Whole Food Wednesdays and Gratitude

Me and My Grand Maman Jeanne D'Arc

Welcome to Whole Food Wednesdays! You’re invited to come and share your real food recipes using the Linky below. We’re excited to see what yummy things you’ve been creating and what great informational posts and videos you’ve got for us!

I love my grandmother. I mean, REALLY, really love my grandmother. She was also my Godmother. As my Godmother, she would be the one to take care of me if anything ever happened to my parents. This is an important title in the French Catholic religion. This title given to my grandmother, at my baptism, also meant that we had a special bond. Or at least I like to think so. I also carry her first name as my middle name. Her name is Jeanne D’Arc. This translates to Joan of Arc. Yes. That’s right, my grandmother’s name is Joan of Arc.

3 words to describe my grandmother: grace, dignity and warmth.

My grandmother was the type of woman to have her hair done, makeup on and a pencil skirt with matching blazer, crisp white shirt, nylons, heels and pearls on by 7 am. She treated her guests like royalty, serving orange juice in crystal champagne glasses at breakfast. She didn’t have a ton of money, but what she did have she used wisely. She only bought quality and made things last. To me, she is the definition of perfection.

Grand Maman and I sharing a laugh on my wedding day.

My grandmother recently passed away. I arrived back late on Sunday from my grandmothers funeral in Quebec feeling emotionally drained and almost numb. I feel that loss daily and struggle to get a handle of my emotions.

After all, she lived a good life. She lived independently until the day she died and drove up until she was 87. She was surrounded by love and lived a good life. Very few women from her generation can say that they traveled the world.

On my return flight to Vancouver Island I also found out my father was and is still in the hospital. As you can imagine, worry and loss are some of my predominant feelings right now. This is exasperated by the fact that I live very, very far away from my family. I couldn’t live any further if I had been trying.

Needless to say, I’ve been having a couple of rough weeks. The loss of a dear family member has left me with a feeling of deep loss.

My husband and I have a game we play when we’re struggling mentally and need to refocus on all the good in our lives. We list a minimum of 5 things we’re grateful for. It helps break the pattern of negativity and allows us to see the good or the beauty in our lives, even when things seem sad or bleak.

One of my top 5 gratitudes. My Husband.

I ask you to play with me today. In the comment section, please list 1 thing you are grateful for. I will list 5 (to stick to our household rules). Feel free to list as many as you like. If you have suffered a loss in your life, feel free to dedicate your gratitude to them. I’ll go first…

1. I am so happy and grateful for the constant love and support of my husband who loves me no matter what, just the way I am and helps me be the best version of myself that I can be.
2. I am so happy and grateful for the love of my sisters that take care of me even though we live so very far apart. In times of crisis they manage to make me feel like they are sitting right beside me.
3. I am so happy and grateful for a wonderful home. A home that is safe, warm and filled with love.
4. I am so happy and grateful for the fabulous country we live in, that allows me the freedom to follow what ever career I set my heart on.
5. I am so happy and grateful for my journey to healthy real food. It has changed my life in a way I would have never been able to imagine.

I dedicate my gratitude to grand maman Jeanne D’Arc and my mother Irene.

Let us find bliss in the things we are so fortunate to have….

The Rules:

• 1. Follow Beyond The Peel on Facebook,  Twitter, and Pinterest.  It’s very easy to do and there are also buttons at the bottom of this page to do so.
• 2. Introduce yourself, your blog, and what you’re about in the comment section and a small blurb about what you’re sharing. This way people can get to know you a little bit right off the hop and hopefully follow you as well.
• 3. Be sure to add a link in your post back to this post. Simple linky etiquette. This allows your readers to find other posts that may help them on their journey.
• 4. If you’re sharing recipes, the only requirement is that the ingredient list be comprised of real food only, that means non-processed food items. That being said, we are all in different places on our real food journey, some more advanced than others. I invite all of you to share, no matter where you are on your journey, but I ask you to stay mindful when sharing your recipes that this is a whole (real) food blog. This means, no ingredient lists that include edible oil products (velveeta, frozen whip topping), protein powders, ketchup, white flour or white and brown sugar.
• 5. Less of a rule but more a suggestion: Retweet,  Stumble, or Pin this post so EVERYONE gets more exposure and traffic. It’s win-win for everyone.
• 6. Don’t have a blog? That’s ok, we’d still love to hear from you. Write your recipes or tips in the comment section so we can get to know you too!
• 7. Please visit some of the links below. After all, that’s how we’ll get to know each other!

Now it’s your turn to share your whole food recipes and ideas!

I’m sharing this with Real Food 101, Mangia Monday’s, Monday Mania, My Meatless Monday, This Chick Cooks, Allergy Free Wednesday, Tasty Alternative, Whole New Mom, What’s Cooking Wednesday, Real Food Wednesday, Simple Lives Thursday, Pennywise Platter Thursday, and Full Plate Thursday, Friday Food Flicks, Freaky Friday, Fight Back Friday, and Foodie Friday.