My Hispanic Love Affair

February1st-

We went to a Cuban Restaurant for our friends Birthday party.  I stayed strong but BOY was it tough...  I love Hispanic ANYTHING!   Puerto Rican food... Cuban food... Dominican food.. Mexican food...  Puerto Rican people, Cuban people, Dominican people, Mexican people-  Are my Kind of People!   The music... the flavors... the laughter... the language.. the dancing.. the kisses.. the warm embraces.. I am a Latina en mi corazon...  

My Hispanic love affair-    Since I was a babe Hispanic people have been in my life.  My two aunts are Latina: one from PR one of Dominican dissent. I remember at family gatherings just listening to them speak Spanish together and my love affair began.  Since then God has surrounded me with Latinos... and I LOVE IT!   When I was 12 we went to PR for my uncles wedding.  I will never forget dancing the night away.
Oaxaca Mexico-  my heart is there.   A dear friends' parents are missionaries there and I went there during two summers to love on the people there and encourage them in their faith.
My neighbors... my co workers... my second Mom in Lancaster...  God always has my heart united with Latinos...
AND then the ultimate love affair with my Handome, Sexy, Latin Lover Husband.    However, I am more Hispanic than he.  I speak the language.. and my soul is very flavorful.  Mike is as white as they come; nerd to the core and I adore him.  I bring out the Latino in him.  I try to teach him Spanish but he always says the words with an Italian accent. LOL  He was adopted into an Italian family.  He knows he is Hispanic but he doesn't know exactly from which dissent.   It's all good.... his beautiful tan skin is my only reminder of his heritage.   I sure hope we have brown babies some day.  ;)

So.... to be at a Cuban Restaurant and not eat the food was tough.  I had a salad with grilled chicken... my usual.   The smells, the music, the décor made up for the flavors my taste buds were missing.

Dream-   to Salsa dance with my husband one day.  

#Forward

February 1st- 30 Day Domestic Diva Challenge

30 Day Cleaning Challenge!

 

 

 

I came home from work one day to a letter from a dear dear friend with a 30 day Cleaning Schedule enclosed!   We were roommates for years and I always admired her fierce diligence to keeping the house clean.  She would even scrub the baseboards about once a week ! I mean, who does that?  I guess I probably should. :)    She has read my blog and knows that one of my goals this year is to be a Domestic Diva.  I am so thankful for this Schedule!    So today is Day 1 of the Cleaning Challenge! 

 

My typical cleaning routine is to do everything in one day but then I feel stressed about it.  So my new goal is to do a little every day.

 

Day 1- Surface Clean-  Living room and Kitchen (pick up, dust, sweet, and vacuum)  I got this! 

 

 

Last day of Month 1

 

I'm pretty sick.

 

BUT, I completely stayed on plan.

 

Meal 1- Cappuccino

Meal 2- Chicken noodle soup

Meal 3- Wild Rice Soup

Meal 4- Choc PB bar

Meal 5-Mac N Cheese with Tuna and broccoli added

Snack- sugar free cherry jello

 

Lots of Blueberry Tea and Water

 

Last day of JANUARY!!!!!  

 

TOMORROW:  Monthly pictures and Measurements to take.  Cant wait!!!!!!

day 30- Eating and Emotions

Meal 1- Cappuccino
Meal 2- Choc pb bar
Meal 3- Caramel crunch bar
Meal 4- Hot cocoa
Meal 5- Choc chip pancakes 2 tbs sugar free syrup
Meal 6- Two scrambled eggs
Meal 7- Choc chip cookie smidge 2 percent milk

Water and hot Tea galore

I am feeling a 'cold' a brewin'.  The past two nights I have felt sinus=ey.   I am thinking that in the past when I have started to feel sick, or when I am sick I have liked to medicate myself with food.  Who knew? This must be a prior habit because the past two nights I just want to eat..  and I have been upset because nothing seems to satiate.

I know that part of this journey is to figure out why I have turned to food to satisfy my soul instead of the Lord.    I am assuming it's because food can be instantly gratifying... tangibly satisfying.  I can see it, smell it, taste it.  The Lord offers peace, refuge, unconditional love, joy and so much more.  When you compare the lists it seems a no brainer that I would turn to the One who can offer all this, than turn to food for a temporary 'feeling'.  So.. I press on  toward the Prize... my heavenly Prize. 
EVERYTHING and EVERY part of life is to point us to becoming more like Christ.   Things we go through teach us patience... perseverance... how to love... how to forgive... how to serve.  Conquering my food addiction will bring glory to God  as I learn to love myself and others more freely.. as I persevere.. as I forgive myself... as I am more free to serve others because I am not so bound in my chains of addiction.

 

Day 29- Pound jar and Vision Board!

On the TSFL facebook support page I found this idea:

 

I have tons of letter stickers from my scrapbooking crafty days. So I busted out my crafty bin. I  bought the jars and blue stones from the Dollar Tree.  I broke it down into half pounds. Every half pound lost I get to move it to the Pounds Lost jar! 

 

100 pounds in 2013!  Let's do this!

 

I also have started a Vision Board upon my Health Coach's suggestion.

 

I am excited for where this journey is going to lead me!

4 weeks down.... 48 to go!

 



Day 28

Meal 1- choc mint bar
Meal 2- Lemon Merengue bar
Meal 3- part lean and green at a lunch meeting for work- 4 oz grilled chicken, small salad, pickles
Meal 4- choc pb bar
Meal 5- Choc chip cookie, smidge milk
Meal 6- part lean Turkey taco meat, 1 tsp salsa, 1 tsp sour cream, .5 oz cheese

Feelin good!

Week 4 weigh in

Down -4.8  woot woot

Total lost- 21.3    in 4 weeks    craziness!!!!!!


Lean and Green yesterday-    Turkey Tacos salad!   I love Mexican food... Hispanic food in general actually.    I got a recipe for homemade taco seasoning from my Health Coach.   I was so skeptical that it would taste good... but of course it did!   I shredded up some Vermont Cabot Sharp Cheddar 75% less fat cheese,  had about 7 oz of meat, a bit of salsa and a few tsps. of sour cream.  Holler!!  SOO GOOD.   I didn't miss the taco shell at all.

Me gusta la comida Mexicana!  

My hubs keeps saying I am getting smaller.  I can feel his arms around me closer.  Gotta say... that feels good.   We call my back side my 'shelf''.  It's a term of endearment so don't be offended for me. My bootay has a mind of it's own.   So he keeps saying how my shelf is getting smaller too.  Yay!

P.s.- I am so so so thankful for hubs. He is really genuinely supportive and loving through it all.   I feel also like I am able to love him a little better because maybe I love myself a little better.  He is so proud of me and emotionally there for me.  God hooked me up!  I married him because I always felt 'emotionally safe' with him.  He has never made me feel like my emotions were silly.  Well actually once and I freaked out.  LOL  so maybe I scared it out of him.   I have always felt 'physically safe' with him too.  Like even though I am overweight he still thinks I'm beautiful and sexy.  I'm going to go jump in bed and snuggle a bit before shower time. Hee Hee.  LOVE HIM!