While much of the time, I have tried to keep Boholistic Mom professional than the average blog and present it more like a website, as I write and share I’m learning how I can’t share with others about real food, bohemian style, natural lifestyle, and holistic faith without getting personal.  I can’t really let you know how special this transformation has been in my life without opening up some doors and using a few “me” and “I”‘s while writing.  Therefore, along with releasing my revolutionary resolutions that correlate with many of the areas of this website/blog, my first resolution is to you, my reader.  While sharing information, I will also begin to share about myself, my struggles, my triumphs, and my passion for the topics on Boholistic Mom.  I can hint at it in 3rd person . . . but I can’t really let you into my world without going 1st person.  Screw professional journalism, I’m boho!!!!

My Revolutionary Resolutions

• Revolutionary Resolution #1 – Eat more fats.

I’ve slacked off my continual consumption of coconut oil and my body misses it.  I resolve to pick it back up with at least a tablespoon of coconut oil a day along with plenty of butter, lard, tallow, and schmaltz.  I want to be satisfied in 2014 and I know that real fats from real food sources bring me to a place where I don’t yearn for food.  I enjoy it when I have it and get on with my life in between.

UPDATE 3.12.2014:  I’m back to the coconut oil and I have found more local sources for grass-fed butter and a farm fresh source of lard.  I occasionally use the tallow off the top of my beef broth for other dishes as well!  The chicken fat (schmaltz) doesn’t get as solid so most times I keep it in my soups and broths.  When I eat healthy fats I rarely crave nasty sweets.

UPDATE 6.24.2014: I still eat lots of fats and I eat less food just to snack when I do.  I still add raw coconut oil to my espresso in the morning and I love drinking broth with a nice layer of fat on top.  Good stuff!

• Revolutionary Resolution #2 – Do more dishes, do more laundry, do more cleaning, and mop more floors.

I know this might sound strange, but I want to become more in love with chores.  I want to be thankful to have dishes to clean and thankful that I build up muscles while scrubbing them.  I want to be thankful that I have clothes to clean and to hang up on the drying rack and thankful that I strengthen my legs climbing the stairs with each load.  I want to be thankful that I have a house to clean and thankful that my back gains strength as I dust and scrub.  Finally, I want to be thankful that I have so many floors to mop (since the ENTIRE Italian house has tile floors . . . ) and thankful that I have solid arms to do the task.  I am sick of being resentful for chores that mean I have something to be proud of and something to be thankful for.

UPDATE 3.12.2014:  Okay, so I’ve been doing a little less dishes since a dishwasher was installed in February.  I’d say having a dishwater has meant that my husband and I have had 50% less disagreements so it’s really worth it.  However, I have started to pick up the mop and the bucket and I even scrubbed down my bathroom walls (which are all tile).  I also decided that I could gain strength while doing mundane tasks like sorting papers, looking through books, or working with my planner.  I sit on a exercise ball while I work at the desk!

UPDATE 6.24.2014:  I’m amazed at the workouts I have by doing well by my house.  I lift boxes to put away clothes from the winter.  I take items from the top of my house to the bottom of my house and vice versa (I have four floors!).  Rather than seeking perfection, I realize that doing any project is a success.

• Revolutionary Resolution #3 – Throw out my store bought cosmetics and beauty products and try to make them from scratch.

I’ve really been dying to make my own lip balm.  It might be one of those do it one time and never repeat type of endeavors, but still I must do this.  Then I want to make lotion, mascara, cheek glaze, and a few of those other too cool for words products.  I’ll then be able to know what is worth buying and what is worth making myself.  Knowledge is power and money.

UPDATE 3.12.2014:  I’ve been gradually buying the ingredients and supplies to make this a reality.  So far I’ve got chapstick tubes and beeswax.  I still need to buy some Shea butter!

UPDATE 6.24.2014: I threw out all of my cover up this month.  I also threw away four tubes of old mascara.  I’ve also started talking to my friend who sells Arbonne and am sincerely considering hosting a party to update my make up with more natural options.  I still plan to make lip balm and even lotion, but realistically I am probably not going to make my own mascara regularly.

• Revolutionary Resolution #4 – Travel for the food and the unique food related experiences.

Currently, I live in Europe.  One thing I have learned in Europe is that food is meant to be experienced.  As we travel about Europe, I don’t want to just go for the sites, I want to go to experience new things, new tastes, and really relish the experiences these provide.  For instance, in England, we’ve found a cooking school that encourages cooking traditionally and eating fresh home raised foods.  I don’t just want to go to England to see Big Ben, I want to learn their traditions and find out more about their foods.

UPDATE 3.12.2014:  We have a trip planned to England for a cooking school!  I’ll definitely be posting about the experience.

UPDATE 6.24.2014: In Florence, I experienced the most wonderful slow food dish.  It was slow food heaven!  Read more about this below under the marrow section 😉

• Revolutionary Resolution #5 – Join Young Life Essential Oils and figure out what the heck to do with them.

So far I’ve been the “I like essential oils ’cause they smell pretty!” kind of girl.  More and more, I’m realizing that these oils are fantastic for many more things past their aromatic “pretty” smells.  They really can encourage our bodies to do that which bodies are supposed to do.  For instance, did you know that Peppermint oil not only can help soothe a headache, but it can also help decrease a fever naturally?  I’m going to take the leap to explore this fantastic avenue of “pretty” smells and, of course, their healing properties.

UPDATE 3.12.2014:  I joined Young LIVING Essential Oils (that I apparently misspelled the first go around) in February.  I LOVE these oils!!!  I’m learning so much so fast.  If you are interested in buying products or learning more about Young Living you can e-mail me or sign up as a customer or as a distributor at: https://www.youngliving.com/signup/?site=US&sponsorid=1620234&enrollerid=1620234

UPDATE 6.24.2014: Apparently, I really love essential oils.  I have used up an entire bottle of lavender oil and am well on my way to using up my Frankincense.  Good stuff!  I can’t wait to try out the carrot seed oil in my sunscreen!

• Revolutionary Resolution #6 – Pray to God like my life depends on it.

What I’m realizing as I get older and spend more time looking on the past and looking to the future is that prayer changes things.  Sometimes prayer changes me, sometimes prayer changes others, sometimes prayer directs my soul, but most of all at all times prayer gets me closer to my reason for being.  When I don’t pray, I lose focus.  I do things, I make plans, I write blogs, but it seems rather empty.  When I pray and take time to include God in my doing things, making plans, and writing blogs, everything blossoms every so much more than I could have expected.  I don’t want to pray for results, rather I want to pray because I desire to be closer to Love, to Life, and to my Lord.

UPDATE 3.12.2014:  I stated on Dec. 30th, “When I don’t pray, I lose focus” and not surprisingly God spoke to me in the beginning of this year.  He told me to focus on Him.  That’s it.  No “read the entire bible in one year” (though I could do that), no “join the ministry and become a public speaker” (though I could do that) . . . He simply wants me to focus on Him.  Just like Peter as he walked out of the boat onto water and remained standing.  Eyes on Him.

• Revolutionary Resolution #7 – Embrace my boho self on many colorful levels.

I’m going to dip dye my hair . . . I’m going to do it!!!  I bought the dye and as soon as I find a willing cohort, this girl is adding bright and fun colors to the tips of these dark blonde locks.  Besides adding colorful accents to my hair, I am also planning to donate my random preppy clothes that I bought due to a sale, the prodding of others, or out of a short preppy moment.  I like who I am when I’m being self expressive and I really can’t do that when I’m pretending to be someone I’m not.  I might even add that extra ear piercing I’ve been considering for years . . .

UPDATE 3.12.2014:  He, he, he.  I dyed the last 6 inches of my hair purple, turquoise, and pink.  Of course, only the purple and the turquoise showed up.  Now everything has washed out except for a mint green color.  Yes.  Now my hair is green on the bottom.  So glad I fulfilled this desire!  Now I just need to sort through my randomly tasteless clothes and do a revamp.

• Revolutionary Resolution #8 – Learn by heart one traditional recipe from each and every culture I currently know.

I adore international foods.  In college, I was so terribly picky, but I went to two international food fairs and cherished every bite.  I want to learn from the beautiful cultures of this world.  Each one had a special sacred food and unique ways of preparing those foods.  I want to know at least one of each of these recipes to fix and pass on to my children.

UPDATE 3.12.2014:  So far I’ve tried a pork broth with soba, but really I need to get creative and make my soba noodles next time.  Then I made an amazing new friend who wants to teach me to make Filipino cuisine.  So excited!  I’ve also learned to prepare traditional fermented sauerkraut, but honestly that dish comes from many different cultures.  What dish should I try next?

• Revolutionary Resolution #9 – Prepare and eat more marrow bones.

I’ve already started eating more liver, but only recently have I tried roasting marrow bones.  Not only is it delicious and decadent, it is actually good for you!  Who knew?  My resolution, therefore, is to eat more of the suckers!

UPDATE 3.12.2014:  We were able to get some marrow bones at the macelleria near where I live.  It was such a challenge trying to communicate in Italian that I wanted bones and not just any kind of bones, but ones with marrow in them.  We ended up with three portions from a cow leg bone.  I’m excited to roast it next time I need broth!

• Revolutionary Resolution #10 – Discover and share more real food stories on Boholistic Mom.

I really want to find more people who have found the value in real food and traditional foods.  While I’m thrilled with my own story and am happy to see it continue, I am eager to see how others came to realized that traditional real food is the food for them.  Not only that, I’d love to have others share their favorite traditional meals (mainly because I’d like to try them!!!).

UPDATE 3.12.2014:  I’ve asked around a bit, but I haven’t received any new stories lately.  I haven’t given up though . . . perhaps I should do a contest for the best real food story?  I’ll have to come up with some awesome prizes . . .

Your Revolutionary New Years Goals

Do you have any revolutionary resolutions that you want to share?  What are you doing this year (or subsequent years) that are bringing you closer to your radical goals of being a tradition/untraditional mom?

Boholistic Mom

THE Boholistic Mom