Sweet success!

Today I really wanted to make a healthy dinner for my kids. My families eating habits haven't been the best lately and I want to make a change.I have been doing some reading online.Trying to learn what I can and discover what my philosophy will be when it comes to how I choose to eat and feed my family. I’ve learned that for any major lifestyle changes slow and steady usually wins the race. So I started today with dinner.

I made a chicken and pasta dish. I sautéed  chicken breast strips with some garlic and pepper. Then added in A diced zucchini and carrot. While that was cooking I put on a pot of whole wheat pasta. After draining I added a bit of butter and fresh grated parmesan cheese. Mixed in the chicken and veggies and there you go. To go along I also sliced up some strawberries. Some of the things I really liked about this dish were 1.The veggies, its like pulling teeth to get enough veggies into my families diets! 2. The chicken had no antibiotics or hormones 3. The pasta was whole wheat pasta and a good healthy switch from the regular stuff. The only thing  I would like to change the next time I make this dish is that  I’d like to get organic locally grown veggies which I did not this time.

Yummy!

I have to be honest, I was a bit concerned about my kids  actually being willing to eat it! I have a picky eater or two and I know making changes to kids diets doesn't always go well! Here is the  great part, ALL of my kids ate it and the two oldest had second helpings!! I call that a culinary success!

So far I have come up with a few simple goals for our family eating habits.  First is to get rid of most (if not all) of the processed,pre packaged foods we eat. Second is trying to buy as much fresh,local and organic products I can.

We are moving in a little over a week and I am excited to be doing some research and planning now  so that once we get to our destination we can stock the kitchen with a lot of the healthier options that we are trying to switch to.

I’d love to hear about any good websites you all may know about that can help me learn more about having a healthy lifestyle!

A family centered life

From the day my first child was born our life has been family centered. In the past 8 years I can only think of a very few times when I have been away from my kids and when I have been away from them they are with there Dad,Grandma or Aunt. As my children have gotten older I have had the chance to see how uncommon our family centered lifestyle is. People are often surprised when I tell them that my children do not leave me to go to school every day,if they have lessons for sports or music I stay with them and they have never stayed the night with anyone but there cousins. Now some people will read this and think that I am one of “those parents”. Over protective and smothering may even come to mind.But that's just not how I see it. I just love spending my days interacting with my children and husband.

Today I had a really interesting experience. My oldest son Isaiah went to his first scout day camp. Without my husband.Without me. I have to tell you I was sad. As everyone else is telling me how much I’ll enjoy only having to “deal with”(!?) three of my four kids for the day, I am sitting there with a frown on my face. I just love having him with me!  Now here is where it got interesting for me and here is where I find the difference between an “over protective” parent and a parent who just loves being being a family. I was THRILLED that he got to go! I was thrilled that he got to experience all that he did. I let him go to camp because I knew how much he would benefit from it and enjoy it.But I do not allow my kids to do every little thing there is to do out there! I make sure our time in our home together as a family FAR outweighs the time we spend apart.

In society today the family is falling apart. Mothers working outside the home to buy more “stuff” or to feel”fulfilled”, overscheduled stressed out  kids  trying to cope with school,homework,music lessons,sport,etc.and  disconnected dads.this is what we have and all these things are tearing our families apart. I think with a society like this we should all be a little more “over protective”.We should learn to say “no” a little more often.

We are all different.We all parent and run our families differently. For me I know that I enjoy having my family around me. I want to center our lives on what really matters,each other.

Officially done!

Today was a special day. I had a sit down with a local teacher for an official portfolio review. In Ohio you have a few options for review at the end of a homeschool year. One option is having your student take a standardized test.Another is  a portfolio review. Although Isaiah is eight and finishing second grade we have NEVER notified before this year.We have been living in Washington state. In Washington you don’t have to notify the public school district that your homeschooling until  your student is eight years old :)

For todays review I needed to get together a sampling of Isaiah’s work in all the general  area’s of study.Samples from the beginning,middle and end of the year. It was really nice to look back over all the things we did this year.

Now the review is done and everything is getting packed away for our move. We all cant wait to get back home and get started on our next year of homeschool!

A bit of a “crappy” evening!

All I can really say is I LOVE being a mom even on “crappy” evenings like this!!

Alyssa pooped ON THE FLOOR!

 

All over!

Hand and all!

I couldn’t believe it!

Her face too!

All fresh and clean!

Learning something better

I recently sat down and watched a TV show that really made me think.The show was called “One Nation,Overweight”.

The show was really interesting and focused on several different things. School lunches,healthy eating for kids, diet pills vs. weight loss on your own, etc. This show really got me thinking.

I am an eater. I LOVE to eat. I love to cook and try new foods and sit around the table chatting with my family while eating some yummy treats. All this being said I am also a women who has struggled with being over weight for all of my adult life.

I know looking at the people in this country that we need an eating overhaul. With Obesity,cancer and diabetes running rampant I KNOW that  our eating habits and sedentary lifestyle are killing America.

So what can a girl do? A girl used to eating packaged,processed  crap, for lack of a better word. A girl whose kids might riot if I remove some of their favorite junk food from their diets! I know what THIS girl is going to do! I am going to educate myself. I am going to set small goals and take steps to having a healthier lifestyle for myself and my kids.

My first goal is simple. I am going to cut out a few of the usual foods I serve my family at lunch time and find healthy and tasty alternatives. Food #1 chicken nuggets #2 is fruit snacks.A HUGE favorite of my daughter!! I know there will be tears over these and so I am going to do some serious research and find a healthy and super yummy substitute!

So how about you? How is your families relationship with food? Could you make some improvements? Or could you give me some hints and tips and advice from your healthy eating habits??

God did NOT promise

I have been running around lately like a mad women. My brain feels like its planning,plotting and scheduling 24/7. As an Army wife I am very used to packing up and moving. I have to honestly say though that this upcoming cross country move has got me a TAD BIT Stressed! My Dear Husband is serving overseas and will not be here to get this one done. I am VERY blessed to have a mom who is supportive and giving and willing to make this cross country move with me and my four children and that does help lessen my anxiety a good deal!Thanks Mom!

Wednesday was a busy day for me and the kids. we had book club,the grocery store to pick up bubble wrap,the doctors office to fill out paperwork and more advertising to do for our kitty who needs a new home. By mid way through the day I was feeling a little frazzled. Hauling the four kids in and out, in and out can get anyone that way! We went to a local senior center to advertise for kitty and while there I read a sign that really touched me. I can not quote it exactly but it was along these lines~

    God did not promise us a life without pain or sorrows. But He did promise us help and guidence.We need only ask.

I really needed that on Wednesday. Honestly I think we all need something like that EVERYDAY.

My favorite scripture John 14:27 says:

27 ^aPeace I leave with you, my ^bpeace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be ^ctroubled, neither let it be afraid.”

God did not promise to make our lives easy.We will have trials. But He has promised us peace.So for any of you who may be feeling stressed,sick,tired,lost or overwhelmed I just want to remind you that God is always there waiting to help us and bless us.

My poor neglected blog!

I feel like my poor blog has been neglected lately. Its a combination of a lot of things. School is winding down, the holiday weekend and the stress and preparation for our cross country move.

Life is going wonderfully in general and I suppose if my blog needs to be neglected till we get settled into our new home at the end of this month it will survive just fine! I hope this June is a blessed one for all of you!