Fun with Friends

Thankful Thursday: Solids & Organization

It's thankful Thursday time! We all have so much to be thankful for and we love to take this opportunity just to write down each and everything that comes to mind. Please take this time to share with us what you're thankful for as well. If you have a blog expressing your thankfulness, please share the link! Without further ado, here's what we're thankful for:

Mandi's List:

I'm thankful for solids....because I'm still not really eating them. I'm still unable to bite down fully and avoiding getting food into the back of my mouth (except to swallow of course). And boy oh boy do I miss crunchy, chewable foods! I am so thankful that they exist and I will never take them for granted again.

I'm thankful for organization. As Ronnie mentioned in his post yesterday, we've been doing some organizing and man does it feel awesome. I'm so thankful for the areas in our home that are now a little more organized.

I'm thankful for ice cream. Because I'm limited on what I can eat, I figure getting plenty of calories...from ice cream...is a must, right?! I have been milking this whole thing for all it's worth - making sure I have ice cream daily! I'm pretty sure it's just what the doctor ordered.

Ronnie's List:

I'm thankful for a wife who knows what I need. Mandi saw that I was a bit "off", so she did something about it. And, as any perfect :) wife, she knew exactly what needed to be done. When I went off to bible study, she got to work. I came home to a super clean house, organized pantry, organized office closet and organized hall closet. I still don't know how she got everything done in just 1.5 hours!!!

I'm thankful for an organized office. As I alluded to in yesterday's blog, organization is essential. It's especially essential if I want to be efficient while working. Seeing what Mandi did while I was away inspired me to get my office organized...with Mandi's help of course!! We moved furniture. Put away papers. Threw out unneeded stuff. It feels like an entirely new room.

I'm thankful for a more relaxed nutrition plan. After 12 weeks and many pounds down on the scale (more on that later), I'm thankful that I'm able to loosen the belt a bit. I had not eaten sugar for 12 weeks, so the first day I was able, I had a bite of birthday cake. Yup, just as good as I remember :)

So, what are you thankful for today?

Organization is Essential

I think we'd all agree that we need water to survive. We could all make a case that food is necessary. Those of us in the CF community would not do so well if treatments were taken away. I may be reaching here (okay, I'm definitely reaching here), but I'd like to add the act and the finished product of organizing. Mandi and I recently finished an organization project (and by "and" I of course mean, mostly Mandi) and I can't tell you the difference it makes.

I was starting to unravel a bit in the chaos known as my office. I had papers strewn all over the place, used medication vials that missed the trashcan shoved into a corner and documents to be filed were piled a mile (That's some Dr. Seuss stuff right there!!) high all over my desk.

Mandi saw that I was "off" and after working her magic, that has all changed.

I've identified 5 things that are a result of an organized office that I hope convinces you just how essential organization really is.

An organized space re-energizes.

I was really looking forward to get to work today. Instead of worrying about what I was going to tackle first or the order of which I was going to check stuff off the list, I was instead focused on how eager I was to actually get it done. Today, it feels more like an opportunity then work. I'm very curious to see how much more efficient this makes me and how much more productive, as a result of energy, I'm able to be.

An organized desk makes it easier to "check stuff of the list".

One of the biggest keys to getting stuff done and being productive, is to know what actually needs to be done! It's also helpful to have some semblance of order by which things need to be done - whether they are time sensitive or because I need to check off box "a" before moving on to box "b". With most of the stuff that was on my desk put away into their proper places, I am now able to clearly see (literally) what needs to be done.

An organized room helps to "de-stress".

You've probably read in past blogs that I've written that stress is not something that I struggle with often. I have to say though, yesterday I was starting to feel the tightening of my scapula muscles which for me is a sure sign of stress. I didn't know which way was up and which way was down when to turn left or where to turn right, all I knew was the way I was going about how my "office" was running was not the most efficient.

An organized file system makes it easier to pull vital material.

I can't tell you the number of times I've said, “I know I put X,Y or Z in this pile”. I then spend 5 to 15 minutes searching for X, Y and Z instead of actually working on X, Y and Z. If I can save 5 to 15 minutes a day as a result of actually being able to locate various files and documents, I will have an extra half an hour to 90 minutes every single week to get stuff done! I'm practically drooling thinking about it :)

An organized office is nice to look at.

My office now looks like a working environment. It doesn't look like some college kids dorm room or a gigantic “catchall” closet (we have one of those too!). When I walked into the office this morning it just felt nice. It felt more open, more comfortable, and more conducive to getting as much done in a day as I possibly can. Most of us are visual creatures by habit and an organized office is not only pleasing to the eye but pleasing to, I (wahhhhh wahhhhh).

So what about you? Have you organized a particular room in your house lately and also experienced the “organization high"? What did you organize? Any tips you can leave on how to become a better organizer? All tips are welcome as we plan on implementing this to other areas of the house!!!

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” ~Winston Churchill

Learning From My Wisdom Being Gone

Just like that, my wisdom is gone. But I learned so much.

On Friday the inevitable happened. I finally, at the age of 26, had all my wisdom stripped from me. I knew it was coming, I had known it ever since the first little bit of wisdom sprouted, but I wasn't prepared. Thankfully, I learned a lot from the experience.

On Friday, I had all 4 of my wisdom teeth removed. I thought I was in the clear. Most people had them out in high school, maybe college. Anyone else, I thought, just got to keep their wisdom in tact. Boy did I think wrong. About 6 months ago, my bottom right wisdom tooth started coming in. I was referred to an oral surgeon who x-rayed and told me that all 4 needed to come out. "They will cause you problems," he said. "It's a matter of when, not if." That's all I needed to hear. So I scheduled the extraction (is that what it's called?!) for Friday. I wanted to wait until I would be done breastfeeding so my little love didn't get anything into her milk (meds from me being knocked out and pain meds if I needed them). Plus, I just wanted to delay the inevitable...we all do that, right?!

So Friday, I went in to have them steal my wisdom. It was knocked out (twilight), so I don't remember any of it, but judging by how my jaw has felt since then, they were not gentle nor were they kind. Perhaps they would have been a bit nicer if I was awake? I guess I will never know.

Honestly, I don't know what I expected. Most people tell you how bad it stinks. That it's miserable. But I didn't really think it through I guess. I thought it would be no big deal...afterall, I did hear how bad labor was and still feel jealous of people I know in labor! Ha! I have been able to cut the soreness with just some Advil, but man I'm sick of not using my mouth to eat, to talk, to drink, to swallow normally, you name it. But I did learn some stuff through this process, so I'll share it:

1. I'm a talker. This one comes as no surprise to anyone that's spent more than 30 seconds with me. But I guess I never quite realized how much I talked, until I couldn't....FOR DAYS. I feel like a grenade ready to explode, full of worthless, pointless things I want to say. I know I have nothing profound to share, but all those little stories, thoughts, exchanges..I WANT TO BLOW UP NOT HAVING THEM! I'm sure it'd been the best weekend of Ronnie's life on the other hand - HA!

2. I'm a texture gal. I have had to eat soft (read: no chewing necessary) foods since Friday, and honestly, I'd rather just not eat. I'm the kind of gal that doesn't really like ice cream, unless there's something inside of it I can chew. Don't give me soup, unless it's chunky. I want to chomp down on something with some crunch, not just place something in my mouth I can swallow as is. I always kind of knew this, but didn't realize just how much I needed texture until I didn't want to eat at all this weekend.

3. People think you're mean when you don't move your mouth. Give it a shot. Talk to someone and barely move your lips/mouth. People look at you like you're being rude. I tried to slip in, "I had my wisdom teeth out," in every conversation because otherwise, I just looked like a puffy, expressionless meany!

4. I make a cute chipmunk. Said no one ever.

5. I can live without water, but no one would do it. I am still alive, even though I have had very little water this weekend (or any liquid/food). I usually drink about 100oz/day of water, so this is quite the change. I am glad to see I don't die without it (I supposed eventually I would!) but I'm certain it's not good for me. Back to water drinking, ASAP!

Welp, that's it. That's what I learned through having my wisdom taken from me. If you've curious, I think today I'm on the up and up and just praying I don't get those dry sockets people talk about!!

Cat and Mouse

Thankful Thursday - Post Office & Treatment Options

It's thankful Thursday time! We all have so much to be thankful for and we love to take this opportunity just to write down each and everything that comes to mind. Please take this time to share with us what you're thankful for as well. If you have a blog expressing your thankfulness, please share the link! Without further ado, here's what we're thankful for:

Mandi's List:

I'm thankful for my mom. My parents were in town this weekend and my mom is in town all week. My mom watched Mckenna while I got stuff done and it was awesome. They had so much fun together. Mckenna loves her Nana!

I'm thankful for nice post office workers. I had to mail 218 shirts this week which have to be individually weighed and postage put on which usually takes forever and I hold everyone up. Well my delightful post office worker was a gem and made it as enjoyable as possible. Thanks Joann!

I'm thankful for breastmilk poop. Yup. I said it! Now that Mckenna is eating all solids all the time it makes for stinky diapers. It makes me miss and be thankful for the first 6 months of straight breastmilk poops...not great but not terrible either!!

Ronnie's List:

I'm thankful for treatment options. I'm testing out a new product that can supplement for a Vest therapy that is easier to travel with. I'm of course thankful for the opportunity to test it out, but also thankful for it's "compactability". It's made my last couple of trips easier and may end up being a good option for me. (I plan to write a full review on the product at a later date)

I'm thankful for trail mix. When I'm on the road, I eat a lot of trail mix. Probably too much actually. It's just so easy, tasty and (mostly) nutritious that I can't seem to stay away. In fact, I had over 1000 calories of trail mix yesterday - whoops :)

I'm thankful for those who give of themselves and expect nothing in return. Nothing I can really add to that but a big THANK YOU and you don't go unnoticed. 

So, what are you thankful for today?

My Prayer for the President

Lord,

I pray that the man you allowed to be in the office of the President seeks You first about all else. Before his party. Before his friends. Before his influencers. Before the people he serves. Before his own beliefs.

I pray that he recognizes his world-wide influence and it can be used to show the Goodness of You. That the love You show to him can be seen by many here and across the globe, by the love he shows for the lost, the weak and the defenseless.

I pray that you convict Him of Your convictions. That he leads based on Your Word and not the word of others. Be his moral compass God and lead him onto a straight path of righteousness.

I pray that my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ can recognize that Your heart is deeply saddened by the ideals and beliefs held by some in this nation and around the globe.

I pray that we start to align more closely with Your ideals and Your beliefs. May we serve the poor. Protect orphans and widows. Spread the Good News. Pray. Fast. And live out the Word in action and not just voice.

Give us the strength to avoid unrighteous anger, sexual sin, divorce, lying, retaliation, hatred, worry, and judgement.

Lord, may your name be glorified by the way we live each day as individuals and as a nation.

Be with our President these next four years and use him as a tool for the furtherance of your Kingdom here on Earth.

Amen.

Everyone can vote...even this guy!!

For a second there, I thought this article was about me :)

Man Who Eats Breakfast At Dunkin' Donuts Every Morning And Enjoys The 'Saw' Films 

Allowed To Vote

YOUNGSTOWN, OH—According to records obtained from the Mahoning County registrar’s office, local man David Kearney, who eats breakfast at Dunkin’ Donuts every day and is a passionate fan of the Saw film franchise, is actually allowed to vote in today’s general election.

Reports confirmed that Kearney, 34, enjoys sitting down in a Dunkin’ Donuts location and eating a sausage, egg, and cheese croissant each morning before work, has seen every Saw movie multiple times, and is freely able to play an active role in the democratic process like every other registered voter in the United States.

“I just can’t get going in the morning without a Dunkaccino,” said Kearney, who possesses the right to visit a polling center and help decide, quite literally, the political direction of the entire nation over the next four years. “They’re so good. Goes great with a Boston Kreme.”

“And you gotta love the Munchkins, man—I usually get a half dozen of those,” added the man who will help choose the next president of the United States, which, reportedly, is the most important and powerful position in the world. “I’ve got a Dunkin’ Donuts Perks card, too, so it’s pretty cheap.”

Sources also said Kearney, whose ballot counts as much as any other Ohio resident in determining which candidate receives the state’s crucial 18 electoral votes, owns all theSaw films on DVD and frequently watches them at home on weekends. Due to his residence in the highly contested swing state, the man who willingly and excitedly went to seeSaw 3D on opening night will, reports indicated, actually have a larger impact on determining the outcome of the election than voters in virtually every other state in the country.

“I think the original Saw is my favorite one—that one’s awesome—but Saw IV is a close second,” said Kearney, whose decision will ultimately shape the country’s future when it comes to such areas as the economy, unemployment, foreign policy, women’s rights, financial regulation, tax reform, health care, immigration, and literally every other major issue. “Gotta love the crazy tests that Jigsaw sets up for his victims. So cool. I really love the gory parts. They make it look super real.”

Numerous sources reiterated, once again, that our Constitution has entrusted a person who wears sweatpants in public and posts user reviews of porn videos online with one of the most important and fateful decisions a human being can make.

Furthermore, sources added, millions of people almost exactly like this person are also given an equal say in our democracy.

At press time, Kearney was reportedly finishing a Vanilla Bean Coolatta before walking into a voting booth to cast his ballot.

See the original article here at The Onion.... (there is some foul language that I took out of the original)

(For those who don't know, The Onion deals exclusively in satire) 

Mckenna's Birthday Pics!!

Although Mckenna's birthday was a couple of weeks ago, we waited to have the party until Eric and Nancy were in town to celebrate. The party was flawlessly put together and executed by my wife-extraordinaire. She is seriously amazing and somehow is just good at everything. We took a bunch of pics so I thought I'd throw a couple on RSBR so you guys can see how it went down. Enjoy!

Gift table

Picture wall 

Sugar Cookie Decorating Station  

Sharing a sugar cookie with mama

Sidewalk chalk

Posing for the camera

Signing "Happy Birthday"

Looking forward to some cake!!

All done!

Present time

The gift bag doubles as a purse!!

Blog from the road...Literally.

What I'm doing right now I would not suggest to anyone, nor would I recommend it. I'm on my way to the airport and I realized that I hadn't yet written a blog for today. Usually, I'll post a cute video of Mckenna, but much to my surprise we have not taken one lately.

So, I decided to do the next best thing and blog from the road. I'm currently driving down the interstate on my way to the airport.

I did not have the necessary blogger app to write this blog, so that was the first that I took in order to make this happen. After downloading the app onto my iPhone I was off to the races and now here I am talking to my phone while it writes my blog.

Isn't technology amazing? I'm pretty involved with that every day yet I still marvel about how awesomely cool it is. It's funny to think back to the times that we didn't have access to all of this technology. And of course my first thought is, "How the heck did we do anything?"

Let me stress again that what I'm doing is in no way say nor smart. In fact this probably makes me an even bigger idiot than I already am.

So with that said, and the fact that I'm approaching the airport, I'll close with this...


(Hopefully, the image showed up at my blog. I don't see it in the post, but I'm hoping it's there.)

PS - There may be a ton of grammatical and spelling errors in this blog. Please ignore them :)

Thankful Thursday: Cats & Experts

It's thankful Thursday time! We all have so much to be thankful for and we love to take this opportunity just to write down each and everything that comes to mind. Please take this time to share with us what you're thankful for as well. If you have a blog expressing your thankfulness, please share the link! Without further ado, here's what we're thankful for:

Mandi's List:

Mandi is currently thankful for SO MUCH that she's having a hard time paring it down to only three!! I will check back with her later.

Ronnie's List:

I'm thankful for neighborhood cats. There is a cat that goes by the name of Princess Sophie who, at least part time, lives at the park. Now, she for sure has owners who loves her based on the name tag and bell around her neck, but she also loves the park. It's like she waits on her perch for children to be going down the slide to make her way over. She loves just hanging out and getting pet by all of the kids (and parents). 

I'm thankful for new faces. Speaking of Princess Sophie; Mckenna loves her. Her face lights up with a totally different look than it lights up for other things. She gets super giggly and then proceeds chase PS all over the playground. It's amazing what that cat will put up with, but I'm sure she's thinking, like me, that Mckenna's smile is totally worth the "abuse".

I'm thankful for peeps in the CF community that excel at there craft. I had a couple of questions recently regarding a hosting account for a Wordpress site, and who did I turn to? Well Jesse Petersen (aka CFFatboy) of course. The man is basically Mr. Wordpress and he was more than happy (and quick) to answer a few questions. If you need a job done, no matter how big or small, contact Jesse!! (And let him know that I sent you so I can get a HUGE discount from him **wink, wink**)

So, what are you thankful for today?

Outrun CF "Gobble Wobble" Virtual Race

I'd like to personally invite all of you to take part in this season's Outrun CF virtual race! CysticLife and the Rock CF Foundation have teamed up to put on this virtual event that ANYONE can participate in no matter WHERE you are! How cool is that?!?!

Here's the skinny -

Step 1 - Click here to register for the virtual race and to get more facts about the event. (You can also check out this blog to get another cyster's perspective on the event)

Step 2 - Spread the word! Share your commitment to the event with family and friends. Encourage them to sign-up and join you on race day.

Step 3 - Start training for the November 22nd virtual race (this can include, but not limited too - walking, jogging, skipping, crawling, eating better, jumping or doing nothing)

Step 4 - Get this awesome t-shirt (below) in the mail. You MUST register by today to be guaranteed your shirt by race day! You'll still receive a shirt if you register after November 1st, it just may not get to you in time for the race.

Step 5 - Get on CysticLife.org and share with the community what you plan to do for the virtual race and encourage others to join. Share your training tips with CL and of course update your profile picture featuring your groovy new shirt!

Step 6 - On race day, November 22nd, throw your t-shirt on and head out the door. Walk, run, jog or skip your selected distance at your selected location. Take LOTS of pictures and post them on the Outrun CF Facebook Fan page (be sure to become a fan if you're not already) and you can also feel free to tag me in them (I love seeing the pics!).

Step 7 - Give yourself a pat on the back and a big bowl of ice cream for a job well done...after your Thanksgiving feast of course!!

**The money raised by this event is evenly split between the Rock CF Foundation and CysticLife Foundation. We both use the money to support our programs that support the CF community**

Sound like fun? 

REGISTER TODAY!!!

Somehow I Stumbled Upon Her

I was so inspired by Mandi's blog yesterday, that I decided to write a response to her blog...sort of. I'm not going to go into all of the reasons that I think CF is a blessing or the reasons that I don't hate Cystic Fibrosis (since Mandi nailed it), but I am going to heap praise on my wife. My one and only.

I am blessed.

There's no doubt about it, I am one blessed man. From the loving family I was born into, to the loving family I am now leading, I am blessed beyond measure. I often think that it's time to pinch myself, but there is no way that I want to wake up from this dream if that is in fact what is going on. I mean, I sometimes feel guilty. I catch myself saying "What did I do to deserve all of this?". I cannot think of a single reason as to why God would choose to bestow such blessings upon me.

That however, is the good news - it has nothing to do with me. God has blessed me richly because that's His perfect plan. His perfect plan could also have my own little world come crashing down tomorrow. Nobody knows what the future holds but Him. I take comfort in the fact that come feast or famine, it's all part of God's perfect plan.

God created Mandi with me in mind.

There aren't many women out there who could fall in love with a guy like me. My faults are many and my good qualities are few. Add on top of it the very different life that I live, and I'm not exactly what most people would consider a catch. Yet, in spite of all of my downfalls, I stumbled upon a woman who loves every character trait, quirk, struggle, fault, and cell in my being...even the jacked up CF one.

It doesn't stop there. She not only loves everything about me, but she'll even credit my jacked up CF cells with crafting me into the man she fell in love with. As she has put it before; "In a weird way, I'm actually very thankful for your CF". There are not many women out there who have ever breathed those words. Yet, in His perfect plan, I decide to go to the movie June 27th, 2008.

I saw a movie that night with my future wife, the woman God hand-selected for me, and I didn't even know it. I was too busy watching some stupid movie to realize it was the beginning of my very own fairytale.

Mandi's doesn't hate CF + I am CF = Mandi doesn't hate me.

I really feel for the people out there who hate CF. I really, really feel for the kids out there who's parents vocalize how much they hate CF. You know what that says to some kids? That you hate them.

I accepted at a very young age that CF was a part of my life and it wasn't going away. CF was woven into the fabric of my being and in some respect, was just simply who I was. So, if I accepted that, but then was told by my parents that they "hated CF", how could one not see that as hating something about you that is never going away? See how that can work?

Thankfully, Mandi has expressed from very early on in our relationship, that there is nothing she would change about me - not even CF. She doesn't hate it. She loves what it's done for me. She loves what it's done for us. She loves what it will do for our family.

Wanting something to be gone and hating that something are worlds apart where I'm from. I want CF to be gone, but I will never, ever hate it.

The end.

Cystic Fibrosis: The Continual Blessing

I mentioned in last week's Mandi Monday that our pastor gave a great sermon on prayer last Sunday. It was a sermon that reaffirmed some things I already knew, but it was given in a way that brought new perspective on something in my life.

We often say that we are "blessed by CF." We say that we consider CF a blessing in our lives. It's one of those things that is hard to explain; hard to justify. There are many things about CF that I don't consider awesome. I certainly don't love that Ronnie is holed up 3-4 times a day doing treatments when we could use that time doing other things. I don't love the fact that he's away from Mckenna and I for a couple weeks at a time while he's in the hospital. I really don't like the thought of potentially being a young widow. Obviously that's not a certainty, but the possibility of it isn't desirable. I really hate the chance that Mckenna would lose her daddy at some point, before she "should." There are certainly things about CF that don't seem like blessings on the surface. Neither Ronnie, nor myself, would argue that.

But the sermon last week opened my eyes to something. I will admit, I don't have prayer down. I am not the greatest or best when it comes to prayer. I don't always pray the way that I should. I don't always have my prayer life straight. That being said, when our pastor was speaking, I realized EXACTLY what he was talking about. Ronnie and I have it exactly right when it comes to our prayer about CF.

Our pastor simply said this, "We need to stop praying for God to remove us from situations and start praying for God to use us in those situations." That hit home. God's job is not to take away all the struggles in our lives. His job is not to play doctor when it's not according to His will. His job, and ours, is to use us in our struggles and in our circumstances. I don't always remember that in my prayer life, but when it comes to CF, I somehow instinctually applied that principle.

For some reason I never once have prayed for a cure for CF. Not once. In my heart of hearts, I know that's not what God currently has in Ronnie's plan. I know so deep in my being that God is using Ronnie's CF and therefore, I am not going to pray for him to be cured. I will be honest, I'm not always so in-tuned to God's voice that I know exactly what His plan is for us, but this is one area of our lives that I have always known and heard God clearly. Therefore, I have always prayed that God would use us in our situation, not for Him to take us out of this situation.

And in that lies the reason...That is why we think CF is a blessing!

Instead of crying out and asking God to cure Ronnie's CF and having our prayers left unanswered, and us angry, we are praying that God use us in our current situation. As a result, we see God answer our prayers in a big way. Time after time. We see blessing in abundance. God has provided us with great friends, jobs, and situations as a direct result of CF. Day in and day out we are shocked by what God is doing in our lives because of CF. He is pouring out more blessing and fulfillment than any little hurdle CF may put in our path. Our prayer is that He uses CF, not that He removes those hurdles.

It is because of the way we pray about CF that we think CF is blessing.

I have never realized why until last Sunday. It has been a huge learning lesson. My eyes were opened. I need to apply this same principle to other areas of my life. I cannot fathom how much more blessed and overjoyed we can be if we continue to pray in a way that aligns our hearts with His. I need to realize that in all areas of my life God puts me exactly where I need to be today. He wants to use me; He doesn't want to rescue me when it's not according to His plan.

As a result, the prayer I want to pray when it comes to all areas of my life is this: Use me, Lord, and allow me to see the blessings in any circumstance regardless of how they seem on the surface.

In hard times this prayer will be difficult, but I know the blessings that the Creator of the Universe (let that sink in for a moment - the creator of the entire universe) will rain down on me will far outweigh any earthly, "big" challenges I will face in the present.

Bumble Bee Ride!!

Thankful Thursday: Toilets & Parks

It's thankful Thursday time! We all have so much to be thankful for and we love to take this opportunity just to write down each and everything that comes to mind. Please take this time to share with us what you're thankful for as well. If you have a blog expressing your thankfulness, please share the link! Without further ado, here's what we're thankful for:

Mandi's List:

I'm thankful for a good eater. Mckenna is like a garbage disposal. She will eat whatever you put on her tray. Things that you hear a lot of kids hating, she loves. Broccoli and cauliflower are some of her favorite foods. Black beans she eats like jelly beans. She even begged for more super strong (disgusting if you ask her momma) cheese the other day at Costco. I have a feeling when the terrible twos set in she might not be so willing, but in the mean time I am so thankful that meals are so easy. Hot, cold, spicy, mild, strange, or familiar, she likes it all.

I'm thankful for toilets. Yup, I said it. How blessed are we that we can go to the bathroom, in our house, push a button, and whatever is in there goes away. It's not something I ever really think about, but I have a feeling if I didn't have a toilet for a few days I'd realize just how thankful I am for it!

I'm thankful for protein shakes. Ronnie and I have been working to build some muscle, and protein shakes after a workout are a good way to get some protein into your body quickly. It is so nice to just put a little water in a shaker, put a scoop of powder and boom, protein. Not to mention it tastes kind of like a glass of chocolate milk. And come on, who doesn't like chocolate milk?!

Ronnie's List:

I'm thankful for neighborhood parks. It's so nice to be within .5 miles from 3 different parks. They all present a little something different for Mckenna and she REALLY enjoys being at them. If we're feeling a bit adventurous, or want a longer bike ride, there are about 5 additional parks within a mile. We're averaging 2 trips to a park every day, so having them close is very convenient.

I'm thankful beautiful weather all day (and night) long. We're at the time of year here in Arizona, that no matter what time you decide to go outside, it's gorgeous. There is rarely a cloud in the sky, and besides maybe throwing a sweatshirt for early morning walks or bike rides, it's worry-free weather. What's nice, is we will have weather like this now through May. Can't beat it!!

I'm thankful for studies. I was asked to participate in a study related to CF and exercise. I love partaking in studies or clinical trials that are CF specific, but I REALLY love partaking in studies that (I'm sure will) prove how beneficial exercise is for those of us in this community.

So, what are you thankful for today?

Weight Lifting Plan

Had a few questions about my weight lifting plan, so instead of answering individually, thought it would be easiest to write it up on the blog. (Note that this plan will change every 8 to 12 weeks or so.)

I generally lift weights on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, but it can change based on what else I have going. I lift after a 30 minute core class, which they don't recommend, but hey, there are only so many hours in a day right?

Chest/Triceps

Dumbbell Press - 3 sets x 10-12 reps
Smith Machine Incline Press - 4 sets x 10-12 reps
*Dumbbell Fly/Bench Press - 3 sets x 10-12 reps
**Cable Crossover - 7 sets x 10 reps

*Done as a super-set (meaning rotating lifts one right after the other with no rest)
**In between sets, alternate between 30 seconds of stretching and 30 seconds of flexing

Close Grip Bench - 4 sets x 4-6 reps
Dips - 4 sets x MAX
Skull Crusher - 3 sets x 10-12 reps
Cable Kickbacks - 3 sets x 10-12 reps
Diamond Push-ups - 3 sets x MAX

Back/Biceps 

Wide Grip Pull-ups - 4 sets x MAX
*Lat Pull Down/Seated Row - 4 sets x 10 reps
Bent Over Row - 4 sets x 10 reps

*Done as a super-set (meaning rotating lifts one right after the other with no rest)
Note: All back lifts are done to a 2-1-2 count. Concentric movement for 2 seconds, hold for 1 second, eccentric movement for 2 seconds.

*Drag Curls - 4 sets x 4-6 reps
*Incline Curls - 4 sets x 4-6 reps (start palms facing down and end palms facing up)
**Preacher Hammer Curls - 2 sets x 12-15 reps
**Preacher Reverse Curls - 2 sets x 12-15 reps

*Done to a 1-2-1 count. Concentric movement for 1 second, eccentric movement for 2 seconds and fully extended for 1 second.
**Done to a 3-2-1 count. Concentric movement for 3 seconds, eccentric movement for 2 seconds and fully extended for 1 second.

Shoulders

Side-lying External Rotations - 4 sets x 10-12 reps
Arnold Press - 3 sets x 8-10 reps
Dumbbell Press - 3 sets x 8-10 reps
Military Press - 4 sets x 4-6 reps
45 Degree Lateral Raise - 3 sets x 8-10 reps
Upright Shrugs - 2 sets x 20 reps

For those of you who are curious, I'm currently not lifting on legs as my 45 minute, 3 day-a-week class does many leg exercises both aerobic and anaerobic.

As always, if you have questions or suggestions, fire away!!

Top Ten Tuesday: Foods I've Come to Crave

Mandi touched a bit on it yesterday, but I changed up ("changed up" see: actually developed one) my nutrition plan about 8 weeks ago and so far, I'm seeing great results!! I started at 182 lbs (in the morning) and have seen the scale get to 163 lbs. For those who are worried, my CF team has been kept in the loop and everything is looking good from their perspective. They asked that I don't get much below 160 lbs, which, has never been the plan so I'm good with that! I committed to 3 months of this new plan, and then I will slightly modify to start building muscle (aka up the calories by over 1000).

There was a big adjustment at first, but I know come to crave the foods I can eat. Sure, there are times I wish I could have some candy or a freshly baked oatmeal raisin cookie, but in times like those, I simply repeat this phrase, " That _________ doesn't taste as good as being fit feels".

Here are the top ten foods that I've come to crave (in no particular order):

I would pick the one on your right every time!!

1.    Turkey Taco - I start out with lean ground turkey on a whole grain/blue corn tortilla and top it with a "Santa Fe" mix of veggies (corn, black beans, red and green peppers and onions) and then of course top that off with some salsa.

2.    Grapes - Grapes have basically replaced candy for me. It's amazing how sweet they taste when I have not consumed sugar for 8 weeks.

3.    Broccoli - I try to eat the mini-trees at least every other day. I've always been a fan, I've just gotten away from eating steamed veggies over the years. I'm glad they're back - especially broccoli.

4.    Quinoa - Quinoa is such a great substitution for white rice (among many other things) and a great change-up from brown rice. I usually put some type of hot sauce on it to give it a kick, but even by itself, it has a great taste.

5.    Oatmeal - I start out each day with a bowl full of steel-cut oats with 1 tbs of natural peanut butter and a cup full of blueberries. That meal gives me a ton of great energy in the morning and it tastes superb!!

6.    Smoothie - For my "second breakfast" of the day, I generally have a shake/smoothie. The one that I've been making lately has really satisfied my "shake tooth". I have 10 ounces of water, a scoop of chocolate whey protein, a medium banana and a cup of strawberries. Gives my body some good carbs and protein before my workout.

7.    Mahi Mahi - I generally have fish for lunch after I get home from the gym and Mahi Mahi has become my favorite. I love how thick and almost steak-like that it is. I don't think it is "too fishy", but I also like that I can still tell that I'm eating fish :) Grilled or baked, either way, it's good!

8.    Sweet Potato Fries - Even before this new nutrition plan, Mandi and I had a lot of sweet potatoes. We love them in any form, any fashion, anywhere. We especially love baked sweet potato fries! We usually season them with some sort of steak seasoning and them bake em up. I actually made a "clean" ketchup to go with them :)

9.    Pasta - During my "re-feed" day, I get to eat a lot of pasta. And I mean, a lot. It gives my body the boost I need after being in a caloric deficit and tells my brain that I'm not starving :) I actually have pasta with veggies and pasta sauce for 3 out of my 5 meals on my re-feed day.

10.   Gum - Zero calorie or sugar-free gum surely isn't the healthiest thing around, but it has kept my sane at times. I have a sweet-tooth and gum has been able to satisfy it for the most part. I chew it when I'm working out...and when I'm not!

Well, that's it. Any of those foods look good to you? Any foods that you would recommend that you think would fit my nutrition plan? Let me know!!!

Mandi Monday: Rambling instead of a quality post

Church yesterday was awesome. It was a sermon on prayer, and the pastor knocked it out of the park. He did such a phenomenal job and God really used his sermon to shed light on some things in my life. He gave me a whole new perspective on CF and why Ronnie and I see CF the way that we do. And I can't wait to sit down and blog about it...can you say, "cliff hanger"? I wanted to write the post for today, but I just didn't find the time to do it justice, so I will write it over the course of this week and post it on Monday. Just wait, it'll knock your socks off. Ok, maybe not, but our pastor did such a great job that I hope I can shed a little light on what I took from it.

Instead you get my usual ramblings...yippee, right?

Not too much is new with us. We are still hitting the gym hard with our group personal training class and core class, and then Ronnie is lifting, and I'm running. The group personal training class is still kicking our bums. I was certain that it would get easier, but somehow week after week I am in pain...the good kind of pain. The pain that comes from your muscles screaming at you because you're using them. Today, for example, we did 15 minutes of straight triceps. 15 MINUTES. No breaks. My arms burned so bad at the end they nearly gave out from under me while doing the last exercise that you do what he calls a "plank to pushup". Good thing Mckenna is walking because I think my arms would have fallen off if I had tried to lift her. I am thankful it's not getting easy though, that just means we will continue to get better...or die. Most days I feel like it's the die option, but that's ok. I haven't puked yet, so that's something.

Ronnie is still eating like a celebrity hippy - lean and clean. No sugar. All whole grains. Well balanced meals that are high in protein. And as his very proud wife I will say he's looking like a stud. He's building lots of good muscle and leaning out a ton. GASP, said many of you reading this...don't worry, he's not leaning out too much. He's been carrying around a lot of extra fat, beyond what is needed, and I'm sure his body is happy to be a little lighter, it sure makes cardio easier. Maybe I will convince him to post before and after pictures...we will see!

Me on the other hand, welllll that's a different story. I am eating healthy for the most part, but I have made one of the biggest mistakes one can make...I bought Halloween candy a couple weeks before Halloween. It's a mixed bag of all different chocolate candy and let's just say all that's left for the trick-or-treaters are Almond Joys...because I hate them. And the worst part, the bag was from Costco. I think that means I ate a year's worth of candy in a matter of days. I'd love to say that I have learned from my mistakes, but I'd be lying. I'll probably do the same thing next year.

And the only other update is that Mckenna had her very last nursing session last night before bed. That's right, she is officially weaned. I think she did better through the weaning process than I did. I cried every time I dropped a feeding (I dropped one a week). Last night I balled like a baby as I sang to her before I put her in her bed. I even had Ronnie take pictures. It's a bit of an understatement to say I loved nursing. I think the benefits are endless and I feel so good about sticking to it her whole first year. It wasn't easy at times and we had hiccups along the way, but I'm so proud that we didn't give up, and I will remember this chapter in our relationship fondly. It's time to move onto new ways of bonding and new shared moments together, but man I will miss that time together. I encourage anyone I talk to to nurse if you can. There are always hiccups and always times that it will feel like a burden, but I am so thankful that I can look back on her first year of feedings and know I gave her the best start I could. And I'll be sure to scar her one day by showing her the photos of her last nursing session ever.