What I Learned in May

PODCAST TUESDAY!!!

I know this is the most random conglomeration of stories ever, but I promise it's worth it!!

Listen here

 Yes, I know it is not the last day of the month, but two things caused me to post my "What I learned" a day early. First, I don't plan on learning anything today, so I should be safe. (TOTALLY KIDDING!) Secondly, yesterday was a super busy day, and I didn't get a chance to write  a post just for this day. So without further ado, here are the things I learned in May!

1. My body rebels against a detox/cleanse.

And don't we all, I'm sure, in some way? Isn't that kind of the point of a cleanse or detox? To shock your system back to health and life? But seriously, I learned that my body freaks out in unhealthy ways. Not sleeping at all and feeling like I'm hallucinating? Not worth it to me. I think I'll just be more conscious in my eating choices. It works better for me.

2. Ryan and I still hate being apart.

We were told the longer we were married, the more we would "get over" the need to be together all the time. Hasn't. Happened. Yet. Ryan was gone all day for the Saturday and Sunday of one weekend, and the following weekend, we were apart all evening Friday and most of Sunday afternoon. We decided that's too much. We love being together, and we don't apologize for it!

3. In busy seasons, we rely on color-coded itineraries.

We had a couple of stretches this month that were too busy. TOO busy. The kind of busy where you have to schedule in bathroom breaks if you really want them. So I resorted to creating color coded documents that outlined our every waking hour and told us what we needed to accomplish and who was in charge of it. We couldn't live like that every day, but when we have to, we must have organization.  

4. I love, love, love, having our garage finished for entertaining.

Truly one of the best decisions we made (even though it nearly cost us our sanity when it was in process) was to finish off the garage so it could be used as an additional living space. Hosting Mommapalooza 4.0 out there was so freeing!  Everyone felt a lot more comfortable with the extra space!

5. The Ninja has revolutionized our coffee grinding experience.

Ryan gave me a Ninja system for my birthday, which was THE most perfect gift. I haven't had a lot of time to play with it yet (hello, busy May!) but we used it to grind our coffee right after we opened the box, and my GOODNESS. What used to take 15 minutes to complete took about a minute and a half. No. Way.

6. Ryan and I make a great team at events.

I love being in a partnership with Ryan, and I love having him accompany me to events. It makes me so happy! But my visit to IWU was the first time he stood up front and helped me with a presentation. It went seamlessly. We had rehearsed several times, but I was so excited to see how well it went in real time. I am thankful beyond words for a husband who doesn't just support the work I'm called to do, but he crawls into it with me and takes an active role.

7. I love writing curriculum.

Back in the day, I wanted to be a teacher, but I elected not to pursue it once I saw how the education field was changing (even 20 years ago). This month I wrote some curriculum for a workshop I'm leading this summer, and I adored every moment of that work. Ryan would come home to find me in the same spot I'd been in when he left for work, and I was a TERRIBLE wife on those days, but it fed my soul in amazing ways to write for teaching purposes!

And that's been May in a nutshell! Here's to learning even more in June! 

The Shafferland Shuffle

WHEW! Hope you are not floating away in all this rain we've had! What a lotta water!! Here's a peek into the dry parts of our week.

* Last Sunday was the second and final day of Ryan's continuing education course, and it was also the second (and turned out to be final) day of my 3 Day Refresh detox. I felt like I had the flu, so I pretty much stayed on Mo the entire day, with big hair and no makeup. Ryan got home from class that evening, and I was so happy to see him and so sad to be unable to drink coffee that I just cried.

* Because I called it quits on the detox at 4:03 Monday morning (after a long/short night of hallucinations and no sleep), I enjoyed the most amazing cup of coffee when the alarm went off. I've never loved it more. And I mean that. Ryan had a chance to try out a genuine Mayberry sheriff's car that day. Doesn't he look so cute in it? And I was excited to see a preview of Erica Wiggenhorn's forthcoming study on the book of Acts! It's gonna be great!

* Tuesday was our monthiverary. 53 months! We both spent the day working hard on our respective jobs, but that evening, we enjoyed dinner, a Dashing Dish dessert, and a lovely evening at home together. Even got in a nice, hard workout!

* Wednesday was a big office day for me. Lots of writing and practicing for upcoming talks. When I finally flipped my sign to closed at the end of the day, I was pleased with how much I had accomplished! Know what I was not pleased about? The manicure I got at the double-date mani/pedi last Friday completely fell apart. Had to do my own less than a week later. I think it turned out well, though!

* Thursday the rain began to fall...and it was just one wet, nasty day. What a birthday gift for Braeya, huh? She mostly napped all day and I didn't blame her. Wanted to do the same, myself! :) We didn't have nearly the flooding that some areas had, but it still was a soppy wet mess.

* Friday began our crazy busy weekend! I headed up to Fort Wayne to be a volunteer at WBCL's Daddy Daughter Date Night - photography night for me! It was so good to see all my former work buddies! I also got the chance to meet one of my friends' new little baby! :) Ryan spent the evening helping out my parents and enjoying a dinner out with them. Definitely odd to be apart, but we both had great nights!

* I'd gotten home after 11 on Friday night and we were back on the road by 8:15 Saturday morning so I could speak at the Huntington Baptist Church brunch. Ryan went with me, and we had a great morning with the ladies there! We got home just in time to drive the opposite direction, down to Indianapolis, to attend the wedding of one of my high school/game night friends. A full and fun day!

My 3 Day Refresh

Before we get to the topic at hand today, I feel like you need a good laugh. And do we EVER have one for you today!

Listen and laugh here!

Now. About the detox...

If you've been hanging out here at the blog very long, you know that starting at the end of November  2015, I began following the 21 Day Fix eating and workout plan. (That story told here and here and here and here.)  Though I don't stick to it as rigidly as I did then, I/we have continued to eat a pretty clean diet since then! But you know how winter goes. Cookies. Lattes. All the goodness of the holidays.

I had put on a few more pounds than I liked, and I wanted to try to nip my bad habits before they got any worse. I started the ball rolling by pulling back on the bad habits I could identify, but I still needed another jump start of some kind. So I decided to do the 3 Day Refresh, which is a Beachbody program, too. Some people who do the Refresh lose weight, and some don't, but most say it's helpful in resetting their taste buds. I thought I'd give it a try, and Ryan supported me in it, so we bought the program.

I think I've decided the reason these little detox things aren't cheap is because knowing you paid for it is all that keeps you going during that first day! LOL!! We had invested hard-earned cash, and I was determined not to give up.

I thought I'd tell you my experience with it in case you ever wanted to try it!

The Refresh has a VERY rigid  schedule of eating certain foods at certain times, drinking shakes and fiber drinks (and lots of water), and NO COFFEE.

I'll just go ahead and give you a minute to absorb that.

While you're absorbing, I'll tell you about how I prepped for this adventure.

First, I picked my days. I really feared I would become so ugly in spirit during this, so I chose my first two days as the days Ryan went to his continuing education courses. I knew he would be gone ALL day, and I could do things at my own pace, not offend him with my coffee-deprived self, and most importantly, not worry about cooking for him. (And subsequently not eating what I cooked.)

Then I planned my schedule. I wrote out all three days, with exact times and exact foods. This helped me make my shopping list, too. I tried to use foods we already had, but I had to buy several things just for this.

Day One, Ryan left at 5:30 in the morning and I slept until almost 9:00. That pushed my whole day's schedule back by an hour, because I figured I'd be up by 8, but I just scooted everything back and it was fine. I never really felt hungry this whole day until bedtime. My stomach never growled until then, and I never felt shaky like I sometimes do when I need food. But I definitely craved all kinds of food. (None were on the list of what I actually ate, you understand.) I did not get the raging caffeine headache I expected, but I did have a dull headache all day, and I just missed my coffee so much. I told Ryan that coffee is a comforting part of my day, and it was not there. I felt out of sorts without it. I missed its warmth, its taste, and its presence. Right behind that, I missed meat. I am a meatatarian, and I really really missed it with my meals. And about the fiber drink? I called it the devil in a cup. That stuff is just straight up NASTY and I couldn't finish my glass of it. But that was the only thing I couldn't handle. I mostly sat all day (did get my 10,000 steps in via laps around the house) and had little energy or motivation. And by the end of the day, I was ready to give up. (One note: I did not have the herbal tea I could have had toward bedtime because honestly, it sounded gross. That was the only modification I made to the day's diet, other than not being able to finish the fiber drink.)

Day Two was a Sunday, and Ryan left early again for his second day of classes. I got up about 8:30 because my headache and empty stomach kept waking me up. I desperately wanted to take some Ibuprofen, but I know better than to do that on an empty stomach, so I waited. I texted him to tell him I felt like I had the flu. I was hot and cold, hungry but everything sounded awful, killer headache, and I just wanted to die. After I had the first meal of the day and got some medicine in me and took a lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng hot shower, I did regain my will to live. Still couldn't finish the fiber drink, but I think I drank more of it than I did on the first day. The middle part of day two went MUCH better. I was able to be up and around and doing things more than I had on the first day. Much like day one, at the end of the day, the headache came back and I was just so hungry. I couldn't do the last tea again, and I actually cried real tears over missing coffee. This was my last day to have "off," since my final day aligned with my busiest work day of the week.

Day Three ended my detox early. We went to bed Sunday night, and I could NOT go to sleep. (It was like I had suddenly HAD caffeine without being used to it instead of depriving myself of it.) I finally dozed off, and from about 10:30 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. I was awake every five or ten minutes, seeing things (felt like hallucinations) and continuing to combat a raging headache. I finally told myself that the detox was not as important as feeling normal and healthy. (I had carpool duty Monday morning and feared for the safety of all if I didn't get some sleep and stop the weird things from happening in my mind and body.) I had done two days and that was good. Ryan woke up when the rain hit crazy-hard proportions and I told him I was tapping out of the detox. He said he understood and that was okay. So I got up and ate an energy ball (because I needed headache medicine to sleep and knew my stomach was VERY empty) and took some ibuprofen and went to bed. I finally slept for 2 hours, and when I woke up, I had the most amazing cup of coffee, very slowly, one beautiful sip at a time.

My thoughts?

I kind of feel like a failure for quitting early, but I am proud of myself for knowing my body well enough to know it was just done for whatever reason. (I read about many struggles people had throughout their own detoxes, but inability to sleep and having weird hallucination type experiences were not among them.) I do feel like this experience accomplished something good. My cravings did change during that time, and I am indeed reminded of the importance of portion control and choosing healthy foods over, say fun foods. Apparently I am not cut out for detox, so it is unlikely I will ever do a specific program like this again, but maybe I can learn to do my own version of detoxes from the things that trip me up, should I become too dependent on them in the future. Meanwhile, my goal for the weeks to come is to continue eating appropriate portions and to make even better food choices than I had been making. OH! And I did lose one pound during this adventure. So it wasn't a total fail, right? I can see a bit of a difference here. Still not quite where I want to be, but enough of a difference that the weekend worked...even if I quit.

The Saturday Six

One.

 I was excited to stumble upon this article of places to eat around Indiana. (Places with spectacular patio dining!) We have actually been to the very last one on the list and loved the food AND the view. And now? We have more places to try!


Two.

 Love these words from Holley Gerth. If you're struggling to forgive yourself of your past, or if you wonder if Jesus meant that He loves you, read her words.

Three.

 Did anyone try the new Unicorn Frappe from Starbucks this week? I am not even REMOTELY tempted by this, and of my social media friends, I only saw one thumbs up. I will just go ahead and stick to my caramel delights, thankyouverymuch.

Four.

Since I'm not a parent, I do try to limit my parental advice on this blog. I know I am not a reliable source. But I happened upon this post through Twitter this week, and out of curiosity, I read it. AND I TOTALLY AGREE. I actually have a couple of friends (meaning one couple married to each other) who parent this way, and it actually works. Their kids are well-behaved, innovative, creative, and in my non-parental opinion, balanced and healthy. So I think there might just be something to this madness!  

Five.

This is kind of a throw-back to an old post, but I'll tell you why I'm reminding you of it! Last year, I shared this post of how I'd started making my own marinara sauce. (It was a by-product of the 21 Day Fix lifestyle and learning to eat less processed foods.) I've used this sauce many times in lasagna and other such dishes, but I made a new batch a few days ago and pulled some out for Ryan to use as dipping sauce for some bread he had. I clearly underestimated how much he would love it and had NOT reserved enough. He told me he was done with all pre-packaged sauces. This was it for him from now on. So in honor of that, here's a link to the recipe! 

Six.

THIS. IN EVERY WAY: THIS. (Pause: it is true that there is no book review this week. I read two books but neither has been released yet, so I can't review them. Believe me. It's killing my OCD as much as it's shocking you right now. I'll be back with a book next week. PROMISE.) Okay back to this point.

I have had so many conversations lately with friends, fellow-believers, fellow entrepreneurs and small business owners and my brain spins over this entire conundrum. As Beth says so much better than I can, we are living in a world where we are taught and encouraged to promote ourselves. If we have something to offer, we have to make graphics and videos and do blog tours and podcasts and push, push, push to get our name and offering out to every soul we've ever met. We beg for retweets and reposts and stalk our social media numbers to make sure they're growing.

I don't like any of it. It's not how I was raised, it wasn't what I saw modeled, and it's not how I want to live. I share what I have to offer, because I want you to know it's there. I want you to know if you need a laugh, you can listen to Spill the Beans and chances are good we'll make you giggle. I want you to know if you want to read about the randomness of our lives, you can come here every day and find something to munch on for a minute. I want you to know if you need a devo, I've written a couple, I believe in their message, and I hope they'd be an inspiration to you. So I let you know when something's here. I want you to know that I love to share the messages God has given me with groups of people, so if you need a speaker, holler, and we'll talk. But oh my word, I never want to be the girl that shoves any of it down your throat.

I don't want to be the girl who gets hidden from every Facebook feed because my every post, even if shrouded in some fun story about my life, is somehow going to turn into a desperate plea to hire me or buy something I've written. I agree with Beth 100% and I am in her camp. I don't want to be about the Bekah Shaffer brand. I want to be about Jesus and hope you see Him through these outlets I have the chance to offer.

Stepping off soapbox.

The Saturday Six

One.

While I do not currently have a "formal" mentor in my life, I have many women whose lives and walks with the Lord provide mentorship to me, and I appreciate that. I have also had seasons when I met with different women to allow them to mentor me, and I've served as one before, to a younger friend. It's such an important role, and I fear too many think they are not qualified because they are not perfect. And that's why this article by Carol Kent speaks such life and truth over that myth!


Two.

Last week on the Six, I shared with you a post by my friend Sarah Forgrave that gives healthy(ish) options to choose when eating fast food. (Because we all know fast food happens!) This week, she continued her series on healthy options, but she offers the same advice for sandwich and deli-style restaurants. Thought I would pass it along to you!

Three.

 This article was fascinating to me. The guy is a photographer who builds sets out of miniatures and random props he makes by hand, but the finished photos look like absolute, full-size, real life.

Four.

This article CRACKED me up. 25 random (and may I add - WEIRD) things church members have said to pastors.  

Five.

Still looking for a last-minute Easter dish? Looking for one that has some healthy qualities to it? 30 options here from Dashing Dish. (We've had three Dashing Dish recipes this week, and ALL have been keepers in my opinion. 2/3 keepers in Ryan's opinion.)

Six.

In a weird blog twist, I'm telling you about four books today. WHAT?!?!! I know! I was so busy reading advanced copies of books to help some authors that I didn't have time to read a whole extra book, but it's high time I reviewed these four on the blogaroo, so here you go! I've actually mentioned all of these before in suggested reading lists, but I've never officially told you all about them.

If you heard Tuesday's podcast, you heard about our trip to hear our friend Brent Vernon in concert. Brent is a multi-talented guy. He can sing and play the piano, he's a ventriloquist, but he's also an author and illustrator of children's books! I had owned two of his four books already, but you know me and incomplete collections: shiver! So at that concert, I rounded out my stash and purchased the last two books. And now I shall tell you about them!

The first three books are all part of a series called the Audrey Amaka stories. Audrey Amaka is a neckless giraffe who wears blue sparkly high heeled shoes to help in the height department. Also featured in these books are her two friends, Nelson and Doodle. (Nelson is terribly accident-prone, and I so identify with the poor guy!)

Each book features an important virtue from the Bible, told through creative story. In Neckless, the first book of the series, Audrey learns that she is fearfully and wonderfully made, even if she looks different from everyone else. And she learns that sometimes the very things that make you different can actually make you valuable and special. In book two, Curiosity Crescent Audrey and her friends take a special trip with Mr. Amaka, but they learn the importance of obedience and the consequences that result from disobedience. And in book three, The Okapicat Audrey meets her cousin Ornela, who turns out to be more of a copycat than an Okapi. During Ornela's week-long visit to Audrey's house, both girls learn important lessons about being content with who they are and how attitudes and actions make a big difference!

The stories are all 32 pages long, fun to read, the lessons are well-taught, and the illustrations are amazing. I could just sit and look at the pictures all day! :)

The fourth and newest book Brent wrote is called The Gingerbrood, and it's a Christmas book written in rhyme. I'm always in awe of those who can write poetry, since I have zero skills in that department. :) This book tells the story of a batch of gingerbread cookies that escape from Mrs. Claus's oven, believing if they don't, they'll end up as Santa's snack. The book follows them on their adventures through the North Pole, and is fun to read out loud! (Also amazing illustrations in this one. And if you want a page count - it's 23 pages.)

If you have kiddos in your life, these books would make fun gifts for them. If you don't have kiddos, these books make a great resource to have on hand when some show up at your house and expect you to have books for them to read! (Our niece and nephew loved them when I read them during a stay at our house.)

You can find all four books (plus Brent's music!) in this online store. Totally recommend all of it! 

The Saturday Six

One.

Listen to Ann's interview here 

We're covering new territory on the Conversation Cafe this week! I had a chance to talk with Ann Gabhart, who has written many books, but the series of hers that I fell in love with was the Hidden Springs Mystery series. (I reviewed the most recent book in that series a couple of weeks ago on the Saturday 6.) Ann was fun to talk to and shared some insights into her writing craft and the world of fiction in general. Hope you enjoy!

Two.

My friend Sarah Forgrave is doing a new series on her blog to help you know how to eat fast food as responsibly as possible. I loved this first post with practical suggestions of what to eat at a number of popular fast food restaurants if you're wanting to try to be good!

Three.

Have you ever had someone apologize to you (for something big or small) and rather than saying you forgive them, you just dismiss the offense as no big deal? Sure, that might make us more comfortable in an awkward situation, but this powerful little post explains why pushing for grace and forgiveness is so important. Well-written words from Andrea Summers.

Four.

 And not to belabor the topic of forgiveness, but I also wrote on that subject for the Annesley site this week and thought I'd share my words as well.

Five.

Easter is a week from tomorrow, FYI. If you're needing a quick decoration (that's geared more toward Jesus than bunnies), I love this free printable! 

 Six.

Source

I was absolutely giddy when I saw book 3 in Irene Hannon's Hope Harbor series had been released. The first book, called Hope Harbor released a couple of years ago and was one of the first fiction books I read after I quit my full time job. It rekindled in me a love for fiction, and as you can tell, I haven't quit since! Last year, I happily revisited the charming Pacific Northwest town in book two, titled Sea Rose Lane, and when I saw that Sandpiper Cove was releasing this spring, I had to read it. Immediately.

If you read my fiction reviews very often, you know I have a soft spot in my soul for books set in small towns, and Hope Harbor is just such a town. Charming and little, where the people know each other and actually cheer each other on in the most beautiful way. I was happy to see some of my favorites from earlier books, like Charley with his taco truck and, Luis, the grateful citizen getting a new chance in a new country.

This time, I got to know police chief Lexie Graham, a single mom grieving a past that remains mysterious to most of the townspeople, and working hard to make Hope Harbor a safe and pleasant place to live.  I'd met her in an earlier book, but this time I learned her story. She's investigating a string of vandalism incidents around town and more than one seem to be targeting Adam Stone (or Stone, as most people call him), an ex-con trying to build a new life among the people of Hope Harbor.

As you might expect from an officer of the law, Lexie has keen intuition, and she expects to find herself overly wary of Stone and his prison-riddled past. But for some reason, the change she's making seems to be more genuine than facade. As she reaches out to help professionally, she finds herself intrigued by this man she knows better than to associate with.

And indeed, Stone wants a new life. He wants friends and a place to belong. But a lifetime of hurt and betrayal makes him a bit skittish of trusting a town full of people who know he has a shady past.

As the two begin to work together to find answers to the vandalism, they begin to wonder if they'll also find a way to fill these massive, secret voids deep inside both of them.

This third installment in the Hope Harbor series was a sweet, insightful, easy read that kept me up late so I could see how it ended! Thoroughly enjoyable!

* I received a copy of this book from Revell but was not required to provide a positive review. * 

Peanut Butter/Chocolate Chip/Oatmeal Cookies

I'm always looking for new cookie recipes, because cookies are pretty much my love language. Sadly, too much of a good thing also makes me not fit into my clothes, so while I do love a good regular cookie, I'm always hunting for recipes that are a bit on the healthier side. (And no, not so I can eat twice as many. Most of the time.)

I know it's still better to eat a healthy dose of green beans than to have a cookie, but sometimes a girl just needs a smidgen of dessert, and my guess is you know what I mean! So when I happened upon these cookies on Pinterest, I pinned the recipe for later and "later" finally arrived a few weeks ago. I had the munchies on a Sunday afternoon, so I made the cookies and Ryan could not get over how good they tasted. Cookies that are a little healthy and a lot tasty? I call that a win! So with a few Shaffery modifications, here are our new favorite cookies!

Peanut Butter/Chocolate Chip/Oatmeal Cookies

* 1 cup crunchy peanut butter
* 2 Tablespoons of honey
* 4 Tablespoons brown sugar
* 1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons old-fashioned oats
* 1/8 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 large egg
* 1/4 cup peanut butter chips
* 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a medium bowl, stir together peanut butter, honey, and brown sugar. Add oats, salt, baking soda, and vanilla extract. Stir thoroughly. Lightly beat the egg in a separate bowl and then add to mixture. Stir in peanut butter chips and chocolate chips. The dough will be thick and sticky, almost like no-bake cookies before they set up. Use a small cookie scoop to transfer the dough to a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 7-9 minutes. Cool completely before removing from tray.

A Few Tips

* The first time I made these, I used a natural peanut butter that is much softer. I've also used regular peanut butter. The outcome seemed to be the same in ease of stirring and consistency, regardless of which peanut butter I used. (The original recipe I followed did say not to warm the peanut butter or the honey, however, so I'll pass that tip along to you.

* If you would rather use creamy peanut butter, you can. I just like the extra texture of crunchy peanut butter.

* I have made these with both quick and old-fashioned oats and noticed no difference in taste or consistency, but I prefer old-fashioned oats just because they're bigger. (Weird recent quirk of mine.)

* I always use pure vanilla. Another odd Bekah-quirk.

* If you prefer, you could mix in things other than peanut butter chips/chocolate chips. You could use other kinds of nuts or dried fruit. I'll take the chips though, thank you very much.

* This is a pretty messy dough, so I would highly recommend getting a scoop. You could spoon it onto the baking sheet, but you'll just have extra mess to contend with.

* This doesn't make a HUGE batch, so that's nice. It won't be around forever. (Also it tastes so good that it won't be around forever.)

* I put parchment paper on my baking sheet for easier cleanup.

* These are really unbelievable warm from the oven with a glass of cold milk. YUM!!!!

* They harden up a little bit the longer they sit, but they don't get really crispy like some cookies do. 

Cheeseburger Soup

Because Indiana is being...well...Indiana, my menu plan this week contains both soup and grilling plans. Sigh. It's hard to have winter and spring in the same week. And truthfully, at this point, I'm about to give up on spring.

Anyway. Several of you asked me about the cheeseburger soup a few weeks ago when I made it and blogged something about it, so I made it again this week and am ready to present it today!!

First of all, allow me to say that cheeseburger soup was something I first had years ago at a church carry-in, and though I was wary at first Seriously? Cheeseburger in a soup????), I loved it and asked for the recipe. Fun fact: I made this dish one night when a guy friend was coming over for dinner and he never showed up. I didn't say anything about it, because I feared he thought it was a date and freaked out/bailed, but WEEKS later, he confessed he forgot. Let's just say I ate soup for d.a.y.s.

Anyway. Despite that little awkward memory, I made this soup often and even featured it here on the old blogaroo.

But between the potatoes and the processed cheese, I felt bad continuing to make it - UNTIL!!!!! - a few weeks ago, my friend Allison said something on Facebook about a cheeseburger soup recipe made with cauliflower in place of potatoes. Stop it. Just stop it. It sounded terrifying, actually, but after she FULLY reassured me it was not even noticeable, I decided to give it a whirl.

Shut. The.  Front. Door.

You guys, it really was so good. And I didn't even tell Ryan I'd swapped out the potatoes in favor of the cauliflower, and he didn't even pick up on it. Truth.

So without further ado, I present my healthfully-improved cheeseburger soup recipe. Ryan tested and approved.

Healthier Cheeseburger Soup

* 1 pound ground turkey
* 3/4 cup chopped onion
* 3/4 cup shredded carrots
* 3/4 cup diced celery
* 1 teaspoon dried basil
* 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
* 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
* 1 head cauliflower, cut into smaller pieces
* 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (lowfat)
* 1 1/2 cup milk
* 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
* 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

In a large pot, brown and drain the ground turkey. Add chopped onion, shredded carrots, and diced celery, along with basil and parsley and allow to cook a bit until vegetables grow tender. Add chicken broth, cauliflower, and cheese, along with milk, seasoned salt and Greek yogurt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until all vegetables are tender. Smash at cauliflower if you need it to be a bit more unrecognizable. Serve warm.

A Few Tips.

* We use ground turkey, but if you just hate ground turkey, you could, of course, use ground beef instead. Or ground whatever you like.

* For the love of Pete, Jane, and Sally, buy carrots that are already shredded. I nearly cried in the grocery last weekend when that little slot in the refrigerator sat bare. Shredding carrots on the little shredder can be awfully dangerous for klutzes like me.

* I don't think the low sodium chicken broth sacrifices flavor, but if you feel it does, you can buy regular OR add extra seasoning to compensate.

* I try to cut the cauliflower fairly small before I dump it in the pot, but if you find the pieces are still too big, just mash them up a bit as they start to soften in the soup. I actually don't mind them a little bigger, but if you're trying to trick someone...

* I use low fat/fat free milk and find it to add plenty enough creaminess.  Same for the yogurt.

* I let this simmer for about an hour before serving, but the longer it sits, the more the flavors marry. So I guess it depends on how picky you are about that stuff and how hungry you are when you cook it!

This pairs well with crackers/salads/cornbread/whatever you like, and it does reheat well! 

What I Learned in February

It's podcast Tuesday! This week we pay tribute to some of the HILARIOUS things my mom said pre and post op. She's so funny! And a shout out to Ryan's fifth grade love..

Listen here!

Now...on to today's blog!

It may have been a short month, but it was not short on new insights! Here is at least some of what I learned in the month of February! I'd like to think there were more insights along the way, but this is a good list!

1. You really can sneak cauliflower into a soup in place of potatoes.

I didn't sneak them in to be sneaky to Ryan. I did it to see if it was true that you really can't taste the difference. My friend Allison gave me a cheeseburger soup recipe and told me she swapped out the potatoes called for in the recipe with a head of cauliflower {chopped, of course}. She said she mashed it up into smaller pieces as it cooked and her kids didn't realize she had replaced potatoes with a healthier veggie. So when I made the soup, I did the same, and Ryan didn't catch it either. I was surprised, too, as I ate the soup, that I couldn't taste cooked cauliflower. {It's admittedly not my favorite vegetable in its cooked state. I don't mind it raw.} Sneaky veggies for the win! I'll be sharing my modification of this one soon!

2. Social media has become such a happy place for me since I employed rapid use of the "hide post" button.

I love social media. And one of the things I love about it is that it serves a million different purposes. Everyone wants what they want out of it, and that's great! Know what I want out of it? Baby pictures and cute puppies and Bible verses and those sorts of things. So this month I made the executive decision that I would hide all political posts on Facebook. I would hide them whether I agreed or disagreed. Whether they made me happy or mad. Political? Gone. I don't unfollow the people. I just hide the posts. And oh my goodness! What a difference it has made. I'm able to go and just smile when I see Facebook now, and that makes me happy. I can still read the news articles in other forums, and I do. But on that one space, I just want to find real life info about real people that I know and their cute puppies and babies!

3. Weighted blankets just might be a little miracle.

I have a friend who has started making weighted blankets as a side job. She made one for her son to help with some of his issues {I have no idea what they are} and then people started asking her to make them for sale, so she did. I'd read various articles that talked about how the weight helps with restlessness and anxiety and such things, and I'm sure those of you parenting kids with any of those issues could speak much more articulately than I on the matter. Well! When I went to the dentist this month, I was due for x-rays, so the assistant put the weighted vest on me for that, and immediately I felt calm and relaxed. (And that's good because the x-ray plates get into my gag reflex zone and cause a good amount of anxiety for me.) I relaxed so much that I contemplated asking her if she could just leave it on me when the x-rays were done. But I didn't. However, I have to say, I can see how the miracle of the weighted blanket isn't just all talk. It's real!

4. You can buy wood wicks for candles.

My sister introduced me to WoodWick candles several years ago, and they are my favorites. Have you ever had one? The wicks are wooden and crackle like a fireplace, making the whole candle-burning experience extra delightful. But the candles are definitely pricey, making the much more of a treat than an everyday experience. But I learned (via the magic of Pinterest, of course) that you can actually buy wood wicks and use them to make your own candles! I've never been a candle maker but this absolutely intrigues me!

5. I don't like almond milk.

In a rather embarrassing turn of events at Starbucks this month, I accidentally grabbed someone else's drink by mistake. I didn't realize anyone was ahead of me in line and when my chosen drink was declared - except made with almond milk - I thought the barista just messed up the milk choice. I hated to waste the drink and have her redo it, so I grabbed it and started sampling. I. did. not. like. it. at. all. And right about the time I was insisting I would power through anyway, she called out MY drink. The same one, made with skim milk. THAT'S when I realized a lady over in the corner had just not claimed her drink and I'd grabbed it. The lady whose drink I stole by mistake was ever so gracious about it. The barista? Not so much. I had a very red face, but in the process, I learned I don't like almond milk!

6. Making freezer meals is a fun, yet exhausting activity.

If you missed the post last week, I'll fill you in by telling you I made freezer meals for my parents to have on hand following my mom's recent hip replacement. I wanted to make meals that were done and ready to eat, so all they had to do was defrost and heat them. No additional prep required. It took me an entire Saturday from morning to night, but I prepared and individually portioned out thirty whole meals and two kinds of cookies. It was a lot of fun to do, but my feet were killing me by evening.


7. If you need answers to your tax questions, check the scrapbooks.

Ryan's been working tirelessly on our taxes over the last few weeks, and he comes up with occasional questions of when we did certain things so he knows where to look for receipts or whatever. On more than one occasion, my too-detailed-for-most-people scrapbooks have provided the necessary answers. Scrapbooking for the win in a brand new way!