I'm just a "13" waiting for my "15" asking for prayer...WHAT?

So I’m a 13…life could be worse, right. 

I mean my life is gonna get harder in order for it to get better and I just didn’t get to choose this.

Isn’t that how a lot of us look at life?

It feels safe when we can choose what needs to change if we are honest, right?

‘If I had a better or nicer house’ life would be better or easier and I’d be happy.  In order to get to a new house, you must fine-tune the one, you live in to sell.  That means going through every space, getting rid of things, packing things to make it look bigger and better to entice a buyer.  We clean up our mess going through layer after layer just to find a better house.

The list goes on – you get rid of old clothes so you can fill your closet back up with new clothes, 

ever bought a new or newer car or tried to sell one?  

How about food? 

Ever had to rid your kitchen of the “bad” foods to give you room for the new and improved healthy stuff…we treat our bodies the same; dieting, detoxing, fasting, working out, always pushing to lose our current bodies to gain a new and improved one.  

But these are things we get to choose; we can control. 

But for all of us there are always some things we don’t get to choose, we can’t control, we must handle them as they come.

After I posted my last up-date I had many of you whom I love and adore asking, “what can I do?” and “Why haven’t you told me?”  

I’m sorry, I never meant to keep anything from anyone.  We have just been handling things as they have come learning and adjusting at every corner.  I truly love the kind and loving gestures; it makes me feel less alone; it makes me feel loved and cared for and I need that so thank you. 

I don’t get to choose when my “new” and “improved” will come.  

There are more people dealing with auto immune diseases now then there’s ever been.  

And I just feel like I am just another one of them.

Mark and I thought it might help to just fill you in what my day to day looks like.  Most of you see me out and about and I probably look ok (I can’t wear make-up much because it makes my face itch – so most of the time I look pretty…well…undone😉).  

When you hear I’ve got a liver disease It’s hard to think of what my “sick” looks like.  

Sometimes you just look at me and know, but honestly, I still have more days that I’d consider as good days then not good days. 

My “good” week looks about the same because I know what I can handle.  Unfortunately, when I have a bad day it takes me an extra day or two to get back to good again. 

Monday’s you’ll find me up early, making breakfast for everyone then taking the kids to school.  I come back home and spend the day moving as fast as my body will take me.  Monday’s are usually my strongest day and so I do what comes best, like all moms, I push myself to get AS MUCH accomplished as possible so as the week moves on a have less I need to conquer. 😊 I never said I was smart.  So, on average you’ll find me moving laundry while working (like a REAL job for The Master’s Mark) All week long I schedule jobs, list things that need to be accomplished for our guys.  I pay business bills, handle month end stuff, or I’m ordering materials, helping our clients by putting together design plans (lately Mark ends up having to be my go between because I’ve had such a hard time getting over being sick), but I do a ton researching as well).  Most Mondays I can even go without a nap, and dinner is planned or started by lunch.  After school the kids help me move or finish up the laundry, we all help each other do homework, and they each get a chore or two.  I normally serve dinner.  But once I sit at the dinner table to eat, I am finished for the night and you’ll find me upstairs in my bed while the kids prep for tomorrow.  They come and tuck me in before they head to bed😉

This is what I call a very normal – even above average kind of day – Go me! 

BUT when I run hard on Monday, I struggle a bit on Tuesday.  I take the kids to school, come back home and nap because I need to.  When I’m done, I get up and finish things that need to be finished from Monday.  I move slower, but I still can move, and I pick the kids up from school and they help with dinner and then I’m in bed “resting” right after dinner (this is normal for me).

Now Wednesdays and Thursdays tend to be my kicker days.  I sleep in a little – Mark feeds the kids and takes them to school.  My body tends to hurt more on these mornings, but I get up and do my best to jump into CBS (I LOVE Community Bible Study).  Wednesday I go to the Leader’s meeting and Thursday I’m at CBS serving as best I can.  Most Wednesday and Thursday afternoons I either go home and nap or you might find me moving super slow through a store to grab more groceries hanging in until school pick up.  Sometimes I even nap in the school pick up line too, shhhhh😉 These are also the nights I can’t make dinner or eat at the table unless I’m able to nap.

This is when I get to pause and tell you all what a HUGE blessing it is to be living with my parents.  Not many adult families could be ok with this and trust me when I tell you that it can get stressful at times esp. knowing I can’t leave much.  

I feel like we are always in the way!  

Most people think we are crazy…because…well…we ARE.  

Honestly, I think we drive them more nuts then they drive us, but God knew that we would need the extra help and encouragement and it HAS been a much-needed blessing.  I help and cover things while mom is busy writing her teachings – God gives her such amazing insights – she teaches at CBS!  It just so happens that she handles the nights I seem to need it most.  I don’t feel too bad asking the kids to help her while I sneak off to the couch to nap so I can get through dinner together.

Fridays, oh I love to hate Fridays.  We try really hard to keep Fridays open without plans because you just never know what it will look like for me.  Mark takes the kids to school when he can and on those mornings, I wont lie to you like I’d like, but I don’t set an alarm.  I let my body wake up when it’s had it’s share of sleep.  If I were a college student this might be acceptable, but to me this is the part that I tell you that I HATE because most “sleep in Fridays” means that I do not budge until 10 or 11 a.m.  One would then think; wow, what a lazy mom or with that much sleep I should have no problem getting through the rest of the day, but by the time we get home from school pick up I know that I will barley get dinner done before my body will need to rest yet again.  This is mostly due to my legs swelling and just burning from the rest of the week.  I can’t even explain the pain.  The good news is that resting doesn’t always mean sleep so if we do anything Friday evening I either napped like crazy or we stay home to play a game or have a movie night while mom lays with her legs up, and if plans allow, we get REAL crazy and call a certain family that comes over at the drop of a hat – our kids LOVE when we get together, they play quietly together, which helps me feel relaxed.  They have become extended family to us, and we love them dearly.  I don’t mean to sound snobby about having this particular family over, but we have become so very close because this mom actually shares my same diagnosis!  She understands why I am always in my pj clothes or swollen and we have to just sit around – but there’s always laughing – hard core laughing that brings a little side pain, but it’s worth it😉. 

Saturdays and Sunday’s vary but you will find me asleep everywhere we go in the car or on the couch trying hard to get my body super charged to have a great Monday!

THIS has been my normal for a good year or more now, 

yes, it’s gotten harder these last 3-6 months and 

I’m probably needing to slow myself even more (having NO clue how or where to start once again), but this has been our family’s normal. 

The weeks that have not been good normally involve me doing too much, getting sick, or not sleeping a night or two because I’m up itching non-stop…this normally happens 1 week every month (not the itching, I itch all the time, but the itching SO bad that I can’t sleep part).  These weeks I work hard to sleep every second that I can even on my mega Monday’s to get my body back up and moving again.

I DO go out, but mostly it’s to buy our groceries, and when I can I use Amazon (who know I’d need them so much!).

When I can’t do laundry, Ella, Keegan, Mark and my wonderful mom all pitch in and everyone puts their own clothes away because it’s always been my thing sick or not😉 

Yep, I’m a mean mom!  

The kids have always been expected to help with cleaning things because I want them to understand what hard work looks like.  

So cleaning is also covered. 

I think if anyone could do anything for me it would be to give me energy to do something crazy like go on a date with the hubby or actually look nice before we go out…

sounds silly but if I spend my energy looking nice, 

I am normally wiped before we leave.  

I also do extra things here and there, but I have to plan and prepare and take the time afterwards to rest back up.  

Sometimes you might see me in a wheelchair, don’t be scared, it just means I am too tired to walk.  We adjust and do what we need to do.😉

I feel like a music box that just needs that little knob turned as tight

 as you can get it and it goes until it’s slowed to a stop…

then it needs to be wound up again. 

I don’t want to make anyone sad or feel bad and I sure will not say no if a meal shows up - it's hard to ask when you are celiac as well.

I just want to reassure you that when the need comes and trust me it IS coming, we will ask for help.  I love each one of you – especially if you’ve taken the time to read all this blabbering. 

I did made a list of things we will probably need help with as this time draws closer and if you are just bored or want to keep reading, by all means go for it😉

 I might need help transporting me to the hospital I guess I could always call an uber 😊 I think I will need to be going 2 or 3 times a week.

I might need help prepping dinners maybe doing several at a time to help me get through the week.

I may need help bringing kids home from school here and there (I know I have a handful of friends who’d be willing to help with that too)

We might even take help when we actually get to move Into our new home whenever it gets done (my bedroom is on the first floor – totally planned that with the transplant in mind). 

The time IS coming so just be ready.

I wanted to also say something about prayer to end this up.

  When I say ‘prayers is all we need’ I’m not saying that in a light or superficial manor.  

I’ve seen people healed after prayer, I KNOW the power of Jesus, and I have been prayed for in the midst of times that I know I would not have been able to walk through if the prayers weren’t there.  

I have felt the peace that is completely NOT understandable, that makes NO sense as to why I was able to feel peace except for “…because I was praying for you.”  

If you wake up and think of me or my family, I expect you to give me a few seconds of prayer.  God tells believers that it is our job to spur one another on in this life.  

We are to encourage each other, up lift each other.  

So please do that for me now.  

Prayer for anyone God places on your heart and mind is important.

God hears our prayers, they work, they protect, guide, encourage, uplift, build-up, refresh, awaken, make calm, give hope, and they also save.  

I know that your prayers carried me and my family through the scariest nights of our lives.  

I was able to feel Joy and Peace while being pushed into the ER, being poked more times than I thought possible, having my favorite jammies cut off so the nurses and docs could get more things going to save my life.  

I remember praying out loud in the midst of it all, being able to recite bible verses to ease my mind, some of which my nurses would say with me, ones I had written on my heart.  

During all the beeps all voices moving quickly around me while I lay on the bed, 

watching light after light pass by as they ran me into a procedure or a different room for a new test.  

Seeing my family and feeling more concerned about them and how they were handling things then what I was going through.  

The feelings and the calmness that I had wasn’t natural, it was in no way normal, it was God given because as soon as word went out, as soon as neighbors saw and gathered and friends were told, prayers started for little old me and God moved. 

Prayer IS the most important gift you can give me.  

Trust me, I will never go into anything without it.  

I know and expect God to show up big when we pray because I have seen Him do it time and time again throughout my entire life.  

He’s the God who moves to us when we call.  

So when I say please pray for us I truly mean it because our God is for us, and 

He works good for those of us who love Him, and big things happen when

 His people call upon His Mighty Name.

The. End. 

(I think I might have just dropped the mic😉)

...IF you made it to the end here, then know I dropped that mic for YOU!!

Sleepless Sin

I can’t sleep.  My mind wont stop.  These types of nights happen here and there for me and for you if you are honest – especially these days.  Nothing I’m walking through is really that different then what you are walking through.  Sometimes my mind just floods with thoughts, worries, and fears.  God says not to entertain any of these because worry is a sin, and fear is NOT from Him.  For the most part after they pop into my head, I call them out and force myself to think on higher things (things from above, heavenly, eternal things) We can’t stop thoughts from coming to us, but we can throw them out as soon as they enter.  The faster I do this the easier it becomes.  It was hard at first so I would say it out loud and physically go through the motions of pulling these thoughts from my mind and throwing them as hard as I could. 

But tonight, is one of those nights, one of those rare occasions where I was writing this in my head, editing repeatedly my frustrations.  I do entertain worry and fear at times.  This is a battle that is worth the fight.  Please do not think for one minute that I am prideful enough to think God needs me here on earth.  We tend to carry this entitled feeling around that we are owed something from the lives we live.  If we are good enough…(you fill in the blank) and I’m not just talking about Jesus believers; I’m talking about all people.  We expect good things to come when we live a good life.

Side note: remember there is nothing new under the sun – that’s straight from the mouth of King Solomon, the richest king ever to walk the earth, he admitted to giving into EVERY desire evil or good and living any and every kind of thing one could cram into a life with a never ending flow of money and resources.  He got bored with it all and said it was meaningless without God the Father!! 

So tonight, as I lay in bed thinking about this last bout – one that my body is still trying to fight – with this uti / bacterial infection; I lay wondering if this will be what takes me home.  Will this end up shutting my kidney’s down as well as my liver?  What if I need a basket of organs given to me and not just a new liver?!  How will Mark cope? What will become of our dreams and future and desires?  What about the kids, will they hate or blame God?  I can throw this out into the open and talk to my kids about the ‘what if’s’ hoping to prepare them for whatever, but I cannot guarantee their salvation, their forever only God can.  I MUST believe that my God is big enough to be there God.  My little faith must be enough to hold me up to make me brave so I can walk each and everyday without sitting on these thoughts and fears.  Satan wants me to crumble to turn my focus from God he doesn’t need me to walk away from God but he is out to pull my eye from Him – let’s admit it, it IS easier to think about ourselves and our circumstances then it is to give it over to God time after time, minute after minute. 

This is when knowledge isn’t enough; this is what faith looks like; to believe what the Bible says about God whether we see the proof or not.  God is loving, God’s ways are higher (or NOT the same as) mine, His plan IS perfect (it HAS to be), He is with me always, He even goes as far to tell us to be ready for tough times expecting them, at the same time He tells us to expect BIG things from Him; He is able, He has, He did, and He will…it’s nights like these that help me build spiritual muscles that will hold tight to Him as I go through whatever is next. 

I do not believe that God sits back and sends bad things to good people; we do…humans…sin…bad things happen naturally because we choose sin over God (think to Adam and Eve; if it wasn’t them it wouldn’t been someone else) – God is not surprised by any of it – He knows the outcome and He’s always with us as we go through them. 

I’m reminded of my last icu visit a year and a half ago; the one where my life was truly on the line; my family waited 3 days for me to be stable enough to move, but what strikes me interested was that as I lay in my bed it only felt like a few minutes or maybe hours.  I saw them sitting and waiting, but I never felt their stress or understood it; I was sheltered I was being protected and comforted.  I was in and out, but I was fully aware of where I was and how serious things were.  I felt full of peace, I knew Jesus was there with me.  I was focused on Him and when I was nothing else mattered because I knew, I felt that everything was covered; God had this.  It sounds a little crazy, and I’m not sure word can do how I felt justice, similarly to when we don’t know how to pray or what to pray Holy Spirit steps in and is our go between interpreting our feelings that don’t have word to our Father who created them.  I just knew if He was big enough to be my God then by all means He was big enough to walk Mark through whatever was to come, which also meant that He would be big enough to grow inside each one of my kids as they faced any and every challenge life will throw at them with or without me.  I NEVER want to forget that feeling, that knowledge that complete peace. 

Jesus taught me SO much from each hospital stay.  So when nights like tonight happen I can get up, put my thoughts on paper, let go and choose to think on things that are higher – things like; God is the one who determines the number of my days, He created me and He knows the hairs on my head no matter how thinned out they become.  I choose faith, fully knowing that I am NOT God, fully understanding that God does not need me to farther His kingdom here on earth; yet I am willing to do whatever it takes for as long as He gives me to praise His Holy Name and give Him glory for every tiny bit of my being. 

Can you…or a better question might be, Will you choose to?  It is so much easier to stand firm in the faith when you know you are not alone and I’m here to tell you; You are NOT alone.  And there nothing is new under the sun.  Good Night.

To God be the Glory. Amen.

Game Over!!

It's the little things that give me great victory feelings!

Today, Monday, Keegan went to The Master Study, a.k.a. school, but Ella went to bed with a slight fever Sunday night so she stayed home. She felt better today but still woke up with a slight fever as well as a terrible head ache. But that was enough to throw off my day!
Grissom, Callae, and I were all also super tired from our huge weekend of birthday fun so we laid around watching movies. I did get a few things done but all was very lazy! It was kinda nice.

The second Keegan got into the house it started...the asking...here we are only in January, even the end, and my kids are having problems playing with their NON-electronic toys. Keegan got a DSi, we got the SkyLanders game, and our family got an iPad to share and boy all of a sudden the kids think they can't do anything but!

Sooooooo...being a great mean mom that I've always desired to be I came up with a solution. I took a picture of it. I wish I could say I came up with this in my own brain, but I have to give credit where credit is due...my friend Jill does something similar with her four kiddos.

The top envelope has colored tongue compressed sticks. Ella is red, Keegan is purple, Grissom is green, and yes I made some for Callae and she is yellow. Each stick is worth 20 minutes. Each child has 5 sticks. Everyday they get all their sticks to start out. I can take them away for any reason I see fit...a moms right! I've also given each child an orange stick that has their name on it and it says Extra. When they want to play any games other then board games they can bring me a stick or put a stick in the game over envelope. As long as its not in the midst of school time I will allow them to play which ever system they want. But once their time is over they can not play any more that day...it also includes Netflix or movie time. I also told the kids that I have the right to take sticks away if we have a family movie night or family Wii night planned!

So tomorrow will be our first day to try it out.
Ella and Keegan will do well I just fine I know. My problem is going to be Grissom. He's just at that age where it's just super hard to do anything...I'm just hoping this doesn't kill the kid...I say with full sarcasm!

I think I've done a pretty good job maintaining our game time thus far. But I only let them play it while I'm fixing meals...but they are getting to that place where they just want to fight over who gets to play what! I figure this time would come.

So...what do you do about gaming and the amount your kids get to play? Do you just let them play or do you have rules?

All I can say is that Grissom cried and whined all over until I picked him up and put him into his room to play. It wasn't until I did that that he puttered around his room for a good 5 minutes then finally started playing and stayed in his room playing for a very long time!

K...here is our new "gaming system!"

Get my play on words?? Haaaa!

More coconut shrimp please!

So...I'm staring to become kind of a food-hippy! I feel like that because of our food journey (Now adding a possible dairy sensitivity with Ella)! I have had to read and research as if I were taking a final for a college class! You remember those weeks...where you tried to cram an entire semester of information into your brain...staying up all night and doing whatever it took! I know I've been learning a great deal about eating and nutrition I've even learned about stuff I never wanted to know...but I also have been sharing and posting a TON of paleo recipes on Facebook...paleo just basically says, “if you can grow it or kill it you should eat it...unless its been chemically engenired...but exclude legumes and peanuts(not all nuts just peanuts)” I can explain why...but it takes way too long! Paleo is also what you make it as well...my family loves green beans...so we do eat them...you have to take what you learn and make it your own...each person’s body is different so what's right for you may not work for someone else and with eating and health I do believe this.

Anyway, I've had tons of interest and lots of questions...this is also becoming a huge discussion across the USA right now as well.
The most common question I get is - which is a great question - “Have you actually made any of these foods you have posted?”

So I've decided to include the foods that we have tried in our families blog. Tonight's (which was last Thursday) dinner was amazing! I got this recipe from FB and just changed 1- ingredient because we didn’t have it on hand. I made carrots, (frozen) peas, and coconut shrimp! Yes, I made them. Now everything we ate tonight was “organic” we are trying as hard as we can do eat more organic foods because we know that organic just means nothing has been added to these foods - they are grown naturally...the way they used to be. I've seen the difference; organically grown fruits and veggies seem to have more “defects” to them as other fruits and veggies don't...we have also noticed a taste difference and really like that. But we live on a VERY tight...no lie, very tight budget so realistically organic will be a good treat when we can buy it! But I figured that by sticking to the paleo (organic or not) then we are still choosing the lesser evil!

Back to dinner. I steamed the carrots, added a little salt (dished Ella's potion out - pre butter) then added a little REAL butter...the peas I heated up in a pan with a little coconut oil and salt (portioning Ella's) then adding a little real butter and a nice pinch of organic Dill seasoning (one of my most favorites!) In fact dill now takes me back to Monerey Bay, CA the second I smell it, I'm back walking on the trail by the ocean! It was always growing wild everywhere! I craved that smell when pregnant with Callae!

Ok...the Coconut shrimp was amazing...Mark claimed it was better then any he'd eaten even in a restaurant! I took organic shrimp (a good portion of about 10 per person) thawed it under water then paper towel dried it off. Dipping them (I did this in 2 rounds) in an egg bath (2 eggs whisked in a bowl), then into a Baggie filled with:
1 Cup coconut shredding
2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2tsp. Garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika

Shook the bag then laid them out into a skillet of coconut oil...just enough oil to coat the pan (the shrimp were not floating). Let them fry for about 3 minutes on each side. Lets just say they were a HUGE hit with everyone...and not one kid asked for any kind of dipping sauce! In fact they all asked for more...we have a no seconds policy in our family...not because I'm mean but because I cook by the portions and each person is given their portion size the first time around...I wish we could allow seconds but our budget does not right now. Infact shrimp is something I've never bought or made in all my 10 years as a wife. I got a huge bag on sale for $12.99...the carrots were $6.99 (5-lb bag of raw big carrots)...and the family size organic frozen peas from Costco was $7.98. And the shredded coconut was $4.63 per lb. which makes this meal a total cost of $30.27...BUT WAIT! We didn't eat all of this food during this meal...we have at least one more shrimp meal...at least 4 more carrot meals, and 4 or more meals with the peas...so that made this one shrimp meal for our family of 6 (Callae didn't eat any shrimp yet...so only 5 ate)...the total was:$10.65
I'm pretty excited to know that!
Here are a few pictures of what the shrimp cooking looked like...it was very tasty. I posted a recipe from FB and had to change 1 spice...so yes, we do use the recipes I post...I post them mostly so I can reference them...but I also happen to know several of you watch and repost them as well! Let me know which are your favorites too...I'll keep adding the ones we love!! Happy Paleo doing and eating!

Stop calling me mom! (This took place this past Tuesday btw)

Today is seriously just one of those days!! Every now and then We ALL have them...if you think you don't then...you are probably in denial or just flat out lying! We started off this morning the way it sometimes does...that kind of day when every time you here the word, "Mom!" You want to scream or pull out all your hair! I have this kind of day...oh, about once a month...I swear moods cycle too! This morning all the surrounding schools had a nice little 2-hour delay because we woke up to a temp of 4* I think this was smart...but of all the days for those around me to get to sleep in (because according to MY brain they all slept in until forever!) I was dragged out of bed by 7:30... Now lets go back a bit and let me explain cause I can just hear all your sighs and see your eyes rolling. I am an 8-8:30 kinda gal...BUT I have always gotten up with my kids...they've been 8-9 kids! I've had no complaints about this...instead I get criticized and called lazy...listen people, you stay home and homeschool you kids...you stay up until mid-night or 1 a.m. preparing for your next day...I've never been a morning glory...I'm a night owl. I am “blessed” with a burst of energy at about 11:30-12 so if I allow or make myself stay up until this time then I'm automatically up for a few more hours...this however doesn't mean early to rise either...I only wish...really I do...I feel like I waste some days by sleeping in...this also doesn't mean sleeping until 8-8:30 happens regularly because it also is not true. Mondays and Thursdays are always up at 7-7:15...Sundays are a very close to this time...the other days are a gamble because Callae calls the shots right now and she likes 7:30-8 most days...I guess I shouldn't let others “assumptions” of me bring me down...again I know it's because I woke-up in this mood!

Ok, so where was I? Oh yea, everyone in the universe was sleeping in until whenever they desired...everyone but me! Keegan came in first at about 5:45. He'd had a bad dream. Grissom soon followed by about 7 because this is the phase he is in! These children know NOT to come to mom's side of the bed to enter in...for “the mom beast” will eat them in the night without a second thought. So they always go to dad’s side knowing full well that they will be able to sneak in without disturbing him. Which is always reassuring when you think about just how heavy of a sleeper one has to be to NOT react when little people blatantly craw over your body...hope his sleep isn't always that deep in case of an intruder!

This morning with the mood I was in it just wasn't a good start...not only were both boys in bed with us but they had managed to plaster themselves against me and I was on the edge of the bed with no where to go! So I tried to adjust my thoughts to...just go back to sleep...there is good news to them entering in because they normally sleep until at least 8:45-9 in our bed. But NOT on this splined day, oh no...lets just say I shushed them (a mothers right) until 7:15...then it was over when I heard baby crying in her room minutes later! Well just jolly!

I wish I was happy to rise, it sure would make my life a lot easier! But I felt this morning as if I would lock the kids in a room and just sleep the day away. No...doctor friends, I am NOT depressed, I've always been this way around my “girl-time” and there are others in my family who are known to carry this trait as well...for my life's sake they will remain unanimous!

I'm just saying...I am a true lover of sleep.

I fulling believe that good sleep helps make us healthy!

Back to my day...I drug myself outta bed put on my “stay-at-home-mom uniform” (sweats and a comfy shirt) added my fuzzy socks and slippers and my spiffy robe and I was ready to roll...be jealous!

I can't even tell you how many times I hear that word that makes me want to scream (mom) today before I even got downstairs...I can tell you I heard it at least 7 times on the steps alone! Ahhhhhhh!

I knew I needed to take action quick so I changed my name...again a mothers right...I told the kids, “I am no longer M-m! Today I am Suzette! (I've always thought that name was pretty). But a good 10 times of hearing that it too was gone! I sent Ella and Keegan into the school room to start their morning work - I set them up with all their work in the morning and then we do lessons together as needed after breakfast! I have found that they are old enough to do this now! Love it!
My day DID get better and well...we had a great day of school! But this was only Tuesday!! I still love sleep...and I am very thankful to have children that have slept in for the most part...I'm that one mom actually looking forward to the teen years when they sleep in until noon. No I won't let the. Sleep until noon, but at least ill get to sleep in until my 8-8:30! Yea, right...I'll have those one in a million kids who are get-up and go get’em teenage kids who want to change the world! Ha...I LOVE my life!

The Mini-Van Express

This Christmas we added a new tradition!  Cause that’s all we need, right…something MORE in the midst of the “more-est” holiday of the year!  Mark and I got to thinking and we want to bring back “old-school” memories.  We do pretty much plant ourselves cuddled up on the couch every night with a Christmas movie and some goodies but even that gets tiring. 

                I remember as a child driving around looking at houses all dressed up for Christmas.  Dad would play Christmas music and we had to drive passed the same houses year after year.  As a child I can say I remember thinking this was silly, but looking back on those rides as a parent I am so glad they happened.  It was dad’s way of making it special, different, & fun.  Today I can hear Sandi Patti’s The Gift Goes On and I am back in the car singing with mom and dad while we drove around looking at these houses!

                I came across someone else’s tradition who took it from the Polar Express Movie.  I wish I could claim it as all my own idea, but I can’t.  What I can say is that it’s started a very fun family tradition!

                I printed out golden tickets and laminated them.  They are tickets to ride ‘The MiniVan Express’  We popped popcorn and made some hot chocolate and put them in sippy cups on each child’s seat in the van.  The tickets were placed under each child’s pillow.  We told the kids that they were in for a fun family night which was translated to them to be a fun Christmas movie night so they were excited.   We invited my parents over for an impromptu to chili dinner and a very short – KungFu Christmas movie and then they were off to bed. 

                Now go back a little.  Knowing my kids I was pretty certain that they wouldn't find these tickets.  My kids aren't pillow huggers.  But Keegan had a super loose tooth and a determined mom and dad.  So dad using pliers got that baby out (it didn't hurt Keegan…it truly was ready to come out).  This was perfect I knew once Keeg put his tooth under his pillow it would all happen!

                Mom and dad went upstairs with Mark to ‘tuck’ the kids in bed.  Ella and Grissom both got into bed before Keegan and sure enough neither of them found their tickets.  So once Keegan did all excitement broke free!  Keegan starts screaming that he’d won the golden ticket!  He yelled at the other kids I found it under my pillow but I don’t know what it means!  Ella then found hers and Grissom soon after.  I was waiting downstairs with my hole puncher!  Ella made everyone stop so she could read the ticket and said We get to ride the MiniVan Express!!?!  They came running downstairs to show me but I was in character.  I took each ticket and punched it with my hole puncher and told the kids to stand in line.  I marched them around the house while mom & dad got out to their car.  Then we marched IN OUR JAMMIES out to the garage where I placed each child’s robe on and put on their buckles!  The giggles were constant and you could feel their excitement!  After all the kids were seated they also were given a blanket.  Their winter coats where tucked under their seats.

                We drove through the neighborhood looking at lights and we listened to The Polar Express book on CD.  We headed over to a few houses that we knew were all dressed up for Christmas.  We sat and listened to a special radio station at an over the top home on the southside of Brownsburg while we ate our popcorn.  Then we headed downtown to the circle to see those lights, but most importantly to mail the kids’ Christmas letters to Santa!  We were able to park on the circle without a problem or a penny.  We mailed our letters then walked to the exact place where Mark proposed to me.  Mark role played it of course.  How funny!  I’m quickly reminded of all the places mom and dad took us as kids as they went back in time…over and over and over…so many times that to this day I can tell you just where mom went to prom!! Ha!!  It makes me laugh to think we’d just started that same thing with our kids.  I’m now looking forward to the day that we go back after many times and the kids all roll their eyes and say…”Yea, we know…blah, blah, blah…this is where dad asked you to marry him…!!” 

                We walked to the large manger scene that was on the circle and I am taken back to the many freezing cold nights that we were out walking around the circle looking at the same scene as a little girl.  I remember one year being carried all bundled up in a blanket!  A sweet lady came out of the building next to the church to take our whole family’s picture!  Which made this night great for me cause that is proof Mark and I were both there! 

                After this we got back into the van and headed home.  It was only about 9:40 and the kids were asleep before we even reached home…what a memory!

                Did I mention that at least 2 dozen times outta the blue Grissom would scream at the top of his little lungs, “This is the best night EVER!!!!!”

                That next morning we were all pretty tired, but the kids all wanted to write about their night so they wouldn't forget it!  Finally I've got a tradition that is new and a fresh one that I didn't do as a child, and one that doesn't cost but a little bit of gas.  I am pleased and excited to say this year has been fabulous!  I’m feeling more and more like our family is starting to get back into the life we've wanted.

                 We may never have money, we may never get to do or have all the things we want.  But I’m ok with that (at least right now) because things aren't eternal…they come and go, but we are making memories and I think memories could be eternal!

Merry Christmas!  

Stepping Backwards...into Christmas!

What is on my mind today? Christmas…what else?  I’m sitting here writing for the first time in a REALLY long time…Ella got her  journal out because I was introducing journal time to Keegan…with all the writing going on I thought why not join them?

                As Mark pulled down all our indoor decorations this year my thoughts went to where they always go.  I HATE getting started!  Where do I start? I always start on the tree…but I don’t really like that either.  I’m too short to get near the top without a bar stool so I have to lug them over to the tree.  Those fake branches scratch my super dry skin and leave me itching, then I have to vacuum after we are done because it leaves such a mess!  I thank God every year that we have a pre-lit tree cause stringing lights was always something to seriously fight about! 

                Then there’s the question of do I let the kids help or not…I’m pretty precise on how I like MY tree (we do have a kids’ tree upstairs that only the kids decorate so I don’t feel bad calling it MY tree). 

After the panic of how to start went away - which I think is a defense my body puts off to protect my heart from the sadness of missing my Nana & Mamaw, both whom loved this holiday more than life and who would always have their houses decorated to the 9’s & 10’s and after deciding it would be more fun for my kids if they got to ‘hand’ me the ornaments, I started “feeling” again.  I mean how could I help it…the Christmas music Mark turned on just took over! 

                I love that music can do that in almost any situation in my life.  Sunday mornings are a huge music calming morning for me as we try to get out the door for church!!   But back to Christmas, to this day I can say it still is my most favorite time of year.  I really do love and get into the decorating after I get started.  The feelings I have now are different when it comes to this time of year only because I was very close to both of my grandmothers. 

                There’s the feeling of excitement almost giddy for my children, even though the stress of trying to make each Christmas as exciting or a little more exciting from the ones before gets more complicated…trying to buy gifts for 4 children when you have NO Christmas money this year was a super duper tough one, but again, God provided Mark with just enough extra work just in time to provide just enough!  There’s a surprise! 

                The feelings of looking ahead and planning as many extra fun events as we can to make as many memories as we can; Christmas @ the Zoo, Movie nights, Beef’N Boards Christmas Spectacular, Taste of Christmas (with my neighbors), Anniversary date of some kind for Mark and I, mailing our Santa letters at the circle, and much more.  This year we've printed out “golden” tickets…one night after watching The Polar Express we plan to hide these tickets under the kids’ pillows.  Once they get into bed and find them they will then enter the ‘Minivan Christmas Express’ and we will drive around looking at lights drinking hot chocolate, listening and singing to Christmas music!!  I can’t wait. 

                But there’s also deeper feelings I can’t ignore as we come to this time.  Feelings of loss and sadness yet they are quickly followed by hope and the reason I need Jesus and eternity.  Going back to my tree as I picked up each ornament and placed it thoughtfully on a branch I remember and am taken back to the place I was at when they became part of our lives.  As I hang up our gaudy gold and purple ornaments I’m taken back to our very first 1-bedroom apartment.  Just barely two weeks after our wedding decorating our very first tree together.  I love those silly old ornaments! 

Then onto the glittery ones I stayed up all night to grab at the Black Friday sale at Kmart a few years later when we had a little extra money to spend on decorations!  I didn't have to fight for them but I was SOOOO proud of the price I got them for!  I’m proud of those ornaments that glisten so beautifully in the tree lights. 

Then I move to the Santa’s I have only 3 I also had a Mary, Joseph, & baby Jesus set  these were a shower gift from my Mamaw.  It’s funny cause when I got them I thought wow…how silly…but over the years grew to love them and last year as I pulled out my manger set and noticed they had been shattered I was devastated!  This year I teared up when I pulled out my last 3 Santa’s not cause they were silly or because I didn't have the manger set any more.  No, it was mostly because I was feeling farther and farther away from my Mamaw.  It’s been 3 years now, and it still hurts me to miss her and think of her.  I hung those up and quickly moved on. 

                Next up I placed the ribbon around the tree then the little bows that Ella and I had to fluff before putting up followed by the huge stupid bow that I made for the top…I hate it cause it looks silly! But these simple ribbons I bought about 3 years ago, 95% off at Wal-mart…you know the left over rejected ribbon, but to me they would change the entire look of my tree which was a major need in our world because we had just started our unemployment/forced self employment.  I packed them up after I bought them, without even getting to use them that year but I knew that next Christmas I’d at least have a few new shiny things to put around my tree…something fresh and new just excited me.  When I look at them I am taken back to that year Mark lost his job then worked his tail off for the next year and a half.  We had no money but I took $5 to shop for something new to lift our spirits because we felt cold as if we were stuck in the dark and would be for a long time.  That Christmas…we had to get creative and Mark and I made 90% or all our gifts to our kids; Ella a cool playhouse bed, Keegan and Grissom a huge train/car table, and a fun puppet show stage that has been played with SO much!  Tears don’t come to my eyes when I think back to these decorations, just satisfaction and a since of humility, accomplished humility because our Father God provided and still provides.  I intentionally keep coming back to this time in our lives I do it so I don’t forget.  So I remember just how hard it was but also because this passed we didn't stay there, we overcame even that.  We as humans like to get stuck in our new hard time and we so easily push away the old hard times because “they weren't as tough as this” but the reality is that life IS hard and it’s important for us to see what we've come through to encourage us and push us to know that we CAN come through what we are in the midst of!

                Back to my tree I grabbed my Red Bird with long beautiful curly tail feathers and the tears just start falling, I’m not screaming and crying my eyes are just leaking – a lot!  It takes me back to why I bought this one lonely ornament.  It is for my Nana she loved the classic bright red color.  Not really the Nana we had for 10 years, but for the Nana I remember who made the world turn!  As I placed that bird on the tree I could just feel just how much I missed her and her Christmas…her cookies, the pine wood fire in the fireplace, the warmth that came from her home, the smells of amazing home cooking holiday meals that seems more elaborate around Christmas, her big window that showed the huge colorful outdoor lights that Papaw hung on the front deck mostly covered with snow.  Her tree was pretty, not elaborate but just simply pretty.  Nana had a Hand-made feel to her Christmas.  I also miss going to their little old church for the mid-night Christmas Eve service…how cool was that to stay up and start church at mid-night…and to hold real lit candle!  That was a highlight!!

                 Mark hands me the next little bird, my newest one (I just added this year cause I haven’t been able to find just the right one)…this one is gold, it too has long tail feathers but they are straight and very shiny.  This one is for my Mamaw.  Oh, I wish you could have seen her house during the season.  Talked about deck the halls, and the family room…the kitchen…even the bedroom and bathrooms!  I’m not sure if there were any rooms untouched by her Christmas decorating!  And her village, oh what a sight to see…it wasn't a village; it was more like a small city!  Her house was elaborately beautiful!  I remember how breathtaking it was to walk in to see everything for the first time each season.  And the smell of her home, it was different from Nana’s but the smells were equally pleasurable!   They both had wonderful aroma’s that changed your mood to warm and happy every time.  I giggle now because Jimmy Fallon has a bit on his show all about giving away Christmas sweaters.  12 days before he goes on break for the holidays he gives away a Christmas sweater but not just any they are the craziest silliest ugliest sweaters.  They make dun of them and yes they are funny, but those silly sweaters bring back more memories of my Mamaw and Nana cause they wore them every Christmas.  I even have a few in my closet…We laughed at them as we decided who got what but no one was willing to give them away.  Here’s a secret; they still smell like my grandmas!

                These special bird ornaments go to the top of my tree and I’m sure as the years go by my tears will be more and more as I decorate my tree because I seem to add something special every few years.  I have Mamaw’s elaborate decorating desire and yet I love the homemade Christmas…they both have a special place in my heart!  My kids may roll their eyes at me as the tears flow freely from my eyes, but someday they too will have their own tree and they will decide how to decorate it.  My hope is that they will love their tree not because it’s a tree to make pretty but because it’s a symbol that celebrates the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, but also that it’s representing the generations before them that also celebrated this same birth! 

                Now my tree and mantel, which is not as sentimental, are decorated and our 6 stocking are hung, yes I had tears hanging our stocking as well.  Only because this Christmas feels complete with four kids.  As I sit on my couch with all lights off but the tree and the fireplace I breathe a sign of relief.  It’s done…not just the decorating but more because the romancing is over at least the hard memories and now I can enjoy my season…I’m not sure if I will be able to do Christmas after mom and dad take off!

                 But for now I will sit and praise God for heaven…it IS real and I can’t wait to be there where there is no pain, hurt, or sorrow…and the ones I love will be there with me. 

                It hits me…Why?  I mean I know why we do Christmas but why do people who have more hurt then I do decide to decorate year after year seems kind of silly if you think about it.  We stuff ourselves with food only to wrap our homes in a big red bow and call it Christmas.  Why does it have to be SO elaborate?  Then my heart melts at the thought…we as humans go through life day in and day out some folks love theirs others wish it gone, but life still goes and goes to some it’s too fast to others it just drags on and on, but none the less it goes.  Christmas is many things to people first and foremost it IS to celebrate Jesus’ birth which leads us to celebrate Easter – we don’t celebrate in the same way the world does we celebrate because of Him and Him alone!  But meanings add to it, such as a time to reminisce and remember, a time to start over, a time to give or share, but I’m adding a reason this year.  As a stay at home mom and a homeschooling mom my life gets to feel pretty mundane at times.  I have to work hard to make it exciting or adventurous and many times I fail.  To me my life IS rich but I long for others to look in on me and see the richness I see…sometimes I long for someone to come whisk me away from it all so I can remember that it is rich!!  So for me, this Christmas I will focus on my ordinary becoming extraordinary.  That’s what we do isn't it? We take our normal and add spice…glitter…’fancy’ stuff to make our normal life “NOT so normal” for a time.  What a way to end every year…going out with such Extravagance maybe that’s why we start out the New Year so strong and ready to run!?! 

                So instead of sitting and focusing on the memories I’m choosing to focus on the Extraordinary that Christmas and Jesus bring to my life…and I will be thankful! 

Merry Extraordinary Christmas!!

I DO miss California...but Welcome to 2013 baby!!!!

It's funny it's been over a year and a half post California and there are times when I seriously wish we were back there. Really! I do remember how hard it was to be so far away from family and how hard it was for our then family of 5 to live peacefully together in that little closet of a 2-bedroom apartment. I really don't miss those parts.

I fact I'm not so sure I miss living out there as much as I just miss the crazy adventure of it all. I miss being so close to everyone that we had no other choice but to be outside and to get creative. I miss being able to just take off and leave to go exploring without much of a second thought. I miss the mostly fresh air...I do NOT miss all the marijuana smoke that would randomly fall upon your nose EVERYWHERE you went. But I do miss having open windows all the time. Having so many different and cool playsets to play on. Having the option to be at the beach or climb a mountain!

Maybe I just miss how small my babies all were!

I do miss all the free entertainment that went on constantly...I do miss being able to hit a family movie without breaking the bank like it does here in Indy! Or even going out to eat once here and there!
I miss how easy it was to be healthy...how it was a way that most everyone followed, how it could have been costly but it wasn't cause we were told the way to live...and we were given all the best farmers markets! I loved all the options that came with life out there.

I almost feel like IN is so stuck in its ways and when you live here you just get stuck in the same ways...

What is real is that we ARE back in IN...we are close to family and friends again...we are older (but in NO way do we claim to be wiser)...and there is now 6 of us....

My goal for this new(er) year is to be more creative...to push the extra mile...to enjoy life here...to laugh at everything possible...cause life IS what you make it, right!!

Yep...I'm back and it might be hard to get rid of me!!

Our Newest Adventure...FOOD!

“Our journey with FOOD!”

So I feel it is time to do some writing.  Maybe it's cause I'm sick or maybe it's cause I have been dreaming about what to write?  So this is me giving it a whirl one more time.  I've been thinking it was time to share about our recent adventure...our eating. 

 I've had many many of you ask me questions and even thank me for posting recipes about just eating real food!

No thanks needed. 

 I kinda felt bad at first until I realized that this was something we had to do and others could ignore it if they wanted. 

So this is our journey;

 This past fall Ella and Keegan started attending a homeschool group once a week called The Master's Study (we are the second group so if you see TMS2 it's just the same thing).  They both love it to death and its given me time just to get life back up and going after Callae! But as we started our homeschooling I noticed right away that Keegan was struggling. 

Side note: I love hs because I can teach in-between grades if I need to.  If Keeg were in public school we would have had him do K over again.  With his birthday being in late July he is probably the youngest kid in his first grade. We struggled with this, but then again it was one day a week and we had hopes that being with older kids would help him...plus he's completely on a first grade level all but reading (which again is normal for boys). 

 He was having issues with headaches and not being able to sit still, he was also struggling with his sinuses and seemed to have cold symptoms daily. So first thing we did was allergy testing...this helped the sinus stuff but didn't solve everything so we had his eyes checked...yep...coke-bottle glasses were needed and helped with the headaches! Yeah! But he was still a wiggle worm!

School improved a lot except I was still seeing him struggle with focus and being able to sit still long enough to finish a simple math paper (math is his best and most favorite).  

Let me go back a little.  Keeg has always been our “hands-on...physical kid” you know the one who wants to hug you so hard you turn blue.  I have always loved this about him but we were starting to get a little concerned and thought that maybe an outlet would help. So daddy stepped in and coached him in his first year of tackle football...we won't talk about this too much lets just say mommy submitted!  He did great and loved it, but even then we noticed he'd go too far with his buddies.  He'd give high-fives way super too hard and he'd ram his buddies trying to be tough.  I asked him why he was so rough and he'd answered, “cause its football mom...we ARE tough!” 

Now go back to TMS2...after a good few weeks it was brought to my attention that Keegan was also struggling there as well...with same same “hands-on” kind of issues.  He'd come home telling me what a great day he'd had and when I'd ask if everything went well and how he did he'd simply say, “great!” Which I've also learned is the most common boy answer given to every mom from their sons!  But after talking to the school I was told that he was almost bulling the other boys...all these questions came flooding into my mind. 

I felt defensive, anger, sadness, honestly I felt like a complete failure as a mother.  I know...I got over that part, I had to it was my job to help him. The school was really great at working with me and Keeg to figure out what was going on and Mark and I started focusing on teaching better self-control and practicing sitting still...he'd be in tears and tell me he was too dumb to sit still...that his body wouldn't let him, and so on. (Talk about emotions of a mother!) I just knew that there was something else...I even thought I knew what it was. 

 See earlier last year Mark was put on meds to help him with ADD something we think he's struggled with for mostly forever.  These meds made a huge difference, I'm talking a day/night difference! So my thoughts weren't far from Keegan and the potential of him having the same issues.  So I turned my search towards that and alternative ways to handle this without meds.  I didn't get far before I discovered that God gave me someone from TMS2 who was also in my CBS group (Community Bible Study...Thursday mornings at Traders Point Christian Church)...she opened my eyes to the GAP diet (gapsdiet.com). This began to open my eyes about all sorts of issues caused by food!

 Food -ha- of all the things my son, whom is a lover of food, is going to have to let go of and he will have to let go of some major staples.  

At about the same time I found out that mom was reading a book, “Wheat Belly.” This book talks about how the processing of flour (even whole grains,etc.) have been changed SO much over the past 50 years that it just is not the same and in fact it's really not of any value to our bodies.  And how gluten was becoming more and more of an issue with people now-a-days. I'd also remember mom telling me how they avoided any dyes in food and drinks when Jeffrey was little because it caused him to act crazy.

So with all this coming together at pretty much the same time...and asking God for direction on how to do this Mark and I took this as the path to try, even though I feared what everyone fears...the cost is going to kill us!  

 

Because of our budget we slowly eased our way into gluten-free and tried our best to avoid any dyes.  Holy cow it took a good 2 weeks of whining and even a bit of mourning from Keegan but we noticed a huge difference!  In fact it wasn't just us that noticed; TMS2 was starting to see a difference, his Sunday school teachers saw it, as well as CBS teachers! 

Mark and I even started to drop weight doing this which wasn't even our goal.  We saw such a difference that we called a family meeting!  We sat all the kids down and talked to them about what God calls us to do.  How He tells us to treat our bodies like they were His temple, His Holy temple which meant that we need to understand the things we were putting into our bodies.  We also talked about how God made us a family because He wanted us to be together in this world...we are a team...His team!  Yep...you got it, next we explained how Daddy and Mommy both felt it was unfair to ask Keegan to take this journey alone while the rest of us ate the things he loves...we gave the announcement: we are ALL eating like Keegan! Grissom jumped up and down cheering while Ella started crying (which is what we expected) and we totally understood.  

The world might think this is harsh and unfair but this is how our family will live, united and supportive.  We gave one exception to this rule: Birthdays! They will be a free for all! That gives us 6 free for all days! 

As I began my search for gluten-free meals I was pretty disappointed to find many dyes still used, or it was just super expensive, or they just subbed out the flour with corn meal, corn flour, or corn starch.  And my thoughts started thinking could corn anything really be that good for you too? I knew enough about diets to know that corn was looked at as a carb.

I can't tell you how many prayers I had about all this throughout this whole process...and one thing I kept falling onto was Paleo - this and Paleo - that? So I read and read...did I ever tell you that I am NOT a reader?! But I read all I could about this “cave-man” diet.  It seemed to make since...if you can grow it or kill it then eat it - period! 

I wish I could say life got easy but it didn't.  Not only do I have a house to manage, kids to homeschool, a baby turning 1, now I have to seriously work at cooking real and good foods? This past year had been hard enough to have a dinner to eat before bedtime let alone make sure it's all real food! 

But I will fight!

 I've seen too much of a difference in both my boys and even a slight difference in Ella.  This IS worth it to me.  

As Mark and I got to talking about California we realized that we WERE eating real food there.  We HAD to it was all we could afford! We could load the fridge and the freezer up from the fruit stand for under $50 a week without a problem.  It was the meat that was costly so we ate chicken which wasn't much cheaper!  As we thought back on it we didn't notice seeing heavy folks out there and everything had a healthier vibe.  

It was normal to eat super healthy (they need lots of help with smoking and littering but it was super common to drink shakes (which we also started doing) and eat healthy. 

 Back home here in Indiana it's almost the complete opposite.  Eating the right way, the healthy way can really be hard on the budget.  

What is wrong with people? 

 I was honestly intimated to go in to Trader Joes...I know, I know go ahead and laugh, but it's true.  Out here folks get a snobby rap or that persona that they think they are better then other people cause they eat organic!  This persona is something I do not want.  So mom took me and to be honest I wasn't impressed, and I was a bit relieved.  Their food is good but not priced where I need it to be. 

 I've been told about Whole Foods and I am planning on going there (yes I have to plan these trips so I can go alone and think).  

So for now we have invested in Costco.  I'm really liking it.  We can eat produce and meat without it breaking our little tiny budget!

Now let me warn you that anyone you talk to that knows paleo still sounds kind of crazy but if it works for you then I think you need to go with it food wise. Being out in CA then coming back here we have seen a huge difference in people and size and that can only mean that something is just not right.  But I think people need to hear this stuff when they are ready.  I wasn't until we had issues.

  And I've found we can afford it cause I'm not buying all the canned and boxed meals and foods not even the snacks.  Our plate is colorful and not huge and we are not hungry like I thought...I am very impressed with this way of eating.  I will continue to search for better ways of preparing our meals...the crockpot is still my BEST friend ever! 

And I'm excited to tell you that my weight has literally melted off me...I'm down a nice 25 lbs in 6 months...and NO, I do not exercise! This is something I will be adding but not just yet...going slow is my motto! 

Did I mention I'm sleeping better at night? 

I've had better luck with my sinuses as well (minus this nice battle with the flu)!

Dairy is something we've been told to get rid of as well.  Right now we are not.  We have greatly reduced our amounts to a small glass in the morning and maybe some cheese during the day.  But I'm also learning that its not really needed in our diets.  Did you know that our country has the highest percent of osteoporosis and yet we are also the leading intake of calcium? Doesn't

that make you say, “How's that working for us?” If it doesn't it should. 

 From what I've learned we need to be careful because too much calcium can be harmful.  In fact calcium works with vitamin D3 and vitamin K to help our bones become more dense...along side of workouts! And if we eat the right foods we get all we need of all three. Although I've read if you do take a supplement D3 would be the one to take!

 I also learned that you need fat to absorb calcium which means the “low-fat” or “fat-free” fads are just a way to turn our heads from what our bodies truly need.

I must say satans job has been and will always be to take us out...believer or not.  I you are a believer then he wants us gone so we can not spread the Word, and if we are not believers then he still wants us gone before we have a chance to hear and respond to God's Word.  Don't you get it?  This is just another way (through our food) to take us out! Kind of radical, I know but the more I learn the more I'm feeling angry that this fake stuff even exists!

 It's been the past 50+ years that major disease has taken over...not to mention obesity...where's or when has that been more prevalent then it is right now? 

Don't take my word for it...research...learn...at least be open to a little change at a time.  Go check your fridge, look at your sauces to see what ingredients they have in them...see what has dyes or any artificial flavorings! If you don't know a word look it up!

  I'm only asking the ones I love to KNOW what you are eating. 

 If you have questions I'll do my best to answer them.

We are still on this journey too!

One things is for sure...our garden this year will be big and organic.  We will be canning and freezing more then we have any other year before!

Good luck on your journey!