Pear picking

Normally every year about this time, we go apple picking and buy bushels of apples from a local farmer to make a year's supply of applesauce.  Applesauce was the wintertime fruit of choice when we didn't have fresh fruit from our own yard.  Now, with my crazy issues, I have to turn to another option.  Pears are much lower in acid and are a viable fruit option, but I have always hated pears due to their texture.  Now, since it is one of my few options for fruit, they are a must. I have noticed that when you don't eat fruit, bad things happen such as leg pain followed my general muscle and joint pain.  Not good. So I went to my favorite handy dandy website pickyourown.org and found a new orchard listing that was close by and used integrated pest management and no chemicals.

Most local places around here have only apples in a carnival like atmosphere with lots of kids being semi supervised by moms on their phones with the perfect manicure that cannot be tarnished by apple picking and fancy boots that have heels and impractical for the hike to the apples, while doling out highly processed single serve organic junk food.  Not my scene.

This place was different.  I called ahead to confirm that they had pears for picking.  I spoke with the farmer who said they did, but didn't have apples yet.  I was fine with that and we made plans to be there around 11:00.  He said he'd keep an eye out for us.  Pulling in, the kids were in awe.  Acres of fruit trees filled a hill side down from the farm house.  We went to the rickety barn where the farmer was repairing some equipment.  He gave us some baskets and took us over to a pear tree he had set up for us to pick.  A tripod ladder was set up under a branch laden with rusty brown fruit.  He showed us the proper way to move the ladder for safety and then went back to his equipment.  The kids took turns climbing the tree, picking 6 pears and then sitting under the tree while the other took their turn.

W. would pick up a drop, find a nice section of it and start eating.  C. was determined to be the best pear picker and get the most perfect ones ever.  She was also trying to put the word "pear/pair/pare" as many times as possible in a sentence without being redundant (she came up with "I pick a pair of pears to pare in pairs.")  When the baskets were full, we trudged back up the hill and began the weighing and transfer to our bags process.

It was a fun process.  The farmer and I discussed processing methods, shelf ripening vs. tree ripening, varieties and when they will be available, the government, and how the farm came to be.  Apparently, his father was a farmer who had an off farm job.  The father passed away last year and he decided to buy the farm from his sisters, retire early, and become a full time farmer.  He said he was too busy to make it a tourist trap farm like many of the local farms, but if someone wanted to come and pick, that's fine...if they want him to pick for them, that's fine too. But it is a working farm, and he's glad to be there.

And what I will be doing with these pears (all 15 pounds this trip) will be another story for another day when the pairs of pears ripen on the shelf and I can pare them, in pairs.

Linked to Simple Lives Thursday

Why I was away...or Re-learning how to eat

(I've been going back and forth about sharing about a major change in my life, but have ultimately decided to share.  In the past few months, I have found it very helpful to read about other's experiences, and hope to maybe help someone else who is going through this as well.)

It all started March 4th.  Yes, I can clearly remember the day that my life changed.  I felt a bit off, but by night, my husband wanted to take me to the hospital.  I was in enough pain to think I may be one of those crazy people who didn't know they were pregnant (just to jump ahead...I have still have two children, so no that wasn't the "problem.")

I felt awful for about a week and eventually went to the doctor's office...long story short, I went to several doctors, had several misdiagnoses, a couple rounds of antibiotics, and spent a couple of months with just about every sign of the worst urinary tract infection on earth, but without bacteria.

During this, my husband went to Europe for 10 days for work.  I couldn't have done it without my in-laws. I spent the whole time on the couch...I couldn't even be in bed because of the position I had to maintain to be in to be semi-comfortable.  They took one child at a time so I could rest and still have someone to snuggle with, because sometimes, the best medicine for a Momma is to have a little one to snuggle.

Eventually, I got in with a physician assistant in the urology department...who sent me off for further testing and suggested I change my diet since she was leaning towards a diagnosis of Interstitial Cystitis, but had to rule out a bunch of other things first (as in cancer of about four different organs.)

So I looked up the diet...and folks it wasn't pretty.

No acid, caffeine, carbonation, artificial anything or preservatives...with the option of slowly phasing things in.

I am glad I am a person with canning experience because canning has taught me one thing...acidity...so I had a basic understanding of what has acid and what doesn't.  When they say no acid, what they really mean is basically no fruit...if you can can it in a hot water bath, it is unacceptable, as in tomatoes are not an option.  If it has vinegar or citric acid...it's a no-no...and anything fermented...it's a no go...lactic acid.

As for the other things on the list...this rules out the ability to have coffee, tea, chocolate, water and milk kefir, yogurt, prepackaged foods (I have a few items that I still use without too many problems, but I do have to read ingredient lists very carefully...so I just use them for convenience such as one brand of jarred pesto, some crackers, and that's about it.

She did however give me another piece of advice...if you are having a flair up (aka a bad day) have a vanilla milkshake.  And another piece of advice I have never heard from a medical professional...use all the whole fat dairy you can...whole milk, cheeses, cream sauces, and homemade ice cream...they all have the "milkshake effect."  They all help the bladder calm down (in fact country sister once told me her pediatrician's advice for bed wetting is to restrict dairy since it can calm it to the point where a child doesn't wake up to go.)

Lo and behold, the diet worked along with some other behavioral modifications (stress reduction, sleep, rest, and massive amounts of anti-inflammatory medication as needed.)  I have never been a person to take medication and avoid it whenever possible, but some days it is the only option.

I can play with my kids, cook dinner, take a hike, and spend time in the garden and taking care of the ladies of the coop. All those things that keep me sane, are possible again.

So from here on in, the recipes will change from my front...I have found some really wonderful and tricky ways to change the traditional to wonderfully different.  Spaghetti with roasted red pepper cream sauce with basil...pesto...homemade sausage anyone?  Or I could go completely nuts and mix them all up like I do for my pseudo lasagna!  Stay tuned...I'm going to be posting a series of Interstitial Cystitis friendly recipes!

The great curriculum round up

As you may have noticed, I've been gone for quite a little bit, I will catch up about that subject later but for now...

Every year I look over what worked, what didn't, and what needs to happen for the next year.  This year is the first that we are "officially" homeschooling.  In our state, a child doesn't have to be registered with the local school district until they are eight within the first two weeks of the district's cutoff date.  Since my husband and I both hold valid teaching certificates (5 degrees in education and 20 years experience between the two of us) we are able to file under our state's private tutor clause so our documentation in minimal and easy if you know people who are willing to share their filing information (Thanks Barb!)

When it comes to paperwork I'm about as bright as this guy...a dodo bird 

We started out in a very Charlotte Mason type manner, in which you teach using literature and nature.  As the kids got older we transitioned from that methodology to a more Classical manner in which uses literature as a base for science and history, but it has a bit more structure when it comes to other subjects.

We have been researching curriculum choices, consulting methodology books and decided our course of study and curriculum map for the year.  This then brings us to the mass curriculum purchase that happens each summer.

C. is a very inquisitive and curious little girl who is determined to do work. She is self motivated and often found working early in the morning among a stack of workbooks. This year she will be working on:

Saxon Math K and 1- she is almost done with the K so we will finish that up before beginning 1.

Primary Phonics Book 3 and 4  with supplemental stories

Spelling Workout 1- I don't know where she gets her love of spelling

This year C. is also going to take ballet, tap, and possibly tae kwon do

W. is growing up fast! he is becoming a bit reluctant to do work that is not his idea he instead prefers to spend his time drawing cartoons and reading the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books.  He will be working on:

Saxon Math 3

Primary Phonics book 6- We're almost done with the series!

Spelling Workout 2

This year W. is also going to take tae kwon do and continue his therapies to help his body develop

And in case this list looks skimpy, we are doing the following subjects together:
Song School Latin- A very basic introduction to Latin
Science Explorer club (hopefully if it all works out!) and unit studies for Earth Science and Astronomy
The Story of the World Volume 2: The Middle Ages
-supplemental books including Beowulf (any suggestions on a child's version?) Augustine, and Vikings

Detox, continued!

So, after doing a week of the sugar detox, I have decided to stop and revisit the challenge once the baby is born.  My body kept getting weaker and weaker, and it wouldn't be smart for me to continue at this point.

Technically, I stopped on the 7th day.  Since then, I haven't noticed a significant increase in my energy level, or improvement with fatigue symptoms, so it is hard to tell if the problem is due to a pregnancy issue or the diet.  Either way, I am increasing my whole grains and natural sugar intake.  More of a Paleo approach with approved grains and fruit.

J, on the other hand, feels great!  He has stuck with it and is doing amazing!  A quote from his mouth directly... 

"It's really working for me and that is the only reason I am commited to it. I can't remember ever having this much energy and feeling full all the time. So far this is what I noticed (but I also added T25 and shakeology at the same time, so I am not sure which to give credit to)...

-I literally feel like my metabolism is making me hot all morning

-I get out of bed no problem and feel great consistently for over a week (this never happens)

-I can do a ton of work and not feel hungry

-I cut wood for 10 hours, working very hard and lifting a lot and I did not have the usual aches I get in my right elbow and one of my knees if I work half that time.  I did not take any medicine.

-I eat a ton of calories and fat and loose weight and I eat 5-6 times a day

-I love most of the foods on this diet and am happy to sacrifice the ones that are not allowed because I can eat a lot of what I like."

Days 2-4 of Sugar Detox

Day one ended well!  We ate our chorizo taco lettuce boats and went to bed feeling satisfied.  Our energy levels were pretty good throughout the day.  No 10am snack search or 3pm sugar crash.  It felt great!  The one thing I really love about this "diet" is that I am never hungry.  The meals are satisfying and nourish my body with what it requires to help me truck through the day, which proves to be difficult at times.  Sitting down thinking about what I used to have and how literally, 20 minutes later, I would be looking for something else... this is definitely worth the crazy, irrational phase where I look for crazy things to snack on.  Things I wouldn't normally reach for... like bakers chocolate (the bitter stuff you make brownies with), raw spaghetti or prunes.  As long as they have a sugar content, I'd be satisfied!    

Day two was a different story.  I woke up fatigued!  J didn't, and I don't think our partners in crime did either.  The big difference between the 4 of us is that I am 4.5 months pregnant.  If you are exercising for 30+ minutes a day or are pregnant/nursing, you have to add a starch on the "approved" list to provide your body with the additional energy it requires.  I didn't do that yesterday because it didn't seem necessary.  Ding dong, I was wrong!!!  So today I have a nice helping of winter squash on my menu.  Thank goodness there was some sitting in my freezer.  None of that stuff made the grocery list for this weeks menu.  

Day three went better!  Having that squash really helped.  BUT, the sugar crazies hit.  I took the kids blueberry picking at the town park.  The blueberries looked so delicious.  As usual, the kids ate more than they picked.  On a typical blueberry picking outing, I would pop a few in my mouth from time to time.  This is a habit very hard to break.  I had to spit a few out after I realized even "good" sugar needs to be avoided during the detox.  I found myself repeating out loud... "It's just 3 weeks.  Then I can have fruit again!"  I brought the blueberries home, gave some to the kids to snack on and froze the rest for August 12th... the day after the 21st day of the detox!  Nope - I'm not counting!  ;)

Today is day four.  For the first time, I woke up feeling energized.  I was alert and ready for the day at 7am, but the kids weren't up yet so I just chilled out thinking about the day.  I am looking forward to the day and feel like I have energy to deal with the kids, mental capacity to hold a normal conversation, and power to truck through the harder days.  I feel amazing!

Pointers:
Protein!!!  Make sure you have a substantive breakfast with some real protein (meat, eggs, etc.).  Protein is your friend!  It will keep your body satisfied for a longer period of time because it is much harder for the body to digest.

Preparation!!!  Preparation is key.  If you are short on time during the week, try to cook things on the weekend.  One thing I tend to do is cook 2-3 days worth of meat at once.  I'll cook a bunch of chicken thighs and that will be my go to breakfast, snack or lunch.  Meal planning is also quite helpful.  If you plan out your meals during the week, you are less likely to goof up.  As Jillian Michaels says, "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail."

That's it for today folks!!!  Have a wonderful day! 

21 Day Suger Detox

I know it's been a while, but I'm back!!!  You're excited, aren't you?  It has been 6 months, but who is counting?  

So, as I return to the blog world, I am going to be sharing the journey J and I (and a few others) will be going through over the next 21 days.  What kind of journey?  We have signed up to do a 3 week sugar detox.  That means no pasta, potatoes, most fruit, bread and pretty much anything that comes in plastic wrap down the yummy junk food isle.  Essentially, it is the Paleo diet with full fat dairy squeezed in.  The point is to rid yourself of the sugar and carb cravings.  I was a little skeptical, but after reading the manual (with some recipes included), the science of it made total sense.  The person that wrote it also wrote "Practical Paleo", a Paleo cookbook with menus geared towards specific ailments (thyroid, autoimmune, cancer recovery, heart disease, etc).  If you'd like more info on the detox, check out this link.  

Anyhow, today is the first day.  Monday might not be the best day to start something like this, but we set a goal and we are sticking with it!  Well, we have every intention of sticking to it anyhow.  We decided to check in once a day, but that has proven to be quite difficult.  As the day went on, support was needed.  Right about now, I feel like raiding my pantry and eating a tub of peanut butter with sprinkled chocolate chips on top!  And heck... why  not throw in some leftover pasta too!  BUT, as tempting as that seems, I am forcing myself to keep the goal in mind and think about of how awesome I will feel in just a week or so. 

Today's menu: 

Crustless Quiche

Mustard glazed chicken thighs and Greek yogurt with a green tipped banana (one of the only fruits allowed)

Chorizo taco lettuce boats

I need to find another option for breakfast.  The quiche made me pukey.  Lunch was perfect though, and I am REALLY looking forward to dinner.  

Stay tuned... I have a feeling it's going to get harder before it gets better!  :)

Mason jar breakfast

The magic bullet is such a wonderful phenomenon, right?  Who wouldn't be interested in homemade salsa in seconds, or a smoothie you can just blend and take with you in a flash?  You dirty less dishes and get the same end result.  The whole thing seemed genius, but I didn't want to buy it when I had a perfectly good blender in my cupboard.  That's all it really is... a glorified and more convenient blender.

After browsing through Pinterest one day, I saw that someone used a small mouth mason jar with their blender bottom to create their own Magic Bullet!  Genius!  It seemed too good to be true, so I decided to try it.  The article came from one of Martha Stewart's magazines, so if it didn't work, she'd be hearing from me and a lot of other people.  It had to be true! 

Another scientific experiment. 

Who's the genius now?  Well played Martha, well played!