I am going to be taking a break for the rest of September. I know it seems like I have been on vacation for two weeks . . .

The past month has definitely brought some changes to the shape of my life and I am having to pray over and re-adjust how blogging fits into that shape. I know it is important for me to write, so this blog will certainly stay, but as to what the Lord wants me to focus on through writing and how often I am not sure. So I am taking an official break with a return date of October 3 to step back, re-think and then come back with more focus and purpose.

In the meantime, I have a treat for any readers I may still have lurking around my quiet blog . . . my dearest friend and cousin, Amy, is going to post while I am gone. She is truly me kindred spirit and close friend. I am so thrilled for her to share some of her story and how the Lord has been moving powerfully in her life. You won’t want to skip the deep, amazing things she has to share. In addition to posting some of her testimony, she has been trying all kinds of natural and organic hair and body products I have asked her to review on here as well.

Sooooo . . . I’ll see you in a few weeks. In the meantime, do check back for and enjoy Amy!

As we toast our 5 cent per slice Ezekiel bread, I am reminded - Don’t toast it more than just enough to crisp the texture. Anything nearing dark brown or black is burnt, oxidized and carcinogenic. loaded with free radicals.

This is also the danger with grilled meat. Enjoy your grilled chicken, but resist the blackened parts.

As far as homeschooling goes, I am totally into notebooks. I have GOT to get my act together a bit and notebooks are proving an effective tool for me.

I already talked about our Untied States Notebook, which is going along smashingly. We worked on Colorado today, in anticipation of a vacation there. While we are driving to CO, I bought a mini-atlas for Elise to follow our trip. I also bought her a mini-scrapbook so she can collect fall aspen leaves, pictures and other little items to collect. For handwriting/spelling practice I will try to have her journal one short sentance a day or so.

The next notebook underway is a Bible Notebook. In our homeschooling, I want to always begin with knowing and delighting in God. That must be first in our endeavors to raise our children. This will have three sections so far:

• Bible Memory Verses - a running list of the verses we have memorized and some little picture, drawing or symbol to help illustrate it.
• Bible Songs - the lyrics and melody hints or score for songs we have learned that use scripture for lyrics. Here is our first page. Toddler Bible Songs.doc
• Pages from Sunday school - I don’t want my little ones to be overwhelmed. We are part of a church community to worship and learn as a community. I am going to use what they do in Sunday School to help structure our home study. We will review their lessons and build off them if given time and inspiration.

So far, that is enough. If I can keep this up through Christmas, it will be a miracle!

I joyfully received a random email this morning from a sweet reader here who happens to live in my town as well. She had found Ezekiel bread for .89 cents a loaf at a near by store. Being errand day, I ran down and grabbed five loaves. It was such a thrill, as I usually pay $4 a loaf. These freeze great and toast up nicely to make great sandwiches.

This spawned an idea. Hardly an original one, I am sure, but a new one to my mind. I want to try and form an email group of health-conscious domestic executives who notify each other of great deals around town so we can all share in the savings. Eating healthy isn’t cheap, of which due to new budget limitations I am more aware of than ever.

I stopped quite a few places this week, and for those of you in also in my town, here is what I am emailing to my new sweet friend in return. What to join our email group? Let me know!

• Through the end of Sept Sun Harvest (A Wild Oats Store) has all their supplements 25% off. I was able to get Carleson’s lemon Cod Liver Oil at $14 instead of $18.
• Also at Sun Harvest, at least last week, they had Jason’s shampoo’s 60% off. I grabbed 2 bottles - its what I am using for now.
• Sun Harvest watermelons were $2.99 each.
• Central Market has Grade B Organic Maple Syrup at $4.99 per pound which is $1 less than I have ever seen it anywhere, ever.
• CM also had organic red plums at .99 a pound.

TT has their expeller-pressed oil on sale; 2 gallons for $60. I couldn’t resist. It isn’t as pure as virgin oil, but at this moment, when dh is forcing me to go on a budget and I am having to go without other superfoods, coconut oil is one I am going to skimp on a bit. Here is a quick summary of oils, all of which I have purchased.

Purchased from either Wilderness Family Naturals or Tropical Traditions, ALL of these oils are organic.

Virgin coconut oil - This is coconut oil crafted in the traditional way which involves fermentation. This oil is very healthy, has the highest mineral content but also has a strong taste and odor. I like it, but those shy of coconut with very discerning palates will not. It is the cheaper of the low-heat options. TT adds low heat to their version to make sure moisture content is low enough.
Centrifuged virgin coconut oil - This virgin coconut oil is extracted from fresh, wet-milled coconut milk. It retains a coconut flavor and aroma. This oil is clear and colorless in the liquid state and an immaculate white when solid. No chemicals or heat are used in any stage of the process. This is the lightest tasting of the low-heat coconut oils.

Expeller-Pressed Coconut Oil - This oil is less expensive than virgin coconut oil because it can be mass produced. The coconuts are opened and quickly dried. The dried coconuts are then mechanically pressed to remove the oil, without using chemical solvents. Heat is applied for drying as well as some from the friction of mechanical pressing. This is what TT has on sale.

So I “cheated” and bought expeller-pressed because it has less taste for those around me who care about that (dh does notice that his eggs taste “tropical”!) and because even if it is a heated, it is still a stable cooking oil. That is the main reason I buy it, to reduce free radicals in our cooked food. If you are purchasing coconut oil for weight-loss or other more specific health concerns, then I would buy the expensive oil from Wilderness Family Naturals. For us, I would rather save here and still have $$$ for “Green Drink”.

Beachbody has a pretty accurate, motivating list of nasty foods we all indulge our children with, and fortunately some easy alternative suggestions.

Feeding your children well seems to boil down to two basic principles.

1. Be resolved. Is not so much of parenting a matter of disciplining yourself?
2. Don’t have junk in the house. If it is there, you’ll give in.

Grace

Walk with me, my friend
Come with me,
High into the hills
The roof of the world

Where the bright eyes
Dance with the dust
Barefoot they run, on cobbled stone
This is not our home

Sit with me, my friend
Take some tea
And with me speak of
Things above this world

Where the bright eyes
Dance with the dust
Barefoot they run, on cobbled stone
This is not our home

He has set the sun
From which no one hides
There’s no speech where
Their voice cannot be heard
Lovely is their line
Throughout all the earth

Beside old walls
Of sun-bleached stone
Crumbled by time
You may fall mine
You may fall mine

Walk with me, my friend
Will you lead
Past these hills to
The hope of the world

Where the bright eyes
Dance in your arms
Barefoot they run, down familiar paths
This is our home
This is our home

He has set the sun
From which no one hides
There’s no speech where
Their voice cannot be heard
Lovely is their line
Throughout all the earth

Beside old walls
Of sun-bleached stone
Crumbled by time
You may fall mine
You may fall mine

Music by Adam Blumenshein

Lyrics by Annie Crawford

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