Stop messing with our food!

I am constantly flabbergasted as to how much food is tampered with before it gets to our grocery trolley and therefore, to our bodies.
An article on TV last night was about Genetically Modified (GM) Soy being a product in babies formula. It doesn't surprise me, however it deeply saddens me that when non breastfeeding women look for a product that they think will be gentler on their babies tummy, they are not made aware that the product they have thought to be better is made with 'messed with' soya beans.

When I walk into my local grocery store and see perfect tomatoes that fit neatly into boxes and can be stored for long periods in a fridge, I can not help that my mind screams NOT NORMAL!

In this fast food society we have created where we need our food to be quick and easy, what are we doing to future generations? Heart disease is on a rise and diabetes is more prevalent as well.
I was speaking to a friend of mine a while ago who works in the medical field as a doctor, she said that when talking to another doctor about the rise of heart disease they mentioned that a large amount of their patients can't understand why they had heart disease when they ate 'healthy' option frozen meals. They tell them it is probably their genetics even though they know that it is probably due to the preservatives and additives in pre-made food.

I do not know all there is to know about this topic, I am still learning.
It is the reason why I have endeavoured to grow as much of our food as I can, and if I can't then I will buy from locally sourced growers. I try to buy the organic option when available and I buy food that doesn't have additives or preservatives. I make our bread and yoghurt and I cook a lot of our food from scratch. It may sound like a lot of work but to be honest, for someone who is generally rather lazy in the kitchen, it has been a fun and rewarding journey. I buy our meat from butchers who source local meat.
Locally sourced options will support the community and local industry, which then means that farmers don't have to grow food that is striped of all goodness yet packed with steroids and GM for the mass production supermarkets require. Way better for the farmer and better for our bodies, it also makes for a profitable region.

I have seen a difference in my children since embarking on this journey, they are more relaxed, their skin is healthier and their eyes are brighter. The other difference is that we don't get sick as often and when we are, it isn't for as long as it would have been before these changes. All major pluses for me!

It's holidays! Woot!

and we woke up to...



Well we were all awoken at 5.30 this morning by a massive clap of thunder that literally made Mr P jump! After he arrived at work I spoke to him and he told me that half the town was under water and he saw a car immersed in a side street (he can be a little dramatic though).

After the normal breakfast routine I was at a bit of a loss as to how I was going to entertain my two busy boys. I decided a bit of paper shredding to do a papier mache project was in order.
I made some glue

Recipe-
3:1 Flour to sugar. I did 1 1/2 cups of flour, 1/2c sugar
slowly add cold water to make a paste and then onto the stove until thickened.
1/2 tablespoon of vinegar and mix well. It will keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks.

It was pretty average as I don't think I did the water slow enough, well I know I didn't because B was helping me and tipped it all in!
B and H had fun ripping the paper and then I covered a bowl in plastic wrap and we began the masterpiece.
B discovered that the glue was particularly tasty and ended up eating more then he pasted and H disappeared to play trucks, so I covered the bowl! Ha


Mmmm, gluey goodness!


I would call that a success! Ha!

H went down for a sleep so I thought B and I could have a bit of a bake!
Choc Chip Cookies!

Ingredients:

2 cups Plain Flour
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Butter
1 egg
1/4 cup Milk
2-3 tbls Vanilla essence
1 cup Choc Chips

Method:

Cream the butter and sugar
Mix in egg, vanilla and flour combine well
mix in milk and choc chips and mix well
put on a tray in small balls and bake at 180 degrees for about 14 mins or until browned. You could turn over at 7 mins if you wish.


Enjoying the beaters



Ready for the oven



Mmmm, finished product!

They were really quite tasty, even with the extra vanilla that B poured in. I do have a bit of a sweet headache now though!

Hooray

I am going to go to craft lessons at the local sewing shop! Can't wait!

Crayon Rocks

I purchased some awesome crayons the other week. They are to promote good pen holding skills. They do look like large jellybeans but I haven't had to do any damage control for either of my boys. I got them from Spiral Garden, such a lovely online store. Always really quick to dispatch and such quality!
Anyway I have to show how fantastic B's grip is



He is pretty good at holding a pen but I was so surprised at how naturally his fingers wrapped around the rocks and so perfect! H is also enjoying using them and he too can hold them with perfect grip, he is nearly 2! Fantastic purchase and well worth the $10 I spent!

Nature and all it's Beauty

Our Beach



From our back gate.

As I walked along the shore today I pondered. So many thoughts, so little clarity. I watched the waves come and go and felt that it is very similar in our life, we do the same thing so often that you then forget to see how wonderful it is to be doing it. There may be times when an obstacle arrives but just as the wave does, you find a way to move it, be it going around, under or over, you find a way to deal with it and move on. Sometimes it keeps coming back in every rotation of the wave, so you have to find another way. It isn't easy and sometimes strength wavers, however another wave may come to strengthen you again.
A bit blabby, sorry, I guess I am saying that even though some things seem hard at the time, they pass, they may reappear but you have it babe, you can do it again. Ask for help sometimes, admit that you haven't got all the bases covered and it is OK if the facade cracks for at the end of the day you are only human.

I have been reading a book on how to teach children with Down Syndrome to read, so many 'that is so true' moments for me. One quote that stood out for me was 'I did the best I could, with who I was, with what I knew at the time!' Forgive yourself for any mistakes that you think you may have made in the past. Forgive others for being less then perfect as well. Put your energy in today and tomorrow. You have another chance!
So often I run ahead of today or tomorrow, I also seep into the black parts of days gone. It isn't healthy at all, I miss so much of the wonder and beauty that today is filled with. I have now got this saying as a constant reminder to bring back the thinking and make it relevant to your current world.
So a note to myself, sometimes life can be messy yet there can be beauty in that too.