The occasional domestic woman in me

The ocassional domestic woman in me has returned.  About 2 months ago I went through my short 1 week knitting (and failing phase) and today I broke out my sewing machine.

Back in the days when Carrisa lived in Idaho and worked at Porters, she made table runners as gifts. 

So, In love with the runner, and wanting to make more, I made Carrisa go fabric shopping with me 1-2 years ago. I kept forgetting to have her show me how, so under the tutelage of my visiting mother, I finally learned how to make strait even angle cuts without a pattern, and I made my reversible runner.

IT is straiter than it looks. I should have photographed it after I ironed it, and not before... 

(In case you are curious, Carrisa, the boarders are narrower than yours because I miss measured and didn't want to bother recutting.  Also, my points are a sharper angle than yours, becasuse yours were between angles on my new cutting board. )

AND, Just like I once believed I would never be tempted to take up canning, I also thought I would never be tempted to quilt, but atlas, the fabric I trimmed off the runner to make the points was just to tempting because most of the sewing was already done:

Now the question is whether I turn it into a giant potholder/trivet or do I take up the worlds most boring folk art of quilting?

Bye Bye Sugar?

Just before halloween I decided that the time has come for me to give up sugar. 
While charting my daily goals on paper, I noticed I hadn't gone a single day without sugar. yikes. But I couldn't bring my self to give it up on the spot, but knew if I didn't commit to doing it, it would never happen. So I did something I never did before. 

I picked a date. No Sugar starts November 5th. 

I hate that mentality... I'm starting my diet on such a such date. I always thought it was silly. If you are going to do it, then do it. Right? Why put it off? But, their was a birthday party coming up, and if I blew it there, I might loose momentum and stop trying. 

So, the sugar fight started Nov 5th. I'm calling it a fight, though it is probably technically a diet.. except I still eat butter and carbs and stuff... but still. 

I allowed myself 1 exception. Tea. Eventually, I'd like to take in no sugar at all. For now though, when I get to the point were I really want that piece of maple candy, I have tea instead, and it works. Here's why: 
1. It keeps me from baking something and allows my mind to drift away from sugar while I am waiting for the kettle to whistle. Half the time my tea gets cold because I'm not craving anymore. Then when I get another craving, I drink my cold tea. 

2. I don't chain drink teas. One glass doesn't make me want another ( like one cookie makes me want 15 more) 

3. If I am in a sweet/ tart mood, Hibiscus tea is fruity enough to sooth me. If I'm munchy, lemon-ginger-tulsi tea makes me feel full. 

The two on the right are my favorites, though I went through a recent brief wild orange phase.

4. If I am feeling chocolaty, I found a recipe for cocoa that uses as much honey as I used in tea (so I don't feel guilty). This, unfortunately, was good enough that for two days I had two cups of cocoa in a row and fought the urge to make more (danger zone, but at least better than brownies). I ran out of my favorite cocoa powder though, and since replaced it with a less yummy powder. It's not as satisfying, but it's not as addictive either. 

Looks Ghetto, but I like it better than hersheys and one Ghridelli variety I tried.  Makes cocoa to tempting for my taste buds

5. I only use caffeine-free herbal teas, so I don't have a caffeine craving drawing me back for more, it won't dehydrate me, and it won't leach calcium from my bones. 

6. I may be taking 1-4 spoons of honey with my tea each day, but it is still (sadly) better for me than the 10 cookies I would have eaten 

7. Honey is still sugar, but it isn't refined, so I feel better about it. Plus, it is only about 25 calories for each cup of tea (vs. a soda, or a juice, or a cookie). I'm not a calorie counter, but It's good for me to be aware of how bad some treats are. 

8. I've set aside a few exceptions (Thanksgiving, one scoop of ice cream at an upcoming birthday). Knowing that I'm not saying good by to my sugar friend forever helps me feel more realistic and more motivated. I'm trying to make sugar consumption an exception, not a rule.


9. I can occasionally substitute a juice or a juice soda instead of a tea, as long as it is just juice and not sugar. 


Now, It's only been a week and a half, but I've cheated twice. 

Still an improvement, but it's taught me this: 

1. If I eat out or if the well intentioned Mr. B microwaves me a burrito, I have a harder time seeing the point of abstaining from sugar. I feel like there was probably already sugar in my pasta sauce, and who knows what kinda chemicals in the burrito, so if I'm not eating healthy then what is the point? 

2. It really does help for others to know what you are trying to do. Several times I wanted to use the "but I already ate crappy food today" excuse, and Mr. B was quick with the "but it wasn't intentional sugar consumption so you can still count today as good." Even though at the end of the day I still didn't feel like it counted, It's still worked most the time at deterring me from a lolly. 

3. I fell for the "you have to try this" and I can't again. I was good and took the tiniest sliver instead of 1/3 the candy bar offered, and I was proud of that at first, but 10 minutes later I ate 7-10 dove chocolates. When I got home, I topped it off with a few hard candies. Checking that "no sugar today" box really is the key to me. 

4. It's easier to say no with a reason. When I tell someone "no, I'm trying to break my sugar addiction so I am trying to go a few weeks without eating any," it reminds me of what I am trying to do and why I am saying no. It often strikes up a conversation about it too. and I noticed that someone who usually offers me and Mr. B ice cream didn't offer us ice cream after I turned down chocolate. 

A GAME PLAN... 
Someone just invited us for pie T.G. night, plus someone (excited about their first TG in their new home) invited us for a Friday T.G., and I am hosting a T.G. lunch for Mr. B's family on Saturday. I don't wan't to exclude myself from the celebrations or insult someone who is excited to share, but I also don't want the whole weekend to be a wash. I've decided I need to plan ahead. 

I know I can't say "I'm only going to have one piece today." Maybe, though, If I plan ahead, I can build up my commitment. I want to figure out today what I will allow myself, and think about it every time I think about my T.G. weekend plans. On the actual days, I will remind myself that if I stick to my allotments and no more, I can still give myself half credit for that day because it wasn't an impulsive decision. Then I can still have the satisfaction of filling out half a bubble on my goal chart at the end of the day.

I Know what I did this summer 5

I'm afraid I've lost all sense chronology at this point... I'm skipping around a lot. This one is in September  and I still have photos from July and such, but this one was small, so why not.

B went to present at a software user group, and since they decided a week  before that he should be there both days instead of  just one, they couldn't get him a room, and put him up next door in a condo with  2 bedroom (both queen beds), plus a hide-a-bed couch,  3 full baths plus 2 vanities, full kitchen, living room, laundry,  and a balcony with a private hot tub.

So, even though I had a ton of work to do, Brett insisted I come. I worked in the hotel a lot, but in the evenings I got great food at the conference, and for the first time in years I got Brett into the hot tub with me.

I wasn't a fan of the hybrid native american/hunter's lodge/ aztec decour as a whole, but I loved this storage bench.

And there were two of these pig benches I adored. 

I still know what I did this summer 4

This summer, we wen't to Lake Arrowhead where B's Family has a timeshare.

and, of course, the shoes had to come. 

Carrisa and I went on hikes most mornings

I stood kinda funny near a rock

 

I wore the same tank top that I wear in almost every hiking photo I take

Though my sunglasses do change

Carrisa and I found a pretty Meadow at the top of a dirty, neglected, steep trail.

We played a few games of Aquire... which, to my surprise, Carrisa enjoyed. 

I found the the most innovative car wash ever, but no one else was as amused as I. 

Carrisa and I perused some antique stores. 

I found my favorite door ever.

And a funky birdcage

And another cute door

We tried out the Newsprint transfers on our nails.

I bought and returned 2 pairs of sunglasses  4 or so times. 

Predictably, Brett bought another puzzle at the toy shop. 

The cousins played some video games. 

In true Valantine family form, we played a lot of card games. 

  

I <3 playing Michigan!

We got Tracey hooked on Bambuu (and found out how long a 5 player game can last)

Trump family+ double pinochle+ marriage+ King in every suit+ 9 of trumps=most amazing meld ever (only one card not worth points)

It was awesome.

The END. 

I still know what I did this summer, 3.5

In July, when we we hiked the slot canyons, we camped in Goblin Valley— Another place I'd been wanting to visit for a while. 

That was the hardest ground I have ever slept on. The dirt was so packed it was like  concrete, I swear it. 

B loves the idea of making jiffy pop  over fire... something about fond memories I suppose, but in the end, he didn't even like it that much.

I love that you can actually walk into the Goblin Valley. Then you can really see the scale. 

I like the one to the right of Brett