My Home, Health, and Happiness!

This last month has been a crazy one. Full of the unexpected for sure. But thats what makes life an adventure and makes for great stories. :)

 So first off : HOME

So I take you to less than a month ago. May 1st to be exact. I was in preparation for starting my GAPS diet which I have been very much needing to start. The base of the diet is bone broth soup (i'll get to the diet part later) You are supposed to simmer the bones for atleast 24 hours. So I, following the recipe.... did as it said and put the bones in the pot and onto the stove to simmer for the night with plenty of water.......

5 A.M May 2nd: I half wake up to notice a  strong smoky burnt smell and quickly snap out of my sleeping stupor. I remember what is on the stove and go running downstairs. Not only to find a house full of smoke...but I find the source. A completely blackened pot on the stove. I run to open the windows to help with the stench. To make things worse that was the day it unbelievably turned 32 degrees outside!
 It was freezing cold and we HAD to leave the house. We ended up living out of a small bag and staying with a few friends and family for a week. The house reeked! (they say chicken is the worst to burn) And I was pretty upset about it and no desire to deal with anything that had to be done. Daniel, (my of course super amaizing husband) did a lot to try to get rid of the smell. But we faced the facts and relized the house had to be completly wiped down on the inside. Daniel also left for California to be gone for a week during this time.
I am so thankful for my small group. Intead of having bible study one night, 16 people came over and cleaned and wiped my entire house!

Now it was my turn to put everything back together. In the process of cleaning entire inside of the house. I had a chance to get rid of a lot of stuff that had been collecting in cabinets and drawers over the years. It was such a good opprotuntiy for me to do this (I wouldn't have taken the chance on my own before) and I feel a huge weight off my shoulders knowing the clutter is GONE!
During this time I relized that I had the house to myself for a week (while Daniel was gone) and had the idea to do as much as I could and suprise him when he got back. Thats when the fun started....
whenever he called I told him I was taking a nap on the couch or not feeling well. But really things were starting to transform in the house. I practicality rearranged the whole house. And really had to think out of the box to get ideas for moving stuff around that had been sitting in the same place for years!

I started with the kitchen. Lots of stuff to clean out of all my cupboards..
                                                       BEFORE:

 I ended up repainting as well. Thought I could use a nice new coat and brightened the yellow! I got new fun curtains ( the curtains are actually from a shower curtain I bought at target)
                                                              AFTER:

I painted the cove using the $3 sample paint from Home Depot. I absolutely LOVE the color!

 The sunroom/guest bedroom. Was in need of cleaning out and simplifying. I just needed it as a open guest bedroom. And thats what i did!

                                                                            BEFORE

AFTER:

               

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Next was the dining room. It is def not finished since we ended up pulling out the drop ceiling (that contained a lot of the smoke smell. I did rearrange and moved my mirror buffet table and the large mirror in their. Bought a $5 shower curtain at target and used those as curtains in the dining room.

 BEFORE:

AFTER

(we still have some construction to do in the dining room. As you can see the celing needs done and there is a table saw sitting in the middle of the room. Soon...soon...

Onto the library. I loved the dark green color. But knew it was just too dark for the room. I had trouble getting the right lighting in there. So I decided to re arrange and open up the room a bit. By taking out some furniture and lightning up the color.

BEFORE:

I primed and started the paint!

AFTER

 

 I rearrange all my books on the bookshelf and got rid of a ton. Love the new organization

The new rug I found at a garage sale for $30. Some one bought it brand new 6 months earlier for over $200. :)

The living room. I didn't have the time to repaint. And I just love the light blue airy color. So all it needed was some rearranging.  I also bought Daniel and sectional couch off of craiglist (something he has always wanted) he was suprised.

BEFORE

                               AFTER:

 

Hmmm well I guess that is all thats left for the redo. I did get our upstairs bedrooms put back together. The wood floors are done! But I am waiting for one key peice, my project of making a magnificent tufted headboard for our bed....soon to come...

Now onto my HEALTH

As some of you are fully aware and probably have heard way over kill on my health diet. I started the GAPS diet. I have spent the last year up and down with my health. Never fully healed and on a lot of medication. In Feburary I had the start to my first flare up since being out the hospital. It is scary not knowing what your body is doing to itself. So I wanted to take matters into my own hands...because I ultimately and in charge of what happens to my body. And I didn't want it to go down hill. Thats when I started hearing about the GAPS diet.  If you haven't heard of it or would like to know more about it..... I suggest doing a search. Its an incredible diet. And has healed so many people of their auto-immune diseases (thats what I have). So I am really excited to get my body fully healed and back to normal.

 The only problem is its super super strict in the begginng. I am only eating bone broth soup and cooked veggies. ALL...THE...TIME....

I will soon move into stage 2 (there are 6 stages) where I will add more variety of food. I am super excted about that. I could really eat anything right now! A fresh salad sounds amazing, sunflower seeds...anything! :)

But I know I am so going to get through this! Going to feel better than ever, and the bonus? I am loosing the few extra pounds that I have been wanting to get off. Plus my amazing cousin John was an awesome support and set up an incentive sheet for me. On it he taped a $100 bill. At the end of the month if I haven't splurged. I get to keep it and spend it! Oh yeah! That def has helped me!

The kids have been super great with getting on board. They did the super strict part with me for 4 days and then I moved them into the full gaps diet. They have been having salads with every meal, asking for salads for their snack and just eating super healthy. I am proud of them.

I am in the middle of a lot of detoxing. So I have felt pretty achy (which is normal for detoxing) and sore throat, fatigued.

Rest is very helpful. Because I got a big day today! I am celebrating my brother-in-laws graduation from Law school and then I am off to photograph a wedding on my own. This bride happens to also live in Moore Oklahoma and is having her wedding in KC. Things have been crazy for her this past few weeks with the tornado destroying her hometown. She has had such a positive attitude. I am very excited to be a part of her big day!

So lots of prayers would be appreciated for the continuation and motivation to stick with and get through this diet. I know the benefits will be beyond amazing!

Onto: Happiness

There is only one thing that truly keeps me happy. Its sometimes a struggle to stay positive through tough circumstances. But Christ is always my comfort. He understands what we go through and He comforts us in our need. He has been my source of joy, and so patient with me when I don't feel that joy sometimes. God is good, and I try to thank him everyday for the blessings and the trials. He is working to make me stronger.

Blessings,

  Hannah Winter