Preparing for a Vegetable Garden

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This summer we want to plant our first vegetable garden!  A garden will supply us our own healthy, fresh, and organic vegetables, at what I think will be a fraction of the price.

 Because we are renting, we are considering container gardening- anyone have any experience with that?

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I was reading through my February issue of Martha Stewart Living and saw that she was beginning to prepare for her gardens this coming month.  According to Martha, February is the time to draft your planting plan for spring.  I'm guessing she knows what she is talking about, so I'm starting my planting plan now too!  

First up is a wish-list of veggies we would like to grow this year:

• Tomatoes
• Zucchini
• Yellow Summer Squash
• Strawberries
• Bell Peppers
• Broccoli
• Onions
• Leafy greens
• Potatoes
• Green Onions

(We may not be able to do all of those- but it's a wishlist)

We also want to start an indoor container garden for herbs including:

• Basil
• Rosemary
• Cilantro
• Parsly

I would love to do our herb garden in something like this, but I'm concerned about there being no drainage.  

I'll probably do something more along these lines:

Do you have any gardening advice for a newbie?

Setting New Year’s Goals

This past week I have been focusing on planning out and setting personal goals for myself for 2012.  I did this for 2011 and felt that it helped me stay on track very well. 

This year I am doing things a little bit different and being much more detailed and intentional.  I have six main priorities, and I am breaking down those priorities into focus areas for the year.  My monthly goals will be based around those focus areas.   It is taking a lot of time, but I really believe that it will be worth it in the end.  I’m a list kind of girl and love checking things off, so making written goals really helps me stay motivated!

I have been inspired by Crystal from Money Saving Mom- she has provided a guide for setting up your priorities and goals and lots of free printables!  I highly recommend checking out her blog if you aren’t already a reader!

My priority areas for the year are:

1. My personal relationship with God

2. My marriage

3. Our Finances

4. Ministry through Element Church

5. Keeping a (mostly) clean and organized house

6. Health and Fitness

And here are my focus areas for each priority:

1. My personal relationship with God

• Spend intentional time daily in the Word and in prayer
• Read books that encourage my spiritual walk
• Share my faith with others

2. My marriage

• Pray together daily
• Read Scripture together daily
• Commit to open communication
• Spend intentional “technology free days” with Jeremy
• Read books that encourage my marriage

3. Our Finances

• Written budget monthly
• Weekly check up on our finances and balancing our checking account
• Envelope System
• Pay off all credit card debt
• Fully fund emergency fund
• Begin more fully utilizing Mint.com, Upromise, and other online tools

4. Ministry through Element Church

• Support Jeremy as he leads the student ministry
• Intentional relationship building with youth girls
• Implement Element Women’s Ministry

5. Keeping a (mostly) clean and organized house

• Quick 5 minute pick up every morning before work
• Wash dishes before going to bed
• Daily chore tasks
• Strategic placement of furniture, etc. to create a an “easy to stay clean” atmosphere
• Read books that inspire creative homemaking

6. Health and Fitness

• Exercise 5 times per week
• Drink 8 glasses of water daily
• Portion control
• Eat more natural and real foods

 

 

I’m currently putting together my monthly goal sheets so I’ll hopefully be able to share those with you tomorrow!  What are your new year’s goals?

The Biggest Loser

Do you watch The Biggest Loser?  I love it- it is so inspirational!  As I told you here, one of my new year's resolutions is to loose 15 pounds by March 23.  Watching The Biggest Loser helps to movitate me and helps me realize that it is possible, if I'll put forth the effort.  I think they should play it all the time in the gym when I work out, it would make me do alot better I know! 

The new season just started, so if you haven't watched it before...you should start!  It comes on Tuesdays at 8pm on NBC. Last night was only the 2nd episode and you can watch the first two online to catch up before next week.

Homemade Whole Wheat Tortillas

Tuesday morning I went out on a limb and decided to attempt making some homemade whole wheat tortillas.  I'm so glad I did! 

As I've said before, Jeremy and I really want to eat healthy and live healthy lifestyles, and we part of that is cutting out as much processed foods.  I decided that instead of buying loaves of bread full of high fructose corn syrup I would attempt making our own bread and tortillas.  I've not got to the bread yet, but I'm fairly pleased with the tortillas.  They are quick and easy and taste great!

Here is what you need:
1 Cup of White Flour (I used unbleached organic white flour)
1 Cup of Whole Grain Flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
4 tbsp canola oil (I used vegetable oil)
2/3 cup of water (I used hot water)

Directions:
Combine flours, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl

Add oil and water and mix together until dough forms

Flour flat surface and knead dough

Form dough into 7-8 balls (You can dredge these and flour and save them for later in the fridge if you want)

Roll balls out thin, flipping between turns

Place tortilla in an ungreased pan on medium high heat.  Cook on each side about 40 seconds. First side should be pale and sprinkled with brown spots and the other side will be blotched.

Continue with other balls until finished.  Stack together to keep warm. 

Serve and enjoy!

I used one for a sandwich wrap for my lunch and plan to make tacos for Jeremy tonight!

I need to learn to make them a little thinner (maybe a real rolling pin would help, I used a glass cup), and make them into circles. 

Recipe modified from here.

Healthy Living

Jeremy and I often talk about how we want to live healthy lives and make sure that we are eating healthy.  After watching the documentaries Food Inc.and Supersize Me, I want to start eating more organic and whole foods.  It will be hard, as well as more expensive, but we think it is important.  Too often I just put things in my body without even considering what it is or where it is from.  It is scary that when you walk into a grocery store, we have no idea where any of the food has been or what processing it has gone through before hitting those shelves.

We are going to shop more at farmer's markets and try and find local raised meat.  Just this past weekend we went to the Community Market in Lynchburg and got a few veggies to make a roast.  We also got a little something special at the fresh bakery at the community market.  Jeremy got a fresh croissant and I had a pumpkin muffin.  They were wonderful!

Tomorrow we are going to go to the Bedford Avenue Meat Shop which sells local grass fed beef, free range chicken, etc.  I'll hopefully snap a few pictures and share with you soon!