So while attempting to become more healthy, I have been going down aisles in the grocery store that I usually avoid. I love apples, but am very picky about my apples. I only eat Braeburn apples because they are extremely crunchy, juicy, and have the right amount of tartness. While on the search for my favorite apples, I saw coconuts. Woohoo! The sight of coconuts bring back such good memories from when I lived in Belize, while on an archaeological dig back in 2003.
Growing up I hated coconut anything. All those little coconut shavings were disgusting to me and ugh just the sight of German chocolate cakes with all those shavings make me gag! Needless to say, when one of the locals we had befriended climbed up a tree and got a fresh coconut, I still wasn't convinced that it was anything worth eating. I COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MORE WRONG!!!!
First, he cut a hole and told us to drink the coconut milk, which was decadent. Then he cracked it open and gave us the meat. I was amazed at the nuttiness. I know, I know hence the name cocoNUT. But in all my life I never thought of it like a nut. Anyhow, coconuts became my favorite treat while in Belize. There is no way that those stupid coconut shavings do a real coconut any justice.
Meanwhile, back to the present and the coconut I put in my buggy and brought home. I was so excited about getting home and showing the kids how to drink the milk and get the meat out of a coconut. Long story short, it was gross!!!! I was so disappointed and may have ruined my kids every eating it again. Perhaps it wasn't fresh or ripe enough. Whatever the case may be, it was nasty. I was upset because I felt like I bombed the chance to get the kiddos and hubby on board with becoming healthy. Ha. Guess I will have to find something else to satisfy their sweet tooth!
Note to self: nostalgic memories don't transfer to present day and are hard to be relived!
Enough about coconuts and moving on to Mardi Gras. Obviously because I am from South Louisiana, I know all to well about the celebration. However, I wonder if most people that are doing the celebrating and promoting of the holiday have any clue what it is they are celebrating. I have done the research and it is unnerving. It will never cease to amaze me how people celebrate things that they know nothing about.
I find it annoying when people know the truth and try to excuse it. Well my kids just think it's about candy and beads. BORING. Really, people just want an excuse to do what they want to do. I know this may offend a lot of people. The intent is for you to google it, go to the library and look up books on the history, talk to someone who does know the origins of Mardi Gras.
I find it humorous that I have real convictions about most holidays in general and am continually chastized by a lot of people. Most of those people are "Christians" who sit on pews every Sunday, but don't even know the historical significance of or lack thereof of most holidays. Most of them couldn't even tell you what their church's belief system is. So if you are upset right now good, go get the facts and then we will see how you feel. Just because you go against the "norm" doesn't always mean you are wrong or radical. Sometimes it just means you choose to not take things for face value and want to know the truth.
The truth always casts light onto the darkness.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Friday, March 4, 2011
Turning Granola???
So for those of you...ahemm like my mom :) who don't know what granola means, here is the definition from urban dictionary:
An adjective used to describe people who are environmentally aware (flower child, tree-hugger), open-minded, left-winged, socially aware and active, anti-oppressive/discriminatory (racial, sexual, gender, class, age, etc.) with an organic and natural emphasis on living, who will usually refrain from consuming or using anything containing animals and animal by-products (for health and/or environmental reasons), as well as limit consumption of what he or she does consume, as granola people are usually concerned about wasting resources. Usually buy only fair-trade goods and refrain from buying from large corporations, as most exploit the environment as well as their workers, which goes against granola core values. The choice of not removing body hair and drug use are not characteristics that define granola people, and people, regardless of granola status, may or may not partake in said activities.
Well I made the laundry detergent yesterday, but um I don't plan on not shaving the legs or pits anytime soon! ha. With that said, lets talk about the detergent. It's EASY, SAFE, and CHEAP. It only takes three ingredients. Yes, I said three! One bar of Ivory Soap ($1.18 for three bars), Washing Soda ($2.37 for a box of Arm & Hammer), and Borax ($3.19 for a box).
Here is the recipe I used:
TA DA! And it makes about one and a half gallons. Put 1/2 a cup in your load of laudry. I can't give an exact price per load because I haven't used up all the products yet, but the website I read said it comes out to like .06 cents per load. Compare that to Tide, which comes out to roughly .30 per load. That's huge, but what is more important to me is that I know exactly what goes into it.
Actually it is just kind of fun knowing that you can make it yourself. I never thought about it before until a dear "granola" friend of mine told me about it. (Love ya Mack)
The following verse encouraged me to get started with the health stuff and keeps me encouraged when I start to get lazy and want to slack:
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit with in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God with your body.
Just let that soak it. If it doesn't convict you, well that is a whole other blog post!
An adjective used to describe people who are environmentally aware (flower child, tree-hugger), open-minded, left-winged, socially aware and active, anti-oppressive/discriminatory (racial, sexual, gender, class, age, etc.) with an organic and natural emphasis on living, who will usually refrain from consuming or using anything containing animals and animal by-products (for health and/or environmental reasons), as well as limit consumption of what he or she does consume, as granola people are usually concerned about wasting resources. Usually buy only fair-trade goods and refrain from buying from large corporations, as most exploit the environment as well as their workers, which goes against granola core values. The choice of not removing body hair and drug use are not characteristics that define granola people, and people, regardless of granola status, may or may not partake in said activities.
Here is the recipe I used:
- one bar of Ivory (can use Zote or Fels Naptha)
- 1 cup of washing soda
- 1 cup of Borax
TA DA! And it makes about one and a half gallons. Put 1/2 a cup in your load of laudry. I can't give an exact price per load because I haven't used up all the products yet, but the website I read said it comes out to like .06 cents per load. Compare that to Tide, which comes out to roughly .30 per load. That's huge, but what is more important to me is that I know exactly what goes into it.
Actually it is just kind of fun knowing that you can make it yourself. I never thought about it before until a dear "granola" friend of mine told me about it. (Love ya Mack)
The following verse encouraged me to get started with the health stuff and keeps me encouraged when I start to get lazy and want to slack:
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit with in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God with your body.
Just let that soak it. If it doesn't convict you, well that is a whole other blog post!
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Green Smoothies, Homemade Laundry Detergent, and Autism
It all started with my discovery that 91 out of every 1000 kids are diagnosed with autism. After that, I frantically read everything I could get my hands on about autism. Ethan gets his MMR vaccination on March 18 and I had heard that it is this very vaccination that seems to be a culprit. I have come to no solid conclusions. I know God is in control and I believe that this vaccination will affect him no differently than the rest. In the course of reading about autism, I came across an article discussing what we put on our skin, hair, nails, etc. From detergent to perfume, it shouldn't be put on your skin if you can't put it in your mouth!!!! It's a long story and just read up on it if it hits a nerve with you.
Anyways, my discovery led me being concerned about all the preservatives in food and the consequences for ingesting all these chemicals through food, perfume, shampoo, detergent, etc. So I am slowly going to make the switch. Notice I said slowly. I have started with eating 75% clean and I am making my own laundry detergent.
My favorite part of eating clean is green smoothies!!! Sounds disgusting, but just give it a chance. Here is the recipe:
Throw it all in your blender (I use a Ninja and it works great) and there is a healthy breakfast, lunch, or snack. I buy two bunches of bananas, peel them, put in ziploc bag and throw in the freezer because it makes the smoothie cold and saves me from having to go to the store. You can use soy milk, but I prefer almond milk. It is super creamy and just delicious. I buy fresh spinach and a container of it lasts roughly a week. It is harder to find, but buy apple juice that is not from concentrate...that is very important for me. You can use whatever fruit you want. Because I love blueberries and they are a super food, my smoothie actually comes out purple! Click here for some great GREEN SMOOTHIES.
As you can see, even Ethan likes them. When I get the Ninja out of the cabinet he always starts screaming NOM, NOM! He thinks they are yummy and I know they are good for him. Well I am going to try and make my own laundry detergent. I will let you know how that turns out!!!
Anyways, my discovery led me being concerned about all the preservatives in food and the consequences for ingesting all these chemicals through food, perfume, shampoo, detergent, etc. So I am slowly going to make the switch. Notice I said slowly. I have started with eating 75% clean and I am making my own laundry detergent.
My favorite part of eating clean is green smoothies!!! Sounds disgusting, but just give it a chance. Here is the recipe:
- 1 banana
- 1 cup of blueberries
- 2 cups of almond milk (i like vanilla)
- 2 handfuls of spinach
- 1 cup of apple juice (NOT from concentrate)
Throw it all in your blender (I use a Ninja and it works great) and there is a healthy breakfast, lunch, or snack. I buy two bunches of bananas, peel them, put in ziploc bag and throw in the freezer because it makes the smoothie cold and saves me from having to go to the store. You can use soy milk, but I prefer almond milk. It is super creamy and just delicious. I buy fresh spinach and a container of it lasts roughly a week. It is harder to find, but buy apple juice that is not from concentrate...that is very important for me. You can use whatever fruit you want. Because I love blueberries and they are a super food, my smoothie actually comes out purple! Click here for some great GREEN SMOOTHIES.
As you can see, even Ethan likes them. When I get the Ninja out of the cabinet he always starts screaming NOM, NOM! He thinks they are yummy and I know they are good for him. Well I am going to try and make my own laundry detergent. I will let you know how that turns out!!!
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Boys and their toys
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Hair cuts and tadpoles
So it's that time of the year in Louisiana. HOT. We decided to clean outI the pool and get it ready for summer. Little did I know this meant after draining most of the water, I would be getting in the stagnant, frog/tadpole infested water. Yeah it was as gross as it sounds, but I scooped out all the leaves and frogs. Cool thing I learned while scooping up hundreds of tadpoles is that their bellies are iridescent and actually kind of neat. Ew is still my final thought of cleaning out a pool. This winter we will have a cover. ha
Speaking of summer and trying to stay cool, I got Ethan's hair cut. I had decided I wanted to buzz it for summer, much to the dismay of my mother and father-in-law. They were afraid it wouldn't look good, but in case you haven't seen my son, he would look cute bald. He's adorable. Just saying. But as usual, I did what I wanted and got it buzzed. And he looks adorable. Thank you very much!!!!
In an effort to not make people want to go blind when they see me in a swimsuit, Darren and I bought bikes. So hopefully I willl lose some weight with all the riding around. If it works, I will post pics! If not, I will let you save you save your sight.
Speaking of summer and trying to stay cool, I got Ethan's hair cut. I had decided I wanted to buzz it for summer, much to the dismay of my mother and father-in-law. They were afraid it wouldn't look good, but in case you haven't seen my son, he would look cute bald. He's adorable. Just saying. But as usual, I did what I wanted and got it buzzed. And he looks adorable. Thank you very much!!!!
In an effort to not make people want to go blind when they see me in a swimsuit, Darren and I bought bikes. So hopefully I willl lose some weight with all the riding around. If it works, I will post pics! If not, I will let you save you save your sight.
Monday, November 16, 2009
I love cooking hey hey hey hey
Really? People question my ability to cook. I remember when Darren and I were dating. I would cook and he would come over to my apartment and be shocked every time we ate. He was suprised I could cook. Darren + being single = take out every single meal. I die laughing everytime he makes the comment, "I can't believe you cook so good even though you were single for so long." UGH what is that supposed to mean?
I love, love, love to cook.
I asked my mom for a recipe on facebook the other day and her good friend made the comment to her that she didn't know I was into that sort of thing...hahaha. I am quite domesticated. I can understand how some could have the misconception that I am not at all, but in reality I am pretty good at the whole barefoot and pregnant thing. My fun, single, traveling days are over and now I spend hours slaving in the kitchen. Ok not really! From Miley Cyrus to The Fray-someone is always singing to me while I cook and I am usually dancing around the kitchen. Cooking is theraputic for me. The kitchen is my space. I am getting excited just thinking about what I will cook today.
I can make some chicken and dumplings that will make you want to slap yo mama! I like cooking things that take lots of time and love. Jalapeno cornbread is a favorite too. I will spend a few hours cooking something just to see the smile on someone's face or an empty dish haha.
The holidays are here which means LOTS of cooking.
And thanks to my friend Jen, I have been trying out some Greek dishes. I am currently into all things Greek. So if you have any good recipes throw some my way or if you're in the neighborhood let me know and I will whip something up!
I love, love, love to cook.
I asked my mom for a recipe on facebook the other day and her good friend made the comment to her that she didn't know I was into that sort of thing...hahaha. I am quite domesticated. I can understand how some could have the misconception that I am not at all, but in reality I am pretty good at the whole barefoot and pregnant thing. My fun, single, traveling days are over and now I spend hours slaving in the kitchen. Ok not really! From Miley Cyrus to The Fray-someone is always singing to me while I cook and I am usually dancing around the kitchen. Cooking is theraputic for me. The kitchen is my space. I am getting excited just thinking about what I will cook today.
I can make some chicken and dumplings that will make you want to slap yo mama! I like cooking things that take lots of time and love. Jalapeno cornbread is a favorite too. I will spend a few hours cooking something just to see the smile on someone's face or an empty dish haha.
The holidays are here which means LOTS of cooking.
And thanks to my friend Jen, I have been trying out some Greek dishes. I am currently into all things Greek. So if you have any good recipes throw some my way or if you're in the neighborhood let me know and I will whip something up!
Friday, November 13, 2009
It's not about me
So I will be the first to admit I have BIG dreams for my son. Basically I already have his whole life planned out. Well that is until yesterday when the Lord whispered in my ear, "Alayna, his life is about me." We get caught up. Caught up in our wants, what the world wants, what we wanted for ourselves. O to the simple life.
Living in Belize for three months during my last semester of college was the most amazing time of my life. IT WAS SIMPLE. Our shower was a water hose stuck through a hole in this shack, no blow dryers, makeup, cellphone, tv. The day I landed and finally got to the shack I would be calling home, I took a shower and got out the blowdryer. My professor laughed and said, "I told you girls not to bring blowdryers and makeup." Ugh I was thinking if I just looked better, I might feel better about being stuck out here in the remote nothingness. So I continued blowdrying my hair and blowdrying and blowdrying. Well, well, well because it is so humid it was impossible to dry my hair. I had a freak out moment-NO BLOWDRYER AND NO MAKEUP FOR THREE MONTHS? How would people look at me. It was the beginning of a real period of freedom in my life.
One day I was talking to a local and we were joking about how "poor" all the locals were. Ok well perhaps I was the only one joking about no air conditioning, no cell phone, internet. He politely informed me that they just had less stuff to get in the way of them and God. Wasn't expecting that comment. I thought about it alot that summer. And time to time I still do. I wouldn't mind living that way for the rest of my life. We work so hard to get straight A's, to get into a good school, to get a good job, to be able to pay for the nice house and the BMer (BMW for those of you who aren't familiar with the term). So caught up in making enough to send your child to a good school, pay for every activity that they or YOU want them to join, and to be able to buy them the coolest clothes or shoes.
As a parent, do we sit down and think of the example we are setting for our child? Is that what it's all about? The corporate job, the awesome house with granite countertops, and the two seater Mercedes?
Luke 9:61-62 says:
"Still another said, I will follow you, Lord; but first let me goback and say good by to my family." Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
That was a real wake up call for me yesterday. What if Ethan doesn't want to play football at LSU? (you may laugh, but I am serious about pushing him in that direction) What if he doesn't want to go to college at all? What if he wants to live like a guy I once met, named Donnie Martimer? Donnie went to an Ivey League school, drove the BMer and then sold it all including his clothes when he got the the call from the Lord. I used to think I would be proud to have a son like that, but now that I am a parent I think I might just die if I had busted my butt to give my child everything for him to sell it all and live like a vagabond.
So it's me, it's me that has to realize that I have to change. I have to be a real life example to my child. I refuse to live in a house of "do what I say, not what I do." It starts with me. More importantly, it starts with me realizing that it's not about me. Not a little bit, not at all.
Living in Belize for three months during my last semester of college was the most amazing time of my life. IT WAS SIMPLE. Our shower was a water hose stuck through a hole in this shack, no blow dryers, makeup, cellphone, tv. The day I landed and finally got to the shack I would be calling home, I took a shower and got out the blowdryer. My professor laughed and said, "I told you girls not to bring blowdryers and makeup." Ugh I was thinking if I just looked better, I might feel better about being stuck out here in the remote nothingness. So I continued blowdrying my hair and blowdrying and blowdrying. Well, well, well because it is so humid it was impossible to dry my hair. I had a freak out moment-NO BLOWDRYER AND NO MAKEUP FOR THREE MONTHS? How would people look at me. It was the beginning of a real period of freedom in my life.
One day I was talking to a local and we were joking about how "poor" all the locals were. Ok well perhaps I was the only one joking about no air conditioning, no cell phone, internet. He politely informed me that they just had less stuff to get in the way of them and God. Wasn't expecting that comment. I thought about it alot that summer. And time to time I still do. I wouldn't mind living that way for the rest of my life. We work so hard to get straight A's, to get into a good school, to get a good job, to be able to pay for the nice house and the BMer (BMW for those of you who aren't familiar with the term). So caught up in making enough to send your child to a good school, pay for every activity that they or YOU want them to join, and to be able to buy them the coolest clothes or shoes.
As a parent, do we sit down and think of the example we are setting for our child? Is that what it's all about? The corporate job, the awesome house with granite countertops, and the two seater Mercedes?
Luke 9:61-62 says:
"Still another said, I will follow you, Lord; but first let me goback and say good by to my family." Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
That was a real wake up call for me yesterday. What if Ethan doesn't want to play football at LSU? (you may laugh, but I am serious about pushing him in that direction) What if he doesn't want to go to college at all? What if he wants to live like a guy I once met, named Donnie Martimer? Donnie went to an Ivey League school, drove the BMer and then sold it all including his clothes when he got the the call from the Lord. I used to think I would be proud to have a son like that, but now that I am a parent I think I might just die if I had busted my butt to give my child everything for him to sell it all and live like a vagabond.
So it's me, it's me that has to realize that I have to change. I have to be a real life example to my child. I refuse to live in a house of "do what I say, not what I do." It starts with me. More importantly, it starts with me realizing that it's not about me. Not a little bit, not at all.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
