So What's Next?

My entire lil' family has been ill this week(but not Cason if you ask him because MEN don't get sick). It appears that we are finally turning the corner towards the Sunshine of health despite the fact that it is determined to rain ALL weekend here in our dreamy little town.

I am parked in my pink chair covered up in my father's favorite native american blanket and sipping on some hot coffee from the freaking AWESOME custom mug my friend Tres had made for me. #myfriendsareROCKSTARS
My mind is on the next page of my story. I am no longer a waitress. I've spent almost half my life waitressing and I tell you I've met amazing people, heard the best stories AND the love of my life found me while I was waitressin' away a Sunday afternoon. I built my life doing so. Now I find myself smack dab in the middle of my dreams coming true(happy dance) and searching for the next step on my journey.

What will I become now? An artist? A gluten/sugar free at home chef? A fitness and yoga practitioner? Well y'all- for now I can say for sure that my house is clean, Cason and Gamer Boy are taken care of quite well and I am open to rocking ALL of the ABOVE :) xoxo- The GFG

Starting Over

It's been a transitional nine weeks for our household to say the LEAST. Cason changed jobs and thanks to that and his support I will be a one job woman at the end of February. I allowed the stress of all this change to shift my focus off my plan and managed to gain a few pounds and weathered a few trips to food induced Spaztazia. #whenwillilearn?

Being allergic/intolerant to food is a full time JOB with NO vacations or free passes. One slip and it's misery and a struggle to get back to sanity. My motto is 'be persistent, NOT perfect'. However, perfect is what it feels like I have to be most days. Today I am back in the land of the living and planning my full transition back into functional. #hooray!

So for a full update on this winding, pot hole, lightning sand trap filled journey- I am 13 pounds down with 27 more to go and I am still hopeful to land my goal by June 1st. As for now..I will just get through TODAY. xoxo- The GFG

The Benefits Of Checking OUT

Stressful times come to everyone...even those that can afford a TRUCK load of glitter. As much as I support keeping an active mind - there are times when it's just necessary to put on polka dot pajamas, fluffy socks and allow my brain some down time -a.k.a. watching total TV trash like Gossip Girl. (I love Blair) #truestory

It's been a rough week for me. I am shining right through it! But I am quite happy to be sitting in my big comfy pink chair that Cason so lovingly moves into our retro kitchen once a week so I can admire him while he creates a breakfast masterpiece. I am even more thrilled that after I go take care of a couple hours of paperwork that my schedule is free as a bird for the remainder of this weekend. It's gonna take an act of congress to get me out of this house we have made a home to do anything other than buy groceries or go across street to the park and play on the swings. #iwillnevergrowUP

So today is all about allowing myself the chance to mentally check out from the rat race. I will pick up my cheese(dairy free, of course)and get back in it Monday morning :) Happy Saturday Y'all! -The GFG

Juicing Ginger!

Cason and I watched a Documentary by Joe Cross called 'Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead'. (it's on Netflix y'all..check it out) In this film we learned just how starved a person can be on a nutrient level EVEN if you are consuming large quantities of food daily. A simple way of saying it is- put the good stuff in that your cells can thrive on and your body is a lean, mean healthy machine that is nourished and all happy! If you don't give those cells the basic nutrients they need to function they become Unhappily filled with toxins in an effort to keep your organs safe from them and things get ugly real quick. The results can be weight gain, sickness, fatigue, depression,etc. #yuck #nothanks

Sooo....we bought a Juicer! We chose a Breville and took a field trip to Bed, Bath and Beyond to use my shiny 20% off coupon for it :) #economizingGinger
To be honest I was a little hesitant to get started because I thought it would be a big ole mess to clean and it would taste like some hippie concoction of grass and lemon juice.....I. WAS. WRONG!!! There is some basic inner child instinct that went off like a bell as I fired up the juicer and watched as it magically transformed boring fruits and veggies into a terrific tasting potion that makes us feel freaking awesome. After just a few days of starting my morning with fresh juiced cucumber, lemon, apple, spinach and carrots I can't imagine NOT having it. It's an all natural and perfectly legal HIGH! #dude #sweet

-The GFG

The Path Of Healing..

For most of my adult life I have managed(or mis-managed) my body with only one concern- how much I weigh. If the scale went down in the morning it was gonna be a good day! If not...well you get the picture. #crazytrain

I can honestly say I kept that mentality until December 3rd of this year. Even though for quite some time I've eaten gluten free(and now dairy free) I never SAW it as a means to heal my body from the train wreck my intolerances had put it through. I merely looked at it as another restrictive diet set in place to punish me for not being born with the glorious DNA of Sandra Bullock. #poutingginger

I'd like to say that some miracle happened and the night sky lit up with pink glitter to illuminate this moment of reckoning that I had on the evening of December 2nd. Alas, it just isn't so. I was lying on the big comfy couch in our living room chatting with Cason when all of a sudden a wave of understanding washed over me. I had to change. A complete overhaul of perspective was in order. Instead of counting every calorie and whining about my situation....it was time to embrace who I am and learn to eat what heals me and makes me the best possible me I can be.(which is a bubbly happy red head that loves to bedazzle everything and soaks up every moment that life has to offer)

I woke up on the morning of Dec 3rd a brand new girl. I've asked myself before each meal if what I am about to partake of will nourish and heal my body. I've felt positively AMAZING ever since! My mind is clear, my Spirit is charged and I am excited about where this path will lead me. All this time Lori has been lovingly telling me this - 'you cannot diet your way to the joy I want for you'. Her words finally permeated. And ya know what? I've actually lost MORE weight. Go figure, right? - The GFG

Into The Darkness.....

It seems to me at the very moment I turn my clock back an hour(who am I kidding here..my iphone did it for me)that some kind of internal shift occurs and I'm immediately thrown into a three month long drive through the doldrums. #carefulMilo #crankyginger

It's not a bad mood really....it's more of a heaviness on my thoughts. Everything seems to take just a tad more effort in the dark cold months of old man Winter's rule. I feel like I'm operating on the last 9% of battery life and at any moment I might just lay my head down and hibernate until Spring arrives and showers me in light and glitter again.

This evening as I sit in my beautiful home and contemplate all the tasks on my 'to do' list...I am aware of the wind licking at my window and the rain slowly saturating the fallen leaves outside. Tomorrow morning the air will be weighted in moisture and the scent of freshly showered earth. It will be beautiful and slowing to me. My pace will gradually lessen as we get deeper into the season. I will find ways to streamline my time spent out of doors and spend as much time as possible indoors where my Summer born soul can stay dry, warm and content.

Bless Cason's heart :) I darn near sweat that man outta the house when it drops below 50 degrees outside. Good thing he loves me, eh? - The GFG

Dreams Do Come True....

On a lazy fall Sunday afternoon while sitting on our 'Hey Arnold!' Stoop and watching the ninja squirrels chase each other from branch to branch my PC and I were doing what we normally do- sippin' on some coffee and just enjoying each other. He got up and walked around to the back yard. I figured he was just stretching his legs a bit. A few moments later while the sun warmed up and began to take the chill off the cement stoop he came back and knelt down in front of me. He looked up at me with his mesmerizing green eyes and asked me to be his wife!

First I cried, second I said YES, and then I threw my arms around him and squeeled with excitement. I get to spend all of my days with Cason! I get to be his forever date! This was really happening to me! I dang near floated off in a bubble y'all :) He tied a blade of grass around my ring finger which I wore all day and then laminated to keep forEVER. (I later learned that he is having a one of a kind ring made for me in Ireland and I should have it on my finger by Thanksgiving).

I have dreamed of a love like he and I have since I was 11 years old and first read 'Wuthering Heights'. Cathy and Heathcliff had a tragic story but their love for one another knew no boundaries and they shared a connection that other people just didn't comprehend. It was amazing! I knew then that I wanted to love a man that fiercely someday without restraint, fear or boundaries. I love my Cason this way....my fiancé :) I really LOVE the sound of that. We've set a date for October 5th, 2013 and will be wed in an Irish ceremony under the magnolia trees of Covington Square. And ya know what? It's going to be perfect :)- The GFG