Week 1: Report

Ok, so this week wasn't easy. It was crazy busy with school, work, and house cleaning. I am now doing a weekly shopping trip and as we suspected it is more expensive to buy organic, healthier food but only about $30 more a week. We save that in not eating out alone. We also joined a gym and in the process signed Luke up to play soccer. We want our kids from an early age to be active, but I will never push them to do something they don't want to. If Luke doesn't like soccer we try something else. But as of right now he is very excited to start. We ate out only once (which is HUGE for us) and made homemade, healthy meals all week. I will post separately recipes we tried. We made it to the gym only once also, but plan on going twice a week. So far so good!

Valentine's Day

As a mother who goes to school full time, moments with my babies are fewer than I would like them to be. I feel like while I am home I am catching up on the cleaning, cooking, or homework that unfortunately seem never ending and all have to be done. Mike tries to help as much as possible but he works full time (from home) and keeps Sawyer during the day. So it feels like what little they see of Mommy she is running around. That brings the guilt. I think every parent feels guilt from time to time. Guilt they yelled a little too much, guilt they didn't get on the floor to play more, etc. I think that is what makes us such great parents. We care so much about our children's happiness that we feel guilty when we aren't perfect. Parenting is literally trial by fire. None of us knew what we were getting into and we have had to learn as we go. And we are our toughest critics.

Along with getting our bodies healthy, it is time to get our minds healthy too. I'm trying to seize more of the little moments. Let the house stuff wait. It will all be there tomorrow and my children will one day be grown. I'm trying to have more quality time with them instead of just quantity. Like earlier when they were attacking me with balloons and laughed so hard their faces turned red. Or listening (and writing down) the silly things Luke and Sawyer say or do.

So today we decided to have a fun valentine day shoot. Luke kept saying "Take a picture of me like this!" Sawyer wasn't as interested and yes I had to bribe him:) One day I will cherish these pictures I took the time to take.

Step One: Getting Rid of Harsh Chemicals

I was sitting in my psychology class when the professor brought up the subject of chemicals. In the past I have kind of dug my head in the sand when it comes to the potential dangers of chemicals. I thought "eh, these days everything is labeled as dangerous so what's the point of trying to be careful?" Also, all natural cleaners you buy in the store are SO expensive and the few I have tried really don't work well.

I stumbled on this a few months back....
http://www.macheesmo.com/2011/01/four-homemade-cleaners/

Last weekend I decided to give it a shot. I got all the materials and it took maybe 20 minutes to mix everything. These are seriously the best cleaners ever, much better even than the ones with tons of chemicals. I also made my own laundry detergent which came out amazing as well. The total cost for all the materials (including the stuff for the laundry detergent) was $30.00. And I estimate that I will have enough for at least 6 months, probably longer. SO much cheaper and safer.

Why we are doing this.

Here is the deal. "Getting Healthy" is a broad and daunting task. It could be interpreted differently for different people. This is going to be our family's interpretation. I am starting this blog as a way to track our progress, I realize people aren't likely to take interest. But maybe it could help those who want to change their lives also. Changing your eating habits, outlook on exercise, and even changing your environment seems like a lot of work. And it is. But it is also doable. We have never been what you would call "health freaks". I believe there will be a nice balance in our household of being healthier but also indulging every now and then.

Let me start with why we decided to make a change in 2012. Their names are Luke and Sawyer. What we teach them now will be with them for the rest of their lives. If we teach them healthy habits they will be healthy adults. If we show them how great it is to stay active, they will always feel that way. If we are cautious about the chemicals in their environment we teach them to be educated consumers. We also want to be around a long time to see them become these amazing people we know they will be.

Here is an introduction to our family. My husband (Mike) and I have been married three years. Our oldest Luke, who turned three in October, is a miracle baby. He came into the world the hard way, spent some time in the NICU, and now you would never know. Luke is incredibly smart, full of energy, shy until you get to know him, and so funny. Sawyer, the baby, turns two in May. He is polar opposite of Luke although they look like twins. Sawyer is mischievous, a charmer, incredibly strong willed, and a goof ball. We also have Leo, our beloved Rottweiler, who doesn't fit the typical family dog image but we couldn't have found a better dog. I am currently going to school for nursing so that makes our project even more hard. But if we can do it anyone can.

We are committed. Maybe this blog will help hold us accountable. I know for sure it will be used as a place to vent. Here we go!