Day By Day

I'm finally feeling better after a week of lying on the couch in pain. I won't go into the ailment, but let's just say the pain was worse than having a baby, and about as awkward too. During this time, a friend had given me a bag full of used magazines to read. I was very thankful for them, as otherwise I would have been rather bored just laying there. My kids were here too, but they mostly just played quietly nearby, and were a big help to me. Anyways, in one of the magazines (Guideposts) there was an article about a guy who was a frequent flier and one trip he was unable to use any of his portable devices on the flight. He didn't know what to do with himself, so he decided to pray. He prayed for anyone and everyone, and before he knew it, the flight was over. What seemed like a long flight soon disappeared when he was engaged in prayer. He decided that in the future, that would be a much better use of his flight time than his iPod, laptop or other electronic device.

The lesson I learned was, that our world can always use more prayer. It not only helps the people being prayed for, but also gives comfort and hope to the person praying. I did have much time to pray myself last week, and felt not only the presence of God, but also felt lifted up by the prayers of others. I wish I did remember to pray more often, but it seems like the chaos of life just interrupts my solitude so often.

The verse that kept coming to me through the week though was 2 Corinthians 12: 9, 10:

"And he (the Lord) said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." (bold accenting my favorite parts)

The other part I'd like to share with you is a song that's been running through my head lately too. I found a decorative plate holder (with no plate) and was trying to think of what to do with it. I finally decided to use it as a book rack, and placed a songbook in my kitchen window so that I can sing while I'm doing the dishes (or anytime I'm at the sink, which is many times a day). The song I've had this past week, has been so encouraging to me, and I've been singing it every day. I love Andy Griffith's version of it, but this one by Selah is good too! Enjoy!

His Eye Is on the Sparrow

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Refrain

I sing because I’m happy,
I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.

“Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Refrain

Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Refrain

If not that, then what??

Last spring I wrote a post about the negative aspects of high fructose corn syrup. I fully intended to follow it up with a post on what sugars you should look for instead, and how to recognize good from bad. It didn't happen (I never had time to do the research required). But, my favorite blogger did. So, I'm posting the link to her blog, which tells about all the different ones, and hopefully it'll be of use to you. Since recently reading Nourishing Traditions, I know that this is where she got most of her information. She also mentions that if you can't find substitutes (or aren't willing to pay a little extra) then you'd be better off just reducing your intake. The average American eats 175 lbs of sugar every year. That is compared to 2 lbs recorded in the early 1800's. I'm sure we could all reduce our overall intake, and our health would increase for the better.














One thing she doesn't mention, is that brown sugar in the store is just as processed as white sugar. They just add molasses back to it after to get the brown color. I was disappointed to find that out, in yet when I read my package in the cupboard I found "ingredients: cane sugar, molasses". :(

Here's the HFCS one, in case you've forgotten what it said:
http://somerosaga.blogspot.com/2010/03/high-fructose-corn-syrup-exposed.html

Explanation of sweeteners:
http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2008/09/my-favorite-natural-sweeteners.html

Starbucks Pumpkin Scone recipe

Another amazing recipe. I love making scones, and I have a ton of pumpkin to be used up in my freezer (from my 5 huge pumpkins that voluntarily grew in my garden last summer), so this was a perfect answer to both things. I didn't do the white frosting, as they are sweet enough without, I just did the spiced drizzle. Yum, yum!!

Starbucks Pumpkin Scones

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 7 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 6 tablespoons cold butter
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• 3 tablespoons half-and-half
• 1 large egg

Powdered Sugar Glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons whole milk

Spiced Glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 pinch ginger
• 1 pinch ground cloves

Directions:

Prep Time: 15 mins

Total Time: 30 mins

1. TO MAKE THE SCONES:.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or line with parchment paper.
3. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices in a large bowl. Using a pastry knife, fork, or food processor, cut butter into the dry ingredients until mixture is crumbly and no chunks of butter are obvious. Set aside.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin, half and half, and egg. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Form the dough into a ball.
5. Pat out dough onto a lightly floured surface and form it into a 1-inch thick rectangle (about 9 inches long and 3 inches wide). Use a large knife or a pizza cutter to slice the dough twice through the width, making three equal portions. Cut those three slices diagonally so that you have 6 triangular slices of dough. Place on prepared baking sheet.
6. Bake for 14?16 minutes. Scones should begin to turn light brown. Place on wire rack to cool.
7. TO MAKE THE PLAIN GLAZE:.
8. Mix the powdered sugar and 2 tbsp milk together until smooth.
9. When scones are cool, use a brush to paint plain glaze over the top of each scone.
10. AS THAT WHITE GLAZE FIRMS UP, MAKE THE SPICED ICING:.
11. Combine the ingredient for the spiced icing together. Drizzle this thicker icing over each scone and allow the icing to dry before serving (at least 1 hour). A squirt bottle works great for this, or you can drizzle with a whisk.

If you'd rather just print off a copy yourself, here's the website.
http://www.food.com/recipe/starbucks-pumpkin-scones-214051

English Toffee Bars

I have a new favorite treat. My friend D introduced me to them last winter when we were over at their house and they are so easy to make, all with ingredients you actually have in your house! D said that when she was a kid growing up in New Hampshire, her family always made these on sauna night when they'd have lots of company. If you grew up out there, you may have had them before, but since I'm a prairie girl, I've never heard of them.

ENGLISH TOFFEE BARS

1 c. brown sugar 24 sq. saltines 1 c. butter (2 sticks) 1/2 tsp. vanilla 6 oz. chocolate chips Arrange saltines in a single layer on a greased 9x13 cookie sheet. Bring brown sugar and butter to a boil and boil for exactly 3 minutes over medium heat, stirring once or twice. Remove sugar/butter mixture from heat; stir in vanilla and pour over crackers. Bake in oven for 5 minutes. Keep a constant watch on it because ovens vary in temperature and it will burn very easily. Allow cookie pan to cool for 5-10 minutes, or until it is set. Distribute chocolate chips evenly over the top; spread with a knife when they have softened. Cool by putting in the refrigerator or freezer. To get it out of the cookie sheet, turn opposite corners like you would an ice cube tray and the whole sheet of toffee should pop out. Then you can cut, break, or tear off pieces as neatly or haphazardly as you like. Then either refrigerate until dessert, or freeze until the gala event.

Being the lazy cook that I am, I just put the broiler on and watch them until they sizzle a bit. They are fine without chocolate chips too, if you don't have any.

The Mysterious Art of Conversation

Whenever I get into a crowd of people, I analyze conversation. The reason I do is because conversation still puzzles me after how many thousands (or even millions) of conversations that I've had in my life. It seems like some people are just born experts, some people flounder through their whole social experience, and I am hopefully somewhere in the middle. But, that depends much on the topic at hand as well as the audience.

My problem with conversation(s) is this: some people talk too much (this can be me at times). Some people talk too little (this can also be me). Some people are know-it-alls (this can be me). And some people are clueless to the topic but pretend they're not (this can be me too). Finding that balance is a life long job, with the variables changing readily, making me never know when I am over-stepping (or under-stepping) some unwritten boundaries.

I constantly am thinking "I don't want to sound like an idiot" or "I don't want them to think I'm preaching at them" or "what if they misinterpret what I mean" and so on. With good friends and family this isn't a problem, because I know them well enough that I know that they either DO know what I mean (even if my words aren't as well chosen as they could be), or they love me enough to overlook my inconsistencies. But, for those casual acquaintances which I'm trying to improve on, I feel that somehow I need to prove myself or make sure they know that I am 'valid' in some way.

Another thing I've found is that because I read alot of research books, I do have alot of information up there in my head (about the topics that us moms seem to discuss on a regular basis). But, that doesn't always mean I should share it. People get defensive (me included), when others try to cram information down their throats. I don't want to be that person, in yet know that often am without recognizing it. What is usually NOT brought up though, is what I don't know (which is thousands of topics, of which I'd like to learn). I do try to always be learning more by asking questions, but to keep a conversation going, you must be willing to share answers as well as ask questions.

In a crowd I tend to be more of a listener than a talker (although it depends on who the crowd is), and during this time, I get a chance to look much more into what the person/people are portraying, rather than just saying. One thing that really bugs me is when people talk too much. They talk just to hear themselves talk, and don't let others even join in, other than to nod in approval. I have a hard time holding these talkers as very credible sources, because if you do that much talking, when are you listening? Most of us learn the most by keeping our mouths shut and listening, so it's really hard to listen when you're doing all the talking, hey? The Bible says that the tongue is "deceitful, who can know it?" and that is very true.

By now, I'm really no further ahead than when I began this post, but just thought I'd share what's been on my mind lately. I've been in situations lately where I have been immersed in much conversation, thus giving me the opportunity to ponder how it all works (or doesn't work, as sometimes regretfully happens!) Any thoughts?

Boys, boys...

The other day we were garage sale-ing (still don't know how to spell that word, since it isn't a real word) and came across a garage sale. We had to park a few houses down, as the street was full in front of the sale. While we were walking, the boys were chatting at me, and I realized that what they were telling me summed up their personalities quite well.

Luke: "These yards are sure small, but they sure are clean. I like all those plants."
James: "That guy has a boat trailer, but his truck has no hitch."

Luke notices aesthetics. He notices clean vs. dirty vehicles, tidy vs. messy yards or rooms. Much to my dismay, he'll say, "Wow, that car is dirty!" when the driver is right there with the window open. Things like that.

James notices details. How can a guy own a boat trailer and have a truck with no hitch. That just doesn't work. He'll see vehicles all the time and points out the minute differences between them. If there's a van like ours, he'll notice if the rims are different, or the trim. Or "that's a truck like Grandpa's, except the door handles are a different color."

I love seeing how individual God made them, and how He shows us this in so many different ways!

"the Pill"

It is with great trepidation that I write this post. This is a private subject, but one I've pondered many times over the years (to myself, since I don't know where others stand on the subject). The reason I feel it necessary to share though, is because the subject was brought up to me again. I used to be faced with this dilemma weekly (if not daily) when I worked in the ER. Women came in regularly with complications because of "the Pill", and every one of them was as misinformed as the next as to the fact that complications can arise. "My doctor never told me that" "It's supposed to be safe" "Why am I miscarrying? I'm healthy." Over and over women would come in to the ER with vaginal bleeding, cramping, miscarriage, DVT's (deep vein thrombosis- a blood clot in the leg or arm) or worse pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lung) and wonder how it could happen to them. More often than not, the ER doctor would tell them it was from taking the Pill, and that these were "normal" side effects. Every woman that comes into the ER with 'female' problems requires a chaperone when the male Dr. is present, so I've listened in on thousands of these conversations due to my job description at the time.

I was reminded again of this subject as my Mom sent me an interesting article from a pro-life magazine she gets which featured an article on the 50th anniversary of the Pill. So, I'll share what the article says, and you can take the information and do what you want with it.

1) History - started with the feminist movement led by Margaret Sanger (founder of Planned Parenthood) who met up with a medical research doctor, an infertility specialist and a reproductive biologist. Her dream was to come up with a pill that would block ovulation. It worked and in 1960 the US FDA approved such a pill. Various churches that had been previously opposed to contraception, but changed their approval of it due to public demand.

2) How it works - the hormones progesterone and estrogen trick the ovaries into thinking that they have already released an egg, thereby preventing any further ovulation. The Minipill just has progestin, and may prevent ovulation, but more effectively works by thickening the mucus around the cervix which inhibits the sperm from entering the uterus. Birth control patches work the same way. Should the pills fail and the user become pregnant (which is unlikely after extended use due to increased hormone levels, but still does happen), the pills have a backup function by acting as an abortfacient by inhibiting the embryo from implanting itself to the uterus. The emergency contraceptive pill (morning after pill) is little more than increased doses of the Minipill. Many women conceive and then abort each month, an estimated one abortion per year that a woman is taking the pill, without them ever knowing they were pregnant. It is estimated that at any given time, 100 million women are currently on the pill.

3) Bitter Pill - When the pill first came out, it heralded women's rights activists as unprecedented agent of equalization. Unfettered by a disruptive pregnancy, women could now remain sexually active while getting a post-secondary education and able to climb the ladders of power with their male counterparts. Indeed, this has occurred. One concern with that is, that instead of what used to be a "mating market", modern contraception split this market into two categories, a "sexual relationship" market and a "marriage market". Under the new system, women in their younger years have the upper hand in the sex market, but once they enter the marriage market they become disadvantaged. This is due to women having a limited number of child-bearing years, and men an unlimited. So, women must meet the marriage market before menopause, where men can continue on as long as they wish. Women suffer the most, because newlyweds enter marriage with more distrust and lack of commitment (from previous promiscuity), and it's usually the men who stray from the marriage first. This leads women to feel the need to remain in the workforce and be financially independent. When both spouse specialize in the same area, (namely providing an income), this in turn decreases the comparative advantage obtained in marriage. The bonds of marriage weaken, because of overall lack of interest in each other (because they don't appreciate each others differences, but instead are competing against each other). This in turn brings up the incomes of the homes, which brings up the prices of houses and standards of living, which drags even the innocent folks into the mix. Then the financial burden makes the woman feel more like she needs to be working and thus has less time to raise the family. Can you see how the woman gets the short end of the stick again? She now has to work full time, and raise a family in a limited number of years. No wonder she's depressed, making her difficult to live with, causing another reason for her husband to look elsewhere for happiness. She also takes the brunt of post-abortion trauma and health risks, if she chose this at any time in her life.

4) Side effects - Besides the ones listed above, there are 60 more that are potential which I won't list, but you can read for yourself at http://www.thepillkills.org/sideeffects.php

Information: The Interim, July 2010 by Joseph Jalsevac
http://www.theinterim.com/features/the-pill-at-50/

Very interesting, I thought. I know there are many other dynamics that have evolved over the past century to lead to some of the problems we face today, but I do think this article is pretty accurate from their stance. Especially in an un-Godly world. Those of us with Jesus in our hearts, hopefully wouldn't live promiscuously before marriage, to avoid some of the major pitfalls that come from that lifestyle.

Some resources to prayerfully consider that provide alternatives to hormone contraception:

Love & Fertility by Mercedes Wilson
http://www.amazon.com/Love-Fertility-Avoid-Achieve-Pregnancy-Naturally/dp/0963312545

Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler (tcoyf.com)
http://www.amazon.com/Taking-Charge-Your-Fertility-Anniversary/dp/0060881909/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1283406057&sr=1-1
Both these books use your body's three different fertility signs to achieve or prevent pregnancy. They have claim a 0.3% failure rate when used effectively (which is lower than pretty much every other contraceptive device out there), and ARE NOT the famous (or infamous) "rhythm method". They also explain the many causes of infertility, and what to do naturally about them first, so that you are more prepared when you do go to the doctor and the doctor can better find out what the problem may be.

I would also urge you to most of all seek God's leading above your own when making these difficult, challenging decisions. As with all medical questions or concerns, I say, "don't completely trust your doctor, DO YOUR RESEARCH!" They are human, just like you and me.

Good Gravy...

I don't claim to be an expert cook by any stretch of the imagination. As you may recall, I still have never cooked a decent turkey, and have had many flopped ones on the record. But, I have to admit, that I have finally learned how to make an awesome chicken, and awesome gravy. I'll share my thoughts with you, in case you've struggled making them deliciously as well.

My awesome chicken comes from a lack of planning on my part. I invited some friends over for dinner, and failed to take the chicken out of the freezer to thaw in time. So, I threw it frozen into the slow cooker, and turned it on. I don't care for slow cooker-ed chicken, as it is too mushy and not crispy enough. So, to finish it off, I put it in the oven to crisp it up. It was the most moist, wonderful chicken I've ever had. It tasted alot like the deli rotisserie chicken, only better. I've done it a couple times since, with just as much success. Plus, it doesn't heat up my house having the oven on all day, as I can fit it in my toaster oven (in a 9x9 pan) rather than the full sized one. I put butter and garlic on it, as well as any other spices I'm inclined to. Usually I put the spices under the skin, but when it's frozen, that isn't possible. As for the spices, I always recall my Grandpa K leaning over my Aunt B's shoulder while she was preparing a chicken once, saying, "Now, you remember to salt and pepper that cavity well!" So...I always salt and pepper the cavity well! (It ended up that it was about 1/2 hour on high in the slow cooker, then about 3 1/2 hours on low, and then 1 hour at 350F in the oven)

As for the gravy, after 7 years of marriage, I can finally say that my gravy is worth eating. The rest of the time, it was tolerable, but certainly not good! I came across a recipe for gravy in my Taste of Home cookbook one day, and decided to try it. I have owned this cookbook my whole married days, but never looked in the back in between the napkin folding section and the index. So, here it is...
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. flour
2 c. pan drippings or broth
In a small pan, melt butter. Mix in flour to make a roux (med/low heat). When flour is all blended, slowly pour in your drippings. Simmer until thickened, and season to taste (if necessary). If you added lots of spices, salt and pepper to your chicken, you likely won't need to add anything more now. This recipe is much better (in my opinion), because all other recipes require you to make a flour/water paste (or water/cornstarch) and I could never get it the right thickness (either it was too watery or else like glue), and I would always get lumps in it. This avoids both those problems, and is tasty to boot.

And...if you have read my previous post about the Nourishing Traditions way of eating, you can never get too much butter! Even those watching their weight should not reduce butter in their diet. They should reduce refined sugars and flours and heat treated oils (shortening, margarines) instead. We need good amounts of good fats to keep healthy (brain health, joint health, nervous system health, digestion health, and so much more). When I was a kid I always would lick the butter off the packages when my mom was baking, so, as you can tell, I've been a fan of butter for a good many years!

Hey all! One of my friends is making very cute headbands for the C.O.L.E.'s foundation, which raises the hopes of kids with cancer. She explains on her blog how it all works. You can either buy them for yourself and your friends, and the money goes to those kids. Or you can buy them for a child you know with cancer, or you can send one to a child you don't know, but one who is registered with the foundation. They are very cute, and not too expensive either. Check it out!!

http://walkingodslight.blogspot.com/

Nourishing Traditions (a book review)

Today I feel like writing, but don't have much on my mind. Things have been going smoother, and some of my goals have been attained and are daily attainable, some are not. But...since I've been meaning to do a book review on this book for some time, I guess I'll do it today. The book is called Nourishing Traditions and I bought it after months of debate as to where I could get the best price. It's been out since 1999, and has gained popularity due to it's Old World ways and makes us all stop and think twice about what we are putting in our mouths. I'll start with the preface itself, as it says it better than I can what the book is about.

"Technology is a generous benefactor. To those who have wisely used his gifts he has bestowed freedom from drudgery, freedom to travel, freedom from the discomforts of cold, heat and dirt, and freedom from ignorance, boredom and oppression. But father technology has not brought us freedom from disease. Chronic illness in industrialized nations has reached epic proportions because we have been dazzled by his stepchildren -- fast foods, fractionated foods, convenience foods, packaged foods, fake foods, embalmed foods, ersatz foods -- all the bright baubles that fill up the shelves at our grocery stores, convenience markets, vending machines and even health food stores.

The premise of this book is that modern food choices and preparation techniques constitute a radical change from the way man has nourished himself for thousands of years and, from the perspective of history, represent a fad that not only has severely compromised his health and vitality, but may well destroy him; and that the culinary traditions of our ancestors, and the food choices and preparation techniques of healthy nonindustrialized peoples, should serve as the model for contemporary eating habits, even and especially during this modern technological age."

The author, Sally Fallon goes on to explain (with referenced information on all she cites) how to get the most nutrients out of your food, for the lowest cost. That...appeals to me. She explains how the "Diet Dictocrats" (aka. the companies and organizations that gain the most from advertising what benefits their business the most - American Medical Assn., pharmaceutical companies, etc.)use facts from 'studies', whose results mysteriously change when the funding for them changes...to suit the fund-er's needs or desires. This also includes the food processing industries who are ever seeking to process more and put more money into their own pockets, with government approval. Politically Correct Nutrition, is what she calls it. It's all pretty pathetic, and infuriates me. But, the good news is, that she offers hope and solutions for the everyday eater like you and me. And they are affordable. And they work. People have been using the techniques and cooking styles since Bible times, and have remained overall disease-free (this is speaking of chronic disease as opposed to infectious).

Although I won't go into detail all the things she talks about (there are over 700 recipes alone, plus a wealth of information), I will list her "Limited Time, Limited Budget Guidelines" which sum up the most of the book. She states that "simple, nutritious meals can be prepared very quickly when one lays the groundwork ahead of time. If your present schedule allows no time at all for food preparation, you would be wise to re-examine your priorities."

-Don't buy boxed breakfast cereals, even those made with whole grains. They are expensive, poor in nutrients and difficult to digest. A serving of the best quality organic oatmeal costs half the amount of the average boxed cereal and is infinitely more nutritious.

-Make your own salad dressing. You can make your own dressing using the finest ingredients for about the same cost as the average bottled dressing, most of which use rancid vegetable oils, trans fatty acids and numerous additives. With practice it takes no more than a minute to produce delicious homemade dressings.

-Always buy butter. Margarine and shortening may cost less but it is a false economy, one that leads to numerous impoverishing diseases. If butter costs too much, use lard in cooking. (she explains in much detail the differences/pros/cons of each type of fat...animal fats being the best overall along with non-heat treated plant oils such as extra virgin olive oil and coconut oil)

-Make soup stock at least once a week using meat bones (fish, chicken, beef, etc) They cost very little and are very nourishing. You can get by with less meat in your diet when you use properly made soup stock.

-It's better to put your money into whole foods than vitamins. However, most people do benefit from daily cod liver oil, one of the cheapest supplements on the market. Lacto-fermented beet kvass (recipe in book) contains an array of nutrients and is easy and inexpensive to make.

-Good quality dairy products are worth the price. If you can, find a source for raw milk.

-The less expensive vegetables are the most nourishing- potatoes, cabbage, carrots, zucchini, onions, broccoli, chard, beets and kale- and they are easy to prepare. Always prepare or serve vegetables with butter for best assimilation of the minerals they contain.

-If you can't afford caviar, buy fish roe in the spring, it's filled with nutrients. (I likely won't be jumping to try this one!)

-Don't forget eggs as a nourishing, low-cost alternative to meat. It pays to buy the best quality. (free-range if possible)

-Make soups part of your repertoire. Blended soups take very little time and are very nourishing.

-Don't forget to eat liver occasionally. It's inexpensive, but worth it's weight in gold, nutritionally speaking. (she gives many ways to cook and disguise it)

-Leftovers, leftovers, leftovers. Use them, don't throw them out. And be creative with them.

-Buy organic grains in bulk and store in 5 gallon buckets (if you have a grinder) If not, buy in flour or rolled form. Learn to make your own bread from whole grain flours, using sourdough/sprouted methods. (buy those types of bread too, if you can't make your own)

-Learn to make basic brown rice. It is delicious, economical and nutritious. Use leftovers in soups and salads.

-Children love cookies. Learn to make nutritious ones (from the book- no refined sugars or flours)

-Make kombucha! It's cheap, refreshing and nutritious.

-Try not to over-economize on food. Instead cut out all junk food, prepared foods, soft drinks, frozen foods, fast foods, etc. and use the savings to buy good quality whole foods. Above all, use good quality fats- they keep you healthy in times of stress.

So, that's the most of it. I can't do them all, nor can anyone. But if we strive in that direction slowly over time, we can change our own future. And that of our children. She goes into the epidemic of infertility also, and explains how that if we want grandchildren someday, we need to make eating healthy a priority. One or two generations can handle lack of nutrients, but more than that, and major problems will be pending (or already are in many cases). The bottom line is that, very few if any, big corporations (Kellogg's, Heinz, and those other companies that offer you coupons so you think you are saving big money) have your health and nutrition in mind when they are coming up with products to sell. Greg's aunt and uncle are friends with the CEO of Hormel Meats, and he is a vegetarian. Coincidence? I think not. He knows what goes into (and not into) the food, and doesn't eat it himself. That to me, is bad business. Our beef producer (who is butchering a whopping 5 animals this fall) eats his meat and proudly shares it with others. I feel safe eating his product knowing that he eats it himself.

Another quote from another source says, "May you never know the disease you avoided by choosing to live healthy". How true! If you're interested in the book, I found it cheapest at walmart.com (cheaper new there than used anywhere else) and there are also many reviews on amazon.com if you want more information without my opinion added in!

http://www.walmart.com/ip/1903477?sourceid=1500000000000003260340&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=1903477#ShortReviewTitleBar

http://www.amazon.com/Nourishing-Traditions-Challenges-Politically-Dictocrats/dp/0967089735/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1282800469&sr=1-1

Here's a few pictures from this summer. Last Sunday we took a drive down to the coast for a day of R'n'R. We decided to stop whenever we saw the sun. Well, that happened to Cannon Beach. But, by the time we had exited the exit ramp, the sky was gray again. But, the weather was warm, and we enjoyed our time anyhow. We went to Ecola State Park this time, and these pictures are on Indian Beach. It is absolutely beautiful. You can see the lighthouse (in the background in the first picture), and there are tide pools where we found jellyfish and oyster shells.

The boys loved running in the waves, and those are surfers in the background catching the waves.



























Elise loved riding in the Ergo (my latest awesome carrier), and we did as much hiking as a couple 3 & 5 year old walkers could handle.

We then headed down to Tillamook, as we had promised the boys a tour of the Cheese Factory. As always, we try to cram too much into our relaxing day, making it a busy, busy day. The Tillamook Factory was super busy, so we didn't buy anything (the lines were miles long to buy even an ice cream cone), so we headed across the road and had some fish and chips for supper instead. James was at his finest cooperation, as per usual.

We tried to take a short cut home, which ended up getting us lost and back in Portland, so it ended up a long cut instead. Our map didn't zoom in close enough to see where we were supposed to go, and the signs were poor and somehow we ended up pretty much where we had left off (making a big loop instead of progress!)

This picture is of a bonnet that my aunt bought for Elise at a garage sale. She actually like wearing it, although you can't tell that from the picture. She wore it all day, to church and all. She usually is pulling hats off, so that's unusual.

Here's one from the Cowlitz County Fair, where we went a couple weeks ago. It's a great small town fair, which is free (yay!) although we did have to pay to see the rodeo. The kids found the rodeo a bit boring, mostly because there was so much waiting between action. Then they'd miss the action because they were jumping around, not paying attention. Luke enjoyed petting some animals, but James was pretty hesitant to be so close to them.













This video is our boys (along with their friends) who came up with the idea to drive their car down the driveway. The switch is broken on it, so it only goes backwards, so they came up with the idea to push it up the driveway and then ride down. It worked so well that Greg had to try the fun!

Mundane Bliss

One thought that has run through my head frequently, that I'd like to share with you, is how important mundane chores are. In this world we live in, we'd all love to get a massage, relax in a hot tub, or find a sport that relaxes our mind and refreshes our body (me included). While these are all well and good, often we overlook the obvious, and even complain about them.

If we look at the happiest people in the world, most of them have nothing by material standards. But, they cherish the things that matter. God, family, food, shelter, clothing and the basics. They have to work hard just to live, when we complain so often about the perks and pluses of the abundant life we lead. We often take the basics for granted, and gripe that we have to "make" our food, "maintain" our houses and "wash" our many clothes. Yep, I do that too, regretfully. One quote I heard recently said something to the effect of "if you can't take a few hours out of your week to prepare nutritious meals for your family, then you really need to reevaluate your priorities." I have to say I'm guilty of flying-by-my-seat when it comes to meal planning, but I know that we eat a lot more nutritiously and cheaply when I take the time to plan ahead. And I don't get as stressed overall.

The point that I'm getting to is, that these mundane tasks are what refresh us the most. There is nothing that clears your head like folding a mountain of laundry. Or washing a huge pile of dishes. Or thoughtfully putting cookie after cookie on a cookie sheet and seeing them all lined up in a row when you're done. Although I would never want to trade in my automatic dishwasher or washing machine, I am secretly glad that there are still some chores that require no thought other than taking the time to get them done. This gives me time to pray (which we are to do without ceasing, and it's pretty hard to do if you are talking, listening to music, TV is on, etc.) and to meditate what God wants for my life and how to go about achieving it.

This weekend we had beautiful weather, which gave me the opportunity to hang all my wet laundry on my clothes line. That...was therapy. If you don't have a clothes line, get yourself one! Even a drying rack outside (or inside, which is how I often have to use it in rainy WA) is just about as good. I have one friend who isn't on facebook, because she likes to hang dry her clothes, and figured it out that the time she would spend on facebook she could be hanging out clothes each day. And much more therapeutic too! Very true, although I haven't been able to give up facebook yet! (side note benefit of hanging laundry: about $50 a month was saved by another friend when she switched to hang drying!)

Picture is of Woof Woof, Snuggle Monkey and Cuddle Bear after their "bath" in the washer! (in order of ownership -L, J, E)












Jobs that I am blessed to do which I classify as "therapeutic" due to their monotony: hanging laundry, folding laundry, washing dishes, baking bread, mowing lawn, berry picking, weeding the garden, stirring the soup pot. This is, of course if you don't have a crying baby to tend to while trying to get them done, or whining toddler hanging on your leg. Then, not so fun! But, try one today and just let that phone ring. I think you'll see how much better you feel. And remember to thank God for them, and the ability to do them too!

Another added bonus is the benefit it has on your family. These chores give your family a sense of accomplishment when the job is done which builds self-confidence. It gives you time to discuss the matters on your heart or mind that day, and what the proper response as a Christian should be. It gives you time to teach your children about hard work and trains them to be a good employee someday. It also teaches a child patience over instant gratification. Weeding the garden shows how to tell the difference between weeds and vegetables. It teaches them about the plant life cycles and the need all living things have for water and nutrients. There is so much that can be taught while doing these mundane chores. And last but not least, it provides the quality and quantity time with them (both in one shot), that they so need!

Kids, kids and kids

Well, through all the craziness in my head, one thing keeps me going each day. It's these beautiful children that God has entrusted to my care. They shower me with love, give me purpose each day and make me laugh (something not too many folks can do, sorry to say). Here's a few of the latest:

James: Mom, at that cowboy fight the other day, I heard some horses saying "ouch" not "neigh".
Luke: It wasn't a cowboy fight, it was a rodeo.
James: Yeah, at that yodeo...

Luke: I feel sick
Me: What kind of sick- your head, your tummy?
Luke: No, just the regular kind. Can I have some tea?
Me: What kind?
Luke: Well, it doesn't matter, as long as it's not DECAF!

Tonight Luke stepped off the curb where a car was coming (and he had forgotten to look). Greg reminded him what could happen if a car didn't see him and hit him (that he could get hit and fall to the ground). James piped up "and then you'd be DEAD". Akk! James quite regularly lays on the floor and says, "Hey look Mom, I'm dead!" in a very cheerful voice.