Hi there.  I am a mom.  And as simple a statement as that is, those in the know immediately feel my joy and pain, excitement and anguish.  I need help and I hope this can be an outlet for all the other mom's out there who are looking for information and a friendly shoulder. 

I have 4 children.  Two are grown, one is in college in perpetuity and one married with a baby son.  And I have 5 year old twins.  When I was raising the older two, they slept on their tummy's just fine.  They ate mashed carrots from my plate at 6 months just fine (shhh... don't tell anyone but  I was known to actually serve them straight from my fork!!  My super sharp fork!).  They took lunch items in sandwich baggies (please... don't gasp, I feel guilty enough) and if I splurged, I would buy the baggies with the ziploc.  Oh and I shudder when I remember the Little Debbies I sent with them and the blue Kool Aide - though their dad was the Kool Aide fiend... I was a juice box mom, I swear! (yes... packaging, I can't win!)

But all things change.  You already know the habits that I mentioned above that I did not repeat with the second two kids.  Back to sleep... yeah....   Now it's organic carrots and homemade cloth napkins.  And nope, I don't pack any baggies.  A waste free lunch, that's what I am talking about.  yeah...  And the baking, I just love the baking... but I have more on that later, much more.

In my efforts to be green, eat green, wear green and live all things green, I am often left feeling it would be easier to push a boulder up a mountain.  At least I would know how.  Oh and just when I am trying so hard here comes the resistance... you know those family members, or should I say those nay sayers dressed as family members, who complain at inconvenience or roll their eyes and purse their lips at our new lifestyle.  Why does trying to live a green lifestyle conjure up images of a happy smiley family, all shiny and aglow, when really it has made me a hater?  Not a real hater... I don't hate everything or everyone, per se.  Maybe just a little bit though, ok a little bit.  I get a tad angry when I read someone write that it's so easy... just make the decision and do it.  Give up your SUV!  Sell it!!  The little voice in my head says, ok so you aren't driving it but someone else is right?  And what are you going to drive now?  Wish I could afford to both take a loss on the sale of our SUV and still afford to buy a hybrid.  Is this out of reach for other Americans too?  Or is it just me?

And this isn't the only area that I can't wait to hear your successes and failures and opinions about, we have a child who suffers from severe food allergies and who has asthma.  Our list of forbidden foods includes beef, fish, soy, dairy, egg whites, wheat, and peanuts.  Think about that.  Beef, fish, soy, dairy, egg whites, wheat and peanuts.  And yet I manage some pretty good cupcakes, and some mediocre cakes and slightly less than mediocre breads.  It stinks.  Our family decided that as a family, en banc, we would unify in this diet.  We love our daughter so much and couldn't bear the thought of her eating a plain chicken breast while we dined on something more delicious.  And it has had the unexpected surprise of fostering a creativity in the kitchen that I didn't otherwise have.  I was always a good cook, but I made the traditional fare and was heavily influenced by all the fun places I have lived.  New Orleans was very good to my family in terms of delicious recipes.  Yummm!    I have adapted many and the internet has been a terrific resource.  So meals are getting better.  I hope we can share some recipes here! 

Additionally, we have cut corn syrup from our diets, you have to read this.  And we have eliminated food dyes and preservatives, you have to read this and this. 

So my goal is to share with you all of MY successes and failures and opinions on trying to live the healthiest and happiest lifestyle that my family can.  I hope you will share advice, critique and funny moments too.  Well I am trying yet another bread recipe.

Namaste