Friday, March 29, 2013

Good Friday





Happy Easter from the Swann Family

May the miracle  of 
 The Resurrection fill your heart with Christ's Peace




life rearranged

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Gratituesday: Lent and my bad attitude



Lent is over in 4 days. 
The period of self reflection and meditation ends with the joyous celebration that Christ is alive.
That fact never ceases to amaze me and fill my heart with joy. 
Christ is alive and because of that I am too.


This has been a Lent of laziness and attitude on my part. 
I have been to church exactly twice. I have not honored my Lenten promise even once (although I did put my rosary in my car.) I have basically had a bad attitude, fighting against myself to avoid doing what I know I should.

Via

But, that is also a little what Easter is about. 
God loving us and our bad attitudes and seeing past the laziness and filth to His creation.
Us. I imagine that God sees me like I see my own kids. Annoying, whiney and full of potential.
That is what keeps me repenting and striving to be worthy and to actually live up to the potential that I don't see, but that He whispers to me when I actually listen.

After a crappy Lent, I am ready for the promise of God's unfailing love if I follow Christ. 
I am grateful for the love that I feel when I listen with my heart instead of listening to my own voice.

Monday, March 25, 2013

Cooking:What's a veggie to do?

I managed to work outside yesterday during the two hours that it wasn't raining or freezing. 
I am in the process of tearing up a brick path that has seen better days. Cathartic doesn't begin to describe using a sledgehammer to break loose the bricks. I see a future for myself in demolition. I can hire other mothers as my crew. 
We are in the throes of another cold front here in the south. 
Actually,  the entire country seems to be in the gripes of climate change. My sister, who lives in Ohio with her husband and kids, called me yesterday to tell me they were under a "winter weather advisory". That is code for "winter is never going to end." She hates it, but loves her Ohio born husband. That, my friends, is true love.
The view from her back door this morning, March 25 2013
As a good southerner, I am not too thrilled with the 37 degrees the thermometer is reading. After all it is spring break here in the scenic city. My kids have already been to see the movies they want to see,  been shopping, had two sleepover and it is technically day two of break. So  now, we are waiting. Waiting for the warm weather of last March and the promised warmth of Spring. 
I spent a little time yesterday researching what to eat.
 My name is Tanya and I am a vegetarian. It has been 18 years since I took the plant based path. Seriously, there should be meetings. When I was pregnant and when the kids were little, I would slip and eat a turkey sandwich. That stopped years ago. 
Now, I eat fish about twice a month and eggs almost every day.
someecards.com - Nobody cares about your protein intake until you mention that you're a vegetarian.


As someone who is very into health and eating healthy, you would think I would know all the right foods to eat. For the most part, I do. But I have gained 7 holiday induced pounds and have been unable to take it off. I have resumed working out regularly, including more cardio into my routine and life weights four times a week. My metabolism is slowing down, I get it.  
Food seems to be the answer.

I enlisted the ever helpful Internets to help me figure it all out. Helpful? Not so much. 
 No one can seem to agree on what vegetarians should eat. 
Soy is bad, soy is good. Grains are good, grains are bad. 
Cook your food, eat it raw. Nuts are your friend.
I am now nuts. 

After avoiding grains, I am eating oatmeal for breakfast. 
Vegetarian chef salad  with almonds will be my lunch. 
Dinner, well, I guess it will be my good friend, Soup.  Blah, blah, blah.

Anyone else out there struggling with this?

Everyone else in my house has it easy. They eat the meat. 

Casa Swann Momma Needs Help Menu