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Mama, 

It is your birthday, and I hope you have felt celebrated today.  You are worthy of being celebrated.  And I could never do justice to tell the world the truth about your huge heart.  In my family, you are constantly fought over.  "I'm sitting by/sleeping with/holding hands with/sharing a cup with/being read to by/sitting on etc. MIMI” because you pour into all Of us attention that is tender, and sweet. When Mimi comes over, its everyone trying to see who can get to her first. 

You wore yourself silly raising all of us, and all of our people we brought home.  Because we always knew, everyone was welcome at your house, so we brought them all.  And you took care of every last one of us.  No one ever left hungry or thirsty.  Thousands of people have come to you through all the years for everything. And you have always, ALWAYS, given them everything you could.  It is true.  You are full of love and beauty. 

The dog.  All the way in her lap, so that no one else can have room near her.  She needs all the pat pats ok?

There have been many times in my life, probably up until about the point that I had my own children, that I had no clue about what you had done for me, what you'd given me, what you'd given up for me. It wasn't that it went unnoticed. I just couldn't understand it until I responsible for keeping two newborns alive for a whole day. By myself.  And after a few months of the same on repeat, I thought to myself, "I should seriously be so much kinder to the ones who spent their days keeping me alive” It was then, and through the years I've spent parenting, that I realized everything you chose, everything you sacrificed, and the amount of love you have for me. Thank you.  Not everyone makes the same choices you did.  Thank you for choosing to always love me.

Notice her hand on the girls back.  You are drawn to them.  And their knowing that, it shapes their little hearts.  

Thank you for making me spaghetti for supper every night before a cross country meet when I was a teenager, (and for making it ahead of time , so that I could still have it, the only-single-one-of-a-thousand meets you could not make because you were going out of town).  Thank you for the time when I had just given birth to two babies  at once, and Luke and I thought we were going to be completely fine taking them home by ourselves, and no, we didn't need anyone to stay with us overnight when we brought them home from the hospital.  (Yall, please don't ever turn away help if someone's offering it, especially when it comes to 1+ newborns) Remember how I called you at work the day before or maybe even day of discharge, and said something along the lines of "what are you up to? want to come stay with us? PLEASE??????" And you came.  You did not move in with us, and still won't, even though we keep asking. But you still came and stayed for at least a week. I cried in the shower the morning that I thought you were going to your house after work that day, until I saw all your things in the guest room still.  Then I cried more because it meant you were coming back to our house to stay another night, which meant it was likely we would all actually live for another 24 hours at least.  You fed us. You told us to drink water.  You told me all the things to do with those new babies that I had no idea what to do with.  I'd been around children my entire life and nearly raised a few others, but these were mine, and I just couldn't figure out what to do with them.  So you taught me.  And you got up 100x a night with and sometimes without me and/or Luke to tend to a crying baby. Then you came still every week and you would scrub our bathroom on your hands and knees, after working 10 hours at the hospital, and you would change our sheets, do our laundry, bathe babies, wash dishes, hold babies, rock babies, and then you would go home so late, get up the next day, go to work for 10 hours, and repeat.  I hope I am like you when I grow up.  

Teaching Mama how to take selfies.

Thank you for being the first person I called once we hit dry ground after our rescue from the flood.  I did not call you before the rescue.  There's a good reason I waited until we were safe.  There were hours between those moments and I knew what you would be thinking and doing if you had any clue what we were facing before we hit dry ground.  But you came as soon as you could get through the blocked roads to get to us.  And you came everywhere day after. Thank you for telling me what I was supposed to do next because I never ever knew what the next step was. Thank you for taking time off work, and helping us survive.  You would come early in the day and do all the things, then leave late at night after reading to the babies (who somehow had grown five years older by then). 

Thank you for coming with me when I had very scary tests to take (from Nursing boards to mammograms) so I wouldn't be alone. 

We have had so many fun adventures over the last several years.  I was talking to Luke one night about that point in time, when you transition from needing to "be the parent not the friend" to being able to be friends with your child, because by the time that point comes, you've parented them, and you can be their friend.  But you never stop mothering them.  I shared the comment with you that "You never stop being a mom.  I still need you just as much now as I ever did, and you’re still mothering me now as much as ever” and your reply was "No. And you don't ever want to either." 

Hey Mom! Let's take a selfie. 

  You are adored. I always admired the huge spread of your beautiful self in your yearbook of you, Miss Yellow Jacket. I admire that you were asked to be the pilot student for the new program at MCG.  You have accomplished so much in your life.  I want to celebrate all the things you've done, say thank you for always showing up for me and my babies, and assure you that none of the people, or the animals who think they are people, in my family, would be who they are today without your influence.  

You are the lightening bugs in the Brevard trees to me, Mama.

                        

I love you!

Easter 2014

We had a wonderful time celebrating Easter with some of our family.  We hosted at our home, which we always love to do.  I have really been thinking a lot about the meaning of Easter and what it means to me.  I've got a lot of room for growth personally, and to realize that I have the offer to be made new again through Jesus is gives me hope.  

I managed to only get photos of the all the kids, though I fully  meant to do some family photos.  Somehow my camera lens is totally attracted to them.  I'm biased but I find all four of these to be quite easy on the eyes. 

Cooper teaching Luke how to play baseball.  Melt. My. Heart. You can see how much little Luke looks up to him :>)

suave. debonair. 

handsome face

he cracks himself up.  a great trait to have!

handsome face take two. that smile. 

Easter egg hunt! 

We did at least four easter egg hunts, because it was so fun.

relaxing on the hammock over the creek. love that his pillow is his baseball glove.

catching a quick nap

they loved hunting eggs (and the treasures inside!) 

huckleberry luke. down by the creek.

love how they are looking at each other.

all my loves

sweet nap on the hammock over the creek

ah-dorable. love.

we are incredibly blessed and so thankful

Simple and Clean/ Paleo Lunch

A common question people have when wondering about a paleolithic diet, or especially how to follow it 1. on a budget and 2. when you have small children and a family and need simple meals, is what do you eat. (see # 3).  

This was literally "thrown together" in a pinch for lunch today, because I had two small children running circles around my feet, ready for their lunch and some rest time, soon.

I took frozen Ahi tuna from Trader Joe's and thawed it in cold water as I went to pick the kids up from school. Next I sauteed the tuna in ghee (clarified butter- you could do coconut or olive oil in place of butter) , coconut aminos (some people use regular liquid aminos but I try to really limit soy), and fresh squeezed lemon juice. I put this over organic romaine lettuce and drizzled it with olive oil, coconut aminos, and lemon juice. Lastly I cut a whole hothouse cucumber up and served it on the side. 

Between all the protein from the tuna, and the fat from the ghee and olive oil, and the fiber from the veggies, I won't be hungry again until supper.  

Try it. Enjoy it!  Eating clean makes you feel great!    

Paleo FAQ's

This is my attempt to try to be concisely informative.  The concise part is where I'm going to struggle, be forewarned.

I could talk for hours about the paleolithic diet and lifestyle, so if you have more questions or want to chat more about it, please leave a comment or contact me directly!  It's one of my favorite subjects.
Also, there's a whole section of posts labeled Paleo if you want to click there and read all the posts I've written about Paleo. (some of them do not directly address food, but lifestyle, because Paleo is not a diet, but a way of life.)

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1. Why did you "go Paleo"?

Originally, nearly three years ago, it was a means for cleaner eating, to lose weight, and feel better.  The more research I did about it, I learned that it is the best way of eating for autoimmune disorders, so we set out to get serious with it (because I have an autoimmune disorder that sucks and is very difficult to control).  

2. What is Paleo?

It's a lifestyle that resembles the lifestyle of the cavemen, prior to the introduction of agriculture, over 15,000 years ago.  A day in the life of a cavemen looked like this : you eat only what you could hunt or gather, in respective proportions.  A diet high in meat and vegetables, with some nuts and seeds, and little fruit.  You move around all day, spend lots of time outdoors, work hard and play hard, and sleep a lot.  The modern version is to avoid all chemicals and processed items and everything artificial.  Work your body out.  The cavemen would walk around all day hunting and gathering, occasionally having to lift very heavy objects, and sometimes sprint to get away from the lion chasing them.  *Everyone who follows Paleo does it a little bit different, and everyone is very passionate about the way they follow it*

3. What do you eat?

The quick version with our typical eats.  I'm hoping to be able to write in more detail about this soon (meal plans, shopping lists, etc. ) For more detailed daily eats, check out previous posts here, here, here, and here 

Breakfast:
- eggs and bacon with sauteed veggies (sub out the bacon for sausage or ham. go for organic or at least no preservatives and all natural if possible)
-egg muffins or egg casserole (essentially eggs, meat and veggies mixed together and baked in muffin tins. Recipe to come)
-smoothie (recipe here. and here.)

Lunch:
-Meat (get crazy with it. bake chicken for 30 minutes in the oven. Deli Meat. Canned Tuna. Fresh fish. etc.)
-Vegetables (sauteed, broiled, baked, raw, salad, go ahead. Get.crazy.)
-Maybe some nuts and seeds.
-I love to eat cucumbers b/c I have a thing for crunchy foods, so I eat probably one a day.

Snacks And Dinner- same as lunch. I just mix and match.

4. How do you follow this diet with young children?

-We started eating this way when the twins were around six months old.  So starting them young has accustomed them to a certain way of eating.  But they know that what we put in front of them is what we're offering them to eat.

5. How do you follow this diet on a budget?
-I typically shop at Trader Joe's once a week.  I just go in and make my rounds.  By now I could make our weekly shopping trip with my eyes closed.  And TJ's prices are very reasonable for what they have to offer (foods without preservatives, organic options, nitrate free meat options)

6. What do you do when you need a meal in a pinch?
-We don't follow this strictly at 100% b/c it just isn't realistic for where we are in life.  Perhaps over time we'll be able to move into that, but for now, if one meal isn't fully Paleo, we just make the best decision for the time if we're in a pinch. Yes we eat out and yes we eat pizza and pasta and ice cream on vacation or at holiday get togethers.

7. Doesn't it take up a lot of time?
- It really can.  One thing I found easy is to make a meal plan each week, go grocery shopping for the week, have easy breakfast and lunch options that require little prep or cooking.  Often at supper I will just pop the meat and vegetables in a baking dish with seasonings and coconut oil, and bake it for 30 minutes. And supper is done.
-Other ways to make it easier is on the weekends to prepare several meals for the week.  (Grill a whole package of chicken that you can use through the week, make a huge pot of soup, a huge crockpot meal, a whole batch of egg muffins and an egg casserole)

8. What are the benefits? For me, it's a means of  controlling my autoimmune disease.  For all of us, the more closely we stick to it, we all are in better moods, our behaviors are nicer and not as wild (think three year olds) , weight management, clear thinking, clear skin, longevity.   This really could be a very lengthy topic.  Essentially, I can almost guarantee you that if you are struggling with something (depression, anxiety, weight, irritability, IBS, etc etc etc.... the paleolithic diet and lifestyle would dramatically improve whatever your struggle is. Please feel free to chat more with me about this.)

Green Smoothie. Preschooler Tested. Preschooler Approved.

Feeling tired?

Feeling like you've got a cold or some other sickness knocking on your door?

Feeling simply blah and want to feel a power punch of health?

Over vacation, we drank a lot of power smoothies. I love to feed my family high quality, clean, nutrient packed meals, but let's be honest. When there's only one of me during an average week... we're still working on finding a routine that is simplified and flowing.  So, on vacation, I find myself cooking or preparing meals and snacks much more often than I do at home, because I love to do it and have the time. And it's truly restful to me to get creative in the kitchen!  Recipe at bottom of post.  

Recipe
1 whole avocado
4 packets Stevia
3 cups fresh raw spinach
3 cups Unsweetened almond milk
2 cups frozen fruit. (I use a mixture of blueberries, cherries, strawberries, bananas, oranges, pineapple)

I like to layer the ingredients to make sure I get a good mix.

1. Peel and slice the avocado and fruit.
2. Chop or tear the spinach into tiny pieces. 

3. Layer as follows :fruit, spinach, 1 packet of stevia, avocado. Repeat for at least 3 layers.

4. Pour the almond milk over top.

Blend on high until there are no pieces of fruit or spinach left.  Makes 4 servings.

Pour and enjoy.

Survive and Thrive.

Vacationing well with Twin Three Year Olds.

This post will include my tips and tricks for an enjoyable and relaxing, fun filled vacation with little ones.  Its based around my experience, which was an 11 day vacation with 2 three-year-olds.  

Preparation

1. Week of- Create your packing list. 

2. Day before- wash and dry all clothes. 

    -clean your house (you want to come home to a clean house)

    -do any shopping you need to do for what to take with you. I do not typically do this, I wait until     we are at our destination and buy things then.  That means less to pack, and one less thing to do     before you leave town.  

3. Day of - clean out your refrigerator with anything that will go bad over your trip

    - be sure your pantry and / or freezer has enough in it for a day or two upon returning home.            You won't want a "grocery trip" on top of all the unpacking and returning to routine you have to      do.

    -wash all the dirty dishes 

    -take out all trash cans

    -PACK-

    *We travel so much you would think packing is second nature. And it is. But I nearly have a           panic attack when it's time to pack b/c I dislike it so.much. So I pour a glass of wine and turn the     housewives on to numb my mind from the task at hand.  

    -tidy your house one last time.  no one wants to come home to a cluttered and dirty house.  

    -Change the thermostat in your home (58 in winter, 80 in summer)

The Travel

1. Travel at bedtime or naptime.  We left at bedtime, and came home at naptime, so both ways there was a decent amount of sleep per child.  

2. Take a DVD player with a few movie choices. 

3. Take each child's favorite activity.  Between the naps, movies, and one activity, the travel was roughly not too bad.  

4. Make sure you have their bellies full before you really get started on the trip, and their sippy cups close at hand for them.

5. Have their favorite blankies and/or stuffed animals in their reach so they are comforted.  

The Vacation

1. Keep the children well fed and hydrated, and well rested. This goes a long way with their attitudes.

2. Plan something fun to do for them everyday.  Make sure it is something that will channel their energy to produce good behavior, while getting energy out. (We basically played on the beach for hours a day every day)

3. Take Mimi with you.  Seriously. Having 3 people to take care of 2 little people on a vacation makes it so much more fun.  Plus the kids love getting to snuggle and have special time with their loved one.  

Returning Home

1. Take it easy and give yourself grace getting back into routine.  Don't schedule much for the first few days. You'll have to unpack, catch up laundry, and re-establish a schedule.  

What are your favorite tips and tricks for vacationing with little people???

Beach Vacation Packing List

Children

*For clothing I take half as many items as the number of days we will be there, assuming there is a washer/dryer available

Shorts
Shirts
Dresses
Swimsuit - I pack 2
Pajamas
Underwear - I pack one for each day
Shoes - nice shoes, sandals
Socks
Sleeping necessities - baby dolls, teddy bears, blankies
Diapers - mine still wear them for naps and overnight
Toothbrush and Paste
Hair ties
Brush
Shampoo and Bath soap
Sippy Cups
Toys/ Activities - I took coloring books and crayons. A this age my children can entertain themselves in a new environment without a lot of "toys"
Books- 5 per child. We read a lot at naps and night.
Baby Wipes - never know
OK to wake alarm clock
DVD player and movies for the car
Sunblock
Baby powder (so you can rub it on them and the sand falls off and you don't have to torture them with the cold shower...)
Medicines/vitamins
Beach toys galore (think shovels, pails, boats, kites, boogie boards)
Beach towels

The Mom (That would be me)

Makeup (if you wear it. I really dont. Especially at the beach)
Face wash
Face lotion
Shampoo and Conditioner
Body Wash
Razors
Toothbrush and paste
Feminine Hygeine if necessary
Medication
Swim suit and cover up - I pack 2
Shorts
Shirts
Pajamas
Workout clothes (if you work out on vacation)
Shoes - workout, sandals, nice shoes
Nice outfits (if you plan to dress up to go out to dinner)
Lounging comfy clothes
Jacket or sweatshirt (because you love to feel the cool ocean breeze in the evenings)
Unmentionables
Sunglasses
Purse
Cell phone charger
Laptop
Camera and charger
Beach bag
Linens if necessary
Beach hat
Books/ Magazines

The Dad

He packs himself in our house. But if I were packing for him....

Shampoo and Conditioner
Body Wash
Razors
Toothbrush and paste
Medication
Bathing Suit
Shorts
Shirts
Pajamas
Workout clothes (if you work out on vacation)
Shoes - workout, sandals, nice shoes
Nice outfits (if you plan to dress up to go out to dinner)
Jacket or sweatshirt (because you love to feel the cool ocean breeze in the evenings)
Unmentionables
Sunglasses/ visor
Cell phone charger
Linens if necessary
Books/ Magazine
Fishing rods, reels, and etc.

What Do You Pack for your vacation? What would you add or delete to this list?

What I'm Loving

1. The North Carolina Coast. All the beautiful quaint fishing towns along it. And taking ferries to and from the inland to the islands.

Quiet coastal town. Alone on the beach.

Leaving the port on a ferry.
The seagulls stayed behind the boat the whole trip.

2. Movies about quiet, quaint fishing villages, with houses that are alone on the shore, and waves crashing against them.

3. Staying up late and sleeping in.

4. Drinking coffee while rocking on the porch while the breeze wraps me up.

5. Sitting on the beach all day, talking to my mama, watching the babies play and the husband fish

fresh flounder.

puddle jumping.

highwaters. it was a bit cold some of the trip. 

6. Seriously good , local seafood. (think fresh tuna, caught right of the boat. we didn't even cook it...)

That is the shark he caught. Yes we ate it. Yes it was delicious.

7. Not having to get in my car. Anything we need , we can get to on the island by golf cart.

8. Lighthouses. Seeing their lights flashing at night on the ocean.

9. Nightwalks on the beach with flashlights , watching our shadows and chasing crabs.

10. Long Island iced tea with mama.

Right after she arrived.
She was excited for the Long Island's in our future.
I love my mom.  

11. Staying on the beach until late afternoon. So quiet and peaceful.  

Life's A Beach. Don't. Want. To. Leave.

12. Mimi

Storytime with Mimi. LOVE.

 13. Naps!

Waking Up Happy

Waking up happy.
With awesome bed head.
She get it from her mama.

She just started folding her hands and putting them under her cheek right before she closes
her eyes. That's our cue that sleep is about to ensue. Love this sweet little thing.

13. Cooking fresh good food. With the doors and windows open, feeling the breeze, after a long day on the beach, listening to the babies play on the porches.

Our lobster.  Affectionately referred to as "the monster" by our children.

14. Curling up on the couch at night, with the doors and windows open, listening to the waves, watching movies and laughing with mama and husband.

15. Babies on the beach!!

sunbathing and building castles.

chasing that bird

16. HALF BIRTHDAYS!!!

Happy Half Birthday to you!
Celebrate them while you can.
Celebrate every day. 

I'm seriously considering early retirement at this point. Wouldn't you ??