We do eat mostly organic and stay away from processed food if we can help it. There obviously are seasons for it (life is hectic with 4 kids, and I honestly cant do it all… so keeping it real here, we do splurge and eat a corn dog or chicken nugget from a box here and there). Some of yall may have read my post “Anti-Organic” – if not, read it. May give you an idea of my thoughts on healthy living.

With eating healthy comes so many options!

Note: I do not believe in “diet” plans… unless you have a big amount of weight to loose… or some other medical issue involved…

I do however believe in a lifestyle… and finding one that works for your family.

Here are some things I am looking into lately…

Trim Healthy Mama. Great great great ebook my friend Lindsey introduced me too. I honestly couldnt put it down the 1st few days I had it. Its a great book full of awesome information. Obviously you have to pick and choose what works for your family and that brings me to a few other “ways of eating” I have dabbled with and taken from.

The Paleo meal plans. Love love love the Nom Nom Paleo site. Lots of amazing recipes.

Going vegetarian was one of those thoughts as well…

My mom is a vegetarian. She has been for many years now. She does however eat fish? – I forget the word for that sort of “vegetarian” – she is one of the most healthy people I know though…. and at just shy of 60, you’d never know it looking at her! She is amazingly youthful.

My mom though has super duper tolerant taste buds and can eat stuff that would ultimately make me gag. She downs kefir (straight) as if it were a cup of orange juice… she loves weird beans and other things that I honestly would never eat. Not because I think they are gross or bad for you… I just happen to have one of the most sensitive pallets I know and I cannot stand things with odd textures….

I also hate eggs….

I hate peanut butter… almond butter…

I will not eat steak, gross… never have liked it.

I very much dislike all seafood….

I do not like yogurts…. none.

Most nuts aren’t good to me… unless its almond milk? :) I dont even like raw almonds haha….

I don’t like walnuts…

The list could go on.

So you can imagine finding a “life-style” of eating is easier said than done for me personally… but it is something I am really researching and striving to work hard at.

We are big “wheat-eaters” in our family... I mill our own organic wheat. It has lots of health benefits but recent studying has shown that eating “a lot” of it, may not be the best option.

For me though, wheat is such a big part of our diet, that doing away with it all together, will not happen. I have 4 hungry boys to feed… boys who eat more than me most days…

So keeping wheat in the family is a must right now… buying organic coconut or almond flours do not work for our budget for “mass amounts” of our meals. I have been looking into incorporating those into our diets though and am so excited about that….

The thing I am learning though is that we all need to find balance with where we are in life.

I turn 30 this year. My metabolism is gradually slowwwwingggg down and I do not have time to work out like I use to. 4 kids will do that to you! :) – I am blessed with a pretty decent metabolism thankfully but I have noticed that I cannot eat the way I use too… not only because ill pack on the pounds but also because it makes me feel sluggish…. breaks me out and so on.

Since going organic and changing the way we eat my face remains clear… my hair feels strong and grows crazy fast… I feel good over all but one area I still battle is fatigue and the middle of the waist bulge that I just can’t seem to shake. Uh… well it does shake HAHA…. but you get what I am saying.

So to wrap it up.

Thank you to those who shared your info with me on Paleo. Thank you for your honesty and tips. I love that :) – and here is to learning a few new methods of bringing in that lifestyle into our already pretty healthy way of eating. ;-)

Note: The pool photos have nothing to do with healthy living ;-) – we just happen to go to the neighborhood pool yesterday and I thought these pictures were sweet. So I figured all the non-instagrammers may enjoy seeing them ;-)

One thing I have realized though over the last few years is that I do not keep up with the latest celeb news and singers…. artist… actors, whatever else there is. I just don’t have the time.

Last week I had to photograph some detail shots for a social company in Atlanta. At this particular event, the main attraction was a singer called Ne-Yo. I saw his posters at the event set up… and glanced at the videos playing in the rooms at this place… and honestly had NO CLUE who he was. None.

He then showed up and was taking photographs with fans and then eventually performed… there were around 6 Atlanta PD there and he even had body guards on top of that.

All the while, I knew nothing about him :) – and despite him being famous, I felt totally at ease around this “celebrity.” – which I found ironic and funny all at once.

Now had this person been Justin Timberlake, then I would have known who he was :) – cause he came out when I was in high school.

Ahh…. I feel a wee old now :)

Well, not really. Just not “in the know” ;-) – then again, I am ok with that.

Note: So apparently I had heard Ne-yo’s music. A friend reminded me of his from the song in Princess and the Frog! Funny how we moms find out “music” through children’s movies. Here is a video in case you are curious what the song is from the movie.

More photos from this day coming on monday :) – just had to share that one, because his head just looked to cute!

So in short.
Here are a few grams ;-)

Follow me on Instagram @dreawood

I grabbed a few photos of him on mothers day… although they aren’t the best… he has a slight cold hes fighting off… so he has some major boggies going on… but you know, it is, what it is.

So check out this side by side….

I was looking back on photos of Owen at 7 months and WOW WAS HE BIG compared to Reed.

Owen at this age was 20 pounds :) – Reed is 16 lbs still! He is in the 5th-10th percentile for weight and only the 15th for height. He is VERY petite :) – although not super super thin… but def. more on the lean side for his age.

Here is another side by side:

They look similar in some ways but Owen and Reed are so different to me :)

Owen by this point was sitting up without help. Reed isn’t quiet there yet. However his Doctor did say that Reed is doing just fine. She said he has great core strength and that he is already putting lots of weight on his feet… which is a great milestone mark in itself. So I am not concerned :) – its just funny how different each baby is.

One more side by side…

So different huh? :)

Reed also has started to eat some food… but wants nothing to do with baby food. He chews and eats normal table food off our plates. From BBQ (yes… he had BBQ… crazy!!), fruits, breads, muffins, pancakes (no syrup), etc..etc… Im amazed at his ability to chew so young.

Here are a few more of Reed….

Oh and to me, Reed does favor Caleb some ;-) – what do you think?

haha… Caleb was trying to be serious ;-) – he is such a goof.

Oh and Reed JUST cut his 1st tooth! Its so cute! :)

& to end… one with all 4.