Restored

My church will be turning one on 2/12/13 and we are celebrating this weekend!  As part of the celebration, each person was asked to write a word that described a part of their experience with Elevate and take a picture holding the sign.  I did a lot of thinking about my word.  There are lots of words to describe this past year!  Bold, Blessed, Change, Moving...the list goes on and on.  As I continued to wonder what would be the best word for me, I realized that this past year has been one of restoration.  Scripture is full of warnings and examples of how it can be difficult to stay on track with Christ.  We can often end up in situations that are spiritually debilitating without realizing how far in we are!  I had my fall from grace about  five years ago and it was one of the most difficult times of my life.  This past year has been the first in those five years when I've walked into church without feeling like I have to worry about what others think about my past.  I can be me, scars and all, and no one is going to judge me for it.  I am truly free in this church because others understand that God's grace is for all - no matter who you are and no matter where you've been - period.  No stipulations!  God's grace is enough and it has been amazing to claim that in the past year.  Happy Birthday Elevate Church!  www.elevateerie.net

What?

     Most people think I'm crazy - especially now that I've started remaking our food choices after Unprocessed October.  I am a firm believer that help from the store is NOT a problem, but there are foods I've fallen in love with that I make at home.  I'm also an avid reader of food labels now, which is great - except it has caused me to question some items that were always "no brainers" into my cart.
     Enter my current concern over yogurt.  Ales is not taking to milk very well and it's not a taste thing, it's a texture thing.  So, as we are getting her accustomed to this "new" item in her diet I have used yogurt to supplement and make sure that she is getting enough nutrients.  Last week I allowed Caleb and Ales to pick out a flavored yogurt (I normally buy plain whole milk yogurt in a big tub from Stoneyfield Farms).  I was proud of their choices as they both went for fruit yogurts and not the dessert flavors and they picked out organic, which I'm sure was because of the cow on the front! 
     Feeling pretty good about myself and the kids choices I went home and the kids enjoyed the yogurt.  I then took a look at the back of the container and almost choked!  The second ingredient was sugar (first ingredient being milk) - that means there was more sugar than fruit in the cup of yogurt!!!  Then I saw that there was 27g of sugars in the yogurt - a snickers bar has 29g (www.nutritiondata.self.com).!  (I understand both milk and fruit have natural sugar in them, but after I researched other yogurts this week I feel this is still pretty high.) 
     What to do?  I don't mind sugar - but I want there to be balance.  So, I set out this morning to make my own fruit on the bottom yogurt.  I blended 2 cups of raspberries, 2 bananas, and 11oz of coconut water with a tablespoons of maple syrup to make my own fruit concoction.  The bananas were not fully ripe so if they were I doubt I would have needed the maple syrup to take the edge of the tart berries.  I added a bit to some plain whole milk yogurt and the kids thought it was great!  The best part is there is still plenty for other yogurts and for on top of peanut butter pancakes tomorrow!

     Caleb informed me that I needed to start my own yogurt and smoothie company - so I guess it was a hit!  (To show me he as serious he began naming all of the possible yogurts for me with Star Wars related names.) Ales ate hers and mine - so it's toddler approved. 

                                                                           
     This just happened to work, but I'm sure it could have gone the other way.  I was lucky, and while there is still sugar in my "bottom fruit," I took comfort that fruit was the main event. 

Am I Crazy?

     Many of my conversations with my husband start with the following, "Honey, I've been reading..."  While in many ways this seems pretty harmless, in our house it is usually connected with something new I want to try.  It usually has to deal with food.  As some know, during my pregnancy I was reading a medical book to help me with the ins and outs of what to do and how to keep myself healthy.  The doctor made a point of steering me away from household cleaners and if I needed to use them do so with gloves and without breathing them in.  Huh?  It made me think; if I'm not supposed to use them while pregnant unless taking precautions, are they safe for when I'm not pregnant and are they safe for my family?  Needless to say I followed a blog and found some great alternatives to "normal" cleaners.  I figured I was set, until I began learning about food.
     There is so much we don't understand about food.  I realize I say this and it seems crazy because food is simple, right?  Not really.  There is so much entangled in food purchase decisions, and there isn't time for it here.  Long story short - I am hoping to take the month of October to attempt to cut out the processed food in my home.  Why?  1.  It has already opened up a new world of food variety for myself and my family. (I've traded in some "old" go to items for some "new.") 2.  I am concerned by the amount of preservative, dyes, and chemicals that are present in our foods!  3.  As if I need any other reason beyond this one: our kids!  I'd love to give them what I can for a healthy start.

PLEASE NOTE:  Every parent is different and I am NOT saying you are a bad parent if you eat processed foods!  I've found that I have tons of questions and I'm looking for the answers by exploring some different options.

 Want to know more about my upcoming month of madness?http://www.eatingrules.com/october-unprocessed-2012/ is a great place to get the full story!  If you feel like you'd like to try this let me know - I'd love to have some friends along the way!

Our Garden

Isn't this beautiful?!  And yes, that is a gnome under the basil (more about him at another time).  This year my husband and I really took our garden to a new place by expanding it.  It was so much fun, and best of all, we enjoyed the whole experience with our two kids.  They were (and continue to be) a part of every step, from turning up the soil to weeding. 

Yum, this has made the best salads and toppers for sandwiches and burgers! 

We decided to try some heirloom varieties of tomatoes (Mr. Stripey and Yellow Pear).  {Above is our Yellow Pear tomato} 

The best part is turning all of this produce into something wonderful, like baby food or part of a meal.  I love playing in the dirt, but this part of the process comes in second.  I'm very blessed to have a place/space to grow my own food.  As I gardened with our kids I began to realize how blessed they are.  They know that their food comes from the ground and is not made at the grocery store.  (You may be laughing, but some children don't realize where their food is actually coming from.) 

My kids have easy access to fresh fruits and veggies.  We have a farmers market two minutes from my house, so there is never a shortage of fresh produce in our home.  God has been placing on my heart over the last few months how important this issue of access to fresh, nutritious food is. So I've decided to start a non-profit, with His help of course!  It's my hope that with a community garden as its starting point, Seeds for Sprouts will have the opportunity to pour into the lives of children the encouragement, information, and nutrition they need.  I don't have many details yet, but I do know that things are coming together!    

Parenting...

     Look at that face!  I love how cheerful she is in the morning after a good night of rest!  This is a month old, but it's still one of my favorites of my little cowgirl.  Lately, I've been wondering more and more about parenting styles.  Perhaps I'm a late one in the game, but I don't think that Jake and I have a set "parenting style."  We have friends that do everything from attachment parenting to Babywise, but we have not really felt that these are for us. 
     I've taken some wisdom from them, and others, as I've read various books and articles. Yet nothing seems to scream to me that this is the parenting style for us.  (Jake is less concerned with what we parent with, as much as we are parenting consistantly and with the values we both hold highest.)  Last night I read an article on how American children are spoiled {read it here} and I felt that panic all over again.  What if we were raising our kids to be spoiled?  I decided to journal as it was late and my brain wouldn't shut off.  I began realizing that God wasn't asking me to Babywise.  God wasn't asking me to do attachment parenting.  God was asking me to use His word as the foundation that we would parent upon.  Reading Hebrews I came across parental advice that was being translated into a lesson for adults on how to perceive God's love.  I need to be a parent that mimics my Heavenly Father's heart.  While I think that every parent needs to find what works best for them and their household, we are going to make every effort to raise our children in a manner that draws them closer to God and an understanding of who He is.  This means modeling Christ-like behavior so they know the positive way to act and speak. 
    More than anything, I want my stepson and daughter to be people of integrity.  I want them to grow up and be lights in darkness.  This world is getting crazier by the day, and I know that if we raise them with the understanding that God is love and they are His hands and feet while on Earth, we may have a shot of helping them become all God has planned.

It's hard...

This is my husband...isn't he cute?  Jake and I dated for several years before getting married.  We were still dating here...

Still dating here too...we were at a friend's wedding.

Our wedding day!  It was such a great day that started with rain and ended in the most gorgeous sunset!  The wedding was a very special time for us and it was intimate with only our immediate family attending.  (The ceremony was held at a state park in NY near the Finger Lakes.)

This is us last summer...I was pregnant in this picture! 

Why am I taking this walk down memory lane about my hubby?  Marriage is hard.  I listen to others and I get very frustrated when they act like a marriage is this thing that just "happens."  My husband is my best friend, but like any relationship, marriage requires work to make sure that it remains healthy.  We have to put each other first and maintain love in situations where we want to be upset or angry.  Marriage is worth it.  I would never trade my husband, not even for chocolate.  When I said my vows I meant forever, even when he's being a bugger.  When he took his vows he meant forever, even when I'm being unreasonable.  (I know, me unreasonable?)  I'm looking forward to what God has for me and Jake.  I know that I have this wonderful opportunity to spend life's great moments with my best friend, and that is something special.

Confession...

     My husband and I are part of a new church in Erie.  It has been a learning experience and there is more involved than I have ever experienced at a church.  I am used to just walking in and having everything ready to go (or only a few things to set up) - no intensive work necessary.  Elevate Church is located in a local elementary school, so every Sunday morning dedicated folks come in to set up (and afterward tear down) everything to help make the worship experience meaningful.  The band comes in at 7 am to make sure their equipment and sound is perfect for the service, as well as sound and tech teams who help create the atmosphere for worship.  Soon after the other teams arrive to set up the other parts of the church (e.g. children's areas). 
    As with anything new, it's a learning process.  Part of this can be trial and error as we reach out to the City of Erie.  I'm finding it's easy to complain.  I don't like being up early to help set up - I don't like that my daughter's schedule is thrown off and Caleb is always looking for things to do until other children arrive - I'm not comfortable discussing my faith with strangers - I just want to sit in my own bubble and wait for God to bless me - It makes for a long day - I don't like sharing my husband's time at home with his desire to practice and play with the worship band.  (You may laugh at how silly all of this sounds, but at one time or another this has run through my head.)
     The reality is:  it isn't about me.  I want to make church about me.  Church is about sharing Jesus.  I need to show the people around me He loves them - every day and I need to do it without complaining.  It's so easy to pick apart those elements of the church that aren't working in my favor, but what I really need to do is make them positive.  I can't expect things to change if I'm not willing to change as well.  It's important that I stay open minded and focused so there isn't an opportunity to lose sight of what Elevate is really about.

Today...

is my 30th birthday!  My friend Angela took me out for the mouth watering confection that is pictured above (Bacon Maple donut - imagine the Homer Simpson drool moment).  As we were talking about our milestone birthdays I mentioned that I'm happy where I am at this point in my life.  I realized how true it really was, especially when I think back to the way I "planned" my life.  I wanted to go to college - check.  I wanted my Master's degree before I married - check.  I wanted to get married - check.  Children were there too - double check.  I've learned a lot, mostly that life is what you make it.  If I spend all of my time focused on what is negative or what is eventually going to leave me empty - that's who I will become.  The other lesson I've learned is that God has great things for you.  I can't tell you the number of times that I've messed up my life, and at times, the lives of others.  Yet, God has handed me blessing after blessing.  That doesn't mean the rain doesn't fall; but He will be what I need when it storms.  So here's to 30 and the hope for another year full of great things!

It's been awhile...

     Well, I'm finally back to blogging!  It has been months, but with all that has happened I figured it could be excused!  I am a mom!  I had my daughter in December and it was one of the most amazing and crazy experiences of my life.  I'm so thankful that I was able to avoid a c-section, but a little overwhelmed by what pitocin can do!  I did break down and have an epidural in the end, but I needed sleep so bad at that point I wasn't going to fight it!   

     Our house has been in chaos since and I'm finally back to finding time for me somewhere in the madness of this wonderful life I have. 

Buddy

     We have a member in our household that can be overlooked at times.  This is Buddy!  We found Buddy at the humane society last year in December.  He had been there for a month and a half waiting for us!  Jake and I had picked out, with the little man, two dogs to meet and spend a little time with.  The first dog was beautiful and very high energy.  Caleb wouldn't even get off the chair to come near her she was so energetic!  They brought Buddy in and he immediately began interacting with Jake and I.  Caleb came down off of his chair and began tossing the tennis ball for Buddy and it was sealed for us that this was the dog.
     When we brought him home we began to realize that he was used to some different rules and habits - but he's been amazingly easy to train.  Buddy's skin and intestines are sensitive (corn allergies and anxiety) but we have learned to keep him healthy with the help of a great vet.  What has been so wonderful is that he is protective of our family and a faithful guard dog.  I sleep better knowing he's in the house.
     Buddy was sick last week and I realized that at times I take him for granted.  He's just like another member of our family and I was pretty scared as he had an allergic reaction to an injection he'd received earlier in the week.  He was pretty spoiled while down but he deserves it and we're all thankful for him! (He also has the entire staff at the animal hospital wrapped around his paw with his charming/friendly behavior!)

Jubilee

     This past weekend my husband, little man, and I went to visit his family for Jubilee and Mountain Craft Days.  Above you can see the men in my life with their heads together over a large engine that was running.  Little guy had a million questions and Jake was happy to answer - father and son bonding!  There were also tractor pulls, homemade cider, and horses to see!  The guys were lucky and drove one of the steam tractors that was owned by a family friend!

     Before Jubilee, I enjoyed time with family and went to a farm market, where I bought my apples for the treats I hope to make!  I received them for a deal, in my mind, which makes it better!  I also found a bib at the farmer's market with a Steelers logo on it - had to buy it for our future fan!  My mother-in-law bought Amish made donuts (and they were amazing!) and I was able to find homemade egg noodles as well!  I felt like I was making out for the pantry all weekend!  It was a great time and the weekend was sealed with our little guy feeling his baby brother/sister kick him for the first time!  It was a great moment and he was excited! 

Millions of Peaches...

     Yes, while I was canning yesterday I had the song from the '90s by The Presidents of the United States of America running through my head.  I decided to try my hand at peach butter.  Apple butter has to be one of my all time favorite treats from the fall/winter, so why not try it with another fruit that I like?  I went to Frank's Farm Market for peaches and after a pep talk from the wonderful woman who runs it; I was ready!  (A nap was thrown in there too.)  It took a couple hours from start to finish, but that included processing the fruit as well as their time in the water bath.
     It turned out thinner than I like but the taste is wonderful!  I was kinda sad this morning when I opened the jar and it was a little runny, but after my husband put it on toast, he encouraged me to make another batch!  I'm not sure if I will because of my plans to make apple butter and applesauce in the next few weeks.  (Oh, and did I mention that my kitchen looked awful once I had finished?)  I will definitely put it on my list for next year! 
    

What's happening at our house...

It all started like this!

My husband has been working on the kids' room for the last few weeks.  Opening up the room was a surprise as we found damage from previous ownership as well as the realization that water had been damaging things worse than we thought (roof leak).

Our parent's came and gave us a hand, putting in new electrical as well as ceiling insulation - it was a big job! (Plus my mother-in-law and sister-in-law primed my kitchen for the beautiful shade of green I have intended for it!) 

Now my husband is getting the drywall on the ceiling!  I am so excited!  He puts down his skills with drywall, but I can tell you that he is doing great (our home is an older manufactured home so it has its little quirks...ok, big quirks!)  What I'm most excited about is the space for our smallest family members is coming together and it makes me so happy.  It also reminds me how lucky I am to have a hubby that is willing to take his time and do things right because that's the kinda guy he is!  (I'm often in awe of his stubborn nature that makes him a perfectionist at times...must be where little man and the baby get it!)

Full House

     Our home will be packed this weekend with family!  I am so excited to see my parents as well as my husband's parents and sister this weekend.  We will be sharing in home improvement and birthday cake as we celebrate the little man's 5th b-day!  It's been a week where I feel like the best medicine for me is to have lots of love in the house.
     I'm transitioning at work right now with a baby on the way and have found it highly stressing.  There are so many decisions up in the air and all I can do is breathe as things come along.  (The childcare I work for is transitioning now too into an early learning center with elementary programs.)  I want so much to have everything done and done well - but I often feel cut off at the knees.  So to help myself stay positive I heard this song on the radio while I was driving home and thought I should share it.  I found the video on YouTube and the artist is Addison Road.  
     I wish I had the ability to just let things be, but there is this perfectionist quality in me.  Sometimes my best friend, other times my worst enemy.  Until next time have a great weekend!

Call me crazy...

     I decided to create a blog.  Perhaps I'm just following the crowd (lately more of my friends, especially those with children, have been creating them), maybe I'm not satisfied with my already long list of to-dos (so I added one more thing), but I would like to think it has more to do with sharing my life with friends and family who aren't normally "connected." 
     So here it goes...