Gospel Doctrine/ Vorpahl Life Tidbits

I am officially switching from Gospel Principles to Gospel Doctrine. I have already attended two Sundays of Gospel Doctrine. It is totally different! Gospel Principles is the basics, simple, and plain. I feel like Gospel Doctrine is beyond that and well it is!

I decided to take this plunge when the class approached lessons I had already gone over last year in Sunday school. I may still write some posts on Gospel Principles here and there. I am unsure how I feel about writing about the Gospel Doctrine. It may need to occur after I've gone over the lesson myself and after attending church.

I am enjoying it though. So far I am liking the fact that we are learning about church history( while we read Doctrine & Covenants). Along with this I am also attending Institute every Wednesday. Right now we are studying the Book of Mormon and we are in Alma. I love the Book of Alma! I think every convert to the church or those interested should pay special attention this particular part of the Book of Mormon. It has blessed me immensely and has given me the testimony that I know without a shred of doubt that the words written  therein are truth.

Anyway! Now to Vorpahl life tidbits. Tomorrow fall semester begins. I will be starting up my fashion courses again and majoring in Fashion Design. After a year or so, of trying to find what fit I know this does. I am excited to draw again and learn more about fashion history.

I am also doing my own fashion project on the side. I am working on a trend research analysis. So right now I am reading over trends from this season, then 6 months, and then 1 year. The project is from a textbook of mine " Fashion: from concept to consumer". Trend analysis is one of the key things to being a good fashion designer. You have to be ahead of the game predicting what will come next and get the designs going. I will probably continue this project from now.

Now moving on... today is Lils ( my cat) birthday. She is five years old. I smothered her with love, some treats, new toys, and also sang happy birthday ( yes I know crazy cat lady much). I took a semi hiatus from the internet. Worked on getting myself all ready for school along with farm work as usual. Speaking of which tomorrow I need to do some work even if the semester begins. I've been clearing out some evil wild rose bushes. They consume all around them and suffocate the trees. We have two trees that I had to pull rose bush vines out of and trim back dead branches and limbs.

Can't really blog about much else. That is pretty much it.


Jimmy/ hubs update:

We have four month left until Jim is home and we move to Colorado- Fort Carson. He seems to have days where he likes work and others not so much. He works for a general right now. He had a "mid tour" visit/ leave in July. It was nice to have him home. He spends his days working, sending me a message here or there until our skype date nights. Along with this he has become a crazed diesel truck addict- he has a plethora of diesel magazines and websites he visits- he plans on making Brutus bad *** . ( while he was on leave he souped up our Ford F350- otherwise known as Brutus).


Until next time

-Lexxy

Lexxy Life bits- F.H.E via Skype!

It has been five weeks since Jimmy left and we have been trying to figure out different things to do via our Skype "dates". The latest is Family Home Evening.

F.H.E or Family Home Evening is a once a week event that LDS members hold as a time for learning about the gospel. It is a spiritual day that couples, families with children, and even single adults can do. Traditionally it is held on a Monday but since time zone differences and my hubs work we chose Friday evenings when we get to chat.

I really like the idea of doing this each week together since we cannot attend church together, etc. If you happen to be a military wife regardless of religion you can have something similar with your husband if you both have similar spiritual beliefs or practice the same religion. The possibilities are endless! And it helps to build up your relationship more and more during times when you are apart.

For us since we are latter day saints our F.H.E's will consist of learning things about prayer, scripture study, repentance, fasting, and the sacrament- to name a few things.

I'm still trying to figure how I will present our first F.H.E and will post about it later! It should be interesting! I am so grateful for technology right now. Getting to video chat with my hubs is really helping me stay positive.

When the love of your life leaves for deployment or like Jim, a year long hardship tour. You have a sadness to overcome and the first few months are not by any means fun. You have so many things to get used to. Sleeping alone, no physical contact, and you have to "switch" modes. When your husband is home you work together as a unit. While he is away you have to become independent and be able to work alone but always remembering him (or her).

This goes for any type of military wive/husband, fiance, or boyfriend/girlfriend. It is not easy, staying positive is key,  working through each day and of course staying busy- and in this case coming up with ideas to help keep the bonds of marriage strong.

I can't wait for our first spiritually oriented chat. I can't wait to see us grow even with the distance between us. So I leave you with these tidbits readers.

Lexxy

Lexxy Life Bits and Thoughts

Well this just sucks!!!! My camera is broken! So no recording any video tutorials for me! I suppose I can do pictures with my phone, but the quality just won't be the same what to do!!!! I suppose I will figure out something right? Gah so upset though! I love crafting and love to share it with other people. It is funny I wasn't a big crafter until recently. It seems a rarity to find those who crochet, knit, make jewelry sew clothes,(etc) but maybe I am wrong? 

At least in my experience/meeting of new people/ friends. I have yet to find a group who solely wants to spend their day doing at least one ( or two or three) crafty things. My day is not complete unless I do something like draw, crochet, make jewelry ( SPEAKING of which, I just made a few earrings- my first- they are in my Etsy shop). There have been nights where I couldn't sleep until I crocheted ha ha ha ha!

Anyway- currently working on crochet in the round- I made a small ball for my cat and then decided to attempt a pattern from Lion Brand- which so far is not going well- it is suppose to be a round afghan and it is more like a ruffled piece of crap! I did get some good ideas from a friend though! So I am going to go ahead and give it a try. I will be attempting to make it into a funky hat- at the end I am thinking of doing the Tunisian simple stitch to create a different looking rim.( wish me luck!)

ANYWAY... so switching thoughts here... I find myself thinking a lot about what it would be like to live very primal. The Primal Parent Blog actually covered this similar topic. ( loved her post- read it here-could-you-really-live-the-primal-life) my thoughts went to the cleaning aspect- I am pretty OCD I know it, I own up to it, and frankly I think being OCD is fine ( to an extent of course- OCD-ness in a healthy way ... ha ha ha...as long as your not letting it completely control your life hey I say have those moments where you slather on the hand sanitizer after using a public bathroom is A- OK!) SO of course I was thinking how does one keep things clean in a primal setting?

I suppose it all comes down to natural disinfectants and cleaning things properly to begin with- just need to do some more research on that subject ( or stock up on tea tree oil lol). I wonder what it would be like? No running water, no electricity, no video games! ( gasp). I have made it a point to turn off electronics and just sit outside on the balcony/ take care of my mini garden/ oasis or do something crafty. I have to admit the silence can be deafening.

I think it may take some getting use to and I want to. I want to know what it is like to live somewhat primal. My biggest issue is running water.. I love my showers... could I really give up hot showers? Could I give my video games- seriously biggest issue would be video games. I hardly watch TV ( I have Netflix- no cable- don't want it) So I am sure I wouldn't miss that... then I got to thinking- how convenient it is to go and buy yarn, fabric, etc.

So would I be able to give up those video games, the convenience of grocery stores/ farmer's markets/ crafting supplies/ and hot showers. I am not sure! I am quite sure it is a pain to create your own fabric ( how does one even do that by the way!) or how much time would a person have to spend creating  balls of yarn from wool.. the very thought just gets me thinking.. am I  a bit lazy/ perhaps spoiled by modern society?

Seriously think about! How many people have gardens that feed their whole family? What about hunting? Making clothes/ blankets and most of all I think about the hardships of women... I may use cloth pads, but imagine living out in the middle of a forest and dealing with the monthly.. Or giving birth without a midwife. I know people have unassisted births, but it is not the same really- you still have the back up of going to the hospital if something goes wrong.

Life would be hard I have to admit. Maybe if I grew up living that life I wouldn't notice, but I am sure that walking away from this world as I know it would be hard ( hey I love my food processor).

I am taking baby steps though to embracing more of a self sustained lifestyle. It is my main reason for really getting into crafts. I want to make my own soap, clothes, etc. 

I suppose I may not be able to live in a cabin deep in the woods. I may not give up video games, but I can still do something that feels like the right thing to do. Less waste/ consumerism and more self sustained. I believe in being self efficient and trying to curb my impact on the earth. Humans are destroyers, lol, yes I know it sounds terrible Yet it is true. We use and use- but what do we replenish? What do we give back to the Earth? Landfills, oil spills, waste, and the destruction of other species- this cannot be the way can it people?

Maybe this is why I seek a simple life, a semi-primal life- to preserve our planets beauty/ life. I may be one person, but all it takes is one person making the difference. Hopefully others will follow.

 

My Obsession with Containers and...

Keeping my pantry looking neat! So do you have pickle jars? Coffee creamer or Parm cheese containers? KEEP THEM! Here's why:

Okay not sure these are the best pics they are from my phone! Sorry! So here we have my pantry all spiffed up
I organize the dang thing a lot. 

The Rice, Black beans, Corn meal, and Dry milk are all containers I recycled and reused.

If you have read through the previous posts- this is an easy craft to do. You can use any paper you want and modge podge to secure labels onto the containers whether they be plastic or glass!!! Did I mention I have a thing for modge podge? It is my all time favorite craft supply ( besides paper  and yarn lol) This really isn't a tutorial just a CHALLENGE- Recycle and reuse some of your containers whatever they may be find a new purpose for that mayo jar.

Glass jars can be used for more than storing dry food goods! You can use them for homemade mayo and other condiments. You can make face creams, body wash and even shampoo- then place those in the jars!  They can hold crayons, pencils, small toys and even cotton balls  or Q-tips. 

Keep those containers and jars I tell you! If you garden keep any plastic containers especially from strawberries- fill with the potting soil and plant your seeds, water, and close the lid- a mini green house- stays nice and warm for the seedlings and moist! I grew my basil babies this way ( and I have like 40 little sproutlings! It is insane!)

Do you recycle and reuse?

Share your recycled creations in the comments below!

~Lexxy~

Sensitive Skin? Forgo this Cleanser and Lotion!

Okay so I am reading and researching a lot about the chemicals they put into our "beauty" products, call it my latest obsession...So honestly this whole time I am thinking well sensitive skin products can't be THAT bad, so far I am not having any issues skin wise- hmm what the heck is this ingredient though??? Oh oh oh oh! Think AGAIN! I was an avid user of Cetaphil until....

Propylene Glycol

" A synthetic liquid."

" Is used as an antifreeze." 

" Used in chemical, food, and even pharmaceutical industries."

" Is used in the paint and plastic industries."

" It alters the skins structure- it allows chemicals to reach the blood stream."

( to  name a few things)

The Ingredients on the back of Cetaphil- NOT only does it have Propylene Glycol it 

also has Sodium lauryl Sulfates and Parabens! ( I will go into these later)

All I can say is what the heck! ANYTHING that used for paints, plastics and your car should not be going into our bodies or onto the skin! DO yourself a favor and read those ingredients. Find safer products. The FDA may say this crap is " generally safe" but I am doubting their intelligence ( and common sense) when it comes to things like this.

Dr.Bronners is on my list to buy- 18 YES 18 different uses! I need me a bottle or two of this good stuff! Dr.Bronner's is organic and part of the fair trade!  

Go here:DrBronner

And for more information in the nasty P.G go here:

http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/substances/toxsubstance.asp?toxid=240

http://thegoodhuman.com/2009/03/31/what-is-propylene-glycol-and-why-you-should-avoid-it/

~Lexxy~

Loving Saturday...

I love Saturdays, I get to spend the day with the husband ( Jimmy) doing all sorts of things. Today we are baking homemade bagels and bread. We rearranged our living room and placed the desktop computer & desk against one of the walls so we could enjoy gaming together-LOL- I know, I know! Couple of nerds over here! But I must admit it is nice to be in the same room with your significant other when he spends Mon thru Fri practically living at work! 0500 ( 5 am) he leaves and somewhere between 6pm to 7pm-ish he comes home! You bet your rumps I will sacrifice some "style" in the living room just so we can both enjoy video games in the same room and hang out.

So anyway! Along with our baking of foodie goodies we will also make some shrimp tacos with semi homemade tortillas we will be cheating here a bit and using a tortilla mix..It should still be scrumptious! At the moment I have decided not to eat as primal as I usually do.Sadly the number it was doing on our pockets was leaving us almost completely food-less by the time pay day rolled around... I will buy some rice and some flour just to get us through the month! Don't get me wrong, I love eating  primal I will definitely still cook some of those meals but if I need to make some rice then so be it! And I have to admit - this is odd but I was pretty hardcore primal the last few weeks before switching over and I was breaking out on the face and back- not sure what the cause of it was- but just a bit of grains in the diet and my skin has cleared up ( weird?). So I will take it as a plus. I am eating one meal ( sometimes two) with a type of grain. I am trying to make sure I am preparing it in the best way possible.

So overall I am enjoying my diet. I still feel pretty good and I am currently still at the weight I was last week. I think I will continue to eat some grains- especially since I LOVE my Italian cuisine! No offense you cannot make a good Pizza Margherita or Crostata di ricotta( like a cheese cake) without some flour. What can I say? A total sucker for a good pizza! 


Along with our baking extravaganza- we are enjoying our little balcony oasis. So far we have a bunch of zucchini, roma tomatoes, and a green bell pepper growing! Along with this we have A LOT of little sproutlings- marigolds, zinnias, asters, alyssum, cilantro, and parsley. Along with this we have a lovely mint plant and our monster rosemary! We are waiting on the cucumbers! 

The Living Room BEFORE 

The Living Room AFTER- we still need to hang up the photos BUT I like the way it looks and feels.

Well that is it for the day! Have a good Saturday! Will be posting some tutorials here soon! Just working on the latest for feminine pads! Yes you will never hear the end of it! Ladies I tell you! Do yourself a favor and research them! I have never been happier- I also get to keep about 30 bucks in my pocket each month! ENJOY your weekend! =^.^= meow!

~Lexxy~

Food Porn 1.0

I have to admit I love food! So to begin adventures into my kitchen I thought I would post a few of my favorite eats. I will briefly described how I made each dish as well! ENJOY the porn for your eyes!

This is a primal friendly Italian dish with seasoned chicken breast ( with basil, rosemary, thyme, and some homemade Italian dressing) the antipasto ( though it was served with the meal) is tomatoes, shallots, and avocados tossed with Italian dressing I always add some extra spices to it and some red wine vinegar.  The pasta is spaghetti squash with some Romano cheese and as always more seasoning and plenty of pepper! Buon Appetito!

Here we have a simple breakfast of two hard boiled eggs- the secret to perfectly hard boiled eggs is 20 mins! I place the eggs in cool water in a pot- place on stove and set timer for 20 mins. Let water come to a rolling boil and turn down to medium-low heat. Let eggs cook until time is up! Perfection!
The eggs looked deviled but they are only cut in half and seasoned with garlic and onion powders- and of course paprika! a fake deviled egg! ahah! and of course blueberries and raspberries YUM

A simple Roast with seasoned with sage, thyme, rosemary, cayenne pepper, garlic, and sliced onions. 

I took this picture the other day before grilling the kebabs- they were so tasty!!!! Best thing to do for kebabs is to marinate the meat for at least a day so you can everything off the stick with ease! Easy clean up

Coconut flour blueberry muffins and applewood smoked bacon- another great start to the morning!!!

And now ends the tour. If you have any more questions about the foods just comment. All these tasty foodies are primal friendly and friendly to those who have intolerance's and some allergies- no grains- no nuts in the muffins- the only thing is the cheese on the first dish- which can be omitted for something like pasta sauce.

For the Coconut Blueberry Muffins recipe please visit:   http://thisprimallife.com/2009/07/primal-coconut-blueberry-muffins/     (best recipe I have found yet!) 

 over and out

~LexxyV~