Snowmageddon

I'm adding Cruise Director to my resume after this week (month really). We have already had a lot of days inside these past few weeks and then school has been cancelled today and tomorrow due to icy conditions. I have managed to entertain Loulie going on 12 hours without any internet or television! We have baked to the last of the flour, crafted with every supply available to us, done every possible yoga pose, listened to the Frozen soundtrack I lost count of how many times, made breakfast lunch and dinner from scratch, read, put on plays, done make overs and kept the home fires burning while Bert went to work.  Who says mothers don't do anything? (I'm referring to that lovely piece floating around the web titled "Stay at Home Mothers Don't do Anything")  I'll answer that since I haven't had my own mind to myself since about 7:30 this morning. Literally, I have moved from organizing one form of entertainment to the next minute by minute. My girl hates the cold as much as I do so inside it has been. Needless to say, I am exhausted. But a few times today, Loulie has looked at me and said "You are my favorite mama. I'm so glad you had me." or in one instance she looked at a picture and said "You are always such a pretty mama. I gone be like you when I get big." Talk about a rejuvenator. To even it out, I will admit that she also looked at me at one point and said "Are you going crazy?" Guess I don't have that great of a poker face because yes, I thanked God 100 times today that I live in Charleston and not Minnesota. How do all those northerners not go crazy?!
So we'll be back at it tomorrow. I am determined to style it up like Ralphie's brother and get a good walk in. Bert said some kids were sledding down Wappoo Cut today. I think it might be fun to walk somewhere that is normally too trafficky tomorrow so you might see us running down the middle of Folly or up the James Island Connector ;)
--We made these homemade pretzels tonight. Delicious! And quite a feat since I normally warm up Trader Joes or Whole Foods. They were a perfect little dinner with a side salad and different dips. I made cinnamon sugar for Bert and LB likes salted. I also saw a variation with rosemary that might be fun now that I have my herb garden from my mom for Christmas.

--In other news, our company sold a whopping 8 bags of ice today. What the what? If this weather keeps up, the Dashers might be homeless. Bert compared himself to Kristoff which was Frozen reference #4568 today.
--Speaking of Frozen references, it is all Loulie can talk about. The other day she was hiding in a rack at a store and told me that she had to hide her frozen powers from people so they couldn't see her. When she woke up this morning and Bert told her that the white on the ground wasn't snow but ice, she said "told you I had the power to freeze things." Ya'll, we're obsessed. Elsa is hosting a tea party at a local store in a few weeks. I CANNOT wait to surprise Loulie!
--One last thing in case you too are going nuts and need a little laugh. My friend sent me this video last night. There is so much truth in it, you have to laugh to not cry.
So I'm dreaming of warmer days and regularly scheduled programming but also enjoying this time at home making memories with my girl. From all the facebook and instagram pictures it seems like we are all doing the same. My heart goes out to all the kids stuck in Atlanta. I cannot imagine being away from Loulie over night or stuck on the highway. I'm thankful we live within running distance of Loulie's school. I know it's false security but I like knowing I can get to her in minutes if needed. Prayers lifted for all the families that didn't get to cozy up together tonight.

  

Their rendition of Goldilocks and the Three Bears

One Part Rest/ One Part Fun: A Week One Recap

This week has been the perfect combination of rest and entertainment. It is exactly what I wanted the last week of the year/ the second week of Christmas break to be. Although, I am still not ready for school to start back on Monday, I do always like getting back on a schedule. The irony of school is that the first few years of Loulie's life I just really wanted a few hours a week to get things accomplished. Now that she is in school (albeit only until 11:10), I really would love her being home with me almost all the time. She is so independent and fun and easy now.
We spent a lot of time this week sleeping in and staying in pajamas until the 4th hour of Today ended. We did experiments and crafts, made art and put together Lego sets for hours. We read our Christmas books for the last time before boxing them back up for next year. It was sweet and relaxing and fun. Now my home is a disaster with a Christmas tree still up, I haven't cooked a healthy dinner one night and I have only been to the gym once but you can slack on all these things when you know your child is only home one week and in a few days it's back to 6:30 wake up calls.

Bert and I went out New Year's Eve for the first time in 5 or 6 years. We kind of joked ahead of time that we may not really know what to do at a party without children anymore. It was a surprise party for a friend and ended up feeling a lot like a new year's eve in high school huddled around fire pits listening to a DJ. Bert even came home and heated up a frozen meal and then proceeded to fall asleep on the sofa fully clothed while watching Juno, just like a 19 year old. My sweet sister kept Loulie under the premise that if she went into labor, I would be there in 15 minutes. She texted me this picture of Loulie at 7:15 with the caption "Rocking New Years."

Unfortunately, this year we were not able to throw our annual Post Plunge New Year's Party. The beach house was rented and the whole day ended up being very anticlimactic. The weather was less than desirable, I forgot our costumes and when we arrived at the Plunge, I realized my camera battery was dead. I really hope that isn't an indication of the year ahead. We persevered through though. We still went despite botched plans and some friends threw a "Plan B" dinner where I made sure to stuff myself with collards. Loulie had a ball and we all decided if there was ever a year to play it low key that it was this one.

I started watching Girls this week. I usually have a few good books and a good show for those dreary January days and long nights. I picked Season One up from the library  and have to say that this show is the biggest disappointment so far. I find it so depressing and pretty gross yet somehow mildly entertaining.  Somehow by the end of episode 10, I was rooting for Hannah. And I know art, especially TV, is an exaggeration of reality but it kind of panics me that this is what life is like for 24 yr olds. Just gross! I miss the days of Carrie Bradshaw.

And in possibly the sweetest recollection of the week, Loulie has set up a sleeping bag and tent in her room outfitting it with about 5 Lego sets and a stack of books. She insists that Bridget sleeps with her and I can hear them through the monitor until late each night. Last night it was singing and tonight she read Bridget about 10 books before finally crashing. It's gotten to where Bridget waits in the tent during Loulie's bath and sometimes during the day.

All in all, it's been a good start to a new year. Back to the grind soon enough and I'll be paying the piper this weekend for all the sweets I've devoured over the holidays. And in usual fashion, I'm listing out things to look forward to after such a fun holiday. But I think a new nephew arriving this week is enough for now.

Happy New Year!

Fall Actually (Our Knoxville Visit in Pictures)

Bert left last weekend to go sailing for 10 days and after spending a fun weekend at home just the girls, we took off for Knoxville in hopes of experiencing actual fall weather. The drive up was mostly still green but we were lucky enough to drive home yesterday through the most gorgeous colorful mountains. It was such a treat to be up there at the peak and to get to do so many true fall activities. 

We skipped hiking this time for a trip to Oakes Farm for pumpkin picking, hay rides, a corn maze, farm animals and games. There is just something about looking out over the mountains and changing leaves while picking your pumpkin versus carving it in 80 degree weather surrounded by palm trees that get you in the spirit of autumn.

We hit up all of our favorite spots--The Plaid Apron, Tomato Head, Bliss, and of course, Mast General because who can resist store that has a whole section of candy bins? We also found some fun new antique stores and attended a few gallery showing for 1st Friday. 

My mom let Loulie do her hair and make up every morning and now she is ticked that I am not letting her wear make up every time she walks out the door. She said between the Paris tea room, the art show and getting her hair done; she feels like Fancy Nancy. 

I feel like being back in reality is a little too much after a fun week away.  SO thankful that we had a chance to get to the mountains this fall though. It was such a blessing to be with my parents and have a whole week off from school schedules and responsibility. 

Happy Monday to All!

Things That Go Bump in the Night (Halloween at Lovey's)

I'm almost positive that the person that coined the term "things that go bump in the night" was not referring to ghosts and goblins but to little children hopped up on Halloween candy. Because the clock was chiming 11 by the time my little ghoul calmed down and finally went to sleep. And because I had chugged a little caffeine to keep up with her, I then tossed and turned all night as well. So it's a good thing the coffee is flowing this morning.

Loulie really LOVED Halloween this year and it was fitting that we were in Knoxville. October is my mother's month--she loves all things orange and really plays up Halloween. Our first 20 minutes in Knoxville were spent with Loulie running all over my parents' house checking out all the decorations and talking to her Lovey about candy and costumes.

On Wednesday we happened upon this crazy prissy store/tea room, The Paris Apartment. Just as we were laughing over all the over the top decor and about to duck out, this woman pops out of nowhere and invites Loulie to attend their annual "Witches Fly In" luncheon the next day. It was straight out of a movie--I was all apprehensive "maybe we'll be here" and Loulie was like "YES" and my mom was like "An adventure? Put us down!"

So we show up Halloween morning to an entire restaurant full of old women dressed in the most elaborate witches' garb you have ever seen. You can see in the pictures below how shocked we were--it was quite a production. Loulie's favorites were the "jewelry witch" and the one with orange braids we decided looked just like Room on the Broom witch. I wish I had taken better pictures but like I said, I was in shock. Side note--the food was super delicious and the tea room would be perfect for a birthday celebration or luncheon.

Last night we trick or treated in my parents' cute neighborhood after a neighborhood cookout with Loulie's friend, Madeline. Loulie decided to go as a unicorn in keeping with her recent obsession with My Little Pony. We teased up a pink mane and made the last minute decision to paint her face. You could tell she felt like a rockstar and was so cute running from house to house. My shy girl was surprisingly outgoing--probably because I threatened to take her candy if she didn't say thank you. But seriously, she had the time of her life and ended the night handing out candy with GDaddyBoy. 

So my least favorite celebration of the year turned out to be a hit this year. I'm already feeling a bit anxious about the holiday season. I've spent the morning pouring over my calendar trying to organize the next 8 weeks until Christmas-yowza! I know we say this every year but this year especially, the holidays seem to be on crack! We went shopping on Wednesday and Loulie pointed out that stores already had their Christmas trees up. Really?--we hadn't even carved a pumpkin at that point. I am determined not to get stressed out this year--to really enjoy my family and the traditions we have built. More on that later--I have a few ideas to simplify the season and hope to do a post on that later. Hope everyone had a Happy Halloween! Go Dawgs!

 

A couple of things

We just got back in town last night after 6 days away in Disney. What an experience--I say that tongue in cheek because even though there were definitely magical moments, I think my child might be the first in history to ask to leave Disney World because she "just wants to be at home." But the trip and her birthday celebration were so sweet and I can't wait to upload all my pictures and relive all that was memorable.
Which brings me to this morning. Since we missed Loulie's actual birthday at school, they celebrated today. Montessori schools actually do a "Life Celebration" where the child walks around the sun the number of years they have been alive. Loulie and I were to make a timeline with pictures and milestones. Since we arrived home so late last night, I did a big no-no and just made the poster by myself this morning. And as I was piecing together the pictures and years and milestone bullet points, I realized there is so much I don't remember about Loulie's second year of life. What were we doing?! She started  walking and talking before turning one and started preschool and ballet right before her second birthday. But I cannot remember a thing about that year in between!
So that motivated me to get on the ole blog again. I have soooo many unfinished posts from this summer, well really the last 6 months. Bert actually makes fun of me. He'll walk by my office, see me slumped over the computer and ask "How many times have you read and edited that post?" He's right though--the type A, oldest child, perfectionist does not always serve me well. I have a ton of posts basically finished by any other standards, except that I think it just sounds a little off. Who really cares though?--I keep this blog for my own memory and outlet, occasionally posting something for the masses that I might share. All of probably ten people visit this thing.
Long story longer, I am going to go back and hopefully update posts as well as keep up better. I hated that feeling of not remembering a whole year this morning and this blog is a great way to relive.
Also, it has been a whirlwind of two weeks--school starting, Labor Day, get ready for vacation, 4 hectic days of vacation. Driving home yesterday, I realized the summer is over. I haven't even had time to think about it. Hopefully, a regular schedule will commence although I've found myself wandering the house this morning not knowing where to begin on my "Once Loulie Starts School" to do list.
Anyhow, I hope everyone has a eventless Friday the 13th. Ours started out with a bang when I unbuckled Loulie for drop off and she leapt over the seat and clung to my neck not wanting to go into school causing me to jump my car over the curb. You should have seen the look on her assistant teacher's face. Geez! Moment to remember. Thankfully, she was fine by the time I showed up for her celebration and she was nothing but proud that her mama was there and her friends were singing to her. So the unlucky morning has already taken a turn for the better!

Happy Rest-filled Weekend!

Dog Days of Summer

It is a sin that we live 5 minutes from the beach and go so rarely. A goal of mine this summer has been for Loulie and I to go more, which we have, but Bert has only been twice (maybe). I decided Friday night to remedy that. Instead of packing up for or usual Friday night at Freshfields dancing, we decided at 6:30 to throw on our bathing suits and head to the beach. Besides, it has gotten so humid here, by the water is really the only place anyone wants to be. 

6:00 is my favorite time of day to spend at the beach. There were still a good many people there, but if you have ever been to Folly, there is no pretention or reason to be at all self concious. So Bert and I both joined Loulie riding waves and rolling in the sand. We played until dark and then threw on cover ups and walked through the little downtown for dinner. It was a sweet family night--the kind that isn't big plans but that you will probably remember with more fondness than the nights you did have big plans.

The rest of the weekend was pretty low key--a birthday party, church, ice cream date with good friends.  Bert and I did have a movie date Saturday night--The Way, Way Back.  Loved it! We are pretty particular about movies and always rave when we see something different. It was a dark comedy and we were still talking about it Sunday afternoon. Not giving anything away, I did have a hard time seeing Steve Carrell play the antagonist. 

This morning starts a busy week--I am so towing the line between schedule and just having fun. On one hand, I feel like we need to be working on adjusting bed times for the early school time we have coming to us but I also want to pack in as much fun and freedom as we can into the next few weeks. Looking at the calendar though, I think life is beginning to force us into good behavior--early bedtime, eating better and getting organized. I can handle--I thrive on structure. But oh how I am going to miss those late nights at the beach.

Why Cleanse? (Part One)

I casually posted the result of my 9 day deep cleanse never guessing how many people would be curious about it. I have since tried to get back to people individually through email, ramp up my IsaGenix website and send out a few links but I decided this was the best way to include all the information, answer frequent questions, give my first hand experience, and include outside research as well as IsaGenix information. If the thought of a cleanse piqued your interest at all, then I would LOVE to talk to you one on one. I was skeptical at first too but have truly been amazed at the results. After all, this is the type of nutrition our body is supposed to experience--not caffeine, artificial sugars, processed meals and fast food.

1. Why Cleanse?
In laymen's terms, our body is exposed to toxins everyday--our shampoo, our cleaning supplies, our food, our furniture, even things we think are good for us like anti-aging face lotion. All of them have chemicals that our body is not meant to process. Because of this constant and overwhelming exposure to toxins, our liver is in overdrive and working around the clock. This can lead to weight gain, exhaustion, illness, etc. I watched Forks Over Knives earlier this year in which a physician explained that our liver holds on to toxins because it never has a chance to catch up. These toxins hold onto fat, especially around our organs and midsection. No matter how much we work out, we will never release this fat as long as the toxins are there. (This kind of flipped me out.)
If you want more information, then rent Forks Over Knives or watch this short clip (a little cheesy but full of good info).
Typically when you think of cleansing, people immediately think of colon cleanses, diuretics, and juicing. The problem with these is that you are not getting all the nutrients your body needs to function properly. Yes, you are ridding yourself of the bad without necessarily filling it back up with good. Certain cleanses can also lead to stomach problems, hypoglycemia, and dehydration. While juicing can be a healthy way to replace a meal, you still have the concern of pesticides on the fruits and vegetables if you do not have access to all organic. This is an excellent article on how our food absorbs these poisons and how it affects our bodies. (More on this later.)

2. Why did I seek out cleansing?
For a lot of reasons I talk about above. I've always loved studying nutrition. With this knowledge can come an almost paralysis though. I found myself often asking "What CAN I eat?" and trying to choose the lesser of the evils or just flat giving up and reaching for my child's goldfish. Having a child though I think gives you extra drive to really seek out what is best for them. That coupled with just always feeling tired, I knew I really wanted to reboot my diet. Being tired can send you grabbing for caffeine and sugar and I crave sugar! So really I did this cleanse with three goals in mind--more energy, reboot my eating habits, and break the cycle of sugar addiction.

3. What was my experience?
I ordered the 30 day system but completed the 9 day deep cleanse to get started. The first day I had a slight headache but nothing major. Almost immediately, I experienced an increase in energy. Here is what I noticed:
- Increase in energy as well as an easier time getting up in the morning. (I am notorious for hitting snooze and I found myself waking up before my alarm!)
- Clearer skin by day 4. My sister was actually the one to point this out.
- Faster recovery from workouts. I take two pretty intense back to back classes on Mondays and always wake up Tuesdays barely able to walk. Since using these products, I wake up much more hydrated, still sore but with the strength to move easily--not a creaky, old lady feel.
- Lost 5 lbs and 6 in. This was a bonus I did not expect. What was different from other times I've lost weight was that I didn't look frail but more lean. And I actually had visible stomach muscles for the first time in 4 years. No more "mummy tummy"--that lovely pooch that hangs out after having a baby.
- I really never felt shaky, hungry or craved sugar. Sure I was ready to eat by the time meals rolled around but I did not have a growling stomach. 
- Did I mention I didn't crave sugar? I have never done a cleanse or fasted or changed my diet where I didn't feel like downing a box of Mike and Ikes at any point in the day. I found the shakes to be satisfying and the protein/carb/fat ratio left me full and satisfied.
I am sure there are other benefits that I am not thinking of but these were the main noticeable differences I personally experienced.

4. Why did I chose this over other options?
- I've tried juicing before. Don't get me wrong--drinking straight fruits and vegetables is excellent for you but unless you can buy all organic and have the time to juice every meal and clean up and drink it all before going bad--I don't have time to do that consistently. That is just me-- a lot of people love doing this and I applaud them for it!
- Some friends have asked about doing Atkins or low carb to loose weight. These diets consist of a lot of meat eating which can lead to higher cholesterol. You still have the concern of buying organic and worrying about the growth hormones and antibiotics in your meat and cheese. And I really do not like meat enough. 
- What about other protein shakes and meal bars? I looked and looked at Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Fresh Market trying to find a way to recreate the IsaGenix plan at home. After comparing what I had just finished, I could not find an equal product that had low fat, high protein, low glycemic index, all natural, plus no GMOs at a store. You can see comparison between the shakes and meal bars here and here.

5. Look at the products.
The shakes are gluten free, no GMO, organic whey protein from New Zealand (their standards are higher than our USDA), all natural, no artificial stimulants. Once you email me, I can send you specific attachments on products. 

Really there is something for everyone! It has nothing to do with weight or athleticism. We can all benefit from higher standards of nutrition (especially in our country). So whether you are an athlete, trying to fit into a wedding dress, hoping for more energy, wanting to assess your current eating habits; if any of this has interested you, please give me a call at 843-566-4391 or shoot an email to laurendasher(at)hotmail(dot)com. If you are local, let me know if you would like to come by for a taste test and further discussion. It can take as long or as short as you like. I would love to talk to you more specifically about what you are hoping to gain or loose by doing a cleanse. If you have already researched this, I can also get you signed up right away. No pressure though--after spending most of my working years at the ADA and selling insulin; I really just love talking about this and have such a passion for preventing long term disease and health decline. Don't think calling means you have to purchase--I really just want to get everyone thinking about our habits and what we are passing on to our kids.

Thanks so much for your time and interest! I appreciate you taking the time to look over all this info.

All the Best,

Lauren