Gratitude

I can't let November close without taking the time to express gratitude for all that makes up my wonderful life.

On Thanksgiving, after we cleared the excessive leftovers from the table, I sat with my grandma putting away the good silverware in her storage chest. As I marveled over the tiny relish forks, it occurred to me what a bountiful life we live. Not only do we have plenty (and delicious) food to eat, we actually have a variety of special utensils to use for each of the many courses.

Spoiled. That's what we are. Completely spoiled. And we shouldn't forget it.

When I reflect upon all I am grateful for, I need to specifically mention the following things:

• My husband, for accepting me as I am, always, and being here no matter what.
• My children, for making me smile every day.
• My many treasured friends, each of whom is a special soul mate in a different way.
• My job, for allowing me to provide for my family and enjoy myself at the same time.
• My parents, siblings and extended family, for their unconditional love and support.
• My home and all the comforts that come with it, for being just that - home.

You get the idea.

Appreciate what you have and say it out loud - especially to those you love.

If you are a twitter user, check out @iamgrateful4, a collective gratitude journal. If you ever need a pick-me-up, it's a darn good place to start.

And next time you say the words "thank you," think about what you are saying and why. There is no practice more fulfilling than gratitude.

Footsteps Worth Following

I’m thinking about my grandma today. Well, I think about her everyday, but today she is especially on my mind because after listening to the baseball game with her on Sunday night, I am missing her and wanting more…

My grandma Gen (my namesake) is 96 years old and she continues to be a shining example of how to live life well. She is fortunate to still have the good health that enables her to live in her own home – the place where she raised my mom and where she held my grandpa when he died 17 years ago.

In the last few years she has started to noticeably slow down (naturally), but yet we are always greeted with cookies on the kitchen table and the candy dishes are always stocked. Not that we need the sweets, but they exemplify her welcoming personality.

I love to watch my kids interact with her – separated by two generations, yet the connection is just as strong. There is no hesitancy in their hugs and kisses for great grandma. Why would there be? She is simply wonderful.

Over the years – since I’ve been old enough to recognize how truly special my grandma is – I’ve paid attention to how she lives her life to the fullest.

She has fun – I am smiling thinking of some of the fun times we’ve had together. Just a few years back grandma acted out “Dirty Dancing” in a game of charades in her dining room. I remember how hard she laughed when she realized that the curtains were open and the neighbors may have seen. And I’ll never forget when we went to see the movie Titanic and she loudly told me in the quiet of the theater that she would have done the same thing as Monica Lewinski if she had the chance! I really could go on and on about how fun my grandma is. When she skips a party she is always greatly missed.

She is active – My grandma still goes out to get her hair done every week and does her own grocery shopping. She plants flowers and keeps her house up. Of course she has some help now, but she doesn’t sit back – she is still involved in everything and wouldn’t have it any other way. Up until she stopped driving a couple years back, she drove the “old ladies” to church every Sunday (I think they were about 15 years younger than her).

She has strong relationships – My grandma has a lot of friends who visit and call – and it’s not just to check up on her. She has clearly invested considerable effort to her relationships over the years and there are so many of us who keep her in the front of our minds all the time. Sometimes I can’t reach her for hours because I get a busy signal every time I dial.

She eats well – It is all about balance. My grandma eats small amounts throughout the day. She likes sweets, but doesn’t have too many. She enjoys a strong drink now and then. She has always watched her weight and she doesn’t eat many processed foods. The bottom line is she takes care of herself.

She keeps her mind sharp – The newspaper is read cover-to-cover every day and she watches at least two news casts regularly. She asks me about if I’ve been to new restaurants and she is often the one catching me up on the latest happenings around town. She still votes in every election and she makes up her own mind about who she is choosing and why – and she’s not afraid to try to influence your opinion! She also tells wonderful stories from throughout her life. I am always amazed by the details she remembers – the names of people and places and the years when things happened. Her stories never grow old.

She is spiritual – My grandma has never been preachy, but she is solid in her beliefs and practices them. She finds peace in being guided by a higher power. She is very centered.

Cleary the way my grandma has chosen to live her life has had an impact on the quality of life she’s enjoyed. In the book “The Blue Zone: Lessons for Living Longer From People Who Have Lived the Longest,” author Dan Buettner shares similar stories as examples of lives well lived. It is an interesting walk through several different cultures and how they have practiced certain principles that have led to long healthy lives. Since publication in 2008, many people – even whole communities – have followed the lead as part of the Blue Zones Vitality Project. It is exciting to see this growing focus on healthy living.

When I read the book when it was first released, it immediately made me think of my grandma. How blessed I am to have grown up with her as my role model!

I love you, grandma.

As Seasons Change

We had our first notable snow fall of the season today. My initial reaction - which I heard echoed in murmurs of disgust by many others - was: "Where did summer go? How could it be gone so fast?"

That feeling of time slipping through my fingers seems to accelerate each year.

Much-anticipated events are now fond memories; times I thought I couldn't live through are now badges of courage and strength; and the faces in my daily life have changed and changed again - literally and figuratively.

Naturally, this feeling is most prominent when I look at my children. My babies who are no longer babies!

My son, my youngest child, is two and a half. I listen to him speaking in intelligent sentences and watch him keeping up with his older sisters and it hurts my heart a little. I want to keep his tiny hand enclosed in my palm in hopes that it won't grow larger if I just hold on tight.

The seasons keep changing, but fortunately the rapid pace has taught me a thing or two about perspective - about what and who are important. It's that time-tested wisdom that now keeps me from complaining too much about a snow fall. A beautiful one at that.

Saving Money By Saving The Planet

My family is very budget conscious right now, but fortunately many of the things we can do to save money are also good for the environment. All of these things are so easy to put into action and doubly beneficial!

Save energy
· Adjust your thermostat a few degrees.
· Install compact fluorescent light bulbs.
· Unplug appliances or use power strips when not using them.
· Turn off the lights when you leave the room.
· Turn down the heat or turn off the air conditioner when you’re not at home.
· Wash clothes in cold water.

Save water
· Use a reusable water bottle filled with filtered tap water.
· Water plants with rain water collected in containers in your garden.
· Take shorter showers.
· Skip watering the grass and washing the car.

Save paper
· Use both sides of every sheet of paper.
· Write lists and notes-to-self on the backs of envelopes or junk mail.
· Don’t print unless you have to.
· Read online instead of printed magazines and newspapers.
· Pay bills online.

Save gas
· Take the bus to work.
· Walk or take a bike for short distances.

Who knew living tight was such a great thing?! Even better, my kids are excited to help out because they care about saving the planet (it is a little harder to get them jazzed about saving money).

Saved by the Super Kids

I love this photo of my kids in their Halloween costumes. I love that they worked together to coordinate costumes. I love that they planned their little pose themselves. I love how happy they look and how happy they make me.

This photo is the current home screen on my Blackberry, which is my constant sidekick. I can't tell you how many times I have glanced down at it during a busy day at work and smiled. Every time I look at this picture my Super Kids save me from whatever I may be stressing over.

Pictures are so great that way. Little memory keepers that have a way of bringing us back like nothing else.

I am not a scrapbooker and I don't have an organized system for my photos, but I still enjoy them fully. There are snap shots framed all over my home and office and I proudly share with my friends on facebook regularly.

Another of my favorite ways to use pictures is as bookmarks. Each time I open my book I get a chance to bring that special memory back. I usually select pictures as bookmarks that aren't quite right for framing, but they mean something special to me.

Once my Super Kids picture is replaced in the place of honor on my phone it may just make it to a frame. I think this one is a long-time keeper!

My Furry Little Homemakers

It goes like this: in a matter of a month my husband lost his job, I started working what seems like a million hours a week, the girls began the new school year, and we pulled the little guy from childcare – sudden household insanity!

So what did we do? We got cats.

We adopted two-year-old siblings Simo, a fat, playful tabby, and Celia, a shy, little tortoise shell calico.

We are quite aware what some of our friends and family are thinking. They wonder why, when we have a so many things going on and a loss of income, would we take on the additional responsibility of pets.

Why? We needed them a whole lot more than they needed us.

Simo and Celia are great companions to my husband and son when they are home all day, every day. They are playmates for the kids. They are great cuddlers and listeners when we are having a tough day. They even helped the kids forget that we had to cancel our family vacation.

I can’t even tell you how much they have given us already in the three short weeks we’ve had them.

There are numerous studies claiming pet owners are less stressed and less likely to suffer depression than non-pet owners. In her article, “How Owning a Dog or Cat Can Reduce Stress,” Elizabeth Scott, M.S., offers these reasons:
• Pets Can Improve Your Mood
• Pets Control Blood Pressure Better Than Drugs
• Pets Can Help With Social Support
• Pets Stave Off Loneliness and Provide Unconditional Love
• Pets Can Reduce Stress—Sometimes More Than People

I really didn’t need to look that up. Simo and Celia aren’t our first pets. Our family included two cats named Cody and Misti up until two years ago, when we sadly lost them both to separate illnesses within a few months. They had been so important to us and we grieved their loss so much that it took us this long to be ready to welcome new cats into our family.

But we knew it was time now. We all needed each other – it was a perfect match. They are helping us feel quite centered at home at a time when change could have easily overcome us. It is very nice to have a family of seven once again.

Healthy Food, But Are the Containers Killing Me?

On top of thinking about what I’m putting into my body, lately I’ve also been thinking a lot about what I’m putting my food and drink into. It really freaks me out to read that the plastic bottles and sippy cups I used with my kids may cause cancer and that the aluminum water bottle I constantly used could cause neurological disorders.

Is anything safe these days?

There don't seem to be any issues with glass and stainless steel, so that’s what I'm going with.

First off, I ditched most of our plastic dishes and cups and we are using glass, which we already used aside from the kids’ stuff. I have to admit that I wasn’t sad to part with the dishes decorated with princesses and animals – cute, but time to go. The kids didn’t even seem to notice. I found tempered glass kidishes by Duralex for the kids online, which I am very excited about.

I also got rid of most of our plastic storage containers, although I still use some #2 plastic containers with dry goods for sending the kids food to school. I figure it is still better than contributing plastic bags to the land fills. I just don’t put them in the dishwasher or microwave them. (In fact the only plastic I ever microwave is the occasional Lean Cuisine when I am really desperate – nobody’s perfect, right?) Also, I have been reading about waxed paper bags for school lunches which I need to check out – sounds like another potential good option for the kids.

Next, I bought each member of the family a Klean Kanteen stainless steel water bottle to use throughout the day. I love them! They are durable, the water doesn’t get a metallic taste and they are super light weight. More importantly, we don’t have to worry about chemicals like BPA. Plus, I like how the Klean Kanteen wide mouths are easy for cleaning.

Finally, I am slowly replacing a lot of my cookware. Because my budget is tight I haven’t been able to jump on this as quickly and instead have been replacing one piece at a time (and trying to mostly only use the new stuff). Maybe this is a good excuse to finally get to build a collection of the All-Clad stainless cookware I’ve been wanting for years!

I figure that making these small changes is the least I can do for my health and my family. There are so many things I can’t control, so why not do my best with the things I can!

Farm Fresh

I feel really lucky to live and work where I have easy access to working farmland, orchards and robust farmers markets. Three seasons a year I have access to the freshest of locally grown vegetables and fruit. I hardly have to go to the grocery store and it is so easy to get the kids to make healthier food choices.

I work in downtown Minneapolis, where every Thursday the Minneapolis Farmer’s Market spans several blocks down Nicollet Mall. Each week I ride the bus home with a big bag full of seasonal goodness to kick off the weekend well.

Today I picked up a ton of gorgeous sweet corn, crisp green beans and some beautiful ripe tomatoes. My mouth is watering just thinking about the barbeque we’ll have tomorrow! I also picked up some fresh catnip as a treat for my kitties. Is it wrong that I supply drugs for my animals?

On the weekends we like to get the kids involved when we can. We spent last Sunday at Whistling Well Farm picking apples fresh from the trees and running around with the resident dog and chickens. It was such a wonderful way to relish the beautiful autumn afternoon and we went home with bags of delicious souvenirs to enjoy through the week. I can’t wait for prime Honeycrisp season to start in two weeks!

I am filling my body (and my freezer) with all the fresh goodness I can while the getting is good. Squash and pumpkins next – YUM!

Fitting Good Food Into Little Time

In my dream life I have a personal chef. He whips up perfectly delicious and nutritious meals for the family and there are always readily available healthy snacks when we need them.

Realty: As I write this I am eating a pre-made frozen lasagna out of a plastic tray that I just zapped with radiation. Mmmmm. I try not to make a habit out of this, but we are a beyond busy family and we usually eat what is easiest to grab. The trick is making sure the most accessible food is actually satisfying and good for us, so we’ve been working a lot on meal planning in our house lately.

We’ve found that the key to healthy, happy eating is involving the kids in the planning. Kids always enjoy food more when they feel like they had a hand in it. I don’t bring the kids to the grocery store with me (so I can stick to a list), but we do sit down together to prepare the shopping list.

Although it may sound like more work to involve the kids, it eliminates any arguments or decisions at meal times – and the kids love to be part of it. In the end, by planning together we end up with more time around the table enjoying the food together.

Additionally, we’ve been doing more to encourage the kids to take an interest in their personal nutrition. My five-year-old daughter really likes to eat and wasn’t blessed with a fast metabolism – it was quickly evident that we needed to help her make smart decisions at a young age or she could be plagued with weight struggles and potential health issues for life.

I’ve found the best tool to use with the kids is the good old fashioned Food Pyramid from the United States Department of Agriculture. The government-run website www.mypyramid.gov offers a tremendous amount of valuable information, including printables that you can hang right on your fridge for the kids to see every time they are choosing a snack. Tools and information vary by age group, so you can find the best suited resources for your family.

We refer to the Food Pyramid when planning our grocery lists and selecting our daily food choices. The kids enjoy the challenge of meeting the goals established on the Pyramid (which can be customized by person on the website):

Grains
Make half your grains whole
Eat 6 oz. every day

Vegetables
Vary your veggies
Eat 2 ½ cups each day

Fruits
Focus on Fruits
Eat 2 cups every day

Milk
Get your calcium-rich foods
Get 3 cups every day

Meat & Beans
Go lean with protein
Eat 5 ½ oz. every day

I guess the Food Pyramid is all just common sense. But really, common sense is what healthy eating is all about – natural food from the earth is always going to be healthier than food manufactured by humans. Still, it is nice to have the Pyramid’s system to follow – especially for the kids.

I am absolutely tickled when my kids say things like “mom, you need to add a protein to my lunch” or “I don’t think we’ve had enough orange vegetables this week.” Such good little stewards of health! Lucky they’re not here right now to witness this microwaved lasagna.

Hula Hooping Through Life

I have decided to make exercise part of my life. My first order of business is quitting the gym. That's right - I quit. How can I really be a fit example for my children when going to the gym means dropping them in the childcare? Instead, I am going to find ways to truly integrate exercise into our routine so we will all enjoy and benefit.

Today was a good start. We took a walk to the playground. The older kids walked and I pushed the little guy and picnic lunch in the double stroller. We took the long cut around the pond and then the kids ran through the field and I pushed the stroller across the grass. Let me tell you, pushing a double stroller across an uncut field is better than any exercise machine I've ever tried! At the play ground I pushed the kids on the swings and did a little swinging myself. Back at home we cranked up the music in the back yard and danced and hula hooped. I'm still a pretty good hooper - and my abs loved the hip shaking!

I think this is going to work! I did a little googling and at 120 pounds here's how many calories I would burn doing the following activities for just 20 minutes, according to the Fitness Partner Connection:

• Bicycling: 12-13.9 mph, leisure, moderate effort - 145.4
• Dancing: disco, ballroom, square, line, Irish step, polka - 81.8
• Frisbee: general - 54.5
• Rope Jumping: general, moderate - 181.8
• Swimming: general, leisurely, no laps - 109
• Walk: 2 mph (30 min/mi) - 45.4
• Gardening: weeding - 81.8
• Watering plants, by hand - 45.4
• Child-care: bathing, feeding, etc. - 54.5
• Playing w/kids: vigorous effort - 90.9
• Child games: moderate, hop-scotch, jacks, etc. - 72.7

Compared to the 90-130 calories for the aerobics I used to do, not too shabby! More time with my kids, fitness for the whole family and the same health benefits. I am suddenly really excited about exercise.

I'm off to weed the garden and then gather the troops for a bike ride...

Home Not-So-Sweet Home

I can hear my three kids in the other room fighting over the wii. There is probably nothing that I dislike more than the sound of them arguing (except maybe the sound of the video games). It is a particularly harsh sound right now because we just got back from a beautiful day in the country visiting family. My husband's uncle and aunt live on a hobby farm and from their lovely little white house you can see nothing but grass-covered hills and an old red barn that has seen better days, but fits perfectly into the picturesque view. I felt so wonderfully at peace watching my kids running through the fields and rolling down the hills with their cousins. I was relaxed in the fact that I didn't have to watch too closely because there was really nothing of danger around and I especially loved that they were happily entertaining themselves with really nothing but each other and the beauty around them.

But now we're home. I hadn't finished unpacking the car and the video games were already on and the bickering had begun. So now I'm sitting here wondering why. What is it about our home that seems to bring out the worst in them? Are they simply exhausted from a big day? Did they use up all their good behavior around the relatives? Is it the video games that makes them instant animals? Are they just being kids? I am trying to get to the heart of it. I think a peaceful home is the foundation of a lovely life, so it is probably the best place to start.

For now, I'm going to try to get them away from the wii and out into the garden. Maybe they will listen to mother nature better than they listen to me. It sure seemed to work up at the farm.