Back to the story (5 years later)

I'm about 5 years out of practice in my journal post and at a bit of a loss on where to begin.  With so much to write, I've been feeling impressions to continue writing my story again.  In relief society a few weeks ago, we talked about the importance of telling our story because "if we don't, who will". My little boy is now 7 years old and about ready to finish up first grade next week! 

Birthday-Easter Bunny Cake

The making of the bunny cake. Next time I'll use a white cake mix as it is easier to cover with the frosting. I had to cover a cardboard box with foil because I didn't have a platter big enough. On the first day I cooked the cake, let it cool and cut out the shapes. I frosted and put the coconut on top then placed on three separate plates to store in the frig for the next day. Day of the party I placed it on the platter and decorated it. I used thin black licorice, jelly beans and mixed food coloring and coconut for the ears and paws. It was Emmas' birthday so we had candles on the tummy. Turned out just like I remembered all those years ago when we would watch mom make the yummiest bunny cakes ever!!

Relief Society Skit

Johns Creek ward basket ball and cheerleader skit.

Healthy Cold Cereal Second Attempt

I finally got around to making this cold cereal again. The first time I tried it I was in August at my parents house. It didn't work well at all, but I wanted to give it another shot because, well it's cereal and who doesn't like cold cereal. This time went great and Braden (my 2yr old) loved it. It is a lot more filling than store bought cereal so you don't need as much. It's crunchy so letting it sit in your bowl with milk for a few seconds is not a bad idea either. I will give this an 8 out of 10 and I think with a few more tweaks like adding almonds or raisins I can make it a 10.

6 cup spelt flour
3 cup kefir
Soak the flour in kefir for 24hrs

Next day:
Add to the flour mixture
3/4 cup coconut oil
1 cup grade B maple syrup
1 tsp sea salt
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp maple flavor
1 TBL cinnamon

Bake in 2 9x13 pans on 350 for 25 minutes. Let cool
Clump pieces onto two cookie sheets and dehydrate in oven for 12 hrs at 200 degrees.

No Sugar Add the Sea Salt

No sugar today!

Salt that is good for our adrenal glands. Redmond Real Salt from Utah which has 50 minerals. Another is Celtic Salt from Brittany Europe which has 80 minerals

Intelligence

It's only the beginning there's more than meets the eye.
An infinite of stars in that never ending sky.
The beginning of me, my soul, my mind, uniquely created to exist with mankind.
The veil that blocks the past, the immortal time describing who I am.
What did I do to pass the time? Was it fun, did I laugh, did I cry?
Be still and listen, the answers are there, as a whisper enters my mind.
For it's only the beginning and there's more than meets the eye.
We have an infinite of stars in that never ending sky.

Kristen L Davis
Do you ever just sit there and think about the bigger picture? I often think, how glad I am that there is more to life than depositing checks in the bank and paying the bills. There's more to me than cooking dinner and cleaning the house. It's the lessons that I learn along the way about self control, charity and refining all my imperfections, that help me remember the real reason I am here. The question always is. "Am I making the best of my time?"

Pocahontas?

I bought this today for Halloween and now I'm beginning to think it's a girls costume. This was the only time I could get Braden to put the braids on so we decided to be Spiderman instead.

Swollen Parotid Gland

Braden with a swollen parotid gland. He had a fever for most of July and was feeling very lethargic just wanting to put his head on my lap. The pediatrician said it is a virus and will likely go away on it's own but we need to watch his fever. We're glad to be past that month for sure.

Bye Bye Daddy

After watching daddy drive off for work one morning Braden decided he wanted to get in his car and go too. With a very sad face he would tell me "bye bye, mama" "work" and then put his cell phone in the holder and close his car door. Then he would grab his cell phone, open his car door and say "home" and run over to me and give me a big hug. He did this so many times that I had time enough to go and grab my camera to take a few pictures.

2010 Garden

One of the lessons that I learned from my garden this year is, don't put corn next to vines. I could see right away that was going to be a disaster as the vine quickly took the corn in a strangle hold. Once again I say, good thing we don't have to live off our crop. Another lesson learned is pick harvest right away, don't let the veggies get too ripe or too big.

Birthday Boy

It's all about Thomas the Train this year. I made Braden a Thomas blanket, his friend Nathan got him a Thomas book and Nanny and Julie got him a few trains. Let's see how long this will last.

Healthy Cold Cereal

My first attempt at making homemade cold cereal. Braden took a bite and to my surprise he went for a second one, I thought maybe we have something here. I eagerly watched for him to swallow and take a third bite. After several seconds in his mouth I realized that he wasn't chewing anymore. It was just sitting there and then, plop out of the mouth. It was very hard and crunchy, I even had difficulty chewing it. I'll be trying it again as soon as I get my shipment of coconut oil and this time not so long in the oven. UPDATE -- Recipe is posted on Healthy Cold Cereal Second Attempt dated 10/28/2010 -- and turned out MUCH better. It's worth trying, we love it.

California Aug 2010

One hot muggy day, as they all were this summer in Georgia, I decided I've got to get out of here. So we went, and I'm so glad we did. We had so much fun visiting our family and friends in California and Braden still talks about his cousins, Aunt Julie and Nanny and Papa.... oh and the fish.

Car Ride

We spent the last few hours driving back and forth to Fayettville to pick up Hannah and take her home. I (being a first time mom) was expecting the worst I suppose as I imagine a screaming child who could not be consoled in the backseat. To my pleasant surprise Braden sat quietly without a peep for the entire ride. He was happy to have Hannah in the car, he kept smiling at her and dancing with her to the music. What a little cutie with an infectious laugh. I hope that never changes and I will do everything I know of to help him stay positive and love life.

Food Wise

Have wisdom in the process,
with wisdom in your heart,
Have wisdom in the choice you make,
each time you take a part.
Have wisdom for the lame,
who without you have no voice.
Have wisdom of the suffering,
Their life left to exploit.
Have wisdom in the money,
changing people into slaves.
Is convenience really worth it,
do we know the price we pay.
To live the Word of Wisdom,
there's a promise for our day.
When we live with Wise Traditions
healthy livings here to stay.

Kristen Davis 9/3/2010

I recently watched "Food Inc." which is a documentary about our food industry in America. I saw chickens in dark filthy chicken houses that completely lacked the strength to stand up due to the hormones they are given to speed up the growth of their breast meat. These hormones leave their other organs including their lungs underdeveloped. Most of the chickens only have energy to sit in their poop and struggle to breath. I know it's easy to say, "it's just a chicken" but I believe that everything on this earth was created by God and that we should have thanksgiving in all that we are given and treat everything with respect! I also saw cows being bull dosed with a tractor because their legs were so maimed from standing in one place they could no longer walk. I can help right now is to support the local farmers in our area and have started buying raw milk and eggs from this farmer. Since then I have also come across an organization called Weston A Price Foundation. I'm learning how to bring back the wise traditions of cooking the way our ancestors did, before all the industrialization and money became the driving force in our American food. I'm not going to change everything overnight and I know it's going to take time for me to break old habits. I'm taking it one step at a time and looking forward to being healthier and healing my body from chronic pain.

Food Production in America

I was introduced to raw milk by a friend in my ward at church. I never realized how bad the U.S food production methods are. The way we make food now is driven by money and doesn't consider the long term effects it has on our health. On the Oprah show recently she went to several farmers to ask if she could film their chicken farm. None of the farmers let her in except for one lady who said that she feels bad about how they are raised and wants to make a change. The scene was so horrible and sad, the poor chickens are fed so many steroids to make their breast bigger.. (because we all like to eat chicken breast) that they can't hold up their bodies. Their bones and other internal organs are under grown and so these chickens just sit there and struggle to breath! Over the past few months I have felt very compelled to eat better and to stay away from all this over produced, chemically enhanced junk that we call food in America. The Word of Wisdom is a food guideline for this very reason. Meat has become so cheap that we can eat it everyday, and we do. Chicken used to be a meal that one would have on Sunday or on a special occasion. The Word of Wisdom states that we should eat meat sparingly in times of famine. This makes more sense to me now, knowing how the meat is made. I read an article in the news paper yesterday about the city of Suwanee having a community organic garden. You can buy a plot of land for your garden for only $50-$100 a year depending on the size. Yeah.... I shouted, that's going to be awesome... then I read further which said all the plots of land are taken right now and there is a waiting list. :(( What a great idea though and I really want to grow my own food. There are a few organic farmers in the area that I'm going to visit, they say that when you drink raw milk and purchase direct from the farmers that you should visit the farm and make sure things look clean to your standards. Of course there are risk of raw milk but the benefits far out weigh the risk to your health. More on this topic as I learn more.

Boogie Time

Another indoor day due to icy roads and cold weather, I've had cabin fever for a week now. Braden and I danced around the upstairs while I was getting laundry done and cleaning the bedrooms. Braden LOVES to play vacuum. So much that I cringe when he walks over and points to the bedroom where the vacuum is. I guess there are worse things in life and at least the dog hair is not a problem anymore. He's really starting to communicate with me and I've been around him enough to know what he is saying even if it's bbllliiigggrrr llaaggeerr ggllluurrbb. I just love our conversations right now, he really thinks he is talking and he'll just go on and on.

Hannah Turns 17

Hannah (in the middle) on her 17th Birthday. We finally have a picture with Rachel in it too. She's back from school and will be leaving again in April.

Christmas 2009

This may have been the only picture I took this year with the Christmas tree. Camerone, Connor and Katelyn live dow the street and come over frequently to play with Braden. He has really grown to like them and is always so happy when them come to the door.

I had to act quick to get this photo and luckly I caught Braden with a bit of a smile.

Thanksgiving in North Carolina

We had a great time in North Carolina at the Zellers. Good to see Mom Davis too, she flew down from Mass. We were also able to see Gabe and Alejandras' new baby Gabriella.
I'm picking up tips from Susan on her table decorating skills... very nice!

trying to keep warm on the sideline, with a soccer ball. Braden, wishing he was big enough to play football with daddy

Time to burn off those Thanksgiving calories!

Halloween 2009

Nice Job!! and so scary

Carving the pumkin version of Harry Potters "lord Voldemort"

Braden as Winnie the Pooh 2009

Nathan, Seth and Braden. How cute can three boys be.