Kickapoo Camping

So the Higginbotham crew went camping at a new destination this weekend, about 3 hours west of here.  It is called Kickapoo Caverns State Park ... a great use of our annual state park pass we buy every year.  The other great thing is that we had two families from Church join us, which really made it awesome.  Fabulous fellowship, great weather and an all around good time (except for the puke from James in the car on the way there and my 9 year old's bloody nose on the way home, lol).

One bummer of the trip was that my daughter could not go, she had to work, and it really seems weird to go camping without her!

I really enjoyed hiking a trail up a hill and the view from the top.  One thing that became painfully clear to me, though, is that I definitely need new shoes.  I also realized I should never under-estimate the Texas sun, as I did indeed get sunburned.

I will confess, I did not sleep well in the tent.  Partly because it was very windy and thus noisy, but also because my 5 year old was still kinda recovering from being ill and he kept trying to burrow himself inside my body all night.  But it wasn't too bad.  I think the hubby and I have agreed that an air mattress is now in order.

And there's a bonus.   I managed to lose 2 pounds since last weigh in, so clearly our little camping adventure did not derail me.  That's always a plus.  There were chips, and s'mores and and all kinds of things available for my consumption, but I stuck to what I had planned.  And on the topic of eating, I was quite impressed that my oldest son, William, tried and ate hard boiled eggs.  He has never done that before, and he liked them.  Thomas liked them too, but he is much better at trying new things.  William is more like me, so both me and him are definitely making progress.  YAY!   Now they want hard boiled eggs before school.  I can't complain about that.

So we've made plans for another camping trip with the same family.  We've decided on the weekend, but need to nail down a destination as many of the parks are already full.  So hopefully at the end of April, we'll do this again, somewhere new, and rack up some miles in our adventure logs.  Hopefully by then I'll have new shoes too.   And if I'm really lucky, I'll have a new air mattress as well.

Me in all my natural glory :)

As always, make champion choices,

Debra

Are You Present?

Bear with me for a moment, for this is not in the context of gloom... but gratitude. I would love for people to shift whatever may be on their hearts, optimistically, to gratitude! I'm suggesting a way to live... where we are in love with life, and present.

Do you fear death?  Some people do and I get that.  I think some people fear death because they crave life. Often, we fear death because we think there's something to get that we haven't experienced yet. Many people feel that death will take something away from them. A wise person realizes that death is constantly giving them something. Death is giving meaning to our lives. Humans are the ones who throw life away. Too many people waste every second of it. They get in their car, drive from here to there, and they don't SEE anything. It's like they're not even there. They are too busy thinking about what they are going to do next. They are a week ahead of themselves, or even a month or more. They are not living their life; they are simply existing.  Well some people are anyway. So it is humans that throw life away, not the event of death. The prospect of death actually helps us get our life back; by making us pay more attention to the moment. It makes one say, "My gosh,what if I lose this? I could orphan my children.  From now on I'm going to pay more attention to my health, my family, and to all my friends and loved ones. I want to get so much more out of life!"

I do not share these thoughts with you from any other perspective than as someone who adores life, loves others, and lives in the moment I am in!  But I am also a Christian, and I do not fear death because only the Lord God controls life and death, and when I die, greater glory awaits.  But don't worry, I'm not in a hurry. Just know that part of my mission is this: If I can maybe make someone else smile in their own particular situation; with gratitude instead of fear; I am successful. Don't worry ... I am not dying or anything, I am perfectly healthy ... I am just feeling blessed.  Take time to stop and look at the bluebonnets, smile at a stranger, put down your phone sometimes, be PRESENT in your interactions ... and always and tip the server well.   Carry on.

As always, make champion choices,
Debra

Photo Credit:  Linda Long Goodman

40 Days of Lent 2014

I will be following this list for the 40 Days of Lent this year.  Ash Wednesday is this week, March 5th.

Lent 2014

Day 1: Pray for your enemies

Day 2: Eliminate all social media for one hour (or more)

Day 3: Perform a random act of kindness

Day 4: Give $10 to a non-profit of your choosing

(Sunday)

Day 5: Forgive someone, even if it is yourself

Day 6: Look out the window until you find something of beauty you had not noticed before

Day 7: Tell someone what you are thankful for

Day 8: No complaining all day

Day 9: Read John 8:1-11 

Day 10: Call a friend on the phone

(Sunday)

Day 11: Check out morning and evening prayer at The Daily Office

Day 12: Pray the Paper (pray for people and situations in today’s news)

Day 13: Read Psalm 139

Day 14: Pay a few sincere compliments to strangers

Day 15: Do not use your SmartPhone or cell phone while in your vehicle

Day 16: Educate yourself about Spiritual Strongholds (Pray for revelation)  

(Sunday)

Day 17: Take 5 minutes of silence at noon

Day 18: Pray for your nation’s leaders and your nation’s enemies

Day 19: Write a hand written thank you note and send to someone who deserves it

Day 20: Do not eat out anywhere today

Day 21: Ask for help

Day 22: Give 5 or more items of clothing to charity

(Sunday)

Day 23: Introduce yourself to a neighbor (If no neighbors, then a stranger)

Day 24: Read Psalm 121

Day 25: Pray for God to reveal sin your life that you are unaware about

Day 26: Donate 5 or more items to a food pantry/bank

Day 27: Walk into every room of your home and Pray for God to bless every inch

Day 28: Be mindful of your language; do not curse, swear or speak ill of another; do not gossip

(Sunday)

Day 29: Write a thank you note to a Veteran

Day 30: Invest in re-usable shopping bags

Day 31: Pray for peace

Day 32: Donate supplies or books to a local school

Day 33: Do someone else’s chore

Day 34: Walk in nature and look for beauty; pray for God to reveal more beauty in your life

(Sunday)

Day 35: Pray for the future or current spouses of your children, if no children, pray for others

Day 36: No added or artificial sugar today – where else is there sweetness in your life?

Day 37: Give someone an unexpected gift

Day 38: Educate yourself about volunteer opportunities in your community

Day 39: Share with someone a lesson that God has taught you

Day 40: Write out 40 ways in which God has blessed you during your lifetime       

Blessings,

Debra 

Trying New Things ...

If you want me to climb a tower, or cross a high bridge, no problem.  If you want me to explore a new city, let's go.  If you want me to meet new people, I'm game.  If you want to give a speech in front of a crowded room, show me the way.  If you want me to explore a new park or hike a new hill ... let me get my shoes. If you want me to try a new class at the gym, tell me what time.  I'm there.

But, if you want me to come over to your house for dinner, stress sets in.  I may make an excuse, but I may just be blunt and tell you I'd rather pick a restaurant where I know my 'safe' foods are.  It's not because I'm on a diet (which I'm not) ... or trying to eat Healthy (which I am) ... it's because trying new foods FREAKS ME OUT.  I am 44 years old, and this has been true since the day I was born.  I have no idea why, I just came this way.  No childhood trauma, no abuse, no real reason, just born this way.  This list of things I DO eat is far shorter than the list of things I DON'T eat.  I wrote about this under the tab up top called 'My Disorder'.  And quite honestly, it gets exhausting trying to explain it to people all of the time.  But I try.

However; and this is a big however, I am getting better.  I have made progress.  I don't know that I will ever be able to completely abolish my extreme sensitivity to texture, taste and smell ... but I'm working on it.  I re-introduce things.  It is tiring and it is stressful, but I do it.  I take breaks, then I start again.  I try to blog about when I try new things. I try to always remember Phil. 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me". Yesterday I tried a new Smoothie combination using Dark Chocolate Almond Milk and while I was a little nervous ... it was indeed YUMMO.  Woo Hoo.

And guess what?  I went to the doctor last week and I am no longer anemic and I no longer have PCOS. All of my numbers are good.  Great blood pressure, great cholesterol, great blood sugar, still losing weight.  All is well in this healthy habit body.  The only thing is my Vitamin D is a little low so he put me on a prescription to take once a week.  Woo Hoo.   So yes, I see my doctor regularly and I am monitored.  This is important to me, to make sure I am around for a long time to see great grand children and hike new trails with them. Meanwhile, here is a handy chart to help me along my way.

As always, make champion choices,
Debra

Measuring UP

How do you measure your progress? Make sure it is more than just the scale. Take measurements. How do your clothes fit? Take pictures of yourself, even if you hate to do so. How does your face look, your skin? How is your hair? How are your nails and teeth? What are your numbers like cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, etc. How is your mood? How is your sex drive? All of these things go into your overall health, these and more. Don't let the scale define you.

As always, make champion choices,
Debra

Remember When?

• Remember when paying for dial up was insane?
• Remember when paying for cable internet was stupid when it was free or even cheap through dial up?
• Remember when paying for a bottle of water was ridiculous and you would never do that?
• Remember when the internet was a fad?
• Remember when you couldn't really get a good workout from a home fitness video?
• Remember when your flip phone was good enough?
• Remember when paying more than $20 for a pair of jeans would never happen in your household?
• Remember when you didn't "get" facebook?
• Remember when you thought to eat healthy you had to only eat salads?
• Remember when you thought it was crazy to have a shake as a normal part of your daily meals?
• Remember when I weighed over 300 pounds?  Well, probably not, but I DO, and I never want to go there again, that is for sure.

Do you get the point here on how things change and we validate what we feel is a necessity? 
As insane as something sounds to you right now, it may just be second nature very soon.
It's time to create your very own success story. 
How can I help? 

As always, make champion choices,
Debra

Modified from a post by:  Christine Dwyer 

Asian Sloppy Joes

Servings
8

Ingredients

1 pound ground chicken 1 bag Asian Skillet Meal Seasoning 1 cup diced tomato 2 tablespoons lime juice ½ cup Wildtree Kickin’ Asian Stir-fry Sauce 8 slider buns 1 ½ cup shredded lettuce Method of Preparation Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add the ground chicken and Asian Skillet Meal Seasoning. Cook until the chicken is browned and cooked through. Add the diced tomato, lime juice, and Stir-fry Sauce. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve on buns with shredded lettuce. Can also be served with sliced cucumber, carrot, and bell pepper.

Meal Type: Appetizers,Dinner Favorites,Meals Under 450 Calories ,Kid Friendly

Wildtree Product(s): Asian Skillet Meal   Kickin' Asian Stir-fry Sauce

Nutritional Info

Calories: 280 Fat: 11g Saturated Fat: .5g Carbohydrates: 28g Fiber: 2g Protein: 15g Cholesterol: 45mg Sodium: 590mg

Baked Apple Spice Oatmeal

Servings
Serves 6

Ingredients

2 cups steel cuts oats 1 teaspoon baking powder 2 teaspoons Wildtree Hearty Oatmeal Mix-in: Sugar & Spice 1/8 teaspoon salt 2 ½ cups milk 2 tablespoons maple syrup ¾ cup walnuts 1/3 cup raisins 2 apples, diced Method of Preparation Preheat oven to 375°F. In a bowl combine the oats, baking powder, Oatmeal Mix-in, and salt. In a separate bowl whisk together the milk and syrup. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Stir in ½ cup walnuts, raisins, and apples. Transfer to a greased 8x8 baking dish. Top with remaining walnuts. Bake 35-40 minutes or until golden. Cool slightly before serving. Meal Type: Meals Under 450 Calories ,Vegetarian,Kid Friendly,Breakfast Wildtree Product(s): HEARTY OATMEAL MIX-IN: SUGAR & SPICE  Source: www.mywildtree.com/healthyhabitlady Nutritional Info Calories: 400 Fat: 14g Saturated Fat: 2g Carbohydrates: 62g Fiber: 8g Protein: 14g Cholesterol: 5mg Sodium: 200mg

Bonnie and Clyde

So my daughter got me into watching the A&E Mini Series Bonnie and Clyde on t.v. And with that, had to explain a lot of history and such and so forth regarding the story.

So just in case you don't know - they end up dead where the police ambush them and dump tons of ammo into their vehicle and they both die. SO it begged the question; if this was back in the 1930's, no GPS, no satellites, no cell phones, no internet, etc. - - how did the police track them and know where they would be? The answer is THEIR HABITS. Bonnie and Clyde had established a rather predictable pattern of visiting their folks and how they traveled and the police predicted where they thought they'd be, and ambushed them.  (I'm greatly simplifying it here, but you get the idea)

Therefore, let us be aware, that habits are as old as time. Our habits can make or break us. They can sometimes make us predictable. If someone was going to make an assumption or prediction about you - based on your habits - would it be good or bad ?

As always, make champion choices,
Debra

A Goal Without a Plan ...

You've heard it said before, a goal without a plan, is just a wish.  BUT do you believe that?

Just writing it down right now: A couple of simple, clear decisions that will move you in the direction you want to go tomorrow IS often; all that your plan needs... 

No one ever wrote down a plan to be fat, broke, stupid, lazy, unhappy, and mediocre. Those are the things that happen to you when you don't have a plan.

As always, make champion choices,
Debra