Wheat-Free Christmas Treat

I am planning to try this what-free treat with my kids over their break in a few weeks. Don't want to loose it before then!

Aunt Donna' Peanut Butter Balls (via Linda Lindsay)

Mix
1 16oz jar creamy any seed or nut butter (peanut butter, sun butter, etc.)
1 cube butter or margarine
1 lb powdered sugar

Add
3 cups crispy rice cereal.

Mix with hands. It will be crumbly. Squeeze enough to make walnut sized balls. Place on cookie sheet and freeze overnight.

In a double boiler, add 12oz semisweet chocolate chips, a large Hershey special dark chocolate candy bar (6.8-8 ounces), 1/2 of a stick of paraffin wax (In the canning section. I believe it is called parowax). Sounds wierd, but it works!

With toothpicks, dip frozen balls in chocolate mixture and place on wax paper. Using a spoon with chocolate to cover holes. Drizzle with extra chocolate to beautify, if desired. Store in container in fridge.

My previous photo showed 4 batches. Fyi, 3 batches of chocolate will cover 4 batches of PB Balls.

Enjoy!

Photo credit: Linda Lindsay

My mouth is watering already! Can't wait to try!!! I anticipate this becoming a new Saake family favorite tradition.

A really cool idea is this reverse advent calandar, counting days until Christmas by giving instead of getting: http://eatnorth.com/eat-north/julie-van-rosendaals-reverse-advent-calendar

Small Businesses #30DaysOfThanks 11 (Shopping Guide)

I'll be doing a whole post about vets on my Daddy's birthday (Thanksgiving Day this year), but couldn't let today pass without at least some mention.

I'm trying to get really creative with "thankfuls" that benefit and bless others as much as I have been blessed. With holidays coming, it is my hope that I can help boost business a little for my courageous friends, many of whom have been part of my own journey for years. Thus today's post about small business women in my life and their books, curriculum, art, music, family businesses, etsy or eBay pages, or other business affiliations. I thank you each for the long nights, tears, family stress and long hours you put in to make your businesses both emotionally and financially profitable. Thank you for sharing your help, lessons, tips and encouragement along the way!

Christmas is nearly upon us already! If you are looking for gift ideas, please support a family business this year! In a moment, I'll be sharing a wide range of resources you may wish to choose from! (Please note, company/product names are the clickable links, so touch the name of the goods and services to go to owner websites.)

Over the years I've tried all kinds of home-based business from cleaning supplies and vitamins/nutrition to gift wrap to dolls and stuffed animals to a couple lines of mineral makeup to some jewelry. Basically, when I found products I loved, I bought in, to be able to purchase for myself at consultant discount and to make a little money as well! A couple years back, I wrote about the process of God pruning me. Just before my strokes I had felt God firmly guiding me to resign from all but one business I was involved in. It made no sense to my mind at the at the time, but after the strokes, I was so thankful for His wise leading!

I do still have my Lilla Rose hair clip page as the maintenance of this page takes little to no ongoing effort on my part  - figure 8 or Flexi clips, AMAZING little gadget that actually holds your hair, doesn't slip and doesn't pull!!!. (See YouTube to understand what makes them so unique! And here is sizing help.) 

Two friends who are more actively selling Lilla Rose are my friends Kendra D. and Kristi Bothur (who does the whole inventory-on-hand, shows, parties, etc. thing). Kendra, my stroke buddy, learned this great tip for left-handers, if you want the pin to slide in from the left side on any pin that has a clear top to the design, "after you place the order, immediately email them with the order number and item number and ask for it to be made left handed.".

This is a passionate issue to me as my husband and I owned a small store for the first few years of our marriage. That business failed. I want the best for my friends. If you are putting yourself out there into the competitive world of commerce, this is my token of support and thanks today. Every woman listed here could really use your support and encouragement! I've tried to cover lots of friends, but am sure I left many good friends off, so I ask for your forgiveness if you should have been included and I accidentally left you off this list. Please reply in the comments with an explanation of what you do and your link!!! 

When I think back over my own years of business ventures, it was the message boards at Christian Work At Home Ministries (CWAHM) where I made many of my connections. Thank you Jill Hart!

Women like Carissa Wooten Fulkerson (now) of Stone Street Soaps (amazing soaps and body products, both in look and feel, hand crafted, family made, packed and shipped, including specialty items and special orders) is the first to come to mind, for we entered so very many business attempts together before she invented her own fantastic business!

 

Yes! These are soaps!!! I gave several as gifts last year and everyone raved!

Leesha Heins sells Pampered Chef. I am currently hosting a party for her. Orders may be placed through Thursday, Nov. 19, 2015. (If you are on Facebook, please join the show page. While you don't need to "be there" at any set time, Leesha will be posting information, specials, and answering questions there!)

I am also hosting a Perfectly Posh event for Kathy Owens, open through noon this Saturday, November 15, with fun pampering products like "The Caffeinator" skin stick to "Wake up sleepy eyes and tired skin with a perky jolt of caffeine." Karen shares a promotion from corporate, available on purchases of $25 or more (excluding perks and other discounts) and only while supplies last:

Perfectly Posh

So far, neither of these shows have any orders placed, besides my own, so please grab your favorite drink, then drop by and take a look!

The following loved ones aren't posted in any kind or order, neither alphabetical nor by business/product type. As friends sent me links, I added them. With brain injury, this has become a full 3-day project, so I apologize to my fellow OCDers but this is what I could manage, so please see my heart in seeking to share these girls and their enterprises with you! I also see I got some of the background messy with all my copy/pasting. I've fixed as much of this as I can figure out how too. I'm sorry it still looks messy in places!  If I got anyone's details wrong or messed up links, please let me know right away and I'll be glad to edit in changes.

If something interests you, even a little, please visit the link. And if you can find it in your heart and pocket book to make a purchase or three, even better! Don't forget to open the comments to either add your own business or check to see what other links might already be added there for you to visit! ;) 

Shelly Benoit Hendricks has just published 3 beautiful new books on living with chronic illness (or with someone who is ill) including So You're Chronically Ill, Now What (look for a more in-depth review, information, links and give away upcoming on my illness blog, hopefully next week).

Bethany sells Jamberry "Gorgeous nail wraps that last up to 2 weeks on fingers, 6 weeks on toes. Latex-free, vegan, gluten-free, made in the USA. Less than $4/mani or pedi! Over 300 designs, so there's something for everyone."

Mandy Forster Stevenson also sells Jamberry. :) mandyrae.jamberrynails.com

My dearest friend, Susan, introduced me to her friend Laura Mizzell Baker and Paparazzi last year. I was HOOKED quickly. All necklaces come WITH matching earrings for the single price of only $5! Kids jewelry is only $1. Let's just say this makes for some great gift giving!!! For anyone on Facebook, Laura has also teamed up with Theresa Daniels to launch a private, invite-only (I have permission to invite my readers ;) ) The Sparkle Boutique, a WIDE variety of inexpensive jewelry, and they will research your interest to find exactly what you are looking for! Much there is in the $5 (or less!) to $12 range as well.

My friend Tammy sells an adorable clothing line called LulaRoe. I plan to do an in-person pop-up boutique with her once I loose more weight and am excited to see my living room turned into a clothing boutique for a few hours while friends visit and try on favorites! Until then, or if you don't live near me, order through her facebook page at /groups/tamimajtanlularoe/ or visit the main company page at www.lularoe.com then email her at lularoetamimajtan@gmail.com. In the Reno/Sparks, Nevada area, Tammy invites you to "stop by [her house] and shop, which has a much larger variety then the website. But if they see something online they want, they can use this code for free shipping: TAMIMAJTAN."

Kim, mom of twins with a degree in Childhood Development and a preschool teacher in a classroom setting for 12 years, is the author of LessonPlansPlus, where she has "taken our expertise in planning preschool lessons and shared it in an easy-to-follow format.  Our goal is to provide you with fun, flexible, educational preschool lesson plans for use in any setting.  Whether you want a few extra ideas to freshen up your current preschool lesson plans or you need an entire curriculum from scratch, we have what you need..."

Gratefulfoodie, Caroline Moassessi, is a personal friend and hero of mine (and she car pools my kids every afternoon too!) food allergy and asthma blogger.  I'm excitedly watching for more news from http://www.gratefulfoodie.com/.

Conny Hutchinson is a consultant with Mary & Martha (a faith-based company, related to DaySpring)

Terryl Hicks sells Thirty-one.

Suzanne Anderson Boyd has Anderson Square Jewelry Studio or facebook.com/AndersonSquareJewelry/?fref=ts

Abby Morton is the owner and designer behind "Mavora" Art and Design, started in 2006, offering custom stationary and supplies (like custom bags) and party invites (showers, weddings, etc.). The company is named after a group of lakes in New Zealand where Abby met her husband Tim. Abby is a real-life friend who greatly gave of herself and blessed me after my strokes, but has since moved. I miss her! 

The gift Abby made and brought me in the hospital. (Please forgive my poor photography.)
She also designed the header on my Given Me A Thorn blog.

Melissa Bogue writes, "I promote and sell an incredible, life changing line of products by LifeVantage! Protandim is an incredible all natural health supplement. We also carry a few other lines including an awesome skin care line called Life Science and a supplement for dogs called Canine Health."
"You can learn more about Protandim right here: www.abcliveit.com. If you watch the first video that comes up (just push the PLAY button in the middle of your screen, you'll have the chance to watch a short 12 min. video that explains about a truly phenomenal product that was featured on ABC's Primetime Investigation. Please message me back if you have any questions about this, as I will be happy to answer any questions, or help in any way possible."


Melissa Bogue also says, "I am a single Mama of three young children and am providing for them 100% on my own. I am an associate with Legal Shield and sell very affordable pre-paid legal plans and Identity Theft Protection that covers each member of your family. I am here to help, so please contact me today with any questions!" http://melissabogue.legalshieldassociate.com/

Lisa Copen of Rest Ministries has created (and makes) her own line of inspirational jewelry, GutsyGoodness. facebook.com/Gutsygoodness

Nancy Peters is a Beachbody coach. Please join her at Getting Fit with Nancie and you are welcome to message her on facebook with any questions.

My friend Kathy (who helps clean my house ever since my strokes) sells Amway. She asks that you help support her son, Justin, in his new Amway business.

Julie Ann Farmer Anderson sells Usborne Books and More.

Mel Vogt sells Arbonne.

Stephanie Ross sell Norwex.

Stephanie Glayton Burrage is a friend an incredibly talented photographer. To order a 2016 calendar of beautiful central California in the spring (pictured below), paypal $20 (includes shipping!) to  stephanieburrage@gmail.com via Paypal. You may reach Stephanie via facebook at /stephanie.burrage.

Barbara Burke Vandervort owns Vintage Rose Fashions and is just getting started again after several years off caring for a family member. https://www.facebook.com/Vintage-Rose-Fashions-38932566710/

Jennifer Davy Cameron selsl handmade greeting cards. - "I will post Christmas cards after Remembrance Day. Here is a link to my Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/Cameron-Cards-336779916413715/?ref=bookmarks&hc_location=ufi "

Michelle Clausen Glassmaker owns and makes adorable hair fashion (even custom requests) at Cotton Candy Bows. https://www.facebook.com/Cotton-Candy-Bows-147882571894458

Michelle Glassmaker also sells Plexus.

Jennifer Smith Adams owns ReedemedCoverings. Facebook.com/redeemedcoverings

Sharon Hope Betron Delabar sells affordable headcoverings and much more at NOVEILNOEVIL.COM "I'm still adding inventory!". 

My friend (and former writing group leader) Jeanette Hanscome, already has a few published books (including co-authoring of RUNNING WITH ROSELLE, and the writer of GIFTS, Volume 12 of The 12 Days of Christmas series), but I would especially like to highlight her upcoming devotional, Suddenly Single Mom:

Suddenly Single Mom, Jeanette Hanscome

And once again,

#30DaysOfThanks

World A-spinnin' So Fast!

It's been a busy birthday month at our house. Our oldest turned 14 a few days before Christmas (my mom had a birthday and kidney stone emergency room trip a few days before that), my mom had surgery in early January (yes, I just had 3 emergency room trips and the same emergency surgery in November and earlier in December!), then our Little Bear turned 8 last week and his sister turned 11 this weekend.

Now we seem to be passing a tummy bug around the family. I just rescheduled today's MRI for Valentine's Day because I told them they don't want me bringing these germs to their office. Thankfully, this just seems to be a 12-24 hour thing, so I am hopeful that tomorrow will remain as currently scheduled. (One can dream anyway, right?) So much for my neurologist's warning to avoid illness at all costs because it might set me back so hard. :(

Looking back through the past few months of posts, the most widely read one has been my thoughts on Christian women and head coverings. Our infertility and pregnancy / adoption loss story, The Family That God Built, also has had a bit of traffic (though not as much as I expected for such an amazing, shout-it-from-the-rooftops God story)! My one word for 2014 seemed to get a few people thinking. My 2 year, 3 month stroke update has had a few reads but not many comments. I love comments! *hint - hint* ;)

The main reason I'm posting today is to tell you about an exciting Facebook group Shelly Hendricks and I get to host today through this April. We feel so blessed to have been members of various (in)courager groups (an outreach of DaySpring) over the past months (that's pretty much how we met, or at least how a brief acquaintance and casual interaction turned into deep friendship). This season we can't wait to have you join us in community and belonging and friendship as well! Come on over and be encouraged.

Whether your need is a small group of women seeking God through chronic illness. Shelly and I be thrilled to welcome you into the HOPE group, but maybe you would feel more comfortable in any of the other small families such as infertility, adoption, special needs, any stage of motherhood (including prodigal and adult children as well as brand new and all stages in between), singleness, marriage, professional, stay-at-home, structured Bible study, just hang out, teachers (at home or in a classroom), writers, artists and more! Basically, if you are a woman, with an interest in knowing God more, there is a group for you! My biggest problem was choosing just one part of my life to focus on right now, as there are so many, many amazing choices!

The online support culminates the last weekend of April with a chance (no one will twist your arm to try to make you attend, but you may realize you really want to by then!) to attend a local get together of the (in)RealLife conference, thousands of women, around the globe, gathering 2, 3, 10, 12 at a time, and getting to watch a few short videos with other local Christian woman from all walks of life. Tearing down the denominational, social and other barriers that keep us apart and simply learning to love one another.

We need the blessing of you in community with us. And even if you don't know it yet, even if you are an introverted personality and the idea of sharing in someone else's journey terrifies or intimidates you and you can't imagine (*gasp*) sharing any piece of your own heart, you need community more than you realize. Please at least give us a try. We don't bite (too hard, anyway ;) ), I promise!

Taking an abrupt turn in subject matter, may I bother you once again to ask for your support? I have been nominated as a WEGO  Health Activist (a pretty big deal, actually) and am humbled and thrilled by the initial nomination. However, they are asking for additional endorsements (think website "votes") of my nomination. You may vote daily. The highest three number of endorsements in each category are then considered for final winner selection, so any further progress I make is up to you all here. To vote, go to https://awards.wegohealth.com/nominees/jenni-767 then down arrow to the purple "endorse" button on the right, below my picture. Click the button. They may ask for your email address and that will be it. You may come again tomorrow (and the day after that, and the day after that...) if you really want to help my numbers. :) Thanks so much! You are also welcome to click on the blue button on the left side of the screen if you want to leave a comment about your reason for nomination.

Breakfast

Here's what we had for breakfast this morning. If you are wondering why it's so exciting, you may have missed our egg-cellent news from yesterday. :)

Big J. learned to fry an egg.

Yes, it was a small egg, but we split if 4 ways (Rick didn't want to try 1/5 of an egg) and each got one small, yet very tasty bite. :)

Weeks 5-8

Don't you love my consistent, weekly blogging technique? ;) May I make up for my lack of writing by sharing my my rose garden with you?

Since my last update, we have finished school weeks 5-8 of My Father's World in our 1850 to Modern Times year (year 5 of the 5 year cycle for those of you who are familiar with the program). We've covered states and capitals (they have the states down cold, but we still have a few capitals to get straight), Abraham Lincoln (Did you know Thanksgiving was established to thank God for Civil War victories?), the Civil War, and lots of great science activities.

Big J. and I read "Across Five Aprils" last month and now all of us are reading our way through the entire Little House on the Prairie (Laura Ingalls Wilder) series. We finished "On the Banks of Plumb Creek" last night and the kids are itching to start "By the Shores of Silver Lake" today. I don't want to get too far ahead in history with our reading as I love the way MFW paces reading suggestions to tie right into the history lessons, but I also never want to discourage my children from loving books, so we are reading pretty far ahead (and including a lot of extras as only two of the Little House books are directly scheduled into the year). This week we are talking about other world events that were happening at the same time as the U.S. Civil War.

J. Bear, or "Dimple Man" as I recently told him I should start calling him on the blog, is working hard on finishing Kindergarten so he's ready for 1st after Christmas, but he's already tagging along with his older brother and sister in much of what they do as well.

Princess R. (3rd grade) is making huge strides in reading! A few weeks back she struggled when letters were "too small" because reading was such hard work. Yesterday she brought me her Bible (small print!) and surprised me with, "Mom, I was reading this Proverb today and wanted to share it with you..." Then she flawlessly read me the entire verse and struck up a conversation about it. :) We are doing some math review with the Princess to really make sure her foundations there are strong before moving forward again, and Dimple Man (K) is trying to keep up with her review, even though it's first/second grade level. The sibling competitive spirit is an interesting dynamic to watch unfold as they each challenge one another to do their best.

I am greatly looking forward to having all three of them together on the same core program (obviously with age appropriate adjustments for each child) doing Exploring Countries and Cultures next year before Big J. (now in 7th) heads on into high school the year after next. Time is marching forward so quickly!

A couple of weeks ago the boys had a special day out with their Dad at the local water park while Princess R. and I enjoyed a Mommy and Daughter day. We baked cupcakes, did craft projects, and had a dolly tea party.

I actually forgot all about my planned culmination of the day, giving R. her Laylie Colbert A Life of Faith doll (I was able to pick her up on close-out pricing a few years ago, before the company retired the doll line), a wonderful companion for her as she starts "Meet Addy" in an America Girl glass at homeschool co-op this Thursday. I don't think R. minded too much that I forgot that day because she was a totally out-of-the-blue surprise yesterday. R. said, "Mommy, it feels so strange to get an amazing gift like this in the middle of the year!" :)

In addition the the doll class, R. will be taking an acting class (also based on American Girl history stories) and ballet. Big J. is taking a cooking around the world class, watercolor, and a class my Dad, Ralph Camp, is teaching on Biblical Hermeneutics (the art and science of interpreting literature). J. Bear will be taking self-defense, a world cultures class, and a preschool class that while possibly a bit too "easy" was the best choice for his attention span given the other possible selections offered that hour. I think my silly boy will need some time for snacks, play and run-around between his two more attention-demanding classes, don't you? (This picture captures his personality perfectly.)

And one more time, I have to share my beautiful roses. This garden is a gift from my husband, and planted in dedication of all our children, both these three living miracles and all their siblings in Heaven. Our oldest, Noel Alexis, was due just to be born 16 years ago, earlier this month.

Naturally Clean

I love to stay as "chemical free" as I can, in large part out of necessity due to multiple chemical sensitivities and severe allergic reactions. I use mineral makeup, mineral deodorant, wash my hair with baking soda and vinegar, buy homemade clay and tea tree oil soap from a friend, and do most of my household cleaning with natural products like baking soda and vinegar as well.
Today a friend posted these 74 Uses for Vinegar on Facebook. I was thrilled to find a few new tricks I didn't know yet. Natural cleaning typically saves money too! What are your favorite natural cleaning and personal care ideas? Please share!

New Family Members