Better Peanut Butter

My tip for the week is to skip the regular PB in your smoothies, and use natural PB instead. It should only have peanuts and salt, no sugar or other additives. The great thing about natural peanut butter is that the peanut oil rises to the top, so you can dump out that oil and eliminate all that fat and calories really easily. The brand of PB in my cupboard now says 3/4 of the calories come from fat, so if you can eliminate even some of that fat, then why not? Don't go out and buy reduced fat pb though, as they usually add things like sugar to compensate.

Over did it.

Ugh, weekends are my downfall. I over-indulged and now I feel bloated, uncomfortable, and gross. For brunch my husband brought home one if my former favorite treats, donuts and Long Johns! It was such a thoughtful gesture, how could I refuse? Ha! As if I've ever refused a donut before? I doubt it! Well, now I feel  like this, and I don't think they were worth it any more. Hopefully I learned my lesson.

Two at a Time

       Isn't it interesting how quickly two good choices turn into three or four good choices? Just one good choice could go either way and be used as an excuse to indulge later, but If I make two good choices in a row? I don't want those good decisions to go to waste! I think a good goal for someone wanting to get healthier would be to make at least 2 healthy choices each day. They could be small things like skipping sugar in your coffee and going for a walk around the block, or eating fruit when you'd normally have something processed.

       It's been 6 1/2 weeks now, I'm down 9 pounds (though my loose clothes make it seem like more), and my gut is MUCH happier. Yesterday and today I've had a ton of energy in the morning. I am NOT a morning person, so any time I feel energized in the morning, it's a noteworthy event. 

   What good decisions will you make today?

Three weeks down...

And I've lost another two pounds! I haven't been eating as well as I'd like as far as processed foods are concerned. One night I had pizza, another I had ice cream, etc. and as a result, I've felt pretty tired this week and I've had a lot of carb cravings. It's important to have wiggle room in a diet so it is sustainable, but I hate how a treat is never just a one time indulgence. I always pay for indulgences in cravings for a few days after.

   I got tired of eating salads for dinner this week and tried a new recipe (apple sweet potato bake) and it was delicious! It wasn't as sweet as most people would probably like, but the honey made this awesome chewy caramel on the bottom of the pan that was so good! I'll definitely make it again.

http://livesimply.me/2013/11/11/apple-sweet-potato-bake/

   I also tried a few tweaks to my smoothies this week. I ran out of kale and spinach, so I used fresh snow peas instead; I couldn't taste any difference. I used dry roasted, unsalted peanuts instead of PB. They have no added sugar or oils, and tasted pretty much the same. Another change was, I used low fat cottage cheese in lieu of plain Greek yogurt. Sounds gross, right? It isn't. Once it's all blended together, it's creamier and less tangy than plain yogurt, otherwise, there's not a big difference in taste or texture.

   So, while I lost weight the past three weeks, my breast-fed baby suddenly gained a pound and a half! He gained only a handful of ounces over five weeks, now all of a sudden, he's packing it on! I'd like to think that it has something to do with how I'm eating, but I suppose it's just as likely a growth spurt. :) Either way, it's a relief!

Two weeks down...

And I feel good. I've lost five pounds, I'm not taking allergy medicine every day anymore, and I feel less irritable most of the time. I also feel more alert and less forgetful. That being said, I'm pretty sleepy today. I'm sure it has nothing to do with staying up late, or being woken up 2-3 times by the baby. ;) Today for breakfast I had a smoothie with cucumber, banana, soy milk, Greek yogurt, green tea ice cubes, chia seeds, parsley, PB, and honey. I've never put cucumber in a smoothie before, but it wasn't bad. Things like chia seeds, cucumber, parsley, cilantro, aloe, and green tea are supposed to be good for detoxing, so I try to add them in. For lunch I had a big plate of raw veggies, dip, and a handful of almonds.

I'm awake.

It's the beginning of day 14, I've been up since 6am, and I feel awake. Anyone who knows me, knows that I'm not really up and mentally ready for the day until 10am and after a travel mug or two of coffee, but not today! Even last week when I was up early and taking Chris to work, I felt drowsy on the way home and took a nap once we got home most days. Today, I got home and did chores. Wait, what!? It's unheard of! I allowed myself/caved last night and had a small bowl of ice cream, and woke up this morning with a headache. Are they related? I have no idea. I thought it might be caffeine withdrawal, so I made coffee, but only drank 1/2 a cup because it tasted too sweet with my usual amount of creamer. I had the same reaction to a fruit Popsicle the other day. It's funny how quickly our tastes can change.  I'm starting off my day with a smoothie instead, made with kale, chia seeds, banana, green tea ice cubes, soy milk, PB, Greek yogurt, and a little honey and vanilla. Tastes great!

Little Victories

I have been eating vegetarian for thirteen days now, and today was the first day I really struggled with cravings. My husband wanted fried chicken for dinner, and the breading smelled so good! After avoiding that, I wanted chocolate, sweets, anything full of sugar. I had almonds and an apple with peanut butter instead. Two victories for me. I also skipped coffee today. Shocking! Despite being up late and waking up with the kids 2-3 times last night, I woke up feeling awake (for a change). How about that?

Sugar-holic to Plant Eater

On June 11, 2014 I began my journey from sugar-dependence to a plant-based, vegetarian diet. I have been addicted to sugar and carbs most of my life, and my body shows it and feels it. Type 2 diabetes runs rampant in my family, and I've been on the verge of it myself (with Insulin Resistance) for the past ten years. I've considered gastric bypass, but I didn't feel that it would solve my problem permenantly. I've tried weight watchers, low carb, Atkins, and  eating a diabetic diet, but I've always gained the weight back. I have been carrying around an extra person for a long time, and I'm tired. Enough is enough. I decided to make a drastic change in my diet, starting with cutting out meat, and weaning off processed foods and sugar. I am eating a diet of mainly fruit, vegetables, seeds, nuts, and a small amount of dairy/eggs and maybe the occasional seafood. My goal is to eventually be full vegan, and in a healthy body. This is my journey to back-to-basics eating.

Kids say the darnedest things, don't they?

 Especially this little boy of mine. The quote of the day at our house is this:

(Wee One shoves his hand under my butt) "Toot on my hand! I like it stinky!" (giggles)

What the...?

Saturday's inappropriate conversation was:

"I love your nipples."
Me: "Thank you, but I still don't want you touching them."

Birthday Traditions & Candy cake

Wee One turned 3 years old in October, and we started a new birthday tradition to celebrate. The night before his birthday I decorated the house with balloons and a banner, and when he woke up on his birthday he got a balloon with a dollar in it for each year old he is.

Score! He thought it was pretty cool to get all those dollars! It was a nice start to a special day.

Later that morning we had a simple brunch birthday party with his friends. The boy loves chocolate and candy, so I made him this chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, Kit Kats and M&Ms. Needless to say, it was a big hit with the kids. 

I got the idea from Recipe Girl. 

Does your family celebrate with any special birthday traditions?

Pants Upcycle

My husband came home from work last week with a lovely rip in the crotch of his Dockers. I couldn't repair them because of where the tear was, so I threw them away. 

Wait!

I remembered that I have a sewing machine, and a toddler that could use more pants, so out of the garbage they came. I used the same concept from this post, and in less than an hour, the wee one had a new pair of pants.

I bribed him with a balloon and candy to try to get him to stand still for a picture.

Clearly, it didn't work.

For these pants I used the thigh areas of the ripped adult pants (because there was little wear to the fabric there), and instead of a cuff, I hemmed the bottom. I also added two pockets to the back, and one on the side of each leg. Save yourself some grief, and remember to sew the pockets on before you assemble the pants!

They are a bit boring, so I used brighter blue thread around the pockets to add some interest.

Apparently they're comfy play pants, and have plenty of pockets for treasures.

Cost: Free 

I used up-cycled fabric, and left-over thread and elastic from previous projects.

Is it raining in here?

Hey there, remember me? Yeah, I'm still around, though on a crafting/creating hiatus for the summer.

We've been much too busy picking flowers,

playing with our friends,

playing basketball in the rain,

going to the beach and festivals,

and playing pranks at work.

We've also been potty trained for a couple of months now. Uh-that is to say, we were potty trained. Last week my husband got a job (Yay! Finally!) and the Wee One has been spending time with me and at friends' houses when I have to work. He's been showing his displeasure with the new situation by having "accidents." I expect an accident here and there, especially when out and about, but the past week he's peeing more out of the potty than in it. Case in point...this morning he turned on the fan, stood in front of it, and peed into the breeze. 

Oh. My. God. 

Half my living room now has a light coating of toddler pee spray. I didn't know if I should laugh or cry, so instead I handed him paper towels, and continued drinking my coffee like it was the most natural thing in the world. Sigh.

Don't cry over spilled...cheerios?

I have a 2  1/2 year old who makes messes.

This morning the mess was spilled cheerios (see them behind him?).

That same toddler also refused to pick up said cheerios.

Rather than freak out, what do I do?

Give him a string with tape on one end and a cheerio tied to the other. 

All of a sudden he has a fun game of making a necklace and 

he's working on fine motor skills and inadvertently picking up the mess.

Everyone wins. :)

Kids say the darnedest things...

Every so often the little guy says something that gives me a glimpse of just how much more he knows than I realize. Yesterday while browsing the consignment store, he runs to the next booth pointing and yelling "Pan-eh! Pan-eh!" I look over and he's jumping and pointing to a globe- the planet! I think maybe it's a fluke, but I get it down for him to see and  he says it again! Then he smiles, points up, and says "Moon!" Woah! This kid blows me a away!

Movers and Shakers

I love moving!

 I don't however, like packing. We are moving out of our apartment complex  in six days and into a single family home. I couldn't be more excited! It only has one bathroom, but it has a full basement, garage, yard and shed to compensate! 

 Right now I'm at that point where I have a coat closet full of packed boxes, empty boxes all over the house, and no clue what to pack next. Don't you hate that part of moving? "I can't pack the bathroom yet because we will use it. I can't pack the kitchen yet....what can I pack?!" Naturally, my solution is to sit on my butt and pack nothing. Makes a lot of sense, right? :) 

We are in the middle of the "Terrible Twos" here in Michigan, and I'm about ready to tear my hair out some days.

 I don't know if it's just my little man or all toddlers, but this little boy is a holy terror for me, yet sweet as sugar for others! He charms everyone he meets, yet at home he enjoys tormenting me by  biting, kicking, licking my face, and doing whatever else he knows will push my buttons. I REALLY hope this is just a short phase he will be growing out of soon! He was mid-tantrum tonight, flailing on the floor because I put a lid on his sippy cup (the nerve of me!), and I found myself on the verge of giving in and letting him roam around the house with an open juice cup. I caught myself, and said out loud, "I'm the mom here and I make the rules! We don't negotiate with terrorists...um...toddlers." It's not a good day when you confuse your toddler with a terrorist.

T.P. rolls + Christmas = ?

Have you seen all the awesome things being done with toilet paper rolls around blogland?

Check out these awesome party favors from Crissy's Crafts.

And the teacher gifts she made too!

Awesome, right? It made me hesitate before throwing out those used TP rolls, so I've accumulated about 30 just waiting to be inspired. Yes, my husband thinks I'm insane for saving them. 

Today, inspiration hit! I'm going to use them to make an amazing, hand made, up-cycled, advent calendar! That has got to be the most unique idea ever, right?!

Right?

Not so much. 

These next three were all made by Maya* Made

         

and this beautiful set below was made by Brown Paper Packages

Love! 

Ok, so my brilliant idea was thought up by many others first, but I still think it's quite brilliant never-the-less. 

Are you inspired yet?  

Spaghetti Squash Seeds

Today I learned that you can roast spaghetti squash seeds. Did you know that? I wasn't very optimistic about it, but I did it anyway, and yum! Mine were a lot more tender than pumpkin seeds (which I really liked), and they have a bit of a popcorn taste to them. I won't be throwing away the seeds next time I roast any kind of winter squash! Give it a try. Here is one recipe to try, though I didn't use any oil on mine. Enjoy!

T-shirt Up-cycle Take: 2, Footstool Slipcover

If you've ever had young kids you know what a mess they can make in the time it takes you to turn around. This poor foot stool began its life in our home with an ugly, dirty, beige fabric and very deteriorated foam. I didn't take a picture, so you'll have to take my word for it. It was actually worse than this at one point...barely. 

I'm sure you didn't miss all those chocolate milk stains on the white canvas fabric? Silly me, I re-covered, and re-stuffed the foot stool, planning on sewing a slip cover that could be taken off and thrown in the wash. Yeah...enter a shorter than usual nap, and a toddler with chocolate milk.  Sigh Clearly the slip cover could wait no longer! 

Enter a t-shirt that doesn't fit in a darker color, and I've got a simple, durable slipcover that can be tossed in the wash as needed, and as a bonus, less wrinkles from cringing every time i saw that chocolate milk. 

T-shirt Up-cycle

We've got stacks of old, stained, holey t-shirts around here that I can't bring myself to throw away. A couple have been cut up into cleaning rags, but come on, how many cleaning rags do you need?

My solution...

I cut those puppies into long strips and turned them into "yarn," then taught myself how to crochet a rag rug. Seriously.

It's not even close to being perfect, but I made it myself, and I love it! It fits great in front of the sink or stove in the kitchen. 

I've been wanting to make a rag rug for awhile now, but the idea of sewing coils and coils of braided fabric together makes me want to scream. Plus, I prefer rectangular rugs, so I learned to crochet instead!

I used YouTube to learn a simple single crochet stitch, and went to town with it. Each color is a whole t-shirt (between 2x and 4x sizes) cut into strips, so my pile is 7 shirts shorter!

 I was inspired by this rug made by Cassandra from Flight of the Pook out of bed sheets:

source

and this awesome denim rug from Alison King made from 100 lbs. of up-cycled jeans. Holy moly. I Love it!

source

Maybe I'll use denim for the next rug. For now, keep your eye out for more t-shirt up-cycle projects to come!