let's move!

i was very affected by a few articles (one in particular) that i read today while at work.  both regarding childhood obesity.  this subject is one that is on my mind a lot lately.  working in an elementary school i see students who are struggling with this.  i'm sure it will be a life-long struggle for some of them.  i would like to make a difference.  and starting now, i'm going to try. 

the first lady, michelle obama, is tackling this subject head-on as well.  there is a government website called, let's move, where you can order supplies for preschools, elementary schools and middle schools that will help in the education of children regarding healthy eating and living.  i ordered a ton today for my school and some for myself at home to teach my own children. 

even in my own home i've found myself saying certain things that could contribute to future unhealthy eating lifestyles, if not changed.  it has been difficult for myself even.  it's a constant challenge to eat those foods that are good for my body.  i can't help but crave french fries, decadent chocolate desserts and hamburgers.  they sure are yummy, but don't do much for my body.  one of my girls has always been a little "chunky" (one of the terms that some parents use as an excuse to ignore their child's growing obesity), and i'm always trying to be careful that i don't indulge her every request for yummy foods.  instead i'm trying to make the yummy foods for her, to also be the healthy ones.  it is possible.  please don't take any of this the wrong way.  i'm not saying my child is or will be obese.  but if i'm going to make a difference around me in my community, i think starting in my own home is a great place to start.  especially with myself.  i'm the example to my children.  even to my spouse at times. 

this is important.

so i'm also going to attach some growth charts (boy and girl) that i found in the article linked to above.  this is a good thing to do in your own home to have for your own records.  your doctor shouldn't be the only one in charge of your child's health, after all.

in season

on i go with my food quests.  i'm really trying to eat so good.  this requires me to eat more vegetables and fruits, which then requires me to be able to afford it.  so i can mostly afford the stuff that's in season.  i very much wish i could buy strawberries all year long, but for $5 for a tiny plastic container full of not so tasty strawberries, i find myself adapting.

so i quickly looked up which fruits and veggies are in season right now, and here's what i found.  basically a nice list of those lovies in season that i would eat are:  apples, brussel sprouts, kiwi, leeks, oranges, pear, persimmons, sweet potaotes and tangerines.  notice how the vegetables somehow do not make it to my extremeley edible list?  hey, i'm workin' on it!  it's going to be a life-long struggle, i think.  but i will make it!

what i'm really looking forward to is summer!!!  every single item on the summer list makes my skirt fly up into a frenzy.  cause, of course that's when i wear skirts.  oh!  and to church on sunday.  i can't help that i'm a jeans kind of gal.  i was just telling stephen that i could wear jeans every single day for the rest of my life and be completely satisfied.  that is, as long as they are levi's.  i heart levi's!  they are always in season to me!!

garden update

i know, it's been a bit since i showed our garden.  it's really quite sad, because we haven't been able to spend as much time there.  the holiday's had us all over san diego's christendom visiting and being happy.  our garden was indeed neglected.  and i'm also not as happy to report that when i stopped by yesterday after picking up the girls from school, that a forest had grown in our absence.  seriously, a crazy mini-forest.  i had just weeded it all away a few weeks prior.  in vain.  i know, i know...two weeks prior.  but come on!  i'm not even going to show a picture of the small rainforest in our walking area and surrounding our zucchini plants.  it's just sad.  the garden protective services would surely have been called already, had they existed.

the good news?  oh, oh....we are actually growing things!  not a lot of them, but we have grown some lettuce (as seen above).  isn't it beautiful?  i'm praying the neighboring gophers don't decide that they want it for dinner before i do.  it's mine!

and then, after all the rain that dumped on so-cal last month, our carrots finally took flight!  there are several that are growing with zest.  i even pulled one up prematurely, just out of pure excitement.  it was part of dinner!  the whole one bite of it!  but still! 

 

our corn is doing suprisingly well.  i really hope that it continues on it's path of growth.  i'm nervous for it though.  i'm gonna give it all the love i can, cause most plants hit a point, later down the road, where it stalls...and then dies. 

the cucumbers are lookin' good!  the leaves are turning a little yellow, which have yet to investigate.  i hope it isn't a horrible thing that can't be reversed.  after all, i'm new to this gardening thing.

our mandarin tree is blossoming some cute little flower buds.  it's confused, you see.  it thinks that spring has rolled around, cause it doesn't really get cold in san diego.  after all the rain, it warmed up (a teensy bit) and made all the plants think that it's spring. 

my pumpkin plants aren't having any problems whatsoever.  i think it would be hard to not have one thrive.  they're like weeds.  they just grow and grow.  same with the zucchini.  but that thrills me to no end!  i just love anything with pumpkin or zucchini in it!!

chloe showing me a leaf she plucked off our mandarin tree.  thanks chloe.  her hair-line boo-boo is looking better, although better doesn't mean great.  it still looks gross, if you ask me.  poor thing.  she ran straight down the grassy hill next to our apartment building, and fell, forehead first into the stucco building.  ouch!

gosh, i love growing things.  brings such a nice peace to my mind and body.

crafts vs. food

lately my life has revolved around food.  not exactly about eating those things that i love and adore (namely, sugar and other naughty-ness), but eating those things which will aid in smalling my waist-line.  that is the goal.  whether it will work is up to me.  and so far, i've been doing really well!  i've even lost four pounds.  not bad for a week and a half. 

okay. 

you know what happened though?  i stumbled upon my new favorite website.  in reality i shouldn't be clicking over to this site for six more weeks, when my "diet" (i don't like referring to it as a diet, cause i still eat food.  generally diets remind me of not eating anything.  maybe just rice cakes and yogurt.  nonetheless, i'm dieting because i'm refraining from eating most foods that i stuff my mouth full of) ends.  it will end for a short time, before i start back up again.  and by no means am i going to sabotage myself by eating loads of fatty and comforting foods after my "diet" is done.  but yes, i'm going to reward myself, cause...gosh darnit, this is hard!

so you wanna know who's making me doubt my good intentions, just to eat a cupcake?  it's her fault!!! 

she is good.