Retreating to the Library

I love our little library -- which is all of three minutes from the farm. It was closed for a month so that they could make it even sweeter – with fresh paint (a shade deeper than lavendar); silhouettes of children on the wall; a big, cozy sofa and more space with less clutter (always a good thing). I go there once a week on an hour’s retreat with my laptop (Skunk Hollow knows only dial-up) and savor blogs like fine chocolate. Then I go home – inspired and energized for more creative, fresh homemaking.

The little garden out front just adds to my bliss . . .

Fruit Smoothies

Eli and Ben enjoy this recipe for breakfast, and I like it because you can throw in pretty much whatever fruit you have on hand - fresh or frozen. (I do make sure always to put a banana in for bulk or the consistency is too thin.)

3 sliced peaches or 1 C. of frozen strawberries (usually the way they eat it but experiment!)
1 banana, chunked
1 C. ice cubes
1 C. unflavored yogurt
1/4 C. orange juice
1 tabl. Sun Crystals (OR 2-3 tabl. sugar)

Place all in a blender and run on the "ice crush" cycle until of desired consistency.

NOTE: I took a bit of the batter today and poured it into a popsicle mold to see how popsicles made with it come out.

Stimulating Conversation

I love Sundays. And one thing that makes Sundays special are the visits from my sister-in-law and her two boys from their home 45 minutes away. They come down most Sundays to visit with M.'s grandmother - and usually spend some time with other family members as well. I love their visits because my boys take such delight in spending time with their cousins, and I take such delight in the talks I have with Ang. We rarely talk of the weather - huddled in a corner somewhere, our conversations are almost always meaty right from the start. Full of protein, of life, of things that force me to continually climb out of my box and view things from different angles. Do Ang and I agree on everything? Of course not. (Who does?) But, though our minds may not always agree, our hearts do (my new favorite phrase). They agree on the One Who makes our hearts beat and our souls mesh.

Yesterday we wrestled with a variety of issues which led in a circle from one thing back to another. The limited medium of blogs and their inability to convey more than two-dimensional conversation - their lack in seeing the communicator's face and body language, hear their tone, physically touch while sharing. The vulnerability there is in the act of putting words, thoughts on paper for others to read. The fear of being misunderstood, creating discontent in the heart of another, setting up an issue for someone. To what degree we are our brother's keeper. To what degree we can "fix" things or figure things out or analyze. And how we're to love others and to what point, with what purpose do we/can we do that.

Did we solve the problems of the world with our conversation? Definitely not. Did we solve our own problems with our conversation? Not in a specific, concrete way. But these conversations foster a humility within me. Reminding me that there are big issues for a big God to deal with. I could be overwhelmed by the fact that our questions and comments and revelations didn't "fix" the things we struggle with, but I'm not. Because every struggle, question, rabbit trail leads me back to Him - with a thankfulness that there is One who knows all and understands all. For He is God, and I am not. And, honestly, I'm quite fine with that fact.

Thanks, once again, A., for the stimulating conversation.

Bear!

At the cabin this afternoon, M. decided to take a short walk out past the cabin that sits next to us and beyond the springs. Was he ever surprised when he nearly fell over a young bear! After watching the bear for a bit, he ran back to the cabin to get us and the cameras. The young bear, which would have been a cub last year and is now on its' own, could have cared less about our presence. He just went about his business of enjoying a cob of corn. Eventually M. clapped his hands which sent the bear immediately shimmying up the nearest tree - along with his corn cob. It was amazing to view this creature in such close proximity. Next year, of course, will be a completely different story!

Jesse Tree Ornament #1

I've been wanting to make Jesse Tree Ornaments for several years - but the holidays are such a busy time that I've never gotten around to it. So this year I decided to start in the summer to be done by Advent! It also took me awhile to decide on what medium to use - after several considerations and experiments, I've decided on felt. I'm tickled with how the first one came out - the branch of Jesse.

For more information on what a Jesse Tree is as well as ideas and patterns for making these ornaments, check here, here, and here.

P.S. The ornament is laying on one of the TV trays that my mom picked up for me at a local auction. I've been looking for a set for a long time to use during lunchtime when the boys and I enjoy "Andy Griffith" or "I Love Lucy" with our meal. TV trays were especially popular in the '50s and '60s. When I was a little girl, my grandmother would serve Sunday supper to us on her set of TV trays while we watched "The Wonderful World of Disney."

Some Discoveries

Here are some products that I've discovered in the past few weeks to help in my journey of a more balanced diet:

* Aloe Vera Juice - This came on the recommendation of several friends. It's to help regulate your digestive system, and I've found that to be the case. However, the stuff smells and tastes nasty! No big deal though as you can freely mix it with fruit juice.

* Sun Crystals - I've mentioned this product before in some of my recipes. It's an all-natural sweetener containing the herb stevia and pure cane sugar. The bag says to replace 1 cup of sugar with a 1/2 cup of Sun Crystals - but I've found that to be too sweet so I cut it in half again. I've used this successfully in cold drinks, cooking and baking. (Though it doesn't work well if a large amount of sugar is called for in a recipe due to the volume you're cutting it down to - it will change the texture of the recipe because of the smaller volume.)

* EarthGrains 100% Whole Grain & 100% Natural 7-Grain Bread - I LOVE this stuff! In the past, I have never been able to find a brown bread I like. No more - I grab a piece of this every now and again as a snack. I also like that it has a bit of brown sugar in it instead of high fructose corn syrup which, by the way, is found in the majority of store-bought bread - yes, even brown breads. EarthGrains makes other types of bread, too - the 7-Grain just happens to be my favorite.

* Metal Steamer Insert - My sister-in-law told me about this, and I have been enjoying using it to steam our veggies versus boiling them. By steaming veggies and keeping them out of the water, it helps to keep their nutrients locked in instead of being cooked out into the water.

Carrots!

M. pulled carrots on Saturday night for the second time from the garden to thin them out. I cut and cleaned them and plopped them in the frig. Ben and my nephew love popping into the frig anytime they want and getting fresh carrots to eat.

Thy Redeemer

"Thy Redeemer"

I came across this phrase this morning in Isaiah 54:5. Wanting to know a bit more about what redemption is, I looked up the definition in Holman's Bible Dictionary. I was immediately struck with how perfectly God's plan mirrors this definition. I include the definition below with notes made in parantheses by me:

"Religious redemption language grows out of the custom of buying back something (me) which formerly belonged to the purchaser (God) but for some reason (sin) had passed into the ownership of another (Satan). The original owner (God) could regain ownership by paying a redemption price (the death of His Son) for it (me)."

Praise God that He is Our Redeemer!

Plane Ride!

The boys had an amazing opportunity the other evening - a spontaneous plane ride! M. mentioned to a co-worker that we were planning on visiting the local airport's open house this weekend for discounted plane rides. This co-worker told M. that he has his own plane and that he would be more than happy to take the boys on a ride that very evening! M., of course, jumped at the generous offer.

The pilot went through his flight check with us - showing the boys the various aspects and parts of the plane, what he was doing and why he was doing it. Due to weight restrictions, he then took the boys on two separate 20-minute plane rides. They were especially thrilled to fly over our house and see the goats! Caleb said that it's like looking at a gigantic map and Eli, of course, got some great photos. What an incredible opportunity they enjoyed . . .

Salsa Squash

I made this recipe the other night to go along with our pizza and will definitely make it again - though I want to do further experimenting. The recipe calls for butternut squash which I used and found a little too sweet for the dish. In the future I plan to substitute spaghetti squash or eggplant for butternut. I LOVE the flavor the salsa adds to the dish -

Salsa Squash

1 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
1/4 C. chopped onion
1 tabl. olive oil
2/3 C. salsa (I used Medium Mission Chunky Salsa - a great flavor and all-natural)
1/2 tsp. salt

Cook or steam squash until tender. In a large saucepan, saute onion in olive oil. Once squash is tender, add it to saucepan with salsa and salt. Place in a casserole dish and cover with foil. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes. (NOTE: I doubled this recipe except for the salt.)

Cotton Gin

This is a photo of the cotton gin that Caleb and Ben helped their cousin make for his school project. They did an amazing job! I found it fascinating that they actually used Eli Whitney's original sketches of his cotton gin from the National Archives to help in the making of it. Now they're waiting to get some cotton from the South to see if it will actually work!

A Colorful Supper

After I filled my supper plate the other night, I knew I had to take a photo of it because the colors looked so bright and lovely.

Here's what we had:

* Omelettes with Tomatoes, Onions & Asparagus Pieces (which I pre-cooked slightly before adding to egg mixture)
* Italian Pasta Salad with Tri-Color Pasta, Light Zesty Italian Dressing, Sliced Onions & Grape Tomato Halves
* Berry Salad with Strawberries, Black Raspberries & Blueberries from our garden sprinkled with Fresh Lime Juice

A feast for the eyes as well as the stomach!

Freezing Asparagus

This week I froze the last bag of asparagus for the year. I put away 50 qt. bags of it - hopefully that will keep us supplied all winter. We LOVE it grilled - we even do it over the winter months like that. I've found that if I thaw it and let it drain well on a tea towel for awhile, that gets enough of the water content out of it to grill it well. (To grill, place a large sheet of foil on grill and coat it with some butter so the veggies don't stick. Lay the asparagus down in a single layer, sprinkle with Season-All and put some chunks of butter here and there. You could also use olive oil instead of butter. Close lid and grill slowly on medium for about 30 minutes or until tender. If any stalks get charred, they taste delicious though eating too much charred food isn't very healthful.)

To freeze asparagus, this is the method I learned from my mother-in-law:

* Mark the date on quality, quart-size freezer bags with a permanent marker. (Don't skimp on good freezer bags. They DO make a difference in how long veggies last in the freezer.)
* Rinse the asparagus well and cut off the tough section at the bottom. (Some people remove the scales, but I don't.) Most of my pieces end up 4-5" long and fit well horizontally in quart freezer bags. M.'s mom would sometimes cut her's into 1" pieces and freeze that way.
* Bring a large pot of water to a good boil. (I use a large steamer pot which contains an insert that I just lift out off the water when the asparagus is ready.) Turn off the water and immediately place asparagus into the pot. Allow it to sit for about 20 seconds or so (until it turns a bright, beautiful green). Immediately dump the asparagus into a sinkful of cold water. Allow veggies to cool for a few minutes and then transfer to other side of sink to drain well. (Leave cold water in other side.) I arrange all the asparagus with their heads in one direction, so that I can easily fill the bags - alternating one small bunch with their heads going one way with another small bunch with their heads going the opposite way. They seem to fit best in the bags this way.
* Once bag is filled, leave it open and stick the bottom half of the bag in the cold water. Slowly lower the bag and close the zipper. The force of the water on the bag pushes out any air and creates a vacuum in the bag. (You want as much air out of the bag as possible as the asparagus will keep the best.)
* Immediately store in the freezer. If you do it in batches, store the oldest asparagus on top to use first.
* I have been getting approx. 4-5 full quart bags from every 10 lbs. of asparagus.

Did I miss anything, G.?

Soap Container

I saw the idea for a soap container in a recent magazine at the car dealership where our van broke down on our last mountain trip. (Actually, I got several ideas from those magazines - there's always something good in every situation!) You could implement this idea with bars of homemade soap or store-bought soap. I believe I read somewhere that unwrapping soap will help dry it out and last longer? Anyway, I sure like how it displays my homemade soap.

Herb Garden Update

This morning I decided to call the elderly man that I bought the herb magazines from last week. After I explained who I was, he interrupted and said that I was an answer to his prayers. He had JUST gone outside to get his newspaper, looked at the gardens and asked the Lord who was going to help him figure out what to keep and what to get rid of! Eli and I drove over - still not knowing what he expected of us but eager to see what the Lord was up to. He simply wanted me to show him what was good and what wasn't as he didn't know which plants were herbs and which were simply weeds. We wandered around his yard and examined things - most of what he has is simply a variety of ground covers and lots and LOTS of tea! He does have several herbs here and there - most of which I have though I did bring home a money plant. For my time and help he also gave me an old cultivator - he figured it would look more appropriate at my farm than in his yard. I'm tickled to have it for a decoration in my flower beds. He also took E. and I all through his home - showing us item after item of things his wife had crafted. She sewed, stenciled, woodworked, crafted, did calligraphy, crocheted, painted, wallpapered and on and on. She was amazingly talented, and he was very proud of her. I'm so glad that we went over - it was a great blessing to him and as we left he was already eagerly digging into the yard work. We're going back next week to collect a dress form for my mom and some lavendar for me. A new friend is a good thing.

His Best Collaborator

"Louis Pasteur and Marie Laurent were married on May 29, 1849. He was twenty-six; she was twenty-two. Marie Pasteur was an extraordinary wife. Emile Roux, who became Pasteur's assistant in 1876 and director of the Pasteur Institute in 1904, described her as follows:

"From the beginning of their married life, Madame Pasteur understood the man she had married. She did everything to protect him from the difficulties of life, taking to herself the worries of the home, that he might retain the full freedom of his mind for his investigations. During the evenings, she wrote under his dictation. She took a genuine interest in crystalline structure or attenuated viruses. She had become aware that ideas become the clearer for being explained to others and that nothing is more conducive to devising new experiments than describing the ones which have just been completed. Madame Pasteur was more than an incomparable companion for her husband, she was his best collaborator.""

-- Philip Cane, Giants of Science

As I read the portion of this article on Marie Pasteur to the boys this morning, I was so inspired by what Roux said about her. She was being exactly that which God calls us as wives to: a helpmeet for our husbands. Marie Pasteur seemed to have taken her calling seriously, diligently and well. And it made a difference - in the life of her husband, in the life of the man who wrote this, and in my life by reading it. It encourages my heart to keep on, keeping on in the work of taking care of husband and home. I hope it inspires you as well. What important work we do for God, ladies!!

A Happy Little Zoo

Yesterday Eli and I spent the day at a friend's farm. I refer to it as a "happy little zoo" because you never know what creatures you'll find there when you visit. The purpose of our visit was for me to teach my friend how to make soap.


Before we started our work, I checked out the honeycomb on the counter which contained a few baby bees from the new hives the family had just started. My friend told me they had enjoyed some fresh honeycomb on their toast the other morning. In the midst of our soapmaking, the lambs had to be fed - two sweet, three-week old babies whose Mama abandoned them to a third baby. Eli ADORED giving one its' bottle. It took absolutlely no time at all because those lambs sucked down their bottles quicker than you could say, "Jack Rabbit!" Another break in our soapmaking came when the post lady came to the door with a box of peeps to add to the crate in the living room which already contained a handful of older chicks. Such peeping and delight from chicks and children all around! Amidst all that, the telephone kept ringing off the hook as the two older girls took calls about the horse-riding lessons they are planning to give on their farm this summer. And, last but not least, a neighbor came to call about those lessons as well as a family member to use their computer for awhile!


We did manage to get our Sweet Orange & Clove Soap made and have a delicious lunch of veggie soup, sandwiches, fruit and Rice Krispies Treats. After tidying up, we looked through soap books and chatted about homeschooling over a cup of mint tea. We shared what we had heard at various seminars from the recent homeschool convention and made lists of books that the other recommended. Then E. and I headed home - eagerly sharing all we had seen and learned that day and proclaiming how much we always enjoy a visit to that happy place!

Summer Supper

With some cues from my brother-in-law, last night's supper was exceedingly healthy and delicious!

The menu:

* Baked Haddock with Butter, Lime Juice & Old Bay Seasoning
* Carrot & Zucchini Medley (see recipe below)
* Fruit Salad of Fresh Black Raspberries (from the garden), Kiwi, Fresh Pears & Lime Juice

Carrot & Zucchini Medley

2 tabl. olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
1 lb. of large carrots, cut in 1/4" slices
1 lb. of zucchini, cut in 1/4" slices (I used 1/2 lb. green zucchini and 1/2 lb. yellow zucchini/squash)
1 tsp. sea salt
1 1/2 tsp. McCormick's Perfect Pinch Seasoning (all-natural blend of spices and herbs with no salt)

Heat olive oil over medium heat and cook onions for about 7 minutes. Add carrots and cook 7 minutes. (I put a lid over them for part of the time to help soften them a bit.) Add zucchini for 7 minutes. (These cooking times are what I did - if you like your veggies a little more crisp, don't cook as long.) Turn off heat, stir in salt and seasoning. (NOTE: The carrots make this veggie dish so sweet that it tasted like I added sugar! The recipe is delicious and very colorful.)

A Built-In Herb Garden?

On Saturday morning our family headed over to the little town that I grew up in about 5 minutes from here for their 20th annual town yard sale. It's become a fun tradition for us to spend part of the day there - looking for treasures as well as catching up with various family and friends we meet along the way. My best find was a boxful of 50 issues of "The Herb Companion" magazine, spanning over 10 years. I bought it from an elderly gentleman - the magazines had been his wife's but she died from cancer and he said it hurt him too much to keep all her things. He told me that she had loved learning about and experimenting with herbs and that she had a huge herb garden which is now just getting weedy. He offered for me (a total stranger!) to come and take care of her garden. I quickly protested by saying that I was just starting to learn about herbs and that his wife's magazines would be of huge help to me. Before I left, he stuck an address label on the side of my box. Later in the day, I was sorting through the magazines and putting them away when I came across yet another treasure - a folder filled with different articles and info. she had collected about herbs. As I was reading, my sister called and I told her the story. She excitedly encouraged me to re-think the refusal of his offer by telling me what an awesome way to learn - through an already built-in herb garden! Besides that, maybe God would have me to minister to the elderly gentleman in some way. I took her words to heart and have been mulling them over. Today I drove past his house (10 minutes from mine), and the gardens definitely need some tending. Perhaps I'll see what M. says about it and, just maybe, find out if the offer still stands.

Strawberries!

Strawberry pie, strawberry jam, strawberry Jello with strawberries, strawberries on waffles, strawberries in ice cubes, strawberries and bananas, strawberries over ice cream, strawberry shortcake and strawberry punch. Instead of "Uncle!," the boys are crying, "Strawberry!"

Homemaking Journal

While reading the blog, Home Living, the other day, I noticed something on her sidebar in which she mentioned a Homemaking Journal. I was intrigued and went surfing to find out what a Homemaking Journal is. I found various examples from other blogs as well as printables to make up my own. One site likened a Homemaking Journal to the receipt books that Victorian ladies used. During the Victorian period, homemaking really came into its' own. Ladies began making notes regarding cooking and other homemaking skills in cookbooks which they passed down for their daughter's benefit. I became excited about putting together my own Homemaking Journal and did some further research for ideas. On Memorial Day I gathered various materials I had on hand and spent a delightful two hours putting one together. Actually, all the things contained in my Homemaking Journal were lists and info. that I had compiled previously but were scattered here and there in various parts of the house. The Journal keeps everything organized and is so easy to tote with me wherever I go. This week I used it at the dentist to check my calendar for a future appointment and last night I took it to the library and jotted down a note about a tape series I want to hear in the future. Besides all that - it's just plain pretty!


I used a 5.5" x 8.5" binder that I had in my desk and filled it with looseleaf, 3-holed notebook paper. Using plain, pastel cardstock, I cut and punched 6 pages for dividers. My dividers have the following headings:

* Daily To-Do's
* Meal Planning
* Homeschooling Notes
* Creative Ideas
* Bible Notes
* Gardening Notes


Within each of those dividers are several sheets of plain notebook for the following lists under each divider:

Daily To-Do's
* A printed-out calendar of June to make appointments - this calendar mirrors the large one in our kitchen
* Daily pages labeled Tuesday, June 1, etc., on which I record to-do's for the day as well as the menu for breakfast, lunch and supper

Meal Planning
* A running grocery list
* A running shopping list for other stores
* Meal Ideas (For example, when at the grocery store and am inspired to make a certain meal that week based on something I buy, I make a note in my Journal here to remember to make that meal this week. Also, if I get hungry for something throughout the week, I make a note here to cook it sometime soon. When daily planning meals, I check this list for inspiration and ideas.)

Homeschooling Notes
* A master schedule for each child of what subjects they'll study this year
* A weekly notes page for each child to jot down things regarding homeschooling for that child during the week (For example, if one needs a book from the library, I make a note on their list. Or if one needs extra work on an area, I jot a note to remind myself to assign more in their log of assignments.)
* A list of family read-alouds
* A list of all books read for each child
* A list of field trips taken
* A list of videos/documentaries watched
* A list of books-on-tape listened to
* Notes from this year's evaluation
* Notes from seminars heard at homeschool convention

Creative Ideas
* A list of blog post ideas
* A list of things to include in upcoming issues of my newsletter
* A page entitled "Inspiration" to make notes when I'm out and about of ideas that inspire for a project, ministry idea, etc.
* Books I want to read
* Videos I want to watch
* Tapes I want to listen to

Bible Notes
* Pages of sermon notes
* Pages of Sunday school notes
* Pages of morning prayers written out as I read through the Word

Gardening Notes
* Items bought for the veggie garden - amount and type of veggie
* A list of when items were planted
* A page where I draw a simple picture of where things are planted in the garden
* A list of what I do in my flower beds - when and what things are divided, cut back, planted, etc.

Front Pocket - Magazine articles and notes pertaining to current season for ideas I might want to do (For example, directions for a 4th of July favor, a note from a magazine to cut melon in 1/2" planks and cut with cookie cutters.)

Back Pocket - Copies of recipes to try and a list of menu items to help in meal planning

Wow. I think that about covers it. This post will either overwhelm you (I hope not!) or inspire you in the delightful project of creating a Homemaking Journal.

The Start of Summer Luncheon

What a gorgeous day for a "Start of Summer" Luncheon on the porch! The menu:

* Iced Cold Cherry Soup (a recipe from an old cookbook - it was unusual and fun to try but I didn't care for the texture of it)
* Kicked-Up Tuna Melts
* Garden Salad with Broccoli, Tomato & Sweet Onion Dressing
* Lemon-Lime Squares with Lemon Balm Garnish
* Iced Water & Strawberry-Lemon Punch with Strawberry Ice Cubes (froze pieces of berries in ice cubes)

Kicked-Up Tuna Melts

2 cans (5 oz. each) solid white tuna packed in water, drained
3 tabl. mayo, plus more for spreading
1/4 C. finely chopped onion
1/2 tabl. fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 pinches of dried oregano, crumble into mixture with fingers
2 slices of crusty bread
2 large or 4 small slices of tomato
2 slices of provolone (the cheese can be omitted, if desired)

Heat broiler with rack in highest position. In a medium bowl, combine tuna, mayo, onion, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and oregano and stir until thoroughly combined. Arrange bread on a baking sheet and spread a little mayo on each slice. Divide tuna salad evenly among the slices, then top with tomatoes and cheese. Broil until cheese is golden, 3-4 minutes.

Strawberry-Lemon Punch

3/4 C. cut strawberries
1/2 C. sugar (OR 2 tabl. of Sun Crystals - an all-natural alternative to sugar made from pure cane sugar and stevia which is an herb used by the Native Americans to sweeten things)
1 - 12 oz. can of frozen lemonade concentrate
2 C. 7-Up

Crush berries, add sugar and let stand for 30 minutes. Dilute lemonade according to instructions. Pour into pitcher; add berries. Before serving, add 7-Up. Makes 16 delicious servings.

The Elegant Peony

(By the way, if you decide to bring a bouquet of peonies into your home, make sure that you check it for ants. Ants love peonies and might try to take a free ride into your house. You then might have ant issues. Ask me how I know.)

Granola-Stuffed Apples

I adapted this recipe for breakfast this morning - they came out well but I want to tweak a few things next time to make them even better.

Granola-Stuffed Apples

4 large apples
Granola (I used homemade but store-bought could just as easily be used.)
2 tabl. honey
1 C. water

Peel and core apples; stand upright in a 9" baking pan. Stuff each apple with granola. Mix honey and water together and spoon some over the apples. Pour the rest into the bottom of the pan. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake, basting with juice every so often. Bake another 30 minutes or so until apples are tender when pierced with a fork. (NOTES: I used Golden Delicious apples - forgetting that they tend to dry out during baking. Next time I want to use a more conducive baking apple. I also want to make bigger holes in the apple in which to stuff more granola.)

Learning Healthy Habits

The Lord has recently used a variety of circumstances and people to get something through to me - that I have not been a terribly good steward of the body that He's given me. I have at times in the past attempted to eat and live in a more healthy manner - but it never stuck for more than a few days. (Probably due to the fact that it was me initiating it for the wrong reasons - to slap a band-aid on my symptoms instead of dealing with the larger picture of obedience in stewardship to the Lord). Anyway, two weeks ago I began again with a motivation, desire and purpose that can only be from God. And I must tell you that I feel better than I have in years!! A friend of mine who eats in a very healthy manner gave me some pointers and practical encouragement which was tremendously helpful - the best of which is to simply implement one small change at a time as I learn. And so, I've decided to share with you some of the very basic things I've begun doing as I start to ease our family into more healthy living. (Some of these steps may seem incredibly obvious to you - but I'm starting REALLY small!) Before I mention those things, I thought it might be helpful to others to share some of the mental obstacles I've had to overcome in this process.

* "Healthy eating costs more." There is much truth in this. As a whole, fresh fruits, veggies, good bread, etc., do cost more. I have finally accepted this and chosen to spend a little more money putting better things into our bodies.

* "Healthy eating means things must taste like cardboard." My brother-in-law has shown me the error of this thinking with his amazing fresh food way of cooking. I am definitely going to get tips off him. I have also realized that, like many other things, eating is a habit. If my body is used to a certain type of food, that's what it wants. I am deprogramming my body, and it's actually beginning to desire good stuff!

* "Healthy eating means I'll have to give up my baking addiction." I don't have to give up baking - just adapt some. I am also incredibly excited about discovering a whole new area of interest in which to read, study and experiment with healthy cooking.

* "Choosing to eat healthy means I can never have a piece of cake or other sweet treats again." Where is this written?? I'm not going from one extreme to another. Moderation is always the key - great wisdom from the Word. I want to move into a more balanced diet.

And now for some simple steps:

* Begin each morning with a glass of water with a tabl. or so of fresh lemon juice in it. My acidity levels are off balance. (One way I know this is from the mouth ulcers that I get.) The lemon juice helps to neutralize the acids in my body. (I've discovered that many foods we call "acidic" - like lemons, strawberries, etc. - are actually alkaline and help neutralize acidity in the body.)

* Increase my water intake. I try to drink a glass before every meal and several throughtout the day. The only other things I now drink are natural fruit juice (especially orange juice with calcium as my body can't digest milk) and herbal tea - with no milk or sugar.

* Do an occasional fast with just fruit juice. I've done after-supper-to-before-supper-the-next-night as to be able to eat supper with my family. It helps clear out toxins and give my body a rest from digestion.

* Cut portions. Our bodies actually need little food to flourish - a WHOLE lot less than what we actually put into them.

* Cut desserts. We are huge dessert eaters at my house (this is a carry-over from my childhood that I have passed on to my children). I've cut out dessert after lunch. As for dessert after supper, I try to serve fresh fruit instead or sugar-free jello or angel food cake. I'm also working on cutting the sugar in our other recipes. Of course, we still have sweet treats from time-to-time. Just not every night.

* Make sure that we have at least a serving of fresh fruit and veggies at lunch and supper. This isn't hard. I'm just buying a variety of fruits and providing celery and baby carrots at lunch. And making sure I serve a veggie and some fruit for supper, too.

* Another way to introduce more veggies is to increase the number of salads we eat. I'm trying to encourage this by providing lots of different add-ins for our salads.

* Paying attention to labels. I never realized so many things have milk in them until I had to stop intaking it! I am also learning to look for words in nutritional listings that end in -ose. These contain sugar.

* Changing breads - I've gone from plain white bread to whole grain white - a better choice nutritionally.

* Be consistent in daily exercise - for me this means a brisk, 30-minute walk.

Well, that's all I can think of currently. Of course, I'm no expert in this stuff but can attest that there is much truth in it. Two weeks ago when I drastically reduced my intake of sugar (mostly in regard to desserts), I had a minor headache for three days. I'm assuming that was a sugar withdrawal reaction. After that, I cannot begin to tell you how alert I felt - mentally and physically. I have also noticed a huge increase in my energy level, lack of tiredness and sluggishness (even in the heat which usually drastically reduces my energy levels), as well as a reduction in PMS symptoms. Feeling this good spurs me on to implementing more.

Food really does affect us - far more than we may realize!