Spring’s Coming PEOPLE!

Springs right around the corner people! As you can imagine I’m pertty excited! This time right now is so pretty! All the wildflowers are blooming, everything is green and the almond trees are in full bloom. On thursday me and my family went to a nature park for a few hours, it was so nice to get out for a little and be out in the sunshine enjoying all these beautiful flowers. I had a blast taking pictures of all the flowers with my new camera!  I really do enjoy photography. ooh! I forgot to mention that my cousin who I haven’t seen in seven years is coming to Israel!! I’m gonna go pick her up from the airport with my dad in an hour or so! So excited to meet her! We’re gonna have so much fun. It will be great to actually have a cousin my age, most of my cousins are under the age of nine (not complaining! I love those little guys! It just will be great to have someone my real, live age:). Here are some pictures from that day!

We used to have a cherry tree in our backyard and every spring I’d go out and shake it’s flowers and sing It’s snowing! It’s snowing! So i just had to do that with the almond tree.

 

 The rosemary is blooming! It’s so pretty!

There was an herd of goats and sheep there, it was so funny this flock of birds kept riding on there backs! Probably eating all the fleece on them, never seen anything like it!

The view there was stunning!

I love red poppies! so pretty! some of my sibs, we are all doin’ are own thing!

Also it’s the month of Adar! It’s gonna be busy busy busy, my Mom has a birthday this Wednesday , myns right after hers on Sunday(EEK I’m turning 17!!), then Purim is the next saturday night then the week after that on Sunday is my Grandmother’s yahrzeit( marking a year since she died).  I still can’t believe she’s not with us, or that somehow I survived a year without her. She really was like a second Mother to me, we were so close. Somehow you have to keep pushing forward and hold on to that hope we have, that one day we will be reunited, without all the flaws of this world. Won’t it be amazing?

Shavuh Tov! HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

Avigail

I Feel so ALIVE!

Helloooo! How are y’all doing over there? surviving the winter blues? Have you ever felt dead but you were actually still alive(that doesn’t make much sense now does it?), like your body is totally falling apart and your just decaying but then miraculously suddenly you felt like you were given life and you feel so alive suddenly? I have, I have experienced it countless times where God just pulled me out of my pain and disease and set me free, where he literately breathed life into me. I think it’s a place G-d wants us to be when we are on our faces drugged down with harsh circumstances, addictions, bad emotions and spirits and we throw it all on him and he sets us free, he brings us life. Which shouldn’t be surprising since he is the way the truth and the life.

Let’s be honest a second, very few of us actually wake up saying, ‘wow I’m alive! It’s a miracle!’ But it is!! So why don’t we? Why do we take so much for granted without even thinking about it? Let’s change that. God didn’t mean for us to drag through the day just trying to survive another day on this earth, we were meant to thrive through our day, to be alive. If he’s life and we are meant to be like our father then why don’t we act as if we are full of life? Remind yourself every day that he has set us free! We belong to the kingdom of life not death, stomp it in Satan’s face I choose life and I will live in the kingdom of life forever.  Do you feel it? WE ARE ALIVE! and we have a choice every day, are you gonna change your perspective and make it full of life?

Start  with thanking him for EVERYTHING, ask him to show you things that you take for granted, and acknowledge that you are a walking miracle. (and if you have doubts about being a miracle are not, maybe you should go back and learn some anatomy:) So you wanna join me in a I’M ALIVE PEOPLE happy dance? ok, ok you don’t have to take it that far I’ll just dance by myself. Talking about alive here’s a great song check it out-

By the way springs right around the corner! The almond trees are blooming!! wooohooo!

Love you guys! Avigail

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Singing Sunshine Smoothie-THM E

So who’s ready for spring and summer?? MEEEEEEEE! I’m dying for summer to be here already! Lately we’ve been having warm, sunny days it’s been amazing! I love the sunshine! Today my Abba was off work, so we had a grill out for lunch outside. It was so nice, lotsa good food and lotsa sunshine, needles to say I’m Happy, Happy Happy:). Food+Sunshine+Family=Happy Avigail.

Back to Singing Sunshine Smoothie, even if it isn’t quite warm where you live this smoothie can bring you that summery zang! I’t super duper yum! Creamy,Zingy and just amazing! I’t make me happy ’cause it so yummy and also ’cause is so so so good for you! Let my purist brain rumble on a bit about why it is so  good for, In this smoothie you have a whole lemon and orange including the white part of the peel, so this baby is loaded in vitamin c’ , anti-oxidants, anti-cancer properties. It helps with digestion, weight lose, flushing out toxins, speeding the metabolism, lowering cholesterol, boosting your immune system and improving your heart health! Also there is a 1/4 tsp of turmeric in here (or you can put more, I put 1/2 tsp) and we all know turmeric is amazing for you! You can also add some vitamin c powder for a vitamin c boost! Let’s make this Baby!

 INGREDIENTS:

• One Orange (peeled leaving as much white part as possible)
• One Lemon (peeled leaving as much white part as possible)*
• 1/3 of a large Banana
• One Cup Almond Milk
• 4-6 doonks stevia
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric
• Optional: vitamin c or amla powder.
• 8-16 Ice Cubes**
• 1/4 Cup Whey Protein Powder***

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.  Peel the orange and lemon and put in the blender with the 1/3 banana and 1 Cup Almond Milk, blend.
2. Add Stevia to taste and the 1/4 tsp turmeric and vitamin c if using, blend again:).
3. Blend the Ice Cubes, taste it and tweek it to your liking, more stevia, more lemon etc’.
4. Add the whey powder, blend it for just a few seconds until it’s just incorporated, don’t let it froth up! Pour and ENJOYYY! 

NOTES:

*If you don’t like stuff tart, use only half a lemon, I love tart so I put the whole lemon in.

**If you don’t want this shake cold and icy just stick to eight ice cubes.

***You can use 2 Tbs of collagen or 3/4 of a cup of cottage

לבריאות

Avigail

Amonah-עמונה

I’ve been grieving these last couple days. I’ve been grieving the destruction of Amonah. The destruction of homes in Israel by us. By my police, by my Government. Oy, how we’ve sinned! How have we’ve gotten to such a low level? To שפל השפלים! I’m ashamed and disappointed, how can my people , that I love so much turn there back on there fellow brothers? This is what happens when we aren’t based on the Torah, on the TRUTH. We make up our own ideals, our own IDOLS. 

My heart breaks thinking of the children of these families, torn away from there home, town and world. Will they ever be able to forget such a trauma? The soldiers and police that they look up to so much, turning there backs on them? The poor mothers having to answer there children’s why’s? When there is no answer.

Last night while reading my Tanach this passages stood out to me and offered the comfort that I needed:
4 “You have been a refuge for the poor,
a refuge for the needy in their distress,
a shelter from the storm
and a shade from the heat.
For the breath of the ruthless
is like a storm driving against a wall
5 and like the heat of the desert.
You silence the uproar of foreigners;
as heat is reduced by the shadow of a cloud,
so the song of the ruthless is stilled.
6 On this mountin the Lord Almighty will prepare
a feast of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine—
the best of meats and the finest of wines.
7 On this mountain he will destroy
the shroud that enfolds all peoples,
the sheet that covers all nations;
8 he will swallow up death forever.
The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears
from all faces;
he will remove his people’s disgrace
from all the earth.
The Lord has spoken.
9 In that day they will say,“Surely this is our God;
we trusted in him, and he saved us.
This is the Lord, we trusted in him;
let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”
10 The hand of the Lord will rest on this mountain;
but Moab will be trampled in their land
as straw is trampled down in the manure.
11 They will stretch out their hands in it,
as swimmers stretch out their hands to swim.
God will bring down their pride
despite the cleverness[a] of their hands.
12 He will bring down your high fortified walls
and lay them low;
he will bring them down to the ground,
to the very dust.”( Isaiah chapter 25)

Amonah was located at the top of a mountain, 901 meters above sea level. Here’s is a good video that explains briefly the story of Amonah http://www.israelvideonetwork.com/whats-the-story-with-amona/

Please keep us in prayer! Pray for the families and for a change of heart in my people.

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”

Shabbat Shalom!

❤Avigail

I GOTTA CAMERA!!

I gotta a real camera!!! I can’t believe it’s finally in my hands!! This morning when my brother brought my package in, I just couldn’t leave it alone! Only problem was that I didn’t know that I needed a memory card so all the space this camera could  hold was like five pictures! I kept taking pictures and deleting them:). I just got a memory card so hopefully Ill be able to take lotsa pictures this weekend! I’m going up north to the chermon with Friends for Shabbat, so ill have lotsa stuff to take pictures off! It will be my first time up at the chermon, I am exited! It will be fun! The zoom on this Nikon b500 is CRAZY! I’m also super exited to be able to have better quality  photos on here. This is a huge improvement then taking photos with this:

Yep, It was super duper challenging taking photos with this totally smashed and busted up Iphone 5. The most challenging was this bright line you would get at the top, you might have noticed it in a couple photos of mine, like this one-

So now you know the behind the scenes of  the pictures here:)

What have you been up to lately? I’ve been babysitting, working, volunteering,baking, some loom knitting, gardening, I got my passport! Yay! I went to the kotel  which was such an awesome refresher, oooh and I got a nose ring(at first it feels so weird! but you get used to it)! Also we are putting together a show with the group of girls I counsel, so lotsa practicing! I actually have a rehearsal in like a half hour so I need to hurry up and I still need to pack for this trip! were leaving at four in the morning… blech… so i gotta go… one last thing, look at this awesome tie pie my grandfather built!

and one last picture

winter has the prettiest sunsets!

Have a great weekend!

Avigail

 

Finding Balance with Exercise

I have a problem, I don’t actually have any exercise pictures for my exercise/fitness posts. Because pictures of me exercising are just not worth taking let’s not talk about posting on here! Yah me all sweaty with half of my hair braided and the other half coming out of a braid, toothpaste splats on my t-shirt etc’ I’ll spare you! So I’m trying to think of a connection of this picture to this post, ummm give me a minute this is a hard one.Ooh I think I have something, ok so I’m a geene and am going to fulfill your wish to have exercise balance!  Ok that was a little lame if you have a better connection then let me know!

Now to fulfill your wish to having a balanced approach to exercise. I think that the most efficient way to exercise is to vary the type of exercise you do. That was the problem I found with kettle bell workouts, there is this mentality that kettlebells are the only way to exercise, and that you dont need any other sort of exercise. As much as I love kettle bell workouts I think it needs to be balanced. Kettle bells really work to strengthen the core which is amazing! Actually, I noticed a huge improvement in my posture once I started using the kettle bell! Problem is your core needs extra time to rest and rebuild muscle, atleast two days, unlike your abs/arms/legs which only need one day. So if your doing a kettle bell workout five days a week, it’s really too much for your core and it needs more time to rest. There’s a place for kettle bell workouts but it all needs to be balanced.

I’ve found that ever since I’ve been balancing my KB workouts with some Pilates, Barre, Dumbell workouts and cardio, I’ve become a lot stronger and I’ve learned so many more techniques. Don’t get stuck in a rut of the same workouts, change it up! There is so many fun workouts out there!

Also having a  balanced approach to the amount of time of working out is key! Working out for over 45 minutes six days a week is wayy to much! Your heading for major adrenal fatigue with that much working out. Keep to 20-30 minutes 4-5 times a week and you’ll find yourself much stronger!

Here are some of my favorite workout trainers on YouTube-

For kettle bells-

Lauren brooks- Best trainer for learning good form and your basic kettle bell mooves, also has some great workouts on YouTube!

https://m.youtube.com/user/kbellqueen

Holly Rigsby- Great Trainer has some great tips for good kettle bell form and your regular exercises without kettle bells, a couple great workouts too.

https://m.youtube.com/user/holidayjoi

FitnessbyAmy- she has the most variety of workouts, kettle bells, cardio, Tabata etc’ you name it she’ll have it!

https://m.youtube.com/user/BodyFitByAmy

and last but not least Suzanna Bowen!-Master of the barre! I’ve learned so much from her workouts, from breathing techniques to power house engagement, she’s awesome!

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=suzanna+bown

Keep learning and keep changing it up! Let’s have some FUN! And remember it’s a privilege to be able to move its a miracle! We weren’t ment to sit around all day and just rust! We were born to move! Stay active don’t just workout for 20 minutes a day and call yourself good for the day, go play outside, go jump on a trampoline, dance around to some music, take the stairs over the elevator, your going up stairs? That’s good, race up the stairs! Excellent! Go scrub the bathtub(; go roughhouse with one of your siblings or kids. The ideas are endless for staying active!  Just get up and move!

❤Avigail

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Fun Arms+Cardio Killer Workout

Go climb a tree!! Just kidding! This picture is from this past summer when we went up north and went tree jumping, it was fun but the climb wow that was intense! I’m one of those odd people that just love love loves to exercise! I love almost any form of exercise except RUNNING! In this workout I’ve combined my favorite exercises that work the arm muscles with some fun cardio Intervals. The idea behind this workout is get in your classic arm exercises, that really help tone and strengthen your arms while mixing in cardio intervals that get your heart thumpin’ that most arm exercises don’t do as much. While you’re doing your cardio intervals your arms and wrists are getting a little break and while you’re doing your arm exercises you’re letting your heart rate drop. Do you see hows this works? If not don’t worry, you’ll get it once you do this workout.

This is how it works, you’re going to do 15-20 reps of the arm exercise(this is a general amount you can do less or more according to your level) , 30 seconds of cardio, 10 second breather( you get a break) . Then repeat with a different arm exercise or with the other side. I’m going to show you how I like to do this workout but feel free to mix and change around stuff this is just an example. This workout takes about 15-20 minutes, depends on how fast you do your arm exercises and how long you make your warmup and cool down! Take your time with the arm exercises and make sure you have good form!

Are you ready? Grab a pair of dumbbells,get a stop watch, crank up some music and lets have some fun! (optional jump rope).

 The Workout!

Warm up- Start off with a short warm up, make sure to warm up your spine. Do some arm swings, roll through your back, roll those shoulder, reach down and touch your toes etc’.

Workout-

•  15-20 Reps on each side bicep curls. 30 seconds Jumping Jacks. 10 Second breather.
•  15-20 Reps on each side Triceps Kickbacks.30 seconds high knees.10 second breather. 
• 15-20 Reps of Rows on each side. 30 second but kicks. 10 second breather.
• 15-20 High pules. 30 seconds Jumping rope. 10 second breather.

Midway, going down for some mat work. (Take an extra second to drink a little water and catch your breath)

• 15-20 push ups with dumbbells,do a pushup row one hand then the other. 30 seconds Skaters. 10 second breather.
• 15-20 chest press on back. 30 seconds Jumping Jacks. 10 second breather.
• 15-20 Triceps Extensions on back. 30 seconds Jump Squats. DONE!

Cool down- Walk it out a bit catch your breath, Do some stretches and drink lotsa water!! You did awesomeeee! Way To Go!!

Have FUN with this if you hate Jumping Jacks switch it for something you enjoy more. and if you just plain dumb hate everything… then we have some stuff to work on😉Haha…

❤AVIGAIL

Cider Tea-THM FP

Hellooo! How are y’all doing? Getting back into your everyday  schedule after Hanukah?This past Hanukah  I was craving a warm cidery/wassail thingamabob, you know when its cold outside something warm and spicy always hits the spot. I wanted to make a cranberry wassail but we didn’t  have any cranberries, so I threw a couple things together with stuff I had on hand and it turn out really good it has a perfect tart/sweet cinnamony flavor! I love it so much that I’ve made it about five times this past week and may or may not have drank it all by myself, but that’s are little secrete ‘kay? This is cider tea is super easy to make and so so so comforting annnnd is really really good for you!

This is a really great drink to be sipping on all day to help boost your immune system and help prevent or fight off colds, flues and all those winter blahs! On a personal side note this past Hanukah my whole family caught the flue, I mean EVERYBODY (all my sibs, Parents,Cousins Grandparents etc’ it was awful), but what was miracle of miracles is that  I didn’t catch it and to give you a little background  I have the weakest immune system ever, I usually catch everything. It was a total miracle but I was thinking of anything I did different this time then other time when some bug was going around, and it downed to me that I drank a liter of Red Raspberry leaf tea everyday and I was drinking lots of this cider. Maybe that’s what helped me this past time, I’m not claiming this will keep the Flu away but it sure can help. Here’s why its so great for your body:

• Cloves- One of the most highest antioxidant spices, eases and prevents cold and flu, source of minerals especially maganese there antiseptic,antibacterial and antifangul (pretty much anti bad stuff!).
• Cinnamon- Helps control blood sugar, treat cold,cough and sore throat, fights viruses, an antioxidant,anti-inflammatory  and lowers bad cholesterol. 
• Star Anise-boosts immune system, aids digestion, antioxidant, helps with dry cough asthma and bronchitis.
• Chamomile-  Anti cancer, improves digestion, good for thore throats, relieves congestion and good for heart health.
• Red Raspberry Leaf Tea- Helps with colds and flu, High in vitamin C, High in minerals and calcium and helps soothe a thore throat.
• Orange- since you have a whole orange in here your getting the benefits of the peel, the peel actually contains more vitamin c and antioxidants then the flesh!The peel is high in  vitamin c, improves digestion, it also contains considerable amounts of calcium, copper, magnesium, vitamin A, folate and other B vitamins and dietary fiber, lots of antioxidant,is anti cancer and is good for heart health!

לבריאות

 INGREDIENTS:

• One Orange*
• Two Cinnamon Sticks
• Eight Whole Clove Buds
• Ten Star Anise
• One Black Tea Bag
• A Tablespoon and a Half Dried Chamomile Flowers
• A Tablespoon and a Half Dried Red Raspberry Leaf Tea
• Three Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar*
• 1/4-1/3 teaspoon Stevia (Depends on how sweet you like your tea)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Take Your Orange and poke the two cinnamon sticks and eight Cloves in it, now put your orange in a two liter size pot (about a 2 quart size pot) along with the rest of the ingredients except the loose tea(chamomile and raspberry leaf).
2. Take the loose tea and put in a tea infuser/strainer, and put it in the pot as well.
3. Fill the pot up with water and put it on your stove top until it boils then put it on your smallest burner on the lowest heat let it simmer for at least thirty minutes before trying to really get all the flavors, taste and perfect the tart/sweet balance to your taste buds, and Enjoy!

Notes:

• This is probably the first time you’ll hear this but its the best to use an oldish orange that has a thin peel for this recipe because it makes pocking the clove buds in it a lot easier:). Any old orange will work but ones with a thicker peel are harder.
• Don’t waist your raw ACV in this since it will be getting heated up and that will ruin all the rawness. You can even substitute with the juice from a whole lemon instead of the ACV.
• Don’t let this simmer ALL DAY LONG, since by evening you’ll just have a strong concentrate.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I do!

Avigail

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Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls!! THM-E

Yessss! Yesss! I’m so happy right now I was determined to create a sourdough cinnamon roll, before Chanukah, so I could post the recipe here for you guys to make over Chanukah! These Cinnamon Rolls are soft and moist filled with yummy oozy cinnamony sweetness. They are divine! Not only are they amazing they are pretty easy to make and eat😉 annnnd they’re slimming! Anybody else wanna join me in a happy dance???💃🏾💃🏾

Onward to de recipe!

INGREDIENTS: For the Dough:

• 2 C Spelt Flour
• 1 C freshly ground Rye Flour
• 1 C Sourdough Starter
• 1/2 C Egg Whites
• 1/2 C Greek yogurt
• 1 Tablespoon of ground flax
• Pinch of salt
• 1 Tablespoon Honey
• 2 teaspoons room temperature butter(Used for the rolled out dough)

For the Cinnamon filling:

•  2 1/2 Tablespoons coconut sugar*
•  2 teaspoons cinnamon
• small pinch of salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.  Put all ingredients in a food processor in the order listed, drizzle all the wet ingredients,  or you can need it in a bowl.
2.   Turn on food processor until you have a ball of dough. (Doesn’t take long)
3. Take the dough out of the food processor and kneed for a minute on a floured surface. (Use spelt flour)
4.  Let dough rise for 6-12 hours, in a lightly greased bowl.
5. After it has rose, grease a baking sheet and your rolling pin with 1 teaspoon of butter. And gently roll out your dough into a rectangle.
6.  Now mix 2 1/2 Tablespoons coconut sugar, two teaspoons cinnamon and a small pinch of salt.
7. Spread a teaspoon of softend butter, on the rolled dough and sprinkle on the cinnamon mixture.
8.  Gently pick up the bottom part of the rectangle and start rolling.
9.  Once you’ve got your cinnamon roll log, cut them into ten slices using the dental floss method. (Slide a piece of dental floss underneath the log and cross the two sides of dental  floss, so it cuts the log.) I suggest using a clean dental floss, but if your tight on money I won’t judge for using a dirty one… JK
10. Preheat oven to 175 C or 350 F, Let it rise for a half hour-hour, then stick them in the oven for about 20 minutes. Until slightly golden at the top.

Recipe Notes:

* A little Coconut sugar is on plan, you could substitute with a sugar free “brown sugar” if you prefer. I personally prefer it with coconut sugar.

*This recipe works great to make the dough the night before and let rise overnight, then roll out and bake in the morning for breakfast!

Enjoy!!בתאבון ולבריאות

Avigail❤

Seasons

Hellooo! How are all of you doing? I hope your doing fabulous!  I want to share about some stuff G-d has been teaching me throughout these past few months . I had a pretty bad flare up (with my crohn’s) for a couple months, not too long ago. After every hard season I gain and learn so many amazing lessons, it’s crazy how G-d uses these times to teach me so much! I think the lesson that really stuck with me this past time was to  never give up hope and that I am never ever alone.  When we go through hard seasons, it’s never ever used for nothing, we might not see the reason for it today, tomorrow or even in this earthly life, but G-d does. He sees the whole picture. It will turn out for good Because he IS GOOD.

“Give thanks to the Lord  for he is GOOD: His love endures forever” (Psalm 145:9)

There’s a parable told about a king who was passing through a town and heard a women screaming for help, for she was being robbed. The king heard her cry and came and rescued her from the robbers. The king returned to his castle, and asked the woman to marry him. The woman refused to come and live with him. The king longed to be with her so  he found the same robbers, that robbed her on the day she cried out to him, and told them to go and robb her again. This time he stood waiting until he heard her cry and came to ‘save’ the day once again. This time the women willingly went and lived with him in the castle. The women asked the king: “why did you send the robbers again?” And the king softly answered: ” because I desired to hear your voice”.

(The king here is G-d and the women, is us)

Many times the only way we will sit still and listen to G-d, is when we are smacked down on our faces with harsh circumstances. When the life we thought we had all put together, under (our) control,gets smashed. Sadly these are usually the only times we cry out to God, our ABBA. This is where he wants you! When we realize we can do noth-ing without him, and cry out for him. He yearns to hear us cry out to him! He is  standing there waiting for us to just run under his sheltering wings. “And you shall seek me and find me, for you shall search for me with all your heart” (Jer. 29;13)

lets us use these hard seasons to turn to our Abba, and cry out to him, for he hears our cries. He is the only one who can truly comfort and understand our anguished  spirit. And one day he will turn our mourning  into rejoicing! We can rejoice while we are still suffering for we Know that the best is yet to come! (It’s not easy though).
” You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy” (psalm 30:11)

Avigail❤