So folks, I figure you all deserve an update as to how my vegetarian challenge is going.
As far as dinner and breakfast goes, I've been doing awesome. The last meals I've made with meat were ham for Easter, beef stew for Valentine's Day, and turkey for Christmas (I didn't make it). I've been enjoying lots of beans, although it admittedly has been a little stinky around our house lately, if you know what I mean.. I've been utilizing different cookbooks, like Pasta Revolution, Bean by Bean, and ATK's Healthy Family Cookbook.
However, I did start to feel deprived at work. They recently changed their cafeteria to a quick-service style cafe, so there are no daily specials, just constant, never-changing menu items. Instead of having something different to pick from every day, I had limited myself to just a few vegetarian items (with some of them not being healthy at all): tofu stir-fry, cheese quesadilla, veggie burger, grilled cheese sandwich, make-your-own salad, and veggie wrap. I was getting SO sick of the food (and I wasn't going to start bringing my own lunch because I get free food), I considered ditching the whole vegetarian concept. Plus, I started gaining back the weight I'd lost when I stopped breastfeeding. Scared at the number on the scale and frustrated at my self-imposed diet restriction, I decided to make my own compromise: I can eat meat at lunch only. So, now I eat salads with grilled chicken breast and deli meat sandwiches. Believe me, it's all made all of the difference. I don't feel as deprived, and I'm losing that weight (but that's a different story anyways).
Graham and I have come to the conclusion that we don't even really feel deprived with our dinner choices, which has definitely been an adaptation. We've made the change to "mostly meatless", which I am absolutely happy about. I eat less fast food, I try to choose more organic and natural forms of foods, I only eat hamburgers twice a year (which is definitely a big thing for me), and I feel like I'm making a *small* impact on a food system that is so corrupt and flawed. If you want to know which movies that have changed the way I view food and health, watch the videos Food Inc and Forks Over Knives. At the very least, you'll be more mindful of what you eat, especially when you visit a fast food restaurant.
Anyways, I promised a while ago to post a recipe for amazing corn muffins, so I'll do that next time, along with the story about me getting healthy and physically fit. I think I just used that phrase because I heard that song on Madagascar, "I like to move it move it". Until then.. I'll see you later.
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Monday, April 9, 2012
Monday, March 26, 2012
Things I detest...
Just for the sake of ranting a bit, I am making a list of things I absolutely detest… without good reason. I just can’t explain my hatred of these items, so I’m just putting this list out there. Sorry if this list includes you or something you do. I can’t help it.
--Cars that look like toasters.
--The stickers you put on cars that indicate how many members of your family you have (I’ve seen turtles, flip flops, etc); little cartoon drawings of your family members (I’ve seen one of a family that the 3-year old boy is throwing a football. Seriously? The kid is just learning how to write letters, let alone play football.); or the Disney family stickers with the family wearing Mickey Mouse ears. Gag. Oh, if these stickers are put on a toaster-car, that means we could never be friends. Ever.
--Along with the last one, Disney freaks.
--Those shoes with separate holes for each toe. I think they’re called Vibram Finger something? They’re like a combination of 2 things I hate: toe socks and Crocs.
--Two-piece bathing suits for babies and little girls. I also strongly dislike topless or naked baby photos. Unless the baby is being born or in a bath, it’s just kind of weird to me.
--Hawaiian leis or graduation tassels hanging from a rearview mirror.
--The use of excessive exclamation points and capital LeTTers!!!!
--People who constantly update their status on Facebook. I try to limit mine to 2 posts per week, 3 on a busy one.. but seriously.. do you need to update more than once in a day??
--Stuffed animals in car windows. Just a simple question.. why?
I'll probably add to this at some point.. but it had to be said.
--Cars that look like toasters.
--The stickers you put on cars that indicate how many members of your family you have (I’ve seen turtles, flip flops, etc); little cartoon drawings of your family members (I’ve seen one of a family that the 3-year old boy is throwing a football. Seriously? The kid is just learning how to write letters, let alone play football.); or the Disney family stickers with the family wearing Mickey Mouse ears. Gag. Oh, if these stickers are put on a toaster-car, that means we could never be friends. Ever.
--Along with the last one, Disney freaks.
--Those shoes with separate holes for each toe. I think they’re called Vibram Finger something? They’re like a combination of 2 things I hate: toe socks and Crocs.
--Two-piece bathing suits for babies and little girls. I also strongly dislike topless or naked baby photos. Unless the baby is being born or in a bath, it’s just kind of weird to me.
--Hawaiian leis or graduation tassels hanging from a rearview mirror.
--The use of excessive exclamation points and capital LeTTers!!!!
--People who constantly update their status on Facebook. I try to limit mine to 2 posts per week, 3 on a busy one.. but seriously.. do you need to update more than once in a day??
--Stuffed animals in car windows. Just a simple question.. why?
I'll probably add to this at some point.. but it had to be said.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Carter's going to be a big brother!
Hahaha.. just kidding. I was just trying to catch your attention! I thought with all of the pregnant women I know right now that I'd fit right in.
Anyways, no, not pregnant. Not in the plans for a few years until Graham is done with school..
I’ve been slacking about blogging about our family’s activities way too much! Since most of you live far away and have little chance to see Carter in person or get to know him, I’m going to try to describe his personality so you can feel like you know him a little bit.
--Carter is a mischievous boy. He loves to do things that may “get him in trouble”. He knew he wasn’t supposed to press the cable box buttons, but he would stand in front of it and pretend he wasn’t going to touch anything. Then, he would crouch down and sneakily touch the buttons and pop back up, laughing hysterically. Graham ended up putting a clear Plexiglas cover over the cable box, so the joke is on you Carter.
--Along with the first trait, Carter loves to play and has a good sense of humor. He loves to be chased and sneak up on mommy with dad. He once was hiding behind the door in his room, playing hide and seek with Graham. When Graham poked his head around the door, Carter hit him in the face with a dirty diaper that was on the floor.
--Now that Carter is walking, all he wants to do is walk. No playing with trucks, no puzzles, no stories.. just walking. He does laps around our kitchen and living room, stopping along the way to open cabinets and cupboards and exploring the unknown.
--His favorite words now are “thank you”, “uh oh”, and “amen”. He finally says mommy!
--He semi-folds his arms for prayers, which is adorable. He knows baby signs, like “want”, “more”, “all done/gone”, and walks to the fridge if he wants some milk.
--Carter is actually a cautious child, which is strange considering he is Graham’s son. He will army crawl up to the top of the stairs and peer down, never letting go of the top stair with his hands. I guess his caution is why he didn’t walk until 14 months old!
--He loves to drink the water from his toothbrush every night, which is kind of disgusting.
--When he is tired, he is DONE with everything. He will fuss, close the book we’ve been reading, and point to his bed. No singing or humming is allowed once he’s done this.. believe me—I’ve tried.
--Morning Carter is my favorite Carter. He’ll play in his crib usually until we get him, mumbling in his crazy baby talk or sometimes repeatedly calling out “daddy”. He is all smiles, and will sometimes play tag in his crib (i.e. he will run/crawl from us when we try to pick him up). He also likes to pretend to go back to sleep. He’ll lie down, grab his blanket and turn on his sound machine giraffe.
--Carter is a skinny little guy! At his 15 month appt, he was only 19.2 lbs (<3rd percentile) and 31 inches (50th percentile). He gained enough weight that he doesn’t need to see a Dietitian (like I would go see one anyways hah), but he’s just a little guy. His head circumference continues to be in the 50th percentile, so Graham calls Carter a balloon, like Mr. Mackey on South Park.
--Carter’s favorite foods: cheese, chocolate (of course), beans, and bread. Dislikes: deli meat, pork, and pasta (I mean seriously, what kid doesn’t like pasta??).
Anyways, I’ll keep updating as much as I can.
Anyways, no, not pregnant. Not in the plans for a few years until Graham is done with school..
I’ve been slacking about blogging about our family’s activities way too much! Since most of you live far away and have little chance to see Carter in person or get to know him, I’m going to try to describe his personality so you can feel like you know him a little bit.
--Carter is a mischievous boy. He loves to do things that may “get him in trouble”. He knew he wasn’t supposed to press the cable box buttons, but he would stand in front of it and pretend he wasn’t going to touch anything. Then, he would crouch down and sneakily touch the buttons and pop back up, laughing hysterically. Graham ended up putting a clear Plexiglas cover over the cable box, so the joke is on you Carter.
--Along with the first trait, Carter loves to play and has a good sense of humor. He loves to be chased and sneak up on mommy with dad. He once was hiding behind the door in his room, playing hide and seek with Graham. When Graham poked his head around the door, Carter hit him in the face with a dirty diaper that was on the floor.
--Now that Carter is walking, all he wants to do is walk. No playing with trucks, no puzzles, no stories.. just walking. He does laps around our kitchen and living room, stopping along the way to open cabinets and cupboards and exploring the unknown.
--His favorite words now are “thank you”, “uh oh”, and “amen”. He finally says mommy!
--He semi-folds his arms for prayers, which is adorable. He knows baby signs, like “want”, “more”, “all done/gone”, and walks to the fridge if he wants some milk.
--Carter is actually a cautious child, which is strange considering he is Graham’s son. He will army crawl up to the top of the stairs and peer down, never letting go of the top stair with his hands. I guess his caution is why he didn’t walk until 14 months old!
--He loves to drink the water from his toothbrush every night, which is kind of disgusting.
--When he is tired, he is DONE with everything. He will fuss, close the book we’ve been reading, and point to his bed. No singing or humming is allowed once he’s done this.. believe me—I’ve tried.
--Morning Carter is my favorite Carter. He’ll play in his crib usually until we get him, mumbling in his crazy baby talk or sometimes repeatedly calling out “daddy”. He is all smiles, and will sometimes play tag in his crib (i.e. he will run/crawl from us when we try to pick him up). He also likes to pretend to go back to sleep. He’ll lie down, grab his blanket and turn on his sound machine giraffe.
--Carter is a skinny little guy! At his 15 month appt, he was only 19.2 lbs (<3rd percentile) and 31 inches (50th percentile). He gained enough weight that he doesn’t need to see a Dietitian (like I would go see one anyways hah), but he’s just a little guy. His head circumference continues to be in the 50th percentile, so Graham calls Carter a balloon, like Mr. Mackey on South Park.
--Carter’s favorite foods: cheese, chocolate (of course), beans, and bread. Dislikes: deli meat, pork, and pasta (I mean seriously, what kid doesn’t like pasta??).
Anyways, I’ll keep updating as much as I can.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Pure Humiliation
So, I had a pretty embarrassing experience last weekend when my family was here to visit. They fortunately were not witnesses to the event…
Background: Carter doesn’t nap well when we get off our schedule or when family is visiting, so he was kind of being a turd Saturday afternoon at my sister’s house. He was tired, cranky, and getting over a cold. He still had a runny nose, so he managed to wipe some snotty patches on my shirt and pants. I put on a sweater hoping to hide those snot patches when we went out to dinner.
We went to a family-friend BBQ place for dinner, thankfully, but Carter wasn’t having it. He wanted to be inside, outside, up, down, whatever.. he just wasn’t happy. He also managed to get some smears of BBQ sauce on my clothes after eating. Finally, he found something that distracted him—little packs of flavored coffee creamers. I was holding him as he chewed on one of those, relieved that he’d finally stopped fussing.
The quiet we enjoyed for a few moments was short-lived. As you could probably guess, he managed to pop open the hazelnut-flavored coffee creamer, which squirted all over me and Carter. So now, I had snot, BBQ sauce and coffee creamer all over my clothes in little patches. I probably did smell delicious though..
Even though I had these patches on my clothes, I decided that I still was going to stop by Macy’s to get some much-needed makeup powder. I took off my sweater with the hope that my shirt looked better, and that I would still be able to get service at the makeup counter. Graham took Carter home, so I went to the store by myself. If Carter had been there, these things would be explainable to a salesperson.
At the Benefit makeup counter, the girl kept giving me weird looks. I thought it was because she was a Shiseido makeup girl. When she brought the mirror to look at the different colors of powder on my cheek, I gasped. I had a large smear of BBQ sauce on my cheek. I tried to wipe off my cheek as best as I could, but the damage was already done. I bought my makeup powder and decided to try my luck in the Impulse section with a couple of new shirts.
In the dressing room, I turned to face the mirror as I put on my first shirt. To my horror, I had a huge piece of meat stuck in my front tooth! (Yes meat, I do eat it occasionally.. BBQ was too irresistible.) Anyways, I swallowed my pride (and food) and went to the shoe department and bought 2 pairs of shoes.
Background: Carter doesn’t nap well when we get off our schedule or when family is visiting, so he was kind of being a turd Saturday afternoon at my sister’s house. He was tired, cranky, and getting over a cold. He still had a runny nose, so he managed to wipe some snotty patches on my shirt and pants. I put on a sweater hoping to hide those snot patches when we went out to dinner.
We went to a family-friend BBQ place for dinner, thankfully, but Carter wasn’t having it. He wanted to be inside, outside, up, down, whatever.. he just wasn’t happy. He also managed to get some smears of BBQ sauce on my clothes after eating. Finally, he found something that distracted him—little packs of flavored coffee creamers. I was holding him as he chewed on one of those, relieved that he’d finally stopped fussing.
The quiet we enjoyed for a few moments was short-lived. As you could probably guess, he managed to pop open the hazelnut-flavored coffee creamer, which squirted all over me and Carter. So now, I had snot, BBQ sauce and coffee creamer all over my clothes in little patches. I probably did smell delicious though..
Even though I had these patches on my clothes, I decided that I still was going to stop by Macy’s to get some much-needed makeup powder. I took off my sweater with the hope that my shirt looked better, and that I would still be able to get service at the makeup counter. Graham took Carter home, so I went to the store by myself. If Carter had been there, these things would be explainable to a salesperson.
At the Benefit makeup counter, the girl kept giving me weird looks. I thought it was because she was a Shiseido makeup girl. When she brought the mirror to look at the different colors of powder on my cheek, I gasped. I had a large smear of BBQ sauce on my cheek. I tried to wipe off my cheek as best as I could, but the damage was already done. I bought my makeup powder and decided to try my luck in the Impulse section with a couple of new shirts.
In the dressing room, I turned to face the mirror as I put on my first shirt. To my horror, I had a huge piece of meat stuck in my front tooth! (Yes meat, I do eat it occasionally.. BBQ was too irresistible.) Anyways, I swallowed my pride (and food) and went to the shoe department and bought 2 pairs of shoes.
Monday, January 30, 2012
My new favorite vegetarian recipe
So, Pinterest hasn't been too good for my diet. I've tried wayyyy too many sweets and delicious stuff. However, I found a vegetarian taco soup that freaking rocked. We tried it tonight and it was awesome. I mean seriously, we raved about it. I've totally missed my ground beef taco soup with crushed tortilla chips, so this is a good substitute. Plus, this got Graham to eat brown rice, which he has sworn off forever!
Go check it out: Vegetarian Taco Soup
You're welcome!
Go check it out: Vegetarian Taco Soup
You're welcome!
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Yeah, about that..
Let's just say I've gotten behind in my blogging.
I know, I've received hundred of e-mails from devoted fans asking me to return to blog about my life with my delightful stories and insights.. Please, Sherri, just one more blog entry..
Anyways, this is a short one as Carter has awoken from his slumber.. But I shall return.
Here are some picture of Carter to pacify you in the meantime..
I know, I've received hundred of e-mails from devoted fans asking me to return to blog about my life with my delightful stories and insights.. Please, Sherri, just one more blog entry..
Anyways, this is a short one as Carter has awoken from his slumber.. But I shall return.
Here are some picture of Carter to pacify you in the meantime..
Carter opening his Christmas Eve present.. which was...
Christmas pajamas!
Carter and Brynn playing.
Carter really does have the cutest smile..
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Oh Christmas Tree..
My sister is starting a new tradition to go and cut down a tree every year. In Folsom, we were too far from the tree farms to do that (plus, my mom has a fake tree), but here in Washington, there are tree farms everywhere.
So last Saturday, we got all bundled up for a cold, foggy morning here in Seattle. We met my sister at the tree farm out in the sticks, and got ready to saw down the tree. My sister brought some lovely hot apple caramel cider in mugs, which helped warm us up a little.
So last Saturday, we got all bundled up for a cold, foggy morning here in Seattle. We met my sister at the tree farm out in the sticks, and got ready to saw down the tree. My sister brought some lovely hot apple caramel cider in mugs, which helped warm us up a little.
Carter and Graham look at a nice Noble Fir
A random family picture
Carter thinks I'm being silly!
So, we had a very nice morning, and helped my sister put up her tree. It was a fun tradition that we hope to continue. It would be nice to get our own.. especially if Graham weren't allergic to trees!
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