My visit home FEB 2014

I started writing this just after I got home and then I forgot to finish it, only remembering when I started blogging about the juice fast. I want to take the time now to tell you about my visit home last month. We didn't get to do Christmas together this year so we all planned to come together in Feb- my sister flew in from Idaho, I came from Arkansas and Kyle and Megan were gonna drive in from Mcminville, But the snow got in the way a bit!!! A 10 hour flight day turned into a 24 hour flight day with two missed flights, two more that were canceled and two that were late and a overnight stay in the lovely Seattle airport.

After a long trip I landed in Oregon, Met up with my parents and sister and made our journey home, a LOT of snow was waiting for us... 10 plus inches.

My little Niece Joelle spent every minuet of my visit with me, which I didn't mind, and we spent alot of time with her family too (my sister and her hubby and little Jaren) Due to the snow I didn't get to see too many of my friends, I did get to see my Bestie Jennifer and her husband Matt.

The visit went by WAY to fast, not enough Joelle dates, not enough family dinners and not enough game nights and not enough Jambas!!! My birthday wish (i turn 31 two days from now) Is that my visits home will be more frequent and last longer!!!! I love you guys and miss you!!!

Day two -

Juice #3 was this mornings breakfast (turns out 3 juices a day is too much for me) so - here is the review... It was my fav of the juices so far.

Here is a picture of our juicer. But we use a bowl instead of a cup and we put a grocery bag in the side compartment (where the pulp goes) and we freeze it, (planning to use it in our garden!!!) It's a pretty simple machine, it is VERY LOUD sounds like a motorcycle, and it moves around alot, but it is simple to clean (dishwasher safe but we just hand wash it after we are done using it)

 I'll post a link to the item on amazon at the bottom of this post!

so- how do I feel on day two? I feel hungry, I feel full, I feel confused!!!! I feel full for hours after I drink a juice but my stomach is growling all the time, and I miss the ritual of eating, sitting down with a bowl or plate, and biting, chewing, and just like during an actual fast (with NO food) EVERYTHING sounds good!!! I think tomorrow when I go out I may get some bananas, It might be a bit of a cheat, but that way I'll have something I can physically eat!!!! and IS a fruit after all!!!

and here is another who is missing ME eating - cause when i do eat he gets my scaps... lol

My goals and reasons for doing the juice fast are 1- to sleep better. 2- help my skin clear. 3- give me the energy and kickstart that I need to start working out again. 4- develop a taste for veggies (right now the only kind of veggies I eat are green beans, pinto/kidney/navy beans, olives and potatoes). And if you were wondering where I got the idea to do a juice fast I'll tell you, I watched a few documentaries on Netflix. 

1- hungry for change

2- fat, sick and nearly dead

3- vegucated

I learned a bit more about how the body can heal itself of ALOT of things if you put the right foods in and how the key to it is a plant based diet. I am married to someone who loves meat WAY to much to ever give it away to being a vegan isn't gonna happen, so adding juices to my diet (starting with a juice fast) is the way to do it!!! I will be exploring alternative cheeses too when i get back to normal food- I probably eat cheese more than ANY other food so cutting back would prob be a plus, we already use almond milk instead of cows milk. 

my first Juice Fast!!!!

I'll turn 31 in 4 days and I want to start this year fresh and clean- so my way of doing that is starting a 10-day juice fast. My awesome husband is doing the fast with me too. Here are some details.

First of all I went online and found a bunch of juicing recipes, and we each picked our favorite 6, and then went grocery shopping! We spend 40 on fruits and veggies and we hope it'll last us 5 days but I'm thinking it'll be more like 3.

We bought a juicer on Amazon, I'll look at the box and post the exact model soon. We decided we'll make the 6 juices for the day (3 or him and 3 for me) each night for the next day.

Our Breakfast Juice is called Morning Glory- found it on a blog- the drink includes 6-10 Strawberries, 1 grapefruit, 1/2 a lemon, 3 carrots, 1/2inch piece of ginger (doubled for 2) . 

This juice is VERY citrus, a bit sour and a bit bitter- lots of good stuff in it but Not sip worthy so I've been chugging it. I tried doing shots of it but it was going to slowly.

Lunch Juice- Kale+ (also found on a blog) - 6 pieces of Kale, 2 handfuls of spinach (we couldn't find any at our grocery store so we used lettuce) 1 lemon, 1 pear, 1 carrot and 1 inch piece of Ginger. (again doubled for 2)

I will admit, this was a juice I was worried about, it's dark, green and orenge-ish and it smelled VERY earthy, but I took a drink and it actually wasn't bad, it has a refreshing blend. I could taste the lemon and pair and ginger enough to overpower most of the veggies which can sometimes take over the flavor.

Dinner Juice- (another blog find) called "After the rush" - includes 4 Carrots, 3 apples, half a lemon and a 1 inch piece of ginger (doubled for 2)

review coming soon

the slideshow and wedding

the slideshow- from the wedding! and the wedding- start at about 16 mins in and you will see all you need!!!

The wedding- it came and went- here is a recap!

So I flew home on July 9th- and that night I went to the ER and spent the next few days in the hospital on an IV antibiotic. Turns out the rash I had on my face turned into Cellulitus. photo below- my mom snapped in the ER.

I was supposed to be home to finish up the planning for the wedding (mere weeks away) so naturally i was a bit freaked to be looking like THIS. 

they had me on some heavy anti-biotic in the hospital (and for a week after leaving) and in the end my face (plus make-up) looked almost back to normal!!!! 

DAY OF: we started off with a bit of pampering, hair and makeup for me and all the girls (including Joelle, though i later braided her hair.... she's four, she didn't leave her hair alone)

then- off to the photo-taking site (a wee bit later than planned).

here is my groom and his guys looking good!!!

me and my groom

me and my girls 

me and Joelle (my second fav person in the whole wide world) my niece and flower girl

and then off to the church (millions more photos but i'm trying to keep it short and sweet)

Me and Griffin and my parents

                                                     Me and Griffin with his mom and sister

me and Joelle

me in my veil

                                                         Chillin- waiting for it all to start

                                                 My dad walking me down the Isle

                                           Joelle, doing her flower girl thing like a pro!

and He's giving me away!

                                                   Wedding prayer

                                                 First communion as husband and wife

the Kiss

MARRIED

Me and my family (minus Kyle, Megan and baby Ethan)

the get away! 

the next morning we had a brunch for family and out of town guests- 

Joelle was glued to my side- so sad, she didn't want me to go- i miss her a ton too!

opened some presents! 

Me and Jaren- took me all three weeks to get him to warm up to me again.... and then i left again... oy

Janelle and Josh (and baby on board) one of my bridesmaids and best friends

Matt and Jennifer (matt took a ton of great photos for us) and Jennifer was my right hand girl- my matron of honor, returning the favor from last summer when i was her maid of honor! my bestest friend. I tried to convince them to move to AR but no luck....

Richard and Sara- he was a groomsman and she was a bridesmaid- i am STILL trying to convince them to move, sucks that i have all these great friends who live so very very far away now :(

me and my sisters, my mom, and my two grandmas! felt so loved that so many family came

Cody & Mal (and Evan) - my cousin and her fam

I have a video of the wedding- i'll try to post i here when i figure out how

for now that's it- the wedding story!

Day at the ZOO

This last summer Me and Griffin when to the Memphis Zoo with our friends and their family.

 Here is me And Griff at the zoo, on a random zoo bench that I thought was pretty-

 Here is the Lovely Kuzin Clan (plus Taylor, far left who is Jarrod's girlfriend)

 Me and my honey by the waterfall-

 and us in a weird cubby whole- in a tribal wood wall (not sure why it was there but it was cool)

 Me and Hannah and Theresa on a bench sitting (cause walking that much can make you very very tierd) and Below is ME in the giftshop with a flamingo that we DID not buy.

Update from Jonesboro

I'm having a slow time making friends, but I AM starting to feel a bit connected with my church here, thanx to the Thrive youth group!

I have a job, I have some co-workers that I've come to think of as friends but the  Job is not my fav place to go, and I'll tell you why. Because of the neighborhood I live in/work in. I see the kind of things that make me cringe everyday.

I do have some great customers, that I see regularly that make me smile. But then there are those other ones
 Moms who choose to buy the cigarettes and put back the load of bread because they can't afford both (at the end of the month when they're out of food stamps),
the kids who come in by themselves (6, 7, 8) and try to hassle our customers out of some change so they can buy some candy.
the babies who are eating candy as they exit the store (WAY TO YOUNG for that much sugar)
and the obese couple who buys 12, two liters of soda a week.

I know that poverty exists everywhere, even Oregon, but I never saw it up close and personal like I do here. To see people who have absolutely no desire to get up and do better for themselves, or their kids.

I am ready to come home for a few weeks (July 10th) and get married :) (Aug 2nd) - and then come back here and find another job, one where I will see the best in people again, and not the worst.

I have strong feelings about this country (and it's leaders) creating a society of people who are dependent or entitled on the government for their basic needs, people who take advantage of the system and do all they can to milk it!