The Latest Happenings: February Edition

Natalie here! Welcome to our second monthly update about, well, life. Here’s a taste of what’s been going on.

While Lex has been bouncing around the country, I’ve been staying put. Well for the most part, as we did enjoy a cross-country adventure to visit Lex & Jeff in Aspen and Christmas in NYC!

 

New York

 

Other things the last year has included: multiple bathroom remodels and lots of school. What a nice mix of brain stimulation! This semester I’m finishing up coursework for my PhD program (WoHoo!) and then on to qualifying exams and research. Kyle – my wonderful husband – knocked out his CPA exams last year, so now I’m nerd-ing out on my own! ?

Our much more exciting happening is that we’ve got a little one on the way, arriving in June! My reading interests have shifted to the topic of pregnancy, childbirth and babies. Some of my favorites have been The Kind Mama and Brain Rules for Baby. Anything you’d recommend? I’m always looking for a good read!

Now that I’m eating for two, I’m still eating plants, just more! LOTS more!! My plate(s) have been filled with the typical whole grains, legumes, veggies, fruit, nuts and seeds. I’ve found new ways to incorporate some high-priority nutrients. For example, for iron I’m sprinkling spirulina over everything, adding amaranth to our whole grain mix and cooking in a cast iron skillet often. Eating smaller meals every 2-3 hours keeps me from being uncomfortably full while still getting the nutrients we need. Smoothies with leafy greens, bananas, beets, tofu, flax, ginger, avocado and orange juice were my go-to early on when I was lacking an appetite. A meal in a cup!

As we look ahead to the summer, we’re not only planning for baby, but also the highlight of every summer season, OUR GARDEN! Feast your eyes on last year’s crop! ? The seeds are picked out and ordered. Some that I’m most looking forward to are Purple Dragon Carrots, Chioggia (?) Beets and Sugar Ann Snap Peas. ???? Stay tuned this summer for updates on our gardening successes (& always some failures ?).

 

Garden

 

Another fun food thing that we’ve been experimenting with – fermenting foods! Fermented veggies are surprisingly easy. They make a tasty snack and add lots of flavor when incorporated into all kinds of dishes. Keep an eye out for info on probiotics and fermented veggie recipes in the upcoming weeks. Also – homemade kombucha! A shout out to mom for coming up with the best flavors. We can’t wait to share these with you!

What’s new with you? Feel free to drop a comment or email. We love hearing from you! ?



Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *