Live YOUR Best Life

My Hearts Exposed

So much has transpired in the last year and a half it is difficult to know where to begin.  So, how about a short recap for those keeping score:

*  Bus is no longer allowed full time in Canada.  Since it was "altered from original factory specs" it is not importable and, thus,  not insurable in Canada.  Therefore, it is hanging out with some pretty awesome vehicle hybrids in Seattle awaiting a sale to the right family who will love her.  Unless we return to the States...

*  Our son is still fighting a 24/7 migraine since his "treatment" for Lyme's disease over a year ago.  We search endlessly for relief for him, though, luckily most of the body aches and neuralgia has minimized and he no longer gets carried.  He is miserable and amazing about his head pain.  Life is hard (difficult to blog when one is feeling more hopeless and negative than previous; thus, the gap in blog posts).  Life is also hard for his sisters, having to live with such a continued burden hanging over them as well.  But we try to live our best life, moving from moment to moment and, when it gets really hard, soldier on.
What else can be done?

*  Our 4th homeschooling season approaches in a few weeks.  We are excited, grateful and full of a mix of joyful curiosity and trepidation as to what this year will bring.  This will require a full blog, I am sure.

*  My dad with Alzheimer's is now in a nursing facility.  This is raw and ripe and not quite ready to be touched by me.  I miss him everyday in a way I didn't understand I could while he was at home.

*  We secretly plot our

NEXT 
GRAND 
ADVENTURE!

No hints yet.  But feel free to make guesses or add comments on what/where/how this adventure should take shape ;)
THINK..........BIG!!

*  We travelled back to NY (and back in time) for the summer and spent oodles of hours soaking up the family and friends we have missed for two long years.

*  AND, lastly, we started on our NEW FOOD ADVENTURE (while we plan our big secret adventure ;)  This food adventure is mostly an elimination diet and an attempt to eat cleaner and see what foods are affecting us in our bodies, our pain, and our minds.

SOOOOOOO, WHAT ARE WE EATING?!?!?!

Well, it's week 3 right now and some of the things in this pic we are eating, and some not.  I, myself, have not eaten a grasshopper (that I know of), but there has been some cricket eating by the
youngers:)

Things that ROCK about this diet/eating plan:

*  Kids eating foods they would begrudgingly, or NOT EVEN, eat prior to diet
*  They are NOT CONSTANTLY begging for SUGAR - especially since it's summer when someone is eating ice cream on every corner.
*  I, myself, am not craving anything at all
*  We are not guilty at all about what or how much I/we eat
*  Increased appreciation by me AND the kids for the food we have (super grateful)
*  Some (minimal) weight loss - not the point, but still nice
*  Trying new foods (son asking to try fish heads, tongue and beef hearts (blah!!)

*  Sooooooo muuuuucccchhhhh lessss garbage, food waste and recycling it is RIDICULOUS!!!!  Little-to-no packaging.
*  Eat less and not as pre-occupied with food.
*  Becoming resourceful about where and how to get food (ie: picking people's unwanted fruit, eating edible yard weeds, growing more food, etc)
*  Kids proud of themselves for doing something hard

Things that SUCK about this eating plan:

*  When you hangry, you HANGRY!!!!! (Crabby chillens)
*  Eat more and pre-occupied with food (yes, both.  It changes back and forth)
*  No fast solutions, no convenience eating
*  Took me days to wrap my brain around how to cook for us and meal planning and shopping for food without preservatives (hence rots faster) is exhausting
*  Kids not always on board and super frustrated (though, honestly, I let the 6 yo slide since she doesn't need it.  Just keeping her off junk)
*  Food is comfort (which sucks when you self-medicate with food to avoid pain and then have to face pain!)
*  Food is social

 That last one is really hard.  I think it explains why so many families with food issues end up home schooling (or I have often found anyways).  It is hard to go to a social event when everyone is eating things you cannot - especially when there are children involved.  My 13 yo has lived with this fact most of her life as a celiac.  And even the 6 yo decided on her own not to go to a birthday party if she had to see other kids eat cake.  Its a hard decision and I am amazed she had the awareness at 6 for something that took me at least 20 years to figure out.  Every social event - holidays, dates, birthdays, celebrations, etc. center around food.  So if you avoid them all, you become quite lonely.



Also, I think there is a stigma sometimes when you don't eat what everyone else eats.  You are the weird one, the crazy one, the overly-dramatic or hypochondriac one.  People can displace their own feelings or insecurities about food onto what you are doing with your food.  It's as if you are trying to make them feel badly about their food choices or something.  When, really, you are just trying to figure out what does or does not work for you.  I promise you...if I could eat chocolate and drink wine 24/7 I would.  And here's to you if you can!!!


So this is where we live right now.  Not heaven, but also not the lowest rungs of hell.  Pain drove us to the ocean today - not a bad place to work it out.

When we got home we planted some winter kale, the 6 yo picked purslane and chard to eat with her potatoes for breakfast, my son scarfed down two giant helpings of salmon before desperately escaping into media, and my 13 yo screamed at the sight of the fish skin and ate salad for dinner.
We all do what we can.  I'm finally understanding that.

Anyhow, thanks for reading.  Til next time...keep calm and VON ROWDY on!!!!!