Spicy Chicken Stew {paleo…well sort of}

Marshall and I have been following the guidelines of a Paleo diet almost exclusively for over 3 months now. Can hardly believe it. To refresh your memory a paleo diet would consist mostly of lean meats, fruits and vegetables. No dairy. No grains. No sugar.*

It was challenging at first. I finally cook pretty well and losing some of my staples: cheese, pasta, bread…well it was a bit of a challenge.

But we are still going strong, losing weight in a slow, steady, healthy, keep it off kind of way. Even better is that our overall health has improved. Marshall recently had blood work done and all his numbers were great and he even lowered levels in some areas that it’s near impossible to lower.

So here is a recipe that’s pretty darn close to paleo. Some might argue with the sweet potatoes being a starch and all but oh well. It’s tasty and I used all fresh veggies.

I found the recipe in this cookbook we received as a wedding gift. Totally not a Paleo Cookbook but one littlle adjustment and voila Paleo Approved.

So here goes the recipe and the slight modifications:

Ingredients:

All the ingredients...chopped up and ready for cooking!

2tbsp vegetable oil ( I used Olive Oil)

1lb boneless skinless chicken breasts cubed

1 onion finely chopped (I didn’t quite use an entire onion and it was chunky pieces not fine)

1 green bell pepper finely chopped (chunky pieces)

1 potato diced (didn’t use a potato)

1 sweet potato diced (I used two)

2 garlic cloves

1-2 fresh chiles seeded and very finely chopped

7oz canned chopped tomatoes (didn’t use them; Mar isn’t a fan)

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

4 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (I used dried)

1/2 teaspoon salt ( no salt)

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 cups chicken stock ( I used 2 cups homemade vegetable broth** and 2 cups water)

Instructions (and variations)

Heat the oil in a large heavy bottom pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until lightly browned.

I guess this is what browned chicken looks like ; )

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion, bell pepper, and sweet potato. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until the vegetables start to soften.

Nice and colorful!

Add the garlic and chiles and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes, oregano, salt, pepper and half the cilantro and cook for 1 minute. (again I didn’t use the tomatoes or salt and I used dried cilantro)

Pour in the stock. Bring to a boil, then cover and let simmer over medium low heat for 15-20 minutes.

Yum!

Sprinkle with the remaining cilantro just before serving.

All ready to eat!!

Cooking is really fun and finding ways to cook and eat healthy is definitely not as hard as it seems. My encouragement and advice to anyone wanting to eat better and/or cook better is the same. Try one new thing at a time. I didn’t go from jar/processed spaghetti to a from scratch meal overnight. This has been a three year journey that I am STILL on and learning more every day how to cook healthy meals for my wonderful family.

*Marshall has done a way better job at sticking totally to this new way of eating. My weakness is sugary drinks and the occasional breaded something.

**for another time and another blog

Remembering Dad {eulogy}

On November 7th, 2010 Groover Jenkins Hudson, our father, husband to our dear mother, and grandfather to our precious children, passed away. He fell asleep and never woke up.

Today we have gathered to celebrate his life. To cherish those moments spent with him that enriched our lives. I’d be lying if I said that every moment spent with this man was glorious. Our father suffered much like King Saul, in his last days, tormented by evil spirits. Such were the last days of our dad.

But he was a good man. He knew no strangers and had a hearty laugh that could warm the most frigid of hearts.

He loved old hymns, The Andy Griffith Show and movies starring Jimmy Stewart. Even his final recorded  words were a quote from a Jimmy Stewart movie called Harvey. He wrote on a scrap piece of paper, “I choose to be pleasant”.

Our dad could be pleasant. He could be the sweetest person speaking the most loving, encouraging words. He could pray, too. The most earnest humble prayers. He had a beautiful baritone voice and a love of birds. He loved to go to Chili’s and always ordered country fried steak.

Today we have gathered to learn from his life. Our dad had a way of making people feel so special. He was gentle. So gentle even animals were drawn to him. He had a gift for writing and made the best pot of chili.

He loved boston creme donuts and always wanted to hear about our day. He was so proud of the accomplishments of his wife and children. We were his trophies.

He looked forward to meeting his grandchildren. He wanted to be called Poppy. He knew he was going to have two grandsons and he proudly told everyone he met.

Today we have gathered to change his legacy. To begin a new chapter filled with love and joy and hope. Our father struggled so much with the past that he could not function in the present. We will not continue this. We will live in the present, cherish the past and embrace the future.

Our beloved father, husband and Poppy will be remembered as a man who loved God and tried, as we all do, to love his family.

This is a legacy worth continuing.

Daddy, we love you. We treasure the moments you truly lived. We celebrate your life. May you rest in peace.

Remembering Dad (Part One of Many)

{an explanation}

There are so many moments that shape our lives. It’s not so much the day to day that change us but rather the sixty seconds here or there that are filled with love and hope and joy or fear and anger and malice.

These moments are rarely pre-meditated. No. They spontaneously occur without warning and something about us will never be the same as a result.

I have many of these moments in my life. They often appear as images in my mind’s eye. These still photos in my memory can quickly turn the corners of my lips into the brightest smile; they can also stab at my heart causing a deep twinge of pain.

I have many of both kinds of memories when I reflect on the life of my dad. And as I grieve his loss, these memories will show up at times like an uninvited guest. Other times like a long lost friend come to sit a while and talk.

I’ve been told there is no right or wrong way to grieve. I believe I will find my healing in writing about what I am feeling. I am hesitant to make these passages public yet if I didn’t go through such trials to bring strength and courage to others, then why?

Not all stories have happy endings but that doesn’t mean the story should not be told.

So.

Enter at your own risk. Know that I loved my dad dearly. He was a good man as you will read. He tried so hard to change his legacy. His children will continue this endeavor, and with God’s help, succeed.

Dear Dad,

I am so sorry that you are gone

It’s hard to think about you not being here to welcome Dominic into the world

To be the Poppy you always wanted to be

Dear Dad,

It is also hard to swallow your passing at this time

The last image in my mind’s eye of you is not a good one

I see you at the airport alongside momma

Shooing us away

When I think of this moment I am saddened

Our last hug was obligatory

Dear Dad,

You never wrote

I had to extend tough love

Because I did love you so much

But you never wrote back

Maybe you were thinking about it

Maybe you had even started a letter

But I never got it
Dear Dad,

Mom says you really enjoyed the pictures I sent

I promise I was going to send a big one

So you could see our growing family

You just left too soon

Dear Dad,

The last words I have from you

Are such bitter ones

Wish they were sweeter

Dear Dad,

I’ve been told by many to remember the good times

And I want to

You could be the sweetest man

But right now I am stuck in those recent times that were not so sweet

Dear Dad,

You were stuck in the past

You were not very happy

I never understood that

A beautiful, loving, serving wife

Two kids who had grown up to embrace joyfilled lives of their own

Why were you so unhappy?

Dear Dad,

I know you had your moments of joy

Your laugh is one of the things I delight in remembering

Your deep baritone voice is another

You loved to sing

Dear Dad,

I will always remember my wedding day

I will remember how we practiced for the ‘daddy/daughter dance’ that very morning

I will remember that there was a time that I didn’t want you to walk me down the aisle

I will remember that on that day I could not have been prouder of my escort

Dear Dad,

I will cherish your love for birds

I will smile every time I pass some form of memorabilia for Andy Griffeth

Or Gomer Pile, or Jimmy Stewart

Dear Dad,

I will remember that you were the one who taught me how to write my name in cursive

I will smile at the memory of learning short division from you and then having to relearn long division because the teacher wanted me to show my work

I will cherish our mutual love for Boston Creme Donuts

Dear Dad,

I will hold back tears when I think of the times that you beheld me in a true father’s light

You would call me your sweet pea and meant it with all your heart

There is nothing that compares to the compliments of a father as he dotes upon his daughter

Those moments are not quickly forgotten

Dear Dad,

I don’t understand why God took you when he did

Mom says you were beginning to change

How I would have loved to have seen those seeds of change

How I would have liked to say one last time that I love you

To give you a genuine hug

To have a better image in my mind of goodbye

Perhaps like the times when you would wave goodbye from the backsteps

as I drove away to college

Now that is a nice goodbye

That is a goodbye I would like to have etched in my mind

Not the one that haunts me in my sleep

Not the one that still oozes hatred

Not the one that made me feel so hollow inside

Dear Dad,

I know you didn’t mean it

I know you always loved me

I know you wanted to live it more than you did

I know

Dear Dad,

I wish you were still around

I wish you could have become the man I prayed you would become

I hate that momma is all alone

I hate that you will never meet your grandchildren

Dear Dad,

I know that you loved me

I know that you know that I loved you

I just wish we could have had one last phone conversation to clear the air

Why couldn’t we have had a goodbye like you had with mom?

Dear Dad,

I want to remember all the good times

But something inside me is determined not to forget the bad either

You lived in the past

I can’t do that.

I have to live in the present joys of life

Looking forward to the future ahead

Dear Dad,

Life is a gift

Your life was a gift

You met no stranger

In your finest moments you were a very loving man

Dear Dad,

I always wanted to be your little girl

Daddy’s girl

Although that didn’t work out the way I had hoped

I do have memories of being the sparkle in your eye

Dear Daddy,

I really wish I could hug you one more time

And tell you how muchI have always loved you

And my heart tells me that I did the right thing

But my head can’t help but wonder if it was wrong

Dear Dad,

You were a fine man in your shining moments

I have to cherish those times

Those are the times I want to share with Dominic

The parts of you that were admirable I pray I demonstrate to my son

Those traits that made you a miserable man, I pray I keep with me only as a reminder that life is more beautiful than words and not worth carrying such a heavy burden.

Dear Dad,

Life is beautiful

and even the passing of your life can be remembered in it’s most beautiful state:

in those moments where your life was truly lived.

Love,

Patty

Dear Dominic Truth {dedication prayer}

On May 29th of this year, we dedicated our home and family to the Lord. We committed to raise Dominic with the love of the Lord and to do our absolute best to make Christ famous to our dear child. Here is our letter to him that sits on his bookshelf as a reminder to us all.

Dear Dominic Truth,

You came into our world on January 20, 2011 but we’ve been praying for you and calling you by name for quite some time now. Your name Dominic, means from the Lord, and you are indeed our very special gift from above. Your middle name, though unique, is our prayer for your life. That you would know the truth and proclaim the truth. In many ways, this world in which you will grow up is confused and has allowed the solid lines of truth to be blurred. But we pray you will know that Jesus Christ is the only way, the truth and the very life that leads to our Heavenly Father. We pray that there will be no compromise in your life and the Christ standard of which you will uphold will point others to the father.

Love,

Mom and Dad

Dear Dominic Truth {months 4 & 5}

Dear Dominic Truth,

Are you really 5 months old today? Can it really be? This leg of our adventure is flying by a bit too quickly for mommy and daddy. As we look back on all the wonderful milestones we’ve witnessed in your short life we realize how truly blessed we are to have you in our lives.

So. A look back on the past 2 months.

On April 23rd, you shocked mommy by standing up in your bouncy seat!

On April 24th, you went to your first Easter Sunrise Service and then onto Church. When we made it home you got your Easter Basket from your Granny. She gave you bubbles, sunglasses and a really cool book by Sesame Street called The Healthy Monster’s Triathlon.

On April 26th, you laughed for the first time. It was thrilling!

On April 27th, you had the best dream. You told me all about it and apparently the color blue played a significant role.

The last weekend in April we went on an overnight adventure to cheer Daddy on in the MS 150 Cycling Event. You did really well especially since Saturday was a REALLY HOT DAY and Sunday was a REALLY COLD DAY!

The month of May had many firsts.

On May 2nd I read ‘Goodnight Moon” to you for the millionth time and yet that night I believe you truly enjoyed it for the first time.

On May 4th, you discovered yourself in the mirror.

On May 6th, you watched your very first youtube video. It was Cookie Monster in “C is for Cookie”. You loved it.

On May 8th, we celebrated Mommy’s first Mother’s day which would not be possible without you. You and daddy brought mommy donuts for breakfast, then we went to church and afterwards you took Mommy out to McCallister’s for lunch. You gave me the sweetest picture frame with a picture of you inside and you even signed your own card!

On May 12th, you decided to take your bouncy seat to the next level by kicking your toys instead of batting them. You also started sighing which was THE. SWEETEST. SOUND.

On May 13th, you went on your first plane ride and you did amazing! You also met your uncle Jimmy and Aunt Tara and Cousin Joel!!

On May 14th, we celebrated and remembered your Poppy’s life. Although he never met you, he loved you very much.

On May 15th, you went to Sonny’s for the first time. You slept through the whole experience.

On May 16th, you found your toes for the first time! You also witnessed one of the final launches of the space shuttle.

On May 18th, you experienced the ocean for the first time.

That week, you enjoyed lots of fun times with your granny who loves you very very much.

On May 19th, we were in a 6 car collision on the way home from the airport. Thankfully our bumper was the only thing damaged and your car seat kept you safe. God kept us all safe that night.

On May 20th, you turned 4 months old and mommy could hardly believe it.

Although you had already ‘found’ your thumb, on May 23rd you learned to truly enjoy your thumb.

On May 25th, you really fell in love with your feet or feetsies as we call them.

On May 26th, we started watching Sesame Street together. Your favorite characters were and still are Cookie Monster (just like Mommy) and Elmo.

On May 27th, you had your 4 month appointment. You weighed 14lbs 5oz, and measured 24 3/4 inches long. Dr. Berkowitz said you looked great and you did really well with your shots.

On May 29th, you tried rice cereal for the first time. You liked it but we think you liked holding the spoon better.

On May 21st, we dedicated our home and family to the Lord. We made a covenant with God to make Christ famous to you sweet baby boy.

On May 30th, we went to the third annual pool party at the Smith’s. You had fun in the water and looked super cool in your shades.

During the month of June, we thought you were teething and figured out that thankfully you were not. You really started enjoying bathtime too which made mommy and daddy so happy to see you splashing in the water and playing with your toys. You also mastered ‘sputtering’ and helped mommy grow flowers.

On June 2nd, you learned the art of conveniently dropping your toys. It was an experiment of sorts, I’m sure, to see if mommy would pick them up for you.

On June 3rd you started sitting up with some assistance.

On June 4th you woke up in the middle of the night for the first time in a really long time. We were total zombies the next day. Thanks kiddo : )

On June 8th, we went to visit your daddy  at work and the ladies came a running to see your cute little face.

On June 10th, we really thought you were going to roll over from back to front. We could see the wheels in your mind turning and you came close many times but alas it was not to be so on this day. Soon though!

On June 13th we made a sling for Daddy to use while he worked so you could hang out with him.

In June we started a fun habit of waiting for daddy on the fronts steps. It really thrills me to see your face light up when you see your dad.

On June 18th, we discovered that both you and your cousin Joel enjoy listening to the Gaither’s.

You also FINALLY noticed bubbles. This made mommy very happy.

On June 19th, we celebrated your Daddy on Father’s Day. We brought him coffee and donuts and gave him a really cool LEGO set. We had lunch with your friend Phoenix and her mommy and daddy and the Smiths and Jamie. Later we watched Star Wars the Empire Strikes Back. Daddy says it was an awesome father’s day.

And today you turn 5 months old. We love you more than we did yesterday. We will love you more tomorrow than we do today. You are, and always will be, our little prince.

Love,

Mom and Dad

Memorials, Vacations and Car Wrecks…Oh My!

This past week was full of events. Here are some of the highlights:

• On Saturday May 14th we celebrated my dad’s life with a memorial service. He passed away in November of last year but because I and my sister in law were both extremely pregnant and unable to travel, we decided to wait until May so we could all be present and truly honor my father’s life. It was an emotional day. We held the service in Palatka at the church my family has attended all of my life. I don’t know how but I read my father’s eulogy. My mom read Psalm 8 which was my dad’s favorite verse and many people shared fond memories they had of my dad. He was a much loved man. There are moments when I look at Dominic and realize that he will never know his Poppy. He will never hear him talk like Donald Duck or share time with him sitting on the front porch swing. Dom will also be spared seeing my father tormented as he was at times by his emotions. There is still a lot to be processed. I’ve journaled a lot about it. At this time these entries are private. Perhaps I’ll share them but right now is not the time. Nichole Nordeman has a song entitled, “Seasons”. One particular line of the song seems to surface every time I face a transition in my life: “Even now in death you open doors for life to enter”. These lyrics  are more significant in this time as we said farewell to my father shortly before welcoming into this world two precious baby boys: my dear nephew Joel Isaac Hudson born December 20, 2010 and our very own Dominic Truth born exactly one month later.
  

  Remembering Dad

• Following the memorial, we began our first family vacation. Mom, my brother, his wife Tara and Joel, our Aunt Pat and Cousin Teri, and our little family all made our way to Flagler Beach to stay at a condo right on the beach. It was an amazing place!

View from the balcony

Because Joel and Dominic were born so closely together this was the first opportunity for the cousins to meet.

So you're my cousin? Nice to meet ya! (Dom is on the left, Joel is on the right)

They played together

And they slept together

They even lounged around together

We had a great time on the beach too. Dominic touched the ocean for the first time. He was pretty indifferent to the experience but he did look pretty cool in his hat and sunglasses.

Hanging out with Daddy

Our little water baby

Dominic really loved his time with his Granny

We had fun playing games and being with family

And Dom loved staying up late

Dom had the best time with his 'Aunt' Teri

And he loved his Great Aunt Pat!!

Loved being with my brother, his sweet wife and my little nephew!!

Happy Granny

We had a great time!!!

In addition to this being our first family vacation since Dominic’s arrival, it was also Dom’s first trip on an airplane. He did so well; multiple people commented that they didn’t even know he was on the plane. Here are some candids from our airplane adventures.

Waiting to board the plane

Looking out the window...clouds everywhere!

All worn out..he slept most of the flight home

• We had a great trip with absolutely no hiccups. On our way home from the airport we had a really big scare. We came up on a 3 car accident. Marshall, being the safe driver that he is, was able to stop to avoid hitting the cars ahead. The car behind him was able to as well. But the truck behind her didn’t stop in time and ran into her. The force was so strong that she ran into us. Fortunately, I was in the back seat with Dominic so I didn’t see it coming. That was also a huge blessing because where Marshall had maneuvered the car, it would have been very dangerous for me to get out of the car. But as every mother knows it wouldn’t have stopped me from making sure my baby was okay. Since I was right beside him I saw that the car seat did not even budge. His car seat was rear facing so all it really did to him was wake him up to a crying mommy which made him cry. Out of six cars, we were the only vehicle to not only drive away without the assistance of a tow truck, the damage was so minimal,we had to search for it the next day. We’ll be in need of a new bumper says the initial insurance inspection but all three of us are perfectly fine. We were checked out by the chiropractor and we all looked fine. And for that I am so extremely thankful. God cradled our car.

So how’s that for  our first family vacation?  It was amazing. We came back refreshed, with a little sun on our cheeks, carrying lots of memories and pictures to be developed.

Life is beautiful!!

It’s Been 3 Years

Dear Friends & Family,

It seems that the years go by more quickly as we age and this year is no exception as we look back on three wonderful years of marriage. On April 12th, 2008 we began our journey as man and wife. After two amazing years of newlywed adventures, a new chapter was open. The title: Welcome to Parenthood. Yes, this time last year we found out we were pregnant. What an adventure that turned out to be. From morning sickness to eccentric food cravings to the nail biting wait to find out the gender of our child. Of course many of you know and have even met our sweet baby boy Dominic Truth. Dominic was born on January 20th of this year at 8:44pm weighing 8lbs 7.5oz and measuring 20.5 inches long. The wait for his arrival is a story in itself. You can feel free to read all about our dear one’s birth here: http://bit.ly/fisxHD.

Although our pregnancy and the birth of Dom was the main event that took up our time and energy this past year, there were other significant events and memories that defined our relationship.

On May of last year, Marshall completed his first two-day cycling event. The MS 150. This was indeed a huge milestone in his athletic career. To think that just one year prior Marshall made the comment: Wouldn’t it be neat IF I could do that one day? Tomorrow he will participate for the second time in this now annual event on the Parker calendar.

If cycling 150 miles were not challenging enough, Marshall also participated in his first triathlon sprint on Labor Day. A 300 meter swim, a 15 mile bike ride and a 5k run. This, too, will become an annual event. We are also looking forward to participating together in the San Antonio Half Marathon in November.

In addition to our athletic accomplishments, we have also triumphed over debt- first by paying off the balance on our car and then in November we paid off the last of our credit cards allowing us to proclaim with great vigor, “We’re debt free!!” We are now in the process of saving for a house.

This year has had its moments of excitement but it has also had some difficult moments. In November, Patty’s dad passed away unexpectedly. Her father struggled for years with many physical and emotional ailments. We find comfort in that he is no longer in pain and although he never met Dominic, he knew that he was going to have a grandson (two actually…Patty’s brother had a son in December of last year!) and he was so proud. We talk to Dominic often about his Poppy and look forward to sharing memories and stories about him as Dom grows.

Having a baby sure does change everything. It has been three months and although life as we know it has changed, keeping our marriage a priority has not. It now takes on a more significant role. We’ve been challenged through our church to make Jesus famous and our little one, Dominic, is the most important person for which we want to shine Christ. We’ll do this best by keeping God first in our lives, serving each other and embracing this wonderful adventure called life.

We thank you for your prayers these past 3 years and ask that you continue to pray for our marriage and our little family.

Life is beautiful!

Marshall & Patty and Dominic Truth Parker

Paleo What???

I know I’ve mentioned this before…BUT. When Marshall and I got married, I was a bit lost in the kitchen. If it didn’t come in a jar or a box, I didn’t have a clue how to make it. Mar isn’t a complainer but one day he happened to mention how I was repeating the same meals over and over. This got me to thinking and well that is when I began making a food calendar. Think school cafeteria menu and you have a pretty good picture of what I started doing. Oh how I loved it. Made grocery shopping so easy and eliminated trying to figure out what to eat each night. I started experimenting with new recipes and soon I had a recipe repertoire of meals that would set Mar to drooling at the very mention of the meal.

THEN. I. GOT. PREGNANT.

Yep. Things went semi-down hill from there until a month or two post partum when we dusted ourselves off and got back on the health wagon.

We were doing great. Asking the important questions like what was good about this meal? What should we change? Was this a healthy choice? Etc.

THEN. Marshall went to see our Wellness doctor who suggested this diet.

The Paleo Diet.

I won’t claim to be an expert because I’m not but here’s basically what he challenged Marshall to eat and not eat for the next 60 days.

GENERAL DIETARY GUIDELINES

• Gluten Free, Casein Free, Soy Free
• Avoid Cross-Reactive Foods
• Will probably do best on GRAIN FREE
• Blood Sugar Control Diet
• Can’t skip meals
• Eat every 2 to 3 hours
• Protein and Veggies, Low-glycemic fruits sparingly
• No Vegetable or Fruit Juices
• RULE:  NO fruit juices.  NO Vegetable juices
• Small exception:  if juicing the entire VEGETABLE and consuming the ENTIRE VEGETABLE you can have it, but not more than you would eat of the whole veg.
• You can have WHOLE stone fruits such as apricots, peaches, nectarines, plums, cherries.  BUT you MUST eat it with a protein source.
• RULE:  NO tropical fruits such as bananas, mangos, or pineapple.
• MUST:
• Lower carb consumption
• NOT consume Adrenal stimulants
• Go Gluten-Free

PROTEIN–BASED DIET

1. Eat breakfast:   high quality and colorful vegetables
1. Chicken breast
2. Eggs (if allowed on YOUR diet)
3. Steak
4. Porkchop
5. Smoked salmon
6. Turkey sausage
7. Bacon
8. It doesn’t have to be a typical “breakfast” food.
9. Could have Gluten-Free oats, or Quinoa
2. 2 hours later eat a protein-based snack:
1. Handful of almonds, walnuts, or pecans
2. Handful of seeds:  sunflower, pumpkin, etc.
3. Beef jerky, or other meat jerky
4. String cheese (if casein is allowed in YOUR diet)
3. Lunch:   should be protein-based and include colorful vegetables – same rules as breakfast.
4. 2 hours later eat a protein-based snack.
5. Dinner:   protein-based and include colorful vegetables

Looks very similar to The Southbeach Diet and the Adkins diet. The hardest part for Mar? No dairy. The hardest part for me? Making meals that do not have carbs or dairy. Just bust out any cookbook and try to find a recipe that doesn’t call for rice or milk or cheese or pasta. Near impossible.

But after 10 days of following this, Mar lost 6lbs. Pretty impressive.

I’m not following it totally. I’m breastfeeding and my number one priority is making sure that Dominic gets the nutrients he needs to be healthy and grow.

I have to admit though that the bad carbs and excessive dairy I was consuming has gone down and I’m losing too. But at that healthy “this is how you lose baby weight” rate.

One thing I’ve always felt very strongly about is that I wanted to LEARN how to eat healthier. I wanted to DEVELOP a healthy exercise regimen. None of this fad diet or extreme exercising stuff. If it’s not a habit, the weight comes back and you start hitting snooze when the exercise excitement wears off.

So the other night when Mar ordered his meat heavy , vegetable loaded meal that looked amazing, and I nibbled on my fries and cheeseburger (it sounded really good at the time), I realized that I didn’t even like what I was eating and this paleo thing might be worth exploring in more depth.

BUT at a LEARNING rate.

So here we are learning daily how to eat better. I’ll keep you posted as I learn more and update you on the weight loss and maybe even share some successful recipes as I come across them.

By the way, if you are a local friend reading this. Please don’t worry about us coming to dinner or going out with you. We’ll do just fine and really don’t mind (catch the sarcasm) a carb or two here or there! : )

Dear Dominic Truth

Dear Dominic Truth,

It is so hard to believe that you are 3 months old now. I think back to all the waiting we did anticipating your arrival. You sure did take your time. Although I didn’t care for the waiting, I’m loving the idea of playing up how your mommy and daddy waited 42 whole weeks for your arrival and how your dear sweet mother labored for over 48 hours and then pushed you out in 10 minutes!

But enough about your arrival. I wanted to tell you how proud I am of all of your accomplishments in the past 3 months. I have some great memories already.

January 20th- You were only a few hours old when I remembered how much I was looking forward to counting your fingers and toes. So I un-swaddled your sweet little body and began counting. One little finger, two little fingers, three little fingers, four little fingers…hmm. And so I began again. One, two, three, four…it took several times for me to finally count five fingers on each hand and five toes on each foot. Your mommy was exhausted!

January 21st- I couldn’t stop looking at you and just watching you breathe melted my heart.

January 22nd- The doctor tested your blood and we found out you were a bit jaundiced and so we had to put you under the lights. This broke mommy’s heart. I was still able to nurse you though. Those moments so close to you were very special. We also got to feed you more of mommy’s milk using a syringe to make sure you didn’t get dehydrated. Mommy and daddy were quite a team. Granny helped too!

2 days old

January 23rd- A busy day in your life. You looked mommy in the eyes for the first time and my heart melted. We also were able to bring you home. You cried the whole time as we walked down the hall, down the elevator and until we put you in the car. When we drove away, your crying stopped. You loved riding in the car from the beginning! That same day you discovered the ceiling. Daddy prayed for you and mommy’s heart melted again.

January 24th- We went to meet your doctor. On the way, we realized that we had forgotten your diaper bag. Good thing we went back for it. You went through two diapers before the doctor even saw you.

January 27th- You said goodbye to your sweet Granny. You had many wonderful moments in her lap while staring at the wall full of photos of your Mommy and Daddy. That same day, you met your Grandpa and Grandma Parker. You loved taking naps in your Grandma’s arms and hanging out with Grandpa.

Granny and Dominic Truth

Grandpa with Dom

Naptime with Grandma

January 31st- You met your Aunt Ruth and your cousin Micah. You had fun spending time with them. Your aunt Ruth could soothe your cries in an instant.

Aunt Ruth, Cousin Micah and The Dom!

February 6th- You loved being swaddled. We called you our little baby burrito.

February 8th- Mommy figured out it was a good idea to sleep while you slept.

February 12th- You fell in love with your swing. You even would talk to the animals on the mobile. And we celebrated your daddy’s birthday.

February 14th- Daddy went back to work and you and me were on our own. We did pretty well! While you slept in my arms, you smiled so big. Made me wonder what you were dreaming about. You also celebrated your first Valentine’s Day with Mommy and Daddy.

February 15th- We gave you a bath and you. did. not. like it.

February 17th- At four weeks old you could lift your head briefly while on your tummy. You had rolled over twice from tummy to back, started smiling, and laughed once. You could hold small items and bat at toys. That night we did an iChat with Granny, and you met your Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Tara and your cousin Joel for the first time.

February 18th- You played with your first toy. A wrist rattle. We also took you for your first walk. Mommy carried you in the Moby wrap. You slept the whole time.

February 19th- We took you to Wal-Mart and everyone stopped us to admire you. One lady spoke to us in Spanish. Mommy believes she said that you were very beautiful. That it was cold outside. And that you needed a hat!

February 20th- On your one month birthday, we took you to church for the first time. You did so great and it was wonderful to be back.

February 22nd- You helped mommy vacuum. Well you hung out in my sling and slept while I did the work.

February 24th- You started waking up in the middle of the night. You weren’t upset. You were really happy and alert. So mommy started watching a lot of movies in the middle of the night.

February 26th- You started laughing in your sleep. It was so precious to watch you with your beautiful smile and contagious laugh.

March 2nd- You started kicking your socks off.

One sock off

March 3rd- Mommy successfully cooked a meal with you in her arms. It was messy but very yummy.  You also helped me with the laundry.

Helping Mommy Fold

March 9th- You hung out with Daddy so mommy could get some much needed rest. Daddy took you on an adventure to Target and you brought me Starbucks. That night Daddy put you to bed all by himself for the first time!

March 13th- We began a tradition of Sunday afternoon naps. You gladly complied.

March 16th- At 8 weeks, you went to your first storytime at the library. You made some new friends and met Miss Melanie!

March 17th- You celebrated your first St Patty’s Day!

It's me first St Patty's Day

March 19th- Mommy watched you and daddy sleep and her heart melted again with love for you and for your daddy.

March 20th- You turned 2 months old!

March 22nd- You had your 2 month check up. You weighed 11lbs 12 oz and measured 23 and a quarter inch long. You got your shots and cried. Mommy cried too. You did really well but Mommy sure was sad to hear your little cry.

March 23rd- You started waking up at 4 in the morning happy and alert and jabbering away. I have no doubt you will be a great speaker one of these days. What with all this practice.

March 25th- Your hair started growing back in. I had nicknamed you my receding hairline baby.

March 30th- Mommy decided that batteries for all your toys was way more important than even diapers especially for your swing.

March 31st- You slept for 8 hours straight! At 5 am you began your daily speech. We met Daddy for lunch and you met some of his co-workers.

April 4th- Mommy put away your last newborn outfit. You grew out of them way. too. fast.

April 5th- You started loving naps in your bouncy seat along with your magic blanket.

Our little Linus

April 6th- I put you in your bed happy and awake. You fell asleep all by yourself 10 minutes later and slept through the night! You did this for one week exactly. Then you decided you didn’t much care for the whole sleeping through the night thing.

April 9th- You participated in your first 5k with mommy. The Seton Soles Run. Our time was 58 minutes.

April 10th- We went to Beni Hana for Hibachi and you were mesmerized by the chef’s amazing cooking tricks.

April 11th- We went to Dallas World Aquarium. You saw monkeys, penguins, flamingoes and… some fish.

April 12th- You had your first babysitter, David & Stacy, and play date, Phoenix while Mommy and Daddy celebrated their 3rd wedding anniversary.

Funtimes with the Rickey's

April 14th- You decided to roll over again. You did it twice and then decided you were done with that trick again.

April 16th- Your first photo shoot. You did so well. The photographer didn’t have to work hard at all to get you to smile!

April 18th- You went to bed at 7:30 and woke up at 7am! There was a quick snack at 3 am but mommy was very happy about this. With very few exceptions, you’ve been following a similar routine ever since. About this time we moved you to your room. You did great. So did Mommy and Daddy!

Good morning sunshine!

April 19th- Although you’ve been babbling since the day you were born, you started exercising your vocal chords in various octaves and volumes leading to mommy’s nickname for you: Baby Tarzan

April 20th- We celebrated three of the most wonderful months with you in our lives.

We love you Dominic Truth Parker!

A New Journey…

We have always seen our marriage as an incredible journey to truly becoming one.

Each adventure creates a memory, each challenge draws us closer to one another.

This past year we journeyed through the incredible miracle of growing life and giving birth.

And now.

Our lives. Will never. Be the same.

But we still want to keep our focus of becoming one. We just have an amazing addition to make our journey all the more beautiful. And a little challenging as well.

Date nights used to be second nature and chock full of creativity. Everything from Fondue to Bed and Breakfast weekends. Now we frequent IKEA and watch lots of movies.

Dinner used to be at 5, served at the table and full of conversation and healthy food. Lately the meals have left a lot to be desired in the nutritional department and are regularly served while watching tv on the couch between diaper changes and feedings and bouncings of baby…not room for much conversation there.

The house used to be spotless. Now…well, let’s not go there.

It’s been nearly 11 weeks since Dominic arrived on the scene.

I can now say with authority that the first several weeks with a newborn are not easy. But I can also say that it is getting better. Dominic is starting to sleep through the night {5-7 hours at a time}. I am starting to do a better job of keeping the house clean. We are starting to cook again. We just had to make some adjustments.

During the course of my amazing pregnancy, I did what pregnant women do- I gained weight. And Marshall did what husbands of pregnant women do- he gained weight, too.

So this is our latest journey. Re-learning good eating habits. Returning to the benefits of exercise. Doing our best to go to bed early and rise early.

We took a good look at where we were with weight, exercise and nutrition and said, “It’s totally understandable. We just had a baby!” We gave ourselves some grace. We can’t just bounce back to where we were pre-Dom. But we can make some small intentional changes.

So here are our Nutrition and Exercise Guidelines:

• No junk in the house (chips, candy, etc)
• No food after 7:30pm (Mar)
• Bed by 10:30 up by 5:15 (Mar) 8:30 (Patty)
• 2-3 bike rides per week, workout 2-3 times per week (Mar)
• Walk 3-4 times per week a minimum of 20 minutes (Patty)
• Stretch video on Sunday
• Intentional Food Splurges (as opposed to spontaneous splurging whenever the mood hits)

1. Sunday Coffee
2. Tuesday Dessert at LifeGroup
3. Rootbeer every so often…not weekly (Marshall)
4. Starbucks no more than twice a month (Patty)

We are also talking each night over dinner about the meal. Asking these questions:

1. What was good about this meal?
2. What was bad about this meal?
3. Do I have a good portion size?
4. Should we repeat this meal?
5. Should we change anything about it?

These are small changes but it’s our hope that by making small determined adjustments that we might see some improvement in our health.

I love that good health is as important to Marshall as it is to me. We’ve seen what it’s like to be physically fit and healthy and we are going to get back to that place.

It’s all a part of our amazing journey to becoming one.

Life is beautiful!