My name is Breanna and I am a recovering Food Addict...

I have really had no thoughts to spill for my blog lately but I think I have something now!

I stopped reading Elder Widtsoe's book about the Word of Wisdom because it was just sad and I think I was just overwhelmed with the don'ts that it talked about.  I picked it up again this week though because I felt like there were good things to learn from it still.  I'm pretty happy with what I have gotten out of it since reading it again.  I still don't know how to cook or put all of this together for a meal but I am not worried.  It will come together with time.  I went through and highlighted what I thought was important to know, read on if you enjoy healthy tips.....

From the section discussing the Six Groups of Food Constituents:
1. "Proteins are the body-building foods, essential for growth and repair.  They are found in meats, eggs, milk, cheese, grains and vegetables.  Indeed, some protein is found in all natural foods.  White of egg is a pure form of protein.  Everyday the body must have its full quota of protein foods, for the cells of the body are being constantly destroyed through the activities of life and must be replaced if health is to continue".
2. "Carbohydrates include the starches and sugars of fruits, vegetables, and cereal grains.  They are the energy or fuel foods which keep up the body temperature, and provide energy for all life processes, and for mental and physical work."
3. "Fats are energy foods like the carbohydrates, but are more concentrated. ... Some of the fatty acids found in natural fats, (as for example in butter) are indispensable to complete health.  They are utilized to produce heat and to supply energy for work.  They have other functions and if absent from the food an intense craving for them exists.  They seem to cushion nerves and nerve-ends against shock for without them great irritability ensues.  Thus they play an important part in the health of the brain and nervous system.  In fact they are necessary for full health and vigor.  'It is by no means tampering with the truth to say that, in it's higher forms, life without fat is impossible'.  The most common used fats are butter, meat and fish fats, and vegetable oils)."
4. "Mineral Salts..."
5. "The Vitamins are essential chemical substances present in minute quantities in all natural foods but in varying amounts. They act as body regulators, and promote reactions without which full nutrition is impossible.  When vitamins are lacking in the diet the body becomes diseased and in time perishes.  Vitamins are partially lacking in foods after storage or even totally lacking in certain refined or preserved or dried foodstuffs".
6. "Water..."
"The essential thought remains, that to abstain from the things forbidden in the Word of Wisdom as injurious to health is not sufficient; it is equally important to partake of foods that build the body properly and meet bodily needs".

"....By stripping cereals of all their outer coats and refining sugar until it is whiter than the whitest snow, we have made a good start on the road to the ruin of human health, for fine milling removes 75 percent of the minerals.  Super-refinement of natural foodstuffs has probably been as successful in promoting American ill-health in the past two generations as the most virulent disease germs."


About Minerals and Psychological Attitudes..
"Psychological as well as physiological effects are conditioned upon the presence or absence of certain minerals in the food.  A study made by Dr. Walter Timme of the Neurological Institute was reported in an address give before the New York Academy of Medicine.  He stated that: 'Crossness, tiredness, misbehavior and all the other symptoms of problem cases, both child and adult, result when the blood has too little calcium.'
When the supply of calcium is reduced:
'There is apparently a disturbing effect on the nerves and subsequent conduct of the individual who then misbehaves, showing inordinate fatigability, irritability of temper and at times even incorrigibility, non-amenability to discipline or even assaultiveness. '"

Source of Minerals....
"Vegetables, grains and fruits form nature's storehouse of food minerals.  If grown on fertile soils all the edible plants and vegetables usually contain, in varying proportions, all the minerals needed in maintaining bodily health.  For example, vegetables rich in calcium are beet greens, cabbage, broccoli, kale.... Those rich in phosphorus are whole grains, corn, peas, soy-beans; those rich in iron are legumes, nuts, and nearly all greens.... All grains and nuts and fruits are rich in minerals, especially in calcium, phosphorus and iron.  Milk and cheese are the richest source of calcium and phosphorus..."
"Food minerals are best obtained from foods, as nature made them, for man's nourishment.  If man eats right, he has no more need of 'Mineral broths' or inorganic 'Mineral pills' than has a cow or any other animal.  Money should be spent for good food rather than for commercial inorganic substances."

Daily supply of Minerals...
"To insure enough minerals in the diet, each adult should have daily, at least one pint of milk which is the richest calcium food (children 1 quart), the liberal use of all vegetables in season, especially leafy ones, eggs or cheese frequently and meat occasionally (but not all of them everyday), the frequent use of seafoods, fresh if possible, or canned,  if in a goiterous region, and the use of whole grain breads and cereals".

Variety Necessary...
"Man should partake in plenty of all edible fruits and vegetables.  It is a mistake for a normal person to say: 'I don't like this vegetable or that', and refuse to eat it.  Children should be taught from the weaning period to eat and enjoy all the different kinds of vegetables (prepared in milk soups at first but later mashed until the child can chew them) so that their bodies may grow in bone strength and nerve tone as well as in size. This practice should be encouraged in adults as well, for all have need of the nutritive value of fruits and vegetables.  One should insist that every vegetable to be found in the market forms some part of the week's food supply." ( Ughhh... : /  Haha. )  "One should be familiar with and help create a demand for all kinds of vegetables.  The farmers will produce what people call for.  It is a great pity for an individual, a family or a nation, to confine its taste to two or more vegetables.  Meat, potatoes and cabbage may make a good meal occasionally, but served everyday they produce a very one-sided diet."


So...pretty intense but some good points made.   I'll just do what I can for now though and it will probably get easier with time.

A couple good books

 

"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails.

I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp.

I want to be there with grass stains on my shoes from mowing Sister Schenk's lawn.

I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbor's children.

I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden.

I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder.

I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived."

-Sister Hinckley 

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I have just been thinking about that quote from Sister Hinckley lately and thought I'd share it.  I think there needs to be more woman in the world like her.  I love the book Glimpses into the Life of Marjorie Hinckley.  Super good read.

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I have also read a little of the book, Cleansing of America by Dr. W. Cleon Skousen.  I picked up the book while doing laundry at my Grandma's house and really liked it.  It was easy to read and made a lot of sense.  It also made you think.  If you are a little bit nerdy about politics (like me off and on) you will find this very interesting I think.  
A little description: " Dr. W. Cleon Skousen spent the majority of his life researching the gospel, the U.S. Constitution, the founding of America and writing numerous books and articles on the topic, and he is one of the most well-known, respected defenders of America and the gospel the world has ever known. At the time of his passing in 2006, his work was not finished. His book The Cleansing of America, written in 1994 and given into the care and keeping of his sons, is now being brought forth for the first time ever. Included in these pages are the events and stages the Lord has predicted, through his servants, the winding-up scences of this world. It helps the reader understand: the nature of prophecy, the known chronology of prophetic events, and the importance of staying close to the Lord and his prophets during the difficult and challenging years prior to the Second Coming. We are fast approaching those prophetic events. Some are upon us even now. "

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I've been listening to Conservative Talk Radio today and just thinking about how scary and crazy it is in the world right now and the question of what can anyone do.  I just thought of that quote and the two books and how inspiring they both are, or can be, (in the case of Cleon's book) for these times. 
  

   

My favorite season

Cade and I like Sunday drives and finding paths to walk, so we were pretty excited when we found the perfect adventure in the mountains today.  (This is one thing that I'll miss about Utah when we move back to Boise).  My cousin had told me about this hike in the mountains to a waterfall but we finally went to find it.  The funny thing is, at the beginning of the Summer Cade and I headed on a different trail in the mountains we had found and on the trail some people stopped to pet our dog and in our conversation let us know they had "made it to the top this time".  I was under a pretty good impression that there was a top to this hike.  As we walked we came across a fork but didn't really realize that's what it was, (I mean, we didn't realize it led anywhere).  We followed the path right, and walked FOREVER.  I kept telling Cade that there was a top to this hike and he didn't think that there was.  So finally after I was tired of looking for the "top" too we turned around and ended our hike 4 hours after beginning.  Today we found this path leading to the waterfall, a different path, but found ourselves at this same fork.  HUH.  Wow.  How did we miss that?  How did we not think to go up the left instead of going right?  The left led to "the top" I was certain there was.  So anyways, this hike was super easy in the beginning and then as we got closer to the waterfall it was crazy.  I found myself almost rock climbing in places.  It was so fun though.  Going on an adventure with Cade, seeing the beautiful fall colors, neat waterfall and all of it in amazing fall weather = PERFECT day.  Well, until I tried cooking dinner.  Haha.  I'm over it though.  Here are some pictures we took on our phone from our hike/mountain climb. :)

Our Chihuahua is a champ.

   It was probably a little bit too much for a peaceful or reverent Sunday activity....but we didn't really realize how much of an exercise it would turn out to be.  I thought it was a good way to spend my Sunday off with Cade though.

Success

Last night the "chips" and dip idea was a success!  YES.  Thanks Kamilee for the fantastic idea!

The Guacamole recipe that I followed was this:

                                                                                 2 ripe avocados

1/2 red onion, minced

2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, finely chopped

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

dash of black pepper

Put in food processor or blender......

Then I mixed it with Cade's homemade spicy salsa.

YUMMM.

Lightly buttered the sandwich thins put in the oven under broil.....waited for them to be brown and super crisp.  Then dipped them in the guacamole.  Surprised how good it turned out.  It's probably not the healthiest recipe still, but hey, I'm going with it.

I made corn bread yesterday also and that wasn't bad either.  This was the recipe:

1 tablespoon butter
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tablespoon honey
4 tablespoons melted butter, more for the baking dish

Preheat oven to 350°F and butter an 8-inch-square baking pan. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cornmeal in a bowl. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk buttermilk with eggs and honey. Whisk in melted butter. Mix wet ingredients with the dry until just combined. Pour batter into the pan. Bake 30 minutes until golden.

 And my smoothies look something like this:

Kale

Ta Da!

 

And today I don't think I'll be trying to do anything too impressive.  I'll probably just cook some zucchini and broccoli.  

So happy that things worked out yesterday though! 

Money on the Mind...cramps too.

Does anyone else do this?... Your day can be alright but as soon as you hit the pillow you are wide awake with reflections of the day, goals for the next day, future plans and goals, wants and wonders..  I have this problem probably 5 out of 7 nights.  Ha.  I am always wondering what I can be doing in my life and I mean how I can contribute financially.  Cade will have a great job working for his Dad when we move back to Boise (FOUR MONTHS.....you better believe I'm keeping count) but I still worry that it won't be enough. Key word being worry.  We all know that today you rarely see stay at home moms, it's just not as simple as it use to be.  Or can it be?

Caution: These thoughts pooring out of my head are not said with the intent of hurting Cade's ego.  (He's use to my worries anyways).  Cade's a pretty dang awesome provider.  Working full-time and going to school part-time while I can only get 25 hours a week at my job.  Boo.  (But then again I really can't handle more than that, retail is awful and is about to make me more crazy than I already am).

So I know that Cade's job will be able to pay the bills, I just worry that is all.  You know?  I say that in the least harmful way as possible.  Please, no one take this the wrong way.
I mean everyone hopes to live comfortably beyond just paying bills.  Everyone wants to be able to dress nice, take vacations, afford a few nice things here and there.  My point is that I wonder if in the future there is a way that I can contribute to living comfortably after the bills.  Or will we be paying the bills and living from paycheck to paycheck while I am at home with the babies.  (And I do want to stay home with the babies.  Pretty bad.  Baby, baby, baby, I want a baby.)
Or maybe it just comes down to this: I am my Dad's daughter.  That's what it is.  Mister Creative-High Stress-Inventive-Go get em-Passionate Business Guy.  Go big or go home money making mentality?   He owned a very successful Mortgage Company and a beautiful, with lots of potential, Salon not long ago.  The salon started up when the mortgage company was doing really well, so the mortgage companys success was what fed the salon.  It was like night and day when the economy hit though.  The salon hung on for as long as it could after the mortgage company went bankrupt.  Tough times for a lot of years.  My Dad is on to bigger and better things with Take Shape for Life now though and it's actually been a relief to see the salon end.

Anyways...we have this itch (...maybe I shouldn't talk for him too but I have to assume this is where it comes from and this is what I've observed from him), constant wondering in the back of our minds of what we can be doing more, what could be the next best thing, how to make more money...  I think it could be a good thing, but my thoughts never lead to brilliant ideas or plans of execution...just empty wants and wonders.  I don't know that I want to own a business such as a store or restaurant, etc..  I've seen a different side than maybe you have of opening a business.  Long hours in a day, debt collectors at our front door because Dad couldn't make payments he thought he would have no problem making..  I just have no desire to take that risk or road.

I want to write a book.  I want to write a childrens book.  From my understanding though, it's a pretty hard thing to make money from childrens books- if you can even get it published.  I use to love writing when I was young but now, I guess I struggle with..."Somebody will have to read this", and that ends that project.  And have you seen the way I end sentences, start them, dot dot dot everywhere.  I could use some english classes.  Don't judge me. :)

I wonder if I have any sort of skill that I can make money from on the side.  ....Nothing comes to mind at this point in my life though.

Yes, I should go to college, I know.  I just don't see myself working a full-time office job when I have young children, which will probably last over a good decade, or not....I don't know. :) We'll cross that bridge when it comes.  Soo...go to school for a year, have babies, go back to school ten years later, get a job?  Or go to school for a year, have babies and fit school in over the course of ten years then jump into the work force?  I guess that works.  For whatever reason something is holding me back from taking that road.  I think I really want to do something with business though and so I don't know what is holding me back from that idea.  Maybe I'm afraid it won't be what I hoped it would.  I did attend some college earlier this summer at Davis Applied Technology College.  Ok, I went twice.  It was not what I hoped for.  My biggest frustration was that the teacher and the office staff were not on the same page.  They didn't know what the other person meant or expected which lead to the office staff being frustrated with me (cashier lady is mean and I don't like her) and charging me $90 extra.  Other reasons too..it just wasn't what I wanted to put my money into.  I'm willing to give it another try eventually though, just not there. 

Dear diary & sincerely, me.

Those are the thoughts going on in my mind.  If you made it to the end of that.  No, you can not have those few minutes of your life back, I'm sorry, but it's not too late to leave now. :)

Is it socially acceptable to blog about your "time of the week"?  Hahaha.  Cause I'm about to!  Holy Moly.

Lots of bananas: CHECK.

Two Excederin: CHECK.

Almost pass out in the shower: CHECK.

Blanket: CHECK.

Ugly hair from being too lazy and nervous of passing out to dry it: CHECK.

Nap time: CHECK maybe.

MOMMY: .....

Too Much Information: CHECK.
Wittle Cutsie Poopsie Puppy, Kyah Pyah, cuddled up next to me: CHECK

Finally a few minutes of no pain: ....Aw nice, CHECK.

Thank goodness no work today.  This is the second time that I've hurt so bad that I felt near passing out.  The first time was in High School and that was a close one.  I was glad that I made it to a seat before I blacked out, that could have been embarrassing.  I remember the nurse was mad at me because when I went into her office she couldn't help me for awhile, so I went to my locker, called my mom from my cell phone, went back to the nurse and was told that I shouldn't have done that because, I can't remember why..  And, ohhh!  Now I know why my weekend was so rough: Small dosage of happy pills + Storm before the Calm = Off weekend.  I wouldn't really call this part calm though.  Anyways.....

TODAY I plan on making guacamole.  Hm.... I think Kami gave me the idea.  I'm going to toast my whole wheat sandwich thins in the oven and cut them up and use that for my tortilla chip.  Make sense?  We'll seee.  I could really use a break through recipe in the food department about now.  My patience is shot.  I'm still with it though and probably won't quit.  Just hoping I'll be able to perfect it at some point.
TIP: Kale in your healthy fruit smoothie.  Hidden veggies.  Thanks green smoothie girly, that's brilliant.

Ok.  I am sorry if you read this whole thing.  It's a wee bit therapeutic for me though, gotta admit.

Oh and P.S. Why can't a black man be conservative without being called a traitor?  GAAAASH.  I am annoyed about this.  

   

Family, Fun times, Bad times & A super feel good movie! What a week!

One of Sandra's Beautiful Bridals

Wednesday night my sister Kami and her family came and stayed with us for the weekend.  The purpose for their visit was so that Kami could take wedding pictures of our cousin Sandra but it was a nice mini vaca for them also.

We had a lot of fun with them though!  We took the kids Thursday night and went to the Halloween store.  Landon wanted EVERYTHING he laid eyes on and Riley was just content, taking it all in I guess.  I was a little nervous someone would have nightmares that night, but wasn't a problem.  

Aunt Bunny and the boys

Riley loves Cade :)

Kami doin what she does

Thanks for playin Roger/Kami fam!

So, with trying to be healthier, it wasn't so bad since Kami has been healthier as well.  She introduced me to chai seeds.  (....Those will take getting use to.)  As well as other things.  We did splurge a few times, but not near as bad as past splurging.  I'm hoping to get back into it again now.

Last night we made the only whole wheat "Tortillas" I can make.  It was actually my crepe recipe.  Works though!

1 Cup (Whole Wheat) Flour

1/4 teaspoon salt (sea salt)

3 Large Eggs

1 1/3 Cups Milk

2 Tablespoon Vegtable Oil

1 Tablespoon melted butter

It hurts!

And on the first crepe....wrapped my finger around the metal part on the pan and...bad burn.  I tried some home remedies...the best was my finger against a potato.  The night went downhill from there...

The show must go on!

Black bean and corn enchiladas

Homemade enchilada sauce

Processed cheese :)

 The enchiladas could have turned out better.  Our black beans were crunchy..(I must not know how to prepare black beans) but I think the recipe still has potential.  I don't know.  Not worth the painful burn though.

So it's been a hard weekend.  (Not any problems with the Seamons family being in town) but for whatever reason I've been just off in other ways.  At work Wednesday, Friday and Saturday I just did every mistake that was possible.  I have been extremely irritable.  Angry with people in general from work to stupid politics, haha.  Then yesterday it started with the burn, then I couldn't find ANY printer paper I needed to do something for my calling...just totally annoyed and my attitude was awful. I took care of things and eventually calmed down.
Then we watched "17 Miracles" for the first time.  It totally turned my night around.  I expected it would be a bit of a guilt trip for me having had such a bad attitude earlier but still wanted to watch it.  It touched me so much seeing and remembering all that the Saints endured traveling to Zion.  I don't think I would have been able to go through what they went through.  I thought about my "tough" week and it just didn't compare with the trials that were experienced in this movie.  I thought about how easy I have it, how blessed I am and it made me feel sad for not having a better attitude through my trials or for lacking faith in my day to day activities.  I wondered what I am doing in my life that has as much purpose as these people had in theirs.  I hate crying in movies, haha, but I bawled the last half hour to hour. What touched me the most was seeing the tender mercies of our Heavenly Father, I got chills in several scenes. It was so good and such a spiritual movie.  Such a good reminder of why we are here on this earth and what our responsibilities are.  I feel so grateful for these Saints who had so much purpose in their lives and faith and were so strong.  I'm grateful to be apart of such an amazing church.           

I just found instructions about how to replace table sugar with honey.  Excited to try it out.  Here I come zucchini bread! :)

Replace 1 teaspoon / 5 ml of white sugar with a quarter teaspoon / 1 ml of honey. Alternatively, BBC Food suggests that it is easier to replace one quantity of honey for each one and one quarter quantities of sugar. The ratio should be 4:5 ^[2]

• Honey has quite a strong flavour of its own - be careful substituting it in recipes where it might dominate the overall flavour. Fruit is susceptible to being overwhelmed by the flavour of honey.
• A cup of honey contains 1/4 cup of water; this means that you should cut down on liquids by the same amount.^[3]
• Lower the oven temperature by 25ºF when substituting honey, to prevent overbrowning.^[4]
• Honey is hygroscopic, meaning it absorbs moisture. This ability means that cakes should turn out to be more moist when using honey in place of sugar.^[5]

DAY Four

Yesterday:
-Smoothie,
-Sandwich,
-Sauted veggies (peppers, onions, spaghetti squash.....) in a
(oops) store bought flour tortilla.  I tried making my own whole wheat flour tortilla's but no success (of course). :) So I used what I had.  It wasn't bad for being filled with just veggies.  Mom, you have got to be so blown away that my meals can consist of just veggies.  Did you ever think you would see the day?  I MISS CHEETOS.  CHOCOLATE.  DOUGHNUTS.  ...What?  I never even had an obsession for doughnuts, but I miss them.
-Cade wants to buy raw milk (sick.....but I might just give it a try).
-Skipped taking my crazy pill.
-Asked Cade if he wanted to go to In-N-Out, he said no.  Gosh, he's such a food nazi! :) Totally kidding. But you'd seriously think this was all his idea.  Haha.

Ok, so today, practically the same story...except that I attempted to make a chili.  Did it work out, I think you can guess that correct answer on that one.  It wasn't too bad but I wonder if it could taste any better.  Shoot, I am sure not a very convincing person if you are thinking about getting healthy.  Be patient, I have high hopes this will all turn around in the taste department.
-Cade still wants to go buy raw milk.  (Haha, he actually literally told me that as I was typing that last sentence and as he's reading Elder Widtsoe's book).
-I took half of half of my crazy pill because winging is a crazy weird feeling and I don't like it.  So little by little I'm trying to wing from my crazy pills.
-I feel good.  I don't feel bloated (TMI?) which is always nice and is embarrassingly a usual occurance.  I have no complaints.  ..Haven't had any headaches for the past few days and haven't experienced any fatigue.  So all is good in the feeling good part of this experiment.
-Cade just informed me that one perk might be that he won't lose his hair.  Huh.  Interesting.  We found a positive for him!

So that's the events of Day 3&4..

P.S. Our saving money efforts are paying off WELL!  Our power bill went from $99-$53 and our cell phone bill went from $166-$78.  Awesome.
 

Day two.

A SUCCESSFUL use of almond milk this morning.  Ok, it was smoothie, but that's alright.  :)  I made the almond milk, and then put it in the blender with two apples, two bananas and frozen strawberries.  Ok, I don't know what the rule is on banana's not being in season and use of fozen fruits.   I don't care though.  I had to make it taste decent.  And it did.  So, that's nice.  That was breakfast with an egg.
Lunch was my favorite meal so far.  A peanut butter and honey sandwich.  Haha.  I have my organic peanut butter, made with nothing but peanuts...what?  That's crazy!  It taste funny at first bite but it grows on ya and like I said, it with honey and my sandwich thins is my favorite meal since yesterday (and I liked it before I went crazy healthy, so that's sayin something). 

Then for dinner I got creative.  NEVER works for me.  I always think that I'm going to make some amazing new recipe or meal idea.  It always turns out sad.  Today I cooked some squash spaghetti (is that what it's called?)  Then I used a recipe I found off the internet for a tomato like sauce.  It had peanut butter in it, I ignored that thinking it would be alright.  So I poured my tomato sauce on top of the spaghetti squash and again sprinkled with goat cheese.  HOPING it would be like lasagna with a twist.  Make sense?  Probably not.  It did to me.  Put it in the oven...  Didn't turn out well at all.  All I could smell as I was trying to eat it was peanut butter.  Sick.  Ok.  Scratch that idea for in the future.  And more researching....that's been day two!  I probably won't blog about day three unless something seriously successful happens.  And hopefully it will.
Ok, and why am I doing this?  I am a big believer in natural remedies.  I think that if I put the right things into my body things will improve on their own.  My biggest thing is....I want to get off of my anxiety prescription and if eating right is all it takes, than I can keep at this.  It only makes sense that processed foods or foods high in chemicals and such can take a toll on a persons health physically as well as mentally.  So that's the truth to why I am trying so hard.  Now, as for Cade....I have no idea why he's still on the wagon.  Haha. :)        






Almond milk

Soak almonds for 8 hours

1 cup of almonds= 4 cups of water in blender

Blend.  Strain for smooth texture.

The first recipe I tried had a little more to it but forget that idea.

DAY ONE.......ugh.

Day one has been frustrating.  Will there be a day two?  Haha.  I really don't know what I am doing.  I wanted to be really strict with this and do it 100% but I don't think that I can.  At least not right now when I know so little.  The book I'm reading has me confused about a lot....  SO.  I am just going to do my best.  Until I really understand more what I want/should be doing I'm just going to stick to what I had originally talked to my sister about, a simple whole foods diet to the best that I can.
This is what I have a grip on.  It is important to eat what is in season.  I agree with that.  I'll try my best with that.  Yesterday we had a lot of fun shopping at farmers markets and at a sweet old lady's "booth" on the side of the road.  We were proud of the low cost and good picks!
Way less meat.  We can do that.
Refined and processed stuff is out.
Cow milk less.

So this morning we made Almond Milk.......yuck.  I don't want to give up on the idea yet but I definitely need a new recipe or idea.  I am just planning to experiment with this idea.  ..With our unsuccessful almond milk we had eggs that we bought from locals.
Lunch was an apple. Haha.  All I could come up with as I was struggling with confusion.
Dinner was a salad-- romaine lettuce, alfalfa sprouts, spinach, hard boiled eggs, sprinkled with shredded goat milk cheese. And then we made our own ranch out of cashews, olive oil, dill, parsley, garlic clove, etc.....  It wasn't bad.  Eh.  Kinda funky though.  
Gosh, I feel like such a hippie.
Hopefully I can get a better hang of what I am trying to achieve and see the benefits though.  Stay tuned....if you don't think I'm a complete weirdo.     

Ok so about last post.  I am still learning little by little what it takes to make the changes that I want to in my diet.  I think tomorrow before I go to work, Cade and I are going to check out some health food stores and/or green house markets...?  I don't know where we go shopping but hopefully I'll have it figured out by tomorrow. Ha.  And if I feel confident enough then we'll start Sunday maybe.

And at first this started out trying to understand what a whole food diet was or what this "Green Smoothie Girl" was doing.  After talking to my cousin Julie though, and understanding what her family does, I am still basically doing the same thing..just a little bit different.  (Except the cows milk part.  That I got from green girl and makes sense to my lactose self).
Right now I am reading a book that she recommended and that is, The Word of Wisdom: A Modern Interpretation by Elder Widtsoe.
If you don't understand what the Word of Wisdom has to do with this than just like I did, you should go read D&C Section 89 again.  And look that book up at Deseret Book. 
I thought that all there really was to the Word of Wisdom was: Don't drink alcohol, don't use tabacco, don't drink coffee and tea....kind of a thing.  But there's a lot more do's that no one (myself included) really pays attention to.  It's interesting.
Now, don't get your panties in a wad.  I'm not trying to be controversial; or a self righteous, rub it in your face, know it all. I'm just learning more about the Word of Wisdom how I believe it was intended and trying to apply it to my life.  I feel like living the way I am living right now isn't bad; I also feel like though, that I could be blessed more physically as well as spiritually by making a few changes.  I would copy and paste Julie's email if I felt like that was ok....she said it all perfectly though and her family has seen many blessings from living this way.        

P.S. Cade is totally on board with this.  I would just like to put that out there.  He is just as much for this as I am.  I feel like since Cade is so easy going it might look like I'm just "running the show"&"no ifs, ands, or buts about it".  I promise though, we've discussed this, thought about it, researched some, and are both looking forward to the changes we are about to make.  Or try our best to make. :) 

Ready...maybe...Go!

  Ok, so if you are friends on facebook with my sister, Kami, you might have caught the conversation she started about a whole foods diet.  She went and saw this lady called the Green Smoothie Girl and rather than trying to sum up what this lady is all about you should just go to her page and read about her for yourself --- http://www.greensmoothiegirl.com/about/
  So like I've mentioned before, I've always wanted to be healthy and am just now learning how I think that can be achieved for me (maybe not for you, whatever, that's ok).  I just want to put this whole idea that food can be a healer for the body to the test.
  I have been doing better in the healthy department since starting the Take Shape for Life program but since my transition phase, I feel like I could be doing better than I have been doing.

So this is what I want to do!   ....

-I want to eliminate as much processed foods out of my diet as I possibly can.
-I want to learn how to substitute certain ingredients (example: natural honey instead of processed table sugar).
-I want to eliminate cows milk from my diet.  Hello almond milk.  And I just found a super easy recipe for almond milk today! SWEET!  Stoked to try it out.
-I want to eat meat more sparingly.  Um.  I'll set my goal for once maybe twice a week...that's sparingly enough for now.
-And I want to do this everyday for 3 weeks and blog about it.


Disclaimer:
I am sure that I don't know all the details of this diet.  This is what makes sense to me right now though.  As time goes on I hope to get better at this but I think I'm starting out alright.  You are welcome to comment if you know anything that I don't know.  I am open to ideas/recipes/insight :) Yes please.
It is ok if you disagree with this diet.
One day when I have kids if this is a success in my home I will not be telling aunts/uncles/grandmas&grandpas they can't feed my child a processed cheeto.  Don't worry. :)

So now... When will I start?  How am I going to do this?  Do I have time or money?  Where do I go shopping?  My biggest issue right now is all the food I just stocked up on a couple weeks ago sitting in my pantry and freezer.  Practically ALL processed somethins..  I don't want to waste them.  Then again.  They are good for long "shelf life", so it won't be too much of a waste right now.  I guess questions and concerns will be answered as soon as I can decide to make the commitment and you see "Day 1" posted.

And thanks Kami for bringing this up! I am excited about it...if I can pull it off.    

 

Another SUPER weekend!

 Cordell and Vickie--Sealed for time and all eternity in this Temple 31 years ago!  

It was so neat to go to the Logan Temple on Friday to celebrate this special anniversary. 

And it was just nice to go to a session again; we realized there that it had been way too long since the last time we went to a temple session.
With so many Temples so close to where we are living right now it's crazy to not be attending more often.  I love the Temple.  

The group this year--Uncle Jeff, Cade and I, Mom and Dad Hansen, Grandma Gretta, Shane and Jeanette :)

Shane and Jeanette

Saturday (and again today) we drove to Logan to listen to general conference and spend time with the family.

Aw :)

Zach went to the store with Grandma and Grandpa and brought us all back suckers.  We love these kids! 

Owen found my high heels.  What a cute kid.  He's a lot of fun.
















No picture of sweet Autumn.  I meant to get one but never did.  It was great to see her as well though, always is..  We love Autumn!

But it was so nice to spend time with the family, go to the Temple and listen to conference!  Really, can life get any better?  I just feel blessed to have the gospel in my life, a loving Prophet (as well as his Apostles), an eternal family and an AMAZING husband.  This weekend was great for remembering the blessings in my life.  Happy Happy Happy.