food allergies

So I'm not quote sure why I have put off for so long talking about this but I have.  In early July I found out that I have some food allergies.  Some rather severe food allergies.  Like I'm really allergic to eggs.  And wheat, gluten.  And dairy, beef, almonds, pinto beans...  I think you get the idea.  At this point me and water are on good terms.  And the thing is, I think that the reason that I haven't spoken about it is...I just can't seem to wrap my brain around it.  Each mealtime arrives and I just sort of get this dazed expression.  I've ben eating a lot of tortilla ships with A-1 sauce.  For real.  For everyone with beef allergies - It tastes like an overdone steak. I cannot believe that I've just admitted to this.

I'm actually so grateful to have found all this out.  I have been feeling really sick for really a long time and I am thrilled to begin to be understanding some of the reasons why.  And in truth it isn't all together that different from the way that I had been eating, I mean, the eggs definitely through me for a loop.  I think that it's being told that I can't eat all these things.  I can eat fruits and veggies to my hearts content.  I can eat poultry. And these are the things i eat most of the time anyway.  I even found this fantastic cake & icing mix that have no gluten or eggs or dairy - how is that even possible?

And yet I am still stumbling around in this weird stupor. 

Help.  Anyone out there going through something like this?  Anyone have a magic recipe, or tip or joke to snap me out of this? 

Anyone?

{photo from real simple}

to health & fitness: a giveaway!

I know, I know.  I already have another giveaway going on.  I realize this.  The thing is that I just discovered that the Biggest Loser Season Premier is tonight.  I love me some Biggest Loser and I already had a giveaway planned in honor of it's fantasticness.

In case you are not a fan I would like to take a moment here to speak on behalf of the show.  There are plenty of things that drive me crazy about the show - primarily the painful product placements and how they love to   d    r    a    w     the whole thing out.  It's brutal.  But I love it far more than I hate it and here's why:

1.  Bob & Jillian.  I love these guys.  They are excellent at their jobs and not bad to look at, either.

2.  I love how there is not one winner to this game.  Everyone wins.  Every contestant leaves that place far better than when they arrived.  Families are transformed and a nation is inspired.  I know that sounds pretty hokey, but if you are a fan, you may agree.

3.  Lots of health & fitness tips and huge doses of inspiration.  You look at what these people are accomplishing and think - what's my problem?  It's awesome.

4.  America needs some serious help in the weight department and I believe this show has made a dent.  That's no small thing.

So...in honor of the season premiere I am offering a little giveaway to add to your personal motivation arsenal.  This is a two-parter.  First the winner will get a copy of Jillian's latest book: Master Your Metabolism.  This goes far beyond Jillian's typical grueling workout regiment and also hits upon some of the hormonal reasons why woman can have trouble staying slim.  I have read this and thought it was super helpful and informative.

I am also throwing in an Omron pedometer, one of the greatest purchases of my life.  I love this thing.  It is a great, super reliable pedometer that can even track your steps when tossed in your purse (so long as you carry that purse when you're walking about!)  This has been one of the most effective "steps" in my own journey to health and fitness.  I feel like I am playing a game - attempting to reach 10,000+ steps each day.  It makes the whole thing fun for me and I choose to take several trips up and down the stairs to distribute laundry rather than trying to fit everything into the laundry basket for one trip.  Really, I love this thing.

To win both the book and the pedometer, simply leave a comment with something that has helped you or inspired you on your own health and fitness journey.  I'll choose a winner next Tuesday. 

letterboxing

I first heard about letterboxing a couple of years back and have been patiently waiting for my kids to be old enough to give it a try. I'm not sure if 3 and 4 years of age is old enough but I think my patience has run dry. We're going for it.

If you haven't heard of letterboxing before - it may be worth a look. Here's what I have gleaned so far without having actual partaking of an outing yet. Letterboxing is a combination of navigating and rubber stamp artistry brought together through a sort of treasure-hunt style adventure. The quests vary in difficulty to suit a wide array of ages & ability.

Here's the description from letterboxing.org:

"Letterboxing is an intriguing mix of treasure hunting, art, navigation, and exploring interesting, scenic, and sometimes remote places. It takes the ancient custom of placing a rock on a cairn upon reaching the summit of a mountain to an artform. It started when a gentleman simply left his calling card in a bottle by a remote pool on the moors of Dartmoor, in England.

Here's the basic idea: Someone hides a waterproof box somewhere (in a beautiful, interesting, or remote location) containing at least a logbook and a carved rubber stamp, and perhaps other goodies. The hider then usually writes directions to the box (called "clues" or "the map"), which can be straightforward, cryptic, or any degree in between. Often the clues involve map coordinates or compass bearings from landmarks, but they don't have to. Selecting a location and writing the clues is one aspect of the art.

Once the clues are written, hunters in possession of the clues attempt to find the box. In addition to the clue and any maps or tools needed to solve it, the hunter should carry at least a pencil, his personal rubber stamp, an inkpad, and his personal logbook. When the hunter successfully deciphers the clue and finds the box, he stamps the logbook in the box with his personal stamp, and stamps his personal logbook with the box's stamp. The box's logbook keeps a record of all its visitors, and the hunters keep a record of all the boxes they have found, in their personal logbooks."

I love the idea of doing this throughout the years with our children.  It seems like such a great excursion to break up the monotony of road-trips or even to further explore our own hometown.  You can look for letterboxes in your area here and here along with information on how to carve a stamp or anything else you might need to begin.

Have any of you ever done this? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

{images: parenting activity plus, Julie's Journal}

Earth Day

I think there are a bunch of old hippies scratching their heads trying to figure out when "earth friendly" went mainstream.  And though that comes with a lot of hiccups and myth, the day is long overdue.  

Happy Earth Day!  

Each Earth Day I want to choose a new "kind to earth" baby step for the coming year.  This year, instead of just talking about it, I want to actually start composting.  In fact, we may just need to go ahead and buy a composter as our families Earth Day present.  

What about you?  

Are you committing to any baby steps today? 

{image from inhabitat.com}

Vita-Mix

I was given some money at Christmas time.  

Economic times are hard.  

I used it on a $400 blender.

I have no regrets.

I now have a growing obsession with green smoothies.  They don't need to actually be green (though isn't that a lovely green?) but they do need to contain greens.  Usually a couple handfuls of spinach.  For you newbies, they look a little scarier then they taste.  Actually they taste yummy.  And fresh.  And happy.  My smoothies taste happy.  Can you put a price tag on that?

Here's a handy guide to get you well on your way to happy smoothies- 

{images by Christaface}

help

I adore this packaging concept.  Simple & articulate.

Find here.  Found here. 

America's most walkable cities

I am always on the lookout for great towns.  I love places, and I love to find places I love.  Did that make sense. Anywhoo - one of the main things that makes a spot great in my mind is if it is walkable.   By that I mean, do you need a car to get around, or is biking or walking a viable option?  This list by runtheplanet.com cites the best walkable cities based on these five criteria: 

1. Compact and diverse development - Zoning is not unduly restrictive, so you can find a corner grocery store, coffee shop, theater, school or church within walking distance of where you live and work.

2. Places to walk - Are there meaningfully connected, wide, well-maintained sidewalks and pedestrian paths that connect homes with shops and other destinations?

3. No impassable barriers - If there are obstacles like major roadways, rivers and train tracks, can you cross them safely on foot without going far out of your way?

4.  Beauty - Is it aesthetically pleasing to walk to your destination? Are there trees, public parks, public art, benches and fountains along the way?

5.  Safety - Is it safe to walk where you need to go? Are drivers courteous to pedestrians, and are there traffic controls (and enforcement) to ensure that they are?

And the winners are...

Top 5 Small Communities (population < 50,000)

Dunedin, Florida.

Exeter, New Hampshire. 

Eureka Springs, Arkansas. 

Burlington, Vermont. 

Xenia, Ohio. A

Top 5 Medium Cities (population 50,000 to 500,000)

Boulder, Colorado. 

Chattanooga, Tennessee. 

Raleigh, North Carolina. 

Portland, Maine. 

Austin, Texas.

Top 5 Large Cities (population 500,000+)

Washington, District of Columbia. 

Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

Boston, Massachusetts. 

Portland, Oregon. 

Seattle / Kirkland, Washington. 

Do you know of a great town not listed here that exemplifies these 5 traits?  

I'd love to hear about it.

(Check out walkscore.com to see how walkable your town is.  Thanks for the great site, Rachel!)

{image by Cornelis Verwaal}

Raspberry Pecan Muffins

I got this recipe from my Food to Live By cookbook.  Oliver, my little one, has eaten all but two of these muffins in the past 24 hours or so. To say he loves them is an understatement. (That's his little paw in the photograph.)

{makes 12 standard size muffins}

ingredients:

butter (for greasing muffins cups unless you are using cupcake liners)

1 1/2 cups of whole wheat pastry flour

3/4 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for topping

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

1 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup of canola oil

1 teaspoon grated lemon or orange zest

2/3 cup fresh raspberries (or frozen, unthawed & unsweetened)

1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Butter 12 standard size muffin cups or line them with cupcake liners.

2. Place the flour, 3/4 cup of sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine well. 

3. Place the egg, buttermilk, oil, and zest in a small bowl and whisk to combine well.  Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined.  Gently fold in the raspberries and pecans.  Do not overmix the batter or the muffins will be tough.  Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them 2/3 full.  Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar evenly over the batter. 

4. Bake the muffins until they are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of one comes out clean, 20 - 25 minutes.

5. Let cool for 10 minutes.

Happy New Year!

So, I realize that this is a little late but man it is hard to post from another person's home.  And alas, we are home.  so...Happy New Year!

I love, love fresh beginnings.  New calendars, clear journals.  Endless possibilities.  Limitless hope.   

And I am not someone that balks at resolutions.  Sure, we may not meet them all perfectly.  Sure some may fall quickly to the wayside but is that a reason to have no goals, no aspirations.  No hope to be a better you.  Perhaps with each resolution we take a baby step forward, and that is at least, something.

Here are my big 3 for the coming year.

1.  I want to pursue real and lasting health this coming year.  I want to make choices that contribute to, rather then steal from my and my families health.   

2. Walk in true joy that is not tied to my circumstances.  

3. Be present in the moment.  Not let technology or entertainment or even future dreams take away from what God has given me - right now.  

What are your resolutions for the coming year?

{photo from Antiquish's}

Copenhagen Love

I have mentioned to my husband (on several occasions) that I would like to up & move to Copenhagen.  It seems like a match made in heaven.  First there is the fact that my design sensibilities fall plainly near all things Scandinavian.  Then there's that other thing about them consistently being rated the happiest people on earth.  Who doesn't want to be happy and surrounded by beautiful things?  That's why when I saw this post over at A Cup of Jo, my heart when pitter-pat, pitter-pat:  

"Here's why Denmark is awesome:  Denmark has topped the World's Happiest people surveys for the past 20 years.  They buy more candles than any other nation.  Eighty percent of Copenhagen's cyclists continue to ride through the Copenhagen winter.  Rad all around."

I couldn't agree more, Jo.  I couldn't agree, more.  

{images by Lars from Copenhagen Cycle Chic}

Gary Fisher on the 6th day of Christmas

I nearly fainted in ecstasy. Behold, a lovely city bike of my dreaming. Granted, I do not live in a place that allows for much in the way of a bicycle lifestyle, if you know what I mean. Therefore, may I have a lovely biking city to go along with my pretty new ride?

These beauties were found here.

Hyland's

My little one got sick over the holiday weekend. Runny Nose, watery eyes, fever. While I was at the store yesterday I picked up some children's cold medicine to help him be more comfortable. I am not one that likes to cover every symptom with drugs but there are definitely times when I falter at the sight of his sweet, sad, dripping face. Yesterday was one of those times. Thankfully, his father who clearly possesses a better memory than I, reminded me that the FDA nearly banned cold medicines for children last year. How did I forget that?

This morning while my little one was even more miserable then yesterday, I remembered something I had considered buying as we were preparing to move to Morocco. It's a "homeopathic remedy chest". I had nearly purchased the one sold by Hyland's but it just never happened. I feel pretty ignorant on items such as these but I am open and it comes with a manuel. I am curious if any of you have ever used something like this and what were your results. I love taking the natural course of action when I feel confident that it is relatively safe and effective.

here's what Hyland's Remedy Kit contains:

30 NATURAL REMEDIES:
1 ACONITUM NAPELLUS | for Colds & Fevers with Sudden Onset
2 ALLIUM CEPA | for Runny Nose
3 ANTIMONIUM TARTARICUM | for Coughs with Mucous in Chest
4 APIS MELLIFICA | for Bites, Stings & Swellings
5/6 ARNICA MONTANA (2 BOTTLES) | for Bruising & Muscle Soreness
7 ARSENICUM ALBUM | for Diarrhea
8 BELLADONNA | for Fevers & Inflammation
9 BRYONIA ALBA | for Dry Cough/Arthritis Pain
10 CALCAREA PHOSPHORICA | for Teething
11 CANTHARIS | for Bladder Irritation
12 CARBO VEGETABILIS | for Nausea
13 CHAMOMILLA | for Teething & Irritability
14 FERRUM PHOSPHORICUM | for Fevers & Inflammation
15 GELSEMIUM SEMPERVIRENS | for Headaches/Flus with Muscle Pain
16 HEPAR SULPHURIS CALCAREUM | for Cough & Runny Nose
17 HYPERICUM PERFOLIATUM | for Nerve Injury
18 IGNATIA AMARA | for Grief & Emotional Upset
19 IPECACUANHA | for Nausea & Vomiting
20 LEDUM PALUSTRE | for Bites, Stings & Minor Puncture Wounds
21 MAGNESIA PHOSPHORICA | for Menstrual Cramps
22 MERCURIUS VIVUS | for Sore Throat
23 NUX VOMICA | for Indigestion & Nausea
24 PHOSPHORUS | for Cough & Sore Throat
25 PULSATILLA NIGRICANS | for Colds with Runny Nose
26 RHUS TOXICODENDRON | for Arthritis Pain, Better from Motion
27 RUTA GRAVEOLENS | for Sprains & Tendonitis
28 SPONGIA TOSTA | for Coughs
29 SULPHUR | for Rashes & Eczema
30 VERATRUM ALBUM | for Diarrhea with Vomiting