I like to play in the dirt!

 I can see it!

 I can feel it! 

My hands are dying to get in the dirt!!! 

The first real true sign of Spring arrived in my front garden today! A bird nest! I've been seeing my bulbs pop up, and I knew where close, but now its official. A bird beak-crafted (haha play on words) a warm comfy nest. Which means babies, which means spring!

Kids are excited, warm weather means hours of fun outside, soaking up vitaminD and running all their little energy out. I am excited because that mean BARE FEET IN THE GRASS! And fresh veggies, flowers blooming AND landscaping! 

"Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food." Genesis 1:29

Oh yes I can NOT wait any longer!

I use to be a snow-winter lover, but ever since I discovered the joys of gardening. The TRUE beauty in what God created for us to enjoy I love Spring...

"The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good." Genesis 1:12

 I am still a fall girl, but I love some spring. Summer I can take it or leave it. But make Spring and Fall year round with 1-3days of snow and I would be in heaven. But til March, I will have to continue to plan, dream and save up!
Blessings
Tina

Discovering Health and a better life

So I am on the second week of becoming a healthier me. And it has NOT been the easiest road to a better me! I have "slipped" on my no-fast-food idea one day, with sick children and husband over the weekend just made it seem easier. But I am not being hard on myself because sometimes it just happens. But I have discovered some yummy foods on this journey.

Baked Potatoes Soup, is one of the favorites of the family. It has already been added to the "Family Favorites Cookbook".

BAKED POTATO SOUP

6 medium red potatoes, cubed

1 cup diced onion

4 large garlic cloves, minced

1 bay leaf

1/4 tsp salt

5 cups water

4 tsp chicken bouillon granules

4 Tbsp butter

1/2 cup flour

1 cup milk

Salt and Pepper

Toppings: green onion, cheese, sour cream, bacon bits

1. Either microwave the onions until softened or saute them in a pan on the stove. Add to the slow cooker.

2. Add potatoes, garlic, bay leaf, salt, water and bouillon to slow cooker.

3. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4, or until potatoes are cooked through.

4. Prepare a roux. Melt butter over low heat in a skillet. Slowly add in the flour and whisk. After butter and flour are combined, slowly add in milk and tablespoon at a time. Continue whisking. When roux is thickened up slowly add in 1 cup hot soup (add in just the liquid part of the soup). Whisk until thickened. Stir in another cup of soup (again just the liquid) and keep whisking until thickened. Do this another 2 times. When you have a nice thick creamy sauce, add it all back into the slow cooker. Stir. Salt and pepper to taste.

5. Ladle into bowls and then add toppings, as desired.

As I go along to discover and create I am finding amazing ways to encourage my family to eat better, and healthier. I have actually found that making from scratch has brought me and my kids closer because they have enjoyed making foods with me.



Like this morning I said I am making pancakes, and my son asked "the fun way?" I asked "the fun way?"  He said "yes! With LOTS of ingredients!" AKA from scratch. And he jumped up to help and my daughter found her way to the counter too. We made a big batch of yummy pancakes, and ate a responsible amount. 

Our next journey will take us to gardening and eat what God created... To eat what God created from the ground and to enjoy the natural health from the ground!

"Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food." Genesis 1:29

Taste and see that the LORD is good

So, I have made it to the gym 4 times now and worked out 3 times so far. I am very proud of the support people in my lives that have encouraged and pushed me to be where I needed to be. And I thank you all and I am very blessed to have you all.
But the most exciting thing about this whole goal setting is: the class I am involved with at church!

"Teasures of Healthy Living". It is discovering Healthy Living, and eating all natural, whole foods. Yes I am very excited about this! Its amazing how much food plays a part in ALL of this!
The part that stuck out the most yesterday in our introduction was

"What are we passing

down to our kids"

 Are we passing down processed, made out of a machine, out of box meals with no vitamins or nutrition? Or are we passing down healthy, whole foods? Now don't get me wrong, I was a "add water" meal maker. And I didn't see why I need to make things from whole foods. And I definitely figured drive thru was ok because I was working 6 days a week, and didn't have time to "make" food. But now that I am a stay at home mom and I can focus on giving my children the best! I want to start a new trend with my kids, that they desire to eat MORE WHOLE foods, and make WHOLE foods.

"Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food." Genesis 1:29

I want them to have an amazing and longer life, and to be healthy inside and out.. and to keep the energy they have. And that I can out last them with energy and distance! That one day when I have grandkids I can run after them when they come to visit!

"Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him." Ps 34:8

I look forward to sharing and passing what I learn from Y-Change to Healthy Living study on!
Blessings

 Tina

Marilyn Monroe In Me!!

Dec 2010 - Heaviest I've been

Oh 2013 brings so many "Goals" to mind... But the one that has been on my list for about 4yrs now is lose weight! But each time I set this goal my excuse have been working full time, pregnancy and just lazy! But this year I AM TIRED OF EXCUSES! I have cleared my schedule for 3 months so i can focus on the GYM, ME and MY FAMILY! I have struggled with weight for 4 yrs since my son was born. I worked full time and had NO time to eat healthy because I over loaded myself. I planned too much in my days, and I didn't sleep well.  I am going to be honest right here... I tipped the scales at 250lb after my daughters birth Nov 2010, and I have lost 14-18lbs since then. And since Dec 2012 I put 4lbs on because of the holidays and sickness.

Me today 1-7-13

I was always compared to Marilyn Monroe, because I wasn't perfect skinny, but I was curvy and healthy! I have always had the attitude you are as sexy as you feel! I can rock SEXY no matter how you look! But I wasn't feeling sexy after my daughter was born. I was heavy and I knew it, and I found it hard to feel wanted. But my husband always reassured me I was sexy to him. Once I joined the YMCA in January 2011, I started working out. And things where moving and grooving! Then ear infections, coughing, flu and stomach bugs happened from March-June... We took most of the summer off (BIG NO NO). And I restarted in September with a friend. ! I felt confident, sexy and saw the change happening! And I found the Marilyn in me

May 2006 - My goal 

So starting TODAY JANUARY 7TH 2013 I am starting a new schedule and plan! And I am praying that I can go from what I am today, to what I was on our cruise 2006.
With God and my husband in my corner I know I can!

 

I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Phil 4:13

Mary mother of Jesus

As we prepare for Christmas, it makes me not only think about Jesus, coming to Earth. But it also got me thinking about Mary. Mary a teenager, yet chosen by God to carry HIS son. I just can't imagine the joy that went through her mind, that she is carrying God's son. The promise child...

"But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” Luke 1:30-33

But to raise such a "perfect" boy, and to have to think of how to raise such an amazing child. Just to sit and watch him be cursed and spat upon, betrayed and cruicified. I think back to the "Passion of the Christ" where Mary saw Jesus fall to the ground while carrying the cross, and she flashes back to when he was a child playing and falling scrapping his knee. She swiftly picks him up and holds him as any mother would do. But this time, she can't fix it, and she can't reach him. To know the pain, and grief she must have bared while watching her first born, hanging in pain and can't do anything to fix it!   

"Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene" John 19:25

Do you think if she knew even for a split second what would have come, would she have done it? I do, because she had that heart of trust, she found FAVOR WITH GOD. God knew she was strong enough, faithful enough. God knew that he could trust his ONE AND ONLY son to her. A small baby in the beginning and Savior in the End...

 "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end." Luke 1:32-33

Merry Christmas to All
Tina

Jesus, THE I AM

Have you ever sat there in wonder about how to approach Jesus in prayer? Or wonder what do I say because I have so much to say? I have, today actually and I just started naming the names of Jesus. I didn't know what to say this morning, I had a lot of my heart, and when I started saying the names of Jesus I realized

HE IS THE ALL KNOWING,

THE GREAT I AM!

I don't have to worry about what I am saying. I might be just saying names, but Jesus is hearing all the paragraphs my heart is feeling. And how amazing is that? As I am going through my head about this topic I keep hearing the song "Great I am", it talks about demons fleeing at the sound of HIS name, and Mountains shake when before HIM! 

   I can't even grasp the POWER of just saying

JESUS, LORD, MORNING STAR, 

ALPHA AND OMEGA, THE WAY, OUR PROTECTION! 

I hope you find comfort in the one true comforter, and go to HIM even if you don't know what to say, how to say it. Even if you are just sitting in silence. Know that he is All Knowing.

"But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble. O my Strength, I sing praise to you; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God." Psalm 59:16-17

Blessings

Tina

To computer or not to computer

Today we decided to do our first lesson VIA computer. Thought it might be fun, teaching Kris to use the computer (not a touch screen tablet, which has mastered pretty much). And he did great! We did a few fun things on this website my sister told me about, www.starfall.com and it was fun (we did I think all the FREE stuff we could). At one point I stepped away to make breakfast and let Kris try it without help from me.

The part that had me torn was, that I want my kid to have the basics of learning as much as possible, and not be addicted to spell check and technology. And to use paper and books, as well as find a love for writing.

 I am not obsessed with it but I have discovered that I have become dependent on technology too much. And I have taken steps to "unplug" from it (which is why its taken me awhile to post a new blog) as much as possible.

I know the world is computer, tablets, cell phones etc. And my children will learn ALL of those. But I want to give them the basics first, and branch from there. Kris thought it was pretty cool and wants to continue learning alittle here and there. And I hope we can find more and more to learn on here! But for now I think we will find a GREAT balance with a slow introduction to computers and technology, with a base of paper and books.

**If you would like to post how your family introduced your kids into computers please do below**

Blessings
Tina