Golden Lines: Sports as a Means to Virtue

"Sports are not merely the exercise of muscles, but the school of moral virtues and training in courage, in perseverance and in overcoming laziness and carelessness. There is no doubt that these values are of the greatest interest for the formation of a personality which considers sports not an end in itself, but as a means to total physical and social development." -Pope John Paul II

How's THAT for motivation to work out? I love John Paul II!

Confessions of a Wannabe Foodie on the Road to Fitness

The first year of marriage, the only thing that I really knew how to cook was scrambled eggs- and even that was debatable. Smoke and fire alarms beeping were common in my kitchen as I tried in vain to flip pancakes before they blackened. There was no attention to detail. I recall being somewhat satisfied that I had baked a Shepherd's Pie (with instant potatoes coating the top) before cutting into it and realizing it was a watery mess because I had forgotten to drain the canned corn before plopping it into the baking dish.

Long story short, it was a mess, and I knew it. And what's more, my husband knew it- but he didn't know I knew HE knew it. He very graciously ate whatever I piled on his plate with little to no comments. Browned ground beef with corn and taco seasonings became a weekly meal.

And then, one night I remembered that some optimistic soul had purchased a crock-pot for us as a wedding gift. What could be easier? I thought to myself, as I dumped in some chicken and sliced vegetables. You set the temperature, and just let it sit for eight hours. Easy and fool proof.

Wrong again.

We both came home from work, tired and exhausted (we were both teaching at the time) to find that my ingenious, fool-proof plan had been foiled. I hadn't pressed the temperature level twice, which meant that the meal never cooked. Needless to say, it was a night at Del Taco for us.

Happily, my cooking skills have grown considerably over the past three (going on four!) years, and I enjoy cooking for my husband- and he enjoys eating the food (usually). The last serious endeavor I undertook was making Rachel Ray's Mini Paella, which was glorious. I even felt exotic because I cooked with couscous.

So what's the problem? The problem is my husband and I have taken an interest in fitness and nutrition. My husband does a lot of lifting and running to train for a job in law enforcement, and I have been doing P90X to get down to my pre-pregnancy weight. (By the way, P90X is a GREAT program- love it!) We both want to eat healthier, but let's be honest, healthy food is not always palatable! I have been reading labels, reading calories, and searching websites in the attempt to find recipes that are tasty as well as nutritious- and quick to make. Having a baby and our crazy schedule does not leave much time for my culinary endeavors.

Is there anyone who has any great tips or recipes that are healthy? I would love to start a catalogue of "fit" recipes. A friend posted in her blog that "Eat This, Not That" is a great cookbook. Any other suggestions?

Faith

Faith & Family Live! : Ordinary Time

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Preparation

It's been three years since the last time my husband and I have moved, and now we're ready to go again- this time, with Joseph- (and the cat.)

When my husband is away for long hours at work, I've been spending time making lists and beginning to make preparations for the grand trek ahead of us. From Texas to Vermont is a long way! The baby and I; and perhaps the cat, will be flying to Vermont, while my Dad and my husband drive a moving truck with our few possessions.

Soon after my arrival with baby, I will begin my new job. I am excited about this, but at the same time I think I will have a very difficult time not being a stay at home mom. I thought I was going to have a hard time with it this year, but despite difficulties, I've ended up falling in love with it. I like running the household. I feel like it's where I'm supposed to be.

However, my employer is amazing and is allowing me to bring Joseph to work with me, which is a great thing. I don't think I could reconcile putting him in daycare, especially since he's a baby.

We're still waiting to hear back from places where my husband has applied- and there is another opportunity on the horizon for him. I'm hoping one will pull through.

I will have to write more later. This is one of those "brain dump" entries where I just splatter everything onto a page.

The Naughty List

I was just perusing some of the 'Blogs of Note.' Since they are specially set aside by Blogger and some have won awards, I thought they might be worth the read.
Some of them are, in fact, interesting. But then, some are just so crass. SO crass. Good writing shouldn't have to be sprinkled with four letter words in order to be entertaining. I probably won't be checking out many of those blogs anymore.

Golden Lines: Mother Angelica

Occasionally, I will be posting what I call "golden lines" in this blog. When I was teaching, I would often encourage the students to highlight or copy down lines from the literature we were studying that pertained to the novel's theme, or to copy down lines that particularly inspired them.

I was browsing through Mother Angelica's Little Book of Life Lessons today, and this line not only struck me, but gave me a good chuckle.

If you're experiencing stress or tension give it to Jesus. Tell Him, "I feel like crawling the wall, but I love You and I want to give this to You." Do you think our Lord wasn't tense living with those twelve screwball apostles? p. 127

This one struck me as well:

On Perfectionism

Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. p. 125

Wow. Great things to bring to prayer!

Modest is Hottest: Swimwear

Summer is just around the corner, and I've been searching for modest bathing suits. It seems like everywhere I look, the only option is to be scantily clad in a bikini- and that you end up paying for less fabric than it takes to make a real bathing suit.

I don't think so.

I'm a firm believer that even if you've got it, you shouldn't flaunt it. A lady should dress with respect for herself and for others, maintaining her beauty- and keeping an air of mystery.

Upon realizing this dilemma, on a whim I decided to google 'modest swimwear' and found this site.

http://www.diviinemodestee.com

Wow! I was so excited because they're cute and still leave just enough to the imagination.
I was also excited to learn that this site also sells other modest and stylish clothing. Guess
I better start saving my pennies!