what we eat

Over the past few months we've slowly been trying to eat more healthy. Some changes have been really easy to make, others, well, not so much.

For example:

Instead of the majority of the household drinking whole milk, we now all drink 1%.

Instead of koolaid and sugary drinks, the entire household has switched over to crystal light.

I stopped buying butter spreads full of trans fats (after taking my Bio classes this past year, I just could not in good conscience allow my family to partake in so many saturated fats...knowing exactly what these do to the body on the molecular level opened my eyes a bit) and now we only use Smart Balance or the like. For baking, I do use a half butter/half smart blend mix and that seems to work well.

And the big one, we've made the switch almost completely to only whole wheat and whole grain foods--from cereal to bread to pastas, it's whole grain all the way. There really hasn't been a complaint either, which I did not expect. Actually, for the last couple of weeks, I've been baking 2 loaves a bread per day and using my food storage whole wheat for that. (yes, I have a wheat grinder) Something very fulfilling in grinding my own wheat and then making and baking my own bread. I could almost be a pioneer, aside from the pesky fact that I need my Kitchen Aid and oven. :)

The down side of all this though, is the cost. Non-butter butter and whole grain products all cost more than their predecessors so that's a bummer. And it's harder to find to be frank. {at least at The Wal Marts where I shop--and maybe that is the push that I need to finally get me to shop at Sprouts or Trader Joe's or the like} I've also been trying to make more home-made meals rather than prepared meals. They're cheaper even though they're a bit more work. However, I love cooking and baking and trying new recipes, so this isn't really a down side for me.

So I'd love some tips. What switches have you made to be more healthy? What suggestions or tricks do you use that I could incorporate into a diet for a family of five--3 of which are very picky children under the age of 10?

new favorite song

I've been a Blue October fan for several years and just heard this song on "So You Think You Can Dance" last night--I immediately had to download it and it has immediately become my newest favorite. Please if you have the time, watch this very moving live performance of "18th Floor Balcony"--I'd say the first 5.5-6 minutes suffice.

books: check 'em out!

Anyone remember this old commercial circa 1991?  The ad slotted between Saturday morning cartoons featured the California Raisins dancing and rapping about utilizing your neighborhood library.

Well it's been on my brain lately as I've become completely addicted to reading this summer.  I kid you not, since my school semester ended I have read 24 books and am 1/3 through my 25th. 

I have to say that this is mostly due to my finding GoodReads online-I think Dahlene told me about this?-a way to share the books you've read, rate them, review them, and follow up on what friends suggest and are reading.  I've read books I'd never considered reading before, books I loved and hated, found new series, and read some classics.

Just this summer I've read several of the Lemony Snicket books, the latest from JK Rowling, Glenn Beck's "The Christmas Sweater", "I Elizabeth", "To Kill a Mockingbird", a series about a girl who speaks with ghosts, an autobiography about a woman who's family was held hostage in a Moroccan prison for 20 years, the first two "Great and the Terrible" books, "Confessions of a Shopaholic", "The Love Dare" and more. 

One neat thing about the site is that there are many different collections listed so you can find books to put in your To-Read list all sorts of different ways.  There's are sections only full of Newbery winners, best books of the 20th century, books that should be made into movies, books that were better than the movies, favorite chick-lit, historical fiction, best for book clubs, and so on.

I have to say that I have dubbed the Summer of 2009 the Summer when I fell in love with books again (and not only angsty teenage vampire romance books-though those are fab too!) and I encourage you to try the site and see if it at least puts some books on your to-read list.  Share with me your favorites!

this is why we have boys

Notice our nice ugly dead patch of grass underneath where the trampoline sits. 

 

(Don't forget to enter the Ritz $100 giveaway on my review blog here!)

i did some mo'

Layouts.  The first four were done for my friend Dahlene when she won my blog contest back in. . .I don't know, March?  A long time ago.  All I know is it took me forever to do these but I'm so glad I finally did!  (she gave me permission to post them here) Working the 12x12 size is different and kind of fun and intimidating for me and I'm always glad to try something different.  In my humble opinion, these looked much better in real life-and the My Boys one was my favorite.   I left spots for Dahlene to write her own journaling.  Love you, girl!  Miss you!  Move back home!

 

 

And then the other night at Christine's crop I did this one layout of Ethan and 12 of my 36 Christmas Swap cards.  3 sets of 12-I'm 1/3 done!

Kinda simple and I'm annoyed that my 'merry christmas' ended up a different shade than my paper.  Ugh.  Oh well.

This weekend also held basketball games and pictures, the usual grocery shopping, library, and bank trips, and babysitting until the wee hours of the morning for a friend.

What did you do this weekend?

family of weirdos

Several months ago, during Family Home Evening, we were talking about all of our unique talents and the things that made us special. It turned into a look-what-I-can-do exhibition! Check out all the weird things we can do below.

We're freaks!

What odd things can you do?

feeling a little wicked

Theatrically, that is. The long-awaited day finally came. We bought these group tickets last September and finally finally last night, we went to see "Wicked" at Gammage. We really enjoyed the show. I strongly recommend you catch this show if you ever have the opportunity! (pictures weren't exactly allowed so I had to take these on the sly-and those taken of dark scenes didn't come out too well, but I thought for the most part, these pictures look pretty great)

(Don't forget to enter the $100 giveaway from Ritz by reading my review here)

$100 ritz giveaway!

Go check out my Ritz Crackerfuls review on my other blog for a chance at $100!

he's no good at it, but he loves it

And I guess that's a good attitude for us all to have!  Ethan has started playing basketball this summer and joined a league of 5 and 6 year olds.  Most of the other players are pretty decent.  Ethan doesn't have a clue-he runs around because everyone else is running and he tries to take the ball from anyone who has it. . .the opposing team or his own. . .but it's so cute and it's so funny to watch him giggle as he runs up and down the court giving us 2 thumbs up.

 

  

Here's some video of him at practice.

just a little scrap

OK so I totally got the bug last week.  I think I did over 15?  Here are some I can show you.

sean's birthday bash

For Sean's birthday this year, in lieu of a party, he chose to take one friend and go to Castles n' Coasters. Outside. In the 115 degree heat. We promised him it would be hot, but we planned ahead with water bottles and tokens for arcade games when they needed a break from the heat. Here are some pictures of his hot hot day.

Their fearless chaperone, showing just how hot it was out there.

Onto the presents!

This cool CTR ring is actually a gift from last year-we'd had a gift certificate to Deseret Book forever, and just last week redeemed it for this. The middle copper part comes out like a puzzle if you want it to. Though he'll likely just keep it together. He wears it on his middle finger now, where it fits better, and he'll be able to move it around as his hands grow. Hopefully he'll be able to wear it for a few years. Thanks Grandma H!

Nothing too special for the cake this year.

Then, after his friend had gone home, we went out to TGIF for dinner-where my camera's memory became full just as the staff came over to sing Happy Birthday to Sean.

I think he had a pretty great day!