out with zee old

july is my birth month. i am on the leo side of july, which is a partial explanation of why i love my birthday so much (attention & celebration for shy ol' me....shucks). the bigger reason for my adoration however, is that my birthday acts like a mental re-set button. my own little New Year. a time for reflection, thanks, forgiveness and goals with lots of gusto.

as a tradition i write a gratitude list and a letting go list. this year, as part of my ongoing goal not to take myself too seriously, i'm also making public, a list of confessions. it's all about food, and i promise it's PG.

a-hem....in no particular order, i confess....

• i've taken to cutting up food into small pieces and freezing it. my rational side deems this normal and even helpful for portioning and having food on hand for my little tyke, but there is an element of quirk to it that i need to disclose. i find these small pieces of neatly organized food very satisfying to look at. so much so that i'll occasionally open the freezer just to check on these small food items and their perfect arrangement.

• i ate take out all last week. seriously. didn't cook a darn thing.

• i eat cereal or ice cream out of mugs. it's my way of disguising the fact that i've eaten either of them for supper. bowl of cereal? nuh-uh, not me.

• if i was going to be stuck on a desert island and there was only one food that i could take with me it would be broccoli. it sounds so nutritionist of me, but its true. (that's not to say that i wouldn't try and sneak along some tortilla chips).

• i find myself in a grocery store 5-7 days a week. of these 5-7 days i am likely a) wearing my pajamas under my clothes *although this is much easier in winter* b) wearing food on my clothes or c) really, really trying not to do both, but nervy enough to use the "motherhood made me do it" clause if i find myself in such a situation
  

• i tend to finish finn's leftovers. this is sort of like eating 1.3 meals at every sitting.
  

• i used to hide my favourite foods on my husband. passive? yes. childish? mmm hmm. effective? no, he finds everything. but i am pleased to say that the artichoke olive hummus is no longer casually placed under the leafy chard in the vegetable crisper. i am no longer a closet hoarder. i am now a food sharer with boundaries.

i leave you here dear readers. not quite squeaky, but still pretty clean.

may your summer find you with cherry-kissed lips, blueberry-stained fingers, and heart-shaped strawberries to share with someone you love.