Saturday, September 5, 2015

Sole Hope Labor Day Sale

My new Sole Hope flip flops came in the mail this week! It's been a great mail week :)
 
While everyone is looking forward to getting out their fall boots and shoes, I'll be sporting these new beauties. And they're not only adorable, they're a purchase with purpose.
 
 
 
 
So what is a jigger? Well, it's a nasty little sand flea that burrows into feet, lays eggs, multiplies, damages the soft tissue, and can cause a variety of painful and some times very serious problems. You can read more here and even check out some really disgusting photos if you're interested in that sort of thing. You know I love to share pics from Facebook, so here are few from Sole Hope's page.
 



How are your shoes holding up? On the rare occasion that children arrive at a clinic with shoes on they usually look similar to these. #perspective Will you come alongside us and help Sole Hope continue to provide shoes to children in Uganda? Go HERE: http://www.solehope.org/donate/ to sponsor a pair for $10 or sign up for a recurring donation and sponsor a pair every month. Thank you for your continued support!


"Our volunteers are great at comforting the kids when jigger removal gets rough"
 
 
Ok, so I've said it before, I'm a sucker for a good cause sharing God's love. As I'm getting older, I'm trying to be more intentional with my life, my words, my time, and my purchases too. Who we choose to buy from is who we choose to support. So when I realized that it was time to replace a pair of my favorite flip flops, I knew exactly where I wanted to get them. As a matter of fact, I've been waiting for the chance to shop with Sole Hope for a while now. I love this cause because, and I know this is kind of stupid, but because I hate bug bites and my feet suck! When I moved to Tennessee from California, I was introduced to living life in a mosquito habitat. Man, I hate mosquitos!! An itchy bug bite is pure torture. I can't imagine what it would be like to live in a place where jiggers are common and health care is not.

Sole Hope takes there clinic to villages and removes the jiggers for people, they also educate them about jiggers and provide them with shoes (many times their first pair of shoes ever). I have some foot problems myself and I'm thankful to have access to cream and scrubbers for my cracked heals and shoes for when my feet are hurting. 
If Sole Hope sounds like a cause that you might be interesting in supporting, you should check them out right now because they're having a Labor Day sale!
 
25% off with coupon code: LABORDAY
 
You can also follow them on Facebook or Instagram.
Happy Labor Day weekend and don't forget to #purchasewithpurpose friends!
 
 
 
 
 
 


Friday, September 4, 2015

I'm the One That Needs to Adjust & Breakfast Cake

We've made it to week 5 of school. It feels good. Taylor received her first progress report on Monday. Three A's and one B. I'm impressed. I love that they're learning so much and trying so hard to do well. They are adjusting well.
 
I guess now I'M the one who needs to adjust to school schedules and demands, being at home with two unpredictable little girls all day, and juggling home management & a small business by myself (with said little girls at my feet).
 
My biggest challenge (like most moms, I'm sure) has been feeding my family. I love to cook but I do not enjoy rushing. I enjoy meal planning, but haven't found the time. I didn't expect this to be a problem for me because that's one of the things I've always been pretty good at. But since school started we have had pizza and Cheetos for breakfast, cereal for dinner, and this week I paid for the school lunch, then made lunch from home and sent them to school with it. I'm a mess!
   
I'm a morning person. I like to get up and get going. I like morning showers and coffee. I like getting my chores done early and having the rest of the day stress free (it doesn't happen often but I like it). I have no excuse for being this unorganized with my meals, other than the forty reasons that I could give you that explain why I'm this unorganized ;)
 
So I'm going to share some of my favorite easy breakfast recipes and some new (hopefully good) ones that I'm planning on experimenting with, then sharing the details. I'm hoping it will encourage me to do better and maybe even inspire someone else to make more breakfasts. #journeyseats
 
Today I'm sharing one of my favorite recipes, adapted from a combination of recipes over the years. It's perfect for fall. For school mornings. For weekends. For anytime. We've been enjoying this for a long time (and not just in the fall and winter).
 
Lets call it:
 
Blueberry Pumpkin Oatmeal Bake :)
 
Start the night before by soaking 2 cups of oats in a teaspoon of kefir, buttermilk, or yogurt and cover with water. Soak overnight. Drain and rinse oats in the morning.
 
I'm big on improvising and using whatever you have on hand.
 
 
Mix together:
 
Soaked oats
1-2 eggs
1 t. baking powder
1/3 cup of pumpkin or pumpkin pie filling
1/3 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries
3 T. maple syrup
 
I usually put a casserole dish in the oven with a couple of teaspoons of butter until the butter melts and coats the dish well. Then I pour my mixture in the dish and bake at 350° for about 40 minutes.
 
My recipe changes a little each time I make it. You can literally add anything you want to it (raisins, apples, brown sugar, peaches, honey) and it's always turned out awesome for me. Some people may like it a little creamier and want to add a splash of milk to the mix.
 
I top it with powdered sugar and more blueberries. The kids call it breakfast cake. They love it!