Old meets New

I decided to put up my antique ornaments for the Christmas season, but I didn't have enough to fill an entire tree so I searched out some vintage style ornaments.

The blue pine cones were a clearance find end of season last year, I think I got them for under $2.00.

The pink and white ornament is one of several from my mom. I love this style, but found out my husband isn't a fan, guess they won't come out often.

I still haven't taken the tree down, figured since we put it up late I could leave it up a bit longer.

Scripture Sunday April 22nd thoughts

This week’s lesson had so many great verses that really spoke to me.  There seemed to be a message within the lesson that I really needed to hear this week. 

He is our light through the darkness!

John12:46  I am come a light into the world , that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

Jesus  came to fullfil the prophecies and enlighten the world with the knowledge of God’s love through his ultimate sacrifice. What a beautiful thing.

F is for Flavor #atozchallenge

Do you like flavors in food or are you a more bland style eater? In our house it is really split.. I have 1 very picky eater who prefers less flavor variety, 1 that likes spicy flavors, 1 that likes a little flavor but not to much, and then Mom who like variety and zest. So how do you cook but still satisfy everyone's tastes?
Here are a couple of ideas that I like to use along with a few pantry staples that I keep on hand to help with that.
Italian Seasoning: I make my own from Basil, Oregano, Thyme, Garlic, Onions, and citric acid instead of salt.
Taco or Salsa Seasoning: I buy this in bulk once a year at our annual Garlic Festival
G.O.H mix: a blend of Herbie, Garlic, and Onion which a low in sodium and a basic seasoning I use for almost everything
Coarse Ground Black Pepper: I buy my favorite twice a year at Costco
Sea Salt: I don't buy iodine salt, since I am not suppose to have a lot of salt, I tend to use Sea Salt as it has a stronger flavor and thus I use less of it..
Dried Jalapeno: I grow them and dry them in our food dehydrator... I can grind them on the cheese grater or smash them under a large knife...
Lavender: it grows like a weed in a pot on my patio... I love adding it to Spaghetti and similar sauces. It also makes a wonderful addition to ice tea or lemonade in the summer
Mint: again grows like a weed on my patio, but I love using it for greek chicken, sauces, and in tea or lemonade.

What flavors do you keep on hand?

Scripture Sunday : Easter Sunday

This week has been a challenge on many levels for me. I am blogging a lot this week with the a to z challenge as well as in home passive physical therapy for my shoulder and arm , and finally keeping 2 boys on track with their school work even though we are finally seeing signs of spring.


Several verses in this week's lesson helped me get through, but one particular verse stood out to me this week as I read through the weekly bible lesson 


And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; 
Isaiah 28:18a


As I read the lesson there was also passages from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures that stood out and spoke to me.

The prayer that reforms the sinner and heals the sick is an absolute faith that all things are possible to God,  pg 1 lines 1-3

It is amazing what the power of prayer can accomplish and truly shows the absolute power of God to handle everything.

Have a blessed Easter!
He is Risen!

They hunger, but we can help be Champions for Kids.

Children in America go hunger and struggle through their days even with the assistance of school programs.

For many parents they often don't even know the help is out there and that they qualify for that help. Here in Oregon there are local Food Banks in most communities and the guidelines for those programs are very simple. It is a very real issue especially in this economy that people struggle and choices are made every day how to spend their hard earned money. All too often food budgets are cut making it hard to keep up with the appetites of that smallest ones. 

I am going to be very honest with you, I have been to the local FoodBanks myself and when my youngest was just an infant we received assistance from the WIC program. I was very grateful at the time for the assistance even though I was nursing my youngest we still needed to keep my oldest feed as well as the help keeping me able to feed my youngest.  Pride and lack of understanding of the program available often keep people from seeking the assistance that can so often make a world of difference, that is why I have chosen to participate in another wonderful program with the Champions For Kids projects. I am filling boxes for Abbott Industries products for 2 local Food Banks that have helped me and may family in the recent past and still do on occasion.  I know even couponing doesn't always get the job done for some families and I want to help when I can. I chose to participate in this program because I know that the products in this program can help give a child an extra boost in their day and can help a parent feel comfortable knowing their child is getting a little extra nutrition. The products are also helpful to the adults. I know as a parent there are days when I need a little extra energy to keep up with my boys and a little kick in the rear or a quick snack can make all the difference. 

Last month Cameron and I did another Champions for Kids simple service project and it was one of the most rewarding things we have done together. Knowing that even the little bit we were able to do helped someone else felt good, revived my sense of community and the human nature. So, we decided to look into more programs and are happy to be involved in this program .  For January we are giving back to two organizations that are near and dear to us. Dayton First Baptist Church and Lafayette Community Church both have wonderful Food Banks where the staff is friendly and doesn't pass judgement on you no matter what your circumstances are.  Both these churches hold regular twice monthly food giveaways to people in their communities with open arms. They ask for nothing in return and only ask that you reside in the corresponding community. 

Now as readers I would ask you to consider in the New Year giving what you can to help your local Food Bank and if you don't know yours, you can check with the county offices and they usually will have a list.  

If you are in my local area and would like to help with the boxes I am creating please feel free to leave a comment here. My goal is to fill 2 boxes with PediSure, Pediasure Sidekicks, and Zone Perfect Bars, and  to donate to the Food Banks before January 24th (a distribution day for both). 

Although this shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias the activity and additional assistance I am able to provide to these to charities is my own choosing. 

Happy Birthday to Me!

Today is my birthday so I decided to share a This Day in History Post to mix it up a little, I'll add commentary to events I know something about.


I found this one interesting:
On Jan. 3, 1959, President Eisenhower signed a proclamation admitting Alaska to the Union as the 49th state.


I share my birthday with some famous people: 
On Jan. 3, 1793, Lucretia Mott, an early proponent of the women's rights movement in America, was born. 
January 3, 1892 J.R.R. Tolkien, author of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa.
January 3, 1956  Mel Gibson, Actor, director
January 3, 1975 Danica McKellar, Actress ("The Wonder Years")




This one is pretty cool as I've supported The March of Dimes for a long time: 
1938: The March of Dimes campaign to fight polio begins


Here is one more, an enlightening one:
1521: Martin Luther is excommunicated from the Catholic Church
 (if only we all had his conviction to stand up for what we believe) 



On This Day: January 3 - NYTimes.com:  Check out fun and interesting bits for any day!
As a homeschool Mom I love finding sites like this to help make learning a little more fun.

Happy New Year, welcoming New Challenges

As 2012 approaches, I am looking forward to new challenges.
I don't like resolutions, but I do like to think about goals.
This coming year, I want to improve my blog content as well my general writing.  I am also going to work on interacting with my readers as well as my favorite blogs.
What are your goals and thoughts for the new year?