Health Kick

Well, the time has come to face the facts. We (as a whole family) need to crack down and get serious about getting healthy. I used to be afraid of healthy cooking, I had tried the low fat/no fat, I have tried the low/no carb thing,weight watchers, atkins etc... none of it appealing.  I also did not care for the lean cusine etc... meals, they seriously lacked taste. So I was hesitant to try new "healthy" meals. I had tried regular new meals that weren't always so healthy, but something different, but my family members are hard to please. However,  as I watched us all pack on the pounds, I knew SOMETHING had to be done. So I once more vowed to make this family healthy. But I was going to try a new approach, one I had never done. I was going to mix and match healthy programs. a little from this program and a little from that. Several of my friends and some of my family are doing weight watchers. Another friend had done the caveman diet, where if a caveman wouldn't recognize it, you don't eat it. I think that has also been called the God diet, where you eat things as God made them, and God didn't make processed food. But I also knew, if I didn't ease the family into this, it was never going to work. I had my work cut out for me, but as the "keeper of the home" it was my responsibility to "git r done"!


The past week and a half, I have been trying to fix healthy meals. It started with my bi-weekly grocery trip. Not buying anything bad. I had bought some 100 calorie packs to help ween us of the junk we were so used to eating. I added more veggies and fruit to some meals. One of my close friends had told me, "don't focus on what you CAN'T have, but what you GET to have".  I had gotten a weight watchers cook book at the library and had incorporated some of those meals into our weekly menus. Suprisingly. so far,  they  have all gone over well. Gracie and I had gone to my mom's for dinner one night and she made a weight watcher friendly spaghetti sauce and we fixed spaghetti squash in the oven and put the sauce over that and it actually tasted just like spaghetti. That motivated me on the other meals I was going to fix. So far we have had 2 weekends and a full week and a half (yes, i'm still counting the days so far). We started adding excersise into the mix last Friday. Thankfully my mom has her own littl mini gym in her upstairs and we have become members over there. We also have mixed it up a bit, and went bike riding and walking over there yesterday as the weather was so nice. today, we went to a local nature park and walked the trails. The kids are motivated, and I am feeling more confident in the food I am preparing. I have substituted raw veggies where I might have served chips or fries before, I am trying to vary the cooked veggies where I mostly made mashed potatoes in the past. While I have made some of the weight watcher meals, I have also kept some of our old ones, such as hamburgers, or chicken nuggets, but I measure out portion sizes and have fruit and veggies to go with them. In doing this, the family (me included) do not feel the weight (no pun intended) of a "diet" rather the excitement of a healthy change. I used to make a large pitcher (sometimes two) of sweet tea every weekend, and we would get that on our many eating out trips. Well, I have not made that tea the last two weekends and we haven't ate out, except once this whole time, so we have lowered our liquid calories considerably not to mention saving a bunch of $. We also are working hard at eating at the table rather than on the couch or in our rooms. I think that the hardest change to make of them all!
 
We did have a cheat day, and we have allowed ourselves small treats when we have had an overwhelming craving that just will not go away. But again, we portion it out and actually after that, it goes away. Example, my husband brought home our most favorite doughnuts just a few days after starting this. Why? you might ask, because in the past, we have made food our way of doing something nice for each other and he was trying to be nice (it takes time to change our habits). So I immediately asked he take them to the basement and not even let Gracie know, Frankie was there, he saw them, no getting around that, but he was only allowed one. I did not feel an immediate urge for one and thought, heh, I can handle this. But later that night, it kept popping in my head, and would not go away, I started eating this and that, to get my mind off those wonderful doughnuts downstairs. By the next morning, I caved and went down and had one....just one, I ate it slowly and enjoyed every bite and guess what, after that, I did not crave one again for a couple days. and by then, he had finished off the box so it didn't matter and I have been fine ever since. I even found, when going to the store yesterday to get more fresh produce, while Frankie was drooling over the things in the bakery right next to the produce section, I was not.....for now anyway! lol
 
Anyway, to sum it all up, so far, we have succeeded, in my opinion, in getting off to a good start. We are trying and liking new fruit and veggies and are starting to change our thoughts on what to do with our spare time and how to MAKE time to work in our daily excersise. I KNOW we will make mistakes in the future, but we have a pretty good start. I think Frankie summed it up the other day when he said, "you know, I dreaded this eating better and exercise stuff, but with us ALL doing it as a family, I actually find myself excited about it". I am too. I just pray that we can continue in doing this well. Keeping God in it, I think will be  a huge factor, and with His help, as we all know, you can't loose (well, i want to loose, just not fail! lol). But knowing I am and CAN do this for my family, makes me a happy camper.
 
On a final note, I have to say, along with God, I could not have had the motivation nor so much knowledge or access to success, without my mom. She has had her own good start and has encouraged, supported and helped guide me through he whole thing. It just goes to proove, a mother's job is never done! We love her dearly!

Ice Storm Positives

We started Thursday planning for the kids to do a full day of homeschool, but then Chris needed me to help him with the cars outside. Well he thought we would need the kids help, so they came out. We decided to let the defrost in the car run instead of chancing busting our windshields by pounding on it, but we didn't want to go back in the house with the cars running. Not for fear of someone stealing them, cuz, well, you couldn't get the cars out of the driveway due to the ice, but incase the engine quit or something. While we waited, we noticed how slick the pathway to the parking lot next door was. I aslo remembered the kids sled sitting out on the back porch.....well, even though i am not good at math, i do know that 1+1= ALOT of fun! So we turned having a ton of ice everywhere into a wonderful fun day, full of memories. Some friends came over, and even the youth pastor working at the church next door had to give it a whirl! We figured school can be done any day, it's not everyday you have an iceskating rink in your front yard!

Winter Wonderland

Yesterday we got the second ice storm in 2 days. Today it's snowing a little bit. God is so good to give us a change and variety in weather. I am also thankful he gave us power as the lights just flickered a bit last night and that was it.

This is a tree in the front yard, whose branches are almost touching the ground.

This is the side of the front yard, as you can see, ice has attatched itself to everything!

You can see the church parking lot next door is a perfect sheet of ice. I think the kids could play hockey out there....if the knew how to play hockey.....or to ice skate.....

The biggest tree in the yard, that luckily is not close enough to the house to have to worry about falling branches

The American Flag, still waving, though barely due to being coated in ice. Chris later took it down, so it wouldn't bend the pole....

I should have taken the baskets down in the fall, but I didn't. But look at the ice on the chains....This is the backyard btw....and yes our back porch is that close to the front steps of the church next door.

Love the icicles and all the ice in our neighbors trees, i think it's so pretty!

The power lines were hanging pretty low yesterday, the ice must have melted a bit today though as they are not quite as low today....

As much as I love the variety and scenic views, I am ready Dear Lord, for some spring like weather.....

A little of this and that

I am determined to get this family on a schedule. Today, was one of the first days we got close to the schedule i made up and posted on the wall. I still have yet to get up before 9AM because my body just refuses to go to sleep at a decent hour, even if i am so super tired......AND i have yet to get us on a daily excersise routine, but i am hoping that will come with time.....

Hunter got a new sweater. He actually does not seem to mind the old light green one, i think it was broke in enough for his liking, however this new one is taking some getting used to. But as long as he walks around the house shivering like he's one of those little chihuahua dogs, he's either going to have to man up or wear a sweater. i do think it is effecting how much the squirels are afraid of him though. the other day he ran out there to chase one in his old green sweater and i am not even lying when i tell you, the squirell ran half way up the tree, stopped headed back down a few inches and the two of them just stared at each other for awhile. i think he could not believe this dog was going to try to act fierce with him while wearing a pale green sweater......

he just needs a pipe to go with the sweater in this pic! lol

Gracie is back to homeschooling. She was at public school for 2 weeks. She had multiple bloody noses, stomach aches, migraines and hot flashes the whole time. As soon as we brought her back to homeschooling, she has not had a single episode. We had taken her to the Dr. and he ran some tests and found nothing wrong and said he does truly believe it was the stress of being back at public school. We have her all set up in the living room again, and now i am trying to spend my days out there with her to keep her on track and be there if and when she needs anything.

We are supposed to have an ice/freezing rain storm for the next couple of days. i have not figured out how a storm coming from the southwest is freezing over only the east facing windows in my house.....oh well....

I have been using handerchiefs that were my grandmothers. After going from having to buy several boxes of Kleenex a month to being able to just buy a few every other month, i concluded that I was the one using up the majority of the tissues, and since switching to these, i have saved money and probably a few trees a year, so that the stuff in the hankies aren't the only thing green around here! lol So anyway, the ones i was using were, well....old, so they were tearing and wearing out. I decided to make some new ones, but instead of your typical, plain jane white, i decided to find some cute material, learn how to use the rolling hem foot on my sewing machine and on a few added some binding or rickrack and voila! i think they are so cute i may try to sell a couple on Etsy!

      While i got alot of handerchiefs done, i still have a couple more to go as well as some curtains for Gracie's room (hence the peace sign material) and some for my craft room. note the adorable material on the chair, the "McCall's pattern" fabric will be the panels and the other will be the vallence for the craft room! so excited to get those done and hung up!

Back to Public School

So this past monday, gracie headed back to public school. She even rode the bus to and from, starting tuesday. Years past i have let them start the year on the bus but get to the point where i ended up taking them and picking them up. but this year, with not having to worry about frankie, we were determined to keep her on the bus. here is a synopsis of the week so far........

Monday, got there early, she was so happy and excited and even a little nervous. she was greated warmly by staff and students. i walked her to her class and met her new teacher, and grace did not want me to leave, but i told her she would be fine and she was.  i worried about her all day! was this the right decision, was she going to be disappointed, what kind of day was she going have, what kind of struggles getting back in the routine would she have..... Picked her up, she was talking a mile a minute and so happy! YEA! she had a great day!

Tuesday, she rode the bus there. because of snow, they were going to dismiss an hour early. she called from school asking if i was picking her up. i said no, but that i needed to give her the other bus number (different bus in the afternoon than morning) for the afternoon. she reallllly wanted me to pick her up, but i reminded her, this was part of the deal of her going back to school. she gets home like an hour after school got out. she was madder than a wet hornet! she complained about this and that. she really hated the afternoon bus. the driver waited for every kid to get in their house, i explained that was a good thing since they had early dismissal,  they had assigned seats, she was sitting by....(gasp) a boy! and there were boys all around her, her bus driver was a boy, and she was the last girl off the bus! the boys were loud and annoying, she did NOT want to ride the afternoon bus! which had me worried, and thinking, maybe i would need to cave and pick her up. her morning bus driver was a man too, but she was ok with him because he always (this was the first day, but nevertheless) said good morning to her.....yadda yadda, i thought well, we'll see how the rest of the week goes.

Wednesday (today), she was over an hour getting home again. i was about to call the bus barn, but then, here she came. i was on pins and needles waiting for her to be mad again. she got of the bus and started running to the house (was that good or bad?) as she came up the walkway, she was smiling...that's a good sign, right? she came in the house, she was perky, happy, and talking a mile a minute again! she had a GREAT day! turned out the "boy" she had to sit next to was actually a GIRL! (now she's only been out of public school like 5 months, how does she not know the difference! lol ) AND she and this girl evidently had a wonderful gab fest on the bus ride home. AND the bus driver wants to be an engineer and has been driving a bus for a little over a year, and he's not old, he's like "the same age as you mom" (well atleast i know i am not old her eyes! lol) she evidently had a wonderful gabfest with the busdriver as well!  so now the world is great, she is happy and in a good mood except for a bit of a headache......  as the night goes on, the headache grows and she is feeling quite warm, the light hurts her eyes and her throat is very red, and she has asked for the puke bowl......so it looks like it took officially 3 days of public school to get sick! :-) can't wait to see what the rest of this week and next week brings!

didn't mean to burst your bubble

 so in the kids stockings this year, they got some SERIOUS bubble gum. the rest of the year they get sugar free, but at christmas, they get the good stuff, the stuff that can make some serious bubbles, the stuff that you get so addicted to chewing and blowing, you end up with a headache from chewing so much..... well frankie, my brilliant son, whom i love dearly, had one realllllly big bubble.....but .....it popped! at first he would not let me take a picutre of the result, but eventually if i let him blow a new bubble he would let me ......

now my son is allergic to peanutbutter, so there was no using that to get it out. i later learned you can try mayonaise, however luckily it was thin enough, i was able to just scrape it out of his hair! oh my! that kid. he then made me promise not to post on facebook, however he never said anything about my blog......

Oh What A Day!!!

Well, the day actually started from yesterday. We had a couple of mice in the house as you recall. especially in the pantry / 1/2 bath. Well Chris had put down some rat poison in areas our little dog Hunter Beans, couldn't reach, except when it came to the half bath. However we had told the kids to keep that door closed so he couldn't get in there.

well chris went in there later last night and there were little blue pellets scattered on the floor. my first thought was that he had kicked them without realizing it when he reached for some cleaners on the top shelf. we were sure of it. hunter was acting fine!! called poison control, they wanted us to give him peroxide and and water and take him for a walk and jiggle his tummy to get him to puke. i hated to induce vomiting if he didn't actually eat them, and there were no signs he did.

frankie was very upset, gracie was a little but i think she was like us, and assumed he had not actually ate them. i told the kids we'll keep an eye on him and watch his stool, for the next few days. well, thank goodness this morning, frankie remembered those words, he saw hunter "go" outside and went out to check it out and it was a turquoise in color, well you can see the color of the pellets, so i totally was freaking out!!! he HAD ate some!!! i was trying not to totally freak on the outside cuz i did not want the kids upset. i think they sensed ME freaked out and they were trying to stay positive, talk about God giving you what you need when you need it!!!

we called the vet and they said we needed to get him in right away and he would have to stay there for awhile. i love my dog almost as much as my kids, but i have to admit to worrying how much this was going to cost, i knew i would spend whatever to save him, but cringed at how much "whatever" was going to be.

we had already planned to go to the library this morning and i decided it would not do any of us good to sit at home worrying so we would drop hunter off and go ahead to the library, two different ones in fact.

long (yes it could be longer) story short, once at the vet he was able to start on vitamin K and they checked his blood etc... and he is going to be ok and we will never use "poison" in this house again!!! AND thank you Jesus the cost of the vet trip was not even as close to the exhorbant amount we thought it was going to be!

and hunter beans will make a full recovery, and was able to come home today, which is good because otherwise i would have to either have him stuffed or creamated cuz i was not ready to part with him!!!

  Also while at the library, i recieved a phone call from the kids old school principal. while on the phone chris joked and asked if she was ready to get gracie back, and he she said actually there was an opening! for those who do not know, because the kids went to an edison school, there is usually a pretty long waiting list to go there and when we took her out, we did not expect to be able to get her back in if it did not work out. while frankie has excelled and flourished at homeschooling, gracie has struggled with keeping on task and missing the socializing with her friends. we were not sure what we were going to do. so this happening out of nowhere, seemed to be God handing us an answer. we discussed it at length and finally decided to let her head back. she starts monday and she is sooo excited. i am happy for her, i truly am, but i am NOT pleased to now have to get up while it is still dark out to get her ready and on the bus!!!  oh the sacrifices we make for our children! lol  but to see her smile, makes me smile and hopefully we can get some attention issues resolved now.
***also got word today, that frankie's piano teacher is willing to take gracie on for piano lessons.

another "hurray" moment in gracie's day!!

Finally, the day of good news had to be spoiled. i do not understand why some people who do not even know you will say nasty things to you on facebook. i suggested to a friend who had asked for ideas to reward her daughter for good grades, that IF she was a reader, she could get a new book for every A. This man (who obviously does not like to read) thought it was a terrible idea, and he was glad i was not his mom, and went on to explain in a later "comment" that rather than  be in the same room with me and my books, he would rather stab himself in the pancreas and do other bodily harm to himself. A) since when does it make you a bad mom to encourage your kids to read, and B) i told him if he were to do that kind of bodily harm, i hoped the doctors at the hospital he got taken to,  certainly liked to read......