Just What Do You Eat?

Have you seen THIS POST going around Facebook?

I have always thought it was interesting to see how other cultures lived, worked, & worshiped. It amazes me that we can all live on this same planet & be so incredibly different from each other.

There are so many places & kinds of people that I will probably never get the opportunity to go or meet.

As you look through the pictures, pay close attention to the amount of processed foods, the number of drinks vs water, & the abundance or lack there of with fresh fruits & vegetables.

Is it any wonder why many of our countries, including the US is overweight?

What's One More Thing

Well, its that time again. Its time for the Ultimate Blog Challenge.

If you will remember, I flooded your newsfeeds with LOTS of posts in July when I last took part in this. I was unsure as I wrapped up the month if I would sign up for it again. I was still unsure when I signed up to do it again last night. I am still unsure even as I sit here writing.

My life has been crazy busy & complicated lately - even more so than normal!

We ALWAYS are overbooked every fall. Between football & cheerleading, there really isn't much room for anything else. Well, this year, we have added 2 different school schedules (public school & homeschool). We have added Justin not only helping to coach Austin's football team, but also being the athletic trainer for the high school football team, which means that he has to be at every practice right after school as well as every JV & Varsity game, both home & away.

Its that time of year where my home business picks up. I am up to my ears in ribbon, tulle, & bottlecaps trying to stock up for the Apple Festival, various fall festivals, vendor events, & Christmas orders.

I have also recently started another business. I have become an Ambassador with Plexus Slim. I am working so hard at trying to build this business into something lucrative so I can help our family.

Add to all of this, the every day chores around the house, the demands of being a pastor's wife, & the requirements of a homeschool teacher and it seems so overwhelming right now.

So I still wonder if trying to write 30 blog posts in 30 days was the smartest decision.

Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE writing my blog! I LOVE hearing from someone how much I have encouraged them! I LOVE knowing that God is using ME through something that I enjoy!

I just don't EVER want to feel like I HAVE to do this! Then it becomes a J O B & not many people enjoy their jobs.

So bare with me while I attempt another challenge. Bare with me if some days life takes over & I don't get to post. Bare with me if occasionally something I write doesn't make as much sense as it did in my head.

Bare with me if I don't make it to 30. I'm going to give it my best effort, but if I fall short, remember I am human & bare with me!

Blessed to Be GOLD

I know that a few of you have been following my recent journey. I have finally taken back control of my life. I have fought & struggled with my weight for years. I have tried a few times in the past only to become disheartened, discouraged, & eventually fall right back into the same ole routines.

I have finally found something that works for me. I started Plexus Slim a little over 2 months ago. It is changing my life! I have lost 25 pounds & 27 inches in those 2 months. I am overcoming my sugar cravings and my Mt Dew addiction. In exchange for these not so good habits, I am learning to make better choices. I am slowly adding exercise back into my life when I can make the time.

Not only is Plexus making me healthier, but it is providing an income for my family. Since I have been a stay at home mother for almost 5 years, I have only made a little extra money here & there. But through Plexus & by God's grace, I am steadily adding to our family budget & we are slowly paying bills off.

I became an Ambassador with Plexus Slim on July 31 of this year. I joined strictly for my discount because I KNEW that this product was working for me & I wanted to save as much money as possible. My husband looked at me that night & told me that since I had the opportunity to sell it, I should at least try. I said, ok, but I really didn't think I could. I was just trying to appease him.

I made a couple of posts to Facebook that night & had my first order the next day. I sold over $900 that first week! And before August was over, I sold almost $3000 & had became a Silver Ambassador! My total pay for the month of August was $$$$! I couldn't believe it! I was HOOKED! I KNEW that this was an opportunity that God had placed in my lap & I wasn't going to waste it!

As September rolled around, I started thinking about the future. I didn't know how I could build this business. But I was sure that God would provide a way.

Halfway through September, I really started looking at the next level in Plexus - a Gold Ambassador. I needed a total of 20 people under me and all 20 of those people needed to reach $120 in sales. Now, $120 in sales with Plexus is EASY, but that many people?? I just wasn't sure. I had 11 people already, but to add 9 more people & everyone reach their sales in 2 weeks. That was a HUGE goal!

I kept praying. I knew that if it was God's will, it would happen! Little by little, my goal started looking attainable!

Well, I am TICKLED PINK to announce that as of yesterday September 30, 2013, I became a GOLD Ambassador with not just 20, but 21 people under me reaching their sales goals!

I also have the pleasure of knowing my team added 3 Silver Ambassadors in September to make a total of 4. And my total pay from September is going to be mid $$$$! I just can't get over how much God is blessing me, as well as many others through Plexus!

A Few Things I Have Learned This Month

As many of you know, I have been participating in the Ultimate Blog Challenge this month. It has been an experience, that's for sure.

The Ultimate Blog Challenge was simply a call for bloggers everywhere who wanted to increase their traffic, who wanted to push their creativity, who wanted something more. We were asked to post 31 times during the month of July and then share these posts in certain places. We were also asked to comment on other people's blog posts everyday.

Let me share a few things that I have taken away with me from this challenge.

1. I don't like the demands of having to write everyday. I'm a pretty laid back person & over the past few years, I have had the privilege of not having to be on anyone else's schedule. I've learned that I don't like the pressure of set in stone schedules anymore.

2. Not everyone plays by the rules. No matter what you do in life, there will be those who buck the system, & want to do things their own way. (This coming from the former public school employee turned homeschool advocate! LOL)

3. Not every person who writes has something interesting to say.

4. Not every blogger out there will appeal to everyone who stumbles across their page. I've read some interesting things this month, but some of them didn't pertain to me at all.

5. Not every challenge issued is worth pursuing. I'm not saying that this one wasn't, but some people jump on any train that happens to travel by them.

6. Temporary increase is good but does it have staying power? Sure, my comment box has been flooded this month, but how many of those people are going to stick around now that July is over?

7. Even though we were sent daily reminders & tips on what to post, no one can tell me what to write about. I write from my heart. My husband compares it to his preaching. A lot of what I write about is strictly inspiration from God, the remainder is just the insanity of my life.

8. I will probably never reach blogger stardom. If I can just really reach out to those few loyal readers, I am completely ok with that.

9. Sometimes life is boring & I have nothing to say.

10. Whether or not I will try out the next UBC, only time will tell. Yeah, I probably will, but I'll do it with all of these other things in mind.

My sole reason for starting this blog a few years ago was so that hopefully I could encourage other people struggling through certain aspects of their lives. I want to glorify God in all aspects of my life. Am I doing that? Have I made someone's day a little brighter? Have I shown others they are not alone in their journeys?

I hope so, or else I am wasting mine & many other people's precious time.

3 Generations of Heroes

My husband is one of my heroes. Not only because of what he does Every. Single. Day. for our family, but literally because he is a hero.

Justin joined his local volunteer fire department as a Junior Fireman when he was only 13 years old. Of course, he couldn't help out much until he turned 18, but those beginning years provided valuable training, taught him about teamwork, and instilled in him a love for helping others. I believe this was one of the contributing factors to leading him down the road towards becoming an EMT. He has had an active role in the fire department ever since.

It wasn't long after Justin joined, that his father saw the benefits from this organization. This encouraged Tony to sign up as well.

Justin's mom has always played an active role in helping the fire department anyway she could, but it wasn't until a few years ago that she officially became a fireman woman. Other members of our family are also volunteers out there, including cousins, my brother in law, my niece, and many friends that we consider family.

Austin has always loved going to training, running calls, & just hanging out at the fire station with anyone who would let him tag along. I knew the day was fast approaching when he would join their ranks.

Sure enough, his daddy finally gave in & let Austin turn in his application to become a Junior Fireman. He is beyond excited!

I'm happy for him. But, that sure gives me something else to worry about!

So, here's saying a prayer for all of our men, women, boys, & girls who are our heroes today & dream of being our heroes in the future.

Starting Her Out Right

She finally did it! Makenzie finally agreed to try to ride a dirt bike.

We started Austin out at 5 on a little 4 wheeler. It didn't take him long to flip it, get scared, and not want to get back on it. We struggled with trying to get him to ride it again. After a year of trying, we gave up & traded the 4 wheeler for a dirt bike. He hasn't looked back since!

We have been hanging on to his first dirt bike. Its just a little 50, all of the plastic has been jerked off, its beat up, but it runs great. We couldn't get much out of it if we were to try & sell it. And its perfect for everyone else to learn how to ride.

Makenzie is 7. She loves her bicycle, driving her go cart, and riding the 4 wheeler & dirt bike with someone else driving. But, she has no interest in learning to ride by herself.

We finally talked her into it. She actually did very well too!

Did you SEE how close she came to hitting my porch?!

Hopefully, she will get back on it. Now, I just hope its that easy for me to learn!

Celebrating a First & Cherishing a Last

I told you yesterday all about finding a toddler bed at the TTB Kidz consignment sale. Well, believe it or not, I had the crib broke down & the new bed in place before lunch yesterday. Yep, little ole me, with lots of help from Makenzie & Logan of course.

Logan was very excited about his new bed. He crawled all over it. He laid down in it. He seemed to like it. But I worried about him actually sleeping in it.

I remember when we switched Austin to his big boy bed. He kept getting up over & over again for days. The only way I could get him to actually stay in it was to sit with him until he fell asleep. Then he would still come to my bed in the middle of the night. That was a long time in our lives. Although I still smile when I think about waking up to find him in bed with me or curled on his cot beside our bed.

Makenzie wasn't a big deal. She has always wanted to be in her bed. So when we switched her, she went to sleep. She still woke up almost every night. But after a potty break, she went right back to bed.

As nap time crept closer, I waited with silent apprehension. I waited, then I waited some more. I waited until Logan's little head was falling over. As I took him to his room, he said "no bed", and promptly went to sleep.

Hmmm....can bedtime be this easy?

Yet again, I waited until past Logan's bedtime before even attempting it. After all the kisses & good night rituals, I laid him down, tucked him in, walked out, & turned out the light. He was immediately at the door screaming. I knew it was too good to be true.

So, I put him back in bed & sat down with him. I talked, I rubbed his back, I sang, I pleaded for over 20 minutes. He kept saying "night night", hollaring "oh toodles", or some other jibberish. I finally told him good night one last time & walked out, closing the door behind me. He fussed for a few minutes from his bed, but went on to sleep.

I almost woke him up when I went in to check on him a few hours later because I just had to take a picture! Unfortunately, I wasn't smart enough to take a pic of him sleeping in his crib for the last time :(

I read an article several years ago about celebrating all the lasts. This is so true. We are always excited when a first happens, but we don't realize the significance of those lasts.

Time passes far too quickly! Take a few minutes to enjoy it, just in case its the last time.

Trash To Treasure

I love love love finding good deals.

I shop yard sales, consignment stores, & the Goodwill. I shop regular stores too, but rarely buy something if it isn't on sale.

As I mentioned earlier this month, I have been working on tagging 200 items for an TTB Kidz upcoming consignment sale in Charlotte, NC. I have shopped this sale numerous times in the past, but have never attempted to sell my own items. Turns out, there's a lot of work in getting ready for a sale.

I honestly hadn't planned on shopping the sale this year. Charlotte is over an hour away for me. Taking the clothes down and then picking up whatever is left was already creating 2 trips and more gas than I want to think about.

BUT, as I said, I LOVE sells! I also realized that I no longer had an option to put off buying Logan a big boy bed. *side note {One day as I was getting Logan up from his nap, he started handing me his papi (pacifier), blankets, & every stuffed animal in the crib. I laughed at him, telling him my arms for full so I couldn't get him. I asked him how he was going to get out. He proceeded to push up on the side rail and throw his leg completely over it. Ok, dully noted buddy. Its time for a new bed!}

So, off I took, in my gas guzzling Suburban in search of a bed, a new (to me) car seat because I'm tired of switching it back & forth constantly, and very few clothes.

After bumper to bumper, stop & go traffic, we finally made it to Charlotte. And where did I head first? Yep, straight to the beds. I found a white Graco metal bed with plastic side rails for $25. I personally think that was well worth the trip. (I'll tell you more about that later.)

I also found a Graco car seat for $20. The cheapest one I have previously found was $40, so of course, I bought it! The Abercrombie  hoodie for $3, the $10 Christmas dress valued at over $50, several other pieces were just icing on the cake.

And just what kind of homeschooler would I be if I didn't wander through the book section? When I saw a book that we would need for school this year that has been discontinued, I grabbed it in a heartbeat.

I was almost ready to leave when my eyes spotted The Princess & The Pea. It was an old copy & looked just like the one I had as a child. I smiled as I picked it up. My husband always refers to me as the Princess & the pea because if there is anything in my bed, I can't stand it. I will find even the smallest crumb. So, yes, we now own this copy of this children's classic.

A New Prince

I admit it.

I'm just as excited as the rest of the world with the birth of this tiny little boy. Well, maybe not quite as excited as the royal family, but I am fascinated. I couldn't help but smile as the news traveled far and wide of the blessed event.

I think the world has fallen immediately in love. I believe this is partly due to the fact that William & Kate both seem very real. I applaud Kate for embracing her role as a mother. William has reminded men everywhere of the importance of being a supportive part of childbirth. I love the fact that Kate is not ashamed of the body that brought forth the biggest change in her life.

Even with all the media coverage, with all the public interest, with all the royalty, we must still remember that this baby is still just a baby. This new mom & dad are still just mom & dad.

Just like all parents, I'm sure that William & Kate think their son is the most beautiful bit they have ever laid eyes on! I'm sure that they struggled with choosing the right name. I'm sure they planned & prepared to make the nursery just the right haven for their family. I'm sure they worried over everything that didn't seem normal during pregnancy & labor. I'm sure they were nervous wrecks when they realized that the doctors actually let them take this little miracle home even though they were clueless.

Even though I don't personally like the name George, I am thrilled that they actually picked a normal sounding name instead of some inanimate object like most celebrities today.

So here's to His Royal Highness Prince George!


And....a little royal humor....

A New Discovery

I am exhausted!

I'm still tired even though it's the next day!

It's been a while since I have been this bone tired.

I took the kids to The Discovery Place in Charlotte yesterday. Have you ever been? Oh you NEED to go!! This was our first time & I was overwhelmed!

By looking at the map of the museum, it honestly doesn't look that big. BUT, once you get there, the fun just keeps going & going & going (especially the 2nd floor)!

They have a special room for kids under 7 to play, explore, & run around. It took Logan all of 2 minutes once we entered this area to become soaking wet while playing in the water area. OOPS, I didn't anticipate that. Oh well, it didn't seem to bother him.

There were many different areas where the kids could learn about all sorts of animals, from fish to birds to frogs. We dissected owl pellets, tried to balance eggs like a penguin, & examined molted parts of a tarantula under a microscope. They even got to touch horseshoe crabs, starfish, & a snake.

They made creations out of duct tape. laid on a bed of nails, propelled themselves into the air with a rocket chair, & tried to lift their body weight through a series of pulleys. We balanced balls on columns of air, sent shredded paper into a vacuum & flying into the air, & played tug of war.

They learned how to build shelters & why it is necessary. We built, knocked down, & rebuilt various structures out of blocks. We played trivia games & tried to figure out where in the world they were just from a picture. They learned that germs are everywhere.

They played in a submarine, found out which bugs were the slimiest, learned just how gross flies really are. We tried to save frogs from certain doom, fought bug against bug in order to have bragging rights, & saw the inside workings of a cow's numerous stomachs. They matched animals to their piles of poop & were completely surprised by how long tape worms really are.

We watched a turtle's trip to paradise & saw lions in Africa up close & personal. We watched fire change colors.

Can you tell we all had a great time?!

The best part about it, they were learning without realizing it!

We could easily spend a whole week trying to learn and investigate everything The Discovery Place had to offer. I think I'll make my hubby go next time too.

Not So Happy

Yesterday was a family member's birthday. I didn't see them. I didn't have the opportunity to wish them happy birthday. In fact, I haven't seen or heard from this person in over 6 months. I know she is alive & other family members have spoken to her, but I haven't.

It's nothing personal, it's a choice that she has made. She has more or less deserted her family & everyone who loves her, with the exception of whatever man she happens to be living with at the time.

But yet, it's not really her choice anymore. She has been wrapped up in some kind of drug or mind altering substance for some time now.

If you know me, then you know exactly who I am talking about. If you don't actually know me, it doesn't matter. I'm sure you know someone who would fit this description! PLEASE pray for her!

Here in NC, there has been  A LOT going on lately with drug busts, especially Meth. A few weeks ago, several people I know were arrested in a local bust that has been accumulating for several years.

It turns out that my home town had the most number Meth labs busted up last year in the WHOLE STATE! How's that for getting your name on the map?! We used to be famous for Moonshine, then while I was in college, it was pot, now Meth. We are also one of the leading counties for prescription overdoses.  Oh, we've got some real winners here.

Have these people never SEEN what Meth can do to your appearance?!

I'm not being judgmental. It is very sad! This drug (all drugs in fact) has people so wrapped up in their clutches that it is almost impossible to get out!

Please talk to your children, your brothers & sisters, your friends, your neighbors, everyone you know. Please make sure they know the dangers, the damages that addictions can cause. If you suspect anyone you know of using drugs, please don't just stand by. Please try to intervene on their behalf. They are NOT going to come clean on their own. They NEED our help!

I know so many families that have been ripped apart by someone's addiction. Parents, children, friends that would give almost anything to have their families happy & put back together again.

A New Look

I know that a few of you remember me talking about coming home from vacation to find out that our roof had leaked. (that part is WAY at the bottom of that post)

Well, after jumping through several hoops with our insurance company, insurance adjuster, & mortgage company (don't you just love red tape) and after waiting for the rain to hold off (remember it rained A LOT here in NC), we were finally able to put our new roof on.

Guess what? It's TIN! Guess what else? It's RED!

Oh I LOVE it!!

We had some friends help us out and were able to finish it in a little more than half a day! Yeah!

I know you have been awaiting the results. So here you go!

I found it very amusing that most of the pictures I took of Justin was when he was sitting around! LOL He really did help, a little! 

Celebrity - I Think Not

Just who is Dzhokhar Tsarnaev? If you don't know, don't worry, you are not alone. I had no clue who this man was. But if you mention what he did, I would almost guarantee that most people would know him.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is the surviving bomber of the Boston Marathon. 

So why am I writing about him?

Have you seen the latest issue of Rolling Stone? 

Better yet, have you heard their reasons behind putting a killer & a terrorist on the cover of a magazine that has become a Rock-n-Roll icon?

Yes, he may look similar to Jim Morrison & Bob Dylan. From first glance at this photo, he gives off a sexy, been there done that, rebel without a cause vibe. 

 But let's get real people.

This is a man who openly plotted violence & hoped for death of people he has never met before. This is a man who caused many people to fear for their lives.

WHY are we treating him like a celebrity?!

Miracle Cure for Rough Feet

Ok ladies, let's talk feet.

Since we are right in the middle of summer, I'm sure that more people that not are sporting snazzy sandals and running around barefoot when you can. You are probably paying more attention to your pedicures as well. I know I am.

But if you are anything like me, you don't like the way your feet look and most importantly, feel.

I have tried E V E R Y T H I N G  to get soft, smooth, pretty feet (ok, feet are not really pretty - but as pretty as they can be). I keep lotion on my feet CONSTANTLY. I exfoliate. I scrub. I use a Ped Egg. I coat them in Vasoline, wrap in syran wrap,& cover with socks (Don't laugh!! & DO NOT try to walk!! This is best done at night while you sleep.)

None of these have lasting results.

Sigh, what's a girl to do?!

Have you seen the crazy picture circulating Facebook about soaking your feet in Listerine?

Yeah, I laughed too. But I thought, hey why not.

I tried it the other night. The recipe calls for 1/4 cup of Listerine, 1/4 cup of vinegar, and 1/2 cup of warm water. That is not enough to soak my feet in. Maybe if I had a different bowl & only soaked one at a time. I ended up using 2 cups of Listerine, 2 cups of vinegar, & 4 cups of water. After I soaked my feet, I made sure to exfoliate them and coat with lotion.

Yes, the Listerine made my feet tingle. And a word to the wise, if you have a cut or a sore on your foot, you will feel it. I had scrapped a toe and some of the skin was peeled back. It didn't actually hurt. It was just a little uncomfortable.

Results: My feet were still smooth the next morning. Now the cracks are still there, but maybe after repeated treatments, that might go away as well. I'll let you know.

My husband laughed at me and complained that I stunk up the whole house. ;) The things we do for beauty! 

Virtue Training Bible Review & Giveaway

When I first heard that Mindy Dunn was creating a Virtue Training Bible, I was beyond thrilled! I immediately contacted her to let her know that I wanted to review it & host a giveaway. We ALL love giveaways, don't we?!

We already have the Child Training Bible & LOVE it! Some people may shy away from purchasing the CTB because they don't have kids. Don't let that stop you. We all have areas that we need to work on!

So just WHAT is a Virtue Training Bible? Well, I'm glad you asked!

With 48 different character traits, the Virtue Training Bible is a tool that will allow you to focus on just about any area that you need help with. Whether its being more compassionate, seeing things through with diligence, forgiving those that wrong you, or having more patience, the VTB can help you.

Most everyone who reads & believes the Bible, knows that it contains the answer to every problem imaginable within its pages. But do you know how to find the answers when you need them? If you are a Bible scholar, you might, but most people would have to search for those results.

The VTB makes it simple for you!

It includes a guide that is color coded so all you have to do is locate the colored tab that lines up with your trait & flip to that page. Then look for that verse that has been marked in the same color.

Simple huh?!

Now we don't have any excuse not to look up how to improve our weak areas!

You can order the VTB for only $9. It includes the color chart & 3 scripture charts.

GOOD NEWS! It is compatible with ANY Bible! That's right, if you only use a specific version, you don't have to worry about it coinciding with your beliefs. My family does not use anything other than KJV, which is hard to find sometimes.

The only other things that you need to go along with your VTB charts is a Bible (whichever one you want), colored tabs (I got mine at Staples here & here, although they have them packaged together in the store), and colored highlighters, pencils, or crayons ( I use Crayola Twist Up Colored Pencils, also available at Staples or Walmart, because I like the way it allows the words to show through & I can erase my mistakes).

Once you have all of your supplies, you are ready to start the fun! Locate the first verse on the first trait (Compassion), highlight it, and add your tab to the top of the right hand page (even if the verse is on the left). Continue tabbing & highlighting Compassion until you have done all of the verses. Then move on to Contentment. Try to keep the tabs lined up so that when it is closed, they look even. This may mean that you place & replace the tabs a few times to get it right. Make sure that you overlap the tabs just a little as you go on to the following traits or they won't all fit across the pages.

It will take some time to tab & locate all of the scriptures, but consider it preparation for the harvest! If you enter into this project with that in mind, you will be blessed!

Now, don't you want one too?!

Enter here for a chance to win your own!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

4H Competitions

Yesterday, I sent my oldest son to Raleigh with a group of 4Hers for the poultry judging competition. These are all good kids who enjoy many things relating to the farm & country living. These kids are some of our leaders for the future.

Their hard work & effort paid off. Both the Jr & the Sr teams placed 5th among all the teams. One of our Jr members came in 5th place and Austin finished 3rd out of all the Jrs.

When I was starting to write this post, I realized that I had forgotten to write about the last competition.....

Last month, we attended Congress at NC State University. This is several days of presentations, competitions, & fun. Austin attended Congress last year, but this was his very first time giving a presentation.

Austin chose dirt bike safety. Its something that he knows and loves so that made it a little easier. Public speaking is something that most adults struggle with. Just about every profession involves it to some degree. This is a great opportunity for him to become comfortable talking in front of a room full of people.

After winning gold in the 9-10 year old safety division for our district, he had a guaranteed spot to compete at the state level. When we arrived for the state competition, we found out that he had been moved up to the 11-13 division because he had a birthday. We had nervous expectations to say the least. Amazingly, he brought home a bronze medal.

I am proud of him. He continues to impress me. He has so many opportunities & interests that I never had as a child.

If you have a young child, I strongly encourage you to look into joining a local 4H group. It has been nothing but a positive experience for my children.

Justice...Maybe, Maybe Not

***This is a VERY sensitive topic. If you want to comment, great. Keep it clean! If you have a different opinion, that's fine, but this is my blog, my opinions, please be respectful or I will delete your comment.***

I really don't follow the news quite as much as I probably should. In fact, most of the time, I'm relatively clueless as to what is going on around me. "This is my little world. I'm the queen here. Its ok, because they like me."

I haven't been so far out of the loop that I missed the George Zimmerman trial. It seems that everyone else crawled out from under their rock long enough to watch it too. That's ALL I have heard about. Wikipedia even has its own record of events!

The whole situation is sad. Two separate families have had their lives altered beyond belief. The Martin family lost a son, a brother, a friend. The Zimmerman family will have to live with the consequences of a situation that lasted less than 10 minutes.

I'm not saying whether the jury was right or wrong in the decision. I don't really have an opinion one way or the other about the outcome. I do however, have many strong opinions about how America is dealing with this whole mess.

Constant marches, protests, gatherings, blocking of highways, railroads tracks, & businesses. Fights, fires, broken windows, even burning the American flag! Many people are blaming this on racial issues (even though Zimmerman was part black himself). A little boy holds a sign that says "Don't shoot. I'm just young & black." A little girl holds a sign that says "I feel bad for Treyvon". Well, I do too, but you don't see me out here trying to tear down this country!

Its been a L O N G time since America has gotten into such an uproar over a court case.

Is our judicial system perfect? Is our country perfect? Not by a long shot! But the last I checked, we live in AMERICA! Land of the FREE! Home of the BRAVE! We are innocent until proven guilty. We are ALL entitled to our beliefs & opinions. But this is STILL AMERICA!! Our flag is to be honored, not desecrated, wrote all over, & burned. No matter what your belief - THAT is NOT acceptable! You choose to continue to live here. If you think this country is so wrong, feel free to MOVE!

Now, to add more fuel to this raging inferno, President Obama filed for Federal charges to be brought against George Zimmerman. REALLY?!

Is all that necessary? NOW, I believe it is a racial thing. Just where was Obama when Casey Anthony was set free?!

Like I said, the whole situation has been a tragedy from the start. Maybe Martin was hanging around houses trying to find some trouble to get into. Maybe he was just taking the scenic route home. Maybe Zimmerman is prejudiced & reacted on that. Maybe he was fighting for his life & shot because he felt he had no other option.

I can't help but wonder what happened in that 2 minute span from the time Zimmerman disconnected the 911 call until police arrived on the scene. More than likely, we will never get the WHOLE story. The REAL second by second detail of that night.

Strawberry Lemon Bars

While trying to come up with a yummy strawberry dessert, I happened across one for Strawberry Lemon Bars. It looked tasty, simple, & I had everything on hand to make it, so why not?! Of course, I never follow directions completely, so I put my own twist on things.

It turned out great, but when I make it again, I will change just a few things. The original recipe called for lining an 8 x 8 pan with aluminum foil. The 8 x 8 pan made the bars too "bready" in the middle, so I will probably switch to a shallow pan. I probably won't line it with foil next time either. Aluminum foil & fillings do not mix well.

So without further ado......

Strawberry Lemon Bars with Lemon Glaze

Ingredients for the bars:
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup butter
1 tsp of lemon juice
1 tsp of almond extract
1 tsp of vanilla extract
1 egg 
1/2 cup - 1 cup of diced fresh strawberries (I just kept adding until it looked full) 

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
Stir together flour, baking powder and salt. 
Mix sugar and butter with electric mixer.  
Add egg, lemon juice, vanilla, & almond. 
Mix in flour mixture.
Fold in diced strawberries by hand.
Coat pan with Crisco & lightly dust with flour.
Pour batter into pan.
Bake for about 35-45 minutes until done.
Let the bars cool before cutting and glazing.

For the Glaze1 cup of confectioners sugar 
lemon juice (enough to make it slightly runny)

Whisk together and pour over cooled bars.

Strawberry Flag Poke Cake

Since I have gotten a few comments on Our 4th of July Festivities, I thought I would include the recipe for my strawberry poke cake.

Bake a regular strawberry cake mix as directed. I added sliced strawberries to the mix as well. Allow to cool.

While the cake is cooling, prepare jello as directed.

Poke small holes into the cake. You can use a fork, a wooden skewer, a chop stick, or whatever you have handy.

Then pour slightly cooled Strawberry jello over the cake, allowing in to seep into the holes.

Since this was for July 4, I wanted to be extra festive.

I poked another set of holes in different places and poured Blue jello into those holes.

*if you are out of a particular kind of jello, plain works just as well with a pack of Kool-aid for color & flavor*

I bake the cake for another 10 minutes on 350. Then I put the cake into the fridge to cool.

After the cake cooled, I added cream cheese icing and topped with sliced strawberries and grapes, because my family doesn't like blueberries.

It sure was a hit. There wasn't a single piece left.

Our 4th of July Festivities

I thought about posting this earlier with a look at what I "wanted" to do just in case people needed ideas for celebrating. But I decided instead to give you a glimpse of what we actually did.

This year, the 4th of July holiday turned into a 4 day weekend for us. Justin took off on Thursday & Friday, & then amazingly we didn't have ANYTHING planned for Saturday! It was nice not having to be somewhere.

We had a cookout Thursday with friends & family. Check out my Patriotic Punch! I was so excited that this actually worked. The taste wasn't that great, but then again, I don't like Sprite so I wasn't too surprised. I also took the time to make a strawberry flag poke cake & chocolate dipped marshmallows & pretzels.

I found some really cool patriotic music to listen too from Amazon. And here performed by the US Marine Band. Best of all, it was FREE! Austin was not too impressed though.

We worked on our missionary study Around the World in 60 Days. (I'll add a link later after we have completed it. Check back at the end of August.)

We made firework paintings.

Justin read the Declaration of Independence & we even signed a pledge saying that we would. In return, we are getting a free copy mailed to us!

No summer celebration is complete without a trip to Stone Mountain for fishing, swimming, & ice cream! The water was WAY up and much colder than normal due to all the rain lately. The current was very swift as well, so Austin caught the only fish ... with his HAND.