nevertoooldtotry Archives - Page 4 of 9 - Inspired & Strong | Making the Best of Every Day with Stacy

Eating in the Airport

March 12, 2024 No Comments

As you know My Rock and I travel A LOT. And many people wonder how we stay in shape while we are almost always on the go. We can’t always work out so we need to make a conscious effort to eat healthy while we are running around.

Depending on how you travel there are many options. If you drive, you can pack a cooler and stop at different restaurants along the way. We love looking up local restaurants and sitting down for a nice meal when we drive. If you fly, which airport you are flying into and how much time you have can make a difference in what you choose to eat. Many people go for the fast food chains they know and love in the airport. I believe this is for several reasons. One, they think it’s cheaper than any other option. Two, they know what is available and how it will taste. Three, many people are afraid of trying different foods.

If you have a little bit of time, look for different restaurants. There are some very cool and different restaurants in the airport terminal. There are several options from Asian, Belgian, English, Irish, and American. If you are adventurous, try something new! Many times the lines here are shorter as you see here at Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh (in the Denver airport, which was packed).

Fast food restaurants in airports can often be tempting, but it’s important to make better nutritional choices to maintain a healthy diet. Jersey Mike’s has healthier options than fried foods. Chipotle is a healthier option. Some of them even have cauliflower rice. Most airports have some type of Asian restaurant where you can get a poke bowl or sushi. Most airports have a Tropical Smoothie where you can get a smoothie and add protein to it. They even have some good sandwiches you can try. You can even make good choices at Starbucks by getting a black coffee or putting honey or almond milk in it for a sweetener. The egg bites are the best choice there or an egg sandwich with no bread. Again, eating is all about making choices. As you can see the line at Chick-fil-A is super long!

Here are some tips for making healthier choices at restaurants in airports (or on the Road) in the United States:

Look for healthier options: Many fast food restaurants now offer healthier menu items. Look for options that are lower in calories, saturated fat, and sodium. Choose grilled or baked options instead of fried, and opt for salads or vegetable-based dishes instead of fries or onion rings.
Avoid sugary drinks: Instead of reaching for a soda or sugary beverage, choose water, unsweetened tea, or a low-calorie drink option. Sugary drinks can add unnecessary calories and contribute to weight gain.
Control portion sizes: Fast food restaurants often serve large portions, which can lead to overeating. Try to choose smaller portion sizes or share a meal with a travel companion to avoid consuming excess calories. Or eat half and save the other half for later. You can take it on the plane or put it in your cooler.
Add more vegetables: If possible, ask for extra vegetables or a side salad with your meal. Adding more vegetables to your meal can increase the nutritional value and help you feel more satisfied.
Limit condiments and dressings: Condiments and dressings can be high in calories, fat, and sodium. Opt for lighter options such as mustard, salsa, or vinegar-based dressings, and use them sparingly. If possible stick with olive oil based dressings.
Plan: If you know you’ll be traveling through an airport with limited healthy options, consider packing your own snacks or meals. This way, you can ensure you have nutritious options available. It’s easy to pack protein powder and a water bottle. Apples, nuts, and protein bars are easy snacks to take along.

If you don’t travel often you may not know what you can bring a water bottle through security. You can empty it before going through TSA. After you are through you can fill it back up at the water fountain. Most airports have water bottle refilling stations now. Something else you can do is bring food and snacks. Most food is security friendly. Just be careful with hummus, yogurt, or liquidy-type foods if over the three-ounce limit.

Again, traveling can be tricky but making a conscious effort can help you keep your calories down. Here is a list of some of our favorite snacks when we travel:

Quest or Barbella protein bars
Homemade chicken or turkey apple sausage
Hard-boiled eggs
Rotisserie chicken
Salt and vinegar pistachios or mixed nuts
Carrots and cucumbers
Protein powder you can add to water
Apples

Remember, making healthier choices at any restaurant is all about balance. It’s okay to indulge occasionally but try to make the majority of your choices focused on nutritious options.

Photo by Ivan Shimko on Unsplash

In Pilot's Wife

New Venture

February 29, 2024 No Comments

As many of you probably know, after I quit my job as a Coordinator of Special Education in Virginia, I moved to Thailand to teach English as a second language. Since coming back to the United States in 2015, I have had many new ventures. Life Changes have thrown me many curves so I have not had a true full-time job since 2015.

When I returned to my hometown in 2016, I worked in my friend’s ice cream and hot dog shop. The hours were 11-3, and they were perfect. I could have breakfast with Sweet Gram and then go to work. Then I’d pick her up, and we’d head to a softball game as I also started coaching for my High School Alma mater.

At the end of that summer, I worked in a chiropractor‘s office. It was a fun job, and I got to see many different people I knew. Then Gram broke her hip. I had to be more available so I quit the office job and worked on getting my real estate license. I felt being a realtor would provide me with a good income and the flexibility needed to take care of Gram. I sold a million dollars of property that first year and enjoyed being a real estate agent. The paperwork was very similar to writing an IEP for my students in special education. I worked for ERA Real Estate in Pennsylvania for two years.

When Gram and I moved to Florida in 2018, I wasn’t sure what I could do since we would be traveling back and forth and living in two different states. My Rock introduced me to some of the neighbors and one of them owned a travel business. I teamed up with them and became a Travel Advisor (which I still do so let me know if you need me to plan you a trip!). Then I worked remotely for my former school system off and on for three years from 2021-2023.

It was not feasible for me to have a “normal” job due to my Prince’s schedule, therefore I just kept trying new ventures to keep my mind busy while I was taking care of Gram. I was home more and my ventures kept me from being bored when my Valentine was gone and Gram was asleep by the pool.

Now I barely have time to be bored let alone have a “job!” But what can I say? I am a Yes WoMan so I said yes to starting another new venture.

Ever since I was a little girl I was intrigued with my grandmother’s makeup bag. She always used Clinique, and they usually had some type of free samples and a cute bag that she would bring home. I loved playing with her lipstick and eye cream.

Throughout the years I have tried several different skincare routines. Recently I started using NuSkin. A former colleague of mine is always posting about the great results. And I like the way it works and feels. I have not tried all of the products but I have a few favorites.

Well, she convinced me to become a brand affiliate so now I can sell the products. I am not sure I am a good salesperson but I figured I’d try. Check out my NuSkin website and let me know if you’re interested or have any questions!

As we get older our skin loses collagen and we develop those wonderful laugh lines. NuSkin has several products that can help reduce those fine lines and wrinkles. I like the Tru Face Line Corrector and the Uplifting Cream. They also have a firming cream to use on your whole body that tightens and firms. For all my friends up north as well as those who don’t want to spend too much time in the sun, they have a great self-tanning lotion. A new product that is coming out is the RenuSpa. It is a little device that tightens and firms your arms, and tummy, and even helps get rid of cellulite! The results people are posting are amazing! Just look at this!

So here we go again! Another venture! Maybe this one will stick and I can do it from wherever our adventures take us! Also, check out my new Facebook Page and hit the Like button!

In Pilot's Wife

Fourth Valentine’s Day

February 14, 2024 No Comments

Happy Valentine’s Day to my Love and all my friends and family!

On New Year’s Eve, My Love and I celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary. As tradition goes, we held an NYE celebration after a romantic lunch at Cooper’s Hawk Winery. This year was small as a few people were sick but we ended up having a blast just the same. We learned more about our friends at the table by playing a card game of getting-to-know-you questions. We rang in the new year with champagne and then the singing began! There were only four of us left by then but it was so much fun! After our guests left, my Valentine and I decided to stay up talking until 4 am! What is wrong with us? Sometimes I think we need adult supervision and a bedtime.

It’s hard to believe that this will be our fourth Valentine’s Day as a married couple. We had the best of both worlds by getting married at 8:30 am and having a brunch reception. Some people stayed to hang out at the pool but others left and came back for a New Year’s Eve party/reception. It was so much fun! Of course, looking back there are some things I wish we would have done differently but life is meant to be lived with no regrets, and I don’t want to take away from our perfect day.

If you are married or have been married, you know that marriage is hard. It’s not a fairy tale, it’s not a romance novel and it’s not like it is in the movies. It takes communication, effort, forgiveness, and compromise. Marriage is not perfect. Marriage is complicated.

Somehow, I got lucky. The timing was right when my Prince and I met. Had it been earlier or later when our paths crossed, maybe it wouldn’t have worked out. But for some reason, Sweet Gram broke her hip and led us to Fort Myers that February seven years ago. The stars aligned and for some reason, Fate thought the two of us would make a perfect pair!

Through the ups and downs, we have learned the importance of communication, compromise, and unwavering support for one another. Our journey has taught us that true love is not just about the grand gestures, but also about the small acts of kindness, the sweet moments shared, and the simplicity of being in each other’s presence.

I think that I always wanted the male version of me to be my partner in crime. Is he exactly me? Well, no but we are close. Sometimes that is good and sometimes not so good. He is way more forgiving than I am and like most men (I believe) he says what’s on his mind, we talk about it, and he forgets about it. I, on the other hand, and most women (I believe) tend to hold onto their frustration, wait for ourselves to explode, and then talk about it again and again. Why are we so complicated??

We are fortunate because we don’t have small children. We don’t argue over bedtime or consequences or how much television to let them watch. We both have been very responsible with money so our bills are paid and we have savings for vacation and travel. We don’t have addictions, although we may have a “too much traveling problem”, which is to say we have too many friends and too many social events which leads to too much fun and too many adult beverages. But every marriage has its difficulties. We just have different stressors than those of young adult marriages.

Maybe because we both have been married before we realize life isn’t about keeping score. It’s not about how many times I have done the dishes or cooked the meal. It’s about being a team. Food needs cooked, dishes need to be washed, and counters need to be wiped. Let’s help each other out and get it done. Then we can relax together and do something else we might enjoy. It’s about realizing someone has thrown in the laundry and then the other person putting it in the dryer and folding it. It’s about saying thank you when one partner makes coffee for you in the morning or holds a door open for you. It’s about appreciating what you have. Because we need to remember tomorrow is not guaranteed. Say “I love you”, say “thank you”, and tell your partner they mean the world to you. And say it often.

To celebrate our Fourth Anniversary, we talked about the Highs and Lows of our four years of marriage. My red-headed sister from another mister (aka, my brother-in-law’s significant other) plays this game with the kids at the dinner table. It’s a great way to have my nieces and nephews think and talk about the events of their day. What went well? What was negative? Then discuss it as a family. We decided to review our highs and lows for our four years of marriage. We also looked at our Year in Review and decided what we liked and didn’t like about the past year.

Today is Valentine’s Day. So to my incredible partner, thank you for being my rock, my confidant, and my best friend. Your love has brought so much happiness and fulfillment into my life, and I am forever grateful to have you by my side. Here’s to many more years of love, laughter, adventures, and cherished moments together!

On this February Day of love, I want to express my gratitude and love to all our friends and family who have stood by our side. Your presence in our lives has been a constant source of strength and inspiration, and we are thankful for the love and support you have shown us throughout these four (seven) amazing years. And to those who have drifted out of our lives whether by chance or by choice, I hope you have found peace and happiness in your lives. We miss you and want you to know there is always space in our hearts for more. Happy Valentine’s Day!

In Weekly Wednesday Words

Change

January 24, 2024 No Comments

Change. It’s inevitable. Things happen. Circumstances change. We change. Our friends change. Our lives change. Yes, it can be scary, but this year let’s work to embrace change and let’s control our reactions to our changing circumstances.

“Change can be scary, but you know what’s scarier? Allowing fear to stop you from growing, evolving, and progressing.”

—Mandy Hale

Photo by Suzanne D. Williams on Unsplash

In Weekly Wednesday Words

Never Too Late

January 17, 2024 No Comments

I hope we all realize whatever life we are living that we can make changes. If you are proud of it and what you have accomplished then continue living your best life. I hope you live with kindness and compassion. I hope you feel happy. If things are difficult and you are not leading the life you wanted then I hope you find the strength and inspiration to start again and become who you want to be. It’s never too late.

“It’s never too late to become who you want to be. I hope you live a life that you’re proud of, and if you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start over.”

—F. Scott Fitzgerald

Photo by Andy Beales on Unsplash

In Weekly Wednesday Words

New Direction

January 10, 2024 No Comments

It is hard to take the leap of faith and make changes in your life, whether it be in your marriage, your career, your location, or your day-to-day activities. We get so caught up in routine that we don’t think we can change anything. Or we feel we HAVE to do things a certain way. Although it’s hard and it’s scary, you need to search deep within yourself. What do you want and how can you get there? What conversations do you need to have? What actions do you need to take? You have the power to change the direction of your life.

“Never underestimate the power you have to take your life in a new direction.”

―Germany Kent

Photo by Javier Allegue Barros on Unsplash

In Weekly Wednesday Words

Seeing is Believing

December 27, 2023 No Comments

The saying goes that seeing is believing but that isn’t always the case. As we head into the new year, let’s take the spirit of the holiday season with us and embrace those things we can’t see such as love, kindness, and compassion. Make this new year one of the best!

Seeing is believing, but sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can’t see.

~ The Polar Express

Photo by Alicia Slough on Unsplash

In Family

Letter from Above Again

December 19, 2023 No Comments

A friend told me I should publish this letter every year so I thought I would share it again for those who missed it the first time or for those who may need to read it again at this time of year. Even though many of us have family or friends who are no longer in our lives for a variety of reasons, I hope we can rejoice and celebrate those who are. Celebrate each other and your relationships whether it’s someone you talk to once a day, once a month or once a year. If they bring joy and light to your world, tell them how much you appreciate them. For those who shed a shadow of darkness on your light, let them go. Live this life that’s meant to be lived this holiday season and the upcoming new year.

Prior Post

The Holidays. We all seem to love them. We have many expectations for them. Some of us have a lot of anxiety for them. Some of us have lost loved ones through the years, and we seem to miss them the most during the holidays. Let us try to rejoice and be happy this holiday season. Let’s honor our lost loved ones by keeping their spirit alive with love and laughter. To try to deal with loss and anxiety I decided to write a letter from above. Imagine this letter being sent to you by your lost loved one.

Dear loved one on Earth,

I know this is a difficult time for you. You want me to be there in person and not just in spirit. You want to hear me laugh and give me a big squeeze. I, too, want that more than anything. But I also want you to understand how much I want you to be happy even though I am gone.

I feel like you are holding yourself back. Maybe you are afraid that you will disappoint me if you are too happy without me down there. Maybe you feel I will be disappointed if you have too much fun. Maybe you are scared that my memory will fade if you enjoy yourself and other people around you. Please know that is the furthest thing from the truth.

The way you can honor me the most is by living your best life!! As you know time on Earth is limited and you never know when your time will be up. I am at peace. I am happy. I am having the best time reuniting with all of our lost loved ones. I am no longer in pain. I am free. I am young. I am waiting for you. You, too, will see when your time comes how wonderful it is here in Heaven.

Please know I have not forgotten about you, and I still hold you tight whenever I get the chance. I am by your side every day. I hold your hand when you are lonely, and I pick you up when you have fallen. I send you signs from Heaven. But I see your struggles, and I know it is my fault you are so sad, and I don’t want you to be sad. I want you to live! I need you to search your soul and find yourself. Who are you now? Who can you become? How can you honor me and my spirit?

Even though it may be hard, please know that I am ok. And now I want you to be ok. I want you to find a companion or partner to make you happy. I want you to find friends where you can laugh and giggle until all hours of the night. I want you to take chances and travel. Go on a wild adventure. And when you think of me, think of me and smile. Don’t feel guilty. Life is meant to be lived and you need to start living again.

So for the upcoming holidays, give yourself grace. You are not alone. I am by your side and I love you. Talk about me, smile about the amazing memories we shared, and start this new year by living your best life… without me.

Love,

Your Loved One in Heaven

Photo by Debby Hudson on Unsplash

In Family

The End Equals New Beginnings

December 5, 2023 No Comments

As 2023 comes to its final month, let us remember that endings equal new beginnings. We have another chance to welcome this new year with open arms. The end of the year is usually filled with hustle and bustle. We are all too busy to just relax and take in the holiday season. We are celebrating with office and holiday parties. We are shopping for the next best gift. We are winding down the school year and our kids are getting excited to go on break.

Although I would like to say to pause to sit down and watch a few Christmas movies on Hallmark or Netflix, I know it’s hard. My Heart and I have three days where we will be at our home in Florida where we could sit down and watch a movie or two. I realize that our movie time will probably end because we have tasks to do and the movies will be pushed off. But I am going to commit to taking two hours this holiday season and watching a movie! I hope that you will join me.

The holidays can be difficult for some. Many people have expectations and when those expectations are not met they become disappointed. They become upset that the day or the event didn’t go as they had planned in their mind. Therefore, they get in a mood and nothing can snap them out of it. Let’s try not to have expectations. Let’s try to just be present in the moment. If the fruitcake burns then let it burn. It is not the end of the world. Laugh about it and throw it away. Get some chocolate out of the cabinet and enjoy your dessert. Let the little things go.

Let’s commit to enjoying each other and not trying to outdo each other by buying things. I believe we probably all have enough “stuff”. Maybe volunteer your time to shop for those who don’t have enough. Donate one of your gifts to Toys for Tots. Let’s spread good cheer this holiday season.

The holidays can also be hard for some who have experienced loss. Remember, there are many things out of our control. All we can control is our reactions to them. Even though we miss our lost loved ones, let’s remember that they would want us to live and enjoy the family and friends we have left. Let’s enjoy those people who want to share in the holidays and memory-making with us. Let the others go. This is not the end. It is the beginning.

My wish for you this holiday season is to slow down, be in the moment, and laugh when the little things go wrong. Enjoy this time with your family and friends. Make special memories and take lots of pictures!

Happy Holidays!

Photo by Karsten Winegeart on Unsplash

In Pilot's Wife

My Heart

November 21, 2023 No Comments

The saying goes “opposites attract” but my Heart and I are anything but the opposite! Sometimes I think we are so much the same that we don’t know how to balance each other out. Therefore, we just go, go, go!

“Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.”

— John Lubbock

The problem is we don’t know how to rest. We just go from one event to another. We always have something to do or someone to see. We always talk about how we should stay in one place for a longer period of time but then somehow it never happens. We both seem to be Yes People so it’s hard for us to say no.

The past month has been a perfect example of how we are nonstop. As you know we had such a great time in Park City that we purchased a townhouse that we are now renting on Airbnb. After several weeks of discussion, we decided to drive our Jeep out to our new home. We thought it would be the perfect vehicle as it’s four-wheel drive for the winter, and we can take the roof off in the summer. Our new house has a huge garage so even when renters come they will have room to park.

After a very long drive, my Heart and I worked very hard to get the house painted and cleaned. We had help from some amazing friends who let us borrow ladders and picked up a paintbrush to help us out. We did the walls by ourselves and then had someone come in and do the ceilings. After a week of painting, I have decided it’s probably more beneficial to pay someone to do the whole thing! We had no furniture as it was still on order. We did buy a TV so that we could watch sports as we worked. We slept on an air mattress with a borrowed blanket and some old sheets. But we fell in love with our new house even more.

The new house is in the perfect location. We are minutes from the Jordanelle Express Gondola at the world-renowned Deer Valley Ski Resort and minutes from the Jordanelle Reservoir Marina where you can boat, fish, ski, or paddleboard. Many people don’t think of Park City as a summer retreat but the summer is actually why we fell in love with it. The weather is amazing. The sun is always out. The hiking is unbelievable and the trails are never-ending. It’s also an amazing place to ride your motorcycle if you have one.

We flew to Florida after that week for an amazing Halloween Party and scavenger hunt. We met some new fun friends. Then we took off Sunday and flew to Pennsylvania to pick up our truck, motorcycle, and trailer. We spent one Sunday Fun day then got on the road to head back to Florida. We stopped in Virginia for a quick dinner and softball game with the family. My niece hit a home run her first time up to bat! I am so proud of the amazing player she has become. Then my Heart and I continued on for a few more hours.

We spent the night in North Carolina then pushed on to St. Augustine where we stayed with lifelong friends. We had too much fun and then left the next day. We made it home in time to have dinner with our oldest son. The next day we worked on unpacking and reorganizing our Florida home. We needed to get it opened up for the winter. We worked long and hard powerwashing the pool deck and the dock. We washed cars and cleaned out the garage. We were motivated to get the house back in order because….. we were leaving in two days for a 60^th birthday party in Michigan.

Our friend, Jodie, was turning 60 and invited us up for a Swanky Sixtieth. I found a beautiful black dress and some high, high heels. I was excited to dress up and my cute Heart was ready to put his wedding suit back on. We flew in and saw friends we don’t usually see until ski season. We really enjoyed our weekend and had so much fun with Jodie, her friends, and family.

We flew back to Florida and continued working on the house. We wanted to get the yard beautiful and landscaped as the next weekend we were hosting a 60^th birthday party for our friend, Tom, and we wanted it to look nice. It’s always good to have a reason to get things done. The party was a little bit of a surprise as he didn’t know who was coming into town or what we really had planned for him. He had friends coming in from all over Florida and one even flew in from Washington state. Some of these guys hadn’t seen each other in over 25 years.

Tom was super surprised and all of his friends were extremely grateful for the gathering. It was a wonderful weekend and even though it was a lot of work it was well worth it. I think my Heart had just as much fun as Tom and it wasn’t even his birthday. We had a great venue at Rusty’s in Cape Coral for happy hour on Friday night, a party at our house on Saturday, and then we went boating on Sunday. A perfect weekend in Florida.

But the journey continues. Why stay in Florida when we have another house to get ready for ski season? Therefore, Monday morning we got on a flight out to Salt Lake City. Most of our furniture was delivered and we were so excited to go to our house and see it. We couldn’t wait to sleep in a real bed in our new home!

We spent another week in Park City getting our new house decorated and ready to rent. We were hoping to get a last-minute Thanksgiving rental, but that hasn’t happened yet. We still have a few things to put together but we are very proud of the way it turned out. After another long week of endless days and social nights, we flew back to Florida. We had a great workout in the morning then went to a beautiful wedding at Sanibel Harbor Yacht Club. On Sunday we had brunch with our son and continued working on our Florida home.

My Heart had a few weeks off but yesterday he left to go back to work. Even though I am sad he is gone for the holiday, I am looking forward to a week of writing, working on Christmas projects, and laying in the sun. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. Be safe, have fun, and eat lots of turkey!