Fed Up with Diet By Advertising

I found this article on My Sisters Pantry blog. It is a pretty great blog, but I just love this article. The blog is offering great tips and information about cutting the sugar in your diet. Do you ever look at labels? Check out the label on that ‘healthy’ yogurt next time and see how much sugar is in there. My family is sensitive to sugar. Too much sugar is not good for anyone and food companies hide it everywhere! Watch the video for the #FedUp campaign, get informed and get crackin. Lucy, we (me) gots some work to do!

my sister's pantry

Sugar – looks pretty innocent, doesn’t it?

In honor of the release of Fed Up, a documentary about the power of sugar in our food supply, I’ve decided to take another look at my own (and my children’s sugar intake), and to remind myself WHY I would still be concerned about it.

This documentary, and most of what I’ve read about sugar and processed food in the last 10 year,s leads me to the conclusion that I cannot trust food manufacturers with my health. (See Salt, Sugar, Fat for more about that.) And it seems to me that there is often an inverse relationship between the amount of packaging and readiness and the healthfulness of the actual item. There are, of course, exceptions in the “natural foods” category. I can purchase prepared foods with less sugar, fewer chemicals, but these items ARE exceptions.

I don’t particularly want to build a…

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TIP: Always get fresh french fries

From the Keep Calm o matic website: click for page

Ever swing through a fast food restaurant like MacDonalds, because its convenient and you are in a hurry? Well the only thing more distressing is when you reach into the bag for the first fry and you realize your fries are not hot, not that fresh and very disappointing.

Here is how to never have that happen again:

1. Walk into the restaurant. Being there in person makes it easier to confirm they will comply with the next step.
2. Ask for fries without salt.

What is the first thing they do when they plop fries into the that stainless steel bin? They salt them. If you ask for fries without salt, they can’t use those fries.

Sometimes this requires them to make another batch so here are some ground rules:

1. Be nice. Smile and say ‘Please’. Its amazing what happens when you are nice to someone.
2. Be prepared to wait if they do have to fry you some fries. Hey, that is what you asked for, right? Just be okay with a slight delay.

Voila! You have fresh, hot, wonderful fries!

Random Act of Kindness

Yesterday was Mothers Day. Because my husband is a long haul trucker and home about 3 days a month, I figured it would be a day like any other. Boy was I right!

Started about 6:10am with Sean running in and saying ‘Mommy, Archie is trying to hurt me.’ My 7year olds haven’t learned how to sleep in yet. Let’s get this party started, with pancakes that I made. They were quite tasty. But then it started to slide, my contentment with the day.

I cook on Sunday for the rest of the week. I made 4 main dishes, completed 2 loads of laundry, swept the kitchen floor and mowed the yard. All while trying and mostly succeeding in keeping my kids from killing one another.

Here is where the Random Act of Kindness comes in: my neighbor saw me mowing the grass. She thought to herself, ‘A mother of 3 little boys mowing the grass on Mother’s Day? She needs flowers!’ And she brought me flowers. Those flowers made my day. They were unexpected, they were appreciated and they gave me hope that while this motherhood gig is hard work, we shall overcome! Thanks neighbor!

Mothers Day

Pic courtesy of Funchap.com – click for more good stuff!

Some people think Mothers Day is a Hallmark holiday. I say it is a necessary thing to honor the woman who gave me life and who refrained from taking it away during those tumultuous teenage years. Heck, as a mom myself, I have realized there is a reason God makes babies cute and snugly, and little boys covered in dirt and mud adorable. It’s to keep us from going crazy when they track huge clumps of dirt through the house, or when they refuse to plunge the toilet they clogged up or… the list goes on.

Honor your mother and the mother of your children. Your partner may not be your mother, but it is always nice to be appreciated for doing a hard job well. Here is a hint: ask her how she wants to celebrate. Some people like surprises, and if you know your partner well, then go for it. A few things I have noticed over the years:

• Mothers of young children typically like to be pampered. They rarely get the chance because they are so busy taking care of everyone else. Find that guilty pleasure and make sure it happens. Reach out to a good girlfriend and arrange for them to do something together, if that is her thing (mani/pedi, movie, whatever floats her boat.) Personally, I want a nap and a nice dinner I don’t have to cook or clean up after.
• Mothers of older children, especially mothers who work outside the home (Ages 10 +) typically want to spend time with their kids. We don’t get enough time to really enjoy our kids. Between chores, cooking and errands, a nice time to really connect with our kids is priceless. Plan a family game night or a hike or go geo caching. It doesn’t have to be high dollar, just high value.

Finally, to all those mothers out there. Speak up. Be heard. If you want to do something special for your holiday, ask for it. Too often we don’t ask for what we really want/need. Make it affordable and make it enjoyable. Then, commit to doing the same for your partner when his day rolls around. It isn’t all about us, we are a team. You both are doing a great job of raising those kids. Acknowledge the hard job we all have and give credit for the amazing humans we are going unleash upon the world.

 

Me: Profiled on Life Without Pink.

Boy Mom Spotlight: Meet Lynette | Life Without Pink….

Click to go to the profile page!

Another, great, mom of boys has a delicious blog where she writes about celebrating the boys in her life. She has also been so gracious as to profile me on her Mom of Boys page! So, go give Tina a little love, and read all about the greatness that is a Life Without Pink!