Nature's Solution for Acid Reflux

This little beauty has been elevated to best friend level. Why? Because raw almonds have recently been helping me in ways I never imagined. I bought them to help restore my health.

However, after 4 nights of very little sleep because of the roller coaster of either taking pain pills so I can sleep, but then waking up gagging on stomach acid or not taking pain pills to keep my tummy happy, but that left me in too much pain.

I had tried every antacid on the market, but nothing was helping. My stomach and esophagus were raw constantly. Then I read that by popping 5 raw almonds into my mouth every few hours throughout the day would alkalize my acidic system. Lo and behold, it worked. I mean wonderfully.

However, my blood pressure has been climbing for the last 2 years since all my health issues reared their ugly heads. Today, at the doctor's office, guess what? My blood pressure was down quite a bit. Then I read that raw almonds can normalize blood pressure too.

Did you know the almond is NOT a nut? This came as a revelation to me. It is actually a seed inside of the almond fruit. The almond tree is related to the cherry, peach, and apricot trees. Looking at an almond blossom helps me to see the truth indeed!

What a beautiful almond blossom. It reminds me of Asian artwork. Something I am privy to since I have a daughter in love with ALL things anime, manga, and Japanese. However, my fascination is not for the same reasons. It is because once again, I am forced to contemplate if I truly believe a blossom this beautiful happened by random chance or was by intelligent design by a God who created all things for a purpose?!?!

And in that moment, fear's deathly grip on me is loosened. I stand in awe of the God who was, who is, and who is to come. In that second, I don't fear the valley of the shadow of death. The Lord's rod and staff comfort me. He anoints my unworthy head with oil. My cup runs over with His love, His mercy, and His grace. I am nothing and He is everything. I am satisfied.

The Piefect Way to Warm Your Home

Mmm, cinnamon warms our home. The aroma penetrates every nook and cranny of our hardwood floors. Brown sugar caramelizing turns patience into a virtue that is missing from my family's taste buds. I have made great apple pies for years (I used to cheat with refrigerated crusts), but in the last couple of years I have mastered the perfect flaky crust with a hint of butter and the perfect compliment of spices and sweetness to the apples. My husband no longer desires to take the pie to work to share with his co-workers. He has hoarding complex! And when I make homemade vanilla ice cream to go with it, he is quite sure our home is the entrance to heaven.

Do you enjoy making pies? If making pie crust threatens you, give Pillsbury refrigerated crusts a try. They are very good and so easy to use.

I am going to share a wonderful secret with you, I know of two blogs giving away pie making kits from Pillsbury. Nicole, over at Stay At Home Mom Reviews and Hannah, with Sherbet Blossom are both having the piefect giveaways! It will include a basket from Pillsbury that includes pie plates, pie cut outs for the crust, etc. I often use cut outs during the holidays at our home. On Thanksgiving for instance, I always cut a turkey out of the center of our apple pie. On my husband's birthday I cut Tigger out of the center of his dark cherry pie.

What is your favorite kind of pie? Anybody figure out how to make a yummy, healthy pie yet?

You Can Have Your Cake & Decorate It Too!

The hours a mother will invest to give their precious child a Birthday Cake to make them smile! Yes, I am guilty! I will spend 8+ hours making and decorating a cake if it will save us money and put glee in my child's voice when they gaze upon it for the first time.

Here is my little Tink with her Tinker Bell cake. Mind you, the brat in me compelled me to feed her a story that I was making her a WALL*E cake the entire time I was working on it. She never complained. The moment her eyes met the cake, her shrills of excitement blew out the windows of local Air Force jets flying overhead!

All of this to share with you that over at the ALL ABOUT CAKES blog they are having an amazing giveaway for those of you who long to decorate cakes and pastries, etc for your family. Rose is giving away a 200 Piece Betty Crocker® Decorator Kit. I know I would love to win this after moving from Texas to California, I found many of our household items had been destroyed from staying in a humid storage unit. I had a huge professional decorating kit that was a complete loss. I have just started buying a few tips, bags, and couplers again.

What have you done special for your family to remind them how precious they are to you?