The Milk Face Off!

Mike blindfolded me and made me guess which milk was which. This is what we do for fun.

As a part of my last post, I have stopped drinking cow's milk. I haven't steered completely away from yogurt, cheese, and ice cream yet.... Baby steps, baby steps. But as for drinking a glass of milk at dinner or on my cereal, I don't do that anymore. These are my 2 favorite substitutes. Mmmmmm.....

Going Raw!

A couple of weeks before January, Mike and I decided to make some changes. I guess you could call them resolutions, which is quite fitting, since the New Year was right around the corner. When the new year approaches, many people resolve to eat better, and we were no exception. But instead of just eating better, we decided to eat completely different. And by different, I mean RAW. Yes, raw foods. Nothing cooked. Okay, you are going to stop reading now, right? You think we're crazy? Tree huggin', peace lovin', hippie freaks? The truth is, we just want to live better. If that makes us freaks, then I guess that's what we are. :)

By my second year of college I knew I wanted to go into dietetics. I loved studying about nutrition and the human body and the chemistry of nutrients and how the body uses them and breaks them down. It was very intriguing to me. However, I was attending BYUI (a two year institution at the time) and there was not a dietary program at that school. So I got an associate degree in general studies with the intent of transferring to another school. When I went back to school a few years later, I started studying nutrition again. I had been married for 2 years and the baby bug was starting to itch. I wanted to start our family and I knew that, for me personally, it wasn't going to work to have babies while pursuing a doctorate degree in dietetics. So, I made the choice to major in Family Studies and graduate faster with the hopes of going back to school one day. What does this have to do with my post? Well, during my college career I had opportunities to take a lot of food and nutrition classes. So, although I'm not an expert, I know a lot about the subject.
Fast forward 4 years. I wouldn't say I practiced what I preached in those 4 years regarding food. I ate what I wanted without really caring. Apathy, not ignorance, my friend. I was busy going to school, working, raising a kid, yada yada yada. But about 3 or 4 months ago, Mike started to get really interested in the idea of eating better. He started doing research, reading tons of material, watching documentaries and making some serious lifestyle changes. It kind of opened my eyes. This whole time I've wanted to go into nutrition, but never really put into practice my beliefs and my knowledge. Mike was the catalyst that got me motivated to be passionate about nutrition again.
So I decided I wanted to buy a juicer and start juicing fruits and vegetables. (your body absorbs the nutrients in juice faster than eating a piece of fruit or vegetable whole because of the fiber.) Anyway, after some investigation, Mike decided we should buy a Vitamix, shown below.

This thing has got an insanely powerful motor for a blender. It will blend anything. So we put whole fruits and vegetables in there. Some people put their avocado pits in and blend them. We haven't actually tried that yet.... But we have tried lots of other fun things. Like making our own nut butter and almond milk. And Mike makes a green smoothie every morning using whole fruits, vegetables, and greens.

Here's the chocolate almond milk we made (shown in the nut milk bag to separate the pulp from the milk.)

Raw stuffed peppers (stuffed with chopped nuts, vegetables, spices, and tamari)

Raw "burritos" (lettuce instead of tortillas as wraps, stuffed with a combination of mashed avocados, raw vegetables, seeds, and spices.)

Here is one of the raw "cook"books we have.

We attempted to make this raw raspberry ganache fudge cake from the book:

And this is what ours turned out like:

Bahahahaha!!!!!! I laugh my pants off every time I see this picture. :) It doesn't look ANYTHING like the book. Heck, it doesn't even look appetizing! But it tasted great! The frosting alone was heavenly. And it was made using raw ingredients and without processed sugars!

Here I am making some raw lasagna.

Marinated mushrooms in olive oil and tamari (this is close to a meat-like texture)

Spinach sauce (blended in the Vitamix)

Slices of zucchini (the noodles)

Raw, homemade marinara sauce

We alternated zucchini noodles, mushrooms, avocado slices between the 2 sauces. Okay, so it didn't taste as good as real cooked lasagna with cheese and all that fattening stuff, but it DID taste good, and it was really good for us!

Those are just a few of the things we've made since the beginning of the year. It's been an interesting switch from the things we normally make for dinner. Okay, I don't want to sound misleading here. We have not gone 100% raw. To jump into something like that would be pretty much impossible for us. So we are taking baby steps by incorporating more raw meals into our week, more whole fruits and vegetables, less processed foods, less refined sugars and flours, etc. And I'm not going to lie, it's been difficult. From starting this I've come to realize how addicted I am to junkfood. Sometimes the cravings are intense and I just want to eat a really greasy cheeseburger and fries despite knowing how horrible they are for my body. And sometimes I just want to eat an entire pint of ice cream or eat a handful of chocolate chips. It's been a real challenge for me. But I've also noticed something else. I feel better when I eat better. Mike says the same thing. I have much more clarity and my body seems to feel less tired. I truly want to do better. I want to eat more raw, whole, organic, and local foods. Less meat, less dairy, less salt, less sugar, less fat and definitely no genetically modified foods. It's a huge transition for sure.
But even when we don't eat raw meals, we're trying to eat better.

For instance, we've been making a lot of soups this winter chocked full of vibrant, colorful vegetables, organic stocks, and herbs.

This is called Chicken Not Pie. (uh...like chicken pot pie, without the...pie)

This is called Cassoulet. (notice there's Italian sausage in it...yeah, I'm not perfect!)

Anyway, the point of this post is just that things are changing with our perspectives. Not just on food, but on the environment, the government, food businesses, and so many other things. Food relates to it all. We've been watching several movies that have pushed us towards being better stewards of our bodies and the earth. I've gained a deeper appreciation for local farmers and gardeners. I believe that companies like Monsanto are corrupt and ruining food and farmers. I believe we should be creating less waste and recycling more. I believe we need to be growing our own foods, free from pesticides and hormones. I believe we need to be saving our own seeds from our gardens and storing food for future emergencies. I believe our bodies can heal themselves from all kinds of diseases if they just have the right nutrients. I believe the American diet does not provide the body with those nutrients and our bodies have become susceptible to diseases and ailments that the pharmaceutical companies have taken advantage of. We live in "a pill for every ill" generation. I believe in losing weight the "old fashioned way." I know people who try to take shortcuts all the time by using diet pills or hormones (hcg diet) and I just don't agree with those kinds of methods. I believe in vitamins and minerals. There is no money in health. If we were all healthy then doctors wouldn't get seen as often. If we were all healthy we wouldn't need medications and the pharmaceutical companies would suffer. I could go on and on because it makes sense. It makes sense on so many levels. Eating well makes sense on an environmental level, a political level, a religious level....
Okay, I know, I know. I am getting all hippie on you now. And this post is getting long and if you've read this far you're probably bored to tears. So, I'm gonna wrap it up. But if anyone is interested here are some things we've been learning about, and I'd encourage anyone to check these out:

The China Study

Gerson Therapy

Food Matters

The Future of Food

The Word of Wisdom

Eat for Health

Be Prepared

I was cleaning my computer room and ran across these in a drawer. They were sent to me some time ago by my friend Kenna. She found them in a convenience store, I believe. In this little package the size of a fifty cent piece and around an inch thick is 2 pairs of disposable panties. These are going in my purse now. So if I, or anyone I know, happens to shart themselves, I'll be prepared.

"If ye are prepared ye shall not fear" (D&C 38:30)

At Home Parent Participation Preschool

Since last September I was involved in an "At Home Parent Participation Preschool." If you don't know what that is, here is the description from our website:

"We are a group of mothers in ________ that are committed to the education of our children. We run an at home parent participation preschool. We do not charge a fee but all members are required to plan and teach lessons, furnish supplies for their children and contribute classroom supplies as well. Our children range in age from 2 to 4 years old. Our lessons are tailored to meet their needs and prepare them for kindergarten. In all ways we are a preschool, our children learn just as any other child would, we as mothers just teach our lessons."

At the end of January I made the decision to quit because it was getting difficult for me to make it to preschool. We only have one car as of now, and Mike drives that to work. Soo...yeah, it just wasn't working out anymore. It is sad and I will miss it. Vessel will miss it too, I think. The social interaction was good for him. I was able to meet several new moms that I otherwise would not have met. We became good friends over the course of the last 5 months. I would recommend this type of thing to any mom who has some time on her hands, doesn't want to pay tuition for a regular preschool, and who wants to be involved in deciding the things her child is learning. It was good for us while it lasted and I'm a little bit disappointed that it's come to an end. But there will be other opportunities, right?

Here are the kiddos last September

And here are some of the kiddos at our Halloween party.

Vessel

Vessel is my little man. He is kind of a shy guy and very sensitive. He gets really emotional about certain things. He can be a bit moody at times. But he is smart as a whip. He can read and write. One of his favorite things to do is read. If he is not reading a book he is usually coloring or drawing on his magnetic drawing board. He loves to work in his activity book. Connect the dots and color by numbers can keep him busy for a couple of hours. He also likes to play just like other kids, but sometimes he would rather play by himself. It's been interesting to watch him grow and develop. When we go to the park, he likes to sit with me and watch the other kids play rather than join in with them. He likes to observe. He is a "people watcher." We signed him up for a Taekwondo class for 3-5 year olds and it has been good for him. He's come out of his shell a little bit more. I don't know how long we'll be able to do Taekwondo (it's pretty expensive) but we'll see. I would hate to take him out of something he actually enjoys. Vessel is a unique kid and I love him a lot. He makes life interesting and I can't picture my life without him. He will always be my baby. :)

Jacob

Jacob is the best baby. Truly. I don't know what I did to deserve such an amiable baby. I am blessed to be his mama. He rarely fusses. He sleeps great through the night and takes 2-3 naps during the day. He laughs and smiles all the time. He's on a wonderful schedule and he is very predictable, which is great for someone like me who likes to plan ahead. Lately, this is what he's been up to. He loves to eat everything. I know this might be bad, but he like's French fries. He loves all fruits and vegetables, rice cereal, oatmeal, and yogurt melts. He now eats 3 solid meals a day. He freaks out if he sees me eat something and not share. He's just about to crawl, I think. He's been scootin' around and getting up on his hands and knees more. He's got 2 bottom teeth and his top 2 "vampire" teeth have now cut through the gums. He loves watching the ceiling fan. It makes him laugh and squeal and he kicks his legs wildly. He loves to play peek-a-boo. He's a grabber. He will latch onto anything within range, especially necklaces and earrings. Pretty much anything shiny. When he's tired he likes to rub his blanket against his face and eyes. He loves to be in his jumperoo just bouncing away while I do the dishes or get lunch ready. He loves to be outside, even when it's cold. He always wants to play with things he's not allowed to touch (cell phones, remotes, pens, jewelry, paper, etc.) I could go on and on. I love to dote on him. The time with him has gone by so fast, probably because I'm enjoying it so much. I never thought I could love a 2nd child as much as the 1st, but I do. My love for Jacob is fierce and relentless. He is a joy and my life is better because he's apart of it.

Brothers

I know, I know. Naked kid pictures on the interwebz. I'm a bad mom. The pedophiles are lining up to see these. But these fotos are just too darned cute not to share...so here ya go.

And here they are in their matching brown Acapulco t-shirts and khaki pants. Too bad Jakey isn't being very photogenic in these. And Vessel just wants to show off the fact that he can curl his tongue in the first shot. Way to go, lil' man.

Dead American Poets by Tired Ponys

I heard this song playing in the background and Whole Foods. Never knew they had such a rockin' soundtrack. So I looked it up and this video cracks me up every time. Not sure if it's the guy's facial expressions, or the fact that he just sits there and occasionally acts like he's singing (more like mumbling), the way he looks bored, or....I don't know. It's just funny to me. I must be easily amused. At any rate, it is a great song, in my opinion. If you like Snow Patrol, you might like this band, since Gary, is the front man for both.

Cute Boys

A short video of the boys doing what they do best: being cute. This was taken in early December.

Jacob Laughing

This video was taken in early December.