Thursday, June 27, 2013

Sea weed Mom?

I've tried to substitute junk food for fruits and veggies and have things on hand and cut up in the fridge at all times so we, as a family, don't make bad eating choices. But I personally believe I'm just a person that makes bad food choices naturally. If there were carrots and Pringles in front of me, I would go for Pringles. Why is that? I think I can identify this as BAD HABITS.

My family could have cared less about healthy food. Sorry family, but it's true. Bad habits formed when I was growing up. I ate a chocolate pop tart for breakfast most mornings, if I ate anything at all (by choice). If we went on jeep rides in the hills - we ate beef jerky and Better Cheddars. We did not pack carrots and cucumbers and apples. My mom cooked balanced meals and was a phenomenal cook, but healthy eating was not promoted. I use to be in denial about that - I use to think our eating was okay. Until now. 

I don't want to be a bad habit mom.

I carry a cooler with me whenever I leave the house and expect to be gone for a period of time. I try to pack healthy snacks - carrots, apple slices, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, almonds, sea weed.....okay, just kidding on the sea weed. At my mommy play date at the lake last week, a mom brought 2 packs of seaweed flakes that she purchased a Trader Joe's. I had to try them because the curiosity was getting the best of me. I politely made myself finish it, but that was probably one of thee most disgusting things I've ever eaten. Apparently some people like them?! 

I don't want to be a sea weed mom either. 

I want to be a promoter of good choices, a realistic mom, a fun food mom, a mom known for making great dinner, fun snacks, a delectable chocolate chip cookie, a mom that packs a lunch that Kaleb can't wait to dig into at school. I want to be a mom who has a consciousness about food and the menu and control with what is in the fridge and in the pantry and on the dinner table, but not a mom that is over the top or freakish or obsessed. I will allow my kids to eat junk food in moderation and demand they eat a healthy breakfast before school. I will monitor sugar intake and have already kicked two very bad habits. POP and FAST FOOD. Yup, we've nixed those from our lives and it feels AMAZING! You should try it. 

I want to be a good food role model. Have I been? Yes and no. The key is to be a good food role model CONSISTENTLY. Is it too late? ABSOLUTELY NOT!

I'm definitely in the right place to be conscientious about food. A friend told me that this place is crawling with healthy food geeks. I love that. I love all the fresh food options as well, the roadside stands and farmer's markets. In fact, I am most delighted about it. It is making it easier to break bad habits. 

And then there's this little side note: I have thee unhealthiest eater! 


Bedtime snack for Jaxon: KIX. EveryNight. Kids-tested, mother approved? 
It could definitely be worse 

JAXON. The child who won't eat, let alone try, ANYTHING good or new or healthy. And it's LEGITIMATE. What do I mean by that? He has a very real problem - and I'm starting to realize its both  psychological and physical. He has a very terrible gag reflex and an over stimulated sense of smell. A year of therapy and trying everything known to man, this child STILL will not eat good food. 

I made him eat a chicken strip and he gagged on every bite. Really surprised he didn't throw it all up. He's never (no exaggeration) eaten a veggie or a fruit (unless its hidden in a smoothie) and he's starting to catch on since he sees what I put in my smoothies. Peer pressure does not work either. Being around other children his age who eat "normal" does not inspire him one bit. 

A few weeks ago I made him sit at the table and eat 1 piece, one piece mind you, of elbow macaroni (plain). He tried so hard, put it in his mouth and gagged, tried again and regurgitated. I told him he had to eat it or sit at the table until bedtime. (Gave him a new noodle). This was the outcome. 
Yes, he sat at the table so long he finally fell asleep. Unbelievable!

What is a promoter of good food choices to do with this situation?
My answer?  
DON'T LOOSE HOPE. 
CELEBRATE THE SMALL VICTORIES
LEAD BY EXAMPLE

My hope is that I instill good habits in my child(ren) now. I show Jaxon what is good and what isn't and one day he will be old enough to make an educated choice and understand how the good and the bad affect his body. Right now, all I can do is lead by example, keep presenting healthy snacks, reward ourselves with fun treats, cook great meals with fresh ingredients and hope that not only will they benefit from it, but they will someday appreciate it and realize the impact it makes on their overall well being. 

And when carrots and Pringles are their choices, they will grab the carrots.


Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Muscle Men

Kaleb had a birthday extravaganza WEEK as family mailed gifts all week long. 
In the mail yesterday was a package from Grandma Shirley that had these adorable white muscle shirts for the boys. Just so happened that Eric already had a shirt like this so Kaleb coordinated everyone's wardrobe tonight and insisted that they wear muscles shirts, cammo pants, hats and sunglasses. I couldn't resist taking their picture because they were all so stinkin' cute! (Even the big boy) he he

Yes, thank you for realizing that I have my hands full with these two!

And Grandma also sent press-on tattoos. Are they funny or what? 



Strawberries!


I don't even think Eric realized how excited I was when he walked in from work with a flat of strawberries that he bought for $10 at a roadside stand. I had immediate plans. I even had one box of Sure Jell in my cupboard. I went to work promptly.

Want a great tip? I made my freezer jam using the Nutribullet. It was SO quick and easy. I had my jam done in no time. I think more homemade bread will be in the near future.


Monday, June 24, 2013

Energy Bites

I keep these little beauties in the fridge for a snack attack. They are definitely a family fave.
The great thing about this recipe is that it can be adapted with your favorite fillers. I still haven't made a batch that is the same!

Start with 1 cup oats. I throw them in the Nutribullet and use the grinding blade to break down the oats slightly. This time I even threw in the raw sunflower seeds (1/4 cup) because I thought that blending in the nuts a little better would make it more "Jaxon friendly."
Viola. Don't over grind them. Just a few seconds in this guy.

In a bowl add the following to the ground oats and seeds:
2 tsp ground flax
1/4 c raw sunflower seeds, almonds or walnuts (if you didn't already bring them)
1/4 c carob chips (or mini chocolate chips)
1/4 c coconut
1/4 c raisins (or dates, cut up, or craisins)
 
In a separate bowl, combine 3- 4 Tablespoons of Almond Butter
2-4 tsp honey (depending how sweet you want)
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp toasted carob powder (or cocoa powder below) 
I LOVE the flavor of carob - so I prefer it over cocoa and haven't made these bites with cocoa but I'm positive you could substitute


Remove rings and blend it all together. If mixture is dry, add more honey or almond butter. It should just stick together when you start rolling  into bites. 

I form into adult bites and child size bites and pop into the refrigerator in a Tupperware. It's a great snack for everyone and they usually last about a day. :) 

Yield: approximately 10 large bites, 10 small bites

Not even in the fridge yet and he saw them on the counter and devoured two of them. That a boy! 








Sunday, June 23, 2013

Hodge Podge Photos


It's a construction zone, not a kitchen.

Bedtime snack while watching an elk hunting video

2 peas in a pod on their iPads 

Before his haircut...so long we could make a killer Mohawk! 

Not sure what this is but it's in my backyard and I like it

I knocked this nest out of a tree this past winter and we use it to put the kids' treasures in. 
Thought it made a cool picture

Sunny day bread baking. I haven't used the bread machine is so long and decided it needed to be used again. I let this rise in the 84 degree sunshine. 

Kaleb showing me that he will be 6 in a few days, and enjoying a warm slice of bread with honey

One of my favorite things: warm bread out of the oven

Father's Day dinner. Eric's mom sent him Omaha Steaks and twice baked potatoes. Thanks Kathy!

Jaxon eating his meal of turkey bacon and cheese quesadillas - does he even realize all he misses out on? 

Bountiful blueberries ready for muffins



Glads I picked up for $5 at the Farmer's Market. 













"I'm Not Five Anymore"



Left: Kaleb at 11 month (love the sun on his hair), Right: 6 year old Kaleb

"I'm not five anymore," declared Kaleb in the early morning hours of his birthday. He was pretty excited to wake up and open 3 presents that came in the mail from Namo and Papa. We made him eat breakfast first and display a little of that six year old patients before we dialed up Face Time to video chat and open the three gifts. 

There was something magical about June 22. I'm certain Kaleb felt the magic. It wasn't because we threw an elaborate party or had a bunch of people over. Because this year, we didn't. It wasn't because we bought him the $50 Leggo shoes he wanted, because we instead bought the $15 Dispicable Me shoes from Kmart that have minions all over them. (Much cooler anyway in my opinion)
It wasn't because he had the coolest Star Wars cake, because it waned in comparison to last year's Angry Birds cake. No, it was something immaterial and more special.

You see, we had taken the time to dig out the very bottom box in the garage that contained the scrap books and we reminisced through the pages of Kaleb's first book about that amazing moment he came into this world. We laughed and told stories about being in the hospital, him pooping on the wall and mommy and daddy being SO happy that he was born. Our child knows and is getting old enough to understand how he was conceived. 

We never intended to hide the details of his conception from him - how we tried so very hard, spent an incredible amount of emotional energy, money, progesterone shots,  2 weeks in Spokane going through invitro fertilization. His scrap book spells out some of the details for him through pictures. And this year I beleive he understands that he was grown in a dish for the first 6 days of his life. Because he told us that he was so very, very tiny (using his fingers to show us) and that he grew in a little dish and then they put him in mommy's tummy to grow big. Yes, I think he has begun to understand that the beginning of his life is undeniably special and purposeful. 


Top left, 6 day old embryos. Both were put back in for implantation - one is Kaleb. 
Top right, just minutes old
Bottom left, 5 days old
Bottom right, 5 years old

After reflecting on where I was 6 years ago and thinking about what we went through to achieve pregnancy, I believe: 

It was WORTH every shot, every tear, every dollar. God blessed me with this child and I love him more than I could have ever imagined. 

We are all created by God, regardless of how we came into this world. Psalm 139:13 declares:  "For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb." My study bible says that hast possessed= Did Form, meaning to acquire by creation. Reins= Inward Parts and Hast Covered= Did Weave. God creates all of us the same way! 

And finally, trials make you a far stronger person - even though at the time you are at your very weakest. 

It's such a neat story - to tell, to remember, to teach - and it's a part of Kaleb so why would we not share it with him in celebration of his 6th birthday!

BIRTHDAY PHOTOS:
Taste Tester

Star Wars cake


Showing off the presents with Jax

Making silly faces before the guests arrive

What's a party without food?? The birthday boy's requests: fruit and veggie pizza bread


Finally, FRIENDS arrive to play in the pirate pool and have a water fight


Cuties bundled up in their towels


Stomp Rocket!

Star Wars Umbrella

A REAL baseball bat from Grandma and Grandpa

Time to sing....and blow the candles out (note his dog friend that even came for the party)

Are these cool party favors or what?

Testing out the snow cone machine from Grandma Shirley

Wouldn't be complete without the accessories 

Nothing like a snow cone after breakfast, in your jammies, on the counter

The Despicable Me shoes - which he LOVES and can tie on his very own!

Aren't the minions adorable?

One tired birthday boy sleeping under his umbrella