Tag Archives: family

memories

Are We There Yet?

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Well…we made it!  Across the midwest to California.  Memories that will last a lifetime.

We left on a Monday and by Tuesday we were 1/2 way across the midwest to our destination.  With a stop to see family we also enjoyed the hot springs for detoxing and an open jeep ride in the hills of Colorado.

The things we have seen thus far in the week and a half we’ve been on the road:  Glenwood Hot Springs and Glenwood Canyon, Salt Lake City, Great Salt Lake Desert (Amazing), Tahoe Forest, Lake Tahoe, Half Moon Bay, Napa, Mount Tamalpais, The Red Woods in Muir Forest, Lombard Street, Fisherman’s Wharf, the seals off of Pier 39, China Town, Golden Gate Bridge, Grand Teton National Park….

I would say that I am physically tired, however, I am also having the best time with the kids.  Sharing the driving, laughing, listening to loud obnoxious music, and watching the sights through their eyes as well as mine.   I cannot imagine a year ago that I would be doing this.  I remember being too sick to even climb the stairs of our house let alone being able to drive across country.  The blessings of the Lord are abundant and we are most content.

Today we enjoyed seeing the buffalo and a moose in the Tetons.  We have only eaten one meal out and have been creative with a crock pot and coolers to keep our healthy whole food meals cold.  We’ve been checking the bed bug registry so as to stay only places that are “clean”.  One hotel we checked into, we checked back out of 10 minutes later as there was a bug on the sheets.  From then on I checked the registry.  Of course, as all adventures go, we also checked into one motel only to have to ask for a second non smoking room because the first non smoking room they gave us smelled like smoke.  The second room they gave us hadn’t been cleaned yet, so we ended up with a third room that also had a kitchen and eating area.  This of course should have cost us a boat load more, however, they still gave us our discounted price off of booking.com.

I look forward to sharing some of our helpful travel hints that got us through our two weeks (that is what it will be when we get home) however, for now here are some pictures of our fun.  Hope you feel as though you’ve been with us:

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Selfie with the my brother and the kids in the jeep.  This was GREAT!  No doors, top off and riding on the back roads.

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Western CO near Grand Junction.  Crazy beautiful!

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Salt Lake is behind us.  (Salt Lake City Utah)

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Great Salt Desert.  This is amazing.

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Seals off of Pier 39 in San Francisco.  So fun to watch.

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Wine Tasting in Napa. (Silver Oak was our favorite.)

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Half Moon Bay where the waves were the biggest I had ever seen.  People were seriously being toppled over.  My husband went to get his feet wet on the sand when a wave came rushing in and nearly took him down.  He was soaked from waist down.  It was a priceless picture that was not taken due to all of us being so surprised over the event as it unfolded.

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Mount Tamalpais overlooking San Francisco.

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Red woods in Muir Forest.

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Snake River in Idaho before heading into Wyoming.

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Buffalo in Teton National Park.

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Yes, two days it hit 96 and 97 degrees while we were driving.

We still have more of our adventure to report on so we will share more when we get back to the home front.   Thanks for looking.

Menus / Recipes

Complaining, Venting or Whining…Cannot decide!

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In Psychology Today, complaining, venting and whining are described this way:  “Complaining and whining can be distinguished by the nature of the dissatisfaction and by our motivation for expressing it.  Complaining involves voicing fair and legitimate dissatisfactions with the goal of attaining a resolution or remedy.  When we voice legitimate dissatisfactions but do so without the goal of attaining a resolution we are merely venting.  And when the dissatisfactions we voice are trivial or inconsequential and not worthy of special attention, we are whining.”  I guess I am slightly complaining in this post about what took place last night.  Or, I guess you could consider it venting as it’s over and done with so there is no goal of resolution at this time and to some it could seem like whining since the first part of this post is inconsequential since it was yesterdays issues.  Either way, here we go…

It’s been a year since being diagnosed with Lymes Disease and all of the wonderful          co-infections that come along with.  I am pleased to have come so far in my healing and really have nothing to complain about.  That being said, I would very much enjoy getting through a day without a headache.  For the last few weeks I have been getting these mild headaches that hit in the afternoons.  Most of the time I get through them with a little peppermint oil on the temples and back of the neck, however, last night was very different.  I was beginning to wonder if my husband should take me in to urgent care it was so bad.  Usually laying down with my eyes closed helps, yet last nights migraine actually got worse as I lied down.  Not sure what triggered it other than I was once again on my feet getting things done in the kitchen.   It took 2 Aleve (which I hate taking unless absolutely necessary), 1/4 of a melatonin and 2 TBS of liquid Magnesium over an hours time frame before I could lay down and fall asleep without the continual throb that was keeping me wrapped up in the fetal position.  Praise God I slept all night and woke up refreshed and surprisingly not tired.

Hence the reason I was unable to share what I accomplished yesterday as far as canning and fermenting.  Well, we tried something new and I am excited to taste the end result.

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Fermented Fennel, Onion, and Carrots – Taking the fennel and trimming it up, I then placed it in the food processor using the mandoline tool to slice it thinly.  Doing the same with the onion and mixing together in a large bowl.  I then switched out the food processor tool to the shredder and shredded the carrots.  After mixing all together I added sea salt and mixed thoroughly once more.  Gathering up some clean sterilized jelly jars I began spooning in the fennel salad mixture pounding each spoonful down into the jar with a wooden mallet.  Leaving 1 inch at the top I then added 1 TBS fresh whey and filtered spring water.  I will again leave these out for 3-7 days to ferment prior to putting them in the fridge.  Burping daily of course.  🙂

The second recipe I made was supposed to be a fennel jelly.  I thought maybe I could use the trimmings of the fennel to make a pepper jelly like sauce.  Well, after boiling it down all it smelled  and tasted like was apple cider vinegar.  So, rather than throwing it all out, I went out to the freezer to find something to resurrect the ingredients.  Well, it worked.  It is really yummy too!

Cranberry, Fennel Chutney Sauce

1 – 1/2 Cups Fennel bulb and fennel trimmings

1 – 1/2 Cups Apple Cider Vinegar

5 to 6 Cups sugar (because I cannot do the sugar, I used birch tree Xylitol.  Next time I      would likely use only 4 cups as it was quite sweet.)

4 – 5 Cups cranberries, finely chopped

2 small onions, finely chopped

1 tsp. Cinnamon

I boiled down the Fennel, Apple Cider Vinegar and Sugar until it came to a rolling boil for about 5-10 minutes.  Then I strained out the liquid and placed it back on the stove adding in the cranberries, onion and cinnamon.  I again brought it back to a boil.  Turning off the burner I added natural pectin.  Unfortunately I hadn’t followed the pectin recipe and it clumped up, so for future I would have kept the fruit and onions in the final product.  This time however, because of the pectin clumping, I strained out the fruit pouring it into clean sterilized jars and put them into the hot water bath to seal.  Serving it over some cheese with some crushed walnuts will be a yummy winters treat for the family.

Still have to do something with the beets and the cabbage.  Maybe today!

Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!  1Chronicles 16:11

 

Menus / Recipes

Why bother…?

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(This painting hangs in my kitchen… It’s so me!)

Why fermentation?  Why canning?  Why grow your own food when you have grocery stores on every corner?  Why go through the work?

Oh my, so many questions.  I’ve heard it all.  I’ve even heard, “Sherry you are too sick to be doing all of that”, or “I did all that when I was younger and see no need to keep doing it.  I hated doing it then with my mother why would I do it now.”  Well, the primary answer to everyones “why” about this topic is this:

Neighbor, “Yeah we have so many tomatoes this year that Sally (name changed) is thinking we should make some pasta sauce.  We just aren’t sure what to do with so many.”

MY husband, “Oh yeah.  Can the sauces so you have them this winter.  It was great this last winter when Sherry was so sick and I prepared the meals, those canned sauces really helped out when I needed them.”

Neighbor, “Maybe they can help one another and do the canning together.”

Said and done!   Two verses come to mind when I consider this conversation exchange.  The first is from Proverbs 31:10- 18  “An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.  The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.  She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.  She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands.  She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar.  She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens.  She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.  She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong.  She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.  Her lamp does not go out at night.”  Keep in mind that as I type this I am aware that it sounds boldly prideful on my part to consider this verse and my husbands conversation.  However, when you realize that the title of this portion of Proverbs is titled “A Woman Who Fears The Lord” you understand that all that I do is pleasing to the Lord.   I understand who the Lord is and why I am here.

Now, I also must admit that the human side of my being, living in a self indulgent world also realizes that homemaking has become a taboo word for women.  The thought amongst our peers is that we were either too stupid to make it doing anything else (and yes I’ve even heard of one persons interpretation of my being a stay at home mom described as “not being highly educated”) or we have an overbearing husband who chains us to the house without allowing us to have a mind of our own.  That being said, I have to also admit that worldly thinking can and does creep in sometimes.  My worldly thought on the conversation was this, “Thank you Lord that my husband appreciates the sacrifices I have made.  I was not at the pool, tennis courts, golfing at the club, sitting down watching soap operas (are those still running?) or going out spending money with friends buying designer clothes and enjoying lavish expensive lunches (as many of my friends did at our last place of residence).   I will consider this my paycheck… A wonderful compliment from my husband.”  Now, being that I started it out as a sort of thanksgiving prayer, one would assume this was not worldly, however, I would argue with you that it was very selfish on my part to look to myself with pride expecting praise from someone for something I’ve done and sacrifices I made.  Really?  I’ve made no sacrifices, this is my JOB as a wife and mother.  Going to the Word of God you see that Proverbs 31 has much more to say past verse 18.  And, it’s all to please the Lord.    Does that mean there is no laughter and fun?  Of course not.  There is great joy when you all sit down together for a meal, or when the aroma of dinner tantalizes your husbands nose when he walks in the door, and the pleasing look in his eyes when he knows that he doesn’t have to worry about one more thing after a full day of work away from those he loves.

Gardening, canning, fermenting, and housework is done to please the Lord.  Not to please anyone else.  Now, in pleasing the Lord, I am also pleasing the family.  It’s a win win.

The second verse was from Titus 2:3, “Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine.  They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.”  Again, God honoring to teach the younger women (Sally) how to please the Lord by also pleasing, preparing, saving money and working for the good of the family.

Now, that I’ve shared what’s been on my mind the last two days, I need to share why it’s been on my mind.  Yesterday began canning day.  With the harvest coming in from our own garden and the local CSA it’s time to begin preparing for winter.  Oh we enjoy enough of our harvest now, however, we also enjoy it all winter long.  The first comment of my being too sick actually came to reality when I was on my feet all afternoon without sitting down for a break and by dinner time my right leg was numb and I felt like I was again dragging my right foot.  Oh swizzle sticks!  (as the little girl next door says)  Today is a new day and we will try again.  Taking breaks this time so as not to overdo.

Yesterday I canned the two day project I was working on.  Chicken Stock.  Yes, I canned it.  I did some reading and educated myself so as not to ruin anyones day with illness. I made my chicken stock the day before, cooking it in the Nesco all day.  Then I poured it into jars, refrigerated it and skimmed off the fat the next morning.  I then put it back into a stock pot (2 – 3/4 gallons of it) just to the boiling point, poured it into clean hot pint jars, added a tsp. of salt and placed on the lids and began the canning process.  Because water baths are not sufficient enough for chicken stock, I used two of my pressure canners at 10 lbs. of pressure for 20 minutes.  I made 23 pints of stock.  (See previous post last fall on making the chicken stock.)  Disclaimer:  I would NOT can any chicken that comes from the traditional conventional marketplace.  I would only can organic, non-GMO fed chicken stock that was homemade with all organic ingredients using pure unadulterated water sources.  

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After the chicken stock I moved on to making fermented salsa.  I took the beautiful ripe organic tomatoes from the CSA (mine are not done yet), one very large onion, a large bunch of cilantro and about 10-15 garlic.  I put them all in the food processor and gently processed them down to a mildly chunky state and poured it all into a bowl.  I took clean jelly jars and a few pints placing 1 tsp. salt and 1 TBS fresh whey in each.  Then I scooped the salsa into each jar leaving 1 inch space at the top.  Wiped each clean and put on the lids.  I then shook the jars to mix in the whey and the salt.  Placing them on the counter on top of a towel I then unscrewed the lid of the jar so the air would be able to flow.  I will leave them on the counter from 3-7 days, burping the jars each day to release the fermented gases before putting them into the refrigerator.

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Fermented foods have been a long tradition in many cultures and is wonderful to help aid in digestion.  We see the importance of eating yogurt, this is the same only using fresh organic vegetables.   Each month my doctor wants to know if I am continuing to eat my fermented veggies, juicing, kefir and kombuccha of which the answer is always yes.  We both agree it helps tremendously.

Today, I will be creating and making fermented beats, fennel, cabbage recipes which I will share at the end of the week.

 

P.S.  I am college educated with a 4 year degree. 🙂

 

Thank you Lord for the blessing of a family to care for.  Thank you for the knowledge you have provided regarding health, nutrition, foods, and the human bodies response to unnatural man made resources.  Thank you Lord for the daily strength that can only come from you as I open my eyes each day feeling weary.  It is only through your almighty grace that I continue on.  Lord I pray that I can honor you through all that I do, say and think.  Help me to keep my focus on you and you alone so that all I do on this earth will be glorifying to you.  Amen…

 

Following in Faith

Past vs. Present

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I admit it, I’m a bible thumper.  I enjoy being in church and when we travel I miss fellowship with those who are dear to my heart, my church family.  I enjoy learning about the history of the gospel, the truth of God’s Word and the approach of which we should all be living out our lives if we are truly sheep of His flock.  I am continually held accountable through conviction of my own sins and am blessed by the knowledge that I will never be perfected in Christ until my redemption through death.

I remember the day I sought out His will for my life and that of my unborn child.  The day I wept in prayer seeking forgiveness for a life spent looking for happiness and “fun”.  Oh, it has been a journey and sanctification can be long and sometimes difficult.  Attending a world wide bible study with over 17 denominations, yes there are many, I learned about reading the bible and how to study scripture.  I learned about how to be a wife and a mother as God intends, a friend, a servant and a daughter to an almighty sovereign Father.  I learned about forgiveness and the blessings that follow and learned about the toll bitterness can take on one who does not seek it.   I have been encouraged in times of trouble, I have been comforted in times of darkness, and I have listened hearing words spoken that I had not before understood.  I remember feeling as Saul must have felt when the scales were removed from his eyes and he became a servant.  I felt as if I had been blind and was finally seeing colors and shapes as they had never been seen.  Things have over the years become clearer and the journey has not been easy.  Taking me from being a nominal christian in the worship of several different denominational churches where my stirring heart to hear truth in a way I could not explain was not satisfied, to the community of which I call home.  A community of like minded believers that see things as I see them.  Where truth comes from God’s most holy word, through teaching that is scripturally sound and thoroughly studied.  Christ has led this sinful mind, body and soul to a place of humbling grace surrounded with unconditional love and forgiveness.  I praise God that I have been led out of darkness and into the light.  I praise Him for His continued watchful eye over my family, grabbing hold the hearts of my husband and children so that generations will share in His kingdoms glory, serving Him together for an eternity.

As we sat in church this morning, I once again felt that society needs to hear truth.   Truth spoken from a pulpit that does not focus on “bringing in the numbers” by pleasing the people, yet a pulpit that seeks to honor the Father on His day with truth from His own book.  Do people really understand why we have the family platform we have?  Do they understand that it was not a man made concept that just took off in tradition?  How many people understand that the bible is the most widely read book in the world?  What is taught on Sundays and any other day of the week for God’s faithful should not just be left at the door step of the building as they leave, it should be carried through out their week and taken seriously.  Hell is real.  Heaven is real!  (And no, I do not watch movies that try to tell me it is, I know it because I read it in God’s spoken word in the scriptures and I feel it in my heart.)  We live in a corrupt world of deception that tries to destroy families and what they stand for.  We as believers in truth and followers of Christ need to stand up for what we believe in and teach our children to be strong in their faith, protecting the Word as God would have us.  He will overcome!

Therefore, I am posting today’s message spoken from the pulpit.  This is a subject dear to my heart as I teach my children about marriage, expectations in relationships and the honor and glory commitment is to our almighty sovereign God.  To Him be the glory!

I pray that you are blessed by the message and that you will be given the ears to hear it as God intends.  If you are a sinner seeking forgiveness, I pray that this gives you hope.  If you are a parent, I pray that it gives you a clearer vision into the scriptures to teach your children.

Please read these first and then listen to the audio.   (If you do not own a bible, please google the verses in ESV.)

Psalm 30:2-3,  Proverbs 5:1-14,  Ephesians 5:22-33 and Exodus 20:14

http://crbc.us/media_events/976-The-Seventh-Commandment

(Courtesy of CRBC.us, and with permission to post.)

 

memories

A Mothers Joyful Heart

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Psalm 127:3 (ESV)   Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.

I can still remember the feeling of my children when I was pregnant for them.  I remember the movement they would make, the hiccups that kept them jostling around in  consecutive rhythm, and the elbow or knee that would poke out under my rib that kept me from being able to bend forward.  I remember the glorious feeling that God had chosen me to be their mom on this earth.  That he chose me to carry two of His children so that I could raise them up in His word and teach them what I know of Him.    What a blessing, what an honor.  

Proverbs 22:6 (ESV)  Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

My daughter and I had the opportunity to spend some time together a week ago leaving the boys home to meander doing “boy stuff”.  The true test of how much I am healing.  From not being able to drive at all, to driving the 8 hours one way to our home away from home.  The drive back home 4 days later was more of a challenge, yet we made it safely and the memories of our time together will be a blessing for many years.

We cooked, shopped, took apart old watches and made bracelets out of the gears, and began working on quilts from the material we found at the quilt store.  We also drove around one day with our cameras and took some photographs of nature and the beauty that God provides.  I think many people go through their days not noticing what is around them.  Not us, we embraced the moment with two lenses, one lens being the eyes of youth and the other being the eyes of age.  We laughed and discussed how glorious God is that he has found favor in us to have given us the ability to see beauty in the things around us.   From the flowers blooming in the garden of a older woman, to the trees in the forest lining the road way.  We saw deer, a skunk, an eagle, and the black squirrels jumping from limb to limb playing tag.  Our weekend was not short of excitement.

My highlight was spending time with my daughter, and watching the doe with her fawns that visited our yard each day.  Sometimes more than once.  At one point I opened the upstairs window to capture a clear shot and I heard one of the fawns honk as he/she communicated with his/her mom.  I nearly cried.  I watched as mom looked in all directions before she led her babes across the street, and watched as she led them to the greenery teaching them to forage for food.  I also watched the babes chase one another around the yard jumping and running at full speed.  It was beautiful and for a moment I felt a connection with the doe.  We were both teaching and spending time with the blessing of our womb.

I hope that you find favor in the site of the Lord and that you can see the beauty that is around you.  No matter where you are, what you are doing, what affliction tries to carry you away, I pray that you can and will cry out for the eyesight to notice the creations of the Lord.  Enjoy the pics, we sure enjoyed taking them.

 

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And the surprise out my bedroom window at 5:30 a.m.

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Big, fluffy white coat and a tail that swirled and swayed as he ran into the woods (when I tried to take the screen out to get a better picture) … If only it didn’t smell!   🙂

 

Gardening, Lymes, Menus / Recipes

Health and Healing, Dinner Part 3

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There is nothing like dinner on the porch with the whole family enjoying fresh wholesome foods sharing their thoughts on their day.  Tonights dinner was soup and salad.  If your like my family you are likely saying to yourself, “Soup?  It’s summer…soup is for winter and cool weather.”  My son and my husband both had this look on their faces as if I had 10 eyes when I told them soup.  I have to tell you that at the first bite they both were delighted and enjoyed what they thought was going to be a mistake of a meal.  So, here it is:

Asparagus Soup (Sherry version)

1/2  Large yellow onion, chopped

4-6  Yellow, Red and Orange Sweet Peppers, chopped

2 Center stalks of Celery, chopped

2-3 Bouquets of fresh asparagus

Sautee vegetables in 2 TBS butter or coconut oil.
Sautee vegetables in 2 TBS butter or coconut oil.
Add Asparagus and sautee until tender.
Add Asparagus and sautee until tender.

When vegetables are tender, add fresh parsley, thyme and sage from the garden.  I also added 1 TBS garlic, 1/2 TBS sea salt and pepper to taste.  Stir all together and add:

1 Quart of fresh homemade beef broth (cook down soup bones with water and 1 TBS apple cider vinegar)

Add also either 8 oz. milk or coconut milk.  Simmer until all vegetables are cooked down and liquid is hot.  Then I use an immersion blender and make sure all of the vegetables are broken down so the soup is not chunky.  I then let it simmer for another 10 minutes.

For the salad, we picked fresh green out of the garden tower, added fresh grape tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, and cut up turkey breast.  I added an Organic Creamy Ceaser dressing.

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Just a note:

Asparagus is a great source of Vitamins A, C, E & K, chromium, glutathione, and is a natural diuretic.

Lymes, Menus / Recipes

Health & Healing Part 2, Lunch

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What could be better than leftovers?  For lunches we either make salads, nachos, or eat leftovers.  Sometimes the kids will make a sandwich if we have turkey.  Above is an example of a tasty lunch from some leftovers.

Cut up organic veggies leftover from the weekend at the Highland Games, a cup of hummus (organic individual cup from Costco), Organic 6 bean and onion salad, and a leftover grilled chicken breast with some raw honey mixed together with a little mustard.

The kids and I also like to make taco salads, homemade chicken caesar salads, homemade soups, and once in a while a gluten free, rice free tuna pasta salad with veggies.  The possibilities are endless if you stock your fridge with fresh healthy whole foods.

My afternoon detox / energy drinks are either homemade Kombucha and/or my recent concoction of Young Living Essential Oil’s Ninxia Red (2 oz), 2 tsp apple cider vinegar, 1 TBS raw honey, juice from 1/2 squeezed lemon and 6-8 oz. coconut water.  Mix and drink.

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Nutrition does not need to be expensive or difficult.  I hope that you too can find healing from some of God’s most natural healing foods.

 

Lymes, Menus / Recipes

Breakfast, Health and Healing Part 1

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Over the years I have been amazed at the food choices some people make.  I have had acquaintances with women who are skinny as rails, spend hours in the gym, go home and eat 1/2 of a chocolate cake.  I’m not kidding!  I on the other hand can spend hours at the gym, eat salads 3 meals a day and gain weight.  I’m serious!

With Lyme disease, I have found it so painful at times and the exhaustion so extreme that cooking anything seemed daunting.  I know I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again… I praise God for a husband and children who love me enough to take over the “mom” duty of cooking over the last year.  They not only cooked, they also prepared healthy meals following the directions I’ve given them over the years.  Even as teenagers, their rebellion  against food is usually against the bag of organic gluten free cereal.  They are becoming more and more against cereal and enjoy their eggs, yogurt and a pancake once in a while.  You could say they typically complain if it’s not cooked or prepared just prior to eating.

Research after research shows how unhealthy our food choices are in this country.  We have GMO’s and many other toxins in our water, vegetables, meats and fish.  So what is one to do?  Learn, read, study and educate yourself.  I am quite confident that my own battle with Lyme disease and all of it’s wonderful co-infection friends will only be won if I stay on track and continue to try to build up my body with nutrition and not give in to the foods that can make my mouth water at the name or smell.

Since I had the B12 shot, changed my meds around, and made more significant changes in my meal choices,  I have been increasingly finding myself better each day.  I have moments of fatigue, so I rest, I have moments of pain, so I evaluate my diet or activity level and I make more changes.  I thought I would share what a typical day of my diet looks like, since it only changes slightly.  Today, we will start with breakfast.

A pint of juice from fresh vegetables provided by my own garden and our local CSA that is now in full swing.

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Now, I began juicing each day broccoli, kale, spinach, carrots, celery and cucumbers.  I felt great about 2 weeks into it and then I crashed.  I learned from a friend who is in the medical field and who also has health issues of her own that if one is hypothyroid caution should be taken with cruciferous vegetables.  It dawned on me that I had read that early on in my diagnosis of adrenal fatigue and hypothyroidism a number of years ago.  So, I read up on what is safe to eat and for the last two weeks I have once again been feeling that my energy is better.   I am quite certain that the nutrients released out of the fiber has helped my body regain the vitamins and minerals it needs to help heal itself.  When I have to miss a day, I certainly feel it.   Here is my daily juicing recipe (all organic):

bunch of celery – Known to be an antioxidant, helps with inflammation, contains Vitamin C, B1, B2, B6, and also potassium, folate, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, sodium and many amino acids.   Some caution is taken due to the sodium content in celery.

1/4 large cucumber – aids in digestion, helps with hydration, has been found to fight cancers, is also a good source of  the B Vitamins

 beet greens – vitamins C,  A, and K, protein, phosphorus, zinc, fiber, magnesium, potassium, copper, manganese, calcium, iron

organic pre-cooked beets – lowers blood pressure, fights inflammation, Vitamin C, minerals, detoxifies

carrots – beta carotene, Vitamins A, K, C, calcium, potassium, copper, B6, folic acid thiamine, magnesium

cilantro – detoxifying, phytonutrients, antioxidant, is used as an anti-septic, fungicide, aids in digestion, has Vitamins A, C, K and B as well as calcium an potassium

swiss chard – used as an antioxidant, beta carotene, Vitamins E, C, zinc, lutein, also helps in regulating blood sugar levels and is a good source of calcium

dandelion greens – Vitamins K, C, B6, thiamin, riboflavin, calcium, iron, potassium, manganese, zeaxanthin, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, and copper

1 lime – Vitamin C

I also eat a gluten free, rice free Glutino English Muffin.  Toasted twice, and on both halves I put 1 TBS each of Coconut Oil.  Then I sprinkle Maca Powder on one half with an organic soaked and dried nut butter on top.  The other half gets a TBS of my raw honey.

This mornings addition was left over Avocado Cucumber salad.  Consisting of:

Sliced and de-seeded cucumbers, avocados, fresh chives chopped up, fresh garden cilantro chopped finely, and two limes which I cut in half and squeezed on top.  Add a little salt  and stir.  The family like it and it was so healthy.  I was glad there was some for breakfast.

photo 1

 

memories

Graduation Day

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A blessing that will be remembered for many years to come.  Celebrated with our closest friends, church family and a few of our immediate family members.

I remember our sons first day of school and I also remember his first day of homeschooling.  We both were excited at the new adventure, yet we were also a bit nervous over what the years would bring.  It wasn’t always easy as I not only prepared lesson plans for one class, but all of them.  At times I felt like I had lived under a rock over my 40+ years.  We learned together in most subjects and I wondered if I was doing a good job.   There was always worry….  There were a few years that we put almost 100 miles a week on the car driving from sports activities, volunteering opportunities,  to music lessons.   I used to tell my husband that being a stay at home mom is not easy and I will not know how well I’ve done my job until our children turned 18 and I see the end result of who they become.  After all, there is no evaluation at the end of each year, there is no paycheck handed to you and there are no promotions.

At this point, I weep with joy over the end of our adventure as I see a once little boy become a young man.  He is first and foremost a Godly individual who wants to serve the Lord in all he does.  He is polite, happy, easy going (most of the time) and he is incredibly smart.  He graduated last weekend with a near 4. GPA, and he is also at a sophomore level in college.   Well, I can praise God for leading us through this part of our journey between mother and son and thank Him for His glory that saw us through the difficulties.  We could only have done it with the power of prayer and strength from Him whom we trust.

photo 5A

A selfie with mom!

 

 

memories

Mind dump…

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I find that at the moment I am at a loss for words and find writing difficult.  It’s for no other reason than because I am in a whirlwind of thoughts.

1.  Our oldest is graduating!  The plans for graduation are slow yet in the process.  There is ALOT to do and so little time.

2.  So much to do before the graduation!  The yard, the garage and the house seem overwhelming at the moment and I’m not sure how helpful it is to have “mom” and “wife” sitting in a chair directing while “husband” and “kids” do all the work.  After all, I usually am the one tearing things apart and organizing.  My husband can usually count on a day of absolute insanity cleaning.  Rearranging an entire room, pulling everything out of the garage for cleaning, or cleaning out the basement and hosting a garage sale.  Not this year…. illness has not been our friend.  Oh my, how will it all get done…fairies?  Elves?

3.  Spring planting of the new “gardens”.  Yes, new and yes plural!  We have ripped out the fence of the garden I now fear and are considering plans for that area.  One garden tower has arrived yet it still needs the dirt and the worms and then the seeds to be planted.  The 10 pot hydroponics system has yet to come and prayerfully it will not until some of the chores are done and the other garden is up and growing.

4.  Treatment and doctor decisions.  I have taken another spiral downward after a short reprieve.  So, after 10 months of searching for the doctor who treated/cured one patient who I admire for their courage, I found him!  So, the question is whether or not we work from here on his protocol that he has written in a book I read in a day, or do I travel across the country to meet him in person.  In speaking to one of my two doctors, it has already been agreed upon that what his treatment plan is makes sense and although I have come close to addressing the issues he explains, we have not to the degree in which he would.  So, the call was made this morning and I await a call back to see how this may fit into my search for healing.

5.  Bees…. Oh the hive must be looked at and I must find the time.  Maybe Thursday… If they are getting ready to swarm then I still have time to order another batch of bees, if my queen is dead, then I still have time to order another one to take over.  If the drones are ready to succeed their queen with another, I should at least limit their choices.  I need to also join the Bee Keepers Club so that I can have a mentor… I really do not know what I am doing and last years hive production was very low with very little return.

6.  School is almost done…yet it is not yet complete.  There are still things that have to be accomplished and I need to reserve my energy to make sure the spring awareness of summers approach doesn’t distract.

Wow, that actually felt good to get out.  Kind of a mind dumping.  Sorry all of you had to be a part of it, however, I really and honestly have nothing else to write about.  Thanks for listening to me ramble.  It really did help.  😉