Week of 7/8/12 through 7/11/12

So it's delayed. But.. but...but... welp, here it is.

I was gone for two weeks. I went to my mothers for a week so that they could see Sister Bear. They take Brother Bear for a week every month. It's his time with MawMaw and PawPaw {See, we all have bear names around here!}. It was a nice visit that turned into a really nice visit when Papa Bear came and joined us for the second week.  So yes, I'm behind. But I'm back. So here's what's going on in my world.

Our car broke. Boo. Prayers please that today it gets fixed easily without any damage to our head gasket. Our radiator house blew on our way back from Maw-Paw's house. But thankfully my cousin and her boyfriend came to our rescue that night. Tonight it will be fixed, hopefully. I've let go, and let God take this one. He knows we need to have it fixed. It's our livelihood.

So here's the lists.

To-Do List

1.Canning. I was given some yummy fresh blackberries and they need to become a few jars of jam.

2. Bake a Blackberry Pie from my cousin Chelle's birthday. I won't share how old she is, she might hit me! ;)

3.Fix Car. {See Above.}

4.Finish tagging car. Apparently we thought our Personal Property Tax was more than it was, they send the check back. So it'll be paid by the end of the week and the car will be fully legal!!

5. Purge the children's play room. With a birthday came more toys. I need to get some of their old ones out of there!

6.Blogging, of course! I'm working on a blog about why we choose to not vaccinate. {Just for you Sabrina!!}

Bible Study

Ruth

I'm also suppose to be doing one with KP, but she hasn't got back to me on what it is....

Pantry Clean Out Meal Plan

Breakfast 

Granola Bars

Breakfast Bites

Oatmeal & Berries

Bacon & Eggs

Eggs & Oranges

Pancakes & bacon

Lunch

Tamales

Chinese Noodles with Garlic and Soy Sauce & Veggies

Tuna Salad & Carrots

Leftovers

Sandwich & Chips & Fruit

Noodles & Vegetables

Dinner

Chicken Breast with Carrots & Stuffing

Salmon & Asparagus & Pasta

Pork Chops & Corn & Mashed Potatoes

Brisket & Fried Taters & Green Beans

Meatloaf & Mashed Potatoes & Corn

Chicken & Rice/Gravy & Peas

Snacks

Veggies

Fruit

Chips

Leftovers

The reason this is called Pantry Clean Out Meal Plan is because I am trying to get rid of all the random cans and stuff that we've been avoiding eating because we don't eat it normally. I can't fathom giving it to a food pantry when we can easily eat it. So I'm making one bad week where we clean it all out and eat. Then the following week I will be doing a juice fast. That's going to be hard. Yikes! I'm still nursing so some people will claim that I shouldn't do it, but the verdict is out. I know that she's old enough she won't starve if there is something she doesn't like the taste of. Plus, toxin rich breastmilk is still better than formula any day of the week. So I'm kind of on the fence. We'll see how it goes. Plus there is stored milk in the freezer, I think. It's buried by all the other junk in there! 

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 We are also in search of a family motto. This was inspired by another friend. I'd love to use her family's but, our family's are not the same. So though it would work, it's not my family's motto. I'm in search of it. For some reason  I've had Proverbs 22:6 stuck in my head as well though. It could because our downstairs neighbor quotes it all the time. But it's really been influencing me lately. 

Proverbs 22:6

Train up your child in the way he should grow,

Even when he is old he will not depart from it. 

I want to focus on training or raising our children correctly. Which is so hard in our world today. It's hard fighting the fast, mainstream world. Even harder when you've been a part of it for so long and you are trying to remove yourself from most of it. I'm going to continue praying on it. I'm sure I'll find a motto that fits our family. We've been loosely using this one from Carl Bard.

"Though no one can go back and make a brand new beginning, 

Anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending."

I'm working on my brand new ending. How's yours coming?

{Hollea}

 

 

 

I'm tired of the "Mom Enough" battles

It will never end, will it?

What is it you ask? What's driving me to the world's end with exhaustion?

Put simply, it's the, I am a better mom than you attitude. The "Mom Enough". The mommy wars.

I'm done, I'm over it and I no longer care what you think of my parenting style. And I no longer care how you parent (unless you're downright being a neglectful or abusive parents, then I care.), how you raise your littles.

I care less if you vaccinate or not, I care less if you eat whole foods or not, I care less if you circumcise or not. You're the one who has to make decisions based on what's best for your family and their goals. If you need to do any or none of the above, fine.

So why do we succumb to these mommy wars. Why are we so competitive in nature?  Is it really about the other person, or is it about ourselves?

I truly believe it's personal. When we attack someone based on what works for their family, we're not really upset with them. Maybe we're hurt from a decision we made. Or maybe we wish we could be as wonderful as we see them.

Like routine infant circumcision. My son was circumcised. Do I regret it? Regret is too hard of a word for me to use. Do I wish I would have learned more about it at the time. Do I wish that instead of them asking if I wanted it, they would have provided me with unbiased information to make an informed decision? Yes. But that is my burden. My weight. So I find those who are extremist in on area are often dealing with guilt or anger in some area. It might be you circumcised your son and you regret it, so you're now spear heading the intact organization. That's terrific. But please, don't attack another mother because of it.

I don't vaccinate. That's my decision. To tell me that I'll learn when my child dies that I should have vaccinated. Or that my child shouldn't be allowed to take my child in public. You don't know what research or reasons I have for not vaccinating my child.

I breastfeed, you may not. Just because I'm super pro-breastfeeding doesn't mean I'm against you personally for formula feeding. I may be against formula. That doesn't mean I hate the moms who have to or choose to use formula.

See, this list can go on and on. But often the mommy wars start because someone gets upset with what they see others doing because they personally have an issue. Maybe it's jealousy, anger, disappointment or sadness. But it's personal.

We need to remember that.

So let's stop hating. on each other and work on our own personal issues. Let's not judge. Let's teach our children tolerance. No mom is better than the other because her educated decisions vary.

Remember that before you leave a rude or hurtful comment on the next persons post. There is a difference between education and hatred. Statistics and fear mongering. Don't play into the mommy wars. We all want whats best for OUR children. But my children are not your children and your children are not my children. We live different lives with different purposes and convictions.

Help me end the mommy wars. Let's be supporters of each other, no matter our educated decisions.

Keep trucking Green!
{Hollea}

Preventing the Cycle -FSC #1

Preventing the cycle... sounds like something us women try to do with birth control, doesn't it. But that's not they cycle I'm trying to prevent. {I embrace that one, oddly.}

The cycle I'm wanting to prevent is diabetes, obesity, heart attacks/strokes, autoimmune disorders, poor body image, etc. I want these to be a thing of the past. A poor reminder that at one time, as Americans (and some other countries, but mainly Americans) we made some very poor decisions on the basis of our health. That we allowed others to dictate what we put in our bodies. That we let other dictate how we lived. That we allowed others, mainly big business, dictate our health.

See this isn't about who is skinny and who is fat. This isn't about who's a size 2 and who's a size 16. This is about our hearts, muscles, spines, feet, ankles, and guts. Read that again. Our bodies. But not in the matter of what your clothes look like on them. Or how terrific (or not so terrific) they look in a bikini. This is about how they perform with the tools we are given to fuel them.

They are always saying looking at your body as a machine. Put in {X} number of {Y} and burn {Z} number of {Y} and BAM! size 2.

It's not that simple.

Calories aren't the end all. Life isn't measured in number on a scale or number you put in your mouth. It's about the positives you live in your life. It's about the effort you put into your life.

That effort includes how you maintain your body.

I could go on and on and on {and on..} about how nutrients doesn't equal food. I could tell you how our lifestyles aren't healthy. But we know all that already. We know what we're suppose to eat, how we're suppose to eat, when we're suppose to eat.....*yada, yada, yada*. Are you tired of me yet? 

So where/how do we begin?

We start small. We remove one bad thing at one time. First we remove the processed foods. Stick to the outer aisles. Then excess and refined sugar. Then we up our food. Our plants and meats. Jillian Michaels said it best. If come from the ground or has a mother, it's probably safe to eat. {In her Master Your Metabolism book.} 

We set the example for our children. We know we can cure all these ailments. We know we can end the cycle. But we don't. Eating healthy can be affordable. It can be feasible. IT CAN BE DONE. END OF STORY.

Be the change you wish to see. Everyone knows this quote. So be it. Don't worry about the size or the number or the weight. Worry about how you feel. How your body thanks you {after detoxing} for feeding it real food. Food it knows. Food it can work with. 

And remember. Synthetic nutrients do not equal nutrition.

So stop the cycle. Start with your family. So your children will never know the cycle. 

Like I {and KP} say... take your Fresh Start today!

Fresh Start Challenge 6/6/12-My attitude check-in!

So last week I threw my "diet" out the window. And I don't regret it all, one single bit. I have had the best week ever since I quite my diet. It is the most amazing feeling in the world not being strapped by the boundaries that I put in place for myself.

I'm not sure where I have set on my weight loss goals, but I do know that my confidence has been greater this week. It was relieving to not worry about eating a piece of cake with Brother  Bear or drinking that (gasp!) foo-foo coffee! And honestly, I don't care.

You know why?!

I have gone down a pant size!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*Yes, all those exclamation points are needed.*

So when I stopped focusing on the negative and more on the positive, I lost one pant size. And they aren't super tight either. It's not any of this 10 pounds of potatoes in a 5 pound bag.

So, I'm very confident that my new, "Fresh Start" attitude is the reason why I'm seeing such a positive change in my life.

******

Today someone mentioned that my attitude is always uplifting. I had to admit that it's easier to be in a good mood than it is to be in a bad one. Even if I am in a bad mood, I fake a good mood. Not because I don't want everyone to think I'm not perfect. Quite the opposite. I choose to be in a good mood. Fake it until you make it, I say. (If you know who really said it, let me know. I'd like to give them credit.) 

Honestly, I didn't have this mindset a year ago. I was dark and dismal like the Murky Dismal (Rainbow Bright). 

If I was in a bad mood, I put you in a bad mood. If I was sad, you were sad. I no longer am that person. I want to give the credit to myself. That I changed my attitude and mindset, but I can't give myself that credit. Honestly, before I met the Lord for the 400th 4th time I was in a dark, dark place. I was lost and headed nowhere good. I have to give Him all the credit. By Him and I finding each other again, I have changed everything. 

My thoughts, my words, my feelings, my reactions... or at least they are a work in progress. I am slowly working towards being who I know the Lord wants me to be in all of these areas. That is why I linked up with MommyhoodByTheHandful to do this "Fresh Start Challenge", it's not about just fitness and health. It's about a fresh start in life, each week. We go to church on Sunday to fill our cups, we check in on Wednesday when we can. I like reflecting on Wednesdays on here of my progress each week. Inside and out progress.

What have you progressed (or regressed) on this week? Check in with your "Fresh Start". I won't hold it against you. Start fresh....again!

I feel GOOD!

So in the spirit of it being our Fresh Start day, I'd like to take a moment to revisit my plan. To say I am failing at it is lying. I STINK at it. About as bad as my feet stink! (They stink hardcore, fyi.)

Not eating meat is so hard. Not eating pasta is so hard. Not eating bread is so hard. Even limiting them all is so hard! So instead of focusing on removing or limiting them, I am going to focus my energies on simply eating more vegetables and fruits.

No more feeling guilty if I eat a piece of lunch meat when I make Papa Bear's lunch. Instead, I'll eat two more handfuls of broccoli to make myself not be hungry. Yes yes, this does seem kind of counter productive to weight loss, but I'm using that if I put more focus on good foods and less on the ones I want to avoid, then eventually I'll resist it knowing that I'm going to have to force myself to eat *more* food.

So out with the labels! Out with the guidelines! Out with the self pity!

Out I say!

Now, that I'm regrouped, refocused and re-energized- back to the plan (purpose? schedule? goal?).
 I'm not sure what I'm back to. Focus maybe. Focus on myself. Focus on my inner beauty and outward appearance. Focus on things that make me feel good.

So a list, because I do love me some lists!

Things that make me feel good!

• Coffee and a good book
• Yoga. 
• Garlic (Yes! Garlic, I love the smell, taste and potency of it.)
• Green Smoothies
• My children's laughs. 
• Robert's hugs. 
• Our house being clean.
• Blogging. 
• Water. 
• Sewing. 
• Reading my Bible.
• Loving my Amazing, Loving Creator! 
• Gardens. 
• Farmer's Markets and Fresh (Local) Organic Produce!
• Fishing. 
• Bonfires and camping. 
• Teaching others a new trick. 
• Exploring new things with my family. 
• Cooking.  
• Music-reading it, making it, singing it (though I am tone-deaf!), playing it, dancing to it...

And though this is a new one for me.. I'm learning to love cleaning. Not because I love the act of it in and of itself, but because it means I'm here for one more day to enjoy this beautiful earth.

So this week, my focus is on me. Myself. I.

Finding out my bliss and focusing on using it to change me, just a little bit at a time. No longer using negatives. Out of my vocabulary are "no, not, can't, won't or unable". I'm replacing them with "I can try, Let's find out, Sure, Give me a minute (I have children!), and determined".

I AM DETERMINED!

I'm going to follow my Lord (Otherwise known as I'm tired of all the drama!)

Our country is great. It's a free country. It's a country where we are allowed to decide what's best for our families on a case by case basis. It's a country that you can be yourself in. You can let your children be themselves in. It's a country where one size fits all isn't true. But lately our country is trying to force us to be all the same. Have the same beliefs, the same rules, and standards for our lives. I'm tired of it. I'm tired of the debates on gay marriage and abortion and birth control. I'm tired of the government using these as fronts to ignore the real problems at hand. Our economy, the homeless rate, the number of children in foster homes and orphanages (because they want to take away our birth control rights), the lack of a safe food supply and the fact that they are continuously trying to find new ways to oppress why, all while we are too concerned about the petty things. Jersey Shore, Teen Mom, etc. Please don't tell me you need examples.

Does it directly affect you if Sally gets an abortion? Does it matter to your life if she does? It doesn't mine, that was her life and her choice and she has to deal with it. Does it matter if Harry marries George? Honestly, don't play that "I'm concerned for his eternal soul" card. Because other than you maybe seeing them kiss, it's not going to have any effect on your life. Let them get the tax cut and be treated like normal citizens.

(( Saying these things do NOT mean that I personally agree with them. I'm pro-life and believe by my religious convictions that gay/lesbian marriage is wrong in the eyes of God.  But my beliefs are not your beliefs. My shoes are not your shoes. They may not fit you like they fit me. We can have the same exact dress, but I guarantee one of us is going to look better in it. Me. ))

If you want to take the religious stance here, be human. Remember that not everyone is perfect. All sins are created equal, it doesn't matter what the sin is. If you're going to judge someone so harshly because they choose to lie with another man (or woman) then you're committing sin too. I'm tired of the drama, unfair standards and head games. My religious beliefs are tolerance, love, compassion and empathy. My Lord loves us all because He made us all. He made us in spite of our imperfections and poor choices. He offers us the chance to repent regardless of how many times we commit any said sin.

I went to type in Google to find the exact verse where Jesus says what the greatest commandment is. I was saddened to find out that it popped up where the Bible says homosexuality is wrong first. In Google we are even more concerned about condemning others by using the Lord's word. That's not what Jesus teaches us! He teaches us tolerance. (Btw, I found the verse.)

Matthew 22:36-40

³⁶ “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
³⁷ Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’^{[a] 38} This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^{[b] 40} All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” 

So please, before you give that hatred filled glare or pass judgement on anyone for making a decision that is best for them (on anything!) please remember this...(please notice the BIG Italics)


 John 8:2-11

 "And early in the morning He came again into the Temple, and all the people came unto Him; and He sat down, and taught them." 
"And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto Him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto Him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the Law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest Thou?"
"This they said, tempting Him, that they might have to accuse Him."
"But Jesus stooped down, and with His finger wrote on the ground, as though He heard them not. So when they continued asking Him, He lifted up Himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again He stooped down, and wrote on the ground."
"And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst."
"When Jesus had lifted up Himself, and saw none but the woman, He said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee?"
"She said, No man, Lord."
"And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more."

So let's practice what our Father and Lord teaches us. I dare you. Go a day without judging, condemning or more. Can you have perfect love for entire day? Tell me about it in the comments. I dare you. ;)