Getting back on track

The intended use of this blog was to track the progression of my attempts to become more healthy and lead a more sustainable life. Which as you can see by the previous posts has started to fall by the way-side.

I'm trying to get back on track, and am doubling my efforts (as small as they may be starting out) to clean up our act a bit. ^_^

I've already gathered instructions on how to make my own cleaning supplies, air fresheners, and wood polish for my house from what's in my kitchen. I still need to pick up some essential oils, and maybe one other product, but other than that we already own the rest of the ingredients.

I've also started composting (sadly not for myself, we don't have a garden-_-) for a friend, and I enjoy finding a use for these items (kitchen scraps, coffee grounds) rather than just throwing them away or washing them down the drain. Not to mention our friend is getting compost for free for her amazing garden! ^_^

In the coming month I should have a "Greening our house and lifestyles" plan all set out for us and our cats. The hardest part is changing our lives to fit our products, instead of the other way around. It's a very eye opening endeavor, and I am enjoying the research and information gathering it has lead me to; as well as the on-line communities and many helpful blogs out there.

Onward to a healthy planet for our healthy children!!! >.<

Back from a wonderful vacation~

You know, there's not much difference once your married versus when you weren't. I thought (as most people do) that marriage is a life changing event. Honestly, we're still the same people we were before we got married, except for a slight something that wasn't there before.

I'm not too sure how to explain it except that there is this feeling of complete wholeness you get once you have found and vowed to stay with the person you love the most for the rest of your life.

I mean, we figured we'd spend the rest of our lives together anyways; but now that we're married it's like I've lost my sense of loss. (That totally doesn't make sense! >.<) What I'm trying to say is, I'd assumed we'd always be together, but now I know we'll always be together.

It's a wonderful feeling to feel complete.

YOU COMPLETE ME STEVEN AND I LOVE YOU!!! ^0^

o-hisashiburi des ne?

Wow, I can't believe it's already been over a month since the last time I posted on here! Time sure does fly, especially when your busy.

Steven and I slightly dropped off of the healthy eating kick for about a week and a half there and let me tell you, it was killing us >.< We were eating out almost everyday, and I was waking up in the middle of the night with stomach aches, and having stomach troubles at work as well.

Now that we've been cooking at home for the past two weeks, it seems that our bodies are back on track finally. We were even good on Valentines this year and didn't gorge ourselves on chocolate or sweets (even though my sister and I made a ton of cupcakes to hand out to people, we didn't keep any ^_^).

As for baking at home occasionally, it's going well except that everything I decide to make (aside from being made with organic ingredients) isn't very healthy for us at all! I need to do some digging around and find some nice simple (slightly healthier than usual) sweets to make at home.

Meh.... maybe I'll just break down and make some fudge. I'll make it so fudgy that we'll only be able to eat one a day or so. ^_^ yea, like that'll work~

Until later, I'll be posting some pictures of the cupcakes we made for V-day soon; as well as a pic of the project I'm currently working on. (Just learned how to knit last night, and I already have more projects to do than I know what to do with!) @.@

~ja ne Live happy live healthy~

Wow!

I often forget how nice it is to be completely (as much as possible -_-) organized! The last few weeks at work have been one big haze for the most part, all blurring together.

Ever since I got my butt in gear and everything is organized, I find myself with so much time left over! And you know what I get to do with all that left over time?... All the things I've been wanting to do! >.<

Ever since I made it one of my goals to bake something at least once a week, I've kept it up and even amazed myself at what I've been able to put together.

And for the first time in a long while, I have a new book! I'm excited to see how it turns out.

As far as updates in my health or my quest for sustainability:
I've been recycling about 1/2 of our garbage (which is nice, cause then the garbage can doesn't fill up as fast), and I've been striving to use less water when washing the dishes and take shorter showers (we do not have a dish washer, I do it all by hand >.<). Sadly I'm notorious for taking really long showers, but I've been trying my hardest to cut back; I dunno what it is about the shower that just relaxes me and puts me in a state of thought, I easily lose track of time when in the shower.

And for my health, well.... we ran out of enerfood for about 3-4 days there, and then our next one showed up and we're back into our daily routine. I've been wanting to exercise more too but just haven't found the time for it yet; I'm planning on whipping out DDR this weekend and getting a good workout on it.

And as soon as the weather starts to get nice again in early Spring, I'd like to start riding my bicycle to and from work. I remember how much I used to love riding around Portland, and I miss the energy it gave me (not to mention the strong legs! ^0^)

Heres' to another week of health and wellness~ (striving to attain in any case ^_^)

Brrrr........~

Ever since Christmas any type of regular schedule has been impossible >.< And is it just me, or did Christmas seem to last the whole month of December?!!

(yes... thank you local radio station for incessantly playing the same 6 Christmas songs in 5 different versions throughout the entire month of December.)

After working two irregular work weeks thanks to Christmas and New Year's both being on a Tuesday this year, (I also called in to work sick on Thursday Jan 3rd) and then after only having been at work for 1/2 an hour on Friday, a huge wind-storm blew through town and knocked our power out for a day and a half.

I realized then just how few candles we really did have.

Honestly the whole situation shouldn't have been blown out of proportion the way it was, the way people were acting you'd think a little wind and rain were the end of the world! ("Oh no! It's not a beautiful sunny 70 degrees today..... it must be the APOCALYPSE!!! >.< ")

Anywhoo, after driving around for 30 minutes or so trying to find a gas station with power(we were super low on gas), we happened upon one of the three working gas stations in the city. A fight was about to break out at the pumps, so we ended up driving over to my Boss' house (they had power) and hung out there waiting for things to die down.

We ended up just walking over to the gas station from Tim's house with some borrowed gas jugs of his (he lived pretty close). Amazingly enough we just walked right up to an empty pump since everyone that was in a car was blocking one entrance or another.

The walk back to Tim's house was peaceful enough, and we took the time to look around and see just how much damage the storm had caused. (Sadly quite a few trees no longer reside with us here in Chico anymore -_-)

We had an amazing dinner that night even though most of the city was without power. (Small plug for Sierra Nevada Brewery Taproom & Restaurant~* check out their sustaining our environment page http://www.sierranevada.com/environment.html it's animated! @.@)

The night ended well for the two of us considering we still had heat without power (thank you gas), and the evening passed on while we played cards by candle light drinking Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. (quite romantic actually, been a long time for the two of us ^_^)

All in all we were quite happy when the power returned later on the next day, mad that we had to throw so much food out (>.< grrrrr....), and slightly sad to see the candles go. We need to seriously work on foods that are storable and require no refrigeration for any future power outages, as well as re-supply our horde of candles.

Hell-of-a-way to bring in the new year! ^_^

Happy New Year Y'all!~ and may you be warm and full of tasty treats ^-^

Update on the Sustainability Front~

I've got some good news, and some kinda good but less good news.

This entire week Steven and I have been riding to work together since the weather has been very wet, and I am unable (unwilling) to ride my scooter to work in the rain. Therefore, the fact that I do not have a vehicle to cart myself back home for lunch with, has forced me to take my lunch to work with me!

Yay me! ^_^

It's not like I eat out everyday, on the contrary; I usually go home, do the dishes, clean the house up, hang out with the cats, and enjoy a nice sunny afternoon at home before I have to go back to work. However, taking lunch to work with me is prolly saving me about 1/2 a tank of gas too.

And even though we've been sharing the car, I think we've been using more gas than when we each took our respective vehicles! He drops me off on his way to work in the morning, and then gets home before I do, so then he comes all the way back to pick me up after I get off. Normally you'd think sharing a vehicle cuts the cost of gas, but I've noticed that he has gassed up the car 2 if not 3 times as much as usual since we've been sharing!!! @.@ (we did take into account the fact that we drove out of town for my office Christmas party, but still!)

It looks like we'll be back to our usual routine tomorrow, he takes the van, I take the scooter. It honestly sounds a lot more wasteful, however; it only takes me $5.00 to gas up my scooter every 2 weeks, and usually only costs him $30.00 - $35.00 every 2 weeks. (yea, he can get two weeks out of the van; when he's not driving my ass everywhere!)

Which reminds me, we need to get the van tuned up so that it is more fuel-efficient again, we've noticed the increase in gas consumption lately and I for one don't like it. >.<

On a happier note, I've been eating a nice healthy lunch everyday this week and didn't even have to leave work to get it! Plus, I've been drinking a lot more water since that's really all there is to drink here at work besides coffee :p

All in all things are going well and we are healthy, mostly in part to Enerfood!

Praise to the Enerfood~ ^0^

Yea..... I'm workin' Hard!

~Heavenly Health~

It has arrived!!!! ^0^

Enerfood wa dokko daiyo!~ >.<

Today was going to be another rant about enerfood, but honestly.... I just don't have the energy (heh heh... funny hu? ^_^)

How about just an update then:
Still waiting for our order of enerfood, e-mailed the shipping guy again this morning, and not barely half an hour after I sent it I received a call from him again. Apparently they're shipping department is on extended vacation (although they are the only ones who know it). So my package that was supposed to be shipped out 2-day express was actually shipped ground, and will be here by the 12th (supposedly). So we'll see how this turns out shall we? -_-

Still feeling super shitty and un-motivated about anything, and still having a hard time trying to focus on work and whatnot; maybe our enerfood will be here in time for Christmas, and then at least we (Steven and I) won't be snapping at one another any longer~

Not that our relationship is floundering, but sheesh! I never expected my health to play such a strong role in my attitude, my motivation, my dedication, or on my nerves!!! >.<

Happy trails enerfood~

My helpless health

(Click on the title for a link to enerfood)

Alright, ever since I decided to start a blog detailing my travels through healthy eating, and less waste-full consumerism; it seems that my health has been put on the sidelines for the moment.

For the past 2 months or so my fiance and I have been using a product called "Enerfood", its a powder that you mix into your juice or make a smoothie with, and let me tell you..... it has done wonders for us. It is vegetarian and vegan friendly and packed full of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that not only give you daily nutrition, but also helps to draw heavy metals, toxins, and chemicals gently out of your body.

I've noticed a great decrease in the amount of food we currently consume because of the fact that we replace breakfast once a day with a nice healthy dose of enerfood. We have both noticed a loss in fat on our bodies (Steven dropped 10 pounds!), and it has helped us to stay on a pretty regular (digestion) schedule as well. Not to mention it has helped us kick the habit of fast food and heavily processed foods; being healthy for the first time now, our bodies react drastically to harmful products.

Honestly we've never been healthier, until now......... It has been a solid two weeks since I placed my order of enerfood and yet it is still nowhere to be found -_-. *sniff*

I feel like a kid waiting for the mail-man to bring me the prize I sent for, or that de-coder ring I've eagerly been waiting for, except that the mail I'm waiting for actually plays a huge roll in my health! ^_^

We've definately noticed a decline in our well-being this last enerfood-free week, we've been a lot more snappy at each other, as well as my headaches have come back.

I sure do miss my enerfood...... come back to meeee! >.<

*Update: as of 12:37pm this very day I received a call from none other than Enerfood itself! (well, a rep at least ^_^) Turns out my order never made it to the warehouse database for some reason, and the shipping manager called me personally to apologize profusely, and to alert me that my order will be arriving within the next two days (express shipped!!!) I was starting to lose faith, but I'm so happy these people are amazingly awesome!