Changing Seasons

I've been dreading this. I've been avoiding the computer, avoiding my blog...but, it must be faced soon.

After 4 years, my time for blogging is over. At the time I started, it was just what I needed. I had lots of fun with it, getting to "know" other people that blogged. It was something that I looked forward to and was able to help some people as well.

But, the last several months, blogging isn't what it used to be. It was meant for a season of time I supposed, and now that extra time is needed for the new things coming my way. I am also rather tired of exposing my inner thoughts etc. to anyone. I know I never had to do that, but it always came out that way. I no longer "need" affirmation from outsiders that I'm doing good or whatever. I no longer want to project an image of my life. Things are changing so fast I can hardly document them.

I am so thankful to all the wonderful people that have been my friends. You have encouraged me, prayed for me, uplifted me and felt things with me. We have connected yet never met in person- a miracle!

I am planning to leave the blog up for the moment, but I will not be posting regularly if at all. I plan to leave it completely, according to the message I am getting from the Lord. I know it's Him- the other day I was out and about and I heard "It's time" in my core. I knew exactly what that meant somehow. This chapter is closing, and a new one is beginning. I am quite busy now with this new diet and healing plan; all the fall activities going on with my children and planning for future things; and this week is my first opportunity to make a cake for someone else. This could be the beginning of a business venture for me, and while I wasn't looking to do that, it may be God's plan. I'm still praying and waiting.

We have to have dreams, whether they come to fruition or not. Without a vision, the people perish. God has big plans and dreams for us, we just have to look up! They're usually bigger than we think we can handle :)

So, farewell everyone. I will be around reading people's blogs etc. but my little corner of the web is to be silent for awhile and possibly forever. God's blessings upon you all.

This and That

Hi friends,

I am just letting you all know that I am reevaluating my blog. I am going to continue blogging, but I'm thinking of changing some things to accommodate the ever changing me! I am wanting to move away from the homemaking theme blog, and make it more just for me. Of course others benefit, but I am thinking it over and how I want to do it. I am planning to stay with blogger and it may not happen for awhile.

My plate is pretty full this month, and I counted, and now have 11 cakes to make in three months!!! Wow- should be lots of fun though. I am doing this for all the upcoming birthdays in my family and the holidays coming to practice my skills, as basic as they are, and see how it goes. If things move along and are flowing well, then I may pursue it as a business...maybe....very slowly :)

I have narrowed down the "crafty things" list for myself- they include:

sewing- it's a must for clothing everyone
cakes- it's just too much fun and I've already kind of invested in the equipment
seasonal decor/crafts- just can't let go of that one- too much fun, usually I just do Christmas stuff
and making hairbows because it's insane to buy them, and my girls gotta have hair doodads!!!

I am getting more used to the diet. Last night I ate a fresh nectarine for dessert, and it was like the best thing ever!!! That's what a lack of sugar does :) I am starting to really enjoy it; the veggies I used to not care for are becoming very exciting. I never really liked squash or sweet potatoes or cauliflower, but now I am so thankful that I can have them! Even for breakfast!

I will have to share the chicken sausage patties I made this week- wow! They were soooo good and way better than pork.

Chicken or Turkey Sausage

2lbs ground meat
1 T fresh chopped up sage (or 1t dried)
1 t of dried herbs like marjoram or thyme- I used the Herb de Provence blend
2 t salt, used real salt
1 t black pepper
1/2 t crushed red pepper flakes
1/4t nutmeg
1 T honey

Just mix it all together, form into small/medium patties an fry in fat of choice. The original recipe has you freeze them before cooking, but I just cooked them, let cool, and refrigerated for the future uses. I also fried them in coconut oil. I highly recommend the Provencal seasoning blend- it is WONDERFUL on chicken, turkey, pork, fish, roasted veggies...love it.

And that is all. Today is our day to go to the county fair- our girls are very excited and somehow I have to avoid all bad foods, which is likely everything there!

It's going

I have had some ask me about how I had my hair tested and who I was working with. I found a woman, a fellow blogger, and I was just a reader. She went through some special nutritional therapy training, and works with a doctor that created the curriculum she studied. She takes my hair sample and sends it to a lab near her and they test it.

I had to cut about a tablespoon of clean freshly washed hair and mail it. They take the hair and actually incinerate it, then perform various tests to find out everything that is happening in my body on a cellular level. The hair actually reveals all of this! Amazing.

You can find her here.

It is a bit of a process because of snail mail. I contacted her in early August, we began paperwork and I sent her the fee, then she sent me info about how to do my hair through email, then I did it, Sarah messed it up, had to do it again, took me forever to get it in the mail, then she had to mail it to the lab, then they tested it, mailed it back, lost it, and I finally got the results Sunday. If I had been more on the ball with it, it probably would have been faster.

The recommended diets are all pretty much the same, the only differences are amounts of fat and carbohydrates, depending on if you are a slow or fast oxidizer. I admit, these changes aren't easy. For me, the cost of the supplements and high quality food is biting me right now. The customized supplements are over $100 a month. I won't have to take them forever, but for awhile.

I've done very well considering I just stopped eating one way and started a new way. But it's not easy to make changes and stick with them. I am feeling tired and not like preparing food, but I have to- no fast food :) However, for lunch all I had to do was heat up some chicken and throw some frozen veggies in a pot to steam for a few minutes and top with seasonings. Very fast- and my chicken wasn't enough so I ate a hard boiled egg along with it and some local raw cheese.

I am not craving anything really, and it's PMS time-- if anything it's fruit, and I do allow myself to have some if I'm wanting it really bad.

Anyways, time to go...need to rest while I can.

News

Good morning everyone.

This has been an eventful weekend, but not stressful in the least, yea! A lot of good things happened, one of which was finally knowing what is wrong with me!

As I was talking with my nutritional therapist, I was overwhelmed with awe at how we, our physical bodies, are basically atoms. For those of you who had to take chemistry, remember atoms are defined as the basic building blocks of matter. If you remember anything about the periodic table of elements, well, you need 'em. Apparently you need them A LOT


Just real quick- there are 4 basic things that are the most important and most telling about your state of health. They are calcium, potassium, magnesium and sodium. Then, after that, they look at ratios- as in the ratio of calcium to potassium, magnesium to calcium etc...

I am quite low in potassium and sodium , typically signs of adrenal exhaustion, and am barely at a normal range for calcium and magnesium. Thus I have been classified as "4 Lows", meaning I'm low in all of them. This demonstrates slow oxidation (my body is slow to process things in general) and adrenal exhaustion.

Also, my blood sugar is good, but could be better. My thyroid is showing signs of decreased function; I am only functioning at 40% of energy- meaning if my body is capable of functioning at 100% energy, I'm only at 40...

Another one:

"Sodium to Potassium: Your sodium to potassium ratio (the most important ratio) is low, which is considered “inversion”. This also confirms a decreased adrenal effect, chronic stress, lowered energy & energy reserves, decreased immunity, poor digestion, and possible kidney and liver stress or cardiovascular stress. This indicates that there could be various underlying infections going on in your body contributing to the lowered energy. Sodium level is a rough indicator of aldosterone effect at the cellular level. Potassium is a rough indication of cortisol effect at a cellular level. Both Na and K are low on your hair test. "


I also show signs of copper overload, I had aluminum in my hair sample as well as arsenic!!!!

Not really a clean bill of health eh??? It is somewhat saddening, being that I've been immersed in the health realm for a long time and have been cooking as well as I can. But, other factors have ravaged my body. Pregnancy and stress being the main ones, and lack of understanding on how to support my body during those times.

She told me that it would take 1-2 years to full restore everything, however I would see a lot of good things by 6 months into it.

What is the solution? My diet will consist of mostly lightly cooked veggies, including starchy ones like sweet taters and other root veggies. I will have lots of protein, that is lower in fat, because as a slow oxidizer I do not convert fat well; good fats in the right amount like coconut oil, butter, nuts that are properly prepared (soaked and dehydrated); I can have 1 serving of grains a day, although no breads for awhile, since I want to lose weight. I was supposed to not have any of the nightshade vegetables like tomatoes and peppers, but since I'm not having issues with arthritis or anything, I am allowed to have cooked tomatoes 1-2 times a week. Lots of water of course, and specialized supplements- they are formulated specifically to my body. Cool huh? Kind of pricey, but it's not forever.

Some that I must take are kelp, vitamin D, fish oil and the special ones. I also have to eliminate all refined sugar and eventually caffeine. Oh, and my husband gets to rig up a homemade infrared sauna, which is extremely beneficial to the body being able to let go of the toxic metals etc. That'll be a fun challenge for him.

And one other really nice thing- she understands that I have a family and has included lots of recipes that work in the crockpot or that I can freeze etc. She has been so wonderful and is always available for questions.

And it is SO nice to know, to really really know, what to do. No more guessing. What exactly do I get to eat?

Well, breakfast is generally soft cooked eggs, veggies, some meat or a cooked grain for 'oatmeal'. Everything else is the same- a protein and cooked veggies. But it's ok, because it is so simple, and i have faith in it. I feel so relieved to know what I'm supposed to do. The first few weeks may be more difficult, but it will smooth out.

Anyways, she got all this info from a tablespoon of my hair. Amazing!!

Blast from the Past

20 years ago...my husband graduated from highschool. Yes, in 1990!!!! Guess how old I was?

8 years old. LOL.

I graduated in 2000. My school is very small and my class was very small, and we're all connected in facebook, so there was no 10 year reunion for us. Plus, no one knows where in the world the valedictorian is, and I think that's the one that does the reunions??

Anyhow, it's odd because it's going to be weird with me being a lot younger- Matt will look like he robbed the cradle and multiplied like bunnies :) This whole weekend is filled with reunion stuff, starting tonight. Homecoming football game, tailgating etc.

I'm not going. :) Matt's best friend is coming and they'll get to be buddies in highschool again :) My best friend will come keep me company, and yes, there will be some drinks for us :) After the girls are in bed of course....

Tomorrow night is the formal type event, and of course I'll be going to that. Can you believe that I have no black dress shoes? My church is so small, that even though I do dress up for it, I just wear flip flops on my feet. That won't work for this, so now I have to find time buy some unless someone I know will let me borrow them. Even though I'm a "big ole tall girl" I have smaller feet- size 8ish. Everyone I know has bigger feet.

I am still awaiting the results of my hair sample thingie. I am so curious to know what they find out!!! I'll be talking about that when I find out.


Today I've been cleaning like crazy- those areas that have been neglected awhile, which shows up in house full of little girls. (our front door is COVERED in smudges) And of course, I am way backed up on laundry. I will get to that this afternoon, and then start pizza dough and make brownies for all us girls. Yay for Friday!!!

Listenin' to Jesus

Jesus has been talking to me. A lot actually. It's amazing that when your heartfelt desire is to do what He wants you to and you endeavor to listen, you hear things. I've been practicing for a loooong time, to listen to that inner, still small voice. A lot of the time it just sounds like my own thoughts, but, He is speaking to my spirit, so it does sound like me.

I know it's Him because it prompts deep self reflection and points me back to the Word of God.

I've been seeking for about a year for answers. Why has my body not shed extra weight by now? Why, after all the healthy changes in our diet, is it still fat?

And He has answered, little bits here and there, and now, the dam is about to break. I wrote awhile back that I was working with a woman, a homemaker and mom that is also a nutritional therapist. I sent a portion of my hair to a lab to be tested, or rather, they incinerate it and find out pretty much everything that's going on with my body. I talked on the phone with her last week and we went over my entire life basically, and some things that might be going on in my body. We are awaiting the results of the hair analysis and I admit, I'm really anxious.

I've noticed over the last few weeks my health has definitely worsened. A lot of it is because of lack of sleep. For some reason, my husband and I cannot seem to get into the bed to sleep before midnight. And if we do, we end up staying awake because we talk or...you know... :) We are so exhausted by the time the girls are in bed, but then after awhile, we "get a second wind" and keep going.

But again I think a lot of the health issues is spiritual. We have slacked off on our spiritual needs because of busy-ness. If our inner selves are starving, then it will affect us physically. We are working on this, and I can tell it makes a big difference. Last Wednesday night, I was so tired, I was laying on the couch while the girls were playing, and Matt brought out his guitar and played some worship songs. I felt completely better after! It was like cool water refreshing a thirsty, dry plant!

One thing too, as I've gotten ahead of myself and made more plans than I can carry out, my mind is just chaotic. I have so many things swirling around in there, that I get mentally exhausted too. Then I get frustrated because if there is a delay in accomplishing those plans, I get irritated. My mind is so full that I want to delete something, but I can't until the thing is fulfilled! Make any sense at all?


For instance, I had mapped out a plan for redoing my whole house. It was a lot of fun, and it's wonderful to have dreams and desires. But it can't happen all at once. I push myself to hard and too far, and get upset with everyone else because of interruptions to my plan.



So what is Jesus telling me? He is saying that my job is not an interior decorator. My job is not to keep up with the latest trends and sew everything for my girls. My job isn't to make awesome cakes for everyone. I am not Martha Stewart. Hey, Martha isn't even Martha Stewart- she has many assistants that work for her!

In awaiting for the news to come to me about my hair analysis and what it will mean for me, I realize that in order for me to be of use to my family, then I have to heal. If I am tired, then I have to rest. I will only further deplete my adrenal glands if I force myself to keep going, just so I can look like I have everything together. That is my job- to follow what He has given me to do, and let everything else fall to the side for the time being. I asked for answers, and He has given them, so I have to follow it.



It is very hard to lay dreams and desires aside. I get afraid that I will lose the motivation to do it and it will never happen. But, if every room in my house isn't French country picture perfect, then I'm sure all will be fine :) We will function just as well. I think we all enjoy praise, and doing things that I am good at, makes me feel good about myself, and it generally incurs praise if someone notices it. I can honestly say, that for most things, that is NOT my goal.

I've made neat things with food, because I wanted to, not to impress the world. I sew because I want to, not to look better than someone else. However, I think other women sometimes feel that way. I finally just stopped going to MOPS (mothers of preschoolers) because if I opened my mouth at all, they all got these glazed over looks on their eyes. I just thought no one liked me, but I think now, that maybe they felt like I was better than them because I could sew clothes or make our bread etc. I wasn't bragging, I just told what was in my life. Apparently my daily life wasn't the norm.



I keep getting on side tangents. Lately I have also been getting discontent with my home. It just feels too small for us. I thought my bedroom was ugly, my living room wasn't finished etc. But, God is reminding me that those things don't matter. I am getting too wrapped up in my little world, which is really all in my mind,lol. I walked back into my room this afternoon, and the sunlight suddenly came pouring in through the windows, and the room glowed. Everything was so pretty- and I was content with it. I felt guilty almost for wanting to change it. I probably will still redo it at some point, but, I can be happy with it now.

It's funny because all day I keep running across articles about simplifying everything. It's starting to take root in my heart. I complicate my life a lot. I get a picture in my head of what I want, and try to do it, and I get things too complicated. For instance, how many people do you know, that does all these things?

1. sews pretty much anything
2. knits
3. crochets
4. embroiders
5. makes fancy cakes
6. makes homemade everything-soap, detergent, whatever
7. makes hairbows
8. draws and paints
9. makes jewelry
10. gardens- for food and decoratively
11. Home cans/preserves food
12. Sells makeup/products

Well, that's me up there. Guess what all those things have in common? STUFF!!! Supplies, supplies that has to be stored somewhere. And there aren't a lot of somewheres to stow the stuff!!!!



I probably forgot something I'm sure. Many times I have several things going, like right now I have pillows for the couch and pajamas in the making, about 10 hairbows that are half finished, a room that needs paint touch ups, a day of canning pears set aside for Thursday, a need to make up some laundry detergent because I'm almost out, and I'm planning the next string of birthday cakes.

And that's not even all the things that I plan to do yet. Lord help me!

So, God is challenging me to let go. I will have to focus on me for awhile- proper food, rest and some exercise takes time. Not to mention caring for a family of 6 and the home we live in. I am going to listen and let go of all expectations I've put on myself. If my living room is unfinished for the next 6 months, oh well. Better that I am restored in body and spirit and 50lbs lighter! Then I can be equipped to really get after it and do projects!


And guess what...I'm not even going to pull out the autumn decorations. How is that for letting go! I love fall and always go all out with decorating. Not gonna happen. Some yummy candles, maybe a few punkins and a berry wreath on my door shall be the extent of it.

My home isn't perfect, but it is as pretty as I can make right now, and it is lived in, and filled with a family that loves the Lord, and that would make any house a good place to be.

Time to Declutter!

I am almost done with the painting! Just some touching up to do and then the gradual process of getting things to decorate with :)

I am taking a break from painting after the living room is done. I don't want to, but I really really need to declutter. Many of the things that have been in boxes since our move a year ago have stayed in boxes and I don't even know what's in them. They are taking up valuable space and it's time sort it out and do something with it. Part of me is glad, and part of me dreads the whole process. It always looks so much worse before it looks better! Plus, I have to stop to care for children and cook etc. I like to keep going until it's all done!

I am having a hard time finding a good spot for the sewing stuff. I didn't want in the living room because it can be messy and I don't want it out in the open. But, it was taking over my bedroom and I really want our bedroom to be nice. But in order for redecorating to be possible, I have to be able to sew! I could clean out the baby's closet and put it in there, but during sleep times I couldn't sew or I would have to move it the kitchen. And I generally only sew when she's taking a nap.

The conclusion I've come up with is, I need to declutter the sewing stuff, and organize it in pretty containers and just keep it in the living room. I have a big plastic box to move all the patterns too and will store that in a closet somewhere. My fabric will stay in my room in the old tv cabinet thingie. I will have 2-3 baskets to hold scraps, current projects and unfinished projects to keep in the living room, and a plastic tiered set of drawers to hold 'notions' in. (zippers, elastic, trim, buttons) It's behind the loveseat near the French doors so it isn't very visible. Still, I had plans to make it something different back there.

I am thankful for my home, but I sure wish it was bigger sometimes. If all the girls could fit in one room, then we could put sewing and office things in the other room, but that really isn't possible.

Oh well, soon it will be time to find my fall decorations. Actually, I may just start over and make or buy some new ones. I also will need to do that for Christmas stuff. Just because I've had it for 10 years doesn't mean it has to be displayed :) I am seriously thinking of pitching most of it and starting over making my own stuff.

I better go. Maybe, if I am with it, I'll take some decluttering pictures!

The Walls

I did it! I took pictures!

This is the entry way, the most decorated spot so far :)

A close up of the fabric of the curtains...


And talk about the simplest thing ever! I simply cut the piece of fabric in half, the make 3 yards for each window, made a pocket in the top (one straight seam with edges turned in) and hung it on the existing rod. I plan to get more decorative ones too. Then I just tied it with a strong linen tie that I saved from a set of baskets a year ago and voila!!!


This is the wall to the right...

The wall at the back in part of the middle...

The back part of the left wall...the arrangement on top of the tv thing isn't done yet.

The unfinished corner...

This all looks so much better in natural light, but I don't know how to fix that on the camera, I'm sure there is a way.


Pillows! Well, pillows to be....






The poster that came with the frame that broke. I'm going to salvage it somehow, and this is only about half of it...



Some el cheapo fabric I found at walmart yesterday that perfectly matches my curtains. It will be a little skirt to put on our desk to make it prettier, and if there's any left I'll make a pillow or something out of the scraps.




My bed is the cat's bed...



And that's all for now. More to come in the future.

Life is never the same!

Why is it that once you make out a schedule, everything out of the ordinary happens all in one day?

Almost everyday this week has been wild and unusual. I have really tried to stay on schedule as best as I could, but, it's not perfect. That is why I usually chuck them out the window, because I feel like I've failed if I don't get things right.

However, I don't feel that way this time. I am going to give it all I've got for awhile and see if things even out :)

I'm supposed to be working on cleaning and my morning routines/laundry right now, but I'm babysitting my niece (who is 3) plus my other two girls, AND someone is paying me to do some sewing and part of it has to be done today.

So...I've got some sewing done, and now I need to go check on them, and try to do some of the things on my schedule. I'm tired and don't wanna!!! But I have to...otherwise I'll pay for it later.

I know every time I say I will try to do pictures I pretty much never get them up, but I promise the right now I am going to put batteries in my camera and snap some pictures.

I mean it...

A Schedule

It's Monday, and it has been extremely out of the ordinary. But I'm not writing about that.

Over the weekend I realized something. I've slipped up a lot in my home management. I honestly think the Holy Spirit said this to me, " You're just gonna have to bite the bullet and put yourself on a schedule." I don't do to well with those...I feel enslaved by them.

But, I found my cope of Mrs. Sharp's Traditions, a beautiful book written about the Victorian people and how to implement new traditions into your family. She discusses how they valued the wife and mother's role and the home. She also talks of the Children's Hour, and how that time was specifically devoted to children. We aren't scheduled and allow a lot of time slip through that might be used for good.

So, my husband and I sat down and wrote out a schedule. I am good at planning them, and he is good at executing them :) We complete each other.

Our plan is this: I will have dinner at a set time, regardless of if Matt can be here then or not. I plan to make up a large batch of some nutritious dessert (like custard or rice pudding made with honey) for them to eat when Daddy gets home if he's late. Then after cleaning up, we will devote an hour to getting them bathed and ready for bed etc. and then spending time reading, or have a worship time or on non-bath days, playing something special as a family. I also plan to give each child jobs to do to help me more with cleaning up after dinner, a big chore for me.

But, as for me, I have many jobs to do, yet I want to continue making over my home. So, one thing I need to do is get up earlier and take care of some things before children are up. The other thing is for me to focus on getting the major basic things done in the morning, leaving the afternoon free for projects, mostly sewing.

Also, if I take time to do things like quickly clean the bathroom each day, then I don't really have to do a major cleaning of them. So, here's a plan that I'm trying to follow and so far it has worked well, even though today was crazy.

I was supposed to get up at 6am, but we went to bed at, ahem, 1am....started a movie, got sucked into it and so on. (The Count of Monte Cristo- go Netflix!)

I got up at 6:30 because I got a phone call that I was needed to babysit my niece. I got dressed, made lunches, coffee, and instant oatmeal. (it does come in handy sometimes) children ready and out the door at around 7:40.

Next is to feed the other two their breakfasts and eat mine, clean up the kitchen, start laundry, get them dressed, tidy bedrooms and make beds.

* check bathrooms and wipe sinks/counters and potties
* daily cleaning- today was bleach my sink (yellow paint stains!!), clean the kitchen appliances and stove top, still need to mop
*then fold two baskets of clothes, which I did while watching a show
* then I got ready to do some baking, but that didn't work out, so we had lunch
Anyways, my plan is to work on dinner preps while I'm in the kitchen making lunch, and that leaves my afternoons more open. During naps I can devote time to all of my projects :) However I will have to use some days just devoted to painting etc., but at least I have a framework to go by.

No one else is going to come in and get my household in order, so it's up to me to make changes. If I can't take care of things here in an orderly manner, I'm not going to be given anything else to do outside of that. (things from God is what I mean)

And now according to my schedule, I must end this post :)