New year, new adventures!

I have been sitting in the house a lot lately due to the winter weather we have been having. I have had a lot of time to sit and think, contemplate, plan and make lists. This is sometimes a good thing, but sometimes it is not.

New Years are always time to plan things out and make goals. I am a list person, so this is my thing I do every year, to just get a feel for where we want to be financially, with our gardening, plans we have for our yard and house, etc. 

I planned our garden for this year. Much bigger, much grander than the last few years. More food to preserve for the winter months. 

I planned our budget for the next few months. Which included how we can put more money in savings. 

I also planned a new adventure for myself. I have been contemplating for about a year how to make some extra cash on the side for Christmas, birthdays, savings, etc. I am getting ready to dive into the world of essential oils for healing and will be a seller of those, but I also have been thinking about making and selling some of my homemade goodies I make. Many people tell me that I should make more of these things and sell them. That is all fine and well and good, but it had no idea how to go about doing so. I have been looking at etsy, as well as farmers markets around here to possibly sell at. I figured at the farmers markets I could sell homemade goodies as well as essential oils. Etsy I believe everything has to be homemade, so selling oils wouldn't work.

I have been praying about it and have decided to step out and go forward with this new adventure and see where it takes me. I enjoy making noodles and vanilla extract, and I may venture into some other homemade items as well. See what may come my way. I may sell a couple things and that is it, or it may take off and turn into a nice little side project. 

I want to make sure I am here to tend to our garden and flowers and our homemade paleo recipes too, so something that I can do here at home is best. I need to have time to get all my homemaking chores done and be able to do this in the time I have to spare. 

So anyway, I just thought I would share my newest adventure I am embarking on. I will be posting some stuff on twitter and Facebook about it as I start to get more involved with it too....

Wish me luck!! :)

Why my family went paleo

I have had many people ask me this question. Some are asking because they are curious, others are asking because they want to have fodder to tell us why it doesn't work or isn't the right way to eat. Some ask so they can make judgmental comments that have nothing to do with food. 

In the last two years, my family has been going through a change. We went from a standard American diet (SAD) to organics and real food, to gluten free, and now we are paleo/primal. 

Let me explain what paleo/primal is to start with and then we'll go from there.

Paleolithic lifestyle consists of eating no processed food, no grains, no dairy. You eat grass fed meats, veggies and fruit, seeds and nuts, no refined anything, including sugar, etc. things a hunter/gatherer in the Paleolithic era would've found to eat. There are a lot of other aspects of it, such as gut health, eating fermented foods, taking cod liver oil, etc. some of these things we have not started yet. It is NOT a diet, it is a lifestyle change. It is NOT a weight loss program, it is a lifestyle change. I have done a lot of research on all kinds of lifestyles regarding food and this is the one that I have found is best for my family. As the homemaker and the one that does all the grocery shopping and cooking, I decide what to cook and what to buy. My boys enjoy the food I put on the table and little by little, we are all learning a new way of eating and looking at food. We are all learning to try new things and taste new flavors. 

When I say we are paleo, I always say paleo/primal. Primal lifestyle adds dairy in, which we continue to eat, so we are technically a cross between the two. 

When I first learned about paleo, I was taken aback that anyone could live without grains. You mean, I can't eat bread??? I almost had a panic attack thinking about it, since I have been a carb lover my entire life and lived off of cereal and toast and macaroni and cheese!

So we started with gluten free. It went okay, as my boys and I have gluten intolerance, I felt it was a necessity. I didn't really dig the gluten free "breads". I need to watch my carb intake anyway since I am at high risk do becoming diabetic, so the gluten free foods and breads were high carb. Not a good idea.

We weaned ourselves off of bread and got to eating sandwiches using pita pockets instead. We are now experimenting with paleo tortillas and pitas made from grain free flours, such as arrowroot powder and coconut flour. We have finally found a paleo pasta recipe that works for us, so we can continue to have "fettuccini" Alfredo. 

What I hear a lot of is that if you can make cupcakes and pitas and tortillas, how is that paleo? Well, if you are grain free and have certain things made paleofied, it isn't bad for you. Sweets and treats are a once in a while treat. Tortillas and pitas we can incorporate into our every day life without feeling like we are "cheating". Since this is not a diet, you can do as you please, within reason. 

Usually, once a week we go out to a restaurant and have a meal. Before, we would order what we pleased. Now, we look hard at the choices to make a good decision and try to eat as paleo as possible. Sometimes, it doesn't work, but that is okay. I can tell you, however, that we definitely know when we don't eat properly. Your body gets used to not having grains, or processed food. When you put those things back into your body, the results can be awful. My stomach hurts so bad from eating grains that I try very hard to make sure I don't eat any. I also have other food allergies, so my trips to a restaurant are usually a terribly stressful experience for all involved. I have to ask so many questions I would rather just go home and make myself something instead. 

Health wise, our bodies are different than before. I have lost a total of 27 lbs and counting. All three of us have lost some weight, which was a good thing, but our bodies are changing in other ways that the every day eye cannot see. You don't know by looking at me that my blood sugar levels are lower. You don't know that my blood pressure has went down. You wouldn't know that my measurements have gone down considerably. I have lost a total of 13" in my measurements. It has been a slow process, but slow and steady wins the race, right? I can workout harder, I can walk farther, I can lift more weight. My body feels better. Since going off of grains, I have noticed that if i do eat a pita pocket or something with grains in it, my fingers swell, and I get a headache. Almost immediately. It isn't worth it to me to go back to eating grains and having inflammation and a headache. 

I told you my panic when I thought about not having bread earlier in this post. I don't miss bread. Not at all. I don't miss cereal. I don't miss cakes and cookies, I can make my own cakes and cookies on occasions with coconut flour or tapioca starch or arrowroot powder. 

This lifestyle doesn't work for everyone. It takes patience and time to make every single meal from scratch. Is it worth it? It is for my family. Is it right for you? I don't know. Only you know what is best for you and your family.

All I can tell you is that we feel better, and it is worth it for us. If you want to know more, feel free to ask, I will gladly tell you our story and what we do and why. But, don't judge us because we eat differently than you. We are not food snobs, or hippies. We are just a normal American family trying to fix our bodies after a lifetime of processed foods on the standard American diet. 

Did you ever make bisquick?

The other day I was thinking of what to make for supper. My boys are huge fans of chicken and dumplings, so I decided to make some. But, alas, no bisquick or pioneer baking mix.

What's a girl to do?

A year ago, I would've made a trip to Kroger and bought some bisquick. But, instead, I decided I could find a recipe to mak my own bisquick and go for the real food option. Ever read the ingredients on the box of bisquick? Can you pronounce all of them? Didn't think so....

So, making bisquick is so super easy that I don't know why I haven't been making my own all along! And much cheaper than buying the box from the store! All you need is three ingredients. Yep, just three! Flour, baking powder, and butter.

Here's the recipe. It makes enough to put some in the freezer for another day when I want to make biscuits or pancakes.

6 cups flour
3 Tbsp baking powder
1 cup butter

Mix ingredients, cut butter into dry ingredients until blended well. Store in airtight container. Done.

It takes 2 cups of the baking mix and 2/3 cup of milk for dumplings, as well as biscuits.
See, how easy is that? Making things from scratch isn't too hard, it just takes a little extra time.

Maybe next time you want to make pancakes or biscuits, and run out of bisquick, instead of heading out to the store, make some!
Have fun!
Until next time!

When Eating Out Makes You Sick.

On Sunday, my boys and I decided to stop and have a taco for lunch after church. We don't usually go to Taco Bell, or any place for that matter, other than Sunday tradition of arni's after church sometimes. We decided to go to Taco Bell and eat lunch.

I ate a nacho supreme and a gordita supreme. I had water to drink. Literally, before we left the restaurant, my stomach hurt, I had indigestion and I felt ill. The rest of the day I was downing tums like they were candy and regretting our decision to eat that kind of food. For several months now, we have ate wonderfully, making our food at home, enjoying a treat out once a week before or after church.

A couple years ago, my pantry looked a lot like the middle aisles of the Kroger. Boxes of Mac and cheese, boxes of dried potato side dishes, pastas, canned soups, etc. My fridge wasn't much better. I made "homemade" meals, but they weren't truly homemade when you cook some meat and add a boxed side dish.

Eating real food and whole healthy foods has been an adventure for me. I am a very picky eater and I don't like trying new foods. I have experimented with a lot of new foods since we have made this switchover. I have done hoards of research on the subject. I have bought new cookbooks, I have been experimenting with gluten free cooking.

I have to say, my newest cookbook is a gluten free baking book. I have been looking for bread recipes that are gluten free and haven't been successful yet, but low and behold, this new cookbook is now my new best friend! You make five different flour blends, all gluten free, that you use with each other in recipes. A culinary institute came up with the recipes and I must say, they are quite delicious.

I made two of the flour blends on Saturday, and am planning on making the other three this weekend.  I found a dessert recipe using the two flour blends I made and so I decided to make it for our dessert on Monday evening to accompany our grilled chicken Caesar salads and lobster tails. I made a blueberry buckle. (Basically a blueberry crumb cake) and it was fantastic!! And gluten free!! So no bloated belly from the wheat that inevitably comes when I eat wheat or gluten anymore. I can, however, eat sourdough bread, for whatever reason the sourdough bread doesn't make my stomach hurt. Not sure as to why, but am researching it as I type this blog!

When you eat certain foods, does it affect your body? Your health? Both? I used to eat peanut butter and cashews for a snack. However, my body decided to become allergic. Some people can eat wheat or milk, or soy or nuts and all of a sudden, it becomes a problem. Sometimes it can turn into a fatal problem! I have found out that I have an allergy to nuts, and just on Monday I found out I have an allergy to shellfish. (Good thing I don't like fish much anyway, huh?) I am pretty sure I have a slight allergy to wheat as well, but not as bad as nuts. The way certain foods make you feel can be slight or severe, but all in all, it may be caused by an allergy. It can be something as a certain food makes your stomach feel sick every time you eat it, or it can cause your throat to start to itch. Either way, you have to pay attention to your reactions to food before it turns into something more serious.

I can tell you this, I use to pop tums like candy, literally, every single night. Since eating whole foods, I do not have indigestion and heartburn hardly at all. If I do, it is usually because I have eaten something out at a restaurant or at someone's house that isn't organic or "real food".

There are so many ways to start on a whole food life. It is easier than you think.
1. Buy your fruits and veggies organically.
2. Go to your local farmers market and try something from a local farmer.
3. Go to a fresh market or whole foods market or trader joes and check out some of the food there. You can make it fit your budget if you try. It takes time and effort, but you can eat healthy. I am happy to talk about food to anyone so don't ever hesitate to ask.  :)

When you tell people you are changing to this kind of life, they will call you everything for a hippie to a food snob, but I don't pay attention to it anymore.

New Way of Thinking

It's been a bit since my last post. I have been experimenting with new ways of cooking old things I have been cooking since I was a kid. Organic, natural. Real food cooking is quite a bit different than regular cooking. You have to think long and hard about what you are making, planning ahead and making sure you have everything you need.

For example: macaroni and cheese. This happens to be one of my favorite dishes to eat. Since I was able to chew food on my own I have loved Mac and cheese. I learned how to open the Kraft box and make it when I was barely tall enough to see over the stove. I then perfected my Mac and cheese when I was older to baking it and making it homemade. However, it really wasn't truly homemade or made from scratch.

I used to take pasta, dump in cubed velveeta cheese add some milk, maybe add a few crumbled crackers and bake it until brown and bubbly. Yum!

After transitioning to this new way of life, I realized that velveeta cheese isn't really cheese at all, which is why it is so easy to melt and it is so creamy. I got out my old cookbooks and checked out seem new recipes and I went old school. Melt butter, add flour, add milk, add real cheese and melt it, add to the pasta and bake for a little bit. Add breadcrumbs if you like, or don't. But, be aware that not all real cheese is the same when melted. Some has a lot of oil in it when it melts. Something you don't want to serve people is oily macaroni and cheese. Eek! So it is really trial and error. Mixing different types of cheeses gives it a while new flavor too.

As our family has been getting adjusted to this new way of life, I too, am learning a lot about who I was as a cook and have changed a .ot of things about the way I cook. I have always enjoyed being in my kitchen, but it just seems more enjoyable when I am getting the cookbooks out and making something completely and I do mean completely from scratch. No boxes of prepared things, no dehydrated potatoes from a box. It's all fresh and prepared by me. I have learned to love cooking this new way even more than before! Yes, it takes me a lot longer sometimes to make dinner or lunch, but  the taste of our food and knowing exactly where it comes from is truly worth it.

What do you cook in your kitchen now that is something you use a lot of prepared foods to make that maybe you could change and tweak into a newer better recipe for you and your family? For me, Mac and cheese. Maybe it's potatoes for you, or maybe it's a casserole you make a lot. Step back sometime and look at how you are cooking and give it a try. I guarantee you, your taste buds, and your body will thank you!!!

Until next time, if you need me, I will be experimenting in my kitchen for something new to cook!

Coffee creamer and pancake topping all in one?

Have you ever seen the commercial where the lady is ordering a piece of pie and the waitress asks if they want oil or cream? This cracks me up every time I see it. It cracks me up because it isn't actually cream that makes that brand of whipped topping. Well, I should say it has some cream in it. But it also has a whole chemistry assignment added in.

Have you ever made homemade whipped cream? It literally takes a few minutes and two ingredients. It stores well and is so much better tasting than that stuff in the can or plastic tub.

I used to buy the spray can of whipped topping or the tub of cool whip to put on pie or use in recipes calling for it. It wasn't until recently that I remembered how easy it is to make homemade whipped cream. So I got some cream and did it. Just like that. Now my boys won't eat anything but homemade. In fact, I have to keep it on hand for them to use in their coffe instead of powdered creamer and sugar. We use it in place of syrup on pancakes or waffles sometimes too.

So easy, did I mention that? Here's how to do it.

1 pint or quart of heavy whipping cream. (I use organic hormone free cream)
Powdered sugar. (I will post one of these days on how to make your own powdered sugar if you really want to go old school and homemade. Otherwise, I use organic powdered sugar.)

Pour cream into mixer. You can use hand mixer if you don't have the big mixer. Add a couple tablespoons of sugar depending on how sweet you want it. Turn on mixer (if you have the kitchen aid brand mixer, use the whisk attachment) and wait until the cream starts to thicken up and makes stiff peaks. Turn off mixer, put it in whatever container you please and refrigerate. I put half in the refrigerator and half in a container in the freezer for later use. It stores well and freezes fine for me.
Enjoy!

Starting small with one thing at a time is an easier way to make a switch to more homemade and organic real food. And who doesn't like a creamy coffee in the morning? Have I mentioned what kind of chemicals are in those powdered creamers? Until next time.....

How does your garden grow?

Spring is almost here! Finally!

In two weeks, Cameron and Shane are both going to be home all week. Spring break this year is going to be a staycation. We are going to be tilling up our backyard and getting some good planter's dirt mixed in and getting our garden ready for planting. It isn't impossible to homestead on a subdivision lot! It may be on a smaller scale than some, but we get by and have plenty of food from our garden. The last two years since moving into our home, we have had raised garden boxes with a few rows of garden and one full of strawberries. We are literally tilling up a large square of our backyard this year. Fortunately, our HOA doesn't have any rules against having a garden, as long as it is kept up with and  doesn't become unsightly. Yay!

I have a made a diagram and know exactly what will be planted. I am planning on planting potatoes the week of spring break, and possibly peas. Then a few weeks later I will plant the rest of our garden.

Gardening is something I have enjoyed doing. I enjoy planting flowers, trees, shrubs, seeds, anything. I even bought blueberry bushes and black raspberry bushes to have fruit. We have a small grape arbor and I am planning on planting two apple trees, three if I can make it fit in the space I have.

So, if you live on a small lot, you can still garden. Make sure it is okay if there is an HOA to contend with, but it is possible. If you don't want to have your backyard tilled under, then make a couple of raised beds and plant something small, like lettuce if you love salad, or herbs if you like to add flavor to your food. Little plants like lots of sun and water! And if you prefer to keep your garden free of pesticides, use vinegar to spray weeds as they come up. It will wilt them and they will die.
with spring coming up quick, it is time to start planning!!
Happy gardening!

Four Ideas to Help You Get Started on a Healthier Diet.

Do you know what a GMO is? If not, let me help you out. GMO stands for genietically modified organism. In short, this means that something in the food has been changed, altered, modified. Obviously, you can't know what is what these days in the grocery store just by looking at the labels. They teaase you, trick you, make you think what you are eating is good for you, but in all actuality, it is garbage. Sometimes, illegal in other countries. Sometimes, it is something that could eventually make you sick.

Sounds like a conspiracy theory right?

I have spent the last year researching foods, reading labels, catching up with other homemakers out there and finding out how this real foods thing works. I have spent countless hours reading labels and have come to find out that there are a lot of foods out there that have things in them that I can't even prounounce! Isn't what we eat supposed to be something we actually know what it is? Made from wholesome ingredients? I can tell you that when I bake homemade bread, I use flour (depending on what kind of bread I am making this could be wheat flour, rice flour or coconut flour) yeast, water, honey or sucanat (a type of organic sugar) and some oil. I mix the dough, knead it, let is rise and there you go. Nice fresh, homemade bread. Nothing I can't pronounce, nothing chemically added to preserve it. Lately, I have been going gluten and wheat free, so when I go through that process, I do add xantham gum. It is natural, it is still not a chemical.

I looked at the bread at kroger one day and found things in it that sounded like something from a sci-fi show.

Here's the exact list: enriched flour (wheat flur, malted barley, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin, mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid) water, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, yeast, soybean oil, salt, soy flour, sodium stearoyl lacylate, ammonium sulfate, calcium sulfate, ascorbic acid, azodicarbonamide, monocalcium phosphate, enzymes, calcium propionate.

Do you even know what half of that is? I can tell you that high fructose corn syrup is a GMO. Anything with corn in it has been modified and changed, enriched flour means they bleach the natural flour with chemicals, taking out the nutrients, then add in fake synthetic nutrients. The ammonium this and phophate that is just a bunch of unnecessary garbage they add in usually to preserve freshness and shelf life. Or to make it taste good and make you want more and more and more. Yes, these chemicals they add to your food actually make you want more. They have an addictive property in them. It is disgusting.

I know some will think I am nuts, read too much and have way too much time on my hands. I decided recently that since I do have time on my hands and have read and researched this stuff, that I may as well tell you all about it. We have been eating organic, real foods for the last year, off and on at times, and I will tell you that when we are eating out at restaurants or eating processed food or foods that have GMO in them, we feel sluggish, run down and just blah. When we eat organic, real foods, we feel better and it is not just in our heads. It is really a difference.

Some easy starting points to eating better.
1. Buy organic fruits and veggies. With all the pesticides and herbicides they spray all over these, you can't wash them all away. Buy from farmer's markets if you can too.
2. Buy all of your dairy products organic. Again with the hormones they give the cows in big farms, that gets transferred to you in your milk, cheese, yogurt, etc.
3. Spend some time reading food labels and try to buy only things with 5 ingredients or less in them.
4. Don't buy anything that contains HFCS. (high fructose corn syrup)

These are a few starting points. I would be happy to help you in any way I can with some guidance or information. Don't hesitate to ask. :)

Whole food, whole new life.

It has been quite a while since my last post. I have recently been thinking about what I blog about and how I blog and after reading a lot of blogs lately from some other homemakers I follow, I am going to go about this blogging thing just a little differently.

Last summer, as those of you who read my blog know, our family decided to take a turn for the better regarding our health and food. We went organic and natural, eating only real foods and only foods where we could actually read all the ingredients! After a lapse back to garbage food for a few months, we have begun the journey again and doing it a little differently this time around.

Sometimes, there are circumstances where you cannot help but eat processed food. Other people's homes are a big one, out to dinner somewhere at a restaurant, etc. When Cameron is busy during the hot and heavy marching and season, it is very hard to eat good when your choices are concessions at a school. We slacked off a little at that point in time last fall, but now we are back on track.

Like I said, we are going about this a little differently this time. We were buying organic "processed" food at the whole foods market before, now we are not. It was interesting to taste the processed food that was certified organic and natural, compared to what we had been used to. While better for you, still not good for the budget, or the calorie count (if you're into that sort of thing, which we are not). Now, being allergic to nuts, I have to literally read every single label and every single ingredient list from every food. This is a giant pain in the booty, but I deal with it. You would not believe the amount of foods that have nuts in them or have been packaged in a facility with nuts or processed in a facility that also processes nuts. It's a lot to look out for! So that has become part of my every day life now


Recently, I read a book called "wheat belly". It was incredibly informational and I found it quite fascinating to read all the biology and genetics of wheat. Having had issues with my stomach my entire life, as well as Cameron, I decided it is probably a wheat/gluten sensitivity and thus, we have decided to do away with wheat and gluten as well. The doctor that wrote the book had some ideas and suggestions about what to cut out and how far to take it. I originally was going to follow the ideas, but for d out that coconut flour isn't that good for making bread. So, rice flour it is. Although coconut flour has very low glycemic index, I decided that a few carbs without wheat is still better than ingesting the wheat. So, rice flour, here we come. It makes risen yeast bread and tortillas and all kinds of flatbreads we can use in place of wheat products.

What I learned about wheat is very interesting. It isn't the same genetic makeup of the wheat originally used to make bread. It has been modified, and changed so much that it resembles the original wheat only in name. Not to mention the fact that most of the wheat we use and ingest is made  up of GMO's. (for those of you who are not privy to this kind of verbiage, GMO stands for genetically modified organisms.) Unless it is the original einkorn wheat of ancient times, it is GMO. Anyhow, wheat of today causes all kinds of troubles in your body and because of that, we are no longer ingesting it. Not to mention the gluten sensitivities.

Since I am home and don't work, I can make homemade breads, pastas and other foods. I try to cook homemade meals for my boys every day. Obviously there are times we go out for dinner or lunch or do something with friends that involves eating processed foods, but for the most part, we eat organic, real natural food. If you come to my house, you will find cage free organic eggs, organic milk, butter and veggies. Organic fruit, canned foods are organic. The meat in my freezer is Amish grass fed meat. My bread will not look like the wonder bread from kroger or marsh. My hamburger buns are homemade, gluten free. My pasta is gluten free and homemade. While some look at us like a bunch of goofballs for buying into the whole "organic natural real food fad" I can tell you with confidence that the changes in our bodies are not made up. We all three feel better, healthier, stronger. I have lost 25 lbs. and counting. Cameron has lost some weight and his body has changed shape, and Shane has lost some weight as well. We signed up for snap fitness in hopes of getting our bodies in a stronger and healthier as well. The last several years , we have discussed getting healthier, eating better, etc. and every beginning of the year it was our resolution to be the year of change. Well, this time, it is. No more talking about it. We are changing. We are making a lifestyle change.

If you are looking at making a change in your life, make this one. It is easy, it is healthier, it is worth it. I will be posting more about this subject and be sharing more about this type of lifestyle and other things that are worth changing.

Have I mentioned microwaves yet? :) Stay tuned until next time!

Homemaker......by choice.

I have spent the last 15 years searching for who I am. I have went from a swim instructor/lifeguard, realtor, substitute teacher, instructional assistant, deli shop worker, sales assistant for a home builder, color guard instructor, etc etc etc. I have held many part time jobs to help pay bills. I have been a substitute teacher for the longest time. That has been my favorite job and I still enjoy it to this day. I have spent time researching going back to school and being a teacher. I have been enrolled in school to be a chef, elementary teacher, preschool teacher, child psychology, etc. Money for school has always been an issue and we decided that Shane would go to school first and get his degree while I raised Cameron. I figured as soon as Cameron got old enough to be in high school, I would go to school, get a "career" and start a full time gig somewhere and by the time he graduated, I would be well on my way of starting a career, albeit a little later in life than I anticipated, but a career nonetheless.

 However, after all the research, all the hours put in to get enrolled, all the time spent working part time to save up, it never came to fruition. Something always caused me to have to delay and put on hold and not go through with it. I have felt disappointed, sad, unhappy and relieved. I have felt like people look down on me for not being a college graduate, for not having an education past high school. I have known people that did look down on me and believe that I am stupid due to the fact that I don't have an education beyond high school. I have spent a lot of time believing this to be true due to the media and hype surrounding having a college degree. However, after a lot of soul searching, praying and crying, I have determined that I am not stupid by any means. I am no worse off than anyone out there with a college degree. I have a lot of knowledge that most people don't realize due to reading medical encyclopedias and dictionaries when I was younger. I am an avid reader and spend a lot of time reading. I have learned a lot by reading. I am a spelling champ from way back and pride myself on being intelligent.

Yes I had my son at 17, yes I got married my senior year of high school, yes I spent the majority of my young adult life with my son. Yes I have spent a lot of time jumping from part time job to part time job. But while I had a lot going on, I graduated high school with a baby, I got married very young and have a very happy marriage, we have struggled with money, we have struggled with things going awry in our life and have come out of it better off. We have both worked our rear ends off to become what we are today. Shane has worked a full time job, a part time job and going to school full time to get where he is today. I have worked part time while maintaining a home and raising a son without the help of daycare while helping put my husband through college. We may not have done things the traditional way, but we have made it work. It has been hard and there have been a lot of tears along the way, but we have made it and I think fared pretty good.

Recently, after having gone through another college enrollment only to be disappointed by not getting any student loans to continue, Shane asked me why I wanted to go to school. Hmmm, never thought about it before. I guess because that's what you are supposed to do. Graduate high school, go to college, get a job, get married, have kids. Of course, I went at things a little backwards and got married, had a kid, graduated high school, worked and then decided to go to college. But after thinking about it for a few months, I realized that all the time I have spent at home with Cameron, being a stay at home mom and homemaker, have been the best years. I spent the first 5 years in full time mommy mode, complete with teaching Cameron phonics at age 2, how to read at 3, add and subtract at 4 and everything in between. We spent our days at home, playing school, playing toys, watching veggietales. It was a blast. When he went to school full time he still needed me. As he got older and now in high school, I am needed far less. I guess I felt like it was time for me to be a career woman. I am not a business person, I don't like office settings, I don't like the workaday world. I hate office drama. I don't like getting up every day and getting dressed up and being uncomfortable. I like getting up, getting breakfast made for my boys, making sure everyone is ready for their day, and then being able to watch I Love Lucy for a little while and then getting on with my day of cleaning and cooking and gardening. It helps that I have my house now. I have a yard to work in, and I can take pride in my home. I enjoy spending the days at home, on my time getting things done and checking them off my list. Cooking good organic, homemade food for my family.

It is now that I realize that some women are just meant to be at home. I am a homemaker, a housewife and a mom. This is what I was meant to be. This is what God made me to be. To take care of my family and home. Before the women's movement, almost all women stayed at home. They cooked and cared for their families and did so happily. They only worked when it was absolutely necessary. When they were finished raising their kids, they went to being housewives. Cooking, cleaning and keeping the house up. There is nothing wrong with that. I think more women should do this. I know it's hard in this two income world, but it is possible. Too many people are trying to keep up with the Joneses and that forces both parents/spouses to work to make ends meet. I don't think there's anything wrong with working moms or working women, but I think there is also nothing wrong with being a homemaker. People tend to look down at homemakers, deeming them lazy or spoiled. I disagree with this wholeheartedly. I read a lot of homemaker blogs to get ideas and recipes for homemade food, and there are more of us out there than I thought. I am not alone. While I hear negative comments from some people, Shane and Cameron are nothing but positive about me being at home and I get no issues from them. People who are negative are probably like that because deep down inside they wish they could  be in my position. Due to life, a lot of women can't. I am blessed beyond belief that I had a husband that insisted I stay at home and raise our son. I am blessed beyond belief that I have a husband that tells me that he loves the fact that I stay at home and take care of the home, get our son where he needs to be and take care of the finances. We are beyond blessed to be able to live off of Shane's income comfortably so that I can stay at home and be a homemaker.

So, in a long roundabout way, all of this to say. I am a homemaker....by choice. And I couldn't be happier.

10,000 Reasons

I had the pleasure of hearing Matt Redman's song 10,000 Reasons a few weeks ago in church. I didn't really pay attention to it at the time because it was a new song to me and I was trying to figure it out while we were all singing. Shane fell in love with it and now we have the cd. I sat down and listened to it and it broke me down to my knees so fast I didn't know what was happening. Tears welled up in my eyes and I was praising God. The words are so simple, but the part that gets me every time is the part in the last verse that says:

"And on that day when my strength is failing,
the end draws near and my time has come
soon my soul will sing your praise unending
10,000 years and then forever more."

Brings chills to me to type it. To think that someday, we will get to just be wrapped in light forever praising God. I can't think of anything that sounds more beautiful and wonderful.

It's been a long time since I have felt a part of a church. We go to College Park, and they run about 3800 people a week in services. It's massive. The biggest church we have ever attended. There has been a hesitant nature to get involved there. But, a couple weeks ago I jumped in and volunteered to help change out the bulletin boards for the nursery and sunday school classrooms between the last Sunday and the first Sunday of the month. And help with cutting out flannel board cutouts. Something I can kind of ease into and not have to be up front and center. I ccan just do it on my own time. I am looking forward to starting this at the end of September. This is my way of getting involved, just a little bit. I have been thinking about going through the membership classes, but have been hesitant still, thinking that we aren't meant to be here for the long haul, just a stopover to a new home. But the more we visit other places and come back to CPC, it makes us realize that maybe this is where we belong. Maybe it's time to get in it more and meet some more people. Get into a small group or membership classes. Only time will tell....but I think this is the place we could be calling home for a long while. :)

So, anyway, Matt Redman has a winner with this song, that is for sure. I could listen to it over and over again. Keep on writing beautiful music Matt!

God is so good to us. Thank Him for all you have.

Lots of craziness going on here lately!

First topic: When organic eating ends up making you a food snob.

If you read my blog a few weeks ago, you will remember me talking about going all natural eating whole foods and not eating processed foods anymore, right?

Well, let me bring you up to speed. :) The process has been a little slower to get everything out of the pantry than I first envisioned, but we are almost there! We have been eating a lot of organic food the last few weeks and I will tell you this. I feel amazingly better when I eat organic all day. And I can tell the most difference when I am out and eat something not organic and end up running home to get the tums! It literally turns my stomach and it just doesn't taste good anymore. Seriously. I am experimenting with new grains I have never eaten before, new sweeteners I never knew existed. I recently made a cheesecake made with organic yogurt (mostly because I needed to use the yogurt) and it turned out okay. It was different, but it tasted fine. I recently bought sucanat. If you don't know what it is, think unrefined organic pure sugar cane juice that is dried or evaporated. It is funny looking, being a brownish color and looking like small little pebbles, but the taste is great! It sweetens like sugar but doesn't cause the highs and lows in your glucose readings like white refined sugar does. It is great.

Something else I find myself liking better is dairy products. I have never been a big milk drinker. I put it on cereal sometimes and pour it out when the cereal is gone. I drink chocolate milk very seldom and have an all around dislike for milk. However, we bought organic skim milk and it tastes totally different! Even Cameron and Shane (my two big milk drinkers) have noticed a difference in taste when they drink milk at my parents' house (kroger skim) vs. our organic milk. i actually don't mind drinking a little bit of it. Milk has a chemical taste to me. Not sure why, but it does. Now the organic milk tastes pure and doesn't have that weird chemical taste to it.

This has inevitably made us all food snobs. We talk in "organic talk" and people automatically think we are loaded with money because we shop at the whole foods market. Let me tell you, not rich. Not even close. But eating organically is a lifestyle change and by doing so, we have reduced the amount of restaurant visits, which equals out to make up the difference in price to eat organically. So if it makes me a food snob that I will only drink organic milk, then food snob it is. :)

So, all is going well on the eating better homefront and we all three feel better and have noticed a little change in the scales. :)

Next topic: The Creation Museum.

Oh my goodness! What a wonderful God filled place for people to go and experience the truth! It was wonderful seeing the creation story brought to life and the differences in what man says vs what God says about creation, life and things around us. It really rekindled a fire in me that has been a little bit dimmer the last year or so. After things at our previous church went awry, and we felt led to leave the church to find a new home, things have kind of fizzled for me. I wanted to be involved again like we were before, then I felt scared to put myself out there again, scared of being rejected and pushed aside, which is how we felt before. So we have gone to a big church just to be hidden with no obligations, and be just a number. I have been feeling led to move on from there and find a new home with a smaller family that we can be a part of. But this whole time away from where we were before has felt like the time between Malachi and Matthew. There was a 400 year period of time where it seemed God was silent. Then came Jesus. I have felt like God has let us just be for a while and was quietly waiting for the right time for us to move on from this period of rest. Yesterday and today have relit that fire and now I am ready to move from this quiet time and burst through screaming His name wherever I go!!

I sit a lot of times in the quiet and feel God all around me. Holding me up, holding my hand, pushing me along when I don't want to go forward. His words flow over me like water when I open my bible to read. I sometimes close my eyes and try to think about what it was like so many years ago for Abraham, Joeseph, Moses, Joshua, King David, Jonah, Noah, the Disciples, Jesus and of course to be there when Mary was carrying our Lord. To put myself in that time and think how different life was then. To see what they saw, to feel what they felt. It amazes me.To be there when Moses parted the sea, when David took down Goliath, when Mary and Joeseph went to Bethlehem, when Jesus rose Lazarus from the dead, the crucifixion and resurrection. Wow!!

Next topic: Cameron starts driver's ed. EEK!

Yeah, I know. I am thinking exactly what you are thinking. Is he really old enough to be driving?!?! The answer is yes. He is. I look at him sometimes and see my little 3 year old running up to me with veggietales pajamas and teddy bear in hand wanting to play school. But in reality, my baby boy is getting older by the day and in just 3 short years, will be graduating high school and starting his adult life. Yikes! Doesn't seem like it has been 15 years. I am so very proud of the man he is growing up to be. I couldn't be more happy with who he is becoming. And I am looking forward to seeing this driving thing come to fruition. :) (mostly because I don't care to drive and he can drive and I can start to become Miss Daisy sitting in the back or passenger seat!)

So that's the craziness that is my life going on this summer. July will quickly coming to an end soon and August and the beginning of another school year will be creeping up before we know it. I am looking forward to adding another school to my subbing list. I go this coming week to discuss with them and tour the school! Yay! That's 3 schools to sub at. Between subbing and keeping our family eating organically and healthy, I am one busy chick! And I wouldn't have it any other way. ;)

Until next time....

Ch..Ch...Ch...Changes....

I have spent years trying to get my boys and I to eat healthier. I have bought fat-free foods, I have tried to get us to not eat out at restaurants as much, etc. It has been a struggle for all three of us.

Recently, I came across some blogs of homemakers that are truly being "homemakers". The stereotype of homemaker to me is staying at home, cooking, cleaning, taking care of the house, the children, baking cookies and making the home run smoothly. Some have differing ideas, which is fine, that is mine. These homemakers are living exactly like I picture homemakers should. So I click on some of their posts and find myself immersed in recipes for foods I have cooked before, but I am reading words like "whole" "organic" and "homemade". I was in love at first sight!! I usually cook homemade meals, but with help. And by help, I mean instead of peeling potatoes, I buy instant. Instead of making my own pasta, I buy it at the store.

These women are posting about the hidden additives and preservatives in almost every single food at the grocery store. I went to the store and read the labels and there it was. Staring me in the face. Literally every single thing I buy at the grocery has some kind of additive in it to preserve it or add flavor. And the preservatives in these foods are just as bad! So I decided to do some research and "detox" my family of these awful chemicals that are in our food. I printed off recipes, I printed off tips and secrets of organic families. I have never been so serious about how I prepare our food before. This is serious. the side effects of the foods we are putting into our bodies is astounding! Just switching the sweetener you use can make a world of difference, especially if you have diabetes, or hypoglycemia. It was amazing to me how much we put into our bodies without even thinking about it!

I had all of my research ready and waiting when we left last week for vacation to Florida. We ate all the food we wanted while we were gone (mostly unhealthy and fatty food) and we all knew when we got home, it was time to purge the bad foods from our pantry and start making the switchover! Luckily, my boys are very excited about this adventure and even asked to help! I went to the Whole Foods Market yesterday to find alternative peanut butter for me. (I have been diagnosed with a nut allergy and cannot eat PB anymore, which is one of my favorite foods) I found soybutter, which ended up tasting exactly like peanut butter! Yay! But while I was there, I scoped out every aisle and everything they had at my disposal to buy for preparing whole, organic foods. It is wonderful! I won't have to be practically Amish with my days making everything scratch, there are some "convenience" foods I can buy if I am strapped for time, but for the most part, my days will be spent in the kitchen making healthy meals from scratch, without the use of chemicals and additives. It is time for us to live a healthy existence. I have failed my boys up to this point with the meals I have prepared them. I have failed them in the way I have fed them unhealthy foods from McDonald's or Wendy's or Pizza Hut. The time has come to make a change, and this is a change I can live with. No more whining about how fat we feel or how we hate the way we look, or whining because our stomachs are upset from the fatty, grease laden foods we have eaten. It is time to move on from that mentality and move to a healthy and happy food experience.

Last night, we all went to the Whole Foods Market to get some semolina to make pasta with, and my boys were in awe of the wonderful foods they had there! They thought they would never be able to eat a hamburger again! Or that they would never get to eat chips! I can make anything they want to eat, and if it is a last minute thing, Whole Foods Market has it all for me. So they were excited by all of it! They took the store in as we walked down the aisles together and ended up coming home, and all three of us working together to make pasta, homemade, organic pasta. It was awesome the teamwork! And on Saturdays, we decided would be "bread day" where we will all be working on baking bread, rolls, buns, etc. They are eager to help and I am eager to teach them. Whole Foods Market is going to be my new go to grocery store! Yay for health!

So while some people won't understand and think I am being a weird new age hippie, I assure you that I am just looking out for the health of my family. Nothing new age about it. If you think about your great grandparents, this is how they were cooking. Out of the garden, and wholesomely. My garden is going to be getting a lot bigger next year!! :)

Stay tuned for the results of our "chemical detox"!  :)

Life

So, it has been quite a while since my last post. I thought I would blog more, but as time breezes by me at an alarming rate, I find myself at the end of the day and not taking the time to write.

Over Spring Break, we went on a last minute trip with Shane to Arizona. He was supposed to fly out on Sunday, but his boss said he could drive with us all going, so on Thursday evening, we were booking hotels and planning our drive. We got to stop at a lot of neat places along the way. Places we have never been. We went to the Grand Canyon on our way back home. It was an awesome place. Scary as anything I have ever seen, but awesome. Definitely something everyone should see at least once.

The last few years I have contemplated going back to school to get my bachelor's degree. I have humhawed about for years and since Shane has a good job, and Cameron is quickly creeping up to college age, I decided it was now or never. So I picked myself up by the bootstraps and decided enough was enough. I am tired of settling for jobs that aren't fit for me. I loved being an instructional assistant before and a substitute teacher now. I have always wanted to be a teacher, so why not? I tried to get into a four year school, but because I have no prior college credits and poor math skills, I had to settle with Ivy Tech. Which is smarter as it is much cheaper alternative for me. I am going to get my associate's degree in early childhood education and then transfer to finish my bachelor's degree in elementary education. I went and took my assessment test and passed reading and writing with flying colors. Math, on the other hand...not so much. But, I can take some brush up classes in math and begin this crazy journey. I am officially enrolled in classes for the summer. Starting with 13 credit hours! Yikes!! But, with having a 15 year old who basically takes care of himself and has band all summer, plus not working in the summer, I can definitely make it.

Cameron turns 15 on Saturday, May 12. EEK! Where in the world has the last 15 years gone? I was looking at him the other day, taller than me, glasses on, hair cut, deep man voice, and all I could see was this little guy about 3 years old. Sitting in his bedroom with the big chalkboard easel, reading words I wrote, singing ABC's, reading books, reciting numbers, doing simple addition and subtraction. And then the reality sets in that he isn't this little boy anymore. He is growing into a man. He has been such a blessing to us. I thank God every day that He gave Shane and I this wonderful young man to raise. He is such a great kid. I know he's going to turn out to be such a wonderful adult.

Well, that is about it for us here at Frye corner. Until next time!

Crazy Game of Life

It's official! I am a student! I just got my acceptance letter and have signed up to take an assessment (eek!) and speak with my counselor! I have already talked to a four year college about transferring my associate's degree over when I finish and they are happy to accept me to finish up my bachelor's degree in Elementary Education! I am over the moon! God has been so good to us. I have prayed for his wisdom and guidance every step of the way. I have to leave a career behind, but I really feel like this is the path God has had planned for me all along. It just feels right. And by going this route, it is the absolute cheapest way to get a four year degree! Yay!

I should be able to begin the Summer 2012 semester and get moving on this adventure! Like I said, this girl is over the moon!!

Later!

The End of an Era.

Okay, so this is a different post than I would usually blog about. Today, the television show I have watched since I was 11 years old, is coming to an end. It is truly an end of an era. One Life To Live is a daytime soap opera. I typically wouldn't watch soaps, but my best friend when we were in middle school got me hooked and off and on through the last 21 years, I have watched this show. I literally grew up with a few of the actors and actresses, as they aged along with me and their drama that was going on was similar to my own drama I was living. I know it seems silly and childish, but I literally feel like these actors that invade my tv every afternoon are part of my family. Like I said, I have watched some of them grow up before my eyes. I have dvr'd OLTL for two years now and was able to watch every single day, whereas before, I would watch only when I was home or able to catch it at 2 o'clock.

The last two weeks have been filled with drama on the show as true to soap opera form. There have been people leave the fictional town of Llanview, and as their tears fall for their family member leaving town, tears fill my eyes as I watch them leave, knowing that like all the times people have left before and come back, there is no coming back. It is over. I have to accept that and move on. Nobody in my family understands. They think I am being completely overdramatic. I told Shane it is like if they took the NFL and said "we are taking this off and never showing and NFL football game again. Ever". What he doesn't get is, I don't watch a lot of tv. I don't like most shows. I get hooked on one thing and that's it for me. When the show I get hooked on goes off, oh well. But this is different. I have watched this show for most of my life. It has been on tv for 43 years!

But, life goes on. Now I have an extra hour in my day to get other things accomplished. So in closing, let me just say goodbye to all the people of my favorite fictional town of Llanview, PA. Goodbye, Vicki, CLint, Joey, Kevin, Chord, Tina, Jessica, Natalie, Ryder, Liam, John, Marcie, Al, Asa, Dorian, Kelly, Blair, Todd, Starr, Dani, Tea, Cassie, Jack, Sam, Victor, Addie, Brody, Nora, Bo, Matthew, David, Nigel, Roxy, Shane, Rex, Gigi, Cristian, Antonio, Will, Jen, and the brood of others that I have watched over the years. Goodbye to the end of an era.
Now excuse me while I wipe my tears...

Fall: A time of transition

Fall seems to be upon us. It is only early September, but you can feel the crispness to the air and the feeling that the autumnal equinox is upon us. While I love summer and swimming and shorts and tank tops, I always end up looking forward to fall every year. Kids go back to school, excitement for what classes they have. Marching band is on our schedules this year at the Frye house, and i couldn't be more excited for Cameron. I think we may have finally found his passion. Music. Which happened to also be mine and Shane's passions as well in high school. Even now we love music so much. It is just a part of our lives. We are always singing, or playing an instrument. Love music.

Fall brings thankfulness at Thanksgiving time. This year, since I am finally rooted into my own home, I can decorate for seasons. I enjoy changing colors and getting the pumpkins and the fall leaves and all things fall out to decorate with. It has been many years since I have been able to do this.

Leaves fall onto the ground, fireplaces crackle, outside weiner roasts start. It's the time of year that people get settled in for the winter. Hats and coats come out of the closet, dust shaken off of the pants and sweatshirts. Flip flops are traded in for sneakers or boots. It's a transitional time.

My thoughts come back to my own life. Fall is transitional, and what transition will I be making this fall? It has been a year since we left our old church (the second time) and moved on to College Park. Will there be another transition this fall? Or will we stay where it is comfy and quiet and let God just wash over us while we are just being? There are so many times I feel the nudge to move to a smaller church and get involved again, but am scared. I am afraid to put myself out there and go through that all over again. It takes a lot to put myself out there in front of the world. Am I ready yet? Or should I just sit back and enjoy the music at College Park? The sermons are wonderful. I can be anonymous there. I am not Kristian the singer, or Kristian the piano player, or Kristian the children's ministry teacher, or Kristian the youth group helper. I can just be Kristian. I kind of like it that way for now.

maybe the transition this fall will be that I enjoy the quiet and just sit back and relax and not worry about it. Just love God and what He has in store for us and just let it go. He will take us where He wants us in time. maybe this fall, maybe not. Doesn't matter, all I know is that He is the only one that knows when that transition will happen and I am okay with that.

"Lord, love us. Heal us. Keep washing over us with your holy spirit. I am looking up and closing my eyes and worshiping you. Flood my heart with your neverending love and forgiveness." Amen

Williamsburg, VA trip Days 3-5

A whirlwind of history! I love it here! SO much rich history here in Virginia.

Day 3- We arrived in Williamsburg, after driving by Monicello on our way here, but we didn't go on the tour as there wasn't enough time. We arrived and basically checked into our hotel and chilled the rest of the day.

Day4-Jamestown. We went to Jamestown Settlement on Thursday. It was a lovely day and we spent it looking around at the settlement and seeing them doing an archaeological dig. It was awesome!

Later in the afternoon, we stopped by a Salt Spa. This was a place that had drug several tons of Polish salt from Poland over here that is therapeutic. It is heated and produces negative ions, which I guess your body doesn't get enough of. Anyway, it is supposed to relax you and help with allergies, asthma, etc. We went it. If you now me at all, you know I do not sit still at all and find it very difficult to not fidget. I was a little nervous that I woudl be a pest to the 6 other people in there, including Cameron and my grams and pap. It was 45 minutes of sitting in a gravity chair with a blanket and it was quiet and there was soft music playing. It was comfy and nice. However, everyone else is falling asleep and I don't do 45 minute naps. Therefore, I stayed up. After about 5 minutes, I started to fidget, but remembered I had a book in my purse, so I sat there and read. It was nice. I have horrible allergies and within 5 minutes, I was able to breathe out of my nose with no clogs. I can't honestly remember the last time I was able to do that.

Day 5- Colonial Williamsburg
We set out to the 1770's this morning. It was a sunny hot day and we were ready for some more history! It was great. The downtown of Colonial Williamsburg was quaint and full of buildings that were from the time period. They had actors dressed in that time period clothing and all the people that worked there were as well. They had re-enactments. They had horses. They had it all. I was in love! I was so excited to see all the history of the town and hear about the Revolutionary War time period. We especially liked the Governor's Palace. It was neat. We also went into the cellars at the palace. It was dark and creepy and felt weird down there. Yikes!
We went to the Chowning's Tavern for lunch and it was nice and yummy! It was all around a great day!

Tomorrow, we are heading to Yorktown, then we are headed toward home. We are planning on stopping at Mt. Vernon on our way home on Sunday and then home on Monday! Whew! What a fun exciting vacation!

Williamsburg, VA trip Days 1 and 2

Cameron and I have had the pleasure of going on a historical trip with my grandparents to historic Williamsburg, VA. We are going to be traveling to different places on our trip, so I decided to blog about them a day or two at a time.

Day 1- traveled from Indiana to Beckley, WV. Nothing too exciting going on today.
Day2- Left Beckley and went to Staunton, VA. Here is a neat town. On our way to Staunton, we stopped at Greenbriar Resort in White Sulphur Springs, WV. My grandpa has mentioned this place before as a place that houses an underground bunker for government officials should something happen to the country where they would be safe. I must say, this seems a little farfetched, but if there was going to be a place for them to go, this would be ideal! It is tucked away in a little out in nowhere town in the mountains and hills. We went inside the resort to look around and take some pictures. If the government thing is incorrect, then there is lots of interesting information about this resort anyway! 26 presidents of the US have stayed here, as well as many celebrities. Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, etc. It is beautiful and colorful and ritzy. I certainly didn't fit in there, but it was neat to go in and see how the rich live!! :)

After our trip to the Greenbriar, we got to Staunton. We went to the Frontier Museum, which is home of many old farmhouses from different countries. England, Ireland, Germany, Africa and America. Dating back from the 1600's, these homes were bought in their original countries and taken apart and brought across the ocean and put back together here. They have original wood, original windows in some of them, it is so neat! I love history, I love seeing living history.

On the grounds of the Frontier Museum is an abandoned, state owned sanitorium from many years ago. I had no idea what it was and asked one of the actors about it. Then got online and looked it up. Creepy!! Forced sterilizations were performed at this sanitorium when people were deemed mentally unstable and mentally incapable of having children. The sanitorium also housed mentally unstable children for a time. It is boarded up and the weeds are grown up around it, which only adds to the creepiness factor. I watched a video of some men going in it at night and running out scared when they heard screams (which I could hear on the video) and thumping noises (which I also heard) Yikes!!! Glad I am not staying there! But, we are staying right up the road less than a mile. Hope the ghosts stay away from here!! :)

Tomorrow, we are heading to Williamsburg. We are staying there 3 days and visiting Jamestown, Yorktown and Williamsburg. Then we are heading towards home and stopping by Mt. Vernon and coming up through Pennsylvania. I am definitely looking forward to seeing history of our country the rest of the week and I know Cameron is so excited because he loves Revolutionary War era history!! What a great vacation! We are so blessed to be able to come to places like this and see things like this. Thank you grams and pap for inviting us!

Yard Work!

It has been a long seven years since I have had to do yard work.
Being allergic to grass kind of makes it difficult to mow and weed whack. But, I love doing it. Even though I end up looking like a giant red bump, I love it.
I used to have beautiful flowers in my flower beds. I haven't had anywhere to show off my flowers in so long I forgot I could even do it! But, this weekend, we are getting our yard ready! We got our sod MOnday and are going to put in a flower bed out front, and down the side of the house. We will be working the back yard as well, making raised beds for a garden, getting our plans for the back put together and then spreading more grass seed on the areas that will be needing grass. Dirt will be brought in by truck and flowers will be planted from the pots I have on my patio. Firepit will be lined up so that we can then put a path to it one of these days. The extension of the patio we will put in later on will be lined out.

While we don't have to mow yet, I do have a bright side. A fourteen year old! He has mowed the last two years for my grandparents and has gotten practice! We are going to get a reel mower (think old school non-powered) and he is going to be mowing for us. Along with some of our neighbors it sounds like.

Anyway, I am super stoked to get busy on making my yard one of the best in Westfield! I may be just a little biased! But I will be sure to post some pictures when it is complete!!

Until then!