I'm no expert on this subject. Actually, just really trying to get started. But, that's why I'm writing this post, (it's gonna be a long one) in case you or anyone you know want to get started and don't know where to start.
Let me start with the healthy eating part.
About a year ago, some friends of ours began a healthy lifestyle/eating journey that was prompted by watching some eye opening documentaries on food. We watched them too. Scary stuff. Really, scary stuff.
Most of the food we consume in America today is processed to a point that it is almost not even food anymore. We are all busy, busy, busy. So, we buy food that is processed, prepackaged, frozen, powdered, and conveniently presented in individual portions. And, we buy this "food" because it is convenient to our busy lifestyle. Even those of us that stay at home to raise our families are busier than the generations before us. Who can imagine the life of your grandmother or great grandmother who likely got up before the sun and prepared breakfast from scratch and then went out to tend her garden or start the laundry (which was washed by hand), then lunch, dinner prep, and somewhere in there find time to do the dishes and clean the house and tend the kids and tend the livestock. She canned her own food. She made the soap they used. She sewed all their clothes. Some of us may have to reach back even a few more generations to find that kind of lifestyle, but you get the idea. Sounds unimaginable, right? Then think about us. We may not have the same list of daily tasks, but taking care of your family and home and then adding in a job, transporting kids to school, extra-curricular activities, grocery shopping, bill paying, and million other things is no easy feat. Who would have time to cook from scratch? And forget about trying to source real, whole, natural food easily. I mean, most of us don't have a farm out our back door.
Real, whole, natural food is expensive. An apple costs more than a candy bar. Food in its natural state costs more than food that is processed. It makes no sense. Fresh asparagus costs more than canned asparagus. Why?! I don't even like asparagus, but that is beside the point. There is a lot of information out there on why this is the case. I encourage you to research and make yourself educated on the subject.
When I go to the grocery store I look in other people's carts. No, I'm not a cart stalker. I just try to take notice of things. I see carts full of boxes of food. Plastic bags of food. Bottles and cans of high fructose corn syrup labeled as soda. I don't see much real food. I was guilty of this very practice of shopping for many years. I was too busy to prepare and cook real food. Most weeks you couldn't find any fresh food in our home. I'm ashamed. My kids grew up thinking frozen chicken strips with mac n cheese from a box was a good home cooked meal.
It's no wonder so many people are sick all the time. I don't remember seasonal illnesses being this bad when I was younger. Things like the flu, strep throat, and stomach bugs didn't seem to knock a whole town on their behinds the way they do now. I know lots of folks that get several bad sicknesses every year. Without fail. We have been blessed. We have had our share, trust me. But, we haven't had so many issues since we took the kids out of public school.
Back to our friends and their healthy eating journey. They began by juicing. They juiced fresh vegetables and fruit for two meals each day and had a vegan supper. They fed their bodies this way for many months. They lost weight. The husband was able to stop taking some of his prescription medications. Juicing is fabulous, but VERY expensive. After a while they slowed down on the juicing and were eating more meals, but still a mostly vegan diet. They have been flexible and eaten meals out and even went "off" their eating plan for a few weeks. But, they came back to it. Why? Because they feel better and they know it's better for their bodies.
We followed suit shortly after our friends began their journey. We bought a juicer and a whole mess of fresh veggies and fruit. We spent a ton of money. It lasted about a week. Juicing, while SO good for you, is a hassle, expensive, and messy. And, I was hungry. I needed something to chew. So we switched to a mostly vegan diet. We still used dairy products in our cooking. Mostly because as hard as we tried, we could not let go of cheese. We love cheese. We stayed on this "vegan" type lifestyle for approximately three months. My boys were begging for some meat. My mother complained about not having meat. I craved a hamburger nearly every day. The hubs was over the moon happy. He loved our meatless meals. Silly man.
I broke down and bought a package of hamburger meat for one of our meals one week. The boys whooped and high fived each other. I felt slightly bad that they had not had what their bodies were craving for so long. Don't get me wrong, I encourage anyone who wishes to go "meatless" to do it. I felt good and I knew I was healthier during this period. But, my body told me it wanted more than what I was giving it. I firmly believe that you can eat very healthily and still eat meat.
Okay, so you're not a vegan and don't want to be. But, you'd like to feed your family healthier food. Where do you start?
(1)Stop eating out. YIKES! I know. We do still eat out on occasion, but we try our best to stay away from fast food. If we eat in a restaurant, we try to choose they healthiest looking options on the menu. There are always exceptions, but we try to make this the rule.
(2)You MUST read labels! Learn what is in your food. If you cannot pronounce it or have never heard of it, you should probably stay away from it. Above reading labels, when buying produce, meat, and dairy, find out where it is produced and how it is handled. If your grocer can't answer your questions, that should make you leery of purchasing those items from them. It would me. Steer clear of anything that is treated with chemicals.
(3)Stay away from high fructose corn syrup. Period. I don't care what the commercials say. Do a little research. You will be shocked. The stuff is in everything. Even stuff that doesn't make sense.
(4)Stop buying food that comes in a box. If it is a processed or powdered version of a food that copies a from scratch dish, DON'T BUY IT! The more processed a food is, the more likely it is to be bad for your health.
(5) Don't be scared of fat. Natural fat. God gave us this food with the knowledge that we would consume it. He did not give us canola oil and margarine. He gave us cows, which give us milk.That rich milk produces butter (and many other glorious things). Without chemicals. Butter is actually okay to eat. The extra lean ground beef is tough and chewy. Buy the 80/20 instead. Without fat, meat is tough and dry.
(6)Buy more produce! Fresh food is always best. I know it's expensive. But, guess what? When you stop consuming so much sugar and salt in all that processed food, you're not going to be as hungry. Surprise! When your body gets the nutrients it needs, you don't feel the need to eat as much or snack all the time.
(7)Learn to cook from scratch. I was over 40 before I learned to make some simple sauces that eliminated the need for canned "cream of " soups in my recipes. But I learned. And, guess what? The food tastes better.
(8)Learn to bake bread. From scratch, not from a box. Do you know how many preservatives are in a loaf of bread? If you can't bake or you can't find the time, buy bread from a real bakery. Not from a grocery store or large supercenter. From a real, local, baker. The bread will be delicious and you will be supporting your community.
(9)Grow a garden. Seriously. If you don't already, you should. You can't beat nearly free food. Some seed, a little know how, and lots of elbow grease added with sunshine, dirt, and water and you will have a bountiful supply of vegetables and fruit that will keep you in fresh food for a good while. Plan well, and you may have enough to can and keep yourself in veggies and fruit year round without a single trip to the grocery store.
(10)Learn how to can. Canning food was a necessity for generations past. Even now, in some areas of the US, where fresh food is not readily available, people rely on canning to get them through the winter.
When you make the decision to start eating fresh, whole, natural foods, you will have to do a lot of research. Don't try to make a complete overhaul of your eating lifestyle right away. Take one small step at a time. It makes things a lot less overwhelming. But, DO the research! Research ALL of the food you consume. Meat, dairy, produce, sugar, wheat, etc. You should be looking for things that have had no or virtually no processing or refining. What you consume directly affects your health. Surely your health is high on your priority list. Find a farmers market and shop there. Get to know the vendors and don't be scared to ask questions about their farming practices. Since farmers markets are seasonal, you will need to source another place to purchase your food during the fall, winter, and early spring. Look up your local chapter of the Weston A. Price Foundation and find a local farmer that might provide you with fresh produce, meat, milk, or eggs (or just get yourself some chickens). Outside of that, find a market that prides itself on providing organic, whole, and natural foods. One that doesn't mind sharing information with you, such as Whole Foods. But, just because a store like this carries an item, doesn't mean you should buy it. They still carry sodas, chips, and lots of packaged snacks. Are they better for you? Probably. But, these are things that you would consume very, very, very little of on a real, whole, natural food diet.
"How do you do all of this and stay on budget?", you ask. Sounds more difficult than it really is. I had scared myself away from shopping at a place like Whole Foods because it would be so much more expensive. I shopped for our groceries there just yesterday. I bought food for four dinners and several extras like some goat's milk soap and crusty bread and scones and.....probably a few other things that were not on my list. I spent $150. *GASP* Don't be shocked. I would have spent the same amount if I had bought the items at Walmart. I could have spent considerably less if I hadn't had the kids with me. Our normal grocery trip for 7 days worth of food is a minimum of $225. We feed 5 people and usually have quite a bit of leftover food. I'm trying to alter my cooking to end up with less leftovers unless planned.
Those figures may seem steep to you. That is what we are used to spending, and though we'd always like to spend less, we are okay working with that budget for now. Maybe you only have half that amount or even less to work with per week. You can still do it! I think the key to buying good, healthy food on a budget is to plan, plan, plan!
Here are some simple ways to help save money:
(1)ALWAYS have a menu plan for the week and stick to it. Plan every meal and plan for snacks.
(2)Check your receipts from recent grocery shopping trips. Have an idea of what you normally spend for the things you buy the most. Compare the prices of those items versus the whole/natural version you are trying to switch to. If the price difference is substantial, decide which items you are willing to spend more on and start there. Don't be discouraged if you can't switch everything else out at once.
(3)Comparison shop. Your local farmer may actually have much better pricing than your market or store. Or, maybe the opposite is true.
(4)Check the organic options at your regular grocery store. Most stores already do or are beginning to carry an organic line of some fruits, vegetables, meats, milk, etc.
(5)Check for sales and coupons from whatever store you choose to do your shopping with. The store's website should have sales posted and may have coupons to print directly from the website. There won't be many coupons for the types of food you will be shopping for, but there may be some.
(6)As mentioned above, plant a garden. No better way to save a TON of money on produce.
(7)Buy less meat. We are opting to eat a little less meat than normal. We may have "Meatless Monday", or simply prepare meals where meat is not the main focus. Meat as an ingredient in a casserole or other dish is a good way to reduce your consumption of meat. Meat is expensive whether it is organic/natural or not. Plan your meals carefully and purchase carefully. Don't buy more than is necessary, or buy much more than you need for the week. "Huh?!" A lot of stores discount the per pound price of meat in bulk packages. If you eat a lot of chicken, compare the per pound prices of the amount you need versus the large package that might give you enough chicken for 3 or 4 weeks. If the savings are good, buy the bulk pack, divide it up into separate packages for the appropriate number of meals and freeze the excess. No more buying chicken for the rest of the month.
(8)Don't "brand" shop. It doesn't matter what brand is on the package or label as long as the food is the healthiest version you can find. Often, the most recognized "brands" are owned by very large companies and may not have the best food handling/processing practices.
(9)Look for pre-bagged or packaged fruit and veggies sold at a per package price. Weigh your selection and purchase the heaviest one. Things like bags of oranges, apples, carrots, celery, lettuce, etc. are often priced as $$$ per bag, not per pound. If the item is a set price, by selecting the heaviest bag/package you can find, you could double the amount of produce you get without paying a single cent more!
(10)Cut out waste. Find ways to use everything up. Use leftover fruit (and maybe even veggie) scraps in smoothies. Don't throw away the empty butter wrapper. Use it to grease baking pans and casserole dishes. Use leftovers to your advantage and let them add to your family's next meal. If planned well, using leftovers could save quite a few dollars per week.
(11)Shop alone. I know quite a few people might disagree with me on this one, but this is the only way I can stick to a budget and my list. If I take the kids or even the hubs, I spend more. Every time. It may not be obvious while we are shopping, but it is painfully obvious at checkout. If they are not there, they cannot add things that they "have to have" to the cart and you don't come home with extras that you didn't plan for.
So, are you ready? If you are, I encourage you to scour the internet for good articles with sources for statistics, etc. given. Pinterest is a good place to start. If you have Netflix, watch Food, Inc. . You will learn a LOT about foods and how they are processed. By watching one food documentary on Netflix, tons of others will show up. Watch as many as you can handle. Try to digest as much information as you can, then do some research to try and back up what you watched. Make decisions about what changes you want to make in your eating lifestyle and then implement small changes. One step at a time.
If you have anything to add, I'd love to hear from you! I'd especially like to hear from anyone who may have shopping or money saving tips to add.
Blessings to you!
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Friday, January 24, 2014
Cheeseburger Mini Muffins
I saw this recipe in a cookbook type magazine many years ago. I would like to give credit to the original author of this recipe, but I have no idea how to find out who that is. But, whoever you are, dear inventive food friend, my children love you for making this recipe!
Ingredient List:
3 c Bisquick OR 3 c all purpose flour, 4 1/2 tsp baking powder, 3/4 tsp salt, and 3 T shortening, oil, or butter
1 # Ground Beef - I used 80/20
1 c milk
2 c shredded cheese
2-3 T mustard
3-4 T ketchup
1.5-2 T Hamburger seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional ingredients: chopped onion, dill relish
You will also need a mini muffin pan. A small cookie scoop and baking spray make things even easier.
Ingredient List:
3 c Bisquick OR 3 c all purpose flour, 4 1/2 tsp baking powder, 3/4 tsp salt, and 3 T shortening, oil, or butter
1 # Ground Beef - I used 80/20
1 c milk
2 c shredded cheese
2-3 T mustard
3-4 T ketchup
1.5-2 T Hamburger seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional ingredients: chopped onion, dill relish
You will also need a mini muffin pan. A small cookie scoop and baking spray make things even easier.
Gather your ingredients
Grab a skillet and brown your pound of ground beef. Once browned, drain on a paper towel lined plate.
In a large mixing bowl, add your dry ingredients plus oil/butter/shortening. If using butter or shortening, use a pastry cutter or a fork to "cut in" the butter/shortening. OR, if you are feeling lazy (ahem...me), just use a baking mix like Bisquick. Note: I normally try not to use food from boxes (processed, chemical laden junk), but I had the baking mix in the cabinet and the boys were hungry and, well, it was easier.
Add in two cups of shredded cheese of your choice. I used colby jack. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE do not buy pre-shredded cheese. They have to add stuff in there to keep the cheese from sticking together. It is not a substance you would normally consume. I shredded the cheese straight into the bowl.
Add in the mustard.
Now, the ketchup.
A little salt and pepper.
Add in the hamburger seasoning (the brand I had was McCormick).
Add the browned ground beef.
If you are adding in any optional ingredients such as chopped onion or relish, add it now.
Now, stir.
Stir a little more. Making sure it's well combined.
Spray your muffin pan. Or, use some butter or oil to grease each cavity.
Take a minute and use a paper towel to wipe the excess spray from the top of your muffin pan. You will thank me for this step later when you are doing dishes. And don't mind the shadow. That's just your eye playing tricks on you. It's not the horrible lighting in my kitchen.
Now, grab your mini cookie scoop. Mine is a 2oz scoop and has been an invaluable tool in my kitchen.
Use one leveled scoop to fill each cavity.
Bake at 350 for 20-22 minutes.
This recipe makes between 4.5 - 5 dozen mini muffins.
A little extra mustard and/or ketchup or if you are a freak (that's what the kids called me for doing it) some mayo for dipping makes them extra good.
You're welcome.
Monday, January 13, 2014
Arthur Itis (aka Arthritis)
Arthur Itis came to visit a while back. He has decided to have an extended stay. Presumably, until warm weather comes back. The thing is.........nobody likes him. Especially me. I did not invite him, and to be honest, he's quite annoying.
This annoying visitor has been hanging around my husband for many years. But, the hubs never really complains about him. He follows the hubs around everyday. Always there. Always. The man never complains about it. He must be a saint.
Apparently, I'm not a tolerant individual. Or, maybe it's my lack of humility. Someone I greatly respect pointed out my lack of humility at times to me recently (hangs head in shame). Pray for me about that. I don't want to be one of those people.
At any rate, our "visitor" has been popping in to see me specifically over the course of the past couple of years. I could usually expect his visit to coincide with some rainy weather. Rather, I could predict the rainy weather by my visitor's arrival. Annoying to say the least, to have him lurking about on already gray, gloomy days. But I always knew he would leave when the wet weather left. So, while the visits were annoying, I could always see the light at the end of the tunnel. I knew he would leave eventually.
"Arthur", as we will call him, is a well known visitor to older generations. His visits to me at such a young age were puzzling to me. I'm sort of "young", after all. I mean I'm no spring chicken, but I have a child under the age of 10, for Pete's sake! Nevermind the fact that I have a child that will be 20 *gasp* in a matter of days. But, he became a constant companion to my husband at a very young age (explanation to follow), so I tried not to be too offended.
My sister lives on the Gulf Coast. I think I have mentioned that before. The first time I went to visit her was in May of last year. It's a pretty long drive from here and I had volunteered to do all the driving. We were in my vehicle, after all. No sense endangering my baby to anyone else's possibly dangerous driving. Plus, my mother - we were going there together - has a lead foot. She does not observe the speed limit. EVER. And......I love you, Mom......I sometimes actually get car sick when I ride with her. It was all interstate and highway driving, so that shouldn't have happened, but I wasn't taking any chances. Who wants to ride 7-8 hours with a sick tummy? Ok, back to the point....After driving for a large number of hours, we were approaching the coast. I think we were about two hours out from our destination when, *POOF*, you know who shows up right there in the car! He landed right on top of my right hip and IT HURT! I voiced my complaint. My mom suggested Arthur's arrival was due to the fact that someone else needed to drive. I needed a break. Surely, that could not have been the reason, I stated. Arthur stayed with us the entire week visit. And, strangely enough, he left right about the same spot on the highway that he had first appeared - a couple of hours away from the coast. Strange. Maybe he likes humidity too. That must be it! But, if that's so, then why in the world would older people retire to Florida?!?!?!
Enter in our current season. The fall came. He visited a few times. Nothing out of the ordinary. Then the cold came. I had never really expected him to come just because it was cold. Shows how much I know. Had I simply done a little research before the cold weather came, I might have tried to prepare myself. How, I'm not sure. But, I would have tried. My visitor is actually quite abusive on really cold days. I medicate myself to try to drown out his incessant and irritating ways. After a few hours, the meds wear off and I feel him begin to poke and prod me yet again. It's exasperating. Actually, it's worse that exasperating. I used to really love the cold weather. I love snow. I love the crisp air. I love the drastic difference in scenery in winter. I love coming in and snuggling to get warm.
Arthur's cold weather visits last the entire cold season, apparently. That is why older people retire to Florida. They would rather put up with occasional visits than a season long camp out. Incidentally, I returned for a visit to my sister's in July of last year. Arthur never once interrupted that visit. He didn't come along for the ride and he didn't show up at my sister's house.
So, how do you get rid of Arthur? No amount of moaning and complaining works. Trust me on that one. Once he decides to come, he is here until he decides to leave. Trying to make his visit unbearable for him doesn't exactly work either. Arthur likes to make it difficult for the object of his visits to get around. He grips you unbearably to keep you from doing much. But, the more you move, the further he lags behind. "There's the answer!", you exclaim. "Not so simple", I quickly reply. Since he usually on visits when it's rainy and/or cold, he kind of makes it difficult to get out and get active. His visits always come with this double whammy. The little devil.
I don't like medicating myself just to tolerate his visits. I don't like taking medicine of any kind. The answer seems to be: Get out and get moving! He has a hard time keeping up. He clutches on HARD when you start, and boy does it hurt, but his grip loosens the more you move, and eventually he starts to lag so far behind you almost forget he's there. OR.......move to the gulf coast region.
I find myself dreaming of palm trees and warm breezes.
I'll leave you with something I saw on facebook the other day. A highschool friend of mine made a post that went something like this:
'Played Barbies with my daughter tonight. She chose one for me.
Daughter:"This one can be yours. Her knees crack like yours."
Mom: "Oh great. Arthritis Barbie?"
Daughter: "...and look! Her hand is on her hip and she says 'Oh, my hip hurts!"'
I laughed so hard at that!
OH! The hubs. I almost forgot. He broke his hip in a bad fall when he was a teenager. The break was so bad that it required surgery to insert a rod into his leg that was screwed to his bone from his hip almost all the way down to his knee. I met him right before he had surgery a year later to remove the rod. He was told when he had surgery to expect to start seeing Arthur at a young age. Again, I will mention that though he has had Arthur as an almost constant companion for more than half his life now, he does not complain. He's one tough fella. I, on the other hand, apparently am quite the dramatic. I announce Arthur's arrival quite loudly at times. The hubs listens to my complaints and never once suggests that I am being overly dramatic. He's a saint, I tell ya.
This annoying visitor has been hanging around my husband for many years. But, the hubs never really complains about him. He follows the hubs around everyday. Always there. Always. The man never complains about it. He must be a saint.
Apparently, I'm not a tolerant individual. Or, maybe it's my lack of humility. Someone I greatly respect pointed out my lack of humility at times to me recently (hangs head in shame). Pray for me about that. I don't want to be one of those people.
At any rate, our "visitor" has been popping in to see me specifically over the course of the past couple of years. I could usually expect his visit to coincide with some rainy weather. Rather, I could predict the rainy weather by my visitor's arrival. Annoying to say the least, to have him lurking about on already gray, gloomy days. But I always knew he would leave when the wet weather left. So, while the visits were annoying, I could always see the light at the end of the tunnel. I knew he would leave eventually.
"Arthur", as we will call him, is a well known visitor to older generations. His visits to me at such a young age were puzzling to me. I'm sort of "young", after all. I mean I'm no spring chicken, but I have a child under the age of 10, for Pete's sake! Nevermind the fact that I have a child that will be 20 *gasp* in a matter of days. But, he became a constant companion to my husband at a very young age (explanation to follow), so I tried not to be too offended.
My sister lives on the Gulf Coast. I think I have mentioned that before. The first time I went to visit her was in May of last year. It's a pretty long drive from here and I had volunteered to do all the driving. We were in my vehicle, after all. No sense endangering my baby to anyone else's possibly dangerous driving. Plus, my mother - we were going there together - has a lead foot. She does not observe the speed limit. EVER. And......I love you, Mom......I sometimes actually get car sick when I ride with her. It was all interstate and highway driving, so that shouldn't have happened, but I wasn't taking any chances. Who wants to ride 7-8 hours with a sick tummy? Ok, back to the point....After driving for a large number of hours, we were approaching the coast. I think we were about two hours out from our destination when, *POOF*, you know who shows up right there in the car! He landed right on top of my right hip and IT HURT! I voiced my complaint. My mom suggested Arthur's arrival was due to the fact that someone else needed to drive. I needed a break. Surely, that could not have been the reason, I stated. Arthur stayed with us the entire week visit. And, strangely enough, he left right about the same spot on the highway that he had first appeared - a couple of hours away from the coast. Strange. Maybe he likes humidity too. That must be it! But, if that's so, then why in the world would older people retire to Florida?!?!?!
Enter in our current season. The fall came. He visited a few times. Nothing out of the ordinary. Then the cold came. I had never really expected him to come just because it was cold. Shows how much I know. Had I simply done a little research before the cold weather came, I might have tried to prepare myself. How, I'm not sure. But, I would have tried. My visitor is actually quite abusive on really cold days. I medicate myself to try to drown out his incessant and irritating ways. After a few hours, the meds wear off and I feel him begin to poke and prod me yet again. It's exasperating. Actually, it's worse that exasperating. I used to really love the cold weather. I love snow. I love the crisp air. I love the drastic difference in scenery in winter. I love coming in and snuggling to get warm.
Arthur's cold weather visits last the entire cold season, apparently. That is why older people retire to Florida. They would rather put up with occasional visits than a season long camp out. Incidentally, I returned for a visit to my sister's in July of last year. Arthur never once interrupted that visit. He didn't come along for the ride and he didn't show up at my sister's house.
So, how do you get rid of Arthur? No amount of moaning and complaining works. Trust me on that one. Once he decides to come, he is here until he decides to leave. Trying to make his visit unbearable for him doesn't exactly work either. Arthur likes to make it difficult for the object of his visits to get around. He grips you unbearably to keep you from doing much. But, the more you move, the further he lags behind. "There's the answer!", you exclaim. "Not so simple", I quickly reply. Since he usually on visits when it's rainy and/or cold, he kind of makes it difficult to get out and get active. His visits always come with this double whammy. The little devil.
I don't like medicating myself just to tolerate his visits. I don't like taking medicine of any kind. The answer seems to be: Get out and get moving! He has a hard time keeping up. He clutches on HARD when you start, and boy does it hurt, but his grip loosens the more you move, and eventually he starts to lag so far behind you almost forget he's there. OR.......move to the gulf coast region.
I find myself dreaming of palm trees and warm breezes.
I'll leave you with something I saw on facebook the other day. A highschool friend of mine made a post that went something like this:
'Played Barbies with my daughter tonight. She chose one for me.
Daughter:"This one can be yours. Her knees crack like yours."
Mom: "Oh great. Arthritis Barbie?"
Daughter: "...and look! Her hand is on her hip and she says 'Oh, my hip hurts!"'
I laughed so hard at that!
OH! The hubs. I almost forgot. He broke his hip in a bad fall when he was a teenager. The break was so bad that it required surgery to insert a rod into his leg that was screwed to his bone from his hip almost all the way down to his knee. I met him right before he had surgery a year later to remove the rod. He was told when he had surgery to expect to start seeing Arthur at a young age. Again, I will mention that though he has had Arthur as an almost constant companion for more than half his life now, he does not complain. He's one tough fella. I, on the other hand, apparently am quite the dramatic. I announce Arthur's arrival quite loudly at times. The hubs listens to my complaints and never once suggests that I am being overly dramatic. He's a saint, I tell ya.
Thursday, January 9, 2014
The little things
It has been my habit to make a post about things I am thankful for on Thursdays. This post will not vary too much from that. But, I want to take some time to really talk about something specific.....
Taking things for granted.
Oh, boy! We are all guilty of this. No matter how humble and full of thankfulness you may be, you (and everyone else) have taken someone or something for granted at some time or another. I am, unfortunately, guilty of this on a daily basis.
This past week has given me plenty of opportunity to recognize some of the things I take for granted. We, in this blessed country of the US, take MUCH for granted. If your television is turned on for more than a half hour, you are likely to see a commercial begging your assistance for starving children in some foreign country. I dare say that a large portion of the population on this earth would feel blessed beyond measure to have just one of the many things that most of us take for granted on a daily basis.
Water. I turn on the faucet, it's there. I never doubt this to be true. It simply is. This past week, a large number of friends and family were without water because their town's water system froze and several "mains" broke. So, even when the city was able to get water flowing freely again, they had to shut it down to repair the large pipe system. They would turn the water on for at least a few hours at a time to allow folks water to bathe, etc. But, the whole city was on a boil order for the water they consumed. Oh, my at the complaints I saw via social media and text messages! That something as simple as water, or the lack thereof, could cause so many problems really made me think. Water is vital for life. We cannot live without it, yet we often take it for granted. I am truly grateful that I live in a time and place where good, clean water is so easy for me to obtain. I'm going to try really hard not to take water for granted anymore.
A roof over my head. This is something I rarely think about. I am an adult and there is responsibility involved with keeping a roof over my head, but I honestly take it for granted. I wake up, go about all my daily activities, and go to sleep all without thinking about the protection it is providing me. The weather all across this nation this past week or so has really made me appreciate the roof over my head.
Electricity. Without it, nothing - and I mean nothing - in this house would work. We are "all electric" here. It has it's advantages. It has it's disadvantages. Our power has flickered quite a bit over the last few days. Probably the draw of extra power with folks turning their heating systems up a bit in an effort to stay warm. I never really appreciate the power of flipping a switch and bathing a room in light, or powering an appliance I need to use.......until it's not there. I vow to try to remember to always be grateful for electricity.
Heat and Air Conditioning. Ok, so nobody wants to talk about A/C right now, unless you live near the equator. But, heat! I actually have been VERY grateful for heat this past week. We were outside over the weekend trying to prepare the chicken coop for the incoming polar blast. A day late, and a dollar short, I might add. It was already in the 20s and the wind was whipping! I am a hot-natured person. The kind you see with short sleeves on in the dead of winter. The kind that wears a light jacket when everyone else is wearing a parka and Uggs. The kind that is the first one in shorts and flip flops in the early spring. I detest hot weather and look forward to fall and winter every year. But, this weekend while working outside, I had on my heavy coat, a thick, fuzzy scarf wrapped around my head and neck, and gloves and I was still freezing! I could not wait to get inside to my nice toasty warm house. My husband works in the HVAC industry and I get lots of calls for his assistance from friends, family, and strangers when the weather turns really cold or really hot. I try not to take the heat or A/C for granted, but I know I do just as everyone else does......until it goes out. Then, I'm afraid I probably take my poor hubby for granted. It doesn't matter what hour of the day, when it goes on the blink, he's right there to fix it. I shall try extremely hard not to take him or our HVAC systems for granted.
Food in the fridge and cabinets. There's really nothing more to say about this. So many do not have this luxury. Don't take it for granted.
A healthy family. I think most of us have had a loved one fall ill. It's a scary thing. Don't take the health of your family for granted. For so many, having a healthy family is their only prayer.
A car to drive. I definitely take this luxury for granted. I get in, turn the key, and go. I don't think about what a blessing it is, until something goes wrong and I can't get in, turn the key, and go. Be thankful if you have a car to drive. No matter what condition it's in, if you are able to get in it and go, be grateful.
This list could go on forever. I will spare you that. Try, if you will, today to make a mental list of all the "little" things that you never think of that make your life so easy. When that list keeps growing and growing and growing, smile and know that you are truly blessed. Then take some time and thank your Heavenly Father for all that He has given you.
You may not have everything you want, but if you are reading this, I'll bet that you have pretty much everything you need. If you don't feel like you have everything you need - if it is truly a need and not just a desire of your heart - get on your knees and pray about it.
Much love to you. Stay warm, stay happy, and look for joy in the small things!
Taking things for granted.
Oh, boy! We are all guilty of this. No matter how humble and full of thankfulness you may be, you (and everyone else) have taken someone or something for granted at some time or another. I am, unfortunately, guilty of this on a daily basis.
This past week has given me plenty of opportunity to recognize some of the things I take for granted. We, in this blessed country of the US, take MUCH for granted. If your television is turned on for more than a half hour, you are likely to see a commercial begging your assistance for starving children in some foreign country. I dare say that a large portion of the population on this earth would feel blessed beyond measure to have just one of the many things that most of us take for granted on a daily basis.
Water. I turn on the faucet, it's there. I never doubt this to be true. It simply is. This past week, a large number of friends and family were without water because their town's water system froze and several "mains" broke. So, even when the city was able to get water flowing freely again, they had to shut it down to repair the large pipe system. They would turn the water on for at least a few hours at a time to allow folks water to bathe, etc. But, the whole city was on a boil order for the water they consumed. Oh, my at the complaints I saw via social media and text messages! That something as simple as water, or the lack thereof, could cause so many problems really made me think. Water is vital for life. We cannot live without it, yet we often take it for granted. I am truly grateful that I live in a time and place where good, clean water is so easy for me to obtain. I'm going to try really hard not to take water for granted anymore.
A roof over my head. This is something I rarely think about. I am an adult and there is responsibility involved with keeping a roof over my head, but I honestly take it for granted. I wake up, go about all my daily activities, and go to sleep all without thinking about the protection it is providing me. The weather all across this nation this past week or so has really made me appreciate the roof over my head.
Electricity. Without it, nothing - and I mean nothing - in this house would work. We are "all electric" here. It has it's advantages. It has it's disadvantages. Our power has flickered quite a bit over the last few days. Probably the draw of extra power with folks turning their heating systems up a bit in an effort to stay warm. I never really appreciate the power of flipping a switch and bathing a room in light, or powering an appliance I need to use.......until it's not there. I vow to try to remember to always be grateful for electricity.
Heat and Air Conditioning. Ok, so nobody wants to talk about A/C right now, unless you live near the equator. But, heat! I actually have been VERY grateful for heat this past week. We were outside over the weekend trying to prepare the chicken coop for the incoming polar blast. A day late, and a dollar short, I might add. It was already in the 20s and the wind was whipping! I am a hot-natured person. The kind you see with short sleeves on in the dead of winter. The kind that wears a light jacket when everyone else is wearing a parka and Uggs. The kind that is the first one in shorts and flip flops in the early spring. I detest hot weather and look forward to fall and winter every year. But, this weekend while working outside, I had on my heavy coat, a thick, fuzzy scarf wrapped around my head and neck, and gloves and I was still freezing! I could not wait to get inside to my nice toasty warm house. My husband works in the HVAC industry and I get lots of calls for his assistance from friends, family, and strangers when the weather turns really cold or really hot. I try not to take the heat or A/C for granted, but I know I do just as everyone else does......until it goes out. Then, I'm afraid I probably take my poor hubby for granted. It doesn't matter what hour of the day, when it goes on the blink, he's right there to fix it. I shall try extremely hard not to take him or our HVAC systems for granted.
Food in the fridge and cabinets. There's really nothing more to say about this. So many do not have this luxury. Don't take it for granted.
A healthy family. I think most of us have had a loved one fall ill. It's a scary thing. Don't take the health of your family for granted. For so many, having a healthy family is their only prayer.
A car to drive. I definitely take this luxury for granted. I get in, turn the key, and go. I don't think about what a blessing it is, until something goes wrong and I can't get in, turn the key, and go. Be thankful if you have a car to drive. No matter what condition it's in, if you are able to get in it and go, be grateful.
This list could go on forever. I will spare you that. Try, if you will, today to make a mental list of all the "little" things that you never think of that make your life so easy. When that list keeps growing and growing and growing, smile and know that you are truly blessed. Then take some time and thank your Heavenly Father for all that He has given you.
You may not have everything you want, but if you are reading this, I'll bet that you have pretty much everything you need. If you don't feel like you have everything you need - if it is truly a need and not just a desire of your heart - get on your knees and pray about it.
Much love to you. Stay warm, stay happy, and look for joy in the small things!
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Happy New Year!
Hey, All!!!
I am still alive and kicking over here.
Things have been crazy busy around here. I'm sure things have been quite busy at your home as well.
We had a GREAT holiday season! I got to see some family that I hadn't seen in many years, got to hold, squeeze, and shower kisses on my baby nephew, threw a big party, worked on some home improvement projects, did a LOT of dishes (yuck!), relaxed (a little), and spent some good ol' quality time with my family.
I hope your Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year celebrations were all that you hoped they would be. I hope you spent lots of time with the ones you love and had time to really enjoy them. I hope there was lots of joy, love, and laughter.
I'm looking forward to getting back on track. I've got lots of sorting and organizing to do. Some of that includes photos of our projects that I promised to share. I'll be posting some projects and maybe a few recipes very soon. Looking forward to beginning regular posts here again.
'Til next time.......
I am still alive and kicking over here.
Things have been crazy busy around here. I'm sure things have been quite busy at your home as well.
We had a GREAT holiday season! I got to see some family that I hadn't seen in many years, got to hold, squeeze, and shower kisses on my baby nephew, threw a big party, worked on some home improvement projects, did a LOT of dishes (yuck!), relaxed (a little), and spent some good ol' quality time with my family.
I hope your Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year celebrations were all that you hoped they would be. I hope you spent lots of time with the ones you love and had time to really enjoy them. I hope there was lots of joy, love, and laughter.
I'm looking forward to getting back on track. I've got lots of sorting and organizing to do. Some of that includes photos of our projects that I promised to share. I'll be posting some projects and maybe a few recipes very soon. Looking forward to beginning regular posts here again.
'Til next time.......
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