oh valentine's day

I've started following some different blogs and Facebook pages of some pretty hardcore health nuts.  And I use "health nut" as somewhat of a compliment.  I'd love to someday be referred to as a health nut, but until then I'm a complete poser.  Today one of them posted a rant about Valentine's Day and the sugar poisoning of our children at school and various holiday parties.  It linked all of the sugar kids have during these holidays (and daily) to childhood obesity and brittle bones on the soccer field.  I completely get where she was coming from and it's one of the reasons that I am trying to get my family's eating habits turned around.  HOWEVER...I do believe that a few special holidays throughout the year that are filled with sweets is not a bad thing, as long as I'm teaching my kids healthy eating habits and daily discipline when it comes to making good choices.  So I scrolled down this Facebook post to see how others had responded and it was filled with nothing but "I completely agree...," "we throw our kid's candy out," "I keep my preschooler home on Valentine's Day," and "this is why we homeschool."  And then my guilt started setting in.  Mainly because this post came on the heels of me staying up all night baking cookies for my 3 year old's class, and cookies AND cupcakes for my fourth grader's party today.  I was about to be a sugar offender.  I hadn't iced the cupcakes yet, so once everyone was out of the house this morning, I decided to make homemade chocolate icing instead of using the pink cherry store-bought icing I had on hand.  While still sugary, the homemade icing seemed a little more in my control and less processed.  So sugar, cocoa, organic butter...and the cupcakes were frosted.  But now chocolate cupcakes didn't seem very Valentine-sy to me.  So I figured...maybe I'll just add a dollop of the cherry frosting on top of each cupcake.  Just a pink dot in the middle to make it more festive.  And before I knew it, I was looking at 20 cupcakes that looked like boobs. Yes...I had created cupcakes with little pink nipples on them by trying to jazz them up for the holiday.  So, I did the only thing any newly health-conscious mother would do...I coated them all in red sugar sprinkles & sugar cupcake glitter.  I think they will be fine and I will be the only one seeing through the glitter to the X-rated dessert I'd created for a bunch for 10 year-olds.  The kids will love them with the added sprinkles and I will be the "cool mom" for one day.  And hopefully none of the class parents will decide to homeschool their kids because I dosed them with sugar today.

The offending sugar-coated cupcake

This was just another good reminder that I'm doing just fine and don't need to panic that I'm on the wrong track.  Moderation is the key for us.  And a little bit of sweet deliciousness on a holiday is okay for my kids.  Clearly there will be so many other ways I will be the "impacting" their lives.  Stay tuned for the story of the Christmas cheese balls.

Happy Valentine's Day!