Everything but the Kitchen Sink

I was tired of not finding a large selection of the things I wanted at the local grocery store. And let's face it,  going to a farmer's market alone with 3 children 5 and under is not exactly a relaxing, fun time. In fact, I think I might rather pull my fingernails off one by one. So.... we decided to again try the organic and local delivery company Greenling. I have ordered a few things from them before here and there but never have tried to do all my grocery shopping online. Since it had been forever since I had ordered from them they had graciously sent me a 50% off my next order coupon which I totally used to stock up our freezer with local grass fed and free range meats! Plus, I have to admit, not being able to see all the normal snacks and fall backs that I usually grab when hungry at the grocery store was really a help! Here is what we got for the week!

Our 5 crates came and our dog was excited to check them out. Yes, she could use a diet too I am well aware!

Our Produce! We got: spinach; mixed greens; zucchini; bananas; tangerines; cucumbers; red, green, and orange bell peppers; onions; garlic; cauliflower; apples; and fingerling potatoes. All organic and about 80% from local farms!

Dairy! I am happy to say that aside from the kids' string cheese and yogurt everything else is from local farms! We got: milk; jalapeno cream cheese spread (we got 2 because we LOVE these from Full Quiver Farms!); cheddar; Parmesan; mozzarella; and ricotta!

Grains and Misc.: We got whole wheat hot dog buns, rolls, and a loaf of bread; pinto beans; black beans; brown rice; kettle corn; chicken and vegetable stock; tortilla chips; potato chips; and for the kids, cheddar bunnies and mac and cheese!

 

 

 

Meats! My favorite! Although we have been cutting back the amount of meat we eat each week, with my 50% coupon I couldn't resist getting some to toss into the freezer for when we do have it! And aside from the deli meat - everything is local, grass fed, and free range! We got: a beef roast; hamburger patties; bacon; deli meats; chicken breasts; fajita meat; and 2 dozen eggs!

So that is what we ate this week! I am looking into a weekly produce delivery from Naeglin Farms as well so that I can make sure the farmer's are getting the most out of their crop. I am also planing a sustainable living course for my kids this spring in our homeschool group so that we can grow our own garden and go visit local farms to see where our food came from. Step by step we are building healthier lives!

Week 1 Rewind

YAY! We made it through week one with only a few little slips ups. Well, a few slip ups for the grown ups anyway. The kids are a whole other story. I think there is going to be a slow change with lots of compromise with them. As for my husband, he just can't seem to give up the energy drinks. However, having them makes him much less grumpy so I have just been letting it slide for now. I have gone over a week now with no soda!! YAY ME! It was pretty awful the first few days with headaches but now it is out of my system and I am mostly drinking water and herbal teas. We have also gone over a week with no fast food - and we haven't died!! It is possible to not eat at McDonalds everyday (much to my kids chagrin).

Here are some of the things we have eaten this week:

Roasted Tomato Soup and Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwiches

Oatmeal and Whole Wheat Pancakes with Organic Free Range Turkey Bacon

Oatmeal with Raisins, Dates, and Almonds

Whole Wheat Pasta with Garlic, Mushrooms, and Zucchini and a Green Salad with Tangerines, Almonds and Homemade Citrus Vinaigrette

Organic Strawberry Yogurt with REAL strawberries!

Grilled Cheese and Apples with Peanut Butter

Oatmeal for breakfast

Greek Yogurt with Strawberries and Granola

Overall I would say breakfast has been the easiest to change. Out with the cereal in with the oatmeal and fruits. What we have agreed with the kids upon to compromise:

• they will just "die" if they can't have mac and cheese. So we got Annie's Organic Mac and Cheese to have on special days 
• they will also just "die" if they can't have hot dogs "they're my favorite!" my oldest whined. We found a local farm who makes them so we will order some
• Goldfish - a favorite snack - we also got Annie's Organic Cheddar Bunnies
• And last the gummies. We give them to our kids as rewards for potty training and schoolwork so this was a hard one to get rid of. I have heard you can make your own from fruit so I will try that out soon. 

I have noticed a few changes in myself already. First of all, I pee a lot more. Sorry if that is TMI! haha Also, I have noticed my skin looks more refreshed and the redness is going away (but not gone yet.) My lips also dont get as easily chapped. I have decided not to weigh or measure myself until the end of the month so that I can {hopefully} see a bigger change. Did any of you try anything new this week? I would love to hear about it! 

New Year - New Us!

So we started off our new diet yesterday and it has already been a challenge. Especially with the kids. In fact, it has been hard on everyone. My husband just called me from work saying they ordered Dominos and could he "please, please have piece?" The kids have been crying for hotdogs, mac and cheese, and of course, gummie snacks. I am craving soda something fierce but I have been a good girl and drinking lots of water! It is amazing how much awful things you realize you have been putting in your body when you really start getting down to it.

So what is our new diet? Well, I don't think we have 100% decided exactly what it is. We are trying to eat "real food". Which means nothing that comes from a box or jar that has a million things we cannot pronounce. We are riding the fence about refined sugars. I have to look into it more. I just love to bake and thinking about not baking makes my heart sad. I think for now we are going to cut everything out so that we are not feeling like we need it and then if we have it every so often it can be a treat aside from the norm.

So of course last week we went on an outing to find Whole Foods and stock our kitchen with healthy and unprocessed things. I have never looked for a Whole Foods before but I remembered seeing one once halfway across town. We drove all the way over there just to find it had been bought out by Sprouts. Well, they are all whole food organic stuff right? It appeared not so much. Though they did have a bunch of grain and other things in bulk that we stocked up on. The kids had fun picking which things they wanted and filling up the bags and weighing them. "It's like we live in the olden days!" my 5yr old said. I laughed and then thought, isn't that kinda the idea? Back to our roots? Live off the land?

It was my goal to only spend $60 for the remainder of the week. My total ended up being $78.13. But we got quite a bit. A lot of produce. I think I am going to have to do a search to see where there IS a whole foods. I also think we are going to go straight to the farms for a visit once the weather clears up.  I have been journaling (is that a word?) all that we eat and I will be sharing some pictures in the next few days. Hope everyone is having a wonderful new year!

The Cold Hard Truth

I must be one of the most unhealthy people on this planet. I mean, I know that I am stressed to the max and overweight. But think of all the gross things going on on the INSIDE of me. Do I really want to know? So the next step in my new lifestyle is my new diet and exercise. I am planning to post pictures and measurements of myself over the next year to see how this lifestyle change affects me and my family. Let's start with the way I feel.

I am tired. All the time. I know I don't get enough sleep (usually 5 hours or less a night) but even on nights when I get 8 hours I still wake up feeling so tired. I am cranky with my spouse and my kids. My temper can be short and my emotions are all over the place.

I feel like I am trying to do too many things at once. I have too much on my plate and it is getting heavy to carry. I work overnight at a vet's office 3 nights a week (those days I get even less than 5 hours sleep!). I run 2 small craft businesses, a travel agency, and I am a Pampered Chef consultant. I used to also have a popular cooking and homeschooling blog but I just can't keep up. I love all the jobs that I have but I just feel like it is all too much. Not to mention that I have 3 small girls ages 5, 2, and 8 months and I homeschool. I am active in my community and in my church. I need to find a balance.

I never exercise. Ever. I currently get winded walking up the stairs and if I am required to carry the baby you can forget about it. By the time I lay her down my chest is tight and I have to lay down to catch my breath. I am sure all the pain I feel in my body is due to my body slowly giving up on me. Or it is from depression. Which leads me to.....

I am depressed. Not in a "I want to kill myself because my life sucks so much" kinda way. Just a lack luster kinda way. I love my family and I know I have so many blessings in my life. But I feel deflated. I don't enjoy things like I should and everything in my life seems to require such great effort. I hate this the most. My girls are young and I love them and want to be filling their lives with happy memories. Not one of a rushed dysfunctional family who can't seem to ever get it together.

My sex life. Blah. No, I am not going into any seedy detail but I will say that I just have no desire. The fatness, sluggishness, and depression I am sure have a lot to do with all that. Hopefully that will improve.

So now for the most obvious part. Me and the way I look currently. I was going to take a picture of me in nothing but a bathing suit but geez, it was scary. So instead, here is me and my current measurements:

 

Measurements 12/29/12:

Bust: 41 inches

Waist: 36 inches

Hips: 43 inches

Thigh: 25 1/2 inches

Arm: 14 inches

Current Weight: 162 lbs

Pant Size: 12

Dress Size: 14

No I am not morbidly obese but I feel like I could be and I am tired of it! Also, my skin is in major revolt. I used to have the most amazing skin. Now, it looks horrible. Red splotchy cheeks with acne everywhere. I want it to all go away.  

So here's to a new year and a new healthier life for my family and me! Time to suck it up and make the change. It will be hard but so worth it in the end - I have faith!! 

Everything Must Start Somewhere

Well, my BIG dreams were met with a very skeptical look. We are not in the financial position to just pack up and move to the country. Of course my hubby has to come in and be all practical. However, he did give in a little (he is so great at compromise!) and we have purchased a house just outside the city limits. It is on about half an acre which isn't a lot but it is enough to have a small garden for now and the girls can run and play. The world just seems so crazy today and I need to feel like I have some control over at least my small little part. We have decided to start a new diet and make a huge lifestyle change. I am not too sure how I will survive it or if I will. I have grown up in a world where my family just eats McDonalds 3-4 times a week and now our health and our children's health are paying for our gluttony. Baby steps to a simpler, healthier, happier life. When I am feeling brave enough I will take a picture of me now, my frazzled, out of shape self. I am hoping that in a year I can look back and not recognize the person in the picture. I have decided this blog will mostly be thoughts and goings on in our journey. I hope to be able to find support and give support to anyone who would like to read along.

The Madness in the City

Here I am. 31, married to a wonderful man, mother of three lovely little girls. I have my own successful business that has brought me joy and decent income. I have been homeschooling my kids. It's just, well, this is somehow not the life I pictured for myself. So busy all the time. Pulling out my hair and throwing down TUMS daily trying to ward off the ulcers all too quickly forming in my gut. Growing up in the suburbs I always promised myself I was going to get away. I wanted to live in a quiet small town where everyone knows everyone and could call you by name. And now, I am raising my family in the same fast paced world I was raised in. Only now, it is like a million times worse. I need to escape, I need to get away, I need serenity now! I have been thinking about what I want to do for a while and finally it came to me. I want to move to the country and build a homestead. I want it to be for my family but I would also love to incorporate my long time business goals of having an inn and spa. So..... I haven't told my husband yet of my far fetched ideas. Sure sure, he knows I am longing to get out of the city but he doesn't know I am LONGING to get out of the city. What will this blog be about? I am still not entirely sure. Mostly I know it will be about my journey into the simple life. Me finding ways to connect with myself, my family, my passions and hopefully fulfilling my dreams in the country. Everyone needs some time to just take a step back from the madness and just smell the roses. Perhaps its time I plant some.