The new year brings changes...

I'm tired of always being the one that initiates things. Phone calls to family is the biggest thing. It bothers me that I hear "Oh she doesn't hear from the kids enough", WTF does the phone not go both ways? Is she incapable of picking up the phone and dialing. Make sure you have them call and say thank you to them for a gift that they didn't buy. Right on... no problem... lie to them, that's not a new thing. I get that they might not have the money to buy cool stuff like that for them and I understand them appreciating what they get is important, but seriously?, we saw them only a few days ago. Whatever though, letting it roll off and starting a new year with less rage... hopefully. 


My goal this year is to change one thing every week of the year, starting with how much water I drink. From there moving on to this that might seem insignificant to some, but matter to me. My biggest goal for 2012 is to consume no animal products of any sort. Be healthier, happier and eventually get my family eating less animal products as well. Another goal for me in 2012 is to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight and to be healthier. 


Looking forward with a smile on my face and big goals in my mind and heart. 
Happy New Year Everyone!

Christmas Woes.

It's not like I don't really like Christmas. I would probably be enjoying the season more, if I had all my shopping done. My problem this year is I don't know what to get everyone. There are so many people to shop for and no one is giving any good ideas as to what they want. Really I'm too the point where I'm going to have to either give in and do gift baskets or gift cards. Which I loathe doing, just because it's not about the money. When I give cash or gift cards to me it feels like a gift pay off. I'm stating "Hey, I had no idea what to get you so heres some cash have a blast.". That's not really the Christmas message I like to send to people. At this point in the season that's what I'm having to resort to, and it bothers me. I'm hoping next year to start shopping earlier, and finish up by December 1st. That was the plan this year, but money didn't work out like I thought it was going to. I'll probably start saving money for birthdays and Christmas around February or March. This might save us some financial pinching around the holidays next year. At least I'm hoping it will.

Attitude

I've decided it's finally time to write about attitude. Seems like everyone has one about something or everything. Attitude and opinion at times go hand in hand. It's not a bad thing by any means but it can be for sure. Everyone has an opinion about the best way to live. Make sure you get enough protein, carbohydrates, good fats, oh and don't forget the hoho's, ring dings, donuts, cupcakes, cookies, really the list could go on. If you've ever looked at the ingredients on these items you'd spend well over 5 minutes trying to read it or you'd say screw it, they taste good. This is why America is the fatest country in the world. Combine all those sweets, with McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy's, Sonic and all the other restaurants out there. I'm not saying there aren't healthy options at these drive up joints, but really who goes to McDonalds and orders a salad? I'll tell you who, the smart person that wants to live to be a ripe old age. Our society is overly focused on food. We live our lives to eat food, and we no longer eat just to survive. And as a society we are now paying to our gluttony with the rising rates of heart disease, diabetes and of course cancer. We are eating too many things with too many chemicals, additives, preservatives and most of all with no nutritional value. These foods are chalked full of fats and sugars and have little to no vitamins or minerals in them. God forbid you miss out on your protein, you better run to McDonalds and buy a double or wait make that a triple cheese burger. Clog your arteries, but get your protein what the hell kind of thinking is that, other than pure ignorance? 


Lets think for a second what would happen if we ate whole foods, wait maybe even raw foods. If we all lived by the rule that if we can't read what's on the nutrition label that we don't buy it. What would happen if we all started using whole grains, like whole wheat flour instead of white. Raw sugar instead of the overly processed white sugar, we might actually be healthier. Our society is so obsessed with dairy, meat, and overly refined sugars and flours that we've forgotten about eating good wholesome fruits and vegetables. 


If we as a society could change our attitude about food, we might just be able to change the world. We would lower the amount of money we spend on healthcare. We would decrease our instance of cancer, diabetes and heart disease. The research is there showing this to be so. We just don't want to believe it, you know why? It tastes too good. 


I didn't realize how much meat, cheese and refined stuff I was eating till I changed my diet. Now not only do I not eat meat or dairy, I won't eat it if it has white flour, sugar or anything on the label I can't read. My grocery bill is cheaper and I feel better. I really wish I could help people to see that they are slowly killing themselves just by the junk they put in their mouths. 


This is something I hope to teach my children, that food isn't about image and who can eat the most. It's about healthy wholesome taste, and moderation. Some of the things our society consumes shouldn't be eaten, and if we choose to indulge every once and awhile it should be just that a rare case of indulgence. Rare meaning once or twice a year, not every other week. 


We really are what we eat. Why not eat fruits, veggies, nuts, nut butters, beans, whole grains, like wheat and oats. Avoid the meat, dairy, oils, white refined sugars and flours, chemicals, additives so we can live well and feel better. 


Like I said, we all have attitudes about things. It we change any attitude let it be the way we look at food. No other attitude that we have can hurt us or help us more. 

UGH!!!

You know you'd think that all the times that I've forgotten birthdays, that yet another year wouldn't make a difference. Yeah guess what, I guess I have forgotten one to many and now there are hurt feelings involved. I remembered it the day of. Lost track of time like I always do and forgot to call. Now, in all honestly this individual never calls me on my birthday either, but they always send a card. So I'll put a card in the mail, and call in a few days to apologize as stupid as I think it is. I don't ever think that anyones feelings are stupid, but really I forget just about every year. What has made this be the year their are hurt feelings involved. Must be the position of the moon or some sort of bad omen winter solstice or something causing people to be super sensitive. I will bow to societal conventions completely against my will, I'll send a belated birthday card and apologize. 


It doesn't help that I know this isn't going to be the last time I forget a birthday, or that I forget to do something that means something to someone else. I really do have a terrible memory, and once I remember once it is likely that I won't remember twice (in one day that is). To actually pick up the phone and call, I hardly remember to call my immediate family when there is a birthday. I usually post on their facebook wall, but rarely do I call. 


I'm not going to lie. I feel a little bad, but I know it's more of a big deal to her then it is to me. I just wish I could understand why. I guess it's just one of those things that I'll probably never quite understand why.


Have I mentioned lately I'm ready for the holidays to be over. I'm ready to be done shopping, wrapping and trying to make sure that everyone gets bought for. I'm not feeling the holidays this year. I'm totally excited to be able to spend it with my family this year, but I wish someone else would do the rest of the Christmas prep for me cause I have shopping block. I can't think of what else to buy people. To put it bluntly, I'm out of ideas. I'm hoping next year I can talk the hubby in to splitting the buying responsibilities. Although, I'm not going to hold my breath. 

Recent Food Changes.

I've made a huge change in my eating habits. I've decided that I'm no longer going to eat meat, or animal bi-products. This means no cheese, milk, eggs, butter, ect, ect. I'm also cutting out all the highly processed foods, and oils and such. That's right, I'm going raw, or as close to raw as I can get. I'll be getting my proteins from beans, nuts and (cringe) tofu. I don't have a lot of experience at this so my food choices right now are pretty simple. Make something that doesn't taste awful and that doesn't have anything I'm trying to avoid. Already after 3 days doing this, I feel amazing. Now, to be fair the first day I had dairy creamer in my coffee because we had nothing else. I have a french vanilla coconut milk creamer that I'm now using. I cheated yesterday and had a solo cup of homemade chex mix with cashews in it. More processed then I should have been eating. The chex mix was made with butter and I'm sure some of it's ingredients contained animal products. I'm just starting out, and have cut animal products out cold turkey. I don't feel bad for my little cup of chex mix. I don't think that for cutting it all out all at once that I'm doing too bad. 


In other news it's snowing. That's right it's snowing. It feels too soon for snow, but I guess it really isn't since it's December and all. I'm not ready for snow, or the holidays this year. I'm very much enjoying not having to be doing school right now in the midst of trying to get ready for Christmas. 


It's quiet in the house right now. It's a rare thing that this house is quiet. The baby is taking her one and only nap right now, so I'm trying to make the most of my free time. I cleaned yesterday did bathrooms and vacuumed, so I'm not in any rush to get up and "pick up" the baby toys. If I clean them up now when she wakes up all she is going to do is scatter them everywhere again. I daunting pointless task to pick up toys in the middle of the day. Diaper laundry is in the washer, and tomorrow I'll need to do a few loads of regular laundry. At some point this weekend I need to get out and get a few groceries. Since my eating habits have changed I'm finding not many things in the house are animal product free. 


Okay, I feel I need to clarify something. I don't want to get judged by anyone thinking I'm out to "save" the animals by not eating animal products. I don't care even the slightest if Wilber ends up as bacon. I'm choosing to not eat meat and animal bi-products, because studies show that they aren't good for you. That they are the leading cause of heart disease and cancer. So to live a healthier longer life, I'm doing this for me. Not for a cause, or to try and prove anything to anyone. I hate it when someone says "Oh your going vegan?", well yeah, I guess I am. Really though what does it matter to you? I'm not asking you to eat the way I do. This just goes to show you, that people still piss me off. My rage is normal I hear, and if it's not oh well. I'm not going to lose sleep over it. 


It just occurred to me that it's been a little bit since I blogged. I have started to write a few times, but then found myself with nothing to say. That happens rather frequently since my life isn't exactly overflowing with excitement. I lead a boring, simple life. I wouldn't have it any other way. I don't like drama, never have. It just complicates things. 


The only goal remaining for today is come up with something for supper that tastes good, and have the kids do their advent tree.