Granola Bar in a Bowl

This post may seem weird, but this is delicious and packed full of goodies. You don't even need to add any sweetener. :) Though B still adds a little brown sugar. LOL

Ingredients
4 cups warm water
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup raisins
1 or 2 scoops Vanilla Juice Plus+ Complete
2 tablespoons each, Chia Seeds and Flax Seeds
2 tablespoons Coconut Oil
1 tablespoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon fresh ground Ginger

Directions
1. Put all dry ingredients except Vanilla Complete in a pot
2. Pour warm water over all other ingredients
3. Turn heat to medium/medium high, bring to a boil, simmer for 5 minutes, remove from heat and cover. Let stand approximately 5 more minutes.
4. Stir in Vanilla Complete. Serve!

My kiddo loves this! Seriously, he was having a cranky day and I mixed one scoop of Vanilla and one scoop of Chocolate complete into this recipe and he ate every last bite. Win!

Changing it up for the next 6 weeks

Hey there everyone!

Just letting you know that you'll see a lot more short recipes popping up on the blog over the next few weeks. Heading into the holiday season, my passion for health kicks into over drive!

On top of hosting an Informational Open House this Thursday for my local people today, at officially halfway through this pregnancy, I'm starting 6 weeks of quick healthy meal posts. I'll post two to three times a week to encourage you to keep thealthy options in your life while enjoying the holiday treats you love!

Post incoming with today's delicious recipe. :)

M

Lord, I Need A Miracle - Leah Depascal

"I give thanks to you, because you have answered me. You are my savior." Psalm 118:21

The Daily Dose today centers around a miracle in this writer's family, healing and recovery that were unexpected and faster than the doctors could have dreamed.

While I love these kinds of stories, I love when people are healed, I can't help but also thanking God when things don't go the way we think they should.

I give thanks to God, because he answered me. His answers are not always what I want. Earlier this year my faith family lost a bright and shining light. She was an amazing woman with faith through to the end. Her husband is our worship pastor and returned to leading main service worship for our 3 gatherings just weeks after losing his high school sweetheart. God answered us. He gave her ultimate healing and did his will.

Sometimes, as Christians we have a habit of focusing on only the good that comes from our prayers. Almost implying to the non-believer that God is a magical genie that grants wishes to those that are worthy, instead of answering in His will all prayers we send to him.

Yesterday, I took prayer requests from our 5th and 6th grade classes. Many kids asking for healing from cancer for their grandparents, prayer over many different family members having surgery soon...a reoccurring prayer that an uncle would quit smoking. I want more than anything for these kids to understand that our prayers aren't orders for God. We pray when we have worries or issues too big for us, not because every prayer is going to get what we want. I want these kids to know that even if their grandpa doesn't recover from cancer here, that ultimate healing is what comes, and that while we're sad to lose them it's the answer our prayers received.

It's so hard to explain to people the trust I have in God's will. No matter what I know that His will is better than mine. I know that putting all of my will aside will ultimately bring so much more into my life.

So, I give thanks because God has answered me, Jesus is my savior...and His will is perfect. Even if I don't receive the same kinds of miracles others do.

Here are a couple other verses for you today:

Psalm 9:1b, "I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds." (NIV)

1 Chronicles 16:34, "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever." (NIV)

Praying for you all and hoping that your November is filled with thanks and peace. :)

M

Dear Mom

Hey...it's that day again.

It hasn't gotten any easier even though many people said it would. I couldn't sleep, even though I tried to go to bed over an hour ago.

This year is 14 years since you've been gone. Almost half my life so far.

Gideon is huge. I wish you'd have told me how all consuming my love for my kids would be. I know you showed me...it just constantly sinks more and more into my head. Even IF he pooped so much on himself Tuesday at church that I had to ask for a tub of soapy water to clean him while he repeated, "I'm sorry" Oh my sweet 2.5 year old.

You have a fourth grandchild coming...I'm April, the 4thish. We'll see. And this one is giving me a run for my money. Everyone says this one has to be a girl. I wonder what you would say. I can see you kissing their sweet faces and holding little hands as they reached up for you. Giggling at them and making funny faces and sounds like you still did when I was a teenager. Like in the photos. I can see you holding them, asleep on the couch snuggled up and just at so much peace.

I'm 30, almost 31...just like I was 16, almost 17... how did that happen? I can't have gone this many years...

Still madly in love with this crazy man...truly, he drives me absolutely batty sometimes. Then he bakes cookies with Aunt Tracy's recipe and makes me lemonade because I was craving it. You'd like him, you really would. He has a funny laugh, loud...and he's sassy and funny...you'd make so much fun of him. :)

I wish I'd had more times to talk about all the things I should know. Like pap smears and the awkward conversations you have with the person doing them. About losing a man you thought was forever...and how desperately women need other women. How I'd find a tribe all my own and how I'd need to cling to them. The love I have for my once very awkward body, even if it hasn't changed all that much. I never really understood your fashion sense when I was still ashamed of what my body looked like. I wear the weirdest stuff now. How the sound of my son's breathing changing could snap me out of any day dream. How absolutely crazy a pregnant woman can be...while still being so vulnerable it hurts. How really amazingly delicious any food can be if you're hungry enough. And the pride at having a place go from four walls to being a home.

How much I would miss you, achingly at times, and with a dull thud at others. There are days I find myself ready to pick up the phone and talk to you....only to realize that there isn't a phone company that can complete that call. Other times I just sit...and remember you. Your silly sideways face, or the laugh that could full and entire room. Your very soft, warm hugs...and cool, wet hands.

And please, don't take this the wrong way, however, I want to out live your time here. Though I don't know how or when I'll go, I try daily to be healthier, eat better, be stronger...for more time with my kids...because I miss you...and have missed you every day for 14 years. I want that time...and I want to give that time to our family...to my portio  of your legacy...to what has been built...

You propel me forward in so many ways, for so many reasons...and I can't help but wish to reach back through time and grab your hand...as wet as it may be...to bring you here...to show it all to you.

I miss you. For the rest of my tomorrows.

I know...I have excuses...

All the time. LOL I told y'all I had good reasons to duck out. :)

We are totally 3 months into round two: Baby Dombroski!

Now that the morning sickness is ebbing and I'm starting to get energy back, you'll have Tasty Tuesday and other things back soon!

Simply put...

I'm taking some me time. I'm sorry that means I missed the last Tasty Tuesday. Rest assured, next Tuesday will have a recipe for Veggie Dillas. You can make them without queso people. :)

I'll share a little more as to why I'm taking some me time in a couple weeks. I'm trying to keep up with Gid and work at the moment, so the me time portion is...interesting. lol

In the mean time, I hope you're still well. I hope life is going along and you are able to find moments of joy. I hope you're happy and healthy. :)

Until the next entry,
M :)

Life Changes

So much can be said with the two words that make the title to this post.

Life is full of change. Life, by definition, is change. Ours has been going through some big ones over the past few months.

Starting in January, much heavier than I ever would have thought I'd get, I made some changes for my family I stopped eating white flour and white sugar. I cut out almost all pasta, and what we did eat was whole wheat. I replaced pasta with veggies and started making a lot of our own foods, so that I knew what was in it. It sounded hard, time consuming, and expensive. The more I did it though, the easier I found it. The less I was spending on food and the fewer things were ending up in the trash. I started to see the change in my feet and hands first, then my thighs and arms.

In March, I found out my Grandma might need open heart surgery. Now, many people wouldn't think twice about this. I haven't really shared a lot in the past couple years with y'all. My Grandfather passed away last summer. Grandma is the last one I have. She's also diabetic and has some other health things going on. So, I was desperately looking for things to help her make it through. From diet to supplements.

Enter Juice Plus+. Now, before you stop reading because you think I'm going to get salesy or like an infomercial, remember that I'm always 100% upfront with y'all. :) I was super skeptical. With all the different things out there promising to be magic pills and potuons, I wasn't going to get my grandma into anything without asking every sales trained question I could. I went to the store and price checked. I nerded out over 30 research papers done with the products lines. I asked Uncle Google about scams and misinformation  (oh.my.goodness. some people need lives. Not to be mean, just stating that some people will complain about anything)

Let's just say, I tested the resolve of the person I was talking to in every way I could think of. She didn't waiver, she connected me to board certified doctors, athletes, moms...all normal people with the same results.

To date, I've gotten rid of over 60 pounds. I'm down from a size 24 to a size 16. I get better sleep and have much more energy. And, I don't need a cup of tea or coffee every day. I no longer have that dependency.

I partnered with the company because I wanted to help others experience health the way I had. That has been an amazing journey and a true gift. :)

I'm now running my own company, and I'm backed by years of track record.

I started sharing my recipes here. Favorites with a twist of health. I don't deny myself food. I eat pizza here and there, we've had cookies. But, 8 don't feel like I need to eat half a pizza, or a whole carton of cookies. I have a better relationship with food and crave fruits and veggies. My brain has been reprogrammed to what it should be. :) And I'm really happy with that.

And my almost 2 and a half year old...well, he hasn't gotten sick. We didn't get the flu when it came around in June. :)

I'm building two businesses, I'm staying home with Gid, and I'm sharing recipes with y'all. That's what I'm doing. Some changes coming our way, some changes already happening. Life changes. :)