Good morning world. Been a few days since I've posted anything. Had an internet/computer issue going on and did not want to post using my phone. Texting and messaging is one thing. Writing a post to the blog, something else all together for me. Couple that with a trip to the ER. Blood pressure went sky high, 200/108.
Still not exactly sure what caused that. I am back on meds for it and back on the Adkins eating plan. When I lose weight, I will be able to get off of the meds. That is my goal. So far, been on it faithfully for a week today, as of yesterday, lost 5 pounds. I forgot to weigh today.
Another way to de-stress, I have started painting on a regular basis again. It helped to have requests of some rocks I paint when I changed my facebook profile picture. I have one eagle flag rock finished, and one started on. I made myself a list and a goal to paint everyday again. Although yesterday I cleaned my studio. I had a major leak, caused by a kid walking on the roof last fall. Part of the ceiling had fallen in and ruined a shelve unit. It is halfway cleaned out and organized too. Have to get the other half done, but that will not be a big deal. I will be posting pictures as I get things painted. To see some old things check out some of the picture albums on my facebook.
Have a great day, stay dry and safe.
Be blessed and be a blessing,
Just some of my thoughts and actions,
Elizabeth
Thursday, May 28, 2015
Friday, May 15, 2015
Short post
Good morning world. Been a couple of days since I have been here. Getting back to a regular routine and taking it easy. Yes, I said taking it easy. I was away from my boys for Mother's Day, so I have been taking it easy for a couple of days for my Mother's Day, spending time with them.
This morning we are having school. Then hopefully the weather will hold enough so we can work in the garden today. Suppose to start raining soon, according to the weather app. Then, after a much needed nap, I plan on spending time in my studio. Getting it organized again and start painting.
Today's post will be short. Have a great day!
Be blessed and be a blessing,
Just some of my thoughts and actions,
Elizabeth
This morning we are having school. Then hopefully the weather will hold enough so we can work in the garden today. Suppose to start raining soon, according to the weather app. Then, after a much needed nap, I plan on spending time in my studio. Getting it organized again and start painting.
Today's post will be short. Have a great day!
Be blessed and be a blessing,
Just some of my thoughts and actions,
Elizabeth
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Confession time
Good morning world! It is a beautiful day here in the Ozarks, sun is shining, birds are chirping (oh wait, those are the baby chicks in the mud room). Had a wonderful weekend with our friends the Griswold's at a cabin just south of Branson, MO. Yes, that is their name. Now to get back on track from the break. We got back Monday, so my weekly chores are slightly off this week. Still working on laundry I did not finish yesterday.
Confession time. I fell off the homemade shampoo wagon. We were doing some shopping. I happen to look into a mirror and was surprised at how not good my hair looked. Yes, I looked in the mirror before we left for the day. I had felt comfortable enough to leave my hair down for the day. However, when I looked in the mirror at the store, OH MY! It was really bad! So when we got back to the cabin, I took another shower and washed my hair with commercial shampoo. Tomorrow would have been 2 weeks. I probably would have made it if we had not gone away for the weekend. I might try it again, later. I will keep you posted.
Still using the homemade toothpaste and deodorant. One thing at a time, I think.
Be blessed and be a blessing,
Just some of my thoughts and actions,
Elizabeth
Confession time. I fell off the homemade shampoo wagon. We were doing some shopping. I happen to look into a mirror and was surprised at how not good my hair looked. Yes, I looked in the mirror before we left for the day. I had felt comfortable enough to leave my hair down for the day. However, when I looked in the mirror at the store, OH MY! It was really bad! So when we got back to the cabin, I took another shower and washed my hair with commercial shampoo. Tomorrow would have been 2 weeks. I probably would have made it if we had not gone away for the weekend. I might try it again, later. I will keep you posted.
Still using the homemade toothpaste and deodorant. One thing at a time, I think.
Be blessed and be a blessing,
Just some of my thoughts and actions,
Elizabeth
Sunday, May 10, 2015
Mother's Day!
Good morning world! HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL! Two years ago, on Mother's Day, my mother went to be with the Lord. It was the first time in 60 years she got to spend Mother's Day with her mother! I was happy for her for that and that she was not in anymore pain. I am sad and missing her.
I am not home with my boys this morning and am missing them too! The did call and wish me Happy Mother's Day. Maybe I will come home to an especially clean house..... Naw, probably not. But that is ok.
I have not spoken about this before, my boys are adopted. They are a sibling group that we adopted as foster kids and babies. In fact, when we first got the 2 oldest ones, my youngest was not born yet. I had fertility issues and tried different things that did not work. So we decided to become foster parents.
"28 Her children arise and call her blessed;" Proverbs 31:28 NIV
I read something today that is exactly how I feel about my boys, "You might not have grown below my heart, you have grown in my heart!" I love you my boys!
Just a quick update on the homemade shampoo thing. I am still using it. The most of my hair is soft and not greasy. Just a part of it and I will now either wear it up, back, OR curled. I used hot curliers on it and the curl stays without hairspray for most of the day! LOVE THAT! I would love for the rest of the greasiness to be gone, but I am trying to be patient.
Be blessed and be a blessing,
Just some of my thoughts and actions,
Elizabeth
I am not home with my boys this morning and am missing them too! The did call and wish me Happy Mother's Day. Maybe I will come home to an especially clean house..... Naw, probably not. But that is ok.
I have not spoken about this before, my boys are adopted. They are a sibling group that we adopted as foster kids and babies. In fact, when we first got the 2 oldest ones, my youngest was not born yet. I had fertility issues and tried different things that did not work. So we decided to become foster parents.
"28 Her children arise and call her blessed;" Proverbs 31:28 NIV
I read something today that is exactly how I feel about my boys, "You might not have grown below my heart, you have grown in my heart!" I love you my boys!
Just a quick update on the homemade shampoo thing. I am still using it. The most of my hair is soft and not greasy. Just a part of it and I will now either wear it up, back, OR curled. I used hot curliers on it and the curl stays without hairspray for most of the day! LOVE THAT! I would love for the rest of the greasiness to be gone, but I am trying to be patient.
Be blessed and be a blessing,
Just some of my thoughts and actions,
Elizabeth
Thursday, May 7, 2015
Day 7 or 8 of using homemade shampoo
Good afternoon world. Can not remember exactly if today is day 7 or 8 of the homemade shampoo using. Yesterday when I washed my hair, I was almost holding my breath as I towel dried it to see if it was going to be yucky still. It was not as bad! Maybe I am on the other side of the valley heading up the hill. The transition time, I have read, can vary from person to person. A couple of blogs I have read reported almost no transition time. Others have commented about having such a long time, a month or so even.
Even today, my bangs and the part of hair on my head is soft, not greasy. The long part of it is still somewhat greasy. I was so hoping this weekend it would be somewhat more normal. I guess I will see how tomorrow goes. I would hate to give in to commercial shampoo and start all over again! I need to do a little more research. It just dawned on me that the part that is still greasy, I rinsed with apple cider vinegar. Maybe I should wait to do that till the transition time is over.
Baking day today. Have not started yet. School this morning, then work in the garden. After that the boys had baseball practice. That entails driving a distance to meet up with another team player. So I am back now to get started. No bread today. However, the usual rest of baked goods, biscuits, cookies, and a cake. Maybe not the cake. Might not have time. Where does time go? The kitchen is calling my name.
Be blessed and be a blessing,
Just some of my thoughts and actions,
Elizabeth
Even today, my bangs and the part of hair on my head is soft, not greasy. The long part of it is still somewhat greasy. I was so hoping this weekend it would be somewhat more normal. I guess I will see how tomorrow goes. I would hate to give in to commercial shampoo and start all over again! I need to do a little more research. It just dawned on me that the part that is still greasy, I rinsed with apple cider vinegar. Maybe I should wait to do that till the transition time is over.
Baking day today. Have not started yet. School this morning, then work in the garden. After that the boys had baseball practice. That entails driving a distance to meet up with another team player. So I am back now to get started. No bread today. However, the usual rest of baked goods, biscuits, cookies, and a cake. Maybe not the cake. Might not have time. Where does time go? The kitchen is calling my name.
Be blessed and be a blessing,
Just some of my thoughts and actions,
Elizabeth
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Rejoice!
Good morning world. I did pretty good with yesterday's weekly chore. Blessed the house and did laundry. Using the solar dryer, aka clothes lines and clothes pins. School in a few minutes. Ball game today, double header I think. Will be driving about 2 hours away. *Sigh*
Because of the ballgame, ironing and mending might not get done today. I am heart broken, can you tell? I am not all that crazy about ironing, however, I love the results. My boys wearing freshly ironed button up shirts make me smile. Patrick wearing freshly ironed work shirts look so much more professional, I think. I even have started ironing my aprons. Another thing that makes me smile.
Today is Day 6 of the homemade shampoo hair. I put it in a braid yesterday. Today I will be wearing a hat. One of the things I am praying for is a transition time that is soon over. Bangs are not greasy. The back of my head is. YUCK. Hopefully it will be over by this weekend. We have plans.
Today as I go through my day, I am going to purpose to pray about everything, even for the person driving too close to me on the highway. Lord, help me to go to you instead of reacting to any given situation.
"4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:4-9 NIV
Be blessed and be a blessing,
Just some of my thoughts and action,
Elizabeth
Because of the ballgame, ironing and mending might not get done today. I am heart broken, can you tell? I am not all that crazy about ironing, however, I love the results. My boys wearing freshly ironed button up shirts make me smile. Patrick wearing freshly ironed work shirts look so much more professional, I think. I even have started ironing my aprons. Another thing that makes me smile.
Today is Day 6 of the homemade shampoo hair. I put it in a braid yesterday. Today I will be wearing a hat. One of the things I am praying for is a transition time that is soon over. Bangs are not greasy. The back of my head is. YUCK. Hopefully it will be over by this weekend. We have plans.
Today as I go through my day, I am going to purpose to pray about everything, even for the person driving too close to me on the highway. Lord, help me to go to you instead of reacting to any given situation.
"4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:4-9 NIV
Be blessed and be a blessing,
Just some of my thoughts and action,
Elizabeth
Monday, May 4, 2015
Goals
Good morning world! I have been thinking again. Yes, again. Twice in a year seems enough, does it not? I was thinking about goals. I do not usually sit and think, "What are my goals now." And yet, I have them daily, weekly, monthly and annually. In almost every aspect of my life.
Physically, I want to stick to my eating plan to lose some more weight so I can get off of blood pressure meds. Have been using more homemade products to reduce the amount of chemicals I am either ingesting or putting on my body. Trying to drink more water daily to help with the detoxing process. And eating more healthy and more real foods. Day 5 of homemade shampoo use, washed my hair today, I still feel the oils but I think it is not as bad.
In my ministry here at home, homemaking (not housekeeping), I have been searching and implementing more of the old fashion ways of scheduling cleaning as to keep it up and have more time to pursue other things that I need and want to get accomplished. Also, using more and more homemade cleaning products so to "detox" my home.
Spiritually, in my walk with Jesus, my ultimate goal is and has been getting closer in my relationship with Him. I realize more and more that does not mean I try to be a "pefect" Christian. I make mistakes, I make poor choices, and sometimes my emotions and anger specifically gets the best of me. Through it all, I am still, by God's grace, saved. A born again child of God.
"23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. " Romans 3:23-24 NIV
Be blessed and be a blessing,
Just some of my thoughts and actions,
Elizabeth
Physically, I want to stick to my eating plan to lose some more weight so I can get off of blood pressure meds. Have been using more homemade products to reduce the amount of chemicals I am either ingesting or putting on my body. Trying to drink more water daily to help with the detoxing process. And eating more healthy and more real foods. Day 5 of homemade shampoo use, washed my hair today, I still feel the oils but I think it is not as bad.
In my ministry here at home, homemaking (not housekeeping), I have been searching and implementing more of the old fashion ways of scheduling cleaning as to keep it up and have more time to pursue other things that I need and want to get accomplished. Also, using more and more homemade cleaning products so to "detox" my home.
Spiritually, in my walk with Jesus, my ultimate goal is and has been getting closer in my relationship with Him. I realize more and more that does not mean I try to be a "pefect" Christian. I make mistakes, I make poor choices, and sometimes my emotions and anger specifically gets the best of me. Through it all, I am still, by God's grace, saved. A born again child of God.
"23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. " Romans 3:23-24 NIV
Be blessed and be a blessing,
Just some of my thoughts and actions,
Elizabeth
Sunday, May 3, 2015
Homemade shampoo recipe!
Good morning world! First let me say that Day 3 of homemade shampoo use was great washing and combing out was wonderful too. I have long hair and usually takes me some time to comb it out. I was really excited at that time. It did not appear I was having much more in the transition stage. After it dried, however, I was wrong. Funny thing though, it looks ok, but felt like I needed to wash it again.
Day 4 today. I got up and it did not look greasy, just mussed morning hair. But when I combed it out and it felt like I had too much product in it. I am going get through the transition phase! I will just wear it up again. Maybe this time I will wait 3 days before washing it.
Here is the recipe:
Day 4 today. I got up and it did not look greasy, just mussed morning hair. But when I combed it out and it felt like I had too much product in it. I am going get through the transition phase! I will just wear it up again. Maybe this time I will wait 3 days before washing it.
Here is the recipe:
Ingredients
- ¼ cup coconut milk (the rest of the coconut milk I put into ice trays and froze them for later use)
- ⅓ cup Liquid Castille Soap like Dr. Bronners
- 20 drops of Essential Oils (I used lavender, rosemary and lemon)
- For dry hair: add ½ tsp olive or almond oil (optional)
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in an old shampoo bottle or jar of some kind.
- Shake well to mix.
- Keep in shower for up to a month.
- Shake before each use.
- Use about a teaspoon every time you shampoo.
I use an apple cider vinegar rinse of 1/2 water and 1/2 apple cider vinegar. Only on the bottom part of my hair.
Got the recipe from Wellness Mama's website. I origionally looked up so many I was getting confused. A few years ago, I decided to go no shampoo and was using baking soda and apple cider vinegar rinse. I do not think I lasted more than 2 or 3 days. Could not handle the transition period.
Do you use a homemade shampoo? How does it work for you? Now if I can get my husband and boys on board with this. One thing at a time. They are using the homemade toothpaste and baking soda. Next the homemade deodorant, when they run out of theirs. Their words not mine.
Be blessed and be a blessing,
Just some of my thoughts and actions,
Elizabeth
Saturday, May 2, 2015
Grumpy in my ministry? And Day 2
Good morning world. I had a lesson on Thursday in submission to Patrick, my DH, and in living the old fashioned lifestyle I so desire. I had a sleepless night Wednesday night, maybe 3 to 4 hours of sleep. I need at the least 6 hours of sleep if not more or I get grumpy. Without going into details, I kept getting my feelings hurt over things that had nothing to do with me. Then went to the world of "he knows when I get like this, all I need is a hug and for him to ask, "What's wrong?". He really does not care." Do you know that world? Well, he did the opposite, he left me alone. I went to bed upset, almost had another night of no sleep. HOWEVER, I had an AHA moment.
I realized, as I was laying there praying, I had done nothing to take care of him and my family when they got home from where they had been for the day. I had baked for the day, but most of it was a flop, bread did not rise, etc. I felt like a failure (that with no sleep, UGH). My goal in this ministry of mine is to make a safe home, take care of my family and have a biblical home. Instead I was being poor me, no one takes care of me. The reality is God takes care of me, I take care of me, and Patrick takes care of me too. Almost immediately as the realization hit me, I felt a peace wash over me. I kissed Patrick, and fell asleep. The next morning, I asked for forgiveness for my attitude.
"with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love," Ephesians 4:2 NIV
This spoke to me this morning about the other day. As my home and family is my first ministry, is it where I should show God's love first with everything spoken in the scripture above.
Here is the report of day 2 and 3 of my hair using homemade shampoo. Day 2, I am definitely in the transition period. I was so hoping I would not go through it, but I am. I wore it up and out of the way. It did not look bad, but I knew how it really was.
Day 3, today. Have not taken a shower yet this morning. I was up late waiting for Patrick and the boys. So I got up a little late. I will post today's report tomorrow.
Be blessed and be a blessing,
Just some of my thoughts and actions,
Elizabeth
I realized, as I was laying there praying, I had done nothing to take care of him and my family when they got home from where they had been for the day. I had baked for the day, but most of it was a flop, bread did not rise, etc. I felt like a failure (that with no sleep, UGH). My goal in this ministry of mine is to make a safe home, take care of my family and have a biblical home. Instead I was being poor me, no one takes care of me. The reality is God takes care of me, I take care of me, and Patrick takes care of me too. Almost immediately as the realization hit me, I felt a peace wash over me. I kissed Patrick, and fell asleep. The next morning, I asked for forgiveness for my attitude.
"with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love," Ephesians 4:2 NIV
This spoke to me this morning about the other day. As my home and family is my first ministry, is it where I should show God's love first with everything spoken in the scripture above.
Here is the report of day 2 and 3 of my hair using homemade shampoo. Day 2, I am definitely in the transition period. I was so hoping I would not go through it, but I am. I wore it up and out of the way. It did not look bad, but I knew how it really was.
Day 3, today. Have not taken a shower yet this morning. I was up late waiting for Patrick and the boys. So I got up a little late. I will post today's report tomorrow.
Be blessed and be a blessing,
Just some of my thoughts and actions,
Elizabeth
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