nice day for a fresh air nap

 Its an absolutely fabulous day outside.  A sunny, warm, cloudless winter day.
After a long walk, little A fell right asleep in her sled.  Which is where she naps now, outside my window cuddled in the warmth of a down jacket.  The fresh air will do her wonders! 

This is January 31st, mind you...

G r a t i t u d e * S u n d a y

 

{Sunday's heartfelt tradition. A time to slow down, to reflect, to be grateful. A list of gratitudes.} 

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If you would like to join us, share your gratitudes by leaving your link (or simply sharing your list, whether one or many) in the comments below for all of us to enjoy. Our gratefulness feeds one another. 

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 Started and steadfastly continued weekly by Taryn @ Wooly Moss Roots!

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This week, the last of January, I am grateful for:

~ The urge to get out of bed and do a grateful post before nodding off to sleep.  Lying there in bed, I was thinking of all the good things in my life, and they just kept adding up!! Grateful.

~ The fact that its not even late yet...

~ my new Human calender! so neat --->

~ Our winter that has been so warm.  It has been a little too warm for my mind to be at ease some days, but as I have no power over the weather, I am just glad to be able to go out and enjoy it!

~ SNOW!  We finally have some!  Since the Kick sled is our favorite pastime (and mode of transportation)  in the winter, ice and snow are welcomed!  

~ the feeling of that crisp winter air in the lungs as the sun shines down on you.

~ Atlin has started singing!  Little songs about juice and coloring, baths and her little guys...  Its so so dang cute.

~ Not so much that she takes all the contents out of my purse whenever she can, but that she actually puts them all back when she's done!!

 

 

~ The interest and want we have to cook good meals.  The limitless recipes and inspiration in blogland to help us get good food in our bellies.  As well as a few really good cookbooks.

~ We now have a CSA box that comes to the neighboring town filled with excellent organic fruit and veggies!  We have all been enjoying them so much.

~ AND we have convinced the local grocery store to order bins of organic produce for the ones that want it!  It is one step closer to having it on the shelf.

~ I have landed the perfect job - I am the new town librarian!!  It was exactly what I needed to provide a bit of balance in my life.  Its brilliant to be stuck amongst a zillion books. And with the job came the interest in reading again.  I have been such a book worm lately, I haven't done much else. and that is okay with me for now!   :0)

~ Out of town visitors coming to bring fresh energy to this little town.... and giving me a reason to make blueberry cheesecake!

~ My baby girl will be 2 next weekend and her grandpa, aunties and more fam will be here!

~ I am grateful for my niece who is living with us.  She has provided so much light into this house. Reminded me to keep having fun and not hibernate so much... and what I used to be like when I was her age  :0)

~ and finally. The feel of the snow and earth beneath my mukluks.  Truely getting grounded.

Forks over Knives

Today, I finally watched this great documentary called Forks over Knives.

With loads of research, charts and graphs,  Doctors  Colin Campbell and Caldwell B. Esselstyn divulge the secret they have been working on for decades.  The fact that certain amounts of meat and dairy products do and will cause cancer and heart disease if eaten regularly.
And that the forementioned diseases can be cured by switching to a whole food, plant based diet.  Bypass heart surgery can certainly be bypassed with vegetables and fruit!

It is information that we all have heard snippets of but here it is in black and white. Proven over and over.    Dr. Campbell may sound familiar as he co-wrote the book "The China Study".
 
"    The China Study describes a monumental survey of diet and death rates from cancer in more than 2,400 Chinese counties and the equally monumental efforts to explore its significance and implications for nutrition and health."  - David Klein -Publisher/Editor of Living Nutrition Magazine

One of the most in depth studies done on humans dealing with food, nutrition,  cancer ...


AANyways.  
Forks over Knives is a must watch... with your family, and friends.

Here's the trailer:







After watching it, we made sushi for supper!!

mmmmmmm.  And felt really good after.


:0)

sunny windy winter funtime

this was on our walk yesterday, 

the road was bare in places,

we've little snow to speak of.

felt like spring 

This be the very same road, Today!

Kick sledding up and down!!

some snowy chariot rejoice dances

watching the wind whisp thru the trees

I do enjoy the crisp winter air in my lungs,

and rosy cheeks indoors,

 a mug of yerba mate tea with honey.

that's what winter's all abooot.

How are you spending winter days?

or do you have snow? are you gardening?  

healthy cookie dough balls

Want a tasty snack that is filling and actually very good for you??
I thought so. 

Just tried this one thinking of my honey who works a very laborious job and needs extra protein.  He really liked them... and so did everyone else!!

So. you need a food processor first.

Here's the recipe: 

  Healthy cookie dough balls

• 2 Cups Peanuts
• 1 Cup  Dates
• 3 Scoops of Protein Powder (optional)
• ¼ Cup Coconut
• ¼ Cup Ground Flax (optional)
• 1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
• 3 Tbsp Almond Butter
• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• ¼ Cup Water (or more...)
• sugar (optional)
• ¼ Cup (fair trade ;0) Chocolate Chips 

Put the peanuts in the food processor and blend.   Add the rest of the dry ingredients and blend.  Then add the wet ingredients and blend. It gets a bit tricky and sticky here, but stick with it until its a blended blob of yumminess!  then with slightly floured hands, take out bits at a time and roll them into balls.  I rolled mine in a tiny bit of sugar.  Then poke a few chocolate chips into each ball and refrigerate!   

these come from the 10,000 villages store

You will really only want a couple of these at a time! They are great for after strenuous exercise 

or when you feel you need a boost of energy.

juicing and painting

we had a little juice pardy with the Breville.

I sure like this juicer.  After using an older style, I can not believe how fast this sucker is!!

you can just throw a whole apple in there! a whole head of romaine lettuce!

It just rips thru them and turns em into health filled delicious juice.

 

The one issue I have with this particular juicer is that it isn't completely efficient.

So what I do is take the juiced pulp out, make it into balls and juice it again!

you get a bunch of juice each time.

Especially when you are juicing soft fruit like oranges or pears...

  

Juice around here usually contains:

lots of APPLES

ROMAINE LETTUCE

one BEET

lots of CARROTS

a LEMON

and then whatever else is on hand at the time.

Celery is great.

the dark green leafy's are very good for you

Strawberries make such yummy juice!

a little knob of ginger perhaps?

cabbage is very spicy!

I have heard strong warnings against mustard greens...

still experimenting!

It makes a really nice non-toxic paint for kids and journals!

Do you juice?

Any interesting combinations?

Hello old strangers!

... thank you to anyone who still believed I existed!

Its been ultra crazy around here ever since xmas.  

we've been on many trips. 

and I don't only mean distances.

(although we've traveled about 5000kms since I last wrote)

soul roller coaster rides.

mind wars and struggles.

making me question every thing about my life.

with the negative view that mid winter can bring.

we trodded into the dark, held hands on the way back.

thank Goddess we made er out.

Wounded, but all in one piece.

AND!

now for the rebuilding of good ness.

a decision to look out of my sunny glasses and turn a blind eye to the negative side of any situation.

must make this decision each and every morning.

to be the change I wish to become.

with every sunrise brings a new chance at the life you have always wished for.

Struggles do make you stronger.  If you find the right way out.

I feel blessed today.

this kid is but one reason why...

 She is calling the horses:

HOOORRR -                      seeeeeee!

happy year everyone!!