Love yourself & Happy Veganniversary to me!

February always brings out the lovey dovey in me. Even though we have a good foot of snow in the front yard and another coming over the weekend I can’t help to feel the love.

This marks the 4-year anniversary of my going vegan, the 4-year birthday of this blog and the 3-year anniversary of when we adopted our beloved Luke. So with all of the crap out there I have something good to hold on to.

Surrounding yourself with great things and appreciating what you have I think begins the journey to loving yourself. We all focus that Valentine’s Day love on so many others that some of you forget to focus on the one that needs the most love –  YOU!

So go ahead and love yourself a little harder this month, and find those things that make you happy and keep you going because you will project those good vibes on to others and I promise you that the lovefests will ensue.

PS: Stay tuned for monthly recipes shows on my YouTube channel. I am excited to launch the January (yes a little late) Episode this weekend!

Oh How I Missed You

Oh my lovelies I have missed you so much. This summer was a tad busier than I expected, not an excuse I know, but I promise to fill you in on all the fun this summer.

I took a few classes over the summer which puts me on track to graduate in May, very excited! We also fostered three dogs

Bert

Pip

Jordan

and ended up keeping one of them! Meet Jordan, the newest member of our family.

Jared & Jordan

I thought I would have an amazing garden this summer, unfortunately school and work kept me busy. Nonetheless, we got some nice tomatoes

Tomatoes

A pumpkin! I don’t really remember planting this, it may be a kabucha that morphed into a giant, hope it tastes OK.

Pumpkin

My peppers have done well, I didn’t think they would survive the transplantation and they took forever to bear fruit.

Peppers

And a sunflower!

Sunflower

I have also enjoyed eating the dandelion and the plantains that have popped up in the vegetable garden. I don’t pull them anymore, I now cut the young tender leaves and eat them as salad greens. I only wish we had some purslane growing, we used to have tons.

I started volunteering at a food pantry, everyone should do this. It gives you a different perspective on the whole feeding the hungry issue. Remember people need food all year long, not just during the holidays. If you think only lazy people and illegals need food assistance then think again. I see people that work hard but don’t make enough, people that have lost jobs and can’t find work, old pensioners and young families. There but for the grace of god… It could be any one of us out there. OK rant over.

We had our annual Maine vacation and the drive up

Luke & Jordan

Jordan even went in the water at the little beach!

Jordan at the beach

The boys got to spend time with the grandparents

Dad H & Luke

In September I started the last year of my DTR program and a new job at a local hospital, the first steps in the process for my RD – yippee!

Of course I have to include a photo of my princess!

Lola

I hope all of you have had a great summer! Now on to Halloween – woo hoo!

Lessons I learned from my dog

As a lot of you know we really love our dog I mean really, look at this face.

I think to myself what a life he has and realized how much I have learned from him.

1. Stand your ground: Luke is a very persistent beagle, he knows what he wants (to bark at) and won’t stop until he is sure he has had the last word.

2. Shit happens, kick some dirt over it and keep going: Life is full of crap that may or may not go your way. Accept it, deal with it and then move on.

3. Unconditional love: This is a hard one because sometimes people are hard to love. Loving unconditionally can be looked at as compassion and having compassion is a lot easier than loving the jerk down the street.

4. Resting is important: Sometimes we forget how important a good night’s sleep is, this is the time that our bodies restore and replenish.

5. Loyalty: Being loyal and being there for friends and family when they really need you is what makes life just a little better.

6. Eat like it’s the last meal you will get: OK maybe we shouldn’t eat every meal like it’s the last meal we’ll ever get but we should definitely live each day to its fullest because we really don’t know what the future holds for us.

7. Share your bed: Well, maybe lend a helping hand would be more appropriate. Sometimes we may not like it but we know when it’s right to help someone in need.

 

What lessons have you learned from your pets?

Sometimes we need a little help from our friends

It’s true, sometimes we really do need a little help from our friends.

When was the last time you asked someone for help? I’m guilty of thinking I can do it all myself. Yes it’s great to be self sufficient and there are times when you need to stand on your own two feet. What I’m talking about is those moments when you need to admit that you need help, you may think it makes you weak, not so! I say. Knowing when to ask for help is what makes you strong strong strong!

The next time you are feeling that you can’t get everything done, don’t. Don’t feel guilty, don’t feel like a failure and don’t wait for a helping hand to fall from the sky. Speak up and ask for help, whether it’s asking your kids to put away the groceries, your husband to clear the dinner dishes or your coworker their opinion on an important presentation, ask.

The best part is that it’s a win-win situation, you will get the support you need and you will make someone feel special. Don’t believe me? How did you feel the last time you were able to help someone? I thought so…