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Oh yeah, subscribe!  To your right on the screen.  Here's a video filmed while we were at the earthship.

October and November

We spent the first week of October camping at Camp Shand.  What a good community event!  Shared meals, hiking and a lot of music! 

The next week we did a lot of tree pruning and removals and general work.  Then we headed out of town to Vermont.  We drove all night 10 1/2 hours to Huntington, VT, arrived at 7:30 AM, ate some breakfast and worked all day on an earthship.  If you haven't heard of earthships, you can watch the documentary "Garbage Warrior" or just type earthship into youtube. 

Our new friends on the earthship crew spent the next 3 weeks with us up in Vermont working, discovering the area's inspiring businesses and having memorable experiences!  We will be posting a lot of pictures soon. 

After an 11 1/2 hour drive back *inclement weather*, we hauled a 17-foot-long trailer to Sunbury, PA where we now spend days and nights working on renovation of a house in town there.  The weather is turning colder and the camper is not as weatherproof and temperature stable as the earthship was.  The good news is, our homemade compost toilet (thanks bro ty!) is now on site. 

4 Months Along

Only 4 months along and this baby is already doing impressive gymnastics.  I first felt the baby at 9 weeks!  Then it was already quickening by 15 weeks.  Now we are 16 weeks and I can lay and watch my belly jump up and down (ALL DAY).  It's unreal! 

This thing is moving like I can't believe.  I didn't feel Naomi until she was 22 weeks along.  She didn't quicken until 24 weeks.  We didn't see her tumbling in the womb (from the outside) until after 7 months.  Even then she only had a few active times a day.  This one is going on and on.  I love it! 

They say that if you are thin then you will feel the movements a little earlier.  I was the same size as when I got pregnant with Naomi, but I haven't gained as much weight (about 10+ pounds less with this one) in the first trimester so maybe that's why I can feel it earlier.  Plus I'm experienced now and know what to look for.  However, that doesn't account for the belly jumping an inch every second.

Your Blood Type and Your Lifestyle

On a chilly (relatively) winter night in the heart of Texas, we stopped at a McDonalds, surely not to eat, but to meet up with a new friend.  He gave us some music and told us about the Blood Type Diet.  I was really intrigued since I love nutrition and lifestyle information.  He said he hadn't been sick in quite a bit more than a handful of years.  Not even a sniffle.  He followed the blood type diet.  I stored the information in my brain and decided it was on my 'must research' list.

Fast forward to now, the next Fall.  I finally got around to doing some research and am amazed.  I will start with my own findings about myself. 

Diet:  Since I was very little, I felt sure that I knew what foods did well in my body and what foods were a drag on my energy and bodily systems.  I used to describe one of the reactions as "starchy".  If you went to high school with me, you may remember me complaining of this after lunch or before Rifle practice.  My absolute no-no list since I can remember making decisions about eating (about 5 or 6 years old) were peanut butter, corn, tomatoes, red onions, bananas, chicken, wheat and sugar.  I have stayed really true to this banned list though I will eat the foods occasionally, I don't like how they make me feel, so I don't eat them of my own will. 

Exercise:  My favorite exercises are hiking and bicycling.  These make me feel very fulfilled, challenge me mentally and physically (I'm a goal person).  And when I do these with others (almost always the case) I push myself harder and do a lot better. 

Lifestyle:  We love going to sleep at a good time every night and waking up around sunrise (though lately it's been a little later than that lately because of being tired with sickness and pregnancy.).  You may not have guessed it, but our family loves structure and having goals and expectations planned and written down ahead of time.  I love checklists and having things organized and clutter-free.  Not a week goes by that I don't find some slew of items in our possession that go to the thrift store.  We are quite nomadic, but that doesn't mean we aren't regimented in our life choices.  What we eat, drink, what we wear (fabric compositions of clothing and modesty) and each decision we make is very important to us.  I also believe in meditation.  I have overcome a lot of stresses, baggage and learned so much about myself through meditation.

We like living in community.  The biggest reason for me, is because the older someone gets, there may come a time they need to be physically cared for.  I don't believe this should be outsourced to strangers, rather handled within the community of the individual.  A reward for being a contributing member of a community.  Another member needing extra care in a community would be the mentally ill or mentally disabled.  Most neighborhoods have no structure for caring for the elderly.  Also, when we fill our lives with jobs and activities that take us away from that community of our neighborhood, we lose touch and are torn away and can not provide the care and attention that the more needy members of the community deserve.  This is really sad and heartbreaking.

So back to the blood type thing.  Here is the link.  Look up your blood type.

 Blood Type Diet Homepage

What do you think?  Can your blood type tell you about how you should eat, how you should exercise, how you should act?

Mine is B+.  Michael's is also B+.  We should not eat Peanuts, Corn, Wheat, Buckwheat, Lentils, Tomatoes or Chicken.  We should eat leafy greens, veggies, fruits, limited dairy, venison, goat, lamb...  Hiking and bicycling are among the top four exercises for our blood type.  They like community.  They are nomadic peoples from the highlands of the Himalayas.  They should go to sleep before 11 pm and sleep 8 hours or more.  It was VERY true for us. 

Tell me what you find out about yourself...

Bike Ride and Harvest

Homebrew and Music Festival

Making Musical Memories in Michigan Part 4

Phil Wintermute

Though he is no longer with us, Phil had an effect on people that is hard to explain.  He was loved by so many and held dear.  He always encouraged other musicians just to play, "And when you have 8 or 9 songs, record a cd."  It was so basic with him.  There was no magic formula, just embracing the spirit of playing heartfelt music AND sharing it.  We'd go to Dagwoods and Altus while Phil played and just soak it up.

Making Musical Memories in Michigan Part 3

Brandon Foote (& Gifts and Creatures)

Worked with Brandon for a little over a year.  Always upbeat, pleasant, humble.  A musician unlike many others.  Throughout the years and his various musical involvements, there is a commonality of good humble ROOT music.  Just feels like it's a part of you.

Buy Gifts & Creatures' music HERE.

Making Musical Memories In Michigan Part 2

Theme & Variation

Friends from Michigan.  They are incredible people, songwriters and incredibly talented.  No record label, just legitimate indie music.  Here they are in Impact FM, our Lansing independent station, performing "Hate"

Support them by buying their album HERE.

Making Musical Memories in Michigan Part 1

I could write all day about the music in Michigan.  So I'll turn this into about a 10-15 part series.  Don't let that sound boring.  It's anything but.  Just listen as I put tracks up.

Part 1

Daniel Kahn---------------------------

New Orleans

Nakam

Buy at Earthwork Music

How to Pack with a Toddler

How to pack your belongings with a toddler around:

1. Get tape and box. Fold Box
2. Look for tape.  Tell your toddler to bring it back, which they do very well. 
3. Start to load boxes, get sidetracked with something miniscule, come back to it...
4.  Tell your toddler to pick everything up and put it back in the box.  Which they don't do really well, because it was all arranged in just a way that it fit. 
5.  Re-pack the first box and start to load the second box.  Get into the groove.  Things are getting done. 
6.  Take your toddler to the bathroom where you're reminded of things you missed. 
7.  Start packing things in the bathroom.  Where's...
8.  Yell for your toddler.  Nothing.  Go and look for your toddler.  Still nothing.  Go outside, follow the trail of once-packed belongings and find  your toddler climbing the neighbors deck stairs.  Yell at her to come back.  She's suddenly hard of hearing.  Must be a quick bug going around.  Yell at her in Spanish.  Snap.  Whistle.  Bull whip noise.  Air horn.  Here she comes, after the neighbor quietly tells her to listen to her mama. 
9.  Get her inside.  Shut the door that she can't open.  Re-pack all the stuff she took outside. 
10.  Time to eat.
11.  Lay her down for a nap.
12.  Finish packing.  Get some cleaning done.  Make some coffee.  Write a blog post.
13.  Wakes up. 
14.  Decide you're done for the day and you'll deal with all the newly strewn stuff when it's time to load in the truck. 

Life is so great.  Sometimes we just laugh and laugh.  Can never take yourself too seriously with a little one around.  They'll get right in your face when you least expect it with their eyes open wide, eyebrows arched as high as the sky and say "K?  Mommy, k?"  (okay)

Home Sweet Home Picture Blog Part 2

On A Walk Picture Blog Part 1

On a walk around our abode in New Hampshire.  Decided to share what our eyes could see.  You never know what impromptu adventures can come of a simple walk.  We will miss the crystal clear mountain waters and the glistening sandy dirt.  We will miss humble and practical housing not too close together.  We will really miss knowing so many people in a very unique community in New Hampshire!  It has been so incredible to live here.  Maybe we'll retire here. ; )

 

And finally...the busy center of our little town.  See the church?  The General Store?  The Library and Tax Collectors Office (just below) and the building that looks like a church that's not?  All the white ones...yep that is our town.  So sad to go.  

That's our town, but wait, there's Part 2.  Stay Tuned.

Congratulations Jonah!

We are stoked for our friends Kenny and Kim who just gave birth to a beautiful boy Jonah!  Please direct your prayers and well wishes toward the worthy family!  Doesn't Kim look amazing!  :)  We love you guys!

News Headlines 5 17 12

We enjoy the news.  When I check it I rarely find anything interesting.  Today was a little different.  See for yourself:

If You Want To Live Longer Drink Coffee

Now I like the sound of this.  Justify my habit, India Times.  What's next?

New Xulon Book Addresses Mysteries Deriving from the Bible

Interesting to say the least, did you read her bio at the bottom?  Can this be real?  Hmmm....

Fructose Makes Rats Dumber UCLA Study

Well, we've known this for years.  Princeton and UCLA want to finally release some true information to the media.  Yup yup.  As the article said, don't just kick hfcs, kick all white sugar and even juice.  It's all unnaturally high in sugar.  It's terrible for you.

"...Rodent studies have found that the sugar contributes to obesity, diabetes and blood-fat disturbances.  Human studies suggest that when consumed in large amounts it raises blood triglycerides and cause the liver to become more sluggish in responding to insulin.

And now the brain."

 "Gomez-Pinilla pointed us to a Princeton study that found rats gained more weight on high-fructose corn syrup than they did on table sugar. They also built up more abdominal fat and had higher blood triglyceride levels."

Last but not least another Coffee story.  Coffee + Telekinesis = The BrainGate2 Neural Interface System
sign me up. 

Paralyzed Woman Moves Robotic Arm Using Thought Alone

Musical Memories

Make Musical Memories with The Idan Raichel Project

I first started listening to this band a few years ago and can't even remember how I found out about them.  They have a very 'world' sound but mix languages, cultures, styles and have very catchy musical phrasings.  Mostly singing in Hebrew, the band is centered in Israel and has broken sales records there for their releases.  I wasn't hooked at first, but from time to time, all I hear in my head is this band and I have to return and listen to their music.  Not knowing Hebrew, Swahili or Arabic and only un poco Espanol, I can't understand most of what they're saying, but the music speaks so much louder than the words.  I hope you can all enjoy their music.  It's so varied, you almost have to listen to their entire catalogue to get a feel for what they truly are.  One song may have some heavy Arabic sounds, another an Indian vibe, another, wholly African and there's even some legitimate Reggae and Dub involved in one or two tracks. 

Last week we hiked up on top of a 4,000 foot tall mountain.  When we got to the top, Mike suggested we keep walking the ridge to finish the loop which we knew was roughly 9 miles.  It seemed a

Distance Record

It was mid-March.  Unseasonably warm. Pouring Rain.  10:30 PM.  We decided to run.  Barefoot. 

My disdain for running began at a very young age.  I couldn't bear the pain.  And I never ran through it.  Later on, during my middle school years, we were forced to run in gym class.  The first run felt great, then I got heat stroke, passed out, threw up all over the front of the school while two classmates carried me inside.  I collapsed and they got me a wheelchair.  I laid in the fetal position in the nurses office in intense pain for hours until my parents rescued me. 

They made us run the mile a while after that.  It was cold, windy and treacherous.  I was wearing shorts and a tee-shirt.  I ran hard and gave up half way through, gasping for air thinking I was having an asthma attack.  Then I got an inhaler (I don't have asthma, doctors sometimes just medicate you to get you out of their office).  When we ran dash races, I always came in last.  Think about that kid that was in the worst shape in your middle school gym class, the one you felt sorry for.  That kid ran faster than me.  And I tried so hard.

In 8th grade we switched schools.  I was unaware that the kids there were Spartans.  Every person in my gym class could run the mile in 8 minutes or less on a bad day.  Even that kid you felt sorry for.  Not me.  I skipped school every day they tested for the mile (a requirement).  My dad had to take me to the track himself (mid-June after school was out for the summer) and force me to run the mile so he could send my time to the gym teacher.  I did it.  With his help and coaching, I ran farther than I ever had.  1 mile in 10 1/2 minutes. 

High school wasn't too traumatic, but I was convinced I couldn't run.  That I was some brutal breed of walkers and I could only get a good workout on an elliptical machine.  Even though I ran the mandatory mile every year and placed around 10 minutes each time, my mind was set to my past failures.  They haunted me.  We had to wear heart monitors in High School.  Our heart rate had to be in the 'target zone'.  This meant for me that I could run really slowly ( I had to to keep my heart rate down ) and pace myself, thus meeting their running requirements. 

Year 1 - After high school I decided I wanted to run.  I'd always been drawn to overcoming obstacles and I hated thinking that I couldn't run.  Reading articles online and using an online exercise website to track my running and training, I was running 3 times a week starting with 1/4 mile and progressing from there.  My focus was distance.  Learning to pace myself to run the whole time, for a sustained time goal (say 20 minutes).  It was going well.  Before long, I was able to run 1 1/2 and then close to 2 miles reasonably well.  Treacherously slow, but well. 

The problems started when I began to push myself to run faster.  Those old thoughts of failure and pain drove me into such present pain that on some runs I'd be lucky to get home before I collapsed shaking and in such unbearable pain.  At home, I would crawl to the bathtub and lay in a cold shower fully dressed with my shoes on.  I collapsed once in a neighbors yard for a duration of time.  My eyes would black out, my abdomen would pulse so violently, the world would be spinning.  These were the same symptoms that I got when I had heat stroke, the first time I pushed myself running in 7th grade.  It was fear.  It was psychological.  The mind is so powerful.  My mind is incredibly stubborn. 

Year 2 - This sounds extreme and it was, but it didn't stop me.  I kept running.  Then I started to ride bike.  Here was something I had no past psychological hurts or trauma with and I loved it.  Soon I rode bike to work everyday unless it was raining, then home on break, then back to work and home again at the end of the day.  I was free.  My body was able and powerful.  My confidence was rising everyday.  Mike and I started to go hiking.  We hiked almost everyday, rode 20-30 miles on the weekends or in the evenings and soon were hiking 10-17 mile days. 

Year 3 - Logically, it dawned on me. If I can  A.)  Ride 20-30 miles and not feel this phantom pain, and B.)  Hike 15 miles and not feel that heat stroke pain (not that these activities weren't painful or we weren't sore, they are a different sort of feeling) then I can logically  C.) Run without psychological hindrance. 

We were pregnant with our first baby and I was not feeling up to overcoming psychological challenges.  Being tired and nauseous 24 hours a day didn't have me in a mindset to run a marathon (though I know people who've run marathons in their 2nd and 3rd trimesters).  While pregnant, we did some pretty long section hikes, walked daily and I rode bike to get groceries every week and rode back with 30-40 pounds of weight in my backpack until 4 days before we had our girl. It takes a long time to recover from a birth physically, then emotionally and then psychologically.  We kept active with our little baby but didn't start running, just tried to maintain. 

Year 4 - I truly felt normal again, about a year after giving birth (any mom knows what I mean, or I hope other mom's do) my hormones were back to normal, my body wanted to work again.  I started with 9 mile bike rides to work a few times a week.  It feels so great to be back in a groove.  Not having a seat to put the baby on the bike, my husband and I were taking turns getting our workouts of riding bike and we were going on hikes and walks with our toddler in the backpack. 

Winter.  Then March.  March of this year.  It came on quick, like inspirations often do.  It was a divine calling.  Now is the time.  We ran barefoot in the rain, for 2 + miles at 10:30 at night.  It took 20 minutes.  When we arrived home sopping wet with aching legs and blistered feet, I did not feel discouraged by the pain, actually encouraged.  During our run, I meditated and prayed.  It was incredibly uplifting and blessed.  The first time I ran without fear of the past, without symptoms of the past and without the pain of a past failure.  One small event that bruised my psyche so badly.  My savior lifted me out of that fleshly mire and held me up.  After that, I knew I witnessed a miracle.  I was saved and healed.  I started to run. 

I run 3-5 times a week.  Today I ran 5.6 Miles on a very hilly lakeside road.  Today I ran farther than I've ever run, blasting past my record of 3.6 miles.  I feel sore.  I am saved.  I am alive.  I do not feel my past haunting me.  The pain has been taken away.  This summer I am running a 5K race.  My goal is 25 minutes.

When I meet another runner, I am drawn to them.  I ask questions and glean from their success and challenges.  A divine meeting over a month ago with an unsuspecting runner, who qualified to run the Boston Marathon this year, gave me this quote, "I smile when I run.  Most people look miserable when they run.  I smile as big as I can because I love to run."  She also told me, after telling her my dream to run a marathon, that I will run a marathon and sooner than I think.  That I will improve exponentially. 

I smile now too. Smiling helps me to take in more oxygen with less effort.  Praying helps me to remain psychologically positive and remember how I've been totally delivered from my past and from my baggage.  I smile and pray constantly.  Because I have hope in heaven, hope in pure love, hope in my savior and his saving sacrifice which takes all my pain away as I die to myself each day.

New Store Feature on Blog

We're super super glad to have our store completely imported to the blog now.  Just look up and to the right.  You'll see a little tab that suggests "store".  Go ahead.  Click on it...but not before finishing your reading of this post.  The items listed in our store can be bought by clicking on them.  This will take you to the corresponding 'information' screen on Etsy.  If you want to see the pricing, just mouse over each picture and voila!  The price will pop up like a predictable ghost.  Let us know what you think!

peace, love, lynays