Thankful Thursday

1.  That Justus requires me to "tiss" the EXACT spot that he hurt, so I end up kissing him 20 times until I get it right...  

2.  I have the best husband in the world...  I know y'all must be sick of hearing about it, but seriously!  He works so very, very hard at all of  his various jobs, but always has time for me and the boys!  I don't know how he does it...  I can't chew gum and walk at the same time, but he can do 25 things at the same exact time, and can do them well!

3.  Caleb babysitting Justus in the backyard, followed by bathing him, so I can cook dinner uninterrupted.  He's the BEST big brother in the WORLD!  

4.  My IPod on my phone...  That way I never leave home without it, and the songs that minister to me the most are right at my fingertips!  

5.  Precious friends!  God has been so faithful in that area of my life and I am so thankful to Him!!!

6.  Finding a Whole Foods in Orlando!  :)  I know it's a 2hr drive round trip, but still...  I'm thankful and excited and can't wait to find a day when I can just head up there alone and scope it out!!  :)  Um...  and I have to reiterate how thankful I am for Eric's various jobs again...  because that's how I'm paying for Whole Foods... :)

7.  Thankful for the tough times because I can see God's hand working through the heartache to help others...

Chocolate Syrup I can feel good about

One of the baby steps I've taken lately is making my own chocolate syrup in an attempt at getting a product that is closer to real, whole food...  Not filled with all sorts of ingredients that I don't have a clue what they are, nor have the ability or patience to pronounce...  Simply cocoa, vanilla, a splash of filtered water, and raw honey.  (Read more about why "raw" honey at the bottom of this post.)  The kids love it and haven't noticed that I've switched out their commercial syrup for a healthier version to make their chocolate milk in the mornings.  Now if I could only find a way to get Justus to eat his veggies...  

"...phytonutrients found both in honey and propolis have been shown to possess cancer-preventing and anti-tumor properties.  These substances include caffeic acid methyl caffeate, phenylethyl caffeate, and phenylethyl dimethylcaffeate.  Researchers have discovered that these substances prevent colon cancer in animals by shutting down activity of two enzymes, phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C and lipoxygenase.  When raw honey is extensively processed and heated, the benefits of these phytonutrients are largely eliminated."  

source:  The Worlds Healthiest Foods - www.WHFoods.org

My Li'l Workin' Man

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My friend April "hired" Caleb to come work in her garden one afternoon a week.  He is so excited about his first "job".  He had so much fun!  I'm hoping he learns how to have a green thumb from her, since he ain't learnin' that from mama!  I can kill the most resilient plants while even attempting to diligently attend to their care...  

Thankful Thursday

Thursday is finally here (actually, an hour from now, but I just can't wait to start this post!!!)!  I've been looking forward to Thankful Thursday (a posting idea from a friend from my high school youth group - Ainsley) ever since I started this blog a few days ago...  It's actually that idea alone that pushed me to start a blog at all.  I dunno, this just struck a cord deep down within me, which may explain why my favorite holiday is Thanksgiving!!!

1.  Hearing Justus' precious 2 yr old version of words such as:  tis (kiss), hug-hug or huggie-hug, shoclit (chocolate), frory (sorry)

2.  Watching Caleb play so lovingly with his baby brother.  He's the best big brother on the planet!

3.  My wonderful husband!  He is my rock and biggest supporter!  I'm so grateful that he is so smart and always thinks outside the box, helping me accomplish so much more than I ever could on my own!  Plus he totally spoils me!  :)

4.  Facebook and Myspace and email and internet...  and iPhones and MACS!  ;D  Eric says once you go Mac, you never go back, and I totally get it now!  ;D  It's great to have instant access to people in my life that I haven't seen in over a decade, and other loved ones who are so stinkin' far away...

5.  Caleb's school, teachers, principal, headmaster, other support staff...  they are all so great and I've always had that "I'm home" feeling there.  I love that he is challenged there not only academically, but he's instructed Biblically on how to live from the inside out.

6.  Being able to be a stay-at-home mom and not miss those precious moments with my kiddos.

7.  Relatively chilly evenings, which induce the BEST sleep under my super cozy comforter  :)

8.  Pandora - the ability to have my favorite music at my fingertips as all times!

9.  Zerberts on Justus' belly and the infectious giggles that ensue.

10.  Blowing bubbles - one of Justus' favorite things to do.  Watching him chase down the bubbles, karate chop them, punch them, kick them, go cross-eyed trying to focus on them...  and all the great sound effects that little boys make to accompany EVERYTHING they do...  ;D

11.  Hearing Justus say his newest phrase, "Are you kidd'n me!?"  And watching his face light up knowing he's just said the funniest thing in history.  :)

12.  Watching Caleb jump on his new trampoline that he paid for with his hard earned savings, and seeing the pride on his face when his friends find out he bought it.  :)

13.  Listening to Caleb's voice deepen when he was offered his first "job" this week (weeding my friend's vegetable garden once a week  ;)

SO, WHATCHA THANKFUL FOR THESE DAYS?  (These are real questions I would love to hear y'all's - an actual southernism... - answers!  :)

Thinking Tree Thoughts :)

One of the things I've really been struggling with and learning and growing in lately is trying to take every thought captive.  Instead of focusing on negative, painful, unproductive thoughts, I've been trying to focus on life-filled thoughts.  I even sometimes imagine little cartoon police officers handcuffing and taking the thought away to the slammer, heehee...  :) It's interesting how God uses trials in our lives to highlight and teach us more fully about His Truths.  Maybe it's just me, but when I'm going through trials it seems as if every time I turn on the tv or radio or open a book or magazine there is someone telling their testimony or sharing what they are going through or a sermon that hits me exactly where I need it most.  This isn't a perfect example of what I mean, but it's been something helpful none the less...  I was reading Jordan Rubin's book, "Perfect Weight America" (okay, side note... I thought he was a scam artist too until I saw his tv program, and his nutritional advice really makes sense!  and was in line with several doctors and specialists we had seen over the last couple of years...)  In his chapter "Think for Your Perfect Weight"  he describes exhaling stress and inhaling peace.  However, I found myself putting way too much focus on whatever I'm exhaling (stress, anger, whatever), when instead that energy could continue to be focused on the positive...  Why not, "Inhale and imagine the peace of God filling you, and exhale imagining the peace of God flowing out of you and covering Jane", or whoever may be enhancing your stress level at the moment...  I know, I know...  seems hokey, but try it sometime...   

I also came across a tv program with a woman guest who is a brain researcher.  She described what actually happens in your brain when you have a positive thought and a negative thought.  She explained that when you have a positive thought your neurons in your brain form in a tree like pattern, but when you have a negative thought your neurons form a bare looking tree with thorns that emit neuro-toxins which effect our physical health... can make us feel achey and tired, etc.  I dunno, I haven't studied the brain, but it sure helps me visualize.  :)  So now I'm trying to think tree thoughts more and more  :)  Now I wanna cute t-shirt that says, "Thinking Tree Thoughts"  :)  


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Thinking Tree Thoughts by hgreniermk
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Okay, so now many of you think I've completely gone off my rocker, but how do you explain taking every thought captive?  What does that look like, how does it play out in your life?

Everybody's doing it...

Okay, everybody's doing it...  I guess it's about time to join the blogging craze...  I've held out for long enough, so now I am attempting too...  My purpose here is to just give my family and loved ones a glimpse into our lives.  I'm striving to just be me.  I'm not clever with naming things...  except a turtle I had as a pet for about a week I named Pokey...  I really liked that name...  anyway, I named my blog Living Grenier to play off of Living "Greener" (if you hadn't already caught that...) which is often how people mispronounce our name.  It's also how I've been trying (baby steps people) to live - greener...  Not that I've bought into the whole global warming idea or anything, just trying to live healthier, and trying to be a better steward of what God's entrusted to us.  Those of us who are Christians ought to be some of the greenest out there!  :)  Not only with healthy, sustainable living, but also green with spiritual growth...

Thanks so much Ainsley for the inspiration, and yes, I am planning on stealing your Thankful Thursday idea - great idea!  

Caleb has named two dogs, Pepsi and Snack (Eric added "Gator" in front...  sick sense of humor...).  Did you ever come up with a great name that you just loved?