I'll Buy That For a Dollar.

I went grocery shopping today.  In front of me were two women and a man, with a lot of groceries.  I'm trying to think how to say this tactfully, but I can't, so I'll just say it.  They seemed unwashed and poor.  When it came time to pay for their things, they didn't have enough cash.  I felt bad, and offered to pay for the difference.  They were immediately embarrassed, which wasn't my intent, and they refused to accept the offer.  They began removing items from their purchase, and I tried to avert my gaze to save us all the discomfort.  Unfortunately, there wasn't much else for me to look at since, as a geographical bachelorette, I have no need for Cosmo's 169 Mind-Blowing Sex Moves, nor do I care about Bo and Hope's latest from Soap Opera Digest.  So I shifted my attention back to their purchase.

I am not actually rude enough to snap a picture of their groceries, but it looked almost exactly like this:

We all know my argument about "real" food vs. synthetic food.  But these people did not have a single fresh fruit or vegetable on the belt.  There were six cases of soda.  They were returning their big ticket items, which were frozen lasagnas and frozen pizzas.  There was no fresh meat.  Everything was processed.  One of the women was on an electric cart and was very overweight.

I won't lie.  There was a time when I would have been disgusted by this.  I would have judged them as lazy and incompetent.  But today, all I felt was sad.  Maybe they don't have the means to prepare food.  Or more likely, maybe they really don't know how.  Maybe no one ever taught them how to cook.  And while in all likelihood, they are well aware of the fact that an apple is healthier than a Suzy-Q, when it comes right down to it, 8 Suzy-Q's are indeed cheaper than 8 apples. 

I wanted to say, "Hey, instead of paying for your groceries, how about if I teach you how to shop and cook?"  And even though I would have sincerely meant that offer, I figured it would come across as condescending and presumptuous.  People make snide remarks about Michelle Obama's "interference" in the nation's diet and lifestyle choices.  But I absolutely believe nutrition education is dying.   Home Ec programs have been cut from most schools, and nutrition is glossed over in the curriculum because we need to get those math, science and reading scores up in time for testing!  We are bombarded with convenient snacks and fast meals, and in our crazy on-the-go lives, they absolutely make things much easier.  My concern is that people are not learning to differentiate between grabbing a couple frozen pizzas at the end of a hectic day, and buying 14 frozen meals to last two weeks' worth of supper.  

Anyway.  I felt frustrated and disappointed by this experience.  Do I think the government should tell people how and what to eat?  No.  But I absolutely believe they should assume responsibility for ensuring that nutrition education is available to everyone, and that healthy food choices are an affordable option across the board.

The Shape of Me

This song has been in my head a lot recently.  I am continually amazed at those who shape me, my life, and the lives of my children.  Two of my friends called a couple months back and said "How about if we come out around mother's day?"  Ummm... how about absolutely yes??!  I hate that we live so far apart, that our kids don't know each other, and that life flies by us faster than I can keep up with.  So they came.  And we decided to head to the coast for the weekend.  I have another friend, just as wonderful as Dawn and Tiff, who said, "Hey, I would love to keep your kids for you."  She is selfless and generous, and threw my kids right in with hers.  It's hard for me to leave my kids because there are so few people who can manage the little bundle of challenges that come with that task.  So Melissa, thank you, for being one of them.




My life, like all of ours, has been shaped by bumps and challenges.  At every point along the way, there have been people who have helped me figure out who I am, face my fears, embrace my successes.  It is particularly significant to have friends who have known and loved you before and after a major life changing event.  They help you see what you may not have seen before, and help you negotiate meaning in uncertainty.  Friends who do this for you are a blessing. 

As I often point out, I am also fortunate to be married to a man who can hold both my hand and my heart.  There are bumps in this path we walk together, and I would never want to do this without him.  Tonight, I was exhausted.  Three days to catch up with my girlz doesn't lend itself to much sleeping.  I am tired from worrying if my husband will be safe when he travels the roads and air of that God forsaken country.  One of my kids, who held it together like a champ while I took a night away, had to release the anxiety tonight that he'd felt while I was gone, and it wasn't pretty.  I was up late last night in the ER with my little girl, who broke her arm.  In spite of a wonderful 3 days, stuff caught up with me tonight.  And it was hard.  Really hard.  And then he called.  And I felt the shape of us; the shape that is familiar and soothing and fits like no other shape.  He reminds me I am not alone, that I've got all the strength I need in the shape of us.  He shows me how, together, we move through to where we need to be. 

There is good to be found.  It is as real as the hard stuff, and far more worth looking for.  So thanks to my friends, who are so much a part of all that good.  And thank you, Skip, for being the very foundation of all that is good in my life.  We have built our world in the shape of us, and it's really good.

Granola Bar Balls

I recently asked on FB if anyone had some good suggestions for high protein, low fat snacks that my teenager can eat after he lifts at the gym with me before school.  One of my friends sent me a link for these little "Energy Bites", a no-bake, mini-version of a granola bar.  I tweaked the recipe a little, and here's what I came up with.

First of all, use mini chocolate chips instead of regular sized ones.  Trust me, this is a better choice.

Mix together:
2 c dry oats
1/2 c chocolate chips
1/2 c ground flaxseed
1 c peanut butter
2/3 c honey
2 t vanilla
1/2 c craisins






You want to really mix that all together well.  It takes some elbow grease and about 5-7 minutes.  After you get it mixed up well, you want to roll them into balls about the size of a Dunkin Donuts Munchkin.  That way, when you are eating them, you can pretend they are filled with jelly and sprinkled with sugar.  Pop them in the fridge for a little bit so they chill and set.  I had 3 teenage boys at my counter while I was making these, and I had to keep slapping their hands to keep them from eating them all.  They're really yummy, and very healthy.  And while I do realize teenage boys eat just about anything, when they eat HEALTHY stuff, that's a bonus.