Misty Zaugg's Blog - Posts Tagged "idea"
Eat and run - an effective diabetes tip? Health Tip #5
Eat and run - an effective diabetes tip? Health Tip #5: March 4, 2022
Hi friends,
I know many of us are still so worried and concerned for all the people who are struggling amidst so much turmoil in the world. They are all in our prayers and we hope things can quickly reach a peaceful resolution.
It's been a while since I had a health tip, and as I was considering the topic, I thought about my diabetes and how many others are also handling this chronic illness.
Also, our bodies are all different and will often react to various foods, medicines and treatments differently, so consult with a doctor before making any significant changes.
I thought I'd share one of the simpler things that has helped me with my diabetes and hope that it might help one of you, too
Eat and Run!
Unlike the saying that means you have to leave right after finishing your meal, I have found that a literal interpretation of the saying is very effective for diabetes.
As your body digests the carbohydrates in your meal, your blood sugar naturally goes up, and the systems of those with diabetes allow the blood sugar to rise and sometimes stay at dangerously high levels.
But what if you exercise right after you eat? Does it help? What kind of exercise works best? How long do you need to work-out?
Here are general guidelines:
• A Cleveland Clinic study showed exercising about 30 minutes after the start of your meal will help keep post-meal glucose within acceptable levels.
• During aerobic exercise (walking briskly, running, swimming, etc.) your muscles will start using up glucose at as much as fifty times the normal rate.
• This can continue for up to two hours after exercising.
• Insulin sensitivity (a good thing, that means your body is responding to insulin better) can also stay high for up to 24 hours after exercising.
• Anaerobic exercise (ex. lifting weights) may actually increase blood sugar due to using glycogen inside the muscle for fuel and a not as significant decrease in insulin levels. Bottom line: Aerobic will control glucose better in the short term. However, more muscle mass can be beneficial in the long run.
• Early evening is the time to exercise instead of morning. A study with pre-diabetic men showed a better overnight glucose control when exercising in the early evening versus morning.
• Short is still great! Another study had seniors with diabetes take a 15-minute walk after each meal and it significantly helped their glucose control - on par with a longer 45 minute exercise session. Plus, the walk after dinner really helped overnight glucose levels.
So, if you've got diabetes, start small. Maybe just a 10-minute walk after you get up from the dinner table to start and go from there.
Good luck and stay safe out there!
_____________________
Misty's Writing Update:
Yay! I'm actually writing the final battle scene. It is going to last a few chapters at least. I have what happens for the finale in mind, but I'm currently brainstorming a fun twist I can weave in somewhere, something that will also add an interesting side-plot or hook to the series or flesh out a side character.
What about you? Do you like surprise twists?
Personally, I love them, especially if there were clues left earlier that I missed or dismissed as insignificant. The twists I hate, however, are the ones where a main or important side character is killed.
I know. I know. It is more realistic. But I don't read fiction for realism. I read to enjoy escaping from the hard, sometimes tragic sides of realism in my real life. I figure it's called fantasy for a reason! :)
So, it is only with great reluctance (and the urging of my co-writer Steph and now my husband) that I will even consider killing someone. And even then, I negotiate. "Who is the least important character so far who has an actual name that I can sacrifice as a martyr in the coming battle?"
How about you? Would you rather everyone important is still alive at the end of a book (battered, but alive)? Or do you think a small dish of tragedy, as long as it's not the main character, is alright and even adds more depth to the book?
Come on - if you all vote for no death, maybe I can get away with it as I finish this book. Tell me soon, though, because the scene will be written in a day or two.
. . . what do you think I'll do? :)
Enjoy reading this week!
— Misty :)
Misty Zaugg Website
Hi friends,
I know many of us are still so worried and concerned for all the people who are struggling amidst so much turmoil in the world. They are all in our prayers and we hope things can quickly reach a peaceful resolution.
It's been a while since I had a health tip, and as I was considering the topic, I thought about my diabetes and how many others are also handling this chronic illness.
Also, our bodies are all different and will often react to various foods, medicines and treatments differently, so consult with a doctor before making any significant changes.
I thought I'd share one of the simpler things that has helped me with my diabetes and hope that it might help one of you, too
Eat and Run!
Unlike the saying that means you have to leave right after finishing your meal, I have found that a literal interpretation of the saying is very effective for diabetes.
As your body digests the carbohydrates in your meal, your blood sugar naturally goes up, and the systems of those with diabetes allow the blood sugar to rise and sometimes stay at dangerously high levels.
But what if you exercise right after you eat? Does it help? What kind of exercise works best? How long do you need to work-out?
Here are general guidelines:
• A Cleveland Clinic study showed exercising about 30 minutes after the start of your meal will help keep post-meal glucose within acceptable levels.
• During aerobic exercise (walking briskly, running, swimming, etc.) your muscles will start using up glucose at as much as fifty times the normal rate.
• This can continue for up to two hours after exercising.
• Insulin sensitivity (a good thing, that means your body is responding to insulin better) can also stay high for up to 24 hours after exercising.
• Anaerobic exercise (ex. lifting weights) may actually increase blood sugar due to using glycogen inside the muscle for fuel and a not as significant decrease in insulin levels. Bottom line: Aerobic will control glucose better in the short term. However, more muscle mass can be beneficial in the long run.
• Early evening is the time to exercise instead of morning. A study with pre-diabetic men showed a better overnight glucose control when exercising in the early evening versus morning.
• Short is still great! Another study had seniors with diabetes take a 15-minute walk after each meal and it significantly helped their glucose control - on par with a longer 45 minute exercise session. Plus, the walk after dinner really helped overnight glucose levels.
So, if you've got diabetes, start small. Maybe just a 10-minute walk after you get up from the dinner table to start and go from there.
Good luck and stay safe out there!
_____________________
Misty's Writing Update:
Yay! I'm actually writing the final battle scene. It is going to last a few chapters at least. I have what happens for the finale in mind, but I'm currently brainstorming a fun twist I can weave in somewhere, something that will also add an interesting side-plot or hook to the series or flesh out a side character.
What about you? Do you like surprise twists?
Personally, I love them, especially if there were clues left earlier that I missed or dismissed as insignificant. The twists I hate, however, are the ones where a main or important side character is killed.
I know. I know. It is more realistic. But I don't read fiction for realism. I read to enjoy escaping from the hard, sometimes tragic sides of realism in my real life. I figure it's called fantasy for a reason! :)
So, it is only with great reluctance (and the urging of my co-writer Steph and now my husband) that I will even consider killing someone. And even then, I negotiate. "Who is the least important character so far who has an actual name that I can sacrifice as a martyr in the coming battle?"
How about you? Would you rather everyone important is still alive at the end of a book (battered, but alive)? Or do you think a small dish of tragedy, as long as it's not the main character, is alright and even adds more depth to the book?
Come on - if you all vote for no death, maybe I can get away with it as I finish this book. Tell me soon, though, because the scene will be written in a day or two.
. . . what do you think I'll do? :)
Enjoy reading this week!
— Misty :)
Misty Zaugg Website
If you're in the food court of the Orlando airport, you might become a character in my book. Misty's Writing Update.
Hi friends,
I'm typing up this update while sitting in the Orlando airport waiting for my granddaughter and family to arrive, so we can start our vacation together.
Check out the gorgeous sunrise from my flight here:
(I'll be alternating between my tips and writing updates from now on to make my newsletters shorter and more readable. Let me know what you think!)
We have plans to stay at an airbnb located a bit east of Orlando. We don't have a lot of plans, but let me share our tentative list down below and see what you think. We'd love some suggestions!
Our tentative plans for Florida:
First, as we all come from landlocked states (if you don't count the Michigan lakes), all of us are excited to visit the beach!
I'm reminding myself to reapply lots of sunscreen and stay hydrated! There are sand castles and a grandbaby destroying them in my future. :D
Second, we bought 2-day tickets to visit "Harry Potter Land" as my kids call it, or Universal Studios as it is officially called.
As I've gotten older, my tolerance for roller coasters has completely disappeared and now they just leave me feeling nauseated. So, I'm happy to take on grandbaby duty while my son and his wife enjoy being flung all over the place on coasters.
For any of you who know Florida, please share suggestions of other things we should see in the area east of Orlando.
I met the nicest flight attendant on the way here who recommended the following:
• NASA
• Port Canaveral
• Cocoa Beach
And finally, for my writing update: I got here this morning, and my family isn't arriving until early evening, which left me with time to write this email and another fun past time of authors:
People-watching!
Here are a few stories I made up based on people I'm watching right now:
A quiet, Hispanic woman stands in line with furtive glances around her, noticing everyone moving in her immediate area, and I wonder if she's got someone dangerous in her life.
A grandbaby flops his head on his grandmother's shoulder after eating while the adult daughter cleans up the food. This three generation family is obviously close, and I wonder what troubles they've weathered together and how they did it.
A young man with stars in his eyes treats his girlfriend like a princess, making me hope their new love will protect them both through life's challenges.
This is the perfect place to people watch. We humans are truly a diverse group with so many different situations and motivations. It only takes a few minutes to glean inspiration from the people around me.
So, be careful next time you're in an airport food court. A writer like me might just be adding you to their next story. :)
Enjoy reading this week!
— Misty :)
Misty Zaugg Website
I'm typing up this update while sitting in the Orlando airport waiting for my granddaughter and family to arrive, so we can start our vacation together.
Check out the gorgeous sunrise from my flight here:
(I'll be alternating between my tips and writing updates from now on to make my newsletters shorter and more readable. Let me know what you think!)
We have plans to stay at an airbnb located a bit east of Orlando. We don't have a lot of plans, but let me share our tentative list down below and see what you think. We'd love some suggestions!
Our tentative plans for Florida:
First, as we all come from landlocked states (if you don't count the Michigan lakes), all of us are excited to visit the beach!
I'm reminding myself to reapply lots of sunscreen and stay hydrated! There are sand castles and a grandbaby destroying them in my future. :D
Second, we bought 2-day tickets to visit "Harry Potter Land" as my kids call it, or Universal Studios as it is officially called.
As I've gotten older, my tolerance for roller coasters has completely disappeared and now they just leave me feeling nauseated. So, I'm happy to take on grandbaby duty while my son and his wife enjoy being flung all over the place on coasters.
For any of you who know Florida, please share suggestions of other things we should see in the area east of Orlando.
I met the nicest flight attendant on the way here who recommended the following:
• NASA
• Port Canaveral
• Cocoa Beach
And finally, for my writing update: I got here this morning, and my family isn't arriving until early evening, which left me with time to write this email and another fun past time of authors:
People-watching!
Here are a few stories I made up based on people I'm watching right now:
A quiet, Hispanic woman stands in line with furtive glances around her, noticing everyone moving in her immediate area, and I wonder if she's got someone dangerous in her life.
A grandbaby flops his head on his grandmother's shoulder after eating while the adult daughter cleans up the food. This three generation family is obviously close, and I wonder what troubles they've weathered together and how they did it.
A young man with stars in his eyes treats his girlfriend like a princess, making me hope their new love will protect them both through life's challenges.
This is the perfect place to people watch. We humans are truly a diverse group with so many different situations and motivations. It only takes a few minutes to glean inspiration from the people around me.
So, be careful next time you're in an airport food court. A writer like me might just be adding you to their next story. :)
Enjoy reading this week!
— Misty :)
Misty Zaugg Website
After 18 months, my daughter is finally home! Plus grandbaby in Florida :) Misty's Writing Update.
Hi friends,
This week was such an awesome one for our family! Lots of smiles and tears. :)
First, I had an amazing time with my son's family in Florida and got so much precious play and snuggle time with my granddaughter.
The beach was gorgeous (and HOT!). Plus, we visited Universal Studios, Kennedy Space Center, and our church's Orlando temple. Thanks for everyone's suggestions! There wasn't enough time to get to everything, and we definitely have a great list for our next trip.
The other amazing event this week is the return of my adult daughter who has spent the last year and a half on a mission trip for our church!
The other kids spent the days before making signs, and the 7-year-old picked out balloons, a plastic lei and carried a bouquet of flowers to the airport.
When the day came, we rushed to the airport when the app said the flight was arriving fifteen minutes early.
After standing near the security exit for twenty minutes and watching every person who came around the corner, I checked the app again to find that the plane was now listed at it's original arrival time. (Apparently, it had to wait in line to taxi to the gate for a while)
Despite being eager to see her arrive, it was pretty fun to watch the other travelers' responses to our group with our big signs and smiles. We got a lot of encouragement and thumbs ups. One older war veteran in a wheelchair even shouted out his name and asked where his signs were. We gave him a welcome, too. :)
When my daughter finally walked around the corner at the airport, she saw us and started running, towing her carry-on behind her. As soon as she passed the "Do Not Enter" security line, my 7-year-old shrieked and raced to wrap herself around her big sister.
The carry-on got dropped to the side, and I got to hug her for the first time in forever. Her little sister wouldn't budge, so you can see the top of her head and an arm holding the lei squished between us. :)
It is such an amazing thing as a parent to see your children grow up into adults you admire and respect, doing hard things and finding success in the world on their own.
She is an amazing woman and we're all so excited to have her home . . . until she leaves for the fall semester of college. We'll miss her again. (Though I'll get her to do the paperback covers for my virus series before she goes. She's an amazing artist!)
And since this newsletter is supposed to update you on my writing . . . I didn't do any. LOL.
I took the advice of some of you readers and took a break from writing to spend time with family instead. Thanks!
I think the break and fun time with family will help me come back to writing refreshed and energized.
All the best and thanks so much for your support!
— Misty :)
Misty Zaugg Website
This week was such an awesome one for our family! Lots of smiles and tears. :)
First, I had an amazing time with my son's family in Florida and got so much precious play and snuggle time with my granddaughter.
The beach was gorgeous (and HOT!). Plus, we visited Universal Studios, Kennedy Space Center, and our church's Orlando temple. Thanks for everyone's suggestions! There wasn't enough time to get to everything, and we definitely have a great list for our next trip.
The other amazing event this week is the return of my adult daughter who has spent the last year and a half on a mission trip for our church!
The other kids spent the days before making signs, and the 7-year-old picked out balloons, a plastic lei and carried a bouquet of flowers to the airport.
When the day came, we rushed to the airport when the app said the flight was arriving fifteen minutes early.
After standing near the security exit for twenty minutes and watching every person who came around the corner, I checked the app again to find that the plane was now listed at it's original arrival time. (Apparently, it had to wait in line to taxi to the gate for a while)
Despite being eager to see her arrive, it was pretty fun to watch the other travelers' responses to our group with our big signs and smiles. We got a lot of encouragement and thumbs ups. One older war veteran in a wheelchair even shouted out his name and asked where his signs were. We gave him a welcome, too. :)
When my daughter finally walked around the corner at the airport, she saw us and started running, towing her carry-on behind her. As soon as she passed the "Do Not Enter" security line, my 7-year-old shrieked and raced to wrap herself around her big sister.
The carry-on got dropped to the side, and I got to hug her for the first time in forever. Her little sister wouldn't budge, so you can see the top of her head and an arm holding the lei squished between us. :)
It is such an amazing thing as a parent to see your children grow up into adults you admire and respect, doing hard things and finding success in the world on their own.
She is an amazing woman and we're all so excited to have her home . . . until she leaves for the fall semester of college. We'll miss her again. (Though I'll get her to do the paperback covers for my virus series before she goes. She's an amazing artist!)
And since this newsletter is supposed to update you on my writing . . . I didn't do any. LOL.
I took the advice of some of you readers and took a break from writing to spend time with family instead. Thanks!
I think the break and fun time with family will help me come back to writing refreshed and energized.
All the best and thanks so much for your support!
— Misty :)
Misty Zaugg Website
We're somewhere Nebraska today . . . or is it Wyoming? Misty's Author Update.
Hi friends,
I'm writing this ahead of time, because by the time Friday rolls around, I'll be in our minivan watching countryside swishing by out my window. We're driving out west to visit family for a couple of weeks and then leaving our daughter at college when we drive back home.
For those of you who haven't made a cross-country drive across the center of the United States, it really gives you a feel for how vast the countryside is: hundreds of miles of farmland or just empty grazing land. We do love seeing the towering windmills that have been cropping up along our drive over the last few years.
How exactly do I survive two long days of driving with a car full of kids, plus a quick update on my writing. :)
Thank goodness for electronic devices! They revolutionized long distant travel with young children and gave us adults even more stories to bore the kids with that start out with, "Back when I was a kid . . . "
I bet some of you can empathize with my memories of enduring long car rides as a kid in the '70s and '80s.
• The alphabet game - first one who finds the letters from A to Z wins . . . and everyone always got stuck on Q!
• License plate bingo: filling in different states we saw to get bingo.
• Teasing siblings until they got yelled at by parents.
• Asking parents how much longer until we get there.
• Eating tons of snacks.
• Drawing and coloring books
• Reading until you got carsick
And now, the kids can watch movies together, play games on phones, binge watch TV series, and listen to tons of audiobooks. All much more entertaining than my childhood memories.
However, falling asleep in the car hasn't changed much and everyone still wakes up with sore necks and backs from the awkward positions.
We still try to take time to turn devices off and play road games together, run a quick game of tag at rest stops or listen to audiobooks as a family. But with two full thirteen hour days of driving to get out West, binge watching a few movies is a great way to ease the boredom.
A few non-electronic ideas that are still fun:
• A clipboard with blank paper, a new pack of colored pencils (NO crayons. They melt in hot cars) and some of the following print outs:
• Custom coloring pages found with a google search and printed, like mermaids, dinosaurs, disney, or even adult coloring pages.
• Custom mazes
• Sudoku, coloring, crossword and word search books from the dollar store.
• A pack of origami paper with a how-to book of patterns.
• yarn and crochet or knitting needles with a new pattern to try.
• friendship bracelet kits
• magnet toy sets
• A bag of special treats that are given out when you get back in the car after a rest stop.
• A map of the drive so kids can follow along.
Hopefully some of these are helpful to any of you out there who are taking long trips this summer. What about you? Any fun ideas for long car rides?
As for writing, I spent a bit of time going over edits by some of my latest beta readers. Shoutout of thanks to Olivia and Jeremiah!
And we'll see if I can squeeze in a bit of writing time during vacation or not.
The plan is to get going again full speed once September rolls around.
Have a great summer out there! All the best and thanks so much for your support!
— Misty :)
Misty Zaugg Website
I'm writing this ahead of time, because by the time Friday rolls around, I'll be in our minivan watching countryside swishing by out my window. We're driving out west to visit family for a couple of weeks and then leaving our daughter at college when we drive back home.
For those of you who haven't made a cross-country drive across the center of the United States, it really gives you a feel for how vast the countryside is: hundreds of miles of farmland or just empty grazing land. We do love seeing the towering windmills that have been cropping up along our drive over the last few years.
How exactly do I survive two long days of driving with a car full of kids, plus a quick update on my writing. :)
Thank goodness for electronic devices! They revolutionized long distant travel with young children and gave us adults even more stories to bore the kids with that start out with, "Back when I was a kid . . . "
I bet some of you can empathize with my memories of enduring long car rides as a kid in the '70s and '80s.
• The alphabet game - first one who finds the letters from A to Z wins . . . and everyone always got stuck on Q!
• License plate bingo: filling in different states we saw to get bingo.
• Teasing siblings until they got yelled at by parents.
• Asking parents how much longer until we get there.
• Eating tons of snacks.
• Drawing and coloring books
• Reading until you got carsick
And now, the kids can watch movies together, play games on phones, binge watch TV series, and listen to tons of audiobooks. All much more entertaining than my childhood memories.
However, falling asleep in the car hasn't changed much and everyone still wakes up with sore necks and backs from the awkward positions.
We still try to take time to turn devices off and play road games together, run a quick game of tag at rest stops or listen to audiobooks as a family. But with two full thirteen hour days of driving to get out West, binge watching a few movies is a great way to ease the boredom.
A few non-electronic ideas that are still fun:
• A clipboard with blank paper, a new pack of colored pencils (NO crayons. They melt in hot cars) and some of the following print outs:
• Custom coloring pages found with a google search and printed, like mermaids, dinosaurs, disney, or even adult coloring pages.
• Custom mazes
• Sudoku, coloring, crossword and word search books from the dollar store.
• A pack of origami paper with a how-to book of patterns.
• yarn and crochet or knitting needles with a new pattern to try.
• friendship bracelet kits
• magnet toy sets
• A bag of special treats that are given out when you get back in the car after a rest stop.
• A map of the drive so kids can follow along.
Hopefully some of these are helpful to any of you out there who are taking long trips this summer. What about you? Any fun ideas for long car rides?
As for writing, I spent a bit of time going over edits by some of my latest beta readers. Shoutout of thanks to Olivia and Jeremiah!
And we'll see if I can squeeze in a bit of writing time during vacation or not.
The plan is to get going again full speed once September rolls around.
Have a great summer out there! All the best and thanks so much for your support!
— Misty :)
Misty Zaugg Website
Ignore Grandma's advice at your own risk. Be Prepared Tip #14
Ignore Grandma's advice at your own risk. Be Prepared Tip #14
Hi friends,
It was great to hear from those of you who lived in Nebraska! I'll be thinking of you next weekend when we make the drive back.
The family trip is going really well and my daughter who just returned from her 18-month mission trip has really enjoyed reconnecting with all her extended family again - especially . . . her niece! (Otherwise known as my most adorable granddaughter in the world.)
It's really so much fun to have a big family! Though, as those of you who are also a bit introverted will understand, I am finding it difficult to find some quiet alone time to recharge. Thankfully, I can hide and read a little before bed most evenings.
My prepper tip today comes from Grandma Zaugg, my mother-in-law, and the morning she took me to pick produce at her small patch of farm.
As she got out of the car that morning, she reached back inside and began pulling on a long-sleeved shirt. I gave her a questioning look, and she explained that she needed to wear them or her arms would itch terribly after picking veggies.
My first thought as I watched her? That's interesting, but I don't really need long sleeves.
I was wrong. LOL.
I really should have copied her, because by the end of reaching deep into squash, green bean, tomato and berry plants, my arms began to itch. As we finished up, the itching got worse. When I looked down at my inner arms, I saw them flushing red with fine scratches everywhere.
Oops! I washed them off with cool water and then rubbed hydrocortisone cream up and down. It took another half hour before they finally stopped itching.
So my prepper tips for the day?
1. Find friends and family with experience and learn from them.
2. Be humble enough to listen to advice.
What about you? Have you learned valuable skills and/or information from those around you?
I hope your preparations for the future are coming along well.
All the best!
— Misty :)
Misty Zaugg Website
Hi friends,
It was great to hear from those of you who lived in Nebraska! I'll be thinking of you next weekend when we make the drive back.
The family trip is going really well and my daughter who just returned from her 18-month mission trip has really enjoyed reconnecting with all her extended family again - especially . . . her niece! (Otherwise known as my most adorable granddaughter in the world.)
It's really so much fun to have a big family! Though, as those of you who are also a bit introverted will understand, I am finding it difficult to find some quiet alone time to recharge. Thankfully, I can hide and read a little before bed most evenings.
My prepper tip today comes from Grandma Zaugg, my mother-in-law, and the morning she took me to pick produce at her small patch of farm.
As she got out of the car that morning, she reached back inside and began pulling on a long-sleeved shirt. I gave her a questioning look, and she explained that she needed to wear them or her arms would itch terribly after picking veggies.
My first thought as I watched her? That's interesting, but I don't really need long sleeves.
I was wrong. LOL.
I really should have copied her, because by the end of reaching deep into squash, green bean, tomato and berry plants, my arms began to itch. As we finished up, the itching got worse. When I looked down at my inner arms, I saw them flushing red with fine scratches everywhere.
Oops! I washed them off with cool water and then rubbed hydrocortisone cream up and down. It took another half hour before they finally stopped itching.
So my prepper tips for the day?
1. Find friends and family with experience and learn from them.
2. Be humble enough to listen to advice.
What about you? Have you learned valuable skills and/or information from those around you?
I hope your preparations for the future are coming along well.
All the best!
— Misty :)
Misty Zaugg Website
The Good and Bad of Family Vacations - Misty's Writing Update.
Hi friends,
We are loving our whirlwind two-week trip visiting both sides of our huge families. Between my husband and I, we have fourteen siblings, most of whom are married and have kids. So you can imagine how crazy it is to try to see all of them in a couple of weeks.
We have amazing extended family who've fed all six of us and let us invade their homes and visit. By the time we finish our trip, we'll have stayed in four different homes, one campsite and a Wyoming cabin.
Check out the good and the bad of our trip so far. Maybe you've had similar experiences on your family vacations.
The Bad
• A retread tire flew off a semi-truck in front of us and hit our car. Thankfully, it only knocked off a small piece of chrome and left a little dent in the hood.
• A 7-year-old nephew landed on my pinky toe and broke it. No biggie though, because it healed quickly.
• My 14-year-old teenage son got into the car with shoes on, and somehow, by the time we got to our next destination, they were gone, nowhere to be found. This is the third time over the years we've had to buy new shoes for him on vacation. LOL.
• Lack of sleep and lots of miles on the car.
The Good
• Seeing the gummy, no-teeth smile of my granddaughter and watching her take her first steps.
• I loved watching my 20-year-old daughter reconnect with family after her 18-month mission trip.
• We picked blackberries with an aunt and spent a day bottling 40 jars of yummy jam.
Homemade blackberry jam is the best!
• We joined Grandma with close to thirty grandkids to visit Thanksgiving Point with beautiful gardens and museums.
• We sat snipping and snapping freshly picked green beans with Grandma.
• We all visited Grandpa in the care home, working toward finding peace with his declining condition.
• We spent a couple hours enjoying an ice skating rink where my daughter broke in her new ice skates and helped her little sister learn to skate.
• We're looking forward to relaxing in the outdoors this weekend in Wyoming before we start the long two days of driving home.
I hope you're having a great month and I love hearing how life is going for you!
My next author update will finally include new progress on my writing.
All the best!
— Misty :)
Misty Zaugg Website
We are loving our whirlwind two-week trip visiting both sides of our huge families. Between my husband and I, we have fourteen siblings, most of whom are married and have kids. So you can imagine how crazy it is to try to see all of them in a couple of weeks.
We have amazing extended family who've fed all six of us and let us invade their homes and visit. By the time we finish our trip, we'll have stayed in four different homes, one campsite and a Wyoming cabin.
Check out the good and the bad of our trip so far. Maybe you've had similar experiences on your family vacations.
The Bad
• A retread tire flew off a semi-truck in front of us and hit our car. Thankfully, it only knocked off a small piece of chrome and left a little dent in the hood.
• A 7-year-old nephew landed on my pinky toe and broke it. No biggie though, because it healed quickly.
• My 14-year-old teenage son got into the car with shoes on, and somehow, by the time we got to our next destination, they were gone, nowhere to be found. This is the third time over the years we've had to buy new shoes for him on vacation. LOL.
• Lack of sleep and lots of miles on the car.
The Good
• Seeing the gummy, no-teeth smile of my granddaughter and watching her take her first steps.
• I loved watching my 20-year-old daughter reconnect with family after her 18-month mission trip.
• We picked blackberries with an aunt and spent a day bottling 40 jars of yummy jam.
Homemade blackberry jam is the best!
• We joined Grandma with close to thirty grandkids to visit Thanksgiving Point with beautiful gardens and museums.
• We sat snipping and snapping freshly picked green beans with Grandma.
• We all visited Grandpa in the care home, working toward finding peace with his declining condition.
• We spent a couple hours enjoying an ice skating rink where my daughter broke in her new ice skates and helped her little sister learn to skate.
• We're looking forward to relaxing in the outdoors this weekend in Wyoming before we start the long two days of driving home.
I hope you're having a great month and I love hearing how life is going for you!
My next author update will finally include new progress on my writing.
All the best!
— Misty :)
Misty Zaugg Website
Misty Zaugg's Blog
Stop by for weekly articles about survival, herbs, self-defense and updates on Misty's latest books.
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