tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41767762016956881192024-02-18T18:54:18.612-08:00For Kathy's GirlsA site for my three little girls, whether with me or not, and all they inspire in me...Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176776201695688119.post-28727119700904931692012-08-08T22:09:00.001-07:002012-08-08T22:09:12.553-07:00new adventureembarking on a new adventureUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176776201695688119.post-47964593103943384522012-03-07T20:34:00.001-08:002012-03-07T20:34:58.992-08:00Great videoHere's a video that is a little hokey but she hits all the right points...<br />
http://www.beyonddiet.com/bd/landing?food=avocado&a=388Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176776201695688119.post-11489021214612481952011-10-05T01:30:00.000-07:002011-10-05T01:30:40.753-07:00It's part of my storySurrounding me on this October 4th, as I think about baby Liliana we may have had on this day 2 years ago, are others in my life who are grappling with very difficult challenges. Cancer. Threatened pregnancy. And all kinds of other chaos. I sit here thinking about how calm my life is at this moment. How many pieces of my life (our life) are actually going in the direction we've intended. By no means am I saying the days are easy... just that in perspective, I have a whole lot to be thankful for and I realize how important it is to take a moment and just say 'thank you' for getting me here. To this place where in this moment, things are as I hoped and wished they would be. I am fully aware that there are ebbs and flows - and while so often the challenging times take precedence, right now - this moment needs to be celebrated.<br />
<br />
I am listening to a podcast on cancer - in hopes of finding help for my friend, and this woman is talking about coming to terms with the diagnosis of cancer. Finding a way to make it a part of your identity. When I lost Maya and Liliana, I compared my pain to what it must be like to be a cancer patient. The alone-ness of it. The isolation and need to help yourself when no one else can. Being isolated in pain. And as I came through my losses, I had to realize that I was now that person - the one who had a miscarriage, then two. I was the mother of a dead baby. My paperwork will always say 4 pregnancies, 2 children. Just as someone with cancer has to deal with being "that person" - the one with cancer. The one who's paper work will always say "in remission." <br />
<br />
And as I got farther away from the losses, all the efforts we made to make sense of those times, all the food changes, all the education, it all changed our life. And now, our little lost babies are forever a part of our story. Not painful anymore. Although I'm still in awe of what I went through. But I've come to accept it. And I'm actually happy that I will have two children holding two little pumpkins in honor of their sisters (when I get to take the picture after the rain stops!). I'm at peace and I'm blessed. And I'm so thankful that I have the perspective of whole food and nutrition, integrative and holistic medicine, and the recognition that we can find answers and cures to what ails us, in raising two kiddos who are going to need these options more than any other generation. Thank you Maya and Liliana for providing the hope of a long, long life to your sister and brother.<br />
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So on this October 4th, I say a big giant prayer, for my friends who are struggling to deal with and accept a new reality. Who still have a chance at writing their own story and who need a little help in getting there. My commitment is to be the researcher. Cuz that's what I've learned...how to get information on how to heal our bodies. And to give the message that you will come to terms with your new reality. And someday, in the distant future, you will have a chance to look at how your story unfolded, how it changed you, and how it's become part of your identity.<br />
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Happy Birthday Liliana. I thought of you all day today.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176776201695688119.post-73883728857421807242010-10-06T17:27:00.000-07:002010-10-06T17:27:18.115-07:00Quinoa for Breakfast?So busy - I've really neglected this site. But I have a ton of great recipes I'm dying to post.<br />
News: Andrew is growing incredibly fast. And doing great. <br />
Diet: Just finally got off the drugs again (sugar, grains, dairy, etc.). Andrew has a little indigestion and spits up a lot. Lately he's been showing some signs of reflux and seems to be in pain while eating sometimes. So I made the big cut and went cold turkey. It's been so hard to give up coffee but I did it. Green tea is helping. Because I love lattes I was drinking milk. I also was eating more meat than usual since I had craved protein so much while I was prego. I haven't given up meat completely but we rarely eat it. And sugar. Ah sugar. You realize the significance of sugar as a drug when you give it up and then have JUST ONE PIECE OF CANDY. You want MORE MORE MORE. My first piece was last thanksgiving (I was pregnant and no one knew it). I couldn't stop and haven't been able to give it up since. But alas, I'm done. So... back on the saddle again and I already feel great. Two green smoothies a day, lots of alkaline food, emphasis on protein... and best of all... WE'RE GETTING A VITAMIX BLENDER!<br />
<br />
Here is my favorite and easies recipe of late:<br />
<br />
1 cup quinoa<br />
1 cup milk (any kind - I use almond milk)<br />
1 cup water<br />
1 vanilla bean split in half (or just a teaspoon of vanilla)<br />
dash of cinnamon if you like<br />
<br />
Bring to boil then simmer for about 15 mins.<br />
<br />
Dress with fruit, nuts, maple syrup or honey.<br />
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YUM.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176776201695688119.post-18104713827388005752010-08-18T21:39:00.000-07:002010-08-18T21:39:59.271-07:00Book Recommendation: Organic ManifestoJust wanted to post a new book recommendation. Have finally been finding time to read it while feeding Andrew. Mike read it and really got a lot out of it - kept telling me to read it and he plans to read it again.<br />
Anyway - for anyone who has ever thought twice about the benefits, cost of, justification for, importance of, or questionable practices of organic food, READ THIS BOOK. <br />
<br />
Although truthfully, it's kinda like Food,Inc.... makes you never really want to eat again.<br />
And for me, it makes me want to run away and move to Italy ;-)<br />
<br />
Organic Manifesto by Maria Rodale - buy it now!<br />
http://www.amazon.com/Organic-Manifesto-Farming-Planet-World/dp/1605294853/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1282192774&sr=8-1Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176776201695688119.post-18006043656185928592010-08-01T22:47:00.000-07:002010-08-01T22:52:29.396-07:00New Recipes for Foodie Followers!I've come to find out that many who still look at this blog come here for recipe ideas. I can now proudly say that at just 6 weeks post partum, I COOKED!!! Two times this weekend. Mike is supposed to cook on the weekends but I found some recipes I wanted to try in a couple magazines and I just couldn't help it. They were so yummy I have to share.<br />
<br />
Let me first show off our garden gifts - we are officially in tomato heaven. And we also just found out that we have probably had the most success in our whole neighborhood (based on our few gardeners that surround us). That's gotta make Mike feel good. It's been a rough year with our extreme lack of sun - so the fact that ours are actually turning red (or whatever other fun color they are supposed to turn) is a near miracle!!!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDXYl8mkd-LhqUTG5SbB1fvleIBRRX1GRaw-1iKLogjXvoTvXzCULkT1HKXfTUR68ZgaBDeZ4mlI4WlUjRnSQmzFpIz3de-N9zL0kv1QR7VOs-OqUEo4QYvyi5NxwcxbbvwYxvtlv5ZQU/s1600/IMG_8374.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDXYl8mkd-LhqUTG5SbB1fvleIBRRX1GRaw-1iKLogjXvoTvXzCULkT1HKXfTUR68ZgaBDeZ4mlI4WlUjRnSQmzFpIz3de-N9zL0kv1QR7VOs-OqUEo4QYvyi5NxwcxbbvwYxvtlv5ZQU/s320/IMG_8374.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Ig-J0JJLZj6jcXopQQC6E5uasm9poAilFGJVPqamlTFlrfBONBZ0Z5V1jyMg9eVbKZ8PjP-GZV42wpZOSo6K08DsOLOQJE-1aA9EWRAo5TPa-o_pX3zS2MH47wn0SYbefEcKuMzek_Y/s1600/IMG_8377.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Ig-J0JJLZj6jcXopQQC6E5uasm9poAilFGJVPqamlTFlrfBONBZ0Z5V1jyMg9eVbKZ8PjP-GZV42wpZOSo6K08DsOLOQJE-1aA9EWRAo5TPa-o_pX3zS2MH47wn0SYbefEcKuMzek_Y/s320/IMG_8377.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwR__-W_KRh9_28dq7Vqr0Z74fLGbybUd_9kur2J5jv7te5lwDaKqhFADV5D1M811XBJ_Sy9iDQ99azgdmTqlQBjeVf4W54XRloZAa-De4dGlFhLL5FJ9c6TG5rS5-hPbd2-HFXgqADqw/s1600/IMG_8383.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwR__-W_KRh9_28dq7Vqr0Z74fLGbybUd_9kur2J5jv7te5lwDaKqhFADV5D1M811XBJ_Sy9iDQ99azgdmTqlQBjeVf4W54XRloZAa-De4dGlFhLL5FJ9c6TG5rS5-hPbd2-HFXgqADqw/s320/IMG_8383.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And that's not even all of them!!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So for recipe #1</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Eggplant Sandwiches</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Slice eggplant into 4 (we substituted zucchini since that's what we had - equally yum)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Rub both sides of each slice with olive oil and dust with salt/pepper</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Layer slices of tomato, mozzarella cheese and basil between two slices of eggplant</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Grill for about 4 minutes on each side, or until cooked to your desire (and cheese is slightly melted)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Enjoy!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSAUTyeH2g7QmM-GsmsgnZhRDCjsyZA0N9jgIQAqaHw7Hg9HalZFcMW2ZM7Dd-xZuKFuOQzXrf83su-1amKuTCuxh9DRf-EU7kXSkkphElXuOY02EJ0MpjfgjxkupAy2zuvLMxr4uT4rI/s1600/IMG_8391.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSAUTyeH2g7QmM-GsmsgnZhRDCjsyZA0N9jgIQAqaHw7Hg9HalZFcMW2ZM7Dd-xZuKFuOQzXrf83su-1amKuTCuxh9DRf-EU7kXSkkphElXuOY02EJ0MpjfgjxkupAy2zuvLMxr4uT4rI/s320/IMG_8391.JPG" /></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Recipe #2</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Grilled Peaches</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I always thought grilling fruit was weird but I think they are actually on to something. Now I'm going to go back and find the recipes I passed up on other grilled fruit and see how they are. This one was to die for. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Slice peaches in half (however many you want to eat!) I used regular peaches but you can use white, yellow, and even nectarines.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Simmer the following:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">3 T Butter</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1/3 Cup Honey</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1/4 t Vanilla</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Brush the sauce onto the top of the peach (I poured it on it and in the pit hole and let it sit for an hour before grilling - that definitely added some magic!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Grill cut-side down for about 4 minutes</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Put a dollop of vanilla ice cream (we used greek yogurt and it was delish) and pour the rest of the sauce on top of each peach. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Go to heaven.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAc9QWgWx5ldZ5BY479PNIM0lCozUUh2cuoBHR6DA60qdQNYDYm6ywldpJyrjilCr1vHdcKotXNoB9I7_zse_uslMLCoUTqWrkYj-R9nR-5-IpC_sscU15Up0jgvloPr54FCzf6qpKMDU/s1600/IMG_8392.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAc9QWgWx5ldZ5BY479PNIM0lCozUUh2cuoBHR6DA60qdQNYDYm6ywldpJyrjilCr1vHdcKotXNoB9I7_zse_uslMLCoUTqWrkYj-R9nR-5-IpC_sscU15Up0jgvloPr54FCzf6qpKMDU/s320/IMG_8392.JPG" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAc9QWgWx5ldZ5BY479PNIM0lCozUUh2cuoBHR6DA60qdQNYDYm6ywldpJyrjilCr1vHdcKotXNoB9I7_zse_uslMLCoUTqWrkYj-R9nR-5-IpC_sscU15Up0jgvloPr54FCzf6qpKMDU/s1600/IMG_8392.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXAIfrOYzhQk4rL041JXPLIqlEOPK_dEACSyLvc9_FK3BdCPak3nXHXw1TPFYVVWI5YcNzThol7gRk7LLex8Pj4nj3hibJPAoqcYDTK5ipr0taoii68Za0z6_BHW_BWZOPm2SzpNgL2mo/s1600/IMG_8394.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXAIfrOYzhQk4rL041JXPLIqlEOPK_dEACSyLvc9_FK3BdCPak3nXHXw1TPFYVVWI5YcNzThol7gRk7LLex8Pj4nj3hibJPAoqcYDTK5ipr0taoii68Za0z6_BHW_BWZOPm2SzpNgL2mo/s320/IMG_8394.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFnS2F0jt5y5QNwxme1cIJTGUX7ku3mlcx_SdJVXKFuB75P1AVga0mrL9hcpcEcHKV_jEPiSjt7TGp5X1iIxijM1FgH9rFTd0x_bFy8FOHzorXFS3UIp7JqbEZZd1Uye4Iq-fzqV-XYbI/s1600/IMG_8404.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFnS2F0jt5y5QNwxme1cIJTGUX7ku3mlcx_SdJVXKFuB75P1AVga0mrL9hcpcEcHKV_jEPiSjt7TGp5X1iIxijM1FgH9rFTd0x_bFy8FOHzorXFS3UIp7JqbEZZd1Uye4Iq-fzqV-XYbI/s320/IMG_8404.jpg" /></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Recipe #3</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Grilled Salmon with Cucumber Plum Relish</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Make a marinade of the following:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1/4 cup maple syrup</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">2 T olive oil</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Salt and pepper to taste</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1/2 t ginger</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Relish </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(sounds iffy but is so perfect with the salmon you won't regret it!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Dice one cucumber and one plum</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Add 1 T Rice Vinegar</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Toss and let sit until salmon is done</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Let salmon soak in marinade for as long as you can before grilling, then grill to your liking. Top the salmon with the relish and serve.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Recipe #4</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Smokey Ratatouille</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Use the following vegetables but use as many as appropriate for your number of guests.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Eggplant</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Zucchini</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Yellow Squash </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Red Bell Pepper</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Yellow Onion</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Tomato</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(I also added Okra for fun)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Slice the vegetables and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Grill all veggies (except tomato and bell pepper) for 3 minutes on each side to char/get grill marks. Then put on top rack of grill to finish cooking till soft.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Grill whole tomato and whole pepper 3-4 minutes to char, then bring in and remove skins.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Slice all veggies to smaller bite-size chunks.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Toss in the following sauce and serve immediately (warm):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">2 T olive oil</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">2 T balsamic vinegar</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1/2 t thyme (fresh is best)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">15 leaves of basil chopped</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Salt and pepper to taste</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Recipe #5</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Oatmeal Coconut Chocolate-Chip Cookies</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1/3 unsweetened shredded coconut</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1 1/2 cups rolled oats</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1/2 cup dark chocolate chips</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1/2 plus 2 T whole wheat flour (I use pastry)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1/2 t baking soda</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1/2 scant teaspoon sea salt</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1/2 cup canola oil</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1 t vanilla</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">3/4 cup unrefined brown sugar (such as rapadura)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1 large egg</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Preheat oven to 350. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Combine oats, choc chips, and coconut. Separately, combine flour, baking soda and salt.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">In a large bowl, beat oil, vanilla, and sugar on low speed. Add egg and beat until smooth. Stir in flour mixture just until smooth. Stir in oat mixture just until combined.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Use slightly greased cookie sheet and bake for 11-14 minutes - rotate pan 1/2 way through,</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176776201695688119.post-78227679663164887522010-07-11T17:01:00.000-07:002010-07-11T17:01:35.190-07:00Summer Abundance<div style="text-align: center;">Here is daddy celebrating the abundance of our summer - Baby Andrew and our gigantoid Tomatoes!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7iQmEfi3YO21tBJ3yO6OMVRLcpMeNLDwIPYz-ceqp8dLnSwzYBmCWCLAtYeYH_K2P2CHV6VTDfCBm-32D0LHHMVGjv029Hq_cT0K4xZW7qoDl5eF6JIpuHwlHRJwVz8rzHYbQZEJraxE/s1600/IMG_8272.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7iQmEfi3YO21tBJ3yO6OMVRLcpMeNLDwIPYz-ceqp8dLnSwzYBmCWCLAtYeYH_K2P2CHV6VTDfCBm-32D0LHHMVGjv029Hq_cT0K4xZW7qoDl5eF6JIpuHwlHRJwVz8rzHYbQZEJraxE/s320/IMG_8272.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><br />
It's been a long time since my last post, I know! I had a baby, what can I say! A recent reach-out from another mom who lost a baby inspired me to finally post an update here. Her story was very touching as she lost her baby girl at 36 weeks. They found some clotting in the cord and after she refused to take the doctor's word, she pushed for more testing and found gene mutations for MTHFR - similar to me. The reason I share this here is because I just got done living 9 months of worrying that Andrew would face a similar fate. I only felt a little relief when they finally laid me on the c-section table - my body had gotten us through and he would finally be here. <br />
No one has asked me "how does it feel now that he's here" or whether I am now "over" my losses. I don't expect I'll ever get that question. But I know I had it myself so I'm going to answer it. The minute I heard Andrew's cry, I was in disbelief that he was my baby. I still feel that way. I look at him and I can NOT believe he is here and he is ours. I feel like I am in a dream. I don't feel like I've even experienced the true euphoria of it yet b/c there's a little part of me that is still waiting to wake up. But whenever I get the chance (hard to have a moment with your baby when you also have a toddler!), I have little conversations with him and it becomes more real. I was looking at a couple toddler boys today at the park and trying to imagine that being him in a year! I guess I'm still getting used to the idea of actually having arrived at this point. I have a second child. I have a son. Kaelyn has a little brother. <br />
That said, I'm amazed that I still have the same sadness for the girls I didn't have. None of that has changed. I just have something additional. As any mom who's lost a child will tell you, you can't replace them. But you sure are in love with the children you have with you. And mainly, I'm just so relieved to be done "trying" to have another child. It's been 2 years in August that we started this journey to number 2. I'm exhausted and so ready to just enjoy this part and all we have in our life right now (including our yummy food and our prolific garden!).Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176776201695688119.post-91189916307442900972010-05-13T14:44:00.000-07:002010-05-13T15:21:43.836-07:00My heart is still broken but it's also still beating<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUERAKydyBx2Uu-M_JLdyAZlibWkrbbEMRBp6ofR8dOHYQCYJ6QQS7CUqdLp7_T8gUupWiKIcIoJKDzH9q_4ALTMWbCklJQe-CXCQ7_pg1lTFCBl5XS9fih4_19k97xmjv2aRWCTb-GeY/s1600/maya1stbday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUERAKydyBx2Uu-M_JLdyAZlibWkrbbEMRBp6ofR8dOHYQCYJ6QQS7CUqdLp7_T8gUupWiKIcIoJKDzH9q_4ALTMWbCklJQe-CXCQ7_pg1lTFCBl5XS9fih4_19k97xmjv2aRWCTb-GeY/s320/maya1stbday.jpg" /></a></div>A year ago today, I made this blog public. A year ago today, I should have been in the hospital delivering a new baby girl named Maya. And today, I should have a one-year-old little girl. Today should be all about her. We would be receiving presents in the mail from everyone in the family. We would be busy getting everything ready for the big party this weekend. I’m sure we’d have some family in town.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">There are a lot of things we wouldn’t have too. An olive tree. A garden. A friend named Bree. Awareness of the importance of food and our health. A little boy on the way. Sad memories that we will never forget.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Today is a day of mixed blessings. Life does go on, no matter what happens to you along the way. I’m generally a very “forward looking” person so I do mostly think of our future and all the great possibilities in front of us. But today, I want to take the time to reflect on the past year (well, really the past year and a half) and all that has changed. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Now that I know that miscarriage and baby loss is so common, and I know what it is like to go through it, I am so grateful that I can be a support to others who find themselves navigating through this life experience. I am happy that I can be a person who will remember their baby’s due dates and always know that those will be tough months for them. I would rather be this person than the person I was – the one who would think of the whole experience as something to get over, and at the very least, something I just didn’t understand. I know now, there is no “getting over it,” there is simply life before and life after. And I know those who have lost will always appreciate someone who recognizes that yes, today (or even this month) you would have had X if things had been different.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I recently read back through this entire blog. I am so glad that I recorded some of this experience and I’m so proud of all the things we accomplished during the most difficult and devastating year of our lives. I will be honest, you did not get to see my darkest moments – or even glimpse them – through the blog posts I shared. But what I did share connects me to my experience and helps me not to forget. It’s also helps me to see the progress we’ve made and how solid we really are.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I am so excited for this new baby to come; for Kaelyn to finally have a sibling and for us to be a larger family. But there is always this underlying thought of what could have been that I can never shake. It all started with Maya. Like all the experiences you have with a “first child,” Maya will always be my “first” miscarriage. She will always be the “first” time I had to experience the shock of seeing no heartbeat. Seeing the shape of my baby but with no activity. Feeling the despair of the bad dream you never wake from. The extreme hurt and ache for something to change…for this not to really be the life you have to live now. I acutely remember walking around wanting to shout that I had a dead baby in my belly, so people would know what I was enduring. I remember the extreme emptiness that came when she was no longer with me. And the sadness that I lived with all year from knowing Kaelyn had to experience a year with a mommy who was going through so much emotionally.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In the end, I am still so sad that we have had these experiences. I’m still hurting that I am pregnant for the FOURTH time with only one live and walking child; that I wonder several times a day if my baby boy is still alive and if he’ll make it into our world with screams. I want to hate these things about my life. But the truth is, the whole reason we wanted another child in the first place is because we love the life we have and the family we are. We still have that and we always will.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I don’t know what the future holds, but May 13 will always be Maya’s birthday for me, just as it is always my father’s birthday. And I’ve grown comfortable living the “life after.” My heart is still broken but it is still beating too. Sadness has been replaced by memories. But all the feelings of the moments after I lost Maya come rushing back to me when I hear this song (Song #2 on the playlist on the right):</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Broken by Lifehouse<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">The broken clock is a comfort, it helps me sleep tonight<br />
Maybe it can stop tomorrow from stealing all my time<br />
I am here still waiting though I still have my doubts<br />
I am damaged at best, like you've already figured out<br />
<br />
I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing<br />
With a broken heart that's still beating<br />
In the pain there is healing<br />
In your name I find meaning <br />
So I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on<br />
I'm barely holdin' on to you<br />
<br />
The broken locks were a warning you got inside my head<br />
I tried my best to be guarded, I'm an open book instead<br />
I still see your reflection inside of my eyes<br />
That are looking for a purpose, they're still looking for life<br />
<br />
I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing<br />
With a broken heart that's still beating<br />
In the pain is there is healing<br />
In your name I find meaning<br />
So I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on<br />
I'm barely holdin' on to you<br />
<br />
I'm hangin' on another day<br />
Just to see what you will throw my way<br />
And I'm hangin' on to the words you say<br />
You said that I will, will be ok<br />
<br />
The broken lights on the freeway left me here alone<br />
I may have lost my way now, having forgot my way home<br />
<br />
I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing<br />
With a broken heart that's still beating<br />
In the pain is there is healing<br />
In your name I find meaning<br />
So I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on<br />
I'm barely holdin' on to you<br />
So I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Thank you for following my journey. And thank you for all who have helped me along the way. Including Bree who made this cute paper cupcake for Maya's birthday!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBXzLPynR5n-759LTPcJqBCW7lKCh6ehkBm3vGqachgDmL8hBxPnBzAAg6QpkGI84aNX9-pgqTs-l_DRuz29sqqEHTnHaJUq6jZi3M_FkPA47m1jdp1f-OlnPVZNzgUHJ-Sc24ZkJK-dQ/s1600/maya1stbday2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBXzLPynR5n-759LTPcJqBCW7lKCh6ehkBm3vGqachgDmL8hBxPnBzAAg6QpkGI84aNX9-pgqTs-l_DRuz29sqqEHTnHaJUq6jZi3M_FkPA47m1jdp1f-OlnPVZNzgUHJ-Sc24ZkJK-dQ/s320/maya1stbday2.jpg" /></a></div><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176776201695688119.post-52772342009132789762010-05-12T08:10:00.000-07:002010-05-12T08:10:48.806-07:00Growing and growingSpring is truly a time for growth around here. My belly is getting bigger by the day. Bree got to come visit yesterday. She's on bedrest but was at the doctors and came over to hang out in the sun in the backyard for a bit. It was great to see her (it's been a few weeks) and we finally got a prego picture together. We are neck and neck, now sharing a due date. <span id="goog_1351947401"></span><span id="goog_1351947402"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJBxjUlu04X5eqlD053WZZYfnJcvgAWyB3-Na7mLTTunYH36_Ta5PFxQQKyHrKKo-iDw4ik_NfK-vwmtN9p-z4dqoERWfiZURditjxJ9wvi4rc8wy-pH-E0zj-vdB7OgKviV998bB1Khg/s1600/IMG_1119.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJBxjUlu04X5eqlD053WZZYfnJcvgAWyB3-Na7mLTTunYH36_Ta5PFxQQKyHrKKo-iDw4ik_NfK-vwmtN9p-z4dqoERWfiZURditjxJ9wvi4rc8wy-pH-E0zj-vdB7OgKviV998bB1Khg/s320/IMG_1119.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We also have significant growth in the garden. Turns out our once weekly rain shower all through Feb,Mar, and April really helped out! Here are our "shelling" peas - meaning we will be taking the peas out of the pod!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdzKMQqdt1wflogyPlMGIDrMzMpth5xFkIkA9ZyUY8eDuHBnTibZYh7ZJSswhyphenhyphenqc2ue09kYVof_1FORkIBZOoVjoA2h_i7fYyhc4xydPwTgNjvnMWuKk4U-sJDmtZPmoMgpdCek9x280c/s1600/IMG_1122.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdzKMQqdt1wflogyPlMGIDrMzMpth5xFkIkA9ZyUY8eDuHBnTibZYh7ZJSswhyphenhyphenqc2ue09kYVof_1FORkIBZOoVjoA2h_i7fYyhc4xydPwTgNjvnMWuKk4U-sJDmtZPmoMgpdCek9x280c/s1600/IMG_1122.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdzKMQqdt1wflogyPlMGIDrMzMpth5xFkIkA9ZyUY8eDuHBnTibZYh7ZJSswhyphenhyphenqc2ue09kYVof_1FORkIBZOoVjoA2h_i7fYyhc4xydPwTgNjvnMWuKk4U-sJDmtZPmoMgpdCek9x280c/s320/IMG_1122.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And my most exciting growth spurt this spring... we have an artichoke!!! Can you see it in the middle? I actually screamed out loud when I saw it - sooooo exciting!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTpTmnXq498mkgv3v93A6FSjjVf9vB4WRGUTPDl9oDapQ4tMtx_3BwpA3NKcMKFRGhQng_Lf3XzXi3t6fAbXMg_Av3CtxrxBQeC1imhxslslcMkCaPd3aTeK28nyPiWg6R181d0Q7-W8c/s1600/IMG_1121.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTpTmnXq498mkgv3v93A6FSjjVf9vB4WRGUTPDl9oDapQ4tMtx_3BwpA3NKcMKFRGhQng_Lf3XzXi3t6fAbXMg_Av3CtxrxBQeC1imhxslslcMkCaPd3aTeK28nyPiWg6R181d0Q7-W8c/s320/IMG_1121.JPG" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176776201695688119.post-16105817284325582002010-04-20T21:34:00.000-07:002010-04-20T21:36:07.405-07:00Raw Food Birthday!Okay, I started this year with a goal of eating 50% raw. Then I had a goal of not visiting a grocery store for the month of April. I didn't come close to meeting either goal. Pregnancy (okay having a toddler AND being pregnant) make it more difficult to plan anything, let alone learn new ways of cooking or doing things quickly!!! We do have at least 2 vegetarian days per week. And since we do so much shopping at the farmers market (or in our backyard) we do have 1-2 all-local meals a week. <br />
The raw diet is so easy but it is a long learning curve and has so many new techniques for cooking. I love eating the food tho - so it's hard for me not to have it in me to convert at least 50%. So this week, I talked with my recently converted "raw" foodie friend who has taken it all on and done really well (is curbing her endometriosis, in fact) and have been re-inspired. So go figure that on my birthday, a day usually filled with Betty Crocker cake mix, I find a "raw strawberry shortcake" at my favorite food place www.healthycreations.com (I actually can go to the location....it's not like they sell this online). Anyway - I had to show this off because not only was it beautiful, it was absolutely scrumptious. And now I am re-inspired. With my birthday money, I'm buying the vitamix. I will have no more excuses not to go raw!! I hope to learn how to do nut milks and make a few basic recipes before baby comes so I can get back on the 100% healthy bandwagon once I no longer have the pregnancy excuse! I can't tell you how many meatballs I've eaten in the last 8 months. Makes me sick thinking about it!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLvUfcW0TyMj4ChBxLscziRpIcuHheR_mwLk7x1wLr3D-1YCexN1atO0Y_IHEPxJGI0nwEhQYLpm_4SAv-B_NXCn_fFNJRx4vdBPxEsZrtxly33j2GbSTKHojvG-MfcW1eUA9aChjVkI8/s1600/IMG_0957.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLvUfcW0TyMj4ChBxLscziRpIcuHheR_mwLk7x1wLr3D-1YCexN1atO0Y_IHEPxJGI0nwEhQYLpm_4SAv-B_NXCn_fFNJRx4vdBPxEsZrtxly33j2GbSTKHojvG-MfcW1eUA9aChjVkI8/s320/IMG_0957.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuwp7qExPktJoCjfJ16dWG3REWFiqGSBPz4y8qjuLVfK_UL44UJX92u7eroQYg-VBLK5o8QVw8TIj05M8D-MIJWxu8wYdYpzXXkO4nu12qy0pYc3Ya-ynVqQwvtPEYDBcW-Fa29vIEL7A/s1600/IMG_0954.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuwp7qExPktJoCjfJ16dWG3REWFiqGSBPz4y8qjuLVfK_UL44UJX92u7eroQYg-VBLK5o8QVw8TIj05M8D-MIJWxu8wYdYpzXXkO4nu12qy0pYc3Ya-ynVqQwvtPEYDBcW-Fa29vIEL7A/s320/IMG_0954.JPG" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Basically, the "cake" is almonds, coconut oil, agave/honey, and dates. The frosting is cashew nut paste with honey (OMG so yummy).</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6gE7PF0uu38RCKnJaI1bzDxonBYfErUNOldG_d2vrkYZE9LzzfoxZ3d8Imi7z_pnAQc7FGbsraVH_P58JVtPNajxdSnzUXKzhmcvbFWwXqIeZWqZQ0xAv8p57ut3x6k0Nll6NBYmJ4Ow/s1600/IMG_0952.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6gE7PF0uu38RCKnJaI1bzDxonBYfErUNOldG_d2vrkYZE9LzzfoxZ3d8Imi7z_pnAQc7FGbsraVH_P58JVtPNajxdSnzUXKzhmcvbFWwXqIeZWqZQ0xAv8p57ut3x6k0Nll6NBYmJ4Ow/s320/IMG_0952.JPG" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We started the day with an egg over avocado, goat cheese, and arugula on toast (see, your kids really do eat what you eat...or what you give them!).</div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjwFi3RokoDbi2cU631CL6iKlCS-vKeQPUh95SccIwt9B9utWM7-7CvCo5DIpdL5X23wDBvbEvH1KRw0YTmrB1XUZ-fyUctQqnpqFLz1gR1XxbFmvm7oPomfyZVPqbwXFawUSIPprk9DM/s1600/IMG_0951.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjwFi3RokoDbi2cU631CL6iKlCS-vKeQPUh95SccIwt9B9utWM7-7CvCo5DIpdL5X23wDBvbEvH1KRw0YTmrB1XUZ-fyUctQqnpqFLz1gR1XxbFmvm7oPomfyZVPqbwXFawUSIPprk9DM/s1600/IMG_0951.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjwFi3RokoDbi2cU631CL6iKlCS-vKeQPUh95SccIwt9B9utWM7-7CvCo5DIpdL5X23wDBvbEvH1KRw0YTmrB1XUZ-fyUctQqnpqFLz1gR1XxbFmvm7oPomfyZVPqbwXFawUSIPprk9DM/s320/IMG_0951.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And I splurged on a latte - only made with Teechino rather than coffee. Again - super yum.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV_oG3xcN7Oj8YJpCFs6_Js-_C0SWHtP3m3V7ixevy7BI-FRskE95DDQeVjQJA4IRjh7smX8rax6IlDCFmRKmtGhVoru1xtefQeFhFmdUbCw2vaCilLGhVLZLRQgKuGa4ve24woVlHVts/s1600/IMG_0975.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV_oG3xcN7Oj8YJpCFs6_Js-_C0SWHtP3m3V7ixevy7BI-FRskE95DDQeVjQJA4IRjh7smX8rax6IlDCFmRKmtGhVoru1xtefQeFhFmdUbCw2vaCilLGhVLZLRQgKuGa4ve24woVlHVts/s320/IMG_0975.JPG" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Okay, I thought it was funny that all my "birthday" pix were of Kaelyn so here is one she took of me with Kdogger. Approaching 32 weeks - still praying this little guy holds on and all goes okay. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176776201695688119.post-31136551742148289622010-04-20T21:20:00.000-07:002010-04-20T21:22:54.956-07:00Garden UpdateMy good friend Karen came to visit last week and really helped to reinvigorate me on this blog. I kind of assumed no one was looking at it anymore so I was letting it go. But I've been hearing of several lurkers who were wondering why my posts stopped. So I promise to post here more often.<br />
<br />
First, I'll make a garden update. The winter garden is still chugging along. Lots of broccoli and lettuce and chard. We are just now getting our plants into the garden for the summer and will finish this weekend. Here I was thinking I had a head start over last year (memory told me we planted in June) but after looking back, it was Karen who helped me start the garden and it was early April. I still can't believe that a whole year has gone by since we lost Liliana - and that we planted this garden for the first time only 3 weeks after we lost her. <br />
Anyway - here are some pix of the garden....<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnuLUGdoduSIur19FauLUPxrlHwYidvpq-lg445JEt2oRpsKuASwG3qE1LUvHMIqs-pip93eU9Ngth9jGlvYXU8iSwrOBTyeJBYXVtW6cljmyBhrKofiX5G-MCYlyuMavgqCcUSxKPoH4/s1600/IMG_7590.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnuLUGdoduSIur19FauLUPxrlHwYidvpq-lg445JEt2oRpsKuASwG3qE1LUvHMIqs-pip93eU9Ngth9jGlvYXU8iSwrOBTyeJBYXVtW6cljmyBhrKofiX5G-MCYlyuMavgqCcUSxKPoH4/s320/IMG_7590.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here is Karen's visit...she's picking out her tomatoes to take home!</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVbrbZf4zjfJRp9U0XTtMXIqgS7CcZ8pVDISREeKUOMTaXOzUtm4JSbLNr3TEcOgq04XvTTGUTYSkcUsj7juEjRnDuw1Fd14xd2idFpZeq7V9sVBaeWL-4dTpwl3MaVRR6ObNfBK-A0tA/s1600/IMG_7592.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVbrbZf4zjfJRp9U0XTtMXIqgS7CcZ8pVDISREeKUOMTaXOzUtm4JSbLNr3TEcOgq04XvTTGUTYSkcUsj7juEjRnDuw1Fd14xd2idFpZeq7V9sVBaeWL-4dTpwl3MaVRR6ObNfBK-A0tA/s320/IMG_7592.JPG" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Broccoli doing well - funny that only a week later it is now big and ready to eat...yummy!</div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ORWq-lMWPw5hqYwclb8UYNQPcClDLNcQW-tpLEuJCmznLG5t1GQw4RIeymPxoc-mmIHBFyfW45hkx34RgUhINxBt_1lethaJLRe7ioQDXqV7O3iOwn44ka8ntA2_qdU185jGtKyA6RQ/s1600/IMG_7595.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ORWq-lMWPw5hqYwclb8UYNQPcClDLNcQW-tpLEuJCmznLG5t1GQw4RIeymPxoc-mmIHBFyfW45hkx34RgUhINxBt_1lethaJLRe7ioQDXqV7O3iOwn44ka8ntA2_qdU185jGtKyA6RQ/s1600/IMG_7595.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ORWq-lMWPw5hqYwclb8UYNQPcClDLNcQW-tpLEuJCmznLG5t1GQw4RIeymPxoc-mmIHBFyfW45hkx34RgUhINxBt_1lethaJLRe7ioQDXqV7O3iOwn44ka8ntA2_qdU185jGtKyA6RQ/s320/IMG_7595.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">These are some shelling peas that are blooming (again, only a week later they are more than a foot taller) and promising lots of peas!</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglTBzK88387UzPf9eIIinb2ZjrSK7y5F_aQh3A5JDH-uvcXSaQdidzF8kqu6HMqQ_cwX8Y4IDPl_o6V6sdwYHOgNREvcy9jZhDiJzcZkByo9-d2QeOlLKCDgo88HUJuW9KbNjUtshQ3H4/s1600/IMG_7596.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglTBzK88387UzPf9eIIinb2ZjrSK7y5F_aQh3A5JDH-uvcXSaQdidzF8kqu6HMqQ_cwX8Y4IDPl_o6V6sdwYHOgNREvcy9jZhDiJzcZkByo9-d2QeOlLKCDgo88HUJuW9KbNjUtshQ3H4/s320/IMG_7596.JPG" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The last of the celery (top row) - we just removed this to prepare for the summer tomatoes!</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_oSFh5htO62DxbbeZJd4kLegNs9nStbedTD06uIwH6adsiiK4LisoxgFkC8ODesluxg4GnZSL9lEFdZbFcrqhVKHo3-FmZidC87H160Tb5QbwYVADRAnl3f2nks3yopbryD1H8dTgAUo/s1600/IMG_0830.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_oSFh5htO62DxbbeZJd4kLegNs9nStbedTD06uIwH6adsiiK4LisoxgFkC8ODesluxg4GnZSL9lEFdZbFcrqhVKHo3-FmZidC87H160Tb5QbwYVADRAnl3f2nks3yopbryD1H8dTgAUo/s320/IMG_0830.jpg" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is an old photo of Mike and his baby tomatoes (out of 120 seeds planted, over 90 made it). They are all 6 inches or taller now! We've been giving them away and planting them. Mike even dug up 4 rows for 3 tomatoes each in the front yard!!!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176776201695688119.post-33189217968669936302010-03-15T21:53:00.000-07:002010-03-15T21:58:07.990-07:00Happy Birthday EllaIn my previous post "A Different Child" my friend Bree posted a comment that she will always remember my girls with me (in response to me saying that everyone else will forget them). I really appreciated that comment and it's fitting that I just now saw it there when I was about to post this for her daughter Ella.<br />
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Today would be Ella's 1 year birthday, had she lived. Had she been a tiny miracle that made it - like the Duggars (you know - with the 18 other kids) are so lucky to have. Ella was born at 23.3 weeks. And she was born the day before I found out we lost Liliana. Bree and I met in a support group and have very much been there for each other on this rough journey. Coincidently, we are due with our rainbow babies only 2 days apart. It is crazy how the world works sometimes. I feel so blessed to have Bree in my life. It feels so much less lonely when you have someone to count on through motherhood complications.<br />
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Anyway - Kaelyn and I made cupcakes and celebrated Ella's birthday. We are so sad that she is not here, but we also know that we would not know Bree and her future baby if she was. So we will be thankful for that. And think of Ella always.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiysMLlCaOVHqPxMsm60zbYxP8j9-LIwBJ5mVQuwu6xJVNRGaRsh1tfpua4vmJqFhJt_aqBTjls4bBJg9NG1cPoya6AGwF0l3hWS0JmmOEl9I8bf1qggM-0JLvJJRFTcJ5R714jmykEU-0/s1600-h/IMG_0800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiysMLlCaOVHqPxMsm60zbYxP8j9-LIwBJ5mVQuwu6xJVNRGaRsh1tfpua4vmJqFhJt_aqBTjls4bBJg9NG1cPoya6AGwF0l3hWS0JmmOEl9I8bf1qggM-0JLvJJRFTcJ5R714jmykEU-0/s320/IMG_0800.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwbqXQw_0CpvW0RMe-WxIGasakFEXaVZJ-KntdyjCSQtiea1L845tgMh_GDAZCNRzWvfQXjVKhntRdS6qq8wz0EXnWNfPLOoCMz-rWgHkFw0i5qyJCnd74qUdkFTo9beu_zKuL2yx7uLs/s1600-h/IMG_0803.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwbqXQw_0CpvW0RMe-WxIGasakFEXaVZJ-KntdyjCSQtiea1L845tgMh_GDAZCNRzWvfQXjVKhntRdS6qq8wz0EXnWNfPLOoCMz-rWgHkFw0i5qyJCnd74qUdkFTo9beu_zKuL2yx7uLs/s320/IMG_0803.jpg" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176776201695688119.post-80373241809541085992010-03-15T21:44:00.000-07:002010-03-15T21:44:46.198-07:00Celery AbundanceWe have officially had our first abundance of a crop!! I planted celery seeds last June. And let me just tell you, they are the tiniest seeds, so there were a LOT that went into the dirt! At first, I thought they were duds. And then a long time later, they started looking like weeds. I wasn't sure what to do so I left them. They were in the middle of a tomato/snap pea/cucumber/cantaloupe patch so they were quite crowded. Well, they grew up to be celery. We were able to start harvesting last September. It's been the one crop that I've been able to quantify our savings with. We generally buy one bunch of celery per week or so (probably 3 per month). From our farmer's market that's $3 per bunch or $9/month. So we've been saving $9/month since September. <br />
In December it seemed like the crop was waining. We haven't studied up much on celery so we weren't sure what to expect. Have actually been wanting to pull it out to get ready for the tomatoes for this upcoming season (it's the perfect tomato growing place in the garden!). So Mike cut a bunch of it out, thinking that would be our last batch. Wrong!! It came back with a vengeance. So I finally got around to thinning it out again and came up with 5 full bunches - way too much to eat at once (and by the way, $15 worth of celery!) And believe me, there is PLENTY left in the ground! <br />
So we decided to share with our gardening neighbors and gave two bunches away. We spent two hours visiting with the two neighbors we shared with and came home feeling just wonderful. It was really nice to share a bounty with others (for once) and it got us to randomly socialize...just like they used to!!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQLKBhNdND857OIXiwZQB6mJheobRn_Tpqm6D_NNd3ixATLBgxHGmiweQsQkFn2rTVXzl9BU2yaL48Z1SSwozM3e96WMxsur3DC7iOgY7TVqY9Vv9ja1aL23UlYtQO3KlBhau2o-9cwl0/s1600-h/IMG_7404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQLKBhNdND857OIXiwZQB6mJheobRn_Tpqm6D_NNd3ixATLBgxHGmiweQsQkFn2rTVXzl9BU2yaL48Z1SSwozM3e96WMxsur3DC7iOgY7TVqY9Vv9ja1aL23UlYtQO3KlBhau2o-9cwl0/s320/IMG_7404.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQLKBhNdND857OIXiwZQB6mJheobRn_Tpqm6D_NNd3ixATLBgxHGmiweQsQkFn2rTVXzl9BU2yaL48Z1SSwozM3e96WMxsur3DC7iOgY7TVqY9Vv9ja1aL23UlYtQO3KlBhau2o-9cwl0/s1600-h/IMG_7404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo1Q-6aXecLaqNSviwkV-BaRGxdROWutOtLf7Ezh-qPRdo-Z-MJl03fbrRsYb3sRVfa8VSaGfbEB5cPfbPe8jqUZ0zKTZujFZbfl_St287QpQgr1xblTlRm1tkcvwiKz0b9l4NwbAr8Yw/s1600-h/IMG_7407.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo1Q-6aXecLaqNSviwkV-BaRGxdROWutOtLf7Ezh-qPRdo-Z-MJl03fbrRsYb3sRVfa8VSaGfbEB5cPfbPe8jqUZ0zKTZujFZbfl_St287QpQgr1xblTlRm1tkcvwiKz0b9l4NwbAr8Yw/s320/IMG_7407.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo1Q-6aXecLaqNSviwkV-BaRGxdROWutOtLf7Ezh-qPRdo-Z-MJl03fbrRsYb3sRVfa8VSaGfbEB5cPfbPe8jqUZ0zKTZujFZbfl_St287QpQgr1xblTlRm1tkcvwiKz0b9l4NwbAr8Yw/s1600-h/IMG_7407.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyU8Gr5qy0XSQiLrlsBhHGHf6t4efjANxDn1IGOS6qTsW5wluH5NazXsXEZLp3brl5vSIA34yqoOrYNjbJDKx5EE3qtr7rDu_7amLKUbF3N3XvsFT02CXVI0NaLYKd6WkmBydhYHK7260/s1600-h/IMG_0795.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyU8Gr5qy0XSQiLrlsBhHGHf6t4efjANxDn1IGOS6qTsW5wluH5NazXsXEZLp3brl5vSIA34yqoOrYNjbJDKx5EE3qtr7rDu_7amLKUbF3N3XvsFT02CXVI0NaLYKd6WkmBydhYHK7260/s320/IMG_0795.jpg" /></a></div><br />
I got home and realized just how fitting this was. The celery is the one crop (besides Parsley) that is still growing strong from my original plantings last June. And this week marks the one year anniversary of losing Liliana. So Liliana's garden fed other families this week. It made me feel really good to know that although she is not here, she lives on. She really does ;-)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176776201695688119.post-18615013544500062092010-03-15T21:30:00.000-07:002010-03-15T21:30:42.000-07:00A head start on the gardenLast year we started the gardens in June - mainly b/c that was when we got the gardens "made!" So this time we get to have a better start on the season. Mike has really take charge of the gardening this year. And it's really taken over the kitchen!<br />
Here are some pics of all the indoor seedlings we've been starting. He did a bunch of lettuce, spinach, chard, and broccoli in January that is already in the garden and growing pretty strong. The latest crop is over 120 heirloom tomato seedlings with probably about 100 starting off strong.<br />
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Mike designed his own egg-carton greenhouses...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZr8O1_OIJQX0RCmHV0X4zPlJ5_BLCWoO5AWS8I8H1Dsmlg8WLCI-Gry6ofHxmt8wqmcLdO5FUrWIpJM-2CVco3LJ1u7KeUcle-VFdWXR346U0j8TgPHL08DPClVL6hV9e3lM_dgUBgh8/s1600-h/IMG_6899.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZr8O1_OIJQX0RCmHV0X4zPlJ5_BLCWoO5AWS8I8H1Dsmlg8WLCI-Gry6ofHxmt8wqmcLdO5FUrWIpJM-2CVco3LJ1u7KeUcle-VFdWXR346U0j8TgPHL08DPClVL6hV9e3lM_dgUBgh8/s320/IMG_6899.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A pic of the garden from February...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZr8O1_OIJQX0RCmHV0X4zPlJ5_BLCWoO5AWS8I8H1Dsmlg8WLCI-Gry6ofHxmt8wqmcLdO5FUrWIpJM-2CVco3LJ1u7KeUcle-VFdWXR346U0j8TgPHL08DPClVL6hV9e3lM_dgUBgh8/s1600-h/IMG_6899.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi06RGusSsjMb6hdZvWJPwFI77KxI77zWoQLw0mwgTupygZCrEKIzE-dmHrYhNgsyap3kJ0FYoLqiCan9PPbRph5m4dQRAylqTS0pqwWUzBw48iuygThXcmYAiVaOP6iKBNTCgsh_qQcOc/s1600-h/IMG_6908.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi06RGusSsjMb6hdZvWJPwFI77KxI77zWoQLw0mwgTupygZCrEKIzE-dmHrYhNgsyap3kJ0FYoLqiCan9PPbRph5m4dQRAylqTS0pqwWUzBw48iuygThXcmYAiVaOP6iKBNTCgsh_qQcOc/s320/IMG_6908.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The kitchen window. It gets great light for the seedlings. This shot doesn't even show it at it's fullest ;-)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb926ilUeEMOGhpPYewAfEAEfTsLElWT2GwnT8v69OTpDQynegdBAL8CovkXKZVKe6NcF5J62lTHM1U-8O7cKKWeHAVZuq4iHr2OgUvFu5sfwzuYIGL94sGljgrxFf6eUkJ-9MGAN38P8/s1600-h/IMG_0760.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb926ilUeEMOGhpPYewAfEAEfTsLElWT2GwnT8v69OTpDQynegdBAL8CovkXKZVKe6NcF5J62lTHM1U-8O7cKKWeHAVZuq4iHr2OgUvFu5sfwzuYIGL94sGljgrxFf6eUkJ-9MGAN38P8/s1600-h/IMG_0760.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb926ilUeEMOGhpPYewAfEAEfTsLElWT2GwnT8v69OTpDQynegdBAL8CovkXKZVKe6NcF5J62lTHM1U-8O7cKKWeHAVZuq4iHr2OgUvFu5sfwzuYIGL94sGljgrxFf6eUkJ-9MGAN38P8/s320/IMG_0760.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A cucumber start that is going really strong. It even started flowering already. The cuc's he transplanted in February to the outdoors didn't make it. Hummm...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb926ilUeEMOGhpPYewAfEAEfTsLElWT2GwnT8v69OTpDQynegdBAL8CovkXKZVKe6NcF5J62lTHM1U-8O7cKKWeHAVZuq4iHr2OgUvFu5sfwzuYIGL94sGljgrxFf6eUkJ-9MGAN38P8/s1600-h/IMG_0760.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz2iqeybdlQ864WCPWL6cQWMXzAcH-IKn4psZIfm6gZJayqNz6nj_Fu_nfKX-I98NGcSmTW2srneul2UCkLtWN8hjs3zCwO7Tj_HQwl4vFZDj5YGXD9EJ4uP5rrbptVKJPx0IYE7yeuZ4/s1600-h/IMG_0762.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz2iqeybdlQ864WCPWL6cQWMXzAcH-IKn4psZIfm6gZJayqNz6nj_Fu_nfKX-I98NGcSmTW2srneul2UCkLtWN8hjs3zCwO7Tj_HQwl4vFZDj5YGXD9EJ4uP5rrbptVKJPx0IYE7yeuZ4/s320/IMG_0762.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz2iqeybdlQ864WCPWL6cQWMXzAcH-IKn4psZIfm6gZJayqNz6nj_Fu_nfKX-I98NGcSmTW2srneul2UCkLtWN8hjs3zCwO7Tj_HQwl4vFZDj5YGXD9EJ4uP5rrbptVKJPx0IYE7yeuZ4/s1600-h/IMG_0762.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>Master Gardner Mike (with a fourth of his tomato seedlings!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3E2_FrSL2q-Hauq6Ry61h0kdcWjYEc9EI1a8e1ZLuMA6vLV9cNSP5PI2OPKwTTHmZmRi2eh2g7E-jT7OyPBm-LGwsxy4ePa716yFj2Ilp9rJHCcciaRBMMZTmJuG0vW2e0oEpm0dAS6k/s1600-h/IMG_0765.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3E2_FrSL2q-Hauq6Ry61h0kdcWjYEc9EI1a8e1ZLuMA6vLV9cNSP5PI2OPKwTTHmZmRi2eh2g7E-jT7OyPBm-LGwsxy4ePa716yFj2Ilp9rJHCcciaRBMMZTmJuG0vW2e0oEpm0dAS6k/s320/IMG_0765.JPG" /></a></div><br />
We did all organic, heirloom seeds this year and purchased them mostly from www.naturalgardening.com (including 10 varieties of tomatoes). We have HIGH hopes for having tomatoes overwhelm us this year!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176776201695688119.post-32264596126862047982010-03-15T21:20:00.000-07:002010-03-15T21:20:08.900-07:00A "Local" Birthday Celebration<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">This post has been a long time in coming. For Mike's birthday this year (in January ;-) he decided he wanted to have a couple friends over and serve a dinner that was all "local" food. So, it took some planning, but we really pulled it off. We are so lucky to live in a place where food grows year round. But there still were a lot of lessons learned about just how difficult it is to find things that are grown locally and not flown in from around the world. We know consciously do an "all local" meal once a week.</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">A delicious New Zealand Spinach and Strawberry salad (the spinach was grown locally) fresh from the farmer's market.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvm8gxSK-1scUIsoucoPmNxGA0iCG7rW0iUmz1qhDPwdVjQNbeMhT-kXtZU2qrle1SPlgglvk5jv6pxRI-Vp4RT-imhaDpLs3YTMC14rA3PJP6QNsygtFupv_hAC-TVhI-mbIabnLNpSg/s1600-h/IMG_0455.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvm8gxSK-1scUIsoucoPmNxGA0iCG7rW0iUmz1qhDPwdVjQNbeMhT-kXtZU2qrle1SPlgglvk5jv6pxRI-Vp4RT-imhaDpLs3YTMC14rA3PJP6QNsygtFupv_hAC-TVhI-mbIabnLNpSg/s320/IMG_0455.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii8-PQyL1mEBCAdxecG7TNEQc_0afVIg8hLvSDmPc2KqoQGFFkpi4MJ69AbZp8TF1Ajs3RvPaelp1hLQA-Q3ialCPMqY6VE4CBikmZKl4f2C3aXUQwxL26oYf4P9bKdK-MX-3M7hryplQ/s1600-h/IMG_0459.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii8-PQyL1mEBCAdxecG7TNEQc_0afVIg8hLvSDmPc2KqoQGFFkpi4MJ69AbZp8TF1Ajs3RvPaelp1hLQA-Q3ialCPMqY6VE4CBikmZKl4f2C3aXUQwxL26oYf4P9bKdK-MX-3M7hryplQ/s320/IMG_0459.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mike's favorite Bruschetta (mine too!). This was quite popular. We are lucky both Strawberries and Tomatoes have a January season here. The bread is an Artesian bread from our farmer's market.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii8-PQyL1mEBCAdxecG7TNEQc_0afVIg8hLvSDmPc2KqoQGFFkpi4MJ69AbZp8TF1Ajs3RvPaelp1hLQA-Q3ialCPMqY6VE4CBikmZKl4f2C3aXUQwxL26oYf4P9bKdK-MX-3M7hryplQ/s1600-h/IMG_0459.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirUjFeZ9qSn7vmfYcAn7wW9p7vO4vT814OYBjjt-kO0KzDHw-CgXtQwUgw7_M4oxuDwsX66_brWBNWw0xL6eiY5LhCOem0Iriz6lvFII8UsRNRmollwdcUnKkoHt3BL_9MGEVZ2CFTwrs/s1600-h/IMG_0476.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirUjFeZ9qSn7vmfYcAn7wW9p7vO4vT814OYBjjt-kO0KzDHw-CgXtQwUgw7_M4oxuDwsX66_brWBNWw0xL6eiY5LhCOem0Iriz6lvFII8UsRNRmollwdcUnKkoHt3BL_9MGEVZ2CFTwrs/s320/IMG_0476.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Undoubtedly the favorite dish - dessert. A persimmon pie. Persimmon's are a fruit that I consider to be a cross between an apple and a peach. We only stumbled upon them when they came into season last August. We ate so many that we got a little tired of them. Then I discovered they are wonderful dehydrated so I started buying them again. For Mike's dinner I was so excited to think of adapting my yummy and healthy peach pie recipe with these persimmons. I had no idea how wonderful the pie would be. I think each of us would have eaten our own if there were enough. Alas - the next week the farmer's market was out of persimmons. We must wait to experience this pie again until next August. Ugh!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirUjFeZ9qSn7vmfYcAn7wW9p7vO4vT814OYBjjt-kO0KzDHw-CgXtQwUgw7_M4oxuDwsX66_brWBNWw0xL6eiY5LhCOem0Iriz6lvFII8UsRNRmollwdcUnKkoHt3BL_9MGEVZ2CFTwrs/s1600-h/IMG_0476.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQKKo3f5d68aR99VNKoiAuSyonrw_HqISpshR2jZwU1Se4y9M1G_RWzvF_yRAxiWmT-I_UycmjuEDv0-G1bfLXIly0Bog5pxqIQ0UAfJKP7-TwyUtA-cg8cVanvci1QwzkFELQDV8JHMk/s1600-h/IMG_0462.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQKKo3f5d68aR99VNKoiAuSyonrw_HqISpshR2jZwU1Se4y9M1G_RWzvF_yRAxiWmT-I_UycmjuEDv0-G1bfLXIly0Bog5pxqIQ0UAfJKP7-TwyUtA-cg8cVanvci1QwzkFELQDV8JHMk/s320/IMG_0462.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRBsuYJ_lWa_eUqHQdqpnVgdyfNvDW1dvdP5V0arcTZfwDPqXPfr3ZGX7E4lOZRHnIvIejpVA7IIcV5nhSU0z24T34XLMWxNv3po6EU3bmK6ipfO9RQaX4dyqnRMeWE2wMQlDORaRn2G0/s1600-h/IMG_0468.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRBsuYJ_lWa_eUqHQdqpnVgdyfNvDW1dvdP5V0arcTZfwDPqXPfr3ZGX7E4lOZRHnIvIejpVA7IIcV5nhSU0z24T34XLMWxNv3po6EU3bmK6ipfO9RQaX4dyqnRMeWE2wMQlDORaRn2G0/s320/IMG_0468.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And another of our favorites - Artichokes. These have been just wonderful fresh from the farm since January and we have been enjoying them ever since this dinner - sometimes twice a week. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRBsuYJ_lWa_eUqHQdqpnVgdyfNvDW1dvdP5V0arcTZfwDPqXPfr3ZGX7E4lOZRHnIvIejpVA7IIcV5nhSU0z24T34XLMWxNv3po6EU3bmK6ipfO9RQaX4dyqnRMeWE2wMQlDORaRn2G0/s1600-h/IMG_0468.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGXtNRvh6C-G2EMvJ_QqvxPg1TdDTjMIm0EH8XG1xXX6HQi-0X0goVLEIZg3mtXLLRuXRu7Jf1Pyq3LCFVKSv-vupPtVdigu2OAgImFk2FkuYjGVSV0DMzKndQYbgP6XobfcuUvZypzrs/s1600-h/IMG_0469.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGXtNRvh6C-G2EMvJ_QqvxPg1TdDTjMIm0EH8XG1xXX6HQi-0X0goVLEIZg3mtXLLRuXRu7Jf1Pyq3LCFVKSv-vupPtVdigu2OAgImFk2FkuYjGVSV0DMzKndQYbgP6XobfcuUvZypzrs/s320/IMG_0469.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGXtNRvh6C-G2EMvJ_QqvxPg1TdDTjMIm0EH8XG1xXX6HQi-0X0goVLEIZg3mtXLLRuXRu7Jf1Pyq3LCFVKSv-vupPtVdigu2OAgImFk2FkuYjGVSV0DMzKndQYbgP6XobfcuUvZypzrs/s1600-h/IMG_0469.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>I forgot to take photos of the fish but we also were able to grab some yummy fresh local caught halibut at the farmer's market. Everyone enjoyed it thoroughly.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7DnvbDJpc-NIGcNmI9a5hr70_2qcggjBNnPLCvtocSL9Y3lx4k8wSg6YN1gsYE1iXUPwGg10kcn43wS0I6hjaItyY6h92zVWZXsy4qqcAKPXjpNRP6-WRs0Um-FIxhePnPUj1hbENP24/s1600-h/IMG_0467.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7DnvbDJpc-NIGcNmI9a5hr70_2qcggjBNnPLCvtocSL9Y3lx4k8wSg6YN1gsYE1iXUPwGg10kcn43wS0I6hjaItyY6h92zVWZXsy4qqcAKPXjpNRP6-WRs0Um-FIxhePnPUj1hbENP24/s320/IMG_0467.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Happy Birthday Mikey! Let's do it again next year ;-)</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span></span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176776201695688119.post-53834398930822656692010-02-10T21:23:00.000-08:002010-02-10T21:23:44.509-08:00A Different Child<b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #45818e;">I've been meaning to post this poem for a long time now. Being pregnant again is full of mixed blessings. It's important to focus on the blessing itself. I feel we have worked so hard to do everything in our control to keep this baby. And if we do actually hold this baby screaming in our arms, I will be the proudest person in the world for putting so much effort into something successful. But I still think every day, about the little 8 month old, or 4 month old, that I would be caring for each day if history would have been different. The different child, the other child, my little girls, that everyone but me will forget. So I share this poem, because I will raise this baby (boy) to be the person who can relate to and comfort some mother or father who has lost a child. And who will never forget, that he has two sisters that aren't here for him to torture;-)</span></i></b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">A Different Child</span></b><br />
A different child,<br />
People notice<br />
There's a special glow around you.<br />
You grow<br />
Surrounded by love,<br />
Never doubting you are wanted;<br />
Only look at the pride and joy<br />
In your mother and father's eyes.<br />
<br />
And if sometimes<br />
Between the smiles<br />
There's a trace of tears,<br />
One day<br />
You'll understand.<br />
You'll understand<br />
There was once another child<br />
A different child<br />
Who was in their hopes and dreams.<br />
<br />
That child will never outgrow the baby clothes<br />
That child will never keep them up at night<br />
In fact, that child will never be any trouble at all.<br />
Except sometimes, in a silent moment,<br />
When mother and father miss so much<br />
That different child.<br />
<br />
May hope and love wrap you warmly<br />
And may you learn the lesson forever<br />
How infinitely precious<br />
How infinitely fragile<br />
Is this life on earth.<br />
One day, as a young man or woman<br />
You may see another mother's tears<br />
Another father's silent grief<br />
Then you, and you alone<br />
Will understand<br />
And offer the greatest comfort.<br />
When all hope seems lost,<br />
You will tell them<br />
With great compassion,<br />
"I know how you feel.<br />
I'm only here<br />
Because my mother tried again."<br />
<br />
<i>For Madoka Marietta Rosalie, from your mother, Pandora Diane Waldron, March 4, 1999.</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176776201695688119.post-9296468006432630902010-01-14T19:08:00.000-08:002010-01-14T19:08:37.327-08:00The Perfect Green Smoothie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY7jm0xQvF9F_HojdZAvzV0O-7Uwd6Jj1JFW5z7mEtnAWMQv6X2XfibbPEoLKYl7lcrI76ditAkGZCAps4th7sQe7RwLNwuHfXY7VcVfdMqR4tHyASH_ZTueUNadYKWLdtu-B5Lc847ro/s1600-h/IMG_0441.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY7jm0xQvF9F_HojdZAvzV0O-7Uwd6Jj1JFW5z7mEtnAWMQv6X2XfibbPEoLKYl7lcrI76ditAkGZCAps4th7sQe7RwLNwuHfXY7VcVfdMqR4tHyASH_ZTueUNadYKWLdtu-B5Lc847ro/s320/IMG_0441.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We are drinking "green smoothies" each day now - one quart in the morning and one quart at night. Some are super great and others are just okay. This is our favorite and you gotta love that color! <br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY7jm0xQvF9F_HojdZAvzV0O-7Uwd6Jj1JFW5z7mEtnAWMQv6X2XfibbPEoLKYl7lcrI76ditAkGZCAps4th7sQe7RwLNwuHfXY7VcVfdMqR4tHyASH_ZTueUNadYKWLdtu-B5Lc847ro/s1600-h/IMG_0441.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnwrYQyR9EVl-PrSvEogl2DOoAq-9xjCybnk185mZLtIC9ABPEtK9ttiyfsnuT2j55aL-foq3-tWaP_tMxXPL4E9w8fktExpl8XKfN10XfyVdynXOe1QKcNFqeKVDgjNznH3nUXqMWdSI/s1600-h/IMG_0442.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnwrYQyR9EVl-PrSvEogl2DOoAq-9xjCybnk185mZLtIC9ABPEtK9ttiyfsnuT2j55aL-foq3-tWaP_tMxXPL4E9w8fktExpl8XKfN10XfyVdynXOe1QKcNFqeKVDgjNznH3nUXqMWdSI/s320/IMG_0442.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">2 cups water<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1 banana<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1 cup mango<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">2 cups lambs quarters (above - it's a weed so you have to get it from a farmer)<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnwrYQyR9EVl-PrSvEogl2DOoAq-9xjCybnk185mZLtIC9ABPEtK9ttiyfsnuT2j55aL-foq3-tWaP_tMxXPL4E9w8fktExpl8XKfN10XfyVdynXOe1QKcNFqeKVDgjNznH3nUXqMWdSI/s1600-h/IMG_0442.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHiPgWMkjYVBNUlqRDpk2jrNhP_m9BZ0SlRDT3cZeJMX4ojJBFzEMGAdw6vV3w0LTtYyRDcwjzko2w-AuZzuF9vgTJ3T4WPYSzR3NXd91CIpRaO00RGs0tl4DSfrtJUj_blBbQtkEG70k/s1600-h/IMG_0443.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHiPgWMkjYVBNUlqRDpk2jrNhP_m9BZ0SlRDT3cZeJMX4ojJBFzEMGAdw6vV3w0LTtYyRDcwjzko2w-AuZzuF9vgTJ3T4WPYSzR3NXd91CIpRaO00RGs0tl4DSfrtJUj_blBbQtkEG70k/s320/IMG_0443.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hmmm.... you say this is gonna taste good??<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHiPgWMkjYVBNUlqRDpk2jrNhP_m9BZ0SlRDT3cZeJMX4ojJBFzEMGAdw6vV3w0LTtYyRDcwjzko2w-AuZzuF9vgTJ3T4WPYSzR3NXd91CIpRaO00RGs0tl4DSfrtJUj_blBbQtkEG70k/s1600-h/IMG_0443.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgim6zeLqqFFKfVP1EvvGYCdGvvKtYTfZ3glK7FaVMUmpzsFp1GT95nF2qjki-rp7v5bPgaFomhmtQm2Wtolf2MyB2UxJKTVrEWFy86ffLNw0y0-ay8ktGIMZtq0DA0-KBSHZdw7bGtu1Y/s1600-h/IMG_0444.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgim6zeLqqFFKfVP1EvvGYCdGvvKtYTfZ3glK7FaVMUmpzsFp1GT95nF2qjki-rp7v5bPgaFomhmtQm2Wtolf2MyB2UxJKTVrEWFy86ffLNw0y0-ay8ktGIMZtq0DA0-KBSHZdw7bGtu1Y/s320/IMG_0444.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPZLHN0rzmSwVx7uCDVqwZxMspNrNLh0EhIp8wqCujsVZPEIaz4hlkpMZ74qbHc6fbqZU1g4m-qgqXW1qWmz0v31rcJ-ZnVqi3_V3frULwyT8UINRh2IIl32wuHRQ3ch4O4ox3UL5n5Os/s1600-h/IMG_0445.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPZLHN0rzmSwVx7uCDVqwZxMspNrNLh0EhIp8wqCujsVZPEIaz4hlkpMZ74qbHc6fbqZU1g4m-qgqXW1qWmz0v31rcJ-ZnVqi3_V3frULwyT8UINRh2IIl32wuHRQ3ch4O4ox3UL5n5Os/s320/IMG_0445.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Oh yeah... can I drink the whole glass?<br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176776201695688119.post-27329900415338298872009-12-20T16:19:00.000-08:002009-12-20T16:21:50.351-08:00Two new MUST READ books!<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A great friend of mine recently gave me a book called </span><span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">"Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life" by Camille Kingsolver. Mike grabbed it immediately after I opened it to read the back. He read the first chapter while I fed Kaelyn dinner and he never gave it back! He's almost done with it and I've started reading through the first few chapters. It's an amazing read about a family who moved from their home in AZ to a farm in </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">southern Appalachia and ate off of their farm. An eye-opener, it is truly educational about food and how we've come to eat in America. I highly recommend it - it's hard to put down.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
</div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I also picked up another of Victoria Boutenko's books called "Green for Life." I read her "Raw Family" book earlier this year and it was very inspiring and motivating. Since I feel like I've gone a little backwards these days, this "Green for Life" book was just what I needed. It focuses on how we need to eat more green leafy vegetables and how to easily do that through smoothies (i.e. 8 leaves red leaf lettuce, 2 cups blueberries, 1 banana, 2 cups water...viola!). Again, it's very educational, a super easy and fast read, and I feel re-inspired and hopeful once again. It is our New Year's resolution to go 50% raw in the New Year...and we're already doing 2-3 smoothies a day. </span></span><br />
</div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span><br />
</div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As Kaelyn says - mmm mmmm good!</span></span><br />
</div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span><br />
</div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">P.s. Both books are now in the "Enlightening Health Resources" on the right side of the blog.</span></span><br />
</div></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176776201695688119.post-29897699458927944232009-12-20T15:28:00.000-08:002009-12-20T15:28:27.836-08:00Vitamin C<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXxUaR45OpZoHSiHNiiYLKNmk7tp409gLnM9UwwgZgkNR2GGpbg-qdcRP7ZuEKuS2nEV0QYaYlnIaUW10FgBKkseJ3OnxOUddumQux9VLnf3MzG_uShSl0e1tLUCYz7uzHHPXdjkNppc4/s1600-h/_MG_6834.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXxUaR45OpZoHSiHNiiYLKNmk7tp409gLnM9UwwgZgkNR2GGpbg-qdcRP7ZuEKuS2nEV0QYaYlnIaUW10FgBKkseJ3OnxOUddumQux9VLnf3MzG_uShSl0e1tLUCYz7uzHHPXdjkNppc4/s320/_MG_6834.jpg" /></a><br />
</div>Tis the Season of Citrus!<br />
<br />
This is the first year that I've actually paid much attention to seasons and food. I do think it is quite amazing that during the winter (flu season) the citrus and most vitamin C-laden fruits and vegetables are in their full glory. We now have no less than 9 citrus-producing trees/bushes in our yard, although only the two meyer lemons were planted prior to this year. Just celebrating their 5th birthday, they are producing in miraculous numbers and we are so excited to be able to actually share the bounty of our garden with others, rather than selfishly relishing the few fruits of our labor!<br />
<br />
I will share some yummy recipes we have recently tried that were winners in our home and hope they find their way to your tables as well!<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">E-C Fruit Salad</span></span></b><br />
From Dec issue of Sunset Magazine<br />
2 Kiwi (Trader Joes is currently selling Organic CALIFORNIA Kiwi that didn't sail a ship from around the world)<br />
2 Oranges (CA oranges are also SUPER yummy right now, esp. from the farmer's market)<br />
1/2 pineapple (yes, in season and on sale at Trader Joes)<br />
1 Banana (okay, not so local...)<br />
<br />
Slice it all up and put it in a pretty bowl. Also good for parties! YUM.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #f6b26b;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">E-C Smoothie</span></b></span><br />
From Dec issue of Sunset Magazine<br />
3 T meyer lemon juice (fresh squeezed)<br />
1/4 cup juice from a fresh orange<br />
2 t honey<br />
1/2 cup greek yogurt<br />
(haven't tried this yet but I think it might be nice to add a sprig of mint)<br />
<br />
Blend and enjoy!<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Apple Casual';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">CREAMY RICOTTA COOKIES</span></span></b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Apple Casual"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-bidi-font-size: 60.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">SheKnows Food & Recipe Editors</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Better than sugar cookies (but not necessarily healthy)</span></o:p><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cookies</span></b><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">•</span><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">•</span><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 cups organic evaporated cane juice</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">•</span><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 large eggs</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">•</span><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">15 oz. whole milk ricotta cheese</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">•</span><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 tsp. lemon extract or 1 tsp. lemon</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">•</span><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3 Tbsp. Meyer lemon zest, freshly grated*</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">•</span><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Tbsp. Meyer lemon juice</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">•</span><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">•</span><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 tsp. baking powder</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">•</span><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 tsp. salt</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Glaze</span></b><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">•</span><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">6 Tbsp. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">•</span><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3 cups confectioners’ sugar</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">•</span><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3 to 4 Tbsp. Meyer lemon juice</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">•</span><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Decorating sugar, silver dragees (small silver balls), optional</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">* Meyer lemons are available mid-November through early spring in specialty food stores. You will need 2 to 3 medium-sized lemons. Regular lemons can be substituted.</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Directions:</span></b><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper. </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2. Combine butter and sugar in bowl; cream together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, Ricotta, lemon extract (or baking oil), zest and juice; blend well. </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3. Add 1 cup flour, baking powder and salt; blend to combine. Add remaining flour in two parts, blending to combine between each, until a dough forms. </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4. Drop by rounded Tbsp. 2 in. apart onto baking sheets. Bake until cookie edges are very light golden, about 12 to 15 min. Let cookies rest on baking sheet for a few min. and transfer to wire cooling rack. </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">5. While cookies cool, prepare glaze by creaming together butter and sugar. Continue to mix, gradually adding juice until desired consistency. </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">6. Decorate cooled cookies adding dragees or decorating sugar, if desired, before icing sets. </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Makes approx. 4 dozen glazed cookies</span></i><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><i><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></i></span></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Shrimp Pasta with Meyer Lemon</span></span></span></b><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><i><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(My Personal Favorite!)</span></i></span></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 pound shrimp</span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 package whole wheat pasta</span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 meyer lemon (will provide about 1/4 cup of lemon juice)</span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">white pepper</span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">olive oil (the greener the better)</span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 cloves of garlic</span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Dash of sea salt </span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Boil whole wheat pasta of any type (al dente).</span></o:p><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Defrost one pound of shrimp, any size.</span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In pan, warm olive oil and garlic, add pasta, shrimp, and lemon juice and toss. Add white pepper, olive oil and sea salt to your liking (The magic is in the white pepper. I like a lot and use 1t to 1T worth). If you like zest, feel free to zest the lemon and add that too. I'm not a big zest person!</span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #f1c232;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mike's Meyer Lemon Pancakes</span></span></b></span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> (found on www.myhusbandcooks.wordpress.com)</span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><!--StartFragment--> <br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #4e5057; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: black;">Yield: Ten to twelve 4-inch pancakes </span></span></span></span><br />
</div><!--StartFragment--> <div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Prep time: 15 min.</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Cook time: 20 min.</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Ingredients </span><b><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> 2 meyer lemons (juice and zest) </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 large eggs</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> 1 cup milk</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> 1 cup ricotta cheese</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter (1/2 stick) </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 tsp. vanilla </span><b><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 tbsp. baking powder </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 tsp. salt</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Directions: </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1. Whisk the wet ingredients together in a small bowl. In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together.</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2. Pour the wet ingredients on top of the dry. Using a rubber spatula or large spoon, mix until all of the dry stuff is wet and there are no large lumps. Tons of little lumps are great and expected; they should be viewed as a sign of not overmixing. Don’t stir this until it’s smooth; this will result in a chewier, bread-like pancake. Let the batter rest for about 5 min before cooking. Add more milk a tablespoon at a time if the batter becomes too thick.</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3. Place a non-stick griddle or large skillet over medium heat. Grease with butter or non-stick spray. Once the surface is hot, pour about a quarter cup of mixture onto the pan.</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">NOTE: You can tell how hot the griddle is by throwing a few drops of water on the surface. If the water dances — it shimmers and shakes — then it is hot enough. If the water sizzles fast and evaporates quickly, the griddle is too hot. Turn it down and let it cool. If you use butter, it should bubble and then leave a shean on the surface.</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4. Cook pancakes about 4 minutes on one side. There are two visual cues to look for when the pancake is ready to flip. First, the amount of darkness on the side facing down. If it is starting to turn to a dark brown, go ahead and flip it. Second, check for bubbles on the side facing up. If you have the right temperature, bubbles will form. When they begin to set and are slow to disappear, the pancake is ready for turning. They should cook about 75% on the first side. Once flipped, cook them for another minute until both sides are brown.</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">5. Serve them right away, or cover with a towel and place in a warm oven until ready. Top with powdered sugar and pecans and eat with or without syrup.</span></span><span style="color: #4e5057; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande";"> <o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><!--EndFragment--> <!--EndFragment--> <br />
<!--EndFragment-->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176776201695688119.post-71025563577166377772009-10-06T22:46:00.000-07:002010-11-22T19:27:21.255-08:00Finally, some really great news!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPXVH4mLbQWzB1laZHDa3bw_N1i3iujlSSdUCGbm7kVAy6vGtM_9xgRo0MMLBqvvWL1YNV6SfhF6nGsrFYurOpWmo1fiOdPMq-O71_Su_-OHIbI-Sd_baJjx9-FR4oVBrQnlsK3BbbYSA/s1600-h/IMG_6095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img $r="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPXVH4mLbQWzB1laZHDa3bw_N1i3iujlSSdUCGbm7kVAy6vGtM_9xgRo0MMLBqvvWL1YNV6SfhF6nGsrFYurOpWmo1fiOdPMq-O71_Su_-OHIbI-Sd_baJjx9-FR4oVBrQnlsK3BbbYSA/s320/IMG_6095.JPG" /></a></div>Kaelyn has a new job. Selling Juice Plus+!! Just kidding. But she loves her "vities" as we call them.<br />
You all know how much work Mike and I have done with changing our eating habits and our lifestyle. We take these changes very seriously and know they are saving our lives. I don't ever want to be a preacher, but it is amazing to me how many people now ask us for our advice, our opinions, and our healthy resources. That said, we do consider ourselves somewhat "advocates" of better health and last week, I got the confirmation that we are in fact on the right track. Let me recap our story.<br />
<br />
April 1: changed our diet to 70% fruits/vegetables, and very little packaged goods - our focus became what is known as "whole food nutrition"...eating things in their pure form, not their refined or "packaged" form.<br />
<br />
May 15: I had a nutrition test (www.spectracell.com) and was found to be deficient in serine, choline, vitamin a, zinc, and borderline on quite a few other nutrients. So I started taking Juice Plus+ (www.miglioreliving-juiceplus.com) and supplementing the nutrients I was deficient in. <br />
<br />
Mike and Kaelyn also started taking Juice Plus+. <br />
<br />
Oct 1: I had a re-test on the nutrition test and all of my deficiencies are not just normal, but above normal. Through WHOLE foods, my nutrients were restored!<br />
<br />
Why is this such a big deal? We can be walking around with deficiences and not even know it. In the end, they cause chronic illness. By restoring our nutrients, we can avoid disease and illness. But we can fix this just by eating more fruits and vegetables. We should be eating 9-13 servings of fruits and veggies a day. <br />
<br />
In my case, each of my specific deficiencies is linked to miscarriage and later term-baby loss. They are all involved in the processes of RNA/DNA and cellular growth. We will never have a direct link between these nutrients and my miscarriages, but it's a definite indicator. I could also have had later life implications by not fixing these deficiencies. <br />
<br />
I do feel grateful for this opportunity to look at my body's chemistry and I realize that most people do not have the ability or the impetus to do so. That said, we have found Juice Plus+ to be such an great option for supplementing our vegetable needs. Since they provide nutrition from 17 different fruits, vegetables, and grains in a convenient and inexpensive capsule form, on the days when you don't eat enough of your fruits and veggies at least you know they've got you covered. <br />
<br />
Needless to say, I decided to become a Juice Plus+ distributor since I believe so strongly in the product. Stop by my website and check it out www.miglioreliving-juiceplus.com.<br />
<br />
And I, for the first time in a while, have a glimpse of<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: x-large;"><em><strong>hope...</strong></em></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjspraZloP47oosG3SaUdJ1NREKJZALnOFk1iHnmFnu1gYBkq-1ywfEhRhfz7948REC1UMPOuffbYVpyDgNyGy68dtWq2dhNhuuFFUtNnCCXIV18AwIhMhYLHxAci8_qeWMUI3YCqUfnYY/s1600-h/IMG_6099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img $r="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjspraZloP47oosG3SaUdJ1NREKJZALnOFk1iHnmFnu1gYBkq-1ywfEhRhfz7948REC1UMPOuffbYVpyDgNyGy68dtWq2dhNhuuFFUtNnCCXIV18AwIhMhYLHxAci8_qeWMUI3YCqUfnYY/s320/IMG_6099.JPG" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176776201695688119.post-37244416503237724992009-10-06T22:24:00.000-07:002009-10-06T22:24:38.991-07:00Two PumpkinsWe should have had a new little pumpkin in our family this year and we do not. Sunday, October 4th, was our second unfulfilled due date this year. I guess I'm getting kind of used to the passing of these dates - I wasn't even planning to do anything for this one. But once again, I was struck with the idea of how best to recognize the day at the very last minute...a visit to the pumpkin patch. I decided that forevermore, our pumpkin picking day will be on October 4th. Of course, who wants to pay pumpkin patch prices, right? So we just picked out a small pumpkin each for Maya and Liliana. Luckily these pumpkins will double as our pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving since they are the special "sugar" pumpkins just for that. And our BIG pumpkins will come from the cheaper Trader Joes market!<br />
Here is Kaelyn with her sisters' pumpkins...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNvLK3jJS3LdwUR-r4Jw5zcZzAHK-sVqoQ7cnxVPFu6ZtGw6KtleO6t4pbt89PjHAZO79TJN5rRyBDAA0Fsp0iao14ee0XvxrrRq9JHfVnrPetrZ5xvi09abhMw9-KOzXDRnLJPKw7xaA/s1600-h/IMG_6252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img $r="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNvLK3jJS3LdwUR-r4Jw5zcZzAHK-sVqoQ7cnxVPFu6ZtGw6KtleO6t4pbt89PjHAZO79TJN5rRyBDAA0Fsp0iao14ee0XvxrrRq9JHfVnrPetrZ5xvi09abhMw9-KOzXDRnLJPKw7xaA/s320/IMG_6252.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img $r="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8QWLBftz3kUrUbLWNGZ2FLHb50-zYBhiE3X-tzVteoZlkMHXLa6mS9YJfGlonA4D1tEwDe231auUVeSy6YQHV7L0424MWKXg7KVncGZt6f-hbbEy2f8E4BnHlbd0umqjD0g95M_THsWA/s320/IMG_6259.JPG" /><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And I would like a tshirt that says "I wanted a baby and all I got was this stupid pumpkin".... <br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">That's the sarcastic side of me. But don't worry, there is the other side that looks at Kaelyn and sees how lucky we were to get this little miracle. She is so much fun. I've tried to concentrate on enjoying her as much as I can. It is sure fun to have her birthday so close to Halloween and in the fall. It would have been nice to have two fall birthdays. In general, October is a sucky month now - a birthday that never got to be and an upcoming 1 year anniversary of our first miscarriage. Last year on October 4th we were having Kaelyn's 1st birthday party and I was still pregnant. The first few weeks of the month is tough, but it has a nice closing with Kaelyn's birthday - and that is where we will focus our energy. <br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176776201695688119.post-77861193368354328232009-10-04T17:07:00.000-07:002009-10-04T17:09:13.064-07:00A Fall Meal!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihkVE7gBfS5JQtqRFoAoWFJ3zI0b74QAVm7yV_d2N_QpcDKZiQZ59p8DlLKVs_Bj6ZBGcGLJiP7aYenb1XnZ0EAYw_EqhjnXqk7Vd_zd66S_EQZHCf9qPE7jLDeGKfCouDqiXjwY4H3HM/s1600-h/IMG_6102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img $r="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihkVE7gBfS5JQtqRFoAoWFJ3zI0b74QAVm7yV_d2N_QpcDKZiQZ59p8DlLKVs_Bj6ZBGcGLJiP7aYenb1XnZ0EAYw_EqhjnXqk7Vd_zd66S_EQZHCf9qPE7jLDeGKfCouDqiXjwY4H3HM/s320/IMG_6102.JPG" /></a><br />
</div>The chill is in the air, the rain has been spitting at us...finally we're in the mood for fall. The decorations are coming out, pumpkins are all around...and it's time to eat...SQUASH!! I used to love Squash growing up but I rarely make it for us. I am going to make it all fall long this year. This meal was a giant hit. Kaelyn AND Mikey liked it! Kaelyn practically ate all the asparagus too. And let me tell you, you "knew" when her diaper was wet instantly. When we went in to get her the next morning...phew what a smell in that bedroom! <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><em><strong><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Recipes</span></strong></em><br />
</div>This whole meal took me a total of 5 minutes to get into the oven.<br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><strong>Salmon:</strong></span> sprinkle with thyme, garlic pepper, and celery salt and bake for 15 minutes<br />
<span style="color: #bf9000;"><strong>Squash:</strong></span> half, put open side down in dish with 1/2 inch of water and bake for 45 mins. Throw in a pat of butter, a tablespoon of RAW maple syrup, and sprinkle with cinnamon.<br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>Asparagus:</strong></span> place on a cookie sheet, spray or rub down with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and myzithra or parmesan cheese and bake for 15-20 minsUnknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176776201695688119.post-32973800736403530872009-10-04T16:59:00.000-07:002009-10-06T22:39:24.237-07:00Miscarriage Humor<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi36s02uH_tLmgCAn1THDzJZBLKreaGLaHUbeDIL7tStsJSuZFnYX3mcIpCww8Fnml4VdzOxUeJWLZTnERlPIMrdTxs3LIaonn5tzspPAaxn9Iaba3YQeM5V1fVNDdnsCPYVUjjwelZhxQ/s1600-h/miscarriage-card2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img $r="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi36s02uH_tLmgCAn1THDzJZBLKreaGLaHUbeDIL7tStsJSuZFnYX3mcIpCww8Fnml4VdzOxUeJWLZTnERlPIMrdTxs3LIaonn5tzspPAaxn9Iaba3YQeM5V1fVNDdnsCPYVUjjwelZhxQ/s320/miscarriage-card2.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><br />
I'm not sure if everyone who reads this blog will get the humor in this "joke" of a Hallmark card. My friend Bree (who I met thru a support group) sent it to me from another blog (http://www.lifeandloveinthepetridish.blogspot.com/) and we thought it was HILARIOUS. The main point being that it did make us laugh - so that is a good thing. It is probably humor that only those who've lost babies can understand...but I think there could actually be a business in making these cards. The trouble is, it's a card you'd only want to get from those who have also lost a baby. It just wouldn't be funny to come from someone who has not lost a baby - especially because they are the ones who seem to think that yes, the fact that we can now drink again will make us feel any better for losing a baby. Sorry guys, but wine is not a good trade for a baby. Turns out nothing is.<br />
It is hard that our life has changed so much in the last year. It's always hard to want something you can't have, but it's even harder when you thought you had it and then it was taken away from you. It makes it especially hard to see everyone around you getting what they want and not having to go through the same pain. It's also difficult to lose the sense of happiness of pregnancy. I'm not looking forward to being pregnant again. I actually told my doctor I want to keep my head at home and send my body for the ultrasounds. But generally, I just don't want anything to do with the entire process. I find that sad - to have lost the joy of the experience. <br />
So don't be looking for any "news" from us anytime soon. Even when we do decide to cross that bridge again, we certainly won't be sharing the news. It will be hard enough to try not to stress about it all every moment of every day - knowing others are thinking about it too would just be too much. Especially when no one else is thinking about what we don't have in our arms right now. That's the other sad piece - how completely isolating this experience is. Friends and family stop reaching out after the first month or two - and then they think you should be over it and back to your old self. It's never over...it just takes different shapes and forms. You always lost a baby. You've always had more pregnancies than children. And you are NEVER the same as you were before this experience. So the only people who can even be a part of your new life are the ones who can recognize that you "need" to be different. That you're going to have some shi**y moments and times and they'll accept you for that.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176776201695688119.post-91557149962688519182009-09-16T17:26:00.000-07:002009-09-16T17:34:23.045-07:00Buona Sera Supper ClubI wanted to quickly announce a new idea and ongoing event I will be hosting in honor of good health: the Buona Sera Supper Club.<br />
I even launched a new blog to support it: www.buonaserasupperclub.blogspot.com <br />
<br />
I know this will mainly be for my local area blog readers, but maybe it's something you could start in your own area if we find it successful. For those of you who ARE local, the first event is coming quickly - Sunday September 27th from 2:30-4:30pm. Please let me know if you are interested in coming!<br />
<br />
I'm really excited and hope it will be a great way to socially connect with other moms and friends who struggle with creating perfectly balanced and healthy meals for our WHOLE families. <br />
<br />
In light of this new event, I will not be doing anything on October 4th as I had originally planned. <br />
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Let me know what you think of this idea. So far I've had a lot of positive reactions!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176776201695688119.post-7291014418439899742009-09-09T21:35:00.000-07:002009-09-09T21:56:25.710-07:00Breakfast<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiBdHr3aiv0quhj6Be9AhjLkfU8h3mvOvX7eS9sp0x0z8h3l3_LPJ7Dd73FJmW9STJMCbmICQmWO7GyIM2SKYyqunlYBNLgHl_eS93U4tvAWknLlqhGTmdGAY8LlBt9Euhubd5iPjnrPo/s1600-h/IMG_3859.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiBdHr3aiv0quhj6Be9AhjLkfU8h3mvOvX7eS9sp0x0z8h3l3_LPJ7Dd73FJmW9STJMCbmICQmWO7GyIM2SKYyqunlYBNLgHl_eS93U4tvAWknLlqhGTmdGAY8LlBt9Euhubd5iPjnrPo/s320/IMG_3859.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379693404169109346" /></a><br />Just thought I'd post a quick photo of the breakfast we eat at least 3-5 days a week. I owe full appreciation to Mike b/c he's usually the one who puts it together. 2 eggs and about 5 servings of veggies - plus a little goat cheese and of course garlic.<br /><br />On another note, got my last tests back and the findings are slim (which is generally a good thing, it just means there is no real big problem that we can solve and move on from). I basically have no good bacteria in my gut which is solved by taking acidophilus, and I apparently have an allergy to something so we're trying to figure that out now.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0