Adding a pumpkin to our patch...

As I always do, I'm writing a blog post for a monumental change in our lives....here it comes!

On August 31st, I woke up from a much needed nap...  felt like I needed to take a pregnancy test, based on some symptoms....I put  the drops in...washed my hands...looked like nothing...dried my hands...glanced back


 - faint line....and getting darker...

I had to think...when in the world was I even ovulating?!  I've been super stressed and busy on the whole....still nursing my 22 month old OFTEN (which has been effective birth control up until a month or two ago)...

Shock.  Shock was the sensation...then complete joy...then scared - what if I lose this baby too?  I had an early miscarriage in Oct 2015, 23 months pp after my first child.  The similarities are so similar right now...

I told my sister and a few friends....I did not know how to tell my husband...I knew he wouldn't be happy about this...we have 2 SUPER strong willed, incredibly smart, ever exhausting children.  My 1 year old still doesn't sleep well....my 4 year old is still prone to explosive meltdowns...

My husband was DONE.  Heart full, signed, sealed, and blessed kinda DONE.

And so the next morning, after breakfast, I said "honey, I need to tell you something...." He literally gripped the wall, somewhat jokingly like "what's coming at me!?" kinda way....

"I'm pregnant"

He continued to grip the wall - "why would you joke about something like this?  This isn't funny...please tell me you are joking!"

I teared up..."no, I'm not...why would I joke about a new baby!"

He ran into our room, laid on our bed, and stared at the dresser....in silence...

I wept, told him all the info that I knew...eventually the children came in and he simply left to go mow the lawn...that's it.  No other words...

Shock....it's still the phase we are in...I'm really excited, personally...Emilia doesn't know what is going on...Samuel doesn't want another sibling...and Daniel...still overall shock.

With Samuel - lots of prayer and supplements went into his conception....Emilia- same story and we prayed and tried for well over a year for her, intentionally weaned Samuel, had a miscarriage also...she was SO WANTED and anticipated and so much joy and peace around her whole pregnancy....

We never got pregnant on accident before, or while nursing for that matter...so we're processing lots of new feelings....I very much wanted 3+ children...So I keep mentally telling this baby how loved and wanted it is to us...

We have concerns - money is the main one.  We are still uninsured -though I have pregnancy medicaid this time around.  I am still not a fan of hospital births for myself, personally, especially after my amazing homebirth with Emilia.  I currently make less money than ever - as I have had to reduce my hours at work, due to lack of childcare.  I really don't want to take on MORE work at a different job, and continue the struggle to find someone to watch the kiddos.  Also, elderberries - which have been extremely difficult to get a hold of this year - are extremely scarce.  My business is thriving and providing extremely important income right now, but no elderberries = out of stock and I really don't want to run out of stock!   :(.  Sleep is another concern - historically, our babies sleep good till about 3.5 months, and then never sleep again till they are 2 or 3 years old....we have no idea why they are wired this way, we've done all the things, please don't suggest any more things...we've done.them.all.  Nothing has been successful.

We just heard the heartbeat on Thursday afternoon....it was such a bugger - like its siblings...evasive and stubborn...150's heart rate - just like them....I was measuring right on track, though I'm showing quite a bit already.  But when I heard that heartbeat....oh I just smiled..."hey baby!"....so so precious...so honored to carry another life in me again...

I'm 12 weeks.  Due date is "May"....that's all I'm saying...I go past my due date, I make giant babies...I'm not telling you the actual date...that's the month I'm due and will likely deliver sometime that month.

We have no idea how this is all going to work out, but I have 100% faith God will provide all that we need.

If you could pray for us in this journey, of acceptance, excitement, peace, sleep, and finances, we would greatly appreciate it.

Thank you for reading, here's some of today's adorable pictures!

Zero Tolerance Policy - what it is and what is happening.

Dear Fans - I rarely get time to blog these days...2 children, 2 businesses, and a job...I'm tired.  BUT, I'm now really angry, upset, and it's high time I laid out all the facts that I have found....because this issue, and how it is being handled, disturbs me greatly.
Edit: A new executive order has been signed and I'll address that at the end of the post.

This issue, in various forms has been happening for years, though I have only been recently made aware of the severity of it.  If you believe that fighting for childrens' well being now, is somehow bad, because I wasn't fighting it before, you are welcome to stop reading here.  Know better, do better.

We know we need better immigration laws.  I am not arguing for open borders.  I'm not a liberal, Democrat, and or a Republican(not that it should matter).

Let's discuss the new "zero tolerance" policy and surrounding issues.

So here are the bullet points:

• It is not illegal to be an undocumented immigrant in the US. (source)
• It is illegal to cross the US-MEX border without being inspected, and crossing at proper locations. (source)
• In order to apply for asylum, you need to fill out a form, in person, at a specific location - US soil(not an embassy or consulate in foreign countries), or port of entry into the US.  Even if you entered the country illegally, you can apply for asylum.  (source)  You can apply for refugee status, which is quite similar, in foreign embassies.  (source)
• There is quite a bit of turmoil in Mexico, Honduras, Venezuela, El Salvador, and so on.
• If you cross the border illegally, you are generally charged with a misdemeanor, fined $50-250 and/or put in jail for up to 6 months.  (source)  It is considered a civil penalty - not a felony.
• A NEW policy, enacted by the Trump administration, called the "zero tolerance" policy, criminally prosecutes 100% of people crossing the border illegally - meaning, everyone gets jail time.  This is not a law.  It is a new policy.  It started April 11, 2018. (source)
• This new policy means that anyone crossing the border illegally get separated from their family, if they came with one.  There's plenty of stories floating around the internet, from nursing infants, to young children being ripped from their mother's arms.  I urge you to research and read these stories.  This family separation violates international law.  (source, source1)
• Families are being separated for quite some time, four instances here in 2017, and not only were these families legally seeking asylum, their kids were taken AND 2 of the children's whereabouts are unknown.  Three of the four families entered the US legally, as well.  (source)  Immigration reporter says they are indeed being separated - those who are here legally!  (source)
• When children are separated, they are sent to detention centers where the average time spent there is roughly 50 days.  They get two hours of free time, 4-5 children to a "room".  After this, they are sent to live with a sponsor or foster care.  (source)
• To be a sponsor, you have to be a legal citizen or permanent resident.  A video is flying around the interwebs saying that illegals are becoming sponsors - that is not true.  (source)
• A noteworthy article on parents being deported without their children (source).  
• Children separated from families is meant to be a deterrent, the children are placed in "foster care or whatever" and these parents aren't criminals - they simply didn't enter the US through the correct means.  They are often poorly educated, as well.  (source)
• There are plenty of instances where these children who were taken are not cared for properly.  (source)
• There are new tent cities started, where temperatures will be near 100 degrees F that will be housing children.(source)  Somehow, it is unsafe for me to leave my children in a locked car with windows down, but it is safe to put hundreds of children in tents in temperatures above 100 degrees.
• The American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation for immigrant children. (source)
• These separations could end up permanent, or extremely long term.  (source)
  
  Now before you say, "Well then don't break any laws."
  
  Have you ever broken a law?  Was your child immediately taken from you?  Have you ever driven 1 mile over the speed limit?  Not used a crosswalk?  Eaten food at a grocery store before you paid for it?  Used your blinker EVERY time?  Glanced at your phone while driving with your kids in the car?  What about walking near or on someone's lawn, even briefly, and was your child taken from you, because you trespassed?!  This illegal border crossing should revert to a civil penalty again, and allow families to stay together.
  
  A. these people are in desperate situations.  Some of them are poorly educated and may have heard whispers of America being the help they need.  Many may not be able to read their own language, let alone English.  A Honduran girl, who was detained, no one could help her, because she didn't even speak Spanish - she spoke her tribal language - K'iche. (source)  They are confused, traumatized, and exhausted.
  
  B. Some jails allow for babies to stay with the mother and these have good sucess. (source)
  
  C.  It is very expensive treating them separately.  Since the separation, no matter how short, will be extremely traumatic, there will be loads of extra medical care involved for the parents and the children.  Since the children will be in our detention center/foster care, and the parents in our jails, that's all extra money!  (source, source1)
  
  D.  Melania Trump and Barbara Bush are against this policy (source).
  
  E. Trump says he won't sign any immigration compromise bill unless it allows for funding for "the wall".  (source)
  
  F. Religious leaders, including Southern Baptist Convention and Franklin Graham, are against this cruel policy.  (source)
  
  G. While human trafficking is always a problem, it is not a reason to remove every child from every alleged parent.  Actual parents DO sell their children to sex traffickers, and there may abuse or risk of sex trafficking in any home in America - that is no reason to remove every child.  This new policy makes it worse and harder to catch them.  (source) Government officials have been caught in sex trafficking rings, so I personally cast doubt on our government to not exploit this situation...but I am not super trusting of the government, in general.  (source, source, source)
  
  Now, you say, "Well, American families are separated for crimes and jail all the time."  Well there are a few huge differences:
  1. If I go to jail, I get a hearing the next afternoon before the judge, who may or may not let me out on bond, and I will likely get to go home, depending on the severity of the crime.
  2. It's my language and my culture and my court system.
  3. My children would be sent to immediate friends or family(or inspected and certified foster home) - not a detention center, possibly hundreds of miles away.
  4. I would be given gobs of paperwork showing where they are staying, with whom, be privied to their court hearings, weigh in on their cases, speak with case workers, and work on my case plan for reunification.  Many "jailed" parents even get to meet the foster care parents, if it isn't a family member or friend.  
• So I could go on with more issues, but I feel as if I have given you more than enough to think about for the time being...
  
  My thoughts:
  I think that the border should be militarized - I do not agree with "the wall".  There's hazardous natural implications of a structure that big, let alone the immense amount of money to built it and upkeep with it.  Trump promised that Mexico would pay for it, then that we the people will pay for it.  There is currently nothing in the books for it, at all. This punitive measure of this zero tolerance policy is expensive and taxing the American people, as well as the severe harm to the immigrants.  We are essentially taking children from parents who are ultimately getting deported and putting them in our already burdened foster care.  Keep the family together. <<<please read that sentence again.  If there is ONE thing you take from this, KEEP THE FAMILY TOGETHER.  That is my ultimate goal!  This is the least traumatic for everyone.  If we end up deporting everyone, fine, I guess.  But this separation thing has to stop.  In roughly six weeks, 2000 - yes TWO THOUSAND children were removed from their parents.  There are a few other laws at play, instituted by previous presidents: Flores Settlement Agreement enacted by Clinton, which prevents us holding children more than 20 days, and the DACA from the Obama era.  Previous presidents weren't good about enforcing immigration laws at all, but Obama was the best about deporting.  Either way, there are new laws being presented to help keep the family together - releasing the major burden on the shelters, foster system, and the pain and trauma to those families.  One bill is brought to the table from Senator Cruz which will allow for extra judges and better family facilities to expedite the asylum process.  Another bill is brought to the table by Senator Feinstein to prevent children from being removed from their rightful parents.

          I believe what is lacking here, is a serious lack of empathy.  Everyone who thinks, "But they are breaking our laws!  Those nasty criminals!" has never been placed in a situation where you feel like death(or worse) is on the legal side, but a shot at life means breaking a law or two(one where no one is harmed) but you won't die! When you are in a traumatic situation, you do not think clearly, you probably haven't slept, and you may make decisions you wouldn't otherwise make, because you are desperate.  Most of you reading this, have probably eaten 2-3 proper meals every day, for your whole life....most of you have never had to flee any kind of persecution...have you ever run out of drinkable water?  been pressured to sell your children?  I honestly think the average American has no comprehension on the situations these families are coming out of and we are judging them. Harshly.  Many of my pro-life friends, who insist that a mother not have the choice to abort a baby when she doesn't want it, are also arguing we forcibly take babies from mothers who want their children....because they crossed a border, looking for help.  A worthy article from the NY Times for those who are pro-life and anti-immigrant children.

         To the Christian, or even Bible respecting person, there are a wealth of Bible verses talking about kindness to people.

Col 3:12 Therefore, God's chosen ones, holy and loved, put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,

Ps 145:9 The Lord is good to everyone; His compassion [rests] on all He has made.

Luke 6:35 "But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men."

1 John 3:16-18 16 This is how we have come to know love: He laid down His life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers. 17 If anyone has this world's goods and sees his brother in need but shuts off his compassion from him-how can God's love reside in him? 18 Little children, we must not love in word or speech, but in deed and truth;Leviticus 19:33-34 (HCSB)
33 “When a foreigner lives with you in your land, you must not oppress him. 34 You must regard the foreigner who lives with you as the native-born among you. You are to love him as yourself, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt; I am Yahweh your God.
Is 10:1-3 Woe to those who decree iniquitous decrees,
and the writers who keep writing oppression,
2 to turn aside the needy from justice
and to rob the poor of my people of their right,
that widows may be their spoil,
and that they may make the fatherless their prey!
3 What will you do on the day of punishment,
in the ruin that will come from afar?
To whom will you flee for help,
and where will you leave your wealth?

That is just the tip of the iceberg as far as the Bible telling you to be kind to your fellow man.  Please keep in mind, many churches have ministries for homeless people - many of them break the law in a variety of ways...they are criminals that we strive to help every day. Many churches have prison ministries - again, actual criminals that we help and are kind to.  My church has a foster care ministry - to help kids in bad situations - But Glenn Beck went to take teddy bears to these hurting children, and got slandered by the conservatives.  (source)

For these families, they may see breaking the law as a necessary evil to escape what may or may not be certain doom.  There are plenty of people who broke the law, to achieve what was the greater good - Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr., Corrie ten Boom, Harriet Tubman....names we all know as noble people, fighting "the good fight" - for love, for kindness, for humanity, for the Lord....and yet, this policy, this is apparently the height of all morality...the height at which we judge all people breaking it to be deserving of the upmost punishment-forced separation from your child.  I daresay, we as a people, have sunk to a depth, I fear, we have not charted.  

• Here's what you can do:
  Contact your representative.  Tell them to support the two bills and stop this family separating nonsense.
  
  Contact your senators and do the same!
  
  
  I have contacted my senators and my representative.  I heard back from Senator Bill Nelson this evening.  Here is an excerpt from his response: "Earlier today, I attempted to check on the welfare of an estimated 1,000 children being held at a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) facility in Homestead, Florida.  The facility operators assured me that I could tour the facility, but HHS denied me entry at the gate. " 
  He also is co-sponsoring the "keep the family together act".
  
  ~~~pray for this situation!!!!~~~
  
  Trump is now cutting foreign aid to these countries whose immigrants are coming here, which I can imagine will only drive more of them here.
  
  Send aid to the immigrants at the border.
  
  If I can any facts wrong or misrepresented here, please feel free to contact me to correct these errors.
  
  Thank you for your time.
  
  
  

  Matthew 7:12(ESV)

  The Golden Rule

  12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets."
  

  
  Edit: a new executive order(EO) was signed Wednesday, June 20th. (source).  Trump said he didn't like seeing all the terrible pictures...well, that's nice, but his EO is nothing but a cheap dollar store bandage, on a gaping wound, requiring surgery.  
  
  1. It doesn't have any provisions for reunifying the over 2300 children now taken.  
  2. It does allow for families to be detained indefinitely.
  3. In section one of the EO, the term "available resources" jumps out to me - basically, if we don't have the "available resources", they won't change anything.  
  4.  It actually has this wording in the EO, which I find extremely unprofessional, "It is unfortunate that Congress’s failure to act and court orders have put the Administration in the position of separating alien families to effectively enforce the law."  So basically, STILL blaming Congress, which it is largely their fault, but in a very petty manner I find childish and self-seeking...it was completely unnecessary to the efficacy of the EO.  
  
  Should we be happy now?  We have this bandage...we should be grateful, yah?  Well, I am not.  It actually complicated the situation further and doesn't help the over 2300 children affected.  NYTimes did a great article laying out, objectively, hurdles the EO faces, as well as the border situation. (source)
  
  Now, everyone is saying, "No one is providing answers."  That's actually not true.  Former director of ICE actually has a great answer to the issue.  ACLU has some data on a program that had a 99% success rate on families showing up to hearings (source)
  
  In a radio interview, NPR interviews the former director of ICE.  He recommends a GPS bracelet program. (source)  Now, I have a very interesting perspective on this, as my husband has been the ONLY GPS coordinator of indigent domestic violence offenders in our county, for the last five years.  I was also a digital court reporter for nearly 3 years.  
  
  A GPS program is extremely practical.  It doesn't take that much training to be a GPS coordinator.  You need basic Microsoft Office skills, a court laptop, a cell phone, and a relatively quiet place to work.  My husband does  most of his job from home - even when I am here with the children.  He answers calls, emails appropriate attorneys, keeps case files current.  The only other person working directly with him in the program, physically puts the bracelets on and maintains them.  The two of them have as many as 100 or more people on the program at any given time.  If one of them gets sick, the other does the job of both.  They do an excellent job and have good results.  Neither one of them make a lot of money - my husband is actually a contractor, so he gets paid a flat rate on a monthly basis - no insurance/taxes/etc...that's on us.  The GPS bracelet program could be a really effective and much cheaper way to process these individuals, providing jobs for people, and lessening the burden on all the systems in place.  It also, keeps the families together.  
  
  Again, thank you for your time, and I hope that we can all come together on this issue, that Congress will make some drastic changes for the better, and we can move onward as a country.
  
  

Chocolate Truffle Pie

I don't like writing recipes. Here ya go:


Becca’s chocolate truffle pie

Crust:
For the Chocolate Crumbs:


Preheat the oven to 300 (F).





Combine 2/3 cup flour, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 2/3 cup cocoa powder, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until fully combined.





Add 6 tablespoons melted unsalted butter and mix on low speed until the mixture starts to come together in small clusters.





Spread the clusters on a parchment- or Silpat- lined sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes, breaking the clusters up at the 10 minute mark. Once the crumbs have finished baking for 20 minutes, let cool on a wire rack — the crumbs should still be slightly moist to the touch at that point, and they will dry and harden as they cool. Allow to cool completely before using in a recipe or eating.





For the Chocolate Crust:


Pulse 3/4 cup chocolate crumbs in a food processor until they are sandy and no sizeable clusters remain.





Transfer the sand to a medium bowl and, with your hands, toss with 2 teaspoons sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Add 2 tablespoons melted butter and knead into the sand until it is moist enough to knead into a ball.





Transfer the mixture to a 10-inch pie tin. With your fingers and the palms of your hands, press the chocolate crust firmly into the tin, making sure the bottom and sides of the pie tin are evenly covered. Wrapped in plastic wrap, the crust can be stored at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in the fridge for 2 weeks.


P.s. I have frozen these chilled crumbs with no problem. They are also great added into vanilla ice cream :D

Filling



9 ounces semisweet chocolate chips


1 tbsp shy of 1 cup of heavy cream
Heat heavy cream on stove till small bubbles form. Pour over chips...let it sit for a few minutes, then gently stir till smooth. Pour into crust.

Chill the pie.





Whipped cream:
1 cup whipping cream


⅓ cup 10x sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Mix together with wisk attachment on low to incorporate, then medium high until stiff peaks form. Spread over chilled pie.

Enjoy with every ounce of your being. You’re welcome.

Elderberry syrup instructions/recipe/dosing

Disclaimer: This is not intended to treat, diagnose, or prevent illness.
Herb pack contains: organic, non-irradiated herbs and spices from Frontier Co-op and Mountain Rose Herbs.

*Raw, local honey is in the jar of syrup.  (Do not give to infants under 12 months of age.)*

Ingredients -

Original: Elderberries, hibiscus flowers, chamomile, lemon balm, marshmallow root, lemon peel, ginger root, and cinnamon chips.

Super Berry: Elderberries, aronia berries, white mulberries, maqui berries, hibiscus, marshmallow root, and lemon peel.

Holiday spice: Elderberries, hibiscus, marshmallow root, orange peel, cinnamon chips, ginger, cloves, allspice, nutmeg.

Chai: Elderberries, hibiscus, marshmallow root, honeybush tea, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.

Thanks for getting an elderberry herb pack or jar of syrup from me!  Dosing is towards the bottom, the recipe follows.

Recipe:
simmer the contents of your bag in 3 cups of purified water for 20-30 minutes with the lid on.  I often leave it on the stove with the burner off for a bit too!

strain into mixing bowl or large 4+ cup measuring cup. (you can leave in fridge overnight unstrained!)

let it cool on the counter for 30 minutes or more, or covered in fridge overnight.

add 3/4 c - 1 cup of your local raw honey to the cooler syrup.
(do not give to infants under one year old)
It should yield 20-24 oz of syrup.  It will be thicker than water, but runnier than cough syrup.  This is normal.  Store bought syrups are usually thickened with gums or other stabilizers.  This is just pure syrup.  It will last up to 3 months in the fridge!

Enjoy!

Dosing:

Children:
.5 tsp - 1 tsp for kids as young as 1.  My three year old loves it.  We give him quite a bit more with no adverse effects.  He feigns a cough, just to get a little more ;)

Adults:
.5 - 1 Tbsp for adults and older children.

You can take it once or twice a day - for prevention.   Or, you can take it several times a day, if symptoms are present. I usually double the maximum dose and take every few hours when symptoms first present.  And cut down to max dose after 24 hours.

In health,
Becca H.

#Whole30ish "samosas"

In my efforts to stay healthy, we've cut a lot of grains from our diet...trying to keep sugar out too.

I made a samosa chaat inspired dish for dinner that turned out easy and delish!  Samosas are usually spiced potatoes and peas in a pastry and fried.  I need more protein than that and I definitely don't need deep fried foods :-P  So here's my take on that idea...peas, potatoes, ground beef, and warm, yummy spices.

Potatoes (for baking - I used organic from BJ's)
half a can of tomato paste
1 pound of grassfed beef (90/10 or 80/20 - or anywhere inbetween)
about 2 cups of organic frozen peas
1 small vidalia onion, diced/minced
various Indian spices: coriander, cumin, paprika, chili powder, ginger, black and/or green peppercorns, salt, vindaloo curry powder.

Heat your oven to 400 degrees and pop your rinsed potatoes into the oven.  Put your meat in the skillet and brown it.  Do not drain the grease.  Add the onion and spices.  I put quite a bit of coriander/cumin/paprika/chili powder...then I add ginger, black pepper and green peppercorn, salt...and vindaloo curry and add little by little, until I think it tastes "right".  You can look up recipes for true samosa seasoning, I just used stuff I knew would taste good :P  I have used this recipe for samosas before and it came out good!  Add your tomato paste and mix together evenly and a little water if you want.  Add your peas and cook everything down until cooked thoroughly.

  I put sour cream on mine, because I wanted to keep the fat content high on our dinner, in whole30 fashion ;P  But a cilantro(coriander) chutney would be just as good, or even in addition to the sour cream!

It's fast, cooked in one pan, and everyone liked it.  I opened the potato into wedges and topped it with the meat and peas...then the sour cream.

Hope you enjoy!  Sorry I didn't measure ingredients!
Bex

My chocolate chip cookies...

I spent a good deal of junior high and high school making large quantities of cookies...They were good...but I have been working on them the last several years....to improve on them even more...and I think I found the perfect recipe!
(use organic or non-gmo when possible.  Please use King Arthur brand, or unbleached unbromated flour.  I never use anything but!)

2 sticks of butter
1 cup of brown sugar
1/2 cup of white sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract (REAL vanilla...don't ever use imitation)
2 and 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sea salt
2 cups, or 1 12oz bag, of chocolate chips.  I prefer guittard or ghiradelli.

Preheat oven to 350.  Prepare 2 or 3 cookie sheets with parchment.  Cream the butter and sugar together.  Add ONE egg and the vanilla.  Mix together the dry ingredients and add to the mixer.  Mix on low until just combined.  Add the second egg.  Then add the chips until barely combined.  Scoop out with dough scoop onto parchment on a cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 for about 8-12 minutes, depending on the size you make them.

Enjoy warm, with a super cold mug of milk!

Not in that much health,

Becca H.

my #whole30ish

So, back in January, my husband I I did a round of the #Whole30.  If you haven't, and you want to get your diet and body back on track, I highly HIGHLY recommend.

We set new weight loss goals afterwards...we were so happy - Daniel lost ~20 pounds, I lost ~15....feeling great...clothes fitting better...

Us:

Well, then we finished the Whole30 we were like, "Ice cream...well, just a small scoop..."

Needless to say, we didn't continue to lose weight!  Shocking, I'm sure.  #Whole30 has a lot of rules...which are very important, if you are trying to determine what is making you less healthy than you should be.  Dairy, grains, soy, sugar, etc - all of these things can really impact a person's life!  But things like cooking with wine aren't allowed.....and no cheese (if you followed my Whole30 blogs, you'll know that cheese and yogurt were the biggest hangups for BOTH of us!) And no legumes (we all love peas, beans, and lentils.....but especially peas!  Our Bj's has a huge organic bag for cheap!).

So when we re-introduced foods, it was pretty clear what our problem was - grains and sugar.  Often, combined into delicious cake form!  Daniel also loves soda, and I adore me some rice/pasta....like, eating 3-4 servings is like no big deal for me....and a huge amount of calories.  Dairy caused us no digestive issues, neither did soy sauce (I use gluten free), and many other generally "healthy" options that aren't considered compliant, on the whole30.

So we're doing a modified "Whole30ish" - my affectionate term...my schedule has been crazy, but will wind down for this month of June...so back on it we are!  Except...my hangups!  We will keep fermented dairy, like kefir, certain cheese (like peccorino romano), BUTTER (ghee just doesn't cut it for me!), and yogurt (we use organic, whole, greek yogurt).  These are easy ways for us to add protein, that aren't so expensive, and are very satisfying for us.  I will keep cooking with wine or beer as needed, and we will eat legumes in moderation.  Legumes are cheap, have protein and fiber for days, and who doesn't love chili!?  I may even use a smidge of raw honey on my plain yogurt or a splash of half and half in my iced coffee....

Here's an example of our day 1 - 3 fried eggs in butter and an apple for breakfast. 16oz of iced organic coffee with splash of organic half and half.  Went on a 4.5 mile walk with BOTH kids (wearing Emilia for most of it).  Coconut flakes and raisins for snack after the walk, and cod with spinach and lentils for lunch.  Dinner will be spaghetti squash with meat sauce and peccorino romano cheese.

We won't eat desserts, or dessert substitutes, but if we are out to eat, I won't worry if the salad dressing has a little sugar or soybean oil...or if the baked potato has sour cream and cheese on it.  Definitely won't be eating any grains or sugar at all.  (unless the sugar snuck in somewhere that I was unaware of!)   I realize there is a science to why the Whole30 works...but I need something that works for us and pushes us on towards our goals a little easier and better than being quite so strict.  Also, I'm a foodie and chef...we have people over for game nights on a REGULAR basis....feeding crowds on whole30 gets very expensive and it isn't nearly as fun!  All people who aren't intolerant love cheese and butter....and they just make good food better...

Anyways, I'll try to devise a whole30ish meal plan like I did before, and post it on this blog with, hopefully, helpful recipes or my inspiration for certain dishes!

More to come...in health,
Becca H.