Kelly's Scraps

The Dilemma of Healthy Eating

2011-05-05T20:02:00.004-04:00

Lately I have made a huge effort to get our family eating healthier. I have bought whole food and grain cookbooks, read numerous blog posts about eating locally, and stocked my pantry with items like amaranth flour and agave nectar. Last week, I even made the hour trek into Winston-Salem to the Whole Foods Market to bask in aisle after aisle of everything organic, grass-fed, and devoid of high fructose corn syrup. It was wonderful.

Today, however, I read the following in Foreign Policy magazine:

"The trendiest new staple at your local Whole Foods is probably quinoa, an Andean grain so high in minerals, protein, and amino acids that the FAO says it can be substituted for mother's milk. Quinoa was introduced to the North American market three decades ago, but since 2000 it has really taken off, with the price jumping nearly sevenfold. That's great news for the Bolivian farmers who produce the vast majority of the world's supply, but it may be bad news for the country's health. With their country now exporting around 90 percent of its quinoa crop, many Bolivians simply can't afford it anymore. Domestic quinoa consumption has fallen 34 percent in the last five years, and health officials fear a rise in obesity rates as Bolivians abandon the highly nutritious grain they've enjoyed since the time of the Incas and switch to imported staples like rice and white bread. President Evo Morales's government has even designated quinoa a 'strategic' foodstuff and included it in a subsidized food parcel for pregnant women. But more drastic measures may be needed to keep up with the insatiable demand of Western foodies."

I have a whole container full of quinoa and I have made some very tasty quinoa muffins that even my children like. I felt so great about giving my kids such a nutritious breakfast. But how am I supposed to feel now? I may be snapping up the quinoa, using it to make myself feel better physically and mentally, and at the same time robbing a Bolivian family of a staple of their diet. I realize that the farmers who grow the quinoa are probably much better off now that there is a huge demand for a once lowly crop. I am glad for all of the fair trade efforts that exist today. But I can't help feeling guilty for the fact that I may be driving another family into subsisting on white rice and bread--the exact thing I am trying to avoid with my family.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-02T20:20:00.000-05:00

We spent a quiet Christmas and New Year's on the farm this year. The kids got new cameras from Santa and the horses got peppermint treats (which they love). Happy New Year!

2010-01-02T20:19:00.001-05:00

Halloween 2009

2009-11-19T20:21:00.004-05:00

We had a rather different Halloween this year. We usually make a special trip to the pumpkin patch, carve Jack-o-lanterns, then go Trick-or-Treating on Halloween night. This year, we barely had time to get to the pumpkin patch, we didn't get a chance to carve Jack-o-lanterns, and we went Trick-or-Treating on the day before Halloween in downtown Madison. It was rainy and dreary on Halloween, so we stayed in and watched movies. Not our usual traditions, but it worked for us this year. I did manage to get some cute photos!

2009-11-19T20:21:00.001-05:00

Fall on the Farm

2009-11-14T20:51:00.003-05:00

We knew this place was beautiful in the spring when we moved in. There were trees budding and flowers blooming (especially honeysuckles) everywhere. The farm was even more wonderful in the summer when all things turned leafy and thickly green. But fall has been the most spectacular season yet. The blazing reds, yellows, and oranges surrounding us have been amazing. The pictures below are some views from our back porch.

2009-11-14T20:50:00.001-05:00

Letters to God, Part II

2009-11-09T21:08:00.002-05:00

Last week we were invited to see this movie, Letters to God, as it was screened for a group of investors and supporters in Greensboro (see link below). It is an amazingly moving story. Even though there are sad parts, the film has such a message of hope. Be on the lookout for its release in the spring!

Letters to God, a Possibility Pictures Production

2009-10-28T22:11:00.001-04:00

Letters to God, a Possibility Pictures Production

This is a new movie coming out in March 2010, produced by a client of Dan's. This company also made the very successful movies Facing the Giants and Fireproof.

Ride! Swim! Run! Shoot!

2009-10-02T10:33:00.002-04:00

On the weekend of September 11-13, Alex and Margaux participated in their very first regional Pony Club rally--the Tetrathalon. The Tet rally is made up of four phases--stadium jumping, swimming, cross-country running, and shooting with air pistols. Our club was the host, so I learned a lot about attending a rally as well as what it takes to put on a rally. The rally was held at the Sedgefield Show Grounds, a local hunter arena. The grounds are gorgeous and we received lots of compliments on the setting. The weather was also wonderful--bright, sunny days but not too hot or humid.

Participants began arriving from all over North and South Carolina on Friday afternoon. The kids settled in the horses that were staying overnight, walked the jump course, had a pizza party, and took the written test. The jog out (vet check) began bright and early on Saturday morning. Alex and Margaux rode shortly after lunch. Alex had a perfect ride--no faults! He got second place only due to a slightly slower time. Margaux had a couple of faults, but the crowd cheered loudly as she climbed up on the fence at the slip rail to re-mount her horse. The jump course at Tet is supposed to somewhat reflect obstacles one might encounter while riding in the open. Riders have to open, go through, and close a gate. They also have to dismount, take down the top rail of a fence, walk the ponies over, replace the fence rail, and then get back on. Margaux, being vertically challenged, had to improvise, using the fence as an impromtu mounting block, when she got back on Jazz.

The kids swam Saturday evening at the local Y. On Sunday morning, everyone headed over to Hester Park to run. Afterwards, the participants completed the shooting phase. Margaux had some trouble with the swimming phase, which left her in fifth place overall. But she did win the "Pony Poop" award. Apparently she was very concerned when Jazz did not immediately poop in her stall while awaiting their turn to ride. She made sure that all of the officials knew that she was keeping a close eye on her pony and they all were very glad when Margaux reported that her pony finally did her business. Alex came in second overall, with first places in shooting and running. It was a great weekend--enjoy the pictures!

2009-10-02T10:31:00.001-04:00

Tet Rally Practice

2009-09-06T22:17:00.002-04:00

Next weekend, September 11-13, Alex and Margaux will be competing in their very first Pony Club rally. Our local Pony Club is hosting the Carolina Region Tetrathalon Rally. The kids will be riding, swimming, running, and shooting. They have been working hard on jumping courses and shooting air pistols. Last weekend, they had a practice at one of the coach's farm. The pictures below are a preview of the upcoming rally!

2009-09-06T22:16:00.001-04:00

Photoshop Fun

2009-08-23T21:39:00.005-04:00

I have been taking an online Photoshop class to learn how to do all kinds of things with my pictures. Here are my first few projects. Enjoy!

2009-08-23T21:39:00.001-04:00

Pony Club Camp

2009-06-28T21:00:00.000-04:00

Alex, Margaux, and I spent June 17-21 at Pony Club Camp at FENCE (Foothills Equestrian and Nature Center) in Tryon, NC. FENCE is a beautiful place--huge arenas, cross country courses, and a steeplechase track. We left on a rainy Wednesday morning, but it was sunny, hot, and muggy by the time we arrived. Alex and Margaux had lessons all week with some really great instructors. We attempted to camp on the grounds, but after rain the first night, I chickened out and checked into a hotel. Alex's favorite activity was learning polocrosse and Margaux loved going on a trail ride and galloping along the steeplechase track. The week was intensely hot and the ponies hated staying in stalls so much, but overall we had a great time. The kids were able to do all kinds of different riding. They really benefitted from the focused instruction. Here are some pictures from the trip.

2009-06-28T20:56:00.001-04:00

Horse Show

2009-05-30T19:31:00.005-04:00

We spent most of the day today at a horse show put on by Alex and Margaux's trainer. The kids did fantastic! Their ponies were very well behaved and their riding was spectacular. Alex won two 1st place ribbons, a 2nd, and a 3rd. Margaux won THREE 1st place ribbons and a 5th place. Dan and I were extremely proud!

Pony Club Rating

2009-05-28T22:32:00.005-04:00

Recently, Alex and Margaux rated up in Pony Club. They have been active in the local club of the United States Pony Club for about about 1 1/2 years now. I am really impressed with the whole Pony Club philosophy of teaching young riders. The organization focuses on the entire process of owning, caring for, and riding a horse safely and correctly. Alex and Margaux are really enjoying being part of a group of kids who love horses as much as they do. As part of the club, the kids are rated up as they learn more about horses and attain higher riding skills. The first levels are the D-levels--D1, D2, and D3. In April, Alex and Margaux both went up to D2. We were very proud of them! Pictures are below.

2009-05-28T22:32:00.001-04:00

Wake's Growing Up!

2009-05-27T20:44:00.003-04:00

Ever since Wake saw Margaux lose one of her baby teeth, he has been deathly afraid of his teeth falling out too. When he turned six last September, we were really worried because we knew that loose teeth couldn't be far away. A few months ago we started seeing little wiggles in Wake's bottom front teeth. At first he screamed when we tried to check his teeth. After a while he just cried. And finally, after Alex and Margaux told him all about the Tooth Fairy, he was actually proud that he was losing his teeth! Whew! Here he is, minus those first two teeth.

Life on the Farm

2009-05-26T22:45:00.000-04:00

Life on the farm is good! Everyone has now moved in and is getting settled. The kids love romping through the woods and playing in the creek. Dan and I are enjoying the peace and quiet. The horses are getting used to their new routine, and the kids love cantering around the pastures. The dogs, including Margaux's new dog, a Border Collie named Gypsy, are having a blast with all of the new sights and smells. Iris (the cat) is sticking close to home these days, though--I think she is scared something is going to eat her. Here are some pictures from the farm.

2009-05-26T22:38:00.000-04:00

Where Is Spring?

2009-03-26T22:05:00.000-04:00

I'm ready for spring. I don't do well in winter weather, which we have had plenty of lately. Just a few weeks ago we actually got 6 inches of snow! I must admit it was really pretty--everything was white. But I am SOOOO looking forward to the 70-degree weather, not this rainy, foggy stuff we have been having lately.

In other news, we have found a farm! It's a 35-acre property about 30 minutes north of Greensboro. The house is only about two years

old, and there is already a 4-stall barn, two pastures, and a run-in. We have been super busy moving and settling in. So far, we love it. I will be glad when I can actually stay at home for a while and enjoy the country. We still haven't sold our house yet, but we are going to move out and hope that warmer weather will bring a buyer.

Our lives continue to be dominated by four-footed creatures of the equine variety. We are now back down to four horses--LuLu is now in a new home where she will get the attention she deserves. Flash is still battling the worst sarcoid ever and will probably be going back to State next month for radiation treatment. Jazz recently had an abscess that kept her out of commission for about a week. Trigger is having another bout of mild lameness which has been attributed to metabolic syndrome. Empress is doing well (knock on wood) and she and I are still working hard at dressage.

That's about it for now. See below for some recent pictures.

Ho, Ho, Ho and All That Jazz

2009-01-14T18:34:00.016-05:00

It's happened again. The holidays have come and gone much too quickly. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving at home this year. I defied tradition by cooking a ham instead of turkey. In years past I had faithfully stuffed, roasted, and carved a huge turkey because I thought that my children would be scarred for life if I didn't. However, after several pounds of uneaten turkey, I decided to make something that everyone would eat. Luckily, as I found, many of the traditional side dishes go amazingly well with ham. Yum!

Dan surprised me (I mean, REALLY surprised me) with a new horse right before Thanksgiving. I had been getting increasingly frustrated with Flash's lack of enthusiasm for dressage, which I enjoy immensely. My trainer had a horse that she had trained up to 2nd level dressage and she wanted to sell. I took some lessons on her and fell in love. The fifth addition to the Sroka equine family is Empress, a 7-year-old, 15.3-hand, chestnut thoroughbred. Pictures will be coming soon.

Christmas was wonderful this year. We did something new--Alex and Margaux were in the Christmas pageant at church. Alex did a reading and Margaux played an angel. I loved watching the pageant and attending Mass on Christmas Eve. I loved just lounging around the house on Christmas, watching the kids play with their new toys. Here are some pictures:

Of course our new year has already been full of horse events. I have lots of video footage that I am slowly putting into viewable form. Here is my first attempt. Happy New Year!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Updates, News, and Other Things

2008-11-07T23:01:00.005-05:00

Wow! Time sure does fly! I can't believe it's taken me this long to update this blog. So much has happened in the last few months. Wake, Dan, and Margaux have all had birthdays. Wake turned 6 on September 12, Dan celebrated his unnamed birthday on October 12, and Margaux just turned 8 on November 2.

We have had lots of horsey happenings lately. Flash went to State to have his sarcoid removed and treated with chemotherapy at the beginning of August. He was at the vet hospital for almost a week. But as soon as we returned home, he colicked and had to be rushed right back to State. For a few days we weren't sure he was going to make it or if he would have to have major surgery. Luckily, he pulled through with treatment and has fully recovered. He is still going back monthly for more chemo, but the vets are optimistic that his sarcoid is going away. During this time, Trigger also had a bout of lameness, but has recovered with medication and new shoes.

Margaux has a new pony named Jazz. She is a 14h dun pony and she is very cute and petite. She is an older pony with lots of experience. She and Margaux get along extremely well. We are hoping that Alex and Trigger and Margaux and Jazz will be competing in a few Pony Club rallies next year. Here is Margaux with Jazz:

Halloween has come and gone and the kids a great time trick or treating again this year. Our neighborhood really gets into the spirit of this holiday. Many people go all out decorating their houses, dressing up and giving out candy, and even having mini-bonfires in their yards. You can see what cute characters they made this year:

That's it for now. I will post more later!

Pony Club Rally

2008-07-15T18:23:00.003-04:00

On June 14, Margaux and Alex participated in their first Pony Club rally. The rally consisted of competition in four areas: dressage, cross-country, show jumping (the riding phases), and horse managment (the off-the-horse phase). Margaux, having just acquired LuLu, participated as a horse manager, assisting her team with making sure their horses and tack were ready. Alex, as a new Pony Club member, competed in the first level of each phase. He completed a novice level dressage test, an obstacle course (in place of a cross-country course), and a ground-pole jump course. Trigger was a real trooper--he was calm and under control and tolerated the 90-degree heat. I assisted with the scoring and learned A LOT about Pony Club rallies. In the end, Margaux won two ribbons and Alex won two ribbons and a medal.

Here are some photos from the day:

House for Sale

2008-05-30T23:55:00.005-04:00

Now that we have THREE horses, we have decided that it's time to move out to the country. We are spending more and more time and the barn, and still wish we could spend more. So our house (which we JUST got finished renovating!) is up for sale. We LOVE this house and this neighborhood, but we really want to be with the horses. Right now we have our eye on a 30-acre farm in Rockingham County that already has a small barn and some cleared pasture land. It's going to be a big change for us. We are so close to everything now. It has been a long time since we have lived out in the country. But I know that we will be thrilled to be able to ride more often. It will also be a change having our own barn that we have to muck, horses to feed, pastures to mow, and all of the other daily chorse that come with owning a farm. And when it is the middle of winter and I am out early in the freezing weather breaking the ice in the water troughs, I am going to try hard to remember that I really WANT to do this! :-)

Welcome to LuLu!

2008-05-11T19:54:00.002-04:00

Here is LuLu--the newest member of the Sroka clan! She came to us via Townsend Farms, the barn where we first learned to ride. She is a registered Quarter Horse, 14.1 hands tall, and her name is Zip Me a Clu. She is very sweet and loves to be rubbed. She has settled in quite well at Still Water. Margaux absolutely loves having her own pony to dote on. LuLu and Margaux competed in their first show together at the barn this past Saturday. They won two 2nd place and two 3rd place ribbons! We are so happy to have found LuLu and we are so glad she is a part of our family.

In other horse news, Alex and Trigger also competed in the barn show on Saturday, taking two 2nd place ribbons and one 6th place. Unfortunatley, Trigger got a little excited during the crossrail jumping and took off across the arena at a full canter, dumping Alex unceremoniously at the gate. Bravely, Alex jumped back on for the next class. The three of us (Alex, Margaux, and Kelly) placed second in the relay race. Margaux walked down the arena on Trigger, I trotted back (with no stirrups!), and Alex cantered to the finish line. It was a fun day!

Finally!

2008-05-05T23:22:00.002-04:00

After almost three weeks, I finally have my computer back! About two months ago, I upgraded my computer with more RAM and a bigger hard drive to accomodate all of the blogging, scrapbooking, and photography I was doing. One day, my computer wouldn't boot up anymore. It seems that one of the startup files was corrupted. I felt sooooooo lost without my laptop! But it's back, and I am starting to blog, scrapbook, and upload photos again. Yay!

Lastest from the Sroka Clan

2008-03-20T19:51:00.003-04:00

The last month-and-a-half have been full of exciting events in our household. Alex celebrated his 9th birthday last month. He is getting so big! Margaux received her senior green belt in TKD at the beginning of this month and Dan earned his senior brown belt in HKD a few days ago. I competed in my first dressage test on March 15 and I didn't come in last in either event! I was very nervous and this show was a low-key local show. I learned a great deal, especially from the judge, and I might even do another show in the future. Flash was really good--he stayed calm even when I didn't. I was very proud of him.

We are looking forward to a nice, relaxing Easter holiday. We will take a few days off from school to work around the house in the yard, ride horses, and enjoy the (hopefully) spring weather.

TaeKwonDo Tests

2008-02-12T10:03:00.000-05:00

This year has started out to be full of martial arts accomplishments for the Sroka Family. Alex earned his red belt on January 4. He is getting very close to black belt! Wake took his first test in Little Dragons on February 1. We were so proud of him! Wake has really been trying hard to follow directions and be part of the group, and he proved how much he has grown lately. And I earned my black belt on January 26. It was a long, hard test, and I was so happy when it was over. I was most happy that my whole family was there to watch and encourage me.

Look at All of the New Stuff!

2008-02-11T22:13:00.000-05:00

If you are a scrapbooker like me, you know what time of year it is--the CHA Winter 2008 show is on in Anaheim. This is the event where all of the new scrapbooking products are rolled out and we are treated with pictures, pictures, and more pictures of stuff we really NEED. Craft Critique has continuing coverage of CHA at their blog--a wonderful inside look at what's new in the world of scrapbooking. Check it out!

First Snow

2008-01-20T22:05:00.000-05:00

Snow has been pretty sparse around here for the last few years. Over the last few days, we have gotten just two light dustings of snow. The kids have been so excited to see the flakes fall, but there hasn't been enough accumulation for them to really have fun. Here are photos (taken out the front door) of the first snow:

Happy New Year!

2008-01-19T21:23:00.000-05:00

I can't believe it's a new year, and half-way through January already! Dan gave me a wonderful new scrapbooking toy--a Cricut--an electronic die-cutting machine that creates all kinds of cute stuff that I can use on my scrapbooking pages. I was very surprised and have been using it to make all kinds of things--especially letters for titles. Here is the first layout I designed using my new Cricut:

I used one of the cartridges that came with the Cricut to cut the letters that I used in the title. I LOVE being able to cut whatever letters I want in whatever color I need.

After using my Cricut for a few days, I realized that I needed a good way to adhere the letters to my layout. At first I used a liquid glue, but it tended to squish out from under the letter when I put it on the page, and I always ended up with glue all over my fingers. So I decided I needed a Xyron machine. I purchased the Xyron 510 . It is wonderful! I can run the letters through the machine and the adhesive is instantly adhered evenly on the back side of each letter. I then just peel-and-stick them to my page. I can't believe that I went so long with out a Xyron!

In other news, we haven't been able to ride lately because of the cold, rainy, snowy weather we have had the past week. But the last time we did go out to the farm, Dan got some great shots of Margaux and Alex with nine-month-old Dallas (Dallas the Destroyer as the kids call him, since he chews on everything!).

Christmas Pictures

2007-12-29T17:24:00.001-05:00

Happy Holidays!

2007-12-29T16:06:00.001-05:00

We are almost through the holiday season and it has been wonderful this year. The weather has not been too bad and we have had several days nice enough to go riding. Dan bought us the biggest Christmas tree we have had in years and it was beautiful.

The kids had fun making a gingerbread house and Christmas wreaths (which were eaten very quickly).

Christmas Day was wonderful. We spent the morning opening presents and then attended Christmas Mass. Happy Holidays!

Halloween Creations

2007-12-21T20:51:00.000-05:00

We had a great Halloween this year. Alex loved being a clone trooper complete with laser gun. After much deliberation, Margaux decided to be a cute little witch. And Wake made the most adorable pirate. This was the first year we actually trick-or-treated in our own neighborhood and we had a fantastic time. There were people everywhere. Several houses had elaborate spooky displays. I recently scrapped some of our pictures from Halloween. These two pages use Halloween products from Daisy D's.

Scrappin' Pay It Forward

2007-12-15T20:59:00.000-05:00

I am participating in a "Pay It Foward" for bloggers. I was one of the first 3 posters on Tobey Shepherd's blog Scrap Those Memories and she is going to send me a fun surprise of goodies!! In return, I have some scrappy stuff to send along to the first 3 people to leave a comment on my blog. So if you are one of the first 3 people to make a comment on this post and want some goodies from me, then you must agree to "pay it forward" on YOUR blog. That's right, the only requirement is that you have a blog to participate. So let's see all those comments now! Thank you for visiting!

Pony Pics

2007-12-15T20:43:00.000-05:00

Here are a couple of the latest pictures of Marguax and Alex riding Trigger. He has proven to be such a wonderful pony for the two of them. He is so patient and calm with the kids.