Real Food Revisited: Day 1

I made a goal about a month ago to cook more thoughtful meals for BJ each day. By thoughtful I mean a meal I actually plan out before he arrives home from work rather than something I throw together after we're both dying of hunger for something other than a snack. With the added thought and planning generally comes a more delicious payoff, which is not a bad thing for BJ nor myself. The book Real Food that I've been telling you about has greatly enhanced my motivation for these home cooked meals as well. So I thought that with my new decided effort to create homemade meals, along with my new conviction of preparing real, healthy food, that I'd let you come along on this excursion and take an inside look at what's going on around here in the Pugmire kitchen.

My goal is this: to prepare a good dinner each day. To limit processed, artificial foods like crackers, sobe drinks, candy, etc. To eat more vegetables and fruits. And to eat dessert only one day a week.

Today's menu included:

Breakfast: green smoothie made with fresh raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries, 1/3 of a banana, ice, milk, about 1 Tblsp. agave. And 1/2 a whole wheat pita.

Snack: popcorn with olive oil and sea salt.

Lunch: spinach salad with turkey bacon, egg whites, red grapes, tomatoes, carrots, and peanuts. And a bowl of granola with whole milk. (Seriously! Whole Milk! I'm in love.)

Dinner: bacon chicken and dumplings. green salad with sweet mini peppers, apples, and mozarella cheese, and cabbage salad.

 I also seasoned my cast iron pan today with all this glorious bacon grease.

 Preparing the dumplings.

 Two salads.

Ellie was an angel while I cooked. I about died when I turned around and saw her lying contently with her head on the marble. Happy as could be she hadn't made a peep. Pretty pathetic. Adorably pathetic.

She is a dream baby. She is content nearly all the time.  It's also nice now that's she's a little older and she actually enjoys rolling around on the ground while I'm doing stuff. She no longer is confined to her blue barnyard vibrator chair.

I'm sure the thought of drinking whole milk for some of you is enough to make your skin crawl, but I have something to say about that. I feel good eating this way. I feel satisfied at the end of every meal- not wanting anything else, and not craving sweets. I believe our bodies are meant to have it all when it comes to food: protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Eating real food leaves room for flexibility, complementing heavier foods with lighter ones, and visa versa. Depriving ourselves of a diet that is well rounded isn't helpful to our body. Indeed, it is the opposite. You might not be ready to start drinking whole milk quite yet, (and to be honest, this may not be a permanent thing for me. I just wanted to try it out.) but do your body a favor and eat food that is real.

My sermon is over.

Hey You Guys-

I Really Shouldn't Be Doing This...

But computer time is always so alluring when my two babies (aka Ellie and BJ) are asleep and no longer in need of me and my time. It's 10:52 and I swear I was ready to go to bed at 7. But here I am- bright eyed and bushy tailed just bloggin' away.

I'm reading two books right now; one of which I already mentioned. But the other one, the one I haven't yet mentioned and am just about to mention, is really quite interesting and entirely reshaping the way that I've been trained to think my entire life. That is, the way I've been trained to think about food.

The book is called Real Food.

Nina Planck, who's parents decided to leave their suburban life when she was two years old to become vegetable farmers, wrote the book. Her case is for food that our ancestors were raised on that we have been trained to consider "fattening." As stated in the book, "Everyone loves real food, but they're afraid bacon and eggs will give them a heart attack- thus the culinary abomination known as the egg-white omelet. But it turns out that tossing out the yolk isn't smart. Real Food reveals why traditional foods are not only delicious- everyone knows that butter tastes better- but are actually good for you, making the nutritional case for egg, cream, butter, grass-fed beef, roast chicken with the skin, lard, cocoa butter, and more."

Interested? View some photos of my Saturday autumn adventures and then read some more...

This information is appealing to me because in the most simplistic form... it makes sense. Planck does a thorough job proving scientifically that these adulterous foods such as butter, full fat milk products, chicken with the skin, red meat (not lean), pork (not lean), and oils are really good for us. Of course she  speaks most highly of vegetables and fruits and their numerous health benefits, but she simply states that foods in their whole, unprocessed forms are healthiest. 

Her opinion is not in favor of sugar or white flour but does promote homemade food over preservative laden store bought imitations. She sings praises of made from scratch meals and homemade desserts occasionally. This information appeals to me because this kind of food is good for you and extremely satisfying. We as humans weren't meant to survive on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean meat and olive oil alone. Real, whole foods are good for us. Even if they are naturally fattening.

Anyway... I completely recommend reading this book. I have found it compelling and motivating as a wife and mother. There is something so wholesome about preparing a meal for loved ones and I feel like this has broadened my horizons in doing that. I recommend reading the book because if I have created any descrepancies in my interpretation of her writing you can read it all for yourself and see clearly why eating this way makes sense.

If not for any other logical explanation that lends myself to believe her opinion- I think we all can agree on one simple fact... our ancestors in general were healthier, stronger, thinner, and more fit than the majority of Americans are today. Read it. See what you think. And please forgive me that these pictures have no relevance to this post- no matter how adorable they may be.

"Eating is our most fundamental and sensual act. It never did make sense to me that eating what's good for you should mean depriving yourself of foods you desire. Now Nina Planck explains exactly why we are drawn to foods that delight our senses and keep us healthy." -Bill Niman 

Of course she had me convinced and nodding along when in one of the very opening paragraphs she defends the ever brilliant case of breastfeeding. Can I get an amen brotha?

And now it's 11:38 and I know I'm not gonna be able to sleep cause my mind's all a-whiz with internet images. And although that's not information you care much about, you may like to know that I'm intending to make Bacon Chicken and Dumplings and a green salad for dinner tomorrow. Real Food. Holla.

I Heart Balboa Island Part 2

I'm gonna let the pictures do the talking. Except to reiterate that seriously... I love this place. It was a good day.

People often apologize when they have a post with lots of pictures. But I'm not gonna do that, because I love pictures. And I especially love pictures of pretty homes and my baby.  

I Heart Balboa Island Part 1

Sigh. I am in love. On Thursday us Pugmire women road a four person bike- with baby in tow- around Balboa Island. I've always loved cottages, and hoped to live in one. But cottages in Newport, California? La creme da la creme people. That means the best of the best. You can't get better than that.

Naturally, the price tags of said cottages are not as charming as their facades. But none the less- I am beginning my prayers right now that the Mr. BJ Pugmire family will one day reside on Balboa Island.

Photos of cottages not included- note the title... another post to come.

(Ellie loves to suck on Dani Bree's 1/2 thumb. Confused? Go here.)

Stay tuned to see the sights that we saw while on this beauty. Trust me, you're not gonna wanna miss it.

This morning we'll be catching up with the rest of the blogosphere as we venture over to Apple Country and then tonight head to a pumpkin patch. I've gotta tell ya, it doesn't feel much like fall here in California. But it does feel pretty nice.

TTYL.

For the Sake of a Dad that Loves His Daughter

Another Reason I Love My Church

I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and I am so glad that I am.

Let me tell you why... (Besides the fact that it's Christ's true church.)

This week I prepared a talk and spoke on Sunday. On Wednesday I watched 20 teenage girls perform a dance that I choreographed for them. And tonight I taught 25 older women how to cook 5 holiday breakfast items. All these things I did for my church.

You might be thinking. "Give me a break. All that responsibility sounds like a nightmare!" 

To which I would reply, "Really, it was quite the opposite."

I love this church because it pushes you. It gives you opportunities to develop talents you most likely wouldn't have discovered otherwise. And it teaches you skills you'd be hard pressed to learn anywhere else.

Tonight as I taught women how to cook, other women taught ladies how to sew, how to bake rolls from scratch, how to make furry blankets, how to make teacup candles, how to make festive holiday plates, and more. 

This church has given me opportunities not only to speak and teach in public, but to gain confidence in my ability to speak and teach in public. In this church I have learned how to use a compass, cross stitch,    make a quilt, do family history, lead music, sing with a choir, dress to complement my skin tone, make butter, bake food in a cardboard box, line dance, pull a handcart, and a whole lot more.  

I love this church.

(Insert random photo so this is not an entirely colorless post.)

Sometimes assignments like these can be overwhelming and can seem insignificant and tedious at the time. But this church produces some seriously talented people, and I know it is largely due to the opportunities it gives to its members. Tonight I was entrusted to prepare recipes and ideas that would inspire and motivate women to cook. And I had to motivate women that have been cooking all their lives. They already know all the tricks of the trade. But somehow, with a ton of brainstorming and teamwork with my friend (I didn't do this alone. love you Megs,) and a whole lot of a prayer that we would pull it off... We did it!

The women were inspired. The women were motivated. We had fun. The food was delicious, and now here I am, confident in my abilities and more anxious and excited than ever to cook for years and years for my family. 

I love this church. I always have. And I always will.

The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands

Two days ago I got a recommendation from a friend. Yesterday I got a library card. Today I started reading the book The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands. Even the intro is ingenious. If you are a married woman... read it. If you are a woman that wants to get married... read it. 

My favorite line so far is a quote from a man named Vince. Vince says,

"As a man, I can tell you our needs are simple. We want to be fed, we want our kids mothered, and we want lovin'."

Well put Vince.

Well I can tell you that BJ has been fed. Ellie has been mothered. And as for the rest... mind your own business!

In an Attempt to Adjust my Documentation

I've been writing in a journal for a long time, and I've noticed a pattern in my recording. My romantic heart serves me to a fault in my efforts to document my life. 90% of the time I don't document what is going on every day. I write about my thoughts, and, of course, my feelings. While I realize this isn't entirely bad, I do feel like I sometimes forget about the monumental details of my life. Somehow, I remember random, insignificant days far more than I remember my trip to London my senior year of highschool. I remember days of dating as well as I remember my wedding day.

I'm glad I make an effort to glorify the mundane and find beauty in the monotony of every day living, but sometimes it comes with its drawbacks. I realized the other day while perusing other blogs that I never write about Ellie the way other mom's write about their children. I never share funny stories or milestones about her life. That realization was disappointing to me. So in an attempt to adjust my documentation... here goes...

Perhaps my favorite thing about Ellie is how easy going she is. She has a personality that's naturally happy and content. She doesn't fuss for fussiness' sake. If she's crying there's usually something wrong. She reminds me of a youngest child in the way that she can just go with the flow- something that will serve us well if we get twins next like I suspect.

Ellie is cuddly- another thing I completely adore about her. Again, I see this as a characteristic that will serve as a major advantage when brothers and sisters come along. She loves to hug things, nuzzle into things, and have blankets right next to her face when she sleeps. I see a nurturing side to her already. She is completely obsessed with her bunny. In fact, I think the bunny is about the closest replacement to me that we could get. Most the time, if she has her bunny, she's ok.

Ellie is coordinated. The pediatrician noticed this yesterday within minutes of being in the room. She is skilled with her hands and has incredibly strong legs. She will grab at any and everything when you hold her. Nothing is safe if it's within Ellie's reach.

Ellie is a people person. She doesn't enjoy being left alone. She would rather sit in her chair and watch me blow dry my hair than play in the bedroom by herself while I do that. She loves to be held. She likes all eyes on her too. Blogging is not an easy task with baby in arms. Not because typing with one hand is awkward and slow, but because you can gaurantee (how do you spell that word?!!! I swear I tried 20 different variations!) baby girl will be pulling any trick she can to get your attention: squaking, arching, grabbing, grunting, crying, etc.

Ellie slept through the night at 6 weeks and hasn't slept through the night once since we moved to California. We're working on it. Enough said.

Ellie is a champ though about taking naps. She can fall asleep nearly anywhere. Yesterday I needed to get some stuff done so I laid her down on the carpet with her bunny and her binky, and she literally had fallen asleep within 30 seconds. Adorable I tell you. I wish I would have gotten a picture.

Breastfeeding Ellie is about the funniest thing ever. She has gone through multiple stages of breastfeeding styles. In the beginning she was slow and tired- constantly falling asleep while on the job. She would nuzzle into me, drink for a few seconds and then be gone. This scenario would be repeated over and over again. Cue me nudging, pinching, scratching Ellie to try and get her to wake up. Without much time for transition, Ellie's eating suddenly turned into pure urgency. Grunting like you've never heard before always accompanied Ellie's feedings, along with this crazy head shake she would do every time she'd latch on. Breastfeeding in public was less than discreet when she was on this kick. Now her breastfeeding style bounces back and forth between two: 1. Breastfeeding like she's having lunch with her girlfriends. Suck, suck, suck, suck, come off and talk, talk, talk in a really high, girly voice. Latch back on. Suck, suck, suck, suck, come off and talk, talk, talk, talk. A very feminine way to dine. 2. Breastfeeding like my lap is made out of rocks and twigs. Sometimes she is so fidgety and crazy when I feed her. She sucks for a few seconds and then arches and kicks and grunts like she just can't get comfortable. BJ always asks me when she's eating like this, "What is up with her?" By now I'm used to it and try to stay as relaxed as possible. Every once in a while I get really lucky. Occasionally Ellie eats so peacefully. Drinking away, lying still, and placing her hand gently on me. Breastfeeding like this is so relaxing. We both fall into some kind of milk-induced trance and it is the perfect segway into dreamland.

Ellie is inquisitive. She is curious. She studies everything around her. She loves to hold things. She loves to try anything that I try. If I drink some water, she'll want some water. If I brush my teeth, she'll want to try. The other day I was doing some abdominal exercises- lying on my back with my legs straight up to the ceiling, I lowered them up and down over and over again. She watched me intently for a few seconds and then she seriously tried to do it herself. She's a smart girl she is.

Ellie is a mama's girl... and I'm not complaining!

21 Minor Details

I love bathrobes.

I think Jimmy John's makes the best sandwiches.
I like food way more than my in-laws do.
I don't listen to music when I drive. Just silence.
I'm sad when I put my hand on my belly now that there's not a baby in there.
I don't really know how to work facebook.
I know that my prayers are answered.
If I could have been a gymnast over a dancer I would have been.
I have no birth marks.
I scar terribly.
I have stretch marks.
I don't eat chocolate or carbonation for the time being.
I'd rather buy something for my home than clothes.
Fox news is about the only thing on t.v. that can hold my interest.
Cake with frosting is my favorite food. Not dessert... Food.
I wish I was a book worm, but I have a hard time finishing a novel.
I think exercising and working out are two different things. I prefer exercising.
I'm not a "schedule" type of mom.
My favorite sound in the world is Ellie sucking her binki.
I don't like the word binki or any of its variations.
I like having the excuse that I have "dancer feet," but my feet looked like this before I ever danced.

* Credit to Marilee for this idea. xoxo

Sharing a Miracle

You probably didn't know that the night before Ellie's baby blessing I had an emergency surgery and spent the night in the hospital. You probably didn't know this because we forged ahead and two hours after I was released from the hospital we were hosting a mass of people at my parent's house. You also probably didn't know this because the blessing turned out so beautifully that when I went to blog about it, I didn't want to mention this major hiccup and wind up with the emphasis on me. For this day was about a sweet baby girl and her good, good father. It was a day about family. And it wound up being a story filled with miracles.

We had planned on blessing Ellie on Sunday, July 24th because my entire family was going to be in town. BJ's parents made the trek up from California to be there also, and all seemed perfectly in place for this to happen. Little did I know that what started as a strange stomach ache on Friday night would turn in to a reason for surgery come Saturday.

On Saturday afternoon my Friday night stomach ache had not subsided. In fact, it had intensified to the point that my walking closely mirrored a senior citizen. BJ and I were meeting his parents for a quick lunch before my family's family reunion. Finally I realized the pain I was feeling wasn't normal, and probably wasn't good. I told BJ and he told his parents. BJ's dad perfectly diagnosed my symptoms because he had had appendicitis before and my symptoms were textbook. He knew I should get to a doctor.

 An urgent care center was located just two blocks away from where we were eating lunch. BJ, me, and Ellie quickly headed there. Again the diagnosis: textbook appendicitis.

This was the worst timing. If indeed this was appendicitis, I was going to miss not only my family reunion, but the baby blessing too. I was frustrated and in pain. 

From urgent care we were advised to go to Orem Community Hospital to have some formal testing done. Cat scan, blood work, urine sample, manipulation... the doctors ran the gammut. The cat scan showed major inflammation and finally the diagnosis was sure. I had appendicitis and I needed surgery soon. 

Again we transfered to another hospital with my brother, sister-in-law, and nephew trailing behind for support. This time, the problem was going to be fixed, but it wasn't without a few drawbacks. Firstly, I wasn't going to be able to breastfeed for 24 hours, and Ellie was breastfeeding exclusively. This in and of itself was devastating to me. I was allowed to pump one last time, but I didn't have long. The doctor was there and ready to operate. Secondly, I was nervous to go under anesthesia. What if something went wrong? I was a brand new mother and the idea of something bad happening to me was sickening. I couldn't leave this baby behind. To be totally honest, even the idea of not having her with me that night wasn't thrilling. I had never, ever been apart from her like that. And last of all, the baby blessing actually happening was completely out of the picture by this point. It was all so inconvenient.
BJ and my brother gave me a blessing that left me feeling at peace. I was confident in my doctors, and I was promised that I would be ok and that Ellie would be taken care of.

I went into the operating room and the doctors were cordial. Looking back now, I'm again amazed at how quickly anesthesia works. Count back from ten... 10...9... gone. Waking up from anesthesia felt like I was stuck in a nightmare. I was moaning and fighting for my body to wake up and function. I cried and worried and dug my heels into the bed. I felt out of control and I hated it. I remember being wheeled through hallways into the room I would be sleeping in and vaguely seeing my mom, BJ, and Ellie. I heard my baby crying, and for the first time ever the idea to try and take care of her didn't even cross my mind. I was in a thick fog, completely incoherent.

BJ stayed with me that night. He slept on the tile floor with one sheet and a crappy pillow. The surgery had gone well, and the following morning I was a few hours away from being able to go home. While we waited for the time to pass BJ and I toyed with the idea of going on ahead with the blessing in spite of my barely recovering body. The family was there. BJ had been studying and praying about the blessing for weeks. My mom and I had already planned the menu and purchased all of the groceries for it. We were anxious about the situation as a whole, and decided to bite the bullet. The blessing had to go on!
Upon release from the hospital we made our way home, stopping briefly at RiteAid for some pain killers. BJ showered and got the baby ready, and I hobbled slowly around and managed to assemble my Sunday best and hide the grease in my unwashed hair.
The blessing went off without a hitch. In fact, I think it was the most beautiful baby blessing I have ever heard. It was heartfelt and thoughtful. It was personal and tender. It was an intimate moment with family we loved. I managed to make it through the set-up, the blessing, and the socializing afterward without horrible pain or limitation. I couldn't have been happier. (Aside from having three gaping flesh wounds on my post-delivery baby belly.)
The miracles were woven throughout the tapestry of that crazy weekend. In fact, they started a week before... keep reading... it's about to get good...

Miracle #1: About a week before my surgery, I had decided to start pumping and freezing my breastmilk. I didn't have any specific reason to be doing this. I had stocked up just enough milk to last Ellie the complete 24 hours before I could start feeding her again. My efforts to strictly breastfeed could continue to be successful- something I had prayed over and over again for. But like my Relief Society president said when I told her about this coincidence, "There's no such thing as luck." she said. I know I was prompted by the spirit to do this... not knowing beforehand what it was actually for.
Miracle #2: A couple weeks prior to this time Ellie had become a real mama's girl. She often would would fuss whenever BJ held her and would only let me be the one to do the consoling. On the night of my surgery Ellie suddenly changed her agenda. She wanted dad. When I was coming out of anesthesia BJ wanted to be by my side. My mom was holding Ellie and Ellie would have none of it. She needed to be consoled too, and her dad was the one she wanted for the job. This is when I heard her crying as I was waking up. Ellie was longing for her dad. He of course, was there to comfort her.
Miracle #3: JaLayne was in town and was able to take Ellie for the night so that my mom and dad could host the family reunion at their house. At this point, very few people would I have trusted with my baby overnight. Ellie was an angel for JaLayne, and JaLayne was an angel for us.
Miracle #4: My brother was there to perform a blessing of healing with BJ. What a joy it was to have the confidence and assurance that all would be well. I love my brother.
Miracle #5: Kim knew what was wrong and urged me to go to the hospital. If your appendix ruptures it can be lethal within 24 hrs. My appendix was very inflamed and I hadn't even considered going to the doctor until he suggested it.
Miracle #6: My surgery, overnight hospital stay, cat scan, blood tests, urgent care visit, etc. were all covered by my incredible insurance that I had from being a school teacher. Had this happened a week later, my benefits would have expired and we would have been paying for this out of pocket.
Miracle #7: I felt well enough to not only carry out the baby blessing the next morning, but to enjoy it.
Miracle #8: My sweet mom and sisters arranged the entire thing and made it happen. In spite of our family reunion being at my parent's house the night before, these four women had the entire house cleaned, the food and table prepared in the short amount of time that BJ and I allowed them after we decided we would continue on with the original plans. After their hard work, all I had to do was show up.
Miracle #9: In the midst of this all, I learned to feed my baby while lying down. Something that has proved to be incredibly useful on what would be sleepless nights.
Miracle #10: That overall, the Lord's hand was felt throughout the entire unfolding of this bizarre experience. It was another testimony of His love for me, of His watchful care over me and my small little family.