Spring is Summer already!

WOW! Can you see school is almost over except for some of us maniacal moms who love to give some summer school homework. It is beautiful fishing weather and I am ready to go pitch a tent out away from society. Dream big and plan something that is inexpensive to do with those you love. Make a date to spend some enjoyable time with friends. Life is too short to hold grudges or to work non stop without smelling the flowers.
Write out every activity in your week or two on the calendar and see if you are wasting time that you could be working productively and then take a long look at when you could pause and breathe in and out for one FULL day!
Stop and look at the spring beauty around us!

Wise thoughts - not my own.

Aristotle once said, "To avoid criticsm say nothing, do nothing, and be nothing."
It is always much easier to do nothing about the issues we see challenging our conscience. I would much rather be criticized if I am praying and trying to walk humbly while maintaining a spine over issues important to myself and others. I have a truly hard time confronting issues except where my children are involved. I have found when my children except or need more from me I am capable of being very strong! Amazing what gifts motherhood gives you as you learn through the years.
May we all be strong for good, so that never will we regret that we said or did nothing!!

What a joyful day!

Despite the overcast weather after two beautiful days, my spirits are uplifted and light! To be a mom home with the loves of my heart, my children...and also working to raise our monthly residual income. What a blessed life I enjoy! So very thankful for the people I have been blessed with, family and friends alike. If you know of anyone who desires a responsible, frugal, healthy or natural minded lifestyle who is searching for tips of any kind, please direct them my way, Lord, I am ready to offer help if I can. If we can interact and point out tips to each other in a positive manner what a purpose we are fulfilling here!
I wish I could exude my joy here in typing that we are SO very blessed and would like to share that with others! Work hard and MAKE it a great day for you today! Carpe Diem!

A beautiful spring rainy day to all of you! Today I am working on organizing more of my household, minimizing from stuff what we don't need, and working my fun at home business!! I love the freedom of being a mostly stay at home mom, along with being thankful for flexible work that brings in a consistent income! Thank you, Lord, what a life!

I found some learning curves this past month while watching my kids grow up a bit. Discussion within your family is so crucial to knowing your young teenagers. I know that mine are good kids growing up way too fast in an odd world. So it is good to reconnect and share that we are all human and that we, as parents, really do the best we can to help them out.

I am taking some odd comfort in the fact that if the news media misrepresents you it must be that you are doing something right in this backwards age. A culture that doesn't celebrate a correct right to free speech and ideas, a culture that is very much socialized in that right is only right if it agrees with a left way of thinking. This doesn't even concern actual politics, but the politics that surround our school children... I would love to hear all the difficulties you have dealt with in a politically correct world that is biased against stepping outside of the normal box. Blessings to You for the best of days this May 9th!!

Thought for the day

"In a moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing." T. Roosevelt Have a blessed and beautiful day!

April is here!

April means Easter! April means green grass! April means chicks, bunnies and butterflies. My crocuses are blooming and my daffodils are ready to! ! ! YAY!! Sping cannot get warm enough fast enough for me.... Have a blessed beginning of April!

Healthful Asian Soup

One of my favorite restaraunt style soup recipes!! Is actually a Doctor recommended 'diet' soup. TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE! I adjust as I need to, today I omitted tofu and cilantro, although the diet exchange will vary a bit then. Great w/beef broth and sirloin steak pieces in place of shrimp. 1 TBS. peanut oil (today I used Mandarin Olive oil) 1/4c. chopped fresh ginger (keeps well in the freezer) 1/4c. garlic 2 cont. (32oz ea) plus 2 cups fat free chicken broth 1/2 c. cornstarch 1 pkg. (10.5oz) extra firm Tofu, cut into 1/4" pieces 1 can (8oz) sliced bamboo shoots, drained 1 can (8oz) straw mushrooms, drained (may be in some stir fry mixes already) 1/2 c. soy sauce 1/4 c. rice wine vinegar (or more :)) 1 TBS. sugar 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes 2 bags (16 oz ea) Oriental style frozen veggies (Costco 5.5 lb bag 3 x recipes & has mushrooms) 1lb. fresh peeled, deveined or canned or frozen shrimp 1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro 1 pkg. (10 oz) spinach, trimmed and coarsely chopped In a large pot heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic & ginger, cook until tender about 3-4 mins. Combine 1 c. broth w/ the cornstarch until smooth. To pot add cornstarch mix and remaining broth, tofu, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, & crushed red pepper; bring to a boil and cook unti thickened. Add frozen veggies, shrimp & cilantro. Simmer until shrimp is just opaque, about 10 mins. Stir in spinach just until wilted. Makes 20 cups. Per cup: 87 cal's, 9 g. protein, 2 g. fat, 35 mg. chol, 9 g. carbs, 751 mg. sodium, 2 g. fiber. Red Pepper, Ginger, Garlic all have protective effects against heart disease & certain cancers. Tofu helps lower cholesterol and relieve hot flashes. Shrimp is super lean protein w/1g. fat per serving, contains Omega-3's as well. 1) Have up to 8 cups a day 2) Enjoy one mini meal a day 3) Take a multivitamin mineral supplement ( a good one) 4) Sip 8 (8oz) glasses of water a day Stay on plan no longer than one week at a time. ENJOY!!!!!