SRKindredSpirits

To be completely honest - the first 30 pages took me awhile (like almost two weeks -yes, -that's crazy, I know!) to read..... I simply was having a hard time getting into this book. Then, in a flash - that all changed! I finished the next 279 pages in two days and have started reading it for the second time! It's another great book to add to my bookshelf ! "The conventional assumptions that we have been taught about choosing a career and how we look at things in general are often misguided and simply wrong!" Why is it that if you hold down a job for years that pays well - people think you have it made! they say you are doing well - that you have arrived. Even though, you hate that job. The job is depressing, dragging you down and slowly killing you inside.  I don't believe God ever intended us to live that way. God wants us to be fulfilled and happy. He wants us to take pride in our work, to be a good steward of the talents He gave us. And while y

We said goodbye to our pool today. We had a grand party - one last hurrah - a pizza party with homemade ice cream floats! There's a few things about it that I'm gonna miss.... the beauty it brought to our backyard. the sound of the water. going for a late night swim- just hubby and I. cooling off on a hot summer day. the memories we made together as a family. and especially the reflection of the water dancing on my ceiling in the evening. We bought the pool to have something to do as a family, and to be honest - I feel guilty taking that away from the kids.... but there comes a time in life when you gotta face the facts. And the fact is too much is just that - too much! The excess of things and luxuries are not always worth it. The pool was costing us hundreds of dollars a year to run, It took time to balance, sweep and upkeep it. The supplies, toys, towels, chemicals, sweeper, hose, - all adding to extra clutter . Where we live, it is always windy, a pool cover

 W ho are your family? Have you ever stopped and really thought about that question? The past few weeks, I've been giving it a lot of thought.... here's my opinion on the matter and the answer to the question! According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary , the definition of the word family is as follows: 1 - family. noun.  fam·i·ly \ˈfam-lē, ˈfa-mə-\  - plural. families. : a group of people who are related to each other : a person's children : a group of related people including people who lived in the past 1. : a group of individuals living under one roof and usually under one head : household 2. a : a group of persons of common ancestry : clan     b : a people or group of peoples regarded as deriving from a common stock : race 3. a : a group of people united by certain convictions or a common affiliation : fellowship     b : the staff of a high official (as the President) 4. : a group of things related by common cha

This month makes 4 years since Stephen and I went on our first All-Expense-Paid Shaklee Trip! So, I thought I'd take a look back and share some highlights with you! One of the  many  rewards of building our  Shaklee  business is the opportunity to travel… and not just travel, but travel  in style .....   In May 2012 we enjoyed a trip to California (This was an earned trip that was completely paid for) and absolutely loved it! From the moment we arrived at the airport, until we arrived back home, we were treated like royalty! We had our own limo as our transportation to and from the airport! My first time riding in a limo! We stayed at the Four Points Sheraton Hotel , which was very nice... each room had a private deck. There were walking paths, a gym, a pool, and nice courtyard with fountains and lemon and orange trees! Breakfast every morning was provided by Shaklee at the Faz-Restaurant. Gift from Shaklee.... We toured the beautiful Shaklee Corporat

I have found over the years, that having a clean, simple, refreshing home offers many benefits....  We can welcoming guests into our home without feeling embarrassed by a messy house or a sink full of dirty dishes. It gives my family a place to relax, to be ourselves. But most importantly, having a clean home is refreshing to my soul. I love my home and the peace and comfort it provides. If you find yourself in the midst of a home full of clutter, and you're not sure where to begin... try these ten simple things....  1. Fresh flowers on my table are a must . I buy a small bouquet about every 3 weeks during the winter to keep on the table. In the Spring and Summer, I pick flowers from my garden. It is my ray of happiness and is refreshing to my soul! It makes me smile every time I stop to smell them as I walk by.... (I am blessed to have a florist shop that gives me a discount if I pick out and arrange the bouquets at home myself, so I can purchase floral stems

Slow down. OK, so here's some thoughts. We are a family of 5 . We each go to the dentist for checkups and cleanings 2 times a year. 5 x 2 =10 My oldest daughter volunteers at the vet clinic on Mondays = 1 x 52 = 52. Our special needs son gets Speech Therapy 2xs per week = 2 x 52 = 104 My daughter takes violin lessons every week 1 x 52 = 52 I am a certified crisis counselor and volunteer at the Pregnancy Crisis Center every week =1 x 52 =52 My hubby works on average 6 days a week 6 x 52 = 312 Our daughter has braces and goes to the orthodontist in Ohio 6 times a year. 6 Weekly grocery shopping =1 x 52 = 52 Sunday morning church 1 x 52 = 52 Date nights.... 1 x per month = 12 ....our total is now over 700 things. .... this does not include the other shopping trips like animal feed, or house projects, visiting family, holiday get-togethers, driving to Ohio to pick up fruit for canning, vacations, school field trips, library, eating out, date nights, etc. Nor does it

You know some people look at me and say that I'm not qualified to talk about nutrition. After all, I am not skinny, I don't run marathons, I cook and bake too much yummy food for my family, and I am not a doctor - and that, my friend, is all true.  But ya know..... 5 yrs ago, we had a very sick little girl who spent her days lying on a sofa, she was in the middle stages of kidney failure, she spent a few days a week going to the doctors, and local hospital for tests and cultures and going to a Children's Hospital a couple hours away monthly - she had 8 specialists. She was on 5 different adult dosage medications for over 4 years  - it was a merry-go-round. One medication would help symptom A, but its side effect would cause symptom B for which she would be put on another medication for symptom B, which would have a side effect that would cause symptom C, for which she'd be put on another medication.....  Add to that our Special Needs Son who has had 2 surger

Do you know how many friends you have on Facebook??? It's funny, most of the people on Facebook who are my friends, I don't talk to much in real life at all. Facebook started out as a good way to connect with extended family, cousins, aunts, and old friends from different parts of my past life. I always thought that people who didn't like Facebook and those who said there was too much drama, were the ones who caused the drama. I thought they were crazy.... But the last few years, I've started to realize something. My friends on Facebook were there to like a picture and a few would add a comment from time to time, but in my real life. .... I had no one. When I had rough days with exhaustion from my cancer, when my dad was in the hospital, when my grandpa was on his death bed.... not one 'Facebook friend' offered to make a meal or watch the kids so I could spend time caring for my dad and grandpa. No one (except for my mom) offered to help wash the dish