Applesauce Ornaments

Here is what the boys made for Christmas presents for everyone. They are applesauce ornaments. Basically all I did was dump applesauce into a bowl I think we did about four cups or so I than I dumped in the cinnamon until I was able to lay these out to cup out the shape. It did take a lot of cinnamon, I mean a lot of cinnamon. We made one for everybody from every boy. And then we painted every one's name on them.

WILL IT EVER STOP?

Here are a few photos of all the snow we have received. I believe we have about 2 1/2 feet on the ground. We are being dumped on. We have never seen this much snow.

Looking down the road.

Poor snowman.

Safe and warm in the house with Kirby. I won't be going in that snow!

Again poor snowman hard to believe he was actually sitting on top of the snow at one time?

Is it done yet?

This use to be my van? Come on spring!

HOLY COW MOM!!!

My van again. Somewhere under all that snow!

Happy Boy!

Just think he is only half way down.

Snow Everywhere

So we are snowed in. In more ways than one. This storm started Wednesday and it snowed through Friday dumping about 12 inches total down here. There was just snow everywhere. With so much snow we were not going any where. You hear about so many accidents why take a chance. We finally got out Saturday for a minute, as we had to hit a store. Since last Tuesday we went grocery shopping but didn't go right home so I put the meat in the fridge at work and forgot about the meat as I was heading home. So for dinners we have had to be creative. Since we have been snowed in since Wednesday.

Also on last Tuesday it was so cold out when I went to feed the animals. I feed the goats and noticed one didn't come to the hay. So I went looking for her in her pen. There she was shaking so bad from the cold, I just had to bring her in. So it snows well she is in the house. I finally put her out on Friday and she is doing well so I make her sleep outside. So I was out on Saturday feeding the animals and here comes Luna walking behind me, she follows me right into the house and walks into the laundry room and makes camp. So we have one spoiled goat. Now if I can just teach her how to do laundry I would be all set?

So here are a few photos of my boys having fun. Yes, boys.

The BEST Bread

So my husband has been Gluten free for 3 whole days. He is not thrilled with the bread I made that I did buns with. Now he has not eaten gluten bread for months now so it is not like he is being picky. So I said I will try as many recipes as it takes to find him the write loaf. And As I am reading the newest issue of Living Without someone was glowing about the bread that was mentioned months ago. So I went looking for it and found it. We got up from dinner and just had to try it.

So we tried it. I whipped it up, and hubby did help. It was a really easy recipe. We took it out of the oven to it looking like this;

UUUUUUUMMMMMMMMmmm!!! Looks good. So I slice it to cool. And here you go.

This is in the August/Sept issue I will put my subs in as well;

3 cups of gluten-free high protein flour blend (below)

1/4 cup milk powder of choice (tapioca flour)

1 tablespoon x gum

1 teaspoon salt

2 packages instant dry yeast

3 eggs, room temp.

1 teaspoon cider vinegar

1/4 cup melted butter (spectrum shortening)

1 tablespoon honey or agave

1 cup warm water

High protein flour blend

1 1/4 bean flour I used gava or you can use chickpea

1 cup arrowroot or potato starch

1 cup tapioca flour

1 cup white rice flour

1. preheat oven to 375 and grease pan.

2. Mix flour blend, milk powder, x gum, and salt in a mixing bowl and mix well. Using the beater/paddle, mix in the yeast

3. Whisk eggs, vinegar, melted butter, honey, and warm water together.

4. Pour wet ingredients into the dry, mixing on med. speed until everything is well blended. If the batter seems too dry, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat on medium-high for 5 minutes.

5. spoon the dough into the prepared pan only half full, spray the top of the dough with baking spray and use the back of a spoon to smooth the top. Spray a piece of plastic wrap and loosely cover the bread. Place in a warm place for about 30 minutes or until the dough reaches a 1/4 inch from the top of the pan.

6. Place in a preheated oven on the middle rack and bake for 35-45 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool on a rack.

7. Enjoy..............

This bread was gone in record time. My hubby really likes it. If you all know me this is a mix between Carrie's bread and Tom's bread I believe? You just have to try it for yourself.

Surprise Surgery

Well it was almost like my husband woke up and said Hey I think I will go and have surgery today? But that is kinda like how it happened.

See he has a Hernia, he has had it for awhile. It has been bugging him more and more and getting worse and worse. Well this week he has had a tough week. So he went into the doctor today who told him not only the hernia but there is a blockage and he will need surgery.

So we head over to the surgery place to get everything all set up. And it takes so long that they just can not fit him in. So we go into surgery on Friday. It is nothing too serious. But really I am tired of all the surgeries and medical stuff we are going through. I sit here and wonder when it all all ever stop?

So hopefully I will have time to update tomorrow. Who knows these days?

THE CAT HAS A NAME

Breaking News here. Our kitty has a name. Our girl kitty has a name.

Her name is Kirby............Yes, Her name is Kirby..........

I would keep throwing names out to Ethan and Tucker for weeks this went on. One day I just said Kirby. Ethan looks at me with bright eyes and said YES, that is it. Kirby. I really like it mom.

So our very in heat kitty is getting fixed on the 22nd. Our pound has a program we are going through. Thank God because her being in heat is driving me up the wall!

So I Finally Made Buns!!!!

Ok so it has been awhile since I last posted. I have been crazy busy. My monkeys are running wild and keep me very busy. Between work and kids and Christmas and do not get me started on that husband of mine. There are not enough hours in the day!

Well anywho, I MaDE BUNS!!! Well kinda. So Stephanie and hubby kicked me in the butt and I was forced into the kitchen to make buns. My husband has decided to go gluten free. NOW! Not next week and give me time but NOW! So I had to make buns. My husband is not really thrilled with them. So I think it will take some work. This recipe belongs to www.gingerlemongirl.com her stuff is amazing!!! Well I will try it again. But we did two batches of bread and make everything from buns to rolls to hot dog buns (you won't see that photo). So I will try again the next time I have a spare second.

Don't You Hate When?

Don't you hate when you plug in your Christmas Tree and only some of the lights work? We got this pre-lit tree about 5 years ago. For every year since it has worked just fine. We plug it in this year and this is what we got? Very nice. So you know what I will be doing? Nothing like having fun?

Potty Training Take 2

So my sweet child came up to me fully clothed and said potty, potty, well tugging on his clothes. So I think he is starting to "get it" Off come the clothes and we race to the potty where he sits for a very long time. I went to take off his potty and it is wet. Yeah! He peed. So about ten minutes later I have two of the three boys in bed and Cole and I are sitting in the living room. Where all of a sudden I see this child bolt from the living room to the kitchen and back again with towels. That is sweet he is now cleaning up pee off the living room floor.

My child knows how to clean up after himself. More then I can say about a few around here. I just keep thinking "One day we'll be out of diapers?"

My Boy Tucker

It has been a few days since posting. What a busy few days It has been. Thanksgiving, and getting the house ready for Christmas.

So here is a picture of Tucker and our newly adopted kitty, really we adopted her against my will. Tucker has taken a real liking to her. This is Tucker's kitty, he feds her and gives her water. And carries her around, I don't know if this kitties feet every hit the floor? She is very pampered by my son. Now notice I keep saying She and kitty? This kitty has yet to be named. Every time a name is bought up it is shot down so fast. No that is not the right name! So here is this spoiled rotten kitty with a bobbed tail who has yet to be named and to touch the floor.

Here is Tucker and Kitty watching Buzz Light year.

BlueMan Group Here I Come

So everyone in the house is finally well. Well for the most part? So glad to be over whatever hit this house. It has been hard, my two oldest have not been sick in over 14 months and to be hit like this I tend to forget what to do. But it is over and done and we are recovered.

So today it was one of those days. Kinda do whatever so my two oldest were coloring and my youngest decided to join in. Cole does not understand my paper only rule, as you can see. He is more blue in person then what the picture shows. With mister Cole as Blue as this and going to town on his keyboard it was too cute to pass up. He is such a hoot. I am starting to think we need a support group for markers?

Finally My New Bed!

So a few weeks ago Cole started to climb out of his crib, he would do it once in awhile but now he started to do it everytime he would wake or nap. And I was afraid of him falling so it was time for a new bed. Now this makes me sad because there are no more cribs in this house at this moment. It's so sad my baby is growing up. So between friends and co-workers we put together this bed for him. And he loves it. His still getting use to it as it does not look like his brothers at the moment but we are working on that. No pillow and no bed spread. But we will get there. So here he is right before bed.

Here is Cole all tucked in for bed. He must have his three stuffed animals and tucked in tight. His one happy boy.

Meatball's Anyone?

So here it is my first recipe. Around here we try to spend one day a week premaking something. Tuesday it was meatballs. Who doesn't love meatballs with their spaghetti.? These turned out really, really well. I can't wait to make spaghetti.

Here is what it looks like after mixing up the hamburger.

Here they are before they hit the oven

Here it is a done Meatball. Nummy, Nummy.

Makes 36 meatballs. (I didn't get this many but I think mine were bigger)

Preheat oven to 400

1 lb ground beef

1 egg

1/2 dry gf bread crumbs

2 tbsp oregano

2 tsbp tomato paste

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Basically mix it all up. Roll into one inch balls. And place on cookie sheet. And bake for 15-20 minutes. ( I did 25 minutes to be safe)

I then let them cool and put them into the freezer on another cookie sheet once frozen I put into plastic bags. and there you go. Nummy, Nummy Meatballs. Enjoy!

I Hate Potty Training!

Who doesn't say that at least once. I think I have said it with all three kids. It really seems like I just got Tucker potty trained and now it is Cole's turn? We have been working on it off and on nothing big. Well today was one of those days (see below) I didn't have time to change a diaper so I took off the diaper and let it be. Let me just say I had to change my socks three different times before I had, had enough and went and got a diaper. The funny thing is this child knows how to get towels and clean up after himself and his pee and put the towels in the dirty clothes pile, but he can not seem to make it to a potty? Although we are almost out of diapers!!!! That will be a good day..............

Update

An update. Ethan at 9:15pm had a small seizure nothing too bad compared to he's others. He passed out afterward and should be out for the night. He's temp was 103.

My Baby Is Sick

When I picked up Ethan today from preschool I know something wasn't right. Finally made it home to find out he's fever was 102. So I did some Umcka that worked for a bit, enough to get some food down him. A piece of cake, 2 slices of left over pizza and a yogurt (yeah sounds sick right?) He had a cold bath, but after dinner the fever was back. At 7:30pm he fell asleep in the living room where I will keep him. And I just got Mortin down him. Ethan and fevers just do not get along. As with fevers usually end up in febrile seizures. But so far we are doing OK. It has actually been two years since he's last seizure so I'm hoping for the best. And 14 months since he was last sick so I have not done this in awhile.

Why Would You Bathe A Bunny?

Well because I'm bored and have nothing to do? No really. If you didn't know we currently have 7 bunnies. 6 live outside, once in awhile one or two or all the bunnies escape and play catch me if you can. Now they live in a fence in area so they really have to dig or jump (in one case) to get out. Well today our girl got out and with all the rain and mud she needed a bath and a warm place to sleep for the night. So here she is after her bath sitting with the boys. We have had her since birth born on Halloween three years ago. You can't see it in the photo but she has one ear that just won't stay up it's the cutest thing. OH our boys are fixed so no more little bunnies. Except our house bunny we'll get him fixed when we can.

Well Daddy Sleeps Tucker Will Play (With Markers)

Well today mommy was off in another room working and Ethan was helping and Cole was napping. Daddy kinda doozed off as well. Well this is what you get when you fall asleep and your child is busy coloring with markers. Tucker was so proud he just had to come in and show me. I guess I should go and bathe him now along with the bunny (don't ask).

My Son The Clown

Wow how time flies, trying to post daily and can barely keep up. Well not much happened today the kids actually behaved no funny photos, no funny stories. So I thought I would pull up this photo. This is from the Circus that Ethan's preschool puts on every year to end out the preschool year. Ethan this year was a clown. Now funny story on the costume, Ethan told me he wanted to be a clown. Oh boy I thought where do I find a Clown Costume? Do I have time to make one? NOPE! I checked out stores, eBay, freecycle everywhere. So it's the weekend before the circus and no costume. We were out garage sailing and I just had this feeling I had to stop at this one last one. Just had to do it. Well there we found it. An adult Clown Costume. Oh I can figure this out right? So it's pinned up awfully funny but it worked.

As you can notice no hair? He wore it for about 2 minutes before it got tossed at me as he was walking by and that was the end of that? So here Ethan is last June '08 have fun in the Circus.

Have To Share

This is Artie our blind bunny. Cole loves to get into the cage and pet the bunny. The funny thing is the bunny never see's this coming?

My Baby Is Growing Up

Well the other week my baby Cole started to climb out of he's crib. I don't know why it was yesterday but I had to change he's crib so he's not so high up when or if he falls. So I took off the front of the crib just like the instructions said to do. But that didn't look right there was no side rail and if he scooted he could scoot right out? So I went out to the shed and got the side rail we used with Ethan. Um one problem too big it's made for a twin bed not a crib? So two hours later and many tools it is made for a crib. I used a lot of duct tape and tied it down good and tight and it works. Probably a good thing I didn't cut it (very tempted at one point) because Russell came home and said he found us a twin bed to use for a bit. Now that would have been a big OOPS?

Cole climbed right in and tried it out, he decided he would also pee all over the newly made bed as well. So reminder to self don't put naked kids into a freshly made bed!

A Little Background

A little background on me and my family. I do plan on one day writing a book about our adventure into the gluten free world. But for now just a little background. I will post the full story down the road.

It was a dark and stormy night...Ok joking...My son at age two received he's shots. He went into seizure shortly after that day. He then had three seizures in three months until in the ER yet again I begged the doctor for antibiotics. He finally said yes and after that no more big seizures that sent us to the hospital. But after finishing off the antibiotics my son Ethan went into hyper mood. Complete and total hyper mood. I would ask he's doctor and get the same thing the doctor wanted to prescribe adhd drugs. I kept saying no. During these two years the doctor did put my son on reflux drugs. After a year on those I asked the doctor if we could take Ethan off of them. He said no but sent him in for a scope.

So went in to see the GI doctor who scopped my son. After the scope she uped the reflux medicine but did not say anything else. I did not fill that prescription. Right after the scope my son went into hyper, hyper, hyper mood. To the point I nearly lost any sanity I had. He would not sleep, eat, he would run around for hours screaming and yelling. He was down to a few words the rest was screaming. So two months after the scope, I had, had enough. I put Ethan to bed and sat down at the computer to look into adhd drugs. After reading about those I had to say no. I was desprate so I googled natural adhd and came across Celiac Disease. It fit my son. It fit him so well. Everything they mentioned that was him. I was shocked. I googled until 2am about the gluten free diet and how it helps with adhd. Totally shocked why would he doctor not mention anything about this? (Well I know now) I got up bright and early in the morning and called Ethan's GI doctor. I got the nurse and what she said changed our lives. She read the doctors notes the notes said Ethan has Celiac. The nurse went looking for the blood test, I was not told because the blood test came back negative? Are you joking me I asked? No the nurse said, sorry.

After hearing that I was dumbfounded. I quickly realized I had been lied to by many doctors on this road. We went through 2 years of hexx with a very hyper non sleeping kid. A child I could not control. We went gluten free. OH MY GOD the difference. He slept for the first time in two years I put my child to bed at 8pm and by 8:05 he was out. ARE YOU JOKING ME? Next dairy free. OH MY GOD the difference. He started talking. Using real words and so many of them. To this day he never shuts up. He started pooping by himself you don't know this joy until you have sat with your child for hours on end in the bathroom holding he's hand. We no longer do this. Now that is joy, so worth the diet alone.

So after all my research because I now have quiet nights. We are gluten free, dairy free, soy free, corn syrup free, food dyes free, and now mushroom free. We are almost phenol free just can't see taking away fruit, but it's gone for the moment. We are on a list of supplements. My son Ethan also has hyperthyroid or graves disease. Which we are so far successfully treating with supplements we are under a doctors care so don't worry there.

Infact since getting into a yelling match with Ethan's old doctor we have found the greatest natural doctor. We also got Ethan a new pediatrician, and a few other doctors I now have a great team in place for my son. It is so amazing the progress he has made. He has put on 10 pounds and grown many inches since starting the diet in Sept of '07. I sware he grows daily. He now eats like a pig. He just amazes me.

As for the diet it's a whole family diet. And we feel great. Except hubby who has utterly refused to give up all wheat. He goes in for a scope in Dec of '08 because he's been told he has Celiac? Funny uh? I said he can eat gluten until the scope and then he's being cut off as well.

I help many off and on line with the diet. I also work in Real Estate where many weeks I work 60 plus hours 8 day week. We have countless animals including 6 goats, 5 of which we took in after the flooding of '07.

3 kids Ethan 5, Tucker soon to be 4 can't wait, he has he's party all planned out, Cole nearly two.

So I'm using the blog to keep up with friends and family. Also to keep track of things as I go. I will be posting some great gf recipes as I go and posting photos of my goofy kids. The same kids that had fudge pops for breakfast today. Don't ask?

So now life is good, it's busy and good. All because I changed my son's diet. Who know life could be this good?

Marcie

Holy Cow I Have a Blog?

What am I thinking? I have a real blog? I think I have truly lost my mind? I wanted to start a blog so I can keep all in one spot. Also so I can post photos for family and friends. Also to blog about our gluten free, dairy free, soy free, and a few other things free lifestyle. And to share our crazy life with many I know. Keeping up with three very active kids, working 8 days a week, cooking everything I can from scratch, and trying to keep my sanity. There is not much time for anything else. So maybe keeping it all in one spot will help? One can hope?