Day 29: Best Meal Ever!

Wow, one full day left of Whole30. And then what will I do with myself!? Probably eat the same ol' paleo stuff. :) I like love eating healthy... pretty challenging and fun and... healthy! I never worried about reading labels, but this diet has helped me to see all the weird things they put in food.

Meal 1: Sausage, spaghetti squash with spaghetti sauce
Meal 2: Chicken (a bite or two; gave the rest to Jimmy), then cooked myself a hamburger with riced cauli.
Meal 3: Grilled chicken with mango salsa. And Beanitos bean chips... which I probably shouldn't have had, but hey, we'll know what made me sick tomorrow. ;)

Just been snacking throughout the day... and, I know, my veggies have been lacking... I noticed that. There could be worse things. >.<

Finally went to Giant and bought more groceries. I brought Jae with me not realizing the time. Brought him during dinner time and he was starving and sleepy LOL! He was laying his head on the handle to the cart, so bored and so tired and so hungry. Poor! Joey wasn't fed when I got home, so Jimmy cooked a pizza for the boys and himself. Jimmy must have been having withdrawals and put a bunch of JUNK food on the list. I was bummed it actually all fit in the freezer(s) lol. Oh, well. He will never eat the way I do, but at least my kids can eat like me someday! :) Still working on Joey!

{mango salsa}

I have been wanting mango salsa for the past 24 hours. I'm glad I was able to go to the store today and buy a mango. Oh, my... this was DIVINE! I ate and ate and overate! SO good!
{recipe here}
I didn't add avocado because we didn't have any ripe ones. I did not add jalapeño. I did not add red onion, just used a yellow onion.

BTW, if you saw on the interwebz about eating raw onion leftover in the fridge is bad to eat... it's not. "Don't believe everything you read on the internet." --Abraham Lincoln

These are the Beanitos chips that Bonnie told me about. I once was at the health foods store and asked her if she needed anything. She wanted a bag of these black bean chips, but there weren't any on the shelf! Anyway, they are made of: Whole Black Beans, Whole Grain Rice (Brown and/or Long Grain White), Pure Sunflower Oil, Guar Bean Gum, Sea Salt. I don't think the Guar Bean Gum is Whole30 approved and I know the Rice isn't either. Oops. But, Jimmy even liked them! YES!

They also have Pinto Bean Beanitos. The Chipotle BBQ kind has sugar in it, but I probably wouldn't have bought those ones anyway. ;)

Good meal. I'm so satisfied! Nom nom nom!

Day 24: Hamburgers...nom nom nom

I had the same 3 meals all day today: Hamburgers, salad, tomatoes,  carrots, and fruit: blueberries, banana, & pear.

I love hamburgers.

We were a tad bit late for Church this morning. Couldn't quite get out of bed in time. Exhausted as I write this!

I have leftover chicken and curry soup that I still need to eat. I guess I could have switched it up a bit. Maybe tomorrow when I'm not so rushed. >.< (In a rush for Church, in a rush for nap after Church, in a rush helping make dinner.)

Church was great and dinner was fun with friends. Jimmy made a "St. Patrick's Day" meal with corned beef. Darn, I couldn't partake. Ha ha! I did try some... tasted like SPAM from a can. Soooo, I was pretty content with my burger. :)

I am beyond tired, so goodnight!

Day 16: Not Much Energy

Meal 1: Sausage, sauteed veggies in coconut oil, and a piece of Paleo bread. (Which I have now discovered that almond flour doesn't do my body good, so I will try almond flour at a later time.)
Meal 2: I can't even remember what I had for lunch..
Meal 3: Turkey meatballs and spaghetti squash. Unfortunately I didn't have time to make any tomato sauce for it. Gross, I know.

I was very tired today, my guess is some thyroid issues. Who knows? :) But, I was able to get a good night's rest!

We went to the park today and the boys had fun! The weather was beautiful! Jimmy played tag with Jimmy and then I had zero energy to play tag with Jae when he asked me to. I walked, but somehow that was just enough for Jae. :)

This pic won't flip, but I really love Joey's shoes! They used to be Jae's and I think they're the cutest things:

Day 14: Tired

My meals haven't been "on schedule" today as we were out and about. We spent the day at Gettysburg (Gbg) and went to the Outlets. I fell asleep on the drive home, though!

Meal 1: Soup from Rie! Mexican/Thai creation. So yummy! And some rice. >.<

Meal 2: Hamburger and.. rice again. Eep! (Don't worry, it's almost gone. I just need to make some mashed cauliflower or riced cauliflower and keep it in the fridge for a nice "base".) And, some orange!

Meal 3: Hamburger (it had to be eaten today; failed to put it in the freezer). Sauteed peppers and onions in coconut oil. Romaine lettuce and kale. Avocado dip.

{Gbg}

We drove on South Confederate Avenue, which includes Little Round Top and Big Round Top. It was cold and I wanted to go back in the car. Joey loved it! He hated getting back in his carseat when it was time for the next stop. Here are just some pictures of Gbg:

Commemorates Alabama's 16 infantry regiments, 1 infantry battalion, and two batteries who took part in the battle. 1933. Confederate lines facing Cemetery Ridge.

This tower is to commemorate the regiment designed to be Ellsworth's Avenger's. 1893.

Commemorates the Union state. 1910. Cemetery Ridge.

Jae and hand dryer. 2013. Bathroom at Gbg Outlet Mall.

{i need sleep}

I seriously need to stop blogging every night if I want to get more sleep! Arrrgh!  But, I had an eventful evening with a friend who could help me understand more about listening to our bodies; how to know what your body needs; how to help my kids with reactions to certain foods, etc. Thank you for taking the time to educate me and to help me gain the desire to learn! xoxo

{symptoms}

tired

energy!

Day 6: 29 Gifts

Meal 1: Almond pancakes with coconut oil (I really need to buy or make some ghee) and... a side of... shredded chicken. /rolls eyes  I know, I know... sounds so gross! I keep telling myself that I need to go to the store so I can mix things up. I need to make some mayo, ranch dip, and avocado dip!
Meal 2: I do not remember and maybe I just snacked. :|  I had a peach with Jae and a handful of mac nuts. Mmm, I love mac nuts! I probably had something else; I just don't remember.
Meal 3: Chicken stew. It was more or less beef stew, just with chicken instead. A wonderful sister in the ward brought it by!  (I am starting to leave names out; perhaps they would want their acts of service anonymous. Don't worry, I have their names for Thank You notes.)

So, this morning I woke up and my legs felt heavier than they've ever been. I didn't get out of bed until 10:30. I went into the bathroom and was so lightheaded and I experienced some (heart) palpitations. Not a big deal, probably just didn't give myself enough time to get out of bed. A sister in the ward was going to get my boys and watch them for a few hours so I could rest. I let her know that my boys were sick and I didn't want to spread the germs, so I was bummed that didn't work out. SO grateful for her willingness to serve, though! She even asked if she could help clean or anything. She is signed up for next week as well to watch the boys, so I hope they don't pick up any sicknesses from church. I may just have to put Thieves on their feet for a week even if they're fine.

My arms are getting weaker, but still a little functional. I lose more and more patience with my boys, which is sad! I'm in bed most of the day and can't get myself to interact with them. However, Jae wanted to make a birthday hat (I forgot to take a picture), so we made a birthday hat. (He wants it to be his "birday" right now and always asks, "Isit my birday yet?") I was so impressed that he constructed it himself; he colored the cutest designs on it, cut the foam, and taped it together himself! And then he was upset because it wasn't "wound" like a birthday hat. So, I un-taped it and fixed it.

Jimmy got home at 12:30 and made the kids lunch, did 7 loads of laundry, and helped me with folding the laundry. I guess I should think how he's feeling as he pointed out to me today that I wasn't the only tired one. Oops. Thankful for him for helping out!

{over-analyzing}

So.. as miserable as I've been feeling, I couldn't help but to ignore my own FB post about not asking "why me," but "why not me?"  I was getting depressed thinking I'm never going to get better, and that I'll never have kids again, I'll never feel well enough to take care of and teach the kids I already have, and not be a better homemaker. (I read a bunch of General Conference talks from November's 2009 Ensign last night and I feel like I'm not doing my job; ha, I know I'm not doing my job, but I'd like a second chance.) I just randomly selected an issue on Jimmy's phone... I chose November 2009 because it was the GC after Jae was born. Anyway, today I kept wondering if this Epstein-Barr Virus is something more like Lyme's or Guillian Barré. I know, just go to another doctor... Well, I'm sticking to this diet for 30 days to see if I'm feeling any better. By 30 days I should be a month away from seeing the Naturopath and we'll take things from there.  Earlier today I remembered a book that I started reading that my mom got me for Christmas. (Yeah, ADD.. haven't finished it yet. On page 64.) It's called 29 Gifts by Cami Walker.

Click here to find out more about this book.

I'm telling you, my mom gives the best books!

{I'm awesome}

I'm excited to finish reading this and continue with my own 29 Gifts challenge. In fact, I totally think this is a legit gift today:

I watched my friend's girl today so my friend could pack for a 3-month trip back to her motherland. I had sent her a text telling her that the kids are fine and she can take more time if she needed to. She was only an hour longer, but she was able to get all her packing finished! My friend knows I'm not well and was double checking with me to make sure it was OK. I admit that I just sat on the couch, but enjoyed watching the kids play together.

I will add my gifts on my newest tab called "29 Gifts" in case you want to follow that.

On that note, I promised my friend that I would start an earlier bedtime. I didn't think about a night's sleep being rest as well. I rest a lot during the day w/ naps and keeping myself from doing too much, but didn't think about a good night's sleep. So, I need to get to bed earlier. 10:30PM, just like it was as a missionary.

Goodnight!

P.S. We all have our trials and this is just one of mine I need to work through.. with help, of course! I hope you don't think I'm seeking for attention or needing sympathy; so.. don't feel all sorry and mushy stuff like that. I'm independent, stubborn, and I will get through this. ;) Love you!

Pantry and Groceries

{before}

{during}

{after}

I did not get an after shot because we had to go grocery shopping and still had laundry to do. Jimmy was being more than difficult with this whole thing. He had a hard time parting with his food. Mostly his... vegetable oil?!  Seriously? I kept telling him we are switching to Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Olive Oil. Permanently. I haven't even been through the cupboards yet and plan on doing that when he is gone so he doesn't see anything I throw/give away!

Ridonk.

{shopping}

Wow, kids totally junked up the camera lens on Jimmy's phone! Anyway, who knew Wegman's sold truffles?! That is definitely not in our budget. Fun to take a picture of it, though! :)  We got some organic and grass fed meats, veggies (some organic), fruits, coconut milk, almond flour, and some other good stuff.

When we got home, I was completely wiped out.  This is very difficult when you can't function very well. Ha! Wish me luck tomorrow that I actually can get out of bed for breakfast and make some food stuff.

{symptoms}
sore throat due to detoxing/virus
fatigue (surprise, surprise)