Monthly Goals - March 2011

It's March!  Come on spring!  This month will be busy for sure.  I want to get a LOT done this month so I'm not scrambling in April.  So lots of errands and projects.  But also fun stuff...like my birthday, getting ready for Rebecca's birthday and a much needed hair cut (it's been over a year!).  Hopefully by the end of this month Rebecca will be settled in her new room and the nursery will be set up.  Justin and I get a date night (can't remember the last time that happened :P).  And I get to experiment with more cake stuff and other things in the kitchen.  I have a long list of goals and to-dos.  I hope I can keep up with it.  Here goes.

FOOD

1. Eating for pregnancy, specifically the 3rd trimester.

Essential nutrients throughout pregnancy:
B Vitamins - meat, poultry, lentils, whole grains or Brewer's yeast
Vitamin C - fruit and vegetables or raw juice
Vitamin E - olive oil and nuts or vit. E supplement (Dr. Ron's)

Essential nutrients during 3T (brain development):
omega-3 fats - fish or fish oil

2. Reduce grains - try to make almost all breakfasts and lunches grain free.  I also want to try to have 1 or 2 gluten free/grain free/starch free days a week.  Which it will be depends on my menus and how I'm feeling.  I actually had a totally grain free/starch free day already yesterday!  Hope that helps my tummy.

Edited 3/4/11 - I will be eliminating any wheat products that are not sprouted, sourdough or soaked.  Aside from that I will be eating gluten, oat and potato free.

3.  I want to start adding more coconut oil back into my diet.  It is so healthy and actually very helpful for digstion.  I currently only get it in my diet through my granola.  I'll start adding it to smoothies again.  And try to come up with other ways as well.  So far I can't just eat it plain (some people can).  But maybe I'll work on it.

4. Still trying to figure out my big offender foods.  Sadly after having to give up our raw milk last month I'm realizing pasteurized milk does not do me any favors.  I even noticed a big impact on Rebecca when we switched.  Poor thing.  Very tough on the tummy.  I am not cutting it out of my diet completely.  I will still bake and cook with it.  But I will not be drinking a huge glass of milk every day like I have been for the past few months.  So sad.  I was really enjoying that.  I'll have to find other sources of calcium.  I will stick to my current list of foods to avoid.  And keep praying that something works out for us to get raw milk again soon.

potatoes
oats
raw apples
bananas
carrots
raw spinach

5. New recipes - make at least one new recipe from my Nourishing Traditions cookbook.

6. Cooking/baking:

*cake/frosting/deco - I will be making a cake for my birthday so that I can experiment with making frosting and using gum paste for decorations...all in preparation for Rebecca's birthday cake :)
*sprout and grind flour more regularly
*I would like to do some more experimenting with homemade snacks and treats.  Which means modifying old recipes or coming up with ways to make homemade versions of boughten treats.  On my list for this month: scotcheroos (a family favorite recipe we grew up with) and cherry bars (something I buy once in a while to have on hand when I need to have an on-the-go snack for Rebecca or a 60 second breakfast.  They are mostly organic/natural, but I'd still rather have them come from my kitchen.).

7. We loved Sunday night fun/finger food, so I want to continue that this month.

8. Freezer foods.  It's that time.  Getting close to baby #2.  Only 10 weeks to go!  Which means it's time to restock my freezer with easy snacks and meals so I can take it easy in the beginning but still make sure my family is eating well.  I'll have to try to plan at least one meal a week that I can make a large batch and freeze extra.

HEALTH

1. Healthy lifestyle series - Cooking Light Review, gluten/grains
2. EFT - continue to do it at least 3x a week.
3. Get up 30 min. later on Saturdays, plus eat breakfast sometime after 6:30 am.
4. Kegels - continue to do them every day.
5. Continue reading/writing rational thoughts.

FAMILY/PERSONAL

1. Sewing - work on princess dress and cloth wipes.

2. Be creative - 1 birthday cake

3. Activities and Outings

a. Kindermusik
b. nursery cmt (meeting Mar.. 21, nursery duty Mar. 6)
c. MOPS (meeting Mar. 4, 18)
d. Gymnastics
e. OB appt. - Mar. 2, 16 and 30
f. my birthday - Mar. 14
g. Honors ceremony and dinner w/ Justin - Mar. 25
h. 2nd hand sales - Mar. 10 and Mar. 25
i. Anna's Circle (meeting Mar. 8 and Mar. 22)
j. Mini vacation??
k. Hair cut - March 24

4. Rebecca - some things to do with Rebecca this month:

a. Keep working on potty training.
b. Keep working on letters, numbers, spelling/sounds, counting, math, etc.
c. Teach her a little more about babies.
d. Keep working on her new room - organize toys, clean closet, move clothes to new dresser and closet.
e. Move to new room.
f. Plan birthday party.

5. Organize: Rebecca's new room (set up dresser, clean closet, organize toys, hang posts, use new bedding), nursery (dresser, bedding, decoration)

6.  Get out baby gear/toys, clean it and see what we have/need.

7.  Clean - whatever I feel like cleaning :)  The nesting is already kicking in.  So if I'm up for it, I'm gonna go for it :)  I cleaned out our main floor bathroom closet last week.  Felt good to get rid of a lot of old stuff in there.  And I started going through baby stuff and getting things washed.