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Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken, Pineapple, Peach, And Mango Over Rice

We got two huge fifty pound boxes of peaches from The Peach Truck at our local family owned nursery, Wedel’s Nursery, Florist, and Garden Center. They are ripening on our dining room table as we eat them, use them in smoothies, crisps, or in recipes like tonight’s dinner.

I’ve recently started using Shipt for grocery shopping. My groceries are delivered from our local Meijer. It’s been a huge help to not use all my energy solely on grocery shopping. I can focus on other aspects of running my household and doing my therapies. I’m still learning this, but managing my household doesn’t mean “I do it all.” It means I manage what needs to be done.  In leadership business circles, managing often means delegating. I’m choosing to delegate my grocery shopping to Shipt as part of my household leadership and management.

As I recently wrote, in my e-book 9 Nutrients for Healthy Hair, I’ve focused on foods that contain the nine main nutrients. I’ve actually craved protein, so thankfully we have chickens who lay lots of eggs! I love chicken. I’ve craved foods high in lots of vitamin C, like red peppers and berries. I’ve wanted avocado, watermelon, peaches, and grapes. I can’t wait for those tomatoes and squash to finish growing in our garden!

I placed my order first thing this morning, and had my groceries in my kitchen in time to make this slow cooker dinner. I had plenty of peaches to add to this meal. I love having a well stocked, well organized pantry to shop from as well!

This recipe is enough for our family to have for two meals. I also love time saving by preparing one meal for two nights. The strategy is part of my household management philosophy: work once for time savings.

This could also be served in burritos, tacos, or with chips instead of over rice.


This has become a family favorite, and it’s quick and easy on a busy night. I hope your family enjoys it as much as ours has.

Blessings,

Deb

60 Book Recommendations for Children’s Summer Reading Incentive Programs

Our family loves to read, and we’re super thankful for that love of reading that has been instilled while reading classics and tried and true older books. We have replaced many of our well worn, falling apart titles several times. It was always worth it to us to purchase the books, rather than borrow from the library, simply because we were paying so much in library fines. It became cheaper to repurchase the books and build a home library instead!

We don’t shy away from harder themes, but we do recognize those themes to be age appropriate for the maturity of each individual child. We have reviewed sixty favorite books in our Kit on kit.co, and invite you to look at these recommendations either by clicking this link, or seeing the full list of kit.com titles at the end of this post. Use your own discernment as to whether or not these themes are best for your own children.

We hope they help your children’s summer reading incentive goals! These are gift worthy titles, and some are in boxed sets or series that we recommend.

(The links contained are affiliate links which are of no cost to my readers, but do help support this blog.)

This list is certainly not exhaustive, and we know we forgot many books we love-like Paddington andPippy Longstocking! Who forgets Paddington and Pippy Longstocking!? The Chronicles of Narnia are also a well loved series that some in 5th grade age may be ready for. We personally waited until 6th grade.

Summer 2019 Reading List, Reading List, Summer Incentive, Age Appropriate reading list, homeschooling

Summer 2019 Reading List, Reading List, Summer Incentive, Age Appropriate reading list, homeschooling

There is a LoveLeavingLegacy post with information and guidelines on our Children’s Reading Incentive for Summer 2019, as well as a book list of adult reading I’m doing.

Find out how your child could earn an incentive from LoveLeavingLegacy!

We’d love for you to join us, and hope that you find the reviews and recommendations within the kit.com links helpful! Reviews on adult reading books I’m reading are coming soon too!

We hope you find these lists helpful as your child pursues a love of reading and his/her Summer Reading Incentive goals, and he/he comes over to the Summer Reading for Kids event!

In the comments, tell me your child’s favorite piece of literature!

Blessings,

Deb

Restoration, Renewal, & Hope: The Difference A Month Makes

Taken just five days after brain surgery, December 4, 2018

The scars on my forehead are gradually disappearing.

Forehead scars fading, January 3, 2019

My 8 inch-ish C-shaped incision behind my ear where a piece of bone was removed for surgery and then replaced with titanium screws is also healing. The muscles and nerves there do cause me some discomfort, and I’m having to be sure I’m moving and stretching by turning my head often enough to avoid creating strictures.

I need to keep my head on straight! Literally.

The hair behind my ear was clean shaven for the incision during surgery. The neurosurgeon left a layer of hair that adequately covers that scar. He shouldn’t quit his day job, but it’s clear he is good at what he does do! The good news is that my hair in that area is already an inch long. We’ll see what I do for a hair style once everything is healed, hair grows long enough, and I can return to my actual hair stylist. That is our friend’s, Michael at Identities in Kalamazoo, area of expertise.

I’m nearly off all pain medication. I’ve been off steroids for about 10-14 days. I am definitely thinking more clearly now that I don’t have a tumor, am not on steroids, and I’m going off pain medication. I’m finding myself less tired during the day too.

I’ve walked up to 3300 steps out on the road in front of our house with my bright red walker. There is one small hill that I call “you won’t own me” that does get my heart rate up and kicks my rear. Last year at this time I would not have even considered it a hill to be conquered. In doing my walking, I have put myself in great shape for the vestibular physical therapy I’m doing at Core Balance in Kalamazoo three times/week, an hour each time. And boy, let me tell you I leave there with rubber legs. I work hard. They are encouraging me to do as much as can at home, and that includes walking, grocery shopping, housework and homeschooling, but nothing that involves ladders.

I’m sleeping, and that is HUGE. It’s an incredible gift.

I still have facial droop and numbness. I still can’t blink my right eye, and if I’m not careful, could actually sleep with one eye open. I CAN drink with a straw and eat on my right side, although I have to be careful not to bite myself. I have hope that this will result in full facial functioning in coming weeks or months. While I was at Walmart the other day, I forgot that I need a straw to drink . I took a swig of Sprite and spilled it all down my front at the checkout. That is embarrassing, and frankly, this is part of a grief process that I am going through. Even though the people that love me aren’t noticing some of my limitations, I do. And they can’t be minimized to me. I don’t like scaring children when I try to smile at them, and can only do what looks like a grimace. Strangers can just be rude, and that is hard to take.

Keep your big girl pants on, Deb.

That’s harder to embrace than I realized it would be. And, often, my family receives the impact of my impatience, anger, and demoralized feelings. So here I am on January 3rd, trying to keep up the good fight and to keep faith. (2 Timothy 4:7)

January 3rd, the difference a month makes: forehead scars are lightening, less tired looking, inflammation reducing, same attempt at smiling.

Clinging to Restoration, Renewal, and Hope in 2019,

Deb