Lately...

That's right, not one, but TWO positive OPKS (last night and this morning)!

I broke down again and bought a big pack of 40 of these: Wondfo Combo 40 Ovulation Tests and 10 Early Pregnancy Tests Strips,.  I honestly wasn't even going to use them until CD 15 or so, since without meds my track record for ovulation is usually no earlier than the range of CD 16-25.  Buuuuuut, I was having loads of EWCM, which made me suspect something was up; so, I took an OPK last night around 10:30 p.m. (only CD 12!) and it was about 99% positive (OPK on top in above picture).  I seriously did a little dance! :-)

This morning around 8 a.m. I took the OPK below, and there was no doubt that it was positive.  So exciting!  I'm on track to ovulate sometime tonight or tomorrow (CD 14).  If so, I am going to have my first, all-natural, "NORMAL" cycle - as in ovulating on day 14, and 28 days total!  Hooray!  I realize that most women do not get this excited about their menstrual cycles; but seriously, this is brilliant!

I've been MUCH more militant with my diet this cycle.  MUCH more!  I have restricted my carb intake to practically nothing, and I'm not making little exceptions for myself here or there when it comes to sugar - it's not allowed at all - neither is alcohol, not even a sip!  And really, there's no need for any of it anyway; it just makes me feel like crap in the end.  I've also been exercising for at least 45 minutes a day - all strenuous cardio.  I've missed a day or two here and there, but mostly I've been extremely diligent to keep up my "homework".

Also, I recently had a reevaluation with Dr. L concerning my acupuncture.  When I first had this done, I was pretty good.  I was at an overall energy level of 82 (anything above 70 is considered excellent), and I had three meridians that were either low, high, of just out of balance from left to right spheres.  This time, my overall energy was at 86 (woo, moving on up!); and I had only one area that was low (the spleen, of course: the meridian that affects reproduction and menstrual cycles *le sigh*).  Everything else was in perfect range and in balance.  It's amazing that all of this has occurred in just 5 short weeks.  Amazing!  So, for the past week I've been wearing three tacks in my stomach and four in my feet/legs to stimulate the spleen meridian - must be working since I'm getting such great results!

Earlier this week, I began writing my children's book series.  I can't say anything about it, really; but it's going to be so much fun!  I'm really looking forward to traveling along with these characters for a while.  Today, I put up my inspiration boards around my desk area in the office I share with Mr. C...everything is looking so incredible.  It really helps me to have a visual in front of my face while I'm typing:

Early tomorrow morning, I have a last-minute acupuncture appointment with Dr. L before Mr. C and I hit the road to head up north for some band rehearsals.  I'm really looking forward to this hometown show in September.  I think it's the first step to the band moving forward again; which is something I've looked forward to for a long, long while.

On a more sobering note, I have been humbled this past week by the passing of two boys that I had been praying for.  One was more of a young man than "boy".  His name was Wes, and his family (in particular one of his sisters) had been very encouraging to my own sister, W, in her struggle with epilepsy.  Wes was also epileptic, but that was the least of his worries.  At only 22, he had brain cancer that had spread to his spine and eventually confined him to a wheelchair.  Even through it all, he always seemed to be smiling and praising Jesus.  I was blessed enough to watch him get up out of his wheelchair and walk during a faith conference at my parents' and sister's church a few weeks ago.  I don't think there was a dry eye in the house as Wes got up from his chair and actually WALKED, without help, the entire length of the front altar.

The second boy to pass was also not truly a "boy", but not because he was perhaps a little too old for the title; alas, he was far too young.  Little James was only 6 months old when he passed away yesterday afternoon from a brain tumor.  I have been weepy off-and-on these past few days just thinking about these beloved children of Jesus and their short times here on this earth.  It all seems so unfair.  I think that is the thing that haunts me the most when it comes to being a Christian.  I just do not comprehend why some people receive their healing, their miracle, while others do not...they go on to be with God.  I wish I could somehow wrap my mind around this, but I just can't.  It literally plagues me some days to think about it.  At the moment, my heart is going out to the families of these two brave, young children of God...I know they were greatly loved and will be greatly missed.

Wow, every time I think of those boys I cry!  :-(  Okay, I promise I won't leave you with a bucket-full of tears today...as I wrap up this post, I will leave you with an adorable photo of our Scottie, Eagan Fitzgerald - the furry love of my life!

Adorable as usual!  Look at that huge, rubber nose - so cute!

I hope you are well and blessed and inspired and creating and happy in your heart wherever you are in the world; for you are greatly loved, my friends!  You are so greatly loved!  (John 3:16)

Mucho Big Hugs,
*mandie*

The Beautifully Broken - Hometown Show Sept. 10th!

I am so excited to announce that my band, The Beautifully Broken, will be playing our hometown of Fairfield, IA on Saturday, September 10th at the fabulous Sondheim Center (the same theater Mr. C and I got married in 3 years ago!).

If you are in the Fairfield area around that time, PLEASE come see our show; because it is going to be a BLAST!  Because of the venue, we're doing a little more of a formal "show" by covering famous trios biggest hits as well as rocking out with several of our own, original tunes. 

Tickets are on sale now here.  To preview our music, go to our website or here: The Beautifully Broken to listen/download the CD (also on iTunes!) beforehand!

*mandie*

Jeffrey Sebelia's "La Miniatura": Rockin' Clothes for Boys

My ALL TIME FAVORITE winner of Project Runway is Jeffrey Sebelia!!!!  Everything he made, I wanted to wear! Picture courtesy of www.buddytv.com.

So, I am literally FREAKING OUT about Jeffrey Sebelia's new line of boy's clothes La Miniatura!  Everything is amazing and adorable and punked-out and very rock-n-roll and...well, I just LOVE it!  If I could, I would dress Mr. C in these clothes - seriously, they are that amazing!  Have a look for yourself:

All photos courtesy of La Miniatura Kids.

Have you ever seen more adorable yet sophisticated clothes for little boys???  I think not.  I love that the line's slogan is "dress your kid with dignity"; I think this line more than accomplishes this feat!  I'm sure Sebelia's own son, Harrison Detroit, had a lot to do with the inspiration behind these fantastic designs.  If we have a son, I am SOOOOO going to be buying that black, velvet suit!  You can count on it!

Click here for stores and here to contact!

Bowing to the Genius that is Jeffrey Sebelia,
*mandie*

Low Carb/High Carb Fruits

Berries like those above tend to have much less sugar/carbs than other fruits like oranges, kiwifruit, and pears.  Photo courtesy of http://www.kdogfitness.com/.

A lot of people have asked me lately about PCOS and insulin resistance, and specifically why I eat the way I do (low carb/sugar).  Having PCOS nearly always means that you will have some form of insulin resistance.  For me, it meant years of dizziness and nausea for no apparent reason.  Doctors essentially told me I was crazy; one even prescribed anxiety/depression meds to help me cope with my "mental health issues" which were "obviously" making me a hypochondriac.  Ummm, no thanks.

When I finally was diagnosed with PCOS, I learned of the significance of the correlation between carbs and what goes on in a PCOS'ers body; and it all began to make sense.  (So, contrary to popular belief, I wasn't crazy!  Hooray!)

Something to remember is that PCOS is a brain problem more than anything else.  For some reason, women with PCOS have a hypothalamus and/or pituitary gland that call for too much of the androgens that are in everyone's bodies like testosterone, estrogen, etc. to be created by the ovaries and other glands.  It is thought that these excess androgens can make the body of a PCOS woman sluggish in the way that it deals with insulin once it is secreted by the pancreas.  As we all know, insulin helps the body break down sugar (specifically glucose).  If the body has a hard time breaking down glucose it can lead to all sorts of issues including obesity and even Diabetes (http://pcos.insulitelabs.com/Root-Cause-of-Insulin-Resistance.php).  You do not have to be obese or have Diabetes to have insulin resistance.

So, what's the best thing to do?  Well, diet and exercise are the easiest and cheapest ways to start combating this inward struggle in the body.  Eating a low carb diet and exercising for 45 minutes to an hour each day has helped me tremendously.  But when it comes to knowing what to eat (or not eat) has been an on-going learning curve for me.  Luckily, there are tons of resources out there for us - you are NOT alone!

I thought I'd take some time over the next few months to highlight good, low-carb foods and recipes every once and a while.  Today, I thought I'd start with raw fruits.  There's a lot of information about raw fruits and fructose (fruit sugar) and how it affects the insulin resistant body.  While all fruit contains sugar, there is much debate on how raw, natural fructose and starches are broken down in the body.  Some say, eat them up!  Because they're raw and natural, it will take the body longer to break these carbs down anyway.  Others say that this fact doesn't matter, sugar is sugar, and it will still affect the body negatively if one is insulin resistant.

I'm no expert in these areas.  I'm not a doctor, nor am I a nutritionist; but I have lived through many experiences and "experiments" with my body and carbs over the past few years.  Personally, I have discovered that fructose makes me feel just as terrible as straight-up cane sugar.  I learned this the hard way after eating an inordinate amount of luscious, ripe cherries a few months ago - not good.

It's hard to imagine something as wholesome and fresh-off-the-vine as fruit could make someone feel terrible; but if you're IR, then you'll understand what I mean.  The following is a list of fruits in accordance to their carb volume (effective {"net"} carbohydrates).  I try to stick to the low and low-to-medium categories on a daily basis (of course, every once in a while I allow myself a "treat"!).

Low Carb Content

lemon (1 tbl. = 1 gr. net carbs)

lime (1 tbl. = 1 gr. net carbs)

rhubarb (1/2 c. diced = 1.5 gr. net carbs)

raspberries (1/2 c. fresh or frozen {as long as there is no added sugar} = 3.5 gr. net carbs)

blackberries (1/2 c. = 3.5 gr. net carbs)

cranberries (1 oz. = 2 gr. net carbs, 1/2 c. = 4 gr. net carbs)

Low-to-Medium Carb Content

strawberries (1/2 c. = 5 gr. net carbs, 1 large strawberry {1 3/8" diameter} = 1 gr. net carbs)

casaba melon (1/2 c. = 5 gr. net carbs, 1 wedge {5 oz. or 1/10th of melon} = 10 gr. net carbs)

papaya (1/2 c. = 6 gr. net carbs, 1 medium-sized papaya {5" long x 3" wide} = 25 gr. net carbs)

watermelon (1/2 c. = 5.5 gr. net carbs, 1 wedge {10 oz. or 1/16th of melon} = 22 gr. net carbs)

peaches (1/2 c. = 6.5 gr. net carbs, 1 medium peach {approx. 2 2/3" diameter} = 12 gr. net carbs)

nectarines (1/2 c. = 6.5 gr. net carbs, 1 medium nectarine {approx. 2 1/2" diameter} = 13 gr. net carbs)

blueberries (1/2 c. = 9 gr. net carbs, 1/2 c. frozen, unsweetened blueberries = 7 gr. net carbs)

cantelope (1/2 c. = 7 gr. net carbs, 1 medium wedge {5 oz. or 1/8th of melon} = 6 gr. net carbs)

honeydew melon (1/2 c. = 7 gr. net carbs), 1 wedge {1/8th of 5-6 in. diameter melon} = 15 gr. net carbs)

apples (1/2 c. = 7 gr. net carbs, 1 medium apple {3" diameter} = 21 gr. net carbs)

guava (1/2 c. = 7 gr. net carbs, 1 medium guava {including seeds and skin, about 2 oz.} = 5 gr. net carbs)

apricot (1/2 c. = 7.5 gr. net carbs, 1 medium apricot (35 grams or a little over 1 oz.} = 3 gr. net carbs)

grapefruit (1/2 medium white grapefruit {3 3/4" diameter} = 9 gr. net carbs, 1 medium red or pink grapefruit {3 3/4" diameter} = 11 gr. net carbs)

High Carb Content

plums (1/2 c. = 8 gr. net carbs, 1 medium plum {2 1/8th in. diameter} = 8 gr. net carbs)

oranges (1/2 c. orange sections = 8.4 gr. net carbs, 1 medium orange {2 2/3" diameter or 4.5 oz.} = 12 gr. net carbs)

kiwi (1 medium kiwi, minus skin {a little less than 3 oz.} = 9 gr. net carbs, 1 large kiwi, minus skin {about 3 1/4 oz.} = 10 gr. net carbs)

pears (1 small pear = 18 gr. net carbs, 1/2 c. pears = 10 gr. net carbs)

pineapple (1/2 c. pineapple chunks {3 oz.} = 10 gr. net carbs, 1 pineapple slice {3/4" thick by 3 1/2" diameter} = 10 gr. net carbs)

Very High Carb Content

tangerines (1/2 c. tangerine slices = 11 gr. net carbs, 1 medium tangerine {2 1/2" diameter} = 12 gr. net carbs)

cherries (1 sweet cherry = 1 gr. net carbs, 3.5 oz. {100 gr.} cherries w/pits {about 3/4 c.} = 14 gr. net carbs)

grapes (1/2 c. grapes {about 12 medium-sized grapes or 2.5 oz.} = 13 gr. net carbs)

pomegranate (1 oz. = 5 gr. net carbs, 1 medium pomegranate {slightly less than 3.5" diameter or 5.5 oz.} = 25 gr. net carbs)

mango (1/2 c. = 13 gr. net carbs, 1 medium mango {approx. 7.5 oz., minus pit} = 35 gr. net carbs)

fig (1 large, fresh fig {2 1/2" diameter, a little over 2 oz.) = 10 gr. net carbs, 1/4 c. chopped figs = 23 gr. net carbs, 1 oz. dried figs = 15 gr. net carbs)

banana (1/2 c. sliced banana = 15 gr. net carbs, 1 medium banana {7-7 1/2" long} = 24 gr. net carbs)

dried fruits (1/2 c. chopped dates = 24 gr. net carbs, 1/2 c. seedless raisins, packed = 31 gr. net carbs, 1/2 c. dried apricots = 36 gr. net carbs, 1/2 c. pitted prunes = 49 gr. net carbs)

The first time I read this list I was over-whelmed by the amount of net carbs that can be found in nutritious, raw (and dried) fruits.  At times, it's a little disappointing; because I'm a huge fruit fan.  However, I've learned that it's not necessarily about totally cutting all of these fruits out of my diet; but about limiting their use and amounts.  So, I can still enjoy watermelon and pineapple, just not as much and in moderation.

I hope this will help you as much as it has helped me!  More information can be found here: http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/whattoeat/a/whatfruit.htm.

Be Well,
*mandie*

Fireworks

I hope you had a FABULOUS 4th of July!  This video was taken by John, one of Mr. C's co-workers in Harrison, AR.  Didn't he do a fabulous job???

Ka-Boom,
*mandie*