Unless

     I have been struggling with something recently. I care very much about the state of our planet at this point in time. I want others to care too, because we share this place, but how do I get people to understand? How do I tell them without them thinking I'm being condescending, or just plain crazy? I am passionate about so many things and I want others to see the truth and care as well. Sometimes I feel like people don't want to hear the truth, but I care too much to keep quiet.
   
     It makes me mad that palm farms are destroying the only natural habitat in which Orangutans are found. It makes me sick that we will have to add yet another animal to the extinct list because we wanted palm oil for our cookies and chocolates, our cosmetics and shampoo. It hurts my heart to think that such a beautiful, intelligent animal is having its home torn down around it because humans needed the farmland. 

I think God feels the same way.

     It makes me mad that the companies that are genetically modifying our foods are also the companies that make pesticides and pharmaceuticals. It makes me upset that we are in constant search of a cure for cancer while we turn a blind eye to the cause. It makes me sick that Monsanto can genetically alter our corn and soy to resist it's pesticides. It upsets that they are spending millions to try and stop a proposition that would require that these products be labeled as genetically modified. They don't want us to know. Monsanto created Round-Up which it can now spray on its resistant seeds. We consume these pesticides and conveniently enough the company that profits from all these things that cause cancer are the same ones who profit from the treatment of it as well. We are scientifically altering the natural food that God gave us and we are polluting the soil in the process. It makes me upset that we focus more on condemning the sin of others than we do on how we can protect the resources that God has entrusted us with. 

I think God feels the same way.

     It makes me mad that factory farms exists so that we can have cheap meat. We want to eat more than we should for the least amount of money possible. No matter how you look at it, someone or something pays the cost. Animals pay the cost because they have to live in their own waste, being force-fed corn to make them fat instead of the grasses, bugs or other foods that God intended for them to eat. They eat this corn, void of any nutrition, and it makes them sick. The cheap meat we consume has been kept alive by antibiotics because the animals weren't made to eat corn. We pay the cost because we consume this meat that has been fattened, pumped with antibiotics and killed in its own waste. It makes me so upset to think that we would treat any living creature this way, simply because we want to overeat at a low cost, which is damaging to our health anyway. God provided us food sources, I believe he wants us to respect them, taking just what we need. It makes me sad to think that we can justify horrific practices that are beneficial to no one in the end, just because we can.

I think God feels the same way. 

     
     Once you know something, you can't unlearn it. It's there, in your mind, and you have a choice. You can choose to ignore it, push it aside, deem it of no value. Or, finding it to be true, you can make a change. I have had to do the latter. Knowing what I know and seeing what I've seen, I cannot help but change. My heart becomes so discouraged when I see people that don't know what is going on, and worse, those who don't care. But then I remember that I made a change. I read an article, I watched a documentary, I listened to a professor. Each time wondering a little more about the way I was living and what I was doing. I've done the research and I've changed my thinking. So I can have hope. I hope that something I say or something I write might change one person's mind, open one person's eyes. Maybe they'll be interested just enough to look a little further. And maybe that person can share the truth and eventually change the mind of another. That's how change happens. One person at a time. It makes me excited to think that I could help turn this around. My soul smiles every time I meet someone that feels the same way that I do and I realize that I'm not alone. There are others out there who recognize the responsibility we have been given. I think it's time that we truly look at how we live and decide to forgo what is easy and what is cheap to stand up for what is good and what is right. And I truly think that God feels the same way.

I believe it and I feel the exact same way.

perfection is my enemy

The typical model is 5'11 and weighs 117 pounds. That's pretty crazy. I don't know very many people with that kind of body. So it's funny that those are the bodies we see most on TV and in magazines. I see images of older men "aging gracefully". Gray hair on men? He's a "silver fox", right? But what about women with gray hair? Color over grays! Fine lines? There's Botox! From the time our girls are little they see princesses in frilly dresses attracting a charming prince and living happily ever after. We never get to see Cinderella at age 60 or Sleeping Beauty with no makeup and bed-head. From childhood we are shown perfectly unrealistic standards. Every day I realize more and more that our society and culture are teaching women and girls that getting older is a process that we have to fight as hard as we can. I know this because I fear it myself. We have hair dye to hide the gray, potions to erase our freckles and stretch marks, and plenty of other expensive items to whiten our teeth or tan our skin. The problem is that no matter how hard we fight, it's going to happen. Yes, cue the dark depressing music, we will all get old. It can be so scary to think about when advertising tells us it's not okay. We're shown images of perfect and flawless bodies and told that if we want to be noticed and valued, we need a body like that too. We're told to diet, to count calories, to extend our eyelashes, paint our lips, wear less clothing, color our hair. I feel like we're being told that the way we look isn't enough, we always needs to enhance and make it better, more beautiful. Every day I struggle to fight against the pressure to be perfect. At the gym I find myself looking at how small someone else's waist is, or linger over a celebrity on the cover of a magazine, all the while thinking "if I can just work a little harder and eat a little healthier, I could look like that." The problem is that the girl at the gym has a different body type than me and the celebrity on the magazine cover? Well that's either photoshop or a personal trainer and more hours in the gym than I have to spare. I've found myself feeling bad or self-conscious if I didn't have time to put on makeup. We shouldn't feel bad or ugly because we didn't paint the face we were born with! You see, what we're doing is placing value on what girls and women look like(and I'm sure men feel this to some extent too). No longer do young girls care so much about being smart or good at sports, they want most just to be attractive, to be noticed. We are teaching them that this is where their value lies. We can't change an entire culture, but we can change individuals. Encourage girls and women you know to embrace how they were made. Embrace how you were made! Encourage an active lifestyle, not so that your body will attract attention, but so that you can feel healthy. Don't fear getting older. Don't be afraid of your freckles or your fine lines! Give compliments. Accept compliments! Think about the women in life that you admire the most. Is it because of their thin waist and perfect hair? How tall they are or white their teeth? My guess is no. Think about their character, their compassion, what they stand for. My grandmother is a good example. I don't remember her for looking like a supermodel. The laugh lines on her face were constant reminders of her kindness. The gray hair a symbol of the years she spent caring for others before herself. She was one of the kindest and most compassionate people I've ever known. FInd your value in helping and loving others. Help others find their value in that too. We can make a change little by little. Time passes and we can't stop it, but we can use the time we have to do good. It's not easy, I can attest to that, but we must make the effort to be okay with ourselves just the way we are. The next time you're tempted to look in the mirror and think something negative, don't do it! Get your value from what's on the inside. It's said a lot, but it's truly the only thing that lasts.

“The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that
she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman is seen
in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart,
the place where love resides. True beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul.
It's the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows &
the beauty of a woman only grows with passing years.”
-Audrey Hepburn

There are future generations of girls who need to see what real beauty is and where it comes from. Let's be the ones to show them.

-Laura Leigh

You Are Royalty

"You are royalty. If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep... you are richer than 75% of the world's population. If you have a little money in the bank or spare change in a dish someplace... you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy. If you can drink from your kitchen faucet whenever you want... you are more fortunate by far than 1.5 billion people who have no access to clean water at all. If you can attend church or a political rally without fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death... you have the kind of freedom denied to more than 3 billion people in the world. If you can read this message, you are more blessed than 2 billion people who cannot read at all. If your everyday problems are weighing you down, there are millions of people on Earth who would gladly trade places with you right now-problems and all-and feel that they have been royally blessed. Remember: 'From those to whom much is given, much is expected.'" [ONE]

-Laura Leigh

Say something good. Do something special.

Tristan and I have been watching a series called "The Vow". It's a series about marriage and what vows really mean and how seriously they are to be taken. This week the speaker said something that I think can be applied to all of our relationships, not just romantic ones. He said "If you think something good, say it. If you think something special, do it." I find myself missing certain people, or wanting to write letters or send care packages, many times without ever actually making the time to do it. I know the reasons why I care about my family and friends, but I don't actually take the time to tell them. This week I've been trying his approach. If you miss someone, tell them. If you think of a reason why you care about someone, tell them. If you think of a special way to show a person you care, do it. We judge ourselves by our intentions, but we judge others by their actions. Intentions are great, but if they are never carried out we leave room for misunderstanding. Don't leave words unsaid, or acts of kindness undone. Speak up. Act now.

Say something good. Do something special.


-Laura Leigh

Cold Weather Recipe!

As many of our friends and family know, Tristan and I love to cook. Tristan has come a long way in the kitchen since he met me... I like to think I taught him everything he knows :) He has definitely become more adventurous when it comes to trying new recipes and making things from scratch. He makes a pretty delicious marinara sauce from the tomatoes and other vegetables we get at the farmers market.

Last night, in honor of the weather being colder, we made one of our favorite soup recipes. It's an italian vegetable soup called minestrone. Our recipe isn't completely vegetarian but you can substitute and subtract a few things if you prefer it to be. This recipe has a good number of ingredients, but it's still simple and makes a ton of soup. We usually double the recipe when we are making it for our families or friends. When following the recipe, just keep in mind that cooking is much more forgiving than baking. If you don't have enough of one vegetable, add more of another. If you don't like one of the ingredients, substitute it for something else. I'm not a religious recipe follower. Sometimes I don't have celery, so I use celery salt. Last night I didn't have any onions or bell peppers, so I just left them out this time. It was still delicious. I say just use what you have. This is a basic outline, make adjustments where you think they're needed!

Minestrone Soup
A few tablespoons of Olive Oil
1 small-medium minced white(or yellow) onion
2 medium sized zucchini, sliced and halved
1 medium sized yellow squash, sliced and halved
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup minced celery
4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
2 15 oz. cans of red kidney beans, drained
2 15 oz. cans of white beans, drained
2 medium sized tomatoes, diced (or use canned diced tomatoes)
3 medium sized carrots, chopped or shredded
4 cups of organic chicken stock(use vegetable stock if making vegetarian version)
4-6 cups of fresh kale(or spinach if you prefer), chopped(it looks like a lot but it will wilt down quite a bit)
1 cup small pasta(I use Barilla ditalini)
2 links of cooked organic italian sausage(again, this can be cut out for the vegetarian recipe)
2-3 cups of hot water(this is optional and can be added if you think the soup is too thick)
The Spices:
2 tablespoons fresh or dried parsley
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons dried basil
*Optional: Add 1-2 teaspoons crushed red pepper to make the soup spicy

Since there are so many ingredients, my best advice is to do all the prep work before you start the cooking. Pre-measure the spices in a small bowl. Chop all of your vegetables first and they'll be all ready to add when it's time. So here are the directions:

1. Heat up your olive oil in a large soup/stock pot. In the oil, saute your already prepared zucchini, yellow squash, onion, and celery. Add the garlic a minute or so later, as it cooks faster than the other vegetables and can burn quickly.

2. Once the onions are translucent, add your chicken or vegetable stock, beans, carrots, diced tomatoes, and spices. I usually add a cup of water here, then more later if the soup is very thick.

3. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes.

4. Stir in the chopped kale and the pasta. Allow this to simmer for another 15-20 minutes.

5. Turn off the heat and let it cool just a little before serving.

Forgive the quality, my iPhone camera isn't the latest and greatest.



Grated parmesan over the top is delicious. We usually eat it with french bread or even just crackers. I hope some of you try this recipe. It's healthy, and it's absolutely wonderful on cold nights! Enjoy :)

-Laura Leigh

The Little Things

I love my fiancé. Most days that we spend together are pretty laid back. We jokingly refer to ourselves as old people because a lot of our time is spent taking walks, playing cards, feeding the ducks and turtles, or watching food network. In fact, during a game of dominos, an eight year old in Tristan's courtyard approached us and called us lame.... Definitely old people. We don't go out a ton and we try not to spend money on things we know we could cook for ourselves. I love that about us.

Today was different though. Today we went on a day date. We went to the farmers market, like we do most Saturdays. T bought me a bag of kettle corn. SO GOOD. We bought vegetables and I looked jealously at other people's puppies, like usual. After that Tristan arranged for us to see a movie(still a little like old people since it was at 10:30am), and then we ate lunch at a place I've wanted to try for a while. We had lunch at The Ravenous Pig. It was really good and I'd like to go back and try more of their menu. It seems like they try to use local ingredients, which I love. I had the flatbread with smoked mushrooms, quince, braised chicken, ricotta, and arugula.

Tristan had the shrimp and grits.


We picked up some cheesecake (I got dutch apple streusel and Tristan got pumpkin pecan pie) and headed back to his apartment this afternoon.

It was a fun day. But it wasn't the eating out or the movie that maybe me love it the most. What made me the happiest was having someone that cares enough to plan days like today. It's fun to try something new and I really did love his thoughtfulness today. It's also exciting to I know that we can be just as happy together when don't do those things.

It's the little things that I love about our life. The laughter, the walks we take, old people activities like cards and dominos, and just the feeling of being loved. Although, I guess that last one isn't a little thing. Feeling loved is pretty important and with Tristan, I know that I am. I am grateful to God for the second chance he has given my heart and I look forward to days like today and every other day that I spend with the one I love. I am truly a lucky girl...


-Laura Leigh

Today started pretty early. Most Saturdays T and I go to the local farmer's market to pick up vegetables and other local produce for the week. Sometimes the food is more expensive than the grocery store, sometimes not. This morning we also stopped at Whole Foods to pick up a few things.

I'd say we did pretty good and I'm excited to eat all of these vegetables.

It's really important to me that we buy food that is grown responsibly, and organically when we can find it. I used to wonder why people bought organic food. It's more expensive, and everyone wants to save money, right? So I researched and learned more about organics, about factory farms, and just how much much cheap food is actually costing.

One of the benefits of organic food is the lack of pesticides and chemicals used to produce it. We ingest so many chemicals and not just from food. We take pain killers(chemicals), we breathe in air pollution, consume artificial sweetener(another man-made chemical) and of course all of the pesticides used on our food make their way into our bodies.

Another reason, one that is so awful to me, is the fact that buying cheap and factory raised meat is supporting an unethical and inhumane industry. Animals in these factory farms do not have a life. I do not see a problem with eating meat. I do see a problem with overconsumption in this country and the demand for cheaper and cheaper beef, chicken and pork.

It comes at a price.

The demand for meat is going up. As it does, these factory farms will become more and more common. I hope that we can learn more about this and become responsible consumers. We need to learn that we can consume less. In fact, we would feel so much better if did! Many of us consume almost twice the daily calories that we need. And red meat consumption is way higher than what is actually healthy or necessary.

Food Inc. is an amazing documentary that gives insight as to what we are eating and where it comes from.

This is not a life.

We need to be responsible for these animals and for our planet. Do it for the abused animals, do it for local farmers losing their livelihood to huge factory farms and big business, do it for your health and the health of your family.

I know that Tristan will roll his eyes when he sees that I turned a post about our trip to the farmer's market into a passionate post about the meat industry, but I just can't help it. And I know he cares too. God created a beautiful world for us to live in, we have a responsibility to protect, and respect, it and the animals we share it with. I hope that we can all seek to understand that better.

I'll step down off of my soap box now... Until next time....

-Laura Leigh