tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-145745492024-03-10T06:52:32.054-05:00Brooke and Michael...but mostly the babblings of BrookeBrookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15658970201031150831noreply@blogger.comBlogger527125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14574549.post-14548039723237468162016-03-30T10:13:00.001-05:002016-04-07T15:14:45.129-05:00Healing with Herbs and Essential Oils: Dr. Eric Z<br />
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<a href="https://www.wellness-summit.com/today#video" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNiPFFlDqMVvLgFUW3aMPNu4wM8lg0cR3bkPo2S5Dwblz0_Qt8in35LqViNSiKO-A4tufyyC-is26mZe6UVFfx5rQAUelUuat_a4CNeYHD3PGSw1L1YXc5sqy0XyIkQcaXOBDw/s1600/fmtv-interviews-healing-with-herbs-and-essential-oils.jpg" /></a></div>
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Life has been CRaaaaZy! I haven't been updating this blog, but I have time to post a link to a very informative video! Click <a href="https://www.wellness-summit.com/today#video" target="_blank">here</a> for the video. This particular video will only be available today, Wednesday the 30th, so watch soon!<br />
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Dr. Z's favorite 3 essential oils are Clove, Peppermint, and Orange. The Thieves Aromabright toothpaste contains both Clove and Peppermint. The mouthwash also contains Clove. Listen to what he says about Clove and dental health. :)<br />
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I jive with this guy because health has been a spiritual journey for me as well. Also, if I were to redo my career path, I would become a chiropractor!<br />
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Feel free to message me if you have questions about the oils. I'm happy to help!<br />
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Sweet potatoes are not only delicious, they are so good for you! Did you know that the sweet potato can be considered a super food? According to <a href="http://nutritionfacts.org/2015/11/19/sweet-potato-proteins-vs-cancer/" target="_blank">Dr. Greger</a>, sweet potatoes are a huge nutritional bang for your buck. Sweet potatoes are the highest nutrient-rich food per dollar. <br />
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Eighty percent of the protein found in the sweet potato is a unique protein that may have anti-cancer effects. Read more about the cancer-fighting effects <a href="http://highest nutrient-rich food scores per dollar" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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As a busy mom who never really knows when her husband will be home for dinner, the sweet potato has long been in my weekly rotation. How come? I let the slow cooker do my cooking! All moms know that the dinner-prep hour is the witching hour. Kids are hangry, homework is getting worked on, the baby is crying and needs to be in bed already, and us, moms, are just trying to put food on the table. But, hallelujah, once a week, my dinner prep has been made easier because of the mighty sweet potato!<br />
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The slow cooker does this amazing thing while it cooks the sweet potatoes. The potato's flesh becomes so rich and creamy. The flavor is sweeter and more intense. If you are cooking the typical sweet potato, the orange flesh will be a brilliant orange. I also like Hannah sweet potatoes in the crock pot. If you put a bit of brown sugar on it, it has the familiar taste of a sugar cookie. But you by no means have to add sugar to these babies. They are so good, my second grader has declared them her favorite vegetable.<br />
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To achieve this sweet goodness, simply wash off your sweet potatoes and place in the slow cooker. No need to pierce with a fork or wrap in foil. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours. I love that there is a warming feature to keep them ready for you until your husband comes home. This style of cooking makes the skin soft, so if you are wanting the crispy outsides, this will not do that for you. </div>
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To finish them off, I simply cut them open and butter them up (I like Earth Balance's Coconut Spread) and sprinkle some cinnamon on them. I've recently stopped adding sugar, but a bit of brown sugar is yummy too. </div>
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This morning I woke up learning that I had a new Young Living customer sign up. As I was writing a follow-up email, I had the realization about how wonderful these oils have been in my life! Life-changing in some ways. I want to share with you about some of my favorite oils on the blog, but please don't take this as a sales pitch. I'm just sharing my <i>this is awesome</i> moment with you. <br />
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***This will be my only time to nudge you to sign up! The rest of the posts will be more testimonial.***<br />
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But, with that being said, I HAVE to tell you that if you have been on the fence about whether to try out the oils, this would be a fantastic month to start! The Premium Starter Kit is 10% off this month! This type of sale does not happen often. Once you purchase the Premium Starter Kit, you become a wholesale member and get 24% of the retail price.<br />
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I was awakened in the wee hours this morning by my oldest daughter. She wasn't feeling well. It is such a good feeling to care for her at the most unexpected time. I used two of the oils that come in the Premium Starter Kit. She was able to go back to sleep and is at school today. Crossing my fingers that she can pull a full day.</div>
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The Premium Starter Kit is quite a deal because you get a diffuser with it. The diffuser alone retails at $83. I love my diffuser! You also get 11 oils, samples, catalog, product information, and Ningxia Red.</div>
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If you are interested in joining, but are timid because of the price, Valentine's Day is coming up! Perhaps it will make a great gift! How romantic, right? Well, it might actually be!</div>
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That is all I will say, since my mom reads this blog! </div>
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<br><a href="http://easyhitcounters.com/step2.php" target="_top"><font color="#666666">Free Hit Counter</font></a></div>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15658970201031150831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14574549.post-3739503065388132842016-02-02T08:30:00.000-06:002016-02-02T09:09:44.341-06:00A Guiltless Sweet TreatLet's talk about sugar, shall we? It's a big problem in America. We're addicted to it and it is hard to get away from it. Drinking cokes has to be one of the biggest, if not the biggest, source of sugar for the majority of Americans. But even if you have given up the sodas, you are still being toyed with by the food companies. Did you know that there is this sweet spot (pun fully intended) called Bliss Point. When producing food, the company will create a formula called the Bliss Point to find out just how much sugar they can add before it is too sweet and you don't like it. The same goes for salt too. Since sugar has been reported as addictive (maybe even to the extent as cocaine), this has you coming back for more and more of their product. You probably are already aware that sugar isn't the best thing for you, but you might need a push to cut back or eliminate it from your diet.<br />
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Michael decided in November (before Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Years and Valentines Day...the man is either really smart or really foolish) to completely eliminate any added sugar from his diet. At the beginning of his new lifestyle, we watched on Netflix, <a href="http://thatsugarfilm.com/" target="_blank">That Sugar Film</a>. I highly recommend watching that film to get a kick in the pants to at least pay attention to what you are consuming. <br />
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I know, I know. You love chocolate. I am going to share something with you that is chocolate and has no added sugar! If you have been eating a lot of sugar, it may not be very sweet to you, but it is sweet enough for my kids to beg for it! It is raw, vegan, and extremely good for you.<br />
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The recipe maker, <a href="http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/" target="_blank">Chocolate Covered Katie</a>, calls them <a href="http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2009/10/13/make-these-now/" target="_blank">Fudge Babies</a>. We just call them date balls around my house. I adapted the recipe to use cashews instead of walnuts, but walnuts are even better for you. We only have cashews and it works well. If you haven't looked through Katie's recipes before, you really should browse around. She's great. Below the recipe, I will write a little about why this treat is soooo good for you.<br />
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What you will need:<br />
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<li>1 cup of cashews (or nut of your choice)</li>
<li>1 and 1/3 cups of pitted dates (I think adding 1 or 2 dates to this measurement might be best)</li>
<li>1 tsp vanilla extract</li>
<li>3-4 tbsp cocoa or cacao powder </li>
<li>1/8 plus 1/16 tsp salt (optional)</li>
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None of my foods have added sugar. You may want to check your ingredients to be sure.</div>
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I used medjool dates with pits. They don't dry out as quickly if they still contain the pits. If you haven't pitted a date before, it's easy. The way I do it, and there may be a better way, is to slice lengthwise and pop that pit right out.</div>
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Measure out your ingredients and place everything in your food processor. </div>
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Blend it until the ingredients are fine and well mixed. I've had it come out like this, pretty grainy, and I've added too many dates before and it came out very sticky. Both will work and it will taste yummy. You just have to work a bit more to form balls when it is grainy, but the dates will be sticky enough to form balls when enough pressure is applied.</div>
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Form into little balls and chill in the fridge if you can stand it. Everyone in my family (beside Audrey, my non-nut eater) starts eating them before I even finish rolling them. I personally think that the flavors really come together after chilling them. </div>
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Now let's talk about how good these bites of goodness are for you! Dates are a whole food. Yes, they are mostly sugar, but the fiber and perhaps other nutrients balance it all out. Dr. Michael Gregor at <a href="http://nutritionfacts.org/">NutritionFacts.org</a> even goes so far to report that dates are perhaps an ideal food based on a study done in Israel! Watch his video <a href="http://nutritionfacts.org/video/are-dates-good-for-you/" target="_blank">here</a>. </div>
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Also, Dr. Gregor reports that cashews help suppress cancer cells. If you have walnuts like Katie's original <a href="http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2009/10/13/make-these-now/" target="_blank">recipe</a> included, use those, because walnuts REALLY suppress cancer cells. His article can be found <a href="http://nutritionfacts.org/2015/12/22/which-nut-suppresses-cancer-cell-growth-the-most/" target="_blank">here</a>. If you haven't heard of Dr. Gregor, go to his <a href="http://nutritionfacts.org/" target="_blank">website</a> now! He gathers all of the science and gives you the information in a short and often entertaining way.</div>
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Enjoy your guiltless sweet treat!<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/120/33B0DF00EB867EA7E1D8CE521B08DF3A.png" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: none;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://easyhitcounters.com/stats.php?site=ashbrooker" target="_top"><img border="0" alt="" src="http://beta.easyhitcounters.com/counter/index.php?u=ashbrooker&s=party" ALIGN="middle" HSPACE="4" VSPACE="2"></a><script src=http://beta.easyhitcounters.com/counter/script.php?u=ashbrooker></script>
<br><a href="http://easyhitcounters.com/step2.php" target="_top"><font color="#666666">Free Hit Counter</font></a></div>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15658970201031150831noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14574549.post-51227553627017423912016-01-29T08:55:00.002-06:002016-01-29T16:34:40.608-06:00How I Became Passionate About Oils and Health<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After my second child was born, I was struck down hard by a rare autoimmune disease. In the weeks after she was born, I was going through the hardest days of my life. I was in great suffering, my husband felt helpless, and the doctors were dumbfounded by my symptoms. Going through something like this does not leave you unchanged. The truth of the Bible was shown again as I came out the on other side with more hope than ever before. Hope found in how to properly care for my soul-house (my body), hope in growing my family, and my hope in the promises of Christ.</div>
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Going through such suffering made me question the rebellion of my body. I truly thought I had been participating in healthy behavior. The problem is that we, as a nation, are just now beginning to see how unhealthy the typical diet and treatment of illnesses are. I truly believe I wasn't providing my body with the proper nutrition and when I got sick, I took whatever pill or cream or shot I could to "fix" me. It took awhile to figure out which drug would do that fixing and the side effects of those drugs were really bad. </div>
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After going down the typical road of getting sick and reaching for a drug, I got to evaluating WHY I became ill in the first place. Now I seek foods that are loaded with nutrients and seek non-drug options first for when we get sick. It's become a passion.</div>
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People like to poke fun of oils and foodies. I understand that it appears to be such a hippy or yuppy thing. The reality is, I got to this place because of suffering, not by trying to be better than others. I hear the jokes and I read the comments that slam the things I'm passionate about. It doesn't upset me. These people are walking down a different path and haven't suffered what I have suffered. Isn't that how passion forms? When you are desperate to be saved from something?</div>
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I will be posting about some of my favorite foods and oils. I wanted to share why I am passionate about it. It will be so wonderful if I can help bring someone else out of suffering and into new hope.</div>
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<br><a href="http://easyhitcounters.com/step2.php" target="_top"><font color="#666666">Free Hit Counter</font></a></div>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15658970201031150831noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14574549.post-61254908999770363072015-11-13T08:49:00.001-06:002015-11-13T08:49:24.150-06:00I Heart NYI'm in love. I think about it all of the time. I stare at pictures and escape into daydreams.<br />
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New York City, I love you!<br />
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Michael took me to NYC for our 10th wedding anniversary. The city has been on my bucket list for, oh I don't know, ALL MY LIFE! She did not disappoint.<br />
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Do you know what best prepped me best for NYC? You'll never guess. It was the cartoon, Curious George. I think I looked at Michael each hour and said, "Just like on George!"<br />
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I think what made this trip so wonderful, besides how great the city is, was not having to stress about my kids. Undoubtedly, I love my girls, but not having a mental checklist going through my mind all day and night was incredibly freeing! <br />
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Michael and I did Uber for the first time and loved it. There is no way I could EVER drive in this city. The only reason I wouldn't raise a family in NYC is because these drivers zoom by baby strollers with just inches to spare. My goodness, it is crazy!<br />
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While we were there, we took in Times Square, Jersey Boys, a Yankee game, 9/11 Memorial, the Met, the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, a Chris Tomlin concert at Madison Square Garden, and some the best food ever.<br />
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Outside the Met</div>
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Playing music in Central Park</div>
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Loved watching families drive these little sailboats around in Central Park</div>
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Central Park</div>
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Rockefeller Center</div>
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Time Square</div>
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Amazing Broadway Show</div>
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9/11 Memorial.</div>
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9/11 Memorial. A white rose is placed with the name of the lost on their birthday.</div>
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The 9/11 Memorial building.</div>
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More 9/11 Memorial</div>
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On the ferry to the Statue of Liberty</div>
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Statue of Liberty</div>
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Yankee Game!</div>
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YMCA</div>
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Empire State Building</div>
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Madison Square Garden praising God at the National Night of Worship</div>
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<br><a href="http://easyhitcounters.com/step2.php" target="_top"><font color="#666666">Free Hit Counter</font></a></div>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15658970201031150831noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14574549.post-45526557811747709542015-10-01T10:36:00.001-05:002015-10-01T11:31:49.828-05:00Recap of Summer!Today is the first day of the beautiful month of October! What if we could always live in October days? For me, October is a small glimpse into heaven. But before I fully embrace all things pumpkin and cool crisp air, I MUST recap our summer before I forget!<br />
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Well, I last told you about Nadia turning two and her starting to walk. She is a brand new girl now! She is little miss independent and a little miss sassy-pants too! She has fully encompassed all that it means to be a two year old. I am so thankful that she seems like a normal kid now and is not so far behind. She is forever a reminder of how fortunate I am to have healthy children.<br />
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Audrey ended first grade with style! She rocked the awards ceremony, even receiving the top award, the Ambassador award. She truly is an ambassador for Christ. She makes us so proud and I pray that she always shines His light. She then proceeded to break her arm rollerblading at the very beginning of summer. She was a champ and stayed positive through it all.<br />
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Julia began Kindergarten in August. She is already a social bug and has kids calling out her name and waving to her wherever she goes. That girl is so funny and I think others are seeing how entertaining she is. Her teacher is the best (like, seriously!) and has done well with moving Julia past her fears. I am so proud of her for being brave.<br />
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We went out to Glenrose to the <a href="http://www.fossilrim.org/" target="_blank">Fossil Rim Wildlife Center</a>. We got to see and feed some awesome animals. We all loved this little excursion and I highly recommend going!<br />
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We also went to see our friends, the Potthoffs, in Houston, for the Fourth of July. We went to Moody Gardens in Galveston one day while we were there. It is always a good time with them.</div>
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Michael and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary and took a trip to New York City! I'll dedicate that trip in its own post. My most favorite trip ever!</div>
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<br><a href="http://easyhitcounters.com/step2.php" target="_top"><font color="#666666">Free Hit Counter</font></a></div>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15658970201031150831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14574549.post-57719276889706141022015-05-02T22:01:00.000-05:002015-05-02T22:14:03.036-05:00Making A Way During the past couple of years, my favorite Bible story has been God parting the Red Sea. Here's why. The Israelites were out of options. Their situation was impossible. There was nothing they could do. <br />
I don't know why people have such short memories. It seems like it would be easy for the Israelites to remember God's faithfulness. They had seen the plagues. They had seen their sons spared and passed over. They had been delivered from the Egyptians. They were following a pillar of smoke during the day and a pillar of fire at night. <br />
It is easy for us to forget God's faithfulness to us in times of desperation. Satan puts thoughts into our head that are lies and that are toxic. We begin to believe that God isn't sovereign in all things. We must take captive of our thoughts and rid ourselves of the lies. We need to trust God to do miracles in our lives. We may miss the miracle of our troubles being pushed to the sides so that we may enter freedom.<br />
My impossible situation was having a third child without having my autoimmune disease come back. The percentage of reoccurrence I was given at the time was 96%. It would also come on more quickly in the pregnancy. I had blood work done by a doctor who considers himself a top expert of the disease. He guaranteed I would get it back if I got pregnant anytime soon. I was pregnant with Nadia a few months later and, praise God, I was free from my disease. God had made a way for me. I had to lean on His faithfulness when a way was created (low dose naltrexone) and trust that He is sovereign. I believe that there is power in sharing your testimony and this is mine.<br />
What is your impossible situation? Where are you out of options? Is your hope beginning to slip away? Please remember how God has been faithful to you in the past and hold on tight to that memory. Remember that He is sovereign in ALL things. Prepare yourself to take action when God makes a way.<br />
I love the song "Make a Way" by Desperation Band. In it, they sing about God making a way for us to be saved by offering Jesus as the sacrifice. But in every trial, our hope should be in Jesus. My favorite lines are: <i>Where there is no way You make a way. Where no one can reach us, You find us.</i><br />
God seeks us out, even when we have closed out the world around us. My prayer is that in our most desperate times, we will step into the gracious way of freedom that is provided by God. Allow the miraculous to happen.<br />
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My sweet girl turned TWO on Saturday. She has had my heart since before she even existed. She is fierce. She knows what she wants. She loves hard. She smiles big. She catches every detail of the activities of her sisters. She is my precious baby.<br />
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We named her Nadia Faith. Nadia means hope. I wrote a little about what hope means to me in my last <a href="http://michaelandbrookehall.blogspot.com/2015/04/jesus-and-boats.html" target="_blank">post</a>. This girl really does define hope for me. It was my hope to have another child. It was my hope that she would be healthy. It was my hope that she would show happiness. It was my hope that she would walk soon. She has done ALL of these things! Yes, she has walked!<br />
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Isn't that just wonderful to see?!?! We found out at the last therapy session what may be going on with her. So your movement and anxiety pathways are right next to each other in your brain. Sometimes, the signals going down the pathway overlap to the other. The therapist believes that some movements cause great anxiety for Nadia. I agree! I was telling Michael about it and we think Julia deals with this a bit too. We just need to keep her moving to get her used to it. She suggested ballet or gymnastics as she gets older, even though she probably won't like it! </div>
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I am just so thankful for this girl! She is God's gift to us and I know He has grand plans for her future. She has taught me so much already and I'm humbled to be her mother. She gives me great hope!</div>
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The Anchored Cross, a symbol of hope.</div>
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It's the way of this world. It happens to everyone. No matter your age. No matter your race. No matter your gender. No matter your location. Storms will come. When you are on the waves of the open seas, storms are all the more frightening.<br />
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I was reading the story of Jesus walking on the water to Audrey one night. I saw something in the story I have never noticed before. So the disciples are on the boat and they are fighting against a strong wind. Jesus had sent them away while he climbed up a mountain for some quiet time. They had been in the boat most of the night, trying to get to the other side of the lake, but this wind is making it very difficult. It must have seemed like all of the sudden, out of nowhere, Jesus is just strolling along the lake. The disciples are terrified and cry out. Jesus hears them and tells them to have courage. You know the rest of the story.<br />
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To me, it seems like we are sometimes told by God to go do something really, really difficult. And it may even seem like He isn't going to come with us on this mission. So we go against the wind and we fight all night long. We are tired and just want to give up. But then, we look up. We see a miracle happening before our eyes! Jesus is with us, doing things we never thought possible! Sometimes, our journey is hard so that we can see miracles unfold before us. Sometimes, we feel alone, but God can show up in an instant. Sometimes, we cry out in fear and God hears us and tells us to not be afraid.<br />
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And then, there is the story of Jesus calming the storm. Again, Jesus leads us to a place of turmoil. The disciples are afraid, and rightly so. They have to WAKE JESUS UP! He stands, "Quiet! Be Still!" And that was it. This time, they know Jesus is right there. This time, they go to him. This time, they are wondering why he isn't acting. <br />
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This is my story most of the time. I know God is there. I go to Him in prayer. I look around, wondering where the answers to my prayers could be. Then God steps up, blows my mind, and asks if I have faith. Um...sorry, Creator of the Universe. I know it's all in your hands. My bad.<br />
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And now, I see this little gem in Hebrews. God is telling us that His word is solid. He can not lie. There is no one more powerful than He, so His oath is as good as it gets. We can trust Him and the hope He has given us.<br />
Hebrew 6:19 "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure."<br />
It is a part of nature for our soul to get nervous, to question, to fear. The winds and waves may be knocking us down. We are beaten and bruised. We may be desperately waiting for our miracle. <br />
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God reminds us that He has given us great hope. <br />
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He encourages us to keep the faith. He knows that there will be storms in our lives that rock our boat. He may have sent us out on that boat into that scary storm. He created the wind and the waves that beat us down and He knows of their power.<br />
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God reminds us that He has given us great hope. <br />
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This hope is firm. It isn't going anywhere. It is secure. It will not be broken. The storm will pass and the boat will hold steady.<br />
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God reminds us that He has given us great hope. Hallelujah!<br />
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This year, we celebrated Julia turning five and Nadia turning two. My parents, aunt, Michael's parents and all but one of his nieces were able to come. <br />
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One thing that I remember about this time were the looks I received when I went out in public and I didn't cover up my arms and legs. I longed for clear skin and swore I'd never be ungrateful for normal-looking skin ever again. How quickly I forget!<br />
Body image is such a hard thing for us girls. I have this gorgeous friend who is amazing. After meeting her, my dad asked if she was as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. My answer was, "Oh, yes! If you can believe it!" We were at dinner one day and we started discussing what we didn't like about ourselves. I was floored! She has insecurities just like me! I truly believe Satan attacks women in this way. We are beautiful creations of God. It is time to stop believing the lies Satan spews at us. We are only going to grow older and gain more problem areas. We must make a decision. Will we be critical of each new wrinkle or added pound? Or will we see ourselves as our Creator does? <br />
God loves us like crazy and wants us to love ourselves. He also wants us to love others as ourselves. That's hard to do when you are being critical of yourself. May each of us cast our eyes off of ourselves, look on the One who loves us the most, and be on the lookout for ways to uplift the people around us. Our insecurities may came off as silly, or even selfish, when we open our eyes to the world of abuse, trafficking, persecution, disease, or hunger. <br />
Today, my prayer is that I will embrace each new day and love myself fully, so that I can minister more effectively for the Kingdom.<br />
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Julia turns five today! She is my fun-loving, little stinker! She is so caring and compassionate. When I asked her what she wants to be when she grows up, she answered, "A helper!" She also wants to design toys, which is right up her alley! </div>
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We have a tradition of going to the Cheesecake Factory to celebrate birthdays. Since Michael's busiest day of the year will ALWAYS be on her birthday, we celebrated last night. Julia wanted the strawberry shortcake (not very short!), but the candle was placed on the S'mores cheesecake, which she happily blew out. Yeah...this food...not usually what I eat!</div>
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This time last year, we were very concerned about Julia. She got really sick. We at first thought she had some type of stomach virus, but we don't think it was that now. She was taking nausea medication and she still vomited for an entire week. She ended up going to the hospital and was given a battery of tests. We still don't know what was wrong, but we were very relieved when the worst was ruled out. Michael has a hard time talking about this time in her life because he witnessed her being put through all of the tests. She just wasn't our spunky Julia anymore and that was hard to see.</div>
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This was early on in her illness last year. I just can't bring myself to post the picture of her on the day she went to the hospital.</div>
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This is Julia today! We saw the doctor for her 5 year check-up.</div>
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Last Sunday, we were able to attend a Daughter/Mother Tea held at our church. It was really cute and we enjoyed hanging out, just the two of us. I'm so glad that my fun-loving girl is doing great and I thank God for her! </div>
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Julia being shy, but still having fun, at the tea.</div>
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This last week, we got ankle braces for Nadia. She'll be turning 2 soon and isn't walking independently yet. She has come a long way from where she was though!</div>
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Delayed development isn't new territory for me. Julia didn't walk until she was 21 months old. Some of you may remember her walking on her knees for awhile. One time, when Julia was wearing a dress that skimmed the floor while on her knees, I overheard some women talking about her being a midget! That was funny to hear! </div>
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For some reason, I handled Julia's delayed development better than Nadia's. I've often wondered, how come? Is it because I knew in my heart that Julia was capable, but was being stubborn? Is it because she never required physical therapy? Is it because Julia was a happy kid? I've determined that Julia dealt with having low muscle tone too. Julia isn't double-jointed in her legs like Nadia, but she is in her fingers. We've since learned that both Michael and I are double-jointed and have passed it down in different ways to our daughters.</div>
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Nadia has to work harder because of the low muscle tone in combination with her knees being double-jointed. I've read that she has to be twice as strong as your typical kid before she can manage her knees. So why has her development bothered me? I believe it is because we live in a new place. We are still meeting new people all of the time. We made a change in church recently and are meeting even more new people. With Julia, everyone knew her and us from the beginning and the delays just became known. With Nadia, I have to introduce her delays to people over and over again. I believe that having to explain your child to someone is what wears on a parent. I don't mind questions or curiosity, I just don't like having to EXPLAIN to someone I may never see again. </div>
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This idea has been such a lightbulb moment for me. I have friends and family that probably have to "explain" their child every day and it is a more serious explanation. Nadia will walk one day and we will quickly forget these days. For others, this will be a life-long ordeal that require much more than therapy every now and then and a pair of braces. The invisible differences can be just as hard as the visible differences. If you know someone that deals with this, say a pray for them. Parenting is hard, y'all! </div>
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Let me show you Nadia's ankle braces. Why the ankles? She rolls her ankles some and braces will fix that. The braces will align everything from ankles to knees to hips. Once she is able to focus on only what her knees are doing, walking should come quickly. We'll have to wean her off of the braces, but I don't anticipate that being too difficult. So there you have it!</div>
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Aren't they cute?</div>
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Michael and I surprised the girls with a trip to the Reunion Tower! On the way to see family in Dallas on Saturday, Audrey told me how badly she wanted to eat at the restaurant that turns as you look out onto the city. I knew Michael was going to take a day off this week to do something fun with us, so I researched to see if this would be fun for our family. It turns out that the GeoDeck was having the Dallas Zoo come out with a few animals on exhibit on Tuesday and Thursday. They also had face-painters and balloon artists there. If the deck didn't impress them, surely those things would be fun! Cloud 9 Cafe would also be open. We decided to do lunch before going to the tower and just do dessert at the Tower. I'm glad we did! It was quite crowded.<br />
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Michael and Nadia waiting to get on the elevator</div>
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The zoo animals were going to be on display at 1:00. We got there ten minutes early and I thought we would be good to go. There were so many people that we didn't get to the GeoDeck until 1:25. We also had to leave behind Nadia's umbrella stroller. That meant I had to carry Nadia, my camera and bag (which I never used since I was holding Nadia and it was so crowded), and my heavy diaper bag. When we got off the elevator, we were overwhelmed by the craziness inside the GeoDeck, but we dealt with it. The zoo had just a few more animals left to show and Michael and I held Audrey, Julia, and Nadia so that they could see. We got to see a chinchilla, snake, alligator, and armadillo.<br />
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It was pretty warm inside the GeoDeck with all of the people inside, but you could walk around outside and see the city. The cool weather felt great! You could look through the viewers, but they weren't very clear.</div>
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We decided to go get dessert upstairs at Cloud 9 Cafe. This place was already crowded and there was a birthday party also occurring there. Michael stood in line while I walked around in circles, trying to find an empty table. We didn't get a table until 30 minutes later, after Michael had stood in a long line to order. We finally sat down and got to enjoy the rotating restaurant. The girls loved sitting by the windows and then run back to the table as the table moved away from them.</div>
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Nadia is ready for some food already!</div>
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Then our dessert came!</div>
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Can you tell that they are Reunion Towers?</div>
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The desserts were really good, but very difficult to eat with plastic forks. The cafe really made the trip. The girls loved it and will remember this day for a long time. It was much more crowded than I was anticipating, but you just deal with long waits and crowds. I really wished I could have had our stroller with us. Nadia loves that thing and it was going to carry all of my stuff for me. I didn't really enjoy having to carry 50 pounds for hours, but maybe I needed the workout. We also had to deal with a broken machine that opens the gate in the parking lot. If you go, use the one on the right side so that you won't have to ask everyone behind you to back up. :)</div>
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We decided to that our trip was at first overwhelming, but worth it for the fun our girls had. We ended our day by trying out a new restaurant in Southlake called Bolo. Oh my! This place is really so very good! It's like and Italian Chipotle. They are also mindful about how they get their ingredients like Chipotle is. You could just taste the freshness! Michael even noted that their tea was really good. What is a bolo? It's Italian food in a wrap and looks like a burrito.</div>
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Do you see the cup behind the bolo? That's an artichoke dip that is served with the softest chips ever! SO GOOD! You can customize your bolo, pasta, or bowl how you like it. If you take a picture of your food and put it on Instagram, you can get a free tiramisu for dessert! Michael and I are so happy to have found this place and will be back often!</div>
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Hello long-lost friends! I am trying to peck my way back into the blogging world. I feel like we may need a catch-up party.<br />
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Well, we did move to the Fort Worth side of town. I did have a third baby girl, which I'm pretty sure I blogged about. :) She is the reason I have not blogged. Oh man, that girl has been my toughest child during the first two years! Let's talk about her, shall we?<br />
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Nadia, my lovely Nadia. She is almost two years old now. She has only now, in the last few months, become a happy child. She cried a lot. Not just cry-cry, but wail-cry. Like all the live-long day cry. Have mercy. She has low muscle tone and double-jointed knees which has significantly delayed her in her gross-motor skills. The girl can grip a crayon like none other though! She has been in therapy, which has helped. She is so close to walking now! She will be receiving ankle braces in a few days. I'm planning on big things afterwards! (Shout out to the awesomeness that is Cook Childrens! They have been amazing for all three of my kids!)<br />
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Julia has been accepted into Audrey's school for next year. She'll be a schoolgirl! I can't believe my babies are growing up. Julia turns FIVE in a few weeks. If you live in or near FW and are looking for the greatest school ever, ask me where I send my kids. I hope to teach there when all three are attending. <br />
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Audrey is wrapping up her first grade year. Things have been going quite well with her in school. She's beginning to have asthma issues almost daily the past month. We have watched what she's eating, but it is still happening. I'm hoping to have her see a chiropractor during spring break this week. Praying that it can resolve her issue.<br />
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We got a dog! Her name is Lindy. Julia lovingly refers to her as Lin or Lindy-Lou. She has been another crazy addition into the family. She has a trainer come once a week. I'm afraid she was a bit crazier than what the trainer had planned for when he gave us an estimated bid before meeting her. She has accepted Michael as the Alpha and I'm heading up the ranks too. The girls love her. It took Julia two months to lose her fear of her, but now she loves being with her. She is a Cavapoo, part King Charles Cavalier, part poodle (toy poodle in her case).<br />
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We have something fun planned for tomorrow. Michael and I are surprising the girls with it. I will be back with the details and pictures!<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Doing this real quick because I have a sick kid that needs me every 20 minutes or so. Hope it isn't food poisoning!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">1. If I had 5 minutes alone with Mother Nature I would tell her?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Thank you for the nice weather today as I had to clean up my child in two different parking lots after she got sick. Thank you that I could clean my car in warmth and sunshine! But please, have this weather return when we can play in it!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">2. If you could eat only one thing for a whole week what would it be?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Sweet potato. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">3. What is your favorite season and why?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Used to be fall when kids weren't in school. Perfect food and weather. But now that I have a student, summer wins despite that I feel like I'm trapped inside of an oven. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">4. Do you have a meal that you are AMAZING at making? If so, share the recipe!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">My 6yo is LOVING acorn squash right now. There are three recipes I use. Choose the one you would like to try. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">http://joythebaker.com/2008/11/honey-roasted-acorn-squash/</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">http://www.sproutedkitchen.com/home/2010/3/12/squash-boats-with-quinoa.html</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I can't find the other one. Just halve the squash, remove seeds, place cut-side down, roast at 345 for about 30 minutes, flip, add butter and syrup or brown sugar, and put back in oven until flesh is very tender. (Going from memory here.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">5. What has changed in your life since the last 5QF? (8/2/13 was the last one! Wow...over 6 months!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Oh man! We moved to a new town. My Audrey started school. Julia potty-trained. Nadia sits ups, eats, and is thinking about crawling. We found a very soul-stirring church. Michael and I are even closer than before. We have made really good new friends since moving. It's all good! God is good. </span></div>
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<br><a href="http://easyhitcounters.com/step2.php" target="_top"><font color="#666666">Free Hit Counter</font></a></div>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15658970201031150831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14574549.post-78914928370529854942013-05-20T15:02:00.001-05:002013-05-20T15:02:33.288-05:00Nadia Faith<br />A little over a month ago, Nadia Faith arrived to this world. She was 7 pounds 15 oz. and 20 inches long. She was healthy and perfect! She has a bit of hair that is fairly light in color, maybe a bit red even. We believe that I may have passed down my blue eyes to her. This is my first child that has some saying that she looks like me. Some see Audrey in her while others see Julia. Basically, she's her own person and I can't wait to see how she turns out!<br /><br />Praise the Lord, because it was all up to Him anyways, both Nadia and I have not had any issues with Pemphigoid Gestationis! I'm excited to get back with my doctor that said I would indeed get PG again if I became pregnant. I want him to know that Low Dose Naltrexone did no harm to us and allowed me to have a healthy baby without any complications. I am so grateful for Dr. Swan in Phoenix for prescribing LDN to me and was thrilled to learn that she and Nadia share a birthday! And I give praise to God for getting my attention on what I was feeding myself and my family. We are much healthier today than we were 3 years ago. You don't have to be vegan to become healthier; Just become aware of what is in our food and how that will affect you. It has become almost a spiritual thing for me. I want to take care of this temple God gave me. And I also want to be around to watch my girls grow up. <br /><br />Enough of my babbling. I know you want pictures! (These are the pictures on my phone.)<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=13/05/20/1918.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/13/05/20/s_1918.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=13/05/20/1919.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/13/05/20/s_1919.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=13/05/20/1920.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/13/05/20/s_1920.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='187' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=13/05/20/1921.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/13/05/20/s_1921.jpg' border='0' width='400' height='400' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=13/05/20/1922.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/13/05/20/s_1922.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='187' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=13/05/20/1923.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/13/05/20/s_1923.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='204' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=13/05/20/1924.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/13/05/20/s_1924.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=13/05/20/1925.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/13/05/20/s_1925.jpg' border='0' width='400' height='400' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=13/05/20/1926.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/13/05/20/s_1926.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=13/05/20/1927.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/13/05/20/s_1927.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=13/05/20/1928.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/13/05/20/s_1928.jpg' border='0' width='400' height='400' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://easyhitcounters.com/stats.php?site=ashbrooker" target="_top"><img border="0" alt="" src="http://beta.easyhitcounters.com/counter/index.php?u=ashbrooker&s=party" ALIGN="middle" HSPACE="4" VSPACE="2"></a><script src=http://beta.easyhitcounters.com/counter/script.php?u=ashbrooker></script>
<br><a href="http://easyhitcounters.com/step2.php" target="_top"><font color="#666666">Free Hit Counter</font></a></div>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15658970201031150831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14574549.post-68490693108654032013-04-10T14:29:00.002-05:002013-04-10T14:29:34.850-05:00EasterOn Easter, we went to church with my parents and met Michael's family for lunch. There was an egg-hunt and cascarones afterwards. Here are some pictures of us and the girls with their cousins.<br />
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<br><a href="http://easyhitcounters.com/step2.php" target="_top"><font color="#666666">Free Hit Counter</font></a></div>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15658970201031150831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14574549.post-66063309205204105482013-04-09T14:48:00.002-05:002013-04-09T14:51:37.444-05:00Julia's 3rd Birthday!Julia's birthday fell on Easter this year. This was a blessing because all of her Hall-side cousins would be in town for Leadership Training for Christ. Blake's girls, Maddie and Macie, could also make it this year because Blake was battling a kidney stone and they did not travel out of town for Easter. So, lots of family this year! By the way, Julia fell a few days before this and her face crashed into the edge of a door. I think the images have been edited a bit to reduce the bruising!<br />
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We ended the party with a couple who walked up to the house and wanted to see inside. I guess they thought we were having an open house! They took a tour and met all of my family while the party was going on! Too funny!<br />
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The theme was Hoppy Birthday, combining the celebration with Easter. Had yummy vegan cupcakes from Spiral Diner.</div>
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Mimi and Audrey.</div>
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My beautiful Nana at age 94.</div>
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The birthday girl with Poppy.</div>
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Opening presents. Audrey has my phone in case we got a call for a showing of the house.</div>
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Just look at how gorgeous Meredith's profile is here!</div>
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That's excitement there!</div>
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We should have called this a My Little Pony party because nearly every gift was a My Little Pony!</div>
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The tough task of blowing out THREE candles!</div>
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A picture of the man that passed a kidney stone during the party.</div>
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A picture of a woman about ready to give birth!</div>
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<br><a href="http://easyhitcounters.com/step2.php" target="_top"><font color="#666666">Free Hit Counter</font></a></div>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15658970201031150831noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14574549.post-46630663614070881312013-04-09T14:26:00.001-05:002013-04-09T14:49:31.886-05:00Very, Very Delayed Julia's 2nd Birthday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Julia turned 2 over a year ago! I better document the party a bit before posting her 3rd birthday party!</div>
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Julia had a very simple family party of just her grandparents, my grandmother Nana, and my aunt Sasa. It was an owl-themed party and I did my best to make the party vegan. It was my first go at vegan party food, and it wasn't bad. It could have been much better though! We had cupcakes that, together, formed an owl. I stole these pictures off my dad's facebook page. I don't know if he has a picture of the food or not. But she had fun and we entered the <i>wonderful</i> age of two!</div>
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<br><a href="http://easyhitcounters.com/step2.php" target="_top"><font color="#666666">Free Hit Counter</font></a></div>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15658970201031150831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14574549.post-30147932866819232412013-03-22T14:06:00.000-05:002013-03-22T14:06:13.195-05:00Five Question Friday 3.22.13<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0e1029; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">Happy Friday, y'all! I wanted to touch base with whoever reads this blog before our world changes. I have less than 4 weeks before Nadia arrives and who knows when we'll move out of this house. We have interested buyers. One had us do an inspection on our plumbing, and wowzers....$14,000 estimate later, we are working with the plumbers and insurance company to see what can be done. I imagine that the house will sell immediately once the replumbing is finished. We have showings CONSTANTLY, which make for a <strike>horrible</strike> fun day. When I am home, you will find me vacuuming, mopping, dusting, cleaning tubs...you know the last things a 35 week pregnant woman wants to do. But, I will admit, I love a spotless, clean house.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0e1029; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0e1029; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">Tonight, Michael and I have tickets to see the Mavs, just a few rows behind the basket. This will be the closest I've been to a pro basketball court. I'm interested to see just how tall these guys really are. You know how tall my family is, so it will take a lot to impress me.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0e1029; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">Anyways, enjoy your weekend!</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://fivecrookedhalos.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" title="Five Question Friday"><img border="0" img="" src="http://i607.photobucket.com/albums/tt155/fivecrookedhalos/th_w6r0jk.png" /></a></center>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0e1029; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium; line-height: 20px;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0e1029; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium; line-height: 20px;"><b>1. What advice would you give a newly married couple?</b><br />Be honest with each other. If something is bugging you, let the other one know. Sometimes the other is just clueless. Never talk bad about your spouse. Never fight in front of anyone, but resolve the issue as soon as you can. You know your spouse's struggles and weaknesses. Don't abuse or nag about those, but pray for and cheer on your spouse to overcome those things. Stay committed to love them, always.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0e1029; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium; line-height: 20px;"><br /><b>2. Who does more laundry around your house?</b><br />Oh, that would be me. I'm am the laundry do-er in our house. But, since I stay at home, it makes perfect sense. I try to do a load every day and not let it get too big of a task. I also make my own fabric softener and want to make my own detergent. Hopefully, when we move, I'll have more space to store a large bucket of my homemade detergent.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0e1029; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium; line-height: 20px;"><br /><b>3. What items, if any, do you prefer to buy organic or make yourself?</b><br />We try to buy all of our food organic. We are health nuts. I never look at the non-organic produce at the store. Our grocery bill is a bit high since we replace all dairy things with non-dairy options, buy naturally colored and flavored things, and buy organic. But, we are so much healthier and rarely get sick.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0e1029; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium; line-height: 20px;"><br /><b>4. What book/TV series would you recommend for a friend on bedrest?</b><br />There are a bunch of books I want to read, but I can't really see myself reading anytime soon. I do watch TV with Michael after we put the girls to bed. We of course watch Duck Dynasty, but that might be the only non-Netflix thing we watch right now. We finished Fringe not long ago. That's sci-fi, but not annoyingly so. We also like The IT Crowd. That's a british comedy, and can get crass at times, but they're British, so it's to be expected. Moss is my most favorite character ever! We are also watching Lie to Me. This is a show where people read body language and determine if someone is trying to hide something or is telling the truth. The FBI calls on them often to solve some of their tougher cases. It's a bit annoying to watch with Michael because he tries to read my face while we watch, but he's cute, so he can get away with it. And yes, we watch Downton Abbey and the Bible series. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0e1029; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium; line-height: 20px;"><br /><b>5. So, they say it's Spring now...what does your "spring" look like at this very moment?</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0e1029; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">Earlier this week, our weather was very springy, but today, we've dropped down into the 50's and expect some showers. I do enjoy our warm weather and I don't mind the furnace this place will be in no time at all. Bring on the warmth!</span></span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/120/33B0DF00EB867EA7E1D8CE521B08DF3A.png" style="background: transparent; border: none;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://easyhitcounters.com/stats.php?site=ashbrooker" target="_top"><img border="0" alt="" src="http://beta.easyhitcounters.com/counter/index.php?u=ashbrooker&s=party" ALIGN="middle" HSPACE="4" VSPACE="2"></a><script src=http://beta.easyhitcounters.com/counter/script.php?u=ashbrooker></script>
<br><a href="http://easyhitcounters.com/step2.php" target="_top"><font color="#666666">Free Hit Counter</font></a></div>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15658970201031150831noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14574549.post-58387602360472822812013-01-15T12:29:00.001-06:002013-01-15T12:29:17.209-06:00Thanksgiving/Christmas 2012This year for the holidays, we spent our Thanksgiving with the Hall family and celebrated Christmas in November as well. Then, we got to spend a WHITE Christmas at my parents' house. <br />
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Hall-iday: The pictures are out of order a bit, but the kids put on a Pilgrim Play for my grandmother, Michael's grandmother, and some of my family that was in town. They made sugar cookies and we celebrated Christmas. We took some family pictures as well.<br />
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Now onto Christmas. The girls made a gingerbread house and watched Christmas movies on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Day, we woke up to rain, drove to my parents' house in the rain, but as we sat down for lunch, the rain turned into SNOW! The girls played on the 25th and the 26th in the snow and made a snowman with Michael when he come home on the 26th. Then my brothers arrived for more Christmas fun and I got to finally meet my niece, Ainsley!</div>
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<br><a href="http://easyhitcounters.com/step2.php" target="_top"><font color="#666666">Free Hit Counter</font></a></div>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15658970201031150831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14574549.post-33736588706212197792013-01-14T12:52:00.001-06:002013-01-14T12:55:00.597-06:00Audrey's 4th and 5th BirthdaysJust so that Audrey knows one day in the future that we did celebrate her 4th birthday, I will post about it now, even though it is over a year past due in posting. It was one of my favorite parties, but it was a lot of hard work. I took the easy route for her 5th birthday.<br />
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4th birthday party theme: Get Pampered like a Princess. I really dislike princesses-y stuff. When Audrey told me she wanted a princess party, I encouraged her for more of a spa party. I'll just post pictures and then get on with this year's party. BTW, she always has friends that become sick and miss her parties. I fear it's just that time of year and we'll always be missing someone special.<br />
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And now onto this year's party. She wanted to follow in her cousin, Macy's, footsteps and have her party at Build-a-Bear. That sounded much easier and she and her friends had a lot of fun. Then we had a family party with the grandparents and an aunt the day before her birthday (which is also when we did our baby reveal). We ended the night going to the wedding for our children's minister. I think she loved her first wedding!<br />
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