Have a Seat?

I've had MS (Multiple Sclerosis) for nearly 20 years now, and I count myself quite lucky that my case is fairly stable and mild in the sense that most cannot tell that I have the disease unless I'm having a bad day. Health wise this year has been quite good for be, overall, but today everyone could tell that I have a physical handicap!

It started last night, the dysfunction in my legs, and this morning they were still quite sluggish. But since this was our weekend "off" from the travels of watching our daughter play college volleyball, we had things we wanted to do in Des Moines...sadly we must travel an hour for a wholesale club, Target, and a descent movie theater. But I digress.

A little shopping and a movie had my energy sapped by 2 pm; I had started out the day using the canes for a little extra support but by the afternoon they had become required. My hubby was kind enough to indulge my desire for Cheesecake Factory for a late lunch. The mall and the restaurant were both packed, and we didn't see the point in seeking out an alternate venue when we received our pager along with its 25 minute sentence.

So I'm barely walking by this time with two arm canes, leaning heavily on a pillar for support, and starting to show my pain level. I'd estimate that there was seating for at least 10, but not a single person offered me their seat in that 25 minutes. I suppose I'm more attuned to the needs of the disabled due to my own challenges, and I suspect that my family is as well, but Mike and I were both saddened by the lack of common courtesy.

When did society stop offering it's seat to someone on crutches or pregnant or elderly? I guarantee that no one, not even me, gives a second thought to their ability to stand or walk until it's lost or limited. And while I would not wish my physical limitations on anyone, I do wish for greater understanding and compassion. I could probably go on, but I don't want my point obscured by my pain, fatigue, and frustration.

I will just close with Philippians 2:4 "Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also the interests of others."

Melancholy Mom

Work was a typical hectic Monday so it didn't really hit me until Mike and I came home to an empty house.  As of this morning, all three of our children are moved into their college dorms, and I'm feeling a bit depressed. Our youngest, Aaron, moved out on Saturday, Justin moved out this morning, and Chelsea moved out a week ago for pre-season.  But wait, there's more fueling my melancholy...she's a senior, so this is her last year in college, her last volleyball season, she may not even move back home. And then I have to do it all over again because Justin is just a year behind her! 

I know that I am quite fortunate to work at the college they attend so I will be in contact with them frequently, but it's still not the same. They are all grown up, literally, and all of the sudden I need them so much more than they need me! While I would never pretend to be more than an adequate mother, I've spent more than 20 years focused on them and their needs...what do I do now, how do I let go, how do I switch from active to passive motherhood?

I know there's a lot of great stuff to look forward to and before long I'll be blogging about our new found freedom, but right now I just wish my kids still needed their mommy!  

Just the Two of Us!

Our recent vacation to Alaska was very special for me...spending two weeks without the pressures of work or home, and I truly appreciated the time I spent with my sweetie of nearly 25 years!  Thus, some of my favorite pics are of just Mike and Me!

Dinner in Boise

Scenic View in Oregon

Seattle Tour Bus

Seattle Tour

Seattle Tour

Tracy Arm Fjord

Tracy Arm Fjord

Skagway, Alaska

Yukon Territory, Canada

Ketchikan, Alaska

Yellowstone National Park

Old Faithful Geyser

Mount Rushmore

Formal Night 1

Formal Night 2

America the Beautiful!

My husband, Mike, and I recently drove from Iowa to Seattle, Washington to catch a Carnival cruise to Alaska.  It was an amazing drive, cruise, and adventure!  I will try to make some more specific blogs about the places we experienced, but in the meantime, here's a little breakdown of the trip...

During the course of our travels we crossed 3 time zones visited Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Montana, South Dakota, and two Canadian provinces, Yukon Territory and British Columbia. We traveled via car, cruise ship, tour bus, train, catamaran, and Double Decker bus. I wish we'd had a step-counter on us as I can't imagine that number!

The National Park Service saw some revenue from us as we went to the Little Bighorn Battlefield site, Yellowstone National Park, Mount Rushmore, and the Badlands National Park as well as cruising in the Tracy Arm Fjord in Alaska which is part of Tongass National Forest. On our White Pass and Yukon train trip we also spent time in historic areas born of the Klondike Gold Rush of 1897.

Wildlife spottings were abundant and started with the Alaskan sled dogs we visited in the Yukon...oh my gosh the puppies were adorable!  Then on our whale watching excursion in Juneau we saw bald eagles, humpback whales, two large pods of killer whales (very rare), and a bunch of sea lions vying for real estate atop a marker buoy.  Later in Yellowstone we saw some deer and several herds of bison. Horses were more common at Little Bighorn and in the Badlands. 

In all, we were gone for 15 days, drove 4220 miles and traveled another 1200 miles or so up to Alaska and into the Yukon Territory. We spent time at sea level while cruising and topped out at 10,947 feet while traveling between Montana and Wyoming on the Beartooth Pass. There was plenty of snow to see in the mountains but during our stay in Alaska daytime temps were in the 50s and 60s. Our high point was 92 degrees in the Badlands on the way home and the low was 49 degrees in the Beartooth Pass due to the elevation.

Lost: a pair of sunglasses and the GPS unit
Found: a new appreciation for God's beautiful creations and each other!

A "weigh" we go...week four

I typically have a weigh-in on Thursday, and last week's weigh-in left me very very happy with a 5.8 pound loss for 26 days and a 9.8 pound loss since the start of the year.  Since last Wednesday afternoon, however, I've been off of work to spend time with family in for my son's graduation...so basically I've been sitting around eating, drinking, and making merry for 5 days. 

The weigh-in this morning was not so good as I'm down just 4 pounds for my personal 30 day challenge. But I'm trying to take heart in the fact that I know this dietary change can work for me.  Overall, I'm feeling better about not eating grains or starchy carbs and I'm faced with less cravings that before.  Now it's time to redouble my efforts to eat primal/paleo and push ahead with my next improve-Mary challenge.

I always plan to work out more than I plan so getting REGULAR exercise is plan for the next challenge.  Mike and I are off on a 2 week vacation on the 25th so this one's going to be a bit shorter but hopefully, I'll see my 4-6 pounds of weigh loss increase a bit over the next 4 weeks.  As I mentioned in my first post for this challenge, I'm a fan of the non-cardio/resistance training theories and thanks to the assistance of my daughter, Chelsea, we're headed to the gym to lift weights 3 days a week starting tomorrow.  I'll also dust off the elliptical and do some sprints for the heart on the off days.

Last, by hardly least, I need to send a HUGE THANK YOU out to my co-worker and friend, Jennifer Larson, who has been amazing as my weight loss support!!! Jen is working on her post-baby weight loss and having a buddy to rely on for advise and moral support has made a world of difference for me.  So Jen, thanks for helping me through my challenge and for suggesting changes to get something different going this month!

Now that I've whined about not being down as much as I was last week and psyched myself up for the weight lifting to come...I'm all suited up this morning and off to start my new challenge with some exercise. Stay tuned to see what adding the resistance training does for the primal/paleo lifestyle and good luck in your own quests to drop the pounds and get healthier!

A Spider Mum for Mom

Last night I attended the graduation ceremony of our youngest child, Aaron. I managed not to cry yesterday, but this morning I'm sitting here looking at the Spider Mum he gave me (their class flower) with mixed emotions, memories, and I'm pretty sure that the tears I've been trying to bravely hold in check are planning to overtake me at any moment! 


I've said this before, but being a mother has been the most challenging and  rewarding part of my life.  This morning I'm faced with the bittersweet reality that my three children are all grown up. And while I will always be their mother, they no longer need me as they once did...a thought that is both liberating and heartbreaking all at the same time! Oh yeah, bring on the tissues...

 I'm thinking over their lives growing up and cannot comprehend where the time has gone. Just yesterday they needed us for everything, and now we've got our last one headed to college and the older two will be a junior and senior this fall. When did they grow up? Was I not looking? I so miss the little kids who needed me to be their "mommy." And what if I did it wrong...what if I didn't give them the tools they need to strike out in the world?  As we all continue the journey, not quite so much together now, I'm afraid for them and for me!


I realize there's a point where I have to just let go and have faith, but that's really hard for me...my family is my life! I know there is so much to look forward to like college graduations, weddings, grandchildren, and much more. But today, I'm missing my little girl and boys who needed me to hold their hands, pick them up when they fell, and drive them to school. It's like a movie in my mind...school, sports, meals, movies, emergencies, celebrations, dimply smiles, and tears, too.


God has blessed me with a wonderful soul mate, and it is such a joy to look at Chelsea, Justin, and Aaron and see so much of both of us blended into our children. After almost 25 years on the journey together, Mike and I are turning the corner to start down a new path...future, here we come!

A "weigh" we go...week three

Well, overall it's going pretty well.  At the three week point I've lost almost 5 pounds...yeah!!! I found myself up quite a bit on my weigh-in day Thursday and was worried that I was getting too few calories.  Then Friday it was back down again.  So my Thursday was a really crappy day because I was upset about being way up, and Friday was awesome when I was way down.  So I've learned about the fickle nature of the human body and/or my scale!

The primal diet doesn't encourage calorie counting, but when I did count, I was under the 1200 mark. Plus I'm watching the net carbs and aiming for 50-80 and keeping all of those grain-free and low glycemic.  On top of it all, I'm also trying to keep an eye on nutrients like calcium...sometimes this challenge is a little more complicated than I thought, but well worth it!

A "weigh" we go...week two

As I finished the second week of my Primal diet challenge, I was excited to have lost 3 pounds after 12 days! Overall, I was starting to feel like I was not having cravings for carbs and sweets and could control my eating choices much better.  I was just a little nervous as I headed to Chicago for the weekend knowing that I would be tempted to eat the wrong things.

Thursday evening we ate in the British pub at our hotel, but I was able to pass up all the tasty British favorites that came with mashed potatoes for a steak and salad and a 1/2 pint of the Strongbow hard cider...not too bad. Friday started with a low carb, high protein breakfast and lunch was Gino's deep dish pizza.  I'd planned on this indulgence, but didn't feel too bad since I'd walked 1.5 miles before lunch and added a large green salad. Dinner after the Shakespeare theater was late and while the pub favorites were tempting, I opted for the burger sans bun and another salad, plus a small glass of Jameson Irish whiskey.  

Come Saturday morning, I didn't feel like I'd done too badly for the trip, all temptations considered, but not long after we started on the trek home, my problems started.  I'd started with a good breakfast but the drive home proved tiresome and boring and all I wanted was to eat; I wanted chocolate and sweats and by the time I made it to bed that night I'd had way too much food for the day.  I'm hoping to make up any ground I've lost this week before Thursday's weigh-in. 

A "weigh" we go...day six

Today started out great with a workout and then off to work early with a protein shake for breakfast. Walked uptown to the local Tulip Time festival with some co-workers at lunch time where I enjoyed a brat with sauerkraut and chocolate dipped strawberries...yum! My afternoon snack was carrots/ranch, and then since I was working late, Chelsea, Curt, and Liz brought me back another brat with sauerkraut for dinner at my desk. They also brought some more of those delicious strawberries with chocolate dip, but the dip hardened on the walk back so I put them in the fridge for tomorrow. 

Today was fairly primal except for the indulgence in the chocolate dip for the strawberries, but hey, I get credit for eating fresh fruit!  And after a 13 hours work day, I'm proud of myself for putting the extra strawberries/chocolate into the fridge for the night. I'm ready for the weekend!

A "weigh" we go...day five

So while I did get some breakfast this morning, I still found myself craving sweets by 4 pm; today, though, I took health snacks with me so that helped a little. Today definitely was successful with salmon bites for breakfast, grilled shrimp salad for lunch, and just a garden salad for dinner with an apple; snack wise I had a freeze dried apples (yum!) and some carrots & ranch dip, although Chelsea ate most of those for me!  My guilty pleasure is a few small squares of dark chocolate...not perfectly primal, but at least it's dark!  I need to work on drinking more water and getting more sleep so I can get up to work out in the morning!

A "weigh" we go...day four

I missed breakfast this morning which didn't seem like a problem at the time, but come late afternoon and evening, I can't seem to find enough to eat. Meat and veggies for lunch and dinner, but I was dying for some chocolate so I gave in and ate a few small squares. Now off to bed before I decide to eat the rest of the bar!

A "weigh" we go...day three

Today was my first real test of willpower as we went to the local pizza buffet for lunch. Even though I'm gluten-free, I typically cheat when we visit this restaurant because pizza is one of my favorite foods; plus they have "dessert" pizza, too...need I say more?  I think I did pretty well today...I had chicken without the skin, green beans, and some pizza "toppings" by scrapping the meat and cheese off of the pizza slices. My worst lunch item was the green tea that was sweetened. At least it was regular sugar not high-fructose corn syrup, and I filled the cup with more ice than tea.

Breakfast and dinner were primal compliant as well, yeah! But I'm looking ahead to our local tulip festival later this week and worry that my resolve will fail me. Somewhat like the state fair, there are food booths everywhere sporting an array of goodies, none of which are primal :(  To top off the temptations today, I received an email from The Cheesecake Factory about Mother's Day, and I do love cheesecake. I need to learn a few primal recipes to mimic the sweets I'm missing.

A "weigh" we go...day two

I was quite happy to weigh in this morning (I forgot yesterday) and find myself down from the weight I was expecting.  Not that it had anything to do with the diet, but certainly a nice way to start the challenge! So far today I've managed to maintain the Primal diet with some cheese and nuts for breakfast, a Jimmy John's Unwich for lunch, some chicken and veggies for dinner, and some almonds toasted in cocoa and stevia (natural zero calorie sweetener) for a snack this evening; green tea and water were my beverages today.  The hardest part (so far) was about 4 pm this afternoon when I wanted something sweet.  Hopefully, I'll make it through the rest of the evening without giving in to the desire to indulge, but I'm fairly confident since I had a really good day!

A "weigh" we go...day one

So it's May 1, and it seemed to be a fine day to challenge myself to lose some weight and continue my efforts to get fitter. But which diet plan is best for a middle aged mother of three with a few chronic health issues?

All my life I've been told that grains are good and fat is bad, yet for more than 30 years American's have been following the low-fat paradigm only to watch our collective waistlines continue to increase.  After years of reading, research, and a few diets, I'm convinced that fat storage is related to insulin levels and insulin levels are related to carbohydrate intake.

The Primal Diet has caught my attention as an "evolutionary" diet which promotes weight loss through healthy eating from a biological perspective. It focuses on quality protein, fruits and veggies but excludes grains and starchy carbs. I've been observing a gluten-free diet for about 5 years now, but every time I've tried to go grain-free, I have the most trouble giving up potatoes and sweets, specifically chocolate. I suspect that this time will be no different.

In terms of exercise, my new favorite is the non-cardio theory. Going along with the biological theory that are bodies weren't actually designed for cardio, it stresses short intense exercise. For example, I warm up on the elliptical for a few minutes then push myself as hard as I can for 30 seconds to get my heart rate up to the max (kind of like a sprint); then I go slowly for 90 seconds to get my rate back down near normal. Then I repeat the process 5-8 times with a cool down at the end.  Like lifting weights, the theory is that this type of exercise regime will strengthen the heart and body more efficiently than cardio.  I've been doing it for a few weeks now and really like it!

I don't really expect folks to follow my diet challenge blogging, I'm just trying to find a way to keep myself motivated as well as blog more often.  If you want more info about the Primal lifestyle, I really like the resources at http://www.marksdailyapple.com/primal-blueprint-101/.


My update for Day One - not 100% compliance but not bad either...I had water with lemon to drink all day long, too!

Brunch: eggs and corned beef hash; while there were potatoes in the hash, it was a high fat item which lowers the glycemic index.

Early Dinner: ate at the HuHot Mongolian Grill; mostly meat and veggies with a few rice noodles; fresh rice noodles have a lower glycemic index than cooked rice.

Snacks: a handful of peanut M&M's (see, chocolate craving!); a small bowl of bean and meat tomato soup.