What’s New?

Hello, blogging world! It has been awhile, hasn’t it?

Over the past 3 1/2 weeks, my family and I have been pretty close to going coast to coast! We started out on a birthday tour for my husband’s family. We celebrated an 80th birthday in Dallas, TX then another 80th birthday in Silver City, NM then we ended that trip by spending a few days in Tucson, AZ, my hubby’s birth town. A wonderfully fun trip! I had never been to the southwest before, and I found it beautiful!

Standing on a lookout in Tucson, AZ

Then we were home for just a little bit, and then my little one and I took off with my family to spend almost a week having fun in the Philly area. We went to NYC for a day, then we went to Belmar Beach in NJ, had fun at the Sesame Place water park for a day and ended that trip with the Pinto family’s 18th reunion! It was so nice to see everyone and show off my “facebook baby” as they call her, to them.

Also, I am completely bragging here, but I have an amazing husband! He wasn’t able to head up north with me to my family reunion, which made me sad, but he completely spoiled me! He spend the day, yesterday, as I was coming back from the reunion, cleaning our three story town home top to bottom and made the bed and did laundry?!?!?!? He  even made sweet potatoes for me just in case I was hungry when I got home. My heart melted. I would marry him all over again if I hadn’t already done so 😉

shhhh! I haven’t stuck to my diet at all, unfortunately, and have gained a few pounds. Blah! I will say, I can be one of those people now that screams the  wonders of how much better you feel when you stick with a plant based diet! I have had lots of issues with my skin (like being a teenager all over again) the past few weeks. Now some of that may indeed be that I had to put sunscreen on my face a few days and all the heat we had to deal with. AND the biggest issue I have had to deal with is not being “regular.” Not an awesome topic so I will leave it at that, but you catch my drift 😉

Anyway, I finally got back home late last night/early this morning and am now committed to restoring my health!

I have found I need to add more greens into my diet. We eat a lot of spinach, but just today it came to my attention that it doesn’t have calcium in it?!?! Should have looked that one up sooner, woops. So a list of greens that contain calcium that is easier for your body to digest that I have found helpful is here:

• bok choy
• broccoli
• collards
• Chinese cabbage
• kale
• mustard greens
• okra

Also I read that Blackstrap molasses has calcium in it. An interesting fact. Not sure how much it has in it, nor do I have any in my cupboards considering it is soooo expensive! But interesting, none the less.

Also a neat website I have stumbled upon, which you might know, but me being new to the realm found it very helpful! NutritionFacts.org 

It is run by Michael Greger, M.D. and it addresses a lot of issues and or rumors that are floating around out there in video form! I love to read, but I learn best by visuals and hearing at the same time, so for me, it is a perfect website.

Hope your summer has been wonderful and full of veggies so far! I need to improve my veggies but we still have half a summer left! Tell me about your summer below! Would love to hear of your adventures or any tips you have =)