Week 21: Day 7 ~ 30 days raw starts tomorrow!

It's time. I can feel it. It's time for me to seriously buckle down and get back to my 100% raw roots. I've been counting down the days, and can't wait to start a new 30-day raw challenge tomorrow morning. It will be the 1st day of March and a new beginning, freshly starting the spring season with a cleaning up of my diet.

I assessed my situation today. I am 5 1/2 months along, and have gained 25lbs. Last pregnancy, I gained 25lbs TOTAL in my entire pregnancy. I feel awful most of the time, whenever I don't eat raw - I feel very heavy and often have to lay on the couch. All of my pants without exception are tight, and only 2 pairs can be worn decently. The only pants I've been wearing are the stretchy yoga pants which in my opinion are not very modest so I don't wear them in public.

My body is just not cut out to eat SAD and not gain while pregnant. It's like something is triggered and immediately it starts storing food/fat to the tune of about 2lbs gained per week. I look at the "cottage cheese" skin now dotting my rapidly growing bigger legs & rear, and I am tempted to cry but then I realize - for one thing, body image is not everything. So remembering that, I take a deep breath and focus back on the important thing: no matter what my body takes the shape of, being healthy for this baby AND for the sake of my other children is where it's at. At least, if I want to be a good Mom, anyway.

So I'm joining the RawFoodTalk 30-day challenge for March, and my long-term goal is to be 100% or as close to it as possible, until and through the end of this pregnancy. I'm not counting on reversing the weight gain, as I have zero experience in the area of actually losing weight wile pregnant, but if I can just change my eating habits then I know it will be so good for the baby and for my own health.

So today I packed the kids in the car, the younger 4, and we went to the fresh food market. I always bribe them with Tootsie Pops when we go there, isn't that awful? But I figure if it helps my blood pressure stay normal, it's OK. I was hungry, and everything looked soooo good!! I bought pineapples, cilantro, mango, corn on the cob, 18 avocados for my chocolate pudding (3/$1!), canteloupes, and tomatoes. I'm ready for tomorrow and am excited to keep posting my progress both on here and also the RFT March challenge forum.

My goal is to do cardio exercise 3x per week minimum, but 4-5 if it works out. I need to flush out the toxins in my system and I know this will help alot. I plan to go power walking on the weekends for 20 minutes or more, and do my T-Tapp Hoe-Downs workout 3x per day, the other days that I do cardio.

There are no rules this time on what to eat, but it just has to be raw. Even the corn on the cob, I'll stick it in the dehydrator and eat it warm with coconut butter & sea salt. Seriously addicting, that!

Starting weight: 127
Week 8: 130
Week 9: 130
Week 10: 132
Week 11: 135
Week 12: 136
Week 13: 137
Week 14: 138
Week 15: 140
Week 16: 144 (4-day vacation where I ate SAD the entire time, & gained 4lbs!)
Week 17: 143
Week 18: 145
Week 19: 146
Week 20: 150 (yeah...wayyyy too much chocolate!!!)
Week 21: 152

Ahhh is there nothing better than....

....a trip to the Fruit & Vegetable Market? It has been a wonderful day so far - a crisp spring day with not a cloud in the sky. The kids are outside in the back playing, the baby is asleep for his nap....and I have reached my goal of eating 100% until noon. I'm splitting my days into thirds - and will cross it off my list when I have reached each goal. My newest attempt at eating healthy, lol.

I am still dreaming, yearning, waiting....waiting....for watermelon season! It's not too far off - if I remember right, I believe they start appearing in stores around the end of April around here. Two more months!

But for now, I have been taking advantage of some great sales and savvy shopping on fruits & veggies. While I do love bananas, buying them at full price really does take a cut out of my budget. So for a while now, I've been calling my local fruit market to see if their "B-Grade" banana box is full. Today - they said YES!

So this is my score today :

24.75 lbs of bananas for $4.70 @ $.19 lb. (Regular $.79 lb!)
9.75 lbs of "B-Grade" apples for $3.40 @ $.35 lb (Regular $.79lb)
5 red bell peppers for $2.95 @ $.59 each
1 Cilantro bunch $.45
Limes 4/$1
Large Lemons 3/$1
Kiwi 3/$1 (I don't usually pay this price but the kids begged =)
Pears $.79lb - $2.17 (don't usually pay this price either, but....how can you resist kids pleading with you to buy fruit? LOL!)

When the ads come out, I go through them to see which grocery stores have the best prices for produce. Since I do the Grocery Game anyway, and typically go to 4 different stores (all close by, which my gas tank loves!), I check their produce prices against each other and only buy what is really cheap that week. This is how I am hoping to stick to my budget of $45 a week for raw food that I eat only. (Buying grapes, kiwi, carrot sticks, or anything else for the family's lunches counts towards the family food budget).

Here are the prices I am paying & the produce I am getting this week:

Norman's Market:
Spinach - $.79 each
Red/Green Leaf Lettuce - $1.09 each
HUGE Jumbo Avocado's - $.99 each (previously have been paying this for the medium sized ones!)

Roth's:
Green Bell Peppers $.69 ea.
Broccoli $.89 lb
Sweet onions $.99 lb (we love and prefer sweet in our meals, so I pay a bit more to get the sweet type)
Large Slicer Tomatoes $.89 lb

Safeway:
Pre-packaged 8oz. spinach & lettuce mixes - FREE + $.15 overage w/coupons
Red Grapes $.79 lb
Large Pineapple $2.59 each

These are very early spring prices....so I'm also documenting them to look back to compare come summer.

When I'm Gone....

...it seems like the entire week gets out of whack. Does this happen to you? Yesterday I was gone the majority of the day, and thankfully DH wasn't going to be home for dinner so I just made some simple bean/cheese burritos, lettuce shreds, and chips for the kids w/tiny one-bite cupcakes some friends had given us. So that was easy cleanup.Hee hee...I thought this cartoon was funny. =)

But seriously, how does the place just fall apart SO fast when we're gone most of the time? I'm feeling quite disoriented right now as I just got back from being gone most of the morning - those overdue library books just couldn't wait one more day. Hauling the kids in & out of the car repeatedly, not to mention chasing a 2 year old with a 1 year old on my hip + a baby IN my hip (lol j/k but it seems like it) makes me so tired!

I was thankful for this post from Mama that reminded me that I do indeed LOVE my job! I was thinking of you, Tereza, as I changed two dirty diapers (and one was VERY messy, all down his leg & in all his clothes, yuck!) in a row as quickly as I could since we were already late to pick up DS 6 from school. I was so tempted to just give in to those thoughts of irritation and stress - but then remembered that still, small voice: Be thankful!! How can I just be thankful when things are going well (like on Monday, when I got so much done + did my workout!) and think that is what a true disciple of Christ is like? Not that my life is anywhere NEAR what Job had to go through, but like he said - how can I not accept the bad just as I accept the good? This day does NOT suck - this day is blessed by God and in that way, I will be thankful even if my feelings are not with me.

So EVEN THOUGH I have 5 good books calling me that I got from the library, we're having a bunch of young guys over to play games tonight so I better get to work on this disaster of a house. Plus, I love a clean house! So the rewards are greater than just "having to do it" - it's like a hug for me when my house is clean. =)

Week 20: Day 4 ~ Disaster Averted

Whew! That was soooo close. As in, about 30 seconds close. I almost, almost, ALMOST caved and got a Whopper & fries. But I am sooooooo happy to say that I didn't!

I left our house at 11:00 with just enough time to run to the consignment store to drop off a big tub of outgrown kids clothes that I hoped they would take to sell. I rushed as fast as I could back to our neighborhood in time to pick up DS 6 from school, and then we RAN to McDonald's where I got the kids some chicken nuggets & water. From there, we drove 30 minutes to my midwife where we spent the next 1 1/2 hours (the visits are usually relaxed, long and personable w/tea...but this one was a bit longer than normal). By then the kids were tired and grumpy and I was HUNGRY. The green smoothie I had in the car for the drive home helped, but didn't curb that hungry feeling. More like if I drank anymore I was going to barf kind of feeling.

Not good.

So on the way home, I got to thinking. There's this new Burger King that just opened RIGHT next to the freeway exit that I always get off at. Previously, the closest Burger King was way down in the middle of town and a huge pain to get to. How NICE and yummy it would be to get one of those and eat it at home in front of the computer checking my favorite blogs with some fries & fry sauce. Oh yum. YUM YUM YUM. Yes, that's a great idea.

But....what about my longing to be healthy? To not feel like crap? And yes, I knew I would feel awful for the rest of the afternoon. And DH isn't coming home tonight which means it'd be a long & grumpy afternoon/evening dealing with the kids. Finally I said whatever, I don't care - what is one Whopper & fries going to do, in the grand scheme of things? I just won't think about the meat I'm eating ... shudder...just close my eyes and enjoy the delicious taste.

So anyway, sorry to bore you but I am so proud of myself! I literally was in the RIGHT TURN LANE to go to Burger King when I just up & switched lanes and turned the opposite way to my house. I thought of my old standby, chocolate avocado coconut pudding, and that also sounded YUMMO to me. I was obviously hungry. So instead of a Whopper, I had my pudding. TOTALLY worked, too - because later I was out doing errands (again; yeah, it's been a busy and tiring day) and the thought of a Whopper was like....bleh.

So I'm the proud owner of a 24-hours-raw tummy right now. If I can just get through the rest of tonight, I'll be able to say I went one whole day raw. That is a huge victory for me - see you tomorrow!

Uh-oh....

This is what was happening around me as I've been blogging too much today. Time to get the laundry folded & back in the baskets, lol!

I had fun last night!

So grocery shopping isn't exactly the fun activity of choice around here, but getting good deals using coupons/sales makes it pretty darn close! =) DH usually watches the kids for me one night or afternoon per week while I go out to get the food, armed with my coupon binder. Here was my score last night using my coupons:

10 boxes of Kellogg's Raisin Bran cereal $1.00 (retail $24.90)
8 boxes of Kellogg's Frosted Shredded Wheat cereal ~ $4.00 (retail $27.92)
3 16oz. bags Mission Tortilla chips ~ $2.97 (retail $8.67)
4 jars Taco Bell Salsa ~ $4.00 (retail $13.16)
5 boxes Betty Crocker Transformers fruit snacks ~ $.49 (retail ($17.45)
2 packages Litehouse chocolate fruit dip ~ $2.00 (retail $9.38)
2lb bananas ~ $.08 (retail $1.18)
1 jar Artichoke hearts ~ $.99 (retail $2.99)
2 50oz. Tide liquid detergent ~ $10.58 (retail $21.98)

RETAIL = $127.63
PAID: $26.11



Our food budget this month is $480, which includes toiletries and produce. So far we have spent $314.83 so it looks like we might come out under budget - yay! But in reality....I think if I were to eat 100% raw it would be a bit more expensive. I really haven't eaten that good this month. =( Last month our budget was $200 more so we really cut back this month - BUT in my opinion alot of that was eating out. We have almost 100% eliminated eating out...wow, does that ever make a difference!

Week 20: Day 3 ~ EXERCISE...ooooh the burn!

So now that I've hit the 20 week mark, and am officially halfway there (which I can't believe!!), I am really getting motivated to start working on getting in shape. I'm still trying to get up the nerve to get up at 5:30 and go powerwalking for 20 min. before DH leaves for work, but I just squirm at the idea of getting up TWO HOURS earlier than I need to. Aaack! Much better to try to go at night after dinner but....do I really want to, in the dark? At least in the early morning it's getting light instead of pitch black. And there are several nights a week (often unpredicted) that DH doesn't come home until 10pm or later. In which case, I would have missed my exercise for the day.

So instead of walking, when I am not able to get the chance, I have promised myself that I will do 4 sets of "Hoe Downs" which are from the T-Tapp program that I have, and love. Or at least, that I love sometimes, lol. It totally KICKS BUTT and is hard to do when I'm not very motivated.

I'm thankful for the weight bench and full set of weights that I bought way back when my 2nd oldest was born...about 7 years ago. That gives me the ability to lift weights anytime of the day, and no need to go to the gym. I love that!

This is a slimmer me in 4 months, lol!

So - today, determined to start out the right way (and be able to cross it off my list!), I faithfully did my hamstrings workout. Which consisted of:

Straight Legged Deadlifts 10 reps, 3x (10lb dumbbells)
Backward Lunges 10 reps each leg, 3x (10lb dumbbells)

Ha ha! Talk about wimpy (and no, this picture is not me, lol) ....on my workout sheet I showed that in a previous life (lol) I was using 30lb weights for the deadlifts. But that's OK - I figure it's much better to start out slow since my muscles are seriously deprived right now. Plus, I think in the back of my head I remember pregnant momma's aren't supposed to lift more than 30lbs? Or something like that. I think I'll try for 12lb weights next time, though. But wow - my legs were shaky and I can feel the burn in my bum! I've missed that feeling...alot!

Last night before I went to bed, I was determined to make this day a new start for my remaining 20 weeks. I made a list of all the things I wanted to get done, including everything I could think of that I have been wishing/wanting to work into my daily routine but haven't been able to. Here's what I came up with, and the bolded items are the ones I've actually accomplished already - yay! I LOVE lists and totally thrive on them; there is some kind of satisfaction I get from crossing things off that really motivates me to see that FINISHED list. It must be the personality type I am or something.

So - MY PERSONAL LIST:

1. Take a shower
2. Hoe-Downs 4x
3. Brush skin head-to-toe
4. Eat all raw - NO CHOCOLATE (failed miserably on this, but tomorrow is a new day!)
5. Drink smoothie with one entire bunch of greens
6. Answer 10 emails (my inbox currently has 56 emails waiting for me)
7. Write 3 columns in my newsletter
8. Put 3 auctions on Ebay
9. Call customer service about my broken dehydrator
10. Deposit $$ in bank and mail packages
11. Take prenatal vitamins 2x, morning & afternoon
12. Weight lifting routine

MY HOUSEWORK LIST:

1. Complete 2 loads of laundry
2. Tidy rooms except kids (uh....I did do this once today, but now it needs done again, lol)
3. Prepare for dinner
4. Check hot spots (surfaces that draw clutter)
5. Clean/sweep kitchen
6. 27-fling boogie (find 27 items to donate or trash)
7. Spend 15 minutes in current zone
8. Wash mirror & windows in bedrooms
9. Wipe down walls/outlets/doors/baseboards in family, living, and dining rooms

The only problem with lifting weights is that those isolated muscles remain weak and shaky for a good portion of the day afterwards. Which doesn't make me want to do anything except for...not use them anymore. That is the one thing I've struggled with over the years with weight lifting, that it's harder to do my household chores. But once I build the muscles after about 6 weeks, I feel alot stronger and it's different. The problem is actually making it that long, lol!

PS I hit 150lbs today, Yoicks!!! I have officially gained 23lbs in 20 weeks of pregnancy... it's a sobering motivator to get on the ball with my eating. I really think the green smoothies will help with my ability to stay raw, and I have vowed not to buy anymore Starbucks chocolate, even though it's only $1 w/coupons at Walgreens for a bag of PRIMO delicious melt-in-your-mouth chocolate (regular $5.69/bag). I'm going to really work on subbing with my avo chocolate pudding whenever I get those chocolate cravings.

WOW - I just decided to go back in time & read my blog when I was 20 weeks pregnant with Jack. I happened upon a post that was the same EXACT day as this, week 20 and day 3. Check this out - if this is not motivating.....I don't know what is!!

The best thing - is this morning I weighed in at 141lbs! If I dip back into the 130's, I am seriously going to drop my jaw to the floor. I never expected this! My clothes are still loose, and I'm loving the way I look in the mirror for the first time in my entire pregnant history. Putting on clothes is a snap because everything looks great - even some things that didn't used to look so great. I just have to document that I actually did weigh just 141 (only a weight gain of 7lbs at 20 weeks!!) at 5 months pregnant.

Starting weight: 127
Week 8: 130
Week 9: 130
Week 10: 132
Week 11: 135
Week 12: 136
Week 13: 137
Week 14: 138
Week 15: 140
Week 16: 144 (4-day vacation where I ate SAD the entire time, & gained 4lbs!)
Week 17: 143
Week 18: 145
Week 19: 146
Week 20: 150 (yeah...wayyyy too much chocolate!!!)

Our Valentine's Day Old Navy SCORE!

So it was alot of work to take all six children to Old Navy yesterday, but we managed to go in, get our Valentine's cards and then scout out the store a bit to see what they wanted to buy with their $5 coupons they'd receive once they turned in their colored cards. They have a limited selection of items that are under $5 and of COURSE they have tons of stuff that is in the $7-$8 range, but I honestly didn't want to spend any money at all on this. The point of frugality is not spending money you don't have, right?

So today our Valentine's party went wonderfully (more on that + pictures tomorrow maybe) but I got really tired towards the end and the thought of going with all of them to Old Navy wasn't really sounding all that great. But - turns out DH was free today so he went with us! What an extra treat that was - I love love LOVE going places as a family! For some reason we rarely do this except to church, so it was really fun.

The kids got a $5 coupon each (good on ANY purchase), including baby Jack, and they each picked out their little treasure. Here's what they got:

DD 9 - pair of $12.50 Christmas clearance slippers for $5.49 = $.49
DS 7 - frisbee for $4.50 = FREE
DS 6 - 2 balls for $4.00 = FREE
DD 4 - Lip Gloss for $3.50 = FREE
DD 2 - 2 pairs of flip-flops for $5.00 = FREE
DS 1 - Old Navy baseball hat for $6.29 = $.29

In hindsight I should've totally done the frugal mom thing and gotten them EACH 2 pairs of flip-flops for their $5 coupon for summer, but I was trying to make it a fun day and get them some new toys for as little out of pocket as possible. We ended up getting $35.79 worth of merchandise for $.78! Actually it wasn't really about getting new toys, it was more about doing something fun together as a family for free, or almost free. Worked for me!

Hee hee...I'll bet Old Navy wasn't really counting on big families cashing in on this little Valentine's promo - and certainly not JUST using the $5 coupons. They were probably hoping for moms to buy over the amount so they could bring in more sales, but I certainly hope they do it again, it was fun!

I find it interesting these days how something inside of me wants to cringe at the thought of what others must think as we parade in & out of stores (grocery shopping or whatever). Six small children plus the Mom's pregnant. It's not even what people say OR even how they act/look, I really think it is something in the spirit world that really tries to come between me and my faith. It's something that I have to battle against so that I stand tall and proud of the blessings that God has poured out on me. A woman of God does not cringe in embarrassment over what God has given her faith for. I am a happy Mom and love what I do, what my life is and the path I have chosen as a disciple of God - and that is how I will live my life, no matter what I think others are doing/thinking about it.

Week 19: Day 6 ~ Should I sell my dehydrator?

This is the question I keep asking myself. It's one of those really expensive things that you splurge on even though you can't afford it and really feel the lack of money afterward, BUT are super glad you have it for years to come. Kind of like my Vitamix - that is one thing I will always keep. But the dehydrator is something different. I've used it quite a bit but there are periods, even months at a time, where I don't touch it.

I think the main thing I've come to realize, is that optimal health does not include dehydrated foods. I truly do not feel that feeling of great health when I eat alot of them. It all comes down to simplicity - simple foods, especially mono meals, make me feel the best. So logic tells me that I don't really even need the dehydrator...but then I get panicky and think - but what if I really want to stay raw and the ONLY thing that keeps me is being able to try new fun recipes? Or old standbyes, like granola....pizza....almond pulp.

Anyway, the main reason I am thinking of getting rid of it is because I really want a quality juicer. I've always known that juicing vegetables/fruit is an A-1 way to get back on the road to health, hands down. Especially done first thing in the morning on an empty stomach - the whole glowing skin, feeling cleaned out thing - it's kind of like a fast for half the day and my body absolutely LOVES it. Plus, it's good for the baby and/or nursing, unlike the master cleanse.

We have zero. zip. zilch extra money right now so the only way to buy a quality juicer would be to give up my quality dehydrator. I think I'm pretty much talking myself into it, lol! I'll let you know how it goes....

*~ Valentine's Day Fun ~*

I wanted to share that this year, I am going to have a fun Valentine's Day with my children. We'll be talking together about love and how even though every day we should show others that we love them, this is a special day to really celebrate the special people in our lives and how much we love them. 1 Cor. 13:4-8 will be the theme, and I'm going to use the opportunity BEFORE the "party" starts while I have their attention around the festive looking table, to read the verses and talk a little bit about what they mean.

"Love suffers long and is kind;
Love does not envy;
Love does not parade itself, is not puffed up.

Love does not behave rudely;
Love does not seek it's own;
Love is not provoked, and thinks no evil.

Love does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
Love bears all things;
Love hopes all things;
Love endures all things.

Love never fails."

I really want to start incorporating God's Word into the things that we do, into our normal every day life. Someone mentioned recently that when problems come up in the home, if we can lead our children to a verse in the Bible then it has greater authority than just, "Mom said so." Sowing those seeds needs to be more of a priority for me when situations come up that I can apply God's word to.

That being said - I'm excited to make it FUN for them! Here are some things we're planning to do. I'm going to run by the dollar tree and pick up a tablecloth that is either red, pink, or valentine themed. Also one package of balloons in pink/red or white will work too. Possibly streamers, these really make the room look festive - max spent should be $3.00 on decorations.

Lunch will be the start, and we'll talk about the love verses during lunch. I've noticed they're especially receptive while they're eating (always begging for stories at dinnertime) so we'll try that and see how it goes. If I find that they're not really listening I'll cut it short, but at least get the seeds sewn somewhat.

For lunch we're going to have:

Heart-shaped cheese/bean quesadillas
Cranberry-Raspberry juice
Red apples
Strawberries
Red/pink fruit snacks
Paper plates covered in shiny silver foil

After lunch we're going to clean off the table and gather around to start our Valentine craft. We're making butterflies out of coffee filters to hang in the bedrooms. The first step is to lay the filters flat, then color on them with markers in rainbow colors or whatever pattern/colors they want. Then, spray gently with water and watch the colors smear and run into beautiful patterns & colors. They'll need to dry for the next step, so we'll put them on the counter and continue on to our next project.

Once the table is clean, we'll make some Valentine Dots. Basically these are pretzels with chocolate kisses on top, then put in the oven at 170 for 5-6 min. Once they're out, warm and mushy, an M&M is pushed onto the top.

I'd like to make enough that we have plenty left over to put on a plate and give to someone as a Valentine present. I might let the kids pick which family they'd like to bring it to. Once that is finished, we'll take a picture of all of us together with the plate, print it out, and put it on the front of a Valentine card made of red construction paper folded in half. I'll let them decorate it for the family we're going to bring it to, which we'll do later in the evening.

At Old Navy this year they have Valentine's for children to color. They each get one to take home, and when returned, each of the children will receive a $5 coupon for any purchase which can only be redeemed on Valentine's Day. We'll do this when we deliver the Valentine's gift - then go by Old Navy so each child can pick out something special. They usually have little trinkets, especially for your dog (which my children usually think are pretty cool little toys!) up front by the register for $3 or so. More information on this here.

After the pretzels are finished and cooling in preparation to be delivered, we're going to finish the butterfly craft. The end result will look like this:

To finish the party, we'll have a treasure hunt. This is something the kids have done all on their own several times and they have a really fun time! The only problem is it can get kind of loud as they're running around the house searching for the next clue...and baby Jack is going to be sleeping (our house is not that big). Probably by then it'll be almost time for him to get up anyway.

James (7 1/2) is our resident "treasure hunt expert" and loves to cut out the little pieces of paper, write down the clue, and hide them. So I'm going to have him help me set it up probably the night before. For the treasure, I'm going to take two pieces of construction paper in their favorite colors and cut them in the shape of a heart, medium-sized. I'll write their name all fancy on the front with "I Love You" underneath, then staple all around the edges except for the top. I'm not sure what to fill it with at this point - I don't really want them to have more candy (tomorrow is their school party and they'll be getting alot) but maybe I'll be able to find something at the dollar store when I go. The "Treasure" will be hiding in the last place the clues lead them to.

I know, I know...this sounds like alot of work! Yeah, it does. But my plan is to have the house clean by lunchtime and all of my work finished for the day (or plan a light workday) so that I can devote the entire afternoon just to being with them and making it fun. No computer, no distractions - just Mommy.

I know the only way I'm going to be able to pull it off without getting crabby, tired, and overwhelmed by too many things is to eat raw at least 24 hours in advance. So that's also part of my plan - to be able to do this, I have to be raw.

I'll post pictures & let you know how it went, afterwards! Are you going to do anything fun for Valentine's Day with your kids?

Oh yes, I almost forgot - DH & I won't be doing anything special as a couple this year, but I have written (almost finished) a love letter to DH that will be waiting for him in his truck early in the morning tomorrow. I know V-day isn't until Saturday, but I wanted him to have it, read it, when no-one else is around and he can go to work knowing he is loved. Plus, he won't be expecting anything tomorrow! =) He's not one for fancy cards although he appreciates anything I do for him ... I know it's the words that are written in the cards by me that he appreciates the most. He's been working really hard, long hours the past few months to provide for us, and I am so proud of him!

Week 19: Day 5 ~ F.R.U.G.A.L.I.T.Y

Being frugal is an aspect of the Proverbs 31 woman that I have been getting excited about lately. There isn't a specific verse that necessarily points to being frugal, but you do get that impression when you envision what she is like. We have not seen our income go down like so many others, but our debt has gone up for various reasons out of our hands. I sense an urgency in my spirit to be mindful of the times we live in and to be frugal in all things.

It's been fun - I've been thinking alot about ways that we can cut back, save money, save everything. Here are some things I've come up with, in addition to what we're already doing:

1. Turn the heat down to 65 at night.

2. Turn off the lights in the rooms we're not using.

3. Turn off the fans/noisemakers in the bedrooms during the day.

4. Bring grocery bags to the store to get the credit when bagging groceries.

5. Get a lamp for my computer desk so that the entire room is not being lighted by our ceiling light at night when I'm on the computer.

6. Buy bulk rice & beans, and incorporate them into our meals as much as possible.

7. Cut down on the amount of meat we eat. For instance, ground beef in taco meat can be cut in half and 2-3 cans of black beans added. If your kids don't mind - mine love it.

8. Add a half-gallon milk jug filled with water to my toilet tank.

9. Turn off everything at night - including the computer, Wii, TV, CD player.

10. Use the crockpot as much as possible to cut down on the energy an oven uses.

11. Set the washer on the short wash cycle unless the clothes are really soiled.

I'm just beginning to explore the world of frugality - there are many fun blogs to read, and of course lots of websites. I've ordered The Tightwad Gazette at the library so when it comes in, I'll go get that. I can't wait to read more practical tips!

I'm not an extreme type of person - some things just are not practical for our family, such as hanging our clothes to dry. We have a small house and go through two loads of laundry per day - but perhaps in the summer I'll put up a line and see how that goes.

Any good tips you can think of, or have worked for you?

Week 19: Day 2 ~ Trying to be raw today

LOL @ my title - isn't that what I try to do every day? I suppose since I seem to have been failing miserably at being raw, today I just decided to try to be raw for TODAY. That's all. I just want to see how I feel, and compare it to how I feel eating SAD food - which is pretty much awful, so eating raw should make me feel much better.

This morning I woke up from DH's cell phone text message "ding" at 4:15, and couldn't go back to sleep no matter how hard I tried! I truly felt that it was because of the homemade bread w/jam I ate last night, as well as the 3 cookies. My stomach just felt kind of upset, plus I had heartburn! Heartburn is my nemesis...one of the main things I am usually PLAGUED with during pregnancy. I always used to make sure I was well-stocked with Maalox (like Tums) and would keep it by my bed for those inevitable times when just about every night I would be desperate for some relief.

Not so during my raw pregnancy, I think I had maybe four times when I had heartburn, and it was because of eating SAD food. This time......things aren't going so well in the whole raw food arena, but last night's exposure once again to heartburn really made me remember and realize what is at stake here.

I noticed yesterday as I was trying to do some whirlwind cleaning (you know the type - the room(s) were clean before the kids came home from school and now it's been an hour or two and they're on the verge of becoming a disaster. Thus a whirlwind cleaning is in order! =) that I was out of breath pretty fast. My body also felt heavy as I tried to take quick steps. These are both indications of weight gain that I've always experienced with SAD pregnancies, but not at ALL with my raw pregnancy. I always felt light on my feet with Jack, and I remember rollerskating (yes, I'm old fashioned LOL!) at about 5 months along with joy that it was so much fun & so easy!

So anyway...all this has made me remember how I LOVED being pregnant while eating raw, what a fun experience it was and how I felt so lucky to be able to take care of my family and have none of the heaviness that others around me due at the same time were feeling.

So that being said - I've almost reached the 20lb weight gain mark. Which scares me a bit, since my total weight gain with Jack was 25lbs. That's TOTAL weight gain, as in weighed in at week 40. I am only at week 19. Ouch. Well, I tell myself, THAT was because I was pregnant mostly during the spring & summer where there was lots more fruit available AND lots more ability to exercise, plus the sun makes such a difference! Yes, okay, that's true - but it also is no excuse. You have to make lemonade out of lemons in life, so to speak - there will always be excuses!

So anyway, today I feel really great! I have so far had a tall glass of almond milk (Tereza, did you ever try that?) flavored with honey, cinnamon, vanilla, and nutmeg. Not as good as I had hoped, but it was filling and pleasant. Then I made chocolate pudding w/coconut flakes - very filling and satisfying, not to mention delicious and ALWAYS cures my cravings for chocolate.

I plan to have a nice big salad in an hour or so - then possibly either a chocolate banana shake or a OJ/banana shake. The greens I'm kind of repulsed by right now, even though I really think & know that they're super important. So maybe I'll put some in the banana/OJ smoothie, along with some ground flax for good measure.

I've been enjoying my children so much lately. I came across the most wonderful and inspiring blog called "ladyofvirtue", written by a mom of 15. It really makes me stop & think about my life and what I am living for - especially enjoying each precious moment given to me with my children no matter what their personality is like. My 4yr daughter in particular seems to be very needy and at the same time, is so clingy that my natural reaction is to push her away. She talks alot and also has a speech problem so many things she says, especially if I'm only listening with one ear, are hard to figure out. She'll do things that annoy people and also me, almost as though she doesn't realize it. All these things have been grating on me about her lately (wishing she was a little easier to have around) - and of course, her younger sister who is 2, is just adorable and I love to have her around.
But it came to me last night as we were at Walmart and she was making these loud funny noises that were kind of embarrassing, yet she was so happy and innocent and saying, "Aren't I funny, Mom?". I just thought - she is going to have some hard times ahead of her socially if she continues this (especially the clingly/needing love and attention SO desperately) ...and if I push her away and/or just get annoyed with her all the time, who will help her gain self confidence? Who will be there for her, loving her unconditionally day in & day out no matter WHAT she does or what her personality is, if I don't? I just saw myself as an advocate for her, almost like God opened my eyes to my ministry with her and how important I am for this little girl. He GAVE me to her, knowing I am the perfect Mom for what she needs. What I do, how I act and respond to her, will shape her into who she will be forever! And I'm thankful that God is also right there beside me to help me in whatever wisdom & love I need for her. It sure puts me in alot of need, though.

Today we had an orange-themed lunch! I love how I have the power, so to speak, to make it fun for my kiddos. I am their favorite toy, as the saying goes. So for their lunch I gave them orange Cheetos, orange pieces, one little orange fruit snack (I was searching for more orange things in the house, lol), baby carrots, an orange lollipop, and a small pile of shredded chicken meat. For their "juice" I sprinkled a little unsweetened orange Koolaid powder in some water with honey. They were soooo excited, saying it was the best lunch EVER and it was fun to actually make them something that they loved. (Last night's chicken casserole was met with much groaning so it was a nice change)

Another thing I've always thought would be cool but I was never really able to pull it off (We're usually running late but I'm getting up earlier now to prevent this so we have TIME to set aside for this), is to pray with them before I drop them off for school. So yesterday we drove to school with the children's goofy songs playing in the car, and I turned them off and announced that we were going to pray to Jesus before they got out of the car. Again, much groaning and "Nooooooo!" came from their little mouths, but that didn't matter. It felt like such a victory in the spirit to send them to school with prayer and assurance that Jesus & the angels were going to be by their side all day! This morning it was the same, groan groan groan, but once again, they left the car with smiles and I just felt an overflowing of thankfulness for God's goodness and that He is teaching me to be a better Mom. A godly Mother, who prays for her children and has her priorities straight - or at least, getting closer. =)

Week 18: Day 2 ~ Feeding a family of 8 1/2 on $120/wk

So recent events in our lives have made us take a good look at our budget. We're tightening our belts and trimming off every possible expense we can. DH's job situation has changed so that he now has access to a fridge & microwave at work, which I was very happy to hear! Up until now he has been on the road most of the day, and packing a lunch while doable, was hard to come up with variety so we never have. He also ate breakfast out alot because he was always on the run in the morning.

These expenses are no longer feasible for us, and I'm entering the unknown yet exciting territory of packing him a lunch every day, as well as making sure there is something for him to grab-n-go for breakfast every morning. Yes, I know I could get up and make him breakfast but he has to leave our house at 6am so....that makes for a pretty early morning for this tired momma.

I've always had fun getting things really cheap with my coupons using thegrocerygame.com, but it's always been with alot of leeway...not really a hardcore, must-stick-to-bare-bones budget. Our previous budget was $800/month and now we're down to $480. This includes all toiletries except for diapers - toilet tissue, shampoo, paper towels, soap, toothpaste, etc. I get most of these things for free or almost free using my coupons, anyway, so that's why I lump them in with the grocery bill.

Tonight I plan to make a couple trips to Safeway and get some big packages of Quilted Northern 24 double roll toilet paper for $5.99 each - that's like having 48 rolls and will last us quite a while. I'll probably get 2 of those.

I'm actually really excited! The thrill of a challenge, you know. =) I am the type who LOVES to try new dishes and loves to get creative in the presentation and cooking of meals, especially utilyzing leftovers. Our dinner tonight consists of leftover chicken veggie spaghetti sauce mixed with beans & rice, topped with cornbread and cooked as a casserole. I'll be using one of the $.45 Fresh Express ready-made salads I got a few weeks ago, along with some sprinkles of free Parmesan cheese.

A few weeks ago I was able to get 12 boxes of cereal for $2.00, and while it IS sugary cereal, we use it only as a topper for oatmeal, which the kids really like. I find that when I come across really good deals and stock up, then I can get creative in making lots of different meals out of them. This week, chicken breast is $1.77lb and extra lean ground beef is $1.99/lb. I am going to buy 12lbs of each, which should last us for the rest of the month if I use less meat and more fillers in the meals I make.

The $120/week includes my raw fruits & veggies, so no nuts or extra purchases for me anymore. Which is fine - I can get creative....mostly I'll be eating bananas as the bulk of my meals, which I can get for $.25/lb if I hit the store just when they put out the "riper" bananas on sale. They also have apples for $.39/lb and lots of those, so I'll be combining those with bananas to make lots of yummy smoothies.

I make healthy choices when I am able to, for my family - I try to make as much from scratch as I possibly can, and limit the sugar and processed food. Subbing applesauce for butter, etc etc. A neighbor sells a dozen farm-fresh eggs for $2.50 - I might do that...but it's hard to go that route when I can usually get a dozen "regular" eggs for $1.30 or so when I hit a good sale.

My goal is to feed them their lunches and snacks, and when they say they're still hungry - to direct them to bananas and apples. That way they're not completely eating up ALL the special things for their lunches (such as crackers, muffins, and more expensive produce like grapes, canteloupe, etc) but still getting healthy food if they're hungry.

We'll see how it goes - we've never been able to stick to a budget this bare bones before, but we are completely motivated and actually, don't have a choice. The money just is not there. We're feeling that it is very urgent to get out of debt with the uncertain economy, so that is our motivation. Every dollar has a name and is spent accordingly. But I still get to "play" with my grocery money and have fun getting lots of good deals!