Joy In Our Journey
  • Home
    • Disclosure Policy
    • About Me
  • What's New! (Blog)
  • Low-Carb Lifestyle!
    • Trim Healthy Mama-inspired Grocery Lists
    • THM-style Beverages >
      • Mock Starbucks Mocha Frappuccinos
    • Family Favorite Recipes (Not Low Carb) >
      • Snacks >
        • Delicious Homemade Gooey Granola Bars!
        • Healthy Peanut Buttery Treats
      • Soups and Stews >
        • Jamaican Seafood Chowder
        • Chicken and Gnocchi Soup
      • Salads >
        • Red Cabbage Coleslaw
      • Main Dishes >
        • Beef >
          • Beef Stroganoff
        • Chicken >
          • Chicken Fiesta
          • Chicken Nachos
          • Marinated Zucchini and Chicken Sandwiches
          • Chicken or Turkey Enchiladas
          • Hungarian Chicken Paprikash
          • Green Chili Chicken Lasagna
        • Lamb >
          • Slow-Roasted Lamb Shoulder
        • Seafood >
          • Chilled Quinoa and Salmon Salad (E)
          • Shrimp and Zucchini Tostadas
        • Pasta Recipes >
          • Baked Lemon Pasta
          • Paccheri (Pasta) with Cauliflower and Tomatoes
      • Desserts >
        • Cookies >
          • Free Christmas Cookie cookbook download!
          • Healthier Gingerbread Man Cookies
          • Healthier Holiday Cut-Out Cookes
          • Maple Leaf Cookies - YUMMM!
        • Donuts
        • Frozen Desserts >
          • Lemonade Ice Cream Pie
    • Recommended Ingredients and Foods >
      • Inspiration Mixes - Gluten/Dairy/Caseine/Wheat Free and delicious!
      • Organic Maple Syrup
  • Homeschooling
    • Homeschool Curriculum & Product Reviews >
      • Homeschool Curriculum Reviews >
        • Art >
          • ARTistic Pursuits
          • Simply Draw!
        • Grammar >
          • All About Homophones - (Marie Rippel)
          • Time 4 Learning
          • Daily Grams
        • Handwriting >
          • Cursive Handwriting - New American Cursive
        • History >
          • The Mystery of History >
            • MOH vol. 3 Audio MP3's
          • Tapestry of Grace History
          • U.S. History >
            • America, The Last Best Hope (William Bennett)
          • Winter Promise
        • Latin >
          • Latina Christiana, by Memoria Press
          • Visual Latin
        • Literature-based Unit Studies >
          • Beyond Five in a Row
          • Further Up and Further In by Diane Pendergraft
        • Logic and Reasoning >
          • Building Thinking Skills (Critical Thinking Skills Co.)
        • Math >
          • Math Mammoth
          • Math Tutor DVD.com
          • MathRider: Horselovers' Math Facts Software Game!
        • Music and Composers
        • Online Educational Courses >
          • Aleks Online Courses
        • Science >
          • Apologia Science >
            • Apologia Science's Notebooking Journals
            • Zoology 1 - Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day
          • Science Weekly newsletters
        • Spelling >
          • Phonetic Zoo (by IEW)
        • Writing >
          • The Write Foundation: Level 2 - Paragraphs
          • WriteShop's StoryBuilders
      • Homeschool Product Reviews >
        • eBooks >
          • College Success Begins at Home (TOS eBook)
          • Dreams and Designs—Homemade Supplies to Complement Your Homeschool
          • Help, Lord, I'm Getting Ready to Start Homeschooling My High Schooler!
          • The 2010 Schoolhouse Planner
        • Online Educational Website Memberships >
          • KB Teacher
        • Science >
          • Polymer Crystals
    • Driver's Education for Homeschoolers
    • Foreign Language >
      • Latin >
        • Christmas Songs in Latin
        • Latina Christiana (Level 1) >
          • Latina Christiana Level 1 Lesson Links >
            • Charts and Helps
            • Year One Sayings
            • LC1 Intro and Lesson 1
      • Latina Christiana (Level II) >
        • Latina Christiana Level 2
        • LC2 Intro and Lesson 1
    • Forms and Charts >
      • "Week At A Glance" Planner
      • 2012-2013 Homeschool Attendance Form
      • 2012-2013 Homeschool Attendance Form
    • Free Audio Books to Download
    • Free Homeschool I.D. Cards!
    • Government and Civics
    • Handwriting
    • History: Classical / Chronological >
      • The Mystery of History, by Linda Lacour Hobar
      • The Middle Ages (MOH vol. 2)
      • Ancient History (MOH vol. 1) >
        • Ancient Rome >
          • Roman Architecture
          • Roman Houses
          • Roman Town (software game by Dig-It)
          • Roman Trade and Commerce
    • Language Arts
    • Science
  • Free Printables
    • Holidays >
      • Christmas
  • Book/DVD/Audio Reviews
    • Children's Movie/DVD Reviews
    • Other Product/Company Reviews
  • Home & Family
    • Frugal Living
    • Gardening and Herbs
    • Marriage - God's Way
    • Life at Home
    • Godly Kids & Teens >
      • Godly Womanhood
      • Sharing God With Your Children
      • Training Our Daughters to be Keepers at Home >
        • Keepers At Home - "Beginning of Club Year" Helps
        • Keepers At Home - "End of Club Year" Helps
        • KAH Skills >
          • Bible Memory >
            • Memorizing New Testament Books and Their Meanings
            • Proverbs 31:10-31
          • Cake Decorating
          • Card Making >
            • Stitched Cards
          • Computers
          • Character Studies >
            • Contentment and "I'm Bored" phrases
            • Willingness
          • Decoupage
          • Hospitality
          • Library Skills and Literature Pins
          • Sewing >
            • Beauty and the Pig - Goldie Doll
            • Edwardian-Style Aprons
            • Paper Piecing
      • Children >
        • Bible Study Bookmarks
        • The Church History ABCs (for kids!!!)
        • The Lord's Prayer - copywork
        • Some Thoughts...Family Bible Time
        • Running Away...with permission
      • Young Adults (Teens) >
        • Stepping Heavenward, by Elizabeth Prentiss
        • Deeper Roots: Discovering Our Amazing God
  • Frugal Family Trips to Washington, D.C.
  • Home
    • Disclosure Policy
    • About Me
  • What's New! (Blog)
  • Low-Carb Lifestyle!
    • Trim Healthy Mama-inspired Grocery Lists
    • THM-style Beverages >
      • Mock Starbucks Mocha Frappuccinos
    • Family Favorite Recipes (Not Low Carb) >
      • Snacks >
        • Delicious Homemade Gooey Granola Bars!
        • Healthy Peanut Buttery Treats
      • Soups and Stews >
        • Jamaican Seafood Chowder
        • Chicken and Gnocchi Soup
      • Salads >
        • Red Cabbage Coleslaw
      • Main Dishes >
        • Beef >
          • Beef Stroganoff
        • Chicken >
          • Chicken Fiesta
          • Chicken Nachos
          • Marinated Zucchini and Chicken Sandwiches
          • Chicken or Turkey Enchiladas
          • Hungarian Chicken Paprikash
          • Green Chili Chicken Lasagna
        • Lamb >
          • Slow-Roasted Lamb Shoulder
        • Seafood >
          • Chilled Quinoa and Salmon Salad (E)
          • Shrimp and Zucchini Tostadas
        • Pasta Recipes >
          • Baked Lemon Pasta
          • Paccheri (Pasta) with Cauliflower and Tomatoes
      • Desserts >
        • Cookies >
          • Free Christmas Cookie cookbook download!
          • Healthier Gingerbread Man Cookies
          • Healthier Holiday Cut-Out Cookes
          • Maple Leaf Cookies - YUMMM!
        • Donuts
        • Frozen Desserts >
          • Lemonade Ice Cream Pie
    • Recommended Ingredients and Foods >
      • Inspiration Mixes - Gluten/Dairy/Caseine/Wheat Free and delicious!
      • Organic Maple Syrup
  • Homeschooling
    • Homeschool Curriculum & Product Reviews >
      • Homeschool Curriculum Reviews >
        • Art >
          • ARTistic Pursuits
          • Simply Draw!
        • Grammar >
          • All About Homophones - (Marie Rippel)
          • Time 4 Learning
          • Daily Grams
        • Handwriting >
          • Cursive Handwriting - New American Cursive
        • History >
          • The Mystery of History >
            • MOH vol. 3 Audio MP3's
          • Tapestry of Grace History
          • U.S. History >
            • America, The Last Best Hope (William Bennett)
          • Winter Promise
        • Latin >
          • Latina Christiana, by Memoria Press
          • Visual Latin
        • Literature-based Unit Studies >
          • Beyond Five in a Row
          • Further Up and Further In by Diane Pendergraft
        • Logic and Reasoning >
          • Building Thinking Skills (Critical Thinking Skills Co.)
        • Math >
          • Math Mammoth
          • Math Tutor DVD.com
          • MathRider: Horselovers' Math Facts Software Game!
        • Music and Composers
        • Online Educational Courses >
          • Aleks Online Courses
        • Science >
          • Apologia Science >
            • Apologia Science's Notebooking Journals
            • Zoology 1 - Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day
          • Science Weekly newsletters
        • Spelling >
          • Phonetic Zoo (by IEW)
        • Writing >
          • The Write Foundation: Level 2 - Paragraphs
          • WriteShop's StoryBuilders
      • Homeschool Product Reviews >
        • eBooks >
          • College Success Begins at Home (TOS eBook)
          • Dreams and Designs—Homemade Supplies to Complement Your Homeschool
          • Help, Lord, I'm Getting Ready to Start Homeschooling My High Schooler!
          • The 2010 Schoolhouse Planner
        • Online Educational Website Memberships >
          • KB Teacher
        • Science >
          • Polymer Crystals
    • Driver's Education for Homeschoolers
    • Foreign Language >
      • Latin >
        • Christmas Songs in Latin
        • Latina Christiana (Level 1) >
          • Latina Christiana Level 1 Lesson Links >
            • Charts and Helps
            • Year One Sayings
            • LC1 Intro and Lesson 1
      • Latina Christiana (Level II) >
        • Latina Christiana Level 2
        • LC2 Intro and Lesson 1
    • Forms and Charts >
      • "Week At A Glance" Planner
      • 2012-2013 Homeschool Attendance Form
      • 2012-2013 Homeschool Attendance Form
    • Free Audio Books to Download
    • Free Homeschool I.D. Cards!
    • Government and Civics
    • Handwriting
    • History: Classical / Chronological >
      • The Mystery of History, by Linda Lacour Hobar
      • The Middle Ages (MOH vol. 2)
      • Ancient History (MOH vol. 1) >
        • Ancient Rome >
          • Roman Architecture
          • Roman Houses
          • Roman Town (software game by Dig-It)
          • Roman Trade and Commerce
    • Language Arts
    • Science
  • Free Printables
    • Holidays >
      • Christmas
  • Book/DVD/Audio Reviews
    • Children's Movie/DVD Reviews
    • Other Product/Company Reviews
  • Home & Family
    • Frugal Living
    • Gardening and Herbs
    • Marriage - God's Way
    • Life at Home
    • Godly Kids & Teens >
      • Godly Womanhood
      • Sharing God With Your Children
      • Training Our Daughters to be Keepers at Home >
        • Keepers At Home - "Beginning of Club Year" Helps
        • Keepers At Home - "End of Club Year" Helps
        • KAH Skills >
          • Bible Memory >
            • Memorizing New Testament Books and Their Meanings
            • Proverbs 31:10-31
          • Cake Decorating
          • Card Making >
            • Stitched Cards
          • Computers
          • Character Studies >
            • Contentment and "I'm Bored" phrases
            • Willingness
          • Decoupage
          • Hospitality
          • Library Skills and Literature Pins
          • Sewing >
            • Beauty and the Pig - Goldie Doll
            • Edwardian-Style Aprons
            • Paper Piecing
      • Children >
        • Bible Study Bookmarks
        • The Church History ABCs (for kids!!!)
        • The Lord's Prayer - copywork
        • Some Thoughts...Family Bible Time
        • Running Away...with permission
      • Young Adults (Teens) >
        • Stepping Heavenward, by Elizabeth Prentiss
        • Deeper Roots: Discovering Our Amazing God
  • Frugal Family Trips to Washington, D.C.
Picture

Startled in a cemetery!

5/31/2010

4 Comments

 
Picture
     Today was the special day that our family traveled down to my husband's father's grave site, to leave flowers and a U.S. flag there in respect for his service in the military and for him being an important person in my husband's life. 

     I'm sorry that I was never able to meet my father-in-law.  He passed away when my husband was around 16 years of age.  He has been sorely missed by my husband and his family.

     I asked my husband if he could share with the girls one important thing he remembers well about his father.  My husband knew immediately what he would relate to our girls:  Grandpa had a wonderful sense of humor, and there was a lot of laughter found in their home.  I thought that was a great memory to share, and I've always known that my husband also shares the gift of humor and laughter.

     The cemetery is only located about 30 minutes away from us, but since our trips to that area for family gatherings are usually held in the evenings, when it is dark already, we only get to visit the site about once or twice a year.

     Our girls have learned so much from these visits to the cemetery.  They've learned about the level of honor and respect that a cemetery deserves.  They've learned the right types of attitudes and behaviors about visiting such a location.

     They've also now begun to realize the importance of keeping our area's history "alive."  They spent a good portion of our time down there brushing away the dried cut grass from flat headstones, and brushing away dirt and dust from some of the upright headstones.   They were very concerned that because of inadequate care...and the passing of time...some of the pioneer headstones are now difficult to read due to the encroachment of black moss on the headstones under the trees.  They are very interested in learning how to clean off the headstones so that the wording is preserved.  This may be something we research as a family and help do occasionally, if the cemetery association is open to this.


Picture
     After we clean off Grandpa's headstone and some of my husband's aunts' and uncles' graves, we usually wander up the hill and spend some time looking at the pioneer portion of the cemetery. 

     Even after all these years of visiting the cemetery, I'm always amazed at the number of young babies, children, and women who passed away at such a young age.  Oh, I'm not forgetting the men who died young, but there are just so many more women who died early, probably due to childbirth, that I find this so sad.

     But today, we were ALL startled by something rather unexpected at the small cemetery! 

     My husband and I had just finished walking downhill to some of his aunts' and uncles' grave sites, when I realized that I had just walked directly over a large snake...without realizing it.


Picture
     Because bull snakes (also known as gopher snakes) can sometimes look and act like a rattlesnake, I was a freaked out girl!  I thought that I had just walked over a rattlesnake.  Oh, my!  My husband thought so, too, and as he heard a rattling sound, he was almost convinced that it was a rattler. 

     Turns out that the rattling sound was coming from one of those small plastic "windmill" types of decorations that someone had placed on a grave site.

     We had a good laugh about being startled by a bull snake, although he WAS six feet long and about 1-1/2 inches thick.  It was a great opportunity for our girls to hear about the differences between a bull snake and a rattler.  We hadn't talked with them about that for a few years, so I'm sure they had forgotten.
     After we got over our initial surprise, we noticed that its head was not flattened but quite on the "roundish" side.  While bull snakes can shake their tail like a rattler, they don't actually have any rattles to shake; it's just a defense mechanism.

     As we were driving down the winding country road out of the cemetery, my husband noticed the snake now crossing the road...but it was SO much longer than we originally thought!  Hmmm..."Stop the car!"  "Daddy, can we look at it?"

     So, out of the car we jumped, and took a look at the very long snake...which was actually two bull snakes head to tail, slowly slithering away from the cemetery, trying to cross the dusty gravel road.  Did they make it, or didn't they?

     That was our adventure for the day.  Snakes in a cemetery - not what we really expected to find, especially on a cool, cloudy day.  But it made the day a bit more memorable, which is always a good thing.
Picture

You won't want to miss my FREE "Trim Healthy Mama-inspired", low carb-style recipes, tutorials, giveaways, and deals - get them delivered fresh to your inbox!


4 Comments

I live in THIS woman's house!

5/29/2010

6 Comments

 
Picture
    This is a picture of our master bedroom...in 1980...when it wasn't a master bedroom at all, it was a well-known answering service in our town!

     One of our neighbors, whom we didn't know very well, passed away about a year ago.  This week, his adult daughter was continuing to sort through her parents' things (her mother is in assisted living due to advanced Alzheimer's), and she found a newspaper article from 1980 that featured the woman who had our home built for her in 1950.  Her name is Clover. 

     Because I find this story so fascinating, especially since we are living in "Clover's home", I would like to share it with you.  I wish she had been able to write her autobiography after she retired; unfortunately, she passed away before being able to do that. 

     I knew some of this story already, because my next door neighbor just behind us was best friends with Clover.  They actually both moved up to our town from California to start new lives as neighbors.

     Here's the newspaper article from Wednesday, January 30, 1980:

Picture
    Her name, Clover M-----, sounds like the title of a book, maybe a Mickey Spillane novel about a proud, feisty Irishwoman who fights her own battles and looks life straight in the eye.

    In fact, it may be the title of a book some day.  But not a novel.  Rather, it will be an autobiography - about a
(town's name left out) woman who lost both legs and an arm in a car-train wreck when she was 20.

    And who went on to fight her own battles and look life straight in the eye.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

    Mrs. M, now in her 60s, sits in her wheelchair and, grabbing furniture and walls, pulls herself into her living room.

    The chair has been specially made from the frame of a lawn chair, designed so she can "get closer to things."  To the uninitiated, her movements in it appear slow and cumbersome.
    But appearances are deceiving.  She gets around.  And the smile never leaves her face.

    "I've always thought that I could do anything," she says, "and I have."

    That includes raising a son (age 23), and running her own business.  This year, Clover's Telephone Answering & Secretarial Service (address left out) celebrates its 20th anniversary.

    She started the business in 1960 after her second marriage ended in divorce.  "I knew I would have to support myself," she says.

    For two years, she worked 24 hours a day, seven days a week, operating her telephone answering service, catching catnaps in between calls.

    Gradually, the business grew.  Today (1980), operating out of what used to be the garage of her home, she employs about 10 persons working in three shifts around the clock.

    And in addition to the answering and secretarial service, Mrs. M operates a shortwave radio as part of a nationwide vehicle communications system.

    She also publishes a newsletter for county builders which lists jobs coming up for subcontractors.  And contractors can come to her office to examine building plans for upcoming jobs.

    "My life has been busy, happy, and fulfilled," she says.

    Even after the 1937 accident in Los Angeles which left her handicapped, Mrs. M refused to be anything but busy, happy, and fulfilled.

    "There's a story I find hard to believe myself," she says, "but I remember in the hospital after the accident I told my mother, 'If this had to happen to somebody, I'm glad it happened to me because I can handle it.'  And I think maybe that's because I'm an individualist."

    Indeed.
Picture
    Mrs. M got her own radio show in L.A. shortly after she came to the attention of the news media following the accident.

    The show was "inspirational," she says, and she was on the air for five years.

    Mrs. M says she had no particular problems adjusting psychologically to life without legs and only one arm.  "I don't know why, but I've never been afraid, and that's the main thing," she says.

    There were a few minor physical difficulties, however.  Most had to do with the fact that she had been righthanded and the accident cost her her right arm.

    Doing things lefthanded was a problem at first, particularly with the "fine things" like writing.  "I ate with my fingers a lot," she recalls.

   
    But such problems were quickly overcome.  Today she can, for example, cut her own steak, operate a switchboard, and type up to 70 words per minute (her own typing technique involves a combination of the touch system and "hunt and peck.")

    She also can drive, with the use of one artificial leg (she does not use the leg for walking), and her car has no special modifications.

    Even her house does not betray the fact a handicapped person lives there.  The doors are a little wider than normal, the kitchen cupboards a little lower.  Otherwise, it could be anybody's home.

    "I'm not one to go in for a lot of gadgets," she says.  "I think you should be self-sufficient, no matter where you are."

    She adds:  "I'm quite an egotist.  I figure there are a lot of things I can do as well as anybody with two hands.  But if it's a three-handed job, I'm not adverse to calling in some help."

    Mrs. M may be nearing the end of her business career.  "I thought real seriously about selling out and retiring and I almost did it this year," she says, "but I got to thinking about the economy and how crazy it is and decided to stay with it awhile."

    When it does end, however, a new career will start.  "I want to write my autobiography," she says, because I think I have a story to tell."

    But first, she says, there are "two more things I want to do - bobsled or ice sail and fly in a glider plane."

    "I think that would really be super."

Even Mickey Spillane would have a hard time topping that.

--David Tishendorf, writer

Julieanne's take on all of this:

    I find this true story of Clover's to be amazing.  What a strong, capable woman! 

    When we were looking at houses to buy for our own family, I had walked past Clover's house every weekday for almost three years, but the price was too high for our budget - we only wanted to buy something that we could live in easily when we were down to a single income.

    After Clover passed away in 1990 due to lung cancer, a realtor purchased this home for the use of a relative who was using a wheelchair.  The room used for the answering service was converted to a master bedroom with a bathroom and laundry "closet".  After a short period of time, the handicapped relative was no longer able to live in the house, and various nieces and nephews lived in or rented the house from the realtor owner, their aunt.

    In late 1996 or early 1997, the house was placed onto the market again.  It had been sorely neglected for six or seven years now, with many of the beautiful landscaping and plants/trees left to "do their own thing."  The house remained vacant for almost two years because the price was far too high for the market levels at that time...and because it was located in a low-income level neighborhood.

    Eventually, the price was dropped by over $20,000, and it suddenly became available to us as it was near our price range...which was VERY low.  People told us we could never find a decent house at that price, but we weren't willing to pay more than that.

    We moved in when Kelsi was 3 months old, on the days that were our 30th birthdays - my husband and I have our birthdays only two days apart from each other. 

    The house was infested with cockroaches, spiders, and ants; my husband called pest control almost immediately (not on my request, but because he HATES those varmints!).  I killed a little snake in our house that first weekend we were there.  Sigh.

    We love our home, even though it has some negatives.  It is not in the best of neighborhoods; it is built from concrete block - something that was NOT done in the 1950s when Clover had the house built for her to make it safer in case of a fire; we still haven't been able to remodel the bedrooms and one of the bathrooms - they look like concrete block rooms with very old carpet.  The girls' room has reddish "outdoor" style carpet from the 60s or 70s. 

    But there is a lot we LOVE about our home:  a large living room (compared to all of the other houses in our price range back in 1998); four huge nearly floor-to-ceiling windows in our living room and dining room; wide doorways; a large "galley style" kitchen; no wasted space anywhere (the hallway is 6 feet long and contains three doorways). 

    One of the best features about our house that we find so practical is that Clover had a cement sidewalk poured all around the outside of the perimeter of her house.  Having this nice sidewalk (and the accompanying wide overhangs from the roof) enables us to walk completely around our home - outside - even when it is raining and storming, and we don't get wet. 

    Clover knew what she was doing, and what she needed in a house.  She had it designed to fit her needs:  easy accessibility, large views of the outdoors, and no wasted space.  In addition, it was right next door to a public school, so she could literally look out the large living room windows and watch her son walk to and from school.

    Clover's son lives up the street with his wife who developed physical challenges that required her to be in a wheelchair in her younger years up until the present time. 

    I wish I could have met Clover.  I would have admired her spunk!

    I hope you enjoyed this true story as much as I do!
Picture

You won't want to miss my FREE "Trim Healthy Mama-inspired" recipes, tutorials, giveaways, and deals - get them delivered fresh to your inbox!


6 Comments

Paying it forward...

5/29/2010

0 Comments

 
Picture
This blog post contains affiliate links.
     "Paying it forward" is a popular phrase these days, and more of a popular practice now than in recent years, thanks to the movie, Pay It Forward, that came out in 2000.

     "Paying it forward" is just a slightly different take on the Golden Rule, found in the Holy Bible.

     I don't know where I heard this, but I once heard a preacher (on the radio) say that while the Golden Rule may be popular, it can't be found in the Bible. 

     Since I don't believe everything I hear, I looked up the verses in the Bible that would have to do with the "Golden Rule", and here's what I found:

Luke 6:31 "Do to others as you would like them to do to you."

Romans 12:14 "Bless those who persecute you.  Don't curse them; pray that God will bless them."

Hebrews 13:16 "And don't forget to do good and to share with those in need.  These are the sacrifices that please God."

Matthew 5:44 "But I say, love your enemies!  Pray for those who persecute you!"

Matthew 19:19 "Honor your father and mother.  Love your neighbor as yourself."

Galatians 5:14 "For the whole law can be summed up in this one command:  Love your neighbor as yourself."


     Those verses sound like the Golden Rule to me, or the principle of the Golden Rule! 

     I have got so much to learn in my life.  I do know, though, that practicing the Golden Rule has been of great benefit to me over the years.  I don't treat others kindly and lovingly in order to "get" something back from them.  I do it (or try to do it - I'm not perfect!) because it pleases God, and because it is the right thing to do.  No, righteous living won't earn me a place in heaven - it's only trusting in salvation from Christ that will do that - but it can certainly make life a lot easier for me here on earth to apply the Golden Rule as often as I can.

     I have an older neighbor who has become a part of our extended family.  She is such a dear friend.  She isn't a "grandmother" to me; she is my close friend, and I put great trust in her. 

     I like to think that she and I have a "pay it forward" kind of relationship with each other.  For a number of years, she insisted on paying me when I took care of her yard and pets when she was out of town.  When we got fish tanks a few years ago, and they would need food once or twice a day, she began to come over and help us out when we were out of town.  Finally, over the years, she agreed to no longer pay me for coming over to her house and helping out when she was on vacation. 

     Some people may think I am crazy to insist that she doesn't pay me, but because she comes over twice a day to open up or close the blinds, check on our cat, and feed the fish, (and soon to feed/take care of our guinea pigs!), I think it is a fair trade.  Being able to trust someone to take care of one's beloved pets is priceless!

     Because of difficulties she has had with her eyesight in the last year, I've driven her to and from the airport (an hour away), to a funeral (four hours away), and to eye surgery (two hours away).  She pays for my gasoline expenses and buys me lunch or dinner.  We enjoy each other's companionship, and it is a friendship of mutual respect and love. 

     I give her an older computer printer; she gives me a really nice set of computer speakers (big bass speaker - oooh, the girls are lovin' that!). 

     This mutual friendship with my neighbor is such a blessing!  She comes over to most family and holiday dinners with us, either at our home or my parents' home - they love her, too.  We don't love each other for what we can "get" from each other; we love each other and enjoy blessing each other with gifts and helping each other out.

     If more of our relationships were based solely on love, and not just what we can get out of the relationship, think about the level of JOY we would have in our lives! 

     Consider the Golden Rule - and "paying it forward."  They are two principles that will do much good in our lives here on earth. 
Picture

You won't want to miss my FREE "Trim Healthy Mama-inspired" recipes, tutorials, giveaways, and deals - get them delivered fresh to your inbox!


0 Comments

Healthy Peanut Butter Treats

5/29/2010

0 Comments

 
Picture

Healthy Peanut Butter Treats

  • 1 cup diced dates
  • 1/2 cup cashews
  • 1/2 cup walnuts
  • 1/2 cup pecans
  • 1/2 cup wheat germ, raw or toasted
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats, uncooked
  • 1/2 cup dried coconut, unsweetened
  • 1-1/2 cups peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/2 cup nonfat dry milk powder

     In blender or food processor, chop dates, nuts, wheat germ, oats, and coconut.  In a separate mixing bowl, blend together peanut butter, honey, vanilla, and powdered milk.  Gradually mix chopped nut-date mixture with large mixing spoon or in heavy-duty stand mixer. 

    
Shape "dough" into walnut-sized balls.  Refrigerate until firm on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper or parchment paper.  Store in a plastic bag or covered plastic or glass container and refrigerate.

Here's the free PDF printable recipe for you to download!

Picture
Click on the photo to download and print off this delicious recipe!
 

Picture

You won't want to miss my FREE "Trim Healthy Mama-inspired" recipes, tutorials, giveaways, and deals - get them delivered fresh to your inbox!


0 Comments

Bittersweet music to my ears...

5/28/2010

0 Comments

 
Picture
Brittany (left), age 10; Kelsi (right), age 12.
    Thursday evening was both exciting...and sad.

    My oldest daughter, Kelsi, found out on Thursday that she has been promoted to the Advanced string youth orchestra beginning in Autumn 2010.  She is so thrilled!  She has worked so hard for this.  Playing the violin is a HUGE passion of hers, and she approaches it with gusto!  :)

    Sadly, my youngest daughter, Brittany, has made the decision to forego her violin lessons as of this week.  While she enjoys playing violin in the youth orchestra, she has dreaded each morning, knowing that she must get up, eat breakfast, take care of her personal care, and PRACTICE  VIOLIN. 
    Only about twice a month would she begin to cry and moan and groan about having to play the violin. 

    The other 28 days each month, she would dutifully set up her music stand and her violin and begin to practice as part of her morning chores. 

    We finally decided that since she doesn't love playing the violin, we aren't going to be paying for violin lessons for her anymore.  She's played the violin for three years, so this is sad for me.

    I know that almost every adult who has taken music lessons has wished that they had not quit lessons as a child or young adult.  Brittany will probably regret quitting, too, at some point in the future.  But, she is willing to practice a couple of times each week to learn the youth orchestra music, so I'll need to learn to be content with that.

    She will also be starting piano lessons soon.  I taught her the basics, and now she's ready for a "real" piano teacher!

    While some extended family members are very disappointed at our family decision to have her stop playing violin, I know that this is the right thing to do.  It's not even a hobby to her, although she was faithful and diligent to practice five times a week (barring sickness and being out of town) for the last three years.

    I will just console myself with the knowledge that Kelsi is still loving playing the violin.  Aw, the sweet sounds of a beautiful violinist!

    Update:  Four years later, my sweet Brittany is now 14 years old.  She has been playing piano for almost four years now with her new piano teacher - and she is sounding brilliant!  I took piano lessons for 13 years, and Brittany ranks where I was after about 13 years of piano lessons.  Better yet, she still loves it!  We made the right decision to have her stop violin lessons.  We don't regret it.  She is also using her piano skills to bless others and to share music in church. 
Picture

You won't want to miss my FREE "Trim Healthy Mama-inspired", low carb-style recipes, tutorials, giveaways, and deals - get them delivered fresh to your inbox!


0 Comments

Jamaican Seafood Chowder - Dinner in a hurry!

5/28/2010

0 Comments

 
Picture
    We've all been there...having just a few minutes to make dinner, and plans for dinner have gone awry. 

   
Instead of eating out a lot, here is one recipe we enjoy having together - but typically not on a hot summer day!  EnJOY...we sure do!

You won't want to miss my FREE "Trim Healthy Mama-inspired", low carb-style recipes, tutorials, giveaways, and deals - get them delivered fresh to your inbox!


Jamaican Seafood Chowder recipe with FREE printable PDF recipe page:


  • 1 pkg. (8 oz.) red beans and rice mix (I like Zatarain's)
  • 1-1/2 cups milk or coconut milk or almond milk
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 4 oz. canned shrimp, drained
  • 6 oz. canned crabmeat, drained
  • 6-1/2 oz. canned minced clams, drained
  • 2 cups (8 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1 Tbsp. Caribbean Jerk or Jamaican seasoning
  • 15-1/4 oz. can whole kernel corn, drained
  • 4 oz. canned diced mild green chilies
  • 1 Tbsp. lime juice
  • chopped parsley, fresh or dried

    In a 4-qt. saucepan or larger, cook rice mix according to package directions.  Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together milk and sour cream until well blended.  Gently fold in shrimp, crabmeat, clams, cheese, and seasoning.  Add mixture to cooked rice and beans mix in saucepan.  Heat until cheese melts, but do not boil or simmer.  Keep on low heat on stove or keep hot in large crockpot.  Just before serving, stir in corn, chilies, and lime juice.  Serve immediately and garnish with chopped parsley.  Yield:  2 quarts.  (Freezes well if you have any leftovers.)


Here's the printable PDF recipe page for your recipe binder:

Picture
Click on the recipe, above, to download this delicious recipe for your own use!


Picture

You won't want to miss my FREE "Trim Healthy Mama-inspired", low carb-style recipes, tutorials, giveaways, and deals - get them delivered fresh to your inbox!


0 Comments

Delicious Homemade Gooey Granola Bars!

5/27/2010

0 Comments

 
Picture
Some content includes affiliate links, which give me a small percentage of the sale without costing you any extra. You are not obligated to use these links when you make a purchase, but when you do so it helps to support this site, so thank you!


    Our family has been trying to reduce our sugar and salt intake, and also buy fewer processed foods. 

   
I’d like to say that this saves us money, but that hasn’t been the case…so far. 


   
However, in the long run, if our medical bills in the future remain low, then we will have saved money and will have preserved our health instead of just buying the cheapest, easiest "foods" for our meals and snacks.

   
If you come to my home and browse through my cupboards, you’ll still see that we are in this transition process.  But…there are far fewer boxed/packaged/jarred/canned goods in my cupboard.  You'll see that we mostly have single-ingredient items in our cupboards now.

Picture

     I used to think that if we made most things homemade, they were healthier for us, right?  Well, in some cases that is true, but we have decided to eliminate shortening from our diet altogether, and we are using natural versions of sweeteners now – organic maple syrup, evaporated cane juice, and raw honey.
 

    (Update:  Because I was diagnosed with pre-diabetes, even after switching to natural sweeteners, my family avoids most sweeteners altogether, except for powdered stevia and Swerve [erythritol].  We also don't use flour of any grain anymore; we use Honeyville Almond Flour and Bob's Red Mill Coconut Flour these days).



     We’re also trying to use more whole wheat flour and whole wheat pastry flour.  I’ve been grinding wheat berries in a Cuisinart coffee burr mill to make flour because I can’t really afford to buy a $400+ grain mill right now or a Vitamix blender.  It doesn’t grind as finely as purchased flour, but it is working for us so far.

      We’re using coconut oil, red palm oil, and organic butter for our fats.  While it does mean that we need to adapt or throw out some of our old recipes, it also means we get to try some new recipes as well!

      My husband enjoys having snacks to take in his lunch box to work.  He typically works a 10+ hour day, so just a little main dish (usually leftovers) or a sandwich won’t last him that long.  He’d come home as hungry as a bear!  I know that I won’t be perfect in making all of our snacks at home, but we are really going to give this a try, instead of having a pantry full of boxes and packages of "junk" like purchased granola bars, tortilla chips (we’re going to make our own this week!), pudding paks, fig bars (my husband loves those), etc.  We’ll try putting a homemade snack/treat in his lunch along with a mozzarella stick, nuts, etc. 

      Here’s the recipe for the granola bars that I made this afternoon.  Brittany thinks they need a little bit of chocolate (she’s never been much of a fruit dessert type of person), but I think they are super delicious!

      What I really like about this recipe is that I didn’t need to make homemade granola first, or buy granola from the store.  This is a really quick and easy recipe.  Maybe next time, I’ll add a FEW chopped up chocolate chips just for Brittany!

Delicious Homemade Gooey Granola Bars

Picture
  • 2 and 1/4 cups old fashioned oats (not quick cooking oats)
  • 3/4 cup sesame seeds
  • 1 cup chopped nuts
  • 1 tsp. sea salt (I’m going to reduce this to 1/2 tsp. next time)
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 5 Tbsp. coconut oil 
  • 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla 
  • 1 cup dried chopped fruit (cranberries, raisins, chopped figs, dates, cherries, pineapple)

1.  In a 9×12" baking pan, combine the oats, sesame seeds, nuts, and salt.  Toast in the oven at 350° F for 12 minutes or until light golden in color. ***Stir every 4 minutes or so to prevent burning.


2.  While waiting for the oats, nuts, and seeds to toast, combine honey and coconut oil in a saucepan and heat until coconut oil has melted and they are well combined, stirring frequently. 

3.  Stir the dried fruit into the honey-coconut oil mixture and allow the fruit to soak up some of the sweet sauce.

4.  Remove the oats, seeds, and nuts from the oven when they are golden brown. 

5.  Take sweet sauce away from the heat and stir in the vanilla.  Pour fruit/sauce directly over the toasted mixture.  Stir until well combined, adding chocolate chips or carob chips if desired.  Press mixture into the pan with the back of a spoon. 

6.  When cool, cut into bars, store in refrigerator in an airtight container, and enjoy! 


Here's the printable PDF version for you to download:

Picture
Click on the recipe image, above, to download this delicious recipe!
 
Picture

You won't want to miss my FREE Trim Healthy Mama-inspired low carb-style recipes, tutorials, giveaways, and deals - get them delivered fresh to your inbox!


0 Comments

The Klutz of all Klutzes...

5/25/2010

0 Comments

 
Picture
    Everyone in my family knows that I am a big klutz.  The running joke is that if I had to seek employment, I would do many kinds of jobs (as long as they were legal), but I would never be a waitress.

    Tonight "broke" a record...almost literally.  Well, a couple of dishes.  While cleaning up the kitchen after dinner this evening, I opened up a cupboard and immediately, a small bottle of white vinegar fell down and shattered a bowl into a million pieces.  Sigh.  I swept the mess up off of the floor and continued to clean up the kitchen.

    The girls were busy folding clothes and putting those away, or they would have been cleaning up the kitchen and washing the dishes.

    It would have been safer.

    And less expensive.

    While washing dishes, a plate slipped out of my wet hands and smashed to the floor.  Another sigh.  No cursing or even negative thoughts came to my mind.  I am SO used to being a klutz that I have to smile. 

    Believe it or not, I am still using the everyday dishes that we were given as a wedding gift when we married 15 years ago.  I think I've accidentally broken more dishes in the last two years than I have in the last 20 years. 

    The only thing I can do to try to avoid having this happen is to work slowly...never quickly.  When I'm in a rush, I drop and break things, cut myself with knives or scissors, spill things and make messes. 

    I'm glad that I've never seriously injured myself or someone else from all my years of practicing klutziness.  It would be a lot harder to truly show joyfulness if I was regularly hurting myself badly...or someone else. 

    May God give you grace, and the ability to work quickly and efficiently without being a KLUTZ!
Picture

You won't want to miss my FREE "Trim Healthy Mama-inspired", low carb-style recipes, tutorials, giveaways, and deals - get them delivered fresh to your inbox!


0 Comments

Lusciously Lemony!

5/24/2010

6 Comments

 
Picture
Some content includes affiliate links, which give me a small percentage of the sale without costing you any extra. You are not obligated to use these links when you make a purchase, but when you do so it helps to support this site, so thank you!

    Tonight's dinner was all about lemons.  Not that it didn't go well, but several dishes were big on that luscious lemon flavor that so many of us enjoy! 

    We enjoyed Lemon Pepper Chicken, Baked Lemon Pasta (from Pioneer Woman), dinner rolls, carrot sticks, and Lemon Meringue Pie, left over from our visit to Marie Calendars when I drove my neighbor out of town for some eye surgery.

    Here are the recipes for two dishes from dinner:

Lemon Pepper Chicken
  • bone-in or boneless pieces of chicken, your choice
  • lemon pepper

    Place thawed chicken into oven-proof baking dish.  Sprinkle liberally with lemon pepper.  Bake or microwave cook until no pink remains inside chicken pieces.



Baked Lemon Pasta  (www.ThePioneerWoman.com)
  • 16 oz. thin or regular spaghetti or Dreamfields low-carb spaghetti
  • 4 Tbsp. salted butter
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 whole lemon, juiced and zested
  • 2 cups sour cream
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, or more to taste
  • grated Parmesan cheese
  • fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped (or dried)
  • extra lemon juice, if desired

    Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Cook spaghetti until al dente.

    In a 10-inch or larger skillet, melt butter with olive oil over low heat.  When butter has melted, add minced garlic.  Squeeze lemon juice into the pan.  Turn off heat.

    Add sour cream and stir mixture together.  Add lemon zest and salt.  Taste, and then add more salt if necessary.  Pour mixture over drained spaghetti and stir together; pour spaghetti into an oven safe dish.

    Bake, covered with lid or foil, for 15 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for an additional 7-10 minutes.  (Don't bake too long or the pasta will dry out.)

    When you remove it from the oven, squeeze a little more fresh lemon juice over the top.  Sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.  Add a final squeeze of lemon juice on the top, if desired.

    Delicious if served with crusty French bread and a simple green salad.  EnJOY!


Picture

You won't want to miss my FREE "Trim Healthy Mama-inspired", low carb-style recipes, tutorials, giveaways, and deals - get them delivered fresh to your inbox!


6 Comments
    Picture

    ​​Hi!  I'm Julieanne!
    You'll find me in the kitchen
    ​trying new 
    Trim Healthy Mama recipes, loving God, and carrying out that love as I bless my husband and teen daughters. ​


    Find
    Joy In Our Journey on:


    Sign up to receive
    Joy In Our Journey's
    latest blog posts, freebies, and more!

    You won't want to miss my FREE "Trim Healthy Mama-inspired" recipes, tutorials, giveaways, and deals - get them delivered fresh to your inbox!

      
    Picture
    Picture
        I'd love to share your product with my readers.  If you would like me to do a review and giveaway, just contact me via email and let me know how I can help.


        Disclosure: Some content includes links to sponsors or affiliates, which give me a small percentage of the sale without costing you anything extra. You are not obligated to use these links when you make a purchase, but when you do so, it helps to support this site, so thank you!
     

     

    Search
    Joy In Our Journey

    Loading
     

    Archives

    December 2016
    August 2015
    July 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photos from jaakko.hakulinen, theglobalpanorama, Sarah Korf, jeffreyw, crayonmonkey, Joshua Singh, Sam Howzit, kimberlyac, miggslives, rust.bucket, Derick Leony, Big D2112, Violette79, Andrea.Pacheco, youngthousands, niiicedave, mommyknows, Dominic's pics, sleepyneko, madaise, Daquella manera, Arild Andersen, TounoTouji, jchapiewsky, dennis, cooper.gary, supersum (off), advisorymatters, Nomadic Lass, Effervescing Elephant, ralph and jenny, alubavin, brendan-c, ImNotQuiteJack, jeffreyw, iamlemonfilm, Colin_K, Andrew Michaels, ivoryelephantphotography, bennylin0724, Jo Naylor, daveoratox, f10n4, Bludgeoner86, Ack Ook, BiblioArchives / LibraryArchives, pylbug, limaoscarjuliet, Barbara L. Hanson, CapitalK buy design, Vibragiel, matthiasxc, Podknox, qnr, Sadie_Girl, ComputerHotline, pppspics, Anna Loverus, Joi, Rob.Bertholf, Sheyla Ruiz, nachans, ♥serendipity, IsaacMao, *cart-wheels*, TRFPhotography, vxla, lisaclarke, Missouri History Museum, doortoriver, sunshinecity, anna gutermuth, USCPSC, L. Allen Brewer, bluebirdsandteapots, ell brown, vestman, *PaysImaginaire*, mightyohm, Lars Plougmann, Alex_Lewis116, yoppy, HealthGauge, 401(K) 2013, aprilandrandy, Ben Sutherland, Mason Masteka, WillowGardeners, MStewartPhotography, “Caveman Chuck” Coker, kodomut, DanCentury, TrishaLyn, Katie@!, Looking Glass, Nicholas_T, Francis Storr, Allie_Caulfield, Creative Tools, Aidan Jones, Tim Brown Architecture, HerryLawford, Brett Levin Photography, Gudlyf, Chocolate Reviews, greggoconnell, EmilyWhitwam, Phú Thịnh Co, ilovememphis, cliff1066™, Chi King, erix!, Tony Fischer Photography, GlasgowAmateur, ktylerconk, cfourcalvin, David Locke, blhphotography, dominiqs, quinet, stevendepolo, surlygirl, guzzphoto, mikebaird, rich701, coolmikeol, procsilas, • Happy Batatinha •, pmarkham, Luz Adriana Villa A., LisaW123, fireballsedai, CJS*64, gagilas, Christian Haugen, freddie boy, tausend und eins, fotografik, roland, nedradio, makelessnoise, Salvation Army USA West, TheAlieness GiselaGiardino²³, Arenamontanus, 401(K) 2013, f_mafra, trippingbobcat, brooklyn, Viajar24h.com, yanajenn, jamieanne, hardworkinghippy, ccharmon, eofstr, Julia Manzerova, jhoc, Orin Zebest, battlecreekcvb, jmrodri, trekkyandy, timsnell, Salil Wadhavkar, ewen and donabel, Ted Van Pelt, David Paul Ohmer, Kevin May, CCAC North Library, I_Nneska, AlphaTangoBravo / Adam Baker, dwstucke, Bonnie B., elise.y, Bill Selak, sam_churchill, JD Hancock, olga.palma, cbr_case, acme, alyak, creating in the dark, TrishaLyn, jacilluch, hans s, cwwycoff1, Karen Roe, AlexiUeltzen, surrelmar, Jeff Kubina, rich701, adie reed, pacificbro, dwstucke, rharrison, avlxyz, Jim, the Photographer, Danndalf, storebukkebruse, rodaniel, dicktay2000, exfordy, torres21, Mr. T in DC, avlxyz, andrealindenberg, HarshLight, stevendepolo, publicenergy, Jan Tik, aechempati, ume-y, xfce, Pink Sherbet Photography, nlian, bittle, bradleygee, rs-foto, JamieDrakePhotos, SimonDoggett, slopjop, Norman B. Leventhal Map Center at the BPL, BozDoz, GoRun26, prettyinprint, WTL photos, Minnesota Historical Society, www.bluewaikiki.com, stevendepolo, LibAmanda, jspatchwork, Jinx!, ncmichael2k3, Clevergrrl, michaelkmak, Generationbass.com, Dougtone, roger4336, slgckgc, twicepix, lisatozzi, Lee Nachtigal, Kevin Lawver, brianfuller6385, jamieanne, quinn.anya, SupremeCrete, StockMonkeys.com, OliverN5, jeffreyw, Muffet, krossbow, fdecomite, JeepersMedia, jimmiehomeschoolmom, Zanastardust, joyosity, frotzed2, szapucki, Vincent van der Pas, normalityrelief, Emily Carlin, Clevergrrl, allyrose18, sleepyneko, Jeff Kubina, efleming, Artman1122, notjustsquirrels, PhotoAtelier, roolrool, onnola, Charles Williams, greggoconnell, Highway Patrol Images, andrechinn, loop_oh, ayustety, toinerooijmans, vmiramontes, Claricethebakergardener, mind on fire, jimmiehomeschoolmom, Kat Johnston / Sanura Sakai, toinerooijmans, rfduck, stu_spivack, OmegaPoint, ingridtaylar, AdamSelwood, Gog Llundain, pbody