Ways to Shave...Newlyweds Edition

It has been a month since being married and the honeymoon effect is drifting out of sight. What was once new and exciting is becoming routine and mundane. The desire to please and look good for one's spouse is no longer the main concern. When it comes to dinnertime, one may be so drained from the day that in order to relieve the stress, one must stuff their stomachs full. Pasta is so easy to make that it becomes the meal more than once a week for those who are new at cooking. As a newly married couple, there are so many things that may contribute to the addition of pounds. For myself, I am one that is eager to fight against that tide and keep my figure (I mean who doesn't want to look good for their husband?) As a once-upon-a-time health nut, I am looking for ways around the apartment to make it difficult for my husband and myself to put on extra pounds. Here are some things I have noticed:

1. Choose Popsicles.

We are dessert people. As one who finds baking to be therapeutic, I have tried to use my love of baking to give to others. Instead of baking for myself and my husband (which I will always leave a couple extra cookies, etc. for us), I bake for others, such as the kids in the youth group. Instead of always eating brownies or cookies, we have placed in our freezer popsicles! Less calories, and still lots of flavor to put an end tot he overbearing sweet tooth.

2. Leave the candy in the cabinets.

I have realized, since putting M&Ms out on our coffee table, that we are more likely to devour them because they are right there. Any sort of food that I have to work at getting, I am less likely to want to eat.

3. More meat, less carbs.

Since I am a newby at cooking, I find pasta and tacos some of the easiest things for me to cook. Instead of using lots of noodles, use more meat. Instead of using tortillas, go for the meat mixed with all the yummy ingredients that make tacos so delicious.

4. Fruit, Fruit, FRUIT!

Always keep fruit cut up in the fridge. Although it is not out in the open like my M&Ms, having it out in the fridge will always make me go for the fruit instead of having to open a bag of chips whenever I want a snack.

5. Dine-In instead of Dining-Out

We are not a couple that has the money to dine out a lot, which is a good thing if you are not trying to put on the pounds. You can burn over 100 calories by cooking something for 45 minutes. No calories will be burned by dining out, that's for sure.

6. Outside Activities

After eating dinner, go outside and walk together, talk about the day, get your food digesting, and enjoy the quality time together.

My Life as a Wife

Hello, my name is Jordan McGuire. I am no longer a Magruder, but I have become one with Matt McGuire. I am thrilled to have entered into this new era in my life. I am now married and I am now living in North Carolina. I miss the Bluegrass state every once in a while, but North Carolina is becoming my home. I love the church here that my husband works at. Pinedale is full of so many great people who have really welcomed us and made us feel so special. Although it doesn't feel like home quite yet, it is getting there and it will happen over time. It hasn't been easy being away from all of my friends and Southeast, which I considered to be home. It has been pretty hard for me at times. Moving to a place where you know no one can really cause some emotional breakdowns. Although I have had a couple tear-filled nights, I have not once wished I was not here. My husband loves his job and I love being a part of youth ministry with him. I know that God has placed us here for a reason and He is going to use us as long as we make ourselves available. That has been my prayer: to always be available to Him and the opportunities He places in our days no matter what my circumstances may be.

On a brighter note, I have been job searching for a few weeks now. It is a hard time to be searching for any sort of job right now, too. It has been frustrating at times, but I am glad to say that I found a job. I will be working in the daycare at the church! It may not seem exciting to many, but I am so pumped. I get to prepare myself for motherhood, which may also not seem exciting to many. I, on the other hand, look forward to it. I see being a mother and a wife two of the greatest gifts God could give to a woman, so I am embracing them! Not only that, but I hope to volunteer with the Salem Pregnancy Center here. I want to pour out to teens and women who need Jesus and are at a vulnerable point in their lives where they see that they need Him. I know it will also be something that will stretch me and help me grow. Anyways, I know that it will all bring about much to share, as well as assistance in prayer.

I am also learning many new things as I have become a wife. I never realized that I would ever want to serve someone so much as I do my husband. I have learned to do new things in order to show him that I love him. Here are some of those things: I cook, and I am pretty good at it, which I never thought I would be. I enjoy cleaning, which is a weird thing to enjoy, but I know that my husband would rather come home to a clean apartment than a pigsty. I even sewed on my very first button, so my husband never needs to fear if a button falls off of his fave shirt. I never knew I would be so overjoyed to know that I am capable of doing such things. I am also learning to budget, or in other words, coupon. I may never be on the coupon show on TLC, but I am learning and I know it brings a smile to my husband's face as I try to help us save that dollar. With so many new things in my life, it has been great for me because I have had to be humble in order to learn. I hope that the humility will continue on even as I grow in the new things I am learning.