Now Open...Etsy

I was so reluctant on opening an Etsy shop. I kept thinking to myself I can never do any of this or I am not that talented. Then in a subtle voice I heard use the gifts that I have given you. You are equipped, because it all comes from me. I knew it was Yahweh (God) right then and there talking to me.

For the past 18 months I have had several people ask how I come up with my ideas, blends, lotions and creams. I tell them that it's just my knowledge of what I know works. I know what oils, and herbs are good for what ailment so I incorporate them in our bodies healing.

About a year ago my husband asked me to keep "lotions" with different healing properties on hand. I started to, but never kept up with it or just made them when we needed them. I have done this before in the past for several family members, friends, and my clients. Last week when I heard the voice I said that is it...no more delaying. I am going to put forth my knowledge and go full force.

I opened my Etsy.com shop. Right now I only have a few ferments, but I am hoping to add several things for healing and natural health. These are blends that I have formulated especially for healing or ailments. I have things from cold, flu, spider bites to back spasms. I am excited to say that shop has opened. I will be adding my coconut sugar scrubs later this week. 

Wordless Wednesday 5/23

I love the idea of Wordless Wednesday that the Natural Parent's Network does. Each week they have a different theme on what you can submit for your Wordless Wednesday. It consists of a caption and a photo. The photo can be anything. I love the idea, because it gives me a great way to document different stages in our children's lives.

This week's topic is Fashion Sense. So here is my amazing 5 year old daughter Ariah showing off her personality and her fashion sense. As my mom says this shows off her silly personality and her independence. Her words were I look like a princess.

Zumba Time

No matter how much I think I got it down when it comes to working out I am quickly reminded that I don't. I mean come on I do Insanity, Hip Hop Abs, Elliptical, weight training and the list goes on. Then I get invited to Zumba and realize how much it can work you in places you didn't think were possible.

After the warm up song my calves were killing me. I thought there is no way I am going to be able to get through this work out, but I kept on pushing through. Next thing I know it was time for us to go. It was a lot of fun. I thought to myself who cares if I look like Jim Carey from Ace Ventura Pet Detective. At least I lost some calories.

I may go again, since 500 calories in an hour is pretty good amount to lose. 

Work Out Of The Day 5/17/2012

Last night I did a short work out. Which I thought wasn't going to keep me sore. Boy was I wrong. I am so sore today. Looks like I will be eating a high protein meal now for breakfast. My circuit work out that I did was only for 25 minutes and burned close to 350 calories. I also did some strength training and cardio in that time. I did it at home and it's a testament that with a few pieces of equipment any one can.

On our weight machine I did the following:

40 lb rows 1 rep of 25
35 lb lap pull downs 1 rep 25

In between I did Wii step ups. I did a total of 500 step ups. My whole work out was 20-25 minutes. It felt really good, but sore today. 

Being Modest or Bringing Sexy Back

As a believer of the word and the full scriptures I believe that no biblical, Yahweh (God) fearing women should be wearing this kind of attire. The closer I find myself coming to Yahweh I find I want to be more modest. I want to be try to cover up more and more. I don't believe in completely covering up at all. I think there is a balance with all things, however hearing women say they are bringing sexy back doesn't rub me right. I firmly believe in being fit for your husband. I firmly believe if you are not then you are unable to do what Yahweh (God) has called us as women to do and that is be a wife, mother and servant.

Women should want to bring sexy back, but for our husband only. That should only be talked about in private and in the bedroom. It should not be flaunted about especially on social media, or online in any way. Especially since anyone can save the picture to their computer and use it in any way that they please.

I recently read an article called "Should Christians Wear Bikinis". At first I was nervous. I wasn't sure if it was going to fall with what I felt or believed and I didn't want to become bitter over the subject at all. With hesitance I read it and was rather happy to hear the stance. There is a still a strong divide with women though. Many of them feel it's OK to wear what they want and flaunt it. All I can do is pray that their eyes be opened to the truth. I can only hope that hearts are changed and women see that they are beautiful just the way they are.

Women don't have to wear skimpy clothes to get attention from a biblical man. You gain respect and honor from your husband by being modest, and the biblical women.

Gluten Free Pancakes (Almost Paleo Approved)

I love when I whip something together and BAM a blog post comes out of it. So this morning I was just throwing some stuff together. I have made a similar recipe called Almond Banana Pancakes, but this one slightly different and a TON better. They literally melted in our mouth. 

Ingredients:

• 2 Free Range Organic Eggs 
• 2 Medium Sized Bananas Smashed
• 1/4 Cup of Organic/Natural Peanut Butter  (This can be replaced by Almond Butter, Almond Flour or Coconut Flour)
• 6-8 Ghiradelli 60% Pure Cocoa Chocolate Chips 

Directions:

1. Turn on the skillet. I used my cast iron. No butter or oil is needed for mine. Plus the might burn with some kind of oil. 
2. Smash the bananas in a separate bowl. 
3. Beat the eggs until smooth. 
4. Add in smashed bananas, peanut butter, and chocolate chips. 
5. Mix well. 
6. Take a small spoon or scoop and pour in pan. They should be about the size of a silver dollar. If they are too big, they may burn and not cook properly. 
7. After about 45 seconds to 90 seconds flip the pancakes. 
8. Then take out when ready and enjoy. Eating them slightly warm is best. There will still be some peanut butter in the middle just melted which causes a melt in your mouth sensation. 

Food Freedom

The raw milk debate is getting pretty intense. I am not sure where our country is headed and our food rights are going. I wonder and pray that we don't see the day that we aren't allowed to grow our own food, raise our own cattle and have our own chickens. I know the scriptures talk about the day will come. I know that in some parts of the country it is worse than others. I just have to hold steadfast to my faith and know that Yahweh (God) will provide for us. I know that he will provide and stay faithful and I pray that I don't come under his wrath that Revelation talks about.

As of right now I pray and have a heavy heart towards so many things in our country. It saddens me to see the sheeple just walking like zombies, following orders and doing what the norm does. I pray that their eyes will be opened and they won't be deceived any more. It is heart breaking to see these things, but all I could do is pray and do my part.

So today I do have a heavy heart, and am filled with sadness. Not because I believe that they will suffer, because I surely hope they don't. I am saddened that so many people have become blind and have allowed TV, Internet, and Social Media to become their lives. 

Why I Exchanged My $4.65 a Day Coffee to $2.50 a Day Juice

I didn't realize how much I was "wasting money" on coffee until the other day. About a month ago we sold our coffee pot and everything it entailed. I couldn't drink it because I would get back spasms and DH was having some blood pressure and heart issues. So we sold it. There was no reason to allow this kind of temptation to stare at us on our counter everyday.

Then last week I thought I want a coffee and decided to stop and get one from our local coffee shop. I got a Carmel mocha, with 3 shots of espresso and some whip cream. (It was extra for one of the shots of espresso). Total $4.75...OK so I paid and off I went. I know that's a whole lotta sugar, and caffeine. I ended up jittery and just not right. So I said I don't want that again.

The  next day as we were moving I decided to make me a juice. I am always curious on how foods work in our body, what nutrients are in them that will feed my body and if I should add more of one vegetable than another. I was curious to find out about cucumbers. I use them in all my juices. I use them instead of apples often or any other fruit. Plus one cucumber can make a whole lotta juice. I was amazed to find out that one cup of cucumber juice can give you enough energy for a good 2-3 hours. I had to put it to the test. I juiced some Kale, carrot, cabbage, 1 cup of black grapes and 2 cucumbers. Sure enough about 15 minutes later I started to get some energy back. (Just to note I was beat. I was out of my thyroid, and adrenal supplements for about 2 days now, plus we were moving all by ourselves.) Next thing I know I had the whole upstairs packed, and done with in 2 hours. The only thing I had left was our living room, and kitchen area. Wowzers maybe there is something in the juice.

I calculated how much it cost me to make one 8 ounce juice and here it is:

2 cucumbers = ..30-.50 each    
4-6 bunches of Kale = 1.00 each
2 Carrots = .15-.25 each carrot ( I pay 3.00 on average for 5lbs of carrots)
1/10th of a Green Cabbage = .16-.25 cents (I pay around 3.00 for a whole cabbage)
1 cup of Black Grapes = .15-.25 for each cup ( I usually get them for 1.98-2.25lb)

Total comes to: $2.21 to $3.00 


Not only is this cheaper, but I am feeding my body nutrients. I know with the Jack Lalanne it kills some of the nutrients and enzymes, because of the high RPM motor. One day I hope to get the Omega juicer though. This by far is the better choice for me. I don't have the jittery feeling, no high calories, no high sugar content, and I am full. Plus it's not pulling nutrients from parts of my body much like the caffeine is.

To reap even more benefits I highly recommend blending the juices together or the fruits and vegetables in a high powered blender. My recommendations are listed below.

Time 4 Learning Review

Time 4 Learning is an online based curriculum. When I first heard about them I thought they were just a supplement curriculum. I didn't expect that it would be what I have grown to love. On their website they offer a FREE 30 Day Trial as long as you are not a member of their website already. If you are a member and want to still do a review of their site they will give you a $25 Visa gift card. So either way it's a win win situation.

My first initial thoughts about Time 4 Learning:

• The first thing was I always thought it was something that I could use to supplement not as a full curriculum. 
• I was also under the impression that I would have to supplement a whole lot. 
• It was only used for younger kids for Pre-K through maybe 2nd grade. 

Here is what I found out about the site and the program. 

• I LOVE IT!!! It surpassed my expectations more than I could imagine. My kids are actually finishing out their school year on it. 
• My kids love it too. They ask if they can do more school work. 
• I have to kick my kids off the computer. The 2nd week my son done the whole 2nd grade Social Studies for the year. I had to stop him and remind him that he needs to go slower, so that way he retains the information. 
• The parent's get to pick the playground time. I have mine set on 45 minutes, because I have them do at least 45 minutes of work then they can "play" for 15 minutes. 
• There are extra activities and "games" that they can play. 
• You do have to print out worksheets, but we don't mind that at all. 

Being that I have starting stages of Fibromyalgia some days are hard, really hard. Hard for me just get out of bed, so having Time 4 Learning is amazing for me. I don't have to stress that maybe school won't get done today. I just tell the kiddos log on to your account and set a timer. They have 45-60 minutes in each subject. Since we are in Missouri and I have to log hours, and they have to have so many hours in a school year we do time for each subject. 

Some things I found I do supplement. Our kids love notebooking, journaling, and arts and crafts. So once a week I have them do a lapbook or a unit study. This helps take a break from the computer and it's extra practice. I also have them do a topic of the day to journal. This helps with handwriting since they aren't doing much of it with an online program, and I feel it's important even if computers are everywhere. I think kids still need to know how to write. 

Paleo WAPper

I get a lot of questions about what our diet is. It's hard for me to explain, because we do not do just one type of diet. So here it is we are a Paleo Wapper.

• We eat primarily Paleo with grains once a week. 
• We still eat beans as far as pinto, black, and kidney beans. (We soak them overnight for digestive health)
• We eat grains once a week and that is very rare even then. (Some we still soak overnight)
• We eat primarily gluten free, but not cassein free. 
• We believe in lots of good fats to nourish our bodies. 
• We grass fed beef for it's CLA, and higher nutrient dense foods. 
• We do recipes from Nourishing Traditions. 
• We drink raw milk, and make several recipes from it. (Benefits of Raw Milk) 
• We don't eat sugar, processed foods, or artificial foods. 
• We believe in eating a rainbow of foods. Each day we try incorporate to eat a color of the rainbow of fruit, or vegetables. 

This is our family. This is what fits. We also do Crossfit, Insanity, Elliptical, and weight training. I am considered Obese and I am doing all these things. I am losing weight, but slowly and healthy. I believe for our family this is what God wants for us, because he made these foods for us. I am finding that I am going to the store less and less. 

We don't count calories, because the body doesn't know how to count them. The body knows nutrition. 

A New Journey A New Day

This move has been life altering and changing in more ways than I could have imagined. I am finding a new strength in me that I seem to forget that I have. I am finding that there is a lot more I am able to handle mentally as well as physically. I am really starting to love the new me more and more each day. I love the work that Yahweh is putting in me.

I am finding that I have a new relationship with Yahshua, my husband and my kids. Desires of being the Titus women is coming back again. I feel energized and great to say I will. Being a wife and a mother is a gift. A gift to be fully embraced. It is not something to be thrown around, or left for others to do. It's something that Yahweh has allowed me to be, because he knows there will be days that are going to be hard. He knows that he can give me strength to get through each day, because he is loving and faithful to me just as much as I am faithful to him.

A new journey isn't something that can be planned. It is something that we take ourselves into. Each day is a new day to say yes I will. It can be something from as small as go to school as a child, to something as big as being a wife and mother. Not all everyone is blessed with the many blessings as we have been given, but I embrace it all. Each day I look forward to say these are gifts and I promise to treasure, love and care for them as YHWH has for me.

So from one mother to another I say embrace it. Yesterday could have been horrible. There could be paint on the walls, food stuck in hair, or worms in pockets, but one day we will look at this and say those were the good times. I have those days too. Life isn't perfect and neither am I, but Yahweh is and so is his love. His love is what gets me through each day to say Yes I will. Each day is a new day to say Yes today is the day to play a little more with the kids, makes subtle changes to make memories with your children. One day I want to look back and my kids say "My mom was amazing. She taught me everything I know, and she is the kindest, loving women I know." That is what I call wealth and blessed. 

Removing Toxicity

I am always talking about removing toxicity from our bodies. I explain it in detail on how foods can damage our bodies in so many ways. I have even taught on the importance of doing a "clean up" by cleansing the body. In the past my husband and I were very strict about who we let around our kids. We have always pushed to have them only around Godly people.

This past 9 months we have experienced first hand what will happen when you let your guard down and mingle with the devil. He seen the opportunity and we both fall in. We started to do things that we knew we didn't agree with. We stopped praying almost completely, because it felt hopeless and useless. Our kids started to have friends that were not believers at all. We allowed these people in our homes, and to our children to be with them on a daily basis.

Then there came a moment when I said NO MORE. my husband is the head of our home, but as his wife/partner that was the line. Our children started to do things they normally wouldn't do. There was strife in my home for the first time in almost 5 years that had utterly shocked me to the core. The breaking moment was about two months ago. I felt so strong in my heart for the past few months we should have moved into military housing. Even though we were in a 2 year lease this is what I felt. I ignored it and decided not to give in thinking it was my flesh and not YHWH directing me. About 6 weeks ago I finally told my husband that I wanted to move on post. We did the application, but never turned in the paperwork. Then 2 weeks later he came to me and said I have been feeling for the past few months to move on post, but didn't want to. He thought I wouldn't want to move. After reviewing our bills (currently doing the Dave Ramsey debt plan), we found no choice but to move on post.

Our rental company agreed to let us out of our lease early. They were a little upset, but after this week we won't have to worry about it at all. In the past week since we have moved on post things have already changed.  There is a peace in my home that I haven't felt in a long time. There is peace with my kids and my husband having the urge to want to pray with them again. I know this was the right choice and ultimately it was the better choice. As I sit here looking out my window watching the kids play I am complete peace knowing that this was the right decision, but we had to remove the toxicity out of our home first. YHWH states many time not to mingle, and fellowship with ungodly and unbelievers. Two days after we made the decision to move on post I opened up my bible and this was the first passage I read. It was complete confirmation to us: Proverbs 23:20 Be not among heavy drinkers of wine Or with gluttonous eaters of meat; 23:21 For the drunkard and the glutton become poor, And slumber puts rags on a man.

Recipe Menudo

Menudo is a cure all fix for me. It seems like any time that I am down, sick, or in a lot of pain Menudo helps. Menduo is basically an organ meat, hominy, onions, and red powder chile. It is one of my favorite meals and actually easier to make than most think.

Ingredients:

• 1 pack of Honeycomb tripe. This is usually about 4-6lbs in one pack. (This can be found in the beef section or frozen foods section). There is significant evidence that organ meats are beneficial to the body. 
• 7-8 small to medium cans of yellow and white hominy. We don't have a preference of one over the other. So I usually get one large can of the white and 3-4 small cans of the yellow. 
• 1 cup of red powder chile. I recommend the Loma Vista or the Bueno brand. The reason is I know it's pure red powder chile. Other brands may have silicone dioxide which is an anti-caking agent. Other brands also have sugars, garlic and other spices which can cause the menudo to have a different taste. 
• 1/2 cup of oregano. 
• 1 onion diced small
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, chile pequin, or chile pod crushed up for a hotter taste. 
• 1 lemon
• 1 cup of oil. I usually use olive oil. Coconut oil may alter the taste. 
• 1 1/2 cup of flour. I prefer the Bob's Red Mill since it is a safer choice than the bleached, processed white flour. 
• 3 cups of warm water
• 1 cup of diced garlic cloves 
• Salt to taste 

Instructions:

1. Dice the honeycomb tripe into one inch squares. 
2. Put all the diced up tripe in a large pan and put on medium in a pan of water. Fill the pan about 4 inches above the tripe. 
3. Add in the oregano to boil with it. Once it starts to boil turn to low to simmer. 
4. Let it simmer for about 4-6 hours depending on your stove, and the size of the meat. I usually will take one out and try it. You will know it's almost done when it's not too hard to chew. You don't want it completely soft, because you can over cook it. If the tripe becomes over cooked it can become slimy almost. 
5. Once the tripe is about 80% done you can add in the hominy. I always drain the juice and rinse it out, since it is really hard to find organic hominy. I have not been able to find any to date yet. 
6. In a separate pan add in the oil, flour and garlic. Use a whisk or a fork to mix it up. Once the flour is toasted enough add in the red chile powder, and the water. It will be a very thick paste like chile. Turn off the pan with chile and set aside. 
7. Immediately after the chile is done add small amounts of the chile to the tripe and hominy. You will need a whisk to mix it in. It may clump so the whisk helps break it up. 
8. Let it simmer together for about 30-45 minutes. 
9. Once it's done serve is with diced onions, and a squeeze of lemon. The chile pequid or crushed red pepper is for added heat to the chile. I usually use a hot red powder chile and don't usually have to add in any other chile. 

Menudo Soup

My Calling Remembered

Christian motherhood means dedicating your entire life in service of others. It means standing beside your husband, following him, and investing in the lives of children whom you hope will both survive you and surpass you. It means forgoing present satisfaction for eternal rewards. It means investing in the lives of others who may never fully appreciate your sacrifice or comprehend the depth of your love And it means doing all these things, not because you will receive the praise of man — for you will not — but because God made you to be a woman and a mother, and there is great contentment in that biblical calling."
~Doug Phillips


There are days that I think it would be better if I just hire and nanny, and go get a job. I need to define me and myself. I need to have a plan in place, then I come across something like this. A reminder that a mom and a wife is the highest calling I could have asked for. I not only got blessed with one, but five beautiful children. They are no by no means perfect, but they are my blessings that God saw fit for me and my husband. I am a wife to a military man which is never easy. So today and each day I am going to remind myself that I am wife. I am a mother, and I am walking out one of the highest callings that anyone can ask for. I will thank Yahweh and worship each day for this special honor and privilege. There is nothing greater.

Juanita E

Falling Off The Wagon

For the past few weeks I was blogging about my journey on oil pulling. Some mornings I would feel like it's just not worth it. I wanted an easier fix.This is the mindset that I have had due to the doctrine that I have been told just take this pill and everything will be better for several years. Although I know that isn't the case in some instances even with my herbs, and oils I feel like I should be able to just pop a capsule or oil and everything will be better. Not perfect, but just better. The truth is it took close to 20 years for my body to get into the shape that it's in, so although oil pulling is hard on some days I plan to go back to it, because now that I haven't done it in about 2 or 3 weeks I see how much it was helping me.

Here is what I have noticed it has helped me with since I started and stopped.

• My allergies have gotten bad again since I stopped. I was having less allergy attacks during oil pulling. 
• I had more energy, even after I stopped oil pulling for the first week. 
• I was able to go to sleep easier at night. 
• I had less body aches, and pains. This is a big thing for me because I dream of days that I can wake up without pain in my neck, back, shoulders, and hips. 
• I also had more motivation. Just to clarify you can have energy but not use the energy in the things that are needed to get done. When I was oil pulling I had energy and motivation to get done what was needed. 
• After I had stopped oil pulling I noticed I my blood pressure was starting to go back up again. It has only happened 2 times, but that was more than enough for me to re-evaluate my diet and health. 
• My mouth felt cleaner all the time. After oil pulling my mouth feels so clean better than any time just brushing them. 

Starting tomorrow I will be oil pulling again. I may only do it a few times a week to start, but I can clearly see the benefits of it. I am sold to oil pulling. It isn't something I would recommend for someone to do everyday, but to start off slow. Take it day by day and listen to your body. I know there have been some dispute about whether or not you should oil pull with silver fillings in your mouth, so it is best to check with a biological holistic dentist for your situation. As for me with 11 fillings (soon to be replaced safely), I have made the choice to oil pull after speaking with my dentist. 

Time 4 Learning Review (Coming Soon)

I've been invited to try Time4Learning for one month in exchange for a candid review. My opinion will be entirely my own, so be sure to come back and read about my experience. Time4Learning can be used as a homeschool curriculum, for afterschool enrichment and for summer skill sharpening. Find out how to write your own curriculum review for Time4Learning.

Oil Pulling Journal Day 5

I didn't oil pull on day 3 and 4, because of DH's schedule. I was hoping I would have been able to but wasn't. This morning I almost didn't do it. I was nervous about having to start all over again and only being able to go for maybe a few minutes again. I almost didn't do it and debated in my head for a good 10 minutes, then I read a testimony about a girl that oil pulled for 2 months. All of her allergies, and respiratory issues were gone. The dentist was very shocked and wanted to know what she had been doing because her gums, and teeth were extremely clean and healthy. It's stories like hers that give me hope in knowing that it is something I can do. I know the benefits and I just have to suck it up and do it.

With that being said this morning I popped about a whole teaspoon in my mouth. I don't like to melt it, because it just feels too weird in my mouth if I do. So I started to swish. After about 4 minutes out came the coconut oil. I was coughing and gagging at first. I thought man this is horrible. How am I going to get through this. So I got the spoon and got another teaspoon and this time not so bad. I was able to go for about 16 minutes total. I just kept swishing and then spit out. I rinse my mouth out with some salt water to help flush out what ever else and spit it in the trash. I don't want to swallow any of it.

Some things I did notice the past couple of days that I didn't oil pull was back pain. I started to have increase of back and joint pain again. I also had a hard time following asleep. I don't know if it is related or not, but I think I should take note of it. It may get better and it may not. My goal is that by April 25th I will be oil pulling for the full 20 minutes with no problem at all. My biggest concern is with getting my fillings removed and want to make sure I can get as much bacteria out as possible for the days following.

I will keep on tracking my progress as the days go on. I will keep all of you posted on how I do. If you have started to oil pull or have any tips, or ideas please share them with me. I know others would love to know more. 

Oil Pulling Journal Day 3

This morning when I woke up to oil pull I noticed I wasn't very tired. Last night I was able to go to sleep without any issues by 10 PM. This is a common goal for me. I like to be in bed and asleep by 10 and up by 6 AM. I am a morning person and if I sleep too late I feel like the day is half over.

I went and got the coconut oil and started swishing. Not bad then about 6 minutes hit and had to spit it out again. It wasn't that bad though and I got more and popped another 1/4 of a teaspoon in. I didn't let it melt this time but I could feel it pulling together. After about 20 minutes I spit it out rinsed my mouth and that was it.

I thought it would take me a lot longer to get up to the 20 minute mark. My next goal is to move up to 1 tablespoon of coconut oil now. This may help me quite a bit with going longer. This is a large victory for me and if I can do it in 3 days any one can. 

Oil Pulling Journal Day 2

After yesterday I was so sure that this wasn't going to get any better any time soon. I was convinced that it was going to take a few days just to build up to five minutes. I asked a few friends on Facebook how they do it. One suggested to do something while I do it. Don't just stand in the bathroom or kitchen. She suggested do dishes, start breakfast anything like that. 

So this morning I woke up to make DH breakfast smoothie. I popped in 1/4 of a teaspoon in my mouth and started to swish. I do this very slowly and move it back and forth. It's really hard to try not to swallow but I just kept going. I didn't pay much attention to the time because I didn't want to stop at a certain point unless it was close to the 20 minute mark. 

About 7 minutes into it I had to sneeze and tried to hold back, but it wasn't happening so up came the oil and toxins from my mouth too. Being I was still in the kitchen I just spit it out in the kitchen trash. Some of it got on my hand it it kind of burned and tingled. Not sure if that was because of the toxins I was pulling out or because it was just so warm from my mouth. I washed my hands and rinsed out my mouth. 

Today when I was pulling I did feel something a little different. I could feel me pulling something out from the back of my throat. I am not sure if this is due to pulling toxins from other parts of my body or if it was from my lymphatic system since I still battling with environmental allergies. 

My main purpose with oil pulling is my allergies, because if I can decrease my allergies by half of what they usually are then I won't have as many headaches neither. I hope to keep doing this everyday and eventually get up to the 20 minute mark with a full tablespoon of coconut oil. One day I will incorporate essential oils but that will be once I become a professional oil puller. 

Oil Pulling Day 1

I have been reading on oil pulling for some time. I have went back and forth with it. Debating on if it's a good choice for me since I do still have 11 mercury filled fillings. After speaking with the doctor that will be removing my fillings he assured me they were not going to come out in my case. He said start off slow and work up. This was a month ago he said this and I finally took the plunge this morning.

I took 1/4 teaspoon (note NOT tablespoon) and put it in my mouth. I started to swish. It wasn't bad at all. This morning I chose coconut oil. It is unrefined and cold pressed it still has several good attributes and properties to it.

I took the coconut oil and let it melt a bit then I put it in my mouth. For the first 5-10 seconds I was like wow this isn't that bad. Kept swishing and trying not to do it too hard so my mouth wouldn't get sore. I kept going more and more. About 60-90 seconds in I started hacking up phlegm. I had some pretty severe congestion, allergies, and sinus pressure this past few weeks so this didn't surprise me. From what I have read and understand it can combat a variety of ailments. I just hope to overcome my allergies until I can get my gut completely healed up.

So after day 1 def not the best way I thought it would end up, but each day I will track my progress on here and post what has happened. I know some days will be better than others but the best thing is to just keep chugging along to make it happen and overcome my health issues. 

30 Days To The First Removal

I can't believe there are only 30 more days until my first appointment to remove my first quadrant of mercury filled teeth. I have so many emotions and not sure how to control them. I am excited. I am happy. I am nervous and overjoyed. I feel a sense of relief and I also feel the worry of the unknown. I wonder what if I will feel the difference immediately or will it be steady. I am anxious to work out and go for a run with my husband without having to worry about having a massive migraine for following days after.

I don't expect to be completely pain free over night, and know it's a slow process. The biggest thing is that it is something I have wanted for so long and I was determined to get it done. I put myself out there to my husband and said we have to make this work. There is no other option. I know if we don't do this now it's only going to be a matter of months before I get a diagnosis of Lupus, MS or Fibromyalgia. This is what I don't want. I love life and the blessings that Yahweh has given me. I know that he would not have given me all of them, if I wasn't going to live here long enough to enjoy them.

This has been a very tough road and I have been in pain like this since my husband met me. He could have pushed me away and didn't want to deal with it, but he didn't because Yahweh gave him to me to have as my husband. I have started to take my antioxidants and in 2 weeks I will be starting on Alpha Lipoic Acid. I will be juicing full time the week of my appointment and until for 90 days after all of my quadrants are replaced.

Loving The Juice

A couple of days ago we got our juicer. I wanted one and wasn't sure how I was going to do with it, so we chose to get the Jack LaLanne juicer only because if only used it sometimes at least it wouldn't be a huge amount of money spent into it like 300-400 dollars. Plus I wanted my kids to enjoy it too. We do now plan on getting one of the more advanced models for juicing and possibly leaving our Jack LaLanne in the car for when we travel. (Yes we love it that much). Since Tuesday afternoon I have eaten a total of 4 meals the rest of my meals have been juiced. I thought I would have food cravings, or want other foods but I don't. I guess it's because I am getting so many nutrients with my juiced fruits and vegetables that it's not needed. I also feel better. I get energy from the juices and I don't feel tried after eating. It just shows eat real live foods and you will feel alive. Eat dead foods and you will just want to sleep.

On a side note I would like to say that I think that juicing is really the best thing for me right now. Based off of my tests from the dentists my mercury fillings are seeping out high amounts of mercury and mostly due to me chewing and eating foods. I have to still eat but since I am juicing now I don't have to chew as much and less mercury is being expelled into my body. I feel more at ease knowing that than anything else.

The best thing of all is I have my meat eating husband asking for juice for breakfast, and lunch. We really only eat dinner now and maybe a snack every now and then, but we are loving the juice. 

My Child My Choice

After reading the article on how a girls lunch was taken away and she was given pink poisoned chicken nuggets instead really enraged me. I understand that the schools are trying to do their best with their school lunches, but if I or anyone else that sends their kids to a public school chooses to send their child with a lunch they should be able to eat that lunch.

This is one of the reasons I pulled my daughter home. I was tired of them "taking" or telling her she couldn't have her food. One instance that really sticks in my mind is I sent a turkey sandwich, with cucumber and carrots on the side. I also enclosed a small thing of ranch and a mango cut up. She came home telling me how the school told her she couldn't eat the mango because someone in the lunch room was allergic to it. She didn't even know who or anything. I have taught my daughter to always mind your elders and respect them so she didn't eat it.

This continued on about how little by little she couldn't take the paleo brownies because it had walnuts, then almonds, then eggs. She wasn't allowed to take hard boiled eggs neither. After other school related concerns we chose to bring her back home. She had been home schooled before so it would be fine.

I don't understand where the schools feel they have any right to tell us parents what to feed our kids when we are paying for it ourselves. Frankly if I want to send my kids with junk crap processed food I will and if I want to send my kids with a veggie feast I will. They are my kids and the more that we allow them to decide for us what is best the worse it's going to get.

People ask me all the time why we home school and I tell them because I want to ensure that they get a full education, and understand completely what health and wellness means. There is no way in H E double hockey sticks I would allow my kids to go back to the public schools again. I have 5 kids and some days its challenging to home school, work, and do housework, but I wouldn't change it for the life of me. I think more parents need to stand up to the schools and if they don't agree with what is going on say something or home school them. Eventually the schools will lose more and more money and then we will all be responsible for our child's education.

I truly hope anyone doesn't feel this school was in the right because I know what type of stuff they serve in the schools and is by far not healthy at all.

To view the complete article on this matter click HERE  

Learning The Importance of Measurments

Our oldest daughter Alissa is starting to cook and experiment a bit. I love that she is so encouraged and excited about cooking. It's not boxed foods neither she loves making cinnamon rolls from scratch, but it's things like home made cookies, pies, and soups. So as part of her school work we wanted to give her a blog. The blog is going to be focused on pre-teens/teens her age hoping to inspire other kids to eat healthy and make healthier decisions. I have decided this would be part of her English, writing, and home economics curriculum. She is to do at least one post a week. Take pictures and reply to comments etc.

Last night she was trying her first recipe that she came up with (with one small suggestion from me). So I printed out the recipe and she started going to town. She preheated her oven, had all the ingredients out and just started mixing it just like the directions said. She baked them and they came out like little cookie bites. She took a bite and uh oh she got a salty bite. I asked her how much salt she put in she said what the directions said. I asked her exactly how much she put in she said 1/8 cup of salt. I had her go get me the recipe I printed out. It turns out she was supposed to put 1/8 teaspoon of salt. So lesson learned measurements are very, very important when cooking.

We all got a good laugh out of it and I told her that she could try again today. I am sure she will be more cautious in the future about measurements.

Mom and Dad Why I Love You

Today I was looking through some pictures and I came across one of my mom and dad. They are still married after 30 years. I have to say it is the best picture I have seen of them. My mom and dad are truly my inspiration for my marriage. No matter what they have fought through their marriage to keep it together. They showed that marriage and life isn't always easy but standing in unity with your spouse and prayer can get you through anything. 

My dad taught me and my sisters to stand up for what you believe in. He taught me that I may have to make sacrifices in order to take care of my kids. He taught me to not lie to your kids it sets a bad example and it's wrong. He always showed that he loved me even though he was a little tough on us. It makes me happy and proud to call him my dad. 

My mom always taught me to be a lady. Never settle for anything but the best. She has set an amazing example of a mom. She always took care of me and taught me everything I know about raising my kids. Not all of it we completely agree on but we are both OK with it. I don't have to worry about if she will ever let me down when I truly need her because she has always been there. She has moved across state lines and away from all of my other sisters just to be with me for a few months while my DH was deployed, gone in training or because I was pregnant AGAIN. My mom isn't perfect, but she has shown me that you don't have to be and never will be perfect. I can say my mom is one of my best friends and I love that we can spend a day together just hanging out. 

Got Milk

Today I am not only sad, but angered by a headline that I read online. The Washington Times read "Feds Shut Down Amish Farm For Selling Fresh Milk". Here is why I am upset about the situation and I am speaking out about it.

The first thing is the customers that were buying the milk were going to Rainbow Acres directly to get the raw milk. The farmer was not telling anyone or forcing anyone to buy their milk. One person gets sick from raw milk and they are told not to ever drink it again because of the bacteria in it. Yet we are told to continue to buy meat even though it is filled with bacteria and has caused several hundreds death a year due to E Coli poisoning. To me this is completely insane and backwards.

I do understand what Mr. Allgyers did and the charges that are he was charged for. I don't sympathize with him on that choice, but he was only trying to help others. What I am not happy about is how the FDA has chosen to go about it. I am little confused on when and why our food rights are being take over. When will it stop? I don't like being angry or keep bitterness inside but this is outrageous.

Everyday you and me and reading about rights being taken away and controlling our food system more and more. They already fully control the public schools, food and what is fed to them. (One of the many reasons we home school). Last summer and the year about there was an article about a women that got put in jail for 93 days for growing her own vegetables. You can see the article HERE.

It's only a matter of time before we aren't able to read our bible or speak freely about the word of Yahweh. truly hope that more people are aware and take a stance. If you believe that raw milk is good for your family I see drink up. If you believe that store bought is the best for your family I say; Do some research, but don't take my right away to eat what I please.

Forget that name brand products are putting such toxic chemicals in our food, that people are dying from. Instead they are more concerned with an Amish farmer that makes his living by selling his stock, fruits, vegetables, and doing labor around his town.

The point is our rights are being taken especially our food rights. We deserve to at least be able to eat what we want. Even if it means growing our own food, raising our own cattle, and having our own chickens. If that is what we want and we have the land to provide for it I feel strongly that it should be allowed.

If you are interested in taking a stance or want to know more about the benefits and uses of raw milk you can visit their website at www.rawmilk.com

Juanita E. 

Preparing For The Sabbath

Each week is a new struggle as our family faces different and new strategies. One of them is learning to put in practice the Shabbat as my husband chooses and leads. We have really gotten consistent in the past 6 months with honoring the Sabbath. So each week it does get easier.

The first week was so hard. I mean I was confused, and I ended up cleaning and ran out of our "snacks".  It was horrible at first. I kept praying and asking for help because I needed it. Little by little my creativity came into play. I got more creative as time went on. I am still no pro but I am a lot more organized and the Sabbath runs so much more smoothly.

I have narrowed down 7 things I do before the start of the Sabbath.

1. Buy fruit, vegetables, greek yogurt to eat for the morning and snack on. 
2. We buy paper plates plastic spoons and forks. I know this isn't the best option, but until I can come up with something a little better this is what we have chosen that fits with our family. 
3. I print out the scriptures on a Word Document the Sunday before the Sabbath. This so that way the material that my husband was teaching our kids is fresh in our mind. I would like to point out my husband does lead the teachings and is head of our home. He tells me what we are going to study and asks me to find scriptures ahead of time so he can teach me and the kids. 
4. We do a crock pot meal or prep a casserole the week of sometime so that way Saturday evening we just pop it in the oven. If we decide to cook something else we will prep the food still and put it in the fridge or freezer. We have done this with hamburgers, steaks, and pies. 
5. We do all of our deep cleaning on Sunday and extra loads of laundry on this day. The only difference we have made is that instead of our family day on Sunday it is now on the actual Sabbath. Thursday and Friday morning I may have the kids do dishes, while I vacuum. Basically just little things to be sure to keep the house tidy during the Sabbath. 
6. I do all my shopping by Thursday because chances are I forgot something and it gives me Friday still to go and get what I forgot. 
7. The last thing I do is on Friday early afternoon. I set up movies, coloring sheets and activities for the younger kids to do while we study The Scriptures with the older kids. I try to refrain from using cutting, glitter or really small gems and stones. I will usually have one of the older kids cut out the shapes before hand so it's cleaned up before the Sabbath. 

This is what I have found to be the most successful in preparing for the Sabbath. It might not go as smooth as I would like all the time but this has eliminated me stressing out over it. These simple steps are things I do through out the week and I don't cram them all into one day. 

It has also helped me and our family to rest and enjoy the Sabbath. 

Bible Reconstruction

A few years ago I came up with something called "Bible Reconstruction". It wasn't something fancy or complex at all. Our now 11 year old was only about 4 years ago so she was about 7 years old. We were coming home from a fellowship and she had started talking back to me and my husband and this was something that was kind of escalating over a few months. On this particular day she was really being rude, nasty and just not of a peaceful spirit.

At first my DH said you are going to go to your room when you get home. When we got home she was happy to go there. Like she could "get away" from us when it was typically our day of family time. The Holy Spirit then led me to have her do something else. Instead of giving her what she wanted by spending time in her room by herself I told her she was going to have to do some writing exercises. (She was being home schooled at the time so she assumed something from her school work, however this wasn't the case).

I had her sit at her work area with a paper, and pencil. I opened the bible up to Deuteronomy 27:16 and I had her copy the verse 10 times. This was a short verse, but for longer verses I only make them do it maybe 5 times or 3 times. I try to find the shorter verses though when I incorporate this in their punishment. After they are done they also have to explain to me why from a biblical aspect it was wrong.

Here are my reasons for choosing this as part of their discipline.

• It shows them from a biblical point what they are doing wrong. 
• It shows that I too follow through with Yahweh's word and The Scriptures. 
• It also shows that sometimes it isn't easy being obedient to the Scriptures and it's hard but we do it because it is commanded by Yahweh and his word. 

We have noticed a huge difference that this alone has had on our blessings from Yahweh. They do get upset if we ground them or make them do extra chores, but now I will gently remind my older two if we need to do some bible reconstruction and their response is no ma'am or no sir. They do what we ask, because it's always in their mind that mommy and daddy are doing what The Scriptures tell us to do. 

Swallow That Garlic

I hope that this post does make you laugh, most of all. In January I got a kidney infection and I went to the doctor and he didn't believe me at first. He talked to me like I didn't know what I was talking about, and that I was needing attention. Believe me that is that last thing I wanted to do. I only went in to confirm it was a kidney infection. I had a high fever, pain in the lower back, and couldn't sit in one position for very long. I have only had a kidney infection one other time in my life and it was the same pain again.

So the doctor was very prideful and literally talked me in a way that didn't make me feel comfortable. I was kind of upset and told my DH how he just rushed me through and said it's back spasms, and they would send it off to culture but more than likely it's just back spasms. I didn't agree with him. So I kept pushing my fluids. By the next weekend I was still in some pain. I was taking a Kidney Activator Herb Supplement, D3, and a Potassium Combination blend. It helped with the pain a little bit but I could tell the infection was still there. My husband did pick up the prescription but I chose not to take it.

Instead I went old school. Remembering back of what I would have done a year or two ago. So I said I am going to take a garlic clove and swallow it. That will kill the infection. By this time it was the 10th day of having the infection so I know I needed to get it killed. During that time I would get fever off and on, and I would get cold chills.

So I took a small garlic clove because I wasn't sure how I would be able to do it. I have told hundreds of people just take a garlic clove and swallow it. I know it works, I know the amazing benefits of garlic, but I myself have never had to actually swallow a garlic clove.

So the first dose I took the small clove went down like a regular pill. I was like man that was so easy and no garlic taste neither. A few hours later I was starting to feel better, but I knew I would have to do it again over the next couple of days to be sure the infection dies. Plus garlic is good for you any way.

The next day was as Saturday I got a little bit bigger sized clove this time. I also bought some cranberries and boiled them in water so that way I could drink the cranberry juice. That evening I had to take my 2nd dose of garlic. I got a clove off and thought this should fit it's no bigger than a prenatal vitamin and I used to take those all the time just fine. (What I didn't realize was that the clove was curved and not exactly shaped like the prenatal vitamin I used to take) I just need a bigger glass of water. So I got the water and popped the garlic into my mouth and started drinking the water. I kept drinking and drinking. The garlic clove started to go down, but about half way down I realized it wasn't going to go down. So it was either going to come up or I was going to die. Next thing I know all the water including the garlic clove came shooting out all over the floor and my husband's back.

The first thing I said once I was able to catch a breath was "I'm Sorry". He said what happened. I responded back to him. I was trying to swallow the garlic clove and about half way down my throat I realized it wasn't going to fit and then the water came back up with the garlic clove. He said "So you didn't swallow it." I told him "No". His next response was "Well where is it so I can wash it off." My response back to him was "ewww no you are not going to wash it. Throw it away." He said "No we can use it again." I was trying so hard not to laugh, but it was really hard. By the way that garlic clove went in the trash.

So the moral of the story is be sure to cut up the garlic clove at least 2 or 3 times in length so it does fit. The garlic taste isn't that bad at all. If you really don't like it you can coat it with honey like my dear friend Darlene suggests.

Back To Gluten Free

For the past couple of months money has been tight and although Yahweh has provided it's still been difficult.

First I would like to give a quick background on our precious 5 year old Ariah. When she was about 3 years old she started to regress backwards. She stopped talking, she did arm flapping, yelled at us but without any words, stopped going to the bathroom when she had been potty trained for 6 plus months, full blown tantrums, anxiety and leg pains at night. I have studied so much into the health field that I can recognize health issues by symptoms. I don't need blood tests or xrays most of the time. So the first thought that came to mind was Autism. I thought but how could this be she is pretty much vaccine free with the exception of the Vitamin K and  Hep B at birth. I kept thinking there is no way that could have done it. Then I started to think about my silver fillings. Wondering if they could have contributed and could have caused it. So instead of trying to find out why or how it happened my focus was to just focus on what to do next.

Now DH was in training in Fort Benning and we were there with him but with him spending week after week in the field and not being able to come home until Saturday morning and then back out Sunday evening I couldn't ask him to help much. I had a new baby and a 18 month old daughter on top of my older 2 kids. So to help my mom came and stayed with us. It was only for about 2 maybe 3 months but it really helped a lot. She was able to tend to the other kids while I was able to work with Ariah one on one. So after doing some tests by seeing if she was just sensitive when aware or truly didn't want to be touched at all we concluded that we needed to remove gluten from her diet for 2 reasons. One was if she was on the Autism spectrum this is one of the first things the doctor is going to tell us to do. 2 if she wasn't on it then we needed to remove it see if she had some kind of sensitivity to it. With in a week after removing it she started to regress. With in a couple of months she was talking again, going the bathroom on her own and the tantrums got less and less. She was signing to me again as well. Now fast forward to a couple of months ago.

I had gotten really sick after Thanksgiving in November. My DH had to take over the cooking in the house and snacks since some days I couldn't even get out of bed. So he did what he could and what was easiest. PB and jelly sandwiches on store bought bread, pasta, lots of spaghetti etc. This resulted in extreme leg pains for my precious baby and major emotional roller coaster for all of the kids. So as of this past week DH said I don't care about easy and convenience any more we are going back to Paleo and being gluten free. I was really happy.

So no more wheat for us in this house. We have also chose to eliminate several grains as well to see how we do without them. So bye bye oatmeal, corn, and rice.

Juanita 

Laughter Does a Soul Good

I have to say after reading this it really made me laugh. I could actually see my husband doing this kind of stuff in a store. It was a reminder that marriage is a life time commitment and that instead of dragging your way through some times you just have to enjoy the little things.

I can honestly say that my mom and dad still are "silly" with each other every day. There are always things that my dad does that makes my mom laugh and if it wasn't for him modeling that I probably wouldn't have found a spouse that is the same way. It makes things easier in life when things seem so hard and difficult.

So here is something I found online, but not sure who the author is.

After I retired, my wife insisted that I accompany her on her trips to Target. 

Unfortunately, like most men, I found shopping boring and preferred to get in and get out. Equally unfortunate, my wife is like most women - she loves to browse. 

Yesterday my dear wife received the following letter from the local Target:

Dear Mrs. Harris , 

Over the past six months, your husband has caused quite a commotion in our store. We cannot tolerate this behavior and have been forced to ban both of you from the store. Our complaints against your husband, Mr. Harris , are 
listed below and are documented by our video surveillance cameras: 

1. June 15: He took 24 boxes of condoms and randomly put them in other people's carts when they weren't looking. 

2. July 2: Set all the alarm clocks in House wares to go off at 5-minute intervals. 

3. July 7: He made a trail of tomato juice on the floor leading to the women's restroom. 

4. July 19: Walked up to an employee and told her in an official voice, 'Code 3 in House wares. Get on it right away'. This caused the employee to leave her assigned station and receive a reprimand from her Supervisor that in turn resulted with a union grievance, causing management to lose time and costing the company money. 

5. August 4: Went to the Service Desk and tried to put a bag of M&Ms on layaway. 

6. August 14: Moved a 'CAUTION - WET FLOOR' sign to a carpeted area. 

7. August 15: Set up a tent in the camping department and told the children shoppers they could come in if they would bring pillows and blankets from the bedding department to which twenty children obliged. 

8. August 23: When a clerk asked if they could help him he began crying and screamed, 'Why can't you people just leave me alone?' EMTs were called.

9.. September 4: Looked right into the security camera and used it as a mirror while he picked his nose. 

10. September 10: While handling guns in the hunting department, he asked the clerk where the antidepressants were. 

11. October 3: Darted around the Store suspiciously while loudly humming the 'Mission Impossible' theme. 

12. October 6: In the auto department, he practiced his 'Madonna look' by using different sizes of funnels. 

13. October 18: Hid in a clothing rack and when people browsed through, yelled 'PICK ME! PICK ME!' 

14. October 22: When an announcement came over the loud speaker, he assumed the fetal position and screamed 'OH NO! IT'S THOSE VOICES AGAIN!



15. Took a box of condoms to the checkout clerk and asked where is the fitting room?

And last, but not least: 

16. October 23: Went into a fitting room, shut the door, waited awhile, and then yelled very loudly, 'Hey! There's no toilet paper in here.' 

One of the clerks passed out.


I hope you enjoy this little bit as much as I did. 

Teaching Our Daughters

Tonight I listened to the video posted below and I have to say one of my favorite sermons that I have watched or heard in a long time. Don't get me wrong I love learning the whole bible but to hit a topic like this is rare. It's not being taught in many congregations even the Messianic and Torah teachings.

I had been thinking about doing a post about our daughters and what I hope I can teach them. This one hour video pretty much sums it up. Voddie Bauchman speaks of how women's role is in the home and to her husband.

My favorite quote was "You are not a piece of meat to fulfill a man's sinful desire, but you are worth far more than rubies". We live in a world that promotes sexuality in a way that our 13 and 14 year old daughters should not be desiring. We are a blended family meaning my older two are not biologically from my husband, however that has never been the structure of our home. So I understand the struggles that it takes and what women go through when the man up and leaves, or isn't willing to take care of his kids on his own, because I have been there.

After watching the video it actually prompted me to teach my oldest daughter more about what her role is and what she needs to be looking for. She is only 11 years old, but being in public school for the past year and a half I am sure there is some views, and things that we need to reroute and redirect her to. It's crazy to think in the next 10 years she could be getting married and starting a family of her own. My prayer and hope is that she finds a man that embraces and lives out the Titus 2 scriptures. Not just for a short time and not just to marry her, but because he truly believes in the scriptures.

A Lesson In Goals

Since our kids are still learning about setting goals. We wanted to emphasize on goals that were attainable, reachable, but needed some hard work at the same time. I only did the assignment with the 4 older kids. So I sat them all down in a circle and made a word document of the assignment. I had one large rectangle that read "2012 Goals" and below that it had said "My 2012 Goals are...". I then inserted 3 circles and had them either write a short sentence or draw a picture of what they wanted their goals to be.

Before I gave them their paper I asked them to explain to me what a goal is. Ariah so eager to answer anything said "It's something very special". Of course she was write a goal is something very special and so I encouraged her that she answered with a good answer. Michael didn't want to answer and Alissa explained to the others what a goal was while I elaborated on it. I explained that a goal can be something you want to do by a certain time frame. It didn't have to be a big goal or like some one else, but your own. I explained it could be a new skill, or achieve a new level on their favorite game. So a few things they came up with was....

Ariah

• Learn to ride a bike without training wheels. 
• Learn to read. 
• Write her name better. 

Michael 

• Learn to read better and every night. 
• Learn cursive. 
• Be a better listener to mommy and daddy. 

Alissa

• Be a better reader. 
• Write cursive better. 
• To learn to cook more things. 

I loved how creative all the kids got and worked together. We then glued them on a poster board and hung them up in our classroom. The kids were all so eager to show daddy when he came home. They couldn't wait and they were proud to show him their goals. My goal is to keep it visible and help them to work at each goal. I have to say this was an amazing accomplishment of them all. I am very proud of how well they worked. We did let Jayel in on it too, but she just colored and cut up the circles. She will be more actively involved I think as the months go on. 

Juanita E. 

First Snowfall

The anticipation has been coming more and more each day. We have been eagerly awaiting our first real snowfall. We had flurries here and there maybe once or twice but nothing like today. Waking up to a little bit of snow only builds the anticipation of when my husband can retire and we can live in the mountains the way Yahweh wants us to live. We don't believe Yahweh ever intended us to live under this control, slavery, and bondage of "work".

So today me and the kids had a lighter load of school work we will call it early release due to the ice, snow and cold temperatures. Then we made mini pie tarts out of different butters I had made earlier in the fall. We mixed our cinnamon apple butter, pecan butter and pumpkin butter. We made a pie crust and filled them with some pecans. My husband has been asking me to make some and finally was well enough to do it. I have to say it builds the dream of living in the mountains only so much more. The kids loved the snow but only wanted to be out there for a short time as the our dogs played in the snow it was all worth the wait.

I know the snow we will be getting in Colorado will be so much more but with retirement us living off our land with my sisters and family only feet away is exciting to think about. The time will come in Yahweh's timing and not ours, but it is nice to think about how it will be.

So the kids enjoyed it and so did I. As our pot roast cooks with potatoes, carrots, corn, onions and seasonings. I am going to enjoy this glorious day that he has given us. There is no beauty greater than what Yahweh has given us with his seasons, hills, mountains, and trees. No matter how hard man tried the beauty of the snow falling, and the trees covered with a white sheet can never be replaced or reproduced.

Juanita E.

Shabbat 1/6/2012

While I was sick and being I am still recovering this is our first Shabbat that we will be honoring again since end of November. We recently informed the kids that this is what our Friday at sundown to Saturday at sundown would consist of. They didn't seem to pleased. In the past it mostly consisted of them playing outside or watching movies.

This Shabbat we have planned for them to read parts of the bible, lead a prayer with the younger ones and tell us what they think the verses meant. Of course they will not be teaching our younger ones as they are still too young, but they will be assisting me in coloring for them and keeping them quiet while daddy teaches us.

Some of the snacks I chose for us is popcorn, salad, fresh fruit, granola, pudding, and pizza. I have found myself getting rather creative and easier as the weeks go on. For this weeks study with our kids we have chosen to elaborate more on respecting our elders. Going into a deeper detail on sin and why we shouldn't do it. I have to say as we teach them what we would think are simple things in the bible like going over the 10 commandments we are learning so much more. It's a new level for us but thankful that we still have the opportunity to do it freely in our home without risking being killed for even having a bible in our home.

So Shabbat Shalom to all of my friends and readers. After this weekend I will try to get together what we learned and what scriptures we talked about. It could be something that you could use.

Juanita

MIA (Missing in Action)

I have not been online much and have recently decided to deactivate my FB account. There were several things that didn't settle well with me and my family. We have made some major family changes and decisions that I am sure our kids feel out of the norm with. I quote my daughter when we told her she would be home schooled starting this week "I just want to be a normal child and go to school".

After sitting her and our other little blessings down to explain to them that we are not the norm and we never will be, but the set apart. Living a life and following Torah isn't easy and is a lot harder than when I was in a Christian congregation. At least in the Christian congregation my kids had some other like minded friends. Being with our faith and beliefs it comes so far and few that it's hard on them and me too, but we have to keep strong and our faith to know it's about pleasing Yahweh.

The past almost 2 months I have realized how much stress I was under with Facebook, and being online. I almost made the choice to delete even this blog, but went over the posts that I didn't feel were uplifting to Yahweh or Yahushua and deleted them. (Don't worry it was only about 4 or 5 posts).

I am excited to say that I can blog and put my thoughts out there even if no one does read them. LOL. I will try to blog at least once a month about our  lives, what we are learning and teaching our kids. Life with our blessings is constant, hard, difficult, emotional but most of all rewarding. I love each day with them and they teach me so much more than I teach them. Watching them care for each other gives me hope that if Yahweh chooses to take me before I am ready I know they will mend together and stand strong. They will encourage each other in any way possible. Their relationships with each other give me hope and pleasure that I am doing what I can to make sure they are growing up the way Yahweh wants them to be raised.


Juanita