How to live to be one hundred

I saw these tips for living to be 100 in an issue of Parade and I found them interesting so I thought I would share.

• Get Married. Never married people tend to die at the earliest age (I wonder if this statistic is partly because children simply don't get married but unfortunately they do die.) Divorced or separated people also die earlier. So get married and stay married! (I am of course saying that tongue in cheek, marriage is obviously not the answer for everybody but I happen to like it pretty well.)
• Have Children. It helps you to live longer. For a woman especially if you have children after age 40 (I'm afraid that won't help me but it should help my mom), For men if you start your family at an early age (I think Ken should qualify for that one).
• Eat a Heart Healthy Diet. A Mediterranean diet is good for this. Colorful fruits and veggies (we do fairly well with that), Olive oil (okay we use this a little), Fish (uh-oh this isn't on our menu too often) and Whole grains (Yea! we do good on this) and few processed or refined foods are what make up this menu.
• Read the Newspaper. Keeping up to date with current events helps you to stay younger. We have been subscribing to the Newspaper for a while now.
• Drink Tea. Black, green or oolong tea are good for you cardiovascular health.
• Stay Slim. They say that keeping a trim waistline is a requirement if you plan on living to 100. Fat in the belly area is especially bad for longevity.
• Buy the Farm. This sounds fun! Country life helps you to live longer than if you live in the city.
• Have Faith. People that have their faith as a major part of their lives tend to live longer.

I don't know about you but I kind of think it is fun to think about the possibility of living to 100. Think of all the things you could see and do in that amount of time. But that really is not the most important thing in life. The most important thing is not how long you live but how you live and whether you are ready for life to come to an end. Hebrews 9:27 says "It is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgement." We need to be living your lives in a way that we are ready for that day. Thankfully we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ (1 John 2:1) An advocate is one that comes beside us to help us out. Jesus can help us out of any situation! If you have any questions about all of this feel free to e-mail me or comment and I would love to discuss it with you!

I included a picture at the top of my dear friend Ula. She is not quite to 100 but is getting close. She is one I very much look up to for having lived a full life of service to God. She continues to serve Him in every way that she can. We have another woman at church as well, Opal who is even closer to 100 and is also a great example but unfortunately I didn't have a picture of her.

Isn't this slide show cool?

Works for me Wednesday ~Easy baked potatoes

I am sure there are lots of other people out there that do this but I will post this for those that haven't thought of it. I loved making baked potatoes, they are good for you and cheap (especially cheap for us as we glean our potatoes and get them free) and so very easy. The only problem that I have heard many people complain about is that they take a long time to cook. My solution: Use the microwave. Even for our family of 6 I can usually cook enough potatoes in 20 minutes. Just scrub them and poke them and then put them in to cook. I usually turn them halfway through as well. They taste good and are very fast. That method Works for me!

Fixing Hair

While Michelle was here visiting I was inspired by watching her carefully fix her girls hair every day. They had a time in the morning and then usually again after naps where they would sit down and take the time to very carefully get their hair done. I do fix my girls hair but usually it is a pretty quick brush through and then for Megan a quick barrette and for Mara usually I just pull half the hair up in a pony or something like that. I don't think there is anything wrong with that but I also thought that it would be fun to spend a little extra time with me girls while fixing their hair and also hopefully make them enjoy (though hopefully not get vain or self-absorbed) ladylike things.

Last week when we were at the Library I happened to notice a book on fixing hair and so I picked it up. Mara has been enjoying going through it and picking out a new hairstyle for each day. We thought we would share some of them with you over the next few weeks. I have done many of these styles before as I used to fix my sisters hair a lot (I am not sure why I haven't done that with my girls), but I am kind of rusty with my skills.

Our first hairstyle is the Fish tail. I have always liked this one and it is really quite simple to do.
You can do it many ways (including making a french style fish tail) but this day we first put it up in a pony tail. Then I divided the hair in half with my fingers.


Then you take a small section of hair from the outside of one section and cross it over to join the inside of the other section. Then go to the other side and do the same thing. Keep doing that until you have gone the whole length and then fasten it with a pony tail holder. That is all there is to it. It is really quite simple. If you have any questions you can put them in the comments and I will try to answer them.
This is the finished product. You are not required to wear a raccoon in your hair for this style.

Tonight I am running a fever again. We have been dealing with sickness quite a bit this week. We think we are better and then we find out we really are not. Oh well. This to shall pass. Even in the midst of sickness there is a lot to laugh about and be thankful for!

I had to share a story about Aaron(age 4) from our supper table this evening. He was again discussing what he wants to be when he grows up (This has been something he has loved to talk about for over a year now). He said he wanted to be a soldier first and the President last (for a long time). We wondered what he wanted to be in between and he thought he would be a fireman after a soldier and then probably a garbage collector (Not the one who drives the truck but the one who gets to stand on the outside and attach the can). I wonder if the our garbage collectors realize how much they are looked up to? While we were chuckling about the going from a garbage collector to President (something that I think would be a first) Aaron did some thinking. A moment later he decided that maybe he didn't really want to be a garbage collector, He wasn't sure that he wanted to live at the dump.


This evening Aaron wanted to dress up. This is his rendition of a female monkey. (The mittens on the feet make him a monkey.)

Today while I was not feeling so hot I felt so incredibly blessed to have Mara for my daughter. She is so helpful when she knows I don't feel so good. She is so sweet and sympathetic and offers to do above and beyond what she is required to do.

This evening I wanted to read something from the Bible and I just happened to open at Psalm 103. That is such an encouraging chapter! I want to share it with you. I am bolding some of the things that jumped out at me.

Psalm 103

Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget none of his benefits;
Who pardons all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases;
Who redeems your life from the pit,
Who crowns you with loving kindness and compassion;
Who satisfies your years with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.
The Lord performs righteous deeds
And judgement for all who are oppressed.
He made known His ways to Moses,
He acts to the sons of Israel.
The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
Slow to anger and abounding in loving kindness.
He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.
He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
So great is His loving kindness toward those who fear Him.
As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
Just as a father has compassion on hi children,
So the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.
For He Himself knows our frame;
He is mindful that we are but dust.
As for Man, his days are like grass;
As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
When the wind has passed over it, it is no more.
And its place acknowledges it no longer.
But the loving kindness of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him.
And His righteousness to children's children,
To those who keep His covenant
And remember His precepts to do them.
The Lord has established His throne in the heavens,
And His sovereignty rules over all.
Bless the Lord you His angels,
Mighty in strength, who perform His word!
Bless the Lord, all you His hosts,
You who serve Him, doing His will.
Bless the Lord, all you works of His,
In all places of His dominion;
Bless the Lord, O my soul!