Some of My Favorite Blogs Pt. 2

This week I am going to talk about more of my favorite blogs, but this week it is all about the inspirational blogs I love to read!

The Shine Project!

Ashley over at The Shine Project is amazing!  This is one of my favorite quotes she wrote talking about her life. "If you're in too much of a rush to enjoy the small moments that matter, at the end of the day you're left with a bunch of meaningless events." LOVE IT!  If you are not familiar with The Shine Project, head over there right now and help Ashley make a difference! 
 Here is a small taste of what Ashley does.  The Shine Project is a non-profit organization that raises money for inner city high school students, while getting them involved in service in their community.

                                                    Here is how I found out I could help!


                    The CHANGE4CHANGE campaign.  All money collected will help inner city high school students afford their first year of college. Pledge to throw your leftover change in a jar until you've collected $100, and it will be put directly into The Shine Project Scholarship Fund.If you are interested in having a Change for Change jar, email Ashley at Ashley.TheShineProject@gmail.com

She has a video on her page that really shows you even the smallest act of kindness can make a difference in someone's life!  Watch it HERE! 

How cool would it be to do something like this in your community?!?!? I think it needs to happen!  Please go to her blog and help in anyway you can!

This next blog is about animal rescue. I feel so strongly about supporting Animal Rescues! 

A Place to Bark

A Place to Bark is a private No Kill Shelter. They work with both Animal Control and the Humane Societies. They get animals from high kill shelters, foster them, work with them, rehabilitate them, and then work with the humane society to adopt the animals out. It is a wonderful thing! Be sure to go to there website and read all about it. Hopefully it will inspire you like it has me. 

In our local paper this week, it had an article about the local Animal Control Supervisor getting laid off due to "budget cuts". It talked about how the Shelter was once funded  around $300,000.00 a year to run and then it got cut to $75,000.00. and now this year they say there will be ZERO funding! How sad it is that, to think about the animals that will now suffer because of a humans mistake. 

  I have always had a dream to open my own shelter, I just had no idea where to start. So now thanks to reading this blog. I know exactly where I am going to start. 1 animal at a time! 

 A Place To Bark is a temporary home, a foster facility that provides quarantine, full vet care, rehab & training to help adoptable animals further in the adoption process. All animals rescued are spay/neutered to reduce the future population & by saving existing lives, their program encompasses all vital actions needed to benefit the pets in need.


Check out their facebook page and website.


See what you can do to help. Or Donate to your local shelter. Here is a link to Rogue Valley Humane Society.
Give what you can to help a local dog in need! 

****Sneak Peek**** & a Coupon!!!!!

COMING SOON!!!

I am REALLY  excited with the new stuff I have been working on and excited to to re-launch the store.  In the meantime use the coupon code SALE35 for 35% off. Also refer your friends and get a coupon for FREE SHIPPING!! All you have to do is tell your friends and have them leave a comment on my Facebook or Blog and I will send you BOTH the code for Free Shipping!!! 

 
Here is your first Sneak Peek! 

*******Sneak Peek*******

There are some awesome new things that are coming into my store. It has been awhile since i added anything. So here is a peek at what's to come, also more sneak peeks coming soon!!!

I am super excited, another sneak peek to come soon!

The Pink Method & P90X

The Pink Method & P90x 

A little background info. . .

Back in May of 2010, my husband started P90x and I have to say I was happy for him but it was terrible timing. I was 8 months pregnant with our second son, so while he was losing weight (30 lbs) and looking all sexy, I had gained 30lbs and was looking like a whale.

I was still really supportive and made all his meals and occupied our other son who was almost 2 so he could workout. Anyways P90x came with a meal plan to follow and I am not going to lie it was not that great!  Well after a month of him on P90x he wrecked his dirtbike, broke his leg and  completely tore his ACL. After 12 weeks of sitting on the couch he had put about 15lbs back on. 

Now it is January of 2012 and his knee is now 100% and . . . . 

We started P90x together!

  Ian and I started our workout routines January 17. We both started on P90X but I was really worried about looking kinda bulky like some of the women on the workout videos. So I switched to The Pink Method.  I patiently awaited its arrival while I continued P90x Well it finally came yesterday so today is day 1 of The Pink Method.  

My husband is still on P90x and the meals are still terrible, so I did lots and lots and lots of research and came up with meals that are healthy and follow the strict guidelines that P90x requires so I am going to post the recipes just in case there is anyone else out there who is on P90x and can't stand the meals! lol

One of the worst meals for me was a breakfast sandwich thing made with soy sausage patties, mozzarella cheese and a plain english muffin.

So here is my spin on it, and it actually has less calories and fat then the alternative.

 

Here we go! 

Canadian Bacon, White Egg English Muffin!

First get all your ingredients together.

This is to make 1 English muffin. (goes with the 1800 calorie plan) 

6 TBS Egg Whites 50calories, 0g fat, 2g carbohydrates, 10g protein

  1slice of Canadian Bacon 20 calories, .5g fat, .5g carbohydrates, 5g protein

1 English Muffins 100 calories, 2.5g fat

1/2 slice Provolone/Mozzarella mixed cheese 30calories, 2.5g Fat,0g carbohydrates, 2 protein

8oz Silk light milk

Directions: Start toasting the english muffin, while the english muffin is toasting pour the 6 egg whites into a hot skillet and scramble. As soon as the eggs are not running anymore, place the Canadian bacon in the pan away from the eggs, to allow it to heat up. Everything should finish around the same time. Place the cheese slice on the english muffin add the egg and Canadian bacon and top with the other english muffin and you are ready to go!

You finish product should look something like this!

 There are lots more recipes to come! Be sure to check back!

Food Storage Pt. 1

Starting My Food Storage!

 For a few years I have been wanting to have a food storage, and not just a stock pile of ketchup, and canned beans. A real food storage, canning it all myself! Such as basic baking needs,sweeteners (powdered sugar, brown sugar, white sugar, honey, ect), spices, fats (butter powder, olive oil, shortening. . .ect) Then I can get a little crazier and move onto soups, dehydrated soups, cereals, rice, grains, beans, pastas, canned meats.. . am I over whelming you yet? he he  Well there is more, but we will start here! Be sure to follow along as I go. I am going to start working my way down the list slowly.  There is a piece of equipment that I REALLY REALLY WANT!  Here is a manual can sealer that is only $1000.00 yeah only! lol I need to can a lot of stuff to justify that purchase! 

There are cheaper ways to go about it, sometimes the local LDS churches have days open to the public where you can take your stuff and use their can sealer. They also sell everything you need, the cans, the lids and the grains to fill your cans!

Anyways, I REALLY REALLY REALLY WANT ONE OF THESE CAN SEALERS! So when I asked my husband for one. . . his answer. .  "can't you sell your the stuff in your store to get one?" ha ha guys are so funny! My answer. . . "Honey, I don't want to wait that long, I want one now!!!!!!" lol needless to say, that didn't get me anywhere!

So as I patiently wait for hubby to change his mind! I guess I will start planning my garden (I am going to make sure I have enough to stock up my food storage) and get my Inventory lists together and use my pressure canner and hot water bath and food grade seal-able 5 gallon buckets to do what I can.

So I am going to be putting list of the food I want to put in my storage and a list of everything you need to can and store the items . So I will be starting with my hot water bath canner and what you can and can't preserve using this method! Be sure to follow along as I take this journey!

Pinterest Favorites: Valentine's Day Ideas!

 Valentine's Day will be here before we know it! Since I am new to Pinterest I figured it was only appropriate to post some of my favorite ideas! I am going to do a few of these. So look next week to see which ones I picked!!! Click on the pictures to be linked to the tutorial!

I am a sucker for chocolate covered pretzels! Even though I am on a diet this is an adorable gift idea! There us a good chance you may see something like this!

This is absolutely adorable! This idea rocks!!!

This is perfect for the dad in the family!!!

I give credit to anyone that can cut shapes out of graham crackers using a cookie cutter!!!

 I know my boys would love making these! Nice and simple fun for a preschooler and a toddler!

There are so many cute ideas! These were just a few of my favorites!!! 

Go Pinterest!!
Do you have some of your own favorites Link up here but putting my button at the end of your post!!!

<div align="center"><a href="http://www.modernmayeflowerboutique.blogspot.com" title="Modern Mayeflower" target="_blank"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjas9j22F-Nj3wGZA7HCqTd5qYkthTKztMCxobBbJg9q17RF3FVB0nIh60ufM4nPrwualMoAauccPy0nyPhf3AT2c66kgflOfQGs0UcH2FPC28izXnnULkSyAXD04hPCtWHKr5FLFpaIawL/s1600/%2540GrabButton.png" alt="Modern Mayeflower" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Some of My Favorite Blogs Pt. 1

This last week I FINALLY signed up for a Pinterest account! I am controlling myself so I don't get addicted! I have found many things that are really cool and I would love to try to make. So we will see how that goes! I also started P90x! I think I am going to die! I started it with my husband and now I have decided that I need something more geared for women so I ordered The PINK Method! I will keep you up to date as I go!

                     Anyways why I am really here is because, as I spend sometime looking at friends and other bloggers shops I have totally fallen in love with a few to say the least. Here are some of my favorite items from my favorite shops. . . yes I do own most of the stuff in these pictures but some are still on my wish list! Here we go!

Here is ONE of my MANY favorites of Heather's Just.Lovely.Things

 Now I failed to mention I own at least 20 different beautiful ruffled flower headbands and clips!! I absolutely love them!!!

A friend of mine Alex, over at Alexandra Rose made my boys some super cute matching blankets, and I have a really adorable clutch! 

 BTW I am sponsoring over on her adorable blog! On her blog you will find everything from totally awesome tutorials, to totally adorable pictures of her cute little family, to shop updates! If you haven't checked out her blog you really should!

Now isn't this the cutest little clutch ever!

Check out her store here!

I am also sponsoring over at Sew Chatty   Elizabeth, has an adorable little family and adorable shop! 

Here are some of my favorite things!

Now I love Fallon's blog over at Silly Beautiful Life! She has an adorable shop also. These are my favorite earrings! I also had the pleasure of sharing a booth with her at a little Indies Crafters Market, and I am going to say it. . . she needs to get on it and post more stuff from the market! lol The stuff was so cute!!! Everything from beaded headbands, to anklets, to earrings to necklaces! 

This next shop is one I totally stumbled upon while looking for a make-up bag. Well I found one and it is the prettiest print! LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!! Check out these and more over at Sew There's an Idea

I fell in love with these!  Be sure to check out her Etsy store and Facebook! Tell her I sent you!!!



These are a few of the MANY things I am in love with! Be sure to follow my blog and check back next week, when I talk about some of the most inspirational blogs!

2 weeks into the New Year!!

So here I sit, being totally busy and overwhelmed wondering what I want to accomplish this year. What are my goals for life, my blog, my business, my family? What projects to I want to accomplish? Last year we completed most of our goals for the year, so hopefully this year we will too. However I do have a pretty tall order!  So here is my list  for this year *disclaimer here.(I add tons of stuff to my list as the year goes, I have a never ending list. lol)

My #1 personal goal it to be more organized! yikes!!!

Let's start with my family and homestead goals and projects. I already spend almost every waking moment well and sleeping moment taking care and tending to my family. I wouldn't change it for the world.  So this year my goals for my family are a little different.

• Plan the most awesome birthday parties for my soon to be 4 year old and my soon to be 2 year old. ( If you were following my blog last year then you got the see the awesome birthdays I put together last year. Reed had a Toy Story Birthday and Ryder had a Monsters Inc.)
• Do an awesome family vacation!
• Build the boys a totally awesome 2 story tree house!
• More date nights for the hubby and I
• Building my compost bins
• Raised beds and cute picket fence around them.
• FINALLY after a year of living here I am going to landscape! 
• Clear a couple more acres.(we have 7 and have cleared 2 so far)
• Build and fence an area for a horse, so this time next year I can get my very own horse! 
• Build a root cellar 
• Have my food storage complete
• So the list will go on and on, so we will leave room to fill in some more as the year goes on!
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Goals for my Blog 

• Blog more often, once every couple weeks isn't enough. :) With all the projects I listed above, I should have tons to blog about!
• Feature my favorite blogs and shops! 
• Beef up my recipe section (I am so bad about taking pictures while I am cooking)
• Keep everyone up to date as we slowly turn self sustainable. Building our compost bins, raised garden bed, food storage, root cellar, ect. 
• Hopefully by the end of the year my blog will be 100x better and I will be a better blogger!

My Business

•  I want to expand my business to include my other kitchen accessories, like my hot pads, trivets and full aprons. 
• My Mini CSA farm.   Last year I grew vegetables for my friend Alex over at Alexandra Rose. Well it was the first garden at my new house and it wasn't all the great. I did get Alex her veggies every couple of weeks but it was not what I was used to! This year I am going to be putting in raised beds and planting a ton of vegetables, as I am going to be starting my own organic food storage. I will grow veggies for a couple friends this year, and I am super excited to see how huge the difference is.
• Also last year I designed a few gardens for friends and family and this year I will be doing the same. More info on that later!

SO be sure to keep checking back to see what this year has in store for me and my family!!!

Afraid to Live Life. . . . .

I am not one to wear my heart on my sleeve but sometimes thoughts just need to be shared. Sorry if this is hard to understand, when emotions are crazy, my thoughts are hard to get into words.      

   This morning as I was driving into town to see my brother before he goes back to South Carolina (2863 miles away) to continue his basic training, I had a ton of emotions overtake me. I was driving thinking how thankful I am to have my brother and sister there when I need the, and how thankful I am to have two beautiful children and a man who stands by my side.
            On my way into town I passed the local fire station and saw the flag flying at half staff, and I just broke out in tears. Last week a local man, who I went to high school with, who was also a firefighter and a paramedic passed away in a tragic car accident, leaving behind family and friends. Earlier that same night an elderly woman who I have know my whole 24 years of life passed away in another traffic accident, leaving behind children, a husband and many friends. The man I went to high school with I didn't know him that well, we were only acquaintances, but that didn't seem to matter, it broke my heart. I cried and cried, not only because he passed away and I felt bad for all those who were close to him, but also because reality really set it and I realized that it could be anybody. I know when something like this happens, everyone says "treat people like it is the last time you will see them, you never know." well really you don't ever know.  I never really thought about death before I had children, now I am terrified of it. And not because I am worried about where I will go. But I am terrified, my boys will not remember me, or Ian wont know how to take care of them like I do, or what if they don't know how to cope. . . and the thoughts go on and on. Or god forbid something happen to one of them, I would be beside myself.  I know I shouldn't live like that but I can't help it. The day after both these people passed away, Ian went to the grocery store and was gone longer then I thought he should be, I called him and called him frantic, afraid that something had happened, I don't like to leave my house out of fear that something might happen. Crazy right. I don't know how to get over this or deal with this fear. Hopefully in time thing will be semi normal again for me. I know things will never be the same for the families and friends of Tyler and Maria.

I pray for comfort and peace for everyone who is suffering through all this and hope that some light can be seen. I pray that I stop living in fear and accept that there is a master plan that no one knows.

RIP Tyler and Maria