Artificial Colors

photo credit: http://slowrobot.com/i/43686


For the past month or so I have been reading more on the affects of artificial coloring in our foods. My boys already have some substantial allergies and I don't wish to add to their list or aggravate any more food sensitivities. Its a hard task especially since Halloween was not too long ago and the kids candy stockpiles are still around. Artificial colors are used in so many foods because they make the food look good, so it seems that they would be a very difficult thing to avoid. What I have chosen to avoid purchasing at the grocery store are cereals with obviously un-natural coloring, Kraft Macaroni and Cheese (I've been buying Annie's Mac & Cheese because they don't use artificial colors or dyes)and any juice drinks that aren't strictly 100% fruit juice. Its a start and I know that there are still dyes and coloring in some of my other foods, but these are some big things that my kids like and consume more often then not. Do you have foods that you avoid as a mom?

Honesty

Hey all, I want to tell you what this blog is to me. For the past 6 years it has been a way for me to share my family growing up, share a portion of my struggles including the good parts in my life and try to do so in the most honest fashion I can come up with. Its been like a journal or therapy to me, I don't have close girlfriends anymore that I can readily drop by and see, but I have family, friends and complete strangers that comment or just read what I've written and it gives me a sense of connectedness that I must be severely lacking. I really appreciate blogs that tell the good, bad, and the ugly, those people who share what life is really like and don't gloss over some of their struggles because we all have struggles and it helps to know that I'm not alone. Maybe you feel this way too, maybe you don't, I'm not telling you how you should feel. In this blog I don't pretend to walk on water, yes I am LDS and I do feel that it means I should stand for good things, but I'm not perfect, I speak my mind, I swear, I'm a bad mom at times, I have tuff relationships that can make me into a mean person. What I say gets interpreted in whatever way the reader feels like it should be interpreted, I try to express that I am mad or being sarcastic when I am to help the reader along, but they will generally choose their own tone for the whole thing. I am not writing for church publications, I am not smart enough to even be considered for such things. But the point is that I write my feelings, especially the ones that nag at me and I just can't get off my chest in any other way. If I didn't I would be extremely burdened down and would have a hard time getting past the seemingly small things that want to pull me under.

Family Picture Time 2013

 My sweet sister took our family pictures again. We were racing the sunset so most of our pictures were taken at random places along Pleasant View Drive, but hey they we got a couple good ones for how little time we had!

 I love the colors in this one and I like how natural everyone looks

 not perfect because someone had a question I suppose, but not horrible :)

 best one of the boys together

And just to make sure you all know we are not the easiest family to take pictures of here is a sample of our outtakes for obvious reasons.... lol.

THE END, Happy Fall All!

Septembers Dinner Menu Plan

My parents recently bought and butchered a pig from the fair and we directly benefit from such butchering's :) . In trying to keep to a very structured budget I knew that I would need to make a monthly dinner menu and stick to it so we don't go over budget with food.  We like to eat good (doesn't everyone?) and I really don't mind making just about everything from scratch, its cheaper that way, so here is my dinner menu and links to some of the recipes I'm using for the rest of the month of September.
Date:
10- Sweet Pork Burritos (thanks mom and dad for the meat) http://www.imtopsyturvy.com/cafe-rio-smothered-burrito-recipes/
11-Sesame Chicken http://www.recipebest.com/2013/08/easy-sesame-chicken.html
12- Lemon Herbed Salmon and Potatoes
13- Parmesan Chicken on noodles http://www.chef-in-training.com/2012/01/crock-pot-chicken-parmesan/
14- Pork Carnitas http://www.mykitchenescapades.com/2012/11/pork-carnitas.html
15- Turkey Steak and fake potatoes
16- French Toast
17- Navaho Tacos
18- Hawaiian Haystacks
19- Pizza
20- Sweet Pork Burritos (from frozen leftover meat)
21- Hawaiian chicken http://www.savingyoudinero.com/2012/06/12/1-hour-1-mess-5-crock-pot-meals/
22- Pot roast w/red potatoes and carrots http://mychiclife.com/2013/07/19/slow-cooker-balsamic-pot-roast/
23- Beef Burritos (from left over pot roast meat)
24- Fettuccini Alfredo
25- Avocado Chicken Enchiladas http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2013/06/avocado-chicken-enchiladas-recipe.html
26- Blueberry Pancakes
27- Mongolian Beef http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2013/01/slow-cooker-mongolian-beef.html
28- Fried Chicken
29- Teriyaki Pork chops http://www.savingyoudinero.com/2012/06/12/1-hour-1-mess-5-crock-pot-meals/
30- Bean and Cheese Quesadillas

Jared is working most nights so what he won't be here to eat will be his dinner for the following night, he really hates breakfast for dinner so during the week I can throw those couple easy dinners in and he can have a sandwich or a frozen burrito the following day.

the happier post I promised

Jared was able to go to his physical on Monday and did pass the requirements. Tuesday (yesterday) he went to orientation for the job at AutoLiv. Today is his first day at work, the hours are accommodating for his school schedule which is such a blessing and he was able to start so soon! His pay will be better than Convergys and he will most likely get his 40 hours a week that will make all the difference in the world. I am so incredibly grateful for the quickness of the whole matter, everything had been set in motion before he was fired and I know that it was the Lords hand that put everything in place through the people we know.
Thank you everyone who has been so kind and sent your love and prayers our way. I've been brought to tears by the generosity of people who have chosen to be anonymous in their giving, even today I received a generous gift card in the mail, thank you, it will be put to good use.
Jared was told that he would have to work with the temp agency for 5 months before he could be hired on, but yesterday at orientation they told him it was only 90 days. The health insurance through the temp agency is far cheaper that what he was paying while working for Convergys, so there is another thing that will help tremendously, plus I will be insured again. For some reason at Convergys they got the crazy idea that I could get insurance through my employment and then dropped me from Jared's coverage. If you didn't know I am a self employed hair dresser and the last time I checked I'm not providing health coverage with my company. Its aggravating how little his last job did, but hopefully we will begin again on better terms with his new employment and just make ends meet!

its about to get real

Last night I bawled to my Heavenly Father, telling him how irresponsible I must look having three kids and not being able to feed them without some form of assistance. I asked for help to be able to provide the basic needs for my little family without being such a welfare case.
Today Jared was fired from his job, even though it was the shittiest job he has had yet, it still hurts. He was employed full time with Convergys but they rarely if ever gave him full time hours. His last paycheck for a full two weeks (that he was sent home early) amounted to $150 after taxes and insurance. I made more working for Artic Circle part time when I was 16 and I was making minimum wage at the time not 10.50 an hour.
The worse part though is watching the one you love feel worthless. We've been down this road, this poor guy has been through the ringer with employment. I know the bad things I think and I hate to imagine the thoughts of self doubt that could be playing through his mind.
So I look back to yesterday and it is almost comical that this is the response I get to my broken moment alone. Awesome! now we have no income! maybe its just time to roll over and give up. But you know I have a loving Heavenly Father who really knows that I couldn't take another terrible blow, and neither could my husband. Jared's been applying for MONTHS to get into a better position somewhere, ANYWHERE, and the past week he had a call back from SOS staffing for a job at AutoLiv in Brigham City. They have you come in and do certain testing in order to get the job and because he has school and used to have work on this coming Monday he would have had to wait another full week to get into the last part of the hiring process. But hey, now he doesn't have a dumb job to go to, and he can go the two days in a row that they need him for the physical test and orientation. Then hopefully in the short near future he will be a temporary employee of AutoLiv. Although there is still slight sadness and uncertainty, we definitely have HOPE. I keep thinking that everything happens for a reason and I hope to say that he will have a real job that will give him better pay and his full hours so we can just make our ends meet.
 Any prayers or good vibes sent our way would be greatly appreciated, I hope to share happier news next time I post.

Where are you bright side?

The bright side of today is that I got a warning from the cop who pulled me over. I could have gotten a $1,300 ticket for being late on my registration, but instead I got a "get it done within a week" warning. Lucky us, we have both cars due for registration the same month of July. I tried having Jared get his car done the other day but Jiffy Lube was booked for the night so it didn't get done. I on the other hand will have to get two new tires put on the van in order to pass safety inspection and get the darn thing registered so a MILLION dollars later (actually closer to $500, but that's still too much when your freaking destitute) I will be driving my car legally. So you kind of see why I have been putting it off? I'm just waiting for my money tree to really start growing... wait I can't afford one of those. Tonight I thought, hey I could just cry a bunch and sleep pretty good, or I can maybe blog about how crappy it is to have to register a car every year and save me a runny nose. Tomorrow I get to take 3 small children to sit in two different tiny smelly waiting rooms, I definitely wont be the object of envy. Then I am going to have to work for my mom for the rest of my freaking life to get the bill paid off, cars freaking suck. HAPPY HUMP DAY