Good For You Kind Grindz

About three months ago, my hubs got really sick. Coincidentally, I just finished watching a Netflix DVD called, "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead". This video showcased a man who dropped close to 200 lbs plus just by juicing. Although we were concerned about losing some unwanted pounds, we were more concerned about our health. Both sides of the family have lost loved ones due to illnesses that probably could've been prevented. We decided that he needed to juice. He and all of us definitely could use more vitamins and minerals, fruits and veggies, you know...good for you kind grindz.
We started juicing that very week. I went to the farmer's market and bought fruit and veggies of all sorts. He went on a strict regimen recommended by the DVD. We drank our veggies and fruits alongside him that week. It was phenomenal. We felt energetic and healthy, not to mention that in less than 15 days, our waist sizes shrank to some degree.

We enjoyed juicing so much that we decided as a family to continue our healthy eating. Our goal was to live the Word of Wisdom and eat meat sparingly. Thanks to a good friend who has a wealth of knowledge in cooking with vegetables and grains, I was inspired to prepare healthier meals. Since I was already exploring veggies and fruits, beans and grain were next on the list. Some days we ate like vegetarian kings and queens and some days we drank lots of water just to swallow down whatever was on our plates. It's been three months now and as a family, we've adapted very well. Thanks to healthy friends and the internet, I've been able to create a pretty impressive cooking repertoire. Our diet is 80% plant based. We've been able to cut out meat. We're still working on the sweets, the exercise and sleep part, which by the way is all inclusive in the Word of Wisdom. It's still a journey ahead of us but it's a journey worth traveling.

All vegetable omelet.



Zucchini patties.


Stir fry...zucchini, mushrooms, carrots, and onions. By the way, pan fried in water, not oil.




Ok, I gave in one day and wanted something naughty....so we rolled all vegetarian eggrolls and fried it in vegetable oil. Not very healthy, but like cell phone plans, we believe that nights and weekends are free! You gotta have some balance in life, right?

Get the whole ohana involved...I always tell my kids, "Hey, I'm not the only one eating."


This is baby's version of egg rolls. It's rolled up alright....
Here's my girl measuring grated zucchini for our zucchini bread. We substituted applesauce for oil and cut the sugar by half.

Beating eggs...haven't found a substitute for this ingredient yet. Please share if you know. Trying to wean ourselves from consuming too much eggs.

Who let these two in? My dishwashers....

Finished product....fresh zucchini bread. Over the weeks, this recipe has actually gotten yummier each time we bake it. Maybe it's the seasoned loaf pan, maybe it's the seasoned chefs and bakers. Either way, we're having fun and learning loads about the good for you kind grindz.

Backyard Imu Project

Thanks to a very hard working husband, my children have learned the importance of work and perseverance. Through example, he has literally taught them to dig in and dig deep whenever a duty calls. My husband has worked hard all his life and continues to do so. Iʻve never known anyone else who could withstand as much pain, hunger, fatigue, and filth as he. I, on the other hand, was raised like a princess. I never had a chore in my life till I got married, yet I complained as a child about my unfair life. Absurd huh? Iʻm just glad they arenʻt being raised that way, though they probably beg to differ. Perhaps had I learned to work hard in my childhood, married life with never ending "chores" and responsibilities wouldʻve been easier to transition to.

Though my husbandʻs line of career requires him to dig in and dig deep, I actually think he secretly loves to get dirty. Naturally, on a day when he DIDN'T have to work and DIDNʻT have to get dirty, he rounded up all the kids to dig a hole in the back yard to make an imu. Hereʻs the actual groundbreaking ceremony.

FUN!

More digging! Wish I got an angle of their smiling faces...

Weʻre getting deeper! Go ohana, go!


Keawe chopped? Checked:)




Looks like some kind of ceremonial site.


Itʻs smoking...getting hot!

Cheering on the side...


Packing the kalua pig...

We've done numerous imus since its grand opening. Some for ourselves to enjoy, some to help others with fundraisers, luaus, etc... It's laborious and requires a day or two of preparation. There was the usual complaining and the countless bathroom runs. They didnʻt absolutely love digging the hole in the hot sun, hauling and chopping the wood, or waking up before the crack of dawn to check on the fire...BUT...I know they received more than the work theyʻve put in. What they got from this imu project is the worth of a dayʻs work, an appreciation for culture and a skill to last a lifetime. That is absolutely priceless, especially when you are around those you love.

Remembering Goong Goong

My dad, known to me as "Ah Ba" and "Goong Goong" to my children, passed away in 2007 after fighting two long years of cancer. During these two years of battle, I was honored to have witnessed his display of love, patience and most of all, courage. Although he was the sick patient, he was always concerned about my mom's emotional and physical stability. I love my dad. I'm so grateful for his diligence in keeping our family together. He was a dedicated provider and loving father. Since his passing, we regularly visit his grave. My mom would call a get together and we would each bring a pot luck dish. The traditional Chinese grave ceremony starts with a spread of favorite dishes and tea. Roast pork, char siu, noodles, dim sum, you name it, it's there. You can also count on smelling the sweet aroma of incense as it burns in the air. As we arrange the flowers we speak of good memories of our dad. My mom usually likes to be left alone by the grave for a while so that she can personally speak to him. We then each take a turn to bow to my dad. It is a humbling cultural experience that reminds us to show respect to those who have gone before us.





I'm so thankful for my mom who is still alive to carry on traditions like these. I hope to memorialize her teachings so that one day, I may be a source of knowledge for my prosperity.


My husband and I have always felt it was essential to display gratitude to our elders and kupunas. One way we could do this together as a family was to regularly visit my dad's and my husbandʻs grandparents' graves. Iʻm grateful for opportunities like these when we can reflect on the accomplishments of our ancestors and the sacrifices they made for us. We usually sing, cry, and just "talk stories" to them. The kids will usually take turns saying, "Remember when Goong Goong use to give us $5 each when he visited him"....or "Remember how Grandma Rubby would sneak us cookies and candies from her bedside when no one was looking?". My husband and I would share with the kids stories about our memories growing up with these great people. We always leave teary eyed feeling even more love and appreciation for them.


Here is baby putting together Goong Goongʻs flower arrangement.


He did it all by himself with little guidance.

After I am gone from this earth, I hope my children will miss me enough to have the desire to visit my grave. As they sit their and reflect on our lives together, I hope they will know that the brush of the wind is a simple remembrance of my embrace. I hope the sound of my name will fill them up with warm memories and good thoughts. I hope they will testify that families are forever and that I will only be away for a season. I can just imagine smiling down on my kids and their kids as they respectively lay on my grave my favorite spread of Chinese dishes. I hope the little ones will fight over putting flowers in the vase for their, "Popo". Although Iʻm not planning on leaving anytime soon, the thought makes me feel complete. To be loved when you are alive is one thing, but to be loved even more after you're gone is just plain sweet. I feel I have much to do, no goodbyes for me yet. So for now, we will just focus on remembering Goong Goong.

Emergency Gift Bags

As always, I can never seem to find a gift bag in the house when I need one. I have some recycled ones laying around but they're always for the wrong occasions. Whenever I need a birthday gift bag, I find instead ones that say "Congratulations on your baby!" or "Merry Christmas". If this is your case also, here's an inexpensive and practical way to make what I call Emergency Gift Bags. Start by finding an old cereal, pasta, or cake box. Here is a Kix cereal box. Cut the top off to your desired size.




And a pair of scissors. I was so happy I found mine. It was lost for over a year.

Grab a roll of wrapping paper of your choice.

Wrap your box.

Punch holes in the center to put ribbons, string, or rope for a handle.

Thread your ribbon, string or rope through the holes.

Here's your Emergency Gift Bag for any occasion. It's inexpensive, practical, recyclable, and it looks great! I wished I had yellow tissue paper but red was all I could find at the time.

Don't Even Want to Think About It

A friend handed me a note during church one Sunday and on it was scribbled, "Aren't you going to miss your son when he goes to college?" I can't remember what I scribbled back at the time maybe because I hadn't really given too much thought to it.
It wasn't until a few months later, to be exact, two weeks ago that it really hit me hard like an unexpected baseball flying at you in full force. (I actually know how that feels, but that's another post) I broke down into tears and could not regain control. My oldest, my firstborn, my right hand man, my "take the trash out" guy cause everyone else is afraid of the dark, my "drop your sister off at the gym" guy cause no one else besides he and I can drive, my "watch the baby while I run to the store" guy cause he's the only one who knows CPR...oh, the list goes on and on. I eventually gained self control and stopped sobbing as if he was already gone. I decided to make the best out of the time he has at home. He has been the best son any mother could ask for (I say the same thing about each of my kids). I don't want to sound trite but it is true. I hope that his father and I have taught him enough. I hope we've filled his heart with enough love, laughter and life. It's only October and he won't be going anywhere till June. As for now, we will enjoy as many moments together as possible. His clock is ticking...college, mission, college again, marriage, children....oh, I don't even want to think about it. I really can't cause I know I'm gonna start bawling again.


The three bros spending their last minutes together before Elder C's "Mini Mission."


Our last glimpse of Elder C before we parted our separate ways.

It's Me Blog!

Alrighteeeee....so, here's my brand spanking new blog. Sort of, kind of because in my mind, many, many months ago, I've already been virtual blogging. I've got backed up posts out the door!I just didn't want to physically start without a tutorial from one of my besties. Thanks sis...you know who you are, thanks for inspiring me to blog... But, here it is, up and running....it's not going to be an award winning blog but it is going to be ALL ME! Mistakes and more mistakes, I'm all yours!


A little about me...I love my family. I love being around them. Don't ever let them tell you different. They'll never know how much I love them. I'm someone who can't sit still. I have to be doing something with a purpose all the time. I don't surf the net or channels to watch because to me, that's aimless time spent. I love to cook, bake, and recently sew. My kids and I hang out in the kitchen creating recipes and enjoying every step of it. We critique each other's dishes and try to top off last week's recipes with this week's. It's so fun. You should invite yourself over sometime and enjoy a day with us. Oh, and by the way, I'm a homeschooling mama, chaueffer, referee, cafeteria lady, custodian, VP and counselor.




In a nutshell, I'm a crazy mama running around all day trying to get my to do list checked off with the least amount of breakdowns as possible. Like I said in my profile, I'm learning to laugh, love, and live!