Good Morning Mamma

I have never been a morning person by any stretch of the imagination. There are still tales circulating among our extended family of the legendary tantrums I would throw when I woke up as a toddler. This wonderful morning mood followed me all the way into adult hood.

I don't want to wake up early, and when I get up it takes me forever to get moving. If I don't have a plan for the morning the night before it takes me until lunch to get my momentum.

Of course knowing what I know now about how little I was actually sleeping before I was fitted for my Oral Systemic Balance Orthotic (OSB), it all makes more sense.

But even before I started the OSB treatment I had felt the Lord tugging at my heart. He was telling me that I needed to get out of bed before my family and become a Morning Mamma.

My first response to Him was "OK, How?" Before the orthotic getting out of bed was next to impossible. I wasn't really sleeping during the night. I would finally get into some deep sleep by the time it was time to get up. It was my husbands unhappy duty to try to wake me. I would be a groggy lump on the couch as he left for work.

I could see the need, I had the desire, but the 'how' of the matter was still an issue.

Well, God answered my prayer with the 'how' of the matter. He provided me with my first restful sleep of my life. In my OSB treatment one of my main goals has been to be that Mamma that bounces out of bed in the morning. I am not there yet!

As the season has turned to fall and the mornings have gone black the verse in Proverbs 31:15 keeps coming to mind. "She gets up while it is still dark." This verse comes from the section outlining the attributes of a wife of Noble Character. She gets up while it is still dark.... and she is industrious!

It has occurred to me that the only way the chores, my exercise and Bible and prayer time are going to get done is if I get up while it is still dark. Imagine if I were to get my chores for the day done and dinner in the crock pot before the children even got up! That would be crazy!

This would also ease the tension between getting things for the house and myself done verses doing home school and keeping the family routine during the day. With my chores already done and dinner ready and waiting, I can focus on other things! Namely, Thing 1 and Thing 2, my two daughters.

This charge to get up while it is still dark requires two parts. #1 Help from the Lord. #2 The discipline to choose to obey by making choices that will lead to obedience.

In order to get up earlier you have to go to bed earlier. I need to choose to turn off the computer, and do what it takes to get in bed at a decent hour. There is no point in getting up only to be grumpy and lumpy. I might as well sleep if I am going to be like that.

I also have to prepare. I need a plan for when I rise. This means having a list waiting for me telling me what to do first. This list has to include when and what to eat and when to get dressed and what chores to do first. Until I get into a routine, I can't count on myself being able to move and think at the same time.

With the Lord's help I hope to become an Early Bird, cheerful, chirping and industrious even while it is still dark.

Home school Journal- Month One-- Looking back

Searching for the moon!

Well, I thought it would be a good idea to journal how things have been going each month and note a few things I have learned along the way.

Last year we did the Preperatory Curriculum through the Letter of the Week website. This was an awesome program and really helped me get my feet wet as a homeschooling mom.

When I would tell people that I was doing homeschool preschool with the girls I often got a bit of a negative response. People kept saying, well you don't have to do much with preschoolers. This is true. You don't have to plan a full day of school. In fact an hour a few days a week of focused activities would do it. Here is the thing, you have to plan to do it, or else you won't do it.

The Letter of the Week program gave me enough of a structure so that I was motivated to do things with the girls, but flexible enough to work. Each week we had a theme. I would check out books from the library on that theme and then we would read them through out the week. We also had a learning poster that we could add the letter, shape or color, nursery rhyme, verse and vocabulary word to.

Sometimes we would have structured time where we would put everything on our chart. The program was designed to add things to the chart through out the week.  We would ususally add them all in one day, or sometimes they went straight to our poster review book. I made a book of all the pictures and things we would put on our poster. This is great because we can sit on the couch together and review.

There was a lot of trial and error as I went along. We had to get into the habit of school. I had to find out what times my children were most ready to do an activity with me and most ready to learn. After a while we got into a routine of sorts.

Here are a few things that were invaluable to me:

1. Book Basket: For us the best time of learning was just sitting and reading together. On Monday morning I would fill our book basket up with all new library books that focused on our theme. The theme each week was a surprise which really built excitement.
* Since this worked so well for us, I realized that a literature based home school curriculum would probably be the best choice for us in the future.

2. I tried to do field trips that had to do with the theme through out the year. This was great motivation for us to get out and do things as a family. I also rearranged the order some to meet our scheduling needs. We went on a road trip when we were learning about cars. We visited my Aunt who works at an airport when we were learning about Airplanes. We visited a friend who raises rabbits when we were learning about rabbits. We went to a farmer's market and watched someone spin wool to yarn. These out and about, hands on activities were so much fun. With out having the themes in place I would have never thought to go on those field trips.

We got out Daddy's train set the week our theme was trains.

* I really want to keep this active and adventuresome side of learning alive in our homes schooling. So I was looking for a program that would inspire and get us out and about. If I couldn't find it in a program, I wanted to make sure I planned for it myself through out the year.

3. An activity basket. Children (especially preschoolers) can learn so much by doing things with you. These side by side moments pop up through out the day. The more I can involve them in what I am doing, the more they learn. I also learned that keeping an activity basket on hand worked great. When the children needed some kind of activity I would just grab out the paints and craft supplies and we would start crafting. Having crafts and learning activities on hand made it easy to grab something and do it when the timing was right. This worked much better than trying to sit down for a structured school time.

Doing preschool was as much of a practice and preparing me for school as it was for the girls.

I am thankful for this learning year. It really laid the foundation for our second year. I wanted to take our homeschooling to the next level.

Like A Latte: A pen for all reasons

I love it when a normal thing that is just laying around the house gets taken to a new level of usefulness. As a writer I have a thing for pens. But there is a certain kind of pen that gets used to the max around here. The dry erase marker gets the gold star! (Wet erase markers work great too! Just be sure you don't confuse it with that other pen that is often despised by mother's everywhere.... Mr. Permanent Marker)

What can you use a dry erase marker for... other than a dry erase board? Glad you asked! Let me count the ways!

1. For laminated charts (take a trip back in my blog and see a few that my children and I use daily) These charts are great visual reminders of what needs to be done. They are also wonderful teaching tools that can be used again and again.
5210 & Chore Chart
Weather Report Chart

2. Ever have water glasses sitting out all over the house? One great way to cut down on confusion and dishes. Simply write everyone's name on their glass every day.

3. Decorate your mirror. I am notorious for writing notes to myself on the mirror. This is often where I put my 'To Do' list. I also write items that I have to remember to take with me the next day. On a romantic and more encouraging note.... you can substitute the dry erase marker for lipstick and write your husband a love note or encouraging words of scripture.

** This is an especially wonderful idea if you have a daughter that spends a lot of time in front of the mirror. The mirror can often be a place of self scrutiny and a spot where we focus on the beauty we lack rather than what our Creator sees. Take the chance to counteract those negative thoughts with beautiful words and scriptures that will point your children back to the One who made them and loves them.

4. Prevent leftovers and meals in the freezer from turning into mysterious monsters of grossness. Label the food and put the date on it. Then just wipe it off when you are done with it!

Who knew that a pen could be used to prevent so much waste and clutter? Happy Marking!

(A word of caution: Do make sure the pen is in fact a dry/wet erase marker and not permanent. Also test out the surface before you write all over it. I made this mistake by writing on my oven hood....oops!)

5210 Let's Go!

A couple of years ago I came across an article in Parents magazine that highlighted a program to educated parents and children in order to prevent childhood obesity.
5210 stands for a daily standard of what kids should be doing each day to stay healthy.

5- Five fruits and vegetables a day
2- Two- no more than two hours of television/TV/ or video & computer games per day.
1- One hour of physical activity
0-Zero sweets and foods that have no nutritional value.

It was a very small article, but it really caught my eye... what a simple recipe! I used this concept when developing our family schedule. I also wanted a way to keep track and stay accountable to the 5210 guidelines 
So I created and laminated a chart that I could mark off through out the day. This way the whole family could see where we were in each day.

I added a vitamin check list and my chore list to the chart. Whenever I complete any of those tasks I can just mark them off with the dry erase marker.

Now a couple of years later this program has really caught on and gained notoriety. Our local elementary School is doing this program as a school. There are lots of resources you can use to implement this program into your home.
Check it out: 5210 Let's Go!

(Let me know if you would like a chart of your own. I hope to make my charts available on PDF soon! If you want one it will probably make me get it done faster!)

Extreme Makeover

Can you see the difference I feel? (I did not retouch this photo in any way!)

Well, it seems a little funny posting this picture of myself. I am just wondering if you see the difference I feel? I keep looking at the header for my blog and I see the difference. I am going to have to take some new pictures! For those of you just catching up on the miracle... I have had many chronic health problems for years. Recently, I was fitted for an Oral Systemic Balance Orthodic. This is a special retainer like thing that fits over my teeth. I wear it all the time. This Orthodic has changed my life.

Dr. Farrand Robson discovered that I was not getting enough oxygen because my tongue was too far back of my throat. This lack of oxygen caused my body to put all of it's energy into breathing. Since so much energy was being put towards this function....everything else was suffering.

The process of being fitted for the Orthotic and healing takes about three months. I am half-way through the process. I feel a million times better. Despite some ups and downs that come with the process.

It's funny, I keep loosing site of what my life used to be like. I was feeling like I wasn't making any progress. Then my husband reminded me that in one week I: did four days in a row of home school, transferred out the summer clothes for fall/winter. I decorated the house for fall. I took the girls to a bounce house in Gig Harbor and then came home and cleaned the house for a Norwex party. Sure I was tired. But I was normal tired. I was able to do all those things and not end up in bed. All I can say is: Praise the Lord!

God has also provided half the funds that I need to complete the process! Such a huge answer to prayer!

Warming up the place...

Last year I learned that in order for me to fully enjoy fall I first had to experience summer. I had back surgery in June 2010 and missed pretty much the entire summer. When fall came I was just barely starting to feel better. It was time to put away the summer clothes (which I had never worn) and to think about decorating for fall. I usually love the fall, but last year it did not appeal to me. I missed the freedom and fresh out door life of summer and was not ready to come back inside and smell that pumpkin spice candle. 

I also don't think I had enough energy to think about doing something extra like decorate.

I am happy to report... I felt like decorating this year. And I am enjoying fall this year! I enjoyed my summer and was much more ready to embrace my favorite season.

I enjoy decorating and changing a few parts of the house for each season. I really enjoy the change! I get very tired of looking at the same things. Plus my husband loves it when I decorate for fall. I really don't need another reason than that! There is nothing better than pleasing the man I love!

Here are my objectives for Fall Decorations 2011:
~ I didn't feel like having a bunch of cute things out. I wanted to warm up the house with fall colors and keep it classy. I did not feel compelled to put out every fall decoration I own.
~ The two main areas I decorate are the buffet in the dining room and the top of piano. These two areas are at the heart of my home. I can decorate those two places and it makes the whole house feel decorated. I scatter a few items here and there, but not much.
~ My main mode of decorating is to re-purpose decorations and house hold items in a fresh fall way. I took what I had and gave it a fresh look. I freshened up my vine wreath by wrapping the bobbles with foil leaves and a ribbon. Then I just tied it with string to my curtain rod.
~ I also wanted to seamlessly add in a few Thanksgiving specific decorations as we got closer to that holiday. Or if I don't feel like it... I don't have to. These decorations can last from September to Thanksgiving!
~The goal... maximum holiday feel with minimum set up or clean up!

Fall for it!

Salad Bowl + LED Candle + a Bag of Silk Leaves = Fab Fall Centerpiece

First Day of School

Making Room for School

When you homes school gearing up for school doesn't just include gathering the school supplies and the curriculum. There is a flurry or preparations that resembles the nesting process that many women go through right before child birth.  You have to prepare to prepare to learn... or something like that. 

I wanted to set systems in place so that when we started our new school year thing could just flow. Part of that was creating this space to learn and play.

With any home project, one change can set a domino affect in motion. This seems especially true when you have a small home. All the pieces are fit together perfectly... change one thing and you have to change it all. This is essentially the process of how we transformed Roses bedroom into the school/play room.

 Objectives I had for this space:

1. Corral all the toys and home school supplies in one room. The other room became the bedroom that contains the bunk beds, clothes and stuffed animals. Everything else needed to fit into this room. Having one room for toys has helped the rest of my house stay cleaner. It has also cut down on the time it takes to tidy up.

2. A space for everything and everything in it's place.  We had to purge and pair down to make the amount of toys fit the amount of space we had. I purchased some bigger storage boxes and put tags on them. This way the girls could find them if they want to play with them, and also know where to put them away. Since we need to use this space for school as well. We needed to be able to put a lot of stuff out of sight to minimize distractions.

3. Functional for our needs. My parents had a counter they were no longer using. We installed it on the far wall. This makes a great puzzle and computer work station. We can also do projects at the counter as well.

4. Personalized. I wanted the girls to feel at home in that room. The Ribbon Art Gallery  really helped make that happen. This is a great way to dry art work and display it for all to see.

Counter Action

As a recovering Messie one of my recurring messes is my counter. My wide open space of counter top is really just an over sized stuff magnet. In fact I think that we may be able to scientifically prove that "stuff" is actually magnetized. It is my firm belief that if you place anything on a counter top it starts to take on magnetic properties  Stuff begets stuff. Stuff attracts stuff. (I am pretty sure that food storage containers self propagate!)
This magnetic process starts out very innocently. You go to the mail box, you set them mail on the counter, you walk away. Or, your kid does an art project and not all of it get's cleaned up. And next thing you know you are conducting a therapy session for lost, broken, misplaced and homeless items. I am not sure if the items on my counter need therapy, but I sure do by the time I finish a whole day of trying to clear it off.

And really, who wants to spend their whole day cleaning off a counter? I could be doing more productive things like cleaning the bathroom!

In all seriousness, my goal is to stop having to battle the clutter everyday all day. I'd rather spend an hour actually cleaning the house instead. Then do something else!  Busting out a few chores each day is so much more rewarding than spending a day rearranging clutter around a home.

So, I decided to get serious and do some major counter intelligence! Here is my process:

Photo #1-- The Old Normal

Step 1: I took an inventory of all these seemingly random things that ended up on my counter. I did a case study, if you will, of what typically found its way there. This study was conducted as I put things away.

Step 2: I reviewed my inventory and looked for patterns. Then I found spots for the frequent counter offenders. This way the next time they ended up on my counter I could swiftly put them away.

I easily eliminated stacks of paper by following my friend Melissa's advice. She fills a magazine holder with pocket folders and quickly files all those papers that need to be accessible yet need a home off of the counter. Each person in the house has a file folder, and each major activity your family does has a folder. For instance we have one for church papers, a folder for phone numbers and directories, and one for local community and preschool places and events.  It works!

In my inventory I found that a huge amount of clutter was due to my daughters love of paper and crafts. I dedicated a drawer to all her papers. This eliminated me trying to sort through them at all. I just scooped all her papers and put them in the drawer. (I also created a system for keeping kids art.... more on that later)

Light at the end of the tunnel! This is at least functional.

When cleaning the counter off I always end up with a pile of random stuff I don't know what to do with. These random items usually end up in a laundry basket that I take from room to room looking for homes for it all

Step 3: Remove whatever does not need to be on the counter from the counter. Since I am a believer that stuff has an inherent magnetic property, I decided to remove as many magnets as possible.
I got rid of my paper towel holder, spice rack, and the decorations I used to put at the end of the counter. I also made a spot for the blender in the cupboard. Even if I use something every day... it still does not need to be on the counter. We don't keep all our glasses and plates on the counter (well I hope you don't)--- how hard is it really to just get something out when you need it?

Step 4: Do a clean sweep a few times a day. Have zero tolerance for counter clutter. Take that mail to the trash, don't let the kids pile their toys on the counter, find a place for that item...or get rid of it.  These are all new habits that I am having to retrain myself to do and encourage my family to do the same. 

Victory! Now to keep it this way!

Back in Business

A lot has stood in the way of me blogging lately. Most of my obstacles have been good things. Healing, catching up on life. Accompanying my husband on youth group trips. And some have been technical difficulties.
Now, I am happy to report, I now have wireless internet and a working laptop computer! I am so happy!
I couldn't wait to make my inaugural blog post with the new laptop and working internet.
And in addition to blogging, I will be able to do all those simple things that just need done, like ordering books from the library or getting important things from Amazon....and still be able to keep a close eye on my 3 year-old.  (She keeps doing things like dismantling the toilet, and smearing honey all over the counter, tonight she tasted glue. And really she's not destroying the house... she's just discovering her surroundings!)

See you soon! I hope!

A Breath of Fresh Air

In the past month I have experienced a wild turn of events. It is something that is best described as a Miracle.

To give you a bit of background, my life has been marked by sickness and major surgeries since childhood. Normal daily activities have been hard to keep up with. To say that pregnancy was hard on me would be an understatement. I have been carted from specialist to specialist most of my life. Most recently, I had been experiencing jaw & facial pain. It had gotten so bad that I was mostly living off of smoothies.

I went to a specialist for TMJ--Dr. Farrand Robson in Tacoma. He told me that TMJ was the least of my worries. Instead, the greater issue is that I have been "choking on my tongue" for pretty much my whole life.

He went on to explain that because I had too many teeth pulled in elementary school the natural boundaries for my tongue changed. As a result my tongue is going too far back in my mouth and depriving me of oxygen. He said that this accounts for my low blood-pressure, high heart-rate, cold/blue hands and feet, and "asthma".

That same day he fitted me for a retainer. This helps pull my tongue forward. I thought the doctor was crazy until he put this thing in my mouth...AND I BREATHED like I have never breathed before. I got really dizzy from all the oxygen! After a few minutes of wearing the retainer my hands started feeling weird. I looked down and they were turning pink and were warming up!! I went home and slept like I have NEVER slept before!

My doctor said that a lot of my other health problems will probably fade away because my body will not have to put so much effort into breathing. We are hopeful, but also realize this will take time.

This will be a three to four month process with the doctor, fitting and adjusting the retainer (AKA orthotic) as my mouth and body adjust to the changes.This process will cost $16,000, which is not covered by insurance. My doctor is writing a letter to let the insurance company know that this is medically necessary for me. I am also going to make an appeal for them to pay.

Dr. Robson's office has a payment plan, but it is too steep for us. We know that God definitely brought me this far and gave me an amazing new joy-- experiencing oxygen!! We know that He will provide for this somehow.

Please pray for provision, and please pray for us as we go through this 4-month adjustment.

With and Without

 Here is a series of pictures that show the difference between when I am wearing the orthotic in my mouth and when I have taken it out for a while. (I have to take it out while I am eating)

The following pictures were taken without 
the orthotic in my mouth.

Before: This is what my hands used to look like a lot of the time.  This picture was  taken after a meal.

Before: Notice the white on the tips of my fingers. They are white because my capillaries are clenching and not allowing blood to come in.  

Before: Note the blue color, also the white sections.

Before: Another look at my hands without the orthotics.

The following pictures were taken with 

the orthotic in my mouth.

After: Blood is starting to refill my hands now that I have the orthotic back in. Notice the different color in my fingertips.

After: Blood is returning to my hands. This is another look at the  pinking up process.

After: This is after I had been wearing the orthotic for a while and my hands had fully warmed up. 

After: My new normal! A lot less blue!

Commonly Asked Questions

The following questions are in regards to my orthotic and the Oral Systemic Balance


How is this different from the mouth guard you can buy at the grocery store, or custom ones made by your dentist?
I tried the grocery store mouth guard and the custom mouth guard from my dentist before going to see Dr. Robson. Neither of these helped me, in fact they made me worse.

While, my orthotic does fit over my teeth in a similar way, however, the design of it is completely different. The other mouth guards just prevent your teeth from grinding on one another. This orthotic actually redirects my tongue and jaw so that I get more air.

My orthotic is worn all day and all night. The only time I take it out is to eat. I have grown accustomed to the proper amounts of oxygen. It is very noticeable when I take it out, my hands start turning blue, and my chest starts pulling back in. My body also starts to produce adrenaline to adjust to the decrease in air.

Why does it cost so much?
The orthotic itself does not cost $16,000, it is the entire process. This process is called Oral Systemic Balance. This is the estimated cost of my recovery process based on the best plan Dr. Robson has to get me well. The process can not be completed in just one sitting. As my body changes and responds to the increased level of oxygen, the orthotic needs to be changed and modified.

When I go to the office I am not just having a brief meeting with Dr. Robson. There are several technicians who work to adjust my orthotic. I also see an RN who is monitoring my body functions and changes. I receive complete care while in their office. Most of my appointments have lasted about 2 hours or more.


Have you continued to see improvement?
In the first week I noticed better sleeping, tone and color of my skin and more energy.

Within the month I stopped taking all my medications. 

Before I received my orthotic I had a large indentation in my chest. Since I have been wearing the orthotic my chest has pulled forward dramatically. The amount of air that I am getting in each breath has increased significantly.

Before this, if I did too many activities (fun or otherwise) it was always followed by some kind of sickness that lasted for a week. After getting the retainer/ orthotic I was able to go on a week long mission trip with my family, and I did not get sick when I returned.

I have had many more amazing experiences -- like what it's like to sing and breathe at the same time!

Our quality of life has improved dramatically. I am told that this is just the beginning.

Is this a common problem? 
As I understand it, this is an extremely common problem. There are lots of testimonies with dramatic results for all kinds of symptoms. There has been amazing results for those with Fibromyalgia, Autism, ADD and ADHD, Bulimia, Anorexia and many drug and alcohol addictions, depression, chronic fatigue, sleep apnea and the list goes on.

Side Note: I did not have any of the above conditions. 

How can I find out more about it?
Further information can be found at www.oralsystembiology.com.

A fellow patient and blogger share's her story at: http://myhealthtestimony.blogspot.com/.


There are numerous discussion threads that mention Doctor Farrand Robson
and Oral Systemic Balance(OSB).

Article by Dr. Robson

Article: Miracles in Medicine

It felt like a good idea

I love telling stories to children. I have to say that I think using felt pieces makes story telling extra fun. Children can see the story, and you can animate it for them. Then after you tell the story the children can play with the story elements.
I have even used felt pieces when teaching my creative writing class to older children. They loved it.
There are lots of sets out there to buy. The best ones tend to be rather expensive. I have been blessed because some friends gave us a bunch of felt pieces. Some of them are simple shapes and animal shapes. I use these to help the girls practice counting and simple addition and subtraction.
We also have some sets of fairy tale stories. They love to listen to those stories, then make up their own variations during their own pretend play time.
Most special of all, my Grammie gave me her felt board pieces that she used to use in Five Day Clubs. They are Bible characters and stories. Some came from kits, others she drew and colored herself. They are in amazing condition. It was so special for her to pass them to me. She knew I would use them as she had.

So, imagine my extreme excitement when I discovered a bag stuffed full of felt Bible pieces in our local thrift store for $20. I wanted to see what pieces it contained so I took it to the counter and opened it. Much to my dismay when the bag was opened an odious smell rose to my nose. To me the pieces reeked of cat pee. They were also covered in cat hair. (I am allergic to cats)

I brought this to the attention of the two ladies at the counter. So the ladies took turns sticking their faces in the plastic bag. "Oh no," they said ", it doesn't smell like cat pee, a cat just sat on it."
I was not convinced, I was still smelling cat pee, but they were sticking their faces into that smelly bag and coming back up only smelling cat.
So then began the group discussion as to whether or not these felt pieces could be washed.
Another customer joined the discussion and also smelled the bag. The lady thought they could probably be washed in the machine on cold and a delicate cycle.
Everyone had voted and I was out numbered. But, I was not going to pay $20 for a bag of felt pieces covered in cat fur and possibly cat pee.
So the ladies at the counter decided to take the bag of felt pieces to the experts in the back.
The experts in the back said that it reeked of cat pee and that they were going to throw it out. However, if I wanted them I could have them for free.
At this moment my brain malfunctioned.... it focused in on free felt pieces... sweet! I forgot to remember: #1. These are covered with cat pee. #2. They are covered with cat hair, and I am allergic. #3. I never looked to see what stories it contained. #4. Do I have time for this project?
Finally, after months of procrastination, I decided to open the smelly bag.
My friend Maria had started selling Norwex. The Norwex products are really quite amazing and I will be featuring them on my blog often. She gave me a sample bottle of the odor eliminator to test out. (All the products are environmentally friendly and safe for people with extremely sensitive allergies and asthma).

I threw the bag of stinky felt into the wash on cold with the odor eliminator. Amazingly it worked! There was no odor! But, they still had cat hair on them.
There were a lot more felt pieces in there than I realized. But the more I looked at them, the more random and weird they seemed. I had to lay them out to dry, and they took up my entire counter and table. Then I ended up using the lint roller on each piece. At this point Rory was very concerned that I had totally lost my mind.
I had to do an extensive online search to try and determine what story the pieces were from. In the end, they came from a bunch of different stories.
So there is a sad ending to this story.... I couldn't use any of the pieces!!! After all that time and energy.
However, the church has a similar set that someone donated. So maybe they will be used for good after all.
And, I got to test out the Norwex Odor Eliminator and I like it a latte! Check it out!

More than a Little Chicken

On Fridays I would like to take the time to talk about facing some of my many fears. Now, when I refer to something as a fear... it is more along the lines of an apprehension. For the purpose of this blog I will define 'fears' as:  things that I am not confident with, avoiding, have never done, or have tried with out much success. Since I have many  things that fit this description I have decided to devote a category to it on my blog. Here is the first installment of Freaky Friday. Freaky Friday is devoted to me sharing with you the story of how I tried to face yet another fear.

Today's Fear: Cooking a whole Bird

One of the most important keys to keeping your grocery budget down is to stop buying individual pieces of meat. It is best to wait until chicken goes on sale and then buy the whole bird. Your first meal will be Chicken Dinner, then you cut up and freeze the cooked meat and use it in other chicken dishes through out the month. From Chicken sandwiches, to salads, to stir fry, to chicken pot pie.... the list goes on. This should save you time and money.
I have heard this rule of thumb time and again. It makes sense.... I want to do it, but some how that bag of frozen, boneless, skinless, chicken breasts keep jumping into my cart while at Costco.

Then this little hen fluttered into my life....
As a family in the ministry at a church in a rural farming community we enjoy and also rely on people from the congregation sharing with us. We enjoy and survive on fresh meat, fruits and vegetables donated by people from their personal farms. It is a wonderful thing!
So when my friend Kris put a frozen chicken in each of my hands-- I thought "Here's my chance!"
These chickens came home with me sat in my freezer for a month, while I worked up the nerve to cook them. Then one day it happened.... we needed chicken. I defrosted the bird in the fridge and put it in the pan. Then I panicked.
What do I do with this thing! Do I need to reach up it's crevasse and pull some stuff out? Does it matter that there are a few feathers on the feet? Do I wash it off or something?

Fortunately my friend Maria was on her way over. She knew exactly what to do.
First she asked me, "How well did you know this chicken?"
"Well, I didn't know it personally, I am sure I saw it pecking around my friend's house before," I answered.
"Ah, so it's a laying hen!" Maria replied.
I just gave her a slow wide eyed nod at that point.
"Well in that case, put it in a pot and boil the heck out of it! Don't take it off the stove until the meat falls off the bones. You can't bake a laying hen, the meat will be too tough."

In a few swift moments Maria then sliced the laying hen open to make sure there were no parts left inside. She got rid of what remained. Then she washed the dirt off in cold water and plucked the remaining feathers.

I pulled out my one big pot and stuck the bird in there. But there was an issue with the feet. The fact that there were still feet.

No problem, Maria tired to use a knife to cut them off and then just started bashing the leg/foot against the edge of the pot until it broke off.

After filling the pot with water I added celery, onions, carrots and various herbs and olive oil to the pot while it simmered. Then when all the meat was falling off the bone I strained out the bones. I set some chicken and broth aside for chicken and rice soup. I kept a few containers of meat to use in Chicken Pot Pie. I also filled several ice cube trays with broth so that I would have smaller amounts available while cooking. Then I froze larger amounts of chicken broth in cleaned out yogurt containers.

As promised, that little chicken has provided several meals for us and lots of nourishing broth to use is many meals and soups to come.

Easter Bunny Bypass

It is that time of year again where parents find themselves in a merry-go-round of faith, logic and emotion.
To quote my husband, "Easter is the most important day of the whole year!" As Christians, Easter is the day that trumps all other days. Without the resurrection of Jesus Christ there really is no point to Christianity. So when it comes to celebrating Easter... it is kind of a big deal to us.
Growing up, my parents definitely put a lot of emphasis on Easter. One thing that they did was separate celebrating Spring from celebrating Easter. We did all those fun things like decorating eggs, baskets filled with goodies and finding the eggs all on the First Day of Spring (or close to it). Then when it came closer to Easter we could focus on the meaning of it as a family.
Another thing that happened in my childhood around Eastertime was the first of my major surgeries. I was only 10 and it was a major and painful surgery (Pectus Escavottum). (My chest cavity grew inwards and was restricting my lungs and pushing my heart up into my shoulder.) My friends and family were so sweet and also worried and they showered me with gifts-- because of the season it was lots of little bunny figurines and little chicks and sweet pastel colored things. I really enjoyed the gifts, but now they are forever connected with times of great pain and days in the hospital. It is so interesting how much seeing those things really take me back to that time.
I am not sad that all these bunny rabbits and cutesie Easter decorations are synonymous with pain for me. It sends my mind on a direct path back to the cross. The pain I felt did not compare to the pain that Jesus endured on the cross. However, it did teach me about the meaning of pain. I could not believe that someone went through that much pain for me. It also gave me a glimpse at the meaning of separation at that young age. I was separated from my friends because I could not play with them for months. I couldn't be hugged or bumped because there was nothing protecting my heart. (The cartilage in my sternum had been removed so that it would regrow in a new shape that left more room for my heart and lungs.) The separation I felt in no way compares to the great separation that Jesus endured as God turned his back on him, when he took on the sins of the world. But what I experienced made me think about how Jesus must of felt.
I believe that culturally all the bunnies and chicks are meant to soften something grotesque. It is hard to think about Jesus being crucified on the cross. None of us want to face the fact that we are sinners and that Jesus died because of things that we have done.
So we try to paint the scene at Golgotha in pinks and yellows. We have a lovable bunny character bounce from house to house and give our kids candy. But in the end all the "Easter extras" are like spraying lilac scented air freshener in a stinky bathroom-- it smells like lilacs but it still smells like poop. So the question has to be asked-- is it improved? All this to say, we have to acknowledge our sin and face the cross straight on because our attempts to sidestep it or candy coat it get us nowhere.
So here I am, a mother of two sweet babes. I want to above all teach them to know Jesus. But, I also want to preserve their innocence and not overburden them before they can process and respond properly. I don't want them to grow up feeling deprived of fun and excitement.
So with much prayer we move forward at Eastertime--teaching, playing and most of all rejoicing that we have a Father in heaven who loved us so much He sent his one and only Son to die in our place, so that we could live with God forever in heaven and be guided through this life on Earth by His Holy Spirit.

Resurrection Eggs

Last year was the first time I heard about Resurrection eggs. My friend Tammy told me how she and her family had been opening an egg that had a little figurine and Scripture to represent a part of the Easter Story. They had 12 eggs to open for, one for every day on the 12 days before Easter. I thought this was a wonderful idea. 

You can either make your own Resurrection Egg kits or buy them prepared. I wanted to make our own. However, I found that some of the items are a little hard to come up with and take either planning or a sharp eye looking out for them through out the year. 

I had great plans of making Resurrection Eggs and making part of our family tradition. I got as far as getting an egg carton and filling it with 12 plastic eggs. Then my girls got very sick for a whole month. So this project didn't happen. But to my great joy and surprise, Rory's mom had made Resurrection eggs for their family in April of 1981. She still had them and they are in perfect condition. Even the piece of bread she lacquered was still in tack. Rory does not remember using them, but his older sisters do. These are even better than what I could have come up with and the fact that these were from when Rory was a baby makes them even more special. Rory's mom said we could use them this year.

This Resurrection set has more than 12 eggs to open. Rather than go through one egg each night-- Grandma and Grandpa hid them around the yard and the girls had great fun finding them. Once inside we opened up each one and went through the story. It was so much fun!

Tips from this Kit made by Rory's mom Lillian 

(Pictured below):

~Use larger eggs. These eggs are too big to be stored in a regular egg carton, but the larger size makes it easier to find emblems that will fit.

~ Spray Lacquer on your bread and that piece of bread will last over 30 years.

~ Print out the verses and stick them inside the eggs with the figurines

~Number the outside of the eggs- these just have little stickers, but you could use puff paint or a permanent marker.

~ Be creative, and keep your eyes open for items that would work.

* Scroll down to see more items you can add to your kit*

1. Bread-- John 6:8

2. Coins to represent the 30 pieces of silver. Matt. 26:14-16

3. Rope- Used to bind Jesus. John 18:12-13

4. Robe- John 19:2

5. Crown of Thorns- Matt 27:29

6. Whip- John 19:1

7. Cross- John 19:18

8. Sign reading ' King of the Jews'- John 19:19

 9. Sponge- John 19:28-29

10. Spear- John 19:33-37

11. Linen Clothes- John 19:40

12. Spices- John 19:39

13. Empty Tomb- Matt. 25: 5-6

14. Angel- John 20: 11-13

Other items that you can add to your kit include:

~Palm Branch-  Matt 21: 8-9

~Donkey- (John 14:14-15)-- If you can't find one, borrow a donkey from your nativity scene

 ~Cup- (Matthew 26:26-28, Mark 14:23-25)--A doll house cup would work. Or you can make your own goblet out of clay.

~Foot or a Basin and Pitcher- (John 13:1, 3-5), Represents Jesus washing the disciple's feet

~Praying Hands - (Mark 14:32-24) Look at a thrift store, you can fashion some out of clay.

~ Three small nails - (John 19:17-18) You would open this between the Whip and the Cross eggs

~Dice-(John 19: 23-24)  

~Rock- (Matthew 27:57-61, 65-66) Check your back yard or pick one up special while on vacation this year. 

*** After the Empty Tomb and Angel***

~ Fish- (Luke 24:41-33)

~ Clouds- (Acts 1:11) Cotton Balls

Rory and CJ discovering what's in the egg. 

The eggs after they have been found. The tin Grandma used to store them in all these years. 

Rose and  her Grandma the creator of this set.

Here are some eggcellent stories and a movie full of songs and rhymes to go along with your Resurrection Eggs. We really enjoy Miss Patty Cake and her songs. They are catchy and full of good teaching.