More Answers to Questions Asked

So, a few weeks ago....ok, OK.  It was more than a month ago (man, time flies) I encouraged all of you to ask questions about our healthy living and then did a giveaway of some of my favorite cookbooks.  I answered the winner's questions already.  But more questions were asked and I've been meaning to answer them too.  Today is the day.

Answers, already!

So, if you're not following along with my fun...here's what's gone on recently...

Two posts ago I offered four cook books up in a giveaway.  All you needed to do to enter was ask a question about healthy living!  I know, not too tough!  Then, I announced the winners and gave a little background on me and my primal life over the past few years.  And that brings us to right now, when i promise to answer the winner's questions, and maybe a couple others!

1)  Was is hard to get your kids to make the paleo jump? 
Yes and no.  I switched very quickly (although I've wavered on and off and haven't been super strict in the past with social gatherings) but I worked the kids into it much more slowly.  At each step I've gotten a little (or a lot) of resistance.  But within a few days or a week, all three usually get used to the changes and stop they're moaning and groaning. 

I've only recently switched them to 100% paleo/primal foods.  They are allowed to make their own decisions, for the most part, when at friends' houses or parties.  Gracie almost immediately gets a tummy ache from eating gluten.  The boys do sometimes but not all the time.  They all act like different kids completely when they get their hands on sugar, and that includes breads that turn to sugar during digestion.  It's amazing to me and makes it clear to me that a little diet change could go a long way in the vast majority of those ADHD cases out there.  But that's just my opinion.  And, no, I don't think it would "just be easier" to let them eat crap all the time so they don't get tummy aches after pizza and birthday cake!  (Sorry, no one asked about that on my blog, but it is a comment I get from people quite often!)

Last year I did a Healthy Living Unit in our homeschool.  It was great to teach the kids all about healthy living.  They still refer to things they learned then, like getting enough sleep or finding "poisons" on labels in the supermarket.  Jace, who is eight years old, is spending the night at a friend's house tomorrow night said to me today, "I'm going to try to eat right while I'm gone.  I'll read the labels if I can.  I know I can always have fruit."  Sometimes he makes me so proud!

2)  Did you get headaches when you switched?  I heard that happens...
The only time I've gotten headaches in this process is after I get hooked on Mt. Dew again and have to detox from that crap!  I didn't get headaches when removing all the sugar and gluten from our foods.  However, while my bowels were healing from the abuse of gluten and got used to processing clean foods, I did have some loose stools and was fatigued for a while.  Sometimes it's called the low-carb flu.  After a week or two it passed, though, and I felt fine.

3)  What is the best thing you've noticed about yourself that isn't related to the size of your clothes since you made the switch to Paleo?
There are two huge changes that jump to mind and I'm not sure which is better, so I'll name them both!  First of all, I have so much more energy.  Within weeks of starting to live primally that was noticeable and has only become more so since cleaning up my food intake even more and beginning to work out regularly.  And secondly, my moods are so even now.  I still get stressed out.  I still get anxious.  I even still get angry.  But the extreme changes aren't what they used to be, and that's a good thing.  I'm happier.  I'm joyful. 

4)  How do you respond to people when they say, "Oh, you're on a diet?"  Do you look at paleo/primal as a diet?
It depends on the person and the situation, but ideally I explain that we all have a "diet."  The word simply means what we eat.  My "diet" fills me with energy.  If they're open to hearing more, I gladly tell them that my life is more than what I eat and so is being primal. 

I don't consider living primal a diet, though.  I consider it living. 

5)  Which book will give me info and help me build my personal cookbook?
Honestly, any of these would be a big help with ideas to build on!  They're great.  As for info...Paleo Comfort Foods, Make It Paleo, and Everyday Paleo all come with incredible intros - how to set up your kitchen, staples to have on hand, etc.  Paleo Comfort Foods includes a great list of websites to give you more information (all the ones that anyone who's anyone in the paleo/primal world frequent).  Make It Paleo has menu ideas for special occasions.  And Everyday Paleo has a full 30 day menu with shopping lists!  Any of these books would be great starts for someone just getting into this life.

So, that's it for now...you might remember I mentioned sleep being part of a healthy life...and it's time for me to hit the sack!  I'll be back to answer more questions soon!  Feel free to leave any other questions you have in the comments and I'll tackle them too...in time!

(2nd Round of answers)

Cook Book Winners and Some Background Details...

I know you've been eagerly awaiting the results of my cook book giveaway.  Since you're on the edge of your seats, here are the winners...

Congratulations Jaime!  Your copy of Everyday Paleo is on it's way!

Congratulations Carmel!  I'll happily hand you your very own Make It Paleo soon!

Kelly, I put Paleo Comfort Foods in the mail for you today!  Congratulations!

Congratulations Fawn!  I hope you find lots of tasty ideas in Primal Blueprint: Quick & Easy Meals!

And a BIG thank you to everyone who asked a question!  There were some wonderful questions and I'm excited to answer some!  Let's start with a little background, that will actually answer some of your questions...

This is a picture of me before I heard about The Primal Blueprint, which happened in February 2010.  I saw an interview with John Durant on The Colbert Report.  (You can read about how I first dipped my toes in the water here, here, and here.)  I've never really looked back, although I've gone back a few times!  I love so many things about primal living and the benefits far outweigh the short-lived joy of a Butterfinger, so it really hasn't been that hard of a decision. 

Here I am October of 2010.  (Obviously it's October...we don't always dress up like this!)  That's nine months since I'd first heard about this way of life.  It's also after moving across the country, living with non-primal family for a month, attending a wedding, supporting my husband as he began a new position, and beginning to homeschool our kids. 

This picture is me in April 2011.  I was feeling pretty good and getting into a job that would use my brain again - in ways being a stay-at-home-mom just doesn't, which excited me!  I was still eating almost completely primal, but the things that weren't primal, weren't good.  I was "treating" the kids and I to a candy bar every week.  I was drinking Mt. Dew daily, often more than one a day.  And I wasn't working out in any regular way.  Not formal working out, not playing (one of the rules of The Primal Blueprint). 

This shot was taken in September 2011, after getting rid of the candy and pop and beginning Boot Camp Diva (about 2 months in).  It was as part of Boot Camp that I learned about paleo.  One of you asked what the difference between paleo and primal living is.  I used to think that paleo was just the diet and primal blueprint covered all aspects of life.  Now, I realize that there's not much difference at all.  One difference is that paleo tends to not include dairy, but even Robb Wolf said in an interview that if dairy doesn't effect you adversely, then it can be acceptable.  So, I might say that they're pretty much different sides of the same coin.  

Both paleo and primal promote not only a paleolithic food plan, but also have a paleolithic perspective on moving, sleeping, exercising our brains and finding balance in our lives.  Both are pretty outstanding!  

So, that's my story...and I think that's all I'll stuff into this post.  It's getting on the long side.  I'll add some links with the answers to your questions soon!  

1st Round of Answers
2nd Round of Answers

Back with a Giveaway!

Two months!  Holy cow!  If you've followed my blog, you know I used to post almost daily...then it slowed down...then, apparently, it just about stopped!  I can't believe it's been two months since I posted something on here!  Wow. 

Providing More Than the Basics

If you have kids, and I do, you likely have frustrations with the things they'll eat or not eat, and I do.  I have days where I'm fine with them not eating what I cook.  That's fine with a hand on the hip, "whatever - go ahead and be hungry, I don't care" attitude.  Or fine with my hands in the air, throwing dishes into the sink a little too roughly, grumbling load enough that I know they'll feel bad, "Why would you like anything that's healthy for you?  Why do I try?  I should just feed you crap.  You like crap..."  Yup, some days I'm fine with them not eating. 

FREE Cookbook!

Who doesn't love free?  Who doesn't love a cookbook?

Seriously, let's work on getting me a free cookbook! 

Oh, you thought I meant you?  Well, how about this...After this incredible new cookbook comes out in October, I'll buy a copy for one of you!  I haven't done a give away in a while and I think this fall would be a lovely time to have one!

Go check out their website:  www.makeitpaleo.com! 

The top referring websites will earn a free book! 

So, this is me referring....go, go...go!

Thanks for the help!

And ENJOY the healthy living and INCREDIBLE eating!



My Life in Acronyms

Every profession has shorthand of one sort or another.  Some are quite easily recognized, like Rx.  Others leave you puzzling for just a little bit, until that light bulb goes off!  Well, my professions have several acronyms that I didn't used to know or that used to mean something else to me.  I have to admit that I feel a little sense of pride when I recognize a new one, or better yet...use it in a sentence! 

Foods Around the World

A couple weeks ago we took part in a Foods Around the World lunch with some other homeschooling families.  Not only was it a lot of tasty fun to eat food from different places (at least for me - the kids weren't impressed) but we also made little poster displays to show off what we learned.  I know...fun, right?

But before you get to see those...let me tell you about the adventure of choosing our places and making our foods. 

Trying New Things

It's been a while since I've updated you on our adventure in primal living, but it's always on my mind.  As part of my goal to be in 2011 I've been really paying attention to what I eat, drink, and do with my body.  I want to be intentional about what I feed myself and my family and not just mindlessly through food on a plate.  I want to be present with the kids when they're running and playing and laughing.  I'm a work in progress.

At least I'm that, right?  If I wasn't paying attention I probably wouldn't even be a work in progress, but whatever the opposite is. 

So, what have we been doing?  We've been getting out more.  We've gone for several walks or hikes.  I've found some local trails that are only a five or ten minute drive so that we can enjoy being outside, without having to worry about traffic or the tide coming in (or the kids running out into the tide!).  Tyler really enjoys the "real trails" so that he can run free!  We're up to about two and a half miles before Tyler asks to go home and Gracie complains that her feet hurt.  I'm pretty excited about that.  Jace, on the other hand, still wants to go further, and is going to have to wait for Dada on that.  I don't think Gracie and Tyler are going to be ready for seven miles up and down a mountain anytime soon!  But we're out and moving and that is a good thing.

We're also trying new things in the kitchen.  We have our old favorites, like banana bread (made with almond flour), eggs and bacon, bison dogs, and such.  But we also have a new favorite: meatza!  The kids really enjoy that!  Green smoothies are another item we've added to our repertoire.  Jace and I really like them.  Gracie says she does and then doesn't drink them and Tyler politely says, "Me get water?"  Just last night we tried another new thing. 

We were at a Super WalMart to pick up something for homeschooling and walked through the produce section to the register.  Jace asked what something was, a red pummelo, and then if we could get it.  I just wanted to get home and almost gave a quick "no" without even really considering his question.  But I didn't.  I stopped and and looked at it and said, "Sure, let's try it...maybe we'll find a new fruit we love!"  So we got it.  Jace did love it!  I kept eating little pieces because I wasn't sure if I liked it or not.  Gracie and Tyler decided quickly that they did not.  But we all tried something new.

So, primal living is going well.  And, one of my favorite benefits of primal living, I don't feel guilt about not always eating primally or staying in to relax and watch a movie when that's on the agenda.  On the flip side, I really do enjoy the kids curiosity more and want to get out and about with them and try things I otherwise probably wouldn't. 

Growing Is Not the Same as Growing Healthy

I started this post as a little bit of a rant about my children's food habits.  But as I was typing away, so frustrated with them I realized, they're probably doing OK. 

Here's the situation - I've eaten according to a few different plans that go along with conventional wisdom's way of looking at food.  Then, about ten months ago I found out about the Primal Blueprint and fell in love with the common sense of it all!  So, I started eating primally and have been working on changing the habits of my whole family.  We've made progress, but have a ways to go too.  Tonight, when I first started writing this, I realized that I have some more progress to make on my own too, and not only in my grocery choices. 

The topic I was going to growl about earlier was Gracie and Tyler leaving food on their plate every night at dinner.  I don't give them very much to begin with.  My strategy is that they can always ask for more, but I'd like to throw away as little as possible.  They're also supposed to try everything on the plate and if they don't like it they don't have to eat it.  That's it.  I've always felt like my rules around the dining room table are pretty simple.  But they seem to make it so much more complicated. 

Gracie makes up her mind about whether or not she likes something before the fork hits her mouth, not that there's enough on it to actually taste anyway.  Drives me nuts!  Tonight we had some pork that she really liked the first time I made it.  Tonight she wouldn't eat it.  ARG.  Well...that's what I felt at dinner.  And that's what I felt when I started typing.  I figured I'd list the things Gracie eats on a daily basis, for meals and snacks, and you'd all confirm that I had every right to be frustrated.  But as I was typing that list I realized that the irritation I was experiencing was coming from a place of conventional wisdom. 

Here's what I mean. 

• Conventional wisdom (CW) says that we should eat every three hours, or several small meals a day.  The Primal Blueprint's (PB) way of thinking is that we eat when we're hungry. 
• CW says that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and that we should never skip meals.  PB allows for fasting by skipping a meal or skipping several.

There are several other differences too.  But these are the two that I'm going to start working on.  What I realized when listing our meals was that we're all eating according to those two primal points, but I'm still getting aggravated according to CW thoughts.  No longer did I feel ARG, instead I felt a little smile.  Maybe all my preaching is working. 

Here's what I mean by that...the kids know all about the PB (we even did a unit study revolving around it).  They see me skip meals or eat just a little.  They see me having primal snacks when I need a little extra something.  The food I'm offering them is, for the most part, primal and, therefore, healthy.  So, they should be allowed to eat it when and if they want to.

As I was considering this tonight, before re-starting this post, I realized that Jace already does that.  He's been putting off lunch until later and not eating much.  He's still as active as ever, just knows he's not hungry after only a three hour break.  And it's not like any of my children aren't growing.  Even Tyler's little legs are getting longer.  And when I've discussed my food frustrations with people that's often been the way they've tried to help, "They're obviously growing."  It's true, they are.  But I want them to grow healthy, with good habits and the ability to know when they're hungry and when they'd just eating to pass the time or whatever other reason.  Upon consideration, and after calming down, I think they are.  They're not just growing, but are growing healthy. 

I'm keeping the dining table rules.  Gracie will still likely not like what she doesn't think she will, at least for a little longer.  But I'm not going to be upset with that. Because I'm going to keep chipping away at the years of conventional wisdom.  Promise.

A Few Changes

So, I've been playing with my blog design.  You may have noticed.  Maybe not.  Either way, let me tell you about the changes I've made.  Basically I removed some of the links from the side bar and added them in my new pages at the top.  Directly under the blog's title you see four little tabs that say will bring you to different places here at Live it.  Love it (or not).  Write about it.

"Home" will bring you to the most current posts.

"Our Navy Life" gives a little blurb about our lives as a Navy family.  I haven't put any links on there yet.  I'm still deciding what ones I want to add.

"Homeschooling" provides you with a short story about how and why we homeschool.  Those of you who know me are likely surprised that it's such a short story!  I figured I was writing pages and pages on here, so readers could always find out more if they wanted.  Or they could ask!  It also includes links to other blogs about homeschooling and to the unit reviews I've posted on here.

"Living Healthy" tells you a little about primal living and lists several other sites that can help you live primally, mind, body, and spirit. 

I hope you enjoy the little differences.  To some it may not seem like much.  I'm obviously not an expert in the world of technology.  I am excited, though, to have made a few little improvements.  Let me know what you think.

Back on The Juice...But Trying to Kick It!

Mt. Dew.  It's not good for you.  I'm pretty sure there's nothing in that bottle that my body likes, aside from the taste.  I really do like the way it tastes!  And lately, I've been using the caffeine boost like I did in my pre-primal days.  When I drink it my stomach churns a little.  After all, my diet is pretty sugar free.  But it keeps my eyes open when they need to be. 

(sigh)

Today I didn't drink any.  I also didn't shower, put on real clothes, or leave the house (except to take some recycling out).  But I didn't drink any Mt. Dew.  I did, however, try some tea.  About an hour after I drank it I fell asleep on the couch watching TV with the kids.  Later I noticed that the tea I drank was caffeine free...that's not helpful! 

Another problem I have with caffeine is that I'm tired so I drink it, then I come down off that high and I'm even more tired.   It's a nasty little cycle. 

(sigh)

So, I'm using my blog as a confessional to get this all off my chest and as a sounding board to work out my feelings about this drug of choice.  In the end, I'll probably still drink it from time to time.  (And maybe one or two of you will let me know that it's OK to be weak sometimes.)  But, I'm trying very hard not to get back on the juice in the same way I used to...many moons ago it ran through my veins. 

So, thanks for hearing me out and letting me publicly work through my vices. 

And now I'm going to bed...night everyone!

Primal Bread Substitutes

Bread.  In the past I've been known to eat it as part of a sandwich, dip it in soup, smother it with butters, jams, anything!  I have been a lover of bread.  But, honestly, I haven't thought about it much now that I'm primal.  It must be true that once I broke that addiction to carbs and gluten, I no longer had cravings for them.  Cool, huh?

However, I'm the only one in the family who doesn't eat bread anymore.  Tyler has "toast jelly" every morning.  Gracie is working on getting on the primal wagon, but still eats toast probably three times a week.  Jace is doing really well, in part because he loves primal cereal with almond milk, and only has toast once or twice a month.  Scott doesn't eat bread during the week, unless he goes to Subway.  He's not committed enough to order a salad there.  When he goes to the galley for lunch, though, he forgoes the hamburger bun and has just the meat and cheese.  And, of course, everyone loves pizza!

So, as a mother/wife who's not willing to deal with the aftermath of simply not buying anymore bread I've turned to sprouted loaves of bread from the store and trying to find homemade substitutes that the kids, at least, will enjoy.  Here's what I've got so far:

Pizza
I've tried two different crusts.  Here are links to them: almond flour crust and cauliflower crust.  And I just came across a third variation that I haven't tried yet, but I will.  I'll share it here so you can take a stab at it if you'd like.  If you do, let me know how it goes! 

Dessert/Snack Breads
Bananas always seem to get gobbled up until there are one or two left.  I've always been certain that it's because everyone loves banana bread!  So now, instead of pulling out my flour, oatmeal, and whatever else went in the old recipe, I open the cupboard and grab my almond meal.  Here are my two favorite recipes:  Carrot Banana Muffins,  Moist Banana Bread

Soup and Sandwiches
I just made some really tasty ham bone soup with sweet potatoes, summer squash, carrots and mushrooms this weekend.  Scott doesn't like warm liquids and has made this very clear on several occasions.  However, I do.  Mom used to make left over soup and it is one of my favorite food memories from childhood.  I love kitchen sink soups, you know...where you through in whatever's left over from the week and let it all cook together and maybe, if you're good, you can drink it out of a mug instead of having to use a spoon.  You know that one, right?  Well, if you don't you should get acquainted.  It'll warm you inside and out, and I love it.  So, every so often I make it and Scott gets a little broth and a lot of whatever else is in it.  In the past I've always tried to have a hearty sandwich (who doesn't love dipping) and maybe a salad to round it out.  Now that we're not eating bread I had to find something to replace the sandwich.  I made two somethings to try out.

Spinach Bread

This recipe is directly from Mark Sisson's Primal Blueprint Cookbook. 

What you need:
3-4 eggs, whisked (for a firmer version, add a few more eggs)
16 ounces of frozen spinach, thawed
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 cloves crushed garlic
small bunch of basil (about 15 leaves)
1/4 tsp salt (optional)

What you do:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Squeeze as much moisture from the spinach as possible, set aside.  Melt butter over low heat and add pine nuts and garlic, toasting until golden brown.  Pine nuts burn easily, so watch closely.  When browned, put into a food processor with basil and pulse a few times until the nuts are broken up but not completely smooth.  Add spinach and salt and pulse for ten seconds.  Stir in the eggs.  Scrape into a buttered pie pan or a 7"x11" baking dish.  Bake 20-30 minutes until set.  Let cool, then cut and enjoy. 

Mark notes that this can be used to make sandwiches is you need something for that purpose.  We tend to just roll our meat, cheese, and veggies up and call it a day.  But this could work too!

Spinach Bread, ready to go in the oven

Onion Crisps

This recipe is from my new cookbook, Grain-Free Gourmet: Delicious Recipes For Healthy Living, by Jodi Bager and Jenny Lass.

What you need:

3 cups almond flour

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

3 eggs

1 cup plain yogurt

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 small onion, finely diced

What you do:

Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Combine the almond flour, cheese, parsley, oregano, thyme, basil, salt, and baking soda in a bowl.  In a second bowl, combine everything else.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix well. 



Onion Crisps, ready to go into the oven the first time!



Pour the batter into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper and bake for 40-50 minutes.  Cool the loaf completely and refrigerate to make slicing easier. 

Once cool, heat oven to 170 degrees Fahrenheit.  Cut the loaf in half length-wise and slice each half into 1/4 inch thick pieces.  Place on a cookie sheet and bake for two hours, or until they are very hard.  Turn off the heat and let the crackers cool in the oven.  Store in an air tight container to maintain crispness. 

Onion Crisps, ready for their second baking

So, what did we think?  Jace loved the spinach bread.  Scott and I thought it was OK.  If I'm yearning for a sandwich I think I'd make it to use for that purpose, but it didn't dunk well.  And, surprisingly, it tasted like spinach! 

The onion crisps smelled incredible when they were baking and tasted pretty good, too, I thought.  None of the kids liked them, though.  They dissolved in the soup, so weren't so great for that, but tasted good just to eat along side it.  I didn't bake mine long enough at some point, though.  I think I should have left them in their longer the first time, at least.  They were pretty soft going into the second baking.  Even after more than two hours in the oven with the second baking, they never got crisp.  I'm still eating them, though...yum!





salad, spinach bread, and onion crisps

What do you do when you want bread?  Just dig in or look for something a little different?  If you're looking for something new...try these recipes and see how your family likes them.

How Do You Do It: Parenting - Do We Need a Change?

Scott and I get asked a lot how we would handle a specific situation with our kids.  How we get them to go to bed.  How we get them to listen.  All sorts of questions that imply we're good parents.  I'm always a bit baffled that others see us as such great parenting role models.  I certainly don't feel like the best mom, at least not all the time.  But, on the other hand, I also feel like our kids are reasonably great kids.  There's a decent chance that Scott and I had something to do with that, I guess.  Right?  (Don't I sound confident?)

So, maybe we do have something to offer about how to parent.  But maybe not.  I guess it's up to you to decide. 

Scott and I are talkers and planners.  I think this helps as parents.  We can take any one subject and analyze it from every which way until we end up with a plan of attack that we think is a good start.  We usually have a Plan B, just in case.  When we learned we were going to have a baby we discussed how we'd do x, y, and z.  I think we felt pretty confident in our strategies and, like I said, haven't done too badly.  However, there's always room for improvement.  Always.

We've been known to let our kids cry it out, even when I didn't feel totally OK with this, but didn't know what else to do.  Scott's famous (really...it was on the radio!) for his two rules about crying:

1. Stand up when you cry.
2. Only one at a time.

We also have shared this little gem more than once, "Children are like terrorists and we do not negotiate with terrorists."

Now some of you might be reading this thinking we're right on.  Others might be hoping our kids make it to adulthood without any serious emotional scars.  I have to admit I stand someplace in the middle at this point.

As you know, I've been working on creating a more primal life for our family.  I was first inspired to revamp our food choices and strategies for being active.  Over the last several months I've begun reading some other blogs and articles that have me wondering about many other areas of our lives...including our parenting plan.  I read an article on parenting in Hunter-Gatherer societies and really began thinking about how we parent.  Was it time for some improvements?

The article mentioned a book by Alfie Kohn, Unconditional Parenting: Moving From Rewards and Punishments to Love and Reason.  I decided to read it and see what improvements I could make.  How can I be an even better mom?

Well, I've read some of it.  I read the first few chapters and found myself wondering, "So, what do I do?"  Kohn seemed to have some pretty good reasons why my current strategy of parenting was more about control than helping my children become well-rounded and responsible adults.  I found myself agreeing with him that it does seem a bit childish to punish kids for not doing something by taking something else away.  The tit-for-tat auto response I seemed to have never felt quite right for me, but I didn't know what else to do.  And Kohn wasn't much help in the beginning of his book. 

So, I skipped several chapters.  I jumped right to the middle of the book and the principles of unconditional parenting.  First of all, the main focus of unconditional parenting is that our children feel loved unconditionally.  And it's about what they feel not what I think I'm portraying.  I know, I know...it sounds tricky, doesn't it. 

"When you come right down to it, the whole process of raising a kid is pretty damned inconvenient, particularly if you want to do it well.  If you're unwilling to give up any of your free time, if you want your house to stay quiet and clean, you might consider raising tropical fish instead."

That's probably my favorite quote from the whole book, at least the whole of what I read!  And I'm so glad Kohn sees that he's asking a lot from us as parents.  He also shares times that he struggles to live up to the standards he's set for himself.  I always feel better when others struggle like I do and when they want to struggle and be the best they can for their kids, like I do too.

So, it's not easy.  There's no special formula.  But do what you can to ensure your kids feel loved as often as possible. 

But, how do I do that?

Kohn suggests not rewarding for good behavior or punishing for poor behavior.  What?  That's what I said.  He wonders how our relationships would improve with our children is we stopped assuming they were testing limits, acting with malicious intent, trying to push our buttons and started asking why they're acting the way they are.  And what if we approached situations as problems to be solved rather than behavior to be punished or corrected?

He asks us to determine our long term goal as parents, and keep them in mind.  Sometime we need to stop the behavior immediately (running into traffic) but other times we just want the behavior to end (fighting over chores).  When the immediate ceasing of the behavior isn't necessary, what if we looked at the "problem" with our long term goal of creating responsible adults in mind.  And what if we gave our children enough respect so they could be part of the solution.

Just the other day I wanted Jace to do his math work and he wasn't.  He was digging his heels in and wanted to stand on his chair and all sorts of other things.  Initially I thought that he was simply testing me to see how far he could go.  I'd been reading Kohn's book, though, and decided to ask more and talk less, and see if the two of us together could reach a solution.  I first gave him the option of sitting in his chair or standing on the floor, letting him know either would be fine with me.  He (of course) asked if he could sit on the floor.  I didn't give an immediate "NO" without even thinking, which I'm quite guilty of doing.  Instead, I thought for a second and responded, "Not yet.  I'm helping Gracie too.  But if you'll sit in your chair or stand on the floor while I explain what you need to do, then you can sit on the floor with your lap desk to complete the assignment."  And that's what he did.  In fact, he sat on the floor and did three lessons instead of one!

So, maybe Kohn's on to something.  I'm not completely sold that I don't need to have a little control, but I do agree that controlling the kids should not be my goal and that if it appears to them that I'm not loving them then I'm not being the mom I want to be.

All in all, I don't know if I was any help to you!  But, if you're curious to learn more, go find the book yourself and give it a go!  Let me know what you learn.  As for my reading of it...I have to take it back to the library.  Someone else has a hold on it.  But I'm putting a hold on it again so I can get it back out and read more and again!

One note I'd like to make about parenting...Do your best to squash the guilt.  Even though I'm considering the very real possibility that the way I've been parenting for the last seven years has not been ideal, I'm not going to waste time beating myself up over it.  Do your best to live in the present and do your best now...and love them!  That's what it's all about in the end anyway.  Love them.

Provolone Taco Shells

Tacos...something everyone in my family actually likes, at least on some level!  We used to turn to this easy meal relatively frequently.  However, since becoming primal and not eating taco shells (hard or soft) we don't eat tacos in any version very often now.  I still like a good taco salad and Scott doesn't seem to mind, but the kids have not embraced salads as meals yet.  They eat salad as a side dish, but not the main event.

Anyway, I came across this idea in a new cookbook I bought recently for provolone taco shells.  It sounded like something that could be a bit of a compromise between flour tortillas and salads.

The cookbook is called Grain-Free Gourmet: Delicious Recipes for Healthy Living by Jodi Bager and Jenny Lass.  It's not only grain-free, but refined sugar-free and low-lactose.  Sounds kinds primal to me...what do you think?

So, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lay pieces of provolone cheese on it, leaving some space.  Let them bake for about 10 minutes, until the edges are crispy and the rest is lightly browned.  Then take the shells and form them over a broom handle lined with paper towels (or something like that) so they can harden and look like hard taco shells.

I didn't let mine bake long enough.  You can see that they're not browned and crisp on the edges.  Therefore, they didn't hold their shape.  They were pretty darn tasty though!



So, next time you're looking for a more primal taco or even just something new and different...have fun with these cheese taco shells!

Friday Fill-In #14

Here are this week's questions:



1.What characteristic about yourself has either been strengthened or weakened due to your experience as a Military Spouse? (from The Albrecht Squad)

Good question.  I think one thing that goes both ways is my confidence.  For us, when Scott is a phone call away it's easy for me to want to discuss decisions with him.  So, when he's away at schools and things like that I have a hard time stepping up to the plate and taking care of things.  When he's out to sea, however, I can't talk to him and figure things out...there's no one but me to answer my questions.  I do better in these situations! 

2.What is your favorite vacation spot and why? (from ‘Tis the Life of the Army Wife)

We went on a family vacation to Disney World last year and had such a great time!  That's high on my list, but also the only place we've been on a real family vacation! 

3.If you could have any fast-food restaurant in the food court on base/post what would you pick? (from The Only Pink in a House of Blue)

Hm...we don't eat a lot of fast food.  We eat a primal diet (gluten free, sugar free).  What would be really awesome is a family friendly primal food joint with an indoor play area...for all ages! 

4.Where did you go on your honeymoon? (from Pennies from Heaven)

We drove from New York to Washington in a U-Haul!  This year we did the same trek for our 10 year anniversary...except with a truck, trailer, van, and three kids!

5.If you could have any job in the world regardless of money, degree or experience, which job would you have and why? (from Proud to Be a Navy Family and The Calm Before The Storm)

Right now I love homeschooling!  I do think, though, that I'd also enjoy advising at a college.  I was an advisor for about a year before Gracie was born and enjoyed it.  Plus-I'd love the discount on classes I'm interested in and I think I'd enjoy the fresh atmosphere that exists on college campuses!  Someday...

So, that's what I have to say...what about everyone else?  Go check it out!

Primal Successes

A few months back I was watching some silly news/comedy show that Scott put on and found myself interested in a story about a guy who was playing all over New York City. I tip-toed my way over to Mark Sisson's site and have been making changes ever since.

I started with the way I was eating and I also began playing with my kids more. (Right now I'm neglecting them and the dishes for the sake of this post...but they don't seem to mind. There's a lot of giggling going on in the other room! From the kids, not the dishes...they're just waiting patiently for attention.) It's been about eight months now and we're still working on things.

I'm chalking up "working on things" as a success in primal living. Why? Because I haven't given up. I've thought about it, but not because it's not working...I'm definitely healthier, feel better, have more energy, am more active...things are going well, in my opinion.

Now, in the opinion of my family members...well, then you might find some different answers. With all the changes that we've gone through in the last several months, changing their diets (pretty drastically) hasn't always gone over well. But I've realized recently that even as a family we're having success in living primally.

Right now we're in the midst of a 30-Day Challenge that Mark is running. There's a contest every day and one of the recent ones is to take a picture of your groceries. Here's ours for the week...


Don't you love my totally cute posers? Well, I do, and shopping with them has helped me realize that a lot really has changed with my quest to make our family primal, and in turn, healthier and happier. Jace reads the ingredient list before picking up anything off the shelf. They get excited by fruits and vegetables. They still don't always eat them once their home...but good things come to those who wait, right?

We also walk more and play more. They're not as hungry as quickly. They don't know this, however, and it's pretty funny! If they can see a clock then they're hungry at all our old regular eating times. If they don't know what time it is they'll play and be happy for at least an hour longer than our old normal! They usually notice that it's past lunch time by then and are suddenly ravenous-in their heads!

As a family, we aren't eating 100% primal, which is fine. Mark suggests eating at least 80% and I'd say we're pretty close to that. We're doing well with the non-food primal rules too...getting our rest, moving slowly and frequently, lifting things, sprinting sometimes. So, I'd say things aer going pretty well on the primal front. Wouldn't you?

(And, just in case you were wondering what's in our groceries picture, here's the meal plan for the week:

Breakfast/Lunch (interchangeable) - primal cereal with almond milk, 100% juice for the kids, water for me, Tyler and Gracie still like toast with (100% fruit) jelly -OR- eggs (scrambled with cheese for the kids, sunny side up for me with spinach), bacon, avocado, fruit

Snacks - fruit, kefir smoothies

Dinner -
Tuesday - Parmesan and garlic crusted cod, carrots, and broccoli
Wednesday -primal pancakes and sausage with fruit
Thursday - tacos (kids will have flour tortillas Scott and I will have salads, but we're trying something new...provolone crisp shells)
Friday - Scott and I are going out (if he doesn't have to work) TBA
Saturday - ham bone soup with spinach bread and onion crisps (both are primal even though neither sounds like it!)
Sunday - chicken, salad, acorn squash
Monday - leftovers or if there aren't any, freezer schtuff

And now you know!)

Primal(ish) Pizza

Earlier I mentioned that we were going to have primal pizza for dinner tonight. I thought maybe you'd all like to try your own...

There are several recipes out there for primal crusts (ones that don't include white or wheat flour). I've tried Oopsie pizza and liked it, but it wasn't well-received by others in the family. I may try it again, though. I was pretty early in my primal days then and now I'm feeling more confident with ingredients I didn't use often in my pre-primal days.

Other than that, though, there's cauliflower crust and almond flour crust, which is what I'm currently making. The kids like it so I'm running with it! The recipe I use is from Comfy Belly.

(Here are some other versions that I have yet to try...low carber forum Son of Grok)


We've eaten pizza once a week for the past few weeks! Either Jace or Gracie has chosen primal pizza for their meal to make. Like I said, I'm running with it!

This week, Jace changed it up a bit, though. He wanted to try to copy something he saw on TV...a cheese stuffed crust that was so awesome it needed to be cut with a chainsaw!

We didn't get out the chain saw, but we did stuff the crust. I used string cheese and cut it length-wise into four strips and rolled it in. Well, Jace rolled it in. He did a good job, too...only a little leaked out.

If I do it again, and if Jace has his way we will, I'll try half a cheese stick instead of a quarter. But that's personal preference.

So is this primal? I'd say it's primalish. Many primal eaters don't eat cheese and this is certainly heavy on the cheese. Of course our pizza had pepperoni, which likely isn't found in many primal fridges. But, listen...I'm picking my battles and pepperoni and cheese aren't anywhere near the battlefield these days!

For our sauce we use tomato paste and water to desired consistency. I've seen others use slices of tomato. I wonder how a white sauce (butter and garlic) would be? If you try, let me know...I'll do the same!

And, normally, we make individual pizzas, but I thought it might be easier to stuff the crust of a full sized one. When we individualize them, Scott and I have more veggies (onion, mushroom, broccoli) and regular meats (chicken, bacon).

The Recovery

So, if you didn't read my post from Monday...that's OK. It wasn't very upbeat! In fact, I was doing a lot of whining and groaning. I'm leaving my claw marks on the walls as I dig my way out of the gloom I fell into then...upwards and onwards always feels better. I like being a positive person. So, let's be positive...

I've been walking at least once a day. Often the kids walk with me. I was thinking ahead and over the last month managed to purchase waterproof footwear and jackets for all of us. That way we have no excuses when the rain Washington is known for starts falling. Today I wanted to get out and take a good walk, but it was drizzling. I was tempted to tuck my tail between my legs, as I was quite annoyed with my beautiful children, and watch a good movie. But we didn't. We got on our jackets and boots and went to town, literally. We parked at the mall and walked around Silverdale. We found where Jace's new karate classes are going to be (they're moving buildings this month) and chatted with the owner for a few minutes. We had a great and refreshing walk. Then we had Kataluma chai for snack. Almost nothing makes me smile more than that!

After all that I was feeling less annoyed, more relaxed, and ready to enjoy "playing choo choo," as Tyler says. So, we headed to Barnes and Noble. This is one of my favorite hangouts with the kids. We were there for over an hour. Jace read most of the time. Gracie looked through books, played with the trains, and looked at the toys. Tyler played choo choo with me, Gracie, other children who stopped in. He even took a break to read a few books. It was a great afternoon!

What else am I feeling good about today? We're almost done with our space/sky unit...that means another unit review will be in your future! That's always exciting to me.

Some more joy:

• primal pizza for dinner
• heading to the beach tomorrow with our homeschool group
• Survivor starts tomorrow
• the check book balanced last night
• I made some phone calls today that I've been putting off...no one likes being put on hold! Check those off the to do list!
• we're going to do the Puyallup this weekend (the Western Washington State Fair)

So, what's not to be happy about? Like anyone, I go through down days, but I always bounce back. I really do like being a positive person.

30 Day Challenge

Mark Sisson has been talking up this 30 day challenge on his site...so much so that I'm very excited about it. I've been living pirmally, for the most part, for 6 months or so. There were a few months on the road that it was in the back of my mind rather than the forefront...but for the last two months the Primal Blueprint has been a big part of our lives. So, I'm ready to commit whole-heartedly for 30 days!

Woo hoo!

Check out the challenge here and join in...you'll feel better, mind and body! Can't beat that! And if feeling better and being healthier isn't enough motivation for you...there are prizes! That's right, you could win things for living better! So, let's see...who's with me???