ALIVE in 2010!

Today I experimented a little more with my juicer. For breakfast I had coconut, pear, romaine juice. I blended the water and meat from one young coconut and then added it to two juiced pears and a head of romaine lettuce. It was quite good, I must say. I love coconut. I think I could add it to pretty much anything. For lunch I decided on a nice vegetable juice. I did 5 tomatoes, half a red pepper, half a yellow pepper, a stalk of celery, and a little bit of Bragg's Amino. It was also very good. I wasn't sure because I vegetable juice is typically not my favorite, but I really enjoyed it.

Tomorrow we are entertaining people who are not, and don't want to be, vegetarians, much less raw vegans. That is okay with me because I realize this lifestyle is not for everyone, but it does make feeding everyone a bit challenging. At first I was going to say to hell with it and make a big pot of chili and have hot dogs on hand. They could all enjoy the chili and I could just make myself a smoothie. But I finally settled on a vegan homemade minestrone. It is not raw, but it is still chocked full of all kids of good stuff. I also got some crusty bread for everyone to enjoy and I am going to also chop up some fresh fruit and veggies to munch on. I figure that is a pretty good compromise. For dessert vegan pumpkin pie -- Yum! I can live with that. I am also juicing oranges in the morning and we are going to make mimosas. I am not a big champagne fan (I don't know many who are), but it is hard to beat a good mimosa!

2010 looks to be good, though, and I am excited about what this new year will bring. I think about how much life has changed in just a little over half a year of eating a high raw diet and I get goosebumps -- I can't see what a year of eating a high raw diet will bring, and two years, etc... I feel so much wiser, healthier, and ALIVE!

JUICY!

I received a juicer for Christmas and I have been juicing my little heart out today. The kids and I went to Costco this morning and they each got to pick out a fruit. Phillip picked apples (sweet apples, actually -- he makes sure to clarify "sweet"). Jake picked oranges and Emma picked pears. We bought in bulk because I wanted to try lots of different concoctions. Then we came home and did some experimenting. We made carrot, apple, pear, spinach juice. It was really good! I was surprised how much juice we got out of the carrots; it was pretty impressive. The juice was such a pretty orange, too.

I poured myself a large glass and that was lunch. I was going to have a salad, too, but I was full from the juice. In fact, I wasn't hungry all afternoon. I expect smoothies to fill me up, but just juice? I did not expect to be full. Jake drank a full glass, but Emma and Phillip just had a sip. They both said they liked it, but neither wanted a full glass. I'll keep trying. I did succeed in getting Phillip to eat a small salad at dinner this evening, though. It even had yellow and red bell peppers, onions, and cucumbers on it. Wayne and I are making a little extra effort to get him to eat his veggies. He is the only one of my children who turns his nose up at vegetables. If I don't offer it to him and show him how much we value having veggies in our diet then he is sure not to ever like them. Therefore, I will keep piling them on him plate and making him eat even a few small bites.

We got a new game for Christmas called Qwirkle. We really like playing games and this one was GREAT! If you haven't heard of it, I highly recommend taking a look at it. It requires lots of strategy and planning. It is MENSA approved, and we all enjoyed playing it. Speaking of games, we got another game that we played with the kids before my parents left that was also fun. It was Funglish. It is sort of like charades (you are trying to get people to guess a word), but there are only printed words, no acting. Both games guarantee a fun family night!

Before I wrap this blog up for the night I just have to tell you about one more thing. We had more SNOW today! I cannot believe it. It was not as much as Christmas Eve, only about one inch today, but it was so pretty falling. Tomorrow it will be in the mid forties, so it is not going to last long. We are enjoying it while we can.

Visioning 2010

This evening on the news they were talking about resolutions for the New Year. The reporter stated that the average American gains at least five pounds during the holidays and the majority of those do not lose the extra pounds. I have been one of the majority for many years now, but not this year! I am so very thankful that I found the raw food lifestyle! I am also thankful that I am finally healthy, happy, and fit.

This evening I have been working on making some vision boards for the 2010. I have been cutting and pasting photos and pictures of things I want to attract in my life. It may sound corny, but it helps me to get a clearer picture of what I want, and to focus on it. So what do I want in my life? Continued health, happiness, love, a peaceful spirit, success, financial independence, and to write and teach. Not much, huh? I put my posters in places where I see them regularly -- on my bathroom mirror, in my closet, above my desk, and inside my kitchen cabinets. Whenever I see them I try and REALLY notice them.

It may sound really corny, but I am a believer. Last year I put posters up that images of health on them. There were fit people, lots of fruits and vegetables, and affirmations of improved health. Of course, I began eating a raw diet last summer -- something I had never heard of before last year, I lost 40 pounds, and I had normal lab reports for the first time in 2 and a half years. Do I think the posters gave me all of that? No, of course not, but the posters helped me work toward the life I already imagined for myself.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas was very good! We have had so much fun in the snow. We don't see much snow in Texas so it was an extra special treat. This is the first snow Phillip really remembers. All of the kids (including my mom and dad) got marshmallow "shooter guns" and we have been having marshmallow wars all day. The dogs think they are in dog heaven eating marshmallows for Christmas. My mom is wrapped up in her Snuggie pelting my dad and Wayne as we speak. You have never heard so much laughing!

It was so nice to be with our friends and family. I really missed my brothers, but we did speak on the telephone. It is hard to live so far away and not be able to be with everyone. I hope they know how much we have thought of them today. Of course, we also missed all of our loved ones that are no longer with us -- my grandma and grandpa, my Mi Mi and Paw Paw, Wayne's dad, and Wayne's Mom Mom, too. We miss them everyday, but on Christmas their absence (or, I should say, presence) is particularly missed. At the risk of sounding corny, I must say I surely felt them near as we said the blessing this afternoon. I hope all of you had a Merry Christmas, too!

Luke Chapter 2

The Birth of Jesus

1In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3And everyone went to his own town to register.

4So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The Shepherds and the Angels

8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ[a] the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14"Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

15When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told

A WHITE CHRISTMAS!

It has been an interesting day. We found out this morning that my mother-in-law broke her foot yesterday at my daughter's performance in the Nutcracker. She went to the ER this morning when she woke up and her foot was VERY swollen. She got a temporary cast and has to see an orthopedic surgeon next week. She is feeling much better, though.

We have had family and friends stopping in all day and have really had a great time. On top of the great time we were already having. IT SNOWED HERE TODAY! The kids were so excited! Who would have thought? Yesterday it was 74 degrees here and now there is 3 inches of snow in my front yard. It is pretty cool, I must say -- a white Christmas, in Dallas, Texas. My mom said they had to come all the way to Texas to get a white Christmas.

Almost Oatmeal Cookies Rock!

My almost oatmeal cookies have been a hit today. I really like them and will definitely be making them again. They do take a while to make, but it is just the dehydration that takes such a long time. Making the dough is actually pretty quick and easy, and once they are in the dehydrator you don't have do anything except flip them. I guess what I am saying is that they were worth the effort.

Today Emma sang in the Nutcracker so we were very busy running back and forth to the performance hall for dress rehearsal this morning and the actual performance this evening. Her choir sang beautifully and were appreciated by all who were there. I am very, very tired tonight and have a million and a half things to do tomorrow so I turning in for the night. Sweet dreams!

Holidays: Preparing to Succeed

Three days and counting. Mom and Dad are driving here as we speak and should arrive within the next hour. We are all getting excited! Today the kids and I made white chocolate covered pretzels and some organic cookies. Those are some of their favorite treats. Then we made some treats for me. I made raw almost oatmeal cookies -- they are in the dehydrator as I type. I also bought lots of fruit and am ready for the holidays! Tomorrow I am making raw not-peanut butter cookies and raw brownies so we can leave some for Santa. I have been so much healthier that I do not want to fall off of the wagon because of a failure to prepare.

For one brief moment, all of the laundry is done and the house is clean. I am enjoying it while I can because Wayne and the boys will be home any minute and this moment will be over as soon as they walk in the door. Oh well, it was good while it lasted. They have been at a living creche tonight. Jake was a shepherd. Phillip loved petting the sheep, donkeys, and cows. Emma and I did not go because she had choir rehearsal since she is singing in the Nutcracker tomorrow. They practices with the symphony tonight and she was thrilled! It was neat for her to practice singing with the back-up of an orchestra -- she said she felt like a "real" singer.

The Whole Pizza

Wayne and I had the home made raw pizzas for dinner tonight. I must say, I did a good job! My pizza crusts weren't as pretty as Bliss', but they tasted just as good. I made pesto and raw pizza sauce and layered them on the crusts. Then I topped the pizzas with raw sun-dried olives, purple onions, and Roma tomatoes. They were pretty, but they looked pretty small. I was worried that we would still be hungry, but neither Wayne nor I could finish our entire pizza -- they were very filling! I will eat the leftovers tomorrow for lunch. Wayne was worried because they didn't have cheese on them, but once he tasted it, he said he didn't miss the cheese at all.

Today I took the kids to North Park Mall in Dallas and we went to the model train exhibit. It was really cool, and the kids absolutely LOVED it, even Emma. The tracks and scenes were so elaborate. It doesn't cost much money and the proceeds go to The Ronald McDonald House. It was very well done. We also saw a very cute (and FREE) puppet show in the mall. I try not to take 3 children to the mall EVER, but especially when it is crowded, because it is a recipe for disaster. Not today, though, and let me tell you, the mall was not just crowded -- it was packed! Nevertheless, we had a very nice time. The SPCA also had a booth set up in the mall and played with all of the puppies. They really had some cute ones. My favorite breed is a mutt, and they had lots of those. We adopted both of our dogs from dog shelters and I am a huge advocate of shelter adoptions. If we did not already have two dogs, I may have brought one home. The pic is of one named Minnie. She looked like a little Clyde (one of our dogs).

By the way, Happy Winter Solstice. I can't believe that there are only 4 more days until Christmas.

A Green Smoothie Day

Today was a green smoothie day! I had one for breakfast and one for dinner. It always makes me feel good to eat good. Sometimes I think I am really hungry and that what really sounds good is a slice of pizza or an egg sandwich, but then I drink my smoothie and find myself fully satisfied. There are times when I make a deal with myself that I can eat whatever I think I am craving if, and only if, I drink my green smoothie first and find that I am still craving it. It always works.

The first was a spinach, mango, banana, orange. The second was kale, young coconut water and meat, orange and banana. I had a salad with dried cranberries, blueberries, figs, and pistachios on it. I realize I haven't been writing a lot about what I have been eating lately. I guess it is because I am getting so used to eating this way, that I don't think of it as being something different anymore. I did cook for the kids and Wayne today. They had roasted red potatoes with rosemary and garlic, black beans, and sugar snap beans. Oh, and I have been meaning to write about the pizza crusts that I FINALLY got around to making -- they turned out great! I have eaten part of one, but tomorrow night I m making homemade pizzas with them. Emma and Wayne liked it, and Jake thought it was okay. I a eager to try the whole pizza.

Got my Bliss On!

Today I finished my Christmas shopping. The kids and I went into town to finish up and I realized that we were near Bliss Raw Food Cafe' so we went there for lunch! It was so GOOD! I had coconut kale enchiladas. I know, it sounds not so good, but it was delicious! Even Jake liked it! Jake got a Vietnamese Pho Soup, and Emma ordered a Margarita pizza. We split some brownies for dessert. They put frosting on their brownies which makes them very chocolaty -- I need to learn how to make the frosting.

We wrapped presents all afternoon. One person would have to go out of the room so we could wrap their presents and then we would switch. Our children buy Christmas presents for us and each other with their own money so they get excited just thinking about each others' reactions will be when they open the present they gave them. Jake even adopted his own angel from the Salvation Army tree this year. They are like other children in that they would much rather spend my money than theirs, and complain about how expensive things are and if I would only give them 3 more dollars they could buy something really cool. However, it is good for them to stick to a budget, and to realize that it is not how much you spend that matters.

Precious Clarification & an Awesome Check-up!

My friend Catherine reminded me that not everyone loves the movie Precious as much as I did. She reminded me that it has been widely criticized for portraying light-skinned black people in a more favorable way than dark-skinned black people. It has also been criticized for portraying abuse and poverty as stereotypically "black" issues. While I understand the criticism and am glad that my friend brought it up, I stick with my initial review -- the movie is great and should not be missed! The fact that we are thinking about the issues, no matter which side you come down on is a good thing to me. For me, personally, the sex crimes committed in this movie did not speak about "black" issues. I wrote about two specific young girls the movie made me think about, one was a black girl from my sixth grade class, and one was a white girl from rural Georgia. We cannot ignore the fact that the victims of these crimes are most often women. That being said, we cannot ignore the fact that women of color are more likely (black and Latina women are at least twice as likely as white women) to experience poverty, and I believe the movie wanted to show that there are more crimes being committed against women than sex crimes, and that poverty is also a form of abuse. It was difficult for adults to first, understand, and then, to help Precious because of the extreme poverty in which they all lived. While many of the characters who helped Precious along her journey were lighter-skinned black people, Precious is definitely the heroine of her own story. She could not have been the heroine had it not been for those who helped her, and the movie shows the extraordinary power of people to love one another and to love the self. I believe that some people go through their entire lives and have no idea that crimes like these are being committed everyday. I believe there are others who live lives similar to Precious, and never know that life can be different. Both of these scenarios are horribly tragic; if Precious opens the hearts of just one person, then telling you all to see it will be worth it in my opinion. Anyway, I felt that I needed to clarify my review of the movie -- thank you Catherine, for your insight.

On a totally separate note, I went to the endocrinologist today and had my second excellent report! Eating raw continues to pay off! My doctor continues to be baffled by the fact that I have no dairy in my diet and my calcium levels are remaining within normal range -- he says I am peculiar.

Busy, busy, busy

Wow! It has been a whirlwind of a weekend! We had so much going on -- Christmas parties, finishing our shopping, dress rehearsals for Emma's choir performance, Phillip's Christmas play, Jake's lock-in, and a soccer game! We did not slow down at all. I was glad Monday was here so we could slow down a bit! We will really have to wait until tomorrow to slow down because tonight was Emma's choir performance; she sings in the Collin County Children's Choir. It was awesome (I am not just saying that because I am a mom, either) - check out the clip!

The kids and I are starting to plan menus for Christmas. Emma told me tonight I need to make the raw chocolate cherry brownies for Santa because they are her favorite, and she wondered whether Santa would even be able to tell that they were raw. She also asked me when there was going to be another raw food meet up because she wants to go. Of course we are going to make raw almond cookies and date-nut balls. That is a s far as we got, you can see we have our priorities straight -- dessert first! Good thing we have a week and a half to decide what else we are going to eat.

My friend Liz emailed this weekend and told me her good news -- normal blood pressure for the first time in a long time. She credits her raw diet with helping get her health on track. I am so very proud of her, and glad that I have been a part of helping her be the very best person she can be!

A Family Experiment

I did a little bit of Christmas shopping this afternoon. The stress is on the find the last few things. I am having HUGE envy of my friend Joshua who does not celebrate Christmas in the traditional, American way. His family has decided not to buy presents for one another, but just to enjoy being together. I REALLY like that! I mentioned it to Jake and Emma and they looked at me like, "We're not going to do that are we?"

While Christmas can get very hectic and totally out of control, I have to admit I do like shopping for that perfect gift for people on my list. It is too bad we have to do it all at Christmas. I always try and put a lot of thought into the gifts I give and it really helps me to feel closer to my friends and family. The key is to keep it all in perspective, though. Christmas is not about presents, cookies, and decorating. While those things can be fun to do, Christmas is about so much more than that and that is what we tend to lose sight of the fastest.

Today we participated in a family experiment. We did not turn on the television or play any video games for the entire day. It made for a very nice day! We read books and talked, and all three children played very nicely together for an ENTIRE hour! We had to be very intentional with keeping Phillip occupied, but he did well. I think Jake and Emma were quite surprised to learn that they could live without it. I think we will make this an ongoing experiment at my house!

BTW -- here is a pic of my loaded salad today.

Staying Warm

It is still Cold in Dallas, Texas -- 22 degrees tonight. It has been a little hard to eat raw because it is so cold outside. I have been making some warm green soup the past couple of days to help warm my bones. I don't know when I became such a wimp about the cold, but I definitely am wimpy! I write this sitting in my deluxe Snuggie. I love my Snuggie!

Tomorrow I get my new dishwasher! I am very excited! 20 years ago I never thought I would say that I was excited to get a dishwasher, but I am going to be one happy woman tomorrow! I may even hug the delivery guy's neck!

Today I got so busy with home schooling I neglected to make my pizza crusts. I just ran out of time. Somedays I do not know where the time goes. We get caught up in learning about Vikings or verbs and before I know it the day is over. I guess part of it was because we spent most of the morning at the dentist. No one had any cavities -- YEAH! I have to go back in January to have some old silver fillings replaced, which scares me to death, but I have some time to psyche myself up for my date with the dentist.

A little complaining followed by a lot of good news!

When we moved to Texas 2 years ago I thought I was moving to a warmer climate! Someone did not get the memo because it is downright COLD! Tonight and tomorrow night it will be in the low twenties with wind chills in the teens. Now, I know some of my readers live in northern and western climates that are much colder than a Texas winter, and you are all probably laughing at me about right now. But, seriously, my hat goes off to all of you! How do you do it? I am a winter wimp! If it is going to be this cold can't we at least have some pretty snow instead of gray drizzle?

Tomorrow I have to get up very early in the very COLD weather and go to the dentist, of all places. Those of you who know me well know that going to the dentist is my biggest fear. I can get shots from the doctor all day long, I can give birth to three babies, naturally, and I can convince myself to do lots of scary things, BUT the dentist -- you have to drag me in and stand there and hold my hand the entire time! It is scary. I have nightmares about the dentist, right there in my face, poking me with that little hook thing.

Okay, okay, okay... I have been complaining all night (it's the dentist worry thing). But now for good news! My speech went very well today! It was actually a lot of fun, and I enjoyed meeting some new friends. Another good thing - Wayne went to the grocery for me today (wait, there's more) and got all of the ingredients for me to try my hand at making raw pizza crusts in the dehydrator tomorrow. They will take a while to dry, so we won't be able to taste them tomorrow, but I am excited about making them! The kids and I will have fun doing that. This will be my first try at "cooking" something in the dehydrator. And I am also anticipating more good news -- tomorrow I have to repeat my labs (blood and urine tests) to monitor my kidneys and calcium levels, I am fully anticipating that my blood work will be completely normal once again. I believe my high raw diet is making all of the difference in my health. I feel so much better and I believe that is going to be reflected in my labs. I'll let you know when i get the results back!

A little extra "oomph"

Tomorrow I am giving a speech at a church here in Dallas, and I am a bit nervous. I am going to have a super duper green smoothie in the morning to get my motor running and give me that extra "oomph" I need. I am planning it already.

Today, the kids and I finished Canterbury Tales. They really liked it! It was fun. Tomorrow they are writing their own Canterbury Tale, so it should be interesting to say the least.

I am feeling myself starting to get a bit anxious about Christmas. It is closing in fast and I have so much to do. I feel like I was ready to get it all done at the beginning of November and held myself back thinking it was "too early," and now that it is mid- December I can't get myself going. Maybe my morning smoothie will help me in that department, too.

Wayne went to the Kiss concert here last night. He was so excited. He took his brother as an early Christmas present (he is a huge fan), but I don't know who had more fun! He must have called me 20 time telling me what cool thing they were doing. However, we are very tired! We did not get to bed until after 1:00 A.M. I couldn't sleep because I was waiting on him to get home, and then he told me all about it before we went to bed. Needless to say, I am holding my eyelids open as we speak and a green smoothie can only do so much.

Precious -- Definitely Worth Seeing!

Last night Wayne and I went to see the movie Precious. Wow! If Monique does not win an award for this movie, then something is BAD wrong with America. In fact, if this movie doesn't win multiple awards I will be surprised. Precious is an excellent movie. It will take your breath away. Yes, there are parts of this movie that are sad and very hard to watch; but make no mistake, this movie is also filled with hope and the triumph of the human spirit.

I could not help but think about a young girl that I went to middle school with in Nashville, Tn who had her second child in the sixth grade. She was in my class and must have been at least 3 years older than me. I also could not help thinking about a young girl that I saw as a physical therapist in Waycross, GA who had spina bifida. She was in the first grade and was in foster care due to molestation and rape by her father while her mother did nothing. Precious' story is the story of many young girls (and boys). I wish her story were an isolated event, but unfortunately it is not. The movie reminded me that my comfortable world is not so comfortable.

Anyway, please do not miss this movie! It is well worth your time, money, and thoughts!

Grocery shopping, weight loss stories, and hot yoga!

I went to the grocery today and stocked up on all my favorite fruits and veggies. I can't believe I am saying this, but it was actually fun! The kids were behaving and so many things looked good! I buy a lot of frozen organic fruit at Costco during the fall and winter and we went there first. The Vita-Mix demonstrator was there today doing his thing. He made a great drink -- 3 cups of grapes and a slice of lemon (peel and all). Jake and Emma couldn't wait to get a sample. We all liked it; needless to say we bought some grapes and lemons. I'll be making that again!

Today I saw a couple of people I haven't seen in several months. They were astonished at how much weight I have lost and wanted to know how much I have lost and what I have been doing to lose it. It felt so good to get such a reaction! I told them all I had done was become a raw vegan. We ended up having a 20 minute conversation about what kinds of things I eat and how much healthier I look and feel. One girls mind was ticking, I could tell she was considering it. It is such a joy to share my story with other people.

I am thinking about enrolling Jake, Emma, and I in a trial hot yoga class. They are willing and I am interested. My sister-in-law used to take a hot yoga class and she loved it! I am wanting some fitness for myself and some physical education for the kids. If you've ever participated in a hot yoga class I would love to hear from you about what you thought! I talked to a teacher this morning and she thought the kids could definitely do it. I will let you know what we decide.

Home Again!

We are home again, home again, lickety-split! We had a fun, but very quick trip to Nashville. Yesterday it rained most of the way drive back. All the rain made it seem like it took so long to get here because you couldn't keep track of the time by watching the sun. We were all very tired and went to bed early.

All in all, the trip went very nicely. My mom got a bit under the weather while we were there, and I did eat some things that I do not normally eat at home, but mostly just cooked vegetables and a cookie or two. I also had several very good raw meals while I was there as well. I think that my family (not mom so much, but dad and my brothers) still find it hard to believe I do not eat meat. They are all very supportive of my decision not to eat it, but they still think it is a bit strange.

Truthfully, it is a bit strange. I grew up having meat every day, and it is strange to sit down at the table with my family and not have meat. It is also strange not to want it, or even crave it. If you would have told me a year ago that I would no longer eat meat, I would have laughed in your face. I may have told you that you would be right, "when hell freezes over." Funny how fast life changes. Whether it is our diet, where we live, our jobs, or what we are choosing to do in the present moment -- life can change in the blink of an eye.

At times the changes seem overwhelming, and they are so very scary! Other times the changes are welcomed with open arms. Still others we tread into with equal amounts of hesitation and expectation. But, one thing I know for sure is that if we didn't have change life would be boring! Change lets us know that we are alive. It forces us to make choices to feel our minds ticking, our blood flowing, our our hearts thumping. Change forces us to move.

Home again.

I have been off of the radar for a few days because we decided to make a quick trip to Nashville after all. A small trip is better than no trip. We celebrated Thanksgiving in Dallas with Wayne's mother and brother and it was very nice. However, it just felt weird not seeing my family at Thanksgiving, too. So Friday we packed up the car and took off driving. It is a bit of a haul, but well worth it.

We have been visiting with my parents, brother, sister-in-law, and my niece and nephew. It has been a lot of fun! I think my mom was really nervous about what to make for me to eat while I was here, but it has been easier than she thought and my family is very supportive. I had some vegetable soup, green smoothie, and we made a wonderful salad that everyone enjoyed yesterday as well!

I wish we were able to stay for a longer trip. Since this is "home" for me, I have many friends I would like to see, but am just not going to have the opportunity this time around. It is strangely wonderful being back. The scenery is so beautiful! Even though most of the leaves have already dropped, the landscape, the hills and valleys, are still gorgeous! I miss the texture of the land -- Dallas is pretty flat and metropolitan. I must say, though, that Dallas is growing on me. Whenever you move it is always hard to adjust, but moving away from "home" is particularly difficult. We have been away for two years now so I am starting see that Dallas isn't so bad after all.

Pink rubber gloves -- the new sexy

Emma was feeling much better today! I am thankful for that! We were even able to get her hair cut -- it is so cute. It is her first "tweener" haircut; I took her to my stylist for the first time. She looks so good! Getting her hair done put a little pep in her step. I could tell she felt great about herself and her new do because she was posing in the mirror. After we got her hair cut we went to pick up out Thanksgiving meal and someone asked her right way if she was 14 (remember she just turned 11, and she is about 5'5"). When she told the lady how old she was the lady said, "Holy model!" Emma was just shining.

I was getting in the holiday spirit today and made a new smoothie. It had cranberries, apples, kale, agave, a vanilla bean, and cinnamon. It was yummy and did the job getting me in the spirit to celebrate thankfulness. I didn't even mind doing the dishes by hand. It hasn't been too bad not having a dishwasher. I may feel differently by December 10th, but so far so good. I kinda like my bright pink rubber gloves. They are the new sexy.

Thanksgiving preparation is underway!

I should have known that either Jake or Emma was going to get what Phillip had last week. Emma was the lucky one. She has been sick all day -- cough, sore throat, fever, and throwing up. I took her to the doctor, and they said it is just a virus and we have to wait it out. We are hoping that tomorrow will be much better for Emma. I have been loading her up with fluids, vitamin C, and homemade vegetable soup. She really isn't hungry, though, and has been sleeping most of the day. Sleeping is good and healing!

I had two delicious smoothies today. One was kale, pineapple, strawberry, banana, papaya. The other was apple, banana,strawberries. I also ordered a Thanksgiving meal this year. Wayne's mother and brother are celebrating Thanksgiving with us. In short, am the only raw foodie. I did not want to spend the whole day preparing food that I cannot eat. I ordered from Central Market, so my family is going to eat good! Not only will their food be delicious, it is also organic and the turkey is a free-range turkey. I feel good about feeding them good stuff, and I also feel good about staying true to myself and the goals I have for my own health.

Spring in November

We had a wonderful salad for dinner this evening. It had lettuce, broccoli, dried cranberries, carrots, cucumbers and onions. It was warm here today, almost seventy degrees, and it tasted so refreshing! It almost made it seem like summer.

Phillip had a play date today with some of the children from his preschool. The hostess was so nice and had sandwiches, drinks, and desserts set out for the moms while the children played. It is these types of social situations that always worry me. I don't want to appear to be rude, but I also don't want to compromise the way that I feel either. I politely declined and told her that we ate a late breakfast. I think I always get more nervous about it than is really warranted. I don't think anyone thought anything about my declining the refreshments.

On another note I have been doing some serious house cleaning the last few days. I am rearranging furniture and doing some of the heavy duty cleaning. I know it is not spring, but the cleaning bug has definitely bitten me. I am really interested in simplifying my life these days, and feel as though cleaning my house is helping me clean out my life and make room for new things to move in.

Living foods and God

I am teaching a Sunday school class on The Song of Solomon (a.k.a. Song of Songs, a.k.a. the centerfold of the Bible). I was really nervous about teaching it at first, but it has really been a lot of fun! I have enjoyed learning about it and teaching it. One thing it has made me realize is that Christians don't utilize our senses near enough. (I realize that this is a HUGE generalization, but one that I am willing to make). Christians rarely take the time to feel God and/or Jesus with anything other than our "brains." What would happen if we really paid attention to what is going on around us. What would happen if we listened for God? I don't mean listen as in when the preacher says on Sunday morning before reading the Scripture, "Listen for the Word of God..." I mean really listened and heard God speak in the way the birds chirped at daybreak on Saturday morning, or in my five year-old's voice exclaiming the wonder of how the sun can shoot beams through the clouds. What if we heard God speak in the nursing home as the 92 year-old woman ponders if tomorrow will be her last day, or in the 82 year-old person's room next door explaining how she can't wait until his grand-daughter visits tomorrow.

What if we tasted God's work every time we bit into a ripe and delicious honey crisp apple. What if we smelled God in the labor of our laundry? What would happen if, when I rubbed the tear off the cheek of a tweener or a grandmother I imagined I could feel God's own tears. Could we handle it? Would it be a sensory overload? Sensory perception may, in fact, be THE best way we can sense God's presence in our lives.

You have read many times where I have written that I noticed my food more now that I eat a high raw diet. I appreciate the smell, the texture, and the taste more. I appreciate the labor it took to get from the soil to my table. I know it sound silly, but maybe I am sensing God's presence -- the real livingness of my food. The real smells, tastes, and textures that were meant for me to perceive. Perhaps eating living foods requires me to be alive in a way I had neglected before now.

Seeking Suggestions for Thanksgiving

Shopping for a new dishwasher is not fun at all! I am stressed and tired. I have been racing back and forth from Sears to Home Depot, to Lowes, and Best Buy. Of course, no one has the dishwasher I like in stock and it will take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks depending on where we decide to buy it (The stores with the cheapest prices are, no doubt, the ones where it will take weeks to get it). What is a few weeks anyway?

I also looked at some new flooring for our kitchen today as well. That is also stressful, but a little more fun. We have been wanting to refinish the floors in our house since we moved in two years ago. Now we have an excuse to actually do it. I just hope that the quotes don't totally blow my mind. Let's just say, I know what I am getting for Christmas this year.

Thank Goodness Tomorrow is Friday! I am looking forward to a relaxing weekend. We may break out the Christmas decorations. Phillip is really into decorating this year. He is ready to celebrate. Speaking of celebrating, I am beginning my raw food research on Thanksgiving meals. If you have any suggestions, please email me!

Getting my giddy-up back!

Life has been CRAZY the past few days. We found out Phillip had pneumonia, Emma had a birthday (and a party), and the dishwasher broke, leaking all over the kitchen floor. I tried to buy a new one today, but they had nothing in stock at Home Depot and I didn't have time to go anywhere else. Tomorrow someone is coming to look at the hardwood floor to see if there is any way we can salvage it. Joy! Joy!

Seriously, though, life could be much worse. We are very fortunate to be blessed with the life we have. This is just a little crimp in my tail, a little hitch in my giddy-up. I am so glad that Phillip is feeling better and we still found a way to pull off a birthday party by juggling everyone out of the house since Phillip was very sick. Wayne took them roller skating, then switched places with me and I took them for pizza and ice cream. Emma was happy and Phillip was able to rest and recuperate.

I think I have mentioned before that I still cook for the kids. They eat a primarily vegetarian diet. We don't buy milk or cheese for home, but they still eat it when they go out to eat. They even occasionally eat meat. Some people have asked me if it is hard to cook for them and still eat my raw food. I have to say that it is not. I love my food so much, and I love the way it makes me feel, so I am not tempted. I do sometimes taste what I make them to make sure it is seasoned alright, but it never tastes as good as I remember it.

Tonight, I made spaghetti for the kids and Wayne and I made a wonderful green smoothie for dinner tonight -- fresh pineapple, water and meat from a young coconut, kale, and frozen strawberries. It turned out very good! Wayne took one sip and said, "YUM!" He never thought kale could be so good.

The Master Cleanse was a bust, or maybe not.

It is 3:34 A.M. and I am writing my blog. Yesterday morning I woke up to a very sick little boy. He is running a pretty high fever, coughing, stuffy nose, and very snotty. He has been kinds puny all week, but yesterday he was especially puny. I have taken him to the doctor and he does not have the flu, an ear infection, or strep, so it is viral and all we can do is wait it out. Needless to say I have tip toed up the stairs a few times to check on him and make sure that he is okay.

Needless to say the Master Cleanse is a bust for me. I only had enough lemons for yesterday morning's lemonade and I needed to go to the grocery store to get more, but there was no way I could take Phillip feeling the way he does, and no way I was going to leave him home without me or Wayne. I had pretty much gotten over the hungry feeling, but I was still pretty tired and cranky -- not good things to try and negotiate when you have a sick baby. So, maybe it is just not for me at this juncture in my life.

I am not saying the Master Cleanse is a bad thing, in fact, I think it has helped many people. But, I am no longer trying to lose weight -- thanks to my raw diet, I reached my goal weight. I did want to see if it would help me achieve some mental and emotional clarity about my life, but I think there are other ways I can do that.

Beginning a raw food diet was a HUGE step for me, and it has literally changed my life for the better in so many ways! At the time it seemed like I was making an extreme move, and I needed to do that because my health was very poor. I did not know what I was going to eat if I couldn't have beef tacos, smothered chicken, french fries, and macaroni and cheese. Not that I didn't eat healthy foods, too; I always had a side salad (covered in blue cheese) and a vegetable side. Now I see the choice to eat raw was not as extreme as it first seemed. Instead of swinging widely to some fad diet (as I had done so many times before) I was making a choice to balance my life with the foods that nature really intended me to eat. I said no more to engineered food -- no refined sugar, processed junk, additive and preservative coated meat and dairy products, or salt infused mixes and sauces -- and returned to simple foods. What seemed extreme at the time was not at all, it was returning to the basics. Where and how did I get so off track? I can think of numerous reasons now that I SAD (Standard American Diet) consumer. Like many Americans I was turning a blind eye to the food industry, and I was telling myself, "If they can sell it in the grocery stores or a restaurant, it can't be that bad for me." I neglected opportunities to learn about how my food got on the table. I was consuming exactly what I was told. I was filling my emptiness, disappointments, and heartaches with fat laden, sugar coated, syrup dripping, salt loaded ANYTHING that looked like it couldn't possible come from a garden or farm. I was so disconnected from my food!

When I started this I had no idea what a turnip looked like, or that there were so many varieties of kale. I did not know that a salad could taste so good without croutons and blue cheese. I did not know you could put berries and nuts on a salad. I had no idea that there were so many different types of greens or sprouts. I did not know what tahini or young coconut was or where to even begin to find them in the grocery store. I did not know I could roll sushi (vegetable, of course), marinate vegetables and not cook them, or make raw cookies. I had no clue that I could prepare an entire meal without using the stove, oven, or microwave. I did not know food, real, natural, food could make such a huge difference in how I felt and looked!

Yesterday, I must say I was a little bit disappointed that I could not stick it out through the Master Cleanse. After all, I did all my research, read the entire book, and thought I was totally prepared. I REALLY wanted the clarity. But, as I sit here typing at what is now 4:18 A.M. I am realizing that perhaps the Master Cleanse gave me exactly what I needed after all. I don't want an extreme diet. I want my food to give me balance, health, taste, and goodness and I have all of that already.

Cleansing One Day at a Time

This morning went much better. What went down, stayed down. I must admit I was a little worried and nervous about drinking the salt water this morning, but it worked out alright. I was, however, quite tired and cranky today. The book, Lose Weight, Have More Energy & Be Happier in 10 Days by Peter Glickman, says that is normal and part of the detox. It should go away after tomorrow. I hope so.

I was a little hungry today, too. However, I wasn't craving crazy stuff or really anything from a SAD diet. I miss my raw almond cookies, a good salad with fresh berries, and my trail mix. I don't think I craved a green smoothie because it is a drink, and I was craving something to chew. Part of me is wondering if I can make it 10 days, but I am going to keep trying. One day at a time.

Rough Start to the Master Cleanse, but good 1st Day

Well, the cleanse started out a little rough this morning. I drank my salt water this morning and all seemed to be fine for a few minutes. Then, all of the sudden, I started gagging and next thing I knew I was running to the bathroom. Needless to say, what went down came back up. It was not fun, but I immediately felt better and was able to continue the regimen for the rest of the day.

Wish I could say as much for Wayne. He chickened out after a long meeting today. He bailed on me. I can't really blame him, to be honest. It is difficult to do this. I made dinner for the kids tonight and felt quite hungry. I also made the mistake of visiting Bliss Cafe's website (a local raw food restaurant) and checking out their new menu. I was having some pretty big cravings for Bliss! Perhaps I will go there to celebrate making it through the cleanse.

Have I been truly hungry? No, not really, but the habit of eating is what makes it hard! It is so natural to pick up a piece of fruit when I walk by the kitchen and chomp on an apple or enjoy a banana. I wonder how many times I have grabbed a piece of fruit or handful of trail mix and eaten it when I really wasn't hungry. Something to think about, isn't it.

Master Cleanse Revisited

Well, I have been pondering the Master Cleanse since the last time my plan to do it fell through due to birthday plans. I have done lots of research on it and I am going to try it. I went to the grocery tonight and got all my lemons, so I am ready to give it a go. If I don't like it, or the way it makes me feel I will discontinue it, but I am planning to give it my all. Those of you who know me, know that once I decide to jump in I do so with both feet!

I am actually a bit excited about it. I feel as though I have been in a bit of a rut, and am hoping to gain a bit of clarity and perspective. This is going to be a time of prayer, reflection, and meditation for me. Wayne says he wants to try it, too, so that should make it a little easier -- having a partner. We will see.

Emma's Adventures at the Raw Food Meet up!

This morning I could not believe it was already Monday. Tonight I can't believe that Monday is almost over. This entire weekend flew by so fast. We were so busy with youth group, soccer games, choir practice, church, teaching, and dinners. Wayne and I had to split up to get everyone where they needed to go. Emma and I went to a Raw Food Meetup near our house. I found the group on Meetup.com and it was really GREAT! Wayne and I had been to a meetup once before. Everyone brings a dish and you can learn about other people, why they eat raw foods, how they prepare their meals, etc.

Emma, being ten and only about 30% raw was a reluctant attendee, but agreed to go. I told her she didn't have to eat a lot of anything, just to take a little bit of each thing and try it, and then she could go back and get what she wanted. We took raw almond cookies and pistachio-fig cookies, which were a hit. But, everything was a hit! Someone made raw mashed potatoes with gravy and marinated onions, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie (the mashed potatoes were made from celery root, and the pumpkin pie had no pumpkin -- only carrots and sweet potatoes). Someone else made bananas foster. There was lots of fruit and pine nuts from Italy. It was all very YUMMY!

Emma took a little bit of everything and liked everything. She had a third helping of pumpkin pie, seconds of cranberry sauce, ate her fill of fruit, and had lots of Mom's cookies. She really had a good time, and when people were asking what kinds of raw things I make at home she would say, "Oh she makes raw tacos and they are soooo good," or "she makes me a green smoothie I love." They really got a kick out of her. When it was time to go, she asked if she could come with me again next time! IT makes me feel good to know that I am helping her figure out healthy eating patterns before she is an adult and that she is learning that good for you foods can also taste really good!

I highly recommend looking up raw food meet ups in your area, and take your children, too!

More Green Smoothie Recipes and quick tips

So far so good -- Jake and Emma are really liking The Canterbury Tales and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. What's not to like? Why did schools quit reading novels? The entire time Jake and Emma were in public school they were never required to read a novel. They did receive A.R. points for reading them, but that was not an assignment. Peculiar, huh?

Today was a green smoothie day for me. For breakfast I had a kale, with frozen grapes and peaches. I buy grapes and peaches in bulk when they are in season and stick them in the freezer until I want to use them. Frozen grapes are a wonderful snack all by themselves. Anyway, my breakfast was so good that I was a craving another green smoothie for lunch. I had spinach, pineapple, strawberry, papaya, mango (I bought a bag of frozen, organic tropical fruit), and then added a banana. I also made some trail mix today. I will have to hide it, though because Jake and Emma found it and were eating it by the fistfuls.

Seriously, I am so glad that they want to eat it. I would much rather them want to snack on raw nuts and dried fruit than on chips or candy. I think that i am going to try my hand at the dehydrator tomorrow and see how that goes. So far I have been a little intimidated, but I am almost ready to give it a go. I am the type of person who likes to read the entire manual first.

Glow Forth and Create!

A quote caught my eye today: "Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself." The author is unknown. Those simple words have stuck in my mind all day. How true! After my surgery, when I was so sick, I felt like I was stuck in rut and not able to get out. Isn't that what being stuck in a rut is all about -- forgetting how or not being able to create. The past six months I have been making up lost ground and creating like crazy!

My creations include: a healthy body, mind, and spirit, a happy home, home school lessons galore, numerous recipes, well-adjusted children, and lots of love. Before raw foods came into my life I thought many of these things were unattainable for me either because my body would not let me (I was so tired and sick all of the time), or because I was in such a poor state of mind that I just wasn't able. Within one week of eating raw foods my mind was awakened and refreshed, though. I was no longer I able to fool myself into believing that I was a victim. Within one month of eating a high raw diet my body was so much healthier there was no denying that what I was doing was very good. Now that I have been eating an almost completely raw diet for months I feels as though my spirit is happy and that I shine from the inside out. It is always easy to fool people by putting on a smile and saying, "I am okay." I, like many of you, have done that on numerous occasions. But, now I really am okay and I think it shows.

Many people talk about the "glow" you get when you begin a raw food diet -- your skin clears up, you look bright-eyed and bushy tailed, your hail is shiny and soft, etc. When I first started eating raw I kept checking myself in the mirror to see if I had "the glow" yet. Other people started noticing it before I did and would ask me what I was doing different. Eventually, I was able to see it. Now, I don't have to check the mirror to see if it is there because I can feel it in my very being. Glow, baby, glow!

"Raw LOVE! It changes you."

I ordered a T-shirt several months ago that was back ordered because there were more orders than anticipated. I got it in the mail yesterday and I am so EXCITED! It says Raw Love: It changes you. I ordered it from a company called Lovemore. The t-shirt itself is "green" and that makes me feel good, too. Lovemore is a pretty cool company, check them out at www.chooselovemore.com. If raw is not your thing, they have other t-shirts, too. I felt pretty darn great wearing my shirt today. Thanks Lovemore!

The kids and I also got the book we are going to read next -- The Canterbury Tales. I can't wait to see their faces once we start reading it. Boy, are they in for a surprise! The Canterbury Tales is one of my favorite books in the world. I feel so blessed that I have the opportunity to share it with them, to see their faces and hear their giggles the first time they realize that the author is describing "passing gas" or "belching." I can't wait to hear them ask if we can read just one more chapter.

I am feeling so much better today! Despite the fact that I stayed up half the night (I've been up since 1 A.M., sometimes cold medicine does that to me), my upper respiratory infection is almost gone. I must give credit where credit is due -- all hail the green smoothie! All in all it has been a very good day!

CDC: Tainted beef may be linked to 2 deaths - CharlotteObserver.com

CDC: Tainted beef may be linked to 2 deaths - CharlotteObserver.com

Va-va -va-voom!

I've been a little under the weather. Yesterday I had a fever, aches, sore throat, chills, the whole thing. This morning I went to the doctor just to make sure I didn't have strep or H1N1 -- but I did not. YEAH! I just have an upper respiratory infection and I am already starting to feel a little bit better. I've been drinking a lot of green smoothies and water and juices trying to flush it out of my system. My new favorite smoothie is pineapple, raspberry, lime, and spinach. It is so good! I just throw it all in and turn on the Vita-mix. You know how it is when your nose is stuffy and you can't taste very well, but I can taste this smoothie with all of the tangy flavors. I call it va-va-va-voom.

I must credit my breast doctor with part of the recipe. Dr. Jekot is a breast cancer survivor and although she is not a raw foodist, she eats "mostly vegetarian" and does everything she can to stay healthy. While she was doing my biopsy last week we were exchanging smoothie recipes. She has not ever had a green smoothie, so I was doing my best to convince her that it was good. She had the pineapple, raspberry, lime smoothie recipe and I just added the spinach. You really can't tell a difference in the taste. To be honest, the color is kinda nasty, but put it in a solid color cup and you would never be able to tell what color it is anyway.

I am attaching a picture of me in my leggings today, too. Ever since I mentioned it a couple of weeks ago I have been hearing from several of you saying, "It is time we see those leggings." I am "Back in Black." Sorry, I know that it a little corny, but I am a bit corny and a product my generation. A little AC/DC never hurt anyone.

Nighty-night

I am so TIRED today. I did not sleep last night. I am still a bit sore and laying down seems to be the worst position I can be in, comfort-wise. I finally got up at 2:30 this morning and started doing some research on a class I am teaching on Song of Songs this Sunday. It was good because I got a lot accomplished since everyone else was asleep, but about 4:00 this afternoon I felt like I was crashing hard. There has been no time for napping today, though.

It sounds funny, but I think my raw foods give me more energy and "get through the day" than coffee. I used to drink 3-4 cups of coffee a day, especially during the afternoon to stay awake and get all the things done that I needed. Now I have coffee once in a blue moon and find that a green smoothie gives me much more stamina than a latte, with no headaches or let downs when the caffeine wears off.

However, no sleep is no sleep and I am also listening to my body's needs much more these days so I am off to bed early. Sweet dreams.

Life is good!

Sorry I did not blog yesterday -- I was emotionally exhausted after my biopsy and took the evening off. I got the news this morning that the biopsy was completely benign! I am so glad -- it is such a huge weight off my shoulders. The whole experience has been quite draining and I have so much respect for the women (and men) who have been and continue to go through the angst of not knowing what is going on with their bodies.

I am a little more sore and tired than I thought I would be, but that kinda goes along with my personality. I would like to be able to "take a licking and keep on ticking," but I am just not made that way. I am learning to be patient with myself and with the healing process. Going through this brought back so many memories of not so good news after my thyroid biopsy 2 and half years ago. The doctors had told me they fully expected my biopsy to be benign, but it came back probable cancer instead. That whole scenario was playing in the back of my head while I was waiting for the doctor to call.

I know it sounds weird, but in some ways, getting the good news this morning liberated me from that nebulous cloud that has been following me around since the whole thyroid thing. It has been like the bubble that hangs over a cartoon character's head expressing their feelings even when they are not talking. I have had that faint bubble of doubt hanging over my head asking, "Am I really okay?" Today, that bubble was burst! I can look at myself and say, "Yes, I really am okay!"

I have learned so much about myself over the past 2 and half years. Part of me would like to say that I would have been okay no matter the news, but I cannot say that for sure. I don't think you know what you are going to do or feel until you are there. But, what I do know for sure is that I am taking good care of myself. More than ever before I am being kinder and more patient with myself, and honoring my feelings. I am filling my body with good stuff -- good nutrients, lots of love, good thoughts, good words, people who care for me and about me, and good intentions. It is paying off, and life is good!

Wild Rumpus

Tomorrow is the big biopsy day. I have to say that although I really do think everything is going to be okay, I have been a lot more nervous than I thought I would be. I get moody and aggravated easily when I am nervous so today has been a little difficult; every little thing has been getting on my nerves or upsetting me. I think that it is a little more scary since the last biopsy I had they thought I had cancer. That was in my thyroid, and it turned out it wasn't even cancer, but it still was a long and complicated journey.

We went to the movies today thinking it would help me get my mind off of things a little bit. We saw Where the Wild Things Are. I was a little wary because I am typically not a fan of any book that is made into a movie, particularly childhood classics, but it was very well done. I cried through a good bit of the movie. It was probably good to get the tears out, but it left me feeling heavy-hearted. The movie was slow in some places and gave an almost uncomfortable amount of time to process the difficult feelings that reside in all of us. Not good for someone who was trying to avoid difficult feelings at this particular junction. Let the wild rumpus start! Since I had a little wild in me today it was appropriate and it did make me "deal." In the end a good howl made me feel better.

Raw Ethical Eating

Tonight I made my first raw pie. I don't know why I have waited so long because it was so easy and delicious! It has always intimidated me a little bit to try a pie. I should really say, my mom and I made chocolate cream pie. The crust was made from macadamia nuts, dried pineapple, and dates. The filling was raw cocoa nibs, a young coconut, coconut butter, dates, and vanilla. Then we froze it it so it would set (we didn't wait quite long enough, but it did not matter that much) and topped it with fresh raspberries.

We also made raw "fried" rice, vegetable sushi, and a seaweed salad. It all made for a very good dinner. I think my dad was surprised. He was kinda hanging around the kitchen with his lip curled up a little bit as we prepared it, but when he tasted it he liked it, and even said he thought he could get used to eating like this (as long as he could occasionally have a little meat). I think that would be great for him.

A high raw diet is not for everyone, but I do think that upping your raw intake will benefit almost everyone! The key is to listen to your own body and be sensible. When I first started eating a raw diet, I did crave some things, but the longer I stuck with it the less cravings I had. Now that I have learned so much about food and the food industries I don't think I could ever eat meat or poultry again. It doesn't even sound good.

I did not start eating this way for ethical reasons, largely because I was totally ignorant of how my food got on my table. However, eating raw has opened my eyes and mind to many things I did not expect when I began. Ethical eating is increasingly becoming a large part of why I eat what I eat. Some good books to start your own food education are Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver (she is not a vegetarian, but is an ethical consumer), and Food, Inc. (also a film). Just be prepared, once your read or watch them it will change how you view your meals.

Good food, good books, good music, GREAT company!

We took parents to Bliss tonight. Actually, I guess you could say that they took us -- they wanted to treat since it was my birthday last week. It was so very good! The new menu is not up yet, but they do have a couple of their new dishes available. My mom had spaghetti and "meatballs," my dad had margarita pizza, I had rawsagna, and Wayne had rawko tacos. We all tasted each others' meals and everyone had a delicious meal, as usual! For dessert my mom and I split an orange persimmon sheezecake that was so very good! I have got to learn how to make some of these desserts! Wayne and my dad split a white chocolate one, and it was also good, but ours was the bomb! Wayne and I both had a Chocolate Bliss elixir, Dad had Hemp Horchata, and Mom had Minty Hemp. They were impressed.

Miranda, one of the chefs, was there tonight, and she was so nice and friendly. She chatted with us about why she went raw in the first place (to look better) and all of the benefits she received from being raw (health) that help her stay raw. She said, "I am no longer addicted to my food." I think that is so true! I did not realize how addicted to my Standard American Diet I was until I started eating raw foods. Sugar and flour (white stuff) were the worst culprits and I did not realize the hold they had on me until I tried to eliminate them. Now, I enjoy and love my foods without feeling like I NEED them. When I finish eating somewhere like Bliss I feel happy, fulfilled, and healthy, not full, bloated, and full of gas. I also feel good about myself. I no longer think, "Gosh, I shouldn't have eaten that," or "I feel so fat," or "I can't believe I ate all of that."

After dinner we went to Half-Price Books, one of my favorite stores! It was fun just to prowl around by myself -- no kids. It is neat to look at all of the books. I got some books for school -- The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and some critical thinking books. We also got a couple of CDs, Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash. Good food, good books, good music, great company -- what more could I ask for?

Looking forward to some Bliss

I wore my new leggings today and got numerous compliments which made me feel really good! Like I said yesterday, I would never have even imagined myself buying, let alone wearing leggings even 6 months ago. Today I was receiving unsolicited compliments from strangers -- who would have thought?

Tomorrow my dad flies in and we are all so excited to see him! He is coming in early so I am keeping this short tonight because I have got to get some sleep. Dallas' Bliss Raw Food Cafe is calling my name; we are taking my parents there for dinner tomorrow. I hope their new menu is up and running.

Spread the Raw Love!

Today I went shopping with my mom. It is always fun to shop with mom. It is hard to believe that less than six months ago I was wearing a size 12 (probably should have been a size 14, but I was squeezing into my size 12 so I wouldn't have to buy a bigger size). Today, I was comfortably fitting into a size 6. YAHOO! It is even more fun to shop with mom when I look good in the clothes. It was fun just to play and try on things that I never would even consider before I lost 35 pounds. For instance, today I bought some leggings -- me, in leggings. I would not have been caught dead in leggings 5 months ago. Wayne loved my new things, too!

My mom is also becoming a green smoothie expert. Since she has been here I have been making her a green smoothie every morning. This morning she said she wanted to show off her own skills and she made me a green smoothie with peaches, bananas, spinach, a little raw agave, and some cinnamon. It makes me very happy to be able to share my new lifestyle with my family! Wayne, my mom, and my dad are all looking and feeling better. Wayne's brother is also trying some new and healthier foods and has added a lot more fresh fruits and veggies to his diet. He is pleased with the results and is excited that he feels healthier. I am going to continue to spread the raw love!

Cow Eyeball Dissection

We woke up at 5:00 this morning to drive 2 hours in the POURING down rain in order to go to Glen Rose, TX and dissect a cow's eyeball. We listened to The Story of the World (a wonderful history book for children on CD) on the way. It was really fun! We listened to the story of Gilgamesh, the story of how silk was discovered, and learned about the citadel cities in Africa that mysteriously disappeared. Very interesting.

Then we got to Fossil Rim and got our cow eyeballs. Jake and Emma just sat and stared at it first. No one wanted to touch it, let alone make the first cut. Jake finally picked up the scalpel and just kinds poked at it until he figured out he was actually going to have to hold the eyeball in his hand to make an incision. Emma just sat there saying things like, "gross," "eeewww," "this is so nasty," until I made her take a turn and finish cutting the rest of the cornea off. The class was GREAT and the instructor walked them through every step. By the end of the lab they were comfortable and even having a good time. It was a good day for home schooling. I am so glad that I have the opportunity to be with my children every day and expose them to so many different learning experiences!

Since we left so early this morning I did not have my green smoothie for breakfast -- I did not want to wake Phillip with the Blender. I made one for dinner, though and my dog, Clyde, was so excited to hear the blender start up. I think he enjoys the green smoothies as much as I do. My mom thinks it is hilarious that he comes running when he hears it.

Appreciate Your Food

Tomorrow Jake and Emma and Mom and I are heading to Glen Rose to go to Fossil Rim for the day. We are going there to dissect a cow's eyeball. I think it is really going to be cool for them to see how an eye works. We have not been to any of the home school activities there before so it will be good to see if that is something we in which we would like to be more involved. I hope it is not pouring down rain when we finish because we would love to take Mom through the park.

Mom and I made Pistachio Paradise "cookies" from a Boutenkos recipe today. They are YUMMY and not too hard to make. We had fun digging into the bowl and rolling the cookies around in coconut. They have that salty sweet dichotomy going on that makes them very satisfying. My mom said she was noticing how much more "hands on" my food is. I had not really thought about it that way before, but she is right. Perhaps that is why I have felt like I have noticed my food more -- because I am touching it, feeling it, slicing and seeding it, smelling it, etc. When you have so much contact with your food before you eat it then you appreciate it more, at least I do.

Manic Monday -- send me some good vibes!

I am recovering from a very busy, but very fun weekend. My mom is visiting and I am so glad that she is here! We had two soccer games, a shopping excursion, went to the fair, and had a birthday party for my son Phillip this weekend. I am pooped, and Monday morning hit me like a ton of bricks.

I left Phillip's lunch and backpack at home this morning when I took him to school. Jake and Emma had swimming lessons so I had to drop them off, race home, and then back to Phillip's school with his things. After swimming we headed off to the doctor's office. Last week I found a lump in my right breast. I did not think much about it, but my husband is in the business of cancer pathology so he made me an appointment to see about it.

I had my mammogram and an ultrasound and was relieved to find out that it was just fatty fibrous tissue, completely normal for a woman of my age (ha! ha!). However, they did fid a tumor in my other breast -- GO FIGURE! The doctor is pretty sure that it is nothing to worry about by the way it appears, but the only way to be 100% sure is to have a biopsy of it. I am going to do that next Tuesday. The good news is I have no family history of breast cancer. The bad news is they have to stick a big ass needle into my boob! I would be lying if I said I was not the slightest bit afraid. I know I won't feel much at all because I have local anesthesia for the procedure, but the truth is, I am glad my Mommy is here. I just want to surround myself with happy thoughts and all the love I can get!

Ultimately, the news the doctor gave me today was good news, but it was all so emotional that I was exhausted! I rested for a few minutes, but then it was off to soccer and choir. It was good to be busy because it kept my mind off of it. This week is going to be a long week. I am going to do a lot of praying, centering, meditating and filling my body with good, healthy foods. I will be glad when I know for sure. Please, if you think about it this week, send me some good vibes and healing thoughts.

My Interview is Now Online!

My interview with Beatrice Johnston is up! Check it out at http://www.therawroutine.com --- so COOL! Thank you Beatrice! Doing this interview really helped me to solidify in my own mind just how far I have come and what this lifestyle has meant to me and the people I love. The interview has really energized me and my determination to continue making healthy choices.

My mom arrived late yesterday afternoon. It is so nice to have her here. My dad is not retired yet, so he is working and will arrive in about a week. It just feels comfortable when they are here. It makes Texas feel more like home to me.

Sorry I did not blog yesterday. Sometimes life gets so busy and the day is over before you know it. I am up early this morning thinking, "I need to list a helpful raw food site for yesterday." So here goes, www.RawFamily.com is a very helpful site. This is the Boutenko family website. This family is hard core raw, so do not be intimidated, because with that comes so much wisdom about eating raw. This family has made a conscious choice about what they put into their bodies and why they do it. Their stories are very inspiring and I love, love, love their recipe books. Be sure to check it out!

My interview with Beatrice Johnston is up! Check it out at http://www.therawroutine.com --- so COOL!

Here Comes the Sun!

We actually saw the sun shine this afternoon! It was so nice. The weather in north Texas has been less than desirable the last few weeks. When the yellow globe finally peered out from behind the curtain of grey, we felt like singing Hallelujah! Although it was definitely not "sunny" today, it is going to be this weekend. We have lots planned for the weekend, too. My mom drives in tomorrow (can't wait!), we are going to the Texas State Fair, we have soccer games, and Phillip's 5th birthday party is this weekend. Life is busy!

I am browsing through recipes trying to decide what I want to make in my new dehydrator first. I thought I would just whip something up real fast last night, but when I finally sat down to decide, I changed my mind. I want the first thing I make to be something I REALLY want to eat. It might be kinda fun to try it out with my mom, too. My mom has been eating mostly raw for a little while now.

As promised, I want to give you a helpful website for those of you considering a raw food lifestyle. Today, I want to tell you about http://mattmonarch.blogspot.com. Matt Monarch and his wife, Angela Stokes, are raw food enthusiasts. They are very inspiring and very informative. One GREAT thing about this blog is that they make lots of instructional videos about how to prepare food, which product is easier to use, etc. I saw Matt and Angela speak in Dallas early on in my raw food journey and they made all of the overwhelming information about switching to raw foods seem very doable.

Thirty-six and Counting!

Today was the big day -- I am now 36 years old. I can't believe it! I don't feel 36 years old, and thanks to my new found health, I don't look 36 either! Emma told me that I look much younger than other moms (I love that child!). Seriously though, it is not really anything about "how" I look; it is about feeling comfortable in my skin. It is about being happy and able to do and participate in all of the things I want. It is about feeling confident in myself and good about my choices.

Speaking of choices, I am posting pics of everything I ate today. Many of you ask what in the world I eat all day, so here one days worth. For breakfast I had a smoothie with kale, pineapple, coconut, and banana. For lunch I had a salad made with butter lettuce, raw cashews, strawberries, and blueberries. The dressing was a little olive oil and some apple cider vinegar ( not 100% raw, but pretty darn close). For dinner I had some raw salads from Whole foods (one was broccoli, dried cranberries, purple onions, and raw cashews and slivered almonds; one was julienned veggies with a little olive oil and some herbs; one was cucumbers with purple onions and dill) I also has a raw food bar made by Go Raw for a snack. I love these bars, and they are the only bar I have found that is 100% raw. They are also very yummy! There is only one thing I ate that is not pictured, it was a raw chocolate tart from a local company called Hail Merry! It was my "birthday cake," and I was so excited about eating it, that I forgot to take a picture of it -- Sorry! Take my word for it, it was delicious! Jake and Emma thought I was joking when I told them it was 100% raw because it was "the BEST chocolate cake they ever had."

The other REALLY cool thing that happened to me today is that Beatrice Johnston from http://rawpathways.com interviewed me for her blog. I am so honored! She is so inspiring and the fact that she wanted to interview me is truly humbling. She will be posting the interview soon, so watch for it! Her blog is excellent, and I am sure you are going to love it! So, her website is tonight's helpful site -- make sure to check it out! Beatrice has been a vegetarian for 23 years and currently eats a high raw diet! She continues to make choices in her life that promote her health, happiness, well-being, and relationships with God and others. She is very inspirational!!!

Grocery Escapades and Musings

Last night we went to the grocery store. My basket was filled with lots of greens -- kale, rainbow chard, Romaine lettuce, butter lettuce, dandelion greens, etc. I also had a couple bottles of G. T.'s Kombucha Tea because my mom is coming and I want her to taste it. Of course I also had lots of fresh fruit and some things like red peppers, cucumbers, jicima, cilantro, and dill. When we went to check out Phillip wanted to see the fish in the tank at the front of the grocery store (Yes, they have a huge saltwater fish tank inside the grocery store, this is Texas after all). I took Phillip over to see the fish and Wayne went through the checkout line.

I can see Wayne from where the fish tank is and the women who are running his lane are laughing and giving him a hard time about his grocery basket. One holds up the jicama and asks him what it is. He tells her and the other girl asks him how to "fix" that. Wayne is standing in the grocery aisle telling them how I cut it up like french fries and make my own ketchup (Thank you Boutenko's -- wonderful recipe), or how I make a corn salad with jicama, tomatoes, and cilantro and use it on raw tacos. The ladies are looking at him like, "Are you serious?" One of them finally asks, "How does your wife know how to use all of this stuff?" Then he explained that I was on a raw diet. They thought that was really cool, and they thought it was cool that Wayne really liked the food, too (all but the Kombucha, but I am still working on him).

The whole thing got me thinking, though, that before I decided to eat raw foods I had no idea what to do with this food either. I knew how to scramble eggs, make a pie or cake, grill a steak on the grill, and make a basic salad, but I had no clue how to really pick or prepare the things that are really good for me. I would pass by the greens section of the grocery store like most all of the other people I see at the grocery every time I go. Now, it is my favorite section to load up.

If you want to succeed on a raw diet it takes time to figure out what to eat, where to find it in the grocery store, and how to prepare it. It takes a little bit effort, because most of us are not taught the proper ways to eat (and there is a lot of temptation and pressure to eat things that are not so good for us). Once I started taking responsibility for what I was putting into my mouth, though, I found that I viewed food differently. I discovered tastes that had previously been foreign and learned to really enjoy my food because it tastes good and I know it is doing something good for my body. Now, it is not hard to shop at all. I know where everything I want is located and I don't even have to go into the interior aisles of the store. I do all of my shopping in the fruit and veggies and then skip over to the nuts and dried fruits, and finally to the almond milk and I am out the door -- much faster than the SAD shopping (Standard American Diet) I did before I changed my diet.

Let me assure you, there are LOTS of resources out there to help you along the way. When I started I googled raw food diet, raw food recipes, easy raw recipes and came up with tons of stuff! One of the websites that was extremely helpful to me as a complete beginner raw person was www.purejeevan.com. Check it out. It is very user friendly! This week, I will try and put one website up per night that I have personally found helpful. Hope you enjoy them as much as I have.

Raw Success

I can't believe the weekend is almost over already. We tried to do a bit of Christmas shopping this weekend. We did not get that much accomplished, but at least we got started. Wayne and I were also able to spend a little bit of time alone, which was very nice! It is nice to be with the whole family, but it is also nice to be just the two of us every once in a while.

I am so excited about this upcoming week! My birthday is Tuesday, Phillip's birthday is Thursday, and my mom is coming for a visit on Thursday as well. Friday, we are taking our "Columbus Day" off of school and spending the day at the Texas State fair! Saturday we have a soccer game and next Sunday is Phillip's birthday party. It is going to be a busy and fun week. I am looking forward to trying some new raw food recipes with my mom -- I may try some "harder" stuff like preparing Irish Moss and making raw chocolate pie.

When Wayne and I went to the Raw food Meet-up in our community a couple of weeks ago, one of the women we met there loaned me a DVD called Raw Success. It is about 6 people who take a challenge to cure their diabetes in 30 days. All of this occurs under a doctor's supervision of course. The DVD was so inspiring -- it gave me new motivation for continuing my raw food lifestyle. I have never had Diabetes or anything, but I do feel as though raw foods are responsible for most, if not all, of my own return to health. If you get the chance, check it out, I guarantee you will be inspired!

On another note, many of you felt more comfortable emailing me well- wishes and concerns after I postponed my cleanse. On one hand, I received very supportive comments to follow through with the Master Cleanse in the near future. On the other hand, I received some emails of concern about the Master Cleanse. Let me assure you all I have done a good bit of research on the Cleanse, but I promise you all I will look into even more before I do it. If any of you have any info you think I should look at, in favor or against, please let me know.

Master Cleanse Delayed

Thank you to everyone for your well wishes and support on my cleanse. Please keep all of that support in your front pocket because I will need it again soon. For now, I am postponing the remainder of the cleanse due to my friends' and families' disappointment with my plans considering it is my birthday next week and they had made some special plans. At first, I thought I would just keep going with the cleanse, but then I realized it really wasn't very good timing. Two days after my birthday is Phillip's birthday, and my parents are coming to visit and I want to take them to a Raw Food Meetup and to Bliss Cafe (a delicious raw food restaurant). So, the cleanse is still on, but delayed a bit -- when I do it, I want to be able to fully concentrate on what I am trying to achieve.

I did do the cleanse today, though. (Poor Wayne, he didn't know whether to say anything or not, but finally expressed his disappointment late this afternoon. I am glad he told me.) Anyway, my impression of the cleanse is, "WOW!" Let me say first, my colon feels pretty darn clean. I cannot imagine what could be left after doing it for even one day. That being said, I did feel like I had more energy and that I was in a better mood. I felt a little hungry at times, but when I felt hungry I drank a lemonade and the hunger subsided. I wasn't tired at all, and that was something because I did not sleep well last night due to some thunder storms moving through our area. The salt water was a little bit nasty, but I made it so it was warm and drank it through a straw and that definitely helped me get it all down. Also, I was definitely glad I was near a toilet for a few hours. Neither of these things was bad enough to scare me off from doing the full cleanse. I am glad that I found the cleanse and my experience with it today makes me want to follow through on the 10 day cleanse soon! I am thinking I will start October 29th or 30th -- that will be a good way to stay away from all of the Halloween candy and reaffirm my health commitments. I will keep you updated! Thanks again for all of your support!