Easy Energy Boosts for the Busy Homemaker #V8EnergyBoost #ad #cbias

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This past school year has been a busy one full of homeschool co-ops, field trips, and play dates. Now that it's summer, I'm changing the focus of that busy lifestyle to home---where it should be, really. I've really been feeling the pull to focus inward more on my own home and family, as there were a lot of things neglected the past few months due to all our running around! The house and garage need a thorough cleaning and decluttering, and I'm even planning to revamp our homeschool routine to make it fit better with the huge range in ages I've got now. All these things require energy, so I've had to restyle some of my own personal habits, as well. Here are some energy-boosting ideas that I know will really help me this summer. I'll start with the new V8 V-Fusion+Energy drink Jamie bought me from Walmart last night.

V8 V-Fusion+Energy drink gives me natural energy since it's made from Green Tea. It's a great alternative to soda or coffee as it brings a boost of feel good energy without the crash later on. It's nice to have a few in the fridge so I can grab one and go. Jamie likes to take these in his lunch, as well, since a day of staring at computer code can really wipe a guy out mentally!

Jamie found V8 V-Fusion+Energy at Walmart in the shelf-stable juice section. He brought home a six-pack of Black Cherry---his favorite flavor. They also make it in the following flavors: Pomegranate Blueberry, Peach Mango, Orange Pineapple, Tomato, Diet Strawberry Lemonade, and Diet Cranberry Raspberry.

In addition to the occasional V8 deliciousness, my big energy go-to is water. It's amazing how much water our bodies actually need daily and how different our basic functions are without it. Without adequate water intake, I feel irritable, exhausted, and depressed. My body aches and I even have trouble with my vision. Our bodies may require up to half our body weight in ounces of water on a daily basis, so lots of water, as well as water-rich fruits, vegetables, and soups will really help increase our energy levels.

I also find that activity levels and sleep go hand in hand to keep me functioning with alertness and vitality. Working from home means a lot of computer hours and, as much as I think I need to do that *one more thing* online, sometimes I just have to shut it and get out of the house. Jamie and I have started going for walks in the evenings and it's amazing how much better I sleep when I've been active with daily housework and daily walks. Better sleep means more pep for the next day---it's a great cycle to get in to.

One more motivation tool that has surprised me lately is the use of essential oils. A couple months ago, my friend made me this gorgeous diffuser locket so I could wear oils throughout the day. There's a piece of leather inside and every couple days I put a few drops of oil on it. I've been using a citrus blend that really takes the edge off when I'm struggling with stress and lack of ambition. After a couple weeks of wearing it, I'm so convinced that I decided to sign up to sell oils myself. There's a lot of info online about blends to enhance your moods and relieve anxiety. I bought a bottle of lavender, too, for the days when I want some calming relaxation---but for energy, it's citrus all the way!

I encourage you to give new V8+Energy a try. It's a nutritious choice for natural energy and, at only 50 calories per eight ounce serving, you can enjoy it often. 

V8 and Walmart are offering the chance to win $2,500 in Walmart gift cards in this awesome sweepstakes. Make sure to enter to win below and let me know which V8 flavor you're excited to try! V8 V-Fusion+Energy #V8EnergyBoost $2,500 Sweepstakes

Dark German Chocolate Cake

I apologize now for what I'm about to do. Some of you have been faithful readers for YEARS...and I hate to betray your good faith in me. BUT! This cake! Oh, this cake.

German Chocolate cake has always been one of my very favorites, but I rarely make it because Jamie is allergic to coconut. Last weekend, he took the boys camping. Well, what do the Coller girls do when the Coller boys go camping? Why, we have a tea party and eat cake!

Contrary to what pretty much all of us think, German Chocolate cake does not come from Germany. In fact, it was originally called German's Chocolate cake after the American Sam German who developed a special kind of dark chocolate for Baker's Chocolate Company. They named the chocolate after him---Baker's German's Sweet Chocolate. That was in 1852. Over 100 years later, a homemaker from Texas submitted a cake recipe, German's Chocolate Cake, to her local newspaper and sales of the chocolate were boosted by almost 75%. The cake became a national tradition and the rest is history!

Ready to try out my take on this American heritage recipe? Don't worry---you'll only need a small piece 'cause it's really rich! That's totally ok, though. Makes it last longer!

Step One: The Cake
3/4 cup butter 
1 1/4 cups dark cocoa powder
3 cups milk 
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3 eggs
1 TB vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
1 TB baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350º. Grease three 8 or 9" cake pans. (Yes, I know the cake in my picture only has two layers. I made the third layer for Jamie with just the dark chocolate frosting)
Melt the butter and whisk in cocoa powder until well-combined. Whisk in the milk well, then add the sugars, eggs, and vanilla. When everything is smooth, set aside. *This mixture will seem really runny to you. Don't worry about it...it's going to be great. Trust me.
Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and add to the wet mix, stirring until just combined. Divide into the three pans and bake 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out barely moistened. Cool before loosening and removing from pans, then cool completely on a wire rack.

Step Two: The German Chocolate filling
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup butter 
1 TB vanilla
3 cups Sweetened Flaked Coconut
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans 

Toast the pecans in a pan on the stove. Then whisk the sugar, milk, yolks, and butter together over med-high heat, and continue to whisk until the mixture is bubbling. Add the vanilla, pecans, and coconut. Allow the mixture to cool down quite a bit before filling the cake. 

Step Three: The Dark Chocolate Frosting
1/2 cup butter 
2/3 cup dark cocoa powder
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp. vanilla 

Melt butter and mix in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk, beating to desired consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. This mixture is very much like ganache---but more frosting-y. Very awesome and very rich.

Thanks for linking up to the Homemaking Party!

Fighting the Homemaker's Lazy Monster with Proverbs 24

In the past, I've shared my struggle with that goody-goody Proverbs 31 woman. It's a love/hate relationship, I think.

In all seriousness, there's a lot of wisdom to be found in emulating her diligence and attitude toward her husband and family, and I really do desire to model my life according to the characteristics of this godly woman. Although I was on a great path there for a while, the past few years' circumstances have made this more difficult and I've become discouraged. My prayer, lately, has been that God would help me get back into a good routine of homekeeping, as well as studying his word.

This morning, my toddler alarm clock went off at 5 am. Usually, that's the beginning of two hours of "please lay down", "please be quiet", and sending several other little ones back to bed. However, this morning I felt immediately awakened and refreshed, so I tucked her in snug with Daddy and got up to get dressed. 

Wait, what?

Yeah, I know. I was shocked too. I'm the girl who prides herself in only doing TWO loads of laundry every day since my little ones and I spend almost every day in our pajamas. I even brushed my hair. Definitely turning over a new leaf.

Anyway--long story short--with breakfast in the oven, I settled down with my Bible to see what God had for me this morning. It was one of those "open it up and see what's inside" moments where I didn't really know what to read---just knew that I needed some encouragement. The kids and I have been studying the early prophets and kings so I meant to read some more about Solomon, but I ended up in Proverbs. (Well, I guess that's Solomon, too, but you know...)

"I went by the field of the lazy man, and by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding; and there it was, all overgrown with thorns; it's surface was covered with nettles; it's stone wall was broken down. When I saw it, I considered it well; I looked on it and received instruction: a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest; so shall your poverty come like a prowler, and your need like an armed man." Proverbs 24: 30-34

This section has a big square drawn round it, though I don't remember when I marked it. It speaks to me on two levels, but let me tell you first what it's not saying. It's not knocking the need for rest. When you look at the Bible as a whole, you find that it's clear we need rest. God even set aside a whole day for it, though few of us actually take the opportunity. What this passage is talking about is slothfulness---laziness. 

For a man, laziness brings financial poverty and his family goes without the necessities that bring health, happiness, prosperity, and peace to his household. 

For a woman, laziness brings about another kind of poverty that is hard to define in a short and sweet sort of way, but it's something my family has experienced---a place we don't want to go back to. It's more than just having a perpetually messy home or serving my kids ketchup as a vegetable. It's the mindset that tells me it's ok to live like that---the soul that makes excuses and refuses to discipline itself to a higher standard.

In addition to physical slothfulness, this section of Scripture is also addressing spiritual slothfulness---something I'm also too familiar with. God has been extra gracious with me lately, as my desire really has been to be closer and to have my priorities right, even though I've not done such a great job at it the past few years. Anyone who has been pursuing God for awhile knows that he's not the one allowing those thorns and nettles to grow---he'd just as soon burn them all off, but it's me that's got to light the match. (Cue the 90s camp songs: "It only takes a spark...to get a fire go-oh-ing")

So how do we battle this? This is where you all come in. I really want to know how you fight off the lazy monster in your life. For me, it's the Proverbs. I guarantee---if you need someone to give you a swift kick, there's something for every situation in the book of Proverbs. Another thing that helps me is finding encouraging friends. To be real, I don't have a lot of time to leave my home and physically spend time with friends. At this time in my life, I just don't. When I do, I try to choose wisely and make sure my family isn't being inconvenienced. The friends I have understand this and we find ways to be friends anyway---mostly by chatting online while I'm waiting on kids to finish their math or while working on an article and looking for a distraction. Several of my friends have "swift kick" blogs that encourage me to a higher standard. One is my friend, Mrs. White, at The Legacy of Home, another is JES at Strangers & Pilgrims On Earth.

I'd love to hear how you find encouragement to be diligent in your homemaking. Let me know in the comments below!