21 Days of Gratitude: Teaching Gratitude by Giving

Day 9: Today I'm grateful for the opportunity to give to or serve others, and that we are blessed with the resources to do so.

If there's one thing I fear, it's raising an ungrateful child. Probably because I was one. No really. It's embarrassing. And I'm praying history does not repeat itself and going to great lengths to make sure it doesn't!

While I was thinking about my post for the 21 Days of Gratitude, I kept coming back to teaching my children gratitude. And what better way to teach my children gratitude than my giving? But I don't mean giving things to them. I mean giving to others.

As I drove home from a social event tonight, I suddenly thought, "I wonder what would happen if I asked Sweet P every morning, 'How can we bless someone today?" How can we thank God for our blessings by blessing someone else? She might not get it at first, but after a few weeks (maybe even days), I think she might start asking me.

When we started Baby Bear Preschool this year we started with a word of the week. The first week was Share and the next week was Thankful. I put these together and we read a devotional that talked about being thankful for your food because many children don't have enough food to eat. That week we talked a lot about being thankful and thinking of ways we could show our gratitude by blessing others. I often say, "We can show God we are grateful for what He has given us by giving to others." We ended up taking food to a local food bank that month (and plan to do so monthly) and while I'm not sure Sweet P understood, it planted a seed.

I receive Samaritan's Purse Gift Catalog so I sat down with Sweet P and showed her the different items we could buy to help other children or families who don't have enough food, clothing or resources. She chose to donate milk and a blanket with her own piggy bank money, and again a seed was planted.

Each year our church does Operation Christmas Child. This is our 3rd year participating and I have fallen in love with this ministry. It's a ministry that even a toddler can take part in. Our church supplies the boxes and we do the filling. If you're not familiar with OCC, please click here. We only took one box home because I was taking the bulk of the stuff I'd saved all year just for this to my MOPS packing party (which was SUCH an amazing experience).

Last Friday our Family Fun night involved going to Wal-Mart to pick out a few more items to pack in our box. Sweet P decided on some pencils and pens, we picked up a few toiletries and bought undergarments and a pair of shoes. When we got home I realized we'd bought undergarments for a very young child and a pair of shoes for an older child. I thought about taking the shoes back to return them, but then decided we'd just pack another box. We talked with Sweet P about how OCC worked as we shopped and chose items. Because Sweet P is a girl, we chose a girl to pack for and she kept asking "What's that little girl's name?"

It was late when we returned from shopping so we fed the kids and put them to bed with promises to fill the box in the morning. It was one of the first things Sweet P wanted to do when she got up and she gathered all the items (along with the box), and took them to the living room. Distracted by a phone call, I didn't sit down right away, and when I came into the living room she had packed everything into the box. We did a little rearranging (that's when we realized we had enough to do another box) and she taped the label to the lid before marking an X next to the age range.

We prayed over the boxes (and I guess it got lengthy because she finally said, "Stop.") and I wondered how much she understood. Again, she asked me "What's that little girl's name?"

Sunday morning, we dropped off our boxes at church and the seed was planted. She asked me again sometime at the beginning of the week about the little girl's name and then I thought she'd somewhat forgotten OCC because she hadn't mentioned it in a few days. Until tonight.

When I got home from the social event, I relieved my sweet babysitter and went up to check on Sweet P since her light was still on. To my surprise she was still awake so I snuggled in next to her and asked her how the night went. She sat up and pointed to a pile in the chair next to her bed and said:

"I packed Christmas Child boxes with toys for Beary (her stuffed very loved bear) and Baby Roogie (Beary's baby brother who is still in their mama's tummy-according to Sweet P) because they don't have very much clothes. Baby Roogie only has just one outfit so I packed some of my clothes for him. And Beary only has just one onesie to wear."

My heart melted and I told her that I loved her sweet, kind heart. Then, I asked if I could see what was in the "boxes" (they were two little homemade zippered pillows sans stuffing that my Nana made). The first contained several items of her clothes and the other had headbands and hats in it. My heart bubbled over as I thought of her sitting in her room alone filling these bags full of items to give to others (pretend or otherwise). She was, of course, supposed to be sleeping, but we'll let it slide.

And the seed began to grow.



It's not too late to participate in Operation Christmas Child -- in fact, next week is collection week so you've got some time to get a box and get packin' (click to the link above to find out how to participate in your area). OCC is an amazing ministry for children around the world, but it's not the only way to show gratitude by giving. Serving or giving others doesn't have to be monetary either. Here are a few more ways to show gratitude for your own blessings by giving:

• Visit a local nursing home as often as possible, especially during the holidays (we are doing this for the first time today)
• Participate in Toys for Tots
• Serve at a soup kitchen
• Take a meal to a friend
• Donate gently used games and/or puzzles to a local youth shelter
• Take food to a local food bank
• Volunteer at your local food bank
• Bake a pie, a cake or cookies for your neighbor (preferably one you don't know!)
• Participate in Meals for the Heartland (or something like it)
• Sponsor a child through Compassion International
• Send thank you notes to those who serve you (local fire station, mail carrier, librarian)

Want more ideas? Want to share yours? Check out #blog4cause (Little Hands can make a Big Difference), an idea created by the minds of Amy of TeachMama, Allison of No Time for Flashcards and Amanda at Not Just Cute. Read more about it, then link up how you're making a difference in the world.

I pray that by teaching my children to give, they'll learn to be grateful for and not take for granted our blessings. 

I'm sharing November 9th with the adorable mama♥miss so pop over to read her gratitude post today! So grateful for the Kids Blogger Network and the opportunity to be part of Inspired By Family's 21 Days of Gratitude.

In a world of negativity, it's a breath of fresh air to stop and count your blessings.  How can you bless someone today?

21 Days of Gratitude: Day 1 - Mornings with God

Every night before I go to bed I set my alarm and tell myself (and God), "ok, I'm going to get up tomorrow and take time to talk to God." I put my alarm clock (my phone) under my pillow (or across the room if it's charging) with every intention of jumping out of bed, ready to spend time with the Big Fella when it goes off.

And 6 mornings out of 7 (okay, if I'm being honest it's more like 7 out of 7), I hit snooze, roll over and go back to sleep. I wake up an hour (or more) later to the sound of a talking (or fussing) Sprout and say, "Argh, oh well, I'll do better tomorrow." But I don't.

So after oh, I don't know, like 20 years of doing this, I woke up Tuesday morning (an hour after the alarm) and had a thought.

What if I treated God like I'd treat a friend? Not just any friend. A BEST friend.

Better yet, what if I treated my best friend the way I've been treating God every morning? What if I made plans to meet my friend for coffee every morning and confirmed those plans each night before I went to bed? How long would my friend tolerate a text from me every morning to say "Sorry, can't make it, too tired"?

I thought about it long and hard, and decided I could probably get away with it for two days in a row before my friend began to rethink our plans. I mean sure, she'd probably agree with my excuses for awhile..."The baby was up a lot last night so I'm reeeeally tired today" or "I went to bed too late last night, sorry." But even if she tolerated my excuses, they are still exactly that. Excuses.

At first, she'd likely be understanding. She might ask if I needed a phone call in the morning or if everything was alright. Pretty soon, she'd text or call and say, "Dude, what's your deal?" or "Look, if you're not committed to getting up and having coffee, then just forget it." or maybe something worse like, "Geez, who stands their friend up EVERY SINGLE MORNING? What kind of friend are you?!?"

Then it hit me. I wouldn't do that to a friend. I wouldn't even do that to a stranger. So WHY oh WHY do I do it to my God? And what made me feel even worse was that He wouldn't call me a flake or tell me I was a terrible friend. He'd keep agreeing to meet me for coffee each morning. Over and over and over again. Each morning hoping I'd be there, even when He already knew how it would turn out.

So Tuesday night when I went to bed, I set my alarm and told God, "See you in the morning." And you know what? I got up as soon as my alarm went off.

I've actually dragged myself out of bed before to meet with God, but yesterday was different. Usually I do it because I feel like that's what I'm supposed to do. But yesterday, I got up excited to meet with my dear old friend over coffee (except I had ginger tea because my throat was froggy).

And I had an awesome time with Him. For the first time in my life I talked to God like I would a friend over coffee and told Him about what was going on, asked Him for advice and listened. Ok, I sorta listened. I'm not very good at that. I'm working on it. And He knows that.

And while I'd like to credit myself for coming up with the whole friend analogy, I'm pretty sure God had a lot to do with it.

Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek with all your heart. ~Jeremiah 29:13

And all of God's people said, Amen.

Day 1 of the 21 Days of Gratitude Challenge: Today I am grateful for a merciful God. 

Join Us for Screen Free Week!

I know I just got back from my Lenten resolution, but I think some Screen-Free time is necessary after our 2 week vacation to Texas. I talked the Farmer into joining me to an extent (since his semester is winding down and he really needs email access for his students), but we've agreed that there will be no Screen-time during family waking hours.

We don't have cable and our TV is in the basement so Sweet P doesn't watch much TV anyway...the occasional movie or video on YouTube here and there. The Farmer and I watch a few shows on HULU, but those can wait for next week. Screen-Free week is more for me than it is for my kiddos at this point. I still have some projects I intended to do during Lent that need to get tackled during naptime.

This week, I'm not even going to check my email! I'll even be limiting texting and phone time (heads up to Auntie Rosita, Auntie Kannon and Gammie!) so that I am present for my kids as much as possible.

Want to join us? Go for it! You don't have to do anything special, except turn off the TV, the computer, smart phone capabilities, whatever you choose. The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood suggests spending more time reading, playing outside, exploring and spending time with family and friends.

What will we be doing?

• Playing pretend
• Riding a bike
• Visiting the library
• Going on a family walk
• Planting a garden
• Going to the Tulip Festival!
• Making a craft
• Building a fort
• Going on a scavenger hunt
• Building with blocks
• Writing a story
• Trying a new food
• Having a picnic
• Going to the zoo
• Having a Cinco de Mayo party!
• Visiting a new park!
• Date night!
• Drawing with chalk
• Playing with something new
• Playing with water balloons
• Going for a run as a family
• Celebrating Sweet P's birthday (again!)!

What will you do?

100 Acts of Kindness Project @ Toddler Approved

We're joining the fun at Toddler Approved's 100 Acts of Kindness Project. 

On Sunday night during our first official Family Bible Time, we discussed the Fruit of the Spirit. We talked a little bit about each "fruit" and later while I was looking over the 100 Acts of Kindness Project, I thought it would be a great way to teach Sweet P about Kindness.

Wanna join in? Head over to Toddler Approved's 100 Acts of Kindness Project page for more ideas and this sweet little button.

Goodbye Christmas Decorations, Hello Bible Journey

It makes me really sad to put away Christmas decorations. Maybe because another was has passed? Maybe because it takes awhile? Maybe because I really like the look of a lighted tree in my front window? I don't really know why. Sigh. Like all good things, the Christmas season has come to an end. But remembering the reason for the season doesn't end with Christmas! We can remember and dwell in His Word all year long!

In November I decided to read the bible in a year. I got knocked off course during the holiday season, but I'm getting back on track now. My bible starts its "Read the Bible in a Year" schedule with Genesis in January, but I think I'm going to start with the New Testament. I read Acts-Hebrews when I first began so this time I'll start with Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and finish the NT with Revelation (no s). Then, I'll go to Genesis. That way I'll have trudged through the heaviness of Revelation before I embark upon the complexity of the Old Testament.

I may not get through it in a year. I may finish sooner than that, but I'm going to do it. Day by day and in the morning, when I wake up so I don't fall asleep as I'm reading (which I tend to do).

Okay friends, are you up for this challenge? Who's coming with me on this journey? You don't have to start or pick up where I do, but are you up for reading the bible in a year?

The Giving Season

I'd like to challenge you to give more this season. Find a way to give and put your heart into it. Volunteer, buy gifts for an angel tree, adopt a family, whatever you want to do. I know that this is a hard time of year for many people and that "money is tight." But I also believe that if I can fill my tree with presents, I can probably fill someone else's a bit, too. Finding a few items of clothing, an inexpensive toy or providing a meal costs little to us, but means the world to someone in need.

Not sure where to find someone in need? Look for an angel tree at your church, the mall or other stores in your area. Volunteer at a youth or adult homeless shelter. Adopt a family through a shelter. If you live in the Des Moines area here are a few resources for you:

Children & Families of Iowa Adopt a Family Drive

Hope Ministries 2010 Holiday Outreach Opportunities

Salvation Army Des Moines Volunteer Opportunities

Catholic Charities Donate Items to Outreach Programs

I know this is a busy time of the year, but take a moment to thank God for blessing you and pass that blessing on to someone in need.

Health Challenge Tip #10

#10: Relax.

Woo! We made it to the end of the Health Challenge (that doesn't mean we can stop being healthy, though!). I'm gonna miss that cute little girl in the Health Challenge banner, but she'll be back for our next challenge (remember her from the Go Green Challenge?).

When it comes to being healthy and eating healthy, sometimes we can become overwhelmed. Relax. While there are some people who can eat healthy ALL the time, most of us really need some ice cream once in awhile. The funny thing is though, that once you start eating healthier and stop drinking things like soda and coffee, the unhealthy stuff doesn't quite taste like it did before. And I have to be honest that I rarely miss soda.

Healthy foods just taste, well, real. If you made a point to ditch processed food for a week and then tried something a week later, I can almost guarantee you'll be disappointed in the taste.

But this post is about relaxing. Take time to relax, I'm not talking about sleep, I'm talking about allowing yourself to be free of the internet, TV, cell phone, responsibilities and RELAX. Give your brain a rest. You might end up falling asleep, but use the time to take a break and unwind. Most of us go, go, go...never stopping to relax for a bit. When we don't take time to relax, stress tends to build up and run over us when we're not looking.

So find a nice comfy chair or lie on your bed or even the floor. Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths and relax. It doesn't have to be long. Try 5 minutes. Collect your thoughts, let your mind wander or pray. This is definitely a challenge for me. And I'm gonna go do it right now, while Sweet P's napping. You should, too.

August is Fitness Challenge month. Because boy, oh boy, am I out of shape. See you next month!

Health Challenge Tip #9

#9: Make gradual changes

The last 2 posts for this challenge kinda go together. And yep, only 2 more...we're running out of July!

Okay, so make gradual changes. If you've ever read about, watched a show about, or been an addict, you know that there are some things that you have to quit cold turkey. There are other things that take time.

Making healthy changes to your lifestyle (especially if you have a family) takes time. Remember that! I know as well as anyone that we want results and we want changes to be made NOW! Right now! And if we don't see what we want, well, it must not be working. Wrong.

Starting a workout regimen takes time. If you're like me, you set your alarm to get up and then hit snooze and wake up later realizing it's too late to work out. But keep trying, because on that 3rd day? You might just wake up and get with it.

So let's make gradual changes as we live a healthier lifestyle. One day you'll look back and say "Wow, I can't believe I used to drink all that soda" or "I can't believe I never ate beans!"

If you've been reading these, I hope you've made a few changes in your lifestyle. I definitely have. And since my post about sleeping, I've gone to bed before 11pm every night. High five for me.

Health Challenge Tip #6

#6: Eat at home.

This is a tough one for me. I was raised in a family who ate out at least once a week (twice or three times most weeks). Between brunch after church, Peter Piper Pizza Wednesdays and Pizza Hut Fridays, we ate out a lot. The Farmer's family? Did not.

When we moved to Des Moines (only one month after our wedding), eating out seemed like the thing to do. 1) We wanted to explore our new city! Trying new restaurants seemed like a fabulous idea. and 2) We didn't know anyone. Going out to eat gave us the opportunity to be around other people! Even if we didn't know them. But we quickly realized that with neither of us having a job (we didn't get them until after we moved), eating out was not a good idea. So we curbed the habit. Sort of.

I like to eat out (ask Gammie, Auntie Rosita and Auntie Kannon, they do too). I can't help it. If I had it my way, we'd order pizza every night. Just kidding. But it's what's always in the back of my head on Friday nights (so I usually end up making my own). I suppose it's from eating out on the weekends during childhood, but I know it's neither healthy nor good for the wallet.

So want to save money and your health? Stop eating out. This goes along with the fast food post, but eating at home lets you see what's going in your meals (eating at home doesn't mean ordering take out!) and you spend a lot less than you would at a restaurant. I figured out that I can make two large calzones and a small pizza (from one recipe of dough) for less than $5. If we ordered pizza it'd be close to $20 and there's just the two of us! I can't imagine what large families are spending on eating out.

Restaurants usually use way more sodium than you would at home and many meals are full of fat and lacking good foods like whole grains and veggies!

Eat at home and eat together. Your kids will thank you for it (maybe not today, but they will). So my challenge for you is to keep eating out for special occasions or social outing with friends. In a perfect world, I'd like to eat out once a month. So I hope you'll strive with me, to eat out less and eat at home as a family more. It'll be hard, but it'll be worth it.

Health Challenge Tip #5

#5: Eat the real stuff.

Eat real sugar! There. I said it. Now before you say WHAT?! I'm not saying to eat 40 tbsp of it a day (although lots of people do). I'm saying to stop using all that fake stuff and go with real, honest-to-goodness sugar. Use raw if you want to, but stop using Splenda, aspartame, dextrose, any artificial sweetener out there. Aspartame pretty much slipped through the cracks onto the market (from what I've read, a lot of sketchy stuff that went on with that process).

While artificial sweeteners seem like the logical choice because most have zero calories, they are made from chemicals. Yes. Chemicals and because most are relatively new, we have no idea what these chemicals are doing to our insides.

Telling yourself that you're doing your body a favor by eating a sugar-free (artificial sweetened) piece of candy, cake or bowl of ice cream is a lie. Quit lying to yourself. And quit eating stuff that's sugar-free. Our society likes to get on a kick with fad diets so OF COURSE food companies jump on it and say ooooh, everyone's eating sugar-free these days. Let's make sugar-free EVERYTHING. The problem is, it isn't natural or sweet free. You still crave more sweets and don't even get me started on what artificial sweeteners do to the digestive system.

How do I know? I've been there. I was a sugar-free faaah-reak until I got preggos with Sweet P. Then I read Skinny B*tch, Bun in the Oven and tossed all my sugar-free stuff out the window...including my gum! I still don't chew gum like I used to and avoid artificial sweeteners.

Whoa there. I didn't say to run straight for the processed food aisle. There's not much real sugar in those either. Most are loaded with high fructose corn syrup (not to be confused with sucralose...table sugar) and other sweeteners like maltodextrin and dextrose.

So when it comes down to baking, use the real stuff. Raw, powdered, white or brown. Or better yet, substitute NATURAL sweeteners like honey, maple syrup (the real stuff, not that pancake syrup) or agave nectar.

Of course, you're better off eating NEITHER, but if you just can't ignore that sugar craving (and an apple just ain't cutting it). Eat the real stuff. Chances are it'll leave you satisfied and not reaching for more because your body feels gipped. All sugar-filled food should be eaten in moderation and in minimal amounts, choose healthy options like fruit or whole grains instead.

Wave bye bye to fake sugar. Your body and your digestive system will thank you.

Health Challenge Tip #4

#4: Learn to love beans.

Yes, my dears. If you don't love beans, you should. Because beans are fun and fun is good. (Dr. Seuss if you will).

Beans are such a fabulous food item. And can be put in just about anything. They are full of fiber, protein, vitamins and other goodness that makes your body go "Mmmm." Beans aren't always a "perfect" protein, but pairing them with grains like rice (BROWN!!!) or couscous make a "perfect" combination.

We get the question "What do you eat?" A LOT in our life as vegetarians. Well, we eat a lot of beans. Here's how:

Main dishes:

Lentil soup

Pinto beans (cooked with garlic and jalapenos) with tortillas

Black bean tacos

3 bean chili with kidney beans and chili beans

Chickpea nuggets

Black bean burgers

Vegetable soup w/ garbanzo beans

Lentil tacos

Tostadas w/ mashed pinto beans

Lentils w/ curry

Side dishes:

Pinto beans w/ enchiladas

Hummus

White bean hummus

Toppings:

Garbanzo beans on top of salad

Black beans on top of salad

White beans on top of salad

Black beans on nachos

Rarely do we eat beans as side dishes, because they are usually part of the main meal. I'm not trying to convert you to vegetarianism, but replacing meat every once in awhile is a great way to get other proteins. Beans are a healthy and cheap substitute for meat. Try a meatless Monday and incorporate beans into your diet. And if you don't like beans, try them again!

So what's for lunch today? A hummus sandwich. See? Beans can even replace lunch meat! We don't eat peanut butter and jelly ALL the time.

What do you make with beans?

Health Challenge Tip #3

The Health Challenge logo is, of course, courtesy of Auntie Rosita. Don't you love those pigtails!?

#3: Ditch Fast Food

First of all, gag. That's what I have to say when I think about fast food, how it's prepared and what's in it! It's not good for you OR your kids! (or your wallet for that matter, no matter how cheap it is!).

Upon knowing that we'd be raising Sweet P as a vegetarian, my mom once said, "Oh sad, she'll never get a happy meal." My first thought? Phew!

Ditching this habit is a bit easier as a vegetarian since most fast food joints don't serve much (unless you want to eat fries and a milkshake...on second thought...kidding). Subway and Quizno's are our options and while Subway might serve healthier options, it's still not an ideal meal. And don't go pretending that Quizno's sandwich is healthy (because they have some of the worst!).

Want to talk about what's in those fast food meals? Probably not, but let's do it anyway. Chicken McNuggets are made out of 38 ingredients. Yep. 13 of those ingredients? Corn. Corn-starch, corn-fed chicken, yellow corn flour, partially hydrogenated corn oil, etc. 56% of it is corn! It should be a Corn McNugget, but it still wouldn't be good for you. You probably don't want to know the rest of those ingredients. And just because it says no trans-fat doesn't make it good for you.

Ok, so let's talk convenience here. Really, what needs to happen is planning. If you know you're going to be out and about and might pass meal time, plan ahead and pack a lunch. Trust me, your kiddos will love a packed lunch as much as they do a happy meal (they usually just crave the toy inside anyway..and really? do they need another happy meal toy? I thought not.). So pack your kids and yourself a lunch. If your kids help, it'll be a fun activity for them and they see what's going in so no complaining later ("you packed it!").

Same thing goes for traveling. Pick up a small (or large cooler depending on the size of your family) and pack it full of healthy snacks and small meals for your drive. If you're flying, opt for things that don't need to stay cold like apples, bananas, sandwiches and other items. (More on travel foods in another post).

And for pete's sake, don't get fast food and bring it home for dinner! Throw on some whole wheat pasta and serve it with olive oil and spices. It's just as easy as the drive thru and costs less (I promise).

Again, if this is an every day habit for you, start by leaving one day behind at a time.

Health Challenge Tip #2

Note: The Health Challenge is in no way, shape or form a diet of any sort. The first three letters of diet spell "die." Catch my drift? I'm simply trying to eat and live a bit healthier and thought I'd share it with you.

#2: Eat more veggies

This should be a no-brainer, but I think a lot of us are running around with our veggie count on ZERO (and that V8 stuff doesn't count!). Summer is the p-e-r-f-e-c-t time to enjoy fresh veggies. If you don't have a farmer's market at your disposal, look up what should be in season right now in your area and buy those veggies. Chances are they'll come from closer farms in your area and you won't be eating Holland peppers in Iowa.

And if you have the time and the space, plant your own garden! Find out what grows best in your area and plant a small garden. Start small and go from there!

Make sure you're kiddos are getting fresh veggies, too. A few ways to mix it up:

Grilled veggie kabobs

Veggie muffins (just mix them right in with the mix!)

Veggie lasagna (recipe coming soon!)

Eggplant or zucchini parmesan

Veggie wraps (just add hummus!)

Calabacitas: a simple side dish made out of zucchini squash, onions and cheese! (recipe coming soon!)

If you always have a side of veggies, your kids will start to expect it!

Note: Once those recipes have been posted, links will be posted.

Health Challenge Tip #1

Can you guess what it is? I bet if you're a soda drinker you can.

#1: Say bye bye to coke!

Soda, pop, coke, diet coke. Whatever you call it. Put it down and step away from it. I'm from the southwest and down there we call it coke, but in Iowa they call it something else (I can never remember which, soda? or pop?).

I understand that coke can become an addiction. But I don't really care. Stop drinking it! It's empty calories, it makes you crave more sugar AND your brain depends on it...You'll find that out once you stop drinking it. It's hard. It's really hard, but guess why? Yep, again...you're addicted! You'll have headaches when you stop, you're going through withdrawal!

Now. Don't think I forgot about you diet coke drinkers (mom, that's you!). Just because it's "diet" doesn't mean it's good for you. And really and truly, do you know anyone, ANYONE, who switched to "diet" coke and lost weight? Mmmhmm. I didn't think so. It's because fake sugar still makes you crave sugar and it still has caffeine which is what is happening when you get headaches. And boy howdy, don't even get me started on aspartame, splenda or other fake sugars.

While we're on the subject of caffeine, how about we throw coffee under the bus, too. Because to be honest, coke isn't a problem for me. I might have a Sprite here or there, but can't remember the last time I sat down and had a Dr Pepper or a Diet Coke. So, really this tip is just for you readers.

But coffee. Oh, dear, sweet coffee. How I will miss you. Frappes, frappachinos, lattes, coffee with cream and raw sugar. I love coffee in most forms: frozen, hot, iced...you name it. But I made a decision that July would be Health "CHALLENGE" month (it may extend into August since July is a 1/3 over already!) and this is my challenge and what a challenge it will be.

Harsh as it may sound, let's start slowly. If you're a pack a day (that's 6-pack...smoking's another story) kinda gal (or guy), start by knocking off one at a time. Going cold turkey might be tough if you have one periodically throughout the day. Take a look at which one you could toss and go from there. And replace it with, gasp! Water. Remember that? Drink it. Lots of it. Your body needs it and I promise you that coke you're drinking isn't giving your body the water it needs. It's actually making you need MORE water. Same with things like coffee and tea, so drink it up. Put a lime, a lemon or an orange in it if you just can't drink it alone.

If you're a morning coffee drinker like me, cold turkey might not be so hard. But trust me, it'll still be hard. I drive by Starbuck's or Fredrich's and get a tear in my eye (kidding, but only sorta).

So coke drinkers...diet coke drinkers...coffee drinkers...are you with me? Let's do it. I can do it. And I know you can, too.

April Challenge?

I hate to tell you that I will not be having an April Challenge. I know, I know. I talked about April being Health Challenge month, but with the packing and moving...I'm not sure I'll be on top of my game. So stay tuned for a Health Challenge later in the year.

My challenge for this month is packing up my apartment with my almost one year old in tow. That should be challenge enough for me!

My last Going Green Tip is to use your baby as a message board. Just kidding. But she's a darn cute message board if you ask me.

Going Green Tip of the Day: Earth Hour

Going Green Tip of the Day: Earth Hour

In 3 days, you can participate in Earth Hour and help make our planet a better place for the future. Just what is Earth Hour, you ask? Well, it's a chance to show your support for Earth Hour, the world's largest global climate change initiative. Earth Hour 2010 will take place on March 27th at 8:30pm. It is a call to action for everyone throughout the world to take a stand towards a sustainable future. People across the world will turn off their lights for one hour and join together to celebrate our planet. I hope you'll join this cause, it can't hurt can it?

For more information visit: Earth Hour

Going Green Tip of the Day: Nix Processed Foods

Going Green Tip of the Day: Nix Processed Foods

Again, this tip falls in the Health category as well. I know that in the fast pace of life processed foods are sometimes the easy out. But think of how well you'd be treating your body and the environment if you stopped eating processed, packaged foods. An apple is much less waste than a granola bar that comes wrapped in foil packaging in a cardboard box. In fact, if you composted your apple you'd have no waste at all! (More on composting in another post). And I don't even need to tell you how much healthier an apple is than whatever it is they put in granola bars. So for today, ditch the processed foods and go for something natural (like a piece of fruit or stick veggies).

This is a tough one because virtually everything we eat (besides produce) comes in some sort of packaging. Avoid buying items that are frivolously packaged (like individually wrapped prunes, really? is that necessary?) and try to pick fresh food when possible. Buy choosing fresh you are working towards a healthier you and a healthier planet. So next time you're at the supermarket, take a look at what processed packaged food you buy and try to nix at least one. And before you purchase a certain brand check out whether it will be easy to recycle. What have we nixed lately? The Farmer and I have nixed cereal. Yep, that's right. Cereal. I'll tell you more about that in the Health Challenge next month.

March Challenge: Going Green

photo credit: www.genexe.com

I was going to make this month the Health Challenge, but at the last minute changed my mind when I realized March has St Patrick's Day...so why not Go Green! this month? I'll share with you a few things we do already to go green and then challenge myself to a few more! But don't worry...I won't leave out the Health Challenge (look for it in April, when we Iowans can get outside more often).

But before we get started on March let's talk about February. How was my challenge? Eh, hard to say. We had a few crazy nights in February with Sweet P being sick and heading to the ER at 12:45am so I can't say it went fabulous. I will admit, though, that I have definitely been going to bed earlier (maybe not at 10pm every night, but earlier). I've also challenged myself to get up a bit earlier too. So with that challenge out of the way (but I'll still try to go to bed early), let's head into March!

Oh glorious March. I can't tell you how long I have waited for you (3 months to be exact). I have a feeling March is going to be great. I'll do my best to post a Go Green tip of the day and if you try it, tell me how it goes!

Today's Go Green Tip: Recycle Cardboard and Paper

This is for all you non-recycler's out there (which I hope there are few). If you don't recycle ANYTHING, start small. Start recycling cardboard and paper. It's easy. Find a box or plastic tub and start filling it up with paper. IKEA carries great stackable recycling bins to use for your recycling. We keep ours inside by the door. You will be AMAZED at how fast it fills up. Look for a place in your town/city where you can drop it off or have them pick it up. If you aren't currently wheeling out your blue trash can to the curb...get to it! That includes the toilet paper roll.

Are You Up for a Challenge?

After my last challenge, I got to thinking that it might be nice to challenge myself every month. I had so much fun with the Recipe Challenge that I started thinking of other ways to test my mind, body and cooking abilities! I'm still on the mend from the sickies, but I'm getting there! I just need plenty of fluids, soup and rest...that's a small preview of what February's challenge will be. I'll tell you more about it soon! I hope you'll join me...are you up for a Challenge?