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2012: Strive for Balance and you will find Harmony: New Years Resolutions

2012-01-02T16:18:00.001-05:00

2012 New Year Resolutions-

"Strive for Balance and you will find Harmony"

strive/strīv/

Verb:

Make great efforts to achieve or obtain something.
Struggle or fight vigorously: "scholars must strive against bias".

bal·ance

[bal-uhns] Show IPA noun, verb, -anced,-anc·ing.

1. mental steadiness or emotional stability; habit of calmbehavior, judgment, etc.

noun, plural -nies.

agreement; accord; harmonious relations.

Put Veganism on my front burner: I will not lie.. The last few months of 2011 I was not a good vegan.. I wasn't a vegan at all. Cheese was my down fall and I slipped into old habits that come easy. Easy is never a good thing... Easy is just that Easy and is not a way to strive to become a better me... For me and for the animals...When I am vegan I feel a definite Peace, a Balance, a Harmony from with in and in life... So I am striving to become a vegan and stay a vegan...
Workout/ Weight loss/ Nutritional Goals: I am striving to become a better me in alot of ways this year and that includes again... Physically, along with emotional and mentally, I can not be in balance if I am not happy with my physical being... So My goal is to hit the gym atleast 3 Times a week for Cardio and Strength Training. And I am striving for a significant weight loss and toning of my body this year. Weight loss goals: Jan-Mar 10lb, April-June 8lb, July-Oct 8lb, Nov-Dec 5lb... Nutritional Goals will be to eat a more balanced diet that doesn't consist of vegan "junk food" on a regular basis. To cook nutritionally balanced meals.
Debt: Pay off 6,000 in debt and put atleast 3,000 in savings to stay.
Shopping: Buy only the produce that I plan on using within the new 5 days. Plan actual meal weeks so that I only buy what I need and not more... To save food and money. To not stress shop or make up reasons to buy things I don't really need.
Cooking: Cook atleast 1 new healthy recipe a week.
Reading: Read 12 books
Cleaning and Projects: Organize the house and the storage buildings. Try to get done the projects that get planned or have been planned.... ( Kitchen Cabinets, Chicken Coop, Dog Kennel, Storage Shed, Bedroom Floor, and Animal Room Floor, Bathroom). Take recyclables in on a normal basis.
Artistic Side: Paint atleast 2 pictures.
Relationships: To nurture the relationships that are on the front burner. To give of myself to the extent that I can healthfully and pray they work out successfully, healthfully, lovingly. & happily for all.
Procrastinating: I am bad about procrastinating...Not as bad as some (cough cough, John, cough), but still bad all in the same. So Hopefully I can work on getting things done in a more timely manner instead of right before I need it because I didn't want to do it...

Well again I have a good long list and could probably add a few more. I am sure I will think of many over the year that I can add in because it is always a good time to Strive the become the person you want to be.

2011 Ends and a New Year is in the Horizon: Resolution Updates

2011-12-31T16:22:00.000-05:00

2011 Outcomes

Quick Temper- Have worked on this pretty well... There are still some room for improvements though.
Read 15 books this year!!!! I read I think 8 books and started 2 others that I have yet to finish.
Loss 15lbs by October 2011- Well it wasn't by Oct but by the beginning on Nov I had lost 11. But since I have had a few heath problems and haven't been going to the gym regularly I have gained 6 back over the holidays.. :( So really only down 4... 4 is better than nothing but still not my first goal.
1 New recipe a week, or more, sugury baked goods can not count as the only new recipe for the week unless they are leaving my house- I have made a few new recipes but not half as many as I wanted... and the list goes on and on. Got 7 new cookbooks for Christmas and 5 Right before Christmas and some others throughout the year.. So I have a ton of recipes just too many messes for me to cook around.
Take out no more then 4 times a month.- Ha, that was a joke... Never happened probably never will.. Go out to much for this to come to fruishin.... But I can always hope.
Return my library books on time! not a week late... For the most part this one went down without a snag!
Make our savings account grow while paying off $6,000 worth of debt.... Well it grew then took a huge nose dive :( so no savings and I will have to update the debt part later once I have the patience to look it up... But I don't figure we hit 6,000 knowing how many I wants got put on the credit cards ( Kayaks, Camera, Shot Gun, etc) and the animal bills that are always coming and some get put on our carecredit... Just like Storm's who is about to have surgery to remove bladder stones... Still looking for the money to pay for that :(
Blogging, To have more entries than 2010. Plus to blog about some important topics instead of putting it off and forgetting to do it. :) Started out good.... dwindled half way through the year, and pretty much ended in Sept/Oct when I started going to the gym everyday and started watching what I ate... :(
To use more of the produce we purchase and grow... again HA... Some got used... Some didn't... I should keep a running list of product waste this year... Its so sad how much produce we waste. The fridge needs cleaned right now and I am sure there is a good amount of produce that needs taken out... :(
To organize and remove alot of junk from my life.- Had a yardsale... Does the house look better? No... I was on strike for a while and now everything is a bigger mess than what it was before... Plus it flooded and ruined a on of stuff... O yeah and the flood took 5 or 6 storage containers so I guess that removed some junk from my life.. that should count.... :(

But even at the end of all my Failed Resolutions I am still seeing where it is good to strive towards a better me and living situation and will not hesitate to set new Resolutions very soon.... I had a really good year with family and friends. And I am even in contact with a few friends from the past which is really great... People come back into your life in strange ways sometimes... But I love them and am so glad they are back in my life!!!

We did lose one of our Babies this years.. Our Lil Abu past away at the beginning of the year. I wish I could have done more for her. We are not sure why she went into shock... It was a surprise to all of us. She is loved and very missed by us and will forever be in our hearts.

No blogging!!! Just a lil catch up..

2011-12-26T22:21:00.000-05:00

Been busy busy busy.... I don't know with what exactly and what I do know I am not about the share here...hahaha...lol... Not really... Been shopping, planning parties, shopping, visiting some old friends, shopping, reading, shopping, going to the gym, shopping, cleaning up after a flood, shopping, dealing with Storms Bladder stones, shopping, Giving Spanxy a hundred meds, Shopping....you get the picture :) But I do know one thing I haven't been doing and that sadly is blogging :(

Im not sure where I went wrong this year ... I don't think I have been that busy... They gym seems to take up more time then I thought it would and has made my back and self feel a million times better!!! Couldn't even imagine my back feeling so much better..(When I do get to the gym regularly, 2 or 3 times a week or more). But even though it makes me feel alot better I still have a love hate relationship with the gym... Love that I have lost 10lb, Love my back and me feeling better, love the way my husband looks at me (blush), love being out and about, love when I'm stressed I can jump on the elliptical and glide to my lil hearts content, love watching the guys gawk at the girls through the window like noone knows what they are doing...to funny..... Hate to sweat, hate all the people who seem to go to the gym at the same time I do, hate the gym rat guys who are nice to look at but not fun to exercise infront of, hate the people who sit and conversate on the equipment I need, hate the people who thud on the treadmill when they run, hate my headphones that only seem to work half the time, hate the super long drive to the gym daily or every few days that costs out the ass in gas! O yeah, and I hate getting started..being right under my fat burning heart rate when u feel like u want to die.... But then I love when the sun finally shines on you and you feel like running forever! So I could def go on but it is def a love hate relationship!

Shopping has been on the top of my agenda in the last few months.... Sale sales everywhere! Love it! But now sadly I am broke from all those damn sales! lol... But i had fun while it lasted! :)

O yeah and I have been on strike... From cleaning, cooking (because the kitchen was a mess), and other womenly duties... I love my husband very much. Dont get me wrong... He works long hours just for us... But when he cant do one lil thing around the house without causing an argument its time to put ur foot down... Something I just need help and I have asked and asked and finally decided a strike was in order! So I have been on strike for a month and a half... and the mess has been driving me crazy... He will never throw in my face "Well what do u do around here?" ever again... because now that everything has piled up around us, there are no clean dishes, clothes, socks or underwear, but my own... Im sure he has figured it out...lol... and he has asked me to come off strike and has even showed some effort to help... I just hope it continues cause I will not hesitate to start my strike all over again in the near future if he decides I dont need the help I have bagged him for for so long...lol Now I just need the house clean cause it has drove me bonkers and luckily I have that gym membership cause if I would have sat here all day with the mess I would have went mad! lol

But now we are getting ready to start a new year and hopefully a new year of blogging, a new attitude, opening my life to more love and self growth... :) Looking forward to the year to come and hoping it will be a wonderful year full of new experiences and memorable events...

Vegan Mofo: Lightlife Giveaway Entry

2011-10-20T20:52:00.000-05:00

Had the opportunity to make my 1st wedding cake!

2011-09-11T22:15:00.002-05:00

I got the chance this week to make my first wedding cake. I was excited but nervous.

It turned out pretty good... Chocolate turned out perfect! Had some moisture issues with the yellow cake that I iced to soon after taking it from the freezer and didn't know till after the wedding...

I know a few things I need to correct and a few things to do differently next time... and I am still a little excited and really enjoyed the opportunity! :) Actually really surprised how much I enjoyed it..

and I also surprisingly, actually welcome another opportunity and hope to one day have one...

I also stayed true to my beliefs and made the cake vegan.

Used:

The Joy of Vegans

Chocolate Cake recipe (my fave)

Vanilla Cupcake recipe (Moisture issues after freezing)

Isa's Buttercream Recipe

But for the Covering I used all Veg shortening instead of partial

Vegan butter because of heat and humidity issues..

Delivered safely to the wedding reception! :)

My few Prep Pictures

Crumb layering the cakes
This is a 6' chocolate cake.
Takes 2 Cups batter for each 2" Cake
So 2 recipes, Minus half cup each.

The vanilla cupcake recipe makes 5 cups batter.
A 10" pan takes 6 cups of batter for a 2" cake.
Need two-2" cakes... Which equals 3 recipes... 2 whole recipes and the
3rd recipe needs to be used to put a cup of batter into each of the other recipes.
Which leaves you with 3 cups extra batter.

Each Chocolate cake recipe makes 2.5 cups of batter.
A 14' Cake needs 10 cups of batter for a 2" cake..
You need two- 2" cakes.... or 8 recipes or 20 Cups!

Vegan Creamed New Potatoes YUM!

2011-09-05T19:45:00.000-05:00

One of my fave things to do is take foods I grew up with "comfort foods" and veganize them...

(John Calls it retrofitting... lol)

And for some things thats not so easy... but this one is super easy !

As I wrote yesterday I haven't had any new potatoes in a few years...

So I cooked these the first chance I got!!!

They were so good... The texture of new potatoes are so creamy by themselves...

and I love them with gravy and peas...

Problem..

Thought I had 2 bags of frozen organic peas...

Did I?

Not That I can find...

Not that John can find in either freezer...

I swear I bought those peas...

I have posted my gravy recipe before but I figure I will post it again since I havn't posted in awhile and to make it easier to find...
All you need:
Unsweetened Almond Milk
Oil- I use EVOO
Vegan Butter (I use Smart Balance Light)
Flour
Pepper
Salt
Potatoes
and The missing peas.......

Just make it like normal...

Melt Butter in pan and add some oil and let heat up(Med heat)I also add pepper at this point. I like the flavor of using both.. (If you are using a butter with water let the water cook off) its 1tbsp Butter or oil to 1tbsp flour per cup of milk.... So put all the oil and butter in them measure out your flour and add it.. Let it cook a couple minutes to lose flour flavor.. Then take a whisk and whisk in about a cup of milk at a time so it doesn't get lumpy... Let thicken... add you peas a couple minutes before you take it from the heat.. Then add fork tender potatoes to gravy and serve...

I like to eat alone or on toast...

Flea Market!

2011-09-04T17:23:00.000-05:00

This summer I was hoping to make the summer of Pyrex and other retro finds.... But sadly since my car caught on fire and was totaled I have been stuck at home so my truck doesn't guzzle the loads of gas it takes to yard sale shop. But also sadly I had forgotten about three flea markets that are around our area every weekend, all summer long,... And luckily I finally realized what I was missing when by chance, going out of my way to get to Starbucks for a Venti Soy Mocha Frappuccino took me past a pretty big outdoor flea market last Sunday... But I was on the way to the hospital to see my Grandmother so I skipped it and decided I would definitely go this weekend... and so this morning I got up at the butt crack of down (6:30am) and got ready... Why does the flea market have to open at 6am and end early in the morning as well... I don't know... But I went anyways... and drug my little sister along for the trip.

Granville Firehouse Flea Market
I am happy I went... I had a couple good finds... of course stuff I don't really need... but I did find me some PYREX! Yay PYREX! lol... and I also found something else I had been looking for for a while and figured I would never find one, and if I did I figured it would be to expensive for me to purchase on the spare of the moment, because online & in the antique stores they charge atleast $100.00.... But luckily my great find was only $5...Yep... $5... yes it is scratched in a couple places, yes it is the wrong color and needs refinished, but 5 bucks, some sand paper, and a can of stain & sealer later it will be perfect! Well atleast close...

I wanted flat fronts.. but for $5 I am willing to go for raised.. :) This will serve as the laptop desk.

The inside of the doors are in great shape, But it looks like 2 might have been replaced.

I also found a 1940s set of Primary color bowls and the buy sold me those and an extra green bowl (which isn't actually from the 1940s set) for $30 bucks... Plus he gave my little sister a piano thing for free... He was very nice... His original price was $28 set and $12 or $15 for the one green bowl... Which I would have never paid... lol...

I did miss out on 2 Texas ware bowls that I really wanted. I was $2 short and of course he wouldn't come down $2... so I had to go clear back to the truck and by the time I got back from loading the desk... they were gone... But I guess when or if I am meant to have them I will find them for a price I am willing to pay...He was stretching my price limit anyways...

Next we went to another flea market that is up the road from Granville Called Blue Horizon...

I purchased another divided veggie dish... I passed this one up before and decided the price was right today at half off $8.. so $4

Then since it was half off I also purchased this Flamingo Pink Pie Plate at half off $6... so $3

and this little orange fridge dish which I will probably never find a lid for... but it was originally $4, half off made it $2

I also purchased some Yummy new red potatoes... My grandfather would always give us a bunch every summer and since he passed away a couple years ago we haven't had any... Its funny how food can bring back such fond memories... I plan on making New potatoes, peas, and vegan gravy... YUM!

Purchased a smaller Humane trap for the rats that have been living under the chicken yard and stealing food... It is a catch and release like our bigger one... but this one the rat can't fit out of.... $8

I also purchased some small junk because it was cheap... 24 pack of sharpies $3, PedEgg replacements 2 packs for $5 (thats 6 or 8 of them, I was getting ready to buy these at BB&B so lucky I ran into them there!), another dog leash $3... This stand also some other as seen on tv stuff really cheap... might go back for more, so sad but true...

I was surprised by how many sellers had produce... I seen atleast 7, if not more.... not one organic though :( But still next year I will go and find some veggies there... Hopefully if I ask a couple times they will start selling organic... maybe... u think? maybe its just wishful thinking.... But I will have faith! lol...

over all good experience and think I might go to the one in Shinnston next week! :)

Roxie Tendon Injury, 3 Columbus Trips to the Veterinary Medical Center, and some Vegan food!!!

2011-07-18T16:02:00.001-05:00

Roxie: Abrasion on back of leg turned Tendon injury!

Initial injury after 1st set of staples... and Roxie getting all but one back out!

A few months ago Roxie cut the back of her Left leg around her achilles tendon. I took her to have it stitched and examed to make sure it didn't cut any of the legiments and tendeons. They said it looked fine... They stapled it closed and sent her home... 3 different times because she kept tearing them out...

On her 2nd set of staples with no wrap and a cone to keep her away from the staples.... Problem...
She ended up breaking the very pretty pink cone and getting out the 3rd set of staples...

I'm Free!!!

But the last time they stapled her the Vet also wrapped her leg very tight and told me to leave it that way for 4 days. It was wrapped so tight that I took it off on the 2nd day because it was cutting into the back of her leg. It had also caused a very bad burn/rub injury on the front of her leg... but when I took the wrap off there was something else wrong... she would not put any presure on her leg and when she finally started walking on it again a day of 2 later her hock was all the way to the ground...

Kinda hard to see the wrapped leg... But it was wrapped at length and tight! In three layers...

This is me cutting it off....Because it was leaving abrasions

Front of foot after wrap removed.. This was caused by the wrap!

This is the front view of the damage the wrap caused!

When the wrap was removed the actual original cut is almost done healing... But there is now swelling in the tendon...

This picture is upside down... The bottom part is the muscle in the top of her leg.... and the is the other abrasion caused by the wrap... The one I could see above the wrap.. Just sawing away at her skin...

Took her back to the vet he said she needed surgery on the top part of her leg wear the muscle connects into the tendon... I took her to my Family vet and she said she thought the problem was lower in her leg were the staples had rubbed the tendon and caused the tendon to stretch and maybe rupture but not totally away from each other... So she sent me to a specialist at the Ohio State Animal Veterinary place... But the only appointment they could make me was Neurology.. and she thought there was some nerve damage as well so she said once I got in the door they would also have a Orthopedic surgent look at her....

Well on our first trip we went and seen neurology which said yes she had some nerve damage that may correct its self.... And he said he asked orthopedics... but come to find out he just asked an orthopedic student to look at her... So he came back and told us she need surgery.... The Neurology consult cost $250.00 even after they had told me on the phone that it was only going to be $125.00 for the consult!!! They decided to try to schedule for surgery with Dr. Au and said she would also exam her right before the surgery the next day. I asked a million questions, booked a hotel room, and then he went to mark down on Dr. Au's schedule but come to find out then they didn't have any room for her... and because they had an emergency come in they wouldn't be able to do it at all and Dr. Au's first surgical appointment available would be in 2 WEEKS! O but this needed fixed asap!!! what the heck was there issue?.. I was pissed considering I had drove 5 hours to get here and was promised I would be seen by both for full exams and they charged me double what they initially said... I left and drove home! Swearing...

Alot happened in the next two weeks and Dr. Au would be just as astonished and happy as we were...I had spoke with several Vets again in that 2 weeks. Our family vet for a check up and her vaccinations. Since we were taking her for surgery. Then I called Dr. Fallon.. ( He is our Chicken vet but he also does orthopedics) He said that if it isn't fully cut into and even if it is sometimes it can find itself and heal itself.... and I thought yeah I don't think so with Roxie because her hock was totally dropped... But I had hope...

Trip 2 to Ohio.... We go to see the very nice Orthopedics Specialist (Dr. Au) .. She checked her out and I told her how many consults I had had on her and that they all said something different.. and she looked at the chart and said the last orthopedic person was a student that looked at her... I had been lied to.. again ...so I was livid... considering I was told a specialist had looked at her on my first trip... Come to find out also... It wasn't as bad as we thought it was... Because over that 2 week wait she had started walking on her leg again... her hock had actually started to rise on its own and although she was shaky she was doing great!!! Dr. Au... Said she thought instead of it being tore, that it had just stretched because of the way it was wrapped and because of the staples... She said we would order a brace to support her tendon so it would not have further damage and see if she heals on her own. but there is a possibility that she would still need surgery to shorten them tendon. We got the mold made and ordered her brace... $125.00 consult charge and $450.00 for a specially made orthopedic brace.... that should be in in 2 to 3 weeks. I was supposed to keep her in her kennel and not let her jump around or run outside... We did stay in Columbus at a dog friendly hotel that night...They pissed me off too... because I was promised a room with a fridge and Microwave.... Was it there .... Hell no and the manager said it would cost extra for that.... Well that not what the last guy said... err.... I hate bait and switch and Columbus was full of it...

at the hotel... Pibbie was excited to be an only dog for the night!

The next morning she had taken over and was relaxing on her mound of blankets while we got ready to go home

She was having an awesome time.. and i hope she left the bed full of Pibble hair so they had to change and wash the whole Damn thing.. considering I was supposed to have a fridge and microwave and I didn't!!! A-holes!

Well over the next 3 weeks the vet and I talked a couple of times... And finally week 4 she got the brace.... But it was made wrong so she had to send it back... So another week and a half later (total weeks to get brace 5 1/2) we started on our journey back to Ohio State... I had not let her outside at all but I didn't keep her in her kennel all day every day either...

19 miles outside of Columbus Ohio we pull over to use the rest room at a Dairy Queen that was right off the side of the road... I am sitting in the car waiting on John and My cars starts smoking really bad.. Someone yells your car in on fire... and what do you know... it was... It totally burnt... See my other post....

after all that fun... I did finally make it to get her brace.. About an hour after her appointment.. The vet was glad to see she was doing so well and said to make her wear her brace outside and work her way up in time don't just put it on her and leave...

Pibbie looks awesome ine pink so we had to get Pibble Pink!!!! :)

And then we were on our way to Whole foods and then home...

7/18/2011
To tell you the truth unless we have her out side... She doesn't wear the brace at all....and when she does wear it I am afraid she will jump and hurt her self. but even without the brace she has been doing awesome and now the scar tissue is even shrinking and her tendon may still look a little bit bigger but you can't even really tell she hurt herself if it wasn't for the scars...She had the best temperament all the way through this... Never once did she snap or act irritated with the vets or with messing with her hurt leg.. She did wonderfully!

While we were there on our 3 trips we found a couple of nice places to get vegan food.. They were so yummy but can be a little pricey!

My Fave Place....

Patty Cakes bakery.... Every trip we made we had such scrumptious, lovely, awesome cupcakes and cookies!!! I love this place and if I lived near it I would be broke and weigh 500lbs... lol.... My fave Cup cake.... The lemon cupcake was so awesome and lemony and just one of the best cupcakes i have ever had!!! the flavor was rig ht on and I have yet to match it at home and I have tried several times!
But they also had great Everything cookies, Chocolate chocolate chip cookies, Chocolate chip cookies, Blueberry Crumb Muffins... I don't know what else we had but we had quite a few things!!!

Merry Me Blueberry Muffin

Everything Oatmeal Cookies

Chocolate xo Cookies..I Think

Lovely Lemon.... Is very Lovely YUM!!!!

We also stopped by the Global Gallary Coffee shop and juice bar for half a vegan pizza.. It was pesto with pine nuts and daiya.. It was expensive but really yummy... I have craved that pizza ever since I had it.... (This place isn't all vegan but has vegan options)

Very small but very yummy....

We also tried some vegan muffins from Whole Foods My fave was the Orange Cranberry Muffin... But none of their muffins stand a chance next to Patty Cakes Bakery!

I think we are all glad that Pibbie's leg is doing awesome and that we don't have to make any more trips to Ohio any time soon!!!

4th of July: Parade, Food, & the Raptor Rehab

2011-07-05T13:59:00.070-05:00

There are horses in the Parade every year.... I have been watching this parade for over 20 years and not one of them have urinated! But This fourth... They ended up stopping and pausing in front on the house and the horse flooded the road! It was awful and funny all at the same time.... so of course thats how our day started...lol

So on the cooking list for the 4th!

Vegan Chocolate Chip cookies from The Joy of vegan baking (My Faves)

Both Cupcakes recipes from The Joy of vegan baking... The chocolate chocolate cake recipe with an extra 1/2 tsp of dutch processed chocolate... The Vanilla Cupcake recipe with a tsp of vanilla and a little extra vanilla. Then I made Raspberry frosting and Chocolate Peanutbutter Frosting... I think The chocolate frosting was really strong... I icing some of the Vanilla cupcakes with some artificiality clue colored icing.... I made some Raspberry and Blueberry syrup but I didn't have time to drizzle them...

I love the Raspberry Icing... But I liked it on the vanilla more than the chocolate...

A Hawaiian Rhubarb Pineapple Crumble pie... I thought this was really sour.. John liked it... It never got finished.. I through it out....

For dinner I Made Igors Special Pasta from Vegan Vittles )I love that recipe) I also made hotdog sauce and used it as sloppy joes.. John did have some hot dogs though...I just skipped those...

The West Virginia Raptor Rehab
On the 4th the West Virginia Raptor Rescue also came and spoke at the towns celebration. They did a great Job. The person who spoke is also our chickens vet! Dr. Fallon, from Cheat lake animal Hospital

This is Owlice (Like Alice but Owlice) she also has a wing injury and an eye injury after being hit by a car..Click for her story.

Annie the Red Tailed Hawk- Was found with leather tethers around her ankle begging for food and was raised by humans before she was found so should could not hunt on her own. Click for Story

I am pretty sure this guys name is Mike and I had met him before at the vet clinic with this same Eagle. Her name is Thunder and was shot when she still had her brown head feathers... she was shot in West Virginia through her wing and leg. She now is missing part of her wing and can not be release. Click for Her Story...

Dr. Fallon

At the end of the night, John, Chey, Chey's find and I went to watch fireworks.. The kids stayed down on the play ground though and John and I had the fireworks to ourselves :)

Farmers Market: Trial and Error & Yard Sale

2011-06-05T13:53:00.000-05:00

Today was the 3rd Farmers market in our small town and I finally made it to this one. I baked ... ALOT! yesterday... and I shouldn't have baked quite so much.... But it was an ok turn out and I will probably do it again later on this summer... But I am going to wait till they get more venders I think. Chey came with, and sold some yummy lemonade to go with all the vegan baked goods. Hope everyone loved them. When it was over I went around and gave some away to the other venders and the guy who runs it swapped me for a loaf of his bread. So that was really nice...

Our Little table. The signs on the table had the prices of everything..
They were cute but cumbersome! and even thou the prices were right there..
Everyone still asked...

Spent the day before making these chalk boards. With an old closet shelf cut into. Then I used chalk board paint I bought at Lowes for 14.98 a pint or a quart.... I have to go look later.... But I put three coats on these to get a nice even coat. They turned out really nice.. Just wish my boards were a little smoother... But if you use a wet paper towel everything comes off really nicely!

Plus they were really cute.. Think I am going to make one for my kitchen.

Chey sitting in the sun. After these were taken we got some umbrellas to sit under to keep from burning up!

After the farmers market I went to a small town yardsale that was benefiting our new food pantry. I bought 3 games: In a Pickle, Cranium WOW, and Cranium Cadoo. I also bought a group of 4 Pyrex mixing bowls. Some were woodland some golden butterfly. Chey bout the Pictinary man game... They had really good prices! Think in the near future I will collect some info from them and then buy some food to donate.... Vegan food only of course! :) Pictures of the bowls when I get the chance...

Kiss my car goodbye! Thanks to it Catching Fire on my way to Ohio!

2011-05-29T11:23:00.000-05:00

We were on our way to Columbus, Ohio's, to go to Ohio State Veterinary Hospital to pick up Roxie's leg brace (I have yet to blog anything about Roxies leg injury) when 19 miles outside of Columbus we stopped to use the rest room at a DQ my car started smoking. I just thought it was the stirring fluid leaking... But it turned out to be my car was on fire... My passenger side door handle didn't work and John was in the DQ using the restroom...So I went across the seat and jumped out the drivers side door..grabbed Roxie and got away... Not once did I think CALL 911...! I know right... luckily the workers at the DQ did.... It took them a good 20 or 30 minutes for the fire department to get there.... and by then the entire motor was burning.... It was a mess.. Originally the DQ works and my husband tried to get the hood open so they could spray it with the fire extinguisher.... but the hood was stuck closed.. So when the fire department got there they had to pry my hood open with what looked like a mini jaws of life... and then they sprayed with the extinguisher and then the water hose... They totally flooded the car... They ripped the dash open and sprayed through it.... It was a mess...

Did I mention I only had liability??? Stupid me!!!!

This is the parking lot after the fire. I hope I don't get charged for damage. all I seen was some stains... No real damage.
But the guy took my insurance just in case.. Sad thing is I only had liability... and when I called I found up that it
Won't cover the parking lot if they decide that there is damage...

I was upset... But not as much as I expected really... It sucks that I lost my car... but atleast we have a truck to get around in... and I hope John gets his car fixed soon so we can have 2 vehicles again... I can't wait till some of our bills get paid off though... so I can get a newer fuel efficient car... We originally planned on trading his talon and my stratus in on a newer car.. But I guess that won't happen now... :( After they put out the fire.. we looked decided it was totaled... and decided to leave it with a place called Just Junk It...They offered use $300 for it and I couldn't afford to tow it home and fix it since the motor was gone! So I took the offer... I couldn't get the money without the title though... So right now my car us still there and I have no money and they are waiting on me to send them my title so that I can get my money...

After that the Fire Chief was nice enough to give us a ride to the airport to pick up a very expensive $313 one way rental car to get us home! It was a 2010 Hyundai Elantra with XM radio which was nice... But it sucks how much it cost... I really didn't have the money to put forth.... but what are you going to do.?? Totaling a car has always been my worst travel nightmare...So I guess travel only looks up from here...

Roxie Making herself at home in the backseat of the Fire Chiefs SUV.

Waiting at baggage claim for John and the rental car.

Roxie was such a good girl at the airport for over an hour. She was nice to every one who came up to us!

XM Radio in the Rental car

The nice rental car

Had a nifty gear shift

We did end up going to the vet and picking up her little hot pink leg brace... Which she wears everytime she goes outside to make sure she doesn't over use her tendon while it continues to heal... She is happier now that she can go outside again.. And I am too because the puppy pads are messy and expensive...Plus after the costs of Roxie Exams, traveling three times to ohio, and the $400 brace... I am broke! and can't afford the puppy pads anymore....

Roxies New leg Brace

She is doing pretty good with it. although she will run around the yard kicking her leg up and to the side...lol

We also stopped by Wholefoods on the way home and picked up a case of Earth Balance stick.. They are 5.99 a four pack here... and it cost 2.89 a four pack at wholefoods... Plus I bought a case that was a little over $5 off plus... I had a $1 coupon for ever pack I bought... So I really got it at a good price! I also got a case of WholeSoy yogurt and 8 packs of lightlife sausage... Wish I would have got a case of the sausage... I didn't know the case would actually give you a better price... But I also had a dollar off ever Lightlife item... It was 2.69 each so I paid 1.69 each... So I was a money saving queen... :) O yeah lightlife sausage here is 3.99 a pack... and I can't get plain containers of Soy yogurt here... So I stalked up for baking... I also got 6 packs of Tofurky since its cheaper there....

I was going to stop at a couple other places life Trader Joes and a Vegan Bakery but I didn't have the money or the time... So we came the Five hours home...

But at that it looks like, even if John gets his over time back, that we are not going on any kind of vacation this year.. That really sucks... John is from Charleston, SC and we were really looking forward to going there this fall... we havn't been there since his dad past over 3 years ago and I know he wanted to visit his sister....

Other pictures from our trip....

Stopped to let Roxie have a brake and for me to make a phone call and John showed me these... They were so awesome I had to get some pictures...

These high tension power lines make the weirdest sound....

Going through an old town. Thought these buildings looked pretty cool..

a new school they are building in Camron, WV. It looks like it will be very nice.

The old Prison in Moudsville,WV. They do tours but we didn;'t have time to take one. But it looks awesome from outside..

Whats Cookin' Latley: Waffles, Cupcakes, Muffins

2011-05-25T11:36:00.000-05:00

Been trying out different recipes for the farmers market that I plan on setting up a table at very soon...

The Joy of Vegan Baking- Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
These turned out really yummy but I will not be adding the chocolate
When I sell them they will just have nuts... I think more people will
be likely to buy them that way and they will be less expensive.

The Joy of Vegan Baking- Chocolate Peanutbutter Cupcakes
I made these a a Cakewalk Fund Raising for my Little sisters 3rd grade spring festival.
I will also be making these for the Farmers market

French Toast Muffins- 100 Best Vegan Baking Recipes

The Best Banana Bread Recipe- 100 Best Vegan Baking Recipes
I have become quite a fan of banana bread and have tried several different recipes. Not because I didn't like it... Just because I like to try new ones... The only thing I changed in this recipe is that I added walnuts. I have never put nuts in our bread but to put some more nutrients into it I decided it would be a good Idea. I also doubled the recipe so I could freeze one for future use. They cooked up in 43 minutes and came out very pretty.

I will also be making these recipes at the first farmers market I go to....

The Joy of Vegan Baking

Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Chocolate chip Cookies

Peanutbutter Cookies

German Apple cake

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Caramel Popcorn ( With added chocolate)

Vegan With a Vengeance

Blueberry Cornmeal Muffins

Vegan Celebration

Sweet Southern Cornbread

Other Recipes

Rhubarb Bread

Banana Bread

No Bake Cookies

Haystack ( Cornflake Cookies)

Later on I will be adding more recipes and switching them out and in as the summer goes on. I am excited and can't wait to go to my first... I have already missed the first 2 and will probably miss this weekends as well. But After that if all goes well I will be selling VEGAN baked goods at my local farmers market!!! Yay

I have also made some other new recipes from some of my fave cookbooks that I still haven't worked my way through.

Igors pasta from Vegan Vittles is one of those recipes that I return to over and over .. One of my faves! Made it twice last week!

This week though I have made:

Crispy Banana-Cinnamon Waffles from Vegan Diner. this is the first recipe I have tried from this book. But I will say with all the flour in the recipe I had to double the milk to get it to mix up. Then I had to double everything else but the flour to get the right flavor... So I am not sure exactly how I screwed up or if the measurements are just wrong in the book.... Who knows... But they did turn out really yummy! And are going to my freezer...

I had to set the waffle iron on its highest setting to get these completely done , brown, and crispy. They are so yummy once I got the right setting. They do take a while to cook even on high!

This made about 24 individual waffles that I am going to freeze some of. That is after the quick fix to the recipe.

Lemon Waffles from Vegan w/a Vengeance . They are crispy and so good. I wish I had everything to make the blueberry sauce! I can just imagine how great it would taste on them! I had to add 3 or 4 tbsp of flour to thicken it up because every '/time I would cook 1 it would crisp up and over cook very quickly. So I also had to turn down my waffle iron that doesn't get very hot to begin with. It is trial and error right now trying to get them done but not overly so. also freezing what I have left of these after all the cooking problems. Hope they freeze well.

These are sweet and lemony and so good once you get the batter & temp just right. I really loved these
and wish I had the blueberry sauce to eat with them.

Ready to go into the freezer.

The first 3 that I really messed up... The batter was to thin and the iron was to hot!

I also added my first flowers to a cake... on 5/29/2011.. Jess's mom put the icing on the cake and then asked me to write and add some decorations.. I Don't normally do flowers or sheet cakes... so it wasn't the best job but I love that I learned something new like the sweet pea flowers...

Chicken lays egg while Getting Xray!

2011-05-10T18:15:00.000-05:00

Found this link while looking up chicken X-rays to see how they look compared to Gaia... Check it out!!!

Gaia Chickens 1st Vet Appointment, Chicken Xrays! & A Surprise visitor at the Vet Clinic!

2011-05-10T17:19:00.003-05:00

Today I took Gaia to her 1st vet appointment. She was a good little trooper through all the exams & shots. But I also have to say the Vet and staff are so good with the chickens and kind.. I can't help but smile when I see how well they treat and handle the chickens just like any other animal that has been brought in. And I love that about them! I have been to vets that question treating chickens and ask why I just don't kill her and to have a vet and staff that show respect and love for them it is heart warming and I could never trust anyone else to treat them.. :)
She had lots done and she was a good little trooper all day. First they weighed her and she weighs 4lbs. She is under weight and her keel bone is sticking out. I think she should be around 6lbs. Then we had to wait for a few minutes so she decided to try to fly and land on the chair and fell off so I picked her up and sat her back on her chair... where she stayed till the vet came in and she walked over onto my lap and was trying to peck me in the face while I was talking to our vet...lol ... He examined her and her belly is distended a little bit...Then they took a fecal sample to check for worms... Then swabbed her Crop to check for sour crop which is a fungal infection, while he gave me a mouth & throat anatomy lesson. Then she got to walk around the room for a while and poop on the floor...lol... Then they came back and got her to get an ultrasound which they didn't find anything on so the did two xrays.

Test results...
Fecal: as far as they can tell she didn't have anything. But they gave her a shot for worms just in case...
Crop Swab: Not sure but she is on sour crop meds now to see if that helps her.
Ultrasound: Inconclusive
X-rays: They showed a few things... One her bone health is not very good. Her bones should be pretty solid in the xray and they are speckled...very speckled! Which means she is not getting enough calcium, or not absorbing it properly, or something is leaching calcium from her.... 2nd her crop is very full. Not as big as it was the other night..and he said that could be the right size for her..maybe.. but it looked pretty full.So he was a little worried about that... It also showed a very white round"something" in her belly/intestine... I am not sure where exactly... he said it could be metal causing metal toxicity or just a dense small rock...

So for now she was given a shot for worms and other parasites.
She was given a shot to slow the diarrhea
She was given meds for fungal infection in her crop (Sour crop)
And she was given an antibiotic just in case she picked something bacterial up...
O yeah and she also had some Sub Q fluids

We are going to watch her. Make sure she is eating and drinking... And hop that she gets better. If not next is blood work to show if something else is going on. He sounded pretty worried about her bones and said if this doesn't work it could end up being something rare like Leukemia! So please keep her in your thoughts a prayers... He said if she doesn't get better with this that the next step would be blood work, and then exploratory to see what the opaque white round thing is...

So I really hope this works and we don't have to take it that far.

So since she was so great and had such a long day I brought her home and let her free range in my moms front yard for an hour of so. She also had some spinach, blueberries, and strawberries on the way home. Plus the girls gave her 3 grapes and some more blueberries when she was running around in the yard enjoying the sun and grass. She looked very happy and didn't seem bothered by the days events at all!

But I will post Xrays later if the vet will send them to me...

On a brighter note... There was a Bald Eagle (Thunder) (click the link and it will take you to her page)at the vet clinic when I was leaving... Well I was supposed to be leaving ... I stopped and talked to the guy who had brought her in first. She is gourgous and is part of the West Virginia Raptor Rehab. She was found after being shot when she was 3 or 4 years old. She didn't have her white head yet at that point. Eagles don't get the white till around 5 years of age... She was shot through the left leg and it caught her wing and her wing had to have part removed at the end so she has lived with the Raptor guy for 20 years now. She weighs 14lbs her wingspan is 7 1/2 feet (if she would still have her wing tip) She can't fly. But she was so gorgeous! It was amazing to see her so up close and it just gives you such respect for them. She is having problems with the muscle in her left leg now so she was going to be xrayed

They also have facebook
And a running list of things needed on a donation list on amazon
I take all our Ferrets and Chickens to The Cheat lake Animal Hospital in Morgantown WV. They are all awesome. The staff is great and answer all my questions. Our chickens normally see Dr. Fallon but can be seen by Dr. Amy too. And our ferrets see Dr. Amy but can see Dr. Fallon too... They are both great!!!

Happy Mothers Day

2011-05-08T12:48:00.000-05:00

Happy Mothers Day to my Wonderful mother. I love you very much! I hope you have a great day and that you start feeling better.

I went to My moms this morning and I wanted to make her breakfast but I didn't get the chance...So I made her a Giant Chocolate Chip cookie (The Joy of vegan baking recipe)... That turned out pretty good. this is the first time I have ever made a Big Chocolate chip cookie and I was hoping it would cook right and luckily just like when they are little they cook up nice and soft/chewy and yummy! I cooked it for 20mins in a spring form pan and I only used about 2/3 to 3/4 of the actual cookie dough. I didn't know how thick I could make it and it still cook through without burning on bottom.

Yard Sale Trip #2 (#1 Sucked)

2011-05-08T11:02:00.000-05:00

Ok...at the beginning of Spring.. the very beginning.. probably before spring was even here I went to my first few yard sales after stocking the classifieds online for...alongtime!... But guess what.. I learned that early season yard sales and small and they suck!!!

So I gave it a month or so....

Friday night I decided I was going to go a town close to us that was having a town yard sale... Plus there was an estate sale and I love estate sales!!! You always find the best stuff at those!!!

So after planning my route I headed out Saturday morning... The first couple I stopped by was a total bust... But when I made it to the estate sale I got some really great deals on especially 1 item that was my find of the day and I have been wanting one for forever!!! And I can't believe I found it at such a great price... I also purchased a 4 slice toaster for $2... haven't tried it yet..hope it works...

My awesome TexasWare Bowl!!!! The price.... $.50 cents... and at the antique stores they sale for $30 dollars!!!

It did look like someone had sat it on a burner.. but it was still in awesome shape!

I also found this little crock to put more kitchen utensils in for $1buck! Same day I found another one of these at a yard sale for $12 dollars.

Orignaly thought this was pyrex but it turned out not to be. But I love the way these types of bowls are made and I use my pyrex ones all the time and I don't have lids for them. This one was $.25 cents so it was well worth the quarter even if it isn't pyrex!

After the estate sale my list of yard sales went out the window because they were literally everywhere... The news paper didn't have half of them and I am sure I missed some of them just because there was so many.... I went to atleast 25 in under an hour.... maybe 30...

My 2nd favorite find came from the basement of a small museum the town has. The have a small yard sale a few times a year.. Not of the museum stuff but of other misc. items....

This is my new rooster lamp! I think he is so hansom! and I really like him.. He is sitting on my 60's credenza that I keep forgetting to blog about oops.. coming soon I promise! But he was only $3 bucks!

I also found these wonderful finds at other misc yardsales.....

Didn't have a lid but for $1 who cares. I have a lid that I can use and it is less for me to find shelf space for!

Love this Fireking bowl.. Its another fave of the day.. and It was $1 buck !

Got this Pyrex bowl at the same yardsale as the Fireking. Just $1 and an awesome find I love!

Same yardsale as above bowls. Don't really drink coffee not sure what I will do with it. Tried to talk myself out of buying it... Just couldn't leave the CorningWare Friendship Coffee pot for $2 bucks!

Old fashion but It is Pampered Chef Apple peeler.. Hope it works good.. $1

When I find whole sets of Pyrex bowls at a good price it is so hard or me to leave them. The lady I purchase these from had just been bit by a dog that had been hit by a car. She took the dog and its owner to the vet but had yet to get her stitches... Her mother was taking over for her.. $5 bucks!

Then I headed to Fairmont because there was a church sale... and church sales mean old people..and old stuff... right? and I don't mean it rudely I just mean if I am looking for 1960's or 1070's stuff I need older people... and good prices... sadly the church yard sale wasn't as good as I was hoping but I did find a couple of things... and I missed another church yard sale my mom told me about after I left town :( ....

I really like this style jar.. I see them at antique stores all the time for big bucks and so I have never got one. I doubt this one is an antique. It has no marking and also seems like more modern glass. Paid $2 bucks. I also purchased a small 60's suit case that John calls ungly. Not sure if I will ever use it.. But I haven't taken a picture yet...

Then I went to a park that was supposed to have some yard sales but there was some kids baseball games there so... I didn't see any yard sales but there was a ton of people there so I guess I could have looked harder... But there was 2 out the same road and I found my other two fave finds of the day out there at another great price!

These sets sale for around $15 dollars at the antique stores. I would never pay that much for one. But I did pay $5 when I found this full set!

Also got this dispenser or juice container.. not sure... and it was only $.50 cents! Love it!

So before noon I was a little bit of everywhere... Places I never go but actually found my way back out of...lol... In the first town they were also having a canoe

I am so excited for the entire summer of yard sales...if I can find the money and time to do it!

1st Vegan Lasagna

2011-05-05T20:48:00.000-05:00

My husband and I always loved lasagna. But when I stopped eating cheese I also stopped making lasagna because I thought I would really miss the cheese & because my fave Pre-made Pasta sauce had cheese in it and most store bought pasta sauces have cheese...So I gave up on red sauce with pasta all together really....

But my husband has been asking me to make one for some time. So the other day I bought a couple containers of pasta sauce that I thought I would hate... and decided I could always eat something else if it didn't turn out good.

I boiled the pasta (whole box), Browned the Yves veggie burger (used 2 freezer packs) and added some light life sausage { 1 whole role) , then added the pasta sauce to the burger (whole jar plus some of the next jar) . (I never used veggie burger in my lasagna before, I always used to just use cheese, sauce, and pasta... )

Layered the sauce, pasta, burger mix, small amount of Daiya cheese, and a small amount of vegan parm. Made three layers than throw it it in the oven.. It smelled so good while it was cooking... We couldn't wait to try it....

Ready to go into the oven for 45minutes.. Covered with aluminum foil

And..............Success... It was really good. It filled my husbands craving and even with my husbands appetite we had left overs for the next day... Well two pieces and they were finished for breakfast. Plus I got to use one of my new Friendship casserole/cake/dishes....

All done and ready to go to our tummies! Yum!!!

Next time I will add less Yves, No light life sausage, and add some veggies. I really missed having veggies in it!

And I am also thinking about trying the Spinach Lasagna recipe in The Vegan Table (Link includes the Spinach Lasagna Recipe) So maybe thats what I will make next time.

This one was my Fave.

As for the pasta Sauce, Surprisingly it was Muir Glen. I have never liked their pasta sauce before but I had never tried their Organic products until that day. It was really good and will now be my pasta sauce of choice!

Stewy the Dictator! Chaos in the Coop yard!

2011-05-04T13:43:00.001-05:00

Its always something around here... I have yet to blog about Roxies Leg/tendon injury and I have a million other issues to deal with...

Todays issue... our Rooster that was born last Spring/Summer has began to fight with and now plain out attack our other two roosters.... Even though they take on a submissive role and run and hide he still picks at them and now has Titan (Our Big rooster) bleeding on his wing... So I am very frustrated with him. Today I have him locked up in the hen house so that Titan can have some time to ro-coop and feel better. I feel so aweful for them that they can't get along. I always thought since Titan was his "Father Chicken" (lol) and he grew up with the other two rooster that they would all get along just like Titan & Crownos did. But he has taken out the ruler and is being a Dictator and cruelly attacking the other Roos.... What do I do about this?

Titan, With a beat up comb, used to be head of the coop... Now Stewy is beating him up!

Also doesn't like Stewy. Stewy started by picking on him!

Stewy, Titans Son... Big Bully, and is turning the chicken yard into chaos...

I am thinking about adding an emergency extension to the coop yard tomorrow. Maybe if they have more space they will feel better and Stewy will leave everyone alone. If not I am going to have to build him his own enclosure by himself and his fave hen Jasmine... Thats the only thing I can think of doing... I don't want to give him away and someone cook him for dinner when they don't have a use for him, when he attacks a person, when he has some medical condition that I would take him to the vet for, but someone else would just off him.... So what else can I do? I am hoping that after he is locked in the coop all day he will be nice when we let him out. Fingers crossed... But I also know thats not how stuff like this normally works...

So he is going to stay locked up in the hen house till my husband gets home and we can watch them closer. John can step in a separate them were they are to big for my hands to get a good grip on to pick them up. I guess if worst comes to worst I can put Stewy in the Brooder/Sick coop. Just to separate them for a while. I don't know. I want this to be his forever home.... He was born here. I have never brought in an animal and not fully devoted myself to his care. I am just not sure how to solve this problem and not separate them... and separating Stewy from everyone else just seems cruel to me... Should I just let them fight till they form a new pecking order? Some people say once Spring is over they will stop fighting... But I also know you are not supposed to separate Roos because it can make them fight worse.... hmmmmm.... I don't know. I will update soon to let everyone know what I chose to do.

PPK Cookbook challenge...

2011-05-04T13:41:00.000-05:00

I just seen some blog entries about the challenge.... I am so sad I missed out on this! :(

Gaia Chicken Undate & Spanxy Ferret Going to the vet

2011-05-04T13:36:00.000-05:00

She is still fluffy... her comb is still not bright red.... She is looking unkempt... She isn't walking around being a happy chicken... She is standing still, fluffed up, looking miserable.... So I am not sure if she is egg bound again... or if she has an infection from the last time she was bound... Maybe there was something left and it wasn't just a yolk ball... She is still eating... she spends alot of time at the feeder and if I throw the eggs in and bust them she runs over to eat them, all excited!. She even stalks the eggs... If someone has laid one she will stand there beside it till someone comes outside and busts it open for her to get.... But she used to be the chicken that would run over and bust the egg herself. She was the egg destroyer! But I think it is time to have her spayed! So she can have a good guilty of life..

We have an appointment Friday with a vet I have never had the chickens to. She is an exotic vet that I guess will see chickens. She is at the same location as my normal avian vet. But he is out for the rest of the week. So I am taking Gaia and Spanx our Ferret to the vet Friday.

Spanxy is the last ferret we have. He is doing well although he lost his cage mate over a month ago. He did seem lost without her for the first few days. But we have been visiting with him more and he has been doing ok. But he is showing more symptoms of Adrenal Gland disease. He is losing muscle around his back hips pretty severely and is what I am going to consider, getting a pot belly. He has minimal hair loss right above his tail that comes and goes and his tail is bare but normally it all grows back after his spring shedding. So I am not sure exactly what is going on with him. But I think I have a good idea and I am trying to decide if he has adrenal gland disease do I have the surgery? The same surgery that we lost Sade having? do we treat him with hormone or tummer killing drugs? do we let him live out his life as happy as possible? I don't want to give up on him... I want to do everything possible for him to have a good guilty of life. I am just not sure what that is right now...

So many hard decisions in a matter of a few days.... I wish everything would just calm done for a while and give me a chance to sit back and breath...

New Years Resolution updates....hmmmm... what resolutions... I don't know what your talking about??? :)

2011-05-03T16:02:00.000-05:00

It has been a few days past 4 months now and how are the resolutions going...If the title of this blog doesn't tell you then let me explain... :)

Anger- I have a quick temper. Unexpected things that happen at the most in-opportunistic times piss me off. And I know some of that is normal. But sometimes I believe my anger is a little more. I want to open my mind to knowing that change is normal and everything can't go to my expectation everyday. When I see other people who do this I think they are jackasses but then I go and do it. So I am going to work on being so snappy.- I have been working on this one. I try to look at things from both sides which I have always been good at but at the same time when someone tells me what is going to happen and then they totally change that it really irritates me...and I am trying to work on this.... Is this an entitlement thing... Because people who act like they are entitled to the world annoy me when it is over the top. Is it different when you are told one thing and then they don't come through at all about what they have said.... Am I entitled to what they have said they will do...Specially when it is a professional person telling me they will do something and then they don't. I have had many instances this year of professional saying one thing and doing another... and It really kinda pisses me off.... On the other hand when I tell someone I am going to do something... I do it... I don't mess around... Other wise I think my temper has been very much under control and I have been working on calming and trying to work it out instead of blowing up... or just leaving the situation and coming back to it when I am less angry and won't sit there and yell at whomever has ticked me off.... unless u work for Frontier and then all bets are off.... err... lol
Read 15 books this year!!!! yes it is back and I will do it this year! I have read any books in the last 2 months... I might have started one or 2 but never really went back and read enough to be considered...
Loss 15lbs by October 2011- I have gained 3lbs... yup... not going very far and 20lbs should be easy. Though I have been trying to be more active... I have just been eating crap...
1 New recipe a week, or more, sugary baked goods can not count as the only new recipe for the week unless they are leaving my house :) - Well I have been making sugary things.. I have made a few new recipes but not 1 a week... :(
Take out no more then 4 times a month.- Sadly has failed every month but January
Return my library books on time! not a week late...- I haven't had that many out but I think all my stuff has gone back on time... :)
Make our savings account grow while paying off $6,000 worth of debt....-We are working on this. I think I have only used my credit cards a couple times this year and that was my care credit on vet bills.. and my TJ maxx car on junk I should not have purchased... O yeah and we purchased a truck and took out a lone for it...
Blogging, To have more entries than 2010. Plus to blog about some important topics instead of putting it off and forgetting to do it. :) - Have not been a consistent blogger. It kills my back to sit here on the computer and work, Pibbie hurt her leg and I have been working with her, and I have in general not felt well and it was all leading back to my back. But as of the last week I am feeling pretty good..So hopefully I can catch up on blogging... :)And I don't think I have blogged about one important public topic.,. although I did do some animal health blogs :)
To use more of the produce we purchase and grow.- Not doing that great on this one... Again my back has been in the way. I feel good one day I purchase a bunch of stuff to cook and the next two weeks I would be in a ton of pain and wouldn't raise a finger to cook... so.alot of wasted food :(
To organize and remove alot of junk from my life.- I have really been working on this one. When I feel good I go and go through some of the junk and though I still have a long ways to go I have a whole huge storage building full of yard sale stuff.... That includes some bigger stuff like a couch, entertainment center, mattress, and a ton of other stuff... but I still have alot of junk that I need to get rid of or find somewhere to put....

Well that is how I am doing... I hope everyone else is doing better than I am...

My Hope

2011-05-03T13:45:00.000-05:00

My hopes are that one day people will see the error in their ways, in which have become a "normal" ok thing.
That people will see and learn the suffering their eating habits cause. For the animals, for those who have to live around factory farms and deal with the pollution, for the people who starve because so much grain is given to the animals, who are not even supposed to eat it in the first place, that could be used to feed millions if not billions and end the hunger and starvation issues around the world. And see that all the suffering is not necessary and they could make this world such a better place if they lay aside their own wants and just think of how they effect others. My hope is that people will let go of the selfishness that they hold and learn from the love in their hearts that can be obtained through such simple acts of kindness. ( Info on the picture: The Sacramento Earth Day logo was created in 2009 by dana gray (www.grayna.com), exclusively for the lasting benefit of Sacramento Earth Day, and it is copyrighted. If you wish to use it for a purpose consistent with the spirit and practice of celebrating Earth Day, or if you just like it, please honor its creator by sending a tax-exempt contribution to Sacramento Earth Day at ECOS, P.O. Box 1526, Sacramento CA 95812.)

Garden Update 2011

2011-05-03T12:01:00.000-05:00

Well I have almost everything planted now.

Tomatoes, Eggplant, hot peppers, sweet peppers, Red and Green Lettuce, Kale, Swiss Chard, Zucchini, Cucumbers, Dill .... I planted another herb too... but can't remember what it was.... lol.... Guess we will see in a few weeks... I do remember they were little yellow round seeds.... hmmmm....

I still have...

More Cucumbers, Basil, Parsley, Marigolds, and I think that is about all....Left to plant... and that should be done by this weekend if not by the end of today....

Started out with adding Organic peat to the garden beds to add some drainage and moisture retention....

Thats about an inch of peat that is going to get mixed into the soil.

I am so happy I have a headstart this year... I am so ahead of the game it isn't funny..lol... Literally... It isn't.. I planted the eggplant really early..oops... This is only my 2nd year planting eggplant and last year the flea beetles ate all the leaves and destroyed them before I even knew what happened.... errr.... So no eggplant..... But this year fingers crossed I get it right. I did purchase frost cloth and I put black felt at the base to help warm the soil up and keep it there. I am also planted Dill at the base. This is supposed to keep the flea beetles away... Guess we will see....

I did change up were I planted things this year.... I added a bed for Zucchini away from everything else. Plus away from the area that I had them planted last year trying to get rid of the squash bugs... But I figure I'm not that far away so I am sure they will visit sooner of later.

Planter is about 8'x2'... and I put 4 hills of zucchini which is a little close but I hope it works out. Only time will tell.

Right in my front yard... I know the dogs are going to love yet another bed taking over their space :) oops

I put my tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers all in the biggest bed. I am also adding basil around the tomatoes, the dill around the eggplant and marigolds throughout the biggest bed. The herbs and the marigolds are supposed to keep some of the bugs away... ? hopefully it works...

The tomatoes will have a screen set between them for them to grow up.

This bed is about 10'x8'

I planted all the greens in one bed, the cucumbers and soon to be a couple peppers plants in another... and now I have one open garden bed and haven't decided what I want to try yet. I think everything is really well organized at this point and I am loving it!

The dark bed is the greens bed. This bed had Organic peat and Organic soil added to it. This bed is 3'x4' I think...

Over the next few years I want to build some ornamental tower like structures to hold up some of the tomatoes &/or cucumbers because I love the way they look. This year though I think we are just going to either dig holes and put some landscaping timbers in the ground and attach some wire or netting to them or build small structures above the ground like last years.

Found this picture a couple nights ago online.. Not sure where it came form but I really like this and look forward to doing something like this maybe in my front yard next year :)

Next up though is adding untreated mulch around the garden beds. Everyone around loves to mow the grass and let the clipping go right into the garden beds... That is so annoying... why don't they get that they can turn the lawn mower around and let the grass clipping fly the other direction...? So fingers crossed that the mulch will help keep the grass clippings and weed seeds out of the garden...

Gaia: Egg bound Chicken #2

2011-04-28T19:25:00.004-05:00

Well last year we had to take Big Red to the vet several times because she was egg bound. We ended up having her spayed and she is doing great. She is happy and loves to run up to us faster than all the other chickens looking for treats....

Over the last few months we have noticed Gaia our New Hampsire Red from time to time looked egg bound but would always pass it herself without to much problem. Today I went out to see all the chickens and give them some treats and noticed her all fluffed out and her comb was very pail. Now if her comb wasn't pale I would have given her more of a chance to pass the egg herself before I interveined. But I had my husband catch her and for the first time this year I stuck my finger in and found a whole yolk stuck just inside the rectum at the end of her cloaca. It was at the very end and everytime she would try to pass it her cloaca would particly come out with it. I tried to coax it out a few times but then decided to call our Avian vet. He was leaving in an hour and we live more than an hour away so... He told me to use equal parts mineral oil to water and use a syrunge and put it in around her cloaca to rehydrate the area. He said alot of the time the chicken will be dehydrated and it will just get stuck right there. He said to administer it and then wait to 15 minutes and check on her again. She had not passed it but it would now turn when she would try to push it out. So you could tell it was loss now. So I decided to try a 2nd method of bringing her in the house and soaking her for 20 to 30 minutes in warm water. Remember that a chickens normal body temp is 102F to 103F so remember when you soak her that it needs to be a little warm to you to be warm to her. so about the temp you would comfortably wash dishes in. (Not hot!). we soaked her and she seemed not to mind so much and even sat there for a few extra minutes by herself. We took her out and checked her bottom which was still very protruded. I put a glove on and was able to work it out with her help. I would have left her to push it out herself. But she was visibly in pain, clapping her beak, and making noices when trying to lay. We kept in side for the rest of the night under a heat lamp drying and trying to get her stress level back down. I was worries about shock that evening but she was still eating. We gave her an egg, some apple, a couple grapes, and some lettuce to eat.. and she happily ate them although kind of slowly.

When we let the chickens out the next morning we let her go into the coop so she could walk down like she was never missing. No one seemed to care.. and the only Chicken that really picked at all was Isis and that was just a couple little pecks. She is still fluffy but she is doing ok. I am still waiting on the swelling to finish going down and I am sure she will go back to her normal self considering she is eating and drinking...

Update: She is doing well it has been 5 days now. She is still fluffy from time to time but she runs around with the rest of the chickens, eats, and drinks normally...Her comb has taken time to get a good amount of color back into it but it is looking better as well. I assume by the end of summer we will have her spayed just to make she she has not further problems. If she stops being egg bound and has no further issues then we won't spay her but she has been egg bound several times and has been able to eventually pass it. So I figure it is only a matter of time before she will need spayed. Big red did so well and she is so happy now and has had no problems since her spay so I want Gaia to have that same happy go lucky life! I will update later...

Looking alert wondering whats going on. Her comb was really really pale even though you can't really tell from the pictures.

Taking a trial dip... Seems ok....

Waiting on the tub to fill up a little more

John helping her sit low enough for 20minutes....They were both good little troopers :)

A little wet and annoyed.... egg still stuck....

This is the yolk I helped her pop out....We were all releaved when it came out...

Still wet, under the heat lamp, eating her much needed egg to give her some energy after all the stress. when ever any of my chickens have problems and have been stressed I feed them raw eggs. Its always something they love that I know they will eat and it has fat and protein to help them rebuild there health issues while giving energy.

Heirloom Vegetable plants from the Greenhouse

2011-04-25T19:47:00.003-05:00

Finally got my veggies... The greenhouse had a good number of the plants I wanted.. So ended up buying....

6 Black Krim Tomatoes

6 Stripy Tomatoes

6 Green Zebra Tomatoes

3 Golden Globe Tomatoes

4 Black Cherry Tomatoes

6 Black Beauty Eggplant

3 Hot peppers

6 Sweet Peppers

8 Marigolds

The rest of our plants will be started from Organic Seeds.

Easter Dinner 2011

2011-04-24T20:00:00.000-05:00

We had a good Easter. John and I had dinner with my parents the evening before Easter because John worked Easter. We didn't have our normal Tofurky... sadly no one in our area carried them last Thanksgiving/Christmas season when I normally stock up... So this year I have one left for this coming Thanksgiving unless I find somewhere to purchase them again... I hope I do...

So we had breaded eggplant as the main course. Sides included Maple glazed sweet potatoes, stuffing, green beans & salad... And I also made 2 desserts. Lemon cupcakes and Rhubarb Apple Crisp. All the food turned out really well and we all had a nice evening. The next day My Mother, Sister, and I went to my Aunts for dinner and I took left overs with me. I did get to try wild mushrooms for the first time that day and I have been wanting some ever since and I am not a huge mushroom fan.. But those were really good... O yeah... After I try them my Aunt is like.... "Well if you ever get any make sure you soak them so all the critters will come out".... and I am like "What!?" lol... that was a little freaky... but they were good...

Vegan Lemon Cupcakes. I used the white cupcake recipe from The joy of vegan baking... I added 3 tsp or lemon extract.. I would say only add 2 and try that because these came out with a little to much lemon in them. The icing was good though and it was 1/2 Earth Balance, 2 Cups powder sugar, couple tbsp almond milk, and I think I used 2 tsp lemon extract... I would love to try lemon oil because I am thinking it would have better flavor. I would also like to find a recipe with a better crumb. But I love lemon cupcakes and I have become obsessed with them since I went to Columbus, OH to Patty Cakes Bakery.. They have the best vegan baked good ever!!!!!! :)

I cut fresh rhubarb from the garden and wanted to use up last years frozen... Plus my rhubarb plants were from my Grandfathers (My mothers father) garden. He passed a couple years ago and my husband and I dug up most of his rhubarb and brought it home and planted it. So I really wanted to share that rhubarb with the family. But this crisp was so yummy. A little sweet but had that touch of tart in the background.. So it was really good. I used this recipe on about.com and just used vegan supplies... Look for more vegan Rhubarb recipes in the future I have a ton of rhubarb this year and will be sharing alot of recipes I try.

mom made a salad always better when someone else makes it for you??? I don't know but it has started a salad craving I have been fighting off with huge yummy salads ever since :)

One of my fave Sweet potato recipes that I make for every holiday now!!! Maple glazed sweet Potatoes...

This is the Breaded eggplant. I just long cut the eggplant, sprinkled with salt and let drain for an hour or so, dipped them in flour, then almond milk, then I mixed whole wheat bread crumbs, panko bread crumbs, black pepper, & salt, dipped the eggplant in that then placed it on a baking dish and cooked it in the oven at 375F to 400F for about 20 minutes or until slightly brown and cooked through. I also like these fried.. They turn out good both ways.

Most of the food in my nice Friendship Pyrex that I love!!!!! I forgot to use my new small ones though :(

This is the 2nd apple rhubarb crisp I made to take with me to my Aunts house to share with everyone. That is my Flamingo Pink Pyrex baking dish... Such a pretty pink... Which reminds me I haven't been antiquing lately and I am feeling the pull!!!

How many people does it take to find the last 4 eggs.... Alot and there was still two missing at the end.. Atleast they were the plastic kind.... but we all had a good day and visiting with the finally was really nice!

Earth Day 2011

2011-04-23T12:37:00.000-05:00

We did most of our Earth Day Celebration the day before Earth Day. It was nice and sunny and we could go out and get some stuff done that needed to be done. Our day consisted of Getting our composter, gardening supplies, and cleaning out the garden beds. We also put my Moms new raised garden beds together.

I have been wanting one of these for a while. Haven't had the money for one..
But I decided to splurge and pick one up while they were on sale.
So this was my contribution for Earth Day.
A 12 cuft Compost Roller.

Also for Earthday we worked on some of the garden beds.
This is the Rhubarb Bed that we transplanted from my Grandfathers garden.
It needs to be spread out some more but I haven't the room.

First Cut Rhubarb of the year. I was surprised that we had so much so soon.
But it has been raining like crazy. So there is more to come.

I cut 16 stalks and they weighed out to be 1lb 14.9oz.
There is a bunch more to cut. But I need to freeze this first.

We also picked up a bunch of organic soil, organic peat moss, organic peat hummus,
and some stones to widen some of the garden beds

All the garden beds have been cleaned. But the only thing I have got planted is one
set of cucumber that grow up the lattice in the back of this bed.

2011 Garden Prep

2011-04-20T23:56:00.000-05:00

We have finally started this years garden prep. I am excited to once again to be expanding and wondering if I still have to many veggies planned even with the expansion.... We live on a small piece and land and last year it creeped into our front year where the dogs play and this year it is taking up even more of the dogs play area.... Do you think the veggies will make it??? Lets keep our fingers crossed because last year our kale and swiss chard had a hard time dealing with our playful brood....

Went to the greenhouse today expecting to get an early start on planting for a change.... and what do I get??? Nothing... They only had 3 heirloom tomatoes out..beefsteak, Orange Jubilee, and mortgage litter... Only one of which I wanted and they were still so small I decided to wait. They had no eggplant and no peppers.... so I guess I have to wait a couple more weeks for them to get ready... So I decided to go ahead and get the extra soil we will need I picked up: Picked up 10- 1.5 Cubic Feet bags of organic soil (4.98 each), and 2 bags organic peat Hummus (1.60 each). Still might need some more soil and definitely some more Peat Hummus but its a good start.

A few days ago we started cleaning out the garden beds that we are not moving and got them almost totally cleaned of weeds and vines which were taking over. Now we are expanding two of the raised beds and turning them into a regular bed so we can fit more in it. We are moving the zucchini away form the squash bugs... Hopefully it takes a while for them to find the plants this year. They are going to our front yard.. So they just have to brave the dogs... Good luck Zuccs! I am not sure were everything else is going yet... Depends how many tomatoes I end up with this year!!! I have a whole list....

So planted for this year:
Eggplant
Zucchini
Pickling Cucumbers
Kale
Lettuce
Swiss chard - Maybe
Catnip- Which came back from last year...
Rhubarb- Perennial form my Grandfathers garden
Rooster Peppers- From seed we will see how they turn out...
Peppers-
Beans- Maybe
Tomatoes...Depends on what kind the greenhouse has...
I want:
Mortgage Litter
Black Krim or Cherokee Purple
Gaint Pink Belgium or German Pink
Roma
Green Zebra
Black Cherry & Green
Mr. Stripey
Golden Jubalee
not sure if that is all but also not sure were they will all go considering I have to purchase 6 packs to get them....

Thats all for now... Update more with pictures later.

Ratatouille Subs

2011-04-08T20:17:00.082-05:00

Watching Rachael Ray A couples days ago and I love the Idea of Ratatouille Subs. I have kinda had the thought of doing it and really hadn't taken the time. But mine wouldn't have included Fried Red Tomatoes... But I did use the red tomatoes and even though it wasn't as good as I though it would be it was still pretty good. If I would have had another pasta sauce it would have been alot better (I didn't use her sauce recipes either). Here is a link to her not vegetarian version.... But I changed it a little bit to make it vegan...

Ingredients list

2 Medium Zucchini

2 Hard red tomatoes

1 Eggplant

2 or 3 cloves garlic

Almond milk

Flour

Panko Bread crumbs

Whole Wheat Bread Crumbs

Vegan Parm

Canola Oil

Italian Buns/Subs

Slice all the veggies, add salt to the Eggplant and Zuccs and sit aside for 20 minutes. While that is draining. Mix the two types of bread crumbs with vegan parm, salt and pepper, put into a dredging dish, put milk in one, and flour in the last. Cover the bottom of your pan with oil, let it heat but not smoke. Add a few pieces of fresh sliced garlic. Do not let the garlic burn you are just flavoring the oil. Let it fry for a couple minutes then take it out. Then you are ready to dip your veggies in flour, then milk, then bread crumbs and then fry. Pick the tomatoes up with a flat spatula. If you try to pick them up with a fork they will fall apart... Try to fry them very quickly as well. The longer they are cooking the mushier they will get and you don't want that. but you do want them to get a nice crust on them.

After you fry your veggies you can put them on a cooling rack and on a baking sheet and put them in the oven at 200F to keep them hot.

When your done frying Add the veggies, the sauce of your choice, and some daiya and pot into oven to toast and melt.

Abu

2011-03-28T20:09:00.000-05:00

This evening I found Abu really out of it in the bottom on her cage and rushed her to the vet. We could not find any ferret specialists but the vet on call did all she could. When they brought her back to me she was almost gone. She displayed with all the signs of being hypoglycemic but we just caught it to late... So we made the decision to have her euthanised. We love her so much. She crossed the Rainbow Bridge around 7:55pm tonight. She will be terribly missed not only by us but by her cage mate Spanx.

This is Abu last fall.

Pasta with Kale, Tomato, Garlic, & Thyme

2011-03-21T16:10:00.000-05:00

Link to Recipe Below!
I loved this recipe so much. It took a couple minutes to make because I made it all in one pot. But it was worth it! Most of the time is inactive and the flavor is awesome! I am excited to make this for my husband because I know he will love it!

This is another Martha Stewart Website Recipe. I changed only one thing I added a couple pinches of dried thyme instead of fresh. Plus the pasta is pictured but not talked about in the recipe... So I used a 16oz pack of Fettuccine. Well Actually half of it since I only made half a recipe.

2 Kale Soups & Raspberry Vanilla Cupcakes

2011-03-20T22:43:00.000-05:00

Kale is highly nutritious filled with antioxidants and is also an anti-inflammatory food. So when I notice we haven't been having enough greens in our diet I turn to kale. There is a ton of ways you can make it and I have been trying some of the recipes I have found online out. Here is the first two I tried this time. I will have more to come though. In the past I have also posted about Kale & Potato Soup & Kale and Potato Enchiladas.

Sausage and Kale Soup

This is one recipe I loved from the Martha Stewart Website. She has a whole list of kale recipes and this has been my favorite.

Here are my simple & quick changes I made to make it vegan. So Simple.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes

5 potatoes (1 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks

1 1/2 Boxes of No Chicken Broth By Imagine or Veg stock of your choice

1 Bunch kale (12 ounces), stemmed and shredded

1 Package Light Life Veggies Sausage, Pre-Cooked before you add it to the soup. You could use Tofurky sausage as well.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Sausage-and-Kale Soup - Martha Stewart Recipes

Kale and White Bean Soup

This was also from the Martha Stewart Website. It turned out ok. But It wasn't one of my faves.
It would be a good soup when your sick. It kinda reminds me of a "chicken" soup type soup. But with an extra boost of Nutrition!!! So I will have it next time I get sick... But with some added pasta. The left overs I used as pasta topping :)

The Changes I made to this soup recipe was that I used No chick broth by Imagine and No Parm Cheese. Oyeah and I forgot to buy bread, so no bread...

Cupcakes for My Mom's B-day! Yum.

The Joy of vegan baking Vanilla Cupcakes! Yum.

Homemade Raspberry Sauce for the Cupcakes. This sauce reminds me of the sauce that is in those Non Vegan swirl cakes in the cookie section of stores. It was so good and I had a lot left over. So I have been adding it to

I used this recipe for Strawberry filling minus the soy milk. When it was cooked down quite I bit I started adding powdered sugar to the raspberries because they are more sour/bitter then strawberries and take alot more sugar. So I just kept adding extra heaping tsps of Powdered sugar till it was a good taste for me. Probably atleast 8 heaping tsp.

http://dulcedoblog.blogspot.com link above.Frosting
Adapted from a recipe by Cheryl at The Cupcake Bakeshop
1 cup butter, room temperature
6-8 cups sifted powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 cup light vanilla soy milk

Vanilla Cupcakes from The Joy of Vegan Baking. With some Fudge icing and shredded chocolate.

These are the same vanilla cupcakes from The Joy of Vegan baking with the Raspberry Glaze under the icing. With Raspberry Vanilla "Butter" Creme. John and I Loved these! I added a little to much "Butter" to the frosting so it kept melting... oops. But it was so good. I used two tubs of Premaid vegan icing and then added 2 sticks of Vegan butter. It was really good but wouldn't hold shape. Plus I added some Raspberry sauce to the frosting. Next time I will drizzle the raspberry sauce over the cupcakes to make them super cute! And fill them.

A Doctors Visit

2011-03-20T17:10:00.000-05:00

Again I have been missing from my own blog. I have cooked a few times and I have been doing a few other things that hopefully I will get updated soon.

Just a small update on my Health issues:

I did finally go back to the Doctor..After waiting almost a year because I was in so much pain after I went for a few sessions last year with my normal Doctor. I went back to the same office but to the Doctor who bought the office from the Doctor I normally see. Both of them are Spine Manipulator/ GPs. The Newest Doctor is younger, really nice and seemed interested in not only finding out what I did to my back over a year ago, but finding out why I have EN and determining a few other personal things that go along with it. He was astonished that no one had taken X-rays of my back or done testing on some other issues that I have had for a long time. He took 6 or 7 X-Rays of my Mid spine and sent for the chest X-rays & one blood test that was done a few years ago. So I am waiting on my X-ray results and to see what he thinks of the Chest X-rays and Blood work. Then he will let me know what we are doing next. I would be more specific with my health issues but I would rather get the results first before I decide if I would like to share it with everyone.

I am excited to work with this Doctor. He actually sat down and talked with me about everything that everyone else had blown off. He said that he can work with me since I have no insurance and find me lower cost places to have some tests ran after he finds out which ones he wants to per sue. So I hope my expectations are met and I don't get my hopes dashed by another Doctor. I am a little worried to see the test results, it has been a long time since some of my health issues started. Fingers crossed that he can get my back to feeling better and he can figure out my other health issues and that its not anything bad. But it is better to know then not to know so things can be done....

One the upside.... For the last two years I have not had a cold or the Flu.... Knock of wood... lol... I used to get atleast 2 colds a year, One at the beginning of winter and one at the end and normally another somewhere in the middle. But since becoming vegan I haven't had this issue.... I don't know exactly why since I haven't ate the best since I have hurt my back... But I guess I am eating healthy enough that the colds by pass me... Thank God... and I don't take any Vitamins or Medications at all either... So Its not like Pilled Vitamins are taking up for my slack... I do however still have allergies..hmmmm. wish they would go away...

New Truck

2011-03-15T19:40:00.001-05:00

Purchased a New truck! Well New to us. It is actually a 2002 Dodge Dakota. John has been wanting a truck for a while. We had paid off some of our debt and his job has been going well so we decided it was time. We both really love the truck. We can haul things in the truck instead of the back of the car...lol... so I am looking forward to be able to get some things done this year without cutting wood into a million pieces and then putting it back together.

So far we have hauled: 3 Half ton loads of gravel, OSB , A Door, Kerosene, my new credenza (to post soon), and many more things,.....

Getting ready to bring home: our new sofa!!! yay :) Some mulch, bulk pea gravel, some more sub flooring, siding for the chicken coop, flooring for the two bedrooms, and we need a new bath tub because ours cracked... But we will have to wait till Johns job picks back up some so we have the money for the tub and surround. Hope thats before the end of summer... We have some other things to haul but I will not bore you. I am excited and can't wait. Just hope my back will let me help get this work done!

Blah...

2011-02-27T18:30:00.000-05:00

Well I have again been missing for the last month... missing from not only the blog but it feels like I have been missing from life.

My back is killing me again. I wish I could figure out what I did last January to kill it and I wish I could figure out how to fix it... I am so afraid to go back to the Chiropractor after he finished demolishing me last year and put me in more pain then ever. So I am thinking about going to a Chiropractor that works with him? Is that stupid of me... ? I haven't decided yet. I just think I shouldn't judge his partner just because he killed me last time. I have been to the first Chiropractor, actually he is a manipulator, not in the devious kind of way.. But in the manipulating your back kinda way... many of times before and he did great, fixed me every time. But I went many times last year each time was worse then the one before it. I would be in even more pain afterwards for days. So I swore off Doctors and decided hopefully it would fix its self with time and hanging upside down on an inversion table... well here I am and no it hasn't healed...

Some times I have very little pain and I am afraid to move because I don't know what exactly I do that makes the pain come back with in a flash of a second... Sometimes I am just in a ton of pain... and I sleep the day or two or week away... This month has been awful again... I have done barely anything around the house only doing dishes when I run out of spoons... and I know that sounds gross but its the truth I am in pain and I don't know what to do. I don't want to take medication... I can't live on medication that could give me cancer once it builds up in my system in ten years.... Or a stomach ulcer now... I am not going to live on pain meds... But what do I do to manage the pain.... Better yet what do I do to fix the problem that I feel is never going to go away...?

I have had lower back pain for years.. since gymnastics when I was 13 or so.... I have had my top rib out of place several times and wasn't even able to sit up on my own, but at least the Manipulator was able to fix that.. But just above the center of my back... which is the support structure... with a dull, ache, pressure pain constantly and half the time radiating pains... I don't know what makes that so hard to get fixed but it really sucks. I am just so tired of being in pain and missing out on my life. I want to get my house clean, get ready to plant the garden, make summer plans, get all the projects done that need donw... but how can I plan if I am in pain all the time?

I sure hope my appointment on the 7th helps me... Maybe he will decide to do X-rays to see whats going on.. If this doesn't work I don't know what to do...

ABC News Finding on our Faith & Cola

2011-02-16T19:06:00.004-05:00

Religious competition in America ....

Pentecostals up150,000 well known Pentecostals' :Sarah Palin (hack hack barf)
Protestant down 2.7million since 1998 to 17 million members
Jehovah's Witnesses up 4.4% this year which is the largest growth.. Famous New Witnesses: Venus and Serena Williams
Total church membership continues to decline...
15% of people now have no religion...

That Caramel Color in your soda (and Mine)...

4-me chemical when sugar and ammonia make caramel color and produces cancer in mice...

More research to be done... hmmm... I drink a good bit of soda. I have been thinking about stopping for years... Maybe it is time to get serious...

More Awesome Retro Finds

2011-02-15T22:27:00.003-05:00

Wild Flower 1978- Found 3 Salad Plates, 4 Coffee Cups, and what I am considering as a Dessert Cup. Found these IN Mannington WV. At the store across town I found a Petite Pan and Lid that matches this set. A few weeks later I also found 3 of the Green Lined Coffee Cup plates at a Thrift store in Fairmont WV.

This is the Wild Flower Petite Pan Found in a thrift store IN Mannington WV.

I also found these at a thrifty store in Mannington WV. They were listed as a set but one is made by Pyrex and the other Corning. So they are actually compatibles.

This is a Red Pyrex Hostess bowl from the 1950s. It was originally sold with or w/o serving bowls and a lid. I only found this one serving bowl. It is in very good condition. This is one piece I really love even though I am not a big fan of red. I do love the shape though.

This is a green Pyrex Cinderella mixing bowl. Originally thought it was from the crazy daisy set. But it is actually from a green 4 mixing bowl set.

This is a Fireking Canister. In great shape. Wish there was a whole set but only one. Purchased this at an antique store in Fairmont WV at 20% off...

Also found two of these at a great antique store in Fairmont WV. I love these! They are in my favorite Friendship Pyrex. Also got them at 20% off and at a great price!

Not sure where I picked this up but got it for a great price. Wish they would have had the glasses that match.

This was also found in Mannington WV.. I found 1 at each location. One was in not so great condition and one in pretty good condition. I have both and I think I might sale the one in not so great condition.

Found this at a very expensive antique store called Back in time in Anmoore WV. Everything was so high priced that this was the only thing I ended up with. It originally had a 75 cent yard sale sticker... Wish I would have found that yard sale... But no I paid $2 which was a good price for an antique store. But she only gave that to me because it wasn't priced for her store and I think I had asked her so many times how much stuff cost that she figured she should let me purchase something. I doubt I ever go back there. she wasn't the nicest lady. But I have seen these for $6 to $10 elsewhere.

Found this at another thrift store in Fairmont.

Pyrex Verde from 1964 Two sided Veggie Dish

Well I have been collecting alot of awesome Pieces lately... Hope I can find a nice place for them all.

Sparkpeople

2011-01-25T19:56:00.000-05:00

Well a couple years ago I ran across a website called spark people. Sparkpeople is a community of people who are interested in losing weight, sustaining their weight, or just have a general interest in nutrition. They have all kinds of useful information and some counters and charts to keep track of things like weight loss, nutrition, exercise, etc. Plus its free.... So unlike alot of those other websites that I don't use because they cost some absurd amount this website is great and costs nothing but a few minutes to update everyday. Plus they offer blogging and talking to people in the sparkpeople community about just everyday life. I have been going here for a long time and I am still uncovering some of the features that I haven't tried out. Like the Healthy cooking sections where there is Chef Meg who teachers you how to make some of your favorite dishes more healthy. She has alot of good ideas. But there are tons of nice features to try out.

Last time Sparkpeople helped me loss 15 lbs but over the last couple month I have put about 4lbs on and then over the last 2 years I had put 4 lbs more on. So I am starting Sparkpeople again. I would like to loss (if my scale is right... it gave me three different #'s this morning... ) 25 to 30lbs. Which is a pretty good chunk of weight. For me that is were I want to be. That is were I will be happy.

This is part of the main page...

I have also decided what part of my reward will be when I meet this goal.... A new tattoo. I haven't had a tattoo in 5 or 6 years because I am not sure what to get and they are pretty expensive. But I am excited. I want to get a Vegan Tattoo sooner or later and I am not sure what to get... any ideas??? I have seen a couple I like but I really wanted something original... Or I have also wanted to get a tattoo of my three dogs, or their paw prints, or names... So I am really not sure yet.

I will still be blogging about food. But probably not as often as last year. Hopefully I will still try alot of new things and also show some old favorites but it really all depends on how many calories I can have a day and even though Sparkpeople says its ok to have upto 1,550 I would like to stay around 1,200 which comes with small meals that have few ingredients.

One thing I do find hard when I am trying to lose weight is the fact I really do love food. I love to cook, I love to try new things, I like to experiment, I like to go out with my husband and have dinner, and try new Restaurants... Our lives revolve around food... When I was younger when I did weight watchers I was a really picky eater. I didn't eat many different things, I had some foods I always stuck with, and I never went out and ate... Which made it alot easier to lose weight.... So now I crave a hundred different things a day and have to figure out ahead of time what I am going to eat for the next couple of days. That is the only way I find I stick to the program and not go over in calories.

Sparkpeople also has a vegetarian option and they will give you a menu for the day. Most things you will have to take the dairy out of. But they do have a few good Ideas. One of my favorite lunch/dinners came from there original vegetarian menu. It is no longer on the menu but I am posting it here.

A baked potato, 1/2 cup kidney beans, and broccoli. I add smart balance light w/ omega 3. This is such a good meal. Most of the time instead of broccoli though I use green beans it easier but it doesn't have all the nutritious benefits of broccoli... But I love this!!!! and it is my dinner for the day... :)

They also have a White bean chili that is pretty good and easy to make.

They used to have alot more option on there meal plans for vegetarians then they do now but don't let that stop you from trying there website. It still has a huge bank of foods that you can search click add the amount you wish to eat and it will give you all the information and track it for you.

This is the recipe section that has a ton of vegan recipes.
And there are many different ways to search so you can get just what you are looking for.

Below is the vegetarian options they have on their meal menu. Once you put them on your screen then you can just not click on the dairy stuff and it will not add it to your calories.

Already listed Breakfast options

Already listed Lunch options

Already listed Dinner options

Already listed Snack options

This is were I entered in my food for breakfast and lunch. It was super easy and quick. Plus say my smoothie isn't in my menu list then I can click the button and tell them to add it to a certain day. But you can also put it in your recipe box or you menu plan so that you can choice your exact meal that you planned for one of the days and it will save it for the future.

This is my Breakfast smoothie which I had made differently then what I have in my menu
so I just looked up the chances and did it this way. This is the Banana Oatmeal Fuel from 500 Vegan Recipes.

My lunch although I actually planned on having their planed pinto beans, broccoli, potato, and apple sauce...
I decided to have left over pasta and red sauce instead. See the little boxes over to the
left those are the boxes you mark to say what part of there meal plan you ate.

Although I haven't ate my dinner yet.. This is what I am going to have...
Except the katchup and mustard... it was with my snack just got put in the wrong place.. oops

My snack and my daily total.. So I went over my 1200 calorie goal but I was still in my limits :)

This is the meal calculator. You enter in all your ingredients. How many portions it makes and then
it will give you all the nutritional info you need for you nutrition tracker. Plus you can
add it to your recipe box and to your menu for future use.

This is some of my recipe box.I enter alot of vegan cookbook recipes to add to my menu.

You can also share the recipes from your recipe box with other sparkpeople users.
And you can use there recipes and add them to your menu, or recipe box for further use.

This is part of the exercise trackers. This is what I was supposed to do today..
and did I do it... No.. My back still sucks?

Here is the quick tracker... If you don't want to use the other portion.
Plus this add your goal minutes up to let you know you totals for the year.

This is some of the other things in the community section were you can connect with every one...

They also have tons of articles on just about everything health related and even more...

This just touches the top of what Sparkpeople can offer you. It does so much and all for free. So check it out you won't be sorry and it may even help you shed a few pounds or just learn something new about nutrition or exercise.

Simple Yummy Pasta Sauce

2011-01-25T17:48:00.001-05:00

I seen this on the Martha Stewart show yesterday and I was craving pasta so I said what the heck and made it. Its simple, good, cheaper than on organic jar and you don't have to stand in the kitchen and chop up a hundred things. I like it :)

Red Pasta Sauce

2- 28oz Cans Whole Tomatoes ( I used organic)
2 cloves garlic (I grated it, She chopped it)
1/4 cup olive oil
I used a little dry basil... She added something green but didn't say what it was.
Optional- Pinch Red pepper flakes
Then I let it boil for an hour. She said to boil it 30 minutes but I wanted more flavor to develop. Then at the end add a small amount of salt and pepper to taste and your done.

Simple and easy. She also added it to the pan with her pasta and a little starchy cooking liquid to let it cook a bit more. I didn't
Next time I might add a few red pepper flakes to give it some warmth. But I really liked it.

The yummy sauce in all its glory :)

This one had a little added Vegan Parm.

Book Three of 2011: Keri Nelson's Vegan Moon

2011-01-23T23:15:00.000-05:00

This story is about a werewolf turned vegan and a small business owner turned TV chief. Looking through channels on his tv one day our werewolf friend comes across our newly famous hottie and instantly possesses the need to have her. But somethings are beyound his control.

Not much into short stories and I didn't know this one was a short till after I had purchased it on my kindle. Short stories normally leave me wanting more character and plot details. And all though I wish there was more story it was a quick & satisfying read that only takes like an hour at most. The story was catchy and kept me interested. And although the ending was abrupt it was cute.

Book Two for 2011: Flutter book 3 of Amanda Hocking's Series My Blood Approves

2011-01-20T22:00:00.001-05:00

The My Blood Approves Series by Amanda Hocking has been really good so far. This book is just as good as the first 2 books. Fate, the second in the series, right now is my favorite though. I am loving this series and can't wait to read the next book. Part of me wants to put it off to see if she is going to write another book in this series. It has been so good I don't want it to end that soon. The characters are well thought out and I am loving the plot and the characters. I have to pull myself away from these books just to get anything done around the house. Wisdom is the 4th book in her series and I am dieing to read it.... I even might get Letters to Elise which I wasn't sure I was going to read. It is written from Peters Perspective to his 1st wife. But I think I like Peter so much that I am going to go ahead and read it to understand his Character a little better. I am pulling for Peter. I don't know whats going to happen but again I am loving the series and can't wait to find out!!!

Please keep this series going. I haven't found a series I have read clear through since the Sweep series like 6 or 7 years ago and it was 15 or 16 books. So I am in it for the long haul and I am sure that all of the My blood Approves lovers are too.

My Book of Books

2011-01-18T20:06:00.001-05:00

As I rather affectionately call it, has been last for a couple years now.

John and I used to hang out at the book stores all the time. For hours we would just sit and look through books and very seldom purchasing any. We enjoyed our days of laziness and thought provoking reading materials. They were carefree and fun. I would write down those book titles on the back of receipts and extra paper I found floating through my ever messy purse... But I would loss them or drop them and I would never see them again. So one day I found these cute little folders and purchased 2. I didn't know what I was going to do with them but then it dawned on me. A Book of Books.... I would keep a ever running list of all the books I want so that when I come home I can price them online and order them when I had the extra money. For a long time I kept this list. With everything from Animal rights to Children books and Vegetarian cooking to Religion and from Birthing to environmental science... One day my beloved Book of Books came up missing and I thought I was long gone being left at one of my frequented book stores.... But yesterday as I cleaned some of the clutter out of the room that we consider the Animal Room, which houses a bunch of junk as well as animal stuff, and a couple book shelves... I was looking down at some photo albums and was amazed to find my Book of Books!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't know how it ended up there but it was atleast still in our house! I was so happy!!!! and I still am now I have to update all my purchases and add on to the books I want list... Which just to catch up on could take forever. But thats ok.... Because I love it... lol :) Happy Days are here again........ lol :) :) :)

Organized.... I love to look at things that are totally organized...lol

There were other sections aswell. Sections for movies, Which I had never gotten around to filling out,
a section for Misc. Merchandise, a section for books I own which I had
started many times and gave up one because we have so many books, plus other misc things.

This was my make shift way of making up for the loss of my Book of Books.
Which I would use ever so often. Not very organized though :(

But still loving that my Book of Books has been found..... This is just one of those everyday type .... blogs that are of no concern to most.. But hey I will remember it ...lol

Oyeah this time ever so often I will be scanning it and keeping it on the computer just incase.... ;)

More Collecting

2011-01-14T17:45:00.000-05:00

Can't believe I found these cute little salt and pepper shakers. I have really been wanting a set.
They are made by Pyrex and is in Crazy Daisy (Spring Blossom Green) but does also come in a few other colors.
1970's

These are also Crazy Daisy (Spring Blossom Green). This style of the cup is from 1972.

Butterfly Gold Corelle

Butterfly Gold Plates from 1970

ButterFly Gold 1970 and Old Town Blue 1972

Buttery Fly Gold 1970 w/ Crazy Daisy (Spring Blossom Green) 1970
I love mixing and matching the sets. I love the way they look together.

These are Oval Pyrex Plates With Brown Filigree.
These are vintage restaurant ware and I really like them.
I bought 9 for $3 which is a killer deal.

Not sure what year they are from.
If anyone knows please let me know! :)

Corelle .Don't know the year on this one either.

Thrifting for Pyrex, Corelle, Corning, & Fire King

2011-01-09T16:35:00.002-05:00

I have been thrifting quite often lately trying to find a full set of antique Crazy daisy Pyrex bake ware and plate set and Friendship Pyrex bake ware one piece at a time. Which is hard for me because I get super excited to find them and when I don't I come home and look at all the pretty Retired Pyrex on ebay and laugh at the outrageous shipping and I know Pyrex is heavy but when you are charging 19.99 to ship on casserole dish or 12.99 to ship one plate that is excessive. I did order one set of Friendship casserole dishes off ebay last year. It was a set of Three and it only cost 13.03 to ship the whole order here. I wish people would get with the program and learn that if your merchandise isn't selling its because your prices are to high. If you are going to try to get your money through shipping charges then don't mark the merchandise up so high... And get you shipping charges estimated before you just pick a number!

But here is some Dishes I have purchased and some info about it.

Not Pictured is 3 Pyrex Refrigerator Dishes, One 1.5 cup Primary Red 1940, One 1.5 cup Butter Print 1949, and One 1.5 Quart Butter Print dish and a Small Yellow Pyrex bowl that I am not sure what set it goes with. Also Butterfly Gold saucers and cups.

Pyrex

Friendship Casserole Dish- 1970

Friendship Casserole Dish- 1970- Entire set

Primary color Mixing Bowl- 1940- This is the largest of the bowls in this set.

Primary Color Mixing Bowl- 1940 This is the smallest of the bowls in this set.

Primary Refrigerator dish- 1940

Spring Blossom Green also known as Crazy Daisy 1970 Separated veggie dish

Spring Blossom Green also known as Crazy Daisy 1970 Small mixing bowl

Spring Blossom Green also known as Crazy Daisy 1970 Casserole dish missing lid

Spring Blossom Green also known as Crazy Daisy 1970

Crazy Daisy Corelle- 1970

These are Pyrex Bowls with Clear bottoms but haven't been able to find a date.

If anyone knows the date please let me know! :)

Pyrex Butterfly Gold 1970 smallest mixing bowl

Corelle Butterfly Gold 1970 Serving plate

Pyrex Butterfly Gold Gravy Boat 1970

Butterfly Golden Pyrex Butter bowl 1970

Woodland Brown, Corelle, 1978

Pyrex Americana 1960's Casserole dish, I also have the separated Veggie dish for this set.

Fire King

Fire King- Prim Rose -1960's

Corning

Corning- 1970's ? I never really watched that many episodes of that 70's show but last night it came on
after the show I was watching and this pattern was in one of the kitchens...

Corning Spice O'life Date?

(: I love collecting these dishes and can't wait to go out and search for some more soon :)

The Path of the Christian Witch : Review and thoughts about the topic: Book One

2011-01-08T14:20:00.005-05:00

Review
The Path of the Christian Witch

This was a very interesting book. One that I actually wish I would have purchased a hard copy of instead of the kindle version. If I get some extra money I might still do that. I have found so many aspects of this book to ring close to my thoughts and feelings. So many things I want to discuss with you all. So many things that I have thought for ever and so many more things that I have been brought to my awareness and things that I will forever think of differently. I will have to read this book again and take more notes just to make sure I take in the full lessons that this book can teach if you are willing to listen.
With this being said I wish the book was a little more organized. Sometimes I am not sure if she is a third year or a first year or has not even started that part of her life yet. But you can figure out most of this before the end of her stories it would just be nice to know up front. There are alot of extra stories so you do kinda have to stay focused sometimes to make it through the story to see why it is being told. I would much rather focus on the straight info and the learning parts of some of her stories. But that being said she also really explains in detail her stories so you can visually be there with her. Her thoughts about church and about being a Christian witch are also well put. I did have a problem with her infuses on the Wiccan Rede's most important aspect "An ye harm none do what ye will" she said how important it is to her and how she lives and breaths by it but yet she eats meat...She takes life...
I have learned alot from this book and I am glad that this is the first book I purchased and read to start my year off. It has opened my eyes to some of the ideas I have left in my past and now wish to dive into with open arms and an open heart and with new understanding. Thank You Adelina St. Clair for helping me with untangling some of the issues I have been stuck on for a while and showing me there is a way.
There is also a really nice simple grounding medication that I really like. She discuses other rituals as well as giving 10 for daily life at the end of her book.

Thoughts

Is it possible to be Christian and Wiccan at the same time? I have been pondering this idea for many years and have never come up with a totally conclusive answer. But this book has helped me bring some of my thoughts to a head. It has taught me many new things about Christianity and some things about "being a witch" which is what she talks bout in the book. She never uses the word Wiccan so I will use it in my own thoughts.
At an early age I had always felt that church was a politically charged, hypocritical place and have never really been interested in actually sitting through many sermons. I feel alot of preachers, priest, ministers, etc, have there own agenda and I don't always feel it is taken straight from their teachings from Christ. But I don't just mean straight from the words in the bible... The bible I feel is man made. It was written by men and though it does have some meaning to me its not the only thing I look to.

I think this book has put exactly how I feel out in words. I am glad to know I am not the only one who feels this way.

From: The path of the Christian Witch

"I had made a clear distinction in my mind between the church as a political institution and the teachings of Christ. Often the two did not match, and I felt no obligation to follow the dictates of a church that did not follow Christ's teachings of love and humility"

"make a split in my head between the political institution and the spiritual heritage that is Christianity. It strengthened my resolve to discard whatever bigotry was diffused by the church and to focus on the core of what it meant to be Christian."

" Politics and social propaganda obscure the spiritual core of Christianity. There are so many denominations and so many beliefs, rules and dictates that divide us as Christians. These rules have very little to do, as far as I am concerned, with the Christian faith itself. Jesus himself rebuked those who followed the law blindly, without consideration for what was right and loving."

I feel that god is love, compassion, understanding, the teacher of all things, and the ever knowing. But I don't always get that from a church. I have never went into a church and had a peaceful feeling that that is were I am meant to be. I don't mean that I don't belong in church at all I just mean I haven't found that specific church that gives me peace in my heart yet. But with the run ins with Christian "attitude" that I have had I don't believe I have been looking for that church either. I do believe many people, and myself, are put off by the over powering since of entitlement Christians seem to carry around with them and the attitudes that they are somehow better than everyone else just because they go to church on Sundays... With of without a church god is always there as long as your heart and mind are open to him.

From: The path of the Christian Witch

" The kingdom of God is inside you, and it is outside of you. Split the wood I am there. Turn the Stone, and you will find me. ~ The Gospel of Thomas~ Part of the Nag Hammadi Library

With that being said about why I don't attend church I will say I pray every day. I speak to my lord whenever I need him, when ever I want to give thanks, when ever the I need patients, whenever I need strength. I speak with him often.

More Excerpts that spoke to me from The Path of the Christian Witch

"I started to look at my parents through adult eyes. They were wonderful, generous, loving people. But they were human. They were the sum total of their own life experiences- experiences that differed largely form my own."

This except caught me because sometimes we all argue with our parents, friends, significant others, etc. Sometimes we don't take this simple concept into perspective. I try to. I know I don't always. And I know most people are a product of there environment and that means you must take this concept into perspective and learn from it. But this being said I don't believe you have to be a product of your environment either.
Example #1: I grew up eating meat and being taught that that was just a part of life... I am a vegan now...
Example #2: John grew up in a very strict Christian church going house hold that also ate meat and had some other issues. But that hasn't stopped him from having his own opinion about church, the bible, God, and spirituality in general and the fact that he doesn't go to church anymore or even really believe everything that was force fed to him while he was in church. As well he is a vegan too. His child hood was very ruff and he didn't let that stop him from becoming an awesome, understanding, loving, caring, responsible, dependable, trusting Man.
I feel like some people use there environment growing up as an excuse for the way they act. But in all truth they can change that if they really want to. But most people stick with what they know even if it is self harming. Such as anger, drugs, unhealthy life styles, etc.

But I do think it reins in true for alot of people.

"I wanted to feel connected to the universe and worship the sanctity of nature. I wanted to feel the rhythms of the earth and walk the world in pure awareness."

This to I churn for. The universe, nature, and god are all of one and with out them we are nothing. I feel we should respect all of nature. God made this place for us and we should respect all of his creation.

"an elderly Jesuit once told us that studying was the greatest act of loving kindness one could ever practice. You never know when something you've read or a skill you've learned may help someone else in their time of trouble."

I totally agree with the above statement.

" The more we interact with nature, the more we realize that we are not separate from it. We are an integral part of it. We are not a ruler caste put on Earth to control and dominate. Our planet lives according to its own cycles and rhythms"

Again Totally agree... alot of the time I here people make comments that we are the dominant species and its our right to do this or that... But behind those words I hear no respect for nature, no being a part of it... Only trying to dominate over it. I wonder how long the planet will sustain with such arrogance and disregard.

"Jesus taught us about love and simplicity, about listening within and not following authority blindly."

Again I feel many people do follow authority blindly or are forced by that same authority to follow it. Just because it is a law or being enforced doesn't make it right. It doesn't mean you should do it...
Example #1... BSL Laws... Breed Specific legislative- These laws are going into effect all over our country and they are disgusting. In some towns and citys all Pit Bulls (or other breeds that are listed on the bill, Normally PitBulls, German Shepards, Rotts, Pinchers, etc. But mostly pits.) are being euthanized just because of their breed. And any dog that looks like a Pit bull even if the dog is or is not will also be euthanized.
Plus just because the majority does it... doesn't make it right either and that its trend across our nation..

"Christian Witchcraft is first and foremost a state of mind. It is the acknowledgment that I alone am responsible for my spirituality. It is a way of reclaiming my faith and incorporating it into everything I do."

Although for one reason or another I have always been interested in Wicca but at the same time have never ritualized. But I probably have brought some of the beliefs into my Christian beliefs. I do agree with the above statement. I myself am reclaiming my faith and learning through life what spirituality means to me.

"In Italy, the cross did not stop when you touched your right shoulder. You then brought your hand from your heart to your lips and sent away a kiss, to be lifted on the air all the way to the Lord"

Although I am not Catholic and was not raised Catholic I have always Crossed myself. I don't know why. I have always done it in privacy and the only person who knows I do it is my husband. I have just always been drawn to it and feel better after I have done it in respect for god. For the last couple of years after my Amen I have also blown a kiss. So When I read this it spoke to my heart and I have since changed to crossing and blowing a kiss and I feel it in my heart and it feels good.

What frustrates me about the book as well as Author..

" During the class, our teacher, who was a vegetarian, mentioned something in passing that really stuck with me. He talked about the food we eat and how that retains the energy of its experiences. This includes the people who have manipulated it, processed it, and prepared it, as well as the actual ingredients we use. It dawned on me how important our food was in sustaining us and that we were ingesting energy."

She speaks of using Reiki to bless the food. Then she goes on to say a little later that:

" This is particularly important for the meat we eat, as it retains a bit of the trauma of its death"

"A bit" If it is going to retain trauma it is going to retain alot of it!!!! Does she not know what these animals go through to be put on her plate? How their lives are nothing but misery and there deaths horrific? Just to satisfy to selfish urge.

This is the blessing prayer she says over her meat....
" May your sacrifice be honored through my actions"

Honored how by her sticking the meat in her mouth and chewing it??? Then swallowing it and going back for another piece of the beings chard flesh???

Further back in her book she speaks of the Wiccan Rede which I have always liked and held close.

"An you harm none, do what you will"

"We breath life into this law with our every thought and action. We are the well-being of all that is.

Really and you still eat meat because you are not harming any one? anything? any being? the environment?

"Our Ten Commandments warn us about concrete things we may do to harm others. They all fall well within the Wiccan Rede. It even extends further in the sense that it does not limit itself to loving your brother and sisters. "Harm none" also includes yourself, your environment, all aspects of nature, the Web of Life that connects us all. It is simple and non- Negotiable."

(In this paragraph she was also talking about how many rules /laws there are in Christianity and how that one little phase from the Wiccan Rede covers it all. I am just saying this to inform you on the rest of this paragraph.)

Exactly NON-NEGOTIABLE...
Clear through the book she speaks of how Christianity is so hypocritical... But then right before the end of the book she states one of the biggest hypocrisies that I think the Christian society has... Eating Meat... and on top of that she follows the Wiccan Rede as well so Hypocritic on both sides...

"And ye harm none do what ye will"

"Thou Shalt not kill"

With these two simple easy to follow statements it condemns it in both religions. How Christians and or Wiccans are killing and eating animals and ok with it I will never know...

This is the short Wiccan Rede. There is more to it But

this is the specific part that has been discussed here.

This is the rest of the paragraph form the selection above

Recipe"ing" the Kindle....

2011-01-04T13:51:00.003-05:00

I recently received a kindle for Christmas from my loving husband and the first cook book I purchase on it was 500 Vegan Recipes. And although I am not a fan of how the recipes read on the kindle it is really nice to have them right at my finger tips where ever I am.

I am now in the process of typing up my favorite recipes from all my vegan cookbooks and putting in a special folder on my kindle. My kindle travels everywhere with me so its just a matter of a couple clicks and I am in my favorite recipes. Here is a small portion of the list that is on or going to be on my kindle.

Favorite Recipes

where to find them

Creamy Kale and Potato Soup- Vegan Vittles

Igor's Pasta- Vegan Vittles

Potato Soup- 1001 Vegetarian Recipes

Rock Soup- Rachael Ray

Cabbage & Straw- Rachael Ray

Chocolate Cake- The Joy of vegan baking

Chocolate chip cookies- The Joy of vegan baking

Peanut Butter Cookies- The Joy of vegan baking

Sugar Cookies- The joy of vegan baking

Ginger Bread Cookies- Post Punk Kitchen Isa’s Recipe

Coffee chocolate cookies- The 100 Best vegan baking recipes

Calzone dough- One of Sarah Kramers books

Biscuits- How it all vegan

Pizza Dough- Vegan w/ a vengeance

Mushroom Sammies- one of sarah kramers books

Chocolate chocolate chip pancakes- Vegan w/ a vengeance

Sunny blue berry corn muffin- Vegan w/ a vengeance

Thai peanut pasta

Roasted Edamame Salad- Alton Brown

Southern Style corn bread- 500 Vegan Recipes

Peanutbutter balls- Sinfully vegan

Brussels Sprouts- Vegan lunch box

Mocha cookies- 100 best vegan baking recipes

Blueberry Corn Muffins- Vegn With a Vengeance

Cinnamon Rasin Biscuits- The garden of vegan

White cup cakes- The Joy of vegan baking

German Apple cake- The joy of vegan baking

Blue Berry Cobbler- The joy of vegan baking

Mixed berry Cobbler- The joy of vegan baking

+ many more...

But I think I will purchase the actual book instead of the kindle version because I can always add my favorite recipes to my kindle myself. I do wish if you purchase a hard copy that some how you could get the kindle version for a small up charge or something instead of having to pay the whole price again.

Finalizing the tally on 2010 Resolutions

2011-01-02T16:25:00.007-05:00

The only 2 updates I have to finish for my 2010 Resolutions is:

Read 15 books in 2010: I only managed to read

House of Reckoning, John Saul
Black Creek Crossing, John Saul
The Birthing House, Christopher Ransom
Marked, P.C. Cast
My Blood Approves, Amanda Hocking
Fate, Amanda Hocking

and I started but didn't finish

The Kitchen Witch, Annette Blair, Read over half Just haven't Finished it, I will finish it soon
Eating Animals, Jonathon Safran Foer, Read over half just haven't finished it, Not sure when I will finish this one. I have alot of other animal books I want to read as well.
Betrayed, P.C. Cast, Just started it and got interested in another book so I will finish it soon

So I finished 6 Total books but I could go 7 because I read half of the other two... hmmm... lol

Paying off $6,000 in debt....

Although I know I did more than this.. I also add a couple of things to our debt.

Our computer Died in July and so I purchased a laptop that was $550.00
The camera died and I have wanted an SLR camera for so long so I jumped in and purchased a Nikon D3000 with the extra VR lens. $600.00
Roxie was diagnosed with Heartworms. She came from the South so that is common down there. That was around $600.00 (The rest in cash)
Big Red was attacked by a raccoon and then started internally laying so she was spayed & treated for around $500.00 credit ( the rest in cash)
Spanx and Abu had to go to the vet about $300-$400.00
Lowes- We put a few things on the lowes card
TJ maxx- We put a couple things on the TJ maxx card

So we have put some money back on the credit but because we have been paying off our debt our credit score has now gone back up above 700...

But the total that we paid off after adding what we spent back in is.... Drum role please.... :) : $4632.76

So we came very close. But the animals come first. And who can blog w/o a computer and camera??? lol And the goal has again been set for another $6,000.oo to be paid off in 2011 but with an Apple Ipad and some health issues to have worked on will we meet the challenged... Stay tuned to find out :) But I have alot of hope that we will meet our goal so that we can buy a house and acreage in the next few years!

New Years Resolutions 2011

2011-01-01T12:00:00.028-05:00

Well its a time for change. Its a time for opening ones mind to new horizons and learning from life what life has to offer. Its a time to let go of the past and move to the present and plan for the future.

So I have set some new resolutions and I really hope to meet them this year better then I have in the past. I hope to set goals that are more within my reach and those that I may be more able to commit better to. But at the same time I am going to set some goals that I want to strive to reach and this might not be as easy but its time for change.

Anger- I have a quick temper. Unexpected things that happen at the most in-opportunistic times piss me off. And I know some of that is normal. But sometimes I believe my anger is a little more. I want to open my mind to knowing that change is normal and everything can't go to my expectation everyday. When I see other people who do this I think they are jackasses but then I go and do it. So I am going to work on being so snappy.
Read 15 books this year!!!! yes it is back and I will do it this year!
Loss 15lbs by October 2011
1 New recipe a week, or more, sugury baked goods can not count as the only new recipe for the week unless they are leaving my house :)
Take out no more then 4 times a month.
Return my library books on time! not a week late...
Make our savings account grow while paying off $6,000 worth of debt....
Blogging, To have more entries than 2010. Plus to blog about some important topics instead of putting it off and forgetting to do it. :)
To use more of the produce we purchase and grow.
To organize and remove alot of junk from my life.

I was also originally going to give up take out for the year but John told came up with us giving up something else every month. Don't know what all it will be but...

January- Take out

February- Soda.. .thats going to be a hard one....

I will post the rest later.

Christmas Day

2010-12-25T21:10:00.010-05:00

Normally every Christmas we get up early and got to my families house a few counties away. But this year it snowed so John and I decided to stay home for the day. Although I missed seeing everyone on Christmas it was nice staying home with my Husband for the entire day, watching movies, reading while he played on his PS3 and eating left overs from our Christmas eve dinner. It was a nice quite Christmas and I really enjoyed it.

Christmas Eve

2010-12-24T21:09:00.084-05:00

Christmas every year for us is normally started on Christmas eve with at least a dinner at My parents house. But this year we also had breakfast and a morning full of family as well.

We started out the day at John's Families house for breakfast and for the children of the family to get their presents. We took Vegan pancakes and Lightlife vegan sausage with us to eat. It was really good even rewarmed. My little nephew even ate one of our pancakes because he didn't want the waffles that everyone else had. He didn't even notice a difference :) and gobbled it up.

Me on the couch, Jessica, one of the girls I grew up with is also married to John's brother, and John on the 2nd sofa.

The boys with their new toys from their Grandparents. They were so cute running around the house.

But the Big Boys had just as much fun as the little ones running around the house shotting each other.

We stayed there for a few hours that morning and then came home so I could make dinner so that we could go to my parents house for the evening. I made Tofurky basted in soy sauce, olive oil, sage, and brown sugar, roasted broccoli and cauliflower, roasted sweet potatoes, and stuffing. Everything turned out so yummy we stuffed. :) Served in my awesome pyrex casserole dishes.

I also made gingerbread cupcakes with Lemon icing from Vegan cupcakes take over the world. Those on the other hand I didn't like and neither did anyone else. John said they were ok. But.... Maybe without the lemon icing I made. The lemon icing on its own was good. I bet the cupcakes alone would have been good. But together they just didn't mix.

After dinner we always open our presents because we leave early Christmas morning.

John and his creepy new stocking stuffy... Face protection for the winter... But still creepy... lol

He finally got the number 1 game he had been wanting.

Chloe finally getting her stocking.

My parents had also given us money toward our new 40" TV we had picked up early while it was on sale.

We have decided to make a new tradition that I have fallen in love with. It is simple and sweet and makes for a nice, warming, Christmas eve evening. Every Christmas we are going to open new Christmas PJs and watch Christmas movies all evening. This year we watching Home Alone & The Christmas story. We had a really nice day with all our family close to us.

She also opened her stocking from us on Christmas eve during our movie evening.

John and I had swapped gifts a few days in advance since he already had his PS3 he let me have my Kindle and order a couple books.

So I gave him his other gifts.

School Holiday Activities

2010-12-22T20:41:00.062-05:00

Every year the school puts on a Christmas show. This year my little sister is in 3rd grade and the two third grade teachers come together each year and have the kids perform not just songs but a play. This year they did a little western play and it was so cute.

On the same day we had the Christmas party at the school. We didn't plan the parties this year so I don't really have to much to add. But I did make Vegan Chocolate and Vanilla cupcakes both from The Joy of vegan baking. They turned out really good. I have tried white vegan cupcakes in the paste and I haven't liked them. But that recipe is really yummy.

The parent who planned the party didn't plan anything but a present swap and a guessing game . The presents swap went really well. Every parent sent in a $5 gift and all the gifts turned out really nice. Chey got a Mermaid Barbie.

After that there really wasn't anything to do for the last hour of the party so my mother had luckily brought some of the games we had left from planning the party last year and we planned a couple of them. and the kids got to get out of their seats and have some fun for a while. But over all I think the kids had a good time. For the next party I am planning the games.

Playing per kid request... Present Present Coal

One last thing.
Christmas is a Christian holiday. I understand that and I take it with an open heart and open arms. But even with this being said.... I was caught off guard when prayers were started at the Schools Christmas program and although it is warming and a nice gesture. How many children were not Christian and felt uncomfortable during this. None of the school administrators said it. That was handed off to someone else since the school isn't really aloud to. But I just couldn't help but to look around the auditorium afterwards and wonder how many students celebrate other religions. How many students would have been uncomfortable because they believe in other religions. I wish these celebrations would celebrate everyone. Not just the Christian Holiday. There are so many other Holidays for other faiths this time of year and they should have the same privilege of celebrating with the community and showing us how they celebrate as Christians do. I really wish they had that chance.

So with open hands and an open heart for all I wish you all Happy Holidays.

Cookie Monster Cake for John's 29th Birthday

2010-12-20T18:31:00.000-05:00

John just turned 29...

When I was looking for some ideas for Chey's cake I came across a really cute Cookie monster cake and John was standing there and jokingly said I want that cake for my birthday...

So....

So cute :)

He really liked it. I was so glad :)

I made the Chocolate cake recipe from The Joy of vegan baking with a hint of mint added. Then I added hint if mint to the icing too. It turned out really good. The hint was perfect. I'm not big on mint chocolate but I will make this again.
I also made Vegan chocolate chip cookies. So that I could put one on the cookie monster cake.

Chloe enjoyed liking the plates...Yum Yum.

Cute Rooster Card from my Parents

I think John had a good Birthday this year. He got a PS3 and a bunch of games that was also his Christmas present. We picked the games up on Black Friday and got a killer deal. He is really happy and has been playing alot since we picked it up. So I am happy to see him have some enjoyment. He has worked so hard this year.

Happy Birthday John!!!! I love you!!!

Our first Gingerbread house

2010-12-18T19:19:00.005-05:00

I am 25 years old and have never put together or decorated a gingerbread house. I have been thinking about purchasing a house cookie cutter kit but have failed to year after year. but when mom went grocery shopping she decided to pick up a precooked house for Chey to put together and she called me to help her.

This is our experience in a couple pictures..lol...

First the walls. Atleast they stayed pretty well.

The roof kept sliding off. Over and over again.

Chloe would not leave mom alone. she kept following her around
the house barking and barking...lol.. Mom went to the computer and this is where Chloe went..lol

Melting already. My parents keep their house really warm. So the house never stood a chance.

Chey did a great job on her side of the roof.

Mom finally figured out that Chloe just wanted the bones that Chey had put in Missy's Stocking..
.lol She then she tore it off the wall.lol

Me and Chey. we had fun even though the house looked like it was crying.
It was actually pretty funny.

Santa's and his ride

Mom tried the ginger bread.... But that was the only taste taken...lol

After the stocking again..lol

We decided to add the little soldier for John.

So it didn't turn out the best. But it was fun. Just wish it had been vegan. Maybe next time it won't look like its crying. lol

New Years Resolution update!

2010-12-10T12:55:00.000-05:00

Well last years resolutions are quickly coming to an end... and I figured an update was in order.

Be a more reliable and outspoken vegan: Well I think I have done well on the reliable part. I have been a vegan for 1 year now with only a couple slip ups. I don't crave cheese anymore and actually the time John talked me into having some cheese I didn't finish it and I actually thought it tastes funny. So that is a new outcome considering I ate cheese for so many years and now to taste it and see that its not as good as I once believed was a little mind blowing. I really do believe that cheese is something that is addicting and once you are over that addictive property that is in milk it jut doesn't taste that great. Maybe its just me because my husband still misses cheese but he is still going strong as well and we are going to become even more into it next year. with even less slip ups. I have also slipped up a couple of times with candy. Now being more outspoken is another thing that I think I have been a little more outspoken this year and honest when people ask me questions but I still have a long way to so.
Pay off atleast $6,000 of our debt: I haven't figured this number out yet. And i will be doing that at the beginning of next year so that all the payments have gone through and I know the actual number.
Cook atleast 3 times a week. I have done o with this one. I haven't done the best because my back has still continued to kill me for the entire year. I have been to the chiropractor, ordered an inversion table, and tried everything I can think of. I think next year I will switch chiropractors and see if I can find one that can actually help. But I have been cooking. Sometimes more sometimes less. I just hope I start feeling better so I can start being a consistent cook that cooks more healthful meals instead of alot of times fast things just so I don't have to stand there in pain.
Keep the house cleaner and more organized than last year. Again with my back this year this hasn't come to be. Maybe a little. I have atleast kept alot of the laundry done. but to my defense John hasn;t had the time to finish the walk in closet and our back room. So everything is still out of place and just begging to be put away...
Read more than 15 books. Even though I have had a whole year I have only read 3 or 4 books and half of 2 others. So sad... I have been tring to decide if I want to purchase a kindle, nook, or Ipad.. but as I look at the book number... I'm like really... Do I really want to put that much money towards an ereader.... and the answer I think is sadly yes.... So hopefully I can read more night year.
Be a more consistent blogger: I think I have done this for most of the year. I have beat out all my other years and next year I will hopefully beat this years number.
Take better care of my health. Well I have been to the doctor alot this year.. But I guess that only kinda counts. For exercise... back pain doesn't work with being out and about.. So that sucks and I really I don't know hope for better things to come...
Learn more about amino acids.. again I suck
Donate to atleast 3 charities. I got this one!!!! I have given to a number of charities and animal rescues this year.. Mainly animal rescues... but they are great places to help out. and I will do this again next year as well.
Takeout no more than 2 times a week. I think for the most part we got this one. Except a couple of time when I didn't want to cook because I was in pain so John brought home subway...
Do some art projects. Two thumbs down.... still another fail what is my problem???So sad
Take better care of the garden.. I kind a did this one. I kept alot of the garden weeded. I froze alot of the rhubarb and tomatoes. But I never got around to freezing the for peppers so they all went to waste :( But I did so better this year and we had an awesome garden and I learn more every year that I can take with me to the following year to make our garden even better.

I already have in mind a couple new resolutions for this coming year and I hope I can grow and meet the expectation that I am setting for myself. Life is about learning, growing, and changing and I hope that this next year is a chance for me to lay aside the issues that need put to rest so I can open up to be the person that I want to be. But I also know that any learning and growing no matter how small is a step in the right direction.