yippies

okay, this is going to seem so random, but i've had a few carlson family goals of the domestic nature floating around in my soul since the new year. it's what we've been up to in some of the minutes and hours that aren't accounted for on our blog.

1. drink good water -

one of my wierdnesses (there are many!) is that i'm really sensitive to the taste and quality of water. since we moved home three years ago, we've been buying water in those plastic water bottles from the grocery store because our water in mount hermon is terrible. numerous studies have shown, however, that the plastic (even Nalgene bottles do this!) leaches into the water and can cause serious problems to your health, namely cancer, and (to get specific) wreaks havoc on one's fertility. because our entire water source was housed in plastic, i thought it best to make a change. so, to cut the problem off at its root, i bought a stainless steel water bottle, and we are getting a reverse osmosis water filtration system installed on wednesday. :) i know it sounds drastic, but i'm following my conscience.

2. get rid of bad ingredients -

joe and i are becoming yippies. we dress like yuppies but eat like hippies. well, don't worry, not to the most drastic extent. we will not eat, smoke, or wear hemp. we do not wear burlap. we do not have dreads. we wear j. crew, but we eat organic produce from sustainable farms. we shop at gap, but our eggs come from free-range chickens and our meat comes from grass-fed, hormone free beef. we drive a gas-guzzling ford and have DVR, but all our toiletries and household products are free of the 14 most hazardous chemicals that are present in almost every commercial product. and we haven't hit a fast-food joint in over two years. we are half yuppies, half hippies. i guess santa cruz is rubbing off on us, but so far only the good parts. :) we love supporting local farms and shops that live wisely and conduct their business in a goldy fashion (though they may not realize it's God's way!). read Living the Sabbath! you'll get inspired too.

3. make my own broth -

i have yet to do this, but the nutritionist friends in my life say that all the good stuff is in the bones! so, i've been buying bone-in chicken instead of boneless and hope to get that crock pot bubbling soon.

4. make my own bread -

this just makes sense now, with the lifestyle the Lord is allowing us to develop. not to mention, it's something i enjoy and it makes the house smell divine. so, here's my first try on goal #4:


i've made sweet french bread and foccacia bread before, and i've also experimented with bread machine recipes. but i'm not very talented when it comes to yeast, so becoming a serious and consistent bread maker has always scared me. but, i have finally been overcome by the desire to make a bread that's personalized to what we need and want. so, today i finally hand-kneaded my own dough, and it was so fun! i'm not sure how soon it will become a normality in our household, but i want it to be. i used rachel jankovic's recipe in pot providence, but added a few personal touches. i am pleased with the results (in fact, i didn't expect it turn out looking like bread much less tasting like it!), but will want to experiment further with the next batch to get it even more tasty. i think it needs to be a bit sweeter, for one thing, and i want to add more goodies to make it even more nutritious. when i narrow it down, i will post the recipe.