Homemade Laundry Detergent 

Do you ever find yourself double thinking about all of the toxins in conventional laundry detergent? Maybe you struggle with the expensive prices of it in order to get those grass stains out of your kids shirts? Well there is a much safer and inexpensive way to manage these everyday; a simple recipe of homemade laundry detergent. With the ingredients below that I have, it is safe for HE washers.

What you will need:
-Borax
-Washing Soda(Arm and Hammer is the one I used)
-Bar Soap(I have used Kirks Castile Soap)

Homemade Laundry Detergent

Powder:

2 parts Borax

2 parts washing soda

1 part finely ground bar soap

You could grind the bar soap in a food processor, shred with a knife, or cheese grater. I did 2 cups of borax, 2 cups washing soda, and 1 cup finely ground bar soap. Shake together in a jar and you have a powder detergent. All you need per load is 1/8-1/4c. depending on the size of your laundry. 

Liquid:

One bar soap grated.

1 cup Borax

1 cup washing soda

5 gallons of water

Heat and stir together bar soap with 2 quarts water until soap is dissolved. Put 4.5gal. of hot tap water in a 5 gallon bucket and stir in borax and washing soda. Then mix in soap water from the stove and stir. Cover and let sit overnight and stir again in the morning. It will thicken up like jello and you only need 1/2-1c. each load. 

Keeps the money in your pocket to toss into the Salvation Army jar on your way out of the grocery store. Winter is coming everyone and looks like it could be the first snow fall tonight. God must be spilling powder sugar on us as He makes Christmas cookies to celebrate the birth of His Son next month. 

Borax- $4.99

Washing Soda- $3.49

Kirks Castile Soap- $1.49

It comes to about 8 cents a load whereas Tide conventional can cost up to 50 cents per load. What a saver in the long run! Plus; making your own products is a great learning project to enjoy and share with your children.

~Warm Pumpkin Bake~

Ok! I got another great pumpkin recipe you might want to try out. Trust me, it is soooo very nutritious and savory. It will melt in your mouth just thinking about it. I remember my grandmother baking fresh homemade bread every Saturday, and the thought of a piece straight out of the oven is so heavenly! So take a whack at this pumpkin challenge, and enjoy this delicious treat straight from the heart. 

Ingredients:

2c. oat flour/or almond meal

1tbsp. baking powder

1tbsp. cinnamon

1/2tsp. pumpkin spice

1c. unsweetened almond milk(any nut milk works great)

1/3c. melted coconut oil

1tsp. apple cider vinegar

1/2c. sweetener (honey or pure maple syrup)

1.5c. pumpkin puree

1tsp. vanilla

3tsp. ground flax seed

Preheat oven to 415 degrees. Combine flour, baking powder, and spices in a large bowl. Whip together milk, coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, sweetener, pumpkin, vanilla, and ground flax seed. After whipped to wet moist consistency, fold into dry flour mix. Mix until a smooth batter is formed. Grease bread pan with coconut oil and pour in batter. Sprinkle with a dash of cinnamon and oats on top. Bake for 20 minutes. May need to bake 5-10 minutes longer depending on your preference. I like mine not as done and a little extra moist. Serve right out of the oven and drizzle with honey, maple syrup, or coconut oil. Mmmmm......tastes like heaven from grandmas oven.

Savory tip: Apple cider vinegar has great digestive health benefits. It is known to be a great prebiotic that stimulates the digestive system and promotes regular bowl movements. Health starts in the colon :) 

~Are You Pumped, for Pumpkin Spice!!!~

The first day of fall was on October 21st, and after that the weather starts to cool down. Driving home from work last night, I ran into my first encounter with snowflakes. Watch out farmers, get those crops in as soon as possible, you never know how early the winter snow may come.

For all of you out there who love to enjoy a warm beverage on those chilly days, here is a great tasting recipe that is free of all of those unnecessary and sugary ingredients that our bodies don't need. Enjoy this steamed Cuppa Pumpkin Spice Latte on those chilly, breezy fall days. Perfect to warm and carry in your hands on those lovely walks through the crisp bright colored leaves. 

Pumpkin Spice Latte with whipped topping

1c. unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or another plant based variety)

1/2c. organic pumpkin puree

2tsp. cinnamon

1tsp. pumpkin spice

1/2tsp. stevia

Whip all ingredients except stevia together and put in pot and warm on medium high. Stirring consistently for roughly around 5-10 minutes. After it warms to the temperature you like, stir in stevia and serve in desired mug.

Whipped Topping:

1/2c. plain keifer (yogurt works too)

1/4c. flaxseed meal

1/2tsp. stevia

Whip with fork all ingredients until smooth and whipped consistency. Serve on top of latte and dash with cinnamon. Serves one person.

(Savory Tip: Stir in 1/8c. freshly ground espresso beans for a more mocha flavor.)

What does God hear from Heaven?

Ever wonder what God is hearing in heaven? Is He listening to us sing praises to Him, the birds singing their merry song in the morning, the trees blowing in the wind, or simply whales talking to each other? 

I was in church last spring and they played this video for us. I was amazed and my breath was taken away at what I had never thought about before. Take time to watch the video and reflect on all that the mighty Lord has created before us.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zWKm-LZWm4

Just like Bugs Bunny

This is my pet rabbit Fin that my roommate and I got in our dorm room last year in college. Me a rebellious farm gal couldn't get away from my love for animals. So, we got a bunny rabbit! He is a treasure. 

So for now my parents are taking care of him. At first I thought they weren't wanting to let me keep him at the farm, but I can definitely tell he is growing on them. There is a lawn chair in his outdoor cadge....which means it is my dads chair to sit and watch him. And I can tell mom loves him because she has talked to me about how he loves her attention and loves that good back rub from her. He did just shed his autumn coat. Don't animals shed their coats in the spring time? He is an unusual little thing he is, but super cute. Can't wait to have him on my future hobby farm someday. He will be great friends with my goats, chickens, dog, cats, and the random pet pig that will be running around freely. 

Just like Bugs Bunny, he does have a sense of humor and energy as he did. He runs super fast in circles around in his cadge. He even dug a hole in the ground and climbed under his fence!!! Yes!!!! He actually did. More like a dog than a bunny you could say. 

Need a Great Life Inspiring Book to Read? 

Want to dig deeper in your relationship with Christ? 

How about learning to put Christ first in your life through a few books below?

I was watching some videos today from Dannah Gresh, a Christian author who speaks and writes on how women are beautiful and precious in the eyes of the Lord. She writes on how important it is for a woman to remain pure and to keep her virginity, you are more valuable and worthy of more than you can imagine. If you are a woman reading this post, you are your Heavenly Father's princess. He adores you and wants you to treasure and adore Him too.

For you men reading this, you are stronger than you know and can be the spiritual leader in your family that you want to be. If you love and respect your wife/girlfriend, she will be submissive to love and respect you as well.

Take a look at some of her books, you will not want to put them down.

"Get Lost: Your Guide to Finding True Love"-Have you ever ditched a friend for a guy? Filled your journal with more thoughts about guys than God? Found yourself jealous because that other girl gets all the dates? Maybe it’s time to get lost—in God.

Discover how to get so lost in God that a guy has to seek Him to find you.
 
Dannah Gresh traces God’s language of love through Scripture to help you pursue your heart’s deepest desires and seek love the way God designed it to be. Because once you identify yourtrue longings and let God answer them, you’ll know just how to respond when romantic love comes along.

With a guided ten-day Love Feast Challenge, Get Lost will help you see for yourself how getting lost in God opens the door to lifelong fulfillment. You'll want to read it, as I did and wished it was an endless book. I learned a lot of valuable information, one piece being that your relationship with your spouse should reflect your intimate relationship with your Heavenly Father. 

"And the Bride Wore White: Seven Secrets to Sexual Purity"-The greatest proof of its effect is in the lives of tens of thousands of young women who've embraced the book's proven "how-to-wait" skills. Each chapter of And the Bride Wore White begins with a narrative of Dannah Gresh's young love life, taken from her own teenage journals. She transparently shares her struggles and successes, her moments of pain followed by healing and the moments of triumph. This storyline grips the young reader while they learn statistically proven risk-reduction factors. The end result is usable "how-to-say-no" skills that can reduce the risk of a young woman's heart being broken by sexual sin.

"5 Little Questions-That Reveal the Life God Designed for You"-When the alarm clock goes off, do you dread the day—hopelessly enslaved to a schedule that strangles the life out of your passions? Take heart, you’re not alone—not even close.Five little questions. That’s all it takes. In this book, Dannah shows you how she found freedom from an over-busy, under-productive life to one that influences thousands. Her practical do-able steps will help you move from an exhausting life to an exhilarating one. Features real-life stories about Condoleeza Rice, Mary Beth Chapman, Donna VanLiere, Amy Grant and more.

"The Secret of the Lord"-Are you ready to stop playing church and begin living an authentic life in Christ? Do you put on a happy face to disguise feelings of sadness, loneliness, or depression? You’re not alone. Nearly half of all women say they are still searching for one authentic friendship in their church body. Best-selling author Dannah Gresh knows the transforming power that will turn your life into a glorious adventure with God.  Move beyond the masks of simulated perfection so often put on for Sunday morning, and discover true intimacy with God and with other believers. The Secret of the Lord takes you to a place where the lonely find intimacy, the distressed find joy, and God’s love revives entire communities.

The Letter from Jesus

On one of my days off last week I took a trip around the neighborhood with my bicycle. It was as good as it gets for weather in the fall; crisp leaves falling and a ray of sunshine to warm and comfort me from the Heavenly Father. I stopped at a garage sale and saw this picture below for sale. It took my breathe away as I read it.  Take a look at it and let the Holy Spirit take your breathe away.

As we enter a new beloved day, take time to ask the Lord to grant an open heart to ourself as He guides us today to do His wonders. Too often I find myself putting my earthly desires first before God. I know He will provide me with all that I need in life. Therefore, what do I have to worry about? When I find myself needing to focus on my Savior first, I think about The Letter up above that I found at the garage sale. I now know how I can focus better on putting my Savior first before my own earthly desires. It was placed there for a reason, so that I can love my Jesus as best as I can. 

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God. who loved me and gave himself for me.

Our relationship with Jesus is so very important. His reckless act through the cross reveals His compassionate and intimate love for us. For it is through His grace we are saved, not anything we can do ourselves, but through God's free gift. That gift of grace (grace=undeserved love) and the promise of heaven through faith in Him. Why not accept this free gift? Take time today to thank Him for His precious gift and ask the Holy Spirit to help you to focus on your relationship with Him. For we have SO much to look forward to; eternal life in heaven with our dearly beloved Savior! There is no need to worry about anything here on this earth, for it is our temporary home. It will be like a split second compared to eternity in heaven. 

                                                                      Egg Bake Deliciousness!!!

8eggs

1/3c. chopped onion

1/8c. milk(I only had plain knifer so I just used that)

1/2c. chopped kale

1c. flour

2tbsp. coconut oil

dash of pepper and coriander powder

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Check the middle so it is nice and firm when you take it out. If not, put it back in for a few minutes. Yum yum in the Tum!!!

Savory Tip: It is like an egg bread, if you want more of an egg texture, use 1/2c.-3/4c. flour instead. 

As you can see I already took a nice bite out of it. 

Hello Heaven in the Kitchen!

                               Baking for fun again Tracy? You are very much like your grandmother.

        What is better than a freshly picked zucchini from the garden? Zucchini spice crisp is better I'll tell ya! Just like apple crisp but yet better tasting without the guilt. I used a couple ingredients that some may not be familiar with, but its alway fun trying new things right? Get those taste buds ready for a sweet nutritious fall treat.

                                                             Gluten and Guilt Free Zucchini Spice Crisp

                        4c. grated zucchini
                       1/3c. lemon juice
                       1/2c. honey (I used xylitol)
                       1/2tsp. cinnamon
                       1/2tsp. pumpkin pie spice
                   
                       2c. buckwheat flour
                       1c. honey (I used xylitol)
                       1/2tsp. cinnamon
                       3/4c coconut oil

Cook on medium heat first 5 ingredients until zucchini is soft/moist for about 10 minutes. Then in a separate bowl combine flour, 1c. honey, and cinnamon. Melt coconut oil just a tad so you can add to flour mixture to make a crumble stirring with a fork. Use 1/2c. flour mixture to stir into zucchini mixture. Then use half of flour mixture to make a crust on 2 pie pans or any pan that works best for you. Pour zucchini mixture on top of crust and top with the rest of the floured crumbled mix. Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes.

Let cool when you take it out and savor this delicious guilt free treat made fresh as a blessing for the body, soul, and mind all from a garden.

Savory Tip: You may chose to substitute apples for zucchini or another kind of flour for buckwheat flour. Using zucchini and xylitiol makes this sweet treat guilt free from a lot of sugar. Buckwheat makes it much easier on the stomach to digest for anyone. So scoop up a plate of deliciousness!

~Day at the family farm~

 What sort of adventures was I up to today? Well a good summary of my day was doing odds and ends inside and out. Baking this delicious fall treat is just one of them.

Honey Apple Crisp 

8c. chopped apples

2 1/2c. oats

1/2c. melted butter

3/4c. honey

1Tbsp. cinnamon

Put apples in a baking pan; mix together rest of ingredients into a crumble. Top apples with crumble mix. For those cinnamon lovers, sprinkle extra cinnamon on top. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve warm with your choice of ice cream. Yum!!! Nothing like the smell of grandmas kitchen in the fall time. 

Savory Tip: For extra spice, add half a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice with tablespoon of cinnamon. Spices help prevent cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and many others. So don't be afraid to spice up your life!

Mustard Quinoa Salad

4c. Chopped kale

2c. quinoa(pre cooked)

1/2c. mustard(use your favorite flavor/i used dijon) 

1/4c. ground flax seed meal

1c. chopped vegetables(your favorites)

4Tbsp. olive oil

dash of pepper

Mix together and Wahla! 

Savory Tip: When choosing flaxseed, always get it ground. Ground flax seed is much easier to digest. When you have the whole seed, it may go through the body undigested. In other words, you may not absorb all of the nutrients from these savory seeds. When in doubt; chose ground flaxseed.

WELCOME one and all to my blog! This is my first post, yet alone my first blog! I am very excited to begin sharing my favorite things that this beautiful earth has to offer. Take a moment today to look outside at the big blue sky. Think about how breathtaking and big it is! Just like the heavens, both are immesurable and too big for our minds to grasp. But what we do know of them; they are powerful, glorious, limitless, and created by God the Almighty. Enjoy the simple things in life.