Prepping

I made it like 2 days on the sugar-free thing. No, I'm not substituting chemicals for sugar, though I'm not against minimal natural sweeteners. Then came Valentine's Day and the man got me not one, not two, but Three pies. I had at least a slice a day (maybe two or three) to help get through them.. Yesterday, our wheat berries arrived and I ground some up and made chocolate chip cookies.

I've decide what I need is a plan: write out what I'm going to eat over the next 2 weeks, buy what will work, set aside money for the perishables for the second week, buy them then. The drawback for things like Saving Dinner is that one week comes to my budgeted amount for 2-3 weeks of food. And, that only covers dinners - not to mention breakfast and lunch, and -with children- snacks.

Thinking it over..

Square Foot Garden

I picked up a new book, All New Square Foot Gardening, and it looks along the line of how I want to garden, just simplified. Saturday, Ben did some running around to get the supplies (vermiculite in the 3.5 cu ft bags can be ordered through Summer Winds in the Bay Area).

He built me 6 2x3 boxes. The boxes from last year will be great for carrots and other deep rooting plants.

I asked the man what he wants in the garden. He replied, "Potatoes." Anything else, "Potatoes.. and beef." Maybe next time we move.

The NEW (again) BB

Ya think I'da learned by now, huh?

The girls got out the paperdolls and found the scissors. I don't think I need to write more than that. They played happily cutting out dozens of little dresses, skirts, goats, shoes.. Last night, Ben found a little clump of hair somewhere. There was more in our bed when I went in last night, so apparently Dad and Mom's bed is the place to chop hair. Ben figures that she does it whenever her hair touches her eyes.

FO: Earth Metals Sweater

It's done! Most of the ends were woven in as I knit, so after I wash it I'll finish those last few. T.J. is pleased and I hope to get a picture of him in it soon.

Patience

Monday wasn't day 1. I had a sip of hot cocoa.

Tuesday wasn't day 1. I had a burger at In N Out and I'm sure there's sugar in the bun.

Wednesday is day 1.
Breakfast: Grapenuts with raw milk
Lunch: Quiche (eggs, cheese, green peppers)

Now I'm hungry. Avoiding sugar means that I should focus on vegetables, dairy and meat. I'm thinking that a new routine is in order.

I set T.J. to getting the grapes ready for class tomorrow. He has to take in 3 cups for their Valentine's Day party. I told the children that any left over they can eat. Then I turned around and there's the baby coming out of the hallway sucking the toothpaste.
There's fluoride in the toothpaste. Fluoride is highly poisonous. I'm hoping T.J.'s right and there was less than a 1/4 tube left before she got it. There's maybe an ounce or so left now and every time she coughs I run out to see if she's throwing up. Poison control suggested feed her cow's milk or milk products, so she has a piece of cheese and had her first taste of cow milk.

T.J. was in tears that his sister may be injured by this. We took a quiet moment and prayed and I just held him. He's such a sweet sensitive boy.

The Challenge

Challenge: Eat NO sugar for one week.
Contestant: Me.
Reward: Bike.

Last night, I told Ben that I had turned down a cookie. No, seriously, I don't think I've ever turned down the first cookie. Sure, the fourth or fifth.. dozen.. Anyway, I was all proud of myself and he just looked at me. Then he says, "If you don't eat sugar for one week, I'll buy you the bike." (We're talking a seriously nice looking bike here) Then he looked thoughtful and continued, "And, if you don't eat sugar for two weeks, I'll get me that bike, too."

Sleepy Time

I was at a meeting during naptime, Ben was home with the children. He told me MissC wandered around the house murmuring and later he found her like this. That's our special spot, isn't she sweet?

Pickled Beans

In September, I got a CSA box with wax beans. I knew they'd be so good if we just gobbled them up, but I wanted to test the idea of 'putting up' some things for when we don't have the boxes. They were my first victims. I had ordered a copy of Making Sauerkraut and so I got to work.

I pulled them from the back of the fridge at lunch today. They looked okay, none of the white yeast like in one of the jars of carrots.. I opened up the jar: no foul odor. I pulled out a bean: still crisp (you just blanch them before pickling, so they don't turn out limp), light fragrance. I bit into it: slightly sour, no tart, tangy, tasty. Good. MissA was in the room. She was given a bite. I told her it's a little sour at first. She agreed (made a face), "Sour," and I finished mine and told her, "Sour, but good." She heartily agreed (probably glad at that point I'd only given her one little bite and it was over with.. She's my picky eater).

I served them up with dinner. Only MissA didn't want to eat hers. MissB is my veggie lover and TJ will generally eat anything. MissC didn't like the yellow ones, but ate up several green beans. And, the hardest critic of all said he'd eat them in small amounts like that.

Now to get him to like sweet potatoes...