Gonna fight to stay whole.

[J9er]

4 minutes ago, littleg said:

I'm just curious - if you don't mind typing it out - what are the dietary restrictions you are trying now?  Besides nightshades  Do purple potatoes have nightshades - I assume they do (not the Japanese sweet purples, the ones that regular stores carry).  Have you checked out the AIP cookbooks out there - some might even be old enough now to be in your local library ?    

What is it in cupcakes that causes the eczema?  Just wondering - because life is a long time to go cupcake free - it would be nice to one day have one that you could enjoy and not have consequences.  I just saw a recipe from America's Test Kitchen for the "ultimate GF" flour - which got rave reviews... if its gluten that is the trigger maybe try googling that recipe once this gut reset is over...?

And can you post a link to that stew  ?  Hubs will hate it (cinnamon does *not* belong in meat!) but I love cinnamon!  We are renovating our kitchen starting Monday (argh!  2-3 weeks with no kitchen...) so this weekend will be the cook-up of all cook-ups!  In fact, any stew/casserole favs would be appreciated...

 

So...no grains, legumes, cow dairy or refined sugar or sweeteners, I am allowed limited sheep and goat dairy but I haven't had any yet, I am allowed maple syrup and honey, but haven't had any yet either. I am to limit green beans, vinegar (supposed to have apple cider only), sheep and goat dairy should be only once per week. 

Yes, the purple potatoes are still nightshades. She did say I didn't have to eliminate nightshades completely, just to really go to keep them limited (she gave me an example of a tomato based sauce no more than once per week). And spices in moderation are ok, just not massive amounts of chili powder etc. I was just surprised and how many times I turned to my  cupboard for a can of tomatoes this week. 

There is a gluten cross sensitivity list which includes corn, quinoa, amaranth (emliminated for now anyways), coffee, chocolate, and a few more things I can't remember. right now I'm limiting coffee to one cup every other day. After the reset, I don't have to obstain from these things completely, she wants me to keep them in mind especially if I continue to have symptoms. 

And yes, totally expect not to be cupcake or treat free forever . I believe it is the gluten that causes the problem, but it could be the gluten in combination with the leaky gut. Like you mentioned before, once my gut is healed, a lot may be resolved, and I'm hoping this is the case. However, because of my Glidian IgA elevation, gluten will probably still be off the table because it shows I'm mounting some sort of immune response to it. SO yes, I am completely fine with gluten free treats, I guess I just meant in the situation of going to a gathering where they haven't provided a gluten free option or I haven't contributed a gluten free option in the future, I will obstain. And I guess by "cupcake" I meant gluten....

heres the link to the stew. My husband wasn't sure about the cinnamon at first, but he ended up enjoying it. I puréed the beets and the sweet potatoes together. 

http://www.backcountrypaleo.com/hearty-turkey-stew-for-the-backcountry/

She has some really good recipes on her site, I really want to try the cassava flour tortillas. Cause sometimes I just want a real burrito!

Listened to the latest podcast on MDA, and interview with a gal "gluten free RN". I almost cried hearing her talk, because she sounds like a version of me. I feel like I have been lucky enough to really get on top of some of my health concerns before they bloom into full blown auto immune issues. She is now making it her life's work to try to educate the medical field about testing for celiac and how to interpret the tests, that gluten sensitivity is really a thing and people aren't crazy! 

I also believe that shift work has done a number on me in the past and really contributed to some of my health problems. I REALLY want to be careful going forward, and try to take better care of my self if I end up working days and nights. 

 

[littleg]

Its 1/2 tsp of cinnamon for the whole recipe!  I was expecting a autumn spiced stew  I think I could sneak in the 1/2 tsp without a problem!

Well I sure hope that you find some answers/relief from this regime.  I'm not sure I could do it.  Kudos to you for even having the guts  to try.  You know its funny - I used to eat a TON of tomato stuff (chili, spaghetti sauce, etc) and lately just haven't had any.  Here are some of the staples that have replaced the usuals:

http://simplicityofwellness.com/2012/10/butternut-squash-soup/

http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/roasted_butternut_squash_kale_saute/

http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016078-meat-and-potato-skillet-gratin (swap out heavy cream for coconut milk, potatoes for sweet potatoes/butternut squash - we did half butternut half white potatoes - I put cheese on half for hubs - I thought even my half was amazingly delish even sans cheese!)

http://ifoodreal.com/30-minute-clean-thai-turkey-zucchini-meatballs/ (is thai curry paste ok?  probably not huh...   I made 2 meatloaves instead of meatballs)

http://www.thebaconmum.com/instant-beef-stew-aip/ (I actually just made a random recipe for beef stew - but with no tomatoes or potatoes but figured I'd post an AIP one for you)

[J9er]

Thank you! I will be trying some of these for sure. 

Yes! The cinnamon just kind of brings out the depth of the sweets and beets, it isn't super strong. 

 

[J9er]

Haven't updated in a while. Things are going really well. I have stayed Whole30 + supplements and it has been good! Have made it through a birthday/Halloween party, an outing in NYC, and Halloween itself. 

Last weekend we went to a first bday party, Halloween themed. It was very sweet, the kids just had a blast. But I was so utterly shocked at the amounts of sugar they were allowed to consume. Holy moly. My parents didn't know a ton about the dangers of sugar when I was growing up, not like what's advertised today, but they sure kept a decent reign on what we consumed. And these were kids aged 1-3, who really should be eating Zero added sugar per day!! Gobs of Halloween candy, and of course they didn't eat a single bite of dinner, followed by birthday cake, and gobs more candy. Yikes. 

Anyways. My husband and I and our close friends got a day together (they have 3 kids and one on the way) sans children. My husband's company put on a boat tour out of NYC. It was to tour all of the bridges in the area including the one my husband is currently building. We had such a nice time. The weather was 77 degrees and beautiful, the boat was lovely and we had lots of great company. It was a 4 hour excursion and for some reason I didn't plan any emergency food! I ate breakfast around 8 and didn't get to eat again until 7 pm! Oops. I really was ok. By the time I got dinner, I was starving, but honestly wasn't too bad before that. We went for a lovely dinner and it really wasn't hard to order Whole30, the meal was delicious. 

I am starting now on the mold and heavy metal detox part of my program as well as the biofilm removal and gut healing stage. These next couple of months are a bit supplement heavy but it's not forever, so I'm ok with it. I see the Doctor next week to discuss diet and her recommendations thru the next phase so that will be interesting. 

My eczema has come close to clearing. I have had a couple of tiny breakouts but they are clearing within days, not weeks or months. My body is changing. Oh it is SO nice to feel strong, and fit my clothes well. Something I was eating was not agreeing with me....I'm guessing the dairy that  I was eating and possibly hidden soy? I will be interested to see what happens during reintros, although I think she wants me to remain dairy free for now, so I'm not really sure what I'll be reintroducing. 

 

 

[jmcbn]

My boys have the same rules I had growing up - sweets/candy & fizzy drinks on a Saturday only. My youngest tries to push the boundaries every now & then, especially with his paternal grandmother, but for the most part they stick to the rules and often come home from school with something they've been given for someone else's birthday or whatever & they'll hang on to it until Saturday.... And actually my first born much prefers savoury over sweet these days.

Good to see/hear you're making progress on the healing front!

[J9er]

Have been thinking a lot about the sugar fest I witnessed last weekend and love that rule Jmcbn. I had a similar rule growing up. I rebelled a bit during highschool, but it didn't last long. This week I spent a fair bit time with that same friend and those kids are just headed for serious trouble. It is SO sad, and the parents don't see it, or they hve some serious blinders on. They have a little bit of insight, but don't see how they can fix it, and really over all, don't see the major problem. I know I can stand back and judge, I know it can be difficult, but a one year old eating Halloween candy? My goodness. 

I have started the the next phase of my program. Feeling ok so far, but expect I might have a rough couple of days of die off symptoms coming up. I have been feeling really grumpy at times and I expect it could be the yeast/parasites. I really hope it passes because it's an awful feeling being SO mad, for no reason. 

Change is in the air for my husband's work. He has finished his project on the bridge they are building and will be moving to another area of the company for awhile.  It is good news for us in that he will be home a bit more and have weekends off. He was working 90+ hour weeks off and on for the last year, with some incredibly stressful times. It does make things a little stressful because now he is kind of considered a "free agent" within his company, and we could be moved any time now. It would most likely mean a cross country move. But we never know, we could be here another year, or we could move tomorrow. This just makes life a little crazy for me, because I never want to start anything new during this time as things are so up in the air. 

 

 

 

[littleg]

I hope you get to go somewhere cool for your husband's next job assignment!  Do you have any idea where you might end up or can it always change at the last minute?  

Are you having a hard time sticking to your program's suggestions?  If some stuff is dying off that must be good...?  Right? 

I can't wait to hear about the post-blood/hair/poop workup - I like data

 

[J9er]

36 minutes ago, littleg said:

I hope you get to go somewhere cool for your husband's next job assignment!  Do you have any idea where you might end up or can it always change at the last minute?  

Are you having a hard time sticking to your program's suggestions?  If some stuff is dying off that must be good...?  Right? 

I can't wait to hear about the post-blood/hair/poop workup - I like data

 

It can always change! But it is kind of exciting. Our last move we got sent to the greater Seattle area. We were there for 3 days, still looking for a house and we got a phone call asking us to move to the NYC area. It can be very unpredictable. The company is bidding on a big job back in the Vancouver, Canada area. If they get that job it will be highly likely we would end up back there, so our fingers are crossed. Otherwise, there is a ton of work still happening here, the D.C. area, and the greater Seattle area, so those are contenders at the moment. Last time the contenders were NYC, Seattle, Corpus Christi, and Hawaii! 

I have been surprisingly compliant on this program, and no, not finding it too difficult. Just Whole30ish eating and I've got it pretty dialed in now. I'm used to no nightshades now and I think feeling so much better has been what has made all of this stick. I would still like to know what my tolerance is for various things for purposes of eating away from home but otherwise feeling like I can continue for the long term. 

 I have been feeling mostly good, just those few days of moodiness, some crazy bloating, and digestive upset and a few cravings as well. I saw the nutritionist yesterday and she said this is all normal and good.  She wants me to continue the detox supplements for 4 more weeks (maybe longer) and stay as compliant as I can,  being as careful with carbs and sugar as I can to limit die off and control the feeding of yeast and parasites. One fist sized serving of starchy carb per day and of course no sugar or sweeteners. A small amount of maple syrup or honey is ok although I keep thinking, what the heck will I put that on? So I haven't bothered.  She told me yesterday I've been a dream patient because I already knew the ins and outs of proper nutrition. I shared a bunch of recipes with her and blogs I follow, she was excited about that. 

I had my first off plan food yesterday. I bought some non dairy icecream....it was good but dumb me, I skimmed over the ingredients thinking they looked alright, a few gums I wasn't thrilled about, can't really get away from those in icecream....well there was inulin in it. I went back to look at the ingredients after I immediately became bloated, gassy, and icky feeling. Inulin has never agreed with me. My husband will gladly finish the pint I'm sure and I'm ok with that because I got my fix. 

Yes! I love data too. Will probably do some more testing closer to the end of the year to see where I'm at. 

There's an online adrenal summit happening this week www.adrenalsummit.com. LOtS of interesting talks, all the functional med gurus - Chris Kresser , Josh Axe, Sarah Ballantyne, Steph Gaudreau, Mark Hyman, just to name a few. Tons of validation of what I have been working on with my health - I have doubted things at times or wondered if the expense is worth it or if it was even going to work....is it just hokuspokus?? Haha, nope it's not.

So, also trying to work on decreasing stress, taking it easy on my body. Walking in nature a minimum of twice per week. Want to try meditation/relaxation - did 2 minutes yesterday, but it's a start. I am so lucky to be able to do all of this, such a privilege and blessing. 

[littleg]

Check out Spunky Coconut's blog for some good dairy free ice cream recipes.  I liked the vanilla one a lot.  I think you could do it without an ice cream maker.   I have yet to find a non-dairy ice cream made commercially without a bunch of crap in it - I guess coconut milk doesn't work like cream and milk for large scale production where they can do it with just real food...

Hawaii... that would be delightful  

Off to check out that adrenal summit...

[J9er]

The adrenal summit was so informative for me. I listened to it while on the go, either in my car or doing housework, so unfortunately didn't get to take notes. But the variety of talks, the information presented, was so great. I learned a ton. The common theme was self care and sleep quality and I'm trying really hard to work on this. I've been wearing some amber glasses in the evening, getting to bed at the same time every night and waking up at the same time each morning. I don't set an alarm (I'm lucky to not have to), but I am kind of woken up by my husband as he wakes up at 5:30 each morning by default. 

One of the presenters did mention that if a person is able to fall asleep in under 5 minutes they are probably sleep deprived (my husband for sure). Typically, I fall asleep fairly quickly, for sure under 15 mins, but I have always done this, and think perhaps I am just one of those lucky people. I am still not great at doing the no electronics before bed, but I'm hoping the amber glasses will help and this is something I'll continue to work on. 

Something I've  been struggling with for quite some time is moving enough. Yes I work out often but another reccomendation in the summit was walking, hiking, moving slowly (not crazy cardio). So I am really wanting to make that a goal, to walk for 30 mins each morning or get out for a decent hike. I know how much I benefit from fresh air as well, and I am really wanting to get as much of it as I can. I have backed off in my workouts a little bit, not stressing about missing one. I was doing 5 day of lifting per week, now I am aiming for 3-4max, and focusing on quality movements rather than PRs etc. 

Food and nutrition are still going well. I had a little bit of raw milk cheddar yesterday although my nutritionist prefers I have sheep or goat dairy if I am going to have it. It was good, no ill effects, and no plan or desire for more any time soon. The last 5 weeks was just what I needed for a reset and to get a few of the cravings I was having (dairy and sugar)  under control. 

 

[jmcbn]

Steph has been putting the emphasis for us on nutrition, sleep, self care & healthy movement. I'm good on the first two, and working on the latter. She has said that nutrition & sleep are the top two foundations of health & if you are lacking in those then exercise is causing stress more than it's providing benefit. Regarding the whole 'movement' thing a lot of research is showing now that even people who work out 4-5 (or more) times a week but are sedentary otherwise are actually classed as being sedentary. It's all about the NEAT movement - non exercise activity thermogenesis. So housework, climbing stairs, tidying the garden etc. The idea is for those who are desk bound to get up and move at least once an hour. 'Move Your DNA' by Katy Bowman seems to be the recommended read on the subject...

I've been using the printer down the hall rather than the one at my desk.... washing dishes in the kitchen at work that I'd usually take home, just ti get the steps & movement in... Going to reception to collect the post rather than wait for it to be delivered.... And at home I'm taking 2 or 3 trips to put laundry away, emptying the recycling bins more often etc. Every little helps.

I'm really starting to look at things differently - letting things go, losing the negativity. And it feels good.

Glad to hear you're doing well also.

[littleg]

Get a dog!  My favorite thing about the dogs (besides them being cute and furry) is that it gets me out walking.  I do 2-3 miles each day when I'm off.

And then you get to see them do things like this

 

[J9er]

8 hours ago, jmcbn said:

Steph has been putting the emphasis for us on nutrition, sleep, self care & healthy movement. I'm good on the first two, and working on the latter. She has said that nutrition & sleep are the top two foundations of health & if you are lacking in those then exercise is causing stress more than it's providing benefit. Regarding the whole 'movement' thing a lot of research is showing now that even people who work out 4-5 (or more) times a week but are sedentary otherwise are actually classed as being sedentary. It's all about the NEAT movement - non exercise activity thermogenesis. So housework, climbing stairs, tidying the garden etc. The idea is for those who are desk bound to get up and move at least once an hour. 'Move Your DNA' by Katy Bowman seems to be the recommended read on the subject...

I've been using the printer down the hall rather than the one at my desk.... washing dishes in the kitchen at work that I'd usually take home, just ti get the steps & movement in... Going to reception to collect the post rather than wait for it to be delivered.... And at home I'm taking 2 or 3 trips to put laundry away, emptying the recycling bins more often etc. Every little helps.

I'm really starting to look at things differently - letting things go, losing the negativity. And it feels good.

Glad to hear you're doing well also.

Yes!!! When I think back to different times in my life where I was feeling really good physically and mentally (and it's been awhile), my movements reflected that. I did a lot of mountain biking for awhile. A lot of slow difficult pedaling, up a mountain. I lived alone (my husband doesn't stress me out that much  ), and had a huge garden and yard I tended in all my spare time. Interesting that I was consistent with those things for a couple of years, and when things changed, so did my health (multiple other factors, but still interesting).

I'm so glad to hear it's going well with HTK. And super excited about this common theme out there of taking care of ourselves. 

 

[J9er]

On 11/14/2016 at 4:56 PM, littleg said:

Get a dog!  My favorite thing about the dogs (besides them being cute and furry) is that it gets me out walking.  I do 2-3 miles each day when I'm off.

And then you get to see them do things like this

 

Somehow I missed this post! Your pups are just the cutest. Made my heart melt a little. 

I had a yellow lab but he died before we moved - only 7 years old. My husband and I are still a bit scarred from the whole ordeal. He was our little buddy, went everywhere with us, but he was one of those bad luck dogs. He was always a little strange and then got hit by a car when he was 3 and got a little stranger lol. Right before we moved he got diagnosed with a rare fungal infection that was terminal. So.....no dog for us yet. It's super lonely without one though! And yes I did get into pretty good shape with my boy, the mountain biking was mostly for him lol. 

I've walked 2 miles each morning this week. Just around our neighborhood so far, but it's something. Saving all the laundry to fold while watching TV in the evening, spending lots of time in the yard catching up on year end yard work. Now that my husband is back in the office he went from 20,000 steps a day to 3000 - if he's lucky.  (he's kind of like a puppy I guess) so we are going to do the 2 mile loop in the evening after supper as well and aim to get onto the trails on the weekends. So I think I'm off to a good start! 

Was listening to a podcast on insulin resistance and they were talking about the legs being the most insulin resistant part of the body, so to combat it, really focus on leg work outs, cycling, hiking, walking. Found that really interesting. 

 

 

 

[jmcbn]

4 hours ago, J9er said:

they were talking about the legs being the most insulin resistant part of the body, so to combat it, really focus on leg work outs, cycling, hiking, walking. Found that really interesting. 

Funnily enough I was chatting with one of the trainers at the gym a few weeks back and he was saying how people who train legs at least twice a week tend to burn fat faster than those train them only once. Interesting stuff!

[MeadowLily]

On 11/17/2016 at 7:01 AM, J9er said:

Was listening to a podcast on insulin resistance and they were talking about the legs being the most insulin resistant part of the body, so to combat it, really focus on leg work outs, cycling, hiking, walking. Found that really interesting. 

 

 

 

This is really, really great info, J9er.  I've been hiking for almost 3 years with a backpack. Before the snow started to fall,  I had a 50 day streak going of 6-7 miles straight up mountainsides. It took me so long (2 years) to bring actual muscle mass/tone back into my legs.   After releasing so much weight, the muscle mass was no longer there. It's only been in the last 50 days that I can see it return. 

I won't forget this info you've shared. I think it's another secret key to getting rid of T2/insulin resistance.  I love answers, answers, answers for the whys.  For me, a sedentary job coupled with sugar/flour/fat combos did nothing for T2.  My legs reflected those sugar/flour/fat combos..gumby or bat-wing style. The bat-wings were the last to go and they were giving me a big pinch.  I really think this is great discovery.

I don't do pre/post anything. No snacks whatsoever. I had to work 3 x as hard and long to see results. I've never wanted to throw the towel in because I knew one step forward and 3 steps backward would bring diabetes right back on my doorstep. Only faster, quicker and more devastating.  Thanks a million for sharing this.  Tree trunk thighs are the ticket. Dang, you've made me happy today. The hundreds of miles I've had to hike to pull myself out of this tailspin boggles my mind if I let it.  I have to continue on to retain the results.  There is no Finish Line.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.  

[J9er]

3 hours ago, MeadowLily said:

Thank you, thank you, thank you.  

 

Glad to spread the word. 

Yes. I was thrilled to hear it too. I will never take for granted again living in an area with big hills to walk up! But for now I am perfectly capable of doing some extra body weight squats during the day, and moving around every chance I get. Even if it's just around my house or neighborhood.

The presentor on the podcast said to basically forget about the biceps and triceps - other than for vanity reasons. If you focus on those legs the rest will come. 

50 days!!!!! 50! That's amazing. Do you have snowshoes? I love snowshoeing for a good leg work out, and you don't have to go to far before they're burning. 

 

[MeadowLily]

You'd made my day, my fall and summer...so worth it. I completely agree with everything you've shared.  Absolutely, I focused on my legs and where they could take me.  I added weight in my backpack and I've lifted heavy things through the course of everyday living. People (Paw), irrigation equipment, things like that.  If you build your legs, it will come. All of it.

I have snowshoes and I'm headed back outside right now. This was the spice and flair I needed to keep tooling along.  I've thrown so many gym memberships away...I can't run on the dreadmill and I don't like sweaty gyms with people who don't wash the equipment back off. 

I had to find a routine I would stick with for the rest of of my life.  Nothing temporary. You know what, J9er...that 50 day streak of hiking took the batwings off.  It wasn't moving. Those swingy wings of inner thighs. I don't care about a stringbean thigh gap...just give me muscle mass. I want it.  

If you've got anything else in your backpack to share, tell all.  I'm always in the market for a rocket booster of motivation and momentum.  It's a shame we're not all in the same neighborhood...we'd smoke those hills and mountains.

I've watched people like me who've released the big numbers come and go. Those that thought they would wait until all of the weight was gone before they really moved rebounded with every pound. 

It truly is the benchmark of retaining the good results.  Temporary movement through the weight loss phase is fleeting. Only doing things in the name of weight loss and then returning to the old ways is the recipe for a big flop. I can't go through that. There were months and months of hardly any results. It's taken forever to get here. 

[MeadowLily]

Now, I've got one foot outside but you're going to fight to stay whole.  It takes true grit and the mental commitment to keep tooling along is where the greatest barriers will crop up from time to time.

We have to be fully engaged, invested...body, mind and spirit every step of the way.  Going through the motions won't get you there. Just restricting food and dieting will crush your spirit.  Muscle mass empowers and ignites us.  We become energized to our core.  Keep fighting to stay whole, I will, too. 

[MeadowLily]

J9er, I flew out the door yesterday.  I floated up that mountain and I didn't turn my tunes on. I was listening to everything around me.  I smoked it.  What you shared carried me UP there, I kid you not.  I was singing and kind of dance moving on the way back.  

It doesn't take a whole lot to make me happy.  The legs really are the most insulin resistant part of the body. This is why people are losing their legs to diabetes every single minute of the day.  You moved me and inspired me to keep working on my legs.  I won't take them for granted. I'm still motivated to get back out there all winter long.  

[J9er]

3 hours ago, MeadowLily said:

I'm still motivated to get back out there all winter long.  

Great!!!! Me too! I went out this morning. For my walk. Only 34 degrees but I'm not going to stop either. I just want to keep moving all day and settle into a movement routine, not just a workout routine. 

My husband and I hiked on the weekend and he was able to shoot a deer! So we got our exercise hauling that thing back to the vehicle and I've been working on packaging and processing. I know what we're going to be eating for the next little while. Ground the liver and heart into the hamburger meat, made packages of stew meat, steaks and roasts. Cut up the bones for bone broth. 

I feel so lucky to be connected to what I eat. This helps me remember that my food doesn't just come from a grocery store in a package, everything has an origin, and even living in the most densely populated place in North America doesn't excuse us from this fact. There is still an ability to connect with nature and our community to source our food....just something else I'm working on  

[MeadowLily]

 I don't want to usurp your log.  Sling shot me around the sun now and again, though..would ya. Tell all.  Encouragement can be hard to come by. 

[littleg]

Get good mountaineering snowshoes if you'll maybe be heading back out west or even just to the Catskills or ADKs.  If you have any questions about winter gear let me know - winter is my favorite season in the ADKs (and you might say that hubs and I have a bit of a... gear... problem  !  

[J9er]

10 hours ago, littleg said:

Get good mountaineering snowshoes if you'll maybe be heading back out west or even just to the Catskills or ADKs.  If you have any questions about winter gear let me know - winter is my favorite season in the ADKs (and you might say that hubs and I have a bit of a... gear... problem  !  

Hahah, you guys sound like my kind of people for sure. We also have a gear "problem", although we finally just went through it and are finally getting rid of our spare "spares" that we never use.

My husband has a great pair of MSR snowshoes. Mine are an entry level pair I've had for quite a few years and I have some snowshoe envy whenever we go out.....we are BOTH in the market for new backpacks this year -- one can never have too many packs right? -- so, sadly  my snowshoes may have to go another season.

Getting ready for the holiday. We are heading to michigan to visit friends for the weekend, so food prep is happening today. Our friends live on a nice piece of property, so looking forward to just relaxing, walking their trails, and visiting. 

In other news, my jeans are all falling off of me. YAY. Last year I had about given up, and got rid of a lot of my too small clothes. Figures. Oh well. I won't complain, because this is what I've been waiting for. 

 

 

[littleg]

I think we've got about 8-10 packs between the two of us

Yeah for falling off jeans!