Relationships

I have never claimed to be a genius in the kitchen. I’ll leave that to the pros! However, I am proficient at following recipes. I don’t even follow them exactly and they still seem to work out fine.

After the video footage my son decided he did like the wrappers after all, and we devoured the rest of the wrappers. This was super fun and easy to do with my kids. What a great way to teach them a healthier way of eating. I feel good that their recipe knowledge has a healthy base unlike my upbringing. I learned as a kid how to make things that tasted good, but health wasn’t the focus. I am glad I am turning it around for my kids.

The wrappers are very filling and I can see if the presentation was done correctly that it would be a hit at events. I normally keep things simple for raw potlucks,but this would be awesome, even for non raw people.

The cheese is creamy with a little tang to it, the dehydrated tomatoes have an intensified flavor, the avocado and basil just round it out. A total comfort food! The wrappers called for spinach juice, but I used kale juice. It didn’t affect the flavor, but it did intensify the color. The wrappers tasted like creamy bites of heaven with vibrant flavors from the cheese, tomato and basil. A must try!

Yesterday was such a nice day. It started with checking my emails and receiving a message from Dhrumil of We Like it Raw. He has created a page called Masala that lists” the hottest mix of raw food blogs online”. I was humbled and honored that my blog would even be mentioned. It feels good knowing that somebody is reading my jumbled blogs. I love sharing my experiences and stories. Even better I love receiving comments from others stating that I have helped them. How cool is that?

I took my little poochie, Hailee out for a morning walk and just savored the gorgeous weather. I feel so lucky to be alive and have my life. I have so much to be thankful for. I am smart, healthy, and creative. I have 2 awesome kids that I spend lots of time with. I have a home that I can play around with decorating and gardening. I live in Southern California and we have such mild weather. It’s funny how fast we can forget these things and we always seem to find room for complaints on where we are lacking. I really want to turn that around and only see what is going right in my life. It definitely far out weighs any nitty gritty complaints I may have.

I came home and read 2 chapter “Loss of Innocence” from “Mastery of Love” by Don Miguel Ruiz to my children. This is such easy reading and they understand the message. Wow, this really put me in my place as a mother. It explains how children are tuned into love and enjoying the present moment. As parents condition and dump our “hell” on our kids and they develop emotional wounds like shyness, fear, etc… Our kids start to try to please us (parents, teachers, etc) for approval. Anyhow, I was brought to tears. I love and adore my children. I know they are my teachers and they remind me about real life. So much of our existence is fluff. I want the real stuff, the good stuff. The stuff that matters. I want to live in love all day long. I actually said my goal for the day was to “make love all day long”. That is my ultimate goal. I may not be there 100%, but I’ll tell you what, each day I try I grow by minutes. Before I know it I’ll be there. Practice makes perfect.

My kids and I played around in the kitchen and created this. I love when I just whip something together without any planning. It’s always a surprise. I had some serious sweet tooth going on and instead of eating something really off the charts we had made chocolate ice cream by blending frozen bananas with cacao. We just kept going from there and this is a quick video of what we came up with. Meg wasn’t in the mood to be on the camera so she acts a little silly, but kids will be kids.

Then a beautiful gift wrapped book came in the mail from Matthew Kenney. He sent me his book “Entertaining in the Raw“. Of course it is beautiful and he truly is a genius. Sorry to keep repeating it Matthew, but it’s true! I remember last year thinking there needed to be a book for raw entertaining. Ta da…here it is. Literally, my daughter and I sat and went through every picture salivating. I really didn’t know which recipe to try first. So, of course Matthew recommend I make the basil wrappers. DOH! I should have known, he had sent me that recipe before the book came out last summer. Oops! Well, you don’t gotta tell me again… I am on it! I’ll post a video of the final product as long a you guys realize it won’t be nearly as pretty as his photos show.

Anyhow, I just enjoyed a simple mellow day filled with lots of hugs and cuddles with my kids. I felt centered and balanced. So, I want to keep up with my daily goal to make love all day long. I can see how one day went and I look forward to more. Just thought I’d share. 🙂

Last night, I went out to dinner with my children’s father and children. We were out for about 60-90 minutes. When I arrived home I immediately sensed something was wrong. My tripod to my camera was moved in front of my front door and was meant to fall over if anyone entered through the front door. The TV was moved and the electronic cabinet below was open wide and empty. I heard noises of someone jumping on the trampoline in the backyard and saw my sliding glass door was wide open. Immediately I realized I was being robbed and they were still in my home. I had the phone in my hand and immediately dialed 911, while my ex, Dennis went chasing after them. While talking on the phone with an operator I walked into the master bedroom that had french doors (location of break in) that were flung wide open. There were electronic goods all dismantled and in the process of being packed into the pillowcases from the bed. The rooms had been torn apart, drawers were dumped out, etc.

Meanwhile, Dennis chased after the fleeting men who jumped over our back fence into my neighbors back yard and again jumped their side fence. They had parked their car in a vacant home on the street behind my home. Dennis was able to catch up with them and confront them. They were 2 Hispanic men 18-20 years old. They had left their car window down and Dennis reached into the car and tried to pull the keys out of the ignition. Unfortunately, they fought him off and they were able to get away and without a read on the license plate.

I felt a sick pit in my stomach. My kids were freaking out that their rooms had been torn apart. I hugged them and tried to remain calm. My daughter found our little Silky Terrier and was so relieved to find she was OK. My kids and I went from room to room looking to see what they had removed and what had been destroyed or damaged. The vibe in the house was dark. It just felt dark, nervous, black, and tainted. My instincts were to find some sage and clear the negative vibes. Questions ran through my mind and are probably running through yours!

How did they get in?
They used a couple of screwdrivers to break in through the french doors off the master bedroom.

Was anybody harmed?
No, thankfully they were not armed or confrontational. They fled as soon as they heard us.

What did they get away with?
Luckily, not much except for some electronic games from my daughter, my digital camera and video camera. (Sorry folks there will be no videos until I get a new camera.)We arrived home to where they only things the men could steal had to fit into their pockets. Since the house is a bit disheveled there may be more, but the big items are still here. Strange, there were two wallets both containing cash. One of them was even sitting next to the screwdrivers that they left behind. Perhaps that is when they heard us come in. The one thing that left me a bit uneasy is that they also took a key to my home. I didn’t like wondering if they were going to come back with a group for more later.

How did they know when to break in?
I keep my car parked in the garage! Had the men been scouting my home and watching my actions for long before they decided to break in? Seriously, who breaks into a house on a Monday night at 8 pm unless they are keeping an eye out? I assume that they were watching my home and activity. If this was a weekend break in I would have thought that I was just a random home, but because I was only gone a short time I am sure they had been watching me. It doesn’t feel good, but I am not going to let that turn me into a paranoid freak.

Why me?
Perhaps, they knew I saw a single mom which makes an easy target. Maybe this was karma from my teen years of shoplifting. Who knows why, but what is important is that we are all OK and I will take measures to protect my home and family. BTW, I think victim mentality is lame and why even waste any time feeling like “poor me”. I don’t need sympathy, I need to learn and grow.

Other questions ran through my mind as the police came and took a report and dusted for fingerprints.

Was this due to my public videos?
No. I really think it was just some guys who were on the look out and saw my home as being a perfect target. My videos are done from my home, but I am careful not to have license plates, addresses or any other information in the video. This was not by some viewer online.

Do I want to continue creating videos?
Especially since I can be seen as vulnerable since I lead a more transparent life? Now, some may say that this is a sign and I should stop making videos and live a more private life or cease to make the videos at my home. Others may feel this is an obstacle to see how easily I can be deterred from this path. Am I going to let this stop me or am I going to keep moving forward? Here is another appropriate song. When I feel down and challenged I sing this chorus: (Yes, I am officially a dork)

“Ain’t nothin‘ gonna to break my stride. Nobody’s gonna slow me down, oh-no. I got to keep on movin‘. Ain’t nothin‘ gonna break my stride, I’m running and I won’t touch ground. Oh-no, I got to keep on movin‘.”

Attachment to belongings & living a life with out keys
Honestly, I try to live with as little as possible. I am a big believer that the more materialistic lives we lead, the more we become slaves to them. We have to manage them, repair them, clean them, buy bigger homes or storage for them, organize them, or hire staff to do it for you, etc. We waste our precious time working to afford these things. The more we own the more they burden us. Now, I am not saying to toss all your stuff and live with nothing (which honestly must feel so freeing) but to own what you LOVE and USE. For me, it can’t be one or the other, it must be both. Another thing is just remembering this is just stuff. It isn’t me and it doesn’t define me. These are just tools that I enjoyed while here. We all know you can’t take it with you! Why get myself all worked up on stuff? I thought of a line from a song Losing Keys by Jack Johnson , “maybe I’ve been better off with things that can’t be locked at all”. Imagine how much relief would come from not having to worry if someone is going to break into your home and steal your stuff?

Being protected, feeling safe and taking action
So, do I go crazy and Fort Knox the place or do I just move on? Well, a little of both. I am changing the locks now since they have a key to my home. I am also making sure things are more secure. I am investing in a home security system as well. I am not going to let my mind be bothered by this and feel paranoid when I leave my home. Like I said before, I am not going to be frozen in fear. I choose peace of mind and that is priceless.

Finding gratitude in “disturbing” situations
I am a true believer that there are positive outcomes and lessons to be learned versus feeling like a victim frozen in fear. I am now more aware of the security of my home. I can see that this was really minor in comparison to other stories of robbery or breaking in. I am so thankful my ex was with my kids and me and I did not have to face this alone, just his presence made me feel more at ease. I am thankful the men were unarmed, non violent and fled. I don’t even want to think of how bad it “could” have been. I am thankful they didn’t steal much. However, if they had, maybe they would have done me a favor and I would have lived simpler without the distractions of the digital world. Sometimes I feel like I am more involved with online interaction rather than just getting out and living my life. Even though I do enjoy sharing my stories and experiences with you! This has caused me to reflect on my lifestyle and to find the balance of living and being overwhelmed with the non physical world of the Internet. I am thankful that I am able to take better precautions and will be more prepared in the future if another incident were to occur. If I had to be robbed, then this was honestly the most ideal way for me to experience it. Not much was taken, we are all safe, my ex was with us, etc. I am thankful I am more aware of my safety and security. My priorities have been heightened. This makes me want to live, to enjoy my kids and stuff even more!

How does the law of attraction play into this?
Is this karma from my teen years of shoplifting? Have I been having thoughts of burglary? Well, actually yes. I have a book on Chinese Forecasts and this month was to be of “misfortune” according to the book. It even mentions in the book to be careful of burglary. Now, someone pointed out to me, does the book carry a vibration and just the presence of it in my home bring that energy? Did I read it and absorb that energy and that played into my thoughts and awareness? Maybe both. Either way, I know that this is an opportunity for me to work on what I am attracting to me and also learning how to handle a difficult situation in a positive manner.

What’s Next?
So, stay tuned… more videos and photos will come (when I obtain replacement cameras). Enjoy your day. My intention is that you learn from my experience and prepare your environments to where you do not have to go through this yourself. I know many have already experienced this. Hopefully, we were able to move forward and SHINE regardless of what we may undergo. I am inspired!

With New Years around the corner I thought I’d nail myself down to a few commitments before I enter the year. I have found that being wishy washy only stresses me out emotionally and I never get the things I wanted to accomplish done. Here are the commitments so I don’t play these head games like, ” Am I gonna workout today?” , “Am I going to eat all raw today?”, etc… Once I make up my mind, the rest is easy. It’s the head games of indecision that haunt me.

Before I make any commitments I should know what the desired end results are. Here are the biggies:

Major Life Categories
1. Health: Bikini Body (purification, raw food, yoga, dance, surf, snowboard)
2. Relationships: Manifest a Man
3. Career/Purpose: Create value & build a successful online presence
4. Finances: Eliminate all debt & generate multiple streams of passive income
5. Living Environment: Expand my gardening/edible landscape
6. Fun & Recreation: see bucket list (see earlier blog)
7. Personal Growth: live honestly, honorably, and immaculately

I will make an effort in each of the above “life categories” each week.

As for the daily basics, the following are the little things I want to have as solid habits.

Daily 10 Commitments
1. water
2. greens
3. exercise
4. get in the sun
4. gratitude journal & visualization
5. do something fun & that makes me laugh or feel really good
6. hug & kiss my kids, smile more & make eye contact when out & about
7. post a blog, video, photo
8. keep immaculate financial records
9. floss & skin brush
10. make my bed & deep clean something

The holidays are here and so is the spirit of love, reflection, gratitude and giving. I feel very thankful to be where I am today and for the life that I have. I am excited about new projects and ideas that I have planned up my sleeve. I am changing things up a little bit. This year I really made an effort to reach out online and connect with more like minded people. I have found wonderful communities, created a youtube account, began a blog, and started having a website designed. I hope to have it up and running in the next couple months.

I had many goals this year & I shared them on gaia. Now, I am reflecting and enjoying my growth this past year, along with creating new improvements in my life.

Nutrition Goals 2008
I did pretty good. I made excellent efforts at going raw and shared some of my experiences on youtube. I understand the power of greens in the diet. I am much more aware of emotional eating patterns. I want to heal my thyroid.

For 2009
I am seriously interested in experimenting with the 80/10/10 diet and I plan on posting videos on a purification program as well. I want to eat more from my garden. 🙂

Fitness 2008 Goals
Through training for a triathlon I found myself a bit uninterested. Initially, I was excited with the thought, but when it came down to it, I just didn’t love running, biking and swimming laps. So, after some reflecting I rediscovered my passion for dancing and started taking dance classes in hip hop and Latin. I realize I have always loved to dance and I kind of forgot about it when I was training at the gym. As I child I loved to dance, as a teen I loved to dance, as a young adult I was an exotic dancer and I loved going out to clubs and shakin’ my thang ’til 2 am. When I lived in Hawaii I took up swing dancing. So, I am thankful to be reconnecting to dancing. I have been working out very regularly( sometimes 6 times a week) since August including yoga once or twice a week, which is another activity I enjoy.

For 2009
I never did create that home studio that I mentioned last year. The other night I envisioned creating my studio in my formal dining room. It rarely is used and so I thought I could clear out the table and set up a bar, pole, mirror and cool lighting. I could do all my training, dancing and yoga very conveniently. It could also be a “set” for upcoming videos. Snowboarding season is here and of course I am going to enjoy that. Last summer I didn’t surf at all, mostly because I felt insecure with my body, this year I want to get out on those waves!

Career Goals 2008
I took a bit of a shift in my goals and moved more towards growing online and creating passive forms and multiple streams of income. Technically, I have published my writings via blogs. last year I did have a 12 week optimal health challenge that I look forward to improving on this year.

For 2009
I want my website Inspire2Act.com up and running with awesome content! I also want to be consistent with videos, blogs, and articles. I want a business that can be accessed anywhere in the world. Who wants to be limited by geography? I want to inspire unlimited potential! I want to share more of my life, be a living example, and pass along gems I have learned in my life. I have received some excellent feedback and I am expanding my videos and blogs. I am bringing more consistency and organization to what I want to share with the world. I have so many interests and aspects to my life I decided to open the door to more of my life.

Relationship Goals 2008
I have met some amazing people this year in person and online. Some of my role models and many people whom I admire. I see a shift in the people I interact with and I am pleased with whom I am now attracting. I have a wonderful relationship with my children and I have even made an effort to reconnect with their father. While we are not romantic partners it is wonderful to understand each other better and to be able to be a team in raising our kids. I still have not entered a romantic relationship and honestly the more time goes by the more awkward I feel when men give me attention. I realized that I have not created room for a man to enter my life. I am considering sharing this experience on video as well. However, I have not decided completely.

For 2009
I am allowing a wonderful man to enter my life and share experiences with. I want to maintain my independence and remember past learning lessons. I want him to be a part of my life, not my reason for existence. I want us to synergize and be on the same page. I be able to say the to him what I learned from Abraham & Esther Hicks on non attachment. I want to enjoy his strengths.

2008 Finances
I really didn’t experience much of a change in this department. It just wasn’t a focus. I realize now that money coming into my life is merely a token of what I have contributed and given. Therefore, I must have been stingy with my knowledge and experience.

For 2009
I am going to take better care into recording and documenting my financial growth, as well as becoming a more conscious consumer. I want to share more with others in a more global fashion (via the web) and set up a strong financial foundation.

Other Goals
Work on green living projects for the home
Expand the garden into an edible landscape
Go paperless
Expand & Share