Now that we've been swimming consistently for the past 3 days, our other children have much greater confidence in the water & can virtually swim without adult assistance.
The pictures say it all:
There's so much to say to having the opportunity to swim on a regular basis. Although our oldest 4 children have taken swimming lessons with the Red Cross in Tennessee, only our one has mastered the basics of the classes.
Now that we've been swimming consistently for the past 3 days, our other children have much greater confidence in the water & can virtually swim without adult assistance. The pictures say it all:
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A friend shared this info and I thought it was worth passing on:
NATURAL CURES “They” don’t want you to know about by Kevin Trudeau Pg150-151 19. Do Not Eat Pork Remember, you are what you eat. Pork is highly toxic diseased food. A pig eats anything in its path, including its own feces. Whatever it eats turns to meat on its bones in a few fours. All pork products are laced with disease and viruses. It is toxic and unhealthy. The human body virtually goes into toxic shock by consuming pork. Massive amounts of blood and energy go to the stomach and intestines to help breakdown and digest this toxic material. Pork is never fully digested in the human body; however the human digestive system works nonstop in overdrive for up to 18 hours attempting to neutralize and digest pork. If you didn’t eat pork for 30 days and then have some, there is an excellent chance you would be violently ill. Eliminating pork, or at least reducing it dramatically, can have a profound impact on your health and sense of well-being. Try and see. 20. Do Not Eat Shellfish More people are allergic to shellfish than any other food on the planet. More people get sick from eating shellfish than any other food. More people die from eating shellfish than any other food. Any fish that does not have scales and fins should be avoided. This includes clams, mussels, shrimp, lobster, crab, squid, eel , catfish, shark, etc. The fish must have scales and fins. Catfish, for example, has fins but no scales. It is interesting that this is one of the kosher dietary laws. Today, we know that fish with scales and finds do not absorb the toxins in the water as readily as sea creatures that do not have both scales and fins. I grew up in the Boston area. I loved my shellfish more than any other seafood. Occasionally, an algae in the water called the “red tide” would infest the local shores. When this occurred, warnings went out not to eat any shellfish, for doing so could cause sickness and death. However, you could eat the haddock, mackerel, or flounder. The fish that had scales and fins did not absorb the poisons into its edibles flesh’ however, shellfish or any fish that did not have both scales and fins would absorb the toxins and could cause sickness and death. All sea creatures that do not have scales and fins are loaded with toxins and should be avoided. FOR MORE INFORMATION, Read Leviticus chapter 11 Here are 2 simple recipes we made during the visit with our Texas cousins: “ELF COOKIES” (derived from a Veggie Tales movie)
(Note: This are basically sugar cookies with some hard candy in the center—You can omit the hard candy portion & just refridgerate the dough, then make the shapes & bake later.) ½ c. butter 1 c sugar 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla 2 ½ c four ½ tsp baking soda ¼ tsp salt SmBag Hard Candy: Jolly Ranchers (optional) DIRECTIONS: · Beat the eggs · Add butter, sugar, vanilla · Mix dry ingredients in separate bowl · Add to wet ingredients (stiff dough) · Chill in fridge for 1 hour · Crush the candy in a small plastic bag · Shape the dough, leaving an opening for the hard candy to be added later (we rolled it into little logs & formed shapes like hearts, flowers, circles, etc, leaving a hole in the center) · Pre-Heat oven to 350 degrees · Put dough on cookie sheet & bake for 10 minutes (golden brown) · Add the crushed candy in the center of the cookies · Bake again for approx 3 minutes (until candy melts) · Let the cookies cool, then ENJOY “SALTDOUGH” (derived from “Rainy Days” book) 3 c. flour 1 c. water 1 c. salt 2 tsp oil DIRECTIONS: Mix ingredients, Form into a ball, Roll on counter, Make Shapes and Enjoy We’ve had such a wonderful visit with our nieces & nephew from Houston. The past 2 weeks have been filled with several activites—We participated in a few library programs, cooled off at the Splash Pad, watched a movie in Lake Charles, did a little shopping at the Dollar Store, made lots of desserts, sewed some little pillows with the girls, handled major yardwork directed by Marlon for the boys, had a few late-hour family nights, played a bit of Scrabble, engaged in an intense water balloon battle and even managed to attempt backyard camping. Tomorrow we plan to finish off the visit with a “Backyard Party” where the children are setting up little carnival type game stations, I’m coordinating some age-appropriate races & Marlon will be cooking up some hearty hamburgers & Hebrew International hot dogs. We mailed out invitations last week & have 14 children confirmed to attend. We’re all looking forward to the fellowship & excitement of the party....the countdown is on! I can truly say that I’m blessed to have this special time with our relatives & once again I encourage you all to embrace the gift of family. P/S Here’s a short excerpt from the Water Balloon Battle in it’s raw form. Feel free to click on the link if you can handle the fierce chaos of the moment (BTW, thankfully no one got hurt): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_rY2vaeQrQ Okay, I admit that I really do enjoy making little media productions. It’s no surprise that I came into the world on film & starting directing little productions in Elementary School (some quite embarrassing like my “Benjamin Franklin” skit with my godsister, Sarah.) Anyway, here’s another little production…. If nothing else, I hope it encourages you to “Support Your Local Library.” After doing some shopping for our family & guests today, I kinda understand why some families charge their children “rent” when they are of working age……… Food & Clothing are EXPENSIVE! (especially when buying for a family of 9.)
Although I don’t intend to demand boarding fees (though it’s not a half bad idea…lol), I am beginning to appreciate the other ways our youngin’s contribute to the family. Remember, not all gifts are valued in dollar bills J Last week I attempted to be environmentally conscience & I brought my nifty resuable bags to do a little shopping. When I asked the clerk to please use my bags to contain my purchase, she responded that she’s not allowed to do so and she could get caught on the cameras. Initially, it sounded strange but then she continued telling me how there were news reports about bacteria on the bags & they aren’t allowed to use them.
I reckon it makes sense due to the fact that everyone has different cleanliness habits within their homes, but as the clerk mentioned, “Doesn’t everything have bacteria?” Any thoughts?? One more project off my "To-Do" list...These are the 2 videos to accompany the "Exploring the Alephbeyt" Course (http://www.joyfuljunction.com/1/post/2010/05/hebrew-course-complete.html ) Now, I think I'll take a little break (maybe???) Last month we finished reading Pollyanna during our family storytime, then later we checked out the movie from the library & enjoyed imitating Pollyanna’s “Glad Game.”
This week I had an opportunity to put this game to the test. Although I tend to be a hopeful optimist, when our pipes connecting to the washing machine & kitchen sink backed up, I was not looking forward to the extra loads of work it would provide. Rather than mope around complaining, I chose to look at the “brighter side”, “make lemonade” (remember my old post about when you get a bunch of lemons??), or essentially play “The Glad Game.” Ultimately, I decided to put on a semi-pioneer attitude (that goes in line with my fascination of the 19th century; Little House Books, Dr. Quinn Mini-Series, Civil War documentaries, and many other period pieces). Yes, I would be carrying dozens of dishes back and forth from the bathroom tub to the kitchen cabinets. And Yes, I would be spending hours scrubbing clothes & towels. There’s not much gladness in all that, IF your geared toward pessimism. Instead, I have learned to truly find contentment , even in the challenges. So I was actually glad that I had hot, running water, rather than the true means of washing clothes & dishes like those pioneers from the 1800’s. Plus, I think these extra duties may help me shed a few calories, and I’m certainly glad about that(lol). (BTW, P.F. I sure coulda used your washboard offer this week….if only we lived closer—:-) ) So, my dear family & friends that stop by to visit us here on “JJ,” consider a tough challenge that may be causing frustration or potential bitterness.......Is there something about it that can produce some sort of gladness?? “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28 Yesterday, Marlon and I tuned in to Public Radio News and heard an interesting story that confirmed some of our educational philosophy. Bascially, the piece involved a highschool project called something like, “The Victory House” in which students learned through hands-on experience how to construct a home as well as sell it on the market. The teacher helping with the Victory House mentioned that each student, including top graduates, that participated in the project claimed that it was the MOST memorable learning experience within their school years….Go Figure! In one of the following stories, the journalist interviewed a college graduate with an English degree. After accruing an $84,000 debt on her education & graduating at the top of her class, she now was putting in unsuccessful applications for work, including temp agencies. This well-educated graduate stated she desperately needed money & is moving back to her home town to become a cashier, with hopes of one day putting her degree to use….Go Figure! These are two general examples of why we feel so strongly about preparing our children for Real Life Skills. We consistently seek the direction of YHWH and prayerfully structure our lifestyle accordingly. Although we do incorporate many academic lessons and a few social outlets, ultimately we are responsible to train them up in the way they should go.…. Proverbs 22:6 Let's all give extra prayer to how we're directing our children :-) Marlon instructing Millennium with his yard work Millennium taking it all in (Notice the bricks in the seat to deactivate the emergency shut-off system---Thankfully, he's listening carefully) And He's Off!! A Few Garden deligts--Maxwell holds an organic cucumber |
This nook is a bit of reflection and inspiration from me, a Joyful Mommy of 10 with hopes of encouraging others along their journey :)A Few Family Pics: Categories
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