AMDG Hi! I brought up my own experience with my daughter and myself and this is a link to that post. http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/501664-just-in-case-you-were-wondering-my-no-or-very-low-sugar-experience/?p=5450730 If you keep reading down through the thread, you'll see where I discussed a little bit about why and how we managed. To update since then, we did try the frozen banana, frozen cherry, almond extract, and almond ice cream. In a word: ScRuMpTiOuS!!!! My mystery pains are completely gone and my daughter is still suffering headaches but they are much better. We, again, got a potential diagnosis today so we have hope that it will be completely gone soon. If you have any questions after reading that thread, let me know!

AMDG Wow! Somehow I missed this the first go around. That looks like a yummy recipe. I plan to give it a try! Thanks!

AMDG Anyone?

AMDG My kiddo loves gk yogurt topped with caramelized onions and salted. (Veggie) sandwich meat wrapped around a string cheese stick and dipped in dijon mustard. Pita with hummus and veggies. A bowl of soup with a big dollop of gk yogurt and a crispy toasted ww pita. I always have a pot of soup in the fridge for easy, serve-yourself, anytime snacks. I usually make minestrone every other week and something alternating in between. Toasted corn tortillas topped with beans, cheese, and salsa. Broccoli, butter, lemon, and salt. Popcorn drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with sumac (zataar). Artichokes and anything. *blushing*: capers and dijon mustard on ww toast, pickle juice and crackers,

AMDG Potato Sundae Bar? I had it at a party once and it was a huge hit with me and everyone else. A big chafing dish with mashed potatoes surrounded with smaller dishes of toppings: grated cheese, baccon bits, diced tomatoes, thin sliced green onion . . . There were quite a few toppings that I cant remember that weren't really traditional for potatoes, like ketchup. The potatoes were scoped with an ice cream scoop into footed ice cream dishes. Popular with the guests, cute, delicious, substantial.

AMDG I would like to offer a student something similar to Kahn but in English Grammar instead of . . . Everything else Kahn has. Any ideas?

AMDG Besides WhoooooHooooooo, all I can say is Piano Guys! I bet you'll enjoy and find so much inspiration for your cello. Enjoy!

AMDG We don't eat meat so, I suppose if it weren't for veggies, we'd get pretty hungry! We just finished eating and had Salad Mashed potatoes Green beans/onions Roasted butternut squash Tofu We had the salad as soon as we got home b/c it takes a couple of hours to make the green beans. Then we had the rest. We often have mujadarra with a huge heaping of isreali salad on top. My point there is that the our meals are mostly veggies with a smaller portion of protein. We also have soups very often and most of those have a ton of veggies. Happily, my kiddo was born into a veg family and doesn't know any other way to eat. Unfortunately, that means I don't have anything in the way of transition advice. Sorry about that. Well, I will say this: If you want someone to enjoy veggies, they should be delicious and flavorful. In our opinion, that usually means fresh, sautéed, roasted, et c. With the exception of soups and a very few other things, boiled isnt very flattering for a veggie.

AMDG (((!!!)))

AMDG I have that skirt!! I wouldn't by any stretch say sexy but . . . comfy, knee-covering, flexible. I can wear a tee with it or something nicer. I got two at the same time. One was the lighter and one the darker denim. The lighter wore out pretty quickly but that darker one has been around. I would say I've had them a couple of years. So, the brand must not be the same but they look positively identical! and that original price is about what I paid for it. very convenient skirt to own. I like it a lot.

AMDGI know! That was a surorise for me.

AMDG I wear skirts almost exclusively. I've never worn a jumper but I know someone who almost always does. I can't believe how many women have NEVER worn a below-the-knee length skirt! I mean . . . It seems that at some point such a thing would have passed through just about any woman's wardrobe. I'm really surprised by that. Hmmmm . . . My hair. Well, it's pretty plain, I guess. I would like something else but have no idea what. Honest truth: the girl who does my hair keeps wanting to do the Jennifer Aniston thing but I dont care for that withy hair. It flips in a weird way. When I go short, I have a favorite style but, right now, it's shoulder length and not super cute. Make-up. Definitely something else. I wear moisturizer and lipstick. I blot the lipstick withy finngers and blend it into my cheeks. . . So really I wear blush, too, but I don't actually buy it separately. I used to wear makeup but find that as I aged, it began to look less and less natural and began more and more to accentuate what I didnt want it to. I am not opposed to wearing makeup. Am I a walking stereotype? I don't think so but I don't know. Oh, one kid; I drive a Camry.

AMDG AMDG is an acronym for Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam which means "for the greater glory of God." Besides being (a slight abbreviation of) the motto of the Jesuits, many Catholics will type or write it first in a letter or document. People do it for all kinds of reasons including reminding themselves to only say those things which are for the greater glory -- and not mean, snarky, sarcastic, et c. Of course, I'm not saying that *I* need reminding . . .! ;)

AMDG Yay, Me! I updated my original post: DONE! I did change up my stretching. Previously I have been doing a routine that my daughter does for her lordosis/kyphosis that is for stretching and strengthing her back and core and promoting good posture. I like doing it, too, b/c I could certainly use some work in that area. This week, I decided to start alternating. MWF: the back and core stretches and exercises and TRS: a full-body stretch plus the core stuff from MWF. I hadn't done those full-body stretches in a long, long, time and they felt g.r.e.a.t! So, that's a switch up and I like it.

AMDG :grouphug:

AMDG Yes, I do put cumin in my chili spices. It was hard but . . . I think I'm going to go with the cinamon and cardamon! I would never have thought of that and it sounds delish! Thanks, guys!!!!

AMDG I'm making a big batch of soup and the called-for herbs and spices have a decidedly Mexican flavor. We're having chili this week, too, so I don't really want that. I have a ton of herbs and spices of the regular, mediterranean, indian, and mexican variety. As I said, I'm not wanting Mex so . . . what do you think? These are the ingredients 2 cups carrots 1 large sweet potato 1 bunch Kale 1 bunch fresh parsley 1 small onion, diced 1 clove garlic, minced -- actually I made the broth with caramelized onion and garlic so . . . I didn't add more. a couple of cups black beans 2 cups broth 1 lg can tomatoes and their juice So, the herb/spice accompaniment?

AMDG We are completely out of home-canned tomatoes and have been purchasing from the store. Last week I bought some and was delighted that they seemed so much more like home canned than any other I've purchased thus far. I tried them again this week and, sure enough, the best of any I've used. Cadia Organiz Whole Peeled San Marzano Style Plum Tomatoes.

AMDG ME, TOO!!! In fact, as I suspect is the same with Milovany b/c of the quotations, I don't even think of them as rote at all. It's not as if I'm just tossing out information that has to be memorized. There is something in me and in those prayers that make the entire experience anything but rote! If a prayers does become rote, it isn't the prayer but myself that has become stilted and perhaps dry. I do have periods of spiritual dryness and I bless God for those b/c I feel that that particular cross is reserved for . . . a particular person/lesson . . . and I try really hard to rise to the challenge . . . mostly. I am, after all, human! The really old one, the ancients, are the ones so close to my heart. And you know what? I love Thee, Thou, Thy, art, -st, et c. Somehow they lend joy to my tongue and give me a certain . . . je ne sais quoi.

AMDG Okay, reading along I see I didn't mention little things I don't even think about . . . We bow our heads, close our eyes, and put our hands together. I tend toward palms together, fingers extended. My husband and daughter fold their fingers down. Also, sometimes someone will sneak a bite before Grace and if she is leading prayer, will say Bless us O! Lord and these Thy gifts which we are about to receive from Thy bounty (and have already received from Thy bounty) Through Christ, Our Lord. Amen. And speaking of prayer b/f meals. My daughter LOVES this song and actually has it for her ring tone.

AMDG That /\ and as I'm sure Ripley does as well, we cross ourselves before and after each prayer.

AMDG I kid you not! I actually enjoyed it! I really liked some of their pointers. For example, it almost doesn't matter what you write, the recipient will be thrilled with hand-written letter. FUN!

AMDG Not yet but I'm list making and I actually bought a Lamy fountain pen! I've been getting to know if for a couple of days. I've been looking for stationery but finding it very difficult to find exactly what I want. Such a strange think to be so excited about!

AMDG We have found this to be true for ourselves, too. We began by setting aside one day for sugar b/c a future completely without sugar seemed like a pretty bleak future. The idea was to say no all week but if we were offered something or craved something, we'd accept/buy and hold on to it till Sunday. Or we'd make whatever it was. We found pretty soon that Mondays were pretty miserable b/c in the beginning, we'd hoard everything we wanted and it was a sugar fest. Mondays were awful. Then we moved it to Thursdays b/c then we'd have the weekend to recover. That was better for Mondays but not really useful as much as you might think. Then we realized that having a sugar day was just keeping us wanting sugar. Ultimately we decided that no sugar was really the easiest thing.

AMDG No, Angela, I have not used stevia yet. In the past I have claimed not to like the bitter taste but then I purchased some straight, ground leaf. I tasted it and felt that . . . it just might be a problem, if you know what I mean. I plan to keep it, though, and when we've been sugar free for a good long time, see what happens if I introduce it. I just don't think we're ready to do that. The ground leaf, by the way, lacks the bitterness and aftertaste, it seems. and is pretty spendy.