Bueller..... Bueller........ Bueller......

Yep. It's been a while.  Like a looooong while.  And while I love to write, post recipes, put in my two cents, life has been absolutely crazy.  Here's a dose of brutal honesty and a glimpse at what I mean by crazy:

• My grandpa died...
• I was depressed for months and still feel the sting and randomly cry almost every day...
• I started and will finish grad school course work in three summers...
• My son has ADHD... 
• We tried meds - four of them actually - some with horrible results...
• We stopped medicating and now use essential oils, vitamins, and the Feingold diet - a full time job in an of itself...
• I quit my job as a band teacher...
• I don't have another "real" job lined up but do plan on teaching private music lessons and being a stay at home mom, something I have honestly wanted to do all my life but never thought I could...
• We bought cattle to start a herd...

But I digress... 

When we made the drastic switch to the Feingold Diet, which eliminates all processed foods and food additives, colors, and preservatives, I posted on FB looking for closer grocery options for organic, natural, and whole foods.  St. Paul has a ton of options, Rochester has a few.  HyVee in Austin was better than Albert Lea and I hear Mason City is even better yet...  But at any rate, one of my friends saw that I had mentioned meal planning and wanted to know how to do it.  I had a done a post a while back but have updated my format since then, learned a lot more about how to stretch my budget and food purchases, and now of course, we eat a completely different diet.  I figured my first full post back could cover two bases at once - what a week in the life of a Feingold family looks like and how to effectively and efficiently meal plan on a budget.  Furthermore, once a few meal plans have been built, and quick copy and paste moves around favorites or deletes disasters and just keeps building!  Right now, I have 3 - two week meal plans.  That should take us through the first 7 weeks of Stage 1 of Feingold, which is a 6-8 week process.  (I had the first week that we were on the diet that we were in Duluth and I made meals from what we had on hand.)  Following this first stage, we can begin to reintroduce foods to test for sensitivity and reactions and our menu choices will change again.

This isn't entirely impressive, but our monthly food budget for our family of four people ranges anywhere from $300-500 a month, or about $75-125 per week.  Sometimes I simply have to restock pantry staples and I end up spending more; sometimes I just need fresh produce and milk.  One big reason we can keep it somewhat low is because we raise our own beef.  I would love to get in on some sort of meat co-op where local farmers exchange meats - I'll give you 10 pounds of burger for 5 pounds of sausage and 3 chickens.  Wouldn't that be awesome!?!  I know I have said this before and I'll say it again, home-raised meat is healthier and most cost effective.  You will pay the same price for burger as you pay for steaks.  When was the last time you saw steaks for $2.50 a pound??  Chickens weighing 7-9 pounds usually run around $10-15 dollars, and I don't know about you, but I can get at least three meals plus bone broth and stock out of one chicken.  Yes -- even the carcass doesn't go to waste in our house!  And you know exactly where it comes from.  Remember a few weeks back about a family being treated for consuming LSD in tainted meat sold at Wal-Mart?  Try tracing that meat back to the original packing house let alone the original herd.  Buying locally means that most likely that farmer knows exactly which animal you are getting.  Now that's quality control!

After quitting my job, I did some number crunching.  I sincerely do want to live on less.  We have so much stuff and so much of it isn't even necessary.  So in an effort to see this goal through, I recently gave up paper plates, plastic utensils, and plastic cups.  It is an added expense we don't need.  I have beautiful dishes, a sink, and a dishwasher.  Soap costs a fraction of what disposable dinnerware does when all is said and done.  Not only that, but the environmental impact of plastic production and waste is a pretty hefty price.  At one point, I needed the convenience to keep me sane, but I am now on a different path towards a more crunchy lifestyle where living on less, wasting less, and wanting less is making me and my family happier and healthier.   

Apparently I like side bars tonight... Sorry about that soapbox.  But it all contributes to how I build a meal plan centered around a well stocked pantry and freezer.

So how do I build a meal plan...?  To be honest, I don't read the flyers, although I know I should.  That will be the next step to fully realizing this crazy idea of living on less.  I ask the kids and the huzzy what they want to eat and feed them accordingly.  Right now, it is more important that they are eating and enjoying it than saving a few pennies.  But if that is something your family values, building a meal plan around sales is another excellent, cost-saving method.  (Can you teach me how???)  I usually ask them on Saturday or Sunday what they want to eat for the week, start putting things in place, and then build a grocery list.

With treating Minihe's ADHD by dietary needs and not wanting to put extra pressure on caregivers, I pack all his meals every day - breakfast, lunch, and snack.  This usually means a quick, hearty breakfast with a protein punch, leftovers for lunch, and a satisfying and fun snack.  I like things that I can make ahead and reuse as needed -- whole wheat pancake bites (pancake batter baked in mini-muffin cups), any muffin or bread (we can have cinnamon, pear, streusel, banana), eggs & cheese, ham/egg/cheese cups, sausage egg tortillas (I make a bunch ahead and freeze in individual plastic wrap for a quick breakfast), fruit and veggie smoothies with a protein boost...  Anything I can make or prep the night before and reuse for a snack or other breakfast is a definite plus!

As we adjust to our new norm with foods, I am finding that we eat even better now than before.  Our options are only as limited as our creativity.  At this current stage, we can't have any tomato-based sauce..  We can't have berries.  We can't have yellow cheeses.  And the list goes on.... But looking at my menu, it's still full of flavor and nutrition.  Follow me on Pinterest to get a lot of the recipes I use as the basis to help build my meal plan and follow the Feingold structure.  

Also, if you're family is dealing with ADHD or Autism and is looking for another way to treat it without medication, you are at the right place!  I will be posting several entries over the next few days that essentially chronicles our journey.  It is most definitely not a how-to manual but rather like an online journal.  It's rudimentary, but I did not want to forget what these early days of a natural treatment method are like.  I found it so incredibly helpful to know I wasn't alone when I began researching natural methods, so if our story can help someone - anyone - I am glad. 

Peace and goodwill to you and yours...

Reeder Ranch

This is a .jpg but if you would like a Numbers or Excel version, email me and I'll ship it out to you!

I Have A Dream

a common question i have received from family and friends over the last few days has been "do you have the day off on monday?" My standard answer was "ugh. no." but why do i think i even deserve a day off?  


after reflecting on my attitude about this as the day has progressed, i have a few thoughts.  isn't the best way to celebrate the life and work of MLK to actually work or go to school?  wouldn't it defeat the purpose of this great man's passion if we didn't experience civil rights in action on a daily basis? wouldn't that be the legacy that he would want for himself?  this is the living, breathing result he died to bring to fruition.  his efforts were not for us to have a day off from work, but for us to embrace our differences and revel in the amazement that as red, yellow, black, and white; male or female; young, old, or somewhere in-between; gay, straight, bi, trans-gendered; religious, spiritual, or atheist; republic, democrat, or independent-- everyone is created equal.  


"When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the "unalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." 
~I Have A Dream, Martin Luther King, August 28, 1963


as we near the 50th anniversary of this monumental speech, i certainly recognize and hold dear everything this man stood for.  in actuality, i cannot even begin to fathom what the civil rights movement means to minorities.  after all, it was a major turning point in our history and although we have made exceptional strides since 1963, we are quite obviously still a far cry from accepting of differences.


this day absolutely deserves recognition. "i have a dream" stands on the same ground as the declaration of independence, signing of the constitution, and the emancipation proclamation.  i don't think there has been any more important speech in modern history that has had such an impact on society as this.  i implore you to consider just how crucial and just how alive this movement is yesterday, today, and tomorrow...


"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."
~I Have A Dream, Martin Luther King, August 28, 1963


to see and hear the full "I Have A Dream" speech, click here.
to see the development of the MLK monument, click here.

music is my life

as i mentioned in one of my first posts, music has been a part of my life for as long as i can remember.  so much so that i made it a career.  i was recently accepted to graduate level studies at the university of saint thomas and will begin pursuing my degree in music education with an instrumental emphasis.  i would love to eventually teach music education courses, piano and flute lessons, and help prepare college students to be music teachers.  that's probably years down the road but it's good to have goals and aspirations. 

there are several new trends in music that make me so excited.  one of those is music business. it is spectacular to see how music is branching out beyond performance and education!  so for those students who love music and want to work in the industry, they no longer have to major in business, minor in music and find a way to combine the two with teachers who are completely confused by the combination...  mcnally smith college of music in saint paul is cutting edge and offers a totally new, contemporary approach to music in the 21st century.

i also am quite satisfied with the internet radio options that are now available.  if you weren't already aware,  pandora streams radio through computers, handheld devices, and now even tv's, dvd players, and gaming systems.  i am incredibly impressed with the content of their artist biographies.  they are comprehensive, well researched, and composed extremely well.  another application i am completely in love with is spotify.  its interface is similar to iTunes, which, as an apple enthusiast, is helpful.  it also streams radio, allows you to star albums, individual songs, create playlists, and see what your friends on facebook are listening to.  i like how people have made their playlists public, which exposes me to music i haven't experienced yet.

UPDATE:
iTunes radio has changed my life!  Ok. Not really. But it is pretty cool.  And Minihe knows how to use it!  It's pretty amazing my almost-6-year-old can unlock the computer, recognize the iTunes icon, find the radio area, and scan through artists.  That's pretty amazing for a kid who can't really read yet.  But then again, he has had a gadget in his hand since before he was two.....  Kids these days.

you weigh in... what music do you listen to?  what service do you use for listening to music?  who or what is your biggest influence in your music selections?

what if?

i am an incredibly passionate person, especially when it comes to things i feel passionate about.  sounds right, right?  recently i encountered some posts on a facebook page that features mugshots of local arrests.  seems innocent enough, right?  wrong!  the commentary that followed was outrageous!  and it doesn't just happen there, it happens after almost news item on any website.  it sickens me the insults adults are throwing at each other and speaks to the heart of the character the school systems are trying not to instill in our children, the future of this nation and world.  several adages raced through my head when reading the message thread of said facebook page: 
1. just because you can, doesn't mean you should...
2. if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all...
3. treat others as you would like to be treated...
4. people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones...
5. actions speak louder than words...
6. if you can talk the talk, then you should be able to walk the walk...

should i go on or do you get the point?

at any rate... i took it upon myself to call adults to action and composed a quite lengthy article published in our local newspaper, not in the letter to the editor, as initially intended, but in the editor's own column...  quite an honor, although it doesn't hurt that i have worked at said newspaper on and off for 6 or 7 years... :)  i hope that this post is though provoking for you and makes you think about how your actions are being viewed by the young and impressionable that are watching...  **warning: this is quite a read, but definitely worthwhile...

In response to a recent experience I encountered on a local Facebook page, I believe it is my civil duty to call adults to action in changing the tide of the way we interact with each other.  North Iowa Mugshots claims to operate under the premise of public service and posts pictures of local arrests, organizes them by crimes, and to proceeds to allow this page to be an open forum for reckless commentary by anyone.  A public service cannot coexist peacefully with a platform for rebuttal.  Not to mention it is in direct violation of our judicial system’s “innocent until proven guilty” doctrine.  North Iowa Mugshots is not the only Internet-based news source to be held accountable - I see many absurd and irrelevant comments following other news stories on local TV stations, news papers, and other reputable websites.  Presenting the facts is called journalistic integrity, and while people feel it is there right to respond to these facts with their own interpretations, I ask - is it necessary?

I don't know 99% of the people featured on that page or in the news, and my guess is most may not either.  However, it is frustrating and sickening that adults are throwing insults, language, personal attacks, and threats around with complete and utter disregard for the full extent of these inappropriate and senseless comments.  The old adage "those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones" seems quite appropriate to describe the situation going on not only on that page or pages like it, but in society in general.  I am far from perfect, and I’m really glad my life isn’t on a microscope for others to dissect.

It is my belief the administrators of any webpage have the right, and dare I say obligation, to censor such posts.  This statement may get me accused of infringing on freedom of speech rights; however, when people exercise these "Freedom of Speech" threats they are making, they may earn themselves a picture on the wall of shame, and then they are no better than the people they are blatantly judging.  Furthermore, the cloak of anonymity gives people a voice they wouldn’t ordinarily exercise.  The argument could be made that a website is not responsible or can be held liable for the comments made by members, and one must take into consideration the type of people posting such garbage.  While a valid point, I ask, again, it is necessary?  Perhaps I was raised by very wise people, but I believe my grandmother said to me on many occasions, “Is it better to keep your mouth closed and be thought a fool rather than to open it and remove all doubt?”  I implore you to consider these words the next time you consider saying, writing, or expressing yourself in a manner that is insensitive, foolish, and impulsive.   

I am not an activist against Freedom of Speech - here I am speaking openly against the activities of those who post unnecessary commentary following any news story.  I have been employed by local newspapers for years and fully understand the impact of our First Amendment Rights.  What I am an activist against is such vulgarity that serves zero purpose, openly makes physical threats, harbors an atmosphere of bullying, and makes an outright display of despicable behaviors, one post nastier than the previous.  It simply called common sense and responsibility, two key traits crucial to our ability to function and coexist.

If this is what children have as role models for appropriate adult behavior, it is no wonder kids behave the way they do.  That goes for the people featured in news articles for their wrong-doings and those who feel the need to treat others so uncivilly.  This, my friends, only perpetuates instead of breaks the cycle.  I am a teacher, I have kids of my own, and I serve on on my school’s character education team; the observations I have made of the comments are not solving any problems, are not a wise use of time, and most certainly are not positive.  It is our responsibility to instill values in our children and encourage them to be civil-minded, caring, compassionate, and respectful in their relationships.  It's total hypocrisy for today's adult generations to complain about the behavior of today's youth when they have not set an example worth following.

Instead of pointing out the obvious flaws in decision-making of people featured on the sites, what if we provided mentoring to young mothers as to how to run a household?  What if there were reasonable daycare options for them to finish or pursue education?  What if we did more drug and alcohol awareness in our own homes?  What if there were tougher traffic laws?  What if bartenders didn’t allow their patrons to get behind the wheel?  What if?  Believe it or not, I am not a liberal democrat - I’m a humanitarian just wanting the best for the future of this world.  My kids have to grow up in here, and it’s already difficult enough to teach the difference between right and wrong without all the social influences, negativism, and injustices being displayed in our own backyard.

Although I use websites for their intended purposes, and like to pride myself on keeping up-to-date on local news stories, I am astonished by other adults who choose to use them as a platform for spreading hatred.  Just because a comment box follows a news item doesn't alone justify or even require its usage.  There are appropriate outlets for voicing an opinion and I am not convinced that children, or anyone with an ounce of common sense, should be subjected to some of the most wicked statements I have ever encountered.  I must look crazy for putting this much thought into this cry for social justice, but if no one else is going to be a voice of reason, I will stand up and support the cause whole-heartedly.  

I again am reminded of a poem that sums up what I am trying to say:

Watch your thoughts for they become your words.

Watch your words for they become your actions.

Watch your actions for they become your habits.

Watch your habits for they become your character.

Watch your character for it becomes your destiny.

It is only to society's benefit that our interactions with each other remain respectful, considerate, calm, and productive.  We first have to look within to be the change we want to see.  Do you have it within you?