Sunny's sick

We are sitting in insta care right now, waiting to get Sunn checked out. Her temperature has been rising and got up to 104.4, even after tylenol. This was enough for a doc visit. I have never felt her so hot.  Her head felt so hot, I felt an egg could cook on it. My poor baby.  I think it hurts me more then Sunny.
Being a mom is so hard emotionally. We as mama's love our kids so so much, it hurts. When we can't erase their pain, it's like torture to us.
Tonite was our incredible ward Christmas party, but I just couldn't feel joy I needed to. So much work was put into it. My mind was on Sunny, worrying about her increasing fever, but the spiritual aspects of the party were so defining & uplifting.

She's been sick a lot lately, but this is the first time i've panicked like this. Fevers are good for the body, but also scary.
updates to follow. Please keep our precious girl in your prayers.

Lobster or Crab Slaw

Today I feel like sharing and blabbing. Here goes the blab.

About 5 years, I decided to make some serious changes in how I eat.

Eating healthy can be expensive.  But let me say this: It is so worth it.

6 years ago, I was wearing size 12 in jeans.  Some people may not recognize me if they saw old photos. I was a huge carb eater. I felt like a slug.

Something had to change.

I read my patriarchal blessing. It gave me all the answers I needed. I prayed and studied.  And by study, I mean I read my scriptures, sought revelation, and read loads of books on health and nutrition.  My brain felt overwhelmed. I decided to allow the paleo lifestyle into my life.

Oh my gosh.  The paleo diet was my answer.  I felt so good, so happy, so energetic.  People wondered what was up. Why was I always so annoyingly happy all the time.

I call the paleo diet the Happy Diet. It really makes you nonstop happy. Kind of like when you run, you get lots of serotonin and you feel so good.  The paleo diet does the same thing, without the run.

Why does the paleo diet make you feel so great, you ask? 

There is alot of detail I would need to go into. Too much.  To sum it up, you are eating no sugar. None.

I don't like to get into too mant health topics. Many people don't care to hear about it. It can be controversial,  much like politics. 

Many people are aware that carbs are sugar.  Depending on the carb, refined, simple, or complex, carbs all break down into sugar. 

Here is an example. Refined sugar or simple carbs like white bread, white rice,  refined corn products, and many crackers, all break down to sugar.  It's similar to eating a candy bar. 

Complex carbs are whole wheat flour or brown rice.  This breaks down much slower, but still ultimately breaks down to sugar.

Sugar overload causes issues with one's health. 

All things in moderation.

I am not bold and I don't like to talk about nutrition unless someone invites me to discuss it with them. My hope is that people educate themselves. 

During my pregnancy, I ate very low carb. Excluding Sunny's weight and water, I gained a total of 7 pounds, that's it.  This frustrated my doctor. She ordered me to see a nutritionist. I said no thanks. In fact, I rejected half the things she recommend to me. 

My body felt good. Like super good. I ate well, avoided sugar, and felt amazing. At 39 weeks I had energy that suprised people.

Sunny was born healthy. A bit moody, but healthy. 

Trying to avoid treats this time of year is so hard.  (Sorry about that cookie post) Trying to eat perfect with a family and budget is so hard.  I get it. But if you want to make lifestyle changes, you can do anything you set your mind to.

What if you lack support?  Say you husband and kids don't want to eat the way you do. Make modifications.  If you have tacos for dinner, make yours a lettuce wrap. Same goes with hamburgers or hotdogs. 

I eat carbs,  but I don't eat many. With a family and child, it is hard to not. Moderation is important. 

In our home, rather then avoid carbs all together,  we reduce them and try to avoid simple sugars completely. We are not perfect, but I try my hardest to do my best. Like my cookie recipe the other day. In moderation. 

Enter this salad. Low in carb. It was my lunch today. Yum!

Look at the gorgeous colors. So healthy and hearty. I use imitation lobster or crab. Much cheaper.

Here is an example of low carbs in our home during the day.

Breakfast: scrambled eggs, banana, sausage or hard boiled egg. Green smoothie.

Snack

Celery sticks and peanut butter

Carrots, cucumber in ranch dip for Sunny

Lunch: avocado and sharp cheddar (sunny can eat aged cheese, but I can't)

Apples, pecans and cashews,  chicken nugget or fish stick. Peas, oranges,  and any other fruit in season. Sometimes a sandwich on homemade whole wheat bread.

Dinner: butternut squash chili or Speghetti squash with meat sauce. Or we will have tacos or Speghetti depending on whether carbs were eaten at lunch. 

Lobster slaw

1 1/2 tsp. Apple cider vinegar
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. Honey
1 T. Olive oil
1/4 tsp. Poppy seeds
1/4 c. Chopped green apple
1/2 c. Thinly shredded red and green cabbage
1 T. Parsley or cilantro
1 package of imitation lobster or crab. Or use the real stuff if you can afford to.

In bowl,  combine first three ingredients and whisk. Stir in seeds and everything else. Mix and serve. Serves 2-4

Source, louiskemp.com

Thankful

As I finished my last post a few hours ago, I decided to write a second post today about what I am thankful for. It's always been a tradition for everyone to say what they are thankful for. I remember years ago, my sister, Becky, started this tradition. She insisted that everyone gather in a circle. I love this because this exemplifies what Thanksgiving is all about. I realize I posted a gratitude list on my blog a couple weeks ago, so with this list, I want to describe five powerful, uplifting people who are true rocks in my life and have shaped me into who I am today.

*Humility: I met this this gal, the summer of 2012.  She was pregnant with her first child, Hunter, at the time. She went through infertility for over ten years and wanted to help me get through mine. Even though she hardly knew me, she and I talked for an hour about God's plan for each of us. She explained everything so humbly. Although I had only experienced unexplained infertility for only 3 years, I was lost and alone. C understood and shared so many personal stories with me that lifted my spirits that day. She and I became great friends even though I lived up in Layton at the time. One day, she suprised me with a HUGE gift of something she put together herself, to help me cope with my infertility. Whatever she did must of helped because I conceived right after she gave me the gift. I was so touched, I cried. This gal is truly an angel in my life. I Feel so beyond blessed to live right next to her and watch her 2 children grow.

* Loyalty: I can't even begin to describe a certain friend in my life who has helped me reach my excercise goals and has become such an example too. She is such a missionary to this day.
 I am such a slacker at sticking with any routine and for three months, this lady still keeps me strong. Here is one example. She has picked me up at 8:30 am, when she's been pregnant and exhausted and up half the night. She has come in the rain, in the cold, etc.  There were days when i didnt think she would come, but no, she is always there. She is so dedicated and I wouldn't be where I am without her. I love her to death.

Generosity: This is an attribute that comes from my sister. She is so incredibly generous, and has been an example to me throughout my life. I could list hundreds of examples of how generous she is, but for time sake, will just stick with one. One day, a few years back, we were on our way home from California.  We stopped at Barstow and got out to stretch. My sister, mom, and I, went inside a fast food restaurant.  When we came out, my sister noticed a family holding signs asking for money. My sister,  without hesitation,  gave them her freshly made fast food,  all our snacks in the car, and all my mom's dark chocolate.  She pretty much cleaned out all food and drink we had in our car, and handed it over to these people.  My mom was upset about losing her chocolate,  but my sister explained that someone else needed it more. What an example my sister is to everyone around her.

Patience: this comes from my husband. We have been married 7 years now and he is still the most patient man I know. He has taught me to slow down and not sweat the small stuff. In addition to his patience, he is so hardworking and always is cheerful and kind. What a great example to me.

Motivation Towards Success. This is an attribute that comes from several of my high school friends that live in different states now. These ladies have showed how hard work truly pays off. I remember my junior year of high school and dreams of my future where becoming more evident. These ladies were powerful examples to model hard work and success. I don't think I would of ever strived to work as hard as I did to get into BYU, without these girls examples. To this day, I thank them.

We all have people in our lives who have shaped us in some positive way. This Thanksgiving is the time to really pay extra attention to what we are thankful for and WHO we are thankful for. I love the hymn, "Each Life That Touches Us For Good" as it a reminder that good people are out there all the time just waiting to touch a life, or be touched.

Giving Thanks, Christmas Lights, & Cranberry Orange & Rosemary Shortbread Cookies

This was probably one of my most favorite Thanksgiving this year. Here is why:

* We hosted and I wouldn't want it any other way. The last several years has been spent going to other people's homes and everything was on their schedule.  Since we hosted, it was on our schedule.  We got to decide what time dinner would be served as well as how it would be organized.  And everyone knows how organized I am, right? Just look at my fridge.

Okay, that's not really my fridge. I just had to share this image I found in a Oprah magazine I was browsing through.

*Rodney and I made everything from scratch this year. No processed food whatsoever. Wednesday was spent making homemade rolls, pumpkin pie and yams. The only thing left on Thursday was the turkey prep, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing (made from our own homemade bread) and green bean casserole.  We were super organized this year and everything was done by noon. We were able to clean up as food was made and eat promptly at the time we said.

*After the feast, we had some good old fashioned fun.  People were engaging with each other rather then with their phones, nobody was rushing out the door for Black Friday sales, and everyone was actually interacting in a normal human manner. We sang Christmas songs, engaged in conversation, watched Mrs. Miracle, and had a great time. Is this rare?

I definitely have a strong opinion about how Thanksgiving should be spent. I won't waste time elaborating on how awful certain companies are to start Black Friday on Thanksgiving.  If more people took the time to really spend their Thanksgiving giving thanks and appreciating being home with loved ones, more store employees could be home with their families too.

Our tradition is to decorate with outdoor lights the day after as well as go to the temple to see the lights and nativity. I was super awed at the lights around the town square (Children's Museum). I am still decorating for Christmas and hope to be done this week.

I love to shop for great deals. JoAnn offered 70 perc off on Saturday, so I picked up some buffalo snow as well as other bargains to put on and around our tree. We are doing kind of a polar express theme so the snow fit in beautifully.

I am not done. I still have a little town village to organize and some more white snow theme stuff to work on.

Sunny has her own Christmas tree theme. I decided to center it around babies since she is really taking interest in baby Jesus. I decided to pull out my huge stash of crocheted booties, hats and doll clothing so she could engage with her babies. She loves changing their booties, hats, blankets around and it keeps her busy. I have not crocheted in years and probably forgot how to. :(

In other news, Rodney is accelerating through business school like a breeze. He took 24 credits last semester while working full time. He did excellent in his classes and is scheduled to graduate a whole year earlier. We are so proud of him.

I wanted to share a cookie recipe that I love. I don't eat much dairy but I love shortbread. These cookies melt in your mouth with pockets of cranberry and white chocolate and orange extract and dried rosemary.  Heaven.

*you can reduce the sugar and omit the white chocolate for raisins or macademia nuts, if you prefer.

Ingredients, preheat to 350

1 c. Butter, softened
3/4 c. Powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. Almond extract
1 T. orange extract or orange peel grated
1/2 c. Dried cranberries
2 tsp. Vanilla
1/4 c. White chocolate chips
1/4 tsp. Dried rosemary
2 c. Flour
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Baking powder

Beat butter until creamy, add sugar, extracts and rosemary. Stir in flour and baking powder,  salt and chips/cranberries.  Beat on low until combined.

Drop onto parchment paper rounded scoops of dough. Bake 10-12 min. Cool.

Recipe slightly adapted from allrecipes. Com