New Nostalgia

Anti-Procrastination Tuesday

2013-06-17T21:54:00.000-05:00

Goals Last Week:

~~Pack for all 3 girls--camp next week!~~

All laundry put away

Goals This Week:

Enjoy my husband during our kid free week

All laundry put away

Rescue my closet

Call basketball hoop installer

Last Week's Pin:

Homemade Hand Wipes From Clean Mama

Pin I Want To Implement This Week:

Same One!

I never got to it, but I REALLY want to do it...

Homemade Hand Wipes From Clean Mama

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Last Week's Most Clicked On Links:

How To Paint Laminate Furniture @ Classy Clutter

Standing Rigatoni Pie @ Nap Time Creations

Mason Jar Picnic @ Your Home Based Mom

China Town Fairy Garden @ Homework

What To Do With All Those Digital Photos @ Simple Home Managing

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Be Encouraged, Be Inspired & Get Something Done!

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ALSO, let's get to know one another.

It would be so nice to visit the linked post right before your own, and let them know you came from New Nostalgia's AP Tuesday!

Strengthening Our Daughter's Knee - Purposeful Living

2013-06-16T11:47:00.000-05:00

These posts written by Todd (Amy’s husband) are designed to model a system of purposeful living. At least once a month, he spends time setting meaningful goals around one of seventeen core priorities.

If you missed it, consider reading the foundation post – Purposeful Living #1.

Correct Priority

Priority #5 – Children (Physical Health)

Goal – March 2013

Assist my daughter Colsie in daily completing her physical therapy to strengthen and repair the damage in her knee.

Goal Status

Completed

UPDATED Thoughts About Goal – June 2013

After setting this goal in March I spent an entire week reminding Colsie in the kindest and most motivating manner I could muster that she needed to be doing her leg and knee strengthening exercises multiple times a day.

I offered to help her with her exercises, but she had no interest in this whatsoever. She gave me that “absolutely not” look. So I limited myself motivational reminders.

{Isn't she a cutie?}

It was a struggle most of that first week. She wasn’t in a habit of doing her exercises twice a day, didn’t like doing them, and lacked motivation. But my gentle reminders did result in her completing her exercises more frequently.

After a week of consistent exercising, Colsie returned to the physical therapist and received a report that she had made significant improvement. Her knee was healing and strength was improving in her leg.

Colsie was so excited at this report that she started doing her exercises four times a day instead of two and completed many more repetitions than was required. She no longer needed my encouragement and was working hard on her own. Each week of therapy her diagnosis continued to improve and at the end of April she was told her knee was back to full strength.

This is a big deal because she has been suffering from this injury for nearly a year and there was a general feeling through the first few weeks of therapy that things were not improving and more surgery might be needed.

I am proud of Colsie and the hard work she did to get better.

ORIGINAL Thoughts About Goal – March 2013

I purchased several volleyball training videos and had planned to use this time right now to work with my middle daughter Colsie on developing her volleyball skills to prepare for playing on a team this spring.

Instead she was diagnosed with a severe knee injury which will prevent her from playing sports of any kind for some time.

Since this diagnosis I tend to forget about it most nights. I depend on Colsie to find the motivation on her own to put in the work to get better. Reviewing my Correct Priorities list today I felt I needed to be much more active in motivating and working with her in strengthening her knee. I can transfer the time I was going to spend with her on volleyball to helping her get better.

Foundation Post

Build Your To-Do List Around Correct Priorities – Purposeful Living #1

Outline Of All Purposeful Living Posts

Purposeful Living Outline

Homemade Leather Conditioner & Protector

2013-06-15T12:58:00.000-05:00

I accidentally left my new leather wallet sitting on a baby wipe in my diaper bag. Because baby wipes are alkaline, it totally discolored my new wallet! I so wish I would have been motivated to whip up this homemade leather conditioner/protector BEFORE the fact. This recipe is super easy and keeps my leather looking fabulous.

Homemade Leather Conditioner & Protector Recipe
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 Tbsp beeswax

Combine olive oil and beeswax. Melt in the microwave 20 seconds at a time and stir in between. You can use it hot or at room temperature. I apply with a paper towel. Store in a cool, dark place. Shelf life is the expiration date of your 2 ingredients.

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Kendra blogs at Our Homemade Happiness and writes about all things homemade, especially cleaners, skincare & healthy eating.

Kendra Drake

Natural & Homemade Contributor

Kendra started her blog after her husband suffered from mono symptoms for over two years and his blood results showed some liver disease. Since the liver is responsible for filtering out chemicals and toxins from the bloodstream, she started to realize how many chemicals are in everything we buy, from processed food to household cleaners, lotion, and even air freshener. She has become inspired to rid her home of as many chemicals as she can, one product at a time, and write about it along the way.

You will love Kendra & all the great things she has to share!

You can follow Our Homemade Happiness here:

{Facebook}{Twitter}{Google+}{Pinterest}

Other Posts By Kendra at New Nostalgia:

The Oil Cleansing Method-100% Natural ...

Oven Roasted Veggies On Pasta

How to Clean A White Sink Without Bleach-a guest ...

Easiest Homemade Whole Wheat Bread--A Guest Post

Homemade & Healthy Lavender Lime Body Spray
How To Make Your Own Facial Toner
The Oil Cleansing Method-100% Natural ...

Easy Messy Updo

2013-06-14T09:07:00.000-05:00

As you can tell by the color of my hair, I did this Easy Messy Updo a few months ago before I was a redhead! It was date night and my natural curl was a bit nuts that day, so I needed something to tame it and make messy look good!

I have been a big fan of Kate from It's The Small Things blog, and had pinned one of her how-to hair videos on my How- To Hairstyles Pinterest board. I think her hair tutorial videos are the best on the web. She is a professional hairstylist with a great sense of style. Made sure you check out this page for an amazing assortment of hair style tutorials. She gave me the inspiration I needed to turn my mess into date- night- worthy hair.

{source}

My natural curl made this Messy Updo a breeze for me to do, and believe me, I embraced the MESSY and just let my natural texture have its way. If you do not have natural curl, do not worry. Click through and Kate will show and tell you exactly what to do! Enjoy and tell her Amy from New Nostalgia sent you over.

Healthy Homemade Onion Straws

2013-06-13T12:49:00.000-05:00

Every year we go out to eat for my husbands birthday, and every year he chooses the same restaurant because he loves their onion straws. We just celebrated his birthday (quite a few months late--been busy!) and he decided we go to the same restaurant, but only get onion straws as an appetizer, then head over to a different place for dinner. I was relieved as the place is a burger joint and I would much prefer the Blue Sushi and Sake Grill that we ended up at. It was a super fun night out with my sweet man! It was a stormy night, which made it quite fun and romantic. We drove an hour to Omaha to hang out in their downtown area, and ended the night at the best European dessert cafe called Delice, sitting next to a fireplace. So much fun.

We devoured our greasy, delicious onion straws and a fun fruit drink, and honestly I felt quite sick right away! I love onion straws, but my body is not used to the grease. I knew I would have to try and figure out how to make them minus the grease & stomach ache, and I have done just that!

I started by slicing my onion thin with one of my favorite kitchen tools--my mandoline. This is not necessary, as onions can be sliced thin easily with a knife...but take my word for it...if you get one of these you will eat more vegetables. I use my mandoline daily and it takes just minutes to slice up a whole bunch of vegetables. My kids love it when I slice apples with it...nice and thin!

I searched the web for some baked onion straw recipes, and came up with one of my own using them as a guide. My recipe is close to this recipe from Closet Cooking.

I thought I had bread crumbs, but I didn't. I decided to use the Triscuit Wheat crackers I had on hand ( I used Trader Joes brand) and it really gave them a good crunch & added some great fiber to the recipe. This is optional though...you can use regular bread crumbs, italian bread crumbs or panko crumbs.

The process was very easy, but messy. I used my hands to dip the onions. The mess really was no big deal and took just moments, but it kept me from taking pics of the process!

These were not greasy or overly salty like most onion straws you get at restaurants. They are full of flavor and nice and crispy, and really hit the spot without all the heaviness of your typical onion straws!

My family all ate them and loved them, and I will make them again for sure! My man was quite appreciative that I thought about him and took the effort to make a healthy version of one of his favs.

Healthy Baked Onion Straws

1 large onion, sliced thin
1 egg, beaten
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup crushed Triscuit type wheat crackers (I used a food processor for crushing) (or bread crumbs or panko crumbs)
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
1/2 tsp salt

Soak sliced onions in cold water for 10 minutes. In the meantime, get 3 bowls out. Beat egg in one bowl. Mix flour and baking powder in another bowl. Mix crushed cracker crumbs or bread crumbs and seasonings + salt in the 3rd bowl.

Spray or coat a baking pan in oil to prevent sticking. I used Earth Balance and spread it out over the pan.

Drain onions well. Dip in flour/baking powder mixture. Then dip in egg. Then dip in breadcrumb/seasoning mixture. Place on pan. It is ok if the onions are not entirely coated...they will crisp up.

Bake at 450 for 7-10 minutes. Watch closely as they can get too brown very quickly. Enjoy!

My Square Foot Garden Progress

2013-06-12T11:47:00.001-05:00

Square foot gardening is one of the BEST projects I have ever done. I cannot tell you how much joy it is to grow fresh herbs and vegetables with minimal amount of work! I have two, 4x2 feet garden beds along the side of my home. It is the only place other than our front yard that gets enough sun, so we were limited, but thanks to square foot gardening I can still grow an abundance of organic food for our family!

I built these beds 3 years ago, other than the initial work of building the beds and mixing "Mel's Mix" (the KEY to square foot gardening & my gardening success), square foot gardening is one of the easiest things I have done. There is NO weeding. Watering is minimal as the Mel's soil mix absorbs and retains moisture, and the only thing I do each season is add one bag of compost to each bed at before planting.

In this bed I have 4 tomato plants, 5 pepper plants, and a squash. Not bad for such a little space, huh?

My tomato plants are looking happy. I cannot wait for tomatoes straight from the garden!

My Avery was excited about this Patty Pan Squash plant. They look like little flying saucers! She has delighted in watching it grow.

Just 3 short weeks ago this squash plant was tiny with just a few little leaves. Now the leaves are as big as my head!

We eat a lot of bell peppers around here, so seeing the pepper plants flower makes me anticipate a great crop.

In my second bed, I have 2 types of lettuce, which is ready to harvest and will be replaced with swiss chard. I love using these greens in my green smoothies or juicing them. I also love going out right before dinner and snipping off a few leaves for a dinner side salad.

Beautiful leafy textures, showing off as light bounces off.

I grow a lot of basil every year. I use it in my simple spaghetti sauce, to make pesto, and my favorite...tomatoes on toast ,which is an easy version of bruschetta. I also use it in my creamy avocado dip, which is a $100 prize winning recipe, thanks to a contest I won with Avocados From Mexico.

Dill is one of my most favorite herbs. I use this on roasted potatoes and in quiche.

Rosemary is such an earthy and beautiful herb. We love it on roasted vegetables, especially roasted potatoes.

Parsley is an incredibly detoxifying herb. I am growing a lot of it and will use it in juicing and to flavor just about every dish I make.

Do you garden? What is your favorite thing to grow? Have you ever thought about square foot gardening?

This is the book I used. Best way to garden!

Click here to order, and I will get a small percentage.

Thank you!!

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Anti-Procrastination Tuesday

2013-06-11T09:02:00.003-05:00

Goals Last Week:

~~Minimalize Upstairs Landing Area (it is getting dangerous, people!)~~

~~Finish Closet~~

~~Be frugal. (was in a fender bender, never cheap!)~~

Goals This Week:

Pack for all 3 girls--camp next week!

All laundry put away

Last Week's Pin:

Use New Vitamix & take advantage of my Vitamix board!

Pin I Want To Implement This Week:

Homemade Hand Wipes From Clean Mama

Love that it uses a mason jar. Also tells how to make homemade baby wipes and cleaning wipes.

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Last Week's Most Clicked On Links:

GMO Product Codes To Look For @ Mother's Niche

3 Easy Steps To Fabulous Fashion @ A Mom In The Making

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Be Encouraged, Be Inspired & Get Something Done!

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ALSO, let's get to know one another.

It would be so nice to visit the linked post right before your own, and let them know you came from New Nostalgia's AP Tuesday!

Learning The Love Languages Of Children & Teens

2013-06-09T09:41:00.001-05:00

If you missed it, consider reading the foundation post – Purposeful Living #1.

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Correct Priority #5 – Children (Emotional Health)

Goal – June 2013

Formally identify the primary Love Language for each of my three girls.

Thoughts

I have assumed for a long time that I know the primary love language for each of my three girls, but realized recently that I am not certain about any of them.

Whether through a simple test or through conversation (or some other method), I am going to take time to more formally assess and identify the love languages of my girls.

Knowing the primary way my daughters feel loved is super important to me as I set goals every month to try to speak that language for them on a consistent basis. If I am making mistakes or missing the boat in this area with any of them, I want to figure this out.

Seeing as this is such a priority to me, I am thinking it makes sense to purchase and read the following two books which can best provide an overview of this topic. I don’t want to assume just because I have read the adult book that I fully understand how the Love Languages apply to children and teens.

The 5 Love Languages Of Children by Gary Chapman

The 5 Love Languages Of Teenagers by Gary Chapman

If you can’t tell, I am a huge fan of the book The Five Love Language: The Secret to Love That Lasts by Gary Chapman. There are a million marriage books out there, but this one may be my favorite.

The Five Love Language: The Secret to Love That Lasts by Gary Chapman.

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Foundation Post

Build Your To-Do List Around Correct Priorities – Purposeful Living #1

Outline Of All Purposeful Living Posts

Purposeful Living Outline

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{Try it for free, keep it for $9.95 a month}

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DIY Patterned Flats

2013-06-08T11:02:00.000-05:00

I love the look of striped and patterned flats for spring! But I did NOT want to pay $50-100 for a pair of shoes from Madewell or Toms. So when I saw some white flats at Walmart for $5, I decided to create my own! Here’s how I did it:

1// Using masking tape, create a striped pattern on your shoes. I used ½ inch artists tape because it peels off so easily but you can use whatever you have on hand.

2// Grab a black Sharpie marker. I used Stained by Sharpie fabric markers but again you can use whatever permanent markers you have.

3// Start creating a triangle pattern. They definitely do not have to be perfectly equal or even triangles but it helps to draw down to use your tape to keep them in a straight line.

4// As you work your way down the front of the shoe, you can move the tape with you so that all of the triangles are straight and at least the same length.

5// Once the pattern is finished, color the trim of the shoe black to help give it a finished look.

6// Repeat for the second shoe. If you’re watching something to help pass the time, be careful not to mess up your pattern. As you can see, I got a little distracted. Whoopsies!

An easier and much less time consuming pattern is a simple doodled stripe.

1// Just like the last pattern, you’ll tape an evenly spaced striped pattern on your shoes.

2// This time I also continued the stripe around the sides and back of my flats.

3// With a colored or black Sharpie, practice doodling on a sheet of paper to decided how solid and dark you want your stripe to be. Since my shoes were worn, I wanted the stripe to be a little more casual and left my lines pretty light and open-spaced.

4// Begin doodling in between the tape spaces. I would start light – you can always go back and darken the pattern.

5// When you’re done, peel off the masking tape to reveal your striped design.

6// I left the trim of my flats white, but you could also color them in to give it a more finished look.

Finished!

This was so easy that I’d love to create a few more pairs.
What would be some other cute designs to try? Share your ideas below!

Laurie Cosgrove

Art & DIY Contributer

Laurie is a graphic artist and the author of Beauty Divine Design where she posts on everything from design trends and tutorials to her random daily life. She has such a way with beauty, and her taste is divine!

Laurie also is the founder of Beauty Divine Design company which focuses on providing photographers with design templates. Click here to visit her shop.

You can follow Beauty Divine Design here: {Facebook} {Twitter} {Pinterest}

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More posts written by Laurie at New Nostalgia:

~Simple Decorative Vases

~DIY Ampersand Pillow

~DIY Layered Necklaces

~DIY Magnet Photo Holders

Dreamy Coconut Bites

2013-06-07T09:23:00.000-05:00

Once a month, the first Sunday of every month, my in laws have the whole family over for what we call "Pizza Sunday." There are usually at least 6 adult couples, who all have at least 3 children whose ages range from 3-21. It is a day my family looks forward to every month. The family fellowship is sweet and my in-laws have made their home an absolute haven for the grand kids. They have a pool, basket ball hoops, tether ball, volleyball, a play set & a nice big yard. Inside they have a pool table, pinball machine, arcade game, video games and a play room. My kids never want to leave Grandma's house!

The adults sit around and have great conversation while we eat. We then enjoy watching the kids play and swim, sit around and relax with magazines, chatting in between pages. It is so awesome. I can't tell you how blessed I feel to truly love and enjoy all of my in-laws.

My Mother-in-Law orders a bunch of pizzas, makes a big healthy salad, and puts out some fruit and a few appetizers. She usually has a couple different desserts, and sometimes asks us if we would mind bringing desserts. This last pizza Sunday she asked a few of us to bring a dessert to share. I know she is a huge fan of coconut, so I searched my pinboards for something sweet with coconut in it. I found the perfect recipe.

The recipe is originally called Coconut Crack Bars via Chocolate Covered Katie. I can see why...they are addicting. But I decided to name them something a little less harsh, especially since they are made with pretty wholesome ingredients. I also took the liberty to add chocolate chips to the recipe. Yum!

These are no-bake and take just minutes to whip up in your food processor. They are vegan, but were very well- received by both vegans and non-vegans in the family. If you are a coconut lover, you must try them! I will be making this recipe again and again.

Enjoy!

Dreamy Coconut Bites

1 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened) (80g)
1/4 cup honey (or agave nectar if want to keep vegan)
2 tbsp virgin coconut oil
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips (my fav vegan brand, dairy, nut and soy free - click here)

Combine all ingredients in a food processor. (Perhaps you can mix by hand if you don’t have a food processor, but I haven’t tried.) Squish into any small container (I used a 7×5) and fridge for an hour before trying to cut. (Or freeze for 15 minutes.) Can be stored in the fridge or freezer, for at least a few weeks.

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Are you a coconut lover? Here are a few more recipes from NN with coconut in them!

Coconut Crusted French Toast

Honey Whole Wheat Muffins with Coconut Butter
No Bake, No Sugar Chocolate LaraBar Truffles
Coconut Chicken (or Beef) Curry with Noodles
Raspberry Bliss Bars

Leaving A Legacy For My 3 Girls - Find The Gifts

2013-06-05T10:02:00.001-05:00

As a 2-time cancer survivor, I look at life with tangible knowledge that life could end at any given moment. None of us know how long we have here on this earth. This legacy series to my 3 girls...my lovelies... is my way of attempting to leave a legacy for them. To speak of what is most important for them to know from me, their forever Mom.

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{25.00 printable from Breazy Tulip}

Hello Lovlies,
It is June 2013 and you are all three home for the summer. I can't tell you how much I have enjoyed having you all home. Honestly, in past summers I had to adjust to a house full, but not this summer. This summer I am reveling in the moments, and I love watching all three of you just be who you are throughout the day. I am so proud to be your Mom...and so thankful for you.

I wanted to share with you how I have discovered how to live this verse.

I Thessalonians 5:16-18
Rejoice evermore.
Pray without ceasing.
In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

I remember reading this verse when I was younger and thinking...how? HOW IN THE WORLD does one rejoice evermore, pray always, & give thanks for everything?

But I have learned.

I have learned that rejoice evermore is so not a fake smile and a pretending to be happy at all times. It is a deep joy, that even in life's hardest moments we have hope of heaven & the knowledge that God loves us, more than we can even fathom.

I have learned how to pray without ceasing. It is just an ongoing conversation, a relationship with God and an acknowledgement of Him in your day. You don't always have to be on your hands and knees, although there are times for that. Most of the time it is just heart whispers between me and my Creator. Sometimes just one word. Like, "Help." If you are in relationship with someone, you are aware of their presence. Become aware that He is with you always, ready to listen, totally understands it all, and loves you, loves you, loves you.

I have learned what it looks like to give thanks for everything. Does that mean I do it all the time? No. But I get what it means and have experienced the freedom and peace that it brings, which is so very beautiful. I get why God tells us to do this. And...I believe it is the key to living this entire verse.

I read Ann Voskamp's book, One Thousand Gifts, and it changed me. She encourages you to count gifts throughout your day. From the big--like health & home; to the seemingly small--like a smile from a stranger. She asks you to start making a list. I did just that on this blog in my One Thousand Gifts series, and even made it to 1,000.

Here is what I learned:

~When you start to list gifts, your eyes are opened to the many, many gifts you would have missed otherwise. I found myself rejoicing in awe at a seed that becomes a plant, or the specks of green in your eyes that match mine, or a curl resting on your cheek. Noticing the things I usually would not notice brought great joy. This is how I am learning to "rejoice evermore."

~When you list gifts, it starts to become part of your thinking, and you find yourself giving thanks in everything, even the hard moments. You remember how God was faithful in previous hard moments, as you looked for what to be thankful for within them. You know He is faithful and will do it again. He shows us the most precious parts of Himself and our need for Him in those hard moments. Without them, we would not need Him. This is how to be thankful for the hard. This is how to "give thanks in everything."

~When you list the gifts, you form a heart of thanksgiving, and when you are offering up thanksgiving, you are praying. This is often how I find myself "praying without ceasing."

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It is not always easy to have a thankful heart, God understands that. But strive for one. I can't tell you how much this has helped me in life, and I know it will help you too.

I Love You Mor'n,
Mom

Anti-Procrastination Tuesday

2013-06-03T20:54:00.000-05:00

Goals Last Week:

Minimalize Upstairs Landing Area

Rescue My Closet (starting to get messy in there!)

~~Have an 'eat from pantry/freezer' week. (Grocery budget is shot end of month!)~~

Goals This Week:

Minimalize Upstairs Landing Area (it is getting dangerous, people!)

Finish Closet

Be frugal. (was in a fender bender, never cheap!)

Last Week's Pin:

Teaching Kids To Help With Laundry via I Dream Of Clean

(we are well on our way of having my 13 & 12 year old do their own laundry.)

Pin I Want To Implement This Week:

I want to implement an entire Pinterest board this week...my Vitamix board!

I have been forever saving my Amazon bucks (that I earn thanks to you clicking on Amazon links & making purchases here at New Nostalgia) and FINALLY got to purchase a Vitamix! I have been dreaming of owning one for years. It comes in the mail today!

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Have You Checked Out Our Giveaway?

It is 4...FOUR! Personalized Vintage Dictionary Pendant Necklaces from Krafty Kash

Click here to enter.

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Last Week's Most Clicked On Links:

Best Baby Shower Gift Ever @ UnOriginal Mom

Vanilla Cashew Cream @ Good Girl Gone Green

Why I Quit Drinking and Why You Might Not Have To @ Dude, Sustainable

DIY Foot Soak @High Heals & Training Wheels

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Be Encouraged, Be Inspired & Get Something Done!

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ALSO, let's get to know one another.

It would be so nice to visit the linked post right before your own, and let them know you came from New Nostalgia's AP Tuesday!

Top Health Tips From Pinterest

2013-06-03T10:18:00.000-05:00

Pin It

These are some top health pins from Pinterest. Pinterest is a great way to get inspired when it comes to health. Are you following my health boards? Please do! Click here.

via Live, Love, Fruit

1. Get your iron from plant foods. Plant foods are a great way to get iron. Especially seeds like chia and hemp. Iron in meat comes with cholesterol and calories. Iron in seeds and plant foods/vegetables come with a whole host of amazing-ness for your body. Anti-oxidants, phytochemicals & they are low calorie, too!

Here is a list of other plant foods high in iron:

1. Pumpkin seeds: 2 tbsp. = 8.6 mg

2. Spinach: 1 cup = 6.4 mg

3. Pine nuts: 2 tbsp. = 5.2 mg

4. Hemp seeds: 4.7 mg per 100 grams

5. Swiss chard: 1 cup = 4 mg

6. Figs: 10 figs = 4 mg

7. Sunflower seeds: 2 tbsp. = 3.8 mg

8. Parsley: 1 cup = 3.7 mg

9. Tomatoes: 1 cup = 3.4 mg

10. Coconut: 3.4 mg per 100 grams

11. Potatoes: 1 large = 3.2 mg

12. Beets & Beet greens: 1 cup = 2.7 mg

13. Sweet peas: 1 cup = 2.5 mg

14. Chia seeds: 1 oz. = 2.2 mg

15. Almonds: 2 tbsp. = 2 mg

16. Sprouts: 1 cup = 2 mg

17. Apricots: 10 apricots = 2 mg

18. Bok choy: 1 cup = 1.8 mg

19. Collards: 1 cup = 1.5 mg

20. Kale: 1 cup = 1.2 mg

21. Grapes: 1 cup = 1.2 mg

22. Broccoli: 1 cup = 1.1 mg

23. Avocado: 1 avocado = 1 mg

24. Brussels sprouts: 1 cup = 0.9 mg

25. Bananas: 1 banana = 0.5 mg

via New Nostalgia

2. Prepare smoothie ingredients ahead of time. These Ziploc Freezer Smoothie Bags are one of the most popular posts here at New Nostalgia and have been pinned on pinterest thousands of times. When I have a freezer full of these, even my kids can grab one and go straight to the blender. So fast and convenient.

via New Nostalgia

3. Drink your way to weight loss! I made this great recipe after I saw a similar one on the Dr. Oz show. He featured a recipe for Tangerine Mint Green Tea as part of a series of foods that help one lose weight. He called it Tangerine "Weight-Orade." It is another post of mine that has gone viral on pinterest, being pinned over and over. Thank you for that!

via Healthy Living How-To

4. Take a detox bath. This is a great article on detox baths and all the benefits of them. I personally take an epson salt/detox bath at least once a month, and did them a lot more often after I had radiation. I feel a huge difference in my energy level the following day, but I always make sure to take them right before bed as they make me VERY relaxed & sleepy.

via Meals And Moves

5. Know which fruits and veggies retain the most pesticides. I refer to this list often, especially when I am buying fruits and vegetables for juicing and green smoothies.

via Dr. Joel Fuhrman

6. Read this book! My husband and I just finished reading Dr. Joel Fuhrman's Eat To Live book. It is one of the most impactful books I have ever read on eating and health. It is life changing and simply spelled out what to eat and why. Dr. Fuhrman encourages you to eat foods with high nutrient density. The above graphic is an eye opening list of foods. Plant foods rock!

via Pinterest

7. Join this site. Last but not least, a site I have just learned about and am very excited about is Gaiam TV. It is unlimited viewing of hundreds of yoga, health and fitness videos. Exercise anytime, anywhere, with NO COMMERCIALS. There is a free trial going on now, and you can continue on for $9.95 a month. Much cheaper than a gym membership and so worth it when it comes to your health! If you click the link and sign up, I will get a small referral percentage. Thanks for looking!

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Would love to have you Follow My Health Board At Pinterest

Physical Health Comes Eighth - Purposeful Living

2013-06-02T18:31:00.000-05:00

If you missed it, consider reading the foundation post – Purposeful Living #1.

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Correct Priority

Priority #8 – Physical Health

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor god with your body.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Being physically healthy is not the most important element of personal health. In fact, among the five core elements of personal health (spiritual, emotional, social, mental, physical), I have placed physical health last on the list. In my list of priorities, I have it as number eight.

I view all personal health first through the lens of how effectively it enables us to be in proper relationship with others. God has called us to love our people, and being a healthy person better enables us to love people.

In the specific area of physical health, I know many people who are overweight or sick, yet are able to have profound positive impact in the lives of others because they are spiritually and emotionally healthy.

With this caveat out of the way, it is still extremely important and there are many benefits to being physically healthy, and that is why it is number eight on my list of correct priorities.

Having stamina and energy to fully engage with people and with life is a benefit. Living as many years as possible to care for and enjoy family and friends is a benefit.

I imagine someone who is extremely sick, debilitated, or battling a life-threatening illness would give just about anything to regain physical health. I watched my wife fight cancer, and I saw this first hand. A healthy body is precious gift. It is something to be valued and cared for.

In addition to personal benefits, we have a responsibility and a duty to be physically healthy. Our bodies are the dwelling place of God and He desires that we care for them.

For me, physical health includes the components listed below.

Weight

Nutrition

Sleep

Aerobic Conditioning

Strength Training

Like many people, I am doing well in some areas of physical health, okay in other areas, and poorly in a few areas.

Future posts will detail where I am currently in regards to physical health, goals to improve, and hopefully details about how I have managed to improve my physical health.

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Foundation Post

Build Your To-Do List Around Correct Priorities – Purposeful Living #1

Outline Of All Purposeful Living Posts

Purposeful Living Outline

Do You Sprout?

2013-06-01T10:00:00.002-05:00

by Teniel Moore, Raw Foods Contributor

Sprouting is one of the cheapest, simplest and most nutritious foods you can eat. My favourite things to sprout are lentils, buckwheat, quinoa & mung beans. These have never failed me.

I know lots of people that do not sprout nuts and seeds simply because they think its too hard and don't know where to start.

Well why sprout you may ask?

Soaking softens the skin and begins the sprouting process, also soaking makes it so much easier for your body to digest the grains or seeds. Gas causing enzymes in legumes are released into the soaked water. (make sure to discard the soaking water)

When you sprout it truly increases the amount of nutrients in the food compared to the dried grain/nut/legume. When you sprout the vitamins minerals and protein increase.

And also the calories and carbohydrate content decrease. So its a win win all around.

So now I've told you how super nutrient dense and good for you sprouting is, let's find out how to do it.

What you will need:

~ Organic grain or legume of choice

~ A sterile large glass bottle with some fine mesh cloth to cover, or nut milk bag or sprouting jar

~Filtered water for soaking

So lets get started.

Soak your grain or legume in a large glass bowl or jar with heaps of filtered water. Cover and let sit on bench overnight. If you remember, its best to change thesoaked water at least once or twice. But this is not crucial.

The next morning you will need to drain the grains or legumes and rinse well. Drain the water away. Place them into your sprouting jar you have chosen to use pop a breathable cover over the top. You can use an elastic band to hold in place and set up on an angle to make sure all the water strains away. If you buy a proper sprouting jar it will have an attachment that lets the jar sit up on an angle.

These are mung bean sprouts soaked then rinsed and ready to sprout.

Now all you need to do is repeat the rinsing every 8 hours making sure to drain well each time.

What I usually do is this:

~First rinse in the morning, then do another that night.

~Repeat again in the morning and again at night.

On the second or third day of doing this you will see gorgeous little sprouts growing. You can keep doing this process until you get the sprouts the length you like. It should take no longer than a few days. Once done do a final rinse and very good drain and store in the fridge. They will last around 3 days in the fridge.

These are mung bean sprouts after 3 days ready to eat or you could leave them another day if you like.

Here is some sprouted buckwheat. So easy to do and they grow the cutest little tails. I then dehydrate the buckwheat till it goes crunchy and add it raw cereals.

Its great to add texture and crunch to the top of a smoothie. I also make my own buckwheat flour by grinding the buckwheat up in coffee grinder. Then I have wonderful sprouted buckwheat flour ready to use in cooking.

Lentils and mung bean sprouts are great to snack they are crunchy and delicious. Throw them in salads on top of raw crackers and even in a green smoothie!

Mixed spouted salad.

Mixed sprouted salad recipe

A selection of mixed sprouts and legumes

Mix in some crunchy almonds (soaked and dehydrated if you can)

A generous drizzle of organic olive oil or organic flax seed oil

Pinch of Himalayan salt

Cracked pepper

Generous sprinkle of cumin powder

Generous sprinkle of cinnamon

Generous sprinkle of garlic powder

Generous drizzle of coconut nectar or maple syrup for sweetness

Generous sprinkle of kelp seasoning granules (optional)

Squeeze of lemon juice

Mix well and enjoy. Best eaten straight away.

Raw Foods Contributor

You can follow her here:

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An Amazing Giveaway From Krafty Kash -$84 Value!

2013-05-31T10:30:00.001-05:00

You are going to love today's giveaway. It is from Krafty Kash and it is FOUR Personalized Vintage Dictionary Word Pendant Necklaces. An $84.00 value!

The personalized dictionary necklaces will have your favorite word in a pendant that is hand clipped from a Vintage Dictionary. This is the perfect gift for friends, but make sure you keep one for yourself.

Speaking of gifts, my girls were delighted when I told them that Kashoan from Krafty Kash was allowing them to choose their very own word for their very own Krafty Kash Dictionary Word Pendant Necklace. It was so much fun sitting around with them as they brainstormed what word they wanted. I love what each of them chose, so fitting for each of their personalities.

My Teagan chose the word "RELAX" This made me smile so. She is 13 and has all the typical worries that we all do, but are amplified during the teen years. Her necklace will remind her to take a deep breath, relax & know everything is going to be ok. I love that it is a word with meaning, but still has a cool edge to it. This is my Teagan. Deep but with style. What a cutie.

My Colsie spent a long time trying to decide on a word. She spent a lot of time on the Krafty Kash site and looked through all the pendents. When she saw you could get just an initial, she decided that is exactly what she wanted. She chose the letter "C" for Colsie. Such a sweetie, so relieved to find one. I think the assortment of amazing-ness on the Krafty Kash site was a bit much for her little brain and she chose something simple, which is perfect for her. She is my simple girl-- content with what she has, likes organization, straightforward and genuine.

My Avery girl...oh her sweet word. She came to me and said "I have the perfect word." When she told me what it was, my heart just overflowed. She chose "FORGIVE." How precious is that? She is my little Jesus lover. She is 9 but has been in a love relationship with God since she was a wee one. Just yesterday we were at the mall and when we entered her favorite accessory store, she was on a mission. She had her purse around her with her own money in it. I was curious as to what she was looking for. She stood in the purchase line with a triumphant smile on her face & showed me what she found. She found cross earrings to go with her necklace. Precious girl.

What a fun experience for my girls. I am so thankful to Kashoan from Krafty Kash for being so thoughtful of them AND so generous.

Let me tell you a little about Kashoan. She describes herself as "just a dorky mom pursuing her dream" {smile} but she is so much more than that. I have the privilege of knowing her in person. Our kids go to school together, we follow each other on Facebook and instagram. We have not had a ton of time in real life together, until recently when we were both workshop presenters at the Jumping Tandem Retreat. I knew she was special as I have purchased a few of her necklaces, and her customer service is the best I know. I also knew she was special as I watch her family on instagram and there is just such love and genuineness about them. But having some time with her in person is what really opened my eyes to the joy that she is.

{we are both gingers!}

I sat next to her in the "speakers lounge" at the retreat. We presenters have to be "on" quite a bit, talking to many people. We also were all tired from the prep goes into our presentations. The speakers lounge gave a bit of respite from all of that, and that is exactly what I felt sitting next to her. Calm, relaxed, & at peace. She brings peace. We sat there, heads leaned back resting on the back of our chairs, chatting like we have known each other forever, but comfortable with the silences, too, as people who have known each other a long time are. Yes, she is a gift to know, and I'm so excited to introduce her to all of you!

Make sure you check out her beautiful shop Krafty Kash. She makes bracelets, rings & more. She even uses Scripture. When I was fighting cancer, I bought a pendant with a Scripture verse that says "Fear Not.." Make sure you sign up for this awesome giveaway!

Krafty Kash

{Site} {FB} {Twitter} {Pinterest} {Blog}

"Kraft Kash designs. Hand crafted, one of a kind, jewelry from Vintage Dictionary, Map, Bible & Sheet Music. Boutique styling in every necklace. Perfect fashion accessory, bridesmaid gift, 'just because', must have for your jewelry box. Each pendent is individually made and unique, made exclusively for you! Each word comes from a Vintage Dictionary, Atlas, Bible or Sheet Music and is carefully hand clipped for your individual necklace. No reproductions, no copies."

One last thing. For New Nostalgia readers, Krafty Kash is giving 20% off your total order! Use the coupon code New20 when ordering. This expires June 8, and does not apply to her Hope Necklace.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Minimalizing My Teen Daughter's Room

2013-05-30T11:12:00.000-05:00

My teenager is 13 and is very artsy and creative. She finds beauty in all things and I love learning from her point of view. I knew minimalizing her room would be a balance. I want to respect her artistic eye and creativity, and allow her to keep things that make her happy and feel at home in her own space in this great big world!

But...her room was becoming a health hazard! Keeping all things that are beautiful to her eye quickly ends up in clutter. Plus she is your typical girl teen that loves makeup and girly stuff. I had to get creative with how to corral all of this type of stuff so we can get in there to even dust!

I did her room while she was at school (much more peaceful that way if you know what I mean!) but kept reminding myself to respect her stuff. The items I thought she could get rid of I placed in a small bin and had her go through it when she got home. When she was younger, I would just get rid of stuff on the sly, and she never knew. Now that she is older I want to respect who she is and keep trust in our relationship, so I made sure I didn't get rid of anything but trash....which really cleared up the room!

We will start with some "before" pics so you can appreciate the "after." {smile}

We only have 2 bathrooms and the 2nd is very small and upstairs, so Teagan gets ready in her room. The mirror area is where she does her makeup/hair. By having her desk so close to this area, it constantly was being used as a catch all instead of for homework or getting creative. I knew we needed to remedy this problem.

Under her bed? 90% of it was trash. Easy to clean up. I also grabbed a bed frame that was in our garage that sits quite high so sweeping under her bed is now a breeze. It is high enough to see under from the door so I will know if things start getting stuffed under there. {smile}

Ok, enough before pics. Here is what I did with her desk. I moved it over to a different wall, away from her beauty area. She now uses it for her duct tape business, creating & studying. Do you love how she made a smiley face on her plant pot? That made me smile.

I topped her desk with things that I knew were important to her. The beaded elephant was her special purchase from Disney. The white pot she made herself. The wooden piggy bank she also made in shop class at school. Her little water fountain is a fun touch to the room. Those baskets hold crafting supplies. Isn't the stool cute? She painted that one day & I just love it.

See how high up her bed is now? Very helpful for keeping it clean. I put her table and lamp right by the bed and a little catch- all bowl. Right now it has packages of gum and mints in it.

If I would have taken "before" pics of this area, you would see all kinds of stuff (scarves, necklaces, whistles) hanging from those shutters. I couldn't stand the clutter so I found creative ways to deal with those things, which I will share later in the post. I did allow her to keep her Roo's hanging there.

Oh if only you could have seen the "before" of these shelves. It looked very much like the "before" of her desk. I found those plastic drawer organizers on sale at Target for 2 bucks each. So perfect for all the little things my girl values but has no place for. Can you see her creative brain working on the top of the bookshelves?

The little wooden sticks in the bottom left corner with goggly eyes belonged to her Great Grandpa. I love how special they are to her...she is the perfect person to cherish such a fun and quirky object. She made the gargoyle in clay class, and drew the dragon a couple years ago. In that box is her wand from Harry Potter World. All things that matter to her.

She has a business called Twisted Tape. These two shelves hold her tape and inventory. There are cabinets under these shelves that hold her mailing supplies.

I had to get a system for her accessories. They were just scattered and made dusting impossible. I brought in little platters, one for bracelets, one for rings, one for bobby pins and hair elastics. I took a good look what made up the bulk of her clutter and made little homes for those items.

I took my own advice from my post 14 Ways To Organize A Bedroom, and used #2 to organize her 10 scarves. I also used the idea of #7 and put a tension rod across the bottom shelf of her bookshelf where her necklaces now hang. I didn't get a photo, but both have been working really well!

It is helpful to use platters to corral beauty products, too. I'm so glad I had these on hand. Garage sales and thrift stores are great for finding these.

I only allow one collection displayed per girl. This is Teagan's snow globe collection. She has been collecting since she was itty bitty. Also a couple clay pots she made in school when she was younger.

More containers to organize her makeup. I did her room a few weeks ago these little containers make the world of difference. She has been able to keep her room quite clean...and if it does get messy, she knows exactly where to put things. Everything has a home in her room now.

The finished product. She was happy with it and ended up getting rid of most of the stuff in the bin. I would not call her room minimal, but it is organized and she feels happy when in there, and it is no longer a health hazard!

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More of my Minimalizing Series:

Minimalizing My Living Room

Minimalizing My Dining Room

Minimalizing My Sunroom

My Big Fail While Organizing and Minimalizing

Rescuing My Stairs and A Hot Spot

Minimalizing My Hall Closet and Drawers

14 Ways To Minimalize A Bedroom

Minimalize and Get Organized

2013-05-29T12:32:00.003-05:00

We are halfway through a minimalizing series here at New Nostalgia. I have loved every minute of it...truly! I cannot tell you the difference it is making in our home. I have done the below spaces, plus 2 teen rooms, my lil' ones room, my room & our kitchen. I have yet to put those posts together for you, but I can't wait to share with you! I also can't wait to show you our landing are upstairs. It has become the catch all place, and it is a danger zone! A complete wreck. But..the rest of the house is looking great and I will get area at the very last.

It is summer break and I actually feel like I am on break! REALLY. I am not spending my days clearing clutter, dusting clutter, putting away clutter thanks to the work I put in the last few weeks. Now I am on a slow pace now that most of the house has been done. We have taken 3 jeep loads of stuff to the local Goodwill and I have about one more left. I can't believe we had that much stuff as I am one who gets rid of stuff quite regularly. But, when looking at things in my house through a minimalist eye, asking myself.."do I really want to dust this?" "Do I love this enough to deal with it on a daily basis?".. it really makes a difference in what I keep and what I don't. This also applies to what I buy. Even if it is on sale, is it important enough and special enough to take my precious time on this earth dealing with it? Yeah, sales seem less appealing now, for sure.

My Minimalizing Series-we are halfway there!

Minimalizing My Living Room

Minimalizing My Dining Room

Minimalizing My Sunroom

My Big Fail While Organizing and Minimalizing

Rescuing My Stairs and A Hot Spot

Minimalizing My Hall Closet and Drawers

14 Ways To Minimalize A Bedroom

Some posts on organization:

Organize Your Measuring Cups and Spoons

Egg Carton Earring Organization

Organizing And Storing My Spices

Organizing Our Refrigerator

10 Minute Freezer Organization

How A Minimalist Eye Simplifies Cleaning

How To Keep Your House Picked Up

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Today, Wednesday May 29 at 2 EST Joshua Becker is hosting an #unclutter twitter chat including:

Joshua Becker from Becoming Minimalist. Author of Simplify.
Courtney Carver from Be More with Less. Co-author of Clutterfree alongside Leo Babauta.
Mandi Ehman from Life Your Way. Author of Easy. Homemade.
Laura Wittmann from I’m an Organizing Junkie. Author of Clutter Rehab.
The Nester from The Nesting Place
and me!

I'm in good company, huh?

Do you follow New Nostalgia on Twitter? I'd love for you to come find me at @MyNewNostalgia.

I'd REALLY love for you to come join our chat today, and if you have something specific to ask me, make sure you include @mynewnostalgia in our tweet and the hashtag #unclutter and I will see it and talk to you! Here is more information.

3 Sites To Know About

2013-05-29T09:30:00.000-05:00

Won't you join me in saying hello to our 3 Sponsors this month?

I so appreciate their support and would love for you to know them!

Clean Mama Printables

{Shop} {Blog} {FB} {Twitter} {Pinterest}

Original and organization documents that help you take the *Work* out of organizing your life. Looking for a little guidance or a lot, Clean Mama Printables has something special to get your home in order with a stylish & simple method. Make sure you check out Clean Mama's Facebook page. I follow her on Facebook and can't tell you how many times her updates & encouragement keeps me on track!

Toby & Max

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Toby & Max jewelry has been a place of inspiration and hope for over 30 years. Her jewelry is beautiful and give messages of hope, healing, love, friendship, happiness & motivation. There is something for everyone--Sterling, Pewter and Solid Bronze jewelry all hand stamped and made in America. I have loved having Toby & Max as such a faithful sponsor here at New Nostalgia, and I know you will love it too!

Krafty Kash

{Site} {FB} {Twitter} {Pinterest} {Blog}

Kraft Kash designs. Hand crafted, one of a kind, jewelry from Vintage Dictionary, Map, Bible & Sheet Music. Boutique styling in every necklace. Perfect fashion accessory, bridesmaid gift, 'just because', must have for your jewelry box. Each pendent is individually made and unique, made exclusively for you! Each word comes from a Vintage Dictionary, Atlas, Bible or Sheet Music and is carefully hand clipped for your individual necklace. No reproductions, no copies.

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Thank you for taking the time to look at our sponsors. Their support of this site is really amazing!!

Anti-Procrastination Tuesday

2013-05-28T08:13:00.001-05:00

Goals Last Week:

~~Minimalize Avery's Room~~

~~Wash blankets/sheets~~

~~Work on inbox~~

Goals This Week:

Minimalize Upstairs Landing Area

Rescue My Closet (starting to get messy in there!)

Have an 'eat from pantry/freezer' week. (Grocery budget is shot end of month!)

Last Week's Pin:

2 Ingredient Vegan Chocolate Fudge Frosting

(have not made yet, but lil' one is DETERMINED to make it today.)

Pin I Want To Implement This Week:

Teaching Kids To Help With Laundry via I Dream Of Clean

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Last Week's Most Clicked On Links:

20 Things To Do With Your Kids This Summer @ Make Something Daily

How Safe Is Your Sunscreen? @ Small Footprint Family

A Chemical Free Toilet is a Happy Toilet @ My Lamp Is Full

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Be Encouraged, Be Inspired & Get Something Done!

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ALSO, let's get to know one another.

It would be so nice to visit the linked post right before your own, and let them know you came from New Nostalgia's AP Tuesday!

Banana Bread Waffles With Cinnamon- Brown Sugar Syrup

2013-05-27T10:03:00.000-05:00

We have had a very low-key, lazy few days here in Nebraska. The weather has been rainy which gives us a good excuse to just be indoors and CHILL! I have loved it. It is a holiday weekend, and also the weekend where my kids are on a high from getting out of school for the summer, so I decided to make something a bit sweet and celebratory for breakfast yesterday.

{Follow Me On Pinterest?}

I went straight to my Breakfast Pinterest Boards and happened upon this Banana Bread Waffle recipe from A Kitchen Addiction, and it sounded just perfect. A treat, yet hearty enough to fill up tummies, especially when adding fruit and an egg to round out the breakfast. It smelled absolutely divine while I was cooking it, warming up this house on a rainy day.

My girls were delighted, especially with the oowy, goowy syrup. I tweaked the original recipe a bit. When I read through the ingredients I thought..."oh this is gonna be good...how can I make it even better?" Since I was already making something sugary and out of the ordinary around here, why not make it extra scrumptious? The ingredients in the syrup reminded me of cinnamon rolls, so I decided to add butter which would make it very much like the filling of a cinnamon roll. It was to die for! We ended up dipping our apples in it, too!

Enjoy...just not too often!

Banana Bread Waffles
Yield: 5 waffles

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 large ripe bananas, mashed
3 tbsp butter, melted & cooled ( I use Earth Balance)
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk ( I use almond milk)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Cinnamon- Brown Sugar Syrup
Yield: about 1 cup

3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter ( I use Earth Balance)
2/3 cup water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon

Additional bananas for garnish, optional

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together bananas, melted butter, eggs, milk and vanilla extract until well-combined. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until just combined.

2. In a small saucepan, whisk together brown sugar & butter until butter melts. Add water, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. When mixture reaches a boil, turn heat to low, add vanilla, and stir occasionally until ready to serve.

3. Pour 1/3-1/2 cup of batter (depending on the size of your waffle maker) onto hot, greased waffle maker. Cook to your desired crispness.

4. Serve with warm cinnamon-brown sugar syrup and additional banana slices, if desired.

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Want More Breakfast Ideas? Here ya go!
2 Minute Steel Cut Oatmeal

Coconut Crusted French Toast

Healthy Buttermilk Coffee Cake

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Homemade Granola

Mabel's Corncakes

Oatmeal Fully Loaded

Refrigerator Buttermilk Bran Muffins

Toad In A Hole Breakfast

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes

Whole Wheat Waffles

Spiritual Health Books For My Girls

2013-05-26T20:30:00.001-05:00

These posts are designed to model a system of purposeful living. At least once a month, Todd spends time setting meaningful goals around one of seventeen core priorities.

If you missed it, consider reading the foundation post – Purposeful Living #1.

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Correct Priority #5 - Social Health- Immediate Family-Children (Spiritual Health)

Goal Set - November 2012

Goal:

Develop a detailed family spiritual plan to better ground my three girls in God’s word. Specific elements of this plan include the items listed below.

Develop a plan to help each girl identify Christian books to read.

Goal Status

Completed

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Thoughts – Updated

The week after Christmas I rounded up the entire family and we drove to Omaha to Parables Christian Bookstore. It is a nice store and they have a large selection of Bibles and books.

I tasked each of my girls to find one book to purchase. My only stipulation is that had to be a book that would spur their spiritual growth.

Amy & I walked them through the different parts of the store and helped them identify sections and types of books they might like. After looking around for a while they all made great book selections.

Teagan selected the book Live To Give by Austin Gutwein. It is biography of a teenager who turned a love and passion for basketball into a non-profit organization with 40,000 members and has raised over $3 million for AIDS relief in Africa. I love that Teagan’s faith is active. Her love for God inspires her to make a difference in the lives of others.

Colsie chose the book From Blah to Awe: Shaking Up A Boring Faith by Jenna Lucado. It is a non-fiction book written for teen girls. It talks about how to have a vibrant and radical faith while navigating the challenges of middle school and high school. Colsie just entered sixth grade and is learning how to navigate challenges that didn’t exist in elementary school.

My little Avery was more ambitious. She picked a book called The Secret Power of Joy. It is a FaithGirlz Bible Study on the book of Philippians. While it is written for children it is a pretty intense Bible Study involving reading Bible passages and then answering a set of questions based on what was ready. Avery seems pretty excited about it, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she needs some help getting through it. I will monitor her progress and work through it with her if she needs extra motivation.

{Looking for books and hanging out at Parables}

{Love my girls}

{Money well spent}

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Thoughts – (previous post that spurred on this November Goal)

I spent a great deal of time over the past year planning our family Florida vacation. This planning paid off with an amazing trip. It may have been the best two weeks of my life.

But in the process of planning this vacation I neglected many other things, including being a good parent. I have been convicted since returning from out trip that I need to dedicate more time and do a better job in a variety of areas that are far more important that vacation.

One area in which I know I need to improve is being the spiritual leader of our home and doing what I can to better ground my girls in their faith. Each time they step out of our home they enter a world where many despise the gospel of Jesus Christ. They enter a world that is hostile to God’s word.

When my children our older they will have to decide for themselves what they believe. But there is zero chance I will stay silent while they are bombarded with messages contrary to what God wants for them every day of their life.

My first responsibility is to model for them what it means to live a Godly life and be sensitive to His will. My next responsibility is to make sure they know what is true and right. I will not ignore either of these responsibilities.

Amy's Thoughts -

I think back on this fun family day trip to Omaha with fondness. We ate out at 5 Guys (Todd's fav) and hit up my fav (Starbucks) on the way home! I was really proud of the choices my girls made in books. I love the pic of Todd holding up his purchases with a twinkle in his eye...we both know it is investment that will not return void.

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Foundation Post

Build Your To-Do List Around Correct Priorities – Purposeful Living #1

Outline Of All Purposeful Living Posts

Purposeful Living Outline

A New Gluten Free Site You Will Want To Know About

2013-05-25T13:31:00.002-05:00

I am so excited to share my latest project with you all! Lacy and Meg GF is all about connecting the gluten free community with valuable information to help them live a healthy and happy gluten free lifestyle!

One of our biggest goals is to create a network of a gluten free community so that no one feels alone or without the information they need in their gluten free journey. We will be sharing delicious Recipes, Stories of fellow Celiacs living without gluten in their lives, Sound and reliable education shared from Lacy Wright, R.D., lots of free printables, and product reviews.

Our biggest accomplishment, Living Gluten Free: The Basics ebook is going to be released later this month! You can sign up for our e mail list to be notified AS SOON as it hits the interwebs!

Please come by and learn more about us, and participate in our community by sharing your story, or sharing some of your delicious recipes with Lacy and Meg GF!

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Meghan Newsom

Health & Gluten Free Contributor

Meghan's site: eat.live. make.

You can follow her here:

{Facebook}{Twitter}{Pinterest}{Instagram}

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Uncle Sam Cereal Mallow Bars

2013-05-23T09:41:00.001-05:00

We all know everyone loves a good Krispie Rice Marshmallow Bar. Kids love their gooey sweetness and crunch. Mom's love the ease of making them. The only thing we didn't love around here is how unhealthy they are, so I set about figuring out a way to change that!

Typical krispy rice cereal has very, very little fiber in it, and basically turns to sugar after ingesting. This spikes blood sugar levels, which is never a good thing. I knew I had to find a cereal that had lots of fiber & protein in it, and whole grains. This would keep blood sugar leveled & be much more filling.

Uncle Sams cereal is made of 4 ingredients. It fit the bill for my recipe. We also added a bit of o's cereal. You all know how much I like the circle shape around here, so I added those just for pretty.

I like that this recipe added nutrition to calories. A plain krispy rice mallow treat is just empty calories. These still have the sugar from the marshmallows, but it also gives the body some nutrition, so no more empty calories!

They are made just like regular krispy treats. Super easy! My kids thought I was super mom when they tasted them. They loved that they were yummy, I loved that they were nutritious!

Uncle Sam Cereal Mallow Bars

3 tbsp butter (I used Earth Balance)
4 cups miniature marshmallows (or a 10oz pkg of regular marshmallows)
6 cups cereal

In a large pan, melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

Using wax paper or buttered spatula (or buttered fingers!) spread evenly into a 9x13 inch buttered pan. (My bars were thinner as I used a larger pan). Let cool completely and cut into squares.

Toby & Max Jewelry Giveaway

2013-05-21T11:51:00.000-05:00

Today's giveaway is a beautiful one from Toby and Max! One reader will receive their "Protect Me" pendant in pewter, turquoise & bronze. All Toby and Max designs are original works by Sandy Comstock. They are all proudly MADE IN AMERICA.

Toby & Max

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Here is a sampling of some of their amazing work. The Giveaway is #1, the giveaway is #1. Protect Me Pendant. Keep scrolling to enter!

1. Protect Me mixed media pendant in pewter, turqoise, and bronze. Whether you wear it as talisman or spiritual armour, this large, weighty pewter and silver pendant breathes life into Sandy's prayer of protection for all who wear it. Hung on a hand-knotted adjustable leather cord, the beautifully carved angel wing relief is accented by a 3-dimensional bronze heart and hand-wrapped turqoise bead , and finished with our Toby and Max signature tag. The angel wing pendant is stamped with the words "Protect Me" on the back - a constant reminder that we are, indeed, surrounded by guardian angels and that Divine help is just a prayer away. Made in the USA.

2. Grace pendant in sterling silver. A sweet little heart adorned with an artisan cross, made of solid sterling silver has a simple beauty. "Grace" is on the back giving this pendant an empowering message. Hung on a 20" antiqued silver chain chain; approximately 1" high. It's also available in bronze. Made in USA.

3. Sweetly Simple is a limited edition pendant with a petite hand-wrapped nest holding 3 freshwater pearls. It hangs on a darling little branch. It is in mixed metals.

4. Be the Person Your Dog Thinks You Are is a sterling silver link bracelet and a BIG favorite with all our dog lovers. We had retired this design for several years but just brought it back into the collection due to so many requests.

5. Hopeful Romantic.This heart-shaped pendant adorned with a pure as snow hand-wrapped white freshwater pearl reads "Hopeful Romantic". It is beautifully antiqued in silver and sweetly sentimental...a romantic and affordable gift for anyone who loves being in love!

6. Be Good to Yourself Get a Dog is another link bracelet done in pewter & bronze, a nice affordable option for our dog lovers.
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