A Back To Basics Kind of Mom

100 Things That Make Me Happy

2010-06-14T22:41:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine recently wrote 100 Things That Make Me Happy and shared her list with me. When I read it, I found myself simultaneously thinking "There's no way I could come up with 100 things" and coming up with my things I would write down. I smiled through her list.

So, it's time for me to make my list. Especially coming out of stressful times and postpartum depression issues, I need to focus on the things that bring me happiness and joy. I need to help remember those things. If you blog, I encourage you to give this exercise a try too.

1. Michael's big ole' honkin' arms!
2. Sunsets
3. Sunrises
4. Isaac's blue eyes
5. Isabel's kind heart
6. Coffee
7. Drinking coffee with my husband
8. Riding bikes
9. Hiking
10. Clouds
11. Thunderstorms
12. When my husband cracks himself up!
13. My dogs (most of the time ;)
14. Mountains
15. Snow
16. Clear brisk clear skies
17. Water falls
18. Baby toes!
19. Baby giggles
20. Baby clothes
21. Sitting under the stars
22. Watching a favorite show with Michael and pausing it to make random comments
23. Watching airplanes fly overhead
24. My kids playing nicely together
25. Seeing my children light up with when their daddy comes home
26. A fresh painted room
27. Crisp linens on a clothesline
28. Cutting fresh veggies
29. Eating strawberries and sugar with Isabel
30. Writing
31. A random memory of my Mamu
32. Seeing that old friends are doing well through facebook
33. My friends
34. When Michael holds me tight as we're falling asleep
35. Homer and Shiver wrestling!
36. The smell of a new car
37. Cheese
38. Cooking new recipes
39. Feeding my family healthy foods
40. Happy Endings
41. Watching my children sleep
42. Sleep in
43. Napping with my family
44. Watching something just "click" with my kids
45. Talking on the phone
46. Flowers
47. Balloons
48. Swinging
49. Skating
50. Being married to my knight in shining armor
51. Swimming
52. Watching Isabel be the social butterfly that she is
53. The excitement before a vacation
54. Isaac with his deep questions
55. Giraffes
56. Dreaming
57. Childhood memories
58. Thinking about the future
59. A clean house
60. Laughing with/at Michael
61. Knowing that Jesus has my back!
62. Texting with my husband
63. Kittens
64. Puppies
65. Avocados
66. Road trips
67. A bed all made up with fresh clean linens
68. Long lunches
69. Family dinners at the table
70. Blackout Night
71. A patio and a margarita
72. A patio and a cup of coffee
73. Helping others
74. Laughter
75. Paying off debt
76. Buying in cash
77. Antiques
78. Long, hot, baths
79. Watching my babies sleep
80. Nice warm blanket
81. Ice Cream
82. Holding Michael's hand
83. Family Sandwich
84. Time w/ my babies
85. Smell of a newborn baby
86. Giving a Christmas present
87. Working with Children
88. Spending the day in my pajamas
89. Finally finding my place
90. Watching my children laugh
91. Seeing my kids like things that I did as a little girl
92. Buying cute outfits for my kids
93. Watching Isaac try new tricks on his bike and skateboard
94. Blogging
95. Marathon watch days of favorite tv shows
96. Date nights
97. Advocting for informed consent with vaccines and other medical interventions
98. Everyone piled in my bed together snuggling as a family
99. Isabel turning into such a young lady
100. Watching my kids walk right up to new kids and start playing, no hesitations

I've read this list a few times since typing it. Can't wipe the smile off my face.

Forgiveness

2010-06-07T21:17:00.000-05:00

And this is not the watered down, bubble gum version either...

I've recently been told that forgiveness, as in of Biblical proportions, is about turning your cheek, looking away, being the bigger person (i.e. sweeping it under the rug). I've been told that this is the Christian way.

I think someone forgot to read their Bible.

If we delve into forgiveness from a Biblical perspective, it doesn't seem to happen quite that easily. In every account of forgiveness I find in the Bible, forgiveness was a reaction to someone's repentance. I do not see an example of Jesus forgiving us sinners simply because it's the nice thing to do or even because we are all family. What I see in the Bible is someone going to Jesus or someone whom they have wronged, acknowledging their wrong doings, turning away from those actions and reqesting forgiveness.

There is a new popular book out. It is a Christian novel but really puts forgiveness in a transparent light. In The Shack, William P. Young authors the following,

"Mackenzie," Papa was strong and firm. "I already told you that forgiveness does not create a relationship. Unless people speak the truth about what they have done and change their mind and behavior, a relationship of trust is not possible. When you forgive someone you certainly release them from judgment, but without true change, no real relationship can be established."

I think Young truly captured the struggle of many people in these few sentences. Forgiveness, can it be given freely? Does it require any actions? Does it wipe the slate clean? Does it continue to put a person in the path of more hurt? No. Young got it right. You can forgive someone and release them of all judgement but that doesn't automatically erase the hurt and pain caused along the way, it doesn't heal a relationship.

Granted, Young didn't author the Bible, but there are stories in there, as well, of similar accounts of forgiveness. Lets look at the book of Genesis, particularly the life of Joseph. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers. God had bigger plans for Joseph and brought him out of slavery and into a position of power. Circumstances occured which brought Joseph's brothers, the ones who sold him into slavery, at the feet of his mercy.

Joseph was a good man. He still loved his brothers. But, he did not just forgive them right away as soon as he realized who they were. He stayed back, watched and tested his brothers. He tested them many times to see if they were the same men who had betrayed him many years before. It wasn't until he was certain that they had turned from their ways and became good men that he revealed himself to them. They were terrified. They were in a position of complete dependence on this man whom they had once wronged. They apologized. They begged for forgiveness. And, Joseph had already seen for himself that they had changed. He not only forgave his brothers but rekindled their relationships. He provided for their families and they were all happily reunited.

The Bible teaches in parables. This is a great parable on the process of forgiveness. I don't believe God left this tale in the Bible for no good reason. I believe it is to be used as a learning tool along with the other scriptures.

It can be a dangerous thing to pull scriptures out of context. That is why it is important to not only read the full conext but to also look at the character of Christ. Like I said earlier, Christ doesn't forgive our sins unless we turn to Him, turn away from our sins and ask for forgiveness. I see that as the example Christ has for us to follow.

I think people find themselves caught up in a very narcissistic view of forgiveness. This stance works out great for someone who cannot fathom any wrong doing but it does nothing to promote healing and restoration.

Heart-felt prayer for God's conviction on our wrong-doings can open our eyes and our hearts to the hurt we have caused others. Only after recognizing our own indiscretions can we change directions and have Biblical grounds for seeking forgiveness from those we have wronged.

Given over to God... no grudges...

Vaccine Developers: Heroes or Villains

2010-05-27T12:43:00.001-05:00

Dr. Sherri Tenpenny is an incredible resource for parents who find themselves questioning the current vaccination recommendations. She has written many helpful articles, books and informative dvd's.

Her website: http://www.drtenpenny.com/ serves as an oasis of information for anyone researching the safety, efficacy, legality and history of vaccines.

She just released two new dvd's in effort to help educate us all on the dangers of vaccines as well as the corruptions involved within the medical field (in relation to vaccines).

I've already watched Vaccine Developers: Heroes or Villains? and can't wait to watch Vaccine Basics: What You Need To Know this coming weekend! Here is the review I wrote for Amazon...

In true Dr. Tenpenny style, she factually lays out data in an easy to follow manner shining light on the deceptive nature of the vaccine business. From, skewed studies giving the illusion of effective vaccination programs to serious conflicts of interest between vaccine manufacturers and government officials who are in place to dictate "mandated" vaccine schedules, Dr. Tenpenny exposes this deep-rooted corruption that plagues the medical field. And setting all the hype aside, she exposes the truth behind the smallpox and polio vaccines; revealing they were not the miracle cure they have been made out to be all these years. Vaccine Developers Heroes or Villains also offers incredible insight into the safety and efficacy of several different vaccines as well as giving informative facts as to why they are not necessary (and often contradictory) to maintaining good health. This is an excellent video for those well-studied in vaccine dangers as well as those who are just now starting to question the use of vaccines.

Good Deeds or Christ Follower?

2010-05-26T00:55:00.000-05:00

In the realm of Christian beliefs and tenets the discussion of good deeds often surfaces. Almost always veering to the determined stance that good deeds are merely that, deeds, and not a saving grace by their own merit. But, in standing so staunchly by that creed are we limiting the way we live out our faith for fear it may appear to others that we believe our eternity depends on our works?

From my observances and perspective, I believe I could almost agree with that.

Random acts of kindness, good deeds, whatever we want to label it...being good to other's is just an expression of our relationship with Christ. Being nice to each other, lending a helping hand, going out of our way to make someone elses day a little bit brighter ... none of those things will get us into heaven. But, I have to believe that if we are Christ-like, if we have a relationship with our creator, those actions become almost innate. We can't help ourselves but to be there for our brothers and sisters because we all have a lot in common! We are sinners, we need help! We are God's children whether we claim our heritage or not.

We do good deeds. Not because we are obligated to but because of who we are; we are Christ-followers. The deeds won't get me in to heaven. But, the relationship that is expressed through good deeds, will; I have faith in that!

M.I.A.

2010-05-05T22:12:00.002-05:00

I know I haven't updated in forever! Life's been crazy... good, but crazy!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Panko Chicken Nuggets

2010-04-07T12:50:00.000-05:00

These are really good! I used to make real (fattening) chicken nuggets for my family, assuming they were still better than fast food nuggets! Well, in my quest to find my pre-pregnancy weight, I am changing things up a bit!

I played around with a few recipes then finally settled on this one!

4 boneless skinless chicken breast cut into nuggets sized cubes
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
2 Tbs. Sesame Seeds (optional but yummy)
Seasonings (salt, pepper, oregano, garlic powder, Lawry's seasoning salt... whatever you like)
2 eggs, beaten

Preheat over to 375.
Spray a baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Submerge each nugget in the beaten egg, then roll through the bread crumbs to fully coat. Place on baking dish.
When your baking pan is full, lighly spray the nuggets with your cooking spray... this will help them to get nice and crispy!
Bake for 30-45 minutes until both sides are brown and crispy! I flip them about half way through.

Serve with BBQ Sauce, homemade ranch dressing or homemade honey mustard dipping sauce!

The first time I made these the kids were not overly crazy about them, although they did clear their plate and go back for seconds! The 2nd and subsequent times they have loved them and even begged for them!

I like to serve them with raw carrot sticks and broccoli flowerets!

Enjoy!
~Elisabeth

It's All In The Pictures...

2010-03-29T14:15:00.000-05:00

Yesterday evening, Michael and I were missing our friend and decided to pull out the two rolling bins I have underneath our bed filled with our pictures. We expected to find our friend in there somewhere... afterall, I am the camera queen and have always made sure to photograph every moment of my children's lives... that should include those around us, in our lives... right?

Sadly, nope.

After going through each and every photo, we found just a handful of our friend. But, sadly, they were all of him in the background... or of his shoes... his knee... No where was there just a good pic of our friend.

What I learned about myself is that I've been so obsessed with capturing every little thing my children do on camera, that I forgot to also capture those people who are in their lives. I saw very few pictures of other people, unless they were holding one of my children.

My focus has been too narrow. My kids will cherish having their first steps caught in pictures and their first time to swim and their first trip to the mountains, yes. But, they also need to be able to look back and see the people who were in their lives, who helped shape who they will have become.

Our friend was in our lives for 10 years... came to birthday parties, shared holidays with us, stopped in to visit many times, welcomed us into their home many times... and all I have to show for his impact on my family are a few accidental shots of him among my family photos.

I can just hear him know, "Elisabeth, you know.....". (Fill in with some great words of wisdom and that's Marcus.)

Being friends with Marcus truly was a blessing... we did benefit greatly from that blessing but I feel there is so much we missed out on.

I'm now on a mission to fix my camera... and fix my focus.

Elisabeth

Taken For Granted...

2010-03-25T12:39:00.001-05:00

Hug Your Friends!

Call a friend you have not called in a while!

Make it a priority to visit with and fellowship with your friends!

Let your friends know how much they mean to you!

They can be taken away from you in the blink of an eye...

We got lucky. We got a wake up call. A reminder that we have neglected a dear friendship. We are blessed with a second chance to fire up our friendship and be as good of friends to them as they have always been to us.

We don't always get second chances...

So, go hug a friend!!

~Elisabeth

And sometimes those 2nd chances are fleeting... Rest In Peace Marcus.

Recipe: Green Chili Chicken and Rice Bowls

2010-03-03T12:03:00.001-06:00

This is a very simple, yet yummy, recipe that I use when I don't really feel like cooking! It is so good and can be varied greatly depending on how you choose to top it!

You will need:

Cooked Chopped Chicken
Cooked Rice
1 Can Green Chilis
1 Can Refried Beans or equivalent amount of Homemade Refried Beans (or you can use Black Beans)
Seasonings
Toppings: shredded cheese, black olives, chopped onion, lettuce, tomato, sourcream, fresh cilantro, sliced avocado, fresh salsa

When I make this, I have usually failed to set anything out for dinner! So, I grap a bag of frozen boneless chicken thighs from the fridge... we buy organic from Costco and they come sealed in the perfect portion sizes. You can use any cut of chicken though or even leftovers from the fridge. I throw my frozen chicken into a pot of boiling water, w/ a stalk of celery, some onion slices and a few cloves of garlic sliced. Boil for about 45 minutes... the chicken should pull right apart with a fork, very easily. Remove just the chicken and discard the rest.

Take your cooked chicken and give it just a quick course chop. In a skillet, heat just a bit of olive oil, enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Get it nice and hot, toss in chicken and sautee 3-4 minutes. Then, add in 1 can of green chilis, toss well, then reduce heat to medium-low. Let this cook while you prepare the rest of the meal so that the chicken can absorb all the yummy flavor of the chilis.

Heat your beans. I like to add a dash of ground cumin, a few dashes of chili powder and a few dashes of garlic salt.

And, now you are ready to create your rice bowl! Layer it up and enjoy!

Beans, Rice, Chicken, shredded cheese and a dollup of sour cream... is how we ate it last night. We also like to pile on lots of veggies: avocado, lettuce, chopped onion, black olives!

The beauty of this dish is that you can very easily personalize it to your own tastes!

Enjoy! ~Elisabeth

Family

2010-02-27T09:49:00.000-06:00

Family makes the world go 'round!

What I've learned over my many ;) years... my whole 32 of them!

Blood ties don't always bring forth family...

The lack of blood ties does not negate family...

Family can happen anytime, anywhere, with anyone...

Our family is a unique one, of many friends, few blood ties.

God ceates family between His followers.

It's His family that makes the world go 'round.

The Days Gone By...

2010-02-19T21:03:00.000-06:00

I've been noticing lately...

Out and about with my kids,

More often than not...

An old man, no offense to old men, engages my children.

Coversation. Eye Contact. Genuine Interest. Laughter. Mutual Affection.

Is this gone with the times?

Will the next generation of men take notice of the children around them?

In an age when so many dads are either out of the picture or too busy to take notice, will the old men engage the children?

Will it become a lost art like sewing or scratch cooking?

How will that influence the children of tomorrow.

Who will engage the children? Who will share their tall-tales? Take time to make eye contact with the children and bring the laughter?

I happen to deeply value the life lessons we can learn from the generations who have been there done that. Who will pass on those life lessons?

I love old men, and old ladies.

I pray there are always old people to engage the young ones.

Let's start now. Let's take the time to care about other's children. Engage them. Love them.

Let's be community to each other. To families around us.

Let's not let the days gone by, fizzle out. There's something to be said for classics, afterall!

-Elisabeth

L.O.V.E.

2010-02-13T13:41:00.000-06:00

I LOVE him!

I love his coffee!

I love his babies!

I love being his wife!

I love his hard work!

I love his devotion to his family!

I love his spiritual leadership!

I love his big strong arms!

I love his eyes...

and his goatee!

I LOVE him!

My husband of the past 9 1/2 years!

My best friend!

My love!

Vaccines: Life Sentence?

2010-02-06T12:25:00.000-06:00

There is so much hooplah in the news lately in regards to the big vaccine debate. People, including myself, are very passionate in regards to their stance on vaccines. Heated discussions are found quite often. What I haven't found much of is respect for personal choice, and that is the part that saddens me and down right angers me.

Whether or not to vaccinate your child has always been something I've thought of as a personal choice. One of the parenting choices where no one can tell a parent what to do, what is best. A choice that parents should each make from their own gut instinct, their own experiences and education. I do feel passionate about spotlighting the dangers of vaccines but it has never crossed my mind to be judgemental of parents who do choose to vaccinate. I've never even entertained the thought that parents should be "forced" to NOT vaccinate their children. I've always been an advocate for informed choice but in the end, it's the parents who have to live with the decision either way and it is no one's business but their own what they choose.

Lately, there are rumblings of possible "forced" or "mandated" vaccinations. Alot of pro-vaccine people have no problem with that. Well, I do.

Just because some or most children handle vaccines just fine does not mean that all children will. My son, for example, did not handle vaccines well. And, because of this one-size-fits-all approach our medical experts have taken to vaccinations, a forced or mandated vaccine program will sentence countless children to death or at the very least, a life full of repercussions.

I wish parents and experts on the other end of the debate would have some some compassion for the children who will not tolerate vaccines well. Compassion for parents who may end up being forced to inject their children with toxins that can rob their child of their life potential.

Our country seems to have such a devalued respect for human life and quality of life. Look at Taiwan for example... ONE woman suffered a miscarriage following her swine flu injection and the government took immediate action! Life is valued in Taiwan, quality of life is valued. The government susupended ALL vaccines on pregnant women pending further investigation as to whether or not the vaccine played any roll in this loss of life.

America, on the other hand, turns a blind eye. There are over 250 (and likely more) women who believe they suffered a miscarriage due to the swine flu vaccine and the "experts" have turned a blind eye, giving absolutely NO creedence to their suffering. Where is the value of life? Where is the care and compassion for these women who lost their babies? Where is the protective nature of our trusted health officials, our political officials whom we have entrusted with protecting and advocating for our well-being?

It is this out-of-touch, compassionless leadership who obviously sees not a whole lot of value in human life that has led to so much mistrust of the medical experts and politicians who play a roll in our nation's health care options.

Once upon a time, there was a group of parents, advocates who believed that cigarettes were dangerous, believed that they caused cancer. Guess what? They were ridiculed. They were called "extremists", "mis-informed", "paranoid", much like the people today who are screaming out about the dangers of vaccines. Health officials and politicians were wrong then and they may vey well be wrong now. Today, it is a completely accepted fact that cigarettes are harmful and cause cancer. If it wasn't for those voices calling out for research, demanding attention, would cigarettes still be "safe" today?

The moral of my story: Compassion can go along way. Valuing life over the perceived "greater good", can go along way. Respect for personal choice, can go along way.

- Elisabeth

Just Putting It Out There For You, God.

2010-01-27T22:44:00.000-06:00

Heavenly Father, if we can offer a better life for one or more children from Haiti, our hearts are open. We are willing to do our part. But, God, this is a feat only You can accomplish in our lives.

We have fallen in love with their soulful eyes, their faith, their strength, their plight. Our family doesn't feel quite complete. We have a little bit of room and a whole lot of love to give.

Dave Ramsey says, "Work as though it relies only on you, and pray as though it relies only on God". We are ready to do the work, whatever it takes, but we know that is not enough. We are praying, Lord, because we know it relies solely on You, Lord. If it is Your will, I have faith You will work out the details.

You hear the pleas of my children at night asking for a brother and sister. You know the desires of my heart, Lord. You know what we can handle. Thy Will Be Done.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

~ Psalm 139:23-24

So You Don't Want To Go To Church Anymore

2010-01-20T15:17:00.000-06:00

by: Wayne Jacobsen and Dave Coleman

This book isn't for everyone, I'd like to say up front! But, it truly spoke to the experiences we have had in church and to the path we feel God has us on at this time. It's a great read. Eye-opening. Profound.

Salsa! What More To Say/

2010-01-18T10:16:00.000-06:00

I LOVE fresh salsa! I could drink it, I love it so much!
So, for the past few months I have been on a mission to perfect my salsa recipe... and I think I finally have it! It's simple and zangy and perfect!

Now, salsa is a very personal preference. Salsa can take on many looks and smells and flavors... it's all a matter of personal taste! But, this is a good basic recipe that can easily be modified to become perfection according to your own tastebuds! So, play around with it and make it your own... or enjoy it just the way I do!

8 Tomatoes (medium to large)
1 Jalepeno (seeds and all)
1/2 Red Onion (largish or 1 whole smallish onion)
1 Lime
4-5 Cloves of Garlic
Cilantro
1/2-1 tsp. White Vinegar
1/2-1 tsp. Tomato Paste
1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin

I start off by washing then chopping all my veggies. Just a rough chop is fine. I don't even bother peelng the tomatoes. Chop the ends off the jalepeno and discard. Pick a good handful of leaves off the cilantro discarding the thick stems.

Throw all the chopped veggies into a pan and heat on medium heat on the stove top. Take the lime, roll it around on the countertop applying a bit of pressure with your palm. This helps release some of the juices. Then, slice in half and squeeze juice right into the pan w/ the other veggies.

Cook and stir well for about 20 minutes or until the veggies are soft. Then toss into the blender and just blend for about 1 minute to get it to a nice consistency.

Pour the salsa back into the pan. I add between 1/2 tsp and 1 tsp of tomato paste just to give it that lush red color. Start out with just a small amount and you can add a bit more if you think it needs it. Then, add a splash of white vinegar. I never measure it, but I'd guess it was about 1/2-1 tsp. You can also add salt and pepper if you like. Add ground cumin. Stir it all together.

Pour into a dish, then cover and refrigerate. Well, set it out on the counter until it cools off so you aren't putting a hot dish into the cold refrigerator. It's better the next day, once all the flavors have mingled and marinated together. Serve cold and enjoy!!

~ Elisabeth

A Little Bit of the Why!

2010-01-16T11:39:00.000-06:00

I'm still feeling a little defensive of our deciding to study and embrace our Hebrew Roots. No real reason as to why, just something I am working through. But, what is so warming, is that God isn't offended by my hesitations or defensiveness. Rather, He places little bits of affirmation along the way for us, to encourage us.

For instance, Michael received this random email this week:

Why Did Jesus Fold the Napkin?

Why did Jesus fold the linen burial cloth after His resurrection? I never noticed this.....

The Gospel of John (20:7) tells us that the napkin, which was placed over the face of Jesus, was not just thrown aside like the grave clothes.

Then Simon Peter, who was behind him,arrivedand wentinto the tomb. He sawthe strips of linen lying there, as wellas teh burialcloth that had been around Jesus'head. The cloth wasfolded up by itself, seperate from the linen. John 20:6-7 NIV

The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us that the napkin was neatly folded, and was placed separate from the grave clothes. Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the

tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, 'They have taken the Lord's body out of the tomb, and I don't know where they have put him!' Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb to see.. The other disciple outran Peter and got there first. He stooped and looked in and saw the linen cloth lying there, but he didn't go in. Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus' head was folded up and lying to the side. Was that important? Absolutely!

Is it really significant? Yes!

In order to understand the significance of the folded napkin, you have to understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition of that day. The folded napkin had to do with the Master and Servant, and every Jewish boy knew this tradition.

When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it..

The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait, just out of sight, until the master had finished eating, and the servant would not dare touch that table, until the master was finished.

Now if the master were done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard, and would wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table.

The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, 'I'm done'.

But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table, because..........

The folded napkin meant, 'I'm coming back!'

He is Coming Back!

This is just an example of why Michael and feel called to embrace our heritage. There seems to be so much lost in the scriptures without such knowledge. We feel that identifying with our Hebraic roots can bring a level of clarity and understanding of God's Word that have been missing out on.

~Elisabeth

Sometimes God Says, No. Sometimes He says, Not Right Now.

2010-01-14T13:50:00.000-06:00

I'm not sure which God is saying to me but I do know that we have been trying to have more babies for almost 2 years now.
I know that God has put a yearning in my heart for more babies.

I know that He knows that my heart leaps everytime I see a new baby or hear a sweet little cry.

I know that He is in control of it all.

I know that I have enough love to give to more babies.

I know that I don't care whether the baby is black, white, blue, purple, brown or yellow... I'd love that baby all the same.

God knows that my heart broke when I saw this sad little face. He knows that I cried for this little boy. He knows that I have a yearning to just scoop him up and make his world all better again.

I know I have two beautiful blessings playing school in the other room and I am very thankful.

I have hope. I will be patient. And I have faith that in some form or fashion God will fill this void in my heart.

... I just need to work on the patient part a little more!

Dear Oroweat, Please Don't Disappoint!

2010-01-11T17:16:00.001-06:00

One of my first victories in the High Fructose Corn Syrup battle was the discovery of Oroweat brand bread! Every loaf I came across was maked across the front, in red letters, "NO HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP"! I even gave them a shout out on one of my first HFCS blog posts! I found comfort in knowing, I didn't have to read labels every single grocery visit, I could just grab one of the many varieties of Oroweat bread and trust that it did not contain HFCS.

Well, my past two shopping trips, I have noticed a daunting trend... their packages no longer don those trustful red letters! I had to read the label to be sure they had not started using HFCS again! Thankfully, the ingredient list proved loyal but it started me wondering why on earth would they take that healthful proclamation off their packaging?

My cynical side assumes the are weaning us back into HFCS. I pray I'm wrong! I pray I find those comforting green letters back on my bread soon!

I plan to send Oroweat an email with my concerns and will hopefully hear back that the printer had just run out of red ink and that my favorite green letters will find their way back to the bread that I have come to trust and love!

I'll come back and update with their response!

Elisabeth

Update: Going HFCS free!

2010-01-09T14:45:00.000-06:00

I just wanted to share a small accomplishment! Christmas day was the last time I have had a soda! Normally, and this is very embarrassing to admit publicly, I could easily have consumed 3 or 4 cans of soda a day! I have "given up" soda many times in my life... but this time I am not dying for one! I don't even think about them, I'm just done w/ them! I think that is due to my research and stong convictions against High Fructose Corn Syrup!

Anyways, a few days ago, I put a ring on that I always wear on my pinky. As I put my arm down to my side, the ring slipped right off and rolled around my kitchen floor. I picked it up, and thought, hmmm... let's try it on your ring finger, Elisabeth. Low and behold, it fit pefectly!!

I don't know if I should be bragging about this part out loud, but b/w Christmas day and that day, I had not made any changes to my diet or excerise other than not consuming HFCS. Now, I eagerly await seeing results in more high-priority areas other than my fingers!

Oh, I also am starting to include more fruits and veggies and a brisk daily walk!

ETA: Disclaimer... I technically have consumed two bottles of soda during that time. The difference, those sodas were made with all-natural cane sugar rather than HFCS. Also, I just consumed one at time. We decided that making sodas completely off-limits was a fast way to wrecking our resolve... so we splurge once a week or so and have 1 bottle of all-natural soda!

SAFE FOODS - Fast Food

2010-01-06T19:23:00.002-06:00

I decided to compile a list of "Safe Foods" to eat if we find ourselves out and about needing something quick to eat!

My criteria for making the list is NO High Fructose Corn Syrup, NO MSG, and NO food dyes.

Chick-Fil-A:
Waffle Fries
Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Side Salad
Chargrilled Chicken and Fruit Salad
Chargrilled Chicken Garden Salad
Chargrilled Chicken Cool Wrap
Chicken Caesar Cool Wrap
Caesar Dressing
Spicey DressingHarvest Nut Granola
Iced Tea
Iced Sweet Tea
Lemonade

I would LOVE it if Chick-Fil-A would revamp their products to not include MSG, HFCS and food dyes! Maybe they will realize the benefits to the health of our children and made some changes! I would love be able to add more options to my list!

Embracing Our Hebrew Roots

2010-01-03T16:30:00.005-06:00

Even as a young child, I never understood why the Sabboth, as we recognized it, fell on Sunday. Just look at a calendar and anyone can see that Sunday is the start of the week, not the end. It just never made any sense to me.

Perhaps that was just the first of God's nudges in leading me to an unquenched thirst for knowledge and understanding of our Jewish roots.

What little I've known of Jewish customs have always stood out to me, drawn me in. But, for fear of appearing to denounce Christ, I
never allowed myself to investigate the tug my heart has struggled against for many years.

Michael and I have discussed this off and on for the past several years. He has felt the same tug and has had an undeniable yearning to also embrace our Hebraic heritage.

We just didn't know where to start.

We started researching Messianic Jewish churches a couple years back. We never visited but learned all we could via the internet. What we felt we had gathered is that those congregations are more for completed Jews... Jews who had come to Christ. That seemed backwards of what we felt. We felt like Christ followers who wanted to re-earth, recapture and reclaim our Biblical heritage, celebrations and traditions.

And then... oatmeal!

I obviously love to cook! I've been on a kick to get my family eating healthier, more wholesome foods while doing away with processed foods. With it being cool out, I was thinking of warm, hearty sustenance which led to oatmeal. So, then I was trying to think of ways to make oatmeal more interesting for me and more appealing to my husband and children. I googled something like, "good oatmeal toppings". Low and behold, about mid-way down the page, having nothing to do with oatmeal, I found this website... a spring of information and resourses that may guide us through our exploration of what God is laying on our hearts; embracing our Hebrew Roots!

This, spoke to my soul...

"We study a Hebrew book-written by Hebrews; we serve a Hebrew Lord-who had Hebrew disciples; we desire to follow the first century church-which was first predominately Hebrew; and through Christ, we are grafted into a Hebrew family! It makes sense to study the Hebrew culture" excert from HeartofWisdom.com

I'm not sure where this will lead us. But, I feel like it fits as well as a perfect winter coat. Warming us, sustaining us, embracing us. Michael feels the same way. My kids are excited about this new adventure, as we have discussed it with them all along.

I hope to journal periodically on where God is leading us. I have some pending questions I hope to find answers to...

I don't think we're Baptist anymore?!
So, what are we? Hebraic Christians? Feels like a good fit!
Is there a church for this?
Will our Christian friends look at us like we have three heads?

... to be continued as we prayerfully follow God's leading ...

The Kitchen...It's My Place!

2009-12-30T00:17:00.007-06:00

Sounds a little sexist! A little old-fashioned! But, it's where my heart sings and my feet dance. I love being in the kitchen creating wholesome creations to nurture my family.

My husband joked that it probably looks bad to others... "here's some cooking stuff woman, now go bake for me!"... lol ... but, he made my culinary dreams come true for Christmas!

I got one of these... (a little early to make my holiday baking a little easier)

A plentiful set of these...

An 8 place continuance of my wedding dishes...

And this, for a new adventure...

I am happy as a LARK! The kitchen is my place to be me, to be the wife I want to be and the mom I want to be! Maybe it's sexist, maybe I'm old-fashioned, but that's me!

Where is your place in this world? Have you found it? I hope everyone can find that place that let's them grow in who they are!

Elisabeth

Make Your Lists and Check Them TWICE!

2009-12-22T11:46:00.003-06:00

As Christmas is approaching, I am making lists and double... triple checking them! I've gone through all the recipes I plan to use for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, written down all the ingredients I need and I've already shopped for the majority of it! Today, I will go through those lists once more and run to the store for anything I may not have yet! This way, I can avoid the chaos found at most grocery stores on Christmas Eve!

I've also checked with Santa and he has everything he needs from his list of gifts and stocking stuffers!

I am not naturally a very organized person, but I know from past experience that I do NOT want to be running around malls and grocery stores at the last minute! That kind of chaos just drains my Christmas spirit!

Having everything checked off in advance lends itself to enjoying a relaxed holiday where we can concentrate and reflect on the true meaning of Christmas. We can enjoy good food, and treats, and friends, and family and let Christ take center stage, right where He belongs!

So, if you haven't already... go make your lists! Run your last minute errands today, before it gets too crazy out there! Then, just enjoy Christmas with the Love and Promise that was born in a manger many moons ago.

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Another Christmas Blog!

2009-12-13T19:05:00.003-06:00

I love, love, love Christmas!

I love the colors of Christmas...

The smells of Christmas...

Christmas cheer...

The Christmas spirit!

Most of all ... I love the anticipation! We eagerly await the jingle of bells atop our roof and excitedly guess what lies wrapped underneath the tree in pretty papers with pretty bows. To me, much of the anticipation of Christmas is symbolic of our anticipation of the coming of Christ!

We pick out a tree to adorn with lights and pretty bobbles much like Christ adorns us with the Fruits of the Spirit.

The magic of Christmas brings me back to childhood innocence and trust and excitement; reminicent to me of Christ calling us to come to Him as the little children.

The magic is alive, only because of Him.

Not because of St. Nick, or decorated trees, or stuffed stocking, or gifts beneath the tree...

But, because of Christ! His birth. His life. His death. Pennance paid. Eternal life awaits!

Meaningful Christmas Ideas From: Focus On The Family

2009-12-11T06:56:00.002-06:00

Meaningful Christmas Ideas

Christmas symbolism for kids, gift ideas for siblings, faith discussions for teens
Symbols of Christmas
Sally Lloyd-Jones, author of The Jesus Storybook Bible, encourages parents to allow their children to help decorate for the celebration of Christ's birth.

"I love to involve children in the excitement of Jesus' coming," Sally says. "God's people waited for Him, and in Advent we're waiting, too. We're getting ready for Him; we’re preparing our homes and our hearts for Him."

Consider relating biblical symbolism and stories to items you use while decorating the tree. As you string the lights, you might remind your kids that Jesus is the Light of the World. The star on the top of the tree represents the star that led the wise men to where Jesus was born. Here are a few additional insights to share while decorating together:

Christmas tree
Evergreens don't lose their greenery. These trees can be symbolic of something that doesn't end and compared to eternal life.

Angel ornaments
God sent His choir of angels to proclaim the Good News to the shepherds.

Gifts
The greatest gift of all is Jesus Christ. God sent His only Son to pay the price for our sins.

— Andrea Gutierrez

Sibling Gift Idea
To teach their daughters about the value of giving gifts, Molly and Brad helped their 9-year-old, Reilly, create a surprise for her younger sister.

Reilly often read books to 7-year-old Calley, sometimes subbing for Mom or Dad at bedtime. So the idea of making an audio book for her story-loving sister seemed perfect. After selecting seven stories from among Calley’s favorites, Reilly read them out loud into a recording device, using different voices for each character.

Christmas morning, she barely contained her excitement as Calley opened the gift and shrieked with delight.

— Cathy Elliott

Q&A With Your Teen
"Who do people say the Son of Man is?" Jesus asked His disciples in Matthew 16:13. Then, more pointedly, He asked, "Who do you say I am?" (16:15). It's a question everyone must answer.

Who do your teenagers say Jesus is? Do they fully comprehend the meaning and significance of the Incarnation? Use the following questions to open a conversation with your teens.

1.What do cultural Christmas traditions, such as Christmas carols or gift giving practices, say about who Jesus is? Who do your peers and teachers say Jesus is? Who do you say He is?

Hopefully your teens will answer like Peter did: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16). Remember that adolescence is a period of owning faith, so allow your teens room to process this spiritual tenet.

2.Why is the Incarnation so important? What difference would it make if Jesus were only a great man?

Discuss the concept of God's great love compelling Him to become man and dwell with humanity.
3.How can our family experience and represent the truest characteristics of the Incarnation — humility, sacrifice and redemption — during this Christmas season?

Together, look for opportunities to reflect God's love to others.

— Jeremy V. Jones

These first appeared in the November/December, 2009 issue of Thriving Family magazine. Copyright © 2009 Focus on the Family. All rights reserved

My Baby Girl Turns 8 Today!!

2009-12-10T10:16:00.003-06:00

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

For the past 8 years, I have truly been blessed by her bright, soul-ful eyes, her tender loving nature, her quiet reserve, the way she just sits back and soaks in the world around her and her never-ending joyful smile!

Isabel Cora Twigg was a blessing we were not expecting but what a blessing she has been!

There are no words to express just how much I love my little girl! I have enjoyed our past together, I'm loving our present together and I am so looking forward to our future together!

She brings such joy to my life! I know it is going to be so hard to let her go in 10 years! Maybe she won't go. Maybe she live next door to me and raise her family close by! Hey, a mom can dream, right!?!

So, today we celebrate Isabel's 8th birthday! We celebrate her - all that she is, all that she will become and all that she brings to our family!

Momma loves you, baby girl! Happy Birthday!

It's Christmas Time at Our House!

2009-12-08T09:18:00.005-06:00

We have decked the halls... most of them.

Presents are under the tree... now, just waiting on Santa!

Donations being made to the local resource ministry... this year can be tough for some families especially those more effected by the economy.

Christmas dinner plans are in the works... Prime Rib, Roasted Rosemary New Potatoes, Fresh Green Beans, Creamed Spinache and desserts are still in the planning stages!

Nativity Set is on display... the true meaning of Christmas!

Our home is filled with Christmas Spirit... we are incredibly grateful for the gift of Christ!

Merry Christmas to all of you... May the spirit of Christmas fill your home with joy and love!

Advent

2009-11-30T20:30:00.003-06:00

The word "advent" comes from the Latin "adventus" meaning "arrival" or "coming," particularly of something of great importance.

I always though recognizing "Advent" was a Catholic thing, and me not being Catholic, I never thought much more of it. But, in looking for ways to help my children (and us) keep focus on the true meaning of Christmas amidst the holiday fesitivities, I came across some ideas that I think we will adopt!

My digging led me to Focus on the Family's website and the husband and I have decided to follow Advent the way they have layed out. Check it out HERE if you would like more information!

Since I did not know that Advent began yesterday, we ran out this evening and collected the candles we would need! I usually work on a budget, and this being no exception, we set out to find everything we would need. I found candles on sale for 50% off at Hobby Lobby! Then, after checking out the prices on the candle wreaths and not liking them, even at 50% off, we headed over to Dollar Tree! I found green garland and holly for a dollar each! I brought it all home, pulled out one of my gold platters and assembled my arrangement! I'd love to take a picture to share, but I forgot to charge my camera batteries!

We began this evening with a double dose making up for last night! The kids really seemed to enjoy it. We started off by singing Away in a Manger, then read the appropriate Bible verses, lit tonight's candle, then dh ended us in prayer.

I really feel like this is a great way for the children to experience the journey of Christ's birth and hopefully to gain a deeper understanding of it's importance.

This is a tradition we will definitely hold tight and keep with us through the years!!

Thankfulness...

2009-11-27T19:05:00.003-06:00

Thanksgiving is indeed a time of reflection. Gratitude. Humility. Appreciation. Thankfulness.

I've been reflecting on all the ways God has blessed me and my family. He is always faithful to us, always provides for our needs and even takes time to pay attention to the details.

Some of the blessings for which I am eternally grateful:

My family. My home. My dog. Reliable transportation. Job security. Steady income. Isabel. Isaac. Michael. Friends. Healthy foods. Love. Grace. Mercy. Joy. Salvation. Laughter. Compassion. Warmth. Vibrant colors. Freedom. Safety. Good health.

My prayer is for you all to be blessed beyond measure with all the little things that make life so grand!

Happy Thanksgiving!

A Promise To Love...

2009-11-24T11:12:00.003-06:00

Ten years ago today, Michael picked me up from the airport. His instructions to me were to dress up for a date. Long distance relationships make it difficult to go on a real date and he wanted to take me on a date. I dressed up. Hopped a plane for Houston. Found my love at the gate and we headed out on our date!

He seemed different; quiet.

He was taking me out to dinner.

We arrived at La Strada, a place new to the both of us. We were seated. He ordered wine.

The waiter brought the wine, asked if it was to our satisfaction.

Then...

He pulled out a little black box, handed it to me and said, "I believe the gentleman has something to ask you..."

Disbelief struck me! I had no clue Michael was proposing to me! We hadn't known each other all that long. He hadn't hinted at all!

I looked all around me expecting someone to interject and inform the waiter that he had the wrong table!

He did not. My love was sitting before me, wanting to committ to me for ever!

The rest, as they say, is history,!!!

~ Random Acts of Kindness ~

2009-11-16T16:44:00.002-06:00

It's the simple things in life that make the biggest impact! That's my philosophy atleast! We strive to help our kids to notice and appreciate the little things and to remember the same when impacting other's lives.

Last night we came home when it was dark. The yard appeard a bit nicer but we just assumed the storm that came through while we were gone had washed away some of the leaves that speckled the lawn. The grass wasn't high but maybe could have used a bit of a trim or touch up, so it was difficult to tell for sure. So, when I awoke this morning I peeked out and could tell that someone definitely had mowed our lawn while we were out!

I'm sure it was one of our neighbors I'm just not sure which!

Such a small, random act of kindness meant so much to us! We could have easily mowed our own lawn, we had the time and the capability... but the fact that someone even thought about doing it for us just means so much to us!

It is such a reminder to us to think of other's, not just ourselves! This surprise already has my mind stirring in our we can pay it forward!

I love good people! I love having good and thoughtful neighbors! I hope I can live up to the standard they have set!

Has a random act of kindness impacted your life? Do you initiate random acts of kindness? I'd love to hear some stories! I need some ideas on how to pay it forward and keep the momentum going!

~Elisabeth

A Recipe To Share - Oatmeal Banana Nut Bread!

2009-11-04T21:29:00.003-06:00

This is soooo yummy! We buy alot of bananas for our smoothies and when we don't get to them soon enough, we need a way to put them to good use and not waste them!

So, one afternoon, I had 2 bananas, beyond ripe, needing a purpose in life! I began thumbing through a cookbook I inherited from my beloved grandma and came across this recipe... it is SOO incredibly yummy!

1/2 cup Shortening

1 tsp. Butter

1 cup Mashed Banana

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1/2 Oatmeal (not instant)

3/4 cup Pecans

1 cup Sugar

2 Eggs

1/4 tsp. Salt

1 1/2 cup Sifted Flour

1 tsp. Vanilla

Cream together the shortening and sugar until well-combined. Add eggs one at a time. Mix well after each addition. Add bananas. Mix well. Add oats; sift flour, salt and soda; add to creamed mixture. Stir in nuts and vanilla. Pour batter into greased loaf pan (or muffin tins) and bake for 50-55 minutes (20-25 for muffins) at 350 degrees or until done.

I hope your family enjoys this recipe as much as mine does!

~Elisabeth

A Mommy Mental Health Day!

2009-10-31T11:34:00.003-05:00

For the first time in almost 18 months, I went away without my kids! I was so nervous to leave them... we never leave our kids with anyone! A friend of our's came to our house to stay with them, and I knew they would be in great hands, I just didn't like the idea of leaving them!

But, I did it! My husband was being recognized at our state capitol so we were off for two whole days!

While he went to a meeting the first night, I got to stay in our hotel room, watch my Thursday night shows - completely UNinterrupted :), order room service and not be needed by anyone! Peace and Quiet! It was quite nice!

The next morning, Michael and I got to get up early, walk down to the restaurant for dinner and have complete adult conversation through an entire meal! It was incredible! I had no one's food to cut, I didn't have to repeat, "move your cup back", 50 million times, or hear any complaining about what they ordered! Just nice adult conversation!

We went back to our room, got dressed up and then headed out for our luncheon! We were surrounded by the best of the best in Michael's field; the top 24 teachers in the state of Texas! Their was this energy of enthusiasm, creativity and a love for learning that enveloped the ball room where the luncheon was hosted. Great ideas and converstation swirled about while we enjoyed a great lunch with great people! We even sat two tables down from the Governor of Texas, Rick Perrry!

I leaned over to Michael and told him that I was going to go home and facebook that I "lunched" with the Governor... but, the Governor had other plans! He spoke before we ate and headed out soon after! So, that foiled my facebooking agenda!

Still, a lovely time was had. We did get to lunch with Michael's fantastic Principal and Super-Intendent, they are both great people!

Two days of just adult conversation, some rest and relaxation and I returned home to the excitement of our children. My mental health break was much-deserved, and much-appreciated. Nonetheless, I was happy to be back home amidst the chaos, excitement and hugs!

I may even have to try this again!

Elisabeth

Staying Healthy Amidst The Flu Season!

2009-10-24T14:16:00.006-05:00

Whether you choose to accept the flu and/or swine flu vaccine or not is definitely a personal choice! I do not fault anyone who chooses to go for it I just pray that everyone really looks into the possible risks vs. benefits and makes a prayerful and informed decision! Our family will not be getting any flu shots. So, enough vaccine talk...

How will we all stay healthy amidst the flu season? My biggest worry is with my boy! Due to his food aversions he will not eat a single fruit or veggie! I know he has got be lacking in some good immune boosting vitamins and nutrients! Also, I worry about myself! I tend to make sure everyone in my family is good to go and completely neglect my own health!

I'll give you some ideas of what we are doing to avoid the flu bug and please share your's! I'm always looking for new ways to promote a healthy immune system!

Nutrition:

* Lots of fresh fruits and veggies! I have been making fruit smoothies for dessert lately! This is the one way that I can get some fruits into my boy and the rest of us LOVE the treat as well! I'll post my recipe at the bottom, but I promise it is tastey and full of goodness!

* Limiting sugar. This is a tough one for us! We love our sweets! I'm pretty good with limiting sugar in my children's diets but Michael and I, not so much! Definitely need more work in that area! There are alot of studies that show sugar restricts your bodies immune response, so we are trying to take this one seriously!

* Eliminating processed foods! A very daunting task but we have seen great benefits from what we have done so far! I bake most all of our "treats" from scratch. And Costco has a great selection of all-natural and organic snack foods that avoid using alot of the "junk" normally found in snack foods. I've also tried to have healthier snack options: variety of nuts, cut veggies, fruit leathers, peanut butter on a spoon, etc.

* Water! Drinking lots of water helps your body to flush out toxins and food additives that do your body no good! Again, I'm much better at pushing this with my kids, but Michael and I definitely need some work in this area!

Hygiene:

* Shoes Off! I have enlisted a No Shoes In The House rule! When I start to think about all the yuckiness we walk through throughout our days, I really get grossed out! So, I don't want that junk tracked into my home!

* Hand Washing! I do not buy anti-bacterial soap at all. I've read too many studies showing how the use of it has caused germs and bacteria that we once had under control, to mutate and become much worse than they started out as. We just buy plain old handsoap and we wash our hands before every meal and anytime we come in from being out and about. We actually have a sink in the garage and we've begun washing up before we even come into the house!

* Bedding. I don't have any data to back this up, but I've felt the need to wash our bedding twice a week! I'm not a fan of laundry but I figure it couldn't hurt, right?!?

Vitamins/Supplements:

This is an area I have just recently began to delve into. But, I'll let you know what we are doing as a family and I have a dosaging chart I'll post! Oh, an I buy mine at a good healthfood store, not a regular grocery store to avoid dyes and unnecessary additives.

* Multi-Vitamin + D3: no food dyes, no fake sugars. There is alot of research floating around cyber-land backing vitamin D3 as an incredible immune supporter! My kids take this daily.

* Whole Food Supplement: I bought his for Isaac, not so much for Bell. Three of these gummies replace 1 fruit and 1 veggie serving a day! My kids take this daily.

* Vitamin C: Vitamin C is another well-known immune booster! I buy chewables for the kids and I also buy capsules that I puncture and squirt into our smoothies! My kids take this daily.

* Probiotics: Many natural health providers believe that most of our immune system resides in our intestines! A good probiotic is recommended to help bolster immune response. And they take this daily too!

* Omega 3's: This fish oil basically. We buy a children's syrup from Dr. Mercola. It doesn't smell, nor taste that great so it has been a struggle to get them to take this daily! There are also strawberry/bananna chewables made by Nordic Naturals that we have tried but they didn't love those either!

* Flax Seed: Another great source of Omega 3's, as well as other nutrients is flax seed. It can be bought in a ground form or a liquid. I have only tried the ground flax seed and I try to sprinkle some on their cereal and in their pancakes. Basically, anywhere I can sneak it into! I'm still learning how to use this!

Recipe:

So, we had discovered that our boy LOVED smoothies from MauiWauwi! So, I went on a mission to make my own! I knew the secret would be to get enough of a strong fruit flavor to disquise the taste of the yogurt and nutrients I snuck in! I worked w/ different recipes and tweaked them to make my own, and it is heavenly! I also try to use as much organic product as possible!

1 Mango cut into pieces (or 6oz frozen mango)
1 Banana cut into pieces
2 handfuls frozen Strawberries
4 tbs. Yogurt (we use StoneyFieldFarms Plain)
1 tbs. Orange Juice concentrate (frozen)
1 squirt Honey
1 tbs. Sugar
3-4 handfuls Ice

Blenderize everything well! If you want, you can now be sneaky and add in some vitamins/nutrients! I add in 4 capsules probiotics (open them up and pour in the powder), 4 500mg capsules vitamin C (puncture the bottom of capsule and contents into smoothie). There are lots of other things you could add in, but that's all that I do so far. Blend well. Makes 4 8oz. servings!

Vitamin/Supplement Dosaging:

This is a great newsletter that you can sign up to receive for FREE!

http://www.cure-guide.com/Articles_on_Natural_Health/Supplements_for_Kids/supplements_for_kids.html

and one on Flu prevention...

http://www.cure-guide.com/Natural_Health_Newsletter/Flu_Prevention/flu_prevention.html

Stay healthy everyone!
Elisabeth

Are You Ready To Fight to Preserve Parental Rights?

2009-10-20T09:52:00.003-05:00

Our rights as parents, are being threatened by The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).

Ten things you need to know about the structure of the CRC:

* It is a treaty which creates binding rules of law. It is no mere statement of altruism.

* Its effect would be binding on American families, courts, and policy-makers.

* Children of other nations would not be impacted or helped in any direct way by our ratification.

* The CRC would automatically override almost all American laws on children and families because of the U.S. Constitution’s Supremacy Clause in Article VI.

* The CRC has some elements that are self-executing, while others would require implementing legislation. Federal courts would have the power to determine which provisions were self-executing.

* The courts would have the power to directly enforce the provisions that are self-executing.

* Congress would have the power to directly legislate on all subjects necessary to comply with the treaty. This would constitute the most massive shift of power from the states to the federal government in American history.

* A committee of 18 experts from other nations, sitting in Geneva, has the authority to issue official interpretations of the treaty which are entitled to binding weight in American courts and legislatures. This effectively transfers ultimate authority for all policies in this area to this foreign committee.

* Under international law, the treaty overrides even our Constitution.

* Reservations, declarations, or understandings intended to modify our duty to comply with this treaty will be void if they are determined to be inconsistent with the object and purpose of the treaty.

Ten things you need to know about the substance of the CRC:

* Children would have the ability to choose their own religion while parents would only have the authority to give their children advice about religion.

* The best interest of the child principle would give the government the ability to override every decision made by every parent if a government worker disagreed with the parent’s decision.

* A child’s “right to be heard” would allow him (or her) to seek governmental review of every parental decision with which the child disagreed.

* According to existing interpretation, it would be illegal for a nation to spend more on national defense than it does on children’s welfare.

* Children would acquire a legally enforceable right to leisure.

* Christian schools that refuse to teach "alternative worldviews" and teach that Christianity is the only true religion "fly in the face of article 29" of the treaty.

* Allowing parents to opt their children out of sex education has been held to be out of compliance with the CRC.

* Children would have the right to reproductive health information and services, including abortions, without parental knowledge or consent.

* Parents would no longer be able to administer reasonable spankings to their children.

* A murderer aged 17 years and 11 months and 29 days at the time of his crime could no longer be sentenced to life in prison.

What Can YOU Do?

* Support the Parental Rights Amendment, securing the rights of the parent, to parent their own children.

* Spread the word. Once the U.S. ratifies this treaty, our parenting rights will be diminished.

* Find out more at http://www.parentalrights.org/. Get involved, get vocal and get in touch with government officials!

Vinegar - It's What I Clean With!

2009-10-14T17:35:00.003-05:00

I love vinegar! Not the initial odor, but the fresh cleanliness that is left once the smell disipates! There are SO many uses for vinegar! I'll share my favorites, and you share yours; I'd love to learn more ways to use vinegar! I buy it in bulk at Costco, in a ginormous bottle, but I'm starting to run out in between my monthly Costco trips! I may have to start buying 2 bottles!

* Vinegar, because of it's ph balance, is a natural disinfectant.

* The strong odor of vinegar disipates once it dries!

* Vinegar is a natural deodorizer so as you are spot cleaning you are also deodorizing your home!

* Vinegar is non-toxic, safe around children and pets!

Kitchen Countertops: I keep a spray bottle in my kitchen that I use to clean my countertops with a few times a day! Be careful though! If you have laminate countertops as I do, the vinegar will work as a colorfast and set IN stains such as coffee, tea, juice. So, best to wipe those first then just use the vinegar as a disinfectant!

Microwave: Does your's get nasty like mine? Well, place a glass bowl with about 1/4 cup vinegar and heat to boiling. Leave it in there to "steep" about 10 minutes or so. Then, just reach in, wipe it down and voila... a clean sparkling microwave!

Refrigerator: I pull out my trusty spray bottle and spray down the sides or the shelves, let it set a few minutes, then, just give it a quick wipe down! Easy Peasy!

Floors: Two methods here! First, if I don't have time to mop, I'll take out my trusty spray bottle again and spot spray the floor! Let it set a few minutes then give it a good wipe, and you've got clean floors! Alternatively, when I do have time to mop, I fill a buck about 1/2 full with hot water and a cup of vinegar. Mop away!

Bathroom: I make a scrub with baking soda and vinegar (oooohhh, fizzy :) to scrub the bathtub and sinks with! If you need a stronger abrasive you can also add in some salt.

Air Freshener: Before I go to bed, I pull out my trusty spray bottle, again and spray up into the air of all my rooms that do not have little one's fast asleep. Vinegar natually neutralizes odors and this comes in really helpful with a smelly old dog and smell kid shoes! Just remember to do it in enough time for it to dry before company arrives so they do not get a strong whiff of vinegar!

* Also, a bowl set out on your counter with freshen the air in your home through out the day!

Laundry: Vinegar is also a natural softening agent! I use one of those downy balls made to release fabric softener during the rince cycle of your wash. Only, I fill mine to the line with vinegar!

Coffee Makers: Periodically, say once a month, I fill the water portion of my coffee maker with 1/2 cup vinegar and the rest water. I switch it on and let it run through completely. Gets all the gunky build up out of the insides of your coffee maker!

Pets: Apple Cider Vinegar can be put in your pet's water bowl to prevent slime in the water bowl! It also deters pests such as fleas and ticks!

That's all I can think of for now!

How do you use vinegar? Any cool ideas I don't know about yet?

Disclaimer: No, I am not receiving any payment from the makes of vinegar for shouting their praises - although I would not be opposed to the idea ;)

Elisabeth

I've Learned Something From My Boy...

2009-10-03T19:19:00.003-05:00

According to the Bible, Jesus adored little children; He told us to come to Him as the little children. I believe Jesus knew we could learn alot from our kids if we pay close enough attention!

My daughter, was born bubbly and sociable and approachable! She has never lacked in attention and people just feel drawn to her!

My son, is the complete opposite! He is sweet as pie, but much more reserved than his sister. I would venture to say that "approachable" is not a term that would come to most people's minds when thinking of him. He is polite and kind but he shy's away from a stranger's attention (or even an acquaintance). He hides behind momma's legs or burries his head against me. He doesn't reach out to other's the same way my daughter does either.

I've noticed in other's, as well as in myself, that we tend to shy right back away from kids like Isaac. It just comes naturally to lavish attention on kids who are natually "approachable", whereas, with more reserved kids, I(we) tend to be more reserved as well.

I was thinking today, about the adults my son feels fondly for, excluding close family and friends. It's the people who engage him despite his shy nature. People who converse with him, show interest in him and those who are more subtle with the attention they give him. These people find a way to include him and interact with him without invading the boundaries he self-imposes.

Coming to this realization, has shown me that when I pull-back my attention from a more reserved child, I am really missing out! I hope to be more like the people in my son's life and learn to better share my affections and attentions with the shier kids while still respecting their comfort levels.

I have always been good with children and I think alot of children feel instantly comfortable with me, but for now on, I will be paying closer attention to my interactions with other's like Isaac. I know, as a his mom, I am so thankful for the people in his life that still put forth the effort rather than retreating from his limited response to them! He warms to people slowly and those who approach him gingerly most often find a place in his heart!

I pray God will continue to grow me and better me, especially through the examples from little children.

Elisabeth

Head of the Household... Ingenius or Outdated?

2009-09-30T00:16:00.004-05:00

As Christian women we all know that the Bible calls for the husband to be the head of our homes. But, what does that mean?

That phrase, "head of the household", has really gotten a bad rap these days, it seems! So, did God mess up? Did He fail to look ahead to today's times and apply His word accordingly? Do we get to skip over that part of the Bible with the assumption that it's outdated - couldn't possibly apply to today's time?

Or, did God, in His infinite wisdom, design us and our homes to not only withstand the test of time but to also bring Glory to Him?

I know it's not very popular to "submit" to your husband. And I know, that as a modern-day-bride it really is not easy to do. We are taught and raised to be independent, responsible, strong, and not have to rely on a man.

I was raised being taught and shown that men are stupid, incapable, untrustworthy, unreliable.

Submitting to my husband is something I have struggled with. I have this learned behavior of self-preservation. You know, it served it's purpose while I needed it, but I don't need it anymore. As I began to shed those barriers and learned to trust in and rely upon my husband, I found so much comfort and a sense of safety under his leadership.

Who knows a woman's heart and soul better than God? In reading books such as, Captivating, and Sacred Marriage, I truly began to see God's masterful work in the way he aligned the family hierarchy. We were all wonderfully and masterfully created. Would such a craftsman set his cherished works of art up to fail? No, He may let us fail at times but I do not believe He sets us up to fail. I believe He knew our hearts, how they functioned, what we needed and even what we wanted. Deep down, as a woman, it is innate in us to, maybe not always want protection, but we are comforted by the strength of our husbands.

Allowing our husbands their rightful role in our homes, I believe to be an act of complete faith. It reminds me of those "trust" exercises where you stand tall on some structure and fall backwards, having to completely trust in someone or a group of someones to catch you! We too, have to trust someone. We first have to trust God. Trust that He knew what He was doing. Then, we have to trust our husbands. I know it may come easier to women who have husbands they feel are trust-worthy and understandably more difficult when we are weary of our husband's leadership.

You know what I've learned, though, along the way? The more I let go and began trusting in my husband, the more trust-worthy my husband became. Remind you of the chicken and the egg at all? My husband is a wonderful man, but he has not always looked out for the needs of his family above his own wants and wishes. We had some hard struggles early in our marriage. He was a little self-centered and I was in complete self-preservation mode. As you can imagine, we clashed and we clashed hard!

It took God alot of working on my heart, but He began to show me that even if my husband didn't deserve it, the more I trusted in him, the more it built a trust-worthy man in him. Men sometimes need the confidence in knowing that we believe in them, to begin to "deserve" it.

Ever since we have restructured our home, allowing Michael to take the lead, I believe God has really been blessing us and I believe our struggle to get to this place can be used for God's glory! It really is a true testament that when all the pieces fall into place, wonderful blessings come out of it.

Our pastor once said that a good wife will submit to her husband but a good man will seek the counsel of his wife. That's the point I feel like we are at in our marriage, finally! My husband seeks my opinions and experience and intuitions. He really uses them to weigh our options and determine the best decision for our family as a whole. But, ultimately, he makes the final call. And I have faith that he did the best he could and if we fall, we fall together. And then we climb back to where we were. I am learning to love his towering confidence in leading our family. It's been a work-in-progress, but I trust God will complete His masterpiece in us.

A MUST-HAVE! Free Plug For My Favorite Stranger-Mentor!

2009-09-23T23:42:00.007-05:00

I have never in my life met Ree Drummond, better known as the Pioneer Woman!

And Ree Drummond would have no earthly clue who this Elisabeth is.

But, she is one of my heroes... and I am here to offer some free advertising for her new book!

The Pioneer Woman COOKS!

And Homeschools!

And has just published her first cookbook!

I will tell you that her recipes are always a favorite in this household! Because of this woman, I can pull off an incredibly scrumptious Thanksgiving dinner! Because of her, my husband would much prefer my homemade hot wings rather than going to Buffalo Wild Wings! My husband, and my family, are soooo happy that I found the Pioneer Woman and her cooking tutorials!

So, go check out her website - enjoy LOTS of yummy recipes - and learn how you can pre-order her cookbook!

I sent my husband a link so he can "surprise" me with it for a Christmas present!

That's all from me!
Elisabeth

Fall Is In The Air!

2009-09-21T01:14:00.011-05:00

After a long, hot, miserable summer... there is a hint of fall in the air! Fall is my favorite! Fall is a promise of something more - something better! Fall brings change, good change! Leaves turn brilliant warm colors. The air cools. Allergies subside. And best of all... Fall is a precursor to my favorite of all holidays - Christmas!

I love to celebrate fall and I love fall foods! I love fall colors!

Every year, instead of celebrating halloween we have a pumpkin party! Everyone brings their own pumpkins to decorate and/or carve. I spend days preparing yummy fall treats and we just enjoy being able to fellowship outdoors without dying of heatstroke!

So, to celebrate the tiniest hint of fall currently teasing me in the breeze... I thought I would share two of my most popular pumpkin party recipes!

Pumpkin Muffins

2 cp White Sugar

1/2 cp Vegetable Oil

3 Eggs

1 1/2 cp Canned 100% Pumpkin (be sure NOT to get pumpkin pie filling!)

1/2 cp Water

1 capful Vanilla Extract

3 cp All-Pupose Flour

1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Ground Cloves

3/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg

1 tsp Salt

1 1/2 cp Raisins or Dried Cranberries (optional)

1 cp Chopped Walnuts (optional)

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar, oil, eggs, pumpkin, water and vanilla.

2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt in a separate bowl. Add to pumpkin mixture; blend well.

3. Fold in raisins, cranberries or walnuts.

4. Spoon into greased or paper lined muffin tins (3/4 full). Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

5. Once cooled, sprinkle the tops of the muffins with powdered sugar. (optional)

Crockpot Hot Cocoa

1 1/2 cp White Sugar

1 1/4 cp Cocoa Powder

1 1/4 tsp Salt

3/4 cp Hot Water

1 gallon Milk

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon (optional)

1. In large saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa and salt. Add hot water slowly; mix well. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils. Boil and stir 2 minutes more.

2. Add milk (you may only be able to fit 1/2 the milk at this time depending on pan size and that is fine); heat to serving temperature, stirring occassionally. Do NOT Boil!

3. Remove from heat and pour mixture into your crockpot. You can add any remaining milk at this time. Also add your vanilla and cinnamon (optional). Stir well.

4. Turn crockpot on low heat and you can keep this warmed in your crockpot for quite a while. If you had to add cold milk to the crockpot, turn it up to high for atleast an hour to get it all to the desired temperature, before your guests arrive! Just be sure to turn it back down to low!

5. Serve with a dollop of cool whip or marshmallows!

May the warmth of fall bring wholesome goodness to you all!

~Elisabeth

Definition of a Dad!

2009-09-09T13:07:00.003-05:00

I have to say that Michael and I did not grow up with strong parental role-models, we're just winging it as we go...

With Michael being a public school teacher and me a SAHM, we live on a very tight budget. Our daughter, Bell's birthday falls right in between Thanksgiving and Christmas and that is the worst time of year for us financially. We've always made her birthday special with a nice family dinner of her choosing or even going out to eat at Chili's - again her choosing! We give her heartfelt gifts and all that good stuff to really make her day special. We just could never afford to do a big friend party for her. We didn't even know that she felt like she was missing out at all.

Well, last year, a night or two before her 7th birthday she turned on her radio to Christmas music, methodically got out different shades of construction paper, markers, scissors, glue and a pen.

She was hard at work with us busy with our own things and routines buzzing around her. Finally, Michael stopped and asked her what she was doing...

She was making invitations to her birthday party!

I cannot explain how crushing it was to see her sweet little heart busy making custom invitations to a party that didn't even exist!

My husband vowed that her next birthday, there would be a party! And a party there will be! He has taken on an extra job in the evenings to assure that little girl, and our son, get real birthday parties this year!

I am so proud of him for taking notice, then taking action! That man loves his children and devotes time and action to revealing that love to them. He is the definition of a Dad! My kids really lucked out in the daddy department!

Validation?

2009-09-06T00:29:00.004-05:00

Where does it come from? Where is it supposed to come from? Where do we find it? If noone validates our past hurts and scars does that mean those things never happened to us? For some reason, it seems so hard to find forgiveness from hurts when the person hurting you refuses to validate your scars. Why is it so much easier when some one comes to you, says, "I've hurt you". Why does it take those three words for true forgiveness to truly flow freely. I've always felt there were different levels of forgiveness. There's the type when you just have to let go of a hurt so that it doesn't eat you alive. There's the type where it's just the right thing to do. Then, there is the type, when your hurts have been validated by the offender(s) and that type of forgiveness seems to spiritually release a weight that has camped out atop your shoulders; a free-flowing, never-look-back kind of forgiveness.

Perhaps it's just one of my human weaknesses but I have a hard time finding forgiveness when people will not own up to their actions. I can let go of it, per se. I can be kind and cordial to that person but the hurt is still there. I've tried picking it up off my shoulders and laying it at the feet of Jesus. I don't know if I unknowingly swoop down and pick it back up, or if it is a human fault to where we have to purposefully release people of the pain we have brought them. I don't know.

I do know that the hurts and pains I have seem to be blurred in a realm between reality and nightmare. I know that all the people who know my hurts, who act as though my scars aren't earned really help to blur that line for me. Did these things really happen? Were they really that bad? Should I really hurt this much from them? It's amazing the power we (or I, atleast) give other people; willingly or not.

I feel like my childhood plays through my mind like a Lifetime movie. What if it was a lifetime movie? And other people could say, "Wow, you went through all of that... you have earned those scars fare and square". Is that validation enough? I don't know. I wish the right people would set pride aside and pick up a heartful of compassion. Maybe validation could then come.

I feel like the "religiously correct" answer is for me to just lay it all at the feet of Jesus and not give any one person that much power in my life. Trust me, I love the idea of that. I do believe that Jesus can take this pain from me. Has he chosen not to? Have I continually taken it back from Him? Does He want me to hold onto it to help me somehow be a better person? Am I suppose to keep it and use it for good? I don't know. I don't know how to physically, logistically just hand it over to Jesus and not carry around the hurt.

I recently read a blog. I would post it if I could remember where I read this. A woman relayed being sexually abused. If I remember correctly, she envisioned herself baring all her scars for Christ to see. This brought validation and healing to her. I have thought about this route as an option but the only thing for me is that I have felt God with me all along. He was with me when I got these scars. I don't have to convince Him, He knows. He has scars of His own. Scars that bring me salvation and a promise of eternal life. Who am I to compare my scars to His?

I have always known that I blog strictly for my own therapy! I was never taken to "therapy" as a child even after great tragedy. This is my therapy. But, in writing this out and having fresh reminders that my husband went through a similarly harsh childhood, similar tragedy... I feel like God just did, right this moment, validate my scars. Well, not just now but about 10 years ago; but I just now realized it.

Quick background since I have always skirted the issue... Dad tried to force mom to abort me. Mom and dad divorced after I was born. Dad an alcoholic, mom some kind of mental issues. Physically and emotionally abusive step-dad. Grandparents and my aunt murdered by my uncle. My baby cousin and brother injured during the attack. My step-dad had a 2nd wife, home and family we discovered through the tragedy. Divorce. Way worse mental issues with mom. Physically, verbally, emotionally abusive mother until the day I moved out and married my husband. Totally, uninterested, lack-of-compassion family.

(even writing all that out I find myself questioning whether it's even worthy of it's own blog post.)

See, my husband's childhood was also chock full of mental issues, alcoholism, neglect, emotional abuse, abandonment and murder.

Maybe the mear fact that God brought the two of us together is validation. That my scars are real as are my husbands. What are the chances of two people, having gone through the same pains in life, coming together for life? Maybe since neither of us found validation of our scars within our families, God gave us to each other to bring long overdue understanding and healing? I don't know, but I love when I feel God working in my life even through my long rambling thoughts! Maybe He'll work in me, teaching me how to let go, how to only care about what He thinks of me and only in how I can be pleasing to Him...

I feel naked right now. I never tell people about my childhood. I don't know if people just don't know how to respond or what, but I usually just get a blank stare. So, I'm going to bed now - so to avoid any virtual blank stares!

Elisabeth

Me Doing Sit-Ups!

2009-08-24T23:45:00.005-05:00

Not a sight I've seen in a loooooong time! I am in desperate need of a health overhaul so what better way to jump right in! Want to join me?

^^that's not really me...shhhh!

www.twohundredsitups.com

So, I began tonight! I seriously have not done a single sit-up in 8 years! Sad, yes, I know! I completed the first day of week 1 and I'm not dying! Yes, my abs are already sore, but I'm taking that as proof that it is doing some good! So, join me!

Old-Fashioned Waffles!

2009-08-18T07:21:00.003-05:00

I finally found a recipe that creates a lightly crispy but still light and fluffy waffle! Dh was so excited! I'm not a huge waffle fan but I did try one and was very pleased with how delish it was! So, I wanted to share! I took a recipe from allrecipes.com then tweaked it a bit to get it just right! ~Enjoy!

2 Eggs
2 cups AP Flour (sifted)
1 1/2 cups Milk
1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
1 Tbs. White Sugar
4 tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1. Preheat your waffle iron. In a large bowl, beat your eggs until fluffy. Beat in flour, milk, oil, sugar, baking powder, salt and vanilla just until smooth.

2. Spray your preheated waffle iron with non-stick spray. Pour about 2/3 cup of the mix onto your hot waffle iron and cook until golden brown. Top with butter or syup or fresh berries and enjoy!

~Elisabeth

Flexibility? (New Laundry Soap Recipe)

2009-08-11T14:52:00.004-05:00

I tend to be a very black and white person and maybe not as flexible as I should be in some instances! I believe standing your ground has it's place and can serve a good purpose but sometimes the whole tree swaying in the wind thing becomes so true in life!

Often times I subscribe to the whole, "If it ain't broken, don't fix it" mentality, but sometimes things need a little tweaking! It's funny, the life lessons we can learn from the most mundane aspects of daily living!

Let's talk about laundry soap...

I had posted before, a recipe for liquid laundy soap. I loved the idea of using homemade laundry soap but truth be told, I just never felt like my clothes were completely clean! I tried varying the amount, hoping that was the fix but it never turned out to be.

So, a whim of flexibility hit me today when it came time make a new batch of detergent! I decided to try a recipe for a DRY mix! I'll post it below... I have run my first load of towels with the new detergent and it smells wonderful! And they are fluffy and super-clean-feeling!

Flexibility sure has it's place in life as well! I'm happy with myself that I put my stubborness aside and tried something new! I'm very please with the outcome of my laundry soap and the little life lesson I learned along the way!

Dry Laundry Soap

1 bar Fels Naptha grated (since I still cannot find it I used a Dove bar!)

1 cup Washing Soda

1 cup Baking Soda

1 cup Borax

After grating your bar of soap add it to a large bowl. Add in 1 cup of each washing soda, baking soda and borax; mix well w/ a spoon. I then spooned half the mixture into my food processor and processed until a consisten powder texture; about 1 minute. Pour into a lidded container (I used a large Ball jar). Repeat w/ the remaining mixture. To use, add 2 Tbs. to your wash!

That's all for now... Elisabeth

(In)Courage!

2009-08-10T11:18:00.002-05:00

There is a new place in town, ladies! A place where we can all be bathed in the honesty, stories and imperfections of other Jesus-loving, coffee-drinking women making their mark on life.

Some of the other blogger ladies I follow are privileged enough to be a part of such an (In)Courage-ing endeavor!

So, head on over... check them out... I'll see ya over there! ~Elisabeth

Quick Revision to My Brownie Recipe!

2009-08-09T12:23:00.003-05:00

I decided to toy with my brownie recipe a bit and discovered that I like it much better with only 10 Tbs. of cocoa powder! Chocolate lovers may still love the original recipe with 12 Tbs. but I seem like prefer a less intense chocolate presence! Enjoy ;) ~Elisabeth

Letting God Be God...

2009-08-03T11:43:00.003-05:00

My husband and I have each given our testimony on this subject in our old church and I thought I'd share it with all of you! I have a habbit of putting God in a box. Or maybe it's just not knowing how hard we should work for something vs. handing it over to God.

A little background first... Michael and I started off our marriage with debt. Yep, the ugly "D" word. We put our entire wedding on credit cards. All $8,000 of it. Not a great way to enter into marriage and begin a life together. But, at the time we wanted what we wanted and saw that as our only option since neither of us had parents who could/would help out with our wedding costs.

We were the type of people who would run to Home Depot and get credit to cover a broken appliance that we needed. We would find a way to finance just about anything that we "needed".

Fast forward a few years and we started Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University (FPU). We learned from him that our way of financing our lives was rediculous, irresponsible and just plain poor money management. But, we also learned alot more during that class. From some of the leaders and other's in the class we learned that it was OK to not be able to afford to run out and replace a need right away. It didn't make us bad people to have to rely on God.

So, during one 9 month period of time, we found ourselves with NO choice but to rely on God, to let God be God. Starting in August our entire A/C unit went out, we couldn't afford to replace it and we live in Texas... that was a major sacrifice! Then, our washer went out, and we couldn't afford to replace it. Then, our dryer. Our oven. Our vaccuum and finally our refrigerator. All within nine months of each other! That was the strongest test of our wills I think we have ever gone through together!

But, guess what... we came out so incredibly strong on the other end that it was so worth it! You know, some people may find this nuts, but at one point I actually told Michael that I was glad we were "poor" because we got to SEE God provide for us in ways we never would have imagined!

Instead of us running out to Home Depot for a line of credit, we decided to wait on God.

There was no fixing our a/c, but God provided a little extra money and we bought a window unit for our bedroom so that we could have atleast one cool room and so we could all get a good night sleep. We decided to wait until March to replace it with our tax return.

Our washer machine was dead too. But, God provided for us to do our laundry at the school Michael works at... the gym washer and dryer were seldom used and his principal gave us a key to come and go as we needed. One of Michael's coworker and friends realized what was going on and offered to loan us the money for a new washer and we could pay him back whenever we could. As much as we truly appreciated the offer, we really didn't want to borrow money at all and we were faithful that God would provide. After a month or so, one of Michael's long-time friends called and just in shooting the breeze Michael mentioned what we had been dealing with. He later called back to tell us he had ordered us a washing machine from... Home Depot... and it would be there on Monday! He wanted to pay us back for helping him out through a hard time. We waited and God provided!

Next, it was time for our dryer to die! Michael strung a line so that I could hang laundry out back. It wasn't bad but not ideal either. One day, I had a friend stop by. She and her husband were also the leaders of our FPU class. She noticed my laundry hanging out back and asked about our dryer. Later that evening she called to tell me that her husband had a dryer when they got married that they didn't need so it had been sitting in storage and that she spoke with him and that they would love for us to have it! We waited, God provided!

Then, our oven stopped working. I could still use the stove top and we had a grill out back but no baking at all! We worked with it for a long while. We didn't know how or when we would replace it but we knew that God would provide...

It was now March and time for our tax return. One evening we were having dinner with good friends and we mentioned that we were sad that every cent of our tax return was about to go to replacing our a/c unit. Our good friend, said... "wait a minute, I can get you a better deal than that!". So, he put us in touch with the man who services the a/c units for his rental properties. This man came out the very next day, quoted us 1/3 the cost of the other estimates we had received and had the new unit installed and working 2 days later! Wow!!!

So, with our additional tax return dollars, we were able to replace our range and went ahead and replaced our dishwasher as it was 20 years old and not working so well. We waited, God Provided!

Within the next couple of months were were able to have our emergency fund in place, $1000.

In May, we had won a weekend away for a couple's retreat. Upon returning, we discovered our refrigerator had died and we lost all of our groceries. It was going to cost more to fix it than to buy a new one, plus, there was a class action law suit regarding our make and model for starting house fires... so we had no desire to try and fix it! Somehow,word got out. Our friends were making jokes that Murphey and moved in and settled in at our house! But, we were thankful to have our emergency fund in place and were set to head to Home Depot ... with cash... to purchase a new refrigerator. Well, the evening before our trip to Home Depot, there was a knock at the door. I went to answer it and it was the head Deacon from our church. He had heard about our hard times and our latest issue with our refrigerator. He told me that the church wanted to buy us a new refrigerator to thank us for all the work we had been doing in the church. We were astonished! We tried to politely turn down his offer, but he insisted! He told me to go down to the local appliance store the next morning and pick out the one I wanted! Michael and I were completely humbled and were planning to pick out the most inexpensive one that would meet our needs. But, before I made it down there, this Deacon had gone ahead over and picked out the refrigerator that matched our new appliances! One we would never have let the church pay for. I think he probably knew that! We waited and God more than Provided!

Like I said above, this experience really helped us to grow in our faith and to have complete faith that God will always provide! I think some people can trust in God without "having" to but I also think God knew us pretty well and that it would take us having no other choice but to trust in Him. We are so thankful to Him and to all the people who listened as God laid a need on their hearts. We have a much deeper appreciation and respect for the boundless reach of God's grace.

I like to retell this testimony as it helps me to stay on track when I start trying to take the wheel again. When I start having doubts or just not relying on God the way I should, it really helps me to "See" Him in a tangible way; to know that He is a loving Father who will faithfully provide for His children.

~elisabeth

She Still Drinks Her Coffee With A Spoon...

2009-07-26T10:57:00.006-05:00

She's lovely. And kind. Heart full of love and compassion for others. She's an observer... sees the world in more detail than many. She's a quiet leader. Sure of herself. She leads with her heart. A miniature me in asthetics but a soul of her own. She's growing... in stature, in maturity and in her thoughts. For now she's mine. One day, I will have to set her free. She will soar!

But for now, she still drinks her coffee with a spoon.

I love you, sweet girl! Thank you for letting me be your momma!

My mornings nearly always begin the same, with a nice welcoming cup of coffee! My sweet Bell emulates her momma so much that she has started wanting to have coffee with me in the mornings... so we coffee together. Actually, her's is more like coffee flavored milk, but none the less, it is our special time together. It's just a small way that we stay "connected" and I've learned that we talk about things during our coffee time that we may not have otherwise. She's planning out what kind of mom she wants to be, the kind of wife she hopes to be. We talk about God and how He is working in our lives. It is an awesome time we have with each other.

I hope we all, as parents, find a special way to stay connected with each of our children! They are so prescious and can be such a fountain of joy!

Parental Rights ~ A Right or a Privilege in the Land of the Free?

2009-07-17T19:19:00.003-05:00

Ok, I have to say up front that I am NOT some crazy whacked out conspiracy theorist! Ok, got that off my shoulders :)

Now, I would LOVE nothing more than to have complete and undying trust in our government leaders. I would LOVE it! But, I don't. Especially when I read more and more about the rights we have as parents being threatened. I always find myself thinking, "This is AMERICA... this is the 21 century! Things can't revert to being archaic! Our soldiers have fought long and hard for our freedoms and that can't be undone". Sadly, they are being undone. It's hard to believe it is happening right under our noses, but it truly is.

I belong to several grass-root type organizations that are fighting hard to win the battle for our rights. But, they don't have the big names or the millions of dollars to throw at it like our competitors do. If we want change, if we want to preserve our rights as parents we have to get involved at a local level and create change! We have to let our voices be heard that we will not conform to this idiocracy!

My charge for you is to get involved! Whatever floats your boat... whatever you are passionate about... whatever makes your skin crawl... Get Involved!

Now, my involvement has been very small and probably hasn't accomplished a whole lot, so this challenge is to myself as well! But, where do we get started? How do we get plugged in in a way to really bring some change?

I'm not sure! But, I promise to figure out a way and I'm hoping you will too!

Here are some places to get plugged in!

Homeschool Legal Defense Association: http://www.hslda.org/

Parental Rights: http://www.parentalrights.org/

Focus on the Family: http://www.focusonthefamily.com/

National Vaccine Information Center: http://www.nvic.org/

I'll post others as I think of them. If you'd like to add to the list, just leave it in the comments and I'll happily compile them all into one place!

I just feel that if we all sit back and let this happen right under our noses, our children will be the one's paying the price :( Let's stand up for what we believe in, ladies!

Elisabeth

Old-Time Remedies...

2009-07-14T10:25:00.004-05:00

Waking up this morning with my throat feeling as if it's on fire started me wondering how my grandma would remedy my ailment. I wish I had tapped her brain a little more before she had to leave us. But, I do believe our grandma's hold a wealth of information that we could all benefit from! They lived through the Depression, after all! I think because of that, my grandma could make anything out of nothing! She had this way of whipping up a yummy casserole with seemingly nothing in her fridge or cupboards. Necessity breeds invention!

The same with home remedies. I wish I could remember more of what she treated our ailments with but it was always something she had around the house. For pretty much any illness, she would fix us warm tea with honey and lemon... she believed that would cure just about anything! For a sore throat, she would put an old-timey peppermint stick down into a lemon and we'd suck the lemon juice out through the peppermint stick like a straw! It worked! She's also make us homemade potatoe soup or homemade chicken noodle soup!

For bug bites she would mix up a paste out of meat tenderizer and coat the bites; took the itch right out. For bee stings it was a paste of baking soda and it would take the sting right out for sure! For cuts and scrapes and sunburns she always had aloe vera plants on hand!

I'm not sure what had more healing effects, the remedies themselves, or the love and nurturing of a loving grandma? Maybe they both work together!

I'd love to learn about more home remedies... if you have any to share, please do! If you are so blessed to still have your grandma with you, she probably has alot she can still teach you! I love grandmas! Grandma's rock!

ETA: I wanted to add another I just remembered since my dd is complaining of an earache...

Warm Olive Oil or Sweet Oil drops or Garlic Oil drops in the ear will soothe an earache. Garlic oil natually has pain relieving and healing qualities to it. Last year Isaac had a double ear infection and a sinus infection. His pedi (an M.D.) just had me put him on eccinachea, vitamin C and Garlic oil drops. Within 24 hrs. he was 100% better!

And Parentingisoverated posted a few great tips in the comments I thought I'd post here too! (please let me know if you'd like me to remove them):

Mosquito bites: Take the inside of a banana peel and rub it on the bite.

Hiccups: Drink 8oz of water mixed with 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar.

Feel like you're coming down with something: Wet Sock Therapy! Soak your feet in 100+ degree water until they're pink. Slide your feet into cotton socks that have been soaked in icy, cold water. Then put wool socks on over them. Go directly to bed. Your socks should be dry by morning and you'll be feeling much better because the socks are forcing your body to increase circulation. Google it for more info. :)

I Will Rise!

2009-07-09T11:04:00.005-05:00

This may sound totally morbid but Michael and I plan songs for our funerals! And I have to say that Chris Tomlin's new song, I Will Rise, has made my funeral list! I have one criterion for a song to make that list, and few do... it has to move me like no other! I mean, it has to make me want to rise and hand myself straight over to our Heavenly Father. This song literally brought me to tears the first time I heard it. There has only been one other song that has moved me as strongly and yes it is on my funeral list as well... Sing To The King!

I know it's morbid and I know noone likes to talk about dying but please tell me there is someone else out there in the world that plans their own funeral songs!

There's a peace I've come to know
Though my heart and flesh may fail
There's an anchor for my soul
I can say "It is well"
Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead

[Chorus:] And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles' wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise I will rise

There's a day that's drawing near
When this darkness breaks to light
And the shadows disappear
And my faith shall be my eyes
Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead

[Chorus:] And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles' wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise I will rise

And I hear the voice of many angels sing, "Worthy is the Lamb"
And I hear the cry of every longing heart, "Worthy is the Lamb"

[x2][Chorus:] And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles' wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise I will rise

I have a question... will you rise when He calls your name?

My personal experience is that God is real. I have felt His comfort, been blessed by His provisions and seen Him move in ways that can't be explained any other way. He is real in my life, I pray He is in your's as well.

~Elisabeth

Yummy Summer Recipes!

2009-07-05T11:39:00.004-05:00

I hope everyone had a great day of celebration yesterday! We sure did! I thought I'd share some of the recipes I used yesterday! For lunch/dinner we had homemade chicken strips. These are a huge hit in this household and they are so simple to make! We were expecting company for dessert after the city firework celebration so I had made two of my favorite desserts: caramel pie and peach crisp!

Chicken Strips:

1 1/2 cups flour
3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into strips
3 eggs
splash of milk (butter or regular)
Seasonings: your choice, I use salt, pepper, garlic powder, lawry's and oregano
Crisco shortening (or canola oil)

First, dip your chicken strips in to the flour and coat lightly. Then, dredge them through an egg/milk bath. Then, put them back in the flour mixture turning and coating well. They are now ready for the oil - if it's hot enough! I turn my fire on medium to medium-low heat and when a sprinkle of flour sizzles then you know it is ready! Add the strips but don't move them around or turn them for a couple minutes so that you don't lose your soon-to-be crispy, yummy coating! When you can see the bottoms turning golden brown, flip those babies over and let the other side have a turn! Let those go for a couple of minutes. You may need to repeat until they are golden brown but the less you mess with them the more crunchy goodness will stay on them. When they are a nice golden color, remove and place on a paper lined plate. These are yummy as is or you can serve with ranch dip, honey mustard dip or BBQ Sauce! Enjoy - they do go fast!!

Caramel Pie (or heaven in a dish :)

1 graham cracker crust
1-2 cans sweetened condensed milk
cool whip
bananna (optional)
chopped nut topping (optional)

Please be very careful if you attempt to make this! It can get dangerous... but is so worth the effort in the end~ Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Remove the wrapper from the can of milk and place the can (not opened) in the pot once the water is boiling. Now, it is VERY important that you keep an eye on this and occassionally add more boiling water to maintain the water level staying ABOVE the can. I've heard rumors that the can will explode if the water level gets too low - something about pressure... So, you keep the water level high, I use a small saucepan and bring a pan of water to boil every 45 minutes or so to add to the big pot. Do this for 3 hours! Occasionally, turn the can in the water so the caramel heats evenly. After 3 hours, remove the can from the water and set on a towel to cool. You want it to cool for atleast 1 hour but be careful because it can still be quite warm. After atleast 1 hour, open the can and stir well to get it all nice and creamy. Now, you can stop here and serve it with sliced apples.. .YUMMMY! or you can finish the pie~ Pour into a graham cracker pie shell and spread evenly. Now, you can just use one can of milk which is what I normally do, or you can double up and use 2. This pie is VERY rich, so 1 really is enough. Once the caramel is spread evenly into the pie shell, place in the freezer for 30 minutes to an hour just to set it in place. Then, spread your coolwhip over the top of the caramel, evenly, filling the shell then freeze again for a couple of hours!

Optional: This pie is really good w/ a bananna thinly sliced on the bottom of the shell before adding the caramel.

Optional: You can sprinkle chopped nuts over the top of the whip cream before freezing and this is very good as well.

Which ever options you choose, you will be in love with the final product! I've had more than one man offer to marry me for my pie! Don't worry, the hubby knows they're only joking but that is just how good this pie is!!!

Peach Crisp with Maple Cream Sauce:

I cannot take any credit for this dessert other than being able to follow the recipe :) You can find the recipe HERE from the Pioneer Woman ~ she rocks by the way!!! This peachy dessert is unspeakably incredible... there just are no words! But, take my word for it, it is to die for!

So, that along with our local Freedom Festival is how we celebrated the wonderful country in which we live. Isabel woke up this morning and deemed yesterday the funnest day of her entire life! I think we'd all agree!

Signing out...
Elisabeth

Let Freedom Ring!!!!!

2009-07-03T16:47:00.002-05:00

I am feeling especially patriotic this day! We took the day off from our curriculum and instead read America: A Patriotic Primer by Lynne Cheyne. The kids were much more interested this year than last year! We also learned about and listened to several different patriotic songs: Battle Hymn of the Republic, America the Beautiful, My Country Tis of Thee and The Star Spangled Banner. Isabel's favorite is America the Beautiful and Isaac's is The Star Spangled Banner. It's so cute to see how much they get into the sentiment!

You know, I get worried, with our current President, that our country won't fare so well ahead of us. But, I remember the morning after election day, I believe it was Dave Ramsey who said, "God is still on His throne". I fully trust that God is bigger than anything I fear President Obama could do in his term as President of the United States of America!

I do try to find the good in all situations and one good I can blatantly see is how far our country has come since 1863 when President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation! The lines of color and race have been blurred and the elections results of 2008 prove that equality is an actual reality not just the dream of a few. Race and color did not prevent President Obama from gaining his office and for that I am proud and excited to be apart of. History was definitely made in America and with God's grace we will all continue on the same path. Although I disagree whole heartedly with ALOT of President Obama's views and actions, I am an American and I choose to set those aside and respect the man God has put in that office. I can also be thankful though, for the freedoms of speach and to vote! I believe in the democratic process and am glad to have an outlet for my convictions!

Michael and I have had alot of interest lately in learning more about our Founding Fathers and exactly what they had envisioned for our great nation. I stumbled upon this free resource and wanted to share it with others who may have the same hunger for knowlege! Free lesson plans on American Heritage! They can be used as a full curriculum or just to supplement what you already have in place. I think they would be great also for families in public school - what a fun way to learn throughout the summer!

For anyone reading this who is in the military or has a loved one serving in the military - my family is incredibly proud of and greatful for your sacrifice! Thank you so much! Michael and I both have military fathers and grandfathers and so forth and it just runs through our blood. We love this country and are so humbled by those who sacrifice so much to preserve our freedoms!

Enjoy your 4th of July - Stay safe!

Elisabeth

Fighting for What's Right...

2009-06-28T23:57:00.004-05:00

...must have an end point. But, did you give up too soon. Did you drag it out too long? Was God just upping the anty until you finally hit a wall and fully gave it up to Him? Or was He seeing what you are made of, how hard you would fight for what you believe in? How much fight is enough... especially when you are not fighting just for yourself but for other families with the same hurt and the families to come? Alas, it ends. It's over. Not fixed. Not made right. Just over.

Lies besiege truth, right gets swept under the rug, darkness prevails… heartbroken.

Elisabeth

Preservation to Decoration

2009-06-25T11:36:00.005-05:00

So, as I prefaced with my previous post, I was looking for a way to preserve and display some old pages that came from my grandma's cookbook. They are very brittle and discolored. The middle one looks as though something spilled on it and there is a condensation ring from the glass. My initial instinct was to skip over that one and go for a "cleaner" looking one, but then it dawned on me that all those stains and tears and chocolatey thumbprints are a part of my grandma and her life and her love of treating her family to yummy, nutritious foods! Plus, that page has her famous chocolate pie recipe on it - so, it was a keeper!

I found these solid wood plaque things at Hobby Lobby (my FAVE store!) for $2.99 a piece and they were 40% off! What a deal! I had paints at home... not the olivey green I was looking for, though, so I mixed a granny apple smith green with a bit of tan and a dot or two of black... and finally achieved the olive green I was aiming for!

After letting the paint drie for a few hours, I very carefully decoupage'd the pages to the wood. Let those dry overnight. Have picture hangers to the back of the wood plaque thingys... actually should have done that first probably! Then, hung the three of them above our little "dining" area... barely can be called that :)

And, voila! You bring a wonderful harmony between preservation and decoration!!

~Elisabeth

I'm Working on a Project!!!

2009-06-24T16:12:00.002-05:00

I've posted before about losing my beloved grandma last fall. She was very dear to me and I miss her very much. Well, several years ago she gave me some pages from a very old cookbook that had fallen apart. The pages she salvaged are brown and brittle and have been packed away for fear of further damaging them...

I finally decided on a way to preserve and display a few of them!

I'll post more in the next few days when I can show the final product!

~Elisabeth

Happy Father's Day!

2009-06-21T17:16:00.004-05:00

Today is a day to celebrate the wonderfulness of a father. Father's sacrifice so much to provide for the their families and truly deserve a day to be pampered! When I was ready to get married, one of my goals was to find a man who would be a great dad. I didn't grow up with one (not a good one atleast) and I wanted better for my kids. I wanted Norman Rockwell all the way! When I first met Michael, I saw his kind heart, his loyalty, his work ethic, his passion, his determination and all the other wonderful qualities that I felt certain would equip him to be a wonderful dad.

As all parents, he has had his weak areas, but what makes him so incredible, is his willingness to recognize those areas and to make the necessary changes. But, that is one of the things I love so much about him... he is not too proud to see where he needs to grow. He is the dad I had always dreamed of for my kids. He puts their needs, wants and desires above his own. He gets down on the floor and plays with them. He takes them to the skate park and on bike rides, out fishing and hunting. He will even sit amongst stuffed animals and dolls for a tea party with his daughter.

He really is the total package and I feel like I struck gold the day I married him!

So, to honor him this Father's Day, the kids and I set out to make him a wonderful meal and dessert! I bought some nice steaks (at a great price - always the bargain hunter ;) and made his favorite homemade steak fries and tear apart bread! We built a lovely spinache salad for the side and are still working on the dessert while Michael takes a much deserved Sunday afternoon nap :)

Spinache Salad (this is our favorite variation as we do not like fruit or nuts in our salads!)

Fill a pretty bowl about half full with fresh, clean baby spinache leaves.
Sprinkle on some shredded or shaved parmesan cheese.
Lay a few rings of a thinly sliced red onion on top.
Finally, dot with cherry tomatoes! - this looks just lovely sitting out on the buffet or table top.
Just before serving, toss with your favorite Italian dressing or vinagarette!

~Enjoy!

That's all from me...
Elisabeth

Wherever I'm Planted, There I Shall Grow...

2009-06-19T19:38:00.008-05:00

I truly do believe in this sentiment. I have grown where ever I have landed. But, I still long for something different. We live in Texas. I have for about 97% of my life. I love the Texas camaraderie. I love the patriotism... I mean what other state has their own line of boxers...LOL and can fly their flag at the same height of the US Flag? Texas has some beautiful locations... the Texas Hill Country inparticular! But, I have found no place in Texas that encompasses all I want out of life.

I don't dream of masions or fancey cars. But, this life we live is a short one and I want to enjoy it... with a great view! Maybe one like this...

Or this one...

I think I could live happily here...

And this could be my proverbial fig tree... Heaven on Earth!

My prayer is for God to plant me where I can grow, have a great view and fulfill my purpose on this earth.

I want to live in a place where I am in constant awe of God's creations...

Simple Joys...

2009-06-17T17:00:00.008-05:00

When I was in college I took many child development type courses. In one we learned about some phenomenon about kids attention levels. The study was supporting a theory that when children watch television or play video games their brain is stimulated on a very deep level, mult-levels, unlike watching a live performance. The study speculated that kids who watch alot of tv or video games, because of the intense stimulation, cannot keep entertained by a simple live performace.

I'm not sure how true that is or if it can be scientifically verified but it made sense to me and to my husband when I relayed it to him and we have kept that in mind as we have made decisions on raising our children. So, although our kids DO watch tv and DO have an x-box, we have really worked hard to make sure those are not their primary sources of entertainment. We engage them in games, activities, arts and crafts, outside time, etc. I think Isabel may play the x-box once a month, if even that and Isaac maybe once a week, if that much.

They do watch television a bit more frequently but, for example, it is now 5pm and they have not asked even once today to watch a show.

We really try to create situations where they have to use their imaginations and get creative! Right now, Isabel is out running errands with dad. Isaac has painted for a bit and is now using his math manipulatives to build tanks and trasnformers!

I love seeing their minds at work, their imaginations soar and their creativitiy blossom!

We've been out of town the past few days, in a new city, doing new activities but I truly think their favorite part of the trip was the hotel's swimming pool! We had the flexibility to swim multiple times a day and the kids just had a field day! It truly is the simple things in life that make life so special!

Isaac Mid-CannonBall!

Isabel Mid-Jump

The Simple Joys...

Brownies...Need I Say More???

2009-06-12T11:00:00.004-05:00

This girl (and the whole family) absolutely loves brownies! Cake, not so much. But, a warm, chewey, fudgey brownie and I am in heaven! Anyone noticing a trend here? I love tastey foods! I probably shouldn't love them so much but sometimes I just cannot help myself!

Onto the brownies. This recipe is delish. At first though, they seemed...mmm?...different...not as sweet, or something as box kit brownies. Then, I realized what they were missing... HFCS! Now, we much prefer the taste of these brownies over the box kit brownies and box kit brownies now taste...mmm?...off. So, if you want a truly delish brownie recipe, definitely give this one a try! But, don't be quick to judge because they are much better for you than box kit brownies and once you get past the...where is the HFCS?...you will much prefer these too, I am sure!

I don't have any yummy pictures to share...these brownies get eaten way too quickly around here!

One-Bowl Brownies:

12 Tbs. Cocoa Powder (or only 10 Tbs. for less intense chocolate presence)
3 Tbs. Vegetable Oil
3/4 cup Butter
2 cups White Sugar
3 Eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 cup All-Purpose Flour
1 cup Chopped Walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2 In a small saucepan, melt butter on low heat, stir in cocoa powder and vegetable oil; stir until well combined.
3. In a large mixing bowl, mix together sugar, eggs, vanilla, and the melted cocoa mixure. Stir in flour and nuts; mix well.
4 Spread in greased 9x13 pan. Bake for 35 minutes; being careful to not overbake.

That's it! Bring on the brownies and ENJOY :)

Elisabeth

Me on Homeschooling!

2009-06-06T21:34:00.004-05:00

I am FAR from an expert on homeschooling, infact, I am quite the novice! But, I thought I could share our experience so far. My oldest is now 7 years old. When it was approaching time to send her to Kindergarten (K), it just did not feel natural. I didn't have that excitement about sending her off, I was really dreading it. But, I figured it was a right of passage and we followed "protocol"and sent her anyway. We had toyed with the idea of homeschooling but that really didn't seem to fit who we were. I kept picturing families who lived out on the prairie, the girls wearing their pinafores and the boys in their overalls! Silly, yes, I know! Well, throughout that year, I was able to see just how public K was failing her. She had a wonderful teacher, whom I liked very much, but just the set up of the public school system had her potential on the side burner. I thought about supplementing at home but she wasn't getting home until 4:30pm and I needed to get dinner on the table, kids bathed and put to bed. There was just no time. And, throughout that year, God surrounded us with friends and acquaintances who really supported us and encouraged us to look further into homeschooling. I am so thankful for those people in my life, because without them, we may have shy'd away for good!

Through all of my research, I was really drawn to the Classical style of education. And Michael, who was familiar with classical education through his experience at the University of Houston Honor's College, was fully onboard! That decision narrowed down my options to a manageable amount of research. With it being my first year, I really wanted a full curriculum that would assure us not leaving out anything important. I really felt drawn to Sonlight and that is what we went with.

The curriculum came with EVERYTHING we would need for the year, right down to crayons and scissors! It felt like Christmas morning when we received our order! The kids were so excited and wanted to start it all right then!

Sonlight has served us well this year. I have loved reading all the books (except one :), the kids have really enjoyed it and they have learned SOOO much!

However, I found it a bit limiting in not aligning certain Bible studies and historical figures with corresponding holidays and times of the year. I think that is the ONLY thing I would change about the curriculum. But, I highly recommend it especially for first time homeschoolers like us! I think I would have definitely been a mess with out it! Because it is such a thorough curriculum I feel fully confident that my children did not miss any fundamentals. They are very well-prepared to move ahead in their education.

But, for this next year, I have decided to piece my curriculum together a bit!

Reading: We will be using alot of the Sonlight read-a-louds again! They really put together an awesome book list and we are very excited to read much of them again!

Science: Lyrical Life Science.

Math: We will stick with Horizons which is what we chose to use with Sonlight. The kids have done great with it and beg to do more and more! I figure why fix what ain't broken :)

History: Story of the World - I have heard and read nothing but great accolades for this curriculum!

Handwriting: We will still be using Handwriting without Tears from our Sonlight curriculum. Isabel probably won't need to use it as much but Isaac's penmanship leaves alot to be desired!

Foreign Language: We will be starting with Prima Latina! I am very excited about this curriculum!

Phonics: We will continue with Explode the Code, again from our Sonlight curriculum. The kids really enjoyed these workbooks and it was NEVER a chore to get them to do their work! They've learned alot and so we've decided to just keep on going with it!

Language Arts: I am still working on putting together our LA resources. My thoughts are to just use good living book (possibly from our Sonlight library) and expanding on those with lapbooking, notebooking, etc.

Spelling/Vocabulary/Grammar: We will most likely not use specific spelling, vocabulary and grammar curriculum. I think we can just pull work from our Phonics, History and Language Arts.

That is what we have planned for now! I am hoping to have a veteran homeschooling mom look over my plan soon to let me know if she sees any gaps! In addition I plan to purchase and read The Well-Trained Mind this summer before beginning next school year. This will give me a better grasp on how to work our Language Arts studies.

I went through a brief time this spring of contemplating not homeschooling next year. But, since I've started planning for next year, I have become more and more excited to continue. One thing I will definitely do different next year, is to make sure we get out of the house more! I think I went slightly batty this year since we did not get out as much as I had planned!

If you are starting out homeschooling or just contemplating it, let me know if I can help out in anyway! It truly is a very rewarding opportunity. I love seeing my kids learn, seeing how they learn and experiencing alot of it right along with them!

That's all from me...
Elisabeth

More On MSG: Compliments of Lisa Buldo

2009-06-04T12:56:00.003-05:00

Health: Do You Eat This Silent Killer on a Regular Basis?

So what is this silent killer? It is called MSG. (Monosodium Glutamate).

What is MSG anyway? MSG is known as a "flavor enhancer," and it's regularly used as an additive in Chinese Food, as well as thousands of other foods, processed foods, and restaurant foods. Some experts say that MSG is more dangerous than alcohol or even nicotine. MSG is even being used in schools, baby food and even infant formula.

What Foods Contain MSG? MSG is found regularly in meats, canned soups, crackers, salad dressings, frozen dinners and so many other foods. MSG does more than just season the food - it enhances the taste and smell of foods, whether it's meat, salad, vegetables, or any food.
The food industry seems to love MSG because of what it does to the taste and smell of food, meanwhile this food additive could be ruining the health of so many people.

According to Dr. Russell Blaylock, (my note: Dr. Blaylock wrote the foreward in the Vaccine Safety Manual) a board-certified neurosurgeon and author of "Excitotoxins: The Taste that Kills," he explains that MSG is an excitotoxin, (which means it overexcites your cells to the point of damage or death, causing brain damage to varying degrees) and potentially even triggering or worsening learning disabilities, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Lou Gehrig's disease and more.

How You Can Avoid MSG in Your Food: It's now required by the FDA that food manufacturers list the ingredient "monosodium glutamate" on food labels, but they don't have to label ingredients that contain glutamic acid, even though it's the main component of MSG.

Try to stick to good whole foods, (think foods without labels), and you can be sure to avoid this toxin. Avoid foods with "natural flavors" and ingredients you don't know.

Compliments of: Lisa Buldo, Holistic Health Counselor, Biblical Health Coach, Author, Speaker, and Founder of Natural Whole Health, LLC. If you're ready to jumpstart your health, get your F*R*E*E tips now at http://www.lisabuldo.com/.

© 2009 Lisa Buldo, HHC/Natural Whole Health, LLC.

I Want To Be Domesticated!

2009-05-29T10:39:00.003-05:00

Isn't that women's lib in reverse? YES! And that's the way I like it! I think I was born 100 years too late sometimes! Yes, I do appreciate the right to vote and accessibility of a career, if I wanted one. But, that is just not the life for me. I love taking care of my family! I love that my husband is the head of our household; it brings me much comfort and security.

Marriage:
It doesn't really help that I was raised by a mom who essentially hates men. And knowing that I enjoy taking care of my husband probably makes her want to vomit. I grew up being told I needed to be able to take of myself; not rely on any man. I did adopt that way of thinking, for awhile, until I got out and could think for myself.

You know, the Bible lays out a specific hierarchy for marriage and a family. Some feel that is too stiffling and archaic, but I feel God knew exactly what he was doing. A man is to love his wife just as Christ loved the church and he is to lead his family. A wife is to respect her husband and take care of the home and children.

I know alot of people get hung up on the whole submission thing, and I did too once. But, our pastor put it well during one of his sermons. He said, "A real man will seek the counsel of his wife". He is so true. In our marriage, Michael leads and I follow. But, he is not a bully. He is not a dictator in our marriage. He treats me as his partner, his helper, his assistant. (that may sound like a negative thing to some but not to me) He comes to me and seeks my thoughts, my wisdom, my experiences, my feelings so that he can make the best decision for our family.

Now, I'm not the perfect wife. I try but I have yet to achieve perfection. There are times when I feel like my husband is not making a good decision and I put my foot down. I'm sure there are better ways to handle those moments, but that is an area I am still working on.

Cooking:
I love to cook from scratch! Cooking is my therapy some days! Nothing makes me feel more like a mom than cutting fresh fruits and veggies! I've always enjoyed cooking but didn't really have the tools to do so. But, due to Isaac's food sensitivities, I really began to have no choice but to learn!

And in learning more and more about nutrition and eating healthy, I've really learned the need to cut out all the additives and preservatives. Food dyes, HFCS, sodium, preservatives, nitrites or is it nitrates?

To avoid all of the additives to our foods we are pretty much forced to cook from scratch. Thankfully, I truly enjoy it and luckily for my family, I am becoming better and better at doing so!

I have begun cooking ALL of our junk/snack/dessert foods from scratch. I finally perfected my chocolate pie recipe and my brownie recipe! I have others that we make but those are the two I have been working on perfecting!

My next focus will be on bread. I do make awesome dinner rolls (if I may say so myself) but I would really like to make a great loaf bread and crusty bread. I'm sure I will get it down in time; just takes lots of practice :)

Sewing:
Now, I am a complete novice on a sewing machine. I enjoy it though and really want to pefect that skill as well. So far, I have made cafe curtains (great first project!) and baby blankets! My Mamu used to make baby blankets for all the new babies in the family. Since she is no longer with us, I hope to fill her shoes someday. I'd love to expand my horizons in the sewing department. I think pillowcase dresses will be my next project! Great project for summer dresses for Bell!

Homeschooling:
This was our first year homeschooling. Bell went to public K last year and although she did fine, we saw her potential being set aside. She had a great teacher but there are just certain limitations in a large classroom setting. We knew that Isaac just would not do well in that environment. So, we made the choice to homeschool! I am far from a perfectly organized, motivated homeschooling mom. This is one of my weak areas but am determined to get better and better. I never predicted I'd be a homeschooling mom. I got my first twinges of thoughts of it as it approached time to send Bell off to kindergarten. I just was not ready to let her go! We also were not ready to let the world at our kids. We had them in this nice little bubble and it suited them well; so we decided to keep them in their bubble a little while longer. We know that we cannot protect them from everything, but we can keep them close a little longer and help cement their foundation before popping their bubble!

We are having a great first year and I'm excitedly planning for next year!

So, that is me on being domesticated. I know that word can mean different things for different people but for me it is all about my family and taking the best care of them that I can!

~Elisabeth

Rub-a-dub-dub: Homemade Laundry Soap

2009-05-22T14:06:00.004-05:00

I just recently began making my own laundry soap. We had always used ALL Free and Clear or Costco's version of Free and Clear. Michael has sensitive skin and with the babies I just didn't want all those perfumes and dyes on their clothes which you can't even avoid by chosing the speical "baby" detergents.

Lately though I noticed a change in my ALL; it seemed to almost glow in the dark. It has an almost flourescent look to it; it wasn't so "clear" anymore. I started looking around online to see if they had changed their formula and found an article stating that alot of companies have started adding more brighteners to their detergents. Even though ALL is free of dyes it is not free of UV brighteners. That really annoyed me so I decided to ban all store-bought detergents altogether!

I went to my trusty friend, Google, and started looking for recipes. I had seen threads on the Bargain Board about making homemade laundry soap but had never really given it a second thought, but remembering those, I knew it couldn't be too difficult to make.

I found many recipes that are all fairly simple to make. I rounded up the ingredients and concocted my first batch! If you are interested, Google "homemade laundry soap" (or other variations) and find a recipe that you would like to try! Oh, and you can find buckets with lids at your local hardware store!

Here is the recipe I opted for:

1/3 bar Fels Naptha grated (may substitute Ivory or any other bar soap, I went with Ivory)
3 pints water
1/2 cup Arm and Hammer Washing Soda (NOT the same as baking soda, found in laundry isle)
1/2 cup Borax (found in laundry isle)
Essential Oil (any fragrance of your choice)
Large Pot
Lidded Bucket or other container

Start by grating your bar of soap into a large pan. Add 3 pints (or 6 cups) of water. Cook on low heat and stir until soap is fully-dissolved.

Stir in 1/2 cup Washing Soda and 1/2 cup Borax and stir until thickened then remove from heat.

Add 1 qt. Hot water and stir to mix well. Mix in about 10 drops of your essential oil. You may vary the amount to your liking.

Pour soap mixture into bucket then fill to a total of 2 gallons. So, following these direction you would add the soap mixture then 22 cups of water! Stir off and on as it cools. You can use it right away but it's best to let it set over night. It will be a runny gel in it's final stage. If it is more water w/ clumps of gel, that is fine too, just means it didn't get stirred enough while cooling.

I use 1/2 cup of the laundry soap for a full-load of wash.

I encourage everyone to give this a try! It really is very simple to make and a HUGE bargain!!! The ingredients cost me about $6 and should made atleast 9 batches. The washing soda and Borax will probably last atleast 18 batches so I'll only have to buy another 3 pk of Ivory soap! Oh, and my batches have been lasting me for 3-4 weeks.

I'd love to hear back if you give it a try! And let us know if you try any other variations!

That's all from me.
Elisabeth

So, Why Don't We Vaccinate Our Kids?

2009-05-19T09:16:00.003-05:00

Advocating for the well-being of children is something I am very passionate about. I really do try to strike a good balance though and share what I've learned with out pushing my beliefs on others. I do not believe there is a one-size-fits-all method to parenting. I believe each and every child is very different and it is very important for parents to really tune in to their children and adapt their decisions to best meet the needs of each child. My goal, though, is to help parents become well-informed so that they can truly make an educated decision.

In 1998, I started working as an ABA therapist with a little boy who had autism. I was in college at the time and that really spurred me to focus alot of my research papers on autism so that I could learn more about the disorder. Fast forward two years, I married my husband, Michael. Michael has a half-brother who has autism. His mom is fully-convinced that in some form or fashion, the MMR vaccine is responsible for her son's full-regression.

In 2001, we had our first child, Isabel. Michael and I had researched and did a lot of soul-searching to decide how and if we would proceed with vaccinating our child. We were both brought up in the way of not questioning authority figures, with this view of doctor's as infallible gods. We were definitely going against the grain when we chose to follow a selective/delayed vaccine schedule.

Isabel was slowly vaccinated, spacing her vaccines out by atleast a month, skipping the hepatitis vaccines, the flu vaccine and the vericella. She handled her vaccines like a champ. She might be a bit fussy afterwards, but who wouldn't after having a needle jabbed into their leg!

Only 13 months after we had Isabel, we welcomed Isaac into the world. Although we had been wading through the delayed/selective vaccine realm for the past year, we were still very much novices. Neither of us remember consenting to it, but I'm sure it was burried in the paperwork and that we must have, but Isaac was given the HepB at birth.

My sweet boy cried non-stop, for about 3 years. He had great difficulty breastfeeding. We worked with a lactaction consultant who finally surrended to the fact that my boy just couldn't latch on. We fought for 6 weeks to get the boy to breastfeed, but he was losing too much weight and we had to switch over to formula. Even with formula it was a struggle to get him to eat much at all. He had difficulty sleeping. For his first year of life he'd only sleep for about 2 hours at a time. He didn't sleep through the night at all until he was 3 years old. I don't remember at what point he finally did it but he was very late in smiling and being able to make eye contact. He would seem to look through you rather than at you.

Through all of this, we were still following the same delayed/selective vaccine schedule that we did with Bell. But, Isaac just couldn't tolerate the vaccines nearly as well as she did. After each shot, he would either scream for two days or sleep for two days. His injection site would turn beet red and swell and have fever to it. When he was 3 1/2 months old, I found him blue in his crib but he started breathing once I picked him up and blew in his face.

Along the way, Isaac would deal with oral food aversions, silent reflux, sleep apnea, and sensory integration dysfunction. When he was 4 years old we had him evaluated with the school district just to get a formal diagnosis. They all agreed that he had an immature central nervous system, that encapsulated all of the issues he was having.

Isaac was also sick all the time. Colds, viruses, ear infections, strep, etc. Although, Bell did handle her vaccines well, she too, was sick all the time.

When Isaac was about 15-18 months old and Bell was about 2 1/2 years old, we quit vaccinating them altogether.

It took about one year, but they started becoming more and more healthy. Isaac started outgrowing his sensory issues, reflux and apnea. He became the most smiliest boy I have ever met :) We finally had the sweet boy we knew all along that he was trying to be.

Now, they are very rarely sick. If they do get the occasional cold or flu, they fight it off very quickly on their own. Isabel had not been to the doctor for a sick visit in 4 years and recently contracted salmonella. She fought it off well on her own, which cemented to us that we are doing right by our kids.

They are both happy, healthy children who bring lots of smiles and joy into our lives. Michael and I are convinced that we wouldn't be able to say that about our boy had we continued vaccinating him.

Through my own research I have learned that one of the possible side effects of the HepB vaccine is an all-out assault on the central nervous system. The medical field will never confirm for me that that is what happened to my son, but I know with every fiber in my body that it is true.

Some children will seemingly handle vaccines quite well. But, what is lying ahead that doesn't get attributed to the vaccines: recurrent ear infections, strep, ADD/ADHD, learning disabilities, sensory issues, diabetes, various auto-immune disorders.

I strongly urge every single parent to not take vaccinating with a grain of salt. This is a very serious decision you are making for your child. It is my humble opinion that vaccines can serve a good but the way in which we vaccinate our children is a huge problem! Please do your own research, follow your instinct and don't be afraid to question your doctor. Doctors are wonderful, self-less, intelligent people. But, they do not know your child the way you do; you are the expert there.

That's all from me!
Elisabeth

A Mother With Her Intuition...Will Know Just What To Do!

2009-05-15T15:25:00.004-05:00

Even Carly Simon gets it :)

I had the pleasure of emailing with a fellow mom recently and we got on the subject of Mother's intuition and the power we have as mom's if only we will listen.

Now, intuitions do not hold alot of weight in our society. It is not given much importance and is rarely taken seriously.

I noticed this a few years ago... A trend with alot of moms... To "pre-qualify" a decision they have made in regards to their children by stating that, "The pedi says...", or "The pedi recommended", or "this book says...". Now, I love pediatricians! I have even contemplated going to med school and becoming a pedi; but they are not experts on our children. We are! We hold that title! A good pedi will work with the parents and offer their expertise to parents so that they can make the best decisions for their children. You know, medical school gave pedi's their medical knowledge, but God empowered mom's with their mother's intuition to make the best decisions for their child(ren).

Parenting is not a one size fits all process. It is not black and white and unless I was just left out of the club it sure as heck doesn't come with a step-by-step manual! But, guess what! God knew we'd be clueless :) and he gave us the instincts that would best guide us in raising our children.

But, again. Mother's intuition gets no credit these days. Society makes us feel like we are completely helpless in knowing what is best for our children. We feel like we have to find an "expert" who backs us up on the decisions we make.

But, look around in nature. In schools we are taught, and it is well-accepted, that animals exhibit insticts; intuitions. Mother birds know to chew their food and spit it out for their babies to eat. In 2004 when the Indian Ocean Tsunami hit, I remember reading about the animals having headed to higher ground shortly before the tsunami. We've learned about the fight of flight response. Science will readily accept the idea of animals having valid and functional instincts.

Why wouldn't humans?

I believe we all are equipped with instincts specific to each of our children. I know our lives these days are fast paced and hectic, but what better reason to slow down and smell the roses. We need to take the time to tune in to our children and let our instincts develop. It took me a long time to start consistently listening to my mother's intuition. I wish I would have sooner. I think I could have saved my son from dealing with alot of the issues he has had to deal with in life. None of them are terrible or life threatening but his life would have been a whole lot easier had I tuned in to what he needed earlier on. But, over time I have learned to trust that nudging feeling and not ignore it. It is so important, as moms, that we use all tools available to us to best meet the needs of our children.

And, I surprised myself just a moment ago and discovered that I am not the only Intuition Fanatic out there! I did a quick google search and found a few great stories that I would love to share with y'all. They are quick reads and well-worth it....

Intuition in Pregnancy Study
Kimberly Quaid on Mother's Intuition (Dennis Quaid's wife)
Jane Seymore Prescribes Mother's Intuition
I Will Not Be Silent Anymore

I would love to use my life to help mom's discover and build a strong trust in their own motherly intuition. It is such an awesome tool right at our fingertips!

I have many accounts throughout the past years proving the power of my own intuition. I'll share one with you now. When my little boy was 3 1/2 months old, I had him sleeping in his crib for a nap. I was doing laundry and some general housework. As I passed by his door, I had this strong urge to go in and check on him. I followed that calling and found my little boy completely blue in color. His eyes were wide open. His mouth open. He almost looked frozen in the motion of sucking in air. I will forever have that image imprinted in my mind. I can still see him that way and I get chills when I let myself remember the terror I felt at that moment. I snatched him up and blew in his face. Now, I have no idea what the blowing in their face does. But, when I was about 18 years old I got a job working at a daycare. I started off helping out in the baby room. One of the old wise ladies who worked in that room, just casually mentioned to me that if I ever find a baby not breathing, to blow in their face and it will start them breathing again. I have no idea why that tidbit crossed my mind some 5 or 6 years later but I blew in my son's face and he started gasping and crying. I had never been so thankful to hear a baby cry! I won't even allow myself to imagine what could have happened had I ignored that internal knawing to go check on my baby.

I don't think everyone will have such a drastic moment in their life but we will all have times when our instincts will save the day in some form or fashion. My wish is for all moms to find a way to tune in to their internal instincts and to begin trusting them.

I'll jump off my bandwagon... for now ;)
Elisabeth

Carly Simon

A Mother's Intuition

It's a mother's intuition

To make a little space

It's her quiet mission to tidy up her place

A mother's intuition is like a kangaroo's

She hops around, she mops the ground

She fusses over you

A mother With her intuition

Will know just what to do

It's a mother's intuition to wash her baby

Well she won't forget behind the ears

And the extra soap suds on the tail

A mother's into cleaning

She'll clean until she's through

She's smart enoughShe's wise enough

To add up two and two

A mother With her intuition

Will know just what to do

A mother has a feeling

She pays special attention

If someone is concealing

If someone's playing tricks

She rubs and scrubs and scours the secrets

Until the answer clicks

Then she takes a brush

And polishes your teeth

She'll make you shine and sparkle new

Until she finds the real you

UnderneathIsn't it charming?

Just mommy and little Roo

Fresh as a daisySparkling just like new

It's a mother's intuition

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T10:43:00.002-05:00

A day for mother's to count their blessings! I have two! One of whom is still sleeping and the other who brought me breakfast in bed and started my coffee for me!

I LOVE this life!

Being a mom is something I have dreamt about since I was a very young little girl. I just wanted to have babies and babies and more babies! And I still do! We would love to be blessed with more babies! In God's time.

Here is to a wonderful day for all the mom's out there! May you be well pampered!

That's all from me!

Elisabeth

Potato Soup For The Soul!

2009-05-05T22:46:00.002-05:00

In light of my allergies/sinus infection/headcold thing I have going on, I thought I'd brag that my fabulous husband cooked my Mamu's potato soup for me tonight for dinner! She always made it for me when I was sick and it was always the perfect remedy no matter the ailment.

I would love to carry on the tradition and cook it with a heart of love for my babies when they are ill, but they won't have a thing to do with it! They just don't recognize true goodness when it's right in front of them :)

So, if you have a loved one feeling ill, I prescribe a nice bowl of potato soup, a sure fix!

Mamu's Potato Soup

2 large baking potatoes or 4 medium potatoes
water
Chicken or Vegetable Broth
1/2 medium white or yellow onion (optional)
2 stalks celery (optional)
1 Tbs. olive oil (optional)
1/2 stick butter
1/4 cup milk
Salt and Pepper

*Optional: Sautee the onion and celery until translucent in the saucepan before adding the potatoes.

Slice the potatoes pretty thin (after skinning and washing) and add to a large saucepan. Now, you want to cover the potatoes about 1 inch over with about half water and half chicken broth. You can play with this mixture and use all water, all broth, part veggie broth... whatever you like the best. Add salt.

Turn burner on high and bring to a boil. Boil about 10 minutes or so. You want to boil them just long enough until the slices are breaking into chunks. If you cook any longer it will turn into potato mush :)

Now is the B.A.D. part! Remove from the heat and add 1/2 stick of butter! Stir until melted then add about 1/4 cup of milk. Stir and salt and pepper to taste.

Now, it's great eaten like that or you can serve it as baked potato soup w/ toppings such as: chives, sourcream, shredded cheese, or bacos.

That's all there is to it! It's very easy and very tastety! Enjoy!

Elisabeth

"Black-Out" Family Night Was a HIT!!!

2009-05-03T14:55:00.005-05:00

My husband and I have discussed more and more frequently our need to get away from all the electronics and have a little old-fashioned fun as a family! So, I came up with this idea. Now, our electricity used to go out nearly every time we had any bit of a thunderstorm and we'd have to find ways to entertain two young kids for the few hours we had no power. The kicker is, the kids LOVED it! We would play charades by candlelight or sit around and sing songs while the kids danced all around us. It was a blast!

I'm guessing our power lines were updated after the last hurricane hit because we have not lost power at all since then and I actually started to miss it! Thus, our idea was born for a "Black-Out" family night!

My little disclaimer is that I woke up sick yesterday morning and had decided to cancel our "Black-Out" night without telling anyone :) But, the kids saw that we were preparing dinner and got really upset that we weren't doing so by candlelight - they were so enthusiastic about "Black-Out" night!

So, we swung it into full-gear! We grilled our dinner out on the grill and ate by candlelight! Then, we built a big bonfire out in our fire pit! Isaac, especially, loves his bonfires! We sat around staring at the stars, visiting together, singing to praises to Heaven and just enjoying each other!

Remember, I promised to share the rare occurrence we were treated to... Well, here is what happens when you turn off the televisions and laptops and cell phones and just enjoy all that God created!

(Not my photo - I "borrowed" it :)

It's a Moon Halo! it was gorgeous, too! And just think, if we had been inside watching a movie or something or some other distraction that we normally involve ourselves in, we would have completely missed out! God is so good to us! I feel like it was a little sign of approval from Him that we are going in the right direction with our family!

Ok, back to the details on our "Black-Out" night. Just before the mosquitoes carried us all off we decided to head indoors! We had dessert by candlelight then we played a very competitive game of Monopoly by candlelight! The kids really enjoyed it and I think Michael and I did too, almost as much as they did!!! It was a great night with us all together doing the same things and just being a family! I think we will make this a frequent tradition!

I invite you to create your own special kind of Family Night traditions that your family would enjoy! It is sooooo worth it - Trust me!!

That's all for now.

Elisabeth

Back to Basics ~ Quite Literally!

2009-05-02T22:09:00.002-05:00

Well, thank you to MommyDearest for alerting me to the comment option not working! I decided to go back to a basic template to correct the problem! Just more proof that I need to stick to a "Back to Basics" lifestyle ;)

Check in tomorrow to learn about our "BlackOut" family night of FUN!!! And learn what rare occurance we were treated to!

All for now...
Elisabeth

Chocolate Cream Pie! Oh, So Good!

2009-04-30T11:28:00.004-05:00

This was my Mamu's recipe. She was awesome in the kitchen - and just awesome altogether! She was the type who didn't cook by a recipe. She could throw a little of this and a little of that together and come up with perfection! Many of my birthdays were spent eating this pie rather than a cake! And Christmas, we always had this pie at Christmas. Ahhh, the memories of her are incredible. So, to no further a due, I present, the very best Chocolate Cream Pie in existence!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 cup Sugar
6 Tbs. All-Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp. Salt
6 Tbs. Hershey's Cocoa Powder
2 1/2 cups Milk
2 Eggs, beaten
2 Tbs. Butter
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1. In a medium saucepan, combine: sugar, flour, salt and cocoa. Gradually add milk; mix well. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture thickens and boils; cook and stir 2 minutes longer.

2. Very gradually add 1/2 cup hot mixture to the beaten eggs. Return to saucepan. Cook and stir until mixture just boils.

3. Stir in butter and vanilla; mix well. Pour immediately into pre-cooked pie shell. Do not stir after puring. Eat as-is. Or top with meringue or cool whip AFTER the pie is completely cool.

Enjoy!

That's all for now.
Elisabeth

Vaccine on the way?

2009-04-29T07:13:00.002-05:00

I've heard rumors that "they" are about a third of the through production of a swine flu vaccine. I know that vaccines can serve for the greater good, but I also believe everyone should have all the facts when deciding to vaccinate or not. (Resource)

*In the rush to get this vaccine out, there will be no "trial" time. The people who choose to accept this vaccine will be the trial for it.

*During the 1976 swine flu "epidemic" only 1 person died of the flu!

*Sadly, 25 died from the vaccine. Hundreds contracted Guillain-Barre Syndrome which causes paralysis and sometimes is fatal.

*The 1918 flu epidemic was a devastating one but they don't even know if it was the swine flu. I keep hearing it called that but it was just a bad run of the flu and most like the avian flu, not swine flu.

I have NO idea how accurate this map is or isn't but I thought I'd share...

View H1N1 Swine Flu in a larger map

Swine Flu ~ Should we panick or chill?!?!

2009-04-28T17:15:00.003-05:00

That's a question I hear and read debated quite a bit as of late! I see some people are stockpiling and setting up to hunker down as close to home as they can until this strand passes by. Other's are taking it all with a grain of salt! Where do you lie between the two? I'd say I'm somewhere in the middle, maybe a bit closer to taking it all with a grain of salt.

However, since there are five confirmed cases less than 2 hours from my house, I do think we should pay due diligence to atleast conforming to some basic precautions!

Here are some basic facts on the Swine Flu (now, we must always know our enemy, right?):

* Mortality rates: 1-4% (Resource)

* Currently there is no vaccine for swine flu.

* 64 laboratory confirmed cases in the U.S. (CA-10cases, KS-2 cases, NYC-45 cases, OH-1 case, TX-6 cases). (Resouce)

* No confirmed U.S. deaths.

* Presents with the same symptoms as the seasonal flu we are all familiar with (fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, and coughing).

* Travel Warning issued for Mexico. (Resource)

What happens if you think you may have the Swine Flu? (Resource)

If you feel unwell, have high fever, cough and/or sore throat:

Stay at home and keep away from work, school or crowds as much as possible.
Rest and take plenty of fluids.

Cover your mouth and nose with disposable tissues when coughing and sneezing and dispose of the used tissues properly.

Wash your hands with soap and water frequently and thoroughly, especially after coughing or sneezing.

Inform family and friends about your illness and seek help for household chores that require contact with other people such as shopping.

If you need medical attention:

Contact your doctor or healthcare provider before travelling to see them and report your symptoms. Explain why you think you have swine influenza (for example, if you have recently travelled to a country where there is a swine influenza outbreak in humans). Follow the advice given to you for care.

If it is not possible to contact your healthcare provider in advance, communicate your suspicion of having swine influenza immediately upon arrival at the healthcare facility.

Take care to cover your nose and mouth during travel.

Now, in trying to get to a "Back to Basics" lifestyle, I am very interested in learning how to prevent getting this disease should it come to our area and/or reach pandemic levels. So, I first went to my email to see if my favorite newsletter had arrived in light of the recent Swine Flu invasion. Sure enough, it was there! Dr. Randall Neustaedter authors the fabulous Cure-Guide Newsletter; it is a wealth of info and an easy read for the novice.

So, what does Dr. N have to say about the Swine Flu?

"The best preventive for the flu is to eat a healthy diet of whole foods and to take a few supplements that maintain a strong immune system."

Taken from his book, titled, FLU: Alternative Treatments and Prevention, he goes on to recommend the use of various supplements. According to Dr. N, "Vitamin D is essential for a prevention program. Adults need 5,000 IU when midday sun exposure is not possible, infants need 1,000 IU, and older children need 2,000 IU." In addition, he mentions the possible use of the herb astragalus, certain mushroom species, colostrum, vitamin C and zinc. You can find out more information about those supplements and other immune boosting options by referencing his book mentioned above and by subscribing his newsletter.

Then, I wanted to check out what Dr. Sears had to say on the matter. He agrees with alot of us in that it is not time to panick! The majority of his info is taken directly from the CDC's website but you can learn more at Dr.Sears.com.

I also went to my faithful and trusty Babycenter Community! Again, the general concensus is that boosting our immune systems and taking basic precautions are the best mode of action right now. Boosting our immune systems entails taking a good supplement and eating alot of healthy whole foods.

So, what are some good basic precautions to take at a time when a national pandemic could be on our horizon. Here are some ideas I have gathered from different sources and they all make sense so I shall have good manners and share!

Wash, Wash, Wash your hands!!! I don't typically "believe" in antibacterial gels, but I may get some to keep with me for times when I can't get to some good ole' fashioned soap and water.

More diligently steer clear of sick people! I am typically very laxed about exposing my kids to other sick kids in hopes of strengthening their immune systems. But, for now, I will be much more careful.

Removing shoes at the door, before entering homes. Now, for those who frequent the Bargain Board you've already been through the great debate and know this is mostly a regional habbit. Us southerners are used to doning our shoes in anyone's homes! I have read, and can't think of where at the moment to reference it, that the Swine Flu can live on surfaces up to 24 hours.

Mask up or not? I've seen it "recommened" on certain sites with the disclaimer that there is no evidence of this practice doing any good.

Disinfecting surfaces. I will probably disinfect door knobs, telephones, light switches and the like more frequently.

Basically, common sense goes a LONG way!!! God gave us a healthy dose of it, let's use it!!!

That's all from me!

~Elisabeth

Flap Jacks!

2009-04-24T23:54:00.005-05:00

Who can resist good, old-fashioned pancakes from scratch? Definitely not my husband or Isabel!! I finally found a recipe that we all just love and I'll never ever go back to a mix! And for the ultimate test of this recipe we will be feeding a whole lot of people tomorrow morning!

Some of the members of our community are coming together to help a family needing help removing a fallen tree. They are all meeting at our house for pancakes! Hopefully, everyone will love them as much as we do!

So, wait no more! The ultimate in pancake recipes can be found below!

Old-Fashioned Pancakes:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 Tbs. white sugar
1 1/4 milk
1 egg
3 Tbs. butter, melted
1 1/2 cap fulls vanilla extract

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg, melted butter and vanilla; mix well, may still be lumpy.

Makes 7 large pancakes.

ETA: These freeze really well!!! Just pull some out of the freezer and either nuke for 30 seconds or pop in the toaster (my method of choice)!

Enjoy :)

~Elisabeth

Avoiding MSG: Recipes!

2009-04-24T11:31:00.003-05:00

As MommyDearest commented on my MSG post, cream of soups are an enemy in the war against MSG! So, I thought I'd post my recipe for cream of soups, along with my recipe for cheese sauce, since it is pretty similar! Maybe MommyDearest will post her's too, if she wants! And anyone else, please feel free to share your's too!

Cream of Chicken/Mushroom/Celery Soups:
Disclaimer: I have no idea where I got this recipe from, so forgive me for not giving propper credit!

Melt 3 Tbsp. margarine in sauce pan.
Blend in 3 Tbsp. flour and 1/4 tsp. salt.
Cook and stir until bubbly.
Using wire whisk, stir in one cup of milk, stock, or combination.
Cook just until smooth and thick.
Makes slightly over 1 cup and is the same as a 10 oz. can of undiluted condensed soup.

Options:
Cream of chicken: Use chicken broth or bouillon as half the liquid. Add 1/4 tsp. poultry seasoning and some diced chicken.
Cream of mushroom: Saute 1/4 cup chopped mushrooms and 1 Tbsp. finely chopped onion in margarine before adding the flour.
Cream of celery: See mushroom, but use ½ cup celery instead of mushrooms.
*You can vary the flavor by adding curry powder, garlic, onion, celery salt, lemon juice, chili powder, parsley, chopped veggies, chives, etc.

Cheese Sauce:
1/2 tsp. salt
3 Tbs. butter
3 Tbs. All Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp. dried Thyme
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

In small saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour, salt and thyme until blended. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat; add cheese, stirring until melted.

Options:
*Excellent sauce to top broccoli, cauliflower or baked chicken filets! Sprinkle a bit of paprika and parsley atop final dish!
*Mix in 1/2 can rotel and top baked or grilled chicken breasts! Delish!

Hope you enjoy these recipes!

So, What's So Bad About MSG?

2009-04-22T13:04:00.002-05:00

Isn't it just in Chinese Food anyways?

Nope.

Here is the source for the article below. MSG is not a safe product and would benefit your family greatly to avoid it at all costs! http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_17608.cfm. Check this site for full source information.

MSG: Is This Silent Killer Lurking in Your Kitchen Cabinets?

By Joseph Mercola
Mercola.com, April 21, 2009
Straight to the Source

A widespread and silent killer that's worse for your health than alcohol, nicotine and many drugs is likely lurking in your kitchen cabinets right now.[1] "It" is monosodium glutamate (MSG), a flavor enhancer that's known widely as an addition to Chinese food, but that's actually added to thousands of the foods you and your family regularly eat, especially if you are like most Americans and eat the majority of your food as processed foods or in restaurants.

MSG is one of the worst food additives on the market and is used in canned soups, crackers, meats, salad dressings, frozen dinners and much more. It's found in your local supermarket and restaurants, in your child's school cafeteria and, amazingly, even in baby food and infant formula.

MSG is more than just a seasoning like salt and pepper, it actually enhances the flavor of foods, making processed meats and frozen dinners taste fresher and smell better, salad dressings more tasty, and canned foods less tinny.

While MSG's benefits to the food industry are quite clear, this food additive could be slowly and silently doing major damage to your health.

What Exactly is MSG?

You may remember when the MSG powder called "Accent" first hit the U.S. market. Well, it was many decades prior to this, in 1908, that monosodium glutamate was invented. The inventor was Kikunae Ikeda, a Japanese man who identified the natural flavor enhancing substance of seaweed.

Taking a hint from this substance, they were able to create the man-made additive MSG, and he and a partner went on to form Ajinomoto, which is now the world's largest producer of MSG (and interestingly also a drug manufacturer).[2]

Chemically speaking, MSG is approximately 78 percent free glutamic acid, 21 percent sodium, and up to 1 percent contaminants.[3]

It's a misconception that MSG is a flavor or "meat tenderizer." In reality, MSG has very little taste at all, yet when you eat MSG, you think the food you're eating has more protein and tastes better. It does this by tricking your tongue, using a little-known fifth basic taste: umami.

Umami is the taste of glutamate, which is a savory flavor found in many Japanese foods, bacon and also in the toxic food additive MSG. It is because of umami that foods with MSG taste heartier, more robust and generally better to a lot of people than foods without it.

The ingredient didn't become widespread in the United States until after World War II, when the U.S. military realized Japanese rations were much tastier than the U.S. versions because of MSG.

In 1959, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration labeled MSG as "Generally Recognized as Safe" (GRAS), and it has remained that way ever since. Yet, it was a telling sign when just 10 years later a condition known as "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome" entered the medical literature, describing the numerous side effects, from numbness to heart palpitations, that people experienced after eating MSG.

Today that syndrome is more appropriately called "MSG Symptom Complex," which the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) identifies as "short-term reactions" to MSG. More on those "reactions" to come.

Why MSG is so Dangerous

One of the best overviews of the very real dangers of MSG comes from Dr. Russell Blaylock, a board-certified neurosurgeon and author of "Excitotoxins: The Taste that Kills." In it he explains that MSG is an excitotoxin, which means it overexcites your cells to the point of damage or death, causing brain damage to varying degrees -- and potentially even triggering or worsening learning disabilities, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Lou Gehrig's disease and more.

Part of the problem also is that free glutamic acid is the same neurotransmitter that your brain, nervous system, eyes, pancreas and other organs use to initiate certain processes in your body.[4] Even the FDA states:

"Studies have shown that the body uses glutamate, an amino acid, as a nerve impulse transmitter in the brain and that there are glutamate-responsive tissues in other parts of the body, as well.

Abnormal function of glutamate receptors has been linked with certain neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease and Huntington's chorea. Injections of glutamate in laboratory animals have resulted in damage to nerve cells in the brain."[5]

Although the FDA continues to claim that consuming MSG in food does not cause these ill effects, many other experts say otherwise.

According to Dr. Blaylock, numerous glutamate receptors have been found both within your heart's electrical conduction system and the heart muscle itself. This can be damaging to your heart, and may even explain the sudden deaths sometimes seen among young athletes.

He says:

"When an excess of food-borne excitotoxins, such as MSG, hydrolyzed protein soy protein isolate and concentrate, natural flavoring, sodium caseinate and aspartate from aspartame, are consumed, these glutamate receptors are over-stimulated, producing cardiac arrhythmias.

When magnesium stores are low, as we see in athletes, the glutamate receptors are so sensitive that even low levels of these excitotoxins can result in cardiac arrhythmias and death."[6]

Many other adverse effects have also been linked to regular consumption of MSG, including:

*Obesity * Eye damage * Headaches * Fatigue and disorientation * Depression

Further, even the FDA admits that "short-term reactions" known as MSG Symptom Complex can occur in certain groups of people, namely those who have eaten "large doses" of MSG or those who have asthma.[7]

According to the FDA, MSG Symptom Complex can involve symptoms such as:

* Numbness * Burning sensation * Tingling * Facial pressure or tightness * Chest pain or difficulty breathing * Headache * Nausea * Rapid heartbeat * Drowsiness * Weakness

No one knows for sure just how many people may be "sensitive" to MSG, but studies from the 1970s suggested that 25 percent to 30 percent of the U.S. population was intolerant of MSG -- at levels then found in food. Since the use of MSG has expanded dramatically since that time, it's been estimated that up to 40 percent of the population may be impacted.[8]

How to Determine if MSG is in Your Food

Food manufacturers are not stupid, and they've caught on to the fact that people like you want to avoid eating this nasty food additive. As a result, do you think they responded by removing MSG from their products? Well, a few may have, but most of them just tried to "clean" their labels. In other words, they tried to hide the fact that MSG is an ingredient.

How do they do this?

By using names that you would never associate with MSG.

You see, it's required by the FDA that food manufacturers list the ingredient "monosodium glutamate" on food labels, but they do not have to label ingredients that contain free glutamic acid, even though it's the main component of MSG.

There are over 40 labeled ingredients that contain glutamic acid,[9] but you'd never know it just from their names alone. Further, in some foods glutamic acid is formed during processing and, again, food labels give you no way of knowing for sure.

Tips for Keeping MSG Out of Your Diet

In general, if a food is processed you can assume it contains MSG (or one of its pseudo-ingredients). So if you stick to a whole, fresh foods diet, you can pretty much guarantee that you'll avoid this toxin.

The other place where you'll need to watch out for MSG is in restaurants. You can ask your server which menu items are MSG-free, and request that no MSG be added to your meal, but of course the only place where you can be entirely sure of what's added to your food is in your own kitchen.

To be on the safe side, you should also know what ingredients to watch out for on packaged foods. Here is a list of ingredients that ALWAYS contain MSG:

Autolyzed Yeast
Calcium Caseinate
Gelatin Glutamate
Glutamic Acid
Hydrolyzed Protein
Monopotassium Glutamate
Monosodium Glutamate
Sodium Caseinate
Textured Protein
Yeast Extract
Yeast Food
Yeast Nutrient

These ingredients OFTEN contain MSG or create MSG during processing:[10]

Flavors and Flavorings
Seasonings
Natural Flavors and Flavorings
Natural Pork Flavoring
Natural Beef Flavoring
Natural Chicken Flavoring
Soy Sauce
Soy Protein Isolate
Soy Protein
Bouillon Stock
Broth
Malt Extract
Malt Flavoring
Barley Malt
Whey Protein
Carrageenan
Maltodextrin
Pectin
Enzymes Protease
Corn Starch
Citric Acid
Powdered Milk
Anything Protein Fortified
Anything Enzyme Modified
Anything Ultra-Pasteurized

So if you do eat processed foods, please remember to be on the lookout for these many hidden names for MSG.

Choosing to be MSG-Free

Making a decision to avoid MSG in your diet as much as possible is a wise choice for nearly everyone. Admittedly, it does take a bit more planning and time in the kitchen to prepare food at home, using fresh, locally grown ingredients. But knowing that your food is pure and free of toxic additives like MSG will make it well worth it.

Plus, choosing whole foods will ultimately give you better flavor and more health value than any MSG-laden processed food you could buy at your supermarket.

And Let There Be Light!

2009-04-21T15:15:00.004-05:00

Ok, sounds like an odd title of a post pertaining to putting curtains on a window, but it really does make sense! See, we have a large bay window in our living room that looks right out into our front yard and street. I have drapes up but would have to open and close them morning and night and there was something uninviting in the mornings to see the living all dark with the drapes closed.

So, I devised a plan so that I could fix the drapes to an open position while still providing privacy at night! I added cafe curtains to the bottom half of the windows! I had looked all over to find some I liked but just never seemed to. So, I finally decided to make my own! Now, I've dabbled in sewing since I was a kid but never made something that I planned on displaying in such a prominant manner! One of my "Imaginary Friends" (i.e. online friends from BabyCenter) graciously helped me to get started on my project. I googled for instructions and she helped me calculate the propper measurements for the fabric.

A broken sewing machine needle and a couple hours later... Voila!

They are perfect! They give us plenty of privacy in the evenings and just bathes the livingroom in sunlight first thing in the mornings! It really helps me to get started on the right foot!

Here are the online instructions I found to use. It really was a very simple project for a beginner sewer - or is it seamstress?

http://www.alternative-windows.com/cafe-curtains.htm

That's all for now!

Elisabeth

What Makes a Mom a "Mom"?

2009-04-19T22:26:00.003-05:00

You know, we learn that sugar and spice and everything nice makes a special little girl and snips and snails and puppy dog tails make sweet little boys. But, what makes a mom a real "Mom"?

I learned everything I know about being a mom from my Mamu. Granted, she was my grandmother, not my mom, but she was a "mom" to me in all ways that mattered. She was an incredible woman. She knew everything! Yes, that might be a slight exaggeration but it sure seems like she knew a little bit about everything and alot about everything that mattered.

She cooked, sewed, crafted, cleaned, nurtured, comforted, loved. Is that what makes a "mom"? It sure made her a wonderful "mom". If I can be half the "mom" she was, my kids will be quite blessed.

I love her, I miss her, may she Rest In Peace, Happy Birthday, Mamu!

Blackberry Heaven! (I mean Cobbler!)

2009-04-18T20:54:00.000-05:00

If you have never had Heaven in a bowl, you must try this blackberry cobbler! Simply delish!

Host of Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blackberries (other fruits may be subsituted)

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups white sugar

1 Tbs. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1/2 cup butter, melted

2 cups milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. You begin by rinsing fresh blackberries (or thawing frozen berries). Using a butter stick, lightly butter the a glass 9x13 baking dish. Place berries into the dish, spread out evenly.

3. Sprinkle the berries with a couple pinches of sugar.

4. In large bowl, mix together: flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, melted butter, and milk. Stir well. Mixture will be lumpy.

5. Pour mixture on top of berries.

6. (Optional) Sprinkle the top of mixture/berries with a light dusting of cinnamon.

7. Place in oven and bake 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Finally, top with vanilla icecream or whipped topping and serve fresh and warm from the oven! Enjoy!

Our Journey To a High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) Free Life!

2009-04-18T13:08:00.000-05:00

Recently, Michael and I decided to begin eliminating High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) completely from our family's diet!

Just looking around in our panty and fridge alerts us to the intensive mission we are undertaking! HFCS is in everything!

Michael recently watched the movie Corn Nation, which I have yet to watch, and that really spurred him to research the effects of HFCS. As a mom, I've been somewhat aware of the fact that we need to reduce HFCS in our children's diet but I'm learning alot from Michael and research we are doing together.

My last two trips to the grocery store were successful! It is so true, that you pretty much have to stick to the perimeter of the grocery store to eat healthy! I did make a run down the baking isle but just for scratch ingredients for making our own yummy snacks and treats!

So, how many loaves of bread do you have to read the label on to find one free of HFCS? About 500! Ok, maybe that's a slight exageration, but it felt like 500! I finally found a few brands that I can trust to not contain HFCS! I can quit inspecting labels and just reach for OroWheat or H.E.B's BakeShop 100% Whole Wheat bread ! Now, I know I sound like a paid ad, but I promise I'm not! Just thankful to have found a few brands that will make my grocery shopping trips slightly less painful :)

Have you read any food labels lately? I can be a scarey prospect, I completely understand! I challenge you to it though! For the long-term health of your family - it is so worth it!

That's all for now!
~Elisabeth

Back To Basics: My New Theme in Life

2009-04-18T12:04:00.000-05:00

Never would I have imagined my life as it has become. I was a very conventional, go with the flow type of person. I very much hesitated questioning anyone in authority or even trying to veer off the well-beaten path.

But, life has a way of happening to you. Sometimes for the better, and that is what happened to me -to us!

Thankfully, I have been blessed with a wonderful husband who tags right along with me down the Back To Basics trail.

This theme transcends every aspect of our lives. Religion. Politics. Child-Rearing. Spousal Roles. The food we eat. Medical Care. The way we live has transformed into a more basic living.

And we LOVE it!

We have slowed down. We smell the flowers -and even dance among them sometimes! We really appreciate the little things in life!

Our future plans are to take various trips around this great Nation, exploring God's creations and the history that exists in every nook and cranny. We have no plans for Disney World. Our family will benefit so much more from learning about our surroundings and what our soldiers are out there fighting to preserve.

We live in a modest home, with a modest car and even a modest dog! We are not trying to keep up with the Jones', although we do wave as they go by!

I'm learning to make alot of foods from scratch and my husband and kids really enjoy being my guinnea pigs! My next adventure is to make freezer jams! I'm not trained on canning just yet (yet being the operative word here) but I can definitely freeze things! - Watch for that post in the near future!

I also, just tried my hand at homemade laundry soap! Although I couldn't find the Fels Naptha (not for lack of trying), I do think my first batch turned out great! What I enjoy doing is tweaking recipes until I get them perfect for our family. I'm sure I will do that with my laundry soap as well!

We don't vaccinate our kids (anymore). We don't run to the doctor for every sniffle or fill the antibiotic prescription until it is definitely needed. Our kids are the picture of perfect health too! Bell hadn't been sick in 4 years but recently came down with Samonella poisoning. Granted, she was miserable for a few days and I was really worried about her for a few days, but her body was able to fight it off on it's own; just as God created it to do! Now, for my disclaimer - through a lab snaffoo, we didn't learn it was salmonella until 6 weeks AFTER she was sick. I'm actually kind of thankful for that, as we were able to see with our own eyes that she is capable of fighting off scarey illnesses without any medical intervention. We nurtured her through it with cool-down baths, cold rags, lots of fluids and stayed in close contact with her pediatrician. And, now... 6 weeks later... she has returned to the picture of perfect health!

I'll post in the future what led us to not vaccinate our kids anymore. It was not a decision we made lightly. But, we saw our boy struggling more and more until we could no longer ignore the obvious. I am so extremely thankfull that we listened to our instincts and went against the grain to do what was best for our child. I truley believe that God gives us our motherly intuitions for a reason - to be put to good use!

Do you listen to your's?

Well, that's a good intro for now. Just a sneak peak into who we are, and why we do what we do. Please come back if you are interested in bringing your life back to the basics too!

~Elisabeth