Refraining from Refined and Sneaky Sugar

For the next month my family is going sugar-free. For the next 3 months (until June 11th, marathon day), I am going to refrain from eating sugar in the form of junk food. It is time for a breather from this white substance that entices us to devour it. It is time for a little -- maybe even a lot -- of self-control.

I am aware that there is sugar in a lot of foods other than just cookies, cake, and candies. With foods like yogurt, milk, sauces, etc., we are also being extra careful, and checking labels for super high sugar content. It sneaks in there in the weirdest places... I really have to look at the labels.

I am only supposed to take in about 25 grams of added sugars per day, or 6 teaspoons. (Apparently, that's what is normal for women.) That seems like a lot when thought of in terms of sugar by the spoonful. But as I have been searching out where sugar sneaks in, it is amazing the amount of sugar likely consumed without even realizing it. I read that most Americans consume more than triple the amount recommended.

Let's take yogurt, for example. There are 30 grams of sugar in a small 6 oz container of Tillamook yogurt. Yikes! One yogurt, and that's all it takes to max-out. Go to the grocery store and just check the labels on "healthy" yogurt. It can get all crazy up in there! After flipping every yogurt, we finally found one that had 3 grams of sugar, rather than 30. Extra spoonfuls of sugar creep in almost everything, especially the breakfast aisle.

Now, I hate doing this -- refraining from sugar -- but I love it, too. I want to take good care of my body, and put good things into it. I can be far too lazy about it most of the time, and if I do not pay attention, loads and loads of sugar creep in, and settles comfortably in various locations throughout my body. (The sugar is comfortable on my body, but my body/spirit is not comfortable on the sugar!)

I love treats. I love cookies, and most things loaded with sugar. Sugar tastes so good, and is very addicting for me. With the emotional stuff I have been through, it has been hard not to turn to treats as comfort food. I find I am especially weak if I combine treats and a movie. Self-control flies out the window, and self-soothing steps into play -- especially if I am watching sappy, romantic, Hallmark specials.

I have been training now for 8 weeks. I have made some progress with my health, and have lost about 10 pounds so far. (That would be great if it wasn't just holiday cookies!) I am feeling a lot better, and I am grateful. I am getting stronger, faster, and gaining more endurance. And though I have been training like a beast, I have been eating like a beast too... consuming my efforts, with too many junk calories.

I am not being hard on myself, trust me. I know I can do better.

One of the side-effects of lots and lots of running is something called "Runger" or running+hunger. It is a real thing, and I have experienced it in full-force, especially after really long 10+ mile runs. When I get home from long runs, I want to eat everything in sight. Sometimes I am burning near 2000 calories when I go out for long amounts of time. But if I come home and stuff myself with cookies, I can undo all my hard work in a very short amount of time, and that seems pretty self-defeating to me. Yes, I totally crave junk food after running. I crave good food too, but cookies always sound good to me.

My family is going to join my efforts for the next month. I have offered a reward at the end of the month if they are successful -- not a food reward. Strange enough, all the kids seem excited about doing it. We have had some good conversations about health, and how we should treat our bodies, and the effects that too much sugar can have on our bodies and our spirits.

For me, too much sugar makes me feel super sluggish, tired, and I can lack all energy. It is even bad for skin, and can really mess with mental strength and clarity. I want the children to feel the positive side effects of no sugar, but I also just want them to have an experience with practicing self-control. It will be hard, but I will help them. We have already talked about what to do when treats are offered at school and church, and wherever we go. There will be temptations on a daily basis, I am positive.

After my children complete the month without sugar, my plan is to not bring junk food into the house until after the marathon. After the month they can have treats at school, or church, or whatever, but I am going to do my best to keep sugar out of our house for that time. I will reassess the situation in time, and see how things are going.

Don't get me wrong, it is not like I am giving up sugar forever. 

But right now, my family needs a break from it.

Happenings

I am doing my best to whip out my phone camera to capture everyday moments. My phone is kind of old school, so the quality of the images are not that great. But they are better than nothing at all. 

The picture above is of Sammi and Daniel preparing for their river crossing. We all gathered in Sammi's room and started piecing things together. (She would want me to add that her floor is not normally that messy, but we were just going through clothes and items and making a mess. She is actually very orderly.) It is fun to go in Sammi's room, it is very magical. It is a lame picture that I took, but her room is very bright and cheery. She is 14, but she loves all things Disney princess, and bright and happy colors. I love that she adores more childlike things and she embraces brightness. 

It is in moments like these that having tough kids really pays off. Sam and Dan usually attempt to get all the groceries in with one trip. After watching the Studio C sketch about only taking one trip (watch it HERE), they have been determined to make it happen. The kiddos make me laugh. And then I make them stand there and hold it, while I take a picture real fast. Te, he.   

Henry loves to snuggle in bed with me. He often falls asleep in my bed for naps and at night. I am starting to move him to his own bed for the nighttime, because he tends to cuddle me so much that I end up on the edge, and I find it hard to sleep. He is doing pretty good with being in his own room now. The picture was taken during a Sunday nap. Henry ran downstair and grabbed a lemon cookie, and thought it would be fun to eat it in my bed. Nothing better than lemon cookie-crumbs in my blankets. 

Sammi loves to snuggle up next to the fireplace. I have found her there fast asleep quite a few times lately. She is sure beautiful when she is asleep, and when she is awake too.

So I finally figured out how best to use these curlers... 

For my hair I found that only using about 5 curlers (I was using about 10) works great for softer more tame curls. It is a super fast and easy way to do something different with my hair. 

I am still running on schedule. My pace is getting faster, so that makes me feel pretty good. 

I ran 7 miles at a 9:14 pace, with 2 of those mile (in a row) run at an 8:40 pace. Now these are not olympic-champion times, but for me to see improvement is really something great! The 7 miles included a hilly course and a windy day, so I felt pretty strong when I got home. Hooray for gaining strength and endurance! 

Here is a sample of what I eat for breakfast on somedays. Sometimes I just have oatmeal, or a bowl of cheerios and a banana. This breakfast is much more hearty though, and about the same calories as a bowl of cereal. Here is the breakdown of the food:

1 egg mixed with egg whites
Turkey bacon
Broccoli
Almond chocolate milk

Did I mention I am in love with broccoli? I just love it... it is so yummy.

My eating habits for mealtimes is great. Where I slip-up is on snacking. I have really got to figure it out. I get so hungry with all the running, and so I start to reach for the snack stuff like pretzels and sweet treats, but it does nothing for me. I am working on this. I am considering a sugar-free fast for awhile, because it is so hard to resist. I just want my food intake to compliment all the energy I am putting into my training. 

Last night was William's Blue and Gold banquet. It was a good event. My boys love Scouting. It is honestly hard for me to keep up with all of it, but I am so grateful for good leaders and friends that help them out, because I am really clueless about so much of it. William is doing great. Daniel is close to getting his Eagle, and should have it, I think, by the summer.

 There is William getting his award.

 These boys are so silly together. Henry calls his friend, "my Kellen." He just loves him.

 They were both being pretty crazy together, but what can you do? It is hard to sit still!

Good times. 

Pioneer Trek River Crossing

This year our Stake is doing a Pioneer Trek. It is a really wonderful experience for the youth, and the adults who have the chance to go. It can be a life-changing event. The journey is meant to help connect those involved to the pioneers, and to come to a greater appreciation of what they endured.

It was so incredibly special for me and Charles, when we had a chance to go as a Ma and Pa, about 4 years ago. We loved every minute of it, we even cried when we got home, because we were sad to leave. There is such a happy spirit that envelopes those involved.

This year trek will be in the summer, for 3 days. Normally, there is a river crossing involved during those 3 days, but this year they wanted to try something different, and do a winter crossing. They wanted it to be a more authentic experience, with the freezing water, and winter temperatures.

The location we were going to go to had to be changed last minute. It was up in the mountains, where there was snow, but we have had so much rain that the river was 4 times the normal level from the week before -- it was not passable. So they found a location not too far away that worked great.

Sammi and Daniel are both able to go this year. They are both so excited about it. I mean, they are REALLY excited. They talk about it all the time. They are energized by our previous experience, because Charles and I talked about it like a piece of heaven, so of course they want to see what that is like. They also got to be involved with us a little last time, because we had our trek family activities together with our trek kids, and our family. They got a little taste of trek back then, and now they are hungry for more.

I also get to go along to head up the photography committee -- my ideal assignment! I am super excited to go along to capture the spirit of trek. What a fantastic opportunity it will be! I had the chance to go along for the river crossing, and it just made me even more excited for the real thing. Not everyone was in pioneer clothing for the crossing, but they will be for trek, and so the pictures will be really fun! And with the summer, and green, and trees... oh, it will be so beautiful.

We had the trek kickoff fireside last night too, which was great. It is a very involved event, and it does take time. But the time is well spent, and just fills me up with a really sweet spirit. It is true it will be what each person makes of it, everyone can choose what attitude they will bring along for the trip. But generally, people are so positive and uplifting, it is a blessing to be involved. I am grateful I get to go again!

Here are some pictures of my kiddos from the river crossing...

Daniel was so funny, he wanted to lead out the pack. (He is in the red suspenders.) They gathered in wards to cross the river, because they have not put the trek families together yet. That is coming soon. The kids can't wait to see what family they will be in.

Here is Sammi and her friend. It was pretty slippery with the wet moss. And they all had very cold feet. 

Just taking a moment to listen to some instruction.

Here is Daniel showing his enthusiasm, and sporting his dad's clothing. He seriously freaks me out sometimes, with how much he is built like Charles right now. When I see him from the back tromping around in Charles' boots and clothes, it causes feelings that I cannot explain with words. But it is so precious to see just how much he loves wearing his clothes, and how much he wants to be like his dad. Charles was, still is, and always will be a hero to us all. 

The kids get to pick any pioneer ancestor to walk for, they do not have to be a handcart-pulling pioneer. Daniel is walking for Charles. 

Oh look, there is our beautiful hero... ahhhh... what a handsome man.

Here is Daniel tromping around in his boots...

Sammi is knee-deep in water. They went around in a big circle and over different islands.

I love this picture of Sammi. She is my beautiful girl. She loved the whole experience. When I looked at this picture, it made me smile thinking that Sammi is a descendant of Mormon pioneers, who crossed with the ill-fated Martin handcart company. Those pioneers must be so happy that their sacrifice was worth it, as their posterity now walks to honor them, and the religion they lived and died for, all these years later. It is an honor to have pioneer blood flowing through our veins. I cannot tell you how powerful I can feel their influence in our lives. And to see my children continuing in their footsteps of faith, makes my heart burst with joy.

Here is Daniel, and his friend Matt, blazing the river trail. 

 Sammi and her friend Katie, just being cute.

And here are some pictures from the batch that I just love... 

This was the deep part of the water, the current was strong, and pulling some people down. Two men were there to help everyone safely across. The theme for trek is "Angels Among Us". If only we could see them, when life's current is pulling us down. They are there to lift us up... sometimes we just have to reach. 

 This is the Stake President waiting on the shore to help, and give high-fives.

 They spent a good amount of time in the water, long enough to really get cold.

 One of the angels standing guard, ready to rescue.

 They had hot coco at the end to warm up.

 There was quite the large group of youth.

 Just hold on...

 I loved that so many were helping each other across. It just touched my heart. We need each other. We are meant to cross the river of life together.

 This boy was so cute.

 She was being helped from both sides.

This is perhaps my favorite picture of them all. This sweet girl was falling in. She had a friend she was helping on one side, and a rescuer on the other. She was barely holding on, only grasping his thumb. But he knew he had her, and he would not let her fall. She held on -- clinging to courage -- and she, and her friend, made it to the end. 

After the river crossing Saturday, I was asked to put together a slideshow for the fireside the next day.  

Here it is... 

For mobile devices click: HERE 

Sorry, I could not get the advertising to turn off... I turned it off in advanced settings, but it still pops up. Anyone know the solution? 

Just Normal Stuff

There is always so much going on. I am trying to capture it more. My kids are growing so fast, I need to do better at capturing their lives. Sammi only has 3 more years at home... how is that even possible? It totally blows my mind, and makes me want to freeze time so she can stay with me forever. 

Here is Daniel after returning home from the Klondike, and sleeping in snow caves. He loved it, though he got a little cold. This boy is only 12, can you believe it? Daniel is like a full grown man. It is quite helpful having his muscles around the house. It is amazing how much he looks like his daddy. Except for his big blue eyes... those come from me. 

William and Henry playing together. They were enjoying the sunshine coming through the windows. 

 Here we are gathered to read scriptures and say prayers. You can tell everyone is so reverent and calm. Ha! It is always a circus, but I have learned to embrace it and go with it.

 Sammi interviewed me about love and how Charles and I met and fell in love. It was for a school paper. I have not read the final product. It was a fun interview. It was fun to remember the good love story stuff.

 Henry kept taking William's school Valentine suckers and running off with them.

 Sammi getting ready for Trek. The river crossing is this Saturday. Our dear friend made her cute skirt for her. It turned out great!

 The boys were doing a little wrestling.

 Everyone was testing their strength and being silly. Those are school Valentine's scattered all over the floor.

 Of course it ends in a pile on the floor.

Sammi has been stronger than Daniel for a long time, but Daniel has now caught up with her... he can beat her arm-wrestling. And even more crazy is he can beat me arm-wrestling, and that blew me away! Yikes! He is also taller than me. Man that happened fast!

 Daniel is a good big brother. He is the protector. I always feel safer with Dan around.

There are so many beautiful places to run... I love this bridge.

It has been so beautiful lately, with really warm temperatures and pleasant weather. Spring is right around the corner! Woo! 

Here I am sporting a jacket that my niece gave Sammi. She left on a mission and got rid of a lot of her old clothes. I love the jacket, it reminded me of my more professional days. Though nothing is more satisfying than my profession as a mother. Someone really needs to wash that mirror. Nasty.

German pancakes... so yummy! 

 Sammi was helping with yard work. She was like a monkey jumping in the tree and smashing the leaves down.

Sammi made cookies for her choir night. They were a hit, with every last cookie gone. I love having kids old enough to cook and bake. It is awesome.