Ten Quirky Things About Me and Soggy Food

You know, I've gone through my whole life with all these little quirks and they never seemed like much of a big deal until I listed them all out here.  So, thanks Amanda, for making me realize I may be a little neurotic about my food...


Just for fun, dear readers, here are ten examples of just how much I despise soggy food:

1. I can't handle mayo or dressing or anything WET on my sandwiches.  I also don't put ketchup ON the bun of a burger; I dip.
2. I don't even eat syrup on my pancakes, waffles, or French toast.
3. I use two tablespoons or less milk on my cereal.  Seriously, every bite needs to retain crunch.
4. I don't like sour cream to touch a taco shell... it makes it soft.
5. You won't find me dunking cookies in milk.
6. When people talk about pouring milk or cream over baked oatmeal, it makes me wonder why they're ruining a good thing.
7. I hate the part of the pie crust that's under the fruit.
8. If I have an ice cream cone, it has to be a sugar cone because those wafer things get mushy!
9. I dislike soggy bread so much, I tuck my pickle slices between the meat and cheese so the juice won't hit the bread.
10. I don't "sop things up."  This would go against my nature, clearly.

So there you go.  Rest assured, I'm actually an easy one to feed.  I like a wide array of flavors and spices and I have no dietary restrictions.  Just don't give me the stink-eye when you see how I handle my condiments.

C'mon, now... make me feel better.  What food quirks do you have?  Tell me all about it!

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Linked to Top Ten {Tuesday}

To The Dog Owners

Some background info first:

• I do not own a dog.
• I do not hate dogs.
• I am not afraid of dogs.

Now that we've established that, here are ten things I'd love to say to many dog owners around me:

1. Your dog is cuter to you than he is to me.
2. Brushing off "jumping" as "playfulness" does not make it better for me.
3. Ditto for "sniffing" as "curiosity".
4. I would never, in a million years, consider leaving a dirty diaper in your home or yard. Please clean up after your best friend.
5. I'd like to go to the ball fields to watch baseball, not navigate a mine field of droppings.
6. While I'm not saying all pit bulls are bad dogs, I'd prefer we not test the theory with my small children.
7. On that topic, yelling "Pick up your son!!!" at me as your pit bull "puppy" charges my driveway will not endear him to me.
8. Um... I don't actually want to pet your dog, thanks.
9. It skeeves me out when you let your dog lick your mouth. Just sayin'. (And don't give me that jazz about dog mouths being cleaner than human mouths and blah, blah, blah. Quite frankly, I don't want to watch your husband lick your mouth either.)
10. I really DO love your pooch... over there.
    

How about you? What would like to say to the dog owners (or cat owners, if you'd like!) around you?

Linked to:
Top Ten {Tuesday}

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April Fools' Day

I hate being made to look like a fool...

Does anyone really like it? Or are some of you just better sports than I am and you don't mind giving the obligatory har-dee-har-har chuckle?

Yes, yes, some of those silly food pranks you can pull on your kids look clever and fun. Beyond that? I really don't like it.

I think some of it comes from the fact that I can be trusting and gullible at times and then I feel deceived. I can get caught up or genuinely worried and then people pull the rug out and-- ha, ha, ha-- wasn't that hysterical? You TOTALLY fell for it, JessieLeigh!

Well, yes, yes I did. And this emotional roller coaster is not one bit fun.

So... I guess what I'm getting at is this.

Please, I beg of you, please, for the love, know your audience. Is it good-natured fun that all will enjoy? Are you both pranksters who enjoy one-upping each other? Go to it.

But, much like Halloween, could we just leave trusting ol' JessieLeigh out of it?

Much appreciated.

Misleading Labels: Corn Syrup in Disguise

Um, I hope you can read backwards. ;) Long, long story, but the only camera I can use right now is the one built into my laptop... and it results in a mirror image. I'll help clarify things, though...

Here's the thing. I've told you all before that I'm unwilling to get completely bent out of shape over the whole HFCS thing. This remains true. And, to be fair, I expected to find sugar and/or high fructose corn syrup in "Sweetened Lime Juice."

But, I don't know, I think this is misleading:

(That says "Contains 100% Juice", in case it's hard to make out.)

The full ingredients follow:

(Darn near impossible to read, I know. Here you go: Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Concentrated Lime Juice, Sodium Metabisulfite, Blue 1)

Listen. I totally realize that it is MY job as a consumer to read labels. And I understand that perhaps "Contains 100% Juice" isn't really a lie, since there IS juice in there.

But I still say it's misleading to print "Contains 100% Juice" in the largest font, right at the top. I'm guessing there is a fair number of people out there who might assume this bottle contains just, well, lime juice.

What do you think? Irresponsible labeling? Buyer beware? Let's chat about it in the comments.

Kids and Guns

"I'm at C's house," one little boy pretends to talk on a walky-talky to another, "should I shoot C. or her house?"

"Shoot!" comes the reply.

"C. or the house?" he asks again, then fires an imaginary rifle.

C. is my daughter. She is five and still so small she needs to sit in a car seat, even on the school bus. She doesn't hear. I don't think.

I know they're just pretending. I do not fear for my daughter's, or my home's, safety.

STILL.

I don't think I'm hyper-sensitive about these things. I don't worry about water guns or that Wii game where they shoot the cans. I even confess that it makes me giggle that our one year old is an amazing shot with the Nerf gun.

But I will not permit my children to pretend to shoot and kill each other. And it made me upset to hear this little boy suggest such a thing.

I admit it- I told the bus driver and got him in trouble.

What are your thoughts? Where do you stand on letting kids play with guns or pretend to shoot? Am I too uptight? Too permissive? Where do you fall on the spectrum?

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Lent '11: Letting Go of Judgment, Challenge 1

I am so delighted to be taking on this challenge for Lent. I am even more thrilled to have some of you coming along on the journey with me. My hope is that our minds and hearts might be opened a bit and, in turn, that we may be freed from some of our judgmental thoughts.

Are you ready? I promised you challenges that would not take a lot of time and that would fit with any mindset. So here we go. Our very first step on the path...

Challenge 1: Ask a woman with differing or opposing views how she made her choice. This is not an opportunity to debate. For this challenge, you are just listening.

The idea here is to hear someone out. The goal is NOT to have your mind changed or even challenged. You are certainly not expected to believe everything she says is truth or right for your family. However, allowing someone to share the "why" of her decision may help open your heart to the idea that she, too, has her reasons.

You can ask someone in real life. You can call someone on the phone. You can pick her brain on Twitter. You can send out an email. Their answer can be as long or as short as works for you both.

It can be any issue, from "Why do refuse to eat soy?" to "How did you decide to sleep train?" to "When did you decide to only wear skirts?" to "What inspired you to boycott Amazon?", etc.

Give it a try. And come back here next Wednesday so we can talk about it and get a new challenge, okay?

Button design by the spectacular Sidnie

Lent '11: Letting Go of Judgment, An Intoduction

Letting go of judgment doesn't mean no longer having an opinion. It also doesn't necessarily mean you have to change your mind about any of your views and convictions. It isn't being spineless.

Letting go of judgment is a commitment to open your heart and mind and to consider the best in people. Embrace differences. Acknowledge that there may be more than one "right" way to do things or prioritize. Letting go of judgment can be hard.

But would you like to try to make some progress with me? Would you join me throughout this Lenten season and take on some challenges? They are not time consuming and each can be made to fit your own views and lifestyle.

Would you?

For many people, Lent is a time to "give something up"... sweets, red meat, TV, etc. There's not a thing wrong with that tradition. The idea of making a sacrifice that will keep your mind on Christ's ultimate sacrifice for us is a good one. But, this year, I decided that I believe God would rather see me give up some negative thoughts about my brothers and sisters than chocolate...

Giving up a judgmental attitude has the potential to create far more good than merely laying off the brownies.

Two weeks ago, I opened my heart to you all and shared both where I stand and how I feel. Your response was amazing and I was so encouraged to work hard to grow.

Won't you join me?

Every Wednesday, starting on March 9th (Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent), I will be issuing a challenge. If you decide to participate (and, oh, it would make my heart sing to not do this alone!), I'll post a link up the next week. If you have posted about your experience, please share your link there. Or, if you prefer, tell us about it in the comments.

Just think how beautiful it will be to put LOVE before JUDGMENT.

I am so very grateful to have you all to share this with. Thank you.

Button design by the spectacular Sidnie

Confessions of a Recovering Judgmental Mommy

I've reread this post dozens of times now.

I stand by it. It's all true. And I think most of you took it just as I meant it... as a list of some issues, which side of the fence I'm on, and an acknowledgment that it's okay if you do things differently.

But there's a nagging voice in my head. A voice that keeps suggesting that piece could come across as preachy, holier–than–thou, and Pollyanna–ish. I've read posts like that before. The ones where people talk about taking the high road and wind up making others feel lousy?

Please know that that was not–and is not–my intent.

It was important for me to write that all out as a reminder to myself. You see...

I'm trying desperately to recover from being so judgmental.

I judge. I do. All the time. I hear another mom talk about giving her son pop–tarts every day for breakfast and I inwardly roll my eyes and think, "Seriously? Is that the best you can do?" I hear couples giggling together about how their children know all the key players on C.S.I. and I cringe. A dear friend describes how they got their daughter to be such a good sleeper; it involves hours of crying and it makes me want to cry.

I judge.

But I'm working on it. And I truly am getting better.

I still have my opinions, of course, and that means I do believe what I am doing is "right" or at the very least "a good choice." But–and here has been my epiphany– I realized something...

Other mothers have opinions too. Other mothers think they're making the better choices. Other mothers have looked at the same data and come to different conclusions.

We can each only do our own best.

And so, when I find myself feeling critical of a choice someone else is making for her family, I try to remember that she's doing her best. She's picking her battles. She may have different priorities than me. Her choosing something else does not make me wrong... and vice versa.

My name is JessieLeigh... and I'm a recovering judgmental mommy. I have a ways to go.

(Oh, and by the way? I promise to move away from this topic now and on to something less intense... you know, like what we're eating next week or something. ;))

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Part 2: Debate vs. Judgment

I've already told you all that I love you just the way you are... including any choices you make that strike me as odd or quirky. My friend Amy raised a great point in the comments. In a nutshell, she asks...

What about debate? Isn't it a GOOD thing for us to discuss these issues? To hash them out? Isn't that how we learn and either change or reaffirm our own stances?

The short answer?

Yes. It's a good thing.

But here's what I've noticed...

Too much of the time? It's not debate. It's a subtle form of female attack that we women love to use to try to undermine the other person. It looks something like this:

Woman #1 sends out a quick tweet: "Help! Looking for something easy to toss together for supper! Links?"

Woman #2, trying to help, replies: "How about this? My whole fam loves it!" with a link to her mother-in-law's famous macaroni and cheese recipe... the one made with Velveeta.

Woman #1 checks it out and writes back: "I'm sure it's tasty! But I won't serve my kids fake cheese. :) :) :)"

Snarkity snark snark snark. Oh, those little emoticons just add to the snark.

This isn't debate. Debate requires two willing, fully-aware participants in my opinion. Had Woman #2 said, "How about this one since it uses Velveeta which is, you know, the most healthy cheese", then, fine. Feel free to debate and discuss. But this isn't what I see happening. I see a whole lot of women who seem to be looking for things to jump on.

I recently read a post about finding good prices on milk. Lots of helpful advice there... until someone had to hijack the comments with something like this:

"Why are you drinking milk? It's not for humans... it's for baby cows. It's not right." Blah blah blah.

Judgment. Superiority complexes. Sometimes outright nastiness.

Look, I think it's great if you have strong opinions. I hope you do! And I'm confident enough in my own choices that, if you catch me on a day when I have the time and energy, I will happily debate with you...

But if I happen to post a pic of my children enjoying a joyful Kool-Aid toast, I'd kindly ask that you refrain from using it as a platform for your campaign against corn syrup. That's all I'm saying.

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I Vaccinate, Cuddle, and Drink Diet Coke... and So?

I am raising my children alongside me in the Catholic faith. (But I do not believe your Protestant soul is destined for hell.)

I serve my children 1% milk and I truly believe it is good for them. (But I do not think you're stupid or wrong to choose whole, raw milk.)

I choose to avoid all soda and gum for my children, even on "special occasions." (But I don't take issue if you give your preschooler some root beer.)

I firmly believe I am doing the right thing for my children and my community by vaccinating them. (But I also believe you've done your research and have your reasons if you choose not to.)

The thought of "sleep-training" makes me feel a little ill, to be honest. (But I'm not going to debate with you if you've found it works for your family.)

I think routines and early bedtimes are best for small children. (But I won't judge you if that's not how you do things.)

I like Diet Coke and will continue to enjoy it now and again. (But I do hear you when you tell me why it's not so good for me.)

I am completely proud to be a stay-at-home mom and I do it because I think it is fantastic for my children and husband too. (But it is not my belief that "staying home" should be the measuring stick by which we gauge a good wife or mother.)

I am as likely to make my own from scratch macaroni and cheese as I am to serve up the stuff that comes in a blue box...

Because both get the job done adequately and neither is an indication that I am better, smarter, or "right."

How about you? How do you feel about those issues? Have you ever felt put-down because of how you do things? (Just so you know... I love you just the way you are. )

**Here's a little more: My thoughts on the difference between healthy debate and judgement.

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Linked to WFMW because, after all, aren't we all trying our best to find what works?

Disney's Desperate Housewives

My sister-in-law emailed this to me.

It's funny. It really is.

It's also a sad commentary on wives, in my opinion...

Because, while this tongue in cheek cartoon pokes fun at the plights of the princesses, it's also a pretty accurate reflection of conversations happening among women all over the country right now.

Griping. Whining. Fussing. Complaining.

• "Our car isn't nice enough..."
• "My husband wants sex ALL THE TIME..."
• "No way will I put out the effort for that..."
• "He actually wants me to look sexy for him!"
• "I'm expected to take care of these little ones all by myself all day long..."

All followed by huge, exasperated sighs.

Listen. I'm not saying it's a bad thing to vent occasionally. Or to have good friends with whom you can compare sagas. But don't we owe our husbands a bit more respect than that? And, really, if you actually think about it, are any of those things really so bad or so much to ask?

I, for one, would like to work really hard on changing both what rolls through my head and what comes out of my mouth to sound more like:

• "We are so blessed to have two vehicles..."
• "I'm so lucky my husband wants to be with ME all the time!"
• "The man I married deserves my time and energy."
• "Isn't it amazing that he finds my post-baby bod sexy?"
• "I am so grateful we're on the same page about me staying home with the children."

I am not even close to perfect. I roll my eyes sometimes. I stomp and fuss and feel put out.

But I really want to work on it. I don't want to read a cartoon like that and think, "Amen, Sister!" Rather, I want to think about MY prince and what he sees in me and hears from me. I am in no way desperate and I want that to come across loud and clear.

Now excuse me while I go don some fishnets. ;)

I Bet You Didn't Even Know This Was Wrong With You

Here's where I tell you that I don't watch TV during the day.

(Whoops- not true. I sometimes watch football on Sundays with my hubby. Anywho...)

Yesterday, I had a bunch of laundry to fold while my bigs were at school. The baby was napping and I wanted some background noise. I clicked the tube on and just left it on whatever network channel it had been on from the night before. And The Doctors was on.

Are you familiar with this show? I've not really watched it, but the gist seems to be that there are four doctors of different specialties up there in a panel formation talking about various issues and innovations. Okay. Good enough. Whatever.

So they have this special guest urologist on there and she starts talking about how women really need to- I kid you not- stand and squat over a mirror to get a good look at what's going on, *ahem*, DOWN THERE. Alright. Perhaps there's a good reason for this...

Now, lest you think that we're to do this to check for any symptoms of illness or problems that could affect our health, allow me to (delicately) explain the why of all this.

She went on to explain that after having given birth- or in "later years" (<-- read- past the age of 25) we ladies are no longer as attractive there. You don't need the graphic details that I heard outlined as I matched socks but it all had to with fat distribution and all sorts of nonsense.

Apparently there are procedures to "fix" us. To rejuvenate us back to that "early 20's" state. The segment concluded by encouraging- insisting really- that women should absolutely scrutinize themselves because, really, you could feel so, so, so much better about yourself after one (or more!) or these procedures.

REALLY???

Is this really what we need to be doing to women???

I don't know about you, but I have enough insecurities without a team of "experts" going on air to tell me just one more part of myself that's not good enough. I have enough commercials telling me my grey hairs, wrinkles, or stretch marks are unbearable flaws. And now this? The "specialist" says that you might not be able to see the "problem" when sitting or laying down, so it's essential that you assume this squat-y pose to really assess yourself. You know, in case you thought you were A-OK as is.

Listen.

I'm all about doing any self-checks recommended to help keep us healthy. Checking your breasts? Good plan. Scanning your skin for changes in moles? Smart move.

Looking for problems? Seeking out something to worry about? Stressing over something that IS NOT WRONG WITH YOU?

Pointless.

I don't care what a bunch of Doctors try to tell you.

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Because Santa Likes Him Better...

If you and your family don't "do Santa", feel free to pass this post right on by. But, if you do, please take a second and just think about something along with me for a minute...

If Santa will be visiting your home this year, consider letting the big guy be in charge of leaving one desired (but fairly modest) gift or a couple very small things.

Here's why:

Some people have simple Christmases, some have extravagant ones. Some people can afford lots of things, some can afford next to nothing. And some lessons are hard.

While children can understand and accept that some families have more money or choose to spend their funds on certain things, it is more difficult to understand why Santa might bring one child a Wii and ten games and another a coloring book. Don't get me wrong- I believe the coloring book is as good (or better) a gift. But kids aren't stupid. They DO know the difference. And, while it's never too early to teach our children the true meaning of Christmas, it helps if he doesn't have to wonder why "Santa likes that kid better..."

If we're going to "do Santa", it should be a joyous, fun, magical, FAIR part of the holiday. If you want your child to have a fancy new phone, great, but why don't YOU give it to her? Let the cute new scarf be from Santa and the big ticket item be from Mom and Dad...

It's just something I've been thinking about.

Competitive Motherhood

It is so easy to get caught up in it... so easy to think, "my house isn't as clean as hers...", "my food isn't as 'real' as hers is...", "my kids don't do cute crafts like hers do", "my house isn't all decorated for the season like hers is...", "I don't rub my hubby's feet every night like she does..."

I do it.

Do you?

Overall, I think I do a pretty good job in my role as wife and mother. Quite honestly, I know I certainly give off that impression. I know there are mommies around me who are saying, "my kids doesn't eat as well as hers do...", "I don't bake from scratch like she does....", etc, etc.

*Sigh.*

Do they know how much I hate to mop my floors? That dust bunnies linger under my couches? That (too often) I'm tired and short-tempered when my beloved husband gets home from work? That I love Diet Coke and I have no interest in eliminating white flour, rice, or sugar from our diets? Do you know those things about me?

And it gets worse. Not only is there a competition for "wife and mother of the year", there is also a competition for "who has it roughest".

This can be true among preemie moms:

"Oh yeah? Your baby's horribly near-sighted? Mine's blind."

"Oh yeah? Your baby was born at 26 weeks? Mine was born at 24. And I had twins."

"Oh yeah? Your baby had a grade 3 brain bleed? Mine had a grade 4..."

It's insane. But it's very real.

And it's not just preemie moms...

"Oh, your husband's away on business? Mine was just deployed and will be gone for months..."

"Oh, your mother-in-law was in a car accident? I lost both my parents to cancer."

"Your husband lost his job and money is tight? Mine has been unemployed for six months and we lost our house..."

I try not get caught up in these things. Not to compete.

Not anymore.

From now on, I WILL compete. Each and every day.

With myself.

My questions for myself will change...

Instead of, "Is my house as clean as hers?", I will ask, "Is my house cleaner than it was yesterday?"

Instead of, "Is our diet as healthy as theirs?", I will ask, "Are we eating better than we did last year?"

Instead of, "Am I serving my husband as well as she is?", I will ask, "Am I pleasing MY husband? Am I doing my best for HIM?"

I am going to embrace competitive motherhood and wifehood.

But my only competition? The ME of yesterday. I am the only measuring stick that matters.

Linked to WFMW.

What Blogging Has Taught Me About "How to Eat"

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The Good:

• I've discovered tons of excellent new recipes to enjoy with my family.
• I've been exposed to new ideas, like freezing milk or making my own "cream of..." soups.
• I've been given new information to consider, like whether HFCS is responsible for any number of ailments.
• I've had the opportunity to challenge and reconsider my own ideas, like "which is REALLY better for me- skim milk or raw milk?" (FYI- I have yet to try raw milk. I'm not exactly opposed to the idea, but I also have a hard time believing I'll like it. I actually LIKE the fact that skim milk tastes kind of like water... I guess I'm not a huge "milk fan".)
• Most of all, I've been able to learn so very much.

The Bad:

• It is a confusing minefield out there... for every person who advises you to eat plenty of whole wheat, there is another telling you that gluten is ruining your life.
• There is a fine line between opinion and fact. It is the job of the READER to always remember that while perusing blogs.
• You can feel you're doing something great (like baking with butter), then read an article that berates you for not using coconut oil.
• Food has become like politics in many ways... people are passionate about their stance and, while that can be a good thing, it can also lead to argumentative, critical writing and comments.

The Ugly:

It is so easy to feel like a total failure. On the screen, others can seem to "have it all together". I can't tell you how many times I've felt that I couldn't reveal my love of a diet soda here and there for fear of attack. And that is SAD. Deep down, I really believe I do a good job of eating a healthy, balanced diet. Deep down, I'm not worried about the diet soda I drink, the fruit snacks my daughter occasionally munches on, or the Doritos my husband loves. But here I am... tiptoeing around the blogosphere because, heaven forbid, someone learns I like Diet Coke. Because, you know, the only thing more poisonous to my system than HFCS is aspartame and I am surely headed down a path of all sorts of terrible conditions because of this choice. REALLY???? Who needs this kind of pressure?

I am tired. Tired of reading post after post about "real food" followed by a recipe containing Cool Whip or Velveeta. Tired of hearing about how people who give their children skim or 1% milk are doing them such a disservice, followed by a Tweet about going out for root beer floats. I am tired of hearing that corn syrup is the devil from someone who uses flavored creamer every single morning. I am tired of juggling the concept of "milk is only for baby cows" vs. "God gave us cows to provide us with whole, raw milk" vs. "we, as a nation, are FAT and should cut out excess fat where we can".

I think most of us are doing the best we can. Most of us DO care, deeply, about the health of our families and feeling endlessly criticized (even in our minds) isn't helpful.

Maybe I'm too impressionable. Maybe I just think about all this too much. Maybe I'm the only one who feels this way...

But I'm going to grab a diet soda and back away for a little while. I'm going to keep trusting my gut and my doctors and pat myself on the back for having a family with five healthy individuals-- healthy weights, healthy blood pressures, good cholesterol levels.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say, while many blogs seem to tell me otherwise...

I must be doing something right.

All Grocery Budgets Are Not Created Equal

This is something I've been thinking about for awhile now... and a recent Twitter conversation really got my wheels turning.

All grocery budgets are not created equal.

Do you read those blogs? The ones that post their weekly budgets every week and then list the deals they scored? Me too. I find them so inspirational! I'm fascinated by the different ways we all choose to feed our families and save a buck or two. I've posted my grocery budget once or twice on here too, though it's certainly not a weekly feature.

Sometimes, seeing these super low "grocery budgets" can be encouraging. And sometimes it's just the opposite. It can be frustrating to see someone else feeding the same number of people for 10 or 15 or 20 dollars less a week than you. But here are a few things to think about...

• Does their budget include going out to eat?
• Does their budget include household items?
• Do they use SwagBucks to pick up items that supplement their groceries?
• Do they have access to more/better coupons than the "average" consumer?
• Do they have family members/friends who provide them with fresh eggs/milk/meat?
• Do they garden extensively or have fruit trees on their property?
• Do they have food allergies/sensitivities to work around?
• Do they have to follow a specific diet due to religious convictions?
• Do they stick to only organic or raw foods?

I'm not saying that doing or not doing any one of these things is "cheating". Certainly not. But will it affect a budget? Absolutely! We each come at this whole "food budget" thing from a different place.

For me, it's not just a "grocery budget"... it's a food budget. That means if we decide to go out to eat- a very rare event- I need to find the money within the food budget. I manage to snag most (but not all) of our "household" items (diapers, cleaning products, etc) within that same food budget. I garden, but it's on a fairly small scale. I think I've only managed to earn one $5 Amazon gift card from SwagBucks so far. ;) I buy all my meat, eggs, and milk... none for any great discounts. I would say I get my fair share of "better-than-average" coupons by being a member of VocalPoint, BzzzAgent, and, well, being a blogger. We have no real restrictions, though we try to use as much "real" food as possible. That's my story.

Do I think we should all put a disclaimer on our published budget? Nah. I don't think that's necessary, nor would it be much fun.

What I DO think is that we all need to keep these things in mind as we peruse others' budgets... should I feel bad about myself because I can't feed my family of five for $35/week? Nope.

And neither should you.

This post is linked to Frugal Friday.

Being Stewards of What We've Been Given

We stood behind her in line. I clutched twenty-two dollars in cash in my hand to pay for the rice, pasta, veggies, milk, and cheese in the cart. Realizing I had forgotten to pick up chicken, I sent my husband to the back of the store advising him, "Find a package that's less than three dollars. That's all we have." So he did.

The woman before me shoved her three boxes of Eggos and 2-liter bottle of Pepsi further up the belt with long, acrylic-nailed hands. She put down a plastic order divider and tossed a pack of skinny little cigars behind it. I waited.

The clerk rang up the first portion of her order- the frozen waffles and soda- and she paid with food stamps. She paid for the cigars from a wad of cash.

Fast-forward five years.

I lived in a new state. I stood, very pregnant, in an express line with my 3- and 4-year olds early one morning. I'd needed whole wheat flour and kosher salt. I had a five dollar bill and a whole mess of change. I remember it so clearly.

The man in front of me was buying two king-size Butterfinger bars and a 20 oz Mountain Dew. "Breakfast," he mumbled to the cashier. He, too, paid with food stamps.

* * * * * * * * * *

I want to be very clear when I say that I'm not writing this to say I think that food stamps are wrong. I am also not insinuating that all people receiving assistance in the way of food stamps are making such poor decisions.

Still.

I feel like if the government is going to give out money to ensure that people are getting properly nourished then, well, there should be a way of making sure that money is going toward good, nourishing food. I also think that, while I don't think less of someone for needing some help, I also do not think it is too much to ask someone receiving assistance to do a little work and forego a bit of convenience.

I believe food stamps (which I know have been transformed into some kind of card, the initials for which elude me at the moment) need to be more like WIC. The WIC office issues checks for specific items. Yes, the bearer has some choices but, for the most part, there is no getting around getting wholesome food-- milk, cheese, dried beans, peanut butter, fresh fruits and vegetables, etc. Is it a perfect system? No. (In case you were unaware... there is no perfect system.) But I think it goes a long way in eliminating some truly poor decisions.

It is my duty to be a good steward of the blessings I've been given... to make good and healthy choices with the money I am allotted each month. Is it too much to expect others to do the same? Is it petty of me to find it a trifle unfair that I need to make sure I am oh-so-careful about the choices I make while others (who are relying on someone else to supplement their diets) lean heavily on processed convenience?

It's just something I've been thinking about. And something I've wondered if any of you thought about...

Letting Corn Syrup Have Its Place

This whole "corn syrup debate" has gotten to be too much for me.

I've pondered. I've considered. I've wavered. And here's what I've realized...

I am neither ready to sign on to the whole "corn syrup is the devil" movement or to agree with the "it's natural, it's fine, it's no problem" campaign.

Here are my thoughts on corn syrup...

It's not good for you. This much is obvious to me. It's not good for you because it has no nutritional value. But neither does refined white sugar... and I don't mind saying that I'm not personally ready to give that up.

It's trendy to boycott "HFCS". I'm not trying to insult any of you who are truly adopting all natural, healthy diets-- I'm not talking about you. I'm talking about all the hoards of people who consume all manner of processed, unnatural, unhealthy foods but who have decided that high fructose corn syrup is the root of all evil.

Sometimes science is wrong. I do not in any way expect to find out that corn syrup holds some unknown health benefits... but I would not be surprised to learn in the future that it ends up being healthier than some alternative. It was not all that long ago that people slapped a nasty label on eggs and warned against eating them... or that "experts" told us margarine was so much better for us than butter.

Corn syrup is in too many foods. And this is what it comes down to for me... I have decided that I am just not ready to get all bent out of shape over the corn syrup in the marshmallows on my children's s'mores. Or in my husband's glass of Coke. Or in the homemade candy my mother makes. Quite honestly, corn syrup makes sense in those things. Doesn't make it good for us, but it's not unexpected to find it in super-sweet candy-type things. That works fine for me. We limit consumption of those things anyhow.

But corn syrup in my salad dressing? In my taco seasoning pouch? In a marinade? These things make no sense to me. These things irritate me. THIS is why I believe HFCS has become a problem in our diets... because it shows up in "non-sweet" foods. I'm making a conscious effort to try to avoid having my family consume excessive corn syrup in "hidden" places.

Corn syrup in a popsicle? Ok. Fine. That actually works for me. Corn syrup in a tortilla? Not so much.

This post is linked to Works For Me Wednesday.

You're Making It Hard For Me To Defend You...

Dear Formula Feeding Mommies,

Awhile back, I wrote my post on why I feel bad for so many formula feeding mommies. I still do. This post isn't about most of you, but, still, it needs to be said...

There are some among you who are giving formula feeders a VERY BAD IMAGE.

Since hitting publish on that post, here are just a few of the remarks I've heard while out and about...

"I tell all my friends, you need to get that baby on the bottle so you know how much he's eaten and then you can just let him cry it out- if you breastfeed, you'll never sleep."

"Yeah, well, you can't shove cereal in a boob and get that baby nice and full before bed!"

"Oh, you're doing the nursing thing?" (Said to a new mommy- not me- fyi...) "I know they say that's best, but it's not all that it's cracked up to be... you'll see."

"You know what I did, right? I just stuck him in his car seat and propped the bottle on a receiving blanket... I think I only had to hold him to feed him maybe, twice, in his whole life!"


Ugh.

These, these, are the women giving bottle feeders a bad name. These are the mommies who make me mad... not because they give their babies formula, but because of their attitude toward motherhood.

I cringed at every last one of these remarks.

I said nothing. (Well, I did offer a few words of encouragement to the new mommy who was nursing, but other than that, I said nothing.)

I said nothing because I didn't want these women to think I was being critical because I nurse my daughter. That I somehow feel superior because of that fact. I admit it, I did feel critical, but not because I nurse. The battle-lines were drawn in the sand long ago, however, and if I spoke up, I know that's how it would be construed...

So, do me a favor, will you? Would some of you awesome formula feeding mamas please speak up when you hear this nonsense? Please? I know most of you are doing a rockin' job taking good, loving care of your babes... help me talk some sense into these ladies.

Thanks,
JessieLeigh

When Does Motherhood Begin?

Mother's Day is just a few short days away and that got me thinking...

This will be my sixth Mother's Day as a mommy myself.

Unless, of course, you count the Mother's Day of 2004 when I was already pregnant with my first child...

Or do I count back to when that mother's heart first started its tender beat inside my chest as we hoped and prayed and tried for a child starting well before the Mother's Day of 2003?

What about all those women still on their journey of hope as they await that first child?

Or the women who've tragically lost sweet babies to miscarriage?

How about those mothers whose future children do not even know them yet as they wait somewhere in other countries, not even realizing how deeply a mother yearns for them here?

Was it that final push at 8:05 in the morning that made me a mother or something more...?

Happy Mother's Day to all of you women...

...those of you whose children are grown and on their own.

...those of you whose 'tweens and teens are starting to get taller than you.

...those of you chasing toddlers and preschoolers.

...those of you snuggling your newborns and infants.

...those of you relishing those two pink lines and those flutters and kicks.

...those of you praying for healing after a loss or losses.

...those of you hoping to someday, some way, welcome a child into your home and your heart.

From this mother's heart to yours...

Have a happy, blessed Mother's Day.