Candy and Winners

This weekend there is going to be a lot of candy everywhere you look.   You may have even bought the mega family value pack with a million and one little pieces of candy.  I will be honest,  I was not fat because of candy.  Candy is not my weakness.  If I am going to get weak over a candy it will be an Almond Joy.  So, guess what, I don’t buy any package with Almond Joys in it.  It is the easiest way for me to be successful. 

Candace is going to go trick or treating and she will bring home her candy and pour it out on the table.  This has been our ritual for years:  Pour the candy out.  She puts her very favorites in a ziploc bag, then Kayla and Keith their favorites and then I pick 2-6 pieces that I like.  We all have a baggie of our favorites.  I have always allowed my kids to have candy in moderation so they are not shoveling it in.  We just have one rule:  two pieces a day. 

We donate all the other candy to the school. 

Don’t put undo temptation in your way.  Get rid of your favorites! Make a promise to yourself that you will not eat a piece until you know how many calories is in each serving.  You can go to any candy website and it will give you the nutritional information.  If you decided to eat it, know what you are eating and how much it is going to cost from your calorie bank.   Save yourself from failure and a sense of no control by being on the offensive this Halloween!

I left my list of winners at home so as soon as I get home I will post the winners!  I will tell you a secret–EVERYONE IS A WINNER THIS TIME!!!  The four numbers that Candace picked win their choice and everyone else will get another magnet!!

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Best birthday gift

Candy wanted to make a fondant cake & we did it together with Kayla

 

Today my daughter, Candace, aka Candy, turns 11 today. I was thinking about what to give her for her birthday and of course I got introspective, if you have not noticed I do that a lot, and started thinking what would be the best gift I could ever give her.

Let her be Candy. 

When naming Candace, my best bud, Robin, promised me that if we called her Candace everyone else would call her Candace.   It worked until she turned 10 and SHE decided she wanted to be called Candy!  There is nothing wrong with the name Candy, taking a deep breath, trying not to conjure up …..  Anyway, at that time, I realized how important it was that I let her be Candy and whatever that means to her.    If you know Candacey, you know how much the name suits her.  She is absolutely hilarious and so much FUN!

Candy dancing a few years back

I never discovered who I was until I was in my 40’s.  I want her to have confidence in who she is today.  I want her to explore all parts of her.  My job is to give her wings so she can soar with confidence into this big world.

Be Ruthie. 

When I walk with confidence I am role modeling for Candace what a confident woman looks like.  Becoming mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually strong gives her a picture of what a healthy woman looks like as she grows. 

A couple years ago she drew a picture of me.  I was a stick figure holding weights.  I was so proud at that moment because when she thought of me I was doing something healthy and positive.

Help her find her strengths.

Candy is an amazing artist and loves to cook.  School is not her favorite thing and motivation for school work is challenging.  When we started tapping into the things that she loved she blossomed.  All of a sudden her confidence soared.  She did better in school and started to enjoy life more.  We signed her up for art classes this last year.  She loved it.  She tends to be shy out in public but make it about art and she is excited and ready to give new things a try.;

Candy being her funny self

Candy painting pottery

Candy and her pup, Lucy

We like to cook together.  She is quite good at tasting things and deciding if things need a little something more.  In two weeks she is taking a five day, five hour a day, cooking class for kids.  She is so excited and so am I. 

Imagine if we can help her discover what makes her tick at a young age. It makes my heart so happy to think we could help her discover what makes unique.

Teach her to listen to her spirit.

Sometimes I want Candace, sorry, Candy, to try new things that she does not want to try.  I have learned to really listen to what she is not saying.  Sometimes it is fear or insecurities on her part and sometimes she does not really want to do it and I have to back off and listen.  We talk through things and then I let her decide.  It makes her feel powerful.  Feeling powerless is a horrible feeling.  I want to her to feel fear and then be fearless and the only way to do that is to identify the fear and then plunge forward.  My job is to cheer her on, give her a little push, maybe hold her hand and maybe let go.

Make eating healthy normal and a way of life. 

I want Candace to think it is normal to eat healthy.  She LOVES SMOOTHIES!  She can make them herself.  Healthy snacks have become her favorite snacks.  When I make healthy food fun and tasty she does not want the junk.

 I could go on and on but as a healthy role model I must get up and go to the gym to face a fun hour of cardio.  (yes, I mean fun, I have a cardio partner who makes the hour fly)

Candy in her new apron

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