My mom heart matters!

I went to a conference last weekend called, "Your Mom Heart Matters." The main speaker was Sally Clarkson, author and mom of 4. It was so encouraging and inspiring. I came in with a burden, and left without it. You know the one... where you hear about what you should and shouldn't be doing as a parent, and just feel worse because you already know some of those things but now it's rubbed in?

I went with several moms from my bible study group, and we all talked this morning about a little bit of what we got out of it, so that those who weren't able to attend could be blessed. So, I thought I'd share here as well, a few of my notes and nuggets that I took away from the weekend...


* Of all the women in the world, God chose ME to be the mother to my children. With all my flaws and weaknesses and sinful tendencies, he decided that I was the #1 choice for them! I've had days where I've felt like they'd be better off with someone else, but God does not make mistakes. He gave my kids to me, not to the perfect mom


* Many of the things that I knew in my head that I should be doing better as a mom, got into my heart. So now, instead of feeling guilty for not living up to those standards, I feel encouraged and empowered to act on my convictions, even when they are very challenging. Probably every mom out there wishes to be more gentle and patient, and I can see it coming through me a little more now. Not that I'm perfect by any means! But God isn't looking for perfection, he's looking for our hearts.

* My kids' hearts are treasure chests, and I am a gardener of their souls.

* Life is hard so put some good music on when you wash dishes!

* Live according to the beauty around you, not the mess.

* What kind of woman do you want to be in 10 years? It will only happen if you are intentional and have a plan!

* The expectations of a perfect soldier actually hindered David from doing what he was supposed to.

* Don't let someone else's laws control how you feel about your life!

* God might not fix the kinks how you'd like him to, be he always provides a solution!

* Jesus chose discipleship as a means to change his world. Treat your kids like Jesus treated his disciples.

* You are either growing or dying in your spiritual walk.

* If you want to speak to the heart of a child, you have to invest time into it!

* How do you build an estate? One brick at a time.

* If you only live by what you can accomplish yourself, you'll be stuck in works for the rest of your life. Live by faith-- you have to try things you can't do yourself! God is not limited by anything except our faith.

* Don't wake up TO your children, wake up FOR your children.

* If you want to clothe yourself with dignity, you have to cultivate contentment-- no whining!

* You can't control what people do to you, but you can control your bitterness.

* When YOU take the leap of faith, you are launching your children! Do you leave a trail of faith for your kids, or spread anxiety? Faith isn't taught, it's CAUGHT. You have to model it.

* Pass on the knowledge of the Word-- memorize scripture, have devotionals, speak the Word morning, noon and night.

* God really does have a plan for my children! They aren't just mine, they're HIS.

* You can only teach your children what you know. Treat the Word like food-- you need it multiple times a day!

* Use character qualities to praise you kids. For example, instead of saying, "Great job!" Say, "Wow! You were so diligent to study, I wonder what God is gonna do with that diligence someday!"

* Take advantage of the time you have them under your roof. Then trust them to God! He won't let your investment go to waste.

* Peter was given to us an an example-- God gives a lot of freedom for personality, even when we don't show 1st time obedience!

* When you are squeezed, what comes out?

* If an angel came to you in the night, are you prepared to believe? Mary told the angel, "Be it unto me according to your word" Jesus said something similar shortly before his death on the cross. I wonder if he heard his mother say things like that his whole life?

* Identify what enriches your soul-- types of music, art, colors, scents, and cultivate that. If you aren't full, how can you pass that on?

* God meant for us to walk with people. We are most like Him when we initiate love.

*Traditions give kids a sense of identity. They are like anchors in the years.

* We must get outside to know the soul of God. Gen 1:1-- He created.

* My greatest need is not to be a excellent mom or virtuous wife, but to KNOW JESUS. So empty myself of me, fill me up with Jesus and let His excellence shine through!

* It is God's kindness that leads to repentance-- I should treat my kids with the same kindness.

* I'm not the perfect parent, but I belong to the perfect parent.

* Just because my child disobeys doesn't mean I'm doing something wrong and God is displeased. My kids display the sinful nature they were born with. Likewise, when they obey, I'm not more righteous. Train your child out of obedience to Christ, not to win approval.

* The world says our kids need lessons, clothes, computers, etc. God says they need our time, attention, validating their heart, letting them share with you, laughing, believing in their dreams, building a relationship with them.


All that being said, my son is awake from his nap now so I'm gonna go do my best to live what I learned!

Who am I?

Alternate title:

My Identity Is All Over The Map

Do you ever have days where it just hits you in the face, I don't really know who I am?

I certainly have. I know in my head that I'm a child of God, rescued by his son Jesus, who so graciously redeemed my life from the pit. I know that being a wife, a mom, a friend, a writer, an artist, a dancer, a food-lover, and everything else I can describe myself as, are just secondary. But I feel like I'm still waiting for the day when it sinks down into my heart that the most important thing that defines me is that I am my beloved's and He is mine. Where all the other priorities in this earthly life line up underneath my relationship with God.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I should abandon all my duties and desires to lock myself up to do nothing but talk to God all day. I just mean, I get caught up in all the things I need to do and want to do that sometimes I forget who I really am. Maybe I don't even fully know yet!

It's especially difficult when I'm reminded that in the course of my life, I've been:


~The youngest child, the only child, the oldest child, and probably the middle child somewhere in there too.

~The teacher's pet, and the girl who got caught shoplifting.

~The straight-A student, and the girl that slept through/skipped class.

~The girl that never gets asked out, and the girl that can't get rid of her baby's daddy.

~The girl that's the only virgin left in the group and plans to stay that way until marriage, and the girl that got pregnant barely 6 months after meeting a guy.

~The girl that's super-organized, and the girl that wants to hire a professional organizer because the clutter is just too much to handle.

~The girl that has to make every penny count because there's only $5 a week to work with, and the girl that has everything she needs and a lot of what she wants.

~The girl that wants 8 kids, and the girl that gets rid of everything baby-related because she feels DONE after 2.

~The candy addict, and the crunchier-by-the-minute food snob.

~The girl that wants long hair so bad, and the girl that is so over long hair and keeps cutting it shorter.

~The girl that's so bored out of her mind with nothing to do, and the girl that would kill for a day back then.

~The girl that wants to be a teacher, a waitress, a beautician, a model, an astronaut, a nurse, a surgeon, a dancer, a missionary, and the girl that doesn't want to be anything other than "just a wife and mom."

~The girl that had been to 6 different countries in 3 years, and the girl that hasn't left the country in 6.

~The girl that stays up late and gets up early to study the Bible, and the girl that can't remember the last time she picked it up.


So, I choose to say, "Lord, I turn my eyes toward you. I just want to love you more. Show me who YOU are and help me shed the false identities that I've attached myself to through the years. Live through me to make me more like you, and remind me each day that I am yours, and everything else is just accessories."

Ode to Katiebug

Several weeks ago I had the privilege of spending SEVEN hours in the same chair at the same coffeehouse in uptown Dallas, across from my bff that I've known for over 12 years. Today is her birthday!

This is her... are those not the most gorgeous brown eyes you've ever seen?!

Seven hours sounds like a long time but if you average it out over time (we very rarely get to see eachother) it is a drop in the bucket. But it was lovely. I drank chai tea for the first time, and it was super yummy. I've been missing out all this time. Who knew hot tea could be sweet and creamy?! So now I can feel cool at Starbucks when I get something besides apple cider or passion lemonade. w00t.

We talked about everything. I planned on spending a couple hours there and then coming back to ftw to relieve Riley from daddy duty, but he kept telling me to stay and enjoy. Isn't he wonderful?!

Katie's in her last semester of law school, so I may not get to see much of her until after the bar exam in July, but hey, it wouldn't be the first time we've spent months w/o talking.

We have been through a lot together. We've been through a lot separately. But every time we reconnect, nothing's changed. Well, you know, of course, a lot has changed, but our friendship still seems so young at heart. We went to school together (met our 1st semester at cfni then she moved in with me and my roomies the 2nd semester), spent 3 weeks in India together on a mission trip after graduating 10 years ago, bared our souls to each other with almost every man-related heartache...

We've never seen each other naked. I know that's random and maybe tmi, but a lot of bff's have so whatever. Her subway sandwich of choice was always veggie delight and mine is turkey on wheat.

I always thought her wedding would happen before mine, but it didn't turn out that way. I might be even more eager than she is for her to join me in the married club. ;)

We've always gotten along so well, although there have been times where we've hurt each other. One time she forgot my birthday and instead asked me to take one of her friends who I didn't even know, to work at 6am that morning. One time we almost ended our friendship because we had plans to hang out but then neither one of us wanted to make the 30 minute drive. I was a terrible friend and didn't go to her 30th bday party because I had already made other plans but totally should've canceled.

She's funny and kind and carefree and stylish and pure and intelligent and I just love her to pieces. It's a shame we don't keep in touch more often. She sent me flowers the day I told her I was pregnant out of wedlock. Even though we don't get to hang out very much, when we do, she's so present, if that makes sense. I feel like I'm all that matters to her in that moment. Ok, that sounds so self-centered, but that's just what an awesome person she is. We take turns talking and listening and there's no rush and no awkward silence and we just laugh and confess our less-than-holy experiences and give each other the ok instead of any judgment whatsoever.

Katie must be a better friend than I am because she's been a bridesmaid in so many weddings. Everyone adores her. And it's easy to see why.

I'm incredibly proud of her. When we were roommates she worked 1-12 after going to school 8-12, and still managed to graduate, moving up the corporate ladder. She then got her bachelor's degree while working full time, and is now about to be a full-fledged lawyer. Woah. I hope I'm not embarrassing you Katie!

I don't think our friendship is the typical one that you see between BFFs. We both have lots of other close friends and idk if we've ever really consistently labeled our friendship the way others do. I've been jealous of her other friendships in the past (that may be true for her but idk so i doubt it) and we've gone through seasons where we were totally uninvolved in each other's lives. But I think I've gotten to the point where I feel safe and happy with who we are to each other and no matter how far apart we ever live or how seldom we connect, she'll always be "the bestest friend i ever wanted!" (quoting my very young niece) *yes, riley is my best friend but you know what i mean*

So of course I had to dig out the old 35mm photo albums and give you a little taste of our friendship!

This is us at cfni where we first met.

Saree shopping in India:

 Young summer fun:

Katie's graduation from DBU:

 

At my new apartment in 2004:

 

One of my bridesmaids:

At some friends' wedding when I was pregnant with Julia:

 

Holding my firstborn:

 

At the State Fair a couple years ago:

 

Fast forward to 9 days ago at our roommate reunion:

 

Some warm memories:

*working in some lady's garden while reciting Princess Bride word-for-word.

*singing "Yesu-raja-vanderickiya" on a stage in south India in front of a sea of people. Wait I do have that pic...

*trying on hideously cute vintage outfits at a thrift store in Arlington.

*waking up at 7:53 and swiping in by 8:00.

*making lasagna with a homemade sauce that took 3 hours to simmer.

*painting our toenails outside our apartment while listening to Louis Armstrong.

*going ice-skating at the galleria (she bought me socks because I was wearing sandals!) for my bday.

*having her in the room when i was in labor for the first time, she rubbed my feet and sympathized for my agony and held Julia so sweetly afterwards.

*canceling her plans at the last minute to come over and give me a shoulder to cry on right after a breakup.

*watching a marathon bollywood movie one night at her place.

*i still have cute magnets and keychains she's given me as souvenirs from many places she's traveled to.

*she told me "why don't you just marry [riley]?" early on when many of my friends totally disapproved of him. she was so right!


Katie is a great listener, always encourages me and convinces me that I'm funny. We wear the same size jeans but for different reasons... kind of weird in a sisterhood-of-the-traveling-pants way. Her family is small and mine is big, but there's still so much in common there.

Her only flaw EVER was that she was always late... but worth the wait! And now she's only sometimes late ;)

I love you Katie and your friendship means the world to me! I hope you had the best birthday ever! AND... Let it be known that it was I and I alone who first donned you Katiebug! ;)


Pokeyjo

Start My Own Business?!

I'm toying around with the idea of opening an Etsy shop or just a Facebook business page that I can sell through. See, I have this obsession with crocheting baby blankets (aside from being generally crafty when the occasional whim hits), and I get really giddy when I find a new yarn that is soft and thick and comes in lots of great colors. I've gotten in the habit of making them for my expectant friends, but they just aren't popping out the little ones fast enough.

I've thought for a while how nice it would be to make a little extra income doing something I love, without having to leave my kids. But, I haven't felt confident enough that there would be much demand for my creations, despite some hints from friends and family that I should do it.

However, I was encouraged by the recent success of my friend Kathryn and her new business, Baby Buttons Designs. She and her mom make the sweetest, most fabulous hats and booties, for all ages!

So, I think it might be time to just give it a whirl! I'll also be looking into donating some to NICU babies, due to a great suggestion from a couple friends.

I do scarves and diaper cakes as well, and am trying to get good at leg warmers, but the main thing will probably be blankets, at least starting out!

It would be really cool to to do a jumpstart giveaway soon too, either through this blog, or maybe on a friend's. So stay tuned for that!

Alright, so what's in a name?!... I need votes and/or suggestions. Here's my list so far of ideas: (some variations that were already taken have been eliminated...be honest but don't laugh!)


Sweet Snuggles
Sweet Little Snuggles
Cozy Little Snuggles
Little Baby Cuddles
Little Baby Snuggles
Little Cuddles
Little Snuggles
Cozy Petite
Cozy and Sweet
Cozy Cuddlebugs
Sweet Cuddlebugs
Cuddly Petite
Pookie Petite


I think I prefer the 2-word names for simplicity sake, but I want something that's catchy and cute without being cheesy.

It will probably take a little while to set everything up, what with samples and pictures and pricing and sizes and colors and kinds of yarn, etc... but I've been analyzing and calculating that lately anyway  so I have a starting point to work with.

Ok friends and family... now it's your turn... opinions? suggestions? advice? words of wisdom/encouragement?

Out of the mouths of moms

Many a laugh has come from the things our kids say, but every once in a while, our own words bring about a chuckle or two. Here are a few things that in no way definitely slipped past my filter recently, which I just laughed at and thought how embarrassing it would be if someone, besides my gracious children, had been there to witness it. So, naturally I have to expose my lack of eloquence here to you all!


~ "I'm sorry, but we just can't put your baby in your tummy while we're driving."

~ "Momma gotta poop, momma gotta poop, momma gotta poop right nooow" to the tune of "Dinah won't you blow your horn"

~ "Mmmm, sweet boy... You smell like lip gloss!"




Now it's your turn: What have you caught yourself saying lately?

Honeyboo-isms and Hunkaboo-ese

Josiah doesn't say much, so this is really all I have to report:


Baba = bye-bye

Ba-puh or da-puh = diaper

That's it. Don't worry though, I'm sure he'll learn more soon enough!



And now for Julia--


Flitball = football. She can say it right, but thinks it should be pronounced flitball, "because they flip the ball"

Because = so (let me explain, she'll be talking about something and gets it backwards, e.g. "I'm hungry because I need a snack")

Ok I'm drawing a blank, so she only gets two too. Of course, she's pretty articulate and most things come out exactly as they should! (except for the occasional "losed" instead of "lost" and the like)


Stay tuned for some things that come out of MY mouth =)

We were meant to be... =)

Alternate title: 11 weird facts about Riley and me.

(Preface: Riley and I did not meet until 2006)


~ Growing up, his family had a cat named Tux and mine had one named Zedo. Think about it.

~ We say the same thing at the same time to such an extent that it's kind of creepy.

~ When I was 16 I worked at a grocery store with a guy named Brad. At that same time, Brad's sister Crystal was in the choir with Riley at college 3 hours away.

~ We do it almost every night. Snuggle, that is.

~ Someone compared us to Beauty and the Beast one time. It was meant as a compliment.

~ He drives 99% of the time we go anywhere together. We both prefer it that way, for different reasons.

~ We can both sing the ABC's backwards really fast.

~ Our favorite show is The Office, and our favorite movie is the Princess Bride.

~ Wedding facts: We got married on a Monday, 391 days after we met. In his vows, Riley referred to me as the jelly in his triple decker PBJ sandwich. The song for our first dance was "Walk the Line".

~ We usually pick out our own presents, but I'd like that to change.

~ On his birthday this year, we will have been married 1500 days.

Love ya babe! You're the bestestestestest <3

Belated New Years Resolutions, er, To-Do List

I've never been one to seriously make New Year's Resolutions. I guess I'm just too idealistic, or maybe realistic, or maybe pessimistic, I don't know.

But that doesn't mean I don't have desires or goals for myself. I just keep them running in my mind throughout the year and don't mentally put them off till January 1. Instead, I put them off till the morning. Or the evening. Or Monday. Or Saturday.

Oh well.

Most things I want to be done yesterday, but that's just not how things fly around here, and I'm learning to accept that and give myself and my family grace. So, I'm giving myself aaaallll year to get these done. Some of them are actual plans, some are goals, some are in-my-wildest-dreams-but-maybe-sometime-this-life.

So without further ado...

* finish reading all the books in my stack!
* get regular pedicures in the spring and summer (not like every 2 weeks, mind you, more like every 5-6)
* organize the closet in our study
* organize Riley's side of the master closet (haha, some of these goals are for HIM!)
* organize the garage
* teach Julia how to read
* go on a 5 day trip with Riley for our 4th anniversary in May (I'm thinking the beach!)
* help Julia learn how to stay dry at night
* improve the consistency of our daily/weekly routine
* make meal plans every week, with one new dish each time.
* throw lots of parties: Superbowl, Purim, Julia's B-day, Riley's B-day, Josiah's B-day, End-of-Summer Cookout, maybe a baby shower?
* go on a date with Riley twice a month
* have a playdate at least every other week
* have time out of the house alone, not running errands, by myself or with a friend, once a week (same for Riley)
* take the kids to the park and storytime more often
* maintain a clean home more often (here's my ideal plan: every weekday I do 4 things-- a load of laundry, a weekly chore (vacuum upstairs, steam mop, wood floors and play room, kitchen, bathrooms), dishes, and picking up clutter. It sounds so simple but it's not.
* exercise I'm not going to throw that in there just because everybody else does. Because I really don't feel like it. I've convinced myself that I get enough just keeping up with 2 toddlers all day. But, I'll probably join the Y right outside our neighborhood anyway, because they have a special going on right now.
* get the 1599 pictures off my phone and saved into our computer.
* blog more often
* visit Riley's sister and family in Midland
* visit my mom and family in Novice
* have a consistent bible reading/prayer time
* dance more
* sing better
* finish our taxes by february 1.
* (maybe) get pregnant later this year --ok, ok, that's totally not a goal, especially now that the last several months of baby fever finally broke, but I'd be okay with it.
* do something about our broken stairs
* decorate the outside of our house for Christmas
* plant an organic food garden
* start a vermicompost
* learn how to sew
* sell/give a bunch of stuff
* learn how to crochet something really good, besides my usual blankets and scarves
* go to bed and hour and a half earlier and wake up before the kids so I can get a few things done
* spend less time on the computer and more time with my kids
* make some new family traditions
* learn my way around our Mac
* convince Riley to get Josiah's hair cut
* plant a holly bush and flowers in our front bed in the spring
* hang my living room curtains (that have been sitting under the end table for several months now)
* update the kids' baby books
* stay within our food budget
* get free laser hair removal so I can stop shaving my legs (one can dream right?)
* do the 40 Days of Christmas again (or maybe just 12 or 25)
* take the kids to see their great-grandparents more often
* go to the Mom Heart Conference in February
* learn how to play violin? (still thinking about this one)
* get Julia swim lessons this summer
* take the kids to Sea World this summer
* visit my friend Dollface in Austin
* grow my hair out a few more inches
* finally hang pictures in my house
* have people over for dinner more often (at least once a month... who's next?)
* make a big extra house payment to start our 5-years-early payoff plan
* get a massage or 12.
* do more homemade gifts vs storebought
* eat at some local restaurants that serve real, healthy food

Woah, that's a lot! Can't wait to look back at the end of the year to see how I did! Alright well, I guess I better get started on the laundry. {sigh}

Our post-Christmas family gift

Water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink...

You need to check out this series by my friend Heather, on all the icky stuff that's in our water and what to do about it!

We didn't win the giveaway, so we decided that come tax return time, we'd use some refund money to splurge on one of these! I really didn't want to wait 2 months to have good water, but since it wasn't a true emergency, taking money out of savings wasn't an option.

Little did we know, an unexpected check was headed our way! We received some Christmas money last week so we were able to buy the Big Berkey earlier than planned. YAY! I'm so excited, to say the least. No more driving to Bedford for RO water and lugging the jug around, no more hoping my fridge filter is better than tap, no more buying cases of plastic bottles that leech chemicals and take up room in my recycling bin.

So, in a few days it should be delivered to my front door! Can't wait =)

I talked to the Berkey guy (Jeff Gleason) on the phone a couple weeks ago during the 40 Days of Christmas (prizes for answering bible trivia on Riley's facebook page). He so generously donated a Sport Berkey Bottle for the giveaway, without having even purchased anything from him. How cool is that?! I'm so glad I get to support his business now, and get an amazing water filter system for our family! Plus it will match our other stainless appliances. OOOOHHHH...!

The Berkey system is the best choice for filtering your water! It's cheaper per gallon, more eco-friendly, and better at purifying than bottled purified water, brita pitchers and even reverse osmosis. So, definitely take a looksie at Mommypotamus' articles on water, and put the Berkey on your shopping list!

Christmas Questions

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Totally depends on the gift. If it's in a box, definitely wrapping paper. If it's weird shaped and I have a bag that fits it, bag. (I can't remember the last time I actually bought any bags, because I reuse them) I buy one or two rolls of paper each year though.

2. Real tree or Artificial? We have a tiny artificial one right now, because that's what we bought our first Christmas together when we didn't have room for a big one. Growing up my family had real ones a few times.

3. When do you put up the tree? ASAP after Thanksgiving!

4. When do you take the tree down? Newyears-ish.

5. Do you like eggnog? Idk I can't remember the last time I tried it, if ever. Will be adventurous this year if given the opportunity!

6. Favorite gift received as a child? I got some really great things while growing up, but the first thing that popped into my head is the Dual tape deck CD player huge stereo that I wanted really bad! I think my sister has it now, she bought it from me when I moved to Spain. Ok that's so off the subject but anyway it's still in the family! Also I remember a phase where I was obsessed with teddy bears and my mom got me a ton of teddy-bear type stuff.

7. Hardest person to buy for? Nobody really anymore. Kids are easy, Riley just tells me what he wants and we get it (I know, not fun at all!), and adults in the family do a chinese exchange so that takes the pressure off!

8. Easiest person to buy for? Julia!

9. Do you have a nativity scene? No, but we do have a couple figurines that have Mary Joseph and Jesus.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Snail mail! I know email is so much cheaper but who doesn't like to have a bunch of Christmas cards to deck their halls with every year?

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Hmmm, I must've blocked it out of my memory.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Elf and It's a Wonderful Life

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? November.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Probably.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Cookies! Of course that goes for any time of year.

16. Lights on the tree (colored or clear)? Clear. At least that's what we have this time.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Baby It's Cold Outside (ok I know that's not really about Christmas but still) and O Come All Ye Faithful.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? I've only traveled away one Christmas and that was when we went skiing at Red River, NM. So I guess I prefer staying at home!

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and Rudolph!

20. Angel, star or ribbon on top of tree? Star, at least this year.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? One on Christmas Eve and the rest in the morning!

22. Favorite children's Christmas song? I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas!

23. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Everyone wishing "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas". Hello... everybody knows the 25th is called CHRISTMAS. Also right up there is making Santa more important than Jesus, and everybody obsessing over gifts. Don't get me wrong, I love to buy gifts, but when it gets to the point of stress, the point has been totally missed.

24. Favorite ornament theme or color? We don't have a theme, we just have different ones that we've collected or been given over the years.

25. Turkey or ham on Christmas day? Turkey! I can enjoy a little ham though.

26. What do you want for Christmas this year? Boots, skinny jeans to go with said boots, some socks I saw at Kohl's that were thermal on the outside and super soft on the inside, real peace in the family, a day at the spa, a trip to Ireland/Italy/Caribbean, a sewing machine, and a Big Berkey Water Filter System. Is that too much to ask? ;)

27. Does anyone in your family dress up as Santa? No.

28. Age you discovered who Santa was? I never really remember believing in Santa. My parents did a really good job of telling us the truth, while we did know who Santa Claus WAS.

29. Eggnog, hot chocolate, or apple cider? Hot chocolate and apple cider!

30. Traditional colors (red and green) or other colors? I usually decorate with the traditional colors, but I love the winter blues.

31. Do you have any Christmas decorations on your roof? Nope.

32. What is your favorite holiday treat? Hmmm I like them all but I always go overboard on my mother-in-law's White Trash. Yum!

33. How does Santa get into your house? Riley and I both own keys to our house. He goes in the front door and I go in through the garage.

34. Do you prefer gifts or gift cards? I like gifts, but gift cards are fun too!

35. Favorite children's Christmas Cartoon? Oh I don't know, Frosty?

OK, now its your turn!

Sometimes I eat poop.

I grabbed a handful of Honey Nut Cheerios and sat down on the couch.

Josiah came over to me and I gave him a couple.

He put his hand up to my mouth like he's giving me one. How sweet.

Well, I didn't get a Cheerio in my mouth and it tasted horrible. What the heck?

I look down at his hands and he's got poop on his fingers. Yay.

I peek down the back of his diaper and nothing. Hmmm.

I look over and notice the toilet brush on the kitchen floor. Oh NO...

There's a little bit of poop on the floor next to it. I guess there was poop clogged in the toilet and he was trying to be a good little boy and help mommy clean.

Nope, no poop in the toilet. Clean as a whistle.

HUH? So the little brush holder has poopy water in it but that's all I can tell. No idea what in the world happened. All I know is,

Today was my first time (and hopefully the last)...

to taste poop.

40 Days of Christmas-- Bible Trivia Giveaways!

This is day 3 of what my husband has deemed "The 40 Days of Christmas." Basically he started with giving away a Dallas Cowboys t-shirt to the first person to answer correctly how many animals Noah brought onto the ark. Then the next morning he got this great idea to make it something bigger. Translation for me: "The 40 days of cleaning-out-a-bunch-of-great-stuff-we-don't-need-and-other-people-would-love!"

Everything we'll be giving away is brand new (unless otherwise indicated) and all you have to do is be my husband's friend on Facebook to participate. (Riley Moore)

Every day he will post a new bible trivia question and the first person to answer correctly wins the daily prize. No cheating! As in, you can't go through your bible or google it or wiki it or ask somebody else. Unless of course nobody gets it after a couple hours then he may allow you to look it up.

Here are a few of the prizes we have coming up-- keep checking back on Riley's page to see if the one you want is up that day! And hey, if you don't want it then it will make a great Christmas gift.

1.5" Photo Frame Egg Rabbit (wine-opener, pre-owned) Handmade Scarf (crocheted by me, you pick color) iPhone case iPhone skin iPad case Thermohygrometer iTouch case + stand Sandisk 4 GB MP3 Player Bob Dylan CD

We have no agenda, this is just a fun idea my brilliant other half came up with. The only thing we'll be gaining out of it is getting to bless others and create more space in our home!

Oh and the best part is, on the 40th day there will be a GRAND PRIZE drawing-- all of the winners from the first 39 days will be entered to win something really awesome-- to be determined!

So what are you waiting for? Hop on over to my hubby's page and get in on the action!

Dear Long Lost Library

Dear Long Lost Library,

I feel guilty. For not taking my daughter to story time until she was 2. For not getting a library card until today.

I'm sorry I didn't return the turtle books from 2004 on time. It's weird that the library I live by has information from Burleson. I really don't remember borrowing them. The fee was only $3.75 so I didn't want to argue with the nice cute librarian girl.

I promise to come more often. Thanks for being free. I'm sure I'll save lots of money on books and movies now. I'm sorry I forgot you existed. I think Julia and Josiah both will learn to love you. She really enjoyed picking out a book about Prancer, Clifford, and Corduroy, and the Dora and Toy Story DVDs. I'm glad I looked at the ones she grabbed before checking them out, or we would've come home with a Ramadan book. I can't believe we'll be able to check out 50 items after this. That seems really crazy. Does anybody really do that? I mean, I guess if you have 3 weeks to return them it's possible. But I could never carry that many things with my munchkins in tow.

I love the kiddie section at the Keller Branch. Y'all did great on making that one so cute and welcoming. It's hard to believe how comfortable I felt with stepping away to the counter while Julia stayed there exploring. But she loves books so it was cool. We won't be able to come to storytime every Wednesday but it will be a nice treat whenever we have to miss bible study. Maybe we can find a good time at another branch.

See you soon!
Love,
Joanna

Post-Cleanse Interview and Fave Recipes

As promised, here are the questions I asked Riley and his responses regarding the cleanse:

1. Are you glad you did it?
Yes.  It was a nice journey, and while it was hard at times, I think I really needed it.
 

2. If so, what tips would you offer to others who are considering it?
Plan a little more than we did… we decided to do it ‘tomorrow’ when we decided.  That’s all good, but I wish we’d thought through all the parties we had to attend and starve!  My grandmother did graciously provide us with a wonderful spread of things we could eat when she hosted some family for lunch.  Thanks Mimi!  You RAWK!
 

3. What was the best part about it?
Sitting on toilet this morning and looking down… ooh, gross… not into the pot- at my jelly roll that used to be my belly.  Now I look like the biggest loser jelly roller!  Now to keep with the healthy stuff and work out more often, maybe I can lose a few more pant sizes!
 

4. What did you hate?

The zucchini meal Joanna attempted.  I did my work and ate a helping, but that was the only real disappointment.  The rest of the meals were all pretty good!  It was also hard saying no to foods we KNOW are healthy, but not part of the plan.  Since when is it not ok to healthy stuff?!  But the reasons are just a little harder to tease out.  Just stick to the plan- it’s there for a reason.
 

[It was a zucchini soup recipe that I did not create myself, btw]

5. Did you make middle of the night trips to fast food joints while I was asleep?
Fast food?  No…. well, not while you were asleep…. But this one time… I snuck downstairs to eat … no, never.
 

6. Favorite new recipe(s)?
A bunch.  Coconut oil is the best!  And I only mildly like coconut.  Squash Apple Soup was good, and a ton of others!
 

7. What food did you miss the most?
Helado [ice cream]! And horchata when I had to make a run to the junk yard for a car part.  I usually get a 32 oz Horchata out there… I’m not big on soda, coffee, or any of that, but I was sure ready for a good waffle this morning!  Mmmm Bread!

8. How have you changed?

I had a bad experience when I tried to reintroduce meat.  I think my mindset about meat has changed a good deal, in part after watching Food, Inc.  As much as I enjoy some restaurants, I am much more wary about what I would consider eating at them.  I have a much greater appreciation for my wife’s cooking, and I think I could manage to eat meat free one week a month or something and still enjoy my diet.  Contemplating a gluten-free diet, and learned that the ‘stalk’ of cauliflower helps it not to smell and aids in digestion and allergies!! (ok, I learned that from a sales pitch on an unrelated matter, but still!)

9. When (if ever) would you want to do this again, or is there a different one you'd like to try next?

Sure.  Kinda expensive, so there is a level of commitment there… would like to continue not eating bread, etc after 4 pm as a general rule.

[I think he means cabbage, but it could be true for cauliflower as well].

Thanks Riley! You rock my socks off.

And now for some of our favorite new meals, snacks and shakes... 

* Holiday Harvest Soup at Souper!Salad! --iirc, it's got wild rice, mushrooms, celery, leeks, carrots, chicken, and parsley. I know it doesn't sound exciting, but it's really delicious. Not sure what they use for broth, so I'll play around with chicken/veggie/creamofsomething.

* Red Curried Lentils and Brown Rice

* Squash Apple Soup

* Dehydrated Sweet Potato Chips-- slice with mandoline on thinnest setting, drizzle with EVOO and sea salt, dehydrate for 6+ hours at 135.

* Chicken Broth made from scratch

* Dehydrated Cinnamon Pear Chips-- slice with mandoline on 2nd thinnest setting, sprinkle cinnamon on top, dehydrate for 4-6 hours at 135.

* Cleanse Cupcakes

* Asian Explosion-- inspiration here; 
 ~What I did was cook a 16oz pkg of brown rice spaghetti, topped with the following mixture sliced/chopped and sauteed in 1/4 c coconut oil:
1 roma tomato
3 leaves red chard
1 red bell pepper
6 radishes
1/2 red onion
2 carrots
1 yellow squash
1/2 bunch broccoli
4 cloves garlic
Add organic tamari to taste.

* Crockpot Lentil/Veggie Stew-- inspiration here;
~What I did differently was only used 1/2 onion, left out the rice, and just threw everything into the crock pot for I can't remember how long. But since there wasn't any meat, probably 2 hours on high.

* Brown Rice Rotini with Basil Pesto

* Brown Rice Spaghetti with Eggplant/Tomato Sauce
~I think I got this recipe from Dr. Cindy, but not 100% sure:
1 medium eggplant, cut into 1" cubes
1 pint cherry tomatoes (I used grape tomatoes because that's all I could find)
3 cloves garlic, whole (I always double the garlic in any given recipe, so we used 6)
3 T EVOO
1 t salt
1 t pepper
1 t red pepper flakes (this is pretty hot, so we left it out)
1/4 c toasted pine nuts (we left this out during the cleanse)
1/4 c torn fresh basil
3 T EVOO
1/2 c grated Parmesan (omitted during cleanse)
- Preheat to 400. Combine 1st 7 ingredients in a bowl, spread onto baking sheet (with parchment paper or oil). Roast 35 min. If you want to toast the pine nuts, do so on another rack for 8 min. Save 1.5 c of the liquid from the pasta you cook. Transfer roasted veggies to food processor/blender. Add basil and EVOO. Transfer mixture to pasta bowl, add parmesan. Stir, adding cooking liquid 1/2 c at a time until pasta is saucy. Sprinkle pine nuts over the top and serve.

* Canyon Ranch Asparagus Guacamole

* Bare Naked Cinnamon Apple Chips (bought at Sprouts)

* Mango Lassi

* Peach Pie Smoothie

* Blueberry Cherry Smoothie- equal parts blueberries and cherries, one banana, 1/2 c coconut milk, powdered supplements.

* Citrus Berry Splash Shake

* Dr. Cindy's Smoothie

* "Gioanali" Original Smoothie

I'm feeling great as of 1 day post cleanse, and looking forward to the next few weeks as we settle into new eating habits! Surprisingly, I've been resisting things that are "permissible but not beneficial." I did make some zucchini oatmeal cookies that were (key word, were) scrumdiddlyumptious! And I've got a surprise homemade dessert waiting for Riley in the freezer. =) 

Tonight's dinner was Pumpkin Chili recommended by Kate Cole, recipe here (I used coconut oil instead of vegetable, doubled the garlic and instead of yellow bell pepper I just did a whole green one). I ate two bowls, then while I was putting Josiah to bed, Riley washed my dish (along with most of the others, thanks babe!) so I had to sit down with the big pot and ladle to eat some more. That's how good it was, even a little cold. Going backwards, for breakfast I made sweet potato waffles (from a mix), my signature easy cheesy eggs (Homestead Farms' eggs, scrambled with a big handful of shredded cheddar), and orange slices. We'll see what tomorrow holds!

Thank you so much for joining me in our journey, and I hope you'll stick around to read more (although I can't promise to blog every day from now on)!

Day 21, Standard Process Cleanse

YES!!!

We did it. We really completed 3 long weeks of grueling really healthy eating. I feel so accomplished! And there's no way I could've done it without my wonderful husband, Riley. Especially because, well, it was his idea.

It would've been so easy to throw in the towel the past couple of days, but that would be like quitting a marathon at the 24th mile just because you already ran "enough". Absolutely not! We had to cross that finish line.

I would have to say I felt my best at the end of the first week, and then the second week I started getting bored with the same old things, and then the third week we started eating out (as rule-abiding as we could be, however) so that really showed me what a big difference "that kind of food" does to my digestive system. So while I've been sooo ready to eat all my old foods again, I think learning how different foods make me feel (something I didn't notice before, because my body was so full of so many toxins it couldn't trigger a signal to my brain) will motivate me to eat in more often, as often as possible actually. Which means I need to kick my meal-planning butt in gear! I really want to get super-organized with our food budget and shopping trips and weekly menus. Like, spreadsheets and all. Because I'm finding it really hard to stay within our budget. But, I'm convinced that with a little lot of work, it can be done. It has to.

There are so many new recipes I've come across the past 3 weeks that I tucked away in my mind for after the cleanse, so I'm sure I'll be making a bunch of yummy goodness real soon!

Alright now, who's motivated to do the cleanse now that you've seen how easy good for you it can be???

Oh, I almost forgot, I'll do one last post tomorrow with links to our favorite recipes during the cleanse, and perhaps a mini-interview with Riley. So stay tuned! =)

Day 19-20, Standard Process Cleanse

I know you all dearly missed my blog post yesterday, ;) so let me apologize for that up front!

Last night I really should've taken that Gymnema stuff (helps with blood sugar and cravings). I haven't had to take any this whole time but I guess I need to start if I really want to cross that finish line Tuesday morning.

We were headed out for dinner with no idea where to go. First mistake. So as we drove toward our non-dinner destination, we just started pulling up nearby restaurants on our phone. Scrolled through so many temptations, and I settled on Boston Market, thinking we could just get chicken and veggies. Well right before we walked in, Riley vetoed and said that it would be too hard to not get the mac-n-cheese, and I knew I'd want a brownie or something. So, starving, we continued on to Souper!Salad!.

Which was a good idea. Couldn't really have any salad because all the good dressings were filled with prohibited ingredients. I just can't stand oil and vinegar, sorry. But, we both found a real winner: Holiday Harvest soup. We had like 7 bowls between the both of us, not including two other bowls of soup, fruit, etc... It had mushrooms, carrots, leeks, garlic, parsley, wild rice, and I don't remember if anything else. SO.GOOD! I'm gonna try to repeat it at home sometime.

As I was devouring the food, I felt like I was eating my first meal in months. Because on our way there, it was really the time that felt most like we were fasting. I wanted to eat what I wanted to eat. I just couldn't wait for this thing to be over so I could have a freaking chalupa and ice cream. Well, after the soup, I felt happy again (must've been my blood sugar rising, not that there was sugar in the soup... don't ask me)!

So we have today and then tomorrow's the last day. I have no idea what's on the menu, so I better figure that out before we have a repeat of last night's agony.

Friday night we planned to go to Cafe at the Modern, but traffic rerouted us to Genghis Grill. Since the museum is free on Sunday, maybe we'll opt for that today instead. Just not sure how that will go with the kiddos...

Julia had a terrible cough all through the night, although she did sleep through most of it, and is still snuggled up in daddy's arms. Love for all my babies to be resting peacefully! Not sure if we can make it to church though. We'll see.

I went to a baby shower yesterday for my friend Juliana, and I was so looking forward to it that I completely forgot about the fact that I was going to have to resist sweets and other stuff. Well, resist I did although difficult. I did have this drink called wassail, which is apple cider with other fruit juices. So yummy! I ignored the fact that it probably had sugar in it. Sue me!

As we near the end of the cleanse, I keep worrying about what's going to happen afterwards. Like are we gonna totally binge on a ton of sweets and bread and cheese and beef after 3 weeks of denying ourselves? Well, I had a revelation of sorts. Hopefully that won't happen, but even if it did, it won't take long before we scale back to a happy medium. A medium closer to the cleanse diet than the one we were on before this whole thing. That's my goal anyway!

Well, happy time change Sunday! Come back tomorrow for the last day of our journey!

Day 18, Standard Process Cleanse

We're off the hook!


...


Well, just a little bit. See, we ran out of SP Complete (the powdered whole food supplement we mix into our morning and bedtime shakes each day) yesterday. I'm not sure why. Actually the container says it only has 30 servings which should've only lasted us a week. But according to the office, it was supposed to last us the whole 21 days. Not sure about all that, but anyway I called them and they said just don't worry about it the last 3 days, continue taking the other supplements and it won't drastically reduce the effectiveness of the cleanse. Cool!

Although I would've much rather been off the hook to eat a sandwich and a cookie. No such luck! Until Tuesday, that is. Muuuahahahaha!

We actually enjoy the shakes (now that I know which ones are good!) so I'll keep making the morning one with SP Whey Pro to start the day off. For lunch we had leftovers and for dinner went to Genghis Grill. Oh. My. Goodness. I'd never been there before. What a place! It was great. All four bowls =) But boy are my innards working out something fierce! It was also nice to just have an evening out alone with Riley... we got my niece to come over on short notice after Riley got off work early-- double score!

Dreams are already filling our palates for Tuesday's meals. What will we eat after this is all over? The same junk we use to? Not as much. The same stuff we're eating now? Moreso, but other things as well.

Riley and I admitted to each other that we've both had some mixed feelings lately about it being the end of the cleanse. With only 3 days left and not having to do any more shakes, why not just call it quits now? After all, we've had a (mostly) fabulous 18 days...

But NO! We did not come this far just to quit now. If for no other reason, I must finish because I need to show myself that I can finish what I started. See, I'm REALLY bad at fasting. I can't remember the last time I didn't bail on a fast. Well, except the 2 month long no-sweets one we did together this past spring. But that was excluding so much less than this is. Anyway, we've resisted so many temptations thus far, another 3 days will be a piece of cake! At least, we hope so, because we had to pass up a really nice one last night!

Well, I did some research on Saladmaster last night after blogging, and I've concluded that it's ridiculously overpriced, no matter how great it is. We may still do the show just for the free gift and free dinner with people over, but I don't plan on shelling out hundreds or thousands of dollars to them when I could get something probably just as good for a fraction of the price. So, those of you who have stainless steel cookware, what kind is it and do you recommend it and why? Anybody have any experience with titanium? SM's stuff is .5% and Riley is interested in looking into similar alternatives. Our plan is to buy some new pots and pans for sure. The old scratched up non-stick cancer-on-my-stove-crap has GOT TO GO ASAP.

It's late, so I'm off to bed... Nite-nite everybody =)

Day 17, Standard Process Cleanse

~I opened a bag of chips today, but they weren't for me.

~I buttered a piece of toast today, but it wasn't for me.

~I scooped a handful of cheerios today, but they weren't for me.

~I made a PBJ sandwich today, but it wasn't for me.

~I sorted through halloween candy today, but it wasn't for me.

~I sliced a piece of chocolate cake today, but it wasn't for me (even though it had veggies in it).

~I changed a few diapers today, but they were definitely not for me!


...Here's what I did do today for me:


*Opened a bag of apple chips (warning: when you first taste "Bare Naked" fruit chips you will be unimpressed if you've ever made your own, but then you will go back for more just because you don't have any homemade kind, and then you will be addicted, and then before you know it, you've finished off the whole bag, crumbs and all.)

*Ate pistachios for the first time in what seems like years.

*Made my own bowl of guacamole and thoroughly enjoyed it, and I don't even like avocados.

*Rejoined yourhealthsource.org.

*Spent some time making fabulous baby gifts.

...And tomorrow, I just might make a batch of cookies that we all can eat!


Dinner tonight was veggies and "fried" chicken at some friends' house for a Saladmaster presentation. Still chewing on everything (well, not the food, the other cookware information and stuff), planning to host a show next Wednesday if any of y'all are interested... If you come we'll get a really cool gift! Basically it is a health and nutrition cooking show, about proper food preparation. The food is delicious (the guy makes everybody dinner and dessert), we had a great time, and nobody has to buy anything!

Of course afterward I started feeling down because of my nasty non-stick cookware. Seems like it kind of defeats the purpose of doing a cleanse. Something must be done to stop welcoming those toxins into all our healthy food ;


Skipping the shakes tonight because we only have enough SP Complete for 2 more, and we'll do those in the morning. Not sure why it didn't last the whole 3 weeks, but hopefully we can get a small container to finish off the cleanse!

Four. More. Days. =)  =)  =) Bring on the cheesy bread and chocolate! The healthy kind, of course.

Day 16, Standard Process Cleanse

I'd like you to meet two of my very best friends. They have a very special place in my heart kitchen.

This is my precious Ninja. It works so hard and I've been using it at the very least twice a day for the last 15 days. It really is like a miracle machine. You can blend, chop, make snow, and more. It's a beautiful thing. If you haven't guessed already, this is what we've been making our shakes in.

This, my beloved readers, is my dear Oxo Mandoline. Without it, there would be no sweet potato chips in our house. And that would be a terrible, terrible thing. It can also julienne, make wavy edges and all sorts of wonderful things. My best non-edible purchase in the last two weeks.

I also spend a lot of time with my cutting boards, several different knives, spatulas, spoons, colanders, pots and pans and such. They're my old pals. Oldies but goodies.

Today we went to Spiral Diner for lunch and I got the Pasta Primavera, which was brown rice fettuccine with pesto and veggies. Delish! Riley got Ramsey's Protein Platter or something like that. We also shared the Tuscany Tomato Soup Special. Besides nibbling on our plates (well, not literally), the kids got all our bread.

Mmmm, I really miss bread. And cheese. When I gave Josiah a slice of cheddar today, I lifted the bag up to my nose and just took in the aroma. Ahhh. I have been forced to get creative with my recipe searches these days. Looking up beet hash browns, brown rice cookies and the like, have become the norm around here.

Dinner was a repeat and a newbie: Squash Apple Soup (left it chunkier this time for Riley, but just like my guacamole, I think I prefer it nice and smooth), and Red Curried Lentils with Wild/Brown Rice mix. The lentils and rice totally took the cake for me tonight. Not what I was expecting, so it was a pleasant surprise! Will definitely be keeping that around. Great source of protein! You can find the recipe here if you're interested.

Tomorrow's lunch will be leftovers (no complaints here) and dinner at Luke & Juliana's with a Saladmaster guy. I hope we're allowed to eat whatever he makes!

Well, I must be going... keep forgetting to sign back up for the organic produce coop so I need to get that email out in time for the next delivery!

See y'all tomorrow! Maybe before the cleanse is over I'll actually get to write the daily post before midnight. Hey, I can dream right?

Day 15, Standard Process Cleanse

Guess what? I have a non-boring full-of-photos blog, starting...

NOW!

This is what I used to snack on a lot and keep wanting to reach for, but I can't. So they're lasting a lot longer now that the kids are the only ones eating them.

This is what I wish there were more of but we finished the bag off last night.

This is what i came thisclose to eating a handful of today, but carefully put them back down. Why? They're covered in sugar.

This is what I wish would stop being advertised on TV for a while.

This is what I've been munching on all day.

This is what I am aching to eat come next Tuesday!

And now for the usual:

I went to the SmoothieKing website to get some shake ideas, and I'm really excited to try some of them out, starting as soon as I'm done typing this post!

We have a beet left in the fridge that I'm needing to come up with a recipe for. The thought "beet hash browns" popped in my head yesterday so I'm totally going to Google it and see what might happen in the kitchen.

Made my original recipe guacamole tonight to go with sweet potato chips, except this time instead of mashing I just stuck everything in the Ninja. Turned out super creamy and I loved it! Even better than before. Riley prefers it chunky though. Guess I'll have to start making separate batches ;)

My tex-mex chicken soup turned out pretty good, using the stock I made. Although I'm looking forward to when I can add cheese and organic blue corn chips again!

Six more days! IthinkicanithinkicanithinkicanIKNOWWECAN!

Anybody got any good tilapia recipes? I'll be making it for the first time ever.

Didn't vote today. Woah, put your stones down! Next time I'm hoping to actually do some serious research into each candidate's voting record so I can make a well-informed decision before November sneaks up on me. My main thing is that they are genuinely going to do things that promote the unborn's right to life, and I'm just not convinced anymore that a straight (R) ticket is the same thing. Ok, enough politics.

I can't stand this cold weather. Got put together a better winter wardrobe if I'm gonna survive the next few months without getting snippy. The good news is, I've got some great soups to make me feel all warm inside!

Alrighty y'all, time to go shake it up!