Mid to Late Pregnancy

25 weeks pregnant. Feeling great! Still doing Chalean Extreme, and venturing into veganism. 

26 weeks. Virtually no pregnancy cravings, no weight gain, no difficulty with my workouts, and lots of energy. Before you put a hex on me, rest assured my first pregnancy was absolutely atrocious. 

27 weeks. Not the most flattering photo, but Reese and I were lounging around. This is when my guilt about her not being my only baby kicked in. My mom says it's normal ;)

28 weeks. Really popping out! Although not NEARLY as much as I did with Reese, and NO SWELLING this time! The nurse assures me I still have time to turn into a pufferfish, but I refuse to believe her. 

29 weeks. No complaints. This little lovey keeps me way too busy to remember that I'm pregnant most of the time. 

30 weeks. The belly button (or in Reese-speak, "bully-butty") is popping out. It didn't with Reese even though I was 800 times bigger than this. I hope this little boy has the same serene personality on the OUTSIDE. 

31.5 weeks. Still going strong. Starting my Beachbody business, working full time at the newspaper, keeping up with Reese, finishing novel revisions, still taking my workout time (I need it!) and attempting to keep a semi-inhabitable home are giving me a run for my money.

Hence, the weekly photos sort of stopped. 

Weeks bled into weeks, and when people asked how far along I was I didn't even know.

I will take this as a blessing.

With Reese, I was counting every single second. (And she was still--fashionably--late.)

Family photo before Ben's 10 year high school reunion. 32-ish weeks, maybe? I don't know, it's all a blur. I wore heels without pitting edema. 

37 weeks already! Only within the last two weeks have things been getting icky, and I am sure most of it is self-induced. I've taken on a lot in the last two months, and the fatigue has officially begun. I stopped my hardcore exercise at about 35-ish weeks--because (holy hell!) I am already dilating, and unlike last time, I am NOT exactly hoping for an early baby. 

Hip pain? Check.

Pelvic pain? Check-check.

Back pain? Check.

Cramps? Check.

Headaches? Occasional check.

Contractions? Hell yes check.

Life is good. I'm thrilled to meet my baby boy and begin a new and improved life. 

It feels strange to know that when he arrives, my time at the paper will be at its end, and I will once again be a college student (at 27!). I look forward to diving headfirst into learning about business, and starting a new little career in fitness, and doing something with that damn novel. My husband is hella nervous, and rightfully so, but I have learned after too many times of NOT LISTENING to it that my GUT is always right. And that (big baby-bellied) gut is telling me that the time to live is NOW. 

Lindsey.

My "Why"

"From now on, start with why." -Simon Sinek

Here's mine:

I am 27 and since the birth of my daughter and pregnancy with my son, life has begun to present me with bigger questions, like: what kind of legacy will I leave? What will I teach my children about passion and success? How will I SHOW them that living an abundant life is entirely possible, in a world where so many people claim not to have enough?

For the past three years I have worked forty hours per week as an office manager. All of my jobs and roles in life, whether I loved them or loathed them, have provided me with valuable lessons and a paycheck; but what I have learned since having children is that life is about more than a paycheck, and that once the lessons have been digested, it's time to move forward. In those three years I finished and revised a novel and refined my passion for fitness and natural nutrition, started a blog, and worked through many issues still lingering from my past. My husband and I are renovating our century-old home and would like to finish it at some point within the forseeable future. We also dream of taking our kids on once-in-a-lifetime trips. We don't long to live in a McMansion; we just want to live where we are, debt-free, so that we can give our children the experiences that will serve them throughout their lives.

My dreams: seeing my book in print, building a meaningful business, continuing my education, and most of all helping other people achieve their own versions of success. My why: my children, the health of my family, and to live the way I believe we are supposed to live--not chained to a desk keeping busy for the sake of hours logged, but efficiently and with profundity and passion and purpose.

I decided to become a Beachbody coach because I have had enormous success with their programs for almost ten years, and truly believe in the company's mission to end the trend of obesity. The coach network's focus on helping other people and on personal development just works with my own philosophies, and are what I was doing on my own anyway. Now I have an army of people with me who are doing the same for their own communities and families. What could ever be better than joining forces with a group of people who lift you higher, who believe they can use themselves to make the world healthier? Count me in.

Funny how a good workout mimics life at large--hustle and give it your all in a short period of time, concentrate on your muscle groups and how they work, visualize your results, and in a period of weeks or months, and especially years, success comes and stays.

<-----This little 80s girl believed anything was possible, and I am going to prove her RIGHT! ;)

Dream-doubting. Hit your bottom already, so you can climb.

A few months ago, my sister and I sat at my kitchen table and talked about nutritional yeast and her college mission trips and my unconfirmed decisions about what to do once baby number two arrived. I felt that I wanted to go back to school. Contrary to my earlier existence as a free spirit, I discovered in recent years a penchant for business and development. The idea of making the leap from one kid plus full time job to two kids plus full time school plus somehow contributing financially to my family was still in an embryonic stage.

Dana is eight years younger than me, but there is something about being nineteen that makes one wise. I weighed the options of staying at my locationally convenient, camraderie-filled, low-paying job. It was, after all, something safe...except it wasn't because I couldn't afford a babysitter for one child, and more frequent emergencies were bound to emerge with two. Dana said something along the lines of,"You're scrappy. You always make things work. So if you take a leap of faith, you'll make things work. And if you play it safe, you'll stay where you are." Which is in dream mode: of continuing my education, publishing my novel, starting a fitness business, changing the world. Changing the world is hard to do from a desk.

So I read and researched and made lists and had one-sided conversations with my skeptical husband who nonetheless supports my lofty goals. He knows I am a worker bee when I'm passionate about something, and that seems to be the point: living with passion. What the hell else is there? Submission is pure torture for me and I refuse to play it safe anymore for the sake of false comfort.

I put in my notice. It wasn't easy. I like my coworkers. I am used to my routin. But I LOVE my role as a mom and I love learning and I love fitness and I love writing. And I think it's bullshit to tell your kids to reach for their dreams when you've spent all your precious time taking cover from your own.

Change is scary. If it weren't, nobody would stay stuck the way most of us do. I am pledging here and now, for Ben and Reese and Declan and myself and the world, that I will live with purpose. The only chance I will ever regret is the one I didn't take.

Dana, you're right. When you just jump, you have no choice but to learn to fly.

September Ramble: happiness is a choice

Happiness is a choice. 

Nothing fancy today. No catchy DIY projects or bourgeois vegan recipes...just me getting my thoughts out, and sometimes that's important.

I have learned a tremendous deal about myself in the past year. Becoming a mother, maybe, does that to a woman. You stop thinking in terms of "me" and more in terms of "us." You start considering the legacy you're going to leave.

I used to be immature. I used to be insecure. I used to be the kind of girl who allowed the fear of rejection to inhibit my ability to TRY.  Like so many others, I went through a rough time in my life, a time of fear and pain and rebuilding my life and building the Great Wall of China around myself. Not many people know about that time. Then again, in past years, not many people knew ANYthing about me. I thought I liked it that way, until one day I broke down in the Sears parking lot on my cell phone, to my husband. I'd just moved for the umpteenth time, this time in with him, to a foreign little town where people used a weird thing called "two-way" and everyone was on some volunteer fire department or another and middle-aged women needed the fashion police. I broke down and broke down and broke down. Over and over. I'd managed for a considerable amount of time to hold it together, and then I just couldn't anymore.

The thing is, in the span of four years I'd fled my tumultuous homestead for my original hometown and a boyfriend I was convinced at 18 would save me from my penchant for reckless abandon, got a house with him and two dogs plus eight strays plus furniture, got myself into trouble, got another house with him in hopes we could "fix it," tried to be the mediator for my parents' divorce three hours away during my dad's job loss and my mom's immediate move into some other guy's house, battled an eating disorder, watched my dad battle cancer, quit school twice, drank too much, met a charming but ultimately abusive new boyfriend who threatened to kill me on numerous occasions and stole all my worldly possessions, left my life to move in with my mom and her new boyfriend where my ex boyfriend stalked me and half my life was spent in court or the sheriff's department, worked several horrid jobs, met another abusive boyfriend, met the third abusive boyfriend, etc. Amazing, because during that time, nothing felt so awful.

Then I moved in with my best friend, became a manager for my company, started writing the novel I'd dreamt of penning since age six, became spiritual, found a passion for health and fitness, and met my husband who is a wonderful man with a work ethic from the stars. So WHY in heaven's name did I crash and burn when things were good? I'm sure there are all kinds of psychological reasons for this kind of thing, but I think once life SLOWED DOWN I didn't know how to handle it. When things were smooth, I sabotaged them. I saw red and took it out on people who were NOT the people who caused me to see red. I was basically a little bitch. I knew no other emotion but rage. If you've never felt rage, consider yourself lucky. It's disgusting.

In the past year, I made a commitment to get happy and help people. My friend Ashley is a therapist who must have been sent from GOD to find me and make me realize all kinds of insightful and life-changing things about myself. The first time I divulged all the sordid details to her and cried, it hit me that I hadn't CRIED in who knows how long. It hit me that I wasn't angry, I was SAD. I decided to embark on this great journey to fix myself. Really, it came out of what I'd always loved doing: writing and fitness. Along the way, nutrition came into play. I got crafty. I became a mom to the sweetest thing ever. I started connecting with people again and realizing it felt like ice on a black eye instead of an invasion. I came to the conclusion that happiness is a choice. Trust me, I know many people don't see it that way, and I certainly didn't either, but THINK about it: we CHOOSE who we surround ourselves with, we CHOOSE the dreams we go after and the dreams we don't, we CHOOSE to stay in bad situations out of fear or greed, we CHOOSE to react with a chip on our shoulder, we CHOOSE to say shitty things about other people. Likewise, we CHOOSE to find the lesson in every hardship, we CHOOSE to go outside of our comfort zone, we CHOOSE to work on our personal development, we CHOOSE to give a compliment or a donation or an offer of assistance, we CHOOSE to live our lives with grace despite our fear of the unknown.

I want to be the kind of woman my daughter is proud of. I want her to grow up knowing that everything is possible with kindness and good karma and hustle and love. I want to be healthy and make choices that are based on providing myself and my family with a life comprised primarily of joy. I CHOOSE to wake up grateful for a day many people don't get to have.

I was sparked to write this because I noticed something recently: the more self-assured I become, the more people come out of the woodwork to tear me apart. More people tell me, "Oh, but it's just easy for you. It's not that way for ME." And it came to me that I used to be THAT PERSON. Maybe not out loud. But in my head, I told myself I just wasn't good enough to be as fit or as rich or as happy as so-and-so. And it felt better to be mean.

Au contraire, I have also met so many INCREDIBLY supportive people who have found their own contentedness or passion and are very happy to pass on the bug to everyone they meet, including me. I have chosen to spend more time with THESE people, and less time with the vampires. And to all you sweet and passionate and caring people, thank you--not just from me, but from ALL of the people who you inspire and don't even know you're inspiring.

I don't look down on mean people. I understand their sadness. And I want to help them ditch the excuses and move past the enormity of their pain and realize they DESERVE to live a life bursting with incredible revelations.

Nobody can make that choice but you.

"I'm so full of confetti I could give birth to paper dolls." 
-Zelda Fitzgerald

Tips for Cutting Costs while Eating Clean

This is part of my pantry. It isn't glamorous, but it's semi-organized. 

On these shelves are some of my best tips for cutting costs while still eating clean. 

I've always had an interest in healthy eating, and practiced it more or less (the less being CHEESE!) But now that we've got kids to think about, we have really decided to kick ourselves in the ass and create even better habits. The myth is that to eat a healthy, whole-foods, non-processed diet, you have to spend exorbitant amounts of cash. Lucky for you (but not so lucky for your excuses), this myth is just that--a myth. 

True, the start-up costs of healthy living can be heftier than the usual generic boxed garbage. There are always coupons and mark-downs on garbage, and rarely on produce or items in the natural foods section. Just remember this: YOU VOTE WITH YOUR DOLLAR. If you're willing to spend a little more at first and commit to buying quality food, you are promoting health with your money and your choices. The more people who do this, the less the good stuff will eventually cost, and the less demand for garbage there will eventually be. Simple. Maybe I'm idealistic. Maybe I should live in Ann Arbor. (I wish!) But I believe it's possible to change things, and I believe that every person is a cog in the wheel. I also believe that we will see a shift to a more natural approach to life, as diseases caused by diet and lifestyle continue to rise and healthcare continues to get more cray-zay. 

SOME TIPS TO EATING CHEAP & CLEAN

(and they don't involve extreme couponing!)

1. Make your own marinara sauce. You can find recipes just about anywhere, but the premise is simple: garlic sauteed in 1 tbsp. olive oil, a can of crushed tomatoes, & spices. I use fresh basil and marsala cooking wine and crushed red pepper, but anything goes. The longer you simmer, the better it gets. But the best part is that it's a fraction of the cost of quality jarred sauce, especially if you stock up on tomatoes when they're on sale. The other ingredients only cost you the first time, then they're on hand for a while. Minced garlic can even be purchased in little glass jars that keep in the fridge for years. The lycopene and nutrient content of canned tomatoes can be even better than fresh, especially in the off-season, but there's no reason you can't use freshly crushed tomatoes instead! The cheap jarred sauce, BTW, is loaded with sugar and shit-tons of ingredients, and IS NOT healthy. If you are used to this trash, you may find that your homemade sauce tastes a little unsweet to you. Keep experimenting with ingredients, and remember that your tastebuds adapt. 

2. Stock up on stock! I use low-sodium organic vegetable broth in a myriad of recipes. It can replace lots of fattening stuff. You can make your own, too, with veggie scraps, for even more  of a bargain, but I'm a little lazy about it. Use the Red Laser app on your phone to compare prices in different stores, or buy in bulk. Soups are easy and cheap, and can be frozen, so this is a great pantry staple. 

3. Buy dried beans. My local Kroger store has bins in the natural foods aisle, with beans and rice and nuts and even dried cereals. These are a fraction of the cost of canned, as you aren't paying for packaging. They take longer to prepare, as they need to soak, but if you make a big batch you will have them on-hand for meals in a pinch. 

4. Invest in some Tupperware or BPA-free containers for beans, legumes, seeds, nuts, rice, etc. This will enable you to forgo the packaging and buy the bulk/bin stuff, and store it nicely.  The more you can buy this way, the less you will spend in the long run. On average, I spend about 1.29 for a can of beans that will last one meal; for 3 pounds of dried (which will yield approx. 3 times as much once soaked, and will last many meals), I spend about $5.00. The savings is even bigger for other items, like brown rice or granola. 

5. Stock up on cheap pantry "meal bases." If you do this strategically, buy on sale or in bulk, etc., you should mainly only be doing your weekly shopping for fresh produce. For instance, pasta, rice, beans, stock, canned tomatoes, potatoes (no, they're not the freakin' devil unless you eat them daily or fried), even sweet potatoes--these are relatively cheap and can be sold in large portions. They can be the basis for any meal. Bread can be bought in bulk on sale, and frozen (or home-made!). 

6. On weekends or off days, make up a few batches of the above staples and put them in the fridge. If you have some whole grain pasta or brown rice already made up, you will be more likely to grab it and toss it with some veggies and herbs for a healthy meal, than to run to Toxic Hell when you're pinched for time. This will lessen your excuses for spending on fast food meals and later dumping your rotten produce because you "didn't have time" to use it. 

7. Buy the off-brands of freezer and sandwich bags, and paper towels. The only thing I buy namebrand is cling wrap, because I always waste my generic roll when it sticks together, and the namebrand generally doesn't stick. I like my food to be of the highest quality, but I could care less what brand of sandwich bag I use. If eating healthy is expensive for you, think of the things you can do without. Another trick is that if you use a bag for half a cucumber for one day in the fridge, and then you use the cucumber but have half an onion to store, use the same bag. I even go so far as to rinse and dry my bags that haven't been soiled by their contents, and reuse them. I'm not a complete psychotic cheapo, and I do this more for the environment than for saving money, but hey--every penny counts!

8. Make bigger batches of meals and store leftovers in the fridge or freezer. I used to always throw out leftovers. Now I take them for lunch or repurpose them (for instance, stir fry can go into the next night's fajitas). 

9. Plan your shopping trip before you go. I am a list-a-holic, I know--but I think it's really helpful to divide my list into the sections of the store, and only put on my list what I am going to use that week. I sit down with my recipe books and get a rough idea of what I want to make; then I look at what needs used up, what I have on hand, and what I'll need. When I go to the store I try my damndest to stick to my list, and I don't traverse aisles in which I don't need anything. 

10. Find out which stores have which products for the best prices, and plan your trips accordingly. For instance, my beloved frozen Cascadian Farms squash can be found at many stores in the town where I usually shop, but is cheapest at Meijer in another town. I don't get it unless I'm at Meijer, nor do I make a special trip. (I used to, though!) If I'm at Meijer, it's an item I specifically seek out to stock up on. I generally know where I will find my favorite items for the best price, so if there's a major difference, I won't buy it except in that store. (I've never been a haggler, although all you hagglers out there might be able to try price-matching!)  Red Laser, again, is a good app for comparing prices. Lately I have been going to the Kroger that has another (more health-oriented) market just across the street. I get my cheapies at Kroger, and the other stuff across the street, and I don't have to make two trips. 

11. Make friends with the farmers market. Seriously! My biggest surprise in this journey is that local, organic produce sold at the farmers market is not only affordable, it's usually downright CHEAP. Not to mention it tastes better, is better for you, AND is better for the environment. Just this weekend I visited a local market and bought two heirloom tomatoes, a bunch of swiss chard, a bunch of kale, two zucchini, one summer squash, two eggplants, and a dozen peppers for seven dollars. The people selling their wares are so excited about what they've grown, and like to answer your questions and give you tips and recipes. Much better than buying junk off a truck from God knows where in the produce department, with no clue how long it's been sitting there or what chemicals it's been doused in. 

12. Freeze your produce. I am SO doing this this year, especially because we have some major life changes coming up and I'm unsure what our new budget will be like in the winter. There are tips online for how to do this. (For instance, veggies should be blanched first.) This way, you're not spending a fortune on out-of-season produce, or having to resort to something nasty in a can. Frozen vegetables at the store are actually very healthy, as long as the vegetables are the only ingredient--but once again, you're paying for packaging. Buying local and freezing reduces all of those extra costs. 

13. Plant a garden. This is another one I am serious about doing next year. In my reading, I've come across many statistics that show families with moderate-sized gardens save $700-$900 per year on groceries. Not only that, but you'll also be doing your part for the environment. I am looking forward to teaching Reese (and myself!) to appreciate the beauty of nature, and what better way to do this than to grow our own produce?

14. Take a cooler. My husband is the champion of this, because he works long hours in an ambulance. He doesn't use this as an excuse to subsist on junk food, and you shouldn't either. The last time we went on vacation with a long car ride ahead, we packed hummus and veggies and canteens of water. You will be less tempted to stop at a roadside restaurant or rest stop for junk food to "refuel." We rationalize by treating ourselves to a quality restaurant or two on vacation, and save our money by packing the rest of our meals. 

Remember, generic sugary fake food may be cheap in the short run, but PLEASE consider the cost to your health. It may be difficult to think long-term enough to get past the fast food cravings, but if you can hold out for a while and give it an honest try, you'll be SHOCKED how much better you will feel, how much your cravings will subside, and how compassionate for yourself, for your kids, for others, and for nature you can become. 

My best advice is this: Be creative. Do your research. Don't dismiss your health on the false pretext that health is unaffordable. Can you afford to lose it? 

Any tips of your own? 

Lindsey. 

Weekend Craftiness

Luxurious Weekend (sort of)

Things I did this weekend, in random order:

Made a monogram with a wooden letter from Hobby Lobby & a lot of saved-up corks, for the boring bare space above my stove. Ben put a dishwasher in, & a little extra counter space, so right now I am loooooving my kitchen. I was going to hang this thing tonight, but couldn't find a hammer, & Ben is all about everything being perfectly level...so he can do it! (Although he thinks the whole project is sort of stupid. Men.)

Made cashew cheese. You know, the stuff vegans eat! And it's actually really good, & husband-approved. It's not real cheese, just has a cheesy texture. We ate it as a spread on Kashi Roasted Vegetable crackers. 

It's just cashews, garlic, water, & a little salt & pepper in the food processor. 

Fed my kid delish plant food. She is such a good eater. This is banana, organic whole grain waffle, fresh blueberries from the local market we visited, & quinoa. I'm still trying to research the milk-for-toddlers thing, & want a good replacement for cow's milk. The more I know, the more animal products are getting the boot from my kitchen!

Made peach cobbler with whole wheat flour, which made it way dense & not like the cobbler I remember. It tasted amazing, but just didn't look as crazy-fluffy-yum. Reese & I went to the market & bought whole wheat pastry flour, for future endeavors. I figured out why I suck at baking: I try to make everything healthy, & a lot of "healthy" ingredients don't bake the same as their nutrient-devoid counterparts. I'm getting there!

Breakfast for the family: a casserole of quinoa, organic eggs (which will probably soon become all but eliminated from my diet), fresh basil & thyme, & local squash, beefsteak tomatoes, shallots, & red pepper. I will be making this again! The recipe is from Cooking Light, but I see it hasn't been posted yet on their website. 

Played with my little loves. I had to give Reese a lesson about "gentle." (Or "dental," in her language.) 

Made flowers out of vintage sewing patterns. I've had these pretty things forever, & thought they'd make cute centerpieces for a someday-soiree. 

Chalkboards out of ceramic Hobby Lobby frames! I spray-painted them Pistachio, & then used chalkboard paint over the glass. These will also hang in the kitchen. 

And watched fireworks at the River Raisin Festival. Reese said, "Wowwwww!" 

This morning it was back to work. Though I did get my new John Robbins book, which has proven to be a major distraction...but a good kind. 

:)

Lindsey.

Marvelous Garland

Oh so marvelous!

I lust after garland. 

It can be made out of anything!

My sister & I made several strands for my mom's & daughter's joint birthday party. 

The first kind: large perfect circles cut with a large craft hole punch, using cardstock in the colors we chose for the party.

The second kind: flags made of felt and burlap (I LOVE these! Burlap with light pink & brown is divine.)

The third kind: assorted ribbon tied to rope, in different twists, ties and bows. The messier the prettier. 

The fourth kind: paperclipped (if we could've found clothespins we would have used those) pictures, new and old, of the birthday girl--my mom! (This was quite the conversation piece, as it hung above the food banquet, a little more at eye level beneath the other strands.)

We used burlap & twine, and a single hole punch for threading. I like the combination of bright colors with rustic materials. 

I want to hang these everywhere. Maybe I can come up with a foresty-looking garland for the new baby's nursery? 

Lindsey.

Between Me An'Jello: Baby wipes

ATTENTION INDIE PARENTS: My friend Holland recently posted a recipe for homemade baby wipes! Genius & cheap. I will definitely try this one; check it out :)

Between Me An'Jello: Baby wipes

What Lurks in my Kitchen (healthier processed/packaged options)

Ben and I just got done watching the eye-opening documentary Forks Over Knives. I have been, at least for the last 5 years, a very conscientious eater, and since I've worked some magic on him (and because he is a paramedic and sees all variety of disease and disorder caused by poor diet and lifestyle), Ben has made many dietary changes as well. I like to use My Fitness Pal to track my calorie intake, and he has also been utilizing the iPhone app--and has lost a couple of pounds. (My big pregnant ass is jealous. Right now I am focusing more on nutrients than calories. But I can't wait until after baby, when I can return to my normal routine!) 

Anyway. I've been a vegetarian since the age of 8. No, I was not raised in a hippie commune; in fact, my entire family eats meat. I could never get into the taste or texture, and the killing-animals thing realllllly bothered me as a kid (and still does, to be honest). The documentary really shed a lot of light on things I'd long suspected to be true about meat and dairy. For instance, the livestock industry emits more of a harmful carbon footprint than does all of transportation. Cows raised for meat or milk are fed so much grain, it could easily solve the world's hunger crisis. And in countries where meat and dairy make up a small portion of overall food intake and fast/processed food is barely consumed, many of the diseases America suffers from DO NOT EVEN EXIST. 

I really believe our Westernized diet is the culprit of so many of our ailments. We were inspired to watch the film because a smattering of close family members currently suffer from things like diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, cancer, and precancerous breast cancer cells. Most of them put a large focus on foods like meat, butter, processed cheese, non-organic milk, sugar-free processed snacks, drive-through meals, and diet soda. 

I'm not a nutritionist (Ben thinks I am missing my calling), but I AM highly passionate about diet, nutrition, and fitness. Because of my own lifestyle, I get asked a lot of questions. The favorite among people finding out about my lifelong vegetarianism is, "What do you EAT?!" The second favorite is, "Where do you get your protein?"

First off, I highly recommend watching Forks Over Knives, for answers to the protein thing. You CAN get adequate protein from a plant-based, whole foods diet. Secondly, I do not have a perfect diet; my downfall is cheese, and I do consume dairy, though this film and other research has inspired me to cut my intake. I think small changes make a big difference in the long run, and over the years I have continued to add in the good and take out the bad. I like to eat what gives me energy and fuels my workouts. I also have been diagnosed with adult ADD, and I decided to make dietary changes instead of taking medication--it HAS helped my focus, tremendously. I lost my baby weight with Reese and then some (gained 43, lost 50), in about 2.5 months, with weight-based exercise and a healthy diet. I do allow myself to have a "treat" now and then, and because I eat well most of the time, I don't feel guilty about it anymore, and I don't see the effects of it on my weight. I used to eat anything sugar-free and fat-free and diet, thinking I could trim my weight with the absence of calories; it worked when I was 19, and backfired when I hit 24. Now I eat REAL food, and enjoy the REAL benefits of it. 

The majority of our diet at home is truly made up of produce. (You will never see a family of 3 who goes through bananas so fast!) I make sure each meal is centered around fresh food with lots of nutrients. When I can't get fresh, I get organic frozen produce without additives. 

Sometimes, though, we really need to rely on processed or packaged foods. I have narrowed down my kitchen staples over the years to include the brands I feel most comfortable with, and these are some of the things you will find in our kitchen:

1. PB2 is a delicious powdered peanut butter that you mix with water before serving. I use this a lot in shakes. It cuts out most of the fat and calories of regular peanut butter. I also eat natural peanut butter, which IS good for you in SMALL amounts. Because I love it, I can't trust myself to stick to one serving size, so PB2 is my solution. The chocolate flavor is made with real cocoa and is yummy. 

2. Fage Greek Yogurt is what I use in any recipe calling for yogurt, cream cheese, or sour cream. Ben loves it as a substitute in things like taco dip, and it makes a mean tzadziki sauce. I also eat it as a mid-morning snack with fruit and cinnamon. Packs a big protein punch. 

3. Bolthouse Farms juices are Ben's new favorite thing. I've loved them for a long time, and we give a splash to Reese in her water bottles. Of course, they are calorie-dense and have sugar (albeit from natural sources) and should be used sparingly. They are great for when you're in a rush and need something quick and nutritious. 

4. San Marzano canned crushed or whole tomatoes are what I use to make marinara sauce. First off, it's a fraction of the cost of jarred sauce. Secondly, most people aren't aware that most jarred or canned sauces are FULL of SUGAR. No thanks! I love homemade sauce. We add our own basil, and freeze leftovers in single portion sizes. 

5. Reese loves mac & cheese, and so do I. I prefer the homemade stuff, but Annie's Organic is a good substitute, and is made with whole wheat pasta. I mix a little with veggies for her lunch. 

6. She also loves puffs. She calls them "Wiggles." I got these organic puffs from Target; they have 1/2 the sugar and include greens like spinach, collards, and kale. She eats them just as she would the sugary stuff. 

7. Truvia is what I use in iced tea. You only need the teensiest bit to make it sweet. I am very wary of aspartame anymore, so have switched to natural sweeteners. This also includes natural applesauce, blue agave nectar (pictured), and pure maple syrup. But I have also trained my taste buds to not need things to be very sweet, so I'm fine most of the time with totally unsweetened food and drinks. This IS possible, the training your taste buds thing. I used to put sugar and salt on everything! Now it takes us YEARS to go through a tiny salt shaker. 

8. Farro and other whole grains (like quinoa, brown rice, wheat berries, etc) all contain protein. Pair them with beans or legumes for a complete protein. To most people, these grains look kind of scary. I promise there are enough recipes out there on the internet that you can find something you love made with whole grains. They are complex carbs, and are essential for energy. Unlike white bread and pasta, they will not put you into psycho-sugar mode.

9. Coconut oil is not only good for cooking, but great for your skin! I use it to grease pans. 

10. Almond milk--I just plain love it. I have never liked the taste of dairy milk, and this stuff has twice the calcium and way less calories. Even Ben says it's really good on his cereal, and he is a milk drinker. I still give Reese cow's milk--organic 2%--because I am not sure if almond milk is okay for her to drink, but I am currently researching this, and if anyone has any insight, I'm interested in hearing it!

Here are some frozen foods we eat here at the Forche house. I LOVE Amy's bowls and Reese really digs these Sonoma burgers from the same company. They are dairy free, and made with veggies and quinoa. Kashi makes great frozen entrees you can feel okay about eating; these are wonderful on workdays when I don't have anything fresh to take along. 

Reese is loving these do-it-yourself mish mash things I got in a 4-pack at Target. They are perfect for on-the-go. 

I adore shakes and smoothies for when I'm in a time crunch, or just don't feel awake enough for breakfast but know I need to jump-start my metabolism. This one is made with:

-1 scoop chocolate Shakeology (Beachbody is one of my absolute favorite companies. I use all of their workouts, and have always been more than impressed with their products, including this AMAZING shake. It now comes in Vegan, too!)

-1/4 c. oats

-1 kale leaf

-1/2 c. mixed berries

-1 tsp. cinnamon

-almond milk and ice 

My other obsession: Tazo green tea. Here is my daily batch of iced tea. I boil the tea and steep the tea bags first, then throw over ice and cold filtered water, with a little Truvia. Green tea is fabulous for metabolism, and in my opinion tastes divine. I can't get enough. 

When it comes to diet and nutrition, I think the key is to reflect on how food makes you feel after you eat it, When you eat something fatty and calorie-laden for "comfort," you usually feel awful and sluggish afterwards. I know for a fact that when I eat any type of candy bar, I have a massive crash an hour and a half later, and will eat everything in sight to keep from fainting. My brother, sister and I all have sensitive blood sugar. When I crave something heavy and full of fat, I let myself have the "better" version of it in a small portion, and fill the rest of my plate with veggies--the veggies fill me up, and then I don't need to eat a gigantic portion of macaroni and cheese!

I used to drink Diet Coke by the case; even though it's "diet," I gained weight and felt horrible and had migraines--with or without it. My mother is going through constant biopsies right now because of lumps and precancerous cells in her breasts; her doctor told her that many of her cysts are caused by none other than diet soda. I am trying to get her to switch over to iced tea. Now, I drink at least 2-3 liters of water every day, and have nixed my own soda habit. My skin looks better and my energy levels are up, and as far as I'm concerned, diet pop is poison. 

Any health tips of your own? Products that you love and want to share? Success stories? 

I'd love to hear them!

Lindsey.

DIY Photo Album

I was at Target yesterday, browsing photo albums for all the Snapfish prints I'd just gotten back. I'm very particular about albums, and over the years my preferences have changed 6,000 times. Lately I've been buying these huge 350 photo, 5 to a page, horizontal and vertical photo slot books. My problem is that my photos are not always the same size, because I take them with all means of camera (cell phone, Sony Bloggie, Nikon...), and I also don't like that I can't add in some memorabilia here and there unless it measures 4x6. I used to scrapbook, but I just do not have the time or patience for it anymore. So, while Reese got impatient and kicked around in the red card, I made a decision to grab not a typical photo album, but a 3-ring binder, and various forms of photo book refills. I bought the binder for around $10, and the refill pages for $5 per pack.

Assembling my photos.

The basic supplies: a 3-ring binder, and various refill pages. The best part is that you can always add to it later!

Gift tags, scrapbook stuff and memorabilia can be added right to the binder. Here, I placed a tag with our last name before page 1. I can always go back and add more to each page.

A section of photo sleeves will track my belly photos week by week. I can add to the section depending on the amount of photos, and I don't have to screw up the composition of the album as a whole.

I've added  the front yard sign from Reese's birthday party in sleeves, in the section of photos of the same party.

Sleeved section of party photos. Good for sections where there are a lot of photos. 

Unsleeved section, with some stickers. I will probably go back and give it more of a "scrapbook" effect later. It's nice to be able to add some detail about the day the photos were taken. Regular albums just don't have that appeal.

Here are my grievances about the regular old photo album:

-pictures have to be one size, or risk floating around looking stupid in their sleeve.

-some photos have to be flipped, if you don't have the perfect ratio of horizontal and vertical pictures.

-sometimes the amount of photos you want to include in one book exceed the amount of room in the album.

-sometimes you're ready to move on to a new chapter of your life and would like to start a new album, but you then have to leave a quarter of an album unfilled.

-memorabilia/ "scraps"/ stickers don't always fit in an album with sleeves.

When I bought the binder, I realized I could mix up pages with sleeves and pages without, and also scrapbook pages, and just general papercraft. I can add or eliminate pages without changing the overall composition of the album, and it will be "full" whenever I choose for it to be, without leaving all those sad blank pages at the end.

Maybe not everyone is as OCD about their albums, but for me, this is the perfect solution! Nothing like a fussy toddler to put you into creative overdrive so you can get the eff out of the store!

What do you think? Any great album tips to share?

Lindsey.

Pregnancy Weeks 19-21

Okay. NOW I'm starting to feel it! I remember my second trimester with Reese being the only comfortable one of the three; I had energy galore, the headaches let up, and my belly wasn't yet back-breaking.

This little boy (yes, BOY!) has different ideas from his sister. He's more chillaxed in his uterine home, and hopefully will be on the outside, too. And it took a little longer for him to make his little momma obviously pregnant, unlike Reese who bulged out of me as soon as the test dried. But all of the sudden, although I am in general smaller and weigh less than with Reese, my belly is HUGE and ROUND and HARD. A bowling ball of epic proportions! And oh, the heartburn. And oh, the sore ankles. And oh, the sloooooooow digestive system that renders me simultaneously famished and unable to eat without feeling like a hippo.

Also...truth be told, we were hoping for a boy. You know: one girl, one boy, done. But both of us were a little shocked when we saw that brazen little dingaling on the 3D ultrasound. Reese babbled next to me and yelled, "Bay-bay! Bay-bay!" And I realized I had really subconsciously believed she'd be a sister to a sister. And quite frankly, I'm a little freaked out that there's something with a penis growing inside of me! It makes me giggle, and then I think of him peeing all over me when I change his diaper, and the fact that he'll need to be circumcised. And that I've changed a mere TWO boy diapers in my life, both on ONE occasion. Not to mention I don't like sports. I don't like boy stuff. I don't like boy clothes. Can he be a ballerino? (Something tells me Ben will object.)

I know it will be fine.

But...eeeeeeeek!

My weight: it's been on the incline. Damn it. Between weeks 17 and 21 I gained four-ish pounds. (I say "ish" because my weight on my own scale in the morning sans clothes is different from my weight at 4 in the afternoon at the doctor's office--where I SWEAR the nurses take great pleasure in sliding that tiny metal bar just a liiiiittle to the heavy side--with a dress and a necklace and ten bracelets and earrings and sandals and hairspray.)

My cravings: ICED TEA! Lots of unsweetened Earl Grey and Tazo green tea. I make a big pitcher every day. And that delicious frozen winter squash from Cascadian Farms, over any kind of whole wheat pasta. And kale, lightly sauteed with red pepper flakes. So, nothing crazy and nothing unhealthy. Yet.

My workouts: I have been doing the PUSH phase of Chalene Extreme. That's heavy lifting 3 days a week, but I only go up to ten pounds now that I have an altered center of gravity, and right now ten pounds in each hand feels heavy. The rest of the day, I just lift a 22 pound weight called Reese. I also try to get in varied forms of cardio: long walks, short low-impact (as of this week) HIIT workouts, and some low-weight intervals. I find that even though I aim for 5 good workouts a week, I've been doing 3 days on/3 days off. I just get so tired, and even though I like to push myself, I know overdoing it would NOT be good, since not only am I carrying a child in my body, I'm carrying around a one year old outside my body.

My overall wellbeing: I just want to cry. About everything. Everyone makes me mad. I don't want to hear even their mild comments, and I'm bracing myself for the extraordinarily rude ones to come (i.g., "Looks like someone's been eating a lot of fast food lately!") Let me tell you...I'm not one to hold back, and this time, WATCH OUT. Something about it being my last pregnancy really gives me license to unleash holy terror on all the unassuming morons with their cutesy, disgusting commentary about my stomach or my choice of names or what I eat. With Reese, I feel like I tried way too hard to just be nice.

Other stuff: I don't think this child will have a name. Boy names are hard :/

Lindsey.

Husband & Wife DATE IDEAS

We all, and by we I mean married people, are guilty of it. I mean, I think we all are. Maybe there are some of us who are innately skilled at keeping the romance alive despite years of matrimony, fights about bachelor parties, overworking, dirty diapers, toys all over the bedroom floor (and by toys I mean the Fischer Price variety), lack of time, lack of effort, lack of...makeup.

The rest of us, we struggle to keep our marriages hot.

We find ourselves wondering what happened. We used to have time to plan our outfits and dress sexy and wear perfect lipstick, and go out on amazing dates. Now a stolen block of five minutes feels illicit. We talk about the kids. We wonder what they're doing at the babysitter's. We hurry with our dinner. We complain about work. We drive home in panicked exhaustion that we've stayed up too late.

And on and on...

Well, List Queen that I am, I've been jotting down Date Ideas in hopes that I can use them on my husband. Last week, we left Reese with my mother in law and drove to Ann Arbor for an incredible meal at the brewery and a glass of wine (me) and Manhattan (Ben) at this fancy-pants place called Vinology. For the first time in too long, we connected. We let ourselves have fun, or at least as much fun as we could in my pregnant state. We talked. We held hands. We held hands! Hand-holding has been replaced in my vernacular with baby-holding, so the simple act of holding my husband's felt very sweet. I realized that I miss him. And I think most of us do this: we long for a family, and then we have one; instead of balancing all of our relationships, we throw all of our energy at the kids. Here's my belief: a strong marriage can only, in turn,  be beneficial for your kids. Here's my other belief: making time for JUST the two of you fortifies a strong marriage. You and your husband make time for canoodling and hand-holding and adventuring, and everybody wins.

Without further ado...

100 HUSBAND & WIFE DATE IDEAS

1. Stay at a swanky hotel, even in your area. Enjoy room service, hot tubs, and just being away from home.

2. Visit a winery (or several, but take a taxi!) for a tasting. Purchase a bottle of the one you both love best and save it for an anniversary. 

3. Take a boxing class together. (An excuse to buy some cute pink gloves!)

4. Visit a new city.

5. Try craft beers at a brewery. Most of the time, brew pubs offer excellent artisan food--bonus!

6. Take a restaurant tour: drinks here, dinner there, dessert somewhere else, and a nightcap. Works best in a walkable city.

7. See a baseball, football, basketball, or hockey game. Dress for your teams and take pictures. 

8. Go to a ballet, for an elegant evening out. 

9. Tour an art museum. A lot of them are free and have rotating exhibits.

10. Find a festival or fair and ride the rickety Scrambler together. No funnel cakes beforehand!

11. Amusement park!

12. Drive to the beach or the lake for the day...or even a local pool. 

13. Take a long bike ride.

14. Get in the car and JUST GO.

15. Go to the races. Bet against each other. 

16. Take a trip to the casino. (But spend wisely.)

17. Bust out the Mad Libs.

18. Visit the Humane Society and offer to walk the dogs. If you're looking for a pet, consider adopting one you find and fall in love with at the shelter. 

19. Attend a poetry reading. Bonus for erotic poetry!

20. Go out for late-night coffee. 

21. Meet on your lunch break for a walk in the park or a tryst in the car. Just don't get caught ;)

22. Take a home tour, or walk around your favorite neighborhood. Talk about what your "dream home" should have.

23. Start a home improvement project together. Celebrate when it's done.

24. Take photos in an unexpected environment. See what beauty you both can find when you really notice. 

25. Drive around and listen to a playlist of "your" songs.

26. Redecorate the bedroom--less clutter, more sexy!

27. Go dancing.

28. Rollerblade.

29. Hike the local terrain.

30. Pick out fresh produce at a farmers market or roadside stand, and enjoy it together.

31. Plant a garden. 

32. Rock climb.

33. Throw a dinner party. 

34. Get your favorite photo or work of art custom-framed together and create a showpiece for your home. 

35. Show each other the highlights of your hometowns, however small, if you're from different places. 

36. Pack a picnic, for the beach, park, or backyard. 

37. Lowkey night at home: grill out and hang out around a campfire. 

38. Sidewalk chalk and bubbles. Find your inner kid. 

39. Attend an opening at an art gallery. Support local art together.

40. Go on a mission to find out the history of your house.

41. Sleep in! Eat breakfast in bed and snuggle the morning away.

42. Find a great Groupon for something you wouldn't normally do.

43. The circus.

44. Take turns planning dates. Week one, he picks. Week two, you pick. Get to know each others' interests.

45. Couples photo shoot.

46. Visit a wildlife preserve.

47. Go for a walk around your neighborhood. Hold hands.

48. Catch lightning bugs.

49. Enter a 5k, a 10k, or a marathon. Train together!

50. Visit a haunted house, real or at Halloween.

51. Tailgate at home. Watch the game, make game food, and wear your team colors. 

52. Create a scavenger hunt.

53. People-watch and make up stories. Good places: diners, sidewalk cafes, parks, and laundromats at night.

54. Test drive the car of your dreams.

55. Pool hall. Place bets.

56. Go to a dive bar and play your old favorites on a real juke box.

57. Visit the zoo.

58. Have childlike fun at the science center.

59. Throw a theme party together.

60. Go back to where you first met.

61. Try a new workout at a fitness center. 

62. Get the season DVD of a show neither has seen and spend a rainy day watching it. With popcorn and warm blankets. 

63. Cook together.

64. Build a bonfire and roast marshmallows.

65. Meet somewhere and pretend it's the first time.

66. Splurge on fancy drinks at a cocktail bar. Dress up.

67. Scour the newspaper for local events and try something you wouldn't normally be interested in. 

68. Attend a charity function for something you both believe in, or host your own. 

69. Volunteer together.

70. Try a new church, if you're exploring your religion.

71. Get a couples' massage.

72. See a local band.

73. Go to a concert.

74. Drive-in movie. "Neck" in the car ;)

75. Have an at-home movie marathon.

76. Walk at the park. Play on the playground and be silly together.

77. Get ice cream.

78. Create new cocktails. Become mini-mixologists and build up an impressive bar.

79. Play old-school board games.

80. Carve pumpkins. Hello, competition!

81. Pick apples at an orchard in the fall. 

82. Scour antique shops for amazing vintage finds.

83. Shop someplace you could never afford anything, just for fun.

84. Road trip!

85. Camping.

86. Save up change in a change jar for a special occasion. Post the occasion on the outside of the jar for motivation.

87. Do something that scares you: roller coasters, bungee jumping, scuba diving. 

88. Go fishing.

89. Take a canoe or kayak trip.

90. Create a piece of art together, even if it's just with fingerpaint.

91. Build a sundae bar. Invite some friends over on a hot day for ice cream.

92. Do something so high school, like laser tag or paintball. 

93. Make a dinner date and pick out each others' outfits. Good insight into what the other person loves on you!

94. Go horseback riding, or take a lesson if you've never been.

95. Tour a historical building or town.

96. Watch a thunderstorm from your front porch.

97. Go ice skating, and out for cocoa afterwards. 

98. Build a snowman.

99. Write short letters to each other, or collaborate on a journal entry about your life together, and seal them. Open in 20 or 30 years.

100. Get up early and watch the sunrise together, then watch later as it goes down. Toast to another lucky day together. 

Hope these ideas are interesting for those of you looking to spice things up a little! I'm lucky to have married an incredibly fun, handsome and hardworking man, and I plan to implement these dates into our life together. It's especially important now that we're parents. After all, the kids wouldn't be here if it weren't for our love for each other. I think we should pay homage to that! 

In closing, because I'm feeling cheesy (I am NOT a "romantic") and in love, here are some lovey-dovey photos of my husband and me, in moments when we were feeling crazy about each other. Here's to many more of those!