As of May 28th my husband and I are officially nomads. We have no place of residence to send our plethora of bills, and we are months away from finding another place to rent. We have been preparing for this move for a while and I fully expect that there will be a lot of growing as we venture off into the wild. We’re going to spend most of the summer of 2011 in South Dakota- with Steffen helping dad build a house in the Black Hills, and me staying with mom back in Huron. Later in the summer we’ll most likely move to Indiana to settle in for a while.
As we go through different times, states, people, and friends, I’d like to attempt to document as much as I can here on my blog. I’m not sure how much internet access I’ll have, but I’ll try my hardest to update those of you who’ve told me you’re curious.
Also, I have a few goals for this summer, so I’d like to make a mental note here for myself to look back on and check in on to see how I’m doing.
1. Exercise 5 days a week
2. Read through the life of Abraham
3. Read one of the books I’ve packed- either Jane Eyre or A Severe Mercy.
4. Volunteer as much as possible
5. Write letters to friends and family
6. Learn as much about my new camera as possible
7. Learn more from mom about sewing
8. Bake and cook with a healthy and frugal mindset
So, with no further adieu, here’s to a new book in life!
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
On Money: part 1
I've always liked working with money. As a child I remember counting out every single penny I had and writing down the much anticipated amount in my Lisa Frank notebook.
The day I started my first job was the day I started managing my own personal finances. Dad and mom required that I start paying for my own stuff from that day forward- which ranged from my own out to eat decisions to car insurance. Of course, I envied the girls in high school that had millionaire parents who would pay for anything they wanted, not to mention giving them extra spending money to blow.
In high school I took a few finance classes that I enjoyed. I did really well in those classes but looking back I don't think it was because I studied hard. There was some connection that inspired me to want to learn more about the subjects.
Ok. Getting a bit long winded here. Sorry bout that.
Anyways, I ended up going to a University for accounting, but ended up graduating with an associates degree in office administration two years later.
It's really in the last few years of my life that I've realized how much of a nerd I am. I love working with money! More specifically, I'm addicted to managing our finances and learning as much as I can about making wise choices for our future in this area.
I started out marriage a bit extreme- saving every receipt from every single transaction. I'd file them in their respective categories and add them up every week to give an update to Steffen. You'll be happy to know that I threw that folder away last week and our tracking system has upgraded to the 21st century electronic format.
So why am I sharing this all with you? I guess just because I'm passionate about it. We all want everyone else to relate with our passions, right? Well, this is just dusting the surface for me. Stay tuned for part two which will most likely be pretty uncomfortable for the both of us.
The day I started my first job was the day I started managing my own personal finances. Dad and mom required that I start paying for my own stuff from that day forward- which ranged from my own out to eat decisions to car insurance. Of course, I envied the girls in high school that had millionaire parents who would pay for anything they wanted, not to mention giving them extra spending money to blow.
In high school I took a few finance classes that I enjoyed. I did really well in those classes but looking back I don't think it was because I studied hard. There was some connection that inspired me to want to learn more about the subjects.
Ok. Getting a bit long winded here. Sorry bout that.
Anyways, I ended up going to a University for accounting, but ended up graduating with an associates degree in office administration two years later.
It's really in the last few years of my life that I've realized how much of a nerd I am. I love working with money! More specifically, I'm addicted to managing our finances and learning as much as I can about making wise choices for our future in this area.
I started out marriage a bit extreme- saving every receipt from every single transaction. I'd file them in their respective categories and add them up every week to give an update to Steffen. You'll be happy to know that I threw that folder away last week and our tracking system has upgraded to the 21st century electronic format.
So why am I sharing this all with you? I guess just because I'm passionate about it. We all want everyone else to relate with our passions, right? Well, this is just dusting the surface for me. Stay tuned for part two which will most likely be pretty uncomfortable for the both of us.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Exciting Results and Big News!
This weekend was huge for me! I finally conquered the previously (in my mind) unthinkable- I finished a 5K race! Yes, that’s right! My goal was to finish it in under 40 minutes. I’ve been training for this since March, and my fastest time /furthest distance yet was 38 minutes in 2.75 miles around a lake. Well, come race day, we found out there were some decent hills. Hope Lien joined me in the race, as her first 5K as well and we both just conquered it. She finished a few minutes before me, and I stepped over the finish line at 39:15 minutes. AAAAAAAHHHH! I was just super super excited. I really didn’t think I’d make the lofty goal after 3.1 miles.
The Lord is good. So many days in April I just wanted to lay inside and forget about the dreaded race. But there were so many times when I was out pounding the pavement where I experienced God…through people, through a rain storm, through a sunset, through music… The Lord is real. I just needed to look around for Him encouraging me along the way.
Also, I came home Friday night and found my camera that I ordered in the mail! I was so excited to win the bid on ebay back on Tuesday but who knew that it would be here so soon. Of course, I’ve been messing around with it nonstop. Currently having some software issues on the computer, but that doesn’t stop me! I’m so excited learn how to use it well. Anyone up for a photoshoot?
Finally, just one more important announcement:
We’re moving!
Yes, the day has come. We’ve prayed and talked and sought wise counsel and after 6 months we’ve come to the conclusion. So here’s the plan: Move out with my parents to South Dakota the first week of June. We’ll sell all of our stuff that doesn’t fit in the van, and leave the rest behind for others to just have. Steffen will work along side my father and younger brother, building my dad’s dream: a house in the Black Hills. Nope, Steffen doesn’t have any experience, but the good news is that my dad is a pretty patient teacher! I’ll be living with mom (either in Huron or in the Black Hills) and will just LOVE that. I hope to get some sort of job for that time, but if I don’t, I fully plan on volunteering, taking pictures, reading, cooking, exercising, and spending quality time with mudder. Steffen and I will probably stay in South Dakota for about two months, but that’s not concrete. Our final destination is Lafayette, IN, where we’ll nestle down with family and friends for a few years, Lord willing. I’m really really excited to be with the family in SD this summer, and that’s about the furthest my mind has wandered.
We don’t have any jobs lined up upon returning to Indiana, and that’s fine. Really, we don’t have anything lined up upon our return, except that we should have some cash saved up. We could really use your prayers over the next few months, as we transition our lives into the next few chapters. Prayer for: safety during construction for all, safety in travel (our van has 200,000 miles on it now), and just wisdom in choices we make as next steps.
Tune in as I’ll be posting pictures as much as possible!
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
a few food facts
Well, the Lord has been good! Since January, Steffen and I have been pretty serious about changing the way we eat, when we eat, how much we eat, and what we eat. Sometimes now when I look at my grocery cart full of fresh food, I’m just amazed at how far we’ve come. Sound a bit prideful? Well, sorry, but this is something that was (and still is) difficult to change for us.
Part of what helps me to stay motivated is learning more and more about food: where it’s coming from, how it’s made, how the animals are treated, what chemicals are used, and what ‘fake’ ingredients are (you know, those bajillion on the box that you can’t even pronounce?). I feel like I’ve learned a lot, and it just continually makes me want to A: eat fresh, whole, organic ingredients (and local if possible) and B: learn as much as I can about what America is shoving into their mouths.
So, today I decided to share some with you! The bulleted points are what I’ve learned from reading the articles. All credit to them!
Eating for Athletic Fitness
http://strongertogether.coop/at-the-market/eating-for-athletic-fitness/
• My body needs protein if I’m continually breaking down muscle (exercising).
• My body generates “free radicals” after I break down muscle in a workout. These can be harmful if I don’t take in enough antioxidants.
Heart healthy foods are something that I’ve been trying to implement more and more, seeing as both my husband and I are most likely at-risk or will become that if we didn’t curve our eating habits. Here’s what I’ve been using:
• Olive oil
• Ground flaxseed
• Skinless poultry
• Brown rice
• Oats
• Whole-grain bread/pasta
• Bananas
• Avocados
• Raisins
• Sweet potatoes
• Dark chocolate
http://strongertogether.coop/at-the-market/eating-for-a-healthy-heart/
Soy and Corn: Healthy Choices
http://strongertogether.coop/from-the-source/soy-and-corn-healthy-choices-or-hidden-ingredients/
1. Corn derivatives make up about 25% of the average American’s diet.
2. A mere 0.75% of the corn that is grown in America is sweet corn that we can eat off the cob
3. Corn derivatives list (see below)
Here are some of the ingredients to look for if you want to avoid corn derivatives:
citric acid, confectioner’s sugar, corn flour, corn fructose, corn meal, corn oil, corn syrup, dextrin and dextrose, fructose, lactic acid, malt, mono- and diglycerides, monosodium glutamate, sorbitol, and starch (baking powder usually contains cornstarch, by the way). Many vitamins also contain corn.
website: http://strongertogether.coop/from-the-source/soy-and-corn-healthy-choices-or-hidden-ingredients/
Talking Turkey: A Poultry Primer
http://strongertogether.coop/from-the-source/talking-turkey-a-poultry-primer/
1. The color of the egg shell doesn't reflect how good the egg will be. It only reflects the breed of chicken.
2. A list of the following classifications of poultry: organic, free-range, natural, "no hormones added", "no antibiotics added", cage free, pastured, fresh.
Food Matters (movie)
http://www.foodmatters.tv/
1. Heart disease is the #1 cause of death. For 1/2 of the people that die of heart disease, the first symptom is death.
2. I'm not sure if this is right, but this is what I think I understand: The US does not allow hospitals to practice nutritional therapy as an option for cancer patients to go to.
3. There are so many toxins!!!!!! I need a detox. Finding the right for us right now is the plan.
4. From what the movie was saying, there is basically no cap to the amount of vitamins that you take. Ok, that's a bit drastic. Basically, you most likely won't die from taking too many vitamins.
5. 5. In the last 20+ years, there's only been like 10 vitamin-related deaths.
6. Yes, raw whole foods are good for your body. But from what I understand, it's difficult for your body to break down some types of foods into the necessary form to spread through your body. This movie recommended juicing since what you are drinking is already in liquid form. I think this is interesting....but I do wonder, isn't it good for your body to break down foods? Aren't you burning calories by breaking down foods?
7. Juicing is a good option to get more nutrients out of fruits and vegetables.
8. By cooking foods, we are losing many of the nutrients. Applying heat to fruits and vegetables kills certain enzymes and proteins (at least I think that's what they said.) One fact I def. remember is even just steaming vegetables in water for 10 minutes decreases their nutritional value by 20%!
9. The recommended eating raw fruits and veggies to consume at least 50% of your daily diet.
10. Taking prescription drugs isn't necessarily bad for you; being addicted to them for life is! 'A pill to cure the ill.' Yes, there's one for any ailment you can think of. Do we need to resort to drugs each time? No. Try to use natural supplements.
Fresh (movie)
http://www.freshthemovie.com/
1. We are the caretakers of the land and we should be responsible to what God has given to us!
2. The cycle of mother nature works (plants vs. animals)..... so why don't we use it?
3. I will be growing my own garden when I have the chance!!!!
Herbs for Health and Healing by Kathi Keville (book)
1. Onions and garlic are good for your veins and capillaries. Why? They work against cholesterol build-up.
2. Fiber is needed to help your liver healthy. (And the liver works to break down fat.) Some foods high in fiber include: carrots, cabbage, apples, grapefruit, pinto or navy beans
3. There is a fungicide in red wine that makes it good for your heart. But it has to be good wine, not the cheap-o wine. The inexpensive wine normally made with grapes that have been sprayed with pesticides. This fungicide is not in these grapes!
Part of what helps me to stay motivated is learning more and more about food: where it’s coming from, how it’s made, how the animals are treated, what chemicals are used, and what ‘fake’ ingredients are (you know, those bajillion on the box that you can’t even pronounce?). I feel like I’ve learned a lot, and it just continually makes me want to A: eat fresh, whole, organic ingredients (and local if possible) and B: learn as much as I can about what America is shoving into their mouths.
So, today I decided to share some with you! The bulleted points are what I’ve learned from reading the articles. All credit to them!
Eating for Athletic Fitness
http://strongertogether.coop/at-the-market/eating-for-athletic-fitness/
• My body needs protein if I’m continually breaking down muscle (exercising).
• My body generates “free radicals” after I break down muscle in a workout. These can be harmful if I don’t take in enough antioxidants.
Heart healthy foods are something that I’ve been trying to implement more and more, seeing as both my husband and I are most likely at-risk or will become that if we didn’t curve our eating habits. Here’s what I’ve been using:
• Olive oil
• Ground flaxseed
• Skinless poultry
• Brown rice
• Oats
• Whole-grain bread/pasta
• Bananas
• Avocados
• Raisins
• Sweet potatoes
• Dark chocolate
http://strongertogether.coop/at-the-market/eating-for-a-healthy-heart/
Soy and Corn: Healthy Choices
http://strongertogether.coop/from-the-source/soy-and-corn-healthy-choices-or-hidden-ingredients/
1. Corn derivatives make up about 25% of the average American’s diet.
2. A mere 0.75% of the corn that is grown in America is sweet corn that we can eat off the cob
3. Corn derivatives list (see below)
Here are some of the ingredients to look for if you want to avoid corn derivatives:
citric acid, confectioner’s sugar, corn flour, corn fructose, corn meal, corn oil, corn syrup, dextrin and dextrose, fructose, lactic acid, malt, mono- and diglycerides, monosodium glutamate, sorbitol, and starch (baking powder usually contains cornstarch, by the way). Many vitamins also contain corn.
website: http://strongertogether.coop/from-the-source/soy-and-corn-healthy-choices-or-hidden-ingredients/
Talking Turkey: A Poultry Primer
http://strongertogether.coop/from-the-source/talking-turkey-a-poultry-primer/
1. The color of the egg shell doesn't reflect how good the egg will be. It only reflects the breed of chicken.
2. A list of the following classifications of poultry: organic, free-range, natural, "no hormones added", "no antibiotics added", cage free, pastured, fresh.
Food Matters (movie)
http://www.foodmatters.tv/
1. Heart disease is the #1 cause of death. For 1/2 of the people that die of heart disease, the first symptom is death.
2. I'm not sure if this is right, but this is what I think I understand: The US does not allow hospitals to practice nutritional therapy as an option for cancer patients to go to.
3. There are so many toxins!!!!!! I need a detox. Finding the right for us right now is the plan.
4. From what the movie was saying, there is basically no cap to the amount of vitamins that you take. Ok, that's a bit drastic. Basically, you most likely won't die from taking too many vitamins.
5. 5. In the last 20+ years, there's only been like 10 vitamin-related deaths.
6. Yes, raw whole foods are good for your body. But from what I understand, it's difficult for your body to break down some types of foods into the necessary form to spread through your body. This movie recommended juicing since what you are drinking is already in liquid form. I think this is interesting....but I do wonder, isn't it good for your body to break down foods? Aren't you burning calories by breaking down foods?
7. Juicing is a good option to get more nutrients out of fruits and vegetables.
8. By cooking foods, we are losing many of the nutrients. Applying heat to fruits and vegetables kills certain enzymes and proteins (at least I think that's what they said.) One fact I def. remember is even just steaming vegetables in water for 10 minutes decreases their nutritional value by 20%!
9. The recommended eating raw fruits and veggies to consume at least 50% of your daily diet.
10. Taking prescription drugs isn't necessarily bad for you; being addicted to them for life is! 'A pill to cure the ill.' Yes, there's one for any ailment you can think of. Do we need to resort to drugs each time? No. Try to use natural supplements.
Fresh (movie)
http://www.freshthemovie.com/
1. We are the caretakers of the land and we should be responsible to what God has given to us!
2. The cycle of mother nature works (plants vs. animals)..... so why don't we use it?
3. I will be growing my own garden when I have the chance!!!!
Herbs for Health and Healing by Kathi Keville (book)
1. Onions and garlic are good for your veins and capillaries. Why? They work against cholesterol build-up.
2. Fiber is needed to help your liver healthy. (And the liver works to break down fat.) Some foods high in fiber include: carrots, cabbage, apples, grapefruit, pinto or navy beans
3. There is a fungicide in red wine that makes it good for your heart. But it has to be good wine, not the cheap-o wine. The inexpensive wine normally made with grapes that have been sprayed with pesticides. This fungicide is not in these grapes!
Sunday, May 1, 2011
As of Late...
Well I FINALLY figured out how to post larger pictures on Blogger than what I have been posting. Horray! Only thing I need to figure out now is how to widen my blog area so they fit. Oh well.
So here's a visual update of what I've been doing lately... enjoy!
These are pictures of the murder mystery party that the young adults from my church put together. So much fun!
And here's some great pics that commenced the beginning of spring grillin time!
Then one day I met up with my dear friend Cassie and we went out for a random, unexpected photoshoot in a cool spot near downtown. I'm still learning this whole SLR deal...but she was a great model. Beautiful and just super patient with my "uh, hold on...I think I need to adjust something..."
Yes, I've found beauty in Minneapolis....
So here's a visual update of what I've been doing lately... enjoy!
These are pictures of the murder mystery party that the young adults from my church put together. So much fun!
And here's some great pics that commenced the beginning of spring grillin time!
Then one day I met up with my dear friend Cassie and we went out for a random, unexpected photoshoot in a cool spot near downtown. I'm still learning this whole SLR deal...but she was a great model. Beautiful and just super patient with my "uh, hold on...I think I need to adjust something..."
Yes, I've found beauty in Minneapolis....
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