Hi. So, this is me...

This is not my first blog.
I actually have one currently for journaling called, Letters to Gram. Addressed to my late Gram, it's one I haven't spent much time on. My most popular blog was called, Keeping Up With the Neumanns. I ran it 2008-2011. It was a short run, but it was a good one. It was a no holds barred account of our financial situation, debt we'd incurred, and a plan to become debt free. We even had a debt calculator to show our progress. It was raw and honest. It was healing in the process. So many people are in that same situation. We can struggle together, and find solutions and a way out together. After all, we are all in this world together. Unfortunately, I decided to go back to (graduate) school which raised our debt in terms of student loans and also decreased my available time to devote to the blog. After one year of no new posts, I decided to delete the blog.  Here I am in 2015. I am actually contemplating a doctoral program. Yikes! I am a Nurse Practitioner. I would like to obtain my Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP). The difference between then and now is that I have the luxury of going as slow as I want, which also means corporate reimbursement. Oh yeah! No more added to the ole student loan!

Ok, so what is THIS Blog about?!?
Well, I am married to the most amazing man in the whole world (sorry ladies)! Together, we have 3 boys and 2 dogs. So, our boys are 16, 14, and 12. Over the years we have tried for a few months at a time to enforce healthy eating and exercise habits. We do, for the most part, lead by example. For the most part. Unfortunately, I always come back to the idea that we should lead by example and when they are motivated, they will come around. It works temporarily, but then, just like most human beings, they fall back to old habits. Junk food, video games, endless hours of T.V.... In the past I have made separate meals for myself, exercised by myself...  Whose fault is this? Not theirs! Yep. MINE. I buy the food. I'm the parent. By no means do I expect them to run a marathon or half marathon with me, but I do expect them to find something to do that they love that involves physical activity.

Our history.
My husband and I grew up in basically whole food/clean eating families. Our families were not well off during our childhood and adolescent years. Now, pay close attention to that statement! We had ALL of what we needed. We had SOME or MOST of what we wanted. (That is the way even the richest of the rich should live! No one should have everything they want! Both kids and adults.) We did not eat out! We did NOT eat fast food. It was a huge treat to go out to eat. I drank milk at every meal. We had a vegetable with every meal. Our meals were well balanced! Kudos Mom. Kudos Mom Neumann. Our unhealthy diet began with us! Ugh! Buzz kill!!!! So, after we had our first two children we cooked a lot at home. hardly ever went out. Mainly, because Ryan was allergic to cow's milk. We cooked pretty healthy meals. However, some were definitely processed and convenient. It was after we moved to Rochester and had our 3rd child, that things began to change. We were busier. I went back to nursing school. Then, after I graduated I went back to work. Then I went back to school. I changed jobs, and went back to school again. All of this created a nasty cycle. Basically, it went like this: "Just this once, we will eat out. Just this once, I will make chicken nuggets for lunch." "Just this once" became habit. Our poor third child has probably had more crappy meals than healthy ones.

We started with baby steps last year.
We wanted to get control of our finances, so we started cooking and eating at home again. This was mostly a financial decision. It has been such a hit that we decided to take it up a notch. I decided that there is absolutely no reason the kids cannot eat what we eat. I had always thought that it was too late for my kids because I let it go too long with the crappy food. NOT TRUE!!!  If that is all they have to eat... they will try it! Of course I tailor my meals to things that they may eat...

SO...
This year our kids are eating clean, whole foods. ORGANIC. Well, 80% of the time. They ARE kids!!  This is our journey. We are eating better. Exercising. Budgeting. Going organic when possible.  We are taking control of our health and our finances!  Follow us for our recipes and other tips that we learn along the way! After all, why not let us try it first to see if it really works???

"Let food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food." -Hippocrates