Holy Moly I'm about all painted out! I've spent the past 2 weeks painting my entire downstairs, vaulted ceilinged entryway and living room, kitchen, hallway, family room, dinette and stairway.
It's totally worth the aching back, neck and feet and the cobwebs in my hair from climbing up high enough to feel my ears pop in order to paint those "hard to reach places" that only I will see.
You see, we've lived in this home for 4 1/2 years. When we moved in we had a 5 month old baby, a 9 year old daughter, a dog and a cat. Six months after moving in I found out that I was preggo with daughter number 3! Surprise, surprise! Who knew? Anyway, that's another story for another post.
My point is that over the past 4 1/2 years I've been a little busy with giving birth, raising kids, homeschooling, working, and trying to keep this ginormous house clean and the yard covered in leaf dropping trees orderly. It has only been in the past 6 months that I finally was able to THINK about maybe covering up the dingy, gray/white walls with something that reflected our family more accurately. You know, lively and energetic, yet warm and cuddly.
So, a few months ago I put myself to the test. I purchased 6 paint samples and painted them all on my living room wall. That way, I knew I would have to choose one and get it done before Thanksgiving when everyone would be here. There would be NO WAY that I would have people over with 6 different colored squares of paint on my wall.
Well, the weeks passed and I found it very difficult to make a decision. I purchased more paint samples. Then I painted them on my kitchen wall. There it sat for a few more weeks. More paint samples were purchased and painted on pretty much every wall in our entire downstairs area...oh, upstairs too, I almost forgot! It was a lot of colors, and not helpful at all.
Eventually, my mom called and said she was coming over with ladders and would help me paint November 9th. So, she informed me, I should probably pick a paint color. She said anything would be amazing compared to the dingy, depressing, gray/white that I was currently living with. Well, that was just the encouragement I needed!
Here are the colors in the downstairs rooms of my house: the kitchen is Spanish Olive green, living room has Cinnamon Stick on one wall (a brown/red), Corn Silk on two walls, and Crispy Ginger Ale on the 4th wall (basically different shades of yellow). The entryway is painted in the same Crispy Ginger Ale and the hallway and dinette are painted in the Corn Silk. There is an accent wall that has the Spanish Olive green opposite the kitchen. Then the Family room is painted Dusky Gold on the Fireplace wall and Crisp Autumn Leaves (brown/orange) on the TV/bar wall.
I am now a fearless painter. I cannot wait to do the upstairs hallway, master bedroom and girls bathroom!
We are all going through a bit of color shock, but it is still so wonderful and invigorating living in color instead of black and white! Everyone is invited to come and visit:-)
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Monday, November 9, 2009
Thankfulness at Thanksgiving: New Traditions
This year I went on line looking for ideas to better incorporate a feeling a Thankfulness into our Thanksgiving Traditions. Thanksgiving for us has mostly been about family, friends, getting together and enjoying each others company and eating a ton of food.This is all good stuff, for sure, however, as my girls get older, and are arguing more, I felt like this year we needed to spend more time focusing on being thankful for the everyday things.
Thankfully my search brought me to this really cute website Sugardoodle.net. Here, I found a fun and easy way to daily remind my girls to be thankful for what they have and to show their thankfulness with actions. Oh Happy Day!
(also, I want to add that it took very little effort or craftiness on my part which I was extremely Thankful for!)
At the Sugardoodle.net main page, type in "Thankful Thanksgiving" in the search field on the upper left hand side of the page. The Thanksgiving Countdown idea is number 3. There are other wonderful ideas here as well.
Have a wonderful day!
Blessings,
Kim
Look at my beautiful preteen!
After about 2 years of consultations and check ups, the day finally arrived!
Here she is before. All smiles and excited!
.
Here she is during...Not so much with the smiles, but still excited!
And here she is after! Ta da! Still smiling, but *ouch* it hurts a little more than she expected. Still excited though!
I think it is interesting how getting braces is looked at now as a right of passage for kids. Something many of them look forward to with great anticipation and excitement. When I was her age, it was something we looked forward to with great dread and a little fear. So funny!
Here she is before. All smiles and excited!
.
Here she is during...Not so much with the smiles, but still excited!
And here she is after! Ta da! Still smiling, but *ouch* it hurts a little more than she expected. Still excited though!
I think it is interesting how getting braces is looked at now as a right of passage for kids. Something many of them look forward to with great anticipation and excitement. When I was her age, it was something we looked forward to with great dread and a little fear. So funny!
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Hello again!
It's been a long time since I've posted, so I'm not sure who is left out there that might actually read this! Life has changed a lot in the past 6 months. My focus has shifted somewhat, the kids have all gotten bigger, my husband has a new job, and I have an additional job. Lots of exciting things going on in the Hundred Acre Wood!
However, one of the most recent exciting events to happen around here lately is that little Whinnie has lost her 2 front teeth! One right after the other! They have been loose for quite a while...I mean REALLY loose. The other night Whinnie came up to me in the kitchen and asked,
"Mom, can I have a paper towel... puhleeese?"
me,
"Sure hon, here you go."
Whinnie,
"Thanks mom"
Then a few minutes later she walks up to me all excited and says,
"Look, my tooth came out!"
me,
"What? Did you pull it out yourself?"
Whinnie,
"Well, Dad helped me..."
Apparently, my husband was walking by the bathroom and saw her trying to pull her own tooth out. He stopped and watched for a minute and then asked her if she wanted him to help her. She said, "Ok" and stuck her chin out so he could get a good grip, and out the tooth popped! It hardly bled and she was SO brave!
She's only 4 1/2 and she's already lost her first 2 teeth. The permanent teeth have started coming in too. They grow up so fast!
However, one of the most recent exciting events to happen around here lately is that little Whinnie has lost her 2 front teeth! One right after the other! They have been loose for quite a while...I mean REALLY loose. The other night Whinnie came up to me in the kitchen and asked,
"Mom, can I have a paper towel... puhleeese?"
me,
"Sure hon, here you go."
Whinnie,
"Thanks mom"
Then a few minutes later she walks up to me all excited and says,
"Look, my tooth came out!"
me,
"What? Did you pull it out yourself?"
Whinnie,
"Well, Dad helped me..."
Apparently, my husband was walking by the bathroom and saw her trying to pull her own tooth out. He stopped and watched for a minute and then asked her if she wanted him to help her. She said, "Ok" and stuck her chin out so he could get a good grip, and out the tooth popped! It hardly bled and she was SO brave!
She's only 4 1/2 and she's already lost her first 2 teeth. The permanent teeth have started coming in too. They grow up so fast!
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Tomatoes, and cucumbers, and peas, oh my!
For the past few weeks we have been working on relocating our garden for this year and getting it planted. Unfortunately, between the rainy weather and various trips and activities we've had, it has been a s l o w process.
We had what we lovingly referred to as "the mound" in the sunniest corner of our yard. At one point it had pretty plants and flowers all over it, but a year or so ago, we decided to dismantle the mound because our young children could not resist playing on it and the backside of the mound was pretty steep.
Since then, we have gradually been ripping out plants and moving dirt a wheel barrow load at a time. Slow and steady.
We finally got it as flat as we wanted it (which is actually not flat at all but is sufficient for our purposes).
Next we had to move our two existing raised beds across the yard. We did that last weekend. We also had three small dresser drawers that my mom gave us to repurpose as raised beds, so we set those up as well and filled them all with mulch.
After a trip to Home Depot we filled all the beds with a variety of vegetable plants and bordered them with yellow marigolds.
We are still planning to place hazelnut shells or rock around the beds to clean it up and keep the snails and slugs out, but it's starting to take shape!
It's raining again. The plants are loving all of the water! It looks like we got them in just at the perfect time. Now we wait...
I'll post pictures soon...
Kim
We had what we lovingly referred to as "the mound" in the sunniest corner of our yard. At one point it had pretty plants and flowers all over it, but a year or so ago, we decided to dismantle the mound because our young children could not resist playing on it and the backside of the mound was pretty steep.
Since then, we have gradually been ripping out plants and moving dirt a wheel barrow load at a time. Slow and steady.
We finally got it as flat as we wanted it (which is actually not flat at all but is sufficient for our purposes).
Next we had to move our two existing raised beds across the yard. We did that last weekend. We also had three small dresser drawers that my mom gave us to repurpose as raised beds, so we set those up as well and filled them all with mulch.
After a trip to Home Depot we filled all the beds with a variety of vegetable plants and bordered them with yellow marigolds.
We are still planning to place hazelnut shells or rock around the beds to clean it up and keep the snails and slugs out, but it's starting to take shape!
It's raining again. The plants are loving all of the water! It looks like we got them in just at the perfect time. Now we wait...
I'll post pictures soon...
Kim
Friday, April 17, 2009
The Kim Chronicles-A journey from Depression and Anxiety to Health and Happiness- Part 2
In my last post, I talked about my history of depression and anxiety. In this post, I will share more about the foods I was raised on with the thought that these foods were healthy choices, and how in truth, these foods can contribute to depression, anxiety, and PMS.
A couple of weeks ago, I was chatting with a good friend of mine about this book she turned me on to called Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon. It's a cookbook, but SO much more. It's really quite amazing how this book and one other called Traditional Foods Are Your Best Medicine by Ronald F. Schmid, N.D. have completely transformed the way I think about food. What began as a desperate attempt to save my sanity, and my relationship with my husband and children, has now turned into baby steps toward a healthier way of thinking about food, making meals and eating. A total paradigm shift is in the works here, and I am amazed at the changes I have seen take place in me during only a few short weeks. In order to better see the big picture, let me tell you a little bit about myself.
I have been dieting and eating primarily lowfat, nonfat, sugar free, convenience foods for most of my life. I was raised on lowfat, sugar free foods (along with fresh fruits and vegetables) because, at the time, that was considered a healthy way of eating. All of my adult life I have shopped with one primary goal in mind: Always purchase the lowfat, fat free, reduced sugar, low sodium, diet version of whatever product I'm buying if possible. I thought that was the healthier choice. Although my weight has been relatively stable, I have also always felt like I was overweight and needed to work out more, eat less calories and fat and just plain be in better shape.
As I discussed in my previous post, I have struggled with mild to moderate depression and anxiety, and severe PMS for as long as I can remember. I took Lexapro for anxiety for about 6 months and noticed moderate improvement. However, the side effects were not fun so it just wasn't worth it to me. I was willing to live with my anxiety in order to not be subject to the side effects of the drug. So, the years went by. I gave birth to 3 beautiful daughters. I became less able to handle my depression and anxiety on my own through exercise and diet and the walls started to close in on me. It happened gradually. My darling husband and I went from being great communicators and loving partners to simply coexisting as roommates most of the time. My erratic behavior, non-existent sex drive, mood swings, intense PMS symptoms and a menstrual cycle that would last a short 20 days took its toll on us. My husband began to close himself off to me emotionally. He still tried, but our communication was strained and I could feel myself disconnecting bit by bit.
Sounds pretty dismal doesn't it? Honestly, I didn't think it was bad at all until nearly 14 years had gone by and I saw myself in pictures, at least the few pictures I could find with me in them. My smile always looked tired, ragged and strained.
Then, a day came when I decided that I had to do something. Life was short and right then, I didn't feel any passion toward my husband, my kids were driving me crazy, and I didn't know what else to do. So, I called my doctor and made an appointment. My plan was to get on some good antidepressants. I went in for the appointment and for some reason (God) they had scheduled me with my old midwife. She could not prescribe an antidepressant, but she did notice that my vitamin D test taken a year earlier showed that my vitamin D was very low. She asked if I was taking a supplement.
Nope. I hate taking pills of any kind.
She then informed me that low vitamin D can directly affect depression and anxiety. It also, can increase my risk of dying from any number of cancers. So, she said, the first step might be to start taking a minimum of 1000 iu's a day. That seemed like a large dose to me since the multivitamin collecting dust in my cabinet only had 400 iu's of vitamin D and said that was 100% of the recommended daily allowance. She said, actually, I could take as much as 4000 iu's a day. Wow, I had no idea!
Taking a vitamin D supplement sounded a lot better to me than taking an antidepressant or anti anxiety medicine. So, I went over to my local grocery store and in the health food section I found a fabulous chewable vitamin D supplement made by Rainbow Light called Sunny Gummies. Yum! They taste like sugary, lemony, gummy bears filled with sunshine. Each delicious drop of sunshine contains 1000iu's of vitamin D. It couldn't hurt to double up, so I take 2000iu's per day now.
As it turns out, that was a life changing decision. Within a week I was feeling noticeably lighter, happier, less grumpy and stressed. I was able to react more appropriately to stressful situations and my attitude toward my husband and children was much better. All that within a week. Within two weeks I literally felt like I had woken up from a long, foggy sleep. It had been years since I had felt that good.
During that time, I also purchased a juicing machine. I had read that drinking fresh fruit and vegetable juice on a regular basis is really good for you. Juicing breaks down the cell walls of the fruit or vegetable making its vitamins and nutrients easier for our bodies to absorb.
After juicing for a few days, I felt energized. I wasn't as hungry throughout the day, and was sleeping better at night.
Another unexpected bonus that came about from these two small changes was that my monthly cycle lengthened. Right away! The very first month it was 27 days! The second month it was 25 days. That is amazing. I've never had cycles that long. In addition, my PMS is markedly reduced. I still feel a little down a few days before I start, but that's it. Sounds good to me!
A couple of weeks after I started taking Vitamin D and juicing, my friend Lainie told me that she had found someone to get raw milk and organic eggs from. Hm, I was intrigued. At that time, I was already reading Traditional Foods Are Your Best Medicine by Ronald F. Schmid, N.D. It had opened my eyes to the fact that pretty much everything I ate was contributing to my depression, anxiety, yo-yo weight, allergies, illnesses, acne and poor vision. Specifically, the lack of good quality fat, protein, veggies, and grains was the problem. What jumped out at me, was that it said I should be drinking only Raw Whole Milk and dairy products made from Raw Whole Milk.
Wow. Wouldn't I get really, really fat? Would I have a heart attack? I've been told my entire life that whole milk is the enemy. The idea of raw milk wasn't a new one to me. I had considered that before, but not whole milk.
This was going to take a major paradigm shift. After talking to my husband about it and receiving a shrug and an "ok" from him, I began buying raw milk and organic eggs from the farm. It took a few days for my family to adjust to the different flavor and texture. My middle daughter went on a bit of a milk strike for a couple of weeks. However, now we LOVE raw whole milk. Whenever we run out and have to buy pasteurized milk at the store, everyone notices the difference and says they miss the farm milk.
Yay!
We are on the road to health!
Kim
A couple of weeks ago, I was chatting with a good friend of mine about this book she turned me on to called Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon. It's a cookbook, but SO much more. It's really quite amazing how this book and one other called Traditional Foods Are Your Best Medicine by Ronald F. Schmid, N.D. have completely transformed the way I think about food. What began as a desperate attempt to save my sanity, and my relationship with my husband and children, has now turned into baby steps toward a healthier way of thinking about food, making meals and eating. A total paradigm shift is in the works here, and I am amazed at the changes I have seen take place in me during only a few short weeks. In order to better see the big picture, let me tell you a little bit about myself.
I have been dieting and eating primarily lowfat, nonfat, sugar free, convenience foods for most of my life. I was raised on lowfat, sugar free foods (along with fresh fruits and vegetables) because, at the time, that was considered a healthy way of eating. All of my adult life I have shopped with one primary goal in mind: Always purchase the lowfat, fat free, reduced sugar, low sodium, diet version of whatever product I'm buying if possible. I thought that was the healthier choice. Although my weight has been relatively stable, I have also always felt like I was overweight and needed to work out more, eat less calories and fat and just plain be in better shape.
As I discussed in my previous post, I have struggled with mild to moderate depression and anxiety, and severe PMS for as long as I can remember. I took Lexapro for anxiety for about 6 months and noticed moderate improvement. However, the side effects were not fun so it just wasn't worth it to me. I was willing to live with my anxiety in order to not be subject to the side effects of the drug. So, the years went by. I gave birth to 3 beautiful daughters. I became less able to handle my depression and anxiety on my own through exercise and diet and the walls started to close in on me. It happened gradually. My darling husband and I went from being great communicators and loving partners to simply coexisting as roommates most of the time. My erratic behavior, non-existent sex drive, mood swings, intense PMS symptoms and a menstrual cycle that would last a short 20 days took its toll on us. My husband began to close himself off to me emotionally. He still tried, but our communication was strained and I could feel myself disconnecting bit by bit.
Sounds pretty dismal doesn't it? Honestly, I didn't think it was bad at all until nearly 14 years had gone by and I saw myself in pictures, at least the few pictures I could find with me in them. My smile always looked tired, ragged and strained.
Then, a day came when I decided that I had to do something. Life was short and right then, I didn't feel any passion toward my husband, my kids were driving me crazy, and I didn't know what else to do. So, I called my doctor and made an appointment. My plan was to get on some good antidepressants. I went in for the appointment and for some reason (God) they had scheduled me with my old midwife. She could not prescribe an antidepressant, but she did notice that my vitamin D test taken a year earlier showed that my vitamin D was very low. She asked if I was taking a supplement.
Nope. I hate taking pills of any kind.
She then informed me that low vitamin D can directly affect depression and anxiety. It also, can increase my risk of dying from any number of cancers. So, she said, the first step might be to start taking a minimum of 1000 iu's a day. That seemed like a large dose to me since the multivitamin collecting dust in my cabinet only had 400 iu's of vitamin D and said that was 100% of the recommended daily allowance. She said, actually, I could take as much as 4000 iu's a day. Wow, I had no idea!
Taking a vitamin D supplement sounded a lot better to me than taking an antidepressant or anti anxiety medicine. So, I went over to my local grocery store and in the health food section I found a fabulous chewable vitamin D supplement made by Rainbow Light called Sunny Gummies. Yum! They taste like sugary, lemony, gummy bears filled with sunshine. Each delicious drop of sunshine contains 1000iu's of vitamin D. It couldn't hurt to double up, so I take 2000iu's per day now.
As it turns out, that was a life changing decision. Within a week I was feeling noticeably lighter, happier, less grumpy and stressed. I was able to react more appropriately to stressful situations and my attitude toward my husband and children was much better. All that within a week. Within two weeks I literally felt like I had woken up from a long, foggy sleep. It had been years since I had felt that good.
During that time, I also purchased a juicing machine. I had read that drinking fresh fruit and vegetable juice on a regular basis is really good for you. Juicing breaks down the cell walls of the fruit or vegetable making its vitamins and nutrients easier for our bodies to absorb.
After juicing for a few days, I felt energized. I wasn't as hungry throughout the day, and was sleeping better at night.
Another unexpected bonus that came about from these two small changes was that my monthly cycle lengthened. Right away! The very first month it was 27 days! The second month it was 25 days. That is amazing. I've never had cycles that long. In addition, my PMS is markedly reduced. I still feel a little down a few days before I start, but that's it. Sounds good to me!
A couple of weeks after I started taking Vitamin D and juicing, my friend Lainie told me that she had found someone to get raw milk and organic eggs from. Hm, I was intrigued. At that time, I was already reading Traditional Foods Are Your Best Medicine by Ronald F. Schmid, N.D. It had opened my eyes to the fact that pretty much everything I ate was contributing to my depression, anxiety, yo-yo weight, allergies, illnesses, acne and poor vision. Specifically, the lack of good quality fat, protein, veggies, and grains was the problem. What jumped out at me, was that it said I should be drinking only Raw Whole Milk and dairy products made from Raw Whole Milk.
Wow. Wouldn't I get really, really fat? Would I have a heart attack? I've been told my entire life that whole milk is the enemy. The idea of raw milk wasn't a new one to me. I had considered that before, but not whole milk.
This was going to take a major paradigm shift. After talking to my husband about it and receiving a shrug and an "ok" from him, I began buying raw milk and organic eggs from the farm. It took a few days for my family to adjust to the different flavor and texture. My middle daughter went on a bit of a milk strike for a couple of weeks. However, now we LOVE raw whole milk. Whenever we run out and have to buy pasteurized milk at the store, everyone notices the difference and says they miss the farm milk.
Yay!
We are on the road to health!
Kim
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Grace
A few weeks ago, I was chatting with my good friend Lainie about the kids, food, God, and life. I was sharing with her how Winnie is a rule follower and does what she is told...most of the time. She doesn't cause a lot of problems and in general is a joy to be around. She wants to please others, and likes to do things to help out. As far as our children go, she's been the easiest to raise, so far. I hadn't really thought about how I should pray for her.
My wise friend Lainie pointed out that, when I pray for Winnie, I should keep in mind that she may struggle with Grace.
That insight has been on my mind ever since.
Winnie is a lot like me. I'm a people pleaser, rule follower, hard worker, do what I'm told, kinda girl. I struggle with Grace. I struggle with believing that God's Grace truly does include and extend to me. I am so hard on myself, and I can see that Winnie and Roo too, are also very hard on themselves. I know first hand, the pain and happiness that comes from being a rule follower, list maker, task master. I know where I excel, and where I fall short.
God gave me beautiful, intelligent, amazing girls... who are like me. I now know exactly how to pray for them.
Blessings,
Kim
My wise friend Lainie pointed out that, when I pray for Winnie, I should keep in mind that she may struggle with Grace.
That insight has been on my mind ever since.
Winnie is a lot like me. I'm a people pleaser, rule follower, hard worker, do what I'm told, kinda girl. I struggle with Grace. I struggle with believing that God's Grace truly does include and extend to me. I am so hard on myself, and I can see that Winnie and Roo too, are also very hard on themselves. I know first hand, the pain and happiness that comes from being a rule follower, list maker, task master. I know where I excel, and where I fall short.
God gave me beautiful, intelligent, amazing girls... who are like me. I now know exactly how to pray for them.
Blessings,
Kim
The Kim Chronicles-A journey from Depression and Anxiety to Health and Happiness- Part 1
Before I begin my story, here is a snapshot of what my diet has looked like for most of my life.
Skim, store brand milk
Margarine
White Flour
Table salt
Refined sugar
Sweet n low
Fat Free coffee creamer
Coffee, Coffee, Coffee
Processed Cheese, and processed foods in general
Reduced fat Breads
Bagels
Honey Nut Cheerios,
Oatmeal
Fruit and Veggies (not organic)
Chicken, ground beef, pork and a teeny bit of fish (not organic)
Coffee, big time!
Cookies, brownies, and Ice cream
This isn't everything I ate, but I think it provides a good picture. Now, here is my story.
**********************************************************************************
When I sit back and try to pinpoint when I began feeling depressed, I have to go back many, many years. With difficulty, I struggle to remember a time when I didn't feel a little depressed or anxious from time to time. I know I felt that way in high school, and middle school and the later part of elementary school. However, before fourth grade, I don't recall feeling this way.
Fourth grade stands out because that was the year my family moved to a new town. I was devastated. It took me such a long time to adjust, make new friends, and fit in. It was during this time that I began to feel depressed and anxious. It was also the summer after fourth grade that I began to menstruate. I was 9.
To my parents and friends, I don't think I appeared depressed or anxious. Especially not when I was young. Then in high school, my moodiness was just chalked up to hormones and the stress that CAN BE the high school experience. I was a cheerleader, involved in drama and singing, ran track and maintained a low B average all the way through high school. I was a pretty good kid. I rarely got into trouble and tried to do the right thing. However, I was constantly in fear. Fear of letting my parents down, my teachers down, my friends down, not being good enough, pretty enough, popular enough; fear controlled my life. My close group of friends were all very outgoing, smart, confident, funny girls. I didn't always feel like I fit in, but I tried not to let it show. My primary objective was to be liked.
College was the same way. Depression and anxiety were a major part of my life. Chronic dieting and a poor self image were also a big part of who I was. Again, I'm sure if you asked my friends and family what they thought of me back then, they would describe an outgoing, friendly, health conscious person who cared about others. Inside though, I was very insecure, unsure of myself and my decisions, and battling with the fear of letting others down.
After college, I got married and we moved to Coeur d'Alene, Idano to start our lives together. As exciting as that was, it was also very stressful. I found it incredibly difficult to make new friends and relied heavily upon my sister-in-law, who lived in the town we moved to, for support and friendship. I felt isolated and unsure of who I was. During the long, cold, snowy winters I was depressed and gained weight. Then spring would come and I'd be ecstatic and diet and exercise to lose the 10 pounds or so that I had gained.
I was told I had "seasonal depression" and my doctor offered to prescribe an anti anxiety medicine. I decided not to take him up on that. I had always been opposed to taking medication and felt that I needed to just muscle my way through it. Besides, as long as I could exercise regularly, I was fine. I also didn't see myself as depressed. It's funny because when I think back on those years now, I think of them as some of the best years of my life. I tend to gloss over and forget this struggle that was going on in the background.
During our second year in Idaho, we decided to have a baby. We got pregnant easily, and my pregnancy went well. Nine months later I delivered an 8lb 14 oz bouncing baby girl. It was a wonderful time. And yet, it was also during this time that my depression and anxiety became more than I could handle. My darling girl was colicky, and had a huge appetite. As she grew, she developed a very serious disposition and suffered from chronic ear infections throughout her first year of life. Lack of sleep, maintaining a full time work schedule, and taking care of a fussy baby was taking it's toll on me.
To regain some sense of control, I exercised a lot, ate an extremely low fat, bland diet, took diet pills and did all I could to get back to my pre-pregnancy body. My husband and I also started attending church during this time. As wonderful as that was, it was also stressful for me because I was forced to meet new people. I was again the "new girl" and on the outside looking in. It was terrifying. Thankfully, I had one good friend who went to that church. I depended on her for support. I hated not being more in control of my situation, but I was frozen by the fear of rejection. Irrational as it was, it was very real to me at the time.
I did my best not to let on that I was struggling. I volunteered at church, my husband and I went on retreats with the young married's group, I even did a class on how to be more organized (which I felt completely unqualified to do). We eventually made friends and felt as though Couer d'Alene was home. Then after almost 5 years, my parents moved to Portland, OR and we felt God telling us that the time had come to live closer to family. So, in just 2 months time, we packed up our belongings, put our house on the market and moved to Portland.
This move wasn't as dramatic because we were moving someplace where we already new some people. We had friends who lived here, in addition to my parents, so the risk was minimal. Even still, the first year, was terribly stressful. We were living in a tiny apartment, paying rent and paying our housepayment because our home in Idaho didn't sell. It took over 6 months for our home to sell. I know in today's market that isn't very long, but back in 2000 it seemed like forever.
I was still a chronic dieter. Trying to cut calories, reduce my fat, exercise more and eat less was a way of life for me. I was irritable, stressed out, my skin looked terrible, my hair was thin. My husband and I both look back at this first year in Portland as the most difficult year in our marriage. Our daughter was 2 1/2 and extremely strong willed. She was in trouble at day care all the time, and driving us crazy at home. We had a difficult time finding a new church home, so during the first year we were church shopping. Trying someplace new out every few weeks. I'm pretty friendly and outgoing, but this was still difficult for me.
A year later, we had sold our Idaho house, purchased a new home in the Portland area, found our new church and were settling in. I was dancing in a professional clog dancing group with my mom and 3 other women and having the time of my life. I was fit, but still dieting, and taking metabolism boosters, cutting fat and calories as much as possible. During this time, we were also trying to get pregnant again. It took us five years to get pregnant. I had 1 miscarriage, and was on Clomid for a total of 6 months. We eventually were able to get pregnant through the use of injectibles and IUI. Throughout this ordeal, I went through periods of feeling hopeful and excited, to feeling completely inadequate as a woman, wife and mother. The medications I took effected me physically and emotionally. Each month that ended without me being pregnant caused a cycle of depression, followed by the anxiety of waiting through another month of medicine and tests. This went on and on. Finally, we got that + sign on the pregnancy test! We were so happy. Our daughter was going to have a sibling! Happy, happy, happy.
I was 10 weeks pregnant when we went on a weekend family camping trip with my parents, their friends, and my brother and his wife. It was a fun weekend. We played games, played in the water, the men all went fishing, my oldest got to ride a jet ski with her Aunt and Uncle. It was great. As we were driving home, we all stopped at a rest stop before heading our separate ways. We said our last goodbyes to everyone, hopped in the car and headed home. I only got to say a quick goodbye to my dad because he was busy with the trailer, so he called us on the way home from his cell phone. He and I laughed and talked about the fun weekend. We played the alphabet game that we used to play during road trips when I was a kid. It was nice. I told him I loved him and he told me he loved me, and we said goodbye.
The next day was Monday. After work, I was laying on my bed trying to cool off. It was late June and the first of many hot days was upon us. The phone rang and I let my husband get it. he quickly handed me the phone with a puzzled look on his face. He said it was someone calling from my grandpa's house saying there was a medical emergency. I immediately thought something had happened to my grandpa. He was dying from cancer.
However, the voice on the phone said that my Dad had had a medical emergency and I needed to come right away. I was confused and in a daze and said I would be right there. My husband helped me with my shoes and I began the 20 minute drive to my grandpa's house. As I drove I prayed and I was filled with an increasing sense of urgency. I drove way too fast, and tried to remember to breath.
As I approached my grandparents neighborhood, I could see the glow of red lights even before I turned the corner. There was an ambulance, a fire truck and cars scattered everywhere. I screeched to a halt and got out of the car. As I turned to walk toward the house, a paramedic came quickly up to me, put her hands on my shoulders and told me that my dad had died.
What followed were days, weeks and months of visitors, crying, sleepless nights, trying to take care of my mom, myself, my husband, my daughter, my growing baby and trying to figure out what a normal life was without the presence of my dad.
Were depression and anxiety a part of my life during this period? You bet they were. It got so bad that I considered going on antidepressant/anti anxiety medication while I was pregnant. Again, I opted not to for fear of the affect on the baby and the fact that I would feel like a failure if I had to take medication.
After I had my second daughter I struggled with nursing, mourning my dad. I had post partum depression. I eventually did begin taking Lexapro for anxiety. It seemed to help, but after a few months I went off of it. The side effects were too much for me and my husband.
As time passed, I was able to regain some of my coping skills and was able to truly enjoy my new baby girl and my oldest daughter. We bought a new house, moved, and were just getting settled in when we received a surprise. We were expecting again.
We were shocked. This was not planned. It took us a little while to adjust to the news. Gradually we became happy and excited about our newest child coming into the world. We knew that this was just what God wanted for us. Our 3rd daughter was born 18 months after our 2nd daughter. Two under two. Pretty exciting.
Also, pretty stressful. Since that time, my husband and I have struggled in our marriage. There was a lot of tension between us and communication had broken down to the extent that we only spoke when it was about the kids or out of necessity. We didn't fight much, we just coexisted. I was very unhappy and would nag him and snip at him and the kids. There were good times too, but it felt like they didn't make up for all of the tension.
I figured that this was just a season in our marriage that we would have to get through and that once the kids got older we would be fine. However, as time went on, God placed in my heart a sense of urgency and an awareness that I needed to wake up and pay attention to my spouse and my kids.
Kim
Skim, store brand milk
Margarine
White Flour
Table salt
Refined sugar
Sweet n low
Fat Free coffee creamer
Coffee, Coffee, Coffee
Processed Cheese, and processed foods in general
Reduced fat Breads
Bagels
Honey Nut Cheerios,
Oatmeal
Fruit and Veggies (not organic)
Chicken, ground beef, pork and a teeny bit of fish (not organic)
Coffee, big time!
Cookies, brownies, and Ice cream
This isn't everything I ate, but I think it provides a good picture. Now, here is my story.
**********************************************************************************
When I sit back and try to pinpoint when I began feeling depressed, I have to go back many, many years. With difficulty, I struggle to remember a time when I didn't feel a little depressed or anxious from time to time. I know I felt that way in high school, and middle school and the later part of elementary school. However, before fourth grade, I don't recall feeling this way.
Fourth grade stands out because that was the year my family moved to a new town. I was devastated. It took me such a long time to adjust, make new friends, and fit in. It was during this time that I began to feel depressed and anxious. It was also the summer after fourth grade that I began to menstruate. I was 9.
To my parents and friends, I don't think I appeared depressed or anxious. Especially not when I was young. Then in high school, my moodiness was just chalked up to hormones and the stress that CAN BE the high school experience. I was a cheerleader, involved in drama and singing, ran track and maintained a low B average all the way through high school. I was a pretty good kid. I rarely got into trouble and tried to do the right thing. However, I was constantly in fear. Fear of letting my parents down, my teachers down, my friends down, not being good enough, pretty enough, popular enough; fear controlled my life. My close group of friends were all very outgoing, smart, confident, funny girls. I didn't always feel like I fit in, but I tried not to let it show. My primary objective was to be liked.
College was the same way. Depression and anxiety were a major part of my life. Chronic dieting and a poor self image were also a big part of who I was. Again, I'm sure if you asked my friends and family what they thought of me back then, they would describe an outgoing, friendly, health conscious person who cared about others. Inside though, I was very insecure, unsure of myself and my decisions, and battling with the fear of letting others down.
After college, I got married and we moved to Coeur d'Alene, Idano to start our lives together. As exciting as that was, it was also very stressful. I found it incredibly difficult to make new friends and relied heavily upon my sister-in-law, who lived in the town we moved to, for support and friendship. I felt isolated and unsure of who I was. During the long, cold, snowy winters I was depressed and gained weight. Then spring would come and I'd be ecstatic and diet and exercise to lose the 10 pounds or so that I had gained.
I was told I had "seasonal depression" and my doctor offered to prescribe an anti anxiety medicine. I decided not to take him up on that. I had always been opposed to taking medication and felt that I needed to just muscle my way through it. Besides, as long as I could exercise regularly, I was fine. I also didn't see myself as depressed. It's funny because when I think back on those years now, I think of them as some of the best years of my life. I tend to gloss over and forget this struggle that was going on in the background.
During our second year in Idaho, we decided to have a baby. We got pregnant easily, and my pregnancy went well. Nine months later I delivered an 8lb 14 oz bouncing baby girl. It was a wonderful time. And yet, it was also during this time that my depression and anxiety became more than I could handle. My darling girl was colicky, and had a huge appetite. As she grew, she developed a very serious disposition and suffered from chronic ear infections throughout her first year of life. Lack of sleep, maintaining a full time work schedule, and taking care of a fussy baby was taking it's toll on me.
To regain some sense of control, I exercised a lot, ate an extremely low fat, bland diet, took diet pills and did all I could to get back to my pre-pregnancy body. My husband and I also started attending church during this time. As wonderful as that was, it was also stressful for me because I was forced to meet new people. I was again the "new girl" and on the outside looking in. It was terrifying. Thankfully, I had one good friend who went to that church. I depended on her for support. I hated not being more in control of my situation, but I was frozen by the fear of rejection. Irrational as it was, it was very real to me at the time.
I did my best not to let on that I was struggling. I volunteered at church, my husband and I went on retreats with the young married's group, I even did a class on how to be more organized (which I felt completely unqualified to do). We eventually made friends and felt as though Couer d'Alene was home. Then after almost 5 years, my parents moved to Portland, OR and we felt God telling us that the time had come to live closer to family. So, in just 2 months time, we packed up our belongings, put our house on the market and moved to Portland.
This move wasn't as dramatic because we were moving someplace where we already new some people. We had friends who lived here, in addition to my parents, so the risk was minimal. Even still, the first year, was terribly stressful. We were living in a tiny apartment, paying rent and paying our housepayment because our home in Idaho didn't sell. It took over 6 months for our home to sell. I know in today's market that isn't very long, but back in 2000 it seemed like forever.
I was still a chronic dieter. Trying to cut calories, reduce my fat, exercise more and eat less was a way of life for me. I was irritable, stressed out, my skin looked terrible, my hair was thin. My husband and I both look back at this first year in Portland as the most difficult year in our marriage. Our daughter was 2 1/2 and extremely strong willed. She was in trouble at day care all the time, and driving us crazy at home. We had a difficult time finding a new church home, so during the first year we were church shopping. Trying someplace new out every few weeks. I'm pretty friendly and outgoing, but this was still difficult for me.
A year later, we had sold our Idaho house, purchased a new home in the Portland area, found our new church and were settling in. I was dancing in a professional clog dancing group with my mom and 3 other women and having the time of my life. I was fit, but still dieting, and taking metabolism boosters, cutting fat and calories as much as possible. During this time, we were also trying to get pregnant again. It took us five years to get pregnant. I had 1 miscarriage, and was on Clomid for a total of 6 months. We eventually were able to get pregnant through the use of injectibles and IUI. Throughout this ordeal, I went through periods of feeling hopeful and excited, to feeling completely inadequate as a woman, wife and mother. The medications I took effected me physically and emotionally. Each month that ended without me being pregnant caused a cycle of depression, followed by the anxiety of waiting through another month of medicine and tests. This went on and on. Finally, we got that + sign on the pregnancy test! We were so happy. Our daughter was going to have a sibling! Happy, happy, happy.
I was 10 weeks pregnant when we went on a weekend family camping trip with my parents, their friends, and my brother and his wife. It was a fun weekend. We played games, played in the water, the men all went fishing, my oldest got to ride a jet ski with her Aunt and Uncle. It was great. As we were driving home, we all stopped at a rest stop before heading our separate ways. We said our last goodbyes to everyone, hopped in the car and headed home. I only got to say a quick goodbye to my dad because he was busy with the trailer, so he called us on the way home from his cell phone. He and I laughed and talked about the fun weekend. We played the alphabet game that we used to play during road trips when I was a kid. It was nice. I told him I loved him and he told me he loved me, and we said goodbye.
The next day was Monday. After work, I was laying on my bed trying to cool off. It was late June and the first of many hot days was upon us. The phone rang and I let my husband get it. he quickly handed me the phone with a puzzled look on his face. He said it was someone calling from my grandpa's house saying there was a medical emergency. I immediately thought something had happened to my grandpa. He was dying from cancer.
However, the voice on the phone said that my Dad had had a medical emergency and I needed to come right away. I was confused and in a daze and said I would be right there. My husband helped me with my shoes and I began the 20 minute drive to my grandpa's house. As I drove I prayed and I was filled with an increasing sense of urgency. I drove way too fast, and tried to remember to breath.
As I approached my grandparents neighborhood, I could see the glow of red lights even before I turned the corner. There was an ambulance, a fire truck and cars scattered everywhere. I screeched to a halt and got out of the car. As I turned to walk toward the house, a paramedic came quickly up to me, put her hands on my shoulders and told me that my dad had died.
What followed were days, weeks and months of visitors, crying, sleepless nights, trying to take care of my mom, myself, my husband, my daughter, my growing baby and trying to figure out what a normal life was without the presence of my dad.
Were depression and anxiety a part of my life during this period? You bet they were. It got so bad that I considered going on antidepressant/anti anxiety medication while I was pregnant. Again, I opted not to for fear of the affect on the baby and the fact that I would feel like a failure if I had to take medication.
After I had my second daughter I struggled with nursing, mourning my dad. I had post partum depression. I eventually did begin taking Lexapro for anxiety. It seemed to help, but after a few months I went off of it. The side effects were too much for me and my husband.
As time passed, I was able to regain some of my coping skills and was able to truly enjoy my new baby girl and my oldest daughter. We bought a new house, moved, and were just getting settled in when we received a surprise. We were expecting again.
We were shocked. This was not planned. It took us a little while to adjust to the news. Gradually we became happy and excited about our newest child coming into the world. We knew that this was just what God wanted for us. Our 3rd daughter was born 18 months after our 2nd daughter. Two under two. Pretty exciting.
Also, pretty stressful. Since that time, my husband and I have struggled in our marriage. There was a lot of tension between us and communication had broken down to the extent that we only spoke when it was about the kids or out of necessity. We didn't fight much, we just coexisted. I was very unhappy and would nag him and snip at him and the kids. There were good times too, but it felt like they didn't make up for all of the tension.
I figured that this was just a season in our marriage that we would have to get through and that once the kids got older we would be fine. However, as time went on, God placed in my heart a sense of urgency and an awareness that I needed to wake up and pay attention to my spouse and my kids.
Kim
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Happy Resurrection Day!
Today is Easter. Children everywhere colored and hunted for eggs. Many went to church for the first time. Some did not go to church, but instead went to family and friends homes to share a meal and fellowship.
Today, we celebrated Jesus death and subsequent rise from the grave. With enthusiasm and joy we spent time together as a family with our church family and then went to my grandmother's home and spent the afternoon with my Grandma, Mom, Step Dad, and Mother-in-law. We ate good food, laughed, prayed and thoroughly enjoyed each other's company.
I believe this is the first year that we did not mention the Easter Bunny. We put out baskets and colored eggs. We had a little hunt at my Grandma's house. However, the girls knew that it was mom or dad, grandma or grandpa who hid the eggs and gave them their little Easter gifts. It was truly refreshing to be real with them. The cards they received from us talked about celebrating the gift of salvation and forgiveness that God gave us through Jesus Christ on this day. They ate candy, ran around like crazy wild things, and had a total blast.
We prayed for our family and friends that we didn't get to see today. You were in our thoughts and we hope that your day was blessed and full of the joy, happiness and love.
In Him,
Kim
Today, we celebrated Jesus death and subsequent rise from the grave. With enthusiasm and joy we spent time together as a family with our church family and then went to my grandmother's home and spent the afternoon with my Grandma, Mom, Step Dad, and Mother-in-law. We ate good food, laughed, prayed and thoroughly enjoyed each other's company.
I believe this is the first year that we did not mention the Easter Bunny. We put out baskets and colored eggs. We had a little hunt at my Grandma's house. However, the girls knew that it was mom or dad, grandma or grandpa who hid the eggs and gave them their little Easter gifts. It was truly refreshing to be real with them. The cards they received from us talked about celebrating the gift of salvation and forgiveness that God gave us through Jesus Christ on this day. They ate candy, ran around like crazy wild things, and had a total blast.
We prayed for our family and friends that we didn't get to see today. You were in our thoughts and we hope that your day was blessed and full of the joy, happiness and love.
In Him,
Kim
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Coming soon...
Over the next few weeks I will be posting a series about my journey from depression and anxiety to a healthier, happier me. A dear friend, Lainie from Mishmash Maggie, asked if I would write something for her to post on her blog about this topic, and as I began to write I felt the Lord leading me to expand on it and post it here as well.
I know that many men and women suffer from depression and anxiety. Some suffer far greater than I do. My hope and prayer is that whatever your situation is, you can benefit from what I have learned. I brushed my depression and anxiety off for years believing that it was not that bad. But that was a lie. Just because I do not need to be hospitalized, does not mean that I should live with these feelings for the rest of my life. I was doing myself and my family a grave disservice by not doing something to improve my quality of life.
I will begin by sharing my story, what depression and anxiety looked like in my life, how I believe I've been perceived by others, and what caused me to begin this journey toward health and happiness. Along the way, I will be discussing my food choices over the years in order to show later how making a few changes here and there greatly impacted my mental and physical well being. I'm not a nutritionist, but through research and trial and effort I am learning how my body reacts to certain foods.
For the record, I am still very much a work in progress. I have not reached the end of my journey yet, and most likely never will. However, God has placed people, information, and resources in my life at this moment so that I may begin this process of healing. There's no quick fix, but I will share how I very quickly felt the effects of my dietary changes and how that has encouraged me to continue.
I hope if you are someone who struggles with depression and anxiety on some level, that you will be encouraged.
Blessings,
Kim
I know that many men and women suffer from depression and anxiety. Some suffer far greater than I do. My hope and prayer is that whatever your situation is, you can benefit from what I have learned. I brushed my depression and anxiety off for years believing that it was not that bad. But that was a lie. Just because I do not need to be hospitalized, does not mean that I should live with these feelings for the rest of my life. I was doing myself and my family a grave disservice by not doing something to improve my quality of life.
I will begin by sharing my story, what depression and anxiety looked like in my life, how I believe I've been perceived by others, and what caused me to begin this journey toward health and happiness. Along the way, I will be discussing my food choices over the years in order to show later how making a few changes here and there greatly impacted my mental and physical well being. I'm not a nutritionist, but through research and trial and effort I am learning how my body reacts to certain foods.
For the record, I am still very much a work in progress. I have not reached the end of my journey yet, and most likely never will. However, God has placed people, information, and resources in my life at this moment so that I may begin this process of healing. There's no quick fix, but I will share how I very quickly felt the effects of my dietary changes and how that has encouraged me to continue.
I hope if you are someone who struggles with depression and anxiety on some level, that you will be encouraged.
Blessings,
Kim
Oh Mister Sun, Sun, Mister Golden Sun, Please Shine Down On Me!
Yes, the sun has finally made it's appearance here in the Pacific Northwest. Can you all hear the collective, "AAAHHHHH"? It feels fantastic! It was actually in the 70's today!
Along with the glorious sunshine, however, comes some not so glorious critters.
Bee's, spiders, and...ah, ah-choo! Allergies. These are NOT a few of my favorite things!
I guess that's why I tend to prefer the cold weather over the hot. When it's cold there are no bee's to torment me, spiders to scare the girls, and definitely no ah-ah-choo, allergies.
Even so, the sun is a welcome change from our usual gray cloudy days. I've even gotten outside a bit with the girls to play and do some yard work. Everything smells so good.
We were up to visit friends in Seattle last weekend and got to enjoy the sun with them. As our girls get older we find that traveling is getting easier. These friends also have children around the same age as Tigger and Winnie so this visit was really fun because all of the kids played really well together.
Roo went with Christopher Robin, Toby and K to a comic book convention, or "Comicon" as it's called in the biz. They had a really good time and Roo even got a signed original sketch from one of the artists there. Way cool!
Meanwhile, I got to do a little shopping with Nicole. I rarely get to shop for myself, so this was a special treat for me. I bought a new handbag, necklace and earrings. Go me! I am terrible at accessorizing, so it took a little work for me to choose these items. I know, I'm living life dangerously. Baby steps to coolness, baby steps.
For me, this was the best trip I've had in a while. My new way of eating and taking vitamin D have drastically changed my overall outlook on life. I'm so much more positive, outgoing and energetic. I just plain feel good. I feel calmer, far less stressed out, and I don't get worked up over things as easily as I used to. It's great!
Here are a few pictures of the kids from our weekend:
Winnie and K hanging out on the couch. Aren't they cute!
The girls: Winnie, E, and Tigger. They should form their own girl band. They ROCK!
More picture's to come later. I'm having some technical difficulties uploading the rest of the photos.
Have a wonderful day and enjoy the sun if it's up where you are!
Blessings,
Kim
Along with the glorious sunshine, however, comes some not so glorious critters.
Bee's, spiders, and...ah, ah-choo! Allergies. These are NOT a few of my favorite things!
I guess that's why I tend to prefer the cold weather over the hot. When it's cold there are no bee's to torment me, spiders to scare the girls, and definitely no ah-ah-choo, allergies.
Even so, the sun is a welcome change from our usual gray cloudy days. I've even gotten outside a bit with the girls to play and do some yard work. Everything smells so good.
We were up to visit friends in Seattle last weekend and got to enjoy the sun with them. As our girls get older we find that traveling is getting easier. These friends also have children around the same age as Tigger and Winnie so this visit was really fun because all of the kids played really well together.
Roo went with Christopher Robin, Toby and K to a comic book convention, or "Comicon" as it's called in the biz. They had a really good time and Roo even got a signed original sketch from one of the artists there. Way cool!
Meanwhile, I got to do a little shopping with Nicole. I rarely get to shop for myself, so this was a special treat for me. I bought a new handbag, necklace and earrings. Go me! I am terrible at accessorizing, so it took a little work for me to choose these items. I know, I'm living life dangerously. Baby steps to coolness, baby steps.
For me, this was the best trip I've had in a while. My new way of eating and taking vitamin D have drastically changed my overall outlook on life. I'm so much more positive, outgoing and energetic. I just plain feel good. I feel calmer, far less stressed out, and I don't get worked up over things as easily as I used to. It's great!
Here are a few pictures of the kids from our weekend:
Winnie and K hanging out on the couch. Aren't they cute!
The girls: Winnie, E, and Tigger. They should form their own girl band. They ROCK!
More picture's to come later. I'm having some technical difficulties uploading the rest of the photos.
Have a wonderful day and enjoy the sun if it's up where you are!
Blessings,
Kim
Monday, March 16, 2009
I'm baaaaacccckkk!!!!
After a rather long hiatus I'm back!
There has been a lot going on here, but nothing that I really felt led to write about. After contemplating why, I came to the conclusion that I have just been really enjoying life and have wanted to treasure it and keep it to myself for a little while.
Until now...
I feel compelled to share our latest adventure in healthy eating and living.
About 2 years ago I was on a quest to find a local supplier of farm fresh organic eggs and raw milk directly from the farmer. I could find people locally who raised chickens and sold the eggs, but milk was far more difficult. The law in Oregon states that raw milk can be sold, but only through small farms with 3 or fewer cows and these farms are not allowed to advertise that they have raw milk available. Eventually, after reaching many dead ends I gave up the search.
Until now...
Across town, a friend of mine was on a similar journey. Except, she KNOWS people. People who move in more...shall we say..."granola" circles (wink, wink, grin). People who have connections and live the organic way of life and have already figured a lot of this stuff out. So, one day she and I were chatting on the phone and she casually mentioned that she had found a raw milk supplier. I didn't say much at the time, but prayed about it and talked to Christopher Robin. I refreshed my research and educated myself on the benefits of drinking raw milk (non pasteurized, non homogenized, straight from the cows stomach to mine). Then, I read on her blog who her contact was and asked if it was ok for me to contact them. She checked and said it would be fine.
This past Saturday she and I drove out to the farm and I purchased my first 2 gallons of raw milk (just milked from the Jersey cow that morning) along with 2 dozen beautiful fresh blue, brown, and cream colored eggs. Looking out the window, I watched the hens grazing all over the property as the cows walked by. I met the farmer briefly, who was exhausted, but still cheerful after spending the night butchering chickens that they had raised. We'll be bringing one of those home next week I think!
I'm going back tomorrow with Winnie and Tigger to get a tour of the farm and spend a little more time with Farmer Chrissie. I'm so excited to share with the girls where their milk and eggs come from!
Speaking of which, the milk and eggs taste AMAZING! First of all, the milk. I've always purchased nonfat milk from Fred Meyer. Occasionally, we buy the organic nonfat milk sold there or at Whole Foods. I have never drank whole milk. Now, we are all drinking whole milk. The cream rises to the top so we shake it up before we pour it, or I scoop off some to put in my coffee. Today I scooped off a bunch of cream because I plan to use in a recipe. The eggs are so big and flavorful. They taste so much better that the eggs we buy at the store.
I was inspired to make my own mayonnaise for the first time with my beautiful eggs. Everyone in my family loves it and I feel so empowered and capable. I can make my own mayonnaise! I realize a lot of people already do this on a regular basis, but I'm a city girl who has only weakly tried, but never really fully embraced the whole cooking from scratch thing. Now, I'm baby-stepping my way along and it's so fun, easy, and healthy. I love it!
Have a wonderful day!
Kim
There has been a lot going on here, but nothing that I really felt led to write about. After contemplating why, I came to the conclusion that I have just been really enjoying life and have wanted to treasure it and keep it to myself for a little while.
Until now...
I feel compelled to share our latest adventure in healthy eating and living.
About 2 years ago I was on a quest to find a local supplier of farm fresh organic eggs and raw milk directly from the farmer. I could find people locally who raised chickens and sold the eggs, but milk was far more difficult. The law in Oregon states that raw milk can be sold, but only through small farms with 3 or fewer cows and these farms are not allowed to advertise that they have raw milk available. Eventually, after reaching many dead ends I gave up the search.
Until now...
Across town, a friend of mine was on a similar journey. Except, she KNOWS people. People who move in more...shall we say..."granola" circles (wink, wink, grin). People who have connections and live the organic way of life and have already figured a lot of this stuff out. So, one day she and I were chatting on the phone and she casually mentioned that she had found a raw milk supplier. I didn't say much at the time, but prayed about it and talked to Christopher Robin. I refreshed my research and educated myself on the benefits of drinking raw milk (non pasteurized, non homogenized, straight from the cows stomach to mine). Then, I read on her blog who her contact was and asked if it was ok for me to contact them. She checked and said it would be fine.
This past Saturday she and I drove out to the farm and I purchased my first 2 gallons of raw milk (just milked from the Jersey cow that morning) along with 2 dozen beautiful fresh blue, brown, and cream colored eggs. Looking out the window, I watched the hens grazing all over the property as the cows walked by. I met the farmer briefly, who was exhausted, but still cheerful after spending the night butchering chickens that they had raised. We'll be bringing one of those home next week I think!I'm going back tomorrow with Winnie and Tigger to get a tour of the farm and spend a little more time with Farmer Chrissie. I'm so excited to share with the girls where their milk and eggs come from!
Speaking of which, the milk and eggs taste AMAZING! First of all, the milk. I've always purchased nonfat milk from Fred Meyer. Occasionally, we buy the organic nonfat milk sold there or at Whole Foods. I have never drank whole milk. Now, we are all drinking whole milk. The cream rises to the top so we shake it up before we pour it, or I scoop off some to put in my coffee. Today I scooped off a bunch of cream because I plan to use in a recipe. The eggs are so big and flavorful. They taste so much better that the eggs we buy at the store.
I was inspired to make my own mayonnaise for the first time with my beautiful eggs. Everyone in my family loves it and I feel so empowered and capable. I can make my own mayonnaise! I realize a lot of people already do this on a regular basis, but I'm a city girl who has only weakly tried, but never really fully embraced the whole cooking from scratch thing. Now, I'm baby-stepping my way along and it's so fun, easy, and healthy. I love it!
Have a wonderful day!
Kim
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Little Bit -o- Braggin'
First, all the glory goes to God. That's a given, but I just wanted to make sure I said that outloud.
This post is to brag on my oldest daughter. We call her Eeyore or Roo on here...depending on her mood.
I'm so proud of her. She has shown me that she has an amazing stick-with-it attitude and will persevere even in difficult circumstances. She is far more focused and driven than I was at her age.
When she was sick, I gave her the option to stay home after she had a particularly difficult week at school (she was teased and picked on). She said, "No, that's ok mom. I don't want to miss my science class. My partner would miss me and I don't want to let him down. We are working on this cool project..." When I was her age, I took every opportunity to get out of school for the sniffles. I guarantee you that I would have JUMPED at the chance to stay home. But not Roo. God has really put in her determination that exceeds any that I may have.
Even though, this school year has had it's ups and downs, tears and laughter, frustration and success, through it all Roo has persevered and pushed on. She has been determined to make it work. She has achieved some academic success and has found her niche. She thinks of herself as a "brain" and has identified herself as someone who does well in school. Her confidence seems to be growing by leaps and bounds (even though she still is very insecure at times too).
I felt inspired to write this because, I would not have posted this glowing of a post a year or so ago. I am truly amazed at what God is doing in Roo. Despite me! I try my hardest to be the best mom I can be for Roo, but inevitably I fall short. Far short. She's my first and it's all new for me too.
Roo has been on Honor Roll at her middle school all year and her teachers have nothing by good things to say about her. The only thing she has gotten in trouble for is chewing gum in class! I'll take that any day!
We celebrated her Honor Roll achievement the other day with a treat out for ice cream with the whole family. It was loud, rambunctious, and fun. Her sisters thanked her and told her what a good job she was doing. It was pretty cool!
I'm looking forward to many more such celebrations.
Kim
This post is to brag on my oldest daughter. We call her Eeyore or Roo on here...depending on her mood.
I'm so proud of her. She has shown me that she has an amazing stick-with-it attitude and will persevere even in difficult circumstances. She is far more focused and driven than I was at her age.
When she was sick, I gave her the option to stay home after she had a particularly difficult week at school (she was teased and picked on). She said, "No, that's ok mom. I don't want to miss my science class. My partner would miss me and I don't want to let him down. We are working on this cool project..." When I was her age, I took every opportunity to get out of school for the sniffles. I guarantee you that I would have JUMPED at the chance to stay home. But not Roo. God has really put in her determination that exceeds any that I may have.
Even though, this school year has had it's ups and downs, tears and laughter, frustration and success, through it all Roo has persevered and pushed on. She has been determined to make it work. She has achieved some academic success and has found her niche. She thinks of herself as a "brain" and has identified herself as someone who does well in school. Her confidence seems to be growing by leaps and bounds (even though she still is very insecure at times too).
I felt inspired to write this because, I would not have posted this glowing of a post a year or so ago. I am truly amazed at what God is doing in Roo. Despite me! I try my hardest to be the best mom I can be for Roo, but inevitably I fall short. Far short. She's my first and it's all new for me too.
Roo has been on Honor Roll at her middle school all year and her teachers have nothing by good things to say about her. The only thing she has gotten in trouble for is chewing gum in class! I'll take that any day!
We celebrated her Honor Roll achievement the other day with a treat out for ice cream with the whole family. It was loud, rambunctious, and fun. Her sisters thanked her and told her what a good job she was doing. It was pretty cool!
I'm looking forward to many more such celebrations.
Kim
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Vitamin G!
All the credit goes to Andrea for this post. She referenced Vitamin G in a comment on Mishmash Maggie's blog and it really inspired me.
I never thought of my time with God like taking a multivitamin, but it is. I need my vitamin D supplement to keep my moods even and to protect my body from a variety of diseases, and my calcium to keep my bones strong, how much more then do I need my Vitamin G?
On the days that I spend time with God I am calmer, and more centered. I feel more prepared to handle whatever comes my way. I know that I am not out there alone trudging along through life. God is always in me and with me giving me the tools that I need to navigate my world.
Have you had your Vitamin G today?
Again, thanks Andrea for the inspiration!
Kim
I never thought of my time with God like taking a multivitamin, but it is. I need my vitamin D supplement to keep my moods even and to protect my body from a variety of diseases, and my calcium to keep my bones strong, how much more then do I need my Vitamin G?
On the days that I spend time with God I am calmer, and more centered. I feel more prepared to handle whatever comes my way. I know that I am not out there alone trudging along through life. God is always in me and with me giving me the tools that I need to navigate my world.
Have you had your Vitamin G today?
Again, thanks Andrea for the inspiration!
Kim
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Valentine's Day Follow Up
I just wanted to let you know what we ended up doing on V-Day.
As I said, the girls went to Grandma and Grandpa's house overnight. I guess Christopher Robin and I looked so desperately exhausted that they took pity on us! We dropped the girls off Saturday morning around 10:30 and didn't see them again until Sunday morning around the same time.
It was a very relaxing 24 hours. We did a little shopping, rested at home, went out to dinner and saw a movie (our typical date night protocol). Then we came home went to bed and slept in until...wait for it, wait for it...8:30! Only parents of young children can fully appreciate how late that is to sleep in, and how good it feels.
I must have looked pretty bad before the 24 hour siesta because when I saw Winnie and Roo the next morning they both looked at me with wide eyes and smiles. Roo said I looked very rested. She said I had circles under my eyes before, and now I looked happier and more relaxed. I certainly feel a ton better. I think it was the rest and all the juice I've been making and drinking at home.
Anyway, we had a good time and were very thankful for the much needed quality time together.
Blessings to all of you "Valentine's" out there. I hope you have many nice and restful "Valentine Days" all year long!
Kim
As I said, the girls went to Grandma and Grandpa's house overnight. I guess Christopher Robin and I looked so desperately exhausted that they took pity on us! We dropped the girls off Saturday morning around 10:30 and didn't see them again until Sunday morning around the same time.
It was a very relaxing 24 hours. We did a little shopping, rested at home, went out to dinner and saw a movie (our typical date night protocol). Then we came home went to bed and slept in until...wait for it, wait for it...8:30! Only parents of young children can fully appreciate how late that is to sleep in, and how good it feels.
I must have looked pretty bad before the 24 hour siesta because when I saw Winnie and Roo the next morning they both looked at me with wide eyes and smiles. Roo said I looked very rested. She said I had circles under my eyes before, and now I looked happier and more relaxed. I certainly feel a ton better. I think it was the rest and all the juice I've been making and drinking at home.
Anyway, we had a good time and were very thankful for the much needed quality time together.
Blessings to all of you "Valentine's" out there. I hope you have many nice and restful "Valentine Days" all year long!
Kim
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
The Juice Chronicles- Part 1
Last week I bought a Juicer. I researched all of the juicers on the market and narrowed my choices down to just a few. Then after much pain staking research, sole searching and pocketbook checking, I decided on the one I could afford rather than the one I really wanted:-) Isn't that just how it is in life!
At any rate, the one I could afford, seems to be just the one I needed! Imagine that? (God must get such a kick out of me!) I have been having so much fun making fresh juice out of all kinds of fruits and vegetables. Yum!
I thought I'd share a few thoughts about this whole "juicing" thing:
1. It takes a little bit more time than I thought it would, but as I get used to doing it, I find that I'm becoming more efficient and therefore speedier.
2. It's more expensive than I thought it would be. I was really only thinking about the initial cost of the machine itself. However, it takes quite a lot of fruit and vegetables to make one or two glasses of juice. If you buy organic, juicing can be VERY expensive.
3. The juice tastes SO much better than I expected.
4. I find I am far less hungry throughout the day and have far more energy.
5. I feel less moody, anxious, and irritable.
****Hmm, maybe I won't need that anti-depressant prescription after all? I think the money I will save by not needing prescriptions and seeing the doctor less often will make up for the added expense of juicing.****
In case you are wondering, I bought the Breville Juice Fountain Plus. I think it does a decent job of extracting juice and it does so relatively quietly, quickly and neatly. It's easy to clean and the parts are dishwasher safe. A friend recommended the Vita Mix Juicer/Mixer. Yes, that would be my first choice for sure, however, my pocketbook couldn't support that juicer, so the Breville works just fine for now.
So there you have it. Bottoms up!
Kim
At any rate, the one I could afford, seems to be just the one I needed! Imagine that? (God must get such a kick out of me!) I have been having so much fun making fresh juice out of all kinds of fruits and vegetables. Yum!
I thought I'd share a few thoughts about this whole "juicing" thing:
1. It takes a little bit more time than I thought it would, but as I get used to doing it, I find that I'm becoming more efficient and therefore speedier.
2. It's more expensive than I thought it would be. I was really only thinking about the initial cost of the machine itself. However, it takes quite a lot of fruit and vegetables to make one or two glasses of juice. If you buy organic, juicing can be VERY expensive.
3. The juice tastes SO much better than I expected.
4. I find I am far less hungry throughout the day and have far more energy.
5. I feel less moody, anxious, and irritable.
****Hmm, maybe I won't need that anti-depressant prescription after all? I think the money I will save by not needing prescriptions and seeing the doctor less often will make up for the added expense of juicing.****
In case you are wondering, I bought the Breville Juice Fountain Plus. I think it does a decent job of extracting juice and it does so relatively quietly, quickly and neatly. It's easy to clean and the parts are dishwasher safe. A friend recommended the Vita Mix Juicer/Mixer. Yes, that would be my first choice for sure, however, my pocketbook couldn't support that juicer, so the Breville works just fine for now.
So there you have it. Bottoms up!
Kim
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Happy Valentine's Day!
My friend Lainie posted a cool and brief history about Valentine's Day. Check it out here.
After reading it, I realized how far off base our culture is! Maybe I'm cynical (actual, I definitely am) but how crazy is it that on a martyred Saint's day we all celebrate with roses and expensive chocolates or dinners out that cost twice as much as they would on any other day?
(going on a little rant here, but hang in there, it gets better)
Don't get me wrong, I'm as romantic as the next girl. I love getting flowers from Christopher Robin(hint-hint dear) and I also love chocolate, bubble baths, yummy dinners out, and going to see a good movie. However, I do not love the commercialism and capitalism that leads up to all of these activities on Valentine's Day. And, I have NEVER given a single thought to any poor unknown martyred saint while indulging in said Valentine activities. Have you?
That being said, today, my mom and step dad have offered to take the kids so that Christopher Robin and I can spend some time reconnecting. It's been years since we've had a date night on Valentine's Day, and since I am a product of my culture, it somehow seems more meaningful that we are getting our date night on this "special" day verses, oh.. say...yesterday, for example. I also can't help but feel a little pressure to do something today that is different from what we would normally do on a date night.
It is that feeling that prompted this post. Why do we put pressure on ourselves like that? So that when we go to work or to see our friend we can say, "Guess what we did on Valentine's Day?" Or, so that we can compare who got the most cards when we are in middle school? Why do we feel the need to show the world through cards or chocolates or extravagant superficial acts of affection that we are loved?
As I ponder these questions, the only thought that is running through my mind is,
Wow. I've known that for most of my life, but this morning, I thought about it a little differently than I normally do. That is the ultimate gift of love. None of us can even come close. Yet, God is our example, the light up to which we hold our actions and thoughts. He loves you and me always, unconditionally, and gives us His gift of love every day.
God gives us sunrises, sunsets, rainbows and many, many other beautiful and amazing things that he knows are special to each of us. But here is the real deal:
After reading it, I realized how far off base our culture is! Maybe I'm cynical (actual, I definitely am) but how crazy is it that on a martyred Saint's day we all celebrate with roses and expensive chocolates or dinners out that cost twice as much as they would on any other day?
(going on a little rant here, but hang in there, it gets better)
Don't get me wrong, I'm as romantic as the next girl. I love getting flowers from Christopher Robin(hint-hint dear) and I also love chocolate, bubble baths, yummy dinners out, and going to see a good movie. However, I do not love the commercialism and capitalism that leads up to all of these activities on Valentine's Day. And, I have NEVER given a single thought to any poor unknown martyred saint while indulging in said Valentine activities. Have you?
That being said, today, my mom and step dad have offered to take the kids so that Christopher Robin and I can spend some time reconnecting. It's been years since we've had a date night on Valentine's Day, and since I am a product of my culture, it somehow seems more meaningful that we are getting our date night on this "special" day verses, oh.. say...yesterday, for example. I also can't help but feel a little pressure to do something today that is different from what we would normally do on a date night.
It is that feeling that prompted this post. Why do we put pressure on ourselves like that? So that when we go to work or to see our friend we can say, "Guess what we did on Valentine's Day?" Or, so that we can compare who got the most cards when we are in middle school? Why do we feel the need to show the world through cards or chocolates or extravagant superficial acts of affection that we are loved?
As I ponder these questions, the only thought that is running through my mind is,
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."
Wow. I've known that for most of my life, but this morning, I thought about it a little differently than I normally do. That is the ultimate gift of love. None of us can even come close. Yet, God is our example, the light up to which we hold our actions and thoughts. He loves you and me always, unconditionally, and gives us His gift of love every day.
God gives us sunrises, sunsets, rainbows and many, many other beautiful and amazing things that he knows are special to each of us. But here is the real deal:
Today, whether you have a "Valentine" here on earth or not, remember that God is your Valentine always and forever and He has a special gift for you. Eternal Life!
Happy Valentine's Day!
Love, Kim
Happy Valentine's Day!
Love, Kim
Sunday, February 1, 2009
What NOT to ask a toddler.
Around here, it is common to hear someone say, "Tigger, what do you have in your mouth? Spit it out right now!" She's 2 1/2 and still likes to put things in her mouth.
So, yesterday, while I was sitting on the sofa, little Miss Tigger comes bouncing up to me holding her sippy cup in one hand. I looked at her face and noticed that her cheeks were puffed out and her mouth tightly shut. So, I said like I always do, "Tigger, what do you have in your mouth? Spit, it out!"
She rarely obeys the first time. But yesterday she promptly, and a bit smugly I think, spit out what was in her mouth. Water. In one, long arc it came shooting out at me and hit me in the chest. She then grinned from ear to ear, slurped up the left over water dribbling from her chin, and bounced down the hall on a new adventure. Meanwhile, there I sat with a wet shirt, stifling a laugh, shaking my head.
Ya' gotta love her.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Laundry update
Some of you have asked how I like the homemade laundry detergent. Well, I like it just fine! My clothes are clean and fresh. The next batch I make I will try some essential oil scents just for fun, but for the first try, I think it was a complete success!
One note: After scooping out some of the detergent to use, I noticed that the holes that were left filled with water. I just used my scoop and kind of mixed up the detergent again and it seems to work just fine. I think I'm using a little more than 1/2 cup per load. It's probably closer to 3/4 of a cup. Also, this is a suds free detergent, which was odd for me at first. I'm so used to seeing bubbles!
Next up: Dishwashing detergent!
One note: After scooping out some of the detergent to use, I noticed that the holes that were left filled with water. I just used my scoop and kind of mixed up the detergent again and it seems to work just fine. I think I'm using a little more than 1/2 cup per load. It's probably closer to 3/4 of a cup. Also, this is a suds free detergent, which was odd for me at first. I'm so used to seeing bubbles!
Next up: Dishwashing detergent!
Friday, January 16, 2009
Roo's Middle School Experience Update
As many of you know, my oldest daughter, Roo (sometimes known as Eeyore-which she doesn't like, but is true none-the-less). is in middle school this year after being homeschooled last year. I haven't posted very much about her this year so I thought, in all fairness, I should give her a little screentime.
Middle school has been a very interesting experience for the whole family. As with all things that involve Roo, nothing is easy or straightforward. She's our first. That means that all experiences are new experience for all of us. This makes life very exciting.
So far this year, she has done very well adjusting to her classes and has maintained an "A" average in all but two of her classes (English and Social Studies are her "B" classes). It seems that this is the year for academics to start "clicking" for her. Praise God!
Socially, she has made strides toward making new friends and is learning how to choose good friends who treat her with kindness and respect, verses bad friends who take advantage of her and use her. Making new friends has always been a struggle for her, but I am happy to report that she keeps trying, despite two bad experiences. She is positive and upbeat and seems to enjoy going to school for the most part.
We had a rocky start in the communication department earlier in the year, but recently, I have noticed a marked improvement. She is opening up, and I have learned to quiet my reaction to whatever she has to say. Apparently, me overreacting was not encouraging her to open up...I can't imagine why:-)
Lately, she has been asking to have more time with me, and she is beginning to express an interest in exercise. So, I have started taking her to the gym with me from time to time. She has also asked to go for early morning walks again. I'm thinking that might work out 1 or 2 times a week.
My darling Roo. She has such a caring and compassionate heart for everyone (except her little sisters). I pray that her heart will not harden as a result of difficult experiences, but that instead her compassion would grow. I am so thankful that God saw fit to put us in charge of her upbringing.
Middle school has been a very interesting experience for the whole family. As with all things that involve Roo, nothing is easy or straightforward. She's our first. That means that all experiences are new experience for all of us. This makes life very exciting.
So far this year, she has done very well adjusting to her classes and has maintained an "A" average in all but two of her classes (English and Social Studies are her "B" classes). It seems that this is the year for academics to start "clicking" for her. Praise God!
Socially, she has made strides toward making new friends and is learning how to choose good friends who treat her with kindness and respect, verses bad friends who take advantage of her and use her. Making new friends has always been a struggle for her, but I am happy to report that she keeps trying, despite two bad experiences. She is positive and upbeat and seems to enjoy going to school for the most part.
We had a rocky start in the communication department earlier in the year, but recently, I have noticed a marked improvement. She is opening up, and I have learned to quiet my reaction to whatever she has to say. Apparently, me overreacting was not encouraging her to open up...I can't imagine why:-)
Lately, she has been asking to have more time with me, and she is beginning to express an interest in exercise. So, I have started taking her to the gym with me from time to time. She has also asked to go for early morning walks again. I'm thinking that might work out 1 or 2 times a week.
My darling Roo. She has such a caring and compassionate heart for everyone (except her little sisters). I pray that her heart will not harden as a result of difficult experiences, but that instead her compassion would grow. I am so thankful that God saw fit to put us in charge of her upbringing.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Doing the Laundry Dance
Laundry is a pretty big deal around here. It's on-going, all the time. If you come to my house for a visit, odds are you will hear the washer or dryer going in the background. I almost always have piles of clothes in our bedroom in various stages of being folded, sorted and waiting to be delivered back to their rightful owners. So, when my friend, Lainie, posted on her blog Mishmash Maggie, that she had successfully made and used her own batch of homemade laundry detergent, I was intrigued. Let's face it...laundry detergent ain't cheap!
She posted the recipe along with pictures and a detailed, step-by-step how-to back in September 2008. Let's see, it's now January 2009...hm...it's only taken me 4 months to finally get around to giving this recipe a try. Don't judge me! (grin)
Anyway, here are pictures of my process. I don't think my batch looks nearly as pretty as Miss Lainie's, but if the end result is the same, then I guess it's ok. Here's the link to Mishmash Maggie to get the breakdown "Mishmash Style".
This stuff is so cool! (I know it's lame to excited about soap, but until a few months ago I didn't even know it existed.) I had to look a little while at Target to find it waaaaayyyy up high on the shelf in between two big boxes of laundry detergent. There it was all by it's tiny lonesome:-)
I was so disappointed that the Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda wasn't at Target as well. What's up with that? Anyway, I had to go to Freddies to get this gem.
Good 'ol Borax. I found this at Target on a wall isle next to the Bleach.
I purchased a new cheese grater that I will keep with the soap making stuff. The only cheese grater we had was a Pampered Chef grater and I just did not want to use it to grate soap.
Isn't this pretty? I agree with Lainie, I love that it's pink!
I put the grated Zote soap in a pot along with about 3 quarts of water (as per Lainie's instructions) and this is what it looked like before the soap melted.
This is what the Zote and water mixture looks like after all the Zote has dissolved. I had more suds on it, but skimmed them off before I took the picture.
I just used an old buckeet we had out in the garage. It was just barely big enough. You can see all the suds on top of the detergent. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to leave those or not. For now, I'm leaving them. The detergent sits for 24 hours like this and then when it's done it has the gelatin-like consistency. At least that's what I'm told. I won't know until tomorrow.
This was a fun project to do. I enjoyed knowing that I can make it myself for MUCH less than it costs to buy it at the store. I will let you know how it works for us. Thank you Miss Lainie Pants!
Blessings and have fun "Doing the Laundry Dance!"
Kim
She posted the recipe along with pictures and a detailed, step-by-step how-to back in September 2008. Let's see, it's now January 2009...hm...it's only taken me 4 months to finally get around to giving this recipe a try. Don't judge me! (grin)
Anyway, here are pictures of my process. I don't think my batch looks nearly as pretty as Miss Lainie's, but if the end result is the same, then I guess it's ok. Here's the link to Mishmash Maggie to get the breakdown "Mishmash Style".
This stuff is so cool! (I know it's lame to excited about soap, but until a few months ago I didn't even know it existed.) I had to look a little while at Target to find it waaaaayyyy up high on the shelf in between two big boxes of laundry detergent. There it was all by it's tiny lonesome:-)
I was so disappointed that the Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda wasn't at Target as well. What's up with that? Anyway, I had to go to Freddies to get this gem.
Good 'ol Borax. I found this at Target on a wall isle next to the Bleach.
I purchased a new cheese grater that I will keep with the soap making stuff. The only cheese grater we had was a Pampered Chef grater and I just did not want to use it to grate soap.
Isn't this pretty? I agree with Lainie, I love that it's pink!
I put the grated Zote soap in a pot along with about 3 quarts of water (as per Lainie's instructions) and this is what it looked like before the soap melted.
This is what the Zote and water mixture looks like after all the Zote has dissolved. I had more suds on it, but skimmed them off before I took the picture.
I just used an old buckeet we had out in the garage. It was just barely big enough. You can see all the suds on top of the detergent. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to leave those or not. For now, I'm leaving them. The detergent sits for 24 hours like this and then when it's done it has the gelatin-like consistency. At least that's what I'm told. I won't know until tomorrow.*****
Happily, I was able to get all of my products for right around the same price as Lainie did at the same locations. I will be on the lookout for a store that sells all the products at one location, but if that doesn't exist, then at least they are sold at stores where I already shop. It's not like you have to buy this stuff every month. From the looks of things, Iwill only have to replace the Zote bar this year!This was a fun project to do. I enjoyed knowing that I can make it myself for MUCH less than it costs to buy it at the store. I will let you know how it works for us. Thank you Miss Lainie Pants!
Blessings and have fun "Doing the Laundry Dance!"
Kim
Monday, January 12, 2009
5am thoughts.,,
I'm up really early this morning...5am. That's crazy early in this house. I didn't sleep well last night, tossing and turning. I think I just had a little too much wonderful "me" time with my 2 bestest girlfriends yesterday. I feel a little guilty! Note to self: Do more of that so that you don't feel guilty about it.
One of my New Year's resolutions is to carve out some time on a regular basis to do things for myself. I love my husband and my children, but I need to love myself too. That's hard to type out. It looks and sounds so selfish, and I suppose it is, but taking care of my own needs is equally as important as taking care of my family. Yet, I have not been giving myself equal attention.
I used to be pretty good at making myself more of a priority. God allowed a season in my life when there was balanced between work, home, children, husband and me. It was a lot easier when we only had one child. However, now that we have three, I have found it difficult to find time to even think about what I might want to do IF/WHEN I am able to carve out some time. I've lost some perspective.
I should preface this by saying that my husband and I prayerfully made a choice when we had children to have me quit my job and stay at home. After one full year at home, I took a part-time job and have worked a variety of part-time jobs ever since, that were flexible enough for me to feel like I was still a sahm, but also allowed me to bring in a little income and get a little grown up time. None of these jobs were particularly fulfilling, but that was ok because my fulfillment came from being a good mom and wife, not from any job.
Somewhere along the way, I started giving up more of things that I would do that were just for me in order to make time to do things that were for the kids. That's not a bad thing, as parents that's what we do, right? We are parents, after all. That means we give up a little of our own stuff to allow for our children to have opportunities and time with us. However, that can be a slippery slope. It's important to maintain a healthy balance, and in my case, I don't have that anymore.
I know that there are seasons in life. I accept and understand that this season of life has been one of me taking care of others. And up until recently, it has been very fulfilling. I felt that I was right where God wanted me to be. However, now that my children are a little older, I feel like God is allowing me some time to start to work on myself again. Just a little bit. Refocus. Clear my head. Bring a little variety to my life. There is probably a much bigger picture here that I am missing that only He can see, but for now, it's enough to know that it's time for mommy to do something for mommy.
As moms, our lives often are exciting due to the many adventures we go on with our kids. At the same time, our lives are mundane due to the regular schedule of events that inevitably occur when you have children. Each day is more or less the same as the one before, and it all has to do with our children, and their activities. None of that is a bad thing. It's just that...I want more. I need more variety. I want something that is just mine. Something that is fun, challenging and creatively stimulating. Something, that will enrich my life, and therefore make me more of a blessing to my family.
So, I guess that might be why I didn't sleep well last night. I got a little reminder yesterday from my bestest girlfriends, that there is life outside of my family bubble. I realized that God has brought me and my family to a place where I can leave my bubble and return without it popping. Now I just need to practice not feeling so guilty about it!
Blessings,
Kim
One of my New Year's resolutions is to carve out some time on a regular basis to do things for myself. I love my husband and my children, but I need to love myself too. That's hard to type out. It looks and sounds so selfish, and I suppose it is, but taking care of my own needs is equally as important as taking care of my family. Yet, I have not been giving myself equal attention.
I used to be pretty good at making myself more of a priority. God allowed a season in my life when there was balanced between work, home, children, husband and me. It was a lot easier when we only had one child. However, now that we have three, I have found it difficult to find time to even think about what I might want to do IF/WHEN I am able to carve out some time. I've lost some perspective.
I should preface this by saying that my husband and I prayerfully made a choice when we had children to have me quit my job and stay at home. After one full year at home, I took a part-time job and have worked a variety of part-time jobs ever since, that were flexible enough for me to feel like I was still a sahm, but also allowed me to bring in a little income and get a little grown up time. None of these jobs were particularly fulfilling, but that was ok because my fulfillment came from being a good mom and wife, not from any job.
Somewhere along the way, I started giving up more of things that I would do that were just for me in order to make time to do things that were for the kids. That's not a bad thing, as parents that's what we do, right? We are parents, after all. That means we give up a little of our own stuff to allow for our children to have opportunities and time with us. However, that can be a slippery slope. It's important to maintain a healthy balance, and in my case, I don't have that anymore.
I know that there are seasons in life. I accept and understand that this season of life has been one of me taking care of others. And up until recently, it has been very fulfilling. I felt that I was right where God wanted me to be. However, now that my children are a little older, I feel like God is allowing me some time to start to work on myself again. Just a little bit. Refocus. Clear my head. Bring a little variety to my life. There is probably a much bigger picture here that I am missing that only He can see, but for now, it's enough to know that it's time for mommy to do something for mommy.
As moms, our lives often are exciting due to the many adventures we go on with our kids. At the same time, our lives are mundane due to the regular schedule of events that inevitably occur when you have children. Each day is more or less the same as the one before, and it all has to do with our children, and their activities. None of that is a bad thing. It's just that...I want more. I need more variety. I want something that is just mine. Something that is fun, challenging and creatively stimulating. Something, that will enrich my life, and therefore make me more of a blessing to my family.
So, I guess that might be why I didn't sleep well last night. I got a little reminder yesterday from my bestest girlfriends, that there is life outside of my family bubble. I realized that God has brought me and my family to a place where I can leave my bubble and return without it popping. Now I just need to practice not feeling so guilty about it!
Blessings,
Kim
Monday, January 5, 2009
Winnie is 4 years old!!!!!
It finally arrived! Winnie's long anticipated and talked about 4th birthday. What a fun, fun day we all had. The party was terrific (except it was a little cold because we were the first party of the day and they had just turned the heater on). According to Winnie, "It was SOOOO fun!"
Here are a few pictures from the party:
The Big slide...Weeeee!!!!!
Bouncy, Bouncy, Bouncy
Everyone got in on the fun. Poppi is King for the Day!
Even the Queen Bee had her moment in the chair
Look out world! Here they come!
What a fun day!Friday, January 2, 2009
Sorry, I've been on vacation. But, I'm back!
I realize that it has been way too long since I last posted. My only excuse is that up until this morning, I have been feeling a little empty of words.
We have spent much of this holiday season house bound due to snow storms and cold weather. This meant that a family that is often going in many different directions has been forced by mother nature or more accurately, GOD, to be together in one place for a long period of time with very little external distractions. You'd think that would have given me plenty of subject matter to write about, wouldn't you?
Well, as it turns out, not so much. I've been in something of a haze the past few weeks. It's like we are all moving in slow motion, or maybe time really has stopped!
We have been doing a lot of cooking and eating (oh my poor waistline!), and a lot of reading and tv watching. We've played games, cleaned, organized toys and donated a lot of them. We've visited a little bit with family and friends, but for the most part, we've just been home together.
It's been quiet (well as quiet as it gets with three rowdy girls running loose). I believe this has been a time of rest for us. Many friends that I have heard from over the holidays have said the same thing. A forced time out, a time to take a breath, to recharge, to refocus.
It was difficult to do at first. You know, be still. I'm not good at that. At least not when there are other people around. If I'm alone, no problem. I love to curl up with a good book just as much as the next girl. However, if there is even one person home, forget it. I get anxious and become driven to do, do, do. All I see are all of the projects that need to be done.
So, it took a few days for me to really be still. I drove poor Christopher Robin and the girls banana's while I was adjusting to the stillness. I wasn't the only one struggling though. We all went through a little bit of busy-ness withdrawl. There was pacing, arguing, and whining until finally we all came to accept that we were stuck with each other for an undetermined period of time. Everything started getting better after that.
In one of my previous posts I mentioned that we were planning on going to the snow this year on Christmas day. Well, God brought the snow to us instead! Isn't that awesome! He knows me better than I know myself and he knew that bringing the snow to us would be so much better. The first time little 2 year old Tigger went out in the snow she only lasted about 5 minutes before she was crying and cold. Each time she went out, she lasted a little longer and by the time the snow was melting, 1o days later, we had purchased the proper gear for her and she was having a blast sledding and playing outside.
Without talking about it, Christopher Robin and I worked out a good system for dealing with the snow. I kept the hot cocoa going and was in charge of dressing and undressing the children and maintaining a small amount of order in the laundry room where all the snow stuff went. Christopher Robin and Roo were in charge of everything outside which included, clearing walk ways and playing with the little girls and the dog. I liked that system very much!
Spending several days in the snow at our own home was so much better than driving up to the snow for one day. I am so thankful for the memories we made.
As our rest time comes to a close and we begin to prepare for life to return to it's normal, busy rhythm, I have found that my words are returning to me and I am once again ready to write about our family experiences and my random thoughts about life as a mom, wife, and friend.
I hope your Christmas was a blessed one and that this new year will be one filled with all the good things that God can bring to you.
Kim
We have spent much of this holiday season house bound due to snow storms and cold weather. This meant that a family that is often going in many different directions has been forced by mother nature or more accurately, GOD, to be together in one place for a long period of time with very little external distractions. You'd think that would have given me plenty of subject matter to write about, wouldn't you?
Well, as it turns out, not so much. I've been in something of a haze the past few weeks. It's like we are all moving in slow motion, or maybe time really has stopped!
We have been doing a lot of cooking and eating (oh my poor waistline!), and a lot of reading and tv watching. We've played games, cleaned, organized toys and donated a lot of them. We've visited a little bit with family and friends, but for the most part, we've just been home together.
It's been quiet (well as quiet as it gets with three rowdy girls running loose). I believe this has been a time of rest for us. Many friends that I have heard from over the holidays have said the same thing. A forced time out, a time to take a breath, to recharge, to refocus.
It was difficult to do at first. You know, be still. I'm not good at that. At least not when there are other people around. If I'm alone, no problem. I love to curl up with a good book just as much as the next girl. However, if there is even one person home, forget it. I get anxious and become driven to do, do, do. All I see are all of the projects that need to be done.
So, it took a few days for me to really be still. I drove poor Christopher Robin and the girls banana's while I was adjusting to the stillness. I wasn't the only one struggling though. We all went through a little bit of busy-ness withdrawl. There was pacing, arguing, and whining until finally we all came to accept that we were stuck with each other for an undetermined period of time. Everything started getting better after that.
In one of my previous posts I mentioned that we were planning on going to the snow this year on Christmas day. Well, God brought the snow to us instead! Isn't that awesome! He knows me better than I know myself and he knew that bringing the snow to us would be so much better. The first time little 2 year old Tigger went out in the snow she only lasted about 5 minutes before she was crying and cold. Each time she went out, she lasted a little longer and by the time the snow was melting, 1o days later, we had purchased the proper gear for her and she was having a blast sledding and playing outside.
Without talking about it, Christopher Robin and I worked out a good system for dealing with the snow. I kept the hot cocoa going and was in charge of dressing and undressing the children and maintaining a small amount of order in the laundry room where all the snow stuff went. Christopher Robin and Roo were in charge of everything outside which included, clearing walk ways and playing with the little girls and the dog. I liked that system very much!
Spending several days in the snow at our own home was so much better than driving up to the snow for one day. I am so thankful for the memories we made.
As our rest time comes to a close and we begin to prepare for life to return to it's normal, busy rhythm, I have found that my words are returning to me and I am once again ready to write about our family experiences and my random thoughts about life as a mom, wife, and friend.
I hope your Christmas was a blessed one and that this new year will be one filled with all the good things that God can bring to you.
Kim
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