Busy first week of the New Year!

Posted on January 7, 2013 by flamidwyfe

Wow, it was a busy first week of the New Year! Started out by spending New Years Day at the Orange Bowl with my niece, Charity…

My friend Ed had 2 tickets that he could not use and graciously gave them to me… THANK YOU, ED!!! Charity and I had a blast!

Then had a few crazy, and I mean CRAZY days at work and then my mom came to visit. Thank God for her sanity and the balance she brought to me this week. Her advise to simmer down and let go was truly needed!

Sydnie and I have started Couch to 5K at the beginning, so she can work up to some decent runs. She’s doing great on the Paleo diet with me at home and has stopped complaining about me starving her, for the most part 😀

And I took two 4.5 mile walks with a friend who is fun to chat and walk with. Both of us wanting to get in and stay in shape. I’ve made it a goal to do this walk, across the big bridge in Stuart and back, 3 times a week, minimum… I’ve done it twice this week. Here’s the bridge:

It’s a mile across, each way, with a nice elevation and the views are wonderful.

I’ve also been attending church regularly. Rick Evans is the leader of the church and is married to my dear friend from school, Natalie. He isn’t preachy, they don’t pass a collection plate, he’s an amazing storyteller and I love it. I’ve been taking the grandkids and they enjoy it, as well. Natalie is an accomplished photographer and took pictures a few weeks ago. The church meets at a community center on the beach… The joys of living in south Florida!

That’s Sydnie, Sofia and Sadie with me.

I had grandkids with me all weekend, off and on… Faelynn, Sydnie and Sadie spent Friday night and Faelynn and Sydnie (who lives with me) on Saturday night… At some point the all curled up in my bed 🙂

So that’s the weekly wrap up… Week One of 2013 is in the books!

How did y’all spend New Years Day??

Happy 2013!

Posted on December 31, 2012 by flamidwyfe

Wow… what a CRAZY, CRAZY, CRAZY year! 42 Take offs and Landings… 91,000 air miles logged. From huge airplanes (Boeing A380) to a small 9 seater. China, Hong Kong, U.S., Japan and the Bahamas.

I completed the Dukan diet in May, having lost 111 pounds! And for the most part have kept it off. I bounce up a few pounds, readjust and it comes back off.

I went from not being able to run for 45 seconds to running 5K and completed one. I am now training for a triathlon next August with bloggy friends Cindy, Sandra and Anna and can’t wait!!!

I’ve also done yoga and a program called D.I.R.T. regularly… D.I.R.T. kicks my ass!

Last year I brought New Years in with my dear friend Lucy in Hong Kong…

New Years Eve in Hong Kong Dec 31, 2011. With Lucy Rowney.

Crazy how much has happened in the past 12 months! Crazy how blessed and fortunate I am to have the people in my life that I do. Crazy how lucky I am to have an amazing job with two crazy women that I adore and love working with!!

December 2012
Lorie, Me and Miri

The next adventure? Planning a conference for birth workers in Ecuador for July this year and planning my own little trip into Peru to visit Machu Picchu afterwards. It’s going to be an amazing trip!

What are your plans for 2013?

I hope all of you have a blessed, amazing, healthy and prosperous 2013!

Ciao!
Sandi 🙂

Work Christmas Party

Posted on December 15, 2012 by flamidwyfe

I’ve been in a bit of a funk the past few days. I had a lovely 5.5 days in Abaco, Bahamas and came back to Florida on Wednesday. Thursday morning had me weighing 149.8… Too damn close to 150 for my liking! So I’m going to do 3 PP Dukan days Monday-Wednesday and my regular PP Day on Thursday and should be back on track.

Last night was my company’s annual Christmas party. I had a blast!

The bosses, Lorie and Miri know how to throw a party! We started the evening by getting our hair “blowed out”. Angie calls this the southern sweet potato look.

Here’s Angie singing. She’s got the voice of an angel…

That’s me, Lorie and Miri.

And me and Dr. Barry…

Zach and I …

Had a fabulous time!

On a sad note, my heart hurts for all of those affected by the shootings in Connecticut yesterday. Unfathomable 😦

Posted on December 12, 2012 by flamidwyfe

A big thanks to The Ranting Chef for sharing my Gluten Free Banana Nut recipe! Please go check out his blog! Yesterday he had a breakfast pasta carbonara! Mmmmm!

Rantings of an Amateur Chef

I recently put out a request for some guest bloggers. Sandi from flamidwyfe jumped right on it. She has an amazing story about her own personal journey. Take a look below and check out her blog at flamidwyfe.wordpress.com. Sandi, tell us about yourself.

I am a retired midwife now working full-time in the health and fitness industry. I lost 111 pounds from August 2011 to May 2012 on the Dukan diet, a low carb, low fat diet. I have kept the weight off for 7 months following the Paleo diet and feel great!

Wow! Tell us about your weight loss journey.

I was living in Abu Dhabi, UAE (near Dubai) and was unhappy with my weight. My friend Lucy and I were at the bookstore and she suggested the Dukan Diet. I bought the book and put it in my luggage to read while on vacationing in Florida the following week. I…

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Self Love Exercise – Unstress Tonight

Posted on December 10, 2012 by flamidwyfe

It’s important to take care of ourselves. REALLY important. I write this, while I’m sitting at the breakfast bar in my friend April’s house in the Bahamas. A stress free 4 days, that is turning into 6 days (couldn’t get on the morning flight today, I know, “poor me”). It’s been a nice, low stress 4 days. I’m taking care of ME.

Why don’t you Unstress Tonight by loving yourself? Taking 30 minutes for JUST YOU!

Take a book and some candles to the bathroom, light candles, draw hot bath, soak and read. Ahhh!
Sprinkle a little essential oil in the bath like lavender or clary sage (or both) and let the stress of the day, week, month, holidays melt away.

Or do a 30 minute light yoga with some stretching and meditation. Put on some easy music, block out the phone and spend 30 minutes taking care of YOU!

Or call someone you haven’t spoken to (SPOKEN… Not FB chatted) for a while and chat for 15 minutes or so. Keep it light or purge, that’s what friends are for. I did this twice in the past week. Once with Cathy and once with Janice.

Invest in yourself, LOVE yourself, give to yourself… You deserve it!

Ciao!

Me with Laila and Fiona at the Abaco, Bahamas Christmas Festival on Saturday, December 8, 2012. Moments before Laila reacted to being sprayed in the eye by silly string.

What A Week Part 2

Posted on December 2, 2012 by flamidwyfe

So, this week made last week look like a walk in the park.

My amazing, selfless daughter has caused my cortisol levels to go through the roof!! Stress doesn’t even begin to describe the week this Momma Bear has had!

Tiff had us all to her house for turkey dinner on Saturday night, she rested and watched while others did all the work, and was on the mend, feeling great.

Monday was one week since the twins were born. I went over to her house to hang out with her and she had sudden onset of neck pain, followed by vomiting. Ten minutes later she couldn’t see anything but an aura and rainbow colors. I slapped a blood pressure monitor on her and her BP was 210/128!!!! Yes, you read that right. I took so slow, cleansing breaths and took it again… 208/126!! I called 911, fearful she’d have a pre-eclampsia seizure. The EMS came and swooped her up and took her to St. Lucie Medical Center, where the idiot ER doctor (Beatty) focused on the “crick in her neck” and not on the fact that she OBVIOUSLY had pre-eclampsia gave her BP meds and SENT HER HOME.

Her symptoms worsened and we took her to Broward General Hospital, where she birthed the twins last week (this hospital is a 90 minute drive from Tiffany’s home!! Three counties away!) The amazing Dr. Tsinker admitted her to the labor and delivery PACU, started magnesium sulphate IV and IV BP medications and monitored her continuously until her symptoms subsided last night around 9 pm and she was transferred to a regular room for the night. She was discharged home this morning. Her severe edema is gone and in the 12 days since the twins were born, she has lost 40 pounds!!! I’m sure 15 pounds of that has been the last few days, since the edema is practically gone.

So, Mondays have been a bit hectic this month! My darling Tiffany, my birthday is this Monday and I’d like it to be about ME, LOL… Because that means that you are healthy!!

My deepest and sincerest thanks to all of you that have had Tiffany in your thoughts and prayers. They were heard and she is better. I hope everyone has an amazing rest if the weekend… I’m vegging at the beach after church tomorrow!

Ciao 🙂

She’s gonna kill me for this… My sick baby…

My baby and her oldest, Sydnie Renae…

Whata Week

Posted on November 23, 2012 by flamidwyfe

Crazy week!
Started with a birthday party at a Greek restaurant in Palm Beach last Saturday. Food was yummy, the table dancing FUN!

The birthday girl is the hot mama in the shorts 🙂

I worked on Sunday, getting admin stuff done at the birth house. Then drove north to Stuart to spend the night.

Monday I picked up Tiffany early in the AM, dropped off Sydnie at school and drove back south for Tiffany to consult with an OB in Fort Lauderdale. My amazing youngest child had been carrying surrogate twins for 36+ weeks. Baby A, aka Jackson, had been flip flopping back and forth from head down to breech (butt down) for 6 weeks. The doc in Fort Lauderdale does vaginal breech deliveries. A BIG hug and shout out for Dr. Tsinker. One of the rare OBs in this country with the balls to deliver breeches and twins normally. Tiffany’s blood pressure has been elevated for a month now and Dr. Tsinker advised us to check in on Monday for monitoring of her B/P. She had some things to get done first and then around 3 pm, Tiff started having contractions on her own. And we headed in to the hospital. Long story short, Tiffany chose a c-section around 1030 pm. I am AMAZINGLY PROUD of her. What a difficult choice after having had 4 normal deliveries at home. Dr. Tsinker was so supportive, in fact asked her 3 times if she was sure she wanted the section. Wonderful doc. The boys were born at 1137 pm (Jackson) and 1139 pm (Colton). I got the ‘daddy bands’ so that I could have access to the nursery, since the parents were traveling from up north and I wanted to get everything on video and pics for them. ADORABLE babies. They are biologically Tiffany’s cousins, and Jackson looks just like her. Here she is with the boys…

I can’t even begin to tell you how proud and amazed I am by my daughter.
I was up all night with her in recovery and I left the hospital around 1 pm Tuesday and got a short nap at the birth house, before returning to support her.
The next couple of days are a blur….
Wednesday I worked with Allie and Kat at the birth house and spent the evening with Tiffany. Gave her still swollen feet and legs an hour long massage.
Thursday… I FINALLY moved onto my own place! I’m driving my daughter’s 1986 Honda Accord and it rocks! And it has lots of room for boxes!!

My son’s dad helped me move in, despite it being a holiday, and I’m happy to say that when you nurture relationships with your exes, they are still around 31 years later, willing to help you! Big HUGS and THANK YOU to Joe.. You’re awesome and I’m thankful for our friendship and our mutual love for our son.
Then off for turkey dinner at my friend Tammy’s house. We’ve just renewed our friendship and I’m very THANKFUL for that. I stuck to Dukan friendly foods and was full and happy when I climbed in my brand new bed last night!
Today I checked in on Tiffany and ended up taking 2 of my granddaughters with me for a few hours. Sydnie and Sofia are adorable. We went to the park, my new house, dipped our feet in the pool at my house and shopped at the Dollar Store. Here’s what Sofia picked out…

And now I’m at my daughter Jenni’s house typing up my post. My son-in-law is harassing me… Wanting to know how long I’m staying! He’s real scary with that pink bandage on his arm (he just got back from giving blood)…

So with that, I’ll finish this post off! Family Thanksgiving tomorrow at Tiffany’s! She bought a 25 pound turkey… She’s not cooking. We’re pampering her, she deserves it, she’s amazing, I’m one proud Momma 😀

Ciao!

Recipe – Dukan – Pulled Chicken

Posted on November 17, 2012 by flamidwyfe

I’ve been trying out some recipes with the staff here at the birth house and yesterday’s lunch was a keeper!

PULLED CHICKEN IN THE CROCKPOT

SERVED 6

2 Large chicken breast
2 Tbs coconut oil
5 yellow squash chopped
1 big red onion chopped
1 small bag of baby carrots (3 chopped lg carrots)
3 packets of Sazón seasoning
A wee bit of sea salt

In a fry pan melt 2 Tbs of coconut oil on med/high heat. When hot add the chicken breasts and cover with lid for 3 minutes. Turn and cover for 3 more minutes and place in crockpot, keeping the oil in the pan.
Toss the onions in the pan and give a stir for 2 minutes or so, add to crockpot, go on, pour that coconut oil in there, Mmmmm!
Place the squash and carrots in.
Add the 3 packets of Sazón, a dash of sea salt and add hot water just to where it is barely covering.
Put the crockpot on high for 2 hours. Stirring occasionally. At the two hour mark take two forks and pull the chicken apart as much as possible. Continue cooking another hour and pull the chicken apart some more, stir well. At the 3 1/2 hour mark, it’s done…. ENJOY!

**You can slow cook this while at work. Put crockpot on low. When you get home your house will smell AMAZING! Pull the chicken apart with 2 forks and cook an additional half hour, then serve.

Simple, easy and yummy!

Ciao!

Recipe – Thanksgiving Meals – Dukan – Paleo – Gluten-Free

Posted on November 14, 2012 by flamidwyfe

I’m going to post some of my favorite Dukan friendly meals that are PERFECT for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, over the course of the next few days. My son-in-law said to me the other day that there would be “no dieting” next Thursday, sigh, my family still doesn’t get that I #1 DIDN’T DIET and #2 You don’t have to eat wheat ladened crap to have an amazing meal 😀

So… here’s recipe #1… it’s a simple one. My turkey is the moistest, yummiest turkey I eat. Why? I don’t do much to it.

TURKEY

Serves: A lot of people

Ingredients:
One big turkey
1 large green apple (or red, but the granny smith’s are yummier) chopped
1 large pear, chopped
1 large red or yellow onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
8-10 garlic cloves, mashed
1/4 c olive or coconut oil
Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 325 F

Rinse your turkey.
Stuff turkey with the veggies.
Put him in the pan breast side down.
With your fingers, cover the turkey with oil. Make sure you get in all the nooks and crannies!
Generously salt and pepper.
Stick in the oven 20 minutes for every pound. So if it’s a 10 pound turkey 200 minutes (or 3 hours 20 minutes)
Let set for 30 minutes before carving.
Eat.

Easy peasy! Don’t be covering up the bits with aluminum, don’t be puttin’ that turkey in a bag! Just cook the darn thing… PERFECTION, I’m telling you 😀

Mmmmm!

Here’s a link from last year’s Thanksgiving dinner, where I had the pleasure of introducing my Turkey Day culture to a family in Hangzhou.

https://flamidwyfe.wordpress.com/2011/11/28/dukan-day-99/

Sandi 411

Posted on November 11, 2012 by flamidwyfe

Many of the people in my life don’t ring up 411 for information, they ring up me. This has been going on since I was a kid and I love it.

Questions from this past week via text, phone call and Facebook:

Q: “I had to take an unexpected trip to TN, can I vote today”
A: “Nope” Sadly 😦

Q: “Might be a stupid question but if gluten free is it also wheat free?”
A: “Yep” … Which was followed up by an awesome 20 minute phone conversation, as we were both driving.
I’ll add here that there are no stupid questions, just unasked ones. And I’ll answer questions all day about the benefits of healthy eating, so being them on!!

Q: “What do you mean ‘search box under the start button’?”
A: Take a picture of your desktop screen and text it to me so I can better explain.”
Q: “Desktop screen?”

Q: “Been at a birth for 44+ hours, any suggestions for getting baby under the pubic bone?”
A: “Lie her flat on her back, knees to ears”
This one from a seasoned midwife and I feel so blessed she asked, and it worked! Social media has enabled us to support one another from all over the world… Sometimes all we need at a birth is a fresh set of hands 🙂

Do your friends come to you for information and advise?

Ciao!

Information links that aren’t google… Check them out…

www.dogpile.com
This was my first search engine site and the one that I go to the most, even more than google. Dogpile was around BEFORE google and I think the page with your search results is “cleaner”.

www.chacha.com I worked for chacha for awhile as one of their live search techs. If you absolutely can’t find it, a real person will help you!

Check them both out and let me know what you think 🙂

Sandi 411