Strep Throat Smoothies

We love smoothies here!  We also love the way we sneak essential vegetables and even vitamins into the smoothies our kids drink.  The key...have some strong tasting fruit or lemon juice in there with a little raw honey and you're good to go.

Our boys are prone to strep throat.  They had it 5 or 6 times last year.  This school year they had it in September and then I heard about a naturopath that had some vitamin/mineral supplements that could help.  I was skeptical.  I do the natural and medical path for our family.  I read up, research, try, and sometimes we're successful...sometimes we're not.

Image from mywisemom.com

So we started taking Standard Process supplements and when my boys are taking "Congaplex" they don't get strep.  When they stop for awhile or refuse to drink the smoothies I make with it in them...  Sure enough they get strep throat.  The only problem is it's a strong tasting supplement.  So here's a sample smoothie that I make which hides the flavor.  I also sneak other Standard Process supplements in for nose bleeds (Cyruta Plus), severe runny noses (Antronex) as needed.  I test on myself first and the stuff works!  I do all of this under the guidance of the naturopath who recommends the correct dosage for their weight and age.

Strep Throat Smoothie

3 capsules of congaplex
3-4 Tbsp lemon juice
1 cup apple juice
4 frozen strawberries
4 chunks frozen mango
4 chunks frozen pineapple
2 Tbsp raw honey
water to the 2 cup line of blender

Blend to a smooth consistency and drink away!  Enjoy!

Tasty Tuesday...Hopefully a regular post

So here is a simple goal for myself.  On Tuesday's...hopefully every Tuesday...I will post a simple REAL food recipe for you.  One that doesn't take more than 10-15 minutes to prep.  Cook times will vary on the recipes.  But REAL food doesn't have to be hard.

My recipe today is Strawberry Banana Applesauce.  My boys love those little applesauce packages that you get at stores.  The portable ones...that look all cute and are handy to throw in your purse.  Well awhile back I bought my own reusable applesauce packs and now I've been making applesauce to put in them.

Last fall we picked apples at a friends house.  We literally had 3 or 4 diaper boxes full of apples!  I have left them in our porch against the house wall so they haven't frozen.  Gradually we've been eating them and using them in recipes, hot cereal, etc.  Today I decided to use a big chunk before they warmed up and started to go bad.

So here's the recipe...

You'll need enough apples cut in chunks to fill a stock pot 3/4 of the way.
4-5 bananas (brown ones are sweeter)
1/2 cup lemon juice (to preserve sauce and prevent browning)
2-3  cups frozen strawberries
Coconut sugar to taste (this is just to sweeten it to our liking naturally)

Simmer in a stock pot on low.  Stirring every now and then.  I leave the peelings on the apples and then  blend it all up in my vitamix.  Then we get the fiber along with everything else.  Once the apples are mushy...blend them up and serve!

Here's a link to the reusable snack bags we use for applesauce.  They wash up easily and seal well.

http://www.amazon.com/Squooshi-Reusable-Food-Pouch-Assorted/dp/B00AWJHB5G/ref=sr_1_2?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1392737438&sr=1-2&keywords=reusable+snack+bags

Getting My Groove Back, With a 3 Year Old on My Back

Exercise...my arch nemesis and best friend.  I have always gone through waves when I've been more diligent than other times.  However, over the past two years, I've made it a top priority because it strengthens my heart, boosts my mood, helps me keep my sanity, and sets a great example for my kiddos.

I have a confession to make.  I have not "formally" exercised since snowshoeing December 26, 2013.  I have been sledding with the boys (a great workout) a few times.  But other than that we've had one wave of sickness after another sweep through our home.  If I'm not sick, then one or both boys will be so I lose sleep and as a result don't make it to the gym in the morning.

I don't say this for self-pity.  I say this to show my reality and share that it happens to everyone!  I know there have been days I could have fit it in.  I just lost my groove.  I lost my motivation.  We've had a lot of personal upheaval and to be honest...I just didn't care.  I knew I should care but I didn't.

My scale number kept going up and my pants got a little more snug and finally, I said, "Enough is enough!".  So Saturday, I went and pushed myself hard with cardio for 45 minutes.  Sunday, I did 30 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes of lunges, squats, man push-ups, crunches, and tricep curls.  Last night, the boys were up for various reasons, so we played musical beds and as a result...are all exhausted.

I knew I wasn't going to make it to the gym but I am recommitted to my health.  What could I do?  We have Amazon Prime and can stream the Instant videos onto our T.V.  So I decided to search for their free videos.  There was a Jillian Michaels Yoga work out.  Keep in mind...I am exercising with a 3 year old and 5 year old boy.  They are sitting on the floor with their legos but I know they're not going to stay there.

They easily accepted that I was going to work-out and before I knew it they were both down to their t-shirts and boxer briefs doing yoga.  I'm not into the spirituality side of yoga but the stretching and strengthening...totally up my alley!  I'm a kickboxing kind of gal.  This was a workout video I could do with the kids without kicking them in the face or across the room.  I didn't sweat as much as running but I did feel the burn.

So three days in a row.  I'm hoping to incorporate the yoga video into my week with the Superheroes.  They enjoyed it and even though some of the push-ups and planks involved a 3 year old sitting on my butt...it was worth it.  Crunches involved an added 37 pound weight sitting on my chest as I lifted and lowered my legs.  I know I'll feel the burn tomorrow and I know my kids had me model health and quality time with them.

Life Lessons from a Hermit Crab

In life you get advice from people on dating, parenting, school, food, diet, etc.  It's been two years, to the day, since my heart attack.  At this time 2 years ago, I was sitting in an emergency room and they were trying to figure out what in the world had happened.  Since then, I've realized more and more...that my advice needs to come less from other people and more from God.  More from examining myself, examining my heart, praying for His clear guidance and stepping out in faith.

So how does this relate to a hermit crab?  Last week, my oldest Superhero had earned his hermit crab.  He had taken care of our dogs for a full month (and then some) and now got to get a new pet.  Since I'm not comfortable with taking on more than I need...it was narrowed down to hermit crab or fish.  We went to the pet store with my starry eyed boys.  They were soooo excited.  Each one had a small cart and planned on helping stock up on the supplies we needed.  We quickly found an employee to stock up our cart and then went to get the two crabs.

Easy right?  Superhero #1 got his and it was gently set in the palm of his hand.  He patiently sat there and the crab sat patiently.  Superhero #2 picked his and since he was a little skittish, we set the hermit crab on my hand and the kind young college employee left to get a container.  This is where things got a bit dicey!  Superhero #2's crab decided I was a fun surface to latch onto.  Not just latch onto but DEATH GRIP!  It took plus or minus 5 minutes, two employees, four to five removal techniques, and finally a full body baptism of the crab in a pitcher of water to get him to release and even still he held on under water for 30 seconds or so.  Three days later and I still have a little pincher bruise from the bugger!

So what did I learn from the crab?  I'm a lot like him.  I get a little skittish when I'm out of my comfort zone and then when I relax and decide it's my new comfort zone...I LATCH ON WITH A DEATH GRIP and refuse to let go.  It might not even be in my best interest!  At the big chain pet store...there were a TON of crabs in one little tank.  I was offering him greener pastures, he didn't know this, but he needed to trust me.  But once we trust God and allow Him to (stay with me now...I know it's a stretch) submerse us with His spirit...we may hang onto the old for a bit but eventually we learn that it's just so much better to let go than to be suffocated by our old ways.

This has been my journey the past 2 years.  I've been learning little by little with many steps forward and many steps backwards that I need to trust God more even if I don't know what's ahead.  I'll be honest with you...right now I'm having a hard time sitting and trusting what is in our future.  The loss of my dad, the anniversary of my heart attack, seeing my boys growing so quickly, leaves me a bit unsettled.  I want to KNOW what is up next.  I want to have a plan.  There are things I want and long for but I don't know if they're in our future.  But God wants us to trust and His plan has always been so infinitely better than mine.

Oh...and by the way.  We did get the hermit crabs, Hermie and Mike.  They're happily living in a 20 gallon tank with fresh water every day, daily misting by their boys, and fresh food in their dish daily.  They even have a little cave to hang out in if they feel like "getting away from it all."  The only one a bit skittish around them is me.  :-)

Picking my Battles in Simplifying Christmas

So it's Christmas and like everyone else...I'm busy beyond belief.  We have Christmas programs in church and at school.  We have shopping to do.  We have a trip to Minnesota coming up that includes a long drive and packing traveling food.  Doctor and chiropractor appointments are in the mix the next two weeks along with school and just general life.  I need to make 2 or 3 more Christmas gifts, wrap our family ones, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.  You get the picture.  I'm sure you could give me a list that is WAY longer than the one I listed.

My point in all of this is to pick your battles.  We complain about Christmas being too commercial.  Christmas is too stressful.  There is just too much to do.  We create our own prison in many ways.  So my tips for enjoying Christmas more...

Choose a few traditions for your family
Traditions are important.  I GET that.  I like that.  Choose a few that work for you.  Ones that aren't too stressful.  Whether it is an Advent calendar, Elf on the Shelf, Santa Claus, decorating the tree together, matching jammies, you pick!  This year with my dad's passing...I pared down some.  We decorated the tree together in our new Christmas pajamas, revisiting each ornament that was given with each year of their life.  We set up the kiddo and adult nativity set, talking about who each character was and retelling the story of Christ's birth.  We placed their newest ornament on the tree.  That was it.  Later, we'll open gifts and stockings and make our Baby Jesus Birthday cake.

Keep the Gifts Simple
Every year we struggle with how much or how little to give.  We're not perfect and would NEVER claim to be.  A neighbor explained how they were simplifying Christmas giving and it inspired me to follow suit.  So this year...other than their stockings...our boys have 4 gifts total.  They have one gift from each other and 3 from us.  We choose not to do Santa but still teach the story of who St. Nicholas was.  He was a "real" man who did kind things because he was a follower of Christ.  We keep our spending to a minimum.  Some of our things are second hand but in like new condition.  That is ok in our book.  If we can save some money here and there and put it towards college what a wonderful gift for later on!  The Wise men brought 3 gifts to Jesus and we have 3 gifts for our sons.

Make it a Christmas for ALL to Enjoy
I love making everyone else happy but the risk with that...is losing sight of taking care of my own physical and emotional well being in the process.  HELLO!  I HAD A HEART ATTACK!  For goodness sakes...I was a professional perfectionist that berated and held myself to a higher standard that anyone else.  Christmas is for your entire family.  If you're so strung out tired and stressed from creating Advent or Elf on the Shelf Activities and baking more than the Cake Boss...then your entire family will suffer.  Enjoy it!  If that means one year you have to scale it back and the next you can add more stuff in...then do it.

Christmas isn't about the activities, or the gifts, or the cookies, or the music.  All of those things add to the wonder of it and are in celebration of one incredible thing...Christ's birth.  Our Redeemer, the infant King who came to Earth to die for and cover all of our sins.  A baby who pooped, peed, teethed, nursed, slept, and learned how to walk like our kids.  We celebrate and make it an event because IT IS ONE!  If you celebrate your children's birthdays then for goodness sakes celebrate the birth of our Saviour!  But if you lose sight of His birth in all the hustle and bustle of societies standards, that doesn't mean you shouldn't celebrate it...it just means you need to use your filter and figure out how to make it significant in your family.

I'm not sure if this made sense.  It's just the ramblings of a tired mom who sees many people doing it up BIG so it's not about Christ anymore and the opposite end of the spectrum doing it up small so it seems like it's just another day.  Use common sense.  Pray about it.  Use moderation.

I hope I can share in the wonder and joy of Christmas with my kids like my parent's did.  My dad used to sit quietly on the couch smiling as we opened gifts not even touching his own.  My mom, likewise sat by his side with a smile on her face.  Enjoy it...Merry Christmas!

Some things take time...

I love cooking. I love trying new recipes. I love waiting for the final product and seeing other's reactions. I love finding the perfect combination of flavor complexity even if it takes numerous attempts to get there. I love the challenge.

Yesterday, I made a crockpot marinara sauce from our leftover garden tomatoes that have been slowly ripening in our three season porch. I used the recipe from BudgetBytes with just a few minor alterations. I needed to add a bit of shallots since I didn't have enough yellow onion. Then in keeping with our unprocessed diet I added coconut sugar instead of brown sugar.  In the end, I went to bed while it cooked and I wish it didn't have as strong of an onion flavor.  I was able to add one can of organic tomato sauce and then I put it in 2 ziploc quart sized freezer bags to use for sauce later.

I also worked on making another variation of chocolate chip cookies.  I used recipes from a few sites.



Tweaking each to try to get the right flavor, texture, crispiness but chewiness.  You can see pictures of my final product.



So here's the final recipe.

Crispy and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups blanched almond flour

2 TBSP. coconut flour

1/4 cup coconut sugar

2 TBSP. honey

1/2 tsp. grassfed gelatin

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. sea salt

2 tsp. vanilla

1 egg

6 TBSP. grassfed butter OR palm oil shortening OR melted coconut oil

1/4 cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Move oven rack to middle position.  Mix above ingredients and using 1 inch cookie scoop place cookie dough balls on the parchment lined pan.  Press balls down to flatten.  Bake for 11-12 minutes until golden brown on the edges.  Allow to cool before removing from the pan.

So I had to wait for the sauce, I had to wait for the cookies.  It seems waiting is what I have been doing lately. My dad passed away last week unexpectedly from a heart attack. He was an honest, kind, generous, hardworking, intelligent man. He made time for everyone.  He valued his faith in Christ, family, and those he cared for above "stuff". 

As a child in a family with 6 kids we never had to do without but we also didn't always have all the materialistic things our peers had. We shared bedrooms. We wore hand me downs. We worked for what we had. We waited and it was good. 

We didn't eat out much and that was ok because when we did it was a huge treat.  We didn't get every toy we saw in the stores but when it was our birthday or Christmas...it was that much more special because my mom and dad didn't cater to our every whim. We waited and it was good.

Now as I wade through grief on my own and with my family I am reminded to wait. You can't rush grief just like you can't rush the sauce in the crockpot or the cookies in the pan.  They are only good if you wait.  You need to cry when the tears come and pick yourself up and move when you have the energy to. You keep stepping one foot in front of the other until you realize you're not as sad anymore.

When I was a kid waiting for Christmas I hated waiting. I was so impatient.  Yesterday, was a tough day for me and I was impatient with myself. But I let myself cry. I let myself remember his smile, his laugh, his mannerisms. I lay on the floor a little longer playing Legos with my Superheroes knowing that if today was my last day...I want them to remember me playing. I want them to have a mom who emulates the love my dad emulated. Who teaches the value of working, patience, waiting, and love.

But in order to not let the grief consume me I need to wait.  I need to grieve.  I need to cry.  I need to let my husband hold me and then...bit by bit...I also need to remember to live in the present and enjoy the life I have here.  At a pivotal point in my life, facing the loss of a job and a serious relationship, my dad asked, "If you could be doing anything in your life, what would it be?"  When I told him my answer he said, "So what are you waiting for?  Life is short...go do it."  So I will get through this grief and then I will remember him saying life is short and I will live.

"They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles.  They shall run and not grow weary, they shall walk and not faint."  Isaiah 40:31

Opening Up Each Moment

One of the things I value most about working with kids and having kids of my own is how everything can be seen through their eyes if we just take the time to listen and "be" with them.  I'm trying to soak up every moment of time with my boys.  You see...I desperately want more children.  My heart and soul aches for them but we're trying to see what direction God wants us to go at this point.  Every milestone, every moment, every laugh, every look of sheer joy...it is cherished these days as it should always be.

I look tired in the picture above.  My younger one has been up with growing pains the past 3 nights and I'm trying to get back into the 5-7 day per week workout routine while trying to keep and maintain that fine balance of being a mom, a wife, and a person who exercises 5+ hours per week.  But I wouldn't trade the sleepless nights for anything.  It's the time I get to snuggle with an almost 3 year old boy who is usually moving non-stop during the day.  The time I have his fuzzy head nuzzled next to the crook of my neck hearing him breathe and smelling his little boy sweat.

My older son, just got his first pair of glasses.  I almost cried seeing the excitement and joy on his face as he realized the picture books from the library had more words and the pictures were so "crisp and clear".  To think of what he'd been missing?  All those coloring sheets he hated in school.  All that handwriting work?  All that stuff he couldn't see but quietly  and without complaining did.  It breaks my heart.  Now he wears his glasses proudly right up until he crawls into bed.  He sets them carefully into his case every night and gently cleans them with his special cloth every morning.

I know it seems I'm rambling and in fact I am to some extent but there is a point.  Just be patient with me.   I had my cardiology check-up today and it went well.  I'm shifted to the yearly schedule instead of the 6 month schedule.  I feel good.  I did gain 6 pounds since the last visit which was a bummer but he wasn't concerned.  I type that here to be honest and to hold myself accountable.  I can't keep slipping...I'm 12 pounds from my heart attack weight.  In all honesty...I've been lazy.  I let life get away from me and stepped away from my commitment to work-out.  I've snacked a bit more.  Cheated a bit more.  And I can see it and feel it.

I seem to be hyper-aware of the time we have on this earth these days and making my moments matter.  I'm sitting on the floor and playing more.  We've gotten rid of a few more overflow toys so there's less cleaning for me to do.  In 3 weeks time, we've had friends over for 2 dinner parties, been to a dinner party and are having another one tomorrow.  I want to enjoy the moments I have left here and also make the moments impact others in a positive way.

All of these little snapshots are mundane, day to day things that could seem meaningless.  We're in a reality t.v. show society that enjoys and thrives on drama.  So much in fact that the media and even individuals try to create their own drama to make life more exciting.  But in the midst of that we forget to enjoy the simple everyday.  The moments that we can choose to be frustrating or fun.  The moments we can choose to enjoy or get uptight about.  The moments we can choose to work or play.  

I'm not saying we shirk every duty or that we can't ever be serious...but I am saying that God gave us a gift.  He's given me a second chance at life.  I can enjoy this gift He's given me or I can whine, complain, pout, micro-manage, clean, or get frustrated about everything until I've somehow sucked out all the joy from the life that He's tried to hand to me on a silver platter.  Don't just wait for the big moments.  

Enjoy the sweaty head snuggles at 3 in the morning when you just want to be sleeping.  Enjoy the endless hours of playing Thomas the Train, tower building, Hot Wheels, and playground play.  Enjoy the laughter, the giggles, the stories, their innocence, the butterfly chasing, dragonfly spotting, and talking to the bird feeder birds.  Engage in it.  Be part of it.  Don't sit on the sidelines.  Life's too short and every single moment is a gift.  Open each moment with the joy and wonder you had as a child.

More Sleep with Early Rising Kids

So this isn't really just our secret...my sister tipped me off to it.  You can read her blog at Just B.  She has a little guy who is an early riser like my boys.  One advantage is that he is 2 years older so she learns things and passes them onto me.  She also passes his clothes onto us but that's another story.

What we want!

Sleep is crucial to so many body functions.  It keeps you sane.  It helps you're immune system.  It helps your body heal.  It restores strength for the new day ahead.  It reduces stress. The list could go on and on.

Now if you have kids...you know sleep deprivation comes with the territory right?  My kids have not been "good" sleepers when they were younger.  My oldest had allergy issues that we didn't figure out until he was 14 months old.  By that point he was used to waking up frequently.  Combine that with teething (which was difficult for him) and the birth of our second child and I really didn't sleep for a long time.

What we get!

As Superhero #1 grew he began to sleep better but there were times he would wake up so early.  I couldn't figure out why he wouldn't fall back to sleep.  My sister gave me one of her tips that she learned from a friend with diabetes but of course after awhile I forgot.

Fast forward to last week.  Both of my boys were waking up early!  The one was waking up every day at roughly 2:30 a.m.  and the other was waking at about 6 a.m.  The one would be awake for awhile with me and finally collapse into sleep (with me passing out by their side in our guest bed).  The other would come in at 6 a.m. and ask if he could get up and I would try to fall back to sleep for awhile.

The red rocking chair where I was spending my nights

This was becoming unproductive for all of us.  The entire household was becoming progressively more tired and as a result a bit more on edge.  My sister had just returned from her trip to Haiti (to see the little girl she's adopting) and was commenting on how her son was waking up super early when she was gone.  She had forgotten to tell our parents her trick to getting him to sleep in a bit more.  AHA!  I REMEMBERED HER TIP!

Tiredness in the home from way back when

So last night, after a week of sleep deprivation and a 5 year old that was getting pretty crabby, weepy, and emotional...I gave them...(INSERT DRUM ROLL HERE) a protein and carb before bedtime.  The protein is the key to keep them from having a blood sugar level drop right before morning.  This drop in  blood sugar causes a person to awake and not be able to fall back to sleep even though they need more sleep.  So did it work?  Superhero #2 woke up once (to sleep with me) and then was back to sleep until 8 a.m.!  Superhero #1 who was previously waking up at 6 a.m. is still sleeping and it's 9 a.m.!!!!  I did the same as the boys and I slept better too!

Raring to go!

Some Carb/Protein combinations for kids...

1. Celery sticks with nut or seed butter and raisins or dried fruit
2. Banana with nut or seed butter
3. Paleo or sprouted grain bread with nut/seed butter
4. boiled egg and fruit (our favorite)
5. Dried fruit and nuts (trail mix)
6. Uncured lunch meat and cheese rolled up with a side of favorite fruit
7. Nut granola with milk and fruit 
8. Yogurt with nut granola or chopped nuts/seeds
9. Meat & cheese on Nut Thins or paleo crackers
10. Hummus with veggies (carrots are carbs)

Sure, I missed going to the gym since I don't set an alarm when I'm sleeping with my little guys.  But ALL OF US slept more!  Thank you Jesus!  Literally!  May peace be restored to the home!

Try it out...see if it helps and let me know!  My Handsome Hubby and I are happy with the result!

Check out my guest post on Modern Alternative Health today...it's sharing a little bit on how to create a garden tailored for your family and your space.  Gardening Tailored for You

Why?

With some new readers and some old and a need to articulate what I've been feeling lately...today will be a reflective entry for me.  Due to multiple events and questions I've needed to revisit the age old question of "Why?".  Why do I eat the way I do?  Why am I exercising so much?  Isn't it putting too much of a strain on my heart?  Why do I do most things holistically for my health and yet take one medication that the cardiologist prescribes?  Why?

Honestly, because of the people in the picture below.

Initially, I did everything out of fear.  Really, that's what it was.  I feared that if I didn't DO everything right I would keel over and die right on the floor.  Then for awhile it was control.  If I did "X", "Y", and "Z" I wouldn't have another heart attack.  

Gradually, I realized I needed to do it for me and for my family.  I realized that I would not, could not get answers at this time from the medical professionals that I see because my case is unique.  It's rare.  I'm an anomaly.  If you want to know more you can read my About section.

So I began to read more about health.  I had always tried to be healthy but now it was my lifeline.  Now it went from a curiosity to a passion.  Since I couldn't get complete answers in the hospital and doctors offices I started reading more.  I read about stress on the body, about inflammation, about foods and things that cause stress and inflammation of the body.  How inflammation and stress can impact the heart, your health, etcetera.

Keep in mind that I didn't stop what they were telling me to do.  I've continued taking the one medication that I'm on.  I managed to get them to wean me off 2 others.  So I'm VERY happy with that.  I question them incessantly and have a doctor that looks into answers for me.  My cardiologist is the one that wants me exercising and hour 5 to 7 days out of the week to create extra pathways in my heart.  To strengthen my heart.

I also know that I can control some factors but ultimately God is in control. However, He did give me a brain and common sense.  I can eat right.  I can exercise.  I can pray.  I can read my Bible.  I can pursue and build healthy relationships and create boundaries or end unhealthy relationships.  I can get sleep.  I can put the candy away (my weakness).  I can practice healthy self talk and encourage myself and others so I'm contributing to health and not stress.  I can let go of worry.  I can take time for myself and not feel badly about it.  I can play with the kids and let the house be messy.

Will some questions remain unanswered?  Yes.  And I need to let that go and live with it.  It is what it is.  God kept me around for a reason and I need to trust Him in that.

Does that mean I'll be perfectly healthy for the rest of my life and live to be 90?  I hope so but honestly I don't know.  What I do know is that I have a 5 year old sleeping right now who asked his Mama if we would go to heaven at the same time.  He said he doesn't want to be left alone without me.   I know that broke my heart.  I know it was related more to him realizing what "dead" meant after seeing his dad's dead turkey in the driveway than my hospital visits.  But I know even if it started with a dead turkey, his fears were real.  His tears were real.   

So tomorrow, I'll wake up early.  Get my gym clothes on.  And push myself.  Because I don't want my little 5 year old or my 2 1/2 year old or my 42 year old to be left alone.  That is why I do this.  I feel alive, strong, and happy and it's the best feeling in the world.

The Importance of Play

All over the news headlines we hear of horrific things happening to children.  It gets to the point when we don't want to read them.  We just want to close our eyes and make it go away.  I do believe, some of these problems could have been lessened or diverted if we just took more time to play.  I'm guilty of it too.  I get so busy with my own stuff that I forget the importance of play.

In graduate school, when I learned about teaching kids who were Deaf and Hard of Hearing we talked about this.  We talked about all the incidentals that kids learn from interacting with their parents in the hearing world (both good and bad things).  Kids with a hearing loss miss out on a lot if their parents aren't willing to figure out a way to communicate with them.  However, that got me thinking, how many hearing kids are missing out for the same reason?

Play has value.  It's not just play.  It teaches vocabulary, sharing, role playing, use of imagination, communication, healthy emotional expression, etc.  Play is crucial to a child's development and while we don't have to be playing with them nonstop...we should spend some time doing it to demonstrate healthy social skills and learn about what they're thinking.

Today I helped at Superhero #1's school with picture day.  It's a small preschool and they let me bring Superhero #2 along.  I made sure he was ok and left him in the 3 year old room (he's 2 1/2) and went on my way to help.  Much to my surprise, his first day of "preschool" was fine.  He didn't cry at all.  No potty training accidents.  Played well with others.  Did the projects. It was only half of a day then we all ate lunch together and went out on the playground.

I was supervising the kids and letting them play on their own for about the first 30 minutes.  However, as time went on, I realized I wanted to play with my Superheroes.  I pushed my oldest on the swing set (along with 3 other boys) and then moved on to sitting in the rocks with my youngest.

It started with a small Tonka truck and him.  We were at the "rock quarry" and loading the truck, dumping it, loading it, dumping it, etc.  I was using all of my excellent truck noises when a little girl asked to play.  He  said yes and that scenario repeated itself until we had 8 or more kids huddled around one Tonka truck.  They were learning how to share, vocabulary, social skills (don't throw the rocks in the air :-)  ) and so much more.  They were also having fun and learning that they mattered.  They were important.  They were valued.  Someone took time for them, called them by name, looked them in the eye.  Isn't that what we want as adults?  Makes sense to me and it makes for much happier kiddos too.

Granted we can't change the world.  However, we can change a kid's life by giving them a little more time and attention.

Healthy Doesn't Have to be Hard...

I hear the argument over and over that it just sounds too hard to eat an unprocessed diet.  Sometimes it's the busy day argument.  Maybe you travel a lot.  Maybe you aren't big on cooking.  Maybe your kids are picky.  I do agree that it takes a little more prep work.  When I have to shuttle one to preschool, make it to appointments, pick him up, etc...I have to think ahead a bit.  But you have to ask yourself why you're doing it.  Some things in life are hard.  Raising kids...is hard but I wouldn't trade it for anything else in the world.  Marriage can be hard...but the rewards are worth it.  College or graduate school can be hard...but the degree is worth it.  So why is it we're willing to sacrifice and invest in those things but not the health of our family or our own health?

Yesterday was a busy day.  My handsome hubby had just returned from a longer trip at 2:30 in the morning.  The kids were excited to see him (and so was I).  We were all tired.  We had to get ourselves out the door in time for preschool, get the last of our grocery shopping in for the week (I try to do it all in one or two days to save gas).  Pick up Superhero #1 from school and then head home to cram in as much fun in the sun as possible since we finally had a warm spring day.  The only problem with my "playing outside" plan was that I also needed to clean the house for piano lessons later in the afternoon, make supper, and leave from piano straight to my Handsome Hubby's work to bring him supper since he had an unexpected meeting late and we all wanted to see each other.

Notice...some of the things in my day I didn't HAVE to do.  I didn't have to cram in outside play time.  But I want to make time with my kids a priority.  If I were to have another heart attack and it were fatal... I don't want them to remember how Mama kept a clean house.  I want them to remember Mama playing, snuggling, and laughing with them.  I didn't HAVE to meet daddy for supper.  But I want them to have that connection with their dad.  They adore them.  He couldn't control having the meeting the day he got back but we could have a little quality time with him before bed.  His work day was brightened, my day was brightened, and the boys' day was brightened.  I even could have left my house messy or made a McDonald's run for supper.  But I didn't.

The kids took their rest time and I vacuumed and mopped.  There wasn't much clutter because in reclaiming our house I've been getting rid of unnecessary stuff.  I wiped down the bathrooms and then moved onto supper.  I had baked chicken with lemon pepper seasoning sprinkled on it the day before.  There wasn't enough leftovers for a full meal so I made some mayo (store stuff has soybean oil or canola oil...both bad for the body and heart, both GMO's aka genetically modified), chopped up the 2 1/2 chicken breasts and 2 celery stalks in the food processor and mixed it all together.  I added a little more lemon pepper and salt to taste and voila...supper was made.  Total time to clean house and make supper...45 minutes.  Total time outside... 2 1/2 hours.  Time with daddy...45 minutes.

Busy day.  Healthy meal.  Happy kids and parents.  Below you'll find our recipe for mayonnaise and lemon pepper chicken.  As a bonus I also added a pic and recipe for a lemon pepper, cucumber, tomato salad.  Enjoy!

Lemon Pepper Cucumber Salad

Lemon Pepper Cucumber Salad

Lemon pepper chicken cubed

1 baby English cucumber sliced in half spheres

1 roma tomato diced

Mix cucumbers, chicken, and tomatoes together.  Drizzle a little olive oil over top.  Sprinkle with salt and lemon pepper (without MSG added!) or preferred seasoning to taste.  Enjoy!

Mama's Mayo
3 large organic eggs
1 1/4 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 cup oil (we use macadamia, avocado, almond, or olive oil due to heart health and inflammation reduction)

1.  Place eggs, dry mustard, salt, and lemon juice into blender (we have a Vitamix) in the order listed and secure lid.

2.  Turn on lowest setting

3.  Turn machine on and slowly increase speed to highest setting.  Remove lid plug but NOT THE LID:-) (if possible).

4.  While machine is running, slowly pour oil through the lid plug opening into the container.  As mixture begins to thicken, the oil can be added at a faster rate.  The process should take about a minute.

5.  Stop machine and stir in any oil sitting on top.

6.  Refrigerate in a separate container and use within 2 to 4 weeks.



Chicken Salad Salad
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2-3 organic celery stalks
lemon pepper or preferred seasoning(dill, Emeril's original essence, etc)
salt
mayo

Place chicken on a foil lined pan and sprinkle with sea salt and lemon pepper.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Remove and cool.  Prepare mayo.  Cut chicken and celery in large chunks and place in food processor together.  Pulse chicken and celery until desired texture.  Remove from food processor and mix with mayo.  Add salt and extra seasoning to taste.  Serve on Nut Thin or Paleo crackers, paleo bread, lettuce wraps, or a bed of lettuce with tomatoes.  Enjoy!

You've Got to Accentuate the Positive, Eliminate the Negative

My sister watched a lot of classic movies from the 40's so perhaps that's why this song pops into my head from time to time.  I googled the lyrics (not knowing where it's from) and apparently it was on a movie from that time period.  So thanks sis!  The full song was written by John Mercer.

Here's a little Bing Crosby and the Andrew's Sisters so you can hear what I keep hearing in my head...

 So in reclaiming my life I have tried to simplify and be more positive.  Not just in my eating, but in my everyday functioning, thoughts, life in general.  I didn't realize how much I had tied up emotionally in "stuff" in my house.  The sad thing is I was going to pass it onto my kids.

I taught for 10 years before becoming a full time at home mom.  During those years, repeatedly I saw the culture of entitlement.  Kids truly believed they deserved grades that they hadn't earned.  They thought they should get a reward for simply doing their work.  Now in small amounts, I am all for prizes.  But there are limits.  So I wanted to do different by our kids.  My parents didn't give us anything we wanted and I'm glad they didn't.  We had to work for it and all have a strong work ethic.

We live in a small house and just can't keep everything.  This has challenged me to free myself of a lot of "stuff" and teach my kids to free themselves as well.  I didn't want them to be resentful of me for donating their items though.  I felt guilty getting rid of things.  So at 2 years old, I had Superhero #1 begin donating things to "kids who don't have toys".  I would hold up 2 items (a favorite of his and one he didn't play with) and ask him which one we should keep.  Each time we did this it became easier until he started finding items for me.  He will be 5 this month and much to my surprise, he asked me for some bags and left for his bedroom.  When he came out he had filled 2 large paper grocery bags with toys.  His idea.  Not my idea.  He said, "Mom, we can bring these ones to the Salvation Army.  I don't play with them anymore.  Then I can make room for more toys for my birthday."  I couldn't have been more proud.  He was truly ok with it and has since helped clean out more.  We're up to 4 bags of toys and books now.

He inspired me to rid myself of more clothes, CD's, books, etc so our house can stay clean with less effort.  The crazy thing is the more you free yourself of stuff, the cleaner your mind feels.  It's like a weight is lifted.  It doesn't take as long to clean up.  So I have more time for family.  This makes me happier and the kids happier.  It's a positive cycle to start.  I realized I had a bit of that entitlement focus too.  I was focusing on what I didn't have instead of how blessed we were to have what we do.  When I  started "accentuating the positive" in all areas I was freeing myself to be happy in the NOW.

Are there things I want still?  Of course!  They're normal things...just like everyone else.  But like the Bible verse Phillipians 4:11 says, Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

Isn't contentment what everyone is searching for?  I'm content where God puts me and I hope and pray my kiddos can learn that as well.  My challenge for you is to get a paper grocery bag and fill it up.  Rid your life of one load and see how it feels.  If you can do two bags, do two.  It's hard at first but trust me...it gets easier.   While you're at it throw out some processed food too.  :-)

Teach Your Children Well

Since my kids have been little I've tried to cue them into what their body is telling them. Since I worked in the field of Deaf Education for several years my kids learned ASL early and were able to communicate with me early. When they were filling their diaper with smelly gifts for me I cued them into what they were doing. When they had just peed I filled them in on that. As a result, I believe they potty trained early and even now at 2 1/2 my second superhero can alert me to where he has an owie (strep throat, flu, cold, headache, etc). They're more specific with their descriptions of things.


As we've continued on this food journey away from processed foods I've experimented a bit. When we visit the bank or doctor's office and are offered a lollipop I watch to see how they react. Then I cue them in if there is a very clear obvious reaction. My almost 5 year old has realized that he can't seem to finish the large lollipop without feeling sick to his stomach. My 2 1/2 year old literally runs in circles about 5 minutes after having anything with artificial food dyes in it. I try not to be too strict with my kids. So I make healthier substitutes for foods so they don't feel like they're missing out.


My Handsome Hubby went out of town for a few days so I decided to test out our stomachs. Crazy I know but we had a sleepover party with all the "good" things. Gluten free pizza, Ruffles, chocolate chip cookies, and juice mixed with club soda. Keep in mind, we've been on a 90% grain free processed sugar free diet for 10 months now. No juice is in our house, pop just doesn't happen. My kids were crying and felt sick by bedtime. My almost 5 year old said, "I just don't feel good mom. Now I know why you don't want us to have junk food." Granted moderation is the key and I just let them eat until they felt they were full but I wanted them to realize how food affects how you feel. My experiment worked.


So now my challenge to you. I know I've said it before but I'm going to say it again. Start to change your family's eating habits now. You can do it gradually. Cut out pop week one. Cut out juice week two. Rid your house of drinking your calories. Cut out coffee creamers or make your own out of real cream, maple syrup, and vanilla. Cut out chips. Our bodies weren't made to eat the processed foods and when you eat them, you overeat them. Your brain says you need more when in actuality you don't. Eating whole foods fills you faster and keeps you satisfied longer. You'll eat fewer calories and get your family off the emotional roller coaster of carb mood highs and lows. Start small and keep moving forward. It's worth it but you have to keep trying to see the results.

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Reality Check

Last week, I had several reality checks.  I developed a bad sinus infection and was knocked down and out with it.  Reality check #1...I am not invincible and even though I'm trying to do everything right to be the healthiest and strongest woman possible...I still get sick.  Thankfully with some colloidal silver, vitamins, sleep, and a sinus rinse three times a day I'm seeing the other side of it.  So needless to say the house got a bit messy, I had a bit less energy for playing, and I had to make a more conscious effort to not sit like a slug on the couch.

My reality check #2 came from Superhero #1.  He had a bad dream.  I lay with him that night and he kept moving an arm or a foot to touch me.  Just to make sure I was still there.  I know sometimes I get resentful about being up at night when I'm tired and want my sleep.  But that night I just lay there praying for this precious little guy next to me and tried to stay awake long enough for him to sleep and me to switch back to my own bed.  There's more to the dream but first I need to explain a bit about my frame of mind.

The next day was Sunday and it was packed with fun.  I was exhausted having been up with both kids the night before, having a sinus infection for a week, and not working out which makes me more tired.  We were supposed to go to a farm to see the maple syrup tapping class but I just wanted to stay home and have a pity party.  Then my little guy told me what his dream about and it changed everything.

He followed me inside while Superhero #2 stayed outside with Daddy playing in the snow.  I was surprised he came in and selfishly a bit disappointed because I thought I was going to sit at the table by myself for a bit.  Then Reality Check #3 came:

"Mama...that dream last night was a bad one."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"Well, Mama...I kind of do and kind of don't"
"It's up to you buddy.  When you're ready I'm here."
"Mama, I dreamt you were up in heaven and not here with us anymore.  You got really sick and you couldn't play anymore because you were with Jesus."  Tears streaming down his face.

My heart broke.  Here I was having a pity party and my son was contemplating my mortality.  He's seen me in the hospital 3 times in a year.  Appendicitis, heart attack, stress tests.  Overnight hospital stays for multiple days.  Follow-up checks.  It's taken a year for him to finally stop asking me "How long is your doctor appointment this time mama?  Do you have to stay overnight?"

I get stressed easily.  I get overwhelmed.  But this year I've taken an active role in trying to change my thought process and my way of connecting with my family.  I had slipped the past week into my "poor me" mentality.  But you know what?  God used a 4 year old to give me a slap upside the head to say..."No...not poor me!  Lucky me!  Blessed me!"  I want to teach my kids that you can be down but not out.  That you need to seize every moment.  That life is short.  Let's go live it!

Checking out the baby lamb twins.  Just 2 hours old and still a bit messy.  Just like our lives at times.  :-)

So we went to the maple syrup thing.  Got there too late but visited the farm animals and enjoyed it.  I did have to go to the car early to warm up but afterwards we went to a Thai restaurant and all enjoyed a feast.

Some may wonder what I said to him when he told me about his dream.  Did I cry?  Did I say anything?  Did I downplay it?  I didn't cry and I didn't downplay it.
"Oh buddy, God's not done with me yet.  Last year, mama was really sick.  But God didn't take me home yet because He still has plans for me here.  Part of those plans are helping you and your brother grow up into big strong men who love God.  He wants me here so He's taking care of me so I can take care of you.  I love you so much and I'm not going anywhere."

He trotted off outside after that.  At peace.  Trusting that his Mama was going to be ok.  And I am.

Toddlers, Tantrums, and Tasty Treats

Sometimes I sit down in  front of the computer knowing that I will be writing today but not knowing where to start.  I've had a Superhero with a ton of fluid in his ears the past few nights so I'm waking up at 4 a.m. and not getting back to sleep.  He's tired and a bit off and so am I.  Everyday, I've been praying for a good attitude and patience.  That I could parent my kids with the grace and patience that I want to be treated with.  And you know what?  It's worked for the most part.  I'm not at 100% right now but I do feel I'm being given divine patience and grace when I've needed it most.

Superhero #2 is in that lovely age of 2 when communication is just starting to cement itself.  He's learning how to say what he wants or needs and to express and identify his emotions in a healthy way.  This is being extrinsically taught by his Mama and Daddy. When he "gets" it I am so excited.  I praise him.  I reinforce the behavior.  I identify and label what he's done.  When he doesn't and a time-out ensues or his favorite toys are taken away and one by one put on top of the fridge for a period of time.  That's when the grace comes into play.

Today he was losing it.  One by one, he lost 2 trains, Lightning McQueen, his blankies, his school bus.  He was spiraling and I knew that he needed a time-out but it couldn't be one alone because he didn't have the capacity to rein himself in.  So I sat in the timeout chair.  I held him.  I quietly told him I loved him even when he's mad and throwing things.  I said, "I love you when you're mad.  I love you when your sad.  I love you when you're happy.  I love you when you're silly."  I kissed him and said he needed to calm down before he could leave the chair.  He needed to use words to tell me what he needed.  When I'm having a crummy day.  That's what I want.  I want someone to hold me and listen to me tell them what I need.  And he did.  Just by that simple act...he calmed down and was able to rejoin his brother for book time.

I love being a mom.  But that patience...that's from the Divine.  That's not me.

I can make some divine Pecan Coconut muffins with dried cranberries in them.   Here's a link to the site, Deliciously Organic that I got them from.  I changed the sweetener to maple syrup and the butter to coconut oil due to our lactose intolerance.  The maple added a great flavor complement to the pecans.  The only thing I added were the cranberries but you could do without them.  This takes them out of the paleo/primal category due to the sugar on the cranberries but I tried to use them moderately and you could use other dried fruit.   I had to throw a recipe in.  Parenting and finding new recipes are two of the things I live for.  Enjoy!

Advent: Our chance to celebrate life and giving

So it's December 1st.  I stayed up late working on a homemade Advent Calendar idea I found from the site Mr. Printables.  So cool but I had to create activities or prizes for inside.  Since we want our kids to appreciate the little things and have a giving spirit...I didn't want to have a monetary or candy prize for everyday.  I wanted to focus on things we could DO together or ways we could help others.  So here is our list.  I added a Bible verse to everyday as well since that why we celebrate Christmas.  I used the Christmas story from Luke and the Beatitudes in Matthew 5.  That gave me a big head start and I also picked others that focused on love, forgiveness, letting our light shine, helping others, etc.

Here's my list so far...I still have 11 more to add but we're having fun with it so far!  Enjoy!

Our snowman...The boys LOVED this!

Our Advent calendar almost ready to go.

1. Make Mama and Daddy into a snowman.  Use winter hat, scarf, etc and toilet paper.  :-)
2. Do something kind to help someone else in the house. (Including your little brother).
3. Write letters or draw pictures to people you love.
4. Go shopping for Operation Christmas Child or another charity.
5. Wrap Christmas presents!
6. Make Christmas ornaments with glitter (Glitter is a big deal here!).
7. Find our old mittens and scarves and sneak them over to a needy families house without them knowing!
8. Make a list of love and appreciation for each other.
9. Make ice candles.  Fill a bowl with water.  Fill a tin can with rocks so it sinks halfway down into the water.  Freeze.  Remove can and ice.  Set ice bowl cube in a larger bowl and light a candle in the center.  Have a candlelit dinner.
10. Make a birthday cake for Jesus and freeze for His birthday!
11. Make Ice Ball ornaments for the sidewalk.  Fill balloons with water.  Add food coloring.  Freeze.  Pop balloons and set on edge of walk to decorate.
12. Make homemade bouncy balls.  I found a recipe here. Mom to 2 Lil Posh Divas.
13. Have a scavenger hunt. (I'm hiding our Nativity Scene figures).
14. Make snowflakes for our windows.
15. Camp-out in our living room in our tent!
16. Play flash light tag (hide and seek in the dark with flashlights).

So it's 10:30 and I need to get to bed.  I'll add the rest as I finish them and post pictures.

Remember to Laugh

Sometimes you have to remind yourself to laugh.  My boys give me opportunities for laughter daily.  It's up to me to notice them and take advantage of those moments.  So here is a little post... a little glimpse into our world.  A reminder that even though you could freak out about some things...it might not be worth it.  Instead...write it down in your quote book that you keep of favorite stories you get from your kids (I have one on my counter)...then laugh...perhaps with them...perhaps quietly.  But remember to laugh.



Superhero #2:  Ahhh...fresh wa-wa.  Mama...I got myself wa-wa.

Me:  Did you get yourself water buddy!?  That's great!  Wait...is that the cup from the tub?  Did you get the water from the sink?

Superhero #2:  No...the toilet.




So my choices for reaction are to:

• freak out
• say nothing and move on with my day
• explain calmly why toilet water isn't fresh

I picked the third choice and then wrote down what happened in his quote book.  For the record, his pediatrician heard the story and said he'll live.  Oh...and the toilet had been flushed so he didn't get any extra goodness with his drink.

Playing Soccer in the House

Sometimes you need to break the rules.  That's one thing I've learned through the heart attack.  Sometimes you need to just live.  You need to ask yourself if what you're about to say no or yes to is really going to matter in 10 years, 15 years, 20 years?  I expect respect from my boys.  They help me clean up some of their toys daily but not all of them.  Not yet anyway. :-) We don't yell.  No put-downs. No name calling, etc.  With that being said we do let loose too.

Superhero #1 didn't have a fever today so I decided it was time to play.  He was so happy and he came around the corner of the living room in the morning with a soft ball that he was dribbling with his feet. So we played soccer in the house.  Mind you we didn't have true soccer balls but we still got a bit wild. The piano bench was one goal and the legs of the kitchen table was the other goal.  We dribbled it back and forth and took turns being goalie and we laughed.  We laughed so hard I though for sure one of them was going to wet themselves.  It was the pure, unrestrained laughter of kids having fun and being free to be themselves.

So while I may have bounced a ball at one point and lightly hit the t.v. (oops).  Nothing was harmed and I didn't have to go in time-out (although they both thought it was funny when I suggested it.)  Instead we played until they were sweaty and laughing and we made a memory that will last.  This time passes too quickly and while I'm beginning to believe I'll be around for awhile...I still don't want to miss out on any opportunity to have fun.  Today was a good reminder to take the time to have fun.

Wisdom from my Superheroes...

My Superheroes share a bedroom and every night we cuddle up in our Lazyboy recliner in their bedroom to read books.  On nights when they aren't so tired or it isn't very late, we read several books.  More often than not they're pretty wiped out at the end of the day and the oldest asks if we can just read our Bible stories and then go to sleep.  I have one book for the 4 year old and another for the 2 year old.  If possible, I try to read the same story twice to reinforce it and retell it in 2 different ways.  We always make time for our Bible stories and they always seem to enjoy them and have questions.

One day last week, I had been particularly busy.  I was trying to catch up on cleaning, cooking, emails, etc.  It just felt like I was running behind and I didn't give my kids as much attention as they deserved.  I'm sure part of it was the busy pace of life.  Another part might have been my head cold and having 2 kids fighting the same thing.  It still doesn't excuse me not being in the moment with them and enjoying them like I should.

So that night, we settled into our chair with our blankies and stuffed animals.  I was so excited to finally get some time to myself and see the "finish line" in my day of being a mama.  The story in our Jesus Storybook Bible that night was about Matthew 19:14 from the Bible.  Jesus had been busy that day.  A typical day in the life of Our Saviour.  He'd been healing people and the disciples were arguing over who was the most important to Him.  Some little kids were brought over to him and the disciples were upset claiming he's too busy.  But Jesus said,  "Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven." So we talked about that in our cozy little Lazyboy recliner.  We talked about how we thought Jesus would react if they ran up to Him.  Did they think He'd shoo them away and tell them to be quiet and wait? Or would He grab them in a big ole bear hug, spin them around, kiss them and ask what was on their mind?  And I do believe God spoke to my heart to remind me that I should never be too busy to enjoy and love on my kids.  It was a humbling time as I sat there smelling their sweaty, tired boy heads in their cozy fleece rocketship pajamas.  I told Superhero #1 that I thought Jesus was telling me to spend more time with them since they're the most important ones around.  He smiled.  The next day when I got busy he reminded me that Jesus wanted me to play.  And you know what?  That's just what I did.