Tag Archives: Magic Kingdom

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Cooking Up a Plan

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Day 225 in cooking my way to a healthier me to pose with Mickey at the Magic Kingdom in October

Today is all about a recipe.  I may have mentioned this book before.  It’s called Betty Crocker 30 Minute Meals for Diabetes.  As I am pre-diabetic, I try to eat as diabetes-friendly as possible.   This book has been a real Godsend.  So tonight’s new recipe is Quick Taco Skillet Casserole.  I like quick, I like tacos and I like casseroles, so it sounds like a winner to me.

The prep time is 25 minutes for 6 servings.

Ingredients:

  1. 1 pound (extra-lean) ground beef
  2. 1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
  3. 1 and a half cups uncooked instant brown rice
  4. 1 cup chunky-style salsa
  5. 1 and a half cups of water
  6. 1 can (14.5 to 16 oz) whole tomatoes, undrained, cut up
  7. 1 can (11 oz) whole kernel corn with red and green peppers, undrained
  8. 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste

Directions:

  1. In a 12-inch skillet or 4-quart Dutch oven, cook beef and onion over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain well.  Return beef mixture to skillet.
  2. Stir in remaining ingredients.  Heat to boiling over high heat.  Reduce heat to medium-high; cook 10 to 12 minutes, stirring frequently, until water is absorbed and rice is tender.  Stir before serving.

Sounds great, right?  I’ll let you know how it tastes.  Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Wise Words from Walt

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Day 224 in my journey to a healthier lifestyle for meeting up with Mickey (6 months and 23 days to go)

Today’s plan was to eat in a healthy manner, and I have managed to do that.  I feel a lot better than I did last night after having a sugar binge.  I feel mellow and satisfied.  I don’t mind telling you, I like this feeling.  It’s way better than a sugar-crazed crab-fest.  You’ve heard of mean drunks?  I am a mean sugar-fueled sugar addict.

Jake and Eliza gave me an Artfolds book for my birthday.  It’s really a cool idea.  You fold each page according to some lines on them.  When you’re finished folding the whole book, you have a piece of art, kinda like origami.  My book finished up as a Mickey Mouse head.  Perfect, right?  I love it.  And along the way there are quotes by Walt Disney.  Well I finally finished all the folding today.  And here is a quote that I found particularly fitting for my life right now: “Life is composed of lights and shadows, and we would be untruthful, insincere, and saccharine if we tried to pretend there were no shadows.”  Isn’t that cool?  Sometimes it’s just good to recognize that life has its ups and its downs.  I want to embrace both in my life.  I want to savor every experience, even the not so fun ones.  I think it’s really the only way to know that you have lived life, and not just sleep-walked through it.

Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Still Planning

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Day 222 in my attack on being healthier to meet up with Mickey

My plan for today was to “pick myself up, dust myself off, and start all over again.”  I am back at work after two sick days.  My stomach and head have been acting up.  Today my headache is gone, and my stomach is at least manageable.

I’ve been thinking quite a bit about our trip to Walt Disney World in October.  God’s timing is amazing.  I should be able to get through surgery and any following treatments well in advance of our trip.  Thank you, Lord!  I can hardly wait to be sitting at Olivia’s Cafe at Old Key West having dinner with my family.  And I’m even more determined to go for it.  Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, here I come!  And this might just be the time I finally ride Kali River Rapids.

Meet you at the Kingdom!

BTW: Thanks for all the messages and prayer support.  I can feel the prayers.  Here’s a great verse from the Bible that I ran across today: “God Most High, have pity on me!  Have mercy.  I run to you for safety.  In the shadow of your wings, I seek protection till danger dies down.  I pray to you, my protector.” Psalm 57:1-2  God is good all the time!

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A Detour in Plans

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Day 221 in my plans for my immediate future, and for meeting Mickey

My plan for today is to process the information that I received this morning.  It turns out, I have cancer.  So I will pray and think.

I have a very high regard for God.  I talk about him often.  I talk to him often.  I argue with him often (he always wins).  But most of all I believe him.  When he says, “I will never leave you or forsake you.”  I believe him.  When he says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”  I believe him.  When he say, “We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, and to them who are called according to his purpose.”  I believe him.  I don’t need to know why-me.  Why not me?  I don’t need to know the outcome.  I just need to have faith that he goes with me.

And so I take the next step.  I see an oncologist is a couple weeks, and we make plans for treatment.  Sooner the better, I say.  And I keep making plans, and taking the next steps, and I keep looking forward to our trip to Florida in October.

God is good all the time.  Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Meals and More Meals

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Day 220 in planning to meet up with Mickey

Today’s plan is to research and make plans for our dinner reservations when we are in Florida in October.  We plan to eat out once a day together.  Breakfast at the Magic Kingdom?  Lunch at EPCOT?  Dinner at the Animal Kingdom?  I want to have my plans in order, so I can try for some hard to get reservations.

Since we’ll be in a Grand Villa at Old Key West, we’ll have a full kitchen/dining room.  We will take our other meals there.  I am sure we will try some of the foods at the Food and Wine Festival, too.

So today I work on those plans.  Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Back To It

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Day 219 in my planning to meet up with Mickey in October (6 months and 28 days to go)

Today’s plan: make a menu for the week, make a grocery list for the week, go grocery shopping, deliver a dinner to a friend who recently had surgery, go out to a belated birthday dinner with the kids.

  1. menu-check
  2. grocery list-check
  3. grocery shopping-check
  4. deliver dinner-called to make arrangements and was told they do not need our dinner tonight, as their daughter (her husband, and child) is coming up to visit and bringing dinner
  5. belated birthday dinner withe the kids-yet to come

I am feeling much better than I have the last couple of days.  My energy level is better and the cramping and bleeding have subsided.  Whew!  So now it’s back to normal, until the next step is revealed.  God is good all the time!

Meet you at the Kingdom!

 

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Getting Down to Dis-ness (Business toward a Disney Trip)

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Day 211 in my challenges to get ready to meet Mickey in October. (7 months and 6 days to go)

Today’s plan was to take care of a lot of little things that needed seeing to, and to gauge my energy level to get through the day.

Here’s the list:

  1. Make a delicious. nutritious breakfast–I made another batch of Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal.  It is sugar-free decadence.  And I have enough left over for 2 breakfasts this week.  I fry a leftover patty in just a bit of coconut oil.  So good!
  2. Finish paying our last two bills for this pay period–I wrote out a check for one and brought it to the post office to mail, and I arranged to pay the other online.
  3. Take a shower and clean up–I showered, washed and treated my hair, brushed and even water-piced my teeth.  (I don’t use my water-pic nearly enough.)
  4. Go and visited my sister/pal Joan–we had a lovely visit.  (Prayers for her, please.  She is having knee replacement surgery on Tuesday.)  A visit with Joan is always so good for my heart and soul!
  5. Pick up groceries–I went to my new favorite store, Heinen’s, and picked up some necessary items for tonight’s dinner, and for the week’s menu, and for cleaning the house.

I got everything finished by 5:00 pm, and am now in my favorite chair with my feet up sipping a Decaf Skinny Hazelnut Latte from Starbuck’s.  I had plenty of energy to get through my day.  I’m glad to be back home and chilling, but I am so-o-o grateful to have the va-va-voom to move around more and get a few things done.

Life is good, my friends, and God is even good-er!  Meet you at the Kingdom!

BTW: Happy birthday, to dear Eliza!!  She is our daughter-in-law extraordinaire!  Such a beautiful person inside and out, and I am in awe of the way she loves our precious son.  Love you, Girl!

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Motivated to Move for Mickey

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Day 209 in my motion to meet Mickey (7 months and 8 days to go)

Today my plan was to be a bit more active at work.  So I:

  1. Set up Damascus Road (our contemporary band.)
  2. Printed, cut and assembled the weekly church bulletins.
  3. Moved a very heavy box from a cabinet in my office to my co-worker Chris’s office.  (I am woman; hear me roar!)
  4. Removed a heavy box of outdated offering envelopes from that same cabinet and put them all in recycling.  (Think Rocky Theme)
  5. Made every effort to make as many trips as possible around inside the building to rack up some extra steps.

I feel good about the movement, but my right knee is barking a little.  🙂

Also tonight we will dine out after our Damascus Road rehearsal.  I plan to order a steak salad.  The combination of the warm, tender steak and the crisp greens will make my week.  It’s the little things, my Peeps.  Stay warm; I do believe Spring will eventually come.

Meet you at the Kingdom!

BTW: Props to my niece and Godchild Merr.  Happy birthday, Sweet Girl!  Love you so much.  xxoo

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Waiting…

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Day 208 in my waiting to see Mickey in October (7 months and 9 days to go)

Today my plan is to write this blog, make the best possible food choices, and move around as much as I can.

Happy birthday, Dear Emi.  Happy birthday to you.  May the Lord bless and keep you another year through!

Thirty-three years ago today my daughter Emi was born.  She is beautiful inside and out, of that there can be no doubt!  She was born with a ruddy complexion and a full head of flyaway black hair.  Mike (my husband) took one look and said, “Hm, must be from the postman’s side of the family.”  My roommate at the hospital had a visitor come in.  She said, “Oh, your baby is adorable.  And there is the cutest little Eskimo baby in the nursery, too.  Who does that belong to?” My roommate sheepishly looked at me, and I said, “That would be my daughter.”  🙂

I remember waiting for Emi to be born.  Waiting and waiting and waiting.  Then, in God’s perfect timing, she arrived.

It makes me think about waiting in general.  Right now I’m waiting for Spring.  I’m waiting to go to the Magic Kingdom and hug Mickey.  I’m waiting to lose more weight to take some of the pressure off of my joints so I can move even more.  Waiting…waiting…waiting.

But, the thing is, in God’s perfect timing and if it be His will, these things will indeed come to pass.  Spring really will come, with flowers blooming and birds singing again.  I will Fastpass+ my way to Mickey and a hug in October.  (And in my head the bird’s will be singing again.)  And I will lose more weight and take some of the pressure off of my achy joints.  (Then I will be singing.)

In God’s perfect timing, these things will happen if I just believe and accept His timing.  Slow progress still equals progress–with Spring, with my Mickey-meet-up, with my weight.  To God be the glory.

Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Active Duty

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Day 206 in my efforts to move more before I meet Mickey

Today I dug in hard physically at work.  There were tables and chairs in the narthex (narthex=the entry area of the church) that needed to be taken down and moved.  So after our staff meeting I went down and bulled around tables and chairs with two other women.  (It was a pleasure to work with you today, Debbie and Melodi!)  Then I went back to the office and put away 10 reams of paper from a box, so I could take the empty box back into the narthex and fill it with some of the fabric kits that were assembled yesterday.  (Fabric Kits contain fabric and thread that is sent to third world countries.)

Plus I made sure to walk around as much as possible today.  And I have to get up and get out of the house again tonight after dinner to go back to the church for a committee meeting.

It’s one of the days…rush, rush, rush.  but it’s nice to have the energy to do it!

Meet you at the Kingdom!