Celebrating My New Lifestyle

Today (well, at the time of posting this here it is actually my 94th day and MY BIRTHDAY!) is my 90th day of eating a ketogenic diet and I couldn't be more satisfied (literally)!
Before going keto, I was an avid eater of the carbs. Even though I cut out refined sugars and processed foods, I was still a carb queen. As a result I needed to eat every 2-3 hours (like most people). I hated it because I felt I wasn't in control & I have since learned I wasn't. I had a serious carb addiction.
I found out about the ketogenic diet last spring. It fascinated me, people were kicking carbs to the curb for the most part, eating only one to three times a day and no need/desire for snacks and they weren't hungry, hangry, tired or suffering from brain fog. So yeah, I was fascinated. I worked my carbs down and switched them out for dietary fats (butter, coconut oil, avacados, heavy cream, cheeses, sour cream, eggs, nut butters, bacon, etc). The second Sunday in August my switch was complete to a ketogenic diet (less than 50g carbs, moderate protein & fat to satiety).
My NSVs (non-scale victories): I can workout fasted w/vigor (heavy weights, HIIT cardio, stretching & teaching dance classes). I am fat adapted. I can easily skip breakfast, I don't snack anymore. I can easily fast for 20 hours at a time. I breeze through my daily intermittent fasts of 16 hours. My energy level is very high (no more naps needed). No more brain fog. My addiction to lip balm is disappearing along with my dry skin. My hair & nails are strong & grow like weeds. My inflammation is almost zero. My pants are nearly falling off. My muscles are toned & becoming more defined as I am leaning out. My taste buds have changed too. No more shakes (blood sugar too low). My skin is glowing, my keratosis pillaris is almost gone on my arms & my teeth are whiter too. I also have been getting quite the nutrition education. I am constantly in nutritional ketosis and burn fat/ketones for energy. The list is growing.
My scale victories: I have lost 5lbs and 3% body fat since October.
I am so grateful the ketogenic diet crossed my path in my research. What a blessing!
At 21 days the keto way of eating was a habit. Now at 90 days I am proud to say it is a lifestyle.
When I eat keto, I often feel like I am indulging. I don't see any u-turns from the keto path in the future. I am content.

Resources I use:
www.2ketodudes.com
www.ketozone.com
www.dietdoctor.com
www.fb.ketonation.com
www.ditchthecarbs.com
www.carbsmart.com
www.westonaprice.org
www.realmealrevolution.com
Doctors: Jason Fung, Stephen Finney, Jeff Volek, Austin Jeans, Zoe Harcombe, Russ Scala, Ivor Cummins, Gary Taubes, Tim Noakes, Caryn Zinn (google them)
Books: The Big Fat Surprise- Nina Teicholz
The Diet Delusion- G. Taubes
The Obesity Code- Jason Fung
The Obesity Epidemic- Zoe Harcombe
The Art & Science of Low-carb Living- T. Noakes
The Real Meal Revolution- T. Noakes
Grain Brain- David Perlmutter
New Atkins, New You- Dr. Westman
Challenging Beliefs- T. Noakes
Always Hungry- D. Ludwig
What The Fat?- Grant Schofield
Annnnd, you can always talk with me.

Self-directed Learning

We are all born with the natural desire to learn everything we can that helps us to function in this world.  It is called self-directed learning.
We do this from even in the womb ie.baby's recognize mother's voice & respond, infants learn through constant observation while toddlers learn through observation along with trial & error, talking for example and they manage to learn just fine to our delight even surprising us more often than not.

************The only exception to this is if the child has a medical condition.******************

So my question is, why would we all of a sudden think that since said child is now 5 years of age that all this amazing self-directed learning is going to stop, that they have somehow forgot?  Where is the logic in this?  Why do we suddenly feel that our rich home environment is no longer sufficient for our older children when it comes to their learning?  Or maybe the better question is, why do we stop trusting the natural self-directed learning process?
I assure you it does not stop...Ever.

Just think about yourself right now.  Have you successfully somehow stopped learning?  If so, you will be the first person I have ever met (I am only 38, but I am constantly meeting new people & chatting them up.  They always share with me something new they have learned).
You probably went to school like I did.  What in regards to reading, writing, science, arithmetic, history, geography, health, economics and physical education did you learn in school that could not have been learned & applied outside of school in the real world setting?  So far, I have experienced not a thing.  It can all be done and my children are living proof.

Our world is so rich & diverse and we have unlimited information at our fingertips 24/7.  Why would we allow this amazing time to be put in a box and limit our kid's learning to certain times, amounts, levels and with only certain people for 12-20 years of our lives?  Why would we cut our children off from the world and throw them in an artificial one?  How did this become the thing to do and accepted as the superior?  How did this get so backwards?

We must ask ourselves what the real driving purpose of school is because...
This artificial environment has had 200 years to prove it is superior to the thousands of years before us, and it has miserably failed.  School is not superior, it is compulsory and convenient not for the children mind you but, for the parents, politicians and government.  Also, schools have become an ever heavier tax burden as well, even though birth rates have declined severely.
*************************
Things that are learned organically through interest and self-motivation to reach a goal is superior in every way.
It is time to claim our children's futures by no longer using the schools, they are irrelevant. Keep your kiddos home to learn. It is your right to do so protected by the constitution.
Keep trusting your children to self direct their learning and you be their guide.  The possibilities are endless.

My miracle!

It has been 5 years since my car accident and I don't think I ever told you about my neck miracle!

The healing miracle of my neck...
I finally got to get back in to my neurosurgeon Dr. Diaz who I had seen at my church's Christmas production and learned is searching spiritually.
Well, it is a few months out from that time and I am in his office to hear about my latest MRI readings.
My newest readings made him have to go take a look at my old ones  because....My neck is healed!!  He couldn't believe it when he was explaining to me what had changed.  He just kept saying, "we never see this. This just does not happen.  We never see this."
I then told him I had been praying for healing and a miracle especially for my neck.  I even told him about the Supernatural conference I went to and was prayed over by Pastor Chris Palmer.
"I got my miracle then!  I should be an inch taller too, back to my normal height yeah?"
All the doc could say is "I guess so, let's go see.  I can't believe this.  It is a miracle because we just don't see this.  It's like you been in space for a year!"
We measured my height and I was indeed an inch taller and back to my normal height.
I don't know what has come of the Dr. Diaz's spiritual journey but I do often pray that he has found Christ.

It has been 5 years since the accident and I have mostly good days just a couple days out of the month that can be rough.  I so still require laying down everyday for a bit in the afternoon as I am very aware of gravity pushing on my body.  The laying down helps decompress my spine and muscles.  I stretch everyday, it is a must and I use tennis balls to break up the scar tissue in my neck and back along with a foam roller.  My scar tissue is pretty intense and my hip is still screwed up.  My shoulders still give me a bit of a problem on occasion.
I no longer take any medicine on  a regular basis.
I do not have headaches except on occasion.
I workout with weights 3xs a week and teach a couple dance classes.  I dance as well a few times a month.
I have grown in my relationship with Christ immensely.
I minister to those that are ill or injured and their families.
My family is super close knit.
I learned I enjoy alone time and don't need to be around people all the time.  Actually, I can only be around groups of people in small doses anymore. 
I require a lot of down time.
I am definitely different now.
I indeed forgave the girl that caused the accident.  I have no ill feelings toward her any longer (even when I read what I wrote about the accident), I hope she is doing superbly well.
I only have Jesus to thank for this amazing journey.

How To Learn All Subjects Through Unschooling

I found an amazing post that I would like to share by Weed ’em & Reap (a blog that you need to check out if you’re involved in homeschooling – it’s an absolute goldmine of useful information and support). Unschooling is a controversial subject to some, and an absolute must for others, so getting this perspective is really useful if you’re on the fence.
Of course for us, unschooling works the best!  We are long time unschoolers going on 10 years very soon.  Do we still have our doubts?  They tend to sneak in every once in awhile but, they are quickly put to rest.  We hope you enjoy this post How To Learn All Subjects Through Unschooling as much a we do.

ONE OF THE FIRST QUESTIONS I HAD WHEN I STARTED UNSCHOOLING WAS…

What the hell did I get myself into?
Just kidding, I didn’t think that at all. Well, maybe a little bit, but my deeper question was…
“How will my children learn ALL SUBJECTS through Unschooling?”
I knew that unschooling was the way we all naturally learn, and I knew that I had seen passion in my children when they chose what they wanted to learn, but I also had a part of me that worried my children would be lacking in one or more subjects.
Traditional schooling typically organizes curriculum by subjects. At first this seems like a good method to make sure we don’t miss any subjects, but the problem is, this isn’t how we naturally learn.
We naturally learn by discovering an area of interest, and as we explore that interest, it crosses over into multiple subjects. By learning through an area of interest, we learn faster and deeper than we can ever imagine.

When people ask, “How do you unschool?” My answer is that we follow our interests – and our interests inevitably lead to science, literature, history, mathematics, music – all the things that have interested people before anybody thought of them as “subjects”. A large component of unschooling is grounded in doing real things, not because we hope they will be good for us, but because they are intrinsically fascinating. (source)

For those of us who went to a traditional school (myself included), this may be a hard concept to grasp, for possibly no other reason than it is new to us.

HERE’S A GOOD EXAMPLE. LET’S SAY YOU WERE INTERESTED IN ANIMALS.

You probably would read a lot of books on animals. (NON-FICTION & FICTION READING) You would learn various facts (ZOOLOGY), the classification of species (PHONICS & WHOLE LANGUAGE), how different species/breeds were discovered and domesticated (HISTORY), and what areas of the world different species live (GEOGRAPHY). You probably would talk to others about animals and gain knowledge from others’ experiences (SOCIAL INTERACTION/SPEECH DEBATE). You probably would visit a zoo or a farm to learn about how to care for wild animals or how to raise domesticated animals. (REAL LIFE APPLICATION) You probably would draw animals, or purchase art/photos of animals. (ART) You probably would learn about how animals eat, what types of foods their bodies can handle, and the illnesses they can contract. (SCIENCE & PHYSIOLOGY) You probably would want to own some animals of your own, which would require you to figure the costs of raising an animal/feed costs/healthcare costs, or in purchasing any books, toys, games or activities related to your area of interest. (MATH) You may need to write or email people inquiring about animals, or you may love to write stories about animals (WRITING). And finally, your area of interest would lead you to experiences such as how the library works, how to search online, how to write and send an email, how to type, how to find local farms or zoos, & how to solve real world math problems.
Whoa! Those are a lot of subjects learned through one area of interest!
This example above comes from my son’s real life obsession with animals. His interest in animals is one of the things that led me to unschooling. I found he was learning more and covering more subjects by his interest in animals than he was from traditional schooling. At school, he was often reprimanded for drawing animals on his worksheets or for reading non-fiction animal books when it was time to read the required book for his reading group.

HOW WE NATURALLY LEARN ALL SUBJECTS THROUGH UNSCHOOLING.

When I first started unschooling, I decided I needed to compile a list of ways we learn and their corresponding subjects so I could reassure myself that learning was happening constantly. My “traditional-schooled” brain had a hard time grasping this concept, but after I printed this list and stuck it on the fridge, I was reminded daily that there are countless ways we learn! Hopefully it’ll help you too!
HISTORY

• How old your house is & why
• Why your town exists
• Where grandparents grew up and why
• Relatives in military
• Where car came from
• People living in different places with different accents and languages
• The history of miles and how it’s calculated
• Movies – why did cowboys wear bandanas

GEOGRAPHY

• People and what they do, believe, & wear.
• Mountains, rocks, rivers, and where rivers are empty.
• Can you look at “Mediterranean” and figure out why they called it that?
• What animals and plant are where and why?
• Who has oil, diamonds, gold, or uranium?
• Where do we get bananas, pineapples, oranges or dates?
• Why are some cities big shipping centers and others not?
• Where are the hub cities of railways and airlines and why?
• What parts of the world are crowded and which aren’t?
• What makes places dangerous?
• Why are some places more technologically advanced?
• How did smoke signals work?
• How does weather prediction work?
• What knowledge did space travel add to our knowledge of our planet?

SCIENCE is DISCOVERY!

• Skateboarding
• Miniature golf
• Basketball
• Piano
• Water play
• Rescuing wounded birds
• Making goop
• Collecting rocks
• Swimming
• Drawing pictures of clouds
• Taking photos in different light
• Growing a garden
• Training a dog
• Looking through binoculars
• Waiting for a crystalis to open
• Making a sundial
• Making a webpage
• Flying a kite
• Catching fireflies
• Building a campfire
• Tracking planets
• Making snowballs
• Finding out how a truck works.

MUSIC

• The history of it
• The physics of it
• How instruments work and the different sounds they make
• Song lyrics and their mental triggers
• Poetry
• Dancing in the backyard
• Singing in the car
• Going to listen to a band
• Going to a street festival
• Listen to different stations
• Watch musical theaters in person or on video.
• Visit music stores or pawn shops
• Video games involving music: Karaoke Revolution, Guitar Hero, Rock Band, Dance games

ART

• Arranging toys
• Combining outfits
• Setting the table
• Making & arranging food
• Photographs
• Videos
• Blogs
• Gift wrapping
• Flowers
• Architecture
• Gates, Fences
• Automobiles
• Taking sketchbooks on hikes, to museums, parks, zoos.
• Making maps

READING

• EVERYTHING!

PHONICS & WHOLE LANUGAGE

• Why words are formed in everything we study.

WRITING

• Book Reports – Happen naturally as we talk about what we’ve read. We don’t need to require they are written down. If a child can orally give a report, they can write it out if they choose.
• Letters – Will happen naturally, they can see examples online or from recent mail.
• Penmanship – Not needed in today’s world. The ability to express oneself vocally will translate to paper if ever needed.
• Cursive – “School cursive, called in my day Palmer penmanship, had evolved from an elaborate decorative script invented for engraving in copper, a very slow and painstaking form of writing that had nothing to do with speed. Someone, somewhere, decided that it would be nice if children learned to write like copperplate engraving, and the rest, as they say, is history.”
• Children will learn cursive & calligraphy if they want.

LANGUAGE ARTS

• POETRY
• Kid poetry books that are fun/gross, song lyrics, and nighttime reading all are poetry.
• THEATER
• Puppet shows, plays, live & on video. Acting out at home or in groups.
• SPEECH & DEBATE
• Watching current debates as they come, discussing events as a family.
• FICTION
• Historical novels, fairy tales, fables, mythology, science fiction, short stories, other novels, graphic novels, screenplays, movies.
• NON-FICTION
• Books, movies, magazines, articles, newspapers, etc.
• VOCABULARY & SPELLING
• Happens naturally as children live life, read, talk, play. They become better as they read more.

MATHEMATICS

• The only real math are word problems.
• Math is best learned naturally with patterns, proportions, deductive reasoning, graph-reading, real life problems, etc.
• Board games, video games, dice, cards, singing games, money, budgeting, etc.
• Create a home in which algebraic thinking is a standard part of conversation. Our interactions are analytical and involve factors and projections. They see the concepts and they use them without ever saying the word, “math”.

This is just a short list of ways we learn, but as you can see in my example above, just one area of interest can cross over many different subjects! It’s totally possible to learn and discover the world through unschooling!
Source: weedemandreap.com

What is Unschooling?

" The idea that unschooling is about freedom can get in the way of kids learning how to think of others.
First, unschooling came out of John Holt's research. He intended for schools to use the results of his research to create a better environment for learning. He eventually realized schools weren't willing to make the profound changes they need, so he turned to homeschoolers. So from the outset unschooling was never about freedom. It was always about intentionally creating an environment that supports a child's natural ability to learn while avoiding what hinders it.

Second, kids are born assuming they can do anything they want. They naturally protest being told no so freedom isn't on their radar because they assume they have it. To kids unschooling is like returning to the way they assumed life was. Following what interests them comes naturally because it's how mammals are wired to learn. We learn through playing around and from experience.
What kids need isn't more freedom. They assume they have the freedom to follow their interests, to have another cookie, to watch a show they like. What they need is to see how to make thoughtful decisions about their freedom. They need to see how to take others into account *while* meeting their needs. They need to see how to play the drums during the day instead of at 2AM, to ask before taking the last cookie, to watch the cartoon later that a friend isn't allowed to watch." ~ Joyce Kurtak Fetteroll

A Good Life...

"A Good Life Contains These 6 Essentials
The values that make up the foundation of a life well lived - and no surprise, money isn't one of them." ~John Rohn

The ultimate expression of life is not a paycheck.
Theultimate expression of life is not a Mercedes.
The ultimate expression of life is not a million dollars, a bank account or a home.
The ultimate expression of life is living a good life.

Here's what we must ask constantly, "What, for me, would be a good life?"
And you have to keep going over and over the list - a list including areas such as spirituality, economics, health, relationships and recreation.

So what would constitute a good life?
Jim Rohn has a short list:

1. Productivity. You won't be happy if you don't  produce.  The game of life is not rest.  Yes, we must rest, but only long enough to gather strength to get back to productivity.

What's the reason for the seasons and the seeds, the soil, the sunshine, the rain and the miracle of life?  It's to see what you can do with it - to try your hand to see what you can do.

2. Good friends.  friendship is probably the greatest support system in the world, so don't deny yourself the time to develop it.  Nothing can match it.  It's extraordinary in its benefit.

Friends are those wonderrful people who know all about you and still like you.  I lost one of my dearest friends when he was 53 - heart attack.  As one of my very speacial friends, I used to say that if I was stuck in a foreign jail somewhere accused unduly, and, if if they would allow me one phone call, I would call David.  Why?  He would come and get me.  That's a real friend - somebody who would come and get you.

And we've all got casual friends, friends who, if you called them, they would say, "Hey, if you get back, call me and we'll have a party."

You've got to have both real friends and casual friends.

3. Your culture. Language, music, ceremonies, traditions, dress.  All of that is so vitally important that you must keep it alive.  The uniqueness of all of us, when blended together, brings vitality, energy, power, influence and rightness to the world.

4. Spirituality.  It helps to form the foundation of the family that builds the nation.  Make sure you study, practice and teach - don't be careless about the spiritual part of your nature because it's what makes us who we are, different from the dogs, cats, birds and mice.

5. Don't miss anything.  My parents taught me not to miss anything, not the game, the performance, the movie, the dance.  Just before my father died at 93, if you were to call him at 10:30 or 11 at night, he wouldn't be home.  He was at the rodeo, he was watching the kids play softball, he was listening to the concert, he was at church - he was somewhere every night.

Go to everything you possibly can.  Buy a ticket to everything you possibly can.  Go see everything and experience all you possibly can.

Live a vital life.  If you live well, you will earn well. If you live well, it will show in your face; it will show in the texture of your voice.  There will be something uniue and magical about you if you live well.  It will infuse not only your personal life but also your business life.  It will give you a vitality nothing else can give.

6. Your family and your inner circle.  Invest in them, and they will invest in you.  Inspire them, and they will inspire you.  Take care of the details with your inner circle.

When my father was still alive, I used to call him when I traveled. He'd have breakfast most every morning with the farmers at a little place called The Decoy Inn out in the country where we lived in Southwest Idaho.

When I was in Israel, I'd have to get up in the middle of the night, but I'd call Papa. I'd say, "Papa, I'm in Israel." He'd say, "Israel! Son, how are things in Israel?" He'd talk real loud so everybody could hear. I'd say, "Papa, last night they gave me a reception on the rooftop underneath the stars overlooking the Mediterranean." He'd say, "Son, a reception on the rooftop underneath the stars overlooking the Mediterranean?" Now everybody knew the story. And giving my father that special day only took five or 10 minutes.

If a father walks out of the house and he can still feel his daughter's kiss on his face all day, he's a powerful man. If a husband walks out of the house and he can still feel the imprint of his wife's arms around his body, he's invincible all day. It's the special stuff with your inner circle that makes you strong and powerful and influential. So don't miss that opportunity.

The prophet said, "There are many virtues and values, but here's the greatest: one person caring for another." There is no greater value than love.

So make sure in your busy day to remember the true purpose and the reasons you do what you do. May you truly live the kind of life that will bring the fruit and rewards that you desire.

I'll Be Home For Christmas

We are so excited to have my husband's cousin Bill and his family come in to be with us for Christmas this year!  They live in Cali and it has been over 6 years since they have visited.  Jeff and his cousin Bill are very close and when they get together they just pick up where they left off.  It is so good to see my husband full of joy.  It is definitely, I suspect anyway much how I feel when I get to physically reconnect with my very close life friends that live all over and far away from me.  I am recharged in a way that doesn't happen via facebook, email, phone, text or even skype.  There is just an energy that you miss out on unless you are physically together not to mention the hugs and just living life together for that time being.
What makes the icing on the cake so to speak is that Bill's wife is a true gem and she is super easy to be around and hang with. So, not only is my husband overjoyed but I am too.
And as if that is not enough, they have a great kiddo...Max.  He is my son's age and they have tons in common including gaming. Not only does my son enjoy Max, my daughter does as well.  She keeps right up with them.
I admit we may be a bit selfish with them, but we enjoy them...While we have the chance.  Time flies and we don't get to see them often and we are so glad to spend our time with them over Christmas!

Easter 2009 with Max, the last time they visited

Hola Friends...

My blog has been calling name for a while now and getting back to it to give it some attention has been difficult to say the least. However, I do long for and fondly remember the days of my blogging and I am hoping this coming year we reconnect for good!
Hola friends!!! 
Some updates for the past year since I can see it has almost been an entire year since I wrote on here (so embarrassing). We still unschool our kiddos, our son is now 12 and our daughter is now 10.5 and growing into fantastic individuals. Their interests for the most part have stayed the same. However, they have discovered Minecraft and other games.
Regarding our son, Minecraft has peaked my son's interest in programming so he has been learning java based programming this year. He has recently added a program for 3D programming to create intros and what not for videos. He is still very interested in zoology as well along with the outdoors and hopes to go hunting next year. Our son also loves Starwars, LOTR and just had me watch all the Hunger Games and for our date last month go see Hunger Games: Mocking Jay Part 1. I have to say it was so weird to not be going to an animated movie with him for once. However, I loved going to see it with him, it was a nice change of pace for us.
Our daughter is taking an amazing monthly art class locally and the teacher is reminiscent of Bob Ross and she loves the class. She wishes it was more frequent as the class only meets once a month. She comes home with impressive pieces. She loves to write songs and plays with her friends. Her uncle ( my brother), helps her and her friends record their songs in his studio. She loves interior design and helped us redesign our living room, it turned out great. She will get to help with the design & decoration of our basement as we finish it. Our daughter is our entrepreneur with tons of ideas. We are in the midst of setting up an Etsy store for her creations. She loves our shopping dates and movie dates. Today we went to see the Penguins of Madagascar. Remaining true to herself, she is still my little shadow.
Both of the kiddos are dancing at my studio, The Complete Dancer. Our son is taking Ballet, Tap, Ballroom & Latin and Hip-hop/Breaking. His favorite class is Hip-hop/Breaking and that class has more boys than girls which I am sure helps with the comfort level. We also have an awesome guy teaching the break dance portion. All the kids think he is amazing (he is)! Our daughter is taking two Ballet classes, Jazz, Ballroom & Latin and Hip-hop/Breaking. She can't wait until her body is ready to dance en Pointe. She is highly driven by this goal. Last year, she choreographed her first contemporary solo and performed it for showcase. She is practicing and polishing it up to take it to competition this season.
My husband and I celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary on Sept. 26th, it was a low key celebration this year because so many things were going on at that time. We did manage to get to a nice dinner and evening to ourselves, just a bit spread out because of timing. Earlier in the year (May 18th) my husband turned the big 4-0!!! I tease him, but he is still awesome.
Our family went to our first Unschoolers Waterpark Gathering at Kalahari in May for a week and it was so incredibly satisfying to be with out tribe. We were finally surrounded by our peeps that get us, really get us. Yes, there are many differences (variables) amongst us all but we understand each other. No one had to defend their choice(s) to any one, it was so nice. We absolutely cannot wait to go back this coming May. This time we are going to visit Cedar Point after the conference since we will be right there and our kids have expressed interest. YESSS!!!
Our studio celebrated it's 3rd year of being open this past July and we are loving what this 4th season is bringing about. We have had a nice steady growth each season and feel so blessed to live this dream. Each year we get better and better...Cheers!
My sister passed away on November 10th after fighting against the cancer that ravished her body for the past year. She was 34 and left behind her 5 children (ages 15, 13, 8, 4 & 3). Although, it was so tough to see her go...It was so much harder to see her in such intense unbearable pain and literally wasting away. She was 5'7" and weighed just over 90lbs when she passed. Her kids are living with my parents. My sister & her kiddos lived with my parents for the past eight years. So at least they don't have to move, they can be where they are used to being. Now it is learning to adjust, for all of us.
So, I obviously have some posts to write. I plan to get to them as I can. Christmas is coming up, are you ready? I personally can't believe it is here already. Well, at least our Christmas tree is up. ;)

From Our Family To Your's...

We wish you a very Merry Christmas, we hope you enjoy time with your family and remember to hug and kiss the ones you love if they're near by. If not, be sure to give them a call and remind them you love them and miss them. 

This day is typically a hurried day as we bustle up and hustle to and fro, we never really get to settle and take the day in as we should. Try not to lose sight of today and it's meaning amongst all the excitement of Santa and PRESENTS (yes, our kids still believe...They get so excited they can barely sleep!). =-O

Yet, let's take time to remember the REAL REASON FOR THIS SEASON...JESUS CHRIST. No, I am not a theologian...Yes, I have learned Christ most likely born in mid to late Spring, that is not the point though. ;-)

Our family has a beloved relationship with Jesus Christ and we pray that many others will get to experience what we do through our relationship with Him.

Christmas is the day that has been chosen for Centuries to celebrate the birth of our beloved Saviour Jesus Christ. It is our day to reflect, remember and honor the special gift God gave us..."For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over His kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this." -Isaiah 9:6-7

And 33 years later the great sacrifice by the LORD Almighty was made when Jesus Christ died on the cross for our ransom and rose 3 days later..."For God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son, so whomever shall believe in Him, shall not perish but have everlasting life." -John 3:16

By the LORD Almighty giving this amazing sacrifice, we have ALL been given the chance to go to heaven when our time here is done. All that is required of us is to admit we are sinners (me included), and ask the LORD Almighty to forgive us in the name of Jesus and start building your relationship with Jesus Christ. The changes will start happening in your life, for where there is light, no darkness can be! 

We hope the above gives you hope and relieves any burdens or heavy hearts out there. 

We truly wish you a very Merry Christmas and an abundantly blessed & prosperous New Year!!! O:-)

Marriage Isn't For You.

Marriage isn't for you. Yes...If only everyone could get this!!! I know you are having your own thoughts on what in the world is Joie talking about now?!?!?!?!!! You have to read this to understand. Isn't that a great & insightful article? Jeff and I had to go to counseling early in our marriage to get this and I am so glad we did. This past September we just celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary, we went to the gun range...What a blast! (I learned I am an excellent shot, so watch out. ;)) Then to our favorite little dinner spot for some great food, conversation, reflection and dreaming of our continued future together. It was also a kid free night & I leave it at that. ;) So, we hope this helps someone out there today. XO