recipes

jicama mango salad

dailystepsblog

image

A fellow WW member brought this recipe to our meeting yesterday- she had a copy for everyone.  How sweet was that?  The total time, start to finish, is 20 minutes AND it’s only 2 smartpoints!  I thought I would pay it forward and share it here- the flavors make my mouth water.

3 tablespoons orange juice

1/4 teaspoon minced orange zest

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

12 ounces jicama, cut into 1 1/2 inch-long matchsticks (about 2 cups)

1 large mango (about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds)

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

2 heads Bibb lettuce, washed and drained

In a small bowl, whisk together juice, zest, sugar, salt, and vinegar.  Continue whisking and add oil in a slow stream.  Set aside.

Place the jicama in a medium bowl.  Use a vegetable peeler to peel the skin of the mango.  Carefully cut the flesh of the mango away from the large, oval pit.  Cut the mango into short, thin strips, and add to the jicama.

Add the dressing and cilantro and toss.

Arrange the lettuce on a platter.  Top with the salad.  Garnish with orange wedges, if desired.

Makes 6 servings.

*i used thawed out frozen mango chunks  by the time I sliced and stirred it was a little soft and mushy  still tasty 😜

*one fellow member suggested also adding mint- yummy.

*another member suggested adding grilled chicken to up the protein and make it a full meal.

*when typing this out, I accidentally first typed the word “whiskying”… instead of “whisking”…. perhaps it was a Freudian slip… maybe a shot of whisky while making this salad just adds to the whole overall experience of having a yummy dish… (heehee)

creativity, daily moments

colorful little plate flower

dailystepsblog

plateflower

About a week into weight watchers I found an entire online community of men and women on Instagram. These folks use the social media platform as a way to connect, inspire, and find accountability. I could spend hours on end reading posts, finding new accounts to follow, and gaining wisdom from tried and tested habits, recipes, and ideas.

One thing I noticed right away in these images was the COLOR! Every color I could imagine- bright and vivid, subtle and calming- I see them all when I scroll the feed. Photos of healthy foods grown from the earth… foods that provide us with the nutrition our bodies were made for… complimentary background colors and objects… I notice them all. I see relaxing tones that depict an accomplished end to a day dedicated to healthy living. It’s all so inspiring to me- a steady stream of color that fills my news feed. I have always been a girl who loves color and now here I am, with this social media tool I can scroll through right in the palm of my hand.  Daily I am feeling inspired to bring color into my world in ways I hadn’t thought of before.

While out running errands this week, I found these fun plates at Kohls. They were all marked half-off, displayed to draw you into their design. It didn’t take long for them to find their way into my shopping basket to bring home. Everytime I look at them, I feel inspired to fill them up with healthy foods- foods that make me feel as happy as the plates themselves, foods that color my world with health and that help me thrive.  I couldn’t even wait to make the food that goes on them. With a laundry list of chores ahead of me, I decided these plates were a priority. I found myself creating the flower you see above, just as a way to play, express, and appreciate something so small yet so inspiring to me.

We all need these little moments. We have a list of have-to’s and should’s as long as our day will allow. But guess what? Tomorrow? Same thing- another list. There’s always a “I really ought to get ____ done” running in our head. But today?  Today I chose to play. Color makes me feel carefree.  A few round pieces of melamine consume my thoughts and let me just be.  I feel happy in this small moment, almost relaxed.  Some days the laundry can wait to allow this kind of spontaneous, unplanned time happen. Procrastination can be okay. Little plate flowers bloom right where I created that playful space for myself… and it colors my world just a little more happy. 🙂

“… a cheerful heart is good medicine but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”    – Proverbs 17:22❤️

 

daily moments

silver size 10

dailystepsblog

imageMy five-foot-ten daughter just had one of the best and fastest shoe shopping experiences of her 14-year-old life. Keeping her fingers crossed she would find short heels for her 8th grade Exit Party dance, somewhere, and preferably in silver, she decided to walk in Payless. And within 30 seconds they delivered. We popped in simply because we were next door at Target and within five minutes we were done. One-and-a-half inch heels.

image

In the world of five inch stilettos at every turn, we managed to find the proverbial needle in the haystack in a silver size 10. I have one happy, tallest-one-of-her-friends girl. Some days, it’s just the little things like this…👠

 

 

being mindful

waiting at the dentist

dailystepsblog

waiting room feet pic

After taking my daughter to the pediatric dentist today, I found myself with some extra quiet time on my hands… time to just read and let my mind wander.   I thought I’d share my thoughts here- which are written and listed as randomly as they floated through my head.

  1.  Even though it is your fourth child and you’re busy wrangling teenage attitudes, it’s best to take that youngest child to the dentist regularly.  Don’t do like I did and pretend those regularly scheduled visits every 6 months are just a hypothetical recommendation.  Between that and the poor tooth genetics from her mother, Julia had more than she should have had done while in the chair today.  New dental habits are already in place. #motheroftheyear
  2.  Always bring good reading material with you.  It’s not called a waiting room for nothing…. sitting around for awhile is just part of the gig.  I have found it to be a great opportunity to put my phone down and have a few uninterrupted, quiet(er) minutes to read.  Even though the TV is on, the ability to tune out Blues Clues is like riding a bike… it comes back just like that.
  3. Take advantage of the beverage hospitality.  This has not always been the case with these waiting rooms.  There are mini fridges stocked with cold water and Keurigs fired up ready to brew you a quick, custom cup of coffee.  Seriously, we are spoiled.  And they go hand-in-hand with the book or magazine you plan to catch up on.
  4. If your wait is long enough and you have time to both read and spend some time on your phone, plus it’s lunch time and you haven’t had time to eat, do NOT scroll through magazine-worthy food photos on Instagram or Twitter.  I follow many Weight Watchers folks who all post countless snapshots of delicious looking food.  I left a little hangry today, conflicted between frustration to eat NOW and inspiration to run by HEB and try one the yummy recipes I had just stalked.
  5. If you are in a pediatric waiting room, enjoy watching those cute little ones waiting for their turn to be called back.  I’m talking about other people’s little ones who make me look at my own nine year old baby and wonder where on earth all the time is going.  Think about slowing down TODAY and just enjoying them.

 

This waiting room is yet another reminder of just how quickly they grow up.  Right now, it’s that time of year when I am ready to be DONE with all of my parent duties for school, soccer and dance…  everything. I’m so guilty of just rushing through our week nights and weekends, checking things off the list for the sake of simply lightening the load. I need to listen to that small voice I am hearing that tells me to slow down and savor every last moment of the current grade each of my girls are in.  There’s always just a tinge of sadness for me as the school year wraps up.  Does anyone else feel this?  All of the end-of-the-year everything leaves me feeling a little melancholy.  This chapter we are in is coming to a close and it’s gone by entirely too fast.  Next year I will have two in high school, one in her last year of middle school, and my baby in fourth grade.  I don’t dwell on it… I really do get excited about what’s to come.  I think God designed all of us parents with that thread of optimism to keep us going with their growing.  But I can’t help but secretly want to hold onto this part- RIGHT HERE… where we are RIGHT NOW- just for a little bit longer.  As they say, the days are long but the years are short.  I am thankful this week for this waiting room of other people’s little people, a real-life TimeHop kind of moment, teaching me to take one day at a time these next couple of weeks… to just enjoy the age of my girls and who they are becoming… today…. now…. in the midst of all the May parties and awards, recitals and art shows, field days and tug-o-war.  Summer can hold on just a few more moments while I take a short pause and enjoy this chapter soon getting ready to end.  Then it will be time to celebrate  ❤️

 

 

 

creativity

sharpie art

dailystepsblog

josie sharpie

It’s been about a month since we lost our sweet girl, Josie.  It’s amazing just how close we grow to our pets- they most definitely are family.  The relationship between our kids and their animals is really something to sit back and admire.  It’s also interesting to see how differently we each grieve her loss.

My oldest girl turns to art for most things.  She drew this quick, sharpie-on-notebook-paper picture of our little pup.  I love how she captured her face so well with such simple use of color and lines.

We were all meant to be creative.  It doesn’t mean we have to all be Picasso’s.  By design, God is the ultimate Creator and He leaves a thread of that legacy within each of us.  There are so many ways to bring out your artistic side.  The obvious, yes… paints, colors, pencils and papers.  There are also words- writing and poetry, the way we express our feelings in those special cards we give others.  And we can’t forget that daily camera we have in our hands 24/7.   Our phones allow us to have a camera ready at all times to capture all those precious moments of life.  Even if you don’t love the photo you take, there are lists and lists of apps that put filters on those pictures.  You can click a few times and turn a mundane shot into a graphic work of art.

And to be inclusive of all mediums, simply the way we live is artful.  Loving others is an expression of our souls.  The way we serve those around us, attending to their needs, can be beautiful.  Reaching out to a hurting friend, praying for them… it all comes from the heart, which IS artistic.  Never stop paying attention to those people we do life with and the places we find ourselves.  Never quit looking for a way to find a creative outlet that suits you for both times of happiness and times of sorrow.  It is necessarily therapeutic and the beauty it adds to our world is priceless.

get active, healthy living

we love jazz

dailystepsblog

we heart jazzercise

It’s a month of bingo at Sienna Jazzercise!  Trying to fill up our card by marking off the boxes- and we’re going for the blackout!  We get squares by taking the different formats we offer (8 different ones!), taking class 3 or even 5 days in a row, taking every instructor’s class, taking early bird classes, attending night owl classes, and selfies!  These gals were good sports to show their love for what we love.  Jazzercise is such a fun, stress relieving hour for me.  Every day wonderful women join me for an hour we give ourselves.  Music on.  World off.  That’s about how it goes.

devotions

tree shaping mamas

dailystepsblog

Have you ever noticed how power lines can GREATLY  affect the shape of a tree? Every time I head out of our neighborhood I see this one in particular just as I pass through a light.

shaped tree neighborhood

Or, when I head out to our new Starbucks, I see these trimmed up trees, altered because of the power lines that run through.

starbuck shaped tree

The ones I see as I drive around our town are often cut in a “V”. But this whole tree shape thing has really intrigued me. I started doing a little research online and came across several other examples…

tree collage

It’s up to the power companies to keep these trees trimmed. It takes an actual person to clip each and every branch that’s in danger of coming into contact with the power lines. If the branches are left to grow on their own through the hot wires, fires can erupt. Power is lost. The damage from these incidents can have a lasting impact. The result of these dedicated workers taking the time to trim and prune as to avoid danger, leaves us with all kinds of uniquely-shaped trees.

This Sunday is Mother’s Day. I keep thinking how my mom is kind of like one of these tree-pruners. As I was growing up and began branching out to discover and find my place in the world, my mom was right there watching the direction I was headed, letting me grow, but then pruning me, and redirecting me away from things that were potential hazards. She would nip and clip and sometimes even saw down unsafe areas where I was branching out… places that could have had a lasting negative impact. My mom knew just where I needed to be trimmed to keep me growing, but safe.  It’s a process that takes time, attention to detail, careful planning, patience, and steady hands.  There are a LOT of branches and there are a LOT of hot wires.  The job is not for the faint of heart.

So, Happy Mother’s Day to all the tree-shaping women out there! This includes all women who are trimming and pruning, working hard to keep others growing in a safe direction, and helping to shape them into who they were meant to be. Every time I see one of these uniquely shaped trees, I will thank our heavenly Father that He gave us mothers… soul-shapers, redirectioners, pruning princesses. WE LOVE YOU.

Dear God, thank you for shaped trees. Thank you for those that work hard to trim them, prune them, and keep them branching out where it’s safe. Thank you for eyes to see the gift of moms in random spots of nature. Thank you for the ability to grow away from unsafe places and find our unique design. And thank you for mamas. Our world truly is a safer place because of them.

Do you have any pruning princesses in your life?  In what ways did they help shape you into who you are today?

Who are you helping to shape?  Sometimes it’s in big ways- sometimes it’s a subtle change of direction you need to tweak.  In what ways have you found yourself using the “clippers” to keep hazardous situations away?

devotions

nailing jello

dailystepsblog

Lately, and quite often (ahem), I keep thinking of the saying, “Raising teenagers is like trying to nail jello to a tree.”  Maybe you would agree?  I remember the first time I read this quote.  I was heading home from work, before we had any kids, and read it on a church marquee.  I thought, “Haha!  How cute- that’s funny!”

Fast forward several years and here I am with three of our four kids now teenagers.  Day after day, I’m trying to nail that jello to the tree.  I still laugh at that analogy, but in a different kind of way.  I laugh at myself for thinking maybe I could actually do it… escape those notorious teen years of trial and prayer and skate through drama-free.  I could nail that jello on where it would be firm, intact, and stay put right where I wanted.  Uh-huh.  Yea.  No big deal.

jello box on tree

Technically, jello can be nailed to a tree.  But, it would have to stay in a box- safe from outside elements.  The thing is, that is not how jello is intended to be- all boxed up.  No necessary ingredients have been added to mix in, strengthen and mold it to it’s desired state.

jelloe cube on tree

So, let’s say we do away with the box.  Take the jello, add water, mix together and let it do it’s thing to firm up. It’s on it’s way to becoming a Luby’s-worthy cube of gelatin goodness.  Yes!  Just like I’d imagined.  I decide to give it a go, find a tree, and try to nail it on.  It may even stay in place for just a bit.  But, not long after, it begins to wiggle and shift and just can’t stay in that one place.  It gets a little sticky and a lot messy oozing out from the grip of the nail.

jello glob on tree

Today, this is where I find myself with raising teenagers. Parenting often feels like a gloppy mess.  I can try really hard to keep them safe in the box.  But that’s not how they were made to live.  I have to expose them to the things that will mold and shape them into the strong, Godly people I know they can be.  But they’re  going to test the water.  They’ll wiggle around, oozing out their independence to find their way… figuring out the right path to be on. It’s a necessary part of growth.  Just like the jello, it will get a little sticky and a lot messy.  I’d imagine every parent before me who has ever raised a teen would agree.

I need to remember our sweet teenagers aren’t meant to have things all figured out.  They need us.  I need to do my part to help these almost-adult young people figure out the person God is calling them to be.  I need to be patient with the process of how they shape and mold.   And, I need to always remember that there will be a mess.  It’s just a fact.  Things will get sticky.  That’s a natural side effect of them figuring out their own way.  And that’s okay.  Messy and sticky.  It’s what happens when you try to nail jello to a tree.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not lean on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do and He will show you which path to take.”     -Proverbs 3:5-6

daily moments, devotions

bible study partner

dailystepsblog

tess bible pic

Our sweet dog, Tess, hopped up in my lap this morning when I was doing my bible study.  She just planted her face right in my bible.  I think the best days start when I do the same thing.

Rarely do I sleep in these days.  I’m up early in the morning well before anyone else in the house is stirring.  It’s my own personal quiet time in a household of six.  I have really come to cherish that time and when I don’t get it, my day is just not the same.  It’s off-kilter.  I’m out of sorts.  I need His calming influence and words on my heart to set the tone for my day.  Even if that means sharing it with my pup.  The way she climbed up in my lap to get a little love from me is the same kind of affection I seek of Him.  I’m not going to find that hitting snooze or jump-starting my day with the news.  I’m going to find that same kind of embrace my seeking and talking to my Father.

Thank you, God, for early morning quiet.  Thank you for the coffee that goes hand in hand with it.  Thank you for breathing life through the words in my bible that often feel like you wrote them just for me.  Thank you for cheetah blankets and Shephard-mix doggies that help make my quiet time with you even more special.  Thank you for today. 🙂

 

 

being mindful, daily moments, healthy living

pretty blue water bottle

dailystepsblog

ww water bottle

So, week 2 of ‪#‎weightwatchers‬ has happened. I love my new, pretty blue water bottle and am hoping it serves as a fun reminder to add more water to my day. That’s just not something I’m good at. I REALLY don’t like rules and restrictions with food. But, I decided it’s time for some accountability and thought WW may be a good fit. I have never been one to get too hung up with the number on the scale- it goes up some and it goes down some- and that’s okay. That’s life. Yet if my clothes start fitting a little more snug (which they were) and, more importantly, if I am regularly feeling a little more sluggish (which I was) then I know I need to make some changes. Over the last several days of being a little more mindful about it, I can already see where some daily habits were getting a little out of hand. My small handful of chocolate chips is not really reaping the health benefits of dark chocolate when it happens several times a day. Every. Day. 😁. (‪#‎thechocolatestruggleisreal‬). I see my choices improving. When I have healthy food ready and available, I’m more willing to choose that first. Rocket science, right? Bottom line is, I FEEL better. I am not hovering over the scale. I just don’t have the time or inclination for all that. What does matter to me is how much I plug in to life each day. I have more energy and am less distracted and I just feel more HERE. THAT is not a number. And that is SO worth it. When I committed to jazzercise, it made a difference in my fitness level. When I commit to bible study, it makes a difference in my faith walk. So, I decided to commit to this to help me get healthier. I’m much more likely to live out my purpose by being healthy and feeling good.  1 Corinthians 10:31- “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”