Time For A Change

This is not a blog post I had planned to write, I still owe you 3 that I've pulled from my camera in the last couple of days, but today as I was driving I decided it was time for a change.  After running around all day running errands, which in Honduras ALWAYS takes all day, no matter how difficult it should be, we ran through McDonalds on the way home.  And as I was driving towards my home, where there was healthy food waiting if I was patient enough to get here, I looked in the back seat and saw my precious girl loving her chicken nuggets and sprite.  I am most definitely not opposed to the occasional trip to the fast food joint, but I do not want my child, or myself for that matter to be a fast food junkie. 
And that's where we are folks, at this stage Rosie and I have become fast food junkies and it's time to put a stop to it.  I don't want my child, who is already predisposed genetically to being larger, to struggle her whole life with weight loss.  Been there, done that, still working out the kinks in my own body image. 
So...why am I rambling on about this to all of you?  Because I want your ideas.  Meal times are work times for me usually which lends itself to fast food.  I want to start making meals ahead of time that I can freeze and pull out when I'm in a hurry.  I don't want to depend on processed food "Yuck".  But I also don't want to freeze out all the nutrients in good food.  I LOVE to cook, and I enjoy healthy food I just need to make it a priority in my life. 
So what works for you?
I know you are busy, how do you incorporate healthy meals into quick time frames, without cooking all day or using a bunch of processed meals?
I would also love some juice/drink ideas for Rosie and myself to get us both away from soda. I drink a lot more than Rosie does, but the packaged juice boxes I give her aren't much better. 
We've started exercising a lot more, which is great, but if we don't change what we're putting in our bodies than health is not going to follow. 
I love to hear from you and I need your help.
So let me know what you think!
Love you guys!

A Few Pictures From A Day Spent At Breaking Chains

Jonathan, our little plumber.

David was fixing a busted pipe and Jonathan was eager to be his assistant.

Oh my are these two a mess together. 

But Rosie loves her sister more than anything else in the world.

Making lunch over the fire.

This fascinates me.

Baby Ashley gets more beautiful every day.

Have I mentioned I love this child.

Mario moved in and out in the matter of 24 hours. 

I'm not sure if we will seee him again but I am thankful for a few moments to try to touch his hurting heart.

Jose de la Cruz and Yovany are easy favorites at the building.

They are always quick with a hug and eager to help out with any project we put before them.

8 yr old Kimberly and 12 yr old Pamela helping "moler" or make tortillas for the homeless dinner tonight.

Escarleth just being beautiful next to the fire.

I am overwhelmed by the fact that God allows me to work with these wonderful, beautiful people.

Duckweed!!

For two weeks now we've been searching high and low for two things:

Fish, which is a hunt with many leads but few successes so far.

and Duckweed.  Evidently Duckweed is a rapidly reproducing magic plant that will provide all the food we need for the fish.

This tiny plant has been alluding us until just a few days ago when we were following a lead on some fish.  We were down a dirt road in the middle of nowhere when all of the sudden Nathan called out, DUCKWEED!!! and jumped out of the car to collect it.

The tiny green things floating in the water were the treasure we had been hunting.

And Nathan climbed through swamp land and over a fence to reach his prize.

Now it is safely back in one of our aquaponics beds and hopefully happily on it's way to reproducing.

Joel is so excited about our farming project he came home the other day with plants for us to plant.

He chose eucalyptus and a shade tree to bring from his grandma's garden to bless our little plot.

These things will probably have to be transplanted at some point but I am so pleased to see them eager to join in this project.

God is already touching hearts and opening up new avenues in the lives of these teens through the garden project.  I can't wait to see what happens as we begin to see vegetables growing in our beds.

Shine Culture Day

Last week the nation celebrated their culture and the Shine! kids celebrated with a day of food and games at school.

Darwin attended with them and took pictures.  Let's just say he's probably never going to be hired as a photographer.

But these two are pretty cute.

Our Beautiful Girls

Jose's costume was a little less creative

This kid cracks me up!

We're in book report season again so I"m spending lots of time with the kiddos and remembering how much I love their crazy antics.

Jennifer Lilianna

I couldn't pass up an opportunity to post baby pictures!

I have always thought Jennifer was beautiful and watching her slip into addiction and pain has been one of the harder things I've had to witness.

For many of our young girls having a baby is an opportunity to turn their lives around.

Jennifer is fighting hard and I pray that she is successful.

Furious but still adorable.

I LOVE baby feet!!

I held this precious baby for hours this day. 

I think her mama is a little overwhelmed but she is doing her best.

I pray that God bless this precious angel's life with safety and dependence upon Him.