Detox Body Cleanse

Michael and I decided things were a bit too quiet on the homefront last month, so we decided to change things up. So, we spent June following a 3 week food routine consisting of mostly raw fruits and veggies. No dairy, No alcohol, No sugar, No caffeine. The results were quite amazing. We both lost a little weight, but, more importantly, we slept better; our skin looked better; we had more energy; we saved tons of money. We became suddenly aware of all the wrong foods we were eating and drinking (my diet coke habit had crept back up) and Michael's Starbucks habit was OUT OF CONTROL!!! So, back to basics. I am still off Diet drinks and caffeine. And, alcohol is so much tastier, as we aren't drinking as much or as often.

We Bought A New House

We found the PERFECT house! I have been talking about what I hope our new home will look like, how large it will be, how much land we'll have, where it will be located...FOREVER (it seems that way anyway). So, exactly 1 1/2 years after selling our home in Northern Virginia and moving to South Carolina. We've been narrowing down the location in and around Charleston for months. And, we finally realized we want to live at/on the beach. This past year on Isle of Palms has been so amazing. I have to say we are all so much more relaxed, laid back, more in-tune with one another, etc. Our move to the beach has allowed us to re-invent ourselves, our family, our lives. We are truly making the most of each moment now...

So, the house is perfect - perfectly small, perfectly adorable. It is 2,200 square feet on a half acre (a block and a half from the ocean). It is a one story,arts and craft style home with a very open floor-plan. We are in the process of making the most of every square foot (re-doing closets, building double bunkbeds in the boys' room, creating a customized workspace for each family member in the sunroom, etc. Michael's office is off the kitchen, so he will continue to work from home. The boys will share a room/bath, and the girls will do the same.

I am looking forward to having each space in the house be multi-purpose, to be more eco-friendly, to live more simply, to spend time truly together, to spend more time outside, to spend less time decorating, cleaning, etc.

Friends and family members are extremely skeptical. Can we do it with 4 kids? Can we scale down as much as we think? There are bets across the country as to how long we will last before we bulldoze the place and start over. Time will tell. I hope we can make it work...Stay tuned! BTW, even with all the downsizing, we still have a lovely guest bedroom with private bath and extra beds for children. So, please keep us on your calendars :).

My Not-So-Secret Garden

I have always wanted a garden. When we lived in Old Town Alexandria, VA, there was no room and no time. We had difficulty keeping our 3 window boxes watered. We finally just took them down, because I was so embarrassed at how many trips to Home Depot I made in the Spring to replace the poor flowers we planted and forgot about. Then, we bought this amazing home in South Riding, VA. I wasn't working; I had plenty of space; plenty of time; a new Home Depot; a new start. Didn't happen. I ended up paying Eduardo to plant my flowers, weed my gardens, and buy and replace the flowers and plants I forgot about again! But, those days are gone...

I am totally into my garden now! Not sure what happened. But, the garden is amazing and I am beginning to understand the importance of water, good soil, sunlight, etc. My neighbor, Ms. Kay, is a master gardener and took some time this month working with me on plants, flowers, and herbs that "work" together in the Charleston climate.

I have basil, thyme, marjoram, parsley, cilantro, mint, stevia (Talula's favorite), bay leaf, dill, etc. I also have cucumbers, pole beans, cherry tomatoes, jalepenos, banana peppers, and a ton of gorgeous, colorful flowers.

The kids love to pick the ripe fruit, wear the flowers in their hair, and water the pots each evening.

The entire experience seems so simple, so basic. But, it has been a learning experience for all. I am so proud of the garden! It is a true family affair. Michael just laughs. It took me 14 years of marriage to finally be in a space to truly "do" a garden. Now I know. The problem was not lack of trying. It was lack of watering.

No More Packaged/Processed Foods

Slowly but surely...Baby Steps...Tami's has another bright idea...We stopped buying pre-packaged and processed foods. I cleaned out our pantry and refrigerator. No more goldfish. No more pretzels. No more fig newtons. No more cereal (of ANY KIND). No more diet drinks. No more fruit rollups. No more instant oatmeal.

So, what are we eating? What are our snacks? What are our vices?

What do I put in my shoppping cart?
- all natural, organic peanut butter and almond butter
- dried fruits (organic and unsweetened)
- raw, unsalted nuts (sunflower seeds, cashews, almonds, pecans, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, etc.)
- "Seven Cows" plain, whole milk yogurt (unless I make myself)
- Whole, Raw Milk
- Whole, Raw Cheese
- Butter
- Real Raw Cream (for homemade ice-cream and whipped cream)
- Steel Cut Oats
- Farm Fresh Eggs
- All kinds of Organic Fruits and Raw Veggies (with homemade mayo for veggie dip)
- All kinds of Organic Frozen Fruits
- Homemade granola (Aunt CCs recipe)
- Homemade pita chips and hummus (bake sliced whole wheat tortillas w salt)
- "Ezekial" Sprouted Bread (sometimes homemade)
- Whole Chickens (make soups and stock afterwards)
- Grassfed beef
- etc.

It sounds a bit extreme when you tell someone you aren't buying breakfast cereal, juices, or goldfish b/c they are "silent killers." So, I just don't say it. And, I don't have to. The kids are full, satisfied, happy, well-behaved children who don't whine or cry for snacks any longer. I remember the days when the floor of my Yukon XL (yes, I am still driving the white whale) had crushed Cheerios and goldfish on the floor and in the carseats...Those days are long gone. And, we are all better off for it.

If anyone would like to know the rationale behind the ban on center-aisle grocery shopping, I would be happy to share!

Creativity is happening all around me...

I am sooo NOT the most creative person on this planet (not even in my household). Bowen and Kells are constantly creating games, costumes, story plots, books, crafts, weapons, etc. It's very fun to be a member of this family, as there is hardly a dull moment. So, here are a few snapshots of the Enright's March Madness/Creative Moments:

Bowen has been looking for materials to make the perfect, most realistic eye-glasswear that allows Arthur Spiderwick from the Spiderwick Chronicles (book and movie) to see the goblins. Please see the final product below.


Kelly decided that a quilt (made out of painted paper) would be the perfect gift for Lovey's birthday. She is a master quilter, and he wanted to show her he has talents as well...Unfortunately, this required my oversight. It actually was an amazing project and turned out beautifully. My fear is this craft experiment will set a precedent for future grandparent birthday gifts :). See a few photos below of the gift in the making.




Bowen made his own costume (using a sewing machine, glitter, and a glue gun) for the Children Around The World expedition. This was a festival that was put on by all the local Montessori schools. He adopted a Kazakhstan name, Birket, and played Red Rover on stage. He has a taste of the stage - we are heading over to the Isle of Palms rec center tomorrow for him to try out for a part in Charlotte's Web!



I am attempting a bit of creativity in the kitchen myself. I have been cooking dinner for the family for the last few weeks (THIS IS HUGE!). The evenings can be a little hectic and we never really know how the food will turn out, but so far we haven't had any huge catastrophes. Take a look at my attempting to make spaghetti carbonara (not such a great cook, but a master at multi-tasking in the kitchen).


Good times.

My birthday Present

Most women would put a day at the spa or a spa treatment at the top of their favorites list. Logic follows that a gift certificate would be the perfect birthday gift. However, there are three truths I have come to realize over my few years of parenthood regarding this so-called "perfect gift": (1) I rarely find the time to use the gift certificate, (2) I lose the gift certificate before I get the chance to use it, or (3) I hesitate to pay a babysitter $100, so that I can use the gift certificate to get my nails done.

With that said...I don't think I'll have to worry about gift certificate consumption this year. Aunt CC (in conjunction with my man) has organized a weekend getaway to downtown Charleston for my birthday. She and Uncle B will watch the kiddos all day Saturday and Sunday, so that Michael and I can spend some QT away from home. We're going to stay at The Planter's Inn, have dinner at Tristan's, and have brunch on Sunday at the Peninsula Grill. My only concern is we rely so heavily on Bowen, Kells, Talula and Wilhelmina for entertainment that I'm not sure we will know what to do without them under-foot for 48 hours; Michael assures me we will figure out a way to pass the time :).

NOTE: Don't get me wrong - I would never turn down a gift certificate for a facial or a pedicure, however, there is simply no price one can put on time away with your man! THANKS Aunt Corinne!

Raspberry Bars

So, I am the first to admit that I am not the greatest cook in town. I actually wouldn't even be comfortable saying the word "cook" and "Tami" in the same sentence. However, I have mastered the recipe for Raspberry Bars in the At Home, At Sea cookbook that I received from Lovey last year. This cookbook was written by the owners of Maine's very own J. & E. Riggin windjammer sailboat. The book is amazing and the recipes look amazing; however, I can only attest to the Raspberry Bars recipe. I am still getting up my courage to venture on to the next culinary attempt.

For those of you who want a simple recipe to make as a treat for the kiddos, here goes:

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temp
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 large egg
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup raspberry preserves

- preheat oven to 350
- butter 9x12 pan
- cream together butter and sugar
- stir in the egg until mixed well
- press half of the dough in prepared pan
- spread jam evenly on top
- crumble remaining dough on top of jam as best you can
- bake about 30 minutes until top is golden brown
- cool in pan and cut

These make an excellent addition to a Valentine's Day dinner!