With Help From Arnold, Jane and Richard-Brownies Win LAST Battle

For lunch yesterday, I polished off half a pan of 3-day old brownies. Impressive-yes. But listen, those brownies were delicious! I took a little pitty bite before demoting them from the kitchen department to the waste department. Unfortunately as the sugar kicked in I struggled to intelligently ponder the consequences a defeat such as the one I was about to experience would bring. And gulp, they were gone! With a hefty dose of guilt, a hefty sugar lowwww, and "hefty" swallowing all other adjectives in my vocab...I informed the empty brownie pan that it had won its last battle.
Recognizing that the "health" sphere of my life could use a boost, I'm renewing some of the strategies that have been motivational for me in the past. Here's my list of kickstarts that usually excite me for healthful living. If YOU have useful strategies for those of us whirlpooling in comfortable holiday habits PLEASE share!!


1. I've never tried plastering my fridge w/ celebrities-but this year I couldn't resist these iconic motivators. I'm going for Arnold's abs (and or pecs), Jane's legs, and Richards glutes of course (check him out below!). Permission to borrow them anytime you lack motivation, granted.

2. WATER: Quenching my thirst w/ice cold water (instead of postponing it or substituting for soda/juice).

3. MUSIC: Vacation music always motivates me to do healthy things. I love listening to islandish music when i'm cooking, exercising...etc. Nothing says health and wellness better than Bob Marley philosophies...right?

4. EXERCISE: I usually have to get into a morning routine (before I have time to get distracted, dissuaded, busy, tired, or full). Running is the most exhilirating for me, but in the winter I've found a few other options:
-Indoor track at local community center-bring your stroller & it's cheap!
-Aerobics at home...Studio 5 has a "Holiday Boot Camp" free online video, that is supposed to burn 200 Cal/15 min. scroll down past the video clip w/3 people to "download the video" http://studio5.ksl.com/?sid=5060050&nid=56


5. FOOD: I crave sugar, cheese, and bread endlessly...so I'm listing a few of the healthier snacks that usually prove satisfying: (I'm always trying to add to the list-so please share)

-Fresh fruit in milk (w/ or instead of cereal)
-HEFTY helpings of salad or vegetables at lunch and dinner.
-My sister Bonnie makes killer fruit smoothies w/sugar free Crystal Light!
-Caprese salad (thinly sliced tomatoes & provolone cheese/basil/pepper/olive oil
-Apple slices and Smiling Cow swiss wedges
-Roasted, pureed butternut squash w/lt sour cream, parmesian, nutmeg & s/p.
-Edamame- sounds hippy but is really goood! microwave or boil w/ s/p.
-lettuce wraps (works w/ lunch meat and shredded cheese)
-Odwalla Superfood the drink (really dark green unappetitizing color, but a really refreshing taste w/a lot of good for you foods in it that are sometimes hard to work into meals-my whole family is hooked)

5. Super Foods Rx, by Pratt and Matthews (book)- details the best foods for your body, and best of all it breaks down the contents of these foods, what they do, and why they are so good for your body. Everytime I read it, I am totally excited to EAT.

6. Something I struggle to remember is brushing my teeth after breakfast and lunch, which seriously inhibits my snacking-good for more than just my teeth!

7. Visiting the health food store for ground flax seed, fresh ground peanut butter, dried fruit, raw nuts and coconut, and to sample any other crazy stuff they happen to have on hand.

"TheTawny (not so Scrawny) Lion"

Calvin was a lion for Halloween... because he really knows how roar. Beyond cute, we couldn't help but laugh every time we saw him suffering through that big orange mane. He reminded me of the "Tawny Scrawny Lion" (anyone remember the old Golden Books?)...who plans to eat a little bunny friend and all of it's long-eared siblings, except that the wise rabbits feed him vegetable soup every day 'til he's too full and fat to eat or run after any other animals.

Likewise, our Calviano has really beefed up on his regular diet of milk. However, he is noticing more and more that everyone around him eats real food while he watches us ravenously.

We had a busy Halloween, I was a lion along with Cal and Brandon was a lion tamer (who was endlessly mistaken as Indiana Jones- due to his whip). Brandon also provided us with an abundant amount of comic relief as an Umpa Loompa for work. He was roped into a cooperative lab effort to allow his boss to be a convincing Willie Wonka surrouded by orange faced helpers. What a sport!!!!

Medical School Interviews

We’ve had a busy and exciting month with Brandon interviewing for medical school! Brandon does great under pressure, so he seems to be enjoying the adventure!
One of the funnest and funniest parts of the process is hearing about crazy questions that are rumored to float around interview tables. Brandon had an acquaintance get this one: “If you were a kitchen appliance, what would you be, and why?” Apparently, the interviewee answered that he’d be a toaster, resulting in a difficult explanation. This is one situation in which you really don’t want to blurt out the first thing that pops into your head!At his last interview, Brandon related this story to the group awaiting their turn to interview. He got a few laughs but not much credit until one of their number came back to the conference room after his turn, with the report that he had been asked the same “appliance” question.

Have a go at a few more ponderous postulations we’ve heard below. Take them seriously folks, with MCAT scores and grade point averages losing ground to queries of a rather ridiculous nature, YOU maybe ready for med school too (the best answers will be used at Brandon’s next interview):

1. If you were a breakfast cereal, what would you be and why?
2. If you were a body part what would you be and why? (who else here would be a moustache?)
3. If you could have dinner with any 3 people, who would they be and why?
4. If you were an appliance…

BABY MINE

It is so entertaining to see a baby begin to exert his/her personality. I've seen it in my little sisters when they were babies, and now in my nieces and nephews, but I guess I forgot how early and how opinionated those little personalities can be!
Calvin is a happy boy-and really mellow when he's feeling good. I've been so intrigued lately by his darling little preferences. For example, I sing lots of songs to him throughout the day, and I've noticed that there is one in particular (the "Ladybug" song) that always seems to entertain/soothe him. He listens and smiles, raises his eyebrows, and coos.
On the other hand, one of my favorite songs is "Baby Mine" from Dumbo, but Cal doesn't seem to like it. I usually have to save it for when he is really sleepy, because if he is alert at all his bottom lip curls under, he frowns and tears start to well up. Talk about the most heart-breaking facial expression. He seems to know the song is sad, even without understanding the words or knowing the story behind it. I guess we'll just stick to bugs for now! Here are a few more of Cal's preferences that we've noticed so far.

Cal loves: to kick (&kick&kick&kick!), mom and dad to sing songs, watching trees, to play and laugh, the vacuum, his rocking chair, outside, to eat (bet you couldn't guess), naps on mom's lap.

Cal despises: changing clothes, the car, his car seat-or anything like unto either, the nose snarfer, "monster hiccups", naps in places besides mom's lap.

CALVIN

Calvin Brandon Nickle arrived (to our surprise) on his due date! He waited all week for his dad to finish finals, but couldn't wait for Brandon's graduation. Calvin was born at 2:40pm -right about when Brandon would have walked, so graduation cap and gown were replaced with a hospital gown and "graduation" to parenthood!

I caught my first look at Calvin hanging upsidedown from the doctor's hold. I thought he'd be pretty cute-because all babies are cute, but I'd had one too many weird dreams about him being born with a grown man's nose-"beautiful only to his parents". So I was totally floored by what a handsome little man-cub he turned out to be!

Calvin is 2 weeks old now, 2 inches longer and 1.5 lbs heavier than when he was born!

Calvin's favorite things to do are: eat, sleep, mess diapers, hollar, snuggle, and look*

*I love to watch Calvin when he is awake. I know he can't see very well, but he's a pretty good faker. He stares at Brandon and I as though he knows us (sometimes he just looks at me like I'm made of milk), and he looks around at the walls and ceiling like they are just tooooo big to be believed.

Brandon is really good with Calvin! i'm not sure if it's his voice or the way he carries him, but its obvious that Calvin already thinks his dad is pretty neat...and visa versa. I never have to coax Brandon to hold Calvin- he's all over it!

We're having so much fun with our new baby-even at 3am! We love you Calvin, welcome to our family!