Change In Lifestyle

One night we were watching Carol Alt's program on TV. She had a guest who has written a book we were interested in. It's called: CANCER Step Outside The Box". What an eye opener.

We have been eating fairly healthy, but this book has us thinking outside the box.

Here is what our new lifestyles are like.

1. Juicing each morning using ONLY organic produce. Why eat that many veggies/fruit for your health and immune system that has pesticides and GMO seeds? Not us.

2. We now shop at Trader Joe's because their brands do not have GMO's in them. This is from Trader Joe's site.

 Our efforts began in 2001, when we determined that, given a choice, our customers would prefer to eat foods and beverages made without the use of genetically engineered ingredients. 
We are also unable to confirm that animal products (meat, dairy and some farmed fish) sold under the Trader Joe's label are raised on only non-GMO feed, due to the prevalence of GMOs in the commodity grain market, and the limited availability of verified non-GMO feed. For customers looking to avoid products from animals fed GMOs, we continue to carry organic meat and dairy products (organic standards prohibit the intentional use of GMOs) and wild-caught seafood. All organic products, regardless of brand, are by definition non-GMO

3. We buy our water from Whole Food's inside water machine. They have RO/DI water.
Today I brought 8-1gal ball jars from Walmart for $40.44...not bad. No more water in plastic. Also two glass water bottles each for us to take to work. How do I know if the water we buy in plastic wasn't sitting in the sun on the way to Costco? (Our RV doesn't have room for a water filter under the sink)

4. I wash all our produce, even the organic, in a warm natural soapy water after we come home from the grocery store.

5. I bought apricot hulls (cancer killers) from Amazon. Currently we have a coffee grinder for our coffee beans, but not one for the seeds. I don't think I want to mix them so I brought a separate one for the seeds. Hubby will add those to his juice along with his immune building powders and grape seed extract.

6. Most of our veggies are eaten raw. I do, however, steam veggies occasionally. I gave up my aluminum ricer/steamer and bought a stainless steel ricer. We don't use plastic to heat things in our microwave and I don't cook with aluminum anymore, including foil.

Life is very different, but this is just the beginning. There will be other changes later. Baby steps is the best way.

We both take our lunches to work so I have a specific regimen to follow on weekends.

1. Friday after work I do laundry. Remember I live in an RV Park and they have a club house with washers and dryers. This way I have a real weekend...well as real as it can get.

2. Saturday we go to breakfast, eating our antitoxins and enzymes, to counter what they serve. We then go to Trader Joe's, which is about 20 miles from us. 

3. Sunday is cooking and preparation day. I make things for lunches, cook the muffins and make the no-cook granola bars with almond flour/toasted walnuts and oats/Chi Seeds/dried fruit/and raw honey. This makes it easy in the morning.We just put our lunches together, juice, and eat breakfast. We get up at 5:15 am. Yep, that's early. Hubby leaves at 6:45 and I leave at 7:45. Someday I hope to find a job with the state in our little area that has hours closer to hubby's so we can commute.


So that's the beginning. A lot more to come

Spring in Texas

I am so happy to see green grass and flowers, what a winter. There is one good thing about freezing temperatures FROZEN LARVA which means not as many bugs this summer.
Last weekend was just beautiful inspiring us to take a day drive from our home and several towns north of us up to Fayetville, TX, population 279.

 

Not bad for pics from my window as we are driving. Everything was just so green. Amazing.

 



 

And the smell of the country was the best. I was raised next to a dairy as a child and then lived out of town while growing up. We had a cow, horses, and sheep. Nothing better than smell of grass and dirt.

BLOG HEAVEN

Unfortunately, I took a spell down our stairs and broke my wrist. I don't do anything half way so I will be getting a plate in my wrist. Typing with one left finger isn't fun at all.
Two weeks at home will be tough. I can't even drive......so I have had time to catch up on reading my fav blogs, along with some new finds.
Check out her home made cleaning supplies. Wow my kind of girl.
http://makingdowiththenotsonew.blogspot.com/
http://forpeteysake.blogspot.com/
Here is a pic of my buddy at home.

Spray of water for attitude adjustment



Browsing Blogs

I found a couple blog's that are similar to what we plan on attempting after we retire (except for the variety of critters). I went back to the first blog she posted. It has taken me sometime to read these blog's up to 2010. Both these blog's are about homesteading with the ups and downs of farming.

If you find any blog's that are similar to what you want to attempt just read the entire blog. I tag the blog's that I want to keep. I have organized my tags in categories like: Critters, Cleaning (items I will make), Health, and Gardening. Also there are many sub categories. Each blog took some time to attract followers who would comment. Don't get discouraged. It will happen.

Here is her latest blog.

http://www.5acresandadream.com

If you want to start at the beginning here is the link. Remember to look on the side and click on the oldest of the blog's in May and work you way up the post. This blog started in 2009

http://www.5acresandadream.com/search?updated-max=2009-05-13T06:34:00-04:00&max-results=5

Here is the second current blog.

http://antiquityoaks.blogspot.com

And here is the beginning starting in 2006.

http://antiquityoaks.blogspot.com/2006_01_01_archive.html

If you are familiar with HTML you can figure out how to find the beginning.This blog started in 2006. If you go to the first link and to the years on her blog you can at least start there. Eventually each blog has its own way of naming their series of blog's.

Stocking Up

As soon as we get paid, Jan 2nd, I am headed for the stores to stock up on card supplies.
Sure, most will be Christmas stuff, but thats okay. End of year sales will be happening also.

Places to hit:
Dollar Stores
Dollar General
Walmart
Craft  Stores
Thrift Stores (ultimate finds)
Spring brings on yard/garage sales

In the spring places like Home Depo will have their winter/fall wall paper books for sale. Lots of craft supplies there. Great materal for cards and projects. Ask them when they will be getting rid of them and give them you name.

Christmas Cards

As time passes I think my Christmas cards are getting better. Yes, it requires more equipment. The card making isle at Hobby Lobby is a dangerous place for me. I see a lot of equipment I need for next time. This year I bought a star punch card and a punch card for edging.
We plan on buying a house in spring and I WILL HAVE MY CRAFT ROOM. More room equals more items to purchase.

1. The object is to buy seasonal items that are on sale at craft and dollar stores.
2. Save every card you get. You can cut out things from it or reuse the cover by cutting it off and attaching it to a second sheet of card stock. Punch out holes along the outside edge and use fancy ribbon to secure the card. You will see one of those cards I made one year as an example.
3. Organize you crafts it those clear plastic multi drawer containers..
4. Scan the thrift stores and yard sales for paper products or items for cards like buttons.
5. Use wrapping paper for covers or cut out the pics for cards.
6. Check out places like Home Depot's wall paper section. Sometimes they sell the old wall paper books or buy the discounted rolls of wall paper trim.
7. Use old paper towel or toilet paper rolls to wind up your left over lace and string.
8. Scrapbooking supplies on sale are a gold mine.
9. Dried flowers or plastic flowers that are flat are good finds also.

Here are a few examples:



Scrapbooking supplies

Misc supplies on sale in season

Edge punchers

Lo

Cuts the card stock in a straight line




 

Three D tree

The Pelicans we love

My first card...can't you tell



More 3 D artwork

 

My latest. Lots of card punching and 3 D manger and star.

Personal Update

Things seem to be getting better. I am now an employee of the State of Texas. No more working weekends and nights at my dealership job.

The state of Texas provides free health care to all it's employees, thank God. So now I have my own health care and so does hubby. If anything happens to either one of us we are taken care of. Of course we both have dental, and various other additional care added as we see fit.

This weekend we are going on a much needed vacation. We haven't had a vacation for 10 years so this is really nice. Of course, it is our 30th anniversary this year. We are leaving for a curise out of a southern US port to Cozumel, Honduras, and Beliez. Seven days of bliss. I still don't know if 2 books are enough.

I hope to take a lot of pics and will share them with you. Tomorrow, since I have a three day weekend, thanks to the state, I will buy a few last minute things and get a fresh hair cut.

Soooo, we hope to buy a house next year, God willing. That is our next challenge.

Wish us luck. We are on a Princess cruise so hopefully it won't tip over. Hubby was teasing about possible pirates. Oh My God. How funny.