Tea Time

Being sensitive to caffeine, I am always on the lookout for herb teas. I found a great blend that was a bit tart, but very yummy. I soon came to realize that buying tea in a pretty little package with individually wrapped bags was drowning my finances! I took a look at the ingredients and was astonished at how simple they were. I headed to the local health food store and bought all the herbs I needed for my tea blend. I felt like a mad scientist! I brewed each herb, sipped, tasted and asked for the kids opinions. We finally came up with a personal blend that we all like. It tastes great hot or cold and with or without honey. I made a batch about 1/2 a mason jar full and am enjoying it. If you get a chance, mix your own tea, it's fun and cost cutting! Here is the blend I made:



Hibiscus Medley

• 1 part rosehips
• 2 part chamomile
• 1/2 part cinnamon
• 1 1/2 part hibiscus

I measured the herbs whole, mixed them together, then ran the mix through a coffee grinder. I serve 1 teaspoon per 8 oz of water. I have a little strainer basket that I add the herbs to then I pour boiling water over the herbs to fill the cup. Let it steep for about 5 minutes. It turns a beautiful magenta color. Enjoy!

Faith

Just the other day, I went to a funeral. I didn't know the person that died, but I knew his wife. I was somewhat unattached to the whole situation, very unlike my grandmother's funeral earlier this year. As I sat in the pew, waiting for the ceremony to take place, I realized what a gift I had.

I have the gift of faith. A faith that won't ever let me down. Through my faith, I know the time spent here on earth is fleeting, but that there is something even better than I could ever imagine beyond this life. It is truly a comfort to know and believe that.

The gift of the Sacraments given by Christ, Himself feeds our faith. At the very end, my friend's husband went to confession, received Holy Communion and received the Anointing of the Sick. How beautiful is that! His beloved wife was so full of peace, knowing that her husband is in a much better place.

Without faith, we are lost and distraught. I thank you Lord for this precious gift.

Summer Highlights...

An afternoon at Muir Woods...















Crawdad Boil in Grass Valley...Yummm...Lots of family, good friends and great food!



















Lunch with Sr Marija Joseph of the Sisters of Life She was visiting from Connecticut.














Lazy days on the American River...














Kayaking on Lake Tahoe...














Boating on Folsom Lake with one of my God daughters...














More time at the River with a bunch of great ladies!













Reunited with another group of great ladies at Lake Siskyou...














Thank you Lord for a great summer filled with friends and fond memories! God Bless my family and friends.

Where did it go?

Summer always amazes me how fast it zips by. One day we are freezing cold in a lake fed by run off and the next we are hitting the books for a new school year. This summer was the most relaxed summer I've ever had! This was the first time I wasn't running here or there and trying to get laundry done in between. We made a few short road trips but spent a lot of time at home.

God graced me with great friends both near and far. This summer, I spent more time with my friends than in the past. One friend, in particular, usually gets about a dinners worth of conversation a year. This past summer, God gave us hours together! It was tremendous. Fr David is a good family friend who is a Franciscan Missionary in Mexico. I've know him since I was about 12. He is truly an amazing person!



My dear friend Andi has taught fitness classes since before her little darlings were born. As time moved on, she became a full time mama but this summer, she decided to whip her friends into shape! Ann, another good friend, volunteered her pool and we gathered 2 - 3 times a week to workout in the pool doing water aerobics! It was great to be around my friends so often this summer! We exercised together, played together and enjoyed eachother's company.

My Mexican friend and her lovely family are back for a little while, at least. It is so nice to have her so close in proximity. I'm sure the impromptu lunches and dinners will be back in full swing!

My other dear friend, Francesca, graciously invited my family to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom! What a thrill to ride roller coasters again after such a hiatus. I am definitely getting old in regards to those rides, my head just can't take it any more! But to see my kids strapped in and know the adrenaline rush about to occur for them was fun to watch! My little ones aren't so little any more. Nini is tall enough to ride most of the rides and just loves them!




Another friend was visiting from Italy. My plans and God's plans didn't quite mesh, but his plan was definitely better! We got to spend about a week with our Italian friend; roadtripping and camping. The camping reunited me with friends I haven't seen for a few year! Again, we were blessed!



I thank God for the wonderful people he has placed in my life. This has been the summer of friends and friendship! The relationships and bonds that are created will last a lifetime! Thank you Lord for being so good to my family and me. Our summer was graced with good company and usually good food! I've grown closer and strengthened the relationships with many friends this summer.

A Day in the Sun

This summer, we will be working on our wakeboarding skills! We spent a day at Union Valley Lake in the Sierras and had a great day on the lake. The water was a bit cold (it took my breath away)but I eventually got use to it. I even got up on the board, but I have a hard time staying up. Charles did much better. Nini likes to be pulled on the tube or ride the knee board and Mike likes to stay ashore and fish. To each his own...


Charles getting the hang of it...















Nini and her friend hanging on for dear life!

The Tour...

One day trip included a tour at the Jelly Belly Factory: Fairfield. We toured the factory and got to eat lots of Jelly Bellies. I think my favorite flavor is juicy pear...It's a cool tour and it has definitely improved since my first visit many, many years ago. Did you know... that it takes 7 - 21 days to make a single Jelly Belly?... that enough Jelly Belly beans were eaten in the last year to circle the earth more than five times?...that they make huge pieces of art with Jelly Bellies? Check out our fancy hats:

Mandatory for the tour! Don't we look smart.

Summer is in Full Swing!

It's been an unusual summer around here. This deep into summer, we've should have been on a road trip/camping trip and had many other super busy days, in addition to gearing up for another adventure. Well, this year it's been different. We've spent much more time at home relaxing and just hanging out. It's been kinda nice. We have had a few little road trips and day trips, but nothing as hectic as our past summers. The 4th of July was pleasantly restful and chilly! Who'd have thunk it would get that cold in the evenings in the middle of July in Northern CA? Well, it did. I'll add photos from some of our outings, so stay tuned...