Lesson 333: Give Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving, Readers!

Today marks Eloise's 333rd blog post.

It is a special one.

Make sure you read this one all the way through.

I saved the best for last--

just like the pumpkin pie!

For that, I

The ability to write, 

freely & openly,

for others to enjoy,

is a great blessing.

I am appreciative that I live in a time and place

where I am afforded to do so.

My greatest blessings are these three.

Eloise is thankful for the joy they bring me each day.

I am thankful to have found a special person to spend my life with.

Love is a good thing.

There is something about the acorn I just adore!

I can't resist the urge to pick one up when I find one.

Maybe it's because of the potential for greatness the acorn holds.

Or, is the acorn itself, the greatness?

Eloise is always on a journey of self-improvement.

I do not desire to become great.

I merely want to live my best life, all the days I am here.

Eloise has been getting really healthy for two years strong with my team.

I just finished the 58 Day Wellness Challenge.

My teammates and I focused on staying healthy during the challenging fall months.

Even the early snow dump of last week could not curtail our wellness efforts.

We found the snow just another opportunity to get strong.

We ran,

and played,

and shared with one another.

When the weather left us frozen,

some of warmed up with a swim!

I am thankful for such a supportive environment to get well.

 My teammates certainly encouraged me during my two month hiatus from jogging.
Eloise has healed from her stress fracture,
and I laced up my shoes for the first time today!

I created a new workout for myself.

 I call it the

I put in 3 miles on my bike through the Community Park trails

then another 4 miles through the Harbor Ridge subdivision.

When the weather is good enough to fit both parts of my workout in,

it's called The Lucky Seven.

I am going to count how many I fit in this season.

I already have one!

This is a lamp post from the Harbor Ridge subdivision.

Oh, how I love a lamp post!

The blue behind it is not C.S. Lewis's Eastern Sea.

It's Lake Erie!

Oh, my zombies!  How I've missed you!

I finally found my lock pick!!!

I didn't set any speed records chatting with the neighbors 

and taking lots and lots of pictures,

but I am grateful for all my time spent in nature today.

To show you how good my Canon SX50 is, 

check this out:

This is Erie's peninsula, taken from the deck of the Harbor Ridge Club House deck.

Here it is again, through my zoom.

By God, I think that is one of my teammates out for a swim!

Here is the water tower.

Again, the shot through my zoom.

I really would love a chance to climb to the top of that.

Thank you Canon, for helping me capture life.

Two years ago, I would have turned around and RAN 

in the other direction if I found these while out on a run.

Today, I am brave.

Dog bone in my pocket,

camera around my neck,

phone in my hand--

I'm bravest of the brave.

(Whatever it is, that sucker has CLAWS!)

The tracks I stumbled upon today made me realize I would have made a terrible pilgrim.

As I sit here and write this blog, my feet are sore from today's run.

They hurt every single day of my life,

and some days are worse than others.

I ripped this page out of a health magazine, not for the arthritis drug it was advertising,

but for the reminder to my family where Mother Eloise likes her feet rubbed.

I hung it on my refrigerator beneath #ajo.

You can learn a lot about a person from what they keep on their refrigerator.

Have a gander at Eloise's.

My mother just uncorked another bottle of 6 Mile Cellars wine from the mere sight of this.

Sorry, Mom.

Because this is the 333rd blog post, I need my message to be extra special.

Because I am posting this a day early on Thanksgiving, you have an extra day to

complete your homework.

Ask yourself the following questions:

What do you do when you encounter an obstacle?

What happens when something gets in the way of your planned path?

What do you say to the person who tells you to stop--there's no way through?

The one who cautions, "Don't go down that road--you can't see around the bend!"

I could tell you what I do--but telling all the time gets preachy.

Instead, let Eloise SHOW you something.

It is unforgettable.

That's because he's unstoppable.

Meet Nick.

Nick Vujicic is a handsome Australian,

with eyes that sparkle,

and a smile that warms the heart.

He is well known for is ability to speak and write.

He motivates many.

He motivates me.

You could feel this one coming, couldn't you?

Nick has no arms and no legs.

That didn't stop him from writing.

taking pictures,

or finding love.

If you are looking for something to read this holiday season,

pick up one of Nick's books.

He has penned several.

For you READERS--here is the link to Nick's website.

If you want to READ about Nick, CLICK HERE

For you WATCHERS--here is a video showing Nick in action.

I beg you to take 4 minutes and ten seconds out of your life to watch this.

Please.

It's important.

Nick, you are in my heart, 

and I am compelled to share your story this Thanksgiving Day.

I am grateful I had the honor to do so on this blog.

You will forever be in my prayers.

I pray that one day you will be able to wear the shoes you keep in your closet.

Prayer works, My People.

The readers of this blog will be mentioned in my prayers this Thanksgiving Day.

I will pray that you find inspiration in my words,

and do all that you can to share the fruits of the spirit.

Make that dish bigger than your turkey this year.

If you are new at prayer, or feel the slightest bit awkward,

I found a simple one for you to get you started.

Pray today, Readers.
Be thankful for what you have been given.


Me?
What am I most thankful for today?
I'm grateful for my own two feet that lead me to the water.
I had a good long drink and it tasted amazing.

There was something in that water, Readers.

Watch the video to find out what was in my cup,

which now runneth over.

Thank you Carrie Underwood for such a beautiful song.

Blessings to you on Thanksgiving and every day after that.

With thanks,

Eloise

Lesson 332: I Lived

Greetings, Readers from the snowy north!

We got hit with an early season snowstorm,

but I Lived!

If you stop by the Lamp Post this weekend though, duck.

If one of these puppies lets go, you are toast.

Erie is used to long winters, but even for the snow-seasoned

this was an extra-early start.

The week's weather even brought the Today Show's Dylan Dreyer back to Erie.

Dylan broadcast the weather from my own city this week.

Erie anticipated the dump that the Buffalo area received ,

and the NBC weather team sent Dylan back to us.

Albeit a bust, Dylan returned home.

She got her start in Erie on WSEE!

If Dylan looked familiar to you Erieites, see the link below.

Dylan Dreyer Back in Erie, CLICK HERE

So what do we do when we get a foot and a half of snow in a two day period?

We make snowballs in the playground instead of playing soccer at recess.

And when we need to warm up,

we head to Movie Night at the local elementary school.

It's not every night of the week you get to hang out with an evil bitch.

(Let's be clear Teacher Peeps--the villain, NOT my boss).

Maleficent is definitely worth of a selfie.

Her crow nearly pecked me to death,

but I Lived.

During the winter, some of us take photos.

Stormy winter skies make for some interesting color combinations.

And as for me and my friends--

we like to play outside.

I'm trying to build a strong foundation

through

and

Eloise is finishing up the 58 Day Challenge provided by

Erie Chiropractor, Dr. Steven Krauza.

Participants followed diet and fitness recommendations for 58 days this fall.

Along with overall wellness, 

we attempted to increase arm strength

and reduce waist circumference.

For fun we all tossed in some cash,

and the winners take it all!

meant

174 meals equals this many paper plates.

This is how many I have left until this challenge is over.

My goal was to put healthy choices on those plates,

3 times a day,

for 58 straight days.

Eloise is always a healthy eater.  

During challenges though, I am more conscious of putting greens into my diet.

The Lamp Post has been averaging per week:

3 bags of spinach

&

3 heads of broccoli!

At non-challenge times, I know we don't eat that much.

I like challenges a lot because they are known for 

bringing bad habits to light.

I've discovered my biggest diet obstacle is not sitting down to eat.

Eloise is a multi-tasker when it comes to eating:

I can hold a straightener to my hair and eat a hard boiled egg in the morning.

I much an apple at red lights while in transit during the work week.

Yes, I eat out of pots with a fork and take a swig out of the drink container for dinner.

Poor manners or merely a measure of survival?
You decide, 

but don't judge me unless you are a working mother, too.

The problem with habits is that they set an example for others.

They set the tone of what is acceptable in a home.

I have some work to do to make mealtime special as it is meant to be.

Over the last 58 days I found myself walking around my kitchen after school, 

with a baked chicken tenderloin between my fingers, 

packing lunches,

and 

going over homework.

After I'd take the last swallow, I'd remember my promise to eat off a plate.

Whoops, too late!  I forgot!

I'd rehearse my usual mental mantra.

But as a penalty, on meals I'd slip,

or simply run out of time to dine by candelabra,

I'd toss the plate aside, and save it for a tally in the end.

Here are the meals I missed eating sitting down:

It's quite a stack.

When I counted them tonight,

there were 59 altogether.

I've been chipping away at mathematics on the Khan Academy.

I figured out with the help of a youtube tutorial 

that 59 meals was a third of my meals eaten on the fly!

33%!!!

Eloise knows that I have some more work to do.

My bad habits are like Whack a Mole.

The second I beat one down,

another pops up.

Get rid of the sugar,

turn to the coffee.

Get rid of the coffee,

crawl onto the couch under a blanket and hide.

I got a hold of WHAT I should be eating,

but I don't have control of WHEN and HOW.

Because Eloise considers life an on-going improvement project,

I'll keep at it.

By the spring I hope to gain victory over my haphazard eating,

and revisit the mealtimes of June Cleaver more often than just Sundays after church.

My final measurements are scheduled for Monday.

I've given it my all and I am in for the win.

But even if Eloise falls short of the cash prize this time,

I've learned many valuable lessons.

For just 43 cents a day, 

I was careful to stay mindful of health at a time of year 

chock filled with temptations:

For 58 days I lived my life as healthy as I could.

For 58 days,

I Lived.

It is only fitting that I chose One Republic's new release, I Lived for my photo story this week.  The song is so powerful that it's jumped ahead of Handsome's Keep On Tuckin' and Taylor Swift's Blank Space on Eloise's Current Favorite Songs List.

The song, just out this past September, was written as a tribute to a teenaged fan living with Cystic Fibrosis.

Meet Bryan Warnecke from Colorado.

He is an all state goalie and avid cyclist.

Bryan also has cystic fibrosis.

Eloise is asking you to take 5 minutes out of your day and watch the One Republic video.  

If you don't, I will eventually find out,

and will have to call you a LOSER.

Don't make me do that.

For One Republic's Video CLICK HERE and PLEASE WATCH

After you are touched by the music and the photos, 

click this link to find out more about Cystic Fibrosis.

Consider donating to this cause.

You all help Natalie and Autism.

Natalie asks you to give some attention,

even just one dollar,

to Cystic Fibrosis.

Be thankful you have lungs.

To find out more about Cystic Fibrosis, click here

Enjoy the photos from the 58 Day Challenge. Participants, find yourselves!  It sure was fun participating in this Wellness Challenge with you.  I can't wait for the next one.  Rumors are there will be one in January to start 2015 off right.  Thanks again, Doc, for helping us live a healthy fall season.

With Thanks and Gratitude,
ELOISE