So, we are officially coming to the end of the cleanse.  I promised on today’s show that I would share the name and recipe for the Miso soup that we made during this week.  So, here it is…

Chickpea Miso made by Miso Master.  I actually put in two tablespoons and 2 cups of water and warmed it up, stirred and that is it!  It was really easy and tasted great!  They also have a recipe inside the container for the “real thing” but we couldn’t have the scallions and the tofu.  So, there you go.

As I said on the show, glad it is over at the end of today and I feel like I have so much more to do as far as cleaning out the 35+ years of bad food I have put into my body.

But, it was a start.  I am  happy to have done it and am looking forward to the next cleanse in November!  Join Todd (still on the fence) and I if you would like… it should be another fun ride!

Here’s to a connected, happy, Labor Day weekend!

Monday night, Laura dozed off with the boys early and I had to run to New Seasons to get some more of our “cleansing” food. It was 8:55pm, they closed at 9. There was some stuff on that list I had never heard of, but there was one item that was rather embarrassing: the Enema Bag. I had no time to search. I had to ask for help. What was worse, was that the girl who oversees the “Health” area of the shop is pretty good looking. So, here I am saying, “Excuse, do you know where I can find Enemas?” I’m thinking she will just take me to the spot. Nope. “What kind of Enema?” I wanted to scream, “The one I shove up my…” but instead I said, “The one that has a bag and you hang.” She took me right to it. But, then she asked, “Have you heard of Hydro Colon Therapy?” Oh my God, it’s 9pm at night, I’m in Aisle 3 and talking to an attractive woman about getting my colon cleansed out with a power hose. Not the place I wanted to be. Anyway, she was very helpful as I had to go back to her for some other questions. She even made sure to wave to me when I left the store and wished me “Good Luck”. Thank God the cashier didn’t yell over the loudspeaker, “Can someone give me a price check on Enema’s. Price check on Enema’s.” when he couldn’t get the item to ring up. Seriously, I had to go check on the price myself.

Also, I wanted to share a picture of the great dinner Laura and I had. I hope the picture does it justice. Quinoa, steamed carrots, green beans, portabello mushroom, avocado. It was a fantastic dinner. Had two plates. Even the boys liked it.

The salad looked good, tasted good and I can Thank Bridgeport Brewpub for that. However, the Pink drink is a little tough to swallow. It’s just lemonade. I followed the directions, but would you drink that?

Ok, time to own up. I’m 6’2″ 209 lbs with 23% body fat and bald. Sometimes I think it’s amazing my wife still loves me. Today, I started the journey to better health. Our friends at replenishpdx have me on our cleanse and P90X is waiting in the wings. So, the first meal which included nuts, apple juice and coconut milk and other items, looks very questionable.  However, I will admit, it tasted great! Of course, I wanted to eat six more bowls of it, because it seemed like not enough. But, I do get to eat again in a couple hours. It’s a Blueberry Cucumber smoothie. Yes, I will post a picture and my reaction to it.

I’m freaking out! Laura just read me the info on the cleanse we are starting Monday. The food and smoothies look and sound amazing but seriously there is one thing that’s really wigging me out. I have to give myself an Enema. I don’t know if I can do it right or spell it right. I’m all about cleaning out the system but I gotta do that?

Have any of you ever done that? Please reassure me that it’s not as bad as it seems. Please!

By the way, if you haven’t signed up to join us on this journey now that know what will really happen, why don’t you?

I was reading a post by Lucas Uren, and I am hoping it was a cut and paste, because while some of the notes did resonate, the last one blew my mind! It is the worst thing you can do for a child.

“Take note of when your kids are behaving well and give them lots of encouragement and praise when they are well behaved. Kids love to be praised and they will soon become addicted to it. So, always give praise when it is due.”

Oh my God! This is HORRIBLE! Don’t get them addicted to that. Then they start doing things for praise rather than because it is the right thing to do. They will search out praise in work, relationships, in everything. They won’t have a spine and will be crushed when they don’t get praise. If you want to treat your children this way, get a damn Dog. They love praise.

Ok, look. This past weekend was our 12th Anniversary. We have two kids and the present we gave each other was a night alone. No noise. No kids. No nothing. Seriously. We went to bed. It was great! We are both still tired, but I actually think I slept through the night without waking up once. But that’s not the real story. It’s what happened on Friday that’s inspired me to write this post.

At the office, Laura and I had just finished the Friday Parenting Unplugged show and were just doing some work when we got a surprise visit from the Fire Department on a routine check of the building for hazards.  After 12 years of marriage and 13+ years together I know my wife pretty well, so I immediately looked at her. I swear she was already drooling. They were wearing blue fire department T-shirts, blue pants and boots. What’s sexy about that? As I gazed at my wife who was oblivious to the fact that I was even in the room, I proclaimed, “Maybe I should just get you a bobblehead doll of one of the guys and you will feel better.” Without missing a beat, she turned to me and said emphatically, “Thanks, but a blow up doll would be much better.”

I nearly hit my head on the desk as I fell out of my chair in hysterics. Seriously, I don’t know what it is about a man in a uniform, but women change. They are no longer your wife, your girlfriend, your friend with benefits, they are a woman on a mission, and we guys are just an empty coke can on the side of the road. Trash!

Fortunately, the guys did their job and left quickly. But I could have sworn as they sauntered past the room we were in, they all peered in at Laura and gave her that look that says, “Anytime you are too hot, call us and we will put out your fire.”

Laura might not be happy that I am posting this, but I saw it and had to comment. Miss America is going all off to promote their event on August 23rd. Many contestants are appearing without much on other than body paint to promote the show. I found these comments on Yahoo.

Angie Meyer, described as a “former pageant-organization worker,” expressed her dismay with the photos to Fox News: “It’s alarming that this has been turned into a Playboy-esque masquerade, she said. “By implementing topless photos as part of the pageant process, they’re putting applicants in an extremely compromising position.”

This is the comment I love. Donald Trump and NBC are running the event, and Big Don didn’t have to say a thing. Lark-Marie Anton, vice president of marketing and public relations for pageant, put it like this: “The contestants who compete at Miss Universe are diverse, as they represent more than 82 countries around the globe. Many of their cultures embrace nudity.”

I love it! Exactly, when is America going to stop being such a prude about all of this? Watch out for a conversation regarding all of this on Dads Unplugged at 11am on pagatim.fm

By the way, I won’t make you wear body paint, but what about winning $100 for filling out our 3 minute survey? 100 GC from Thinker Toys of Oregon can be yours if you take some extra time today.

Dr. Larry Cohen joins Todd and Laura on Tuesday, August 17th at 11am, to talk about his book, Playful Parenting. Couldn’t we all use a little bit of that now and again? Send in questions to info@parentingunpluggedradio.com or just LISTEN LIVE on your iPhone or Android!

Jacqueline Kramer, the author of Buddha Mom, joins Todd & Laura Tues at 11am on Parenting Unplugged Radio. This extraordinary woman also started a non-profit  dedicated to supporting home based spiritual practice through
information sharing and community building at hearthfoundation.net