Sunday ~ Day 2 of 31

This morning was wonderful!  The boys played How Deep the Father's Love for Us at church for Father's Day.  How honoring that God would allow us to see a glimpse of His satisfaction with them.  On the other hand it is Father's Day so how can I say no to the cream filled donut for breakfast?

Breakfast:  Chandler's famous scrambled eggs and a cream filled donut

Lunch:  Hummus and pita bread

Dinner:  Grilled steak, baked potatoes with butter only and shh (chocolate cream pie) was that small enough to get away with?  It is his favorite and as Dalton says, "Mom, dad only has a Father's Day at 53 once."  How could I possibly not celebrate a once in a life time day?

We sat in the sun on our back deck and will take a walk before dinner.  31 Days to Clean is cleaning the oven and since I seriously just did that a few days again I am ahead of the game!

This is about honesty here so there it is laid bare before you.  Please pray for me that this week.

Saturday ~ Day 1 of 31

Good Morning! 
It is already a hot one here in Northwest Indiana.  Tom is working and the boys actually slept in today!  I have my list made out of things I want to get accomplished and breakfast is over.  So what do you eat when you are watching sugar, gluten & dairy? 

I have to admit I am not a breakfast person.  I like breakfast but I would rather eat it at dinner.  I am just not hungry when I get up but if I don't eat something I snack to much during the day.  If you don't have a juicer you could do a smoothie with rice milk or raw milk if you can have it.  Organic oats would be good or a good granola with rice milk.  Fried potatoes with eggs on top.  I told you I like breakfast just not in the morning.  I did also fry one egg in coconut oil to go with my juice because eggs are really good for you.  I know what some of you are thinking.  Those carrots and oranges are high in sugar.  If it is in food naturally I am not worried about it.  I will also occasionally have raw unfiltered local honey.

Took my herbs and progesterone cream and am headed out the door to walk.  Then I will start 31 Days to Clean.  See ya back here later to tell you how the rest of the day goes.

As I walked out the door one of my sons came along for a bike ride so we rode our bikes for 30 minutes instead of walking.  I will take that any day over walking by myself.

Lunch was an apple with peanut butter, a handful of almonds & pepitas and a few dates.  
Here is a great recipe for fruit salsa from a friend and blogger.

Snack: 2 eggs lightly fried in butter.  Just got back from the farm ;)

Dinner: grilled hamburger patty, grilled portabello mushroom cap, baked potato salad & corn.

How is your day going?  Tell me we can hold each other accountable!

What better day than a Saturday

Have you ever done the, "I am starting that diet thing on Monday," gig?  I am not a diet person.  But...I really need to get back into watching what I eat.  Really.  I am just not feeling my best.  I also want to start that 31 Days to Clean.  So tomorrow, Saturday I am starting it all. 

I actually started it last weekend and did really good considering we went to two open houses.  Then came company 3 times during the week and a grill out at friends tonight that did me in.  I am not talking about not having anything and enjoying life.  I am talking about knowing what drags me down and makes me feel like I am running on empty.  For me that is sugar and gluten.  I have a non-celiac sensitivity to both and dairy.  So do my children and we use to do very well.  You know how it goes you get home from the nutritionist to bag everything up that is not good and donate it all to people who can have it.  Research and make meal plans and actually stick to them.  Let me tell you that is hard when you are trying to fill up 3 growing boys.  Not to mention I love to cook but you are some what limited when you have to watch sugar, gluten and dairy!  Then it happens you eat a bit here and there, no major problems so you cheat more.  Your body hides the intolerance well for awhile until it just hits you and you are down. 

I need accountability here ladies!  Who is joining me on this band wagon?

Tomorrow I will
start to walk again 30 minutes 5 days a week
limit to almost none existence sugar
limit dairy
limit to almost none existence gluten
start 31 Days to Clean devotion online ebook

What is in your Fridge?

If you have ever read a Rachael Ray magazine I know exactly where you flip to first?  The back page!  You know what I'm talking about.  That back page where they highlight a famous person's fridge.  We foodies are predictable, we want to know what people eat.  As if we can somehow know who they are by what they eat.  Maybe that's why we say you are what you eat? 

I have been so busy this week with 3 soap making classes that I haven't blogged.  I have barely been able to keep up on email.  So pretend I am a famous soap maker to the stars.  Okay atleast a successful soap maker.  Here is what is in my fridge. 

2 bags of Costco organic corn

4 quarts of organic strawberries

4 quarts of homemade chicken broth

homemade bean burritos for husbands lunch

Edy's fruit bars

homemade key lime pie popsicles

We juice a bit so a 25lb of organic carrots and 30lbs of oranges are a must! 

See that bottle of cod liver oil in there?!

A bowl of caprese salad left over from lunch today.

Organic rice milk.

A drawer full of lemons & limes for Rice Milk Limonade.

Local free range eggs.

Jicama, great juicy crunch for salads and also good for juicing.

And don't worry the sugar cookies are in the microwave for safe keeping ;)  We can't always be good!

What is in your fridge?

Do you care what goes into your body?  You should and you should also care about what goes ON your skin.  Check out my ORGANIC soap blog and the reviews by many fellow friends and bloggers.  There are also several giveaways to enter for a chance to win a free bar.  Here & here on Friday.

Links

Whole New Mom

Far Above Rubies

Raising Homemakers

Day 2 day joys

A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa

Raising Mighty Arrows soap giveaway

Heather at Raising Mighty Arrows writes some great posts.  Head on over and spend some time reading and oh yeah, she is hosting a soap giveaway and it just happens to be the soap I make so enter for a chance to win!

Strawberries

Who doesn't like strawberry jam or banana & strawberry smoothies, strawberry ice cream, strawberry pie, spinach & strawberry salad.  I am sure there are some but I love them all!  Today was our first day out picking strawberries.  It is about a week late but they are big and sweet.  The farm about 5 miles down the road from us is run by an older gentleman who raises them without spraying.  You have to pick through the weeds but when 1 quart is regularly $4.99 for organic I will gladly pick for $1.50 a quart.  I also have 3 great helpers.  We picked 29 quarts in 1 hour and we will go back at least one more time, depending on how many trips we take with friends.

Of course we eat many but I pick so I am able to put some up. Here are some tips to keep in mind when you get home from picking.

1.  Never wash until you are ready to eat or use them!
2.  Strawberries don't ripen after picking so pick red ones!
3.  Wash, pick of the top, smash with your hands and freeze in bags by the quart.  Now they are ready for making jam and that is one less step you will have to do the day of jam making!
4.  Put the strawberries in the refrigerator as soon as possible!
5.  Make sure you slice and freeze some for smoothies during the winter and you don't have to sugar pack them!
6.  While picking the tops off sit under a tree and let the chickens eat them!

Get out there and find a strawberry patch and enjoy the fruits of your labor :)

Check out my soap selling blog for a post on making clothes soap and don't forget to follow so you don't miss any summer reading here!

You also have until 5pm today to vote at the Circle of Moms ~ Thanks!

Links
Whole New Mom
Far Above Rubies
Time Warp Wife
Raising Homemakers
day2dayjoys
We Are That Family
A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa

The Curse That We Are Not Able to Fix

Have you ever wondered what God's curse really meant for us when Adam and Eve fell?  Have you ever wondered what is meant by He will set us free?  They both go hand in hand.  He came to set us free from the curse.  So shouldn't we find out what that curse is and how it affects our lives?

When Eve decided to listen to the serpent she choose not to listen to God.  So God pronounced upon her to have a desire to be lead, protected, cared for, provided for, you insert your desire, by her husband.

When Adam decided to not protect her God pronounced that by hard labor and the cursed ground he would try and be a leader, protector, care giver, provider and so on. 

Isn't it true?  We as Christian wives want our husbands to lead us in prayer, to lead our families, work hard to provide and be manly in character.

Isn't it true?  Christian husbands want submissive wives that help them.

What is wrong with all that?  God meant for us to go to Him for leading, protecting, care, everything.  He cursed.  He also gave us freedom.  That Freedom comes from knowing Him.  We were created in the garden to be each others helpers.  Everything else God provides.  We can not fix the curse.  We can never be for another person what only God can be. 

If your husband won't pray with you does God still hear you?
If your close ones aren't Christians does God still care for you?
If your are hormonal and can't seem to get anything right does God care? 

I ask all these questions as I am surrounded by friends who are true woman of God and I am grieved by not being able to fix it. We all have problems that no one else can fix.  Go to Him.  He made a way to set us free from the curse of desiring others before Him.  Desire Him instead.

"How are you going to be a happy person even if the other person does not change?"

Families Where Grace Is In Place, Jeff VanVonderen


As a disclaimer:  I am not saying we are free from being obedient to God and his desires for our relationships with spouses and families.  I am also not saying a friend is of no useful help during trials.  I say all this with a sigh of relief because I am free from trying to control and change people to fit my needs.  God will do that, the changing if needed and the fulfilling of my needs.  Amen.

 

Is it the summer time or just me?

Bet you thought this was going to be a post on how beautifully sunny it is.  Beach adventures planned, outings with friends, hanging out in backyards playing soccer, smores...nope.  As school days wind down so do I, in a way.  I have much more free time so I get to read more.  You would think I would read more in the winter but no.  Summer reading is the best!  Which leads to my question.  Is it summer time or just me when your brain has a chance to just think?  I have so much I want to post about, witches, Harry Potter, God's blessings, my boys, gardening but that all requires more tact than I have left tonight so I will leave you with wondering minds and what's on the menu for dinner tonight ;)

Another organic salad of baby romaine & spinach from my garden.  Fresh local asparagus (2lbs), rice noodles, local strawberries soaked in balsamic vinegar, and a chicken that has been in the crock pot all day.