Tomorrow is a special day...it's my Mom's birthday!
One of the reasons it's so special is because she will actually have a "real" birthday this year:-)
My Mom was a leap year baby...born on February 29th, _ _ _ _ !! So, she only has a "real" birthday once every four years.
Another reason it's so special is because she's MY Mom. A lot of people lose their Mom's early in life or some just have Mom's that are "Mom-in-name-only". I'm thankful that even though I'm just 31, I still have her and she's never been one of those "mom-in-name-only" types:-) She's as much my mother now as she was when I was 5!! LOL!
She's my greatest critic, but also my greatest supporter. **next to my husband, of course!** Just because I got married and moved far away, she didn't stop being my Mom. She is constantly involving herself in my life and the lives of my husband and children. I think she sometimes forgets that my husband isn't "hers":-) She loves him as much as her own kids!
I cannot begin to recount all the things that she does, did, and will probably do if the Lord tarries:-) for me. She is constantly seeking to invest in her children and grandchildren on a daily basis. She is the kind of Mom that gets upset if I don't tell her I'm not feeling too great and I didn't call her to come get the kids so I could rest...lol!! I always say that "my kids have two mothers". So happy for that!! Not for myself, but for my children! I love it that they get to be with her, learn from her wisdom and experience, and be exposed to her Godly influence in the way of being a good wife and mom. That is a precious gift!
My Mom gave up a lot for my upbringing. She could have been anything she wanted to be, mainly a Concert Pianist. She could have had that! BUT, she set aside everything to marry a farmer, have three kids, live on a budget less than a dime, homeschool, homeschool, homeschool, and then become a Joyful-full of energy and love-Grandmother! She still gets up everyday with her kids and grandkids on her heart and mind. We are still first. Such sacrifice can never be repaid, but I hope that I will become the Mother she is by what I've learned from her. Her faith has remained unwavering and her commitment to Christ as her Lord and Authority is something I've never seen in anyone else.
Thank you, Mom, for the legacy of love and self-lessness you've given me! I love you and wish you the Happiest of ALL birthdays!
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Adalyn = hysterical laughter
Our middle child, Adalyn, has been such an interesting child from the time she was born to us! Her creativity and sense of humor never fails to bring us all to the point of gasping for air from laughing, but today she has had an unusually exceptional day!
It seemed that at every turn she had something funny to say...about EVERYTHING! I will try to recount some of them because after all, "Laughter doeth good like a medicine".
The day started with a trip to ToysRUS so Audrey could spend her gift card. While there, the girls came upon some packages of creepy crawlies. Adalyn examined the package and then turned to us and said "Oh my, I could scare the living daylights out of Grandma (Lockhart) with these!!!"
While we were driving down the road towards home, she starting picking at a scab on her knee. She gasped and said, "Audrey look! This white stuff that's coming out is awful! This means I have a dangerous disease!!" **I think she was thinking about the story of Namaan because we were reading about him in Bible Class this week** LOL!
Before bed, she came to us with her usual "I'm out of bed because...hmmmmm...." routine except lately it has been a plethora of physical ailments that seem to only plague her at night time:-) Tonight it was her head, "Daddy, my head is aching. It feels like someone either hit it with an ax or is pounding it with their hand." Awhile later, I checked on her to see if her head was feeling better. She said "Oh yes, much better but that stuff I drank is now making my stomach feel sick!!" Sorry, but the drama had to stop there...and it did:-)
It seemed that at every turn she had something funny to say...about EVERYTHING! I will try to recount some of them because after all, "Laughter doeth good like a medicine".
The day started with a trip to ToysRUS so Audrey could spend her gift card. While there, the girls came upon some packages of creepy crawlies. Adalyn examined the package and then turned to us and said "Oh my, I could scare the living daylights out of Grandma (Lockhart) with these!!!"
While we were driving down the road towards home, she starting picking at a scab on her knee. She gasped and said, "Audrey look! This white stuff that's coming out is awful! This means I have a dangerous disease!!" **I think she was thinking about the story of Namaan because we were reading about him in Bible Class this week** LOL!
Before bed, she came to us with her usual "I'm out of bed because...hmmmmm...." routine except lately it has been a plethora of physical ailments that seem to only plague her at night time:-) Tonight it was her head, "Daddy, my head is aching. It feels like someone either hit it with an ax or is pounding it with their hand." Awhile later, I checked on her to see if her head was feeling better. She said "Oh yes, much better but that stuff I drank is now making my stomach feel sick!!" Sorry, but the drama had to stop there...and it did:-)
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Thankful
Very thankful today...not that I shouldn't be every day, but today especially.
Thankful for the Lord's protection on Sunday morning from our "visitor" even though I was not patient in waiting for my husband to finish up a "techie" conversation at Church. Those two minutes of extra time could have been the difference in a different outcome.
Thankful that my husband only either bruised or slightly fractured his neck in an accident at home last night. We'll know more on Friday when he goes back to the Doc.
Sometimes when life seems to be so overwhelming, and Satan is whispering "quit", something happens in someone else's life that puts things into perspective.
A Missionary Family, The Cretzmans, had a terrible accident Monday here in NC that resulted in the death of their three year old daughter...God never fails. We must not quit.
"Great peace have they which love thy law; and nothing shall offend them." Ps. 119:165
Thankful for the Lord's protection on Sunday morning from our "visitor" even though I was not patient in waiting for my husband to finish up a "techie" conversation at Church. Those two minutes of extra time could have been the difference in a different outcome.
Thankful that my husband only either bruised or slightly fractured his neck in an accident at home last night. We'll know more on Friday when he goes back to the Doc.
Sometimes when life seems to be so overwhelming, and Satan is whispering "quit", something happens in someone else's life that puts things into perspective.
A Missionary Family, The Cretzmans, had a terrible accident Monday here in NC that resulted in the death of their three year old daughter...God never fails. We must not quit.
"Great peace have they which love thy law; and nothing shall offend them." Ps. 119:165
Monday, February 20, 2012
Fats...Good or Bad?
What do you think about fat?
I'm NOT talking about the "leftover-wigglies-from-three-babies" kind that goes away once you start exercising again*big smiley face* I'm talking about food fat. You know, you've heard it a billion times "saturated, unsaturated, polysaturated...blah, blah, blah..." Oh gracious, I can't keep all those terms straight to save my life! lol!
SOOOOO...I just throw them out the window and say "bad fat and good fat". There. That's much simpler:-)
So how do I tell if something is "bad fat or good fat"? Well, if it uses the words "pasteurized, homogenized, refined" it's B . A . D . Read this excerpt from A. Vonderplanitz Ph.D at rawmilk.org
Ahhhh! Read on...if you're brave enough :-)
"Calcification of the arteries (arteriosclerosis), the joints (arthritis) and the pineal gland may be due to the excessive intake of fractionated milk i.e. "skim milk" or "low fat" milk. On the advice of physicians, millions of people have switched to lowfat milk under the mistaken belief that avoiding the milk fat will enable them to avoid hardening of the arteries. Drinking fractionated milk may cause exactly the opposite effect! Many other millions are drinking lowfat milk to avoid weight gain...Do you know how a farmer fattens his hogs? He feeds them skim milk." William Douglas, MD
So what's "good fat"? You want to look for words like these "Raw, Unprocessed, Unrefined, Whole (not "whole grain":-) Butterfat, etc"
Sticking with these words will guarantee you a better chance of avoiding a horrible death of cancer, heart disease, heart attack, colon cancer, and the such. Bruce Pacetti, DDS PPNF from the Health Journal sums it up pretty good. He says " Anyone who has experienced the misery of constant tooth or gum problems, the financial ruin of constant illness, the frustration of low energy, the incapacitation of allergies, the pain of arthritis, the crippling effects of a survived heart attack, or the terror of cancer is well aware that no matter how gradual the process, there is nothing pleasant about any of these afflictions..." True, some people may live to be 75-80, but how miserable is their life because of what they eat? Some people's bodies can't handle it for even a year and they die before age three of cancer.
Healthy fats provide our bodies with fuel, energy, vitamins, minerals, proteins, calcium, and the like so that it can function as it as been designed to do. Food is not your comfort or your friend, it is fuel for your body. One of my favorite sayings that I keep in mind at all times is "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels!!" The thing is this...skinny tastes like fat. If you are avoiding healthy fats for fear of being fat, weeelll, more than likely you're already fat and trying to starve it off. The body won't metabolize like it should if you're starving it of healthy fat in your daily diet. The bad fats that you are in taking are actually making you fat. If you try to diet those off with more unhealthy fats "i.e. skim, lowfat, etc..." the body will throw itself into "starvation mode". It won't budge. It recognizes that you are killing it and will do whatever it has to to stay alive.
I've heard this said "whew, I can't drink that raw milk stuff. The cream would make me soooo fat!!" Hmmmm. The body must have fat to balance the thyroid which balances the way it metabolizes. How can you be fat if you're avoiding bad fat and consuming good fat? Well, you can't! You're not starving your body instead, you're fueling it for more energy! More energy equals more fat stores burned...repeat...repeat...repeat = no dieting, healthy body mass, no "spare tires", and healthy happy you!
Of course this happy lifestyle must be accompanied by good exercise. I'm not talking about "I parked at the back of the parking lot, took the stairs, walked around the block three times" exercise that is a true sense of lethargy. Sadly, since we've left our fore fathers way of living on the farm and truly working hard all day, we've had to substitute that muscle-building, fat-burning work with fitness equipment, work out gyms, and such. Since it is what it is, we need to make sure that we are getting those metabolizing juices flowing so that we can push those beautiful nutrients to all our organs to keep them moving in harmony!
Here's the clincher...now that you know, what are you going to do with it? It's there...it's available...it's affordable...you don't have to resign yourself to drinking and eating CAFO(confined animal farm production) Poo and white bacteria fluid that makes you sick and fat. God has made a way through His perfect design of Creation for us to be able to eat and drink for nourishment, not for sickness and disease. Contamination and destruction has been all man's doing, not God's. Just as He promised the Israelite nation "none of these diseases" for their obedience in following dietary laws and hygiene practices, He can do the same for us if we'll just do things His way!
"Even if you are in a minority of one, the truth is still the truth."
I'm NOT talking about the "leftover-wigglies-from-three-babies" kind that goes away once you start exercising again*big smiley face* I'm talking about food fat. You know, you've heard it a billion times "saturated, unsaturated, polysaturated...blah, blah, blah..." Oh gracious, I can't keep all those terms straight to save my life! lol!
SOOOOO...I just throw them out the window and say "bad fat and good fat". There. That's much simpler:-)
So how do I tell if something is "bad fat or good fat"? Well, if it uses the words "pasteurized, homogenized, refined" it's B . A . D . Read this excerpt from A. Vonderplanitz Ph.D at rawmilk.org
Processed dairy is any dairy that has been altered from its raw state by heating the dairy above a cow's body temperature. Pasteurization, irradiation, boiling or homogenization are the most commonly known forms of processing. Also, the processes of chemical treatment are used to enhance flavor, fortify and preserve bad-tasting milk that has been heat-treated and putrefactive. The common store type of milk is processed to the extent it turns blue. They add large amounts of dolomite (mined calcium carbonate, that is rock) to make it white and add irradiated hydrogenated vegetable oil as Vitamin D. Hydrogenated oil has the same molecular structure as plastic unlike natural raw milk. Additionally, irradiated oil is not Vitamin D yet the FDA allows them to call it that. The following processes are used to treat dairy: Pasteurization - heating milk to, at least, 130 degrees F. (54 degrees C.) for at least 45 seconds, or 160 degrees F. (71 degrees C.) for at least 15 seconds. Boiling means cooking the milk until is begins to vaporize, usually for at least 5 seconds. Irradiation - Exposing milk to destructive light such as high-intensity ultraviolet or radioactive contamination; also called cold-pasteurization Homogenization - Subjecting the milk-fat (cream) to high pressures and forcing it through a tight-meshed screen that causes the fat-molecules to rupture, turn rancid and spoil. Homogenization originated to hide milk that was low in fat. In early years, low-fat milk was considered less desirable and unhealthy. Homogenization today is performed to keep the cream from separating from the milk so that it will not sour and the milk looks even.
All of these processes destroy or damage the wonderful nutrients in raw milk.
All of these processes destroy or damage the wonderful nutrients in raw milk.
Ahhhh! Read on...if you're brave enough :-)
"Calcification of the arteries (arteriosclerosis), the joints (arthritis) and the pineal gland may be due to the excessive intake of fractionated milk i.e. "skim milk" or "low fat" milk. On the advice of physicians, millions of people have switched to lowfat milk under the mistaken belief that avoiding the milk fat will enable them to avoid hardening of the arteries. Drinking fractionated milk may cause exactly the opposite effect! Many other millions are drinking lowfat milk to avoid weight gain...Do you know how a farmer fattens his hogs? He feeds them skim milk." William Douglas, MD
So what's "good fat"? You want to look for words like these "Raw, Unprocessed, Unrefined, Whole (not "whole grain":-) Butterfat, etc"
Sticking with these words will guarantee you a better chance of avoiding a horrible death of cancer, heart disease, heart attack, colon cancer, and the such. Bruce Pacetti, DDS PPNF from the Health Journal sums it up pretty good. He says " Anyone who has experienced the misery of constant tooth or gum problems, the financial ruin of constant illness, the frustration of low energy, the incapacitation of allergies, the pain of arthritis, the crippling effects of a survived heart attack, or the terror of cancer is well aware that no matter how gradual the process, there is nothing pleasant about any of these afflictions..." True, some people may live to be 75-80, but how miserable is their life because of what they eat? Some people's bodies can't handle it for even a year and they die before age three of cancer.
Healthy fats provide our bodies with fuel, energy, vitamins, minerals, proteins, calcium, and the like so that it can function as it as been designed to do. Food is not your comfort or your friend, it is fuel for your body. One of my favorite sayings that I keep in mind at all times is "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels!!" The thing is this...skinny tastes like fat. If you are avoiding healthy fats for fear of being fat, weeelll, more than likely you're already fat and trying to starve it off. The body won't metabolize like it should if you're starving it of healthy fat in your daily diet. The bad fats that you are in taking are actually making you fat. If you try to diet those off with more unhealthy fats "i.e. skim, lowfat, etc..." the body will throw itself into "starvation mode". It won't budge. It recognizes that you are killing it and will do whatever it has to to stay alive.
I've heard this said "whew, I can't drink that raw milk stuff. The cream would make me soooo fat!!" Hmmmm. The body must have fat to balance the thyroid which balances the way it metabolizes. How can you be fat if you're avoiding bad fat and consuming good fat? Well, you can't! You're not starving your body instead, you're fueling it for more energy! More energy equals more fat stores burned...repeat...repeat...repeat = no dieting, healthy body mass, no "spare tires", and healthy happy you!
Of course this happy lifestyle must be accompanied by good exercise. I'm not talking about "I parked at the back of the parking lot, took the stairs, walked around the block three times" exercise that is a true sense of lethargy. Sadly, since we've left our fore fathers way of living on the farm and truly working hard all day, we've had to substitute that muscle-building, fat-burning work with fitness equipment, work out gyms, and such. Since it is what it is, we need to make sure that we are getting those metabolizing juices flowing so that we can push those beautiful nutrients to all our organs to keep them moving in harmony!
Here's the clincher...now that you know, what are you going to do with it? It's there...it's available...it's affordable...you don't have to resign yourself to drinking and eating CAFO(confined animal farm production) Poo and white bacteria fluid that makes you sick and fat. God has made a way through His perfect design of Creation for us to be able to eat and drink for nourishment, not for sickness and disease. Contamination and destruction has been all man's doing, not God's. Just as He promised the Israelite nation "none of these diseases" for their obedience in following dietary laws and hygiene practices, He can do the same for us if we'll just do things His way!
"Even if you are in a minority of one, the truth is still the truth."
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Herbs...God's gift of tasty health insurance:-)
I love herbs:-) There is nothing like waking up to a steamy cup of either jasmine green tea or pomengranate green tea or relaxing before bed with a delicious brew of red rooibos, rose hips, orange peel, and stevia!
My bi-monthly herbal order just came in the mail this morning and I loved just opening the box! The wonderful aromas just came wafting out of the box and I stood there for a second with my nose in the box, inhaling the delicious smells:-) Makes my mouth water!!!!
Today the pomengranate green tea smelled just so delish that I just HAD to have a cup...so I did:-) SOOOOO yummy! My kids loved it too!!
Herbs are not just palatable but also medicinal. In this order I included Diatomaceous Earth, Comfrey, and Bentonite Clay. The DE is for detoxing overgrowths of parasites and intestinal worms. It is high in silica so it benefits the hair, skin, and nails while it gives your insides a good scrub:-) What I like the most about DE is that is not habit-forming. A lot of detox herbs can cause "lazy colon". Meaning, they stimulate the colon to clean itself and the stimulation causes the muscles surrounding the colon to get "lazy" so that when you stop using the herbs the colon won't do what it is supposed to do. The end result is irritable bowel syndrome to it's fullest extent....trust me, I know:-) DE's sharp razor edge cylinders move through the intestinal tract killing parasites and scrubbing the walls of the colon, removing years of buildup. Yes, buildup occurs on the walls of the colon from toxins, chemicals, and processed foods that the body cannot digest and it blocks the body's ability to filter necessary nutrients to the bloodstream and causes bacteria's to be filtered instead.
Comfrey is an amazing plant that grows anywhere, in any soil, withstands people (like myself) who have a tendency to not water their plants like they should:-), and disease. The tannins in the leaf of the plant perform beautiful miracles to broken bones, sliced up skin, strains, sprains, and the like. The other name for Comfrey is "knit bone"! Quite appropriate! I personally have used Comfrey for the healing of nerve damage in my feet and ankles and for a dislocated rib that caused surrounding tissue tears. The nerve damage as I was told by an Orthopedic Surgeon, would never heal and it was something I would live with for the rest of my life:-) hmmm:-)
I do still see a Chiropractor periodically for my short leg syndrome that I so graciously inherited from my Dad's side of the family, but so long as I keep my legs the same length I'm ok! lol! A year or so ago I sliced my index finger on my left hand to the bone on a broken glass jar, severed muscle and tendon, and yet healed it up completely in two weeks with comfrey poultices and also healed the tendons so that I gained full use of my finger again! This stuff works!
Bentonite Clay is a swelling clay. If you have kids, you'd better have this! It has the ability to absorb toxins and poisons and carry them out of the body. It works wonders on poison ivy, bee and insect stings, and acts like a clotting agent to open wounds. I used this on my gashed finger to stop the pouring blood and to absorb any bacterias that may have been on the broken glass to avoid infection. A friend of mine's son got into poison ivy really bad a couple of summers ago and we pasted him up good with bentonite clay paste and his poison ivy itching and swelling were nearly gone in a couple of days. He was one happy kid:-)
These are just a few of the herbs that I keep on hand for medicinal purposes. Another one that I wouldn't be without is Activated Charcoal. Activated Charcoal is what you go to the emergency room for and pay $$$$ to help you recover from food poisoning or other intestinal ailments:-) For just a few dollars you can keep this on hand to help with any kind of stomach upset. It relieves the pain of the stomach issues and will either induce vomiting or will cause the other "reaction" to eliminate the toxins if they have made it to the colon:-) It has come in handy several times in this household over the past 12 years and I wouldn't be without it!
Now, I'm sure you're wondering why in the world I titled this post the way I did:-) Well, we don't have insurance AND we do not expect our Government to give it to us for free either. We pay for what we use. Period. If we have to take our children to the Doctor (they've all only been twice in their entire lives) we pay for it with Cash. God has given us exactly what we need in the area of food and herbs to be able to take care of our bodies so that we don't have to have laboratory concocted drugs to band-aid ourselves in order to keep living. I figured up the other day that we spend around $40 per month on herbs. I don't order every month so this is just an average that can be a little more or a little less...just depends on what I need. (This month was more because some of my medicinal herbs were low and I haven't bought any in about a year.) That's pretty cheap "insurance"!! Considering that we've all missed getting the "flu" (I have my thoughts on that one:-) for the last 4-5 years, I think that I've got pretty good insurance! At least I'm getting something in return for my expenditure! People spend and spend and spend and what do they get?? SICK SICK SICK! The average household in America spends anywhere from $500-$1000 per month in health insurance and what do they get?? SICK. Nothing but. Hmmmm...I don't like that return. That doesn't seem to be a good use of money to me.
I don't know about you but I like to feel good:-) I struggled with debilitating migraines throughout high school and early marriage until I stopped store dairy products and sodas of any kind! After I was able to experience what it was like to be in good health, I NEVER wanted to go back. Thankfully, God opened the doors to knowledge about His way of doing things and our family has never been the same since...lol...I know we're a little crazy:-), BUT we're healthy and we have the Lord to thank for that! Our Lord has made a way for His people to be able to live healthy and productive lives by providing these beautiful little plants for us to use! I'm so happy He did!
If you are interested in where I get my herbs, check them all out...along with some GREAT resources...at www.bulkherbstore.com!!
Now, I think I'll go have another hot cup of that delicious Pomengranate Green Tea:-) Yummy!
My bi-monthly herbal order just came in the mail this morning and I loved just opening the box! The wonderful aromas just came wafting out of the box and I stood there for a second with my nose in the box, inhaling the delicious smells:-) Makes my mouth water!!!!
Today the pomengranate green tea smelled just so delish that I just HAD to have a cup...so I did:-) SOOOOO yummy! My kids loved it too!!
Herbs are not just palatable but also medicinal. In this order I included Diatomaceous Earth, Comfrey, and Bentonite Clay. The DE is for detoxing overgrowths of parasites and intestinal worms. It is high in silica so it benefits the hair, skin, and nails while it gives your insides a good scrub:-) What I like the most about DE is that is not habit-forming. A lot of detox herbs can cause "lazy colon". Meaning, they stimulate the colon to clean itself and the stimulation causes the muscles surrounding the colon to get "lazy" so that when you stop using the herbs the colon won't do what it is supposed to do. The end result is irritable bowel syndrome to it's fullest extent....trust me, I know:-) DE's sharp razor edge cylinders move through the intestinal tract killing parasites and scrubbing the walls of the colon, removing years of buildup. Yes, buildup occurs on the walls of the colon from toxins, chemicals, and processed foods that the body cannot digest and it blocks the body's ability to filter necessary nutrients to the bloodstream and causes bacteria's to be filtered instead.
Comfrey is an amazing plant that grows anywhere, in any soil, withstands people (like myself) who have a tendency to not water their plants like they should:-), and disease. The tannins in the leaf of the plant perform beautiful miracles to broken bones, sliced up skin, strains, sprains, and the like. The other name for Comfrey is "knit bone"! Quite appropriate! I personally have used Comfrey for the healing of nerve damage in my feet and ankles and for a dislocated rib that caused surrounding tissue tears. The nerve damage as I was told by an Orthopedic Surgeon, would never heal and it was something I would live with for the rest of my life:-) hmmm:-)
I do still see a Chiropractor periodically for my short leg syndrome that I so graciously inherited from my Dad's side of the family, but so long as I keep my legs the same length I'm ok! lol! A year or so ago I sliced my index finger on my left hand to the bone on a broken glass jar, severed muscle and tendon, and yet healed it up completely in two weeks with comfrey poultices and also healed the tendons so that I gained full use of my finger again! This stuff works!
Bentonite Clay is a swelling clay. If you have kids, you'd better have this! It has the ability to absorb toxins and poisons and carry them out of the body. It works wonders on poison ivy, bee and insect stings, and acts like a clotting agent to open wounds. I used this on my gashed finger to stop the pouring blood and to absorb any bacterias that may have been on the broken glass to avoid infection. A friend of mine's son got into poison ivy really bad a couple of summers ago and we pasted him up good with bentonite clay paste and his poison ivy itching and swelling were nearly gone in a couple of days. He was one happy kid:-)
These are just a few of the herbs that I keep on hand for medicinal purposes. Another one that I wouldn't be without is Activated Charcoal. Activated Charcoal is what you go to the emergency room for and pay $$$$ to help you recover from food poisoning or other intestinal ailments:-) For just a few dollars you can keep this on hand to help with any kind of stomach upset. It relieves the pain of the stomach issues and will either induce vomiting or will cause the other "reaction" to eliminate the toxins if they have made it to the colon:-) It has come in handy several times in this household over the past 12 years and I wouldn't be without it!
Now, I'm sure you're wondering why in the world I titled this post the way I did:-) Well, we don't have insurance AND we do not expect our Government to give it to us for free either. We pay for what we use. Period. If we have to take our children to the Doctor (they've all only been twice in their entire lives) we pay for it with Cash. God has given us exactly what we need in the area of food and herbs to be able to take care of our bodies so that we don't have to have laboratory concocted drugs to band-aid ourselves in order to keep living. I figured up the other day that we spend around $40 per month on herbs. I don't order every month so this is just an average that can be a little more or a little less...just depends on what I need. (This month was more because some of my medicinal herbs were low and I haven't bought any in about a year.) That's pretty cheap "insurance"!! Considering that we've all missed getting the "flu" (I have my thoughts on that one:-) for the last 4-5 years, I think that I've got pretty good insurance! At least I'm getting something in return for my expenditure! People spend and spend and spend and what do they get?? SICK SICK SICK! The average household in America spends anywhere from $500-$1000 per month in health insurance and what do they get?? SICK. Nothing but. Hmmmm...I don't like that return. That doesn't seem to be a good use of money to me.
I don't know about you but I like to feel good:-) I struggled with debilitating migraines throughout high school and early marriage until I stopped store dairy products and sodas of any kind! After I was able to experience what it was like to be in good health, I NEVER wanted to go back. Thankfully, God opened the doors to knowledge about His way of doing things and our family has never been the same since...lol...I know we're a little crazy:-), BUT we're healthy and we have the Lord to thank for that! Our Lord has made a way for His people to be able to live healthy and productive lives by providing these beautiful little plants for us to use! I'm so happy He did!
If you are interested in where I get my herbs, check them all out...along with some GREAT resources...at www.bulkherbstore.com!!
Now, I think I'll go have another hot cup of that delicious Pomengranate Green Tea:-) Yummy!
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Pictures...Finally:-)
Here are the photos from Stephen's Birthday Dinner last month...
Here's a couple of recent pictures of Caleb...hard to believe we're just 2.5 weeks away from the BIG BIRTHDAY!
He is so precious and I love love love him to death!!:-)
 |
| Birthday table decorated by Audrey and Adalyn! |
 |
| Dinner is served! |
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| 99% Locally Grown in NC dinner! |
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| Dark Chocolate Brownie with real whipped cream |
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| Caleb LOVED the candle blowing and song:-) |
Here's a couple of recent pictures of Caleb...hard to believe we're just 2.5 weeks away from the BIG BIRTHDAY!
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Did you know??
Did you know....
1. You can make your own delicious salad dressing for $1.50 per month? Simply mix 1-2 TB Eden Organic stone ground mustard with 1 cup of homemade yogurt, mix in honey to taste and you have a delicious and healthy Honey Mustard Dressing! I use this ALL the time for salads and dips and it's yuuuummmyyy!
2. Steaming chopped white and sweet potatoes and then blending them into mashed potato state turns them into a delicious and filling soup base. Just add water until you get the desired texture and WHALA...an excellent and healthy substitute (considerably cheaper too!) for "organic soup broth":-)
3. You can substitute unhealthy pasteurized butter from sickly cows in your bread and pastry recipes with yogurt and grapeseed oil! For every stick of butter in your recipe, simply use 1/4 cup each of the yogurt and oil! My bread turns out even more light and fluffy now that I do this!
4. Homemade bread is a little time consuming, BUT you can make the results a little more predictable and less "heavy on the insides" by doing this one thing. Mix your amount of flour that your recipe calls for with 1.5 cups of raw milk and 2 TB of yogurt. Cover the bowl with wrap and let it sit on the counter overnight. The next day, make your bread the usual way! This "soaking method" of the flour breaks down the hard-to-digest phytates in the wheat, making the bread much lighter and easier to digest! No more "heavy in the gut" feeling after eating your homemade bread!
5. Delicious homemade granola is only three ingredients away! Soak 15 cups of organic rolled oats in enough water, raw milk, yogurt, and a little raw apple cider vinegar to make them good and wet, but not drippy "soggy":-). Cover the bowl and let sit overnight on the counter. The next morning stir in cinnamon and raw honey to taste! Either spread on unbleached parchment paper on dehydrator trays and dehydrate, or spread on parchment paper on cookie sheets and dry in the oven on your lowest possible heat setting until dry! You can add in chopped nuts, fruit, or whatever else you like, but I make it with only honey, oats, and cinnamon and we enjoy this over raw yogurt everyday for breakfast! The soaking of the oats breaks down phytates, adds nutrients from the milk and yogurt, and gives a delicious nutty flavor to the oats! We LOVE it! Makes for great snacks too:-)
1. You can make your own delicious salad dressing for $1.50 per month? Simply mix 1-2 TB Eden Organic stone ground mustard with 1 cup of homemade yogurt, mix in honey to taste and you have a delicious and healthy Honey Mustard Dressing! I use this ALL the time for salads and dips and it's yuuuummmyyy!
2. Steaming chopped white and sweet potatoes and then blending them into mashed potato state turns them into a delicious and filling soup base. Just add water until you get the desired texture and WHALA...an excellent and healthy substitute (considerably cheaper too!) for "organic soup broth":-)
3. You can substitute unhealthy pasteurized butter from sickly cows in your bread and pastry recipes with yogurt and grapeseed oil! For every stick of butter in your recipe, simply use 1/4 cup each of the yogurt and oil! My bread turns out even more light and fluffy now that I do this!
4. Homemade bread is a little time consuming, BUT you can make the results a little more predictable and less "heavy on the insides" by doing this one thing. Mix your amount of flour that your recipe calls for with 1.5 cups of raw milk and 2 TB of yogurt. Cover the bowl with wrap and let it sit on the counter overnight. The next day, make your bread the usual way! This "soaking method" of the flour breaks down the hard-to-digest phytates in the wheat, making the bread much lighter and easier to digest! No more "heavy in the gut" feeling after eating your homemade bread!
5. Delicious homemade granola is only three ingredients away! Soak 15 cups of organic rolled oats in enough water, raw milk, yogurt, and a little raw apple cider vinegar to make them good and wet, but not drippy "soggy":-). Cover the bowl and let sit overnight on the counter. The next morning stir in cinnamon and raw honey to taste! Either spread on unbleached parchment paper on dehydrator trays and dehydrate, or spread on parchment paper on cookie sheets and dry in the oven on your lowest possible heat setting until dry! You can add in chopped nuts, fruit, or whatever else you like, but I make it with only honey, oats, and cinnamon and we enjoy this over raw yogurt everyday for breakfast! The soaking of the oats breaks down phytates, adds nutrients from the milk and yogurt, and gives a delicious nutty flavor to the oats! We LOVE it! Makes for great snacks too:-)
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
The Countdown begins
Someone very special turned 11 months old today! Our sweet little Caleb is now only one month away from his first birthday and honestly, I don't know how I feel about that yet...lol!
He is growing up so quickly and everyday I find myself hanging on to each little moment with him as long as I can. He finally decided today that THIS was the DAY to start crawling! He has finally gotten the hand of "drive and not reverse":-) He is so cute to watch because he gets tired out after a bit and goes into the "army crawl":-) BUT, at least he can get himself where he needs to go and it will only be a few days before he's crawling all over the house.
A couple of days ago I pulled out the pictures from his birth and looked through them all again. I've only been able to do that a couple of times since that day because it brings back so many feelings and emotions. I am amazed at the goodness of God that was extended to us by allowing Caleb to live and be a testimony of the power of the God we serve to so many people. I don't think we will know until we get to heaven just how many people's lives were touched through all that. I know that ours changed drastically that day and that we have learned so much this past year.
I still can't put up any photos from recent days as something is internally wrong with the card reader on the computer, but just to be able to sit in the floor and sing with him, watch him crawl, listen to him giggle at his sisters, and watch him while he sleeps in his own bed is testimony enough to me that there IS a God in Heaven who loves Caleb, gave him life, protected him in the NICU, and has kept him healthy and strong during his first year of life! There is NO other explanation other than...GOD. Our little man's entrance into this world was planned by God from the moment HE breathed life into him. God knew all about Caleb then and He had a special plan. There were people that we didn't know even existed that needed to hear the Gospel. Others will be helped somewhere down the road because we will be able to say "we know, we've been there...let us help you". We needed to be taught how to lean on our Lord more. We needed to see Him be real in a way we had not seen yet. Our girls needed to see God do things that could only be explained as "GOD".
Yes, it has been difficult. But, I think the best is yet to be:-) I believe that others that we've been praying so earnestly for will receive Christ. I believe that Caleb will be a man after God's own heart in whatever capacity God puts him in. I don't care if he grows up to be a garbage collector, so long as he loves his Lord and serves Him with ALL his heart! I love my little man and am so thankful that the Lord gave him to us! I will have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in Truth!
So "Happy 11 mos. Day" to a special little guy who has brought much joy into this family!! We love you buddy!
He is growing up so quickly and everyday I find myself hanging on to each little moment with him as long as I can. He finally decided today that THIS was the DAY to start crawling! He has finally gotten the hand of "drive and not reverse":-) He is so cute to watch because he gets tired out after a bit and goes into the "army crawl":-) BUT, at least he can get himself where he needs to go and it will only be a few days before he's crawling all over the house.
A couple of days ago I pulled out the pictures from his birth and looked through them all again. I've only been able to do that a couple of times since that day because it brings back so many feelings and emotions. I am amazed at the goodness of God that was extended to us by allowing Caleb to live and be a testimony of the power of the God we serve to so many people. I don't think we will know until we get to heaven just how many people's lives were touched through all that. I know that ours changed drastically that day and that we have learned so much this past year.
I still can't put up any photos from recent days as something is internally wrong with the card reader on the computer, but just to be able to sit in the floor and sing with him, watch him crawl, listen to him giggle at his sisters, and watch him while he sleeps in his own bed is testimony enough to me that there IS a God in Heaven who loves Caleb, gave him life, protected him in the NICU, and has kept him healthy and strong during his first year of life! There is NO other explanation other than...GOD. Our little man's entrance into this world was planned by God from the moment HE breathed life into him. God knew all about Caleb then and He had a special plan. There were people that we didn't know even existed that needed to hear the Gospel. Others will be helped somewhere down the road because we will be able to say "we know, we've been there...let us help you". We needed to be taught how to lean on our Lord more. We needed to see Him be real in a way we had not seen yet. Our girls needed to see God do things that could only be explained as "GOD".
Yes, it has been difficult. But, I think the best is yet to be:-) I believe that others that we've been praying so earnestly for will receive Christ. I believe that Caleb will be a man after God's own heart in whatever capacity God puts him in. I don't care if he grows up to be a garbage collector, so long as he loves his Lord and serves Him with ALL his heart! I love my little man and am so thankful that the Lord gave him to us! I will have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in Truth!
So "Happy 11 mos. Day" to a special little guy who has brought much joy into this family!! We love you buddy!
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
And yet she speaks again...
**knock, knock**
"Daddy, my belly hurts"
"Ok Adalyn, lets see what we can do about that. Hmmmm...fenugreek capsules? Adalyn, do you want one of these with some milk?"
"Oh Yes, Daddy! That will be good! I've had that before!" (NOT;-)!
"These are awfully big pills! Do you think you can swallow one?"
"Oh yes, Daddy, I've done it lots before!"**drinks milk with the capsule**
"Do you feel better now?"
"Oh yes, much better!" **and off to bed she goes, happy as a lark!**
"Daddy, my belly hurts"
"Ok Adalyn, lets see what we can do about that. Hmmmm...fenugreek capsules? Adalyn, do you want one of these with some milk?"
"Oh Yes, Daddy! That will be good! I've had that before!" (NOT;-)!
"These are awfully big pills! Do you think you can swallow one?"
"Oh yes, Daddy, I've done it lots before!"**drinks milk with the capsule**
"Do you feel better now?"
"Oh yes, much better!" **and off to bed she goes, happy as a lark!**
Monday, February 6, 2012
One reason I like to eat FOOD!
It was recently pointed out to me that it is common knowledge that I have "strict dietary rules and that is why I do not eat at other people's houses"...hmmmm:-) I always find it interesting to hear what others opinions are of what I do, even though their facts are a little exaggerated:-) It's true, I do in some ways have some rules. Rule #1...I eat only food. If it's not food, I don't eat it:-)
ANYONE ELSE HAVE THAT RULE??? *lots of smiling*
SERIOUSLY.....read on.
DO YOU KNOW The difference between margarine and butter?
Read on to the end...gets very interesting!
Both have the same amount of calories.
Butter is slightly higher in saturated fats at 8 grams compared to 5 grams for margarine.
Eating margarine can increase heart disease in women by 53% over eating the same amount of butter, according to a recent Harvard Medical Study.
Eating butter increases the absorption of many other nutrients in other foods.
Butter has many nutritionalbenefits where margarine has a few and
only because they are added.
Butter tastes much better than margarine and it can enhance the flavors of other foods.
Butter has been around for centuries where margarine has been around for less than100 years.
And now, for Margarine.
Very High in Trans fattyacids.
Triples risk of coronary heart disease.
Increases total cholesterol and LDL (this is the bad cholesterol) and lowers HDL cholesterol, (the good cholesterol)
Increases the risk of cancers up to five times.
Lowers quality of breast milk.
Decreases immune response.
Decreases insulin response.
Andhere's the most disturbing fact.... HERE ISTHE PART THAT IS VERY INTERESTING!
Margarine is but ONE MOLECULE away from being PLASTIC...and shares 27 ingredients with PAINT.
These facts alone were enough to have me avoiding margarine for life and anything else that is hydrogenated (this means hydrogen is added, changing the molecular structure of the substance).
You can try this yourself:
Purchase a tub of margarine and leave it open in your garage or shaded area. Within a couple of days you will notice a couple of things:
*no flies, not even those pesky fruit flies will go near it (that should tell you something).
*it does not rot or smell differently because ithas no nutritional value ; nothing will grow on it. Even those teenyweenie microorganisms will not a find a home to grow. Why? Because it is nearly plastic. Would you melt your Tupperware and spread that on your toast?
Share Thiswith Your Friends(If you want to butter them up)!
Chinese Proverb: When someone shares something of value with you and you benefit from it, you have a moral obligation to share it with others.
I'm not a "rude and unsociable" person, I'm just a human who likes to eat food! See, plastic doesn't make me feel good, nor does any other genetically engineered "structure that looks like the real deal".
For instance...I was recently at an outing at which I participated in the eating process so that I would not be criticized for being "unsociable". I was careful in my selection, but alas, to no avail. I chose the things that should have been the safest to eat, but you know what happened? I ended up with blue lips, a pounding headache, and breathlessness for several hours. I know that whatever was supposed to be considered a "safe and organic" choice had been very carefully disguised. Therein lies the danger of "organic and natural". Don't be fooled by the label...it often times is just a clever way of disguising "sweet poison". Believe me, that is the LAST time I will EVER be "sociable":-) lol! No offense to anyone, but it is simply NOT.WORTH.IT.
Tip for the day: What happens to you 30 min. after you eat a meal or snack? Watch the clock and listen to your body. Restlessness, fatigue, irritability, drowsiness, headache, breathlessness, pounding heart, bloating, abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, dry mouth...etc??? Anyone one of these responses to anything eaten and you've consumed MSG, Aspartame, HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) formaldehyde, arsenic, hydrogenated substance, etc... You may say, "but I read my label and none of these words are on it!!!" Read on. These toxins have been cleverly renamed. For instance, Aspartame is now being called "AminoSweet, Sweet n Low, Sugar-free, Splenda, and one of the newest "TRUVIA" (oh man, do your research on this one!!) I have a feeling that is what was in what I had recently. I use dry stevia leaf (the actual dried leaf) all the time and I NEVER have any reactions. **on a side note, stevia is NOT white. PERIOD. Stevia powder packets are nothing more than aspartame cleverly repackaged for health idiots.** (step off the soap box:-) Aspartame being called an AMINO ACID???!!! Amino acids are very good for you so now our loving Government is trying to kill us by label confusion! There are many different names under which these poisons come under. Do your research so you can accurately read your labels...well, I think the better approach would be to stop reading labels and buy local. Ahhh, there you have it! No worries. What you buy from the farmer is the actual product. No disguises, no additives, no clever engineering. Just plain ole' food:-) Whew, that was easy:-)
Tip number 2: If the the USDA approves it as a sweetener or "safe additive" DON'T CONSUME IT! The USDA is managed by the same corporate leaders of MONSANTO. Do your research on Monsanto. Eye opening:-)
Here's a link to the blog that my Dad writes on daily.
http://faceonthefood.wordpress.com/2012/02/06/wendell-berry/
Since he has his degree in Agricultural Science (degrees seem to be so important these days;-) I think he is worth listening to...actually, even if he didn't have a degree he would be worth listening to because his experience far outweighs his degree...but that's just my opinion:-)
"Whether therefore ye EAT, or DRINK, or whatsoever ye do, DO ALL TO THE GLORY OF GOD" (I Cor. 10:31)
ANYONE ELSE HAVE THAT RULE??? *lots of smiling*
SERIOUSLY.....read on.
Pass The Butter Please.
This is interesting
Margarine was originally manufactured to fatten turkeys. When it killed the turkeys, the people who had put all the money into the research wanted a payback so they put their heads together to figure out what to do with this product to get their money back.
It was a white substance with no food appeal so they added the yellow colouring and sold it to people to use in place of butter. How do you like it? They have come out with some clever new flavorings. This is interesting
Margarine was originally manufactured to fatten turkeys. When it killed the turkeys, the people who had put all the money into the research wanted a payback so they put their heads together to figure out what to do with this product to get their money back.
DO YOU KNOW The difference between margarine and butter?
Read on to the end...gets very interesting!
Both have the same amount of calories.
Butter is slightly higher in saturated fats at 8 grams compared to 5 grams for margarine.
Eating margarine can increase heart disease in women by 53% over eating the same amount of butter, according to a recent Harvard Medical Study.
Eating butter increases the absorption of many other nutrients in other foods.
Butter has many nutritionalbenefits where margarine has a few and
only because they are added.
Butter tastes much better than margarine and it can enhance the flavors of other foods.
Butter has been around for centuries where margarine has been around for less than100 years.
And now, for Margarine.
Very High in Trans fattyacids.
Triples risk of coronary heart disease.
Increases total cholesterol and LDL (this is the bad cholesterol) and lowers HDL cholesterol, (the good cholesterol)
Increases the risk of cancers up to five times.
Lowers quality of breast milk.
Decreases immune response.
Decreases insulin response.
Andhere's the most disturbing fact.... HERE ISTHE PART THAT IS VERY INTERESTING!
Margarine is but ONE MOLECULE away from being PLASTIC...and shares 27 ingredients with PAINT.
These facts alone were enough to have me avoiding margarine for life and anything else that is hydrogenated (this means hydrogen is added, changing the molecular structure of the substance).
You can try this yourself:
Purchase a tub of margarine and leave it open in your garage or shaded area. Within a couple of days you will notice a couple of things:
*no flies, not even those pesky fruit flies will go near it (that should tell you something).
*it does not rot or smell differently because ithas no nutritional value ; nothing will grow on it. Even those teenyweenie microorganisms will not a find a home to grow. Why? Because it is nearly plastic. Would you melt your Tupperware and spread that on your toast?
Share Thiswith Your Friends(If you want to butter them up)!
Chinese Proverb: When someone shares something of value with you and you benefit from it, you have a moral obligation to share it with others.
I'm not a "rude and unsociable" person, I'm just a human who likes to eat food! See, plastic doesn't make me feel good, nor does any other genetically engineered "structure that looks like the real deal".
For instance...I was recently at an outing at which I participated in the eating process so that I would not be criticized for being "unsociable". I was careful in my selection, but alas, to no avail. I chose the things that should have been the safest to eat, but you know what happened? I ended up with blue lips, a pounding headache, and breathlessness for several hours. I know that whatever was supposed to be considered a "safe and organic" choice had been very carefully disguised. Therein lies the danger of "organic and natural". Don't be fooled by the label...it often times is just a clever way of disguising "sweet poison". Believe me, that is the LAST time I will EVER be "sociable":-) lol! No offense to anyone, but it is simply NOT.WORTH.IT.
Tip for the day: What happens to you 30 min. after you eat a meal or snack? Watch the clock and listen to your body. Restlessness, fatigue, irritability, drowsiness, headache, breathlessness, pounding heart, bloating, abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, dry mouth...etc??? Anyone one of these responses to anything eaten and you've consumed MSG, Aspartame, HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) formaldehyde, arsenic, hydrogenated substance, etc... You may say, "but I read my label and none of these words are on it!!!" Read on. These toxins have been cleverly renamed. For instance, Aspartame is now being called "AminoSweet, Sweet n Low, Sugar-free, Splenda, and one of the newest "TRUVIA" (oh man, do your research on this one!!) I have a feeling that is what was in what I had recently. I use dry stevia leaf (the actual dried leaf) all the time and I NEVER have any reactions. **on a side note, stevia is NOT white. PERIOD. Stevia powder packets are nothing more than aspartame cleverly repackaged for health idiots.** (step off the soap box:-) Aspartame being called an AMINO ACID???!!! Amino acids are very good for you so now our loving Government is trying to kill us by label confusion! There are many different names under which these poisons come under. Do your research so you can accurately read your labels...well, I think the better approach would be to stop reading labels and buy local. Ahhh, there you have it! No worries. What you buy from the farmer is the actual product. No disguises, no additives, no clever engineering. Just plain ole' food:-) Whew, that was easy:-)
Tip number 2: If the the USDA approves it as a sweetener or "safe additive" DON'T CONSUME IT! The USDA is managed by the same corporate leaders of MONSANTO. Do your research on Monsanto. Eye opening:-)
Here's a link to the blog that my Dad writes on daily.
http://faceonthefood.wordpress.com/2012/02/06/wendell-berry/
Since he has his degree in Agricultural Science (degrees seem to be so important these days;-) I think he is worth listening to...actually, even if he didn't have a degree he would be worth listening to because his experience far outweighs his degree...but that's just my opinion:-)
"Whether therefore ye EAT, or DRINK, or whatsoever ye do, DO ALL TO THE GLORY OF GOD" (I Cor. 10:31)
Friday, February 3, 2012
"Addyism"
Every night Adalyn comes to our room after she's been put to bed, knocks on the door, peeks her head in, and with her tiny little voice says "Ummm"....and proceeds to give us her excuse as to why she is out of her bed . As usual, the procedure happened tonight and as usual it was something different from last night...except tonight's excuse was REALLY FUNNY!
Tonight her excuse for getting out of bed was.....drumroooollll...."My feet are sticking out from under my covers"....hahahahaha! We both busted out laughing and are currently still laughing:-) We both agreed that tonight was the best one she's given us yet and she's been doing this every night for the last 3.5 years. It has been a completely different excuse every night, but tonight's was downright hilarious! She said it completely straight-faced and she honestly believes she needs help with something every night! She most certainly adds to our evenings:-)
Tonight her excuse for getting out of bed was.....drumroooollll...."My feet are sticking out from under my covers"....hahahahaha! We both busted out laughing and are currently still laughing:-) We both agreed that tonight was the best one she's given us yet and she's been doing this every night for the last 3.5 years. It has been a completely different excuse every night, but tonight's was downright hilarious! She said it completely straight-faced and she honestly believes she needs help with something every night! She most certainly adds to our evenings:-)
I'm crawling!!!
Caleb is crawling...well, sort of:-) He gets up on his hands and knees and begins the crawling motion. Problem is this, he goes backwards and not forwards!!! It is a hilarious thing to see and he finds it very entertaining! Well, until he "crawls" himself too far from his toys...lol!
Maybe in the next couple of weeks he'll get the hang of "drive and not reverse":-)
Maybe in the next couple of weeks he'll get the hang of "drive and not reverse":-)
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Hello February!...well, I THINK it's February??
Well, February has started off slightly warm...yes, 65-70 degrees is warm...too warm...way too warm. Today while driving to Forest City I noticed something very unusual...fully budded small trees and bushes. Very unusual! Sure do hope the peach and apple trees don't get too confused or else there will be no crops this summer/fall! What a blessing to know that God knows all about it since He alone orders the seasons and their changes! Nothing takes Him by surprise and where one fruit may not do well this year, others will and God will provide just what we need! Whew...sure takes the pressure off of trying to figure out what to do with worrisome situations!
Once again, I'm writing at an ungodly hour of the day...lol! Monday it was 5:15 in the morning and today it's 11:30 pm! Well, this time it's my fault:-) I set my fresh ground wheat out to soak last night and I forgot about it today until 9:00 tonight. Well, I'm NOT about to let all that goodness go to waste, so I'm burning the midnight oil (well, almost anyways:-) to finish the sandwich rolls. Adalyn was VERY excited before bed and queried the finish time of the bread. I assured her it would be here for breakfast. That girl LOVES bread! She'd eat it all day long if I let her! I also had to get the yogurt into the dehydrator, get the oats soaking for granola and Caleb's cereal, AND tidy up:-) Sleep is an overrated thing anyways...who needs it??? ;-)
All in all, it has been a good start to February and I'm looking forwards to the completion of several projects that have been on hold since Caleb arrived:-) We've finished a few already this week and when March rolls around, Lord willing, the rest will be done!
I have some things coming up that right now seem like the end result is not going to be my cup of tea, but I know that the same Good Shepherd that has been with me all the way till now will be the same Good Shepherd then, no matter the outcome!
I've really enjoyed my children this week. They have been such blessing to me and I know I take them for granted way too much. Adalyn made a remark this week that just thrilled me and I wanted to share it. Sunday afternoon we were getting ready for Church and she said, "Mommy, I love Church!" I said, "You do? I'm so glad! Why do you love it so much?" She replied, "Because we get to hear about Jesus and I love Him!" Out of the mouth of babes...:-) Kinda convicting too:-) I don't always think about Church like that. Sundays come and go and I don't even stop and think about the significance of the day. It is a privilege to worship our Lord and I hope that in the days to come, I will remember that my Lord loves to be worshiped and that I should love to do it!
Once again, I'm writing at an ungodly hour of the day...lol! Monday it was 5:15 in the morning and today it's 11:30 pm! Well, this time it's my fault:-) I set my fresh ground wheat out to soak last night and I forgot about it today until 9:00 tonight. Well, I'm NOT about to let all that goodness go to waste, so I'm burning the midnight oil (well, almost anyways:-) to finish the sandwich rolls. Adalyn was VERY excited before bed and queried the finish time of the bread. I assured her it would be here for breakfast. That girl LOVES bread! She'd eat it all day long if I let her! I also had to get the yogurt into the dehydrator, get the oats soaking for granola and Caleb's cereal, AND tidy up:-) Sleep is an overrated thing anyways...who needs it??? ;-)
All in all, it has been a good start to February and I'm looking forwards to the completion of several projects that have been on hold since Caleb arrived:-) We've finished a few already this week and when March rolls around, Lord willing, the rest will be done!
I have some things coming up that right now seem like the end result is not going to be my cup of tea, but I know that the same Good Shepherd that has been with me all the way till now will be the same Good Shepherd then, no matter the outcome!
I've really enjoyed my children this week. They have been such blessing to me and I know I take them for granted way too much. Adalyn made a remark this week that just thrilled me and I wanted to share it. Sunday afternoon we were getting ready for Church and she said, "Mommy, I love Church!" I said, "You do? I'm so glad! Why do you love it so much?" She replied, "Because we get to hear about Jesus and I love Him!" Out of the mouth of babes...:-) Kinda convicting too:-) I don't always think about Church like that. Sundays come and go and I don't even stop and think about the significance of the day. It is a privilege to worship our Lord and I hope that in the days to come, I will remember that my Lord loves to be worshiped and that I should love to do it!
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