SRKindredSpirits

After an emergency brain surgery on our ten year old son, five weeks in the hospital, a second surgery to put the bone flap in, daily infusions at home........ Our once active big little boy unable to ride his 4 wheeler, bike, jump on the trampoline, or run, but rather see him sitting on the sofa hooked up to iv's.... After a surgery for me (the mom) and health issues with another major surgery ahead. A 16 yr old who is working, learning to drive, recently graduated and looking at colleges, while starting to spread her own wings..... A Hubby (who is my rock) that is hitting his midlife crisis (which may or may not) explain the brand new Ford F150 pickup truck in his shop...... And a seven year old little girl who had to grow up way to fast this year..... as she spent most of her summer away from her mom.... Life this year, has definately taken a different turn and we are trying to find our new normal. Sometimes life has a way of changing so quickly t

While my son, QW was in ICU of the Children's hospital, we were moved to the ICU Burn Unit due to the regular ICU being under staffed. We ended up staying in the ICU Burns Unit for 4 1/2 weeks out of the five weeks that we were in the hospital. We came to like and know most all of the burn unit staff and some of the patients..... including a little (3 or 4 yr old) girl called Miesha. Oh, my goodness, she was the cutest little thing!  She was already there when we arrived and was still there when we left. She was burnt from head to toe and could hardly walk or talk when we first met her, but every day she got a little bit stronger.  The kids in that unit would do their walking therapy in the hall. Miesha would stop and wave at our sons door when she did her walking therapy and my son and I would stop and wave at her door when he did his walking therapy.  Some days you could hear her just scream and scream when they did dressing changes. Other nights you could hear h

This early-spring treat is one of a few perennial vegetable crops, so once you get a patch established, it will give you many years of delicious harvests for little work. Here's my little patch from last year: Asparagus are fresh, crisp, nutritious, and adaptable to use in many different ways. Asparagus are a good source of the following minerals & vitamins: Iodine, Potassium, Copper, Magnesium, Folate, and Vitamins A, C and E.  My favorite ways to eat it are -  Steamed with Eggs... Steam Asparagus on stove top... top with shredded or chopped hard boiled eggs and salt and pepper.  Oven Roasted... This has to be one of the easiest and tastiest ways to cook asparagus. Just trim the ends, lay out on a baking sheet, toss with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese, and then bake until done.  In a sandwich... We like to use a toasted and buttered bread or bagel. Add bacon, steamed asparagus and a fried egg! *Note: some p

Over the last few years, I haven't taken good care of myself, and as a result, my health has taken a hit..... when you have a special needs kid, multiple auto immune diseases, cancer, and chronic stress, I guess its somewhat to be expected. But, since I've chosen to take care of myself this year , my health is a high priority. My 1st surgery was Monday, March 20th, 2017 "Surgery is the treatment of disease or injury by cutting into the body to repair or remove the injured or diseased body part". I was extremely nervous. I had never been put to sleep or had any type of surgery before in my life. The surgery went well, the worst things about it were the sore throat from the breathing tube, keeping my pain levels down, and the drive home (I do believe we have the worst roads in the US!).  I wasn't expecting the affects of anesthesia to make me have insomnia for the first three days. Or that doing simple household chores would make me tire s

Did you know that 90% of Americans are lacking key nutrients in their diets?  Even if you’re conscientious about what you eat —it’s very challenging to ensure that you’re getting the nutrients you need to maintain optimal health. Would you like to feel more energized? Achieve a healthier weight? Experience the benefits of digestive and immune support? Feel younger longer? If so, I dare you to try Shaklee's high quality core nutrition products and create the foundation for your healthier life! Feel amazing in 30 days, guaranteed! Shaklee Life-Strip™ It’s the best, most comprehensive nutrition system in the world. Every serving of Shaklee Life is the culmination of years of research and quality testing to guarantee every Life-Strip delivers pure and potent vitamins, minerals, omega-3 fatty acids, polyphenols, antioxidants and phytonutrients.  *Life-Strip includes Vivix. Vivix® Every day, our cells are damaged from environmental exposure, diet and str

Is your family getting all the protein that they need? If they are like the majority of Americans, they most likely aren't! My kids don't enjoy drinking protein shakes..... but they LOVE this Protein Snack! Even adults can't resist! ~ Recipe ~ 1 cup (dry) oatmeal or crispy rice cereal 1/2 cup Chocolate or Vanilla Shaklee Life Energizing Protein 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips 1/2 cup peanut/almond butter 1/2 cup honey (You can also add other ingredients like flax seed, chia seed, raisins, nuts, etc.) Stir until everything is moist. Press into 8×8 pan or roll into bite sized balls. Keep in the refrigerator. Enjoy! Around the world, millions of people don’t get enough protein . Protein malnutrition leads to the condition known as kwashiorkor . Lack of protein can cause growth failure, loss of muscle mass, decreased immunity, weakening of the heart and respiratory system, and death. Protein is the single most important food we e

This year, I am choosing to take care of me ...... and that means I've been enjoying some time in the sun..... walks on the beach... watching the kids (and the hubby) play... laying at the pool... walking under the moss covered oak trees... exploring the island... seeing the beautiful views from our hotel balcony... listening to the waves crash... playing in the sand... watching the sun rise over the ocean... finding sand dollars and shells... watching the tide come and go... enjoying the warm breeze... spending time with my family... and simply enjoying life.....  ...... I think I could get used to this......

I've never been one for New Years Resolutions....i t always seemed kinda silly to me.... So many people make a resolution to change, but so few actually see it through. However, I do like to pick on word or thought to be a reminder to me throughout the year. The last few years, my thought has been to Choose Joy . We can all stand to have a little more joy and happiness in our lives.... but this year, I was ready for a new thought.... so, for 2017 - I choose to take care of me! Over the years as a wife and mom, I often get distracted with the busyness of life and have let myself go. When you have a mini farm, animals , grow and preserve your own produce , home school, run a home business , volunteer, have a special needs son, and in my case have cancer , chronic stress, and multiple autoimmune diseases..... taking care of myself is often the last thing I think of. So, this year, I am choosing to take care of me...... I'm having a relaxing soak in the bub

Happy New Year! Here's to starting the new year off right! So many people make a new years resolution to loose weight, but quit after only a few days or weeks. If you want to lose weight and keep it off, you owe it to yourself to try Shaklee's 180 program! We know losing weight can be as simple as it is difficult. That’s why Shaklee scientists, who are thankfully also human, designed the Shaklee 180 program to help you break the yo-yo dieting cycle to get healthier and fit for life. This customizable two-meals-a-day kit contains all you need for your first 2 weeks of the program including: * Two canisters of delicious Life Energizing Shakes packed with protein to curb hunger and increase energy. (16 grams of proprietary, ultra-pure, plant-based non-GMO protein. Added leucine to help preserve lean muscle and keep metabolism strong. A powerful patent-pending combination of prebiotics andone billion CFU of patented probiotics, and Omega-3 ALA to suppor

This year there were 48 blog posts at SRKindredSpirits....  There were a lot of different topics.... Things to say on a job interview , Recipes , Visiting Louisville KY , Getting rid of cookbook clutter, Book reviews , Bookcase redo , Why I don't sell , Making an orb , Crochet Christmas tree skirt , Understanding a INTJ , Adoption , DYT experiment , My first speeding ticket , What Instagram really tells you , How to review a product company, Family quality time , A free health quiz , and much more. Here's the top 10 posts of 2016: We had our first giveaway here on SRKindredSpirits and it was a success! The Happiness Dare is a highly recommended book! Once you try these, you'll be hooked! Easy and yummy... you can't go wrong with these cream cheese roll ups! I wrote this post after reading the definition of the word 'family', it will give you a little insight to my life. Getting rid of the swimming pool was personal favorite and

You know there's a lot of things that I'm good at, but not any one thing that I'm really great at.... Back in 2012, I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that is cancerous - for which there is no cure. Since then, I often find myself thinking about the meaning of my life.....  "What do I love, and what would I like to accomplish in my life......?" That's a hard question....  I love to sing... and would love to sing lead or background in a band. But how in the world do you get discovered.... I actually auditioned for a small group in 2015, and was given the gig, but they were located a few hours away and I would have been away from my kids and hubby 3-4 days a week.... I just can't do that right now, my family is too important.  I love plants and nature. I love making flower arrangements. (I have even though of opening my own florist shop...), but we live in the boonies and I would hate the tied down feeling of running a stor