Book Review: She's Got Issues. A must read!

She’s got Issues: Seriously Good News for stressed out Secretly Scared Control Freaks Like Us (Paperback)

The title says it all, we all struggle with Issues, Insecurity, fear and stress in our daily lives, its part of our human journey. If you feel you are struggling with the same issues year in and year out, questioning your ability to change and Gods plan for your life this book is for you.

Nicole’s Authentic, fresh, and inspiring quality will capture you in the first chapter. Her relevant, searingly honest, funny and direct writing style will help you break thorough the barriers holding you back from living the abundant Christian life God intended for you to live.

Nicole shares stories from her own personal journey as well as experience from her many years as a professional counselor.

Her truths are solidly backed by Biblical principals’ and scripture references. The book also includes great study guides, a prayer, journal exercises and group discussion questions in every chapter.

Often throughout the book I felt as if Nicole truly got me, It spoke to that place deep within that hid behind the “I’ve got it all together” Christian facade I find myself wearing, It was so refreshing to sift through the layers and give it back to God!

This book is not your every day self help book, It is a must read; buy it for yourself and your friends! I know you will not regret it!

I received this complimentary copy of She’s Got Issues, for reviewing purposes from Tyndale House.

Bitter or improved by 40? The choice is yours!

Thinking, thinking, thinking,
I seem to be doing a lot of that lately, deep thinking, the kind that makes the top of your head hot.
Why, you say?
 Is it because I have a crummy water source or perhaps my tweens are trying my last set of nerves, nope it is none of that.

I am thinking about the state of my life, yes I know I have blogged about it quite a bit, perhaps it is this country air I am breathing. Perhaps I have nothing better to do...
The book I am reviewing quotes the author saying, that you will either be Bitter or Improved by the time you are 40.
 Gosh I sure don't want to be bitter, that would be, well very simply unpleasant!

So now I have been thinking on how I am going to go about being improved.
I could go start a cleanse, I could exercise more, I could ditch my grass garden and plant flowers (I am starting to rethink this whole sustainable garden gig, unless I start to steam grass) I could even get some plastic surgery done, but frankly I don't much like pain and the older I get the more comfortable I feel in my own skin, (that's got to be a good sign!)

So here I am still thinking, head getting warm…..

I think we all want to be happy right? But the more I really get to know people the more I understand about the human condition, we all deal with our "stuff" somehow. I don’t know many truly “happy” people; we all seem to be searching for, well…something.

That new porch swing that I want is not going to make me happy, I will some day get it and have a grand time sitting and reading on it but it will not bring the joy I expect it to. This will lead me to feel disappointed and then I will move on to the next great "thing" that I feel will fill that void. But it won’t. Ever find this happening in your life?

My friends that void is put there for a purpose, no earthly "thing" is going to fill you up. Not that handsome looking man, not getting into those skinny jeans you keep in the closet just in case, ( I have a pair or two as well)  not that great ride on lawnmower that you think will simplify your weekends!

No I think God put that feeling there so that we may feel uncomfortable, unsettled and dissatisfied. Why would a loving God do that you say?

I think Our God wants us…… the real deal, not our Sunday fake smile and wave, self, but us.

The good the bad and the ugly. The young the old the weak and the strong.
Friends I think I have been running after smoke all this time. I think I have wasted my energy.

Life doesn’t just happen, it must be lived.
Change does not just happen it is a choice.

Well here I am living and choosing, not to chase after smoke and bubbles, but after my savoir who can fill me to the brim with LIFE, a life well lived. It is so very simple; I just need to surrender my will and follow HIS will. I will have to tell my self this quite often as selfishness and willfulness seem to be my first and last name.
I am here to tell you though I have 4 years left before I am either Bitter or Improved, so lets see where my God leads me!
I am so very excited to live this adventure, this dream, this life.
Where are you on your journey? Are you content, happy, fulfilled?
I pray my friend that today you are all these things. That the life you are living is just where you are suppose to be right here, right now using the gifts you have been given for the glory of the Lord!
Ephesians 2:10
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

How to remove hard water stains on your glass shower doors.

The Country life has inspired me to find new ways to clean old things.

If like me you have a gungy, hard to clean shower doors, mainly because of hard water deposits and soap scum, I am going to let you in on a little known secret!

You have the tools right in your kitchen, without all the chemicals!
So buckle up here we go, grab your sponge and get ready to motor!

  Lemon juice is the answer. Yep Lemon, plain and simple!
Squirt it directly on the shower door, or I like to use a sponge, less aim required.

If you are fancy, and have a real live lemon you can cut it in half and scrub it on the door. ( I only ever have the yellow bottle) It lasts for years!

 OK so like I said Spray or squirt the lemon juice on the sponge, let the acidity of the lemon juice really overpower those hard water stains. Go lemon juice!

Get it all over the shower door. Then, make a paste using vinegar and baking soda. (I know I said it was going to be easy, but I lied, and your still reading)

This paste is about the consistency of a Soft Scrub, wipe down the shower,  you can even use a toothbrush for those corners and edges.
This is a great abrasive material that will really scrub out those hard water stains.

Now, use vinegar and water to spray and rinse. You will hear a little fizzing noise. This is because of the vinegar, and the baking soda, and the lemon juice they kind of bubble up a little bit when they're together.

Almost done,

 Wipe it with a paper towel.
Shammy with a soft cloth, and there you have it, your hard water stains will be gone, your shower is sparkling, with no expensive, chemical laden store bought products, just good ol' kitchen ingredients.
Your Grandma would be proud!

Hugs, my friends!

How To Kill grass....

Here I am in the country, still wanting to plant that garden, but low and behold I go out to look at the peas and beans I planted last week and there is grass growing IN my garden beds.

Now in our area there is a no pesticide use policy.
Because you see, if I was back in the City I would go and grab the Roundup, and have a spray party while sucking back a Tim Horton's Hot Chocolate.

Alas Tim's is 1/2 hr away, I am now Wheat intolerant... and I can't use round up.....What am I going to do? 


Google being my best friend out here, because I am yet to find a real live one, tells me the following, natural ways to kill grass, Just in case you didn't want to use round up or have a great tasting beverage, that is.


Gosh now I really want a Tim's English Toffee.

 

How to Kill Grass Using Vinegar

Kill unwanted grass with vinegar. White or pickled vinegar is another great way to kill your grass without the use of harmful chemicals. It is safe and will not harm the environment. However, do not spray near any plants you want to keep, as vinegar will kill them too.
Vinegar is readily available at most supermarkets and while pickling vinegar may cost a little more, it still doesn’t cost as much as harmful chemicals. When using vinegar to kill your grass, keep in mind that it works better in smaller areas and during hot conditions. In fact, the hotter the better. Therefore, opt for hot summer days for better results. Simply saturate the grassy area with vinegar and within days (sometimes sooner), the grass will die.
If you’re looking for safe ways to kill grass, these natural methods are easy and affordable with great results.

Kill Unwanted Grass with Newspaper

If you want to know how to kill grass naturally, look no further than your Sunday paper. Newspaper works wonders. The fact that this is readily available at little or even no cost is just one of the benefits. Using newspaper as a way how to kill grass naturally is easy and can be used for both small and large areas. It also decomposes, adding nutrients to the soil.
Start by mowing the area where you want to kill your grass. This allows the newspaper to lay flatter and closer to the grass. Wet the area and begin placing thick layers of newspaper (about 8-10 sheets) over the grass, overlapping in different directions as you go. You may want to continue wetting the area to prevent the newspaper from blowing away. Wetting the paper beforehand is another option; however, it may be more difficult to work with and prone to tearing.
Once the area is completely covered, add mulch or landscape fabric, depending on your intent for the area’s use. As no light will penetrate the area, the grass will eventually smother and die.

So I think I will go read last weeks paper and get the french fries cooking, and have a country style paper laying french fry eating, with vinegar garden party!

Love Ya!

Well, there is trouble in paradise, my well runs dry....

The day started like any other, although today was a little different It is my sons 12th birthday!
So as I wake I ponder the busyness ahead and lay in awe at how time has flown by so very quickly. As I lay there I hear Dear Husband say hu? as he is about to make his morning java.

I hear him yell up the stairs the well has run dry.....Words I NEVER wanted to hear!
So our morning has made itself known, I hop out of bed happy birthday thoughts forgotten.

We go out and inspect the well yep dry, and it is only May and not hot at all, but yes we have that leak in the hose that is running water to the chickens, and that seems to be just enough water loss to suck the hole dry. Hm, not impressed.

I have 5 boys coming in a few short hours so we both go our separate ways and scramble around frantically not getting much accomplished.
 Dear husband does not make any headway on fixing the water situation and I madly find wet wipes and paper dishes. The heck with environmentally responsible this calls for resourcefulness, to the max!

On come the tidal wave of children and I go into hostess mode. Although they don't seem to be having much fun with the paint ball sling shot target practice I set up, guess it is a little hard to aim, so I bring out the pellet gun and instruct the children to point at the target and not each other. I whip in to throw pizza in the oven and chips in bowls. A short time latter call the kids in and the feeding frenzy begins.

After pizza, cake and chips and 4 litters of pop, we all head out to play capture the flag. It was a great game of  of running around the woods, and spying out your opponents flag.

The well issue was forgotten until one of the boys asks to use the washroom. I say number one or two. (Not by the way an appropriate question for a hostess to ask) He says "well I gotta stink up your bathroom"
I tell him the toilet paper is in the bathroom and the woods is where you need to go!
He took off looking quite put out, oh well nothing I can do about that!

So three hours have passed and the kids parents arrive and off they go.
The well situation is still unresolved and we really need showers after running through the woods I smell, and my kids are dirtier than I think I have ever seen them!

Dear husband in well

I make a few quick calls to the neighbors to see if any one is a well expert. 2 show up but can't figure out the problem.
After another 2 hours of tinkering and pulling the whole contraption apart it is still not fixed. Neighbors leave, and being the good mom I am I say. "OK kids lets go throw you in the river!"

They scream and run...right into the house to get their bathing suits on.

We trudge down the path I spy my immediate neighbor looking at us quite oddly as she sits in her yard, but I smile and wave. Nothing to see here folks, just a bunch of city folk going down to the river to wash our sins away! (no I didn't say that, but I was thinking it) Smile and wave folks smile and wave...

 The only one who actually got clean in the river was the birthday boy himself! Brr that looked crazy! But what am I to do, I ask you?
We have zero water and I am on my last nerve.

Bath time!

birthday boy asks to make this a Birthday tradition..

Middle child cries all the way back, she was far too cold and bumped her knee, and little one clings to me like she is still a part of me, and me I stomp through the river trail mumbling how I back "home" this would never happen......
The end to a crazy day, glad it is done. Good thing it is Mother's day tomorrow because I think I am going to ask for a well technician to come a visiting......

Psalm 46:10
"Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

Easy White Sauce Recipe

 

When I was first diagnosed with a wheat intolerance I was depressed at how much I could not eat!

The funny thing is, many of the  food items that now contain wheat our grandmothers made with corn starch!
For those of you who can’t use corn there are other gluten free thickeners on the market as well- potato starch, amaranth flour, you can even try an all purpose gluten free flour mix like Bob’s Red Mill etc.

 You really can do it, it is super easy and it is wonderful not having to worry about hidden ingredients on the label.
This simple sauce is a staple in my home since I can whip up mac n’ cheese for the kids in no time flat with a bag of  Rice Noodles (gluten free of course) and a cheesy variation of the basic white sauce.

What you need


1) butter    2) corn starch- or preferred thickener   3) milk   4) now comes the fun part- season with salt and pepper, or parsley, and/or add various cheeses (I like a good sharp cheese since I don’t have to use as much)

The Recipe:
Order DOES matter!

•  1 Tablespoon butter
• 1 Tablespoon corn starch (notice it’s the same amount as the butter, this is helpful to note if you want to make more)
• 2 or more cups milk (depending on how thick you like the sauce, don’t be afraid to try it with less then slowly add the milk as it simmers until you have the right consistency)

1. Melt butter  in a small saucepan over low heat, bring to a gentle bubble. Don’t burn it-that stinks and you will have to start over, just get the edge starting to cook. Butter really does work better than margarine in this case, but I always use margarine.
2. As soon as you see that the butter is bubbling add the corn starch and whisk like crazy then when it is mixed in let that start to bubble and cook only about 20 seconds.
3. Next pour in the milk, whisk and increase the temperature to medium.  The sauce will thicken over the next few minutes, mine usually takes about 5 minutes.
4. Season to taste- Sometimes I add cheese and pepper at this point, or if I’m going for an Alfredo I leave the cheese out and spoon in minced garlic and some green spice for color (whatever is close at hand) Onion powder can be used or Season All- *Don’t forget to check the spices in your cupboard if you are new to gluten free baking, many of them contain wheat as an anti-caking agent, when in doubt, throw it out or call the company if you can’t bear to part with that 3 yr old shaker full of Italian Seasoning your grandma gave you. Well, maybe that’s just me, I’m cheap!
5. Parting Thoughts- Slowly add the milk and wait while the sauce thickens. WAIT!  But seriously if it doesn’t turn out thick enough you will have to start from square one, or as I have done before in a pinch, get another saucepan, melt the butter, add the flour, cook 20 seconds and pour that mixture into the 1st – thin- attempt.  Usually that will revive it.  Even though this recipe is fairly easy it takes some practice to get it right.  And don’t try pouring flour into the pan after you have added the milk, it’s horrible, even the dog won’t eat it- cat’s don’t mind the lumps though, if they are getting warm milk so all is not lost!

Thank you to the goofy chef for the recipe!!

Fun creating stuff

Today I was feeling a tad scattered,
I tried to clean the house Martha Stewart style, but yet again failed at the task. I had lots of things started but nothing completed!
I don't know why I have to urge to have perfection rule my life, I mean really who's perfect anyway?
Seems like a huge waste of time in my estimation. Yet I still find myself striving for it.

 A couple of summers ago I made a rock sign ( I love to write things on rocks and place them in my garden ) Kind of a life garden I have a rock for every season of my life.
Any way this particular rock reads "Do not wish to be anything but what you are and try to be that perfectly"

My life rock, wish I knew how to rotate the pictures, but since I am giving up on perfection I am sure you will understand!

That sums up my life, I am trying to me, and for today that is enough!

Funny side note when I was going outside tonight to get a picture of the rock for you, I just about got taken out by a humming bird!
Didn't know I could duck that fast Hahahah.
Times like that when I am glad I live in the middle of nowhere, no witnesses!

Any way in my silly mumbo jumbo day I did get one project accomplished kind of by mistake.

I went into the garage to find a board for little ones closet, (she didn't have a shelf on the top ) And being the handy person I am not,
I had to find something that would fit.. without power tools. Stop laughing....

So I find a part of a IKEA shelf that kind of looks like a ladder and I use the three pieces to make some inventive neat things...Oh yes, since you asked sure, I will show you!

A shelf

tilt your head to the left..thanks..a tight holder. Now little one does not have to throw them all over the floor looking for the perfect color..uh oh..she has the gene too!

Hold it don't move, a towel holder and baskets for soap and such.

Hope you had a wonderful, perfect day!

Philippians 3:12-15  

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.