If you read Jims Blog then you probably have read about our attempts to eat healthy. There was that week we tried to eat organic. Then there was that week we tried not to eat out at all. Then there was that time we switched to whole wheat everything (this one actually stuck and now I prefer brown rice, pasta, and bread to white). We have not been completely successful at our many attempts, but I like to think that we are at least a little bit healthier. Almonds for snacks instead of candy (although Kroger better stop putting those Nerd Ropes on sale), more salads and fruits, baking instead of frying, less fast food. It's all gotta count for something. Jim calls it our Bark and Pinecone diet.

My mom likes to tell me the story of when I was young and it was just me and her, appearently we ate dinner at Wendy's every single night. Then she met my dad who liked to cook and who liked to be healthy and he ruined that great tradition. (He also reformed us and made us start keeping the house clean...but that's another story). After they got married, I grew up eating "healthy" so you'd think it would be easier for me to adapt to the whole bark and pinecone thing.And when I say healthy, I mean healthy. (Jim would usethe word deprived.)

Let me explain the severity of it:

• At my fifth birthday party I had healthy pumpkin cookies instead of cake. No one ate them but me. At my 7th birthday, I had whole wheat strawberry shortcakes with sugar-less whipped topping. I thought they were a great treat, I didn't know there was better stuff out there.
  
• I've only been trick or treating a handful of times and most of those times we would "trade in" our sugar treats for other "treats"- string cheese was my favorite. (Jim just about passed out from shock when I told him that story.)
• We ate whole wheat everything, carob instead of chocolate, oatmeal cookies that I'm pretty sure just consisted of oatmeal and rasins and thats it, veggetables up the wazoo (where exactly did that word originate from?), fish and chicken, all the good stuff. If it said soy or sprouts or sugar-free cardboard on the package, we ate it.
  
• Our mom gave our primary teachers sugar free suckers to give us when they gave treats to the class. I never did understand how those were supposed to be better for us than the sugar treats. They always gave me the 'rreah... as in diarreah. Too much info? Of course the sugar treats also have ill side effects. The first time I had cotton candy I was 21 and I threw up blue all night. The first time I had pop rocks I was 22; they made my eyes water and I spewed them out all over Jim. I occasionally get a craving for chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and chocolate ice cream with chocolate syrup but after I eat it I always feel yucky.

So, if eating bark and pinecones and sugar-free cardboard is what it takes to feel good about my health, body image, and general well-being then bring it on. It's really not so bad once you get into it. And hey I didn't die from eating healthy when I was youmg so its probably not going to kill me now. Probably. I've even trained myself to eat tomatoes and bananas. Those of you who know me well can pick your lower jaw up off the floor now. Thank you.

P.S. I still do not eat beans, nor will I ever eat beans. I know what I like and I know wht I don't like and I DONT LIKE BEANS.

P.P.S. Cambry is getting her own blog so this blog doesn't turn into more of a "look at my cute kid" type of a blog (which is fine but not what I want). However, until I actually find time to get that up and running, here is a picture of Miss Cambry Claire, you know, for the grandparents.