Is Christmas your Idol?

How many of us have Christmas traditions? Maybe a present we get for someone every year? Opening presents on Christmas eve/ Christmas day? What we eat? I could go on and on.

What is Christmas really? If you are a Christian or raised in the christian faith you could probably answer this. Its the day Jesus was born, right? BUT, if you really reflect on this and then look at your Christmas traditions....its very very convicting.

Whenever I read in the old testament about how the people would have idols and pray to them and bring them sacrifices I just think to myself how anyone could do that. Really? Worship a big golden cat?

I just get a kick out of Christian families who have BIG Christmas celebrations. Yes, we need to celebrate our Lords birth....it changed the world and our Salvation, BUT how are we celebrating? Did we really take Jesus's birthday and make it into a big golden cat? Did we really take the ONE who gave us eternal life's birthday and make it about US!? Really guys?

Ok, take a look at Jesus, how He lived his life, who He hung out with when He was on earth. He didn't only hang out with "Holy" people, he hung out with prostitutes, liers, thieves, tax collectors. He lived His life SERVING others. You do unto the least of them you do unto me.

So where in the world did we ever come up with the idea that God would like us to celebrate His Sons birthday by giving to OURSELVES. Let me repeat this verse again....."You do unto the least of them, you do unto ME". Guys, I am going to be blunt here......WE. ARE. NOT. THE. LEAST. OF. THEM.....Sorry....

I pray that this convicts you. If this doesn't, please watch the video at the top. This Christmas celebrate our salvation through Jesus by living and giving the way the Bible teaches. SERVE and WORSHIP fully this Christmas. Lets not be the ones who take CHRIST out of Christmas without even realizing it :)

Im back on the blog!

Ok...so I needed a break from the blogging world. A whole month I guess! :) BUT I AM BACK!!
So what have we been up to for the month of October you ask? The weather for October couldn't have been better around here so we have been enjoying being outside most afternoons! My little man loves playing with the leaves that have fallen from the trees, so after lunch we will go outside and just explore the back yard. Walks are still a big part of our day also, we just love getting out and enjoying nature at its finest!
November is here (I cant believe how fast this year has flown by) and Thanksgiving is right around the corner. I love Thanksgiving because it reminds me to remind myself each day of all the things I am so thankful for. I think it is very easy to focus on the negative and so hard to think about the positive. Each day for the month of November I am posting via Facebook one thing I am thankful for. It is so encouraging for me to do this because it reminds me how lucky I am to have what I have. Its so easy for me to "wish" I had more or better things but in reality I am soooo lucky, blessed and rich to have what I have! I encourage you to think about and write down what you are thankful for this month, it truly is rewarding!

Top Ten Things Ive learned in the last 7 months being a M.O.M

10. You respect my parents and love them in a new way......
9. Bodily functions are no longer repulsive, in fact they please you (Hooray for Poop!)
8. You realize that true joy does not come from material wealth.
7. You give parents with a screaming child an 'I-know-the-feeling' look instead of a 'Can't-they-shut-him-up?' one
6. Your dog, who used to be your "baby"....now just becomes your dog.
5.  You quit watching the news because you see everything from a mothers perspective, and it breaks your heart.
4. You loose touch with people in your life whom you should have banished years ago.
3. You look at your baby in the mirror instead of yourself.
2. Going to bed at 9 pm on a Friday night actually seems like a good idea!

And number one thing I have learned in the last 7 months of being a mom is:

1. Your babies pain feels 100,000,000,000,000,000,000 worse than your own pain.

Homeade Pumpkin Spice Latte

Fall is my favorite time of the year and with fall I eagerly await the pumpkin spice latte.  Elijah and I walk at least twice a day, and now that the weather is cooling off this latte is my perfect walking companion :). Making your own not only saves you money but also is a healthier alternative because you can easily change the fat and sugar content. Here is my recipe:

Pumpkin Spice Latte

2 cups milk
2 Tbs canned pumpkin
2 Tbs sugar
2 Tbs vanilla extract
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup strong brewed coffee

In saucepan combine milk, pumpkin and sugar until steaming. Remove from heat and add in vanilla and spice and transfer to blender until foamy. If you don't have a blender just whisk it really well) Pour into two large mugs and put the coffee over it. ENJOY!!!!!

We will never Forget

As I sit in my room watching this video, tears fill my eyes. Remembering that day, watching the real life horror movie unfold. Now that I am older and really realize what this day meant....well, it hurts. All those people lost, all those people left hurting, all those people who wake up everyday wishing to hold there loved ones again. How each day is precious and how we do not know if today will be our last.

Banana Cream Blizzard-Healthified Version!

Bananas are among the favorite food list of mine. Frozen bananas hit the top of it....I don't know what my infatuation with frozen fruit is, but I love it! I buy bananas in BULK. If you live in the Midwest and live near a Super One foods, this is by far the best place to buy bananas. At the end of the week, they have the overripe bananas for half price. If you get there and the over ripe bananas are no where to be found, then  I got there before you :). But anyhoo, overripe bananas are not only way cheaper but they rock to freeze! I cut up a bunch, place them on a cookie sheet and freeze over night. We use them for shakes, smoothies and many other recipes. Here is my favorite thing to do....enjoy!

1cup frozen bananas
1/4 c milk
-blend until it looks like ice cream

add in:
cut up frozen banana chunks
chocolate chips

finish with a big dollop of fat free whipped cream on top!

Homeade Rice Baby Cereal

I just started introducing rice cereal to Elijahs diet. He is still on a diet that consists of 100% breast milk most days, but a couple days a week we have given him this cereal. We wanted to wait until he was 6 months to start solids, but at around 5 months he wasn't sleeping due to teething. We gave him a couple ounces of cereal during this time and he seemed to tolerate it well. He is now one week short of 6 months and we decided we will try the cereal again in hopes of introducing some fruit and veggies when he hits the 6 month mark. I have never given him store bought, all ready prepared food yet. I am still looking up the pros and cons to making your own vs buying baby food. From what I have read so far, the baby food in the stores have come along way. They make single ingredient food with no preservatives and even organic fruits and veggies. Plus, they are way more convenient. I am a stay at home mom so I have a little more time to prepare our own, so I think we may do a combination.
Any hoo.....I thought I would share the recipe I have been using for the cereal. Super easy, cheap and healthy. All you need are whole grain brown rice, a food processor or blender and breast milk/formula.

Baby Rice Cereal

1/4 cup rice powder (I just blend a little bit at a time in my food processor until it becomes a powder)
1 cup water
a little bit of breast milk/formula

Boil the water and add the rice. Turn stove to a simmer, and cook stirring constantly for about 5-10 min until the cereal becomes the consistency you want. Make sure you let it cool and add the milk. Feed to your happy baby!

~this makes a lot of cereal, so I put the rest in ice cube trays (each cube is 1 ounce) and freeze. Once frozen, I put in a freezer bag. Super convenient!!!

This is what is on my heart today....

This is what is on my heart today....
Last night the hubby and I creeped into Elijahs room to check on him before bed. We love to go in there and just watch him sleep. There's just something about the innocence of a baby in general, but even more so when they sleep. He loves to sleep like a frog with his two feet together and his arms all the way out to the sides. Its so funny how traits carry on like that because I sleep with my arms out too :)
I wonder what he dreams about? To have absolutely no worries and your world is just so safe and perfect.....what do you dream about? You certainly wouldn't have nightmares? It makes me think about all the babies out there that do not have what Elijah has. They do not have a safe home with parents that would do anything for them. They do not get fed before they even get hungry. They do not live in safe neighborhoods or even safe houses. What do these babies dream about at night? It makes me sad, but also very very thankful.
Babies hurt everyday. People hurt everyday. Elijah has so much love from us and our families and friends. There are so many people that feel like they are not loved......please listen to this song. This is what is on my heart today.

I will Love you for you.....I will give you the love you never knew.

How I spend $30 a week on groceries.....

• Menu Plan-One day each week plan your week of meals. This doesn't need to be a strict plan that you need to follow to a "T" but rather a list of meals that you know you have the ingredients for and you can fall back on. Have a guide for breakfasts, lunch, and dinners. This way you are not scrambling at 6:00 trying to figure out what to eat, not having ingredients on hand and resorting to takeout or a last minute trip to the grocery store where you will more than likely pick up unneeded treats.
• Have a grocery list-NEVER, EVER, EVER go to the grocery store without a plan and a list. Take your menu plan that you created, go through your pantry, figure out what you have on hand and make a list. Stick to it.
• Shop sales and use coupons-When I make my menu I look through the sale fliers and see whats on sale. Just a quick look through and you can see what the deals are and plan your menu accordingly. Stacking sales with coupons saves you even more.
• Stock your pantry-Usually items are on sale every 6 weeks. The items you know you use a lot of frequently (peanut butter, butter, bread etc) stock up on when they hit there rock bottom price. Knowing when these deals are coming around helps you stock up on coupons for these items also. Stock up 6 weeks worth to get you through till the next sale.
• Make as many things from scratch as you can-Not only is eating "whole" non processed foods healthier for you, but it saves you a ton of money too! You pay for packaging, and convenience more than you do the actual food when you buy processed "junk". Processed food does not fill you up for very long, so you eat more, gain more weight, have more health problems and then pay more in medical bills! Its a vicious cycle. It kills me when people say they cant afford to eat healthy or organic. If you break down the cost of eating healthy (whole foods) vs processed foods, you would be surprised at how much more you are paying for packaging, unhealthy ingredients and advertising!

Amazon Deals August 15th 2011

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Whole Wheat Spirals with Chicken, Cherry Tomatoes and Spinach

I started my first garden ever this year! We started off simple because of my lack of a green thumb with cherry tomatoes, tomatoes, red onions and green peppers. Elijah and I check it everyday after our walk to see if anything is ready to harvest. Our cherry tomatoes have been turning red, so we pick them anxiously everyday. I am getting a bunch now so I thought it was about time I look through my cookbook to see what I can make with them besides salad. I came across a recipe I LOVED when I was pregnant. It is soooo super healthy and from the What to eat while your expecting cookbook. Tonight, we will eat this wonderful meal with our fresh from the garden tomatoes and organic spinach I bought yesterday from Super One. mmmm mmm mmmm, I cant wait!

Whole Wheat Spirals with Chicken, Cherry Tomatoes and Spinach

1 Tbs Olive oil
1/2 skinless chicken breast
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
1 c cherry tomatoes (From my garden)
1 bag or 6 oz fresh spinach or frozen (thawed and drained)-99 cents on Saturdays at SuperOne!
2 tbs sliced fresh basil (from my herb garden)
1/2 cup mozzarella
1/4 cup Parmesan

• cook pasta
• heat olive oil in skillet over med-high heat, add chicken and cook 5-7 min, set aside
• add shallots and garlic (3 min) add tomatoes until softened (3 min). Return chicken to skillet. Add spinach and basil. Cover and cook until spinach wilts (1 min). set aside.
• Toss pasta with cheeses and spoon chicken sauce over it.

serves 2

Cinnamon Buns....the healthified version

Its Saturday morning.....the smell of freshly brewed coffee, the crisp autumn breeze through the window and the smell of cinnamon buns in the oven. This is my favorite way to spend the first day of the weekend and a memory that I want Elijah to have when he grows up. I love Saturdays because its the first day of the weekend and I get to spend quality time with my three favorite boys (my little boy, my husband and or coarse Sam the dog!)

Fall brings harvest, cool breezes, pumpkin patch and corn mazes! I love it!!! This is my favorite season because not many people get to experience it like we folks in the Midwest :) Its something that is unique to us.....sure everyone has fall, but we get to see the trees change color, the leaves fall, the farmers finish up there hard work, the pumpkins ripen and of coarse the wardrobe change. The cute boots and fall jackets come out :) These are all the things I missed living in the south. I loved every second of the beach and the sun, but every time fall would roll around I missed living in this beautiful area.

When you combine fall with Saturdays AND cinnamon buns you get by far the perfect day :)

Cinnamon Buns (Health-ified version)

2 TBS Active Dry Yeast
1 1/2 Cups Warm Water
2 Eggs, beaten
1/3 Cups Melted Butter
5-6 Cups Whole Wheat Hot Roll Mix

Make Dough in bread machine

Cinnamon Butter

5 TBS butter, melted
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 Cup Packed Brown Sugar

Roll Dough 1" thick-Spread with cinnamon butter-roll tightly. Cut into 20 slices.
Bake 20 min @ 375

Topping

2 Cups Powdered Sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
4 Tbs Milk

Drizzle the buns when they come out of the over. Enjoy!!!

- I made my dough last night so the buns where easy to make in the morning :)

Best Grocery and Household Deals at Amazon this week!

Here is the list of best Household and grocery deals at amazon.com this week. I order almost all of my diapers and big household supplies through amazon. free two day shipping on a ton of items and better than Sam's club deals on most things! Diapers are the cheapest I have found anywhere so I stock up when they hit a good price on amazon. Each week I will compile a list of the best deals so you can snag them too.

DIAPERS AS LOW AS $0.14 A DIAPER THIS WEEK!!

Fisher Price Happy Days and Nights Diapers:

Fisher-Price Happy Days & Happy Nights Baby Diapers Value Pack, Size 4, 82 Count-$19.54

Fisher-Price Happy Days & Happy Nights Baby Diapers Value Pack, Size 3, 96 Count-$18.58


Fisher-Price Happy Nights Baby Diapers Jumbo Pack, Size 3, 20 Count (Pack of 12)-$64.99

Fisher-Price Happy Days & Happy Nights Baby Diapers Value Pack, Size 5, 70 Count-$19.99


Fisher-Price Happy Days & Happy Nights Baby Diapers Value Pack, Size 6, 60 Count-$17.98

• SAVE an EXTRA 15% as an amazon mom member

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Whole Wheat Hot Roll Mix

I am making my Saturday morning Cinnamon Buns tomorrow----the "health-ified" version :). I keep this mix on hand because all you have to do is add in a few more ingredients and your ready to go when you want fresh cinnamon buns!

Whole Wheat Hot Roll Mix

9 cups whole wheat flour
8 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup instant nonfat dry milk powder
4 tsp salt
1 cup brown sugar


Come back to visit tomorrow and I will let you in on the recipe for the cinnamon buns using this mix ;) see you tomorrow morning!!

Simplicity

Fridays are my "fun days". So far, Eli and I are having a blast! I woke up before him this morning and had coffee and got a chance to chat with my hubby. A great way to start the day. After Elis nap this morning we went for an hour and a half walk around town! It is so beautiful out, crisp cool air, no humidity and no mosquitoes!! Beautiful morning walk. We stopped at the library to return some books and pick up another book for myself. Elijah loves the library and loves to read new books. We don't do TV, mainly because its a waste of time and we believe in living a life of simplicity. We do have one, and on occasion we will put in a movie (Eli loves veggie tales) for a nice treat. Books are our escape and entertainment in our household.
 Simplicity is very important to us. Our society has been drivin to  "I need more" when in fact we have more than most of the world. The two things I pray for Elijah and have prayed about since before he was even conceived are: 1. He dies a very very old man who loves Jesus and 2. He does not become a product of this world.
 I pray that he knows whats important and that worldly things do not matter. That he spends his money on things that do.
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (NIV, Matthew 6:19-21)
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also......

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can!!!

My workouts WILL resume TODAY! I patiently and eagerly awaited my 6 weeks checkup after the delivery of my son where the Dr would say "YOU ARE FREE TO GET YOUR BODY BACK". I still remember her giving me the OK to workout and how excited I was. I had ordered the Billy Blanks Tae Bo Amped DVD Set set off of Amazon while I was still in the hospital, so it was awaiting me when I got home from that anticipated six week appointment. I put it in the DVD player and completed my first workout. I still remember how good that felt knowing I was on my way back to my pre-pregnancy body.

FAST FORWARD three months. I was doing this tae bo workout 5 days a week religiously. When the DVD set came in, it came with a workout routine that tells you exactly what workout to do each day of the week for four weeks. I was on my third month of this and felt absolutely wonderful. I had reached my pre-pregnancy weight , had a ton of energy and my clothes fit!

What happened you say? I HAVE NO IDEA! I guess it happens to the best of us, you workout, feel great, you actually cant wait for your next workout....then something happens where you miss a few days. Those few days turned into two months. yes, I know....two months.

Today is the day. During nap time, I will put that DVD into the DVD player and do my workout. It is such a fun workout and you are sweating my the end, but wishing that it wasn't the end! I have never stuck with a workout so long as I did this series. For five DVD workouts, an amplifier bar (it intensifies your workout...aka-burn more calories bar) and healthy eating and routine plan for under $20, you cant beat it!

Today is your day too! Feel great, reap the health benefits and create a healthy structure to your day. You wont regret it :)

Memories at Home

As I was rocking Elijah to sleep for his morning nap, I started thinking about all the great memories we will make in this house. This house means happiness, tears, learning, struggles, laughter and memories. I want to be old and gray and look back on these walls and hear the laughter and see the tears. We moved into this house after lots of looking for the perfect one. We planned, saved, studied and prayed for a nice cozy house in a safe neighborhood where this baby that was in my womb would grow up safe and happy like any child should. When we found our house, we were so excited, it even had a nursery all done!
This house is the first house my baby will live in, the first house my husband and I bought and hopefully the first house our future children will have. I hope our children can come to our house and pick out the dents and scratches on the walls and recall the memories to their children. I pray that we will have lots of family meals, holidays and birthdays in this house. I also pray that we will have lots of learning in this house.

Elijah has the most contagious laugh that I hope these walls remember for years to come :)

Nothin like Fresh Baked Bread

I love the smell of fresh baked goods going through my house. To me there's nothing that says "this is home" like fresh baked bread. We don't eat a ton of bread in our home so I never buy it at the grocery store. My theory is when a loaf of store bought bread stays good for a couple weeks and fresh baked bread will stay good for a couple days......the store bought bread probably isn't the best for you. The health benefits of making your own are awesome, plus its a ton of fun. If your like me and baking bread and buns isn't your gift in life invest in a bread machine. It kneads and rises your dough and bakes your bread.All you have to do is put the ingredients in!!! win-win! fresh baked bread, and ANYONE can do it with no time involved!!!

I made this bread yesterday but did not put the recipe up until I tried it. Boy, this is some good bread!!! I topped it with my peach jam....mmmm mm mmmm!!!

Honey and Flaxseed Bread

2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast


1/4 cup honey


3 tbsp ground flaxseeds


1 tbsp vegetable oil


1 cup water, warm (100-110F), divided


1 cup white whole wheat flour1 –

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus extra for kneading


1 1/2 tsp salt




I put these in the bread machine and pressed start!




If your a from scratch kind of gal here are the directions:


In a large bowl, stir together yeast with 1/4 cup of the warm water and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.Stir in honey, flaxseeds, vegetable oil, remaining water and 1 cup white whole wheat flour, mixing until smooth.Add in 1 cup of the all purpose flour, along with the salt, and stir until a dough starts to come together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Add additional flour gradually until dough is no longer sticky. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5-8 minutes, adding additional flour as needed.Shape into a round, place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 – 2 hours.When dough has risen, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and gently shape it into a slightly oblong loaf.Bake at 400F for about 35 minutes, until the bread is a very dark brown, and an internal read thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf reads 200F.Cool bread on a wire rack before slicing.






Makes 1 loaf; recipe can easily be doubled.



http://bakingbites.com/

Its Peach season!

There is just something about a peach that is so wonderfully delicious! The soft fuzzy outside, the juicy sweet inside, the smell that screams its the end of summer. I have never loved peaches more than when I was pregnant with Elijah. Usually, pregnant women will have intense cravings for chocolate, ice cream, chips....all the unhealthy stuff. My little one wanted peaches! But not just any peaches....they had to be frozen! I have never eaten so many frozen peaches in my lifetime as I did in those nine months! (Maybe that's why he came out so sweet, hehehe).

Anyways, while the hubby and I where visiting the in-laws this last weekend, my mother-in-law bought us a box of fresh peaches! Whatever shall I do with all this fruit I say :)

Well, yesterday we cut half of them up and made peach jam ( I plan on making honey flax seed bread to go with it today) and of course I had to cut a ton up and freeze them to eat plain and to make smoothies with!! Today is bread making day and possibly peach crumble day :) For all that know me, I have a weakness for sweets that I am working on my self control! When I make sweets, I have to make them in a healthy alternative version because I tend to devour the whole thing. :)

Peach Jam

3 cups cut up peaches

1/4 cup water

1 cup sugar

~add sugar and water and boil, add peaches and simmer 5 min. store in airtight container

Peach Smoothies

1 cup frozen peaches

(I cut them peaches up and freeze them on a cookies sheet, then store in Ziploc freezer bags)

1/2 cup milk

squirt of agave nectar

~blend and enjoy!!

Peach Crumble (weight watchers recipe)

2 spray(s) cooking spray

3 large peach(es), pitted and sliced
3 Tbsp packed light brown sugar
6 Tbsp whole wheat flour
6 Tbsp sugar, granulated
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp table salt
1 large egg white(s)
4 Tbsp butter, melted

~Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat a 9-inch square baking pan with cooking spray.
In a small bowl, gently toss peaches with brown sugar until sugar starts to dissolve; spoon fruit into prepared baking pan.
In another small bowl, sift together flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon and salt; add egg white and combine with your fingers until mixture comes together and starts to crumble. Drop clumps of flour mixture over fruit; drizzle with melted butter.
Bake until fruit just starts to bubble, about 45 minutes. Allow to cool slightly and serve warm. Yields about 2/3 cup per serving.