All posts by Be Enough

Goals

Be a Spelt Lover

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In my last post, I confessed my eating/bowel issues. This journey six years ago, led me to spelt flour.

I LOVE this nutty grain.

To go along with my limited sugar goal for 2013, our family is trying to reduce the packaging we use. So instead of buying packages of products, I am trying to make/bake more things.

Last week, I found an incredible spelt scone recipe from an Australian website. We loved them so much that I had to make them again today.

The only ingredients are: spelt, baking powder, salt, butter and milk (I use rice milk).

This is hard to explain, but the most amazing thing about the recipe is when you add the butter to the dry ingredients with your hands. This was like running your hands through teeny tiny fluffy pillows with a hint of bubble bath bubbles.

AND my boys loved eating the train shaped scones I made.

I think this is going to be my go to recipe whenever I feel sad/bad/grumpy. Good for my spirit and my body!

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Here is the recipe:

Ingredients
2 cups organic white spelt flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
75g butter
200ml organic milk

Method
Mix organic white spelt flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Add the butter and mix with your fingers. Pour in the milk and mix with a spoon. Tip the mixture onto a well floured surface and mix until smooth. Roll out the dough or press with your hands to make it about 2cm thick. Cut out 5cm circles. Place the cut-out scones on a lined baking tray. Cook in 225oC oven for 10 minutes. Serve with your favourite jam (or our favourite SuperJam) and maybe some cream. Makes 10-12 scones.

Click through here to visit our online shop. We deliver Australia wide

http://www.goodness.com.au/organic-spelt-scones.html

health & fitness, Self-help, Uncategorized

Be Less “Sugary”

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Are you ready for a graphic story and a happy ending?

Six years ago, I started noticing that I was having healthy issues that were affecting my life. I was bloated, I had cramping, I often had to lie down. I even had blood on my stools. I went to my MD and did some blood tests and even a colonoscopy. YUM! The doctor couldn’t find a thing. He told me to just try and “deal with it”.

I am the type of girl that can grin and bear it. I have even pushed through athletic injuries knowing that “no pain no gain” is sometimes appropriate, but this pain, bloating, cramping was not normal.

So for the first time I went to see a Naturopathic doctor. She immediately recognized these symptoms and had me eliminate wheat, dairy, sugar and a few other things. Within 6 week, I was pain and blood free. Within 6 months, I had lost 20 pounds and had never felt better!

Now as I start 2013, I am reflecting on my health and where I want to be as I turn 40 in a few years. I realized that I need to again cut down on the sugar intake! I often wonder if years from now research is going to show us the havoc that sugar creates in human bodies. I know that my cousin in Spain would agree with that.

ImageThis morning I looked at the snow and it made me think of my sugar goal. I realized that the ‘sugar’ I shovel should not be going into my mouth!

Household Chores

Be a Vinegar User

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I often wonder how much healthier our earth would be if we stopped using all man-made cleaners and started to just using vinegar.  Yes vinegar!

Vinegar came my way when living in Europe.  I was asking someone where I could buy some vinegar to make salad dressing.  I couldn’t find white vinegar in my local grocery store.  They actually laughed at me because she used white vinegar to clean her vegetables and clean her house.  She wouldn’t use it for salad dressing!

I was reminded of the heroics of vinegar when I read an article in Mother Earth Living.  They had 17 uses for vinegar:

http://www.motherearthliving.com/healthy-home/natural-cleaning/versatile-vinegar-zmhz13jfzmel.aspx

1. Grease cutter

2. Disinfectant

3. Toilet Bowl Cleaner

4. Drain Cleaner

5. Glass Gleaner

6. Residue Remover

7. Hair Rinse

8. Furniture Polish

9. Stain Remover

10. Laundry Softener

11.  Dandruff Preventive

12. Wart Killer

13. Breath Freshner

14. Paintbrush Softener

15. Greens Reviver

16. Egg Aid

17. Rust Remover

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We also discovered another great use for vinegar this afternoon:

“Explosive” Science Project Ingredient!

Goals, health & fitness

Be a Beginner

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I am always amazed at watching my 5, 3 and 1 year old boys.  They are always trying something new, trying to figure something out, moving around, climbing on things and generally just moving through their world in a different way each day.  I was inspired!

I decided that my three goals for this year are to laugh more, love more and make more mistakes.  My type A personality loves the t’s crossed neatly if you know what I mean.

So, today I tried to include all three of these goals into one activity: Zumba!  A year or two ago I said that I would never try Zumba and that I would never join a gym again… well never say never people!  I did both of those things this morning.  My very wise neighbour had, over time, convinced me that I should try Zumba.

IT WAS INCREDIBLE!  It was fun, I made a fool of myself and I got some great exercise.  It was one activity where I had to solely focus on what I was doing. I couldn’t worry about the boys at home, what I was going to cook for dinner or the pile of laundry.

Here is an image that I got off the web that sums up the experience for me:

Now off to have a rest, I am sore!

What are you going to do this year to “be a beginner”?  What new pathways are you going to create in your brain?

Goals, Jesus Christ, Parenting, Uncategorized

Be Enough 2012

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“Enough” according to Webster’s:

“occurring in such quantity, quality, or scope as to fully meet demands, needs, or expectations”.

I was enough this year, for my family, for my friends, for my community.  There were some bumps in the road and some bumps that continue to move me to new places, but I was enough.

I learned not to be so judgmental, sometimes things just are.  They are neither good nor bad, but they just are.   I learned that I don’t have to be EVERYTHING to EVERYONE in my life.   I can just be enough!  I learned that sometimes my expectations hold me back.  I learned to let go and let God.   He can move mountains.  He is alive.

My children are happy and healthy, my house is still standing (and somewhat clean), my husband and I are best friends/in love and I counted one thousand gifts this year. (Thank you Ann Voskamp)

Thank you Jesus.

Goals, Parenting

Be a Five Year Planner

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Yesterday, I was inspired by a very interesting blog http://simplemom.net/five-year-plan/

Sexy Neck and I sit down together every January and decide our year plan for home renovations. We also talk about any changes we would like to make. We also make or review our five year plan. Really I do most of the initiating on this, but my husband is always game to come along on the goal setting journey!

Our plan sits on the side of our refrigerator.

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In 2010, we decided to avoid using paper towels.

In 2011, we decided to switch from using margarine to butter.

In 2012, we decided to use a reusable mug to get hot drinks at various coffee shops instead of copious amount of paper ones!

Looking back these are kind of random, but they were very meaningful at the time and we haven’t gone back. (How annoying for anyone looking for margarine or paper towels at our house!)

Our five year plan includes:

– replacing all our single pane windows (done!)
– replacing our roof (2013)
– painting the outside of our house (done!)
– save money to take our family of five to Germany, Spain, France and Switzerland for 6 weeks (2015) to visit some old friends.

My favourite thought right now is: A day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day! (Checkout 2 Peter 3:8.)

Goal setting always keeps things in perspective for me as a stay-at-home mom. It is easy to get bogged down in laundry, cooking, cleaning…

Self-help

Be Nostalgic Not Stupid

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Merry Christmas Everyone! To my new and old friends, and to my family (given and chosen).

Here is my Christmas life lesson for you!

I tend to get emotionally attached to things. In my daily life, I have to make a conscious effort to let “things” go. This include mostly physical things that have been given to me and words that have been said to me.

I was reminded of the importance of letting go on Christmas Eve.

Here is a photo of our awesome Christmas tree picked out together as a family from a local Christmas tree farm. Our eldest son just put the angel on top of the tree.

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Here is the tree after my husband unplugged it on Christmas Eve. The plug sparked and the lights went dark.

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Now here is the background information that I need to share: I have vehemently refused to buy new lights for our tree because these are the exact same lights that were on my tree as a child. My parents have a beautiful artificial tree with lights and I wanted their old lights! We have been using these lights for about ten years and my parents had them for over twenty years… So you can imagine…

Now I need to have a little talk with myself: Seriously, Joanna, don’t be stupid. Give up the lights!

Now comes the hard work because I am trying to figure out what else I am holding onto that could potentially burn down my house!