Cravings

Today we are entering week 2 of cleanse and I have to say it "I WANT COFFEE!!" Aaron and I negotiated for an intentional "cheat" on Saturday and got coffee at the Firehouse Cafe where Aaron works. Man, did it taste good and now I want more. I think not drinking coffee is probably the hardest part of the cleanse for me. It is a part of my morning ritual and we go visit Aaron and get coffee. I go to coffee with friends and like to drink coffee when I drive. So there are lots of times when I have a coffee in hand. I'm missing that connection to my rituals, but I keep telling myself only 2 more weeks...and maybe Aaron and I can negotiate and bring coffee back a week before the cleanse officially ends. So then it would only be one week left with one intentional "cheat" day, so really only 6 days left of no coffee and really when you think about it, today is almost over so it's almost like 5 days...whew, I think I can do it.

Thursday: add rice

And rice never tasted so good...

This morning for breakfast:

Warm short grain sweet rice with raisins and cinnamon

Snack of the day

I made this snack today and all 3 of us love it!

Spicy Trail Mix (from Vegetarian Mother's Cookbook, by Cathe Olson)
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
3/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 heaping cup raw almonds
1 heaping cup raw walnuts or pecans
1 Tablespoon sea salt
Chili powder or paprika

Place seeds, nuts, and salt in medium-size bowl. Stir to distribute salt. Fill bowl with water to about an inch above nut mixture. (Soaking and roasting the nuts and seeds make them more digestible) Let sit 7-12 hours. Rinse and drain well. Preheat oven to 150 degrees. Spread nuts and seeds in an even layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with chili powder or paprika evenly over mixture. Roast 8-12 hours. Keep in covered jar.

*Kate's note: I used a yummy smoked paprika and chili powder and also threw on a bit more salt. I roasted at about 200 degrees for 5 hours. It tastes really good with raisins. This recipe zipped up all of the plain nuts we were eating!!

Highlights of Christmas

Sledding in an elementary school playground in Laramie. Did I mention that it's COLD in Laramie and we didn't have the best snow gear? But it was a blast anyway.

Look! The Middle Eastern Santa Claus came to deliver presents to my family on January 2nd in Laramie, Wyoming at my sister's house.

At the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo with Madelyn and Will. The zoo lights up some of the animal homes (this was my attempt at finding a word that wasn't cage).
It was a super cold night, but we bundled up anyway!
We got to feed the giraffes crackers which made it all worth it for me.

We celebrated Christmas with Aaron's family on Dec 26.
Here's Aaron with Tana and Isabelle

Christmas Eve, the night before we left on the airplane.

Reset

It's that time of year again. You know, the time when we start with a fresh year, lots of plans, goals, resolutions. Well I'm jumping on that bad wagon and starting out this new year with our annual January cleanse. For the past 4 years or so Aaron and I take a month to hit the reset button with our diet. It gives us permission to get out of control at holiday parties, eating just one more bon-bon, and taking one (or 5) more pieces of yummy cheese guilt free. Don't forget catching up with friends and family in Colorado and having a 3rd cup of coffee or drinking another glass of wine. I think my record this holiday was eating at 3 different restaurants in 2 different cities in 6 hours. Yep, after about a month of decadence, it's time to cleanse. We started yesterday and I literally just got off the phone with Aaron who confessed to eating a muffin at work!! WHAT??! It's only Day 2. I can't really say that I blame him...working at a coffee shop and all. I probably would've broke down and had a coffee by now. This year we will be at it for about 3 weeks...and basically be consuming no dairy, wheat, meat, sugar, beer/wine, and the hardest one for me...coffee! I may give myself a cheat day now...considering Aaron's confession!

I also want to hit the reset button on a couple of other areas of life as well. I'm not sure I want to share them yet...because that implies a little accountability. For now, let's just say I want to be more intentional with my time. Perhaps more of an update will follow depending on how my follow through goes!! :) Nevertheless, I am grateful for the start of a new year, especially after the holidays. I love the holidays, but I'm always glad when they're done and I can settle into a new rhythm. I welcome the new rhythm, hitting the reset button, and making Aaron feel very guilty for cheating on day 2!

Christmas letter

I'd like to say that we are writing our Christmas letter on the blog to save a few trees, and while that is very noble, the truth is...I’ve been trying to figure out what to write in this year’s Christmas letter for over 2 weeks now. I couldn't think of anything clever or creative and besides, between our blogs, facebook, and prayer updates I feel like you have heard enough about the Walters in 2009! There’s not too much to add, but I'll give it a try!

Lately I have been trying to practice the attitude of gratitude. I am finding when my heart is full of gratitude, peace is a natural consequence. For example, when I start to want more things or compare myself to other people, if I reflect on what I DO have with thankfulness, peace follows. I’m not going to pretend that I have this “gratitude” and “peace” thing figured, because many of my days are spent running around with hardly a thought besides “what’s for supper”? But I do want to take more time to pause with a grateful heart and thank God in His goodness for all I have: for loving, supportive family and friends. For our home and our neighbors who make it a bit easier to be so far from family. For work that we enjoy and brings us purpose. A healthy 2 year old daughter who is full of life and loves to explore. For my health and Aaron’s health. For being able to go to Colorado to stay connected to family and friends there. For the beauty of the mountains and the water so close by. For delicious food to nourish us.

As you know, Aaron was hired to start a new church in Bellingham and that is starting to progress. Aaron spends lots of time in the community, works in a neighborhood coffee shop part-time, and actively participates in a partner church called Mosaic. In the new year Aaron will begin preaching and being involved in their evening service with the intent of putting together a launch team for our church out of Mosaic.

Montana is a delight (I suppose all parents are required to say this in a Christmas letter!). She just turned 2 and is changing every day. Much to her mother’s dismay she is very much into the “princess thing” and loves all things pink and frilly. Actually I don’t mind it that much, it’s just so fun to watch her little personality emerge. She is an easy kid, adjusts quickly and well to change, and loves people.

2009 has been a year of finding our place, finding our rhythm and finding peace. We pray for peace for each of you in the upcoming year.

Blessings,
Kate, Aaron, and Montana


Our pictures were taken by our amazing and talented friend, Sarah!!!

Birthday pics

We had a great day celebrating Montana's 2nd birthday. Aime and Ashley came down from Canada to eat pink cupcakes, watch Montana open loads of presents, and eat La Fiamma with us. I must say, Montana was IN to it being her day. She kept saying, "happy, again" meaning sing happy birthday to me again. It was a good day. And now she's 2 and asserting her free will and I'm needing more and more patience every day!