1. I am blessed with two beautiful children. Even when they are bad, I am still lucky to be able to love them and even luckier that they call me mommy.
2. I believe that I am finally on the path that I am supposed to be on. I am learning and growing as an adult every day. I am finally beginning to understand this thing they call patience.
3. I have a wonderful support system including my husband. He is encouraging me along the way to get to where I want to be in life and right now I could not ask for more.
4. Chocolate. Enough said.
5. I have everything I need and am able to appreciate it. I have food, shelter, clothes on my back, people who love me, and really who needs anything more?

I thank God everyday for everything I have and that I am able to enjoy my life. It was a very rocky road to get here, but from here on out I hope it will be a pretty smooth path.

I have most excellent news to share, for anyone who has not given up on me and is still checking my blog, lol! I just enrolled in a distance learning program from Global College of Natural Medicine. I should be getting all of my materials within the next couple of weeks and I can’t wait to get started. I am going for a Bachelor of Science in Holistic Health, and will also become certified as a Nutritional Consultant, Master Herbalist and Holistic Health Practitioner. This is what I have wanted to do and know that this is what I am supposed to do for a couple of years now. I spent months and months of research trying to decide which Natural Health school would be the right choice for me. If you know me at all, then you know that just picking out what shirt I am going to wear to lounge around the house in all day can be a major undertaking!

I will do my best to keep up with the blogging now that I will have a laptop for school. I spent most of my summer days outside from dusk to dawn it seems like, so I didn’t spend a whole lot of time on the computer. Which actually was quite good for me. Now that the leaves are changing and the trees are quick to usher in the cold weather, I will give it my best at being steady with the writing.

peace,

tiff

Another downside is that trash pick-up is very costly, especially since we recycle or compost a lot of stuff most people throw away. We only have about one bag a week for the four of us, and at $90 for 3 months garbage pick-up, that’s roughly $7.50 a bag. Outrageous! My husband’s brother only lives a mile away from us, so we are “borrowing” one of his 3 can allowance to save a little moolah. Speaking of recycling, that brings me to the subject of this little blog today. There is no recycling pick-up in this beautiful county of ours. None. So, in order to save all of the paper, plastic, cardboard, cans, glass, etc. from ending up trying to decompose for years and years at the dump, we have to take it ourselves to the next county about 25 minutes away where they have community bins for the county to recycle.

Being the unorganized procrastinator that I am (sometimes), the lack of somebody coming to my doorstep to collect my recycling means that in the year since we have moved, everything, EVERYTHING, that can be recycled has ended up in a massive pile in my spacious garage that my car has not had the pleasure of parking in!

It took my husband and I several hours to sort through the mess and separate everything. If you think I am exaggerating, just take a look:

As you can see, we filled the entire bed of the truck just with recycling! I know, you are so jealous because you didn’t get invited to the party. I assure you that next year, if you send me your address, you will receive an invitation! Immediately after going to the recycling center, we got bins to be able to separate as we go so we don’t have to waste another Saturday as if we have nothing better to do. That was just from our little family of four, so imagine if every family were to recycle, how much of a difference we could make. Check with your local recycling center to find out if you can get pick-up or where you can take yours and what they will actually accept. I posted a previous entry on things you wouldn’t think of to recycle, so be sure to check that out too, for more information.

Anyway, I was hoping to have more to sell at the market, but we went with what we had. We took 5 zucchini and 10 onion bulbs. A lot of stuff got planted in the ground late so there wasn’t much  ready. Had I had my own booth, it would’ve been embarrassing, but my husband’s uncle has an orchard  so I just borrowed a little bit of one of his tables (thank goodness the strong smell radiating from the onions didn’t deter  UL’s customers).  After about 20 minutes of no one even looking at my gorgeous vegetables, I gave up paying attention and wadaya know, my first customer! Someone bought 3 onion bulbs for $1. And I wasn’t even aware of it at all, completely oblivious. I would have shaken his/her hand, thanked them, maybe even thrown some confetti up while jumping for joy and hiring someone in a blimp to run a congratulatory banner for the both of us.

I guess I made a really big deal about the first dollar (me, exaggerate, please!) because AppleBlossom was wondering what was so fantastically spectacular about a dollar. To her, it was just a dollar, but to me, it could be the beginning of a beautiful relationship. I had to stash the buck in her backpack and when I asked her for it back, she tried to give me one of hers.  I had to explain to her that I wanted MY dollar, I NEEDED my dollar.  I told her that most businesses usually frame the first dollar they make. She thought I was completely crazy, but after the explanation, she thought me a little less crazy.

So there you have it. Natural Apple Organic Farm has made it’s very first (and only) dollar, although if you count the trade of peaches for onions and zucchini, I really made $3. Maybe next week, we’ll double our money…. If only I could double “profits” every week, a year from now, I’d be a millionaire. You can do the math on that one, I didn’t really figure it out, but maybe.

Tomorrow, I am going to the farmer’s market and depending on what I have out there in the garden to pick, may just make my first dollar off of all this hard work I’ve been doing. Lord knows I don’t get any appreciation for it, so some monetary compensation would be lovely!

I typically only get to go to class once a week and sure, I do talk about it in between classes, but obsessed? Anyway, I started thinking about it because until then, I hadn’t even really thought about the reasons why I do love it. I had several answers for him which somewhat surprised me, because when I am put on the spot my answer is usually “ummm…. I don’t know”.

My main reason is that I know that yoga is helping me reach my goal of who I want to be when I grow up. Not a teacher or writer or any other career. I mean just a calm, content person who loves and respects herself and others around her unconditionally. The hardest part for me here is the self-acceptance, but I am really working on it! And every class seems to get me closer to my goal.  Another reason is that it is excercise for the whole person.

In addition to getting my mind fit, my body is getting fit as well, which my husband doesn’t mind at all either. And honestly, it just gives me a break, even if for only an hour and a half, I have time all to myself. I don’t have to think about anything at all. I can just concentrate and be in the moment. Eventually, I will be able to do this everyday, on my own. But for now, while I’m learning, I do need the class and the instructor to help me make the most of my yoga practice.

If you haven’t tried yoga, go, go, go! It can only lead to better things. If you live in the Northern KY or Cincinnati area, let me recommend you visit Moksha Yoga in Crescent Springs. It is outstanding!

Battling fruit flies

Going to softball practices and games for AppleBlossom, and practicing at home

Vacation Hunting- I need a vacation just from finding one

QUIT SMOKING!!! Finally! For all the natural lifestyle preaching I do, that one’s been hanging over my head for a while and I’m glad to get that monkey off my back.

Sorting through a year’s worth of recycling. We don’t have pick-up out in the country, so I have to take it myself. Let’s just say it hasn’t been a priority.

Looking for the best portable air conditioning units for the cheapest price.

Trying to potty train AppleBaby. It’s going so-so.

Learning sign language.

My niece’s birthday party.

Planting, pruning, picking veggies and trees.

Gaining 5 lbs. (Due to eating junk from running around and from quitting smoking.)

Adopting another cat. I fed a stray and it decided to stay. Much to my dismay.

and much, much more. I have been on the computer so little that I think it probably thinks I am having an affair with a MAC.  So, please, please, keep reading! I promise not to leave you for so long again. At least not intentionally!

1. School’s out for the summer. (Wish it was forever.) Which means no 6 am alarm clocks or standing at the bus stop or even missing the bus. For two glorious months!
2. Grilled squash. I just discovered it last summer and I could not get enough. I think we seriously ate it for dinner 6 out of 7 nights. If you have never had it, try it now! It is guaranteed to satisfy your taste buds.
3. The sun stays out to play longer and the sunsets just seem to get better and better.
4. Hopefully, keep your fingers crossed, my grocery bill will be cut in half from my garden, which is doing very well, by the way.
5. No socks!!! Or coats, sweaters, hats, gloves, scarves, etc. It really is much faster to get out the door with kids when you don’t have to put five layers on and spend ten minutes looking for the lost glove.

On a side note, the fruits and veggies we planted last week are coming along quite nicely. We have some lettuce that is ready to eat, too! The plum and apple trees are starting to produce. I haven’t checked on the pear trees yet, but everything else is doing really well. There is an operation that is moving to our area that is looking for local growers for vegetables. They make fortified soups and other goods for cancer patients and need roma tomatoes. I did plant extra to take them a sample, so I might be able to get my foot in the door there which would be great. I really like what they are doing with their business, so hopefully that will work out.

Have a good weekend!