Early New Years Resolution

Now that I'm in school and learning all about nutrition, health benefits to eating well, and the not so good attributes of things like aspartame (turns into formaldehyde in your body and doesn't go away!) and yes the body does need to eat animal protein for optimal overall health.  I must admit  - there are a few hard core things that I need to change about my diet.  I love pop (or for anyone in the US - Soda) - specifically Diet pop - which is loaded with sodium phosphates (no good) and aspartame (really no good).  I have also discovered that I LOVE LOVE LOVE carbs.  This shouldn't be new news to me but as of late, I've been looking at what i crave - it's not the sweets anymore like it used to be in my early-mid twenties - I want bread, and crackers, and more crackers.  Crackers specifically are my weakness.  Wheat crackers, Melba Toast, Ritz, Rice crackers - they're all yummy. 
I did a cleanse in September - my first cleanse of any sort ever - for 3 weeks and I couldn't believe how great I felt.  The cleanse was a pretty basic one - lots of water, no dairy, no gluten, no sugar, no yeast (and the obvious to that no alcohol) and limit fruit to only 2 servings a day.  I did this very successfully as we have alot of items in our house that allowed me to eat quite well every day without bumping into things like bread or cheese.  I have to admit - I still desperately wanted bread/crackers.  Everything else meh - I was able to leave alone.
So, now that the scale has been creeping back up (and it's not even really Christmas season yet) - I am feeling the need to empower my body into kicking things into a higher gear.  While school has been extremely educational I'm also not keeping ahead of the cooking and baking, and eating when I get home late from school and grabbing things as I run out the door to various activities - all which usually consist of bread or crackers and something.  See the trend here!

So, here we go with the resolution

1. For 30 days starting November 22nd, I will eat Gluten Free, Dairy Free and a really small amount of sugar :)   (going to keep the yeast in for now).
2. I will get back to running 3 times a week (this has suffered with trying to balance work, school, ballet lessons, swimming lessons and Brad working late)
3. I will go to the gym once or twice a week - I've had a membership for almost a year and haven't set foot in the gym - how embarrassing!
4. Will do more meal prepping - planning weekly menus and will bring out the bread maker again to make our own Gluten Free bread (I'm even going to try to make GF Pizza dough!).  GF baking will need to include some holiday treats - Blueberry muffins, chocolate chip cookies and maybe even a cake (that would be for Brad's bday coming up)
5. Continue to refine our food selections to include nitrate free meats, organic or at a minimum antibiotic free/grain fed meats and work in more vegetables into the menu
6. If after 30 days I'm still craving crackers/bread - I will do another 30 days and hopefully will hit a turning point with nutrition and all things beneficial for the family.

BTW - Brad this means that you're going GF too!



Is it Christmas yet?

This year Rowyn's taken to talking about Christmas non stop.  She told me on October 28th on the drive to school that "we need to put our Christmas tree up Mom!  How come we don't have it up yet?!"  My response went something like "grumble, mumble... let's get through Halloween first".  Rowyn has already written her Christmas list to Santa complete with addressed envelope and licked shut. I wish I could remember what's on there!  The other day she yelled "Mom!  Come quick!"  I dropped everything thinking something was wrong to find her pointing at the TV and said "Mom, I want that for Christmas".  My heart rate didn't return to normal for about 10 minutes.  She definitely has the hang of Christmas this year! Now it will be about curtailing the desires for every TV ad or picture of a toy in a flyer and probably having to explain why Santa didn't bring EVERYTHING on her list.  I have a feeling we're going to be the most decorated house on the street by the time we get to December 25th.  Pictures forthcoming.
We're plodding along tickety boo over here.  Things are super crazy hectic trying to balance school and Brad working.  Sometimes it feels like we're passing each other and we're just two people that live in the same house.  Can't wait for the holidays so we can spend some family time together.
School has been pretty interesting.  The pace is fast and furious with a test or quiz or assignment every class.  I've met some really nice people along the way and hoping to get to know more as we continue our classes.  I am still wondering what I got myself into but trying to take it one class at a time.  My head is swimming right now with isotopes, ionic bonds, covalent and polar covalent bonds..... We're doing BioChemistry - not something at which I excel at.  I am more of the fluffy stuff vs. identifying elements and electron dot configurations.  4 more classes to go then we move onto a class called Ayurveda.  What is that you ask?  I have no idea but once we get there will update.
Rowyn has started ballet!  She's been asking and asking and her friend from school is in ballet so we signed her up with her friend.  First class was last Wednesday and she did amazing!  No crazy clinging at the door, or wanting Mummy to sit with her.  She went right into class with a bit of a lip quiver and that was it!  I could see her through the little window swirling and twirling.  She looked just delicious in her pink ballet shoes, pink leotards and body suit.  I think there will be a Christmas concert that will happen so video and pics to be posted.

Rowyn and I had a Girls Night this past weekend while Brad and the boys went on their fall ride.  Next time we'll have to have the full experience and do a picnic on the floor!  The girls night picnic brings back memories of when Mom and Kristine and I used to do this.

 My little helper doing some dusting and boy did we need to dust!  Whew!

 Fall leaves.  What a great day this was.  I am not sure who had more fun with the leaves Brad or Rowyn

 I think this is awesome.  Brad and Rowyn having a "dance party" and Brad flinging Rowyn all over the room

 Happy Halloween!

 Look at all that loot.  Most of it's still here - hidden in the cupboard out of sight out of mind.