I started working when I was 12 in a restaurant washing dishes. Moved on to hostessing, busing tables, and eventually becoming a waitress. I came from a home where work was important, my parents worked very hard. My dad drove truck several places from in the oil fields to hauling fruit to driving cement truck. I never remember him missing a day of work, even for being sick! My mom worked a lot, waitressed in various restaurants, she usually held 2 jobs and worked 80+ hour weeks at times. So we were definitely ushered into the work world early on. When I was 18 I became a CNA and worked at a nursing home for a while, I loved the elderly people, however I really hated the institutional environment of where I worked. They definitely only have budget and function in mind, for most of those places. I could think of a few changes I would like to make, that's for sure!!
Shortly after that, my mom and I made plans to open a restaurant. It had been a dream of hers for quite some time and sounded like fun to me. It did prove to be fun, challenging and .... hard work! We got to do a lot of the remodel ourselves, we painted, tore up carpet, laid tile, designed.... Kind of felt like a "jack of all trades". My mom named it "Take A Break Cafe". We worked all day 6 days a week for quite a while but that got tiring to say the least. We changed that and were open from breakfast and lunch the rest of the time. I learned so many things working there, one of them was how to bake, I made a lot of pies and some other desserts. It was fun to be able to be so creative with things. Such a fun and wonderful experience!! Toward the end of our restaurant adventure, I worked at Old Navy for a while and that was really fun, met some wonderful people!
I met my husband Brian when I was 18 waitressing in a restaurant, kind of floating, not really knowing what I wanted out of life yet. He found out that I babysat his niece and nephew, and that I knew his family, however not yet him. He had grown up right down the road from my Aunt and Uncle. He was really good friends with my cousins. My Aunt and his mom were best friends and I had known his mom since I was young. I knew his brother and a little of his sister, but never knew about him. This may have been a good thing though because we are 10 years apart and he would have remembered me in my awkward adolescent phase. :) So he called up my cousin Jon and asked about me. Jon told him that he thought he should ask me out and thought I was 22 or so... well, I had just turned 18, he was 27.... Anyway, so Jon's wife called me and told me I should go out with him because he was really nice etc.. I had been asked out by another
Brian at work who I didn't really see in that way, I thought she was talking about him... So I reluctantly said "ok".... come to find out it wasn't the Brian I was thinking of.......
Our first date was to a John Mellancamp concert at the Gorge in George with his John Candy look-a-like friend Scotty. We had a nice time. I was a little nervous, he got to bring his rather large best friend -who told me to be good to him or he would snap me in half -(no just kidding!) But it WAS 2 against 1. We saw each other thereafter, almost didn't get past the age difference when he found out how old I really was....but we did. We fell in love and 2 and a half years later, got married and bought a nice house in Cashmere.
Now, going on 8 years of marriage, we have 2 wonderful children. Mykla our daughter is 3 and a half and Finnlan our son, is 1 and a half. We are very, very blessed. After I had my daughter I worked part time at an assisted living place here in town which I really loved! I then got pregnant again and now get to be a stay at home mom, which I love! I babysit other children for a little income.
I definitely have big dreams though. Dreams of becoming a massage therapist who also does nutritional consulting, who maybe eventually becomes a Naturopathic Physician, who also is a skilled artisan on the side, making handmade creations for others to enjoy. None of these dreams however comes before my children, who I love so much, and couldn't imagine being away from them. In NO way does this mean I look down on people who choose to or have to work while they are also parents. We each have to make the decisions for our home that make it the healthy, happy place it needs to be! I'm trying to be all that I can for my family first and just keep an open mind to what my be .............in the future!!
Peace and Light,
Jayme
Monday, February 23, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009
About Me ~ Part One
I am not 100% raw, though I realize from all the research I have done that its the best thing one could do for their health. I have to admit it's a bit daunting to think about, but as with everything I have learned it all seems that way at first... trying to re-educate myself after years of abuse to my body... some self inflicted others just part of the world we live in. I just keep pushing on trying to learn and implement new truths about our intricately woven anatomy and how our everyday lives affect it.
I was raised in a home where macaroni and hot dogs were staples. We maintained the SAD (standard American diet). Eating meat with most meals... though early on I didn't care much for meat, I used to feed it to my dog under the table and he didn't complain! The Schwans man knew our names as we ordered a lot of food from him. Corn dogs, ice cream, deep fried this and that supplemented with some ice berg lettuce and some veggies. I used to drink about a gallon of milk a day!Now, believe me, I know my parents did what they could.. both working a lot, they did what they knew how, what they had been raised.
I thank God that we lived in the country, we may not have been eating well, but you'd be hard pressed to find kids who exercised more. We got fresh air, went hiking, bike riding, swimming, built forts, you name it. It helped that my aunt Kellie who watched us after school hardly let us come in her house... by us I mean my sister Heather who is 4 years younger and my cousin Joe, 3 years younger. Now that I have a family I understand why... it sure is hard to clean up after kids! I was very fit, always running, hiking and having fun in a beautiful forested area with hills and an abundance of fresh air.
Growing up both my parents smoked. I really never wanted to until we went to visit family who lived in Colorado. I had a cousin who was older by 4 years that I was hanging around with who smoked and I told her I did too, to fit in. From then on at the age of 11, I was a smoker. Starting with stealing cigarettes from my parents and smoking around 5 a day, to to around a pack a day when I was in my teens, back down to half a pack, until I found out I was pregnant when I was 24. For most of that time I wanted so desperately to quit, I thought about it all the time, prayed about it (sometimes half hearted because part of me enjoyed smoking) but it was hard, very, very hard to quit! Finally I got to the point where I was praying "God, whatever you have to do, if I have to die.. please let me quit smoking!" ... I have been smoke free for several years now.... almost like I never have, though I know it has affected my health. Now when I go places and see people smoking, in there cars sometimes with their children in them, on the street, in their homes, I thank God that I no longer have the desire to smoke and I pray I never will.
I was raised in a home where macaroni and hot dogs were staples. We maintained the SAD (standard American diet). Eating meat with most meals... though early on I didn't care much for meat, I used to feed it to my dog under the table and he didn't complain! The Schwans man knew our names as we ordered a lot of food from him. Corn dogs, ice cream, deep fried this and that supplemented with some ice berg lettuce and some veggies. I used to drink about a gallon of milk a day!Now, believe me, I know my parents did what they could.. both working a lot, they did what they knew how, what they had been raised.
I thank God that we lived in the country, we may not have been eating well, but you'd be hard pressed to find kids who exercised more. We got fresh air, went hiking, bike riding, swimming, built forts, you name it. It helped that my aunt Kellie who watched us after school hardly let us come in her house... by us I mean my sister Heather who is 4 years younger and my cousin Joe, 3 years younger. Now that I have a family I understand why... it sure is hard to clean up after kids! I was very fit, always running, hiking and having fun in a beautiful forested area with hills and an abundance of fresh air.
Growing up both my parents smoked. I really never wanted to until we went to visit family who lived in Colorado. I had a cousin who was older by 4 years that I was hanging around with who smoked and I told her I did too, to fit in. From then on at the age of 11, I was a smoker. Starting with stealing cigarettes from my parents and smoking around 5 a day, to to around a pack a day when I was in my teens, back down to half a pack, until I found out I was pregnant when I was 24. For most of that time I wanted so desperately to quit, I thought about it all the time, prayed about it (sometimes half hearted because part of me enjoyed smoking) but it was hard, very, very hard to quit! Finally I got to the point where I was praying "God, whatever you have to do, if I have to die.. please let me quit smoking!" ... I have been smoke free for several years now.... almost like I never have, though I know it has affected my health. Now when I go places and see people smoking, in there cars sometimes with their children in them, on the street, in their homes, I thank God that I no longer have the desire to smoke and I pray I never will.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Green, Green, Grass of Euphoria
It seems I am always trying to find ways to incorporate more raw greens in delicious ways for my kids. I myself am not a big fan of salads, but oddly do not mind drinking and or juicing them :)I know that they make me feel calm, centered and absolutely blissful! Just look at the color... I think it speaks for itself!
My daughter is 3 and she eats salad pretty good (with dressing of course!) My 1 year old son doesn't really like the texture of it in his mouth, (and he doesn't have all his teeth) so I especially have to get creative with him.
One thing I made that he loves! is:
My daughter will eat it most of the time but I changed it a bit so she likes it even more by adding frozen blueberries while blending it, enough to make ice cream! She loves it, but then it was too cold for my 1 year old. Go Figure. You don't even taste the spinach!
As for me.... I'm trying to work up to a fresh, raw, mostly greens and veggies juice fast. So far they're replacing 2 meals a day. With the holidays and a packed month of birthdays in February, I was not wanting to feel left out!
In the morning lately I have been juicing an off the wall mix that I like....kind of reminds me of lemon limeade and if you like things a bit sweeter add the half orange!
This Recipe is for a JUICER... or A blender with a little water strained through layers of cheese cloth, a nut mylk bag, sprout bag etc..
This recipe is a SMOOTHIE....
Have a blissfully green day!
Jayme
My daughter is 3 and she eats salad pretty good (with dressing of course!) My 1 year old son doesn't really like the texture of it in his mouth, (and he doesn't have all his teeth) so I especially have to get creative with him.
One thing I made that he loves! is:
- blend 1 banana
- Some raw pineapple to taste
- A pretty good handful of spinach
My daughter will eat it most of the time but I changed it a bit so she likes it even more by adding frozen blueberries while blending it, enough to make ice cream! She loves it, but then it was too cold for my 1 year old. Go Figure. You don't even taste the spinach!
As for me.... I'm trying to work up to a fresh, raw, mostly greens and veggies juice fast. So far they're replacing 2 meals a day. With the holidays and a packed month of birthdays in February, I was not wanting to feel left out!
In the morning lately I have been juicing an off the wall mix that I like....kind of reminds me of lemon limeade and if you like things a bit sweeter add the half orange!
This Recipe is for a JUICER... or A blender with a little water strained through layers of cheese cloth, a nut mylk bag, sprout bag etc..
- 1 whole organic cucumber or peeled non organic one
- about a cup of raw broccoli
- 1 granny smith apple
- 1 lime
- half lemon
- half orange if you want it sweeter, I like it kind of tart without
- any greens you want, I've been using handful of spinach, few leaves of romaine, quarter bunch of parsley- - - or whatever I have on hand
- a bit of cabbage if I feel like it
This recipe is a SMOOTHIE....
- Greens of choice a couple handfuls
- an orange
- cucumber organic or peeled
- avocado
- frozen berries of choice... enough to make the drink frosty if you like
- if you taste it and need sweeter... a banana or part of one
- a little water to get it moving
Have a blissfully green day!
Jayme
Monday, February 16, 2009
Wild Yeast Bread
Question to think about a moment.... Where did bread come from? It's so easy to NOT think about the things that have always been a part of our lives! Well, like bread for instance and the things in bread that make it what it is. I want to perk your interest.... there is great information on the Internet. I'm just giving a little bit here and what I'm doing currently. I figure on writing enough to let you know if it may be something you want to try or not. Though I highly recommend it! It's not meant to be the greatest thing written on the subject for sure!
Where did our current form of bread come from? It all started sometime during the time B.C. When someone perhaps noticed something they were making was changing..... maybe they wanted to experiment? Maybe they only knew they had left something sit out a while and baked it not really knowing until the end? Who knows for sure how they first discovered true bread, wild yeast bread.
What is wild yeast? It is a process to say the least. Not nearly as quick as we like our conveniences in the world today! It takes time.. some more, some less. You can even catch your own and get to know the micro world around you a little better. Wild yeast differs from place to place, country to country. Someone has to catch it, to start it. You don't have to catch it every time you want to make a loaf like it's store bought counter part. Wild Yeast produces a sour dough taste, yeasts from different places taste different, some stronger some more subtle. Different yeasts grow better in different flours depending on how they're fed.
Bakers yeast is a single species called Saccharmomyces cerevisiae containing way more of these single yeast cells, while Wild Yeast dough is usually leavened by one or more species in the same dough containing far fewer cells. I believe the more yeasted single cells in bakers yeast coupled with the fact it is devoid of the lactobaccili can make for an overgrowth within our bodies of yeast. Bakers yeast came about when Microbiologists learned to isolate single yeast cells and select pure cultures. Artificially produced to make what most people call "bread" though I don't know how it can be called that. A small number of large company's make all the "breads" we see in the average supermarket. These being bleached, chemicals and additive laden, with a small number of vitamins added back in to try and compensate. Kind of sad really.
My biggest reason for loving things that are more unique, natural, real and as close to their natural state (meaning not too processed) is for the major health benefits you can achieve. This REAL sourdough bread is much healthier than anything you buy or make with commercial yeast. Their are actually 2 microorganisms at work to make it what it is. Wild yeasts are what make the bread rise and lactobaccili which are beneficial bacteria provide the flavor and help increase the natural flora living in our bodies. Lactobaccili produce an antibiotic that prevents the contamination and proliferation of harmful bacterias, in the bread, in our bodies. The bacteria involved is primarily lactobaccili. It takes about 12 hours to produce the sourdough flavor by fermentation. These 2 microorganisms work together for each to do their job. For instance maltose is a carbohydrate found in the flour that is unable to be broken down by the yeasts, however is needed unused by the lactobaccili.
You can buy cultures on the Internet or you can catch your own. I bought mine at http://www.sourdo.com/ there are many different tastes, fermentation times, which flours they work best with. It was nice to choose which ones sounded best. Also you only have to buy them once if all goes well as you keep making bread from it, saving some out for the next batch of bread and so on. I also have the book which explains everything in rich detail and is wonderful!! I still want to catch my own wild yeast, I just haven't made the time to yet.
A bit about what I do.... I got the book, a couple cultures and have made lots of bread so far and a batch of pancakes (yes! you can use it to add health and flavor to just about anything you make with flour!) I use spelt and barley flour mixed, though kamut would be great too. My breads are not light and pillowy because I don't use wheat dough but they are very delicious! I choose not to use wheat dough because I am trying to avoid genetically modified foods. Pretty much anything that is used in great abundance food wise, is genetically modified, even the organic versions. Which is why I avoid wheat. I believe that genetic modification has health consequences and I encourage you to search for the sake of your health and that of your families and friends.
If this you find it's not for you, I encourage you to take a deeper look at everything you put in your body... maybe start with things you use or consume the most. Is it bread? There are better alternatives even if not wild yeast such as:
Homemade So Good Sauerkraut!!
1 large head cabbage
2 T sea salt (not that iodized junk)
If you want to live in the purple realm... add some purple cabbage or all purple!
Where did our current form of bread come from? It all started sometime during the time B.C. When someone perhaps noticed something they were making was changing..... maybe they wanted to experiment? Maybe they only knew they had left something sit out a while and baked it not really knowing until the end? Who knows for sure how they first discovered true bread, wild yeast bread.
What is wild yeast? It is a process to say the least. Not nearly as quick as we like our conveniences in the world today! It takes time.. some more, some less. You can even catch your own and get to know the micro world around you a little better. Wild yeast differs from place to place, country to country. Someone has to catch it, to start it. You don't have to catch it every time you want to make a loaf like it's store bought counter part. Wild Yeast produces a sour dough taste, yeasts from different places taste different, some stronger some more subtle. Different yeasts grow better in different flours depending on how they're fed.
Bakers yeast is a single species called Saccharmomyces cerevisiae containing way more of these single yeast cells, while Wild Yeast dough is usually leavened by one or more species in the same dough containing far fewer cells. I believe the more yeasted single cells in bakers yeast coupled with the fact it is devoid of the lactobaccili can make for an overgrowth within our bodies of yeast. Bakers yeast came about when Microbiologists learned to isolate single yeast cells and select pure cultures. Artificially produced to make what most people call "bread" though I don't know how it can be called that. A small number of large company's make all the "breads" we see in the average supermarket. These being bleached, chemicals and additive laden, with a small number of vitamins added back in to try and compensate. Kind of sad really.
My biggest reason for loving things that are more unique, natural, real and as close to their natural state (meaning not too processed) is for the major health benefits you can achieve. This REAL sourdough bread is much healthier than anything you buy or make with commercial yeast. Their are actually 2 microorganisms at work to make it what it is. Wild yeasts are what make the bread rise and lactobaccili which are beneficial bacteria provide the flavor and help increase the natural flora living in our bodies. Lactobaccili produce an antibiotic that prevents the contamination and proliferation of harmful bacterias, in the bread, in our bodies. The bacteria involved is primarily lactobaccili. It takes about 12 hours to produce the sourdough flavor by fermentation. These 2 microorganisms work together for each to do their job. For instance maltose is a carbohydrate found in the flour that is unable to be broken down by the yeasts, however is needed unused by the lactobaccili.
You can buy cultures on the Internet or you can catch your own. I bought mine at http://www.sourdo.com/ there are many different tastes, fermentation times, which flours they work best with. It was nice to choose which ones sounded best. Also you only have to buy them once if all goes well as you keep making bread from it, saving some out for the next batch of bread and so on. I also have the book which explains everything in rich detail and is wonderful!! I still want to catch my own wild yeast, I just haven't made the time to yet.
A bit about what I do.... I got the book, a couple cultures and have made lots of bread so far and a batch of pancakes (yes! you can use it to add health and flavor to just about anything you make with flour!) I use spelt and barley flour mixed, though kamut would be great too. My breads are not light and pillowy because I don't use wheat dough but they are very delicious! I choose not to use wheat dough because I am trying to avoid genetically modified foods. Pretty much anything that is used in great abundance food wise, is genetically modified, even the organic versions. Which is why I avoid wheat. I believe that genetic modification has health consequences and I encourage you to search for the sake of your health and that of your families and friends.
If this you find it's not for you, I encourage you to take a deeper look at everything you put in your body... maybe start with things you use or consume the most. Is it bread? There are better alternatives even if not wild yeast such as:
- homemade regular bread will contain fewer chemicals and additives
- sprouted grain bread is a great store bought alternative, the Healthy Way brand is good
- Ezekiel Bread is another awesome one
- check your health food store and read labels
- Specialty stores that grind there own flour and make it with simple ingredients are popping up now and these are all still a far cry from Wonder Bread (which by the way.. you should definitely be wondering about!!)
Homemade So Good Sauerkraut!!
1 large head cabbage
2 T sea salt (not that iodized junk)
If you want to live in the purple realm... add some purple cabbage or all purple!
- Rinse, Remove outer leaves of cabbage, reserving them
- Remove core
- Slice cabbage very thinly
- Toss with salt
- pound with a sturdy wooden spoon 5-10 min till juices are released and cabbage is wilty and greatly reduced
- Transfer to a quart jar
- Roll reserved leaves and place on top of cabbage in jar, pushing down till the juice rises above it
- Cover tightly and place somewhere out of the sun 3-5 days. Taste it periodically. When it's tangy remove leaves and place in the fridge. It will last months and tastes better with age.
- Rinse with cold filtered water before eating as it will be very salty.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
A day dedicated to LOVE...
So I'm a little past the actual day..... :) How often I think about infusing more LOVE into, well basically everything I do in my life and everyone I come into contact with. It can be seen, heard, felt, tasted in everything we do. It is definetly missed when it's not there. No subject is more covered...... in books, poetry, songs, movies and shows. How important it is!
My thought for this day is to seek just how many ways we can add more LOVE to everything in our lives............. nothing is more important!
Have A LOVEly Day!!
Jayme
p.s. this picture my husband had taken while out and about at work~
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