Fives on Friday...Weird Foods I've eaten

My husband and first born, are in Florida on a boar hunt.  I thought it would be fun to list five weird foods that I have eaten....

1) Squirrel
To some of you this is totally normal, for others you are completely grossed out.  When I was a little tom girl growing up on the farm, I would go squirrel hunting with my brother and dad.  We would have squirrel and gravy with homemade biscuits for Sunday supper.  Yummo!!!

2) Deer
First off let me state that it is deer meat.  We do not call it venison.  Again, I would go deer hunting with my daddy, and yes I have killed my own deer.  And yes, I have gotten the blood wiped on my face, (its a tradition for us wood people)... And... I just lost some readers.

3) Guinea pig
I am not talking about your pet Fifi.  I have been to Peru twice, Cuy, as the locals call it is a common thing on every Peruvian menu.  Its really good, it tastes a lot like pork.  The villagers raise cuy.   They would sometimes give it to us as a thank you for coming to their village.  

4) Ethiopian Bread
I know this doesn't sound exotic or eccentric, but have you tried it...  Its grey, kind of wet,  and spongy.  I think it is an acquired taste, which I have yet to acquire.

5) Cow heart
This is also a  delicacy in Peru.  I must admit this was not one of my favorite things.  But, when in a foreign country, you must eat like the locals.
  
BONUS-  Bear, Elk, Snapping Turtle, Rabbit, pretty much any wild game meat-  Almost every year my dad's hunt club has  a Critter Cooking.  Its pretty much anything that you have killed over the year, you cook it up and everybody digs in.  It is also a fundraiser, its a win win!


 Food is only weird if you let it be. "Weird" food is all about perspective.   Let me know what weird things you have eaten.  I would love to know, maybe I need to try something new.  Maybe you need to try something new.

FIVES on Friday

My handsome hubby recently had Lasik eye surgery.   So it got me thinking, when was the last time you thought about you five senses?

The FIVE senses

1-SIGHT- When was the last time you thanked your eyes for seeing?  How about thanking them for reading this awesome blog?  Have you ever thought what your eyes actually do?  I can't even comprehend how God has made our eyes able to see.  To see the beauty that He has made....

2- HEAR-  Hearing beautiful music, hearing your kiddos scream, hearing advice.  Being a listener to a friend in need, hearing the sounds of a child laughing.  Your ears help you hear happy and sad, pleasant and unpleasant.  You can hear a warning or a concern, or incredible life changing news.

3- SMELL- Smelling...OK, so I am a mom of boys.  I smell lots of different smells throughout the day.  Most of them are not pleasant.  Most of the smells are usually followed with some sort of token of accomplishment.  For example, "it" is always announced, "that was a stinky one" is usually said afterwards.  I do not have alot of sweet smells that come my way.  Bath nights are nice, soap and shampoo smell good... then the BOY smell lingers in.  My car permanently smells like feet!

4- TASTE- This is one of my favorites...I mean come on, tis the season to bake, and eat, and consume sweets.  I am a self admitted sugaraholic.  I love sweets.  The taste buds amaze me,  how each little bump can detect  a completely different taste.  Sweet, salty, sour, bitter.  One of the best things about having kids is giving a little one a lemon.  Don't you love to watch their little faces shrink up and pucker after eating something sour?

5-TOUCH- Feeling something smooth or rough.  Feeling the soft skin of a new born.  Feeling something wet, cold, hot or sticky.  Holding your spouses hand and feeling the warmth from their hand.  Giving a hug to a friend can let them know you care.  Greeting someone with a handshake, patting someone on the back, or giving a high five.

Pretty cool when you think about the amazing things your body can detect and react to.  Thank you Jesus for not making me understand how all of this works and just simply being able to enjoy it.

Just another Random Fives on Friday!

Fives on Friday- FIVE places to shop that give back

This Christmas season I have tried really hard to shop locally and to shop at non profits and organizations that give back to others.  Here are just FIVE of the many that are available.

1- Beautiful and beloved- http://www.beautifulandbeloved.com- 
Every purchase you make will help empower a survivor of slavery. They have amazing necklaces, bracelets, scarfs, purses and other amazing pieces.  They also have men's wallets.  Each piece tells a story of someones life and what they are trying to do to overcome injustice in their lives.

2- Mercy Ink- http://mercy.storenvy.com- 
Each gift helps support adoption.  They create beautifully designed prints, and necklaces.  They have prints specifically designed for adoption as well.


3- Amazima Ministry- http://www.amazimastore.org- 
OK, So I totally want to be Katie Davis when I grow up.  She runs a huge ministry in Uganda Africa. Her ministry employs Ugandan woman and feed hungry children.  They have beautiful paper bead necklaces.

4- Punjammies - http://shop.intlprincess.org- 
This is a great place to get awesome pajamas! The international Princess Program supports women who have been freed from sex trafficking and help them achieve lives of hope and dignity.

5- Sole Hope- http://www.solehope.com- 
This is a pretty awesome place too!  You can buy T-shirts, shoes, and bags, but the really neat thing is that you can host a shoe cutting party.  Sole Hope cleans and heals the feet of those infected with jiggers in Africa by creating closed toed shoes. Shoes heal and protect feet from further infection.  Sole Hope also employs the men and women in Uganda and surrounding areas to actually sew the shoes together.  

 These are only FIVE of the thousands of organizations available. Research and find the perfect gifts for your loved ones this season.  This season purchase to change a life! 

Fives on Friday (Finally)

Here are FIVE of my favorite songs right now.  Enjoy!

1- 10,000 reasons; Matt Redman

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtwIT8JjddM

My kiddos sing this song constantly.  I love hearing there sweet little voices belt it out!


2- Give me Faith; Elevation Worship

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_Voi3JM8ZA

Almost every time I hear this song I have to stop what I am doing and just lift my hands up!


3-Lead me to the Cross; Hillsong United

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdq9Q8wJdjc

This song has special meaning for me.  We sang this in Peru at every village we visited.  It is a representation of that trip and what Jesus did to me, and through me.


4- White Flag; Chris Tomlin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1jgD69WzMY

I love this...Makes me feel ready to go out for Jesus!!


5-One Thing Remains; Jesus Culture

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JP8isf9PVz4

This song gives me hope.  No matter what I am going through...Jesus never gives up!


Take some time and listen to these songs.  Allow God to speak to your heart today!

Fives on Friday

Hey Y'all!
Fives on Friday is all about randomness. I will list five things each week...Whatever they may be. Hold on for the ride, you never know is swimming up in here!

Five things that I say almost everyday:
Don't judge. I lovingly refer to them as "Katieisms"

1- Over Yonder: refers to a location that is not near. "The ball is over yonder, can you please go get it?"

2- Reckon: mostly used to agree with someone. "Sure! I reckon we can go to a movie."

3- Full as a Tick: When you are hungry as a bear, and eat waaayy too much.

4- Britches: Hopefully your wearing them right now. (If not, I don't want to know)

5- Duh! Really, Who does that?: I had to combine these...They go together. Usually accompanied with "Hey, Y'all watch this"!

Bonus: Y'all: Plural, singular, hey you! Like 15 times a day.