An exercise in letting go and accepting limitations...this one is tough for me.

The last few weeks have been an experiment in a whole food diet for us.  We haven't been eating any refined sugar, artificial flavors or colors, vegetable oils or trans fats.  We have drastically increased our whole foods including whole grains and massive amounts of fruit and vegetables.  When we do eat meat, it is in much smaller quantities and is organic or free range and hormone free.  These changes mean no more eating out, at least not in our area. They also mean I need to make most of our food from scratch.  I have learned how to make broth and soups, bread, pizza crusts and sauce, guacamole and hummus. I have cooked lots of vegetarian meals that I had never even heard of before and I really have learned a lot.  Who knew making soup and broth were so easy?! I found myself asking hubby (who has much more kitchen experience than I do), "why do people buy soup in cans?" Its really amazing what I can make in my very own kitchen! And Hubby has been cooking again too, which is wonderful! He is such a good cook.

Don't get me wrong, it has been really tough at times.  We basically had to wipe out our whole pantry to get started.  I couldn't believe the items that had sugar and dye in them! (pickles, every condiment, canned goods) And there are days where I feel like the only thing I do is cook and feed children.  Other days it goes really well, like today.  I made cinnamon raisin bread from scratch.  Its in the oven now.  If it turns out well I will share the recipe later.   I feel like the longer we do this the more it just becomes part of the routine.  Stopping at McDonalds on the way home is no longer an option.  Snacks on the go have to be planned out because we can't just grab a bag of chips and some gummy fruit snacks, but we have learned how to make it work.  I pack a bag of snacks and drinks any time we leave the house for more than an hour so we are always prepared, but this weekend I got caught off guard.

We went to the renaissance festival about an hour from our house.  We have gone many times before but never with the kids. We had a great time!

Hubby got to lock up the pirate, #2...

The princess, #4 was clearly in charge of the goings on, she ordered that a crown be made for her and as soon as we got there, she had one...

The whole crew got to watch a joust, but the knight, #3 was NOT happy that we were on the bad guy side, and #1 was very concerned with the bugs we were sitting (mommy was a little worried about the bugs too)...

And like any good parents, we let our three year old throw darts! ...actually all the boys got to throw darts, but I only got one good picture! Don't worry, I didn't let the baby throw darts, I have to draw a line somewhere! 

After all this activity, everyone was hungry but we weren't even close to finished having fun.  Now I had a major dilemma.  I tend to be obsessive about things and if we are not eating something that means NEVER.  I don't do compromise well. I did pack snacks but we were not permitted to bring food in to the festival and even if we were, by now it was time for a real meal.  The food available at the park was less than ideal. We are talking fried food, processed meats and not a single vegetable in sight.  I really struggled with what to do next.  I wanted to take my kids and RUN from the garbage food available, but at the same time, we were all having a great time and was it really fair to drag them home to eat? Even if we did that very moment, home was an hour away and THEN I would have to cook still.  I had to take a minute and accept that I can't control everything.  I feed my kids healthy food every single day but in a situation where there are NO good options I have learn to let go.  In the end, the kids wound up eating a turkey leg (I wish I had taken a picture of #3 holding it) sausage on a stick, macaroni and cheese on a stick and french fries.  I really wasn't happy about it but none of us died from eating one bad meal and then we got to enjoy the rest of our day.  

We saw a fire show, which #1 thoroughly enjoyed while #2 stood near by trying to explain to the performer that he should not be doing that.  The kids played in a maze and at the end of the day they each picked a toy to take home.  #1 and #3 got swords, #4 got a pink dagger, and #2 got a magic wand.   

I think I made the right call, but this is an issue I am struggling with.  When is it important to stand my ground and not allow our children to eat the junk food that they were once accustomed to eating all the time and when do I have to accept that it is out of my control and allow them to be "normal" kids.  I have found that food is everywhere, much more than I had realized.  Do I  allow them to eat at other people's birthday parties? Do I make them have healthy food at our parties? What about treats at school? Therapy? Soccer? Junk food is everywhere.  I read a book recently, called "The Cleaner Plate club" and in that book they said that if I only feed them healthy food and everyone else feeds them junk I have changed at least 73% of their diet.  For now thats going to have to be good enough for me.  When I can send food, I do, but I can't spend the next 16 years obsessing over the cupcake that they had at school or the juice box at soccer practice.  I need to allow my kids to be kids and have a birthday cake at their party, even if I haven't quite figured out how to make it healthy yet. And when the kids are starving and we are an hour from home, I have to let them eat, even if its not what I would like them to eat.  

I think I am learning a lot more than just how to cook this week.  #1's birthday party is this weekend and I have decided (with hubby's help) that we will just buy him a cake.  I LOVE to bake and it stings that I am going to buy him a cake instead of make it this year, but hopefully by this time next year I will know how to make one for him.  This blog reminds me of the serenity prayer and that is what I am going to say every time one of these situations this week.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

the courage to change the things I can,

and the wisdom to know the difference.

I would love to hear your thoughts on today's blog! Please feel free to comment below or on my Facebook page.