What I'm Reading Now

I'll admit I'm a book-a-holic. Usually, I can be found juggling several books at once. If I'm not reading a book, then you know I must be SO BUSY I'M READY TO SHOOT MYSELF.

Thought I'd tell you what I'm reading in January and February, in case it is something you don't know about.

(1) "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan. I'm only a few chapters into this one, but the overall theme is teaching Christians who want to be wholehearted for God how to shed their lukewarm ways. One point that stood out to me so far is about how we so often come to prayer with our laundry list of "please help-me's." In Revelation Chapter 4 we get a brief picture of the God we pray to. Chan prompts us to think about how great and majestic He is before we even bother to open our mouths with our prayers. This book has a great web site with short chapter videos, too - http://www.crazylovebook.com

(2) "The Social Media Bible" by Lon Safko & David Brake. Need I say more? Thought I'd learn a little more about the social media fun ride. This big honkin' book is very comprehensive, providing a background to web technology's beginnings. It may be a little basic for those who have been playing in the social arena for a while, but it does serve as a great resource book since it has an expansive index. It is helpful reading for those who want to marry their social media work with marketing endeavors.

(3) "Modern Essentials: A Contemporary Guide to the Therapeutic Use of Essential Oils" by Abundant Health LLC. This is a very reader-friendly medicinal resource book about how to use essential oils to treat common ailments. I have used this book effectively in conjunction with some of my essential oils to relieve stomachache, toothache, and sinus congestion. The book is even great because it lets you know when an essential oil is safe or not to use on children and if you're preggers.

Happy reading!
TCB

Reminiscing

I just have one thing to say today....

**sigh**
I miss those days.

Soon I swear he'll be growing his own real-life goatee.

I'll try not to cry.
TCB

Pass the Avocado, Please

They say your taste changes every 7 years. I guess I'm going through my 6th rotation now because I've suddenly found I like avocados. (Who are "they" anyway??)

Yes, I've tried them before. Turned up my Southern nose every time.

But in the last six months I've started getting a taste for them after one day deciding to give them one more try. I read about all the good things in avocados. Yes, I know they have a fairly high fat content, but it's almost all the "good" monounsaturated fat. Good for your heart (and your skin). Just glowing, dahling.

So, I've been playing around with avocados. Sorry, hubby. Had to be done.

Here's my new healthy lunch when I'm feeling EXTREMELY, BEARISHLY hungry and just need to be full.

Peel, pit and mash one avocado. One is all you need - you'll have leftovers.

Add hemp hearts.

I usually end up using about four tablespoons of them. In case this is a new food to you, hemp hearts are shelled hemp seeds. They are chock-full of protein, amino acids, and good-for-you Omega 3, 6 & 9 fats. I buy them at http://www.hemphearts.com/ They also are available at some health food stores, if you have one nearby. Hemp seeds give my "Avocado Surprise" recipe some texture and stick-to-your ribs bulk.

Next, I chop and add fresh tomatoes.

Stir it all together and add a sprinkling of garlic salt to your taste. I don't feel bad at all about adding this little bit of sodium since both avocado and hemp hearts are sodium free.

I like to eat this mixture with organic blue corn tortilla chips or lime flavored tortilla chips. Either way, I promise you will not be hungry before dinner. I can manage to only eat half. It will save OK for about one day, but after that, the avocado turns a little brownish. So...share it with your friends right away.

To good health and happy eating,

TCB

Staging at its Best

I'm sure you've heard of the coined term "staging," most often used when a real estate agent comes in and decorates a home for faster sale. But I think the real usefulness of the staging concept is to use it to apply to your home when you intend to stay in it.

One of my friends and PR clients is a woman (Pam) who has an eye for good design. She has been an interior designer for more than 20 years. Recently, I had her come over to my home. I only think I'm a good decorator, and the way I had arranged my small formal dining room was "unsettling," Pam said. Well.

I wish I had taken a before photo for you, but alas, I did not.

So I challenged Pam to rearrange only what I had in my dining room (or other downstairs rooms) to create a more pleasing look.

I think she did a great job.

And it cost not a penny!

TCB

Homeschooling and Chores

A part of every kids' day should be the chance to learn how to help around the house by taking responsibility and completing chores. In our homeschooling household, we feel strongly our son should work around the house just because he is a part of the family. Heaven knows, he sees me working enough that it should be second nature. But I think it's important to instill the work ethic early so that it will continue on throughout a child's lifetime.

A very experienced homeschooling mom told me when I first started out that I should have my son do any chores I want him to do at the beginning of the day. It was her experience once the homeschooling day was finished, her kids just wanted to run outside and play.

If you're a homeschooling family you know you have to gather and listen to others' advice but ultimately find the way that works best for your children's personalities. My son studies best during the first half of the day.

Money is a huge motivator for him. But I didn't want to hand out money for every little chore. We tried something along those lines but that just made him ask how much he was getting paid for each job I asked him to do. Not ideal.

Following the wise advice of author and financial guru Dave Ramsey, I also didn't want to label the weekly money as an allowance. After all, no one pays me just for breathing and existing.

So, we've created a chore chart that rotates weekly. There's a  Tier One set of jobs that he has to do just because he is part of the family. Tier Two jobs are what he must do to earn his basic weekly "commission." If he doesn't do them, I don't pay him. Simple.

Tier Three jobs get him really excited. Those are the optional jobs that he can choose to do or not to do each week for an extra $1 each. I just require that he complete Tier One and Tier Two jobs for the day first before diving into any optional jobs.

Here's a sample chore chart:

Week of January 3, 2011

Tier I Chores (every day):

     Make Bed in morning

     Pick up and put away all toys at end of day

     Set table for supper

     Feed/water dog and cat at supper time

Tier II Chores:

Monday:            Change kitty litter

                         Dust your bedroom

Tuesday:            Clean your bathroom and bathtub

Wednesday:      Vacuum entertainment room & your bedroom

Thursday:          Dust all downstairs furniture

Friday:               Help with laundry or other chore mom needs

Tier III Chores (optional):

 Wash all doors and doorways downstairs                  ______________________________

 Wash all doors and doorways upstairs                      ______________________________

My son is excited to do his chores now. I post the list on the refrigerator at the beginning of the week, and he gets to check off the job once it's completed. The Tier Three chores also need a signature from me signifying a job well done.

My house is becoming a lot cleaner...and well, I just love that!
TCB

Poor Man's Lunch

Have you ever experienced a point in your life when everything seems to hit at once? Troubles here and there come in threes and fours, and they all have a price tag?

Once, we had three (yes, three!) mortgages going at once. And we were building a house. Needless to say, I had no extra time and no extra money to spare.

In those less-than-wealthy days, I "invented" a meal that was fast and cheap. That was pre-kids, but my "Ham and Macaroni" happens to be something my son loves now, too. Enough to ask for it.

Here's how it goes:

Cook elbow macaroni and drain according to the box's directions (about 10 minutes). I usually cook about 3/4 of a box. In the meantime, open a small can of ham (two if you cook more macaroni) and break it apart with a fork so it resembles hash.

After draining the macaroni, put it in a large mixing bowl and add enough mayonnaise to give it some flavor. Here's where I like to pretend I'm being a little bit healthy. I add half "real" mayonnaise and half light mayo made with olive oil.

Stir it all up. Then add the ham.

Stir in the ham and sprinkle to your taste with seasoned salt.

Wa-la! It's done. Eat right away while warm. And if you want to be a tad healthier, just add a green salad.

Why did I remember this concoction from so many years ago? Maybe it has something to do with the outside painting, plumbing leak, wall repair, and new HVAC unit we've had to tackle at our house in the last three months. But don't feel sorry for us. My boys say, "Woo-hoo, it's ham and macaroni! Why haven't you made this lately?"

I just smile and say I've been busy.

TCB

Drink Lemon for Good Health

As I mentioned in my December 29th post, One Resolution at a Time, I make it a habit to squeeze the juice of one and one-half lemons per day, drinking 1/3 of the juice periodically throughout the day after each meal.

Here's about how much juice that amounts to:

I just squeeze it in the morning and leave it out in a glass container I sip from throughout the day.

The lemon juice aids in digestion and has helped me kick the acid reflux medication I had taken for many years. I've been using the left lemon system for eight months now and am not looking back.

If I feel a slight case of heartburn coming on, I reach for a little lemon juice now instead of an over-the-counter antacid. Works like a charm. Sounds counterintuitive, but from my understanding, reflux problems such as mine result from too little stomach acid, not too much acid as I previously thought. So lemon juice is helping out the body's natural acids to properly digest foods.

Hope this helps you, too, in your quest for good health.

Love, TCB