Go to sleep

Last night Emily was dancing to different songs. When I realized what time it was, I told her it was time to get ready for bed. She said, "Just one more song, please!" So I Googled and found this:



Within about ten seconds, our kitty jumped into my lap, curled up and started purring. You don't understand--this is not a cat who generally likes people. Every cat cliche you've ever seen? Omarosa. Lily. 

My daughter slept in 45-minute increments for six months. Then it was every two to four hours for the next year. She didn't sleep through the night until she was 18 months old. I would have listened to nails on a chalkboard if it would have put her to sleep! (For the record, if we were friend when she was a baby and you knew about this song and didn't tell me...we cannot be friends anymore!) As she got older, she used every stall tactic in the book.

Last night I tucked the two of them into bed and they were both sleeping within ten minutes. If I could bottle this song, I'd be rich!

Baby Steps

I enjoyed this week of substituting whole grains and overall healthier eating. I prepared with a shopping trip to Trader Joe's and Whole Foods, and throwing a few different recipes in the triple slowcooker on Monday so we'd have dinners prepped and ready for the typically busy week.

My biggest lapse this week was THREE cans of Coke. I don't normally drink that much in a week so I'm not really sure what that was all about. We did have some crappy weather coming through so I had a few headaches and that's always been my go-to remedy to stave them off. Also, hubby bought potato chips, my Kryptonite of junk foods. I grabbed a handful and ate them, then when I went back for a second handful Emily asked, "Mommy, is this the week you aren't supposed to be eating fried foods?" Technically, no. But then I thought I really didn't enjoy that first handful so why was I going back for more? Because they were there. We need to remedy that situation! When I open my pantry I notice there is still so much processed food. I can't bring myself (and honestly can't afford) to waste it, so we will weed it out and hopefully start making smarter, healthier purchases in the future.

I've realized this week that I really need to take baby steps or this lifestyle change will never stick. I started reading up on eggs (which we enjoy, and currently use a well-known hormone- and antibiotic-free brand) and learned all about the dire conditions of egg-laying factories. By the time I finished reading up on the situation, company profiles, and researching local free-range eggs I was overwhelmed--and that's usually the thing that makes me give up. I realized that here in northern Utah I may never find an organically fed and raised, free range chicken that's not fed or injected with hormones, antibiotocs, or exposed to other chemicals to supply my eggs. And if I do, I may not feel comfortable feeding them to my daughter--I don't know enough yet about what makes local eggs safe for consumption. And I definitely won't be buying my own chicks any time soon! I like to know that my food is safe and well-taken care of, but I don't really want to see where it's coming from. That's just me!

So I've decided that FOR NOW I will try shopping at a Utah grocery store that is committed to partnering with local farms for produce, instead of the big box stores where I usually shop. One of their local farmers, for example, supplies watermelons that are in the store ready to purchase withing 4 hours of harvesting. It's still a grocery chain and I will have to pay a mark-up, but this way I'm not burning extra fuel (and contributing to our terrible air quality) driving 60 miles in every direction for locally supplied food. In the summer I'll for sure hit the farmer's markets, explore some local co-ops (if I can find one where I don't have to drive 30 miles or be up at the crack of dawn to pick up my weekly share) and we usually grow a variety of veggies in our own small garden.

I know it doesn't seem like much, but I know for me it's baby steps to success.

Week 5

Week 5 will be all about incorporating more whole grains. I've been making this change slowly for the past four weeks, but this week I'm going to try to really stick to it. I went to Trader Joe's over the weekend and stocked up on some whole wheat English muffins, tortillas and bread to give myself some variety (and the ingredient list was pretty short for all three products). I find that eating some type of starch helps with my hunger throughout the day, so as much as I'd like to cut out more starches for now I will settle with replacing the ultra-refined ones. Besides, I love sandwiches more than Joey from Friends. My daughter is pretty apprehensive about this challenge, so for her I'm just asking that she try to add, or at least taste, some new whole grains and just replace them in one meal a day.

I'm also beginning to plan for the coming weeks. Next week my daughter and I are planning to incorporate everything we've done for the past month (add two fruits and/or vegetables to each meal, no soda, no fried foods, replace refined with whole grains, and try a few new things). She's a pretty picky eater, so I have been so proud of her willingness to try new things since we started this. I just want her to learn to make healthy choices in a positive way so she will continue to eat healthier throughout her life. 

Also on our to-do list: replace our chemical-laden cleaning products with more natural, effective cleaners. This is something I've wanted to do for a long time, but am far too attached to my anti-bacterial wipes and cleansers. Today when I was cleaning the bathroom with a particularly strong cleaner I got a burning sensation up my nose, followed by dizziness and a migraine (resulting in taking meds and drinking a Coke to help with the pain...more chemicals I shouldn't have needed!). I've been Googling and feel a little overwhelmed by all the recipes out there. Also confused by the use of Borax and soap in natural laundry soaps...don't these contain chemicals, too? So if anyone has recipes or local resources to share, please do!

I'm also on the hunt for some clean slow cooker recipes. Time to clean up my act! Literally.

more

Oh I love this.

Sending everyone more of everything you love this week.

Food Challenge: Week 4

For week 3 we planned to try not eating fried foods but were thrown off by the Superbowl. As I noted in this post I noticed a big difference in how I felt. So for week 4 we crossed deep-fried foods off the list, and tried to eliminate soda. I'm also became more aware of artificial sweeteners (it's not something I ever really think about) and how many meals and when to eat (thinking four to six smaller meals or three meals, three snacks will work best for me). I tracked this week to see where I go right and where I go wrong--and Valentine's Day indulgences didn't count :)

Saturday:
Breakfast: Granola bar and banana running out the door to rescue Lucky; coffee with Bliss natural vanilla creamer
Lunch: Bowl of cottage cheese, fresh blackberries and blueberries, sprinkled with a walnut/pumpkin seed/sunflower seed blend; ice water
Dinner: Vegan Boca burger on one slice of whole wheat bread, topped with ketchup (store-bought), lettuce and fresh avocado, served with baked sweet potato fries and apple slices; organic grapefruit Italian soda from Whole Foods (finished it off; it's water and juice from here on out!)
(The family had McDonald's; I promised my daughter she could have it before we officially started this week's challenge. Then I stuck my hand in the french fries and it was downhill from there the rest of the night. So close!)

Sunday:
I decided yesterday was just a practice run and started fresh today.
Breakfast: Cottage cheese with fresh blackberries and blueberries, topped with walnuts, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds; coffee with Bliss natural vanilla creamer
Lunch: Homemade whole wheat French toast made with one organic egg, 2% organic milk, and cinnamon (notice the breakfast-foods-for-lunch trend). No syrup but I did use butter--and dropped the middle piece, the one where all the melted butter deliciousness pools, on the floor :(
Snack 1: Baby carrots, celery and baby oranges (this snack left me hungry with lack of protein)
Snack 2: Half an avocado with dry-roasted edamame. I like the edamame for two reasons: 14 grams of protein in a 1/4 cup, and they make me thirsty so I'm forced to drink (I am definitely guilty of eating instead of drinking when I am thirsty).
Dinner: Sauteed chicken breast (can't wait til grill season!), sweet potato ravioli from Trader Joe's with a little bit of butter (wasn't sure what to use for a sauce and didn't have time to research it...any future suggestions?), brussel sprouts, ice water.
Something I've noticed lately is no matter how much I eat I never feel satisfied unless I have something sweet after dinner. Fruit usually does the trick, but I need to research why.

Monday:
Breakfast: Organic oatmeal with berries. Forgot my banana on the counter as I was running out the door (late, as usual!)
Lunch: My typical work lunch of deli chicken breast on whole wheat, pretzels, and a clementine. I was totally craving a diet Arizona ice tea today but settled for ice water instead. At least we have that yummy Sonic/hospital ice at work!
Snack 1: Pear
Dinner: Had my heart set on leftover sweet potato ravioli...and then as I was about to heat it up I realized that I'd finished it last night. Blerg. I had bok choy, tofu, and a Greek yogurt with fresh pineapple. Totally weird combination. I always need fruit at the end of a meal to feel satisfied.
Snack 2: I really missed carbs at dinner and there was a 6-hour gap between lunch and dinner with just a piece of fruit in between, so I ended up eating a small turkey sandwich on whole wheat with an orange and fresh berries. Oh well. After the fist-fight I almost got into with my computer tonight, it's a miracle I didn't eat 16 pounds of chocolate!

You get the picture.

I did pretty well on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, following roughly the same menu plan for breakfast, lunch and snacks as earlier in the week. I threw some dinners in the triple crockpot on Monday and that really helped with the rest of the week. I had chicken and black beans with green enchilada sauce (on a flour tortilla) with salad on Tuesday, and chicken tikka masala including potatoes and cauliflower, with jasmine rice for dinner on Wednesday. Thursday was Valentine's day, I made seared scallops with a balsamic reduction and seafood pasta (shrimp, clams in shell, white wine, garlic and butter). Too much butter and refined pasta with that meal, followed by chocolate and ice cream indulgences. What I noticed is that I woke up on Friday feeling a little puffy and really craving things that I hadn't craved all week like chips and soda...I had leftovers for lunch and dinner, then I finally cracked and ate some hummus chips, which were delicious but fried. Still, it's the ONLY fried thing I had this week, and I didn't have any soda (although what I would have done for a Coke!) 

It's really interesting to notice the differences in how I feel between the days I get it pretty close to right and the days I go really wrong. I just really need to find the right balance for my blood sugar, appetite and body chemistry.
 

Measure Your Life in Love

If there is anyone who could measure their life in love, it is my cousin Lisa

This big goober smile on my face? She had a way of doing that to people. You couldn't help it when you were around her.

I can't believe it has been eight years of missed daylights, sunsets, midnights, and cups of coffee since she left us. I will always love and miss you, Lee, but my life is so much better because you were in it.

Lucky

This is Lily, our 8-month old kitty. I got suckered into adopting her when she was just six weeks old because my daughter begged me ("Mommy, I LOVE HER SO MUCH!" after just three minutes). And also because she looked like this:

Lily at 7 or 8 weeks old

Lily's mom was a pregnant Siamese stray (about a year old) who settled herself at a home in our neighborhood when she was ready to give birth. The neighbors grudgingly took her in and their kids named her Lucky. The parents were very eager to give the cat and kittens away as soon as possible and they were one step away from dropping them off at animal control, which is why we got Lily at such a young age. We saw Lucky and one of her kittens hanging around that house for most of the summer and then they were gone.

Lily had her first heat cycle around Christmas, and we've been meaning to get her spayed but just haven't. (No excuses except she's an indoor cat and we weren't that concerned because it's winter and there were no other cats roaming around outside.) So on Thursday morning when we heard a cat meowing outside, we figured it was a tom and that Lily was going into heat again. We went outside to look and saw the cat run away and hide in the neighbor's bushes. Emily cried out, "That's Lucky! That's Lily's mom!" The kid has a memory like an elephant so I didn't argue with her but we weren't able to get close enough to really tell. I put food and towels out but she didn't come back so I brought the stuff inside that afternoon. 

Thursday night we heard meowing and I looked outside but didn't see her. Friday evening we heard the meowing again so I sent my husband outside to see if she was maybe trapped in the neighbor's window well. We found her hiding on our back patio window well grate beneath an overhang. She was skittish but didn't run away so I brought out a box, towels and food. She ate ravenously, and we tried to get her settled in the box. We were leery of taking her in because Lily hasn't had all of her shots (and she can't stand other cats—our cat is not a cat person!). I went to check on Lucky 20 minutes later and she had finished the rest of her food and came right to me. She looked skinny but her belly was full, so we were pretty sure she was pregnant again. 

Lucky's first moments in a warm house after a long, cold winter.

I couldn't bear to leave her outside with snow in the forecast--and really, what were the odds that she would end up at our house; it was too much of a coincidence--so we corralled Lily in another room and brought Lucky inside. She was so happy to be warm and have a full belly. She purred and let us hold her, then she started exploring and made herself right at home. 

I went on Facebook and contacted a woman who works with an animal rescue. She told me that her rescue was full but she would do her best to help find a foster. I also contacted a friend whose daughter volunteers with two rescue agencies. Both of those shelters were also full, but they recommended that I call and speak to specific people in the morning and not give up. I also called an emergency vet (it was 10 p.m. at this point so there weren't a lot of options) to see if they had any other recommendations, and they suggested the Humane Society. I found out that they would euthanize unadoptable pets so that was only a last resort. A sweet soul volunteered to foster her for a week so that was promising.

Lucky making herself right at home.

My husband and I decided that since we didn't know if Lucky had any diseases that we had to protect our kitty, so we set Lucky up in the basement with food, water, a litter box, toys, and a bed with lots of blankets and pillows to keep her cozy. It wasn't ideal--we hated the idea of leaving her alone all night and it's colder down there--but at least she was out of the elements and we could check on her throughout the night.  

A volunteer from one of the rescues returned my call in the morning. She was sympathetic but her shelter was full and the only way they could possibly foster her was if she was pregnant. She suggested I take her to Heartsong so the vet could check her for pregnancy and feline AIDS. Depending on the results she would talk to the rescue director and see what she could do. 

I also called UAAC and they told me they couldn't take strays. I asked if they had any other recommendations because I was running out of options. They put me on hold and then someone else picked up the phone and said if Lucky was pregnant they could get her into an emergency foster home tonight. Lindsey said not to take her in to the vet because she didn't want her exposed to illness, but I needed to know if she was pregnant because if she WASN'T I would have to find her a foster home some other way. 

We brought Lucky over to Heartsong and they took her right back. I had told the vet assistant the whole story on the phone so she came to me and asked me who would take Lucky if she was pregnant and what would happen if she wasn't. I thought it was weird that she asked me what would happen either way so I suspected Lucky was pregnant but there was an issue. I told her I was looking for someone to foster her (I had put her photo and a plea up on Facebook) but no luck so far (I didn't realize that there were some offers coming in while I was out running around--thank you!). I told her that one rescue *might* have a foster home if she was pregnant and UAAC definitely did if she was pregnant. Then she came back out and told us Lucky was pregnant but she had a severe uterine infection and it might be because one or more of the kittens had died in utero :( She asked who I spoke to at UAAC and when she came back a few minutes later she told me that the doctor also works at UAAC and she was going to start Lucky on antibiotics and take her home to care for her over the weekend!

We went home to get Lily to bring her in for her shots (lesson learned that even though she's an indoor cat you never know what can happen) and as we were heading back into Heartsong the vet was on her way out with Lucky. We stopped to talk to her and she told me she was going to keep her this weekend in case she had to perform an emergency C-section and hopefully not an emergency spay (euphemism for pregnancy termination). So it looks as though Lucky will be in good hands this weekend, no matter what the outcome of her pregnancy is! The vet was surprised at how sweet and friendly Lucky is, especially given her lifestyle and health conditions. She is going to take her over to UAAC next week and with any luck will get her placed. I hope whoever adopts her makes her an indoor lap cat and gives her the pampered life she deserves after all the trauma of her first two years!

And that is Lucky's (hopefully) lucky ending to this part of her story. If you are local and would like to give Lucky a forever home, please leave a comment or message me through Facebook.

How Can I Help?
Rescue organizations are always in need of foster families, volunteers and donations of food, supplies and money. Here are four no-kill shelters in Utah that can use your help:

Utah Animal Adoption Center (UAAC) 
http://utahanimals.org/


Animal Angels
http://utahanimalangels.org/


A New Beginning
http://www.anbrescue.org/


Best Friends Animal Sanctuary 
http://www.bestfriends.org/