Life in pictures

Here's a picture montage of life in the last few weeks. Enjoy. :)

Connor ready for Easter- 2012

Easter 2012 at Wright's Park

How Conman likes to wake me up in the morning

Grandpa and Connor

Easter 2012

EGGS!!! (plastic)

Connor having a blast

Hanna Moo April 2012

My gang- Pt. Defiance Owen's Beach April 2012

Fantastic friday

I am patting/hugging/congratulating myself on this being the 4th day that I have gone to the gym. I've been doing 15-25 minutes of elliptical and then either arms or legs for weight lifting. I did arms on the first day and today they are STILL sore. Ahhh but its a good pain to have. I have also been high raw for the past 4 days. I haven't achieved a 100% but I'm ok with that. Like yesterday, after a day full of green juice, smoothies and salads, I had 2 peanut butter cookies at my sisters house when I got out of class and had to pick up the baby. Then I came home and had some tea (hoping that would appease the munchy monster). I then proceeded to have an avocado with seaweed and it was good...... but I then ended up with 1 small bowl (hooray for the 1 small bowl) of pirate booty (not vegan doh). Hanna and Ollie came over last night for the weekend so we chilled out to the X files before hitting the hay. Whenever my diet changes (I really need to stop the topsy turvy roller coaster) I noticed I do some detoxing. My days have consisted of MOSTLY juices, smoothies (with so much spirulina) and salads that I'm noticing some side effects. I have itchy red patches on both my elbows with tiny itchy bumps, I've started to get a cold, and my face is not my prettiest. But I know if I keep pushing on this will clear up.

Loving the weather...

I am greatful/grateful :) for the sunshiny weather. I absolutely felt inspired to blog about my smoothie creation this morning. I should have taken a pic but after one sip, I gulped it down. So lately I have been drawn to eating high raw and in fact, want to give ALL raw a go again (for the billioneth, gajillioneth time). The past week, I did 1 day of raw and the rest were about 50%. Now I do make some exceptions to raw. These I allow non raw to help stick to the rawness plan:

Store bought coconut, almond milk (always unsweetened)

Annie's Dressing (so good on kale)

home popped popcorn in coconut oil (plan to make a big batch for the kids and our saturday night movie night)

I might also have some steamed broccoli later as I am not really a fan of raw broccoli

So I have all my babies here! We hadn't seen the kiddos in 2 weeks due to car issues and Ollie is now having to BEND DOWN to give me a hug. WOWSERS. 

OH the smoothie:

Serves 2

-Whole avocado

-1 Banana

-About 1/2 cup frozen blackberries

-2 cups almond-coconut milk 

-Lots of spirulina manna

-Stevia to sweeten

Its simple, fast and very satisfying.

Morrocco Method and new beginnings

So I found out on my Birthday that I won Morocco Method St. Patrick's day giveaway. I won the Emerald Elixir. I want to add a pic of my shiny tresses but I'm not feeling very photogenic today. I've been using it for about 3 days so we'll post a pic in a week. The smell of the product alone is divine! But I am noticing a softer quality to my normally frizzy hair. I will blog more about this as I continue to notice changes.

Hmmm. eating, eating, eating. Darn you food. I do really great (and I know I post this all the time) during the day but night time is sheer heck. Perhaps I need to just go to bed when Connor does. Ha! Actually that's probably a great idea.


Yesterday's eats: (I'm still working on phasing fish out)

Breakfast: lots of water with lemon, water with Chloroxygen drops. HUGE HUGE salad of kale, kimchi and steamed broccoli with coconut oil and nutritional yeast (One of Connor's favorites)

Lunch: Spinach salad with tahini and vegan parmesan cheese, green smoothie (Vitamineral green, unsweetened coconut milk, vanilla stevia, pea protein powder)

Snack: Non dairy dark chocolate chips

Dinner:  Tuna cooked with veganaise, vegan parm

Snack: Popcorn popped in coconut oil and garlic powder. (DELICIOUS!)

And lots of tea throughout the day.


I didn't do any workout video but I did do some squats and standing crunches while watching Dollhouse on netflix.

Exorcism

I'm moving right along and trying not to beat myself up for not having my ideal diet/exercise. I'm still coping with personal news and issues. I have to say one of the things that got me through were these lovely gentlemen below:

LOL. I <3 Supernatural but we just finished the last of season 6 the other night. *Sigh*. Stinks having to wait until Season 7 is out on DVD.

Anywhoo, the first picture was inspired off a pinterest idea about having a visual for my weight loss goals. I have been stalled at the 130/129 mark for some time now, I'm really wanting to move forward. So any inspiration/motivation is welcome. I have yet to move a pebble though. DOHH!

My eating has been on the whole pretty good if I stay away from my parents and sister's house. And once again, I'm usually doing great all day long but night time comes around and the kids are finally down and I go into munchy overload. I made up a big batch of chia pudding (chia seeds, unsweetened coconut kefir, some unsweetened coco milk, vanilla stevia and a dash of cinammon). Hopefully this sweet treat will help tonight.

I've been working out the last couple days with the aid of my huge dvd collection. Billy Blanks and Tracey Mallet have been working my butt out. I had to cancel my gym membership due to financial difficulties. :( Oh well. The upside is that Oliver has been working out as well, I'm really proud of him.

I started classes up again last night. Tuesday night is skills and Thursday night will be mental health assessment on adults. Yippee. I'm not stressing out too bad, I've had my T night class instructor for the prior 2 quarters so I know what to expect from her. Although we do have an exam this time. Hmmm.

Wowsers

I am not sure what to blog about as there is so freaking much that has happened in the last week. Let's see, I've turned 29 (agghhhh!) and some information came out that has been exceedingly hard to deal with and it isn't my right to blog about what the details are. But that it is has shaken my very foundation and I've been forced to really take a deep long look at my life, my relationship, and where I see my future. I really can't believe that I'm 29. The kids keep growing. Jakey is 7 already!!! The baby is well still a baby but already, 13months old. The last time I wrote some journaling about my age was 25. I wrote it on myspace and I just read through it. Jess at 25 didn't see herself still struggling. There are tons of positive things that have happened and despite the bombshell of disturbing news, I wouldn't change it.

But I'm not going to let it keep me down or hold me back, I'm going to just keep swimming/chugging/trucking right along. I just finished my 2nd quarter, next week I start the 3rd quarter. On and on I go. I may have turned 29 but I was carded on Sunday when I went to see Safe House. Pretty darn sweet. Must be those Asian genes that help me look young. LOL.

Happy Spring break

Connor has been battling the stomach flu since last Sunday. There has been a trip to the ER and lots of nasty bodily fluid. Oliver has succumbed and I'm fervently wishing that Jake will skate by. For a bit there I thought I was coming down with it *knock on wood* but I think that was lack of sleep so I'm feeling pretty good this morning. Today is my first day of Spring break. Woohoo x infinity.
I have not been to the gym in like 2 weeks due to family issues, sickness and last minute school work. So my goal is to work out, A LOT this break. We have family pictures scheduled at the end of this month and I have 15ish pounds left. hehe.

I have to be honest and I've added some animal protein back into our diet. I've been wanting to do a low carb approach and I have found it too difficult just on vegan fare. The only exception I have made for Connor is, which I've blogged about before, some good wild caught fish like Salmon. He loves it. For myself, I have allowed cage free, organic eggs and fish. Still have cheese here and there (this addiction is going to continue to take a while!).

Last weekend, we went to Wenatchee for Connor's birthday party with Oliver's side of the family and he had some regular cupcake and ice cream as there was no dairy free alternative. I'm not saying that caused the flu he then got immediately afterwards but well I don't know.. just.. but.

Back to the low carb approach, I feel it makes me feel more balanced and like I've mentioned before, I am vain and I'm willing to put some morals aside to lose this blasted weight. I still aspire towards veganism or some time of flexitarianism. Some ism ( a good ism?)  for sure, LOL.

My days look something like this:

Breakfast: lots of water, warm water with lemon, water with Chlorophyll drops and then 20-30 mins later 2 lightly fried eggs ( in coconut oil or vegan butter, or lately some organic cultured butter) and sauteed spinach or kale. And then another cup of raw greens like romaine or spinach.

Lunch: Salmon and greens

Dinner: this is usually where I break if I'm on the run and this past week I'm not even sure what I've had, its been crazy with Connor and school.

Snacks: Coconut kefir, pea protein powder, green powders, hot tea, unsweetened almond milk, low carb tortillas with raw almond butter