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2021 Word of the Year Growth 4 Jan 2021 6:10 PM (4 years ago)

I’ve been pondering my word of the year for a few weeks now, but nothing seemed to fit. I even did some of those cute online quizzes to help me pick out a word, but they weren’t right either. This morning as I was cutting up wood with the chainsaw it hit me.

My 2021 word of the year is growth! I already knew that I wanted to work on growth in myself (physically, spiritually, and in knowledge), growth in my business, and growth in my relationships.

I’m not sure why it didn’t dawn on me sooner as it was right in front on me the entire time. I think it was one of those situations where I was, once again, overthinking things. Overthinking things is one of those growth areas that I need to work on this year.

Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. ~Colossians 2:6-7

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2020 52 Hike Challenge 13 Jan 2020 8:08 AM (5 years ago)

2020 is here and with it comes a brand new 52 Hike Challenge. This year, the 52 Hike Challenge has added a variety of new challenges including hiking with dogs and hiking with kids. They even have an awesome new lifetime National Park challenge.

Since we’re just getting back into hiking again after D’s surgery, we’re going to tackle the adventure series hiking challenge. The adventure series challenge is basically the original 52 Hike Challenge with some fun objectives for the hikes. The objectives fit right in with the types of hikes that we enjoy plus there are a few which will make us get a bit more creative with our hikes.

While I’m fully aware that it may be difficult to get 52 hikes in this year with our crazy life, we’re still setting it as a goal. I miss going out and hiking on a regular basis, so this will be a great way to try to achieve that balance of work and play. Committing to the challenge is a purposeful way to make sure that we’re getting outdoors as a family.

We’ll also be starting the Lifetime National Park Challenge. We love exploring our National Parks, so this is a perfect fit for our family. Too bad we didn’t have this last year when we did our cross country road trip. Oh well, guess we get to create some more memories over the next few years.

Our hiking goals this year are to really explore both the state and national parks and forests in Arizona. We will plan on specific dates to explore the parks and add in additional local hikes on a regular basis.

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2020 Word of the Year – Balance 7 Jan 2020 9:28 AM (5 years ago)

As I entered into 2020, I couldn’t decide on my word of the year. Nothing was coming to mind until I realized what I kept saying over and over. I need to make sure I have balance in my life. Duh! Balance naturally became my word for the year.

Sometimes I get so focused on the tasks at hand that I can’t see the forest through the trees. The last couple of years have been so crazy and filled with changes that I’ve been way too focused on to-do lists and chores while forgetting to do things that are just plain enjoyable. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love homestead life and taking care of my family, but somewhere along the way, I’ve lost some of the joy that comes with stepping away from the everyday routine.

It’s during these times that I need to take a step back and find some balance in my life. One of the ways that I find some balance is heading outdoors and enjoying nature. This year, we’re going to be making more time for outdoor fun. That means purposefully making plans to step away from the to-do lists and chores.

We live in an amazing state for exploration and outdoor fun. It’s time to really get out there and start enjoying it more again. It’s time to find the balance between work and fun.

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Looking Back at 2019 6 Jan 2020 5:29 PM (5 years ago)

I can’t believe we’re already in 2020. It seems like 2019 just started, and here we are in a new year. We had a crazy year filled with big events both good and bad. I had plans to be solid in my blogging, but I truly lost track of time as we tackled one thing after another. I thought it would be fun to take a look back at some of the major events from this past year as we begin 2020.

January found us starting the new year with snow. We were pretty excited to be enjoying the snow, but we had no idea how much snow would come our way that winter. Taking care of the critters was quite the adventure with 2+ feet of snow on the ground. Between all of the snow and rain, the roads were rather crazy getting to and from our place.

D and I got in a little hiking, but not nearly as much as we would have liked. My favorite hike was probably an impromptu hike in the snow. Thankfully, someone had broken a trail or it would have been a bit more difficult to make our way around the trail.

Munchkin and I enjoyed a fun trip to our local zoo while she was home for a break from college. It was a nice change of pace for me and a good break from schoolwork for Munchkin. We learned that we definitely need to go back in warmer weather as not all of the animals were available for viewing.

May found us finally putting up our barn. Grandma and Grandpa flew in to help us build the barn which was fitting given they started the process with us a few years ago. It was great to be spend time with them and create some great memories in the process of building.

July brought a crazy road trip for D and me. We saw a good part of the country as we headed to visit family on the other side of the country. Munchkin stayed home to work and take care of all of the critters. Wyatt was pretty tired of riding in the truck by the time we got back home. We were all glad to sleep in our own bed. It was great to spend one-on-one time with D while we traveled, and it was nice to spend some time with family that we hadn’t seen for some time.

Before heading back to college, we took Munchkin to the aquarium. She wanted to do something fun that would also allow her to get some cool pictures for her photography portfolio.

November saw D have his 3rd back surgery. It was a long, complicated surgery. While the surgery went well, he did have some complications afterwards which required a longer hospital stay than expected. It was nice when he was finally able to come home.

After D arrived home from the hospital, he received his degree in the mail. That’s right! He finally completed his doctorate. To say I’m super proud of his hard work is a major understatement.

December was another huge occasion with Munchkin graduating from college. D wasn’t going to miss his baby girl’s graduation even if he was only 4 weeks post op. We brought her home the next day. It was time for a little down time and family time.

Sadly, Munchkin’s guinea pig passing away on Christmas morning. It ended up being a different kind of Christmas for us this year. It was all about lifting up our girl as she was hurting. We set aside normal traditions and focused on things that lightened the mood.

Thankfully, the year ended on a better note when we were given 2 young guinea pigs. They couldn’t replace the sweet one that we lost, but it helped ease the pain of the loss.

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Welcoming in the New Year with Snow 5 Jan 2019 8:54 AM (6 years ago)

2019 is beginning with a beautiful wintery storm. I love seeing the light covering of snow as we look out over the homestead. It’s cold yet peaceful.

The animals don’t mind as it isn’t a ton of snow. Phantom actually loves the snow. Dixie, on the other hand, would prefer to stay in the shelter. The other critters are good as long as the wind isn’t too crazy.

December was a bit rough for our family as we said goodbye to Wiley. A couple of weeks later, we also said goodbye to Munchkin’s sweet guinea pig. We ended up burying them right by each other under a tree. I want to plant a bush at the top of each of their graves once spring comes around.

The fresh snow feels like a new beginning for 2019. While it may end up being a crazy year, this new beginning is welcome.

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Saying Goodbye to Wiley 2 Dec 2018 8:26 AM (6 years ago)

Wiley had a rough year with the bilateral ccl tears, but he made a full recovery without surgery. It was fun seeing him able to enjoy taking walks again. He was happy to be able to get out and enjoy life a bit more.

Sadly, he didn’t get the opportunity to play with Noki without an injury before he unexpectedly passed away. He was fine in the morning and gone by evening. D and I sat with him as he took his final breath.

It was already dark by this point, so we wrapped him up in what would have been his Christmas blanket and placed him in the safety of the bed of the truck. The next morning, I dug a grave beneath a tree. It took some time, but when I was done, I laid him gently in the fresh grave.

Our boy was gone too soon. The hard part about getting rescue dogs is you never really know their health history, but we wouldn’t change a thing. He brought such joy into our lives during the years that he was with us.

We immediately began to see a change in Wyatt. Our once aloof pup was becoming more attached. Since he only ever knew life with Wiley, he was grieving and didn’t want to be left alone. We’re welcoming this new change as it’s nice to be able to cuddle with out fluffy boy.

Goodbye sweet Wiley. Thank you for all the wonderful memories.

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Making Stovetop Popcorn for Family Movie Night 26 May 2018 4:00 AM (7 years ago)

Special thanks to Moms Meet and Malaysian Palm Oil for providing a sample of the palm oil for our movie night.

Around here, family movie night means gluten free pizza and popcorn. This week, we picked up Black Panther from Redbox as we haven’t seen it as a family yet. I decided that it was time for some stovetop popcorn as you can’t beat the flavor of that freshly popped popcorn.

When my grandma was visiting a while back, I made stovetop popcorn, and she was really excited as she hadn’t had popcorn made like that for ages. She said it’s the best way to have popcorn. While microwave popcorn may be quick and easy, there is no substitute for old-fashioned stovetop popcorn.

Making popcorn on the stove is surprisingly fast and easy, and it doesn’t take any longer than microwave popcorn. You just need a little oil and popcorn kernels.

Easy Stovetop Popcorn

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp Malaysian Palm Oil*
• 1/2 Cup Popcorn Kernels
• butter (optional)
• seasoning (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a 4-quart thick-bottomed saucepan on medium-high heat. When using palm oil, you may need to allow it to completely melt if still solid.
2. Put 2 or 3 popcorn kernels into the oil. Wait for the popcorn kernels to pop.
3. When the kernels pop, add the rest of the 1/2 cup of popcorn kernels in an even layer.
4. Cover the pot and remove from heat for 30 seconds.
5. Return the pan to the heat. You should hear lots of popping as the popcorn begins to pop all at once. Once the popping starts in earnest, gently move the pan back and forth over the burner.
6. Once the popping slows to several seconds between pops, remove the pan from the heat, remove the lid, and dump the popcorn into a bowl.
7. If using butter, toss it into the now empty, hot pan to melt.
8. Top the popcorn with butter and desired seasoning.

*Malyasian Palm Oil has a rich orange color because it’s loaded with carotenoids. It contains 15 times more provitamin A carotenes than carrots and 300 times more than tomatoes. Palm oil’s form of vitamin E form (tocotrienols) has 60 times the antioxidant power of the more typical form (tocopherols). It’s trans fat free and rich with nutrients. It is sustainably grown and produced in Malaysia. It’s non-gmo and perfect for high-temperature cooking. Palm oil does not need to be refrigerated. It solidifies below 51 degrees.

When you make popcorn with red palm oil, you’ll notice that the popcorn has a slightly orange tone to it even without adding any butter or seasoning.

 

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Strawberry Hazelnut Graham Cracker Bites 23 May 2018 9:03 AM (7 years ago)

Special thanks to Moms Meet and Once Again Nut Butter for providing a sample of the Amore Hazelnut Spread to use in this recipe.

Sometimes you just want something sweet, fresh, and delicious, but you don’t want to bake anything. Around here, the weather is getting warmer, and we still want dessert without heating up the house with baked goods. I decided to pair gluten free graham crackers with Once Again Nut Butter Hazelnut Spread and fresh strawberries for a tasty treat.

I really like Once Again Nut Butters as they are non-gmo project verified, certified gluten free, certified organic, and fair trade certified. If you recall, I used them to create a variety of different recipes including the popular protein bites that we love for snacking and on the trail. I like that they have delicious flavors without adding artificial flavors, colors, or hydrogenated oils. In other words, you’re getting a healthier product that tastes great.

With the hazelnut spread, you want to make sure you stir it up really well before using it as it does separate a little. Spread a nice layer on your graham crackers and top with sliced strawberries. For a little extra decadence, you could top with a dollop of whipped cream.

Other options, use instead of chocolate bars for yummy s’mores. Keep in simple and use it as a dip for fresh fruit.

It’s nice to have a hazelnut spread that has healthier ingredients without the additives that you can feel good about feeding your family.

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The End of an Adventure – Marine Corps Retirement 11 Apr 2018 8:14 AM (7 years ago)

When one adventure story ends, another story begins…

As I sit down to write today, I can’t believe that 3 weeks have passed since we celebrated D’s Marine Corps career. After 23 years of moving every few years and putting down shallow roots wherever we were stationed, we will now be putting down permanent roots on our homestead. Life will be changing in so many ways that we still haven’t truly come to understand the significance of the end of this military adventure.

Over the years, we’ve lived all over the United States, met some really cool people, and experienced a variety of amazing adventures which would never have happened if it weren’t for our lives as a military family. As I try to wrap my head around it all, I am thankful for each stage of D’s career even if they weren’t all easy. New duty stations, leaving friends, deployments… not easy.  Yet with each new chapter came new adventures that were fun and helped us grow together as a family.

We went into military life together. We were young and, in many ways, naive about what the future held for us. We’re walking away older, wiser, and with a variety of rich life experiences. D was strong and healthy when he joined. He’s walking away broken and unable to do many of the things he could before, yet he doesn’t regret his service. His deployments were hard on him and changed him in many ways, but he’s still thankful for those experiences.

D didn’t want a formal retirement ceremony. Instead, he decided to do a more relaxed celebration in Joshua Tree National Park. Anyone who knows him saw how fitting this location was for the celebrating his Marine Corps career. We spent a lot of time in the park and being outdoors, in a less formal setting, is totally him. He did have a little more formal award ceremony earlier in the day.

We’re all still trying to wrap our heads around the fact that there won’t be any more new duty stations, no more moving every few years. It’s all still too new.

We’re closing the pages on the second book in our lives: Marine Corps Adventures. As we set aside that adventure, we open a new book filled with blank pages waiting for new adventures to be experienced and written.

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Wiley: Knee Injury Recovery without Surgery Part 3 12 Mar 2018 2:41 PM (7 years ago)

Conservative management for a ccl tear is not an easy process, but I am determined to do what I believe is best for Wiley. Knee braces were only part of the process. We also needed to add appropriate physical therapy and supplements to the mix.

It took a little time, but I was able to find a local holistic vet. While she wasn’t keen on the knee brace instead of surgery route, she was supportive of the decision. Our first visit included a nice sit-down where she got to know both Wiley and me. It’s nice when you can get on the same page as the vet even if you’re don’t agree one-hundred percent on everything.

His first treatments included both cold laser therapy and acupuncture. He wasn’t sure about either at first, but he did really well. I could visually see him relaxing with the acupuncture which was amazing. It made me think that I need to try out acupuncture for myself. lol! By the time the treatment was finished, he was so mellow and relaxed. I didn’t get any pictures because I didn’t want to take away from the process.

We discussed a few different pain medication options. I wanted to stick with a more natural approach, so she recommended t-relief for him. It can be used for both humans and dogs.

His current supplements include Turmeric, T-Relief, and GlycoFlex 3. They get tucked inside of meatballs, so he’s happy to take them. It took a little bit to find the right supplements for him, but this particular combination seems to work quite well in helping him feel better. In fact, sometimes he feels a little too good for his own well-being. He wants to do too much for where he’s at in the recovery process.

The plan in to periodically do the acupuncture with him. I wish we could do it more frequently, but it’s just not in the budget to do it all the time. I do massage with him at home like the vet taught me. I don’t do the range of motion exercises as we don’t want the knee sliding around which is the purpose of the braces. We want the scar tissue to build up as that’s part of the healing process.

The daily walks (as weather allows) while wearing his braces are helping build his muscle back up. Plus, they help with his emotional well-being which goes a long way in helping with the recovery process. These days, keeping him from being too active is one of the hardest parts of the conservative management recovery process. As he feels better, he wants to get back to playing again.

Follow our dog knee injury recovery without surgery journey:

• Part 1: Dog Knee Injury Recovery without Surgery – The Journey Begins
• Part 2: Dog Knee Injury Recovery without Surgery – Ordering and Using Knee Braces
• First Walk after Bilateral CCL Injury

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