Seek & Find

You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. 

Jeremiah 29:13

Easy does it

14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing; 15 so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world.

Philippians 2:14-15

I'd like to say that I'm a positive person, not easily getting upset. But that wouldn't be true. We all have areas that need improving in our lives, and these verses really hit home to me today.

grumbling. grumbling. 

The word just sounds like what it is. Groaning. Whining. Complaining. Mix them up and you have grumbling soup. I know we all have moments where one thing adds to the last and it's just too much and we crack. Believe me I'm so very guilty. But God has been talking to me lately about being content and joyful in Him no matter the circumstances. To let his sovereignty and grace cover the "one more poopy diaper blowout", the "dog keeps trying to lick Aubrey's face off and I just really don't want him to" or the many other moments that can cause me to grumble or lose the "gentle spirit" Christ calls me to have. 

How easy it is to get annoyed at the person driving just under the speed limit or the fact I hit every red light because I am in a hurry since I left late. Yes I know, there were reasons beyond my control that caused me to leave late, it's not really my fault. Nonetheless, my response and actions to others shouldn't be dependent on the seesaw that is my daily life. Things happen, they change the moments that I may have had planned out from as small as getting to an appointment on time to the huge decisions in life. What I need to remember is God is with me to the end of the age, and when things don't go exactly how I envisioned, grumbling will do me no good. In fact, it will only make me more grumbly. If that's not a real word... I just made it one. :) 

So easy does it with the grumbling, Jules.

God's grace is sufficient. It is magnificent. Yet how hard it is to rely on Him in the daily, even though this earth and all in it will pass away. My prayer is that I will continue to learn how to love this trivial life with all of its bumps, high and low, and hold onto the God who makes the living worth anything. To be joyful and content always because He is my constant, never changing, forever King. 

smiles

What's in a nickname? We all have them, they've come from many different places usually. Some of us may use a nickname for what we are called day to day whereas others have nicknames from specific people. My older brother Jonathan was and is known in our family as a nickname creator. We all have countless nicknames from him, most of which evolved over time. To give you an example, when we found out we were having a girl and we decided on the name Aubrey we told my older brother her name and that we like the name Bree for a nickname. He said "You're telling people what they can call her? What if we want to call her Aubs?" Fair enough. And what do you know, we tend to call her Aubs a lot. However, her other nickname which has become quite popular with us is Smiles. 

Her smile is huge. It's infectious. It makes me smile or laugh every time. Pure joy. And now she smiles without us even needing to smile first. Sometimes she will just randomly look at me and smile. What a gift from God! She smiles when watching our dog Chip, she smiles at daddy when he doesn't know she's looking, she smiles at her crib mobile, she smiles at the blank ceiling. :) One thing is for sure, 90% of the time you will see her tongue when she smiles, documented in the pictures below. That could actually be another nickname for her but we'll leave that one alone for now! 

I don't know that we will use this nickname a lot when she's 15, for fear we might push our daughter away forever! But we love the nickname that we feel suits her to a "T" and we'll keep using it as long as we can get away with it. ;)

So much produce!

This morning I went to pick up our CSA- basket of fruits and vegetables. So.much.produce!  This week we got:

Asparagus

Yellow squash

Cucumbers

Broccoli

Mangoes

Bananas

Tomatoes

Grapefruit

Corn on the cob

Not pictured:

Cantaloupe

Potatoes

This not to mention the produce we already have:

Mixed greens (kale, spinach, chard)

Romaine

Red, orange and yellow bell peppers

Carrots

Apples

Strawberries

More bananas!

Now the challenge begins...how to use as much as possible before it spoils!! Just call us herbivores!

Got any ideas?? I'd love to hear!!

Coconut oil review

Here are my initial thoughts on coconut oil for a few different uses. 

Shaving cream:  it seemed to work quite well and was smooth, however it made it harder to rinse off my razor. Otherwise I was pretty pleased.

Moisturizer:  After I showered I used coconut oil on the left half of my face as well as on my left leg and foot. I used regular face moisturizer on the right side of my face and Oil of Olay moisturizer on my right leg and foot. I felt like Two-Face! 

For those of you who haven't use coconut oil or haven't used it on your skin, it is very oily. That takes some getting used to and also figuring out how much you need because it goes a lot farther than you may think. I then proceeded with my regular make up routine. My makeup went on over the coconut oil easily. However, throughout the day I did notice that if I touched my face, which I realize I tend to do a lot more than I probably should!, my make up would come off quite easily.

  Coconut oil -1

Throughout the day I also had my mascara touch under my eye and it smeared, a few times thus giving me the I just woke up from a nap look. Hmm not what I was going for. 

  Coconut oil -2

I want to give the coconut oil as a moisturizer on my legs and feet a longer test period. So far I haven't noticed much difference between it and the Oil of Olay moisturizer. More to come...

After washing my face I then used coconut oil on my face and lips before going to bed. Once again, very oily. However considering I wash my face in the morning when I take a shower, I can easily wash off the excess oil before putting on any makeup. 

Foot moisturizer:  I have been putting oil on my feet and covering them with socks before bed to see if it helps with my calluses and dryness. I will continue doing this so I can see if it helps over time. More to come...

play time!

I would say in the past month or so Aubrey has become a lot more aware. She always seemed to be quite alert even early-on, but now she actually wants to touch and grab things more than before. Play time has been fun with her, seeing her explore things and watching it through an infant's eyes. 

She also has started talking so much which is so fun and sometimes hilarious. I'll be in the kitchen making dinner and she is just squawking up a storm. It is so cute and often I literally laugh out loud. 

All of the stages are unique in their own ways and I don't want to forget any of them. 

I just recently realized that she can sort of hold herself up while sitting for a short period of time. So it won't be long before she's sitting on her own!

And finally, "I'm tired mama." So sweet. 

Super Oil!

Coconut oil. It's been around forever but has emerged as a super oil recently and it's not hard to see why! From cooking to baking to skin and hair, this oil does it all!

---

doctoroz.com says:

Studies have show that intake of coconut oil can help our bodies mount resistance to both viruses and bacteria that can cause illness. Even more, it also can help to fight off yeast, fungus and candida.

Coconut oil can boost thyroid function helping to increase metabolism, energy and endurance. It increases digestion and helps to absorb fat-soluble vitamins.

---

I've been using it in cooking and baking for awhile and have never been disappointed. Yesterday I tried some in my coffee. It was definitely different...but I think with the right combo of sweetener it could be not too bad. Okay let's be honest, I'm not sure how many more times I'll do that because I feel like it's just not the same coffee anymore! One step at a time. :)

Oil pulling. Heard of it?? I hadn't until a few months ago. Basically it involves "pulling" oil through your teeth...pushing and pulling for 20 minutes, resulting in many benefits, two of which are reduction in plaque and whiter teeth. Back up...20 minutes?!? I have yet to try it but have heard the gagging reflex is on high alert. Dr. Mercola states "When done correctly, oil pulling has a significant cleansing, detoxifying and healing affect, not only for your mouth and sinuses but for the rest of your body as well."

Add that to my list of new things to try!

Next up: coconut oil as moisturizer, eye makeup remover and hair deep conditioner. Here I've whipped up coconut oil so it's ready for use! More to come on my reviews!

DIY coconut oil skin care recipes:

Makeup remover: Swipe on with a moist cotton ball. Wipe off with clean cotton ball or wet washcloth.

Facial cleanser: Massage a dollop of coconut oil onto face and neck. Wash off with wet washcloth and pat dry.

Body scrub: Mix equal parts coconut oil with organic cane sugar in a glass jar. Use the scrub on dry skin prior to your shower or bath.

Facial scrub: Instead of sugar, mix coconut oil with baking soda, or oatmeal with a dash of cinnamon, for a gentle facial scrub.

Shaving lotion: Apply a thin layer of coconut oil on area to be shaved, and shave as usual. The lauric acid in the coconut oil will also serve as an antiseptic for cuts that result from shaving.

Face and body moisturizer: You can use it either by itself, or add your favorite essential oil. (Make sure you’re using a high quality essential oil that is safe for topical application.) The featured article6 also suggests whipping the coconut oil with an electric mixer to produce a fluffy moisturizer that stays soft and spreadable even in cooler temperatures. When applied topically, coconut oil helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by helping to keep your connective tissues strong and supple, and aids in exfoliating the outer layer of dead skin cells, making your skin smoother.

For these and more DIY coconut oil skin care recipes, see http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/11/18/coconut-oil-uses.aspx#!

weddings and babies <3

LOVE BOTH. 

I have so many loved ones celebrating one of these joyous events in the near future and I am blessed to be a part! Here are two cards I made recently:

Faux dough

Cashews

Garbanzo beans

Date syrup 

I'm sure the first thing that came to your mind when you read those ingredients was cookie dough, right??  And there's that date syrup again!  Haha I didn't believe it either. So I figured I needed to try it before I instantly disliked it.  I LOVE chocolate chip cookies, especially cookie dough... so my expectations are pretty high.  But in the name of health, I wanted to try these faux doughs out for myself!

One of the cookie recipes has cashews as the base and the other has chickpeas. I subbed date syrup for the maple syrup/agave syrup in both recipes. And i added oats to the chickpea one. I used semi sweet choc chips in both. 

Cashews:

Chickpeas (garbanzo beans):

So, how do they compare to each other and how do they stand up next to the best chocolate chip cookie dough recipe I've had??

The texture of the chickpea dough is much better, more creamy like normal cookie dough. The cashew dough is more crunchy but that may be because the cashews could have been blended more. The chickpea dough has some peanut butter in it so you can taste that, which I'm always a fan of, but it makes it hard to compare the two taste-wise. You can taste the cashews as well, so they both doughs have a nutty flavor of their own.  Both lack the sweet dough flavor of grandma's good ol' chocolate chip cookie dough, however as a healthy alternative they hold their own quite well. Unless you have a nut allergy, I suggest you give them a try and let me know which one you like best!

Here's another recipe I will probably try out in the future.  It looks like you may be able to bake it if you add some baking soda but no one's posted anything yet, so more to come on that!

http://freshfitnhealthy.com/2014/03/chocolate-chip-cookie-dough-dip-gf-low-calorie/

Recipes!

Cashews:

http://laurenconrad.com/blog/2013/02/recipe-box-healthy-no-bake-cookie-dough-bites/

Chickpeas:

http://www.fitsugar.com/Chickpea-Cookie-Dough-Recipe-28371473

Blog Title

Yet those who wait for the Lord
  Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.

Isaiah 40:31 

...with wings like eagles.  Can you imagine?  Soaring this incredible, vast, incomprehensible world our Savior created??  I know when I was little (okay let's be honest, even as an adult!) and I was asked what super power I would want if I could choose anything, the first thing that came out of my mouth is always "FLYING!!".  Who wouldn't want to??  Well maybe if you're afraid of heights...

I want to soar, not just amongst this temporary earth we walk, but I want to soar in and through life with Christ.  each and every day, in every way.  I have decided this verse is going to be one that I pray every day, that I would wait for the Lord and that He would give me new strength and help me not to grow weary in the stuff life throws at us.  How I can so easily grow tired and forget the purpose of this life... it is NOT this life! but the life with Christ we should be aching for, and the one we should be striving to live for and about daily, until our Father comes like a thief in the night (1 Thessalonians 5:2).  This is my prayer.  Hallelujah, Amen!

Parm chicken, sweet potatoes and broccoli

It's what (was) for dinner! Delish!

Dates as a sweetener?!

You may have already heard about this but it was news to me. Dates = sweetener. Okay, I'll give it a try. 

I have yet to try it as I just made it tonight but there will definitely be follow-up posts with reviews! First up may be trying it in my coffee!

It can be used in place of maple or honey in a recipe or as a topping. The one thing that may take some experimenting is the amount to use. I read it's pretty equal for maple syrup or honey but I'm not sure about regular sugar or other sweeteners. Time will tell!

For more ways to put date syrup to the test, check out 101 Uses for Date Syrup.

Recipe below:

DATE SYRUP

8-9 medjool dates

1 1/4 cups filtered water

1 1/2 tsp lemon juice

Place the dates in a small bowl; cover with warm water and let sit for 30 minutes. Once the dates have soaked, drain the water then add all of ingredients to the wet container of a high speed blender, such as a Vitamix. Blend for 45-60 seconds, or until smooth. Transfer to an air tight container and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Yield: 1 1/3 cups

http://www.ohladycakes.com 

Here's to health, one carrot at a time.

Haha this quote cracks me up. I do like carrots...both kinds. ;)

I don't think I'd ever really want to be on any specific diet where you can't have this or that if you want it. If you're craving a juicy burger with all the fixins or that ice cream sundae, I say go for it. You only live once! But then there's the question of what nutrients can help you feel more energy and which ones simply trick you with a quick boost of energy only to leave you wallowing on the couch too lazy to get the mail 20 minutes later. 

So I have decided that I want to be more knowledgeable about healthy options out there...the good, the bad and the deceptive. There is so much to know and so many healthy, body loving nutrients to discover!

So this page will be devoted to health. Food, healthy alternatives, facts, and I may throw in some exercise posts too. :)

I'd love to hear your thoughts and recipes and info!

Sweet child of mine.

Our sweet baby girl. 1 day old. 

Fresh blog

I have decided to start a new blog. I was going to just revamp my other blog but I couldn't figure out how to remove the background template and instead of wasting more than the hour I already had in trying to change it, I figured why not just start a fresh blog!

My vision for my blog has changed slightly from when I was blogging before, not that I was even very consistent but nonetheless. We'll see if the consistency changes this go around. :)

I want to use this space to:

• have a way to look back on memories of Aubrey
• be reminded of healthy habits I will hopefully be making reality:  foods, exercise...
• journal verses or prayers that touch me at a particular moment
• post creative happenings:  DIY projects, crafts, hobbies...
• have a place to post random thoughts should I feel inclined

I mainly want to have one place to store memories. of the here. the now. and to live and love life.