Time Flies!

All or nothing just doesn't work with me apparently. The Raw Food challenge was a bust. Moving on.

My eldest has turned 9. I realised that I am losing time & ground in my long held desires to make their childhoods magical. So with the turn of the clock I am aiming to hit the middle ground and make things more magical, more healthy, and more better. Yes, I said it. I'll do what I want!

Its funny how I have lost sight of who I used to be - as I got caught up in the day to day challenge of life. But those around me haven't lost sight and little bits of me were returned this year. A book on reading tarot. A slip of a statement that I had never understood fully until now. A cry from the kids.

I am an earth-mother. My beliefs tend toward the experiential (read nature based religion) and I love all that the seasons offer us. I intend to capture those offerings this coming year. Now if only to get some more help around the house...

SO resolutions? Sure. I resolve: to write more, have more fun, be in the now more, do more with my garden, waste less/use more, and stop rushing around. I also resolve to hold onto my few hours of "me" time with razor-sharp claws. I will not give it up for anyone. I will use it to write & create knitties.

100 Day (93 day) Whole Fu Challenge

I'm a week behind, so I guess I'll just go for 93 days as of right now...

I've lost 13 lbs in about 6 weeks thanks to stepping up the raw foods. Yahooooooo! Who knew it would be as easy as eating the foods that I love. I just had to give myself permission to drop the prepared, junky foods & allow the nature-made good ones - like coconut, seeds, avocado, fruits, & veg.

Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm still eating cooked too, but less frequently, because it seems I "pay" for every cooked meal I have. So long as I keep my cooked foods to the minority of the meal, we seem to get along fine. But as soon as the cooked bits take over the majority - well, its not pretty. Zits, stomaches, headaches, & other things that no one wants to hear about.

Join me won't you??

Bittersweet

Both the kids have decided to return to the public school system this next year.

The little one has an intense desire for his own friends (all the kids on our street are at least 3 years older...or 4 years younger). So off to kindergarten for him. Okay. I GET that.

But the older one...school was soo hard for him. He was so BORED. He cried at the thought of going into the building. "Don't you want to go see your friends?" was never enough to get him to go. Many mornings I had to almost carry him inside. And then all the late slips, because we were out front crying and arguing...he has decided he misses his friends. So, he wants to return. ergh.

Did I fail him? Did I let our goals get in the way of real learning (zoo, aquarium, science center..) Yes to that. I feel as if I have failed him. He needs more schedule and more micro-managing than I can give.

How long before he cracks again? If he does, what do I do? I have already told him that in addition to school homework, he will have to continue some of our homeschool work. History & literature specifically. But also Art and I really want to drive home French this year. And then there's guitar. It will be a busy year.

All the more reason to keep eating well. On the bright side, I will get 2.5 hours to myself four times a week and the opportunity to walk a couple of miles each day...so that's good.

But I feel guilty for having the opportunity to taste the life I had before the kids (i.e. kid-free hours). I feel as if I am relinquishing duty because I have failed and been demoted...not cast aside because they are comfortable with themselves & want to strike their own paths....arggggh!

Summer is back - not that SoCal stuff that wandered here!

Hello!

The Funkee Mommee wishes to report that the raw food diet works & fast. Its amazing how quickly my tolerance for cooked food has dropped. I am eating about 75% raw & eating vegetarian about 80% of the time.

I am not planning on dropping meats all together - I'd like to keep fish, eggs, and maybe a little bit of cheese around...but we'll see how that plays out.

I found an amazing coffee shop that actually has almond milk as an alternative - not just soy. They carry rice milk too. Amazing!! Their chai was a bit sweet, but it was made with honey so that's okay for the occassional treat.

Check out Green Grind in Redmond Town Center (upstairs overlooking the main thoroughfare). Delicious. Conscientious. Compostable cups. Owners with awesome attitude and a flair for tea. Huzzah!!

Dave the Raw Food Trucker

I met this man at the Raw Food event last weekend and thought he deserved a shout out. Dave has healed himself from a number of very serious maladies & travels with 2 blenders in his truck. He's an amazing, modest fellow who is a real pleasure to converse with.

I hope to meet him again in the future.

Check him out here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ip-VkRgHkM

Raw Spirit Event

I went to the Raw Spirit event at Raw Vegan Source this weekend and got to see some very famous chefs do their thing. Very inspiring. They are all so youthful and energetic and focused. The recipes were sometimes too complex, but the flavours were awesome.

I really enjoyed seeing & speaking with Christian Bates (wildbar.info) His take on the glycemic index is spot on and he was so approachable for a semi-private discussion - kind of like a cocktail party atmosphere. Great fun!! I recommend checking out his sites.

Elaina Love is a genius! Taking the very familiar spices of my favorite Indian, Mexican, & Asian foods and turning them into raw delicacies. Bless her beautiful heart for making these accessible.

I dined on a raw chili and gorgeous raw chocolate mouse pie by Laurel Anderson of The Good Life Raw Foods. So rich. So good! Would gladly choose her foods over anything I can find at the local gourmet restaurants and never begin to think I was "missing" something. Her work is divine.

Sadly, I couldn't stay to hear Kevin and Annemarie Gianni. I am sure they were as delightful as always.

Much thanks to Tom & Susan Armstrong for opening their home & hearts to this community and anyone interested. It is truly a blessing to be included.

An interesting note about the raw food community of eastside Seattle: everyone looks into your eyes when they talk to you....

Cola kicked!

It took 3 weeks of battling myself everyday, sometimes every hour, but I kicked the habit. I tried it yesterday (and it was delicious! but I only let myself have a bit) and I tried it today and it wasn't worth it. Success!!

Its also been 3 days without any quantity of coffee - let me rephrase...I have had a few mouthfuls just to keep the detox headache at bay. Today's coffee was 2/3 decaf and I didn't even get through half the cup. Success!

I am eating 1 full meal raw, my snacks are raw, and half of my dinner (usually) is raw. Hoping to get to 75% raw, consistently, by the end of August.

Yay me. Soon the weight will fall off, right??

just checking in!

definitely battling a sugar addiction. I need to kick the cola habit. will come back to post here what I find in regards to this, but I am thinking that a cleanse might help...ergh. those first 3 days on a cleanse are the pits!!

sigh. time to grow up and lose the migraines & the weight & accomplish a few things that i've been "doing" for (puke) 15 or 20 years. I think it might be time to release these items from my life.

Stay tuned for more!!

Funkee Mommee is going bizzy!!

Funkee Mommee is about to start her very own business - selling knitting supplies! Hurrah! 

I've been researching a ton and writing my business plan. Its almost complete and the site should be up in the month of March. Dance a jig!! Whoo!

More updates will follow here. Keep them fingers crossed and it should be a fun fun year!

In the Queue

I want to knit - 

1. finish Maegan's socks

2. finish Dave's, ahem, doll

3. finish - baby blanket, shawl, & monk's travel satchel

4. make the Ruffles scarf (the rainbow thing - thanks to littlelug from ravelry)

5. make the Lady Eleanor shawl

6. and get really creative with my spinning. 

7. oh yeah, and finish that dang novel.

A New Year, A New Start

I love new starts. I am terrific at starting new projects, finishing them is often difficult. So it goes...

And so Funkee Mommee is going to archive the old and start in with the new. Intentions are good to keep this site for me and my interests, and less on homeschooling...maybe I'll give that another blog or a different page. 

No, Funkee Mommee will continue forward as a spinning, knitting, fiber site. I will, however, continue to blather on and on about whatever...

Cheers to the Spinners (in name & in occupation). Here's to a happy and healthy 2009!