Covenant Homemaking

In which Ben and I are outnumbered

2012-02-10T07:25:00.000-05:00

I had suspected it for a week or so.

Two pink lines in the wee hours of Sunday morning confirmed it.

You may have picked up hints in my posts this week (needing more protein, a pregnancy tea recipe, and being a little more tired than usual).

I'm pregnant!

The details:
::Baby is due October 10 (which also happens to be my parents' 25th anniversary!), meaning I am 5 weeks and 2 days along--and Baby is somewhere around the size of a sesame seed. {awwww}
::Baby is due 18 days before Benjamin turns 22 months, and Katie will be four months shy of turning 4. Benjamin was due 5 days before Katie turned 22 months. I'm amazed at how similar the spacing is!
::I'm really tired, a little nauseous occasionally, and eating and drinking a ton. If any of y'all have been both pregnant and nursing, I'm sure you can relate! Most days, I feel like a bottomless pit. ;)
::We are planning to do another home birth with the same midwife we used last time.

We are so thankful that the Lord has seen fit to bless us with another little one and appreciate your prayers as we look forward to welcoming this sweet new person into our family in eight months! Any advice from those of you with more children in your house than parents would be much appreciated as well! :)

This post is linked to Finer Things Friday.

Healthier Homemaking: Why?

2012-02-09T16:49:00.002-05:00

One of my earliest assignments in my Family Herbalist course was to write out our family's "personal wellness philosophy." At first, I was skeptical about the value of the project, but decided I would do it anyway.

Writing out our wellness philosophy really made me think through not just the what, but also the why in our decisions, and I found the exercise to be very thought-provoking and beneficial. What is our motivation for creating a healthy, nurturing home for ourselves and our children? Why is it worth it to invest our time and money in this endeavor? Is it glorifying to God?

I've been a little more tired than usual this week, so rather than writing a whole new post, I wanted to share what I came up with (and plan to resume the series next week!):

As a Christian, the ultimate purpose for anything I attempt ought to be the advancement of Christ's Kingdom. If this is not the underlying purpose of an action then it is vain, at best.

There are several biblical reasons for maintaining our health. The first is that we are called to be good stewards of our bodies, which are the temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). In addition, maintaining our health enables us to be more effective to work for the advancement of the Kingdom. As a wife and mother, my health is imperative to the functioning of my family. Caring for my husband and children and keeping our home is only possible when I am well. While God ordains sickness and even death, a long life to live for God's glory is worth striving for. If we fail to take care of ourselves, we can waste valuable years that could have been used more profitably.

In addition to maintaining our own health, we are given stewardship over our children and as long as we are able, we ought to strive to keep them healthy as well. This includes keeping ourselves well nourished before and during pregnancy, as well as during lactation, in order to give them the best start possible. Our health will affect the health of our children, and theirs' the health of their children. In other words, maintaining good health has generational implications.

Now that the why is covered, I will discuss our family's philosophy on wellness. The first consideration is that Scripture is true when it says our bodies were fearfully and wonderfully made by God (Psalm 139:14). He designed our body systems to function together and to work together keeping us healthy for our lifetime. Because of the fall we will all face ailments in our flesh, and eventually our bodies—no matter how healthy—will wear out and we will die.

Obviously, the best way to handle illness is to prevent it by promoting holistic wellness. When we do face illness, we seek to use the most natural, noninvasive means possible to cure it, giving our wonderfully made bodies the tools they need to heal themselves. However, we do acknowledge God's providence in gifting the minds of scientists and doctors and are happy and thankful to use more invasive, conventional means when/if we feel a situation necessitates them.

In addition to our bodies being masterfully crafted by a Loving Creator, our foods were all created by Him during the creation week and He declared that He created them good. This being true, we seek to eat foods as close to the way God designed them as possible. Practically, this means we strive to eat a mostly organic, whole foods diet. God created a vast variety of nourishing, delicious foods and varying the whole foods we eat provides us with a good variety of nutrients.

Knowing the Creator's foods are good, we avoid heavily processed foods, foods that have been genetically modified, as well as man-made foods like margarine, artificial preservatives, and food colorings. That said, since our bodies were intricately designed and God has ordained every day of our lives, we don't worry. A healthy body is able to get rid of toxins, so when necessary, we eat less-than-ideal foods with thanks (as guests in other's homes, while traveling, etc.).

In all our efforts to remain healthy, we live humbly acknowledging the Sovereignty of God in all things. He has numbered our days and ordained everything that comes to pass. While we are called to be good stewards, we cannot thwart His plan by our actions. We do our best to honor God with our decisions and trust Him to work things out for our good and His glory.

What do you think? Why do you do what you do as you seek to maintain a healthy home for your families?

Homemade herbal pregnancy tea

2012-02-07T15:55:00.003-05:00

32I've never been great about drinking pregnancy tea. I think I just don't like Red Rasberry leaf. But, I know how beneficial herbs can be in addressing specific health concerns during pregnancy and otherwise. When I recently had to design an herbal pregnancy tea for an assignment in my natural health course, I was excited to try to come up with one with nourishing herbs to address pregnancy complaints and tasted good.

After some trial and error and help from my wonderful sister-in-law, this is what we came up with:

Peppermint (2 parts)
::Pleasant flavor
::Helps with nausea

Red Rasberry Leaf (1 part)
Red Rasberry Leaf is a wonder herb for pregnant women.
::Contains calcium and iron (both very important during pregnancy and birth)
::Is said to reduce risk of miscarriage and postpartum hemmorhage
::Strengthens the uterine muscle.
::Some clinical studies show that regular use during pregnancy can decrease the length of labor.
::Eases morning sickness

Nettle Leaf (1 part)
::Helps with leg cramps
::Contains iron, chlorophyll, and Vit. C
::High in calcium
::Helps prevent fluid retention
::Helps with hemorrhoids postpartum
::Encourages healthy milk supply

Alfalfa Leaf (1 part)
::Increases Vit. K, helping prevent hemmorhage
::Increases available hemoglobin
::Encourages healthy milk supply
::Eases morning sickness
::Can help prevent tooth decay

Dandelion Leaf (1 part)
::Increases mineral absorption
::Helps with constipation, loss of appetite, and upset stomach

Chamomile Flower (1 part)
::Helps with upset stomach
::Calming effect (can help with insomnia)

Milk Thistle (1/4 part)
::One of the best herbs for easing morning sickness

To enjoy, use one tablespoon of loose leaf tea to every cup of water throughout pregnancy.

Do y'all drink pregnancy tea? Do you make your own, or buy pre-made tea bags?

Disclosure: I am not a medical professional. It is recommended that you speak with a healthcare professional before consuming herbs if you are pregnant.

Menu Plan, February 6-12

2012-02-06T21:19:00.002-05:00

We are continuing on the elimination diet we started for Ben's asthma a week and a half ago. Thankfully, he has noticed some progress! The children and I are not sticking to it perfectly, though the bulk of our meals are elimination diet friendly--I just don't have time to cook two sets of meals! I'm also in a season of life in which I need some extra protein, so I'm going to be adding a side of eggs to most of the breakfast options.

With that in mind, here is what we have on the menu this week:

Breakfasts:
Potato skillet with sausage and spinach
Baked oatmeal (made with almond milk and flaxmeal egg substitute)
Double chocolate chip scones (these are SO good!)

Lunches:
Snacks
Smoothies
Leftovers

Dinners:
Brown rice and lentil casserole (minus the cheese), pineapple
White bean and chicken soup, pumpkin bread
Potato soup (with cooked ground venison added), salad
Salmon noodle casserole, salad
Red Beans, Rice, and Adouille Sausage, salad, fruit
Leftovers
Dinner with Ben's family at the farm

What are y'all fixing this week? Do any of your families have to eat "special" diets for health reasons?

For lots of menu planning inspiration, head over to OrgJunkie's Menu Plan Monday.

Healthy fats giveaway from Tropical Traditions

2012-02-02T21:49:00.001-05:00

On the heals of yesterday's post about healthy fats, I'm really excited to bring you a great giveaway from Tropical Traditions.

Tropical Traditions has partnered with me for giveaways in the past, and they are a great company to work with. They offer a large line of very high quality organic foods (including a variety of pantry staples and even pastured meats and eggs) and household products and their customer service is excellent.

The prices of their exceptional products are higher than you'll see at the grocery store (because, so is the quality), but they have weekly sales (often items are even Buy One Get One Free or 50% off) and they frequently offer free shipping or 10% off coupons on Mondays that offset the costs considerably.

Today they are giving away two products here at Covenant Homemaking!

Organic Palm Shortening

Tropical Traditions' Organic Palm Oil shortening is one of my favorite fats in my kitchen. Made from the saturated fats in palm oil, the shortening is non-hydrogenated. It is also odorless and tasteless, so it doesn't add a flavor to foods like coconut or olive oils. I use it in biscuits, pie crusts, cookies and for frying things (like potatoes) on the stove top. It is versatile, makes delicious food, and unlike most of the shortening you can buy, it is healthy.

They were kind enough to send me a gallon of the shortening for review purposes and are going to give one of y'all some as well!

Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil

Tropical Traditions' Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil is one of their premier products. Rather than being mass-produced, their coconut oil is made on small family farms from coconuts harvested just 24-48 hours before the oil is extracted from them. Their coconut oil is not only fabulously healthy, but it tastes really good. It is excellent for cooking and baking, both because it does very well at high temperatures (due to the stable nature of the fat structure) and because it adds so much nutrition and a light, pleasant coconut flavor.

Here is a video interview with Brian Shilhalvy, Tropical Traditions CEO, about how they discovered coconut oil:

I have used this coconut oil and been very please with it. Tropical Traditions is going to be giving a 32oz. jar of their Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil to one of you all as well.

The giveaway will be open through next Wednesday, February 8. Two winners will be chosen, and each one will receive one of the products. To enter the giveaway, leave a comment on this post.

For bonus entries, subscribe to the Tropical Traditions newsletter, and/or subscribe to the Covenant Homemaking RSS Feed. Also feel free to promote this giveaway on facebook or twitter. Please remember to leave a separate comment for each entry.

Healthier Homemaking: Good fats vs. bad fats

2012-02-01T21:03:00.002-05:00

This week we're talking about fat. While most contemporary diet "experts" will tell you fat is bad, I am completely convinced that the right fats are not only okay, but absolutely essential to our health. Using the right fats is probably one of the absolute best things you can do to improve the healthfulness of the food your prepare your families.

My basic rule of thumb is that naturally occurring fats that humans have been eating for thousands of years are generally healthy and fats that require chem suits and big factories to extract from their sources are best to avoid. With that in mind, here are the fats you'll find in my kitchen and what I use them for:

Photo Credit

Unrefined coconut oil
Though it has been part of my real-food cooking for quite a while now, coconut oil has become my very favorite fat in recent months. It is absolutely loaded with wonderful nutrients. It has a lovely, subtle, sweet coconutty flavor that is fabulous in baked goods. I use coconut oil in any recipe that calls for liquid oil. Since it's solid at room temperature (its melting point is 76*F), I usually have to melt it in a pot on the stove before baking with it. You can also add some melted coconut oil to a smoothie or your morning oatmeal for a nice nutrition boost--and to help it stick to your ribs longer!

Palm oil (shortening)
A natural alternative to shortening, I was introduced to palm oil shortening pretty recently. I use it for biscuits (it makes such wonderfully flaky biscuits!) and in cookies and other recipes that call for a solid fat, and also for frying savory things like potatoes. Since it is a saturated fat, it is more stable when heated to high temperatures.

Organic Butter
For butter, I stick to organic since a lot of the toxins in dairy are concentrated in the cream. Even better than just organic is butter from pastured cows, which has some additional (and very beneficial nutrients) like CLA and extra Omega 3's. I try to always get pastured butter, but I have to stock up when I find a good price. These days (well, before we started our elimination diet), we mainly just use butter from spreading on bread, pancakes, etc. as I typically use coconut oil or palm shortening in baked goods. That said, butter is excellent for baking with as well as cooking foods on the stove at higher temperatures.

Extra virgin olive oil
As a monounsaturated fat, extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is more unstable than some other fats when used at high temperatures (such as for frying or sauteing). Because of the structure of this fat and others like it, free radicals (which can lead to cell oxidation, causing inflammation, cancer, and a slew of other health problems). However, when used at lower temperatures, as in salad dressing, for dipping bread, and even in baking (the actual temperature of the oil doesn't get too high even though the oven is hot) it is a wonderfully natural, nutritious oil.

I would also be happy to use beef tallow from pastured cows, flax oil and sesame (both at low temperatures), but I just don't have great sources for them so they're not as affordable.

And now for the fats that I avoid:
::Vegetable (soybean) oil
::Corn oil
::Cottonseed oil
::Canola oil
::Margarine/non-butter spreads
::Hydrogenated/partially hydrogenated oils (absolutely, positively, never in my kitchen under any circumstances, period. ;)

You may have noticed that the fats I use are mostly saturated--the ones contemporary health 'experts' say not eat and the ones they say to eat are the ones we avoid.

Let me say it that contrary to popular opinion

I think saturated fats are actually very good for you.

{GASP}

Before you leave and report me to your doctor, consider the following:

::Your brain is composed of over half saturated fat.
::Your cell walls are comprised primarily of saturated fat, and it helps them resist oxidation.
::You can't absorb fat soluble vitamins like Vitamin D (which is so important and severely deficient in many Americans!) without it.
::Heart disease became an epidemic in the 1920s and 30s, right around the time we switched from traditional saturated fats to newfangled vegetable oils.

Those are the basics. I really think the evidence is overwhelming. See the sources below for more in-depth information (and links to even more sources).

(Sources: Nourishing Traditions , article 1, article 2, article 3)

So, what do you think? What fats are featured in your kitchens?

Come back tomorrow for a great giveaway from one of my favorite sources for healthy fats!

This post is linked to Works for Me Wednesday.

Goals for this week

2012-01-30T07:00:00.000-05:00

Photo Credit

Last week's goals went pretty well. I was encouraged to see that I got almost all of them crossed off, meaning I'm making progress towards my goals for this year.

Here's a review of last week's goals:

Personal:

~~-Read through Genesis 47 (still following this Chronological Bible Reading Plan)~~
~~-Memorize Psalm 119:7-8, continue reviewing verses 1-6~~
-Finish reading Shepherding a Child's Heart ~~and choose a book to read in February.~~ {I'm planning to read The Money Saving Mom's Budget
-Stay within my Weight Watchers ~~point allowance for the week.~~ {I'm only one pound away from my wedding day weight--yay!)
~~-Do the Postnatal Bootcamp 2 workout at least three times.~~

Parenting:
~~-Help Katie memorize Catechism Question #6, continue reviewing #1-5 daily.~~ {We missed reviewing a couple days, but she still knows all the answers for numbers 1-6, so I consider this goal completed}
~~-Spend time one-on-one with Katie each day during Benjamin's morning nap. Continue reading The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh.~~
-Pick one or two baby books to read specifically to Benjamin each day. {I read to him every day, but it wasn't always baby books read specifically to him}

Education:
-Design pregnancy tea for a unit project using bulk herbs I purchased (no, I'm not pregnant that I know of--it's just part of an assignment!) {Started on this, but it needs some definite tweaking.}
~~-Complete Unit 6 of the Family Herbalist course and pass exam.~~

Homemaking:
-~~Continue deculttering 15 minutes per day at least 3-4 days. This week I will be working on the Master Bedroom (~~FlyLady's Zone 4). {I missed a couple days, but did a longer decluttering session one day to make up for it}
~~-Finish making a detailed two-week menu plan and grocery list for the elimination diet we'll be starting on Thursday.~~

Now, for this week's goals:

Personal:

-Read Genesis 48-Exodus 18

-Memorize Psalm 119:9-10

-Read the first three chapters of The Money Saving Mom's Budget

-Stay within my Weight Watchers points allowance for the week

-Do Postnatal Boot Camp 2 , part 2 workout at least three times

Parenting:

-Continue spending one-on-one time with Katie daily during Benjamin's morning nap.

-Work with Katie to memorize the seventh question in her children's catechism, continue reviewing questions 1-6

-Work with the children to clean up their room each evening before bed (our habit for February)

-Read to Benjamin each day.

Education:

-"Perfect" my herbal pregnancy tea

-Do the reading for Unit 7 of the Family Herbalist course

Homemaking:

-Continue decluttering 15 minutes, three to four days per week using FlyLady's method. This week I'll be in the living area.

What are your goals for this week? If you need some goal-setting inspiration, be sure to head over to Money Saving Mom.

Menu Plan, January 30-February 5

2012-01-29T13:24:00.003-05:00

Our elimination diet is going well thus far. Today is Day 4. While there aren't yet any noticable changes in Ben's asthma, at least he is finding the food tolerable.

Here is what I have on the plan for this week:

Breakfasts:
Potato skillet with sausage and spinach
Banana bread made with brown rice flour and flax meal
Quinoa porridge with cinnamon apples
Pumpkin Pie oatmeal
Grain-free Apple Flax Muffins

Lunches:
Leftovers
Coconut milk smoothies
Snacks
Cranberry Mango Millet Salad

Dinners:
Chicken and vegetable soup
Honey Lime Chicken, black beans, brown rice, fruit salad
Meatloaf, baked fries, cooked veggies
Brown rice pasta with meat sauce, steamed broccoli
Ginger sweet potato chicken bake
Lentil and brown rice casserole (without cheese)

What are y'all cooking this week? If you need menu planning inspiration, head to OrgJunkie's Menu Plan Monday!

January's book: Shepherding a Child's Heart

2012-01-26T17:28:00.001-05:00

One of my goals for this year was to read one book each month. It may not seem like much, but it's so easy for me to go without reading unless I'm intentional about it--so I'm going to start with one book each month and hopefully work my way up.

This month, I read Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp. It was an excellent read. The focus of the book is disciplining your children not just so they outwardly conform to your commands while they are young, but so they grow up to love Christ with all their heart.

The author had a lot of excellent points, many of which we've already been trying to apply in our interactions with our children. A couple of the main points I came away with were:

::Communication. It's easy to go throughout the day and talk to the children only when they ask questions or when they need correction. As Pastor Tripp pointed out, communication with our children should be so much more than this. We need to really talk with them, not just talk at them when they need instruction.

"This shepherding process is a richer interaction than telling your child what to do and think. It involves investing your life in your child in open and honest communication that unfolds the meaning and purpose of life."

"You must become a good listener. You will miss precious opportunities when you only half-listen to your children. The best way you can train your children to be active listeners is by actively listening to them."

::Consistency. Discipline isn't fun, but when it is done properly (in a completely un-abusive way), it should bring forth wonderful fruit. Consistency is so important when training children to obey the first time, rather than waiting until we're really fed up at their refusal to do what we say.

"Never allow your children to disobey without dealing with them. When they disobey, they are moving out of the circle of God's blessing into a place of grave peril. If you understand the fear of the Lord, you will not allow your child to ignore God's law without intervening."

::Christ-centeredness. We should never discipline our children because they are bothering us. We must discipline them in love when they dishonor the Lord. Our discipline must always point them to their own sinfulness and desperate need for the glorious salvation found in Christ.

"The central focus of parenting is the gospel. You need to direct not simply the behavior of your children, but the attitudes of their hearts. You need to show them not just the "what" of their sin and failure, but the "why." Your children desperately need to understand not only the external "what" they did wrong, but also the internal "why" they did it."

"If correction orbits around the parent who has been offended, then the focus will be venting anger, or perhaps, taking vengeance. The function is punitive. If, however, correction orbits around God as the one offended, then the focus is restoration. The function is remedial. It is designed to move a child who has disobeyed God back to the path of obedience. It is corrective."

And, one last quote that I really think sums up the book well:

"You must regard parenting as one of your most important tasks while you have children at home. This is your calling. You must raise your children in the fear and admonition of the Lord. You cannot do so without investing yourself in a life of sensitive communication in which you help them understand life and God's world. There is nothing more important. You have only a brief season of life to invest yourself in this task. You have only one opportunity to do it. You cannot go back and do it over."

Have you ever read this book? What have you been reading this month?

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting this site!

This post is linked to Things I Love Thursday.

Safe cookware choices

2012-01-25T06:00:00.000-05:00

Unless you eat out for every meal (or all you eat are microwavable meals all the time--I hope not!), no matter what food you give your family, you have to cook it in something. And, unfortunately a lot of the more popular cookware available leeches toxins into our food. The good news is that if you buy good quality cook ware and bake ware it may be a one-time investment that can cut toxins from every meal you cook for your family.

Dangerous cookware

Most of the pots, pans, and bake ware you find at the average store are lined with nonstick coating. They're fabulously easy to cook with and clean. But unfortunately they contain Perflurooctanoic Acid (PFOA), a toxic chemical implicated in all sort of health concerns, including infertility and cancer (source). PFOA releases its toxins into food once the pan is heated. So, as convenient as nonstick cook/bake ware seems, the possible long-term consequences for my family's health mean you won't find these pots and pans used in my kitchen.

Also to be avoided are non-coated aluminum pots and pans, since aluminum is a known neurotoxin (I need all the brain cells I can possibly hold onto, myself).

What to use?

Photo Credit

Thankfully, there are a lot of cookware and bakeware options that are safe for your family--and they're not all impossibly hard to clean, either.

Stainless Steel
I received a set of nice stainless steel pots and pans before we got married and they still look almost new, even after being used to cook almost every meal we've eaten for the past almost-4 years (an, ahem, I have burned a couple of the pans pretty badly). I find that heating the pans before I put grease in it helps tremendously in keeping clean-up time to a minimum (thanks, Tammy!).

Cast Iron
Cast iron cookware is not too expensive upfront, and when properly cared for, it gets better and better with time, even lasting for several generations (how many things can you say that about?!). Right now the only cast iron piece in my regular rotation is a griddle. I love it--and I must admit to having visions of Katie fixing pancakes for her babies someday on the same griddle. As an added bonus, using cast iron cookware can leech iron into your food, which, unlike aluminum, is a good thing!

Stoneware
Stoneware has been safely used for centuries, and is a great choice for delicious baking and cooking. My only stoneware piece is a pizza stone. I really like it, and I think I will eventually add more stone bakeware to my collection--probably some baking sheets and muffin pans. It's a little more expensive than some of the other options, but it works very well and can last a really long time.

Glass
I love the set of Pyrex casserole dishes a sweet friend gave me at my bridal shower. They are safe to use, functional, easy to clean, and they come with lids, which is fabulous for bringing dishes to fellowships and for storing leftovers.

"Green" nonstick
A new option to appear in stores pretty recently is "green" nonstick cookware. With a finish free from PFOA and other harmful chemicals, it's supposed to be safe to use and just as convenient as traditional nonstick cookware. I don't have any experience using it myself, so I can't vouch for its convenience or quality personally--but I thought it was worth mentioning anyway. Cuisinart's GreenGourmet line is one example of this newer "safe" cookware. If any of y'all have tried these out, I'd love to know what you think!

What are your favorite types of cookware and bakeware to use in your kitchens? Did you start off with safe options or are you replacing less-than-ideal options with better ones as you go along?

This post is linked to Works for Me Wednesday and Healthy 2day Wednesday.

Goals for this week

2012-01-23T21:06:00.000-05:00

Setting my goals for this year based on what I could fit into a reasonable schedule has worked out really well, as has breaking my big goals into bite-sized goals each week.

Here are my goals for this week:

Personal:
-Read through Genesis 47 (still following this Chronological Bible Reading Plan)
-Memorize Psalm 119:7-8, continue reviewing verses 1-6
-Finish reading Shepherding a Child's Heart and choose a book to read in February.
-Stay within my Weight Watchers point allowance for the week.
-Do the Postnatal Bootcamp 2 workout at least three times.

Parenting:
-Help Katie memorize Catechism Question #6, continue reviewing #1-5 daily.
-Spend time one-on-one with Katie each day during Benjamin's morning nap. Continue reading The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh.
-Pick one or two baby books to read specifically to Benjamin each day.

Education:
-Design pregnancy tea for a unit project using bulk herbs I purchased (no, I'm not pregnant that I know of--it's just part of an assignment!)
-Complete Unit 6 of the Family Herbalist course and pass exam.

Homemaking:
-Continue deculttering 15 minutes per day at least 3-4 days. This week I will be working on the Master Bedroom (FlyLady's Zone 4).
-Finish making a detailed two-week menu plan and grocery list for the elimination diet we'll be starting on Thursday.

That's it for this week. Do y'all set weekly goals? Be sure to head to Crystal's blog for lots of goal-setting inspiration. :)

Menu Plan, January 16-22

2012-01-16T12:05:00.001-05:00

I hope y'all had a great weekend! We are getting ready to start an elimination diet next week to see if we can find a way to improve my husband's asthma, so this week I'm working to clean out the pantry and save some grocery money since we're not going to be eating dairy, corn, gluten, peanut, egg, and soy (this isn't a big deal, as we're usually mostly soy-free anyway)for at least two weeks (and then we'll slowly add foods back in to see how they affect his symptoms) and I'll need to buy some speciality groceries to get us through the period.

That said, here's what I have on the menu for this week:

Breakfasts:
Cranberry chocolate chip muffins (x2)
Leftover baked oatmeal (from this weekend), scrambled eggs
Egg, sausage, potato, spinach skillet (x2)
Cranberry oatmeal pancakes
Pumpkin baked oatmeal (I haven't found a recipe yet--any links for me?)

Lunches:
Leftovers
Quesadillas, fruit
Snack lunch

Dinners:
Leftover country fried venison steak, green beans, and mashed potatoes
Chili, cornbread
Leftover chili (we go to a prayer meeting on Wednesday nights, so I try to plan leftovers or something really simple)
Mexican lasagna
Homemade pizza, salad, fruit
Mini-meatloaves, green beans, mashed potatoes
Sunday dinner with Ben's family

What are y'all cooking this week? If you need some inspiration, head over to OrgJunkie's Menu Plan Monday.

Snack on real food

2012-01-12T17:54:00.001-05:00

One area of the diet people tend to compromise on often is snack foods. A lot of us plan three meals per day, but what about when that mid-morning and/or mid-afternoon hunger strikes? It can be tempting to grab cookies or chips or even (gasp!) a candy bar if you haven't planned ahead or you're out and about.

Some folks don't snack much but I've been pregnant, nursing, or both for three and a half years. That means I'm hungry all day long--I'm sure some of you can relate! In order to provide nourishing foods throughout the day for myself and my babies I have to plan ahead. The good news is, eating healthier snacks does not have to add any extra time to your busy schedule!

Some of our favorite healthy snacks :

::Homemade ranch dip and veggies. I like to keep a bunch of this ranch dressing mix on hand. It is so good, and my husband even agrees that it tastes better than pre-made dips. Just stir two tablespoons into two cups of sour cream and you're good to go! I usually buy veggies and cut them up myself but if you buy baby carrots and other pre-cut veggies, the prep. time is even less.

::Fresh, canned, or dried fruit. I always keep organic apples and bananas on hand, as well as other seasonal fruit. If you need a protein boost, dip your apples or bananas in nut butter. While fresh fruit is always healthier, fruit canned in its own juice and unsweetened applesauce can be healthy options. So can dried fruit, as long as you avoid selections with added sugar and preservatives.

::Leftover breakfast foods. I often hand out cold (or toasted) leftover pancakes or muffins for a snack--especially if we don't have enough left to make it a full breakfast meal the next day.

::Yogurt. We all really enjoy yogurt. And, I'm so glad the children love it because it the good bacteria in it is so healthy! I like to make my own, but if I run out or don't have time, I buy a big container or organic, plain, whole milk yogurt. It's more cost effective than buying small cups of it and I prefer to flavor it myself to avoid excessive amounts of sugar. Normally, we just drizzle in some raw honey and, if we have them, berries.

::Cheese and/or nuts. A slice of cheese (preferably organic, raw cheese--but any cheese will do!) or a small handful of nuts is easy to grab and either one can provide some good nutrition and a filling energy boost.

If you are in a pinch and need to get something pre-packaged, it is still possible to make healthier choices. Our grocery store has a natural foods aisle where I am able to find a few healthy snack options. Look for foods made with whole grains and natural sweeteners (evaporated cane juice, honey, etc.) and definitely check the label to make sure it does not list hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil.

When I find them for a good price, I get Clif Crunch granola bars (the Oats & Honey variety). Not only do they not contain white sugar, but they also don't have any soy--an ingredient we try to avoid that is found in almost all prepackaged foods. We also enjoy Kettle brand potato chips (the "sea salt" and "sea salt and vinegar" varieties, as the others appear to have MSG) and tortilla chips made from organic corn.

So there you have it--several of our favorite healthy snacks that take little to no time to prepare and most of them will even please picky eaters.

What does your family like to snack on?

The bright side

2012-01-06T06:24:00.002-05:00

When we were planning our 17 day trip to visit my parents and our friends in Florida I had grand visions of visiting with different friends every day of the trip, enjoying wonderful fellowship and catching up on all that's happened since we were here over a year ago.

Then Benjamin got sick. And then Katie got sick. Then Ben got sick. And, I lost my voice, so I guess that means I got sick too. And we're all still sick a full week later--unless everyone who was still sick last night wakes up feeling fabulous.

That means we've spent half of our trip (and still counting) being unable to visit with any friends. I had to miss church to stay home with sick babies. We've had to cancel at least two get-togethers. We're supposed to have dinner with friends tonight and go to a wedding on Saturday. And, we may have to back out of those engagements too.

Thinking about it too much makes me sad. There are a lot of people here who we love and really wanted to catch up with, but we have to leave for home Monday whether we get to see them or not. And, I don't know when we'll be back.

But, I guess there is a bright side to it all. We're on vacation which means we can relax instead of trying to do too much while we're under the weather (or, relaxing and letting our house go completely to pot). Mom has been around to help with laundry, baths, and diaper changes. We've had lots of time to snuggle our babies and watch movies and read books and talk to eachother. And we've enjoyed a lot of really nice fellowship and yummy food at home with my parents.

Though our days haven't been filled with the activities I had initially planned, they have still been filled with finer things.

Sickness is never in the vacation plan. Have y'all ever been sick on vacation? What did you do to make the most of it?

Weight Watchers update

2012-01-04T06:00:00.000-05:00

Over the summer, I did a post about the weight-loss I had accomplished using Weight Watchers Online. Since so many people endeavor to lose weight as a New Year's Resolution/Goal, I figured I'd share an update on this program since it has worked so well for me.

For those of you unfamiliar with Weight Watchers here's a quick rundown: You get a daily points allowance based on gender, height, weight, age, activity level, and breastfeeding status (this is part of what attracted me to the program--they make extra allowance for breastfeeding to avoid compromising milk supply). Each food you eat has a points value. Staying within your allowed points should help you lose 1-2lbs. each week. I started off at 50 points per day, and am down to 38 since I weigh less and I'm no longer exclusively breastfeeding (if Benjamin weaned, I'd be down to 31 points per day).

I have lost a total of 34 pounds since I started the program in February. That puts me at 7 pounds below the weight I was when I got pregnant with Katie and just three pounds over what I weighed on our wedding day. My total weight loss has averaged slightly less than 1 pound per week (about 3.4 pounds per month) since I started. Fast would be nice, but I'm happy with slow and steady as long as I can keep it off!

As far as I'm concerned, the only real problem with Weight Watchers is that they put a large emphasis on eating reduced-fat foods and also recommend the use of artificial sweeteners. But, since there are no "forbidden foods", I have been able to ignore those recommendations and continue eating our normal "real food" diet while still using their PointsPlus system to lose weight.

My favorite aspect of the program is the unlimited fruits and veggies. My produce intake is definitely much high than it was before I started, and since fruits and vegetables are so important for your body to function well, this is a definite plus. I also love that there are no forbidden foods. This makes it easier to enjoy fellowship with other families without blowing the diet every time.

In my Weight Watchers post this past summer, I shared several more tips about making Weight Watchers work on a real food diet. If you are interested in the program or planning to sign up, you should check it out.

I'm curious--what do y'all do to get back in shape after having babies?

This post is linked to Works for Me Wednesday.

My Goals for 2012

2012-01-03T11:30:00.000-05:00

I have made a point of setting goals every year for the past several years. Most of the time I have accomplished some of them (last year, I accomplished half of the goals I set).

This year, I have made an effort to only set goals I have time for. After writing out my priorities and determining areas that needed to improve in each (as Crystal outlines here), I printed out a week-long schedule form and filled it in, leaving a couple hours each day for margin time (diaper blow-outs, extra nursing, reading more books to cute babies, etc.). I also consulted with my husband throughout my goal-setting process(what a blessing to have a godly man by my side!). He balances me out so well!

After that process, these are the goals I came up with. Barring any upheaval in our lives (or exhaustion from a pregnancy--which would be fine with me!), I think it's a reasonable expectation that all these goals are things I will accomplish this year.

Personal Growth:

-Read the Bible through chronologically following this plan

-Memorize a minimum of two Bible verses per week. I am planning to work through Psalm 119, though I don't think I'll finish it this year.

-Completely read one book per month besides the Bible and the books I'm studying for school.

-Continue losing weight. I have lost all the weight I gained while I was pregnant with Katie, plus a few pounds. I want to lose another 12 pounds this year.

-Strengthen my core and pelvic floor. I am going to start by working through this Postnatal Bootcamp 2 this month and next.

Marriage Goals:
-Get in a routine of regular date nights--at least once or twice per month. Ben's family is only half a mile down the road from us and they're willing to watch the children for us.
-Read a few books together.
-Have bi-monthly meetings to talk about family issues, our business, budget, etc.

Parenting Goals:
-Begin working through Sonlight's PreK 3-4 curriculum with Katie (she will be three in February)
-Work with Katie to memorize one catechism question each week
-Read at least one book to Benjamin each day (we read to Katie so much as a baby, but haven't been as good about reading to Benjamin, though he's often around when I read to Katie).
-Choose one habit each month to work on with each child. This will start after we get home.

Education Goals:
-Complete Vintage Remedies Family Herbalist program and upgrade to Holistic Wellness Professional program.

Homemaking:
-Systematically declutter our entire house using Flylady's method
-Choose one new "real food" project to tackle each month (some I have in mind: sourdough, sprouting grains, crispy nuts and making nut butters, and lacto-fermenting veggies/fruits).

Menu Plan, January 2-8

2012-01-02T07:00:00.000-05:00

Can y'all believe 2011 has come and gone and it's already January? The whole year really flew by for me--I think at least in part because Benjamin was born at the end of 2010.

I love beginning a new year. Ben, the kids, and I are visiting my parents this week, which is such a blessing. We arrived in Florida on Christmas Eve and we're planning to stay through Sunday, and leave reeeeeeally early next Monday morning.

One of my favorite things about visits with my parents is getting to plan and cook meals with Mom. We don't have a plan for lunches. Mom & Dad eat leftovers for lunch pretty often, and there's always stuff for smoothies around too. Here's what we have planned for this week:

Breakfasts:
Baked oatmeal x2
Blueberry Coffee Cake muffins
Baked Pull-Apart Pumpkin French Toast
Arepas with eggs, ham, and cheese
Huevos Rancheros

Dinners:
Grilled chicken, black eyed peas, cornbread, coleslaw
Mom's chicken tacos (recipe to come!), brown rice, black beans
Out to eat with Mom and the kids while Ben and Dad are at Bible study
Women's fellowship--Mom and I are bringing arepas, black beans, and cheesecake (YUM!)
Filet Mignon with Pepper Cream Sauce, mashed potatoes, green beans, salad
Dinner with friends (not sure what we're bringing yet)
Wedding
Sunday dinner--not sure what yet

What are y'all fixing this week? If you need some inspiration, be sure to check out OrgJunkie's Menu Plan Monday.

The ultimate fresh start

2011-12-31T21:57:00.000-05:00

I love having a fresh start. I love starting the work week on Monday morning after beginning the week with a refreshing Sabbath. I enjoy beginning new months and new seasons. I love going to bed at night knowing that, should the Lord continue to sustain my life, I will have a fresh start in the morning. And, I love starting a new year.

So often, I fail. I waste time. I snap at my children. I nag my husband. I burn the biscuits. I add too much liquid to bread dough and don't realize it until the rise cycle in the bread maker is done. While most days in my life gratefully go reasonably well, some days are just plain bad. Fallen, sinful creature that I am, I really do thrive on new beginnings--there's something so refreshingly splendid about having a clean slate to work with.

²³And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.
²⁴For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.
²⁵Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
²⁶A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
²⁷And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
~Ezekiel 36:23-27

Once upon a time, I was in rebellion against God. I always claimed to love Him, but my actions proved the opposite to be true: I hated Him. Inspite of myself, God graciously saved me, through faith in the work of Christ. He cleansed my filthiness and cut down my idols. He changed the desires of my heart so that I wanted to obey His law.

Salvation is the ultimate new beginning. From Hell to heaven, darkness to light. From hateful rebellion against God to loving submission. The Lord saved me about 8 1/2 years ago.

Since then, I've fallen more times than I can count. I fail in my obedience every day. But,

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

Like I said, I love having a fresh start. All around us, folks are talking about the beginning of a new year. They are full of hope as they write lists of resolutions. They want to change. They want a new beginning.

As you all consider the beginning of a new year, I want to encourage you all to examine yourselves.

Has your soul experienced the fresh start of salvation? If not, don't delay in repenting and believing the gospel of Christ, Who is indeed powerful and mighty to save. Are you serving the Lord faithfully with your life? If you are, consider what you can do to serve Him better, by His grace. If not, why?

Happy New Year to you all. I truly hope 2012 is your most fruitful and blessed year yet.

To my sweet Benjamin on your first birthday

2011-12-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

My dearest Benjamin,

Having grown up as an only child without any boys around (at least not at home), though I was thrilled, I wondered if I would know what to do with a boy when we found out your gender in the middle of my pregnancy. As you grew in my womb, and even more once I held you in my arms for the very first time (after a beautiful, peaceful home birth), I fell completely in love. It's hard to believe it's already been a year--and as much as I loved you then, without a doubt, I love you even more now.

You are an inquisitive little explorer. You're not walking yet (though you did take a step the other day--but you quickly fell down, primarily because of a lack of confidence, I think), but you can crawl quite fast and you cruise around a lot. And you love to climb--which puts you in interesting predicaments at times. Strangely, you are also always finding ways to pinch your fingers. Hopefully someday you'll learn to avoid this!

You are also a sensitive little man, often seeking the approval of others. And with your adorable smile, you usually get it. Sometimes your feelings get really hurt when you are reprimanded. Hopefully that means you won't need too many spankings! You love your big sister. It brings so much joy to my heart to see the two of you playing together. These days she helps me keep you out of trouble, but I bet one day you become a wonderful protector for her!

You don't say a whole lot of words yet (perhaps it's a boy thing?). Mostly, you says "Da-da" and more recently "Daaaaddy." Occasionally, you'll humor me and muster up a "Maaa-maa," which I love! You have also said "Doggie" and "Baba." You also like to point at things you want to see. And, when you raise your arms up signaling for me to hold you, it's really hard to resist!

You love to nurse and didn't start eating three solid meals per day until this fall. I am so thankful for all the good nutrition you've gotten through breast milk, and I wonder if that is part of the reason you have yet to get sick! You were much more attached to me than Katie was and still don't sleep through the night consistently (though you are getting there!). However, your laid back and sweet disposition and irresistibly adorable four-toothed smile adds so much sweetness to my days.

When I look at you, I am amazed to think that one day, Lord willing, you'll be a man. My prayer for you today and always is that you will repent and believe the gospel at a young age, and that you'll grow into a godly man (like your daddy, whose name you bear)--one fit to provide for and lead a family of your own in advancing Christ's Kingdom.

My firstborn son, I could not be more thankful that the Lord gave you to me. I love you more than words can even say.

With all my love,

Mama

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-22T14:38:00.000-05:00

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this."

~Isaiah 9:6-7

We hope you have a very blessed and joyful Christmas!

Bloggers wanted to review cloth diapering products

2011-12-09T20:21:00.001-05:00

As I've mentioned in the past, we started cloth diapering when Benjamin was just a couple weeks old. He is approaching his first birthday, and we're still at it. I love it and don't have any plans to go back to disposables! We just recently had a few diapers added to our stash, and now we have enough that Katie can use them too (she is mostly potty trained, but still sleeps in a diaper).

Here is an opportunity I thought some of you might be interested in.

Kebbie's Diaper Bag, an online cloth diaper store, is looking for cloth diapering Mommy Bloggers to review products. If you are interested, go here for more information.

Prioritizing housework when you're tired

2011-12-07T20:00:00.000-05:00

I became a mama in June of 2008 when Katie took up residence in my womb. Without a doubt, the last 3 and a half years have been the best years of my life. Bringing two precious little people into the world (Katie's birth, Benjamin's birth) and having the joy of being their mama has been an incredible, beautiful, amazing, sanctifying, awesome experience. I wouldn't trade life with my babies for anything!

But, I'd be lying if I said it was easy. Caring for a young family really is hard work. I have spent most days in this season of life in varying degrees of tiredness. These past 3 and a half years, I have gone through two pregnancies and labors/deliveries. I've lived through the newborn fog twice. I've either been woken by a baby kicking me in the bladder or one who wants to nurse for the vast majority of nights since becoming a mama. I look at my two-year-old running laps around the house and wish I had half of her energy.

So often, I excuse disorganization and messiness in our home because I'm tired, saying to myself that I will be a better homemaker in the "next" season of life, when I'm not pregnant/nursing/chasing toddler(s). But the other day, I had a thought:

We don't believe in birth control* and I'm only 21. There is a good chance that, in God's providence, this season of being tired will last another 20 years or more. Perhaps I should just accept it and try to do what I need to in spite of my sleepiness.

Thinking about this over the course of a few days was pretty motivating. In truth, I don't feel any less tired when I neglect my housework. I find that, more than being too tired to do the work I need to do around our house, most days I'm just too tired to feel motivated.

Lack of motivation is a lame excuse for not keeping our home with excellence. God has ordained that I be tired during this season of my life, and He has also commanded me to industriously keep our home for His glory and the benefit of my family.

I am definitely not saying that tired mommies of little ones shouldn't give themselves some slack (it's unlikely you'll come over this week and find me scrubbing baseboards, washing ceilings, or moving our big bookshelves to vacuum underneath them), but we still need to our best, even if that's not quite as good as it will be when we're beyond this season (and also have older children who can help us).

I have found that having a prioritized to-do list works really well for me right now. Keeping our bedroom and the kitchen clean and the clothes washed are pretty close to the top of the list. A quick bathroom swish & swipe every morning keeps our bathrooms looking clean enough in between deep cleanings. A 5 minute pick-up in the afternoon keeps the toy clutter down in the living room.

One of the best things about a prioritized to-do list is that it leaves plenty of space for me to drop what I'm enjoy my babies. I can read books or get down on the floor and play because the most important things on my list are done first.

Whoever said, "When you're a mother, the days are long and the years are short," was right. Rather than exhaustion and chaos defining this tiring season of life, I want it to be defined by God-honoring simplicity and treasured times with my babies.

How do y'all deal with doing what you need to do when you're tired most of the time?

*We believe that, barring some unusual situations, Christian couples should not try to avoid having children. In short, this is because God commands us to be fruitful and multiply and to take dominion. One of the best ways to take dominion is to raise up godly children to advance the Kingdom in the next generation. Since God promises to provide for all our needs, He can be trusted to plan our families well.

Menu Plan, December 5-11

2011-12-05T06:10:00.001-05:00

Hi, y'all! I've missed blogging, and am looking forward to getting back into the swing of things this week with a few posts. Thanks so much for sticking around during my time away. I just needed a break to refocus. My house and family still aren't perfect, but I think my perspective has changed a bit and I am working towards a more simple and organized life for my people.

I can't believe it's already December. This year has really flown by at lightening speeds. I'm attributing it to closing out last year by giving birth to Benjamin and spending a good chunk of this year in a sleep-deprived state. :)

Anyway, here's what I'm planning to cook this week.

Breakfasts:
Soaked baked oatmeal with apples, raisins, and carrots (which I promise is not as weird as it sounds--think carrot cake!)
Banana bread, scrambled eggs
Potato, spinach, bacon, egg, and cheese skillet

Lunches:
Leftovers
Smoothies (if we get a warmer day!)
Taco corn fritters (from the freezer), black beans

Dinners:
Church children's Christmas party
Sherrie's Aussie Chicken (this is SO good!), mashed sweet potatoes, salad
Baked nachos (with leftover shredded chicken instead of beef)
Potato soup (with cooked, crumbled bacon instead of ham and chicken broth instead of water/bullion)
Beef burritos on homemade tortillas
Homemade pizza
Dinner at the farm with Ben's family

What are y'all fixing this week? If you need some meal-planning inspiration, but sure to check OrgJunkie's Menu Plan Monday!

Life is a vapor

2011-11-08T09:00:00.000-05:00

"For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." ~James 4:14

Sitting around a fire with our family the other night, the question was posed: What would you do differently if you knew you only had two years left to live?

I listed some things I'd change and someone suggested that I ought to live my life the same way I'd live it if I knew when I would die. I've heard this before (who hasn't?), but for some reason, it really hit me this time.

And then again during Sunday's sermon, the same truth was discussed: You should live your life as one who is not promised another year, or even another day--because you're not.

I'm only 21. I go through my days assuming that I've got at least another 50-60 years left before my soul says farewell to my body. I probably have another 16-18 years to train Katie while she still lives with me at home, and even longer with my little man.

But, bad things happen to families because of the fall. Children bury their parents before they graduate high school. Sometimes, parents bury their children. And when tragedy strikes, it doesn't really matter what the chances were that it wouldn't happen.

While I know I'll never be perfect this side of eternity, I want to strive to live a life without regrets. I don't want to waste time on things that don't matter. I want to really live every day like it could be my very last.

I've been thinking about this a lot--not in a morbid way. I don't want to live worrying about when I'm going to die. But, I want to live purposefully and use my days in a way I wouldn't regret even if I did only have two years left. But, really, even if I have another 80 years left--why waste any of it?

All of this talk and thought is vanity if it doesn't effect any change. How will it look for me? I'm not exactly sure.

I've been working on a revamped time budget/schedule for myself with these kind of questions in mind:
::What would I teach my children if I knew I only had a year left with them?
::What kind of effort would I pour into my marriage if I knew when death would part us?
::How much time would I spend on facebook? (*gulp*)
::What necessary tasks would I streamline?
::What would I blog about?
::How much more effort would I spend studying Scripture and praying if I knew my face-to-face meeting with the Lord was imminent?
::What things would I forget about because they don't really matter that much?

By God's grace, I'm renewed in my determination to live my days out purposefully for His glory. You only get one chance at life. And then, like a vapor, you'll be gone.

What about your life would you change if you knew you would stand before God before the end of 2012?

Full hands, full heart

2011-11-01T20:49:00.001-04:00

Some people would describe me a "just" a housewife. I would venture to guess most of them have never been a homemaker before. (And, I'm guessing many of you are "Amen"ing in your mind!)

My hands are full. There is never a lack of thing to do--messes to clean, boo-boos to kiss, books to read, diapers to change, dishes to wash, laundry to fold, meals to cook, discipline to administer. My days are long, tiring, and beautiful. Even though I am occasionally tempted to complain about things, if I took an honest look at the life the Lord has blessed me with, I wouldn't have it any differently. It is the life I dreamed of and prayed for.

What else can I say? God is gracious. Ben and our children fill my life with such incredible joy. Truly, I could not ask for more. My hands are certainly full, but you should see my heart.

Thank you all for sticking around during a quieter season on my blog. I've been trying to find a balance with all the things that are vying for my time. I'm planning to be back to regular posting soon!