Challenge....Tangled American Girl Doll Hair

I have been seriously lacking in my blogging.  I apologize. Inspiration struck this evening as I was combing Savannah's American Girl (AG) doll's hair.  

Yes, you read that correctly...I was combing the doll's hair.  Probably better described as attempting to tame the rat's next.    

Most little girls play with dolls, pretend to be mommies, feed them, change their clothes....and drag them around by the hair.  Such dragging and rough handling results in ridiculous tangles that even the "Fittest Man on Earth" would have a hard time combing out.  

There is the problem...how do you get rid of the tangles in the doll's hair without balding her or if she is an AG doll, sending her off to Chicago to the doll hospital for a hair fix (You would be amazed at what they do). 

I turned to trusty Pinterest.  It rarely fails me when I need a DIY fix. I remember seeing a couple of weeks ago a doll hair detangler recipe.  What harm could it do?  I had some free time tonight after the kids went to bed...and Savannah received an AG catalog in the mail today and insisted that she needs a new doll because her current doll's hair wasn't straight.  Now, I love her and would love to giver her anything she asks for...but I got her current doll from a friend...I didn't pay full price...and I hesitate on spending that much on a doll.  

So, I retrieved the recipe for doll hair detangler.  All you need is fabric softener, water, a spray bottle, wide tooth comb and brush.  I used 3 tablespoons of fabric softener, then filled the rest of the spray bottle with water.  I sprayed the hair liberally and started the task.  It seemed hopeless at first, but it just took a minute for the concoction to begin relaxing the hair. Brush...yank...spray...brush...and 20 minutes later the AG doll (Josephina) was tangle free. 

Below is the before, tools, after, and pile of hair that came from her head, which I think is testament to the quality of an AG doll.  I think any other doll would have bald spots if that much hair was pulled out of her head.  

So hopefully, the now straight-haired Josephina will quell Savannah's want of a new AG doll....one can hope...

Who Stole My Soup?

The soup in question is Trader Joe's Organic Butternut Squash Soup.  This soup tastes like fall!  Full of spice (not in the burn your mouth sort of way), rich, and just absolutely perfect!  As you can probably figure out, fall is my favorite season, but more about that another time.  Right now I feel the need to discuss this soup theft! 

Since I have discovered Trader Joe's Coconut Oil perfection I have been going about every other month to get some.  It is a little out of the way from where I live (5 miles in the wrong direction from my normal grocery store) so it is a special trip as I only get specific items. On our most recent adventure to TJ's (because every trip is), my 5-year asked me to get the Butternut Squash Soup.  She is convinced she loves it, although I find that highly suspect since the only vegetable I can get her to eat is cauliflower, and she doesn't like soup.  In any case, I humored her because I love Butternut Squash soup.

Well, said soup had been sitting in my cupboard since, just waiting the right opportunity to eat it.  Well this week, that opportunity arose.  I am coming down with a cold.  When this happens, I crave comfort foods, typically carbs, and since my diet hasn't been quite up to par since the Whole 30 - total CRASH - I am pretty sure that is the big contributor to the cold. Monday my comfort food was the soup.  I brought it to work with me, made my soup for lunch, and put it in the office fridge. Well when I left on Monday, I forgot to grab the soup, figured I would eat it again later in the week.  Boy was I wrong. 

Yesterday, I brought a salad to work for lunch.  My salad making skills are lazy.  Spring Mix with some almonds and cranberries tossed in because at 5:30 am that is about all I have the energy for especially when I am making three other lunches, supper, and breakfast at the same time.   Well, the idea of a salad was not exciting in the least, and I remembered I had my soup at work.  I sat at my desk, watching the clock, waiting till 11:30, all I could think about what eating my yummy soup.

11:30 arrives - I stroll to the kitchen to make my soup...open the fridge...and it ISN'T there!!  How could this be? I shuffled things around, checked the drawers, checked the freezer (who knows), nope definitely not there! Granted, I didn't put my name on it...but really!!  Who steals someone else’s lunch?  My name isn't on my lunch bag and no one steals that!!

So I ate my non-exciting salad, no dressing just salt & pepper, and finished my workday totally flabbergasted that someone would steal my soup.  It is not like I work in a big office, maybe 25 people actually here in this office. How old are we? 

Today, I am still absolutely amazed that my soup was taken.  I checked my fridge at home just in case I had a forgetful moment and I actually took it there...but no.

So until my next trip to TJ's, in October, all I can do is be thankful that I got to have one bowl of the yummy soup and hope my 5-year old doesn't ask for any.

Amazing Journey

Every year as my birthday approaches, I like to look at back at my life to this point. What an amazing journey!!  What has driven me, my thoughts, decisions....would I change anything? I am sure everyone has these moments.

Well...at almost 33 years young ;) I can say that my life, although not what I imagined it to be at 17 years old when I was filling out my Senior Book, is exactly what I want it and need it to be.  Happy...fulfilled...successful....never boring.  I don't live a life full of regrets, every mistake is a learning experience, a chance to be better, learn something new.

I discovered this poem 15 years ago, a poem by Robert Frost, and it spoke to me.  I had graduated high school in 1997 and although I was always a great student there, was not finding the same success in college.  I was not happy (and that is what matters).  I was plagued by depression and panic attacks, but could never figure out why.

The poem is "The Road Not Taken"

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

 -- Robert Frost

The start of my road less travelled 

In April of 1998, I joined the United States Air Force, delayed my enlistment to June in order to finish the spring quarter at Wright State.  I would like to tell you that a lot of thought went into this decision, but I can't, it was an impetuous decision made in the heat of the moment.  A series of events drove the decision, I needed change.  I realized that I was not meant to walk the safe road, do what was expected, and be bored.  Don't misunderstand; joining the military was a CRAZY thing to do.  I had never been away from home, I cried ALOT. 

Then I chose a career not made by many women....I became a crew chief (aircraft mechanic) on the B-52.  That was a great job!  I enjoyed having my name on a plane, 60-0023 squadron airplane, (even if it was the third one), took pride in launching each aircraft for their training flights and then catching them when they landed, just doing the job that many thought I couldn't do.  Injury took me from the flight line and I became a Maintenance Coordinator and that injury eventually led to a medical separation in 2003. I won't bore you with the details of my time in the military, as it wasn't overly exciting, but I have to say as it turns out, it was the best decision I could have made. 

Through time, I have continued to follow that road less travelled; maybe one day, I will share it with you.  Sometimes my life does fork to the path that everyone else is taking, but I don't stay on that path for very long.  I have to change it up, be unique, and challenge myself daily.  I am not out to inspire anyone save for my kids, but if I do, I think that is awesome.  I aspire to be the best me I can be and I hope you aspire to the same. 

Whole 30 Challenge Completion

Whole 30 challenge complete.  What did I learn?  I have INCREDIBLE willpower!!  I feel better...overall...but really no other significant changes (no drastic weight loss).   It really makes you think about what you are putting in your body and how what you eat makes you feel.

So, for 30 days I ate nothing but whole foods, no grains (corn is a grain), no dairy, no legumes (no PB), nothing from a box, no added sugar, no protein shakes, no soft drinks, and no alcohol. Only Fruits, Vegetables, Meat, Seeds, Nuts, Water, Coffee and Tea were my daily foods.  WHOLE FOODS

example of whole 30 supper

I am not saying it was easy, or that I was successful 100% of the time, I would give myself a 95% pass rate.  We had and attended parties where I had to decline alcohol and the other party snacks.  I was the one hovering over the veggie and fruit trays.  We went out to eat multiples times where I ensured my food met my Whole 30 standards as close as possible.  Challenges were presented and overcame.

You have to plan.  Menus are great!  I made every meal (minus the weekly one meal out).  I work Full Time, kids are in activities…time is limited, but I still ensured we ate good healthy meals.

I was never hungry.  I set two Personal Records during these 30 days at Crossfit, 215lb Dead Lift and 175lb Back Squat.  So, my strength did not suffer during this time, if anything I am stronger.  I slept well (except for that one dream about the Diet Coke) and never lacked for energy.  This challenge also made my kids (although they did not participate) a little more conscious of how food makes them feel.  As a parent, I have to set the example.

Now that the Challenge is over…what is next? I will continue to eat whole foods….I will probably add back in gluten-free grains and peanut butter, I will attempt to avoid dairy and most soy, I won’t eat processed foods or those from a box.  I will check the labels, if I can’t pronounce an ingredient or know where it came from, I won’t eat it.  I did have a protein shake this morning using Egg White protein, almond milk, and frozen fruit, I have missed those, and I ENJOYED IT.  I have a soft pretzel in my refrigerator at home, tempting me…I have been looking forward to eating it, but as I sit here thinking about my last 30 days, I wonder if I really want it. 

I am writing this to share my experience with this challenge…maybe you care, maybe you don’t…but at least now you are informed.