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I wear many, like you.

We all know what we do, what hats we wear. I don't think I need to put to words all the lovely colored head warmers I wear each day.

But there's one more hat I'm thinking of wearing. I've been thinking of wearing it for years. Really since my first born came into the world.

Teacher.

I've talked about it on this blog, on twitter and with friends. I've purchased homeschool book, after homeschool book. I've prayed about it, thought about it, dreamed about it… weighed the pros and cons.

In my mind I've already got a plan to move the three boys into the same room when the baby is older, bunk the two older ones, and turn the baby's room into the school room – and my office.

I'd have a long L-shaped table. On top would be a school computer for my son and my computer for working. We'd have file cabinets for books and school supplies. And a map, American Flag and other school paraphernalia on the wall.

We wouldn't use it all of the time. Mostly in the cold winter months – or hot summer months. On the days when we really needed the structure of a room devoted to school books and work.

The other months, the other days when we could be more spontaneous, we'd learn wherever the learning felt natural and right. At the park, at the zoo, outside, at this local state park that my brother and I used to do our school work at as homeschooled children.

So much changes when you get healthy and repair vitamin deficiencies…you can tackle the world with a smile. Nothing seems daunting or too much. Nothing. What once frustrated you, now hardly gets a rise from you at all. When before you could hardly muster the interest in getting out of bed, now you greet each day with a smile and plan to cram it full of learning and work and kids and fun.

So much as changed for me.

And now I feel like this really could be a positive experience for everyone concerned. And I know a little 5 year old boy who would be on cloud nine to call me his teacher.

I wonder… am I ready for that hat?

That tall, heavy – but brightly colored/striped/polka-dotted – fun hat?

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Click thru and check out my new healthy eating blog!

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I'm ringing in the New Year 20 pounds lighter and down one jean size.

And I have to say, this feels much better than any chocolate cake or pizza ever could.

For the millionth time I started on my Anti-Candida diet on December 1st, 2009. But this time was different. This time I knew it would be a lifelong commitment. I was in it for the long haul. It felt like when I stopped smoking for the final time. All the attempts leading up to that final puff were well intentioned, but I pretty much knew I didn't have everything it took to stop.

Though I've been sick with many, many health problems due to the yeast in my system, I couldn't maintain the willpower it takes to keep on the diet. You see, it requires you only eat meat and vegetables for a few to several months. You have to literally starve the overgrowth of Candida with your diet. No sugar, no carbs, no dairy, no wheat… no fruit or nuts!

So you can see why it's so danged difficult to do!

But this time was different. It is different. And this time I know how to transition out of this first stage of the diet and into my lifelong healthy diet. I'll talk more about that on my new healthy eating tips blog. {launching soon!}

The whole family is getting healthy and well and vibrant right a long with me. Okay, not the whole family. My husband isn't interested in giving up his junk food…I'll work on breaking him in slowly. But me and the kids are full force into it. And we're all feeling and looking so much better.

But back to the weight loss.

HOLLA!

There are so few pleasures when you're starting into the diet. You're sick because of the toxins dying off. You're tired, achy, retracing through symptoms and sometimes it takes months to shed the bothersome symptoms that put you on the diet in the first place. It takes time to heal the body. But the cool thing is that your body will heal if you give it time.

So since there are so few pleasures, seeing the results of weight melting off is even more exhilarating than it might normally be. I don't get to eat donuts and pizza, or even fruit and nuts, but I do get to fit into my size 10 jeans very comfortably. I do see a stomach with no bloating and hair that has thickened up and is shinier than normal.

Ringing in the New Year without junk food, or drinks, might not sound fun to most…but to me, being healthy and thinner is just what I wanted and needed.

I'd like to drop another 10-15 pounds and two more pant sizes when all is said and done. But what is always most important is my health and not my weight. Being able to run – my goal this year – is what matters most to me. Being so physically well and healthy and fit that I could run – or even jog – will make me the happiest… not necessarily what the scale says to me.

But right now, I do love the scale!

{Jeans I'm aiming to get into next… size 8.}

I hope this New Year is a healthy one for you, too!

Related posts:

1. The Healthy Happy Face
2. Happy New Year
3. You Capture: Year In Review

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I'd take a picture to prove it, but I'm far too embarrassed! I'm totally unaware how it even got so bad.

I've been making a very conciseness effort to love on, and soak in my baby before he isn't a baby any longer. He'll be one year old this Wednesday. He's been the baby of ours that seems to have grown from infant to one year old in a blink of an eye.

In the middle of loving on a baby, playing with two totally sweet and spicey little boys and crawling out of the laundry; I've also been cooking every single meal fresh, and from scratch, for a couple of months now. We're all on the anti-Candida diet, which means meat and veggies and that's about it. And that means cooking everything fresh and from scratch. There's no such thing as pre-packaged convenience food…totally a good thing for our health, totally an annoying thing for an already-stretched-too-thin Mama.

Though you won't catch me complaining very often, because I'm already seeing small improvements in our health. Aren't our bodies simply amazing? The fact that they can heal with proper nutrition is astonishing to me. And it makes me appreciate God even more. He knew there would come a day when what we ate would make our bodies sick and so He created our bodies with the ability to heal themselves with the right foods.

Which leads me to my other task at hand... launching my new blog. Oh, sorry, can't spill the beans quite yet. Gotta do this thing right, and that means a lot of back end work before it can be public. Though, as you might have guessed it'll be about health and wellness and eating delicious healthy foods and living a happy life. It's giving me butterfly's when I think about it and work on it and that makes me happy.

So it's cold here, really cold. And we're packed in under feet (plural) of snow. And boy are we all feeling the affects of being "snowed in". Climbing the walls, pulling our hair out… begging Old Man Winter to release his grip and allow some Spring like air to filter in. My legs and feet and heart and lungs are crying out for a good, vigorous walk out in nature… too cold, too slick.

I guess I'll have to put off training for my 3k goal for a little bit longer.

There's a lot I have had to put off, put on hold, or totally can at this time in my life. And I finally feel like I'm getting to a place where I'm okay with that. Where I'm able to channel my passion into an area that is feasible at this time of my life.

After all – I'll never get to parent little ones again. This is my only shot at it. The only time in my life where I'll get this privilege. Gotta remember that this is a privilege.

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I chose to get back on this super restrictive diet even though Christmas was upon us.

I chose to be tempted but overcome the desire for cookies and cakes and sugary things.

I chose to eat only vegetables and meats and continue to choose it until I'm healthy again.

I am slowly healing my body from the inside out. Foods are so healing and yet some can be so destructive.

I choose the healing foods now.

My sons and I are all on the Anti-Candida diet & once we "graduate" out of the strict phase one of this diet, we'll move into a lifelong lifestyle of eating more along the lines of gluten free and dairy free with very minimal sugar. (from fruits and honey and stevia)

I no longer feel like I'm depriving myself. Nor do I feel that way about my sons.

I'm no longer looking at the negative.

I'm not depriving my sons of eating junk food. How ridiculous was it for me to even think that way? Or for the people around me to think that way.

I'm blessing them with health. I'm giving them so much more.

And when you're on a diet that allows so little, you find new uses for foods and find ways to make really fun and tasty dishes.

Oh… and a nice side benefit to it all… 12 pounds lost in 19 days.

If you have any questions about the Anti-Candida diet, please leave them in the comments section. I'll be talking more about this topic, eating healthy, gluten free diets … etc.

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Now that I'm on the road to healing myself through a healthy eating and living lifestyle, I know without a shadow of a doubt that I can now set and reach the physical goals I've been dreaming about for years.

Not just to keep myself accountable, but also to keep track of everything I am aiming for this year I'm writing them down for everyone to see. I hope these might inspire you, too.

2010 Physical Goals

1. Run 3k without stopping (or passing out!) by the end of the year. I'd prefer this to happen by September, though I don't know if that is feasible since I'm still healing my body from this Candida.
2. Put two little ones in a jogging stroller and jog with them at least once per week by the end of the year.
3. Buy a bike for myself and my husband and ride together once per week. This will happen as soon as the weather improves and we have money to purchase a couple bikes.
4. Indoor rock wall climb for the first time and if I like it, then do it often or try real rock climbing.
5. Walk every day. (except the days that I'm doing other strenuous exercise)
6. Drop 35 pounds.

I realize this looks like a lot to chew off in one year. There are two reasons I'm jotting down all these loft goals.

1. I remember how amazing I felt 3 years ago when I kicked the yeast beast. I had more energy than I could handle. I got up at the crack of dawn every day, put two kiddos in a double stroller and hiked around our neighborhood. I say hike because it's literally like a hike with the steep hills I must travel. I would then use my energy the rest of the day to keep house, play with the kids, run errands, do other fun physical activities with my kids, run my business and so forth. At the end of the day I'd go alone, or take the dog, or take the kids again and hike the neighborhood again. And yet I still had energy to burn. I'm not only expecting the same results this time around, I'm greatly looking forward to it.

2. I want to try many different types of exercise in order to decide which of them I enjoy the most. I know not everything I try I'll like enough to keep up. My goal is to, at the very least, keep up one or two of the activities on a weekly basis. There are actually more physical activities I'd like to add to this list, but I'll edit the list as I go — if need be.

2010 is going to be a great year. And the reason I know this is because I'm going to make it a good year. A great year. I'm taking control of my health and life and future instead of letting it all pass by and only dreaming about it.

What are your health goals for 2010?

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