Kids see, Kids do ~~~~~

        We are all attached to our childhood..... some of us have many obstacles to overcome because of this! The great news is we  CAN  OVERCOME and learn new ways to BE and DO!! right? I love an exercise that a teacher of mine said would be great for anyone willing to do, to get to the core of who we are what makes us US, and WHY we believe what we do. Sit down and journal about your beliefs, all the beliefs that you hold within that you can think of and then go over them one by one and try and remember where you got the belief from? does this belief have relevance in your life now? and if not what are you going to replace that belief with ... because as he stated, us being the incredible creatures we are, can't just erase something from our memory we hold onto it all, and have to have a replacement for our changes... habits.... thoughts... ideas. I thought this was a really awesome, how many things we hold onto that are given to us by our parents  or parents parents.... are they really always right??! I think not. Am I always right... Of course! ha ha, no really, I think not!  

In terms of what I was taught as a child about nutrition and health..... was not much at all. Things that instantly come to mind as beliefs about food are the clean your plate mentality, or the IF you clean your plate, you get dessert... I have chosen to break out of that mold so far instead of these things I have adopted some healthy ideas that I use and think work pretty well for my me and family... when I'm home that is... my husband is still holding to some of these old patterns but I have planted a seed there! I eat mostly raw.... I do cook some food as my husband is not really into the raw food thing but is willing to try and enjoy some of the things I make and the kids are still tied to this as well a bit and I do eat something cooked on occasion when I'm out with friends, I'm hoping to change this though. I aspire to be a pure raw foodist and to incorporate the rules of food combining and my goal is that my whole family would be!So far what I have incorporated in their lives in the living foods realm are:

• having fruit for breakfast
• having a healthy dose of raw veggies for lunch along with part of a sandwich
• when I make my raw food dishes.... having some on their plates to try and they have to take a few bites of everything new
• lots of salads that they need to eat the portion of that I put on their plates before they can get down 
• lots of praise for eating the very healthy foods especially salads and anything with greens
• green smoothies for snacks or breakfast 
• green apple juice with broccoli, parsley, cilantro etc.... 
• making some raw desserts on occasion 
• They are seeing me eating and enjoying healthy, living foods
• I try and take my kids outside, and more recently on grey yucky looking days! I have always had the mind to stay in on days like this but I have found that it makes the bleak day very beautiful to get out there and find the natural wonders that are waiting! Like the other day it was grey and the fog was thick as whipped cream dancing through the valley, so I got the kids warm stuff together and packed some lunches and we headed to the river where we found many large flocks of birds/ducks coming and going, we ran over gravel lumps, splashed multiple sizes of rocks in the river, "shoe skated" on the ice patches in the grass... it was really a great day, and soooo much better than if we had stayed inside! I am Relearning to live!~ and many times met with opposition but I know this is right and awesome! Retrain  the brain, Retrain the brain, Retrain the brain ....  

Some recipes for really great and near astounding treats for kids:

~The frozen banana "ice cream"~

• Take several frozen bananas and whip them in the food processor for 5 min, till very creamy. It is sooo simple and sooo amazing! It really is like having banana ice cream!! Sometimes I mix some frozen fruit with it and the kids loved it! The one below has frozen blueberries whipped in~

~Banana pops :)~

• Another really great one is to halve bananas, poke a thick skewer that has been "de-sharpened" in the large end, roll in raw chocolate that has been melted and then roll in chopped nuts, seeds or whatever you like.