When Your Mother's Intuition Is Trying to Tell You Something

Y'all- this Mother's Intuition business is REAL.  Like, full on- no joke mmkay....you might remember that we are almost to the end of our very first contest/giveaway here on the blog.  This one is dedicated to helping YOU make better eating choices and get in more fruits and veggies so you live a nice, long life.  But what you may not know is that the subject of Veganism has been weighing heavy on my heart for the last year.  If you are a fan of the Homeschooled Housewife, you'll know that we already have a pretty clean diet and rarely eat meat.  But GOODNESS do we ever love our cheese, sour cream and ice cream!  So while I desperately wanted to move my family towards a vegan diet, I just didn't think it would work for us.  I'm already asking my boys to give up quite a bit and make some pretty BIG food and lifestyle choices that I felt terrible asking them to give up even more.

Guilt y'all.

But then the kiddo started experiencing some truly horrible stomach issues.  I knew that it wasn't the flu or a temporary illness because we Mama's know when our kids are sick like this.  This wasn't it.  But it was weird y'all- seeming to come on out of nowhere, fierce and painful- debilitating even.  At first I thought perhaps he was just eating too much sugar and not getting enough sleep.  So we started eliminating the sugars, not that there was a ton of it but sorry kid no more early morning donuts with Daddy.  Boo.

Things seemed to get better.

And then they didn't.

And then whenever he would eat out, he would start feeling ill.  We thought perhaps it was just the greasy food but the reality is that we don't really eat this type of food.  When a Chipotle brown rice bowl is making your child not feel well- you know you got problems.

My Mama gut said he was allergic to dairy because seriously- with our diet, what else was there?

And so I made an appointment for him at the naturopath.  I wanted to rule out some weird illness, perhaps he needed more sleep or was a bit dehydrated...but the truth is that at this point, I pretty much knew it was the food he was eating.  I just didn't know WHAT exactly was making him ill or to what extent.

So let's just go back to this subject of wanting to adopt a vegan diet.  For the last year or more, I have been adding in more vegan dishes even though I didn't feel we were ready to cut the dairy cord completely.  Why was I doing this?  Why did I have such a burning desire to adopt this dietary lifestyle?

My kid y'all.  This Mama KNEW even when she didn't know.

The Mother's Intuition.  It's no joke.  Add in the fact that I started a contest focused on eating VEGAN and vegetarian foods at the precise time that the kiddo's food allergies were coming to a head.  Yeah- sometimes the timing is just on point and you know before YOU KNOW.

Turns out that I was right.  Tests confirm the kiddo is allergic to all dairy and eggs.  Well shit.  Life changing stuff here and I'm doing the best I can to help him understand that his most favorite foods are now gone.  This is pretty hard for a kid- especially at this age when socializing with his friends is such a big part of his life and FOOD is of course a major component to that.  But he's handling it much better than I probably would have at his age- most likely because he doesn't want to feel awful anymore, he's willing to do whatever needs to be done.  Even if that means giving up his beloved cheese pizza and mac n cheese.

Poor kid.

At this point, we are just learning of his allergies.  As in, we found out 3 days ago.  I am extremely thankful that we had already started towards this path of veganism- makes the transition much easier for sure!  But we are all still a bit shell shocked.  This diagnosis tips our world on end and will take even more work to make sure he's getting his protein and other missing vitamins and nutrients.  Because another issue we discussed was that since the kiddo is so very active- he will need a higher amount of protein to keep his body running as it should.  That's a LOT of beans and lentils y'all.

I am also feeling thankful that it is not worse.  I think every parent has this reaction.  Yes, it sucks.  But Praise Jesus it is NOT more serious than it is.  At this point, if the kiddo eats the foods he's allergic to- he will simply get sick and feel nauseous.  The nausea is debilitating and will completely ruin his day.  However, he won't swell up, get rashes or need to inject himself with an Epi Pen and rush to the ER.  So yes- it most definitely could be a much different situation and for that- I am thankful.

I'm just starting to fully do my own research but for now, we are working on getting our child feeling 100% healthy again.  Keeping his body running at top condition, eating the right foods, supplementing with missing vitamins and helping him come to terms with this life changing issue.  But y'all- I am suffering some serious Mama guilt over it.  I keep wondering if he's had these issues all along and I never noticed.  I feel bad that I dismissed his stomach issues at first or perhaps didn't take it as seriously as I should have.  Was it something I fed him as a baby?  Did I introduce certain foods too early?  Should I have been more focused on organics and GMO free from the very beginning?  Ugh.  Being a Mom is not easy sometimes.

So where does this leave us?

Well, three days out.  That's seriously not long when making a life long change.  But we quite literally have NO other option.  If we want a healthy child, we need to help the kiddo adopt a more vegan diet.  Period.  Since we don't eat much meat and now all dairy and eggs are out- vegan it is.  And as his Mom, I feel that I should support him and do this with him.  So some pretty big changes are happening for us but let's be honest- my Mama gut already told me so.

Listen to it ladies.  Do NOT ever underestimate the power of a Mother's Intuition.

Although the husband has firmly stated that he will NOT be giving up the cheese and sour cream.  BWHAHAHA- I don't blame him.  Cheese is delicious and sour cream is the business.

I suppose that I will just update you all in a month or so.  For now, we are eliminating ALL the foods he's allergic too (and there's quite a list you guys!) and then slowly adding one back in at a time to try and identify the major triggers.  If we can pinpoint the exact foods that seem to exacerbate the situation, it will be much easier than avoiding everything completely.  And perhaps allow the kiddo to occasionally enjoy a real ice cream cone.

Gah.  That makes me want to cry.  My kid never again getting to experience the simple pleasure of a real ice cream cone while on vacay- I just can't.  I'm out.

Open Letter to the Mama PROUD of Feeding Her Kids Crap

OOHHHH Lord.

Y'all, I read this recent article over on Scary Mommy thinking I was trapped in a Ashton Kutcher episode of Punk'd a la Parent Edition because surely this business would have been better suited for say, The Onion.

I simply couldn't believe what I was reading and then I got all sorts of FIRED UP because....well...that's just how I roll.

So let's just dive right into the deep end on this one shall we?  In case you missed it, I am referencing the article, My Kids Eat Fast Food (And I'm Not Ashamed) by Elizabeth Broadbent.  Click the link people and then come on back so we can sip a cup of tea and dish.

Ready?

Let's preface by saying that all of us Mama's feel the parenting pressure.  ALL.  OF.  US.  Dearest Elizabeth, you are not alone darling and for that- I legit understand where you are coming from.  No joke- I get it.  Juggling parenting, kids, sports, activities, regular feeding time at the zoo, a semi clean house, the never ending laundry, keeping the husband happy- holy buckets but it's a lot.  And bonus- YOU'RE A HOMESCHOOLING MAMA.  So when you say that you roll on through the drive thru window FIVE TIMES per week- I can kind of understand where you're coming from.  Maybe....just a small little bit....eh...

But here's the truth.

Mama, you have flat out given up.

Let's have a COME TO JESUS moment up in here.  You have overloaded yourself, your house is NOT in order and your precious babies are the casualty.  Oh- and you yourself, yeah YOU, are most likely addicted to salt and sugar.

First of all, while it's been awhile since I've been to a fast food establishment, I don't ever remember their being kale salads that were actually healthy (meaning without all the added crap you dump on them to make them palatable) or could I ever imagine seeing adorable little faces actually EATING the said kale salad.  Further, children don't typically split a small order of anything unless they are opposed to eating.  And since when is a drive thru nugget somehow BETTER for you than a frozen, micro nuked nugget?  Yeah- sorry Mama but I'm gonna call bullshit.  Your children are not "downing a good meal" but rather giving themselves lifelong health issues like high blood pressure and diabetes.

Your kids are eating crap and you are buying it for them and your proud of it.  That's the real truth here.  So let's not try and hide under a fake disguise of "healthy" nuggets, buckets of syrupy sweet "fruit" salad and claims that children eat kale salad at a fast food joint.  PUH-LEEZE.  Let's just assume we are all smart enough to realize that this is complete and utter bullshit.  You knew it the moment you wrote it.  Bullshit.

Now let's get into the time factor.  I'm with you on this one Mama.  But here's where you lost me- because if I can work 50+ hours per week (real jobs mind you), homeschool, shuttle my child to karate, soccer, football, PE class and mother truckin' swim lessons all while keeping my husband satisfied, my house fairly clean, the crazy dog in order, laundry under wraps AND STILL COOK HEALTHY FOOD at least six nights per week then by GOD anyone can do it.  Even you darling.

And please note, I am not expecting miracles.  I get we all have different skill sets and cooking isn't one of yours.  My poor Mother suffered the same affliction.  But with three small children and a busy household to run, she still managed to put some mother truckin' GOOLOUSH on the dinner table mmkay....

You my dear are NO busier than any of us.  What you simply lack is time management skills.  And you're most likely a little lazy.

Yeah- I said it.

Because the truth is that I am busy.  This season of my life is BUSY.  I do not possess this imaginary thing call "free time" unless I get up at 5am and MAKE IT.  And even then, it's negotiable because there is always something I could be doing.  Seriously- my to do list is long and at times, exhausting.  Welcome to Motherhood dearest Elizabeth but true lazy people take the easy way out on the regular.  And believe me when I say to you that I have my lazy moments- we all do.  No harm or judgments here mmkay....but here's where we differ.  Your lazy moments are not once or twice a month but rather, FIVE TIMES A WEEK.  And while we are laying it all out here, I'm going to go out on a limb here and hazard a guess that the FIVE times is conservative.

Here's the thing- you gotta figure your shit out Mama because your family is suffering.

Prep meals while doing schoolwork with your kids.  Yes, this is possible.  Especially since I read that your children are all 5 and under.  I'm sorry but from one homeschooling Mama to another- this is by far the easiest age to homeschool.  If you can't do it now, you are going to have some REAL issues in another couple years.

Set yourself up to succeed with a chore list and a schedule.  Reward yourself with a sweet tea straight in your vein if necessary but for all that's Holy, figure it out.

Fucking LEARN how to cook simple foods.  Even my husband, who is allergic to the kitchen, is capable of opening a jar of organic marinara and boiling some pasta.  Cut open a bag of salad and you're good to go.  It is this easy and it's faster than loading your kids up in the car and driving down to the McDonald's.  Cheaper too.

Stop going to the drive thru for every single thing.  Mama, you need another sweet tea like I need 10 more pounds around my middle.  Knock this shit off.

Learn the word NO.  Dude, if you can't hack it at this stage, what the hell is going to happen when your children are teenagers?  Like, for reals?  I'm scared for you.  Embrace your inner Mean Mommy and let it fly.

Stop making excuses.  I simply don't buy the "running around" business.  All of us Mama's, homeschooling ones even more so, spend hours upon hours in our cars shuttling our children all over God's green earth.  And there just so happens to be the amazing thing called a COOLER in which you can pack food inside for your children to eat later.  And did you know Mama, that at grocery stores or convienence stores you can use the microwave for FREE.  Like, you can pack up some leftovers in the COOLER and swing on by the grocery store to heat that business up.  Or you could just make another PB & J.  Whatevs.

For the Love, please find a park.  Stop meeting up at the local fast food place so you can surf Facebook and talk shit with other Mom's while your children guzzle the chemical concoction you call "food".  Do it at the park and pack a mother truckin' picnic.  You might also try taking along some educational shit because you know...homeschooling....

Find the Google and research "diet and ADD" and then research "diet and hyperactivity."  You Mama are literally setting your children up to fail.  The road you've created for them is sure to be a rough one because you couldn't or wouldn't find the time to put some pretzels in a Ziplock and stop your drive thru addiction.  You are a smart cookie based upon your ability to write a coherent article so there is simply NO EXCUSE for you to continue to ignore this very real health issue.

And PS- a drive thru lemonade is NOT made up of just lemons and sugar.  Oh Sweet Jesus but the laugh I had at this one.  So while you're cruising the Google, you should probably research all the crap that's actually in the "food" you are feeding your children.  Especially all those "industrial-fried potatoes" y'all are eating.  Better yet- I'll save you some time.  In addition to the non GMO (you should probably just go ahead and Google what a GMO is) potatoes, you've also got unhealthy oils, like cancer causing oils- dimethylpolysiloxane (a chemical agent used to prevent cooking oil from foaming and most commonly found in SILLY PUTTY), a PETROL based chemical called tertiary butylhydroquinone, sodium acid pyrophosphate, dextrose and a whole load of other crap.  Yum...eat up or continue to stick your head in the sand.  No biggie, it's just your children's life on the line.

Stop over feeding your children.  After making 12 pieces of toast at home, you're then in the drive thru ordering hash browns, eggs and sides of bacon?!?  Say what?  And please for the LOVE, explain to me why when they "demand snacks" you think the drive thru is the appropriate place to go?  Mama- c'mon.  Are you not capable of throwing a couple apples or a banana in your purse?

Bottom line- you are not alone.  We ALL use conveniences like the drive thru.  But the fact that you are proud to go there at least five times per week does set you up in a class all by yourself.  This is NOT normal and it is NOT acceptable.  Stop being proud of this- please.

The drive thru is meant as an occasional treat.  Not a daily stop.  And the damage you are doing to yourself AND your children is beyond ridiculous.  In fact, I'm just gonna come right out and say it- it's child abuse.  Book your tickets to the Maury Show because in another couple years, this is where you'll be.

And lastly please- do NOT use homeschooling as an excuse.  While I am certainly understanding and perhaps even a bit sympathetic to your plight, the truth is that the majority of us homeschooling Mama's have our shit together.  We RUN CIRCLES around pretty much anyone we encounter.  Most folks could NEVER do in a week what we accomplish in a day.  True story.  And yet, with all we have on our plates, we still manage to put a fairly decent meal there too on the regular.

Sincerely,

The Mom Who Occasionally Feeds Her Kid Crap and Is NOT Proud of that Shit

Eat Like You Give a Contest

This is BIG news y'all.

It's our first ever contest/giveaway here on the blog!!!!!!!!!  Yay!  I just can't even stand it!  And who better to partner with than Thug Kitchen!  Sweet Jesus I'm in Heaven!

If you haven't guessed by now, this contest is about FOOD!  That's right, you get to eat and then you get to be a WINNER!  Now that sounds like my kind of contest!  But here's the deal, this contest is just a bit different than the average because it will be tailored to YOU.  That's right- this one is all about encouraging YOU to eat better.

The Rules:

1.  No animals.  Yeah, I said it.  This contest involves absolutely NO ANIMAL PRODUCTS OF ANY KIND.  Goodness but this is gonna be hard.  That means NO fish, NO meat, NO dairy- nada.

If you are already a vegan- well than this will be super easy!  You are totally still allowed to participate in this contest.  No one is excluded!  However- my hope is that you will push yourself to eat even healthier and make even more positive lifestyle changes along the way.

2.  The contest will begin on Monday May 23rd, 2016 at 6AM Pacific time and end on Sunday May 29th, 2016 at midnight, also Pacific time.  That's 7 days y'all.

3.  You will need to take a picture and give a brief description of every breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack (drinks included!) for the duration of the contest and post it to the daily contest thread on my Facebook page.

The thread will be posted live at 6AM Pacific time daily.

You can post them all at once at the end of the day or you can post them as you eat them.  I don't care as long as you do it.

4.  Each meal or snack MUST contain fresh fruits or vegetables.  As long as they are FRESH, it doesn't matter the quantity or type.

5.  Minimal processed food is required.  This means that you can NOT eat a vegan frozen dinner every night for 7 nights straight or open up a can of tomato soup every day for lunch.  Just nope.

And yes- an occasional "cheat" is alright, meaning one or two in a week's time frame but please don't use these "cheats" as a crutch.  I will be watching those pictures carefully!

6.  Use the honor system.  We are all grown adults and this contest is for FUN and ENCOURAGEMENT so please use the honor system and do your very best.  If you falter- POST IT!  I want everyone to see the normal struggles that come with changing your diet.  And you never know- I just might pick you as a lucky winner!

7.  Please be 18 years or older.  Eh- I don't really care how old you are but you must be old enough to make your own food choices.  Period.  So I guess that leaves out the babies and toddlers mmkay....

8.  You must be a FAN of The Homeschooled Housewife on Facebook.  This contest is open to fans only but y'all- it's super easy to be one mmkay....so just pop on over to the Facebook page and click "like" if you haven't already.



How Will the Winners Be Chosen?

• Honesty.  I'm looking for BRUTAL honesty and FULL disclosure regarding your diet.  The more info you give me on what you are eating, the better!  I want to know if you cheated a little bit or if you are knee deep in the struggle of what to eat, if a meal was horrid or surprisingly good- Share it all!
• Pictures and descriptions.  I will be pouring over these photos each day and making a list of those currently participating.  I don't want to say that it will ALL come down to the photos, but if you aren't sharing, you won't be winning.
• Willingness and determination.  While this contest is meant to be fun, it is also meant to encourage you.  I want to know that you are willing and determined to see this through.  I want you to be excited about these changes (or maybe you're not) and I want to hear how this contest is impacting your life when you share your daily photos.
• Variety.  I am looking for a variety of meals, snacks and foods.  If you eat the same meal every day for breakfast, you probably won't be winning.  Mix it up and try new things.
• Family involvement.  While this is meant as a personal contest- my hope is that entire families will be adopting some changes.  Are you making one meal for everyone?  Are you swapping out your kids pretzels and chips for strawberries and carrots?  The more I see the entire family participating, the higher your chances of winner are!
• At my discretion.  Well what exactly does that mean huh?!?  It simply means that I'm NOT looking for perfection.  So yes- some winners will have fallen off the wagon and eaten things that weren't part of the plan.  I reserve the right to select the winners and I will be using all of the above to do so.

How many Winners will be called and what are the prizes?

I am partnering with Thug Kitchen and they have GENEROUSLY donated all the swag.  They are currently sending me signed cookbooks, an apron, mug and tote bags but until I have the prizes in my possession- I can't tell you for sure exactly how many winners will be selected.  I am assuming there will be enough prizes for at least 5 people and I will be giving away ALL of what they send me.

Winners will be named on the Facebook page within 24 hours of contest end.  So basically on Memorial Day, Monday May 30th and again on Tuesday May 31st, 2016 in case you missed it the first time.  Please know that I am unable to "tag" the winners so it will be your responsibility to reply to me in order to claim your prize.  

If you are selected as a winner, please send me an instant message via my Facebook page with your mailing address and full name so that I can mail you your prize!  I will NOT be messaging you, so this one is up to the lucky winners.

If you do NOT reply by Friday June 3rd, 2016- a new winner will be selected.  Sorry, you snooze, you loose.


And finally- a few things about this contest and giveaway.


I will be participating and posting pictures right along with you.  In fact, I arranged this entire contest because I wanted help making the move towards more a more vegan lifestyle.  However I will not select my own self as a winner.  Because that's just tacky mmkay....

The REAL prize here is a possible change in lifestyle and a move towards healthier eating.  My hope is that this contest will jump start your journey and that we can all support one another as we experience it together.

Above all, this contest is meant to be FUN and ENCOURAGING.  So please don't be all serious and uptight about it mmkay....

All prizes have been donated by Thug Kitchen because they are fuckin' amazeballs.  I highly encourage everyone to check their shit out!

I am posting this information exactly ONE WEEK until the start of the contest.  This gives you time to get your shit together.  I highly recommend you menu plan and get the help and support of your entire family before starting this contest.  If you need some help, check out the recipes here on my blog.  LOTS of easy, family friendly meals that can easily be converted to vegan.

Together we can do this.

When the Lesson is Learned

About two years ago, I wrote this great blog post called, Blessings in Disguise.  It was all about a new teammate to the kiddo's soccer team and what a butt this child was.  Ok....Ok....that's not very nice.  But y'all- some children are just plain awful and unfortunately for everyone, this one is on the kiddo's soccer team.

In the two years since I wrote the post- this child is MUCH improved.  Perhaps it's because he's older, or maybe it's because the kiddo started fighting back or it just might have been the little convo that the husband had with this kid's Dad but whatever the reason, I AM THANKFUL.

While this child and the kiddo will NEVER be friends, the animosity seems to have disappeared.  Praise Jesus but kids are tough!

In the last couple of years, we have all gone out of our way to offer kind words and loud exclamations of praise towards this difficult child.  Killing him with kindness y'all- killing him with kindness.  And it is this example that we have set forth for the kiddo- be kind.  IN all things, be kind.

No joke, it's been a rough couple of years and things have been difficult at times but it has been an amazing life learning lesson for the kiddo.  How to deal with difficult people, learning to get along, being kind, how to be gracious, forgiveness, working together for the good of your team, supporting those who don't deserve it- yeah, GOOD STUFF.

Well y'all- this last Saturday, the kiddo and his team played against a team of cheaters.  With a capital C y'all.  Gah- how disappointing that some parents and coaches teach this to our nation's children.  We watched this other team intentionally trip our boys, elbow them in the ribs and literally FALL TO THE GRASS in order to get a foul- it was quite honestly, disgusting behavior.  But I suppose that's team sports for you.....

One particular boy from the other team seemed to have some beef with the difficult child from the kiddo's team.  Who knows how this business starts really....but it seemed this child from the other team was out for blood.  Eek!  He kept kicking the kiddo's teammate in his shins, pushing and shoving and at one point, he knocked him down and hurt him.

What happened next will stay with this Mama for the rest of my days.

At this moment, the kiddo rushed over to his teammate, bent down and helped him up.  He then helped to walk him off the field and sit down.

Let's just pause for a moment here.

Clearly they aren't friends.  This child has caused huge strife and upset for the kiddo and yet- when this boy is down, MY CHILD IS THERE HELPING HIM UP.

Goodness but I could just cry.  Precious stuff indeed!

There's a saying regarding parenting- the years are long but the days are short.  How can we as parents know that our examples, our teachings, our lessons are really sinking in?  It's so easy for us to get caught up in the day to day struggle that we can't always step back and look at the lessons learned throughout the years.  Well last Saturday, I was fortunate enough to witness the lesson.  The years spent teaching the kiddo of grace, forgiveness, kindness, understanding, teamwork- ALL OF IT and I got to watch it happen right in front of me.

What a wonderful reminder for me as a parent that the work we are doing is IMPORTANT.  Someday, when you least expect it, you will get to witness the lessons they've learned and your cup will runneth over.

Keep going, you got this.

Junk Food Vegetarian

So recently I met another Mom who told me she was a vegetarian. SWEET!  And then when I told her we were semi- vegetarians, she was NOT impressed.

Eh- I get it.

She doesn't really know what my family is doing and how we have been eating.  She's not at our dinner table and doesn't see our fridge and pantry.  So I completely understand that she might be confused about this "semi vegetarian" business.  I got it but I still felt like she was silently standing in judgement.  Bummer....

But then we talked a bit more about what we eat and she mentioned Cheetos and Boca Burgers and I talked about Lentils and Kale Chips.

Hmmm......

So here's the thing- when we make the choice to stop eating meat, we need to be even more vigilant with our bodies to make sure we are getting the proper nutrition.  In my opinion, junk food- while lots of it is vegetarian, is NOT healthy.  You might as well just eat the darn cheeseburger mmkay....which is a lesson that I personally learned a long time ago.  Being a vegetarian does NOT mean you'll be healthy. 

You see, years ago when I was in college, I gave up meat completely for about a year.  But the problem was that I didn't replace it with healthy proteins and vitamins.  I just didn't.  Instead, I ate my weight in chips, drank SoBee's like they were going out of style and hadn't touched anything green all year unless it was incognito under a layer of Hidden Valley Ranch dressing.

Not good.

Simple rule to follow!

In my defense, I was in college.  And I lived on campus, which meant I didn't have full access to all the foods my body needed.  Goodness but why did I ever choose this time in my life to become a vegetarian I will never understand!  But that's just how I roll....however, even with all this unhealthy yet vegetarian food, I still managed to loose about 15 pounds.  In a time when everyone was gaining the "Freshman 15", I was losing it.

At no point during this time was I healthy.

I may have lost some weight but my body felt GROSS.  I was always tired, my skin was a greasy mess, my hair was blah, I constantly felt bloated and I was seriously addicted to salt and sugar.  While I did eventually start adding meat back in to my diet, my body still felt yucky and all sorts of messed up.  I knew I wasn't healthy and I'm pretty sure if they were to cut me open at that moment, I would smell like french fries and cheese.

Eww....

It wasn't until I had the kiddo and started him on solid foods that I had a wake up call.  I was the MEAN MOMMY who was extremely vigilant with what my baby was eating.  Not only did I follow the doctors recommendations of no peanut butter, no honey, no popcorn etc, but I also didn't allow my child to eat chicken nuggets, cheeseburgers and sweets.  For years, I packed his food whenever we went out to eat- no joke, my child would eat a jelly sandwich and fruit while the husband and I sat in the Jack in the Box and ate double cheeseburgers and extra large fries.

Say what?!?

In fact, just the other day- my Facebook memories reminded me of the very first time the kiddo ate a cheeseburger.  He was 5.  And it was made with organic, grass fed, local ground beef and cooked at home on the backyard BBQ.  Five years old you guys.  Five.  Let's just think on that one a moment....

Clearly my subconscious knew what to do for my child but why wasn't I making the changes for the husband and myself?  Gah!  I just don't know.  Stubbornness maybe?  Making changes in your diet is HARD and it just seemed like too much work.  And then the kiddo started wanting to eat the same foods that Mommy and Daddy were eating and I knew we had no more options left.  Our entire family needed to eat HEALTHIER foods and thus began our food journey.

I knew that I wanted to reduce our meat consumption but I also knew that I couldn't afford to feed my family organic meats.  So I made the choice to move us to a vegetarian diet during the week.  I learned a valuable lesson during my college years and that was that I didn't want to be a junk food vegetarian- I wanted to be a healthy vegetarian.

So what exactly does this mean?

Fruits.  Vegetables.  Grains.  Legumes.  Oh My!

When I started my family on this journey, my idea of cooking vegetables was poking a few holes in the baggie of frozen veg and sticking it in the microwave for a few minutes.  I only ever bought fruit for the kiddo and had NO idea what kinds of fruits the husband actually liked to eat.  And you guys- I had never cooked any grains and legumes other than Rosarita refried beans and white rice.  Clearly I was going to have to learn to cook completely different and I was going to have to get rid of the junk in my house.  Big changes, but I was determined to get my family on the path towards health and I knew eating less meat was the way to do it.

In all honesty, we struggled a bit.  I used a few crutches like Morningstar Farms "ckicken nuggets" and processed fake meat products until I learned to make these things myself.  But in the years since we began our food journey, I have learned some VERY valuable lessons.

#1- Homemade is where it's at!  It is unbelievably easy to whip up a batch of Black Bean Burgers and much cheaper than buying a processed version at the store.  And because you are making them yourself at home, these burgers are legit- GOOD FOR YOU.  Like, you can eat burgers and they are HEALTHY FOR YOUR BODY.  Now this is just crazy!

#2- If you don't buy it, they won't eat it.  Probably the easiest thing when making changes in your diet is to simply stop buying the junk.  There's whole isles of the grocery store that I no longer go down!  See ya soda, chips and packaged cookies. Adios deli and meat counter.  Buh-bye!

#3- Put as many fruits and vegetables on your plate as you possibly can.  My goal when making a meal now is how many healthy foods can I cram into this dish or on this plate.  Seriously.  I put carrots in everything, love to add a big handful of spinach to a dish or pile in the bell peppers.  When in doubt, just serve a meal with a big salad or a bowl full of fresh fruit.

#4- Learn to convert your family's favorite foods to a healthy vegetarian meal.  Changing the way you cook is a big deal but learning to turn your family's unhealthy favorites into a healthier, vegetarian meal- PRICELESS!!  Your people will actually eat foods they somewhat recognize and it's actually much easier than you think.  Substitute the meat for things like beans, lentils or quinoa or simply leave it out and add in more veggies.

#5- Have a backup plan.  Always Mama's- trust me on this one!  Sometimes a meal doesn't turn out the way you would have hoped or perhaps you're running late getting dinner started or simply don't want to cook AGAIN.  I get it.  So have a backup plan in place for these nights.  Keep some homemade frozen vegetarian meals on hand (ones that you've made, NOT store bought) or even have a couple "cheats" in your freezer or pantry. I recently discovered Hilary's vegetarian burgers and I can't say enough good things about them!  Serve with a side of fresh fruit or veg and you're good to go!

#6- Master a 20 minute dish.  Every single Mama should have a 20 minute meal up her sleeve regardless of your choice to eat a meat free diet.  Mine is Broccoli Garlic Pasta-  it's a complete meal and done in under 20 minutes.  And bonus- there's very minimal clean up required.  Love that!


Alright- so I hope this little story has helped you as well as the six tips above.  There's a good way to be vegetarian and a not so good way.  For me, this is a lesson that I seem to keep coming back to time and time again.  Being a vegetarian doesn't necessarily mean you'll be healthy.  You have to work at giving your body the proper nutrients that it needs and when you eliminate one food (like meat) this means you need to take extra care to maintain your health.

And regarding this Mama at the very beginning of this post- well.....I personally felt a bit judged when I told her we weren't full on vegetarians.  I'm assuming this wasn't her intent as she's really a very nice woman, but the feeling was there nonetheless.  I can only hope that I don't do this to others when I talk about our diet.  I would never want to make anyone feel judged or guilty- I simply want to share our story and offer hope for a healthier life.

The truth is that my family is very healthy.  We eat a plant based vegetarian diet (no junk food here!) at least five days per week and several of those days, we are eating vegan meals.  No animal products at all.  But you guys- we also really LOVE cheeseburgers.  This is the choice that is right for my family at this point in our lives.  And I'm not going to apologize for it and made to feel bad or guilty.

This is my message to you all and what I hope you'll take away from this blog post.

Please make the right healthy choices for your family.   The key word here being- healthy.

Mother's Day is Cray Cray

So here's the deal- ask any MOTHER around and she will tell you that Mother's Day is fluff.  It's sweet homemade cards and lumpy pancakes in bed.  It's sloppy kisses and death grip hugs.  Yes.  All these things and more.  While we certainly appreciate a little extra lovin' on a day the world decided to honor us Moms, we know that Mother's Day is NOT some arbitrary day in May.

Sorry, but it's just not.  It's on our children's birthdays.

I became a Mother one early morning in mid February circa 2005.  After 22.5 hours of excruciating labor and an emergency c-section, I was finally and forever- a Mom.  This is my REAL day of celebration, not the made up one that falls on some random Sunday in May.  It was on this day in mid February that my life forever changed and I EARNED the title of MOM.

So yes, while I love the idea of setting aside a special day to celebrate the wonderful Mama's in your life, my real Mother's Day is the day I gave birth to my baby.

And for all those Mom's out there who have ever cried their way through their children's birthday party's- this is why.  This is OUR DAY to remember bringing our children into this world and to cry over years that seem to fly right on by.  This is our real Mother's Day.

But not too worry- I'll take that day in May too!

Want to read more?  How about what every Mom secretly wants for Mother's Day?

First Impressions

The kiddo recently attended a soccer meet up with a local homeschool group and I asked him to change out of his DRI concert t-shirt and into something more "appropriate".

Y'all.

It is not often that I ask my child to change bits of himself to fit in with the status quo.  In fact, I rarely ask this of him.  However, first impressions are crucial and homeschoolers can be, how to put this delicately, well- they can be very judgmental.  I'm sorry but you know it's true.  And since I wasn't going to be able to make it to this meet up and he was going with a friend, I wanted to make sure he was putting his best foot forward.  A Dirty Rotten Imbeciles t-shirt complete with skeletons shooting machine guns was probably not it.  Although the shirt is pretty kick ass mmkay....and he is wearing it to homeschool classes today....

The husband and I have always been our real and authentic selves.  This can mean many things for many people but for us, we don't bullshit.  Sure, we can be nice and follow all the appropriate social requirements and we know how to make polite small talk but we don't ever pretend to be something we are not.  We acknowledge we aren't perfect and we are most certainly flawed.  But we live our life in truth and we teach our child this as well.

What exactly does this mean?

It's simple really- we don't do things that we don't want to do because someone says we "have to", we don't spend time with people we don't like, we accept others just as they are, we don't do fancy, we are proud of our hobbies and interests, we follow our passions, we buck the system, we do not lie, we discuss all the things even those others feel aren't appropriate, we yell and get mad, we accept our flaws.  To put it simply- we don't sugar coat who we are and we are 100% comfortable if you don't like it because the reality is, that we simply don't care.  Love us, hate us- makes no difference to who we are and how we conduct ourselves and this y'all is what we are teaching our child.

As a result, we have a kid who speaks his mind, follows his joy, stands up for his friends, speaks out against injustice, fights and argues to the death, wears what he wants to wear, listens to the music that speaks to his soul, helps others in need and doesn't give a shit if someone doesn't like him.

He knows he's awesome and he likes who he is.

Gah.  Can you just imagine if our society was filled with such self confidence and goodness?  What kind of world would we be living in now?

And please know- this isn't to say that my child is perfect.  PUH-LEEZE but I'm not one of "those Moms" who thinks her kid walks on water.  Yeah no.  He is flawed just like his parents.  And trust me when I tell you that this is extremely frustrating at times because his flaws mirror my flaws.  If you're a parent- I know that you get this mmkay....

The message here is that we let our kid be himself.  In all ways.  We encourage his creativity, we support his ideas, we push his mind and then we just sit back and let him go.

But the flip side of this is that SO many parents don't do this.  They are bound by religious convictions, curriculum, strict schedules and then of course worried over what other parents will think- homeschoolers are no different in this aspect.  And while in general, I don't give a fuck- I do want my child to be accepted.  So y'all- it can be a struggle.  You want your child to be accepted for who they are but you know that most times, the world just doesn't operate that way.

This is on me.


First impressions matter.  It is important for the kiddo to understand this and so, when he attends a homeschool meet up for the very first time, I will ask him to change into something more socially acceptable.  Just like I would expect him to put on nice pants for church or not swear in front of his great grandma.  

As his parents, it is our job to help him put his best REAL foot forward.  To give him the knowledge of how to behave in a variety of social situations but to also give him the freedom to be himself.  I suppose that only time will tell how good of a job we are doing.

No matter who you are and what you believe, first impressions DO matter.  But what he doesn't after that- is entirely up to him.