Sunday morning funnies

Here are some of the things in our family that made us laugh this week.

• David understands that he had ADHD and has to avoid or tune out distractions. Often, he says, "Mom, James is distracting me!" Katie Rose came up to me one afternoon and said, "Mom, James is distracting me."  Keep in mind she is only 4. No doubt where she got that from.

• Then James told Katie Rose to just be cool and take a COOL PILL. I laughed and asked, "Did you mean a Chill Pill?"

• We were going to the post office. David asked why and Mike replied, "just have to mail some letters for work." David wondered, "I wonder what letter I should write." James mischieviously answered, "How about the letter D?" 

• James was working on Khan Academy while I was finishing something up in the kitchen. I couldn't come answer his question so David said, "Don't worry, Mom. I'll help him." David had earned the Sally Ride badge before James so James said, "Stop bragging!" David replied, "I'm not bragging. I'm highly complimenting myself!"

Taekwondo medalists

This past weekend, we had our first Taekwondo tournament. The boys were invited to Honors team which required participation in at least one tournament a year. We postponed our decision to after actually participating in one tournament.

They both did great. We were concerned about David because he had fluid on his ears and was scheduled for surgery Monday. But even so, he got the first point in his sparring match. Didn't slow him down much but you can see that he was very tired.

David got bronze in sparring and silver in form.

James got silver in sparring, silver in form and gold in board breaking.

One of the coolest part of the tournament was Katie Rose (4yrs old) walking around the gym. We've been working on her letters for a while but much of the time, instead of A, Ah, Apple, B, bu, Ball, it sounds all the same like eh, eh, apple, eh, eh, ball. But she has been paying attention after all because she called, "Hey Mom, Look, a W!" I looked over and saw the team mascot "Wildcats" written across the floor. Cool!

Babystep #13

Babystep #1 Add kefir daily or at least several times a week. check

Babystep #2 One batch of broth and subsequently soup a week.  This week, the soup bones looked old at Publix so I got back rib bones instead.

Babystep #3 Introduce fermented veggies. check

Babystep #4 Streamline kitchen  - removed everything from one counter so that it is always ready for the large slow cooker or the electric griddle.

Babystep #5 Add detox baths - We all got 20 minutes in a detox bath.

Babystep #6 Add omega 3 supplements  check

Babystep #7 Purchase some more local raw honey.  check

Babystep #8 Ginger tea - Done!

Babystep #9 Magnesium supplements - Done! No need for my inhaler for two weeks and counting. I haven't heard any coughing or wheezing from James since we've started him on magnesium. I won't call it a cure-all and I can't be certain what effect other changes are having on our health. But magnesium is definitely a contributing factor to our improved health.

Babystep #10 Sourdough starter - I have two starters going so that I can bake every 1-2 days rather than 3-4 days.

Babystep #11 Drink water first thing in the morning. - Spotty success. I'm thinking about it more often but still missing it some days.

Babystep #12 Work on creating a natural bath set for the children - Thinking about using baby food jars with decoupaged lids and/or colored ribbons or labels for the moisturizer but I will need something bigger for the body wash. Still looking.

Baby Step #13 - Menu planning each week - I'm finding that cooking some of the GAPS foods doesn't require so much extra time or even expense. It really doesn't take much time to put some bones in a pot and cover them with water. It does however require a great deal more thought. Not only do I need to plan what to eat but some parts of meals start 24 hours or so before you eat them. This morning I spent an hour and half in the kitchen but that including all prep for supper other than putting the bread in the oven and ladling the soup from the crockpot plus breakfast, dishes and tending to kids.

There are many menu planning printables online or can just use a notebook. The prep time has to be documented as well. If broth needs to be simmered, yogurt fermented or beans soaked then these all must start 12-24 hours before the meal so I need to write down what prep needs to be done to keep things running smoothly.

I'm accustomed to getting a general idea in my head of a menu plan (occasionally it gets written down) and rolling with it. But this diet won't work unless I write down a plan and actually stick to it. This past week, I was 12 hours late starting a couple things so instead of having supper for breakfast the next morning, my plan had to be reworked.

I've created a notebook with a guide to the intro diet so that I can plan the soups, stews, casseroles, snacks, etc for each week as I learn more about cooking GAPS foods. It times out pretty good for the first of the year. If we do a week for each stage, we'll be adding baked goods back just in time for James and John Micah's birthdays. Good timing!

Faith vs Works

I wanted a challenge so I joined some apologetics groups. I have learned a little about how the arguments are shaped that I found very interesting. There are differences but not the differences that we think.

Let's start with a bit of history and keep in mind that this is just an extremely brief summary related to this discussion. The doctrine of faith alone began largely with Martin Luther. He was a Catholic priest. He spent a great deal of time in confession and penance. But nothing helped him to accept forgiveness and it was a great struggle for him. You can read or watch movies about the time to learn more. But eventually, he had constructed his doctrine of faith alone although the only place "faith alone" is used is in James 2:14-24 where James tells us that it is NOT faith alone that saves us. Luther solved that problem by calling James an epistle of straw.

So begins this dialogue that many Protestants believe in faith alone and Catholics believe that works save us. Neither tells the whole story. And it's not likely that my simple post here will change the dialogue of hundreds of years but I'll share what I've learned anyhow.

I grew up Baptist. We are probably the most extreme on the "faith alone" scale. Once-saved, always-saved is defended militantly. Children are told in Vacation Bible School and Youth retreats that all they have to do is accept that we are sinners, believe he died for our sins, and confess Him as Lord. Then they are told that nothing they ever do will take them from God's hands. They are secure. The idea is that true faith will result in works. However by not being up-front about what it means to be a Christian, my generation in particular because of the ease of travel and availability of the internet has probably heard this message hundreds of times and they've taken it to heart. "Our actions do not matter." And they've taken this and applied it to their lives and marriages and families. And we wonder why the traditional family has become such a rare thing. Should someone attempt to suggest that we follow the teachings of the Bible, they are attacked severely as legalists. I firmly believe that we are wrong if we focus so much on following the Law that we miss the Giver of the Law. But there is so much in the Old Testament and New Testament that would save us all from so much heartache if we valued it.

I am Catholic now because I read the Bible cover-to-cover and realized we have missed a few things. Jesus' words especially pointed to a life of action and not only passive faith. The faith that I found in the Catholic Church was dynamic. The life of conversion in the Catholic Church had much more appeal than a conversion-experience-and-you're-done that I had heard for most of my life. So many of us are not satisfied with our experience and keep searching because second baptisms, rededications and such are very common in some Protestant churches. How intriguing to find that we have a lifetime to work out our salvation(Phil 2:12-13)

What is salvation?

There are three parts; justification, sanctification and glorification.

For the Catholic, all parts are necessary. Salvation is achieved when we arrive in heaven.

For the Protestant (Baptist), justification is necessary. Sanctification and glorification are results of justification.

The argument usually surrounds the thief on the cross. He believed and Jesus told him that he would be with him in Paradise. But our sufferings contribute to our sanctification and he definitely suffered on the cross. How comforting that our sufferings are not a sign that God has turned His back on us! They are what make us holy. And it could be that he was even baptized (which in part can be glorification as we are made sons and daughters of God) when the soldier pierced Jesus' side and blood and water flowed. Neat!

There is fear that if works are necessary, baptism is necessary and even great faith is necessary, what if we miss one or more of the elements? That is where we depend on God's mercy and love. He doesn't desire us to fail. He is longsuffering. Just look at what all He put up with from the Israelites. There is no need to fear.

Are good works necessary for the true Christian's life?

Catholic - Yes!

Protestant - Yes!

I have talked to pastors, laypersons and apologists. None will say that works are not necessary. Because they are. Now some Protestants will try to frame the argument by saying that if they don't show good works, then they weren't really saved in the first place. I think the desire is to allow the works that result in some Christians lives to be the product of love. And that does happen. But I think every honest Christian will admit to sometimes when you have to work whether you feel like it or not. And often, it is the actions that bring about the change of heart.

Grace 

This is what begins the work of salvation. Not our faith because even the demons believe. Not our works because we can do nothing that can compare to what He has done for us. It is a gift and it's up to us what we do with it. We can leave it on a shelf. Or we can take part in it daily. We believe because Jesus told us so in John 3. We do good works because Jesus said so in Matthew 25. But it is His grace that begins the work. This is what keeps us coming to Him through prayer and the sacraments.

Fellowship

It would be truly awesome if some day we could follow Christ's command to truly be as one as the Body of Christ. There are many factors that dictate our place of worship; familiarity, family ties, pursuit of truth and some jobs even dictate where you worship. There are differences and some of those differences do matter if nothing else but to our own conscience. But in the essentials, there is a lot more difference in how we argue our beliefs than what we actually believe.

Chicken tacoes

I needed a quick meal for a busy taekwondo night so I checked my pantry and freezer. I had frozen chicken breast and a couple cans of rotel. I searched for a recipe and came up with this.

3-4 chicken breasts
1-2 cans of rotel (2 cans made it a bit soupy but needed to add a little water with just one can so depends on how spicy you want it)
1-2 T taco seasoning

The first try turned out scrumptious. We all agreed it was a keeper. But I felt it could be even better so I got an avocado to slice over the tacos for the second try. It could be eaten with taco shells, tortillas or even just piled on rice. Delicious and super easy!

Greek yogurt

Greek yogurt was an acquired taste for me. I really didn't care for it when I first tried it. It is more expensive but with twice the protein of regular yogurt, it is one of those foods that really pack a punch nutritionally. The children love it. I usually use Great Value or Yoplait brand depending on what's on sale and which store I happen to be shopping at.

We do buy individual portions of greek yogurt with the fruit on the bottom or the blended Yoplait brand. But we also get the quarts of vanilla flavored greek yogurt. I normally use these in smoothies. I have found that too much juice or milk in a smoothie makes it upsetting to our stomachs so I have simplified it.

Christy's smoothies

1 cup greek yogurt
1 cup frozen berries
1 banana (frozen is best but room temp will work as well)
1 T chia seeds (benefits here)
1/4 tsp stevia
a splash of vanilla
about a quart of water until it blends to the desired consistency

I usually make two blenders full to have enough for the whole family.


Last night, I made blueberry pancakes. I had run out of frozen strawberries and didn't make as many smoothies as I had planned. I needed to use up the greek yogurt in a different way. Years ago, I would buy the plain yogurt before greek yogurt became popular and water it down to use in baked goods like muffins or cornbread. I'm really not sure why I stopped. I don't really recall it being a conscious decision. I just somehow got out of the habit.

I needed 2 1/4 cups of milk for my recipe. I used 1 cup of yogurt and 1 and 1/4 cup of water. These pancakes turned out to be the fluffiest, most delicious pancakes. The children loved them! The little ones almost ate more than the big boys. I was barely able to save a few for Mike to eat when he got home from work.

Here's an article about some of the benefits of greek yogurt. Give it a try, or a second try, or try it in a different way. Delicious and nutritious!

Babysteps to health and wellness

I changed the title to Babysteps to health and wellness. I'm not sure exactly how far I will go with the GAPS diet and it may be a combination of several things since Paleo, SCD and GAPS overlap a lot. Pursuit of health encompasses more than just preparation for GAPS.

I am feeling great with just the small changes we have made. I've dealt with IBS for as long as I can remember. I swing between two extremes although most of the time it stays in the mild to moderate range. This week, I came very close to normal. Can't remember when I have been normal. Have I ever been normal? Exciting!

Babystep #1 Add kefir daily or at least several times a week. Still at it! Target has four flavors so I got Strawberry, Raspberry and Blueberry for this week.

Babystep #2 One batch of broth and subsequently soup a week. Took the turkey neck and tried to make broth out of that. Turned out too weak and not really something I could drink straight up. I took the white meat and legs from the turkey for a meal and a couple leftover meals. I left most dark meat on the turkey carcass and divided it into two bags and stuck it in the freezer. I used the weak turkey broth, half a turkey carcass, ten carrots, one onion, three sweet potatoes, celtic sea salt and pepper to make a soup. It was a very orange soup! But my toddler who has a wierd aversion to anything red or green, eats up orange. Whatever works! Don't forget to pick out the bones before serving or better yet, before adding the veggies. 

Babystep #3 Introduce fermented veggies. Still eating sauerkraut with my soup.

Babystep #4 Streamline kitchen - Work in progress!

Babystep #5 Add detox baths - Got some epsom salts since I had run out. Pinned several recipes on Pinterest. Epsom salts add minerals and draws out toxins. Baking soda purifies the water. Looking at trying some essential oils like lavender and lemon. 

Babystep #6 Add omega 3 supplements - Done!

Babystep #7 Purchase some more local raw honey. Done! Funny story here.....I decided to add honey to my coffee one day. I normally drink 2-3 cups of coffee daily. This is weak coffee. I do use Dark Roast to get a good flavor but I only use 2 Tablespoons when the recommended amount is 10 Tablespoons. Caffeine relaxes me and helps me focus. I drink coffee or drink colas late in the evenings with no problem. I once drank a Red Bull. The only time I've gotten jittery was with a sample of caffeine accelerator that came with a Plexus Slim sample. But with honey instead of sugar in my coffee, my hands were shaking and I felt jittery. I wondered what in the world was going on. I'm guessing it is proof that honey is definitely absorbed faster than sugar. Makes me wonder what effect metabolism plays in ADHD and treatments. 

This week's babysteps

Babystep #8 Ginger tea - Ginger is a great help for digestion and immune support. I had some ginger tea bags that we have used a few times this past week. I need to get ginger root to have on hand. David and James drank the ginger tea but it was a bit strong even watered down for the little ones. Saturday evening, I was feeling the effects of the Halloween sweets and a busy couple days with All Saint's Day celebrations and Taekwondo tournament. We had a light supper and I drank some broth and ginger tea. I felt much less bloated and blah the next morning. I feel empowered because let's face it, nobody's perfect and even with the best of intentions, plans get derailed. We need tricks to help us back on track so we aren't tempted to just give up on living healthier.

Babystep #9 Magnesium supplements - Magnesium was one of the supplements mentioned at the autism support meeting. I had researched it after David had not done well on two ADHD medicines and we needed something to help him stay focused on the task in front of him. This was about the time that I was pregnant with Joseph and I didn't give it to him long enough to see if it would make a difference. I added it back to my supplements about a week and a half ago. I noticed a big difference in how well I could focus on what I needed to accomplish. I also haven't needed my inhaler at all the past 10 days or so. Turns out that asthma along with ADHD and epilepsy  is on the list of disorders that may be linked to chronic magnesium deficiency. So for myself and the two older boys (David for ADHD and James for asthma), this will be supplemented for a while.

Babystep #10 Sourdough starter - I borrowed Southern Living's Christmas Idea book for 2014 from the library. It definitely put me in the holiday mood. I want to have some delicious food for my family. I want to try some of the GAPS-legal fudges and such but we aren't following GAPS fully until after the holidays. Sourdough has worked well for us in the past. The fermenting process breaks down the gluten and makes it much easier to digest. It also make some of the most fabulous bread, cinnamon rolls, beignets and pizza crust. I let my starter die with the busyness of a new baby. I've been wanting to start one back for months so I started one a couple days ago. It will be ready to start in a couple days. I'm going to start another today so that I can have one available every day or two. With this family and with all the yummy ways of using sourdough, every three days just isn't enough. I use this recipe from Living on a Dime and use rice baby cereal instead of potato flakes.

Babystep #11 Drink water first thing in the morning. I usually start the children off with milk and I start with coffee or tea. A quick google search will uncover a myriad of reasons why to start with water and most recommend adding lemon to your water. I will add lemon to our grocery list but the purpose of this babystep is to establish the habit.

Babystep #12 Work on creating a natural bath set for the children - Last year, we got character labeled body wash and bubbles for fun stocking stuffers. This year I want to find bottles and jars that are in their colors (blue for David, green for James, pink for Katie Rose, red for John Micah and light blue for Joseph) or can be colored with a lid or maybe a label. I bought some mild castille soap at Target. I'm researching how to use my essential oils and mild soap for an effective body wash. I want to switch to using coconut oil as a moisturizer instead of lotion. As we run out of storebought cleaners and health/beauty supplies, I want to try to replace them with a homemade version.

We know that some cleaners have caused rashes for David and Katie Rose. Scrubbing Bubbles is especially troublesome which is disappointing since it does clean so well. Joseph has had two allergic skin hives/rashes so far. Doctors don't know what he is reacting to and experience tells me that we will probably never know. He is just a sensitive guy like his older brother and sister and we'll have to be as mild as possible with everything we use.