Thirty

Celebrating thirty a few months early, pedal tavern-style.

Thirty. Everyone told me it wouldn't feel much different than 29. They're right. But turning thirty makes me think back on the last decade of my life.

I started my twenties with a life-changing volunteer experience in Tanzania, Africa. I returned home from Africa with my heart on fire. Tanzania, specifically my time at the Nkoaranga Orphanage, shook me in a way that no other experience probably ever will. My passion for orphan care and adoption undoubtedly grew from this experience.

I celebrated my 21st birthday with my girlfriends drinking booze and eating Chinese food while getting my first (and only) tattoo. I'm pretty sure the year of 21 was sort of a whirlwind of (legally) trying out new bars that my fake ID (sorry, mom!) never allowed me access too.

I met Dave shortly before my 22nd birthday. Soon after, I completed my Bachelor's degree in Social Work and packed my bags for an advanced graduate program in Madison. Meanwhile, Dave proposed in June and I spent the summer wedding planning before heading off to Madison. Less than a year later, I was armed with a Master's degree and accepting my first big-girl job at the age of 23.

Dave and I purchased our first home that same year, just a few weeks after I finished up graduate school. We were married two months later on August 1st. A few months later I was pregnant for the first time. We'd lose that baby days before my 24th birthday.

A week after I turned 25 we celebrated the birth of our first child. Sophia's birth filled me with feelings of unconditional love. I quickly learned that motherhood is as hard as it is wonderful though. Having a first born with colic and sleep issues made motherhood feel nothing like I dreamed it would be. The next two years were filled with sleepless nights, celebrating baby milestones, balancing working part-time with motherhood responsibilities, and pretending like I totally had this whole parenting thing under control.

By 27, I was pregnant with Grayson and Sophia was finally starting to come around to the idea of sleep. Life felt settled. Sophia was blossoming into a happy, playful, energetic little toddler who was actually quite delightful to be around (as opposed to her baby days). I had taken on a new part-time child abuse prevention supervisor role at Children's that was I incredibly excited to explore and grow in. I felt ready, even excited, to tackle the newborn stage again with baby #2.

Grayson arrived in August 2013. I truly enjoyed the first three weeks of his life and thought that I finally lucked out with a dream baby like everyone else I knew. Then colic set in again. We discovered he had a cow's milk protein allergy. He never once took a bottle. He wanted to be held or rocked or strapped to my chest all day. Meanwhile, that energetic toddler I mentioned, she needed to be potty trained, and chased around the park, and fed and all that other stuff to keep her alive. Motherhood...it sort of felt like an Olympic sport during that time.

By the time I turned 28 I was a full-time stay-at-home mom with an infant and a toddler. Fast forward two years and I'm still in that place, only with a toddler and a preschooler. People keep telling me I'll miss these days but I'm not totally convinced of that.

My twenties were filled with so much growth, adventure, and special once-in-a-lifetime moments. My twenties will definitely be hard to top. I have a feeling, though, that the real adventure begins in my thirties. And I am so eager to see where they take me.



A Whole30 Perspective

I'm not one to make New Year's resolutions. This year, however, I used the New Year as an excuse to hit the reset button on my overall wellness. Last year I finally took control of my mental health, seeking treatment for the anxiety that developed after Grayson's birth two years earlier. I also started incorporating essential oils into my daily life to help manage my mood and insomnia. I made huge improvements in both areas but I knew there was still room for improvement. One area I was eager to explore was how food impacted my mental health and overall wellness.


Looking at how food impacts mood, anxiety, and sleep was the reason I said yes to the Whole30 idea. Eating whole foods appealed to me over other options that included synthetic supplements. My goal was wellness, not weight loss. I wanted to detoxify my body and eliminate the primary allergen food groups while transforming how I thought about food and what I was putting into my body. Thirty days without dairy, soy, grains, alcohol, refined sugar, and processed foods. Sounded simple enough.


I'll admit that it took a lot of planning to get through my first Whole30. First, I read the Whole30 book cover to cover. I wanted to understand the why as much as the how. The book did a great job of preparing me mentally. It also served as a great starting point for meal planning thanks to a generous recipe selection. I planned every breakfast, lunch, and dinner for an entire month ahead of time. I shopped for my meat in bulk twice in the month. Costco for organic, grass-fed beef and organic chicken breast - Sendiks & Trader Joe's for the rest of the meat. I purchased all fresh produce (the bulk of the budget) every three days or so. Again, most of my produce came from Sendiks but I did buy some things in bulk at Costco like avocados, sweet potatoes, Kale, and spinach. Meal planning on paper, shopping around at a variety of stores, and advanced meal prepping (cooking & seasoning meat, washing & chopping veggies) were essential to the success of my Whole30.

I kept my meals simple. Protein, veggies, a handful of fruit, and healthy fat for three meals a day. I limited snacking with the exception of post-workout during the mid-morning. Before I share some of my favorite meals, I have to add that I did not eat a single egg or salad during my entire Whole30. There is a misconception that you can't do a Whole30 without living on eggs and salad. I personally don't like eggs, mostly because of the smell and texture. I'm also not a huge salad fan unless I don't have to prepare it myself. I also never got around to finding a Whole 30-compliant dressing and I didn't take the time to whip up one on my own.


Now, for a few of my Whole30 favorite recipes:
Breakfast: Banger Sausage Patties & Sweet Potato Mash; Melissa's Chicken Hash (found in the Whole30 Book or similar here)
Lunch: Turkey and Spinach Stuffed Sweet Potatoes; Butternut Squash & Apple Soup; Mexican Tuna Boats
Dinner: Paleo Italian Meatballs over spaghetti squash; Paleo Chili; Taco Lettuce Wraps; Smoky Beanless Chili; Paleo Cinco de Mayo Burgers; Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Meatballs with Easy Oven Roasted Potatoes; Bacon Apple Smothered Pork Chops with Cauliflower Mash; Pulled Pork Stuffed Sweet Potatoes; Shepherd's Pie (found in Whole30 Book); Pot Roast (also found in the Whole 30 Book)


The thirty days actually flew by after the initial hump. Eating clean became normal. Spending the time meal prepping and cooking became enjoyable. Throughout the thirty days, I noticed that my energy level increased, my headaches improved, my concentration improved, I started sleeping better (when my kids let me), my overall mood improved, my workouts became more productive, my digestive system felt restored, my cravings were gone, and I felt motivated to continue making consciously healthy decisions about the food I eat. It truly was a shift in my thinking. My first Whole30 has set the course for a new way of eating for our family, one that lends itself nicely to the Paleo approach. I look forward to challenging myself to be creative in our meals and adventurous in my eating in the months to come. Who knows, maybe I'll toss in another Whole30 soon. It really was that good!