Look ma, no hands!

[dukunbayi]

Your kids are cutie-pies, and your hubs clearly adores you!

Your birthday sounds lovely and real-lifey. Rainbows and unicorns are totally overrated.

I had this idea laid out for my last birthday, "we are going to this place. I've been wanting to try this place. All the reviews are excellent. To this place we will go," and so we go there and it was so loud and echoey and crowded we cancelled our reservation and left, after 9pm, most kitchens closed or soon to be, I would have sat on the sidewalk and busted out a tin of sardines if I had one and called it a day. Drove around a little and ended up at a farm to table place that I had been to several times (damn, I really wanted to try something new and novel) but it was quiet and peaceful and delicious, and I almost (almost!) ordered live sea urchin . 

[Moluv]

Oh families, so strange and complex but so much comfort in being around the people who know you the longest. I have extricated myself from family drama by pretending that I live 8 hours away even though we live in the same town. Though I can't say my parents are hoarders, they are legit packrats. About 10 years ago their beloved poodle (old-ass, no teeth, spoiled rotten my dad literally cooked every dogfood she ever ate) passed away and they were thinking of selling their house and couldn't bear to bury her in the yard and then move, and a doggy graveyard was just too impersonal and bourgeoise. So my dad bought a deep freezer, backup generator and a padlock and literally laid out a frosty alter for Pooky and kept her in there until a couple years ago they decided not to sell their house once and for all and could give her a proper burial in the yard. They still have that freezer.

[Derval]

Wow, M, that is like something you'd read in The Onion!

[Physibeth]

So my dad bought a deep freezer, backup generator and a padlock and literally laid out a frosty alter for Pooky and kept her in there until a couple years ago they decided not to sell their house once and for all and could give her a proper burial in the yard. They still have that freezer.

 

   

[Beets]

Woah. Just read this dog story. Sounds like This American Life but something dramatic would have to happen next. Like somebody unwittingly disabling the backup generator while your dad is away or something.

Anyway. Been doing _ok_ this week. Took my kids to the NY Aquarium yesterday. Thought we would be in AC. But most of the exhibits were outside, and most of those were still under construction from Sandy damage. Still, my kids got to touch a starfish and a horseshoe crab and then we got ice cream. Pics to come.

I also ate ice cream and man did my stomach hurt! Otherwise I've been following the template. Ate the last of my dark chocolate yesterday. Actually, I brought the last square outside with me to walk the dogs in mid-day heat. I picked up a bag of poop with one hand and dropped the chocolate with the other. It had gotten a little melty. Then I reached over with the dog poop bag hand for the chocolate. It had fallen out of the wrapper and bc it was melty picked up some debris from the sidewalk. I still considered eating it and wished I had the mysterious Moluv camera set up to take a photo of me at that exact moment. (Tripod? Kid photographer? Who takes these shots?)

Anyway. You'll all be relieved to know that I used the poop bag to scoop up the melty chocolate and I did not eat it.

Right now it's 91 degrees but apparently feels like 107. Humid as balls, pardon my French. Last night we had a brown out and ended up all sleeping in the living room. I should have had an amazing long sleep with no TV or computer access. But no. The bedroom AC crapped out and my daughter kept waking up. I dragged my son's mattress into the LR. He was up for over an hour, scared of every unusual shadow. Then one of the dogs was up, panting wildly--a sign she needs to go out. Took her out. Was SWELTERING at 1:40am. She wouldn't sleep and my son was still up. Needless to say we are all exhausted. But at least we have full power back.

[Physibeth]

Man do I not miss those NY summers. I really feel for you! I spent many a summer night sleeping with both my siblings either on the pull out in the den downstairs or on the floor in my parents room because those were the only two rooms that had air conditioners. Perhaps a trip to the beach is in order? Definitely hope you find a way to stay cool and get some rest.

[Nadia B]

It's 112 here day and night. Everything is melting. Brains are melting. No relief at night either. Good that you have some willpower to plan fun stuff with kids. Can you buy a little freezer bag and make lots of banan ice cream for the go? Or just frozen banana chunks, I like them just like that.

Lol at the chocolate story and Mocam.

[Moluv]

I got called out on Instagram about my selfies too! Agh, so embarrassing to admit I have mastered taking photos of myself without holding the camera. I use the video camera, flip the screen and set the phone up propped against somethig. Then I do my thing, then watch the video and take a screenshot of the picture I want. I wish my phone would track for me how much time I spend doing that, it would be shameful, but in some ways it's a quick creative endeavor that I have used to gain appreciation for what my body can do (mostly in yoga).

[calee]

Beets! I am so relived to read that you DID.NOT.EAT.THE.CHOCOLATE!

I'm sorry all of you are sweltering. Hot sleepless night really suck. I hope all of you catch a break soon.

[pjena]

I hope you get a break in the heat!  Our heat wave ended yesterday (meaning high of 86 instead of 95 but much less humid), so it's coming your way. 

[Beets]

Hi guys. Still mostly hanging in there. I am eating chocolate and putting heavy grass-fed cream in my dialy cold-brew coffee. I have eaten some raw bell peppers but I can't tell if they caused a psoriasis reaction or not. I also ate ice cream cake that day.

My psoriasis has lately been better, which I attribute to more sun rather than anything dietary. I am eating more crap (dairy, some sugar, some kettle potato chips groovy variety) but my psoriasis looks better than when I was eating super clean. Again: light.

We went to the beach all day on Sat. In the heat. I never go on the beach in the middle of the day but my day's three sisters were staying on the same street my sister lives on (block from the beach) so we stayed. It was low tide and the water was 65 degrees. Refreshing. The waves got a little rough and I got t of breath easily. Yikes. Cardio needed!

The kids had a gay ol' time. I got sunburn on my back. Stoopid spray sunscreen lulls me into a false sense of security. That was Sat. This week: more heat, now less. Today we are going berry picking. Have been obsessing more over technology upgrades and figuring out my "workflow." Editing some photos.

Berry picking out on Long Island today. If I can get these kids out of the hizouse.

[Beets]

Honestly peeps, I feel and a little tired and crabby but thinner than before (??) and I just don't have it in me to be fretting about bites of chocolate or a glass of cold vinho verde on a hot night right now. I had to step back and get some perspective. I want to do a full on AIP (modified) w30 in Oct but till then I just want to feel relatively in control.

We go to the beach last weekend in Aug so I want Aug to be pretty clean, on template, no sugary snacks during the day. And daily movement. Same with next week. So, a month of that.

[Physibeth]

Glad you enjoyed the beach (minus the sunburn) and hope you have fun berry picking. Sounds like you are finding a good rhythm to riding your own bike and that really is the goal right? I think your plan to do as best as you can for the summer and do another reset when things "calm" in the fall is a good one. Enjoy the summer and those beautiful kids.

[pjena]

It sounds like you're finding good balance where you can eat and be without too much fretting.  That is our goal, I think.  Enjoy the beach and the berries and the occasional chocolate and enjoy the calm.

[calee]

Hi Beets. I will be doing some Whole in the fall as well. I am in Europe August 27-12 and will be template upon return, then at on San Marcos Island at a resort for a work conference Oct 2-7. After that trip I plan to do a strict Whatever. Maybe we cn team up in the fall.

[Nadia B]

Calee, you are team up for accountability star! I wish we could team up with ourselves at any given time  

 

Beets, I am so glad that you are editing photos and working details for your business out. You are talented and deserve to be able to have income from it! 

 

I am so thrilled that you went on the beach!!!!! 

[Beets]

Thanks guys! I'm so grateful for the unwavering support here. Was doing ok till the last couple days. Yesterday, omg, wow, really just fell off the wagon into a bakery bag. Haven't eaten like that (wheat) since the weekend before my W30, Easter weekend. Yikes. I tried to think, "is it special? Is it worth it?" That question is sometimes helpful but sometimes not for me bc I am such--at heart--a baked good addict that it always seems worth it and special.

After eating a cronut (?!?!) on the beach I wrote a little manifesto for the next five days. A mini No Excuses exercise. Meeting up with my good friends this weekend and I want to feel good about myself. I will detail later.

[Physibeth]

Ugh Beets. I agree that just asking "is it special? is it worth it?" isn't enough to stop us. Yes or no questions are so limiting. Perhaps the mantra needs to be expanded to include "if the answer to either is yes than explain why?" with predefined list of what reasoning isn't valid. Does that make sense? 

 

Hope you are having a great Sunday!

[pjena]

Sorry about the bakery bag.  It is so much easier just not being around temptation.  It's hard not to think everything yummy is special and worth it.  It sounds like you have a plan for a good week, though.  You know what to do.  Just have to do it!

[Moluv]

I'm feeling bold (and healthy) enough to experiment with homemade (true) sourdough bread. I miss baked goods and I don't think it's a character flaw to like to eat food like that. I also don't think wheat necessarily equals bad all the time. Homemade cronut (I think that's a cross between donut and croissant right?) sounds amazing. I'm curious how you feel after. If you say nothing happened it might give me the b's to try a bakery item for myself. A wheat reintro if you will.

[calee]

Beets, I will do 5 days with you. I leave next Sunday to a work meeting until Wednesdy night. This was a total fail for me last December. It was Pre Primal/Paleo and I fell head first out of low carb into the arms of bowls of fancy, pastries, bagels etc. nthe same person is planning the food again. Really sucks and I'm fearful of getting on the plane. So I would love to team up for a really clean week. Not a Whole, just clean eating. You game?

[Beets]

Thanks Calee! I wish Id logged back on and taken you up in your offer. My week was anything but clean. Was a crazy week with two kids in different camps, bus transport, lunches, snacks, etc., after weeks of a lazy schedule. I thought the camp week would be my week for *me*, but it was madness and I ate next to nothing till out of starvation Id end up eating chocolate or bites of my kids' sandwiches.

I feel HORRIBLE. I don't believe wheat is evil or that eating baked goods is morally depraved. However, it does make me feel really run down, anxious, lazy and easily overwhelmed. Too much wheat, too much dairy: dried out skin, bad tummy, bad sleep, bad brain. Meeting my good friends tomorrow in PA and then I need to figure out how to get myself on track before my vacation.

I have been running all over with two kids and a stroller on busses and subways but I haven't done my exercise vid in weeks and I'm feeling flabby, in addition to the rest. I refuse to beat myself up over not being in a better place as I'd planned. But the disappontment is there. I wanted to do it but I didn't take the steps I needed to take.

Tuesday am I am back on some track. I need it. I feel like a wrung out, dried out, anxious flabby piece of discarded potato skin. My lowest point was eating banana bread from a neighbor, putting another piece in my mouth even after it had already made me feel sick. I've totally fallen back into my bad non nourishing habits. At least I know what I have to do.

[pjena]

Yes - you know what to do.  You just have to get into the mindset to do it.  That is the tough part.  Once you flip the switch, it will be smooth sailing.  Camp weeks are stressful!  I'm glad that the weeks of camps, soccer tournaments and summer school are behind us and August will be lazy days for the kids.  I still have to go to work, of course, but not having to navigate schedules and pack lunches, etc, makes my life easier.  I'm not looking forward to the school year with my kids in different schools.  Oldest is going to middle school - ACK!  Once we get used to the routine, I'm sure it will be fine, but it's a new routine and that will be tough.  Anyway, just empathizing.  Make sure to make time to take care of you.  It's so important.

[calee]

Hi Beets, how are you? Missing you.