Being Frugal {or Another Mania}

I have some friends that coupon pretty well, and I've been interested in this for a long time.  I never did it though because I always thought, they don't have coupons for the things I buy, so I'd be buying things just because I have coupons! Well I do buy personal products, baggies, toilet paper, dog food, make up, shampoo, cleaning supplies, and laundry detergent!! Even if I had coupons for JUST those items it would save me a lot of money which would give me more money for the grass fed and organic foods I want.  Now if only I could find coupons for that kinda stuff.....

Sunday night I went and bought two of the LA Times and two of our local papers.  I'm still figuring this all out.  Not quite sure why you should have more than one paper unless you get something for Free because of the item being on sale, plus a manufacturers coupon, plus a store coupon.

Yesterday was my first adventure at this.  I went to Target to get these blushes for free.  I got 3, which was all they had left, and I had three different coupons for Cover Girl to use separately plus a mobile coupon that the guy was to scan on my phone.

I told him to do them separate. He didn't listen.  Then he said, "if it doesn't take $1 off each product when rung up together then I can't do it."  LIE. Well of course it didn't.  So he asked a girl that worked there to and she said with mobile bar scans you can only use it once.  Another lie. They don't know anything.  Fine. Whatever just give me one blush then.

It was on sale for $1.92 at my Target.  I gave him a $1.50 off any Cover Girl product coupon, then gave him my phone to scan for $1 off too.  He said, "I can't scan your phone now because it will be negative money."  I said, "I know. It's okay, try it!" Target won't give you money back but Walmart, CVS, Walgreen ect will.  He rolled his eyes and tried it. Somehow he got it to where I owed him $.14.  He was impatient. The people behind me where waiting. I paid it what evs.  I got a blush for $.14!  It wasn't what I hoped or planned but it was a learning lesson.  Lesson: cashiers are going to hate me.  And I have to know my stuff.

Do you coupon? Can you give me any tips? It takes so much time and effort.  It's another mania.  I know it.  I don't want it to distract me from writing the book or housework, ect.  But if it will help my family I will became a couponing Maniac.
Amen.

Scratch

I've been thinking a lot. My job as Mom and Wife is to feed my family  {among several others}. 

It weighs on me heavy to give them what I should. My boys ask me for chips, donuts, muffins, on a regular bases. I don't keep flavored chips in the house usually or donuts ir anything but if they see something On TV they ask for it.

 

I'm usually saying "No" or giving in at the store then regretting it later.  So, I've been thinking, well what if I make treats from scratch at home? Sure they still may not be super nutritious but they wouldn't have chemicals and preservatives. 

They'd also have less sugar probably. Today I made banana bread. A favorite here! Yesterday I walked in the morning while listening to Pregtastic. Didn't get to walk today but I did wake up early. Love writing in my prayer journal. Then I worked on my book. Go me. Have a GREAT weekend!!! 

Last nights dinner in Pics

Last night I made Basil Pesto Tilapia...sounds impressive right? Well it's from Costco! It has no weird ingredients at all in it, just basil, pesto, Parmesan, and olive oil! It was super yummy.  I fried it in Olive oil.  Then I made some gluten free pasta that I got at Trader Joe's.  It is made of corn! It was pretty good. I only had a bite, and just ate the fish and squash.  I realized....pasta turns out better if I let the water boil first! Duh right? I'm sure you all do this.  

The squash is from our garden.  So beautiful and delish.  I sautéed it in olive oil with garlic salt.  Desert was homemade cookie bars.  I used the Nestle Toll House recipe and just spread dough in an oiled pan (I used olive oil-I hate sprays, they smell so chemically). 

Posted another day of My Fitness Pal diary.  Not perfect.  Trying to get in more veggies.  Already doing better today.  Since I've been eating 3-4 eggs a day I've been full a lot.  

The chocolate....yeah....well. I have this new "treat" I melt chocolate and eat it with a graham cracker :) I share with my boys, so it's not so bad. Wink. 

Making a green smoothie for a snack today, and the stew is just about ready! I'll try to post pics of that tomorrow.  

I haven't gotten to walk yet today, Reece woke up early....throws my whole day off.  Also been emotional about the fact that Shane is starting Kindergarten in a month.  Whoa.   And, I'm feeling a little blue right now and I'm not sure why.  Pregnancy hormones! Gr.  Okay gotta run! Lot's to do as usual. 

Walking and My Food Diary

This morning I meant to wake up at 6:45am to do a Walk Away The Pounds video, but I didn't wake up until 7:20am!

So I made the hubby eggs and toast for breakfast, then made and packed his lunch (turkey sandwich with an egg on it, orange, peach, trail mix, tortilla chips).

After he left for work the boys were still asleep so I turned on the 20 min 1 mile walk and did it while listening to Pregtastic Podcast (one if my faves). 

Then I made myself coffee, read my bible and prayed. Wonderful morning. My dad bought me a prayer journal and gave it to me on Sunday & I LOVE it!! It's so therapeutic to write to God and pour my heart out. I get so distracted otherwise if I'm praying in my head. This is such a blessing and will do this from now on! 

The boys woke up & asked for Kix cereal. Could've been better but ill make them eggs for lunch. I'm going to attempt to make bone broth for stew today with the beef knuckles I bought. Lord help me. 

I have to cancel our YMCA membership because we are putting the boys in Karate, and sometimes, ok always, you make sacrifices for your kids. Plus I hate going anywhere lately so we haven't been going much. I'm gonna do the walking videos as often as I can. It's not a bad work out! Granted its not running 3 miles (can NOT WAIT TO RUN) but its something. 

Good news: I've gained only 1 lbs in 3 weeks. Thank you Jesus. Gotta keep it up. 

For accountability I'm gonna post my fitness pal food journal often so I will 1. Log and 2. Stay accountable. 

Yes cleaning is a work out. M Kay? 

Before anyone goes judging me....I already know my food isn't perfect at the moment! :-) Last night the boys had karate so we got home late and I made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Oh well. It happens. I HAVE to make an effort to eat more veggies. I think I'll cut up some today. The stew will be loaded. I'm also going to start posting more food pics. 

Shane (5) is on the mat doing sit ups w the yellow belt above him. Shane loooves karate! Cody doesn't have the attention span yet so I think he will go back to gymnastics, which is constant motion.

26 weeks Pregnant & trip update

We made it back late last night.  Our trip and meeting didn't go exactly as planned, but it was good.  We are now actively looking for a church to work at where my husband can build a Sunday School class and do more ministry instead of maintenance and construction like he's doing now.  Our Pastor has counseled us that after that they will send us to start the church!! It's all very exciting, and we are anxious to just do it already, but we know this will be very helpful to us!  We are praying specifically for a church in California to hire us. 

We enjoyed spending time at Davey's grandparents, who live across the street from my in-laws.  They gave us a huge bag of oranges, plums, peaches, carrots and squash from their garden.  It was lovely.  Reece ate a plum, peach, orange and a carrot while there! LOL.  Cody and Shane went to the rodeo with my Mom and step Dad, and they had such a fun time! They got to ride a mechanical bull, and they each won a potato sack race!!!!

It was a great weekend.  OH and I had a huge score....at my farmers market thursday, I found a vendor of grass fed beef! California raised AND he had bones/bone marrow for broth!!!!!!! I was so stocked! I was going to drive to 45 mins to get bones! 

I'm 26 weeks now and this baby boy is squirming all over!!! LOVE it! I've been eating a lot of oranges and eggs to strengthen my water bag so it won't break first in labor!  Also taking Mother to Be prenatals and Bioflavinoids.

Ok lots to do gotta skidadle.  xo

The difference of ONE meal.

This is SUPER exciting.  I had read this before when I read "Cure Tooth Decay" but I looked it up in my book "Nutrition and Physical Degeneration" by Weston A. Price {most amazing life changing book by the way} and was SO excited and motivated about what I read.  This is PROOF that it doesn't have to be "all or nothing."  

I have suffered {yes it's a disease ;) } for EVER from "All or Nothing" syndrome.  It's Monday, I blew my diet, so I'll blow the rest of the week too.  Can't run all the miles for training? I won't run any.  Can't afford all the Organic healthy groceries I want and everyone says I should have? I won't get ANY.   
Seriously this mind frame led me over weight and depressed. And ONLY when I realized finally that this was my problem, and that in fact SOME is better than NONE, did I change inside and LOSE WEIGHT!

I've been dealing with this monster again for my middle son Cody's health.  He hasn't been complaining of tummy aches anymore since I cut out then 4 months later reintroduced gluten back into his diet, (You can read here how cutting gluten out for a time helped him grow 2 inches in a short time). BUT as of late, he hasn't been sleeping as well, growing as much, or paying attention as well, as when he was on a full healthy nutritional diet & supplements. 

You can read here how I healed a cavity in my own mouth! 

Weston A. Price was a dentist in the 1900's and traveled the world studying primitive cultures and how robust and healthy they were compared to the modern American families who were plagued with cavities and physical and mental degeneration diseases.  

Summary: Dr. Weston Price brought what he learned back to America, and during the depression, took 27 children, with sever cavities and health conditions and fed them a nutritious meal ONCE a day, and in as little as six weeks saw boys that could barley get around, to playing basketball.  They didn't change any meals at home, or take away any of the sweets and starches they were eating everyday.  They just added ONE NUTRITIOUS meal a day for these children. 

Here is what the book says.  It speaks for itself:  Pages 391-395 "Nutrition and Physical Degeneration". 
(Remember, these children were in the depression.  Our kids may not need as much as they did if we give them healthy breakfasts like eggs and butter, and dinner like fish and veggies.)

-"One of the boys, who was so weak at the beginning of the test that it was considered questionable whether it was safe for him to walk the two blocks from his home to the mission for the one reinforced meal a day, in six weeks was able to play basketball."

-"During the experiment, the home meals were not changed, nor was the home care of the teeth. The preliminary studies of each child included complete x-ray examination of all the teeth, chemical  analyses of the saliva, and a careful plotting of the position, size, and depth of all cavities, a record of the height and weight and a record of school grades, including deportment. 

-"It is important to note that the home diet which had been responsible for the tooth decay, was exceedingly low in body-building and repair material and high in sweets and refined starches.  It usually consisted of a highly sweetened coffee and white bread, vegetable fat, pancakes made of a white flour and eaten with syrup and doughnuts fried in vegetable fat."

-"The diet provided these children in the supplemental meal was as follows: About 4 ounces of tomato juice or orange juice and a teaspoonful of a mixture of equal parts of a very high vitamin, natural cod liver oil, and an especially high vitamin butter oil was given at the beginning of the meal." 

-"The child then received a bowl containing approximately a pint (2 cups) of a very rich vegetable and meat stew, made largely from bone marrow and fine cuts of tender meat.  The meat was usually broiled separately to retain its juice and then chopped very fine and added to the bone-marrow meat soup, which always contained finely chopped vegetables and plenty of very yellow carrots."

-"The next course consisted of cooked fruit, with very little sweetening, and rolls made from freshly ground whole wheat and spread with high vitamin butter.  The wheat for the rolls was ground fresh everyday in a motor-driven coffee mill."

-"Each child was also given 2 glasses of fresh whole milk."

-"The menu varied from day to day by substituting for the meat stew fish chowder or organs of animals."

THE RESULTS: 
"Clinically, this program completely controlled the dental carries of each member of the group, as determined by x-ray and explorer examination." 

"It is important to note with the regard to the effect of the special nutritional program on this group of children that two different teachers came to me to inquire as to what had been done to make a particular child change from one of the poorest in the class in capacity to learn to one of the best. Dental caries is only one of the many expressions of our modern deficient nutrition."

"In many of these cases, the open cavities were left with out fillings; and in all such cases, the exposed dentin took on a hard glassy finish.  There were many other evidences of betterment." 

One of these children had 3 molars that exposed the PULP of the tooth (ouch! this is where a dentist says root canal needed asap!).  This photo shows that they were healed! 
It says below the photo, "Fig. 97 Three cases that illustrate how nature can close an exposure of the pulp due to dental caries by building a protective wall within the pulp chamber when the nutrition is adequately improved."

This next photo is of a 14 year old girl that had 42 cavities in 24 teeth!!!! She already had four molars pulled and the first dentist she saw recommended pulling all her teeth and giving her dentures! All of her teeth were saved after seeing Dr. Price.  Amazing.


I think we can ALL start with just one highly nutritious meal a day for ourselves and our growing children.  I'm motivated and will be doing a meal like this for lunch, once I go grocery shopping.  It is tricky, how to get a 4 year old to take Fermented Cod Liver Oil/High Vitamin Butter oil, but I think I'll mix it with applesauce and see if that works.  I can make a bone broth meat stew on Monday's and serve it for a few days at least.  :) 

Excited

Friday we are leaving for Morgan Hill, (our hometown 5 hours north) to talk to our home pastor about us starting a church.  I haven't talked about it much on here because it's all so uncertain still and in the very early stages, but my husband feels called by God to start a church in California.  It would be a dream come true for me.  I'm super anxious to know what our pastor will say.   Most likely he will say he thinks we should work as an assistant pastor somewhere for a while then go from there, but we are praying he has some ideas in mind.   I can't imagine how much my life would change if we started a church.  I think it would be the best life in the world.  But definitely a life of faith!!!! Income, people, housing, church building, everything would be up to HIM.
Super excited, and I will let you all know how it goes ASAP.  I'd appreciate prayers.  :)

In other news, I'm 25 weeks now, less than 15 to go, and 3ish months to go.  It's all so confusing isn't it? Well I've been very tired lately.  Reece is just a crazy boy.  Always climbing, touching things he shouldn't, ect.  I barely have any energy to go anywhere with all three of them anymore.  I have to pee all the time, so dragging 3 boys to the bathroom while out is not fun.  I find myself thinking maybe this should be our last baby.  I trust the Lord, though and pray for wisdom.  I do want a girl one day, I think....LOL now I'm not so sure! Haha.
I've been too short with the boys lately and it's been so hot I've been letting them watch too much TV because it's too hot to go outside.  We've been reading a lot and I've been trying to work hard on my  book.  15,000 words done, only 65,000 more to go! Oh my soul, I'm never gonna finish.

Well better go, I got lots of laundry to do, dishes in the sink, and cereal on my floor.  xoxo 
 

THIS is me.

For any new, or even old readers I may have, I wanted to write a random list of "who I am and am not".  Because sometimes....I come across blogs where these ladies are so seemingly perfect with their organic eating and nutritious cooking, parenting skills, time management, ect that I feel like poop after reading. No offense to them :)  Although I know they are not perfect, and don't claim to be, I am just reminded of how much work I have to do. 

1.  I KNOW what is a healthy nutritious meal.  I KNOW what I should be feeding our family.  I don't always do this perfectly every paycheck.  Sometimes things come up and I can't get the best of the best.  So I have to make do with good enough. 

2.  I am a real food advocate.  I know processed foods are bad and makes us sick.  I still eat them sometimes.  Sometimes too much. 

3.  I have seen amazing health results in cutting processed foods and eating a traditional diet, like healing a cavity.  My eczema going away.  My IBS under control.  Yet times I still give into that donut or cake. 

4.  I tend to get FAT when I get pregnant. That is just my body, even if I eat really well. My body has some sort of fat memory that is triggered when pregnant. 
Then I work really hard to lose all the weight AND some after the baby is born.   Then I get pregnant again.  And again. And again. And again. 

5.  I am super proud that I've ran two half marathons, one 10K, several 5Ks, and done 3 triathlons.  I plan to do another half marathon in 2014. 

6.  I will never give up. 

7.  I was 21 pounds away from my goal weight at 10 weeks pregnant this past April.  Now at nearly 25 weeks I'm {gulp} back up to 50 something pounds away from it.  {sad face. I told you I get fat while pregnant}.  -and no, I won't update my weight tracker until I have this baby.  It will be a terrible, horrific ordeal I tell you.

8.  I AM SUPER MOTIVATED TO GET TO MY GOAL WEIGHT AND STAY THERE! 

9.  I have to, HAVE to log my food or I won't lose weight.

10.  I am a born again Christian and so thankful for God's help and grace! 

11.  We tend to only make boy babies.

12.  I am trying to write a fiction book.

13. I am also trying to write an eBook on how I converted a lot of our house to more natural, healthier ways with in a budget.  {cloth diapers, water filters, glass sippies, ect}.

14.  There just isn't enough time in a day to do all the things I want to do. 

15. I read a lot.  A LOT.

16. I am horrible at cleaning my house. I do it though. But I loathe it.

17.  I do photography.  Newborns are my favorite. 

18.  I know gluten is from the devil.  But after 4 months of not eating it, I am eating it again. 

19.  I HAVE to wake up before my boys and have coffee and read my bible or I am a scary lady.

20.  I yell at my kids too much and I'm always behind on laundry.

Logging food & Funnies

So. I went to the doctor for regular check up on Monday. I knew the scale wouldn't be pretty. I missed my last appointment so it's been 6-8 weeks since I've been. I specifically asked the nurse, "How much did I gain?" 

Nurse: "7 pounds" 

Me: "oh that's not so bad!" 

Doctor: "so you've gained quite a bit since your last appointment." 

Me: "Really? 7 pounds?" 

Doctor: "No. 17." 

Me: "What the hebbiejeebie are you kidding me!!!!!????!!" 

Doctor: "what happened? You were doing so well." 

Me: "I don't know. I'm swollen?" 

Doctor: "You're not THAT swollen." 

Me: Hang head in shame. 

Husband: Shakes head. 

I've been eating a lot of nutritious foods like grass fed butter, organic eggs, fruits, greek yogurt, ect....but not really cutting out all the sweets. So, I will have to log food into My Fitness Pal again to see how much I really am eating. 

Boo. 

I hate you fat genes.

Here are some funnies to keep us happy :) 

How I healed a cavity, while breastfeeding AND pregnant!

Clip Art source


FINALLY I am writing this post! It's been months since the cavity was healed.  But you know, 3 boys, 1 baby boy on the way, life is hectic! So I'll keep this short and simple! Hopefully ;)

In October 2012 I had horrible pain in my right jaw.  I thought it was TMJ, but one morning I woke up with an abscess on the roof of my mouth! Ahhhhhh!!!!!! It was AWFUL.  So after a trip to the doctor, and put on antibiotics, I had that tooth pulled a week later.  Sad I know.  That tooth was too far gone for saving I think since it was dead.

Oh and a cool side note....I went to the chiropractor finally for the pain of what I thought was TMJ, but after my body was aligned properly, my immune system was able to form the abscess to drain all the yuck that was causing all that pain! Amazing! With in just a few hours of being adjusted the abscess formed.

So, at the dentist I find out, I have two on my bottom right that "need" root canals.  Then two on the bottom right also that are normal cavities that need filling.  Well super depressed because a year before this I had 12 cavities filled when I never EVER had a cavity in my whole life!  I wondered WHY my teeth were decaying so badly!  Then I figured out it's because of being pregnant and breastfeeding for over 6 years straight.

Anyways,  I had decay on the bottom of my right eye tooth.  I could see it, it was brownish gray along the gum/tooth line, and this tooth bothered me quite a bit.  I was worried about it since it was in the front, and thought I better get it filled.  I knew I didn't want root canals because of the complications they can cause and the expense! {I have NOT healed those bottom two yet, they were very deep.  The teeth are still alive, but it will take a while to heal those. Praying I won't need root canals or extractions}.   Desperate, I googled a thousand times how to heal a cavity.  I even saw a second dentist that goes to my church for an honest opinion and he said I really needed root canals and fillings.  I cried. Right there in the chair.  I asked in desperation, "Is there any way to heal a cavity naturally?" he said in all honesty, "No. I know you will see things online but they don't work."  Which made me cry even more.

I decided to full force try to heal these bad boys myself.  I read Wellness Mama's blog about healing cavities, I ordered "Cure Tooth Decay" book on Kindle and flew through it.  I ordered Weston Price's book, "Nutrition and Physical Degeneration" and The Healthy Home Economist blog about healing her sons cavity. 
I was motivated.  I believed God created our bodies to heal. If a broken arm can heal why can't a decayed tooth?
I ordered Fermented Cod Liver Oil,  and I used Essential oils on my tooth.  I cut back on grains and nuts which contain phytic acid which block mineral absorption. I ate grass fed butter, and occasional bone broth. I tried to drink raw milk or eat raw cheese when I could. But the main things that healed my cavity, that I was consistent at was:

1. Taking Fermented Cod Liver Oil (I doubled the dosage for a month because of breastfeeding. I was taking 12 capsules of Cod Liver Oil/ Butter Oil Blend).
2. And putting Young Living Thieves essential oil directly onto the tooth 3-5 times a day.  I would put a drop in my hand, then put the floss in the oil, and floss directly on the decay with the Thieves.
3. I cut out gluten for 4 months, so I was eating less grains (only some corn), and I cut back on sugar. I never could cut sugar out all the way! 

It was 4-5 months after that dentist visit that my first cavity healed.  About a month after I upped my FCLO dosage, I was using a dental scrapper (you can buy at walmat) scrapping my teeth for plaque like I do from time to time, and WHOA! All the decay on my lower right eye tooth scrapped right out!!! FOR REALS!  I put it on my finger, it was like tiny pieces of dead bone, they were sharp.  I looked and looked and LOOKED for decay on that tooth and it was all GONE! Smooth, white tooth was now present.  This is no joke, and no exaggeration.  I was so pumped I saved the decay to show my hubby lol.

This tooth was really bothering me for several months.  And now it's all better!  I still have those big cavities I'm trying to heal, and I still have a few other small ones.  But it can be done!!!

When I scrapped out the decay, I was already several weeks pregnant with baby boy #4 and I was still breastfeeding baby boy #3 several times a day.  SO IT CAN BE DONE!!!!!!!!!! It takes consistency.  FCLO is AMAZING.

Okay.  I'm done.  Please let me know if you have any questions :)

 

Let's Face It.

I really really  need to get my diet under control! It's totally lacking right now.  I NEED to cut gluten again, but it's so hard! I have to re-adjust my grocery budget and lists, and meal plan, which I never stick too which I totally plan to stick too. 

My weight keeps creeping up, and I don't want to have to lose alllll the weight all over again! Gr.  Eating right is a priority, it's either on the top or bottom.  Sadly for me lately it's been near the bottom, and that's so not fair to the baby.  I just eat what I can on the go.  Why do I make food for everyone else yet don't take time to eat it, then I eat standing up or give in to brownies.  Ooops. 

So, planning my next grocery trip.  Will be getting more veggies and protiens.  Less gluten.  More fruits.  Less processed foods. 

4th of July was good.  Our AC broke on the 3rd....torture for over 24 hours.  It was semi fixed yesterday (has a leak in it).   I took the two older boys swimming while Davey and toddler stayed home with AC man.  Then we relaxed at home all day.  I finished another Holocaust book.  Man that war is sooo devastating. I wish more people would read about it and see how evil some people can be, and not think, "That'll never happen again."  It happened once, and it could happen again.  ;(

How it's going

It's HOT. Oh boy.  So miserable.  It was 114 two days ago!!!! And our house wouldn't get below 85, even with the AC blasting.  I have been so grumpy and irritated. 

THE SCALE.....don don don.  Always have to do that. ;) I hate it right now.  I'm so swollen and other pregnant lady symptoms, and it keeps telling me I've gained 19-20 lbs already! WWWWHHHHATTTT NOOOOOOOOO! Not. Cool. 

I finished Harry Potter.  Pretty good.  And I finished a book on the Holocaust called, "The Hidden Children".   Sooooo sad.  If you ever feel bad for yourself, just read up on the Holocaust.  For reals.  These poor children were hid, from house to house, some just in the forest, running from the Nazi's for years.  Most of their parents died in Concentration Camps. 

There was this one awful story I keep thinking about.  There was 50 Jews hiding under a building from Germans that were looking for them. An 18 month old boy kept crying & crying. The men were saying, "we need to kill this boy or they will find us". A few tried but they just couldn't do it. Then one man said, "We can't kill him. If they find us, than they find us." The boys father then said, "I can't have 50 people sacrificed for my child." And the father killed his own son. I can't stop thinking about this awful story!!!! 
I could NEVER. Could you imagine? You'd like they could just make him pass out or something. But I guess not :( 
Then I thought, that's exactly what Jesus did for us. Sacrificed His only Son so we could live.  I've been working hard on my book.  Got over 4,500 words written! Lots to go still :) How are you?!!!