Whereabouts and whatnot AND THE MASTER CLEANSE

Hey lovelies!

Sorry I've been MIA...I'd like to say I've been busy saving the dolphins and promoting word peace...but I've actually just been swamped with family life and what not.

Perhaps, SWAMPED isn't the word.
I've just been pre-occupied.

Anyway, a few things to update on!
First off, Valentine's last week was great!

Justin and I did it VERY low key since our vacay is right around the corner.
Justin spoiled me with Godiva chocolates and two bottles of my favorite wine.
And that evening he cooked me up a delicious feast---boiled shrimp and lobster! YUM!
And we had cherry cheese cake and wine to top off the evening.

It was really lovely--and the Valentine (he made) was beautiful and had JUST the right words in it.
Ahhh...seriously, this Valentine's day was the best, spending it with my two men. I'm a blessed girl, and I'm continuously grateful to God for every minute I get with my loves....

THAT being said---let me bring you up to speed with my current situation.

SOOOOO after my HUGE, delicious feast...
I decided the NEXT day I was going to start my new detox/cleanse!

For the past month or so, I had been researching The Master Cleanse....
And I even had a few friends try it (and LOVE it!) and I've had few interested in doing it.
SO, after weeks of "researching" I decided I wanted to embark on this crazy journey and challenge.

Since I spent 3 VERY sick weeks on cold meds and antibiotics...I KNEW my body needed a break and a GOOD "scrubbing!"

So after running to Central Market for all my ingredients...
I started my cleanse on Wednesday.

Well, let me TELL YOU....
It was a battle.
If you don't know anything about The Master Cleanse, I encourage you to Google it.
Of course it's more of a holistic and naturopathic way of cleaning and detoxing the body...
And there are a lot of skeptics.
BUT those skeptics probably not actually TRIED the MC.

Anyway,
Day 1 was BRUTAL.
I seriously dreamed of food all day and fantasized about eating everything bad.
You know, like running to Taco HELL and ordering ONE of everything...
And hitting up Ole JACK in the Box...and getting some Jalapeno Peppers...

Yea, it was a MIND challenge and I was LOSING.

But, I stuck to it.
Not to mention the headache I got from no coffee/caffeine (though I've NOT been consuming much caffeine prior to the MC--but I did get it from my love, Chocolate)

That night I had a cup of Senna tea...AND silly me, but I seeped it too long. And I paid the price all night!


Day 2: The next morning, after cramping all night from the tea, I find out I'm down a lb or two..

AND then I do the dreaded SWF (Salt Water Flush) It's a natural LAXATIVE....
Basically chugging 2teaspoons of SEA SALT in 16 oz (or more) water.
And in an hour or less you get the results...
let's just say it gets the JOB DONE!

After the SWF...I felt amazing.
I had energy!
I was feeling great and I thought I could tackle ANYTHING.

HOWEVER....that night I did cheat and eat.
It was MY fault.
I mean, of course it was.
I thought--(silly me) that I was so doing so well making dinner and lunches for Kie all day that I could EASILY make Justin dinner.

And since *I* was craving pasta and mushrooms and marinara sauce....
Well, I made him that--and low and behold I snuck a few bites.

My super supportive husband threw the entire dinner away (there would of been TONS of leftovers) and  that was that.

I had to start over.
BOO!
I really beat myself up over that.
HOWEVER--since my stomach wasn't use to eating solids---I instantly got sick!

**Note: On the MC you DO get TONS of calories...but it's ALL the lemonade/juice mix you consume.
SO it is NOT starving! You're just simply NOT eating solid foods--artificial foods or anything toxic for your body.

In fact SOME people gain weight.
Just an FYI.

Day 3: (REALLY DAY 1:) AGAIN:
Once again I do the tea the night before--and I do my drinks all day long...
I feel pretty good and I DO have energy.
I mean, maybe it was the stolen bites of mushrooms the night before?
Regardless, the scale moves down and I still feel great.

Perhaps I will just have to do MY own version of the MC---
I mean, I STILL nurse.
So I do need some nourishment, right?
(I make excuses for myself)
ANYWAY--
all day I do good until I make Kie some tuna...
Yep, you guessed it...
a bite or two of tuna...
and then, I run to the bathroom and throw up!

My body rejects it!
And I regret it too.
Dang...
Another day wasted.

However, I use the day again to be an EASE in day.
I drink my mix for the rest of the evening....

AND go to bed early.

DAY 4: (Really Day 1--since you start over ANYTIME you eat)

Once again I feel AMAZING.
I have energy,
the scale is going down...
my stomach feels good...
I feel GREAT....
and then I notice a RASH....
it's on my forehead...
and my neck...and a bit on my ears and goes down my chest.

UGH...
Is this detox?
There's TONS of detox symptoms.
Some range from moodiness (I had that for sure!)
And your tongue turning white (or the FURRY TONGUE)
some people have headaches (luckily mine was just for ONE DAY)
and some experience cold like symptoms.
Then there are cravings...and weird dreams...

It's interesting to read about...and there's TONS of forums about it.

ANYWAY---I looked awful.
My once SMOOTH skin is bumpy and rough.
It seems like an allergic reaction...
Maybe to the lemons?
Or the cayenne pepper?
Or maybe it's detoxing?

Anyway--that night my friend came in town--and though I told her about my Cleanse *even though I had been cheating!*
I decided to indulge and eat.

But once we sat down to eat..
I couldn't really...
I just didn't want food.
And my cravings that were once so strong seemed to be gone.
I ordered a soup (to be kind to my belly)
and it just looked like grease!
Even though we were at a very health conscience restaurant.

I settled on some sweet potato fries (not like those are that healthy but they weren't greasy)
And they seemed to be ok in my stomach.

SOOO

TODAY...
(Day 5: REALLY DAY 1 AGAIN)
SO I woke up today PRAYING that maybe my weird rash would of disappeared...
Unfortunately it's only gotten worse...

It now seems to itch some.
I researched more and more--
and there are a lot of theories OUT there why I have a rash.
Apparently a lot of people break out on the MC.
I don't want to go to the doctor or dermatologist because they will just prescribe me another round of RX's and antibiotics...

AND I'm trying to get away from medicines and things that are NOT natural for the body.
Of course it's SO hard...
It really is.
And the MC has really opened my eyes up to all the additives and preservatives in our foods.
I mean, if FOOD has a label with a list of ingredients we CAN'T pronounce...
Then we shouldn't be putting it in our bodies, right?

I don't know...
My quest wasn't to become some food snob or get on my high horse and think I need to eat ONLY organic...
But the MC really does change the way you think of food and fuel for your body...
And what the FDA passes off AS food.
ESPECIALLY in the fast food industry.

That being said,
The Master Cleanse (and all the research and reading of the book by Stanley Burroughs) Get it here!
has opened my eyes to a lot of things..
and has made me want to go raw food...
OR at least learn how to cleanse my body (one day successfully)
and maybe try doing the Cleanse a few times a year.

I have done a 21 Day Liver Cleanse before--and I felt great.
However, it was NOT near as strict at the MC.
And I was eating a lot of variety of foods with it.
I definitely didn't detox, in 21 days like I've done just a few days on the MC.

SO as of right now I'm kinda OFF the MC.
That's because my rash is persistent and I'm scared it won't be going away anytime soon.

If it is an allergy to lemons or the cayenne--I decided to change to a juice diet for a few days...
to get away from them.

You STILL can detox on juice.
But it's not near as fast or as effective as the MC.
SO, today we got us a new juicer.
And a lot of fresh veggies and fruits (though I'm avoiding citrus fruits).
The juice has been great and I'm not really that hungry.
I've also been drinking lots of water and still doing the SWF to maybe FLUSH out the toxins faster.

If my rash DOES ease up then I realize I'm having allergies to citrus fruits or the spice.
If it continues to get worse, then I'll know I am actually detoxing and will return to the MC fully.

ANYWAY---today sorta is DAY 5....
but to the MANY strict MC followers it isn't.

I suppose I will just call it DAY 5 on my *OWN* quest to DETOX....and better understand my body.
Seriously though, our bodies are amazing!
God made us in SOME AWESOME detail!
What JUST one cell can do in the human body is INSANE!


Alright, enough of my crazy detox/cleanse mess.

I will be posting better now I PROMISE!

Hope everyone else is doing AMAZING!
And if you've ever done The MASTER CLEANSE or Raw Food Diet--Or done a Juicing Fast then PLEASE let me know.
I'd LOVE to hear from you!


Happy Cleansing!

-HK-

copyright

Lots of changes..

Hi lovelies!

So, a few updates on life.
Turns out last week (actually going on two weeks now) when I got sick--I actually got bronchitis.
Luckily, I went to the doctor this week and I've been on antibiotics a few days and feeling a lot better.
For awhile there, I was feeling like death-warmed over.
I thought I may had the flu.

Anyway, I am feeling a lot better. Kie is no longer sick, but I still have a cough and have been advised to not exert myself for while since I had such a bad infection in my lungs.

Needless to say, my two weeks-going on THREE weekends of not running means I will not be running the half marathon that is fast approaching (the 19th).

I was very down and depressed for a few days but I am over it now.  I know everything happens for a reason, and though I did train and I ran farther than I ever have--I am happy with that.
In fact, there's a 10k at the end of March and if I get the go-ahead from the doctor then I will run that!

Besides, I live in Austin where there are a lot of races and marathons to do.
I am glad I can run and I know my mental block of running far has been squished and I can easily do it again.

On to other changes--
I am now a redhead!

Hehe!

I like it a lot.
It's fun and sassy--and Justin loves it too!

Of course it's temporary...
But MAYBE just maybe I will do it for longer...
We'll see...

I just thought it was something fun and feisty!

What do you think?!
How's everyone else doing this week??

-HK-

What's Your Love Story!?

I'm linking up with Becky at From Mrs to Mama for a Valentine's SPECIAL...

1. How long have you and your significant other been together?
Justin and I met officially in July of 2009. However, he had been "pointed out" to me two years prior.  So we had crossed paths MANY times before.


2. How did you meet? {What's your "love" story?}
Like I said, Justin was "pointed out" to me before.  We both had a mutual friend--and we both like to go to the same bar.  My friend had pointed Justin out to me, stating he was a really nice guy and she thought he was cute. However, he was coming out of a divorce.  Of course, I heard the word divorce and never batted another eye at him.  I was young and did NOT need baggage.
Fast forward, two years later...the summer of 2009--I am back going out again after a long year or two of staying in and working in college....
I was going through a tough breakup--and once again there's this Justin guy (I didn't really remember him to be honest).  I looked at him, he is extremely good looking in a unconventional way. He has these blue piercing eyes that seem to say "there's a lot about me you will ever understand" yet he has the smile and laid-back mindset of a California surfer boy.

He was intriguing to say the least.  But nonetheless, I classified him as a party boy.  And by most accounts I was right about all my first impressions.


 My friends and his friends all kind of know one another and we end up all going out one night.  That night, Justin tries to talk to me...but I notice he is "friendly" with everyone.  I mistake his "friendly" manner to another girl as a girl he is interested in. So I don't DARE to flirt back with him.  I'm not the kind of girl that will "fight over" a guy.  So I ignore his friendly talk. And to be honest, I ignore him and act kinda like a jerk. (In my mind I don't like it when men hit on lots of ladies--I feel like they are playboys!) But I just wasn't use to Justin and his friendly ways..towards everyone! (Man or woman)


Fast forward a few weeks more---
I keep seeing Justin out on the weekends.  Since we both hangout in similar circles we keep running into one another.  I start to notice he is definitely giving me more attention then just being friendly.  In fact, he even gets our friend to ask me to come out on nights I am staying in.  
(He doesn't have my number).
Sure enough, I get a message from him on Facebook one week--asking me to go out for First Thursdays.
--Basically First Thursday is the first Thursday of the month (in Austin) where they do a lot of different live music shows and concerts on South Congress.
Instead of asking for my NUMBER...he gives me his.
Sly move, sly move!
I ignore his message--and instead that weekend I head to San Antonio to party VIP-style with the Dallas Cowboys!
That weekend, was one of the wildest weekends of my SINGLE life--and it was THE LAST hoorah I'd ever have again.


See, that weekend I decided to "brag" about all my new boy toys--since I was feeling like a big hoss for partying with NFL players--I needed SOME ONE to brag to. I text Justin.  He was excited to hear from me, but less than thrilled to hear I was partying with NFL players.  
In fact, he urges me to come home to Austin. 
I ignore him and stay another night.


Once back in Austin--I keep up a texting charade or two with some DALLAS COWBOYS (no lie, seriously!) and I realize that these NFL players are simply that. Players! After a heavy dose of reality I get some exciting news,I got my job with ESPN. I'm so excited! I call a guy friend that I had been hanging out with casually, and we had plans for dinner regardless. The guy had some excuse, and needless to say--He stood me up!


So after I was all ready for a nice dinner with a friend--I was like "man! I'm not going to waste my makeup and cute clothes on nothing!" So I text Justin.  
He tells me he can free up his schedule and we will meet for a happy hour.


After my weekend as a VIP with the Cowboys and my new job at ESPN, I am feeling like a new woman. I go to a restaurant downtown, order my a cosmo--and sit there. Happy and feeling like an adult for the first time in my life.


I have no nerves or qualms about meeting up with Justin.
After my cosmo, I head to "our" bar. (Key Bar)
And there's Justin. 
I hardly recognize him. I don't know if it's because he is surrounded by a group of people or what.
He is wearing a white, nice shirt, a white hat--and grey designer jeans.  He's got on white shoes to match. (Also designer.) He looks sexy. Like, seriously sexy.
He looks like a man.
And for so long, I never dated a man.
He stands up to hug me and wow....
the chemistry just over came me!
Where was this chemistry before?
Was I just not opening up more to him before?
Was I being so uptight and snobby to notice him?
We sit there and talk for HOURS until the bar closes.
He tells me his life story.
His father's suicide, his mother abandoning him, his life living in foster care, going from orphanage to orphanage. His life working multiple jobs starting at the age of 13. 
Watching his best friend commit suicide.
The things he had to do to survive living on the streets..
All his trouble in California---
His mistake of getting married too young.
His divorce.
His desires to remarry one day--his wishes for a family.
His struggles with life and death...


To say the least, I was blown away by his rawness. 
He was so kind and lovable. You'd never know all the pain he has seen.
After he shared his life story--(yes I talked too!)
He walked me to my car (it was SO FAR AWAY!)
And he had parked right in front of the bar....
So I kinda felt bad--so once we got to my car that was 4-5 blocks away, I offered to take him back to HIS car.
Once to his car, he leans across the console to kiss me.
It was, TO THIS DAY--the best kiss I had ever gotten.
It sent chill bumps up and down my spine.
He has the most perfect lips, so full and perfect.
His perfect teeth and smile...
I was in for it!
He had me!
SOOOOO easy to say---I was HEAD over heels FAST!
(speaking of, that weekend he took me skydiving!) How can any man top that date?


3. If married, how long have you been married? If not, is this the guy you hope to marry? {do tell}
Yes, we've been married since May 2010
4. If you are married, where did you get married at? Big or small wedding?  If not, where would you like to get married? And will it be big or small?
We got married in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
Small, beautiful, intimate wedding. 

5. Do you have any nick-names that you call one another? Do share!
I call Justin a million different nick-names. 
Juicy J (like from Three-6 Mafia) I call him J, Papa J, Daddy J--and then the usual, love, my love, sexy, honey, baby etc.  He normally calls me babe or sweet pea...lol


6. Name 3 things you love most about your honey. Just three?! He is HARD working--the least laziest man I know. He is so loyal. And he is so very generous.....I could go on and on...but, that's three!

7. Tell us how he proposed? Or your ideal proposal? He proposed to me in his boat, in the lagoon one night on Lake Austin...we even had swans--and a bottle of wine--with a blanket and two glasses (He carried them in his backpack like a cutie pie!) 

8. Is he a flowers and teddy bear kind of guy for v-day, or strawberries, champagne, and rose petals?
He is more flowers...strawberries and champagne for sure!


9. Are you a sunset dinner on the beach kind of girl, or pop a movie in and relax on the couch?
If the beach was near, THE BEACH! Typically we spend a lot of time on the lake--but when it's not LAKE SEASON--we're on the couch watching a movie (once the baby is asleep!)


10. Tell us one thing you'd like to do with your significant one day. If you could do anything? Go anywhere?
We definitely want to see each other's family's roots..My family is from France--and his is from Germany. So it would be so nice to travel Europe together (for a month) and show our kids where our family is from.  We both still have family in Germany and France--so seeing them is a must!  Also, going to Australia and diving the great barrier reef is another dream....but we'll see!


 11. Tell us what you plan on doing on this Valentine's Day. Nothing! Ha! If anything, a nice dinner---some bubbly and maybe a little hot tub time.  We are about to go on vacation so any extra funds are being saved for our trip.


12. Are you asking for anything this Valentine's day? We're actually MAKING a headboard for our bed.  That's the only thing I'm "asking" for.  I want a rustic looking headboard--and since it's for our bed...it's kind a special thing to make together.

13. Give us one piece of advice of keeping a relationship strong and full of love. Respect the one you're with!  I have so much respect for my husband.  He has overcome some CRAZY things. He also works so hard for our family and I appreciate all his talents and how smart he is.  I respect him a lot and it translates to admiration for him. And I think it's important for women to respect and admire their men.  (And vice versa) Men tend to respond more to RESPECT than all the lovey, dovey stuff anyway!

14.  Show us a picture of what love means to you.
I have a lot but the one when we are at dinner---is in Breckenridge--and this is when Justin told me he wanted to marry me and spend the rest of his life with me. The bottom one is when we were dating and going to ACL together. 

Join in on the fun!!! Link up!!!

Lots of love,

-HK-