Thankful!

What are you thankful for? No I'm not going to go into some long message about being thankful, really. But I am going to tell you what I'm thankful for. I'm sure you all know of all the troops away from there families over seas. Well I am thankful that my brothers have both returned safe and sound. Yesterday they both arrived back home. They had been gone since May and June of last year. So now there deployment is over and they have come home. I'm very thankful to all those who serve our country and sacrifice limb, sanity, family and sometimes there lives for our freedoms, and I'm thankful most of them come home safe.

SO Thanks to all who serve!!

The thing left is to celebrate!! Can't wait to see you all soon!

Grilled pizza

YES it is delicious!! MMmmmmm.

I've been wanting to try some, but hadn't yet. Now my hubby he could eat pizza every DAY, but not me. Soooo I spread it out and manage to stretch it to a few times a month. Usually we do the same old oven route, the crust is getting thinner and thinner each time. Sooo I decided yesterday I was going to do it on the grill. I'd gotten an email about grilling and decided it was time. Here's what I did YUM!!

I made our basic bread dough and added some pizza seasoning to the mix for crust. I leave it a little wet so the dough can be rolled thinner. I think I have a previous post on making bread, I'll come back and link it if I can.

Anywho, I turned on my grill, warmed it up so it was about 400 degrees. I use a cloth BBQ brush to rub oil on the hot grill. Inside I rolled out some dough, not to big of a piece, but any size will work. I covered one side with melted garlic butter (just some marg and some crushed garlic). I than put it on the grill butter side down and left it for a few minutes with the lid closed. after it was brown with grill marks and mostly cooked I manuverd a cookie sheet and spatulas under it to flip it over. My first attempt was to large, so it was quite a site I'm sure.

Once it was flipped, I decorated it, rather quickly. Sauce, fresh sliced mushrooms, ham and pinapple than cheese. Closed the lid and walked away. I checked it about 10 minutes later and it was almost done. Once the cheese was melted in the middle of the pizza, the dough was done on the bottom. Than i slid it onto a cookie sheet and took it inside.

It was really good. My hubby, who frequents Chicago pizza joints, said so!!
After almost 11 yrs of marriage, he tells me if its not! LOL

So today I am enjoying left over grilled pizza. i didn't get a picture, cause we were to anxious to eat!! But you should try it, it is a keeper.

One thing I would change, not make so much dough. It starts raising to much and makes the crust thicker. Usually we get 2 huge cookie sheets of pizza and a 9x13 of bread sticks. It's better the first time, so I'll half the dough next time. But it was still yummy!

Using your grill like an over opens a whole new ballgame for baking. Hmmm homemade bread on the grill, now that's an idea, in the pan of course

Bee Stings

A friend sent this to me, if you've tried this, let me know. I'll be keeping this in mind for sure.

Subject: Bee Stings

This information may be something to remember, as this season will soon be here again. It might be wise to carry a penny in your pocket while working in the yard. A couple of weeks ago, I was stung by both a bee and hornet while working in the garden. My arm swelled up, so I went to the doctor. The clinic gaveme cream and an antihistamine. The next day the swelling was getting progressively worse, so I went to my regular doctor. The arm was Infected and needed an antibiotic. The doctor told me - 'The next time you get stung, put a penny on the bite for 15 minutes'.

That night, my niece was stung by two bees. I looked at the bite and it had already started to swell. So, I taped a penny to her arm for 15 minutes.The next morning, there was no sign of a bite. We decided that she just wasn't allergic to the sting. Soon, I was gardening outside. I got stung again, twice by a hornet on my left hand. I thought, here I go again to the doctor for another antibiotic. I promptly got my money out and taped two pennies to my bites, then sat and sulked for 15 minutes. The penny took the string out of the bite immediately. In the meantime the hornets were attacking, and my friend was stung on the thumb. Again the penny

The next morning I could only see the spot where the hornet had stung me. No redness, no swelling. My friend's sting was the same; couldn't even tell where she had been stung. She got stung again a few days later upon her back---cutting the grass! And the penny worked once again.

Wanted to share this marvelous information in case you experience the same problem. We need to keep a stock of pennies on hand . The doctor said that the copper in the penny counteracts the bite. It definitely works!

Please remember and pass this information on to your friends, children,grandchildren, etc.

Charles and Linda Simpson

If you have children take time to view the following video:http://www.cbc.ca/consumers/market/files/home/cleaners/index.html

Woo Hoo!

David just came in from outside playing to run to the potty. ALL ON IS OWN! YAY!! WOOHOO! PROGRESS! I am seeing the end to diapers for one child in sight, it's getting closer. He's stayed dry pretty well in underpants, but would need to be reminded. If he can get away with it, he will get a diaper on, but we've had to keep convincing him underpants are better.


But he came in all on his own, ran thru the house to the bathroom. YAY!!!

Just had to share a mom moment with you all!

Well I got it done!

The lawn that is. I got it all mowed and trimmed today. I'm sure my neighbors must get a kick out of watching me. I'm NOT the one who mowed our customers lawns and NO I don't do all those designs on purpose. I do so many circles and back over where I already mowed it's not funny. Well it may be for those watching. But it's done, and it's now raining so the lawn can get nice and green and full again, just in time for MARK to mow it next time. He bought me a cordless, rechargeable trimmer, it's SOOO nice. It starts super easy and it's lighter than a gas one. It doesn't stay charged for really long, but long enough for me to get done and my arm to be done too. I have to use it around the pond and by the green house. The mower doesn't fit around it.

Well I hear thunder, so I think I'll get this turned off, and check the windows. A nice rain will do us some good. Sorry for those who have to much, glad it's coming a little this way. They are projecting some severe thunderstorms so we will see!

I'm going to go check our brownies, my niece helped make them. And check the windows, ta ta for now!

Home made remedies for Poison Oak and Ivy

I just found this on a favorite site of mine.

You can get the green clay from the Frontier Co-op...

NaturalNews.com printable articleOriginally published June 25 2008

Natural Remedies for Poison Ivy and Poison Oakby Tony Isaacs (see all articles by this author)(NaturalNews)

Spring has sprung and summer seems to be barreling along too -- at least here in the south Texas hill country I call home these days. Besides the abundance of human friendly flora bursting upon our landscape, there are also some that are less than pleasant if we happen to stumble onto and into them. Two of the most bothersome are poison ivy and poison oak.Should you have the misfortune of brushing against either of those two, the good news is that you can stop the itching, spread and blisters with these home and natural remedies:

* Stop the itch of a poison ivy rash and prevent it from spreading with the following homemade paste: Mix one tablespoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon of peppermint essential oil (Mentha piperita) with 1 to 2 cups green clay, and add enough water to form a paste. Apply the paste liberally to the rash and leave it on for 20 to 30 minutes. Store leftover paste in a tightly sealed jar and reapply as needed. The remedy soothes the itch by absorbing the irritating plant oils and drying the rash. It also works for poison oak.

* Hot water and a banana. Take as hot a shower as you can stand for as long as you can. It will feel good and help relieve the itching. Then take a banana peel and rub it on the infected area. The itch should be gone for eight to twelve hours.

* Watermelon. Take watermelon (the rind and the meat) and glide it over the rash. Let it dry naturally. Within a day, the condition should improve greatly.

* Baking soda and coffee. First put about a half a cup baking soda in a bowl and slowly add cool coffee to make a thick paste. Then apply the paste liberally to the affected area and allow to dry. The poison will flow out of the blisters like water.

* Turmeric and lime or lemon juice. Mix one tablespoon of turmeric spice with roughly equal parts of lime or lemon juice to form a thick paste. Carefully apply to the afflicted skin. This remedy stains, and stings ever so slightly, but works miraculously. For avoiding stains on clothes, furniture or carpet, use it in the bathtub, so the bright yellow stuff doesn't fall down and make a mess. Let it sit on your skin for fifteen minutes, then wipe off excess. Some stains will likely remain. By the next day you will be astonished at how the ivy has dried up and nearly vanished.

* Poke salad root. Boil the root of a poke salad plant until it turns into a paste form. It will have a strong odor. Then, once it has cooled enough not to scald, rub it on the infected area until you can feel it "burn or sting". It should neutralize the poison ivy overnight.

* Dishwashing liquid. Rub dishwashing liquid onto skin area and within 15 to 20 minutes the itch should disappear. Do not wash off until the next morning and then reapply. Within a couple of days the skin area should clear. This is also good for mosquito bites. I would use this with caution, most dishwashing liquids contain irritants to your skin. Unless you use somelike more natural like Melaleuca I don't know about this one.

* Burdock roots. Make a strong tea with burdock roots and apply to the skin. Let it dry and re-apply as often as needed. It relieves the itching immediately.

* Potato. Blend a potato in a blender until it becomes a rough pasty blob. Put it on some plastic wrap and wrap it around the affected area. Plastic wrap works better than towels. If you are treating your face, poke two holes for nostrils so you can breathe. Leave it on for an hour or so, and the next day the bubbles should be gone and the skin should turn yellowish and start flaking off. It will probably still itch but should itch much less, and the itching should soon go away. Rub the affected areas to remove excess, but do not rub too hard or pick at the affected areas. Use vitamin E or lotion to help the new skin look and feel better.

* Peachtree leaves. Get some leaves from a peach tree, boil them and then let the water cool. Take a cotton ball and apply the liquid to the affected areas. Works almost overnight and should be almost completely clear within two-three days.

* Oatmeal. Run a warm bath and fill an old sock with oatmeal. While soaking in the tub, take the sock of oatmeal and gently rub it all over the affected areas.
* Epsom Salts. Make a paste and rub it on the affected area or just soak the area. Either way is good.

* Help stop the spread of infection from inadvertent scratching by washing the hands with a colloidal silver product, such as a colloidal silver soap or just regular colloidal silver. Pay particular attention to the areas underneath the fingernails and use a fingernail scrub brush on those areas.

* Colloidal silver and aloe vera make a good soothing, healing and disinfecting combo.

A couple of other home, but not exactly "natural" remedies that are effective are:
* Hemorrhoid ointment or liquid Blistex. Smear it on the areas affected to relieve itching and clear up the infection within 24 hours or so.
* Clear fingernail polish. This can be used to coat the affected areas to prevent spreading and lessen itching.

About the authorTony Isaacs, is a natural health advocate and researcher and the author of books and articles about natural health including "Cancer's Natural Enemy" and "Collected Remedies"as well as song lyrics and humorous anecdotal stories. Mr. Isaacs also has The Best Years in Life website for baby boomers and others wishing to avoid prescription drugs and mainstream managed illness and live longer, healthier and happier lives naturally. He is currently residing in the scenic Texas hill country near Utopia, Texas where he serves as a consultant to the Utopia Silver colloidal silver and supplement company and where he is working on a major book project due for publication later this year. Mr. Isaacs also hosts the CureZone "Ask Tony Isaacs" forum as well as the Yahoo Health Group "Oleander Soup"

All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing LLC takes sole responsibility for all content. Truth Publishing sells no hard products and earns no money from the recommendation of products. NaturalNews.com is presented for educational and commentary purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice from any licensed practitioner. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. For the full terms of usage of this material, visit http://www.NaturalNews.com/terms.shtml

more photos

KCCI news 8 is the local station in Des Moines. I thought I would share this link to some photos on their site of the flooding. This high school was in the middle of the flood area.

http://kcci.highschoolplaybook.com/album/albumPhotos.do?ac=065889d7d19e97cc238919e9a8685de0

This is a picture of the flood waters over I-80 on Friday 6/13/08. This is from the IDOT site

And here are some I took on our way home. You can see how close the water is to the road still.