Challenge(s) Accepted!

In my Year of Challenge it is only fitting to do some fun challenges. I don’t know if the link below will work but the first challenge is Teetotally Fit’s Fall In Love With You Photo Challenge. One photo a day shared – I’m not a photo taker so this will be a challenge! And the topics make me think a bit about who I am and what I love about being me. Please join me!

I’m of course doing my own GBBOchallenge each week. This one is to push myself to do some difficult bakes. I need to get out of my convenience food rut and back to some joy in cooking.

Then I have two declutter & decorate holiday challenges!! I follow Taylor Flannery’s Household Management 101 and one of my new loves – Clutterbug! They are both doing holiday challenges – Stress Free Holidays and Holiday Home. They are similar but I love a good management tip!

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It's time to FALL IN LOVE WITH YOU!! 💛💚🧡⁠ ⁠ After sharing yesterday's post about where my mindset is at these days and seeing that many of you can completely relate, I'd say this challenge is EXACTLY what we need for a little 2020 pick-me-up! 🙌⁠ ⁠ This challenge began four years ago (!?!) and was created to encourage you all to take time each day to reflect on what makes you YOU! What are the ways in which you love yourself, your day, your life? 🧡⁠ ⁠ We'll be kicking off the challenge NEXT THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1st, so mark your calendars and store the prompts! 🙌📆🙌⁠ ⁠ The rules of the challenge are simple:⁠ *Each day tap into your creative self and snap a pic that represents the given prompt for YOU! 📸⁠ *Post it to IG and share some deets 📲⁠ *Use the hashtag #FALLINLOVEWITHYOUCHALLENGE⁠ ⁠ ⁠ *(Optional) Tag me @teetotallyfit so I don't miss a bit of that self-love! 😍⁠ ⁠ ⁠ Are you up for the challenge and amping up that self-love this FALL?? 💛🍃🧡🍂💚⁠ ⁠ .⁠ .⁠ .⁠ #selflove #photochallenge #loveyourself #sober #sobermom #soberlife #sherecovers #odaat #livesober #love #fall #october #autumn #momlife #sahm #momof3 #militarywife #airforcewife #soberaf #grateful #strength #fitmom #fitness #strongmom

A post shared by Alison | ONLINE Sober Trainer💪 (@teetotallyfit) on Sep 25, 2020 at 6:44am PDT

Cake Week Self Challenge!

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It was a 4 page long recipe. (Rose Levy Beranbaum – Heavenly Cakes) I cooked all day postponing my own #GBBOcakeweek challenge to the last. Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake.

Very seldom do I need to do more than glance at a recipe. Even when baking. So this pushed me to slow down. Cake is something I rarely make from scratch. It’s an entirely different experience – yet it is still mix it up & pour it in a pan. The combination of egg whites, sour cream & butter along with silky cake flour & leavening was a brilliant white, almost crumbless cake. Dense like a pound cake but light like an angel food at the same time!

Sadly I used two old apples. When I planned the cake I thought they were fresher! I also didn’t use bourbon in the whipped cream topping but I can see where tart apples & a smokey hint would be nice. (I don’t need to buy $40 bourbon to add 1T for 8 servings – lol.)

I brought out to my farmer friend (who had been canning pickles all day!) – potato casserole, ham, macaroni salad, overnight fruit salad (like 7 layer but with fruit!), Greek salad, cashew tuna hotdish, rolls (I made tortellini soup too but kept it home.) This is what I call PROCRASTINATION!

I’ve said it before, but I love cooking and hate drinking while cooking. So I didn’t drink and I cooked. I stocked my fridge with meals for the week and shared meals. I can’t wait for next weeks show to see what my next personal challenge will be!

A Gooder Week

I feel great! Which is almost always a recipe for disaster. By Wednesday night I had accomplished all I wanted. I started thinking of how nice it would be to celebrate with a glass of wine. So…..Thursday I spent the day in bed watching a live webinar alternately napping and trying to keep food down.

Thankfully I was able to stop that shit show and get back on track. Feeling great again and so excited for the weekend I woke up at 2. I really need to try to go to bed later than 8! I have lots of organizing plans but nothing emergency so I’m looking forward to crossing some fun stuff off my list.

At my Master Gardener class we were asked what we love about fall. My answer was GETTING ON A SCHEDULE. crickets I mean we were studying bugs that class but no cozy blankets or pumpkin lattes, I want a schedule.

I took a break from list making, menu planning, chore charts, rewards lists, bullet journals and e-organizers. BUT I’M SO READY TO GET BACK TO SOME STRUCTURE.

My newest guilty pleasure is watching TV in bed. That has helped my sober evenings. Last night was GBBO Cake Week. I’m doing caramel apple upside down cake from Rose’s Heavenly Cakes in honor of cake week. Also coming this week are three new cookbooks & The Hone Edit books.

And yes I will post pictures!

A Shocking Third Night

Three nights in a row has only happened twice this summer. Then I feel happy & celebrate 😂. Lol (Or I’m so miserable from lack of good sleep.) I started getting ready for bed before supper – thereby messing with the routine. I washed my face and did my undereye mask and The Home Edit. Then it just flowed from there. I got on all my fun creams & lotions and crawled into bed around 8:30. The last few nights I have been watching movies in bed. Highly rare for me. (On the Basis of Sex is amazing btw.) Since everyday is basically a stay-cation I figured I may as well act like it!

Every Sunday with masks we are allowed to visit outside with my kids grandparents. (My ex-in-laws) It’s a good reminder to not smoke & drink. Folks 15 years older than me in the nursing home lock up because of poor health choices.

Sunday has been a day I laughingly call Lori Love. A no-guilt pampering day. Yesterday was a good one.

September – Where For Art Thou?

I love working from home. I’m very good at it and actually can sink my teeth into long boring projects. But I looked up and September is almost over!

I’ve had quite a summer of “I will never drink again, hang overs, moderation, not drinking, and maybe I will just try this” conversations with myself. I’m quite tired of my own b.s.. I’ve spent the last couple nights not drinking. And therefore, not sleeping. Good old addiction. When I started this journey I knew nothing of addiction – I just blamed myself.

I don’t want to say that it isn’t about me & my choices, but addiction is a medical truth. The words I use can either be a victim voice or a knowledge voice. Passing out vs going to bed. Can’t sleep vs waking up from sugar imbalance. Exhaustion & stomach ache from covid vs withdrawl. It’s just medical not a drama crisis moment.

Even though it’s only 2 nights of not drinking I will take it. I need to trust in the process that my body just needs a hot minute to adjust. I’m uncomfortable and we all know what happens then!! I’ve gotten very good at rewarding and being kind to myself. Yeah me! But I’m feeling an urge to push myself a little bit more. I’m happy, have free time and home. Two sober nights closer to a little bit better than the day before.