Home: Have a SWEET day! (10/31/10)

Happy Halloween!

If it's going to be a day full of sugar anyway....why not make it home-made, baked with love and goodness!!

Today's "Home" post is a simple one! Just bake something! Yep, that's it, that's all. Create something yummy for your family as a special treat this Halloween.

A few ideas:

All of the below ideas are simple and only require a few ingredients, to serve up a completely Halloween experience for your loved ones. Click here to see photos of each of these ideas, along with simple prep instructions!

Mummy Rolls (also referred to as mummy dogs): Just take little sausage links and roll some Pilsbury Crescent dough around them like a mummy being wrapped up in a cloth.

Nutty Ghosts: Nutter butter cookies, dipped in white chocolate or almond bark, and place mini chocolate chips for the eyes!

Candy Corn Pizza: This is soooo simple! This is just a simple cheese pizza, with mozzerella cheese around the inside and cheddar on the outside, then cut into wedges. Reference the link above for picture and instructions.

There are soooo many other neat and festive treats you can create. Just visit this site for inspiration and ideas today!

Happy Halloween!

Shalom: Unexpected Healing (10/28/10)

Happy Thursday to you!

Today's "Shalom" post is on the subject of healing. Playing a part in the healing of others will have a direct result on your own healing - whether physical, spiritual, or emotional.

Today I challenge you to make the time to reach out to someone you know that is coping with some sort of health issue - whether a chronic condition, an injury that has impacted their normal daily activities, a disease that someone might be battling, or even someone that is experiencing a bout of depression.

Make the time, and then take the time, to connect with them. This person might not even realize that they needed someone to express care for them and their current health condition, but may realize through your gesture that they are uplifted and renewed with hope and healing. In turn, you will also enjoy the "heart" rewards that come with your kindness and compassion.

Many times, the person in need will not ask for help when they are coping with a personal struggle. They don't want to "burden" others with their situation. And in some cases, a person will even refuse help when it is offered. That is why communication can sometimes be a powerful ingredient in these circumstances.

Here are my suggestions for spreading a little love, peace, and healing in the world today:

• Pick up the phone today and call someone who is coping through an issue in which they need some healing.
• Ask them how they are doing.
• Just listen. Don't judge. Don't try to solve their circumstances. Just listen.
• Express your care. Offer to pray for this person.
• Let this person know that you are available to them, should they need support.

You will probably make someone's day! (And just think, if you don't pick up the phone and call someone, you will have missed out on such a wonderful opportunity to touch someone's heart that may very well need you, and not even know it.)

Home: Smells like home! (10/27/10)

Personalize your home!

Scents can evoke emotion. They can connect us to experiences and memories. They can relax us, or energize us. A scent can even change your mood. I have found value in surrounding myself in our home with scents that I love. I enjoy changing out the scents in my home as holidays approach, or a new season arrives. I love to walk in the door and be immediately drawn in by the welcoming aroma of sweet maple and buttery vanilla. Sometimes I want to feel surrounded by clean scents of satin sheets and crisp cotton. Sometimes I even opt for a feminine floral and flirty scent. I love to envelope our home with something that draws upon our senses and makes us smile.

My Suggestion:
If you don't already have your home personalized with fragrance, consider investing in a home fragrance system. You can accomplish this on almost any budget!


A few options:

$5-$10 Budget: The Renuzit adjustable twist-cap cones can be purchased for under $1 and come in a handful of fragrances, from clean scents, to a standard vanilla, and even scents that can ring in the holidays, such as apple and cinnamon.

$10-$20 Budget: If you have a bit more to spend, you can look at the plug in systems that have two scents that compliment each other, or even scented candles, or scented oils and waxes.

$20-$40 Budget: And....if budget is not an issue....here is my recommendation: Scentsy. I absolutely love Scentsy products, and would be happy to offer my personal guidance based on my own use. I can also help you personalize your selection to fit your home (as well as order your products!)

I am happy to share my opinions on any of the above - so just email me (enjoycalm@yahoo.com) with any questions!

Most importantly, find what works for you, and your home, and your space - - and let fragrance be yet one more way that you make your house a home!

Visit again real soon for tips on fragrance placement in the home, as well as using fragrance to rewards children's good behavior! Get your whole family involved in making your house a home!

My Baseball Champion!

After a six-game weekend tournament...still a genuine "Lawson smile!" Such a happy child!

Jump for Joy!

I went out to our trampoline this evening with my daughter. I caught a few pictures of her in the air and was just swept away by how beautiful she looked, almost floating in the air! She is precious. Then we both laid down on the trampoline for a "mommy/Elle" photo.

Introducing Ambasha!

At our board meeting today, one of our board members treated us by bringing some homemade Ethiopian bread, called Ambasha. I much prefer this particlar type of Ethiopian bread, to their more abundant staple bread, called injera. Injera is a bit sour to me, and just not all that delightful to eat. But ambasha...well, a whole different story! It is slightly sweet, and made with honey!

Ambasha went over well with the family! Everyone enjoyed it over dinner tonight, and it was a real treat to be able to share some Ethiopian food with my family. When I am actually in the country of Ethiopia, I actually don't get to enjoy Ambasha because our partners are very careful with what they allow us to eat, and what they do not - so that they keep us healthy and strong. For the most part, we don't eat ANYTHING given to us in the villages. Those are the days we live on our protein bars! Even though the bread is baked, it is the contaminated elements involved in the preparation that can cause us to get very sick. For example, most of the time the people baking the bread have very contaminated hands, and even the plates and bowls in which they prep the ingredients in, are very dirty. Also, remember, for the most part, there is not even any clean water in which they can wash their hands, nor the dishes they use to cook and bake...so yes, a filthy situation with tons of contamination. So....I had to come all the way back to America to enjoy an Ethiopian treat!

Our board member that brought the bread has a son that he adopted from Ethiopia. His son and daughter-in-law (also Ethiopian) and their children, live in San Antonio. Alganesh (daughter-in-law) graciously prepared this bread for us! Thank you Alganesh!

Their family story is amazing (and I will have to share it some day on this blog!). Anyhow, I thought I would share a simple post about our enjoyable evening with ambasha at the dinner table. Also, I have included a picture of a traditional Ethiopian dinner (served on the traditional injera bread) from a night that my husband and I went and enjoyed Ethiopian food at a restaurant in Pflugerville. Enjoy!

Shalom: Reflection for today (10/26/10)

Every time I come across this quote, I find myself taking time to simply ponder on it for a bit. Hopefully you will do the same!

Sometimes I'd like to ask God why he allows poverty, famine, and injustice in the world, when he could do something about it. But, I'm afraid God might ask me the same question. - Anonymous.