We've made it 3 weeks!

Lest you think we are suffering on this raw food diet... we're not!

Silas is very much enjoying raw food. Tonight we had sushi with a sunflower seed rice/tuna pate and lots of veggies.  I hate sushi, I mean really hate sushi, but I actually enjoyed our delicious raw meal!  Really.  Although we couldn't get Silas to smile, (he was too focused on the dessert) here is evidence of the chocolate torte that we made and absolutely LOVE!  Topped with fresh blueberries, it doesn't get much better than this.  With only one more week to go I am having a hard time envisioning myself cooking up a pound of ground beef for a spaghetti dinner, or eating bacon and eggs for breakfast, ever again.  I feel good, really good, and I want this to last. 

We've been talking about where we will go from here and decided that before we are done we are going to have to set some ground rules for once we aren't eating 100% raw.  I think the major thing for me is going to be to avoid processed things. Even though I generally eat organic, natural things, I am all about convenience, and so I eat a lot of crackers, granola bars, etc.  I am going to continue making my own snacks so that I am not tempted to eat that kind of stuff.  I am going to reach for an apple instead of something from a box.  I am not going to buy stuff I can make on my own, and I am going to live without stuff that just isn't good for me.  I am not going to eat things just because they are available.  If I didn't plan on eating it, I'm going to leave it. I'm going to fill my plate with salad first, and then the entree afterward.  Most importantly, I am going to continue actually cooking for my family.  I have loved being in complete control of my own health, and am going to make sure that I continue that.  I am going to make our breakfasts, not pour them out of a box, I am going to make our lunches, not let a "sandwich artist" do it for me, and I am going to make our dinners, not just dump some pasta into boiling water and sauce it up with a canned concoction.  One more week people!  We've almost made it!

My Testimony

This week has been hard, and while my boys have certainly done some darling things, and while the raw food challenge goes on, I feel that instead of sharing these things I need to share with you my testimony of my Saviour, Jesus Christ, and his plan for us.

You see, this week something tragic happened in our family.  My dear sweet niece came into the world and our Father In Heaven called her back almost immediately.  Her story isn't mine to tell, so I will not go into the details, but what I can share is the impact that the sweet little Amelia has had on my life, even though hers was so short.

This week my testimony of prayer, and of the communication we have with God, has increased.  We went from praying that the baby would be okay, to that she would live, to that she would be cradled in her Father in Heaven's arms until her parents could hold her again one day.  Eli loves to pray and constantly reminds us to do just that. He prays over every meal and multiple other times a day. Through his eyes we have been reminding of the hand of God as Eli has asked, unprompted, for Heavenly Father to take care of his auntie's baby so that we can see her when we go back to heaven someday.  Although we are completely heartbroken, through prayer we have felt comfort and love, and have seen God's hands in our lives.

My understanding and testimony of the Plan of Salvation has grown.  I know that because of the great plan of God we will be able to return to live with him again, and at that time we will be reunited with those who have died before us.  Not only will we be able to see those people again, through the gift of Eternal Marriage we will be united with those people forever.  My sweet niece was born into this covenant of Eternal Marriage, and no matter how short her mortal life was, she will one day be with her family again, and her parents will be able to raise her and hold her close.

I have also felt my testimony of family grow.  All this week, as I have looked at my two sweet boys, I have found my heart overfilling with gratitude for the blessing they are in my life.  The sacrifices I have to make for them seem nominal when I think of what being their mother has given to me. I would not trade the family I have for anything. Last night, when Silas woke up multiple times, and I had to sooth him back to sleep, I couldn't help but spend some time staring at his sweet face and feeling a little bit of that love that the Lord must have for us.  I have also seen Jared's family band together to support their sister and her husband, each in their own way. We have been put here in families so that we don't have to be alone in times of trial. I have learned this week just how imperative those family units are, and am so grateful for mine.


Tomorrow Amelia's parents will bury her.  I can't imagine ever having to do that. My soul aches for them completely. At such a heartbreaking time I am grateful for my understanding of Heavenly Father's plan. The Lord loves us and wants us to be happy.  He wants us to make good choices and return to live with him again one day. He has given us the Saviour, who has atoned for our sins, so that we can do just that. Tomorrow is going to be so hard, but with lots of prayer, and lots of support, hopefully we all will be able to be touched by the spirit, feel the Lord's love, and know that we will see sweet Amelia again one day.

Day 12!

Here we are, day 12 of the Wiebe Family Raw for 30 Days Challenge, and we are doing great!  Seriously, not only are we surviving, but we're really enjoying it.  The food is delicious, we all feel incredible physically, and I am just having so much fun finding and trying and modifying new recipes.  I was so worried about not getting enough calories, but the food has been so good (especially all the healthy treats!) that if anything, I'm eating too much!

So, to add to the reasons that I liked raw food last week, I add a few more:

11. I love that every single day I have made healthy food for my family.  There is something very empowering about providing for the health of my family.
12. I have never been very good at following recipes: with raw food recipes it doesn't matter!  I can change them up anyway I want without worrying if it will ruin, because there is no chemical reaction to be made or rising to fret about...  It's actually been really fun to take a recipe that I like and change it up to be even better.

And, something I don't like?  Well, I spend so long on each of these recipes and after dehydrating for two days they are GONE in hours! Seriously.  This week we made 10 heads of kale into kale chips.  10 heads!  We took them out of the dehydrator yesterday afternoon, and they were devoured before we went to bed.  Silas loved them more than anyone, I think, and I can't blame him, because they were delicious.  It's just that making your own chips seems like a lot of work just to see them disappear so quickly.   I suppose I should be glad that at least it is something healthy, but still...

Another one of those recipes that will be gone before I know it is my granola.  It is packed full of healthy goodness, and oh so good for you!  While I don't want to rip off someone's hard work, I'll tell you how I've made it, because I really, really love it!

Living Berry Nut Granola

 That's right, that's what I call it!  I adapted the recipe from "Cranberry Maple Granola" from Raw Food Real World by Matthew Kenney and Sarma Melngailis.  Like I said, you can change it in any way you want, but this is what I did, and it is absolutely wonderful. (I made a mega batch so that it would last a little longer. It could easily be halved if you don't want to make so much.)

Living Berry Nut Granola

2 apples, cored
2 cups date paste
1 cup maple syrup
1 cup of agave
Juice of one large lemon
2 Tbsp vanilla powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 TBSP salt
1 cup Sunflower Seeds, soaked over night
4 cups almonds, soaked over night
6 cups walnuts, soaked over night
1 cup pumpkin seeds, soaked over night
8 oz of frozen berries (I used 1/2 a package of cranberries, and 1/2 package of raspberries)
2 cups of dried currents

1. To make date paste soak 2 cups of medjool dates in hot water for 15 minutes.  Separate dates from water and in a food processor mix until a paste forms.  Add some of the soak water if you need more liquid.
2. Add apples, maple syrup, agave, lemon juice, vanilla, cinnamon, salt and 1/2 cup of the sunflower seeds to the food processor and process until smooth.  Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl.
3. Add the remaining sunflower seeds, almonds, walnuts and pumpkin seeds to the food processor (you may have to do this in two batches - it's okay - and don't bother rinsing the food processor) and process until coarsely chopped. Add nuts to the mixing bowl.  Add the frozen berries and dried currents and mix well.  If it looks like it needs more moisture, add more agave or maple syrup.
4. Spread the granola on a lined dehydrator tray (you could also do this on an oven sheet in the oven) and dehydrate at 115 degrees F for 8ish hours.  Flip, remove the liner, and dehydrate for another 12ish hours. (Dehydrate less if you want a chewy granola instead of crunchy.)
5. Remove from the dehydrator, break into pieces and once it is cooled store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a few weeks (it won't last that long!)

There you have it.  Living Granola, or G'raw'nola, if you will!  Do you know that walnuts have the highest amounts of omega-3 fatty acids of any nuts?  Well, you'll definitely get your share in this granola.  If you don't have access to those nuts though, add some cashews, pecans, pumpkin seeds, chia, hemp, flax, buckwheat...  Really, anything will do.  Make sure that the nuts and seeds you buy are not pasteurized though, or the whole dehydrating thing will be kind of useless. Try it, and enjoy!

More recipes to come, I just need to have something last long enough to take pictures.

My life, right now.

Remember a few months ago when I was whining about feeling like I had no purpose here in Calgary?  Well, I finally am beginning to feel at home here, and am excited about the months to come!

Eli and Silas are such a riot right now.  Silas is finally at an age where he and Eli are really starting to play.  Silas still refuses to talk, or sign, or do much besides point, nod and go "Uhhhh" with various inflections, which we try to interpret.  But, he is so stinking cute that we don't much mind.  He is terribly mischievous, and I spend most of my time at home trying to make sure that he doesn't destroy something else of my mom's.  I can't wait until he does start talking, because I'm sure he'll have a lot to say.  Together we are taking swimming lessons right now, and he is loving it. Eli is an absolute riot.  Where Silas lacks in communication skills, Eli makes up for it.  Today on our way out he asked, "Mommy, what's college?" I tried to explain and he said, "I want to go to college and be a lawyer just like daddy, but I want to go to college in our house.  Can you teach me college at home? I'm going to ask Andy about it, because he goes to college."  I don't know where he get's these things, but I sure love it.  He is taking a class at the YMCA with crafts, gym time, and a swimming lesson as well as an art class with the City of Calgary. It is fun to have him out and involved, and he loves it so much. 


This week Jared writes the last of his exams that will allow him to practice law in Canada!  That means that next week he can start looking for a job, and once the results are back, he can do what we have worked all these years for him to be able to do.  After four years we are ready to enter the next stage, and I am so incredibly proud of Jared for getting to this point.  Go, Jared, go!

In the life before I was a mommy I was a teacher. I always wanted to be a mommy, but I also loved being a teacher.  Not once have I wished to go back to that life, but every once in a while I wish I could stand in front of a group of teenagers again and impart something to them.  Today I got to do that!  I am teaching two classes of Speech Arts to Alice's homeschool group. It is actually quite perfect.  I teach for two hours every week while Eli and Silas play with the Russells. And I make a little money doing it.  There is literally no downside.  Today was a lot of fun, and I really think I'm going to enjoy it. The best part is, I get to teach Benny. I love teaching people I love.  I taught Phoebe when she was in grade 7, and it was a riot.  Benny is pretty rad, so I think it's going to be wonderful!

But, the most exciting thing going on in my life right now is my budding Doula business (for which I have yet to pick a name.) At this time I have three births lined up before summer, and I am so excited for each and every one. Honestly, I. LOVE. BIRTH.  I do.  I love that I get to help birthing women.  I love that I get to help women I love! Being asked to be a Doula at someone's birth is quite honestly such an honor to me, and I'm truly grateful to be able to do what I'm doing.  It is so exciting!  So, send your referrals, and your name suggestions my way, because I'm rearing to go.

It's nice to be excited about what's going on in my life.  I'm feeling like things are falling into place, and I am thrilled.  We are fixing up our Ranchlands house next week, and either finding a renter (prolonging our stay in the basement room) or moving in.  We'll see what the market is like.  Either way it gives us a chance to work on something, and I am excited to do it.   Life is good. There is lots to be grateful for.  I hope everyone else is feeling the same, because it's good to feel good!

Expansive doesn't quite describe us...

Huge. Prodigious. Gigantic.  Enormous. Tremendous. 

Really, pick your favourite synonym of "big" and it might come close to describing the Evans Family!  Just wait a few years...

This Christmas all but one (one who we missed so terribly it hurt!) squished and squeezed into our parents' cabin in Idaho to celebrate the season together.  Like I said before, I didn't pull out my camera, and I am just now getting pictures from my sisters, who were more than happy to take pictures, so here you have a few of my favourites, all of which I've stolen from their blogs.

First of all, the Evans Family Photo shoot.  Here we all are, sans Joan (another tear falls):

Um, yup, that's the pic I love, and the one you get.  My favourite?  Merrin. 

15 grandbabies and counting!  A few were not too pleased with the idea of a photo shoot. 

And then there's the Evans girls.  All but Joan.  We are wonderful!

And, my beautiful mom and dad.  Parents to eight and Bumpa and Bumma, Fatboy and Grandma, really, whatever you want to call them, to fifteen and counting!

On to some other favourite pictures for you to enjoy!

We all know I'm a big supporter of breastfeeding in public.  Well, does it count as public when it's as many as we have in our family???  PS Do I look super young in this picture?

I love my dad's smile, and apparently so does Silas!

On the dock with my view of heaven.

Pretty sure I'm going to make a Christmas decoration out of this picture.

And this one's getting blown up and put in Jared's future studio.  I love it!

And, one last one for all to enjoy, because I love my mom's smile too, and I love that Holly and I are wearing twinner hats, and I love that Phoebe's hat is pretty much useless.

Too wet to go out, And too cold to play ball.

So we sat in the house. We did nothing at all.

It may not be wet out, but it is definitely too cold!  Eli was dying to go out today.  He even got his snow suit from downstairs, and mine, and begged me to take him out.  Call me a bad mommy, but I just wasn't willing to venture out in the -22 degree weather (which, for you Americans out there, that is -8 F) and -30 degrees with the windchill (-22 fahrenheit).  So, while I said just yesterday I was probably not going to craft much during my Raw Food adventure, I figured if I didn't do something I'd have my own little Thing 1 and Thing 2 destroying my house "on this cold, cold wet day"!

So, out came my bag of tricks: paper, scissors and a sewing machine.  That's all. Super easy, very involved, and pretty cute, too. 

Sadly, even though I took tons of pictures of the entire process, even Eli sewing the strips together all by himself, none of the pictures are on my card, and I don't know why.  So, you will just have to imagine how cute Eli was trying to cut a straight line, or how darling Silas was coloring his own paper while Eli and I were cutting, or how determined Eli was to hang them up by himself.  Really, it was wonderful!

Here's how I did it.  I got out 5 peices of paper. I picked some pretty, recycled looking ones, so that the sun would shine through them, but you could use any.  I gave Eli a pair of scissors (do you know that a lady at the YMCA was telling me that her son, who is the same age as Eli, had an assessment done at school to see if he had any delays, and one of the questions was whether he could cut with scissors or not. Well, believe it or not, until today I had no idea if Eli could use scissors. Early screening or looking for problems???) He cut the paper width wise into strips, which we carefully stacked.  We took the strips down to the sewing machine and sewed them together right down the middle (make sure to set your sewing machine to a long stitch, otherwise it might just perforate the paper enough for it to rip really easily. Then we took our beautiful mobiles upstairs and hung them in the window to add a little brightness to our cold, white world.  I think they are beautiful, Eli loved that he could use the sewing machine, and he didn't mention going outside again (fewsh!)

The one good thing about losing all the pictures is that you don't have to see the terrible haircuts I gave my boys today. Maybe I will try to fix them before I take any more pictures!

Thoughts on RAW!

So, tonight marks my 5th day of eating Raw.  It's true.  I've made it this far.  You're impressed, right?  Well, you should be.

Raw Blueberry GRAWnola

First of all, let me tell you ten reasons why I am absolutely loving this:
1. After too many months of eating pasta and grilled cheese sandwiches, my family is consistently eating healthful, delicious, homemade food EVERY meal!
2. Every single recipe I have tried so far has been delectable.
3. I can eat as many treats as I want, because, after all, they are mostly just sprouted buckwheat, or coconut, or raw cacao powder!
4. I am losing weight - kay, maybe this isn't a plus: new pants are definitely not in the budget this month.  I guess back to junior high and baggy pants I go. There's a plus!
5. I have significantly more energy - this week I was motivated by Lindsay's comment on my last post about exercise, and I actually went to the YMCA to use my pass for more than just watching Eli's swim lessons. It felt great.
6. It is nice to have a motivation to actually cook (or un-cook) for my family.  It's been hard, living with my parents, to do much.
7. I'm teaching my boys to enjoy eating good, healthy food.  Silas mostly just plays with the food, but Eli has been a trooper and tastes everything and likes most of it.
8. I am equipping myself with some great recipes and habits to use once we aren't eating 100% raw.
9. Jared is doing it wholeheartedly with me, which is not only fun, but hopefully really good for his health too.
10. Spending time in the kitchen with my mom and my boys is infinitely more fun than hanging out in the basement watching the same movie over and over again.  It takes a lot of time, but all of that time has been totally delightful.

Eli helping to spread the Blueberry Crispies I invented.

Making Cheese.  We've really formed a close relationship with that food processor. I don't think I'll ever be able to live without one again.

There you have it. I'm sure I could come up with more, but those are the first that come to mind. 

What do I eat, do you ask?  Well, let me break it down for you.

I start each morning with a delicious green smoothie: spinach or kale with bananas, dates, mangos, flax, spirulina, maca and whatever other good stuff I feel we need.  And I'm not talking about just a glass of green smoothie, I'm talking about at least a litre, if not more.  Delish!  Jared drinks the same as me, and Eli and Silas have their own portions.  The smoothie is enough for me, but I usually give the boys some raw granola or buckwheat crackers as well.  I still have them drinking milk (raw, mind you) so they have some of that on it as well.

Eli and Silas eating breakfast. Eli refused to smile.

For lunch we have had leftovers from the night before.  Plus, so that I make sure I am getting enough calories and good healthy fat (no surprisingly, Raw Food is a low calorie diet) I share a whole avocado with Eli.  I never knew I liked avocado so much, but I really do.

For dinner each night we have tried a new recipe.  While the many salads don't take much to throw together, many other recipes don't just take time the day of, but require you to soak nuts and grains for days before hand, and often to dehydrate the meal for at least 24 hours as well.  We live in a society of instant gratification, so this is difficult to get used to.  But, I find that if I just prepare one meal a day, even if I will be eating it two or three days later, I haven't been too overwhelmed.  We have had cheese sticks (made with sunflower seeds), pineapple pizza (dehydrated onion crust, collard, sunflower seed cheese, raw marinara sauce, veggies and pineapples), cream of mushroom soup (the cream is just cashews and almonds), zucchini pasta, mock salmon wraps...  Really, the possibilities are endless!

Soaking almonds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds and chia.

Breakfast in the dehydrator

 In between meals I find, when I get a little peckish, I just eat an apple with raw almond butter, or some celery with almond butter and raisins.  Kale chips are so good. A handful of nuts and dried fruit satisfies a lot.  I've been a little concerned that the low fat, low calories might effect my milk production, so even though the meals are very satisfying, I try to eat more than I otherwise would.  I'm not a big snacker, but raw snacks are good, so I'm surviving.

So, what's hard about it?  Well, it takes a lot of time and preparation.  I've got the time, but I'm not used to thinking days ahead for meals.  Spaghetti is definitely easier.  I don't miss meat, and dairy is easier than I would have guessed to live without, but I do love baked goods.  I don't mind eating all the raw food, but when I am offered something like banana bread I want to have less resolve. Also, because this is really new to me, it does not just take a lot of time to do, but I'm spending the rest of my time reading recipe books and learning about why to eat raw.  This is good, because I love to learn new things, but I've got a funny feeling that I am going to have to put aside crafty things during this adventure.

So, there you have it.  Five days in, and I'm going strong.  Despite the few things that are hard, I know I can do just about anything for 30 days.  When I'm done we certainly won't eat 100% raw, but I will definitely incorporate a lot more of it into our lives.  I feel healthier already!