Change Your Life Chicken & Anxiety
life is hard; food doesn't have to be #99 [vol3, 9.2]
The cooler temps of fall remind me of the recipes I set aside in the heat of summer. Yesterday I made The Lazy Genius’s Change Your Life Chicken.
My kids LOVE this meal but are always stumped by the name. “Mom, it’s good, but it’s not changing my life.” It’s because they aren’t the ones slaving in the kitchen. This is a one pan meal and the chicken bakes up like fried chicken without the mess.
There aren’t many meals I say you should make. But this one. Bonus: save the bones, freeze them and make broth.
Anxiety
My daughter struggles with anxiety. I’m learning that social anxiety is real. This has been a difficult concept for me to understand as naturally outgoing person.
Once I realized what was going on in Caroline I set out to learn about it. I wrote previously some things that have helped her —
Part 1
Part 2
Particularly she takes a daily probiotic that targets stress and anxiety; it seems to really help.
Secondly, this fall she started volleyball for the first time. I made her join the team because we were new to town/the school and I thought it would be an easy way for her to build relationships before school started, knowing that social anxiety is a part of her life.
It has been a huge success on many levels.
Of course she has forged friendships but I’ve been delightfully surprised by how good the exercise has been for her — particularly in helping her fall asleep. A girl I follow on Instagram made an off hand comment in her Stories one day how exercising daily helps manage anxiety. I’ve never really thought of that connection until she said it and I saw it firsthand in Caroline‘s life.
If you also struggle with anxiety, I’m curious if you’ve found anything that helps? I’m always up for learning something new.
Cod Liver Oil for Vitamin A & D
Since the pandemic began we have all heard that vitamin D is essential for health. Most of us in the northern hemisphere do not get enough vitamin D in winter.
Americans are chronically deficient in vitamin D because we no longer eat liver as our ancestors did. Pork lard is another source of vitamin D IF the pigs have been raised in sunshine. Psst: if you’re buying pork from the grocery store the pigs are 100% raised in a barn and never see the light of day. Buy pork directly from a farmer and be sure to ask them if the pigs are raised outdoors. A local farmer recently said when I asked about his pigs, “No one raises pigs outdoors anymore.” I disagreed because I know farmers who do.
For extra vitamin D we keep a bottle of fermented cod liver oil on hand, especially for times of sickness. I buy from Green Pasture and they’re having a 20% off sale. Go in with a few friends and buy 6 bottles for 30% discount. I’m not affiliated other than being a loyal customer for at least 13 years.
Read more here for benefits of cod liver oil.
Survived the Drive & Cried Everyday for a Week
Our oldest chose Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona. We drove 8-12 hours a day for 3 days and it was a sure highlight of my life to spend that time with him.
We stopped in Little Rock the first night and stayed with friends. The the second night we needed to stay between Amarillo and Albuquerque. I reached out to my favorite travel guru, Courtney of All the Best Days, and she recommended the Blue Swallow Motel.
Staying at this motel was like being on set of the Cars movie and a major mom win. It was the first movie my son was able to sit through (at home…he didn’t get to a theater until much later!) If you find yourself on I-40 in New Mexico, be sure to at least stop in Tucumcari on Route 66.
The drive went too fast and I found myself at parent orientation at GCU. There was a pinning ceremony for the parents to pin their student. He looked at me and said, “I’ll do it.” And I expected nothing less from this strong-willed man child.
I was SUPER IMPRESSED with the president of the school. He spoke for a mere 10 minutes and was so inspiring I could have listened to him for hours. Noteworthy of the school:
the largest Habitat for Humanity in the world operates from the school
14 years ago there were 900 students on campus. This fall there are 25,500!
9,700 incoming freshmen with unweighted GPA of 3.6
the president said multiple times, “We want the students to learn to think of others — more than themselves.”
in a 5 mile radius of the school, there are 35 languages spoken. The school is making an impact in the refugee community (the ways were so inspiring).
the GCU president said, “We are doing things (for good) that the government could never do.”
he also said, “What a difference we can make if we are pointed in the same direction?!” And I got teary thinking of the impact!
If you know anyone who is looking for a private Christian education at a state school price, I highly recommend Grand Canyon University. I met several parents while on campus, as well as here in Louisville, and am so impressed with all of them. We were assigned a counselor from the beginning and she made all the difference. The school will fly prospective students out for free - details here.
My son is off to a great start and seems to already found a tribe of guys. The drop off itself wasn’t so teary…I teared up off and on for a few days before. I expected the goodbye to be the hardest part. It wasn’t.
I’ve missed him so much! He has always been a super busy person and hardly home so I didn’t think it would feel different. I think the difficult part for me is the knowing our family will never be the same. I’m excited for his new horizons. We are beyond proud of his character and maturity. Just excuse me while I wipe my eyes and blow my nose…
EYE SURGERY update: A week before we left, he underwent plastic surgery to repair the fragile bone that holds eyes in place called the orbital floor. It was smashed in his accident in April. In essence, the surgery put a sling under his eye so it would be linear with the other. We were prepared for bruising for 2 weeks and swelling for a month. He hardly bruised! The healing has been amazing. Here are some post-op remedies we used. He has a follow up appointment in Phoenix in October.
Do you have dinner plans for tonight? Try the Change Your Life Chicken!
Life is hard, food doesn’t have to be.
Julie
Could you share the name of the probiotic that Caroline takes? Thanks!