Day 2 Sort of vegan diet

Quinoa and Black Beans (from AllRecipes.com)
1 tsp vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
3/4 uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 c vegetable broth (I use the Better than Bouillon vegetable base found in the spice section of Costco--cheap, organic, low sodium, and no MSG!)
1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1 c frozen corn kernels
2 (15 oz)cans black beans rinsed and drained
1/2c chopped fresh cilantro
Serve with: lettuce, tomatoes, sliced avocado, and lime juice

1.Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Stir in onion and garlic, and saute until lightly browned.
2. Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with vegetable broth. Season with cumin, salt, and pepper. Bring to boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.
3. Stir frozen corn into saucepan and simmer 5 more minutes until heated through. Mix in black beans and cilantro.

This is a recipe my sister shared that we had last night, the whole family liked it, if anything I'd add even more cilantro oh, and I added 1/2 a sweet onion.

I had carrot juice, water and apple slices for breakfast this morning and am full, then we are going to my nephew's baby blessing and I'll probably just eat what they have there afterwards.

It made me feel really good to make the quinoa/blackbean recipe, it was a new receipe that fit the diet I wanted, easy enough to make and it tasted good, so I'm excited to try some other ones. This wasn't too hard, we did have to go to two stores to find the quinoa though.

Second day, feeling positive and not letting myself be discouraged by slip-ups (like having some peanut m&m's) I sort of justified it by telling myself the nuts were healthy and it wasn't like eating straight animal product, but I do need to be careful of the sugars too. I like my other sisters idea I should add some moderate exercise, I'll try I guess it is hard when I feel pretty tired still with baby.

Not so good idea

So, I tried the one month shopping thing, not such a good idea. Its the end of the month and I ended up going over budget because we had run out of groceries two weeks early. Yes, I still have stuff from the big shopping, but I think the key really is meal planning. Which is easier to do on a weekly basis, still buy that bulk stuff but spread it out over the month into the weekly shopping. Good news is I still have a months worth of diapers and wipes I won't have to buy next month and it will probably even itself out over two months, but I find it easier to stay on budget and have what I need with the weekly shopping, much better idea.

Also, even though my husband has been willing, I've been lax about taking my night off, infact I haven't taken a decent night off for a month at least. Yes, my husband broke his pinky and had a cast, then I had to do emergency bill paying, then a tax night, then just get caught up on the house night. So I'm arranging with my mom and sisters to have a girl night, and then take off for a library, shopping, exercise night. Just plan ahead and be prepared for a night off, I really do need them and they truly contribute to my sanity and happiness. I am also looking into taking an art class or a math class (so I can finish a promise I made to a professer long ago, whole different story). I was able to have a book group for an hour last week and I have a wonderful neighbor who helps out so much. In fact she just came over so she could get out of the house and we just visited while I did housework, and she pitched in too, it was so fun, now that is a good idea.

New perspective

I'm getting out of my rut, I'm feeling such better, just one of those temporary set backs you experience sometimes. I'm putting some new perspectives in my life, focusing on one thing at a time, sometimes when I look at all the areas in my life I feel like I'm failing, then I get discouraged but if I can focus on just one of those things that I would like to improve and work on that it does help me feel better that I am progressing in that thing and then work on these failings one thing at a time.

I appreciate my Aunt Liz's putting together a biggest loser contest, one of my big goals I need to put in priority now is working on my health, so it would be a good challenge and only help me with positive changes I am already working on, though I don't know about any marathons in my future, I've never been able to run, but I can certainly exercise and eat right.

I also feel really positive as a mother if I am taking the time one on one with my children to let them know how much I love them and teach them about Jesus Christ. One of my writing challenges is to write some prose or a story about the true meaning of Easter and Christmas and submit it somewhere. I like to buy books for my children at holidays and I am saddened by the lack of books about Christ at Christmas time and Easter. Even if they would take a hymn or children's song and put illustrations to it I would buy that book. There is often so much distraction from the true meanings of these holidays I like to, as their parent focus on Jesus Christ.

Thank you for your comments during this rut time, it is nice to feel support and love.