Hygiene and Health

This is for Saturday because I will probably be busy! :)

Are you taking care of yourself? I am REALLY realizing that I can't take care of my family well at all if I don't take care of myself.

You NEED to take care of yourself!

Imagine the strength you would have if you got up in the morning and got dressed so that you feel you look NICE.Brush your teeth,fix your hair.........Do whatever you need to do to feel put together.

Have your quiet time.(Prayer/Scripture.)

Then go and have yourself a healthy breakfast and maybe even EXERCISE! ?

Scott leaves for work at 6:30.I am(usually) dressed with my hair fixed,teeth brushed and his lunch packed/coffee made by the time he leaves.I can have the baby nursed and 2 miles walked by 7:30.(The walking dvd that I do allows me to talk to Scott on the phone at the same time so that is great!)

7:30-8:00 I have my quiet time.

8:00-8:30 I eat breakfast

ALL that before we start school at 9:00!

Now,it does NOT always go that way for me! lol But that is what I am aiming for.I always change the baby,wipe him down,get him dressed etc. in that time too.I like to have that done before Scott leaves if he(baby) is awake.

Then of course,we ALL have alot of interruptions! lol BUT,even if I wasn't done with this morning routine until 8:30 or 9:30 that is still alot to get done in that time.

When I DO get it done I feel on top of the world! Such an excellent start, and it makes me much more faithful to my goals all throughout the day.

I love to:

Start laundry before Scott leaves for work.

Be dressed nice and even have on a necklace etc. before I kiss him good-bye.I *always* make sure I have fresh breath and I usually write him a note too.:)

Have a green smoothie for breakfast.It makes me feel like I started the day so healthy and really helps me to want to make healthier choices for the rest of the day.

Go in my room with the doors shut to pray in peace.I read my Bible out on the couch while holding/nursing the baby and keeping one eye and ear on everything going on lol.I also think it is good for the children to see me reading my Bible everyday.

Exercise in the AM! Just 20 minutes makes me feel SO good and cuts back on the rest of the exercise I have to/want to get done throughout the rest of the day.It REALLY gets you going! It also revvs up your metabolism right away.It is so good for you!

Cuddle with the little children while I read my Bible.

When a body has everything that it needs spiritually and physically it is ready to GO.When you start the day out like THAT,watch out! It is so much easier to OVERCOME the battles.

Do you have anything that you love to do in the morning that really helps you start your day well? Share please!

Cinnamon Chip Scones

This is NOT healthy lol.Just warning ya....:)

My girls and I had these for our tea party yesterday and I am hooked.Not necessarily on Cinnamon Chip Scones but just on SCONES in general.I have made them before but the recipe must have not been a very good one because they did not have the unbelievable tenderness that these do.SO,this recipe is for cinnamon chip scones but you could leave the chips out (although they *are* delicious) and add just all sorts of stuff! You could also make healthier scones but I think that we will probably just save them for special occasions and use white flour.


3- 3/4 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
2-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup cold butter
1 cup buttermilk
1 pkg cinnamon chips
2 TB melted butter and sugar to sprinkle

Combine flour,sugar,baking powder,baking soda and salt.Cut in butter.Stir in buttermilk just until moistened.Fold in chips.Turn outonto floured surface and knead for a minute....just until dough is no longer sticky.Divide in half and pat each half into a 7 inch circle.Brush with butter and sprinkle with sugar.Cut each circle into 6 wedges and place on an ungreased baking sheet.Bake at 425 for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.

DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!! These literally melt in your mouth and I think they are so beautiful and fancy looking! In the picture above they look smaller because for our tea party I cut one circle into 12 wedges istead of 6 but they are much prettier cut into 6 wedges.:)

Delicious creativity with BUTTER

I LOVE flavored butters!!!! I thought some of you might too so here are a few kinds that I love making.

Garlic- Herb Butter

1 pound butter
4-6 TB minced garlic
2 TB paprika
2-4 TB chopped fresh (or 2 TB dried) basil,rosemary etc.
2 TB sun dried tomato bits

Orange-Honey Butter
(have not made this one or the rose one)

1 pound butter
2/3 cup honey
3 TB fresh grated orange rind

Pineapple-Rose Honey Butter

In addition to the ingredients in Orange-Honey Butter (above) add 2 TB crushed,drained pineapple and 1/2  cup fresh ,minced rose petals and 1 tsp vanilla.

Autumn-Delight Butter

1 pound butter
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
2/3 cup honey

Those are a few ideas but use your imagination!!! For every recipe above just mix all ingredients in a bowl and then I like to shape the butter into 2 logs and wrap in waxed paper.SO pretty for gifts and soooo delicious! Letting the flavors blend before use for a few days is great too.....

What we eat for BREAKFAST

I am posting this for a dear MOMYS friend Lori.This will be nice because now,when I don't know what to make  I can come here and look at a list lol.

Oats- peanutbutter/brown sugar (my favorite) ,apple/coconut oil/flax/honey,cinnamon with buttered toast,any fruit with brown sugar.

Peanutbutter toast with honey

Eggs in a variety of ways.....scrambled with toast and ketchup or salsa-dippy eggs with toast-omelets-or my favorite way....sautee any kind of vegies(I love green peppers/onions/garlic/brocolli) then crack a few eggs on top and scramble.Sprinkle with cheese and serve with buttered toast.

Pancakes/eggs/bacon or sausage

Eggs,bacon and toast

Fried cornmeal mush with bacon and butter/maple syrup

Sausage gravy over biscuits

Lots of different kinds of muffins

Waffles with BUTTER :) and maple syrup

Breakfast cookies

My dh loves breakfast type scrambles....You know,biscuits topped with sausage/eggs/vegies then a cheese sauce and syrup type stuff.I make different stuff like that now and then.

Breakfast hot pockets

Popovers

Egg sandwiches

Overnight french toast

Regular french toast

Granola

Yogurt and granola or yogurt and fruit

Fried potatoes/eggs/cheese combo with BUTTERED toast :)

Crepes with brown sugar filling or strawberry/cream cheese filling

Cinnamon rolls

Cream cheese/fruit. breakfast danishes

Biscuits substituded for the toast sometimes

Breakfast sandwiches

Pancake/sausage/bacon sandwiches

Ok,I think that is the basic stuff that I make :)

Yes,we LOVE butter and don't feel in the least bit guilty about it! :) We use it generously to fry everything in from eggs to pancakes and we load our toast/pancakes/muffins and biscuits down with it! Butter is wonderful for you,especially when it comes from your own Jersey cows and made in your kitchen! :)