In the kitchen again..sort of

I have been researching and researching and researching... did I mention researching? I KNOW how I am supposed to eat. I KNOW how I am supposed to feed my family. I keep getting off to bumpy starts. I did great eliminating somethings for awhile. My kids were not sick at all this winter. At. All.
Since getting pregnant we have switched to more boxed food and processed stuff. Allergies are flaring up, noses are constantly running, coughing is a continuous chorus in our house. What?
No major illnesses. I attribute that to lots of water, sticking with whole grains, and lot of veggies.
The other stuff I attribute to the fact that cereal and (gasp) hamburger helper actually made it into my kitchen and was being used regularly for a few weeks.
Maybe I'm just weird but I'm going to go with my gut and think, maybe, just maybe, the food is causing some of the illness.
So to my Internet friends I turned.
Kelly the Kitchen Kop has been up on my computer for days now. Reteaching me, re motivating me. I also found Naturally Knocked Up. What a fun website. GNOWFLGINS has been very helpful in the learning process as well. Can't forget Cheeseslave either. One of my first real food blogger reads. The Nourishing Cook has offered inspiration as she takes us through Nourishing Traditions. And of course Kitchen Stewardship. She keeps me on my toes! Love her blog.
I have been reading bits and pieces here and there from their blogs. Really assessing what I am doing. Lord willing I will be nourishing Lily for the next year or so mostly with my body. I have not been the best about her nourishment up til now. It was just easier to follow the advice of the "experts" on what to eat. I KNOW better. I am an intelligent person (well at least a little bit). I have read and reread and researched enough to understand.
My big rule used to be, "Eat it as close to the way God made it as possible". When did that rule change for me? Seriously why do I have a tub of fake butter in my fridge? Why do I have a 1/2 gallon of Splenda sweetened ice cream in the freezer? Because I got lazy (although I prefer the term pregnant) :)
Well, I sat down with my pen and notebook today and wrote down three changes I am making. Simple changes.
1. Back to the coconut oil. Why do I have a jar sitting in my pantry that is still half full from a few months ago? Why? It's a good healthy fat. Something I really need right now. Something my kids need. We use to have some somehow at least once a day!
2. Goodbye sugar free. What do you really have going for you besides not making my blood sugar go crazy? Not to much honestly. I know you are poison to my body and to my baby! Goodbye.
3. Hello real fat. Hello butter and whole milk. I am sorry that I put you aside. It was crazy. Yes, I know better. I have seen the health benefits of both of you. I wish you were real milk. Yes, I do. But I know that Whole is better than 2%. I'm sorry I left you. Real I will get you back soon I promise. Right now we can't afford your $4 a half gallon price.

So for now those are the big changes I am making. Going back to is a better word. I have tried these things before and I have seen the difference in my families health. I don't know what I was thinking. I am a Nourishing Traditions/Weston A Price believer. Though somethings I do compromise on. We will not be eating Liver in this house any time soon. LOL I'm just sayin'. I have looked at different things and this is the one I feel most comfortable with. This is the one I have seen actual results with. Every time I stray I notice more runny noses, more allergies, and more overall wakiness in this house.
Those are just some of my reasons for jumping back in. I have another big one that I will share later.
Be Blessed!

Taming The Monster Challenge 1- Finale

They said it couldn't be done!
They said it would be better to just burn the place down!
They wanted to condemn it but....


BEFORE
BEFORE
AFTER
AFTER


I proved them all wrong!

Sing it with me...
"We are the champions, we are the champions of the world!"

Of course in a family of 7 the laundry will never be done, but I declare this area tamed! Thanks!

Stay tuned for the next Taming the Monster Challenge.
What does your bedroom closet look like?

Be Blessed!

Taming the Monster Challenge Week 3

I wish I had pictures to show you. I have not been to my mom's house at all this week. I will try to go over there tomorrow or Thursday. The good news is I can see the light! I have almost the whole side of "special" clothes done. I am resorting to get the most out of each load. I can't wait.
Dh revented the dryer so it dries better now. I don't know what he did but the house smells like clean laundry.
The new problem is that with all the laundry gone the garage is really showing us how badly it needs to be cleaned out. We are going to work on it a little this month, but with the heat it's hard to do much out there during the day.
I plan to finish up the regular laundry this week and sort out clothes.
This monster is almost tamed!! LOL

Be Blessed!

Taming The Monster Challenge Day 2

Here is the second day of my challenge. It really is a mixture of Tuesday and Wednesday. I was not home on Tuesday and only got one load done.
Before!
After! OK so maybe it does not seem like a big change but I thought, "Hey! You can see some more of the signs." LOL. When I download Thursday I think you will see a big change. I got a lot of laundry done Thursday!
Before. Different angle.

After! The pile is going down slowly.

Be blessed!

Taming the Monster Challenge Day 1

I was really hoping to get this up yesterday, but blogger would not cooperate. So without further ado..I'll show you my dirty little secret.






Look how little that sign turned out! I really though it would be bigger. Oh well.

Here is the first, oh so humbling, before picture. this is actually the pile of darks, as sorted by my oh so I'm sure color blind children...LOL. Also off to the side is a pile I have never been able to tame. The "other" clothes. Towels, bed linens, and line dry and/or hand wash items. A little bit later and a different angle. I have done about two loads of towels at this point. Please don't be disgusted. I am putting myself out there... please don't leave!!

When I first put the kids in charge of sorting clothes I made signs. My oldest is the only one who pays attention. I tried to use colors for the non-readers. After we tackle this monster I will figure out a new system.

The new system will definitely consist of less clothing. Thats a given! LOL

Here we are at the end of day 1. Four big loads of laundry later I still don't see any light. This is in our garage so please ignore any of the garagey things.

Oh well maybe day 2 will offer some hope. LOL

These are from Monday. We were not home Tuesday though I did get one load done. Today is Wed and I will resume my challenge.

And, I tried really hard to make sure there were no embarrassing articles of clothing in the pictures. LOL

OK girls, I am putting it all out there for you. Anyone else want to take up the Taming the Monster challenge?

Be Blessed!!

Challenge

I need to tell you a secret... a big, big, secret. My laundry is taller that it has every been.


I am talking imminent danger here. So I decided this week is going to be laundry challenge week. Each day I will take a before and after picture of my piles. Lets see how much of it I can get done this week. Want to join me? Do you have any secret piles? Want to see how much we can get sorted and cleaned and put away this week? Play along on your blog or in the comments section.
I will go to my mom's house tonight and upload today's photos. I will post them tonight or first thing in the morning.

This should be fun.. and a bit too revealing for my tastes. LOL