anti-inflammatory · eating healthy · exercise · lifestyle blog · lipedema · lymphatic exercises · lymphedema · mindfulness · morning routine · personal blog · rheumatoid arthritis · self-care

Day 11-healthy challenge

June 6, 2023

I woke up exhausted last night. It is extremely difficult to watch someone who you love have their last few days of life. Cancer is such a horrible thing. As it weighs on me quite a bit it reminds me of the time when my mom passed. So I am very tired and I need a lot of rest and slow down.

I think my exercise will be on a slower side and not as detailed for at least the next week. So I’m not sure if I’m going to continue logging my daily routine I might instead blog a weekly review.

Morning exercise

Lymphatic exercises and cycling

Breakfast

Quiche

Lunch

Pasta salad with red and yellow peppers, and cucumbers

Dinner

Lettuce salad and pasta salad and water.

Evening exercise

20 min walk.

I noticed with the amount of stress I’ve been under the last few days, my legs are swollen and tired. Walking felt heavy when lifting my legs and they felt hot when I was finished walking.

I took a shower and used lavender soap to calm my legs.

Tonight I’m going to bed early.

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anti-inflammatory · eating healthy · lifestyle blog · lipedema · lymphatic exercises · lymphedema · mindfulness · morning routine · personal development · rheumatoid arthritis · simple life · yoga

Day 3- healthy challenge

Monday May 20, 2023

Waking up was hard. I wanted to sleep more. I managed to get up and start having my hot tea at 6:15. I’m trying to barter with myself to wash the floors in place of walking.

I felt a little hungry so I ate some dry Chex. So now I have to take a walk.

Morning Exercise

Walked for 20 mins, yoga for 20 mins, dumbbells for 10 minutes

Breakfast

Rice noodles, 2 boiled eggs, yogurt

Lunch

I made a smoothie with a banana and ice coffee, added in protein powder.

Dinner

I forgot to take a photo of my dinner. I had tuna patties, salad, and rice with water.

Evening Exercise

Lymphatic exercises and cycle. Then I cleaned the floor, mopping it. So that is an exercise in itself! I did not walk because it was too hot and I don’t do well in hot weather.

I also noticed a blister between my toes. It depends on how it is tomorrow morning if I go for a walk.

Caroline

journal writing · lifestyle blog · mindfulness · personal blog · personal development · self-care · simple life

Can peace be attainable?

What does “having it all” mean to you? Is it attainable?

Peace. It is attainable. For myself peace is waking up in the morning to hot tea here in the bird sing with the sunshine out that brings a quietness to the day.

Pexels image

Most of us are rushing from one thing to the next thing going to work hurrying up our day eating falling asleep maybe trying to get him some family time or exercise or dates etc before the end of the day. Then we wake up and hit repeat and do it all over again day after day. Slowing down relaxing being calm our foreign words to most people. A lot of people will say I can’t I don’t have time I don’t know how.

But it’s really quite simple it’s deciding having a few minutes yourself before the day wakes up relaxing on the sofa with a hot tea or coffee listening to the birds before you think that you have to hurry up and do something. It is a simple stop but a hard concept to follow through.

Peace is deciding to leave the phone the tablets the TV anything of a distraction off to the side and not involve your entire life around electronics.

There are people who wake up from abuse domestic violence war hunger worry about financial issues and the list can go on. Is it possible to find peace within that? I think it is. It’s making the decision to find faith hope as well as finding ways to bring some joy in your life even during difficult times.

Peace might not give you the answers to financial issues. But the practice of relaxing calming yourself to give yourself a quiet space might give you the answer on how to improve your situation. So maybe after a practice and maybe after some faith Peace can help with those issues.

Peace is having love for yourself and love to others and love to the world in which we live.

Let’s be kind to each other everyone’s going through something and everyone deserves peace.

Caroline

journal writing · lifestyle blog · lipedema · lymphedema · mindfulness · personal blog · personal development · rheumatoid arthritis · self-care · YouTube

My Small Improvement

What’s one small improvement you can make in your life?

This is a good question. I have a few improvements that come to mind. First save more money. Second to improve my eating habits, such as more fruit, more smoothies and less carbs. Third do more art after work.

The one I want to focus on right now is improving my eating habits. I was diagnosed with lymphedema and lipedema along with having rheumatoid arthritis. I have gained so much weight that it’s so hard on my body mainly my legs.

Pexels image Oleksandr Pidvalnyi

What I have been doing

I have been walking more daily, and incorporating fruits with my dinner. Been doing lymphatic exercises daily along with my cycle

What I need to do more

I need to be on a better schedule with my morning exercise and plan out my breakfast and dinners better. And to do more exercising in the evening.

Pexels image Jenny Mavimiro

I want to incorporate the 75 soft challenge but I’m not a reader, so in place it will be my art work. I am really going to focus on the 45 min exercise in the morning and evening and drink more water. Then I’ll add in more time with art making. I want to work on it in phases.

The other part of this is to read a book I got about lipedema (yes, I’m not a reader, but I need to read this). In the book it has some information about what foods to eat. I need to come up with a better system on meal planning.

Caroline

journal writing · lifestyle blog · mindfulness · music · personal blog · simple life · spiritual

I went to the Movies

Daily writing prompt
What was the last live performance you saw?

A few weeks ago, I saw Chevalier. It was an amazing story with amazing acting and writing. Not to mention the music was breath-taking and the costumes were perfect. It is an untold story of a violinist during the French Revolution times. His name is Joseph Bologne. It is a must see.

I love violin music. It was my passion when I was in elementary school. I played the violin until I was in high school. The biggest regret I have it not playing it anymore.

This movie revitalized my need for music, but more than listening to music. I want to play an instrument again. Music really is an international language. You can always find something that says exactly what you are feeling or thinking.

I wanted to be a music teacher when I was in 4th grade. But then music and playing in the orchestra became a competition and a popularity contest. I don’t do well with contests. I hate games, and don’t like to even watch games. The reason is because of how hateful people can be. I am all or people wanting a good game to watch, but I loose interest when they are mean and disrespectful.

I would like to play the Kalimba Thumb Piano. I am thinking about buying one. It seems like it would be relaxing. If you have played this let me know what you recommend and tell me about your experience.

Caroline

acrylic painting · art · art journal · art therapy · expressive arts · journal making · lifestyle blog · mindfulness · self-care · simple life

Bold, Bright, Beautiful

Lately I have been painting in my art journal. I use acrylic paint. The intention of painting in a journal is to practice mindfulness and relaxation.

Paintings

It’s the end of the year and I realized I just haven’t been writing in this blog much. I hope to publish more and make more art next year.

Caroline

art · art journal · doodling · drawing · etsy · expressive arts · illustration · lifestyle blog · mindfulness · personal blog · personal development · redbubble · simple life

Animal Drawings

I drew these animal drawings in a sketchbook with colored pens.

Lately I have been going through my art and starting to decide what to start selling.

These drawings might be selected.

Redbubble

Look for my art on redbubble items it is under 4pawsartstudio

Etsy

A few items are on Etsy under 4pawsartstudio

More will be posted in months to come.

Caroline

art · art studio · lifestyle blog · mindfulness · painting · personal blog · personal development · simple life · YouTube

Pour Painting

Supplies needed

  • Arteza Pouring Acrylic Colors
  • trays, I used old cookie sheets
  • coasters-find them on Amazon
  • towel
  • paper towels

First Group of Coasters

Below the paint colors are: Neon Blue, Carnation Pink, Silver Fray

2nd Group of Coasters

Below the paint colors are Silver, Coral, Phthalo Green

3rd Group of Coasters

below the paint colors are Neon Purple, Titanium White, Pastel Yellow

Have Fun with Left-Over paint

I collected the dripping paint onto a tray. After I was finished with the coaster, I took paper and pressed it into the left over paint and made a print. I also brushed paint into my sketch book. This is a fun background for a sketch book multi-media artwork.

YouTube

I hope you enjoyed this. I have a youtube video about it as well. Check it out.

Make sure your CC is on for subtitles

Caroline

cross stitch · lifestyle blog · mindfulness · minimalism · personal blog · Uncategorized

Rue Paris Cross Stitch

Second page out of 18 pages are completed!

It’s been a long time since I worked on my cross stitching.

Update Photos

There’s so much detail and changing of colors. I have been enjoying it.

I will get to work on it more because I’m working from home now. And in between my breaks I can stitch a little.

Happy Day

Caroline

knitting · lifestyle blog · mindfulness · personal blog

Knitting a Blanket

I have been wanting to knit a blanket. I decided to come up with my own design with stitches that I enjoy knitting. I might throw in a new stitch as well. This yarn is made by Big Twist Tweed, 382 yd. I am using 6.0 mm knitting circular needle. 33 stitches are cast on, but hurdle stitch, you need 34 cast on stitches.

Garter knit stitch

Diagonal Knit Stitch

Hurdle Knit Stitch

So Far I made:

I made 3 different stitch patterns, 6 pieces of each. There is a plan for 3 more different stitch patterns to go. I am starting with a small amount and see how much bigger I want the blanket.

Next Post Coming:

Update on my cross stitch Rue Paris. It has been a long time since I stitched on my cross stitch and talked about it….

Happy Day

Caroline