I can’t! But 1/6 of the way through the year is a great time to check in on your New Year’s Goals and set some new goals as well.

According to DH, we are doing better on the spending. My No-Spend January and my pulling in the reigns on the food spending have really helped, as has my foray into couponing!

I’m learning ever so much about couponing, and you can check out my Real Food Couponing for some tips in that regard.

The Missed Goals:
*The Hair: I couldn’t not cut my hair. I just couldn’t.  It was looking horrible and I had to get it trimmed.  I might still try to gradually grow it out, but it’s very short and layered right now (an a-line “wedge”) and needs to stay under control….but the good news is I’ve found a way to earn some extra cash on the side, so I should be able to justify the haircuts.

*Blogging: I feel like I’m really not blogging as often as I’d like, because I have so many topics I’d love to write about, so many recipes to share, so many projects brewing….but I don’t know how to manage it with my schooling, my kids’ homeschooling, and housekeeping/food preparation.  Right now those take priority, and hopefully soon more time will avail itself!

The Met Goals:

*Save more money: As I said above, DH gives me the “thumbs up” in this department, which is HUGE for me!  He’s the accountant in the family.  Your continued support of this blog (and support of my sponsors on the Resources page and purchases through the Amazon store) keep the pocket change rolling in and help this stay-at-home mom do more blogging!  Oh, and it helps me toward my yurt/5-acres/goats-and-chickens fund!

*Begin making and selling cultured veggies.  This was a secret goal I didn’t mention on the blog, but I’m excited to say that I have fairly successfully started selling jars of cultured veggies at a local co-op!  I call them “ApotheCultures“. I keep getting positive feedback and the inventory continues to sell, so I’ll take that as a positive sign! I wish I had a way to do mail-orders for my wonderful out-of-town blog readers….but alas, it’s not yet the time for that!

New Goals:

*Nutritional Therapy:  I’m halfway through my program now, and learning so much.  I have two big projects turned in and a good score on the mid-term behind me, so I can spend the next month working on studying, reading, and putting what I’m learning into practice with my practice clients.  This is such an amazing opportunity and I love the opportunity to work with my “guinnea pigs”!  Some very neat opportunities have already presented themselves for the future of my practice, and I’m very thankful and excited at the prospect! I will reveal more details in the months to come, but suffice to say, it looks to be a great opportunity.

*Creating an e-courses: Not that I have anything great to add to the myriad of amazing works out there, but my niche seems to be feeding families with special diets (such as GAPS) in a kid- and budget-friendly way. I am hoping to put together some practical e-courses to help people learn more about the ins and outs of transitioning to a nutrient-dense, paleo way of eating that is low in sugar and starch. I am also working on a practical guide to Saving Money on a Gluten-Free/Paleo diet.    So I ask you, dear reader, what kinds of e-courses would you be interested in seeing? Please leave your feedback in the comments!

*Start Seeds for My Garden- I have already started broccoli, kale, arugula, endive, and some lettuce in doors. I planted my peas (snow and sugar snap) outside in the garden. Last week the kids and I covered the entire plot of garden with some special stuff to break up the clay soil and threw lots of compost onto it. That was fun. I think my kids are going to be much more “in” to gardening this year.  I plan to start tomatoes and other stuff soon as well.

*No-Spend March- Last but no least, I am dedicating the entire month of March to a no-spend month.  That means NO going to Walgreen’s or Rite-Aid unless I can get something for FREE!  That also means cooking from the pantry and resisting the good deals (even if New Seasons does have amazing sales!)  Of course I will allow a little bit for some fresh perishables that we might need (on sale, of course!) but otherwise I really want to be frugal and in keeping with the spirit of Lent.  My freezer is stocked with shrimp, scallops, veggies, and lots of leftover meals. So we should be able to make it through!

*Lower my grocery budget: I’ve been inspired by Crystal’s “31 days to a lower food budget” and am going to start buying my groceries in cash in order to help control spending. We’ve been doing really well, but I want to try to do even better! I’m planning to make the transition starting next week, but to really go full-force with a refined budget for April.  I’ll keep you posted!

*Try a month of Freezer Cooking:  I have never done “Once a Month Cooking” but I’m intrigued by the notion of saving time, and taking advantage of the best prices on quality ingredients in order to create nourishing, affordable meals.  I will make April my “Freezer Cooking Month” and am going to begin planning now for that adventure.  As always, I’ll keep you posted!  I’m most excited at the idea of have breakfasts made ahead of time, such as grain-free muffins, granola, and crustless quiches.

How are you doing with your 2010 goals? What has gone well, and what are you hoping to improve upon?

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If you missed parts 1 and 2 of Celeste’s Journey of Adrenal Recovery, you can find them here and here.

So now I was suffering the repercussions of the unfortunate combination of events that led me to this place.  My choice to not go the conventional route in treating this condition was met by incredulous reactions from family and friends.  No one knew what to think because, besides my mom and Ellen, no one had ever experienced this before.  Most had the mindset of my husband, which was that when you are not well you go to a doctor and they fix you. 

I don’t blame them for disagreeing with me because I was obviously very incapacitated and there should be an answer out there.  They just wanted me to get better.  But God had plans for me. The process I would be going through would absolutely rock my world so much that I had no choice but to trust Him to guide me through.  I had never in my life been in a position where I had absolute dependence on others and God to get me through something. 

As you will see, God strategically placed others in my path at the perfect time to help pull me through in such a way that I had no choice but to see God’s hand in the process.  The other gift He gave me in the healing process was not to take the pain away, but to give me the big picture to see what He was doing as He was doing it.  Often with God we won’t see that He was intervening until after the fact and we look back at a situation in awe.  But this divine perspective I was given gave me hope.  And “hope does not disappoint” (Romans 5:3-5).  It showed me that I was not alone (and this is the loneliest experience I have ever had) and that I would get through it and be a richer and more understanding person when I was through.  Sometimes that glimmer of hope was very small and I didn’t know how I would pull through, but I hung on  and somehow I made it to where I am right now, writing my story.

                As I said before, I have always been health conscious and besides my absolute craving for sweets (something I later learned could be fixed by diet changes) I was pretty disciplined in that area.  I majored in Health Promotion and Education in college, thinking that even if I never found an ideal job in corporate wellness, I could always use my education for my future family.  This general direction I had for my life was refined and fueled by my need to figure out what was going on inside my broken body.

                Physically, I was pretty limited because my eyes couldn’t focus well and my hands couldn’t grip a pen well enough to journal for long, but in short spurts I would read and take notes about things that would be helpful to me.  I also depended on the ongoing advice from Ellen.  She was learning right along side me, but her nursing background gave her a leg up in her understanding (later I found out she was actually going through another bout with the same thing because of some stress in her own life). 

                Eventually I switched to a local doctor who, in a general way understood adrenal fatigue.  She recommended the same book I had been reading (“Adrenal Fatigue, The 21^st Century Stress Syndrome”), which helped to confirm my decision to see her.  Just to have someone with some expertise directing my recovery was a huge support to me, even though the process I was in required patience for my body to heal itself. 

My doctor helped set me up with some supplements that would be supportive and strongly encouraged regular protein snacks and meals to help with the hypoglycemia that goes along with adrenal fatigue.  I learned all about cortisol and how it is produced by the adrenal glands along with adrenaline, to get us through short bouts of stress (i.e. an emergency situation that eventually has an end).  The way our society operates is to ignore fatigue and use stimulants such as caffeine to keep going, all the while this continual revving of our engine is breaking our bodies down. 

I also learned that my only chance at a real recovery would be to listen to the fatigue and rest.  Rest and diet were the answer.  My body had depleted itself so drastically of many of its nutrients, that supplements were also essential to boost it back up more quickly than diet alone.  There are many distressing symptoms in addition to the fatigue that go along with this depletion of the body’s hormones and nutrients.  Because of the intricacies involved with taking the supplements and the need to have ongoing tests to check levels, a knowledgeable doctor is essential, though hard to find.  Most traditionally trained doctors have one semester on nutrition and nothing on hormone balancing.

  MORE TO LEARN

The fatigue continued until July, about 6 months, when I decided I wasn’t getting any better and my doctor couldn’t give me the detailed answers I needed.  One of the books Ellen had given me was called “Chronic Fatigue Unmasked”, by Gerald Poesnecker.  He was a naturopath doctor from Quakertown, PA at a place called Clymer Healing Center, who had done research on chronic fatigue patients for 30 years.  In his book, he basically said that chronic fatigue was an issue of the adrenal system.  Although his perspective was slightly different from the Adrenal Fatigue book, his findings were basically the same and he had a clinic in which he successfully treated those with chronic fatigue.  The phone number for his clinic was in the book…so I called. 

It sounds simple, but it wasn’t.  I was so far out of my comfort zone by that point that one more step out just made sense.  A phone call sounds pretty harmless until you start taking medical advice from someone whom you’ve never met, never seen or heard of the clinic and have no idea how legitimate this doctor is, who has never seen his own patient.  If there ever was a time for faith, now was it.  In my logical, rational world it didn’t make sense.  It was something I would have never done before.  But as far out of my comfort zone as this was, I felt very peaceful about it. 

The minute I heard Dr. Neville’s voice (Dr. Poesnecker’s predecessor) telling me he could help me, I had this sense that this is who God has provided to walk me through this mess.  I still asked lots of questions and tried to find reasons why this wouldn’t work.  I couldn’t find any.  It didn’t make sense to do it this way and I would sound crazy when I told my conservative families and friends, but I didn’t care because I knew this was what I needed.  There was a ray of hope.  I prayed my way through my conversations with Dr. Neville, always aware that if his advice ever became questionable I would lose my peace about him.  I never lost it.

So for the next 2+ years, Dr. Neville played a large part in getting me through the darkest days of my life.  His knowledge of the adrenal system and my wacky, disturbing symptoms continued to give me hope.  Just knowing that what I was going through was a “normal” process and someone had been through it before me, meant everything to me.  And it wasn’t just his knowledge that gave me support.  Dr. Neville had literally felt what I was feeling when he experienced his own time of adrenal fatigue.  He had been there and gotten out of it. 

In our very first conversation, he said some words that were very hard to hear, but following them was the beginning of feeling real improvement:  no sugar/low carbs, lots of protein and lots and lots of rest.  As hard as I had been trying to eat well with my current diet, it wasn’t good enough.  The sugar and carbs were doing me in.  I had cut back on sugar but hadn’t cut it out.  My body’s sugar metabolism was so sensitive that when I cut out sugar and reduced the carbs, I felt dramatic improvement. 

It was early on in this process that Dr. Neville introduced me to the Weston A. Price way of eating.  It was very overwhelming at first because starting a whole new outlook on eating was a huge undertaking for anyone, let alone someone who could barely get up to cook a meal.  And it wasn’t exactly a quick way to cook either.  I tried things as the energy came, my poor family suffering dramatic diet changes that were so foreign at the time.  At first I wasn’t so sure about the full fat thing and fermenting and eating organ meats.  Then the more I read, it starting making lots of sense.  It was food the way it was supposed to be eaten.  I’m still working on the organ meat thing, but not because I disagree.  It’s because for so many years I was so repulsed by any meat not perfectly sanitized and fat free and pretty, it’s hard to get out of that mindset.  (I figure I get my organ meat through the glandulars Dr. Neville has me taking!)

The better I ate, the better I felt.  I discovered a sensitivity to preservatives which made life eating meat much more difficult, but much healthier.  Also during that time we discovered some food sensitivities in my other family members.  Because of that, we had to become basically gluten-free in our household and many meals are dairy and egg free as well.  I have been thankful for Carrie’s yummy recipes on her blog as I have had to create a new way of eating for my family.  Many of my meals have been downright boring, but when I get the energy and focus enough to attempt a new recipe it is always an exciting time. 

NOT THE END

 My story of recovering from adrenal fatigue is not over, but not because I haven’t tried everything I can do for myself.  Unfortunately, life doesn’t let up even when you’re down.  What’s the deal with that?!  I keep asking God for a season of rest, free from difficulties but I am still waiting.  There have been times where I felt like I was getting my head above water and then life sends something new to knock me down again.  And in those times I just keep moving forward, knowing that I don’t always understand why things happen as they do and God is giving me extra fortitude to continue on.  But even with all of that, I have been ever-so-slowly improving.  I can go about my daily tasks now and even play with my kids. 

My energy is pretty consistent under normal conditions.  It’s those knock-down times I need to have a little extra reserve on hand and don’t always have it.  And since life hasn’t let up on me yet, I’m ready for the next stepping stone in my recovery.  Recently, I began taking a bio-identical cortisol replacement.  It should give me some of that reserve that life hasn’t allowed for and finally let my adrenal glands rest fully for awhile.  If all goes well when my adrenals have had their rest, I will gradually wean off the cortisol replacement and learn to live within the limitations of my own body. 

One of the most difficult aspects of my condition has been the isolation and its  effect on my relationships.  The effort that it took to maintain relationships was so great that my conversations with people were few and far between.  As much as I wanted to give to those relationships, I had to limit each interaction pretty strictly if I wanted to keep my energy from taking a nosedive.  Unfortunately, just talking itself was a drain. 

There were many misunderstandings as I had to cancel plans and in the beginning couldn’t even explain why I would suddenly become unavailable if my energy crashed.  Over time others learned to understand why I was limited as I learned brief ways to prepare them for my unreliability.  Even my husband was in the dark at first, until we sorted out what was really going on. 

Because of the personal nature of this condition, no one will ever fully understand it if they have not been through it personally.  That is something that I have had to become okay with, since limiting my energy output and getting better has been my primary goal. 

I know I have been supported by family and friends, even with very little to go on, and I have appreciated all the remote support I can get.  It’s not so remote anymore and I’m finding several of my relationships that were basically put on hold are becoming even richer than they were before.  It is in a huge part because of my own new perspectives. 

Relationships really are some of the most important things in life, but the drain happens when I allow others’ needs to become more important than my own.  I am a doer and a helper and I am much closer to finding the balance of taking care of myself first before helping others.  It’s like the oxygen mask on an airplane.  You need to put yours on first or you won’t be able to help the one next to you.  There will always be people in need of my help, especially my family, but I have learned first hand that I am no good to anyone when I don’t listen to my gut instincts and give myself what I need first. 

I feel like the process I have been through has successfully altered my lifestyle.  Life is much simpler than I was making it before.  I hope as I make a full recovery I will continue to follow the principles of a truly healthy lifestyle, however unconventional it might be. 

I am seriously considering completing the same certification that Carrie is currently undertaking to become a Nutritional Therapist.  The timing will depend on many factors – my body’s readiness as well as my family’s readiness.  I feel that my “calling” is definitely in the health field and look forward to being able to help others who have had to go through their own personal trials.  I don’t feel like a person has to be in the same position I have been in to be empathetic because going through this has given me a very strong understanding for others who are hurting in many ways. 

My story is as much of a spiritual journey as a physical one.  However horrible the physical and emotional side has been, the process has all been worth it for the spiritual strength and character building that I am still receiving through this process.  Even my relationships with my husband and children are richer because of what I (we) have been through.

We want to thank Celeste heartily for sharing her story. Unfortunately, she does not [yet] have a blog, but perhaps this act of writing about her journey will inspire her to keep writing!  Please keep Celeste, and all others who suffer this silent disorder known as Adrenal Fatigue, in your thoughts and prayers!

I’m grateful to report that Celeste recently returned home from a two week vacation in Hawaii! Now that sounds like an appropriate Rx for adrenal fatigue!

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As I’ve mentioned here before, I’ve been really getting more serious about finding deals using coupons, and several people have asked me to try to “demystify” the whole couponing process. There are many, many amazing coupon tutorials out there, and so I wanted to give my personal twist on finding the best deals for Real Food.

As I’ve said many times before, if you want to find the best deals on food, you probably need to forget about one-stop-shopping.  I’m fortunate to live within a 2 mile radius of just about every type of grocery store there is, and I’ve got it figured out exactly what I buy at each store, depending upon the current deals and coupons. 

Rule # 1 With couponing is to NEVER clip a coupon on something you know you won’t use.  That’s not saving money at all.

Rule #2 Invest in a Sunday paper and clip out all of the coupons for products you use anyway; dish soap, diapers, personal care products, and any real food items (they’re rare, but occasionally you’ll find a good coupon for nuts, frozen veggies, nitrate-free cold cuts, or even organic eggs).  The Sunday paper is best for the toothpaste/shampoo/razors coupons, I’ve found.

Rule #2: Get a printer and an ink cartridge and get ready to search the net for coupons! The internet is really the best place to go for the coupons of the products you will really use.  Again, I still probably only use about 20% (or 1 for every 5) coupons I find on the net, but they are out there.  You can start by looking here:

Coupons.Com

See? Sometimes there are actually useful coupons there! Feel free to browse around. You generally only get two prints, however, so keep track of them!

Other Sources:

SmartSource.com
RedPlum.com Red Plum has a great coupon running right now: $5 off a $25 purchase at Rite Aid!  Great for stocking up on sale items you need anyway!  Don’t forget to scour the Rite Aid Weekly!Eat Better America has some addtional frozen veggie (non-organic) coupons that are printable. Great for doubling!

For more organic, earth-friendly coupons:

Mambo Sprouts is a free coupon book dedicated to organic, quality products.  Sign up if you haven’t already! They have coupons for great companies like Organic Valley, Maranatha Nut Butters, Knudesen’s Juices, Celestial Seasonings Teas, Cliff Bars, Earthbound Organics, and much more!

Natural Food Connection has a free newsletter you can sign up for that will send you coupons for organic, natural food products. I haven’t yet received my newsletter, but will let you know if it’s any good when I do!

Vegetarian Times often has several good quality organic coupons availabe through its website.  Simply click on the “Special Offers” tab on the home page, and click on “Coupons”. 

Living Without Magazine occasionally has some printable coupons on their website as well, and there is currently a $0.55 off Almond Thins printable!

Naturally Preferred magazine (found at Fred Meyer, Kroger, and QFC) has great coupons for organic products. They issue a new one each month, found in the Natural Living Section.

Whole Foods’ The Whole Deal magazine has in-store coupons available. I hear they also have a calendar available for purchase which contains several coupons as well.

Company-Direct Websites:

Earthbound Organics  take quiz on their website and you will have a chance to enter your e-mail address and you will be sent a $1 off coupon.

Organic Prairie a good source for nitrate-free bacon, hot dogs, sausages, etc. has 2 high value $1 off printables. This would be great in a store that honors doubles as well (Albertsons, Safeway, Thriftway).

Organic Valley is a cooperative of small, family-owned farms throughout the country that provide organic milk, cream, half and half, butter, pasture butter, raw cheese, sour cream, and cottage cheese.  You can access a variety of high value coupons from their website as well, totally $8 in savings. They refresh in March, so even if you have recently printed a few of these, you can likely print two more now since the refresh!

Muir Glen organic tomatoes are an excellent choice, since conventionally grown tomatoes are so likely to be laden with pesticides.  You can get a free printable coupon on their website, and currently they have “peelies” on many of their products in stores.

Cascadian Farm will send you a $1 off coupon when you sign up for their newsletter. These are great to match with in-store coupons at Target, as they often go on sale there. I prefer to use this coupon on frozen veggies rather than cereal, of course!

Organic Grocery Deals is a great forum for getting information on the latest deals and coupon match-ups local organic stores, such as Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods.  If you become a member, tell them “OrganicThrifty” sent you!  There is also an online coupon exchange, lots of discussion forums, and helpful info.  There are also printable coupons available.

Health E Savers is a website with printable organic foods and supplement coupons. On their website you have an opportunity to sign up for a weekly e-mail to receive even more printable organic coupons. If their sponsors are any indication, you might expect to see coupons for Country Life, Bob’s Red Mill, and Carlson’s!

Knudsen’s Juices has 3 valuable coupons for their products on their website. Again, pair these with a sale or a deal and this is a great price.  Do I need to explain why you should NEVER, EVER drink non-organic juice?  It rhymes with “nesticides”.

Santa Cruz organics offers $0.75 off their peanut butters (you know what’s wrong with nonorganic peanut better, right?) and their sparkly “Celebration Drinks”.  This will also work great with doubles at Albertson’s or Safeway!

Seventh Generation allows you to become a member of their site and offers lots of great coupons. These go on sale regularly as well, so you can get “stock up” deals on dish soap, cleaner, and diapers!

Hormel (I know, I know, probably not the greatest) but they do offer a gluten-free, all-natural, MSG/Nitrate-Free lunch meat that is servicable, and on their website you can find a $0.55 off coupon. This also is great for when they go on sale at Safeway, and you can use your weekly Safeway Double to get $1.05 off!

Al Fresco offers nitrate-free, preservative-free, chicken sausages in gourmet flavors. Sign up for their newsletter and get $1.00 off!

Applegate Farms will send you a $1.00 off coupon when you sign up for their mailing list. This company makes delicious nitrate-free bacon.

Join the Bakery on Main Healthy Living Club and receive a $1.50 off coupon, along with many special offers. Bakery on Main offers gluten-free, refined-sugar free, additive-free granolas.

Brown Cow organic yogurt now has printable e-coupons!

Coleman Natural Meats offers antibiotic, hormone, and preservative-free meats such as the “Rocky” and “Rosie” chickens, as well as sausages and hot dogs. If you take their survey, you will be sent 5 $1 coupons!

Enjoy Life Gluten-Free Foods has a $0.55 off printable you can download from the website.

Food Should Taste Good (offering delicious, gluten-free tortilla chips with unique flavors)has  $1 off printable coupon on their website as well as an opportunity to e-mail a coupon to a friend (your husband?)!.

Okay, it’s late, and this is just scratching the surface.  Stay tuned, keep checking back for weekly coupon deals I’ll post about! 

This post is a part of Real Food Wednesday.

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Low Carb & Lenten Main Dish Salad
Serves 2

Ingredients:
organic lettuce or baby greens (sales and coupons abound for these, more about this tomorrow!)  ($0.50)
1/2 cup of non-starchy veggie (cucumbers, bell peppers, red onions, whatever you want!)  ($0.25)
1/2 an avocado, cubed   ($0.50)
1/2 cup of olives              ($0.50)
1/4 cup of sunflower seeds or chopped nuts   ($0.10)
1/4 cup of cooked, tiny bay shrimp    ($0.50)
1/4 cup of cooked navy beans, cooked from dry             ($0.25)
1-2 TBS of lacto-fermented vegetables (pictured here is my “PurpleKraut”).   ($0.25)
1 TBS of homemade balsamic vinaigrette (optional, see recipe below)   ($0.50)

Layer all ingredients in order listed above in a salad bowl. Toss to coat.  This is surprisingly filling and delicious!

Total Cost: $3.35

Balsamic Vinaigrette:

1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, smashed (optional)
1 TBS flaxseed oil

Mix all ingredients together.

This post has been a part of Tempt My Tummy Tuesday and $5 Dinner Challenge!

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I even splurged and bought some Gorilla Munch Cereal (gluten free with like 2 ingredients) and GF Corn Flakes. They ended up being $0.99 each per box after coupons! I figured they would be good “potty treats” for DS, and if he never decides to actually try to use the potty, then I will drop them into the food bank bin and bless some other family with some organic goodness!

I ended up stocking up on lots of Pacific Soups ($0.50 each….I know I can make soup for pretty cheap, but this is the “emergency pantry stash” or the “oops, I forgot to pack DH’s lunch” stash!

There was a peelie coupon on the Muir Glen Tomatoes, which were already 10/$10,  it was for $1 off 2, so I ended up getting a bunch of Muir Glen Organic Canned Tomatoes for $0.50 each! This unheard of people!

I scored several bags of Flax Meal for $3 and $2 each (I had some different priced coupons, but this stuff is regularly over $10). I will add this to the grain-free sandwich bread in Elana Amsterdam’s Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook.

Did I mention that I LOVE Elana’s Cookbook and don’t know what I would do without it in my life!?!??! (I do sub coconut oil for all the grapeseed oil in her book).

Back to the savings….

Cage-Free (I know, it doesn’t mean much…) Eggs were $0.50 each after coupon. I bought 2 cartons.
Tillamook Cheddar Cheese was $5.99, which is as good as it gets unless you’re at Fred’s this week
Organic Apples were $0.99/lb, which I used to make my Apple Kraut!
Organic Half and Half was $1.99, which I used to make Matsoni Yogurt which is a steal for organic yogurt!
We got more cleaner for our bamboo floors, which was on sale and I had a coupon. $1.49 after coupons.
I had several coupons for tea, Yogi Berry Detox and SleepyTime, saving a dollar on each box.  We are big tea people!
Tillamook butter was $1.99 and I couldn’t resist a 100% Cacao Dagoba Bar that I had a coupon for!

Oh! I almost forgot…

Organic Oranges were $0.59/lb, so I got a few of those.
Organic Grape Juice (used in small amounts in my kombucha) was an absolute steal; $1.50 per bottle after discounts and coupons! I bought 2 of these.
I also scored some 7th Generation diapers for $6.99 after discounts and coupons.  That’s a good deal for any diapers!
I also used my savings ($37) to purchase another Chinook Book, since it’s full of coupons that we use that are very valuable and because they were discounted to only $13.00!

OH, and last but not least: I got 2 jars of Organic Peanut Butter for $1.99 each!!! That is a steal for any kind of PB, let alone Maranatha Organic!

Not pictured:

2 # of Chicken Breasts for $3.99/lb
1 # of Chicken Drumsticks for $1.99/b
1 carton of Luna and Larry’s Coconut Bliss (guilty pleasure)
3 Cliff “G” bars (for the kids…all fruit and nut)
1 Gourmet Chicken Basil Sausage Link (Free)
3 bottles of Kombucha ($1.99 each) To share at a presentation
2 bottles of whole milk kefir (for presentation and one as a payment for babysitting….I love bartering!)

GRAND TOTAL: ~$97.oo (this is more than my weekly allotment, but as you will soon find out, I am doing a No-Spend March so I have stocked up on some great things for the freezer and for the pantry with this shopping trip and will make this stretch for as long as I can. I intend to NOT go shopping this week as my pantries are full!

There is still one more day, if you’re a Portlander, to take advantage of these savings! Sale ends on Tuesday, March 2!

This post is part of the Grocery Cart Challenge Link-Up!

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I can’t believe it’s March!!!!  Time to start seeds, sign the children up for swimming lessons, and figure out what we’re doing for Kindergarten next year!  But, more immediately, it’s time for this week’s Menu Plan!

This week is another simple, eat-from-the-pantry week in the Lenten spirit.  I tend to plan less during Lent because there are often Church services during the week with potlucks or dinners attached….and so so often my Lenten cooking is rather “spur-of-the moment”. I know, so unlike me!

Breakfasts:
Cowboy Scrambled Eggs (for the kiddos)
Coconut Milk Smoothies (I add hemp seeds now instead of eggs for Lent)
Grain-Free Muffins
Nitrate-Free Breakfast Sausages (for the kiddos)
Grain-Free Granola Cereal
Elana’s Almond Flour Pancakes
Homemade Power Bars

Lunches:
Curried Butternut squash and Coconut Soup (aka “Digger Soup”. It’s yellow. My son gets it.)
Deviled Eggs and Steamed Broccoli
Nitrate-Free Roast Beef (for the kids) and Cheese, Carrot Sticks
Leftover Cabbage Soup
Leftover Veggie Stir-Fry
Leftover Shrimp and Veggie Dish (Thanks, Cathy!)

Dinners:
Coconut Clam Chowder
Broccoli Pizza w/ Coconut Flour or Almond Crust
Sauteed Scallops and Green Beans
Refried White Bean & Veggie Burrito Bake (Note to GAPS readers: I allow 1 tortilla meal per week, as once a week seems to be fine for the  kids)
Lentil Sloppy Joe’s over Cauliflower
Shrimp Burgers (from Elana’s Cookbook)

 
For more menu-planning inspiration, as always, check out Menu Plan Monday at The Organizing Junkie!

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New Seasons Market is celebrating their 10-year anniversary this week with “Roll Back Prices” reflective of the year 2000 when they opened!  I was pretty impressed with all of the deals going on there this week. If you have a Chinook Book or a Mambo Sprouts Coupon Catalogue, you can score some great match-up deals!

Here are some of the notable deals I found:

2 lbs Tillamook Cheddar $4.99

Kettle Chips 10 for $10

Muir Glen Organic Tomatoes 10 for $10
Join the Muir Glen Connoissuer’s Club and Get $1/1 Coupon
Free after coupon!

GT Dave’s Kombucha $1.99

Westbrae Organic Beans (Canned) $10 for 10

Maranatha Organic Peanut Butter $2.99
Use $1/1 Mambo Sprouts Winter Catalogue
$1.99 After Coupon

Cascadia Farms Organic Granola $2.50
Join the Cascadia Farms Online Community for $1/1
$1.50 After Coupon

Pacific Natural Foods Organic Soups $1.50 ea.
$1/1 from Chinook Book
$0.50 each After Coupon

Knudson Organic Juice $2.50
$1/1 from Healthy Clippings Coupon Book (at Customer Service Counter)
$1.50 each After Coupon

Stiebrs Cage Free Eggs $1.50
BOGO Coupon in Chinook Book
$0.75 each when you buy 2!

Yogi Tea $2.99 each
$1/1 from the 2/7 Smart Source (I believe)
$1.99 After Coupon

7th Generation Diapers $8.99
$2/1 7th Generation Diapers or Baby Wipes MF Coupon I found at Naturpath Office
$6.99 After Coupon!

Organic Valley Organic Milk $2.99 (Half Gallon)
Printable $1/1 Organic Valley Coupons Here
$1.99 After Coupon!

Note: This is a STEAL if you want to make homemade organicyogurt! You couldn’t buy a quart of organic yogurt for a $1.00, could you? Matsoni is super easy! See my resources page for starters!

Organic Valley Cottage Cheese $3.50
Printable $1/1 Organic Valley Coupons Here
$2.50 After Coupons

Organic Valley Organic Organge Juice $3.99
$1/1 Mambo Sprouts Winter Catalogue
$2.99 After Coupon

Coconut Bliss Ice Cream $3.50
$1/1 Chinook Book Coupon
$2.50 After Coupon

Organic Broccoli and Cauliflower $0.99/lb

Spectrum Organic Ground Flax Meal $5.00
$2/1 any Spectrum Essentials Supplement from Chinook Book
$3.00 After Coupon!

These deals are seriously hot, and there are more I haven’t mentioned, so check them out at New Seasons Market’s website. This week will be full of freebies, samples, prizes, and “surprise unadvertised” specials, so if you follow them on twitter you can get the scoop!

This post has been contributed to Pennywise Platter Thursday, and is dedicated to all my fellow frugal Portlanders who don’t frequent New Seasons much due to the higher prices. This week is your chance! Let’s show this wonderful store that we appreciate their lower prices, and perhaps send them a message to do this more often!

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If you missed Part 1 of Celeste’s Story, you can find it here.

VISIT TO THE DOCTOR

                 After the first month of my disturbing symptoms and in response to my husband’s pleas to see a professional, I went to a women’s wellness clinic 2 1/2 hours away that specialized in hormone balancing.  A blood test revealed that my progesterone was at rock bottom and I had a quick education on the myriad of symptoms that go with low progesterone.  I also found out that the birth control pills I was on the prior 4 months had actually replaced my natural progesterone with a synthetic form called progestin.  Progestin’s only purpose is to regulate a woman’s cycle.  It took the place of my natural progesterone and all of the protective and helpful things that progesterone did for my body were gone. 

Later, a saliva test revealed that my cortisol levels were extremely high.  The doctor had me continue the tryptophan and GABA and progesterone she had prescribed.  She also gave me a prescription for Xanax in case the panic attacks got overwhelming.  My first inclination was that I didn’t need it, but I had been swallowing my pride a lot lately and decided to do it one more time just to have something in my back pocket in an emergency.  Another opportunity for me to rethink my judgment of those in distress.  Then, I was sent on my way.  I went back 1 or 2 more times before finding a local practitioner to continue my treatment. 

My adrenaline-induced panic attacks continued through my daughter’s 2^nd birthday in October and the holidays.  Then, shortly after the holidays, the racing feeling that I was continually fighting just stopped.  It was replaced with a deep fatigue that, at first, was a restful peace.  I started sleeping through the night…and the day.  Before, I had to rest because of a weird combination of “wired but tired” (it’s a feeling that only those with adrenal fatigue can fully comprehend), and I was up and down depending on which one was more  dominant at the time.  Now I was always tired.  The ceasing of the constant revving that sat in my chest was a huge relief, but what it meant was that, except for a spurt here and there, my body was almost depleted of cortisol.  And the deep fatigue that it brings can barely be described in words. 

The only thing I can use to compare the fatigue to is the flu my family recently experienced (probably the swine flu).  As I laid on the couch with a fever and the kind of fatigue where you can’t move a muscle and don’t even want to get up to get a drink of water, I had a flashback of how I used to feel.  Minus the fever, but including some of the aches, slight nausea, “brain dead” thinking and dizziness, the comparison is pretty close.  Except for me it never went away. 

Month after month, my body was “resting”, regenerating, trying to build itself back up again.  The problem was that in an ideal world I would sleep all day and eat perfectly.  My world involved two very active young children and a life that couldn’t just stop because of me.  I did my best to rest as much as possible, but the rest of the time I was using the little bit of energy that the rest gave me.  I was back to forcing myself to function, without the coffee.  But I did discover that green tea was “good for me” and the small amount of caffeine it had I used as much as possible to get me through my days.  My husband still helped as much as possible, but he had to make money to pay for all my supplements and other expenses. 

 LIFE BEFORE…

                About 6 months prior to all of this, my husband had quit his job of 13 years as an engineer/project manager at a mill to start a new career in land development.  He had set up an office in our home to build his new business.  Now if there is one thing I never had to worry about during this time it was my husband’s ability to keep us financially stable.  His is gifted in that area and has never let us down. 

Unfortunately, even though the timing was good for me to have him close, it was not good for building a brand new business.  Somehow, however, he kept us afloat.  And, aside from hiring a nanny to watch the kids, the only option was for him to do it.  With me in bed and on the verge of panic much of the time, he had to be on stand-by 24/7.  For that I can never thank him enough.  It wasn’t the way he had planned starting his new career, but he did what he had to do.

                I continued to cook our meals to the best of my ability and he watched kids when I needed help, working in his down time.  As I read more books and talked with Ellen, I finally decided that adrenal fatigue was what I was dealing with.  The book “Adrenal Fatigue, the 21^st Century Stress Syndrome” was my 2^nd Bible. 

I went through that book with a fine-toothed comb, trying to do everything right to get myself well.  The nutritional info was very helpful to me even though I have fine-tuned quite a bit since then.  One major thing I realized through the book was how much my diet affects the process of adrenal fatigue.  Essentially, the condition is brought on by an overload of stress to your body-internal and/or external.  One of the many stressors I had been experiencing was my diet.  Prior to having kids, I had always been careful about what I ate (at least what I thought was a healthy, low fat diet).  I tried at first and finally gave in to the pre-packaged easy way out.  It really was easier and everyone else looked okay doing it.

                Unfortunately, that was only one straw on the camel’s back.  The more I thought back to my lifestyle and thought patterns and the stresses that had been out of my control, including my own weak adrenal system (a hereditary thing), it was only a matter of time before something like this happened.  The human body is resilient to a point, but every body had its limits.  And I had found mine.

                As far back as I can remember, I got stressed easily but kept it internalized – the worst combination.  I think my otherwise healthy lifestyle kept me out of the woods most of my life.  I loved the outdoors and grew up as a tomboy riding horses, helping my dad cut firewood, avoiding the indoor domestic duties as much as possible.  I also always had exercise to fall back on as a way to wind down.  Another thing I loved was playing the piano – my parents used to laugh at me growing up as I pounded the piano for hours to get rid of the stress from life.  Time to myself was always another major need I had to regenerate and relax. 

I have always been independent, and very self-sufficient.  My husband, being of the same mindset, took it in stride as we went through our new marriage.  All of my coping mechanisms worked for me until I had a baby.  My world got turned upside down.  Not only was I recovering from a C-section and the emotional regrets and physical healing that went along with that (I always planned on a natural delivery), but the sudden responsibility of a newborn added quite a bit of emotional stress, as it does to many. 

The bigger problem was that all of my stress-relievers were taken away in one fell swoop.  Exercise became more trouble than it was worth, alone time was non-existent and the piano playing only happened briefly in between nursing, diaper changes, sleeping and cooking or cleaning.  Eventually I found a routine that sort of worked for me until the second child was born. 

The elation that came with my successful VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean) delivery was quickly thwarted with real life.  The same issues came up again, but compounded this time.  My second child slept very little, had the loudest scream I’ve ever heard and between the two I never found that balance again.  At 6 months old she also had RSV, which was the beginning of a viral asthma that occurs with every cold.  The first year of her life I was in a total daze. 

                When the baby was born my oldest daughter started experiencing some extreme behaviors in reaction to the baby.  She became more and more difficult to control and would have extreme tantrums with no warning, which confused and disturbed us as parents.  We had a feeling these tantrums were more than just power struggles but couldn’t put our finger on what was wrong.  Even as we gained more insight, this would continue to be an ongoing source of stress in my life. 

To complicate things more, when my youngest was about 1 ½, I was in a car accident in which I hit black ice on the freeway and totaled the little pickup I was driving.  Literally, because of the grace of God and guardian angels, no other cars were involved and I came out of it with little more than a huge knot on my forehead and some achy muscles.  This traumatized me more than I knew.  I thought I was going to die but had nothing physical to show for it. 

                About 3 months after the accident was when my husband quit his job, which for many would be a negative stress.  However, this was actually a positive change for me because it meant a husband who was not on call and leaving in the middle of the night.  He set his own hours and his whole demeanor was more relaxed because of this change.  Still, there was the unknown of how we would make it financially, but we had money saved and the future looked good in that respect. 

                A couple of months later, against my better judgment, I went on birth control pills.  I had been on them before having children without any problems, but never liked the idea of messing with my hormones like that.  The next 4 months were a hormonal nightmare.  As I tried to act normal while my insides were freaking out, I could definitely feel the internal stress rising.  The doctor didn’t want me to make any changes to the birth control until I had tried it for 4 months.  If I had listened to my gut, it would have said “to heck with the doctor, something is not right”.  But, I didn’t listen because I had trained myself to push through no matter how I felt if I thought it was what I was supposed to do. 

                That same summer, everything was coming to a head with my oldest daughter’s emotional issues (by then she was 4 years old).  We were at the end of our ropes with her and ready to figure out what was really going on.  When we finally made the appointment with a professional at the end of the summer, we had a month’s wait – way too long for parents who had already waited too long…

                A month before my body gave out on Labor Day Weekend, we had planned a family vacation to visit relatives who live on Lake Michigan (we live in Oregon).  I tried hard to make the vacation a positive experience, but unfortunately everything that could go wrong, went wrong.  It started with a major meltdown from my 4-year-old in the airport before we even got on the airplane.  When we arrived in Michigan is was the hottest and most humid weather they had experienced all summer and we just happened to be staying in a rental cabin with no A/C.  Our relatives’ house didn’t have it either.  And the water in the bay was like warm bath water.  The local café and iced coffee became my only respite on that trip.  Because of the heat, I don’t think any of us ever slept more than 2 hours a night the whole week we were there.  On the plane ride back I felt like the walking dead.  I remember thinking, “How long can the human body function in this state?”

                Apparently not long.  About 1-2 weeks later we went camping with family and didn’t sleep for those 2 nights because of our screaming children in the middle of the night.  The next weekend was Labor Day Weekend. 

                There was the answer to my question.  My body could hold out no longer.

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I’m very fortunate to live within a 2 mile radius of just about every grocery store you could imagine; Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, New Seasons, Safeway, Winco, Grocery Outlet, Albertson’s, Thriftway, Fred Meyer, and Target.  I also live close to several Rite Aids and Walgreen’s, so I really can “make the rounds” and go right into the store and get their “loss leader” deals and be in and out of there in 15 minutes. I shop on Saturday when the kids can be with dad to maximize my efficiency of course!  Here’s a recap of some of the deals I received:

Once again, I scored some good stuff at Grocery Outlet. I hesitate to even post these things, because obviously unless you live in my neighborhood and shop at my {possessive?} Grocery Outlet, your mileage will vary tremendously on your ability to score equally sweet deals.  But I must say, if my dietary restrictions were even a little bit lighter, I would have been able to score many more good things (think: organic, gluten-free cereal)!  So, here’s a bit of what I was able to snag, all for under $10:

Again, forgive the sideways pic…but where else can you find macadamia nuts for $1.99?!?!? A very filling Lenten snack!

I LOVE the bargain produce rack. A little wilted, but perfect to go atop this week's spaghetti squash casserole!

I am always excited to find organic produce; these romaine lettuce heads were $1.50 for 3!

I purchased two bags of 4 avocados; an essential for Lenten eating!

Not pictured: A $1.99 carton of Strauss Creamery (all grass-fed milk!) Organic Eggnog Ice Cream, a little splurge for the Orthodox version of “Mardi Gras”, as well as some yellow peppers priced at $0.50 each! 

Speaking of deals, I had fun watching the checker at Safeway bring my total from $20 down to just over $6 with lots of BOGOs, coupons, and doubles! I got two packages of Hormel All Natural roast beef (no nitrates, MSG, or anything yucky there, but probably not the best quality meat), 2 packages of breakfast sausages, 2 bottles of rice vinegar (I use it for Asain salad dressings), and tabasco sauce all for less than $6!

A local grocery store in my neighborhood, Bales Thriftway, also doubles up to 4 coupons each week. This week they had an in-store coupon for Tillamook butter ($1.99), eggs for $0.68 (I buy “cheapo” eggs for baking with and save the organic ones for eating), asparagus, Northwest bay shrimp for $2.98/lb (a steal!), organic eggs I had a coupon for (which doubled) and organic bananas and a few other things I can’t remember right now all for under $20.

Fred Meyer has a great deal going this month on frozen vegetables.  Unfortunatley these are not organic, but the deal was too good to pass up. They have an in-store coupon for all of their frozen veggies for $0.79, up to four.  I have gone in two separate times and used this deal to stock up my freezer with frozen green beans, broccoli, and brussels sprouts (the kids love these veggies laden with butter and cheese). 

I also combined some in-store coupons with manufacturer’s to score some Traditional Medicinals Tea for $1.00 and some super reduced Stash Teas.  Our family has regular “tea time” every day (it somehow is a magical antidote to the 4 o’clock “witching hour” so we are constantly going through tea!)  All of my Fred Meyer food deals came to right around $20.

So this week’s rougly adding up to under $60 for our groceries!  I’d love to try to keep it under $40 for the rest of Lent. I think its doable given my pantry is still fairly stocked, but the question is will I keep my obsession with finding “good deals” and buying them in check!?!?!? I’ll keep you posted…..I need the accountability.

This post is part of Grocery Cart Challenge’s Weekly Round-up!

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Happy “Clean” Monday!  This week my menu shifts to reflect the observance of Lent. The challenge for my family is to create Lenten meals that are also grain-free and low in carbs, as per our dietary restrictions.  Since the children don’t fast, I always stock up on easy, “single-serve” meats that can easily be added to the meals. Luckily Safeway had a BOGO on Hormel all Natural cold cuts (MSG, preservative, gluten, and additive-free).  Cold cuts, nitrate-free sausages and NF hot dogs (for better or for worse) are more frequent on the menu during these days because they require very little prep and are still fairly healthy (although that point is debatable, I realize).

For me, the point of Lenten cooking is not only about eliminating meat and dairy, but also to strive to cultivate a spirit of culinary simplicity.  With an increase in services (right during the dinner hour!), it’s important to have food that is simple and ready to eat. The point is not to obsess about food! I also feel that the spirit of Lent is captured by simplicity and am going back to my “no  spend month” that I did in January.  I loved the notion of using what I have on hand and giving myself a small amount each week to spend on a limited amount of fresh necessities (eggs and milk for the kids, avocados, veggies, shrimp for us!).  We’ve pretty much stockpiled the household items (thanks to Walgreen’s deals and coupons) so I shouldn’t have to spend anything in that department! 

In that vein, I cooked about 6 quarts of dried navy beans in the slow cooker this weekend to have on hand for quick meals (such a frugal way to make beans!) and have lots of fun ideas for using them….so this week will have a distinct “navy bean” theme.  Navy beans, incidentally, are allowed on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet as well as the GAPS diet.

Another important point for me is to make meals that are nutrient-dense even without meat and dairy…..a challenge, for sure!  But the truth is, a vegan diet is a very healthful short-term therapeutic diet and our bodies do need a break from meat and dairy as well.

Later on this week, I’ll share some low-carb, Lenten and simple recipe ideas with you.  For now, here’s the plan:

“Clean” Monday:
B: kids: sausages, leftover green beans, coconut flour muffins
L: kids: hamburger patties & veggies me: avocado, bay shrimp, and navy bean salad w/ veggies
D: baked spaghetti squash with marinara sauce and salad

Tuesday:
B:eggs fried in butter and coconut oil with cortido
L: kids: cold cuts/veggies, me: avocado/bay shrimp/navy bean/veggie salad
D: roasted asparagus, sauteed collards, baked potatoes topped with avocado, cortido, etc. (sausages for kids)

Wednesday:
B: green smoothies (plus sausage for the kids), muffins
L: miso soup, steamed broccoli
D: Vegetarian white bean chili w/ veggies

Thursday:
B: Elana’s power bars
L:deviled eggs, shrimp, salad greens
D: kale & white bean soup (modified from this recipe)

Friday:
B: almond flour biscuits
L: leftovers and salad
D: white bean tostadas (yes, we’re using GAPS -illegal corn tortillas. Once in a while doesn’t hurt!)

Saturday:
B: hazelnut-vanilla pancakes (almond flour)
L: leftovers/soup
D: thai shrimp cakes wrapped in lettuce leaves, coconut veggie curry

 For more great meal ideas, head on over to The Organizing Junkie!

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