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For me, one of the most important aspects of blogging is being real. Being transparent. Admitting that I'm not a superwoman, and that just like the rest of you, I deal with the regular ups and downs of life as a mom, wife and homemaker.

Sometimes life flows along merrily. Other seasons are so much more difficult, where each day (and sometimes each hour and moment) can feel as though we are trudging through knee-deep rivers of sludge in a clunky pair of old rubber boots.

For me, this current season of life has had many rubber boot days, in the midst of much joy and blessing. By God's grace, I have the strength to keep trudging along, trusting Him to supply for all of my needs and to see me through this season, hopefully refined and purified and just a little bit closer to the image of Christ than I was before.

In order to be truly transparent with you, I needed to make a shocking "real foodie" admission. We haven't been eating all of the usual real food, prepared in the usual ways, that you would normally find us eating. Life has been hectic and at times, overwhelming, and I've been doing my best to keep my head above water. That doesn't always leave time for making sprouted flour bread and homemade mayo. Sometimes it barely includes enough time and composure to get some organic boxed cereal and raw milk on the table and call it breakfast (or dinner, for that matter).

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It’s a rare day that goes by in our home when we don’t make a fruit smoothie. Call us addicted. It’s a wonderful addiction to have!

Since I have 3 little ones and a husband that rely on me to help them get in maximum nutrition with each and every bite they take, I frequently use our family’s beloved smoothies as a way of getting that nutrition in without fight and without fuss.

One of our favorite ways to do this is by adding fresh greens to our delicious fruit smoothies. Summer is the perfect time to learn how to make your own green smoothies with the abundance of greens that are out at your local farmer’s market, in your CSA box, or even in your own garden!

Read the entire post here.

I'm over at Simple Organic today, sharing about how our family enjoys the benefits of dark, leafy greens in our smoothies, along with my favorite basic green smoothie recipe (and a video, just for fun!).

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A Gardener’s Look at Life

July 28, 2010

Written by Anne Elliot, Contributing Writer
I'm not much of a gardener, but over the last few years, I'm been attempting a little bit more each summer. It started three summers ago when I planted just a few things in a small bed in the back yard. A friend of mine had been gardening for years, [...]

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Beekeeping: A Matter of the Heart

July 27, 2010

Guest Post by Kate Ferry
A few years ago, the Ferry family experienced a traumatic death. We lost all our girls. During the winter, approximately 50,000 honeybees vanished from my backyard. They went into hibernation after Halloween and never woke up. I don’t know where they went, but come spring, there was no one home in [...]

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Cultivating a Servant’s Heart as a Mother

July 26, 2010

Do you ever feel that some of the duties of motherhood are not quite what you expected? Or that many of the mundane and trivial tasks are not what you thought you were signing up for?
This weekend I was reading "The Mission of Motherhood" by Sally Clarkson and one chapter in particular just hit me [...]

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Go Bananas Preserving!

July 22, 2010

Written by Sherrie Cook, Contributing Writer
Imagine with me for a moment:  a crisp night, crackling fire, blankets, loved ones all around enjoying hot beverages and warm, fresh out of the oven, banana bread. Are you drooling yet? I was too until I looked at the thermometer and remembered it was over 100°F outside!  [...]

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Get Outdoors and Get in That Sunshine!

July 22, 2010

Guest Post by Kait Curran Palmer
Summer is upon most of the Northern Hemisphere at this point--minus the cloud-covered and still-chilly Pacific Northwest--but for the rest of you lovely people you are kicking off your flip flops and getting to have a grand ole time basking in the warmth of long and sun-filled days.
No bitterness here [...]

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Strawberry Coconut Cream Popsicles (Dairy-Free Indulgence for Summer Days)

July 21, 2010

I made this recipe accidentally the other day, when I realized I had blended too many strawberries and didn't want them to go to waste. It was a hot, hot day so popsicles sounded like the perfect fix, and they were!
Most ice-cream style popsicle recipes are incredibly simple. Blended fruit, mixed with a creamy base [...]

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Enjoying the Blessings of Today

July 20, 2010

Guest Post by Amy
It seems that I have learned so much about myself and my walk with God since becoming a mom!
One day I was watching my son, Joshua, eat some crackers. (He absolutely loves crackers!)  When he started eating the ones that I gave him, I noticed that he wasn't even really enjoying them.  [...]

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What to Do With All Those Summer Berries!

July 16, 2010

That is my challenge right now, and perhaps it's yours, too!
Yesterday we went to a berry u-pick farm, where we picked about 20 lbs of raspberries and bought another 10 lb flat. On our way out of the farm, we noticed a sign at the farm across the street, "$1 Jam Strawberries".
I've never been one [...]

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