Food, Health and Eating

I received a call from my sister I today. She was asking me for cooking tips to help lower cholesterol.  I gave her a few ideas and told her that I would compile a list of websites with cooking, shopping and other tips to lower cholesterol. So here it goes. Please remember that diet is not a bad four letter word. It simply describes what you consume on a daily basis. If you look at it this way your "diet" is much easier to change. My advise for any food is the less processed the better, the more you can make and eat at home the better off you will be and of course the fresher the better. Fresh food becomes a bit of a challenge in the winter and with food prices on the rise we all need to be careful. In the spring you can start your own garden and keep it up in the summer. Even in the more urban of area's there is a way to "plant a row"; some cities have a city garden. Where people who live in the city but would like to grow their own food, however they do not have the space.. some cities have made it possible to keep up a garden of your own. If you live in an urban area ask around and you may be surprised at what you are able to find. Also a portable garden is also a possibility. You can't necessarily grow root veggies, but you can get some rather nice vine veggies. All that being said. Here are some sites that may also help.
American Heart Association
Recipes
Livestrong

I will also put up a meal plan with recipes for the month of March. I hope you all will enjoy them while keeping an open mind. Some of them may sound interesting and a bit labor intensive, but in the end.. it will all be worth it. Until next time dear readers, Be Blessed!

Weather.. it changes in a moment

It is still winter.. and to me it is starting to feel a bit like Narnia, always winter. Christmas is over Spring has not yet sprung. For a short week we had warm weather. I was thinking of breaking out the city shorts and sandals.. it only got up into the 50's!  Bubbles couldn't help herself with all the melting snow. Just getting Miniman to preschool she was soaked up to her thighs! So after we got home I had her change. Time for something a bit warmer and a little more water proof. Bubbles was ready for puddle hopping! She was so excited! I couldn't help but take a picture. Then last night while on my way to work.. it started. I had hoped that my eyes were playing tricks on me, but alas.. it started snowing. There was a sheet of ice on the lawn when we got up this morning and shortly after noon it started up again. I know that keeping up with the driveway is better then dealing with it after all the snow and ice have piled up.. so it is time for me to get my work clothes on and get to shoveling. I hope it will be enough that the kids can go sledding in it and maybe break out the snow box again. For now we shall have to see. until next time dear readers be blessed!

Valentines Day... A Patriot Story

I started working on a quilt again today. I got all the pieces out.. laid them according to the 5year old pattern in my head. And I will finish it. It is time. This quilt has been a process for me. It has it's own story.. so I will share. When I was pregnant with Miniman, Hubby found out that a very close friend of his was killed by an IED in Iraq. Today (Valentines Day) marks the 6th year of his ultimate departure. Hubby took the news hard, and contacted his friends now War Widow (WW) with sadness and condolences. Hubby also requested that Miniman be named after his friend. After hearing how much this man (DS) ment to Hubby I couldn't refuse. You see DS was the kind of man men wanted to be around because he had integrity. Sure he was also a giant of a man, but he was also one of the greatest you would ever want to meet. I never had the privilege to meet DS, I have yet to meet his WW. But I think of them often. I pray for WW and their children. I am so thankful that Hubby had DS in his life. Hubby once told me that DS taught him all he ever wanted to know about being a solider, a father, a husband, a man and then some. Truly.. the world has one less living hero.. and America has one more sacrificial patriot.

Five years ago I sent WW an email requesting her favorite pictures of DS and their family. I didn't tell her why I wanted them.. just that I was interested in making something for her. I printed them out and then copied them onto transfer paper. I then ironed the pictures onto fabric and designed a lap size quilt. I can honestly say that I have had to put the pieces away more then once (hence the 5 yrs)  because instead of thinking about the pattern and the finished work. I thought about DS and WW. Neither one whom I had met, but whom both had such a major impact on Hubby, and our marriage. My heart would go out to WW (it still does) and I wouldn't be able to work on the quilt for very long. I still think about WW, I keep track of her on FB. Her children are growing and thriving. It has been a long hard road.. but she has traveled it with grace and elegance. Sure she would say that she has just done what she has had to do.. what DS would have wanted her to do. WW is a hero to me. I haven't met her yet, but she is one of the smartest, sassiest, straight forward people I have come in contact with. I am grateful for her. I am sad for her loss and the suffering she and her children have and will endure, so I pray for them.. and if you have read this far I ask that you pray for them too. I am not one to mention names and I will not do so now.. just be confidant in the knowledge that God already knows who is on your mind and heart. Just taking a moment to acknowledge someone else's need.. Valentines Day is a wonderful day to remember those we love and whom also love us.. but let us not forget the ultimate love of the sacrificial patriots. If not for them.. where would our freedoms be? Happy Valentines Day dear readers and until next time.. be blessed.

Seven Quick Takes Vol. 6

It's Friday again.. and time for another 7 quick takes! So here it goes.. if you are interested in reading other quick takes head on over to Conversiondiary and check some out.

1~ Taxes are back and spent.. all caught up on bills and paid off some. So that means less going out every month. This is a good thing. Sure it also means no new computer for me this year. But hey, the one I have still works well.. only two keys missing. The CD drive is broken due to Bubbles using it as a coin slot when I wasn't looking. But.. I can still get online, skype, and more then a few other things.. now if I could just say as much about my printer (we won't go there!)

2~ My friend S is interested in introducing me to the "finer" things in life. She gave me a Coach purse yesterday. Yes, you read those two words right.. gave and Coach. WOW!!

3~ It was our eighth wedding anniversary on Monday. We had celebrated on Saturday and went to the annual Chocolate Festival. The whole family had a great time. Then we picked up the baby sitters, and it was off to dinner at Chili's just the two of us. It was nice to have dinner at a small table and just talk. I am going to have to find a way to get rid of his government cell phone though.. I really am getting tired of it!

4~ For Valentines day I am making dinner and we are having friends over. Steak and Shrimp is on the menu.. maybe a salad before hand and definitely a dessert. I think I might make the home made chocolate cream pie.. Time will tell! One thing is for sure.. since our friends also have kids, our kids will have a grand time of things too! Now to just figure out the date!

5~ I had a test done on Tuesday. I have moderate carpel tunnel in my right hand. I could have told them that without the test, but there you are! Later that day I had a migraine headache. It was my first in years. It started while I was on my way to lunch with S and her Hubby. When we got where we were going, I had S take me home. She wanted to take me to the hospital. But they would just run tests that would come back as inconclusive, say I was having some sort of stroke and send me home after observation. None of that was needed. So home she took me and in bed I went.. until the next day. That's right I slept about 20 hours, and then all was better.  Hubby came home early from work, and was able to take care of the kids. I must admit that having the two of them there made things less scary then usual!

6~ We have heard nothing as far as going anywhere as of yet. Hubby still wants to go back to the regular ARMY, but it is just a hurry up and wait game now.

7~ Mommy Moment~~ When I look back on my childhood I can remember lots of things. There were good times and bad, happy and sad. There were things that I didn't quite understand why when they happened. I can honestly say that as a parent now when I look back on my childhood I see much more. I see how hard my parents and sisters worked to protect me while still letting me figure things out on my own. Admittedly there were times I just didn't understand my parents.. everyone has those times. Now I can look at some of those times and see just how hard they were trying. Trying to do the best with what they had at the time. At times it was a lot.. other times, not so much. One thing my parents always did was their best. I see that now. I hope that when my children are older that they will see it too.

My sister V

My Beautiful sister V and her Man B.. celebrating her birthday last night!

I am a day late in this post.. yesterday was V's birthday. I called her and left a voicemail of "Happy Birthday" in my best Marilyn Monroe impression. I hope she enjoyed it. V is my younger sister.. but only in age at times. She has been my best-sister-friend for as long as I can remember and is still one of the first two people I call when something is amiss. V has been a source of strength for me at times. When I felt low she would encourage me, find ways to cheer me up and has been stoic even when I am sure I drove her crazy mad! V would of course argue that the strength I find when I am around her is already inside me.. she just helps me find it. A year ago when I was very depressed and thinking of taking my own life.. I reached out to V. I knew that she had been where I was, and I needed her. She still tells me that it was all me and nothing to do with her.. but she is by far one of the two greatest supports in my life. After giving birth to Miniman I knew I wanted just one more.. another girl. I desperately wanted Goosie to have a sister so that she would have the chance to experience the loving relationship V and I share. I was watching Glee the other night and heard the song Firework by Katey Perry  I couldn't help but be reminded of V. She truly is a firework to all who know and love her. There is not a room she does not light up when she enters it.. and when she and I can share some stolen time together.. just the two of us.. I feel the pressures and demands of daily life melt away. V, I love you. I cherish our friendship. I am thankful that we are sisters and so blessed that no matter what we have each other... God made us sisters and circumstances made us friends.  I love you, I miss you and I can hardly wait to see you again! Happy Birthday; may this year bring you more then enough!!

Seven Quick Takes Vol. 5

Hey and welcome to another week of conversiondiary 's 7 Quick takes.. If you would like to read other interesting posts, just follow the link! Now as they say to get things started.

1~ I have been thinking lately about churches. Last Sunday my big little family and I didn't go.. we are still trying to get rid of the icky sicky's.. I also missed Bible study on Tuesday morning and again on Wednesday night due to the snow and ice storm we had in the area. Schools, Churches and a few businesses were closed.. so we stayed in. I really feel the absence of not attending. Admittedly I used to be one of the nay sayer's who would say that it didn't matter if you went to church or not, because I believe it is more about a personal relationship then a number in a membership list. I have also kept my eye out for what I would call the "tell tell signs of a carnal church" . Meaning that those in the staff were more preoccupied with appearance then actual leadership. Things like if the head pastor and/or his wife drove better cars, dressed better, or held them selves to a " I am better/ holier then you, because...". I would steer clear of those meeting places. Yes there is a carnality in all of us, it is called human nature, but as Christ followers we are called to a higher purpose. To die to the human nature that causes us and others to sin and stumble.. and to take on the likeness of Christ to the best of our abilities. Yes, there will be times when we will fall short. But that is when God's grace is sufficient and overwhelming. If I offended any in this post.. I apologize.. if you were offended because of things you need to confess.. well that is between you and God. Church is a wonderful place of encouragement. Where you can not only be encouraged.. you can also be an encouragement, that is the heart of the church's intent; at least I think it should be.

2~ Everyone is slowly getting better. Miniman has an ear infection. Goosie, Hubby and I are still coughing. But Bubbles.. she is quite bubbly thank you very much.

3~ On Monday Hubby and I will celebrate eight years of marriage. It is exciting and overwhelming. I still get butterflies when he walks in the room.

4~ After such a long deep thought in at the start I am having trouble thinking of more..

5~ Hubby and I started watching " Lie to Me" it is actually interesting. It kinda makes you wonder who in your life is being honest..

6~ Why does it seem that kids are never satisfied..but when you look back on your childhood you would swear that you were satisfied with what you had.. at least you would like to think you were, but are almost sure your parents would tell you differently.

7~ Mommy Moment~ There is nothing like the sweetness in the eyes of your child when they look at you in love. Bubbles is quite the risk taker.. she would climb up on top of the fridge just to see what it was like up there and to get a reaction out of me. Then she would clamber down and give me the most self satisfied grin. As if to say " Look what I just did! Wasn't it Great!". All of this happens in my minds eye. It's that look  she gives me when she knows she has done something she shouldn't but thinks that she is just too adorable to get into any kind of trouble. One minute Bubbles can be as sweet as you please.. the next she is a terror. My friend S commented on it earlier today. Bubbles is a lot like me when I was her age from what I understand.. and frankly that has me on my knees A LOT!!

Well, that is it for me this week dear readers. I know I am late in getting this post out on Friday.. but I ask for a little grace. Be blessed until next time!

Going's On

When I got off of work last night the freezing rain had already created an ice capsule on the truck. I cracked it to get the door open then decided to wait until said truck warmed up, so the layer of ice on the windshield would melt. I left the scraper at home and am thinking I need to start carrying a step stool with me in the winter also so I can reach the middle of the windshield. On the way home I decided to listen to the frozen rain fall.. it shattered it's self on every surface it kamikazed into. Things were slow at work so I was sent home early. I was able to have a little extra time with Hubby. I have been missing that man of mine. Thankfully I have the next two days off.. now if I could some how rid myself of this cough and stuffy nose, things would be much better. Miniman ended up having a severe ear infection. He is on medication now..I didn't know his ear was even bothering him. It has kinda been that way since he was a baby. He wouldn't pull on his ears or any thing then.. it was just when he wasn't acting himself. It is still that way now. The frozen rain is coming down in sheets now. The wind has also picked up quite a bit. I am thankful the kids aren't out in this.. at the same time I don't like that Hubby is.
Other then the usual not much is really happening. There is much I need to catch up on as time seems to escape me when I need to clean the house.. or maybe I just need to turn off the computer and get to work! In any case. I will catch up with you all again soon. Be blessed!