{this moment}

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{this moment} ~ A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

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Sometimes its the kids, beauty of the world...sometimes its just my cute pups...

Happy Friday All!

 Blessings from our family to yours this Friday.

Warmer Weather

Before grocery shopping and heading to the Library for new stories yesterday...we grabbed a snack out and took it to the park- it was a gorgeous 60 degree day- sun shining- the best place to be was outdoors!

To Sandpoint park- the water was so clear and blue, blue skies and the mountains just had a small bit of snow topped on them. Beautiful. Enjoying the warmer weather here and the beautiful landscape.

Enjoying family time in the sun.

Choosing Health

Today I am very happy.  Most days (99.9%) :) I am very happy, very thankful, very grateful and feel very blessed, but today I'm beaming. 3 months ago, in December I made a big decision. A decision for my health, my well-being. I decided that myself and our family needed to start eating better and I needed to start exercising. Being vegetarians people automatically assume you eat very well- meaning very healthy- vegetables. But when we decided to move out of state we started eating very poorly...we were busy, I was working mad hours...we ate out all the time, we bought cheap quick foods for home and our diets and ourselves suffered for that. Once settled in November I really noticed how bad I felt- sluggish, no energy, funky moods and just didn't feel 'well'. I thought it was perhaps stress, the change of moving. We began eating better, eating at home and I started feeling better. But diet alone wasn't good enough. I needed something more. I started doing a work out program recommended by a friend. I started doing yoga before our decision to move and its amazing how great I felt just dedicating that hour to myself, to my well being. I quickly stopped when we became 'busy'. I don't want to let 'busy' get in the way of my being healthy, my family being healthy. I want to set a good example and be a good role model for my children, eating wise and exercise. It has been 3 months of eating well and 2 months of exercise programs- and I have loss 12 lbs and 12 inches and gone down 2 pant sizes. But more importantly than my physical change is how I feel- energetic, healthy, happy....in this journey our children have been making better choices, trying new foods and exercising more as well. We are on the right track. We are choosing health.

May you and your families choose a healthy life too.

Just a Thursday

Yesterday come the afternoon once chores, school and work was done...our son and I went out just the two of us for some play time. A park trip then to the pet store in town to see the birds and fish. He loves any chance he gets to play outdoors at the park and he loves all animals, so it was the perfect combination for some time well spent just the two of us. A little swinging, spinning, climbing, running...then fun seeing different species of fresh and salt water fish and some neat birds too. Love precious moments spent alone with both my children.

 Baby Pearl White Cockatiel

Love this neat boy of mine.

Our Day, Our Daughter - Meaningful Moments

Working every day to raise our children with good values, morals and 

to be independent thinkers and do-ers.

Our day yesterday started out as any normal Tuesday...we wake, we feed animals, we feed ourselves, we dress, we 'school', we eat lunch, we listen to an audio book or watch a documentary while Momma finishes up work and we head out every Tuesday afternoon for the Library and Grocery shopping. Yet our daughter and I had some very meaningful moments throughout the day. Every day there are amazing, wonderful, meaningful moments just yesterday stuck to my heart especially.

Lately when we have conversations and she speaks she pulls at my heart strings frequently- its my admiration, awe, appreciation and love for this young women, young adult she is becoming- I couldn't be more proud.

In our morning together while having some one on one study time we discussed education goals, college goals, life goals. I love that she speaks so openly. I love her passionate heart. I love that this journey of homeschooling but more than that, this journey to let them make choices has led her to know what is right for her- last year she made no commitment to study traditional subjects- she studied I believe a week's worth of math the entire year- yes and we let her. She didn't like it, didn't want it and felt she didn't need it. This year, entering 9th grade, high school- she has asked for math, let us know out loud that she made the wrong decision to take nearly the whole year off and now she must play catch up- but she is working hard to catch up- she still may not like it and not really think she'll need it in life- but she's doing it, because she has goals she has set for herself. Nothing good would have come of me making her do it last year. She has gained independence, choice, dedication to her goals. I told her I was proud of her and her choices - I'm proud of her dedication to many things this year.

In the afternoon upon heading to the Library we walked isle by isle browsing...a little crafting, a little cooking, some song writing, guitar playing...then we came to the parenting books which include home schooling books- I teased just for fun -telling her I'd better pick one out and learn how to 'parent' or 'homeschool' her before it was too late since she was nearly 15 and going to be an adult in 3 years- she laughed and patted my shoulder- and told me -I think its too late for that, besides everything is good..life is good..we pretty much have this figured out together! *Love* Pure *Love*

I love both my children...no one goes into home schooling or parenting knowing how to do it, they do their best, they follow their hearts, they follow the Lord, they pray, they read, they enlist support, friends, family- they listen and learn to know their children...they trust their children. 

I trust that she is on a great path.

Day Trip Saturday

Just outside Priest River is Albeni Falls Dam, ID - we pass it by on our way into Washington frequently but have never stopped there until today. We took a family day trip to the park to play- it was a sunny 42 degrees- we ran around for an hour then headed over to the dam to sight see. It was a gorgeous sight, bright and sunny, clear blue water, some geese about honking- a fun time.

Albeni Falls Info -

 http://www.nws.usace.army.mil/Missions/CivilWorks/LocksandDams/AlbeniFallsDam.aspx

 Beautiful, fun, family day together.

Healthy 2 ingredient Cookies (plus mix in's)

When my husband and I sit down to meal plan for the week we have our go-to recipes and recipe books on hand but we love to venture online- searching out new recipes to add to our binder at home. When looking for meals, I ran across this goodie for healthy 2 ingredient cookies, plus your choice of mix-in's. I knew I had to try it out! So this morning I did...we mixed in walnuts and chocolate chips- I didn't chop the oats enough so next time I will chop them a bit more to get a better mixture going on. But the taste- don't expect a 'normal' chocolate chip cookie- but these definitely were good and satisfied my sweet tooth! I may try cinnamon-raisin for my next go at these! Yum.

Here's the link to the Burlap Bags recipe for 2-ingredient-cookies-plus-the-mix-ins-of-your-choice

2 ingredients -

Banana's & Oats

My mix in's - Chocolate Chips & Walnuts

 Great taste- but next time I'll chop those oats more! Some didn't even get chopped.

Love new recipes!