No Diets Allowed.

I was sweeping the floor today and happened to find a blue M&M in the pile.
Correction.
Audrey found the blue M&M.
And then she ate it.

We're a resourceful bunch.

There was a time in my life when I made sure that my house was clean so that Audrey (I say Audrey because that time is sooooooooo over, like, it was over WAY before Ellie was ever even a consideration) didn't get dirty playing or put some inanimate object into her mouth.
Now, so long as neither one of the girls are currently, physically choking on something, I consider my house clean.
It's amazing how cleaning standards can fall a little bit once you get married, because, let's face it, you got him.
And then they fall a few more steps once your first little person arrives because you just simply don't have the time or energy to maintain a impeccable clean tidy home, and really, you have the absolute best excuse for having a messy home - a newborn!
Now, by the time your second bundle of awesome-ness comes home, your first is at a stage where toys are simply objects to be dumped from their homes and left on the floor.
For the maid Mom to clean up.
So, really, why even bother?

This post is not intended for me to confess about how untidy my house is (literally, as I sit here, my coffee table has a juicebox, 3 magazines, a photo album, an iPad, a staple remover (what?), a water bottle AND a build-a-bear on it), so I am going to get to the point...soon.

At our challenge meeting last week, we spoke about how we are teaching the next generation about how it's all or nothing, and this does not apply only to our eating habits.  This messed up mentality is spilling over into other areas of our lives.
I want to address only the subject of food, because if I start talking about other things like housecleaners and toddler schedules and vacations, I will get off onto a crazy tangent.

We spoke about how our young people, and I hesitate to say girls in particular, because I think that boys are becoming affected more and more, are growing up in a world where many parents are either not concerned with nutrition in the least, or they're borderline obsessed with it.
How do we create a healthy balance?
How do we teach our children that there is no "bad" food, just "red light" food, as my own Mother teaches her second graders?
How do we emphasize that eating healthy, fresh, nutritious food is as enjoyable as the birthday party cupcake?

I want for my 'cupcake' to not worry about eating
an occasional cupcake!

This, I truly believe, is the greatest nutritional obstacle in parenting.
I want to be able to raise children who will make wise choices because it's good for their bodies but also because they enjoy it!  And I would also like for them to be able to enjoy their vacation, or their birthday party or Easter morning egg hunts, because they're not worrying about the calories.
Obviously, I'm still learning how to create this balance myself, so to be able to be a good example for my children is an even bigger work in progress, however I really do hope that one day our whole family has this balance, and without much thought.

I have been participating in this challenge for several weeks now and I already consider myself a clean eater.  It has come so easily to me and felt so natural, that I really won't consider every living any other way.
It's such a simple concept, and yet I do have to think about what I'm putting into my body.  I think that's what sets this way of eating apart from many others.  There will never be a completely thoughtless meal.  Each time, I am considering what I'm eating.  I am planning to succeed and I am planning to continue to be successful.
I recently purchased new jeans which have a waist size that starts with a 2, not a 3 - which is a first for me in a L-O-N-G time (if ever?) and I also purchased a new shirt in a size medium.  Medium!?
I know that the ultimate goal of all of this really isn't about the numbers or the sizes, but I can't help but be excited in the small victories.  The small victories are what will get me to the biggest one, and that's something.