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!



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.

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.

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!)

Healthy Living: Food, Fitness, and FUN!!!

Every one needs to learn about living healthy, right? They need to learn about what makes a well-balanced meal and how to get great abs, right? Well, something like that...


Our healthy living unit encompassed quite a bit more...and I don't think we covered ab workouts at all.


Our book list:
The Primal Blueprint: Reprogram your genes for effortless weight loss, vibrant health, and boundless energy. by Mark Sisson


The Omnivore's Dilemma: The secrets behind what you eat by Michael Pollan, adapted by Richie Chevat - Young Reader's Edition


The Primal Blueprint Cookbook by Mark Sisson with Jennifer Meier


The Quest to Digest by Mark K. Corcoran


What we did:
We started by using Mark Sisson's Primal Food Pyramid and 10 Primal Blueprint Laws (the laws are written slightly differently on the poster, but they're basically the same as you see on the web site). We started here because I'm living a primal life and wish my family to do so as well. Also, the 10 laws cover healthy living...from food...to fitness....to fun! So, there's really no better place to start.


By the way, Jace quickly questioned that if Mark Sisson isn't the president...how does he get to make laws? I let him know that he wouldn't go to jail for not following the Primal Blueprint Laws, he just wouldn't be living as healthy as he could be.


We focused on eating healthy for the first week (PB law #1). We talked about what foods are good for our bodies and what ones are not. We defined poisonous foods (PB law #2) as not only ones that can kill us or make us very sick, but also ones that don't get digested easily in our bodies or make our bodies react in unpleasant ways.


Here's a chart from The Omnivore's Dilemma that we used to talk about corn (not a vegetable) and all the places it has inserted itself in our lives.





At the suggestion of a forum member (you can join the conversation too, if you want) we did a supermarket search for poisonous things! (Thanks jqbancroft!) The kids had a great time learning why some of the foods they thought were good aren't so good for them!


Jace and Gracie plan and cook a meal a week with me. In light of what they learned they chose healthier options to make these last two weeks. Hopefully that trend continues. We also made aprons to wear when making our fabulously healthy meals!





Gracie did help guide the fabric eventually, but she never got quite good enough to sew on her own...at 5 years old, I think that's OK! In a year or two she'll be altering all her clothes, don't worry!





No, Tyler doesn't do much cooking, but in light of how adorable he looks in his apron and chef's hat, can you blame me for stitching him up one too?


We've been taking walks (PB law #3) several times a week all together, as part of our schooling, and one or more of them usually walk with me in the evenings too. During this unit we talked about moving frequently at a slow pace, why sunlight is important (PB law #8), and foraging. We even got enough berries for a tasty crumble. (Thanks yESiCan!)





Another of the Primal Blueprint Laws is to get adequate sleep (PB law #6). This is something I've always believed in, the kids...not so much. But, put it in a list of rules, that someone else wrote, and the kids are all over it. There was one day Gracie woke up early and was miserable. I told her she needed to take a nap and she started to cry and whine.


"Gracie, remember we all need adequate sleep?"


Gracie sadly nods her head, tears running down her face, boogers too.


"What does adequate mean?"


"Enough."


"And you didn't get enough sleep last night, did you?"


Gracie shakes her head and, with her sleeve, wipes her face.


"So, taking a nap will help you get adequate sleep, won't it."


"Yes."


Brilliant!


We talked about taking care of our teeth and looked at our teeth prints, seeing the two different kinds of teeth omnivores have. We read about digestion and then simulated it...



A banana was our food. We put in on a plate and smashed it with fork (chewing). It slid through a snack baggie with the ends cut off (esophagus) into a sandwich bag (stomach).



The kids got to churn it in the baggies. It then went into panty hose (the small intestine) where they squeezed it down into a paper cup (large intestine and rectum). The water and pulp that squeezed out symbolized the nutrient we absorb into our bodies. We then cut a whole in the bottom of the cup to expel our waste. That was their favorite part!

We've used our brains (PB law #10) in all sorts of ways...we've been creative, traditionally intellectual, played games and listened to music. We have talked about the fitness laws (PB laws #3, 4, and 5) and practiced some over the past two weeks...with plans to do more this next week. (Next week is going to be a sort of vacation for us. We aren't starting a new unit and are taking a couple days completely off to play! But we'll still be doing math, writing letters, and practicing vocab on a few of the days. Anyway....)


We've done lots of playing (PB law #7), both inside and out. We created a Grok Kit for our van, a set of fitness goodies to stay in the van in case we find ourselves with time and a place to play. (Thanks tbow!) This coming week we're meeting up with some (hopefully) new friends on Wednesday to celebrate not-back-to school day for us (the local public schools start that day). We're going to the zoo on Thursday to see some old friends, and the animals too!


So, the only law I haven't mentioned yet is PB law #9 - avoid stupid mistakes. We discussed this on the first day but haven't talked about it much since then. That was almost two weeks ago. Yesterday Jace said, "Mama, I'm a little worried now that we know the primal blueprint laws."


"Why?" I asked.


"Because I like to go to Luki's house and ride his 3-wheeler." (Luki is the boy down the road who has a tricycle-style bike...it's sized for bigger kids, though, not toddlers.)


"What does that have to do with the primal blueprint laws?"


"One of them says to avoid stupid mistakes."


Jace is such a clever boy. It was a good opportunity to talk about wearing a helmet but still having fun. Getting scratches, bumps, and bruises is acceptable. Breaking your leg on a stunt you know is not bright...that might be considered a stupid mistake.


It's been a great two weeks and there's more food, fitness, and fun to be had!!!

Doing Better

I'm sure I'm not alone in wanting the best for my family. Mothers are notorious, though, for leaving themselves out of the equation when seeking what's better for their kids, husbands, parents, neighbors...you get the idea. I'm no exception. I often put others before me.

It's hard to put my needs first for a few reasons. First of all, I don't whine and cry as much as the kids. If I need a nap I don't make that crystal clear by busting into tears at the drop of a hat, even if I might feel like doing just that! Secondly, there's only so much money and time to go around. It's easier for me to wear jeans that are almost threadbare for another month when the kids have outgrown theirs, along with their shoes, shirts, underwear, socks...you get the idea. Putting #1 in the second position if pretty easy to do.

Lately, I've been trying to feed us better. I figured that serving healthier meals would benefit all of us, even me! And it does. But it's also discouraging. I get a little down on myself when I hear how gross and disgusting everything I make is. I know Jace and Gracie are culinary experts, but they think they are, perhaps from watching a bit much of Top Chef and Last Food Network Star! (Actually, Gracie's pretty funny sometimes. "Mama, what I like about this is the way it looks. What I don't like is the way it tastes. Maybe next time you could add some sugar?") They get to me, though, even when I know they shouldn't. Even when I like what I've created. They get to me.

And I want to do even better than I am with food. I want to invest in grass-fed beef. I want fresh veggies. I looked into joining a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and decided not to this year. The most local one (less than a mile down the road!) costs a little more than I feel I can put into eating healthier right now. I hate saying that. Now I'm not even putting the kids needs in front of mine. I'm putting the budget in front of everyone's. Reality sucks sometimes, if you'll excuse my potty mouth.

There are things I am doing though, things both Scott and I are doing to make our lives and our kids' lives better. He is riding his bike to and from work. He's enjoying it and feeling great. He even commented last night that he thinks a 20 minute bike ride is more decompressing than the 35 minute car commute he used to have in Georgia. I don't doubt it for a second. I'm thrilled for him.

We're also taking the kids to the pool twice a week. Hopefully they'll learn to swim along the way, but at the very least we're having fantastic family fun! I've started going to the gym and using the parent's room once a week. It's a room with an area at the front for the kids to play, read, or watch TV. I can use a treadmill, bike, elliptical machine, rowing machine, or pull our a mat for stretching or floor exercises. We're also walking. Before tonight we'd been walking every so often. Starting tonight, I'm going to be walking daily. Period. Not for weight loss, although if that happened it would be a total bonus! I'm walking for fitness, to strengthen the muscles in my back after visiting the chiropractor. (More on that in a minute.) I'm planning on including daily walks in our homeschool schedule as well. I wanted to do some sort of fitness during the days, and now that I have to walk...they might as well join in, right?

So, the chiropractor. I know that not everyone thinks chiropractics is legit. But to me it makes perfect sense. If the body is in it's best alignment, it'll be a more healthy body. I used to go pretty regularly when we lived here in Washington before. After moving to Georgia I stopped going and made tons of excuses why it wasn't important to return. However, I've been having a lot of pain and a horrible time sleeping the last couple weeks. So, I went in for a check up. I got x-rays and an exam and tonight Scott went with me to see how "jacked up" I truly am. That's how he lovingly refers to me. As it turns out, I'm decently jacked up. Not completely beyond repair, but enough that I am quite relieved that I went in sooner rather than later.

Starting tonight I am getting frequent adjustments to work my way toward being less jacked up. After each adjustment I'm supposed to take a walk and ice my back and neck. I feel like an athlete or something cool like that! I did those two things tonight, like a good patient. And it occurred to me while walking, that I'm doing something for me and it's something that has a significant cost. Part of me wants to run and hide, put the money into savings, and pretend that my back will fix itself. But it won't. And I won't. Because a bigger part of me is proud that I'm taking care of myself. Happy that I'm setting a good example for the kids. Relieved and thrilled that I have unwavering support from my incredible husband. (When the doctor asked if we had any questions about the x-rays Scott said, "No, I knew she was jacked up." See? Completely supportive.)

So, in the end, we're eating as healthy as we can for now. Whether the kids actually eat the food given to them or not, they're being served real food. And we're incorporating fit living into our social family time and homeschooling. Maybe I can stop thinking about what we're not doing and realize we are doing better than we were. And doing better is doing the best for my family.

Getting Here, Getting There

If you follow my blog at all, you know that we recently moved from Southern Georgia to Western Washington via Western New York. It was a long and exciting couple of months.

The last five days of the trip were driving from New York to Washington in a little caravan. Here's what I saw:













Occasionally I looked in the rear view and saw this:
























Sometimes when we'd stop I've even get to see this:






Or this:




And when we stopped at Mt. Rushmore I got to see this:



Oh, yeah, and this too:





As you can see, we had a great trip. We're unpacking and settling in. In fact, I think all the mover's boxes are unpacked. I'm not guaranteeing that everything has been put away yet, but it's all out of the boxes. And I will admit, too, that there are a few unpacked boxes of books that we'd packed up many moons ago when we had to clean up our Georgia home to get it on the market. But those should be unpacked and put on shelves in no particular order in another day or two. Pictures are on our walls. We've eaten inside at the dining room table and outside on the deck, once because we couldn't find the dining room table. But the other time was because we wanted to enjoy the weather!

We're eating well and ready to lose the poundage we put on over the last few months. I've been back on Mark's Daily Apple and am stocking the cupboards, fridge, and freezer with Primal friendly foods (minus the goods I bought to make chocolate peanut butter chip cookies for a neighborhood 4th of July party!). I've found a local CSA and plan to visit them personally to learn more by the end of next week.

We've got plans to start swimming as a family, camping, and hopefully fishing. Scott got a bike to commute with. The kids have made friends in the neighborhood.

Life is good. We're getting there. And we're happy to be headed in the right direction.

Who Will Be Teaching Who?

Tonight at dinner we had this little interchange:

Mama: Gracie, eat your cheese.
Gracie: I don't like this cheese. Why can't I have a cheese stick?
Mama: That's the same cheese as a cheese stick except it came in a square.
Jace: Nut-uh, Mama. It didn't come in a square. (rolls eyes) It came in a rectangular prism.
Mama: Well, yes, Jace, that's correct. Gracie, it's the same cheese as a cheese stick except it came as a rectangular prism.

I'm gonna learn a lot with this homeschooling adventure!

Out Of My League

(Mama) "You should really try to eat more veggies."

(Gracie) "I eat carrots! And avocados...those are good for you, right?"

"Well, yes, but there are a lot of foods that are healthier and will help you grow bigger and stronger."

(Gracie and her friend Madeline who is only 2 months younger.)

"But you tell everyone that I'm already tall. And I'm strong. Look at my muscles. (Shows me those almost-5-year-old guns.) And I'm flexible. Today I practiced stretching and I could reach past one ball to where the other ball was. That's how stretchy I am! And I can put my leg behind my head. Plus I had peaches and potatoes for lunch."

"Did you eat them?" (I know that Scott is rolling his eyes and shaking his head that Gracie was putting her leg behind her head at preschool, but I chose to ignore that in hopes that it would go away and stay focused on the battle at hand.)

"I tried the potatoes, but I didn't like them."

"So, you haven't actually eaten any veggies today?"

"No, but I'm already big and strong."

"True, but eating veggies will not only help you get even bigger and stronger, but will also help your brain grow and think well."

Jace pipes in. "I don't eat all my veggies and I already have a big brain. And it's going to stop growing* next month anyway. So it can't get any bigger. And I think pretty big already, don't you think so, Mama?"

(Jace in an outfit fit to protect him against any flying things while he plays outside.)

"Well...yes." And I took a bit of my veggies.

*I thought I'd written about this already and was going to link you to that post for explanation, but now I can't find it! So, I'll explain here. Jace learned in his book about the human brain (because every 1st grader should have one of those!) that the brain reaches full size at age seven, which is how old he turns next month. When he first read this he was very concerned, until I assured him that he would still be able to learn plenty, but that the size of his brain wouldn't get larger...he'd just have more stuff written on the pages of the notebook kept in there. I didn't actually use the notebook thing...he wouldn't have fallen for it anyway! I'm out of my league!

My Successes With Primal Living (So Far)

So, it's been about month since I've been living new according to old practices. Very old. Like paleolithic old! (I'm not even sure when the paleolithic era was!)

I still haven't finished The Primal Blueprint (PB), but I'm making little adjustments to my eating plan, my fitness plan, and wherever else I need to as I come across recommendations that I'm ready to implement. I find suggestions not only in the book but also on the website where there are plenty of ideas to pick from!

I want to keep you all "in the know" about how I'm doing eating and living according to these new principles. I've mentioned a few times about the increased energy. Now I have started losing weight too. (yay!) In January I stored up a little fat, you know...in case times got really lean! Actually it was due to all the comfort eating I was doing, involving chocolate chips and other not-so-healthy options. That whole waiting to see what would happen with the house thing was not good for my self-control. Anyway, I've gotten rid of some of it!

There's another side effect of eating primally that I've noticed but last night stared me glaringly in the face. I am no longer required to eat on a schedule. It's recommended by many weight loss plans to eat breakfast (most important meal of the day?) and to eat several small meals through out the day. PB suggests eating when you're hungry, as often or as infrequently as you need. After all, Grok (our example to follow) didn't stand up after a good night's sleep, stretch and scratch himself on the way to the fridge to see what looked good. It makes sense that he more likely scratched himself on the way to the berry bushes or with the not-pointy end of his hand-made weapon on his way to hunt something yummy. So, eating within an hour of waking is not necessary. Who knew?

I do now. I'm not always hungry then so about half the time I don't eat until I make Tyler's lunch. I'd yell "FREEEEEEDOOOOM!" if it wasn't already one of my favorite lines in Braveheart. I'll just let Mel Gibson keep it...he does it so well! But kicking the carb addiction does keep me from grabbing things in cashier's lane or growling at anyone who might be around if a meal or snack time is interrupted. Like last night...a friend took us out to dinner to say thank you to Scott before he leaves the area. She ended up having to work late and we had to wait at the restaurant. We usually eat by 6:00 at the absolute latest, but usually around 5:15. Last night we didn't even get to order our food until almost 8:00! And I wasn't bothered. I wasn't starving. I was enjoying the conversation and could have done so for many more hours if necessary.

I'm telling you...check this Primal living thing out! Increased energy, not being chained to an eat-every-2-hours plan, and losing weight...I'd totally give Grok a high five if he were around!

Blackberry-Balsamic Meatloaf

Who doesn't love meatloaf? The food, that is, not the music guy. Everyone I know does. Well, except my kids. But they're hit or miss on everything, so I don't count them.

When I was planning meals according to conventional wisdom I replaced bread crumbs in my meatloaf recipe with oatmeal. Now that I'm learning about the ill effects of grains on my body I've decided to greatly limit them in our lives. That means meatloaf without breadcrumbs or oatmeal. With trying to eat healthier, no sugars, etc, that also means no BBQ sauce or ketchup. So, here's what I came up with. Sorry...I didn't take pictures.

Glaze:
1 Tbsp bacon grease
2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp blackberry jam (pure, no added sugars)
2 tsp baby bam*

Meatloaf:
1 1/2 pounds ground meat
chopped red pepper, carrots, onions, whatever other veggies...

Directions:
1. Cook garlic and onion in bacon grease until tender. Add balsamic vinegar and simmer to reduce. Add Worcestershire sauce and blackberry jam to thicken. Stir in baby bam seasoning.

2. Preheat over to 350 degrees.

3. Mix ground meat and veggies together until completely combined. Smush into an 8 inch square pan (I'm sure a 9 inch would work too, or you could increase the amount of meat and make two loaves) and cover with blackberry-balsamic glaze.

4. Make for about 30 minutes, or until desired doneness.

MMMMMMMM

*Baby bam is a seasoning that I saw Emeril Lagasse use at one point. It's not as spicy as some other mixes I've tried and my kids enjoy it. Use it on veggies, meats, and in sauces...enjoy!

Baby Bam Seasoning Mix:
3 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons dried parsley
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
Mix together and store in airtight container for up to 3 months.

So, go ahead and whip up some old favorites in new and healthier ways! It's worth it!

Pizza...The Primal Way

Which pizza do you want a big ol' bite of?

They all look quite delicious, don't they? Equally yummy I might even say. But, let me tell you...the one on the top rack is totally superior. The toppings are similar on all of them, except the kids have no veggies and mine has lots. The crust on the top pizza contains no flour, though. It's a Primal-esque crust.

There are other versions out there containing zucchini or cauliflower, but I'm pretty sure that's not the place to start with my family. When I came across Oopsie Pizza I decided to give it a try. Gracie wanted to make pizza for her meal this week and there's no time like the present to get started with something new and better for you...so we made Oopsie Pizza too!

Here's the recipe (the above link takes you there too, but I know some of you don't venture too far into the world wide web) direct from Diana Renata's blog:

Ingredients:
3 eggs, separated
3 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup dry, grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
Your favorite pizza toppings.

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Separate your eggs into two bowls. Add to your whites the cream of tartar, and whip until stiff peaks are formed.
3. Add to your yolks the cream cheese (do not soften,) Parmesan cheese, garlic powder and onion powder.
4. Beat until thoroughly blended. Fold your yolk mixture into your whites carefully. If you're using the same mixer, whip your whites first.
5. When all ingredients are folded together, spread mixture evenly onto a greased pizza pan. Bake for 20-30 minutes until firm and lightly golden.
6. Now, add your pizza sauce and toppings. Return to the oven and set to broil until all of your toppings are toasty and the cheese is melted.

This is what the crust looked like before the initial baking.


After the 20-30 minutes of baking just the crust I took it out and turned the oven up to 400 degrees for my other pizzas. I put my toppings on the Oopsie Pizza and then stuck it back in to bake with the others, rather than broiling it. It worked well and everything was done at the same time.

My crust was a little thicker than I expected, but my pan is only a 12 inch pan. Next time I'm going to try making it thinner. It came out of the pan well, but didn't stay together when picked up. Diana said that hers did and when I asked her pan is larger, so I think thinner is the way to go.

As for taste...delicious! I think I prefer it to a doughy crust. And I know my insides do. And how did the family like it? Well, Scott politely declined trying it. Tyler ate it. Gracie didn't like it. And Jace asked for seconds...of Oopsie Pizza not the flour crust old version!

Give it a try...you'll be pleasantly surprised. I promise.

What Everyone's Looking For: Results

"Is it the caveman diet?"

"Oh...that's Atkins, isn't it?"

"I just can't give up breads...don't you miss them?"

Answers: No, No, and No.

Let me explain...I've mentioned living Primal on here a couple times now. My first toe-in-the-water move was to engage with a new trainer. Remember? I also linked you to Mark's Daily Apple with this post about homemade salad dressings. I told you a little about my Primal workout schedule in Wednesday and Walnuts, just a few days ago. But perhaps the most revealing post wasn't linked to anything. But in it I told about all the energy I had. I shared my first results from living Primally. At the time I didn't realize how impressive having more energy was, but after reflecting on it, and beginning to read The Primal Blueprint, I'm pretty excited by wanting to get up and move.

In chapter 3 of Mark Sisson's wonderful book on page 67 he said something I thought was profound, and it hints at one of the reasons Primal living appeals to me most.

"When I say you will notice results quickly and dramatically, I'm referring primarily to the immediate increase and stabilization of energy levels, less hunger and mood swings...improved immune function, and a reduction in the symptoms of allergies, arthritis, and other inflammatory conditions."

In this quote is the answer to the first question, "is it the caveman diet?" Living Primal isn't a diet. It's not a lifestyle change. It's just life...and it makes sense to me. To be fair, though, Grok is our Primal role model and some might call him a caveman.

I guess I just kind of responded to the Atkins thing too. Following the 10 laws of the Primal Blueprint isn't about eating nothing but meat. And it's more than a food plan.

Lastly, do I miss breads? Pasta? I really don't. I know, I was surprised too. But I think the main reason it that I'm not eating any of them. When I was doing Weight Watcher's I was trying to limit breads and pasta and eat the 'right kind' of whole grains. But eating them at all makes your body want more. One of the MDA members recently said something to the effect of "it's nice to know that what I always thought was lack of will power is actually physiological." Some of you may be hip to this tune already, but I'm just realizing it...carbs are addicting! I'm so satiated with the fantastic Primal fare I am eating that I don't miss pastas or breads at all!

Cool, huh?

So, all that to say...Primal Blueprint is a holistic approach. It speaks to diet, fitness, and mental health. My first step into it was moving more. Some people just in with both feet. Some people wade in even more slowly that I did. My first result was increased energy (and I do mean increased!). Everyone's looking for results, what will yours be?

Wednesday and Walnuts

It's Wednesday. I've written a few other posts about Wednesday. (This one and this one, for example.) Apparently it's a good day to babble on and I like the way it sounds in a post title!

On this particular Wednesday I'd like to share a couple things with you...

Wednesday is my new HIIT day. That stands for High Intensity Interval Training. Now, I haven't actually read Mark Sisson's book, The Primal Blueprint, yet. (Although I have started it! Yay!) I'm assuming he'll explain this in greater detail in there. But for now, what I've come to understand it as, from reading his blog, is continuous difficult moves for a period of time. What I've been doing for the last two weeks is setting a timer for 7 minutes. Then I do:
10 narrow push ups
10 crunches
10 wide push ups
10 lunges
10 squat thrusts
10 extended sit ups
10 squat jumps
10 leg ups
10 dips
Repeat
Repeat
Repeat
Until the timer dings.

I don't worry about the order and I don't take breathers. If I can't possibly do that 9th and 10th of something, then I don't and immediately move on to the next one. It's tough. It hurts and last week it hurt for a few days after too! But from what I've read, it's not supposed to be fun. In fact, someplace (I think it was Mark who said it) I read that if you look forward to it, you're probably not doing it right!

So, Wednesday is the day I have that brand of fun. And I don't look forward to doing my HIIT workout, but I do look forward to being done with it for the week! And, since I've been doing it first thing in the morning, before breakfast even, Wednesday is once again a day I look forward to! Most of it is resting and eating great primal food! Can I get a woo hoo?!

The second thing on my mind is walnuts. When was the last time you ate a walnut? Not in brownies or even as part of a salad. Not glazed in honey, either. I hadn't eaten them for a long time. If we got nuts they were usually cashews. And we often got trail mix, but for some reason walnuts weren't part of any of the mixes I bought. Chocolate candies were though. But that's not my point.

Living Primal allows for eating nuts as a snack and the other night I brought out a bowl for Scott and I to share. It was just an assortment of simple nuts. I was paying attention to something online and when I went to get a few I noticed all the walnuts were gone.

"Did you eat all the walnuts?" I asked Scott.

"Yup."

"I didn't know you had such a taste for walnuts."

"I do."

"I knew you especially liked cashews, but I didn't know about walnuts."

"I like cashews too."

"So, all these years (we've known each other longer than we haven't and have been married for a third of our lives, just about) you've kept this from me. What else don't I know?" I smiled. So did he!

Well, Wednesday is winding down...I should too. Good night.

Dressing Up Those Greens

I first mentioned going Primal in my post about my new trainer. By the way, she's still getting my heart rate up there! Have you started a new workout routine yet?

Anyway, the whole movement intrigues me! If you're not sure what it is...basically it's eating and exercising in the same fashion as our early ancestors, cavemen types. Ever since hearing about it a few weeks ago I've been reading a ton online about it and have incorporated some of the ideas into my life. I play more...which is great and the kids love it. Although it is hard to stay hidden in hide-n-seek when Tyler is standing on your back. But we're laughing a lot and I think I'm more fun than I was a few weeks ago. I'm also working out in primal ways, running around outside, sprinting on occasion, lifting heavy things. I haven't embraced going barefoot yet, but give me time...

As far as the diet goes, it's similar to other low carb diets, but I find it easier to wrap my brain around and it's actually very similar to how I was eating when I was looking so fine a few years ago, between Jace and Gracie. I've needed to find a way to get there again...I like this avenue and have high hopes for my health. Already I'm back to eating my eggs in the morning. It's amazing how much longer I feel satisfied than when I have a bowl of cereal! I've stopped having a pop tart for snack and enjoy an apple or nuts. I'm not missing my carbs. I have more energy and don't feel exhausted at the end of the day. I've even stopped wanting something sweet after dinner. I hadn't even noticed that until yesterday when I was putting dishes away and noticed the little bowl of chocolates up in the cupboard, set aside for after dinner, untouched for several days. So, even though the numbers on the scale haven't gone down yet, they're not going up anymore. That's a good start.

And I tell you all this to say that I'm also eating more salads, which I'd fallen away from. I used to love a great salad for lunch. And I do again. Eating primal means none of the dressings off the store shelves, not even the ones that are lower fat or whatever they're called. I've always thought that it should be possible to eat healthy without buying a bunch of cool packaging and low fat everything. Living primal claims to do just that. So, if I'm not going to eat Catalina or Ranch on my salad, I'm left with oil based ones, which I don't know a lot about. So, I found this list of 10 homemade dressings and I thought I'd share them with you all.

1. Raspberry Vinaigrette

Ingredients:
1/2 cup raspberry vinegar
1 tbsp of honey
1 tbsp fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

Method:
Pour vinegar in a mason jar or other container with a tight lid. Add honey and chopped mint, cover with lid and shake. If still too bitter, add in a bit more honey or Splenda to even out the flavor.

2. Citrus Vinaigrette

Ingredients:
1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp fresh squeezed orange juice
1 tbsp fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
6 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp chopped walnuts
2 tbsp grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Again, in a large mason jar or container with a tight lid, combine the vinegar, orange juice, grapefruit juice, lime juice, and lemon juice. Drizzle in the olive oil while whisking vigorously. Once mixed, add the walnuts and cheese and stir. Season with salt and pepper to taste

3. Dill Vinaigrette

Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp honey (or 1 packet of Splenda)
1/2 tsp dried dill weed
1/8 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp dry mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
In a blender, combine the oil, vinegar, sugar, dill weed, onion powder, garlic powder, dry mustard. Blend until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.

4. Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients:
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
In a mason jar or other container with a tight lid, combine all the ingredients. Shake until all ingredients are combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

5. Basil Vinaigrette

Ingredients:
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp chopped fresh basil (it’s very important here to use fresh – it’s not nearly as good with dried leaves!)
2 cloves garlic, minced

Method:
In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, basil, and garlic. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

6. Parsley Dressing

Ingredients:
3 tsp olive oil
2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp onion powder
2 tsp chopped parsley

Method:
In a bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice and onion powder. Once combined, add in the chopped parsley, mix thoroughly with a whisk and serve.


7. Lemon Caesar Dressing

Ingredients:
1 tsp lemon peel (finely grated)
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp anchovy paste
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tbsp sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
In a bowl, whisk all ingredients except oil and sour cream. Once combined, slowly add oil, whisking constantly until smooth (if you stop, the dressing could break). Once combined, whisk in sour cream until smooth and creamy. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

8. Asian Dressing

Ingredients:
1/2 cup orange juice (about 2 large oranges)
1/3 cup white vinegar
2 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp Asian mustard (should be easily found in the ethnic food aisle of your local grocery store)1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 medium garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsp sesame oil

Method:
In a bowl, whisk together orange juice, vinegar, sesame seeds, mustard, sugar, salt, and garlic. Once combined, slowly whisk in sesame oil.

9. Ginger-Asian Dressing

Ingredients:
1 carrot, fresh, small, peeled and shredded
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp minced onion
1 tbsp hot mustard
1 tbsp fresh ginger root, grated

Method:
Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.

10. French Style Dressing

Ingredients:
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp white pepper, ground
1 tsp unsalted tomato paste
7 tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup red or white wine vinegar
2 tsp water
1/2 tsp fresh chopped onion

Method:
In a large mason jar or other container with a tight lid, combine all ingredients, shake it up and serve.

All of these recipes are from Mark's Daily Apple which is by Mark Sisson. If you're interested in finding out more about living Primal, his blog is a good place to start. My favorite thing about it is that in the upper right hand corner you can search for something, anything that you want to know more about, and you'll be met with with a bunch of different posts that might answer your questions in several clear and helpful ways! Give it a look...

And try some of these dressings! I know I'm going to. We had the balsamic last night. Mmmm....

Crazy-Making

I remember from Abnormal Psych that someone (I think Freud) had a theory that schizophrenia is developed because mother's make their kids crazy. By not being consistent in praise and punishment the child doesn't know what to do and just loses his grip on reality. I think I've mentioned before (I'd link to it but I'm not sure where I said it) that my dad, not a famous psychoanalyst, psychotherapist, or psycho-anything, has his own theory. He believes that insanity is inherited from your children.

My take? My kids are making me nuts, especially when it comes to food. On Sunday we had BBQ chicken. It wasn't Jace's favorite BBQ sauce, but it was acceptable and both he and Gracie ate it. Monday we figured out the grocery list for the week, which meant determining what Gracie and Jace would make for their meals on Tuesday and Friday. Gracie chose a pasta recipe, but of course there was no protein and definitely no vegetable. I suggested chicken and she agreed to the same BBQ chicken as Sunday night.

Now, in case you're not following...Tuesday is two days after Sunday. Sunday she ate the chicken and wanted more. Tuesday she didn't eat the chicken. It wasn't leftovers. It was baked the same way with the same BBQ sauce, still not Jace's favorite, but everyone ate it two days earlier. AAAHHHH!!!!

This happens all the time. Someone will eat peas on Monday but not on Thursday. Someone else will eat lasagna the first night but not leftovers a few days later. However, the person who didn't eat it the first night will want seconds of the leftovers. Broccoli used to be a favorite and now is a no-go. And when we do find something that everyone eats all on the same night I am ever-so-hopeful that I can carefully prepare the same meal once a week and it'll get eaten. That's never the case.

Even though they're working hard to make me lose my marbles, they do make me laugh sometimes too. The other night we had quesadillas. All three kids like to dip so we had sour cream, guacamole, and salsa to go with the cheesy delights. Gracie, who obviously watches too much Food Network with me, said, "Well, what a really like about your salsa (FYI-it came from a jar) is the taste. It has good flavor. But I don't like the tomatoes, peppers, or onions." Silly girl! She's not lying, though. She'll dip into the salsa and get the color and flavor all over her food, but she won't eat any of the chunks! (Shrug)

So, while I'm working on remaining calm and composed during meal time and meal planning, and especially when I'm cleaning off plates after dinner, don't be completely surprised if you find me in the loony bin some time in the future. Be sure to blame it on my kids based on Dad's theory, not on my mother!

What I Learned On My Day Off

Oh! Wait a minute...I don't get a day off. Well, either way, I learned a few things today. Cool, huh?

1. Venison is quite tasty in many ways. Until recently my favorite was in some sort of Italian dish, spaghetti or lasagna. Tonight, however, I found a new fave. Marinate it in Italian dressing and baked it. Then wrap it in bacon and finish in the oven until the bacon is cooked. Talk about flavor...oh, so good.

2. "Don't jump on the furniture" is not specific enough. I should have also stated not to attempt jumping over the furniture, not to jump off the furniture and not to jump over your sister onto the furniture.

3. The last few chapters of a really great book are hard to put down, even if there are children crying all around you.

4. Laundry doesn't fold itself.

5. America's Funniest Home Videos can calm even the wildest of beasts. Well, at first, then it gets them riled up, laughing uncontrollably and LOUDLY at teenage boys doing inherently stupid things.

6. It's nice to have a few extra hours with the children. I'd like to hypothesize, though, that it will also be nice when they go back to school tomorrow.

Stuffed French Toast

I feel like I need to lighten things up a little. I don't know about you but all this chit chat about faith, selling houses, moving, life...it weighs me down after a while. That's what I tell myself when I get on the scale, at least. In leiu of a salad we had stuffed french toast for dinner tonight.







I'm not sure that counts as "light" but it did have bananas. That's something, right? And our protein came from nuts instead of red meat...I know, I'm grasping for straws.

Here's the real deal:

Tonight was Gracie's night to cook. She's an ambitious and excited little chef-to-be, but she is only 4 1/2 years old. Her skills are limited. Plus, she's not all that interested in attempting recipes that are too far from her faves...pizza, hot dogs, chicken nuggets, breakfast foods.

That's why this seemed like a good new thing to try. At least once a week we have either french toast or pancakes for dinner. Sometimes there are apples and oatmeal in the pancakes. Other times they're shaped like Mickey himself. But we haven't done all that much that's exciting with french toast...until now.





We first saw someone make these on Food Network. The woman (Terryl Garve) has her own restaurant and Bobby Flay thinks that her stuffed french toast is the best breakfast food he's ever eaten. Seemed like something we had to try.

Gracie and I decided on a simple egg mixture of eggs, milk, cinnamon, and vanilla to mix our peanut butter and banana sandwiches into. Ms. Garves added orange juice and rum to hers. Sounds delish doesn't it?










Even without the extra sass of OJ and liquor, I do think ours looked pretty tasty. Don't you?

Gracie did.

Tyler did.

Jace did too.

Even I thought this was a winner of a recipe. Simple enough for a 4 1/2 year old to play a mojor part in creating. Decently well balanced with no green in sight. And yummy to boot!

Sadly, though, with everything it had going for it...I couldn't clean my plate. Whew!

Little Bits

For you: a compilation of things that have been on my mind. Imagine these tid bits presented on a grand platter, held firmly by the gloved hand of a handsomely dressed servant. There's a little something for everyone...crunchy, sweet, savory, smooth...take all you'd like and enjoy.

That little bit of fun imagery comes from a house my husband found online while looking for places to live someday without me. (It was brought to my attention that this sounds like Scott wants to live apart from me in the future. I don't think that's the plan. After all, who would keep my feet warm? What it should sound like is that Scott was looking, without me, at future homes, that we could live in together.) The rule is that we're not aloud to look/dream without the other, but he admitted he'd been naughty so he could show me this place he found in Victor, NY (one of our possible retirement areas). It's on the market for 3.9 million dollars. I told him he'll have to work for a long time to be able to afford that one! But it did have a nice covered entry so I, or the servants, could bring the groceries in without getting wet or snowed on.

******

The other day the kids and I were eating at the dining room table, which has a window into the front yard. Gracie excitedly announced that there was a baby butterfly fluttering about. Jace promptly told her, "There's no such thing as baby butterflies. That's a caterpillar." Of course Gracie got upset and wanted me to stand up for her. Alas, what's a mom to do? I told them it was probably a young butterfly and gave Jace a look that clearly asked him why he needed to torture his poor sister and urged him to stop. He reiterated that baby butterflies are caterpillars and left it alone. Thank goodness.

******

In college we had a big piece of poster board or paper, can't remember what exactly. But, we kept it under the couch and occasionally pulled it out to write some great quotes that people came up with at random times. It was a fun little conversation starter. Every now and then I think of recreating it with things I never thought I'd hear my self say, especially quite as often as I do. My current least favorite thing to say is directed toward Tyler. "Keep your fingers out of my arm pit." It drives me nuts that he seems to constantly scratch me and play with my arm pits. I know their warm and whatever...but they're my pits! Arg. I hope he finds something better to do with his little pinchers, and soon.

******

Why is it that just when I think I've caught up with life I realize that the dishwasher never got run or that I forgot to empty the dryer and the clothes are all wrinkled? Just why? I'd like to get ahead for just a little bit. Maybe?

******

My least favorite thing to clean is the bathroom, specifically the toilet, and even more specifically the under side of that. And I have so many more years until the boys are supposedly old enough to not dribble over the edge of the tank and drip, drip, drip...anyway, what age is that again?

******

I'm starting to enjoy, more and more, being in the kitchen. I've always loved baking but have put in on the back shelf so we could eat healthier and not have so many cookies lying around. (Now when I say lying around...what I mean is barely making it off the counter and into the cookie jar. We love cookies around here!) I've gotten more into cooking to take the place of the baking I enjoy. The kids help me twice a week. Mostly we have a lot of fun! There are days, though...whew! Isn't anything like that, though? Can't love everything all the time.

Back to my point, I just joined a baking and cooking challenge blog. It's called The Daring Kitchen and there are monthly challenges to create and post about fun new recipes! I'm very excited about this. First of all, once a month I won't have to figure out what to cook for dinner. Also, we'll get to try new things, which I very much enjoy. So, along with the normal tales of Gebel family life, you can now look forward to daring baking and cooking challenge posts. Then you can try your hand at something new in the kitchen as well.

******

One more thing...I've been working out with Denise Austin and taking walks several times a week with Tyler. I really enjoy it. Well, not while Denise is kicking my tush first thing in the morning, but when we move into the stretching exercises at the end of her workout...then I love it. I like feeling a little sweaty, more active, and ready to go...

And, now, it's time for me to go...Tyler's awake and we need to go pick up Gracie and Jace. Have a great Monday. I hope you enjoyed your sampling of tasty tid bits!