Things Are Changing

I took this picture myself :)

Sometimes things happen and we can't do anything to prevent it. Things change whether we want them to. . . or not. It can be really hard when you don't want it to change. And this summer, a lot of things changed.


Things were beginning to change when I turned 18 because, I mean, I was now legally an adult. It took a little getting used to, and it also took me a little while to adjust. It felt like, all of a sudden, so many questions and responsibilities were being thrown at me at once. It was a bit overwhelming.

To be perfectly honest, I'm still not completely adjusted to this whole "being an adult" life thing. :P People will ask me these questions, and I'm like, "Wait, I have to think about that too?" It's never ending! And I'm sure it will continue for a long time. Maybe it won't end, maybe this is just a part of being an adult.

But, like I said, a few things changed this year. Three of my friends got married this summer. Like, what? It isn't time for that yet. We were just 12 last year, right? This is one of the things that has really made me realize that we aren't kids anymore. Even though I still act like it sometimes. :P One thing you guys should know about me is:

What this post is really mostly about though, is something that doesn't have to do with adulthood. But it is a change. And it felt like a really big change. Actually, it still feels pretty big.

Depending on how long you've been following me, you may know that back when I first started blogging, which was this past January, I did a post on how I came to be here. And in it, I told you that I took a writing/literature class for four years, 8th grade to my junior year of high school. My best friend took it with me, and her mom was the one teaching us.

For the first two years, I went to their house twice a week, and the last two, every two weeks. Needless to say, I spent a lot of time there, right in their living room. For four years, I went into that house, that living room, and sat in "my" chair. They'd always have a fire in the stove, so it was always warm (occasionally, really hot :P).

Every day I was there, I would learn something new. Every day, we would make jokes and laugh, sometimes laughing so hard we had tears running down our faces. Every day, we would have so. much. fun.

I always looked forward to the days I got to go over and learn and spend time with them. This place was where I discovered my love for writing. This place had a special place in my heart.

At the beginning of this year, I don't remember exactly when, my mom and I met my best friend's mom in the store. Of course, we talked and caught up with one another. It was then, that she told us that she and her husband were going to move. (Their daughters, my best friend and her sister, had already moved out, and are living in another state.)

I was a little surprised, but I guess I was okay with it. I don't think I really thought that they were going to move. And for a long time, they hadn't yet. . . until a few weeks ago.

It was a few weeks ago, that I had a day off at camp. One of my friends and I went into town, and in order to get there, we had to pass the house (and we passed it every week). As we passed, I saw people there. But they weren't my best friend's parents.

Instead, I saw strangers- intruders- and they were tearing down the shed that was next to the house. The place looked different. . . it felt different. Things changed. And it finally hit me. They moved out, just like they said they were going to. I just hadn't wanted to believe that it would actually happen.

But it did. And there's nothing I can do about it, nothing I can do to change it. The house is different. The house will never look the same, be the same, feel the same.

Thankfully, though, I still have the memories, and I'll never never forget where I found my love for writing, the passion that was just waiting to be discovered.

Even though more and more things are changing in my life, I've realized that there is one thing- no, one Person- that will never change. And that is God. He is the one constant in my life. One that I know will never. ever. change.

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August 2017 Favorites

I’m sharing my August favorites a few days early this month so that I can share details about a very special AIP resource that’s only available August 24 to 27!  

Note: some of these items contain affiliate links, but nothing in this post is directly sponsored by any company... I'm just sharing what I like! 

The Complete AIP Resource Library 

This is one you don’t want to miss! 

My friends Mickey and Angie from Autoimmune Wellness have put together a fantastic resource for those healing from chronic illness. It’s called “The Complete Autoimmune Protocol Resource Library,”  featuring over 31 AIP-compliant e-books, including my book “AIP & Paleo Holiday Sweet Treats” AND “The Paleo AIP Instant Pot Cookbook” which I designed last summer.  This resource is one I wish had been available when I started AIP back in 2014. And it’s only $28 (which works out to less than $1 per e-book). 

One other really unique aspect to this resource library is that 10% of each purchase will be donated to a charity in the health and wellness community. How cool is that!?! 

• Purchasing on Thursday, Aug 24 benefits Hey Hashi  
• Purchasing on Friday, Aug 25 benefits Ancestral Health Society 
• Purchasing on Saturday, Aug 26 benefits Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund 
• Purchasing on Sunday, Aug 27 benefits The Wahls Foundation  

However, The Complete AIP Resource Library is only available August 24 to 27, so don't delay! 

Peach Season  

Last weekend, we visited two farms, Cider Hill Farm and Applecrest Farm Orchard, for their peach festivals. I hadn’t done any “pick your own” fruit or veggies before, and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. 

Not only was it neat to see exactly where our food is grown, but it gave me a new appreciation for how much work farming can actually involve. And there’s nothing quite like sampling a perfectly ripe, sun-warmed, freshly picked peach.  

Now that we’ve got peaches galore (nearly 40, to be exact), I’ve been adapting some of my recipes to utilize our peach bounty. 

First, I adapted my individual AIP strawberry rhubarb crumbles into peach versions. I replaced the strawberries/rhubarb with 3 cups of chopped peaches, and I added 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon to the both the tigernut crumble topping and to the peach filling. 

Second, I adapted the AIP pear galette recipe from my e-book (don’t forget, it’s available in “The Complete AIP Resource Library”) into an AIP peach galette. I reduce the water in the AIP pate brisee to 2 tsp because we’re experiencing higher humidity weather in NH, and I used peaches instead of pears for the filling, reducing the maple sugar a bit because the peaches were so sweet. And instead of making caramel sauce to go with it, I glazed the baked galette with some warmed fruit-sweetened apricot jam. 

photo by my friend Bekah, who was brave enough to take her phone on the water ;) 

Paddle Boarding 

I caught the paddle boarding bug in July while at my family’s lake cabin in Minnesota, but, unfortunately the flies were so bad that I couldn’t be out on the water as much as I’d have liked. Then, some NH  friends told me about a paddle boarding opportunity on the Contoocook River outside Concord, NH. We made reservations, and went on a Sunday afternoon after church. We ended up paddle boarding for 4 miles, 2 miles of which were upstream and against the wind. 

photo by my friend Bekah, who was brave enough to take her phone on the water ;) 

As someone who has struggled with chronic health issues and isn’t use to a ton of physical activity, I’m proud of myself for completing the entire paddle boarding excursion. Yes, I was exhausted by the end and I ended up having some of the worse muscle soreness I’ve ever experienced the evening after and the following day (more on that below), but I’d still go again :) 

Vital Proteins Collagen 

Post-paddle boarding, I had some of the worst muscle soreness and stiffness I’ve ever experienced, but I’m also amazed at how quickly my body bounced back. While I can’t say exactly why I recovered so quickly, I suspect my increased consumption in collagen aided at least a little. I typically put the collagen powder in smoothies. Sometimes I use plain collagen, but other times, if I really want to up the nutrient density (and my vegetable consumption), I’ll use the collagen veggie blend  Vital Proteins developed with Dr. Sarah Ballantyne. The plain collagen is pretty much tasteless, however the veggie blend does have a stronger flavor, so I often use it in smoothies that use sweeter or stronger flavored fruits, like banana or dark cherries. My husband is also a big fan of collagen, though he mixes plain collagen with coffee and coconut oil in the mornings for a homemade bulletproof latte.  

Long Walks by the Beach 

Winter is coming! (Sorry, I couldn’t resist that Game of Thrones reference, haha!) I’ve started noticing the days are getting shorter and in looking at the calendar, and I know fall/winter will be here before we know it. I’ve always been a person who loves being near water, whether it’s a lake or the ocean, and I find that there’s something about being near water that refreshes and reenergizes me. While the weather is still beautiful, I’m encouraging myself to take advantage of the Atlantic Ocean being a manageable drive away. Especially when I travel to the farmer’s market, it’s so easy to drive just a little further to the beach, and go for a walk. Not only do these walks help refresh and reenergize my soul, but they also give me some easy physical activity and some vitamin D, if the sun is shining. 

Trader Joe’s Onion Salt (AIP)

As I’ve been spending more time outdoors and doing summer-y activities this month, I’ve been spending less time in the kitchen, and have embraced quicker, more simple meals. This onion salt, which I buy at Trader Joe’s, has been an easy-yet-flavorful addition to my spice collection. I most often sprinkle it on a microwaved white sweet potato, but it’s also been great on oven-baked sweet potato fries, in scrambled eggs (AIP-reintroduction), on roasted vegetables etc. It also may be a blend I take with me when traveling in the future. If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s near by, this blend would also be pretty easy to mix up at home. 

So those are a few of my favorites from August. What are you loving lately?

Some of these items include affiliate links, meaning Sweet Treats makes a small commission off items purchased after a link is clicked with no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support.

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July Wrap-Up

Hey everyone! Wow, July went by really fast! So fast that I only ended up posting once last month. #oops :P (So I won't have a "blogging" section this time) It's been colder than previous summers, and I don't think I've gone a day without putting on a sweatshirt at least once. I don't really mind though because I love wearing hoodies. :) Anywho, let's get started.

Writing

I think writing went pretty well in July. I participated in Camp NaNoWriMo (this time I was in a cabin) and I started with a goal of 3k. I know, it's such a huge goal. :P But the reason it wasn't very high was because I knew that I would be here a camp, and wouldn't have a lot of time to write. And, not to mention, the writing would be by hand. I didn't even start though, until the 15th because I was soo busy. Unfortunately, as the end of camp nano approached, I realized that I wouldn't be able to reach my goal, so I had to lower it. My new goal was 2k, which I'm happy to say that I reached. :)

Also, I've shared the prologue of Strangers (which was what I worked on for camp nano) with a few campers. Now, I don't really like sharing my writing, especially rough drafts, but I gave in to one camper, which then led to more. Here's how it happened:

So, I'm really good friends with one of the guys on my day off, and his younger brother is a camper here. At one of my basketball periods, I mentioned that I write (I don't remember why I said this). Apparently, my friend's little brother didn't know this, so proceeded to ask me about the books that I'm writing. I told him, and he expressed great interest in them. Later, I started the rewrite of Strangers and asked his opinion on something. He asked to read the prologue since that's what drives the rest of the story. Thankfully, he really liked it, and his friend was standing right there so I let him read it too. Then, I was telling my co-counselor (in the bunk) and a couple of my girls overheard and asked to read it, which led to more of them reading it.

I'm pretty sure that almost all of my girls have read it now. But every one of them has said that they really liked it and asked me when it's going to be published. This is soo motivating! :D

Reading

I haven't gotten much reading in this month. I have yet to finish a book since I've been at camp, but I have three books that I've picked up in the last month, and those are Viper, The Ruins of Gorlan, and A Wrinkle in Time. Pretty much my only reading time is during rest time, which is right after lunch. As it turns out, it's kinda hard to read and shush girls, who are being louder than they should be, at the same time. :P I do have some bookworms in my cabin, and they have asked me multiple times what books I'm reading.

Apparently, I have a lot of books on my shelf because one of my girls thought that my shelf was a library. We all had a good laugh over that. :)

Other

So, as you know, I'm at summer camp, and have been all last month. :P (You're probably getting tired of hearing me say that.) This is my ninth summer in a row here at camp, my third year as a counselor, but my first year as a bunk counselor. Obviously, there are pros and cons to being in the bunk, but overall I really like it. :D My co-counselor is the best, and we work very well together. We all have a lot of fun and very much enjoy being, and doing, things together. Sometimes, strange things are said too. Here are a couple that I heard my girls say:

"Get your nose away from my dryer sheet."

"I hate Star Wars, it hurts my eyes."

I also have had a lot of fun teaching basketball and ultimate. It's so rewarding seeing campers learning and mastering new skills. :)

I know that I haven't been blogging as much as I had hoped (and probably even said), but I'm trying to do better. I'm also behind on reading other blogs, but don't worry, I haven't forgotten about you. I will read all the posts I've missed just as soon as I have enough time. I promise. ;)


How about you? How was your July?

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