Christmas Treats-Fare Trade style Round 2: PB&C Quesadilla!!

I think I've found a very satisfying(and healthier) replacement for my precious Reese's Eggs that I can no longer buy. Peanut butter and chocolate quesadilla!!! So yummy and it only takes a tiny bit of chopped fare trade chocolate!! Cheap and delish!! This would be a great option for something a little different at Christmas brunch or just the dessert table at a family gathering . So, here's the recipe...if you want to call it that.

PB&C Quesadilla

1 small flour tortilla

1 Tbsp. Peanut butter

2 tsp chopped fare trade chocolate(I used 70% dark)

a sprinkle of sugar(I just pinches some in my fingers and sprinkled it on top of the filling.)

Spread of the peanut butter, sprinkle of the fare trade chocolate and sugar. Fold it in half and place in hot, buttered(or sprayed) pan cook till golden brown, then flip and do the same to the other side.

Seriously delish. And there is really no need to measure each item, I just put those amounts to give you an idea of what I used.

Creative bonus:
 If you cut these into triangles and drizzle with a little bit of green icing, you've got Christmas trees! BAM!

If you haven't been reading recently and are wondering why I can no long buy Reese's Eggs, read this and this. I hope maybe you'll join me in this cause.

Merry Christmas!!

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Christmas treats-Chocolate free! Round 1

This is a recipe I've never actually made, but a lady at church made them. I loved them so much I posted a Facebook status in search of who made them. They were that good!! Thankfully, Keri Taylor replied saying that she had made said deliciousness. This is the recipe she shared with me. Be prepared, they might just bring tears of joy to your eyes....or maybe I'm being a little dramatic, but rest assured, they're GOOD!

Pecan Bars:

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

1 tsp salt

1 1/4 cup flour

1 tsp vanilla

3/4- 1 cup pecans, chopped

Mix sugars and eggs. Blend in butter. Add salt, flour, vanilla, and nuts. Blend well. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes in a lightly greased 9X13 pan. Cut bars while still warm. Store in a tightly sealed container.

Stay tuned for more non-chocolate recipes for Christmas treats!!

Merry Christmas,

Joy

Do you want slavery in your Christmas?

I've written a blog recently about My Break-Up with Chocolate. Well, here I go again!! I just can't get it out of my head and tiss the season to buy chocolate, so here is a friendly reminder. You see, at least 75% of chocolate manufactured in the world is connected with child slavery. Cocoa farmers on the West Coast of Africa have resorted to forced child labor because there has been a rise in demand for cheap cocoa. Thats where we come in. Who out here wouldn't be outraged if we went to pick up a Snickers bar and the price was $3.00, or the price of a bag of chocolate chips was $6.00. We as consumers have demanded cheap affordable chocolate. Something that isn't even a necessity. Chocolate is a luxury people, but for some reason, we think we are entitled to get it for cheap. Well, maybe we aren't paying the price, but someone is.The big names like Hershey and Nestle get their "cheap" cocoa at the price of children.  Children who end up living off small amounts of corn and bananas(the cheapest foods in that area), sleeping on hard floors with no access to clean water, no opportunity to go to school, being beaten if they aren't working fast enough. Oh, not to mention their work involves them climbing tall trees with machetes tied to them, and risking chopping off fingers or hands all so that we can have an inexpensive candy bar. Someone is paying the price for our inexpensive treats, but I for one have somehow lost my appetite...If you want to read more facts, read this. Here is a quote from this article though: This is a quote from a child who had been rescued from a cocoa farm  "when asked what he would tell the people who eat chocolate made from slave labor, he replied that the people enjoyed something that he suffered to make, adding: “When people eat chocolate they are eating my flesh.”

So, now that we know, how can we act? I want to give you a few practical ideas for taking a step away from supporting such an industry.

• Buy fare trade chocolate. I know its expensive, but do you really want to eat the other stuff now that you know the facts?
• As you plan your Christmas baking over the next few weeks, how can you reduce your use of chocolate? make more with caramel, nuts, coconut, peanut butter, etc. There are plenty of yummy treats to be made without the use of chocolate!!
• Before you buy candy for those stockings, make the decision to skip the chocolate and do handmade salted caramels that a friend of mine makes and will ship, fruity candy, dried fruits, apples, oranges, nuts, etc.
• If you still just have to make those chocolate chip cookies, instead of usuing a 12oz bag of hershey's chips, add some extra nuts or oats and just use a 3 oz bar of fare trade dark chocolate. Chop it small so you can get some in each bite! You'll pay about the same and you'll still have that hint of chocolate!
• I'm not saying don't eat chocolate period. But where you find you just can't find a replacement, pay for the fare trade stuff, its worth a few more dollars to keep from supporting child slavery isn't it?
• I'll post a blog soon with recipe ideas for holiday baking using smaller amounts of chocolate or none at all!!

Whats your favorite holiday treat that doesn't involve chocolate? Share it with us!!

I know this is heavy stuff, so I'll leave you with a picture of my little cutie to lighten the mood ;)

ps. If you like his hat, support a friend's adoption and order here. She can have it to you by Christmas!!

Baby Number 2!!! Guess I should change the name of the blog!

So, I feel like a major slacker on the matter of blogging about this pregnancy!! Oh well, here goes!

We found out about 6 weeks ago that we are having a little girl!! We are so very excited! Though, I would have been just as happy with another boy.( I kinda love my boy, a lot.) I cannot wait to meet our baby girl, see who she looks like and have her snuggle on my chest. Can Not Wait!

This pregnancy has had a lot of differences than the first! I actually had nausea this time around. With Isaiah, it was almost non existent! I seem to dream ALOT this time. Some mornings I wake up and feel like I never fell asleep! Believe it or not, I've had a lot more energy this time around! Maybe I just had to find it somewhere since I've been chasing around a 2 year old!! All in all though, I'm enjoying this pregnancy just as I did Isaiah's. It is pure blessing to get to carry this sweet little girl and have her grow inside of me. I have to remind myself to pay attention to this sweet time. There isn't as much free time this time around to ponder and think and enjoy having her safe inside of me, but what a blessing it is. It really is going by so fast!!

Everything checked out great at our anatomy ultrasound! She got everything she's supposed to. Her heart rate was almost exactly the same as Isaiah's was during that time 143. We all three loved getting to watch her squirm. During the first ultrasound at 10 weeks, Isaiah was watching and he held out his hand and said "hold you." Melted my heart!!

I've so enjoyed seeing Isaiah show love to his little sister! From the beginning of the pregnancy, he has understood that there is a baby in my belly. He would hold up his fingers as if measuring and say "bitty." One day, I was pouring myself a glass of water and I told him that the baby in my belly needs lots of water to stay healthy. He immediately lifted my shirt and held his sippy cup up to my belly. He loves to give her kisses and he's even tried to share his toys with her. Sometimes he just spontaneously runs to me and hugs my belly and says "me ug my sistew." He loves her already and his understanding of her existence has and continues to amaze me. I can't wait for them to meet!

One thing that I've really really slacked on is the belly shots! Woops!! What can I say, I'm Mommy to a very busy little boy! I'm going to try to do better from here on out!! Here's what I've taken so far though:

5 weeks! The day we found out!!

(in New York City)

15 weeks!!

19 week comparison!! Isaiah on the left, baby girl on the right!

The Break-up....WITH CHOCOLATE

  
Who here likes Reese's Eggs/pumpkins/trees? Personally, it my favorite candy. I used to buy packages of them and put them in the freezer to save for months after the holiday had passed. I haven't done that since I learned a disturbing bit LOAD of information concerning chocolate. I recently read a blog that brought back to mind just how unfair the chocolate industry is. Unfair to whom you ask? To hundreds of thousands of little children in West Africa, that's who. This Rage Against the Minivan: the inconvenient truth about your halloween chocol... is the blog that I just read. The writer does a great job of laying it out. She has more detail than I will probably remember to include here. Please take time to read her post! But I also would like to share my heart on this subject. 
  I've known about this issue for about a year and I've started almost only buying fair trade chocolate. It easy to forget when all the Holiday candy comes out and I see my favorite candies hit the shelf again, but are the yummiest of treats worth the exploitation of children? Worth them being taken away from their family, miss out on school, miss out on play and after all this, to get paid very very little or nothing at all? No way dude. As a person, how can my conscience allow this? More importantly, as a believer, how can I take part in this? By supporting such an industry with our money, we are in disobedience of Scripture. Let me share a few passages that come to mind:

But Jesus said, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children." Matthew 19:14

WILL WE BE LIKE THOSE WHO WERE KEEPING THE LITTLE CHILDREN FROM COMING TO SEE JESUS? IN SUPPORTING THOSE WHO FORCE THESE CHILDREN INTO LABOR, I BELIEVE WE ARE DOING SO MUCH DAMAGE.

 ⁴² For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

⁴⁴ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

⁴⁵ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

⁴⁶ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” Matthew 25:42-46

WE NEED TO BE BRINGING FOOD, WATER, CLOTHES, THE GOSPEL TO THESE KIDS! NOT SUPPORTING THE COMPANIES THAT ARE HURTING THEM!

And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.

Luke 6:31

HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF IT WERE YOUR CHILD? WHAT MEASURES WOULD YOU TAKE TO STOP IT?

“One who is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.

Luke 16 :10

WE MIGHT SAY," BUT ITS JUST A LITTLE CHOCOLATE, ITS NO BIGGIE." IT SO IS. LETS BE FAITHFUL EVEN IN THE LITTLE THINGS, LIKE THE .50 REESE'S EGGS...

I'm not trying to lay a guilt trip on anyone, but I want for people to know what is going on. As believers, we have a responsibly to look out for the least of these. Think about where your money is going. Saving money on Halloween treat/stocking stuffers/Easter basket candy is not worth the price of a child. Any child. 

So, What can we do? well,  I'm breaking up with commercial chocolate. Even in baking. To me, its worth it to spend a little more on a fair trade product. To save money, I can cut back in my use  rather than buying the cheap stuff that was made at the hands of child laborers. Whole Foods has several great products that are Fair Trade. There are also many places you can get it online.  And here is a resource list of Ethical Halloween treats: http://blogs.babble.com/babble-voices/roadside-assistance-kristen-howerton/2012/10/12/ideas-for-an-ethical-halloween/#sjaaks-halloween-peanut-butter-bites

What are your thoughts on this issue? Did you know? Now that you know, whats next?

Twenty-Two Months and Counting!

Wow! Where has the time gone!? My little baby is almost 2! 

He's accomplished so much in the past few months. We're so proud! I feel like I've fallen behind on recording his developments, so I guess here is one for the sake of the baby book ;) 

 He pooped in the potty about two weeks ago for the first time.

He can identify A,B,C, D, I & O and knows that "b says bu" and "d says du."

 He can also identify a circle, square, triangle, star and sometimes a rectangle. 

He can sing many of the words to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

 At 15 months, he could tell you the animal sounds to cow, lamb, lion, dog, cat and duck. He's added lots and lots since then! 

At 18 months, we counted over 70 words in his vocabulary(not counting words we got him to repeat after us.) Here is the list I had typed at that time: dog(do), bird, ball, draw, dada, mama or ba, broom(broo), Brush teeth(tee tee), frosty(frost or wost), pooh, bear (poo), poop (boop), down (da), bob , spoon, watch, book (boo), peas, please (pease),thank you (ta  tu), cheese, chicken (chicky), apple, blueberries (blue or blue (ber), guitar (tar), star , beads (beas), hat (at), eyes, shoes, socks (dock), juice, water (wata wata), milk (gik), chair (chis),audra (auda), aunt Cole (A co), andrew (adew), Papa (pop), giraffe (gaff), up, more, all done (all du), up please, orange (oshj), trees (tchees), train (tis or choo choo), car (carsh), bag, diaper (ber or per), cookie monster (cookie), elmo ( o), Owen (o or owie), snack (nack), fish (wish or wiss), cracker (cak cak), two, three (tee), thirteen (tutee), eighteen (eaghtee), bath (bat or ba), potty (bot), garden (gah), Jesus (jis or jeju), Penguin (pegi), All Right! ( ah rah!), Right there! (rah deeh), trash (tash), noodle (oodle ool), pic (pi).

 He gives THE BEST HUGS! 

He loves to pray with mommy and daddy and sometimes he actually tries to pray. Usually he's helping remind me who to thank Jesus for. 

He's a big helper to mommy with laundry and in the garden! He helps carry clean launrdy to the bedroom and he puts wet clothes in the drier and he waters the garden and helps pick the veggies.

 He loves his veggies! Unless he's sick, he will gladly eat broccoli, carrots, peas, green beans, and cucumber!

 He knows where most of his body parts are: arms, legs, nose, mouth, hair, ears, eyes, elbows, knees, toes, shoulder, head, and back.

He's learning to use manners too. He's very good at remembering to say please and thank you(not all the time, but I'm still impressed!) He's also learning to say "yes ma'am"," yes sir" and "no thank you!"

He may be growing, running, and learning faster than I can keep up with, but he's still my baby boy! I love him so! 

So.Very.Thankful!

Raising Isabella: Thief, Slaveholder, Murderer

I'd like to start off by sharing this blog post from a friend of mine: Raising Isabella: Thief, Slaveholder, Murderer Please read this before going on!






 Ok,  you've read it.....now what? That's what I'm thinking! It makes me not ever want to buy clothes again! And it makes me want go to our garden on campus and build about 10 more boxes so I can preserve my own veggies! And so many more things. As I make changes, I'll share them with you. If you have any suggestions, please pass them on!

I have been convicted, I want to change....what about you?

• "Jesus answered, If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.'" Matthew 19:21
• "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in." Matthew 25:3
• "Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys." Luke 12:33
• "But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind." Luke 14:13
• "When Jesus heard this, he said to him, You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.'" Luke 18:22

Dollar Tree DEALS!

I <3 Dollar Tree!

Some things you come across there aren't a good deal at all, really a waste of money. Other things though, super.great.deal. All of the things that I'm showing here are good quality(I use them all) and I paid around half the price you would pay at the regular grocery store! 

$1!

Convenient steam bags and high quality veggies. These guys go for a couple bucks if not on sale!

This is over 5 ounces of garlic powder for $1.

2 for $1!

\ These are 11 ounce cans and they are over a dollar each at wally world! Isaiah loves to snack on canned corn.

$1!

I haven't bought this stuff in a while, but I know its goes for at least a couple bucks for the store brand at good ol wally world...

$1 folks!

I was just pricing sea salt at WinnDixie. Their's was 1.99 and it was a smaller container. 

$1

$1

$1

$1!

10 count med tortillias. I've used their brand before, they do the trick! A package this size at Wallmart goes for 1.98

$1!

3 pk white ankle socks various kids and adult sizes. These are Isaiah's size. At Target, you pay $1 for 1 pair! And lets face it, you don't have to worry about the quality for your kiddos cause they are gonna either outgrow or stain them before they can give out!

$1!

These are just fun. They are kind of small , which to me make them prefect for a little tike like mine. Perfect mini popscicle!

A little bit random, but I hope this helps someone save some $$!

The End!

Veggie Popsicles!

Ok, so when Isaiah finished eating baby food, I ended up with a large amount of leftover baby food. Which left me trying to find ways to use it. It wasn't too hard once I got going. All it is is veggie or fruit puree and water. I discovered that it is actually a great product to keep in the pantry. I used it in smoothies, soups, spaghetti sauce, salsa, and popsicles!! It is a great easy way to slip extra veggies into just about anything! Especially the carrot or squash. Their flavors blend into anything! One of my favorite things to do is hide veggies in everything I cook!! You'll learn that as you continue to read my blog.

So, on to the popsicles....

This is roughly what you start with. Its pretty variable though...This time I used one diced apple, half a leftover banana, 2 jars of carrot baby food, one jar of banana baby food, one container of yo baby  yogurt and some applesauce.

mash the banana and mix in all other ingredients.

Aren't these little guys cute? Isaiah's Grams got them for him! You can use popsicle molds or ice cube tray with tooth picks. I've even washed out pop ice tubes and poured it in with a funnel. 

Anything goes!!

Looks like a regular old popsicle right?

This little boys loves his popsicles!! And he would never know he's eating his veggies too!!

Veggie Pop Recipe:
1/2 cup applesauce
1 cup of diced fruit or berries(fresh, frozen, or canned!)
1/2 cup yogurt(unsweetened is the best, there is plenty of sugar in the fruit!)
2 jars of carrot baby food(or 1/2 cup of carrot puree)
1-2 jars of fruit baby food(or you could just use more applesauce.)
1 mashed banana
Mix, freeze and enjoy!

New Blog Theme: healthy living on a budget

So, my friends keep telling me I should write a cookbook or blog about the things that I make. I don't really think that the things I make are anything spectacular, but I think I'm going to start sharing my cooking adventures in addition to other things that seem share worthy. Hopefully I can give you some good, healthy and cheap ideas to use on your family!
I was raised with parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles who were all for the most part health nuts(in a good way.) Being around gardeners, vegetarians, vegans, juicers and Richard Simmons videos growing up apparently instilled in me the desire to eat healthy and live a healthy lifestyle. Who would have thought!? This blog is now going to be about my journey to pass this on to my little family and do it in the least expensive way possible!

This is my little one eating a popsicle at 8:30am. Not just any popsicle though, It has diced fruit, yogurt, squash puree and applesauce! He asked for it and and I said ehh, why not. He's getting some veggies in him in the process!

I hope you'll follow my blog and keep track of this adventure!

Mud Pies and Kites

This is from the book Meditations for Moms. This book was given to me as a baby shower gift and I'm really enjoying these insiteful devotions!

"Her children arise and call her blessed." Proverbs 31:28

   " Having kids is the best excuse I know to play like a child and do something completely worthwhile At the same time! Being a mother has its perks. How else could I justify countless hours playing in our kids' sand box, making forts out of cardboard boxes, shaping clay, leading hiking expeditions, building snowmen, flying kites, making mud pies, climbing trees, and building with blocks? I haven't had so much fun since I was a kid!

    At the end of a day when my work involves being at home with the kids, my husband asks, "What did you do all day?" I've been known to sheeplishy reply, "We built an enormous zoo out of blocks, complete with a train, animal hospital, and water feature. We baked cookies for out tea party under the spruce tree and took naps in our cardboard castle in the basement. We read books on the top bunk and made pancakes shaped like teady bears, and we ran through the sprinkler, which is why the floor is all wet. And dinner isn't quite ready; we have been really busy!"

    At moments like these, I feel a twinge of guilt knowing that my husband was in meetings, taking phone calls, and handeling hundreds of details of his job all day long. I, on the other hand have been goofing off with the kids. He is so kind to remind me that its not just goofing oFf. Spending time actually playing with our kids is investing not only in them, but in the future generations. Even doing tasks along side a child is a wonderful way to be engaged with them while teaching them important life skills. This sometimes requires the patience of a saint, but in the long run, it pays off.

    I love to bake. Generally I love to bake by myself, because I can be orderly, efficient, and I don't lose track of measurements. But I have baked in chaos alongside my children since they were 18 months old, when I brought the ingredients and mixer down to their child-size table. Even little hands can tozz carrots in olive oil, knead dough, break eggs, and with help, scoop and measure flour, sugar and salt. My boys distictively scooped all dry ingredients front end loader style, complete with boy noises. Now, as young men, they are proficient bakers and cooks.

    While passing along skills to our kids is valuable, we can't understimate how much this nurtures out bond with our children. Obviously we can't play with them all the time, but when we take the time to enjoy their activities and invite them to be a part of ours, we know each other so much better.

    On the other hand, I have observed many mothers who obstinetly "spend time" with her little ones by going on a stroller walk or to the pool, only to chat on her cell phone non-tops. I have watched kids grab their mother's face and pull it towards them while she continues her conversation into her all important phone. She's there in body, but that's it. I fear the day will come when that child has mastered her behavior, and the mom won't have to worry about the child wanting her attention anymore. Texting and chatting will be the center of their relating.

    So moms, lets connect with the kiddos and have alittle fun!Blow up a beach ball, blos some bubbles. Your kids will giggle to see their mom having such a great time jumping in leaves or crossing a stream on a log. They arent impressed by our sophistication, but by out playfulness. Any kid prefers mom in her Saturday play clothes to her dressed up look!My kids say I look best in my jeans and polo shirt with my hair in a ponytail. The truth is, I look best in their eyes because it means I'm home with them! I know its a luxery to even have time to hang with the kids. And while its less restful than a lunch date or even going to my job, it's energy well-spent and well enjoyed, with positive eternal consequences. 

    Someday your children will stand and bless you in return for the fun-loving attention that you lavished on them when they so desprately needed it."

I'm SO thankful to God for providing our needs while I stay home with our sweet boy! And SO thankful for a husband who sees the value in my being home with Isaiah to play with and teach him and who works so hard to make that happen! I'm also SO thankful to have had a mom who did all of these things with us kids and who set a great example of investing in us. I pray that I never waste precious time that could be spent investing in however many children the Lord blesses us with! May I be a mother who honors the Lord with these treasures.