I really need to get organized (as I have so often wrote)! Last post, I worte about getting more balance in my life.I think that one of the first things I need to do to get organized is to find time for myself. That most likely means that I will need to get up at specific time every day, hopefully before the kids, so that I can plan to do thing by myself. Initially that may mean that I get up early and start spending a short amount of time organizing an area in my home. I need to start getting a schedule of things that need to get done, daily, weekly, monthly, and seasonally. Once I get that, I can start to get a plan on how to get things done so that I can find time for me. I also want to be able to find time to make homemade food items. I really am inspired by the blogs I read and also the friend I have. I want to make sure that I find time to be creative. I have so many projects that I want to complete and that I really need to complete. I need to schedule time to complete these projects. I guess I also need to figure out specifically how I want to spend my days. I also want to start scheduling time to spend with the kids doing tasks that allows the kids to have some learning time!
I have lots of things that I want to do and many things that I need to do. I just have to prioritize them and spend less time doing things that I don't need to be doing like watching tv, facebook, and other things like that!
Amy
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Wishcasting Wednesday: Where do you wish to make a fresh start? Balance in life
I haven't been participating in Wishcasting Wednesday lately and I thought that I would give it a try again. (Life has just been too crazy) Jamie Ridler over at jamieridlerstudios.ca asks "Where Do You Wish to Make a Fresh Start?"
Balance! Isn't that what we all strive for. I've been doing a lot of thinking lately, especially on my drive to and from work (not that it's a long drive, but it's time alone) and what has recently come to me is that I am seeking more balance in my life. My eating is out of control, sometimes my emotions are out of control, I don't have balance in my home life right now since I am still trying to work out being at home with the kids and then leaving and going to work. I never realized how tough it would be to maintain a balance when your schedule changes and you have 3 kids and a husband (thankfully I have a helpful husband who makes the transition much easier). I need to find balance in ensuring that the house gets clean, but that it does not become my total focus. I need to find the balance in exercising and making sure tht I am getting enough rest. I need to find balance in ensuring that I get enough time in to be creative and enjoy my different hobbies. I need to find balance to have time to read, one of my loves, but I don't make it a priority any more. I need to find the balance in enjoying good television, but not letting it take over my life. I need to find balance in using the computer and not letting my blogs/facebook/web searches/other peoples blogs take time away from other things that would be balancing my life.
I wish to make a fresh start by having more balance in my life!
Amy
Balance! Isn't that what we all strive for. I've been doing a lot of thinking lately, especially on my drive to and from work (not that it's a long drive, but it's time alone) and what has recently come to me is that I am seeking more balance in my life. My eating is out of control, sometimes my emotions are out of control, I don't have balance in my home life right now since I am still trying to work out being at home with the kids and then leaving and going to work. I never realized how tough it would be to maintain a balance when your schedule changes and you have 3 kids and a husband (thankfully I have a helpful husband who makes the transition much easier). I need to find balance in ensuring that the house gets clean, but that it does not become my total focus. I need to find the balance in exercising and making sure tht I am getting enough rest. I need to find balance in ensuring that I get enough time in to be creative and enjoy my different hobbies. I need to find balance to have time to read, one of my loves, but I don't make it a priority any more. I need to find the balance in enjoying good television, but not letting it take over my life. I need to find balance in using the computer and not letting my blogs/facebook/web searches/other peoples blogs take time away from other things that would be balancing my life.
I wish to make a fresh start by having more balance in my life!
Amy
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
More Ice Cream
I finally found the recipe for the pumpkin ice cream that I have been looking for since last Friday (when I should have printed it out). I haven't made it yet and probably wont make it til tomorrow at least, but I have the recipe and I think even all the ingredients.
The kids are having their EI evals tomorrow and we need to get the house looking presentable. I am looking forward to the evals, but I am also a tad bit nervous of the outcome. Hopefully, they will all get services that will help them with their communication. They are starting to say more, but really have no functional language at this point. I am hoping that this is because of things that my husband and I can change and not because of something like autism or PDD (developmental delay). Because of this delay, their slow weight gain, and other reasons, I really need to get working on getting more organized, especially with meals. I need to start making more nutritious meals and snacks. Not that they are eating totally unhealthy, but they are certainly eating more junk food than I would like. I think I am still getting used to my schedule now that I have a job. It is certainly taking some time getting used to things, but I think it has been good.
With regards to eating, my husband and I had a huge discussion about dietary intake. I am so tired of having the best of intentions and not following through with them. There are so many foods that i love that are so not good for you. I love starchy carbs, but they pack on the weight on me like you wouldn't believe. I love sweets and I love salty foods. Again, foods that are not good for you and all 3 of these types of foods just make you want more! I really need to get my head around the fact that I need to plan to eat healthyfor me and my kids and my husband!
So my next step is to plan meals for the rest of the week. I started off writing about a fun topic like ice cream adn some how, I ended up talking about a way more serious issue. I am so happy to have this blog so that I can write down these thoughts and feelings. Even if no one reads them and no one comments, it is a place where I can put down the trials that I face trying to follow through with the life style that I want to lead. It is not easy to live the way I want to. We have way too many sshort cuts taht make things easy ion the moment, but in the long run, they make things so much worse!
Thanks to anyone who reads and comments on my blogs. I really appreciate the feedback. Hopefully some day, I'll be able to stop writing about how I want to live and start wrinting about actually living he way I want to be living!
Amy
The kids are having their EI evals tomorrow and we need to get the house looking presentable. I am looking forward to the evals, but I am also a tad bit nervous of the outcome. Hopefully, they will all get services that will help them with their communication. They are starting to say more, but really have no functional language at this point. I am hoping that this is because of things that my husband and I can change and not because of something like autism or PDD (developmental delay). Because of this delay, their slow weight gain, and other reasons, I really need to get working on getting more organized, especially with meals. I need to start making more nutritious meals and snacks. Not that they are eating totally unhealthy, but they are certainly eating more junk food than I would like. I think I am still getting used to my schedule now that I have a job. It is certainly taking some time getting used to things, but I think it has been good.
With regards to eating, my husband and I had a huge discussion about dietary intake. I am so tired of having the best of intentions and not following through with them. There are so many foods that i love that are so not good for you. I love starchy carbs, but they pack on the weight on me like you wouldn't believe. I love sweets and I love salty foods. Again, foods that are not good for you and all 3 of these types of foods just make you want more! I really need to get my head around the fact that I need to plan to eat healthyfor me and my kids and my husband!
So my next step is to plan meals for the rest of the week. I started off writing about a fun topic like ice cream adn some how, I ended up talking about a way more serious issue. I am so happy to have this blog so that I can write down these thoughts and feelings. Even if no one reads them and no one comments, it is a place where I can put down the trials that I face trying to follow through with the life style that I want to lead. It is not easy to live the way I want to. We have way too many sshort cuts taht make things easy ion the moment, but in the long run, they make things so much worse!
Thanks to anyone who reads and comments on my blogs. I really appreciate the feedback. Hopefully some day, I'll be able to stop writing about how I want to live and start wrinting about actually living he way I want to be living!
Amy
Monday, August 16, 2010
Ice Cream, You Scream, We All Scream for Ice Cream!
In my last post, I commented that there were a bunch of recipes that I wanted to try. I had already tried a berry rice milk ice cream made in my Vita-mix blender, but I wanted to try something in an actual ice cream maker. I got the book "Vegan Scoop" and had been dying to try a recipe. The problem was I wanted to have it some out really good and since all the recipes were made with soy milk and soy cream, I needed to find alternative so that my husband could also partake in these new ventures of mine. "Vegan Scoop" says that you can use other milks as well as soy, but it also called for soy creamer which, I believe is a little thicker than soy milk. The creamer was my problem. After researching dairy free ice creams, I came across a recipe using coconut milk. I figured it would taste good, be thick and creamy, and best of all soy and dairy free. I attempted to make mint chocolate chip ice cream between last night and this morning. All in all, I think it was good. I do think that i probably used too much mint extract and will definitely cut back next time. I also used agave nectar instead of granulated sugar and will use it again. My husband liked it as well as my 3 kids (29 months and 18 month twins). I will defintely make this again and maybe next time I'll try it without the coconut milk to see how it comes out with just rice milk. You do use arrowroot powder as a thinkening agent so that may be all that is needed. It will certainly be interesting and maybe even fun to try all sorts of different combinations!
Amy
Amy
Friday, August 13, 2010
Inspiration
I have been reading many blogs lately and am totally getting inspired. Currently, the blog that I am most enjoying is blog.healthy-green-lifestyle.com. There are so many recipes I want to try. I just need to make the time to start cooking healthier for my family. I am starting to get better, but I have a very long way to go. One of my newest goals is to start making homemade yogurt and granola. We have started to eat yogurt almost every day as well as granola. I have been buying stoneyfield yogurt which I love, but I would rather make my own. I have a friend who makes her own yogurt and I plan to ask her for some advice. I did get a granola recipe from a neighbor and can't wait to try it out. blog.healthy-green-lifestyle.com also has a protein bar recipe that I am dying to try as well as pumpkin ice cream that has no milk or cream in it. I can't wait! There are so many recipes I want to try.
Like I said in my previous post, my husband was diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. This really means that as the primary meal planner for the house, it is my responsibilty to plan meals that will help him hopefully resolve his metabolic syndrome or at least make it so that it is not a major issue in his life. Along with that, we will hopefully both be losing weight, my blood pressure will go down and my kids will have a better start to eating healthy given that they are so young.
Unfortunately, the plan for dinner tonight is not all that healthy. I had bought a calzone the other day and I don't want to waste it. I plan to have a better start tomorrow. Tonight after work, I plan to go home and make some ice cream. I want to try the pumpkin one first, but I think I have all the ingredients for the other one at home, so that will be my first try. I plan to research more healthy eating, going in the direction of weight loss, lowing blood pressure, and helping with metabolic syndrome.
Check back for more info once I actually get the chance to make some of these delicious recipes!
Amy
Like I said in my previous post, my husband was diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. This really means that as the primary meal planner for the house, it is my responsibilty to plan meals that will help him hopefully resolve his metabolic syndrome or at least make it so that it is not a major issue in his life. Along with that, we will hopefully both be losing weight, my blood pressure will go down and my kids will have a better start to eating healthy given that they are so young.
Unfortunately, the plan for dinner tonight is not all that healthy. I had bought a calzone the other day and I don't want to waste it. I plan to have a better start tomorrow. Tonight after work, I plan to go home and make some ice cream. I want to try the pumpkin one first, but I think I have all the ingredients for the other one at home, so that will be my first try. I plan to research more healthy eating, going in the direction of weight loss, lowing blood pressure, and helping with metabolic syndrome.
Check back for more info once I actually get the chance to make some of these delicious recipes!
Amy
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Am I Following Through?
As chaotic as life is right now, I think that I am starting to get better at meeting my goal of living a handmade and natural life. I started this blog a little more than a year ago with the goal of living a more natural life. I wanted to do this by buying food in it's most natural state and cooking vs buying more processed foods, being thrifty with how I spend my money, making things that I would normally buy in a store (if possible), eating less frequently at restaurants (again making my own food as naturally as possible), making my own healthy cleaning and body products, and anything else that fits into this category. I have certainly had my ups and downs with these goals and probably have had more downs than ups, but I always attempt to get back on track.
Along with the things I wrote about above, I am also trying to be a more natural/crunchy parent. I cloth diaper, I attempted CIO but hated it and really haven't done it since (though in another blog I wrote that it worked and that I loved it until I realized it was luck that my son wnet to sleep so well for a few days), I try to make sure that the kids experience time outside and that they remain active. I have also, along with my husband, tried to hold off early intervention referrals for the kids speech so that they have time to develop on their own time table. We actually have maede a referral recently since we now think that they really could benefit.
I have started being better about cooking at home, using the veggies from our garden, other people's garden, or the farmer's market. Unfortunately due to finances, I am not able to utilize organic foods and free range and grass fed meats, but when I can I try to. I am trying to be better about choosing healthy foods and doing what ever it takes to get my little ones to eat their veggies. I am starting to utilize a cookbook "Ddeceptively Delicious" which uses veggie purees in foods that you wouldn't think would have veggies in them as a way to "trick" my kids into eating veggies. I will also offer them veggies so that they get used to eating veggies, but at least this way they will get the nutrients they need without knowing it. Unfortunately, my husband was diagnosed with metabolic syndrome, which is really a name for a group of issues that he is trying to take care of. We both have high blood pressure, he is pre-diabetic, and he has a problem with his cholesterol ratios. This is being dealt with by his doctor through vitamins and exercise, and we want to start treating it with diet. Unfortunately, one of the ways to treat it is a low carb diet. Unfortunately, I love carbs! I think we just need to decrease the amount of carbs in our diet, which is something I am always trying to do. The other info that he found out about through an alternative medication site it that high fructose corn syrup is a major contributor to metabolic syndrome. I try not to buy anything with HFCS, but it seems like it is in everything. We are exercising too, which is a major change for us. For the last few years, we have been major couch potatoes, probably because we are too tired with everything else in our lives, but that is no excuse. It's time to continue to exercise, lose weight and get healthy.
I am also trying to find time to do my hobbies. Unfortunately, I am now working so that eats up 4 hours of my time M-F, but I think it is really important to find time to do the things that you love. I am attempting to get organized so that I am able to live the lifestyle that I want, which means that I'll be so much happier in the long run. It's just going to take some time to get there, but if I do it right, it will be easy to maintain!
Always a work in progress, but am I living up to what I really want out of life?
Amy
Along with the things I wrote about above, I am also trying to be a more natural/crunchy parent. I cloth diaper, I attempted CIO but hated it and really haven't done it since (though in another blog I wrote that it worked and that I loved it until I realized it was luck that my son wnet to sleep so well for a few days), I try to make sure that the kids experience time outside and that they remain active. I have also, along with my husband, tried to hold off early intervention referrals for the kids speech so that they have time to develop on their own time table. We actually have maede a referral recently since we now think that they really could benefit.
I have started being better about cooking at home, using the veggies from our garden, other people's garden, or the farmer's market. Unfortunately due to finances, I am not able to utilize organic foods and free range and grass fed meats, but when I can I try to. I am trying to be better about choosing healthy foods and doing what ever it takes to get my little ones to eat their veggies. I am starting to utilize a cookbook "Ddeceptively Delicious" which uses veggie purees in foods that you wouldn't think would have veggies in them as a way to "trick" my kids into eating veggies. I will also offer them veggies so that they get used to eating veggies, but at least this way they will get the nutrients they need without knowing it. Unfortunately, my husband was diagnosed with metabolic syndrome, which is really a name for a group of issues that he is trying to take care of. We both have high blood pressure, he is pre-diabetic, and he has a problem with his cholesterol ratios. This is being dealt with by his doctor through vitamins and exercise, and we want to start treating it with diet. Unfortunately, one of the ways to treat it is a low carb diet. Unfortunately, I love carbs! I think we just need to decrease the amount of carbs in our diet, which is something I am always trying to do. The other info that he found out about through an alternative medication site it that high fructose corn syrup is a major contributor to metabolic syndrome. I try not to buy anything with HFCS, but it seems like it is in everything. We are exercising too, which is a major change for us. For the last few years, we have been major couch potatoes, probably because we are too tired with everything else in our lives, but that is no excuse. It's time to continue to exercise, lose weight and get healthy.
I am also trying to find time to do my hobbies. Unfortunately, I am now working so that eats up 4 hours of my time M-F, but I think it is really important to find time to do the things that you love. I am attempting to get organized so that I am able to live the lifestyle that I want, which means that I'll be so much happier in the long run. It's just going to take some time to get there, but if I do it right, it will be easy to maintain!
Always a work in progress, but am I living up to what I really want out of life?
Amy
Friday, August 6, 2010
Progress?!
I have often been writing about my desire to be healthier. I have started making some small changes in my life that I hope will become more of a lifestyle than a short term investment. I have started exercising at least 3 times per week. My husband and I started walking a DCR area in our town that was about 3 miles and very hilly. Unfortunately, my older son got sick and we slacked a little and then i got sick and we slacked again after just getting back on track. Finally my summer cold/almost sinus infection has mostly passed and we have gotten back on track again. Since my husband is having isuues with shin splints, we have changed our walking routine to the bike path out of Peabody. Wednesday, we walked 3 miles, maybe even a little over, and today we did 4 miles. I am actually really sore, but in a good way. I never thought that I would enjoy getting back to walking as much as I have recently.
I am trying much harder to be better at cooking from scratch. I got a couple of recommendations to get the Joy of Cooking cookbook, which is on my list of books to buy as well as cookbooks on how to get veggies in sneakily. I have made some things with veggies from our garden, which is so much fun. We are still waiting for the tomatoes to ripen and we have a bunch of eggplant that are growing. I would have to say that tomatoes and eggplant have been our best crop this year. We haven't done horrible with zuchinni, but could do better. We also have had issues with animals eating our veggies. We put up a fence, but it seems like there are still issues where what ever it is is getting at the squashes. Also, our watermelon seems to be doing ok, but they are not quite ready.
I have started a new part time job, which I think is going well so far. I am enjoying getting back into the workforce and I seem to have great co-workers. I am not loving the stress of getting a new routine down, but I'm sure that with time, the routine will get establishes and things will go much smoother.
I have a ton of projects to work on, but given the sickness in the house and the new job, they are being put on the back burner. I am working on a handmade mei tai baby carrier. I love the material, but I can't seem to find the time to actually sit down and work on it. I want to make some pocket diapers, but again, I can't seem to find the time. I think I even have the material, for the most part and since we bought 6, I really like them. I am planning on making them with fleece instead of PUL so that they are more breathable. Hopefully that will help with the rashes that we are constantly fighting.
My flower gardens are starting to look a little sad. It has been so dry here in MA, that things just seem to be withering away! I have some work to do on moving some flowers and bunching them more together. I think that way it will look better and then next year, I can look at planting more flowers. I hate to admit taht I need to deal with some insects that seem to be eating my plants. I hate to use insecticides, btu I don't know what else to use. I will have to do some research to find natural ways of dealing with bug eaten plants.
So, that is my progress at this time. I still have a ton of work to get to where I want to be. I still need to figure out if I want to try an etsy.com website. Do I even have time to do something like that? I need to make sure I find time to exercise and eat right. I need to ensure that I get me and my family on a good routine/schedule so that the house runs smoothly.
Amy
I am trying much harder to be better at cooking from scratch. I got a couple of recommendations to get the Joy of Cooking cookbook, which is on my list of books to buy as well as cookbooks on how to get veggies in sneakily. I have made some things with veggies from our garden, which is so much fun. We are still waiting for the tomatoes to ripen and we have a bunch of eggplant that are growing. I would have to say that tomatoes and eggplant have been our best crop this year. We haven't done horrible with zuchinni, but could do better. We also have had issues with animals eating our veggies. We put up a fence, but it seems like there are still issues where what ever it is is getting at the squashes. Also, our watermelon seems to be doing ok, but they are not quite ready.
I have started a new part time job, which I think is going well so far. I am enjoying getting back into the workforce and I seem to have great co-workers. I am not loving the stress of getting a new routine down, but I'm sure that with time, the routine will get establishes and things will go much smoother.
I have a ton of projects to work on, but given the sickness in the house and the new job, they are being put on the back burner. I am working on a handmade mei tai baby carrier. I love the material, but I can't seem to find the time to actually sit down and work on it. I want to make some pocket diapers, but again, I can't seem to find the time. I think I even have the material, for the most part and since we bought 6, I really like them. I am planning on making them with fleece instead of PUL so that they are more breathable. Hopefully that will help with the rashes that we are constantly fighting.
My flower gardens are starting to look a little sad. It has been so dry here in MA, that things just seem to be withering away! I have some work to do on moving some flowers and bunching them more together. I think that way it will look better and then next year, I can look at planting more flowers. I hate to admit taht I need to deal with some insects that seem to be eating my plants. I hate to use insecticides, btu I don't know what else to use. I will have to do some research to find natural ways of dealing with bug eaten plants.
So, that is my progress at this time. I still have a ton of work to get to where I want to be. I still need to figure out if I want to try an etsy.com website. Do I even have time to do something like that? I need to make sure I find time to exercise and eat right. I need to ensure that I get me and my family on a good routine/schedule so that the house runs smoothly.
Amy
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