WorryFreeMom

Connect with me at Worryfreemom.com!

2011-07-13T14:33:00.000-07:00

I've added Google Friend Connect to Worryfreemom.com. So, under the follow buttons, you should be able to use your google log in to join the site and get updates. :-) Let me know if it doesn't work!

Karen

Moving!

2011-06-13T10:34:00.000-07:00

Ok, well, this blog is moving. :-) I have just finished updating my worryfreemom.com website in wordpress, so now my blog and my website are in the same place--very exciting! You'll find updated posts there from here on out. :-)

Karen

2011-05-23T11:34:00.000-07:00

Why worry when you can pray?
Trust Jesus, He’ll be your stay;
Don’t be a “doubting Thomas.”
Trust fully in His promise.
Why worry, worry, worry, worry,
When you can pray?

Alfred B. Smith, John W. Peterson

My Dad used to sing this song all the time when I was a kid...and I find that it comes to mind more and more often. In fact, my Dad's focus on living a life free from worry and full of prayer is the inspiration for Worry Free Mom. Lately I've been thinking a lot about what it means to be worry free. We all know that the Bible says to "cast all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you!" And yet, most of us tend to continue to worry about things. We don't give them to God because we want to hang on to them, maybe believing that we can take care of it ourselves.

In order for me to cast my cares to Jesus, I have to truly believe that He is who He says He is. (Another old song comes to mind here..."I know in whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I've committed unto Him against that day!") I have to believe that He will take those cares. I have to believe that He can do something about them. Imagine that you are in a burning building and you have to toss your child out the window to a firefighter waiting below. You would not throw your baby to just anyone--but to someone you trust is going to catch that baby! Can you picture this scenario? I know that I would be looking for any OTHER way...any way I could do something else, rather than toss my child to someone I didn't believe would and could catch my baby.

Being worry free begins with a true faith in Christ--and a confidence that He is who He says He is. Because if we don't have that faith and that confidence, we won't cast our cares on Him. Why would we? The first step in a life that's worry free is to go back to the beginning--to your faith in Christ. Know who He is and be persuaded that He is willing and able to catch anything you throw at Him. We were not meant to live a live slogged down in worry, but to live life full of confidence in God's power and His ability to provide for us.

Karen

My Foolish Heart

2011-05-13T20:09:00.000-07:00

My Foolish Heart, by Susan May Warren, is a cute book set in the town of Deep Haven. A woman confined to her home by her extreme fear leads a secret life as a syndicated talk show host who gives advice on love to her listeners. Despite her faith, the tragic accident that took her mother's life and paralyzed her father has left Isadora Presley wounded and fearful--and unable even to visit her father.

Then, Caleb Knight moves in next door. A veteran with a missing leg, Caleb is a candidate for the high school coaching position, and he has troubles of his own. Though he has overcome his fear, he has not overcome his pride. Wanting the position on his own merits, not because he has a disability, Caleb comes close to missing an opportunity to really connect with the team and with the people in the town he is growing to love--and almost loses the one job he really wants.

Caleb and Isadora find that they understand each other, and even like each other. But their romance is interrupted by the crush that Isadora has on one of her radio callers--who turns out to be none other than Caleb. The misunderstandings and mishaps that come from this unlikely connection make for some interesting moments in the story and ultimately bring both characters to healing and a deeper understanding of their relationship with God.

My Foolish Heart is a fun read that leaves you with a smile, but, due to some adult issues faced by some of the side characters, it may be one best left for adult readers.

HOME!

2011-05-05T07:49:00.000-07:00

Well, I made it back! I had trouble sleeping Tuesday night, so, with three hours of sleep, I left AZ at 3am, arriving home around 9:00 last night. 16 hour drives are NOT fun with no other adult, but I can't imagine trying it with no one else in the car--Ryan's done it twice. WOW!

Thankfully, I have super awesome kids and lots of people praying for me. So many times yesterday, I just said, "God...I need help. I can't keep going!" And then I would get a rush of energy and my head would clear--I knew that my friends were praying for me. :-) So, my best advice for long road trips? Make sure your friends are praying!!!

Have a great weekend!

Karen

I made it!

2011-05-02T11:11:00.000-07:00

Well, I am officially a super mom now! I made it to AZ from TX in 16 hours--with just a few stops. It's just a little thing, but after being without a car for almost a year and not driving more than once or twice in that time, driving 16 hours straight through feels like quite the accomplishment! Of course, my wonderful cousin, Mary, was sitting in the passenger seat to help with the kiddos, so I may not have quite the same experience on my way home Wednesday! lol

Visiting my home town has been bittersweet--I have loved catching up with old friends and spending time with my family. Watching my kids play with their cousins as if no time had passed was priceless. Hugging my grandparents--and looking in my Grandma's eyes to reassure her that I truly am Happy!--that's something I have really missed! I also took some time to visit "my" trees at our old house. Walking around our forlorn ex-property was a little bit rough--so many memories there. I love looking out at the mountains and smelling the smells of spring here in AZ, where I have spent pretty much every spring of my life. It's comfortable here, familiar and safe. It's going to be hard to leave...

And yet, I can't wait to get back home...to my new home. To my hubby. To my new friends and my fun new town and my new church family. Just as driving all by myself gave me a new sense of independence and confidence in my abilities...so has living in Texas so far away from all of the comfort of my childhood--the mountains surrounding me, my family, even knowing that my Dad's grave is close by--given me a sense of who I am. In this past year, I have been able to really see what my purpose is and get a clearer picture of who I am--and that is a very good thing. :-)

Karen

The Unexpected...

2011-04-27T19:08:00.000-07:00

You may know that I am speaking with my License to Dream co-authors at the Women's Conference in Phoenix on Saturday. I am really excited about this great opportunity to introduce our first Master Class, as well as to spread the word about SendOutCards throughout the day. However, I have been most excited about getting to see my family and friends after almost a year of being here in Texas.

We were planning to drive out and spend the week...maybe even stay until Mother's Day. But, of course, the unexpected happened, and Ryan can't leave as scheduled. He's staying here in Texas to finish a project. So, rather than cancel the trip altogether, I am driving out to AZ on my own with the kids. I'm a little apprehensive about this adventure, but I think that, like all things that are unexpected and take a little bit of courage, it will make me stronger and braver. I like that.

So, I want to encourage you--whatever is happening in your life that is unexpected--whether it's scary or hard or fun or whatever--choose to seek the good that can come out of moving through that unexpected circumstance. :-)

Karen

Lifestyle Marketing

2011-04-13T21:37:00.000-07:00

One of the reasons that I love SendOutCards, and network marketing in general, so much is that it supports my values. But, as a mom, sometimes it's hard to stay focused on 'income producing activities' when my kids need me. Or, let's face it, when my house needs cleaned. I admit, I'm one of those people who can't focus unless my house is in order--literally!

So, I've found that I LOVE lifestyle marketing. That just means that everywhere I go, I'm listening with what a friend of mine, and author of Secrets of the SOC Drawer, calls "SendOutCards ears." I'm listening for needs wherever I go--and trying to meet those needs.

For example, the other day, I walked into Handy Andy late in the evening to hear the two gals talking about how the paycheck just doesn't stretch far enough. When I went through the check out, I said, "It sounds like you could use some extra money!" When she affirmed that, I gave her one of the tools I always carry with me.

Today, I was in Target. The gal who checked me out smilingly offered to trade me places when I said I wouldn't mind staying a little longer--she would go home and get my kids and I could stay at Target and do her job. I said, "I am so glad that I can work from home." With a wistful look in her eye, she said, "well, not everyone can do that." How excited I was to inform her that YES YOU CAN!!! I left her a copy of my book with my phone number. I truly hope she calls me!

Opportunities are everywhere, and you don't have to spend a lot of time finding them. Just be listening for the need, have the tools available, and be willing to respond. You never know what might happen!

Karen

What's on Your NOT To Do List?

2011-04-07T15:36:00.000-07:00

I thought I would share my post from License2dream over here on worryfreemom today. :-)

In the last few weeks, I have been very blessed to be a part of a Mompreneur Mastermind--a group of women who are all moms and all entrepreneurs. Our topic for this week was the NOT to do list.

Do the activities you choose to engage in on a daily basis support your core values? Do you even know what your core values are? The answer to the first question should help you determine which of your current activities need to be relegated to the NOT to do list.

For example...as a mom, my first priorities are my faith and my family. Second is my business--creating financial freedom. So, when I think about what activities are on my booked calendar, I really have to think about whether or not those activities are contributing to my core values--faith, family, and financial freedom.

One of the first things that I was thinking about this morning is my teaching. Do I like teaching? Yes. Am I good at teaching? Yes. Is teaching contributing to my faith? No. Is teaching contributing to my family? No. Is teaching contributing to financial freedom? Well, yes and no. It is taking time away from growing my business, but it is helping to provide a measure of financial security and the ability to quickly pay down debt. For now, I decided, teaching remains on my to do list--but as each semester passes, my goal is to create enough income through my business to eliminate at least one course.

I encourage you to think through the things that are on your To Do list. Do they contribute to your core values? If not, cross them off! Spend your time doing the things that matter.

God bless!
Karen

PepsiCo and Senomyx

2011-04-01T13:19:00.000-07:00

The response I received from PepsiCo...either they need to do a little more research on the companies they are partnering with, or they need to work on their honesty with consumers.

Karen

Sent: Fri, April 1, 2011 1:00:26 PM
Subject: A Message from PepsiCo Consumer Relations 012652145B

Dear Karen,

Thank you for contacting us to share your sincere concerns. Please know that we take very seriously the issues you raised. PepsiCo has a strong set of defined values we strive to live up to.

Unfortunately, there is some misinformation being circulated related to research techniques that have been used for decades by universities, hospitals, government agencies, and private companies around the world. These claims are meant to suggest that human fetal tissue is somehow used in our research. That is both inaccurate and something we would never do or even consider.

It also is inaccurate to suggest that tissue or cells somehow are being used as product ingredients. That’s dangerous, unethical and against the law. Every ingredient in every one of our products is reviewed and approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

We hope this information is helpful and reassuring. Thank you again for reaching out to us and allowing us to clarify the situation.

Stephanie White
Consumer Relations Representative

012652145B

_________________

My response:

Stephanie,

I appreciate your thoughtful response. I am still concerned, though, because it is clear that PepsiCo is working with Senomyx. As stated in this article on PepsiCo's website, the PepsiCo relationship includes Senomyx' research on "natural" flavorings that will change the way human taste buds respond to flavors. In the patents for this research, filed in 2008, it is stated that HEK293 is used. From this information, it is clear that they are using human fetal tissue from aborted babies to do their product development. This is not a "claim," but a proven fact. While some may question whether or not it really matters...the exploitation of a dead human child for researching food flavorings is never appropriate or ethical. I hope that PepsiCo will reconsider its relationship with this company.

Thank you,

Karen Palmer, MA

Senomyx

2011-03-29T11:58:00.001-07:00

When I started this blog, I didn't intend it to be a sounding board for "political" ideas, but as a Christian mom, abortion really bothers me.

I found out yesterday that the #1 killer in Canada is...Abortion! In fact, when you factor in abortion, the infant mortality rate in Canada is 215/1000! That's 1 out of 5 babies. Get this...in the US, heart disease is listed as the official #1 cause of death, with about 600,000 deaths per year. But the actual #1 cause of death is, in fact, abortion--killing about 1.6 MILLION babies a year. That means that close to 25% of all pregnancies end in abortion in the US.

And today, I found out that a company called Senomyx is using the cells of aborted babies to create "natural flavorings" for food. The cells are not actually IN your food--they are used to test the flavors, but still--isn't this a little disturbing? http://www.catholicdadsonline.org/posts/7303/2415-senomyx-green/

Where does it end? We are encouraged to inject our babies with vaccines made from aborted babies, and now we are told it is perfectly safe to feed our babies foods made with the help of aborted babies. I just wrote a letter to Campbells thanking them for severing their relationship with Senomyx, and I will be writing to Nestle, Kraft, and Pepsi asking them to do the same. If you want to take action on this issue, visit this site: http://www.cogforlife.org/senomyxalert.htm

Here is the text of the e-mail I sent to Nestle, Pepsi, and Kraft (be sure to change the company name):

As a mom with small children, I want only the best, most natural foods to enter their bodies. While I find the use of high fructose corn syrup and other unnatural ingredients appalling, it is unbelievable that a company like Nestle would use artificial flavorings made with the help of aborted babies. You can be assured that I will NOT be purchasing any foods created by Nestle, and I will be sharing this information with everyone in my network.

Karen

Pancakes update...

2011-03-22T13:10:00.000-07:00

If you are like me and you are wanting fluffier, more cake-like pancakes, I found a way to tweak the recipe I gave a week or so ago. Just substitute applesauce for the coconut oil and add a bit more flour. Absolutely delicious!

Karen

Tyndale House Contest!

2011-03-22T13:08:00.001-07:00

Tyndale House is launching a new book club enewsletter called the Book Club Hub Newsletter. It sounds like a great idea if you have a book club, as the newsletter will feature "suggestions, discussion guides, and great ideas for your book clubs."

You can see a preview by clicking here.

In honor of the new newsletter, they are giving away free books! My favorite thing! Here's the directions from Tyndale: "To enter the giveaway you just need to visit the contest page and click on the book you’d like to sign up to win. You can even go back and sign up for both books. Each day is a new giveaway so you can return to the site each day and try to win. Every few days the books change, so check back!"

I just entered to win Her Daughter's Dream by Francine Rivers (one of my favorite authors!)--I hope you enter, too!

Karen

Raw Milk...

2011-03-15T09:55:00.001-07:00

So, this week we are going on Friday to get raw milk for the 3rd time! We get our milk from Stryk Dairy, which is one of the few farms certified to sell raw milk. They are inspected every day by the TX health department, which is great because I know that we are drinking milk that is produced with the highest standards, is healthier for us, and tastes great! (Josyan says that the milk from the farm is the best--and he was disappointed when we ran out!)

The claims that raw milk is dangerous are based upon the conditions at factory dairies, where filth and disease run rampant and cows are fed feed, rather than grass. Raw milk from such dairies is dangerous. However, raw milk from a clean, grass-fed cow (or goat!) milked in a clean barn is definitely NOT dangerous. In fact, we happily drank the goat's milk we received when Ryan milked our neighbor's goat back in AZ!

If you are contemplating trying raw milk, I highly encourage you to visit the Campaign for Real Milk site. There are tons of articles explaining the benefits of raw milk. And, before you go buying milk from just anyone, do your research. Make sure that the milk is from grass-fed cows/goats in a clean environment. If you don't have a dairy or a neighbor where you can get good raw milk, you can probably find lightly pasteurized milk in your local health food store. That's a great way to start! :-)

More on Sour Dough

2011-03-14T07:54:00.000-07:00

Sour Dough Cinnamon Rolls!

While my starter was gaining strength in weeks 2 and 3, I started using it every day. After my pancake adventure, I made English muffins, banana muffins, chocolate cupcakes, chocolate chip cookies, cinnamon rolls (glorious!) and bread. The English muffins were really weird to make (the dough is soupy), but they turned out so good! The bread rose like crazy--how fun that I didn't have to use yeast!--and had a yummy sour/honey contrast in taste. The muffins & cupcakes tasted good, but didn't rise the way I wanted them to. And the cookies...let's just say I need to tweak my recipe a bit! lol

English Muffins!

I knew that last week was going to be a pretty busy week, though, and I knew I wasn't going to have time to play with my sour dough every day, so I fed my starter and put it in the refrigerator. (You can do that after 3 weeks, as long as you work with it once a day!). When I went back to the course, I realized that I had not followed the procedures properly (feed it, let it sit for a few hours to get it going, then put it in the fridge with the lid not down all the way--then a few hours later close the lid all the way).

BUT when I took my starter out yesterday morning, there were still bubbles! So, I fed the starter and it was full of life again by afternoon! I'm excited to bake more bread and experiment with some other goodies this week while my sister is visiting. Today, bread is on the menu! ;-)

The Cause Within You

2011-03-01T10:21:00.000-07:00

The Cause Within You, by Matthew Barnett, not only shares the story of how God used him to begin an extraordinary movement--Dream Centers--but it also shares with readers how they might find their own cause. In this compelling read, which concludes with Scripture and a discussion guide, Barnett gives readers an inspiring call to action, "you need to identify the cause within you now. Today."

Throughout the book, which contains many, many moving stories of not only Barnett's faith journey, but of others who have found their cause, Barnett gives readers solid, biblical wisdom about seeking God and distinguishing between their dreams and God's divine plan for their lives. "When you find that sweet spot that reflects your cause, it is at the intersection of your passion (what really matters to you), your gifts (what you do best), and your contribution (how you make the world better)."

In a world where the vast majority of people seem to be consumed by busy-ness and the pursuit of monetary happiness, this book opens the eyes to something bigger and better--to the joy and peace that pursuing God's plan for you can bring.

***I was given a free book in return for my completely honest and unbiased review of this book. ***

Sourdough Pancakes

2011-02-24T10:27:00.001-07:00

Hurray! This morning I made my first recipe with my sourdough starter--pancakes! The kids were super excited. ;-)

Here's the recipe (from GNOWFGLINS):

4T coconut oil (I used applesauce)
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
2T sweetener (I used honey)
2 c starter
1 tsp baking soda
seasoning (I used cinnamon and cloves)
1 tsp vanilla
1 T water

The pancakes turned out really good. I prefer mine more cake-like, but these reminded me of the kind that you get at a restaurant. They tasted really good, and the kids loved them. In the course, the instructor pours the batter into a cast iron skillet and bakes in the oven to make one big pancake. Hers turns out really fluffy that way. But the ones I made on the griddle were good. I'd make them again. :-)

It's Alive!

2011-02-23T13:55:00.000-07:00

I was about to give up on my starter yesterday, but I stirred it really well and fed it...and this morning LIFE again! Hurray! I think we have a winner. I have no idea what happened there for a few days, but hanging in there instead of starting over was worth it. :-) I think I might even try to increase the starter and make pancakes in the morning...what a fun experiment! :-)

Making Sour Dough

2011-02-21T10:28:00.001-07:00

So, I recently decided that I would start experimenting with sour dough. Why? With a sour dough starter on hand, you don't need yeast! Baking with sour dough is healthier for your body. And, it's kind of fun to think that I can make my own. Thanks to a great online course with GNOWFGLINS, I have step by step instructions. And, it's surprisingly easy.

To start with, you just mix 3/8 cup whole wheat flour (Arrowhead Mills, Bob's, and King Arthur are the best--but Handy Andy only had Gold Medal, and I wanted to get started!) with 1/4 cup of water. (no chlorine--if you have chlorine in your water, you have to leave it out uncovered for 24 hours to let the chlorine dissipate) Scrape down the sides (to prevent mold) and cover.

After 12 hours, you look to see if you see any life--bubbles in the mixture.

So this is a picture of my sour dough starter on the very first day. I am really excited about trying out this experiment---especially since it is so much easier than I thought it would be.

Once you start to see life--bubbles--you begin feeding your starter every 12 hours. Until then, you check every 12 hours and stir vigorously until you do see life. Then...Remove 1/2 the mixture, add 1/4 c water and 3/8 c flour, stir vigorously, scrape down the sides, and cover. What's happening is that the wild yeasts in the flour are being activated.

Here's what my starter looked like in the morning on Day 3:

I am super excited! I actually did it! ;-) So, I remove half the mixture, add 1/4 c water and 3/8 c flour. 12 hours later, I see bubbles, but not life like this time. But I go ahead and remove 1/2, feed the starter.

Last night, I was still not seeing any good life, so I just gave the starter a good stir and hoped for the best. This morning, this is what I found:

Oh no! No bubbles! There were some bubbles in the top, so I'm hopeful that there is life still in there...somewhere. I'm going to feed my starter and see if anything happens today. If not, I'll start from scratch tomorrow. It takes a week to get your starter strong enough to actually use, so I'm hoping that this will work and I can start using the starter this week!

Life...

2011-02-18T10:31:00.001-07:00

I recently stumbled across a photo on facebook of a tiny baby--just 6 weeks after conception--who had been miscarried. The photo of baby "Blessing" was taken by her grieving mother. It was amazing to see the little fingers on the tiny hand already formed at such an early age. I was moved by the loss of this tiny infant and had to re-post.

This morning, I awoke to a diatribe on the photo by a person who I have known almost all of my life. As I said to him in my response this morning, I did not post the picture to begin a debate about abortion, law making, or when life begins. And I didn't feel it appropriate to respond to his arguments in that forum. However, I am truly disturbed by some of his statements, and I thought I would respond here.

One thing he mentions in his post is that as a Christian, I would not like legislation passed that I disagreed with, so my religious beliefs should not be the basis of legislation passing (referring to abortion). Actually, this kind of legislation has been passed--raw milk, for example, is outlawed in many states. Homeschooling is banned. We cannot freely speak even the name of God in a public place. As a teacher, openly stating my beliefs in the classroom would get me fired (though it's perfectly find for an atheist to tell students who disagree with him that they are brainwashed by their parents). And in many places, churches are forced to hire people who violate their deeply held beliefs because of legislation that has been passed. Pastors have been jailed for reading certain scriptures from the Bible. By the same token, many of the laws I'm sure he accepts and applauds, like laws against murder, robbery, etc, are rooted in biblical beliefs, as is the belief that "all men are created equal." Our very constitution is founded on the belief in God.

Another thing mentioned in the post is the question of when life begins. "This is a fetus, not a baby," he says. I think it is only people who are removed from the process of life who could make such a statement. A farmer who has just had his crop destroyed by frost or hail does not say, "Oh, well--they weren't corn, yet." He laments the loss of his crop of corn! Likewise, a farmer whose pregnant cow is killed by a flood does not mourn the loss of one cow, but two. And a mother who rejoices in the new life growing within her knows with absolute certainty that this is a child--one who she will nurse and rock and kiss. She pictures her baby boy playing catch with his daddy or her baby girl dancing at her wedding--long before she holds that child in her arms.

Finally, his assertion that adoption is traumatic is very sad, especially in light of the dreadful trauma--emotional and physical--that abortion unleashes on the would-be mothers and fathers (as we are now discovering). Even if some adoption situations don't turn out perfectly, not a single abortion ends well. Isn't it better to give a child a chance to have a loving family than no chance at all? After all, God even used adoption as a picture of His love for us--we are adopted as sons and daughters. This is a picture of how great His love is for us--that He loves us as His own children.

It is true that each person has been given free will by God. We have the ability to make our own choices. And one day, we will be held accountable for those choices, just as we will be held accountable for "every idle word" we speak. I pray every day that my words will honor God. I know that I fail often and dreadfully, but that is my prayer. I will continue to post things that touch my heart or that I would like for people to think about. I will not be silenced by ridicule. I know in Whom I have believed. And I am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I've committed unto Him against that day.

Karen

Planting!!!

2011-02-16T15:24:00.000-07:00

Spring is in the air, and I hope it's here to stay! We successfully kept the plants we planted safe during the last two freezes, and our TX friends tell us we should be safe from now on.

So, right now, I've got blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, and strawberry plants growing. Since berries are on the Dirty Dozen list, I figured I should give growing them a try! Veggie wise, I've got broccoli, sweet peas popping up, lettuce and spinach, onions, garlic, carrots, and radishes. I'm getting ready to plant tomatoes, peppers, etc in pots inside for transplanting in a few months.

AND I just joined a coop to get fresh milk and milk products, coconut oil, honey, etc. I'm SO excited! Now I just need to figure out the grains piece. :-)

So proud of my kiddos today!

2011-02-11T12:43:00.000-07:00

Since Megan was a little bitty thing, we have had issues with cleaning up. She is very obedient and cleans up right away...the problem is that I then find things hiding behind chairs, under beds, and in the closet. My first thought when Megs was little was that she just had too much stuff (go figure!). So, we got rid of stuff.

Then, I thought she needed better ways to organize. So, I invested in cubby shelves and baskets so that it would be simple to put things where they belong. It works for the boys--they almost always put their cars in the car bucket, their legos in the lego bucket, etc. But my Megan still has issues.

So, a few years ago, I started a new thing--every once in a while, I start at one corner of her room and go around the entire room, emptying everything and putting everything that was not in the right spot in the middle of the room for her to put away. I figured that eventually she would get tired of that and start putting things away.

Nope. So, now I have an 8 year old with a heart of gold who still 'hides' things so that she can clean up faster. Today, after she reassured me 5 times that everything was in its place and nothing was hiding, I decided to take a little bit more drastic measure. Instead of putting everything on the floor for her to put away, I put it in a laundry basket to "give away."

Of course, when her Awana book and one of her favorite shoes and several 'special' things ended up in the basket, she started frantically trying to put things away, crying. It about broke my heart, but I stayed firm.

As I was sorting through the basket to retrieve the items that don't belong to her, including BOTH pairs of Josyan's tennis shoes, which she had hidden in her closet--why??, in come Tristan and Josyan. Quickly realizing Megan's dilemma, both boys start helping her put away the toys in the basket. I told them they had until I was done putting away the other things that didn't belong to Megan to get as much as they could. I have to tell you that I have never been so proud of my boys. They were helping their sister just because they love her. Wow!

By the time I was done (I confess I took my time), there were only a few things left in the basket, which I put into a ziploc. Every time I find her room spotless, she gets to retrieve one of her toys. If I find anything out of place, we do the basket again.

We had a nice conversation about consequences. Like that it doesn't really take less time to cut corners, because then you have to do it all over again. Besides, if you don't put things where they belong, you will have a hard time finding them later. And Mommy needs to help Megan figure out how to be responsible, and if this doesn't work, we really will have to get rid of things. Because we need to take care of what we have.

I hope I'm not the only mom who has a 'hider'--and I hope that maybe this will help those moms with some ideas for taming the hiding monster. ;-)

A letter to a Senator...

2011-02-09T13:57:00.000-07:00

In recent weeks, I have become more and more passionate about food--namely, growing and eating food the way God intended. I'm not an expert on the subject, but I do feel very strongly that the message should be shared. Since many countries banned GMOs years ago, I'm really concerned that we, as a society, are being entrenched in some habits that may become very hard to break if the issues are not addressed quickly.

I love that I now see all kinds of products with the "no high fructose corn syrup" labels, even in Handy Andy! Ketchup, syrup, etc. And it seems that buying organic has become easier and cheaper in the last few years, as well. So I know that we can create change quickly if enough people speak loud enough and vote with our dollars. Every time we shop and buy organic foods, we are telling the stores and the producers what we want.

It can be very disheartening to hear the responses from friends. One person said "a tomato is a tomato" and proceeded to call me a "hippie for Christ" (not that I mind being called a hippie, particularly, but still!). I guess I should have told him to go taste the difference, rather than informing him about the dangers of the foods and telling him how I think God fits into my food decisions. ;-)

When I re-posted something about raw milk, Ryan's disgruntled aunt said, "Really, Karen? Really?" To which I have to say, yes, really! It's amazing how the media portrays people who actually do the research--as fear mongers who don't understand that the FDA has said that "there is essentially no difference...blah blah blah." (this from a US Senator in TX!) It just tells me that we need to educate people.

I was telling a friend that, though I have always believed in being self-sufficient, and I have always known that the closer the food is to the way God made it, the better it is, I didn't have a clue about some of the gmo stuff. Like most people, I guess, I believed that they weren't essentially different. I had no idea that my food had mutated e-coli in its DNA! But, now that I do know, our family is committed to doing our best to eat good foods and to educate others. Imagine what would happen if we all did that?

Just like homeschooling, recycling, etc, eating good foods created out of good farming practices would stop being something "those people" do, and something that we all want to do. Mainstream, rather than underground.

So, if you've made it to the end of this post, I thought I'd post a letter I wrote in response to 'that' senator. Feel free to modify and send to your own legislators.

Dear Senator ____________,

GM foods ARE significantly and dangerously different than organic foods. This is why they have been banned in other countries around the world. Genetically modified foods are created by injecting the DNA of the food with DNA from e-coli bacteria and viruses. Organically grown foods do not have e-coli bacteria and virus DNA embedded in them. In addition, research shows that GM foods are NOT safe. (Another article here) GM foods have been linked to severe allergies, obesity, cancer, and other diseases. GM foods have been proven to be less nutritious and more allergenic than 'regular' foods.

Despite continued research to show that these foods are not safe, the consumer is denied the ability to make educated choices about the foods they eat because companies like Monsanto have employees in the FDA and EPA advocating for them and feeding the public and our elected officials false information. Not only that, but they are putting small farmers who utilize good farming practices out of business through the unethical patenting of life and through monopolizing the food industry.

I urge you to view documentaries like Food, Inc and The Future of Food. Eliminating these foods from the marketplace will preserve the livelihoods of small farmers and make all Americans healthier.

You can watch Food, Inc for free on Netflix. You can watch The Future of Food here.

Thank you for your service to your constituents,

The Future of Food

2011-02-03T20:45:00.000-07:00

Ryan and I just finished watching our third "Food" movie. The first two were Fresh and Food, Inc, which solidified our resolve to eat locally grown, organic foods and introduced us to the concept of GM foods--genetically modified foods. Tonight, we watched an older film (2004), The Future of Food.

Essentially, the Monsanto corporation, known as the producer of Agent Orange and other pesticides, has decided to inject genetically modified e-coli bacteria into foods to make them resistant to the Round Up pesticides that they produce. Then, they took out a patent on those foods, the most prominent of which are corn, soy, cotton, and canola. So, when the pollen from their GMO corn is blown on the wind into another farmer's field, that farmer's crop now belongs to Monsanto. Monsanto sues the farmer to either force him out of business or force him to use their seed.

The GM foods are outlawed in several countries around the world, and many countries won't even accept crops shipped from the US. Yet, our government continues to claim that these foods are not any different from other foods and does not require any research or regulation of them. Unfortunately, once the GM crops are introduced, it is almost impossible to get them out. Unless we eliminate these crops entirely and start fresh while we still have good seed, that is.

Not only is it imperative that we stop the GM foods from entering our bodies, but we need to let the government know that we do not want GM foods. Essentially, we need to work together to fight Monsanto and educate consumers in the US.

You can watch the Future of Food for free here: http://www.thefutureoffood.com/onlinevideo.html

I also joined the Center for Food Saftey here: http://truefoodnow.org/ If you click on the Action links to the right, you can send pre-composed e-mails to your elected officials.

Get informed. Buy local. Buy organic. Tell others. Together we can make a difference!

Soaking Grains

2011-02-02T10:40:00.000-07:00

So, I've been slowly progressing through the first few GNOWFGLINS lessons. Yesterday, I soaked almonds, flour for muffins, and rice for dinner. According to GNOWFGLINS, soaking nuts and grains neutralizes the phytic acid that makes them harder for our bodies to digest. Adding heat, neutralizes the enzymes.

The first step, of course is to soak everything. I just put about 2 cups of almonds in a quart size jar and then filled the jar with water & added a Tablespoon of sea salt. Cover and soak for 7+ hours, then drain and either put in a dehydrator or on a cookie sheet in the oven at a very low temp with the door open. The rice was also very easy, although I did have to add some apple cider vinegar to it. Same with the grain--I mixed 1 1/2 c of whole grain flour and 1/2 c oats with 1 cup of milk and 2T of yogurt. Instead of the yogurt, you could also use buttermilk or apple cider vinegar or lemon juice.

I now have my almonds dehydrating in the oven at 150 degrees. When they are nice and toasty, they will be delicious. In fact, I made some when my Mom was here visiting, and she liked them so much that she made some herself when she got home! I cooked the rice last night, and Ryan said it was the best rice ever! And I also baked muffins with my soaked grains--banana muffins. They are pretty good. The batter was really wet, like pancake batter almost--usually my muffin batter is more like cookie dough. But they were good. And it wasn't a lot of trouble at all.

So, if it's really helping our bodies digest the grains, it's worth doing, I think. If you want to check it out, just go to http://gnowfglins.com/.

Save the Date

2011-02-01T15:41:00.000-07:00

Save the Date is a cute new Christian romance novel by Jenny Jones. With a stack of non-fiction books on my nightstand, I thought I could use something fun and light to read, and Save the Date fit the bill. Though a bit predictable at times, this book does a nice job of combining an unlikely fairy-tale romance, the basic Christian dilemma of trusting God, and an introduction to a little known social problem deserving of our attention.

In the book, we follow the funny adventures of the main character, Lucy, who runs a non-profit for teens who have aged out of the foster system, as she bumbles her way through many interesting situations in her staged engagement to Alex, a wealthy ex-football star running for office. Throughout the story, the spiritual struggles Alex and Lucy face require the reader to look at his/her own struggles with faith and with self-image. Do we truly trust God with who we are and everything in our lives? The book illustrates the idea that God is often working in ways we couldn't imagine, even as we plead for Him to intervene and wonder why He's not responding!

Finally, the book asks us to take a look at a problem that we don't often see--the many young adults who have aged out of the foster system and have no place to go. Thankfully, homes like the one Lucy runs do exist, but I hope that readers of Save the Date will take time to investigate this issue further and see how they can help.

Building Websites...

2011-01-26T11:25:00.001-07:00

I was in my junior year at NAU taking my first online class--Creative Writing!--when I first started using my e-mail account out of necessity. Just a few short years later, teaching my composition students how to design and create their own sites to showcase their work using Netscape Composer was one of my favorite assignments.

Fast forward 12 years. Now we have sophisticated web site builders that don't require much at all--just put in your own pictures and text and voila! You have a site! My students use webs.com, which is a pretty easy site builder with free hosting. Since I have domains registered with godaddy already, I had to think of another alternative.

For now, I'm using wix.com. I used one of their templates to build a site for Ryan (palmercustomhomesnb.com), and I designed our License to Dream site from scratch (yourlicensetodream.com). The second site is temporary until we get our vision together. Other than the wix.com ad on the side, I think the sites look pretty great. My next task is to create a new site for worryfreemom.com. It's amazing what you can do when you put your mind to it!

Mom to Mom

2011-01-19T16:15:00.000-07:00

This morning I went to an amazing program at the First Baptist Church down the road. It's called Mom to Mom--a ministry based on Titus 2 (older women mentoring younger women). I love the idea of bringing women together to learn what God says about parenting, as well as having the opportunity to talk to other moms. When Megan was a baby, it was a women's Bible study that saved my sanity. Knowing that I was not alone--that other moms were going through the exact same situations with their kids--made a huge difference in how I felt about my own parenting and my life in general.

If you are involved in women's ministries at your church, I encourage you to take a look at the program!

http://www.momtomom.org/

Karen

Crockpot Oatmeal...and Leftover Oatmeal Cookies

2011-01-14T14:48:00.000-07:00

So I wanted to try making oatmeal in the crockpot. I have never been a big fan of oatmeal, and I admit shamefully that I prefer the maple & brown sugar Quaker instant to anything I have ever made myself. BUT I'm trying really hard to implement more GNOWFGLINS food choices into our diet. So, I decided to try soaking oats/making oatmeal in the crockpot. (I don't think I actually did the soaking part right, but I'm working on it! lol) I didn't have any steel cut oats, which apparently make a better flavor, so I just threw in two cups of Quaker oats, a generous handful of brown sugar, some cinnamon, and a dash of salt and a dash of cloves. I added 2 cups of milk and 3 cups of water and set the crockpot to low for 8 hours.

This morning, the oatmeal was very creamy/gooey/mushy. But it tasted pretty good. For good measure, I put more brown sugar and some maple syrup on top (the log cabin natural kind with NO HFCS). It was pretty good, but Tristan wouldn't touch it. So, I had about 1 1/2 cups of oatmeal left over. This happened to be the EXACT amount I needed to make the oatmeal cookies I found here. (she got it from cooks.com)

Here's the recipe:
Leftover Oatmeal Cookies
2 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 c sugar
2/3 c shortening (I use butter)
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups cooked oatmeal

Sift dry ingredients together. Add shortening & eggs and beat until creamy--about 2 minutes. (It does eventually become creamy!) Stir in oatmeal. Drop onto greased baking sheets and bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes. Makes about 4 dozen.

The cookies turned out really yummy. I added raisins to half the batter--YUM! They are super soft and have a great flavor. Love them. I don't know if I love them enough to brave the crockpot mess again...maybe if I have a liner. ;-)

All in all, I think we could get used to oatmeal, especially if we get cookies. lol

Do you know what a GMO is?

2011-01-12T15:34:00.000-07:00

Do you know what a GMO is? I didn't have a clear understanding of the concept of GMOs until I watched this video:

After watching the video, I went through my cupboards and was shocked at the many, many things that contain GMOs, after all, corn is everywhere--corn starch, corn syrup, corn. My kids' favorite veggie? Corn. A lot of kids' foods aren't "safe" according to the video--not even Cheerios! Here's a downloadable booklet that tells you at a glance what is safe and what's not: http://www.nongmoshoppingguide.com/ I also downloaded a GMO app for my i-phone. It's not comprehensive, but I can at least

Of course, the best way is to produce your own food. Here's a great website where you can get corn seed that is NOT GMO: www.rareseeds.com. It also has some fun heirloom varieties of flowers and veggies and the history of each one.

For more info, here are some other websites:
http://www.mommypotamus.com/eyewitness-report-animals-wont-eat-gmos/ (a fun blog about a mom who did an experiment with her kids)
http://www.nongmosourcebook.com/thenon-gmoproject.php

Miscarriage Survey...

2011-01-06T10:12:00.000-07:00

I lost a baby in between Megan and Tristan & it was amazing how my loss caused so many women to open up to me and share their own stories of loss. Each story was unique, but they all shared the same theme--love for an unborn child, the heartbreaking loss, and then hope, the joy that comes in the morning. (That was my song--I'm trading my sorrows...laying them down for the joy of the Lord.) Those stories are what gave me hope and comfort during that tough time and really made me feel that I wasn't all alone.

So, I thought it would be neat to create a book with a compilation of stories of women who have been through miscarriage--Miscarriage: Stories of Love, Loss, and Hope. The purpose would be to let women know they are not alone and to point out God's hand in every circumstance. (bringing the Hope!) I'm thinking that all the proceeds from the book could go to benefit orphans/adoption/Christian pregnancy care centers.

I would love to hear your response to my idea. I've created a survey HERE to begin this journey. If you have experienced a miscarriage, I would very much appreciate your input. Also, please feel free to pass along the survey link to others who might want to participate. Survey responses are confidential and anonymous, unless you choose to include your e-mail address/contact info.

Hello 2011!

2011-01-05T13:15:00.000-07:00

Philippians 3:13-14
No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven. (NLT)

This last week, I pulled out my 2010 Dream Board--the one I created with pictures of all the things I wanted to accomplish in 2010 and beyond. As I looked over my dreams, I was surprised at how many of my dreams have become reality--and in the strange ways they have!

One of my dreams was to publish License to Dream--which we did in November! Hurray! That is one of the biggest accomplishments of my life, I think.

A big section of my dream board was focused on spending more time as a family and being more involved with doing fun things with my kids. As I worked on that section, I was looking forward to multiple full-time positions teaching. I knew that I would be gone 6 hours a day, then come home to have another 6-7 courses waiting for me online. My heart was breaking. I can honestly say that the Spring of 2010 was one of the hardest few months of my life.

But isn't it amazing how things work out? Here we are in Texas (something I never, ever would have imagined), and we spend more time together as a family doing fun things in a week than we ever did in a year back in AZ. Wow! Talk about a dream realized! I still have a ton of things on my plate as I work on action steps that will make my business (SendOutCards) take over the income of my jobs (teaching). BUT, I am home with my kids all day. I get to spend hours each day focused on them doing school, and in the evenings and on weekends we PLAY!

Another one of my dream pictures was saving money and paying off debt. The move to Texas and Ryan's new job is bringing that dream into reality, as well.

So, what am I working on this year? I still have many of the same dreams that I had in 2010. I would like to publish a new book this year...but I'm not sure what I want to write about yet. My SOC goals remain the same--to help five of my team members get to Sr. Manager. So, what's it going to take? It's going to take organization and discipline. I'm going to have to cut out all the things that don't matter (like TV and reading fun books!), and really focus on my goals. Most importantly, I have to remember what my WHY is--my family and freedom to work in God's kingdom--"Seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto you!"

Wycliffe Contest!

2010-12-20T11:12:00.001-07:00

I wanted to fill you in on an exciting contest that is currently being run and sponsored by the New Living Translation. We’re highlighting three ministries, Wycliffe Bible Translators, Oasis International, and The Dream Center, (click on the link to learn more details about these ministries) and by voting for one of these ministries you’ll be entered to win one of many prizes.

To enter, visit the NLT Facebook page by clicking here.

There are several levels of prizes you can win, here are the details:

With the Give the Word Bible Contest and Giveaway:
    • Ministries win: Each time the NLT Facebook Page reaches a fan count milestone, votes will be tallied and the three ministries will receive cash donations from the New Living Translation and Tyndale House Publishers.
    • Everyone wins: Everyone who enters on the Bible Contest website wins a free download of Matthew West reading the Christmas story.
    • Daily NLT Study Bible winners: Vote on the NLT Facebook page and you will be entered to win two NLT Study Bibles—one to keep and one to give away. A new winner will be chosen every day.
    • Weekly Give the Word Locally winners: Tell us about a deserving local ministry on the NLT Bible Contest website and they could win five NLT Study Bibles and $250 worth of NLT products.
    • One Grand Prize winner will enjoy a unique trip customized just for them and their family (or three guests of their choice), to Wycliffe Bible Translators world headquarters and the WordSpring Discovery Center where they will experience firsthand the exciting world of Bible translation. The Grand Prize winner could also choose to donate the value of the trip--$2000--to Wycliffe instead.

(quoted from e-mail sent to me by Tyndale)

This is a fantastic opportunity to support these amazing ministries. I love the Matthew West download that everyone wins! I'm going to have my kids listen to it later on today. :-)

Karen

Santa-To be or not to be?

2010-12-18T22:21:00.002-07:00

When I was a little girl, my favorite part of Christmas was shopping for my family. Each of us kids were given $5-10 (not a lot!) to shop for each other and Mom and Dad. Invariably, Tim would get a puzzle. For Laura, I would pick something girlie--Barbie clothes, perhaps. Then, we would all scrape together what was left to fill Mom and Dad's stockings. We would carefully choose our gifts--a pack of gum, a Whitman's sampler or a box of chocolate covered cherries, a pen and a pencil. We giggled as we rolled those pens up in paper, picturing Dad unrolling and unrolling and unrolling--because of course he could never guess what was in that package! ;-)

To this day, it's the stockings that are the most fun for me. I love picking up the little things for the kids and for Ryan--little treats that will make them smile. And shopping for the kids is always fun, picturing their laughter and excitement as they open their gifts.

This year, Megan is questioning Santa, mostly due to a friend next door who keeps telling her Santa isn't real. "You would never lie to me, right, Mommy?" Wow! How to answer that question! Even though I knew the truth about Santa at her age, I hate to end that childhood wonder--a wonder that I still have at Christmas time. Wouldn't it be cool if there really WAS a Santa!? lol

I laid the foundation this year by telling her about the real St. Nicholas--a man who loved Christ deeply and gave out of his wealth to the poor to honor Him. In Megan's mind, it's perfectly possible that God made this man immortal and allows him to deliver gifts to all the children--or that his descendants continue his work. So the question is, are we really just pretending, or are we really lying? And for what? Is the fun of the tree and Santa worth the cost? Is it just a harmless, fun tradition? I can't imagine NOT doing Christmas, and since the early church didn't celebrate Christ's birth anyway, I don't think it does any harm. BUT I still wonder...What do you think?

If you want me to...

2010-12-15T09:51:00.000-07:00

2 Corinthians 1:3-5
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

Ten years ago today, Ryan's little brother died, leaving a void in our hearts and lives--here on earth, but not forever thanks to the great love of our Father. Keep your heart and your eyes open for "those in any trouble." The trials in life may seem overwhelming, but there is always hope...sometimes we just need someone to remind us that our trials are just momentary and that joy is just around the next bend. In remembrance of Matt, I want to ask you to be that someone--you never know when you will be the voice of hope to someone in desperate need.

Christmas Baking!

2010-12-13T10:36:00.001-07:00

Not nearly as fancy as the ones we made as kids, but still taste yummy!

I love baking for Christmas! Baking with my kids brings back memories of when I was a kid helping my mom bake goodies for gifts and the family celebrations. I remember taking hours to make elaborate sugar cookie creations, competing with Tim and Laura (my little brother & sister) to see who could make the coolest cookies, pressing the Hershey's kisses into the peanut butter cookies (and sneaking some!), and, of course, the fun of finding yummy cookies in my lunch box every day at school!

My shortcut--make 1-1-1 cookies--these are ready in less than 10 minutes!

So, as an adult, I have loved recreating those Christmas memories in my own little family--baking sugar cookies and peanut butter kiss cookies every year, as well as adding some old family recipes into the mix--lepkuchen cookies and peanut brittle from my family and snickerdoodles and cream puffs from Ryan's.

My own addition--peppermint bark, which I think I have perfected this year, thanks to a great idea from Pampered Chef!

Peppermint bark--semi-sweet chocolate swirled with white chocolate, with crushed candy canes on top. YUM!

If only I had the Hallmark channel! This is the one time of year that I don't mind the tv! ;-)

Ryan's special creation--like the goatee?

License to Dream Monday

2010-12-06T14:19:00.000-07:00

Here's a link to my post over on the License to Dream blog. Hope you enjoy!

http://license2dream.wordpress.com/2010/12/06/carpe-diem/

Have a great week!

Karen

An Amish Christmas

2010-12-02T09:37:00.000-07:00

An Amish Christmas is a sweet collection of Amish romance stories set at Christmas time. The four interconnected stories are written by Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller, Barbara Cameron, and Kelly Long, in typical Amish-story fashion, complete with Amish words and brief discussions of Amish tradition. All four stories are well-written, though somewhat predictable, giving readers insight into matters of the heart--particularly love and salvation. This is a great way to relax by the fire during the Christmas season, and the collection would make a great gift!

***Disclaimer...I was given a free copy of this book by Thomas Nelson/Booksneeze in return for my honest review. ***

License To Dream Monday Post

2010-11-29T18:08:00.000-07:00

To continue the journey described in my latest book License to Dream, my co-authors and I have created a blog where we will each share some of our stories, experiences, and advice once a week. Mondays are my post day, so here is my post for this week:

http://license2dream.wordpress.com/2010/11/29/scheduling/

I hope you enjoy this little peek into my daily schedule. :-)

The Narnia Code

2010-11-26T21:55:00.000-07:00

As a little girl, I loved the Narnia books. I read them all, several times. The wonderful adventures of Peter, Susan, Lucy, and Edmund, and later Eustice and Jill, carried me away (ok, they still do!). And I always felt that, while the spiritual messages within the books and the connections with each other weren't always clear to me, that there was a plan in the books. In Narnia Code, Michael Ward, who has spent his academic career studying CS Lewis, solves the mystery. Using his knowledge of CS Lewis--what he loved to study, his views on literature and storytelling, and his other writings--Ward gives the readers a compelling, exciting, and altogether unexpected key to all seven of the Narnia books. Using Lewis' poem, "The Planets," Ward illustrates how Lewis deliberately hid the key to the spiritual meaning of each book in symbolism of the seven "planets" of medieval times (sun, moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn). Ward's excitement about having unlocked this secret code is evident in his writing style, and it's contagious! I found the book to be insightful and fascinating. I loved learning about the keys to each book, as well as learning more about CS Lewis himself. I could not put this book down. If you love the Narnia series, if your kids love Narnia--you have to buy this book!

License to Dream

2010-11-22T22:10:00.001-07:00

At the Treat 'em Right Seminar in Las Vegas this weekend, I spent a lot of time thinking about my Why and about who I am--not what my circumstances say about who I am, but who I really am and who I want to be. As I sat in my seat, thinking back on my network marketing journey, I realized that my Why just keeps getting bigger!

Three years ago, I never would have imagined where I am today--I could not have foreseen the tragedies, but I also would not have believed that the triumphs were possible. What's really cool is that I am more excited for the triumphs of people I had NEVER MET three years ago than I am for my own! It was amazing to see some of my team members earn a promotion with lightning speed and walk across the stage at the TER seminar. I love to see my team members bringing their own teams to events--seeing their excitement as they share their dreams with me. Whatever you dream...it IS possible!

Something to think about...

2010-11-09T12:00:00.000-07:00

I heard a long time ago that people in the US are the most generous when it comes to charitable giving. So I thought I'd do a little bit of research today.

Did you know that as a whole, the US gave $303.75 BILLION to charity in 2009? Over $200 billion of that giving was by individuals. Most of the money given charitably goes directly to the people it is meant to help, as most charitable organizations are very careful with how they spend the money entrusted to them. (Charitable giving #s: http://www.philanthropy.iupui.edu/news/2010/06/pr-GUSA2010.aspx)

Did you know that the government takes in $2,650 BILLION in income taxes each year? In 2008, the government spent $25,000 per household. And yet, where has that money gone? According to the budget, only $789 billion is allocated to health and human services, including medicaid, social security, feeding the hungry, etc. And yet, when you look at the actual budgets, only about $25 billion is actually going to health centers and feeding children--the rest is spent on research and instituting programs. (The president's budget: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget_fy2009_default)

After all, we do have a government that doesn't mind wasting $100 Million a year on unused plane tickets. A government that will pay $1/2 million to ship two 15 cent washers to another state. The vast majority of our tax dollars are NOT being used to feed the hungry or help the poor. They are being wasted. (Government fraud #s: http://hoguenews.com/?p=4834)

And I find it interesting that the income reports submitted by presidential candidates shows that the ones who are most for government programs actually give the least, while those who are for cutting government back spend the most. (Compare Obama's 5% with George W. Bush' 10+%--yes, I think Bush is a tither!). The big takeaway here is that we know a tree by its fruit. The people who really care about helping people are helping people with their own dollars--ie Bush. The people who are just giving the idea lip service are depending on the rest of us to do the giving. (Income vs giving reports: www.2timothy42.org/Blog/Media/Presidential-Giving.pdf)

Think about this...how much more would you give if you had more of your paycheck? What if you were given a dollar for dollar tax credit for charitable contributions? It seems that if we REALLY want to help people, we'll advocate for decreased government involvement and make sure that our dollars go where they will do the most good.

Wurstfest!!!

2010-11-04T11:08:00.002-07:00

Every year for two weeks, New Braunfels celebrates the Wurst--bratwurst! :-) This is one of the events Ryan has been looking forward to since last spring when we first investigated New Braunfels. So, the other night, we walked down to the celebration. We walked into Wurstfest to the sound of German polka music and "hey, hey, hey!" from the crowd, past men, women, and children dressed in traditional German costume, toward the wonderful smells of German food.

Megan Being Eaten by a Saber Toothed Tiger

A Raptor Foot!

While the lights from the fair rides called to the kids, we headed to the Kinderhall to see what Dinosaur George was all about. Sitting on the floor, we learned all about dinosaurs, as the kids got to answer questions and touch dinosaur teeth, horns, feet, and claws. My favorite part? At the end, George reminded the kids that, even if something is published in a book, it's still just a guess.


A Baby T-Rex

After learning about dinosaurs, we headed over to find some dinner! Every vendor it seemed had sausage (and lots of other things) on a stick. With bottles of water and our food on a stick in hand, we headed down to the pavilion to eat and listen to the live music. (Ryan has better pictures...I'll try to get them on later. )


After eating about 1/2, Tristan had had enough!

And, yes, we did let the kids choose one ride. The boys chose to go through the fun house, which the operator let them do twice. And Megan went on a scary spinning top ride, where she leaned against the wall and whirled until she was lifted up and very dizzy. But she loved it!

On the way out, we stopped to grab a funnel cake, which none of us had ever tried. With the exception of the melted plate we thought was powdered sugar, it was very yummy! :-)

Network Marketing Mastermind Event Part II

2010-10-30T10:29:00.001-07:00

This morning I heard from two amazing speakers, Randy Gage and Orrin Woodward. Both men have created a legacy of wealth for themselves and their families through network marketing, and they are passionate about empowering you and I to do the same. I love this concluding quote from Orrin, "You are created in the image of God, so you have greatness in you. All you need is the courage to let it out!"

As I sat in the seminar this morning listening to the life changing words from these men, Ryan and the kids went swimming! They were in the pool having a great time together, celebrating Josyan's 4th birthday with the things he loves best--staying in a hotel and swimming in the pool! :-)

I am so blessed that I am able to bring my family along on events like these--I don't have to worry about childcare because Ryan is here--and not only is he here, but he is having an amazing time with the kids. And while they are having fun, I'm being inspired to help millions of women with the message that freedom is possible through network marketing! You can stay home with your kids--you can be a family that plays together. The dream is real--you just have to believe it!

Mastermind Event

2010-10-29T22:36:00.000-07:00

I just finished up my first afternoon/evening at the Mastermind Event in Houston. I am already a little overwhelmed with all the great information that I've received in just the three sessions I attended today!

I don't know about you, but I often tend to look down on myself...You know that little voice inside that says, "you're not good enough! You'll never be successful!" Well, I was hearing that today. I was walking behind one guy who was talking about his $500,000 a MONTH paycheck --after two years of work. WOW! I can't even imagine what I would do with that kind of cash (which is maybe why I don't have it yet, but I'll talk about that in another post sometime).

We all tend to have those moments of doubt, those whispers in our minds and hearts that say we can't. But my Bible says that "All things are possible through Christ who gives me strength." It says that I am "above and beneath, the head and not the tail." It says that God has a plan for my life, and that I am "beautifully and wonderfully made." The greatest thing...it says all this about you, too!

This is taking time to PLAY!

I know that God has put in my heart to do this business--to share with moms everywhere that they CAN stay home with their kids. Network marketing offers amazing opportunities for women to have their own successful business with low start up costs and free training. And, best of all, a business that can be run from home. I am blessed to be able to offer moms the ability to make a difference in the world and to create financial freedom--and to be home with their children!

After all, part of the reason that little voice tries to make me feel worthless is that it knows that I will use my success to help others and to advance the Kingdom of Heaven. I hope that you won't let that voice keep you from your dreams, either. Use the sword of the spirit, which is the Word of God and vanquish that voice by saying OUT LOUD all the things that God says you are. After all, He created you. And, as the stranger says in A Snoodle's Tale, I can hear God saying to me and to you, "And lastly your wings. You know what they're for. But not just to fly (daughter), I want you to soar!"

Just another Monday..

2010-10-25T09:19:00.000-07:00

Do you remember the Manic Monday song? "Just another manic Monday...wish it were Sunday...that's my fun day!" I used to love singing that song along with the radio on Monday mornings, and I was just thinking how apt the song is today. ;-) Sundays are our fun days...going to church, then out to lunch, then to the library. It's always a fun day of family time.

Josyan asks Ryan every morning, "Do you have to go to work today, Daddy?" When Ryan says, "Not today." Josyan says, "Yay! Daddy Fun Day!" ;-) And it certainly is fun to spend the day as a family, even when I still have to work.

And then comes Monday. Even though Mondays for me no longer mean driving 90 miles to work, they still seem a little sad, especially when the sky is overcast. (Of course, that could just be the clouds!) On days like these, I just want to bake some chocolate chip cookies and curl up with a book or watch a movie with my kiddos. But, alas, we have schoolwork and work work and house work. lol

And just when I'm starting to feel a little down...I remember that I have a Plan. A plan that will make every day a Daddy Fun Day. Of course, the kids will still have school work, but Ryan & I will no longer have work work, and I will hire someone to do my house work. (hurray!!!) I am pursuing my dreams of financial freedom and making a difference in the world--and I'm doing that from my home. How great is that?!

Connect with Me!

2010-10-19T16:04:00.000-07:00

I just sent out an e-mail inviting folks to connect to me via social media--Facebook, Twitter, and Linked In, as well as my blog. I thought I'd let you all in on the fun! Every connection = a chance to win the wonderful book by Kody Bateman, Promptings. Just connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, or Linked In or follow my blog (if you're not already), and you'll be entered to win. Send me an e-mail letting me know how you're following me & I will draw a winner next Tuesday. :-)

Our Experiment

2010-10-15T19:26:00.000-07:00

Wednesday evening, Ryan turned to me and said, "I want to try an experiment." My first thought was, "uh-oh!" I was a little wary as he described what he wanted to do.

"For one week, let's just tell the kids 'yes' to everything they ask." Like that movie, Yes Man. Items costing money would be carefully considered, but for the most part everything they ask, we have to say yes.

The idea came to Ryan as he thought about something that happened on Tuesday. Tristan had asked him to play "army dudes." He didn't really want to play, so he said, 'no,' and then went to watch TV. He got to thinking about how lame that was and how often we say 'no' just because it's inconvenient for us. We're missing out on so much!

So yesterday was the first day of the experiment. Josyan asked for hot cocoa for a snack. That's his favorite thing in the world, but I ALWAYS say no! So, we had hot cocoa. Then, Tristan asked to go to the park. So we went to the park and had a picnic. On the way there, we passed an estate sale, and, of course, Megan spotted the toy section. So, we went to the estate sale, where I allowed the kids to each buy a movie (they were $1 each). That afternoon, they watched two movies--Angels in the Outfield and the Tigger Movie.

Today, Megan got to watch her movie, The Parent Trap, before starting Latin. Tristan asked me to play catch, so we threw a football around for awhile (he's pretty good!). Then Josyan asked me to play cars. While pushing two cars back and forth (mine was Lightning McQueen!), I noticed that Lightning McQueen's sponsor is a "medicated ointment for the rear end." LOL

Later on, we played catch again, and the boys got to come with me to Handy Andy to get lemonade for dinner. Really, my kids don't ask for a whole lot, but so far, what has happened is I've been able to spend some fun moments playing with my kiddos. I'm looking forward to seeing what our experiment brings tomorrow! ;-)

What's Your Why?

2010-10-08T20:17:00.001-07:00

The other night, I read a new book called Stay the Course: Lessons Learned on my SendOutCards Journey, by Adam Packard (you can buy the book at the link above or send it to yourself in a card through SendOutCards if you have an account). I bought the book while I was at the SendOutCards 2010 Convention last weekend. Adam is a leader in SendOutCards, but also a person who always took the time to say 'hello.' I admire him because of his ability to lead and because of his ability to make even those just getting started feel like part of the family, and I was excited to be able to support him by buying his book AND to get some great tips on building my business (of course!).

One of the first chapters in the book is about finding your 'why.' Your 'why' is your big dream--your passion, your purpose, your reason for doing whatever it is that you're doing. Knowing your 'why' will help you get through anything in your life. As I read through the 'whys' of several of the SendOutCards leaders I know and admire, I found myself teary-eyed. (These are just the bare bones--you'll have to get the book yourself to read the stories behind these whys!)

Listen to this:

"I'm building a successful SendOutCards business so that when I'm not here, my family will be financially secure." David Frey

"I wanted to be home! I wanted to be with my family! I wanted to sit down at night with a home-cooked meal and ask my wife and kids face to face how their days had been." Demarr Zimmerman

"My why is having the time and money to experience Grandma's Ami (Miami) with all of my grandkids." Dave & Lori Smith

All of these statements are based on a deep, heart-felt need for MORE out of life--more than just running the ratrace and getting a paycheck week after week. More time with family, more relationships, more freedom, more time to be.

My why? My why is bigger than me sometimes. It swells up in my heart until I can't stand it. My why is to know that I know that my family is taken care of--no matter what. To know that we'll never have another penny of debt. To be able to help my family with whatever they need. To be able to do good around the world.

At Convention, David Frey showed us a picture of the school he is building in South America. Up until that point, I had forgotten a childhood dream of mine--to build an orphanage. Those of you who know me well know that I have always had a heart for adoption. I don't know where that came from--from Jo's Boys (Louisa May Alcott), perhaps? But along the way, I 'realized' that I could never build an orphanage and that dream slipped away. Well, thanks to David's awesome photo--it's back. That is a huge part of my why--a piece that I didn't even realize was there. How amazing it is going to feel to be able to call up our good friends Tim & Kathy Mclean (Foundation Stone Ministries) and say, "hey, we're building you an orphanage--where can we send the check?"

Regardless of whether your goals are financial or health-related or spiritual, knowing your why will help you to reach them. Dig deep. Dream big. Go out and do the good things that God created you to do. Remember--"All things are possible through Christ who gives you strength!"

PS If you'd like to learn more about SendOutCards, go to www.sendoutcards.com/worryfree.

Stuffed Peppers

2010-10-06T17:58:00.001-07:00

Well, I have no pictures today, but I do have a yummy recipe for you--that every single one of my kids liked! :-) I am by no means a gourmet cook or a kitchen diva, but I do love cooking (especially baking), and it's always fun to share a successful experiment!

I bought some green bell peppers at the farmer's market a few weeks ago, and Megan has been begging me to make stuffed peppers. She didn't know what they were, but she loves peppers.

So tonight, I browned some ground beef, putting in some garlic salt & pepper & diced green onions for a little flavor. I put 1/2 of that in the freezer for another dinner. I cooked up about 1/2 cup of white basmati rice (SO GOOD! It smells like popcorn as you cook it, and just has a really yummy, buttery flavor) and added that to the hamburger that was left. Then I mixed in about 4 oz of shredded cheddar.

I cut off the tops of the four green peppers I had left and two tomatoes that I had in the fridge, scooped out the insides, stuffed with the hamburger mixture, placed them in a pan (with sides), and cooked them in the oven at 350 for about 20 minutes. Super easy, and they were SO good! Tristan didn't eat his pepper, but he's my pickiest eater and he ate every bite of the stuffing. Ryan loved it because it seemed just a tad 'fancier' than what I normally make, Megan loved it because she got to eat a whole pepper, and the boys just liked the rice. Josyan even said, "That smells really good, Mom!" :-) Next time, I'll make a double batch. ;-)

The Twelfth Imam

2010-09-23T11:43:00.002-07:00

The Twelfth Imam, by Joel C. Rosenbarg, is an end times thriller with an interesting twist. As in many of his other novels, Rosenberg synthesizes his knowledge of biblical prophecy about the "Last Days" with current political situations to create a fictional, yet plausible scenario.

In this case, a young CIA agent and son of Muslim refugees to the US, David Shirazi, finds himself confronted head on with the question of what he really believes as he attempts to uncover a nuclear arms stash and searches for truth about the Twelfth Imam, the Muslim messiah whose coming signals the end of the infidel and the reign of Islam throughout the world.

According to Muslim prophecies, the Twelfth Imam will only appear when the Muslim world has either completely destroyed the infidels, specifically Jews and Christians, or is prepared to do so. In Rosenberg's scenario, that means the secret creation of enough nuclear weaponry to destroy Israel and the US. In an interesting twist, Rosenberg's novel posits that the Twelfth Imam and the Antichrist are one and the same.

Not only is this book a great read, but is educates readers about the plight of Muslims around the world, confronts them with the reality of what the Muslim beliefs really mean for a non-believer, and forces readers to think about their own faith. If you are looking for a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat and make you think, I highly recommend Rosenberg's The Twelfth Imam.

***Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary advance reader copy of this book in return for my honest, unbiased review.***

Hurray!

2010-09-22T14:19:00.000-07:00

We have successfully contained all the mess to the garage! I am so happy, although Ryan is now ready to get the garage organized. YUCK! I know that means more boxes to unpack and more things to try to squeeze into the cupboard space I have left. Thankfully the many dresser drawers we now have opened up a LOT of storage space. I think we'll be able to get the majority of the "important" stuff inside. It's amazing how wonderful it feels to have everything all organized and have a 'home' again!

I took some pictures today for you...

Here's the Kitchen:

I love the pot rack Ryan hung up--it opened up two shelves in my cupboards! To the right of the pot rack is a door into the boys' room, which you already saw, and the dining room:

Ryan went a little crazy with the pictures on the far wall. He says it's modern and cool; I think it looks a little busy. I'm letting him have his way, for now. ;-) To the left out of the picture is the hutch and a french door into the living room. To the far left is another french door into the living room and the hallway to Megan's room.

I need to get a queen sized quilt for Megan's bed, but this one has great colors for the room. Lucky Megan has a bathroom in her room, but she does have to share with the boys. Down the hall from Megan is our room:

And through our room is another door into the living room:

(The door to our room is to the left of the piano.) And behind me is the breakfast room/school room:

I love all the windows in this room--it's so bright and sunny! I'm looking forward to working/sewing in here, too.

And that's the house. :-)

Settling in..

2010-09-18T17:12:00.000-07:00

The past week has been a lot of work, but also a lot of fun. Putting furniture together and reorganizing rooms is a lot of work. BUT having a couch to sit on, a beds to sleep in, and our own pretty stuff back has been pretty amazing. For the kids, it's been like Christmas. Opening up their long lost box of stuffed friends was one happy reunion after another! Megan has been pining for her Bitty Baby since we left AZ, and her baby, in June. The boys are super excited to have a new bunk bed, skillfully crafted out of their original captains beds by my awesome hubby. ;-)

From this:

To this:

The drawers, Ryan stacked to make steps (on the right). Gave us so much more room--and a lot of fun for the boys who have always wanted bunk beds!

Megan has a 'grown-up" room now, with a queen bed. She LOVES it! Josyan, apparently, does, too, as he sneaks in her room every morning. Tristan was very proud of himself this morning though, that he slept in his bunk bed all night long. ;-)

It's amazing how well our 'stuff' suits our new house--sort of like it was meant to be. I was so worried that our furniture would be too large for our home here, but it just seems to fit perfectly. I feel very comfortable and at home. It's a nice feeling. :-)

Paradise Lost

2010-09-11T19:50:00.000-07:00

Almost five years ago, we started planning our first 'real' house--the one that Ryan would design and build. We found the perfect property by accident--an irrigated acre about 4 miles out of town in an awesome, quiet neighborhood filled with tall, beautiful trees, green grass, and great people. From our lot, you could watch the sun set over the mountains, watch horses grazing in the pasture, or just sit and enjoy the quiet sounds of the evening.

Our house would be 4,000 square feet--too big, I thought, thinking of all the cleaning I would be doing with two little ones, and hopefully a third on the way soon. But Ryan insisted that we needed the space. Four bedrooms, formal and informal living & dining areas, a huge gourmet kitchen with walk-in pantry, an office, and tons of storage (three linen closets, a storage room, and a mud room!). We put $60,000 down and started building, living in a tiny toy hauler trailer we borrowed from our friends.

With the exception of the concrete & drywall, Ryan did everything himself--essentially our mortgage would cover the materials and nothing else. He once painted through the night to get the painting done before the carpet showed up the next day. I even helped--hammering in electrical boxes, putting in flooring, mostly cleaning up. And writing verses on the concrete...verses of blessing and protection. Any extra costs went on credit cards that would be paid off when we refinanced when the house was done. We built the house for 1/3 of what it would cost to buy and had $350,000 in equity before the house was even finished.

We spent the next four years making the house better, putting well over $100,000 in cash back into the house--just in materials (the things you can do with no debt & a mortgage that is only 20% of your income!). Ryan re-did the master bathroom tile 3 times, finally putting rock on the walls and slate on the floor, custom building a jacuzzi tub surround and tile countertops. With the help of my Uncle Mike, we installed a spectacular California Closets system in our closet. He designed and built floor to ceiling bookshelves for the formal living room, and custom built the fireplace surround. Ryan built the mudroom cabinets himself, along with a mini-office/craft area in the family room.

Last summer, when times were tight, he installed two whole house fans--we didn't turn on the AC all summer and saved twice what the fans cost us. Last winter, he installed a wood stove, so we could save money on propane. And did we ever! Probably over $1,000!

And on the outside of the house...We created a mini-paradise--at lease I thought so! We (Ryan) planted rose bushes and trees. Poured a concrete driveway and sidewalks around the perimeter of the house. Leveled the yard, installed custom piping for the irrigation, and made the grass grow. Planted flowers in planters and honeysuckle around the front patio. We (I helped a little!) fixed the perimeter fences, and Ryan put in a white picket fence so the kids would have a backyard. Ryan built square foot gardens for me with railroad ties and trellises. We planted a mini-orchard, with apple, pear, peach, plum, and apricot trees. Grapes and blackberries grew along the white picket fence, and our hens gave us fresh eggs every day. Ryan even built a little "home" for the lawn mower that matched the house--even had it's own little white porch.

With Ryan not working for almost 18 months, we got an awful lot done, and put more money into the house than we should have, especially given what we know now. But, late this spring, it was finally done. Everything we imagined it to be. And there was even fruit on the trees (one apple, two pears, and a ton of peaches and apricots!)--our first harvest! I thought it was a sign of hope--even planting a garden. And then, we realized that we would have to leave. You've heard the Texas story. We rented out our house to an elderly couple with a little dog (never had a dog in our house, but they offered us 3 months rent and the deposit cash--we took it!). From all reports, they were taking care of our house.

Today, Ryan went back to the house to get the rest of our furniture (renters moved out at the end of August). Driving up to the house, he couldn't see the mailbox because the weeds are so high. Dog poop was on the patio. He opened the door to the house and was overwhelmed with the stench of rotten meat. The renters had left meat in the freezer--you know what happens when the electricity is off for 10 days in the summer in AZ. The house is a wreck. All my plants are dead. Except the corn and tomatoes that sprung up on their own in the old chicken coop. ;-) The apple that I was so proud of hangs half-eaten and rotten from the tree. Ryan said that unless someone comes and starts taking care of the house soon, all of the trees will die. My heart was broken. All that work. All that love. For nothing.

In the midst of my pity party this afternoon, I started thinking about how God often uses situations here on earth to illustrate truths about Him. I asked Him to show me what I can learn about Him through this. And He did.

I thought about creation...how lovingly God planned the earth and its inhabitants. Made everything to work together in harmony. Everything was lovely. No death. It was perfect. God walked in the garden and it was good. And then the 'tenants' sinned. And perfection was overcome by death. And God left; He no longer walked in the garden in the cool of the day with Adam and Eve. Visit a city, where the beauty of creation is covered over by asphalt and shopping malls. Visit a dump, where we make our own mountains out of discarded, rotting trash. Death, disease, and destruction. That's what we have without God walking the earth. The loss I feel when thinking of our beautiful home and all that might have been is nothing in comparison with the sadness God must feel when He looks at the earth and thinks of what might have been. After all, I (all of us!) was created in God's image--and my desire to create paradise comes from being created in Him image. But God knows that, despite the destruction, there is hope--for His garden, and for us! Because He knows what WILL BE. From the beginning, He knew that in the end, the earth will be restored. He will come again and wipe out death once and for all and bring the Earth back to its perfect state. And all things will work together for good!

What will become of our beautiful home? I don't know. We will have it cleaned, and Ryan will stay an extra day to make the yard presentable again. And then...who knows? I hope that someone who will love it as much as we do takes the time to restore it completely--all things work together for good. The house was His, dedicated to Him from the beginning. What I do know is that God has a plan for us...a plan to prosper us and not to harm us, a plan to give us a hope and a future. I choose to put my hope in Him, to look to what is ahead, rather than to pine for what is behind. For I know in whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that He is able! :-)

Chicken 'n Dumplins

2010-09-10T07:17:00.001-07:00


Just for fun...a picture of me & Megan (probably at 7 mo?)

My first experience with chicken 'n dumplins was at Cracker Barrel in 2001. I was maybe 8/10 weeks pregnant with Megan & feeling pretty yucky. Tim & Angela came down to Phoenix to visit Ryan & I with my beautiful baby niece, Madison, and we met them at Cracker Barrel. Angela thought the chicken n' dumplings would make me feel better. It didn't. For years, I cringed at the thought of chicken and dumplings.

Then, a few weeks ago, we had our weekly after church dining out excursion and landed at New Braunfels Smokehouse, where the only thing on the menu that sounded good was the chicken and dumplings. I ordered it, and I LOVED it.

So, a few days ago, when it rained all day long, I thought some hot soup would be nice and, since I didn't have the ingredients for stew, I thought I'd try chicken and dumplings. It actually turned out really, really good! And it was so easy, so I thought I'd share. (When I can't think of anything profound to say, I just talk about what we're eating over here. lol)

So, I took a package of frozen chicken thighs (yes, they were organic--go me!) and boiled them from frozen for a long time in 1/2 water, 1/2 chicken broth (my biggest downfall as a wife and mother is remembering to get the frozen meat out of the freezer in time to make dinner--ok, maybe not my biggest downfall, but one of them). When the chicken was clearly falling off the bone, I strained the broth into the crockpot and pulled all the meat off the bones & put it in the crockpot. I had two carrots and two ears of leftover corn--that went in the pot, too, (cut up, of course) along with a bit of celery. (All the recipes I found called for onions, but I didn't have any--not even any Lipton onion soup!) I let that cook all afternoon...smelled so yummy!

About an hour before dinner time, I made dumplings from the Betty Crocker cookbook that I have--just 1 1/2 c flour, 3/4 tsp salt, 2 tsp baking powder, 3 T shortening, and 3/4 c milk. Plopped that on top and voila! It was very, very yummy. Even the kids liked it. Hurray! Another crockpot meal for fall!

And here's my baby Megan. Wasn't she precious?!

Nickels & Dimes

2010-09-08T11:41:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading a book called Crash Proof by Peter Schiff, published in 2007. In the book, he predicts everything that has happened with the real estate crash and other things. The only thing he predicts that hasn't happened yet is the devaluation of the dollar. Basically, what he says is that the US is paying the Chinese IOUs for all the imports we buy, and when the Chinese realize that the IOUs aren't worth anything, they're going to stop accepting them and the dollar will be worth nothing. At the end of the book, he asks readers to think not just about themselves, but about their friends and family. So I thought I'd share with you the simplest thing he advises--if you want to follow his advice, that 's great. It can't hurt. :-) If you want more info on his other strategies, you can read the book. Or ask. ;-)

I didn't know until recently (maybe you did!) that our money is not really worth anything. It used to be based on the gold standard--so a dollar was actually worth a dollar in gold. When we went off the gold standard in 1971, the government just started printing money, and even our coins aren't worth their face value.

The exceptions are nickels, which are actually worth a bit more than their face value, about 6 cents, and pennies made before 1983 (1982 and older), which are actually worth about 2 cents (their melt value). Quarters are only worth about 4 cents, etc. If you can find quarters, dimes, silver dollars, and 1/2 dollars minted BEFORE 1965, they are made of 90% silver, and they are worth about 15x their face value (a dime is worth about $1.43). Eisenhowers and 1/2s were made with a percentage of silver for a few years after 1965. http://coinflation.com/ gives all the values.

I don't know about you, but I don't have thousands (or even hundreds) of dollars to invest in silver and gold (the US govt tends to confiscate gold in times of crisis fyi). But I do have lots of nickels and old pennies. So, I'm saving all my nickels and pre-83 pennies and looking for junk silver--those old coins. They are rare, but you can find them every once in awhile. It's a little thing that makes sense and doesn't cost anything. Having our own garden & shopping locally for as much as we can and stocking up on all those items that are imported is another thing he mentions that makes sense to me (and something that we've been doing).

Maybe it sounds like I think the sky is falling. The thing is, we started doing some of these things in 2006/2007. (not the coins thing because we didn't know about that then, but stocking up--and I really wish we had known about the real estate crash!!! we would have saved money instead of 'investing' in our house) That's how we made it through the past few years--we had 6 months income saved and we had a ton of food and other items stocked up. I always bought our kids' clothes a year ahead during the sales--with handmedowns, I didn't have to buy clothes. SendOutCards helped a lot, too! If we hadn't been doing these simple things, a little at a time, it would have been even tougher on us. As our lives show you, you never know what's going to happen in the future. It's better to be prepared than not be--not only will you be able to get through tough times, but you'll be able to help others, too.

A great site that tells you how to stock up a year's supply of food for $10 a week: http://www.survival-homestead.com/one-year-supply-of-food.html

Breyers Contest!

2010-09-07T12:28:00.001-07:00

What a fun contest sponsored by Breyers! I love Breyers ice cream because, for the most part, it's made with just milk and sugar--none of the high fructose corn syrup found in so many other brands! Here are the details for the contest:

Breyers Sundae Scoop-Off Contest

Breyers® is in search of the next great sundae with the Sundae Scoop-Off Contest and you have a chance to win! From now through September 13, 2010, the Sundae Scoop-Off Contest is challenging America to create original, family-friendly ice cream sundae recipes including 10 or fewer ingredients. View complete contest requirements and enter the recipes at www.breyers.com for a chance to win $10,000, a trip to Chicago featuring a private cooking lesson with renowned pasty Chef Gale Gand, and one year of FREE Breyers® ice cream. The sundae recipe entries will be judged on taste, creativity, use of Breyers® ice cream and presentation.

Hmmmm. I'm looking forward to sampling some of the great recipes sure to come out of this contest! Be sure to submit yours!

PS I'm posting this to help spread the word about Breyers' contest, and I may even win some fun prizes, too!

Jungle Warfare

2010-09-03T15:49:00.001-07:00

In Jungle Warfare, Christopher Cunningham, a sales professional and a lay minister, provides men and women in sales with a solid, Biblically based devotional that will help them to focus on God and improve their sales results. Based on his grandfather's WWII Field Manual, Cunningham aptly relates the dangers soldiers find at war in the jungle to the dangers Christan sales professionals face in the real world.

Each chapter begins with an excerpt from Cunningham's grandfather's field manual that contains instructions for dealing with the dangers in the jungle, including everything from wild hogs to contact with the enemy. In the short devotion that follows, Cunningham relates the excerpt to a common "danger" faced by the sales professional, giving him/her a 'Battle Plan" to address the danger and overcome it through the Word and prayer. Readers are asked to think about their own lives and sales' practices, to pray, and to reflect on how they can better serve God in their sales' careers.

At the end of the book, Cunningham includes a "Field Support" section, almost a mini-Bible Promises for the salesperson. Covering everything from what to do with competition to depression, this is a great resource for finding the right verse to speak to many of the issues dealt with by folks in sales, particularly traveling sales.

The manual is not comprehensive, but it is a great 22 day devotional that provides short, to the point, and helpful advice based soundly on Biblical principles. The Field Guide format is interesting and makes for some insightful connections between the Christian life and the soldier's life. After all, we are fighting a battle every day, though the battle is spiritual, not physical. Whether you are a traveling salesman or a network marketer, this book is a helpful resource to have on hand at all times.

**I received this book as part of the Book Sneeze program in exchange for reading and writing a review. All opinions here are my own. **

Yummiest Bread Yet!

2010-09-02T11:24:00.000-07:00

So I think I have found my favorite 'regular bread" recipe. I have been experimenting with whole wheat, etc. The last time I baked, I added an egg--and the bread is SO yummy!

So, here is my variation...

Heat 2 1/2 c milk and 2 T butter 3 minutes (1 minute at a time) in micro to 110 degrees.

Stir in 1 tsp sugar & 1 tsp salt.

Add 1 packet of yeast & wait 'till it's all bubbly.

Add in some molasses (around 2-3 T) and 1 egg.

Add in flour, 1 cup at a time (around 5-6 total), starting with 1 cup of whole wheat flour, then use regular bread flour. You could use more whole wheat, but the bread doesn't rise as well.

Dump onto a floured surface and knead until 'satiny'--about 5 minutes.

Let rise 1 hour in oiled boil (just enough to lightly coat the dough--I use olive oil or coconut oil).

Punch down, divide, shape into loaves and put into greased pans. Let rise 1 hour.

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

I am having so much fun baking bread--and even showed my new friend how to make bread today! I hope you enjoy the recipe! :-)

A Life Well-Lived

2010-08-27T14:24:00.001-07:00

This week in my classes at Grand Canyon, we're talking about observations. It's fun to read about the different lessons that my students have learned through observing--from learning how to make fried chicken from their grandmas to lessons on life. The conversation this week reminded me of a lesson I learned from my Dad as a teenager, just ready to head off to college.

One day, I got a call from Bank One, telling me that I was hired. That was great, except I had never submitted an application or done an interview. I had no idea that I was even in consideration for the job--or even that they were hiring! It turns out that my Dad had mentioned my name, and I was hired solely on the basis of his character. (Of course I proved myself, too, later on!) Amazingly, since I was going off to college, I couldn't work at our local branch, so I was transferred to a branch in Flagstaff with high recommendations--even though I had never worked a day at the bank!

My Dad wasn't a wealthy man. He didn't have any "standing" in the community. In fact, he was the assistant manager at the local grocery store. Everybody knew my dad because of his smile, I think. He was always smiling or joking with one person or another. It didn't matter what was going on in his life, my Dad always had something to be thankful for and a kind word for everyone.

But it wasn't just his good attitude or his kind words that people noticed. He was also a man of integrity. Dad always did what he said he would do. He lived a life worthy of God. And while the benefits weren't monetary, to my young 18 year old self, getting a job just on the basis of my Dad's character made a huge impression on me.

I hope that one day my kids will be able to say the same about me--that their mom was a person who lived her life with integrity and kindness and always a smile to share.

Karen and Dad

Phil. 1:6: Have confidence that He who began a good work in you will continue it until the day of Christ Jesus.

Homeschooling Curriculum

2010-08-26T19:53:00.002-07:00

<p>&amp;amp;lt;a style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; float: right; margin-left: 1em;" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0021KRWVW?tag=worr-20&amp;amp;amp;amp;camp=213761&amp;amp;amp;amp;creative=393545&amp;amp;amp;amp;linkCode=bpl&amp;amp;amp;amp;creativeASIN=B0021KRWVW&amp;amp;amp;amp;adid=0K293HY0AXE7XA34R4FX&amp;amp;amp;amp;" target="_blank"&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;img style="" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31que-6+M9L._SL110_.jpg"&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt;</p>Among homeschooling moms, the conversation often begins with the scintillating question: "What curriculum are you using?" So, I thought I'd share my wonderful curriculum choices with my reading audience. ;-)

Last year, we switched from Saxon math to Horizons. We started with Saxon because we started out with Veritas Press. They recommend starting K with 1st grade math and so on. However, Megan hated the boring black and white pages, so I went on a search for new, more colorful curriculum. We decided on Horizons, mostly because of its Christian emphasis. Singapore math was a close 2nd. I'm a little conflicted about the K Horizons because the method of teaching addition is a little strange. But everything else is good.

For phonics, I use All About Spelling, which uses flashcards and manipulatives to teach the phonetic spelling of words. Megan was doing the Veritas Press Phonics Museum for K, which was a lot of fun, but only got through the short vowel sounds and the consonants by the end of the year, but expected her to memorize huge lists of words every week. She got so frustrated because there was no predictability. She learned all the phonograms and was reading within 2 weeks with AAS. I like that it does double duty as a spelling and a phonics text and that it utilizes different learning methods--auditory, visual, and sensory. I also supplement with Explode the Code. It's just fun to say. And it does a great job of getting the kids to practice the skills they're learning in AAS.

This year, we're trying out Shurley English. In part because the homeschool program we think we might join at some point uses it, in part because it's a well-recommended part of any classical curriculum, and in part because we're still kinda sorta following the Veritas Press model. I really do like it (Veritas Press & the Phonics Museum), and I would use it again in conjunction with All About Spelling. :-)

For literature, we're using the reading list from Veritas Press. I'm pretty happy that I have a lot of the books on the list already (yes, I have good taste. lol), and we make trips to the library every Sunday, so we'll supplement the rest with free books! Yay!

Handwriting--we use A Reason for Handwriting. I just love that they are practicing writing verses every day. This year, we will be doing a lot more writing. The kids have been writing a letter a week to a friend, so that is one way we're practicing. I think book reports will be in order, and I think I remember seeing quite a lot of writing in the Shurley English books, too. As an comp teacher, I'm always running into the same problem with my students--they freak out so much about grammar and spelling that they can't get their ideas down. So I didn't worry about those things with Megan--just get your ideas down and then edit. But in her 'real life' writing, which she does a lot of, she doesn't do the editing part. SO...we need some more practice. :-)

That's quite a lot already, don't you think?! But we wouldn't be complete without history and science. This year, thanks to a wonderful new friend who let me borrow her book, we'll be doing Apologia Astronomy. The kids spent an hour looking through the book tonight, so I think they'll like it. Megan wants to try all the experiments. And Tristan, well, his ears perked up when he heard Science. Why? Because his book on Nascar says that you have to be good at math and science to drive a racecar. Thank you Nascar! ;-)

I would love to do Story of the World for history, but for now, I think, we're going to continue with the TruthQuest American History we have from last year. This year will be some catching up, for sure. After a year of "fast school," the kids are going to love (I hope) having time to really have fun learning instead of having to rush through everything. That's one of the benefits of homeschooling--it adapts to your life!

Some other things I'd like to throw in--Spanish, cooking, art. Oh! And Megan begged and begged to learn Latin. So, we're going to work on that, too. So, we've got a lot going on this year. Hopefully we'll keep it together. Maybe next time I'll share with you how I juggle all I have on my plate. :-) And I think something that we tend to forget--the overall goals of homeschooling, at least for our family.

Thanks for listening!

Fall Gardening in New Braunfels

2010-08-05T21:24:00.000-07:00

One of the things I have missed most (besides my family and friends, of course!) about Arizona is my garden & fruit trees. I was so excited to see actual fruit on my trees this year, and we were taken away before getting to taste it! I even had blackberries ready to ripen on the vine. God was so good to give us a house here in TX with fruit trees. Granted, they are two fruits I have never eaten in my life (figs and persimmons), but they are fruit trees, none the less. (Ok, I have eaten figs--in newtons. lol) But, I still missed the fun of picking all the ripe tomatoes our of our garden.

(Don't you love the hat?) Can you guess what this is?

So, I was really excited to find out that New Braunfels has a second growing season in the fall that lasts through November! I've heard that we can plant a second crop of tomatoes and zucchini right now, plus plant cold weather crops, like broccoli and lettuce.


The kids all got to help.

Carrying the big planter to the back yard. Ryan also made two small ones.

So, Ryan built planters for me, and yesterday we went and bought soil (to fill the planters), tons of seeds (I left all mine in AZ--oops!), and some seedlings from the Plant Haus. I planted tomatoes, zucchini, & bell pepper plants. And from seed, broccoli, celery (a first for me!), sweet peas, lettuce, spinach, carrots, radishes, and green onions. Plus, I bought a chocolate mint and a thyme plant, and planted chamomile, basil, oregano, dill, and cilantro. I'm really excited to see what grows!

This is where I planted the sweet peas (two kinds!), lettuce, carrots, radishes, & onions...You can see one of the four fig trees to the right in the picture.

Next spring, when the fruit trees arrive, we'll be buying several dwarf varieties that will live in pots for a few years until we have our own house. Pretty much everything grows here--from apples and pears to citrus. Even bananas! How cool is that?! Even in the little things, God is faithful. :-)

A New Author

2010-07-28T07:22:00.000-07:00

So, we have been visiting the library every Sunday after church, which is a great treat for everyone but Ryan who has no idea what to read. lol He takes the kids to the kid section, and I go find my books, which just so happen to be color coded! All the inspirational fiction has a yellow binding, so it's easy to find.

I started in the B aisle, because I know that Terri Blackstock is in that row. :-) And I found a new author--Mary Connealy. The Lassoed in Texas series tells the story of some brave women of the frontier in Texas. They are great stories of overcoming hardship, finding the good in life's circumstances, with a bit of romance and danger thrown in. And, look how cute the covers are! :-)

Whole Wheat Bread

2010-07-27T08:15:00.000-07:00

I've decided that a super short post is in order after my super long post the other day! lol

I made whole wheat bread yesterday--and it turned out really good!

So here's how I did it:

1) Heat 2 1/2 c milk & 2 T butter to 110 degrees.

2) Add 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp salt, and a package of yeast. Wait for yeast to fully dissolve.

3) Mix in 4 T molasses and 3/4 cup whole wheat flour.

4) Mix in flour, one cup at a time until dough is ready.

5) Let rise one hour.

6) Punch down, put in bread pans, let rise 1 hour.

7) Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.

I think you could probably add in more than 3/4 c whole wheat flour, and I thought about adding in some whole wheat, too. I combined Tim's basic recipe with a Betty Crocker recipe in my old BC cookbook. It's yummy!

Our Moving Story...or Why I Need a Summer Vacation

2010-07-24T16:35:00.000-07:00

When the economy went belly-up in AZ, my amazingly talented contractor husband and I decided to switch roles for a while! I went back to work, after being a stay-at-home mom of three little ones for 4 years, in the Spring of 2009. Since then, I have taught up to 10 to 11 composition courses a semester for three to four different colleges/universities, while hubby became Mr. Mom.

To make things more interesting, in April, we decided to move 1000 miles from Camp Verde, AZ (where all my family lives) to New Braunfels, TX (where we know NO ONE) in the hopes of finding work for my husband and getting me back home with my kiddos. The first hurdle? Ryan needs a truck. (Unfortunately, he had traded his truck in for a smaller car with smaller payments in December!) Deciding to be 'wise,' we buy a 1999 Chevy utility truck we find on Craigslist with our dwindling tax refund and sell Ryan's car for what we owe to my cousin. We will drive to Texas in two vehicles--Ryan pulling a trailer of our belongings behind his truck, while I follow in my little Corolla with our three kids (ages 3, 5, and 8).

With no leads on buyers for our home, we decide to rent it. The people renting the house are wonderful, so we know they will take care of our home. And they even drop hints that if they like it they might decide to buy it. Hmmm. We bend over backwards to make them happy--including agreeing on a June 1st move-in date on May 25th and leaving ALL of our furniture.

With one week's notice, we pack up our house, putting only what we really need in my father-in-law's trailer. On June 4th, we pack the kids in the car & leave for Texas. Less than 20 miles out of town, Ryan's engine blows up. A tow truck and $350 later, we are back at Ryan's parents' house trying to come up with a plan. The good news--There is a flood in New Braunfels this week and we missed it!

We end up trading in my Corolla for a 2002 Chevy that can pull the trailer and hold all 5 of us. I will be without a vehicle in TX, but at least we'll be there! A week later, June 12, we are on our way again. About 90 miles later, just outside of Phoenix, we decide to get some gas & snacks before heading across the desert. Ryan notices that all the tread on all the tires of the trailer is completely gone. Four new tires later, we are back on the road. Thankfully we were just minutes away from a tire place, instead of stranded in the middle of the desert!

We are now 2 hours behind schedule on our 14 hour drive. About 4 hours from our destination (11pm Texas time), Ryan decides to stop and rest for a few minutes. So, we pull into a Wal-Mart in Ft. Stockton, TX. Where we sleep all night. In the truck. :-(

Finally, we get to our destination--some friends of Ryan's parents whom we have never met, but who have generously asked us to stay in their casita (a one bedroom, one bathroom guest room) in Bandera, TX. We arrive Sunday around noon, and, with an appointment with a realtor to scout out rentals on Monday, I know we will be in a house by the end of the week.

Unfortunately, a huge flood in New Braunfels, which we thankfully missed with our vehicle drama, has created a run on the rental market. Any house or apartment immediately available has been snapped up by the 100 families put out of their homes by the flood. We stop at house after house, only to have the realtor call, shake her head, and say, "They just got a contract."

Finally, after about 8 hours of searching with all the kids and no lunch...we pull up in front of a cute house downtown--right where we want to be! She calls...and the house, which had been under contract until 5 MINUTES ago!, is now available. We sign papers that afternoon. The bad news--no house until July 3rd.

Our New House!

We spend three weeks in a one bedroom, one bathroom guest room with no kitchen, no toys, no books, no transportation. The good news? Ryan gets a job! The bad news--the job requires that he spend money to get tools, that he be gone from 7am to 9pm, and he won't have a paycheck for 3 weeks. The good news? We really love the Embrees, and they love us!

Finally, it's July 3rd. We leave Bandera and head to New Braunfels. 20 miles into the 60 mile trip, Ryan hears a strange noise and looks out his window, only to see a tire bouncing down the road. Pulling into a parking lot, we find that it, is, indeed, our tire--one of the brand new tires from the trailer has completely separated from the trailer and bounced into someone's car. Good news--no damage to their vehicle. Bad news--there is no way to fix the wheel and we are stuck in Boerne, TX, with all of our stuff on the back of a trailer that we can't move.

What now? We rent a U-Haul. After about an hour of confusion, we finally find one that's open and has a truck--the biggest one they have. We have to unload the trailer onto the UHaul before we can get on our way. Fortunately, the 3 weeks we spent with the Embrees made them like us a lot! Mr. Embree came, with his son & daughter-in-law, to help us load the U-Haul and to haul the empty trailer back to their place.

Finally! We make it to New Braunfels and our cute little house. Where we have absolutely no furniture--well, except for the two card tables and 5 chairs I managed to squeeze into the trailer and the three blow up mattresses we bought for the kids to sleep on at the Embree's.

What happens next is the miracle of Texas hospitality. One neighbor comes over with 3 camp cots for the kids. Yay! Three beds. (And that means that Ryan & I have blow up mattresses to sleep on!) And the other neighbor brings us a real, live kitchen table with 5 chairs! Even better, on Sunday, the real estate agent brings us a full tray of Subway sandwiches to enjoy--that feeds us for 3 days!

Megan in the kids' room with their cots

July 4th--we spend with our new friends and neighbors watching the fireworks in New Braunfels. Truly a day of independence and hope for our family.

Ryan left his first nightmarish job two weeks ago and is now working with one of the finest builders in New Braunfels, TX, and I am, of course, still teaching my online classes. Still busy, still struggling a bit, but knowing that there is hope, a light at the end of the tunnel. Through it all, we saw that God was watching out for us. And we realized that we may not have a bed to sleep on, but we have each other, and that's what counts. Is it any wonder that my favorite Bible verse has always been Romans 8:28: "All things work together for good for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose."

So, why do I need a summer vacation? To celebrate that God is good. To celebrate my beautiful family. And to celebrate a new beginning.

A day in New Braunfels

2010-07-23T10:48:00.000-07:00

I thought it would be fun to take you with us through a day here in New Braunfels. :-) We start out, of course, by liberally spraying everyone with bug spray! Then, we just start walking! It's so fun to have so much to do within walking distance. On this day, we are setting out to the Farmer's Market, where there is live music, lots of fresh produce, & other fun stuff.

After walking around and making some yummy purchases, including some ground beef, a whole chicken, tomatoes, and bell peppers, we decide to stop for some breakfast burritos and fresh lemonade.

After stashing our bounty safely at home, we decide to head back to town to check out the Red Rooster, an antique store and restaurant. After browsing through the store, we head off in search of a snack. And we find a brand new bakery called Tarts! We enjoyed our delicious cupcakes, and went back for more the next day for the free grand opening cupcakes. :-)

Later on, we have an impromptu water party in the backyard with all of the neighbors. With 6 boys ages 1-10, we had quite a lot of fun. Megan hid out next door with her friend, Vanessa, playing Monopoly.

And we round off the day with hotdogs at home--grilled on our itty bitty charcoal grill.

I'm a TV Repairwoman!?!

2010-07-21T08:42:00.000-07:00

Well, at least a helper! Just before we moved to Texas, our wonderful Samsung LCD TV decided to stop turning on. It would "click, click, click, click, click" for hours! So, we brought it with us, anyway, thinking that maybe we could get someone to fix it.

Getting tired of watching hulu.com from my tiny laptop screen, I decided to do a little research. Guess what? Apparently Samsung TVs are just plain defective! Tons of people are having the same problem--with a repair bill of up to $500! They put in a capacitor that was too small, causing the TV to short out as the capacitors go bad.

See the X in the middle? It's sort of bulging out instead of being totally flat. And the black in the X is a sign that it's leaking. Turns out, these capacitors cost just a few bucks each. With the purchase of a soldering kit, you can repair the TV yourself for around $25-30!

So, I sent Ryan to watch the youtube instructional video, then to Radio Shack to pick up the soldering kit and the 4 35V 1000uf capacitors that we figured we would need. (most of the TVs have either 3/4 that need to be replaced.) Here are the kids hiding away in their room so they wouldn't be anywhere near the soldering gun. :-)

So, the first step was unscrewing the back of the TV and removing the board. (Yes, I'm totally a girl and I don't know what the real name for it is.)

Then, Ryan put the board on a magazine on the kitchen table. (fancy!) Ryan used the soldering gun to melt the solder, while I pulled and wiggled the capacitors out from the other side. Careful to check the charge (positive is the long wire, negative is the short one), Ryan put the new capacitors on. It was a tight fit, but it worked!

He put the board back in the TV, screwed the back on, and plugged it in. SUCCESS! What an accomplishment! A little less than an hour and around $25 and we had our TV back. Nice. :-)

Riding a Bike!?!

2010-07-20T09:56:00.000-07:00

One of the great things about our new neighborhood is that you can walk everywhere--or ride bikes. Our kiddos love to ride bikes, but, even though I actually won a bike in a Mother's Day contest at Sears (before I was a Mom!), I never rode it. In fact, I haven't ridden since I was a kid, when Tim, Laura, and I used to take turns racing up and down the road on the one bike we all shared.

So, when our new neighbors proposed that we all take a bike ride down to the river--and generously loaned Ryan & I bikes to boot--we accepted, everyone in the family except me with excitement. Me? I was scared to death!

The bike I borrowed was an old men's bike, modified to suit my neighbor, Holley. Unlike the kids' bikes, my feet did not reach the ground when I sat on the seat, which freaked me out even more. It took me a few tries (and Ryan holding on to the bike for me!) just to get on and get going. Stopping was another dramatic event--one that usually ended with me jumping on one foot away from the bike to avoid a major crash.

Thankfully, we made it down to the river, where we found a nice shallowish place for the kids to play. The current was a little strong, so they couldn't really experience the joys of the river--but the kids did have fun floating downstream to Ryan, where I pulled them on shore. ;-) And Ryan had fun with our neighbor, Landon, on the rope swing, although neither one of them was brave enough to do a back flip. I didn't get very wet--I was positive that the sore bum I already had would be worse if I was also dealing with a wet suit!

At dusk, we set off back home. I was much more confident this time and even got off the bike (mine is the green one--Ryan is holding Megan's bike in this pic, and the little ones--Luke, Jack, and Josyan rode on the Big Dummy with Landon) without falling down at the end of the ride. After 3+ miles round trip, I felt much more at ease on the bike, though today I am finding sitting down anywhere a tad difficult. I have some bruises that I hope will go away soon! :-)

I am proud of myself, though, for getting back on a bike and taking a risk. It was worth it!

Baking Bread

2010-07-16T09:47:00.000-07:00

I have always considered myself a decent cook. Give me a recipe, and I can make it. Sweets & desserts are my specialty (because they're my favorite, of course!). So, when I decided to try my hand at baking bread, I figured I would be a natural. NOT SO! My bread didn't rise, turned out really heavy, and was just, overall, nasty. My wonderful brother, Tim, who is a phenomenal baker, gave me a recipe he created--one that he tweaks to make everything from bread to cinnamon rolls--and careful instructions. Which, I followed, mostly. Turns out, mostly is not good enough!

With trepidation, I thought I'd try again the other day. I took pictures to document my progress, and I thought I'd share. :-)

Step 1: I had the milk and butter warming up in the microwave when I realized that I didn't remember unpacking the yeast. So, I had to walk down to Handy Andy with all the kids to pick up a packet of yeast. We got home, finished warming up the milk & butter. At this point, everything looks GREAT! :-)

So, on to Step 2: Adding the yeast, sugar, and salt. To my surprise, the yeast actually started bubbling away as it dissolved. I wasn't sure when exactly to put in the sugar, but it seemed to work out ok.

Step 3: Here's where I made my mistakes before. You know how the recipe tells you to put in one cup of flour at a time? Yeah...I just dumped it all in last time. SO, deciding to actually follow the directions this time, I stirred in one cup of flour at a time. By this time, I have, not only my brother's recipe, but two Betty Crocker cookbooks out on the counter turned to the pictures of the dough. What is it supposed to look like? How in the world do I know it's ready? Tim says that it gets satiny and you just feel that it's done. Well, I don't trust my 'feeling,' hence, the two illustrated cookbooks! Apparently, baking bread requires some 6th sense of baking, which you must acquire through practice. Yikes!

Anyway, I finally get the dough to look 'right'--where it doesn't really stick to the board anymore as I'm kneading it. So, I decide this is as good as it's going to get and I put it back in the bowl to rise for an hour in the nice, warm sunroom.

An hour later, I was pleasantly surprised to see that my dough had, indeed doubled in size! I punched it down and divided it in half, placing it in two bread pans. I covered the pans and set them aside to rise for another hour. I even set the timer--but forgot to press start. So, about 90 minutes later, I remember the bread & find that it has doubled in size again! I was so excited that I forgot to take a picture & just put the loaves in the oven. 30 minutes later, here is what I found:

Two beautiful loaves of bread. In the pans, they were pretty hard, so Ryan was dubious. But I dutifully rubbed butter all over the tops, & turned them out on the cooling rack, covering again with a towel. Sure enough, the bread was nice and soft!

In fact, Ryan and the kids couldn't get enough of it!

I think I will try this again sometime soon! I may even get brave and try to make dinner rolls. We'll see!

Famous People in New Braunfels

2010-07-15T07:39:00.000-07:00

We have been doing some research this morning on one of the famous people who lives in New Braunfels--Charlie Duke, one of the 12 men who have walked on the moon! Looking at the information about him and the other men, it's interesting that 1) they were all in their late 30s and 40s--not young guys! (Charlie was the youngest at 36 1/2) & 2) no one has been on the moon since the early 70s.

Reading his biography on Wikipedia, I was impressed by one piece of his personal information--He became a Christian after walking on the moon. I think that having that information included is really neat. In looking more at Charlie's life on his website and watching some videos, we find that his love of Christ is of more worth to him than his great accomplishments in his life--both as an astronaut and a businessman.

Charlie published a book called Moonwalker about his experiences in 1990, and he has produced two videos--Walk on the Moon, Walk with the Son and Moonwalker. His wife, Dottie, also published a book about her testimony, called An Astronaut's Wife--Her Story: From Sadness to Joy. You can find out more about Charlie and his wife, and even watch clips of Charlie giving his testimony on his website. I hope you enjoy learning about the Dukes as much as we have!

Love on a Dime

2010-06-22T09:29:00.000-07:00

Love on a Dime is the first of the Ladies of Summerhill series by Cara Lynn James. Set in Newport in 1899, Love on a Dime is the story of a young women from a wealthy family who has found joy writing inspirational dime novels. Worried about the stigma of dime novels, at the time seen as frivolous trash, and of being a 'working woman,' Lilly Westbrook hides her writing from her wealthy family and friends, writing under the pseudonym Fannie Cole.

Because of their positive message, Fannie Cole becomes a well-known author with a wide following, and becomes the object of a devious man's pursuit of gossip. He will stop at nothing to expose Lilly and ruin her family.

In the meantime, both Fannie and Lilly are being pursued by a gentleman of quite another sort--a former beau who is still in love with her, and who happens to be the new owner of her publishing company.

This historical novel is a fun and inspirational read about Lilly's journey towards truth and becoming the woman God created her to be. Some of Lilly's determination to hide her identity from the one person who can help her seems a bit unbelievable, and some of the plot twists at the end seem a little contrived. However, as a whole the story is a great read, one that encourages the reader to think about what it means to truly trust God and His plans for her life. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Rayovac Powers Our Summer

2010-06-22T06:29:00.001-07:00

I am entering the Rayovac Powers Your Summer Promotion! Even though we aren't in our house yet, I'm sure we'll be looking for lots of fun things to do this summer. I'm thinking remote control cars, backyard camping trips, and nighttime walks home from the park. :-)

Disclosure: "The first 99 bloggers to promote the Rayovac Powers Your Summer Promotion won a prize package from Rayovac." Then provide a link back to the Rayovac Powers Your Summer Promotion located at www.rayovac.com/PowersYourSummer.

You can enter, too! Hurry!

Follow Rayovac on Facebook: www.facebook.com/rayovac

Moving Update

2010-06-15T10:11:00.000-07:00

Well, we finally made it to Texas! We are staying with the Embrys, who are friends of Ryan's parents. They have a beautiful home with a casita they are graciously allowing us to occupy for the time being.

We found a cute little house in downtown New Braunfels yesterday. It's about 1/2 mile away from the Children's museum, the farmer's markets, and only about a mile from Landa Park. The downtown area of NB is in high demand, so we were really fortunate to get into this house. Especially since the flood from last week put 100 families out of their homes! Our wonderful real estate agent, Carrie Evans, outdid herself following every lead--but as soon as we'd look at a house, it was leased! The house we have is one that she found by chance. When she called, she found out that the app on the house had been rejected just 5 MINUTES before she called! It was meant to be! ;-)

The house, unfortunately isn't available until the 1st, but we're hoping that we'll be able to get in earlier. In the meantime, I'll be on the lookout for 1950s furniture. ;-)

I've got a feeling...

2010-06-10T09:14:00.000-07:00

...tonight's gonna be a good, good night! We are on our way to Phoenix to pick up our new vehicle--one that will actually get us to TX without spinning a rod 20 miles out of town. This decision was a difficult one--do we spend the money fixing the other truck, with no guarantee that it will be reliable and delay our move a few more weeks? Do we just rent a uhaul & arrive in TX with no truck? Do we put money down on a new (to us) vehicle that will get us there so Ryan can find work and we can get our lives on track again? Obviously, we went with option #3.

If you're in AZ right now, particularly in our little town of CV, you know how hard things are out here. The only bar in town, the one that's been around for 70+ years, closed a few months ago. That can't be good! Main street is becoming a ghost town as folks who have lived and worked in Camp Verde their entire lives are losing everything. The media may talk about recovery, but at least in CV that recovery is a long way off. In the meantime, good, hard-working people are losing their homes. Or walking away out of frustration--when your house is valued $100,000 under your mortgage and the bank won't work with you because omgoodness you make your payments on time, what else are you to do?

At any rate, we hope that the outlook is brighter for our family "deep in the heart of Texas." Looking forward to actually getting on the road tomorrow!!!

The Palmer Moving Saga

2010-06-07T18:49:00.001-07:00

I thought that I'd update the world on our moving status. Seriously, a comedy of errors here.

One week ago today, we were blessed to have great friends & family help us clean up and move out of our house here in Camp Verde.

On Tuesday, Ryan left first thing in the morning to load up his trailer...not enough room. He spent the rest of the day moving in the renters & moving the remainder of our 'stuff' to his mom's house bit by bit. In light of the fact that we couldn't take our trailer, we took a family trip to the dump to unload Ryan's Dad's trailer, then we repacked our stuff onto that trailer.

Wednesday, while Ryan installed chicken wire on the fence so the renter's little poodle would not escape and arranged for someone to mow our lawn & irrigate, Megan, Josyan, and I got our hair cut at Simplicity. Megan got the whole treatment--style & all, very cute! Josyan hasn't had his hair cut since he was one--I couldn't risk losing the blond curls! As you can see, they are still there, albeit a little less crazy. ;-) And Megan & I got our nails done--pedicures are seriously amazingly relaxing. One last lunch at Sweet Grace, and we were ready to go.

Thursday morning, we woke up bright and early, packed up the kids, and got on the road. Right after the Prescott exit, Ryan's emergency blinkers came on and I followed him as he pulled to the side of I-17...deciding that was a tad dangerous, we made it to the next exit, yes, just 20 miles out of town, where we called a tow truck and made our way back to Ryan's parents' house.

Thursday and Friday...Ryan and Dusty valiantly work to save the truck while I grade papers and build courses.

Saturday, the kids and I drive to Flagstaff to get a $5 part that no one in the Verde Valley had. We left at noon--the dealership with the part closes at 1. Playing WOW 2010 at full blast, I realize I'm going 80 in a 65 right as we pass a cop--by some miracle he either doesn't see me or decides not to bother. Thankfully, my brother, Tim (who was shopping with his family & my Mom) came to the rescue by going to pick up the part at Tyrell Marxen before they closed at 1pm. Fed a homeless lady sitting under the tree at Wal-mart, watched a chain reaction of kindness, then brought the part home to Ryan. The truck starts, the truck breaks again. Thinking he's lost the starter, the rotor, and the motor, Ryan gives up. We contemplate trading vehicles with Ryan's Mom (she has a '98 Expedition that could pull our trailer, I have a Toyota Corolla that CANNOT!) or buying a new vehicle. Ryan is pretty much in despair.

Sunday...It's a new day, so Ryan decides to have a little more hope and checks out the truck. He realizes that it's only the starter that's blown up. Replaces the starter. Engine is still knocking, so he checks all the rods and in the process breaks a bolt off in the engine. The kids and I go to Target to get Ryan new clothes because he has ruined all the clothes he owns fixing the truck while he continues to work on the truck.

Monday...I get to watch my husband in hill-billy mode working on the truck in his underwear because he was getting oil on his new shorts. A trip to Phoenix (Courtesy Chevrolet) for Ryan to get the bolt & some part for the exhaust system that has disintegrated. The bolt is extracted and replaced...the engine still knocks. The exhaust thing doesn't fit, but then does. I spend the day reading the Pioneer Woman's love story, wondering if we will ever get out of Camp Verde. Call Delbert, the traveling truck expert, and make an appointment for tomorrow afternoon. Could be a valve, could be a piston. Lay down with Josyan, fall asleep, and wake up realizing that we've just stood up my Mom & Rod for dinner.

To quote Vanilla Ice, "Will it ever stop? I don't know." LOL Hopefully we'll know tomorrow what we're doing! In the meantime, our mail is piling up in New Braunfels general delivery. At least I HOPE it is!

Anatomy of the Soul

2010-06-04T19:59:00.001-07:00

Anatomy of the Soul, by Curt Thompson, MD, gives readers a compelling look at the connection between the structures of our brains and our relationships—with each other and with God. Thompson provides readers with an interesting scriptural and scientific perspective based upon his role as a practicing psychiatrist and his faith as a Christian.

In the book, Thompson explains the structure of our brains and how that structure impacts our relationships and our faith in God. Though the book is scientific, it is written in an engaging style that seeks to educate readers in a compassionate way. The book moves from a look at how our brains impact our own views of life, to how it impacts our relationships, to how it impacts our faith, and, finally, to how we can use this information in our professions. Each chapter builds upon the information in previous chapters, making the book easier to comprehend than one might think. In addition, Thompson frequently incorporates stories to illustrate his points, which both creates a connection to readers and helps us relate the science to our own life circumstances.

Explaining how our culture tends to value right-brained, logical thinking over emotion, Thompson exposes the flaws in this viewpoint and illustrates how not paying attention to our emotions can cause ruptures in our relationships with others and with God. Using Scripture and case studies, Thompson shows how paying attention to our emotions and really seeking to know and be known by others can open up doors of communication and drastically change our lives. His research and experience can have a life-changing impact on all readers, but, as a parent, I found his book particularly convicting, as he frequently references the impact our own stories and understanding of the world can impact our children.

This is a book you will want to read more than once. It will make you think, stimulate conversations, and, hopefully, help you to repair relationships and move into a deeper understanding of the life God intends for you to lead.

Note: Tyndale House provided a complimentary copy of this book for me to review.

Trash, lots of trash...

2010-06-02T23:13:00.000-07:00

One of the least pleasant parts of our move was a mandatory trip to the landfill. (We didn't have enough room on Ryan's trailer, so we had to dump the trash in his Dad's before we could load our boxes.) YUCK! This was not just stinky, but an all-out disgusting experience.

We drove up on top of the mountain (literally) of trash to wait in line behind other trucks dumping garbage. The person right before us dumped the remains of last week's yard sale (an old green recliner, a vacuum, a huge wooden sign), while a trucker used a 2x4 to scrape goop out of his truck. Trash blew everywhere--cardboard boxes, plastic milk bottles, scraps of paper. And, while bemoaning the smell and the waste, we threw our own scraps of wood and bags of moving trash over the sides of the trailer.

Most of the trash we saw blowing around could have been recycled. Staring at the mountains of trash really brought home the reality of waste disposal. As a consumer society, we have way too much trash. If we ate natural foods, we'd cut down on packaging waste. Recycling reduced our trash by at least half. The new compostable plastics (sun chips bags are compostable now) are great, but we can do more. Ryan & I talked about composting for several years, but we never did it.

I think that we like to throw our trash away, happily leaving it up to the garbage man to make it 'disappear' like the "Vapoorize" product in Envy. But, as the people in the movie said--it has to go somewhere! All that trash goes somewhere--to create huge mountains made of trash. Seeing it in person makes us want to reduce the amount of trash produced by our family.

Moving...

2010-05-25T21:15:00.000-07:00

There's nothing like packing up everything to make you face up to the fact that you just have too much stuff! Last week, in preparation for the upcoming move to Texas, I had the kids reduce their toys by half. Yet, today, as I packed their rooms up into box after box after box, I realized that they still have just too much. I wonder, if I 'lost' this box, would they even notice?

What about my own stuff--the boxes of sheets and towels and extra pillows and blankets. Really? Do I REALLY need all this stuff? Of course, the answer is a resounding NO. And yet, into the boxes goes all the stuff. By this weekend, there may be more than leftovers in the moving sale...we'll see. :-)

God's Promises for Girls

2010-05-19T22:38:00.000-07:00

Years ago, I discovered my first Bible Promise book. Full of verses for every need, I used the book to find the perfect verse to claim for my circumstances, to uplift a friend, or even to put in a birthday card. Having given away several Promise books over the years, I was excited to find God's Promises for Girls by Jack Countryman and Amy Parker. From the beautiful illustrations to the choice of topics & scriptures, this is a fantastic resource for young girls.

The cute picture on the cover of the book is a great representation of what the inside holds for little girls. My daughter, who just turned 8, flipped through the entire book exclaiming over the pictures as she read the verses. On every page, a beautiful illustration captures the theme of each section, making the book fun even for pre-readers.

Promises for Girls is arranged into sections that reflect a little girl’s heart. Each section includes three to four well-chosen verses from the International Children’s Bible. Scriptures are easy to read and to understand for little girls, while still reflecting the traditional verse. From “God’s Promises When You Live Like His Princess” to “God’s Promises About Being a Good Sister” to “God Wants You to Keep Dancing!” your little Princess will find a verse to encourage and comfort her. The book’s final section, “God Promises to Save You” includes verses reminding little girls that all they must do is believe in Jesus to be saved.

One of my favorite parts of the book is the short poem at the beginning of each section. These four line verses bring the topic closer to home for a little girl—reaching for her heart and explaining the relevance and importance of the verses to her life in a simple, fun way.

God’s Promises for Little Girls would make a perfect gift for any little girl!

Click here for more information or to read sample chapters.

Disclosure: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Seasons of Change

2010-05-17T22:30:00.002-07:00

On my way home from a course at GCC tonight, I was listening to Family Life Today with Dennis Rainey. Rebecca Ingram Powell was a special guest on the show, discussing her book Seasons of Change: Parenting Your Middle Schooler with Passion and Purpose.

While the stories shared by the hosts of the show were WAY before my time ;-) Powell's Jr. High story reminds me of some of my Jr. High experiences. When she was going into 6th grade, Rebecca's family moved to a new city, and we all know how hard that is! In an effort to fit in with the popular girls, she asked for a certain pair of shoes for Christmas. Of course, when school started back up again, all the popular girls had new shoes, too, and she was the girl with 'last year's shoes.'

When I was in Jr. High, the girls all had LA Gear shoes and the boys had BKs (British Knights). I begged and begged for a pair of pink and grey hightop LA Gear shoes. Those shoes made my feet look HUGE & I ended up absolutely hating them. BUT those were the shoes I had, so I had to wear them!

Jr. High certainly was rough--it seemed as if everyone was looking at me--and my perception of myself was skewed by my insecurities. Unfortunately, so many girls (boys, too?) are obsessed with their looks and find their value in external things that really don't matter. I haven't read Season of Change, but it sounds like Powell gives great advice on helping your middle-school aged children find value in who they are in Christ that could help them navigate those difficult middle-school years.

(I don't have a photo of those shoes on my computer, but here I am with my friend Melody in 7th grade. I couldn't see a thing without my glasses!!!)

Summer Begins!

2010-05-15T18:20:00.000-07:00

I love this time of year! Warm days, cool mornings...the smell of spring! I think, though that watching my garden grow is one of my favorite things in the spring. Yesterday I noticed that my corn is starting to sprout and there are blossoms on the sweet peas. One broccoli plant has survived, and I could probably harvest enough spinach for a small salad. ;-) This year I'm especially excited that we have peaches on our trees for the first time, though we probably won't be here to harvest them. One apple, a few pears, and possibly a few apricots are out there, too.

I find that gardening reminds me of the miracle of life. That one tiny seed can become a plant that provides nourishing food amazes me. And it is a reminder that the tiniest seed can blossom in a person's life, too. Whether a kind word or a smile, we can make a true difference in another person's life. And as that seed blossoms, that person will also produce fruit that can nourish and bless many others.

My First Contest!

2010-05-11T23:49:00.000-07:00

In honor of my baby girl's birthday (can't believe she's going to be 8!), I am giving away a free copy of License to Play. To enter to win--reply to this post with your favorite verse or inspirational quote, "like" worryfreemom.com on FB and post your verse/quote there, or post your verse/quote on Twitter with the tag #worryfreemom.

Megan will draw a winner tomorrow before bedtime. I know--short notice. But that means better odds for you!

Karen

Wonders Never Cease by Tim Downs

2010-05-04T18:44:00.003-07:00

Wonders Never Cease, written by Tim Downs, is an interesting glimpse into human nature. The antagonist, Kemp McAvoy, concocts a daring scheme to impersonate an angel in an effort to capitalize on a movie star’s tragic car accident. Using his medical knowledge, he brings Olivia Hayden in and out of consciousness, delivering his message to her and demanding she share it with the world.

Despite her knowledge of his selfish nature, Kemp’s girlfriend, Natalie, clings to their relationship in an effort to create a normal life for her daughter after a devastating divorce. As Kemp’s lack of character continues to reveal itself, Natalie is forced to make hard choices about her life and her relationships.

In the midst of it all, Natalie’s six year old daughter, Leah, begins seeing angels, and the people in her life are forced to question their own beliefs about angels and about God.

Wonders Never Cease is a cute story, a quick read, and a thought-provoking study in human nature and God’s intervention in humanity. I wouldn’t necessarily call this a Christian book—the main characters are living together outside of marriage and one of the ‘good guys’ makes some less than desirable choices—but it does inspire the reader to think about his/her beliefs about God and life.

If you want to start reading now, you can download sample chapters here.

For more information, visit Thomas Nelson.

Disclosure: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Knott's Berry Farm

2010-05-02T19:20:00.000-07:00

I love turning business trips into mini-vacations! Over the last 2 years, we have enjoyed several trips to CA. Whether to run a booth at an event or take a seminar, Ryan & I have brought the kids along and made it a point to make time for fun with the family. Our kids love the beach, so rain or shine, we spend time at the ocean. This last trip to CA was pretty chilly, but the kids wanted to play in the water!

Since we're moving a bit farther from CA and we're not sure how often we'll be back, we wanted to make this a trip to remember. Our first thought was Disney, but when we saw the $72 per KID price tag, we decided to try Knott's Berry Farm instead. At just $19.99 per child and $31.99 for Ryan & I (special online pricing), it was a steal!

We love Camp Snoopy for the kids (although Megan was too tall for a few rides this time--she's getting so big!). Unlike Disneyland, we actually had space to breathe and I wasn't worried about losing a child in the crowds. The rides are all small, with NO LINES!, so they are perfect for our little ones.

Tristan and Josyan rode the airplanes twice (while Megan went on Montezuman's Revenge with Ryan). The kids loved the race cars, and the monster trucks... The fun part is that most of the rides are also parent friendly, so if you have really little ones, you can ride with them!
And for the more adventurous types, of course there are the roller coasters. Megan was tall enough for almost all of them, and Ryan finally found someone to ride the scary rides with! The kids all had a taste of adventure with Ryan on the one coaster Tristan & Josyan could ride on...

...and I took the kiddos on my favorite--the Log Ride. It's mostly a mild trip through the 'old mines', with a little thrill at the end. We didn't get too wet, but on a hot day, that's the ride to go on!

For lunch, the boys and I split a foot long hotdog, some fries, and a "famous Knott's Berry Punch" for $15.00. Steep price for one, but not too bad for three of us. (Ryan and Megan couldn't eat because of all the roller coasters!) We got the kids giant lollipops for souvenirs ($2 each), and spent less than 1/2 as much as we would have just to get in to Disney on the whole day.

The last time we were at Knott's, Megan made a Princess craft and mined for gold--there were a lot of things to do that weren't rides and didn't cost much. That makes the trip even more special. We didn't get a chance to get any of the famous chicken this time, but last time we enjoyed a wonderful pancake breakfast. Another great reason to choose Knott's! I didn't intend to review the park, seriously, but I LOVE it--for the prices, the focus on the little ones, the lack of crowds, and the fun things to do.

Is Ignorance Really Bliss?

2010-04-29T10:53:00.001-07:00

It is amazing to me how many people think that police in AZ will be walking around demanding ID from anyone who looks like they are not from the US. Sheriff Joe was on CNN trying to explain what the new law means--simply that people who have committed a CRIME will be asked for their ID. Police are busy enough keeping us safe (ironically from the illegals, who apparently commit the majority of homicides in AZ) that they aren't going to go around asking everyone they see for their ID. People need to stop, take a deep breath, and actually READ THE LAW--it's not that long-- before they decide to 'hide illegals,' like the church leaders are planning to do. I mean, really.

Yes, people can come here looking for a better life--but they need to do so legally, just like all the other LEGAL immigrants have done for 100s of years. We are moving to Texas to make a better life for our family, but we're going to register our vehicles, register to vote, pay state taxes (oh, wait! Texas doesn't have those!), etc. I am very confused about why any law-abiding, tax paying citizen would want to take money away from his/her family to pay for the incarceration, education, and health care of criminals (yes ILLEGAL immigrants are criminals because they are breaking the law).

Get informed people.

Refried Beans on the Capitol Building

2010-04-26T13:56:00.000-07:00

The whole country is in an uproar about Arizona's new law. People should think (or at least read all the information) before smearing refried beans all over the AZ capitol building. These kinds of immature responses, and the lack of knowledge about the new law shown by its opponents, is quite telling. I'm not sure why people seem to think that the US should be different from any other country in the world as far as border security. There is no other country in the world where people can just show up and mooch off the citizens of that country with no repercussions.

The new bill in AZ simply gives police officers the ability to enforce the law. Any citizen who commits a crime can be detained until they can prove their identity. The new law simply extends that privilege to illigal immigrants (key word here: ILLEGAL!!!). Police can't stop anyone on the street and demand their ID--they have to have committed an offense/crime. Now, if someone is illegal, officers can take them in, instead of letting them go because ICE can't repond in a timely fashion.

83% of suspects in homicides in AZ are illegal immigrants. Illegal immigrants cost taxpayers billions in healthcare costs, education costs, and criminal costs. The Hispanic community in America contributes much to our culture. And everyone is welcome to come to the US LEGALLY. To use our services because they are paying taxes. And to abide by our laws.

The new law just ends the free ride for illegal immigrants, providing an incentive to come here legally. We need to have faith in our officers that they will do what they've sworn to do--protect the citizens of AZ by enforcing the laws--instead of demonizing the men and women who put their lives on the line for us everyday by claiming that they will go around on a hispanic roundup. These kinds of responses are what is offensive about the law--not the law itself. Why are we putting people who are committing crimes (ILLEGAL immigrants) above our police officers?

Rainy days...

2010-04-22T18:59:00.000-07:00

I would have loved to spend the day baking cookies with my kids, but I'll have to be content today with teaching while watching the snow fall outside in Prescott, helping Ryan clean up a (small) jobsite in the rain, and having pizza and root beer with the family at Crusty's. My house is clean, much of my grading is done, and I'm ready to sit down and read Chapter 2 in Mission of Motherhood. Can't wait!

Just for fun...here are some pictures of my kids from 2 years ago at Josyan's 1st haircut...Wow! Time goes by fast. :-(

A Nation of Grinders

2010-04-20T16:41:00.000-07:00

"A Nation of Grinders," by David Brooks, is the essay I discussed with my composition classes today at Yavapai College. Though the essay was written in 2003, it applies so well to the situation in our country today. Brooks says that we ought to adopt Lincoln as "the defining capitalist figure for our age," not because he was president during one of the most challenging eras in US History, but because he worked hard to move himself from extreme poverty to a level of success before he became president.

Brooks gives several examples of the ethics of hard work, citing companies like Walgreens and Kroger who have consistently outscored even the big dot coms on Wall Street. The language of those companies includes words like 'disciplined," "determined," "accountable," and "responsible." What if all of us decided to be disciplined, determined, accountable, and responsible? Now, that's a thought!

So many of us have these grand ideas of great riches in store for us, and, when they don't materialize, we see ourselves as failures and just give up. Isn't that what's happened all across this country? We've given up on a large scale, content to let the government's lies about the inability of people to move up in the world convince us to sit on our behinds and let the 'nanny state' (thanks Hannity!) take care of us by stealing from the rich. Of course part of the draw of this irresponsible state of mind is the media's portrayal of the rich as Paris Hilton's--squandering money they didn't work for--instead of the true picture of the vast majority of the wealthy who worked hard and are still working hard for their money, saving instead of spending, and basically being role models for what the rest of us could achieve if we just decided to take responsibility.

Yes, what if we clung to Brooks' example--that Lincoln who worked hard and rose above his circumstances by believing in the moral responsibility of every person to improve him/herself? What if we saw the rich not as thieves, but as hard-working people deserving of their success? Would we not be happier by far? Would we not see the fruits of our own labor? Maybe not overnight, but, as Brooks says, over decades and generations, we would see ourselves rising above our current circumstances. Isn't that, after all, what the American dream is all about?

The Mission of Motherhood--Chapter One

2010-04-19T17:46:00.000-07:00

A lifelong friend of mine and I happen to be in the same place at the same time for a very short time, as we are both moving across country in the next few months. We decided to read a book together before we had off our separate ways. Each week, we are reading one chapter of Sally Clarkson's Mission of Motherhood. I thought I would share some of my thoughts with you here each week. If you'd like to read along, I'd love to discuss the book with you, as well!

Chapter One is called "A Journey Like No Other: Discovering the Mission of Motherhood." Clarkson expertly describes the dilemma so many moms face--figuring out WHO exactly they are supposed to be in life. The church often tells us that we are to be wives and moms, nothing more. The world tells us that motherhood is a waste of our gifts and talents. Clarkson, in searching the Bible, has found the answer--and I have finally found someone who speaks directly to my heart!

In the first chapter, Clarkson describes her own journey to finding who she is meant to be as a daughter of God. I love that she describes motherhood as a 'divine calling,' but also says that "As important as my role is, and as important as my children are, they are not to be the center of my life, and my central calling is not to motherhood...My calling as a mother is the same as any other Christian's: to fulfill God's will for our lives and to glorify Him. This means I am to honor the Lord's design for my marriage...be a careful steward of the world in which I live...seek opportunities to bring God's message of redemption to others..to make full use of the gifts and talents He has placed in my life...to delight in Him and worship Him..." (Clarkson, 14-15).

I find that this statement provides me, as a mom, with a sense of balance. Yes, being present here with my kids and shepherding their hearts is an important part of my life--but it's just a part of who I am. And my role as a Mom is just a part of my role in God's kingdom. As I put the gifts God gave me to use, my children will learn how to use their own talents to serve Him. Being a Mom is a part of what I DO, but it should not completely define who I AM.

I think Paul's explanation of the body of Christ in 1 Corinthians applies here, too...

1 Cor. 12: ¹⁴Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. ¹⁵If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. ¹⁶And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. ¹⁷If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. ¹⁹If they were all one part, where would the body be? ²⁰As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

²¹The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" ²²On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, ²³and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, ²⁴while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, ²⁵so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. ²⁶If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

My Coupon Adventure Continues

2010-04-17T13:13:00.001-07:00

Prompted by a student's essay, I have been experimenting with coupons. Even in our 'poorest' days as newly married college students, I didn't use coupons, though I did shop the store sales. My student's huge savings inspired me to give coupons a REAL try. Not paying for deodorant and getting toothpaste for 20 cents? Yes, I thought, this is worth a try! My first week, I spent $160, saving $115. I followed my student's advice: 1) only buy what you normally would, 2) only buy things that are on sale, and 3) only buy things that you have coupons for. According to her advice, store sales are on a 6 week cycle, so after about a month, you should be stocked up with everything you need. In the meantime, plan meals from what's in the pantry, rather than shopping for what you need.

So, this week, armed with the latest batch of coupons from my mother-in-law's Sunday paper and coupons.com, I diligently shopped the Bashas' sales. I spent $73, and saved $81! Even the cashier was impressed. :-) My best buy this week? A bottle of Vaseline Sheer Infusion. Normally $6.88, it was on sale for $3.88 and I had a coupon for $3.75. My cost? 13 cents!!! Do I always buy this particular brand of lotion? No. But I do buy lotion, I like Vaseline on the whole, and I'm not particular. So, 13 cents well-spent. :-) Another great deal--Bashas' has GM cereals on sale for $1.99 a box. When you buy four boxes, you get a gallon of milk ($3.88) for free. I had coupons for 50 cents to $1 off each box of cereal. So, for about $6, I got 2 boxes of Cheerios, 2 boxes of Kix, and a gallon of milk. Not bad!

I might be able to save more by shopping at different stores, but Bashas' in the only one in town, and with gas prices being what they are, I'm thinking that the extra savings might not be worth the trip. Couponsense.com I've heard is good, too, but for now, I'm content with shopping Bashas' super Fri/Sat sales and clipping coupons, especially since I discovered that I have two EXCELLENT coupon clippers in my house! :-)

Date Night

2010-04-17T09:27:00.000-07:00

Ryan & I had a wonderful date night last night. We went to the movies with our friends and saw, you guessed it!, Date Night with Steve Carell and Tina Fey. If you haven't seen the previews, Date Night is a comedy about a couple who, scared by their friends' pending divorce, question their own marriage. In an effort to revive the fire of their relationship, they visit a fancy restaurant where, since they are unable to get a table, they take another couple's reservation. Unfortunately, the reservation they stole belongs to crooks, and the suburban couple finds themselves in a scary adventure full of hilarious comedy. Despite the language (including the F-bomb) & not-so-subtle innuendos, I have not laughed so hard at a movie in a VERY long time! The best part is the ending, in which the couple realizes that love is about making a choice--a choice to stick to the person you love, no matter what.

Dixie Carter

2010-04-12T21:06:00.000-07:00

When Ryan & I first got married, I used to get up every morning and work out with Denise Austin on Lifetime. Immediately following was Designing Women. Dixie Carter (Julia Sugerbaker) was my favorite character on the show. She was classy, intelligent, beautiful, kind, and funny.

I'm finding out now that she has died that she was that in real life, too, and more. I love one of the quotes that Fox News played tonight, (from memory--I can't find the exact quote online) "People won't regret not attending one more meeting, but they will regret not spending every moment with their children."

I tend to get caught up in the brain suckers (TV) and time suckers (computer) and just all the things I 'HAVE" to do. I start the day with good intentions, but end up hating myself at the end of the day as my mind runs through all the things I could have said/done to be a better mom. I can justify everything I do, of course--papers have to be graded on time and all the twitter/facebook/blogging hopefully will lead to more freedom for me to be Mom. But what am I sacrificing in the process?

I don't really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do what I hate. Romans 7:15

I suppose if Paul couldn't get it right, I shouldn't be too disappointed that I'm not perfect...but I sure do try hard.

Ultimate Blog Party

2010-04-10T22:09:00.003-07:00

I am so excited to have found 5minutesformom.com and the Ultimate Blog Party! This is my first year participating--and also my first year actively blogging. I am a stay-at-home, home-schooling mom of three children (7,5, and 3). The desire of my heart is to help moms find a balance between being present in their homes and living a passionate life doing the good things God intended for them from the beginning!

You'll see that I'm still getting started, but my blog focuses on faith, family, and finances, sharing my heart, my life, and my experience with you. I hope that you like what you see!

Don't forget to check out all the other great blogs at the Ultimate Blog Party--and win great prizes, too! Here are a few of my top picks:

#5 a mini-cupcake kit for kids from http://bakingmagicforkids.com/--a great organization that supports critically ill children and their families--

#7 A tupperware prize pack (LOVE tupperware!) from http://marinecorpsnomads.com/

#25 A Thomas Jefferson Education from http://faithandfamilyreviews.com/--love this site with great faith-based reviews!

#69 The Itty-Bitty Bookworm from http://www.ittybittybookworm.com/ I love this idea! teaching preschool through literature!!!

#106-- The preschool Letter of the Week Curriculum from http://confessionsofahomeschooler.blogspot.com/

My goodness--or any of the other great prizes!!!

Recycling

2010-04-07T19:34:00.000-07:00

What good does recycling do if my husband dumps the recyclables in the trash on trash day? Seriously.

I do try really hard to recycle--it's really not that much more difficult to put cans, bottles, and cereal boxes in a bin in the garage rather than in the trash. And not too much of a hassle to bring the bin to town. The chickens love to eat the leftover scraps from the table, too, reducing the amount of garbage in the compactor. (I do refuse to feed chickens leftover eggs and chicken--something just too weird about that!)

I don't believe in global warming or government control of...well of anything, but I do believe in taking care of the earth--and somehow huge piles of trash covered in dirt don't really seem to fit the bill. We're not perfect here in the Palmer household, but we do try. Am I going to freak out about a light left on or a bottle not recycled...nope. But if everyone just does a little bit, that adds up to a lot.

Easter

2010-04-06T14:23:00.002-07:00

My family is very close--my cousins are like brothers & sisters, and all of our kids are best friends. So our family gatherings grow every year! We started celebrating Easter on Saturday as a family to make the day a little less stressful a few years ago, which made it easier for us all to get together. Still, this is the first time in a long time that the whole family (on my Mom's side) has been in one place at the same time--my grandparents, my Mom & her husband & all my siblings, and my aunt and uncle and their families (with the exception of three of my cousins who had to work that day).

So, this Saturday we had 17 kids (ages 3 months to 13) here, along with all the adults. Aside from an unknown little one who dug up my garden and a turkey that refused to cook in a timely manner, we had a fantastic time. It's so much fun to watch our kids grow up together!
The kids found all but one of the 150+ eggs we hid. (We don't know if there's an egg still out there, or if we miscounted!) In years past, each child had his/her own color of eggs to avoid confusion, but this year we divided eggs into three categories (girls, big boys, and little boys). With 13 kids of egg-hunting age, we just didn't have enough colors to go around! It was so fun to hear the little ones calling out their colors (there's an orange one!) and counting down--(I have 7--I need 5 more!). And, of course, when the kids joined together to help the others find their eggs--that's a beautiful thing!

Even better? Hearing the kids tell the Easter story in their own words. God sent Jesus to die for us, to wash away our sins, so we can live forever with Him in Heaven.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life."

Square Foot Gardening

2010-04-02T16:17:00.000-07:00

Some wonderful friends gave us a book on Square Foot Gardening a few years ago, and it has helped us to make the most of our gardening. Rather than planting in rows, which wastes space and is hard to keep up with, square foot gardening divides the garden into squares. You can plant whatever you like in each square, and, after you harvest your square, you plant something else. Square foot gardens look really nice, are easier to weed, produce more veggies, and are great for kids!

We have three 8x4 gardens. I'm excited to see broccoli, sweet peas, spinach, lettuce, and radishes growing already. Last summer, my kids ate sweet peas, cherry tomatoes, and carrots right out of the garden! And I was able to can all sorts of goodies. I'm looking forward to a wonderful harvest again this summer.

Great Chicken

2010-04-01T22:28:00.000-07:00

Why is it that even the best recipes don't turn out when I have company? I stumbled on a great marinade for chicken in an old Taste of Home magazine (olive oil, lime juice, garlic, spices) that made the most tender, best tasting chicken on the grill. I only had 2 hours, vs 8, to marinate the chicken for dinner tonight, but it turned out dry and without the flavor it had the first time around. I suppose I could blame the failure on my hubby's grilling skills..but I think the fault lies in my lack of preparation. :-) At least I made up for it with some VERY yummy brownies. Quick tip from my mom-in-law--frost brownies with chocolate cake frosting. YUM!

They Grow Up Too Fast!!!

2010-03-31T18:08:00.000-07:00

I can't believe my Megan will be 8 in May! Around the time she turned 1, I remember reading that children become who they are before they are 5 years old, so parents have until their kids are 5 to 'raise them up in the way they should go.' When Megan turned 5, I panicked! In my mind, I had surely messed her up for life! Thankfully, she is a beautiful, well-behaved young lady with a kind heart and a love for God that amazes me. I love to find her giggling as she reads her Bible because "I'm just so happy when I read the Bible, Mama!"

I don't think we lose our chance to shape our children's character after they turn 5, but it does seem like we lose a precious time in their lives. That time when they want nothing more than to be with you. I hope I'm not the only Mom out there who feels like I've wasted precious moments with my kids in my busy-ness. As I look at this picture of my sweet baby, I can only wish for more moments cuddling her, putting together puzzles, reading stories, and doing crafts. But then I look at my beautiful 'almost' 8 year old daughter, and I know that I have a lifetime of wonderful memories to look forward to.

Eating 'Real' Food

2010-03-26T23:24:00.001-07:00

Interestingly, this week my students at two different campuses, with two different textbooks, discussed similar articles exposing the harmful nature of processed foods and encouraging readers to 1) buy locally and 2) grow their own food. The question for many is--how possible is it to do either? One class came up with several objections--expense, time, laziness, to name a few. But the benefits outweigh the objections--buying locally is healthier and it stimulates the local economy.

One of the authors, Michael Pollan (interview on Colbert Report linked here), is quite famous, with several books under his belt. While Pollan has some fantastic points (really--they sterilize the manure in our meat instead of getting it out!?), he seems to have some circular reasoning. He blames many of our food woes on government regulations, which limit small farmers' ability to be competitive, yet advocates the creation of more government programs to solve the problems he sees.

Why not just eliminate the government programs causing the problems? I find this to be a picture of a larger problem in our society. When a program doesn't work, we assume that we have to create another program to solve the first problem, rather than simply eliminating the programs that don't work. We've become so dependent on sources outside of ourselves for everything important in our lives. We depend on grocery stores for food, the government for health care (now), schools to raise our children...we haven't lost the ability to care for ourselves and our basic needs, but we've lost the confidence in our ability to do so.

Growing your own food, educating your own children, using natural healing methods, etc, is empowering. America is a land of liberty--but with liberty comes responsibility. If we want to keep our freedoms, we need to be willing to take responsibility for our lives.

The Life of a Working Mom

2010-03-24T19:24:00.001-07:00

After being a stay-at-home mom for 7 years (I worked, but from home--keeping books for Ryan's biz, building my own business, and teaching online courses), I'm finding working every day to be rather rough on me. And Mr. Mom is having a rough time, too!

I once heard that women who work outside the home have higher stress levels than women who stay home with their kids, and men who stay home have higher stress levels than men who work outside the home. According to the study, it has something to do with the way our brains are wired. I have to say that Ryan & I are growing tired of the mixed up roles and we are more than ready to get life back to normal!

I used to think that being a stay at home mom was pretty rough, and I envied my friends who worked--after all, they got grown up conversations and a sense of worth and, of course, a paycheck! But now that I'm teaching ground courses M-F, I'm realizing how much I miss my kids. I miss the days of grading papers with my laptop while the kids play outside and making phone calls with Josyan in my lap. I miss taking an hour to play outside in the sunshine or 'dig' in the garden. And I miss my clean house--the one where the dishes are done, the laundry is put away, and everything is in order. I feel like my home & my family are falling apart at the seams!

This thankfully short, but necessary experiment in being a working mom has really helped me appreciate even more being a mom who stays home. And it's helped me to understand more fully my friends and family members who don't have that luxury, making me even more passionate about helping moms find ways to be home with their kids. It's not a piece of cake, but working my own business from home and being available for my kids is worth the extra hour or two I need to spend to grow my business.