A Wish List

Interesting fact about me … if you ask me what I would like to have, I can never think of anything. I’m rarely interested in stuff, and usually pretty content with what I have. Lately, however, I’ve realized that I do have a wish list. Problem is, the list contains things that are expensive. That’s why I never share the list when someone asks what I would like.

So here goes … my wish list. Maybe, after looking at it, you will add some of these wonderful products to your wish list. Maybe, after looking at it, you will wish you had never come across my blog because now you have a pricey wish list. Maybe …



1. Vita Mix

About a year ago, when reading one of my favorite blogs April's Raw Food Passion, I came across the Vita-Mixer. It seems that the best way to move away from processed food and into the world of raw food is to have a way to crush it, mix it, turn it into butter, or blend it into a delicious smoothy.

Doesn’t this picture just make you feel more healthy?  Vitamix


2. “Barefoot” shoes

Barefoot + Shoes = Feet as they were intended in a world full of man-made dangers. About 6 months ago, I saw these shoes via REI. Years of researching Yoga has shown me one thing for sure, your feet work at their best when your toes are not shoved into a small, sometimes pointy (if you’re a woman) prison. Set them free!

“To the man who clads his feet in shoe leather, the whole world feels like leather.” Taoist Proverb

For some interesting reading about a barefoot life … visit the economads

Until we live in a place where bare feet are permissible everywhere (like New Zealand!), the five fingers are the next best thing. Spread those toes!  Love those Five Finger Shoes.

Slate/Palm upper, if you please.


3. Goodbye to the Nasties

In our family, we have two water filters, both Brita. One is a large, counter-top container with a tap for our smaller family member, and one is attached to the kitchen faucet. Although the Brita does clean many of the impurities, I often wonder how well it really does. And what about the times when the water is really dirty (like stream water). We wouldn’t want to filter that through the Brita. And when you think about a weekend in the popup, or in a tent, the hand pump water purifier that David has seems like a lot of work for a little return.

This Big Berkey filter is gravity based, therefore not requiring electricity. It is portable … not exactly the type you would put in a backpack, but it would work for a longer family-camping outing. And it cleans out all the gunk! They have a filtering shower attachment as well. If I don’t want my family drinking it, I also don’t want them absorbing it through their skin.

Thanks to Sara for the introduction (Check it out on their counter in their rv home).


4. The Portable Read

I tend to be a bit of a book hound. I love to read, and often have 3 or 4 books going at the same time. Add an obsession with researching anything and everything on the internet, and I guess I’d have to admit that I love to learn. (That’s a bit of a shock for my parents, I bet!) The thing is, I can’t possibly carry all the books I’m reading at one time with me everywhere I go. Especially all the reference books, like a dictionary, concordance, and Bible Greek dictionary. There are all those lost moments when there is no one around to talk to, and I find myself waiting. All you taxi mom’s know exactly what I’m talking about. But I’m not always in the mood to read the book I thought to bring. Bummer. Solution ... The Kindle

Of course, I would want it loaded with all my favorites! Not asking for too much, is it?


5. Time for a Photo Shoot

This baby is not one I’ve researched enough to tell you exactly what I want. Suggestions? I’m tired of the point-and-click that delivers great pictures sometimes, and lousy ones at other times. Yes, I’ve learned to use the features. It just doesn’t like alternative lighting, fast movement, or close-ups … red-eye is always a problem.

Add to a great camera the latest and greatest Photo editor … voila! Camera happy me!


Wow … I don’t ask for much, do I? As I was making this list, I was thinking about photo storage, old home video storage, document organization, etc. The process of simplification means looking for better, more efficient ways to do old things. Leave any suggestions as a comment below. Your thoughts are appreciated.

And tell me ... what's on your wish list?

Meanwhile, I’m content, I’m dreaming, and I’m seeing the world again after a long time in the haze.

Raw Vegan

I've been doing a lot of food research lately. There is a movement called "Raw Vegan" that is gaining speed all over. I've been a vegetarian for about a year, and have found that my body responds much better to my meatless existence. Vegetarian for me is completely without meat ... no beef, pork, chicken, fish, or any other animal you might think of eating. With the lack of meat, however, comes the interesting challenge of ENERGY. It is difficult to maintain energy and strength without the big protein boosts. I've followed all of the suggestions, but find that I'm still tired all the time, and have very little extra energy to do anything beyond all that is required as a wife and mom. It is the family joke that I don't ever see any of the movies we watch as a family. I'm asleep within the first 10 minutes ... just always exhausted.

So, in this second year of vegetarianism, I'm looking to the next level. Dairy seems to be an energy-sapper, as does processed food. And of late, I've found lots of people talking about cooking and how heating damages the food I eat and its ability to provide fuel for my body. Moving back in history, maybe the people who walked thru the field/garden and ate off the vine/bush/plant had the right idea. You'll see the post "Raw Food Passion" to the right. Take a look at how beautiful April's food is, and read her story. Her blog can lead you down the proverbial wormhole of the Internet to dozens of testimonials. Raw Food! Do you have any idea how hard it is to find truly raw food? That knocks out all bread ... a great disappointment to me.

The question becomes ... how do I pursue the best eating habits for myself, while feeding a family of four "men" (well, one man, two teens, and a preschooler) who insist that the world of meat, dairy, and junk food is the world for them? I've come up with a small concession and possible first step. As I have done for the past year, the meals will still be the kind that they love, but now the side dishes (vegetables and fruits) will be mostly raw. I'll fill the gap in my diet with a smoothie mid-day that contains extra protein and raw fruits/vegetables. They will eat a little bit healthier, and I'll take a step toward slowing down time's impact on my body. The pace may be slow, but perhaps over time we will move toward healthier lives.