Body

For the past few years, in early December I begin praying and thinking about what I want my “word” for the next year to be. Something that inspires me to more—a word that can be a filter for the way I live my life and the decisions I make. A couple years ago, God kept showing me, “Be Present.” But what does that really mean? As a Queen of multi-tasking, there were always things I could be “doing” when I was having a conversation with someone, both on the phone or in person. Because there was always more “to do” than hours “to do” them in, I could justify and even be proud of the fact that I could accomplish so much instead of wasting time in just conversation – yikes! Sometimes there would be a little prick in my conscience as I half-listened to my family, friends or co-workers. But

We just got home from a wonderful, refreshing vacation. Two weeks in the Pacific Northwest was a balm to the soul with the giant, green trees and vast ocean waves—soul-giving to these desert dwellers. But the plane ride home is what is staying with me this week as well. I have always loved how white, billowy and cotton-like the clouds look once you break through them with magnificent rays of sunshine coming from above. As we flew out of Denver on our layover, the skies were dark, and the underside of the clouds were gray and ominous looking. It appeared a storm could break at any moment. As we ascended into the sky, we were quickly in the middle of the clouds where there was no visibility and it was bumpy and you felt a little uncertain as to what the rest of the flight might be like. Then suddenly

If you’ve read many of my previous posts, you know I’m an avid reader. If adulting wasn’t so time consuming, I would probably read for hours each day! I love to learn! And I love a good story! So I thought I would begin a regular series of what I’m currently reading during each season to encourage you to pick up a book instead of turning on the television. Before I lose those of you who do not consider yourself to be readers or simply believe you don’t have the time, here’s an interesting statistic for you. Did you know the average person can read 12-14 books a year by committing to just 15 minutes of reading every day? I truly believe that beginning or ending your day with a book is great for your mind and your soul. I read my spiritual growth books each morning as part of

When I began re-vamping my health a few years ago, I quickly realized that it needed to go beyond just the products I was putting into my mouth. As I became more aware of chemicals and the excess ingredients in most personal and cleaning products I used, I began the hunt for ones I could easily replace. These 7 that I’ve listed are the ones I’ve used the most consistently and for the longest. Other products I have switched to purchasing cleaner versions instead, but these have been great because they not only are better for me but save a ton of money. Personal Health   DIY Toothpaste – This was one of the very first products I started making when I began my journey into healthier living. I have had several dentist appointments since then and my teeth have never been healthier! There are a few caveats due to

What would life be without dessert?? Boring, I say!!! My Pinterest binder of recipes (you can find more in my post Organizing My Pinterest Recipes) is about one-third desserts and all other food categories make up the other two-thirds. When I began my health journey several years ago and found out I had intolerances to both dairy and wheat, my doctor turned me on to the website www.chocolatecoveredkatie.com. What a lifesaver! You will find several of the healthy summer desserts I share are from this wonderful site. So the recipes I chose to share in this post are all either no-bake or you can bake them in a toaster/convection oven so you do not have to heat up your kitchen. I love cookies BUT I don’t love opening and closing my oven and sticking my head in there several times over an hour+ time frame! So I usually save cookies

There’s nothing better than a light, refreshing salad during the hot summer months. And in Arizona our hot months are HOT and LONG! So our summer salad vs. winter soup ideas need to be up to the challenge. Here are our family’s favorite summer salad recipes, and they are always crowd pleasers whenever they are shared with friends. As I stated in my One Dish Stove-Top Recipes post, I’m including the original post along with changes I have made for either taste, health, or dietary reasons. Enjoy! Cold or Side Salads ~ some may be great for side dishes and others will make a meal of their own. Crunchy Broccoli Salad with Maple Mustard Dressing Original Recipe: https://www.shelikesfood.com/crunchy-broccoli-salad/?fbclid=IwAR0UUh-Ap4Lt4S6fA9DN8G57SZlk5ZQLaW2prfSgn-l3GUsZThNgFOB6a7A Hands down, this is not only a family favorite but any time I share it with friends, everyone wants the recipe. It is perfect as is, but I do make a few