High Raw Week and Feeling Great!

I finally feel good this morning! Even with a stressful week, I somehow feel emotionally, mentally, and physically good. Yes, my back hurts, but it is the inside that feels good! Could it be my high raw week? Below I am only posting 2 days worth of food, but my mom is here on vacation and she was supposed to fly home last Tuesday, but ended up in the ER last Sunday with heart problems and pneumonia. All fingers crossed that she will be able to get out of the hospital today and fly home this coming Tuesday. Scary, very scary! Even DH was scared. We just lost dad and didn't want to loose mom too. Praise the Lord there has been daily improvement and things are looking up.

Also, this week was the last week of my workout class at college. I will miss all the good friends I made. A few of us plan on staying in touch. I am hoping to take a nutrition class with my good friend Jasmine and I am already signed up for the water aerobics class with Heather. Taylor, I hope we can get together even though you are going to be a busy girl at State. Now on to food.

I got myself focused this week to eat a high raw diet and to get some low key detoxing done, I needed to get out of my toxic waste land. I feel as though I met my challenge head on and feel good about it. Everyday was pretty much the same. With work and being at the hospital with mom I only have 2 days worth of pictures. Enjoy!

I am in love with GREEN SMOOTHIES! Breakfast was a combination of spinach,

banana, and a few blueberries.

Lunch was Sun Warrior Raw Rice Protein Drink made with Hemp milk
(gotta get those Omega 3's) and fresh from the garden cherry tomatoes and corn on the cob, which I lightly steamed.

Oh my Gosh! Our CSA included fresh white organic peaches. Peaches are one of the fruits that I will only buy if it is organic. They are at the top of the dirty dozen list and I do not want all that pesticide in my body. Needless to say, I was thrilled when I saw them. Along with an organic apple and some raw almonds my afternoon snack was perfect!

On to dinner! Yes this is my cooked meal. Fresh from the garden we have cherry tomatoes, zucchini, and corn all lightly steamed. CSA also included golden beets, which are the bomb. I roast them in the oven in a covered dish with about 1/4 inch of water. Perfection. Last and certainly not least Julie's Smokey Sausage. Yes, I am still addicted to them. :o) Oh and everything is always better with a small sprinkling of nooch.

Another GREEN SMOOTHIE! Yes, it really is a green smoothie. 2 cups of spinach, about 1/2 cup of cherries, a few strawberries, and a couple blueberries. I did find out that maybe 1/2 cup of cherries was too much. Very cherry smoothie, that turned brown from oxidation by the time I drank it at work. Everyone was, "What the heck are you drinking?"I reassured them that the color did not mean the taste.

Morning snack was another CSA treasure. Organic peach, carrots, and cucumbers. I am in love with fresh organic cucumbers. Try a taste test for yourself. I have found that conventional cucumbers have a slightly bitter taste to them, which I really do not care for. The organic ones are sweet with a hint of a watermelon taste. I know weird sensation, but that is how my taste buds taste them. :o)

Lunch was quick as I was on the run to pick up DH, he is still in his cast, so he can't drive. Another wonderful Sun Warrior Raw Rice Protein Smoothie made from hemp milk and organic strawberries from our CSA. Oh and we can't forget my organic fuji apple! You know what they say: An apple a day keeps the doctors away and I want them far, far, away!

This is a repeat dinner without the nooch. Gotta eat yummy leftovers. This time I did slice my tomatoes in half before cooking them with my zucchini. Does anyone else remember the zucchini and stewed tomatoes in a can? Well, I grew up on that stuff. I am not sure I ever had a fresh zucchini until I was married. My mom still raves about those canned zucchini.

Boy, she needs to try the fresh version!

Question of the day?

What memory do you have of a canned food that you now

make with fresh goodness?

Stuck in a toxic wasteland.

Hi Folks, Sorry for the absence. I want to say that my life of sadness, pain, frustration, and inability to survive has caused my absence and stranded me in a toxic wasteland, but then that would be passing the buck and not standing up to my own stupidity, laziness, and lack of self control. Some of you know and some of you don't know that I have been trying to beat this every trying issue of obesity, which can be a very difficult struggle. Yes, I had been trying hard, but just fell off the wagon. My DH is so encouraging and supportive of my vegan lifestyle and healthy eating. He always tries in a very loving way to help me keep exercising and stay on track. He was so excited for me to take this new class at the college, which I did. Only one week left. I met some really good friends. One of my friends, Jasmine, has struggled with the same issue and has done a fantastic job of making it. Check out her blog if you need to see a real hero! She is such an uplifting person and always encouraging me to keep on going, just one day at a time. Her smile is so contagious. Needless to say, maybe if I am accountable to the world one of two things are going to happen. One, I will succeed, be proud of myself, be a healthier wife, mother, and daughter of God or two I will make a complete fool of myself, embarrass myself, and feel totally useless in life. Ok, put your mind at ease, because number one is my goal.

Lately my dinners have consisted of PB&J toast, chips, and ore's. Yes, they are vegan. Not at all in anyway shape or form healthy, but edible. Or good old fried tofu, fried vegan egg rolls, and rice, thus the toxic wasteland! I have cried all I want to cry, done beating myself up, and poor DH is really tired of my complaining and watching me self destruct. I want to be a good example to him too and don't want to fail at that. I am grateful for the 82lbs I have lost, but that feels like only the tip of the iceberg. I still have between 85 and 95 to go. So now that I have spilled my guts to the world let me leave you with a picture of my morning green smoothie. This is 2 cups raw spinach, 1/2 a frozen banana, fresh blackberries, and a bit of stevia blended all together in my magic bullet. Note to self, when using blackberries you will need to strain your smoothie or you will drink what feels like little rocks. lol... I hope I can really post my daily meals and be accountable to myself and not make a complete fool of myself.

I really want to succeed! Thanks Yogi for your love and putting up with my bad times. BJ and M I appreciate all your support too. Thanks for letting me spill my guts to you and know that I love each and everyone of you for your support and visiting me on my blog.

Saddness hits our home

Chuck, my sweet husband and his dad in April.

Daddy has gone on to the Lord. He passed away Sunday morning. The last time we were able to speak to him was last Wednesday. He kept saying to me, "Pumpkin why is it taking so long to go to the Lord. I am ready. I am tired of being her like this." All I could say to him was, "In the Lord's time, Daddy." Then he would ask Chuck and all my DH could say was, I don't know dad, just keep praying. It was heart breaking. By Thursday all he would do was make sounds, but never acknowledged anyone. Still we asked them to put the phone to his ear so we could tell him we love him. Every night we prayed that he could go and no longer suffer. Early Sunday morning I woke from an amazing dream. I was there with Daddy and he was suffering something awful. I put my arms under his back and held him, while I sang, "Hush Little Baby", (I sing this to my grandson and it always calms him down.) Daddy became calm and looked at me completely lucid and said, "Pumpkin will you pray with me?" "Sure, daddy, I will pray with you." Then I kissed him on the forehead and woke up. It was so real. I could feel Daddy's soft skin and hear his voice as if I was really there. About 3 hours later daddy passed away. We went to church and talked to our Bishop. He said he just needed help passing and your spirits met and you helped him across. What an awesome experience and sad one at the same time. I can still feel him, hear him, and see his sweet eyes.

Daddy and me in April.

Thank you to all of your prayers during the last few months and those who made is possible for DH and I to visith him. DH in March and both of us in April. He went to the Lord knowing he was well loved and that we will be together again. Daddy was an incredible man. Daddy was a wonderful father to my DH and told me I was his only daughter. He never treated me as a daughter-in-law, but as I was born to him. He loved his granddaughters and his only regret was that he did not get to meet his great grandson, Jr, his squirt as he lovingly named him.

We love you Daddy!!!