Get Off the Pop/Soda!

"Nuff said......

Via: Term Life Insurance

This is Why I Crossfit

For the first post ever, this video says more than I can.  I've said what most of these folks are saying.

This is why I Crossfit.

Growing our Own Stuff

Here's the Spinner version......

....a 20x20 plot in Zionsville, Indiana for $20 FOR THE YEAR!

There's even a real barn with a silo and roosters cocka-doodle-dooing down the street.

  However, I must confess...

It was my wife's idea.  But she doesn't do all the work.

Cheap labor!

I did help, but my wife would not take a break to provide evidence of my weed eating.

My wife's dream is to own some land out in the country, raise some chickens to produce our own eggs, and eat the food we grow.  I've been a city boy my whole life, but I have to say....the idea is intriguing despite how much hard work it would be.  Plus, land where we are is pricy, and we are not in a position to do this right now so we are testing the waters with our own plot of land.  

Peppers

Cabbage

Cucumbers

Turnips

Sunflower yet to bloom

Oh.....and rocks!

Here's the plot next to us.  We are working on keeping up with the Joneses. Yep, that's right.  Raised beds, organization, flowers, and no weeds!

Our prideful yield for the day.

But we were able to get back home and make a meal of our yield for the day.  Cucumber sandwiches w/fresh turnips.  

And tomatoes!

Proud Mary

I mentioned in my previous post, that I took and impromptu visit with some friends to Baltimore with a quick stop by Niagra Falls on the way home. 

My proud friend Mary, and avid Gleek.....

.........sent me an email about my last post reminding me of all the delectable foods we ingested aside from the home-grown Friday night foods we had.  Allow me to "out" myself and list them for you here:

I'd show you a pic of the gas station pizza we picked up as the kids were jonsin' for something in the middle of nowhere, but I have no clue what brand it was.  

My "proud" friend Mary raises a great topic.  Eating on the road is a tough thing.  We started off our trip (Indy to Baltimore) with high expectations, eating carrots with hummus, almonds, trail mix, and apples.  Proud Mary even packed sandwiches on some solid herb flatbread.  We rolled into Baltimore w/no fast food and nothing processed (minus the beef jerky at the gas station).  But when the well ran somewhat dry and the newness of the food disappeared for the kids, we caved a bit as you can see.  But Proud Mary reminds me of a great point about having sound eating habits.  

Falling off the wagon and enjoying those processed, carb-loaded, nutrient-lacking, but awfully tasty foods is o.k....sort of.  The key is having the will-power to......

......get right back on the wagon and be able to march in the right direction.  For me, that meant Monday was a veggie day no matter what meal it was.  Veggies in my morning omelette.  Salad for lunch, and cucumber salad and carrots with chicken for dinner.  Tuesday brought more the same and so that is my focus this week:  Make veggies the staple of each meal.  No alcohol this week, and getting hydrated is a must.  Twenty-five hours in car is not a good match for lots of water intake.  

Food deprivation is not a good thing.  For me, it makes me want that food even more causing me to eat more of it and then feel terrible while I'm eating it not to mention the guilt after.  Why do I want to feel like that emotionally or physically?!  I think that is why so many folks yo yo when it comes to dieting.  Eliminating chips, fast food, sugar coated foods, and pizza is never a bad thing, but depriving yourself from food is.  

Thanks Proud Mary.  Keep on rollin!

P.S.  Stay tuned for an upcoming post on our family vegetable plot.

We Are Fa-mi-ly!

I mentioned in a couple of posts ago that I was flying solo for a week and a half as my wife took a much needed family trip w/her father and two sisters to Scotland to explore their family heritage.  To break up the pool time, Midwestern humidity, and Fineas and Ferb episodes I hitched a ride with some friends going to Baltimore, Maryland to visit my sister and her family.  I figured it would not only break up the routine of being home, but it would be an adventure.  At the same time, my sister and I do not get to see each other too often given our distance.  

My big (I outweigh her by I'm going to guess 75 lbs.) works in a doctor's office (ok.....so her name is on the letterhead and I'm proud of her for that!  She's so humble....and I love that about her too.) and my bro-in-law is a "medical professional" too as well as an avid triathlete.  These two know something about treating your body well.  So on Friday night, their routine is to have Shabbat dinner and they both cook.

This night's dinner was almond crusted chicken (looks yummy in that foil, huh?!), roasted cauliflower,  salad from the backyard garden, and homemade plum/blackberry cobbler!

The backyard garden

The boys getting the fruit and veggies to bring in

Helping Uncle Brian get a carrot or two.

Fresh carrots (I promise...they are in there!)

Berries....

Tomatoes.....

Eggplant (we didn't eat it.  I just like the color.)

Cabbage (We didn't eat.  I just think the plant shape looks cool.)

Helping Aunt Sara make desert

.....b/f the crust gets put on

The fruit for this dish came from Baugher's Orchard & Farm in Westminster, MD.  Fresh fruit.  Hand-picked!

A great, local meal with family. It's great to be with "big" sister and do these things.  I wish we lived closer.  Shabbat shalom!

Oh.........And next time you are in Baltimore, you should swing by and see Niagra Falls!  It's worth it!

  

Will the Real Whole Foods Please Stand Up

  Now this is what I call Whole Foods!

All the Single Ladies (and Dads)

My wife is in Scotland exploring her family heritage with her father and her two sisters.  Of course I'm excited for her.  She deserves every second of every minute and I'm thrilled she is getting to not only get out and see the world, but I'm super happy for her that she gets to spend quality time with her family.  

Back home in Indiana, I've been taking every friend up on their invites to pools, play dates, and cookouts (Sorry New York friends.  I'm not calling it a BBQ.)  We are staying busy to say the least.  I had little thought to how I'd feel for ten days being the sole provider, but I knew I'd be tired.  Tired from the 4,346 questions per day that fly at me.  Tired from trying to plan blocks of time to also include some down time.  Tired from trying to sneak in a visit to the computer, the toilet, or to cut the grass.  Tired from being tired.

One thing that I've thought is how thankful I am that my dear wife and I have partnered to raise our kids to be healthy eaters.  I can now imagine how exhausting this has to be for "all the single ladies" and dads out there who do it alone day in and day out.  While I firmly believe that sound eating habits start with mom and dad, mom and dad must have sound eating habits to start.  Not tooting my own horn here, but this is a health and wellness blog.  In my wife's absence this week, I'm reminded how thankful I am that we do this together:  raise our kids to eat whole foods, to eat their veggies, and to stay away from processed foods, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, etc.  It's exhausting.  I get it.  Trust me.....I'm whipped, but I have a light at the end of my tunnel.

 I did have a visit from a little bird on my shoulder who whispered in the voice of my wife, "Now you know how I feel ever day."  Thanks birdie.

Here's some good information on kids and their diets....

Food Politics Blog
What's Cooking With Kids
Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution

Play date anyone?