Does Size Matter?

Why, yes it does. I went to the doctor today for a quick checkup. Was filled with giddiness when she measured my blood pressure and it was 110/80. Woo Hoo!!!!!!!! So excited, I bounded around the examination table while performing my 12th-grade pep club vitriolic dance.
I know my heart wishes it could give me a big wet kiss! I, as well, wish to show my thanks to my heart for being there for me for the past 50 years by giving it some well deserved rest. Now if you'll excuse me, my heart and I are going to go swim some laps.

Butterfly Circus

If you think you can, then you can. If you think you can't, then you can't.
I just watched a very inspiring, thought provoking, attitude changing video. I hope you will watch it too and then realize we are so much more than our height, color, age, beauty, net worth, home, car, and bank account. We are all born for greatness---our birth is the gift we receive. What we make of our life is the gift we give to our maker, everyone we come in contact with and to ourselves!

http://thebutterflycircus.com/short-film/

What the Vegan

I am not a Bill Clinton fan, but I am a fan of healthy eating.


http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/08/18/bill.clinton.diet.vegan/index.html

Peanut Lo Mein

This is mostly for Zandy and Angela as I think both of you wanted this recipe and I just made it again tonight so it's fresh on my mind.
And......speaking of vegan food this is definitely that and it's also delicious!
Oh yeh, I think it's also super healthy because of all the fresh vegetables.
So here goes:
1/3 cup peanut butter (crunchy or regular)
1 teaspoon peanut oil
1 cup vegetable broth or water
1 teaspoon Chinese mustard
1 teaspoon Chinese chili sauce
1 teaspoon freshly chopped ginger
3 or 4 cloves chopped garlic
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Place all of the above in a wok or large deep skillet and heat up until it's mixed together. Then cut up the following into bite size pieces or how ever you like them cut: 1/2 bunch green onions, 4 stalks of celery, 2 carrots, 1/2 bunch of broccoli, small bunch bok choy, 1/2 head of cabbage and 6 medium-sized mushrooms.
Place the vegetables in the pan with the sauce and cook until done, limp, semi-crunchy or how ever you like your veggies.
This is really good served over whole grain spaghetti or rice or eat it all by itself like I did tonight because I didn't want the carbs but I was hungry.
PS: You can change amounts of spices according to your taste and you don't have to use the vegetables that I used as I think any would be tasty!
genieben sie, ihre nahrung su essen!

LIFE

What is most important? I miss my children. Rachel and I butt heads sometimes...well a lot of the time. I feel the tension, but I still miss her.
She is an amazing woman. She has drive, curiousity, conviction, a thirst for knowledge, creativity, and a big heart. It was a wonderful summer getting to know her as an adult and not a child living under my roof.

I've thought a lot about getting older and what a drag it is. You know wrinkles, fragile bones, hearing loss, arthritis, change-of-life, empty nest, gray hair, agility---all the things we take for granted when we are young. However, I realized one benefit of aging; seeing the accomplishments and successes of adult children. I find a great sense of pride and satisfaction when I am with them and when I see what wonderful people they have become.

Our society minimizes families which is disturbing when I think that one of the few things I can take with me when I leave this earth are my memories and the knowledge that my children are good, kind, intelligent, responsible people.

What does this have to do with a better life? Well, our lives encompass more than just physical health. We are a combination of many areas which can lead to health or sickness. Emotional health is just as important as physical health. I noticed many unhappy-looking people tonight while I was at the gym. Sure, they looked physically attractive, but many faces looked empty, lonely, or angry. I am so grateful for all my life's blessings and for daily light even in times of darkness.

Improvement

Ran one whole mile without stopping!!!!! 39 pounds....that's as much as four really big new born babies that I could have been carrying around my waist, hips, legs, butt and arms. HOLY COW!

Pump It

I think I've lost some of my double chin. Always happy to have less to show off.

Attended the Body Pump class all by myself. I went up the stairs and got my weights and mat ready then ran, yes I said ran down the stairs to use the lady's room. It's funny, I was running down the stairs and I didn't realize what I'd done until I got to the bottom.
It's the little milestones that keep me motivated and give me encouragement. Rachel told me the first time I attended the Body Pump class that if I continued going I would begin to enjoy it. She's absolutely right!

School starts next week so I won't be able to go on Wednesday mornings. However, I have been strategizing how I will plan my day out so that I can make it to the evening classes.