Green Hour Challenge

We took our first green hour challenge about a month ago and I'm just now blogging about it. We are so good about being outside and observing nature that it seems like we have a green hour every day. But the official green hour was a sunny and hot summer day. We walked around our yard and took a wagon ride down the road. We observed God's creation for about 40 minutes.

We found a toad, dead bumblebee, and saw a beautiful morning glory vine. We observed the toad hopping and noticed his flat ears behind his eyes. The bumblebee had four wings-2 small and 2 large and six legs. Some of the morning glories were closed and some were open.

We decided to take a walk early the next morning to see if the morning glories were all opened up. They were all bright and beautiful early the next morning.


Yesterday we went for a walk in a small wooded area on our property and we saw four cicada's crawling up a tree getting ready to emerge. It was sooo amazing. This was the first time the boys had seen a cicada emerging. They are bright green when they emerge from the brown shells. It takes about 30 minutes for them to emerge and begin stretching their wings. I am so fortunate to live in a place where it is sooo easy to observe God's glory through creation.

Holli

Happy Birthday My Boo

My Boo turned 3 years old today. I can hardly believe it! You are a very special little boy and you are quickly growing into a young man and you will be wise and strong like your daddy. We love you so much and thank God every day that he chose us to be your mom and dad.

Some things I love about Boo:

• His long eyelashes almost touching his cheeks as he sleeps.
• That he has learned to crack and scramble his eggs in the morning.
• His eagerness to pray when we sit down together for a meal.
• When he sees baby sister in the mornings or after naps and squeals her name with delight.
• Watching Boo play his little guitar during praise and worship at church.
• Those times we have alone together, when everyone else sleeps...reading...cooking...snacking...drawing...searching for one of God's treasures.
• Running to greet his daddy after a long day.
• Busy with the work of a man...hammering...mowing...building piles here and there.

Happy Birthday Boo!

I love you...

Mommy

Choosing What is Better...

Daddy...teaching...praying...singing...being the spiritual leader in family worship...my heart in awe...

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word...This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

Ephesians 5:25-26, 32

Hearts captivated by stories from God's word...eyes big...mind considering...tasting and seeing that the Lord is good

Little mouths reciting memory verses...catechisms...songs of the faith...hiding His Word in their hearts as little ones...hearts being made wise for salvation early.

Brothers...best friends...growing to be protectors...providers...husbands...fathers...spiritaul heads of the home

Baby girl...holding babydoll...rocking back and forth..already hints of God's intentions etched on her heart...nurturing...cradling...one day mothering

Becoming a Healthy Family Challenge #3

This week's challenge could prove to be too much for you. I would have had a problem with it a couple of years ago.

So here it is:

What is your family drinking?
Take stock of your frig and cupboards. Are you allowing yourself and your little ones to consume lots of sugary drinks or are you doing good in this area?

A couple of years ago, I stopped buying soft drinks. This was huge for me. I always drank a glass of Coca-Cola or Mt. Dew with my supper. When I finally stopped buying them I have learned to do without them.

What about fruit juices? My children used to drink lots more juice than they do now. I have been limiting juice intake to a small glass of fruit juice at breakfast and supper. The juice is not from concentrate and it is watered down as well. The rest of the day we enjoy filtered water and fresh raw milk.

I had been making an effort to make Kefir. We enjoyed grape water kefir. It can be overwhelming to keep up with. May try it again soon.

We occasionally make lemonade with water, lemon juice and a few drops of Stevia.

Tips for making the transition easier:
*Put the water in new water bottles. We have the Klean Kanteens
*We are using the Royal Berkey water filters and we love it. The boys can each go and fill their cups up with water whenever they are thirsty.
*Slice a few lemons and limes to squeeze into the water.
*Take all other options away until you have created a new healthy habit.

Here are some links about soft drinks/juice
Soft Drinks-America's Other Drinking Problem
Aspartame: Diet-Asterous Results

Still Learning,
Holli

101 Reasons to Breastfeed

My nursling will soon have been nursing for 13 months. I am so thankful we have made it this far with only a couple bumps in the road.

For anyone who needs more convincing that breastfeeding is the absolute best for your children check out these 101 reasons to breastfeed.

Here are my top reasons for breastfeeding:

3. No getting up in the middle of the night worrying with bottles and mixing and warming milk.

2. Take a look at formula cans: Closest formula to breast milk, Contains _________, like breast milk. Why give my baby formula that researchers are trying desperately to pattern after breast milk when I can give her the real thing?

1. Because breastfeeding is the way our very wise, loving and all-knowing God intended babies to be fed.

Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you even at my mother's breast.

1Thessalonians 2:7

But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children.

1Peter 2:1-3

Enjoy your nurslings...

Holli