Just Simply Live

Not Your Traditional Ciabatta Bread

2011-12-27T16:05:00.000-08:00

Tonight for dinner we are having BBQ Seitan and Coleslaw Sandwiches. You really shouldn't use regular ol hamburger buns for this sandwich...but I was not feeling up to searching in the local markets for the "right" bread. So I thought, "I can do this myself." I used my pizza dough recipe and inadvertently omitted the oil, without consequence!

I think these will be perfect with tonight's dinner.

5 cups whole wheat flour

2 packs active dry yeast (or 4.5 tsp from the jar)
1 tsp salt
2 cups warm water

Mix 2 1/2 cups of flour and other dry ingredients until combined. Add warm water. mix with mixer on high for 3 min. making sure it is mixing well.

Slowly add more flour and mix with a spoon. Then turn out on counter and knead while mixing in as much of the remaining flour as you can until dough is stiff and smooth.

Divide dough and cover with towel. Let rest ten minutes. Roll dough out in a rectangle shape. Not to thin. You want it to be thicker that pan pizza dough.

Spray two cookie sheets and transfer dough. Cover with towel and let rise in a warm place for 30-45 minutes.

Heat oven to 400 and bake for 20 minutes. Cut into desired sizes. Mine are generous. Slice like you would a bun.

Made 8 generous rolls.

Double Chocolate Vegan Cake

2011-12-18T19:47:00.000-08:00

Birthdays can be a little more challenging when you can't fall back on your tried and true cake recipes. It's all new this year, as I seek vegan recipes that are special enough for that special day. This cake definitely fits in this category. Its got a great depth of flavor which makes standard cakes taste like sponges in comparison.

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup raw sugar
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup cocoa
1 cup water
1 cup Veganaise (vegan Mayonnaise)
1/4 cup applesauce
2 tsp vanilla
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 350F.
First mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and cocoa in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the water, Veganaise, applesauce, vanilla, and apple cider vinegar. Once the wet ingredients are mixed together, add them to the dry ingredients and blend with a mixer for about 2 minutes, scraping the sides as you go.
Once the dry and wet ingredients have been well mixed, pour into a greased 9x13 cake pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes. When a toothpick poked in the center of the cake comes out dry, it’s done. Let the cake cool for 10-15 minutes before frosting.

Frosting

3/4 cup raw sugar
6 tbsp Soy milk
6 tbsp Earth Balance® Natural Buttery Spread
1 cup vegan chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli)

Melt together the sugar, soy milk, and buttery spread in a small saucepan over medium heat. Boil for 1 minute and take off the stove. Stir in 1 cup of chocolate chips. Stir in until the chips are completely melted. If your frosting is too runny, let it sit on your counter for about 20 minutes or refrigerate for 5-7 minutes until it's reached a good spreading consistency.

This cake is very rich, moist and full of depth. In the past (pre-vegan), I would usually have to throw out extra birthday cake. This cake was almost gone the night of the birthday. The next day it was polished off!

Some Success, Some Failures, Some Leftovers!

2011-11-26T22:43:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving this year was anything but traditional, and that's ok! We declined a couple of invites and decided on a low key day at home...well, low key for everyone except the person in the kitchen! It was a pretty busy day!

When we decided to have our Very Vegan Thanksgiving, I got busy on making the Thanksgiving dinner menu. I pulled recipes from Isa Chandra's Veganomicon Cookbook, Lindsay Nixon's Happy Herbivore Cookbook and other blogs and Internet websites. I will directly link all the recipes that I can and site the cookbook where I can't.

These pull apart rolls where good. I splurged and made them with all-purpose flour. They were almost too moist. These would actually be good to make the day before and then give them a 10 minute reheat at about 300 degrees. I also had to add much more flour to get the desired consistency.
I definitely think these are worth making again. Next time I will use whole wheat flour. You can find the recipe here.

This recipe was from The Happy Herbivore. It's called Pot Roast Seitan. If I ever were to make this again it would be for roasting...in the fire pit!
Unfortunately, this was the first time my family had ever tried seitan (wheat meat). BIG flop (*note to self...never try to substitute the main dish with something the family has never tried on a day when their thinking of turkey...or ham...or steak..or...).
This was very rubbery. Elijah dropped a piece and it bounced 6 ft...no, I'm just kidding! It was rubbery though! I can't imagine that anyone could like this wheat meat! But I do believe in trying something at least twice (it's two strikes and your out, with food) and I am glad I did!
We went to The People's Market today. They have an upstairs vegan deli. And of course I got my second opportunity to try seitan. OH MY GOSH! The bomb!! It was a wonderful spicy dish that reminded me of Kung Pao Chicken. I'm in love! I need to get my hand's on that recipe!

This was a tradition dish with a twist! No mushroom soup, but all the flavor you savor. I stuck to the recipe except I used fresh green beans and precooked them before adding to the casserole. I will be making this again! This recipe is here.

The only thing missing at this table IS the turkey. And yes, it was missed!

I have decided that parchment paper is NOT my friend! It has messed up too many of my cooking projects. From now on it's me and the foil!
These were supposed to be chocolate coconut macaroons. But the parchment paper wouldn't let THAT happen! It was still yummy. I will make them again..with foil and cooking spray! You can find this Almond Joy treat here.

Thanksgiving plate complete with mashed sweet potatoes, stuffing, baked macaroni and cheese, scalloped potatoes.

And of course, the pumpkin pie! This pie was simple to whip up, it's made with fresh pumpkin and tofu. It was a little too sweet for me, although everyone else seemed to enjoy it.

This was an easy whipped cream made from coconut milk. I liked it and thought it was a great compliment to the pie. But not everyone liked it. It definitely has a more distinct flavor than dairy whipped cream. I liked that this kept well in the fridge. It didn't get flat or runny. Great alternative, in my opinion!

I can't wait to give this another try. Chocolate peanut butter ice cream! I say another try because I had an ice cream malfunction. Some of my electrical outlets had blown fuses (from when the oven man was trying to fix the oven on Tuesday), but I didn't know it. So I poured my mixture into my ice cream maker (before I turned it on). When I turned it on...NO POWER! By the time I had figured it out and adapted, the blades froze to the side of maker. I had to essentially start over. Unfortunately, the maker (which started frozen out of the freezer) was defrosting. So my finished product was more icy than creamy. Even though, it is yummy and the kids are enjoying it.

So there is the honest, not always pretty, truth to our Thanksgiving this year. I'm taking votes on how the turkey should be cooked next year!

A Very Vegan Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T12:24:00.000-08:00

I am excited about Thanksgiving this year. What better time for a vegan. Thanksgiving tables are full of an array of vegetable dishes and fruit. This year we will be enjoying some new dishes at our table as well as some old favorites.

Here's our dinner menu:

Seitan
Herbed Scalloped Potatoes
Mashed Spiced sweet potatoes
Green Bean Casserole
Gravy
Stuffing
Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Pull Apart Rolls
Cranberry Sauce
Coconut Macaroons
Pumpkin Pie
Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream

Hope everyone's Thanksgiving is wonderful and a time to really realize all we have to be thankful for!

Then and Now

2011-11-17T12:08:00.000-08:00

My hubby, Roque, really wants me to post some "Then and Now" photos. I wanted to wait until I have lost the last 13 pounds AND had some better photos. I guess I will post again when both those goals are reached.
When I look back at these photos, part of me wants to burn them. But the other part of me is glad that I have them. A picture really tells the truth. And this is a truth I want to remember. As I get older this weight was getting harder to carry around. I had allergies (probably due to the unhealthy food I was eating). My body had aches and pains. I was going down the road to diabetes and who knows what other diseases of obesity. I need these photos to remind me: Never turn back!
I also learned that not only can food can damage our bodies, but it can heal our bodies too! Learning to eat healthy whole foods and sticking to a plant based diet has changed my life and quite possibly saved my life as well.
Now I am hoping to take my knowledge and help other people on their own journey to health.

Then- Family Vacation 2009

Now- Making dinner for my family

Home Made Whole Wheat English Muffins

2011-11-14T15:02:00.000-08:00

I usually buy whole wheat english muffins. We use them to make breakfast sandwiches. I doubt I will ever buy them again. This recipe from Isa Chandra Moskowitz's book, Vegan Brunch, is off the hook. Just perfect!

I only made a couple of changes to this recipe. I used whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour. and I used raw sugar instead of regular sugar.

1 tsp active dry yeast
1 tbsp raw sugar
1 cup lukewarm water

Mix these ingredients in small bowl and set aside for about five minutes.

2 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 tsp salt
3 Tablespoons nonhydrogenated margarine, room temperature (I use earth balance)

A few tablespoons of cornmeal
1 tbsp nonhydrogenated margarine

In mixing bowl combine flour and salt. Add the yeast mixture and margarine. Mix until dough forms. Turn out on a floured surface and knead for about 6 minutes, adding more flour as needed. Return dough to bowl and cover with plastic wrap or towel (I just use a hand towel). Set in a warm place and let rise for about an hour.
Preheat oven and cookie sheet to 350 degrees. Punch dough down and knead for a minute. Roll out on a floured surface to about 1/2 inch thickness. Use a round 3inch cookie cutter (I used the mouth of a drinking glass). Pat both sides in the cornmeal. Preheat a large skillet (I used a cast iron skillet) and melt one tbsp of margarine in it. It shouldn't smoke. Medium heat worked well for me. Cook muffins on each side for one minute then put them in the oven on the cookie sheet for 6- 10 minutes. Do this in two batches. Cool on a wire rack.
ENJOY!!

Not Your Traditional Latke

2011-11-13T22:04:00.000-08:00

I've always wanted to try a potato pancake. But I never have run into an opportunity. This traditional Jewish dish is something I have heard about since I was a child. I never understood what all the hype was about but was always curious.

That time of year is almost upon us again and once again my curiosity was peeked. Now that we are eating a plant based diet, potato pancakes don't seem like a stretch for a meal. I had to give it a whirl. I looked up a basic recipe at allrecipes.com and went from there.

This is certainly not a traditional recipe, but I'm not Jewish either. Not only was this recipe off the hook but it was great being able to introduce my kids to a tradition from a different culture.

Makes about 24 pancakes:

6 russet potatoes, peeled

1 yellow onion

2 tbsp ground flaxseed

3 tbsps water

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

3 Tbsp nutritional yeast

1/2 cup vital wheat gluten

1 1/2 cup mixed frozen corn, carrots, and peas

In a small bowl mix flaxseed with water. Set aside.

Using food processor (or grate), pulse potatoes and onions. Drain as much liquid as you can.

Mix all ingredients into the potato/onion mixture, including flaxseed mixture. Heat a cast iron skillet (or other heavy frying pan) with a small amount of oil (I use safflower oil) on medium heat. If the oil starts to smoke, lower the heat. Shape pancakes (about 3 inch circles) and cook about 3 minutes each side, until browned.

I put brown paper bags on a plate and between layers of the pancakes to soak up as much oil as possible. It was also helpful to keep the first 12 in the oven at 200 degrees. They stayed nice and hot while I made the second half.

Now I've heard that there are quite a few different toppings that people like with their Latkes. We tried applesauce, sour cream (vegan, of coarse), and Joseph's Sugar Free Maple Syrup. The applesauce did nothing to compliment the taste. Sour cream was better. But the maple syrup sealed the deal! I am a Latke fan for life! Would it be wrong to adopt this awesome Jewish tradition on my Christmas day?

Who's this skinny woman in my kitchen?

Well, Latkes rounded out an all star week!

Pumpkin Spice Latte

2011-11-13T15:24:00.000-08:00

I don't have a photo to share with this recipe. But this has become a weekend treat for Roque and I. At 130 calories per serving, who needs Starbucks? These are a great compliment to the Pumpkin Scones recipe posted last week.

Makes two lattes:

4 Tbsp of coffee grounds
1 Tbsp of pumpkin pie seasoning
2 1/2 cups water
4 Tbsp maple syrup
1 1/2 cup almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
2 Tbsp pureed pumpkin (optional)

Mix coffee grounds with pumpkin pie seasoning. Put in coffee maker and add 2 1/2 cups of water (according to your coffee makers user directions).
Meanwhile, heat almond milk in microwave. In two large coffee cups, add 2 tbsp maple syrup to each. One tbsp pumpkin puree to each. Stir well.
When coffee is done brewing, add 3/4 cup almond milk and 3/4 cup coffee to each cup. Stir well and enjoy!

Almost Guilt Free Pumpkin Scones

2011-11-07T21:15:00.000-08:00

Pumpkin is the flavor of the season and low fat scones seem so elusive...until now! I took a recipe and made some major adjustments. The biggest is substituting margarine for bananas. I have tried this before with just ok results. This time it worked. I believe the key is the banana. It needs to be mostly green. And it needs to be COLD. I actually used 1 and 1/3 banana. I peeled it and cut it much like you would cut cold butter into a recipe. Then I let it chill in the fridge. An hour should do.

◦4 cups whole wheat flour

◦2 tablespoons cornstarch
◦6 tablespoons raw sugar
◦8 tablespoons brown sugar
◦2 tablespoon baking powder
◦1/2 teaspoon salt
◦2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
◦2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
◦1 teaspoon ground all-spice
◦1 teaspoon ground ginger
◦1 cup pumpkin
◦2/3 cup coconut milk
◦2 teaspoons vanilla
◦12 tablespoons cold pre ripe banana

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

In a food processor or a large bowl combine the flour, sugars, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, all-spice and ginger. Sprinkle the banana slices over the top of the flour and pulse until the mixture is crumbly and there are no pieces bigger then the size of a pea or use a pastry cutter to cut the banana into the dry ingredients; set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, coconut milk and vanilla. If using a food processor, dump the contents into a large bowl and fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredient until just moistened. Form the dough into a rough ball, try not to overwork the dough, it will be slightly crumbly and very moist. Divide the dough in half. Pat out half the dough onto a floured surface and shape it into a 3/4-inch thick circle. Use a knife to cut the dough into 8 wedges. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with second half of dough. Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until lightly brown on the bottom. Place on wire rack to cool.

Glaze
◦1 cup powdered sugar
◦1-2 tablespoons non-dairy milk
◦1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
◦1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla to small bowl. Slowly add the non-dairy milk while mixing with a fork or whisk. Drizzle over scones with a spoon.

These where very yummy! The kids loved them as well. I am glad my freezer is well stocked with pumpkin. I will be making these all winter long!

Doing Better!

2011-11-01T15:29:00.000-07:00

I shared with you how difficult it has been preparing meals since we have started a plant based diet. I no longer had my "go to" familiar meals. Everything is new and different. It's like expecting to visit the dessert and getting sent to the rain forest.
It used to take me 30 minutes to make a menu for a week. Pick a couple new dishes and throw in the tried and true. For the last several weeks, I would sit at the kitchen table to prepare the coming week's menu and still be sitting there 3 hours later. I am happy to say that this Sunday I had the menu written in 45 minutes!! That's progress!
We also have come up with a system to help me gauge what "works" and what doesn't. If the majority of us like the meal, it gets a star next to it on the menu. The first 2 weeks...no stars! Last week...5 stars! So that is five meals that can find their way inot the monthly rotation. We are making progress!
As a matter of fact, veggie burgers are on the menu for tonight. They are already premade, frozen and ready to grill! That means an easy night for me. Yah!
Are you curious which meals made the cut last week? Here they are:
Chickpea Cutlets
Veggie Burgers
Veggie Pizza w/soy sausage
Lentil Tacos
Tofu and veggies in ginger garlic sauce

Tofu Blueberry Bars

2011-10-26T21:39:00.000-07:00

Tofu, Tofu, Tofu....it is finally coming together! I am starting to understand how to use it and how many different ways you can incorporate it into recipes. I have (successfully) used it to replace ricotta cheese. I have used it to create "eggs" for a breakfast sandwich. I made a crust less pumpkin pie with it. And today I made these yummy, healthy blueberry bars.

10 ounces silken (soft) tofu
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup of water
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9x13 pan.
Blend applesauce, honey, tofu, water and vanilla until smooth (food processor or blender).
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and baking powder.
Pour wet ingredients into a mixing bowl Mix in dry ingredients and blend until mixed. Then fold in one cup blueberries.
Pour into 9x13 pan and bake for 25 minutes.
Cool and cut into squares.

Thick Butternut Squash Soup

2011-10-26T21:21:00.000-07:00

Today was a beautiful day in San Diego. The air was cool and crisp. It was a wonderful fall day. We don't get very many of them here, so I have to enjoy them when they come.

Today I celebrated fall by making a thick butternut squash soup. If you prefer more of a soup-soup, leave out the couscous!

1 large or 2 small butternut squash, cooked and pureed.

4 celery stalks/sticks, sliced

5 carrots, sliced

1/2 onion, chopped

6 cups vegetable broth

1 14 oz can coconut milk

1/2- 1 cup couscous (depending on desired thickness)

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

pepper to taste

Saute onion in 1/4 cup of water

In large pot combine broth, butternut squash and coconut milk. Add onions, celery, carrots and spices. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 20 minutes. Add couscous and simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes or until couscous is done. Serve and enjoy!

Our Journey Update!

2011-10-22T21:36:00.000-07:00

Here's a little update!
I'll start with the good! Roque has lost 20 lbs. to date! Pretty awesome, huh!? He's doing really well and it is starting to show. It's always nice when you (the weight loser) can see the results of your hard work.
I, on the other hand, have only lost 2.5 pounds in the last 3 weeks! I knew the last 20 lbs. might be difficult but, geesh! To be honest (and without devulging TMI) it's been a rough few weeks. Let me just say "magnesium". LOL
There have been other challenges as well. I consider myself a pretty good cook. If you knew me 10 years ago, you may not believe this statement...but a lot has changed since then! All of a sudden cooking has become quite challenging. When you cook plant based meals, THE RULES CHANGE! All my prior knowledge is no longer useful. A whole new set of skills needs to come into play. I have been craving the simplicity of a meat based meal! I miss meat!!! There I said it! And eggs (I don't even like eggs. But they're soo simple!). But, this is a health journey that we are on and we will press on. I do feel like an epic fail in the kitchen. Well, until Thursday night. That was one good meal! And it was followed by another on Friday night! And THAT ended up being my own recipe. So I see improvement.
Tonight we went out to dinner. It's been a while. It was needed! We went to a vegan joint called Evolution. It was great! Roque and I both ordered a swiss mushroom burger with sweet potato fries. The kids had chick'n fingers with regular fries. Yum. Andan says he'd like to go there for his birthday. The kids ate all of theirs. Then I told them..."um, that wasn't real chicken". The look on Andan's face was shock, "Mom, can you do that at home." LOL Maybe I can Andan, Maybe I can.

Veggie Burger

2011-10-22T21:08:00.000-07:00

I've been looking for a good veggie burger recipe for a few weeks now. I tried a black bean burger recipe. It was just ok. Nothing I would want to spend the effort on making again. Then I found a recipe that was vegetarian but not vegan. But I thought I could tweek it. Well, I had to tweek it a little more than I planned. And the results were great! So this is a Julie Camacho original! Next time I make these, I will be making ahead of time and doubling the batch. This is going to be a great 'go to' meal on busy nights!

1 onion

3 cloves of garlic

1 zucchini

2 carrots

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

2 1/2 tbsp of ground flax seed

3 tbsp of water

2 tbsp of nutritional yeast

1/3 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 vital wheat gluten

In food processor, pulse onion and garlic and then the carrots and zucchini. In a sauce pan saute the onion and garlic in 1/4 cup of water for about 3 minutes. Add Carrots and zucchini. Continue to saute 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer into a bowl.

In a small bowl, mix ground flax seed with 3 tbsp of water. Add rolled oats, nutritional yeast and flax seed mix to vegetables. Mix well. Refrigerate for at least an hour.

Mix whole wheat flour and vital wheat gluten into the mix. Mix well.

Form mixture into about 3 inch patties. Place on wax paper and continue, making sure to have wax paper between patties. Put in freezer storage bags and freeze until ready to use.

Grill frozen. Makes 8-10 patties.

Comfort Food

2011-10-22T20:42:00.000-07:00

Chickpea Cutlets, Mashed Potatoes with Mushroom Gravy

Finally! A meal worth writing home about! Thank you, Isa. This chickpea cutlet actually tastes like meat. The mashed potatoes just sealed the deal. This will definitely be a family favorite. Find Isa's recipe here, here and here.

Whole Wheat Bread

2011-10-16T15:54:00.000-07:00

Home baked bread is a real treat! I love the process of watching a ball of dough turn into something warm and aromatic and yummy. I also appreciate controlling what goes into my bread. Did you know that most breads have high fructose corn syrup? Well, now you do. Thankfully many top brands now make a loaf without it. But it is still nice to have your own home made bread from time to time.

I originally got this recipe from Allrecipes.com, but have made changes to it. Another tip for making bread is to spoon your flour into the measuring cup. Don't dip the cup into the flour. Usually too much flour will get into your recipe this way and make a dense bread. If you don't have the grains listed, substitute it for what you do have. I usually don't have sunflower seeds on hand. So I will add an extra tablespoon of quinoa.

Doesn't this already look great?

2 cups warm water (110 degrees F (43 degrees C))

1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons instant yeast
6 cups stone ground whole wheat flour
5 tablespoons vital wheat gluten
1 tablespoon flax seeds
1 tablespoon flax seed meal
1 tablespoon rolled oats
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon quinoa
1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

1.Pour warm water and maple syrup into a small bowl, and stir to dissolve the maple syrup. Sprinkle the yeast over the top of the liquid, and let stand until the yeast bubbles and forms a creamy layer, about 10 minutes.

2.In a bowl, stir together the whole wheat flour, gluten, flax seeds, flax meal, rolled oats, sesame seeds, quinoa, sunflower seeds, and salt until the seeds are dispersed evenly. Pour the liquid yeast mixture into the flour mixture, add the coconut oil, and mix everything together. Scoop the dough out onto a well-floured surface, and knead as much of the flour into the dough until smooth and springy, about 10 minutes. Allow dough to rest for 15 minutes, then knead for another 5 minutes.

3.Form the dough into a ball, place in an oiled bowl, and turn the dough over several times to coat with oil. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, 30 to 45 minutes.

4.Grease 2 9x5-inch loaf pans. Punch down the dough, and cut into 2 pieces. Form each piece into a loaf, place into the loaf pans, seam sides down, and cover the pans with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

5.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake the loaves in the preheated oven until the loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool in pans about 3-5 minutes before turning out to finish cooling on racks.

Doesn't this look yummy?

Bread crumbs. Another reason I make homemade

bread. Send the sliced bread through the processors

until its crumbs. Season with garlic salt.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.

Spread the crumbs in a thin layer on a cookie sheet.

Cook until dry. Store in a airtight container. I use my

bread crumbs for baked onion rings!

Sweet Potato Burritos

2011-10-14T14:33:00.000-07:00

DON"T be thrown off by the photo! I know it looks like....something that belongs in the toilet, hhemmm! But if you don't give this recipe a try, you really will be missing out on a great blend of flavors and spices. This recipe makes a lot and freezes well! I never would have thought to blend black beans and sweet potatoes, but it works incredibly well!

6 cups cooked black beans (save some of the liquid)

4 cups cooked sweet potatoes

1/2- 1 cup of black bean liquid (or water if you used canned beans)

1 onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup water

3 Tbsp chili powder

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tsp cumin

pinch of cayenne pepper

Saute onions and garlic in 1/4 cup of water then set aside. In food processor blend black beans adding liquid a little at a time until refried bean like consistancy. Put processed beans in large bowl and repeat until all beans have been processed. Put sweet potatoes through processor until creamy, add to large bowl with beans. Add sauted onions, garlic, spices and soysauce to the bowl. Mix well.

I use whole wheat tortillas. I spread the desired amount on the tortilla and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds. Then I fold it up like a burrito and put it in a non-greased skillet to continue heating and creating a slightly crispy tortilla, 1-2 minutes. Super fast, super easy and SUPER YUMMY! Oh...and they're healthy too!

Oatmeal Waffles

2011-10-09T19:55:00.000-07:00

My friend, Tammy Harris, gave me this recipe just in time! Since we've changed our diet, I have not make our standard Krusteez waffles. Much to the dismay of my seven-year-old, Andan. He's been asking me (daily it seemed), and I just haven't been able to come up with anything. And then Tammy saves the day (or should I say morning :-0). All this recipe consists of is one part rolled oats to one part non-dairy milk (Tammy said Vanilla Soy). She suggests one cup per person. mix ingredients, cover and refriderate over night.

I added to the recipe a little. This is DEFINATELY kid approved! Elijah ate two! That's never happened.

What I love about this recipe is that there is no added sugar, it is super simple, super healthy and SUPER yummy!

4 cups rolled oats
4 cups almond milk
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp of vanilla

Mix ingredients, cover and refridgerate over night. When I opened it in the morning, I thought, "I can't put that in the waffle maker!" LOL So I sent the mixture through the food processor (blender would work too). Heat in your waffle maker until steaming has stopped. These freeze well and cook well in the toaster.

Non-fried Beans

2011-10-09T19:36:00.000-07:00

Elijah, my three-year-old, loves Roserita Refried Beans. He's at that stage where the same thing for lunch

e v e r y d a y is just fine with him, and preferred. If you know what I mean. Sometimes, when something is working, you just don't want to mess with it. So I've been a little leery of trying to make a healthier version of these...afraid he would reject my beans and refuse any and all beans in the future. I actually did try with a TASTY black bean sweet potato mix (that's a recipe I WILL have to share soon!). It didn't fly! Now we classify beans, "Are those black or brown, Mom? I only want brown, ok?" So I got the message..don't mess with the "brown" beans!

BUT...I found this recipe on www.allrecipes.com called Non- refried beans. The reviews were excellent, so I decided to tempt fate. The results were great! AND....They passed the kid test!!!!!

This recipe is so yummy (and easy), I can't wait to make it for a family gathering...yes, it's that good!

3 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed
1 onion quartered
2 tablespoons minced garlic
3 teaspoons salt
1 3/4 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
9 cups water

1 jalepeno, optional ( I didn't add this, but I will when making for someone other than my kids)

1.Place the onion, rinsed beans, garlic, salt, pepper, and cumin into a slow cooker. Pour in the water and stir to combine. Cook on low for 8 hours, adding more water as needed. Note: if more than 1 cup of water has evaporated during cooking, then the temperature is too high.

2.Once the beans have cooked, strain them, and reserve the liquid. I removed the onions as well. Using a food processor blend beans until smooth and creamy. You may need to add some of the liquid until it reaches the desired consistency.

This recipe made about 7 cups of non-fried beans. I cooked my beans overnight. I got up once to check the water level and ended up adding a cup of water

Chickpea Sandwich Spread

2011-10-09T14:18:00.000-07:00

This chickpea (garbanzo beans) spread is so yummy and versatile. Chickpeas are a great source of protein as well. The first time I made this, I used cayenne pepper, salt, garlic powder and red onions. It was good and it had a kick to it. Perfect to top with lettuce and tomatoes. This morning I used red bell pepper, green bell pepper, onion, garlic powder and salt. SOOOO GOOOD!

You can used canned garbanzo beans. I like to buy them in bulk, soak them over night and then cook them for an hour. I keep some in the fridge and freeze the rest. Chickpeas are great for making hummus as well!

19 ounces chickpeas

1/4 red bell pepper

1/4 green bell pepper

1/3 of an onion

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

about 1/2 cup veganiase or non dairy sour cream

Pulse chickpeas in food processor until blended. Add veganaise, salt and garlic powder to food processor and pulse (add just enough for a creamy smooth texture). Put mixture into a bowl. Pulse onion and bell peppers in food processor until chopped. Mix into chickpeas.

Vegan Cupcakes

2011-10-04T21:36:00.000-07:00

My husband is doing an awesome job. He is losing weight daily. I am sure that some of you can relate, but he has to say no to a lot of temptations to stay on the right path. It seems that almost everytime he goes to work he steps into a junk food zone. Bagels, donuts, cookies and candy to name a few. Well tomorrow is ice cream sunday day. I really feel for him! I wish there were better policies concerning foods in the work force. It would be better for the people and better for corporate America. I'm sure mood and production would improve. But if I can help make it easier for my husband, then I'll try.

This is a great recipe from http://www.allrecipes.com/. It is simple to make it your own. These cupcakes turned out very moist and have a nice light taste to them (not too sweet). The original recipe calls for all purpose flour and Coconut oil. I used whole wheat flour. Next time I will try replacing the oil with unsweetened applesauce.

    1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar)
    1 1/2 cups almond milk (room temperature)
    2 cups flour
    1 cup raw sugar
    2 teaspoons baking powder
    1/2 teaspoon baking soda
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    1/2 cup coconut oil, warmed until liquid
    1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease one 12 cup muffin pan or line with 12 paper baking cups.

2.Measure the apple cider vinegar into a 2 cup measuring cup. Fill with almond milk to make 1 1/2 cups. Let stand until curdled, about 5 minutes. In a large bowl, Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond milk mixture, coconut oil and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until blended. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, dividing evenly. These don't rise much so fill about to the top.

3.Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool in the pan set over a wire rack. When cool, arrange the cupcakes on a serving platter. Frost with desired frosting.

I used powdered sugar and wax paper to create these little heart tops. Plus, I wanted to keep these light!

Hawaiian Chickpea Teriyaki

2011-10-04T20:57:00.000-07:00

I love chickpeas. I made an awesome chickpea sandwich spread with a nice kick to it just the other day. I also love it as a humus. I don't think I love it as teriyaki. Next time I'm trying tofu! So if anyone has some recommendations for me, that would be great!

This recipe originated from The Happy Herbivore Cookbook. Although I made many adaptions and will make more the next go round.

4 cups of rinsed, drained chickpeas

1 can chunk pineapple (in pineapple juice) drained

1 onion cut in wedges

1 green or red bell pepper chopped in large bits

1 cup of Annie's Natural Teriyaki Sauce (no high fructose corn syrup!)

In skillet add teriyaki sauce with chickpeas. Allow to marinade for 5-10 minutes. Turn heat to high. Add onions and bell peppers. Continue to stir. Turn to medium-high heat when it starts to boil. Add pineapple during the last couple of minutes when sauce is almost all cooked in. Serve over rice.

Vegan Chili (Hold the Cheese!)

2011-10-02T19:41:00.000-07:00

Chili is always a great dish to make. Usually I make this a little (too) spicy. But this time I didn't add the spice (Cayenne pepper and jalapeno) for the sake of the kids. The flavor was still great! This can be a super simple and fast dish to make (buy canned ingredients). Or you can use fresh ingredients with some pre food prep! When buying canned goods, read labels!! I almost bought diced tomatoes with added high fructose corn syrup! And did you know canned kidney beans can have added sugar??!! Geesh, no wonder we have such an unhealthy nation!

    1/2 cup TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein)
    1/2 cup of water
    2 tbsp vegetable powder (bullion)
    2 cups black beans
    2 cups kidney beans
    1 small onion chopped
    1 green bell pepper chopped
    4-5 cups diced (canned or blanched fresh) tomatoes
    3 Tbsp chili powder
    2 tbsp cumin

In small bowl mix half a cup of warm water with tvp and vegetable protein. Set aside. In medium sized pot, saute onion and bell pepper in 1/4 cup of water until onion is translucent. Add all of your other ingredients into the pot including the tvp. Bring to a boil and lower to medium heat. Continue to heat stirring often for about 10 minutes. Lower temperature and simmer for at least 20 minutes.

The tvp in this recipe, tastes like ground turkey! Yields 6-7 servings.

Chocolate Coconut Protein Bars

2011-10-02T18:50:00.000-07:00

This is a Jamie Eason recipe that I found and adapted somewhat to fit what I had on hand. It's a great no-bake recipe that is packed with protein. It's also versatile to fit your taste, from chocolate to a less sweet dark chocolate.

2 cups oatmeal

     4 scoops protein powder
     4 TBSP coconut milk
     4 TBSP coconut oil
     1/2 cups carob chips or other vegan chocolate chip (ghiradeli is great)!
     2- 4 TBSP unsweetened cocoa powder (depending on how sweet or not you may want it.)
     1 cup unsweetened almond milk(or other non-dairy milk)

Line a 9 inch square baking dish with parchment paper. In a small microwavable bowl combine coconut oil and chocolate chips. Heat in microwave until chocolate is melted (30-60 sec). In mixing bowl combine oatmeal, protein powder, and cocoa powder. Mix well. Add coconut chocolate mixture and coconut milk. Mix again. Add almond milk and mix well. with spatula, spread evenly into prepared dish. Put in freezer for about an hour. Lift out and cut into 9 squares. Wrap individually in parchment paper and store in fridge.

Family Update!

2011-09-30T20:27:00.000-07:00

Well we have a lot of exciting things happening in our house, amidst the trials! Some can not be disclosed yet. We'll wait to see what the future holds!

The freezer is emptying out and we are two meals away from being meatless. Matter of fact, next weeks menu only has one meat dinner. You know what that means...lot's of new recipes to try! I am excited to be going meatless. We have also cut out eggs and milk. Next will be cheese. The kids are thinking, *oh no! We're going to starve!* I'll let you all know how it goes. As far as Roque and I are concerned, we've already seen that we don't miss it. I've noticed that the two little ones are trying (and eating) a wider variety of food then they had in the past.

Other great news is that I have lost a total of 57 lbs. to date! Just 23 more to go. I am still losing a steady amount each week (4.6 lbs. this week alone!). I am REALLY enjoying running. I look forward to my 5 evenings a week when I can hit the "track". Roque has gone with me a few times. I have really enjoyed that!

Roque is 3 weeks into his journey. He is starting how I did, with the Nutrilite Weight Management program. Between that and my good cooking (oh yea, and his exercise and determination :-P) he's lost 11 lbs!!

Somebody's been paying attention! He's got his own routine

going. And NO, we don't exercise in our chonies. It's his

personal preference!

The other great news is that Roque"s blood sugar levels

keep dropping. Thanks to healthy eating, exercise and

these great all natural supplements from Nutrilite!

Oatmeal Raisin Bars

2011-09-28T14:26:00.000-07:00

These oatmeal bars are a favorite in my house. I usually make one and a half batches and bake it in a 11x16 sided cookie pan. There is sugar in this recipe, but no oil or eggs. I usually keep my hands off and leave this snack to the kids.

This is the recipe for one batch...but you may want to make more!

2 cups rolled oats

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup of wheat germ

1 cup wheat flour

3/4 cup raisins (or chocolate chips, or.....)

3/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup light agave nectar

1 cup of no sugar added applesauce

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9x13 baking pan or use parchment paper.

In large mixing bowl (or mixer) combine all dry ingredients (even the raisins). Add wet ingredients and continue mixing until well blended. Pour into prepared pan and spread evenly with a spatula.

Bake 30-35 minutes until it begins to turn golden on the edges..don't over cook. Cool for five minutes then cut the squares while still warm. Store in an air tight container.

Banana Black Bean Brownies

2011-09-27T14:54:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from Lindsay Nixon's, The Happy Herbivore. She calls them Black Bean Brownies. I really don't taste so much brownie as I do banana. They are super moist! But slightly too sweet. I will definitely be making this again, but will tweak the recipe a bit. Maybe omit the agave nectar or reduce the amount of banana. Even thought the main ingredient is black beans, you wouldn't guess it! while this didn't pass the kid test(looks like a brownie but doesn't taste like one), It did pass mine. I think there is potential with this easy recipe.

These are 112 calories each, 0.9 grams of fat and 3.5 grams of protein. Recipe yields 9 squares.

This recipe was so breezy to make in the food processor. I'm in love! I need one. I borrowed my mom's (dad's) while they are out of town ;-). This recipe can be made in a blender....but SOOOO easy in a processor.

1 15 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed

2 spotted bananas

1/3 cup agave nectar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup instant oats

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. grease standard 9 in square pan.

3. Combine all ingredients except oats in food processor and blend until smooth, stopping and scraping the sides as needed.

4. Stir in the oats and bake for about 30 minutes until toothpick inserted int he middle comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before slicing.

Chocolate(er..vegan) Chip Cookies

2011-09-24T21:06:00.000-07:00

I ordered a cookbook the other day and it came in the mail two days ago. It's called The Happy Herbivore by Lindsay S. Nixon. Happy indeed! These recipes are low or no fat, super easy and look super yummy! I had to try the Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe today. I didn't have chocolate chips on hand, but I did have some carob chips. I also found out that Ghiradelli chocolate in naturally vegan. I will have to check that out! These cookies passed the kid test and we have to watch for one sneaky little 3 year-old cookie monster!

I did double this recipe. Doubled, it yields about 36 cookies.

2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 cup light brown sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup non-dairy milk

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tbsp cornstarch (I found some at Sprouts that is made from GMO FREE corn!)

a few dashes of cinnamon

1 cup of vegan chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Grease cookie sheet or line with parchment paper

Combine wet ingredients in mixing bowl.

In small bowl whisk flour, baking powder, salt, cornstarch and cinnamon.

Mix in dry ingredients with wet in three batches.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop spoonfuls ( I use a cookie scooper) on cookie sheet. Bake 7- 10 minutes

61 calories per cookie, 0.7 g of Fat, 6.2 g of sugar, 1 g of protein

You Can Have Your Baby and Pizza Too

2011-09-23T21:39:00.000-07:00

When I was pregnant with Elijah, I remember the OB GYN nurse telling me that one food that I must absolutely not eat was pizza. I never understood why, but she was pretty adamant about it.

Pizza does not have to be an un-healthy forbidden endeavor. Actually it can be quite wholesome AND yummy.

Start with a homemade whole wheat crust. This is the Betty Crocker

pizza dough recipe. I used all whole wheat flour and coconut oil instead of

olive oil. Sprinkle pizza dough with a little garlic salt after it is rolled and on the pan.

Bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees. Then add your ingredients.

Add your tomato paste/sauce to the pizza.

Add your favorite ingredients. Most vegetables should be pre-

sauteed in water (and garlic if you like) until they are tender crisp.

This is a vegetarian/vegan pizza. I knew my hubby wanted cheese.

I wanted to try it without and do without the added fat.

Bake for another 10-15 minutes at 400 degrees.

Well, I wanted to indulge in my vegan pizza without

worrying about all the carbs I was consuming. So I took my

Nutrilite Carb Blocker 2. This supplement uses fermented soy and

white kidney bean abstracts to block the absorption of both sugars

and starches without blocking vital minerals and nutrients. It will block

up to 500 carbohydrate calories! Click on the photo to learn more about

this all natural product. Item #100193

Making Your Own Tomato Sauce

2011-09-23T15:03:00.000-07:00

Making your own tomato sauces can be relatively simple and usually cheaper. The other benefit is that you control what goes in your sauce. For me that means no sugars or milk products. If you've never done this before, here's a simple series of steps to follow.

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil.

2. With a knife, cut a small x into the bottom of each tomato.

3. Drop tomatoes into boiling water for 30 seconds.

4. Remove from water (some then immediately put tomatoes in ice water, to stop the cooking process. I skip this step because I will be cooking the tomatoes anyway).

5. From the x peel the tomatoes completely.

6. Cut tomatoes in half and remove seeds and juice.

7. Blend remaining tomato halves in blender until smooth liquid.

8. Cook in large sauce pan adding your favorite ingredients. Boil covered for 5 minutes. Then lower

heat and simmer-boil for about 30 minutes.

My sauce with lightly sauteed garlic, salt and Italian seasonings.

Boil-simmering out some of the liquid

Making a thicker paste is easy. Use a coffee filter and drain extra liquid.

This tomato paste will be perfect on tonight's pizza!

Wholesome Pancakes

2011-09-21T22:22:00.000-07:00

My kids eat a lot of pancakes. It's pretty much the "go to" breakfast in our house. I admit that before I started my journey to better health, my "go to" mix was Krusteez. Just add water and mix! But now that we are on a path to better health, I whip up a batch of these. Whatever doesn't get eaten goes into the freezer. Makes many easy mornings. Just reheat in the microwave.

    2 2/3 cup of whole wheat flour
    1 1/2 cup rolled oats
    6 Tbsp flax seed meal
    2 tsp cinnamon
    2 tsp baking powder
    1 tsp baking soda
    2 eggs, beaten
    2 1/2 cups almond milk (or your milk choice)
    2 cups of water

Mix dry ingredients together and mix in wet ingredients. Cook like you would pancakes.

Early Mornings

2011-09-20T14:54:00.000-07:00

You know what makes a great early morning? Breakfast that makes itself and kids sleeping in! Well, I can help you with the breakfast..but you're on your own with the kiddos! God was showing me grace this morning when both of these lined up (yes, on the same morning!!)! Yes, it was a blessed morning. I enjoyed some time with my hubby before he was off to work and I had some time, just God and I.

Steel-cut Oats with Almonds

Steel-cut oats have become increasingly popular. Just in case you haven't heard of them, they are the inner part of the whole grain groats which have then been cut with a steel blade. They don't look anything like your rolled oatmeal and it takes longer to cook. It is also much heartier and filling. If you are a diabetic, these are definitely a better choice as it will take your body longer to digest and slow down the rate at which your body turns it into sugar.

I don't know about you, but the words "takes longer to cook" does not sound appealing...at all!! Especially in the morning! Until, that is, I found out I could cook them in the crock pot! OVERNIGHT!!! I have made this twice in the last week....LOVE it! My kids don't care for this variety of oats, yet. But that doesn't bother me. That means leftovers and this reheats nicely in the microwave for another quick breakfast.

So this is how I do it. Wad a piece of foil and put it

on the bottom of the pot. This just puts a space between

the pot and the baking dish.

You'll need a baking dish that will fit in your pot with the

lid on.

This a great recipe to play with and add your favorite ingredients to. This is the way my hubby, Roque and I like it.

1 cup of steel-cut oats

2 cups almond milk

2 cups water

1 Tbsp Cinnamon

1 teaspoon all spice

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Put all ingredients in your crock pot safe dish. Put the dish in your pot on top of foil. Put water in the CROCK POT, around your dish. Fill to about the same level as the ingredients in your dish. Set your crock pot on low for 8 hours. In the morning, stir well cover for about 5 minutes and serve. Add your favorite toppings!

Tortilla Soup...Great for Fire breathing Dragons!

2011-09-19T22:15:00.000-07:00

Tortilla Soup garnished with cilantro, pinch of cheese and crispy corn tortilla strips.

These were easy to make. Just slice the tortillas very thin (with pizza cutter) and cook in a frying pan (no oil needed) over medium high heat. continue to turn until crisp.

This was a spicy soup. Even though I tried to cool it off by going with a mild sauce. It was still spicy! BUT...my family loved it!! Even my three year old, Elijah, had two servings. He told me that if he was going to be a fire breathing dragon, he needed to eat spicy food.

We will definitely be having this again. Especially during the cool winter months.

This recipe is enough to feed a family of 8-9 people. If it's too much for you, half the ingredients.

2 cans (16 oz) mild red enchilada sauce

2 cans black beans

2 cups of frozen corn

5 cups water

4 tbsp vegetable bouillon

1 lb. ground turkey (optional)

1 cup tomato sauce

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin

2 cloves garlic

chopped cilantro

Mix enchilada sauce, water, tomato sauce, vegetable bouillon, chili powder and cumin in pot over medium-high heat. Heat skillet to high. Add 1/4 cup of water (I've learned to use water instead of oil), ground turkey and garlic until browned. Add corn and beans (drained and rinsed) to turkey until heated. Then add to soup. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes and then simmer on low for another 20.

Serve and garnish with tortillas and cilantro.

Quinoa and Black Beans

2011-09-19T09:11:00.000-07:00

Quinoa and Black Beans

This is a very easy and yummy recipe that I found on allrecipes.com. I made one change. I added a pound of ground turkey. The next time I make this, it will be a vegetarian/vegan dish.

1 lb ground turkey
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro(optional)

Directions
1.Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat (for extra health, omit this step). Stir in the onion and garlic, and saute until lightly browned.

2.Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with vegetable broth. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes.

3. Brown ground turkey, if you are adding it.

4.Stir frozen corn and turkey into the saucepan, and continue to simmer about 5 minutes until heated through. Mix in the black beans and cilantro.

Crispy Eggplant bake

2011-09-18T22:49:00.000-07:00

This recipe was actually inspired by a friend of mine. Julie Shue had a great recipe for an eggplant bake (I'll have to ask her if I can share it on here someday!). Breading and baking the eggplant was the first step. I discovered that these crispy seasoned treats were quite yummy just like this!

1 eggplant thinly sliced

2 eggs, beaten or egg substitute

3/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs or panko crumbs ( I make my own bread, slice and dice and season with garlic salt, italitian seasoning and parmesean cheese)

Heat oven to 350. Dredge eggplant slices through eggs and bread crumbs, coating both sides. Place on cookie sheet. Cook for 10 minutes on each side. Enjoy as a snack or as a dinner side de' lish.

Yummy Turkey Sweet Potato Tacos

2011-09-17T10:13:00.000-07:00

I found this yummy recipe on Allrecipes.com. I did modify it a bit to fit the needs of our family and what we had on hand. This was super simple to put together and was a winner with the whole family (even the teens!).

       3/4 pound of ground turkey ( I used a super lean 99/1)
       1 large yam
       0-4 jalapeno peppers (I omitted because of my little ones)
       1/2 onion, chopped
       1-2 cloves of garlic minced
       1 tbsp of chili powder
       1 tsp of ground cumin
       1/2 tsp salt
       3/4 cup of fresh salsa (I used mild and avoided sugars and preservatives)
       cilantro
       whole grain tortillas (the corn ones I bought were just 60 calories each)

Peel the sweet potato and dice into small squares. Cook in a microwave safe bowl for 10 minutes. In a skillet brown turkey (add oil if you need to..I have been omitting it.) add chopped onions and garlic, cook for about 7 minutes over medium heat. Add spices then add sweet potatos and salsa mix well and simmer over low heat for about 4 minutes. Heat tortillas. Garnish tacos with cilantro and salsa (and what ever else your heart or diet allows).

Is There a Name For Me???

2011-09-16T18:56:00.000-07:00

As you know, I've been really changing my lifestyle in the last 5 months. I no longer "live to eat". Instead I have been educating myself and learning how to "eat to live". What a journey it has been!

I have gone from a full on omnivore (more meat and carbs than plants) to a semi-vegetarian/ wanna-be-veagan. Hence the question. What should I call myself? I'm in transition...and for many reasons.

*I have a family of six (our oldest moved home yesterday). It would be nice to make this switch without hearing the groans of agony as they dig their heels in. So we move slowly.

*The freezer is still full of meat. Yes, it is just chicken, turkey and fish but lets be real, in these hard economic times, food is food and it needs to be eaten (oh well that we may be killing cells, clogging arteries and raising blood sugars).

And just a little disclaimer: I AM NOT AN ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST

I mean to say, I believe that God gave us dominion over the animals. But I still shed a tear over the death of my favorite childhood pet, Max. That was over 20 years ago!

This is purely a health decision.

So my blog is switching directions. I wanted to blog about this journey that I am embarking on. The adventures and misadventures of going from a meat eating family to going in the complete opposite direction. Will we make it? I hope so!

So come along on the journey!

Yes, It's Been a While

2011-09-06T14:37:00.000-07:00

To be honest with you, I was ready to just leave this blogging world. I "thought" I was done...until my husband "hacked" my blog. He told me he was hacking it. I didn't even look at it for a couple of days...but when I did, I thought, "this doesn't even sound like me." He kinda egged me on a little! LOL

So here I am again. I actually had to read a few posts back to remember where I was in my life. I see I left some loose ends. So read on, I'm sure I will tie them all up.

We have been through some major changes since last spring and on through the summer. The biggest and most important change has been with my husband, Roque. It's been a challenge as well as a blessing to watch him allow God to grab a hold of him and transform his life. It seems that just when Roque was ready to surrender to God's will for his life, God puts a new dream in it! Roque and I have started an online business. It has been a slow go, but we are committed to stay the course. Both Roque and I are involved in our church. Roque teaches a couple Saturdays a month at a Men's Bible study breakfast. He has also started teaching the middle school youth during Wednesday night service. I volunteer as the children's ministry director.

Another change for us is that we went from a family size of 7 to 5, over the summer. Both Jared and Justin went to live with their mom this summer. This has been a bit of an adjustment. Especially for Roque (His babies have left the nest) and for the siblings left behind.

Cody is still struggling in school. The only difference now is that he has the (in school) support to succeed if he is willing to. Cody did get an IEP and he now has access to extra tutors during classes as well as a period in which to get even more support to complete homework that is due in his classes. While we did not get the school to recognize NLD as a specified learning disorder, the school psycologist did recognize that all of his test scores lined up with that diagnoses. That was good enough for me and it is getting him some help in the school setting. There is some small improvements at home as well, though it can get pretty rocky still. We try to keep it as real as we can and still hold him accountable for his actions. The greatest change that I have seen is that he is truly seeking God right now for direction. Day by day!!

Andan and Elijah both started school today. Yes, we are still homeschooling. Last year was awesome and I am looking forward to this year as well. Elijah will start on a modified preschool curriculum. He still has a full 2 years before he can start kindergarten. So we are not an any type of hurry. We'll take it at his pace. Andan had a very successful year and got straight A's in first grade. He is a little anxious this year over cursive writing, but is excited none the less. Second grade, here we come.

I have also have made some changes this year. The biggest being my health. I have never been very successful at dieting. Sure, I'll loose a few pounds. But more likely than not, they seem to find me and bring extras with them. When Roque and I started our business, I had the opportunity to take a DNA test through Inherent health. I found out that I am predisposed to diabetes. It struck a cord with me. My husband is diabetic and my Grandma passed away last year from numerous health issues stemming from diabetes. This isn't a road I am willing to walk down. I will fight it. I started on a Carb reducer weight management plan through my business. With a combination of supplements and learning about portions and healthy eating, I begin to lose weight. That was in April. I started to educate myself more on health issues, vitamins, supplementation and healthy eating! I've learned a lot! Watching documentaries like Food Matters, I've learned more than I ever knew that there was to learn. It has changed my view of food (Which is a topic for a different post!) My kids are eating better than ever. Even Roque is getting on board and being very supportive. I have lost a total of 47 lbs. My goal was to lose 80 lbs. That would be the high end of the healthy weigh range. But this IS a lifestyle change, it is no longer a "diet".
Well , THAT'S my story ;-)

Disclaimer on Sept 3rd post!

2011-09-06T14:30:00.000-07:00

If you know me at all, you know that I did not write the post on September 3rd. I guest my wonderful hubby thought it had been too long since my last post....so that was a special, once only, guest appearance from the one and only Roque Camacho Jr.

Now back to the regular scheduled program.

2011-09-03T18:24:00.000-07:00

We'll it has been awhile since I last posted. Allot of changes since my last post. Are children continue to grow with many adventure's in life. Elijah is now three going on five. He is quite a character. With him there is no such thing as a "terrible three," but a curious three old who thinks he is five.

Andan is now seven and moving on to the second grade being home schooled. Baseball this year for him was a challenge, because it was his first year playing in CAPS! In the midst of all his challenges Andan made it through. He and his team ended the season with 26 wins and 3 losses. They did a fabulous job winning third place during the championship round. Go Lemon Grove Padres!

Cody is now fifteen and has moved on to the tenth grade at Helix Charter School. Cody played a little basketball with the varsity team and did great after being away from the sport for awhile. He went camping to Chico State for a week and had a blast. He tried looking for a job but is not of age yet to start working. November here we come!!!!!

Justin is now seventeen and a senior at Horizon Christian Academy. He is much more involved with the church youth group. He and a few other kids led worship and the kid can sing. We encourage him to join the Worship Team.

Jared is now eighteen and is now attending Devry University. He is majoring in Business Technology. He has learned to play the Eukele on his own and even led worship. We wanted him to play the guitar but the extra string may have been a bit much. LOL

I no longer work. Yeah!!!!! I still home school Andan and Elijah and just about ready to start the new year already. I now volunteer as a Children's Director at City Heights Assembly Church. I have lost over 45 pounds and feeling great. So many changes so far this year........

Roque and I started a business late March of this year and in about five years, dream to be financially independent and debt free. Visit our website at IslandEnterprises.wwdb.biz.

Roque still works for SDG&E and is trying to move up.......finally! LOL I love him so much and must say that he has been a changed man. Well that is it for now until next time. I will post pictures when I get the chance. God Blesss!!!!!

Moving Forward...Slowly

2010-12-06T12:06:00.000-08:00

Today we (Cody and I) had a SIT meeting at school with all of Cody's teachers, academic advisory and the school psychologist. We are all agreed that Cody needs to be tested. Though it was made clear to me that they can not test for NLD specifically. I already knew that. That diagnoses would have to come from the medical field.

Unfortunately, I have found out that insurance companies do not cover this kind of testing past age 6! Of coarse! Doesn't that make sense? Most children would not be tested for learning disabilities until after age six. The tests can range from $1200- $1800. I do have a call to his pediatrician, who is supposed to get a referal for Cody...but I am pretty sure he is going to find out what I already know.

I guess it is just a waiting game at this point. They will start the testing in January, after winter break. Then we will have a meeting to determine if he meets the criteria for special education services. This will be the tricky part!

Other than that things have been better at home between Cody and I. I feel like I am getting to know him all over again and I am seeing him in a different light. It is good.

Non-Verbal Learning Disorder

2010-12-01T11:50:00.000-08:00

Ever heard of it?

I thought that the first time I had heard it was a couple of weeks ago. But as I was going through past school documents, I realize that it was brought up before Cody entered Kindergarten, by Children's Hospital. How did I miss it or why did I dismiss it?

After thinking about it, I know why. What do you think of when you hear learning disorder? Do you think of a child who is reading at the age of three? How about a child who has the verbal skills of an adult? Or a child that in kindergarten tests in the above average to gifted range? How about a child who passes the Gate testing at the end of second grade. No, I don't think of learning disorder.

But there is another picture of this same child, and it is finally coming into focus. My son has spina bifida with hydrocephalus. He is physically disabled and this is made obvious by the fact that he uses a wheelchair. But if you have a simple conversation with him, it appears that his disability ends there. It seemed to me that his greatest disability was his attitude. But now I see the true disablility. The picture is coming into focus.

The arm flapping in his early years (when he became overly excited). The extreme fits that were blamed on my parenting skills. The constant verbal reminders to complete daily tasks. The seemingly rude or blunt behavior. Total disinterest in coloring or drawing. The inability to relate to his peer group. This was just in the first 5 years. To be honest it didn't raise too many red flags for me.

The report cards that have gotten worse each year since 5th grade, no matter what I grounded him from. The continued frustation and acting out. The inability to rationalize a given situation and to see anothers point of view. He is directionally challenged and unorganized. And yes, he still needs those verbal reminders to complete everyday tasks, like brushing his teeth. In school he has difficulty completing assignments and when he does, he often forgets to turn them in. He is very literal in his thinking so he does not process information in the way it was intended, which leads to misunderstanding. Due to his high verbal skills he is perceived as being lazy and unmotivated. At home he is seen as being defiant and rebellious.

So I heard this term, Non- Verbal Learning Disorder, a couple of weeks ago by someone who is associated with the Spina Bifida community. What is it? I did my research.

Non-verbal Learning Disorder is a neuropsychological disorder that has damaged the white matter on the right hemisphere, affecting the way the brain processes information. Some things are not affected, in particular, speech.
"The syndrome of nonverbal learning disabilities includes a number of specific, potentially debilitating symptoms." These have been grouped into "three major areas: neuropsychological deficits, academic deficits, and social-emotional/adaptational deficits."( Michael Roman, www.nldline.com)
This kind of damage is seen most often in individuals who have experienced some sort of traumatic brain injury, neurotube defect, or hydrocephalus.

As I was reading this (new) information, I hear a voice in the back of my mind, "Mom, I don't understand." How often had he said that to me? How often did I tell him he needed to focus more, stop goofing off, get with the program. Well, let me tell you as a parent if you DON"T listen to your kid often enough, they will stop telling you. Then what? Depression? Thoughts of suicide? Yes, all this and more.

I'm listening now. It's time to move forward. Make some changes and deal with the real disability, NLD.

To my family and ANY one else who would like to learn more about NLD, I found this site very easy to read. http://mydoctor.kaiserpermanente.org/ncal/Images/GEN_NLD%20and%20Spina%20Bifida_tcm63-12048.pdf

Married

2010-11-26T13:13:00.000-08:00

Married, five kids....extremely lonely.

Time

2010-11-23T15:02:00.000-08:00

...a lot has passed since my last post. Life seems busy and complicated. The children don't seem to stop growing... or stop moving, for that matter either.
Other things that have changed? Well, I started homeschooling this year. After much thought, my husband and I came to the decision that our two youngest children would do well to not be an a traditional brick and mortar classroom. Andan is doing well in a public charter homeschool program. The three oldest are currently in the same local Charter high school, which makes morning transportation less problematic. Though it seems even that may be changing soon.
I have taken up a new hobby, sewing, and have enjoyed it immensely this season.
It seems the biggest change as of late is still in progress, as we learn of valuable new information concerning Cody and the numerous struggles we have had through out the years. As we go through the steps for a medical diagnoses, I sense that I am also gearing up for a fight with the school system to ensure him success in his remaining years of school. I don't want to go into to much detail on this matter as I am still trying to accept many of my own feelings that I am having. When I have it sorted out a little more, I will share.

Sassy Blinging Babes Blog Hop

2010-04-16T10:12:00.000-07:00

I sure am glad that I had this project done a few weeks ago. My Grandma passed away on Sunday, and life has been crazy ever since. Her memorial is tomorrow, Saturady. I am hoping by next week I will be able to do some blog hopping with my Sassy Blinging Babe friends. This is the last stop on the Blog Hop. There were some awesome creations, alerations and money saving tutorials. To start at the beginning, hop on over to Rhonda's blog and follow the trail! Happy hopping.

I decided to try and create my own sketch and then create my LO from the sketch. I don't know how Becky Fleck does it, but I found it to be very challenging. I have a feeling that (unlike construction) a sketch is drawn after the lay out is created. LOL I incorporated part of a design I saw on another lo that I thought would be
I sure am glad that I had this project done a few weeks ago. My Grandma passed away on Sunday, and life has been crazy ever since. Her memorial is tomorrow, Saturady. I am hoping by next week I will be able to do some blog hopping with my Sassy Blinging Babe friends. This is the last stop on the Blog Hop. There were some awesome creations, alerations and money saving tutorials. To start at the beginning, hop on over to Rhonda's blog and follow the trail! Happy hopping.

fun to recreate.

Here is the finished LO. Cody is about

two in these b&w's.

Thank you for looking! ;-)

Baseball, Baking and Bathing

2010-04-01T14:30:00.000-07:00

I never thought of making homemade pudding.

Until last night, when I wanted to make a banana

pudding pie but did not want to make another

trip to the store to buy the pudding to make it.

So went to my favorite recipe site, Allrecipes.com.

I was surprised to find a very simple recipe that

I would easily be able to make into a sugar-free

dessert. It was so easy to make (and tasty too!)

that I had to make some more with Andan today.

And I am going to share the recipe with you!

Vanilla Pudding

2 cups cold milk

1/3 cup sugar

3 Tbsp corn starch

1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract

1 Tbsp butter

1/4 tsp salt

In small bowl combine and mix corn starch, sugar and salt. Pour in to small pot. Add milk and whisk ingredients together.While whisking, turn stove onto medium heat and continue to whisk without boiling. When it thickens to pudding like consistency, remove from heat. Add butter and vanilla and stir. Pour into container or single serving bowls. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes and then chill (or eat it while it's still warm! Yummm). To make this a sugar-free (diabetic) treat substitute the sugar for xylitol and unsweetened almond milk for milk. Either way super yummy. I'm sure you could make chocolate pudding by eliminating the vanilla and adding cocoa powder!

I had a lot of fun, having fun with this LO.

Isha is really into trains right now. Especially

Thomas the Train. In La Mesa is this old steam engine

that has been turned into a museum. The kids got to

climb on it, around it and under it.

Andan is playing his first year of Baseball.

He is off to a great start and has already made

a double play at third base. He caught a fly ball

and tagged the runner out at third. Mommy was

so proud (and loud).

Squeaky Clean

Did you guys hear the story two months

ago how Isha locked me out of the house

when I was washing the car. He was inside

the house and could not manage to turn the

lock in the opposite direction to unlock it.

I was unable to get into the house. Well,
ended up calling the fire department so

they could reunite mother and son.

Admittedly, I have been leery of having

a repeat and have been careful to keep

keys and son in my hands when I walk out

the front door. So when it was time to wash the

car again, I was less reluctant to allow Isha to join me.
I thought he would play on the grass while I

kept a watchful eye on him.

REALLY, I only turned away for 3 seconds!

Well, I decided to go with it. He was happy,

I could watch him, wash him and the car

all at the same time.

How Long Has It Been

2010-03-05T22:29:00.000-08:00

Well...it's been a while. Four birthdays have passed. Isha turned 2, Jared 17, Andan 6 and Justin 16. So here are some stories and photos to share (just to get you caught up).

Isha's new trike.

Momma and Isha on his 2nd Birthday.

Andan received this awesome Peacemaker Medal in his school's Peacemaker Assembly. What an awesome thing it was to see my child receive this reward! My heart was glad!

And so was he!

What a beautiful boy and an awesome photo. His dad captured this moment.

This is a Layout I created recently, of our Anniversary. We revisited Julian which is where we Honeymooned. We had an awesome day together hiking Azelia Glen Loop Trail. The trail has severely been altered by fallen trees due to recent fires and rains. We had quite an obstacle course and even thought we were off course and possibly lost at several points during the hike. I quickly metaphorically related the hike to our 3 year marriage, and as the story goes we stayed our course through many challenges and obstacles and completed the journey.

We sure did have a lot of rain for San Diego during the last couple of months. Have you ever had to contain young children indoors for days on end? If you have then you know that as soon as the sun is shinning through, you release them. So what if the backyard is a swamp? Put some old clothes on them and set them free. Don't worry they wash up well! The kids, that is. Not the clothes.

I had the honor of attending a retreat last weekend with a fun group of ladies from Sweetwater Community Church. I find God has a way with timing. He knows what you need and when you need it. I had been having some "heart" issues in the weeks prior. Heart issues are those

things that we are struggling with or dealing with at the core of our being. Those issues that you know your not handling right. It could be anger, selfishness,, bitterness , unforgiveness or any of these human traits that we seem to carry around like baggage. God had been trying to get my attention and I had been resisting Him. He would continually bring it to my attention and I continued to resist his gentle, persistent, "Julie, how about this issue." "No God, not that." In truth He just wanted me to lay it at his feet and let Him carry it. And here I find myself on this retreat. No demands of busy days and tiny voices requiring my attention and time. And in the quiet, His nudging just got stronger and stronger.

Now it is the final day of our retreat and as part of our Sunday morning service, we went off to have some time of solitude. As I sat I felt this incredible love and I finally surrendered. It felt as if I was being held in my Father's arms. And though he was correcting me he was embracing me with the love that only my Creator could give. I started to share my heart issues with Him. I started to confess and pour out my hurts and failures. He just continued to hold me in his embrace, loving me, excepting me.

As a child, I don't recall a time in my life sitting in my parents lap being disciplined yet strongly feeling their love at the same time. I'm pretty sure I would have struggled against their embrace

even if they tried. And here I am 37 years old and my Father in Heaven is allowing me to feel and experience this unconditional love like I never have before.

THIS is the same love and grace that I want my children to experience. I don't just want to be correcting them. I want them to experience and know how deeply I love them. Even in their shortcomings and their failures. I am so thankful that God finally got hold of me last weekend and I was able to rest in His arms and feel his love. It is something I am sure I will remember

forever.

I can't believe that this photo was capture. This IS the moment!

Pina Colada Cake

2009-12-14T12:08:00.000-08:00

First layer with whipped cream and drained crushed pineapple.

I also brushed some cream of coconut(also added to cake) on the top of both layers.

Little helper!

This cake is full of love!
Second layer also brushed with cream of coconut.

Final product with homemade cream cheese frosting and coconutflakes.

This was the only candle I could find. I know 50 years from now someone
will find the photo and think it is of Isha's 3rd birthday.

Yum!

This cake was originally called Cream of Coconut Cake. But after some of my own additions, I gave it a new name. I made this cake for Roque's birthday. I wanted to make something I hadn't made before that he would enjoy. Something different with a little island feel to it. Not a regular, "satisfies the kids" cake. Something more sophisticated. I really wanted to impress and dazzle him with my culinary skills.

My hubby was very impressed and can't wait for his birthday next year to have it again. Although it was a very yummy cake.

Two Peas in a Pod

2009-10-27T10:19:00.000-07:00

Do they look sick?

Ummm...No Comment!

As Isha is getting older, these two seem to do everything together. I encourage this relationship, although there are some things that I would rather they keep to themselves. Like illnesses!

Pumpkins and the Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-27T09:39:00.000-07:00

Barrel of fun

Hog Heaven

Oops! Forgot to correct red eye!

Gorgeous Boy

Another one!

Wanna kiss?

This would have been a good photo if it wasn't blurry.

I love fall. I love the smell of spices on a cool fall day. To celebrate the season, I have been trying out some fall recipes.
Pumpkin Cookies were a big hit at my house. These cookies were more like a seasonal Little Debbie cake complete with caramel frosting on top. Great with a tall glass of cold milk. Not a big fan of Chili, I had to try Pumpkin Turkey Chili. This recipe did not call for any beans. I had to give it a try. With pumpkin and turkey being the main ingredients and the right amount of peppers and spices, this was a personal favorite for a cool fall evening. Of coarse the season would not be complete without a batch of Pumpkin Bread. This bread is so yummy, it is good that the recipe makes 3 loaves. Eat some now and freeze some for later or share with friends and family.

Do you have any fall favorites you would like to share?

Of coarse fall would not be complete with out a trip to the pumpkin patch. We went on a dusty hayride, fed the animals and explored the pumpkins. Isha proclaimed, "it's fun!" And that about says it all!

Achievements and Milestones

2009-10-12T08:39:00.001-07:00

Isn't that the cutest baby tooth you've ever seen?

Andan lost his first tooth this morning. He sure was excited! He is anticipating a visit from the tooth fairy. He seems a little young to be loosing his teeth already. But he had another tooth pushing through behind it. I took him to the dentist last week. The dentist did say that his jaw is still very small and there is not enough room for his permanent teeth. I guess there is nothing to do about it for now but wait for his jaw to mature. Though none of this is of concern to Andan who is just excited to have a gap to show off.

Achievements

Andan and his best bud (from preschool!!). Can you believe they

are in the same Kindergarten class (out of 4 classes!). They both got

an award.

Andan and his kindergarten teacher.

Last Friday was a very special day and a proud moment for us. Andan received an award for being a great helper and always being very polite. I am so proud of him! He really has a gentle spirit and a good heart. I hope that this is a characteristic that he will always have and the world will not taint him.

A Rarity

2009-10-06T11:41:00.000-07:00

The block

The huddle

The wrong game?

The catch (great catch! Great shot!)

The line

The fall? The catch???

When Roque asked me if I'd seen the photos on the camera, I didn't think too much of it. We are always taking photos. He said he got some photos of the kids playing. That's not unusual either. So imagine my surprise when I was down loading photos this morning and saw the pictures that he captured.

He got photos of ALL the kids playing. TOGETHER. Yes, five children together, playing (together) the same game at the same time.

But wait!! There's more... He got photos of it! Yes, there it is...proof! Proof that they play together. Proof that the older three children actually exist and reside in our home.

I don't know how he did it. If he hid behind the shadows barely breathing in fear of exposing the fact that he was in possession of the camera, I don't know. I wasn't there to witness it. But I can attest to the fact that he accomplished a great feat. There's proof... and I stand and applaud!

2009-10-06T11:31:00.000-07:00

He's going for it!

Competitive

Is Isha ready to catch the ball or what?

Action!

A hug or a quarterback sac?

I Had To Do It AGAIN!

2009-10-06T10:23:00.000-07:00

It began when Isha was 7 months old. Pure torture! I don't know if there are other mothers that can relate, but to cut my baby's hair just rips my heart apart. Yea, weird, I know! The child starts looking like a rag muffin, it should feel like the most natural thing to do. But for me it's not. It's a battle within. No, I don't know why.

Isha was blessed with a head full of hair when he was born. A fast growing head of hair, that is. When he was seven months he had long black ringlets. Truly beautiful. I know because everyone commented on my beautiful baby GIRL who "looks just like a living doll". Well mommy can field those comments much better than daddy. I finally had to concede and do the deed. So at seven months I was faced with cutting my precious baby's hair. SEVEN MONTHS!!!

You would think that the pain stops there at that pivotal first hair cut. Not for me. I had to cut it again before his first birthday. My (ex marine) husband is so gracious and does allow Isha's hair to grow (as you can tell from photos). But there comes a point when he says it's time for another haircut. And he's right. I did take him into the hair salon to get a "professional" cut once, shortly after his first birthday. I hated it. It was like his little personality had been cut away. So, for now I continue to take on the task of cutting his hair when it reaches that rag muffin stage.

I dread the day that clippers are taken to his beautiful head. So until then I wield my scissors and admonish my hubby, "Babe, back away from the baby!" and I go about my heart breaking task.

2009-10-06T10:18:00.000-07:00

Adjustments

2009-10-02T15:19:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted in a long time. To be honest, I haven't been a good follower either for the last several weeks. I don't know why, but adding one more thing to my plate has kinda sent me off my regular coarse. I'm sure with time I will jump back on...but for now I am allowing myself the time to adjust. So here is what I've been up to:

Working part time at Target has become better with time. I have found my niche in "soft lines" which (if you've been in a Target) is anything in a carpeted area, namely clothing.

Unfortunately, I have not figured out a way to keep up with going to the gym. Work has kinda taken my night time workout...out! No, I don't work every night (only 3-4 nights a week), but I find when I am not working, I don't have enough self-discipline to get to the gym. I just want to lounge around. The good news is that I have started to walk with a friend around a local school track. I think I can fit that in at least twice a week. I also tried walking to Andan's school to pick him up and walk home. It worked out well, was a nice hour round trip walk and Andan had no complaints (and kept the pace!) on the way home. I'm going to give that a try a least a couple times a week.

The kids are all settling into their school year, Roque is settling into his same position/different location job and Isha is settling into his many life changes. He is adjusting to momma going to work and his best friend, Andan gone for a portion of the day. He is enjoying our little outings to the zoo, library and other errands that I need run. Sometimes he lets me know when he wants to escape the house and "go bye-bye".

And like I mentioned, I am adjusting too. Days are more divided now that summer is over and kids need to be dropped off/picked up at school. I find that I don't have the energy to do the one thing I truly love, scrapping. I have decided to put a hold on it until I have an area that I can create for short spurts of time without having to be concerned about picking everything up and just to haul it all out again to finish a layout or project. I think that I may need to wait 2-4 months until Isha is ready to make that transition from crib to bed. I have been having fun using my digital point and shoot camera in manual mode (I sure do miss my SLR). The photos above are some of my favorites.

We are going through colds in our house right now. And with colds comes asthma, so we are trying to keep that under control. Isha is our biggest concern in this area, so he is under red alert surveillance. Speaking of Isha, he is now potty trained and in underwear all day! Yea!!!

So as you can see, it is all about adjusting to the changes and challenges that life throws at you...and that is what we are up to right now.

Why? What You Want and Are Pirates Extinct?

2009-09-15T15:59:00.000-07:00

Andan

Isha. Look at his hands. This is what he does

when asking, "Why?"

If you are a parent, you have no doubt been through that stage where your child asks "why?".

Isha is at that stage right now. He has a "why" for everything!!!

"Don't throw your milk!" (me)

"Why?" (Isha)

"Momma's going to take your picture!" (me)

"Why?" (Isha)

But I almost fell over the other morning when his daddy called him to get his shoes on and Isha said, "What you want?"

Andan, being five, has more complex and thought provoking questions, like:

"Are pirates extinct?"

No Andan. Sadly, they aren't.

And a conversation Andan and I had a while back:

"Mom, why do old people die?"

"Well...to make room for the new babies (Oh gosh, couldn't I have come up with something better...like the truth!)." I said.

"Is the earth crowded?"

" Yes, it seems to be getting that way (I'm digging my own hole here)." I said.

" Why don't we just move all the old people to Mars? Nobody is living there!"

Good answer son!

Reading

2009-09-15T15:36:00.000-07:00

Sisters, INK

By Rebeca Seitz

I love to read. Sometimes life can get so busy that it leaves no time. And sometimes life is busy, I have time but I don't want to put too much thought into it. In other words, I want an easy read. Not something that has to have an action plan to go along with it (for instance The Five Love Languages or Love and Respect). Sisters Ink is a great easy read. I discovered this series just by browsing my local library. I'm surprised I haven't heard of it from my fellow christian scrap pals. Sisters Ink is a story of four adopted sisters who are all at different stages in their life. Yet their faith, scrapping and love for each other brings them together. The book has a light mood even though the characters go through some difficult life circumstances including the loss of their mother to cancer, infertility issues and tough career choices. I love how this fictional book combines so many things that are important to me in my life. Faith, family and scrapping!

Oh...and I am also reading those books that require a plan of action....more on that later.

Jared and Justin

2009-09-09T13:26:00.000-07:00

Jared

Justin

Jared and Justin are the oldest two boys in our family. Jared is an easy going young man who is growing up fast. We don't have to motivate him to do well in school or with his study's. For that we are grateful.

Justin is down to earth, yet has a very creative side. He likes to build, draw and create things. Once he starts something, he usually sticks with it until it's completed.

Pizza...It's What's For Dinner

2009-09-08T12:27:00.000-07:00

Supreme Pizza

Andan's Creation

Isha's Pizza "soup"
He is waving his hand back and forth. This was his baby sign
for "hot". He still uses the sign while he says "hot".

My family loves pizza! When I was pregnant with Isha, the obg nurse told me the worst thing to eat while I was pregnant is pizza. I thought, "oh boy, either I'm in trouble or my family is." Well, I didn't give up pizza during my pregnancy. My family still loves to eat it, including Isha. But for a family of 7, three being growing teenage boys, pizza can get expensive. When we buy frozen or eat out, we need at least 4 pizzas. So I started to make pizzas at home. The advantages are obvious. I can get by with making 3 LARGE pizzas. I can buy fresh ingredients all for just under $15. Roque and I get to have a supreme pizza. Andan gets to have a hand in helping with dinner. Isha's imagination is sparked by watching big brother. Mmmmmmm............

I still don't understand how pizza can be so bad for a pregnant woman...bread, cheese, tomato sauce, pepperoni, and vegetables. Isn't that all of the food groups?

Homemade Laundry Soap

2009-09-01T10:21:00.000-07:00

These are the ingredients that you will need.

I had to order the fels-naptha online. I bought 5 bars(plus shipping!) for $9.90.

The Super Washing Soda(not baking soda) and the Borax, I purchased at Albertson's

for $4 each, approximately.

Ivory Soap...I got at Target. 3 bars for $1.

I bought a five gallon bucket, lid and funnel at Home Depot for $5.

Total cost: $24

This what it looks like.

I used an empty one gallon water bottle to funnel a gallon at a time.
This is the 1/2 cup measuring cup we use per laundry load.

First, let me tell you that I didn't know it was possible to make one's own laundry soap. It never crossed my mind! I was reading Jenn's blog a couple of weeks ago where she explained that she had just made her first batch after running out of the batch that her friend, Hannah of Lima, had made for her.

We were just about to run out of our 2 years supply of Tide (we got SUPER cheap) and were not going to be able to get more. So this was definitely something that I wanted to look into and give a try for our family of 7.

Half of my battle was finding all the ingredients. Our local Walmart and Target do not carry any of these ingredients minus the Ivory soap and the borax. But once I was able to locate and purchase what I needed, I realized that I was set for the next 8-12 months.

So...I made the soap. It was very simple. Grating the soap was easier than grating cheese! Here's the step by step directions.

1. Grate one bar of Fels- Naptha and one bar of Ivory soap. The smaller you grate it, the easier to melt.

2. Add soap together with 8 cups of water in large pot.

3. Simmer and stir until soap is completely melted, keeping water under boil (mine formed foam on the top, this was fine).

4. Add one cup of Borax and one cup of Washing Soda. (next time I m doubling both of these ingredients!)

5. Continue to simmer 30-60 minutes. It's supposed to thicken~ mine didn't until it cooled completely(the next day).

6. Remove from heat. Cool.

7. Pour into five gallon container.

8. Add 2-3 gallons of warm water and stir mix well.

9. Let sit over night and stir again.

Ok. A couple of things...I did some research here and found out that 1. there are many different recipes for liquid and powder and 2. that I may not have used enough borax and washing soda.

I also found that the soap does not clean quite as well as Tide (which may be because I need more borax and washing soda!).

But all that said, Was it worth it? YES, I believe it was. My laundry smells clean...not perfumey...just clean or fresh. And I am going to save a laundry load of money. This is a non-sudsing soap and works well in front loaders.

I will definitely be making this again...In about 3 or 4 months!

Summer Fun Beach Challenge

2009-09-01T10:06:00.000-07:00

This LO is was for the Sassy Blinging Babes monthly challenge which was to create a beach or vacation layout. I wanted to create a wave pattern in my lo to mimic the water. I originally thought I was going to create a single page...but I always seem to have photos that I don't want to omit. So I went with it and created this 2 page layout. This was Isha's first summer that he was big enough to enjoy the water, semi independently. I used sand on the bottom 4th of the layout and shells that we actually picked up on our first visit of the summer.

Bitter~Sweet

2009-08-28T09:58:00.000-07:00

Ready for the big day!

Making friends. He's not a shy child anymore!

Oh No son, not you too!

Hanging his backpack.

Already looking studious!

Andan went off to Kindergarten this week. It's taken me a while to post about this momentous occasion because my feelings are so mixed. I heard someone say that after going through this transition with one child, the next child is easier. I have NOT found that to be true. I don't think it is so much the act of being in school (he's been in preschool for 2 yrs). It's something else. Tides are changing, my baby is growing up. I know that's what we want them to do. But MY baby is GROWING up. I think back on his last 5 and one half years and I am so thankful for this child. He loves so unconditionally. I pray the world will not change him, instead I pray he will change the world (or at least leave his mark on it).

Meanwhile, Isha and I are adjusting to having one less ball of endless energy in our presence. I know I need to enjoy every moment with him. All too soon I will be walking down the same road with him.

Summer Is Ending

2009-08-22T18:19:00.000-07:00

Lego Fisherman, Cousin, Andan and Isha

Yep, You all better watch out! Coming soon to a road near you.

A hatchling only a momma can love!

Isha didn't like this ride. It was to my benefit. I got the cuddles.

Grandma and Cousin

It IS really sad to see it go! This was my first summer to have off with my children. We did a lot of fun things. Swimming, trips to the bay, camping and other things that summers should be made of. Two of the kids are already in school and two start on Wednesday. Isha and I will be left to reminisce about our long summer past as we map out a new schedule for ourselves. My mom was a big part of our summer. It was great to spend time together and REALLY get to know each other as two adult women. We even went to an over night "staycation" put on by the Women's ministry group at our church. What a privilege to be able to experience these moments with my mom.

Our last and latest adventure was a day trip to Lego Land. It was a beautiful day. The weather was perfect and the children were well behaved. Andan (the ever so active child) was reminded a couple of times what behavior was expected. All in all it was a great day.

Summer Is Ending

2009-08-22T17:22:00.001-07:00

Andan snoozing?

Ha Ha. My mom could not convince me that I should ride this ride!

Look at the intensity in this gun mans face!

Bob and friends.

Isha LOVED the airplane ride.

More Cards

2009-08-18T15:15:00.000-07:00

I got to spend this morning creating cards!

I actually got more than a handful done. I love when I have a block of time to spend creating. No sketches this time.

Goats?

2009-08-18T14:50:00.000-07:00

BAAAAAAAB and BAAAAAAAAAATTY
Andan Taking a Peek

Daddy giving Isha A lift.

No, We don't have goats...but somebody does. We live in the city. So imagine our surprise to wake up one morning to the BAAAAAAAAAAAAing of goats among the morning traffic. Well, we continued to hear them through out the days, naaaaaaights and mornings. We figured maybe our neighbor was going green and hired them to eat their grass. I mean, we all are getting create these days, right? After one week, I was ready to take the little ones for a walk to find these billy goats that were interrupting our sleep and bringing some of the country to us. I finally talked my husband into taking a walk to the next street over, yesterday evening. We found out that the goats are directly behind us and our backyard. It was hard to discover why they are there. There doesn't seem to be any grass and they are in an enclosed (small) area. Well, the kids had fun peaking over the fence and the goats seemed to enjoyed our company. At least they were quiet for a few minutes!

"New" Crayons

2009-08-17T14:23:00.000-07:00

Isha loves to color with markers. He likes coloring on paper and all over himself. The thing is, I'm, um, tired of my 19 month old looking like the tinted version of a rainbow. Most of it washes off with a simple washcloth wipe down. But the rest has to wait for the bath to completely come off. The thing is markers effortlessly make their mark on what ever it is applied to. Plus, they are easy to hold. I have been gradually trying to switch him over to crayons, but they take more work to get them to leave a mark and they are not as easy for little hands to hold. Thus they do not have any appeal. I was about to purchase some chunky crayons when I remember how we (teachers) used to recycle old and broken crayons.

Andan donated his old broken crayons.*

Peal the paper off of them all.

Put them in a cupcake paper, in a cupcake tin.
Bake at 300 degrees F. until completely melted.

Let cool completely in the tin until rehardened.

Take out of tin and cupcake paper. Color.

*Andan was compensated for his donation. He recieved a brand new box of crayons (though he's decided he'd prefer to have the "rainbow" ones instead.).

Triple the Sketch~ Sketch

2009-08-14T14:43:00.001-07:00

This was my take on Patter's sketch # 69 at Triple the sketch.

As soon as I saw the sketch, I saw my own LO. That doesn't happen very often for me. I either need to create my own without a sketch (Which is great). Or sit and ponder someone elses sketch for a while until some inspiration comes to me.
I actually did a two page lo (too many birthday photos). If you want to view the hole thing visit my gallery at Scrapbook.com. There is a link on the right side of my blog.

Happy LO's

2009-08-13T15:12:00.001-07:00

I took a trip down memory lane when I dug these photos out of an album. I say in my profile that every child has their own story and Cody sure has his. Cody was born in an impoverished third world country. He was born with spina bifida and hydrocephalus and no medical care. He wasn't even born in a hospital. Cody was found abandoned when he was 15 months old and brought to an orphanage where I had been a missionary. He was brought to die in peace. I wouldn't buy it. Nobody had given this child a chance. I took him to a pediatric surgeon. The doctor's prognosis was grim. He said he would not live through the surgeries that he needed. He said that if he did, he would never be able to do normal everyday activities like holding his head up and feeding himself. He said he was already mentally challenged. But God seemed to be telling me something else. I proceeded with adopting him. At least giving him a chance to have a family. God is amazing and knows infinitely more than me. Cody did survive the surgeries. Just 7 months later, he was climbing, crawling, feeding himself and learning to stand. Gosh that was 12 years ago! Where does the time go?

Cody's First Christmas

Challenges!!!

2009-08-13T15:05:00.001-07:00

This card is for a couple of challenges. This is from Laura's sketch over at 2 sketches 4 you. This is sketch number 32. I used my cricut to create the apple.
This is also for the Sassy Blinging Babes weekly challenge which was to create a school themed lo or a card that your child would give to their teacher at the start of the new school year. Andan is starting Kindergarten this year. What a perfect way to start the year.

What Kind Of Scrapper~Crafter Are You?

2009-08-13T14:48:00.000-07:00

I ask you this question because I realized something about myself this last week. I am a happy scrapper. That is, I only create when I am a happy person.
It's been well over a week since I posted last. Things just haven't been going my way. I would say that I have actually been a very unhappy person for the last week. I thought about scrapping a couple of times. I actually set a date for myself to scrap today, no matter what my mood was. And I did!
But I'm in a much better frame of mind today. I don't know if it's because I knew I was going to get to create today or because my circumstances have changed, slightly.
I went for a job interview yesterday! I just filled out the application on Friday. I got the job...well I don't know when I start...but I still got the job. I will be working at Target (Yep..Tar-jey), one of my favorite stores (hey I'm easy to please!). I am very excited about this. I think it will be a lot of fun. I will still be home with my children during the day. This is an evening job. Except for Saturdays. I'm sure they will have a lot of fun with their Dad!
So what kind of scrapper are you?

Give Away!

2009-08-05T06:08:00.000-07:00

Hey all you Coffee lovers, music lovers and digi scrappers. There is a give away going on this week over at Yeebird. While a give away is great, Her blog is greater. She is celebrating her 100th post! Congratulations. I enjoy reading her down to earth posts and her humor (she had me laughing this morning). So hope on over and win yourself some blog candy!

Scrappy Tuesday

2009-08-04T15:22:00.000-07:00

Yes, I had two days of scrapping in a row!

This is one of those "kill two birds with one stone" deal. I wanted to scrap this age with Isha. It is so much fun and he has sooooo much personality. His likes and dislikes are obvious and well noted! These are also his first professional photos that he has had taken...of course I have to scrap that. This is also the weekly challenge for Sassy Blinging Babes which was to create a monochromatic layout. You can click on the photo to enlarge it and read the journaling.

I am really trying to get Cody's First Year album done. It is so fun (and bittersweet) to go back and remember how little and sweet he was 12-13 years ago. Oh where did the time and the sweet boy go? The journaling is hidden and reads, "I remember your enthusiastic smile, your big appetite and your devotion to me. Anna (pictured) was your first babysitter. The look on your face says, "Don't leave me, Mommy.""

Card Creating Monday

2009-08-03T16:14:00.000-07:00

My sweet hubby, Roque, kept asking me today (through brief phone conversations) if I am having a good day. Yes, Yes and YES! I had an awesome day of creating! Even though the cards I created are quite simple, they are still fun and therapeutic to do.

I really wanted to create a card for a friend's upcoming wedding. I have very limited supplies (I have barely started making cards) as was wondering how I was going to accomplish this. This morning, Kristina Werner had her Monday card tutorial on her blog. It was the perfect inspiration for me. My card is definitely not as elegant as hers (check it out). Yet it gave me the idea that I needed. I was able to use the supplies that I had~and I think it turned out pretty well. So well, I actually made 4 cards total in two different colors.

Mojo Monday #98

2009-08-03T16:09:00.001-07:00

This is for Mojo Monday's weekly challenge. Try their sketch and post your card/lo for a prize!

Sketch #32

2009-08-03T16:02:00.001-07:00

Hop over to 2 sketches 4 You to see this weeks challenge. There is also a prize for the winning card! I actually picked the ribbon that I was going to use and then picked my papers to match. I don't have ribon that is more than 1/2 inch wide so I did mine a little different.

Scrappy Day!

2009-07-31T12:58:00.000-07:00

I love scrappy days! I actually have a horrible headache today but still managed to get some scrappy goodness done!

This was the second sketch for the week at 2 sketches 4 you.

My little ducky is saying "You Quack Me Up".

This is for this weeks #31 sketch at 2 sketches 4 you . I cheated

and used a premade embellishment.

This LO is for the Sassy Blinging Babes weekly challenge.
Can you guess what it was? Christmas in July! Use red, green and
white in the lo. This was a bit of a challenge. I don't have any * Christmas *
paper. I had a hard time making it look not so plain. I used this weeks sketch
#67 by Triple the Sketch .

Sea Life Aquarium

2009-07-31T12:46:00.000-07:00

cousin Aislyn and Andan

Did you know sharks hatch out of eggs? These
are called Mermaid's Purse.

We had a blast yesterday at Sea Life Aquarium of Lego Land. I personally liked it better than Birch Aquarium in La Jolla. Maybe because it seemed to be geared more towards children but I actually thought they had more to see at Sea Life. Even Isha got to see things up close.

Sea Life Aquarium

2009-07-31T12:42:00.000-07:00

The USS Midway

2009-07-30T15:47:00.000-07:00

We have had a fun and busy couple of days! Yesterday we got to go on a decommissioned Aircraft Carrier. If that wasn't great enough, we also got our own personal escort onto the carrier as well as a bit of a tour guide. I meant to snap a photo of him with his grand kids (that's right, my dad) but I forgot and time got the better of me. What an experience! It was really awesome and impressive. We were there for about four hours and we still didn't see everything. I will be going back!

My New Etsy Shop

2009-07-28T12:15:00.000-07:00

About five years ago I gave two of my young nephews a handmade workbook that could be used over and over. I laminated the pages and put them in a three ring binder with a pencil pouch of washable markers. Both boys really liked the gift and so did their parents. I always wondered if I could market it somehow. Then along came Etsy. It's hard to take the plunge and get started, but I did it. Please check out my Etsy shop.

Andan's Swimming!!!

2009-07-26T17:14:00.000-07:00

Can you tell from the title that I am a proud Mama! We went to my parents yesterday to bbq for them and have a swim day. We are very fortunate that grandparents on both sides have pools. But being around the water so much can be worrisome too. Andan fell into the pool when he was about 2 1/2. I wouldn't say that he almost drown but he could have drown, I had to jump in and retrieve him.
My mom wanted to put him in swimming lesson's which is very smart but costly. This summer he seemed to be very close to swimming. The other day he was kinda moving forward. Yesterday I got in the pool with him and he swam the short length of the shallow end! Awesome! So I showed him how to roll onto his back when he gets tired, come up for air in the middle of a stroke. Within minutes he got everything down that I was showing him, like a sponge. I taught him to blow bubbles under water to prolong how long he could stay under. Then he swam the length of the pool from shallow end to deep end, then from deep end to shallow end on his back.
I am so proud of him! If you are around water a lot, you know what a great milestone this is for a 5 year old. and a great relief for a parent!

Our bbq was also a lot of fun and the food was great! I think everyone enjoyed themselves.

2009-07-26T16:43:00.000-07:00

2009-07-24T05:59:00.000-07:00

Water Fun

2009-07-24T05:39:00.001-07:00

I am really enjoying my summer this year. This is my first summer that I am not working (since I was about 16). Now that I am a mom, I really appreciate being able to spend time doing fun activities with the kids. I have five but 3 of them seem way to cool to want to hang out with Mom (or dad for that matter). But the two little ones are both at an age where they are soaking it up.

We have been able to go to the zoo, Wild Animal Park, baseball game, story time (at the library), swimming, and camping (which was not too cool for the older ones!).

Yesterday we took the kids to the bay. This was Isha's first time to really get to enjoy the water. And he REALLY enjoyed the water. He was not too happy when I decided to take him out. His poor little hand didn't look too good and needed to dry out.

Ride' em Cowboy

2009-07-23T08:26:00.000-07:00

This card is for the challenge over at 2 sketches 4 you. I have a lot of "men" in my life. So making a boys card should be something I do more of.

Yum Yum

2009-07-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

I finally was able to finish the card I'd been thinking about. While creating this card, I realized I don't have all the material that I would like to be able to use.

Latest Layouts

2009-07-20T18:30:00.000-07:00

This is for the weekly challenge. This was fun lo. This was NOT the finished project that I invisioned. It just came to be on its own, and I like the finished result.

This is for the July monthly challenge. The photos could be any color, but the paper and anything else had to be red, white and/or blue. It also had to have bling and at least one star.

Hey scrapping is still my first passion. Plus, I have to keep up with all the challenges over at Sassy Blinging Babes COF! Today was supposed to be scrappy day. Some days just don't go as planned. I was able to get the two challenges done.

I still have that card idea swirling around in my head. The plan is to try to get to it tonight once the two little ones are in bed for the night.

Sweet Moments

2009-07-19T18:02:00.000-07:00

Can you believe that I experienced my sweet moment today at the Padre (baseball) game? Well, I did!

There were not too many people at the game today. Thank goodness because 1) it was hot. And 2) we were on the absolute top (of the top) last row. So I kept scooting down a row to stay in the shade. Usually Roque and Isha ended up directly behind Andan and I.

As we were sitting like this I felt these little tender arms wrap around my neck and embrace me in an unsolicited spontaneous hug. Tears came to my eyes as I eagerly excepted this gift from my 18 month old son, as I know that in another few years I will have to ask for affection and all too soon it may be an embarrassment to him to show such affection to his old lady, mom. I will store this memory in my heart as it is probably the only place it will survive through the tumultuous teen years. Lucky for me, Roque caught on camera what I caught in my heart!

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

2009-07-19T17:47:00.000-07:00

I have been having fun making cards this weekend. As with anything new, It takes a while to find your groove or style. I am still trying to find mine.

I find a lot of inspiration on line. My "friends" card was inspired by Kristina Werner. You can check out her blog here. I love her style!

The rest of the cards were from sketches that I found on line.

I have a card idea that has been swirling around in my head for the last 24 hrs. So hopefuly in the next 24 hrs. I will have it done.

Bloom

2009-07-17T13:13:00.000-07:00

This layout is for the Sassy Blinging Babes weekly challenge over at Scrapbook.com. The challenge was to have all these elements in the LO; tearing or distressing, edges inked, bling and use at least 5 flowers. When all I do is boy layouts, the flowers are really a challenge. I think it turned out well!

First Creations

2009-07-17T09:17:00.000-07:00

Well, this scrapper is jumping on the card making band wagon. In an earlier post I explained my increasing desire to try my hand in this paper craft. I just had a birthday and my Mom and Dad gave me a gift card for Michael's. So I went ahead and picked up some tools of the trade and got to creating.

I love every one's blogs and hope to find a lot of ideas and some inspiration. Of coarse, I won't give up scrapbooking. I think these two crafts go hand in hand.

Our Summer Camping Trip

2009-07-17T06:28:00.000-07:00

Daddy and Isha

S'more Anyone?

Justin "Fishing"

Happy Camper

Caught Off Guard

2009-07-17T05:51:00.000-07:00

We went camping this past weekend at Lake Skinner. It is a part of Riverside County Parks and is located right outside Temecula. If you know anything about Temecula, you know we are NUTS to go camping there this time of year. Saying it is hot is an understatement. I think to be more acruate we could say the temperate is much closer to that place that my arch enemy, the Devil, lives.
Luckily we were able to use the water to keep cool. My Mom and Dad bought a slip~n~slide for the kids. We brought water balloons as well and had several balloon fights over the course of our five day stay.
There are other things to do at Lake Skinner. There's fishing. We didn't catch any. But we never seem to have any luck in that area. There's boating. My Dad brought his sail boat. Some of the kids got into sailing. My mom also rented a Patio Boat. These were bare bone boats. Ours didn't even have an anchor.
The campground itself is very nice. Bathrooms and showers are clean. There is some tree shade, green grass, and fire pits.
Speaking of fire pits. Isha had a run in with one on the first day we were there. He tripped and fell into it. Luckily there was no left over hot coals. But there was a strange sharp metal rod going across the bottom of it. He put his hands out to stop his fall (Thank God. It could have been worse) and cut his fingers up. One of the cuts was gaping and looked like it would require medical attention. So Roque, Isha and I were off to the nearest emergency room (which is not in Temecula) in Murrieta. Five hours and three stitches later we were on our way back to camp. I can say one good thing about the small emergency/hospital building; air conditioning. Isha did really well, much better than Mom and Dad who were a nervous wreck that their precious baby had to endure such an injury.
There was also a fair amount of ant bites, bee stings and mosquito bites. I know that I seem to be painting a grim picture of our camping experience. But in spite of all these things there is something invaluable about spending time with your family in an unstructured environment and rolling with the flow of the everyday experiences. Everyone truly had a good time. Even Isha, who had to sport a 2 pound bandage around his hand to keep his wound clean, was a happy camper.
I can't wait to go back next year. Um, Dad, Could you make the reservations for earlier in the summer?

2009-07-17T05:36:00.000-07:00

Ladder Ball Anyone?

Only Andan!

Well, I guess there's a couple in the bunch!

What are the scheming up now?

Jared and Isha staying cool.

Some photos

2009-07-17T05:23:00.000-07:00

Lake View

Sunrise

Dad's Toy

My Home Away From Home

Yea, we got smart and gave the 3 older boys their own tent.

On a Lighter Note

2009-07-10T09:01:00.001-07:00

Whew, you did it!

Where you going?

Sitting so nice!

Thursday is story time at the library. They have two separate times. First is Toddler time. Isha clearly fits into this group and does really well. They are not required to sit down. They can listen to the story while moving around. They also add a lot of music and movement and a short free play time.

Then, after that is for the preschool age children. You have to sit. Usually I take a walk with Isha while Andan is enjoying his group. Yesterday, Isha kept running away from me and going to the door which leads to the story time. He'd tell me right as he pulled his little hand out of mine, "I run". I appreciated the warning as it gave me a jump start on the pursuit that was about to happen. As soon as he got to the glass door, he would knock LOUDLY.
After a repeat performance, I finally said to him, "Isha, you have to sit down if you go in there. You see Andan. He's SITTING." (Little whine) "Can you sit, Isha?" Isha vigorously nodded his head, yes. (yea right, I think) *sigh* (from me) "Ok, Let's try."

These photos are in the complete opposite order (don't know how to change that). These were taken with my cell phone. The one the bottom is the first one. He IS sitting. Very nicely, I might add, in front of his brother. The next photo up, notice him inching his way away from Andan.

Finally, much to my relief, the story is over and they do some music and movement. Whew.. I can breath again.

I have to agree with the author of this letter.

2009-07-09T21:15:00.001-07:00

My Dad sent me this e mail. I am personally getting tired of all the media coverage of this man. There are more important things going on in this world.

The writer of this letter should not, I think, have apologized for telling
the truth and, if people were upset by his remarks, they haven't thought too
deeply about what he said
THIS WAS WRITTEN BY A SOLDIER IN IRAQ.
I was just watching the news, and I caught part of a report on Michael Jackson . As we all know, Jackson died the other day. He was an entertainer who performed for decades. He made millions, he spent millions, and he did a lot of things that make him a villain to many people. I understand that his death would affect a lot of people, and I respect those people who mourn his death, but that isn't the point of my rant.
Why is it that when ONE man dies, the whole of America loses their minds with grief. When a man dies whose only contribution to the country was to ENTERTAIN people, the American people find the need to flock to a memorial in Hollywood , and even Congress sees the need to hold a "moment of silence" for his passing?

Am I missing something here? ONE man dies, and all of a sudden he's a freaking martyr because he entertained us for a few decades? What about all those SOLDIERS who have died to give us freedom? All those Soldiers who, knowing that they would be asked to fight in a war, still raised their hands and swore to defend the Constitution and the United States of America .
Where is there moment of silence? Where are the people flocking to their graves or memorials and mourning over them because they made the ultimate

sacrifice? Why is it when a Soldier dies, there are more people saying "good riddance," and "Thank God for IEDs?" When did this country become
so calloused to the sacrifice of GOOD MEN and WOMEN, that they can arbitrarily blow off their deaths, and instead, throw themselves into mourning for a "Pop Icon?"

I think that if they are going to hold a moment of silence IN CONGRESS for Michael Jackson, they need to hold a moment of silence for every service member killed in Iraq and Afghanistan . They need to PUBLICLY recognize every life that has been lost so that the American people can live their callous little lives in the luxury and freedom that WE, those that are living and those that have gone on, have provided for them. But, wait, that would take too much time, because there have been so many willing to make that sacrifice. After all, we will never make millions of dollars. We will never star in movies, or write hit songs that the world will listen too. We only shed our blood, sweat and tears so that people can enjoy what they have. Sorry if I have offended, but I needed to say it.
Feel free to pass this along if you want.
Remember these five words the next time you think of someone who is serving
in the military;
"So that others may live..."
- Isaac
Only two people have ever effectively given their lives for you.
Jesus Christ and The American G.I.

One died for your sins, the other died to give you freedom.

Vincent J. Loiseau
Naval Inventory Control Point
Source Development Dept., Air Vehicle Division
Code: 0731.14
Phone: 215-697-6690
Fax: 215-697-6689
DSN: 442-6690

Creating Cards

2009-07-08T14:52:00.000-07:00

I've been blog hoping the last couple of days. I love looking at every one's paper creations. But I have been feeling especially drawn to cards and stamping. I can feel something in me that is just dying to jump into this craft, head first. Even my Sassy Blinging Babe friends over at Scrapbook.com seem to have already been bitten. They are creating some beautiful cards and other paper creations.
The thing that is holding me back is...well...a couple of things. First, is Cody. I feel like I need to get his First Year album done before I start anything. Second, the space. I don't have a work area that I can start something, walk away mid project, and come back to finish later. That is why I currently set aside one day a week for scrapping. I haul all my supplies, paper and photos out to put it all away when I'm done.
About 18-19 years ago (when I was about18-19 yrs old) my grandma bought me tons of ink pads, stamps, embossing powders, heat gun, papers and other tools of the trade. I did get into making cards. But I was young and life was pulling me in different directions. Now I could kick myself! I gave all of it away about 3 yrs after the purchase. So...Yep...then there's that!