Valentine’s Day is such a fun day to go out of our way to give each other a little extra “lovin”. Yes, yes, I know that it is a totally commercialized day but it’s still fun, isn’t it?! Here are a few ideas of fun crafts and snacks to make with the family to make your Valentine’s Day extra special. Have fun!
Note: There are a few crafts without links but the pictures are self-explanatory and these are all super simple.
Paper Heart Garland Continue reading
Yay for Saturdays! Yes I know, I probably say that every Saturday.
On this particular Saturday our house guests got to hang around a little later so instead of fast muffins, I went all out. We had fresh fruit, apple muffins, blueberry pecan muffins, breakfast sausage, pumpkin pancakes, and eggs. It was a great way to start the day and so nice to share it with new friends.
Started this day off great… went somewhere weird and strange…. and ended spectacularly. Check it.
For breakfast my meal plan had us eating pumpkin stuffed sausage muffins, and we did… even though I forgot to make them. I have a stockpile, and you should too, of quick healthy items in my deep freezer and thankfully I have a bunch of muffins. I pulled out enough for breakfast, threw them in the oven for 10 minutes and voila: breakfast! And yes, they were still dee-lish! (Just ask Levi…)
Lunch. Well, lunch is where we entered the weird zone and didn’t emerge until dinner. I have no idea what happened. I really don’t! When I went to start on dinner I got to thinking, what did we end up having for lunch? I thought and thought and finally yelled up to the kids, “What did we have for lunch?!” The answer: “Uuummm… muffins? Uuummm….. did we eat lunch?” They didn’t know either and it then it finally came to me. Continue reading
My hubby, Brandon, is joining our Whole Family in eating 100% paleo for the month of January. He has successfully completed 3 whole30′s and ended the last one in July at his lowest and most healthiest weight in our 10 years of marriage.
Like many of us, life took over since then with a new move, new job, new house, new dog, and new baby on the way- and food became a comfort. Check out where he is and where he plans on being. Cheering for you Brandon!
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Hi. My name is Brandon and I am obese. Haha, just kidding… kind of….well, not really.
I bought batteries for our scale today. BIG mistake. Stepped on and it read: one at a time please.
I was 160 in July, today I weighed in at a svelte 200 pounds.
Wow. That was my reaction. Wow.
I have 2 chins, a cavern for a belly button, and 40 extra pounds of flubber. I feel NOT great, can’t breathe after short walks (which is totally ridiculous), and can’t play with my kids like I want to. I desire to be in the best shape of my life- round not being that shape.
I have been eating what I want for a while now: cream sauces, bread, all kinds of dressings, Papadeaux’s, huge amounts of desserts…. and it shows. It REALLY shows.
Through the windshield of my life I see the stress of a job that is demanding more than I’ve ever given, a 4th child on it’s way along with the adoption of a stubborn dog, and I need to be different than what I am now to handle it. From the way I feel, to the way I look, to the way I handle all these pressures, I need to be different.
And so- when in 3 days from now I want to slap somebody because they have an a pint of Ben and Jerry’s Chubby Hubby I will draw upon my desire to be different and tell myself IT’S JUST NOT WORTH IT!
I know I won’t plummet to 160 overnight but when the belt starts loosening… a step has been made and it’s motivation to take another step.
That’s my motivation, it’s simple. I love to eat but I cannot leave this legacy. My dad just topped 260. I can’t do that. I don’t want to give that to my kids. I don’t want to raise my arms to worship God or pick my kids up and show off my entire hairy belly to the world.
I want to be healthy. I need God to be with me, to be seeking Him, to be disciplined. I need to be fit. I want to feel better. I keep doing what I hate. I eat McDonald’s and then feel awful and then wander why I ate it. It’s my flesh fighting against what is good for me. I’m not going to be perfect in this but I can get as close as possible, with God’s help.
My goal: To feel good, to bench my all time high, to be physically strong functionally, not just for vain purposes but to feel good. I don’t want to be tired anymore. Physical strength contributes to mental strength and I want my mental strength to be at it’s best. Spiritually I want to get up early to be with the Lord and feel great about it. I want to be disciplined and enjoy my life.
I am looking forward to a 2013 that sees me reaching new heights with physical growth, spiritual growth, and emotional health. I desire a balanced life and I plan on achieving my goals to get there.
Join me as I take the first step…again…. in this difficult and worthwhile journey. It will not be easy but then again nothing worth doing is. It’s a battle and it will continue to be a battle. Instead of pretending the battle is not raging and being steered by the current whims of life let’s take an intentional step forward and pray that Yahweh will cover us in the day of war.
Onward guys, let’s do this.
In my search for an easy, make-ahead, veggie and protein filled, delicious and hot breakfast that can feed a few or an army I came up with this masterpiece: Lagniappe Casserole.
For you “non-New Orleanians” lagniappe is the extra, the good stuff, the bonus yumminess.
This casserole most certainly contains “the good stuff”. I had leftover ham from Thanksgiving and since we always have veggies on hand, this meal really was “the extra” as well. I’m sure I, and all you creative cookers out there, will be making this time and time again with new ingredients every time. You know what I want to try? Crawfish tails, sausage and mushrooms! A crawfish boil for breakfast. Haha, I know…. my love for New Orleans is coming out!
I highly recommend chopping the veggies and meat the day before and throwing it all in the dish the morning of. Talk about a 2 minute prep time. Even easier would be to make the entire dish the night before and heat up the pieces the next morning. I am always looking for a quick and easy breakfast meal because lets face it, who has the time to make a big meal every morning, no matter how badly you want to feed your family well? Perfect answer: Lagniappe Casserole.
I hope you enjoy this tasty dish and let me know what variations you come up with! Continue reading
Here we are again, paleo meal planning for all to see!
Why are we doing this? Because although it has become “normal” for us to eat paleo, meal plan, check labels, eat great food, it’s not always normal or easy for everyone. Our goal in planning our meals, and documenting each and every one of them in pictures, is to encourage you and your family to do the same!
One of the main hurdles I hear to eating healthy is the planning process. “If only we could plan ahead and know what to buy at the store, it might be easier and more doable.” Well…. here you go!
I will be posting our meal plans here for the coming week every weekend to get me to the grocery store…. and hopefully you as well.
What will our meals consist of? Simple, easy, whole food, dairy-free, grain-free, legume-free foods full of meat, fish, eggs, veggies, and some nuts and berries. Lots of great REAL food.
Sound overwhelming? I hope not! Once you get the hang of paleo eating it becomes second nature, super simple, and believe me- you will feel FANTASTIC!
So here goes.
Our January Paleo Meal Plan!
I hope you’re enjoying our Simple Christmas posts and ideas!
We started with the idea of having a “Simple Christmas”, gave suggestions on how to “Overcome the Blues” during this season, and now…..
some wonderful, real, simple, and doable suggestions on how to enjoy this “Simple Christmas”!
As always, and especially during this Whole30 our family is focused on learning and growing in God’s word. I have heard wonderful reviews of this product, the Child Training Bible. This simple, yet profound tool allows you to turn your bible, into something easy to understand and use for your children. It allows you and your children to go directly to 20 key areas of the bible in a flash, focusing on what they bible tells us to “put on” and “put off”. This bible tool is perfect for any age, for any group, and for anyone wanting to dig deeper and learn more about what God is telling us through His word. (For more information click the picture.)
I am so glad to have finally placed my order for the Child Training Bible and guess what, I ordered one for you too!
That’s right, I am so excited about how this bible tool will help my whole family, that I want your family to have one as well.
Click here to enter to win your free copy of the Child Training Bible!
As we start our “Whole Family” Whole30 I know I need this book to remind me of well, how “it starts with food”.
I attended a Whole9 conference earlier in the year and have participated in many Whole30′s. My entire family’s health has dramatically changed thanks to the wisdom I have learned from Dallas and Melissa. I have heard that this book is even more life-changing and I for one can’t wait to crack it open and gain more insight through it. (Click the picture to learn more.)
While placing my order this morning I had a genius moment.
If I want this book so badly, there are probably a whole lot of other people who want it too.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
So, what did I do? I ordered one for myself, and one for you.
“Jeremiah’s D.A.D. Benefit Night” was a huge success!
Thank you, thank you , thank you to everyone that came out to support us. There were many new and old friends that attended and I am so thankful for all of you.
It really was a wonderful night.
The Music Boat Cruise departs from Miami, Florida on November 5th and returns on Novemeber 9th with a stop at the Grand Turk Island all aboard the Carnival Imagination.
The cruise includes many musical guests, wonderful guest speakers, comedians, and more!
Our fundraising efforts for Jeremiah’s diabetic alert dog are paying off and we are absolutely thrilled with everything God is doing! We are currently more than halfway to our goal!
Here’s the low-down on what we have coming up, the auctions we are hosting, the goodies we’re selling now, the promotions we are involved in, and how you can join us. For a more detailed update and to watch our latest news video check this out.
(If you would like to make a monetary donation please contact me at fundraisingforjeremiah@gmail.com. Thank you!)
The biggest and best fundraiser we are so excited about and looking forward to the absolute most is….
“Jeremiah’s D.A.D. Benefit Night”
Our benefit night will be held at Ormond Plantation House on June 2nd at 6pm. Tickets are only $10 and can be purchased here. We are expecting this night to by HUGE with music by Sid Bardfield, food from local restaurants, and over 100 silent auction items graciously donated by businesses across the country. We will have a representative from Warren Retrievers and hopefully the JDRF at our fundraiser. Please let your friends and family know about our benefit night. We only have 100 tickets left and will not be able to sell them at the door. It’s going to be an glamourous, exciting night so please purchase your tickets now and mark your calendars. Thank you!
To a whole lot of moms out there today is a joyous, much-anticipated, celebratory day that encompasses everything we’ve always wanted. To have children. To be a mom.
And what a wonderful day it is! I know, for me, this day brings back the flood of memories of each of my children’s birth and what amazing, hard, exciting days they were. I squeeze my kids a little tighter today and think back on the last year and how much has changed, how much they’ve grown. I even have those flashes in my mind of what it will be like 10 years, 20 years, 30 years from now. I actually can’t imagine, but it’s fun to try!
To a whole lot of moms out there today really is a joyous day… even through the pain of miscarriage and loss. For many, many moms, including myself, today is also a reminder of the babies that we can’t cuddle this side of heaven. It’s a reminder of yet another reason we are kingdom-minded, because it is only there that we will lovingly hold the children we only held for a moment here. How much I look forward to that day!
So, enjoy your day mom! Enjoy your children and the quirky, sweet, silly, cute things they do and say. As I write this Levi is running into the sofa over and over saying “Yook Mommy!” I love it!
Remember also that I am praying, many of us are praying, for you moms who don’t have all of your children here. And please, please don’t think that because your child is not in your arms that you are not a mom. You are a mom. A strong, amazing, blessed mom.
Happy Mother’s Day to all you moms. All of you. May God bless you on this day and always.
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A dear friend-of-a-friend has graciously donated a gently used, in like-new condition, AB Circle Pro Fitness Abdominal Trainer Machine for us to auction off for Jeremiah’s D.A.D. fundraising!
“Wow God”!
Here’s the way it works:
The AB Circle is valued at $89 but the bidding for ours will start at only $10.
If you would like to make a bid you can comment on this post in increments of $5. You can bid as many times as you like!
Whoever has the highest bid when the auction closes wins. It’s that simple, and that easy, to get you and your family a wonderful new workout tool for your home! Please spread the word to anyone you think may be interested in this great offer. (Sorry guys, this is only for my local peeps.)
The bidding opens NOW and will close in one week, on Sunday May 20th at 8pm.
So thankful, not only for this opportunity to raise funds for Jeremiah’s D.A.D., but also that through this auction we are able to help you and your family continue on the road to great health.
Let the bidding begin! Continue reading
A dear friend of mine, Patsy, has graciously donated a gently used, in like-new condition, Proform Elliptical Crosstrainer 800 for us to auction off for Jeremiah’s D.A.D. fundraising!
“Wow God”!
Here’s the way it works:
The Proform Elliptical Crosstrainer is valued at at least $341.00 but the bidding for ours will start at only $25.00.
If you would like to make a bid you can comment on this post in increments of $5. You can bid as many times as you like!
Whoever has the highest bid when the auction closes wins. It’s that simple, and that easy, to get you and your family a wonderful new workout tool for your home! Please spread the word to anyone you think may be interested in this great offer. (Sorry guys, this is only for my local peeps.)
The bidding opens NOW and will close in one week, on Sunday May 20th at 8pm.
So thankful, not only for this opportunity to raise funds for Jeremiah’s D.A.D., but also that through this auction we are able to help you and your family continue on the road to great health.
Let the bidding begin!
Start with half a head of cabbage and slice it up as thin as you want it. For our family we needed about 5 cups.
Next, grate one small carrot into the cabbage. I had a ginormous monster carrot from the farmers market so I just grated on it until I had enough. You want about a third the amount of carrots to cabbage. Don’t worry: You can’t mess this up! Continue reading
We were in the mood for a snack today and thought we would try something new. Well not exactly new…it’s actually been around forever… but it’s new to us. Introducing: Ants on a Log.
I was worried the kids wouldn’t end up liking these but they were so excited to make them that we made them despite my fears. I held my breath (figuratively, of course) the whole time we made them. I even put them on a plate and walked away so they wouldn’t see my anxious face. Then I listened. What did I hear? “Yum!” “These are SO good!” “More, more!” “Mommy, can you make some moooore?!”
Success! They LOVED them! Go figure Jeremiah liked them the most and he is definitely the pickiest one of them all. Continue reading
We had a great Day 3!!!
We started the day out right with a WONDERFUL and DELICIOUS recipe from Make it Paleo by Bill and Hayley over at The Food Lover’s Primal Palate called…….wait for it……. Eggplant Hole in the Head. I really wanted to try it mainly because of the name. They were so easy to make and, of course, my “Whole Family” loved them. And they’re fun too! With the leftover pieces of eggplant I put them in scrambled eggs and Levi ate them as a snack later in the day. I added avocado for the good fat it offers….and because it makes me smile.
Our life after whole30/20……..
We finished our whole20! The whole family did a great job and stuck to our goals. It honestly has gotten to be such a “lifestyle” that the sacrifice or difficulty of eating healthy isn’t a huge deal anymore. Really. If we know what we can eat- food that comes from the earth or an animal- then we’re not tempted by all the other food because we know it’s not an option. We also are very much aware of how good we feel when we eat right that it’s hardly worth it to eat the processed foods.
We are trying to ”spice up” our breakfast menu so we decided to go crazy in the kitchen this morning experimenting. Thankfully we were VERY successful! We were going for s scone-esk breakfast goodie and that’s pretty much what we got. You might even call them cookies if you wanted to… they are that good after all! Since they are our very own creation we had to come up with a name so I must give the credit to Jeremiah, because he really wants it, who named our creation “pumpkin patch minis”. Btw, I must tell you guys what Jeremiah said as he was eating these (might give you guys incentive to make these for your kiddos). He said, “You know Mommy, I think healthy food tastes a whole lot better than bad food.” SUCCESS!!!
Enjoy your pumpkin patch minis! From our kitchen to yours……
We topped them with a little bit of all natural, unsweetened strawberry fruit spread. They were delicious!
