food, museum, & Sam, oh my! =]

For many months now I've been running across a "diet" that supposedly heals the body- anywhere from allergies to MS to autism. It's called the GAPS diet (Gut And Psychology Syndrome) & it's basically cutting out hard-to-process & also non-nourishing foods (sugar, grains, starches, & uncultured dairy) so the gut can heal & therefore, the body can heal. For all our married years, 7!, my honey hasn't felt good. His ailments have gotten worse & no doc has ever found what the problem is. So at the beginning of this month, 17 days ago, we decided to try this "diet" & see for ourselves if it works. Doing nothing wasn't. So maybe trying a crazy diet would.

I myself started feeling better immediately. My head is clearing, my body wasn't bouncing back after this last C-section & now it feels like it's at least heading that way =], & I do think I have more energy- & it's not the kind that's linked to the morning coffee, either =]

The only thing I've noticed about Z so far is he has alot more energy. Almost hyper energy. But more attentive, too, so it's not the ADD kind =]

J. My sweet J. This year has been rough on the poor guy. I've always heard a child will act how he feels. Well, my J was filled with rage. Not the typical 3 yr old tantrums (we're still getting that) but an outright uncalled-for fury. And soon after starting GAPS, his rage stopped, TYJ! =] He also started pooping regularly & alot (TMI?) =]

Unfortunately, my C hasn't felt good at all. Since day 1 he's been miserable. The only thing I can find for reasoning is that he has alot of die-off (the bad gut flora starving to death) & rebuilding to do. Which, if he's been miserable for 7 yrs, he probably does have a lot of bad bugs.

Anyway, you're probably here for pics of the cuties so let's get on with it, shall we?? =]

I had a hankering for hot chocolate the other night so I found a "legal" recipe & made some up. To help fill up the never-full boys' bellies, we dipped bananas in it. It wasn't the best cocoa I've ever had, but it wasn't the worst either =]

The other day I was reading Peter Pan to the boys & we were saying how silly it was that Wendy was sewing Pan's shadow back on. I asked Z "have you ever lost your shadow before?" & he said "yes!" me: "really??" Z: "at the children's museum in the box with the light"... smart boy =]... & so we went to the museum on Wed & lost our shadows (among other things):

Check out S- such a big boy sitting in his stroller =]

S discovered his toes big time this week. He's been crankier than ever but somehow chewing on his toes has cheered him up most of the time
He's also starting to "play"
And today was an impossible 'Alfalfa' kind of day
I finally made it to WM today & got him a feeder net. Loved it! An apple, mmmm =]
And lastly. A biscuit for supper. But no ordinary biscuit, mind you. It's the only way in all my 31 yrs I have been able to tolerate walnuts. See, this diet has already made me a changed person =]

around the house

1) My nose is sore from blowing it. I'm not sure if it's allergies or a cold- I just want it to go away!

2) My sis-in-law gave me her bread machine on Thanksgiving. I've wanted one for so long and now I have one & it's just taunting me because I haven't gone grocery shopping and gotten the bread machine flour. Ugh.

3) I was wondering where to put the bread maker since I only have one usable counter/folding table in my kitchen when yesterday my mom-in-law blessed me with a table she was no longer using. We warmly welcomed it into the utility room/future indoor laundry room. The crock pot now has a home there as well- I have a goal of using it at least once a week this month.

4) At this time of my life, I have a one- month focus. At the end of each month, I set up a new budget for the next month, a new menu, & a new schedule of activities. It keeps things sane =]

5) Wanna know what our menu is for Dec?

Mondays: fish

Tuesdays: vegetarian

Wednesdays: beef

Thursdays: Grandma cooks!

Fridays: ?

Saturdays: large quantity- invite a family =]

Sundays: dinner & a movie- finger foods!

6) Not sure when we'll move the laundry indoors. It's what inspires me to go outside all. day. long. 6 times today to be exact. =]

7) I returned the funky fit shoes I bought on a whim on Black Friday (curved thick bottom= not so graceful me! I just couldn't figure out how to walk in them!) so I tried on shoes for an hour trying to find ones I liked. Found a pair but on the way to the checkout I found the cutest purse I have seen in a long while- of course it was on sale & the only one left- so I traded it for the shoes. Who needs those anyway, right?

8) We've noticed a difference in the boys' floor from the insulation. Hopefully we'll be able to get back to that and finish the rest of the house now.

9) Char has been gone all this week- just here to sleep a few hours & then he's back to work again.

10) Z has been eating non-stop for 3 days now. Seriously. I think he had a meal every hour on Wednesday. Look out world, we've got a growin' boy! =]

may 13 & 14...{missing}

10 on Tuesday :)

1. Zeke's new favorite phrase: "No, I don't think I'm going to like it" (fortunately, he usually changes his mind a few minutes later & tries it =])


2. I splurged on a new book last weekend & it's a non-stop thriller: Truly. Both boys are tantrumming right & left... I need help! And this will hopefully shed light on the subject =]


3. Did you ever play hide n seek growing up & hide in the dryer? Totally unsafe. But good memories =] The boys just had to 'touch the light' while doing laundry the other day...


4. Grandma & Grandpa pulled their keyboard out of the closet & the boys had a blast! I took a video, too =]


5. {sigh} yesterday & today have been good days for Zeke =]
   


6. which makes for good days for Jeremiah & myself as well =]
   
{photo courtesy of Zeke}

7. We received a book from our neighbors recently: "Old McDonald Had a Farm". The boys love it & they will randomly just start singing the song... I videoed them yesterday =]


8. My sister & I became accountability partners a month or so back to eat healthier & excercise more... which worked at first but kinda petered out. But then we took it a step further 2 weeks ago: I can't go over my allotment of calories each week or I pay her (yikes!). So I adopted Prevention's new "diet" & guess what? I've lost 7 pounds! Yay! The challenge is only for 2 more weeks... wouldn't it be great to lose another 7?? Along with this, I'm also doing:


9. I'm ashamed to say Jillian whooped me last week... so this week I'm taking her a little slower. Last week I was so sore I waddled when I walked. And turn in bed? Forget it! Just lie where you land =] It's crazy that something so simple as jumping jacks, squats, & push-ups (to name a few) could have a lasting effect on a person...
10. And as of this moment, we are still in escrow...