A Common Thread

Hi! I just want to talk about how sometimes when we think and wonder and have questions about things, we end up finding our answers from many different sources. For example, when I first started questioning my choice to give vaccines or not, or when I wondered if organic gardening and food was better than conventional, or even if homeschooling was right for our family, I realized the answers weren't always so plain to see at first.

I would sometimes ask God to show us what He wanted us to know about each subject or question and, sure enough, we would slowly find the answer and gain confidence in our decisions!

I started noticing a common thread that seemed to appear from many different sources. It might have been a person I met, an experience one of our family members had, a book, a newspaper article or an informational website. God had provided the answers! It wasn't always instant. Sometimes it was many years in the making, but nevertheless, the answer arrived!

I think the best thing a person can do to find an answer is first to ask for guidance, then to seek to educate themselves on the subject. When we don't educate ourselves, it is very easy to listen to the advice and opinion of others and even to give in to peer pressure or fear.

And when we seek to first ask for guidance and then to educate ourselves, a common thread will appear and then we can have confidence in our decision!

A very good informational health website is http://www.mercola.com/ He is a medical doctor that researches and interviews the experts on an assortment of health issues from subjects ranging from the flu vaccine to cell phone use to the latest news on vitamins, etc. You can sign up to receive his weekly emails like I do and then it is very easy to review the latest information.
Of course, in order to get that common thread, it is necessary to look for other sources as well.
I wish you all a healthy season!

PS. It is my lovely daughters birthday today! Karissa is 17 years old and we learned how to say Happy Birthday in Finn and since we are learning this language together, I thought I would share this with you. Hyvaa syntyma-paivaa, Karissa! (Happy Birthday, Karissa!)

"Ode To Leaves" by Elizabeth Storm Ramberg

Drifting to the earth they bring
Their silent song of bittersweet remembering.
Upon the grove and garden wall
Not a murmer, not a call.

They leave tall oaks and maples bare.
These innocents in red and gold
Who richly dressed the meadows bold.
And fairer stood on green and glen
Now fall to never rise again.

Triumphant is the hand of death
Who marks them his with one cold breath.
Ah! Autumn leaves once lovely lie
On some soft flower bed to die.

~My Mother wrote this poem several years ago. She wrote it out for me and I had it tucked in my Bible. Now that it is Fall, it seems the perfect time to share it!

~The kids are going to gather leaves today and then they will trace them with paint on the windows. Use a cut up sponge and clip a snap-style clothespin to it to dab the paint around the leaf. If you put a drop of dish soap with the paint, it will be easy to wipe off when Fall is over.

~One year I gathered a bunch of fall branches, tied a beautiful green satin ribbon to it and hung it on my front door. I plan on doing that this year, too. Also, a bunch of fall stems look beautiful in a vase inside the house. Really, all we need to decorate our homes is what God has already designed!

~Enjoy your Fall! It is my favorite time of year! Lenny and I were married in the Fall 20 years ago! I know, I can't believe it myself!

P.S. I had my very first sale on my etsy site the other day! I am so excited! It gives me more enthusiasm to keep up with my sewing and design! I am also excited to start selling vintage clothing and accessories. I have a little collection of things already just waiting for me to take photos of! I will also be sewing and posting women's accessories, etc. I am having so much fun!

Getting Through Unemployment

Hei! Mita Kuuluu! (Hi! How are you!-in Finnish)

Lenny has been unemployed from his auto design job for almost 3 months now. With 8 children and a mortgage we were a little nervous at first. The company he worked for has unemployment benefits and that is a tremendous help. It also helps that we have no other debt besides our mortgage. We have followed Dave Ramsey's advice. He is our personal finance advisor. (He could be yours,too. See http://www.daveramsey.com/)

I thought I would share with you a few things I have learned from this whole experience of unemployment.

1. God provides!

2. It's a good excuse to say "no" to running the kids all over creation! (gas is money)

3. I didn't buy annual flowers for my windowboxes and borders and it's OK!

4. I can live without buying new clothes. I have plenty in my own closet!

5. It's nice having the hubby home throughout the day. Honestly, Lenny wonders how he had time to work before!

6. I am more appreciative of what we already have!

7. I have learned to look for the window God is opening for us!

8. I have realized how loving and generous people are.

10. I have learned that children are very accepting to changes when explained to them.

11. That opportunity abounds everywhere if we look for it!

Now here is a list of what I WANT to do when Lenny gets a job:

1. Get a pedicure. I've only had 2 pedicures in my whole life, the last one being in the spring and I have to tell you that I LOVED my toes! I know it's silly, but it was so much fun to have pretty toes. I have homely feet so I felt quite fancy with my pretty toes. I also teach yoga classes and I felt pretty professional with sharp looking feet! Lenny says that this gives him a whole new motivation to get a job!

2. Buy the part to our oven that's broke so I can make homemade bread! Nothing has compared to whole-grain, homemade bread with simple ingredients! I have made a whole-grain english muffin recipe that you make on a griddle, though.

3. Get all of our small kitchen appliances fixed: k-tec blender, Kitchenaid mixer, etc that I was procrastinating about even before the layoff.

4. I would still love to get to Manistee to finally do some yoga on the beach!

5. Visit L'Anse on the bay of Lake Superior one more time when my Mom and Dad are there! They make it so much fun for us and the kids! Honestly, I think they bring life to that little town!


I definitely do not want to take having a steady paycheck for granted when we finally get one. I have learned that yes, God provides and yes, a paycheck is nice and yes, we can get by on less but I have also learned that it is a gift and a privilege to live in the Land of Plenty and all the THINGS of this world are not a REQUIREMENT! We only need a childlike faith in our Heavenly Father and to keep our eyes open to what He is trying to give us and He wants to give us EVERYTHING!

The Breath of Life and the Importance of Deep Breathing

Statistics show that 85% of illness is caused by stress! Just think about it for a minute. If we could control stress in our lives, we would be healthier, stay out of the hospitals more and have more time for our loved ones and the important things in life!

Deep breathing is an easy way to bring more peace into our lives and it will also energize the body and calm the nerves at the same time. Most people are shallow breathers, never realizing that they are robbing themselves of precious energy and health!

Here is one way of filling our entire lungs with life-giving oxygen according to Bragg Health Crusades: http://www.bragg.com/
Lie flat on your back, relax and then slowly inhale through your nose and do not consciously try to move the upper chest or the abdominal region. While you are inhaling, place your hands on your lower ribs, which are known as the floating ribs. Now, if you are breathing correctly, you can feel your lower ribs expand. Slowly take in a long, deep breath. When you feel that your lungs are filled to full capacity with air, then you can slowly expel the breath with a long, lip-pursed sigh.

The best time to do this is in bed, either in the morning or at night when things are quieter and we are not hustling about. And because we are 'hustling about' is the reason we need to do our deep breathing exercises! Try to make it a habit and soon you will see that we MUST do them everyday because we know that it makes us calmer and more focused. And yes, even happier!

Yoga is another way to ensure we are getting our deep breathing in as it focuses on bringing the oxygen to the entire body. It is an excellent form of exercise bringing strength as well as life-giving breath to our bodies. Deep breathing brings necessary oxygen to each and every cell in our body and if our cells are well-nourished, we stay healthy! And since our bodies are made up entirely of cells, it depends on that breath of life to keep us alive and well!

Oatmeal Banana Pancakes

These are a big hit with our family. They are very moist and filling and do not even need a topping, though homemade berry sauce and even peanut butter on them are quite a treat!

3-4 eggs (you could also use 1-2 eggs and add 3+ egg whites for more protein without all the fat)

3 c. milk, regular, rice, almond etc.

3 c. oats

1 c. whole-grain flour (wheat, rye, spelt etc.)

4 t. baking powder

1 t. salt (sea salt is what I use.)

1/3 c. sweetener (sucanat, honey, evaporated cane juice crystals, etc.)

3/4-1 cup freshly ground flaxseed

1c. water

2-3 mashed bananas (I freeze overripe bananas, thaw, snip and squeeze right into the bowl.)

I used 1 c. shredded zuchini last time I made these as I was out of bananas. They were great, too!

Mix all ingredients and let sit a bit to soften the grains. Spread batter onto oiled or buttered griddle with a measuring cup as they are thick. Flip when bottom is brown.

Makes about 30 pancakes. Can be cut in half.

Elizabeth-5 years old says, "These are fantastic. You don't even need anything on them!"

I always make more than I need because they are great for a snack anytime of the day!

I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Hyvaa Huomenta, Hyvaa Paivaa

Good Morning, Good Afternoon! The kids and I had a successful first day back to "school"! We want to learn Finn, so I pulled out my Berlitz Finnish Phrase Book and wrote the greeting on the kitchen chalkboard! One of my goals in life is to know 3 foreign languages. It seems like an impossible dream, but I will keep it on my goal list for now! If anyone knows finnish and wants to share, please leave a comment. It will be fun to all learn a few phrases together. I could teach you Jesus Loves Me in Finn, but please correct my spelling if I get some words wrong. My sweet friend Eija taught it to me and the children many years ago. I have since lost touch with her, but I hope to see her again sometime. OK, so here goes!

JESUS LOVES ME (IN FINNISH )
JESUS MUA RAAKASTA

Jesus mua raakasta
Rama tu sin ilmoita
Vaikka lapsi heikokin
Henta hoita helemin

Mua Jesus raakasta
Sua Jesus raakasta
Mua Jesus raakasta
Nin sana opeta.


Ok, that was just the first verse. I can't remember the 2nd or 3rd verses, though we did know them at one time. Eija, if you ever find my blog, please help us with the rest!

A real Finn is probably laughing her head off. I am sure my spelling is atrocious! Oh Well, everyone needs a good laugh! Laughing strengthens the abs!

I hope everyone had a great 'back to school' day!

PS. I finally opened my etsy shop. I have been having tons of fun sewing again! If you want to check it out, I would be so pleased! Thank you! http://www.laurakcollection.etsy.com/

Top Ten Fall Fashion Trends

When the kids and I go to the library, I sometimes flip through a few magazines to check out what's in style. I like to keep abreast of what the current fashions are. Now, I am not a slave to fashion trends, I just like to know what the 'color' of the season is, etc.

Well, the color is red! I don't believe we have seen much of that color lately. I wonder what Sally's has in red? (That's Salvation Army in case you didn't know!)

So that was #1-Red

#2 Saddlebag purses-the kind that have a rounded flap and look like something that would be hanging from a horse.

#3 Ruffles-on tops, skirts, shoes, purses.

#4 Leopard prints-this never goes out of style. The trick is to wear just one piece, not head-to-toe. It is great in a scarf! (Always fits, and never goes out of style!)

#5 Black leather-Jacket, dress, skirt, pants. If I see any of my friends in black leather pants, I'll at least know they read my blog! Just tell your husbands who to thank!

#6 Lug-soled heels-I just don't get this one. These were high heels with a lug-sole! You know, like on hiking boots? Terrible, in my opinion!

#7 Bold gold jewelry-I for sure could find these at Salvation Army. They were very chunky. Great with simple outfits!

#8 Sheath dresses-Think Jackie Kennedy. Very classy! They showed them in subtle patterns and designs and in colors of gray and soft purple. Of course, the in color is red, so if you are not shy, it would look great!

#9 Neon pink and black-looks best in small doses, unless you are under 9 years old!

#10 Leggings! Yes, leggings! I almost died! On grown women? I couldn't stop laughing. THIS IS NOTHING NEW! I WORE THOSE IN THE EIGHTIES!!! Ok, now serious! I have to admit that they did look good on this very gorgeous model with beautiful flowing dark hair. She was one of those Ralph Lauren models! I actually wrote down her exact outfit! Here it is: black leggings in hi-heeled, almost-to-the-knee black boots, a tucked in white ruffled blouse (I better NOT see anyone in leggings with a TUCKED in shirt! I am still laughing!). Ok, she had a black belt with a big gold belt buckle, a classic silk scarf around her neck with navy, red, purple, white and gold, a buff-colored barn jacket and black leather gloves. There! I did actually love this outfit! I might try copying it to some degree. Don't worry, I will not be tucking in my shirt! I actually wore this almost-exact outfit in the early 1990's. Fashion designers just update past outfits! Now we know their secrets!

Other trends:

~Polished waves for hair. Put away the straightener!

~Embellished tees and tanks. 1990's-remember? The tanks, I guess, are for under jackets, etc.

~Vintage jewelry. Never goes out of style!

~Daytime glitter-not just for nights out!

~Leather and lace

~Anything plaid

~Shoulder pads

There you have it! The inside scoop on fall fashion!
Have fun!