Holiday Count Down

I LOVE the Christmas season! The celebration of the birth of our Savior, the feeling of family-closeness, the hustle and bustle, the crisp weather, the snow, holiday decorations... I love it all. I don't even mind the shopping crowds. Of course, I don't spend much time in the crowds, but I still enjoy walking around the mall or downtown and just being a part of the craziness.

I spend a little time each week reading blogs of friends who we knew in Vegas. We're not all still in Vegas, so it's a nice way to catch up on everyone's lives. It's amazing how God brought us to Las Vegas, where we thought we would live for a long, long time. We were there 6 years, almost to the day, and now we're back in Montana... where we thought we would NEVER live again. Montana is so behind the rest of the country... not one person I've talked to here, friends... neighbors... house church'ers... no one knows what a "blog" is. I should send out an email to tell people here about it... get my fellow Montanans up to speed on technology! We're a pathetic little group of people, aren't we???

I'd like to tell anyone who cares to read a bit about healthy eating about a book called "The Maker's Diet". Sean O'Hare sent us a copy and we just weren't too sure about it. But we started reading it and have really enjoyed what the author has to say, and we really respect what he's been through health-wise to get where he is today. If you are looking into ways to increase your health and decrease your toxins, this is a great book!

Through that book, we have discovered a drink called "Kefir" (Keh-FEAR). Check out www.Kefir.com and read all about it. We just ordered some Kefir grains online, received them in the mail today from a gal in California. Go to www.Ebay.com and type in their search "Kefir"... there is a gal named Elena that has some great info about it. You can also email me and I can get you additional info regarding Kefir. We weren't sure what it would taste like, so we went to our local Natural Food Store and bought some Kefir w/blackberries. Oh my goodness is it ever good! It tastes like yogurt and is nutritionally extremely very good for your body!!! We are very excited to start making our own from the grains we bought online. If you're wanting to know more, just publish a post to me on this blog, or email me direct. I am excited to share this because of all the nutrition it offers. Brent and I always enjoy trying new things... and we've had a lot of luck getting the boys to try different foods along with us. (sometimes we just don't tell them... shhhhhh... like goat milk and goat cheese!)

We bought Bryce and Ryan snowboards for Christmas. Brent and I cannot cannot cannot wait to let them open them! We've really cut down on what we do for the boys and each other for Christmas... we've never done "Santa" with the boys... we want them to always know the truth of the season. Bryce said the other day "mom, I'm the only 3rd grader who knows the truth about Santa." We have made sure he knows that it's not for him to share that with his friends, if they do believe in Santa (same w/the Easter Bunny). But here's the funny thing... Bryce and Ryan both believe in the Tooth Fairy!

A couple weeks ago, I was drinking a wheatgrass/spirulina drink... it looks like split pea soup. It's a bit thick for me, so I have to add water, then I can drink it. I gave some to Ryan on the tip of a spoon one day and he threw up all over the floor. Apparently, I'm not the only person in our family with a sensitivity to food textures. Anyway, Bryce took one look at my drink and said "Mom, can I say the "sh" word?" (shit, in case you're not sure what that is)... so, I hesitantly said "ummm... ok". He said, pointing to my green drink... "that looks like my shit after I eat Fruit Loops". I could not believe he said it! My mouth fell open and I could only say "BRYCE!" He said "You said I could", thinking he was in trouble. I was just shocked that he would even think of something like that. After all, "stupid" is a really bad word in our house, let alone the "sh - - " word! Note to self... when kids ask to say bad words, just say no.

Off I go to get the boys from school. For those of you who don't blog much (like me!), blog blog blog! It's so nice to read up on the happenings in your life. If you don't have a blog yet, you should get one. If you do, let me know.

Happy Holidays to each of you, whoever you are, wherever you are. God's blessings to you. I pray that this is the season and the time for you to draw nearer to our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Merry Christ-mas!

Tari