The BE Well Method is what we're using in our family to make sure we all get the proper amount and kinds of nutrition. It's a really easy system to follow, and the kids love picking something from each category. Basically, you should pick 1 thing from the "B" group and 1 thing from the "E" group for each meal AND snack. Of course, you can do more, but the idea is that they should be even amounts. For example, you should not eat way more protein than carbs or more carbs than protein. Also, 2-3 times a day, you should pick a vegetable from the vegetable list to add in. This is the hard part for us. I must say, veggies are not a hot item around here. I'm the only one who really loves them!
As a side note, notice where corn and potatoes are. NOT in the veggie group. They're actually considered a carb. So don't do what Jason does and count corn and potatoes as part of the daily veggie allowance. That's cheating. :)
The kids have been completely excited about the whole program. We've made a commitment as a family to try new things. The fact that we're all in it together is a really big deal! Our rule is that you must take 2 bites of everything on your plate. That way, at least they do taste the new stuff, and I don't get all upset that no one is eating what I made!
The other thing I was doing wrong was making their snacks too small. These are actually a "mini meal" (for adults, too). Alot of times, I would give them a banana or some graham crackers or something like that. Those were healthy choices, but they didn't contain nutrients from both groups. Since I've changed this, I've noticed a really positive difference. The "I'm hungry" whining has stopped. You know - the kind that kicks in about 30 minutes after they just ate.
Ok, here are the "groups". We have a handy little chart with columns which works really well. Then you can just pick from each column for meals and snacks!
The "B" Group: Building Foods
- lean meats including: chicken, turkey, pork, beef, fish, and shellfish
- eggs
- nuts and nut butters
-beans
-dairy (cheese, milk, and yogurt)
-soy milk and protein products (**note from me: Make sure you really read the labels on this stuff. Some of it is highly processed)
The "E" Group: Energy Foods
-grains including: cereals, breads, pasta, rice, tortillas, and crackers
-starchy vegetables limited to potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, peas, and lentils
-fruits and fruit juices: juice limited to 4-6 oz. per day. And only drink juice WITH food. Not in between
Non-Starchy Vegetables
-tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, zucchini, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, asparagus, onions, peppers, cucumbers
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Nutritionist Visit - #1
As I mentioned in my previous post, I'm very impressed with Peyton's nutritionist, Amy. She's very knowledgeable, and we're really on the same page. What I mean by that is she is very much into sensible, natural-as-possible food. No sugar-loaded Pediasure, etc. I love this woman! The other really cool thing is that her instructions are not just for kids - they're for adults, too!
I have gotten TONS of e-mails about my last post. It's so encouraging to me to know that so many of my friends and family feel the same way I do about this stuff. It makes the journey so much easier! I've decided to post some of the details of my visits with Amy to share with you. Partly because it just gives me an outlet to write about what's going on with Peyton, but also because I know you guys will love this info. And hey - it's free! I'll just pull some of the important parts of our discussions and pass them along to you. Keep in mind that this stuff is coming straight from the horse's mouth. It's not just MY opinion or anything like that. This is what the nutritionist says to do. Most of it is common sense anyway, but it gives a fresh spin on things, I think.
This past week, we discussed some very basic eating and drinking habits. Jason and I do most of these things already, so it was nice not to have to overhaul too much yet. We will meet with Amy the week after next, and in the meantime, Peyton will be doing some food intolerance/allergy testing. This is a MUST anytime you're dealing with food issues of any kind. And in case you didn't know this, I'll tell you! If you or your kids have ANY kind of behavior issues (including ADD/ADHD), I HIGHLY encourage you to have them extensively tested for food intolerance/allergy. It is PROVEN that many kids with ADD/ADHD and similar disorders have food problems.
Ok, here are a few points. I'll post some more tomorrow. :)
1. Eat Breakfast Everyday.
2. Eat Every 3-4 hours with balance.
3. Balance your meals with the BE-Well Method. (I will post the details tomorrow, but it's basically a protein/carb + vegetable combination)
4. Do not eat or drink between meals (she counts a snack as a meal, by the way). Water is ok.
5. Learn to respond to hunger appropriately, with balance, add treats only after a balanced meal or snack has been eaten.
6. Be active between meals.
7. Exercise everyday.
**My favorite (well, and least favorite) point of the week? School lunches are quite possibly the worst thing for kids to eat. Ever. Well, great. I guess it's time to stop slacking off, huh? I told Logan he will only be eating at school 2 days/week from now on. He was bummed, but he understood. He wants to be healthy, too.
I have gotten TONS of e-mails about my last post. It's so encouraging to me to know that so many of my friends and family feel the same way I do about this stuff. It makes the journey so much easier! I've decided to post some of the details of my visits with Amy to share with you. Partly because it just gives me an outlet to write about what's going on with Peyton, but also because I know you guys will love this info. And hey - it's free! I'll just pull some of the important parts of our discussions and pass them along to you. Keep in mind that this stuff is coming straight from the horse's mouth. It's not just MY opinion or anything like that. This is what the nutritionist says to do. Most of it is common sense anyway, but it gives a fresh spin on things, I think.
This past week, we discussed some very basic eating and drinking habits. Jason and I do most of these things already, so it was nice not to have to overhaul too much yet. We will meet with Amy the week after next, and in the meantime, Peyton will be doing some food intolerance/allergy testing. This is a MUST anytime you're dealing with food issues of any kind. And in case you didn't know this, I'll tell you! If you or your kids have ANY kind of behavior issues (including ADD/ADHD), I HIGHLY encourage you to have them extensively tested for food intolerance/allergy. It is PROVEN that many kids with ADD/ADHD and similar disorders have food problems.
Ok, here are a few points. I'll post some more tomorrow. :)
1. Eat Breakfast Everyday.
2. Eat Every 3-4 hours with balance.
3. Balance your meals with the BE-Well Method. (I will post the details tomorrow, but it's basically a protein/carb + vegetable combination)
4. Do not eat or drink between meals (she counts a snack as a meal, by the way). Water is ok.
5. Learn to respond to hunger appropriately, with balance, add treats only after a balanced meal or snack has been eaten.
6. Be active between meals.
7. Exercise everyday.
**My favorite (well, and least favorite) point of the week? School lunches are quite possibly the worst thing for kids to eat. Ever. Well, great. I guess it's time to stop slacking off, huh? I told Logan he will only be eating at school 2 days/week from now on. He was bummed, but he understood. He wants to be healthy, too.
Friday, March 27, 2009
I Forgot One!
Thanks to my friend for reminding me about one of my most favorite "habits". The chiropractor!! It's true. My kids go to one. It started when Peyton was about 4 weeks old and I was willing to try anything to treat his colic. It definitely helped.
I will honestly tell you that I don't fully understand why and how it all works exactly. I just know that it does. The chiropractor can explain everything waaaay better than I ever could. I have tons of examples I could give you, but a couple stand out to me more than the others.
Like I said above, it helped Peyton's colic. Also, he had acid reflux, and after he was adjusted, his body was able to "get it all out" if you know what I mean. It was nuts. Also, all of my kids sleep much better when they're not "out". I can really tell a difference. Addison was about 1 week old when she got her first treatment. Age is not a factor!
I really encourage you to give it a try. When the body is "in sync" (don't you love my medical terms?), everything else just works better.
Here in Jenks, we go to Russell Prentice. No, he has no idea that I'm promoting him here. He's REALLY good. He's great with the kids, he has a playroom in the office, and you hardly ever have to wait - at all. Also, when he's done, the kids get a vitamin C. Don't laugh. They love it!
Again, share your experiences here if you have any. The more we can learn from each other, the better!
I will honestly tell you that I don't fully understand why and how it all works exactly. I just know that it does. The chiropractor can explain everything waaaay better than I ever could. I have tons of examples I could give you, but a couple stand out to me more than the others.
Like I said above, it helped Peyton's colic. Also, he had acid reflux, and after he was adjusted, his body was able to "get it all out" if you know what I mean. It was nuts. Also, all of my kids sleep much better when they're not "out". I can really tell a difference. Addison was about 1 week old when she got her first treatment. Age is not a factor!
I really encourage you to give it a try. When the body is "in sync" (don't you love my medical terms?), everything else just works better.
Here in Jenks, we go to Russell Prentice. No, he has no idea that I'm promoting him here. He's REALLY good. He's great with the kids, he has a playroom in the office, and you hardly ever have to wait - at all. Also, when he's done, the kids get a vitamin C. Don't laugh. They love it!
Again, share your experiences here if you have any. The more we can learn from each other, the better!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Why I Do The Things I Do
I was so excited today, because I got to go to the nutritionist with Peyton. I'll post details on that within the next day or two, but basically, my gut is telling me that he has some sort of food allergy or intolerance thing going on. I have no idea what. Anyway, it was an awesome appointment, and I seriously could have just visited with her for hours. Before I post on our current and future experiences in this new little "journey", I want to give you some background about our beliefs in this area. First of all, I've had numerous people ask me about the things we do with/for our kids. Second of all, I post random opinions throughout my blog, but I think it needs to be all in one spot. It just makes more sense that way.
Also, I am in no way an expert. I will say that I have done a massive amount of research on most of it, though. It's just fun for me. I will also say that there are plenty of people out there who make even more healthy decisions than I do. Right now, I just do what I can. And I don't make any decision without really looking into it first. These aren't just random ideas I have or anything. :)
Let me make something VERY clear. This is what WE do in OUR family. We do feel very strongly that what we are doing is right, but I will not judge someone else for having a different point of view. In fact, if you feel like arguing with me, go ahead. Just keep it nice, please. This is going to be in a sort of "FAQ" form. These are questions that I get from people alot, so I think it will be easier. Here we go!
1. Why do you do all the natural, "alternative" stuff?
Well, and I'll try to keep this short, I stumbled upon it all through trial and error. Logan was not a healthy child between the ages of 1 and 3. In fact, he had so many ear infections, respiratory infections, etc., that he had antibiotics 24 times in that time period. He also did breathing treatments. I didn't know any better. I did what the doctors prescribed. I deep cleaned my house with chemical cleaners to "kill the germs". Finally, I had enough. Logan had a round of croup that had lasted over 15 days. No amount of breathing treatments or oral steroids would cure it. I said "What the heck?!" and called the natural doctor in our town. He did a complete work-up, gave me orders to overhaul everything that he ate, everything that he breathed, and anything else that could go into his body. The doctor did needleless acupuncture and sent us on our way. Logan slept 15 hours that night without one cough. No more croup. Ever since that day, I've implemented more and more natural "habits". And ever since that day, Logan has been sick MAYBE a handful of times. He still has ear fluid trouble, but he also has a very small ear canal and scar tissue now. The fluid never gets infected, though. Our other kids are extremely healthy, too. And trust me, it's not genetic luck.
2. What kind of vitamins do you use? Honestly, I tend to hop around a bit. Typically speaking, I buy Animal Parade vitamins for Peyton and Addison. Logan takes GNC kids multis (he needs more iron). All of the kids take probiotics DAILY. I buy Garden of Life, or if they're out, I buy Country Life. Our main philosophy is that whatever we buy, it has to come from the health food store. You can find vitamin information easily (just compare labels), so trust me when I say that vitamins from Wal-Mart are not even close to being the same as vitamins from the health food store. You get what you pay for, so don't waste your money. Yes, we spend quite a bit of money on vitamins and supplements. We're okay with that. It saves money in the long run, and it's very worth it to us to keep our family as healthy as possible.
3. Do you only buy organic? Yes and no. I try to buy as much as possible. Except in rare cases, I have always bought organic beef, chicken, eggs, yogurt, and baby food. My kids don't drink milk, so I don't worry too much about that. I do buy 1/2 gallon of organic to use in cooking, though. I could spend hundreds of dollars at Whole Foods every week if money was never an issue. Because money IS an issue, I just try to eliminate the really "bad" stuff. Hormones, antibiotics, etc. Our most recent overhaul has been to eliminate any artificial colors and sweeteners. They're everywhere!
4. Do you never buy "bad" food? Oh my goodness. Currently in my pantry, I have a box of organic "fruit by the foot". Right next to that is a box of Pop-Tarts. Moderation people. The kids each get to pick out one "junk" item each week. I'm fine with that. I don't deny them McDonald's, it's just that we only go about 1 time each month. Sometimes I make Kraft Mac and Cheese - with organic milk. Yes, I know that's like people eating a whole pizza but insisting on a diet soda. Whatever! Like I said, I do what I can.
5. Do you vaccinate? Yes. I DO NOT vaccinate according to the "recommended" schedule. We feel that there is WAY too much evidence out there proving that injecting a baby with so much at one time is overload. I actually have a friend that's a doctor and a friend who has an autistic child that can give me REAL case stories. Of people they actually know. Freaky. So don't worry. My child won't give your child the measles or anything. We just do 1 or 2 at a time, and we wait several months in between (after 4 months). And we don't do flu shots or chickenpox shots.
6. If you don't use chemical cleaners, how do you kill all the germs? Well, hold on to your hats. WE HAVE GERMS. Millions of them. Everywhere. And you know what? That's okay! Our society has become so "clean" that we're almost TOO clean. We aren't supposed to disinfect everything. I had a very hard time accepting this. It just didn't seem right. Currently, I clean with vinegar, baking soda, Basic H, and Method (in the bathroom - it's addictive). That's it. And so far, we don't smell too funky or anything! Another perk? I don't have to freak out if one of my kids touches the mop bucket.
7. Are all of your household items "natural"? No. Again, I think I would love it if they were, but they're just not. The kids all use natural bathing products, and I USUALLY always use all-natural stuff in the laundry. Unless I run out or get lazy one week - which happens. I don't use anti-bacterial hand soap anymore, so that's a biggie I guess. We wash our hands very frequently and use hand gel (not anti-bacterial), so I didn't want that on our hands. Otherwise, I just use regular stuff and just try to eliminate fragrance, etc.
8. How do you feel about medicine? It depends. I think Americans are so used to taking medicine for everything that we don't stop to think about what we're taking anymore. Like everything else, there's a time and a place. When we get a cold, we take a spoonful of honey (only over age 1), run the humidifier, and sometimes use baby Vicks. I also keep homeopathic cold tablets on hand. On the other hand, I just had a big-dog antibiotic filled last Sunday. I somehow got strep, a double ear infection, and a sinus infection all at the same time. I felt like I swallowed razor blades - the blisters on my throat were really bad. Each day got worse, so it was time to get some good 'ol fashioned drugs. Thank goodness! So we do both. We try to go without drugs, but we'll never NOT take them.
I think that pretty much sums it all up. Like I said, those are the questions that people ask me the most. In a nutshell, Jason and I firmly believe that people will be very pleasantly surprised if they "cross over" to this way of thinking. We have seen with our own eyes how lives can be transformed. I know it's much easier to go to the doctor, get a prescription, and go on your way. Let me tell you that it does take a lot of time and effort to do things this way. The good thing is that it's much easier now than it used to be! There are so many things easily available - even at Wal-Mart.
If you have a success story, please leave it here for the rest of us. That kind of thing ALWAYS helps!
Also, I am in no way an expert. I will say that I have done a massive amount of research on most of it, though. It's just fun for me. I will also say that there are plenty of people out there who make even more healthy decisions than I do. Right now, I just do what I can. And I don't make any decision without really looking into it first. These aren't just random ideas I have or anything. :)
Let me make something VERY clear. This is what WE do in OUR family. We do feel very strongly that what we are doing is right, but I will not judge someone else for having a different point of view. In fact, if you feel like arguing with me, go ahead. Just keep it nice, please. This is going to be in a sort of "FAQ" form. These are questions that I get from people alot, so I think it will be easier. Here we go!
1. Why do you do all the natural, "alternative" stuff?
Well, and I'll try to keep this short, I stumbled upon it all through trial and error. Logan was not a healthy child between the ages of 1 and 3. In fact, he had so many ear infections, respiratory infections, etc., that he had antibiotics 24 times in that time period. He also did breathing treatments. I didn't know any better. I did what the doctors prescribed. I deep cleaned my house with chemical cleaners to "kill the germs". Finally, I had enough. Logan had a round of croup that had lasted over 15 days. No amount of breathing treatments or oral steroids would cure it. I said "What the heck?!" and called the natural doctor in our town. He did a complete work-up, gave me orders to overhaul everything that he ate, everything that he breathed, and anything else that could go into his body. The doctor did needleless acupuncture and sent us on our way. Logan slept 15 hours that night without one cough. No more croup. Ever since that day, I've implemented more and more natural "habits". And ever since that day, Logan has been sick MAYBE a handful of times. He still has ear fluid trouble, but he also has a very small ear canal and scar tissue now. The fluid never gets infected, though. Our other kids are extremely healthy, too. And trust me, it's not genetic luck.
2. What kind of vitamins do you use? Honestly, I tend to hop around a bit. Typically speaking, I buy Animal Parade vitamins for Peyton and Addison. Logan takes GNC kids multis (he needs more iron). All of the kids take probiotics DAILY. I buy Garden of Life, or if they're out, I buy Country Life. Our main philosophy is that whatever we buy, it has to come from the health food store. You can find vitamin information easily (just compare labels), so trust me when I say that vitamins from Wal-Mart are not even close to being the same as vitamins from the health food store. You get what you pay for, so don't waste your money. Yes, we spend quite a bit of money on vitamins and supplements. We're okay with that. It saves money in the long run, and it's very worth it to us to keep our family as healthy as possible.
3. Do you only buy organic? Yes and no. I try to buy as much as possible. Except in rare cases, I have always bought organic beef, chicken, eggs, yogurt, and baby food. My kids don't drink milk, so I don't worry too much about that. I do buy 1/2 gallon of organic to use in cooking, though. I could spend hundreds of dollars at Whole Foods every week if money was never an issue. Because money IS an issue, I just try to eliminate the really "bad" stuff. Hormones, antibiotics, etc. Our most recent overhaul has been to eliminate any artificial colors and sweeteners. They're everywhere!
4. Do you never buy "bad" food? Oh my goodness. Currently in my pantry, I have a box of organic "fruit by the foot". Right next to that is a box of Pop-Tarts. Moderation people. The kids each get to pick out one "junk" item each week. I'm fine with that. I don't deny them McDonald's, it's just that we only go about 1 time each month. Sometimes I make Kraft Mac and Cheese - with organic milk. Yes, I know that's like people eating a whole pizza but insisting on a diet soda. Whatever! Like I said, I do what I can.
5. Do you vaccinate? Yes. I DO NOT vaccinate according to the "recommended" schedule. We feel that there is WAY too much evidence out there proving that injecting a baby with so much at one time is overload. I actually have a friend that's a doctor and a friend who has an autistic child that can give me REAL case stories. Of people they actually know. Freaky. So don't worry. My child won't give your child the measles or anything. We just do 1 or 2 at a time, and we wait several months in between (after 4 months). And we don't do flu shots or chickenpox shots.
6. If you don't use chemical cleaners, how do you kill all the germs? Well, hold on to your hats. WE HAVE GERMS. Millions of them. Everywhere. And you know what? That's okay! Our society has become so "clean" that we're almost TOO clean. We aren't supposed to disinfect everything. I had a very hard time accepting this. It just didn't seem right. Currently, I clean with vinegar, baking soda, Basic H, and Method (in the bathroom - it's addictive). That's it. And so far, we don't smell too funky or anything! Another perk? I don't have to freak out if one of my kids touches the mop bucket.
7. Are all of your household items "natural"? No. Again, I think I would love it if they were, but they're just not. The kids all use natural bathing products, and I USUALLY always use all-natural stuff in the laundry. Unless I run out or get lazy one week - which happens. I don't use anti-bacterial hand soap anymore, so that's a biggie I guess. We wash our hands very frequently and use hand gel (not anti-bacterial), so I didn't want that on our hands. Otherwise, I just use regular stuff and just try to eliminate fragrance, etc.
8. How do you feel about medicine? It depends. I think Americans are so used to taking medicine for everything that we don't stop to think about what we're taking anymore. Like everything else, there's a time and a place. When we get a cold, we take a spoonful of honey (only over age 1), run the humidifier, and sometimes use baby Vicks. I also keep homeopathic cold tablets on hand. On the other hand, I just had a big-dog antibiotic filled last Sunday. I somehow got strep, a double ear infection, and a sinus infection all at the same time. I felt like I swallowed razor blades - the blisters on my throat were really bad. Each day got worse, so it was time to get some good 'ol fashioned drugs. Thank goodness! So we do both. We try to go without drugs, but we'll never NOT take them.
I think that pretty much sums it all up. Like I said, those are the questions that people ask me the most. In a nutshell, Jason and I firmly believe that people will be very pleasantly surprised if they "cross over" to this way of thinking. We have seen with our own eyes how lives can be transformed. I know it's much easier to go to the doctor, get a prescription, and go on your way. Let me tell you that it does take a lot of time and effort to do things this way. The good thing is that it's much easier now than it used to be! There are so many things easily available - even at Wal-Mart.
If you have a success story, please leave it here for the rest of us. That kind of thing ALWAYS helps!
Monday, March 23, 2009
What's Going On Around These Here Parts
It's been a busy few days around here! As I mentioned in my last post, the kids and I went to Nixa for a few days over spring break. My mom came back with us Saturday morning before she headed back Sunday.
We had a great visit, although as usual, it went by very quickly. There are so many people to see, and with 4 kids in tow, I seem to always "leave someone out"! Things were going smoothly until Friday morning. I woke up with a sore throat, but didn't think much of it. The day went on, and by late afternoon, I had a 102 fever, too. I rarely get sick, so I thought it must be a quick bug of some sort. Wrong.
By 7:00pm, it was up to 104, even with medicine. I thought my head was going to explode. I somehow made the trip back the next morning - thank GOODNESS my mom was with us! By Sunday afternoon, I was in tears, and headed to the ER. As it turns out, I have a double ear infection, a sinus infection, and strep throat. Fabulous. To top it off, they had to give me an antibiotic shot. If you haven't heard by now, I'm a huge pansy. Yes, I cried. BUT - I don't think the nurse saw me. I asked for pain medication. The doctor said "For your throat?" I said "Yes, but mainly for my butt - that shot hurt really bad". Sad, I know. And I couldn't get any because I drove myself there. I made a mental note for next time. Take the bus if Jason's busy.
Enough about that - yeah, I'm dog sick. There's nothing I can do except wait for the antibiotics to do their job (I think they're starting). Oh, and hope my children will cut me just a tiny bit of slack.
The big news of the week??!! Drum roll please.....Austin sleeps through the night consistently now. 12 glorious hours, baby (ok, I do have to shove the paci in a couple of times a night, but I don't count that). Thank you Lord. Thank you alot. The older boys stay up until about 8:00 most nights, but the babies are down between 6:30pm and 7:00pm, and no one wakes up until at least 7:00am. I just cannot express enough excitement here. This is how things used to go around here, but having 2 little ones so close in age means that it's been a VERY long time since I slept that much.
Oh, and I'm very fully aware of the fact that tonight, they will all be up all night long. Just because I got on here and said something.
That's about it for now! I'm finishing up my 7th load of laundry for the day, and then I'm hitting the hay!
We had a great visit, although as usual, it went by very quickly. There are so many people to see, and with 4 kids in tow, I seem to always "leave someone out"! Things were going smoothly until Friday morning. I woke up with a sore throat, but didn't think much of it. The day went on, and by late afternoon, I had a 102 fever, too. I rarely get sick, so I thought it must be a quick bug of some sort. Wrong.
By 7:00pm, it was up to 104, even with medicine. I thought my head was going to explode. I somehow made the trip back the next morning - thank GOODNESS my mom was with us! By Sunday afternoon, I was in tears, and headed to the ER. As it turns out, I have a double ear infection, a sinus infection, and strep throat. Fabulous. To top it off, they had to give me an antibiotic shot. If you haven't heard by now, I'm a huge pansy. Yes, I cried. BUT - I don't think the nurse saw me. I asked for pain medication. The doctor said "For your throat?" I said "Yes, but mainly for my butt - that shot hurt really bad". Sad, I know. And I couldn't get any because I drove myself there. I made a mental note for next time. Take the bus if Jason's busy.
Enough about that - yeah, I'm dog sick. There's nothing I can do except wait for the antibiotics to do their job (I think they're starting). Oh, and hope my children will cut me just a tiny bit of slack.
The big news of the week??!! Drum roll please.....Austin sleeps through the night consistently now. 12 glorious hours, baby (ok, I do have to shove the paci in a couple of times a night, but I don't count that). Thank you Lord. Thank you alot. The older boys stay up until about 8:00 most nights, but the babies are down between 6:30pm and 7:00pm, and no one wakes up until at least 7:00am. I just cannot express enough excitement here. This is how things used to go around here, but having 2 little ones so close in age means that it's been a VERY long time since I slept that much.
Oh, and I'm very fully aware of the fact that tonight, they will all be up all night long. Just because I got on here and said something.
That's about it for now! I'm finishing up my 7th load of laundry for the day, and then I'm hitting the hay!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Hot Fudge Sundaes
I've had a touch of writer's block lately - obviously. I've been digging around in my mind, trying to figure out what it is I want to do with this blog. The two blog carnivals I participate in have new hosts, which is totally no big deal really, but it's making me wonder if I want to try something new. I'm not sure yet!
One thing I do know for sure is that I want to get back to writing more about my family and the day to day stuff. This blog was starting to be about frugality more than anything. Not that there's anything wrong with that at all, but there really is so much more to my life than that!
Ok, anyway, I want to write about what I did tonight. Many of my readers already know this, but in case you don't, you should know about my grandmother. She's 86 years old, and she's very close to the end of this life here on earth. She's wonderful. She currently lives in a nursing home where she's being cared for and kept as comfortable as possible. You see, she has cancer in her liver, lungs, and bones. They're quite sure there's more, but she's opted out of any more testing/treatment. We all know that there's just not much time left with her.
This is the second time I've come back to MO since we got her diagnosis. I got to spend a great deal of time with her a few weeks ago, but I felt like I left with something "undone". I couldn't decide what it was. I wrote her a long letter, we talked, hugged, etc., but I just had a feeling that I was forgetting to do something.
I took the kiddos up to see her this morning, which was great, but obviously a very brief visit. I was going to try to go up tomorrow by myself, but ended up going tonight after the babies were in bed. As we were talking, the nurse assistant came in to get her ready for bed. I went behind the curtain and waited on the other side. We were still chatting, and then it "hit me". I realized that this very well could be the last time I see my grandma. What are you supposed to do in this situation? I've never really known ahead of time that someone was going to die very soon. I've been at a loss. I didn't want to start bawling, so I was praying really hard for some sort of direction. I didn't want to look back and wish I would have done something different.
I asked her if she still ate dessert. Weird, huh? The thing is, when my sister and I were growing up, we went to DQ with them all the time. Anyway, she said "All I can get, why?". I said "Great, what do you want? I could go for a treat, too." (Since I'm on a diet and all) She said that she would love a hot fudge sundae from Braum's. Oh- one more thing. My grandma was always very in control of her figure, and hot fudge sundaes were a rare treat, and even then, she only ate about half. So.....
Fifteen minutes later, she was in her nightgown devouring her entire double dip hot fudge sundae, and I was sitting next to her eating my low-fat Reese's Cup (extra cups) mix. It was great. It was the best time ever, as a matter of fact. When I walked out, I had a much better feeling.
I don't know if I'll see my grandma again, but if I don't, I'll know that we shared some ice cream together - one more time. And it was my favorite ice cream ever.
One thing I do know for sure is that I want to get back to writing more about my family and the day to day stuff. This blog was starting to be about frugality more than anything. Not that there's anything wrong with that at all, but there really is so much more to my life than that!
Ok, anyway, I want to write about what I did tonight. Many of my readers already know this, but in case you don't, you should know about my grandmother. She's 86 years old, and she's very close to the end of this life here on earth. She's wonderful. She currently lives in a nursing home where she's being cared for and kept as comfortable as possible. You see, she has cancer in her liver, lungs, and bones. They're quite sure there's more, but she's opted out of any more testing/treatment. We all know that there's just not much time left with her.
This is the second time I've come back to MO since we got her diagnosis. I got to spend a great deal of time with her a few weeks ago, but I felt like I left with something "undone". I couldn't decide what it was. I wrote her a long letter, we talked, hugged, etc., but I just had a feeling that I was forgetting to do something.
I took the kiddos up to see her this morning, which was great, but obviously a very brief visit. I was going to try to go up tomorrow by myself, but ended up going tonight after the babies were in bed. As we were talking, the nurse assistant came in to get her ready for bed. I went behind the curtain and waited on the other side. We were still chatting, and then it "hit me". I realized that this very well could be the last time I see my grandma. What are you supposed to do in this situation? I've never really known ahead of time that someone was going to die very soon. I've been at a loss. I didn't want to start bawling, so I was praying really hard for some sort of direction. I didn't want to look back and wish I would have done something different.
I asked her if she still ate dessert. Weird, huh? The thing is, when my sister and I were growing up, we went to DQ with them all the time. Anyway, she said "All I can get, why?". I said "Great, what do you want? I could go for a treat, too." (Since I'm on a diet and all) She said that she would love a hot fudge sundae from Braum's. Oh- one more thing. My grandma was always very in control of her figure, and hot fudge sundaes were a rare treat, and even then, she only ate about half. So.....
Fifteen minutes later, she was in her nightgown devouring her entire double dip hot fudge sundae, and I was sitting next to her eating my low-fat Reese's Cup (extra cups) mix. It was great. It was the best time ever, as a matter of fact. When I walked out, I had a much better feeling.
I don't know if I'll see my grandma again, but if I don't, I'll know that we shared some ice cream together - one more time. And it was my favorite ice cream ever.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Works For Me Wednesday - Greatest Tips
If you didn't know, WFMW has a new host - We are THAT Family. Also, with this being the first Wednesday of the month, there is a theme - and it's Greatest Tips. I'm supposed to re-post or come up with a new tip that's my favorite. This is going to be hard!!
I think I'm going to have to go with my homemade laundry stuff - hands down. Not only does it work, but it's sooooooooo cheap. I've done the laundry detergent for awhile, and the fabric softener for a couple of weeks now. The links are below.
What about you? What's your favorite "works for me" tip?
Laundry detergent
Fabric softener
I think I'm going to have to go with my homemade laundry stuff - hands down. Not only does it work, but it's sooooooooo cheap. I've done the laundry detergent for awhile, and the fabric softener for a couple of weeks now. The links are below.
What about you? What's your favorite "works for me" tip?
Laundry detergent
Fabric softener
OH MY GOSH - I deleted my stuff
I DO NOT know what I did! I was trying to re-do my labels on my posts, and instead of deleting the labels, I deleted the posts! All of my writing for about the first 50 posts are totally gone. Does anyone know ANYTHING about this kind of thing - oh yikes.
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