PANTRY

Today I organized my pantry. I see so many blogs that have pictures of beautiful pantries with a bunch of matching boxes and labels etc. I used the containers that I already had and just taped on a label, it's not the prettiest but it's free. I also decided to cut the tops of cardboard boxes that I already had and organized all of the crafts. (All of my crafts are on the bottom shelf of the pantry because we are still working on another area for arts and crafts for the kiddos. Post coming soon)

Do Chore Charts Work?

I am trying out the chore chart method this month. As to seeing if this method really works? So far so good but it's only been a couple weeks. The kids seem to be very enthusiastic on putting star stickers on their charts. If you notice on the chart my baby decided to color on it "and make it all beautiful" so that's why there are scribbles. I found the (already in graph form) poster board and stickers at Walmart I only spent like $5 for everything and it was worth it.

Celery and Peanut Butter

I have issues with getting peanut butter on celery sticks. I just get the peanut butter EVERYWHERE! So I decided to make my life easier. I spooned it up in a lunch bag, cut off the corner, and wallah mess free peanut butter on my celery sticks. Not to mention the younger kids love to just eat it from the bag and there is less of a mess.

To Diet or not to Diet

Why should I spend money on a diet system? I have a love hate relationship with all diets, pills, fads, etc.  I have tried a Cookie Diet (yes they do exist), Nutrisystem, Slim-fast, It works body wraps, Weight Watchers, and I am sure there are more that I can't remember. What's the point of a restricted diet? I would lose weight quickly and "look good" for a month. Yay, a month. Then right when I get off a strict diet I gain back the weight just as quickly as I lost it.

With each diet I have been on I felt hungry and cranky which is not a good combination when you are a mother. Is it really that important to lose so quickly and look like those models on a magazine or on the TV? Does it matter that much to my kids that I look like a model? or Do they just want to be cared for and loved no matter the way I look?

Instead of having to lose all of my excess weight within a month and spend hundreds of dollars on another FAD I am going to try to do it on my own and I want to include my family in on this "new" diet. I call it eating healthy by making healthy choices.

Instead of thinking about all of the pessimistic thoughts on taking away all of my favorite chocolate bars, I am going to focus on adding more healthy foods to me and my families diet. Greater things come from small and simple things so for right now I just want to focus on curbing hunger. This is what I have found from researching

Curbing Appetite

-Soups, stews, cooked whole grains, and beans

-Fruits and vegetables

-Lean meats, fish, poultry, eggs

-Whole grains, like popcorn

Strategies for working those hunger-fighting foods in your diet:

-Add shredded or chopped vegetables to pasta and egg dishes, main-dish salads, and other mixed dishes, and use them to top pizzas.

-Eat whole fruits instead of fruit juices or dried fruits.

-Use a blender to whip air into fruit drinks, smoothies, or sauces.

-Choose whole-grain puffed cereals, popcorn, breads, cereals, and pasta.

-Enjoy vegetable salads or broth-based soups before meals.

-Top entree salads with lean meats, poultry, eggs, tofu, beans, nuts, or fish.

-Add fruit to salads or enjoy as dessert.

-Add beans to stews, soups, egg dishes, and casseroles.

-Have lean protein or low-fat dairy at all meals and snacks.