day #4 detox...

paul has been quite sick the last 24 hours.  he had a crazy fever much of the night.  we had another lazy, restful day at home.

i went out for about an hour today to get food and make a few trips to the various grocery stores to stock up on more fruit and the basics.  paul has been munching on pizza much of the day.  i got a salad at vego while i was out.  so good.  i made my own dressing when i got home and added some chicken and wild rice.  it was yummy.  we have been drinking fresh fruit smoothies too.  for dinner i had a bowl of roasted red pepper soup that we ordered in yesterday.  we took a long afternoon nap which was super nice.  paul is feeling much better now although he does have a cough and feels yuck, but the fever has gone.  dayquil is his friend.

we have been chilling on the couches this evening watching tv--lost season 6 and the office.  paul is now eating homemade salsa and chips.  the salsa is soooo good.  ming makes killer salsa.

day #4 is being written in as a success!  woo hoo!

detox day #3

one more day down, only 27 more to go....

today was good.  we have not really left the house today since paul is feeling ill.  we ordered in food from k'nyay which may be one of my new favorite places.  i ordered more than i would have since i figured that would be what i eat all day.  i started with the fresh spring rolls and they were yummy.  after watching a few episodes of lost, i went out by myself to run some errands.....pharmacy and grocery store.  the weather today was cool and rainy.  i am glad we weren't out much.  paul laid on the couch much of the day before going back upstairs to bed.  i ate some carrot and coriander soup later in the day.  i also have been making fruit smoothies much of the day......watermelon, mango and pineapple.  yummy.  i made paul some steel cut oats for his dinner topped with some fresh cut mango.  he was happy.  after he went to bed i warmed up the red curry and wild rice for my own dinner.  i caught up on my grey's and private practice episodes for this past week.  i am now working on another crocheted bracelet.  just hanging out until it's time for bed....

another successful day in the journey to health....

detox day #2

today has been great.  i have felt really good which makes me happy, a bit worried, and wondering if this is working and/or i am doing it right.  maybe it just takes more time....i guess i will find out soon enough.

today's breakfast was a success--green smoothie with 2c pineapple, 2c watermelon and 2c green escaroles lettuce.  super tasty and did the trick.  snack was 1c mango.  :)  lunch was grilled chicken, 1c wild rice, 1c watermelon, and the left over veggies that ming made from the night before.  so good.  after school snack was 1c pineapple.

i had been thinking about dinner all day long.  we had planned to go to k'nyay which is a cool little place that is khmer food that has the twist of vegan & vegetarian, but they also serve meat.  the fun part about this place is that it has a great story, but more importantly almost all the food on the menu is safe for me to eat on detox.  :)  yeah for that.  i ordered chicken amok which is a traditional khmer dish.  it's like a curry and served with wild rice.  it was divine and with each bite i felt like i was breaking ALL the rules, but i wasn't.  paul ordered homemade pesto pasta with vegetables.  he said it was amazing too!  he said that when i can eat wheat/flour again that i should order it to celebrate b/c it is just that good.  oh, i forgot to mention that we had fresh spring rolls as an appy and they were awesome.  it came with some homemade peanut sauce that i now love.  i could eat it as salad dressing.  the spring rolls were fresh and full of flavor.

back at home now, drinking water and watching the last few episodes of lost season five with my hubs.  i do have to say that day #2 has been a success.  go me!

day #1 of detox

today has been great.  i have felt good pretty much all day except for the minor lingering headache.  to jump start the morning i had a glass of water with lime juice.  breakfast was a bust though.  i made a green smoothie and it was kind of gross.  i used 2c spinach, about 1c watermelon, some water and a bit of lime juice.  ugh.  it was not good and i could not finish it.  i had the urge to gag when i tried.  so i had some almonds instead and drank some water.  for snack, i had some carrots.  i was pretty hungry by lunch which was also tasty.  i had some asian noodles with chicken and some mango.  ming makes the asian noodles and they are yummy.  drank more water through out the day and tried to think away the headache that was still trying to move into my head.  after school on my way home i was hungry again and ate some almonds and drank some water.  when i got home the house smelled so good---aromas of ginger.  dinner must be good is what i thought.  sure enough it was.....chicken with ginger, steamed veggies with a bit of olive oil and garlic, and wild rice.  wow!  it was delicious and after i felt so full.  after dinner i was headed to my SnB group that meets once a month.  we met at a cafe called fresco that is down in BKK.  i was tempted by all the yummy food and drinks but stuck to my plan.  every time i had an inkling to eat something "banned" i just drank my water.  :)  i also had some raw almonds in my bag in case i got hungry.

all in all, the day was a success.....only 29 more to go.

a journey to health

begins with baby steps.

well, i am starting my journey.  i joined a class that is called "eat, move and improve."  it goes for eight weeks and hopes to educate me on my choices, my health, and all things related.  we had our first meeting last night at the cool restaurant here in town called k'nyay.  it's awesome.  all healthy and gorgeous foods.  i cannot wait to go back on friday night.  i cannot wait to share the goodness with paul.  :)

for the next few days i have to work on making a plan for myself--what i can eat, what i will eat, what i need to buy to make this happen, talking to our awesome housekeeper and explain the banned foods to her, coming up with a plan b when in sticky situations.  there must be a plan.  i love the quote--those who fail to plan, plan to fail.  i know this to be true.  i have to have a plan so i can be successful.  on thursday, i will begin a 30 day elimination detox that involves NOT eating any of the following in any form for 30 days---no caffeine, no dairy, no wheat or gluten, no sugar, no processed foods, and no alcohol.  should be an adventure for sure.

today i just started small since there was already lunch in the fridge for me.  i skipped my morning coffee this morning (blerg) or sugar.  one small step.  i have been journaling all my food, how i am feeling, water intake and anything else related.  i have had a chronic headache since last week and hope that cleansing my system will help eliminate them all together.  so far, so good.

baby steps, mandy, baby steps.  follow me, encourage me, pray for me, and hope that i can see benefits before i get sidetracked.  i need and want to be healthy.

ants....we have a problem....

we have ants.  we have them everywhere.  today we discovered they are on our towels in the bathroom.  argh.  what do we use to kill them?  any non toxic solutions?  we have them near food and not near food.  sometimes they are in the most unlikely of places.  please help.....

pictures of life here in the penh

i have posted quite a few pics on facebook, but i know that some of you are not on facebook.  i am working on posting them on flickr or google picasa, but need an evening to do so.  be patient, dear friends.  i am keen to share our adventures here with you visually.

oh mondays...

most likely my least favorite day of the week since i do have to wake to an alarm clock for the first time since the friday before, but my teaching monday is quite a nice ease into the week.  each monday we have late start which means that i don't have my students until 10am, so between 7:30-9:30 we have collaboration meetings, pro d times, and team planning.  i am not usually fully awake yet, but it's a good deal for me.  i don't have to immediately be "on" and can wrap my head around the week before diving in.  i teach for a few hours and then we have lunch.  after lunch i teach thirty more minutes before my kiddos are off to music for an hour and a half and then the last thirty minutes of the day i read aloud to them.  it's a sweet deal.

today was a bit out of sorts as i am attempting to get organized, but it's been slow.  i am using google docs for my lesson plans, observation notes, calendar, etc.  i have not gotten all the standard things put into my lesson plan spreadsheets, so when E arrived to do word work i stood there saying in my brain, "oh no!  it's word work time and i don't have the new sorts ready for this week."  i quickly walked to the computer and made it happen.  voila!  situation of disaster avoided.

yeah me!

things i love about phnom penh.....

• the ride to and from school during the week--lots of cool and odd things to see, i never get bored just watching it all go by.
• the crazy amount of options for food/dining out
• the colors
• the warmness of the people
• the bright smiles of the family that lives on the first floor of our building
• my super comfy bed with the air con on and i am cuddled under blankets
• iced vietnamese coffee whenever i want it
• my student's encouragement in teaching and helping me learn khmer
• the rain although sometimes annoying
• the awesome fresh fruit choices

enough for now.......more to come.......

totally amazing....

yesterday and today i have been in three way conferences with my students and their parents.  i have watched many of my students sit, read their work in English, and then instantly translate it into their home language--Khmer, Thai, Chinese.  crazy awesome!  i sit and listen in total amazement that they are able to do this.  i have a tough time thinking and speaking in English much less translating as i go.  AWESOME!

wondering....

i have not felt the need to blog lately.  i have, but it was a bit of an unhealthy rant, so i spared you the drama.
not sure why.  i am feeling a bit uninspired.
i am comparing myself to the amazing blogs i follow and wondering what i can really write that someone wants to read.

blerg.