Support Local Businesses

Reminder: Support local businesses and small business chains. 

Farmer Boys in San Jacinto are generous with their fundraising donations. They are donating just shy of $100 to my after school program with LINC Housing/Cares. These funds will be used to supplement a field trip in the near future. They are also doing ongoing fundraisers for my after school program.

I am grateful to LilPixieBOWtique for their very generous donation valued at $2755 to the LINC Cares after school program. The owner donated personalized and handmade bottlecaps and dog tags with accessories to our End of Year Resident Appreciation Event. We had a jewelry making table open to all attending residents free of charge.

I am also thankful to Cooking and Kids for their generous offer of 10 dozen shortbread style “sugar” cookies for our event mentioned above. She donated a healthy spin to the typical holiday sugar cookies. They were made with flax seeds (I think this is her personal signature!) and the extra  bonus was that they were cut out into cute shapes – stars, flowers, circles, and gingerbread men for decorating. 

Last but not least, I am thankful to K. Ville Designs for donating a diaper cake. This was one of several raffles given to the residents who remained at the event for its duration.  Thank you Karla for making this item extra special! (Diaper cake pictured on the table.) Karla doesn't have a website so if you're interested in learning more you may contact her at Sensory Time Center in Murrieta. (The gal smiling is the property manager for the 55-unit (200 resident) community.) 

In the past six months, I have received donations from Walmart, Stater Bros, Vons, Sprouts, Hemet PAL (Police Activities League), a local home schooling mother, and cupcakes from So Good Gluten Free Foods. 

Thank you to everyone above who has participated in giving back to a local community who is grateful for your generosity.


Signed, 
Jessica wearing 1 of many hats - Resident & Youth Services Coordinator/After School Program Coordinator

Favorite Health Tips for 2011

For dry, chapped lips – Put a little coconut oil in your navel and follow it with some on your lips. Do this 2-3x a day for a few days and watch the improvement unfold! No more chapped lips! Bottom line: Coconut oil is not only good for consuming but excellent for improving your skin’s suppleness!

My favorite natural product for 2011 – by far is Silver Shield with Aqua SolTechnology. We picked up the cosmetic gel from a local herb cottage when we were looking for a safe, natural antibiotic. We removed the neosporins and alike from our medicine cabinet and needed a suitable replacement. This is it!! Perhaps costly as compared to the alternatives but wins in the faster healing process, it is safe – no harmful ingredients and backed by research (no bad reports)...just to name a few of the benefits. After talking to a friend about this product, she told me that her family consumes the silver shield liquid version in their water and that she gives her 2 year old the product by a medicine dropper daily. The next time I went to the cottage I purchased the liquid and started adding a capful to .75l of water daily.

The second runner up (a very close first) - Arnica Gel. We use this for bumps and bruises and it also helps with muscle soreness. It comes in a tube that costs about $8. It seems to last awhile! A little goes a long way. 

My favorite new membership for 2011 – Nature’s Sunshine membership is free with your first $40 purchase and thereafter you receive 20% off for every purchase that is at least $40. Purchasing the two silver shield products qualifies you for the discount each and every time. They have many other great products. (I am not affiliated with them.) Besides I don't know what happens after the first year. I haven't gotten that far yet. But, for right now - I'm happily taking the discounts for two products that have helped my family heal faster. 

Green Smoothie Recipe

I'm in love with vegetables (and fruit)! I love nearly everything in the green department for vegetables. I know this is not a favorite color among many. So, I recommend two things: 1) Take a whole food supplement and 2) blend up a smoothie!

This morning we made a green smoothie comprising of banana, pineapple with its core, fresh spinach and kale, water and ice. Fill Vitamix in this order. Blend for 30 seconds.

*Benefits of banana: potassium, rich in vitamin B6, elimination properties (think electrolytes)

*Benefits of pineapple: antioxidants and inflammatory properties, highest in Maganese, digestive benefits

*Benefits of spinach: antioxidants, carotenoids, highest in Vitamins K, A, C and folate

*Benefits of kale: cholesterol lowering benefits, Omega 3 properties, detox support, several dozen flavonoids, high in vitamins K, A, and C, inflammatory properties

What is your favorite green smoothie recipe? Don't have one? Try this one! Then share with us your favorite smoothie (one that you make). 

Eat (or drink) Well. Live Well. 


*WHFoods dot org

November is ...

Did you know that November is peanut butter month?! I surely didn't until I started planning activities for the children at the after school program I run. 

This month we are doing several activities...

For snack, we've incorporated peanut butter with our freshly sliced apples, graham and regular crackers. We'll be doing a bird feeder with pine cones, bird seed and peanut butter and later we'll be doing a "how to make a peanut butter and jelly" sandwich written activity. Each child will write up how to make a PB&J sandwich including every step and we'll make them according to their directions. I did this activity years ago in the third grade. I still remember it like it was yesterday. It was fun and out of the children in my class only one included most of the steps. After the activity, I will make sandwiches for the children and serve it with a cup of 2% milk for their snack.

November is not only peanut butter month but also Native American Heritage month. We'll be making rain sticks this coming week in honor of my late grandpa who passed away last August. He was from the Oneida tribe. RIP Pops!

It is also the month that we recognize and attribute acts of gratefulness in the public sense through the holiday, Thanksgiving. Growing up this holiday meant a day or 2 out of school, friends over, lots of food to eat, and play time while the adults watched football. As an adult, it is simply a day where phone calls are made to touch base with family members and friends who live far away. It is also a time to have a heart of thanksgiving. Let not just one day of the year be in remembrance of all that God has given but make it a priority to thank Him daily! In the after school program, we'll be doing an activity where the children will talk about what they're thankful for. I hope to receive many responses. Perhaps adding to this will be cards the children can write to their parents to thank them for what they do. 

First 5 Riverside (County, CA)

November is Celebrate Children's Literacy Month and First 5 Riverside is giving away free books to children ages 0-5 who reside in Riverside County CA. Their program is Read Early Read Aloud and you may contact them at 1-800-266-3880 providing them your children's ages and mailing address. Call soon because supplies will run out!!


I just learned about this opportunity yesterday while reading the IE Family Magazine. There was an ad in the November issue. I called them yesterday to request books for the After School Program (ASP) I run for children with LINC Housing / LINC Cares in San Jacinto. I had just taken notice a few days ago that my bookshelf needed more books for the Kindergartners who are ambitious about reading. 


In my ASP, we are in our second month of the "Fall Into Reading" Literacy Program. The children earn bucks for reading and summarizing books (or drawing pictures for those under 7) and they can use these to buy fun items at my "store" that I open once a week. There will also be prizes for the top 2 performers at the end of November for the children who've participated the most. Currently, one of my 5 year olds is in first place! 


First 5 Riverside dropped off 10 books to my program today. I don't know how many they send to homes but it's worth checking. So. Call. Right. Now. (Or wait until the next business day!)

Christmas Cards - White House - Military Children

Military OneSource
The First Lady is asking military children from around the globe for some personal contributions to the finishing touches on the White House decorations this holiday season.

The request is for military children to submit 5x8" handmade holiday cards with words of appreciation for their military parents, as well as pictures and drawings. The White House will display as many of the cards as possible.

Participants are asked to send holiday cards to the following address along with information from where they are sending it by November 16, 2011: Reservation 1, Attn: Social Office, PO Box 8070, Washington DC, 20032

A King's Daughter

After nearly 14 years since receiving my salvation, on Sunday, October 16th, I was water baptized! Why did it take so long? Probably formalities or missed the announcements over the years. I first showed interest in doing so in 2004 but when the church scheduled it, I was on my way out of the country so I missed it. Then when I attended the church overseas, it took a few years before there was enough interest per se for it to be held - who knows this is just speculation. Well, I knew this year that when the opportunity came up I was going to do it rain or shine (figurative/literal) and that's just what happened! I heard the announcement two weeks before and committed to it! Why did I do it? I want to deepen my relationship to and with Jesus Christ. To me, it's not about religion, it's about relationship! Honestly, that's how I treat everything in my life. Relationship trumps everything.  Business cannot be conducted without first having a relationship with people. It's not about products or services, it's about them! So with this baptism, it is about Jesus! I want to fulfill my calling to be a Prayer Warrior for the Most High. It is a pleasure to pray with and for others. How did I feel while it took place/afterwards? I had much peace and sheer happiness. Everyone said they were excited to see me because of the joyful expression I had on my face. I felt my body shake a little after coming out of the water. Matter of fact the feeling was much like surrendering to the Holy Spirit right before you "fall out". I was thankful my husband was there along with my son. My little one after seeing me come out of the water yelled, "my turn!" then proceeded to hand me my towel. What a sweet boy. This was a public declaration that I call myself a Christ follower. I'm a sinner but I am forgiven. I am grateful for a gracious God, Someone who will always love me, One who has chosen me and has equipped me for this journey. Thank you Heavenly Father. #JesusReigns