Update on the Kiddos-Lena

Ok, I've retyped this like four times and cannot figure out how to get it not to be huge, even on the smallest font setting. I've tried re-posting it three times. It won't work! Sorry it's so big!!

Miss Lena Lou
-Is 8 months
-Is getting around pretty well these days. Not quite crawling on hands and knees but getting there
-Loves to have her tongue sticking out
-Has her two bottom teeth
-Is very social and will smile at pretty much anyone
-But doesn't like to be left alone for too long
-Loves to be tickled
-Is a drama queen already and makes a big deal out of little things. She can already produce big crocodile tears a the drop of a hat.
-Loves to laugh and will sometimes laugh just by me looking at her
-Loves her big brother, even though he's not the nicest sometimes
-Is eating baby food and some soft foods from mommy's plate
-Is a great sleeper!
-Is losing her chubby thighs... but don't worry, her cheeks are still as chubby as ever
-Is quite the talker... and squealer... and screamer! I'm not kidding, it's loud! I don't quite know what to do about it because she's just so happy!
-Loves music
-Is finally growing hair in her bald spot on the back of her head
-Really only cries when she's tired or hurt
-Loves attention
-Loves mommy more than anyone! :o)
-And is pretty much the sweetest thing I've ever seen. Seriously! I sometimes can't believe it!

Update on the Kiddos-Asher

Asher Basher
-Quite the 2 1/2 yr. old
-Loves to help cook dinner, wash dishes, and vacuum
-Pretty good with picking up his toys and throwing away his garbage
-Also pretty good at throwing tantrums and hitting (We're working on that. I keep hearing it's the age but it's hard to not feel like I've ruined him.)
-Loves playhouse Disney
-LOVES reading books
-Is most interested in toys that make him think. He isn't really pulled to mindless toys
-LOVES daddy and won't let mommy do anything for him when daddy is home (which is a nice break for me sometimes)
-Has recently stopped liking saying prayers
-But loves family home evening and singing primary songs
-Likes to make up words. His current favorite is "deek-ee-deek." That is answer for pretty much anything. "What book do you want to read?" "What would you like for lunch?" etc.
-Loves to be tickled
-Loves drawing and is getting very deliberate with it as you can see from the picture below. That was all him. He started drawing and then said, "Look! A smiley face!" Don't mind the scary demon smile. That's the way he smiles when he says "cheese" right now.
-Can count to 15 or so.
-Knows most of the colors
-Knows most shapes, including crescent and semi-circles
-Sleeps in funny positions sometimes, as shown below
-Loves dinosaurs and is always acting like one
-Likes to tell stories about "huge big dinosaurs" coming to bite us
-And for being a toddler, is still very sweet and obedient and loving!

Dinner & Breakfast

Tuesday night dinner:

Tofu Burritos
Yes! This is my 2 1/2 year old son eating tofu!

These burritos are really good! It takes a little getting used to eating food without all the sodium to flavor it. But I am soon learning to use different spices that are better for us.

One of my new favorite breakfasts:
-Cream of Wheat with:
-wheat germ
-flax seed
-bee pollen
-protein powder
and
-fresh cut up bananas and strawberries!
-and sometimes a dash of soy milk to thin it a little
-and, of course, water!!

Asher also asked for fresh blueberries in his this morning

Clean Eating

Last year, while in dental assisting school, I was made aware of a diet called the Eat Clean Diet. A woman I was in school with told me about a woman named Tosca Reno and about her books. I feel that I have been receiving promptings about changing our eating habits for the last few years, but haven't done much about it yet. I didn't know very much and the task seemed so daunting to me. Until I read these books.

I bought Tosca's basic book, "The Eat-Clean Diet" and began reading. I read it very quickly and then checked her recipe books out from the library. I started implementing the diet last summer while pregnant with Lena. We immediately felt a difference in our energy. Let me pause and make a note that this is not a diet, it is a lifestyle.

I now own five of Tosca's books and have become obsessed with reading them. She is not the first to put this idea out there. It has been around for years and years, but Tosca has found a way to make it easier to understand and to implement. As I read her books, everything seemed so right and natural. The basic theory is to eat the food God gave us in the way that He gave it to us, and in proper portion sizes. She talks a lot about the way society is going and is a big advocate for getting rid of everything processed.

Josh and I are ALWAYS tired! At the end of the day we don't feel the energy to do anything. And we don't even eat that poorly compared to most of the nation. But our bodies just can't handle all the processed junk anymore. Tosca talks about having more energy than you know what to do with. Another note, this is not a restricted calorie diet. Tosca is not an advocate for counting calories.

The reason I am writing this post is because I have decided that we are going to dive head first into Clean Eating. I am going to hold myself accountable by posting what we are eating and how we are feeling. This will be more for me than you. But if you'd like to know more about it I would be happy to tell you more!

We did some spring cleaning this last weekend and are getting rid of everything in our cabinets that is not "Clean." Here is what we found:



If you can't tell, above is white and brown sugar. Below is white rice and white flour.
Pretty gross, huh?

And here is something I am super excited about! With part of our tax return we purchased this:
A Blendtec blender!! This will help a ton in making clean foods. Especially since everything is made from scratch, pretty much, and there is a lot of cutting of vegetables. This baby can do blend pretty much anything! Really! On their site they show it blending golf balls and iPhones. This will help with cutting up veggies, making soups, smoothies and green drinks, batters, and more!

Now I need to get shopping...

Stay Tuned

Coming Soon...

And Everything Nice Cakes Blog!

Yay!!

So long

I feel like I haven't blogged in so long! I feel like I'm letting life get away from me. I am juggling being a stay-at-home mommy to two small children, keeping my house in order, trying to take an online public speaking course to finish up my Associates, and working part-time from home (and looking into starting another part-time job in a couple weeks.) And I just got my wisdom teeth out on Friday. Bleh!

At the moment I feel like I am drowning in my responsibilities and don't have time to do the things I would really like to do like play more with my children, have fun outings, make better dinners, and work on projects to beautify my home. I feel that I am not using my time wisely. And sitting here typing about all of this doesn't help. :o)

I am working on a speech for my class about someone I admire and why. I chose to speak on Sister Marjorie Pay Hinckley. I was reading in "Glimpses" to get some ideas of what I want to talk about and I came across this quote from a speech she gave to a group of women:

"We have a lot to learn about simplifying our lives. We have to decide what is important and then move along at a pace that is comfortable for us. We have to develop the maturity to stop trying to prove anything, to be what we are."

This has inspired me to take some time to ponder the things that are truly important to me. Some things do not matter. After deciding on the things that are important enough to hold onto, and letting go of the not-so-important things, I plan to ponder what pace is comfortable to me. And try and try until I get it right and then stick to it. I think this will help with my feelings of being overwhelmed much of the time.

I feel like there is always something. I am always saying, "Things will slow down after ______." Or "As soon as I get through ______, I'll have more time." Last night Josh and I were talking about what sacrifices are and aren't worth it. He gently reminded me (and himself) that our children will only be in our home all day for a few more years. Then they will be off to school all day. That time may seem far away but many of the things I am trying to push into now can wait until they are in school. I think too much about right now. I want to work on having a bigger perspective. I want to take time now to be with my children before they are gone at school and in someone else's care for most of the day.

Not to say that there are not things that should be done now. Like my Associates degree. I'm 4 credits away and I feel that it would be silly to just stop. I might as well get the last few credits finished so that if I go back later I don't have to start all over. But do I really have to do it all right now? It gives me a good amount to ponder. Especially with something I have lately been looking into doing. (I don't want to blog about it until it's a for sure thing.)

Just some thoughts...