10 Goals and Reminders to Live Wisely in the Months Ahead

Wife, mother, home-keeper, educator--these positions are what I currently hold in my family.  In whatever roles are yours right now, do you ever feel like you are backtracking in your confidence or capabilities?  I have felt that way lately.  So it's time for me to look back and recall areas about which I have found wisdom and offered advice in the past.  Ideas are easy for me, but putting them into action is what I need to make sure I do!


1.  Cultivate patience at home and fight stress creatively.

2.  Be prepared and avoid travel pitfalls on our upcoming trip north.

3.  Start writing letters again.  

4.  Sketch the outdoors.

5.  Plan simpler weekly menus.

6.  Put into practice a daily list that includes caring for my body and soul.

7.  Enjoy playing outside with my kids.

8.  Find back-to-school clothes without spending a lot.

9.  Keep kid gear simple and affordable.

10.  Cut out dairy, but still enjoy dessert.

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"Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise."

                                                                   -Ephesians 5:15 (NIV)
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In what ways are you striving to live wisely?

Black Cherry Lemonade Mixer: A Healthy Drink Recipe

For the first time ever, I bought some 100% black cherry juice.  Intrigued by the health benefits of cherries, I tasted it and decided to find a way to mix it with other flavors to create something more drinkable.   We still have a cut watermelon in our refrigerator from the 4th of July, so I used some of the juice to balance the strong black cherry flavor. 

 

 Here's what I mixed:

• Black cherry juice
• Fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• Water (or seltzer water), chilled
• Watermelon juice
• Maple syrup

Directions:

Mix lemon juice, water, and maple syrup to taste, until you have a good lemonade.  Add equal amounts of watermelon juice and black cherry juice.  Stir and enjoy!

I'm also linking to Pennywise Platter Thursday at the Nourishing Gourmet.

10 Easy-to-Satisfy Summer Cravings

1. Fresh lemonade


2. Playing in the sand


3. Freshly picked (foraged) berries


4. Picnics


5. Watermelon


6. Visits to farmers markets


7. Firefly watching at twilight


8. S'mores*


9. Ice cream


10.  Locally grown corn on the cob*

* We're still looking forward to fulfilling these wishes, hopefully quite soon!