Thursday, April 18, 2019

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Holy Thursday


Fast forward six years from my last post....how quickly those years have passed.  How all-consuming my tasks have been.  The image of Jesus washing Peter's feet is one that reminds me of what has happened and it reminds me to examine, yet again, my motivations and actions.  Am I serving my family?  My children?  My community?  How can I more fully love those around me?

With four teenagers in the house, sometimes I feel as if I am going into a state of self-preservation!  Four beautiful children, currently in a state of naturally self-centered adolescence, can feel overwhelming, and I tend to push back against it sometimes, forgetting my state in life, which is serving.  Today, I remind myself that serving isn't all pleasant and it isn't all rewarding.  But it is the work we are called to.  

Lord,  please endow me with the grace needed to cheerfully and immediately respond to your will.  Mary, my mother, all the saints, and angels, please pray for me and obtain for me the graces and blessings I need to serve my family and Our Lord.  In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

March 25, 2014 

The Annunciation - Francisco Goya

The Annunciation

Today we celebrate the day Our Lady said "Yes" to God and agreed to become our Savior's mother.  She knew it wouldn't be easy, in fact, she knew it was going to be difficult as she was yet to be wed to Saint Joseph.  But she did it, willingly because she knew that God is always good and loves us. She knew that her obedience would be worth it.


Our First Day on "The GAPS diet"

Speaking of submitting, we are finally starting on the GAPS diet.  We talked about it last night during our Gaps-a-palooza feast.  It was kind of a Mardis Gras of sorts.  We had gluten free spaghetti and our favorite bottled sauce with chicken Italian sausage from Sprouts.  Daddy made baked apples (ironically it will be one of the first fruits we introduce :)

Anyway - the discussion - we talked about how Mary said "Yes" and her obedience was rewarded with may good things.  God loves us and if we trust him, he will take care of us.  Mom and Dad love you too, so trust us, we are here to help.  Our food adventure continues.  We will sacrifice now, for all of our health and well being and will all feel better and will be better when we are done with this!  Sacrifice it for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory!  Be like Our Blessed Mother! 

We have messed around with diet in our family to accommodate food allergies and food sensitivities for years.  We are still seeing signs of ASD and now we are seeing lots and lots of TICS in son number 1.  They've been around occasionally since about age 4 or 5, but have since become really bad.  Son number 2 also has a leaky gut, multiple food allergies/sensitivities/hypoglycemia and all kinds of bad things going on with his pancreas. 

We know both boys have leaky gut, and with Peanut's history with dairy and soy allergies from day 1 and Big Girl having weird allergic rashes occasionally, and having dyslexia - things gotta get better!

And speaking for parental units.  I know my health isn't what it should be, hypothyroid, frequent viruses, cold sores and acne breakouts (yuck) and MY hair is turning white!  What is that about?!  This wasn't supposed to happen until I was much older, according to my Dad's genes (which I thought I got!)  Don't know if that will change, but ya never know!  Sweet Hubs has a family history of cardiac issues, colon cancer (and he had some polyps removed himself a few years ago) and he's had skin cancer.  Need to keep that sweet man healthy!

If you want to know more about it, go here to learn about the GAPS diet.

On the Menu Today


Breakfast
Lots of water
Chicken Stock( half a mug full with a tablespoon or so of Sauerkraut juice)

Chicken warmed up in broth

Lunch
Butternut squash soup

Snacks
cold chicken!

Dinner

Boiled broccoli florets - VERY boiled

A simple version of my Albondigas soup (Meatball soup)

4 lbs of grass-fed hamburger
1 yellow crookneck squash de-seeded and peeled and diced
two carrots diced
5 green onions diced
little salt and pepper, a dash of cayenne pepper, paprika and cumin - (yes, spices are a cheat-but I've got to sell this diet!)
Squash all the above together, make meatballs and drop it into simmering chicken stock.


Everything went ok until Peanut made a stink over the Butternut squash soup and refused it.  OK, she went to PE anyway.  Yes I am a pushover.  Offered it again at dinner and she raised another stink.  OK, up you go - take your epsom salt bath girlie.  No more fussin!

We talked and she undertands we all need to go through Intro stages together, so we know what we are sensitive to and so we can all get through this and onto Full Gaps sooner rather than later.

Little peanut helped me prepare some nuts for soaking today (she loves em!)  I think the more she is on board the better it will be.

The trips are going great - little troopers!

Tonight - cooking ahead

Ok - we are soaking walnuts and pecans - check!
We've made some more Albondigas - check!
Chicken sock in fridge and cooked chicken meat in fridge - check!
Now to roast some carrots tonight and put some up! (I mean ferment some carrot sticks for snacks)

Saturday, June 1, 2013

Thursday, May 30, 2013

May 30, 2013

Claire's poem

What a wonderful day

When children go out to play
the sun is shining every day
What a wonderful day.

My dad is cooking hamburgers
My mother is so gay
What a wonderful day.

I eat my dinner, get dressed,
say my prayers, go to sleep
and in my sleep I sing to myself
What a wonderful day, What a wonderful day!

St Joan of Arc

Thursday, May 30, 2013
Feast day of St. Joan of Arc

Claire drew this picture of St. Joan of Arc today.

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

May Crown

OUR LADY'S LITTLE PEOPLE





May 28, 2013

Today our Classically Catholic Memory Co-op crowned Mary.  One little person in our group just received her First Holy Communion, so she crowned Our Lady, while all the little folks gave her flowers.  While processing, the children recited our memory poem:

"May Crown"
All early in the morning
I rose to greet the day,
And underneath my window
I saw a Child at play

The robins were not fearful
of one so mild and meek;
They nested at his shoulder
and lighted at his cheek.


He picked the clustering roses,
The lily in its  sheath,
The long-stemmed purple violets,
And wove them in a wreath.

And then I saw a Lady
Come walking in the dew;
Her robe was white as starshine,
Her mantle was deep blue.

And as the Child approached her,
All sweetly she knelt down
And bent her head, receiving
His fragrant, flowery crown.