Congratulations Justin!

You did it!

Love you always,

Mom

Let's Play Catch Up........

Well, I've certainly been a lame blogger for a good while now. I've been keeping pretty busy though. Got lots of logs on the fire, so to speak. Here's a little catch up:



                     I've dusted off the Viking and started sewing again. Feels good to get creative again!

We brought Hooping to our hood. It's fun to see the kids having a great time!

Meet Lucy Rose! The newest edition to our zoo, I mean, family.

I was suprised to discover that my carrots DID grow! YEA!

Enjoyed a beautiful Fall day with my family at Sawyer Point, Cincinnati on the River. We love to rent these bikes and wreak havoc on the river walk. The kids love to drive but it can get pretty hairy. I'm not looking forward to putting them on the road in a real car. YIKES!

Went to the Kentucky Guild Artisan Craft Show in Berea, Ky. The highlight of the day for me was when a sweet lady named Sylvia, taught me how to spin wool roving into yarn on her old fashion spinning wheel. It's something I've wanted to do for a long time. I love it so much that I am taking a begininng spinning class at The Woolery in Frankfort next weekend. Can't wait!

Spent the day at Kinman Farms just down the road from us. Here's a few more pics from there:



I added some things to my ETSY store. Hope to add a lot more after Halloween. I'll be back with a spinning update. Wish me Luck!

Happy Halloween!

Christy















Desperately Seeking Simplicity

"Reduce the complexity of life by eliminating the needless wants of life, and the labors of life reduce themselves." ~ Edwin Way Teale



I admit it. I have too much stuff. WAY. TOO. MUCH. I have been wanting to "clean out" stuff for awhile now but I just get over-whelmed and nothing gets done. The goal in my mind is to get rid of at least 1/2 of all our stuff. We are 7 people under one roof, so that's a lot. I feel like I'm at a critical point with this right now (it's all I think about). This isn't just about getting rid of stuff, it's about getting my creativity back, getting more time in my life for the important things, not being a super-consumer, and I could go on and on.

I have been stewing over this all summer and now I am finally ready to take action. Baby steps. One drawer at a time. A little something everyday.

I have been inspired by Sara and Tara. I love how they don't seem to be attached to things and live a life of freedom.I want that too.

I have had to take a step back recently and do some  re-evaluating of my life. I have had a bit of restlessness inside of me that I just couldn't ignore. I just turned 39 and I guess, maybe, I realize that this is the beginning of the second half of my life. How do I want to live this second half? The first half has been good and I like to think I have learned a lot. What am I going to do with the things I've learned? I know what's important to me and I want to focus on those things. I need to simplify, find balance, 100% completely live my values,  take care of myself so that I can be the best person I can be, and continue to be a student of life and never give up trying new things.

So, the first thing I'm doing is getting rid of stuff. If you saw my home, you wouldn't think I had too terribly much stuff, but I'm good at putting it all away. It is pretty organized but I just don't use sooo much of it. I also find it hard to get rid of stuff. You know? I may need it one day.:) But, I'm putting it out there. I need accountability. I can do this and I've already started.

I'm really going to be focusing on this journey that I'm on to simplify, find balance, and get my creativity back. The good news for me is that my husband is on board. We agree on just about everything and this is definitely OUR journey. I'll keep you updated on our progress. Words of encouragement are appreciated!

Wish Me Luck!
Christy

Summer Fun- 2

Here are a few family shots from this summer. We had fun going to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. We also did an insane amount of hooping, going to parks, skate boarding, EATING,  and swimming. We also watched the first series of Fringe (loveit!) and watched the first 3 series of Supernatural (love it even more!). I've also been doing a LOT of thinking about things, my life in general and I'll be blogging about that soon. I hope you had a great summer as well!

Bring on the fall!

Christy

Hooping Banned in Vegas.........SAY WHAT?

I just read an article about hula hooping and juggling being banned in Las Vegas. Really?  Prostitution is legal yet they want to make hooping on the street illegal. Go figure! Here is the link to the article.

Summer Fun

I hope everyone is enjoying their Summer! It's hard for me to blog during the summer because we get busy with activities and trips but I do love the rhythm of summertime. Here is what we've done so far:

 Meet Mr. Bean. He is the newest member of our household. He's very sweet and is only good for sitting in your lap. And No, it's not a rat.

We went to Louisiana to see family. What a scorcher! The kids enjoyed going to my brothers and seeing his animals.

Gunnar loved getting to ride on the motorcycle with my brother.

This is Joey and Kelly's chickens. I want some!!

Molly and Me. This horse is a sweetie!

The girls having some silly swim time.

Molly, Gunnar, and my niece, Chloe, hooping it up! We finally learned how to make our own hula hoops. I've probably made twenty by now. We are obsessed!

Me and my Amazing grandmama. She is awesome! 85 and still works as an RN every weekend.

My honey and me.

Here is a little shot of my garden taken about a month ago. It's overflowing now. :) We are making our own delicious, organic salads almost everyday. I love it!

We are getting ready to head to the Justin Bieber concert tonight. My daughter is making a fabulous, glittery poster as we speak. We have our Bieber t-shirts ready. It should be fun. :)

In a couple of weeks we will be headed to the beach. Can't wait for that! I always bring my blender and we make fresh green smoothies and veggie juice. (just a little tip to keep you healthy when you travel!)

Take advantage of your local farmer's market, get your daily exercise, and stay safe!

Talk to ya soon!

Christy

Let's Get The Party Started-Step 3

Okay. Now that you have gotten rid of the things we talked about back in step 1 and filled up your fridge and pantry with things from step 2, we are ready for the fun part! Let's get to eatin'.......

This step is really quite simple. The first thing you should do is learn how to make a mean salad. Not a wimpy salad. A MEAN salad. Start with fresh organic greens. Then add whatever you want to it. Fresh veggies, raw nuts and seeds, sundried tomatoes, spices (if you like), herbs (the more the better), and whatever other fresh raw food that tickles your fancy. :) You then finish it off with a fresh homemade dressing. Dressing can easily be made by mixing olive oil and lemon juice, and a bit of raw honey. You can get creative here too. Only a small amount is needed. Let it enhance the flavors of the food not cover it up.
Play with your food. Have fun! Make you own recipes. Eat a big salad everyday. Pretty soon your day won't be complete without one.;)

The next part of this step is making a green juice or green smoothie everyday. This is a great way to get a powerful shot of vitamins and minerals. I call it nutritional medicine. Once you try it, you'll see why. After the first drink you can literally feel your cells soaking up this green medicine. You will feel so nourshished and alive! This step is a MUST. Please don't leave it out. I consider it one of the best things you can do for your body, mind, and spirit.

To make a green juice, you will need a juicer.( If you don't have one, I will tell you how to make a juice with a blender next.) Just gather a bunch of veggies and thoroughly wash them. I use celery, cucumber, parsley, cilantro, lemon, and ginger. I love this combo because it is so hydrating and the parsley and cilantro are natural blood cleansers. If this is too sour you can add carrots, apples or beets. I encourage you to play with this too. You'll find a combination you love. Also, try to mix it up so you are getting different nutrients in your body. Drink this on an empty stomach and allow fifteen minutes to digest before eating anything.

To make green smoothies, you will need a blender ( preferably a high-powered blender such as vitamix or blend-tec. if not, just work with what you have). First I add 1 -2 cups of filtered water to my blender. Then I add a larger handful of greens (spinach, kale, parsley, or cilantro) for these I prefer spinach or kale. Blend. Blend. Blend. Next add fruit. I prefer pineapple and banana. But you can add what YOU like. Once again, play with it. My kids like these because they are fruity. You really can't taste the green so it's a great way to get greens into the little ones.:)


If you only have a blender, you can still make juice. Purchase a nut milk bag online or go to a hardware store and get a paint bag (same thing). Blend your veggies in the blender (see juicing paragraph above). Then pour into the nut milk bag and collect the juice. You can throw away the pulp or use it in other raw recipes (I'll show you how soon!). Easy peasy!

So you are now well on your way down the raw path. Incorporate daily a large, loaded salad, a green juice or green smoothie (or both :) ). Snack on whole fruits and veggies, raw nuts and seeds. Dinnertime could be another raw meal or a cooked meal of whole foods ( this is what I do because I prefer to eat with my family and they are not totally raw).


 From here on out, I will be posting recipes for raw gourmet foods, raw desserts, green juices and green smoothies ( along with little tidbits about my other interests!). I would love to hear how you are doing!

Light and Love,
Christy