The Sugar Free Challenge

The Nourishing Gourmet is hosting a sugar free challenge. Surferman is always saying that we eat too much sugar. By October 12th, he might be eating those words and wishing he had a little sugar to sweeten them.

Starting next week she will be blogging about going sugar free. I'm joining her. She says its a great time to give it a go. It's the start of cold and flu season and sugar can lower the immune system.

She has set up three levels of participation. I'm going for the beginner level for my family and push myself to moderate as able.

Beginner level: Take out all refined sugars including corn syrup and white sugar. Also remove all white flour from your diet, as it’s also very sugar forming.You will need to read labels carefully when buying prepackaged foods. Instead use natural, more unrefined sugars such as rapadura, coconut sugar, honey, stevia.

Moderate Level: Remove all natural sweeteners as well, and only use fruit to sweet foods. Consider removing other starchy foods that can also feed yeast, or make you crave sugar more.

Will you consider joining me? Or at least rooting me on?

Grom's Bookbag - Grandfather's Journey

We've been reading "Grandfather's Journey" by Allen Say. It is the story of a Japanese man who travels to live in the United States. In the U.S. he longs for Japan. Later he takes his family back to Japan where he longs for the U.S. It's a nice portrait of the story of Japanese immigrants.

There were many good books to go along. Some of them made me cry.

"America the Beautiful" by Katharine Lee Bates
"Baseball Saved Us" by Ken Mochizuki
"How My Parents Learned to Eat" by Ina R. Friedman
"Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes" by Eleanor Coerr
"The Bicycle Man" by Allen Say (video from Reading Rainbow)
"Easy Origami: Colorful Introduction to Practical Paper Folding" by Kazuo Kobayashi
"Japan" by Ann Heinrichs
"Sayonara Mrs. Kackleman" by Maira Kalman
"So far from the Sea" by Eve Bunting
"Tea with Milk" by Allen Say
"Yoko's Paper Cranes" by Rosemary Wells
"A to Zen: A Book of Japanese Culture" by Ruth Wells

Daybook September 28, 2009

FOR TODAY... Monday September 28, 2009

Outside My Window... well... I'm actually at gymnastics... well... watching Grom do gymnastics. They are practicing head stands right now.

I am thinking... I hope I don't drop my computer off my lap.

I am thankful... that Grom is a boy and doesn't have to have a leotard for gymnastics. I imagine leotards can cause drama.

From the kitchen... leftovers from my parents' golf tournament last weekend. This week it's all about re-purposing leftovers.

From the schoolroom... It's a beautiful week to study the letter B. We also have some great books about fall to ready.

I am wearing... black pants, light blue long sleeved tee, flip flops. It's warm upstairs at gymnastics. I wish I was wearing capris.

I am creating... movies! I'm learning iMovie and iDVD. I thought we had lost a bunch of footage and am stoked that I was able to figure out how to upload it. Also making some earrings. I sold my first pair. Maybe I'm going into the jewelry making business.

I am going... crafting tonight. It feels like it's been forever.

I am reading... A Time to Embrace by Karen Kingsbury.

I am hoping... to have a garage sale on Saturday. I have to get stuff cleaned out and then make sure my sister can help me as Surfermna has to work.

I am hearing... a cacophony of voices but I can't make out many words. The gym is loud and crowded.

Around the house... Solar panels on our roof. I'm hoping it will let us get rid of our time of use meter and that I'll be able to do laundry whenever I want. When you hate doing laundry, it's hard when you can't do it whenever you finally feel like it.

One of my favorite things... our church and our church family.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: a couple of doctor appointments, maybe a trip to the park with friends, a birthday party and FINALLY a garage sale.

Here is picture I am sharing... from our "date" this afternoon at Starbucks.

How you can be praying for me and mine...

1. Our friend, baby Simon (7.5 months) is having his 4th surgery to repair a hole in his esophagus. Please pray that the surgery would be successful and that his family would have peace through the entire process.
2. I have a couple of doctor appointments (just routine "I'm getting old" stuff). Regardless, I don't enjoy them and would like peace.
3. October 31st is coming and with it decisions about how to handle it with Grom.

Read other Daybook's at Peggy's Blog, The Simple Woman.

The Lord speaks to me...

"Or do you not know that your body
is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you,

whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
For you were bought at a price;
therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's."
- 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NKJV)

What's for Dinner - September 27, 2009

Monday
~Beth cooks~

Tuesday
Chili Baked Potatoes
Salad
Fruit

Wednesday
~Mom cooks~

Thursday
Dinner at Farmer's Market

Friday
Steak and a Movie Night

Saturday
~birthday party~
raw veggies & hummus

Sunday
~family dinner~
my folks cook

He says it's a broken ferris wheel...

I think it's a pear.

We love Lite-Brite.

This one was actually mine when I was a kid. It's definitely vintage if not an antique.

I couldn't plug it in until my design was done and it seemed like we never had black construction paper to block the light. Grom's childhood will be way better than mine. I have a huge stack of black paper.

Not this momma's tattoos

I remember temporary tattoos from when I was a kid. If you were lucky, they were the toy surprise in a box of Cracker Jack. Lick your arm, press the tattoo on and hold still until the ink transfered. They lasted until your next bath - maybe 3 whole days.

Let me tell you, they don't make kid tattoos like they used to. They are more colorful and more detailed. Grom found some in our bathroom cupboard (I have no idea where they came from) and talked Suferman into putting one on. I wanted to get them out of our house so I applied the rest.

Doesn't he look tough, rough and ready for a rumble?

Just wait until you try to get them off... not as easy as the package describes. They would have you believe that a little baby oil and off they come. I don't think so.

We googled and found that a mixture of baby oil and alcohol should remove them. Apply equal amounts liberally to the tattoo. Let sit 30 seconds (or more) and then rub to remove. Surferman scrubbed... I scrubbed and they are mostly off.

No more tattoos for us.

When life gives you avocados...

make guacamole.

My recipe is simple. Smash ripe avocados. Add lime and lemon juice. Add lots of garlic. And a few shakes of Marie Sharps. Salt if needed, but there is usually enough on the chips.


This yummy batch is in the freezer waiting for a bag of chips.

What's for Dinner - Week of September 21, 2009

Monday
~Beth cooks~
LO Fettucine with Smoked Salmon and Asparagus
(it tasted like Tuna Noodle Casserole)
Green Salad
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Tuesday
Zucchini Grinders
Warm Delicata Squash Salad

Wednesday
Pancakes
Sausages
Orange Juice
Eggs to order

Thursday
Eat at Farmer's Market

Friday
Frozen Pizza
Spaghetti Squash with Parmesan cheese
Salad

Saturday
~my parents Golf Tournament Dinner~
~all hands on deck~
the help gets to eat when everyone is served

Sunday
~Family Dinner with Guests~
~I'm cooking~
to be determined

Daybook September 21, 2009

FOR TODAY... Monday September 21, 2009

Outside My Window... it's a bit overcast. Our usual summer weather. Fall is nicer.

I am thinking... about change.

I am thankful for... little boys who can amuse themselves.

From the kitchen... avocados and fresh veggies.

From the schoolroom... we are still reading "Grandfather's Journey" and books that go with it. Our schoolroom is pretty messy. I need to get in there, pick up and put away. Homework started. Grom has an alphabet page to finish by the end of the week.

I am wearing... horrible grey pants, orange tee ... not a favorite outfit.

I am creating... some earrings. I should post some pictures of my creations.

I am going... to make a bunch of guacamole for the freezer when I'm done with my daybook. Yum!

I am reading... the same Karen Kingsbury book (still can't remember the title). It's a double volume and really heavy. Maybe it's... "A Time to Dance"?

I am hoping... that all went well at the adoption hearing? of our friends. It's time for that boy to be totally theirs.

I am hearing... happy noises of a little boy amusing himself.

Around the house... we are settling into our new fall routine. I am eager to schedule in some things I've been neglecting.

One of my favorite things... rooibos ice tea - it's caffeine free and really yummy. I had tropical tea with my lunch.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: I don't think we have anything unusual or exciting planned. I'm ready for a quiet, boring week.

Here is picture I am sharing...to remind you how wonderful orange is.

How you can be praying for me and mine... Surferman needs more rest. I need to be more consistent and pay better attention to myself. Grom needs prayer for a stinky personal problem.

Read other Daybook's at Peggy's Blog, The Simple Woman.

What's for Dinner - Week of September 7, 2009

Monday
~Beth cooks~
Spinach Dip with veggies & bread chunks
Rosemary Penne Pasta with Chicken

Tuesday
leftover homemade Veggie Soup
Avocado Sandwiches
Cantaloupe & Grapes

Wednesday
Nachos with Guacamole

Thursday
Warm Delicata Squash Salad
Crusty Bread with Butter

Friday
~Summer Missions Recap~
Sliced Tomatoes, Fresh Mozzarella & Basil

Saturday
~Birthday Party~
Zucchini Grinders
Green Salad

Sunday
~Family Dinner~