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Unexpected Sacrifices

Don't get me wrong. I love my big family. I chose to have a large family.
But, there are a few unexpected sacrifices that come from having a large family and sometime I get sad about it. I try not to dwell on it too often because I either a)start feeling depressed or b)sound like a selfish brat and quite frankly I don't want to be either of those.

But sometime, just sometimes I wish I could have it all.

Most of these sacrifices are monetary-

- buying $50 worth of diapers, instead of a new pair of jeans
-spending $150 a month on formula instead of ... say a vacation
- not being able to afford to go on a date with my husband, because it would require hiring 2 babysitters at $5/an hour
- Realizing that for the cost of a meal out (like Sweet Tomatoes) we could buy our groceries for an entire week
- Furniture/flooring/faucets/cupboards wearing out MUCH faster
- the only places you can afford to go as a family are ones that have a "whole family" price, individual tickets to Disneyland are way out of reach (plus the money we would spend on Disneyland could buy me new couches or flooring)

And a few logistical or otherwise.

- you can't exactly take a bunch of babies, toddlers and preschoolers on an outing by yourself (you can but it's really hard)
- you have to drive a HUGE van as opposed to a fashionable minivan or SUV (yes we could still squeeze into an 8 pasenger minivan, but lets get real here, that won't leave us anyroom for a diaper bag, and I don't think 6 carseats would fit).
- IF we ever did decide to go on a vacation, we'd have to have two hotel rooms
- Having to be super practical at all times


I REALLY REALLY hope that when I look back in my life in 10, 15 or 20 years that these sacrifices were all worth it!

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
Matthew 6:19-21

Merry Christmas

I am so grateful for my wonderful family. Grateful for our Lord and and Savior Jesus Christ who gives us the ultimate gift of eternal life. 
So much to be grateful for this day. MERRY CHRISTMAS

Way too many pictures, but how can you resist when there are so many cuties?

Christmas Eve with Moma and Papa.

 (Ben wasn't feeling too well, luckily he was fine in the morning)
CHRISTMAS MORNING- kids got up at 7:30, like usual starting with the boys in our bed, then we woke the girls and came downstairs about 8am. Kids enjoyed their stockings, especially their cereal, and then we opened gifts.
Rich grew up with a family that had 17 kids, the Wirthlins, and while we don't plan on having 17 kids we did take from their Christmas tradition of giving each kid their own box of cereal from Santa.
A little hard to find a Sugar-free box for Mei, but Peanut Butter Bumpers hit the spot.

 New apron from Grammy.

 Afton enjoying "mom's" globe. The things you ask for when you are a Mom.

 Our new Castle Blocks.

 Cute Mei

 Silly Lincoln

 Cute Evie

 Afton enjoying her new books.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow

Growing up in  San Diego I naturally assumed that if you lived in a 'snowy' place then of course you would have snow on Christmas. I now realize (after living in Nebraska and Utah), that snow comes in spurts and not always when you do or do not want it.

Lucky for us, we are having a snowy Christmas Eve!!! ( I also love how warm Utah snow is)

Crackers and some Honey candy

Over the years we have tried A LOT of cracker recipes, mostly with disastrous results. This week I found a winner!!! These taste very much like wheat thins, and are super easy.

Few things to know about the ingredients:
 Soaked grains (or flour) break down the phytates and allow the vitamins and minerals to be more easily assimilated into the body

 Organic Butter: Toxins, medicines, additives gravitate to the fat of an animal, so if at all possible use raw organic butter, with second best being organic butter (I get mine at Costco)

  Greek Yogurt: this has good bacteria, no added sugars or unidentifiable ingredients

   Real Salt: didn't realize until recently how adulterated and chemical laden 'salt' is, so stick with the least processed you can find like Redmonds Real Salt, complete with it's natural vitamins and minerals.

Wheat Crisps 

(adapted from Nourishing Traditions)

3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (divide in half)

1 cup yogurt

1 cup Butter, softened

2 tsp Salt

extra flour for rolling out

Mix the yogurt with half of the flour and half of the salt in one bowl, and mix the butter with the other half of the flour and salt in another bowl. 

Once you have two separate balls of dough, one with yogurt and the other with butter, combine the two together.

Cover the dough and leave it at room temperature for 8-12 hours.

We also tried our hand at making candy- Honey Candy

Simmer honey in  a sauce pan until it reaches hard ball stage (about 300 degrees). Lay candy sticks out on a sil-pat. When honey is to desired temperature, add a few drops of flavor (optional) we added lemon essential oil. Drop honey by tablespoon full onto sticks. As it started to harden I curled it around the sticks.

Thoughts on Food

"Let food by thy medicine

 and medicine be thy food."

Hippocrates 

You know I have such a love/hate relationship with food and it's power. Food is so polarizing; it can lead to poor health or good health... a good mood or a poor one... a dinner invite or not... a good nights sleep or a restless one..... and most of the time it's somewhere in between.

But I really hate it. I know food should be this wonderful, beautiful nourishing thing, to sustain life, bring joy and strengthen our bodies.

A few years ago I was having serious health problems during a pregnancy (it's amazing how serious you are willing to address a problem when you are growing another human being), at that time I was introduced to the Simple, Healthy, Tasty way of life. We lived a mostly Vegan, plant based, cook from scratch no additives whatsoever lifestyle for a few years... 

then we slowly let a little of this and a little of that creep in. Health problems were no longer staring me in the face so it was easy to justify a little of this or a little of that; a little cheese, a little white flour, a few Oreos... I am sure you know where this is going, and then you add a rough pregnancy and a couple of newborns and voila we are back to eating our old diet of processed and refined foods, complete with Costco Pizza on Friday nights. 

I know better... why did I let this happen?

I know that I have better mental health when I am eating right (no postpartum depression after Madelyn, Benjamin or Ethan) 

I know that my kids are healthier (we have used antibiotics once in the past 5 years, and we didn't even finish them) 

I know that it's easier to maintain a healthy weight (my husband and I are our thinnest when we are eating plant based).

I know the long term benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. (I've read The China Study and Nourishing Traditions)  

I Know, I know, I know... 

So where are we now? 

Starting over. I cleaned out the fridge, the pantry and our recipe books.

  

Not sure about our rules when we leave the house, but judging by Madelyn's amazing changes in behavior I think we need to just stick with the plan where ever we are, and bring our own food if need be.  I bought a book today on eating out and traveling and it had some great ideas for restaurants and take along meals, so hopefully that will be enough to keep us on track. 

We are striving to:
Keep animal products to under 10% (I do think they have a healthy place in diet), but to keep milk raw, butter organic, beef grass fed and chicken organic.
Keep up with 9 a day fruits and veggies; juicing, green smoothies, salads at dinner, plant based meals
Keep our grains whole and rotated- use a variety besides wheat.
Keep out all food additives; artificial coloring and flavors.
Keep to natural sugars, mainly honey and maple syrup. 

and Finally to learn the Joy of Cooking!!!

I read a book once (The Encyclopedia of Whole Foods) and it talked about the positive energy that is transferred from the chef to the patron when food is prepared with love.

 

Feingold Update

So it's been 4 days since we cleaned up Mei's diet by taking out everything processed or refined and guess what it's working!

She is a whole new little wonderful happy little girl.!

-She has successfully gone to bed the past 3 nights! no melatonin, no tantrums, not whining about not being tired, no falling asleep outside our bedroom door, no having to buckle her in a carseat

- She worked for an hour on her "school stuff"! She usually begs to do 'school work' and then loses it about 5 minutes into it, this week she worked on math, handwriting and some reading lessons and is begging for more

-Getting along with others! She's not fighting and whining with her siblings. She has been playing blocks with Afton and Ben for a few hours and not a single fight.

- She is more expressive in her vocabulary and more creative with her stories. Today she drew this funny little picture of a talking toaster.

- She finished a maze! That's big- she has a maze book and it frustrates her and she usually ends up crossing lines and/or forgetting where she is headed.

- Earning all her stars and then some! She has a behavior chart where she earns stars by completing things like making her bed, clearing breakfast dishes, getting dressed, brushing teeth etc., well not only has she earned her 12 but she's earning extra by being helpful!


I am sorry that her behavior came to where it was BUT I am so glad we are motivated to clean up our food.

Did you know that even Cheerios have additives as well as Triscuits or how about the multigrain thin buns from Costco and even Vegenaise and some of the brands of mustard.

I feel so blessed to be able to receive inspiration for my family. 

Here's what I have removed;
all food additives, food coloring, any ingredient that I don't know what it is (you know the things listed with 20 letters) and all Sugar (except for honey).