After hearing Carole Joy Seid speak on Saturday, I've been tooling around on the Internet looking at some of the sources she cited and basically making sure they all say what she claimed. That probably says a lot about me. Anyway, I read the first chapter of Jane M. Healy's Endangered Minds on the Internet today.
Healy is an educational psychologist and teacher who has written at length about current brain research. The book begins:
"Kids' brains must be different these days," I remarked half jokingly as I graded student essays in the faculty room late one afternoon.
"If I didn't think it was impossible, I would agree with you," chimed in a colleague who had experienced a particularly frustrating day with his English classes. "These kids are so sharp, but sometimes I think their minds are different from the ones I used to teach. I've had to change my teaching a lot recently, and I still wonder how much they're learning. But a human brain is a human brain. They don't change much from generation to generation — do they?"
"Changing brains?" mumbled a math teacher, putting on her coat. "Maybe that accounts for it."
And so began Healy's quest to discover if the brains of children are actually different today from those of years past. Absolutely fascinating reading.
Seid suggested at the home school seminar that television viewing actually causes brain damage. She said that research conducted by neurologists served as the catalyst for the American Academy of Pediatric's statement in 1999 recommending that children under 2 years of age not watch any television or videos.
In 1995 I attempted to write a paper for my communications class in college proving that television was detrimental to children, but I couldn't find enough research to support my theory. I ended up changing my paper to focus on the so-called "benefits" of educational television (I didn't believe a word of it, but I made the concession in order to write a well-researched and documented essay).
Since we've been married (eight years on October 7!), James and I have never owned a television. I've tried as much as possible not to expose Judah to television, and I refrained from showing him videos until his 2nd birthday. I knew about the moral implications, the attention-span connections, the tendency toward violent and aggresive behavior, etc., but I didn't make the brain "damage" connection until this week. I re-read the AAP warning and noticed their positive spin, which implies brain damage, but focuses on healthy brain development:
Here's the AAP recommendation:
Pediatricians should urge parents to avoid television viewing for children under the age of 2 years. Although certain television programs may be promoted to this age group, research on early brain development shows that babies and toddlers have a critical need for direct interactions with parents and other significant care givers (eg, child care providers) for healthy brain growth and the development of appropriate social, emotional, and cognitive skills. Therefore, exposing such young children to television programs should be discouraged.
(bold type mine--see the spin?)
Interestingly enough, a friend whose daughter participates in research at Vanderbilt e-mailed me with this yesterday:
"I got a pamphlet explaining the results of one of the experiments she was involved with. One day they came and showed her a video of someone playing with a toy, then came back the next day to see how she would play with it. (See if she would learn from the video how to use it.) Turns out that kids that watched the video (with repetition in it) understood how to play with it better than kids that didn't receive any instruction on the toys, but did not understand it as well as kids that watched a live person play with it only once. Interesting. Real-life, hands-on is a better teacher than watching something over and over on TV. I'm sure that doesn't surprise you."
This is exactly what Healy focuses on in the second chapter of her book. She says, "As we shall see in the next chapter, the power of children's brains can indeed be increased by good nutrition, adult companionship, and the stimulation of active play, toys, books, and games."
Basically, if you turn off media and spend time with your kids reading aloud (and don't stop when they learn to read--continue to read aloud even through high school), listening to them work out their ideas (let your little ones finish their sentences--don't interrupt them), showing them how to use paint or clay or instruments, taking them on walks, holding them and cuddling with them, feeding them nutritious fare (don't sweat it if they won't always eat what you're eating--and don't feed them junk just to get them to eat something--they'll eat the good stuff when they're hungry), teaching them to do all the stuff you do around the house and in the yard, and investing in them with your time and attention, your child will be well above average.
According to Healy, only 10% of Americans are reading 80% of the books. If you want your kids to be in the top 10%, turn off the TV and get into a good book. Oh, and don't worry about whether or not they're sitting down to read. Let them get up, move about, use their hands. As long as they're quiet, they're benefitting. And perhaps they will be among our nation's--and our world's--leaders.
I've been told by complete strangers on several different occasions that Judah is a mini Winston Churchill, that he's going to be a politician, that he's going to bring about great change. His middle name means, "one who enacts social change." Charles Stock prophesied over him before he was born, "Praise, proclamation, joy, and social change." When I think about Martin Luther King, Jr., I think of how eloquent he was. He put words to the great struggle for equality. If not for his great speeches, his letters, his life, where might we be?
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Yesterday's Nap
Yesterday I put Miriam down for a nap and came downstairs to check e-mail and get directions to Lucy Rizzo's cooking class (James and I went together as a date night while Gloria Isaacks watched the kids--it was awesome!) Judah (who was "all dressed up") sat down next to me, rested his head on the couch, and then. . .
After I took a couple pictures, I removed the hat, scarf, and boots, and laid him on the couch. James put Judah in the car when he got home from work--still asleep. It wasn't until we reached Franklin that he woke up--happy. What a kid.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Home School Mama in the Making
Yesterday I attended a 7-hour home schooling seminar. A friend sent me an e-mail about it months ago with this message, "I highly recommend this seminar! It's the best homeschool one I've ever been to. I wish I'd heard it when my kids were as young as yours." So I sent the kids to hang with Daddy, wrote a check for $53, and sat for hours listening to Carole Joy Seid, a veteran home school mom, former public and Christian school teacher, educational consultant, and conference speaker discuss her home school philosophies and strategies.
I've been asked by countless friends and neighbors about home schooling Judah. I figure if my public-assistance-receiving, television-watching, video-game-playing, public-school-attending neighbors are asking me about home schooling, then I'm probably a strong candidate. It's not like they have home schooling experience and want to share their wisdom. They just know that I'm not "normal" and they think that Judah is so smart because he talks so much, and they figure I'll probably go against the grain on this one, as well. Without really trying, I'm living a pretty counter-cultural lifestyle. As soon as people find out we don't own a television, we're labeled. That, alone, is enough to make an American family an anomaly.
Oddly enough, I used to think that home school kids must be socially inept because they didn't experience the "socialization" of public school. It wasn't until I taught language arts to junior high home school kids two days a week that I realized how incredibly social home school kids can be. They blew me away. They were able to relate socially to any age group. They were confident, curious, creative, kind. . .not at all what you might expect from junior high kids. I rarely had any behavioral problems. My biggest complaints were that the kids almost never wrote their names on their papers and they would often forget their homework. No bullies, loud-mouths, smart remarks, foul language, blatant disrespect. . .just a great group of kids who wanted to please their teacher--especially my first year 6th graders, who are now high school graduates. I met some truly amazing writers during the years I was at New Song Christian Academy, several of whom are still writing, getting published, and winning awards.
Not only did those kids sell me on home schooling, but they were also the catalyst for me beginning to think about becoming a mom. I've said that being a mom is the best job I've ever had. Teaching at NSCA was probably the second best job I've ever had. I had so much fun, and I dearly loved those kids. Several of them still have a special place in my heart.
Families who home school are quite a different breed. I like them. I relate to them. I connect with them. Now, I'm looking forward to emulating them. During one of the short breaks we took at the Saturday seminar, I thanked God for dropping this in my lap. He did the same thing with parenting material, exposing me to the resources before I ever needed them. In fact, we went to a Directing Vision Daily parenting workshop before Judah was ever conceived!
The lady who spoke on Saturday feels strongly about nutrition (she hasn't eaten white sugar or white flour in 30 years!), excercise (she recommends at least two nature walks a week and making the kids play outside after lunch until an hour before Dad gets home, no matter the weather), reading (her whole approach is literature-based, reading aloud to children at least an hour every day), and NOT watching television (she offered several sources that document the detrimental effects of television, particularly on developing infant/toddler brains)--basically, everything I'm already passionate about.
You can listen to a short radio interview through her website, http://www.carolejoyseid.com/index.html. She cites Dr. Raymond Moore (whose philosophy balances service, work, and study) and Charlotte Mason (who replaced textbooks with "living books" or "classics" or any book that your child begs you to read "more, please!") as predecessors and home school heroes. She also says that her home school philosophies are largely based on Francis Schaeffer's book How Should We Then Live? The Rise and Decline of Western Thought and Culture.
I realized through the workshop why I've always hated history and why I've never been able to retain it; I learned through textbooks. When I was in college, one of my history professors required us to go to the library and check out a book written during the time period we were studying. For the first time, I actually enjoyed reading about history. Later, a friend told me that one of her favorite books was The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom. I devoured it. I often refer to it in my mind as I go about my daily life. Using a literature-based approach to home school, The Hiding Place would qualify as a history book. I can't begin to describe how excited I am about re-learning history through great books.
So now I have vision. I'm armed. I'm dangerous. I'm going to attempt to home school my children, and as the Lord leads, refer often to the principles (and book lists) I was exposed to this weekend. I just love when He weeds through all the options for me and shows me the best way for my family. HE IS SO GOOD. And I am so tired. :0)
I've been asked by countless friends and neighbors about home schooling Judah. I figure if my public-assistance-receiving, television-watching, video-game-playing, public-school-attending neighbors are asking me about home schooling, then I'm probably a strong candidate. It's not like they have home schooling experience and want to share their wisdom. They just know that I'm not "normal" and they think that Judah is so smart because he talks so much, and they figure I'll probably go against the grain on this one, as well. Without really trying, I'm living a pretty counter-cultural lifestyle. As soon as people find out we don't own a television, we're labeled. That, alone, is enough to make an American family an anomaly.
Oddly enough, I used to think that home school kids must be socially inept because they didn't experience the "socialization" of public school. It wasn't until I taught language arts to junior high home school kids two days a week that I realized how incredibly social home school kids can be. They blew me away. They were able to relate socially to any age group. They were confident, curious, creative, kind. . .not at all what you might expect from junior high kids. I rarely had any behavioral problems. My biggest complaints were that the kids almost never wrote their names on their papers and they would often forget their homework. No bullies, loud-mouths, smart remarks, foul language, blatant disrespect. . .just a great group of kids who wanted to please their teacher--especially my first year 6th graders, who are now high school graduates. I met some truly amazing writers during the years I was at New Song Christian Academy, several of whom are still writing, getting published, and winning awards.
Not only did those kids sell me on home schooling, but they were also the catalyst for me beginning to think about becoming a mom. I've said that being a mom is the best job I've ever had. Teaching at NSCA was probably the second best job I've ever had. I had so much fun, and I dearly loved those kids. Several of them still have a special place in my heart.
Families who home school are quite a different breed. I like them. I relate to them. I connect with them. Now, I'm looking forward to emulating them. During one of the short breaks we took at the Saturday seminar, I thanked God for dropping this in my lap. He did the same thing with parenting material, exposing me to the resources before I ever needed them. In fact, we went to a Directing Vision Daily parenting workshop before Judah was ever conceived!
The lady who spoke on Saturday feels strongly about nutrition (she hasn't eaten white sugar or white flour in 30 years!), excercise (she recommends at least two nature walks a week and making the kids play outside after lunch until an hour before Dad gets home, no matter the weather), reading (her whole approach is literature-based, reading aloud to children at least an hour every day), and NOT watching television (she offered several sources that document the detrimental effects of television, particularly on developing infant/toddler brains)--basically, everything I'm already passionate about.
You can listen to a short radio interview through her website, http://www.carolejoyseid.com/index.html. She cites Dr. Raymond Moore (whose philosophy balances service, work, and study) and Charlotte Mason (who replaced textbooks with "living books" or "classics" or any book that your child begs you to read "more, please!") as predecessors and home school heroes. She also says that her home school philosophies are largely based on Francis Schaeffer's book How Should We Then Live? The Rise and Decline of Western Thought and Culture.
I realized through the workshop why I've always hated history and why I've never been able to retain it; I learned through textbooks. When I was in college, one of my history professors required us to go to the library and check out a book written during the time period we were studying. For the first time, I actually enjoyed reading about history. Later, a friend told me that one of her favorite books was The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom. I devoured it. I often refer to it in my mind as I go about my daily life. Using a literature-based approach to home school, The Hiding Place would qualify as a history book. I can't begin to describe how excited I am about re-learning history through great books.
So now I have vision. I'm armed. I'm dangerous. I'm going to attempt to home school my children, and as the Lord leads, refer often to the principles (and book lists) I was exposed to this weekend. I just love when He weeds through all the options for me and shows me the best way for my family. HE IS SO GOOD. And I am so tired. :0)
Friday, September 21, 2007
Thoughts on Parenting
Recently, I had a conversation with a friend whose parenting style differs greatly from the way I parented Judah in the early months. She shared with me her philosophy and all the benefits that are supposed to come from her particular style of parenting. What's really interesting to me is that many of the same benefits are touted by the parenting styles I used with Judah.
Before Judah was born, I went to the local library and checked out a few parenting books. The Secrets of the Baby Whisperer by Tracy Hogg really resonated with me. I also went online (in the library since we didn't have Internet access yet) and ordered a tape set and workbook (recommended by a missionary in Africa and a friend in TN) called Preparation for Parenting: Along the Infant Way by Gary and Anne Marie Ezzo. The Ezzos co-wrote the Babywise book. The Hogg & Ezzo philosophies not only resonated with me, but they also fit my personality. I needed confidence to be a parent, which is what I gleaned from the Ezzos. I also needed specific, practical advice, which is what I found with Hogg. Both philosophies suggest setting up an "EASY" (to borrow from Hogg) and flexible routine for you and your baby consisting of: Eat, Activity/awake, Sleep, You-time.
Judah fell right into a predictable routine early on, and he's been a "textbook" baby from the start, napping well during the day and sleeping 10-12 hours at night. Miriam, on the other hand, didn't start taking predictable daytime naps until she was 5 months old, and she still doesn't sleep through the night. She's now 9 months. After talking to my friend, I realized that much of what we do with our kids is "according to our faith." We read, we ask questions, we observe, we spend time with other families, and we make decisions about how to parent based on what resonates with us, what seems right to us (as we're guided by the Holy Spirit), and what we believe God is saying to us about our children.
I love being around big families and watching how they interact. More than anything, I've tried to treat Judah as if he's not the only one because I knew there would be more. Now, I'm the mommy of these two radically different little people, and I'm constantly learning about how to become better at what I do. Some days are better than others. Today started out crazy-stressful (a lovely series of cleaning up mess after mess--the last one, the fourth smoothie mess of the morning, this time with shattered glass, left me on the floor in tears) but once the kids went down for naps, I regained my sanity. Judah woke up, and we had a sweet time shelling peas on the porch while Miriam took her second nap of the day.
Now they're both sleeping, I'm blogging, James is baking, and all is right with the world. Well, except for everything that isn't.
Before Judah was born, I went to the local library and checked out a few parenting books. The Secrets of the Baby Whisperer by Tracy Hogg really resonated with me. I also went online (in the library since we didn't have Internet access yet) and ordered a tape set and workbook (recommended by a missionary in Africa and a friend in TN) called Preparation for Parenting: Along the Infant Way by Gary and Anne Marie Ezzo. The Ezzos co-wrote the Babywise book. The Hogg & Ezzo philosophies not only resonated with me, but they also fit my personality. I needed confidence to be a parent, which is what I gleaned from the Ezzos. I also needed specific, practical advice, which is what I found with Hogg. Both philosophies suggest setting up an "EASY" (to borrow from Hogg) and flexible routine for you and your baby consisting of: Eat, Activity/awake, Sleep, You-time.
Judah fell right into a predictable routine early on, and he's been a "textbook" baby from the start, napping well during the day and sleeping 10-12 hours at night. Miriam, on the other hand, didn't start taking predictable daytime naps until she was 5 months old, and she still doesn't sleep through the night. She's now 9 months. After talking to my friend, I realized that much of what we do with our kids is "according to our faith." We read, we ask questions, we observe, we spend time with other families, and we make decisions about how to parent based on what resonates with us, what seems right to us (as we're guided by the Holy Spirit), and what we believe God is saying to us about our children.
I love being around big families and watching how they interact. More than anything, I've tried to treat Judah as if he's not the only one because I knew there would be more. Now, I'm the mommy of these two radically different little people, and I'm constantly learning about how to become better at what I do. Some days are better than others. Today started out crazy-stressful (a lovely series of cleaning up mess after mess--the last one, the fourth smoothie mess of the morning, this time with shattered glass, left me on the floor in tears) but once the kids went down for naps, I regained my sanity. Judah woke up, and we had a sweet time shelling peas on the porch while Miriam took her second nap of the day.
Now they're both sleeping, I'm blogging, James is baking, and all is right with the world. Well, except for everything that isn't.
Judah Conversation--on jail
Judah's recent conversation in the St. Thomas hospital waiting room with his Great-Grandmom, who often gets thrown in jail but always manages to escape:
Judah: If you come to my house, I will put you in jail.
Grandmom: Oh, no! Please don't put me in jail!
Judah: Grandmom, it's just the dining room.
Judah: If you come to my house, I will put you in jail.
Grandmom: Oh, no! Please don't put me in jail!
Judah: Grandmom, it's just the dining room.
Judah Conversation--on beauty
Judah: Mommy, did you know that The Princess Bride is beautifuller than you are?
Me: No, I didn't know that.
Judah: She is.
Me: Is it because she wears a beautiful dress?
Judah: Her dress is beautiful, her skin is beautiful, her tiara is beautiful. She's beautifuller than you are. Do you think she's beautifuller than you are?
Me: No, I don't think so.
Judah: Yes, she is. Come here, I will show you.
And the free paper I got today said something about 3rd graders just beginning to notice who is pretty or handsome. 3rd grade? Try 3-years. Oh, boy.
Me: No, I didn't know that.
Judah: She is.
Me: Is it because she wears a beautiful dress?
Judah: Her dress is beautiful, her skin is beautiful, her tiara is beautiful. She's beautifuller than you are. Do you think she's beautifuller than you are?
Me: No, I don't think so.
Judah: Yes, she is. Come here, I will show you.
And the free paper I got today said something about 3rd graders just beginning to notice who is pretty or handsome. 3rd grade? Try 3-years. Oh, boy.
Monday, September 17, 2007
What are you thinking about?
This afternoon while Judah was taking a bath, he asked me to come to him so he could ask me what I was thinking about. The conversation went something like this (I cut it short so I could write it down--I didn't want to forget.)
Judah: Mommy, what are you thinking about?
Me: I'm thinking about putting fruit away. What are you thinking about?
Judah: I'm thinking about hitting every bully in this country with a big stick.
Me: Do you know what that would make you?
Judah: Pause. A bully? (great inflection)
Me: Yep. If you hit every bully in this country with a big stick, you would be a bully, and someone might come and hit you.
Judah: Why?
Me: For the same reason that you want to hit all the bullies in this country with a big stick. There's got to be a better way, huh?
Judah: Pauses. Love your bullies?
Me: Yep.
Judah: What if the bully hits you?
Me: You still love.
Judah: Mommy, what are you thinking about?
Me: I'm thinking about putting fruit away. What are you thinking about?
Judah: I'm thinking about hitting every bully in this country with a big stick.
Me: Do you know what that would make you?
Judah: Pause. A bully? (great inflection)
Me: Yep. If you hit every bully in this country with a big stick, you would be a bully, and someone might come and hit you.
Judah: Why?
Me: For the same reason that you want to hit all the bullies in this country with a big stick. There's got to be a better way, huh?
Judah: Pauses. Love your bullies?
Me: Yep.
Judah: What if the bully hits you?
Me: You still love.
Judah Conversation
This one happened at my parents' house in KY when James was in India. I forgot about it until today when I shared it with my girlfriend JulianaLoveSpy, who encouraged me to write it here.
Judah always wants to help me do everything, from washing dishes to vacuuming, to wiping up the floor. I didn't want him using cleaner with chemicals in it, so I made a little bottle of cleaner for him out of water and vinegar.
He spilled some juice in my parents' kitchen, and I grabbed my mom's bottle of Lysol kitchen cleaner and went to work on the spill. Judah asked, "Does that cleaner have testicles in it?"
"You mean chemicals?"
I lost it.
Judah always wants to help me do everything, from washing dishes to vacuuming, to wiping up the floor. I didn't want him using cleaner with chemicals in it, so I made a little bottle of cleaner for him out of water and vinegar.
He spilled some juice in my parents' kitchen, and I grabbed my mom's bottle of Lysol kitchen cleaner and went to work on the spill. Judah asked, "Does that cleaner have testicles in it?"
"You mean chemicals?"
I lost it.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Digressions on Food
My 76-year-old Poppop had a procedure done on his heart yesterday (Grandmom says they don't call them "operations" anymore. It's "procedure" now. I wonder if "The Game of Operation" I played as a kid is marketed as "The Game of Procedure" now.)
As I was walking with my mom to the food court in St. Thomas hospital (which, by the way, offers no "Mc-fill-in-the-blanks, thank God--why any hospital would allow one of those fast food joints to set up shop is beyond me--except that it helps ensure repeat business--for the hospital, that is. I am the great digresser tonight.) So my mom says to me:
"Poppop said that the older he gets the more he wishes he had taken better care of himself."
Man, I needed to hear that. Yes, I think an awful lot about what I eat (and don't eat), the chemicals I'm exposed to, the sedentary life I live, the lack of fresh air I breathe, the limited amount of water I drink (and the excessive amount of tea I consume). . .I'm on a much better track now than I was a year ago, two years ago, ten years ago. . .but if I don't continually read about health and nutrition and exercise and all the other issues that are on my mind right now, I quickly lose perspective and could fairly easily slip back into the Standard American Diet (SAD).
Here's an unsettling quote from an MSN article I read tonight by Allison J. Cleary:
"The average American consumer eats three burgers and four orders of fries each week. A typical American child now gets one-fourth of his or her vegetables in the form of French fries or potato chips. Half our nation's family food budgets are spent in restaurants, with fast-food operations and chains getting the lion's share of the spending."
What's really funny to me is that my husband is sitting next to me on the couch eating a burger and fries from Fat Mo's. I ate a salad and veggie entre at Marche Artisan Foods in East Nashville this evening. . .all by myself. It was glorious. I need to add Marche to my list of favorites. Oh, that place is delightful.
I just read this post aloud to my husband who says that he would rather have gone to Marche with me than eat a burger and fries on the couch. He also doubts that our percentage of spending on food at fast food restaurants would round up to be 1 percent. That, alone, is a HUGE change from three years ago.
James just said, "My stomach is upset. You can put that in your blog, too."
With that, I'm going to get ready for bed.
As I was walking with my mom to the food court in St. Thomas hospital (which, by the way, offers no "Mc-fill-in-the-blanks, thank God--why any hospital would allow one of those fast food joints to set up shop is beyond me--except that it helps ensure repeat business--for the hospital, that is. I am the great digresser tonight.) So my mom says to me:
"Poppop said that the older he gets the more he wishes he had taken better care of himself."
Man, I needed to hear that. Yes, I think an awful lot about what I eat (and don't eat), the chemicals I'm exposed to, the sedentary life I live, the lack of fresh air I breathe, the limited amount of water I drink (and the excessive amount of tea I consume). . .I'm on a much better track now than I was a year ago, two years ago, ten years ago. . .but if I don't continually read about health and nutrition and exercise and all the other issues that are on my mind right now, I quickly lose perspective and could fairly easily slip back into the Standard American Diet (SAD).
Here's an unsettling quote from an MSN article I read tonight by Allison J. Cleary:
"The average American consumer eats three burgers and four orders of fries each week. A typical American child now gets one-fourth of his or her vegetables in the form of French fries or potato chips. Half our nation's family food budgets are spent in restaurants, with fast-food operations and chains getting the lion's share of the spending."
What's really funny to me is that my husband is sitting next to me on the couch eating a burger and fries from Fat Mo's. I ate a salad and veggie entre at Marche Artisan Foods in East Nashville this evening. . .all by myself. It was glorious. I need to add Marche to my list of favorites. Oh, that place is delightful.
I just read this post aloud to my husband who says that he would rather have gone to Marche with me than eat a burger and fries on the couch. He also doubts that our percentage of spending on food at fast food restaurants would round up to be 1 percent. That, alone, is a HUGE change from three years ago.
James just said, "My stomach is upset. You can put that in your blog, too."
With that, I'm going to get ready for bed.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Where I eat--First Draft revised
A friend asked me recently where I go out to eat for lunch. Another friend called me yesterday and asked what I eat throughout the day. I had already thought about writing down my favorite lunch spots and a typical (good) food day, so here goes:
Kalamata's in Green Hills--cup of gazpacho and fish special (grilled fish on Greek salad with extra yummies, i.e. salmon with mango salsa); or fruity chicken salad in wheat pita; or grilled veggie with feta in wheat pita.
Baja Burrito in Berry Hill--chicken burrito (double bean when pregnant--no chicken due to meat aversion) with beans, cheese, lettuce, pico, extra tomatoes, mild salsa, black olives, cucumbers, spicy guacamole, chives, and cilantro.
Star Bagel in West Nashville--Starz Classic TURKEY sandwich and fruit tea--they grill the bread and melt the cheese and pile on fresh lettuce and tomato with all kinds of other yumminess (similar to Schlotzky's turkey original only fresher and yummier).
Provence--Downtown Library & Hillsboro Village (mixed greens strawberry salad with bleu cheese, spiced caramelized walnuts, & fennel)
Bread & Company--Green Hills, West End, & Cool Springs (strawberry fields salad with chicken pecan salad)
The Food Company--Green Hills (turkey #2 sandwich add tomato & avocado)
Calypso Cafe--Berry Hill, West End, Cool Springs (Lucayan salad-- rotisserie chicken, slivered almonds, mandarin oranges, and delicious dressing on fresh greens) NOTE: Only the Berry Hill location offers REAL butter for their muffins.
Fido--Hillsboro Village (salmon special for dinner or hummus with veggies for a mini-meal or paletas for dessert)
Bongo Java--East Nashville (delicious veggie sandwich--the last time I ate there I wanted to hug the chef it was so good)
Portland Brew--12th Ave S. or East Nashville (Multnomah sandwich from deli fridge--turkey with cranberries and sprouts and delicious pesto.)
San Antonio Taco Co.--Vandy area or downtown (two soft chicken tacos with lettuce, tomato, and cheese--usually eaten at Dragon Park)
Christopher Pizza--Music Square (one of two gourmet veggie pizzas)
Copper Kettle--12 Ave. S./Granny White (fried goat cheese salad with strawberries, mango, spiced pecans, sundried cranberry vinaigrette atop mixed greens)
Jason's Deli--Cool Springs (after church/excellent salad bar/no partially hydrogenated oil in anything--including their crackers and croutons) NOTE: Jason's Deli is a chain, unlike most of the other places I frequent, but they deserve to be on here since they're on the Ban Trans Fats wagon. :0)
A GOOD food day looks something like this:
Lots of water throughout the day, approx. a half gallon (64 oz.)
Start with a fresh fruit smoothie, add baby spinach--I like to mix fresh peaches, frozen or fresh mango, frozen strawberries, a little not-from-concentrate orange juice and two handfuls of baby spinach. A little mint is nice if we have it. Delicious.
Piece of 9-grain toast from Great Harvest Bread Company (local bakery--grinds whole grains fresh daily) smeared with natural peanut butter, drizzled with a little bit of raw local honey and topped with wheat germ.
That's breakfast.
Second breakfast is usually a cup of James' homemade gazpacho, which is loaded with both cooked and raw local, organic veggies. I'm really going to miss it this winter.
For lunch, I love a good turkey (or just veggie) sandwich on my hearty 9-grain bread with mayo, spinach, fresh tomatoes, sprouts, (sometimes hummus, cucumbers, carrots--anything in the fridge that looks like it would be good in a sandwich), strong-flavored cheese, and sea salt.
I usually need to eat again before dinner, so I might grab some fruit off the counter, finish off some chilled pear-mint soup from the fridge, or snack on a granny smith apple with natural peanut butter (often a breakfast item if not in the mood for toast).
For dinner, I love to go to Kalamata's for their fish special on Wednesday or Thursday night, but if we're at home and having friends over, James makes a delicious broiled fish, steamed asparagus (we call it mmmmmsparagus), roasted carrots, and berry (zing) salad. It is on these nights that I eat like a queen.
Occasionally, we'll have popcorn for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or just as a snack. It's on those days that I'm barely holding it together and know that I need to feed myself and my son something. Even then, though, we make it on the stove with coconut oil, top it with extra-virgin olive oil, sea salt, and nutrional yeast. No more microwave popcorn with partially hydrogenated oil and other mysterious ingredients for us. We crave the real thing (and we'll even use butter, but Judah won't let us get by without the nutritional yeast.)
As far as desserts go, my favorite dessert is a good sweet tea (like the one at the Frist Center Cafe), but I won't pass up fresh, chewy homemade cookies. We also love Las Paletas gourmet Mexican popsicles.
All in all, I like sandwiches, salads, and soups. I try to eat whole foods and avoid processed foods. I frequent locally owned restaurants, deli's, and bakeries. I'm into the real stuff. Often.
Kalamata's in Green Hills--cup of gazpacho and fish special (grilled fish on Greek salad with extra yummies, i.e. salmon with mango salsa); or fruity chicken salad in wheat pita; or grilled veggie with feta in wheat pita.
Baja Burrito in Berry Hill--chicken burrito (double bean when pregnant--no chicken due to meat aversion) with beans, cheese, lettuce, pico, extra tomatoes, mild salsa, black olives, cucumbers, spicy guacamole, chives, and cilantro.
Star Bagel in West Nashville--Starz Classic TURKEY sandwich and fruit tea--they grill the bread and melt the cheese and pile on fresh lettuce and tomato with all kinds of other yumminess (similar to Schlotzky's turkey original only fresher and yummier).
Provence--Downtown Library & Hillsboro Village (mixed greens strawberry salad with bleu cheese, spiced caramelized walnuts, & fennel)
Bread & Company--Green Hills, West End, & Cool Springs (strawberry fields salad with chicken pecan salad)
The Food Company--Green Hills (turkey #2 sandwich add tomato & avocado)
Calypso Cafe--Berry Hill, West End, Cool Springs (Lucayan salad-- rotisserie chicken, slivered almonds, mandarin oranges, and delicious dressing on fresh greens) NOTE: Only the Berry Hill location offers REAL butter for their muffins.
Fido--Hillsboro Village (salmon special for dinner or hummus with veggies for a mini-meal or paletas for dessert)
Bongo Java--East Nashville (delicious veggie sandwich--the last time I ate there I wanted to hug the chef it was so good)
Portland Brew--12th Ave S. or East Nashville (Multnomah sandwich from deli fridge--turkey with cranberries and sprouts and delicious pesto.)
San Antonio Taco Co.--Vandy area or downtown (two soft chicken tacos with lettuce, tomato, and cheese--usually eaten at Dragon Park)
Christopher Pizza--Music Square (one of two gourmet veggie pizzas)
Copper Kettle--12 Ave. S./Granny White (fried goat cheese salad with strawberries, mango, spiced pecans, sundried cranberry vinaigrette atop mixed greens)
Jason's Deli--Cool Springs (after church/excellent salad bar/no partially hydrogenated oil in anything--including their crackers and croutons) NOTE: Jason's Deli is a chain, unlike most of the other places I frequent, but they deserve to be on here since they're on the Ban Trans Fats wagon. :0)
A GOOD food day looks something like this:
Lots of water throughout the day, approx. a half gallon (64 oz.)
Start with a fresh fruit smoothie, add baby spinach--I like to mix fresh peaches, frozen or fresh mango, frozen strawberries, a little not-from-concentrate orange juice and two handfuls of baby spinach. A little mint is nice if we have it. Delicious.
Piece of 9-grain toast from Great Harvest Bread Company (local bakery--grinds whole grains fresh daily) smeared with natural peanut butter, drizzled with a little bit of raw local honey and topped with wheat germ.
That's breakfast.
Second breakfast is usually a cup of James' homemade gazpacho, which is loaded with both cooked and raw local, organic veggies. I'm really going to miss it this winter.
For lunch, I love a good turkey (or just veggie) sandwich on my hearty 9-grain bread with mayo, spinach, fresh tomatoes, sprouts, (sometimes hummus, cucumbers, carrots--anything in the fridge that looks like it would be good in a sandwich), strong-flavored cheese, and sea salt.
I usually need to eat again before dinner, so I might grab some fruit off the counter, finish off some chilled pear-mint soup from the fridge, or snack on a granny smith apple with natural peanut butter (often a breakfast item if not in the mood for toast).
For dinner, I love to go to Kalamata's for their fish special on Wednesday or Thursday night, but if we're at home and having friends over, James makes a delicious broiled fish, steamed asparagus (we call it mmmmmsparagus), roasted carrots, and berry (zing) salad. It is on these nights that I eat like a queen.
Occasionally, we'll have popcorn for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or just as a snack. It's on those days that I'm barely holding it together and know that I need to feed myself and my son something. Even then, though, we make it on the stove with coconut oil, top it with extra-virgin olive oil, sea salt, and nutrional yeast. No more microwave popcorn with partially hydrogenated oil and other mysterious ingredients for us. We crave the real thing (and we'll even use butter, but Judah won't let us get by without the nutritional yeast.)
As far as desserts go, my favorite dessert is a good sweet tea (like the one at the Frist Center Cafe), but I won't pass up fresh, chewy homemade cookies. We also love Las Paletas gourmet Mexican popsicles.
All in all, I like sandwiches, salads, and soups. I try to eat whole foods and avoid processed foods. I frequent locally owned restaurants, deli's, and bakeries. I'm into the real stuff. Often.
On the porch. . .
I can't believe we're already more than 1/3 through September, and I've only written in here twice! Obviously, things have been a little crazy. Now that James is back and fully recovered from his international travel, I'm starting to feel human again.
Right now, I'm sitting on my front porch in a white wicker rocking chair with my laptop, watching leaves fall when the wind blows and squirrels creep up the steps to look for food. My children are asleep. I can breathe clearly. I can think clearly. I'm enjoying this sweet moment of peace.
Last night, I went outside to check the weather. I gasped at the crispness in the air. I ran back inside, threw open all the windows and turned on the fans.
As I'm writing, two well-dressed men are looking at the adjacent property. I'm hoping they're not discussing building a house there. I love the lot full of mature trees that deceives people into believing we have a huge yard. I've been thinking a lot about how nice it would be to live in a walkable community--to walk to the park, markets, restaurants . . . and I'd start looking for another place to live right away if I knew for sure that someone was thinking of building next to us. James is going to read this and flip out. But that's what this blog is for, right? To journal my thoughts, no matter how unfiltered they may be.
Don't worry, honey. I promise to stay within our budget.
Hee hee. . .
Right now, I'm sitting on my front porch in a white wicker rocking chair with my laptop, watching leaves fall when the wind blows and squirrels creep up the steps to look for food. My children are asleep. I can breathe clearly. I can think clearly. I'm enjoying this sweet moment of peace.
Last night, I went outside to check the weather. I gasped at the crispness in the air. I ran back inside, threw open all the windows and turned on the fans.
As I'm writing, two well-dressed men are looking at the adjacent property. I'm hoping they're not discussing building a house there. I love the lot full of mature trees that deceives people into believing we have a huge yard. I've been thinking a lot about how nice it would be to live in a walkable community--to walk to the park, markets, restaurants . . . and I'd start looking for another place to live right away if I knew for sure that someone was thinking of building next to us. James is going to read this and flip out. But that's what this blog is for, right? To journal my thoughts, no matter how unfiltered they may be.
Don't worry, honey. I promise to stay within our budget.
Hee hee. . .
Friday, September 7, 2007
Invisible
A friend of mine sent me an e-mail forward today. In the eight years I've known her, I don't think I've ever received a forward from her. She even prefaced it by saying that she never sends forwards. I didn't make it past the first paragraph. I had to take off my glasses and wipe my eyes.
"No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this? Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, "What time is it?" . . .I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude--but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again."
Of course, the rest of the forward goes on to encourage us invisible mothers in our great world-changing work. I have to admit, though, that for the past few days, I've wanted to be more than the reader of books, the teller of stories, the cleaner of messes, the changer of diapers, the wiper of bottoms, the washer of sheets, the hanger of clothes. . . . I dream of being a social activist----a revolutionary--a Kingdom advancer.
Yes, I know I'm all three to some degree, but many of my days have become a series of cleaning up other people's messes. I guess that's kind of what a revolutionary does on a larger scale--clean up other people's messes--or motivate them to clean up their own. Maybe this is all preparation--like Joseph's jail time or David's cave time--but a lot more fun. I'd much rather be doing what I'm doing than spending time in jail or in a cave. I sleep in a comfortable bed. I eat really good food. I listen to music. I e-mail. I talk on the phone. I drive to pretty places. I hold my children. I laugh.
I laugh.
Why does that make me cry?
Can someone tell me why I'm crying?
"No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this? Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, "What time is it?" . . .I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude--but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again."
Of course, the rest of the forward goes on to encourage us invisible mothers in our great world-changing work. I have to admit, though, that for the past few days, I've wanted to be more than the reader of books, the teller of stories, the cleaner of messes, the changer of diapers, the wiper of bottoms, the washer of sheets, the hanger of clothes. . . . I dream of being a social activist----a revolutionary--a Kingdom advancer.
Yes, I know I'm all three to some degree, but many of my days have become a series of cleaning up other people's messes. I guess that's kind of what a revolutionary does on a larger scale--clean up other people's messes--or motivate them to clean up their own. Maybe this is all preparation--like Joseph's jail time or David's cave time--but a lot more fun. I'd much rather be doing what I'm doing than spending time in jail or in a cave. I sleep in a comfortable bed. I eat really good food. I listen to music. I e-mail. I talk on the phone. I drive to pretty places. I hold my children. I laugh.
I laugh.
Why does that make me cry?
Can someone tell me why I'm crying?
Monday, September 3, 2007
Food and Stuff
While I'm no expert, I am a reader, and that, at least, makes me informed. I also like to eat. Excellent food paired with good conversation (and, occasionally, no conversation at all) is one of our family's core values.
We like to eat out. We like to eat at friends' houses. We like to eat at home. We like to eat in the car. We like to eat outside. We just like to eat.
I forget that the way we eat has been completely revolutionized until I get around other people.
Recently, my husband went on a grocery run with one of his friends. His friend said, "Everything in your cart is perishable. It's all going to go bad." Well, sure, if we left it in our cabinet forever, but we usually eat what we buy that week. The fruit goes on the counter for Judah to help himself (he's becoming more and more self-sufficient) and it's what we eat instead of chips, cheetos, crackers, cookies. . . .
Most of our vegetables come from a local farmer's garden, and they're usually consumed by the next grocery run as well. Anything we're not too keen on, we give away. Okra went to Grandma a couple weeks ago. Extra watermelon went to our neighbor. Occasionally, we have fruit or vegetables that do go bad. We now add them to our composter so we'll have some decent soil and keep bags of trash out of landfills. (Between recycling and composting, we're down to one kitchen-sized bag of trash each week--mostly Miriam's diapers--but that's another entry entirely).
We try desperately to avoid partially hydrogenated oil, high fructose corn syrup, anything that says it has artificial flavors and/or colors, anything "white," which usually means it has been bleached or processed to death then "enriched"--white flour, white sugar, white rice, white bread--(you could eat cardboard and take a multi-vitamin for the same effect.)
Years ago, a friend said that the shorter the ingredient list, the better the food. Someone else said that if she can't pronounce the ingredients, she doesn't buy it. I recently read that someone eats only foods with one ingredient. Those would be "whole" foods.
Our bodies don't know what to do with fake stuff. We're not designed to ingest plastic in the name of food and become healthier and live longer as a result. Quite the opposite.
In The Oiling of America, Enig & Fallon write, "Trans fatty acids are sufficiently similar to natural fats that the body readily incorporates them into the cell membrane; once there their altered chemical structure creates havoc with thousands of necessary chemical reactions—everything from energy provision to prostaglandin production. . . . most of the trans isomers in modern hydrogenated fats are new to the human physiology and by the early 1970's a number of researchers had expressed concern about their presence in the American diet, noting that their increasing use had paralleled the increase in both heart disease and cancer. The unstated solution was one that could be easily presented to the public: Eat natural, traditional fats; avoid newfangled foods made from vegetable oils; use butter, not margarine." (emphasis mine)
James forwarded an article to me a few days ago (it took me three days to read it, but I finally read the whole thing) from The New York Times: Unhappy Meals by Michael Pollan, January 28, 2007. Excellent read.
What it boils down to is this: Real food has been largely replaced in America with processed, boxed, labeled, nutrionally-deficient "stuff." It's not real food. It tries to pretend to be food through "nutrionism." Nutritionism, according to Wikipedia, is an ideology that assumes that it is the scientifically identified nutrients in foods that determine their value in the diet. [1] Ever heard of lycopene? Ketchup sellers use it to get you to buy ketchup. They actually want you to think that the high fructose corn syrup-laden goop is somehow "good" for you. That it could help your body fight cancer. Give me a break.
The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Ah, synergy. Never thought I'd say that food is synergistic. But it is. It truly is.
Eat a tomato. Enjoy it fresh from the garden, warmed by the sun. A bottle of ketchup with a 2008 expiration date doesn't begin to compare to my garden-fresh, ripe, delivered the same day, grown an hour away, truly delicious tomatoes. Sliced with a smidgen of sea salt or sandwiched or diced and tossed into my husband's fresh gazpacho, mmmmmmm.
In case you were wondering, we didn't get here overnight, and we didn't grow up eating healthy food. Just a few years ago, I was pregnant in Africa and craving all kinds of cheesy, processed junk. It was somehow comforting to me to eat "cheese" crackers ("made with REAL cheese!"--what else have they been making it with? Think about it). It took a LONG time for me to reach for a piece of fruit instead of a bag of chips. For my son, however, the fruit is much more appealing. Praise God.
Speaking of fruit, Judah was upset tonight when I told him we didn't have any more plums. "May I have an apple, then?"
"You ate the last apple right before you took a nap on the couch."
"Then tell me what we do have."
"We don't have any more fruit. We'll have to buy some more."
"No more fruit? Why?"
"Because we ate it all."
I thought he was going to cry. Then he ate almost all of my zuchinni. Little stinker.
Oh, I could write about this all night. It's 10:00, though, and I need to join my husband upstairs and drift off to sleep. I have so much more to say, but I'll save it for another post. I'm re-reading Food Politics by Marion Nestle and I'm hoping to read Eating in the Dark by Kathleen Hart before I have to take both books back to the library. I may post a few quotes from both books and comment on them. Reminds me a little of school. Can you tell I miss researching and writing on a regular basis?
Now that James is back home, I should be on here more often. I hope so.
We like to eat out. We like to eat at friends' houses. We like to eat at home. We like to eat in the car. We like to eat outside. We just like to eat.
I forget that the way we eat has been completely revolutionized until I get around other people.
Recently, my husband went on a grocery run with one of his friends. His friend said, "Everything in your cart is perishable. It's all going to go bad." Well, sure, if we left it in our cabinet forever, but we usually eat what we buy that week. The fruit goes on the counter for Judah to help himself (he's becoming more and more self-sufficient) and it's what we eat instead of chips, cheetos, crackers, cookies. . . .
Most of our vegetables come from a local farmer's garden, and they're usually consumed by the next grocery run as well. Anything we're not too keen on, we give away. Okra went to Grandma a couple weeks ago. Extra watermelon went to our neighbor. Occasionally, we have fruit or vegetables that do go bad. We now add them to our composter so we'll have some decent soil and keep bags of trash out of landfills. (Between recycling and composting, we're down to one kitchen-sized bag of trash each week--mostly Miriam's diapers--but that's another entry entirely).
We try desperately to avoid partially hydrogenated oil, high fructose corn syrup, anything that says it has artificial flavors and/or colors, anything "white," which usually means it has been bleached or processed to death then "enriched"--white flour, white sugar, white rice, white bread--(you could eat cardboard and take a multi-vitamin for the same effect.)
Years ago, a friend said that the shorter the ingredient list, the better the food. Someone else said that if she can't pronounce the ingredients, she doesn't buy it. I recently read that someone eats only foods with one ingredient. Those would be "whole" foods.
Our bodies don't know what to do with fake stuff. We're not designed to ingest plastic in the name of food and become healthier and live longer as a result. Quite the opposite.
In The Oiling of America, Enig & Fallon write, "Trans fatty acids are sufficiently similar to natural fats that the body readily incorporates them into the cell membrane; once there their altered chemical structure creates havoc with thousands of necessary chemical reactions—everything from energy provision to prostaglandin production. . . . most of the trans isomers in modern hydrogenated fats are new to the human physiology and by the early 1970's a number of researchers had expressed concern about their presence in the American diet, noting that their increasing use had paralleled the increase in both heart disease and cancer. The unstated solution was one that could be easily presented to the public: Eat natural, traditional fats; avoid newfangled foods made from vegetable oils; use butter, not margarine." (emphasis mine)
James forwarded an article to me a few days ago (it took me three days to read it, but I finally read the whole thing) from The New York Times: Unhappy Meals by Michael Pollan, January 28, 2007. Excellent read.
What it boils down to is this: Real food has been largely replaced in America with processed, boxed, labeled, nutrionally-deficient "stuff." It's not real food. It tries to pretend to be food through "nutrionism." Nutritionism, according to Wikipedia, is an ideology that assumes that it is the scientifically identified nutrients in foods that determine their value in the diet. [1] Ever heard of lycopene? Ketchup sellers use it to get you to buy ketchup. They actually want you to think that the high fructose corn syrup-laden goop is somehow "good" for you. That it could help your body fight cancer. Give me a break.
The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Ah, synergy. Never thought I'd say that food is synergistic. But it is. It truly is.
Eat a tomato. Enjoy it fresh from the garden, warmed by the sun. A bottle of ketchup with a 2008 expiration date doesn't begin to compare to my garden-fresh, ripe, delivered the same day, grown an hour away, truly delicious tomatoes. Sliced with a smidgen of sea salt or sandwiched or diced and tossed into my husband's fresh gazpacho, mmmmmmm.
In case you were wondering, we didn't get here overnight, and we didn't grow up eating healthy food. Just a few years ago, I was pregnant in Africa and craving all kinds of cheesy, processed junk. It was somehow comforting to me to eat "cheese" crackers ("made with REAL cheese!"--what else have they been making it with? Think about it). It took a LONG time for me to reach for a piece of fruit instead of a bag of chips. For my son, however, the fruit is much more appealing. Praise God.
Speaking of fruit, Judah was upset tonight when I told him we didn't have any more plums. "May I have an apple, then?"
"You ate the last apple right before you took a nap on the couch."
"Then tell me what we do have."
"We don't have any more fruit. We'll have to buy some more."
"No more fruit? Why?"
"Because we ate it all."
I thought he was going to cry. Then he ate almost all of my zuchinni. Little stinker.
Oh, I could write about this all night. It's 10:00, though, and I need to join my husband upstairs and drift off to sleep. I have so much more to say, but I'll save it for another post. I'm re-reading Food Politics by Marion Nestle and I'm hoping to read Eating in the Dark by Kathleen Hart before I have to take both books back to the library. I may post a few quotes from both books and comment on them. Reminds me a little of school. Can you tell I miss researching and writing on a regular basis?
Now that James is back home, I should be on here more often. I hope so.
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