Goals with my children

1. Read and speak more spanish
2. Umbrella by jan brett
3. The old red tractor by Andrea Dierssen
4. A picture of God 3 in 1 by marxhausen
5. Truck by Donald Crews
6. Goodnight Gorilla
7. Cloudy with a chance of meatballs
8. We are going on a bearhunt
9. Caps for sale
10. Little pillows by Frances Ridley havergal
11. The Bill Martin Jr Big Book of Poetry
12. A Child''s geography by Ann Voskamp
13. Fireflies by julie Brinckloe
14. 10 black dots by Donald Crews in spanish
15. Tough boris by Mem Fox
16. Tell me about your day by Mem Fox
17. Fancy Nancy's Elegant easter

10 Most addictive Foods

Found this in Yahoo health by Mandy Oaklander provided by Prevention her is the link if you want to read it http://health.yahoo.net/articles/nutrition/photos/10-most-addictive-foods#0 but I copied it and pasted it below;   Talk about the worst words to hear from your waiter. Oh, you know you shouldn't, but you're no match for the smell of those fresh-baked cookies wafting from the kitchen. Why is every super-palatable food of today damn near impossible to resist? "Nobody's binging on spinach or broccoli," says Ashley Gearhardt, PhD, assistant professor in the psychology department at the University of Michigan. As co-creator of Yale University's Food Addiction Scale, she's contributing to a growing body of research that puts "food"--or the processed chemicals that pass for food these days--in the same category as drugs of abuse. How can a bag of chips and a sweet little snack cake turn you into an addict? Blame sugar, salt, and fat. Our bodies have not evolved to handle this over-stimulating trifecta, says Gearhardt. Long before Mrs. Fields was peddling cookies in shopping malls, sugar was a rare treat, found in fruit and guarded by stinging bees; salt was a simple garnish; and fat was a nutrient that had to be hunted or foraged. Now, processed foods often contain all three (remember the bacon ice cream sundae?)--minus the protein, fiber, and water that help your body handle them. And women are more likely than men to get addicted. "Women tend to restrict and then binge," says Gearhardt. "That seems to sensitize the brain's developing an addictive process and for you to have a psychologically unhealthy relationship with the substance." So which foods are the most addicting? Gearhardt told us the top 10. Is your biggest weakness in the countdown? You already knew that white bread was one of the worst things you have in your fridge. It's made with refined flour, which has been stripped of the bran, the germ, and all of the nutrients normally present in bread. What a shame that restaurants tempt you with an entire basket before every meal out! Opt for substantial breads that you can't squish into the size of a marble. That way, you know the grains are truly "whole".   Shocker, right? Experts think sugar might be the most addicting of the three. (Ask any sugarholic who's tried to kick the habit, and they'll surely agree.) Science has proven the crazy-addictive potential of sugar. Studies have shown that every time rats eat large amounts, dopamine is released. That's not normal, says study author Dr. Nicole Avena, PhD, a research neuroscientist and expert in food addiction. "The dopamine release becomes more what you'd expect to see with a drug of abuse," she says   We eat way too much of this starchy childhood favorite--and then we drench it in butter, salt, and cheese. The typical Italian portion can fit in a teacup; American portions are closer to plate size. But it's not all bad news: buy high-quality spelt pasta, cook it al dente (which lowers its glycemic load), and use olive oil to greatly increase pasta's nutritional profile, says Andrew Weil, MD, founder and director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona in his new cookbook True Food.   There's something irresistible about the spongy buoyancy of a sugary cake--and don't even get us started on frosting. (Frosting!) If you eat too much of it, though, you might not accumulate as many candles on that cake as you'd like. Sugar--in its many guises --has been linked to obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome   Chips are ridiculously high in fat and salt, but that doesn't stop with the notoriously greasy brands. Even baked veggie chips are packed with fat and many mainstream chip brands list sugar on their ingredients lists. Whip up a batch of homemade kale chips with a touch of sea salt to satisfy your craving for crunch, instead.   There's a reason the cookie jar is never full. According to a research review, merely seeing tempting food releases dopamine. Indulge and your brain gets a boost from that happy hormone, priming you to want more (and more, and more.) Cookies, too, typically contain the three temptresses in one place. It would take an iron will to resist that.   Handle this potent stuff with care: A bite will do you. One study published in a 1997 issue of International Journal of Psychophysiology found that self-identified chocoholics had physical, behavioral, and emotional responses to chocolate that closely resembled those of drug addicts to their drugs. Sure, dark chocolate with a high concentration of cocoa imparts some health benefits, but most commercial chocolate--packed with milk solids, oil, fat, and sugar--would not make the cut.   Forever beckoning from its hot-oil baths, French fries are a dieter's nightmare and a food industry's dream. They're the apex of the sugar-fat-salt triumvirate: salted, fatty, and with a touch of natural sugar. Besides being insanely addicting, commercial French fries also contain high levels of the carcinogen acrylamide. Luckily, scientists have come up with safer ways to enjoy them.   Mark Gold, MD, Chair of Psychiatry at the University of Florida, has been researching food addiction for 30 years. He found that the sugary foods you're exposed to in utero and throughout childhood make kids love--and crave--more sugar. "We need to pay attention to what we feed our children," he says. "We may be setting them up to become food addicts."   Ladies and gents, say hello to your biggest food addiction. It's no wonder: Ice cream is the go-to breakup binge, the creamiest celebration treat, the perfect hot-summer-day refresher, the more comforting cold-winter-night snack (under the covers? Anybody?) What's the big deal? Animal studies have shown that high consumption of processed treats like ice cream may reduce the appeal of foods that were once considered rewarding, like watermelon. That's because it shifts our brain's hedonic set point. Once that happens, the only way to get your fix is, well, more ice cream.

Capullo

The beautiful chrysalis of the monarch and what the caterpillar looks like when it is getting ready to pupate.

I found a caterpillar:)  I think I found it on a milkweed plant on my side yard near the airconditioner.  It seems monarchs are on the decline so planting some milkweed (The scientific name is Asclepias) may help the numbers to increase.  Kentucky is Zone 6a-7a so The wheels are turning in my thinkcap and I am already wondering where I can get some seeds.  We have had great success with butterflies.  This will be the 3rd time we have found caterpillars and put them in this here lucky container and they made CAPULLOS (spanish for cocoon) and then turned into butterflies. 

We have had swallowtails:

We also had a 3 that turned into little light green butterflies, almost white looking.  That was just a few months ago.  Summer 2012

Below is what we hope to see in  1-2 weeks.

This is a Monarch butterfly sipping nectar from a Tropical Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) blossom.  Complements of Joyful Butterfly.

Healthy Eating

We all know how to eat healthy....But sometimes I just need to be reminded...

AND

MORE



What is in a name?

                                              

Do think a name matters?
A friend of mine who is a pediatric nuerologist, told me that names matter. In fact she told my husband and I not to name our child Daniel. Sorry anyone with kids name Daniel. She said they were wild or hyper. I can't remember exactly, however I often think about this whole name/personality connection.

I know 2 women named Barbara. They are both;
Hardworkers
Focused
Detailed
Conservative
Organized
Clean and neat homes

What do you think? Is there truth to my friends thoughts or is a name just a name

Driving my kids to and from school myself

Mornings can stressful. 

Get out of bed. 

This is the hardest for me.  I usually do not feel happy first thing in the morning.  All I want to do is sleep more.  The desire to stay in bed is so strong it trumps my all resloves I made the night before.  I have never liked getting out of bed and actually waking up.  And for the past year I wake up more tired and exhaused than I went to bed.  I do not feel refreshed or recharged.

Get up.

Eat. Kids stop talking.  Eat

Kids, go brush your teeth. Luna, what are you doing!  It's not play time.  Brush your teeth.

Brush teeth.  Gabe!  Where are you!  No hide and seek.  Brush teeth.

Get dressed.  Kids stop playing.  Put on your clothes.

Luna don't forget to put on underwear.

Gabe, put on your clothes!

Luna, where are your socks!

No, Gabe you can't wear blue today!

You have to wear these underwear.  I know you don't like them.  It's all there is.  You can wear the car ones tomorrow.

Come on Gabe put on the underwear.

If you don't put on the underwear.  I will have to punish you.

Just trying to get out of the house on time. 

 Without yelling. 

THE REWARDS

Luna's huge smile as she is going into school and looks back to wave to me.

Gabe greeting me when I arrive to pick him up.

He runs to me with such force I have to do the following;

Procedure;  drop down on one knee grab something. 

But I love those hugs.
AND

Listening to songs in the car with them.

Luna reading me a book.

Talking in the car with them.
Calling out "yellow cars"
Spotting dogs in cars, owls in trees and cats in yards.
Seeing concrete trucks, dumptrucks and cranes.
Simple time together with them, even though it's in the swagger wagon

Fun things to do in Louisville Kentucky

FREE

1.  Beckly Station Splash Park-There is also a playground, bike trail, and wide beautiful creek.

This is a picture of my little one playing in the splash park

2,  Visit this cute family owned candy shop.  They give free demonstrations of candy being made!

Schimpffs Confectionery  http://www.schimpffs.com/

3. Jeffersontown Veterans Park -nice trails, playground, basketball court and a creek with crawldads!
4.  Visit the 21C Museum-  My kids liked the movie screen of letters that fell down like rain.  It's free to get in but beware there were nude art work when we went.

5. BlackAcres Nature Perserve.  Bring some carrots and apples to feed the goats and horses.  Bring your walking shoes to enjoy the trails.
6. Free tour of Greaters Ice Cream.  This is a short but interesting tour in which you see how ice cream is made.  No free ice cream is given, but pints are available to purchase after the tour.

7.  Henery’s Ark
8.  Redeem Half Price book minutes
9.  Louisville Public Library -Their summer program and their story times
10.  Jefferson Park
11. Window shop inside Joseph Beth bookstore-there is a kid area where you can read the books to your kids 
12. Visit Fourth Street Live-Free and fun at night for adults.  4th Street Live Concerts free in summer
13. Wed Waterfront Concert
14. Sunday nights concerts
15. Hang with Neighbors
16. Invite friends over to swim
17. Zip Line at the Mega Cavern
18. Atlantis Water Park- We went last year and it was fun, but I think the kids liked the Northeast YMCA Calypso Cove better, but you must be a member to get into that waterpark.

19. Plainview Smim Club - This is a Louisville Public Pool, so you don't need to be a member to swim there.  It is $6 per child and $8 per adult.  There are diving boards, a kiddy pool, a seperate adult pool, lap lanes and a playground.  There are concessions and tennis courts.

And last but not least the Louisville Zoo.

20. Fruit picking

21.  Champ’s rollerdone, Louisville (date with Luna) or Jammerz Roller Dome, Indiana
22.  Louisville Science Center
23. Iroquois Amphitheater
24. Art sparks-currently closed for construction but used to have $5 Firdays.
25. Bats game
26.  Ice Skate at Iceland
27.  Salsa Dancing
28. Kentucky Down Under, Horse Cave
29.  Joe Huber Family Farm
30.  Cave Hill Cemetery
31.  Open Play at places like SIGS or ALL ABOUT KIDS is sometimes (on somedays) only $5
32.  Open Play at Kazoing (http://www.kazo​ing.com/)- this is a great way for my 3 year old boy to release some energy. again they have special days when it is only $5
33.  EcoKids-Berheim Forest



Best Sweet Potato ever!

I knew it!!! The color of the skin was different. Prettier. Purplish. Also I have bought from this farmer before and his produce is always good. In fact a few years ago I bought from him the best
Broccoli I have ever eaten entire life. This yam was 2 times better then what I have been buying at the store. Incredible!

What makes me happy

Tuna over lettuce

Ingredients

1/8 cup chopped onion (more or less as desired)

1/4 cup chopped tomato (more or less according to your taste)

1-2 cups of fresh spinach or roman lettuce

1/2 lemon juice

1 TPS Joes Real Mayonaise (you can really use anything, but I like this one because it contains no sugar)

2-5 ounces of Albacore Tuna (it must be Albacore, because that is the one with the omega-3's)

Directions

1) pour fresh lemon juice on the tuna

2) mix in mayo and chopped onion with tuna

3) Next lay lettuce, tomato on plate

4) Top with tuna mixture

Purple carrots

I feel so betrayed. All my life I thought carrots were just orange. Now, I can handle the fact that there are other colors. Most foods come in other colors. Red peppers for example. Everyone is familiar with the standard red bell pepper, but there happens to be yellow and orange. That's cool. But the standard is the red one, right?

I've been talking to other people and apparently I am the last to know this! At http://www.carrotsmuseum.com/ I found out that he orange carrots came about from mutations of the yellow carrots.
"Carrots originated in present day Afghanistan about 5000 years ago, probably originally as a purple or yellow root. Nature then took a hand and produced mutants and natural hybrids, crossing both with cultivated and wild varieties. It is considered that purple carrots were then taken westwards where it is thought yellow mutants and wild forms crossed to produce orange. Finally some motivated Dutch growers took these mutant orange carrots under their horticultural wings and developed them to be sweeter and more practical."
So, I just had to buy some seeds and see this for myslf. I choose the Purple Dragon Carrot.
One website said "The Purple Dragon Carrot is truly a piece of natural art. It is absolutely unique with its deep reddish-purple exterior with an amazing contrasting orange-yellow interior. With a flavor that is described as “glorious”, “sweet and almost spicy”

Fairy Garden

Luna's Fairy garden next to the deck in the back yard.

There was pink fairy dust in Luna's fairy garden this morning! 
       She said, "I knew fairies were real"

Then she wondered what kind of fairy it was that visited.  She marvaled at all the pretty pink fairy dust. Could there have been two?  The fairy dust in the water looked blue.  She dipped her finger in and decided in was pink, it just looks blue in the water.  She looked to see if there was fairy dust in the little green house that was in the garden. It is not picture because she took it out to look.  Nothing.  The fairy must not of gone in the house. Then she ran to her other fairy garden which was close by on the back porch (pictured below) to see if that one too had fairy dust.  Nothing.  She went back to this one and looked again.  She wonders if they will come again. Luna also said she can't wait to tell everyone.  Her excited didn't end.  Refusing to eat breakfast because she just wants to look at it all day long:) She then brought the other fairy garden and began taking things from that one to put in this one.  I am sure she will check first thing in the morning:)

Luna's first Fairy garden

Jazmine

  Another amazing niece.  Another blessing.  More Family.  More love.  In case I forget how blessed I am I can look back on these pages and see the help I recieved from my family and all the things I have to be grateful for.

    Jazmine is doing a great job.  I am so proud of her maturity.  She is very focused.  One day I came home to find her playing monopoly with the kids.  I asked how long she had been playing and she said an hour.  To most that may not seem like much, but it is very hard for Ignacio and I to play monopoly that long with little ones and we are adults!  She reads a lot to them.  Both her and Myriam (my mother in law) are respectful to all my wishes like not giving them many sweets or let them watch too much TV.  I am so appreciative.  Also Myriam speaks Spanish too them.  How lucky am I!  Not only do they get to be taken care of by family but they get to be exposed to spanish. 

    When Gabe was smaller he spoke spanish, but once I started working full time and he went to daycare, he stopped speaking spanish, but still understood it.  Now he is speaking it again and it is like music to my ears.  I love the spanish language.  So to hear my sweet babies speaking it is like the most beautiful musci to my ears.

Worship

This is my song to You

A melody of thanks for You

An expression of wonder

At Your beauty and Your splendor
No other cry have I

Than to know You more and lift You high

Oh, God of infinite glory

Above all You are worthy

What can I bring to You

Simply a song of love

And boundless, gratitude

My whole life, for You

You've rescued me from death

Given me Your kingdom

And blessed me with Your love

Countless mercies from above

This is my song to You

A melody of thanks for You

An expression of wonder

At Your beauty and Your splendor

No other cry have I

Than to know You more and lift You high

Oh, God of infinite glory

Above all You are worthy

What can I bring to You

Simply a song of love

And boundless, gratitude

My whole life, for You

You've rescued me from death

Given me Your kingdom

And blessed me with Your love

Countless mercies from above

Had I riches, I would bring them

Had I kingdoms, I would lose them

Had I the world, too small a gift

Would it be for You (2x)

What can I bring to You
Simply a song of love

And boundless, gratitude

My whole life, for You
 by Jeremy Riddle

Athena

The picture above is my niece, Athena. She took it one day on my iphone.  I left my iphone laying around my sister Jessi's house and what a sweet suprise to see a dozen goofy pictures of my nieces.

I am so thankful for my nieces and nephews. (Picture above is Athena with Marisa) There is not one that isn't special.  Both on my husbands side and my side.  I thank the Lord for helping me to see their gifts and beauty.  Last year I was blessed to have my niece, Marisa, care for my kids.  This summer my kids had a wonderful week with their cousin, Athena.  She took such good care of them.  They loved every bit of it. I hope Athena, Luna, and Gabriel will keep the memory of her visit forever. 

I often struggle with working full time and not being with my children. I often wonder if they are getting are the love and attention they need at their daycare and school.  I know for me I experienced a great amount of peace during Athena's visit because she had so much fun with them and loved on them so much.  She truly loves kids.  In fact she wants to be a mom when she grows up! Anyways knowing my children where taken care of like that was sucha great feeling.  The only sad part was that I personally didn't have much time to spend with her, but my kids did and homefully they will remember it.

Stories from Alisa's childhood

    This is a story about Alisa, my oldest sister. When she was little she picked up a brick it. It was not a red brick it was a big grey one. She accidentally dropped it on her toe and hurt her toe really bad.  Her toe got big and swolled.  It also turned blue and it hurt her. I think she even lost her toenail.
     That's one story about Alisa.  Another is that when Alisa was about five years old she went to look at our horse that we had.  I don't remember his name but Alisa must of got behind it and it's never good to get behind a horse because they kick back and they must they kicked her and she must've flown through the air, far from the horse because and lost consciousness or got the wind knocked out of her (that means that you're not breathing)  My mom and dad found her laying on the floor.  The called an ambulance.  The parametic, the people who come in the ambulance lifted up her shirt and she had a horseshoe print on her chest.  They helped her get better and she was fine but I don't think she ever walked behind the horse again. 
      The last story about Alisa takes place in my grandmas pool.  We sent our summers at my grandma's house.  We loved swimming in her pool.  We especially liked our dad to throw us up in the air because it was fun to be thrown up in the air and then fall into the water and make a big splash.  Well one time my dad, that is your grandpa, threw Alisa high up in the air but when she landed she landed on this little floaty thing that we used to put the chlorine in.  It was a hard container and it hit her in the face, the eyebrow to be exact.  There was a lot of blood and she cried.  From then on my dad was very careful to take out the floating chlorine container before throwing us in the pool.  To this day Alisa has scar on her eyebrown from where she hit that clorine container.
- told to Luna by Mommy

I can't do this alone

My mission field is my home and my family. 
Do this job well. 
A marriage the way God intented. 
Break the cycle of divorce that my husband and I grew up with.
We cannot achieve this without Jesus.
I don't want my kids searching for love in the wrong places. 

All these thoughts rush to me head when I hear the song "Lead Me" by Santus Real.  But the first time I heard this song I thought, "if only my husband could hear it". However after listening to it many times I started applying it to myself.  I am the leader in our home too.  I am the mom.  I am teaching them and guiding them. Then yesterday I heard it again in the car and the words were like what I wanted to say to God.  "give me the strength to be everything I'm called to be"

LEAD ME by Sanctus Real

I look around and see my wonderful life

Almost perfect from the outside

In picture frames, I see my beautiful wife

Always smiling, but on the inside

Oh, I can hear her saying

Lead me with strong hands

Stand up when I can't

Don't leave me hungry for love

Chasing dreams, but what about us?

Show me you're willing to fight

That I'm still the love of your life

I know we call this our home

But I still feel alone

I see their faces, look in their innocent eyes

They're just children from the outside

I'm working hard, I tell myself they'll be fine

They're independent, but on the inside

Oh, I can hear them saying

Lead me with strong hands

Stand up when I can't

Don't leave me hungry for love

Chasing dreams, what about us?

Show me you're willing to fight

That I'm still the love of your life

I know we call this our home

But I still feel alone

So Father, give me the strength

To be everything I'm called to be

Oh Father, show me the way

To lead them

Won't You lead me?

To lead them with strong hands

To stand up when they can't

Don't want to leave them hungry for love

Chasing things that I could give up

I'll show them I'm willing to fight

And give them the best of my life

So we can call this our home

Lead me 'cause I can't do this alone

Father, lead me 'cause I can't do this alone

Answered Prayers

My Dad, being goffy.  My two older sisters, enjoying his company

Today I am so thankful. The Lord is so quick to answer my prayers.

1-I was discouraged and hopeless. I prayed. My father called and was very positive and uplifting. We had a great conversation. Also it just warmed my heart to see my own father being used by God. I am so thankful he has a relationship with the Lord.  Although the Lord can use anyone not just people who are in close relationship to him for some reason I think my father being able to be respond to my need through God has something to do with his growing relationship with the Lord.

2-My dear girlfriend who is suffering terribly. I have been praying for her daily for weeks. She is in immense emotional pain. I asked if the Lord could relieve her of even a small fraction of her pain. Then last night at 4:30AM she called and shared with me. We talked for 2 hours. Just by being available and listening she said she felt better. I am so grateful that the Lord has removed some of her pain. I promised her I would not share her story, so her name and issues will remain anonymous.
3-Future answered prayer: I get excited thinking about this. To see my dear girlfriend completely healed, restored, and living a godly life. I am praying she will know and feel how much God loves her.

What is God's will for me?

                                                       What is my life dream?
        I have a full time job.  I work Monday thru Friday from 9am-3pm. It is easy. The hours are good and the company is highly sought at by many. It has nice benifits and pay.  My boss is cool and so are the people I work with. 
       Despite all those things I don't really like it. It is not my calling.  It doesn't fullfill me.  It does not satisfy me.  I've spent a long time wondering and praying what is it that I am suppose to be.  I am constantly praying, "Lord what is your will for me?"  "What profession should I pursue?  I don't feel that my true talents lay in being a mom, so that's off the list.  I have a wonderful husband, but I don't think my calling is a homemaker.  God knows how much I stuggle with keeping the house clean and organized.  Rather than helping my husband, I feel I often make more work for my husband.  Just a few weeks ago I sent him and the kids to our friend's child's 1st birthday.  I had the present ready and sent me husband on his way, feeling proud of myself for being so organized.  My husband called me 20 minutes later.  He made it on time all right.  He was a week early!
     Especially after quitting Jazzercise (it's been 4 months now)I have been wondering what is my thing.  Sometimes I am jelous of those people who always new what they wanted to be when they grow up.  I never knew.  I new knew what career I wanted, or if I wanted to marry or even if i wanted kids.  I am very glad I got marry and had kids, but I never was like 100% yes I know for sure that was my life calling.
      I spend a lot of time praying for family, neighbors and even strangers.  I put a lot of worry and energy into them;  I encourage them, invite them to church, worry how my actions effect their faith and so on.
Then I thought (God put in my heart), What if your mission field is your home?  What if your husband and children are the ones who you need to encourage, evangalize, pray for, and set a christian example for?  What if all that energy went toward them?
      I still am not sure if this means being a stay at home mom.  The money I bring in really encourages my husband.  Also he says I am more productive working.  So if it's good for our marriage, that's important.
      Then the most amazing thing happened,  God answered me and told me that his will for me is to be joyful, thankful and to pray.  I saw it one day as I was reading the bible. Thessalonians chaper 5 verses 16 through 18 say, "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." The coolest thing is that God's answer had been there in the pages of the bible all this time and I never knew it.  I bet there are even more answers there.  The Bible is so alive with God's word's.  I love it!  Clear as day and right there under my nose the entire time!

Lemon Pepper Salmon

                    

This is the best Salmon I have ever tried. Believe it or not I got it from the GE cookbook that came with my Microwave Convection oven! All that means is that it is a microwave and a regular oven too.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
2 teaspoons of lemon pepper
6 (5 oz) salmon steaks (i don't weight them but they look 1 inch thick to me)
2 teaspoon of lemon juice (fresh is best as in squeeze it yourself from the lemon, watch for seeds!)
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
6 thin onion slices
3 lemon slices, halved
1 teaspoon of tarragon
½ teaspoon of papirika
Dash salt

1.  Place butter in 2-quart oblong glass baking dish. I put in in my 9x13 glass dish and that workes out ok
2.  Microwave at high for 1 minute until melted
3.  Coat bottom of dish with butter and sprinkle with lemon pepper and some of the garlic and onion powder.
4.  Lay down the salmon steaks, leaving a few centimeters between steaks
5.  Pour lemon juice over steaks
6.  Sprinkle remaining garlic powder, onion powder and lemon pepper on salmon steaks
7.  Put one slice of onion and lemon on each steak
8.  Add papirika and sprinkle the tarragon on the steaks
9.  Bake 13 to 17 minutes at 350. I begin check at 11 minutes. DO NOT OVERCOOK or it will be dry and it does not taste good dry. 1 minute can sometimes make the difference.
10.  You can use frozen salmon like the one above from Sam's club, but I think it is a little better with their fresh salmon, it's a better price too.

Red Neck Riviera

    When I told my coworker I was going to the gulf shores he told me they call it the redneck riviera. I was pretty pumped about my vacation to the gulf shores until he called it "Redneck riviera". For some reason that made me feel like my trip had just been downgraded. Then I remembered that his words are not truth. God's words are truth and he made the gulf shores and said "it was good".

So, would you like to know what I thought of Alabama's gulf shores?


     They are beautiful! Pure, clean, white beaches. In fact I would like to return every year. There are lots of beach houses that accomodate groups of 10-14, so I think it would be a nice trip to go on with my sisters and their families and my dad.

     The ocean water was pretty and clear despite a greenish color but it was from the algea.  To me that just means it's healthy because that is food for all the fish.  And boy did we see fish. Even in the very shallow part at the shore there were small pretty white fish.  Luna, Sergio and I tried to catch some, but they were very fast.  Out further, as we were boggie boarding I saw bigger fish surfing the waves!



     One day we even went on a dolphin cruise.  It was a 1 and a half hour trip on a boat to see dolphins.  I did it mainly for Luna, since she is crazy about all animals, but it was cool to see wild dolphins up close.  They were bigger than I expected.  Prettier and cleanier than I thought.  I guess I though "wild dolphins would be small and spotted with all kinds of imperfections.  The dolphins came very close to the moter and jumped in the waves made by the boat.  We also saw some dolphins following shimp boats.  They do this because the shrimp fishers throw out all other things caught by the nets.  The dolphins know this and so follow them and eat the stuff they throw off the boat.  Aside form this it is illegal to feed dolphins.

Chocolate Sunbutter bars

Ingredients
1/4 cup honey
1 ½ cup oats
1/2 cup coconut oil (no substitues)
1/2 cup sunbutter
1/2 sunspire grain sweetened chocolate chips

Heat coconut oil, honey and sunbutter in pot untill it is melted.  Take off burner add chocolate chips.  Add oats.  Pour in dish.  Refrigerate for 2 hours.  Cut and serve

The original reciepe calls for peanut butter, but my daughter is allergic, so we used sunbutter, which is made out of sunflower seeds. 

No refined sugar!  This is a fairly safe "healthy" reciepe to satisfy your sweet tooth without breaking your goal of no sugar or white flour.

Warning: These are so good I ate all of them except 3!

White Whole Wheat Flour

The whole wheat of grain is the wheatberry.  My dad used to grow red whole wheat.  The red wheatberry is more common in the United Stated.  When I make bread from red wheat it is VERY heavy and only once out of dozens of attempts have I had a load that I liked.
So, a nutritionist recomended I try white whole wheat flour.
Is white whole wheat flour just bleached flour?
No! Wikipedia states that White whole-wheat flour is flour milled from hard white spring wheat.  White whole wheat has almost the same nutrient content as red whole wheat.
So I put this bad boy in all kinds of things that call for flour; chocolate chip cookies, pancakes etc.

In Defense of Food

In Defense of Food  by Michael Pollan

I am so glad I listened to this book on Audio.  I had been wanting to read it for a VERY long time. It's not what I though it would be. It is packed with great, up to date acurate information and statistics about nutrition, but what I didn't expect is that Pollan argues we need to take food back from the food industry and from science (nutritionism) and take pleasure in eating.
It is very much an antinutritionist book. Food is not fuel, he writes, it's a form of communion with other people. It's not about trying to eat certain nutrients, but about the entire meal.  He argues, with evidence, to chose the food experience over calories.

He expands on things we have all heard before, like eat less.  The pros for eating less are increadibly strong;
1.  Calorie restiction slows aging
2.  Single stronglest link bewteen  diet and prevention of cancer
       -eating to much promotes cell division and promotes it in most dramatically in cancer cells
       -cutting back on calories slows cell division
3.  Eating less stiffles production of free radicals.

Altough there were a few slow parts during the audio when I got a little boarded most of the time I was inthawled.  There is nothing boaring about;
-clear evidence on the links between the western diet and heart disease and diabetes.
-the effects our food have on the health of our teeth.

Some changes I want to make after listening to this book;
1. Increase the social exprience of the family meal; slow down to eat, take long leisury meals. Do I still want to make the children finish everything on their plate?
2. Snack less (and encourage less snacking with the children)
3. Stop eating in the car so often.
4. Cut out processed foods in my diet
So if you want to listen you can order your copy through amazon, here's the link
http://www.amazon.com/In-Defense-Food-Eaters-Manifesto/dp/0143142747/ref=tmm_abk_title_0

Personal Training Part 3:Power Lifting

Power lifting (she-woman)
Just kidding, I won't get bulky, just trying to build muscle.  More muscle you have the more fat you burn, so muscle is good.  Anyways, here it is, why do I torture myself? Oh, to not look pregnant, that's right.

1)  Deadlift 3 sets set 1:100lbs,  set 2:110lbs, set 3:125 lbs-I can really feel this one in my back muscles the next day and that makes me happy because I need a strong back.
Assist:  10 pushups
2) Squat:  use platform (small) with 2 45 lb plate weights
set 1:105, set 2:115, set 3: 130
Assist: 12-16 Plank rows with 25lb hand wights
3)Lat pulldown 3 sets at 70-85 lbs
Assist: curl and press 3 sets at 30lbs
rest 1 minute
saws and pikes for 45 seconds 3 times then puke...

Personal Training Session

See this picture above. I don't know what this is called but when i workout I use it.  Read below to hear a funny story about this "half ball thing"

Today I was on my own to do some personal training.  I meet with my trainer 2x a week, but he gave me this homework to do twice before we would meet up again.
5 reps of turkish get ups w/ 20lb keetle
12 Kettlebell swings (25-35lb)
12 ovehead preses w/ 15-20lb keetle ball
12 step ups with 15lb keetle ball in each hand (This was the very hardest exersize b/c the step was so high)
12 burpees with a half stability ball
12 Medicine ball slams (10lbs)
12 Single leg RDL w/ 25 lbs in same hand as leg lifts
12 reverse lunges w/ 20lb
12 sumo squats w/35lb
1 minute plank on stability ball
ALL THESE 3 TIMES!

So doing a burpee involves a pushup and then standing straight up and doing one big jump.  It's not so hard, except when down quickly 10 times in a row!  Well my training had me doing a jump on the ball pictured above after the pushup.  Well  everyone take not to not put in on a hardwood floor when doing that move.  Just do it on the black mat just like the training had you do.  Did you guess what happened when I went to jump on this "thing".  Yes, it went flying forward across the floor and I went flying backwards and down on my butt.  Luckly I wasn't hurt, and some bystanders got a good laugh. 
Everyone says I am funny, the thing is I don't do it on purpose.

My sweet niece, Marisa, took good care of my rascals last summer.

Joy is,
God's Word
Watching Luna blow kisses to Gabe in the car as she enters school.
Snuggling with my husband after he returns from a week long work trip
Gabe running to hug me when I had only been gone 2 hours
The swings Ignacio hung for the kids
Oatmeal with honey
Seeing the kids gobble up my homemade popcorn.
Luna speaking Spanish

My home personal training session

In the office I can do: 1.  Planks 2.  push ups 3.  squats 4.  Lunges  5.  Burpees - 10 reps 3 sets of everything. At home: 1.  10 pushups on the stability ball 2.  Figure eights, hold the stability ball against the wall at shoulder height with one hand and make a figure eight - 30 secs each arm 3.  Plank rows - 20 reps, each motion counts as one rep 4. Stability ball crunch - assume straight arm plank position on the stability ball and bring opposite knee to elbow - 20 reps, each motion counts as one rep 5.  Rock climbers - 30 secs 6.  Ladybugs 3 sets of everything.

Hemp Seed Benifits

In my efforts to lose my belly fat (Last year  4 strangers asked me if I were pregnant and I wasn't!)  I hired a personal trainer.
My personal trainer suggested I try a smothie with hemp seeds.  Now I know marajuana is "all natural" but so is tree bark and I don't think we all need to eat some tree bark.  So I decided to research it before ingesting these so called "Hemp Seeds".  Turns out they are not marajuana seeds. Marijuana and hemp both come from the same SPECIES of plant, Cannabis sativa L., but from DIFFERENT VARIETIES of Cannabis, just as Chihuahuas and St. Bernards are different breeds of dogs.  It will not get you high any more than a turkey can fly.  OK, so that's different enough for me.  Also I am very excited about all the benifits of hemp seeds;

• They contain all 20 amino acids, including the 9 essential amino acids (EAAs) our bodies cannot produce.
• They contain a high protein percentage of the simple proteins that strengthen immunity and fend off toxins.
• Eating hemp seeds in any form could aid, if not heal, people suffering from immune deficiency diseases. This conclusion is supported by the fact that hemp seed has been used to treat nutritional deficiencies brought on by tuberculosis, a severe nutrition blocking disease that causes the body to waste away.
• Nature's highest botanical source of essential fatty acid, with more essential fatty acid than flax or any other nut or seed oil.
• A perfect 3:1 ratio of Omega-6 Linoleic Acid and Omega-3 Linolenic Acid - for cardiovascular health and general strengthening of the immune system.
• A superior vegetarian source of protein considered easily digestible.
• A rich source of phytonutrients, the disease-protective element of plants with benefits protecting your immunity, bloodstream, tissues, cells, skin, organs and mitochondria.
• The richest known source of polyunsaturated essential fatty acids.

I couldn't contain my excitment I started sharing it with my co-workers and friends.  Well that don't go well.   Jokes galore and worries that I would lose my job and that I would be asked to take a drug test.

Then I read US farmers are not allow to grow it.  (insert red flag here) That makes me a little nervous.  I read on and found "Hemp is actually categorized with marijuana as part of the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 and is therefore illegal to grow in the US."
Nutiva is a well know brand of hemp seeds and at their website I found the answers to my buring questions;
Q. Are hemp foods legal to import, buy and consume in the United States?

A. Yes. The case HIA v DEA established that hemp foods are exempt from control in the Controlled Substances Act. An excellent overview of the case can be found on the Vote Hemp web site on their DEA Hemp Food Rules page.
Q. If I recently consumed hemp foods, could I fail a drug test?
A. If the only source of the psychoactive THC in your body is from hemp foods, produced from Canadian grown hemp seeds and eaten in reasonable quantities, it is virtually impossible to fail a drug test by ingesting hemp foods due to the fact that THC levels in our products are barely measurable.

Well I always say I would rather be safe than sorry, but if you feel a little wild and want to give it a try here is my trainer's recipe;
Hemp protein shake
4 Tablespoons of hemp protein
3-4 cups of unsweetened almond or coconut milk
2 cups of frozen berries
1/2 banana (mine will be frozen because then it will be ice cream like texture :)
add stevia until sweet

And if you want to know more The Body Ecology Diet site has an article discussing hemp here.

Homemade Yogurt

At first it seemed like it would be a lot of work to make homemade yogurt.  I found a easy crock pot recipe  on this great website;  http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/10/you-can-make-yogurt-in-your-crockpot.html

I did it and I am so proud of myself.  I just love being about to do homemade stuff like this!

Then I put them in containers and Luna likes it and Ignacio loves it!  He even special requested that I make it.  It is not as thick as store bought yogurt, actually it is more like Keifer.  You can just pour it out, no scoop necessary.  Anyways, that's how it is in Colombia, so he just pours it right on his cereal instead of milk.  Gabe's the only one that doesn't eat (drink) it. 

Decorating

I must have the decorating bug.  I've spent all day on the Pottery Barn website.  I am really liking the Oat Straw.  But where?  The bedroom maybe or the playroom?  Aha!  The entryway!

For the bedroom, I keep seeing rooms I like that are decorator's white.

and for the dinning room I like these pictures like this and a cabinet in the corner.  just like Shannon.

and for that little table.  maybe this...

Ideas for highlight color for living room, dinning room and/or bedroom;  Red, yellow, blue

As I put Gabriel in the car he said "I am getting a bellyache."  Why I asked, "because Luna is talking."

Eating dinner at shannon and Jonathan's house.  They served yummy bean soup, arrepas and avocados.  Oh course Gabriel enjoyed a few sliced of avocados from the start.  Later Jonathan was serving himself the last of the avocados, when gabriel shouts out, "save some avocado for me".

Praying last night again Gabriel thanked God for his rain spider man boots

And last but not least;  "Mommy, Gabriel said poopy butt."  That's all I got to say.

To do today
1. Spend time in the Word
2. Prepare for my 4:45 pm Jazzercise class-Learn a Medium
3. Buy new Jazzercise/workout Shoes
4. Bank statement to see how much spent in groceries
5. Study PP slides for Medical Terminology class
6. Blog about "trying"
7.  Spreadsheat with foods we buy etc.
8.  Pay Lib fee, request spanish books and audio books etc.

Gabriel Ramblings

Gabe says he wants to see Aunt Jessi, I ask why he says "she wants to hug me"

In the car Gabriel tells me he wants Grandpa to take him to the zoo, and Luna he adds,  and he wants to go in my van and Grandpa to sit in the front and Gabriel will sit in the back.

While praying at the table last night Ignacio thanked God for the food and his wonderful family.  Then Luna suggested that we go around the table and each person can say something they are gateful for, or more than one thing, as many as they like is OK, she said.  Luna thanked God for Papi's job and for the day. I then thanked God for his son, Jesus.  Last was Gabriel he said Thank you God for spiderman clothes.

In the car we sometimes listen to a song called "Chocolate".  Gabe asked for that song and then said, "I like that people holy polly".  There is a part in the song that said Daddy likes it rolly polly.

I told Gabriel Pierson and Thatcher would not be coming over tonight and neither would ther mom they are sick.  He said "Michael is just coming"?  Yes I said. He replied, " "I will play bowling ball with Michael".  This is funny because it is our small group and Michael is the leader and is upstairs with the grown ups.  His children Pierson and Thatcher stay downstairs with gabriel and the babysitters.

Thursday Jan 12th

I am trying to set up more rountines in an attempt to use my time more efficently.  I tend to waste a lot of time and get off track easily.  I am like a human form of Dori from finding Nemo.  I think this will help me.

To do today
1.  Spend time in the Word 
2.  Prepare for my 4:45 pm Jazzercise class
3.  Buy new Jazzercise/workout Shoes
4.  Bank statement to see how much spent in groceries

To do every day at work
1. Spend time in the Word
2. Read in spanish (newspaper) for 10 minutes
3. Make to do list

Sometime soon

• Summer Care for Kids
• granola bars, muffins, ready garden
• Marriage=Go dancing! get babysitter!
• Toyota Recall
• Identity Theft Coverage
• Replace Revolutionary Parenting Book of friend that Ignacio lost

21 Days to a More disciplined Life

Love this website.  She was the inspiration for my recent Goals posts.  She has a new book called "21 Days to a More Disciplined Life"  You can click below to order

.http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1451646208/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=monsavmom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=1451646208

I am happy Ignacio and I gave in to my friends invitation to Disney World. I hope they (the kids) only remember the good times.
My personal favorite was animal kingdom.  I loved the Safari ride.  Luna and I also had special girl time on the Snow White ride.  Gabe liked the rides that went up and down.  Luna loved swimming in the hotel pool evne though it was frezzing.  Oh and she chose to search for a lizard over go on rides.  Gabriel liked the characters and the Honey I shrunk the kids play area.  Cata liked everything.  Carlos and Onix loved the shows.  Ignacio just seemed to be happy to be with friends and family in the most magical place on earth.

Goals 2012 cont..

Family/Mothering Goals
1) Speak more Spanish
     -by movie night in spanish, story time in spanish,
2) Routines
3) 1 toy out at time at a time
4)  punish before lose temper
5)  read/discuss partenting book with Ignacio
6)  Try more types of beans and bean soups

Family Trips for 2012
1) Turkey Run
2) Miami
3) Land between Lakes
4) Camping with Boehms
5) Camping with Denny and Debbi
6) N.Y
7) Liliana or other unplanned visitors
8) Smokey Mountains

God
1) AM bible time
2) Study/prepare more for small group
3) make church a priority by putting out clothes the night before
4) burn CD (blessings, forgiven) for Ingrid

2012 Goals for the House
January - Paint guest Bedroom and Basement, prepare soil in gardens, mirror lay on dresser.  BLINDS or something, ask shannon, paint basement door, closet knobs, buy red pillows and throw, night stand for quest room, touch ups, goof off, faux metal art behind sofa, get basement carpet cleaned,
February - Paint Frames and Kickboards, Fence in LR, grout and caulk in kitchen and backsplash
March -New toilet, new tile, grout and guest bath, Prepare Carrot garden with sand
April -Front Lanscape, trim trees, buy seeds, plant lettus and cilantro in garden
May -Vents, repaint guest bathroom walls, cabinet and guest bathroom ceiling
June - Replace window in our kitchen, Paint our closet and foyer closet
July - Put up pixs in LR, Playroom light burlap $80 potterybarn, measure diamater
August-Paint Front Door/replace or fix front and backstorm doors, clean carpets
September - Paint Beams/ paint Ceilings in LR
October - Paint our bedroom -Benjamin Moore, decorators white 1-04, wall lamps or floor lamps, patch hole, hang wall mirror
November - buy rug for living room
December - change deck or put in new sinks in master bathroom

Things I would like to accomplish this year
Metal Faux frames
Spice Drawer
Cut Gabe's and Luna's hair
Yard Sale
Sell stuff on ebay/craigslist
Stick to budget, use cash.
New Sprint Phone
Garden-carrots, tomatos, cucumbers, lettuce and parsley.
Paint green bookshelf
make drawer into box
feather baretts
Disney Pix's

Personal Goals
Lose weight

Financial Goals
-Pay cash for everything
-Stick to budget
-Complete 6 months Emergency Fund by May
-Pay cash for a bedroom set and headboard for guestbedroom  (or pieces to make a set)
-Pay cash for a bedroom set and headboard for Gabriel (not really a set, since that is not economical)
-New computer/Build retirement
Whew, now that's all written in here can throw out my 5 random peace of scrap papers with my scribbled goals written on them