Vegan Week II

The beginning of this week was pretty tricky. Probably because we fell off the vegan wagon over the weekend (Cheesecake factory without dairy?! Seriously?!). So I picked right back up on Monday, and this week was easier.

I have heard a lot of talk about detoxing, but this wasn't something I was necessarily after just now. I think the detox found me, though. My arms broke out like a teenager, and for about a day and a half I felt something like death warmed over. I pushed through.

On the other side of what I call my accidental detox, I feel much better. My energy level is through the roof. I told a friend this week I felt euphoric. She didn't seem naturally comfortable with that word describing a normal state of being, but it's absolutely accurate to describe this insane amount of energy!

Aloe juice was added to the diet. I think it tastes pretty wonky on its own, so I throw lemon juice into the mix. Not bad. Actually, its bizarrely refreshing.

Speaking of lemon...a cuppa warm water with lemon juice has been setting each day off right. Yum.

Activity wise, I stuck with consistency over pushing myself. A mile and a half every morning on the elliptical and some odd yard work in the afternoon has been the extent of my movement. Next week I hope to double each run, or double the number of 1.5 mile runs. We shall see!

I refuse to step on a scale for a month. My goal is a wholesome, complete life wherein food plays a role, but does not dictate happiness and contentment. That feeling of eating for comfort is just so wrong. I don't miss it.

The vegan meals are rejuvenating. I don't finish a meal thinking, "wow, I ate too much" or, "I am so miserable; why did I eat that?" That's a good thing!

Trying Vegan

We are starting day 3 of vegan eating. I really am lactose intolerant, so I have no idea why its been so hard to cut dairy out of my life. Even as a kid I thought cheese was gross (unless it was melted; then I could choke it down). Still, it is hard to cut eggs out of life and still consider baking and casseroles and...well...food.

Benefits:

Immediately the hubs and I noticed our heartburn was gone. No antacids required. This is unusual around here. Also very freeing.

My energy level is seriously ramped up. I love that boundless ecstatic feeling fruit gives me. Or my multivitamin. Or both. Whichever.

Our meals have had lots of variety. I was afraid we'd be stuck in a rut of two or three go-to meals. So far, we've been having fun preparing all those veggies.

The food has kept me full. Last night at dinner it seemed like I was finishing the 96-er from The Great Outdoors for all the chewing and swallowing I was doing. Brown rice is uber filling and takes about a million years to finish. Very satisfying.

Challenges:

Mentally, its hard to switch over to vegan, even if only for a time. I thought being a vegetarian for nearly a year would make it easier to omit eggs and dairy. It is still tricky.

So far the kids really haven't squawked too much about the meals. I have prepared them some mac 'n cheese and other meal add ons. These have been simple augmentations to our meals that haven't worn me out in the kitchen.

Food prep time is increased with all the veggie cutting and peeling and slicing and dicing. At least I have the extra energy to get in the kitchen and get it done!

Inspiration:

I've been reading vegan before & after stories online, and on youtube; anywhere I can get ahold of them. When your friends think you might be extraterrestrial for considering veganism, its helpful to know you're not alone.

Vegan cooking blogs. There are scads of recipes out there. Like most things on the internet, though, this can suck the minutes (hours) of my life. Just browsing!

That's where I'm at. Feeling great; motivated to move more. The benefits way outweigh the challenges.

More updates on this endeavor soon.

How my kids see me:

Here is a survey to give children...regarding how they perceive their mother. My kiddos are 5 and 6 years old. I hope you enjoy their answers; I know I did.

• What is something your mom always says to you?

6 year old: Brush your teeth and brush your hair.

5 year old: It's time for dinner.

• What makes mom happy?

6 year old: Doing school work with us.

5 year old: When I give her a present.

• What makes mom sad?

6 year old: Getting hurt.

5 year old: When we don't listen to her.

• How does your mom make you laugh?

6 year old: Jokes and when she tickles my ribs.

5 year old: When she uploads funny pictures.

• What was your mom like as a child?

6 year old: She wore glasses in her teens.

5 year old: She always laughed sometimes.

• How old is your mom?

6 year old: 30

5 year old: 80? [!! I am 30!!]

• How tall is your mom?

6 year old: 6 foot, 8 inches.

5 year old: 40 by 60.

• What is her favorite thing to do?

6 year old: Making sure school is fun to us and spending time with the family.

5 year old: Typing on the computer and spelling things.

• What does your mom do when you're not around?

6 year old: I think she watches movies with daddy downstairs.

5 year old: She goes on a date with dad, or watches movies that would be stinky to kids.

• If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?

6 year old: Singing.

5 year old: She'd be a rock star.

• What is your mom really good at?

6 year old: Hugs and kisses.

5 year old: Cooking.

• What is your mom not really good at?

6 year old: Spending a lot of money.

5 year old: Making hard patterns with buttons.

• What does your mom do for a job?

6 year old: Schoolwork.

5 year old: Schoolwork. [I homeschool them]

• What is your mom's favorite food?

6 year old: Blueberries?

5 year old: Sausage. [Note that I am a vegetarian]

• What makes you proud of your mom?

6 year old: She sings to us.

5 year old: She does nice things.

• If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?

6 year old: Olive...you know, that girl from Popeye?!

5 year old: Mary Poppins.

• What do you and your mom do together?

6 year old: Snuggle.

5 year old: We play.

• How are you and she the same?

6 year old: Our brown hair.

5 year old: Our eyes.

• How are you and your mom different?

6 year old: She's older.

5 year old: Because of our shoes. Mine are smaller.

• How do you know your mom loves you?

6 year old: Hugs and kisses, and she always watches over us.

5 year old: She has my heart.

• What does your mom like most about your dad?

6 year old: He's cute.

5 year old: He loves her.

• Where is your mom's favorite place to go?

6 year old: The weekend.

5 year old: The market (The French Quarter in New Orleans) and to get new clothes.

Fun, no?!

Moving

All of my sewing is stashed away into 4 large totes, 2 long under-the-bed style totes, 5 medium packing boxes, and my new notions box (thanks to my sis for that awesome Christmas present).

Packing this stuff gets tedious, and I'm constantly on nerve thinking of two impartial movers sloughing my stuff haphazardly into the back of their truck. But really, I can't write FRAGILE on all of my boxes, can I?

image: mycottagedownunder.blogspot.com

My serger and vintage Singer machines both have their own cases, and I feel pretty confident they'll arrive in working pieces. I have a White machine out on loan to my sister; it will come back in one piece, too.

I fear my case-less Brother won't be so lucky.

So I packed 6 yards of fleece around it before lovingly tucking it into it's already-padded box. This may actually be the best use I've ever found for any fleece.

image: artfire.com

On a side note, I'm enjoying some herbal coffee today. I said adieu to caffeine about a year ago, and decaf coffees leave me feeling apathetic to their genre at large. Usually I sip herbal tea. While picking up my boxes of Tazo at the store yesterday, I saw this chicory/almond faux coffee concoction. I think it's delish. Teechino, where have you been all my life?!

image: arizona-coffee.com - originally a Maxwell House ad

Bring It

What is it with women and our propensity to bite off more than we can chew? Bizarre fact: every woman I know does this, and every woman I know miraculously completes each task in the eleventh hour. She emerges from the cloud of stress-induced fog with squared shoulders. Then, when praised for her efforts, she just shrugs it off: "oh, it was nothing" or "I was just glad I could help." Secretly, she's had 3 meltdowns during her morning showers, and her husband can recite every concern that's popped up along the way.

I am in the middle of such a time. Ok, I haven't broken down in the shower or anything, but my list of commitments is looking like my children's letter to Santa: it is long and tediously detailed. My family will move in three weeks' time. Snippets of bubble wrap, cellophane, packing paper and tape are flying around the place.

This isn't a bitter rant. I'm not upset about any of the "busy" events taking place in my life, in fact I'm thankful for them. Let's call it preserving my humor, shall we? I think if I can just see the list in black and white, the extra oomph will be there to finish the job(s).

What must happen:

• I educate my two children, and tomorrow morning is back to school. This one is a fun bullet point because I kinda get a kick out of cracking open my planner and starting each day with a fresh, organized set of lessons. I sort of missed this structure during Christmas break. Plus, we're opening a few new textbooks this semester. Ooooh, can't you just smell the crisp, new pages? I wish I could bottle that kind of excitement.
• Packing. Every evening more stuff is going to be packed tightly into boxes. It's shocking how many boxes we have labeled "books". I knew we were bookworms. I did. I'm just not sure we've left many at our favorite booksellers' for the rest of you. Once amassed into a box, they're amazingly heavy.
• Editing. My hubs, an attorney with a penchant for history, is finishing work on a book. While he's beating the publisher's deadline by 6 months, he's a week behind his self-induced deadline. Did I hear you ask who is proof-reading his scintillating read? Of course I am; happy to!
• Buying stain and polyurethane for hardwood floors. We have stripped the floors in the house we're moving to. Next weekend, we sand, stain & seal (which reminds me, for no related reason whatsoever, of Stevie Wonder's song: Sign, Sealed, Delivered, I'm yours).
  
• I've got to get my hair cut. That seems superficial, but we can only put it off so long. Why can't I wake up every morning with this type of graceful ease and beauty about me?

Other stuff that should happen:

• I have jacket #1 of the 2011 challenge cut out. It's cold out; I'd like to wear more jackets. So I think I can justify taking a couple of nights once the kiddos are snug in their beds and crank this out. Otherwise, I've got to pack it. And who knows when I'll find it again.
• Have you ever heard of Postcrossing? This awesome site connects you to the world via postcards. I keep up with my account, one for each of the kids, and one for my 91 year old grandmother (it was a birthday present for her - she loves getting mail). Hubs is on his own here. I need to write about 15 postcards this week, and send them on their way.
• I have got to work out. If I learned one thing this weekend while stripping floors, its that my arse needs to get in gear.
• Every year I compile a dvd of family photos set to music. Usually about 45 minutes in length, it contains hundreds of snapshots. I wrap them up for Christmas gifts to my mom and sisters. It's January, and I'm still not finished. Judge me if you must.

And wouldn't it be nice if:

• I had more time to blog?
• The book ideas running through my head magically made it into a Word doc?
• Mascara didn't rub off under my eyes half way through the day?
• The family cookbook my cousins and I are compiling were off my plate? Must organize recipes into sections and email it on. I must. Maybe.
• Our passports were being used?

I know your list is longer than mine. These are the highlights, people. What Herculean tasks are you working on? Do you finish them all on time? Share. Don't despair.