Noe News is Good News

We are now herbivores

Ever since I had shingles last year, I have been "mostly" vegan as I would tell people. I've got to admit though that it was really hard being the only one in my family who eats that way. It was easy for me to make excuses here and there to eat something that I didn't necessarily believe in- like chocolate with lots of milk in it! Or towards the beginning of this pregnancy I was REALLY craving hamburgers- good ones- not like the McDonalds kind and so I ate them on occasion. I feel it was important at the time to listen to my body! Adam has always been big on protein so I didn't really have hope he'd see things my way any time soon. 

A few months ago I was reading a blog I follow (Whole Foods Vegan Momma) when she mentioned a documentary called Forks over Knives. I decided that I wanted to watch it, but didn't get around to it at first. Then my mom mentioned watching it so I finally put it on. Adam happened to be home so he watched it with me- and boy did it change our lives around. After watching the documentary, my meat loving husband was all of the sudden convinced he needed to eat a plant based diet. With all the evidence and research that had been done on the subject, it was hard to deny that this was the way to go. And I'm not talking just vegan here. There are plenty of unhealthy vegan options out there. We chose to follow a whole foods plant based diet- as little processed food as possible and organic as possible. Because of my husbands very dedicated nature, we have had a lot of success. AND my husband has discovered a new love for cooking and he's an amazing chef!! I don't even miss all the other stuff we used to eat because what he makes is SO GOOD! He's really good with spices and flavoring. We limit our oil intake to a minimum as well- unless it comes from the actual food. For example, we LOVE avacados! 

After that documentary we went on to watch Food Inc. and Food Matters which were also really eye opening. Don't watch Food Inc. if you love your fast food! Plant based diets have cured heart disease, diabetes AND some cancers too as well as many other illnesses. Imagine everything you can PREVENT by eating this way! Because of Adam's extra research, we also get plenty of protein as well. There's lots of good stuff out there!! 

The kids have been a little bit of a challenge... they miss their Chick-fil-A sometimes. But after seeing how those chickens have been raised I just can't let myself be the one to feed them that stuff and they seem to get it when we explain why we don't take them there anymore. Instead, Adam and I have made this decision: if the kids are with friends or at school, we are not going to be picky about what they eat. We believe that everything in moderation won't kill ya. Adam has been pretty hard core, but I'll admit to having had chocolate and a few other things on very rare occasions when it has been offered to me. I think I once even had Chipotle's bowl with chicken in it- but I didn't feel bad about it because it was organic and well raised chicken.  

I have never felt better and have never had a healthier pregnancy. Although it's been a rough pregnancy physically (bad nausea in the beginning, a broken arm and moving etc.) my weight has been great. Because I was overweight to start with, I lost a bit in the beginning and at 8 month pregnant and just now back to my pre-pregnancy weight. I feel good about this and know it's because of my dietary changes.

You know how when you discover something really cool you just want to tell the world? Well, that's why I'm sharing. We would never force this on anyone but we are quite passionate about it so I wanted to pass it along! I know some people probably think we're a little strange and we even make fun of ourselves because of our new all-natural attitude calling ourselves hippies... but we both seriously feel SO GOOD and don't plan to EVER turn back! I'm not getting into a lot of detail about any of the documentaries because I figured if you are curious you will watch them for yourselves and you can come to your own conclusions :) But let me just say if it can convince my meat loving husband to turn plant-based, it's got to be pretty powerful stuff!

I'll occasionally share some of our favorite meals and recipes too- because they are yummy! Adam makes amazing tomato soup, salsa, curries, tofu nuggets, rice bowls, flat bread and salads. We also love our whole wheat pancakes and cinnamon rolls!! Even if you're NOT vegan you would love some of this stuff!! 

A Supportive Husband

In trying to live a healthier lifestyle, I thought I would clash a little with Adam. He has always been way big into protein and meat yadi yada. And I think I talked about this before... but I was afraid he wouldn't support my new almost vegan lifestyle. But I was wrong. He has embraced all my findings and has even dropped most dairy out of his diet. He eats Vegan meals with me. And he goes out of his way to bring me new healthy meals to eat. Today I tried a Kashi meal that was so delicious! I couldn't believe it.



It's completely Vegan and is made with Plantains! (like bananas) It was so delicious it actually makes me want to learn to cook so I can make amazing vegan meals like this!!

But he goes beyond that, as today proved. He does research for me too! We're learning so much about this miracle that our body is- God has truly made no mistakes with us. Today Adam sent me an article he came accross about Lymph. Have you heard of it? You've probably heard of Lymph nodes... we have some located in the back of our throat that get swollen when we get sick but we have them other places too. (and mine were terribly swollen when I got shingles!!)

Lymph is a clear-to-white fluid made of:

• White blood cells, especially lymphocytes, the cells that attack bacteria in the blood
• Fluid from the intestines called chyle, which contains proteins and fats

(from here)

The thing is, the only way to help circulate this fluid through your body is through moving!!

Adam and I recently read that you are more likely to get cancer and heart disease if you watch TV. We didn't get it. Now we do!! I'm including the whole article in this post just so I can have it in my blog book, but you can go here to see the source and find out other neat info!

Get your lymph moving and shed cellulite.

Every second of every day, your body’s cells are producing waste products—and dying. Bacteria, cancer cells, environmental toxins, and other harmful agents are also moving throughout your body.

Lymph is a clear fluid that carries these unwanted wastes away from the cells, produces immune protectors, and collects digested fat from the food we eat—depositing it directly into the bloodstream—bypassing the liver. Another superb organ of detoxification, the lymph channels are your body’s drainage system.

A complex network of needle-thin tubes carries lymph fluid (filled with fat globules, toxins, and excess liquid) to your lymph nodes where these wastes are filtered and neutralized. Lymph may be the most important part of the body that most people have never heard of!

Gerald Lemole, MD, an AMA Physician’s Recognition Award recipient, says that the lymphatic system also protects heart health. That’s because lymph circulation helps HDL (healthy) cholesterol scavenge excess fat from your arteries.

There’s only one catch to this highly effective system of garbage disposal—lymph (unlike blood circulating through your body) has no pump (like your heart) to keep it circulating. You need to move lymph yourself—by moving your body and breathing deeply.

When the Flow Won’t Go
Our increasingly sedentary lifestyle is bad news for lymph circulation. Plus, the everyday stress we live under also stresses the lymphatic system. Like the liver, the lymph can get overloaded with environmental pollutants and other harmful wastes.

When lymph isn’t flowing effectively, your tissues aren’t draining excess fluid. This creates a backlog, leading to bloating. Waterlogged tissues can cause your body to swell up two extra sizes—packing on an extra ten to fifteen pounds—yikes!

Slow flowing lymph can also cause cellulite—that dimply, cottage cheese-like fat that’s all too often found on the thighs, stomach, and buttocks. Finally, bacteria, cancer cells, and toxins remain in your body—where they can damage your cells and health.

Move That Lymph
The good news is it’s easy to get your lymph flowing again. And when you do, you’ll tone your body and enjoy smooth, glowing skin. Cellulite and cravings will disappear, along with bloating—only to be replaced with radiant good health.

Here’s how to make that happen:

1. Breathe deeply. Inhale slowly through your nose and exhale through your mouth, making an “a-h-h-h” sound against the back of your throat. Deep, regulated breathing massages the thorax and all the lymph vessels in your chest, helping HDL cholesterol get where it needs to go.

2. Don’t sit too long. Sedentary people are most at risk for heart disease because lymph flow through the thoracic cavity is limited. Sitting packs on pounds too! Even if your work keeps you at a desk, get up and walk around every hour or so to get lymph flowing again.

3. Rebound. Bouncing on a mini-trampoline is the best exercise I know to get lymph moving effectively. Low-impact rebounding acts to gently move lymph (along with wastes), and the light pressure on the thighs activates lymph drainage. Within two weeks, ankles, buttocks, stomach, and thighs will look toned and dimpled fat will begin to disappear.

Is that interesting or what?? Another reason that proves why exercise can actually help keep you from getting sick too!!

A little snack

 

A gal has got to have her chocolate... does anyone else out there know what I mean?? I admit that I am an emotional eater... so when I am under some stress, I need my chocolate. Good thing dark chocolate in small amounts is actually good for you and full of antioxidants!! Adam gets me bars of dark chocolate from the store every once in a while. They are usually gourmet since other dark chocolates like Dove or Hersheys still have milk in them. Some have fruit chunks in them and others are pure chocolate ranging from 65-80% cocoa. For a snack, I like to grab a handful of almonds, some craisins and a piece of chocolate (a square or two). Then, I will nibble off a little piece of chocolate, throw in an almond or two and some craisins for a nice little happy dance in my mouth. This is really my favorite. And the funny thing is, this actually satisfies me. I used to eat a whole candy bar in one sitting!

I've lost 10 pounds so far this past month! Eating real chocolate and other yummy stuff :)

My Favorite Salad

Ok- so this is the salad I've been telling you about.



It's seriously so delicious. The pomegranates burst in your mouth and have a little crunch, and each bit also has a little bit of sweetness with the fresh apples and candied pecans. You barely know you're eating a salad although I really do like salads.

So here's the recipe!

Dressing:
½ cup olive oil (not extra virgin)
2 tbs. white vinegar
Juice of 2-3 limes (you can use pre-squeezed juice as well – just how much it says for each lime)
1 clove garlic (again – I use the already minced garlic in the jar)
¼ cup squeeze honey (like a honey bear type)
Handful cilantro (grab leaves in your hand and rip off the stems)

Blend together in blender until all the chunks are gone.

Salad:
1 package Dole Spring Mix
1 package Baby Spinach
1 package crumbled FETA (I didn't use- but it tastes great with it)
Green onions
Apples or pears – chopped small with skin
Candied pecans – heat brown sugar and pecans in pan until caramelizes
Pomegranate – peeled and seeded

Mix together and toss with dressing.

Too bad pomegranates are out of season- but if you get your hands on some and try this out let me know what you think! And thanks again Stacie for the recipe!

Valentines Cupcakes

Last Wednesday for church we made valentines which we will take to a nursing home this coming Wednesday. We figured they would get a lot of visits on Christmas so a valentines day visit might be refreshing. We each brought something to eat- and I was excited to make some adorable cupcakes that I saw on Martha Stewart's website.

But I have a funny story to share... I was out of vegetable oil. Ha ha. So I used olive oil instead. Please don't laugh- I really had to make them. When the cupcakes and brownies were done, I broke my vegan diet for a second to make sure they tasted alright. And thankfully they did! So I call it a success. I just colored some pre-made vanilla frosting to pink and topped with heart shaped mini-brownies. I think they were kinda cute!

Making Biscuits

My mother-in-law and Joselyn treated us to a breakfast of Biscuits and gravy on Saturday morning! Here's what I walked into after finishing up a photo shoot with my sister and her family:

And I must say- the biscuits were delicious!

What do you do when your 2 year old is a better cook than you are?? Hmm....

Landen milestones

I have been terrible at documenting milestones this time around with Landen... I guess they just don't seem as big to me anymore? And yet, I am amazed once again by babies. I truly believe they are not the helpless little humans we think they are.

Today Landen rolled over. I was talking to a friend online when he started rolling to his side (which he has been doing for a while) and then started grabbing at things. I just knew he was trying to roll over. How do babies know that they're supposed to roll over? Landen doesn't even like being on his tummy and we've never showed him how to roll over or anything- it's like an instinct or something. It was just so cute though- he was so proud of himself. Made me smile.

Of course he's always getting some love from his big sis

He's a perfect little grabber now too. WIll grab at everything- especially my hair. Oh and other places that hurt like crazy when I am feeding him. Yeah, ouch.

The other day we gave him rice cereal for the first time too. He really seemed to enjoy it but didn't eat much. We have decided to wait a little while longer on this though because he was up screaming ALL NIGHT after that feeding.

 

He looks so much like Joselyn did that age... except a lot bigger. and a rounder face. They both have this little finger thing going on. So cute.

Ok, back to Landen.

He wanted to hold the spoon.

Sorry, little guy, that you have to wait a little while longer to get more real food.

Cookie Exchange

Today the Kravetz Family had our annual Christmas cookie exchange. We usually invite others to join, but it's been so hectic this year we decided to keep it within the family. So after spending some of the morning doing some organizing and cleaning (to get ready for Landen), Adam and I got busy making cookies.

The guys' cookie contest was actually Adam's idea. He thought it would be fun to give baking cookies a try and suggested some of the other men in the family get involved as well. Adam made some brownie cookies all by himself, and I was VERY impressed. Not really surprised though. They even LOOKED great!

Joselyn was a big fan of the brownie cookies. Since we knew the kitchen would become a mess, we laid a plastic mat on the floor for her and let her join in on the fun. She loves cleaning her hands and face off after she gets dirty from eating. In fact, she will hardly let us clean her off anymore.

Yeah, we hung out in our PJ's all day in the kitchen. It was a great way to spend our last Saturday as a family of 3!

The girls each made 6 dozen of 2 different kinds of cookies. I kind of took the easy route since baking is really hard on my back right now. I made peanut butter cookies and no bake cookies. They both turned out pretty good!

Joselyn did pretty good in the beginning as far as entertaining herself goes. She climbed into a little box all by herself after I gave her one of the peanut butter cookies to taste. It was so dang cute!

After a while, Joselyn got a little restless and I spent the rest of my afternoon listening to her 'complain' and cry as I finished up all my cookies. Then we spent some quality time hanging out on the couch- a new favorite place for her to play. She loves to just sit in the corner of our sectional. She gets this look like she is so proud of herself... or she must feel like such a big girl for being able to sit on the big people couch.

At around 6:30 we headed over to my parents for some chili and the cookie exchange. It was lots of fun! My mom and Chelsea made some awesome cookies as usual and I was VERY impressed with what my dad and Seth made for the cookie competition. We ended up not even having a competition because they were all just so good in their own way!

Here's a list of the cookies we ended up with.

-Turtle cookies (mom)
-Mini pecan pies (mom)
-Turtle bars (Seth)
-Peanut butter reindeer cookies (Seth- these were SOOO cute!)

-Classic but delicious chocolate chip cookies (Chelsea)
-Oreo balls (Chelsea)

-No Bake Christmas Tree cookies (dad)
-Fruit filled cookies in Apricot and Raspberry (dad)
-Brownie cookies (Adam)

... and the ones I made, of course.

All in all we ended up with TONS of cookies to bring home. Don't ask me what we're going to do with them! Take them to the hospital to munch on maybe?? Give them to the nurses? Live off of them for the next few weeks? Who knows. Adam claims they won't last long.

I have the BEST mom

When I am having a bad day, I call my mom. Always. Maybe it's because she knows me better than anyone else in this respect, but she always knows just what to say or do when I am stressed out, worried or sad. Today was a rough day for me filled with a lot of crying and worrying... and as always, my mom knew exactly what to say to bring me comfort... while being straight-forward and honest. But a tradition I simply love was started about a year ago when she brought me a delicious tart from Fresh Market after I had a rough day. It was an instant favorite of mine... something I crave often but never buy because they are so expensive for something so small. The shortbread crust is just the right amount of crunchy, topped with a very thin layer of chocolate, lots of whipped cream and HEAPED with blueberries, raspberries and strawberries. (it is a terrible picture which doesn't do the real thing justice, but I had a very bad lighting situation... and yet I wanted to capture a photo... Adam made fun of me when I was taking the picture saying "only YOU would take a picture of that..." lol)

Ever since that day, my mom brings me this delicious tart when I've had a bad day... although it still always manages to be a sweet surprise. And of course with the tart comes the treat of her visit and company which I enjoy even more. I just feel so blessed to have her as my mother... I always know she cares when I have a bad day and I appreciate all she does to cheer me up. Seriously... who could ask for a better mother/friend?

Thanks to everyone else who also made today bearable... I have the best friends and family in the whole entire world. I don't know how many people really understood just how rough this day was for me even though I knew that Joselyn would eventually be ok. All the comments, e-mails, chats and phone calls were very much appreciated.

Thought you would all want to know that Joselyn went down peacefully tonight with a nice normal temperature of 98.9 degrees... a big relief to Adam and I especially after her fever of 104 earlier on in the day. We now feel at peace that she's going to be just fine and back to herself in no time!

A few of my favorite things...

I was a little nostalgic today and started reading some entries from my OLD blog from about 3 years ago... when I had to come up with things to write about on my own because I didn't have a child or pregnancy to write about. I started it around November 2005 a little after I got married. I found a list of my 'goals' and 'favorite things' back then and was surprised that they were almost all STILL my favorite things... and that some of my dreams and goals listed have started to become a reality. I thought I would list them here again, just for fun, and so some of you can get to know me a little better! (you might be surprised how much you DON'T know about me!) This must come with a warning though... it's a LONG list!

These are a few of my favorite things and why:
Written November 23rd, 2005

• Mugs... I don't know... they are just cute. I always imagined having a collection of them in a hutch in my dining room or displayed in my kitchen somehow
• Elephants... I started loving them in Thailand. Elephants would walk around on the streets (with the cars) and had little lights attached to their tails so that cars would not run over them. You could feed them and they would do tricks for you. I bought a bunch of things there with elephants on it because they hold them sacred there. But I really think I started loving them most after Adam sent me a stuffed Elephant for Christmas that he stuffed himself at some teddy-bear shop they have in the mall. That little stuffed animal made me so happy and every time I would miss Adam I would just hug it at night.
• Anything little... Adam always makes fun of me because if I see anything miniature it is automatically 'cute'. This will explain a lot of my favorites
• Baby clothes... my friends used to make fun of me for this one because when we would go to the mall, I would always want to stop by Baby Gap and Gymboree instead of Abercrombie and Fitch and American Eagle which were some of my favorite stores when I was in High School. I actually even worked at Gymboree for quite some time. I still hold that up high as one of my most favorite jobs ever!! I would love it when the new lines would come out and I would be the first to see all the cute little outfits.
• Hearing someone say they love me
• When someone forgives me for something that I did
• Going to church and feeling all good inside
• Frozen Grapes... well any kind of frozen fruit for that matter. SOOO delicious and a healthy snack too!
• KENTUCKY!!! I love it here... the rolling hills, the seasons, the horses... it's beautiful here. When I was flying back from Utah after attending BYU for a while, I promised myself to never leave here again unless absolutely necessary after seeing the beautiful green horse farms from the air. (except when I am traveling of course!)
• Traveling... I love seeing new places and meeting new people.
• Road Trips
• Babies... this one is probably obvious because I am so obsessed with talking about my new niece! They are just precious gifts from Heavenly Father
• Snow... not so much playing in it although that is fun sometimes... I just like sitting next to a huge window and watching it fall so peacefully
• Big Windows that stretch from floor to ceiling.(I sit next to one where I work and hope I will have lots of these in my future dream house!)
• Fireplaces... one of the best dreams I ever had was when I was in Thailand. In my dream I was married to Adam and we had a little baby girl... probably about 1 year old. She had on a fuzzy white sweater, little blue jeans, little shoes and her short brown hair were in little pigtails. We were all playing together in front of a beautiful stone fireplace, smiling and laughing, next to a huge window while the snow was falling. I woke up so happy and content.
• hoops and yoyo... they are these characters on Hallmark.com that always make me smile
• Stickers... I have collected these for a long time now.
• Stationery... I have collected a lot over the years. Writing letters is something I love to do but hardly find time to do. But I love cute and creative stationery sets or note cards.
• Interior Design... when I was little I used to make floor plans and put furniture in them. It was my favorite thing to do.
• Nature Walks... there is nothing more peaceful than taking a walk through the woods and enjoying God's creations.
• Fall... everything about it. Sweaters, the falling leaves, the colorful trees, football games, Thanksgiving, pumpkin pies, cuddling, the smell, EVERYTHING!!! It's a VERY romantic time of the year.
• Spring... the flowers in bloom, the colorful trees here in Kentucky and the warm afternoon sun just help bring a smile to my face!
• Sunsets and Sunrises
• Martha Stewart magazines... they may not be all original ideas by Martha, but I love all the ideas! I have some of her kids, wedding and baby issues as well.
• The Ocean... nothing beats sitting at the edge of the water and hearing those waves crash to the shore... and collecting seashells and looking out to the horizon to see how small you are compared to the never ending ocean.
• Taking Pictures... one of my dreams is to become a photographer. I have always loved to take pictures
• Picture Albums and Picture frames... I love looking at pictures because for me they are such a good way of capturing a feeling or moment. So I take as many pictures as I can and stick them in picture frames and albums so I can look at them often
• Cardio Theatre... every morning when I go to the gym, this is where I go. It's so cook because I can get on my elliptical machine and it's dark... so no one has to see me sweat, and at the same time I have something to watch so time goes by quickly. Usually, I listen to home-made CD's as well.
• Eyes... they are the window to the soul and one of the most beautiful things God has created. I could study someone's eyes forever. They are SO interesting!
• Dashboard Confessionals... I love every kind of music that you can imagine, but no one has more talent than this group of guys right here!!! Their lyrics are so thought-provoking and full of emotion. You can relate to every song that they sing
• Smallville... hardly do I miss an episode. I think my favorite part about it is that it's Adam's favorite too so it's a for sure date for us to cuddle up on the couch together.
• Extreme Home Makeover... I would love to be a part of this show... not only do they get to help people in need, they get to buy lots of cool furniture and design some amazing rooms! I always cry... because the design team is so full of great and giving people
• Shopping... I don't care if you don't believe me, but it really does make me feel better!
• Joseph Beth Booksellers... you'll never know a neater bookstore. There are lots of places to cuddle on leather sofas not to mention a cute little cafe with the best steamed cows and cheesecake and the neatest little trinkets!
• Christmas Trees... Even now, I still love to fall asleep next to the Christmas tree and watch lights as they chase eachother around. To me, the feelings I get as I watch the tree symbolize the peace and happiness we feel during the Christmas Season
• Hot Chocolate with marshmallows... makes me feel all warm inside! I love coming to work with a mug of hot chocolate to start my cold winter days
• Glow in the dark stars
• Dove Chocolate... THE BEST
• Fire and Ice roses... the white ones with the red fringe, or the yellow ones with the red fringe. Adam used to bring me roses all the time when I worked at Lowe's. He would also bring a bottle of water for me to use as a vase. How sweet!
• pillow fights... I always lose to Adam but I've never laughed harder in my life!
• Kisses on the forehead from Adam... I can't explain how sweet this is...
• My mom's pumpkin pie
• First kisses... there's no feeling that can match this! I got to have two with Adam... one when we first met, and the second when I came back from my mission...
• Singing along to my favorite songs in the car... my favorite sing along song is "Stay" by Lisa Loeb and "Head Over Feet" by Alanis Morrisette
• Getting mail or packages from friends in the mail
• A long soak in the bathtub filled with bubbles with candles and soothing music... (I hardly EVER get to do this)
• Going Driving down pretty roads or looking at houses decorated with Christmas lights (a family favorite)
• Laying in bed under the covers listening to the rain outside
• Warm clothes out of the dryer on a cold day
• A good conversation
• Finding money in my pocket that I didn't know was there!
• Inside Jokes... Adam and I have so many... a lot of people would think we are weird but I love out inside jokes and sayings... they make me smile more than anything else!
• Girls night out!!
• Someone playing with my hair
• Wrapping presents for people and seeing them open them and loving the gift you gave!
• Making cookies and eating some cookie dough
• Hearing my husband play the guitar and singing me songs... especially the ones he wrote for me
• The feeling you get after a really good workout
• Hugs from Adam... I always feel so loved!
• Knowing what each other is thinking just by a glance
• My family... our memories that we've shared and the memories to come
• Stories told by my mother about when I was young
• Watching Home Videos
• Catalogs... I order as many as I can and keep every single one of them (some of my favorites... Pottery Barn and West Elm)
• Christmas... the spirit of it... Almost everyone is in a good mood and are more thoughtful
• blankets... even when it's hot I love having a blanket
• Seeing a smile on my husband's face and knowing I did something that made him smile
• Playing with a puppy or kitten
• Finding something I love on sale
• Keeping a journal
• Drawing picture
• making lists... I made a lot of these on my mission
• Surfing the web and finding cool websites... I love Keri Smith and Sabrina Ward Harrison.
• Getting e-mails that have cute pictures in them
• Zebra pens... they write the best
• Making a goal and accomplishing that goal
• A Clean House (all the dishes are done, the floors are swept and everything is organized... it's such a good feeling!)
• Scrapbooking... (and looking at scrapbooking ideas online)
• Making homemade cards for Christmas, Birthdays etc...
• The smell of shampoo in my hair :^)
• A good movie
• Getting over a cold... (I appreciate my health so much more!)
• Scented Candles... TONS of them... lit all over the house with all the lights out.
• Christmas Songs
• Cool pens... any kind of pen that has a neat effect or color... my favorites are the Sakura pens
• Going Christmas Caroling... when I was younger (in AZ), the whole Bateman clan would climb on a trailer pulled by a tractor and we would sit on bales of hay and sing Christmas songs together. We would ride through a grove of orange trees until we got to a certain place where we would drink hot chocolate with marshmallows and we would also roast marshmallows and hotdogs and bananna boats. That was so much fun!
• Carriage rides. When I was in High School we would go to Louisville for either Choir or Beta club and that's one thing we would do at night when we had free time. Adam and I have also went for a ride in downtown Lexington. They give you a little tour of all the historic sites... it's so neat!
• Opal stones. They are so pretty. I could stare at one all day.
• Sappy love songs... Delila on 96.9 KISS FM

Free time

I wish I had more free time on my hands to do the things I loved... I know that in order to appreciate life we need to make sacrifices but there are so many things I would love to do that I just feel I don't have enough time to do! I'm thinking that when I have children I will have more time to do those things that I love, but most people would probably think that I am naive in thinking that. As for now, I have to work so that Adam and I can pay our bills etc...

I would love to stay at home at write letters to my friends that I have not heard from in forever...
I would love to write in my journal more...
I would love to type up all the letters that Adam and I wrote to eachother when I was in Thailand...
I would love to be able to finish my Thailand scrapbook...
I would love to finish the 2 quilts that I started!
I would love to be out in the nature more and take more walks...
I would love to spend more time with my niece, Autumn...
I would love to spend more time with my Sister, Chelsea...
I would love to go out to lunch with my parents more...
I would love to support my brothers more in their separate endeavors...
I would love to be able to wake up in the morning and just sip on some hot chocolate and watch Martha Stewart, Clean Sweep, and a Baby Story...
I would love to be able to be in more control of what I eat...
I want to be more active!!!
I would love to be able to go to the library and check out all these wonderful books...
I would absolutely love to start taking some online classes!!!
I would love to curl up on the couch and actually finish a book for once...
I would love to be able to take out my art supplies and just have some fun...
I would love to be able to write some songs...
I would love to create my own website and update it every day...
I want to explore websites and blogs of interesting people...
I would love to find out more about my ancestors and learn about their lives...
I would love to be able to make my husband breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday... he SOOOOO deserves it!!
I want to be a better friend... and have time to go visit them and invite them over...

Oh, the things I would do if I had more time!! As for now, I just need to learn how to manage my time so that I can accomplish the MOST IMPORTANT things... which are to make sure my husband knows that I love him and that I do the things that my Heavenly Father would have me do.