Our Prairie Home

Hello Again!
It seems there's never a dull moment at my house! The in-laws are visiting, and it we're dog-sitting a little westie by the name if "Rigby" - well, technically "Elenore Rigby" - but Rigby, Riggers or Rigger-Roo for short.



She's a cute little mutt - but having been raised in a condo - means she has some trouble with remembering to do her business outside. Thankfully she has little "puppy pads" that do a pretty good job when she does forget.

More exciting events! Both Jeremie and I received employment in our fields in the same week!
Jeremie is back in a welding shop, doing what he does best - and I'm back among my books and loving it!

It's amazing really; both Jeremie and I were so stressed about money, especially since he was almost done his EI and my meager earnings in retail wouldn't cover our expenses.
We prayed and prayed - and stressed.
Well, really it was me who stressed the most. Jeremie was calm as ever, he admitted worry of course, but always ended it with: "God will provide, Jen."
To which my response was always scoffing or depression.
And sure enough, 3 weeks before EI finished we both got phone calls asking for us to work right away.
I was amazed and demanded how Jeremie knew this was all going to work out, he just shrugged and gave that grin that half drives me crazy and I half love, and said: "I just knew."

Go figure.

I'm pretty sure now that God is trying to teach me trust and patience and I keep ignoring the lesson. I hope this time it got through my thick skull and God can stop testing/teaching me!
A break would be nice! :)

Speaking of breaks - my new job is allowing me to have more time at home, and I'm starting to cook regular meals again.
Something I realized, had to change.
I had grown up on rich, healthy, grown right from the garden food (or in the field) for most of my life and since getting married and moving, I had fallen, like most people, into the hole of convenient instant food.

It's so horrible for your health and I knew it - I just didn't know quite how to make the change.
My mother-in-law is a homeopathic doctor and quite knowledgeable in nutrition and healthy eating. Between her and my own mother's wonderful, home-grown advice, I was able to come up with a new eating plan:
Basically a mix of "The G.I. Diet" and "Nourishing Traditions" by Sally Fallon.

I like the simplicity of the G.I. diet and the natural recipes in Nourishing Traditions. So far I've been going by some simple rules:


- 5% or less of fat per serving.
- 5% or less of sugar per serving.

And following the "green light" food.
Jeremie, who wants to lose weight as well as get healthy is only eating from the green section; because I don't want to lose weight, but get healthy, I can eat from the green and yellow section.
He's doing so well giving up sugar and his salty cravings.
But we're in this together - and I am trying to cut back on my own sugar intake (the main culprit in my diet) and have gone to skim milk.
Not quite the 2% I'm used to - but not horrible either.

I bought organic sugar cane granulated sugar and it seems to be doing a great job.
Lunch foods consist of:

• whole wheat bread
• 1/2 fat mayo (with no trans or fatty oils)
• roast beef
• Swiss or mozzarella cheese
• mustard
• alfalfa sprouts
• boiled eggs
• sugarless yogurt
• sugarless applesauce
• fruits
• Kashi granola bars

Etc. So we're certainly not starving, but even making those few small changes can help you lose weight and get rid of all the nasty junk you've got in your body.

I got this at my new Library, we're selling them for one dollar even. They're wonderful bags and I love what they have printed on them.
My new goal besides eating healthy, is to try to buy only fair-trade, sweatshop-free items.
Jeremie was more than encouraging - and it took me a moment to wonder why the enthusiasm, when it hit me: This would reduce my shopping habit immensely, and save more money.
Ahhhh...it all comes together now. Lol!

True to my word, for the past month and a half all my purchases have been fair-trade, sweatshop free.
I got this little coupon holder for a dollar-fifty, and have started keeping it in my purse to hold all my receipts, lists and papers. I has come in handy more then once! Not to mention, I feel so organized! ;)


This shirt I bought at "Ascension." A local clothing/accessory store that sells only sweatshop-free products.
The shirt was made by the "Ark" company - a fair-trade company based in Nepal. I already own several items from them bought in Drumheller and was happy to find a source here in Edmonton.

Cost: $25.00
100% cotton

I love this shirt to death. Even on the hottest days, this shirt stays cool because of the cotton fibers.

Even Jeremie wants this fabric in a mens shirt - which I'm almost positive they have. :)

This little guy is a frog in case you're wondering. He's made in Africa and is fair-trade. *yay!*
You run that stick over the bumps on his back in an up-ward motion and it makes the most convincing frog sound I've ever heard.
It reminds me of being home in Ontario and driving through the road by the swamp and hearing all the peep-toads singing.
I just couldn't resist.
He's pretty big too - probably about the size of a baseball.

Well I better get to bed! Almost 10pm and I have work tomorrow.

God Bless!

- Jenny