New News

Often times my goals are much loftier than what I actually accomplish....... oh well, I guess I'd rather be an over achiever than an under- one!

So much happens, so fast! I found out that I am pregnant with #3  in April..... so with that my hubby and I took our first vacation in the beginning of May this year... a week in Maui! We figured we had better because it will be a while before we have the chance to do this again, and our  kids are just the age to handle a week at grannies! We had an amazing time! Stayed at an awesome (low budget)B&B right on the ocean for 3 nights in Paia, then 2 nights in a super cool yurt with outdoor shower etc... in beautiful Hana, and then 2 nights at another great B&B in Kihei, 3 different areas of the island. The weather was perfect! The tropical fruit was soooo DeViNe~~~the beaches~~~ the water~~the swimming! I really miss perfect papaya for breakfast. Much needed, but we were so happy to see our kids when we got home! I did have a tiny bit of morning sickness while we were there but it really hit when we got home... so glad it mostly waited. Also I had taken the state boards for my massage license and the waited and waited and waited for it... it had arrived while we were on our trip! I'm excited that it finally showed up, but now that I'm pregnant with all this morning sickness I won't be able to do the part time massage like I had hoped...... yet! 

Getting ready, trying to navigate this new world of homeschooling... I feel like a whale on a mountain right now.... not the first time though!

So I'm a pregnant, mother, wife, domestic engineer,massage therapist, healthy living enthusiast, bi annual blogger! I would like to change that last part though!! 

Letting Go

I just asked a friend today what her goals are for the new year.... she had really thought it through and had several wonderful things in which she is going to work toward in 2011. She then asked me what mine were, sometimes I am more of a contemplative type person who really needs to think about how to lay this broad question out! I have thought of many things I have hopes for in this new year but not collectively ..... I have been thinking about this for the afternoon and evening and I have to say this year for me is hopefully going to be themed... Letting Go

Letting Go, Simplifying, Learning not to hold on to things I don't need or want in my life, so that I have more room for those things that I truly do!

Letting go of the over accumulation of "things" I have piled up in various places (attention basement!!!) in my home that do not get used and both consciously and unconsciously zap my energy.

Letting go of thoughts and fears that I have no control over and are affecting my well being... THIS is tough for me, I am a thinker and concocter of great tales and sometimes have difficulty in reining in my imagination. 

Letting go of expectations that don't mean something real to me and the person God created me to be.

This last year has been a crazy one to say the least! I made it through massage school, which was so good for me in so many ways, but also very stressful with the work load, having 2 young children and babysitting full time for 7 months of it! Then to top it all off my husband and I had been having a hard time the last couple years and as a last ditch effort to wake the dead, I filed for separation during the last month of school! Whew!! As I'm writing this I can hardly remember how I made it through! I am thankful to The Lord for loving me enough to shower his love and compassion on me despite myself!!

Things are going much better now! I had thought my marriage was over, but through prayer and a WHOLE LOT of forgiveness and love it is steadily growing better day by day. I have learned so many, many things in this last year, on a very deep level!

1) We should really never judge ANYONE, because we may very well find ourselves in that same situation one day and understand them more than ever! And sometimes the people we judge most harshly will oddly turn out to be the most compassionate.

2) Forgive people especially when it's really hard! It really does hurt you more than them to stay angry, but don't be fake about it and remember the things for which you have been forgiven! 

Just a couple of the many things I learned this last year! :)

As far as health is concerned I have been very good and I have been very bad this last year!! I went through a months where I was a juicing, mostly raw eating machine who was glowing and healthy, to the girl at her lowest place of eating unhealthful, alcohol and coffee drinking, smoking in the midst of a turbulent inner storm.............to again juicing and eating very healthfully, exercising, deep breathing and most importantly praying and growing closer to God again day by day! Making better choices Living, Loving, and Learning to LET GO!:)

A Cool Little Widget

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. 

Soooo many IDEAS!!

YEAH! So many ideas in my brain, it's hard to sometimes get them out? Any one else feel this way? I just need to get some momentum going! I'm thinking...... what do I love to read about in these types of blogs? I love the personal journey, not way too wordy, (have some work to do there!!) raw honest truth about what someone is doing and how they feel, what works for them and there families, I love the beautiful and creative pictures, and words... to be INSPIRED to feel CONNECTED.... I hope to impart something of this in my blog, as there is NO one in my life I can think of who WOULDN'T be amazingly transformed by living this..... food we eat or don't eat can actually transform and return us to that which we are truly meant to be! It is sooo life altering, I have a full array of changes either already made or definitely in the works!

"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society"-Krishnamurti

I had to think about this a bit! It is so true! While I don't believe in shoving our own agendas down someones throat, I do believe in standing for what we believe, helping all we can and LIVING the example we want to share which is the best witness!!

This was a really delicious lunch!! Some organic romaine, Jennifer Cornbleet's Pat`e with some avocado and chopped red pepper!

Loving the Renegade Health Show!

www.renegadehealthshow.com

Also has an AWESOME book out that I have read some of so far called High Raw at www.gohighraw.com


In LOve with Life! Hoping you all have an inspiring day! :) Jayme

Addiction in Reverse

Addiction: to devote or surrender (oneself) to something habitually or obsessively.

I can now say without absolutely cringing that I have in the past easily become addicted to various things that obviously did "something" for me, affected my brain chemistry in some seemingly pleasurable way. This however also links with neglecting what I was really in need of. I was addicted to cigarettes and in a small way still am as in I know "to take heed lest you shall stumble". I have quit twice once after smoking several years and the other a matter of months after going through some emotionally trying times I had relapsed and then quit again! Sometimes I catch myself saying "What is wrong with me? why did I do this? How could I be so dumb! I could have much better health if only.... and on and on" But then a good friend reminded me recently that I HAVE QUIT 2 TIMES!! which is more than many people can say ... unfortunately.  And that it is very hard to quit and I should be so excited for what I have accomplished!! I certainly can't take the credit though as I prayed and prayed to quit both times, God answered my prayers both times by giving me the circumstances I needed to quit! so thank you God, for you know what we really need! and can help us with anything in just the right way!!

I don't have  programmed television in my home because I know that I would become addicted to watching certain things and it would be a thief of my time! I do occasionally watch some shows and movies from time to time but I don't have them regularly streaming in. Not that I have anything against people who have it! I just know that it would be a problem for me. There have even been times I would get a season set of something from the library and I couldn't just watch one every couple of days.... I would be watching it any spare moment I could because I was tied into what was happening in the show.... so I think "why? do I have these things I am so drawn to that I know are thieves of my time and energy? magazines though I read good ones, I can get too caught up....foods particularly sweets like I am missing something vital if I don't get them! , thoughts such as draining or negative ones....etc....." Well!  I have come to the conclusion that we can all afford to give ourselves some compassion! and love! and respect! I am recently thinking what would I say to a friend who was telling me all these things? Would I say "What is wrong with you? why can't you get a hold of yourself and make these changes?....... hardly! I would offer encouragement, support and love, and thats just what I need to start giving myself in order to make healthy choices in my life. I think it's pretty universal from hearing people out~ we could all use more love, so why not start with the closest person to us? ourselves. I had heard one time that we can't love others if we don't love ourselves, and that is true on so many levels. I'm not talking about being self absorbed here but take care of ourselves so we can take care of others!

I had titled this Addiction in Reverse because as I work on mine, especially that of things that I take into my body, it is bringing up feelings that I haven't had in years! It even brings up cravings for things that I have been addicted to in the past!? It's really incredible to think that eating more raw foods can do such a thing but it's almost like I'm going backwards in time and reliving some of what I had gone through, only now I can take the time to process it all if I choose. I'm trying to the best I can, and it can be really hard at times. I read that you should have a support system when going through major changes in life, someone/'s who can be supportive of your goals and be there to help motivate you what the times get tough and you need some extra encouragement! I am working on trying to find that in my life, I do spend time in prayer with this and it really helps me stick with it! I know it's worth it, thats for sure!~ Sometimes it's like being in a dark grey turbulent storm while you can clearly see the on the other side is the most beautiful paradise you could ever imagine and all the while your getting closer and closer sometimes maybe getting turned around but things get worked out and you get back on track!! :)

Recipe for the day.. and as I'm sure you'll get to know that I love quick and easy!! I actually love to make fancy and sometimes elaborate dishes but... I do cook some food for my family as well as juice regularly and make raw meals and smoothies so.... I try to stick to what time will allow so I'm not rehydrating and dehydrating into the wee hours of the morn! ha ha

I really like this great and simple recipe I came across, for jicama fries:

• cut jicama into fry like strips, shoe string or thick and burly...
• drizzle with a little olive oil
• sprinkle on some sea salt
• dash on some chili powder

massage all over the sticks and ENJOY!!  they are a bit interesting at first, but after a couple, especially if you've gotten a good jicama that is sweet and juicy with NO mold, it is really delicious!

A new beginning for a new year!

Well, I am finally going to GET back on track with my blog FINALLY!! ha ha :) I was having a really hard time getting motivated when I first started this before as I had dial up internet and it just took forever to get anything accomplished! But now I have Fiber and an operating several levels above where I had been!!

On that note, what has been going on with me since! a LOT! I am currently going to massage school, which I absolutely love so much!! I am learning many things above and beyond massage there as well, and am driven to look much more deeply at myself as a person, how I got here, how I can change and learn and grow~ and learn and change and grow etc..  It is helping me greatly with my mission in life, which I feel we should all be trying to do as much as we can with what we've got! with vigor and strength! with love and passion!

Last winter I really got caught up in my some emotional stuff and had let myself become a bit trapped in that, I started eating not too well, and just not doing what I knew I should!  Slowly but surely I have been nudged back into my path for living right, sometimes not so gently! and it hurts!! your entire being saying " your not doing what you know you should...YOUR NOT DOING IT!" so then it kind of becomes do or die, and I let it get to the brink and finally decided to listen..... now I have slowly transitioned from a vegan whole foods diet into mostly raw eating, This past week I have come to such a place that I have been eating 90-100% raw and I am definitely having some detox symptoms!! at first I was feeling quite nauseous, spacey, lethargic, panicky as of today, I am noticing that after doing several massages where I would be really sore.. I am just kinda sore, and feeling fairly peaceful, calm and light.

I continue to study more and more and more about health and true living. I have learned about zeolites, calcium and why not to take it, healthy herbs, and health regimens sooo many things that I have began to implement but I will write more about that later!

Today, I had a green smoothie for breakfast with:

• half banana 
• 3kiwis
• half cup blueberries
• large handful of romaine leaves
• handful of spinach leaves
• water to desired consistency

blended well, it was really really great!

Lunch I had some raw goat cheese with raw salsa and cabbage

Drank a detox tea

Dinner I had a salad with many veggies and greens, jicama  with some olive oil, sea salt, braggs apple cider vinegar and chili powder, it was really great!

Lots of water in between ;)

Have a wonderful night and God Bless You!
Jayme