Simply "Hello"...

I thought that a good first post would be an introduction..."Hello!" I am Jennifer and this is a blog that I pray brings encouragement, hope, joy, laughter and LIFE.  I am married to a visionary man who does amazing things(but that is not what this blog is about...check out www.projecttaken.com for more info on him). We have four unique, energetic, outgoing and amazing home schooled children.  We live on a little 10 acre farm in Northern California. It has always been a dream of ours to live on a little "bigger" farm "off the grid". You know solar power, huge garden, orchard, a cazoosal of animals(I think I just made that word up...won't be the first OR the last time). Sometimes I think I was born 2 centuries too late!!! As I was saying, a little farm...a lot of work, but somehow simplicity has ushered in, and life abounds here.

Over the past two years, after watching a mind boggling, eye opening movie(Food Inc.) we have began our journey to becoming self-sufficient, eating good whole organic foods, and removing things from our diets that cause nothing but harm and damage.  From changing simple things such as the meat we eat, to the more difficult task of staying away from processed foods(which is on average 90% of the food at a grocery store folks!). We are still in the process of learning and educating what we eat, where it comes from and what does it REALLY do? The key word here is PROCESS. I remember feeling completely overwhelmed when I started to research and begin our journey of eating healthy! What I have learned is that baby steps are crucial! Any step towards eliminating bad and replacing good...is a HUGE step. So have grace with yourself! The point of this blog is to share what we have learned and what we are still learning, so be encouraged!


One of the most exciting parts and one of the biggest reasons for starting this blog is to bust the myth that healthy eating is more expensive. Nope, not true! Trust me I know. Starting our ministry, living by faith,  doesn't allow for a HUGE grocery budget. I will be dedicating an entire post on this subject, maybe even two. I will leave you with this; with a little planning and some motivation you can actually lower your monthly grocery bill and eat fresh and healthy. And when I say fresh and healthy, I don't mean grass, raw and no fun desserts! Don't get me wrong, there are some amazing recipes that I will share that are raw and simple and delightful. My family is a steak, potato and load me up with an amazing salad type of family..BUT, it is about moderation, it is about knowing what you are eating and why you are eating it! As I write this hello, I am enjoying a cup of homemade organic strawberry ice cream(made with real raw cream and milk, organic strawberries, raw local honey or pure maple syrup and a pinch of sea salt) All natural, whole, health promoting ingredients. Cost about $2.50 half gallon! You will simply be amazed.
It needs to be simple because being a stay at home, homeschooling, homesteading, missionary Mama...time is a precious commodity. So lets have fun. Lets explore and enjoy the precious gift of health, family, food and LIFE!