Good Morning !!! Long time NO SEE...but I'm still HERE and Kicking ♥

What can I say?

 I've been busy, I can't seem to put two words together to form a sentence, nothing worth writing about, discombobulated and plain ole LAZY. All of the above easily describe why I haven't been  blogging. Many other factors too but then everyone just needs a break once in a while. 

So I've been busy lately arguing with Mother Nature on the finer details of when Spring is supposed to arrive. She was very slow to listen this year and everything is happening much later than normal and somethings just won't be happening this year at all :(  No plums on the plum trees and very few apples on the apple trees. Both of which make me very sad. 

I can't believe we actually had frost last week...IT'S MAY ALREADY! 

So I am just now getting my veggies planted..

Fortunately the Herbs weathered the   horrible spring and the first harvest of those is ready :) 

Today the BIG Dumpster arrived for the purging of the basement. For the last 11 years our basement has been used as a strange unit and dumping ground for all things unwanted and unused and otherwise forgotten. 

This year we plan to actually turn it into a family room...art studio...workshop for hubs and a small storage room. :) :) ♥♥♥♥♥

...AND...

Finally it is time to actually plant the new landscaping we added out front last year!!!

The weather is beautiful today and as soon as I get this posted I will be heading out to get real dirty!!!!!  Lots of compost , dirt,  straw and sunshine   makes me a happy camper today . 

Last but not least...sharing one of the cards from an Inspirational Quote Deck of Cards swap that I participated in this spring. 52  beautiful cards from 52 different artist who participated in the swap. Tons of fun creating my own cards and sending them in but major enjoyment receiving an amazing deck  in return. 

Hopefully I'll remember to share them with you all through out the year :) 

ART by 

Gigi Butterfly Hoeller

www.gigibutterfly.com

Winters Back with a Little Ice and COLD

Baby it's cold outside!

After temps in the upper 50°'s and even lower 60°'s this past week...it was a bit of a shock to wake up to only 24° today. We also had a small amount ice on everything.

Nothing like they were predicting and the roads cleared very quickly.

Just enough to make things sparkle and shine....

...and who can't use a little bit of shine in January.

It was my first venture out for pure enjoyment in days. Being bundled up inside with the bug really gets me antsy very fast. 

I had to limit my time outside and was bundled up very warmly and it felt so great :) 

This coming week I'll be stuck inside taking care of the Hubs who is having foot surgery tomorrow. I think it would be easier if I was the one having surgery :0/  Hopefully it won't be so bad and he won't be in too much pain or grumpy. 

Worse case I can go outside and clean up the garden which I never got around to this fall. Another little part of my 

"REFINE" 

efforts for 2013. 

So would you please keep us both in your thoughts and prayers as we struggle through this week :0) 

Reducing my Stress and Liver Care

Last post I talked about my Fibromyalgia pain and my weight loss. This time I'm touching on how I reduced my stress levels and pampered my liver. 

Again I'm not a trained herbalist just sharing what worked for me. If you feel you have liver issues DO go to a professional and get it checked out. 

My doctor had told me that my liver levels were a little on the high side and that I should just be careful of what I drank, no Tylenol and limit my caffeine intake and I should be fine. I asked about the medications he had given me and he said yes they are "probably" the reason but that I needed them :0(

When you have Fibromyalgia it seems like every time you go to the doctor for anything other than a cold or flu they automatically assume it's your "fibro" and either increase your dosage of antidepressants or add another one to what you already take.

Of the two I was taking liver damage was one of the main "concerns" listed. then there were the pain pills which also list liver damage as a possibility. 

So back to the doctor I went and I INSISTED he reduced my dosage of one medication and I refused to take the other one any longer. After much debate he finally agreed. Low and behold my pain and fatigue was no worse than when I took it all and I was actually more alert. I did try to go off the other antidepressant completely but the pain came flooding back . So until I figure out a healthier alternative I'll continue taking the lower dose. 

I also started taking this twice a day...

2 teaspoons raw honey

1 teaspoon organic cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon Tumeric

In the morning I just mix them together and eat it off the spoon. At night I mix it with hot water and drink it as a tea. When I started this I was getting my honey from a local hive. Due the severe heat and drought of the summer he is already out of his supply and until I find a new local source I buy the one pictured. 

My last blood test show perfectly normal liver levels!!!!!

Stress

is also very hard on the liver so I have tried to relieve as much of that as possible. I try to take a long (40 min) hot Detox Bath every evening. I mostly just lay back during it and relax or I will read a good book. The bath is also very good for the fibro pain. 

I started crocheting again. For me it is an almost mindless relaxing activity that I can do while watching TV or chatting with the Hubs and I get the benefit of a usable items when the project is finished. This year alone I was able to donate 50 hats to charity and made all sorts of cool items for Christmas gifts and my self. 

I also try very hard not to worry. Especially over things I have no control over. It's just too hard on the body.  

I know this is a tad bit long and probably very boring but I hope it helps someone out there!

Controlling Fibromyalgia Symptoms and My Weight Loss

In July of 2012 we were in the middle of a drought and a horrible heat wave. Everything was wilted and turning brown and then one glorious day we got rain. Just one day and the temperatures stayed near 100° but things turned green and lush for a few days. 

I had also been in a major "Fibro Flare" that had lasted for months and was taking control of my life. All the doctors wanted to do was increase anti-depressants and heavy duty pain medications and tell me to do less and rest more. They also suggested anti-seizure medications that had horrific side effects that I just wasn't willing to deal with. I could no longer take anti-inflammatory's because if acid reflex and nasty skins rashes they were causing. I was very worried about my liver.  

So I started doing research on more Natural Treatments for Fibromyalgia.

One of the first things I started trying was  Vitamin D supplements.  I had read several articles like this one...

 http://newsblog.mayoclinic.org/2009/03/20/mayo-clinic-researchers-link-vitamin-d-and-chronic-pain-relief/

I decided this was definitely something I could try and be nearly risk free and not break the bank. 

After just a few weeks on "D" I noticed that not only was I taking less pain medications but I had started losing weight. Just small amounts but when you've put on nearly 60 pounds in the past 6 years every little bit counts. Especially when it was almost effortless :o) 

I had already figured out on my own that eating more healthy also made my fibro more tolerable.  So after reading more about food for energy and pain control  this is what I came up with that worked for me .

I start my morning with a fruit and yogurt smoothie.  I don't use the same fruits all the time and I normally use frozen fruits because it's easier and works for me. I usually mix up a batch of 3 or 4 at a time so they are ready to grab and go in the morning.  I try to have a high berry content in the mix and  I always use bananas. The yogurt is usually organic vanilla cause I love how it tastes. I do buy as many organic fruits as I can. 

Sometimes I throw in spinach and kale. I love the spinach and tolerate the kale :0) and I use avocados in it a LOT. 

For lunch I have an avocado and yogurt....almost every single day!  Avocado's are amazing and they do so much for your entire body! My skin has become fantastic after eating all of these avocados!

Google it and see :0) 

For supper I have a normal meal like we always eat. I just watch the portion sizes.

I even indulge in  a bowl of ice cream on a regular bases. I just eat a smaller amount and leave off all of the topping stuff that is mostly just sugar. 

With this plan I have lost 40 pounds since July!!!! I have a ton more energy and I don't crave those carbs constantly like I used to. My fibromyalgia has been a lot better and I feel like I'm participating in my life again. 

I do still have to watch myself and not overdo things or it will flare... and weather changes will cause flares that I have no control over. However the flares do not last as long and are not as severe. 

Now I need to concentrate on Stress control in this new year. 

I'm not saying this plan will work for everyone...just that this is what worked for me. 

I recently had a physical and the doctor was impressed with my weight loss and my blood levels where fantastic. Even my blood pressure was down and they lowered my medications for that. I hope to be off of them completely at some point soon. 

Hope I haven't bored you to death here and just maybe some one can be helped with some of this information. 

Next post I'll talk about some of the things I'm doing to lower my stress levels and taking care of my liver. 

See you soon. 

New Year----New Word

REFINE

Since I seem to have a deep rooted phobia to anything related to "organization" I have chosen  Refine  for my challenge word in 2013. 

As is refining my living quarters... my diet...my health...my gardens and my art.

2012 

was both a very good year and a sad year. I was able to achieve several of my personal goals and my art truly blossomed. I have acquired some great new friends and discovered some fantastic sites that inspire and encourage me ♥♥♥

Unfortunately I also lost some very important people in my life. Even though they are no longer a physical part of my everyday life they will always  be with me in my heart. 

So my first challenge in Refining my life in 2013 will be in our Hobby Room. 

Hubs and I currently share this room and in the past 2 months it has also become the catch room for "CLUTTER"!  You know the drill..." company's coming...fast clean up... throw it in there for now!"

Who could create in this mess? 

So today I start.."where?" ... to get this room into a more usable place for both of us :0) 

Wish me luck!

Or even a miracle :0) 

Banana Pudding for Breakfast and other Post Christmas Thoughts

One of the best parts of the week between Christmas and New Years is all of the yummy left over food you have. 

What other time of year can you have Banana Pudding for breakfast  and not feel too guilty...after all it has to be eaten lest it goes to waste. :0) 

Christmas was very low keyed here this year. I didn't bring out the hundreds of decorations I own and didn't even put up the big tree. I borrowed an idea from Donna at Funky Junk Interiors 

http://www.funkyjunkinteriors.net/2012/12/christmas-tree-forest-in-crate-day-11.html

Here's what mine turned out like....my trees were smaller so I was able to use an old pear crate I had laying around

They did the job and may become my new standard Christmas tree ♥

Even the gathering at my folks on Christmas day was much smaller than usual. No small children there this year :(  Illness kept some away and travel others. 

Mom has been fighting the flu for 2 weeks and got worse on Christmas day and ended up at the ER. After test and exrays a several breathing treatments and lots of drugs they sent her back home. 

This was taken earlier in the day before she got really ill and you can tell she didn't feel good then. 

She's doing much better now.

I think all of us have some kind of bug going on. Probably would have been wiser for us all to stay home...but you just have to be with family for Christmas. 

So now I'm off to rummage through the left overs again and see what I can have for lunch :0) 

Then I'll take my meds and curl up on the couch with a good book and the vaporizer and a hot cup of herbal tea. 

Hope that all of you have a marvelous Christmas! 

ThanksGiving Thought