Game plug

Gotta take a moment to plug our new family favorite game.  (New as in Christmas.) Memory, the matching game hadn't really captivated Jake, despite my numerous attempts.  It was actually kind of frustrating playing with him since his attention would wander and he didn't really pay attention to the simple rules.  Not sure what compelled me to purchase this game before our holiday since we already had two versions of Memory but I suppose it was a glimmer of hope that THESE characters would be the hook.  So it's not so much the characters that excited him, though he is awfully fond of Cars 2, it was the added element of RACING.  Now it's our family favorite!  We play it several times a day and Jake's gotten so good at finding matches.  And I'm THRILLED to have someone else in the house that loves to play games! It's a win-win situation! 

Health eating update

So I haven't been a very creative vegan cook yet, though I have been consistent in offering up my family a vegan meal every week since my first post. Veggie stir fry and rice and beans are the two meals I've woven into our repetoire.  My friend Daphne gave me a book as inspiration, though I've been consumed with reading for school and book club. I have officially switched to buying almond milk for our cereal and Ezekial bread makes a yummy cinnamon raisin toast so mornings are a bit healthier.  Plus, I purchased some organic brown ricecakes that Quinn and I enjoy snacking on, though Daddy and Jake aren't too impressed.

Happy New Year

Recently a friend recommended a book called "Forks Over Knives."  I haven't read the book yet though I watched the film thanks to Netflix.  Their basic thesis is that the bulk of our health ills stem from our diet and if humans abandoned their processed foods and animal based diets and embraced a whole grains and plant based nutirition, much of our aches, pains & diseases would be completely eliminated.  The film was well done.  I enjoyed the computer graphic explanations on how our bodies work and was fascinated by the handful of testimonials given.  (Especially two women one diagosed with diabetes and the other with breast cancer.)  My fascination with their theories turned to near horror the next day as I walked through our normal Sunday preparing meals and snacks for my family.  Pretty much everything I serve, everything we love falls into either animal based or processed food categories.  So while I'm not embracing the recommended vegan lifestyle whole hog, (bad pun intended) I do realize that I need to make a couple of simple baby steps for our family.  Here are my goals, already put into practice last week:
1.  Each week I will create at least one vegan meal.      (This will turn into 2-3 lunches for me as I dine on the leftovers.)
2.  Each month I will attempt one new recipe.
3.  Each month I will research one little difference. 

So...January's meal was stir fry.  (Though Jake and Quinn ate rice and beans per Jake's request.)  I usually make a chicken stir fry with chow mein noodles & some kind of prepackaged sauce.  It wasn't hard to leave out the three offending additions. 
When our current organic whole milk runs out, I'm going to substitute cow's milk for almond milk.  We don't consume that much milk anyway, mostly to wet our cereal. 

February is right around the corner so I need to find a new recipe to try!  I hope to continue to blog about this trend.  One thing I noticed immediately is that the three days I ate vegan, I felt amazing.  Clarity of mind.  No fatigue during the day.  High energy.  Wow.  I get it.  (Especially since the day before I launched this plan we ate Steak-n-Shake and crashed two hours later and felt crappy the rest of the day.)

Peace, Rebecca

bath time

Pretending to have a beard like Daddy.

Mimicking big brother.

I love how much Jake and Quinn truly love each other.  Thank you, Lord, for this sweet sibling relationship.  We are so blessed!

Friends

Sharing a good book ! 

Tag reader fun--post fort making in the bunk bed!

Dressed up for tea!

I have been extremely grateful of late for the friendships in our lives.  We are truly blessed to have a handful of families that love us as much as family.  I am so glad that Jake has a best friend who is kind, gentle, sweet and creative.  I love that they pray for each other, miss each other and feel at home at the home of the other.  

Let's get ready for a bubble bath!

Tribute to Thelma

Grandma,
You are with Jesus in Heaven, the home you've been longing for these past couple of years.  While I know that you are in the place of your heart, we sure are going to miss you here on earth.  You've long been our family matriarch and fearsome prayer warrior.  We've got some pretty big shoes to fill and I know that none of us are fully capable but perhaps collectively we can invoke your spirit and do some of your favorite things more often:
laugh
love
pray
play
bake
sing
hug
bounce
read Scripture
enjoy God's creation (though you did have an aversion to slithering things.)

I thank you for so many warm memories.  Thank you for being such a huge cheerleader for me, for always believing the best of me and constantly reminding me that I'm a special gift from God.   I love you.