*Warning: This post may have information that is considered TMI. I'm sorry, my family, whom are the bulk of my readers are just this way. Plus, I feel compelled to share this information on my blog for posterity (aka. to embarass my children when they are older :)


I watched Jamie Oliver's food revolution show on TV yesterday. BIG MISTAKE! First, let me say that I do pretty good (or so I thought) of feeding my children healthily. I make well rounded meals, made from scratch, with little processed food intervention. Most of the meals my children eat come from my hands. Sometimes I let them eat candy (yesterday was one of those days where my kids ate candy instead of lunch, but to my defense we had our town egg hunt around lunch time). Yes, we eat chips and crackers. No my cupboards aren't loaded with tofu, and puffed wheat, and bean sprouts, but I always have crispers full of fresh fruit and vegetables and swap out whole wheat flour for all-purpose in my muffins and quick breads. And I actually do have tofu in my fridge right now for use in smoothies. High protein man!


Anyways, my son "L", was talking with me while watching the program. Dialogue was opened up and I was blathering on about the importance of fresh fruit and veggies, and whole grains, and fiber. How they make you poop, etc. How one should have a bowel movement (BM for future use in this post) everyday........This is where my post goes haywire. He nonchalantly tells me that he hadn't had a BM since Monday, as in 6 days prior to yesterday! I thought I was gonna throw up, seriously.


I just gaped at him.....for a very looooooong time. I couldn't understand it. Where have I gone amiss? I decided right then and there this situation needed immediate remedy and we'll be on a fiber/health kick for eternity. Looking back I really have been slacking off on making sure the kids eat their healthy after school snacks, and when they ask for something from the pantry instead of from the crisper I say "fine, fine." For this I'm whipping out the pregnancy card. Yup, I am. It makes me crazy, forgetful, LAZY. It takes effort if Sam wants an apple, cause he's got no teeth and what he does have are loose or brand new and can't take biting into an apple so he needs me to cut it up. So I'd have to cut it up, which would mean interrupting my sitting on the couch or relaxing, and then the cutting part requires the use of a sharp knife that I then have to wash by hand, because I don't put my sharp knives in the dishwasher. See?!? Crazy talk from the pregnant lady.


So last night the crusade began. Again. We had regular salad the night before so I went the "creative" route. I made a carrot/cranberry salad. I thought I'd have some grumbling, mainly from "L" and "M" and I was right. What I didn't expect was "S" throwing a fit about it. He loves veggies and fruit, and often chooses these instead of pantry items. As Jarrod and I and the two youngins were finishing up I realized we were about to have a stand-off in the dining room. I told all three of my older boys they were not leaving the table until their carrot salad was gone! They all sat there for an extra hour to an hour and a half. "L" was the first to cave and finish it. Then "S", but he truly surprised me by how long he stuck out the whole pouty mouth protest. But "M" I could've called. Stubborn to the ends of the earth!!! He never did finish and took grounding instead.


Now I did feel a little like Joan Collins in Mommie Dearest, you know making her daughter sit in front of the rotten rare steak for days, but truly this was not grotesque like bloody meat. Carrots, craisins, orange zest, orange juice, a little sour cream/mayo. That's it. Simple and fresh.

So I will be working on making sure my family doesn't get plugged up anymore. I now realize that getting lazy was taking its toll on my kids that go to school. I don't control what they put in their mouths during their school day, but when they get home the fiber nazi will be waiting!