Good Day

So, yesterday we all went to a good friend's for a Halloween Party. That's the first time I've dressed up since I was a kid. It was fun, I'll admit. The kids and the adults really enjoyed themselves, and I'm thankful for being able to go and just relax.
Today is Fl/Ga and we've got some plans to go to another friends' house and I'm looking forward to that for sure. The kids are certainly cranky today because they were up late last night. All that sugar didn't help to equal peaceful little people, lol. However, I did make some yummo GFDF pancakes for breakfast. So, they did get some nutrition this am.
I hope that we are able to keep up with the demands of this weekend. Holly's birthday is Halloween, to top it off. But, we're going to do some celebrating another day. We've just got too much going on everyday of this weekend. I know that Monday morning is going to be rough. I'm hopeful that all the teachers will be sympathetic towards the students and the fact that they've all probably ate too much junk, and slept too little.
Today marks the hunny's last day off work. I'm going to miss his company tomorrow. Hopefully he'll be back home before I know it!

A Bit of This and That

I went to my spin class this morning. Feels real good to start my day off sweating:-) I then had to go to the dentist for what ended up being a 2-hour-long consult....I was famished by the time I left there.
Got home, and the kids hadn't eaten since breakfast(4.5 hrs earlier). So, my day has pretty consistently revolved around food since I've been home. They had tuna and crackers for lunch. I made some salsa, and snacked on that. Then, I got some granola going and made pumpkin fluff bowls topped with graham cracker crumbles. That was their after-lunch snack.
Dinner is going to be brown sugar Meatloaf for them. I'll probably chop up some avocados to mix with my salsa. I'll munch on that at the table with them. Oh yeah, and some steamed green beans.I'm trying to stick to high-raw with focus on whole foods. Seafood and meats are not the centerpiece of my meals, however, they are consumed when I feel I need the gravity shifted :-)
I have recently come across long-term raw vegans who are now consuming high quality meats with grass-fed butter and free range eggs. That makes me feel so much better. I don't know why I feel I need validation from testimonials like theirs, but I just have more peace about the matter of eating those types of foods knowing others feel the same way I have felt over the past 5 years. I have yearned to go one way or the other, not every really knowing which way the ideal way is. I believe in the teachings of Weston Price. I've been an advocate since 2005 for his teachings. But, upon crossing paths with the raw foods lifestyle, I've also felt strongly pulled in that direction. Being so vastly different ways of eating, the enigma of wanting both beliefs systems incorporated into my life has plagued me. But, knowing others who've gone on before me have comfort of yo-yoing both, I feel much more peaceful myself.
So, off to make meatloaf...and salsa...and green beans....a little of this and a little of that.

Just keep swimming...

Well, I'm still here. It's so easy for me to get caught up with my day-to-day life, that I don't sit down and blog. But, reading others' blogs counts, right? Because I definitely read my blogs I love frequently. 

I am leaning more towards raw foods as of late. Another phase :-) I've cut out most meat and only eat some seafood. Salads have been my standard with the occasional vegetarian meal.I've been getting some new yummy recipes for experimenting with and I'm excited! I'm going to try to incorporate more fats into my day. Yummo fats like coconuts, avocados, and almonds.

 The kids are back in school and that has brought with it all the prepackaged  yuck foods that they tend to want in their lunch boxes. I hate that. I am trying to encourage veggie snacks with dip and some fruits as their sides. Some turkey and some type of chip complete the meal. But there are days when they want to buy lunch. Ewww. I don't want to limit them so much that they resent me and the healthy food choices. So, it's a tricky balance. 

Jason is working so much as usual. I feel strongly that he needs to cleanse. Maybe a juice fast/feast. But, getting him on board is tricksie :o The garden Diet talked about an OJ fast a few years ago. That's on my mind for him. Seems like smthg he'd find doable.

Football is over. Third year for my buddy. He did so good this year. He's come so far and I'm uber proud! I cannot say that I will miss the major Drama that occurred this season. I can't wait to be back with some familiar faces next year. People whom we missed this season that he will once again reunite with next year.

So, with the fall weather in the air, I'm looking forward to downtime with the family. And to great health and happiness.

Still Truckin'

I'm still here. Still menu planning. Since May, actually. I'm very pleased with my perseverance;-) We've grown into a pattern. A comfortable pattern. And I'm feeling confidant in quite a few of the meals that we enjoy lately. I'm still trying new recipes out. Healthy ones of course-whatever that means to you. 
Since school's been out, our lives have taken little break. With catching up on Dr.'s appts, and finding a new chiropractor for the kids and dental visits, our lives have been a whirlwind. But, I'm feeling a lull coming. And I like it.
My oldest will be entering middle school this year, and I'm torn about that. I want to protect her and shelter her. I really do. But, I also don't want her resentment. She wants to go to school. Just for the social aspect she says. But, it's not like she ever hangs out with school friends once school's over. Not ever. So, I don't understand what she'd be missing. Most of her friends don't go to her school. At, least not the ones she hangs with outside the walls of the building. I know she'll be fine if I homeschool her this year. I even think I know what program I would use. It's just the simple fact that she wants to go. Why deny her? I feel like if I sense a problem, then I could pull her out. Hopefully not too late. I'm going to be praying about it. 
I'm realizing that I'm a blogger for myself. I love reading others' blogs, but I only blog myself when I feel I've something to get out. I want to have a record of memories besides which is stored in my mind.  I feel like this provides the perfect outlet for me. So, though you may not hear from me often, I'm on here. Getting inspired by others, and walking in my own two footprints at the same time.

A Lifetime to look Forward to

Since I last posted, both recipes I tried (Sour Cream and Bacon Chicken, Beef Stroganoff)  were a hit with my family. I've even made the Stroganoff twice. I'm meal planning a week at a time, with each beginning day being different than the previous ;0 Sometimes things just work out that way!


Tonight is leftovers from DS birthday.Grilled hot dogs. The sides are completely nontraditional; fried summer squash, and steamed broccoli, with a side salad. Funny, I know! But, I've got to utilize the veggies from last week's produce. 


My homemade yogurt has been a hit when mixed with some yummy jam. I will be utilizing the rest of the yogurt tomorrow when I make mashed potatoes. The beef bologna that I bought from the co-op isn't that good. I'm going to have to use it soon, before I lose it. I'm thinking pan-fried, mixed in with something, so the kids won't know. What, you (and I ) ask? Let me know if you figure it out!!


School's last day is tomorrow. I am so excited! No more yucky influences on the kids. No more "cooties" lol! No more waking up entirely too early. Just relaxing and enjoying. 


So, another day down, and a lifetime to go.

So much to not say

Well, I am trying out a new recipe again tonight. It's called Sour Cream and Bacon Chicken. I found the recipe on Lamp Unto My Feet. It's been simmering in the crock-pot for about 6 hours. Smelling Good! I feel like I've got a few new meals that our family really enjoys, and I'm happy for that. There have definitely been some mishaps in the kitchen. And the kids haven't liked everything I've made, lol. But, it's a trial and error situation. 
I'm still spending around $200 a paycheck(bi-weekly) on food alone. And that isn't going out to eat at all! Even home-cooked meals are not cutting into our food allowance in a positive fashion. But, neither are they imposing a negative effect. So, it's working out okay for the time being. I eventually would like to get it down by $50 a paycheck. But, I haven't figured that out yet.
I'm ordering more and more on amazon's subscribe and save program. It's a really great way to cut down on cost! I was skeptical at first because I didn't want to be tied down to having to make a purchase. But, once I realized that I can change the frequency of my items at any time, and can even postpone them altogether, I was all for it. 
I've got to finish with this week's menu plan, so until next time....

Not Really

I'm still menu planning, and trying new recipes. Some good, some not so much. I don't know that I'm saving any money, but we'll see at the end of the week what it totaled out to. So, that's that.
I have been stood-up(kind-of) two times this week at Starbucks. I really wasn't in the mood to be social or drink coffee on either occassion, but, I did want to chat with those I was invited by, so I obliged the invites. One was an honest mistake and I couldn't find flaw in this person's no-show. But, it still sucked to sit in a parking lot, after you have gotten dressed to be in public( you know how us mom's like to drop our kids off still wearing our pj's and just come right back home :)) for approx30 minutes before you realize that it's not gonna happen. But, the make-up day was wonderful! I so need my girl time, and I don't know why I do it so little. Well, maybe cause I lead the kind of life I do. Anyway, the second no-show was this morning. I was super tired upon awakening this morning due to the fact that i only went to bed hours before. But, I still got up, prepared homemade muffins, ( I'm talking soaked grains, and shredding an apple up here-major deal, lol!) and make two lunches encouraged DS to shower before school, and got dressed to go out in public. My kids ate in the car because I was sacrificing my time in order to have coffee with a dear, dear person. As fate would have it, I sat in the parking lot again for quite some time before I came to understand that this person had other plans which didn't include coffee. AGAIN, another morning in the parking lot, dressed up. 
So, right now I'm not really feeling it. I don't feel like doing the laundry that needs to be done. Or the monstrous pile of dished( thanks to my muffins) that sit piled up in the sink. Or, for that matter the stinking check book that it's my "duty" to do. I don't know what I feel to be perfectly honest. Blah could possibly work. But, I can't be sure.
So, I'm blogging to get this out. And now it's done. I don't really feel better about it though. But, time will heal this. And never fear, I will get through.

A late Start

So, today I woke up with a headache. It literally had me rendered useless up until about 4pm :-( I didn't follow my menu plan for breakfast, as it called for too much exertion too early. But, breakfast was a simple toast with cinnamon and/or fruit with strawberry yogurt dip(homemade). I felt good about it.
Dinner is a new recipe tonight for my family. Beef stroganoff. I am using this recipe:
1 lb beef stew meat
1 c mushrooms
1/2 c chopped onion
1/4 c butter (you can sub coconut oil)
salt to taste
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 c sour cream
1 lb pasta
I look forward to trying this out on the family tonight! DH is home for dinner. That is a welcome change. I just hope that he likes this healthier take on a classic recipe. He's used to making it in a restaurant setting, and I'm hoping he'll like my homemade version ;)
Tomorrow we'll have made-from-scratch Cinnamon Bread Rolls. I'll start preparing them tonight. The dough will take time.
We also have 2 games at the sports complex tomorrow. I will have to miss my daughter's game because my son's team is having an end-of-the-season party. I'm team mom, and by default I've gotta attend. Of course I want to. It's just that I want to be at my daughter's game equally as much.
Well, duty calls. I'm off to get meals ready!

Getting the Hang, sort-of

As I sit down to blog,(almost every day), I usually find myself caught up with reading someone else's blog, lol. And by the time I've finished reading, writing down recipes, and taking notes, I've little time left for my own paragraphs. But, I'm getting into the swing of things, albeit gradually.I'd like to figure out how to do some more things with my own page, but it seems that I'm entirely too busy to put much into it yet. All in good time, though.
 Today is the day before payday....ahhh using the lasts of things up around the house. Scrounging for another trash bag, the last bit of sugar, or the last bit of applesauce is what it's all about, lol. Seriously though, planning out our budget 2 weeks in advance takes some of the stress out of grocery shopping. I know exactly how much cash I have to work with and I also know exactly which foods to buy to go with foods on hand to make meals for us. It all works like a well-oiled chain. But, only when planned. 
 I look forward to purchasing a few of my grocery items from some new places. Places where I'll still be within my budget, but the quality of the foods will be higher. Does that mean that every thing's going to be all natural, preservative-free, artificial additives absent, all organic? Absolutely not. I'm a realist(or at least I strive to be). I understand that I live in a subdivision. That we have four kids in public school. That those kids sometimes don't pack their lunches, but eat the forbidden cafeteria food! I get it that they want convenience food occasionally. But, I'm striving to do a slow transition into the way we ate years ago. And I'm patting myself on the back for every baby-step I take :-)
Today I'm getting the hang of it....sort-of ;)

Going Well

So, things are going well in the home lately. Menu planning is steady once again. Thank you!!! I've ordered some remedies from iherb for my youngest two who are still battling this upper respiratory thing.
  I've got a small order in with a farmer for some meat. It's small mind you, but it's a start. Would have been much bigger had we not needed the ac serviced in the van. I've also got two prospects for produce. One is more cash upfront. But, it works out to less per week. Its a CSA based out of a nearby town. It's all locally grown from their garden and it's organic. However, the outgoing price is almost too hard to swallow. But, I know where all the produce is coming from! However, the drive to pick up isn't as close as I'd like :-(
  The other is option is just right down the way from my home. It's all organic, and it's on a week-week bases. I'm not locked in. I really like that a lot. However, the produce is from a local distributor who provides small/medium groups with some local produce from my state, and it's also supplemented with shipped produce from other states. That's the pitfall for me. However, it's got a lot more pros than cons.
 I'm going to try out the closer one for one week. Get a feel for the produce. If I'm happy, I'll stay with him. If not, well then I've got another option.
 I'm trying to reign in the money that we spend on eating out. Whether it's at a fast food, a restaurant, or at the ballpark. With 2 kids in sports, our family's up at the ballpark every day except Sundays. And, I can't always control the food situation. Sometimes we don't leave there until after 9pm at night. At that point we're all exhausted and hungry. We either eat at a drive through or at the field. Those nights are what they are. I can't beat myself up over that! I also don't like for my kids to feel ostracized. So, I give in and let them eat similar foods that their friends are munching on. But, it's only for a "season" and then it's not. So, okay :-)
  

Game Day

Today, we head to a nearby town for a softball game. My oldest DD plays girls' major league. One of the tough situations that we will face will most definitely be the concession stand. I've tried packing a cooler, but that just doesn't work for our family. So sorry :-( My youngest two kiddos are under the weather, and I really want to nourish them with good foods. But, I'm just going to have to chalk this morning/afternoon up, and move on...easier said than done.
So we leave in a few minutes, and I just pray that God will heal our family quickly.

Accomplished

So, today was my first day of trying to achieve my goals,(on my little goal list). I have done all but one, so far. And there is still plenty of daylight left. I am feeling rather accomplished. 
My DH and I went to a nice lunch, and a stroll downtown afterward provided the perfect offset to the fare's calorie count, I'm sure. It was great! Prior to that, we walked almost 2 miles around our neighborhood. It was nice to get the body going :-)
I've thus far stuck to my menu. And dinner tonight will be homemade(of course) chicken noodle soup. I figured this to be the perfect solution as my youngest two kids have been battling an irritating cough. Nothing like chicken noodle soup(GF noodles) to help with that! Coupled with Vitamin c, and homeopathic cough remedies, and Vick's rub on the feet, they should be in fine shape! And prayer. Don't forget prayer. God's so happy to heal them. He just can't wait to see them through this, and on the other side. 
I am still having to "cook through" the unhealthy food remains in my home. I am not about to waste what we've accumulated by throwing it away. So, my menus are consistent of nourishing ingredients and non. I'm on the path though!
This afternoon I will take D to softball practice. The soup will be simmering while she's there. I might stop by Target and see what kinds of healthies I can find for my coughing man. For Pete's sake, he's already eaten a half-clove of garlic today!
Until tomorrow..

Here I go, again?

It's a hectic, life that I've been a part of as of late. And, in many ways, it's wearing me down. I don't know if it's that I've become comfortable with this crazyness and consider it "normal." Or, if I just don't have the willpower needed to reign in my outstanding pre-teens. But, whatever is going on, I'm in need of a change of pace.

I totally need to incorporate a higher level of health into mine and my children's lives. Yes, we public school, and we are part of a sports organization that cheese fries and sodas are ingested. Do I like that? Sometimes...But, not as much as i don't. I'm so busy after 1pm every single day, that meal cooking, planning, ordering, and preparing are left unattended. And, that is critical if this family is to function at it's near best based on a healthy standpoint.

So, to sum things up, I'll start with some things that will help push me in the right direction;

* Make a list of small goals to be met daily. (start slow, expect little.)

*Don't be so hard on myself when failures come my way;

*Accept the fact that I live in the century that I do, and that my idealistic way of life is unrealistic for my family;

I look forward to meal planning and revisiting some of my previous menus. I look forward to showing my children that healthy is yummy ;-). I look forward to striving to keep all things in moderation.

Now, for dinner tonight.......