Had to Share Good News....

Okay, y'all know I'm a foodie! I love food, live, eat (obviously) and breathe food! Life would not hold nearly as much meaning for me without my abiding love (and sometime overboard passion) for food! I consider myself a very healthy eater, sure, I don't eat like seaweed and tofu-turkey and all that, but I truly love fruits, vegetables and pure ingredients! I eat lots of produce, whole grains, yogurt and good fats! I drink TONS of water and have realized the benefits of alternating my coffee habit with a green tea one! :) I'm ALL about healthy eating, that said, I LOVE my junk food too! I love junk food just as much as the next person, I just have learned to keep it in check! What it boils down is, when I eat like crap, I feel like crap. Pure and simple. I also enjoy minimally processed food if it must be processed at all. But, I have a weakness for FRIED food, and DESSERT! Cookies, ice cream, candy, tiramisu (which is pretty much as good as sex in my book!), you name it! I cannot keep Doritos or soda in the house because if I do I eat/drink them all up! I also cannot come within three feet of a doughnut and NOT eat one! See, I'm not as abnormal as you thought. Another one of my FAVORITE foods on planet Earth is FRENCH FRIES! Or, pretty much a fried potato regardless of it gets that way. But, yes, me and french fries, it's been a life long love affair! So, when I opened my computer this morning and saw this headline "Best & Worst French Fries in America" I just HAD to read all about it! And lo and behold, my FAVORITE french fries made the "BEST" list! I don't have to watch calorie count as much as I do "bad fat" intake, so when I read what I've posted below, oh my heart did a happy dance! Seriously, happy, happy--joy-joy--one of my favorite "guilty" pleasures isn't so "guilty" after all! It IS all about portion control, that is absolutely true. But, french fries being okay--or not as bad as you thought they were--yeah, that's definitely GOOD NEWS! Healthy eating is great and necessary, but so is living joyfully and happily! A girls gotta get her vice from something, and one of mine is those delicious, salty, earthy, yummy FRENCH FRIES! Let's hear it for the Small order @ Mickey D's!

Best Fast Food Fries in America
McDonald’s Small French Fries
230 calories
11 g fat (1.5 g saturated)
160 mg sodium

Out of the big three fast food joints (Mickey D’s, Wendy’s, and BK), you’ll find the least caloric, least salty fries underneath the golden arches. The key to ordering a smart side dish is portion sizing—and McDonald’s has that under control.

Seriously, doesn't that just brighten your day a little?

Another thing that brightened my day today is the AWESOME meditation session I had on Sunday! The terrific 4 year old I got to hang out with yesterday! My sister being engaged to a great guy (so I hear, he'd better be) and my other 2 sisters having boyfriends. Okay, truthfully, it scares me a bit, but it also makes me REALLY happy for ALL three of them! They're really growing up and having boyfriends (for everyone else but me) is part of that! As long as they young boys treat my sisters with the respect that they deserve and as long as my sisters take responsibility for their OWN conduct in any given relationship they might have (romantic or not), than I want the best for them! I just can't believe we ALL have men now...it's amazing. I swear that it seems like last year that they were all babies, literally, shoot, sometimes it seems like I was a baby last year! I'm really proud of my girls (sisters) and I could not be happier for them! I know they'll have ups and downs, and it is my solemn prayer that they don't rush into ANYTHING (marriage, sex, whatever) too soon. They're still really young. But, they're good girls, with great hearts and if they're happy, I'm happy. I am learning to be more of a pal than a mothering older sister, and hey, they have to grow up sometime. It's high time I accepted that and embraced their own life changes, just as they've embraced mine! I miss them so much, and I love them each more than they will ever know! I'll always be older, wiser and heck, all four of us will always be beautiful! Nothing like sisters--NOTHING! (Can I just say it made me feel SO good when Jordan walked up to Joely's boyfriend in the cafeteria and said simply "Hi, I'm Jordan, I'm Joely's big sister, and she has two other big sisters, and a brother. And I am your worst nightmare." I had to laugh so hard because now she knows how I feel. She flat out said she doesn't like the idea of someone touching HER sister. But, she wants her (Joely) to be happy and the kid seems nice. Very well said, Jordan, thanks for the lesson!)

My grandma is having surgery today, she should be going in any minute. It's a planned and simple procedure, and I feel good about it. There's always a risk (yeah, like I wouldn't know anything about that), but I meditated on it and prayed about it and I think it will all go well. I hope so at least, I've been praying HARD! I hope she gets the results she wanted from this surgery and then, I hope she comes and sees me REALLY REALLY SOON! Fire up the RV, Grandma & Grandpa, you're long overdue for a vacation! I love you both!

The flowers that Colin got me for Valentine's Day are still alive and they're still beautiful! So pink and white and red...all Valentine--y! Lovely! I've changed the water everyday which is a huge help I think! My mom also taught me to cut the stems a little each day, which has helped too! She really is so smart about those kinds of things! I love her too!

I had a wonderful weekend this past weekend. Probably one of the best in a long, long time! I saw a lot of friends since I last wrote. Sarah stopped by for a quick visit last Tuesday and that was just lovely and terrific and great! As always! Colin's friend came by Friday night and we made popcorn and played Wii. It was SUCH fun! And then on Saturday, Donnie, Erica & Ashton came to town and took me to lunch! It was so great to see them too! They look great, and have been married just over four years now. Donnie just turned 32 the other day and THAT is really hard to believe too. I remember him being 6 years old, I feel so much older than 26 today, it's amazing. But, not in a bad way. It's just making me realize how fast time goes. It totally catches up with you! I feel bad saying that because I'm ONLY 26 and I'm still quite young myself. I'm trying to live in the moment, be here for the NOW and just let it be--whatever it may be. But the truth is, yeah, time really has flown by! Donnie's been sober for almost 3 and a 1/2 years now and it was wonderful to sit and talk with him and Erica while he was sober. He's still a stubborn redneck with a pain in the ass streak, but he is my oldest (not age wise, life-long wise) friend and it was nice to see them both! Erica rocks too! I really miss EVERYONE right now so seeing SOME of our friends this past week was truly wonderful!

I also talked with my Dad last night and that was fabulous too! I love the relationship we have now and actually look very forward to talking with him. And I miss it when we don't. He's a good guy, my Dad, and it's always a joy when we have a chance to take a moment out of our busy lives and catch up! I miss him lately too and I love him a lot!

What else? Oh, work is still going well. And yesterday, I had a great makeup/hair day so I felt exceptionally pretty! That's always a good thing!

Colin and I are one week and five days away from celebrating an entire YEAR of marriage! It's had its ups and downs and all of that, but I really am so proud that we've come this far. I've learned a tremendous, tremendous amount about myself, about him, about life and love and marriage. Things I did not know, and could not have known, without having been married myself. I love my husband very much, he is a good guy and he makes me look long and hard at myself--which is a good thing! I respect how hard he works, how loyal he is and that he's stuck by my side for a year of marriage! I knew he would, it's just pretty fantastic that he did! We had a nice relaxing Sunday evening and got to hit the mall on Friday night, so that was lovely & nice!

I'm really happy in my life, not because it's perfect or all together, but because it just is. It's big and beautiful and blessed! I'm active again and busy. I'm learning to stand up for myself more, set healthy boundaries and just, live in the moment. I can acknowledge how fast time has gone without living IN the past, you know? My health is up and down but that's also what's making me be happier again. Because life is just too short and precious! Spring is in the air, it's sunny and breezy and beautiful outside! Last Monday (the 15th) was the most gorgeous day of the year so far--so gorgeous in fact that I was able to pull out my favorite outfit of a pink tank top & white capris! And I'm looking forward to doing it again soon! It's supposed to rain more this week, but that's fine by me, I enjoy the rain and love the break from the sunshine! That being said, today, the sunshine is my friend--bold and yellow and perky! It was SO cold yesterday, but that's okay too because that's the weather, and that's life. You win some, you lose some, you love some and you learn some! Also, I'm looking forward to work today!

I am truly blessed, I just had to come on here (since the mood struck) and share my latest GOOD NEWS! There are some things that need fixing, need improvement and re-tweaking, but I don't feel like talking about them, or sharing the details. Forgive me, please. I will, in due time, if I feel like it. I just mainly wanted to convey that I'm happy. I'm loving life and thanking the good Lord above for all of my many, many countless blessings! It's all because of You, thank You, and I love You! I love ALL my family and friends, and I hope my good news continues on.....here's hoping/praying/wishing that Grandma has a flawless, easy surgery with a super quick and healthy recovery! I'm countin' on ya Lord!

In Light N' Love,
-Sarah Liz :)