Back to Blogging...

Wow, it has been 2 years since I last blogged.  What a difference 2 years makes!  Since my last post, I have had a baby and she is now 13 months.  Levi is 3 now and keeping mommy on her toes!  Being a mom of 3 with 2 so close together in age has rocked my world.  My 10 year old is busy with all his school work and extra curricular activities.  The little ones are very demanding, so what time does mommy have to shower, exercise, read a book and spend time with her husband, much less blog?  Now that the baby is over a year, things are starting to settle and I have been getting antsy to write again.  So, here I am.

My Great Vegan Experiment

So, what do I have to talk about?  Well...the thing on the top of my mind that I will be talking about for the next, oh 30 days, is that I have started a 30 day Vegan Challenge.  WHAT?  Vegan?  Nicole?  Are you kidding me?  Half of the two-person audience of my blog has closed the window and thought, "how lame".  But, this first post is going to be my reasons for trying it. So thank you if you are the one still reading :)

My reasons aren't very heroic, and some of them are pretty selfish...but here they are anyway:

1. Boredom.  Honestly, I am getting bored with the food lately.  And I find when I change it up and restrict myself a bit in one area, than I am forced to experiment and use my imagination to expand in other areas.
2. My friend Alexis.  She is always posting vegan articles and things on Facebook and her passion is sorta contagious.  Now, I initially would roll my eyes a little (sorry Alexis) and since I get all my meat from a farm and really opt out of the majority of factory farmed meat, I thought I was covered.  But lately I have been questioning my resolve--when I go out to eat I eat mainly fish--but sometimes I cheat. And dairy? And eggs?   I eat my home eggs from farms, but I am sure the local restaurant down the street doesn't.  Where DOES that come from?  Some of the very places I seek to avoid I suspect.  So I have been pondering this as well.  AND she sent me a couple of books.  Can't fight that, right? Now I have no excuse!
3. Health. My husband is off dairy. I am not.  I know I should be due to it's adverse affects on my life. Also because of all the studies I have been reading linking it to cancer.  Yuck.  Time to readdress it.  
4. My waistline.  I know, so vain.  But having 2 babies in 2 years is not usually kind to most of us in the areas of our waistlines...and hips...and thighs.  I know some women who bounce right back!  But, sadly, I am not one of those women!  I was slim (for me) when I got pregnant with Levi, now I am up 12-13 lbs.  I eat healthy but I can't seem to get my metabolism back on track and drop the last few.  I know some of it is hormonal, especially since I am not quite done nursing, but I think doing a vegan "cleanse" of sorts will help me get back on track with fruits, veggies, fiber, etc...I keep you updated on the weight thing as time goes on.
5. My energy.  I am tired!  Kids will do that to you.  However, I know getting my diet on track will help with the diet-related lethargy too.  In the afternoons I have been turning to sugar (which doesn't help with #4).  I know it can't overcome all the sleep deprivation from the last 3+ years, but I think it will help!
6. To do it.  Really, I have tried dairy-free and gluten-free, so why not try vegan?  If I ever have someone interested in it, I can help them find resources and know what I am talking about!  I like to help people explore food and how they affect their bodies...so I usually begin with experimenting on myself!  This is my great vegan experiment.  
7. My pastor is now vegan (I think mostly for health reasons).  Weird reason for me, right?  We chatted at a little get together and he was talking about it.  It kind of struck a cord with me and I noticed a lot of other people around me. I started paying attention to my friend Alexis' posts and I met a woman at bible study right after that who is vegan--strangely I never saw her again.  I think it's the Holy Spirit's way to kind of nudge you along.  So I started hearing about it through other people and then I heard the little voice inside prodding me along.  So, I planned on doing it ever since (this was back in December).  I woke up on Tuesday of this week and knew it was the day!
8. A fun bonding thing with my mom.  She has been dabbling with it on/off for the last 6 months.  I figured we could do it together!  She has a couple of awesome books with some good-looking recipes.  Should be a good time!  

I told you the reasons weren't all that heroic.  I am pretty excited to talk about it...the good, the bad the ugly.  Hopefully it won't get too ugly :)  

I hope the last couple of years have been treating you well! 

In health and veganism,

Nicole