We were laying in bed.  We were both exhausted.  Bryan had played some serious frisbee earlier with the boys and I had had Bootcamp that morning.  “I’m getting old,” he said.

“But you’re doing it the right way,” I smiled.

The conversation ensued and we got to the topic of our family genetics, and how we feared what appeared to be inevitable.

“I just .. I WILL NOT put my children in this fight,” I said, tears coming to my eyes.  “I will not damn my children to a lifelong struggle with obesity.”

Jesus, I meant it.  I could not have been more sincere.

Our household is not perfect yet .. none ever is .. but we have made HUGE strides.  We read labels now.  If anything says “high fructose corn syrup”, we put it back and find something that doesn’t.  We work hard to find juices that have three or less ingredients.  We cook.  We involve the kids in preparing the meals.  When I’m grocery shopping with Tony, I introduce him to all of the produce, letting him hold and smell each different item.

Is it time consuming?  God, yes.  Can it be mind-boggling?  Sure.

Has it been worth it?

Beyond measure.

Aside from the Allergy Season from Hell this year (seriously, pollen counts were 1000 points higher than usual for the season), no one got sick in our house.  There was no flu this year.  There hasn’t been any infection.  Our energy is actually much better than it has been.  We play outside more.  Most evenings, we may not even turn on the tv, instead shoving the kids in the backyard while I cook.

Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, now over but available online, was such an amazing thing to watch.  Most episodes made me weepy because .. dude, two passions of mine?  Food and kids, no doubt.  And seeing teachers proclaim complete behavioral changes when food choices changed was just so .. real.  The principal of the elementary school lost 25 lbs just by eating smarter.. local, organic, simple, real food.  Everyone saw a benefit.  Even the kids enjoyed it.  I am just consistently floored that our government hasn’t yet opened its eyes.  But they will.

Quick reminder: today is the last day of my Living a Greener Life contest.  Leave a comment for a chance to win a $50 gift card to EarthFare!