A little known fact: It IS cheaper to eat healthy!

I apologize in advance to all.  The following is a rant that has been driving me crazy for a long time.  I also apologize to any who may have said these words - I am not blaming you in particular, just the idea out there I consider completely naive and entirely wrong!

I am a part of several online communities - some of you reading this are probably my wonderful online friends I am never met but love dearly.  Something I have run into several times recently has been driving me absolutely insane.    The words "I want to eat healthy, but it is too expensive.  It is just so much cheaper to eat junk!" I read/hear this and it makes my blood boil.  Okay, maybe I am over-reacting.  But it just screams ignorant and lazy to me!  No, it is not cheaper to eat junk.  Ah!  But you say, soda is 99cents.  Juice can be as much as $5 a bottle!  Well guess what my friend...water is free! And eat an apple or banana to get your fruit intake - again, cheap!   Mac and Cheese is $1 a box if you get it on sale.  But you know what?  So is three times that amount of macaroni in dried form. And cheese, milk and butter in bulk would probably come out to less then that box of processed junk when you are speaking percentages.   

I apologize - I am all for the occasional box of mac and cheese.  In no way am I saying you are evil for eating it.  Everything in moderation is my philosophy.  But please don't tell me it is cheaper!   

Beans, rice, flour, oil and local fruits and veggies.  You can live off these things.  And they are cheap and sooo good for you.   So I digress - healthy CONVENIENCE food is more expensive then junk convenience food.  And I do understand that when you work, it is hard to make a meal from scratch every time.  Hey - it is hard to make a meal period when you are that tired! 

So I am calling for a revolution!  I vow to think ahead.  I vow to stop using finance as an excuse to not eat what I should.  Is anyone with me?  I want my kids to grow up with healthy ideals when it comes to food.  To eat their veggies and ask for more!  To grow strong, healthy bodies and know how to keep them that way.  To know how to teach their own kids when the times comes.  And I want to be around to know my grandkids - so I will work to keep my own body strong and healthy. 

Ok - I know.  I am an extremist at times.  And as I said, I am not against the occasional junk at all.  But why shouldn't we strive to be the best?  If we do everything we can to be healthy in our meals then we can enjoy a cookie or chocolate dessert without guilt!  Well, I do anyhow.  I always eat my chocolate without guilt!  Of course I also believe there are healing powers in chocolate that we have only just began to discover.

Alright - end rant. 

On to more interesting matters - my children!    Taylor has grown up this week.  You know how sometimes they wake up one morning and it is as if their brains grew in the night and they are just a little older then they were the day before?  Let me see - what did I learn from Taylor this week?  Ah!  Yes!  I learned how you make PB&J.   According to Taylor:  "Peanut butter is just squished peanuts and Jelly is squished jellyfish!  No, jelly is dead, squished, baby jellyfish!"  Huh!?!  We couldn't stop laughing.  In the words of parents everywhere (say it with me now) "Where on earth did she get that!?!?" So everyone, think the next time you bite into that delicious sandwich.  Think how many jellyfish had to die for that bite.  Baby jellyfish no less!

The daycare at my gym learned about Ayla this week.  I went to pick her up on Saturday after working-out and she had gotten the battery section of a pretend phone open.  Somehow had opened the screw and everything.  This child!  Speaking of ayla - just went and checked on her.  She has been watching a show for the last 30 minutes....yet somehow her face is purple.  Ummm...no smell.  No evidence of a purple something anywhere around her.  Yet there is evidence all around her mouth.  A crayon perhaps? A marker? What is purple that this child could have eaten?  Oh well, I give up!  

Oh, and Ayla is in a big girl bed now!  So proud of her.  She is doing so good.  Ryan took the side off the crib just so the girls could play in it when I had my Friday night out and put her to bed that way.  She has done wonderfully every since!   My baby is growing up was bound to happen!  Now the next step?  Thinking of potty training.

Ah - time is getting short.   I will however ask for prayer on one matter.  Ryan and I have discussed me looking into a part-time job evenings and/or weekends.  It would help us get out of debt faster, and take some of the financial pressure off him.  Pray for clarity on if this is the right choice, and speed at finding something if it is.  The idea of working again actually makes me excited. 

Until next week my friends - be well.  Ha!  It was a purple crayon!  Thank God, I don't want to get a reputation with poison control!