Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Sex and the Six Year Old
"So today's the last day you'll ever be five. Isn't that wild? You'll be six tomorrow."
"Lucy told me she is sex today. I told her the word was sexy, not sex."
At this point I'm trying to figure out what in the world prompted him to tell me this. I guess "six" is close enough for any male?
It's just their DNA.
"I think Lucy just wants to know she's beautiful. Maybe next time she says it you can tell her sexy is an adult word and she's more than that- tell her she's beautiful to you."
"I will Mamma because she is."
Parenting is on the fly. Kids are always listening and learning from you and how you react to the world. Maybe this conversation is one brick of a thousand to build a wonderful young man.
(Note: I did change the little girl's name. And he truly does adore her.)
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Respect
It was a hard decision to make- football or martial arts this fall. I didn't leave the decision totally up to Luke, our soon to be 6 year old. He changed his mind every time I asked which he preferred. I realized he was conflicted between what he wanted to do and what he thought we wanted him to do. He knows his daddy played football and watches every UGA game filled with passion. Luke barely glances at the T.V. preferring to draw, jump off the couch, and play super hero as we cheer for every great play.
I stepped in and decided I would take the pressure off and push for the activity best suited to him- jiu jitsu, a Thai martial art. Would we love going to Saturday morning flag football games and cheering for our little tribe of 5 & 6 year olds? You bet! But would he love it? Probably not. He would enjoy the environment at times, but it wouldn't build his confidence or strengthen his weaknesses. In fact, I think it would have been a step backwards for him.
He's played three years of organized baseball. The first two were laid back leagues where it was just cute seeing the little ones running around. This season was different- some kids began showing real interest and talent. Coaches began worrying about winning. Parents started pushing for their children to perform. I get all of the above as I was a pretty good player who loved everything about softball. I have a drive to compete against myself and others. Throwing for thirty minutes was fun to me as I pushed myself for improvement...
Luke doesn't give a damn. I never yelled at him for not doing one thing or another on the field, but would praise him when he did something with effort correctly. I'd remind him to continue with the same effort as his "give a damn" faded quickly. It was so frustrating because he could throw, catch, and hit just as well as anyone else on the team. But he'd do it a couple times to pacify me and get back to to goofing.
He doesn't have that traditional sport personality. I had to come to terms with it and it wasn't bad. I just had to swallow it as an athlete myself. For the sake of allowing my son to be himself, I have to acknowledge and respect his unique qualities.
We are three weeks into jiu jitsu and he is loving it. He gets to be around kids as he learns discipline. Instead of walking away deflated from practices, he's got a little strut to his step. I learn something from him every single day and I respect my 6 year old little man.
I stepped in and decided I would take the pressure off and push for the activity best suited to him- jiu jitsu, a Thai martial art. Would we love going to Saturday morning flag football games and cheering for our little tribe of 5 & 6 year olds? You bet! But would he love it? Probably not. He would enjoy the environment at times, but it wouldn't build his confidence or strengthen his weaknesses. In fact, I think it would have been a step backwards for him.
He's played three years of organized baseball. The first two were laid back leagues where it was just cute seeing the little ones running around. This season was different- some kids began showing real interest and talent. Coaches began worrying about winning. Parents started pushing for their children to perform. I get all of the above as I was a pretty good player who loved everything about softball. I have a drive to compete against myself and others. Throwing for thirty minutes was fun to me as I pushed myself for improvement...
Luke doesn't give a damn. I never yelled at him for not doing one thing or another on the field, but would praise him when he did something with effort correctly. I'd remind him to continue with the same effort as his "give a damn" faded quickly. It was so frustrating because he could throw, catch, and hit just as well as anyone else on the team. But he'd do it a couple times to pacify me and get back to to goofing.
He doesn't have that traditional sport personality. I had to come to terms with it and it wasn't bad. I just had to swallow it as an athlete myself. For the sake of allowing my son to be himself, I have to acknowledge and respect his unique qualities.
We are three weeks into jiu jitsu and he is loving it. He gets to be around kids as he learns discipline. Instead of walking away deflated from practices, he's got a little strut to his step. I learn something from him every single day and I respect my 6 year old little man.
Friday, July 26, 2013
Go Fishing and Make Memories
Fishing was one of my favorite things to do as a child. It wasn't just because of the fishing, the whole event was special. I was outdoors with my parents with little distraction other than what nature provided.
This time of year is classic fishing weather. Plan to go either early morning before it gets too hot or go late afternoon and fish into the cooler hours. Pack a picnic meal, chairs, and maybe a frisbee too. Leave the Gameboy DS at home and unplug for uninterrupted family time.
This short article provides some practical advice for the making the fishing as successful as possible.
http://www.weather.com/sports-rec/fishing/tips-fishing-kids-20120726
Don't keep putting days like this off- your child is here now. Have fun!
This time of year is classic fishing weather. Plan to go either early morning before it gets too hot or go late afternoon and fish into the cooler hours. Pack a picnic meal, chairs, and maybe a frisbee too. Leave the Gameboy DS at home and unplug for uninterrupted family time.
This short article provides some practical advice for the making the fishing as successful as possible.
http://www.weather.com/sports-rec/fishing/tips-fishing-kids-20120726
Don't keep putting days like this off- your child is here now. Have fun!
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Building With Nature
As our summer vacation comes to a close, the kid has become slightly bored with his arsenal of toys. Swimming wasn't an option today as the weather wasn't bad, but timing between looming dark clouds would have been a gamble. What's worse than getting your swim suits on and getting all the gear packed and the bottom falling out?
So, after a bit of Xbox and and him asking me to play Legos again, I knew I needed a distraction. I honestly can only handle Ninja Turtle and City Legos once a day. And I only do it then out of guilt. Bad mom.
The solution was a compromise of our interests. He likes building and I like doing anything outside. We set off on a hunt for building supplies on the edge of the woods. I told him he could build anything he wanted with what he found. He took off on the blaze of a12 volt powered four wheeler. I meandered behind to remind him to not crash into things.
We returned home from our journey with a grocery bag of dirty sticks, long blades of grass, and a few sprigs of bamboo he snatched from my aunt's garden unbeknownst to me. Sorry Aunt Judy.
It seems kids will let you think for them as long as you allow it. I try not to allow it. For example, he wanted to build a house first. I said okay and he could get started. But he didn't want to actually think it through, he wanted me to do it. Instead of doing it for him, I asked leading questions so he could figure it out himself. And because he created something himself he learned from the process. He gained a little critical thinking skill while also gaining a little self confidence. Real self confidence from real accomplishment.
Take a look at his cabin and his teepee. Pretty cool for a five year old.
Oh, and he learned how to whittle a stick.
So, after a bit of Xbox and and him asking me to play Legos again, I knew I needed a distraction. I honestly can only handle Ninja Turtle and City Legos once a day. And I only do it then out of guilt. Bad mom.
The solution was a compromise of our interests. He likes building and I like doing anything outside. We set off on a hunt for building supplies on the edge of the woods. I told him he could build anything he wanted with what he found. He took off on the blaze of a12 volt powered four wheeler. I meandered behind to remind him to not crash into things.
We returned home from our journey with a grocery bag of dirty sticks, long blades of grass, and a few sprigs of bamboo he snatched from my aunt's garden unbeknownst to me. Sorry Aunt Judy.
It seems kids will let you think for them as long as you allow it. I try not to allow it. For example, he wanted to build a house first. I said okay and he could get started. But he didn't want to actually think it through, he wanted me to do it. Instead of doing it for him, I asked leading questions so he could figure it out himself. And because he created something himself he learned from the process. He gained a little critical thinking skill while also gaining a little self confidence. Real self confidence from real accomplishment.
Take a look at his cabin and his teepee. Pretty cool for a five year old.
Oh, and he learned how to whittle a stick.
Monday, July 22, 2013
Drop the Zero Calories, Get With the Hero Calories
I was on the roadthis weekend, which means I visited a place I rarely see in person- aconvenience store. We needed gasolineand were thirsty, so I did what I must. I walked in and began browsing the drink coolers. How in the world are there so many optionsfor such a simple need? There are sodas,diet sodas, teas, energy formulas, flavored milks, coffee beverages, sportsdrinks, plain water, and specialty waters.
I gravitated towardsthe water section and reached for a new bottle I'd not seen before, FruitWater. It sounded like it might be agood treat for my son, something we'd meet in the middle on. I did the label check to see what fruit juicewas used and !GASP! It contains no juiceat all. Zero. None. Nada.
So, I'm wonderingwhy the heck are they calling it Fruit Water? I continue to read the label and see it has zero calories. Okay, that might be good. But my interest quickly goes away once I seethat it has food colorings Red 40 and Blue 1. See, we still had two more hours of driving and there was no way I wasgoing to suffer through a "food dye episode" trapped in the car withthe kid. Don't believe it affectsbehavior? I've experimented on the boyand he's not cute when he gets a big dose of this stuff. You're welcome to try it on him too. You just can't bring him back until thecrying mixed with hyperactive outbursts are over.
Okay, so I really doknow why they named it Fruit Water. Sodo you. It sounds like a responsiblechoice. It appeals to the side of you thatwants something that appears to be healthy. Many people still judge a book by it's cover. It's not smart, but they trust theimage. "Everyone knows soda is badfor you, but this is water and fruit guys! I'm a health nut here!"
So, let me breakdown what red flags one should look for and at least consider when choosing adrink you plan to have on a regular basis.
*Zero Calories: If it has lots of flavor and zing, then restassured it has artificial sweeteners in it.
Artificial sweeteners are lab madechemical mixtures even if they contain something
that was once naturally sweet. There is a lot, and I mean a lot of evidencethat regular
consumption of these sweeteners is justas bad, if not worse for you than plain old sugar. I tend to trust nature over profit driven scientists.
Read some information for yourself onthis topic by following the links below.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/12/04/saccharin-aspartame-dangers.aspx
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/artificial-sweeteners-milk
*BraggingLabel: If the label is loud with lots ofbragging about what they've put into the product,
I'msuspicious. What are they trying to makeup for or hide? What bandwagon are
they jumping on? Yeah, not much scientific data here. I'm just skeptical. Honest people and products tend to be morehumble in my opinion.
*BrightColored: If the drink is eye catchingcolorful, you can bet the bank it has food coloring in it.
Food dyes may belinked to both short term and long term health problems. Remember, ifyou'd like to see a reaction to Red 40 in person, you may borrow my
son and give hima Kool Aid pouch.
Research foryourself, seriously, with the following to get you started.
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/01/16/new-fear-about-food-dyes/
http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2012/02/23/synthetic-food-dyes-raising-health-concerns-among-doctors-parents/
Maybe, you'rewondering what's the alternative? Createyour own drink with natural ingredients! If you like teas, brew it at home. If you're a water fan you can jazz it up with the Pinterest worthy fruitinfusing trend. If you like sodas, tryadding flavors to plain seltzer water. My favorite is seltzer with a lime squeezed in it. It's so simple and refreshing.
If you're not aDIYer, or just need something on hand, there are some better options outthere. Check out these two I found. Both can be ordered through Amazon.
Monday, July 15, 2013
Gluten Free Macaroni & Cheese
It's been one heck of a summer! So much so, I haven't posted in ages. All good things, but slow go and frustrating. Maybe in a later post I will share. Gluten free macaroni and cheese takes priority at this time- as it should.
I haven't made mac and cheese since I went GF 1 1/2 years ago. At one time it was a weekly staple twice a week. Maybe one reason I was chubby but lovable LOL.
Tonight was electric in our households the boys realized what was coming. It did not disappoint. Not a bit.
Here's what you need and how:
Gluten free elbow noodles cooked (1 pkg)
1/2 standard block mozzarella cheese cubed
1/2 cup Alfredo sauce
2 tbs butter (I like Kerrygold)
1-2 tsp mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine ingredients in sauce pan over low heat. Stir as it all combines and cheese melts. Bam! Good stuff.
I haven't made mac and cheese since I went GF 1 1/2 years ago. At one time it was a weekly staple twice a week. Maybe one reason I was chubby but lovable LOL.
Tonight was electric in our households the boys realized what was coming. It did not disappoint. Not a bit.
Here's what you need and how:
Gluten free elbow noodles cooked (1 pkg)
1/2 standard block mozzarella cheese cubed
1/2 cup Alfredo sauce
2 tbs butter (I like Kerrygold)
1-2 tsp mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine ingredients in sauce pan over low heat. Stir as it all combines and cheese melts. Bam! Good stuff.
Monday, May 20, 2013
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Ten Minutes
Ten minutes of magic just happened here. I walked outside to see what the racket was. The boy and the dad were throwing a super bouncy ball on the roof and chasing after it. Pure joy was beaming from little guy's face. Giggling as he raced his dad for the ball.
I joined in but after a couple minutes the game evolved. A bat began swooping nearby for mosquitoes and so began phase two. We began tracking the bat and when it got close we'd toss the ball in his path. The bat of course went for the ball every time! Luke was thrilled to be interacting with a wild animal he's only seen in books.
It's those little unplanned things that make up a childhood. Peace y'all.
I joined in but after a couple minutes the game evolved. A bat began swooping nearby for mosquitoes and so began phase two. We began tracking the bat and when it got close we'd toss the ball in his path. The bat of course went for the ball every time! Luke was thrilled to be interacting with a wild animal he's only seen in books.
It's those little unplanned things that make up a childhood. Peace y'all.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
BBQ Chicken Legs
Tonight I'm trying something new for me. Nothing exotic- I just don't cook a lot of chicken and rarely have I made chicken legs. However, these organic legs were on sale so I'm giving it a go.
First I'm browning them in a skillet with butter. Next they go in a very hot oven at 500 degrees for a about five minutes. Then I'm basting with BBQ sauce and broiling almost at the highest setting the remainder of time. I'm estimating it will take about 15 more minutes.
I found the recipe on Foodnetwork.com and it had a 5 star rating. I'm about 7 minutes into the broiling part and my goodness look at that second picture! Looking great!
Update: you must make these. Taste is great and man look at the finished product!
First I'm browning them in a skillet with butter. Next they go in a very hot oven at 500 degrees for a about five minutes. Then I'm basting with BBQ sauce and broiling almost at the highest setting the remainder of time. I'm estimating it will take about 15 more minutes.
I found the recipe on Foodnetwork.com and it had a 5 star rating. I'm about 7 minutes into the broiling part and my goodness look at that second picture! Looking great!
Update: you must make these. Taste is great and man look at the finished product!
Monday, May 13, 2013
Pretend Play
As we speak, Luke and I are outside playing restraunt with his Little Tikes grill set. I'm obviously half way playing (bad mom) as I write this.
I am the customer. He is the chef. What a great opportunity to learn about making healthy food choices! We've done this a lot, but I never really thought much of it. I'm just a teacher at heart and usually weave lessons into our play time.
I asked him for a menu of his healthier choices. He obliged by drawing a full stay of weird combinations five year olds think of:
Veggie pizza with a fried egg
Butternut squash with a hamburger patty
Hot tea, water, or coffee to drink
Weird, but healthy. He even offers me a gluten free cookie. Sweet boy knows Mommy can't have gluten.
So maybe next time you're playing together, throw a lesson in with it. Kids learn my modeling behaviors. Its important they learn the right ones.
I am the customer. He is the chef. What a great opportunity to learn about making healthy food choices! We've done this a lot, but I never really thought much of it. I'm just a teacher at heart and usually weave lessons into our play time.
I asked him for a menu of his healthier choices. He obliged by drawing a full stay of weird combinations five year olds think of:
Veggie pizza with a fried egg
Butternut squash with a hamburger patty
Hot tea, water, or coffee to drink
Weird, but healthy. He even offers me a gluten free cookie. Sweet boy knows Mommy can't have gluten.
So maybe next time you're playing together, throw a lesson in with it. Kids learn my modeling behaviors. Its important they learn the right ones.
Sunday, May 12, 2013
A Crappie Mother's Day
This has truly been a wonderful day of relaxation. My sweet boys (husband and son) made me an omelet with enough ham and peppered bacon to feed the state of Georgia to start things off. This was followed by a huge cup of coffee laced with butter and creamer. We did absolutely nothing for a couple hours before heading to my aunt's lake for a picnic lunch and fishing.
We spent hours just eating, sipping wine, and pulling crappie out of the water. Crappie are fish by the way. I'm a country girl (although with a mix of hippie) so I don't know if that's common knowledge.
Maybe. But then again, it bewilders me people don't eat biscuits all over the US.
Crappie probably is a southern name for these particular fish. I'm having a hard time picturing a man in Connecticut saying , "Let's go catch some crappie!"
Yeah, you pronounce it just like you had a crappy day.
I, however, didn't have a crappy day. I hope yours was wonderful too.
We spent hours just eating, sipping wine, and pulling crappie out of the water. Crappie are fish by the way. I'm a country girl (although with a mix of hippie) so I don't know if that's common knowledge.
Maybe. But then again, it bewilders me people don't eat biscuits all over the US.
Crappie probably is a southern name for these particular fish. I'm having a hard time picturing a man in Connecticut saying , "Let's go catch some crappie!"
Yeah, you pronounce it just like you had a crappy day.
I, however, didn't have a crappy day. I hope yours was wonderful too.
Monday, May 6, 2013
Homemade Bath Products
It all started with a little "Secret". For years I've heard rumors, as maybe you have, that commercial body deodorants are full of nasty chemicals. Finally, a couple weeks ago I looked at the ingredients list. Well hell. I didn't know what any of it was. And still I do not.
Honestly, that's enough for me to act on. I don't like not knowing what I'm getting in the products I buy and use. So what began with cleaner eating has now gushed over to my bathroom. I'm experimenting with more natural, simple bath and body products.
Your skin is the largest body organ. It's designed to protect your innards (LOL) by keeping bad things out. Think radiation from the sun...it also allows good things to enter. Maybe enough sunshine to produce Vitamin D or minerals from sea water. Unfortunately it seems I've been assaulting my system with a bazillion chemicals, many considered carcinogens. Whatever sits on the skin soaks in. Not good in many instances.
Yeah, I'm thinking that's over and done with for me and soon for my family. Right now I'm experimenting with homemade deodorant, the no shampoo method of hair washing, and a batch of freshly made toothpaste.
I truly thought I'd end up being the the stinky, greasy chick and run back to my store bought products quickly. I'm a week into using my own deodorant and shunning shampoo. It seems I'm socially acceptable still on the cleanliness scale. Tonight was my first use of homemade toothpaste and my mouth is dancing as we speak.
I'm looking forward to tinkering with my recipes and soon will introduce them to my familia.
Why? I trust myself and my motives over a corporation any day. My interest is my family's well being and not profit. Plus, it's fun! Well, it is to me.
Honestly, that's enough for me to act on. I don't like not knowing what I'm getting in the products I buy and use. So what began with cleaner eating has now gushed over to my bathroom. I'm experimenting with more natural, simple bath and body products.
Your skin is the largest body organ. It's designed to protect your innards (LOL) by keeping bad things out. Think radiation from the sun...it also allows good things to enter. Maybe enough sunshine to produce Vitamin D or minerals from sea water. Unfortunately it seems I've been assaulting my system with a bazillion chemicals, many considered carcinogens. Whatever sits on the skin soaks in. Not good in many instances.
Yeah, I'm thinking that's over and done with for me and soon for my family. Right now I'm experimenting with homemade deodorant, the no shampoo method of hair washing, and a batch of freshly made toothpaste.
I truly thought I'd end up being the the stinky, greasy chick and run back to my store bought products quickly. I'm a week into using my own deodorant and shunning shampoo. It seems I'm socially acceptable still on the cleanliness scale. Tonight was my first use of homemade toothpaste and my mouth is dancing as we speak.
I'm looking forward to tinkering with my recipes and soon will introduce them to my familia.
Why? I trust myself and my motives over a corporation any day. My interest is my family's well being and not profit. Plus, it's fun! Well, it is to me.
Friday, May 3, 2013
Don't Blow It
Well, I just blew it and allowed temporary gratification get the better of me. Four chocolate chip cookies later and I sit here dreading the possible side effects.
GLUTEN BOMB INCOMING!
I'm hoping the gluten gods will see I'm remorseful and give me a break this time. Doh! As Homer Simpson would say.
Prevent this kind of mishap by being prepared with easy healthier for you options and by not skipping meals. Oh and not allowing yourself to wallow in a bad mood helps too- I'm guilty of all three presently.
So, in hindsight I shouldn't have skipped dinner or at the very least I should have had a plan for what I'd eat later. I could have had a Lara Bar, some corn chips with salsa, even a whole bar of dark chocolate would have been better. My knees ache for days after gluten. My skin breaks out. My stomach is a mess. I get lethargic and blah. Just a few of the fun things that happen.
Bad mood fix? Oh with my 20/20 hindsight I see I should have moved around and done something enjoyable. Instead I chose to lay around and think about feeling upset. I wallowed in it like a pig. Oink.
OK. I made an error and have thought of solutions for future temptation. Let's see if I can apply it next time. Acknowledge and move on.
Later y'all-
GLUTEN BOMB INCOMING!
I'm hoping the gluten gods will see I'm remorseful and give me a break this time. Doh! As Homer Simpson would say.
Prevent this kind of mishap by being prepared with easy healthier for you options and by not skipping meals. Oh and not allowing yourself to wallow in a bad mood helps too- I'm guilty of all three presently.
So, in hindsight I shouldn't have skipped dinner or at the very least I should have had a plan for what I'd eat later. I could have had a Lara Bar, some corn chips with salsa, even a whole bar of dark chocolate would have been better. My knees ache for days after gluten. My skin breaks out. My stomach is a mess. I get lethargic and blah. Just a few of the fun things that happen.
Bad mood fix? Oh with my 20/20 hindsight I see I should have moved around and done something enjoyable. Instead I chose to lay around and think about feeling upset. I wallowed in it like a pig. Oink.
OK. I made an error and have thought of solutions for future temptation. Let's see if I can apply it next time. Acknowledge and move on.
Later y'all-
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Shaping His Future
No pressure, but every choice I make, every day gently shapes the future reality of my son. Every time I'm too distracted to play, too tired to make a proper meal, lose my cool to little boy antics, I set an example. Thankfully, the same is true when I am at my best.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
BuhBuh TV
We did it. We cut the cord to cable/satellite television. For an entire month we have survived without the news telling us we live in the most horrible times, without commercials telling us what snack crackers need to be in our pantry, and even without a play by play of our beloved Atlanta Braves. The baseball games are the only part I'm not kidding about. We kinda miss that, but not enough to shell out $85 a month.
We do use the Internet for streaming some content, but we choose what enters our household! No more intruding blah blah blah about the trendy political scandals! Hooray!!! No more toy ads enticing Luke to want more and more! Hooray!!! No more flashing Big Macs in my face to make me drool! Hip Hip Hooray!!!
As I sit here alone on a rare occasion, I don't hear anything but the frogs and a train. It's calm. I'm calm. And I'm $85 richer every month.
We do use the Internet for streaming some content, but we choose what enters our household! No more intruding blah blah blah about the trendy political scandals! Hooray!!! No more toy ads enticing Luke to want more and more! Hooray!!! No more flashing Big Macs in my face to make me drool! Hip Hip Hooray!!!
As I sit here alone on a rare occasion, I don't hear anything but the frogs and a train. It's calm. I'm calm. And I'm $85 richer every month.
Monday, April 22, 2013
A Breakfast Solution On The Go
I'm fortunate to work four days a week, although it seems to make Tuesday through Friday more hectic working longer hours. One of my biggest stumbling blocks in eating well is breakfast. On a regular basis I tote three eggs to work that I nuke once there. It gets boring though. Plus I've heard over eating one thing can lead to sensitivities. I don't know.
So today before I made the grocery run, I pondered how to shake things up this week. I came across some meatball recipes and went from there. I ended up with meatballs with some veggies hidden inside. I'm happy and think you and your family will like them as well.
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 package no preservatives sausage
Diced onion to taste
Two handfuls of dry slaw mix
Preheat oven to 375
I mashed and smashed all ingredients by hand. Make sure everything seems equally distributed.
I rolled the mixture into balls about the size of golfballs.
I placed them in the oven for 15 minutes and then broiled them on low for maybe 3-4 minutes. Perfectly browned.
I sampled one and bagged the rest for the fridge. One less thing to stress about!
So today before I made the grocery run, I pondered how to shake things up this week. I came across some meatball recipes and went from there. I ended up with meatballs with some veggies hidden inside. I'm happy and think you and your family will like them as well.
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 package no preservatives sausage
Diced onion to taste
Two handfuls of dry slaw mix
Preheat oven to 375
I mashed and smashed all ingredients by hand. Make sure everything seems equally distributed.
I rolled the mixture into balls about the size of golfballs.
I placed them in the oven for 15 minutes and then broiled them on low for maybe 3-4 minutes. Perfectly browned.
I sampled one and bagged the rest for the fridge. One less thing to stress about!
Thursday, April 18, 2013
The Appreciative Child
Ok, so I intentionally try to not boast about how awesome of a little guy my son is. Of course I think he's great because he's my little biological, psychological project LOL. But I also am aware that he is special to me because he is mine. You know those parents who go on and on about how special baby girl is because she's counting to 100 at age 3? Yeah, impressive but annoying.
So, your attention please! I am proud of Luke for being genuinely appreciative of things we give and do for him much of the time. Not all the time, but most of the time. Not bad for a five year old.
We have intentionally not given him everything he asks for. He's an only child and the youngest grandchild by 11 years. I am hellbent on him being NOT being spoiled by material things. It's not easy because we can afford to lavish him with more things and the instinct of parenting is to make your child happy. But we are looking to his future. Learning the meaning of no, making choices, and earning things is what will bring peace to him as a man. That $1 gadget in the checkout lane is momentary.
He keeps a mental tally of things he really wants. We give him opportunities to earn extra money to save for his list. After he's saved a chunk of cash we ask if he'd like to buy something. He's learned to prioritize in a 5 year old way and is thrilled once he gets his prize.
Today I happened upon a chance to buy a couple sets of Monster Legos used at a great price. I immediately set the sale up and met the lady twenty minutes away. Why? Because he's been patiently waiting for them since Christmas. He got one set from Santa and plays with it daily. I knew he would be genuinely thankful.
He hugged me so tightly this evening and has told me at least ten times how nice it was of me to do that for him. He makes my heart smile. Such a great little man.
Does he have a lot of toys? Yeah, we buy him toys and treats, but he has things he actually plays with. This is in line with our values and hope it serves him as well.'
So, your attention please! I am proud of Luke for being genuinely appreciative of things we give and do for him much of the time. Not all the time, but most of the time. Not bad for a five year old.
We have intentionally not given him everything he asks for. He's an only child and the youngest grandchild by 11 years. I am hellbent on him being NOT being spoiled by material things. It's not easy because we can afford to lavish him with more things and the instinct of parenting is to make your child happy. But we are looking to his future. Learning the meaning of no, making choices, and earning things is what will bring peace to him as a man. That $1 gadget in the checkout lane is momentary.
He keeps a mental tally of things he really wants. We give him opportunities to earn extra money to save for his list. After he's saved a chunk of cash we ask if he'd like to buy something. He's learned to prioritize in a 5 year old way and is thrilled once he gets his prize.
Today I happened upon a chance to buy a couple sets of Monster Legos used at a great price. I immediately set the sale up and met the lady twenty minutes away. Why? Because he's been patiently waiting for them since Christmas. He got one set from Santa and plays with it daily. I knew he would be genuinely thankful.
He hugged me so tightly this evening and has told me at least ten times how nice it was of me to do that for him. He makes my heart smile. Such a great little man.
Does he have a lot of toys? Yeah, we buy him toys and treats, but he has things he actually plays with. This is in line with our values and hope it serves him as well.'
Thursday, April 11, 2013
WHY?
Short post here. Today I made my first ever trip to Trader Joe's because I was in Atlanta for the day. I'd heard the buzz about their great prices on healthier foods (whatever your idea about that may be).
I saw quite a few options that I liked- organic vegetables and fruits, uncured bacon, raw yogurt, etc. I was very impressed with the prices. Very little difference between price of conventional products and the special products. The grass fed beef hotdogs I bought were $4.99! A bag of organic avacados were $3.50. That's a great value.
As I was looking through the frozen foods I spotted pizzas. They are made in Italy. You know, one of a zillion other places that don't mess with wheat and over process everything. I got to wondering- maybe I could eat one of these once in a blue moon and it wouldn't harm me like the others I use to buy here. I flipped the package over and the short list of ingredients about knocked me over! There's not a essay size list of foreign and weird things. Take a look at the picture below and compare to a Tombstone pizza in your local market. Why?
I saw quite a few options that I liked- organic vegetables and fruits, uncured bacon, raw yogurt, etc. I was very impressed with the prices. Very little difference between price of conventional products and the special products. The grass fed beef hotdogs I bought were $4.99! A bag of organic avacados were $3.50. That's a great value.
As I was looking through the frozen foods I spotted pizzas. They are made in Italy. You know, one of a zillion other places that don't mess with wheat and over process everything. I got to wondering- maybe I could eat one of these once in a blue moon and it wouldn't harm me like the others I use to buy here. I flipped the package over and the short list of ingredients about knocked me over! There's not a essay size list of foreign and weird things. Take a look at the picture below and compare to a Tombstone pizza in your local market. Why?
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Transitioning Your Family's Way of Eating
Let's say you've resolved that you and your family are going to eat better. You've decided that fresh, unprocessed foods will be the norm rather than the exception.
What's step 1? Many would suggest opening the pantry door and throwing all the junk away- I don't think that's such a great idea unless you are prepared for the battle of your life.
In many situations, the mother is the instigator of change. We have so much influence on what happens in our household, but never mistaken it for power. Power is for dictators. We want our families to see the new way of eating as a choice they are making with you.
My advice, especially with kids, is to slowly transition from Point A, to Point B, to Point C, and so on until you are where you wish to be. Children (and husbands) tend to revolt if they are suddenly pushed into something without input. I might have a slight tendency of pushing back if pushed too strongly as well. Ask anyone.
So if your current eating style is the Standard American Diet...Poptart and juice for breakfast, cold cut sandwich and Doritos for lunch, and a couple of frozen pizzas for dinner...please don't think your family is going to quietly accept asparagus and organic bacon as the new breakfast of champions.
Go ahead and finish the junk in your fridge and pantry. However, begin talking about nutrition and the value of food from nature. It may seem silly at first to talk about vitamins found in fruits and vegetables to a three year old as you shop or fix a snack, but it works. You are influencing them slowly. It builds a base for why a change is coming. Openly talk about the coming changes and show excitement. Get them prepared for a change.
The next time you go grocery shopping, decide what less healthy household items you are going to trade in for real food items. Just pick one or two. For example, if you normally buy fruit gummies for Junior, negotiate a trade with him. Tell him/her that you are no longer buying gummies to keep in the house but he/she can pick any fruit to replace it. Make it theirs. You are making a parent decision here, but allowing them to assist in the process. It alleviates some of the resistance.
Think about it. In two months, you could eradicate the majority of the processed food from your home. Slowly and steadily. But please don't mistakenly replace one piece of junk for an advertised "healthier" version. For example, regular soda for diet soda. That's just wheel spinning.
Perfection isn't your aim at this time. Well really it never is. Improvement and overall health value. Yes, I bought Luke Spaghetti O's per his request last week. Yesterday I warmed them up for his lunch. He was so excited! He ate about five bites. The end. I have to admit, I was pretty smug about it. I'm tweaking his taste buds and winning.
Best of luck in your transition. Key points to remember are casually educating your family as you go, slow but real changes, and commitment to the process. Your family deserves the best in life and health!
What's step 1? Many would suggest opening the pantry door and throwing all the junk away- I don't think that's such a great idea unless you are prepared for the battle of your life.
In many situations, the mother is the instigator of change. We have so much influence on what happens in our household, but never mistaken it for power. Power is for dictators. We want our families to see the new way of eating as a choice they are making with you.
My advice, especially with kids, is to slowly transition from Point A, to Point B, to Point C, and so on until you are where you wish to be. Children (and husbands) tend to revolt if they are suddenly pushed into something without input. I might have a slight tendency of pushing back if pushed too strongly as well. Ask anyone.
So if your current eating style is the Standard American Diet...Poptart and juice for breakfast, cold cut sandwich and Doritos for lunch, and a couple of frozen pizzas for dinner...please don't think your family is going to quietly accept asparagus and organic bacon as the new breakfast of champions.
Go ahead and finish the junk in your fridge and pantry. However, begin talking about nutrition and the value of food from nature. It may seem silly at first to talk about vitamins found in fruits and vegetables to a three year old as you shop or fix a snack, but it works. You are influencing them slowly. It builds a base for why a change is coming. Openly talk about the coming changes and show excitement. Get them prepared for a change.
The next time you go grocery shopping, decide what less healthy household items you are going to trade in for real food items. Just pick one or two. For example, if you normally buy fruit gummies for Junior, negotiate a trade with him. Tell him/her that you are no longer buying gummies to keep in the house but he/she can pick any fruit to replace it. Make it theirs. You are making a parent decision here, but allowing them to assist in the process. It alleviates some of the resistance.
Think about it. In two months, you could eradicate the majority of the processed food from your home. Slowly and steadily. But please don't mistakenly replace one piece of junk for an advertised "healthier" version. For example, regular soda for diet soda. That's just wheel spinning.
Perfection isn't your aim at this time. Well really it never is. Improvement and overall health value. Yes, I bought Luke Spaghetti O's per his request last week. Yesterday I warmed them up for his lunch. He was so excited! He ate about five bites. The end. I have to admit, I was pretty smug about it. I'm tweaking his taste buds and winning.
Best of luck in your transition. Key points to remember are casually educating your family as you go, slow but real changes, and commitment to the process. Your family deserves the best in life and health!
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Food Deserts and a Sensible Solution
http://www.facebook.com/TheHealthyHappyChildProject/posts/460696480672616
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