What do you picture when you think of family photos?  If you are like most people, your family photo shows a picture of the whole family posed and smiling in front of the camera.  Right?  I have my share of family photos and most of them are downright appalling.  Certainly not the way I want to remember things!

Not Just Any Photo

So, when I decided to once again embark on the journey to the family photo, I decided to take a different twist.  The idea was birthed from a picnic.

Those who know me - know that I hate picnics.  All picnics.  Bugs and bees of all kinds are frequent guests of picnics and for some reason - they all love to be around ME.  I am miserable and just wait for ‘it’ to be over.  But then, my imagination got the better of me.

Many years ago, I invited my husband (who was not yet my husband!) on a picnic.  Yes, I know - - I hate picnics.  But wait - it was not just any picnic.  I had come up with a way to make the traditional picnic something out of the ordinary and special.  Special enough to over-ride my dislike…

He showed up for the ‘picnic’ expecting a peanut butter sandwich in a paper bag.  What he got instead was: my best blankets, satin pillows, croquet (from the list of perfect picnic games), classical music, a sun umbrella, and a picnic basket filled with chilled shrimp, tiny assorted sandwiches, cold chicken, fresh fruit, my finest china, candle sticks, a bottle of wine and small cakes, cookies and candies.  I have never forgotten the look on his face.  “My idea of a picnic,” I said.

It was a wonderful memory - and when it was time to think about the new family photo, I decided to remember that picnic in a special way.  A local photographer was intrigued with the idea and offered to do the shoot for free.  (He actually won a prize with our finished photo!)

The Perfect Family Photo Takes Time and Effort

It turned into so much work - as one thing led to another - that it almost didn’t happen.  I sewed dresses for each of my four girls - simple, cotton, timeless dresses.  We wore our romantic ‘Sunday best’ - complete with hats - but no jewelry - to keep it timeless.  We had seventeen boxes of props to carry to our picture site - among them - blankets of lace, baskets of both real and artificial flowers, 25 yards of assorted ribbons, my best tea set and china, and carefully selected cheeses, tiny cakes, breads and fruits.

Picture day finally came.  It had rained - no, poured - for 2 days and the ground was saturated - the air was hot, thick and steamy and the mosquitoes were out in droves!  My worst nightmare - come true!   We put sheets of plastic under the blankets of lace in an attempt to stay dry, and sat - posed - in what - at least to curious onlookers - appeared to be a very natural position for most of two hours!  Have you ever tried to sit up straight and balance a teacup precariously while perched on an uneven piece of wet ground?  Not fun! But, we did it and the result was incredible. 

Make A Memory

The pictures hang on my wall today and I will never forget the memories.  When it’s time to once again think about your family photo, I encourage you to go the extra mile and put some effort into the picture.  Do something different.  Make a memory you’ll never forget.

I have never been much of a fan of butterscotch pudding - that is, until I tried this recipe.  I make homemade breads and I cook amazing meals, but somehow I have never gotten into homemade pudding.  I am guilty of getting the ready made or instant in a box variety.  After tasting this pudding, I think I’m on to a new line of cooking delectable taste treats!  This recipe comes with my highest recommendation!  I found it here.  You can check it out or read it below.

Butterscotch Pudding

1 cup packed brown sugar (I used light, but many of the recipes I checked out used dark)

1/4 cup cornstarch

3 cups milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 egg yolks, beaten

1/4 cup butter (I used unsalted)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, cornstarch and salt.  Add enough milk to make a thick paste.  (I added too much milk and it still turned out!)  In a saucepan over medium heat, bring milk to a boil.  Stir in brown sugar mixture.  Return to a boil and cook for one minute.

Place egg yolks in a small bowl.  Temper the yolks by slowly  stirring in about 1/4 of the hot milk mixture.  Pour yolk mixture back into the hot milk mixture.  Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly, for one minute.  Remove from heat.  Stir in butter and vanilla until butter is melted.  Pour into bowls and let cool slightly.  Makes 4 good sized servings.  Serve hot or cold.

For the seasoned gardener and even some beginners, the anticipation of getting outdoors to plant the garden is a long awaited pleasure!  That moment could arrive sooner than you think.  Some vegetables actually thrive in cooler spring weather - even tolerating a light frost or freeze.  The added bonus is: by getting your garden going early in the spring, you can actually free up room to re-plant for warmer weather crops.   Some of the early spring crops are:

Asparagus - Plant 1 year old dormant roots in early spring, as soon as the ground can be worked.  Plan for no crop the first year, light the second year and full crop the third year.

Beets - Plant seeds about one month before the last frost date.

Broccoli - Start seeds indoors, then transplant outdoors about one month before the last frost date.  Broccoli does not like hot weather.

Cabbage - Plant when temperatures are consistently between 40 degrees and 70 degrees.  Stagger plantings.

Cilantro - Start seeds indoors, then transplant outdoors about 2 weeks before last frost date.  While cilantro loves the cool weather, it will not tolerate a freeze.  Cilantro will go to seed quickly if the soil gets too warm.

Carrots - Plant seeds in well-drained soil 2-3 weeks before the last frost date.  Protect from a hard freeze.

Lettuce - Plant from seed using a cold frame to protect.  Does very well in cool, wet spring weather but protect from a freeze.  Stagger plantings.

Onions - Plant partially grown bulbs - or sets - as soon as the soil is workable.

Peas - Plant as soon as the soil can be worked - about 1-2 months before last frost.  Peas will survive a light frost.  Protect from hard freeze.

Potatoes - Plant pieces of potato containing at least one ‘eye’ about 2 weeks before the last frost date.  Protect from freeze.

Spinach - Plant seed in early spring - as soon as the soil can be worked.  Stagger plantings.  Protect from a hard freeze.

As you consider what you will be planting in your garden this year, consider what kind of garden you might like.  How about a weed-free garden?  I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t tried it for myself.  Read all about it here.  Harvest fresh, nutritious vegetables - not weeds!  Happy gardening!

Childhood memories of whole wheat bread were not among my favorites.  Maybe your experiences are much the same.  Whole wheat bread was dry, heavy and gritty.  Years later, with the needs of my own family to consider, I became more conscious of the foods I was choosing.  I knew the white bread I was buying had no nutritional value at all.  We made the switch to wheat bread.  It was not appreciated by my family (!) but they ate it anyway - even if it was store bought.

I learned much about whole grains and in particular - whole wheat during the next few years.  If you have ever baked with whole wheat flour, you know that it can create a very heavy, dry product.  That’s why most recipes use a blend of wheat flour with other lighter flours.

Whole Wheat - Rich in Nutrients

Whole wheat berries are made up of 3 parts: the bran, germ and endosperm.  Whole wheat flour uses the entire grain - rich in calcium, protein, iron, fiber and containing multiple vitamin and mineral properties.

Refining Whole Wheat Grain Removes Nutrients

During the process of refining the whole wheat berries, 40% of all nutritional value is lost.  Refined flours contain only the endosperm.  Most of the bran and germ (where the bulk of nutritional value is) have been removed.  Often you’ll see the  word ‘enriched’ stamped onto bread labels - making you think it is far better.  Truth is - everything of value has been processed out.  Only a small fraction of nutritional value has been added back in and that little bit of value is no longer in its natural form.

Finding a way to use the whole wheat grain in order to make bread my family would love was my biggest problem.  I did make homemade bread quite often, but the flours were mostly refined and - for the most part not nutritious.  I used unbleached flour - thinking that it was much better - only to find out that it was still refined flour.  My attempts at making whole wheat bread left a lot to be desired.  The bread was dry and had no shelf life at all.  We usually ate it the same day and threw the rest away.

It all changed the day I heard about a way to make whole wheat bread that was moist, flavorful, chewy and had a counter life of nearly 5 days!  Life has never been the same.

The Bosch Kitchen Mixer and Wonder Mill

Up to that point, baking my own bread meant at least 5 hours of tending.  The time factor alone made it near to impossible for the average working family to even address the possibility.  When I saw the Bosch mixer in action I was impressed. This is not a bread maker.  It is an actual kitchen mixer with a powerful 800 watt motor that kneads the bread for you - developing the gluten (a stretchy protein) in the wheat, making it soft and light.

Imagine the health benefits of freshly ground wheat berries, still warm from the grinder and rich in nutrients, immediately made into the softest, chewiest and most flavorful bread you have ever tasted.  Are you ready for the best part?  In 2-3 hours - from the moment you begin grinding the wheat, to taking 4 loaves of bread out of the oven and mess cleaned up, you can be enjoying your own nutritious bread.  The Bosch mixer and the Wonder Mill grinder are two of the most amazing things I have ever purchased.

When you consider your nutritional health, think about one of the most staple products in your pantry - bread.  You eat it nearly every day.  Why not choose bread that is loaded with nutritional value, has no preservatives but still boasts a 4-5 day counter life and costs only pennies to make?  You’ll never want to buy another load of store-bought bread!

I realized years ago that spaghetti sauce purchased from the grocery store just doesn’t meet my standards for really great food.  This recipe for Italian Spaghetti has been in my family for years and is second to none.  The best part is, it’s fast and easy.  It takes about 15 minutes to put together, then just simmer slowly for a couple of hours until the flavors blend.  The aroma is amazing.  You’ll never buy another jar from the store!  Here it is:

1 pound ground beef

1 large onion, chopped

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1  10-3/4 oz. can tomato soup

1  12 oz. can tomato paste

1  14.5 oz. can plain tomatoes (that means no added ingredients!), chunked

1 cup mushrooms (optional)

1/2 soup can water (use the can from your tomato soup)

3 teaspoons chili powder

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 Tablespoons light brown sugar

5-6 bay leaves

2 teaspoons sweet basil

1 teaspoon paprika

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

2 cloves garlic, slightly smashed but left whole

Brown ground beef and onion together in oil.  Add remaining ingredients.  Mix well and simmer on very low heat for 2-3 hours.  Stir occasionally to prevent scorching.  Serve over spaghetti noodles of your choice.  I use whole wheat noodles.

We can all remember coming to a fork in the road.  Whether it involves family, career or health, the fork demands our ‘undivided’ attention!  Which way should we go?  The very decision making process can be overwhelming and stressful.

My sister tells of a time when she was just out of high school and struggling with the decisions for her future.  If you knew my sister, you would also know that making decisions was (and is) not among her favorite things to do!  The result of those decisions can be good or bad.  Always wanting to make the best decision, she found herself temporarily immobilized - struggling to make a choice.

When in that position, we somehow welcome the input from another source.  It doesn’t really matter if the advice is good or bad.  What matters is that someone offered information to help tip the balance.  Movement is good!  So is Mom’s advice.

Two pieces of advice my mom will always be remembered for are:

1.  If it won’t matter in five years, it’s not worth fretting about.
2.  God can’t steer a parked car - so don’t just sit there - do something!

When faced with decisions that very well might matter in five years, it is only natural to weigh your options carefully.  That might include a bit of fretting.  Taking the first step down a new road can be scary.  Doing nothing can also be scary!  When the fork in the road brings you to a stop, remember to first breathe a prayer for direction, look over your options, then take the first step.  Getting moving is the hardest part.  God can’t steer a parked car!  But, once put into motion, He can direct you to the right road.

Diets: we can’t live with them and can’t live without them!  But, with the vast array of potential diet plans to follow, which one will benefit your body the most?  Do you choose the low fat, low protein, high protein, high carb, no carb, vegetarian or one of countless others?

Making Healthy Choices?

I was on a particular high protein eating plan for 18 months.  Yes, I actually stuck with it and lost 25 pounds in the process.  I looked great and felt great as well.  The problem with this diet was - I was not allowed to cheat outside of the ‘cheating hour’.  Even after 18 months, I still felt trapped in rules and regulations on a daily basis.  Eating out was very difficult and getting off schedule kept me on my toes trying to plan alternative meal times - not to mention finding ‘allowable’ food choices.  It also required considerable planning and prep time.  It was not very user friendly - but I was seeing results.

The kicker was when I had a routine cholesterol test run and got the word that my bad (LDL) cholesterol (which was already on the high side) had more than doubled over the past year.  My good (HDL) cholesterol had also doubled - which was good, right?  But, what to do about the bad?  I had to make a change.  Something was obviously wrong with the kinds of foods I was eating.

My husband’s cholesterol tests, on the other hand, had always come back better than average.  He ate protein 3 times a day, enjoyed brats, bacon, eggs, and just about any fatty food he wanted - with a near perfect cholesterol test - that is, until I listened to all the recommendations about low fat, low protein, more fruit and veggie diets and I decided to ‘fix’ him.  It was the responsible thing to do!

My husband also had a cholesterol test a year after I put him on a ‘healthier’ diet.  Get this.  After 40 years of close to perfect, his cholesterol nearly tripled in one year.  I was stunned.  That’s when I began my search to find out why.

Perfect for Your Friend, Poison to You

Many of us choose an eating plan that comes with the recommendation from a friend or family member.  It worked great for them.  So, it should work great for you as well, right?  Maybe not.

I found a book called, The Metabolic Typing Diet by William Wolcott and Trish Fahey.  The Metabolic Typing Diet is based on individual responses to food - how your body reacts to, breaks down and metabolizes what you eat.  The foods that might be a perfect fit for your friend, might be like poison to you.

Included in the book is a 65 question test to determine your metabolic patterns or tendencies.  Imagine my surprise when I discovered that I needed very little protein and more carbs.  My husband needed high protein and very few carbs.  We were both eating exactly the opposite of what we were supposed to eat - according to this diet plan.

Eat for YOU!

My husband has happily gone back to his low carb, high protein, high fat diet.  I have (happily) gone the opposite direction to high carbs, limited fat and low protein.  I cook the same meals;  he just takes most of the protein and I eat most of the carbs!  It works out great.  I also discovered that I had to be careful of which carbs I ate.  Some caused cravings and weight gain.  The good news is:  blood tests are back to normal.

Your body is designed for you and you alone.  All the patterns and needs are individual and should not be lumped into a catch all group.  By learning to eat the way your body was designed to eat, you - and your body - will be happier and healthier.

As you sail the seas of life, are you ready to take on the open water or are you still safely anchored near the shore - watching, wishing and longing for something to change?  Do you sometimes feel a burning desire to just pull up anchor and catch the wind?  What holds you back?

Fear Is a Direct Result of Your Self-talk

Fear of the unknown - or maybe even fear of the known - is probably right at the top of your list.  Knowing what you need to do and doing it are two very different things.  Much of fear is a direct result of your own self-talk.  Have you noticed that when you replay negative thought patterns over and over again in your mind, you actually come to believe them?  Be mindful of what you say to yourself.  What you say is what you’ll get.

Maybe you have taken the first step toward that free-sailing freedom, but something is holding you back.  Have you really pulled up the anchor, or are you just safely letting it drag along the bottom where it can snag on rocks and other debris along the way? 

What Baggage Are You Carrying?

Try this very powerful example for yourself.  Place a chair at one side of a room.  This chair represents you.  Now place a chair out of reach on the other side of the room.  This chair represents your goal.  Are you the type to always keep one hand tightly on your own chair - while reaching for your goal?  Maybe you are the type that actually drags your chair with you as you move toward your goal!  Do you get the picture?

Isn’t it time to let go of your anchor?  Meet your fears head on, take a deep breath and take that first step forward.  The winds of freedom are blowing strong.  You can do it!  Reach down, pull up anchor and catch the wind!

Glamour Magazine recently did a survey of 16,000 women on the subject of body image. Results showed that 40% of women struggle with their body image. That fact wasn’t entirely surprising, but this one was: a whopping 71% said they feel they are too fat - even though only 46% were actually overweight. Here’s where the obvious follow up question comes in: What makes women feel they are fat - when they’re not? Maybe our perception of body image has less to do with fat and more to do with - insecurity.

Body Image: What Is Really Underneath It All?

It has been my observation that many women judge their bodies strictly on how they feel they measure up in some else’s eyes - true or not. It is no secret that we are our own worst critic, and our body-image is a ready target. It is an area that we control - even if that control has become a place where we vent frustrations and disappointments.  No one is better at dishing out criticism like a woman looking in the mirror.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall…

When did the mirror image begin to dictate what is and is not an acceptable body-image? The mirror reflects more than body image. It reflects the very core of where we are most vulnerable. It sees us when we are alone - when our insecurities surface and we come face to face with our vulnerability.

Take another look in the mirror. Maybe you see things you don’t like. Maybe you DO think you are too fat. Well, welcome to the real world where 99% of the female population is NOT perfect! And, if you really feel that way - take the first step toward doing something about it.

See a Positive Body Image

On the other hand, maybe you will - for the first time - begin to see the things you DO like. Think back to a time when you felt lovely - when you were confident and ready to take on the world. Then, carry that image with you. While the visible image you portray to others does indeed play a part in your overall body image, it’s what you think about yourself and what you say to yourself that really tips the balance.

Your Body Image and Self-Talk

The important thing is: recognize the challenges for what they are - simply a starting point. Listen to your self-talk. Your overall body image will be a direct result of what you say to yourself. It is made up of more than just visual images. It is made up of who you really are underneath it all.

I am amazed at the number of people who look for the quick fix and just want to take a pill for every ailment and problem. They want to be better - now. They don’t have time to be sick. What they maybe don’t realize is: the chances of having to take another pill to offset the side effects of the first one are greatly increased. Once on that roller-coaster, it’s difficult to ever get off.

We live in a world of push-button technology. Life is fast paced and hectic. Is it any wonder that we many times choose the easy way out - the road that is nicely defined and paved? We think we understand prescription drugs. We just pop a pill to make it better - never mind wondering about what really caused the situation in the first place.

New Diet Pill in the Making

Talk of a potential new drug for weight management is yet one more way we are going for the easy fix. I will not argue the point that we have a very real problem. But, I will argue that it might not be the best way to fix the issue. There are exceptions to every rule, but in the vast majority of cases, weight management is more than just a problem with weight.

Lifestyle Can Impact Your Weight

It’s a problem with lifestyle and education - priorities and health. At the very core of most weight problems is simply the result of living the fast paced life for far too long. We have forgotten what it means to have healthy, home cooked meals. Come to think of it, we’ve forgotten what it means to HAVE a real meal at home - period.
When I happen to mention home cooked ‘sit down as a family’ meals to my students just in passing conversation, their eyes almost glaze over - like I have just spoken in a foreign language. Do you want to hear something really sad? Most of them cannot ever remember sitting down to a family meal. Then it’s MY turn to have my eyes glaze over.

Preventive Health Instead of the Pill Trap

Is it any wonder we are falling into the ‘pop a pill’ trap? What about addressing preventive health before it becomes an issue? Finding ‘health’ naturally is not a quick fix. One just doesn’t ‘find’ health. It is a process of learning how best to support your body on a daily basis - beginning in childhood. This is one roller-coaster ride you never want to take.