Jumping in again

Sometime this weekend we will be jumping back into the GAPS intro diet.  I've felt it necessary to do so since we have all stalled in our improvements.  I can look at everyone and say, "Well this and this are better, but we still have that going on.."  It may just be our bodies way of taking a breather before continuing on in their healing mode.  Not sure.  I do know that we have backslidden. No, we are not eating off of GAPS, but we are not fully eating *all* the really healthy foods we need to.  For example it is suggested that you drink at least one cup of broth each day.  We haven't been doing that.  We only have broth when we have soup, which has only been about 2 meals per week.  You are supposed to be eating a lot of fermented foods.  Again, we are not.  We have been eating yogurt at least 3 to 4 days a week, but that's pretty much it.  I just feel we are not getting enough of the good stuff in that we need.  My goal of re doing intro is to get back in the habit of eating those power houses.  Jed has not gained any more weight in the last two months.  Granted we've seen a LOT of other improvements in the past two months with him, just not in his weight gain.  I know it is important for his brain to heal, and I know that it is, it is just hard to see him at a stand still with his weight. 

So this weekend I have a long, long list of food prep we need to tackle to make things run more smoothly.  Here is what I have so far:

ferment cucumbers (to make into pickles)
make and ferment salsa
make and ferment guacamole
boil up a bunch of chickens, freeze meat
cook a bunch of ground beef, then freeze
make beef stock (roast bones first)
make a batch of yogurt
cut and freeze carrots
peel, cook apples and freeze
make ghee
cut and freeze onions (two bags)
freeze bananas (for Jed if he starts to crash)
keep the broths going, pouring off 1/2 gallon each day and renewing water
order kefir grains and piima culture

Phew!  We've got work to do!  This will be on top of trying to get some other things done around the house, plus some yard work.  We had our shopping day today and it went well.  I only had 1/2 of it to do as Jeremiah did the other half.  I was hoping to get the kids out to the park while we were running around town, but that didn't happen.  I'll have to be mindful to get them out to play this weekend.

Tonight the girls were very excited that Jeremiah brought home some mung beans for them to sprout.  Moira asked if they could get some.  They have been watching the homesteading DVD's we have and decided they wanted to give that a try.  They even video taped themselves preparing for the first step.  I am really over joyed at seeing them work on such a project.  Things really are changing around here, and it is fascinating to see.  Just the other night we were hanging out with some friends.  Isabella and her friend got on the topic of movies and computer time.  Isabella said that she had neither (only the homesteading and gardening videos).  Her friend, who gets little of either of those them self, was aghast...WHAT?  What do you do all day?  Well, I have to say that in the beginning, not a lot, as they wondered around here aimlessly.  They knew not to complain that they were bored :-)  Mommy has plenty of boredom busters!!!  There's vacuuming, dishes, window washing, bathroom cleaning, laundry....the possibilities are endless really :-)  To be honest I was wondering if they would ever find something to do.  But giving them a 'banquet of ideas' to ponder, the time and resources (when we can), mixed with patience has really paid off.  Don't get me wrong, we haven't "arrived", but how wonderful to see progress being made.

Alrighty off to bed with me.  I had to skip out on posting my picture for the day on project365.  Waaayyy too busy today to grab the camera.  I did think of it, just couldn't grab it.  Oh well.  The perfectionist in me is dying slowly but surely.