From Hostel to Home...Life in Guate

snow in mid april

THIS is what i woke up to the other day (april 10, 2011)

poor peas:(

it's a good thing we were patient enough to plant in our garden bed

frozen plants in april??? really? it made for a strange morning, but the snow came and went without too much of problem. today was much warmer and the sun actually showed up for most of the day:) taking advantage, we planted some strawberries! it's been a super cold, grey spring, so we're waiting to put veggies into the ground until the sun decides to stick around for a bit.

on other news, ben and i are still going strong with the cleanse. today is day 16! no dairy, meat, caffeine, alcohol, gluten or sugar for 16 days! for the last two weeks of the cleanse, we actually get to eat a TON more than we've eaten the last two weeks, so we're pretty excited. we're introducing fish, potatoes, chicken, bananas, peppers & soy products. still no migraines! plenty of normal headaches, but i'm still migraine free:)

stir fry! DELICIOUS...

spring break 2011

it was back to work for this girl today, and surprisingly, i was excited and eager to return. spring break wasn't anything to write home about, but honestly, what kind of person would i be if i sat around and complained about having one full paid week off in spring? it was kind of boring though, and i did complain a bit to my brother who reminded me that adults in the real world don't have "spring break" so i should enjoy the time off. not much happened. i focused on the cleanse and only broke the rules one night for a bach party. i stayed away from the alcohol, treats, snacks & everything that was delicious, but i did have normal food for dinner rather than beans and rice. my mom has also jumped on the cleanse train and has been doing great! ben has been eating healthy with me and we had fun making some yummy dishes over my break. here are some photos...

mung beans

sweet potatoes & onions

cabbage & quinoa soup

yam fries

yams, brown rice, kale, mung beans & onions

it's day 10 that i haven't had gluten, caffeine, meat, dairy, sugar & alcohol and i feel pretty good. i didn't get a migraine after starting my period which is awesome! but it will take some time to figure out what my body is reacting to. i'm going to see a natural path tomorrow to support me as i do this cleanse, and that way i will feel better that i have a doctor helping me through my discovery. 18 more days of rice, beans, fruits and veggies and then slowly adding in the culprits. i'll post more food pictures later this week! 

 

day 1- detox

i made the smart choice of starting the cleanse on a weekend where ben is at the cabin with his boys for a bachelor party:) that way...i don't need to drive him crazy for the first two days. so far, so good.

breakfast green smoothie: apple, pear, mint, kale, spinach, (i didn't add the cherries that i was supposed to)

i thought i was going to hate it, but as it turns out, i love green smoothies! supper yummy and perfect to start out the diet with something that i actually liked rather than making me gag.

lunch (and snacks between meals) green/fruit smoothie: apple, plum, blueberries, blackberries, mint (key ingredient for taste i think), spinach

not as yummy as the green smoothie, but still quite tasty. i've mentally prepared myself for this idea that i wasn't going to be eating anything satisfying for the next month, and so far i've been wrong. i did go out for a cheeseburger and sushi before starting this today and loved every bite, but i hope to grow to love these nutritious smoothies just as much as i love sushi (yeah right).