100 Days. 1 Dress. For Orphans.

Elaini, blogger at Misselainious.com is undertaking the 1 Dress Project of wearing 1 dress for 100 days to raise the goal of $50,000 for orphans in India.

All contributions to the One Dress Project go directly to Warm Blankets Orphan Care. They will be used to give these children a future and a hope through educational and vocational opportunities. The children will have the opportunity to go to school with their peers and be taught skills that will enable them to become productive citizens. Warm Blankets also provides ESL programs, computer training, and agricultural instruction, equipping the children with skills to further economic progress in their native countries.

Your donation will help Warm Blankets Orphan Care respond in emergency situations, rescuing desperate children and ministering to their surrounding communities which have been devastated by war, disease, natural disaster or political turmoil, supplying necessary medical treatment to the children and protection against sex trafficking. Things a child just shouldn’t have to think about.

Elaini is almost half-way to her 100 day mark.  I love seeing how she uniquely pulls together and accessorizes her 1 black dress each day (wearing only 1 dress as a reminder of the children who only own 1 outfit.)  She blogs everyday with photos of her look, and if you know Christa Taylor from Empowered Traditionalist - she is the one working behind the scenes of this project with the photography and styling.  Watch the video.

If you would like to read more about her project journey visit HERE, and if you would like to know more about the orphans and non-profit organization that will receive the contributions visit HERE.  She would greatly appreciate others to spread the word. The more who know about it means the easier it will be to raise the amount to help!

Book Diet

I like this post by Tim Challies called, “10 Tips to Read More and Read Better“.  He has some good suggestions when it comes to reading and how to make reading more profitable when you do.  Lately I haven’t been as consistant with reading as I usually am, but with the school year over I now have more time on my hands to do so.

Those who know me know that I have a huge appetite for reading, and I love the idea of pulling together my “book diet” in those few months of school break.  Ironically, the summer season for me makes up more than 2/3 of the anual books I read and so I like to plan a good variety during that time where I am able to read more.

…Looking forward to more days in the sun with a good book in my hands…

Anyone else have books planned or reading goals for the summer?

Wordless Wednesday: Strange Carrot

I’m Still Here

I am sure a few people have noticed my month-long absence from my blog here.  I can’t help but feel a twinge of guilt for succumbing to my laziness in this area.  When my blog-post creativity and ideas aren’t at its peak I tend to want to give up for a while.  Shame on me.  Though, I’ll try to get back up and going with more posts in the summer.

Speaking of summer, I can’t believe that it is June 1st already!  The last few days have been extremely awesome in weather!  Summer is starting to feel so good!!  The photo above is actually from last summer of Ryan and Kristina right before heading out with Dad to go fishing.  They are looking forward to more of that soon of course.

Quick updates:  Two birthdays have passed.  Kristina turned the first two-digits on May 3rd, and is very pleased to finally say she “is a decade old”.  Also on May 10th I advanced a year, and now bypassing the “sweet sixteen” am on to 17 -  I’m excited to think I only have one more year to go until I’m finished with highschool!  I feel kind of old when I think of it.

Anyways, just thought I’d drop by with a quick post to let you know I’m still here.  I’ll soon be back to post again.

He’s Alive!!

Good Friday Video

Keep in mind while watching this video, that from beginning to end the song is portraying it from the point of view of the thief. 

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.  ~ 2 Corinthians 5:21 

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.  ~ Romans 6:23

Homemade Dairy-Free Chocolate

My family and I have been trying to stick to a dairy-free diet due to allergies, and so are chiefly deprived of real chocolate.  So when I found this recipe for dairy-free chocolate on a blog a few weeks ago I was excited to try it.  I have made it a few times since then and it’s turned out really yummy.

Recipe for Homemade Dairy-Free Chocolate

1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup sucanat sugar (or white sugar)
1 cup coconut oil (you can also use butter)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place cocoa, sucanat and coconut oil into a quart sized jar (you can also use a double boiler). 

Fill a small saucepan with two or three inches of water.  Place the jar into the saucepan/water.  Turn the heat on medium/high to begin melting the coconut oil.

Once mixture has melted, pour into a 9×13 inch pan covered with parchment paper.  Spread it as evenly as you can. 

Place your pan into the refrigerator for 1-2 hours so that the chocolate can harden.  Remove it from the parchment paper and break it into chunks. 

I store the chocolate pieces in a Ziplock freezer bag in the freezer, and pull a piece or two out whenever I get a craving.

Enjoy!