As the years go on...

One thing that I've noticed lately is the fact that every time I hear a song I end up remembering that time in my life, whether it be hanging out with family, friends or past loves. Here is a list of songs that bring back memories for me and that I've heard within the past week.

Tiffany -I think we're alone now. A song that my childhood friend Lisa and I loved.


New kids on the block -You got it (the right stuff) Carrie and I LOVED them!


Linda Ronstadt -Somewhere out there. When I was younger I loved the movie An American Tail & a crush and I liked this song


Toad the wet sprocket -Walk on the Ocean. I was dating my first "serious" boyfriend


Green Day -Longview.  Several friends and I went to their concert and had a BLAST!

Sublime -What I Got. I loved this song my senior year of high school

Train -Drops of Jupiter, and I still love them.


Gretchen Wilson -Here for the Party. The girls and I loved to listen to this song at work. 


Sara Bareilles -Bottle it up. I just thinks she's awesome.


Mumford and Sons -Little Lion Man. Carrie and I really like this European group.





 

Leo playing in the snow

Lap Dog

Leo has grown a lot since we first brought him home, and he still believes he's a lap dog...

 

Carrie aka:Punky

Carrie and I have been friends since 3rd grade and surprisingly enough we lived just a block away from each other in Minneapolis for about a year before we even met. When we were younger we were very close like sisters, and to this day we can tell each other anything without feeling judged, and we can be completely honest with each other without hurting one another's feelings, and it is so awesome and wonderful to have a friend like this. As Carrie's Christmas gift, her mom bought her a plane ticket to come and visit me this past weekend.

So, I took Carrie to some of my favorite places; the USA Olympic training center here in Colorado Springs, and it is the 3rd largest in the country. We were able to take a little tour, and while on our tour we checked out the weight room and actually saw Olympic athletes training which was pretty cool.

We then went to Manitou Springs to check out the unique shops and had a nice lunch at The Loop which is a Tex-Mex restaurant in the heart of the Manitou shopping district. I'll have to be honest, the food at The Loop was great! I had the chicken taco salad and it was the best one I've EVER had!

Then I took Carrie to my favorite local hiking spot -The Helen Hunt Falls. Carrie isn't use to this altitude, and also has asthma and yet she was a trooper and made the hike all the way to the top! Way to go Carrie!!! Along the hike we noticed someone had tagged a lot of the rocks and trees with spray paint, and if you truly know me then you will know how much that really erks me...

Here are a few more pictures from our hike

Carrie at the trails summit

Mountain creek next to the summit

The same creek

Two guys climbing down the frozen waterfall



Heartbreaks

My heart goes out to the Taylor and Schulze families, and please keep them in your thoughts and prayers. Yesterday was an emotional day...my sister's best friend lost her newborn baby, Lila. Lila was born with a very rare birth defect where her ribs did not fully develop, therefore she could not breath and she only had a 2% survival rate. Lila spent the few hours of her life in the arms of her loved ones, and I know she felt loved. I know God allows things to happen for a reason, but I, as well as others, are having a difficult time understanding this one. It really breaks my heart to know that someone I care about had to go through this unfortunate experience, especially since Jenna and her husband will make such wonderful parents, and I do believe that if they have another child that Lila would be a guardian angel to her sibling.

Sweet boy Leo

This weekend the snow has been melting, and Leo seems to be attracted to the dirt...

Winter's Beautiful Morning Sky

This morning, while I was waking the boys up for school, I noticed the beautiful sky and was so impressed that I grabbed the camera and headed outside in my robe and slippers. I thought it was a beautiful view to start off the day. 


I also must give Jason credit, he won the Soldier of the Month Board! It's a great accomplishment for a Soldier and this was his first time to ever go to a board, and he even beat out other Soldiers who had already been to a board several times prior. The boys and I are so very proud of him. Great job, Babe!

Kennon turns 11

Yesterday we had a little family celebration for Kennon's 11th birthday, and this weekend he'll invite some friends over to celebrate once again. He was so excited and can't wait to spend all his birthday money on Legos, lol. If you know Kennon then you'll know how much he LOVES to play with Legos, and the things he creates with them are quite impressive. 

 Kennon and Ian the morning of Kennon's birthday, both wearing the tye-dyed shirts they made themselves.

 Here's Kennon laughing while we sing a funny rendition of Happy Birthday.

Why haven't I ever thought of this??

Recently I came across some recipes which help you save money. One of them was for homemade breadcrumbs or bread cubes for homemade stuffing. You know the ends of the bread loafs that we either throw away or put in our compost piles? Well, all you have to do is cut them up into little cubes and let them dry out completely and store until you have enough to make your own stuffing. The wonderful thing about making our own food from "scratch" is the fact that you know exactly whats in your food, therefore there won't be anything unnatural and no preservatives.

Essential Oils

Essential oils have been used for centuries not only for their pleasant scents, but also for therapeutic reasons, and essential oils are used in many body care products, but did you know there are many essential oils one should refrain from using in body care products if you're pregnant or epileptic? Here is a list of some of the essential oils that are too stimulating for those who are pregnant or epileptic;

Anise seed
Basil (sweet)
Bergamot
Birch (sweet)
Carrot seed
Catnip
Cinnamon bark
Clove bud
Ginger
Grapefruit
Juniper Berry
Lemon
Marjoram
Myrrh
Myrtle (green)
Orange (sweet)
Peppermint
Rosemary
Tangerine
Thyme

I've seen many of these essential oils listed as ingredients for body lotions, which a mama-to-be could easily use not knowing the possible risk they could be putting themselves in. Which is why it is so extremely important to educate ourselves about the ingredients in any product we use. If you're pregnant or epileptic and choose to use a body care product that has any of these essential oils, please exercise caution, and listen to any messages your body may send.  

Up Bright and Early

Sunday morning I woke up bright and early to make the family homemade cinnamon rolls since they haven't stopped talking about them since Christmas. As Jason said it, "Your cinnamon rolls are the best ever! The people at Little Debbie's ain't got nothing on you." I couldn't help but laugh! Yes, mine are very good, but it's because they're FRESH, not that packaged crap with tons of preservatives. It was a great way to start off our last day of the weekend, and the boys were thrilled to each have one for breakfast today before heading off to school. I hope everyone else had a great weekend! 
                                                   ~Peace!

Trying something new

Last night we tested out a recipe that was new to us....white bean and butternut squash soup. I love veggies, so I really liked it, but Jason is a meat and potatoes kind of a guy, so he didn't care too much for it, lol! The boys all finished their bowls without having to be told, and they too all thought it tasted good. 

And it always tastes better with some grilled cheese sandwiches from homemade bread...I think it was Jason's favorite part of the dinner, lol.

Here's the recipes for those who would like it

White Bean and Butternut Squash Soup

(makes 2 quarts; 4-6 servings)

1 med. butternut squash

2 cans of white beans (such as cannellini, great northern, or navy beans)

3 cups of chicken broth

4 cups of water

2 small onions

sage for seasoning

a few bay leaves

salt and pepper to taste

Peel and cut the butternut squash into 1/2-inch cubes and place in a large pot with the 3C of chicken broth and 4C of water. Cover and boil until soft. 

While the butternut squash is cooking,  peel and slice the onions, then saute in a little bit of oil, set aside once it's finished sauteing. 

Once the butternut squash is soft, (keep in the pot, do not drain) and take a potato masher and mash up the butternut squash, but not too much, you don't want the soup to be too thin. 

Then and in the beans, sauteed onions and seasonings, heat thoroughly.

Enjoy!

Holistic/Homeopathic Remedies -In Honor of my late grandfather, Russell G. Bowe, Sr.

One of the many things my grandfather always stressed to me was the importance of using natural remedies to alleviate or cure common ailments. He believed, as do I, that they are better for our bodies, and I'm proud to have shared his passion for holistic/homeopathic remedies, and I will pass this onto my children in his honor. With any remedy it is always wise to seek professional advice, whether it be from a conventional doctor or an alternative medical provider. Also as with any medication, they don't always work for everyone. Listed below are some of the holistic/homeopathic remedies I remember my grandfather talking about.


Acne: tea tree oil

Bruises: Wild rosemary (in our family we bruise easily)

Colds: Echinacea


Depression: St. John's Wart, or Passiflora

Fever/Flu: Deadly nightshade


Sleeplessness: German Chamomile, or Valerian.


Stuffy nose: Chinese skullcap.


Always store natural medicines in a dry, dark, cool place -not in the bathroom, they tend to be too damp.

Welcoming 2011

Happy New Year!