Eat Healthy America: Part 1

I decided to divide this entry into Parts. I have a feeling I will be commenting on this randomly throughout the year since one of my resolutions this year was to make more exciting recipes while encouraging my kids to eat healthier foods. Eating healthy has kind of become one of my passions. I'm not necessarily into simply low-fat foods; I'm more obsessed with our country"s dependence on processed foods...and I'm a little more than convinced this has led to the unbelievable rise in cancer, etc. in this country (many of you may disagree...just my opinion!)

My sister recently posted an article on Facebook that I loved -- and stole for my own profile page! If you didn't get a chance to read it, do so now: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/family-dinner-how_b_806114.html Basically, it reiterates everything I have come to believe! I often wonder if my friends view me as a mean mommy: my kids have never had tea, Porter has had Sprite twice (both times commenting that "IT BURNS!"), dessert is NOT a nightly ritual, we eat out rarely, milk and water are often the only beverages offered -- when juice is offered, I still cut it with water, fast food restaurants are few and far between, and they have been known to go to bed hungry -- I am not a short-order cook...what you see is what you get! Of course, I am not a saint either...sometimes I want to make chocolate cake OR eat a fried Chic-Fil-A sandwich, but I also limit myself...I am also a huge advocate for family dinners. Growing up, no matter what we had for dinner OR who was home, we always ate around the dinner table. As teens, my sister and I both found this very annoying, but my parents stayed strong...to them, it was an opportunity to talk to us without distractions....no TV, phones, music, etc. Just the 4 of us, around the table...Craig and I continue this tradition. Again, I am no saint...there are times when the TV has been left on or we let the kids eat their snack on the couch, but for dinner, there are no exceptions!!! To me, that is family time, a time for conversation, a time for chatting with my kids and husband, a chance to be together. Of course, our meals are by no means QUIET, but hearing my kids talk non-stop is a glorious thing. Better that then hearing a few grunts from behind their Leapsters...just sayin'. I figure there will be enough years in my future when my boys don't have a thing to say to either of us. But, I will still demand that they eat dinner at the table with us...even if the only sound I hear is the chewing of food!

I'm Dreaming of...

HAWAII!!!!!

Trust me, I am not wishing time away, but the plans are in the works for a family trip to this amazing state next Spring. Yes, it's a full year away, but I am already loving the idea of walking on the beach, seeing the beautiful sunsets, and taking my boys on a trip they will never forget!! And an added bonus: Craig's brother is stationed there, so we'll get to visit Uncle Jonathan too! Here's to April 2012!!!!

It's Time for...MONSTER JAM!!!

Ok. So, I grew up with a sister, and I would say that she and I were relatively girly. There was ballet, Girl Scouts, gymnastics, slumber parties, pink, purple, Barbies...well, I think you get the point. And, with no brothers around, my dad was forced to participate in all this stuff. Fate is certainly getting me back, for the only pink in my future will probably be at one of my boys' weddings...so I am learning to adapt to "all things boy" in this household. And this weekend was the perfect example. Craig and I surprised the boys with tickets to Monster Jam at the Colonial Life Arena. It was big trucks gallor...it was loud, it was dirty...and it was GREAT!!!! I have to admit I loved every minute, and actually will probably take the boys back for more action in the future!!!

Let the Jam begin...ear plugs...CHECK!!!

***On a side note: I was kinda impressed that a lot of the drivers were girls. AND, that one girl won 2 of the competitions. Yay for GIRL POWER!!!

"Snow" Much Fun!

Two snows in one season??? At this point, my kids are beginning to think that snow in South Carolina is par for the course! Enjoy!!

6 1/2 inches of white fluffy snow!

Our humble abode in the woods!!

Our neighborhood

The neighborhood pond

Soup.

I am the first to admit I am not a HUGE soup fan. I would much rather have pretty much anything else for dinner. But, there IS something to be said for having a steaming bowl of hearty goodness when the weather is as cold as it has been...for South Carolina. They are predicting snow again this weekend...WTF??

Well, when e-mealz sent me a soup recipe, I was all for it...maybe it would be something that would not only fill us up, but warm us up too. I was pleasantly surprised; it was super easy and I definitely added it to my "will make again" list. Here's the recipe for you:

Spicy Black Bean Soup
Ingredients:
1 medium onion, chopped
2 - 15 oz. cans black beans, undrained
14 oz. can chicken broth
14 oz can diced tomatoes with green chiles
14 oz can yellow corn, drained
1 1/2 T minced garlic
1/4 t red pepper
1 t cumin

Saute onions and garlic until soft, about 5 minutes. Place one can of black beans in a blender. Add onion mixture, red pepper, & cumin and blend on high for 30 seconds. Return to stockpot and add all remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes.

That's it!! Enjoy!!!

Ch-Ch-Changes!

So, some big changes have been goin' on 'round here!

Hey, it's that time of year, right? Time for change...for the better!

First stop, church...Porter and I went to 10:30 mass this past Sunday, and I was really impressed with just how well he did. I promised him if he would sit quietly for all the "stories" than he could get his new coloring book out for the rest of mass. Hey, I'm not completely unrealistic. A four-year-old sitting still for an hour is asking a lot...especially when church is something new. Porter was so good, whispered when he had questions, accompanied me up the aisle for communion, and actually told me on the way home that church was "fun." Yay! Now that he's passed, I will feel much better adding Bowman to the mix.

Next stop...BIG BOY BED! Craig was in a cleaning frenzy Sunday when we got home (thanks to my sweet hubby for cleaning bathrooms and bedrooms while we were gone!!) He decided to convert Bowman's crib to a toddler bed. Now, let me tell you, when we tried this with Porter is was nothing but a disaster! He wouldn't stay in it and I would often awake in the middle of the night to a 2-year-old peering at me and asking, "Where my milk??" Needless to stay, the crib went back up and he stayed there until he actually moved rooms before Bowman's arrival. So, as one would suspect, I was a little leery of the entire thing, but decided to go with the flow since my hubby was so in to it. WHAT A GREAT MOVE!! Bowman not only LOVES his "new" bed, but practically refuses to get out of it...no night wanderings for this little boy!! I keep waiting for this to all fall apart, but here we are after 3 nights...let's keep it going, little man!

The final stop...diet! My friend Adair introduced me to e-mealz.com. LOVE IT! For $15, this site will design a Weight Watchers dinner plan for me around what's at sale at Publix that week...for the next 3 months! WOOHOO! Not only am I reaching my goal of becoming a more interesting cook, but everything is healthy and (so far) really tasty. Check it out yourself: http://www.e-mealz.com/ You can choose different grocery stores, meal plans, etc. I think you'll like it!

Bye for now!

Happy 1-1-11!!

Happy New Year everyone!!

Another year has begun. A new chance for change, improvement, etc. Resolutions come and go, but as I've said before, my goal this year is to not only make them, but to stick with 'em. I started a little early this "year." I began my training for the Cooper River Bridge Run this week. I successfully ran 3 days this past week...for a total of 5 miles. Yeah, not really all that impressive, but it is a start, right??? My in-laws gave me an awesome gift to get the ball rolling. I got the Nike attachment to my iPod, which actually acts as a personal trainer. "She" talks me through my runs, keeps track of my speed, distance, and calories...and the best part, allows me to know how much time/distance I have left. LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!! Hopefully it will keep me motivated...

Church is next on the list. We are going to 10:30 mass tomorrow...wish us luck!!