Homemaking On A Whim

A little over a week ago, I decided to experiment a bit. I cut refined sugar out of my diet. I have not had sugar (or HFCS or artificial sweeteners or anything of that nature) since last Saturday. It has helped my energy levels a little, and it's helped my brain fog a lot! The last few weeks I've felt just....... blah. I have never knows what people mean when they say "brain fog" but I totally know now! But thankfully said brain fog is minimal, thanks to cutting sugar.

And going mostly sugar-free is a HUGE accomplishment for me, especially since there has been chocolate cake in my house every day since I went off sugar. :P

Why MOSTLY sugar-free? Because yesterday, there was a potluck after church. Of course, I didn't know that, as it was only our second time at that church, so I didn't bring something I could eat.

Do you have any idea how difficult it is to eat sugar-free at a church potluck?!

Wow. I piled some stuff on my plate that was probably sugar-free, and avoided those that for sure had sugar in it, or I was pretty sure had sugar. This left very little to choose from! I had some seafood chowder, because I figured I make seafood chowder all the time, and there's no sugar in it. Well, when I tasted it, it was really sweet. That tipped me off, and after a few bites I started getting concerned and inspected all the pieces of food in that chowder, and there I spotted it...... imitation crab meat. Do you know what that is exactly? That is a small amount of fish, usually pollock, with lots of colorants and flavorings and..... you guessed it..... sugar. They must have put lots of imitation crab meat in this chowder (combined with my new found sensitivity to sugar, I'm sure), because that was the sweetest chowder I've ever tasted.

About half way into my meal (I had abandoned my chowder after 5 bites and moved on to other things.... finally landing on the veggies and fruit I had piled on my plate), I started feeling shaky and a little nauseous, and started to get a bit of a headache. I had already detoxed from the lack of sugar, so my body was reacting to the sugar. It wasn't terrible, I just knew that I couldn't just hope for the best again..... and it served as a reminder to introduce sugar back into my diet VERY slowly when I finally do allow myself sugar again.

Anyway, other than the church potluck incident, I've been allowing myself natural sweeteners, like honey, maple syrup, and sucanat. I've been trying to find a good coffee creamer substitute for my "coffee" that doesn't contain sugar or HFCS, and I'm still playing around with recipes for that..... hopefully I will perfect it soon and post it. When I'm in a dessert mood, I've been having an apple, a bowl of frozen berries, or chocolate soothers (YUM..... this is perfect because hot chocolate is my weakness. I usually add a little more milk than the recipe calls for because I like it to be a little thinner, but I've been considering making some just to put in the fridge and see if it sets up like pudding!). When I need snacks, I make popcorn or have some cheese. I put honey in my tea at night.

The only problem is that 99% of anything made with flour has sugar in it! So that eliminates a lot of grains from my diet..... some pastas, breads, cinnamon rolls (ha!), pancakes, etc. unless I can adapt them. We had pancakes for breakfast last Saturday, and I used sucanat instead of sugar. But not all recipes are as adaptable as pancakes! So this has cut my carb consumption a lot, which is probably a good thing! It's gearing me up to go gluten-free, which I may do very soon!

Overall, I'm feeling good. I'm still tired (then again, I haven't been getting enough sleep, so that's probably an easy and obvious fix), but my brain fog has cleared a lot. I don't find myself staring off into space as much, and I'm thinking a lot more clearly. I'm also experiencing a few detox symptoms (I was SO broken out all week, and no, it's not that time of the month!), but those will pass.

It's kind of hard, because EVERYTHING has sugar in it. From pancakes to ketchup to pickles to cereal (even cheerios)..... everything!! I pretty much have to make EVERYTHING myself and make adaptions. Which is fine, I make most things myself anyway, it just means I can't be lazy, and on days where I don't feel like cooking..... that's too bad!

I'll check back in again soon and let you all know how I'm doing with my sugar-free adventure!

Have you ever gone sugar-free? Could you do it? Do you have any ideas for me, or recommendations for "dessert" ideas?

**This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for supporting Homemaking On A Whim!

Links I Love 1/29/11

2011-01-29T03:46:00.000-08:00

If you're a facebook or twitter addict (*ahem*): Guarding Against Technology Timewasters

A great parenting tip: Rinse and Repeat: The Art of Practicing

Prayer for a Tired Mom

Hyper-Criticism: A Letter from a Senior Demon to a Junior Demon. SO scary and convicting, and SO true!!

My 2011 Reading List

2011-01-27T13:13:00.000-08:00

I put together a list of books that I want to read in 2011. These are in order, but I might change my mind later. I also might change my mind and read a few different books. Ha! I plan to read a book a month (but I have terrible follow-through, so we'll see). But anyway, here is my list.

1. The Pioneer Woman Cooks by Ree Drummond. I got this for Christmas, and I LOVE it. I've cooked a lot from her site and everything is always a hit with the whole family, so I'm excited to have her cookbook! And it's not just a cookbook, it has little facts from her life in it too, so don't laugh at me because I put it on my reading list!

2. For Women Only by Shaunti Feldhahn. I've read this twice before, but I want to re-read it. It's an easy read, I think it maybe took me 3 or 4 days to get through it the first time. Kristi over at Courageous Homekeeping is dissecting it at the moment, it's kind of fun to discuss!

3.Who Got Peanut Butter On My Daily Planner? by Cindy Sigler Dagnan. I don't remember who recommended this to me, but it's been sitting on my bookshelf (well.... technically it's been in the garage because my bookshelf broke and we just got a new one a couple weeks ago) for a year and I haven't read it yet.

4. Passionate Housewives Desperate for God by Jennie Chancey and Stacy McDonald. This is another one I've had for about a year and EVERYONE always recommends it to me, but I haven't gotten around to reading it yet. I will do it this year!

5. Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon. I'm part way through this book, but it's SOOOO long, it's taking me forever to get through it. It's really interesting so far, but my goal is to finish it this year.

6. In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan. This is on my list for when I finish Nourishing Traditions.

7. Politically Incorrect Wife by Connie Grigsby and Nancy Cobb. I don't remember who recommended this either, but I'm hoping it's good!

8. A Piaget Primer by Dorothy G. Singer and Tracey A. Revenson. My sister recommended this to me and let me borrow it.

9. Facedown by Matt Redman. I started to read this a couple years ago but never finished it. I'm terrible about that.... do you have any clue how many books I've started and haven't finished?!

10. Created To Be His Helpmeet by Debi Pearl. This has been recommended to me before, although it's a little controversial. I have it sitting on my bookshelf and it's a little intimidating.... but I will read it!

11. Stupid Things Parents Do To Mess Up Their Kids by Dr. Laura Schlessinger. I've read her books The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands and The Proper Care and Feeding of Marriage, and they were both great, so this one probably will be too!

12. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant. My sister recommended it to me. It's historical fiction, based on Biblical events, although it is fiction. I'm really excited for this one.

And here is a list of books I want to read if I get to them, but might wait until next year to read.

The Maker's Diet by Jordan Rubin. I might actually squeeze this in soon, because I've been having a couple health issues recently that I think this would help with.

Sacred Influence by Gary Thomas. This book is SO good. I've read half of it..... and I have no idea what happened to it! The book went missing. So if I ever find it, I'll be re-reading it and finishing it!

My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. I've heard great things about this one, but have yet to read it!

One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp. I've been reading Ann's blog for a while, and she is a beautiful writer. And out of 60 amazon reviews, 59 rate it 5 stars and 1 rates it 4 stars.... I'd say it's probably a winner!

Life Management for Busy Women: Living Out God's Plan With Passion and Purpose by Elizabeth George. I really want to read this, but I don't even own it yet, so it's pretty far down on the list!

What books are you planning on reading this year?

**This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for supporting Homemaking On A Whim!**

Extended Holiday Season and Good Morning Girls

2011-01-19T11:31:00.000-08:00

My poor blog has been suffering lately! I took a break for the holidays, but my holiday season was extended by a few weeks. We've been out of town 5 out of the last 7 weekends, plus I just got back Sunday night from being out of town for a week, so it's been a little crazy around these parts, and my blog has been neglected! I have so many things to share, but I'm still trying to get my house in order from the holiday season, so I will still be posting sporadically until I get that under control.

Not to mention I dropped my camera on the concrete at the Christmas parade in our town and it no longer works..... and since I can't take pictures, I don't feel as inspired to post as often. I know blog posts are always better with pictures, but I just hate to spend all that time digging around for the perfect picture on flickr!

So this will have to do.

But I do want to tell you all that I have joined a Good Morning Girls group for the first time, and I'm doing the James Bible study with my group. It is so fun to share with a group of girls every morning about what God is revealing to me in the book of James.... and it's fun to read what other girls are learning! I'm definitely going to continue to be part of a Good Morning Girls group. This session has started already, but if you want to get involved, it's not too late to jump in! You will be a few days behind, but the session just started on Monday, so it's not so far into it that you would be lost! I highly encourage you to join a group if you haven't already!

Something God has dealt with me about today is doubting Him. James 1:5-6 says "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind."

I am HUGE on convictions.... but how many times have I, in my sin nature, doubted God? How many times have I asked God for wisdom, then He gave it to me, but then I just listened to what my friend or family member told me instead of what God told me? How many times have I, even if it was subconscious, doubted God and decided I knew better than He did? Ouch. I am so thankful that I serve a God who knows best!

The Destructive Nature of "Me Time"

2011-01-18T12:06:00.000-08:00

I have been praying for weeks over what to post in response to the question about "me time" that was left in the comments of my post titled Why It's So Important to Serve Your Husband. Basically, I wanted to explain my stance on it, but I was having a hard time writing about it without sounding very legalistic. Fortunately, I came across this AMAZING article, which explains my feelings on the subject better than I ever could! I HIGHLY recommend this!

The "Me Time" Myth (thanks, April @ My Abundant Life for sharing this!)

What are your thoughts on "me time"? Do you agree or disagree with this post? Why?

Links I Love 1/8/11

2011-01-08T04:53:00.000-08:00

I took a holiday break on posting links to articles I love, since Christmas and New Years Day both fell on Saturdays, which is the day I normally post the Links I Love posts. So instead of moving to to a different day, I'm making up for lost time today! I hope you enjoy the abundance of posts I have for you! ;)

Traditional ways of eating are becoming more mainstream, and the truth is getting out: Scientists now saying carbs, not fat, are to blame for America's ills.

2011 Is Here!

2011-01-04T10:24:00.000-08:00

I'm a little behind the times. I always am. I work best under pressure. Actually I work best when it's too late!

Today I'm sitting down and writing out my New Years resolutions. I made one resolution already, and now I'm writing out more over the next day or two. Does "better late than never" apply here? Maybe I will just call them goals instead of resolutions. That way it's less like I failed at keeping my resolutions, and less like a new year thing, and more like a self-improvement thing.

So I will be spending the next few days praying over everything. Myself as a daughter of God, as a wife, as a mother, as a friend, and as a blogger, along with my goals for my household and my family, my marriage and my relationship with God. Things I want to accomplish, big and small. Little actions or attitudes I want to implement.

Am I the only one who is late to jump on the resolutions band wagon? Is anyone else out there scrambling to get some goals together before February? If you've already made resolutions or set goals for the upcoming year, what are they? I'm curious!

Merry Christmas to You and Yours

2010-12-23T04:57:00.000-08:00

As we get ready to celebrate the birth of Christ, the day our Savior came into the world, the day a baby was born to a virgin, the day child came to save us all.....

I pray for love, that you would know the love of Christ. I pray for joy, that you would find joy in the coming of a King. I pray for peace, that His peace would wash over you in the midst of this season. And I pray for hope, that you would find hope in knowing that Jesus came to earth and died for your sins so you and I would be redeemed.

Merry Christmas to you and your family! Have a wonderful Christmas weekend!

"For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." -Isaiah 9:6

You Are Not Forgotten

2010-12-20T05:00:00.000-08:00

Most of us feel, at some point, forgotten. Whether it's by family or by God, we feel like we're insignificant, and God got caught up in more important things, and just.... forgot about you. Do you ever feel that way? I have.

Maybe you're waiting for God to lead you somewhere, or call you to do something. Maybe you're waiting for Him to reveal His specific plan. Or maybe He's already called you to do something, but you're waiting for Him to open the doors to carry out His plan. And waiting. And waiting. I don't like waiting.... I like knowing. And doing. I have a hard time waiting. Maybe you do too. Maybe you feel like God's forgotten you and you should take matters into your own hands. I know I've felt like that.

Did I ever tell you the story of our move? In April 2008, God put it in our hearts to move to a certain area after certain events took place. We talked about it jokingly, because although we would do it, we didn't think it would actually happen. 6 months later, in October, those events started to unfold, and we heard God's calling louder than ever to move to that area. We got confirmation after confirmation after confirmation..... we KNEW that God was calling us to this area. The flaw.... at least in my eyes it was a flaw.... was that God didn't give us a specific time. He kept saying "Soon." That was all.

When is soon? Next week? 5 years from now? When is soon?! We had no idea..... none at all! We just had to wait till God opened the doors for us to go.

In December 2008, 8 months after God put the move on our hearts, and 2 months after it was fully confirmed, we found out we were pregnant. Then in January 2009, we miscarried. That was the most devastating event of my life. My husband and I were both exhausted from being so devastated and angry. Thankfully, we had the support of our family and friends to help us make it through this difficult time. I am so thankful that we hadn't gone yet. I didn't even get out of bed much for a month after we lost our baby. If we had moved before this, we would have had to face this time alone. I was so thankful that God made us wait on Him.

In February, we found out we were pregnant again! How exciting! But then the questions came up again. We had only talked with a few select prayer partners about our move, but the majority of our family and friends didn't know yet, because we wanted to wait until we had a concrete time we would be moving. But I hated not knowing. I didn't want to get comfortable with a doctor in our town just to find out we were going to move soon and I'd have to change doctors. Of course, at around 24 weeks, I changed to a midwife anyway so I could have a VBAC. My midwife was 40 minutes south of our home town.... and the city we were called to move to was an hour and a half north! I felt like we were moving in the opposite direction, but this is what God had called us to do.

On October 22, 2009, I gave birth via VBAC to a beautiful baby girl. I had her in an in-hospital birthing center that was prepared to deal with natural births (most hospitals don't see many, if at all) and dealt with them often. I had a wonderful midwife that believed in me, which I needed. It was a beautiful experience that changed my life. God truly showed His face during the labor and birth, and I'm so thankful it happened the way it did. If we had moved before then, I'm not sure I could have found adequate support to have a VBAC. We would have been in a new area that I had only ever visited once or twice in my life, we didn't know the area, and a lot of the hospitals in the area have bans on VBACs. My husband was not comfortable with me having a home birth yet, so I would have had to fight tooth and nail to have a VBAC in an unfamiliar place. Thankfully, God knew all this, even though we did not! Once again, I was so thankful we waited on God.

One week later, we had to move out of our apartment.

Two weeks after that, my husband started his job up north, at a place that opened up a month before he started there. A job he loves.

A week after that, on November 14, we put everything from the storage unit into a u-haul and drove up to our new apartment in our new town.

It took a year and a half. A year and a half of knowing we were called, and of being frustrated when doors would blow open.... and then slam shut. A year and a half of having doors close in our home town, while still waiting for them to open in our new city. A year and a half of being in financial ruin, where my husband was in a dead-end job that maxed out at $9.50/hour, and during a good week, he would only get 30 hours. A year and a half of being in transition..... a year and a half of that in-between stage. There were so many times that I wanted to just GO. In the name of trusting God, I wanted to just go and trust that since He called us there, He will provide for our needs accordingly. I'm so thankful we waited until He opened the doors instead of trying to force them open and doing things my way.

As much as I hated waiting, I can say with certainty that it was worth it. We love the city we're in now. We love this area. We've grown closer as a family, as we've had to depend more on each other and less on friends and extended family. And while there are still some things we're waiting on (God has only very recently put us in a church steadily, but we're still waiting to get involved in ministry), that year and a half of priceless experiences made us trust God so much more.

If you're waiting for something, if you feel forgotten, I want to encourage you today. I want to encourage you to trust in the Lord and keep waiting. God is sovereign. You may feel like you're ready for the next step, but God knows what needs to be done before He can guide you through that next door. God knows what you need to do before you enter into the next phase of life. He knows you, and He knows what you need. He is paving the way for you, all you need to do is wait on Him, whose timing is flawless, instead of going in your own time, because you and I are fallible humans, and our timing is never better than God's.

For now, just be still, and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10).

Psalm 37: 23-
The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way.

For more encouragement for those who are waiting on God, read all of Psalm 37.

Are you waiting for something? How can I pray for you today?

Links I Love 12/18/10

2010-12-18T04:42:00.000-08:00

I loved this beautiful post over at Keeper Of The Home: First Love-Let it Be First at Christmas

Did you read Lindsay's great post at Passionate Homemaking a while back called Can Natural Living Become an Idol? Well, she followed up with another fantastic post called Balancing Nutrition and Priorities. Part 1 and part 2.

I've recently discovered a blog called The Growing Stam Family. I love her blog and her heart! This post of hers encouraged me and confirmed what God has been showing me lately: How Can Doing Little Things Help You Do Big Things

An incredible, inspiring stories of a woman who had a VBA4C (Vaginal Birth After 4 Cesareans) at home: Mom Defies Doctor, Has Baby Her Way

This post made me laugh.... it's very insightful! Man vs. Mall

Kicking the Caffeine Habit

2010-12-14T04:46:00.000-08:00

Coffee is a big weakness of mine. The comfort of having a wonderfully delicious, hot drink in the morning is just too much for my self-control (or lack thereof) to handle! I'm salivating right now thinking about it! The taste, the smell.... mmmmmmmm....

*Ahem* Anyway...

I love coffee. I gave it up about 2 years ago. Not because of the caffeine, but because it was too acidic for me. Coffee makes me nauseous. Of course, it drastically cut down my caffeine consumption after I quit coffee. I still drink it though. I probably have a cup or two (or three) per week. I've been trying for a few months to get up at 5 am with my husband (and no, that's not going well, thanks for asking). On the mornings I do get up early, it means I am sleep-deprived. My body requires 9 hours of sleep per night (Outrageous, I know... my husband goes on 4-6 hours regularly and thrives), so on the mornings I get up with him, I have some coffee to help me wake up. It's comforting, delicious, and it sure does wake me up.... until about 2:00. Then I stop functioning and go into zombie mode.

There's a 30-day Caffeine-Free Challenge going on over at Food Renegade starting January 1st, and I'm trying it. No caffeine for the entire month of January. I'm gonna die!!!!!

Actually no I'm not. But I feel deprived already.

I have kicked my caffeine addiction, but you know how alcoholism is a life-long disease and even if you don't drink you still have to be very, very careful so you don't go off the deep-end again? My coffee addiction is kind of like that. And I've been straddling that fine line lately, heading back in the direction of coffee addiction.

I'll be stocking up on Teeccino this month to help me stay away from coffee. At least then I'll get the comfort of a hot drink that almost tastes like coffee, but without the nasty side-effects.

So 30 days with no caffeine whatsoever. Wish me luck!

Are you going caffeine-free in January too?

Links I Love 12/11/10

2010-12-11T04:44:00.000-08:00

Amanda over at Impress Your Kids is doing an awesome Advent series. She put together some really fun and simple activities to do with your kids over the Advent season. Go check it out!

I've been listening to a few Mark Driscoll sermons lately. I've listened to Women and Femininity and Women as Homebuilders, and they're very good. But the one I want to share is Women as Wives. Please listen to it! And if you're still in the mood after that, listen to the other two! He also has Women as Mothers on there, but I haven't listened to it yet. Let me know if you do listen!

Why Nighttime Breastfeeding Is So Important

A subject very close to my heart: Does the Birth Control Pill Cause Abortions?

Why It's So Important to Serve Your Husband

2010-12-10T04:09:00.000-08:00

I wrote a couple posts recently called "Should Husbands Help Around the House?" Click to read part 1 and part 2.

In the comments section of part 1, I said that wanting "me" time is selfish. I truly believe it is! Honestly, wanting ANYTHING is selfish, since we are all unworthy sinners. But in the case of "me" time, I believe that wanting time for yourself just for the sake of getting away from your family and/or responsibilities for a bit is selfish.

Morgan asked this very good question: "Why does your husband deserve time to relax but if you were to desire "Me" time it's selfish?"

I thought I'd point out a few Scriptures that have convicted me over the years, and then discuss a bit.

Psalm 119:36 says "Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain."

James 3:13-15 says "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic."

James 3:16-17 says "For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere."

Philippians 2:3 says "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself."

Galatians 5:24-26 says "And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another."

Romans 8:5-8 says "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God."

Romans 6:11 says "Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. "

Truth be told, my husband does not deserve time to relax, and neither do I. We do not even deserve to live, much less relax! We are all such vile sinners, selfishly living in the flesh and feeling we DESERVE things, like we have the RIGHT to relax and whatnot. We don't! We are terrible people and deserve nothing. BUT, by God's grace, we get to indulge in these privileges anyway! God loves us so much that, even though we are not worthy, He sent his Son to die on the cross and suffer for OUR sins so that we could be closer to Him. He did that for me, and in return, serving my family is the LEAST I could do to please God! John 3:30 says "He must increase, but I must decrease." It's not a matter of deserving to relax... it's a matter of serving God.

If I am walking in God's grace, I will want to serve my family no matter what, even if he never feels compelled to serve me back. I don't serve my husband so that I will be served in return. Serving him for my own personal gain will be fruitless. I serve him because I desire to please God, and serving my husband with no expectations of anything in return is pleasing to God.

It's not easy, but it is necessary as a follower of Christ!

Speaking of following Christ, we, as Christians, need to strive to be like God, right? Even when Jesus came to earth in the form of a man, he didn't have "me" time. He had disciples with him all the time. The times when He was alone were not times spent sitting on the couch watching TV, or staring at the trees, or taking a "night out" with other guys. The times He was alone were spent with God, crying out to His Father. If I get any time to myself with no husband or children with me, I want to spend it crying out to God and basking in His presence, not out somewhere for a "night out with the girls" to "get away from my family" for a while, or "watching TV with no responsibilities". I do not need time away from my family and responsibilities, I need Christ.

Matthew 16:24-27 says "Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works."

My Prayers For You

2010-12-08T00:27:00.000-08:00

I apologize if this post jumps around a lot, it's just what's on my heart!

As I pray for my children for the upcoming year, I ask God to help me to nurture the character qualities He wants them to have. In my search for ways to help encourage them to grow up to be godly young women, I came across this wonderful Character Qualities chart that has a character quality, the opposite of that character quality, and an accompanying Scripture in each box. I love this! As soon as we get a printer, I will be printing this out and sticking it to my fridge, not just to help my children grow, but to help myself grow into the kind of mother God wants me to be.

I also want to pray for you and your family. I pray that the Lord will show His face to you, and that He will help you grow and mature and learn and draw closer to Him so that he can mold you and shape you into what HE wants you to be. I pray that God will show you how to better serve your family as a wife, mother, and homemaker, and that He will teach you kindness, hospitality, and submission.

Isaiah 64:8 - " But now, O LORD, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand."

I pray for your marriage, that God will unite you with your husband in such a way that illustrates the relationship between Christ and His church (Ephesians 5:22-33). That the Lord will heal any brokenness and wounds, and that He will teach you to forgive as Christ forgave you. That He will teach you humility and servant-heartedness, patience and gentleness. I pray that God will teach you how to be a Proverbs 31 woman.

Proverbs 31:12 - "She does him good and not evil, all the days of her life."

I pray for your children, that the Lord will show His face to them and teach you to teach them to not only have faith like the children they are, but to keep that faith even as they grow into young men and women themselves. I pray that God will reveal to you the Father He is so that you can demonstrate this to your children in such a way that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.

Mark 10:15 - "Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”

May God bless you and your family in this upcoming year!

How to Get Your Husband to Help Out Around the House

2010-12-03T04:08:00.000-08:00

If you haven't read them yet, go read Is Working Outside the Home a Sin?, Should Wives Stay Home Before Children? part 1, part 2, and part 3, and Should Husbands Help Around the House? part 1 and part 2.

So what about those days where you have too much to do and your list keeps getting longer, kids are exhausted (in other words: haven't behaved well all day), you're tired, and you still have 4 hours worth of work to do before bed, and it's already 9 or 10 at night?

I'm glad you asked.

If your husband is not too tired and you just have too much to do and would like some help, asking him politely is a good idea. But if he says no, do not force him, and do not get huffy and mad. Remember that he works hard to provide for you. He works hard so you can stay home and take care of the house and the children. Remind yourself this constantly.

One thing that is difficult (but very necessary) is to pray that God will change YOUR heart. Ask Him to help you not expect your husband to help you! Without expectations, you won't be disappointed, and you'll appreciate what your husband does do that much more. I'll be touching more on expectations in an upcoming post.

Make sure your husband knows how much you appreciate him and all that he does. The more respected and appreciated he feels, especially by his wife, the more willing he will be to help you with what you need to do. Browbeating him into doing things for you is NOT the way to go. Getting upset and demanding help is just going to make him resent you.

One thing to remember is that you can't fake your appreciation. Your husband probably knows you well enough to see right through you if you try it! This is why prayer is so important. Ask God to change your heart and help you to really, truly appreciate your husband without expecting anything in return. Doing this will slowly, but surely, make him more and more willing to help. Not only that, but it will improve more aspects of your marriage than just that!

Another thing to remember (that is actually very hard for women) is that our husbands are never going to WANT to do the dishes. They're never going to WANT to sweep the floor. If they do help, it's not going to be because they WANT to. It will be because they want to do something for their wives, who do so much for them in the way of making them feel appreciated! But they can't read our minds, so we have to be sure to let them know when we want something done (and what we want done).

Don't expect that after telling your husband once or twice "Hey, thanks for working," that he'll be jumping to help you with dinner. It's an ongoing process of telling him regularly "Hey honey, thank you so much for providing for us. You're such an amazing husband, and I appreciate that you work so hard so I can stay home and take care of you and the kids." After telling him honestly how much you appreciate him, then he will be more willing to help if you ask.

Just Admiring My Children

2010-12-01T12:39:00.000-08:00

My girls are growing up so fast. I love watching their personalities develop.

Princess is loud and loving and a people pleaser. She's always trying to make people laugh and thrives on verbal affirmation.

She often tells me "Mommy, say 'good job!'" when she does something good.

Lady is quiet and cautious and sensitive. She will cuddle with anyone who is willing.

She gives great kisses and hugs and has just the sweetest smile you will ever see!

Proverbs 22:6 - "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."

I'm so proud of who my children are becoming. I can't wait to see what the future holds for them!

Should Husbands Help Around the House? part 2

2010-11-26T04:29:00.000-08:00

If you haven't read part 1, go read it now. And don't forget to read the interesting discussion in the comments as well!

There's another passage in Genesis that I'm sure we've all heard a thousand times: "And the LORD God said, 'It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.' " If you notice, God made a helper for man. God did not make a helper for women. We are the helper. Our husbands need us to help them. They need us to do the dishes and laundry for them. They are not on earth to help us, we were put on earth to help them. We are made for the long-haul--women handle the constant ongoing housework and all that. I acknowledge that I'm going to eat last (in other words, cold food!), do laundry, and not have a day full of nothing, probably for the rest of my life, and I'm okay with that. That's what I'm made for. By expecting him to do the dishes after dinner, or put the laundry away, or any of that, I'm expecting to reverse our roles and make him my helper, and that is not fair, or Scriptural. If he wants to put the laundry away, I'm not going to argue, but expecting him to do it is not fair to him, to God, or to myself.

Since my husband and I are not together during the day, it's hard for him to see how hard I work. And I work hard. And constantly. Most wives probably feel the same way. Except we have to remind ourselves (constantly for me.... ahem....) that we don't see how hard our husbands work either. We're not at work with them all day. We have no idea what they do. When they come home, it is our job as wives to make sure they have time to relax! We need to show our love for our husbands by taking care of the housework ourselves (isn't that what we signed up for when we because homemakers anyway?) and not shoving it on them after a long day at work for them and a long day at home for us. Our husbands work hard so we can stay home. Instead of getting upset when our husbands don't help out around the house when we ask, let's remember how hard they work and show our appreciation for them while we do the laundry ourselves.

Ultimately, this is not a matter of fairness and division of labor. This is a matter of being Christ-like and servant-hearted, striving to please your husband, and therefore, God. Come back next week for more on husbands and housework.

For another post on this (one much better than mine, to be honest), go read The Contentions of a Wife on Chelsey's Journey blog. And another great post is this one: Your Marriage Problems Are All In Your Head.

8 Tips For Keeping Up With Clean

2010-11-24T03:56:00.000-08:00

The other day, Angela commented and asked:

"My husband helps me out a lot around the house. He actually helps me way more then I want him to have to. Any tips on how to get to the point you're at? I feel so overwhelmed by everything I have to get done that things get backed up big time. Eventually I want my husband to not have to worry about anything when he's home from work and to be able to just sit back and relax on his days off."

I had so many thoughts going, I decided to make it a whole post!

Now, keep in mind I've only been a homemaker for 4 years. I do NOT have it all figured out. But I am getting better and better at getting things done and caught up, and here is what I've learned.

1. Do things as soon as you notice they need done.

Remember that there's a load of clothes in the dryer that need put away? Do it right now! Did you spill something on the counter when you were getting yourself a glass of milk? Wipe it up right now! Don't put it off! There are days where I think to myself "I should pick up the living room.... later." or "Maybe when I'm done checking my email, I'll go put that load of laundry away." or "I think I want to relax for a while before I wash dishes." Don't!! In my experience, every time I say that, I get more and more behind and overwhelmed and then before I know it, I need an entire day to catch up. Not that I would know from experience or anything. Heh.

And if you have multiple things to do right now and only the ability to do one thing...

2. Keep a running to-do list.

Look around your house and write down everything you need to do. Now order them by importance. Now do them! I know this goes against Flylady's rules of setting a timer for 5 minutes, but for some of us, 5 minutes just isn't enough! I like to get everything all done at once so I can't put it off any more than I already have. Procrastination breeds more procrastination!

3. Set a loose cleaning schedule.

Every morning, start a load of laundry (unless you don't have that much laundry... but try to do a load every day or 2 so you don't get overwhelmed when you have 5 loads to do all in one day). As soon as the dryer is done, put the clothes away while they're still warm. After dinner, clean the kitchen and keep it clean until you go to bed so that you can wake up to a clean kitchen in the morning. Before bed, clean the living room. Pick up the toys, wipe off the coffee table, fold any blankets that are out. Decide on a general time of day to do certain chores, and make sure to get them done. Just don't make it a strict schedule, because then any little disruption will throw your entire day off!

4. Keep your sink empty.

As soon as you have a dirty dish, put it in the dishwasher. Try to keep your sink empty, and scrub it down every night before bed so it's clean. Having a sink filled with dishes and water spots can make your kitchen seem so much cleaner and it can motivate you to clean even more.

5. Keep your flat surfaces cleared off and wiped down.

Try to do your best to keep things off the kitchen counters, dining room table, coffee table, dresser, and whatever other flat surfaces you have in your home. I'm really bad about this.... I tend to pile things onto tables and counters. But whenever I have nothing on my coffee table, my living room looks SO much cleaner. Clear off your flat surfaces and you'll feel better about your house!

6. Make your bed.

This literally takes 10 seconds for me! It's SO easy, and it's shocking how much cleaner my bedroom looks when I make my bed. It always motivates me to clean my bedroom even more!

See? I literally did this in 10 seconds, and I already feel better about my messy room. :D

7. Make "clean" a habit.

I know, old habits die hard.... but it's time to make some new ones. Work on one habit at a time, such as making your bed, keeping up with the laundry, or cleaning the living room every night. Focus on one task every few weeks and once you have that down, try to form a new habit.

8. Allow yourself some time to breathe and relax.

Do things as they need done, but set aside a block of time (whether it's each day or just once a week) to just sit and relax with your husband and not worry about the house work. Since I'm such a procrastinator, I usually clean and clean and clean and then once everything is all clean and caught up, THEN I allow myself time to relax. :)

For some great time management tips, Amy Lynn Andrews has an AWESOME e-book Called "Tell Your Time", and it has helped me SO much! The whole concept was revolutionizing for me. To get the e-book, Click here to visit AmyLynnAndrews.com.*

*Disclosure: I am an affiliate for Amy Lynn Andrews' e-book, so I will get a commission for every e-book sold. This does not, in any way, sway my opinion from one side to the other. In fact, I became an affiliate because I loved her e-book so much and want my readers to see for themselves how amazing it is! For my full disclosure, click here.

Chopping Onions

2010-11-23T00:20:00.000-08:00

The food processor has changed my life.

I hate chopping onions. My husband has no issues with the whole crying thing. He can chop 10 onions and not shed a tear. I, on the other hand, start sobbing and complaining because my eyes start burning as soon as the knife touches the stupid thing.

About a year and a half ago, my mom let me borrow her food processor. It's an older model. But it's fantastic. I use it for a lot of things, mainly for grating cheese and chopping onions. Just these two things alone will make it worth the money you would spend on this amazing piece of machinery!

I typically buy a whole bag of onions and the chop them all at once. I cut the onion in half, and then chop the halves like this:

Then I put as many as I can fit in the food processor.

Pulse until the onions are pretty finely chopped, and then I throw them all in a bowl.

I save the skins and the ends of the onions in a ziploc bag and throw them in the freezer for making chicken stock.

Then I scoop the chopped onions into snack-sized ziploc bags to throw in the freezer. And place my ceramic coffee cup that I love more than life itself next to the bags. I also place a small Belle figurine next to them. Because these are a few of my favorite things.

But ignore the microwave. I despise the microwave. That is NOT one of my favorite things. It's only in the picture because I took this at my old apartment, where there was approximately 1 square foot of counter space, including the space in front of the microwave. Boy, am I glad we moved out of there!

And then I take an obligatory picture of myself wearing my awesome onion goggles that my sister gave me so I can add a special dimension to this post, even though I look like doodoo.

Seriously, invest in a food processor. Be sure to research though, because I've heard that most of the smaller models don't come with the grating option. Trust me, you want the grating option! I've used it to grate and slice carrots and zucchini, and I use it regularly to grate cheese. I can grate a whole brick of cheese in 5 minutes tops (and that includes scooping it out into bags), and then freeze whatever I don't need right away. But as long as you get the kind with the grating disk, you won't regret this purchase. It's worth it's weight in gold.

**Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for supporting Homemaking On A Whim!**

Links I Love 11/20/10

2010-11-19T23:11:00.000-08:00

I think my favorite series Money Saving Mom has ever done is the one on Time Management 101.

This made me want to lose my lunch: Planned Parenthood Offers Abortion in lieu of Car Seat.

Are you participating in the facebook nurse-in? This was great: Nurse-Ins are for EVERYONE.

This post is linked to Saturday Stumbles at It's Come 2 This.

Should Husbands Help Around the House? part 1

2010-11-19T04:10:00.000-08:00

If you haven't read it yet, go read Is Working Outside the Home a Sin? and Should Wives Stay Home Before Children? part 1, part 2, and part 3.

Question: Should husbands help around the house?

Short answer: Not unless they want to. At least that's what I think.

Unless the wife is working full time outside the home, I don't think it would be right to expect our husbands to help with the housework. Honestly, I don't want my husband helping with my chores most of the time! In order to be efficient in my work, I have a tried and true system for everything. I have a system in place because I have so many things to get done that I need to streamline the process. My husband is not home all day with me, so he has no way of knowing my system. If he did some of the jobs once in a while that I do on a daily basis, it would take him twice as long as it would take me to get it done. That's not being mean or rude, and that's not saying my husband is not capable (he certainly is), but I have certain things in my "job" as a homemaker that I have learned to do quickly and efficiently, since this is my role.

Expecting my husband to come home and help me do the dishes, make dinner, vacuum, pick up toys, do laundry, or whatever, is like him expecting me to come to his place of work every day to help him with his job. My husband works in a distribution center. I don't know how he does things, but I do know he has a system in place, just like I have at home. Providing for the family is my husband's job, and keeping the home is mine. It would not be fair for me to expect that, after a long day at work, my husband will come home and help me do my job as well.

Remember that passage, Philippians 2:3? It says "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself." As tough as it is, this includes our husbands! Expecting your husband to do his job AND yours is selfish. There, I said it. Yes, homemaking is a CONSTANT job that is NEVER done, and you are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, but admit it.... men aren't wired for that! What I love about my "job" is that even though I'm on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, I can do things how I want. I can take breaks when I want to or need to, and those breaks can be 2 minutes long or 3 hours long (depending on what my children allow). Nobody tells me what time I get to take breaks or a lunch! I set my own hours and my own standards!

Come back next Friday for part 2!

Changes

2010-11-17T04:06:00.000-08:00

Introducing my new Blogroll page! I've put together a HUGE list of my favorite blogs on various subjects. Jump on over there and skim through the list!

Do you read any of the blogs on my blogroll? Which are your favorites? Or did you subscribe to any new ones?

Recipe: Holiday Cider

2010-11-16T04:15:00.000-08:00

My whole family LOVES this cider recipe. It's my dad's recipe (except for the cloves, that's my own addition), and it is SO good. I know we don't press the apples ourselves or anything, but it's still delicious! It's great to make for holiday dinners and get-togethers, and since the holidays are coming up quickly (I just realized that Thanksgiving is NEXT WEEK), now is a good time to start making it! The best apple cider we've found in this is Litehouse apple cider, but any apple cider or apple juice will work!

Holiday Cider

2 parts apple juice or apple cider
1 part cranberry juice cocktail (if you're using pure cranberry juice, it will take CONSIDERABLY less, so add it in very slowly and taste every step of the way if you go that route!)
a few cinnamon sticks (I use 1 cinnamon stick for every 2-3 cups of liquid)
a few whole cloves (same as cinnamon sticks), optional
1 orange, sliced, optional (I don't use it very often, but it's a great addition)

Combine all ingredients in saucepan or crockpot. Simmer on low at least one hour (or all day in the crockpot). Serve with an orange slice.

This post is linked to the Hearth and Soul BlogHop, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Tuesdays at the Table, Tasty Tuesdays, and the Raising Homemakers Link-Up.

Discipling Our Children

2010-11-15T04:05:00.000-08:00

I love my children. They're hilarious and amazing, and lots of fun. One thing that we, as parents, don't always realize (or if we do realize it, we don't know how to go about it) is that we need to focus our efforts on discipling our children.

Proverbs 22:6 says " Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."

So how do we do that?

Use Scripture for everything. I mean everything. Deuteronomy 6:7 says "You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up."

I've recently tried to be more intentional with this, especially in discipline. I don't know why I didn't think to do it before, but ever since Princess (age 3) started memorizing Scripture about 2 months ago, I've started to implement her memory verses into every day life, and if another verse applies that she hasn't learned yet, I use it anyway. This has been so wonderful for her! She is much more likely to obey and listen when we tell her what the Bible says about it.

Example: We went to Chuck E. Cheese last week to take my husband to work (he works part time there in addition to his full-time job), and decided to hang out and play for a bit. Princess had one token and was VERY excited to use it to ride in a car in the toddler section. But every time she tried to get in the car, another child would get in front of her and go ahead. After 3 children beating her to the car, she began to get very frustrated, so I pulled her aside, and said "Do you know what the Bible says about that? The Bible says 'Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. nothing ' (Philippians 2:3)" And then I explained to her what that means, and how that applied to our situation. Then another little boy jumped in front of her to get on the car, and Princess jumped back and walked back over to me and said "Oh, the little boy is going first. I'll go next." Meltdown averted.

Of course, since her love language is words of affirmation, I told her how proud I am of her, and how happy Jesus is that she was so kind.

I've tried to be more intentional about situations like that, because I want my children to grow up knowing God. I want them to find comfort in the Scriptures no matter the situation. I want them to be able to apply the Scriptures to all situations in life, and the best way to do that is to start now, while they're young. This is a great way to disciple our children, whether they're 3 or 13.

So how do we know which Scriptures to quote at what times?

Study them! Be sure that you're in the Word every day. We read a chapter of the Bible at every meal as a family. At breakfast/lunch, I read out loud to the girls, and at dinner, I (or my husband) read the Proverb of the day. This is in addition to our private Bible times. The more you read the Word, the more "ammo" you will have.

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth." 3 John 1:4

Links I Love 11/13/10

2010-11-12T23:13:00.000-08:00

I'm a big fan of natural birth, and for a lot of reasons: The Epidural Trip: Why are so many women taking dangerous drugs during labor?

Although I'm not Catholic, this very good post gave me some things to think about: Mary and Martha Moment: An Update and an Explanation

Should Wives Stay Home Before Children? Part 3

2010-11-12T04:47:00.000-08:00

If you haven't read part 1 or part 2, go read them now.

So what does the Bible say about homemaking?

Now this is just going to be my conviction and interpretation, I understand not everyone will agree.

First of all, let's look at Titus 2:3-5 (NKJV). It says "the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed."

Now, the word "homemaker" may mean different thing to different people. In the King James Version, verse 5 says "To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed." Keepers at home is what we're looking at. What this means largely depends on your own personal conviction. It could mean that after you get done at your day job, you come home and take care of the house, but it could also mean that you stay home full time so you have the time and energy to get everything done. It does not clearly say whether or not wives should work before (or even after) children. Even Proverbs 31 doesn't make it clear. Verse 27 says " She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness." Some people may be able to do it, but I would have a hard time watching over the ways of my household if I was working outside the home as well. Not to mention I would much rather eat the bread of idleness than do housework after a long day at the office!

If you notice, in Titus 2:4-5 (see above), it lists "to love their husbands", "to love their children", and "keepers at home" as different things a wife should do. It does not say "keepers at home when they have children". And the part that says "that they admonish the young women..." implies that the older women are to teach the younger women.... not the older mothers are to teach the younger mothers. These are important things that young women should learn... whether they are mothers or not!

This case is not entirely clear-cut. I think it's one of those "gray areas" that require prayer. James 1:5 says "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him."

Also, be sure to keep in mind Romans 14. According to that whole chapter, what is right for one may not be right for another. So although it is best for me to stay home, that may not be what is best for you. We need to seek to do our husbands good and not harm, so consulting with our husbands and the Lord about this matter is definitely the best route in this case.

Do you have any Scriptures you've found that apply to this? What are your thoughts? Should wives stay home before children or should they wait?

Come back next week for "Should Husbands Help Out Around the House?"

Recipe: Tortilla Soup

2010-11-09T01:04:00.000-08:00

I love this recipe. Seriously, it's just about my favorite recipe ever. It's delicious, and better yet, EASY. I always have the stuff to make it on hand, and I usually have at least a couple of the toppings on hand as well. This is super simple (no corn or other stuff), and it's only as complicated as you want to make it with toppings.

Mix 2 tbsp Italian dressing and 2 cloves garlic in large saucepan; cook on medium-high heat for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.

Ignore my scratched up pan. I KNOW. It's on the list of new things I need to buy when I can.

Gradually add 4 cups of chicken broth and 1 1/2-2 cups water, stirring until well blended. Add about 4 chicken breasts (or however much you have) and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer for 20 minutes or so, until the chicken is cooked through. Take out the chicken and cool slightly. Pour broth through a fine mesh strainer and return broth to pan.

Shred chicken and return to pan (I didn't get a picture of the chicken, oddly enough). Stir in a 15-oz can of tomato sauce and heat through.

Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with whatever you want.

My FAVORITE garnishes are everything listed in the recipe below. And trust me on the avocado... just try it. I typically can't stand avocado. When I found out I was pregnant with Lady, I had a big bowl of yummy guacamole in the fridge and I was going to eat it, but just the thought of putting avocado in my mouth sent me running for the bathroom. That guacamole sat in the back of the fridge until it closely resembled something that I will not mention on a food post, and then I had my husband dispose of it and wash the bowl while I was in the bathroom with morning sickness. I still have not fully recovered, but avocado is NECESSARY with this soup. Srsly.

And yes, I know it's not in the picture. At the time, I was out.

Tortilla Soup

2 tbsp Italian dressing
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups water
4 chicken breast halves (frozen or fresh)
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce

Toppings:
Crushed tortilla chips (or fried tortillas, depending on how ambitious you're feeling)
Shredded cheese
Sour cream
Avocado
Shredded lettuce
Red onions

Mix dressing and garlic in large saucepan; cook on medium-high heat 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Gradually add broth and water, stirring until well blended. Add chicken and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through (165 degrees). Remove chicken from broth mixture; cool slightly. Pour broth through a fine mesh strainer, return broth to pan. Shred chicken; return to pan. Stir in tomato sauce. Cook on medium-high heat until heated through, stirring occasionally. Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with desired toppings.

This post is linked to the Tortilla Soup Challenge, the Hearth and Soul Blog Hop, Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays, Tuesdays at the Table, Tasty Tuesdays, Real Food Wednesday, Raising Homemakers, and Pennywise Platter Thursday.

Links I Love 11/6/10

2010-11-05T23:35:00.000-07:00

I've loved reading recounts of the Relevant conference this week and last. My favorite so far has been this one: Relevant: A Love Story

This was very convicting: Food Addiction: Could it Explain Why 70 Percent of America is Fat?

There are some great tips and ideas in this post: Preparing For a Holiday Meal

Another convicting post: Apology Accepted

I love the Duggars (how can anyone NOT love the Duggars?), so I loved this: Duggar kids, free indeed

This post is linked to Saturday Stumbles at It's Come 2 This.

Should Wives Stay Home Before Children? Part 2

2010-11-05T04:22:00.000-07:00

If you haven't read it, go read Should Wives Stay Home Before Children? Part 1.

When a young man (or woman) joins the military, they go straight to war. Right? No! When a young man or woman joins the military, they go to basic training, where they are not just taught and trained to do their jobs, but it is DRILLED into them. It becomes second nature to them, they do it efficiently and without thinking. Once they have gone through months of intense training, then they are sent to wherever they are needed to do their jobs. What makes us think that, after growing up in households where most of us are not taught homemaking skills, we should be experts are all our tasks right off the bat? Just because you don't have meal planning, cooking cleaning, and time management down the second you quit your job does NOT mean you are not a good homemaker! I just can't stress that enough!

Like anything in life, homemaking takes practice. I quit my job when I was 4 months pregnant with my first. That was 4 years ago. I had NO idea what I was doing! I only had 5 months to prepare for motherhood. I had 5 months to master meal planning, cooking, cleaning, time management, budgeting, and everything else that goes with homemaking before a newborn was thrown into the mix. This was not NEARLY enough time!

So what's the solution to this problem? Take as much time as you can to learn to be a homemaker and a wife before you become a mother! Do I believe we should wait years before having children? No, not necessarily. But I do think it would be wise for women to spend the first part of their marriages at home "training". This way, wives can learn to be a wife and spend time concentrating on learning to cook, clean, iron, create a budget (and stick to it), clip coupons and other methods of saving money, and all those other things that come with marriage. This way, when you have a baby and are learning to be a mother (which is especially challenging, not to mention time consuming!), you don't feel like a failure because you're still tweaking your laundry schedule and you can't try out new recipes because you just don't have the energy and you don't have any family favorites yet.

Come back next week for part 3!

This post is linked to Raising Homemakers Link-Up!

Recipe: Philly Cheesesteak Crescent Pizza

2010-11-01T20:09:00.000-07:00

This recipe is NOT real food friendly. There are definitely ways to make it real food friendly, which I'll be including in the steps, but the way we make it is highly processed! But this is one of my husband's favorites, so even though I don't make it very often, it does stay in the rotation for him. So here we go.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Unroll dough in ungreased 9x13 inch pan. Press over bottom and 1/2 inch up sides. Firmly press perforations to seal.

**Real food edit: Make enough crescent roll dough for 8 crescent rolls and press over bottom of 9x13 inch pan.**

Wrap 8 oz thinly sliced cooked deli roast beef tightly in tin foil.

**Real food edit: Wrap 8 oz. leftover shredded or thinly sliced beef roast tightly in tin foil.**

Place both crescent dough and beef in oven. Bake for 10 minutes or until crust is lightly golden brown.

Arrange warm beef over partially baked crust. Brush with 1 tbsp Italian salad dressing.

**Real food edit: Make your own Italian dressing!**

Sprinkle with 4-6 oz (1-1 1/2 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese.

I know what you're thinking: "Audrey, your mozzarella cheese looks funny! Why is the color so off?!" Well friends, that's cheddar cheese. You see, when I put this on the menu plan, I bought mozzarella cheese for this and California chicken casserole, and cheddar cheese for the taco stuff and pretty much everything else. So I made the casserole and then didn't bother grating another brick of cheese when I made tacos, so I just used the mozzarella. So when the time came to make this pizza, I was all out of mozzarella, but had plenty of cheddar left. Because I like to think things through. It was still delicious though!

Return to oven; bake an additional 8-10 minutes, or until edges of crust are golden brown and cheese is melted. Meanwhile, heat a couple tablespoons of oil in medium skillet over medium heat until hot. Add 1 cup coarsely chopped green bell pepper, 1 cup coarsely chopped onion, and 1 tsp beef bouillon (I use Better than Bouillon. The ingredients are not quite as scary as most bouillon powders and cubes, even though it's still scary); cook and stir 3-5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

**Real food edit: In place of the beef bouillon, you could pour in 1 cup of beef broth and simmer the veggies in it until the liquid is reduced, making a concentrated beef broth, which is pretty much what bouillon is. Be sure to boil it down as far as you can, you don't want much liquid left, if any!**

Doesn't the bouillon look gross?! I promise it makes the veggies delicious, even though it looks like I'm dropping newborn baby poop into the pan.

Spoon cooked vegetables over melted cheese. Cut and serve!

Here's the recipe all in one place:

Philly Cheese Steak Crescent Pizza

1 (8-oz) can crescent rolls*
8 oz thinly sliced cooked deli roast beef
1 tbsp Italian salad dressing
4-6 oz (1-1 1/2 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup coarsely chopped green bell pepper
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
1/2-1 tsp beef instant bouillon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Unroll dough in ungreased 9x13 inch pan. Press over bottom and 1/2 inch up sides. Firmly press perforations to seal. Wrap beef tightly in foil. Place both crescent dough and beef in oven. Bake for 10 minutes, or until crust is light golden brown. Arrange warm beef over partially baked crust. Brush with salad dressing and sprinkle with cheese. Return to oven; bake an additional 8-10 minutes or until edges of crust are golden brown and cheese is melted. Meanwhile, heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat until hot. Add bell pepper, onions, and bouillon; cook and stir 3-5 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring frequently. Spoon cooked vegetables over melted cheese, cut, and serve.

This recipe is linked to the Hearth and Soul Blog Hop, Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays., Tuesdays at the Table, and Tasty Tuesdays.

Should Wives Stay Home Before Children? Part 1

2010-10-29T04:24:00.000-07:00

I had a post written and scheduled to go up today called "Should Husbands Help Around the House?" However, after last week's post, Is Working Outside the Home a Sin?, the subject of stay-at-home wives without children was brought up in the comments, and I thought I should wait on the post I had scheduled and write about this instead.

Many, many people talk about whether a mom should stay at home and focus on her children or go to work to help with the family finances. But what about those women who have not yet had children? Should they go to work or should they stay home?

Working until they have children is a good thing. It's a good adjustment period, especially if the couple is used to depending on both incomes. For a little while, the couple can both work, but the wife can work and put all the money she makes into a savings account to make a "cushion", for emergencies and whatnot. That way the couple does not depend on her income, it is completely optional. But are there benefits for a woman who desires to stay home, even if there are no children in sight? Absolutely!

One thing that is not often thought about is the fact that homemaking is hard. Very hard. A lot of young women go into marriage and work, get pregnant, and work through their pregnancies. Then a couple weeks before the baby is due, they quit with the intention of staying home for at least a few years while the kids are young, or possibly even until the kids are grown and out of the house. Then the wife is all the sudden thrown into being a homemaker and mom at the same time! This tends to be very discouraging for the young moms. They compare their own homemaking skills to that of their friends or mentors, who have been at home for years and are finally great at what they do because they've had so much more practice. Then they think to themselves, "I'm just not a good homemaker. I'm terrible at this. I can never keep up with laundry and dishes and meals while taking care of my baby.... forget scrubbing the toilets! Maybe I should go back to work." This always makes me so sad. I have only been a homemaker for 4 years.... I am NOT an expert. I struggle just like most new homemakers. But I accept that I'm not going to be as good at my "job" as the women I know who have been homemakers for 60 years, or even 10 years, because I have less practice! This was a HUGE revelation for me when I realized it. Great housewives are not born, they are made.

Come back next week for part 2!

Frugal Bathroom Decor

2010-10-27T04:25:00.000-07:00

I am NOT a decorator. Seriously. Most things (candles and holders, artwork, knick knacks, etc.) that people tend to decorate with are just not me. Most of the time, if it isn't practical and functional, I don't want it (seriously, I think the whole "storage in an ottoman" thing is the best idea ever). It's just clutter to me if it doesn't serve a purpose besides looking pretty.

But sometimes a room just needs some decor. The house we recently moved into has 1 1/2 bathrooms. Our last place only had one, so we have nothing for our half bathroom. The counters are kind of different, so it may be hard to match a theme to them (our main bathroom is a beachy theme), but I finally settled on a woodsy theme. My sister had a couple of bathroom rugs that she had in her old bathroom (that was woodsy themed), so I put one of those rugs in our empty half bathroom. That went a long way! I know it was just a rug, but we had nothing in our bathroom except a soap dispenser and a toilet brush. Yikes!

One day last week I went to the dollar store with the intention of finding SOMETHING to put in that echo-y bathroom. This is what I came up with.

It consists of two vases, two containers of pea gravel, and two bunches (bouquets?) of leaves from the fake flower section. I am totally NOT the creative type, so considering I have no decorating skills and no creativity whatsoever, I think I did pretty good! My husband saw it after I put it all together and said he really liked it, and that the vases made it much more cozy and homey.

And it only cost me $6! Woohoo!

My next goal is to figure something out to put on the walls. I'm thinking some artwork and maybe a framed Bible verse or two. Any ideas or suggestions? Do you have some creativity I could borrow?

Links I Love 10/23/10

2010-10-22T23:36:00.000-07:00

I got a slap in the face a couple weeks ago from this post: Parenting Lessons from Disney World. Helloooooo conviction!!

I LOVE this, every married woman should read it: Let's Talk About Sex: on Naked Time and Modesty

Eleven Writing Mistakes Even Smart People Make

Our Blogs Turned Into Businesses! Two Successful Stay-At-Home-Moms Discuss Work in the Blogosphere

Where's the Evidence? 10 Ways Modern Obstetrics Ignores Evidence

Feminism As We Know It: Really All About Equality?

Coming Home: Thoughts for the Working Woman with the Heart for Home

I LOVE this post about Humble Hospitality.

Combating the "You Should Get Out Of The House More" Mentality

Is Working Outside the Home a Sin?

2010-10-22T04:50:00.000-07:00

I recently read a great series called Is It a Sin to Work Outside the Home? (Here they are: part 1, part 2, part 3, and part 4.) It was a great post and it really made me think-is it really a sin to work outside the home?

This is a tough one. One I have prayed over (especially lately) quite a bit. The answer is not black and white.... there is a huge gray area that requires prayer. James 1:15 says "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.". Like I've said before, I'm huge on personal conviction, so the answer to this is going to look different for each family.

I do think that, as keepers of the home (Titus 2:3-5 says "the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things- that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed."), we need to be careful about our attitude toward working outside the home. We may think it's always a good thing to work, but that is not necessarily the case. The wife working outside the home makes her tired and stressed. Society today tells us that we can have it all. A challenging career, perfect children, a happy marriage, nice things, a perfectly kept home.... but that is a lie. We can NOT have it all. We need to acknowledge this and accept it. We need to choose..... do we want a happy family and marriage, or do we want a challenging career? Sure, you can have a challenging career and great children, or a challenging career and a great marriage, but at least one area of your life WILL suffer. We need to stop listening to society when it tells us we can have it all.

Genesis 3:16-17 says this:

To the woman He said:
      “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception;
      In pain you shall bring forth children;
      Your desire shall be for your husband,
      And he shall rule over you.”
Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’:
      “ Cursed is the ground for your sake;
      In toil you shall eat of it
      All the days of your life."

What I get from this passage is that it's the husband's job to work hard to provide for the family, and it is the wife's job to bear children and be a helpmeet to her husband. Although feminists seek "equality" and all that, men can't bear children, no matter how hard they try. The "curse" is ours alone. Why do we insist on sharing the curse of the man when we have our own to deal with?

With that said, if the wife gets a part time job outside the home, that is likely going to be okay. But if her marriage, children, or housework suffers, then the job, no matter how part-time, is not worth it. Her relationship with Christ needs to come first, then her marriage, then her children, then her homemaking. And THEN her job or whatever else. I'd say that God, marriage, children, and homemaking take up at least 90% of my time. Then hospitality takes up a small portion (and Christ commands this of us). That doesn't leave much left for a job outside the home!

But do I believe it's a sin to help out financially? No, I do not. As long as your time is carefully managed and your priorities are in order, helping out financially can be a great thing. Proverbs 31:16 (the Virtuous Wife chapter) says " She considers a field and buys it; From her profits she plants a vineyard." This implies that the virtuous wife actually has profits! Helping out financially can be a great thing. However, we need to be careful not to let the household be dependent on the wife's income. Any extra money the wife makes should be extra. Save it, spend a little on Christmas, or whatever.... just don't go out and buy a big house that depends on both your income and your husband's.

**Disclaimer: I know that there are situations that warrant the need for the wife to go to work. This may be necessary because of divorce or separation/single motherhood, husband losing his job, death, etc. Please do not think I'm bashing all mothers who work!**

The moral of the story? Pray with your husband about it. Proverbs 31:12 says "She does him good and not evil all the days of her life." Our goal is to do our husbands good. Consult with him on the matter and pray together. God will reveal to you both what He wants you to do.

Come back next Friday to read Should Husbands Help Around the House?

What's your take on this? Do you think wives should work outside the home?

A Truthful Post

2010-10-20T21:49:00.000-07:00

Here's an honest look at the life of a blogger. Typically, bloggers look like they have perfect lives, but I can assure you they don't.

Have you ever spent hours working on a fantastic blog post just to have it erased?

I have.

I spent a long time on this great post, and then my nursing baby decided to stop nursing, turn around, highlight my ENTIRE post, delete it, and type out a sentence of her own. Then, in desperation, I quickly exited the window and when it asked me if I wanted to save the changes, I said NO! I was hoping it still remembered what I had written, so I went back and reopened it, and saw Lady's sentence instead of my post.

And then I almost ripped my hair out.

And then my husband came home and got on my last nerve the second he walked in the door from work.

It hasn't been a good day.

But thankfully, Nic and I apologized to each other for snapping, we acknowledged that we both had bad days, and he left for his second job on a good note.

All is right in the world again.

Except the post I worked so hard on. It hasn't magically appeared like I'd hoped. I'll probably rewrite it, but it will not be as fantastic as it was the first time.

Thankfully, Lamentations 3:22-23 says "It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness."

So thank the Lord tomorrow is a new day!

Thoughts on Giving

2010-10-20T01:39:00.000-07:00

"One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty."

Proverbs 11:24.

I've been thinking a lot about tithing lately, and studying God's Word to see exactly what He says about it. Have you ever heard the song "My Own Little World" by Matthew West? I keep hearing it on the radio lately (I think it's a fairly new song), and the part that always stands out to me is where he says

"I try to stay awake through the Sunday morning church

I throw a twenty in the plate but I never give ’til it hurts

and I turn off the news when I don’t like what I see

it’s easy to do when it’s

population me"

That second line, which I bolded, is the key.

When we're thrown in the middle of some financially tough times, often times, the first thing to go is tithing. For some reason, that's viewed as an "extra", and not really necessary. To be honest, I've struggled with it myself.... I think, "Would God really want me to give him 10% of my income, when it's not even enough to cover rent?"

Of course! The money isn't even ours to begin with! James 1:17 says "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." Everything we have belongs to God. This means our houses, our cars, our children..... everything. When you think about it that way, it seems so.... skimpy. God gives us all this money, but we keep 90% of it for ourselves? How selfish! And how selfish and human-like is it that I want to keep that measly little 10% for myself, as well?

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 16:2, "On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made." On the first day. How does this apply to my life? The second I get that paycheck, I put some of it in an envelope, or write that check, or whatever, and that way, as the next two weeks pass before the next payday, I'm not tempted to say "Oh, well maybe I'll just tithe double next time to make up for it...." or something like that. Yes, I struggle with this... that's why it's important for me to tithe as soon as we get paid! If we don't, we're tempted to spend it!

How do we know for sure how much to give? Well, the Old Testament says 10%. I know, that's Old Testament. So what about the New Testament (since Christ died to make it so we didn't have to slaughter animals for our sins and all that)? Well, this is where conviction comes in. I'm a firm believer in personal convictions. Anyone who has ever met me knows how major this is to me. It says in James 1:5, "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." This doesn't just apply to tithing, it applies to everything.... secular vs. Christian music? Homeschooling vs. public schooling? What kind of movies you watch? Yep, ask God, and He'll tell you whether you, personally, should be doing whatever it is you're not sure about. Especially tithing. If you're struggling with how much to tithe, ask God to help you figure it out. He'll let you know how much you need to give!

A couple weeks ago, Crystal, over at Money Saving Mom, wrote a post in response to a question I asked. Basically, I asked if she had any tips for saving money for those who were barely able to keep their heads above water (for more thoughts on that post, read this). It's not that we over-spend.... we don't buy a bunch of stuff we don't need.... most things in our house have been free..... we bought our car on Craigslist and refuse to have a car payment..... we don't have cable or satellite..... we try to keep our monthly expenses to a minimum. Not because we're trying to save money for a big purchase, but because it's necessary. We live frugally because we have to. On her post, some suggested we stop tithing so we can save money. It sounds good in theory.... but in practice? Not so much. Personal experience has taught us that those months when we don't tithe are the hardest. Those are the months we struggle the most.... the ones we have to choose which bill to pay, and hope and pray our electricity doesn't get shut off.

The months we DO tithe.... those are the ones where we make it, sometimes with a few dollars to spare. The logic seems backward, but according to Luke 6:38, "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." According to Luke 6:38, it makes perfect sense to give more during the hard months. The more we give, the more we will receive. Of course, giving just for the sake of receiving more back isn't a good idea.... 2 Corinthians 9:7 says "Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." So giving for selfish reasons, or out of obligation, is not ideal. Giving your hard-earned money away, to God or anyone else, is hard, don't get me wrong, but I try to be excited about obeying God and giving to others (key word: Try. I am definitely human!).

What about this family: Tim and Stephanie are currently in the process of selling everything they own.... their amazing house, all their nice furniture (and all other possessions), etc....... and buying an RV so they can travel the country, starting in January. Why? So they can give. Their goal is to give every day. They're doing an amazing thing.... they're allowing God to work through them in some huge ways, and I'm so excited to see where He takes them! Of course, I say this from the comfort of my couch (which, by the way, I have no intention of selling so I can travel the country.... but then again, life with God is full of surprises, right? :) ). Go here to see what they're doing.... support them, pray for them, read their blog and watch the adventure unfold! I'm so excited to see how God uses their willingness to give for His glory! We have to be just as willing to do what God commands of US. While that may not be selling all your possessions and traveling the country serving others, that might be giving a portion of your income to Him, or to the community, or serving the community you live in.

I leave you with this classic story of the widow who gave all she had (practically nothing):

Mark 12:41-44

"Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins,worth only a fraction of a penny. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.""

Recipe: Egg Flower Soup

2010-10-14T04:10:00.000-07:00

Egg flower soup, also known as egg drop soup, is SO delicious. I think I eat it every day! :D And now that we know the benefits of stock/broth, eggs, and real salt, it's time for this fabulous recipe that incorporates all three (and butter!). I am in love with all forms of soup, but this one is one of my favorites. And it's SO easy to throw together, I like to make a big batch and then stick it in the fridge and eat a little every day with lunch. Since it's made with bone broth, it's GREAT for digestion!

First, chop up a whole onion and saute it in about a tablespoon (maybe two) of butter in a 3-4 qt saucepan. Once it's soft, add about a tablespoon or two of soy sauce (naturally fermented is best), a teaspoon or two of sesame oil, and about 1/2-1 teaspoon of ground ginger (or fresh minced ginger) and stir it into the onions real well.

Next, add 8 cups of chicken stock or well-salted water. I usually do 5 cups chicken stock, 3 cups of water, and a teaspoon or two of salt (to taste). That has been my favorite combo. Bring this to a boil. While you're waiting for it to boil, beat 6 eggs together in a bowl. In a different small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of cornstarch or arrowroot powder with 3 tablespoons of water.

Add to the boiling soup.

Once it's thickened up nicely, pour the eggs in a very thin broken stream.

Once you have added all the eggs, dump in a couple handfuls (probably about 1/2 cup) of frozen peas.

These really don't take much time to cook, so once it is boiling again, turn off your burner and ladle into bowls. Yum!

For more soup recipes and ideas, read this post about soups.

Egg Flower Soup

1 onion, chopped
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp ground ginger
8 cups broth/water combo (5 cups broth to 3 cups water is my favorite)
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder
3 tbsp water
6 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup frozen peas

Saute onion in butter until soft. Stir in soy sauce, sesame oil, and ground ginger. Add broth/water combo and bring to a boil, adding salt (adjusting to taste). In a pourable container (or just a bowl), beat eggs together. In another small bowl, combine cornstarch/arrowroot and water. Add cornstarch mixture to boiling broth. Once thickened, slowly pour in eggs. Add peas and bring back to a boil. Serve!

Do you like egg flower/drop soup? Have you ever made it before?

This post is linked to Pennywise Platter Thursday, Whole Foods for the Holidays, and Hearth and Soul blog hop.

Menu Plan Wednesday

2010-10-13T04:43:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I know it's not Monday. What can I say? I march to the beat of my own blogging schedule.

Here are our plans for the next few weeks. When I menu plan, I plan about 2 weeks worth of dinners, but it ends up stretching to 3 or 4 weeks because of the days we have leftovers and whatnot, and I usually use the whole recipe so it can stretch over a couple days. So here are the dinners I'm planning.

These ones are tried-and-true family favorites. These are dinners and lunches (we usually have leftovers or soup for lunch).

Goulash stuff (recipe coming)
Jacki's Taco Stuff
Tortilla Soup (recipe coming)
Saucy Broccoli Chicken Bake
California Chicken Casserole (recipe coming)
French Dip
Philly Cheese Steak Crescent Pizza (recipe coming)

These ones are new that we haven't tried before. I LOVE trying new recipes!

Easy Creamy Mexican Skillet
Taco Potatoes
Linguine Zucchini Stir-Fry
Fresh Zucchini Toss
Honey-Baked Lentils

And a few miscellaneous recipes.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins
Easy Butterscotch Bars
Mocha Chip Muffins

Have you ever tried any of these recipes? What did you think?

This post is linked to Menu Plan Monday.

Real Food Baby Step: Eat More Eggs!

2010-10-12T00:31:00.000-07:00

Eggs, oh eggs. How I love thee!

I was planning on writing this post, and then there was a big egg recall. HA! I thought maybe that wouldn't have been a great time to encourage you to eat more eggs!!

But now the scare has passed, and I want to encourage you to eat more eggs.

Now, the best kind of eggs (and the least likely to be recalled!) are farm-fresh, pastured eggs. From your neighbor, who has chickens that have more eggs than they need..... the farm you pass on your way out of town...... etc. THOSE are the best eggs.

But if you must go with store-bought eggs, then great! That's better than not eating eggs!

Eggs are a very CHEAP source of protein, which is great for anyone who, like us, keeps a close eye on the budget!

Eggs are SO good for you. They are rich in choline (vital for brain development), vitamin K (for blood clotting), and protein, as well as SO many other vitamins and minerals! They are just great for you! They are also a great food for fertility. They contain iodine, which is vital for making thyroid hormones, omega-3s, which help increase hormones and ovulation (among other things).... and cholesterol! Cholesterol is great for everyone, because it's the only way your body can use vitamin D! It's also important for cell growth and brain growth and function. I know there's a lot of hype about cholesterol being bad for you, but there are actually a LOT of doctors who oppose that view..... and God made eggs, and He made them abundant! He doesn't make mistakes!

So, for the next few weeks (or, rather, the rest of your life!), try to eat at least an egg a day. Whether that's scrambled eggs, an omelet, an egg friend in bacon grease (my favorite!!) or butter, or in egg drop soup (stay tuned for the recipe!), or eggs benedict, just try to eat lots of eggs!

For more info, read these:

Eggs: A Powerhouse of Nutrition -- The Nourishing Gourmet

Healthy Eggs: What to Buy -- Food Renegade

Eat More Eggs! -- Kelly the Kitchen Kop

Eggs are Good For You! --Underground Wellness

Monday Mission: Eat More Eggs -- Kitchen Stewardship

Food For Thought: The Awesome Egg -- Kitchen Stewardship

This post is linked to the Hearth and Soul blog hop and Real Food Wednesday.

What about you? How do you like your eggs?

Product Review: Plant-based stuff! Yay!

2010-10-11T05:51:00.000-07:00

I'm really excited to post this, because I really love their products. I had never heard of Ecostore USA before, but they contacted me a while back to do a review of their products. I chose their laundry powder and their cream cleanser. After a few days, I got an email from them saying that they were experiencing a delay in shipping, and they threw in a free bar of Manuka Honey and Kelp soap.

I know that sounds weird (Kelp in soap? Really?), but I think the soap is my favorite! I'm really not a soap person. My skin is never dry, and I never have problems keeping it hydrated, and soap is just not necessary for me. I like body wash, but bar soap is just not my thing. I LOVED Ecostore USA's bar soap though! It's fantastic, it doesn't make my skin feel funny, and it smells SO good. And bar soap usually lasts a while, making it worth the $2.80 you'd pay (and the ingredients are WAY better than conventional soap).

The laundry detergent..... I love this too! Of course, I make my own laundry soap, which costs maybe $10 for a 1-2 year supply for us, and this laundry detergent is maybe a month's supply for the same price. But if I couldn't make my own laundry detergent, this would be my next choice. I actually like it because there are some things (like my husband's greasy work pants) that homemade laundry detergent just can't get clean. I may continue to have their laundry detergent on hand anyway, because I may want to use it a couple times a month for a break from homemade laundry detergent. I love it!

And then there was the cream cleanser. This actually cleaned a lot better than I expected (Ha!). I had a LOT of cleaning to do when we moved recently, and while I was cleaning the walls and whatnot, I busted out the cream cleanser. It did a great job taking smudges off the walls, but then the real test came..... the bathtub.

I've had a form of "senioritis" that comes with moving. I got lazy with cleaning and decided I'd wait and just do it all when we moved. So of course, we got the ring around the bathtub, and I wasn't having much luck with vinegar and water, or baking soda, or any conventional cleaners getting it off. But the cream cleanser did great! It made the bathtub SO white and pretty! I wish I had before and after pictures to show you... it was fantastic. And I only used maybe 1/4-1/3 of the bottle on my whole house.... it's very concentrated, so it doesn't take much. Other companies would charge $15-$20 for a product like this, but at Ecostore USA, you can buy it for $5.25!

The best part of Ecostore USA is that all their products are plant-based and eco-friendly, and the ingredients aren't toxic like most body care, cleaning, and baby products. They also have pet care and hair care products!

I highly recommend this awesome company's products as an affordable, "no nasty chemicals" solution to everyday cleaning, whether you're cleaning your house, your pet, your kid, or yourself. So go check them out!

Don't forget to follow Ecostore USA on Twitter and "like" them on Facebook, too!

**Disclosure: Ecostore USA provided me with the products listed above for free in exchange for a review. This does not, in any way, change my opinion about the products. To see my full disclosure, click here. **

What's your favorite eco-friendly cleaning product? Do you think natural cleaners work as well as conventional cleaners? Would you ever try Ecostore USA's products?

His Provision

2010-10-06T14:05:00.000-07:00

Today has been wonderful. Seriously. Here's a little update on my last couple days.

Yesterday, I prayed in the morning (no, I didn't get up early, I prayed a short prayer while my little one was nursing and Princess was still asleep!) for my husband. I prayed for patience and grace and I prayed that God would show His face to my husband while he was at work. Half way through the day, a cassette tape that means the world to my husband (seriously, he doesn't have a lot of possessions he would grab on his way out of a burning house, but this is one of them) got completely unraveled by my kids while I was doing dishes. I just about had a heart attack when I saw it spread out all over my bedroom floor.... I'm pretty sure my brain was deprived oxygen for a few minutes! I did some calling around to my family members and then got in touch with a guy at McKenna Video who fixes these types of things, and he said he has fixed some pretty bad ones, so bring it in and he'll see what he can do. While I was waiting to go, I prayed for God to comfort Nic and give him patience and understanding. I also prayed for the guy who I had a 3:15 appointment with about possibly fixing the tape, and I prayed that God would touch this guy and that we could have it fixed. Since we only have one car, I had to wait for Nic to get home from work to go, which meant I had to tell him about it on the way there. He was absolutely devastated, but oddly enough, he took it well. He tends to react quickly to situations like that and not think it through first, but this time he did so well!

I took the tape inside to the guy at McKenna and in the half hour I was in there (Nic was in the car with the girls, who were sleeping), we managed to unravel the tape with no knots in it (he didn't have to cut the film at all), and got it all wound up. He said that since there were some crinkles in the tape, the sound would be a little "warbly", but it was definitely salvageable. Praise God!! Nic was SO relieved when I told him. I asked him to also transfer the cassette onto a CD (which we SO cannot afford, but after all the praying I really feel at peace about God's provision for such an important thing!). He gave me the price for that ($20) and said he wasn't going to charge me for the "repair" of the tape. Praise God again!! I'll be picking up the tape and CD (which I'm promptly going to put on my computer and then borrow some blank CDs from someone and make 430958340958304958 copies of... you know, just in case. Hey, if you knew how important this tape was to my husband, you'd do the same thing!) tomorrow.

So after I gave my husband the good news, he was in a great mood. I mean GREAT. This is out of character for him after such a traumatizing event. Don't get me wrong, he's funny and fun to be around, and he has a heart of gold, but there are certain situations in life that he just doesn't manage well, and this is one of them. But in the car on the way home, he turned on "our song" and held my hand and sang it the whole way home. I was shocked. Normally he wouldn't go to such trouble to put in our song at a time like that, but he felt overwhelmed with love for me at the moment, and felt it was necessary. Praise God some more!!

When we got home, I told him how much I loved that he was in such a good mood despite the circumstances, and he responded that he actually had a terrible day at work, and he's not sure why he was in such a good mood! God is so good, He just filled Nic with joy yesterday.

So this morning, I woke up and checked my email, and saw that I had six new blog comments. Six!! I know that doesn't seem like a lot, but six comments in 10 hours is about 5 more than I usually get in a 48 hour period! I was racking (is that even the correct spelling?) my brain trying to figure out why I got so many comments. I got 10 new followers overnight as well! Holy cow! As it turns out, a few days ago, I was feeling SO discouraged about our finances. God always provides, but it just gets exhausting waiting for Him to provide sometimes! I get in that selfish mindset, where I think "Hey God, my timing is so much better than yours, so if you could just provide the money to pay this bill right now instead of waiting, that would be great, thanks!" On one of those days where I was stressing about finances, I hopped over to Money Saving Mom and read her post "When Renting is a Wise Choice". It was SO great, I loved it! Especially when I feel so discouraged because some people buy houses and we just aren't ready (financially or otherwise) or aren't able (I do get a little jealous sometimes, I guess), and then family members tell us we should look into buying or whatever, and it's just not possible. We live in a place where housing costs are high, and sometimes it seems like too much to handle. But this post greatly encouraged me.... and then I read the comments and remembered that we have certain financial goals (like save for a new car because we want to pay in cash and not make payments) for the future, but they just seem so unrealistic sometimes with our income. So I left a comment and got a little carried away (oops!) and got myself in a pity party. I'm definitely NOT proud of this little rant, but God is using it for His glory.... Crystal has turned it into a post in itself, and it is so wonderful and encouraging. It not only has realistic tips and advice and encouragement, but the comments are incredibly encouraging as well! Go read it here!

I am just overwhelmed by how incredible all these people are who have encouraged me. Julie from Flitterbugs has visited, along with Allie Z, Vanessa from Vanessa's Values, Heather from Creative Family Moments, and Lisa from Simplified Saving. I am so blessed! God is great!

And for those of you who were wondering, no, I did not get boots for my birthday. The $16 ones I hoped for at Ross only had one shoe (apparently the girl with one foot got there before me.....?), and I just can't bring myself to spend $40 on a pair of boots, even if my mom buys them for me. :P So I bought myself a pumpkin scented candle instead and laid in bed getting over the gnarly sickness (completely with swollen glands, sore throat, fever, and body aches) that followed the puking migraine I got. Happy birthday to me, right?

On the bright side, I am feeling TONS better than I was two days ago..... and my dad and stepmom bought me some new clothes (that my sister did a great job picking out) for my birthday! Overall, even though I felt like death, my birthday didn't completely suck!

This post is linked to Raising Homemakers Homemaking Link-Up.

Working on Recovering our Guts

2010-09-28T22:50:00.000-07:00

This weekend, we went to our home town an hour and a half away. I love going there. Not because of the events (HA! Yeah right. It's the most boring town on the planet!), but because I love seeing my family. I always have so much fun! Unfortunately, it always takes my digestive system for a ride. I'm one of those people who has to be intentional about digestive health, and going to our home town sabotages all my efforts. We eat great, no processed junk, but nutrient dense foods instead... But we go to our home town, and we eat fast food, hot pockets, frozen pizza, pop (also known as soda, to those who aren't from the northwest) etc. And it never fails... Sunday night, it hits me. The ride home is extremely uncomfortable... I spend it (along with all night and the next day) practically curled up in the fetal position, while trying to ease my tummy troubles. I get all gassy and crampy with all sorts of acidic mess brewing in my stomach. Yuck! I hate it. Then I have to spend the next week detoxing and trying to get my digestive system back in order. Not to mention my poor kids. They eat the same junk I do, and by the end of the weekend, they're so cranky and irritable I don't know what to do with them. Not fun.

So that's what I'll be focused on this week. We'll be detoxing, flushing the junk out of our bodies and getting back to normal. We'll be drinking lots of water, having broth-based soup every day (which is SO full of minerals and great for the digestive system), eating whole grains instead of refined (and soaking as much as possible to break down the phytates), eating lots of yogurt (for help replenishing good bacteria in the gut) with fruit and raw honey (raw and local, to help keep away yucky viruses and all that while our guts are healing), green smoothies with coconut oil (with greens to give us lots of added nutrients and coconut oil for our immune systems and to help keep the nasties away, especially since my husband is having some tooth issues that are making his gums swell. He'll be consuming more coconut oil to minimize the chances of infection), and being sure to eat lots of homemade sauerkraut and fermented ginger (and other fermented foods) to help replenish the good bacteria in the gut. Hopefully by the end of the week we'll be functioning at our best again!

And next week, October 3rd, is my birthday!! I'll be 23, and I'm hoping for a new pair of boots. :)

I'm hoping to get a post up soon about our first week of preschool, which was last week, so watch for that.

There is also a Making Your Home a Haven fall challenge going on soon that will be hosted by Courtney at Women Living Well, and I'm planning on taking part in that. Be sure to check that out!

What about you? What did you do over the weekend? And what are your plans for this week?

Links I Love 9/25/10

2010-09-24T23:00:00.000-07:00

Check out this great post: Is Emotional Overeating Really Emotional?

On helping children avoid sin: Keep Them From the Jalapenos

A beautiful post on Christian Attachment Parenting.

Even though this was posted on a site for boys, I can apply it to my girls and even myself! One Sentence That Invites Good Behavior (From Both Parent and Child)

BRILLIANT marketing idea. Too bad it might encourage people to consume more! A New Name for High-Fructose Corn Syrup

Doctors Choose Breast Over Formula. And on that note, did you know that the WHO's growth chart for babies is very different from the CDC's?

Why you shouldn't ask your doctor for nutritional advice: Teaching Doctors About Food and Diet

Early Morning Quiet Time

2010-09-22T12:03:00.000-07:00

Right now it's 6:11 am. I've been awake since my husband left for work at 5:30. I usually go back to sleep, and I'll probably do that in a few minutes, but right now, I'm debating whether or not I should get out of bed. I would love to get up, shower (something that, to be honest, doesn't happen as frequently as it should these days) alone (I'm not sure I'd know what to do with myself if I didn't have little people in the bathroom with me asking me questions and getting into things!), have a cup of teeccino, sit and read my Bible alone (I'm actually not sure I know how to be alone anymore!), even get quite a few chores done before the kids wake up. This all sounds great, but I'm not so sure it's a good idea. My husband, who can function easily on 4-6 hours of sleep per night (he usually gets about 6), does it every day. But I'm a terrible night owl, and I hate early mornings. They're cold and eery and I would just rather stay in my nice, warm, snuggly bed. And the worst contributor to this is the fact that my body requires 9 hours of sleep per night. I can survive on 8, but any less than that and I WILL need a nap during the day, which is an unrealistic need since Princess (age 3) gave up naps a year ago and Lady (11 months) fights sleep extremely hard, and sometimes the only nap she gets is when she falls asleep on me around dinner time. But my poor girls have the unfortunate curse of staying up ridiculously late with me, and then sleeping in late in the morning. Most mornings, even if we wake up earlier than that, we don't drag ourselves out of bed until 10 am. I KNOW!! That's so late!! It's terrible. I wish I were a morning person, but I'm quite the opposite.

So here's my dilemma: Every morning, I'm faced with the opportunity (or the possibility of a daunting chore, depending on your level of optimism and morning-person-ness) to get up at the crack of dawn. I could get up and have a super-productive morning, but I would miss out on sleep, and therefore I would have to start up my coffee addiction again (which I worked so hard to break!) in order to get through the day without a long nap. Naps aren't a realistic option, but the coffee addiction would make me perpetually sick, as the acid in coffee makes me extremely nauseous, and caffeine is not a good thing either. So I would basically spend a few weeks miserably tired and cranky while I forced myself to become a morning person.

Another thing to think about is that my 11-month-old is still very attached to nursing. She never took a binky, so I am her pacifier instead, and if she wakes up, often times I need to nurse her back to sleep. Which, if I'm not already intending to go to sleep (we're still co-sleeping, with no end in sight... which I'm okay with), I can pretty much kiss my morning plans goodbye, because the times I want her to hurry up and go back to sleep are the times when she fights it and takes a while.

Also, don't bother suggesting that I just get up a little earlier each morning instead of jumping in head first at 5:30 am. I've been working on that for 3 years and have yet to see the fruits of THAT labor. It is, unfortunately, and all-or-nothing deal here.

Okay, now I'm going to squeeze in a couple more hours of sleep while I stew on this and wait for your input. ;)

What do you think? Would it be worth those few miserable weeks of being completely exhausted and worn thin and, in turn, training myself to be more productive in the morning, especially in getting private time with the Lord? Or should I just get over it, spare us all the misery, and accept myself for who I am and keep my time with the Lord public where my children can see it anyway? Are you a morning person? Why or why not?

This post is linked to Raising Homemakers' Homemaking Link-Up.

Settling in and Talking Preschool

2010-09-17T15:34:00.000-07:00

We are done moving! At least for now. We're all unpacked, although I'm not sure I'm completely satisfied with where we have everything. The living room closet will probably get rearranged a few times before I'm happy with it. But other than that, we're all settled into our new place.

And on Monday, we'll be officially starting Princess's preschool year! That means I'll be posting more about homeschooling, as well.

While we're on the subject, I'll show you some pictures of our "school corner". It's in our bedroom, because our bedroom is seriously huge. I've put all of our clothes in our bedroom (a dresser for each of the girls, plus our huge dresser, and our two closets are full), plus our bed and nightstand, along with our school corner, and there is still space left in our room. Especially floor space! We could probably fit 4-5 people fairly comfortably on the remaining bedroom floor space alone. More if we needed to, but Princess's room is huge too, and could probably fit 4-5 people in hers as well! Party at my house!

Anyway, I didn't take pictures of the whole bedroom (not sure why), but here is our school corner.

These are our posters. To the left (that you can't really see, but you can see the magazines and wipes tub on it) is the night stand.

Here is the table and our school shelf (that I got for $1 at a garage sale last summer!).

The whiteboard has a chalkboard on the other side, and the book on her table is a puzzle Bible. The basket on top of the shelf has scissors, crayons, and other little odds and ends in it.

Here is more of the shelf.

On the bottom shelf, I have a couple of felt books and a couple of books, mainly things for Lady (almost 11 months) to play with while I'm helping Princess. Her favorite is a princess peg puzzle.

The second shelf up has a bag with wooden beads in it (also for Lady to play with), some board books, and some coloring books. And the two boxes that are kind of shoved behind everything are a puzzle and a box of wooden blocks. The third shelf has workbooks and puzzles for Princess, along with a box of felt food that the girls' aunt made them (that we all love so much and would love more of.... hint hint to my sister who starts crafting/shopping for Christmas super early!).

The next shelf has craft stuff, empty shoe boxes, activity cards, and some math manipulatives. On top of the shelf, besides the basket, there is a box of paints, some dry-erase markers, and some books we're not quite ready for (but almost!), along with my planning book.

Although we're not "officially" starting a school routine until Monday, we've been doing some random work a couple times a week for a couple months now. Princess's favorite is a maze book we got in the $1 section of Target. It's extremely simple and a great introduction to tracing and mazes. It has helped her a lot with her tracing skills over the summer. The only disadvantage is that she loved it so much she wanted to do it all in one sitting! I have to follow it up with something REALLY fun so she doesn't get upset when I cut her off at 2 or 3 pages!

Since I'm all about planning (even if my plans fall through), I've got a rough weekly schedule all planned out that I will be posting very soon, so stay tuned!

Do you homeschool? What are your plans for the year?

*This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for supporting Homemaking On A Whim!

Links I Love 9/11/10

2010-09-11T00:07:00.000-07:00

Do you own a lot of stuff? Or does your stuff own you? On My Hair, On Being A Minimalist, and There Is A Whole Lot On My Mind

25 Reasons the 2010 Dietary Guidelines are wrong about cholesterol, saturated fat, and carbohydrates

The importance of being there: Mother-Toddler Separation

Another good one from the same blog: Daycare and Preschool

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a HUGE proponent of natural birth. And nothing makes me cringe more than hearing a woman say that her OB said something that makes her think he's super supportive, when it's something that would raise a big red flag for me. This post, Signs I Missed That My Practitioner Would Not Support a Natural Birth, is a great one that touches on that very subject.

Linked to Saturday Stumbles at It's Come 2 This.

Measuring Success

2010-09-08T14:24:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine, a wonderful woman of God, someone I've known the majority of my life, recently admitted on twitter that she gets teary-eyed when someone talks to her about her potential, and how smart she is. Not because she feels wonderfully encouraged, but because it's a constant reminder that she has not accomplished anything. She's almost 23 years old, is not currently attending college, and does not make loads of money.

I know, major failure, right?!

Just kidding. :)

God used this opportunity to encourage us both. He gave me some words of wisdom for her, so I told her that according to the world, we are "wasted talent", because the world measures success on how much money you make, how many degrees you have, and who you work for. I have no degrees.... I've never even enrolled in college. I make no money--and my husband makes very little. I don't work for anyone. Not because I work for myself, but because I don't have a "real job". I sit at home every day taking care of the babies I popped out, serving my husband, cooking, and cleaning the house.

I am the "oppressed housewife" that feminism worked so hard to "set free" all those years ago.

And honestly? I could not be happier. Except when the world starts getting to me.

There are so many times when my fellow high school graduates accomplish something great, and I feel so.... less than. Like they're better and more important than I am, because they're graduating with great degrees and getting awesome jobs and making crazy money.

But then God smacks me on the head and reminds me that I have a job. I work for God, raising His children to love Him with all their little hearts.

To the world, this is "wasted talent". But the work I am doing for the Kingdom is so fulfilling, so rewarding.

My friend has a true servant's heart. She worked for a Christian radio station, until the radio station closed down. She has always loved babysitting--and kids love her, she's so much fun. She volunteers at schools, Christian music concerts, and has even volunteered to babysit for me if I need her (which I would take her up on if we lived in the same town!). She's super funny, and has always been one of the funniest people I've ever met. She is SO much fun, and can cheer anyone up after a bad day. She has ministered to so many people without even knowing it. She is very patiently waiting for God to send her a husband (I admire her for that... I'm not that patient!), and does not throw pity parties because she's still single, but instead fills her days with volunteer opportunities. Yet, according to the world, she is considered "wasted talent". Does she sound like a failure to you?

Thank the Lord our worth is not based on the world's standards, but on God's! Her lifestyle is such a blessing to so many people, and she has encouraged so many without even knowing it. Praise God that our measure of success and worth is not based on our education or how much money we make, but how we're contributing to the Kingdom! And praise God that he used my little chat with her over twitter to not only encourage her, but to encourage myself as well! Sometimes, I just need a reminder like that to give me a little boost out of my homemaking hole.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

For more encouragement, read Our Light and Momentary Troubles....

What do you do when you're feeling discouraged over how much you haven't accomplished? Do you have any great, encouraging Scriptures for my friend (and me)?

Marriage Challenge: 10 Things Results

2010-09-03T04:46:00.000-07:00

Now I'm curious--It's been 2 weeks. What were the results of the 10 Things Challenge? Did your husband acknowledge the notes? Did he show appreciation? Or did you just gain a greater respect for him?

For me, I had all of the above happen! He acknowledged the notes, said he loved getting them, and I was able to focus a little more on why I respect him. It's so easy to dwell on the negative, so focusing on the positive (even just re-reading the note before sticking it in his lunch box) made a huge difference in my own mindset. This challenge was great even just for that!

So how did the Challenge affect you and your husband? What else do you plan on doing to nurture your marriage?

Links I Love 8/28/10

2010-08-27T23:22:00.000-07:00

I love this beautiful post on gentle mothering. Be sure to watch the video at the end (especially if you like the Duggars!)

Homeschooling: Are You Certified?

This is such a beautiful testimony of the love of a mother--and the hand of God! Miracle Premature Baby Declared Dead by Doctors Revived By Mother's Touch

Canada's got the right idea! C-Section Not Best Option For Breech Birth

This post is linked to Saturday Stumbles at It's Come 2 This.

Marriage Challenge: 10 Things Check-In

2010-08-27T05:47:00.000-07:00

Last week, I posted a challenge for you. Did you take part in it? How is it going so far? Has your husband expressed thanks? Do you feel better about your marriage? Even just thinking about why you respect your husband can make you love him and respect him more--you can change your own attitude without even vocalizing it! So tell me how it's going. I would love to hear about it!

Recipe: Taquitos

2010-08-24T16:29:00.000-07:00

We love taquitos around here. These are super easy, a great way to use up leftover meat of any type, and extremely versatile! This isn't a recipe so much as a method, since I never actually measure when I make these and I just add things and go by taste. But here you go!

First you take some leftover chicken--however much you have. I take the chicken from the carcass I use to make chicken stock, since it's usually soft, or some leftover roast beef (cooked until it's SUPER tender and shreds very easily), or even some ground beef and throw that in a small saucepan and start to heat it on medium-low. Throw in a little chicken stock or water so it doesn't burn. Not a lot, just enough to moisten the meat a little. Next I add spices. I usually do salt and pepper, cumin, chili powder, a little coriander, maybe some paprika.... whatever I'm in the mood for. Probably about 1 tsp of everything except the salt (1/2 tsp) and pepper (1/4 tsp) for every 2 cups of leftover meat. Sometimes I skimp on the coriander too. If you like the heat, you can throw in some cayenne pepper, but I'm a wimp, so I only add a little. This is seriously so versatile it's ridiculous.

Heat up some lard (or whatever oil--you could probably even do coconut oil) in a frying pan. Toss in a tortilla (we like corn--buy organic to avoid GMOs, or make your own), use tongs to flip it over and coat the entire thing, and put the tortilla on a plate. Put some of the meat on the tortilla, and roll up really tight. Put it in a glass baking dish (no need to grease) and bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes until nice and crispy.

For a dip, we like to mix sour cream and salsa together.

Super easy, with lots of protein and healthy fat, and probiotic if you use cultured sour cream and/or lacto-fermented salsa to dip! It's not very low-carb, but I bet it would also be delicious if you put the meat on a bed of lettuce with some cheese, olives, tomatoes, and some chopped onion. Yum!

This post is linked to Two for Tuesdays and Real Food Wednesdays.

Links I Love 8/21/10

2010-08-20T23:43:00.000-07:00

Seven Reasons Not to Send Your Kid to College

Overwhelmed! Exhausted! Angry!

This is hilarious and true: Christian Twitter Guidelines

I'm not reading this book, but it's going on my list. This study has convinced me, especially the part about why the Princess movement is not all bad!

This scares the TAR out of me. I don't plan on using any drugs in labor again (my natural birth was WAY less painful than my medicated one), but this makes me scared for anyone who ever plans on getting an epidural! Toxic Epidural Ravages Mother

This post is linked to Saturday Stumbles at Its Come 2 This.

Marriage Challenge: 10 Things

2010-08-20T13:44:00.000-07:00

So I don't remember where I got the idea, but a couple weeks ago, something inspired me to write a list of 10 things I respect about my husband. Not only that, but something inspired me to put one of those things in his lunch every day for 10 days. I'm actually in the middle of it now.

It has actually improved his attitude a bit! I just wanted to do it so he would know how much I respect and appreciate him, I was NOT doing it for personal gain at all, but he comes home and is very pleasant toward me.

I started on Monday, but then on Thursday, I forgot to put one in his lunch. He hadn't brought it up at all (he didn't even acknowledge that I was putting anything in his lunch), but he came home that day and said "You forgot to put a note in my lunch! I was really excited about reading it, too." Instead of putting two in his lunch the next day, I decided to just be a day behind. That way the notes can continue for one extra day.

It is so vitally important that we nurture our marriages. If we're not happy in our marriages, our kids will sense that. A happy marriage doesn't just happen--it requires a conscious effort to do things for your spouse. That's why things like this--putting notes in your husband's lunch, telling him you respect him and why, etc.--are so important! And since respect means so much more to men than love (as wacky as that may seem, it's how men are wired!), hearing that you respect him will do wonders for him.

My challenge to you is to do this. Spend this weekend thinking of (and writing down) at least 10 things you respect about your husband. If you can think of more, great! Write those down too. Then cut them out and, starting Monday, put one thing in your husband's lunch (or on his desk if he works at home, or just somewhere he'll find it during the day) each work day.

If you plan to participate (and I pray you do!), leave a comment letting me know. At the end of 2 weeks, let me know how it went! I can't wait to hear from you!

What ways do you show your husband your love, appreciate, and respect him?

Help a sister out

2010-08-18T11:21:00.000-07:00

We're packing to move right now. Ahh, life-- always taking us on adventures. We're moving across town to a slightly bigger place, and we're thrilled. We'll have a garage, too! We're so excited, but moving with littles is tough! I'm trying to keep my family nourished (and--let's face it--real food takes time!), take care of my children (changing diapers, giving baths, kissing boo-boos, etc.), squeeze in preschool here and there, blog, keep my house somewhat tidy, pack up my belongings..... well, you get the point. Email, facebook, twitter, even blogging, have taken the back burner. I feel like I'll never be caught up!

So here's the plan:

We're packing. We get the keys to the new place on the 26th or 27th. We're out of the old place by the 31st. But we've had some financial issues lately (we seem to constantly get hit with this---hours being cut, etc.), and we will most likely be shutting off our internet for a while. I think I'm going to ask Santa for internet for my birthday (in early October), and for Christmas, so hopefully I won't be gone long. But whenever I take bloggy breaks, no matter how long, I seem to lose all my readers! What's that about?!

Please hang around! Just wait for me, I'll be back! I'm not going to stop posting yet, I'll be posting here and there whenever I get a chance until we move, and then I'll be posting randomly while we don't have internet (and hoping my neighbors have an unsecured internet connection..... ha!)..... when I go to see friends and family, maybe a random coffee shop trip.... so don't go away! In fact, subscribe so you know when I come back! Look on the right hand side of my blog, enter in your email, and click subscribe. Easy, right?

So keep watching for me to pop up at random! And pray for me while I move with two small children!

Have you ever moved with kids? Any tips for me?

Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil Review

2010-08-15T04:26:00.000-07:00

I. Love. Coconut oil.

Seriously, I do. For SO MANY REASONS.

For one, it's a GREAT moisturizer! I especially love it after I shave my legs and I can feel razor burn coming on. I just rub some into my skin on my legs and that heads it off. No more razor burn! Woo! I really never get dry skin though, so even though I hear that it works great for dry skin, I don't know from experience. But I DO know that it works for my razor burn!

And my sister actually brought up in the comment section of the popcorn post (I know, weird place to bring it up) that coconut oil can also be used as a "personal lubricant". And it's not petroleum based, which is great. Yay for natural remedies! Although I have never tried this myself, since coconut oil is so good for you anyway, I'd be willing to give it a try should the need arise.

I also love it for EATING! It's great for sauteing in stir-fries, using in place of butter in baked goods, and pretty much anything it any other type of oil is used in.

Also in popcorn! Coconut oil is DELICIOUS on popcorn!

I had the awesome opportunity to review some coconut oil from Tropical Traditions. I was excited, since I had never tried their coconut oil before. I have to say, I really love it! I was able to review their virgin coconut oil.

As a moisturizer, it rocked! In strawberry shortcake, it rocked! On popcorn, it rocked! I love this stuff. It has great flavor. A nice coconut oil taste (which, to be honest, is not too common in virgin coconut oil), but it's not overpowering, so using it in baked goods, sautes, etc. is awesome, as it complements any flavor so nicely. I have three different brands of coconut oil in my pantry right now, and I have to say that Tropical Traditions is my favorite of the three!

Tropical Traditions ALWAYS has great sales going on... buy one get one free, 65% off a certain item, etc. etc. Sign up for their emails and you will be notified of all the great deals!

And here is something really cool--if/when you order anything through Tropical Traditions, when checking out, choose "Referred by friend", and enter the User ID "6381129", a copy of Tropical Traditions' Virgin Coconut Oil book will be added to your order--for free!* This book is full of testimonies, research showing how good coconut oil is for you, and recipes including coconut oil to help you consume more of it--kind of in line with my goal for this week! If you have any questions regarding this program, visit this link: http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/customerservice.cfm. Their customer service is great, they're super friendly and they get back to you very quickly!

So if you're in the market for some coconut oil (and why wouldn't you be?), check out Tropical Traditions! You'll love them!

Don't forget to follow Tropical Traditions on Twitter and "like" them on Facebook!

*Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review in return for the free product.I will also receive "rewards" for the referral program.

Links I Love 8/14/10

2010-08-14T00:03:00.000-07:00

Top Ten Recycling Habits from a New Perspective-- Passionate Homemaking

8 Good Reasons to Sack Your Health Provider-- Empowered Beginnings

"You Might Be a Real Foodie If..."--Health, Home, & Happiness

Not sure how to pray for your husband and children? Check this out: Praying For Our Family -- At The Well

It was so fun looking through the links in School Room Week of the Not Back to School Blog Hop. Some of them were so creative!!

This post is linked to Saturday Stumbles at It's Come 2 This.

Coconut Milk Chicken

2010-08-13T04:11:00.000-07:00

I've heard this called Sweet Aromatic Chicken, but my family calls it coconut milk chicken. Because it contains coconut milk. Clever, right?

Anyway, this is one of my husband's favorites. It's REALLY good!

1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar (or sucanat--which I would normally use, but didn't the day I took these pictures because I was running very very low)
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/8 tsp ground cloves (I couldn't find my ground cloves that day, so I used 2 whole cloves and just removed them after cooking)
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 chicken pieces, or 4-5 chicken breasts

Mix coconut milk, water, brown sugar, soy sauce, cloves, and garlic together. Lay chicken in greased 9x13 glass baking dish. Pour coconut milk mixture over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. When it's done cooking, cut chicken into bite sized pieces (you can do this before cooking, but I do it afterward to lessen the raw chicken mess). Serve over brown rice.

Enjoy!

Recipe: Coconut Oil Popcorn

2010-08-12T05:41:00.000-07:00

My sister first introduced me to this idea a few years ago. My husband and I went over to her house to watch a movie with her and her husband, and they made popcorn with coconut oil! It was delicious!

When people make popcorn, they usually make it in a microwave popper. But I don't exactly have one. I don't generally recommend cooking in a microwave anyway though, so it's all good!

And it's yet another way to squeeze some coconut oil into your diet!

My popcorn, and Lady with her frozen peas

So here is the method and "recipe" I use.

Heat about 3 tablespoons of coconut oil in a pot over medium heat. Throw in 3 or 4 popcorn kernels (be sure to get organic so you know they're not genetically modified!) in the oil. When the kernels all pop. throw in another 1/2 cup of kernels and put the lid on. While the corn is popping, melt about 1/4-1/3 cup of butter in a small saucepan. Once the popping slows, your popcorn is ready! Now pour the butter over it, sprinkle on a little salt, and plop down on the couch for a movie!

Serves 2 or 3.

Recipe: Strawberry Shortcake

2010-08-11T05:44:00.000-07:00

You might be wondering why I'm posting a strawberry shortcake recipe during coconut oil week.

Because it contains coconut oil! Woohoo!

Now don't be mistaken, this isn't angel food cake. It's shortcake! It's totally different. And even though this recipe uses whole wheat flour and honey (and coconut oil), it's SO GOOD! Even if I didn't like the taste of whole wheat, I would still recommend trying this. It's delicious, and the coconut oil and honey go so well together!

1 1/3 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
4-5 cups of fresh strawberries, sliced
Whipped cream (fresh cream whipped to form soft peaks, with a tablespoon or two of maple syrup added for sweetness)

Mix flour and baking powder together. Add eggs, honey, coconut oil, vanilla, and milk. Pour in a buttered 8x8 glass dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Top with strawberries and whipped cream for serving.

Adapted from this recipe.

Real Food Baby Steps: Consume coconut oil!

2010-08-10T05:24:00.000-07:00

So the saturated fat myth has us believing that things like coconut oil will make us fat, clog our arteries, etc. That is just not true!! Coconut oil is one of the healthiest fats out there! It is the best source of lauric acid on this earth. Lauric acid is a saturated fatty acid that enhances the immune system. In other words, it's God's antibacterial food! It protects against viruses, yeasts, parasites, and other yucky stuff. All coconut products are extremely beneficial, but coconut oil is a concentrated source of this essential fatty acid.

Coconut oil is also a medium-chain fatty acid. What this means is that when consumed, coconut oil is absorbed directly from the small intestine to the liver. What does this mean? Quick energy! Instead of that cup of coffee, why don't you have a smoothie with 2-3 tablespoons of coconut oil instead? It will have the same affect on your energy level without harming your system with all the acid and caffeine in coffee!

If you have any questions about why I think that something that is 90% saturated fat is good for you, visit this post. Or this one.

For more info:

Food for Thought: What's the deal with coconut oil?-- Kitchen Stewardship

Coconut Water is Nature's Gatorade-- Food Renegade

Nutrition News Roundup: Coconut Oil Lowers Cholesterol, Improves Thyroid Function-- CHEESESLAVE

Five Fats You MUST Have In Your Kitchen-- The Healthy Home Economist

This post is linked to Real Food Wednesdays.

Happy Coconut Week!

2010-08-09T05:44:00.000-07:00

On Baby-led weaning

Real Food for Baby: Breastfeeding

Natural Thrush Remedies for Breastfeeding

Ten Steps for Successful Breastfeeding

This is not an official "coconut week", but here on my blog, we'll be celebrating coconuts this week!

Tomorrow, I'll post a little on the benefits of coconut oil. Then through the rest of the week, I'll be posting ideas and recipes so you know how to incorporate this wonderful fat into your diet, along with a coconut oil review or two!

Stay tuned!

Links I Love 8/7/10-- World Breastfeeding Week wrap up

2010-08-07T04:40:00.000-07:00

This week, August 1-7, was World Breastfeeding Week! Here are some great links from this week about breastfeeding. Some old, some were posted in celebration. Enjoy!

Long-term breastfeeding good for babies, mothers

Attend the virtual World Breastfeeding Week celebration on Facebook!

World Breastfeeding Week Information

"I didn't want to breastfeed. And I didn't."

Breastfeeding Moms Unite! blog

Do you have any great breastfeeding links to contribute?

This post is linked to Saturday Stumbles at It's Come 2 This.

BlogHop '10

2010-08-05T16:03:00.000-07:00

Since SO many bloggers are at BlogHer this weekend, Robin at Pensieve came up with a brilliant idea to do a BlogHop for those of us "little people" (haha) who don't go to blog conferences. I love it!

I'm Audrey, I'm married to the man of my dreams.

I have two little girls, Princess is 3

and Lady is 9.5 months.

I write about married life, real food, recipes, and anything else having to do with homemaking. My passion and ministry is to take care of my family, raise my children to be women of God, and serve my husband. I'm one of those hippie-types... I homeschool, eat "hippie food" (make everything myself using traditional ingredients), use natural remedies for sicknesses, and use natural cleaners. Not to mention, I'm a huge believer in natural birth! Of course, I'm not perfect, so we don't always follow every rule. And I always put fellowship over food, so if it's going to cause trouble, I pick my battles. I would rather have take-out with friends and family sometimes than sit at home by myself all the time eating real food.

I strive to honor God in my homemaking, and I love to see and encourage others walking the same path. My blog is my thoughts on homemaking, along with tips and things that have helped me along the way. I'm in the minority in this department, so I love to "meet" other women who are on the same journey I am.

So forgive my lack of posting recently, and jump in and take a look around if you'd like..... but first, let me know you stopped by! I'm looking forward to meeting you!

Also, follow me on twitter if you'd like! I'll follow you back!

Leave a comment and let me know your name and a few facts about you. And what's your blog url? I'd love to come visit you!

This post is linked to BlogHop '10!

Links I Love 7/17/10

2010-07-17T03:29:00.000-07:00

I've been researching sunscreen lately, and my research hasn't exactly been in favor of using it. This article has been one of my many reasons we have been going sunscreen-free: Many Sunscreens May Be Accelerating Cancer

Submitting to your husband is freeing: Home Is More Than Dirty Laundry

On being busy: So How Busy Are You, Really?

Thoughts on Proverbs 31:12

2010-07-15T04:44:00.000-07:00

Click here for my thoughts on Proverbs 31:10
Click here for my thoughts on Proverbs 31:11

Proverbs 31:12
She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.

Have you ever said something nasty about your husband? Or maybe you just casually mentioned something to friends that might make your friends look down on your husband or think less of him.

Well stop that!

We're all guilty of "venting". Your husband does something that just ticks you off, and you run to your girlfriends, your mom, your sister, or whoever, and "vent" about it.

The Proverbs 31 woman doesn't do that.

For a post that goes a little deeper into this subject, read Words of Life.

The Proverbs 31 woman takes every opportunity she can to build up her husband--to help him, love him, honor him, and respect him--always.

I may not ever be a Proverbs 31 woman. But with God's help, I strive for it. My challenge for those of you reading this is to take this particular verse and apply it. Strive to love, honor, respect, help, build up, and minister to your husband, every opportunity you get. Give him backrubs after work. Put love notes in his lunch box once in a while. Tell him how much you appreciate his providing for his family. Compliment him. Surprise him with his favorite dinner sometimes.

And when you're with your friends, talk him up. Tell them how great your husband is. Brag about something he did this week that was nice.

Now talk to me.

I'll go first: I'm going to try to have the house picked up every day for the next week when my husband gets home, since he likes it to be tidy. What are you going to do for your husband this week?

Hiatus

2010-07-14T04:03:00.000-07:00

Oh dear bloggy friends, I have to take a bloggy break. The mouse thingy on my laptop no longer clicks. I've spent four hours last night copying and pasting the links of everything I have in my favorites (does anyone have a better method of backing up favorites? This is taking way too long, I'm only half way done), and I'll be spending the bulk of today finishing that and backing up our pictures, and then we're sending our laptop off to be fixed. We'll get it back in 10 business days (!!!). I have a couple posts scheduled, but for the most part there won't be much activity from me in the next week and a half to two weeks.

And while I'm gone (and for a month after that), I would love if you all would join me in praying for our family--we're looking for a place to move. We may have found a place, but we will only get it if it is still available in two weeks. There was already someone looking at it, so we're praying for God to either keep this door open or close this one and open another door for us---whatever His will may be! Thank you all!

Why I Am Not Vegan

2010-07-13T04:17:00.000-07:00

I am not, nor will I ever will be, vegan.

Some people live a vegan lifestyle because of the way animals are raised for food. Some people live a vegan lifestyle for health. Some do it to be "different".

I've heard that in the Christian vegan community, this verse is used:

Genesis 1:29-30
Then God said, 'I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.' And it was so.

Depending on your viewpoint, you might say that verse condones raising animals for food as well.

But that's not the point.

Here are some reasons why I will never be vegan.

1) I have prayed over it. I made the decision, for myself and for my family, that eating lots of healthy (and humanely raised) animal fat is very healthy for you. I researched and researched, and prayed and prayed, and this is what I have come up with. I am not saying that it is best for everyone else. I am a firm believer in each person having their own personal convictions about each and every subject. I try not to push my convictions on another person. Through prayer and research, I have concluded that it is healthier for a person to eat "Real Food"..... which includes lots of animal fat. We live by this food pyramid, which looks slightly different from the government's:

We base our diet primarily on meat, fish, eggs, and other animal fats (lard, tallow, bacon and the grease). And some nuts. The difference is that we seek out humanely raise meats as much as possible--grass-fed beef is SO much better for you than conventional feed lot beef, for so many reasons! Along with pasture-raised chicken (and their eggs), wild-caught fish, and pasture-fed, nitrate-free bacon. Next is vegetables and other fats/oils, like olive oil and coconut oil. Then dairy--raw, grass-fed dairy is best, along with cultured/fermented dairy. Raw milk, kefir, yogurt, cream cheese, etc. Then fruits--which, really, aren't absolutely necessary (they tend to have a lot of sugar, but it is natural sugars), but they're yummy and not bad for you. Last, but not least, is carbohydrates. We try to eat these sparingly. It is a little difficult to do this sometimes, because things like rice and bread and mashed potatoes (I see potatoes as a carb, not a vegetable) make great meal-stretchers, which makes it extremely tempting to use them a lot. But we try to use them sparingly (instead of the carbs taking up half our plate, we put enough to take up 1/8 of our plate, maybe 1/4), and consume them with lots of fat (peanut butter and butter sandwiches, anyone?).

Source

My reason for this, which God has pointed me toward and convicted me in this direction, is because our ancestors relied on meat. Vegetables are seasonal--our ancestors didn't have the means to genetically modify crops to grow lettuce and things year-round, just whenever they were in-season, nor did they have freezers to put away some veggies to use throughout the winter. So instead, they relied primarily on meat and fat, because those are year-round. Does that make sense?

2) After the fall of man, things changed--permanently. There is no going back to the garden of Eden--we cannot be sinless again on earth.

Source

Romans 3:23
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

1 Corinthians 5:17-21
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

3) After the great flood, God told Noah this:

Genesis 9:3
Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.

Everything that lives and moves? Cows live and move! And goats! And pigs! And chickens! I believe God meant that when He said it.

4) God considers milk a blessing! It's no wonder you hear of so many people experiencing great health after drinking raw milk regularly.

Proverbs 27:27
You will have plenty of goats' milk to feed you and your family and to nourish your servant girls.

5) Without fat, the nutrients in vegetables do not assimilate well into the body. I could eat vegetables all day, but without fat to accompany it, I won't absorb many of the nutrients.

6) Veganism tends to be cult-like, and it tends to become an idol for a lot of people.

I love food. I really do love it. I think it's fun and yummy and I really enjoy spending time in the kitchen and love the challenge of making things from scratch. It is part of my job as the keeper of my home to make sure my family is not only fed, but nourished and healthy. Not only that, but cooking and food preparation is my hobby. But I have to be careful not to let real food and natural living become an idol.

Source

If eating real food becomes an idol, and I put it above God, then it does not matter how physically healthy my family is.

Because of this, when I am invited to a person's house for a meal, I never ever refuse. I gladly accept, and then eat what is served, because food should never be put before fellowship. My healthy ideals are nothing if I am constantly hindering others with my choices. I would never deprive someone of the opportunity to bless my family (or anyone else for that matter), and I would never deprive someone of the opportunity to fellowship with their brothers and sisters in Christ simply because of my desire to eat certain foods. For a wonderful post that dives more into this topic, read Can Natural Living Become An Idol?

It would be rude and selfish of me to refuse a meal that was offered to me simply because it did not meet my standards. Because of this, I need to constantly keep my heart in check, and veganism is a very extreme lifestyle that I could not be a part of while putting God first.

So there you have it, folks. I hope this post was helpful.

What about you? Are you a vegan? Could you be vegan? Why or why not?

This post is linked to Two for Tuesdays and Real Food Wednesdays.

Thoughts on Proverbs 31:11

2010-07-12T05:25:00.000-07:00

Click here for my thoughts on Proverbs 31:10

Proverbs 31:11
Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.

Going along with verse 10, this verse says that the Proverbs 31 woman's husband has full confidence in her--he knows her value. He sees her as the godly woman she is. He is well taken-care of and he knows it!

We need to strive to be the women our husbands married so they can be confident in us. A wonderful, lasting marriage is a great testimony!

Links I Love

2010-07-09T19:22:00.000-07:00

Starting with this post, I will be periodically posting some of my favorite links to blogs, articles, etc. Let me know what you think!

Not good at homemaking? Read this post: If My Grandma Could Do It

For some awesome tips on switching to real food, read this: A plan to integrate real food into your life

I LOVE this: Real Foodies: How we are marginalized and why we shouldn't be

On taking care of yourself as a mom: Martyr is NOT spelled M-O-M

What a beautiful demonstration of Christ's love to a group of people who seem to be the most hated by Christians: A Different Kind of Christian Demonstration at Gay Pride

Are you obsessed with counting calories? This explains why you shouldn't: Why Counting Calories is Pointless

Thoughts on Proverbs 31:10

2010-07-08T06:56:00.000-07:00

This is the first installment of many--I will be posting my thoughts on each individual verse in Proverbs 31. I hope you'll join me and post yours--either in the comments or on your blog, and post the link in the comments.

Proverbs 31:10
A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.

It always makes me sad to hear of marriages that fall apart because the husband chose _____ over his wife. Could be another woman, porn, work, or even their children. But what makes me even more sad is that it's always preventable on BOTH sides. Dr. Laura Schlessinger says "A good man is hard to find, but easy to keep."

My goal is to be a Proverbs 31 woman. If I'm a Proverbs 31 woman, my husband will know beyond a shadow of a doubt how much I am worth. If I'm living a godly life, being the wife God made me to be, would my husband divorce me? Probably not. Whether he knows Jesus Christ as his Savior or not, if you are a Proverbs 31 woman, your husband will know your worth, and he will put you first. Before we can point fingers at our husbands for doing things wrong, we need to do everything in our power to be all that God designed us to be.

Real Food Baby Steps: Up your salt intake

2010-07-06T05:26:00.000-07:00

"WHAT?! What is this crazy lady talking about?!"

Ok, now I KNOW you're gonna think I'm off my rocker for this one, but choosing the right salt and consuming more of that is one of the best changes you can make for your health.

I know, the media tells you all salt is bad. Well, that's just not true! Refined, processed salt causes high blood pressure, bloating, and a whole bunch of other issues.

But unrefined, real sea salt has over 80 trace minerals that are necessary for your body to function, and it normalizes functions in the body that require salt, like brain development, adrenal gland function, etc. Not to mention, it tastes better!

Credit

My family can attest to the fact that I have "bland" taste buds. They always add salt to things, and I never do. I have never really cared for salt, I always thought it made food taste funny. But when we started consuming real, unrefined sea salt, I started to love salt! Now I add salt to a lot of things and it tastes fantastic. Real sea salt tastes so much better than refined table salt!

The conventional grocery store sells "sea salt", but most of the time, it's not really sea salt. It's just as refined as regular salt. The way you can tell the difference between refined and unrefined sea salt is the color. Refined, processed salt is white--unrefined sea salt is not. It's typically a gray-ish or pink-ish color, but the color will greatly depend on where the salt comes from.

My favorite salt is RealSalt. The flavor is incredible, and it's not processed! You can get it on amazon, or at your local health food store (or store that carries natural foods--I can get mine at Fred Meyer). And I love that sea salt is even good for babies. I know, it seems so contradictory to what we've all been taught, but it's true! Unrefined sea salt helps with brain development. So don't be afraid to put a little sprinkling of sea salt in your baby's food!

So this week, the challenge is to switch to unrefined sea salt and don't be afraid of it. Your body and health will thank you!

More info:

Sea Salt--Kelly the Kitchen Kop
Video: Choosing a healthy salt--The Healthy Home Economist

This post is linked to Real Food Wednesday and Two For Tuesdays

*Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for supporting this site!*

New blog launch: The Inchie Project

2010-07-01T12:04:00.000-07:00

A great new blog opened up today: The Inchie Project!

This blog is run by my crafty sister. She's hosting a really cool giveaway right now, so head on over and enter the giveaway and subscribe to her blog!

Recipe: Chai tea

2010-07-01T06:18:00.000-07:00

I love this recipe. I found it here over a year ago, and I loved it as soon as I tried it. I'm reposting this from May 2009, although I've modified it a little since then.

Put 2.5 cups water in pot. Bring to a boil, add 4 vanilla chai tea bags OR 3 chai tea bags

and 1 french vanilla tea bag.

Steep for 5 minutes.

Add 1 cup milk and 1 cup heavy cream on medium heat.

Add 3-4 tbsp sweetener. I use 1.5 tbsp raw honey

and 2 tbsp sucanat (although, since I'm running low on sucanat, I used 1 tbsp sucanat and 1 tbsp sugar)

Heat through until sweetener is dissolved. Add 1 tsp vanilla extract. Serve immediately, or put in fridge for a few hours and serve over ice.

I also put an extra 1/2 tsp sugar or sucanat in my husband's cup because he likes things pretty sweet. He thought it was perfect.

Enjoy!

Here's the recipe:

2.5 cups water
4 vanilla chai tea bags
OR 3 chai tea bags and 1 french vanilla tea bag
1 cup milk
1 cup cream
3-4 tbsp sweetener (I use 1.5 tbsp raw honey and 2 tbsp sucanat)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Bring water to boil. Add tea bags and steep for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags.

Over medium heat, add milk and cream to the pot. Heat through, then stir in sweetener and heat until dissolved. Add vanilla extract and serve.

*Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for supporting this site!*

To the love of my life on our anniversary

2010-06-30T12:57:00.000-07:00

Today is our fourth wedding anniversary.

I'm keeping today's post simple. If you want to read a real anniversary post, go back and read last year's!

Happy anniversary to my love!

Naturally Knocked Up: New eCourse!

2010-06-29T05:37:00.000-07:00

I'm a huge fan of natural living. If there's a natural way to handle something that is normally medicated, I definitely take the natural route. There is nothing better than getting back to the basics and letting God do what He originally intended.

With that said, I am EXTREMELY excited to announce that Donielle, who writes the Naturally Knocked Up blog, has a fertility eCourse coming up. It's a 12-week course that will walk you step-by-step through the natural ways to take charge of your fertility. Whether you're struggling with infertility (long or short-term) or just hope to avoid that struggle later on down the road, whether you're approaching the childbearing years or done with them and have daughters who will someday have kids, you'll want to take this excellent eCourse. Donielle is so knowledgeable in this area it's amazing. God has blessed her so much in this area. She struggled with infertility and was diagnosed with PCOS, but now she has two beautiful children and has her reproductive system under control. I have learned so much from her just by reading her blog-- her eCourse is going to be fantastic!

Here is how Donielle explains it:

"Infertility now strikes one in six couples, one out of five known pregnancies end in miscarriage, and our children are increasingly suffering from disease and disorders like ADD, autism, learning difficulties, behavior issues, depression, allergies, and asthma.
The conventional approach isn’t working!
Over the last century or so, our health has radically changed. We’re suffering from chronic and degenerative diseases and becoming infertile at alarming rates. Our modern world is making us sick and most of us just don’t know what to do about it. So much of our traditional thinking of conception has changed. The world we live in is flooded with toxins from both the food we eat and the homes we live in. We no longer know what “real food” looks like. Infertility automatically means medicalizing conception.
It’s time to become empowered and reclaim your natural fertility and
have truly healthy babies.
This one-of-a-kind 12 week multi media course will be a breath of fresh air in an otherwise depressing world of unfortunate statistics. With these classes you will learn:
How to cleanse your body of toxins
Why common products you use may be contributing to your infertility
What exercises can help you prepare your body for conception and pregnancy
How to pin point ovulation
What to eat…..and what not to eat
Alternative treatments for infertility
But most importantly you will learn how to conceive and go on to have a healthy pregnancy and a truly healthy baby!"

The lessons that will be covered in the eCourse are:

Cleansing Your Body
Natural Living
Preparing Your Body Through Exercise
Fertility Awareness
Real Nutrition
Super Foods for Fertility
What Not To Eat
Herbs and Fertility
Alternative Treatments for Infertility
Stress
Tips for Increased Fertility
Where to Start

So please, do yourself a favor and sign up for this eCourse!

Enrollment starts now and goes until July 16, and classes start July 12.

So head on over and sign up. It will be amazing!

***Disclosure: Links in this post are affiliate links. Thanks for supporting this site!***

Changes

2010-06-27T22:17:00.000-07:00

As you can see, it's been a little quiet around here. I've been making some major changes to my blog. Thanks to my sister Amy from The Inchie Project (private now, but it's launching on July 1st.... be sure to head over to her blog that week for an awesome giveaway!) for creating my header and button and helping me with my blog design, and thanks to Amy (bloggingwithamy.com), JoLynne (musingsofahousewife.com) and her how-to pages, and the folks at bloggingtips.com for their helpful posts for the technologically challenged like myself. Notice the favicon (the little icon up with my url)? That's thanks to my sister and the people who have posted idiot-proof guides for me on their blogs. Ha. Also, the beautiful picture in my header and favicon (as well as on my twitter page) are CC Gisela Francisco, via this link.

So what's new?

To the left, I've added pictures of me and my hubby and my girls, along with labels (which I'm still working on editing), some helpful websites, and lots of great blogs. To the right, I've added a search bar for your convenience, a button for you to put on your blog, a place to subscribe to this blog via blog readers or email, some google ads and an amazon search box (affiliate links to help support this site!), a link to my Twitter page, and some random buttons.

I've also added an About page, along with a disclosure page (just to let you all know that once in a while, I'll have some affiliate links and things like that) and a PR page (for PR reps who are interested in having me review or give away products). I'll be adding more pages and things in the near future.

I'm going through and deleting useless posts (getting a fresh start, if you will) and plan to repost some of my past posts in the coming weeks. So there are still more changes to make, but so far things are going pretty well, considering.

Take a look around, and let me know what you think! Do you like the new changes?

Words of Life

2010-06-11T06:21:00.000-07:00