Return and Report on Resolution #3....and a yummy pizza.

I have had lots of women asking me how the "Brazilian Butt lift" is going and my resolution #3 so I thought it was time to do a little reporting. It has been almost a month.


First off, I am proud to report that my plan of 1 hour per day, 6 days a week for personal upkeep has happened. Let me tell you, it isn't easy. It seems impossible most of the time and if I weren't absolutely , 100% committed, I probably would have only made it work about 1/2 the time. I already have to get up at 5 am for the day so getting up an hour early isn't going to happen. That means that it is usually after 9 before I get to start my workout. That usually means I really would rather not. However, I made a promise to myself and I deserve to keep that promise. I won't let myself get out of it. 


We all have 24 hours in the day and no matter how much money we have, we can't buy more. Everyone is busy. We are all tired. I know I have used that excuse many times to relax at night instead of get the exercise I need or to read my scriptures but the deal is that I can't go back in time and take that hour of day back to improve myself. For heavens sake, my oldest turned 18 today. How can I have an adult for a child? Ugh. If I don't stick to my guns by taking that one hour per day just for me; even if it means it is late at night and I would rather use that hour to lounge, I am loosing ground. I am going to age faster. I am going to feel older. 


The Brazilian workout is working. The jeans are looser. My stomach is flat. I am doing it for health and energy. The loose jeans are just a bonus. I am not getting on the scale. I didn't measure my hips. Our motivation should be for our longevity and quality of life. The result of looking good should just be a byproduct. I highly recommend these videos, for those of you asking. 


My kids have all been inspired too. They are hitting the gym and doing workouts with me. As moms, we are the leaders. They look to us for inspiration. We need to teach them that being healthy and fit is important. These are lessons that will stay with them for life. 


We don't need to be size 0 supermodels. Size is not the issue. But, we need to take care of ourselves. If we don't, we won't be able to take care of others.


There is my report. Month two, here I come! 


If you need a little dinner suggestion, here is what we had last night:

Rosemary Potato Pizza.


Pizza dough of choice. 
Thinly slice Yukon potatoes in 1/8th inch slices. Soak in salted water for an hour then drain and dry. Toss in olive oil with rosemary and onion slices. Place on dough and salt and pepper to taste. Brush dough with oil. Bake at 500 for 20 minutes. Sprinkle some Parmesan cheese and put back into oven until melted and golden.

 
Serve with a Balsamic reduction sauce and Arugula. To make the sauce, take one cup of Balsamic Vingegar and 1 T. of honey. Bring to a boil while stirring then simmer for 30 minutes or so until reduced by half. Drizzle over pizza. 

Brothers.

I was sitting in the waiting room at Tate's speech therapy and witnessed a sweet brother taking care of his brother with autism. The one with autism was older by a couple years, probably 10 while the younger brother was about 8. The 10-year-old was upset because "everything was lame". Something was not going right in his world, as often is the case with autism, and the 8-year-old was doing everything possible to help his brother feel better. He was talking so calmly and sweetly to his flustered brother like he had been through this a million times. 


     "What if I buy you a treat when this is done...something gluten free."
     "How about you come look at this Batman book with me?"
     "I will tell Dad to get you something really neat if you will go into therapy and be happy."


      He tried it all. The 10-year-old just kept telling him "everything in this place is lame!"


      The brother went into therapy, reluctantly, and the other left with his mom, totally unflustered. 


      I wanted to hug him and tell him what a wonderful brother he was. I gave him a little smile and he looked at me like he had no idea why.


     Of course he didn't. This was his world. I am sure everyday he is bending over backwards to make his brother feel better and loved without even realizing it.
He loved him and was taking care of him.


     I thought of my Tate and his wonderful brother's. (He has a wonderful sister as well). They bend over backwards to help him. They adjust to his moods and sacrifice when things have to change for him. They love him and take care of him. 


     What a blessing it is for these boys to have brother's with Autism. It may seem strange to say but the lessons these boys learn because they have to serve and sacrifice are priceless. I am thankful that my boys have learned such a valuable lesson. I am most thankful for those sweet brothers out there who take care of their siblings with sacrifice and love. I am thankful for all the wonderful sisters as well but sisters just come with more patience and sense of service. 


     I don't know if the brother from therapy got his special treat from his dad ,but I know he sure has a great brother. That is much better. I hope someday this brother knows what a great friend he is. 

Easy Clean Up.

I don't do Sunday dishes....well except for that last dish in the sink that no one wants to do. The one with the baked on grime that "needs to soak" they say. Pretty much an excuse. Tonight it is my beautiful enameled roaster pan that has baked on grease and grime. Easy solution:

Vinegar, baking soda and a scrub brush. It comes off lightening fast. My 7 year old could do it. I am certain that the almost 18 year old who's job it was tonight could have done it just fine with out the "soaking". 

They sell all sorts of chemical ridden cleaners to get those enamel pans clean. Once again, vinegar and baking soda will do about anything. I think my 18 year old needs to learn my secret.

Hope you all had a wonderful Sunday dinner. Ours was absolutely delicious! Wish I could give someone else the credit...really I do. I am sure someone else is capable. My 9 year old made some great, fresh squeezed lemonade and some killer peanut butter candy tonight. There's a start. 

Preschool

I know I have been wishy washy for those of you who have asked, but I have decided to do the 2-4 year old Wednesday only social preschool class next year. So, sign ups start now. Sorry, I don't remember who had asked me so first come first serve. Your child needs to be 2 1/2 by September. They do not need to be potty trained. 


It is on Wednesdays at 9:30-11:30 beginning in August. Tuition is $40 for the month. Registration fee is $25 due in May. I will have 9 slots. This is social based but we also do academics. Many use this class as a supplement to a Tue/Thur preschool taken elsewhere. 


Also, I have 4 slots remaining in my pm Tue/Thur preschool class for 3-4 year olds. It is from 12-2:30 and is $100 per month with a $50 registration fee.


IF you would like information or have questions, please email me or leave a comment!


goodman-7@cox.net


Thanks!

Take a second....Educate.

I am just a bit frustrated today. I just can't handle watching what kids are eating. I am so very sad for them. I am tired of moms asking me about what to do for their kids with ADD and ADHD and everything in between but they fill them with processed food and chemicals with no desire to change. I am tired of seeing kids dip everything in ranch dip which , unless you make it yourself from scratch, is full of harmful MSG. Pure adulteration of a carrot. There is rarely a packaged food that doesn't contain MSG and Soy proteins not to mention High Fructose Corn Syrup and Aspartame. These chemicals are destroying our bodies. They are altering these little minds. 


My plea today, read this long article here, and learn a little bit. I know most of you who stop by my blog are well aware of what is in our food but this article just confirms even more so the importance of how we need to eat. Pass it on. The article is long and at first, a bit technical and boring but read on. I love Dr. Blaylock. He is a neurosurgeon and knows what he is talking about. I trust him. 


When I have kids over for dinner or lunch, I usually get asked for ranch dip. It just isn't going to happen here. I know there are some healthy ,homemade recipes but I really prefer my kids to taste the food itself not cover it up with ranch. I prefer a good vinaigrette on salad's that are light and healthy. 


Start reading what you are feeding your kids. I worry about the future generations. How are any kids ever going to survive without disease? One thing is for certain; the food industry is not going to change. We have to be the ones to change. We have to control what we are feeding our family and educate!


Thanks. I know this is a repeater topic but so few are really listening. The price will be paid. Thank you all who are trying so hard. It takes time and it takes practice. I am so not perfect but we are trying around here. We get our share of junk but we try to keep it real. Do your best. Bless the lives of your family. 

Merrill and Marry, and their son Max are a happy and loving family in Arizona that are excited to add to their family through adoption. They are my sweet friends and I would love to see them add another beautiful baby to their home. Spread the word... Max really wants a sibling!

You can find out more about them by visiting their website 

Breakfast.....Rosemary Potato and Kale Frittata.

I love frittata's. They are a perfect way to clean out the fridge. It can be a breakfast or a dinner, vegetarian or carnivorous. They are simple and colorful. 


I happened to have lots of potatoes that needed to be used along with a garden full of Kale and a huge bush of rosemary. Perfect. Rosemary is intoxicating. 


If you haven't really done the frittata thing before, here is the easy low-down:


Saute your veggies in butter or oil of choice until just tender. Onions are a must. I finely chopped some white onions, finely sliced some Yukon gold potatoes and sauteed those until tender. Then, I added a couple of sprigs of chopped rosemary and some chopped up kale. I admit I did add a sprinkle of crumbled bacon for a little more flavor but that is totally optional. I then sauteed that just another minute to release the flavors and to wilt the kale. 


When veggies are done, salt and pepper to taste and arrange in an even layer in the fry pan. Make sure there is still enough butter or oil so they will not stick. I used about 8 eggs to cover my veggies. Whisk eggs first and pour evenly over veggies. Turn heat down to low and salt and pepper the top. I also shredded some Parmesan on the top. Cook on low until the eggs are no longer runny. You can also put it in the oven if you have an oven-proof pan towards the end but I usually just cook it stove top. Don't overcook! If the pan is too hot, you will burn the bottom. Slow and steady.


Remove to a plate and serve in pie wedges. If I had my wish come true, this would be served with some fruit and a cinnamon roll. Perfect.

Making Stock, the good way.

     You know that old adage to feed a cold chicken noodle soup? Wonder why? Well, in the olden days, chicken noodle soup was made the proper way. The whole chicken was slow simmered with veggies until meat was falling off the bones and there was a rich, yellow stock. What is so great about that rich yellow stock is the nutrients it contains. The bone marrow of the chicken has great health benefits, particularly to the immune system. Thus, helping with healing of the body. However, today, our chicken noodle soup usually consists of powdered, MSG laden broth, antibiotic filled chicken and pesticide sprayed veggies. I can't imagine how that would help a cold.


     To get that days of yore feel good soup, you need to start with a good , organic chicken carcass. I had roasted a chicken previously that night and took a majority of the meat off. You can just use a whole, uncooked chicken also. However, don't waste a left over chicken carcass! It makes great stock!!! 

      I took the carcass and put it in a large pot with a few carrots, celery stocks, onions, about 15 peppercorns, some parsley and a bay leaf. I covered it with about 12 cups of water and brought it to a boil. I then lowered the temp to a simmer. You want to simmer it about 3-4 hours making sure all the meat is completely cooked when done if starting with a raw bird. I was running out of time so mine was closer to 2 1/2 but it tasted great. After it has simmered, salt to taste with some Celtic salt and strain through a fine strainer. I put mine into two half-gallon glass jars with 6 cups of the broth in each. I put them into my freezer but they can also be pressure canned. Another option is to freeze into cubes to throw in recipes like rice or steamed veggies. 

     With the left over carcass, I took every last piece of meat left on the bones and put them in the freezer as well to add to a soup later. With the cost of a good organic chicken, I am not wasting one morsel! The left over veggies from the broth were enjoyed by my chickens. 


     It is nice to have my soup base ready to go in the freezer. I really wish I had a garage lined with freezers. If I lost power, I would cry. However, I am still ready with my back up plan to quickly pressure can everything in my freezer if needed! There is a lot of hard work contained on those shelves!


****Thanks for the tips, readers! Vinegar will help the meat fall off the bones and help pull nutrients from the bones. Use Apple Cider vinegar. Also, the longer you simmer, the more nutrients and flavor you will have. You will still have great flavor in 3-4 hours but simmering 8 hours or more will given you better health benefits. 








     

Stocking up and the pantry list.

Lot's of you have asked for the list and have had lots of questions. To clear a few things up:


The Pantry list does not include all my grains. That is in my year supply so I will always have that on hand. 


The Pantry list contains the ingredients needed to make the menu items. I still have lots of other things in my pantry for everyday use and for some snacking. I also keep more on hand than I would need for my 120 meals.


The meals list contain 20 recipes that I time by 6 to get 120 meals. That gives you about 4 months of meals. I do a breakfast and a dinner. I figure we could be fine without a lunch or just eat some snacks and bread if it came to that.


Where do you store it all? I have always had a year supply even when I lived in an apartment. Things are under beads and in closets along with the pantry. We have added extra shelves in our closets. Most closets and pantries have a top shelf with plenty of room to add an additional shelf above that. We have added those. I have a notebook indicating where the items are so I know where to go when I need them.


There are lots of sources. I love Preparing Wisely, LDS.org, MRE depot and Costco online. Costco has some great freeze dried and storage items online. Preparing Wisely will now deliver to you as well. It is also a good idea to stock up on garden seeds. Most of those sources have those as well.


You also need to think of water as well for obvious reasons. Add a good purifier to your list. My favorite one can be purchased from Preparing Wisely. YOu can link to them on my right sidebar.


If you have any more questions, feel free to ask!

Resloution #4......Keeping stocked.

I have always been pretty good about keeping a year supply of food on hand but in addition, I like a 3 month supply, at least, of meals as well. I want the ingredients for us to eat well for at least 90 days before we would have to live on our beans and rice. This last year, I have let my pantry run a little low. 




     I have had lots of people email me about crazy things they have been hearing urging them to get a year supply and 3 month meal supply going. Some of the info is nothing new , but the info seems a lot more pertinent these days. There are some crazy rumors going around and regardless if they will ever come to be, it doesn't really matter. It will always be a good idea to be prepared. We may need our food because of unemployment. We may need it if there is a temporary trucking issue. There are so many reasons why we may need to depend on the food we have. It just is a good idea to take stock.


     My resolution this year is to always stay on top of my food supply. Always. We had planned to take a rather expensive trip with our kids this spring break. We have been saving and they were all excited. As the time has been approaching, I started to get a nagging feeling that the money should not be spent on one week of entertainment. I finally told my family that I thought we didn't have any right to do that when we didn't have a complete stock of food in the house and other necessities. To my surprise, I found little resistance. With much relief, I went on a shopping spree and stocked the house. I feel so much better and promised to keep it up. I am not a worry monger. I don't dwell on things that might happen. But, we can't go wrong with being prepared. Ever. It just feels good.


     To keep up on my storage, I have a dry erase board right inside my pantry. If I use something on my storage list, I immediately write it down so I can get it on my next shopping trip.

    To organize my 3 month supply; I keep a binder with menus, recipes and a pantry list. You can check out some of my ideas and see my binder under the year supply link on the right side bar. I would be happy to email you the pantry list that you can amend for your own use. Just shoot me an email or leave a comment.


   I know we will all be blessed if we are prepared. We never know what lies ahead. It is our obligation to take care of our family. 

Supplement order on Monday.

I am ordering supplements on Monday if you need anything.

The execution of Resolution #3......

Making resolutions is the easy part. Actually following through is a whole different thing. For resolution #3; a little "me" time, serious planning needs to be done. We put lots of things on calendars; kids activities, PTSO, church and community duties, service projects, etc. How many of us actually write something in the calendar that is just for us? If I have my sons soccer practice written down, I know that nothing can take that 4:45 slot. He needs to be there. I have to schedule around it. 


     "Me" time needs to be the same. We need to take a monthly calendar, look at each day and write down an activity just for ourself. We all have 24 hours in the day. If we are lucky; 6-8 hours of that will be sleep. Most of the other time is taken up with the basic motherly duties. There just has to be an hour in there that we can take for ourselves for some upkeep. I am on day 3 and so far, it has worked wonderfully. I am making sure that what I have written down is happening without interuption. You can bet that if you don't keep that one hour a day mandatory, someone will take it from you. If you have it on your calendar, in pen, you won't replace it with things that don't have more importance. Sometimes things will come up. But, most of the time, we just give that hour away. 


I have looked at my calendar and have written down one hour a day that I can work out. I have then added a little time at the end of the day for reading and maintenance. We owe it to ourselves to have a little keep up time. If we feel pretty, life has a much better outlook. Having freshly painted toes goes a long way! Taking time for a little self-done facial can do wonders as well. Nothing has to be expensive. We can workout at home and buy a $6 bottle of OPI nail polish. I think I am worth at least that much.


     Sometimes, if not all the time, getting that hour to ourselves means an hour before they all wake up. I can promise you, if you can get into that routine, you will be a much better mother for it. You have some peace and quiet before the demands are made. The day is never as smooth and peaceful if I wake up with them. Ever.


    Another important thing we need to do for ourselves is nourishing our bodies. Often we take great care to make sure our little ones are getting the right nutrition but let ourselves eat the scraps. We don't take the time to really feed our bodies what it needs. We wait until our bodies are screaming with deficiencies and then try to make up lost ground. Don't wait for a total meltdown of physical being to take care of yourself. Treat yourself to a great green smoothie right off the bat. Since we are usually running low on sleep and overstressed, our bodies need all the help it can get. I get so, so many emails from moms who are facing horrible health problems. Most of them are due to the fact that they simply didn't take care of themselves. That is easy to do when you feel like you have given it all away to everyone else. 


Sisters; by taking care of ourselves, we will be better wives and mothers. We will be happier. We will feel more confident and more confidence brings a better ability to serve and create friendships. 


Get your calendars out and take out a pen. Don't give your hour away. You have earned it. 


I drank my beautiful green smoothie today and am about to do a little P90x. My toes are freshly painted. The showers may not get cleaned today but no one is going to look at them anyways. Push aside the unnecessary. Let go of perfectionism. Seek balance. Include yourself on the scale. 

Preparing Wisely Classes

My friends over at Preparing Wisely have expanded and are having some great, free classes at their store. Check out their list below:

Class Schedule Come Learn and Have Fun.    Emergency 72 Hour Kits - Night Class Learn about the essential items that go in a well balanced kit. Thursday, January 5th at 6:30 PM at Preparing Wisely (144 S Mesa Dr) Using Your Wheat: Beginner Bread Making - Day Class New to Breadmaking? Come join us for a great intro class. Gauranteed Success with making Bread. Friday, January 6th at 11:00 AM at Preparing Wisely (144 S Mesa Dr) Tortilla Making - Day Class Come join us for a fantastic class on making homemade, healthy tortillas. Tuesday, January 10th at 11:00 AM at Preparing Wisely (144 S Mesa Dr) Food Storage 101 - Night Class Where do I begin? A great class for beginners and a good refresher for everyone else. Thursday, January 12th at 6:30 PM at Preparing Wisely (144 S Mesa Dr) Sun Oven Essentials - Day Class The Global Sun Oven is a great self sufficiency and off-grid way of cooking. Come learn how to use this oven for everyday use or in case of emergencies. Friday, January 13th at 11:00 AM at Preparing Wisely (144 S Mesa Dr) Peter Bigfoot Discussion on Natural Remedies - Night Class Peter will share his wonderful insights on desert plants and natural remedies Tuesday, January 17th at 6:30 PM at Preparing Wisely (144 S Mesa Dr) Bread Making without a Mixer - Night Class Develop the skills to make bread without a mixer. This class is an off-grid must. Thursday, January 19th at 6:30 PM at Preparing Wisely (144 S Mesa Dr) Introduction to Canning - Day Class This class will give you an introduction into Home Canning with Pressure Canners, Water Bath and Steam Canners Friday, January 20th at 11:00 AM at Preparing Wisely (144 S Mesa Dr) Introduction to Whole Grains - Day Class Make Whole Grains a part of your everyday menu. This class will start you on the right path. Tuesday, January 24th at 11:00 AM at Preparing Wisely (144 S Mesa Dr) Water Storage and Purification - Night Class How much water should I store? How do I store water? What are the purification and filtration methods for filtering water? We will help answer these questions. Tuesday, January 24th at 6:30 PM at Preparing Wisely (144 S Mesa Dr) Wonderflour Demonstration and Special Event with Chef Brad Limited to first 40 participants.  Cost is $5 per person.  RSVP (480) 964-3077 or troy@preparingwisely.com    Thursday, January 26th at 6:30 PM at Preparing Wisely (144 S. Mesa Dr) Using Your Wheat: Pancakes and Waffles from your Food Storage - Day Class Use your food storage products to make healthy and great tasting pancakes and waffles. Friday, January 27th at 6:30 PM at Preparing Wisely (144 S Mesa Dr) Check out their blog and online store here.

A little Selfishness....Resolution #3.

This resolution is a tough one for me and I am sure I am not alone. It seems that I flip flop on this each year. But, this week I have been a little grumpy. I have been trying to hide it but probably not too well. I couldn't really pin point why, everything is pretty hunky dory in my life but then it hit me. This happens to me when I miss myself. I am really missing myself right now. You know that feeling, I am sure of it.


I have that inner struggle all the time about being selfish. I had a mother that never took me time so in my mind, me time is selfish. I love being a mother and taking care of a family. I enjoy helping others but sometime, being selfish is important. If we can't fill our tanks now and then, we run empty. I think I am feeling empty. 


Another big reason I need to be a little more selfish this year is because this is the year of the big 40. To say I am unhappy about that is an understatement. I don't know how I got here and to be honest, I never, ever thought of life after 40. I never pictured myself getting older. Getting older means my kids get older and leave, my body looks older and I become the "older" crowd. 40 seemed ancient when I was a teen. I don't feel ancient. I just can't wrap my head around this age. I have realized this last year that I absolutely need to take better care of myself. I haven't had my youthful bounce this last year. I look tired and I feel tired. I haven't done much to deserve otherwise. I do still have lots of life to live. I want to feel youthful and playful. I want to kick 40 in the behind and feel better than I have this last year of my 30's. I know this can only be done if I start being a little selfish. Take tonight for instance. I had my new yoga mat already. I was looking forward to going to yoga all day. Christmas break has been great but to be honest, I needed the quiet meditation tonight without someone saying "mom!" for just a few minutes. Mom is seeming like a swear word right now. Tate has been a bit high maintenance this break. I want to bite something. 


Well, yoga didn't happen. I had told the little boys we would hit the dollar store after Tate's therapy today. They had a couple dollars to burn and wanted to buy something real special. We came home and Tate wanted to ride his bike. He needed to be outside so I obliged. I sort of hoped they would forget about the dollar store. They didn't. At 5 o'clock, we were in the car for the dollar store. By the time we came home, they needed food. By the time that ended, it was 6:30. Dang. There it went. I was mad at myself. I should have planned better. I owed that to myself. I need to make sure my time really happens. Instead, I am still a little grumpy and the yoga mat is still in its original packaging.


Tomorrow is a new day. I am starting my new workout regime and selfish me time! Just a little. I am sure a very little. Me time has to happen before  5 am and after 10 pm. I ordered the New Brazilian Butt Lift workout promising me a fabulous behind in 60 days. There are some new classes at the gym. I am going to be a new woman. My 20th anniversary is in a couple months. Wouldn't he be so lucky to have that 60 bucks payoff. I told him he couldn't look until then. 


I know all of us need to give ourselves a little quiet time now and then. It is a balancing game and some take it way too far on either side. I am not one for girls nights out every week and shopping trips but I know I will be a far better and happier wife and mother if I can just think without being interrupted and feel a little better in my own skin. I miss myself. 


Hope you all can do a little of the same.