Posts

Getting Healthy - Part 1

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It's no secret that I have struggled with my weight most of my life. I remember after getting my 8/9 yr old pictures taken - I was handing them out to my friends and I remember feeling ashamed that I was 'fat'. It was the first time I realized that I didn't have a waist... of course it didn't help that my best friend Carla, was beautiful, thin, and all the guys liked her! As a teen, I wasn't huge, but I wore a size 10/12 (the same as my aunt) all through my teens. I weighed around 125#. The time I weighed the least was when I was 17 years old and two months pregnant with baby #1, (morning sickness and plain poverty does that to you) I weighed 110# and fit into a size 6. *Note: I am 5ft. 1in. tall. After baby #1 was born, I kept gaining weight until I was at 160# (size 14) despite the fact that I walked everywhere I went and ate very little. Three years later, I was seeing a dietitian and was back down to 129# and a size 10. I gradually started

Getting Rid of Cookbook Clutter

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When I moved into my first apartment at the age of 16, I knew that I wanted some of my mom's recipes. So, I made a homemade recipe book, and spent a few days writing my favorite recipes down. You see, my parents were in the process of moving to another state (Pennsylvania) over nine hours away. I knew that I couldn't just go home and look through mom's recipes when ever I wanted.  Through the years, I added to my homemade recipe book, collecting any recipes that I thought looked good.  Fast forward thirteen years down the road. I was married with three kids. I had a Taste of Home magazine subscription, recipes from other magazines like Country Side, Better Homes and Gardens, and lots of recipe books that people had given me over the years. I had a whole shelf and a half full of recipes. When I wanted to try a new recipe, just the idea of looking through the stacks of recipes made me stop - there was so many, I didn't even want to sort through them.  I never use

Me: A Compendium Book Review

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Me: A Compendium   by: Wee Society  4 Stars I thought this book looked cute and was planning on using it for my youngest (age 6). But since my two youngest are in the same grade and do the same work, I thought my cute, curly haired, 4 yr. old, niece might like it.....  And her Momma says she does!  The only down is that it may be a little more suitable for a 6-7 yr. old that can read and write! Me: A Compendium by Wee Society  is a cute, cleverly made, hardback, fill-in journal for kids. The pages are big and bold and colorful.  Kids are encouraged to let their imaginations run wild as they write or draw. The large, colorful pages allow for kids to explore who they are and who they want to be. I loved all the questions that they ask such as:  What's your favorite jokes? What's your favorite clothes?   If I were going to outer space, _____ is what I would pack.   What I wish was inside my refrigerator.   If I had a shop, it would be called _

Monster Cookie Recipe - Best Ever!

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Monster Cookie Recipe 1 stick of butter (1/2 cup) 1 cup granulated sugar 1 & 1/2 cup peanut butter 1 cup brown sugar 3 large eggs 2 teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoon vanilla 4 & 1/2 cup quick oats 1 cup chocolate chips 1 cup M & M's 1. Cream butter, sugars, and peanut butter together 2. Add the eggs, soda, and vanilla and blend well 3. Stir in chocolate chips and M & M's until well blended 4. Bake in a 350 degree oven. Do not bake cookies any longer than 10 minutes. The cookies will set up as they cool.

Why I Don't Sell....

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"I don't sell product - I share an opportunity. An opportunity to change ones life - to become healthier, to become wealthier, and to become a better person." -Rhoda Kindred I am not a salesman - I'm not really that fond of them to be honest. I find most salesmen to be pushy. Even after you say no - they continue to push, and push, never knowing when to stop. I enjoy sharing Shaklee with people. I can ask someone if they'd be interested in taking a look at what I have to offer.  If they say "yes", I'm excited because that person is choosing to be open to an opportunity.  If they say "no", I'm okay with that. I am sad that they are shutting the door on something that could change their life for the better, but I respect them for not wasting my time. It's the people that say maybe.... not now, or in six months. Then in another six months, they say maybe next year... Those people are the hardest to share with beca

Louisville, KY Trip

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So my oldest daughter and I took a weekend trip to celebrate her 15th birthday (a few months late).... Note: I don't usually do big birthday celebrations . For example, last year the poor kid got a cake - nothing else! However, I thought that we could have 'mom and daughter' time - something we don't get a chance to do very often.... It started out great! I had planned for a good time in Louisville, Ky. Hair cuts, and color, eating out someplace nice, a full day and half of thrift store shopping, a great hotel complete with swimming, a hot tub, popcorn, soda, movies, painting our nails, eating birthday cake and living it up.... just her and me. Let's just say... Louisville had other ideas.....  I-65 had construction  most of the way there.... which made us delayed, but we stayed positive, singing with the radio and eating junk food! After driving for a few hours, we had very full bladders. We get to our first destination, only to discover that

How To Turn An Old Chicken Coop Into A She Shed

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We moved the chickens to the barn and turned an old chicken coop into a  'She Shed '. Our oldest daughter, Faith (15 yrs.) shares a small bedroom with her 6 yr. old little sister. There's not a lot of room, and with their nine year age difference, they don't have a lot in common. So, I thought we'd make a 'She Shed' for Faith to use as her own art studio... a place to get away, a place to relax, a place to breath. We took out the nest boxes, roosts, and all things chicken related, gave the whole thing a good scrub with Shaklee Basic H2 and Basic G to disinfect it , and let it dry. Then we mixed up  The Prairie Homestead's Whitewash  (we added 1 bottle of purple rite dye to tint it), and the kids and I got busy painting it on. We didn't quite have enough to do the floor, so left it original. I was planning on painting it white, but never got that done. (story of my life...)     It really brightened up the inside. After the

The Happiness Dare Giveaway

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I love this book and want you to love it too, so....  I'm giving away a copy - right here on my blog...  keep reading to enter! The last couple years, I have been choosing to have more joy in my life. We have gotten rid of clutter , figured out priorities, cut back on stress in our life, and paid off our home. Life is good, but you know what??? Joy and happiness are two different things -and my life could use a lot more holy happiness in it! Get this.... God is a Happy God - and He wants us to be Happy! A. W. Tozer said that the people of God "ought to be the happiest people in all the wide world!" I think too often as Christians, we put a limit on our happiness in God.  In The Happiness Dare, Jennifer says "God gave us the created world - with sugar, bluebirds, audio books, words with friends, art museums, and sex. You have permission to enjoy food, friendships, and a cool swim on a hot summer day. the devil didn't make art, laughte

DIY Bookcase Redo

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It doesn't take much to give your book case a whole new makeover!  You can accomplish it with very little cost and a little bit of time. Step 1: Take everything out of the bookcase, including the shelves. Step 2: Take off the back. It is easiest if you lay the bookcase front side down on the floor.                                                     Step 3: Lay lace (you could also use material, wall paper or even paint the back a bright color.) down on the top where the back originally was. Pull snug. Step 4: Lay back on top and nail back on. Step 5: Stand upright. Place shelves back in.                                                       Step 6: Put you're books back in! Note: The key to a good looking bookcase isn't so much in the bookcase as much as it's what and how to put things in the bookcase! Group books of the same color or kind together. Have some laying down and some standing up. Add in a few collectibles (anything you l

Dressing Your Truth Experiment Fun With The Four Types

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I sometimes talk with people who claim that anybody can wear anything and look good. I disagree. Faith, my daughter and I decided to test that theory, by each dressing in all four types of the Dressing Your Truth Program . We used clothes, makeup, and accessories that we already had and really did try to dress as much as we could in each of the four type styles, even if we didn't like it.  We both wore the same color of makeup for each of the types. We started with Type 1: Faith had a light aqua t-shirt, white shorts, a multi colored striped belt, a bright orange zipper bracelet and gold circle earrings. (It was harder for me to find a Type 1 outfit, as I have been trying to clean out my closet since I started DYT and living with less) . My shirt had multi color circles, which I pared with a white sweater and gold circle earrings. We puffed our hair on top to give it an upward motion and we completed the look with blue eye shadow, light pink lip stain

FREE Personalized Health Assessment

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FEEL BETTER WITH A FREE HEALTH ASSESSMENT Get a personalized health plan, backed by Shaklee scientists, for your specific needs with Shaklee Healthprint. Your health goals are unique to you, which is why you need a plan designed specifically for you to achieve optimal health.  Shaklee Healthprint  is a powerful tool that harnesses the work of award-winning Shaklee doctors, scientists, and nutritionists to create nutrition plans customized for you. Answer a few questions and we’ll recommend a combination of products that is personalized for your individual needs. We will also provide you with health insights and recommendations to help point you down the path to a healthier life. Once complete, you will receive: Health and Wellness Score – Based on where they are relative to your goals and potential. Health Insights – With recommendations and educational content, backed by Shaklee Science, to support your health goals. Nutritional Program – Recommended prod