Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Dexterity
So griffin struggles a bit with some fine motor things. He can barely write anything legibly. He is a boy and it's somewhat normal, but he still is a little behind. He has come so so far this year in school. His teacher this year is amazing with him. He has never shown an interest in anything to do with holding a pen. Never liked to color or anything of the nature. I've been trying to think of things to help his fine motor. Today I found some crafts at target. You take these little foam squares and stick them one by one on these little half circles. He is doing fantastic! Being so patient and trying so hard! We are also making Christmas tree cookies today and he will stick mini m and ms on them. I'm so proud of him! Sully was none too impressed.
Monday, December 17, 2012
Sickies
Well sully has been down and out for a few days. Runny nose, vomited once the other day, fussy, fever, diarrhea. This morning Mira vomited. She is acting fine but I didn't send her to school and she hasn't eaten anything. I knew we couldn't escape the sickies for the entire winter! Ugh!
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Halloween a LONG time ago
So Facebook has also taken away my need to blog. Sad, I know. It is true I don't take as many pictures as I used to. I have been feeling like I don't really do anything with the kids that often. Don't go to playgroups, don't go to the zoo, etc. Not sure why really, we just don't. Maybe I'm lazy. Who knows. I'm going to try and start again. Anyway, I found these Halloween shots on the camera today. Sully was Sully from Monsters Inc. He was A-dorable. I couldn't get enough of him. In the weeks leading up to Halloween we couldn't get him to wear it for even 5 seconds. He would scream when we came near him with it. All of a sudden that day he was totally fine! And I was glad because omg, so cute.
Friday, December 7, 2012
To Covet??
So back a few months ago I was riding my bike with my friend Sue and we were talking about how she didn't have Facebook. She said she used to have it, but was finding that FB was making her feel inadequate. Like her life wasn't as good as what other people had, like she should have been doing things she wasn't doing, and for her, it just wasn't worth it. So I won't lie, FB makes me covet. It makes me wish I had things that other people have, and makes being thankful for my own blessings second in line. I've known this for awhile, and for about 6-12 months I have been known to say, "Man, I wish I could get rid of facebook."
The loss of the baby definitely brought it to a head. I am not kidding when I say that at least three times a week someone new is pregnant on my facebook feed. I AM happy for them. I AM. Everyone deserves to have healthy happy children and have the joys that I have with my three.....but it reminds me CONSTANTLY of our loss. But that's not the kicker. At least as often someone is COMPLAINING about their pregnancy. They feel sick, or they feel tired, or they are craving gross food, or they are uncomfortable, or the baby doesn't let them sleep. What they fail to remember, because of our natural human nature to be self absorbed, is that their babies are ALIVE, and not everyone is so lucky. And every day when I read these complaints I want to throw things. I am immediately in a bad mood, sad, feel like crying, angry......and what I have found is that it's not worth it. I don't need to see it. I am not someone who enjoys pregnancy. It's a means to an end for me and I have been where these people are, experienced the uncomfortable and not so fun parts of pregnancy.....I know how it feels. Like it will never be over, like it's the worst thing on earth, so I can't really be angry at them, can I? I just don't need to see it. Not right now.
Most of the time I feel good. I am in shape, I am a good weight where I feel proud of the way I look and feel. I am strong and feel accomplished. We are getting more focused time with Sully and getting to enjoy watching him grow because I'm not preoccupied with preparing for another. Most of the time I'm fine....until I get on Facebook. So today yet another person announced a pregnancy, and it was over for me. I was angry at her- and why? Because I was JEALOUS. And that's enough. Time to get away.
So I deactivated my account. I need a break. I don't need to know everything about everyone. I will probably reactivate my account on Monday, but I will be using facebook differently, to protect myself. I plan to unfriend every person that isn't personally VERY close to me emotionally, or a family member. The only reason I haven't left FB before is that my exercise support group and my food/primal/paleo support group is on facebook. I NEED those groups and the good things they bring to my life. But unfortunately you can't get rid of your main page and stay active in groups. So I will not remain "friends" with people whom I am only acquainted with. I will keep those who make me smile on a daily basis and who lift me up. So don't be hurt if you get cut. I'm only working toward achieving a love for my own life, changing my perspective, adjusting my priorities. If you are pregnant right now and frequently post on facebook, please don't think that I hate you. I don't. It isn't personal....it's my own lack of adequate coping. So I will enjoy my family this holiday season and eliminate what brings me down daily.
The loss of the baby definitely brought it to a head. I am not kidding when I say that at least three times a week someone new is pregnant on my facebook feed. I AM happy for them. I AM. Everyone deserves to have healthy happy children and have the joys that I have with my three.....but it reminds me CONSTANTLY of our loss. But that's not the kicker. At least as often someone is COMPLAINING about their pregnancy. They feel sick, or they feel tired, or they are craving gross food, or they are uncomfortable, or the baby doesn't let them sleep. What they fail to remember, because of our natural human nature to be self absorbed, is that their babies are ALIVE, and not everyone is so lucky. And every day when I read these complaints I want to throw things. I am immediately in a bad mood, sad, feel like crying, angry......and what I have found is that it's not worth it. I don't need to see it. I am not someone who enjoys pregnancy. It's a means to an end for me and I have been where these people are, experienced the uncomfortable and not so fun parts of pregnancy.....I know how it feels. Like it will never be over, like it's the worst thing on earth, so I can't really be angry at them, can I? I just don't need to see it. Not right now.
Most of the time I feel good. I am in shape, I am a good weight where I feel proud of the way I look and feel. I am strong and feel accomplished. We are getting more focused time with Sully and getting to enjoy watching him grow because I'm not preoccupied with preparing for another. Most of the time I'm fine....until I get on Facebook. So today yet another person announced a pregnancy, and it was over for me. I was angry at her- and why? Because I was JEALOUS. And that's enough. Time to get away.
So I deactivated my account. I need a break. I don't need to know everything about everyone. I will probably reactivate my account on Monday, but I will be using facebook differently, to protect myself. I plan to unfriend every person that isn't personally VERY close to me emotionally, or a family member. The only reason I haven't left FB before is that my exercise support group and my food/primal/paleo support group is on facebook. I NEED those groups and the good things they bring to my life. But unfortunately you can't get rid of your main page and stay active in groups. So I will not remain "friends" with people whom I am only acquainted with. I will keep those who make me smile on a daily basis and who lift me up. So don't be hurt if you get cut. I'm only working toward achieving a love for my own life, changing my perspective, adjusting my priorities. If you are pregnant right now and frequently post on facebook, please don't think that I hate you. I don't. It isn't personal....it's my own lack of adequate coping. So I will enjoy my family this holiday season and eliminate what brings me down daily.
Monday, November 26, 2012
Randoms
This one is from early October when I went on Mira's field trip with her to Red Barn Farm. Miserable trip, but nice to spend time with her ;)
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Paleo? Primal? Hmmm.....
So I have these dreams of cooking meals like I grew up with. I’ve mourned it even, decided it would never happen for me, but then I think, his mom does it, so why can’t I? I have decided that my dream is to go Paleo- plus dairy/ Primal, whatever. I have dreams of cooking a roast for dinner and calling it a meal. Cooking a pot full of pork. Cooking a ham. Cooking a casserole full of beef. I’m going to do it. I’m going to love it. I hope it lasts! HA! I will continue to cook the rice/potato/noodle side he craves. I will do that and SHOULD do that for my husband, but I’m going to make MY meal. I’m going to buy quality meat and buy it in bulk. I’m going to cook big slabs of it and love it. I’m going to eat millions of veggies, and try new ones all the time. I’m going to raise my kids to eat food that normal mainstream adults eat and love plus those carby sides, powdered sugar donuts, poptarts, and chips, lol.
Now, the why's. Why would one want to let go of grains if one wasn’t truly intolerant or allergic to them? Well....the fact is- they don’t make me feel all that good. They make me more hungry in general. They make me feel like a slug. Tired, heavy, slow. I feel fat and unattractive afterward. I feel overfull and disgusting, but then starving about 2 hours later... So why am I eating them? I don’t know, but I quit! No more corn, no more pasta, no more white potatoes, no more bread. I’m done.
I am a sugar addict. In the worst way. Sugar is a slippery slope for me. I have been slowly weaning myself off of sugar and my dependence on it. Very small amounts of natural sugars are allowed on the diet- so some honey and syrup will be ingested, but small amounts. And I will enjoy things without sugar. Fruit is so amazingly sweet and delicious when you aren’t constantly ingesting sugar filled shit. This means saying no to artificial sugar too. No splenda, no aspartame, no diet things. Blah. That’s hard, but totally do able. And I’m better for it.
Dairy- so you can’t be “Paleo” and enjoy dairy. No ice cream? No cheese? No milk? Well, I’m not there yet. This is where the “Primal” diet comes into play! I will commit to paleo meals at least once a day and work on decreasing my dairy intake. I fully expect I will never eliminate all cheese and greek yogurt from my diet. I don’t want to, and I don’t have to. It’s MY diet, right? I want to sit at Sheridan’s and eat custard with my kids and enjoy it. I will. Sometimes.
Beans, peas, legumes? I don’t know yet. You can’t be “Paleo” and eat them. Right now I’m ok without them, except chickpeas. I can’t give them up. Not yet. I love hummus. I eat it at least 3 times a week, and I’m not willing to budge on that just yet. When my hummus is gone I will explore Paleo hummus made from zucchini and macadamia nuts, but for now, give me my chickpeas and leave me alone. I’m also just not ready to throw out the peanuts. I like peanut butter. Almond butter isn’t the same. I will get some and try to slowly transition, but I don’t have to like it, and I’m getting the roasted salted kind. And I’m still going to get some peanuts at the ballpark. I’m an American after all.
Now, the why's. Why would one want to let go of grains if one wasn’t truly intolerant or allergic to them? Well....the fact is- they don’t make me feel all that good. They make me more hungry in general. They make me feel like a slug. Tired, heavy, slow. I feel fat and unattractive afterward. I feel overfull and disgusting, but then starving about 2 hours later... So why am I eating them? I don’t know, but I quit! No more corn, no more pasta, no more white potatoes, no more bread. I’m done.
I am a sugar addict. In the worst way. Sugar is a slippery slope for me. I have been slowly weaning myself off of sugar and my dependence on it. Very small amounts of natural sugars are allowed on the diet- so some honey and syrup will be ingested, but small amounts. And I will enjoy things without sugar. Fruit is so amazingly sweet and delicious when you aren’t constantly ingesting sugar filled shit. This means saying no to artificial sugar too. No splenda, no aspartame, no diet things. Blah. That’s hard, but totally do able. And I’m better for it.
Dairy- so you can’t be “Paleo” and enjoy dairy. No ice cream? No cheese? No milk? Well, I’m not there yet. This is where the “Primal” diet comes into play! I will commit to paleo meals at least once a day and work on decreasing my dairy intake. I fully expect I will never eliminate all cheese and greek yogurt from my diet. I don’t want to, and I don’t have to. It’s MY diet, right? I want to sit at Sheridan’s and eat custard with my kids and enjoy it. I will. Sometimes.
Beans, peas, legumes? I don’t know yet. You can’t be “Paleo” and eat them. Right now I’m ok without them, except chickpeas. I can’t give them up. Not yet. I love hummus. I eat it at least 3 times a week, and I’m not willing to budge on that just yet. When my hummus is gone I will explore Paleo hummus made from zucchini and macadamia nuts, but for now, give me my chickpeas and leave me alone. I’m also just not ready to throw out the peanuts. I like peanut butter. Almond butter isn’t the same. I will get some and try to slowly transition, but I don’t have to like it, and I’m getting the roasted salted kind. And I’m still going to get some peanuts at the ballpark. I’m an American after all.
Though this means I'll be low carbish, I am certainly not embarking on Atkins or any other strict low carb diet. When I want a sweet potato I will eat one. Veggies and nuts have lots of carbs and I will enjoy them ALL.
The real premise of paleo or primal or paleo plus, whatever, is that nothing is bought from the center isles of the grocery except for oils/fats, and spices, and frozen vegetables/fruits. Nothing is eaten from a box or a brightly colored package. You eat fresh or frozen foods, in their natural form. You make all of your own dressings, spreads, dips, etc. Everything you eat is processed only by YOU. Not in a plant somewhere where they add God knows what to it. WHAT COULD BE BAD ABOUT THAT?!
Is it hard? Yes. It takes planning which I am excited about. I plan to get some new graters, skillets, and pyrex to store and prepare my prepared vegetables in! B and I are going to Philadelphia this coming weekend and I am guessing it will be tough. I will have to be careful with my choices. I have already started planning some foods I can take with me when quality choices are slim. I will take a bag of carrots, a bag of sugar snap peas, maybe some sliced cucumbers, hard boiled eggs, some beef or turkey jerky, almonds or other nuts, dried fruits with no added sugars, whole apples, raisins, peanut or almond butter packets, coconut chips, and celery. I may venture into making sweet potato chips before I go too. We'll see!
So I will keep you updated on my adventure. It will be fun. I have found thus far that paleo food is highly filling and really flavorful. I do so love vegetables paired with a big slab of meat! It’s adventurous. It’s EASY. Cooking meat is much more set it and forget it than any stupid casserole (although I saw a really delicious looking butternut squash lasagna that WILL be tried). I may start posting pictures of my favorite paleo meals. You’ll endure it just like you endure my sister’s weird food. Aren’t we amazingly opposite?!
Some OMG delicious looking Paleo recipe sites I have found.....
I have also ordered the books Well Fed and Practical Paleo to get started. Plus, scoured the internet as I most often do.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Colorado!
We had a great time visiting Mike and Theresa and Delaney this last weekend!!! Got some great family pics too. It snowed on the way there, and the kids loved, but it was still warm enough to be out. I got in some really good runs too! Gorgeous scenery!
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