No topic.

[Trinity]

Hi Beth! With regard to summer, it changes based on where we live. In northern VA, the kids started the last week of August and got out in the teens of June. Closer to Atlanta they start the first week of August! In New England I think sometimes they don’t go back until after Labor Day, but then with snow days are sometimes in school almost until July…ugh.

Anyways, today: (1) (2) and did run-walk. I’m reading some very enlightening Allen Carr books right now! He’s mentioned in Atomic Habits. Very interesting!!!

[VegSeekingFit]

Hey Trinity!!

You go girl on this running thing!! Also super impressed with what you have done!!! keep going!!

Anyway, have you read either of the Adrian McKinty ones yet??? If no.... BOO!!! You are missing out...

The school schedule is crazy... they changed ours (Suburban Chicago) in maybe past 4 years... to go back in early August... think the reasoning was that this would align with allowing semester to finish before Winter Break... (kind of makes sense, but really makes for a cr@ppy summer...)

Hope that you have an excellent week!!

Best,
Stephanie

[Trinity]

Hey Stephanie! Are you close to Naperville? I lived there from ages 12-16 and loved it!!! I am glad you mentioned Adrian McKinty because I am still saving those in my back pocket. I haven’t read another (non-kid) novel lately because life got too busy with the beginning of school but the other day at the library I saw “The Island” right on display teasing me! My husband is going to be out of town next week so getting it or “The Chain” is how I will reward myself after finishing this Allen Carr book. I am trying to read it quickly yet carefully because he claims to be able to remove the desire to drink alcohol. This is something I definitely want removed! I feel like I am on my way but still wanting to drink so I know I am not there yet.

Today: (1) and (2) and exercised (walked). School seems to be going well. Youngest meets her teacher Monday and then starts Tuesday. I’ve been trying to “make dinner” earlier in the day when I have more energy and fewer kids around. Yesterday was Split Pea Soup in the instant pot and today I made Potato Casserole to stick in the oven when I get home. I know I’m slow but I only learned recently (when I made Shepherd’s Pie for the first time, actually) that you can bake a casserole and even out of the oven it will stay hot for over an hour. Incredible!

[Trinity]

Today: (1) and (2) and exercised (walked; run-walk tomorrow). The Potato Casserole did not work. It tasted good but it would have been just the same if I’d used the instant pot, and then it wouldn’t have boiled over onto the bottom of my oven. Gah. Or taken so long.

[VegSeekingFit]

Hey Stephanie! Are you close to Naperville? I lived there from ages 12-16 and loved it!!! I am glad you mentioned Adrian McKinty because I am still saving those in my back pocket. I haven’t read another (non-kid) novel lately because life got too busy with the beginning of school but the other day at the library I saw “The Island” right on display teasing me! My husband is going to be out of town next week so getting it or “The Chain” is how I will reward myself after finishing this Allen Carr book. I am trying to read it quickly yet carefully because he claims to be able to remove the desire to drink alcohol. This is something I definitely want removed! I feel like I am on my way but still wanting to drink so I know I am not there yet.

Today: (1) and (2) and exercised (walked). School seems to be going well. Youngest meets her teacher Monday and then starts Tuesday. I’ve been trying to “make dinner” earlier in the day when I have more energy and fewer kids around. Yesterday was Split Pea Soup in the instant pot and today I made Potato Casserole to stick in the oven when I get home. I know I’m slow but I only learned recently (when I made Shepherd’s Pie for the first time, actually) that you can bake a casserole and even out of the oven it will stay hot for over an hour. Incredible!

Hi Trinity!!

Cool that you spent some time living in Naperville!! I am about 45 minutes from there (I'm by Arlington Park Race Track - now closed... potential site for the Bears... ). Have friends in Naperville and have made the trek out to hear different bands at Ribfest (did not eat ribs )...

I'm excited to hear how you like either of those books !!! The Carr one sounds intriguing as well...

Hope your kids get a nice start to the school year. Schools by us are starting next Monday too. My son goes back to college the following Monday... Can't believe summer is OVER!

I saw your potato casserole wasn't as great as you thought.... Boo!! More Shepherd's Pie!!!!

Have a great weekend!
Stephanie

[Trinity]

Haha thanks Stephanie!!! I remember Ribfest! Also—went back to the library today with my youngest, we were killing time waiting to pick the big kids up at school, and I plucked The Island off the display and checked it out! It’s the “large print” version, ha, but I didn’t feel like putting it back and looking for the normal size—who cares. I’m excited!!!

I try not to post on my journal more than once a day because it means I’m spending too much time on my phone but I’m not going to tell anyone else this so I’m putting it here: I opened a new 3 L box of wine that initially I was trying to figure out how to get rid of, drank 1 5-oz. glass of it, then cut the corner off the inner bag and poured the rest down the kitchen sink. It feels so liberating!

[bunsofaluminum]

Hi again Trinity

I like your simplicity, tracking animal products and added oils only. I think I got the animal protein down pat, but the added oils are harder to avoid. We love eating out at this nearby Mexican restaurant. Their veggie fajita is SO GOOD...but yeah, oily

[Trinity]

Hi Heidi! Yes—I write down my food too but I recently simplified that to just writing “fruit” or “vegetables” if they were prepared without oil or animal products and “starch” if it was MWL-style like brown rice/corn/beans/potatoes or any mixture with vegetables or whatever, and then listing anything thing else (like “white rice” or “Wheaties” or “Sour Patch Kids,” ha).

Today: both (1) and (2) were as my daughter baked cookies that had butter and also one of the mix-ins had oil in the ingredients. She loves to bake so our deal now is that she bakes on Saturday mornings, we all try 1, and then the rest go in the freezer in individual portions to put in their lunches for the week. I did do run-walk and even did it outside as it was cool and overcast for awhile this morning—a nice break.

[Trinity]

1.
2.
Exercised (run-walk).

Husband left this afternoon for a work trip this week which means simple dinners whenever we want to eat. T & W are “late” nights thanks to sports so I’m looking forward to coming home, having everyone eat a bowl of cereal, then showering and going to bed NLT 8:30 (kids, that is, though not much later for me).

Does anyone have an idea for something to do with a lot of frozen strawberries? Like 4+ pounds, some sliced but most whole. I made some strawberry-banana smoothie-type treat with cocoa powder and sugar which I put back in the freezer but that’s all I could think of. Maybe I can make a big batch of a fruit crisp with strawberries, oatmeal, brown sugar, and some white whole wheat flour. Anyways—let me know!

[VegSeekingFit]

Hey Trinity!

I made this many times during COVID.... https://happyherbivore.com/recipe/blueberry-crisp/
It works with frozen strawberries... I also did the blueberry, thinly sliced apples, frozen peaches... I used maple syrup ... super easy recipe.

I laughed where you said you EVEN got the large print book... I am old enough to appreciate the large print!

Hope you enjoy your week,
Stephanie

[Trinity]

Hey Stephanie! Thank you, that recipe looks delicious! Gah—The Island is still sitting on my bedside table, unopened!!! So many books, so little time!

Today:
(1)
(2)
Exercised (walking right now).

I almost forgot to post. So excited for youngest to start school tomorrow!

[Trinity]

Today:
(1)
(2)
Exercised (run-walk).

At gymnastics now. Youngest had her first day of school and the freedom was glorious. After this we go home for about 45 minutes until cross-country practice. Back to being tired all the time but at least I’m not drinking!

[Trinity]

Well, one day of school and I am already at home with my youngest who has a stomach virus—her first since she was a baby (younger than 2, also caught one from “school”). Luckily for me it didn’t start until about 5:30 this morning and also since 8:30 no incident. Of course husband is gone (even my older daughter mentioned this—how come bad things always happen when Dad’s gone? Haha) but thank God my mom is on her way down just for the night so I can still take the older kids to all the stuff they have this afternoon and evening…and for moral support too. We managed to get the kids to school with no incident in the car but right before we left and right after we got back—whew. I am sorry for TMI. Writing in my journal about it helps me calm down since I am emetophobic though much improved since having children!

Today: (1) and (2) and “exercised” (walked around the house after youngest finally fell asleep on the sofa—and I could peek over at her each lap). No alcohol since Friday, either. It’s true—when you are craving a drink and then you feel happy right when you start drinking one, it’s not the alcohol that is making you feel good, since it takes a few minutes to have an effect. It’s the relief of the craving of an addictive drug. I tested this theory Friday with a glass of wine I was craving and poured the rest (probably about 17 5-oz. glasses) down the sink and have not craved alcohol since. I did drink the whole glass I poured but I could have poured the rest of that out too—it truly is that first sip in which your craving is satisfied that feels so great. Instead I have a cup of decaf tea with 1 oz. unsweetened Silk if I feel like having something comforting at night or with dinner.

[squealcat]

Good for you Trinity ! You are making some positive changes and you will see positive results !

Long, long ago I gave up alcohol after a couple of embarrassing incidents that I did not want to repeat. One of my first jobs was actually waitress (and sometimes bartender ) in a bar !! I have never looked back and don't miss it one bit. I have gotten to like water like LaCroix or Bubly every evening. Sometimes I pour it in a fancy glass ! I was a big coffee drinker too but it started to irritate my bladder so I gave that up too. The coffee took me a long time to get over but I have finally done it. These things sometimes become a part of who we are, I feel. I worked in a bar so I liked to drink .... I worked night shift so I drank a lot of coffee..... Well, my identity is all different now.

Anyway, enough of that !

By the way, I am now reading Memphis (don't remember the author but it is her first book ) . I am about a third of the way through and it is pretty good. Update later !! I have it on my kindle and it seems to be going pretty fast !

-Marilyn

[VegSeekingFit]

Hi Trinity!

Sorry about your kids being sick!! Awesome that you have your mom's support in you hubby's absence...

I had to "google" emetophobic (so maybe I am dumb... ) ... sorry that you have this...

I would 100% agree with you the writing in journal can be calming... Keep writing!!!

Hope your week takes a great turn!!!!

Cheers,
Stephanie