Food issues

Kids complain about food sometimes, it's life. But I'm always worried about it. I like to be healthy. I like to eat very little or no packaged food, lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, and not a lot of sugar. I feel like I am from another planet since most people eat lots of packaged food. We eat whole wheat bread, whole wheat noodles and brown rice. I have no candy in my house. I feel like my kids get enough everywhere they go, school, church, relatives, friends. We eat treats here at home, yummy, homemade and mostly healthy. 

Lunches and snacks seem to be the biggest challenge. My kids go to school and when they eat lunch, they are the only ones with anything fresh, and the only ones who don't have a bag of candy in their lunch. They don't like being so different and feel so deprived and wonder why I'm such a freak. We've had many discussions about the why but they don't really care, they're kids and they don't care about heart disease. But my kids rarely get sick. I'd like to think it is because of the way we eat. But this recurring fight isn't fun. Why am I fighting? And when I do finally break down and buy something packaged, I still get complaints. Thoughts from readers?  This is mostly for me to get this out. I feel like giving up but I'm too passionate about healthy eating. Do I need to just give more homemade treats so they always feel like they have a treat?

Thoughts

I'm reading an interesting book, looking for suggestions to help my girls discover who they really are so they aren't defined by things that can slip away or that are just an image. As I'm reading, I'm learning about me, how I was as a child, a teenager, a young adult, a newlywed, a new mother, and now. It's been a little scary but a lot informative. 

I've learned:

I know who I am but I still let other things define me. 

-in high school, I thought of myself as an athlete. In my last year, I didn't play any sports and I knew I wouldn't in college. This was a year of big change for me. I had left old friends and was looking for new ones. I wasn't an athlete any longer so what was I?

-I went to BYU and became a college student. I had ideas of what I could do but my main goal for being there was to find a spouse. I had no desire to work. Having a family was the right thing to do. 

-got married and as I began the new life, I felt list again, struggling to balance my old life and friends with my new married life. 

-had children, completely lost my identity for several years. I knew I was a mom but I wasn't me and it was so hard to be me, who I thought I was or even who I might want to be.  My children still define my life. My life is based on their needs and schedules. I feel that I have a healthy balance now and I'm content with me, mostly. I think I have a glimpse of what a mother feels when all her kids are grown. I can imagine thinking, even when my kids are all in school, who am I and what do I do now?

Maybe by learning more about me I'll be able to better help my kids. And maybe I think entirely too much. Maybe I just need to learn to be more fun. 

More

Music and the spoken word, a musical program put on by the Mormon tabernacle choir every Sunday morning was a big hi light for me. I had never seen it live and it was an amazing spiritual experience for me. Music always helps me feel the spirit. I was sad that our two oldest kids chose not to come. 

We got lots of shopping in, spent a fun night and day with my brother and his family in lehi, spoiled by the parents, lots of down time, an evening with friends. 

We took the kids to a discovery place that was geared for children's learning and fun. 

Stan took Joel and brynn to see an IMAX movie, the Rocky Mountain Express. They all loved it. 

We all were having so much fun, we didn't want to go home so we stayed an extra day. I love Stan's job that gives him a lot of vacation. He works really hard at times but it's nice to have good breaks. 

Christmas break hi-lights

Got to have lunch with my little brother and his great wife!

Got to "live" in SLC for a few days and loved it. Stan's parents live diagonally across the street from temple square. What a treat. 

After a quiet, grateful, and meaningful Christmas Day, we prepared for the drive to Salt Lake City. We drove part way and stayed in a hotel. That is always a fun part for the kids. 

We arrived in Salt Lake City the next day and participated in a Torrie family gathering. It's fun to see everyone. I especially like when we get to do things together in smaller groups, that's my style. Girls had a shopping afternoon with grandma. She likes to buy them dresses.

 

They were 13 if us on that cart. This picture looks unassuming but I had quite the ride holding the wheelchair at the back and the young man driving actually went on the road and was driving faster than I was comfortable with. I wasn't worried about falling off but I was worried about losing or breaking the wheelchair.

Satan's plan vs heavenly fathers plan

I like to force my children to be obedient, especially when it comes to matters of church. We expect them to attend church, have family scriptures, family home evening, personal scriptures, etc. they are still young but we do this in hopes that they will gain the testimony they need to make righteous choices later on. I sometimes feel like I'm doing this incorrectly but haven't come up with a better idea. 

Stories

I'm reading, because I love stories. As I'm reading a particular book today, I realized why I like stories. This is the author quoting what someone said to her: "our stories are what make the difference, and if we can tell them honestly we can hope to help each other. In the end, we have nothing to offer each other but our stories."

I've always been open about my trials and stories of life, without thinking about the why. But I learn so much from other peoples stories. The scriptures, general conference, books of all kinds, friends, blogs, etc. 

this is one purpose of my blog, it's also why I keep a journal. 

Realization

I like the age between 9.5 and 10.5 years of age. It was great with brynn. She was very helpful, did a good job at her chores, loved babysitting.

Joel is at that age right now!  I'm excited for it. He's generally been really good anyway. Maybe I'm being tricked and they all will be entirely different. Or maybe my perception of them will help them to be that good way. If that's the case, I will need to always perceive the best. With heavens help I can do that. 

Christmas break

I want to catch up. We had an awesome Christmas break. I just can't seem to find any pictures. Stan took several videos but no pictures. We are lame. 

The Christmas season was busy with concerts and parties and carolling and spending time with people we love. 

Dec 23- we drove to spokane and for some reason the drive felt like forever. It was pretty snowy but we had a good book to listen to, that helped pass the time. 

I love Target in the U.S.  I was happy to get the last minute gifts I needed plus some 3-5$ clothes for spencer. 

And I found my running shoes on sale for nearly half the price as in Canada. Oh happy day. 

December 24- it was nice to just hang out. We had dinner with my parents at my oldest brother's house. Delicious food and good company, stories of France(my niece just got back from there). We acted out the nativity and opened our Christmas jammies. Happiness and anticipation filled the air. A nice feeling...

Kitchen helpers

This little guy loves to help make "gralola". He must have been really hungry because he was eating lots of it before we even got the sauce mixed in. 

An older helper- 

We've started to have Brynn make dinner  on Tuesdays because she is home and I'm running around while Joel is at cubs. I love it. It's so nice to have a little break. And she is very capable. 

Modern (in)conveniences

I'm grateful for technology in so many ways but over the last two months, I've often found myself frustrated with appliances that I can't fix and don't want to pay someone else to fix. The dishwasher was first. I've been washing dishes by hand for two months now. Not a huge deal but it takes time, something that I value. Next was the vacuum, it works enough to get us by but I feel like the carpet is always dirty. Lastly was the washing machine. The conclusion I've drawn from this last break down is that we have too many clothes. It is impossible to stay on top of the laundry situation with 6 people in the house without the washing machine. I can wear the same clothes multiple times in the winter but kids are dirty. Since the washer got fixed, I've probably done 15 loads or more. We had stuff from before we left for the Christmas break, stuff from while we were gone and the five days after our return. I think today is going to be the day I catch up on laundry. 

Updates soon but here's something to think about

From a conference talk I listened to while doing dishes this morning. "Why does He warn any of us to remove ourselves from a source of danger when He could simply stop the danger from happening?...

Rather than solve the problem Himself, the Lord wants us to develop the faith that will help us rely upon Him in solving our problems and trust Him. Then we can feel His love more constantly, more powerfully, more clearly, and more personally. We become united with Him, and we can become like Him.  (Drawing Closer to God)

Another thought about the same subject...

I just started reading a book by Virginia Pearce called 'A Heart Like His'. The subtitle is making space for God's love in your life. 

It is easy to feel pressured to do more. I've worked hard over the last several years to try to simplify a lot of things on my life but I have such a passion for learning and bettering myself that I sometimes get carried away with my plan and forget about God's plan for me. 

After reading the first chapter of the book, I'm already inspired. The main point to me was that I could open my heart to others without DOING anything extra. That in turn would help me to feel God's love more and help others to feel it too.