Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Request In Comment Section

 On Saturday May 26Th I posted about the Bountiful Baskets and my sweet friend Megan requested that I post about what I will be using all the veggies and fruit . I will do my best with this.
 I serve at least 2 veggies with dinner, cooked or raw depending on what we are having. Trying to add more colors to get the maximum of all the nutrients into my families diet.
 I have made a huge salad with the lettuce. I chop it, put it in a salad spinner and then add all the goodies to it. I place it in the refrigerator with a moist paper towel and cover with foil. It will last for almost a week this way. If I want it to last longer I would leave out all the added goodies (nuts, cheese, cucumbers, tomatoes, hard boiled eggs). Also since this is a darker green leaf lettuce I will also use these in my juice.
 Oranges I like chilled, skin cleaned off and then cut in sections in the fridge for snacks or put on the table for lunches & dinner.
 The cantaloupe cut up and ready to eat. Same with the pineapple.
Pineapple is great in smoothies or use them with Hawaiian Haystacks.
I use at least 2 apples a day in my juice, plus snacking on.
The artichokes will be boiled and eaten with dinner, dipped into some butter with a little garlic. Cooked and put on pizza or added to pasta .
Orange peppers are so yummy to be grilled, chopped and added to omelets, or my favorite is just cut up with a  little salt and dipped into ranch. I have some pre-cut for the week for snacking on. You could also stuff these with a meatloaf filling and cook. Alan doesn't like peppers so I don't make them for us.
 Potatoes will be used for home made fries. 1 potato per person is usually enough. Cut up in to wedges, dredge in oil, placed on a cooking sheet season or salt very well then cook at 450 for about 35 min. or more till done to your liking.
 I cooked up some of the corn for our cook-out on Memorial Day. I will be grilling the rest for dinner this week.
 Tomatoes I LOVE! I enjoy adding these to sandwiches when I have them, slicing them for salad, you can hallow these out saving the insides, make a chicken salad, add the insides to it and stuff the tomatoes with it. YUMMY! I like sliced tomato with a little sea salt and just munch on for a snack.
 I know this is a lot of basic things but I love having the fresh veggies and fruit.
 I have cut WAY back on having pre-made snack garbage in my house with more fruits and veggies. The family is getting use to having to make things to eat instead of just getting something from a box then being hungry 10 to 15 min. later.
 All of these micro nutrients that are in the fruit and veggies are so important.
 I suggest of those who have Netflix watching Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead. It is a great documentary. Now I am not a vegan but I am limiting my meat intake upping my veggies and fruit to a good portion of my daily intake.
 If anyone has any question, thoughts or suggestions I would love to hear from you. Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Bountiful Baskets

Have you heard of Bountiful Baskets? It is a food co-op that you order on Tuesday then later in the week it is delivered to a location where you go to pick it up. In our situation it is at our park in our community. 
The baskets contain 50% fruit & 50% vegetables and it is 100% yummy! The price is reasonable and it is actually kind of fun because you never know exactly what you will be getting. So what I do is after I pick up my basket (or in this case we bought 2) I take it home, go through it and then decide what meal it will be used for on the menu. Of course there is usually plenty for snacking.  Being that we are trying to eat less process foods this is perfect for us.
This is the basket that I took and filled up plus I had a large reusable shopping bag with items in it. 
Doesn't this just scream fun? I am a little weird and think it does. 
 Yummy corn for Mondays cook out
 Navel oranges, pineapples, cantaloupe,  2 bags of Fuji apples and bananas 
 Tomatoes 
 Artichokes and orange peppers
 2 heads of lettuce
 and last but not least potatoes 
So happy with all the great foods we got today. I brought it home made my list and prepped a bunch for meal and snacking .
Hugs, Bobbi Jo 

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

I've Come A Long Way Baby

Yes I've come a long way baby in just almost a months time. I have been clearing clutter, dis-owning things and enjoying the freedom of all of this. I still have so far to go but I feel I have made a great dent in my minimalism journey.
Looking back on a few key areas
Went from this 
To this
Now this no longer exists. 
This scary mess 

To this
This pantry full of canned processed stuff 
To this and then 
To this. There are still cans in here but slowly I am getting rid of them
Glad to have the open spaces and knowing that I am feeding my family with a healthier choice. 
Slow and steady is working out well. 
What have you been up to lately? Would love to hear from you.
Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Induction to National Junior Honor Society

This year Faith was invited to join the National Junior Honor Society. So she filled out the paper work, got recommends from 3 of her teachers and after them going over all the paperwork and such was excepted. Last night we went to the induction ceremony for the new members. This is Faith getting her spot on stage. 
 Faith is at the far right bottom row & third in. 
 Faith looking very happy
 After the ceremony Alan took us out to dinner to The Olive Garden to celebrate. The food was so yummy and we all had a good time. 
I had to get a picture of Faith when we got home. I think she looks so pretty and we are very proud of her. She is an amazing person who is as beautiful on the inside as out. 
Hugs, Bobbi Jo (proud mamma!)

Saturday, May 19, 2012

What's Cookin?

 Today was a fun and busy day. I must say I enjoyed it so much. Being at home and not really having to be anywhere was really nice. I woke before 5 and did a distant Reiki session. Then I got ready for the day.
I worked in the garden and look what I pulled out! They are so chubby
What do you do when you A LOT of broccoli? Well of course you make cheese and broccoli soup. It is so yummy. I also made a broccoli salad that I didn't take a picture of.
 
I swear Coco (our oldest) and I are on the same wave length in our thinking. She and I had been reading the blog Money Saving Mom. She has a fill your freezer in a month cooking segments going and I was thinking that was something I should do. I use to do a lot of freezer meals. Funny thing is Coco was thinking the same thing. So today I got started on it. I made Freezer Waffles. Hoping this will get kiddos to eat breakfast instead of skipping it.
This is the waffles in my maker.
Waffles on the cooling wrap
I used wax paper and have two waffles per piece to keep them from freezing together.
This is all the waffles I made today. I then placed them in a Rubbermaid container that is almost like a basket (Sorry no picture of it) and placed it in the freezer.

And another satisfied kiddo. Faith came home from her first baby-siting job and said the waffles smelled so yummy. So I let her have one before she left for her second job. 
I then decided to make homemade yogurt. With trying to eat healthy and avoiding the additives I thought this would be a great thing that we all love to eat. So this is the yogurt in the making process in the crock-pot
The crock -pot is hiding under the towel. It must be shy! Actually you are suppose to keep it well insulated for 8 hours so this is where it will sit till tomorrow morning. I haven't made yogurt in over 2 years it is great to get back to the basics of yumminess. 
And that is what I got cooked up for today. I am working on this weeks menu and will be doing some more cooking this week to put in the freezer. 
Now I am off to get dinner ready for tonight. Hugs, Bobbi Jo

In 20 min. & Update

Thursday evening everyone was gone. I hadn't been alone in the house for a while. So what do I do in my alone time?
Well I organized kitchen drawers.


This is the way the drawer started out. Not too bad ....
This is how it ended up. I moved things around in several drawers and made homes for things that I use. The other items are being donated. Letting go of the great chef & dinner entertainer that I held on to for so long felt good. Yes I enjoy cooking but I don't need all of the tools that I had. The items in the drawer were in a chicken canister that was on the counter top. 
Better don't you think? 
This is the next drawer. Much messier. 
And after.
Just when you think it couldn't get any worse well check out this one. 
This isn't suppose to be a junk drawer although it holds some odds and ends. 
I think this is way better and more efficient. 
Very happy with the results. But there is so much more to do.
Sorry about the quality of the pictures they are from my phone but, hey at least I remembered to take them. 
Now update on my workout. I have been faithful getting my workout in. Feeling good and enjoying the increase in the energy already. Amazing! 
 Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Letting GO

WARNING: This post is a little more serious that what you are use to from me!
 I have been going on a lot about de-cluttering and letting go of things. It is a slow process but so worth the feelings I am having.
 I've also been thinking about all the things that I am still holding on to in my life. These are not material things but experiences, anger, disappointments, emotions that are doing me no good what so ever. I need to work on these things to get them out of my life forever.
 As I have been working on slowly changing my eating habits, eliminating processed foods, fast food and pre-made garbage in my life I am feeling better but not losing weight as I had hoped to.
 I know back in 2009 I worked my but off literally to lose weight and I was getting into shape and feeling good about myself. Long story short I decided to go back to school full time, Gabby went into the hospital, life got way too crazy. Then this past year I had been working, had several surgeries and procedures that put me out of commission and I still don't feel like I have gotten all my strength back from those.
So now the work begins.
 The work I am starting needs to continue for the rest of my life. I can't stop this time. I know all the above mentioned of the emotions and such all need to be taken care of and dealt with. I know as a healer I need to be at peace to help others to heal or they can feel it in your touch and mannerism.
 My 1) goal as of starting tomorrow is to get back on the proverbial  horse or in this case the treadmill. I am starting out slow due to it has been a long time since I have worked out. This is so sad to say but I am keeping it really folks.
2) practice meditation daily
3) incorporate yoga into my week maybe just 2 times this week and adding on to this
4) deal with issues that have been eating at me or I have been eating because of
5) make me a priority in my day every day

I will follow up and let you all know how things are going. Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Monday, May 14, 2012

Orchestra Concert

Tonight Faith had her orchestra concert at her school. Faith has been playing the violin for over 3 years now. She has made such a dramatic improvement even from her last concert before Christmas.
Sorry for the quality of the photos it is hard to get close to the stage for pictures.

Faith is the one that is closest in the picture (on stage)
 Faith concentrating during her performance 
 Their last song was called Night of the zombies and in one part of it Faith got to scream. It was funny and she did a great scream that was super high pitched. 
So glad Faith has taken an interest in the violin. 
I enjoy beautiful music and admire those who can play an instrument well. 
Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Clutter + Clutter + Clutter= Not Able to Think

 I read and wanted to share a great article over at MindBodyGreen. It talks about so many of the reasons that I decided to become a minimalist. I agree with so much of the points that is brings out and I am noticing that I am starting to see a difference in how I am feeling on a daily basis as more of the STUFF is taken away, donated, thrown away. Take a minute or two and check it out and let me know your thoughts.   Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Mother's Day

I had asked for a chicken coop for Mother's Day this year. Since Alan has been busy with work and then having to work on his truck it just wasn't going to happen. Since I have decided to become a minimalist he didn't want to buy me anything that would add clutter and honestly I couldn't think of anything. I thought it was sweet of him to think of this in the first place. I am slowly bringing him over to the DE-CLUTTERED side.
 So he thought what would I like?...... To be with all of my kiddos. So we all met at Woods Canyon Lake (about 2 hours away from our home) and had a wonderful cookout after church.
The last family picture we had was supposedly professional (ha ha) was when Coco was pregnant with Naima. Well she is now 2 but I wanted something right now since we have added our sweet daughter in love , Sara to the family, Naima and now Coco is almost ready to have another daughter Kylia . Coco was sweet enough to set up the timer on her camera for the pictures. 
This is our family. 
Starting from the right: Me, Naima (2) Gabby (11) Alan, E'lyse (16), Faith (13), Dallas (19) Sara, 
Talmage (4), Kyle and last but certainly not least Coco (Kylia in her tummy :) )
 Another 
 Look to the left.....
 Goofy faces ....
 The end!!! Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Saturday De-Clutter


I like to make lists. Unfortunately I don't always feel like doing what is on them. My list for Saturday was a very detailed list to clean the master bedroom and bathroom along with de-cluttering. I woke up at 5 and got ready for the day. I knew I had to pick up my order from Bountiful Baskets  to get my yummy fruit and veggies for this week. I then worked on putting mulch on my garden. Went for the basket at 7 then back to work around the house some more. Well plans went from the TO DO LIST to what was really bothering me. Guess what ? I forgot to take before pictures of the garage. I spent many hours cleaning the garage. Dallas had brought over 6 Rubbermaid containers full of items to store at our house until he and Sara get their own place. Since I had so many shelves emptied from last weeks haul to donate I put them on the shelves. It looks so much better, although I was enjoying seeing the empty shelves. 
I got rid of 4 large size Rubbermaid totes of craft supplies and material. Felt SOOOOOO good to let go.
In between helping Alan work on his truck . He is under there but you can't see him. I was working the jack and probably annoying him. he he
I started working on the kitchen area a little more. I read an article on the blog Minimalist At Home about clearing the clutter from your counters. This got me motivated to do something about ours. It is no fun to cook if there is no space and you feel crowded. 

Below is the left side counter top Before: 
After.... ahhhhh 
Right side of counter top Before: ( I must say I don't like having appliances on my counters but due to the other things taking up space in the cupboards there was no space for them.)
After: .....ahhhhhhh  I placed the toaster in the cabinet below. It is used maybe once a week and I don't like it being up there so it found a new home. The mixer was put in another cupboard with my baking pans and Bosch mixer. 
Then to start attacking the upper cupboards Before: 
After.......ahhhhhhh Look even an empty 1/2 shelf on top
Spice cupboard before: 
This is the items I had taken out before I remembered to take the picture.
After......ahhhhhhhhh
I had so many doubles of spices & herbs that were un-open so I gave those to Dallas & Sara. 
The items on the second shelf are pulled to the front due to I am vertically challenged. This way I can reach them easily.
Even though it started out with things not from my to do list I got a lot accomplished and very happy with the results.  
Hugs, Bobbi Jo