but thinking about this we know that the grass isn’t greener.  It is hard though for some this can mean so many things.  So make sure that you talk it out and know that you are there for each other. 

Encouragement is something that is huge in a relationship.  You need to make sure that you provide an environment of encouragement in your community for other people’s relationships.  Make sure that you take a deep breathe when you are handling issues with your spouse and try to talk calmly about things.  It is hard to not yell at them sometimes but then really everyone stops listening.  So try to work on calming tones and talking things through.

Remember that divorce is not a result of the kids leaving it is a result of years of neglect.  What things do you think get neglected when kids come into the picture?  What can you do to avoid neglecting your marriage? 

Love

25 Wednesday Apr 2012

Posted by michele343 in Blogging, Family, Girls Corner, My Story, Thoughts

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“Love is what we are born with.
Fear is what we learn.
The spiritual journey is the unlearning of fear and prejudices and the acceptance of love back in our hearts. Love is the essential reality and our purpose on earth. To be consciously aware of it, to experience love in ourselves and others, is the meaning of life.
Meaning does not lie in things.
Meaning lies in us.”

~ Marianne Williamson

Weekly Menu

23 Friday Mar 2012

Posted by michele343 in Blogging, Dinner, Girls Corner, Thoughts

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love this menu board.  it MAY even inspire me to cook...

So how many of you do a weekly menu?  Well I have never done one.  I guess I have felt that it limits me.  So I don’t use one.  I love to pick something and fly by the seat of my pants.  Because I think that it keeps my family on their toes.  The don’t have things they get use to this way and it makes things they like special because they aren’t eaten all the time.  I love that because when you take the time to make something it is like it is special every time you make it.  This is because it isn’t in a system like this it is when I want it, crave it, and remember to make it. 

Food is such a link to for memories so this also is a cool way to attach food to memories and not to habit.  Now this is just my two cents about this and you can do it your way and what works for your family.  But you choose do you want to have foods out of habit or to create memories & traditions?

Best Superfoods for Weight Loss

21 Wednesday Mar 2012

Posted by michele343 in Blogging, Diet, Thoughts

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Black beans

A cup of black beans packs a whopping 15 grams of satisfying protein and doesn’t contain any of the saturated fat found in other protein sources, like red meat.

Oats

Oats are rich in fiber, so a serving can help you feel full throughout the day. Just a half cup packs 4.6 grams of Resistant Starch, a healthy carb that boosts metabolism and burns fat.

Avocados

There’s no reason to be afraid of eating fats—as long as they’re the right fats.

Oleic acid, a compound in avocados’ healthy monounsaturated fats (MUFAs), may trigger your body to actually quiet hunger. Stick to a quarter or a half of an avocado and watch that belly fat melt away. The creamy fruit is also packed with fiber and protein.

Salmon

Lean sources of protein help you feel full without adding fat. However, 50% of women ages 18 to 50 don’t know if they get enough of this essential nutrient.

Up your intake with salmon; it’s a leaner choice than red meat and is chock-full of MUFAs to boot. A 2001 study found that dieters eating a MUFA-rich diet lost an average of 9 pounds, while their low-fat diet counterparts gained, on average, 6.

Blueberries

Best known for their anti-aging effects, blueberries, while tiny, are a powerful figure-friendly eat: A 1-cup serving sets you back only 80 calories, and helps you feel full with 4 grams of fiber.

Broccoli

Cooked or raw, this cruciferous veggie is well-known for its cancer-preventing powers, but with a punch of filling fiber in less than 30 calories a serving, it’s bound to prevent weight problems too.

Brown rice

Brown rice is a heartier, fiber-packed alternative to less-than-super white rice. A half-cup serving contains 1.7 grams of Resistant Starch, a healthy carb that boosts metabolism and burns fat.

Plus, brown rice is a low-energy-density food, meaning it’s heavy and filling but low in calories. One study found that women who ate a higher-energy-density diet gained three times as much weight over six years than women eating a low-energy-density diet.

Pears

Just one pear packs 15% of your daily recommended amount of fiber. One study found that women who ate three pears a day consumed fewer calories and lost more weight than those who didn’t. Ditch the peeler though; the skin is where all that filling fiber is hiding!

Wine

Resveratrol, the famed antioxidant found in grape skin, stops fat storage. Studies show that moderate wine drinkers have narrower waists and less belly fat than liquor drinkers. Downing a glass can boost your calorie burn for a good 90 minutes.

Grapefruit

Even if you changed nothing else about your diet, eating half a grapefruit before each meal may help you lose up to a pound a week!

A compound in the tangy fruit can lower insulin, a fat-storage hormone, and that can lead to weight loss. It’s also a good source of protein, and because it’s at least 90% water, it can fill you up so you eat less.

Kidney beans

One of several varieties of beans to make the list, red beans offer protein and fiber (more than 5 grams per serving!). Kidney beans are also rich in Resistant Starch; a 1/2-cup serving packs nearly 2 grams of this slimming carb.

Almonds

Nuts are another superfood rich in healthy fats that help you slim down.

Almonds in particular can help you shed pounds: In one study, people who added a daily helping of the nuts to a low-cal diet lost more weight than people who followed the same diet but swapped almonds for a carb-heavy snack like crackers.

Green tea

This steamy sip hydrates like water, which can help fill you up and shed pounds. Plus, the antioxidants in green tea will up your fat burn and calorie burn. One study found that five cups a day could help you lose twice as much weight, most of it around your middle.

Lentils

Lentils are a great source of satiating protein and fiber. A half-cup serving delivers 3.4 grams of Resistant Starch, a healthy carb that boosts metabolism and burns fat.

Bananas

Bananas are a slimming superfood at the heart of Health‘s CarbLovers Diet. A slightly green, medium-size banana will fill you up and boost your metabolism with its 12.5 grams of Resistant Starch. Even a ripe banana still ranks high on the list of foods containing RS, with almost 5 grams.

Eggs

Eggs get a bad rap when it comes to weight loss. But the breakfast staple is loaded with protein that will curb your appetite. One study found that overweight women who ate egg breakfasts lost twice as much weight as women who started their days with bagels.

And don’t worry about cholesterol: The study found that egg eaters don’t have higher bad cholesterol or lower good cholesterol than bagel eaters.

Dark chocolate

Chocolate lovers, rejoice! A nibble of dark chocolate here and there can slow down digestion so you feel full longer and eat less at your next meal.

Dark chocolate is full of MUFAs; studies show eating a diet high in these healthy fats can rev your metabolism to burn fat and calories. It may also help by curbing cravings for salt, sweet, or fatty diet-wreckers.

Oranges

At only 59 calories, you may not expect much from an orange, but thanks to a hefty dose of fiber, it ranks highest among fruits on a list of 38 filling foods put together by Australian researchers. Feeling full can help you eat less throughout the day.

Potatoes

True, potatoes are high in carbs, but they are three times as filling as a slice of white bread, and top all the foods on the same satiety index as oranges. Plus, potatoes are also rich in Resistant Starch, which helps your body burn fat.

Pine nuts

Nut lovers don’t have to stick to almonds. These tiny bites pack the same heart-healthy fatty acids that quell hunger hormones and burn belly fat. One study found that swapping healthy unsaturated ones like those found in nuts for saturated fats helped overweight people lose weight without reducing calorie intake or upping their exercise.

Plus, at only 95 calories for more than 80 nuts, you can enjoy them guilt free.
Pine Nuts Close Up

White beans

One-half cup of these fiber-packed beans contains almost 4 grams of fat-blasting Resistant Starch, a healthy carb that boosts metabolism.

Cheese

Fresh goat cheese and feta contain a fatty acid that helps you feel full and burn more fat. Look for cheeses labeled “grass-fed,” as those will have the highest content of this healthy fat.

Low-fat milk

The same fatty acid is found in milk, and milk’s proteins can keep you feeling satisfied. The added calcium may also help; in one study, women burned more fat and calories when they had 1,000 to 1,400 milligrams of calcium per day.

Garbanzo beans

Also known as chickpeas, these slimming beans pack more than 2 grams of Resistant Starch per half-cup serving. They’re also a great source of fiber, protein, and healthy fats.

Pearl barley

This starchy side makes a slimming complement to a low-cal meal by adding some satisfying fiber and nearly 2 grams of Resistant Starch in just a half-cup serving. 

Quinoa

Another diet-friendly whole grain, quinoa is rich in hunger-fighting protein. You’ll stay full longer on fewer calories and avoid overeating at other meals.

Plantains

A half cup of cooked plantains packs almost 3 grams of Resistant Starch, a healthy carb that boosts metabolism and burns fat.

Kind Words

16 Friday Mar 2012

Posted by michele343 in My Story, Thoughts

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These are things that I was taught as were a lot of us.  My dad would tell me many of these things to help me get through the day or situations in my life.  I know that they are small things but they are also some of the biggest impact things in someones life sometimes.  I now am trying to teach my kids these things.  I just don’t think that people realize what even smiling at someone can even do to another person. For me this past year it has ment a lot. So I just wanted to share with you and remind some of you the little things do matter.
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Telemarketers

09 Friday Mar 2012

Posted by michele343 in Blogging, Girls Corner, Thoughts

≈ 1 Comment

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Don’t you just hate it when the phone rings and it is a telemarketer?  Well I do and today was no different except I decided I am going to try to catch one if I can.  Yes it is now my goal.  I know it sounds crazy but hey when I get a call like every other day from someone saying that is is my 2nd or 3rd final offer to lower my credit card interest.  Well I feel that this is just something that is annoying especially since I don’t have any credit cards.  So where are they getting this info?  Who are they actually calling?  What are they phishing for?  These are just some of the questions that I have. 
So today when they called it gave me the option to press a button to speak to someone about this.  So I pressed the button and an operator came on the line asking me if I wanted to lower my rate.  I said who is this?  What company is this? and they hung up on me so fast.  So at that moment it became my mission to now find out.  So I am hoping the next time they call I will get some place further because this is my 2nd and final offer lol!!! 

Play Area at the Mall

19 Sunday Feb 2012

Posted by michele343 in Kids, Parenthood, Thoughts

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Today we took our kids to lunch and some shopping.  Of course this ment we had to let the kids stop off at the play area.  As we were watching them play we were noticing some kids and their clothing.  It was kind of strange to because being at a mall surrounded by kids clothing stores to find kids that had shirts that were to tight, to short and showing tummy, pants that didn’t fit and some that had plumbers crack.  It was crazy to see all that goes on in the play area at the mall.  I just felt bad for the ones that some walk out of the house looking like this.

Power Trips or What?

17 Friday Feb 2012

Posted by michele343 in Blogging, Thoughts

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So have you ever been at a restarunt, Mc Donald’s, check out line, or at the store for your cell carrier talking to someone younger than you and they think they know it all.  I have heard of it called the participation generation.  And it is like the 20 year olds or something that feel like they have some entitlement or something.  I just don’t get it.  There are some jobs and things that I have done that I didn’t want to do are you kidding me but I did them and worked my buns off to do my best when I was there.  I didn’t slack off and tick people off because I thought I had more power then they did.  I mean good service could lead to a better job.  Don’t people have dignity or work ethic anymore? 

Could you picture yourself locking the door at closing on someone older just to show you had power over them?  Could you tell someone no you don’t have something in stock just show power?  Why do they feel like they need to pull a power trip? 

I feel like this sometimes because when I go out and some young people have to say how even they are connected on facebook, blog, etc. then they think that they are so in the know.  Well even though I am right now just a “mom” I have not always been just a mom and I do more than that.  I have been so into the computing world and have probably facebooked before they could walk.  I think it is fun when I can tell them about some social networking thing that is new and up & coming that they don’t know about yet.  Because well they don’t know it all and that is why it is good to network, share, and meet one another.  It isn’t about being a snob.

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