I have two blogs that I haven't been good about updating in the past year. The Burns Family (which became the church hunt blog) and Midwest Veg (my vegetarian journey). I am happy to announce that The Burns Family and Midwest Veg are becoming one in the same. Why is that? Well, guess whose hamburger loving hubby is turning (mostly) veg! MINE!!!!
I am beyond ecstatic that Chris and I are on the same page with the food we consume and the food we give our kids. Will David and Lilly be considered strange by their peers for eating hummus and drinking soy milk? I guess that's possible, but I see that as better than the alternative!
Even though we live in the midwest, we are so blessed to be in Lakewood, where vegetarianism/veganism is widly accepted. We have stores and restaurants with lots of flesh-free options. I hope that this trend spreads quickly through the U.S.
What happened with Chris? Anyone who knows Chris knows that this is a huge change. When new friends would ask me if my husband was also a vegetarian, I would just laugh. Even though he fully supported me in my veggie pursuits, there was absolutely no way that I could change his eating habits. He had to come to that point on his own.
Chris has been trying to lose weight for years. He has had many successes, but the struggle has persisted. Recently, he was introduced to Advocare products. This was life-changing and we are very grateful to Kristin and Chris Iden for their friendship. Chris committed to the 24 day challenge which required a very strict diet. No salt, no sugar, no dairy, only small amounts of chicken and fish. Chris thrived on this diet. After some time, the chicken felt too heavy for him and he was down to just fish for meat.
Chris has completed the 24 day challenge and he lost a total of 29 pounds. He is now addicted to this new lifestyle of healthy eating and uphill walking.
You all know that the book Skinny Bitch is what kick started my veggie lifestyle. Well, Chris has discovered Skinny's spouse, Skinny Bastard. (So sorry for these awful titles, and this is not recommended reading for young people or those easily offended)
He is having all of the same revelations that I had a year and a half ago and that I thought he would never grasp. I am so grateful!
This is especially good timing because I had just recently seriously started contemplating adding meat back into my diet. I don't know what I was thinking, but I'm so glad that God had another plan!
I would like to tell you what my 5 year old and 3 year old had for dinner last night (and enjoyed).
Small portion of salmon cooked in olive oil with walnuts on top
Sweet potato
Fresh cut pineapple
Whole wheat vegetable pasta with crushed tomato on top
Water, to drink
Keep in mind, what is written above is all that was in the food. No seasonings, butter, sugar...nothing. Kids do not need to be fed chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese just because they are kids. They do not need to drink massive amounts of milk and they do not need to watch you consume those things, either.
We have decided to include organic fish in our family diet (including me). I love that this is our "family diet."
I am so proud of my family and so thankful for what God is doing in our lives.
More to come.
"God spoke: "Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature so they can be responsible for the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the cattle, and yes, Earth itself, and every animal that moves on the face of Earth." God created human beings; he created them godlike, reflecting God's nature. He created them male and female. God blessed them: "Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take Charge!
Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air, for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth."
Then God said, "I've given you every sort of seed-bearing plant on Earth and every kind of fruit-bearing tree, given them to you for food. To all animals and all birds, everything that moves and breathes, I give whatever grows out of the ground for food." And there it was.
God looked over everything he had made; it was good, so very good!"
Genesis 1:26-31a (The Message)
