Lost, But Holding Hands

Hey, y'all- There are several indicators that are signaling the end of summer break- First, I got this terrible advertisement from Walgreens yesterday. What the heck?!  The least effective way to draw people in is to remind them that summer is ending.  Also, when does summer actually end- September?  Pump the break, Walgreens.   Second, I have my first day back at work on Monday.  It's just a one day training, but it means that all three of us have to be up, fed, ready and out the door by 7 to get Ryan to day camp and get to work on time.  Blah.  I've literally dropped the kiddo off at camp each day this summer in either pajamas or workout garb. Lastly, and perhaps the most obvious- school supplies are everywhere!  There are 2 things that get me fired up while shopping- Hobby Lobby jumping several holidays and seasons ahead (I mean come on, right now there are leftover 4th of July decorations next to BOTH fall and Christmas decor). ...

I have spent the last few weeks eyeing an advertisement that keeps popping up on my social media accounts for a smoothie delivery program.  This particular company is organic, #whole30 compliant and delivers ready to go produce and add-ins already in cups ready to be blended with your liquid of choice.  Several times over the last few weeks, I visited their website and did what I am best at---added things to my cart, balked at the price, and backed out.  I mean I am not about to spend 7.99 on a smoothie- no matter how healthy or convenient. So instead, I have been buying frozen smoothie mixes at the store.  But this has proved to be a challenge as well because it is incredibly difficult to find frozen fruit that doesn't have additives and preservatives.  Manufactures put chemicals in the fruit to keep the color of the fruit vibrant- but the things is...I've froze fresh fruit and vegetables before without them losing their color, so I think it is totally unnec...

When I reached day 30, I wasn't sure how to proceed.  I felt great.  I was happy with the progress I had made, but I was nervous.  I worried about slipping back into old habits.  Not having a solid plan was not an option, so  I forged ahead and, even though it was hard and I battled temptations- I sit here, having made it to day 103 (last week) before venturing into food freedom .  I wanted to share with our friends and followers my biggest takeaways from my food reset, a little about my dip into freedom, and where I am going from here. What I Learned: 1.  Cooking at home is not that hard . Before starting Whole30, we ate out a lot .  Not only was it not healthy, it often killed our weekly budget.  While on Whole30, our grocery bill has nearly doubled, but we eat at home most of the time.  In 100 days, I think I have eaten out less than 8 times.  The first few weeks of being on program, it took forever to meal plan, shop, and c...