{pretty, happy, funny, real}

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life with Like Mother, Like Daughter. ~

{pretty}

It's always so pretty over at the coast! I have some more pictures I'm hoping to share from our camping trip last weekend, but here is one that someone took of our whole family.  ❤ You can also see pictures from the Saturday afternoon rehearsal and Corpus Christi Mass and Procession here. 

{happy}

Lots of big smiles in our home today! Last day of school for the kids, and last day of braces for me!!! Woot woot! Thank you to my orthodontist and his amazing staff. They are the best! #bracesoff #onceagain #twentyyearslater #wearyourretainer

{funny}

"What are you smiling about?!" asks my husband, when he met up with us at DQ this afternoon to celebrate the last day of school. Haha! #nomorebraces #thatswhat

He wasn't joking, but he figured it out really quickly when I grinned even bigger and all the kids started giggling! He's had a long week.

I don't think I'll ever forget him asking if I had asked the orthodontist if he could still kiss me when I first got them on, and the electric shock he got from that first kiss! ⚡ That was the one and only time that happened, but the timing couldn't have been more perfect!

{real}

A screen shot from my Target Weight App showing my weight loss from the past year.
The green dots show that I'm now in the "normal" range for my height!

Today is also my 100th day on the Auto-Immune Protocol (AIP) diet! (This is my favorite book on the topic.) I'm feeling so much better than I have in years. 

When I first started the diet, the day after getting my biopsy results back in March, I planned on trying it for thirty days which seemed like an eternity at the time. I surprised myself by being able to successfully give up all my favorite things (Coffee, Chocolate, Chipotle...) and then some (all Sugar, Seeds, Nuts, Grains, Nightshades, Eggs, Dairy, etc). I figured Lent was the perfect time to make the extra sacrifices. Day 30 ended up being Holy Thursday, so I spent Day 31 fasting for Good Friday. My lichen planus wasn't completely gone so I decided to continue on the diet through Easter and beyond.  

My Easter morning breakfast was an AIP approved Pina Colada Smoothie made with 1 large banana, 1 1/4 cup frozen pineapple tidbits, 1 cup coconut milk (this kind), 1 cup crushed ice, topped with unsweetened toasted coconut and garnished with an organic strawberry. Yum! 

I've found that, in addition to the diet, keeping my stress levels as low as possible and making sure I'm getting enough sleep each night is essential to avoiding new lichen planus from appearing. With the combination of the AIP diet, low(er) stress, and plenty of more sleep, I've been able to manage my autoimmune skin issues without using any of the prescribed steroids! The added benefit of weight loss has really helped keep me motivated too! :)  As of today I have lost 32 pounds since March 4th, and over 42 pounds since last fall! I've gone from wearing maternity clothes and/or barely being able to squeeze into a size fourteen to my old size eights now fitting loosely! On June 3rd, for the first time in nearly seven years, I finally weigh less than my husband once again!!! I've actually been buying him lots of beer and chocolate to keep it that way! Just kidding... or am I! ;)  Anyway, I still have another 15-20 pounds I would love to lose, but it actually seems achievable for the first time in a very long time. I'm looking forward to slowly reintroducing some foods back into my diet later this summer. We'll see how it goes! 

A Day Trip to the California Coast

On the last day of National Pro-Life T-Shirt Week (Monday, May 4, 2015) my husband was able to take the day off work and we went on a family road trip to the coast!

On the drive over we were able to take pictures for Task 448: Standing at the back of a train caboose (2 points)... 

… at the visitor center for the Oregon Caves… 

(We considered driving out to the actual caves - the Oregon Caves are one of the 113 National Monuments but, after a vote, we decided to continue on to the coast.) 

… Task 461: At a "Welcome to" your state sign."(6 points)...

… Task 309: Standing with an entrance to a tunnel visible behind you (3 points)…

… and even Task 193: At a Zoo or Aquarium (4 points)…

… before finally arriving at the California coast, for Task 227: In front or inside of any of the 113 United States National Monuments (8 points).  

Did you know that the whole California Coast line is a National Monument of the United States? According to Wikipedia, "This monument ensures the protection of all islets, reefs and rock outcroppings from the coast of California to a distance of 12 nautical miles, along the entire 840-mile long California coastline."

We headed south through the Redwoods National and State Parks, and past the wild elk at Elk Meadow, to the lovely city of Trinidad and the Trinidad Head Light for Task 180: Standing in front of a real lighthouse (5 points).

"Trinidad Head, a large domed prominence rising to a height of 380 feet, is connected to the mainland only on its northern end, thus forming the beautiful and natural Trinidad Bay on its eastern side. On the bluffs overlooking the bay, Trinidad, the oldest town on the northern California coast, was founded on April 8, 1850. Early on, the town was a vital link between ships anchored in the bay and miners testing their luck in the Klamath, Trinity, Salmon River, and Gold Bluff Mines. As the gold rush slowed, Trinidad Bay, like most bays along the Redwood Coast, became home to multiple sawmills. To aid vessels engaged in the lumber trade, a lighthouse was proposed for the ocean-facing side of the headland in 1854." - Source

A little history from Wikipedia:

The low, square, brick tower, painted white, was built in 1871.The light is only 20 feet (6.1 m) above ground, but the headland on which it stands gives it an elevation of 196 feet (60 m) above the sea. Despite the great height above the sea, heavy seas have been known to reach it. In 1913, the keeper made the following report:

"At 4:40 p. m. I observed a sea of unusual height. When it struck the bluff the jar was very heavy. The lens immediately stopped revolving. The sea shot up the face of the bluff and over it, until the solid sea seemed to me to be on a level with where I stood in the lantern. The sea itself fell over onto the top of the bluff and struck the tower about on a level with the balcony. The whole point between the tower and the bluff was buried in water."

The wave he described was the highest recorded wave on the coast. After the sea struck the lighthouse and extinguished the light, service was restored in four hours by Lightkeeper F.L. Harrington, the keeper from 1888 to 1916.

Next we headed down to the sandy beach! 

We had some more tasks we were hoping to complete including...

… Task 229: Spell "LIFE" in sand with letters that are at least 4 feet in length (4 points).

… Task 426: Dancing in a puddle of water (3 points)…

… and Task 441: Next to a sand castle that is at least 2 feet high or 4 feet wide (5 points)… 

I almost purchased an inexpensive kite at Walmart a couple days before (Task 221: Flying a kite.) and really wish I would have! The beach would have been the perfect place to fly a kite and the weather was perfect… Instead we just spent the rest of the evening enjoying the sand and the beautiful views. 

We didn't want to leave, but everyone was getting hungry and it was time to try and squeeze in a couple more tasks before the contest ended and then find somewhere to eat dinner. 

We noticed a couple restaurants on our way to the beach and decided to try The Lighthouse Grill. Thankfully we got there just before they closed! I didn't expect to be able to eat out and packed along a few things for myself (I'm still on a strict Auto-Immune Protocol + Paleo diet. Today is already Day 75!) and was so excited to see the menu! They were so willing to work with me and I was able to order a Grass-Fed Beef burger wrapped in lettuce, topped with bacon, and some onions and mushrooms sautéed in olive oil! Yay!!! I want to go back to Trinidad just to visit The Lighthouse Grill again! ;) 

Sean and the older boys also had burgers. The girls and younger boys all shared fish & chips, made with fresh, local fish, and hand cut fries. Mmmmmm! 

The Lighthouse Grill is also home of the "Mashed Potato Cone!" Sean ordered one to share with the kids and it looked sooooo good! He ordered the "Savory Waffle Cone with Mashed Potatoes with Beef Gravy and added Cheese and Bacon." Next time they want to try it "All the Way" with the Beef Brisket as well.

After dinner, and before starting the long drive back home, we stopped to watch the sunset at Patrick's Point State Park near Wedding Rock. On the drive home we offered another rosary for an end to abortion. 

It was a beautiful end to our week of tasks for National Pro-Life T-Shirt Week and our efforts to learn, pray, and do more to protect and defend the sanctity of all human life from creation to natural death.

"We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop." 

Mother Teresa

My Daybook :: September 16, 2014

Outside my window...
The sky is filled with smoke again and I'm dreaming of going back to the ocean… or anywhere with clear blue skies. I have discovered that the smoke triggers my anxiety/panic attacks. It seems to be affecting our oldest daughter too, who is complaining about chest pain and breathing difficulty this afternoon. Can you please say a little prayer for us? We are continuing to pray for the safety of the firefighters and all those affected by this year's wildfires.

I am thinking...
I've probably gone a little overboard sharing pictures from last week's trip, but I wanted to post them here for my in-law's to see. They aren't on Facebook/Instagram/etc, but they do read the blog - Happy 47th Anniversary you two!!! I promise this will be the last post with pictures from our trip. Next I'll move on to a whole bunch of posts with pictures from Twinkle Toes' birthday party! ;)

I am thankful... 
So thankful that Sean was able to take a few days off work to go camping. I needed to get out of the smoke and we needed some time together with just our family. It was such a great trip!

Learning all the time…
I'm also thankful for the ability to home educate our children, or in this case campground educate! ;) We kept up with math lessons at the picnic table...

... and learned history as it was read aloud around the campfire!

 

We also toured the lighthouse, visited the cheese factory, and so much more!

Celebrating the liturgical year...
We also were blessed to be able to attend a beautiful EF Latin Mass for the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary!  Afterwards we took Father out to breakfast and then later in the evening he joined us again for dinner at our campsite. He kindly blessed our RV (and the campground), taught the children how to play Yatzee, and we ended the evening with cake!

Just because we were camping didn't mean we couldn't still have birthday cake for Mother Mary, topped with our usual 10 candles representing a decade of the Rosary. I was so pleased when I found this beautiful single layer white cake, complete with a blue rose, at the local grocery store for only $6. It was perfect!

The next morning the boys served another EF Latin Mass on the feast of St. Peter Claver.

This past Sunday we also had our own local EF Latin Mass - it's once every two months and happened to fall on September 14th, the anniversary of the implementation of Summorom Pontificum! I picked up a cake to serve after Mass.

From the kitchen... 
Too. Much. Cake. and. Candy!

I didn't have any trouble passing on the cake, but all the amazing samples at Cranberry Sweets & More (and Face Rock Creamery) were irresistible.

I especially couldn't pass up an opportunity to enjoy a Chocolate Almond Cheesecake truffle. YUM!!!

We brought home a few things to give as gifts, and I am back on my diet.

I am working on... 
The 17 Day Diet and exercising. I've really struggled with my health and weight following my miscarriage and have a lot of weight to lose. Even with a few cheats on Day 15 I still was able to make it through Twinkle Toes' birthday party, the golf tournament, and a few summer BBQs without cheating and drop over 13 pounds during the initial 17 Day Accelerate Cycle! It's a start. I still have plenty to lose to get back to where I need to be and next up is the Activate Cycle.

I am creating...
my to-do list for the next couple days… Is it Friday yet?

I am going...
to Catholic Women Rejoice! I'm so excited to finally meet Danielle Bean! If you live in the Pacific Northwest there is still time to register before tickets sell out. I'd love to meet you there!

I am hoping...
to finally have an opportunity to sort through the pictures from Twinkle Toes' birthday to share with you all. It was so sweet!

I am praying...
for God's guidance as we continue to discern His Will for our family.

I am reading…
Augustus Caesar's World and The Borrowed House (aloud to all the children), The Young Reader's Shakespeare: Julius Caesar (with the younger children), and A Graphic Life of Jesus Christ and Julius Caesar (with the older boys).

Pondering these words…
from Mother Teresa:

"We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop." 

I am listening…
to the air conditioner. We've had to keep it running to filter out some of the smoke that is making it's way into the house.

Around the house RV and Campsite...
Thank you, Miss Charlotte, for recommending Say Anything! Captain received it as a gift on his Bacon Birthday and we played it the for the first time while camping. It was SO MUCH FUN!

"Dad and Mom, come play! THIS one's for YOU Mom!" 

After watching the sunset on our last night at the beach (and showers to wash off ALL that sand) we roasted marshmallows for s'mores!

One of my favorite things...  
I love that my girls love to dress up and wear their "old fashioned" dresses.

You were right, Melanie, this picture is pretty in sepia.

This week's plans…

• Dropped the Sienna off at the mechanics yesterday for service and repairs (I am hoping I get it back tomorrow since I really need a car on Thursday and would rather not take the RV to piano!) 
• Catholic Digest writing deadline (was Monday and I'm still working on it…) 
• Tutors on Tuesday and Thursday
• Piano lessons on Thursday
• The girls and I leave on a road-trip Friday!!!! (Please keep us in your prayers!)
• Snuggles has another Learn to Skate/Learn to Play Hockey lesson on Saturday
• My in-law's 47th Anniversary today and my Mom's birthday on Sunday!

A little peek at my day...
I stopped in town during the five minute drive to our Mission Parish to take this photo of one of the new fires in our area… I mentioned on Instagram that "If the skies fill with smoke again I'm going on another road trip. My anxiety can't handle any more smoke…"  I wasn't kidding!