for Jarhae. - living green and not breaking your budget

This post is for my friend Jarhae. These are the books I have been using over the past couple years and the salt scrub recipe. Thought I would post it here for my future reference too! Enjoy.

Books:

Look Great Live Green: choosing beauty solutions that are planet-safe and budget-smart / Deborah Burnes

The Herbal Home Spa: naturally refreshing wraps, rubs, lotions, masks, oils, and scrubs / Greta Breedlove

Organic Body Care Recipes: 175 homemade herbal formulas for glowing skin and a vibrant self / Stephanie Tourles

Homemade: 702 ways to save money and the earth / Reader's Digest

366 Delicious Way to Cook Rice, Beans, and Grains / Andrea Chesman (cookbook)

SALT SCRUB:

1 cup Kosher salt

1 cup Sea salt

1 cup Epsom salt

1/3 cup shower gel (i use an all natural/organic scentless)

1/3 cup Grape Seed Oil

1 drop food coloring (optional)

4-8 drops fragrance oil (optional - i like to use a mix of peppermint and grapefruit or a lime)

* mix together and store for a couple weeks in a sealed container or bag, i keep mine in a glass jar at my kitchen sink to rid of garlic and onion smells and another batch in the shower for my feet!

Friday: What's Cooking In The Kitchen Today...

Friday, ah a breath of fresh air. Wishing it was warmer out, but it isn't snowing and I'll take that over anything right now.

In the kitchen today I am slicing my 8 lb watermelon that I bought at Sunflower Market for 1.29. I am making pick up and eat slices for Kevin, small cubed slices for me and then saving some to use for watermelon smoothies! YUM

I also have my crockpot going on High with chickpeas for the homemade hummus I am making this afternoon. I will try to post a picture later of the final product. For now here is the recipe I am using. GARLIC HUMMUS It calls for canned chickpeas but I chose to use dry and just throw them in the crockpot on high for 6 hours.

Hoping to get some cookies in today too. Normally I would make Choc Chip for Kevin from scratch but today I have a mix from Tastefully Simple called CHOCOLATE CHIP TOFFEE ALMOND COOKIES that other consultants are telling me I have to try. I can't wait to see how amazing they are!

Hope everyone is enjoying their Friday and has a wonderful weekend!

Moose. (tear stains, heartworm, etc)

This post is for our dog and all his friends.

We got Moose (our maltese) in October of 2008. He was four months old and became the biggest joy in our family. What a high energy, loving, and faithful puppy!

When we brought Moose into our family we had decided that we would do everything we could to make sure he was given the best love and care possible. This for us meant working with a pet store in Boulder called ONLY NATURAL PET STORE (yep really their name!) to ensure he was getting the best diet, treats, and products for his heath and still stay within a decent budget. It was important to us that our standard of living for ourselves reach our pets as well; such as not putting harmful chemicals into our bodies.

The Maltese breed is really famous for having tear stains under their eyes. We tried many things on our own and finally consulted ONPS for their opinion. They suggested we do an elimination diet with Moose and see what helped reduce and heighten those stains and tears running from his eyes. First we cut out wheat and that helped. Second we cut out grains all together. Tear Stains Gone! Success. He now eats an all natural food that pretty much only contains chicken and sweet potatoes. Loves it. His treats are also very simple; he eats dehydrated sweet potatoes, apples, and bananas. I even make them at home in our dehydrator! Awesome way to use up apples and bananas that seem to go bad too quickly in our fruit basket.

Among many discoveries we have had we want to share one more with you. Heartworm treatment.

I hate giving animals heartworm pills. Talk about huge gross pills that are way over priced! Here is what ONPS suggests:

A product called HW PROTECT , check it out! We give it to Moose two to three times a day with a little treat, usually a small amount of all natural peanut butter on a spoon. :) The cost is next to nothing for a small dog. He gets 2 drops 3 times a day during HW season. This bottle that we bought for 15.00 will last us over 3 years! Seriously, can't beat that. Check it out!

Yah for happy healthy humans and pets!

love this.

JJ Heller - "Your Hands" *#2 on our playlist to the left*

I have unanswered prayers
I have trouble I wish wasn't there
And I have asked a thousand ways
That You would take my pain away
That You would take my pain away

I am trying to understand
How to walk this weary land
Make straight the paths that crookedly lie
Oh Lord, before these feet of mine
Oh Lord, before these feet of mine

When my world is shaking
Heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave Your hands

When You walked upon the Earth
You healed the broken, lost, and hurt
I know You hate to see me cry
One day You will set all things right
Yea, one day You will set all things right

When my world is shaking
Heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave Your hands

Your hands
Your hands that shape the world
Are holding me, they hold me still
Your hands that shape the world
Are holding me, they hold me still

When my world is shaking
Heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave You when...

When my world is shaking
Heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave...
I never leave Your hands

I live for Fridays... part 3

What's Cooking in the Kitchen Today...

1. REFRIED BEANS: put 1 cup of dried beans (black or pinto) with 4 cups of water in crockpot on HIGH for 8 hours. While cooking, add onions, garlic, cilantro, cumin, chili powder, and salt. When beans are cooked and soft place them in a blender or food processor until they are smooth. YUM!

2. TORTILLA CHIPS: we had some old tortillas going bad and because I try not to waste or throw anything out I cut the into triangles and put them in the oven at 200 degrees for 30 mins. Perfect! (and they will be great with the refried beans!)

3. APPLE CHIPS: slice apples in rounds and place in food dehydrator for 15-20 hours. Kevin loves these dried apples for snack during the week. (you could do these in the oven as well on low, just would need to be home for a long period of time)

4. CROUTONS: slice up old bread, today I used a garlic pull apart loaf. drizzle with EVOO and some dried onions/salt (i use tastefully simple onion onion) spread out on a baking sheet bake at 200 degrees for 30 mins, stir halfway through. I save in my pantry for up to 4 weeks, if they last that long :)

5. LEMON KALE CHIPS: I had first heard about this from my friend Amanda. We loved them and have been making them ever since. They are a great healthy snack during our work weeks. Check out Elana's recipe - lemon kale chips * side note: go easy on the salt, they can get very salty quick!

6. MILLET MUFFINS: trying this out for breakfast on Saturday. Here is the recipe I am using - muffins

Also on the kitchen list today: since kevin comes home for lunch on fridays I am making HOMEMADE MAC AND CHEESE (click on the link to visit our cooking club blog for the recipe) and making up a quick LASAGNA to have in the fridge for a dinner sometime this week.

I promise I don't live full time in my kitchen!

If you try any of these recipes I would love to know how they turned out for you. Or please post other suggestions of what is going on in your kitchens!

I live for Fridays... part 2

I have 6 main goals on Friday.

Since it is a day that I don't have to go into school I try to use my time really wisely and often think Friday is more tiring than a normal day with my kids.

Goal 1 - to get all the laundry done (varies from week to week with sheets, dog bedding, towels, our clothes, rugs, etc)

Goal 2 - vacuum and pick up the house (doesn't have to be a deep clean but things picked up so we can relax and enjoy our weekend together)

Goal 3 - kitchen time! (this varies from making homemade snacks, baking, preparing meals for the upcoming week, trying new recipes, etc) FAVORITE PART OF DAY!

Goal 4 - moose time (he may be little but he is high maintenance and we love it, he needs one on one play time and friday is his day with mom! and if he is lucky he gets an afternoon with dad at work to play with his best friend Basquin too)

Goal 5 - deal search (seeing if there is anything free, cheap, and fun coming up and seeing if it fits in our planner. ordering free samples and reading blogs)

Goal 6 - time for myself (this usually includes kickboxing and or going on a walk, with moose of course and then reading a book, time with God, maybe a little nap, etc)

Kevin and I have learned all 6 of these goals are vital to my day off. They not only help clear my mind from my busy days at work but also are things I love and enjoy, even the cleaning, vacuuming, and laundry! I feel like I can go into the weekend with a joyful attitude. My alone time really makes me a different person.

Thank God for providing Fridays!

I live for Fridays... part 1

I love my fridays off work.

After Kevin and I got married (may 2007) and we were both working 50+ hours a week and trying to adjust to married life we spent a lot of time praying for God to open doors for both of us. (there wasn't much time other than to go to work and pray at that point) We didn't just need a solution but a new way of life that would work financially, spiritually, and emotionally for us as individuals and as a couple. We are firm believers that God knows our hearts better than we know them ourselves and that He ALWAYS provides. He did, it took time but we both did job transitions, me many more than Kevin went through. However, it taught us what I could handle in the field I work in and God graciously provided exactly that.

Since my schedule is M-TH 7/7:30 - 3:00 pm I dedicate my time off to saving money for our family. It is a good trade off for working less hours, so bringing in less income and in return saving us money with the finds I come across. Some of the girls at work call me the "queen of free" or the "queen of deals". It is a joy of mine to search for great deals and free activities and items for us. It is like a treasure hunt! We get samples of things in the mail almost daily and anything we can't use I give away to someone who can. There are several sites I use:

Freecycle

Mile High On The Cheap

Hey Its Free

*click on them to view*

Then of course I read blogs daily. Too many to list here but I have become addicted to so many wonderful sites, specially cooking ones!

My encouragement to you out there is that hopefully you can find time to do the same. Not that the way we live is better than anybody else, not trying to put us on a pedestal. But hoping that you see the value in quality time with your family and friends without breaking your bank account.

We believe God calls us to be good stewards of our money and time. We strive daily to do just that.

check out this blog...

If you are looking for some good recipes to try visit:

http://cookingclub2009.blogspot.com/

or

cooking club

This is a blog started for my cooking club group. Four of us girls started cooking for each others families in 2009 and now use this blog to share our recipes and catalog them for us to use later.

There is some REALLY great stuff!

i received news last night from my mom that my great aunt Grace passed away. i feel the words my mom wrote about her to the family is very true and real for me as well right now:

Our dear Aunt Grace went to Heaven this afternoon. She is free of pain, and I know there were many rejoicing to see her enter God's special place.

I sure will miss her, I could rely on her for many words of wisdom. I loved getting birthday cards and her special notes, that seemed always to speak to my heart.

My Mom said tonight. "I am the only one left".

(email from my mom to her family, in reference to my aunt Grace and my grandmother, her mom)

aunt Grace did and always will hold a special place in my heart. she was a dearest friend and confidant to me. we wrote letters several times a month and she mailed me words that I will treasure forever.

if you are a praying person please remember my family and kevin and I who are so far away from them right now. also pray for my grandma. she had three sisters and she is the only one still alive now.

home has never felt so far away.

seasons...

This song has really spoke to me the past couple weeks. It is by Jenny and Tyler Somers and called SEASON.

after eeg’s and mri’s, i can’t explain why You’d put me through this | and when hamlet’s lines are filled with rhymes, i have a hard time seeing what Your plan is

You say all things work together for my good

You say be patient but i wish You would

show me what this season in my life is for |i’ve been trying to seek You, seems You're shutting every door | show me what this season in my life is for | ‘cause i want so much more, so much more

the doctor called to say today the medication isn’t going my way | Your paper doesn’t speak to me, reads red ink in every margin I see

You say ask and seek and knock and you will find | why won't You calm the worries on my mind

chorus

work your renewal through my soul | bring me through the fire as gold | Living Water come and pour over me | wash me clean

chorus

In high school I was told by a good friend that our lives reflect seasons. They don't always go in order of the earth's seasons but that emotionally, spiritually, etc we go through them, we all do.

In college I attended a woman's retreat that again talked about the seasons of our lives. Interesting.

This morning I couldn't sleep, I woke up several times and finally decided that I just needed to get up. It was a great prompting to go into the quiet office and just take some time between me and God. He knew I needed it. The past couple weeks have been hard. Really hard. Lots has gone on, somethings I can't even put words to. People are getting married, people are dying and so much more.

The quietness helped me realize what I had been missing for the past couple weeks. Seasons. Once I got to this place of remembering I was able to understand.

My heart is in winter. It feels cold, dead, waiting for something new. Among the good and bad, I feel so much pain and sadness. Pain and sadness is hard, it hurts but it isn't bad. It can sometimes be the best thing. Thankfully God is faithful and after winter always comes spring. With Easter today I think of words that move us from winter to spring. From the cross, to the grave, to the resurrection. I believe Jesus experienced seasons too. He lived winter and he saw spring. He gets it and finally I do too.

I look forward to Spring. I look forward to restoration and rebirth. I look forward to relearning that winter doesn't last forever because spring always comes.

A hard winter always makes spring so much more wonderful and anticipated. Amen.

Happy Easter!

Click here...

Χριστός ανέστη (Greek for "Christ is risen").

Breakfast Bars

I made this recipe today for a quick breakfast before work next week. It turned out so good! They are similar in look and taste to no-bake cookies. However are instead filled with lots of fiber and protein!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 ½ cups old fashioned organic quick oats
• ½ cup whole flax seed
• ¼ cup organic dark cocoa power (or slightly less)
• ½ cup natural peanut butter
• ½ cup honey
• ½ t spirulina
• ½ - 1 cup HOT water

INSTRUCTIONS

• Stir ingredients together.
• Form into individual sized paddies, like hamburgers.
• Wrap in plastic wrap and keep in freezer or fridge.

makes 12-15 bars