No, Wyatt...

... the mascara is not for "wips."

Whole30... what I've been eating

I am pretty sure I forgot to post the last weeks photos. I am sitting here, day 28 and not even counting the hours until I can indulge. Because I am extending a few days, probably until Father's day at the earliest.

I will be at Girls Camp on my 31st day and I am not interested in reintroducing wheat, dairy or sugar while I am far from my own bathroom! ;) But seriously, can you imagine?

I had some really amazing food this week, and have been feeling amazing.

Broiled salmon (wild-caught at Costco for $10/lb!) over a berry salad, ghee sautéed veggies, and half of a sweet potato

Whole Foods Cajun Drumettes & green beans

Roasted Turkey over a simple bed of green leaf lettuce drizzled with Tessemae's Lemon Chesepeake

I just kind of started liking fried eggs, but I have to cook them so the yoke isn't too runny. Having not liked eggs much at all until this year, I think I have made astounding progress. These eggs are served over a hash of bacon, sweet potatoes and Brussels. 

Same hash with an egg scramble for the man of the house. 

Banana + 2 eggs = pancakes

I know they are not Whole30 approved, but I ate them anyway. Topping is just one cup of fresh berries cooked over medium heat for a few minutes. I mashed them a bit with the spatula and then poured 'em on. 

A delicious chicken served with a homemade salsa verde served along side a butter lettuce salad with grapefruit, berries and walnuts. 

Summer Salad with Blackened Chicken at the YardHouse where Eric and I ate dinner while out on our date. I had them leave out the cheese and sub the dressing for EVOO & balsamic vinegar. Yum! 

Activity Days "It's My Bag!"

I was recently called to be the Activity Days Leader in our ward. This is what happens when you notice they've been a little short-handed and offer to "help out" for a while. 

I couldn't be more excited though. I will get to hang out with Halle and all the other sweet girls. 

For our first activity, I wanted to do a fun, get-to-know-you kind thing. Back when I was called to the YW presidency, we had played a paper bag game where you put things in the bag that represent you. The girls get to try and guess who the bags belong to as a girl empties the contents of a random bag. It's fun and informative! 

I decided to use paper bags for invitations and couldn't help but use the phrase "It's My Bag." If you are/were an Austin Powers fan, you will also be saying it in your best British accent and adding a "baby" at the end. 

I ended up incorporating Starburst into the night for an additional game we played where the girls picked a candy out of the jar and answered questions, while chewing, that corresponded to the colors. This was also very fun for them. We did it in small circles of girls on the floor. That's how I chose the colors. 

Each bag is folded in half. Then flip the flap that is the bottom to the inside of the bag and crease. Now you have that extra little flap. Then simply staple the edge and embellish as much or as little as you like.  This also left a great little space in the front for sending the empty bag for them to fill {see photos below}

I have no idea how to post the files, as I am NEW to doing this sort of thing, but would be happy to email them to you if you leave a comment below. 

the extra bag is sticking out ever so slightly

the full inside of the invite

close-up of activity details

back of invite 

another view of how the extra bag is stuck in 

Thanks for stopping by! I will be updating out Activity Day fun and happenings regularly. 

Oil Pulling

I was researching teeth whitening the other night and came across this article. While I will still get them whitened at a dental office (can we say ROSS?!!) I still am going to try this for improved oral health.

Basically, I took a heaping spoon full of coconut oil into my mouth, then realized i had a little much and spit some out, then switched it around for 20 minutes. Many sites state that a first-timer might not be able to keep the oil that long, but I handled it like a boss. It wasn't as bad as I had expected it to be. You are supposed to do this daily for 20 minutes.

I snapped a quick iPad pic mid swish.

I will compare teeth pictures in 2 weeks, and then 4.

Mother's Day by the Sea

Spent the day with the little ones who made me a mom. 

breakfast: 

 {eggs, watermelon, bacon, and freshly juiced greens}

 love this picture of Eric & Wyatt 

 sibling love

 Isaac by his favorite rose

 Halle's favorite rose 

 Gavin's favorite rose 

 these poinsettias were my favorite

Whole30 Day #3

I am not going to lie, I am pretty happy to be putting day 3 to rest!

I took my dad to the City of Hope for a pre-op style appointment today. I took Halle along and we headed out to Duarte. I made sure to get up in enough time to cook up some of the yummy and approved sausage that I had picked up at Costco. Day 2 and already not really in the mood for eggs? Uh-oh.

Meal 1: Aidel's Checken & Apple Sausage. Yum-o. I had a little over one link and it was delicious. I ate 2 cuties as well right after while I was driving and a green drink made with celery, cucumber, and a bit of apple.

After his appt, he really, really wanted to head to an Italian restaurant for spumoni & lunch. He has been really sick and not eating well. I was not going to tell him NO. But really, what genre of food is more torturous for a Whole30-er than an Italian restaurant??

Meal 2: Side salad with olive oil and vinegar and minestrone soup that I picked the beans out of.

My daughter sat inches away from me with ravioli. It was homemade and smelled delicious. The table next to me had pizza. PIZZA. Sigh.

Before work I grabbed a handful of macadamia nuts.

Meal 3: A ginormous helping of sautéed zucchini and yellow squash, Italian Sausage, and marinara. The marinara was bottled, but totally compliant. I also made this ribbon squash salad and it was really good. My friend stopped by and had some, and then seconds, and loved it.

The past couple of days I feel like I have had a weird taste in my mouth. Weird and I am not sure what would cause that?
I really felt that sugar craving kicking in today. I wanted to scarf down candy really badly. But I didn't. 27 more days!

Whole30 Day #2

Day two was pretty busy, but i stayed compliant by starving :)

Meal #1: I made scrambled eggs for breakfast and added in some leftover asparagus and it was actually really good. I also had a small banana. I think I will take a little asparagus break now though. 

I had a 10am hair appt and didn't really have anything on hand that would taste good unheated so I planned to eat when I got home or find a Chipotle. Didn't end up eating lunch until 2:45. 

Luckily I had thrown in some coconut flakes to hold me over and I was disciplined, though have the feeling these could turn into a crack-like addiction. Must be cautious. 

(Sprouts for $3.49)

Meal#2: Huge bed of romaine lettuce with shredded seasoned chicken that I prepped early this morning, bell peppers, avocado, tomatoes, and cilantro. It was really good but I DID miss my black beans. 

Meal #3: My second meal was really meant to be dinner, so when I got home from work, I had a small bowl of the chicken and just threw in some chopped bell peppers. I also had a half of our baby apples we have dipped in almond butter. 

Whole30 Day #1

The first day at anything usually isn't too bad. I am still pretty pumped up with the initial excitement and, really, who can't go one day without indulging?

Biggest shock of the day, a $139 Sprouts trip. I even bought little meat. My weekly Sprouts trip averages closer to $100. I wanted some sausage and bacon but, of course, it was very difficult to find something compliant. They had removed many of their sausages for Easter turkey and hams, so I am hoping one of them may work when they bring the stock back. 

We took our measurements and photos this morning so we would really be able to see the results. I have to admit that I was horrified at my photos. Out of control eating over the last month or so and a knee injury preventing real workouts had taken its toll. I am already about 3-5 pounds up from my usual weight and looking way more bloated than usual. Welcome Whole30!!!

Meal 1: 2 hard boiled eggs, a handful of raw almonds, and a very tiny apple (i wasn't feeling too hungry and wanted none of these things, but forced myself to stay on program)

Meal 2: Cooked my chicken breast in a tiny bit of EVOO on the stovetop. Seasoned with herbs and had with roasted asparagus and a few spinach leaves (that I swirled in the chicken juice as a "dressing") and three grapefruit wedges. I felt completely satisfied and full after lunch. I even sat at the table as suggested. 

Meal 3: Marinated London Broil cooked in the brioler after a pan-sear. Sauteed onions, carrots, and broccoli and one mango wedge. marinade was good and recipe can be found here.

Would LOVE a snack right now, but I'm really not hungry. I just want something. 

Big things to come....

I have dabbled in Paleo for years now. Sometimes strict, but mostly unable to give up my sugar. I have had lots of good excuses why it would be hard to go full force. Some valid, some not so much. Sometimes I think I jus haven't been sold enough on it. I'm not overweight. I am heathly, active, progressing in workouts and abilities, and I still have my ice cream or cranberry-walnut toast. But I always have that question in my mind of could I feel better, run faster, look better, jump higher, sleep better??

After finally downloading It Starts With Food, I have decided to accept their challenge. I am going to put myself as the experiment. No longer will I be accepting the testimonials of others, I am out to try it for myself. I have chosen to start my journey on April 1st, not coincidently one day after Easter, the day I will eat my last Cadbury Mini Egg for the year. I love that on the Whole30 you cannot, really CANNOT cheat. I think that's where I have fallen in the past. Too many slip-ups to really see a clear picture.

I am very excited. Nervous, curious, eager also. I have recruited Eric and a friend from the gym to come along with me on my journey. I am happy to have the company.

In addition, I want to keep a daily blog on my experience. I will post how I am feeling, what I am eating, and a few progressive pics as I am not allowed to weigh during the month. I will start the plan while still on limited activity for my knee sprain, so it will have been several weeks since I have had a good cardio workout. Best timing ever.

(photo from  lachapstickfanatique.blogspot.com )

Anyone else want to come along??? 

Wyatt 19 months

Wyatt at 19 months old 

Words: Mama, milk, wait, stop, pizza, birdies, airplane, fish, snack, thirsty, water, diaper, nap, night-night, Dada, outside, yay, and I don't know, to name a few. 

Foods: Doing well with most foods. Loves eggs, Mama's green smoothies in the morning, crackers, bananas, dried fruit and Zbars. 

Personality: He's got loads. Loves, Loves, Loves to play with his bigger brothers and is turning out to be quite a screamer. 

He lights up my world every day with his smile and cuddles. 

Cute feet

Love his eyes. 

Spring Has Sprung

I wanted to celebrate the first day of Spring with a little Springtime goodie. They each got some new kicks and something to wear. I picked them up early and told them we were going to see the new Oz movie. They decided park and Cold Stone sounded a lot more fun, and was really a better way to celebrate Spring on such a nice day. 

Eating the Cold Stone

Halle: Cake Batter with Crunch bar

Gavin: Cake Batter with Peanut Butter Cups 

Isaac: Cotton Candy with Gummy Bears 

Mama & Wyatt: Sweet Cream with Snickers (ALWAYS!)

Halle, Isaac, and I always get the same thing, rarely trying a new flavor. Gavin and Eric are usually trying out something new.