Peanut is getting ready for VBS!!

VBS is just around the corner - our First ever at Oceanview!  The theme is "Cast Away Bay" and it's a tropical theme.  Peanut is getting in the spirit!  We are hoping for a great turn out - we are so excited!

Take a hike and have your cake and eat it too!

Well, on this Memorial Day the family took a 5.5 mile hike - ouch.  I'm beat.  

Then we came home and had a piece of this homemade Peanut Butter Cake!  I have not made a cake in years.  (At least not one for home, I've taken them to church for potluck!)  This cake was delicious! Yummm!! But at 600 calories a piece, we won't be eating any more!  We each had a small piece after our hike.  It's funny though, I can still eat the sweets, but the kids said it was too sweet for them and could not finish their piece!  What a testimony to healthy eating eh?  I can't even get them to eat cake!   LOL!!

Need a visual to help teach your kids to...........

not get water on the floor in the bathroom?  Yikes  - can you say wood rot?  

Welcome to our next home project- our 2nd bathroom.  The previous owners had a leak in the shower and toilet and years of too much water staying on the floor = wood rot!  I am SO happy that DH is able to start on this project, as no matter how many times I cleaned, scrubbed or bleached this bathroom, the smell still lingered.  Taking out all the rot and replacing the subfloor will make a hugemongo difference!  Yeah!  It's a LOT of muscle and man power until that time when I will have a functioning bathroom again, so I will be practicing patience and contentment in the next few weeks or months.

Veggie salads!

Quinoa Tabbouleh

Homemade Ranch Dressing Low-Fat

Pea Salad

Smoked Gouda and Penne Pasta Salad

I always have to plan  - if I fail to plan, I most definitely fail!  The last 2 weeks we have not been sticking to our healthy eating as closely.  We have been really busy and with the passing of my FIL we just have not been into our regular routine.  Lots of late night baseball games have meant more pizza that I would normally have!  It has taken a toll on me too in only 2 short weeks believe it or not!  I have put on about 4 pounds and my digestion has not been working well like it always does when I stick to my routine of healthy meals, green supplements and at least 1 Green Smoothie a day!  

So, back to it this week!  Today I made Quinoa Salad with cucumbers and tomatoes, Pasta Salad with arugula, sun-dried tomatoes and whole wheat pasta and Pea Salad with whole grain macaroni, eggs, and homemade low-fat ranch dressing (lower in fat and no preservatives- and it's delicious!)  Two of the recipes came out of my latest issue of Cottage Living (June 2008) and I've linked the recipe for the Pea Salad from Allrecipes.  

My goal is to always have a daily green smoothie and add more raw fruits and veggies into each day.  I am not giving up meat because I have read too many books about the benefits of REAL meat such as grass-fed beef and free range chicken; however, I do limit it and favor meals from dry beans or lentils.  Soups are also a favorite here.  

Tribute to a tender hearted boy

It's been a rough few weeks at our home.  This is a link to the memorial site of our beloved nephew, who passed away in his sleep this April.  We love you Grant!

Grant