Wanna know what really grinds my gears?

Thought I would post something a little lighter. Not everything in my life is serious. Well almost everything. I do...sometimes have a funny side. Unless you ask my brother...that is a totally different subject. HA just kidding Jake. He is ginger. That should explain everything.

 

 

I got this from my sisters blog. I enjoyed reading it. Maybe you will enjoy mine.

 

Your life will be complete now.

 

 

 

My pet peeves... I've got lots.

If there were ever a time to take advantage of complaining, this would be it! YES!

What is my biggest driving pet peeve?

It used to be people who would make an Epic attempt to pass me and then slow down to granny proportions. I have a story about this...maybe some other day. Now I think its people who ride my butt thinking I am going to go faster. I have a baby in the car. Yes he is almost 3...but I am NOT going faster because you are missing an episode of "Dancing with the Stars" get DVR. Not my problem. I will just slow down until you give up...or possibly forget where the accelerator is. I've done that too.

What is my biggest blogging pet peeve?

When someone goes on...and on...and on...and on about stuff. I have to many of those people in my life. I tune them out. If you have one huge sentence. No paragraphs. No pictures...I am leaving. Gone. You've lost me. Not coming back. Sorry. Be original. Be you. Be real.

What is my biggest shopping pet peeve?

Going into a store and everything is a size 00. Um...real women AREN'T that size. Yes, maybe MY sisters are. They are real women. Yes I hate them for being naturally beautiful and skinny.

I am convinced it is the only size LEFT because all the "real" women got there before me. Its possible. I want selection! I want Classy Styles! I don't want to have to go into 29 THOUSAND stores to find ONE shirt I like that doesn't break the bank. I can feel my blood pressure rising...ok moving on.

What is my biggest general pet peeve?

Oh my gaaaaawsh! When I go into a store and there are children who are either 1. Acting like they have had no adult supervision a day in their lives and I see them running around like wild animals. 2. Children that are so dirty it is as though their parents picked them up out of a mud puddle with clothes that they found in their neighbors garbage can and brought them into the store. (Children get dirty. Yes I know I have one. He is all boy. However I get a wipe and do a quick wipe down before we go into public. If you have them to wipe butts you can wipe their face and hands...but just don't use the same wipe) 3. Parents that put their children in a shopping cart and let them scream...and scream...and scream...and scream...and scream...and scream..... Please take that child outside. I am about to loose my FRAKING MIND.

What is my most irrational fear?

Cockroaches. I just shuttered. Just the very word makes me want to dry heave in the corner. I think I live in a state where the national insect needs to be the "Flying Cockroach". I just shuttered again. I watched an ER show once where a cockroach burrowed itself into a patience ear and all he did for 12 hours was scream until they found it and pulled it out. I think my spirit would crawl out of my body and I would never come back. I am serious.

This was fun, huh. 

I love having an excuse to complain... 

How about you? What makes you mad more than anything? Do tell :-))

Happy Thursday My lovelies. 

Confessions from a new "Label Reader"

Good Morning my lovelies! I went almost a week without posting. I am sorry. Its been a little crazy around here, and I hope I can tell you what is going on really soon. Until then. Thank you for being understanding and forgive my tardiness.

Last night, before bed, a friend of mine told me she was stalking my blog. It made my night. I went to bed thinking about things I wanted to write about. I literally went to sleep thinking about food labels. Wait. Hear me out. Before you click the EXIT button. Just hear me out. Please.

Last Saturday my husband and I went to my mother-in-laws for my husband's and his father's special "Father's Day Dinner". Going to their house is always a good time. This particular time we had a lesson in food. It always amazes me that although the definition of "good food" seems to change...our bodies don't. Doesn't that seem odd to you? Children are becoming more and more overweight. Their health is declining. Yet we don't seem to understand why...Maybe it should start with teaching parents to read labels. Yes exercise is a big issue, however, if you eat potato chips and drink soda all day it doesn't matter how many miles you run on a treadmill those "food items" aren't fuel.

 Just throwing that out there.

After watching Food INC (or  you can watch it on Netflix's) I have become a little obsessed with reading labels. It was eye opening, but also it just affirmed a lot of things I had already thought about for awhile. Like: Why are girls going through puberty so early? Why doesn't food taste the same any more? Why is obesity at an all time high?

Back to my mother-in-laws. We were talking about "food" and talking about my family going on to the Whole 30. My MIL thought I was crazy. I don't blame her I think I am crazy. Then we started discussion why I think America is so unhealthy. (My personal opinion...I am not a nutritionist) She pipes up and says "well I only use margarine its better for you than butter". Then his uncle pipes in and says "I only use Velveeta...its so much better for you than "real" cheese.

Say whaaaat?

ok. Lets read that food label shall we?

Note: While trying to google "Ingredients for Margarine" it literally took me 4 minutes to find someone who was willing to give me their ingredient list. Sounds a little odd.

Here is Land O lakes sticks: 

"Pure and Creamy" ?

Pure?? I am so confused.

Keep in mind this stuff ISNT cheap!





Ingredients: Liquid and Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Water, Buttermilk, Contains less than 2% of Salt, Soy Lecithin, Potassium Sorbate (Preservative), Mono and Diglycerides (Emulsifier), Lactic Acid, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Vitamin A Palmitate, Beta Carotene (Color).
CONTAINS: Milk and Soy .

*At one time we thought "Soybeans" were the next best veggie. I am sure they used to be a good source of vitamins until a company turned them into a science experiment. Now they are so genetically altered that they resist all forms of pesticides and herbicides.
How is that possible in real life???

Sorry...Lets continue.... :

Soybean--Toxic

What in the HECK is a Soy Lecithin. Anyone pronounce that right?

--Preservative? Which means its like eating a mothball. Got a good visual in your mouth?

Mono and Diglycerides- Did you just swear at me?

Lactic Acid

Does it scare you that it doesn't tell you the "Natural and Artificial Flavors". That "Natural" flavor could be some guys dandruff --that's natural. Just saying.

Vitamin A Palmitate--an engineered vitamin because it has been all removed and must be added again. Odd. Why did we remove it in the first place?

Why should one have to google the ingredients to find out what is in it?

I love the Marketing--Pure. Sounds a bit to much.

Now to Velveeta....

First let me just say that is NOT cheese. Not even in the same Food group.

Melts better than cheddar cheese? lol That is so funny.

Prepared cheese product....see its not "cheese"

Ok. Google Can't find it. I will have to take a picture of this at the grocery store myself. That may have to be part II ...and my other favorite is the "No preservative" Ketchup. That will be in part II also.

Call me crazy. I really believe we are overweight because of the things we eat, or lack of real food, I should say. We eat food because it is fast and easy but it doesn't fill us up so we eat more of it. High caloric food with no nutritional value what so ever.

How I have changed over the last 6 months:

I have stopped coupon shopping.

Although you can get things FREE... are they things you should be feeding your family? Someone else's trash is free...does that mean you want it?

I have started making my own cleaners.

We have been TOLD certain chemicals cause cancers and yet we continue to use those items in our house.

 I am still trying to find a good reliable website for things like shampoo and toothpaste. That is next.

I still have a small amount of laundry detergent to use up and then I am making my own.

In the next few weeks I will be out of dryer sheets and will be making my own dryer balls.

Condiments I can make myself I am.

Ketchup

Mayo

For the record. I am not a tree hugger. There is nothing wrong with people who are...I am just not one. Although I do enjoy a good shade tree. Yes I do shave my arm pits...that wont change. I don't believe in Global warming. (Sorry. Not a subject I choose to argue about.) I do not drive a Prius. Although I did think they were pretty AWESOME when they first came out...Cars now are just as gas efficient.

I am just a normal. Everyday mom. Who wants to feed my son good nutritional foods. I want to teach him that there are "good" choices and choices that aren't "good". 

Before I watched Food INC I was clueless. Living is about learning right? What good is knowledge if you don't share it? We aren't "free" if we are struggle to live. I want all of us to not just LIVE but THRIVE.

Sharing is Caring.

As always. Thank you for reading. I hoped you learned a few things.
Tell me what you think.

xoxo.

A new Start. Would you like to join us?

I have a love/hate relationship with Facebook. Lets be honest. Its a bunch of people trying to be someone they want to be. Although we all know each other and we all know how we are in REAL life. Its the ones that have their profiles set as public that kill me. Its ok. I wont judge you.

Since I've started to blog I have filled my newsfeed with helpful things that will either uplift our family or give me ideas to teach my son. Its been a total different experience. I am a much happier reader.

In the last few months I have also tried to surround myself with "friends" that will do the same. Do we have a common interest. Can we help and up lift each other?? I have a new found friend, that I met through a friend, who has become an answer to prayer more than once. That is probably the only part of Facebook I love...networking.

Our conversation started out just talking about her recent Stitch fix! I loved what she got. I had been really wanting to try and get a "Fix", but money has been really tight. That and I have a hard time spending real money on clothes. When she told me she lost 17 pounds I was immediately jealous! I have struggled with my weight my entire life. Probably because I love all things that come from potatoes. Its not that I am genetically fat...I just eat the wrong things. We are all adults here...its the truth.

When I asked her what she did to loose 17 pounds she told me her and her family went on a Whole 30. I was all ears. Until she said:

No sugar
No legumes
No milk
No grains

Um...hmmm...That is my ENTIRE diet. Stick a fork in me I am done.

I just kept listening (well reading we were on Facebook) and then she told me she had more energy. She has six kidos! (she homeschools, has a farm AND she has her own little Herb business...I just love that) Even with my ONE I could still use extra energy. Who couldn't!!! She told me her and her husbands joints stopped hurting...She saw the belly bulge disappear. My light went on. I have a battle of the bulge going on. Some times I have a muffin top. Other times I feel like a busted can of biscuits in spandex. Got a nice visual do ya...its real. I haven't seen or felt my hips since they pulled Caden out via C-Section...and I was laying down. He is almost 3. I am pitiful.

Its not about a "Diet". Diets are for people who are to lazy to work....right? Kind of like getting a free sample from the grocery store. Ill try it but I am in NO WAY going to commit to buying anything.

Its a change of HABIT.

Making better choices.

Learning to feed and fuel your body.

I started reading for myself. Pinterest and I have become best friends. What CAN I eat because I really don't want to focus on the CAN NOT's. Most of everything I am seeing seems pretty eat able. (not to be confused with edible...a grasshopper is edible. Unless I was struggling to survive would I eat a grasshopper)

 I still have food in my cupboard from my last grocery trip so I can't just jump right in. We need to eat what we have...so here goes nothing.

I want everyone to know I am a real person who has real cravings. Those chocolate peanut butter m&m's have left a permanent impression on my thighs. I worked hard to earn those. Now its time to say goodbye.

Who says broccoli isn't for breakfast?? Those eggs have fresh mushrooms, onions and a dash of garlic powder. May I add they were very filling.

Those pancakes are NOT, let me repeat, ARE NOT on the list. Like I said. We are prepping. They are Pumpkin spice pancakes with rolled oats and made with whole wheat flour. Real pumpkin. Spices added by me. The sweetener is stevia...which is also not on the list.

Thank you for stopping by

xoxo