So I very reluctantly took on a part-time position outside of the home. I say reluctantly because this past summer I worked full-time and it was more than difficult for me to balance all my responsibilities with that commitment. Luckily this one seems to be working out much better. I work most mornings and I’m off by 12pm. This gives me enough time to come home, unwind, make a healthy lunch, play with my toddler, get dinner started, and pick up the older kids from school.
Only problem is I don’t have much time for daytime food pictures which is a total bummer. Hopefully the Lowel light will allow me to get that natural light look without the real natural light. Now I’ll be able to work into the wee hours of the night trying to get that perfect shot.
As for work, I’m thrilled to have meaningful work. I work with homeless veterans in my community who most likely have mental health issues. I work for the veterans finding community resources and coordinating mental health services that would have positive impacts in their civilian lives. I find it a privilege to serve our nations vets.
On the home front I’m still completing some DIY projects.This one I did a few weeks back, it’s a floating mantel.
I put this bad boy all by myself. Well mostly by myself. Noah had to work but I HAD to have my mantle up this day, so I went on ahead and started without him.
Well it was a little more difficult than I expected. I had to drill a hole into our brick fireplace. I don’t know if you ever tried drilling a hole into a brick fireplace but it’s not a simple task.
Even with mason screws and bits and a whole lot of muscle it took forever drilling into the brick.
I put down some paper bags we’ve had stored for a while.
I choose maple stain for the mantel. I wanted a chocolate mantel but our floors are maple, so it just made good sense.
I ended up really enjoying the way the maple turned out.
As much as I want to go through the entire my process I got too carried away and forgot to take pictures during the drilling phase, my bad.
I will tell you once you get the mason crews in the brick it was pretty easy from then on.
Not that the easy part is finished. Decorating the mantel seems a task too high for me to complete.
Currently I have all the Christmas decor on the mantel.
When the season is over I have some plans for tall glasses with stones, and an abstract painting.
Before
During
After
(I tried taking this with my camera phone…I tried)
]]>Buying an old house as a young and near penniless couple is not such a good idea. How do I know you ask?
We were that young and penniless couple when we first purchased our circa 1958 brick ranch in Richmond Virginia. We knew nothing about taking care of a massive yard, or changing out ac vents monthly, or that an old house can suck everything including the soul out of you!
When we first bought the house, we stayed in our apartment until the major things like our kitchen, painting, and deep cleaning were complete. Other than that there were little things here and there that I wanted to complete but I was so excited when it was time to move in.
But with a husband who can easily work 60 hours a week, twins, more pregnancies, work, and life, we got comfortable and let that long wish list fall to the wayside.
Now are little house is just a little too small for our growing family, and I need to add some functionality and overall freshness to our space. We don’t plan on being here forever, but I would like to feel happy and comfortable while we’re here and I’m not there right now.
You know that show on HGTV with the brothers who kind of hate each other and help people sell their old homes so that they can buy a new home. We do plan on being here for at least a few more years so ours will be a little different. I want to make the space attractive to buyers but I also want to have it more functional and comfortable for our family at the moment. Now that’s killing two birds with one stone.
I’m documenting the transformation and wanted to share a little of what we are currently working on. Which is our over grown and UGLY yard.
Curb appeal anyone? It’s kind of important when selling a house, plus I want somewhere me and the family can cool it comfortably outside. Since it’s cooler outside and my hubby hates bugs (yeah I just blamed it on him) we figured it was the perfect time to take on this task.
First things first was tearing down and pulling out all the old.
I thought we could have a little fun, tie a chain around these trees and pull it out with our SUV.
Hubby and the manager at Lowes didn’t think that was such a good idea. So he bought this little Chainsaw for just 50 bucks.
Just for a second, Que in on that not so pretty storage house. When we first moved here I had some grand idea to turn it into an office, lmbo! Obviously that never came to pass.
Another picture of all we have to cut down.
I want pretty green grass only.
With a bunch of trees and shrubs like this I’m not sure how long it will take us to clear out everything but I can’t wait til it is!
Biscuit break for my sweet husband.
We did get a good amount of small trees and old shrubs down the first day.
Our yard was so full of the debris we decided to chop up and remove what we had cut down before we started cutting down more.
Looking at these pictures I feel embarrassed so let’s even the score a bit!
Tell me something that you would be embarrassed to share a picture of at this moment?
Please don’t leave me hanging, I really need to feel better about myself.
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Classic Collard Greens
Lately I’ve been posting a bunch of grain free/Paleo recipes.
Every time I try explaining why I’m not devouring cupcakes or traditional fried chicken at a party, and I respond with Paleolithic I get the oddest looks.
It’s sounds more complicated than it is.
I’ts a lifestyle I found that allows me to enjoy good food, without counting calories, sugar contents, or points. I may not be able to enjoy those grocery store cupcakes but I can still enjoy a batch of delicious and healthy ones from my own kitchen.
I get to eat good food and maintain healthy skin and weight. I ended up losing more weight than I ever wanted, and my skin is cleared.
I attribute the weight loss to getting rid of wheat. Wheat can actually stimulate your appetite. You can read more about that in the New York Times best-selling book Wheat Belly. Which I found very informative and a great look at the effects of wheat on the body and it answers the why.
That’s where this whole Paleo diet comes in. Paleolithic diet is an adaption of what our Cro-Magnon ancestors.
In simpler terms I have adapted in some forms a cave man diet.
This diet is based on the fact that our agricultural system has evolved far faster than the actual genetic makeup of our bodies. We have cultivated crops and used laboratories to make these crops more available and cost-effective which in turn has expanded incident of diseases and waistlines.
I say I’ve adapted some form of the diet because I don’t limit my foods to what was available in the Paleozoic time era completely,
and even if I did I can’t actually hunt and gather my own foods,
and if I did go and try to hunt and gather all my own foods I wouldn’t be able to enjoy this delicious tropical Mango smoothie on a cold autumns day in central Virginia.
The only parts of the Paleo diet I am strict about are my consumption of pastured raised, free of antibiotics, and hormone meat. And no grains. No grains for me ever. I am allergic to all grains which makes that portion pretty easy and is the reason I discovered this way of eating in the first place.
I was searching for desserts that didn’t use wheat flour, rice flour or any type of corn product.
But what I discovered was loads of people who had already adopted this kind of diet for health reasons. Than I found the AIP or Autoimmune Protocol which I followed for over 90 days straight and had healing and relief of my eczema. Awesome!
Plus I lost over 30 Lbs! That’s a whole other story, but let me just show you a chart of what you can and can’t eat on the Paleo and Autoimmune Paleo Protocol. Than I’ll tell you what I actually allow for myself.
Paleolithic Diet Dos and Don’ts……..
Allowed
Vegetables
Fruits
Nuts (Did you know peanuts are actually a legume? Therefore they are not allowed.)
Eggs
Seeds
Pastured Raised Animals
Wild Caught Seafood/Fish
Oils and Fats (Avocado, coconut, olive, macadamia, flaxseed, fish oils, leaf lard, ghee)
Not Allowed
Dairy
Excessive Salt
Carbonated Drinks
Processed Foods (including soy and soy derivatives)
Refined Sugars
Legumes
Refined Vegetable Oils
Grains (wheat, rice, corn, oats, bulgur, faro, sorghum, spelt, barley, amaranth)
AIP Protocol goes on to be even more restrictive. This is a healing diet which in my short experience works! If you have an autoimmune disorder this might be the diet for you ( with physician supervision). I’ve read countless testimonies of how the AIP Paleo diet has healed or lessen symptoms of an onslaught of Autoimmune diseases, with the root cause an inflamed gut.
The current standard American diet is overall pro inflammatory. AIP Paleo lifestyle in anti-inflammatory so this can help anyone who suffers from a plethora of ailments to include general lethargy and eczema all the way to Multiple Sclerosis or Crohns disease. This diet can be helpful for anyone who simply want to feel better.
I would suggest reading the Paleo approach: Reverse Autoimmune Disease and Heal your body by Sarah Ballantyne PhD if you suffer from.
This takes the Paleolithic diet further and includes a few more restrictions.
Continue to eat…..
Vegetables (Taste the veggie rainbow, and eat up!) (except nightshades)
Fruits (limited to about 1-2 a day)
Pastured Raised Meats (organ meats are the best)
Pasture raised Poultry
Wild Caught Seafood/Fish
Fermented Veggies, coconut milk kefir, coconut milk yogurt
In addition to Paleo eliminate……
Grains (including potential gluten cross reactive foods)
Seeds
Nuts
Eggs
Nightshades (potatoes, tomatoes, paprika L, peppers, tomatillos, eggplants)
Alcohol
NSAIDs (click link for a list of the drugs)
Non-nutritive Sweeteners and Stevia
Any known food allergies or sensitivities
After playing around with my diet this last year I find that I feel much better without grains. My skin has improved eczema, hyper-pigmentation and dryness included.
I consume a fair amount of fatty foods, such as avocados, bone broth, salmon, and coconut oil. I’m sure this has a lot to do with the overall suppleness and glow of my skin.
Eliminating Dairy is not something I will continue to do! I’ve never had a dairy intolerance and it is one of the common allergies that I tested negative for. I do however limit my intake of dairy. I notice my skin complexion has improved and those “that time of the month” breakouts don’t happen anymore.
I’m allergic to most nuts so those will stay on my no touch list.
No Soy or soy products ever!
No Processed Foods!
No refined vegetable oils. ( except for 100% pure canola oil)
No refined sugars.
Absolutely no inhumane massed produced, hormone & antibiotic injected meat or poultry!
I’m constantly evolving as a home chef, and learning new information on health and nutrition daily.
I am obsessed with finding the perfect balance for enjoying good food and optimum health.
Yummy Zoodles!
Disclosure: There are Amazon affiliate links within this post.
]]>It’s Spring time and I’ve been busy cleaning! This season bring so much newness! The sun shines, the temperature rises, flowers bloom, and I wake up with the sound of singing Blue Jays!
This year the weather hasn’t been exactly what I expected or wanted for the first days in Spring but the show must go on.
I wanted to give you a little insight into what else is being cleaned over here at Casa De Christina.
I let some of my house work get behind, and now that spiders are coming out for the season I’m working on cleaning, behind under and on top of furniture, walls, and floors making sure no dust is left behind. No dust, no webs, no spiders!
I’m purging my tiny closet of old clothes, too small clothes, and things I will never wear again…ever. It’s getting ridiculous, I have given away so much stuff, jeans, favorite shoes, winter coats and the list goes on! I hold on to things if I know I spent too much on them just so I won”t feel guilty.
That’s not working and my husband is annoyed now that things are spilling into his closet! I had piles of clothes I was meaning to sale on EBAY( my side hustle years ago) but never did. Someone is going to hit the jackpot at our local goodwill store, cause I donated EVERYTHING!
Honestly I have not been shopping for clothes in a good while, and it’s because I already had useless clothes hogging all the space. This will give me some space to reassess what I already have and what I really need. Also preventing wasteful spending!
This one is pretty self explanatory. I’m being more cognizant of what and how I’m spending and stop spending on things I don’t need.
Our family has long term goals but I need to set and follow through on our short term goals. We set a three year goal to sell our house and buy a new one two years ago, but that’s it. I wish we would of set more short term goals to keep us accountable for the things that are important for a successful sale and purchase to happen. I need to set short term goals and hold myself accountable as I go along. This is important when it comes to blogging as well! It’s difficult with the little ones but I’ve made a commitment to set short term goals and follow through.
I went to my Doctors Appointment this past week and have one more appointment coming up. I am having an unbearable time losing these last 15 pounds and I really cant figure out why. It’s not like me to have this much trouble dropping a few pounds. I had some blood work done and I’m praying it’s just my diet and the low intensity of my current workout regimen that’s causing the stall in weight loss.
I’ve already started adding a LOT of cardio! .
I found a Bikram Yoga studio that’s less than five miles from my home and I can’t wait to take my first class! I’ll be sharing my experience with that soon!
This just means I’m staying positive in my thoughts and controlling where my mind wonders more often. I’ll have so much going on in my mind that I have to backtrack several thoughts just to find out how I got there.
It never makes any since and most the times I forget. I’ve been doing small meditation sessions and controlling and/or stopping all the thinking and personal conversations going on in my brain.
Sometimes I wonder does my head size have anything to do with all the thinking, I mean seriously before I started meditating it wouldn’t stop!
Prayer still works! Hallelujah I’m focusing on all my blessings and my relationship with the Lord. I started Lent a few weeks ago and it’ll be a wrap this week coming up! I’m excited to celebrate his Resurrection, and I’m pastel and church lady hat ready!
I’m in constant meditation and initiating positive thinking throughout the day! I’m excited to start this new yoga class, not just for fitness but also for the way it connects mind, body and relaxation!
Relationship with friends and (extended) family has taken a back burner in my life. I just want everyone to stay connected and enjoy each other. Sometimes it doesn’t work like that. Relationships take work and time and overall I’ve been neglecting my relationships with everyone outside of our home. It is taking a toll on me and my productivity as well. I need to spend more time with my friends and other relatives.
I blame the technology! It can be a great tool to stay connected to far away loved ones but for me anyways I am neglecting all of the people right here in my own community and environment! It’ easy getting updates and checking on family and friends by simply logging onto Facebook, but what about spending time together….maybe even in the same ROOM?! Wouldn’t that be something? I know I’m missing out on a lot by staying so intertwined into my own little world that I forget about old friends and miss opportunities to make new ones.
I plan on getting together with some old friends and being more active with local social groups I’ve joined but haven’t followed through with.
I’m completely cleaning out my schedule of space being filled with worthless activities that deserve no attention. For example, spending precious time getting caught up in NAY- NAY and the rest of the Drama on RHOA is not productive. It fills my mind with a bunch of BS that I can’t use and won’t help me reach my goals. Reality T.V is my most guilty pleasure I have developed when I started staying at home with the kids full-time. I record the episodes and watch it late at night when the rest of the family is sleep, which sounds harmless enough but in reality I could be doing something more productive. Even if it’s just reading a good book, I want to feed my brain with good and positive things instead of polluting it with the mundane!
It’s about time I find something more productive to do with this time!
I want a clean and easy to navigate site. I love the simplicity of what I have going on right now, but it’s not loading correctly across different internet engines, my pictures aren’t doing what I want, and it moves slow as snails. I need to find someone to help get this all together. My family and friends always call me for recipes they may have seen on my blog and I’m like,” just go to the blog”.
Well easier said than done. I’ve noticed it’s not only difficult to navigate it’s really boring and blah! If you have any suggestions for a good wed designer/developer that won’t take my arm and leg please shout them out!
Please follow me on Instagram and Twitter! I want to connect with every single one of my readers so if you find me I’ll follow back!
Next week I’ll be back posting some more mouth salivating recipes!
]]>To say I went over board this holiday is an understatement!
I’ve gained 11 pounds of FAT!
Am I tripping off that though?
Nope!
I’m not into beating myself up over my body, weight or enjoying a few too many cookies. I have two daughters and I don’t want to pass down the curse of body shaming and guilt eating that I’ve done my entire childhood and most of my twenties!
Do I joke about my indulgences at times? YeS!
Do I feel any real guilt about my indulgences? No!
For some, talking negatively about their own body can be a defense mechanism. You want to say it before they say it, or you want to say it because you just “know they are thinking it! When in actuality no one cares but you! And since I’m the only one who cares, I keep my little snide remarks about my raging thunder thighs and protruding backside to myself, I’d much rather take that negativity to the pavement and run!
I just find that talking badly about my body is not at all helpful or motivating it makes me feel defeated and unmotivated, you eat a cookie beat yourself up about it and then eat another cookie.
NO thanks to that, I like to eat my cookie, enjoy all of the deliciousness of that cookie and spend a little extra time during my fitness routine, or maybe skip the starch at dinner.
The main component of living healthy is not cutting a bunch of things you like out of your diet, unless of course you have Pica ( a persistent and compulsive cravings to eat nonfood items) and eat something crazy like counter-tops(I’ve actually seen this on some reality docudrama) and if that’s the case please exit out of this tab and find a physician who can assist you in your area
Where was I? Yes!
Being aware of what and how much I am consuming is everything to me and my health.
So, I am aware of what and how much I’ve consumed and because it was the holidays I allowed myself to go over board, knowing a head of time I would have to do something about it when the holidays were over.
I will not whine nor complain about how chubby I got during the holidays. What I will do is start a cleanse and focus on getting back to where I was before the holidays.
I chose the master cleanse also known as the Lemonade diet because I’ve done it before (5 days) and it’s easier than juicing fruit. This time I’m staying on it for 10 days, after that I will juice fresh fruits and veggies for another 10 days!
After that I will work my way back to solids with raw whole foods and produce.
If you are not familiar with the master cleanse you can by the original creators book here, I trust this book the most of all the information online.
There have been many variations of the cleanse but this one tells you how to do the cleanse in the safest and most effective manner.
It’s organic lemons, grade B organic Raw Maple syrup, organic cayenne pepper and an optional but for me necessary salt flush.
I’ll be posting pics of my before and after body and changes in my skin!
More important than losing weight during this cleanse my main goal is to push the reset button on my body and reduce some of my cravings.
I still will be cooking for the fam and continuing to share my families favorite dishes and recipes, so look out for that as well!
For my last word, please stop beating yourself up about your weight and/or body, live in the moment…it is what it is right now, you have to commit to getting to where you want to be physically but in the meantime enjoy the body you have. Someone somewhere is wishing they can have it.
Whether it’s your thunder thighs to run, them piggy toes to walk or just the breath that you take, it is awesome that you have it!
Embrace the blessing of another day that gives you an opportunity to make that body or whatever else you want to change, better!
I love my body it’s the only one I’m going to get and if the thighs or butt get out of hand, well I may have went over board but I have the power to get it right back in check.
Love ya,
Don’t forget to subscribe to get master cleanse updates and new recipes!
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Raccoons in the attic?!
The tortured life of a young homeowner never ends, and by young I mean broke! Hubby in his usual way of making me laugh proclaimed just yesterday “there are two things that don’t go together….owning a home and being broke”! Putting things into perspective without being overly dramatic I would thank the Lord that we do come up with the funds to fix most issues that come are way… whether it’s an unexpected bonus check, tax refund, or my favorite the surprise gift of moolah from oh-so-generous family, it seems whenever a problem arises we are blessed with the extra to cover it. However I guess you could also make the observation that whenever we are blessed with some extra cash something (i.e. electrical, plumbing, RACCOON’S) comes to collect it. I’m sure the hubs would go with that one, but I for one am a glass is half-full kind of lady and I choose to look at it positively (especially since I’m medicated).
This is a raccoon we caught in a have-a-heart trap back in January!
As for that Raccoon….did I mention she had babies. Yes she did right up in my attic, I was pissed at first but I have to admit I feel sort of bad. She was so certain she had found a home for her and her young (not sure what gave her that idea, maybe it was all the comforting smells of delish food coming from my kitchen) either way she’s got-to-go.
I’m sure she’ll find a new and safe home among all of the abandoned houses and buildings available in our old city, speaking of city. Who would have thought it, raccoon in your attic in the middle of a city?!
I guess they do need somewhere to live with all the new construction of homes in the surrounding counties, but instead of torturing us older homes which have been here for decades they should pick on the ones responsible for their displacement! On second thought maybe not……as much as I love an old home for its character and mature tree-lined neighborhoods, it’s not as functional when you have little ones, or as economically smart.
Not to mention anything built post 1975 can have lead hazards…forget all that! When we first got ready to buy a home, I was hell-bent on an old home, with good bones, to work with! As for now….been there done that, this time I want to find something that I can enjoy at closing, of course some custom paint but that’s it, no fixing, no remodeling, no work.
Plus my husband kind of sucks at fixing things. I take that back he doesn’t suck at it he just doesn’t enjoy doing it!
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