Doing the 365 project again…

Even though this is leap year and there are 366 days in the year, I am doing the Project 365 again on my other blog and having fun this time… If you don’t know what project 365 is you can click HERE and check it out. It seems that my new found desire to document our everyday lives with project 365 has inspired others in my family and on facebook to do the same. I love it when people can inspire other people with doing simple things! So, now my hubby and daughter are doing it, too, and we are having fun.

I am sooooo hoping to be able to afford to do the Project LIFE next year. It’s a scrapbookers way of keeping each week of your life in a large binder. It’s fabulous and beautiful and creative… and expensive. Plus, I don’t have a lot of time to do it yet. Next year, with my two youngest out on their missions, I will certainly have more time on my hands.

Me on christmas day…

Gratitude Journal – Day 24 – 5K – First of many…

Well, it’s finally here – Thanksgiving day! That means that I woke up at 5 am to get ready for my first EVER 5K run – the Oceanside Turkey Trot! We left at 6:30 to get there early enough to pick up our bibs and timing chip and to warm up and stretch. It was a record breaking turnout with over 8,00 participants! I felt great during the entire race and by that, I mean “slow and steady” as I am a very slow runner – even some walkers passed me up! HAHA! Well, I am still very happy with my results, as I ran the entire time without any walking and kept my pace steady and felt like I could have kept running when I finished!! My hubby was with me the whole time and ran slow so we could stay together. Here are my results:

Place DivP SexP Name            S A  Location        NetTime  Pace  GunTime   Bib
 3635  133 1962 Joy Kuoha       F 50 Murrieta          46:46 15:02  1:01:19  3108

Not too shabby for my first time! I’m sure my time will improve by the next race I enter. We finished and then got a medal, our goody bags and t-shirts to commemorate the event. I am so glad that I decided to enter the race and the 10 weeks of training really paid off!

I hope all of you had a great Thanksgiving day and got to spend time with your loved ones. We had dinner at my mom’s house with 3 of my kids, 2 of my grandkids, my mom, one brother and Sis-in-law, 2 nephews and their boys, and there were many of the family who could not make it. I only ate a tiny bit of food as I was kind of nauseated from running and tasting some great food before dinner time! I am so grateful for my family and all we have been blessed with. I am so proud of my daughter, Misty, and the way she takes care of my mom with love in her heart and kindness in her actions. That is something that my mom has been missing in her life and she is so truly happy now… and for that, I am very grateful!

Gratitude Journal – Day 23 – Holidays…

Today I am grateful for holidays. I love all holidays, but especially Thanksgiving and all that comes with it. Specifically, I can think of many aspects of this holiday that are especially endearing to me, such as:

• getting to go home early from work the day before Thanksgiving (yay!)
• spending time with my family
• preparing my favorite foods
• eating some of those favorite foods
• having a 4-day weekend!
• not having to rush around to get ready
• not having to travel far to be with my family (1 hour)
• getting to bundle up in warm clothes
• relaxing and reveling in the tryptophan
• and this year… running in my very first 5K race, the Oceanside Turkey Trot! (Pictures to be posted tomorrow!)

I am so grateful for many, many blessings in my life and it has given me great pleasure to share all my gratefulness with my family and friends. I hope everyone has the most wonderful Thanksgiving day filled with love and happiness!

 

Gratitude Journal – Day 22 – My new body…

Well, today is the day that I have looked forward to for a while – I have officially lost 100 pounds. I knew this day would come, but it has been a very slow 2 months after losing so quickly for the first 6 months. Today I feel great, and I can fit into my daughters jeans… what a concept! She passed them down to me a few weeks ago after she lost weight, and I can’t believe they fit! I still have 30 more pounds to lose, but of course I am in no hurry. I know that it will happen, as I hardly eat any food and I am exercising like mad! I have to do double-takes when I walk by a mirror, because I don’t recognize myself sometimes. There are a lot of adjustments and changes that have been going on while my body has shrunk, and it’s really weird. The downside is that my wrinkles now show – so I have aged a little at the same time! I am just now getting used to my new body – a smaller, bonier version of me, like I was 22 years ago… and for that… I am grateful!

Gratitude Journal – Day 21 – My rings…

Today I am grateful that I can wear 2 of my 3 rings again. It has been years since any of my wedding rings actually fit on my fat fingers, and now I can wear 2 of them, the third being a wide Hawaiian wedding band that is still too tight… Since losing weight, I can wear lots of things again, but these mean the most to me. The engagement ring and the anniversary ring are thin bands, so they go on and off easily now. My finger also has extra scar tissue from my nerve repair surgery from January, and it was very swollen for a long time after the stitches were removed. But the swelling is almost completely gone and I can now wear my rings again…. and for this, I am grateful!

Gratitude Journal – Day 20 – Sundays…

Today I am so grateful for Sundays, my day of rest. Sundays are great because not only do I get to sleep in a bit, but I get to spend the day with my family and go to church. We all love going to church, so it’s a real family treat. It’s wonderful to feel the Spirit and listen to the guidance and word of the Lord. It’s also great to see my church friends and visit for a minute or two. Church is something I do for myself and my family, and it’s nourishing and fulfilling. Tonight we were able to attend the Temple Worker’s Devotional where we were addressed by the new temple presidency and their wives. It was amazing, and wonderful to see some old friends from many years ago, even if we had to drive over an hour each way in the raining downpour! I love my life! I love all the goodness that our church brings into our lives… and I am very grateful this day.

Gratitude Journal – Day 19 – My new habit…

I have now officially finished my Couch to 5K training program that leads up to my 5K on Thanksgiving day, the Oceanside Turkey Trot. I have been training for 9 straight weeks and even though I started off barely being able to run for 90 seconds, I have worked my way up to running for a solid 30 minutes, and the last week of training was up and down hills. I can now say that I have started a brand new habit – running – and not because I have to run, but because I want to run. You might even say that all I am really doing is jogging, because  my speed is pretty slow, but it’s still running considering I have never run before, so it’s a lot faster than walking for me. I was never able to run before because of a few reasons; my weight, my flat feet, and my asthma. Since losing a lot of weight, my asthma is gone, and my feet don’t hurt anymore. So, I decided to push myself physically to bring my health and fitness to the next level. A few  years ago, I used to go to the gym 5 days a week and even had a trainer for 3 of those days who would push me on all the machines, but especially on the treadmill, which I hated with a passion. I hated it because it was so difficult for me and my whole body always hurt during and after, and my asthma would always act up. I loved everything else about my gym training except the treadmill. I decided to kick start my new health program by facing the one thing I hated so much; running. Now that I have conquered my fear and loathing of running, I feel so accomplished and am looking forward to this 5K as well as many more in the future. It’s also given me some great one-on-one time with my husband who I drag to run with me and he is running in the 5K as well. This new habit feels better all the time… and for that I am grateful.

Gratitude Journal – Day 18 – Good food…

Today I am grateful for good food that I can actually eat. My diet is very high in protein, very low in carbs, starches,  and sugars. That leaves little of the food I used to eat in my new diet. But, all the great foods that I can eat now are so amazing! One of my favorite foods to eat now, is one that I have always loved, and one that we make often at home – stuffed mushrooms. The last few times we made them, we stuffed them with crab, salmon, and other seafood mixtures. Tonight we stuffed them with my favorite – sausage. We make these often because we all love them so much, except for Brittany, but she was not home tonight, so we made them for dinner. I will give you my recipe so you can make them, too.

Joy’s Stuffed Mushrooms

1 pound large white mushrooms

1/2 pound italian style sausage

1 cup artichoke & jalapeno dip (Costco)

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Pull stems out of mushrooms. Place stems in food processor and process until very small crumbles. Cook sausage in frying pan and chop while cooking so it is in very small crumbles. Drain on paper towels. In mixing bowl, stir together chopped mushroom stems, cooled sausage, cheese, and dip. Stir until combined. Spoon into mushroom caps until heaping mounds. Place into 9×13 pan and sprinkle more Parmesan cheese on the tops. Bake at 450 for 15 minutes. You can substitute crab, shrimp or salmon for the sausage – they are all fabulous!

Gratitude Journal – Day 17 – My job…

Today I am grateful for my job. I was unemployed for2 years after I was laid off from my last job, and looked every.single.day for a new job. It was getting to the point of being ridiculous, because not even retail stores would hire me, even though I had many years of retail management experience. I applied for hundreds of jobs during that time and only had a handful of interviews, most of which I was told that I was over qualified. I did have an independent contract job during my time of unemployment, where I did presentations for the State of California, but it was few and far between, even though the money was good. That contract ran out really quick, and I was left looking for a job again real soon. I knew that I could do almost anything having to do with computers or administration, but the jobs just weren’t there. I finally found a job while searching online that I knew I could do easily, and they hired me. I have now been at my current job for 17 months, and the best part about my job is that I only work 4 days a week, leaving me a 3 day weekend every week! I find my job a bit boring, but it is good for me to learn new things as I perform SEO (search engine optimization) and other website maintenance. I wish I could use all my experience in graphic design and computer programming, but I only do some HTML and other basic skills for now. It was hard for me to take a job where I earned far less than I was used to, but I feel luck to have a job so close to home, that Is very kick back and relaxed. I really have nothing to complain about and get along with everyone at work. So, today I am grateful for my job and hope it will last me for a while longer.

Gratitude Journal – Day 16 – Health Insurance…

Today I am grateful for having health insurance. It seems to be one of those things that many people take for granted, and sometimes never even take advantage of. In my family, it has been a great benefit and this year alone, I have been especially grateful to have it. I have had 2 surgeries this year and a lot of appointments with a lot of doctor. No, I am not sick, nor do I have a health problem at the moment, but I did have 2 elective surgeries this year that have made a world of difference in my life. I also had an allergic reaction to a vitamin supplement a few months ago and had to endure a lot of pain until it passed through me, but I found myself at urgent care getting a benedryl shot and then slept the rest of the day away knowing that I was going to be just fine. Peace of mind – that’s what I think of when I ponder the benefits of having insurance. We have dental, medical, vision, and life insurance. I am so very grateful to have these benefits and I hope that I never, ever take them for granted. There have been too many times in my life when I did not have any insurance, and those times were very hard. I thank my Heavenly Father for all my wonderful blessings, and having health insurance is not just a luxury… it is a necessity. If you don’t have it, do what you have to do to get it. You just never know when you will need it.

Gratitude Journal – Day 15 – My Dad…

Today I am grateful for my dad. He was such a great influence in my life, and I miss him dearly. He has been gone for 11 years now, and the pain still feels fresh. My dad was the most interesting man in the world. He had so many talents, spoke many languages, lived in many countries, had many jobs, and could fix anything. He had his engineering degree and worked on large computerized machines that controlled operations at different companies throughout his life. But, the one job he had for 42 years was that of a gunsmith. He could fix any gun, as well as build them from scratch. At one point, he has a little gun shop in El Cajon, CA where he worked full time. My sister and I would go down there during the summer and just hang out. It was great fun and we always found something to do – either helping him, or playing outside – great times. There are so many stories I could write about my dad’s life, but that will have to wait for another day.

My dad was very intelligent and loved to read. He would often be reading a book, watching a documentary on TV and holding a conversation with someone at the same time. I used to marvel at the way he could concentrate with so much going on. He served a mission in Denmark, the land where his mother was born. He lived in Mexico City, Caracas Venezuela, and many other places around the world. He could answer most questions on any subject, but if you had a question about guns, politics, or religion, you had to be prepared to listen to him go on for hours…. oh the memories! He loved his kids and grandkids so much. He was kind, generous, loving, smart and honest. He treated everyone with respect and loved to serve others. He will always be a large part of my life and will always be in my heart….  and for that, I am very grateful.

Gratitude Journal – Day 14 – Autumn…

I love this time of year so much! Just the smell in the air gets me excited about autumn and I love wearing sweaters and boots!!! The leaves changing, the chill in the air, the smell of fireplaces burning, the best holidays…. I am so grateful today for this season and all the comforts it brings into my life. I love Thanksgiving and being with my very big family, spending the day together and feeling so much gratitude! It really bonds us together and creates lasting memories.

I am so excited about the coming changes in our family, as well. I have my two youngest kids still living at home… for now… but they are both awaiting their mission calls and will be leaving in the next few months. So, for now we are relishing the time we have to spend with them both before they leave for 18-24 months. This is such a sweet time in a mother’s life, as I think about how proud of them I am and how much I will miss them, I also feel exquisite joy in knowing that they have chosen the greater path and are willing to sacrifice this time in their lives to serve our Heavenly Father and his children who are looking for the truth. I have the best kids in the world! This season brings me particular warm, fuzzy feelings this year… and for that, I am very grateful!

Gratitude Journal – Day 13 – Technology…

Today I am thankful for technology. I love living in this era of technological development and invention. Sometimes I just can’t fathom the advancement of our times – or the way we used to live without technology. My kids don’t realize that they have always had computers, video games, televisions, etc. and that their parents and grandparents did not have these things. I remember having rotary dial phones, plug in switchboards at my high school where I did phone duty every morning, transistor radios were our ipods, and you could not watch movies unless you went to the theater. Boy have times changed. Now, we have everything at our fingertips and more.

Not too long ago, there were no cell phones. I remember one Christmas eve night in 1983 when I would have loved to have a cell phone when my car broke down on the freeway at 10:00 pm. It was pouring rain and I was driving from Mission Valley to Santee on highway 8 going east. I was driving my brother Carlos’ car and it caught on fire. I was sitting on the side of the freeway with no power, the emergency lights would not come on and I was scared of being hit in the rain. So, I got out of the car in my white rabbit fur coat and stood in a 12″ deep river of water waiting for someone to stop. This was before there were call boxes on the freeway, too, so it was a major bummer! I stood there for almost an hour trying to flag someone down, but no one would stop. I prayed so hard and thought I would die there that night. Right when I was about to give up hope, a car pulled over and rolled the window down. It was a man with 2 sleeping boys in the back seat. He asked me if he could give me a ride and I was scared, but desperate to get home, so I said yes. He was really nice and I prayed that I could trust him and told him to just take me to a phone so I could call my dad. He said he was going near my neighborhood and so he took me all the way home. I know that angels were watching over me that night as I was safely taken to my home where my sweet dad was frantic and was just leaving to go look for me. This man would not accept any gas money for his time and trouble, but just drove home. I remember how scared I was that night and I would not want my daughters to ever have to go through that experience…. ever! So, today…. I am grateful for technology… and cell phones.

Gratitude Journal – Day 12 – My Siblings…

Today I am grateful for my siblings. I have 5 older brothers and one younger sister and most of us live with an hour of each other. We have grown closer as we grew up and are really close friends now. All of our children got to grow up together as well, and now their children and growing up together with their cousins. What a blessing it is for them to have such a big, extended family. We love to get together and have family dinners and celebrations, usually at our mom’s house. We are getting closer to Thanksgiving and I am really looking forward to spending time with my big family. I wish we could be closer to my husband’s family, too, but most of them live in Hawaii and we will get to see them in July for our family reunion over there. Family means everything to me and I fell so blessed to have such a big loving family still mostly living. We cherish the moments we spend together and I get to see all my sweet nieces and nephews. What a wonderful blessing!