Do Not Run Faster Than You Have Strength

One of the blogs I read or emails I get or something the other day said something about how they were resolved to always getting through their to do list without sacrificing their health, and that they nearly always manage to make that happen. I think that sounds great. But I also, in my deepest heart, feel like that's a pipe dream. My family is a project family. We bond over projects: building trebuchets, re-doing a room in the house, putting in floors or tile or sod. It's what we do. But we, most of us, also feel perfectly OK and maybe even drawn to taking on big projects, like the Christmas Benefit/Children's Musical my mom and I put together this season. And then Christmas itself is always a big Ta-Dah! From the lights to the garlands to the gifts. I even tend to go big with my ideas for traditions.

Anyway, the point is, I'm questioning whether the whole idea of making health the top priority on the to do list is viable for me AND whether I should believe it is viable or not. Because part of me thinks it just isn't possible to do some of the amazing and fulfilling things I have done with out a little sacrifice, without being OK with a little extra stress to turn out something special, like the musical. Some things are a lot of work and some stress, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't do them, right?

For example, getting Christmas on the last few days has required all my focus the last few days, especially as I'm a bit under the weather. Even now, I know that I can't get it all done in time and it pains me, really makes me sad for the meaningful things that I want to do for others. And even in the process of doing what I'm trying to do, I haven't done my health things, besides eat well. Not a lot of movement or stretching over here the last few days. In fact, Sunday I spent 4 hours working on my computer at an odd angle in bed because I was too dizzy to stand for very long so I could complete the Christmas gifts I had promised to the class of girls I teach in school. Trust me, these were important, meaningful, worth it things I was making them. But still, I was all kinky for the rest of the day and today, even. True, I waited to the last minute...

Anyway, I'm just thinking through it all here and arguing with myself. But, I would assume the benefits of having a more paced and less self-sacrificing approach to how I give my time would be similar to the effects of when I gave up all-nighters at the end of under-grad, or going to bed on time regularly, or honoring the Sabbath: more daily energy, more focused and clear abilities, and happier attitude through out. I need to define what health investments are too costly to give up and get stubborn about it. I need to change my paradigm so that I don't rob Health to pay Life. or something.

Sounds like a New Year's Resolution in the making, eh?

With that, it's bedtime. 'night.

Unaware Squat of 11.18.2011

I've told my husband it's his job to start taking pictures of me on the sly so I can see my alignment. Here's one from this morning out in the snow (in my jammies, with bedhead, but hey, the kids were so excited to get out there, I just went with it). What I notice right off is how tucked my pelvis is, which I think is still happening because my hammies and hip flexors are still way tight.Also noticing how my shins are not even close to perpendicular to the ground, much closer to parallel to the ground!!

Now take a look at this squatting preggo momma of 8 months, Katy Bowman of course.

Nice, right? But the real point is that I got into my version of a squat without any pain, with complete balance and it's actually a lot better then it has been for a long time...so we are looking at and marking my progress, both how far I've come and how far I get to go! I'm excited, actually.

That's all for this post, just want to document it more for myself. But it sure was fun to be able to be out there pain free and share the joy of snow with my children.

Standing Work Stations

At some point I'll probably post a quick picture of my current work station (basically a wood box made out of scrap wood on top of a dining table). But as it's not much to look at (but does the job), I'll probably save that for a before and after post. My family is currently residing with my parents, so I'm not in a position to do anything as creative and long term as these ideas I saw on Ikea Hackers. But for the rest of you, here are some standing eye candy.

First, and probably my favorite, the Wide Standing Desk


Here is the Counter Height Built In

And the Expedite with Plenty of Storage

Love the Combo, although my plan would to make one end short while I'm transitioning from sitting to standing full time but also so that my kidlets can stand next to me and work while I'ms standing at the taller end.

Or the Galant Standing Desk

There's the Billy




LOVE the creativity involved in these! And at some point, I'll have something prettier, but in the meantime, my box does it's job. Don't delay standing at work because you don't have the perfect set up that looks just so. I started with a cardboard box before I upgraded to a custom wood one. The point is, GET STANDING!!

Mmmmm....Symbiotic...

That's a Homer reference for you all classy types.

Gave the lacto-fermented Salsy-ish veggies a try tonight. Kept it simple, just topped the nachos with it (chips and cheese and beans)...um, yeah! I can't remember the last time I didn't want to stop eating something because it was SOOO good. After I was full, I just had to keep eating the remaining veggies we'd already generously dished up. Let me say, this is one easy-peasy way to get in veggies. And they actually have MORE nutrients when prepared this way and you absorb them BETTER. Woot, woot!

The Mister loved them, too. The enthusiasm in his "delicious" had the toddler repeating him the rest of dinner. My dad, however, remains skeptical. He tried them, grunted a positive "mmm," but wanted to wait to see if we experienced any ill effects before he had any more. Or so he said...

I can't wait to get the Beet Kvass and the Apple Cider going!

Thar She IS!!

My mother, bless her heart, has what I call a horse's butt. Long and practically flat, just legs that insert into the hip joint with very little to do. I've known for some time that my bum was on the flat side, for awhile (before I knew better) I thought it was genetic, but that it was still possible to do something about. Although, for a good long while my prime motivation was the Jean Conundrum. Ever tried to find jeans that look good on a flat butt?? Now, I've nearly sworn off jeans, so that's not a problem...(more on that later).

Back to my butt. For at least a few years now, I've known that having a flatt butt was a health risk. I've tried a few things to get it online, machines at the Y, squats, classes and videos that supposedly target the bum. But (ha ha), they never worked my butt. I never felt it there. At all. Even certain stretches that were supposed to stretch the glutes never worked for me.

Since I've been Katyized (Katyfied? Katydid? Katy-converted? Never sure what to call it...) this last July, I've had a MUCH better idea of why my rear needs to be in gear. Inititally I wasn't sure how to go about it and I tried to supplement the stretching and walking she advocates with doing the Core Fusion videos (which are REALLY cool, btw)...but I still didn't feel it in my butt. The Mister did, the Sister did, but not me. So I gave that up and kept stretching. Then I purchased a "Save Your Knees, Build a Butt" workout from Katy. I would do the video and my knees would hurt the next day. I would try again a few days later and even if my knees didn't hurt (much) later, I still didn't feel anything in my rear. This went on a bit and then I decided to back off again and just go back to the basics- stretching and walking.

I was beginning to feel like I wasn't doing enough. I was getting really discouraged. It's hard to do a program like Katy's because it's SO simple. You feel like you should be killing yourself, really working hard, and then you'll have some evidence later. The track in my head that plays after a simple movement the day after a "good" workout goes something like this: "ooh, that hurts! I'm awesome! I worked out! How strong am I! Ouch!" But the progress with Katy is different. I lie down to do a hamstring stretch and I'm slapped in the face of my own inflexibility (brain says "failure) and I can't "push" past it, I can't ignore what my body is saying, I have to listen to it and be patient with it and trust that by small and simple things, great things will come to pass.

And today, they did (the great things, that is, if you can call a flat bum a great thing). I went for a walk (still not hitting that everyday, but I'm pretty regular at 3-4 times a week, which is progress!) and low and behold on the left side, Hello Gluteus Maximus! Nice to meet you today! I've felt medius here and there, it's an ornery bugger, but NEVER Max! I have a new friend, we chatted during our walk and I giggled every few steps. I still have yet to meet Maxine (my right side Glute), but (ha ha) I have hope! No, I have faith! No, I have knowledge. It all worked, all the slow work of getting the muscles to their correct length allowed Max and me to meet. So it's just a matter of time before we are close friends.

Making Whey

I know, I know, you're thinking "No Way!" And all I can say is "Yes, whey!" (sorry, I couldn't resist, it's been joking around in my head all day with no one to share it with)

I made whey today- totally, completely easy thing to do. I've been meaning to make whey for at least a month now. And seriously been meaning to for a few weeks. Now I have a quart of whey in the fridge just ready for the lacto-fermentation fun to begin!

Lacto-whato? you ask? Well, I'm currently being seduced by Nourishing Traditions and I've been very much won over by the argument to make friends with microogranisms, and even develop a relationship with them, a symbiotic one, of course. Next on the list will be sprouting and pulses, but first we need to get us a nice lacto-fermented beverage going. See, my parents drink copious amounts of pop (that's Idaho for soda). And, even though I don't like it, I find myself really hankering for something besides water. The book argues that we have this ancient experience with beverages and that's why soda is so popular, even as it is destroying the health of so many. I have yet to decide what I will brew first, but Root Beer, Ginger Ale, Apple Cider, and Kvass or Kombucho are all on the list. And then there is the pickling that will be done! I can't wait to use my quart of goodness! And did I mention it's pretty? Such a nice color of yellow, kind of lemonadey.

No, this isn't a camping blog

Even my husband raised his eyebrows as I began to describe my newest idea for a blog. Generally, I have lots of ideas about lots of things, including the kinds of blogs I could write. But, "Dwelling in a Tent," what the crap could that mean? Here's a little nugget of a back story to begin to describe what I mean.

I was around fifteenish, sitting at some kind of church sponsored youth conference, or maybe I was already graduated. The speaker was talking about really digging into the scriptures and trying to help us realize we can apply all scripture to our own lives. He asked us to give us some examples, and I guess I took that as a challenge (this makes me think I was 15) and so I read a verse of one line: And Lehi dwelt in a tent.

Now, I wasn't totally being snotty. I had actually pondered that very verse wondering why the crap it was in there. But I was probably trying to draw attention to my own wit by bringing it up. I did get a few laughs when I read it. The teacher, however, didn't back down and asked me how I thought I could apply it to our lives. And here's the cool part, I had an answer. I don't think I totally came up with it, either. It came prettily right out of my mouth and I was actually a little embarrassed of the intellectualness of it (I WAS fifteen, right?)

So that began my thoughts about Tent Dwelling in the scriptural sense. It's been simmering on one of my many back burners for some time now, and today is the day that it becomes a metaphor for the way I'm trying to live my life.

Here are some parting one liners to wet your appetite:
Dwelling in a tent implies a simplicity of things, no more than can be carried and moved frequently.
Tent dwellers are always on the move.
Tent dwellers are more grounded to the earth and the outside world of nature.
Tent dwelling means always on a journey and no nonsense about final destinations.
Tent dwelling is about seasons of life and using what you have now.
Dwelling in a tent is an honor, something the Lord's chosen have done often.

That's enough for now. Tent Dwellers also don't stay up much past sundown, so I best get my hypocritical rear into bed.