Three Boys And Gluten Free

Allergy Free Wacky Cake

2012-02-07T20:18:00.000-08:00

Totally Cool and Awesome....I was attempting this for Dr. Seuss's birthday party coming up. Just to see if i can really pull this off. Well I think I can pull it off, not to mention 3 boys ate half a cake in one setting...Poor cake never saw it coming!

Wacky Cake
By Marcie Dingerson

1 Cup coconut milk mixed with 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar set aside
1 tablespoon egg replacer mixed with milk and set aside

5 minutes later

Mix together

1 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla
1 cup sugar (I used 3/4th's cup)
1/4 cup coconut oil melted
Coconut mixture
Egg Replacer mixture

Mix then add in

2 Cups Bob's All Purpose Gluten Free Flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Mix.

I took about 1/4th cup out twice into two separate bowls. I turned one bowl blue and one red. I poured the white batter into the cake pan. I then put in drops of colored cake batter in and swirled around. I baked at 350 for 25 minutes.

I got these colors at The Natural Candy Store they are crap free...We like crap free around here. First time testing the blue. Very happy with it.

The New Fence

2012-02-05T19:43:00.000-08:00

Pictures are not great...BUT...You get the picture...Get it you get the picture. We took a fence along the back of our property. Giving us about 20-25 feet more of growing space. We will put 5 more trees back there. One reason the rush was on, we will be getting the trees soon. Goats like to eat trees.

This is on the inside of the fence these beds are over 30 feet long. These are Cherry Trees. I should get Cherries this year.

This is a LOT of extra room.

These are pear trees I think I will be doing a blueberry patch here as well. Need to think on that. My Raspberry bed is here also.

My new double gate. Pretty.

So this was done in one day...Still have clean up to do. Need to go back and add is some missing screws and make sure everything is buckled down. We will work on that over the week. But latches are on and goats have not snuck through yet.

Money Update

2012-02-01T22:33:00.000-08:00

It's been a long couple of weeks in our lives. Family issues, snow, lights going out for weeks on end. Expanding the garden, getting ready for spring. And then there are the money issues.

First we were all set to re-fi the house, rolling the van loan into the Mortgage in turn saving us over 300 a month. BUTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT apparently the housing market has tanked and our appraisal came in so very low. And I mean low. So in turn we are doing a streamline, basically a loan without an appraisal it's a loan for those, who have made all their house payments, who will continue to make them, but want to capture the low rates on the market now.

In turn we can not roll the van loan into the Mortgage. So doing this will save only about 100 a month, giving us a little breathing room every month paying that Mortgage payment. We still have a van payment every month. So now we have a new goal of paying off the van this year.

Taxes are done and it's just enough to pay the school what we owe for the year and calling it good. I am Thankful for that, but things have changed from last year and we are not seeing what we got the year before. Which sucks because we could use that money, but yet Grateful we can pay the school, so I'm not complaining.

So I now need to sit down and re-work everything about our budget. Come Friday we start to use our new pre-paid debit cards. Should be interesting since I have never used one, let alone a credit card. I think I will like not having to go to the bank 2-4 times a week. Saving me from dealing with a bank I really don't like, and gas money driving there. It's a trial, nothing set in stone. So we will see what happens there.

So our current money goals are...

Paying off the van currently at 4169.42

Increase money going into mutual fund

Open a Roth IRA for retirement

Fund the garden expansion

Get a few dollars saved.

Well the power was out for a week, and I was stuck here in the freezing cold I dove into my new book, (well new to me)(Thanks Goodwill) Dave Ramsey The Total Money Makeover. I have to say we have been through hell and back with money and medical bills and doing everything we can some months to pay the Mortgage. There were times we had no TV or lights (during the summer)(camping at home) to pay the Mortgage. But I worked 60 plus hours a week to get those medical bills paid off. I really didn't learn too much reading this book. But I do highly recommend everyone reading this book. I do understand his steps. I also highly believe his course needs to be taught in schools. I think high school kids can get a LOT out of Dave Ramsey. We were pretty much on a good track. We do a weekly budget, I keep track of every penny. But I believe in teaching kids early. How many kids are not taught about money before leaving High School and then you get into College, and then a job and marriage and you know NOTHING about money. That is what sinks you. I know NOTHING. I was taught NOTHING.

Kids need to be taught the value of a dollar. They need to be taught about not going into debt and paying cash and saving. They need to be taught this and that before going into the world. And sadly I don't think anyone is teaching kids anything about money and so in turn failing in this department. I know my parents failed, and I am refusing to fail my kids.

So we will pay off the van, and work on Mortgage and work on retirement. I'm not trying to worry about College. That will come another day. I think it's more important to pay down the house. What a dream that would be to pay that off. It would be nice to retire one day so we need to work on that as well. Hitting small goals, but keeping an eye on the big picture.

On that note, I showed Ethan a math problem in the Dave Ramsey book. Basically you take x amount of money over a working career so every month for 40 years and 12 % interest you would have x amount to retire on. That number was freaking big. He saw that number and was like OMG. So we had a chat about saving allowance and how we will match his savings and add it to his account every month. He has a mutual fund opened. Of course Tucker heard everything and must of course beat Ethan at this. Ethan has a goal to be at 500 by the end of the year, he has like 200 and something. Tucker has a goal of 600 he is currently at 300 and something. Trying hard to out do his brother. We will see what happens here. Nothing like Brotherly Love right?

Later....

COTM: Allergy Free Devil's Food Cupcakes

2012-01-28T19:48:00.000-08:00

CUPCAKE OF THE MONTH IS HERE!

NEED I SAY MORE?

Seriously that is one happy kid, he was going through some of my books and came across a Devil's Food Cupcake with white icing. Well needless to say the white icing BOMBED. It's a seven minute icing and we can't do eggs, so I tried to whip up some coconut, but that BOMBED. So I added powered sugar and that BOMBED. Tell ya my kitchen is a mess. I gave up and thought I need a white chocolate, well that ain't happening being allergy free. So what about chocolate? Nah too pricey for me to break into my enjoy life. WAIT I just canned chocolate, I wonder if that would work? A few seconds in the microwave and yeah it worked. It worked GREAT. So the icing is my canned chocolate here. These are for Tuckers tea party at school on Monday...Very exciting he has had a say in nearly every step of the way on making (and eating) these.

Allergy Free Devil's Food Cupcakes

by More from Magnolia

Converted by Marcie Dingerson

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups Buttermilk (coconut milk with vinegar set aside for about 5 minutes)

1 cup pumpkin

1/2 cup organic sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup coconut oil melted

Mix

Add in

2 Cups GF all purpose flour (I used Bob's Red Mill)

1 Cup cocoa

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix and pour into cupcake pans. I used mini bunt pans. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Cover with chocolate or icing of your choosing and enjoy!

A Very Long Week Update

2012-01-27T22:07:00.000-08:00

Where does one start? Well you got to see the snow storm that came in...What followed was a very nasty ice storm. Followed by tree branches freezing over and falling. Power lines having too much ice and coming down.

We woke up Thursday morning to no power. We called, we were told a lot of people don't have power, should be on by this weekend. WHAT? So we went out and got the camping stuff, we set up the tent in the boys room with sleeping bags and every spare blanket we could find. This way they could huddle together. We got out the little grill for cooking. All the candles and lanterns. On Friday we dug out the generator, just to find out there were broken lines. So we were unable to use it.

We were cold, oh so very cold. And being that cold is so very tiring. Hubby got stuck in the driveway on Friday and could not get to work. By Saturday we were able to get out, but stores were pretty wiped. We did get some propane so we could keep cooking, but that was about it.

Kept calling power company, first told by the weekend, then told by Monday, then told by Wednesday and then told no later then Thursday.

Boys went back to school on Monday, they were happy to be someplace warm. Lunches sucked as I was slowly loosing food in the fridge.

By Tuesday I was just really done, when you are cold it really makes things hard. So I gave in on Tuesday after school we went to a friends house for dinner, the kids really wanted to play. And really I just wanted to be warm. After dinner we ran by and saw daddy and puttered around there for a bit, but sadly it was time to head home and get the boys into bed.

As we pulled onto our street we were meet with a really nice surprise...POWER! Honestly by Tuesday day 6 I had thought they were never going to come. People had power up to our street, but they left the other side of the street and left. So about 20 of us did not have power that was over the weekend. So honestly I didn't think they were coming back.

So we quickly run in, we turn on all the heaters, we take down the tent and roll up the sleeping bags and the boys make their bed. Power came on at 7pm and we got home at 7:15pm so that was plenty of time for me to clean out the fridge and freezer before everything re-froze. Two bags of food out the door. So very sad. Lots of meat, lots of pre-made food for lunches. Our fridge was pretty empty.

I started the dishwasher, and laundry. Kept that going all night. There was so much to do, funny when the lights go on you realize how dirty your house is?

So Wednesday we dropped of the boys at school and just came home and cleaned. Put away all the camping stuff. More dishes and laundry. Made a list of stuff we need for next time HEATING SOURCE was number one. Hoping the stores are re-stocked soon so I can pick up something. Hubby will get the generator fixed up. You know they tell you to be ready for three days. What they should say is be prepared for 7 plus days. Because honestly if there is 20 inches of snow they are NOT coming. And honestly they don't care if you are freezing to death in your house. There are times I wanted to give up and bring the grill inside and end everything. By day 6 you are going insane and the cold is just too much to bear.

Here are the boys huddling.

Our light source at night.

Tucker

How we saved the food in the fridge for a bit.

Cooking over a grill in the rain and the cold, so not recommended. And squatting over it to warm yourself is not fun either. Yeah didn't take photos there.

Chip found some down branches...

We lost our shed.

Took these Wednesday, I have came to the conclusion that power people were NOT real. But apparently they are real? We had three power trucks on our street, and a bunch on 185th. Weird.

OK now that we have power, I have decided I really do enjoy having power, and heat, and lights, and cooking on my oven.

But now that we are over this hell. We are back to planning the garden. We got t-posts weeks ago, today was fencing and a few bricks. Next week will be wood posts and more bricks. I will be doing my garden beds out of these bricks....Geniuses right? Not only do I get the bed, but I can use these little squares to grow herbs, or flowers or such. I saw this idea and I just know I had to do it. We are hoping to have the new fence up by next weekend. So we will be ready when we get the trees. And just start placing the beds as I can get bricks. I need to hit free cycle and such also. I am so excited about this idea. I saw a photo of a finished garden with these bricks and it looked so awesome that I just totally fell in love. I know I had to do the same thing.

On that note, we were at Wal-Mart today, accidentally walked into their garden center and found they sell Seeds of Change, seeds. I could not believe it. I was going to order from them this year. So I was able to cut my list in half. I'll head south and see if they carry anything else on my list before I send in an order. So exciting to see those today.

And Then The Storm Hit!

2012-01-18T21:40:00.000-08:00

Heard a storm was coming, well OK then, we were able to get out Monday and get a few things. Came home to watch the news and an OMG moment we have a Serious Storm coming in, it will be dumping 12 plus inches. Seriously? Can that happen. Well Yeah it can happen. In seven hours we got one hell of a dumping.

Luckily hubby made it home as the storm was starting to hit last night and luckily he has today and tomorrow off there is no way of getting out of here anytime soon.

Sitka, sent her out to potty. We also brought in the outside dog. So we have three dogs in the house. About 9am we were like OH NO the outside bunnies! We decided to go and dig them out and bring them in. This I will say involved ME tracking out there into the back field, climbing over a fence, climbing over a bunny cage and jumping down into knee deep snow. I got one bunny out and handed her over to hubby. Dug out number two and handed him over to hubby. Waited for hubby to come back to hand me the step stool, so I could climb onto the bunny cage and back over the fence. Joy!

We also decided to feed the goats twice today, as chewing keeps them warm. So we did round one of feeding since we were out and freezing anyway.

Trixie running in the snow.

Ethan and Cole

Tucker (who I blame for this, someone asked for snow for his birthday!)

My Van. I'm being serious.

Walking down the road.

Falling

And then a kid ya not moment. Here is an outside bunny we brought in, she is in a box in the living room. Our cat Kirby climbed in and they are both sleeping. So our cat who hates all animals is sleeping with a bunny she has never meet.

See ya in the Spring....

Chocolate Sauce Canning Recipe

2012-01-15T21:08:00.000-08:00

Oh Boy right? We always have a jar opened in the fridge. Boys like it on their crepes and waffles and such.

Chocolate Syrup Canning Recipe

By Marcie Dingerson

Makes 2 1/2 pints

1 Cup Cocoa

1 Cup Organic Sugar

1/4 Tsp Salt

1 Cup Water

1 Tbsp Vanilla

Stir over low heat until mixed, this takes a few minutes. I then turn it up a bit until it's bubbly and pull it and pour it into jars and let it sit a bit. You waterbath for 10 minutes. I have never doubled the recipe, I just do this in batches. So I made this three times today and got 6 jars.

Weekly Update

2012-01-15T19:45:00.000-08:00

And Boy it has been a long week. Many issues with fil, snow, stress, money issues, decisions need to be made.

First Ellie got a new pair of pj's...She looks great doesn't she?

Last weekend we got out back a bit and worked. Too much to do and not enough time. Trying to pay all cash for our garden expansion so we can only get so many things weekly. This week we got t-posts. Fencing next week. But this is where our garden will be going.

This is the other half of the back field.

Hi, Chip!

Guess what I'm making? Up vanilla. YEAH! Found some potato based vodka. I had some organic vanilla beans on hand.

And then the snow hit. It just keeps coming.

And coming...

OK so I was joking on the last photo, that is a fort they built.

I had four boys and a neighbor girl out front for a few hours this morning.

Well everyone was outside, I was making chocolate syrup. We have been out. I will blog the recipe in a wee bit.

Only takes a few minutes from start to finish.

Money, lots going on, we are in the midst of a re-fi, the interest rate was too good to pass up this time. I passed it up months ago, but now it's silly low. This move will kill the van loan. Off the bat saving 200 a month. The mortgage move will save at least 100 a month, I will get final numbers this week. I had to hit certain numbers before we sign away.

Saving the mortgage payment in Feb will pay for our camping trip in July. We have a family reunion and was unsure how to pay for it. The site is now paid for and we will have gas for the way down and back up.

In thinking on how to try and get away from the bank. I found out Suze Orman came out with a pre-load debit card. Basically you load it and you use it and it only cost 3.00 a month, no over draft charges. They are up front with the fees. Although I will say Suze missed the mark on one thing. You need to enroll and pay for the card up front a total of 3.00, but they make you pay by credit card. HELLO, there are actually some people in this world that live on cash only. I emailed them, but no answer back. So shocking right? So I put some money on our pre-paid credit card and ordered a card. I'm still thinking, but might be worth a try? I have never had a debit card so it's a whole new thing for us. You can open an attached savings account and move money over, and that money can not be touched if you don't have enough money on your card to pay for something. You actually have to call them to move the savings over. I actually like that. I honestly just want to get away from my bank. I like that thought of not racing to a bank or the store to pick up the check every week. Like today if there is snow and you can't leave, there is no worries. It's on the card.

OH and every time you make a purchase you get a text message, so if you don't make a purchase and get a text message you can call asap and put a stop to things asap and find out what happened.

We have not made the jump we are just thinking. But if I get hit with another bank fee someones head will be rolling.

What I'm liking is there is no over draft fee, the purchase just will not go through. I like the thought that hubby and I both have the money at the same time. I can not tell you how many times I have the cash at home, but hubby will spot like TP on super clearance and he has no money.

So I will see if this might be our answer?

I've also been watching Suze's money serious on OWN, what I want is a show for people like me. Those who have been through debt hell and back, lived to tell about, still have the house, never missed a payment, BUT who barely make that payment who is living pay check to pay check, well trying to save for retirement, and just trying to save, but it's so very hard to save. I'm thinking believe it or not some people don't have debt, well except the van and house. Who don't have credit cards. Who pay with cash only.

I'm working on a seed order. I will list later what we plan on growing. Lot's to grow. Lot's to do.

Until later!

OH and someone will be saving for a Blendtec. After comparing the Vitamix and Blendtec, I have decided I want the Blendtec with the 4 inch blade. It will replace many machines in my kitchen and for that I"m excited. And to finally have a blender will be awesome.

Weekly Update

2012-01-02T20:55:00.000-08:00

So OK I'm a bit backwards here, But it's been a crazy weekend as I've been cooking and baking up a storm to get ready for school to start. ARRRRRRRRR I'm so not ready for 7:30am. I really enjoy sleeping.

First I made chicken noodle soup for the canner, BUT no noodles and no chicken. These are for hubby and he will have to warm and add as he goes. Need to get those into the canner soon. I made turkey broth for the canner, so I need to dig out the canner and get busy.

I made raw brownies recipe here I adore this blog. Especially since we are going more natural and more raw as we start to go through life now. I used almonds instead of walnuts, and I added a touch of agave as I couldn't get it as sticky as I wanted. But once I put this pan on the table I had three kids attack the pan. The photo was taken in mid-attack. The boys LOVE these and they say they taste like Lara Bars. Score! The boys decided to save the rest for school snack tomorrow.

Next, can't forget the goats. They got a snack of their own today. Chip and Becca looking it over, what you don't see is the babies right behind it. Trooper and Jelly were just eating away. Nothing like a fresh Christmas Tree.

So sadly school starts up tomorrow. Tell ya if we didn't adore this school so much I would be homeschooling. Kids and I talked about that today, they were asking where would we go, if we didn't have our school, I said I would be home schooling. This scares my oldest as we are so alike, that I just can't teach him.

Tuckers birthday is coming up and he is soooooooooooooo excited. 14 more days, he was a holiday baby. Tonight we chatted about when he was born, and we were the only ones in the hospital. So after he was born all the nurses were doting all over him and giving him bathes, and changing diapers, and clothes. Mommy got some serious sleep and LOTS of food. Although the next day new mommies and then babies came and the nurses got busy again.

I'm not the type of person to do year end stuff, or looking ahead. I think as you move through life you need to make daily goals and daily choices. So it's why you never see a year end review from me. I am moving the house towards more natural, raw, vegan type of eating. As the garden expands we will be eating more and more out of the garden. I want us healthy and to stay healthy. I really enjoy having energy and being able to keep up with the kids and all I have to do. I mean if you are eating crap you are going to feel like crap. You eat foods that give you energy you are going to have energy. If you want to get serious look at what you are eating. The ingredients on the package may not be all the ingredients. Think about that can, and the liner and that leaking into your foods. Think about the packaging and that leaking into your foods. If you are eating food colors, google the ingredients. You will be shocked. There is a reason Europe is banning this crap. Don't weigh yourself down with food. Eat the right foods and enjoy the energy that will follow.

I could nag about foods all night, but I won't. You have to make the life choice, I've all ready made mine. I am enjoying the energy and I'm a bit excited about expanding the garden, a bit, it is a lot of work coming up for me. And yes I will be blogging as I go.

2012 Goals

2011-12-29T14:38:00.000-08:00

Well since I'm on the blog ranting and raving I should do this post as well.

I'm not one for setting New Year Goals. But I'm looking at 2012 as a new start. 2011 was pretty brutal to us. Not so much as we trying hard to stay on our feet and some very hard decisions were made. Glad they were made and glad we stuck to our guns, but things are tough.

So for 2012 we are hoping to stay on our feet. That things become easier. We have a family reunion coming up we need to save for. My biggest goal of the year will hit coming right out of the box. Pay off the van. We owe 4297. something. We will be doing our tax return in about 2-3 weeks give or take some time (I lack time) After we pay the school, what ever is left is going to pay off the van in hopes it's enough. If it's not enough we will be tighten our belts even more and paying off the van. Getting rid of this monthly payment will help our bottom line. It's seriously killing us.

I'm hoping to play catch up on some past dues. The TV, Phone and Energy are running about a month beyond. I'm hoping to play catch up there this year. So that would get rid of late payments I pay every month.

Putting in the new garden, we will be doubling if not tripling our space. I am getting at least 5 new fruit trees and maybe some nut trees. Our front yard is getting a bit of a make over as two beds will be removed, too shady to grow anything. I planted them full of beets and nothing grow. How depressing is that? But there is so much to do. From building a fence, to building beds 10-20 new beds. 8-10 feet by 4 feet. Plus lots of smaller beds to hold herbs. I'm thinking of adding in more grapes. Maybe some new blueberry bushes. We are hoping that 75-80% of our food will come from the garden. In hopes we just have to buy flour and meat. That would help our budget a lot.

With that there will be much more canning, drying and freezing. Oh joy.

That and just trying to stay away from the bank, hoping to save a few pennies this year. I was thinking I could just start burying coffee cans in the back yard, but that won't work. We have three dogs that would dig them up. The goats would play kick the can so that won't work either. IDK. We have some financial goals to meet this year. It would be nice to make them. But I don't have high hopes, I figure if we can stay on our feet and be OK, then we will be OK. Worry about saving another day. Be grateful hubby has a job. Be grateful we are slowly saving for retirement now. Slowly it's not a lot, but it's something verses nothing now.

We are hoping we will be able to save to expand out the house, I don't think it should be a 2012 goal. But it's on our radar and if we are able to set aside some money to do so. Like when we have 500 saved call the contractor and get plans made for expanding. When we can afford the permits go and get permits. As we can afford things, get things done. It will be slow, but we are doing cash only. On top of trying to pay down the Mortgage in hopes one day sooner then later to be Mortgage free. Once we are Mortgage free that will free up money to save for retirement. Because right now we can retire when we are 97 years old.

Hoping to continue cupcake of the month. Really hoping to expand out my baking some. I love baking allergy free, it really takes some thinking some days. But yeah it can be fun. I love how my items are gum free. I love how I have been able to stick to my guns and keep the kids safe from food allergies, I don't understand why some people don't understand. My child is allergic it means he really can't eat this. My mother called me the other day, can the boys have corn syrup. Seriously? I'm grateful no new allergies have popped up. I love how I do all the baking for the boys lunches. I don't buy anything from the store for their lunches. It's all hand made. Yes, a lot of work but in the end you save a lot of money and for me that is worth it. I know what is in my kid's food and what is not in the food.

Just hoping to keep up with life. I have fallen behind so many times this year. There are days I'm on my feet until I fall into bed around midnight or later, and then back up at the crack of dawn to do it all again. Someday's I wonder if I should scrap everything and home school the kids. But they love their school so much and honestly I need to get out of the house. So I just hope I can keep up.

Marcie

PISSED, TICKED, LIVID

2011-12-29T13:21:00.000-08:00

So we went through check fraud back in July. The people took everything, from our Mortgage payment that was set to go through the next day or our food budget money for the month. The bank finally did give us our money back, and we were able to pull out the money and pay the Mortgage in person as not to take a ding on our credit report. Thank God!

At the same time we opened a new account and closed down the old. New checks were ordered, but you know what as of today I have not written another check. We went to an all cash only system. We have been on top of our money knowing where every penny goes. So back when we opened our new account we asked for the overdraft protection to be taken off. Because honestly if you have gone through check fraud it is so very scary and for that to happen again would probably kill us. So we sat right there and the lady typed into her computer and said OK it's off. Anything else.

ANYTHING ELSE?

Well this morning I went to check our bank account, I know there is only 3 dollars in there, I know this. Well except it showed a negative 34 dollars? WHAT? So me being beyond livid Hubby called the bank and said we had this taken off in July, you were not to pay anything that we didn't have money for? Why didn't the bank reject it? Well because you have overdraft protection on your account. So we paid it and feed you.

OK BY NOW I'M BEYOND PISSED.

You can hear me in the back ground. WE WERE LIED TOO, THAT FLIPPING LADY LIED TO US. Russell repeats it's the law? What do you mean, we HAVE to have overdraft protection on our account? ME: THAT IS NOT THE LAW, THAT IS A BULL DONKEY DOO (seriously I used those words) LAW, SHE IS LYING TO US AGAIN, THAT IS NOT THE LAW WE DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE OVER DRAFT PROTECTION ON OUR ACCOUNT. HANG UP AND LETS CHANGE BANKS. I'VE SO HAD IT WITH THIS BANK. BULL DONKEY DOO TELLING ME I HAVE TO HAVE OVERDRAFT PROTECTION. YEAH YOU GO THROUGH CHECK FRAUD AND THEN TELL ME I HAVE TO HAVE OVERDRAFT PROTECTION.

All this loud enough for the person to hear on the phone. Boy can I rant when I want to rant. The lady again said it was the law, Hubby said no it's not, we are being lied too. Please reverse the fee, we will not be paying that fee for a mistake you made and in the mean time we will be looking for a new bank.

So Hubby got off the phone and called around. NO it is NOT the law you do not have to have overdraft protection on your account. BUT if you don't have enough money in your account and we have to turn back a payment we charge you a 30 dollar fee. ARG!

NOW 4 years ago, we were in the land of fees, it's how we lived, at one time having 40k of medical bills on our dining room table and doing everything we could to stay afloat. So yes we used that overdraft protection and was feed 30 dollars each time we used it. It killed us but at times it's how we made do. Two years ago we stopped using the over draft protection and were able to stand on our feet. Which was nice, at times only having a few cents in the bank, but they were our few cents. I do NOT want to know how much over the years I have paid in bank fees!

Fast forward to July and we were hit with check fraud, because we had overdraft protection the bank allowed a 2,000 check to clear our account no questions asked. And then feed us on top of things! Because we didn't have 2,000 in the bank. So when we changed accounts we asked for it to be taken off. But we were lied to. I think the biggest issue for me is just the fact we were lied too, someone sat right there and looked me in the face and lied to me.

So hubby called a few banks/credit unions, but this is the norm, no you don't HAVE to have overdraft protection. BUT we will fee you if we have to turn back a payment.

So honestly what is the point of changing banks then?

So we have been cash only since July, we would go to the bank every Friday and get out the cash we need and that would be it. We have never had a debt card (this actually shocked those banks we called), we don't have credit cards, (well wait I do have a pre-pay credit card). So why not take it to the next step and see if we can LIVE without a bank?

LIVE WITHOUT A BANK?

What is stopping us from cashing the work check at work? What is stopping us from going over to the Mortgage bank and paying in person? What is stopping us from going down to the energy company and paying in person? Seriously. Can we live without a bank? So for now we will keep our account open, I will change hubby's pay checks to no longer go into the bank. We will pick them up in person and cash them at work. We will take this day by day and see if we can live without a bank. This might actually be a fun challenge for 2012. The year without the bank!

I will NOT be feed by bank fees in 2012. I will NOT be lied too by banks, I will NOT be told something is the law or we HAVE to do it. I honestly won't be told what to do. I'm too dang old to be told what to do!

So that is my BIG Rant for the day. I'm so fed up with Banks, and fees, the fees just kill ya. Can someone explain to me how being feed 30 dollars per transaction helps you in this game of life? It doesn't it digs you deeper and deeper into the hole. They should just hand you a shovel. Well I'm putting the shovel away. I'm Done.

COTM: Gluten Free Peppermint & Red Velvet Cake

2011-12-28T13:00:00.000-08:00

Oh do I have a pretty one for you this month. I tired to do this before Christmas, but a fight with Directv and I totally forgot to add some of the ingredients. I didn't have another chance to make another batch until yesterday. And OH boy did they turn out this time.

So the recipe is very easy You take my Gluten Free Red Velvet Cake Recipe before you add in the cocoa and beet powder, you separate the batter. Half stays white and the other half you add a bit of cocoa and some beet powder until you get the color you want. Don't forget to add in a dash of peppermint extract into both batters. In the cupcake pans you put some white, top off with some red, and top that off with some white. I baked these at 350 for 20 minutes. If I had to do again, I would make this recipe twice. In one mixer I would leave white, the other mixer I would do the red. I only got about 10 cupcakes going this way and I didn't separate the batter well, so I had more red.

Updating....

2011-12-22T00:12:00.000-08:00

So adore this photo of Ethan. Last Wednesday I finally got my act together at the last second and made three hats for a skit they were putting on at school. (On Thursday) Yep I made this hat. Which of course I will be getting use out of as my in laws just had their 50th anniversary party this past weekend. Ethan wore the hat. I didn't make them for nothing now. Notice no Tucker? Tucker had a massive nose bleed right before the skit was to start. Now see a mother holding a nose, taking photos and taking a white shirt off Tucker because if he gets blood on it I'm dead! At the end of the skit, still holding the nose, one child half naked and photos were taken. I saved the White shirt!

So last Wednesday I started to get sick, by Friday I could not get out of bed sick. Saturday and Sunday were a blur. Because Tucker and I were sick. Saturday night Cole fell sick. Sunday night guess who else fell sick? My oldest, my helper. This isn't just any sick, this is very high fever, not eating, I can't get out of bed sick. We are still in recovery mode. As it was very brutal. Cole still has not over come the fever. But lots of napping going on here, and not much else. Can someone explain how the hubby didn't get sick?

Friday night as I put the kids to bed (about the only thing I did that night) I went to veg out on the couch and watch TV. Well TV was not to be, as our TV receiver decided right then and there it was time to give up the ghost. Hubby called Saturday and they put a new receiver in the mail. Received it Tuesday night and Hubby called today, and called and called. Three different people, including a manager and they won't hook it up for us. We are beyond dumbfounded at this point? So as of right now we are still without TV. No huge deal for me, as it is only turned on when the kids go to bed. But as energy is slowly coming back, I have so much to do. But at this moment I will tell ya Directv has crappy customer service. So not happy spending two hours on the phone, took about 20 minutes just to find us in the computer? After being with them for over 10 years, might be time to leave them? I told hubby one more day if they don't hook us up tomorrow when you call, I'm sending everything back and we are done! (I don't think hubby can live without TV) (someone tell him he may have too)

So because I and two kids were sick we missed out on my in laws anniversary party. Honestly I'm not a party person. But apparently Ethan had a blast showing off his new hat.

Cupcake of the month is coming. It's a great one, but it didn't come out the way I wanted it today, I kinda missed a few steps. Note don't curse out Directv and make cupcakes at the same time. The cupcakes are nummy, but didn't come out the way I wanted. So hopefully tomorrow, would LOVE to post before Christmas.

Christmas, I'm so not ready. Everything has been bought, but not wrapped. I finished up everything last week, so there would be no mad dash going to the store for this or that. Which is good now that we've been so sick. Many will not receive Christmas cards. As my list is on a computer, the computer is in a cabinet, behind the couch, the couch has jars under it. When one is sick they are too week to do diddle squat so the computer will stay put and I have to let things go.

Christmas...I'm more freaking out about after Christmas. There is mountain of work to be done after Christmas. Need to make plans on expanding the garden and getting beds in and ready for spring. I have to re-wrap the green house. It's so crazy how time is just flying by these days. Barely a time to breath these days. To me it's amazing how the babies are just growing.

Until later...

Christmas Photo Time

2011-12-10T16:59:00.000-08:00

I feel like I'm soooooooooooooo far behind in life right now. It couldn't be the 12 Angel Costumes I just got done making for their Christmas Play could it be?

So decided this was the morning we were going to do the darn Christmas photo...I got the kids dressed, took them out into the cold and said one good shot and we will go in! I got a few good shots, but all in less then 5 minutes, they seem to be pros at this (or is it the cold?)

I then came in and was on Costco.com and they have a great Christmas card price going on right now. So I cheated, I am letting them do our Christmas cards, in turn saving me from running all over town because only one store carries the right envelope I need, and I can never remember the store! I will run out of Card stock, I won't ever really decide on a card until 2 days before Christmas. Yes, I have been known to mail out Christmas cards on Christmas Eve!

So I pick them up Friday then I will go to the post office and mail them. I only bought a few, so in case you don't receive one, the first photo is my Christmas card, the second photo is just too cute.

COTM: Double Chocolate Cupcakes Gluten Free

2011-11-28T23:03:00.000-08:00

First we shall do a lesson in baking powder

Without...

With...

USE IT....Lesson over...

Double Chocolate Cupcakes Allergy Free
By Ginger Lemon Girl
Converted by Marcie Dingerson

2 Cups Gluten Free Mix (I use Bob's All Purpose)
1/4 Cup Baking Cocoa
1/2 Cup Agave
2/3 Cup Almond Milk (I used Rice)
1 Cup Pumpkin
2 Teaspoons Vanilla
1 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Salt
Chocolate Chips

Basically I dumped everything in the bowl and mixed, this made about 12 cupcakes. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. I did fill the tins 3/4ths full. Enjoy.

Which Owl?

2011-11-27T23:27:00.000-08:00

I spent tonight designing this owl. Obviously I have more work to do. The bottom of that body needs to be expanded out a bit and his wings need to be adjusted. But other then that I think he is adorable?

Owl number two is a pattern I bought.

Which one are you digging?

Updating

2011-11-26T00:26:00.000-08:00

Lots going on here and not enough time to blog. First Bridget has been sick, very, very sick. Basically her partner in life died, she lost her spunk and the other goats took the chance to beat her up and push her around. Unaware to me until she started to drop serious weight. So last Monday night I found her down really late at night, another goat probably knocked her over and she couldn't get up. Well I picked her up and brought her in and she was in the goat hospital (aka laundry room). We brought in hay and gave her grain and treated for worms yet again and kept her warm and happy.

Tuesday was spent giving her a bath. I kid ya not I gave this goat a bath. She has had diarrhea so very badly and she needed a good bath and tail cutting. Another night in the laundry room and I was ready to kick her out. But I couldn't just kick her out, she needs her own space where she won't be picked on and where she can eat.

Here comes in the make shift pen. We went out and bought a tarp and set to work. We used things that were in the back field and came up with this. Really hard to see because we spent two freezing hours on this project and it was near dark when we were done. But she gets to see her goat friends, she has her own space where she can eat freely all by herself. During the day we will let her out and as it gets dark put her away. The great thing is I can see her from the house. So if there is a problem I can spot it right away. She is starting to gain weight, and the most exciting news is she has normal poop.

In the goat world sadly poop is where it's at. If a goat has diarrhea, basically start digging a hole, she is sick and you can rarely save them. Normally poop means everything is working well. We got lucky with her. You should see how happy Bridget is in her new palace.

Speaking of that it took me over an hour to clean up the goat hospital. I have forgotten how messy this can get because we haven't had anyone in the laundry room in a very long time.

Next I went looking for a recipe and for the life of me I could not find it. But I found stacks and stacks of printed recipes and all sorts of binders, half full. So I organized. When I was done, I still didn't find the recipe.

See I organized!

Next, It's Thanksgiving and I am not big at all about Thanksgiving. Maybe because my mother is always drunk and speaking negatively about everyone, and my father is usually passed out from too much food after the meal. The TV on really loudly, kids bored out of their mind because dinner is an hour late, because my mother had so much negative to say and she wants to make sure she got it all out? Honestly I don't want the kids around that. So I ditched it this year. And honestly I'm not up for making a Thanksgiving meal here. So we did a rousing meal of fish and chips and onion rings.

We have plans to hopefully one day to expand out our house a bit, with that giving us a bigger dining room and kitchen and living room, and I like to use and a lot apparently? So I'm hoping down the road to put on a big meal and have an open invite to everyone from family to friends, and either come or go I don't care, but your invited. So one hopes I can do that soon?

So I am loving this pumpkin picture....

Because it shows off the table runner I have been working on. Isn't it lovely?

Then we have the 30 dollar Thanksgiving make over. Do you see the piece holding up the TV, I spent a whopping 30 dollars on it. It totally inspired us to make over the whole room. After getting this piece in and the TV up and everything moved in. We decided to take everything else out of the room. We re-worked the bookcases and we got rid of a lot of toys. It needed to be done. So basically if there wasn't room, it wasn't coming into the room.

In the end, 5 bags of toys in the garage, a garbage can full, and two book cases were removed. See you can see the wall now. I totally love that we got rid of a lot of toys. I love how you can walk in there. I love how there is a space for everything! I yell clean up and it's cleaned up in 5 minutes now. Because the kids know where to put the toys.

Apple Pie Anyone

2011-11-20T20:33:00.000-08:00

So I somehow got roped into making Gluten Free Apple Pies for the school feast. I don't know how this happened, just started talking and walked away with me making pies. I used Cybele's Recipe out of her Book I used my Apple Pie Filling from my Recipe page and there you go. Two awesome looking Gluten Free Pies.

Who know Gluten Free could look so good? Let's just hope they taste just as good?

My Weekend

2011-11-06T19:31:00.000-08:00

Today two more monsters were made. They are so ugly they are cute. It kills me. Now in the photo below you can see which three I made and which two we picked up at a craft show.

Look What I Made

2011-11-05T22:30:00.000-07:00

So we adopted two monsters today, photos to come on those. I thought I could make those. So I came home and created some monsters. This was the first one done. He will be adopted by Cole. I need to hit Goodwill and get some plushy fabric, I don't normally buy or use plushy fabric. So more to come, stay tuned.

He is so ugly, that he is cute.

Owl

2011-11-04T22:16:00.000-07:00

How utterly adorable is this owl? We went to a sale today and apparently he just had to come home with us. I gave in because having 15 billion stuffed animals in this house is just not enough!

COTM: Gluten Free Marble Cupcakes

2011-10-31T22:03:00.000-07:00

So here you go, Cupcake of the Month. A very nummy chocolate and vanilla marbled cupcake.

Gluten Free Marble Cupcake

1 Teaspoon Vanilla
1 Cup Pumpkin
1 Cup sugar
1/4 Cup melted Coconut Oil
2/3 Cup Coconut Milk

Mix Then Add;

1/2 Teaspoon Salt
2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1 3/4 Cups Bob's All Purpose Mix

Mix then take out about one cup of batter, add to that one cup 1/3 Cup Baking Cocoa, and 1/4 Cup boiling Water.

Fill Cupcake pan with Vanilla and Chocolate well swirling it. I used a knife to mix things up. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Incredible Allergy Free Chocolate Cookies

2011-10-30T20:21:00.000-07:00

Do you see the photos? Oh yeah baby. Chocolate cookies covered in chocolate. How can it get any better? Oh it can get better, they are gluten, dairy, soy, corn, and everything else free and they taste amazing.

These are freezer cookies, what is funny is I put them into the freezer days ago and totally forgot about them until this morning. Oops. So I took them out and sliced them up and baked them. I then covered them in melted chocolate and there you go. Some happy kids eating, nummy chocolate cookies.

Yeah, I'm missing a few, kids attacked I saved what I could.

Incredible Allergy Free Chocolate Cookies
By Marcie Dingerson

1/2 Cup coconut oil melted
1 Cup Sugar
1/3 Cup Rice Milk
3/4 tsp Peppermint Extract
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Mix and add

2 Cups all Purpose Flour, I use Bob's.
1/3 Cup Cocoa
1/4 Cup Tapioca Flour/Starch
1/2 tsp salt.

Mix. Roll into a log and cover with plastic and put into the freezer for at least two hours, I did days and they still turned out fine. Bake at 375 for 12 minutes.

I covered with melted enjoy life chips and a little coconut oil.

Shhhh Don't Tell Rachel

2011-10-16T23:59:00.000-07:00

Just whipped this up for a Girl Named Rachel...I hope she likes it. It's arriving in her mail box soon.

What Is Wrong With This Picture?

2011-10-16T23:54:00.000-07:00

My Four Year Old has more homework then my 8 Year Old!

There is something seriously wrong here? And Cole is so very serious about his homework. Lord Help Me.

Gotta Love It!

10-11-2011

2011-10-11T13:36:00.000-07:00

We lost an Angel today. Very sad day here. Angel was 16 and so we know her time was coming. Sunday when this photo was taken, I realized after the photo was taken, she was acting really weird. When I realized she was looking for a place to die. We brought her in and made her comfy in the living room. Where she was until she passed on this morning. This way her every need was meet, and someone was always with her.

Now Angel was my dog, when she was 2 I rescued her from a really bad house. She was beaten and abused and it took many years to get her to realize that I won't hit her. If she could be glued to my side then she was. To the point I would consently trip over her. She was all mine.

And so today it was no surprise she waited for me to come home to die, She wanted me holding her.

But let me tell you about the last few days. See yesterday as we were coming home from school, I turned onto our street where I came eye to eye with a deer. I sat there for the longest time on our street looking at this deer. We do not have deer around here. We have lived here for 9 years, never a deer. But yesterday? A deer, and I was eye to eye with it? He didn't run off, nothing, just steered right back at me. I now believe that was Jake, Jake had come back to take Angel home with him. Those two have been together since I picked up Angel 14 years ago.

So today, big rain storm happening today. I ran to Lacey after dropping off the boys. Then over to Tumwater, get done, and get back in the car soaking wet. I get a call from hubby, we need canning lids. Really? Um yeah? So I go back into the store and buy canning lids. In that short amount of time, I come out to no rain. I am able to drive home with no rain issues. I walk into the house and put down my things and go to her. She curls up to me and passes on. She had waited for me. It was that fast.

When I realized she was gone, her Spirit and everything is just gone, it's just her body there. It was so very quick, knowing she is not there, I get up and look outside, where the sun comes out and it's so bright and sunny. I realize that is her, she is telling me she is OK. She is with Jake now and she will wait for me.

Angel was 16. She will be missed.

Cupcake Of The Month; GF Red Velvet Cake

2011-09-30T22:29:00.000-07:00

Well I don't know when it became September 30th, but it somehow did. I thought I had plenty of time to do this cupcake, but apparently I did not.

I have been wanting to do a Red Velvet for months now. This cupcake through is not a true Red Velvet, it's a really good cupcake, but I had ran out of beet powder, so they look like chocolate verses red.

I will be putting up beets here shortly and trying the recipe again using new red beet powder. Aiming to make it a true red velvet.

But the cupcake itself is very good. Every bite the kids took was Oh Mom This Is Good! Three raving reviews. So that is good enough for me. This is just a great cupcake, great form and one I will be doing over and over again. Just a great cupcake all around.

Cupcake Of The Month
Gluten Free Red Velvet Cake
By Marcie Dingerson

Make ahead:

Mock buttermilk, 1 cup rice milk, about a tablespoon vinegar set aside.
Flax Egg, Ground Flax, and sparkling water, mix and set aside.

1/4 Cup coconut Oil
1 Cup Sugar
Flax Egg
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
1 Cup Buttermilk

Mix and add in:

2 1/4 Cup all Purpose Flour, I used Bob's Gluten Free Mix
2 Tablespoons cocoa
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Salt
Beet Powder, I just dump until red.

Mix, bake at 350 for 18-21 minutes. I did little cupcakes at 18 minutes.

Icing, was coconut milk, mixed with powdered sugar until formed, and mix with strawberry powder for coloring. I have no idea on measurements, I just dumped until formed. But this is good with or without icing.

Ellie Got Some New Clothes

2011-09-23T22:03:00.000-07:00

Ellie got a new coat today, and some new pj's. Plus her new blankie. She is styling now.

Ellie

2011-09-21T22:43:00.000-07:00

The Birth of a Monkey. Oh Dear God how I hate sewing patterns. I do not understand the language it is written in, all the tucks and folds and flips. Oh why can't something be simple? This monkey took three hours to birth, luckily I did all the sewing long after the kids went to bed, as cuss words were a-flying.

BUTTTTTTTTT I think she turned out pretty well, she has some flaws, but she was the first monkey and I can only get better from here. Well I can hope?

So before going to bed last night, I put her on Tucker's bed, and boy was he thrilled to wake up to a new Monkey, but not any Monkey, a GIRL Monkey. So she needed a name, Ellie. So she was named, but Mom she needs clothes now. So tonight I made a very simple sundress. And Mom you HAVE to go to Goodwill tomorrow she needs a blanket and there is NOTHING Pink in this house. And Mom anything Pink will do, because she needs a blanket. So guess where I'm heading tomorrow?

I think she is now adorable, the dress put her over the top in cuteness. You after all can't have a naked Monkey running around.

Bath-Time

2011-09-18T21:42:00.000-07:00

Guess who needed a bath after a few hours of playing with Chalk?

Change Of Plans

2011-09-09T23:47:00.000-07:00

So sadly as life changes, plans change as well. We were trying to pay down the van 100 a week, and yes it was killing us, but we were doing it. I had planned on taking a free week this week as we are getting hit with everything under the sun and miss a payment, and pick it up again next week. But here is where the plans change. We are putting paying the van on hold for now. And for the next 10 weeks we are going to attempt to save 100 a week, as hubby's truck is really not doing well at all. So we either need to fix up his truck, or buy him something to run back and fourth from work.

For right now we will continue to duct tape his truck up and really hope for the best.

After hubby is taken care of with an OK car for travel. We will continue to pay down the van. Although if there is anything extra in the budget I will put it towards the van. Currently stalled at 4409.

Order of things

newer car for hubby

one last medical debt (we are paying monthly but it needs to leave us)

Pay off the Van

Have a little savings

Work on paying down the house

Sadly, it might be time for an expert?

2011-09-08T23:05:00.000-07:00

Well sadly I think I'm about to give up the fight? I have been trying off and on to fix Ethan's "new" sewing machine. I have fused with the bobbin, I have changed the bobbin, I have changed thread many times. I have opened it up and cleaned it out, I have seen it run with the covers off, there is a spot where it bunches and for the life of me I can't figure it out. You name it I have done it.

But if I keep going, he may be 30 before I get this to start working. So it may be time to save up a bit and get an expert. Well someone more knowledgeable in sewing machines then I.

First Day Of School

2011-09-07T22:05:00.000-07:00

Well a sad day here as the kids head back to school, and we must start setting the alarm clock. After a sleepless night we got up way too early and headed to school. Ethan couldn't sleep, told me he was worried about the class having too many kids. Asked him about it today after school, and the class has just the right number of kids.

Cole had a blast, he was so happy when I picked them up. And he actually wants to go back tomorrow. So very sad, he is liking school. Fine i'll take them all back tomorrow.

Challenging Ourselves Again

2011-09-05T23:47:00.000-07:00

Yes, you read that right, we are going to challenge ourselves again.

So looking at our budget, I spend WAY too much money at the grocery store. Well needless to say this HAS to stop. My garden is growing, it's time to eat what we grow, Time to eat what I can, and or dry. We normally do one big shopping trip a month, then we end up at the store at least once a week, spending an extra 50 or more dollars. It has to stop. If I run out of something tough, find something else, if I run out of juice tough, I have water, and canned apple juice. No chips, well again TOUGH, you don't need the salt.

So we will continue to do our one day monthly shopping, but I will be writing out a calendar of food, working around eating out of the garden, and eating out of our jars. Our goal is to do one big shopping trip and just one small shopping trip because you know I will forget something. Our goal is to save 100-150 dollars a month. And that should help us pay the van payment without crying weekly. We just need breathing room in our budget.

This is our under the bed stash.

Our challenge starts on the Friday the ninth of September.

Weekly Update 9/3

2011-09-03T19:23:00.000-07:00

So we painfully made the payment to the van we are down to 4409, finally over the 4500 hump. We maybe going into October in the 3k range which would be awesome. I will tell ya, this is surely testing us. We take our money one day at a time. On that note, we have not written one check since we were hit with check fraud a few months ago. Totally cash only. Although we lack cash, so it's good to see where it all goes and do you really need that?

Today I really wanted to get out of the house, and we haven't been garage sale-ing in well over a year. It was due. Although we stayed in town, to be close to a bathroom, and that way if momma got cranky we could come home. Kids, heat, and signs that lead to no where, can make a mom very cranky.

I found books, tons and tons of books. Priced between 10-25 cents. We came home with a van load (for the school library). And this print. Something I had to have for the library. I think after I paint out there, this will look snazy, hanging on the wall. It looks like someone hand painted it, but after getting it home, we realized it was a print. But it's still snazy. The photos do not do this justice.

Not much else to report around here. Boys start back to school on Wednesday, I'm canning like crazy, because once school starts, time will be lacking. I am updating my canning totals as I go.

We are hoping the heat will help my many tomatoes turn red, very exciting to have tomatoes. As I'm down to my last jar of sauce around here. We are all out of salsa. I will be getting my recipes in order so as the tomatoes start to come in, and I get home from school I can get going. I am not to waste one tomato.

Until next week.

Gluten Free Zucchini Fritters

2011-08-31T23:10:00.000-07:00

So I ran into this recipe yesterday and thought I need to try this one. I have some zucchini to use up. I need a new recipe that is garden based. The boys ate them up, Tucker had four, daddy had a few and I liked mine topped with salt. I will do this recipe again.

http://budgetbytes.blogspot.com/2011/01/zucchini-fritters-208-recipe-035.html

Gluten Free Zucchini Fritters
By Budget Bytes
Converted by Marcie Dingerson

2 cups shredded zucchini (2 small or .75 lbs)
1/2 tsp minced garlic (1 small clove)
1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried basil

1 handful fresh parsley

to taste salt and pepper

Flax Egg

3/4 cup gf all purpose flour

Mix all together, clump them up and fry them up, easy peasy.

1/2 cup canola oil (for frying)

COTM: Reversed Mint Chocolate Cupcake

2011-08-29T20:37:00.000-07:00

I can not believe how fast this month has gone by. Looked at the calendar and realized the end of the month is sooner then later. AAARRRGGGG.

So went looking through my cupcake books looking for just the right cupcake to convert. I found it in a very surprising place. The Enjoy Life Cupcake Book, now if you don't have this cookbook, I will tell ya it's one you should have. I wanted to do this recipe to show you, that most gf flours are interchange-able.

Reversed Mint Chocolate Cupcakes

By Enjoy Life Cupcakes for Everyone!

Converted by Marcie Dingerson

1/3 Cup Applesauce

1/2 teaspoon natural peppermint flavor/extract

1 teaspoon rice vinegar

1 cup rice milk

1/2 cup sugar

Mix and then add:

2 1/3 cup Gf Flour Mix (I used Bob's Red Mill)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix and add in Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips. Recipe calls for 1/3 cup, I just dumped.

Bake at 350 for 21-25 Minutes

I got 8 thumbs up. And next time, add some cocoa mom.

Here Mom!

2011-08-25T22:54:00.000-07:00

Honestly it was that easy. We sat down to dinner, Tucker pulls out his tooth, out of his mouth, and handed it to me and said "Here Mom"

No pain, no drama, no loose nothing, just a here mom. And a front tooth to boot!

Tucker's first tooth, lost today....

Get Your Kleenex

2011-08-24T21:08:00.000-07:00

Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate the life of our beloved apple tree. Sadly our tree passed on today. It lived to the ripe old age of 8 1/2 years old. It was loved, it was cherished, it was family. It feed us, It shaded us, It was our joy.

Sometime during the night, it died of apple failure. We did everything we could when it was found this morning, but it was too late. All we could do was save the apples.

Now we are debating rather to replace, or expand out the beds and put the new apple trees in the back?

Apple Pie Filling anyone? I have a few hundred pounds of apples all over my living room floor.

Waiting

2011-08-23T22:02:00.000-07:00

Oh how I hate waiting....

This is Bridget, at the moment I don't think she is pregnant, she went into heat a few weeks ago and was jumped by Leo, Well Leo is fixed and that we are sure of.

Sierra, she's due at any moment.

Can ya tell?

This is Max, he is just fat. Well unless he wants to throw a curve ball at me?

Millie, no idea at this point. Either really fat, or we have quads coming.

Becca, I believe she is expecting, She went very skinney after having triples. She kept her slim figure until last month. Now she has bumps on either side.

Bridget, not expecting.

Oh how I hate waiting....

Weekly Update

2011-08-21T21:57:00.000-07:00

Well I would say it has been a week. A very long week. We made our van payment this week, not as much as I wanted, but what can one do. We are down to 4569.

Saturday I took the boys to the beach. I went by myself with three boys and one dog. Yes, I'm NUTS. But I did it. My parents were at the beach, and so we meet up with them. Westport was also having their crafts festival. We dragged the boys through that. The boys in turn dragged me through a few local shops. Before we called it a day.

We had lunch, and then we hit the beach. Ethan and Sitka running to the water.

Ethan in the water.

Ethan and Sitka in the water.

My new bowl from the craft festival....Love It. To stay on budget, I paid nothing for it....Mom bought it, I'm surprised she didn't save it for Christmas? Oh well, it's in my kitchen now.

And to end the week, Blackberry picking started today....YEAH. We actually don't have to go far, we have bushes in our front yard, thanks to our neighbor. And we just have to walk up and down the road.

With a Heavy And Sad Heart

2011-08-19T19:57:00.000-07:00

Today Dale has passed away. Sadly he has been getting older and feeling his age, sleeping more, and not being able to get up and down like he would like. Eating had become a chore. And we sadly thought we would loose him before winter.

We went out to feed the goats today and I noticed Dale was not getting up. Went over to him and realized he had a hurt leg, sometime between last night and this morning he had hurt his leg pretty badly. I bandaged him up, we gave him grain and we got him up on his feet. I walked him around the yard and then he took a nap. He was able to get up on his own after that. About 4pm he was no longer in my sight so I went out to check on him.

Dale was laying down, so I went to help him up, and he looked at me and said "No Mom" I said, "Yes, lets get up" he looked at me and said "No Mom, I'm tired" Sigh, I put his head back down, and I held him, I said "Ok". At the same time his brother Chip I kid you not was throwing a fit, he was screaming and yelling and stomping his feet.

Dale took his last breath, Chip stopped his fit and turned his back to me. I realized he was probably telling his brother to fight, fight because you can't leave me, Mom is here she will make it all better. MOM FIX IT!

I know Dale was tired, I know he had no more fight in him. He was pretty old for a goat, and for the years I had him, I say he had a pretty good life. This gently giant will be greatly missed.

Now I'm praying Chip makes it through this. Goats can die of a broken heart, and when your brother of 11-12 years leaves you, it can hurt.

Flop!

2011-08-16T22:05:00.000-07:00

Flop!!!!!!

Try number two coming soon!

Pockets

2011-08-16T15:18:00.000-07:00

No not those type of pockets, these are pockets you can eat!

First no real recipe here. I used Flying Aprons recipe for pockets, http://www.amazon.com/Flying-Aprons-Gluten-Free-Vegan-Baking/dp/1570616299/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1313532680&sr=1-1

I used her recipe ingredient for ingredient so I won't post it here, But this gives you more of an idea and you can use just about any gf recipe that you can roll out. Although I have to say hands down the Flying Apron cookbook is AMAZING!

So I made pockets, I rolled them out about the size of your hand, they are on the smaller end as these are for the boys, school lunches. Each boy got to fill their own, and we baked them at 350 for about 20 minutes. I then put them into the freezer for some up-coming school lunches. Easy Peasy.

For filling we used lunch meat (crap free kind), chicken, left over taco meat, diaya cheeses, carrot slices, all sorts of peppers, pesto (because i only have 125 jars of it in the freezer), we had all the fillings in bowls and the boys went to town.

I will be making this again soon, we ran out of meet and had to stop.

Roll out the dough, now notice my tiny roller? You can pick this up at any cake section of a Joann's or Michael's.

Rolled out.

Being filled.

Done being baked.

Lovely right?

A close up.

Weekly Update 7/12/11

2011-08-12T21:40:00.000-07:00

So a very busy week here, baking and cooking, getting ready for the upcoming school year. I have whoopee pies, and bread coming to the blog soon. I have 50 green peppers coming tomorrow. My oldest LOVES green peppers. So I'm slicing them up for the freezer, so he can take them to school for lunches and we can use them in recipes and such.

So van wise, we were able to make our weekly payment, so very painful through. But I can not wait to pay it off. We are currently at 4660.04. And I have redone the math, leaving us some breathing room. Our new pay off date is July 15th of 2012.

And sadly Strawberry season is over, so that means it's full blown canning season will be hitting. Come Sunday I want to get green beans and carrots into the cannier. I have put 24 cups of zucchini into the freezer all ready. Lots more to come.

Ode To Lori Bakes

2011-08-11T23:14:00.000-07:00

Oh how I love Lori, as I'm standing here 11pm at night, high on Garth Brooks (CD Player, not in person!) and Diet Coke, with the music up way too loud, cooking away. I have the cookies for whoopie pies, I have marshmallows in the fridge, I have peppers in the freezer, I have jars filled with nummy mixes.

Yes, sadly I'm prepping for school starting. I'm hoping to do better this year with a freezer full of food, jars filled with baking mixes.

So tonight I am expressing my love to Lori Bakes, if you have not bought any of her books, then well what are you waiting for. Oh I'm sure you are sitting there, saying, well we are egg free, or corn free, or this or that free. I am standing here telling you, her recipes are beyond so easy to convert. And I do have to convert just about everything I have had to try. And everything has come out awesome.

So my awesome quick tip for those who are busy with kids in school is to make your own mixes and save ten tons of money. Just make sure you mark your jars properly (I know this one all too well).

Put the dry ingredients in a jar, mark the top, I can get these brownies in the oven in less then 5 minutes. It takes all of two minutes to make up 10 mixes. And for next to nothing I have ten brownie mixes.

http://www.amazon.com/Lori-Bakes-Gluten-Snacks-Sweets/dp/B002PD9CQ8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1313129544&sr=8-1

Check out Lori on Amazon, or her website www.loribakes.com

1-2-3-4 Brownies
By Lori Bakes
Converted by Marcie Dingerson

In the jar

3/4 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup potato starch
2 tablespoons tapioca flour
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Seal, Mark and store on the shelf. When you are ready for some nummy brownies.

Flax egg
egg replacer egg (yes I use both)(mix both and set aside)
1 cup Sugar
3/4 cup applesauce
2 teaspoon vanilla

Add all wet ingredients into a bowl and mix, add in one jar of brownie mix. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, I use a 8 x 8 pan.

Too Cute!

2011-08-11T13:29:00.000-07:00

How cute is this? I made a mock up of a teepee I'm making for the boy's class. Just to see what tweaks I needed to do. No real tweaks needed, need to work a little on the door, but yeah everything looks real good, and it was so easy to do.

I used this pattern http://obsessivelystitching.blogspot.com/2010/02/tent-week-day-four-twin-sheet-teepee.html and I'm so happy I waited until the kids went to bed. I had the print out and the computer, in front of me as I was working on it. It did go pretty smoothly, and I could probably whip out one in less then an hour.

To flipping cute, the kids are going to have a hoot with these.

Week 3 Update

2011-08-05T20:44:00.000-07:00

So my week has been centered around The Rummage Sale. I was putting on a Rummage Sale for the boy's school, and this was the weekend for it. Thursday was spent getting the items to the gym, organizing and pricing. Have to say we did a pretty darn good job. Friday was spent selling, selling and selling. We did great today and hoping Saturday brings a lot more buyers.

On the van front, thrilled to say we were able to catch up from last week, plus this week's payment. Currently at 4759.06

Tenting It

2011-08-02T23:18:00.000-07:00

Well to mix things up this summer, we got out the tent for the boys to sleep in. BUT they wanted to sleep in their room. So they cleaned up their room, and we put the tent in their room. Don't they look cozy.

COTM: Zucchini-Spice Cupcake

2011-07-31T20:23:00.000-07:00

This month I went in a different direction with the cupcake of the month. I'm looking for something I can bake weekly for a quick breakfast for the boys. The boys are bottom-less pits, so this would be a quick snack they can eat in the car on the way to school, sort of thing.

And boy did I deliver. These are gone, I got Oh Mom, I got Oh Boy These Are Good. They love it with and without the frosting.

Gluten Free Zucchini-Spice Cupcakes
By Martha Stewart
Converted by Marcie Dingerson

1/2 cup Applesauce
1/2 cup Canola Oil
1 Cup Pumpkin
1 tablespoon Vanilla
1/4 teaspoon Lemon Juice
1 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Cups Grated Zucchini

Mix and then add in:

3 Cups Bob's All Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons pumpkin pie seasoning

Optional 1 cup walnuts, I did not add this. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes.

Cream-Cheese Frosting

1 container plain coconut yogurt
1/2 cup coconut oil melted
3 cups corn free confectioner's sugar sifted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Mix.

*Note if I had to do this again I would not add the oil. I wanted to add only 2 cups sugar, but had to add a third to get it thick.

Week 2 Update & Feeding The Ducks

2011-07-29T20:53:00.000-07:00

We wanted out of the house this week, so we went down to Boast Park and fed the ducks. We normally stop at Safeway to pick up some bread first. Because we don't have bread in this house. We then walked around the lake, a nice hike to wear out the kids.

Week Two update. Well money wise things are not good. Too many bills this week, plus I will be using gas this week. So looking at our budget for the upcoming weeks we decided to only pay the van 50 this week, making up difference next week. Currently 4898.72

This upcoming week, I am putting on a Rummage Sale for the boy's school. Send up some prayers it goes smoothly. Hoping to sell out and make a lot of money....I'm excited through. Although after the rummage sale, the bulk of my canning hits.

Art Lesson

2011-07-26T22:37:00.000-07:00

So Ethan comes to me with his art book and asked if he could do this. I'm beyond busy and I'm like sure whatever. Next thing I know we were knee deep in paint. The boys painted all afternoon, they thought they had free rain to my paints, and paper.

So with this, they took about 5 marbles, dipped them into paint, and rolled them around on paper. Easy Peasy. Kept them busy for hours. I have art all over this house.

Pretty Right?

Weekly Update

2011-07-22T20:41:00.000-07:00

First on our van challenge. We were able to put 150 towards the van, it was the vans turn in the budget to be paid anyway so this week was good. Next couple of weeks I'm praying we can do this. Currently at 4939.

Next, I got Whoopie pans....Exciting. Look for Whoopie Pies soon from me!

Next, someone explain to me how a cat can sleep like this? Seriously. She is right above my head when I sleep. It's not fun when she flips off in the middle of the night and lands on my head.

Next, Bunny is doing well, these are the new digs.

We are toying with releasing him/her soon. So we will see. Healing is going well.

Next, exciting news for this boy. He is soooooooooo excited. He will be going to preschool Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. And he will be going to his brothers school on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This child wanted to ditch preschool last year and only go to brothers school, he was a self-proclaimed kindergartner. So this makes for a nice compromise for everyone. We finally got everything settled this week.

Canned Potatoes

2011-07-18T21:26:00.000-07:00

So yesterday I canned 50 pounds of potatoes, or 36 quarts, or 18 meals. Canning potatoes is one of the easiest things ever. You just peel the potato, dice, put into water, rinse off and put into a jar, top with water, a pinch of salt, and process in a pressure cannier at 40 minutes.

So sadly one of my twins broke yesterday, so I only had one working cannier. It seems the gauge on the second cannier decided to up and quit working. So on my list for Friday is to go and buy another gauge. Ace is well known for selling cannier parts.

These are my tiny square potatoes.

Challenging Ourselves

2011-07-16T21:57:00.000-07:00

We have set ourselves on a one year challenge. It will be a really tough challenge. Tougher then anything we have been through. I think if we crack the whip we can do this challenge.

There will be weeks where we fail yes, there will be weeks we go without this or that to make this happen. But the outcome of this challenge will be well worth it.

Our goal, our challenge will be to pay off the van by August of 2012. One year.

I think as long as we don't have to deal with check fraud again, and can keep a tight lip on everything. We can do this. I hate having debt. I want to be totally debt free. I hated having to get a loan for the van. Hated. I so hate having to make a monthly payment. So if we can tighten things even more around here soon our van payment will be gone.

Updating

2011-07-15T20:58:00.000-07:00

So the dust is starting to settle around here. We received our money back rather quickly. But our Mortgage and Insurance bounced. Not pretty around here. As Thursday was spent calling our Mortgage company, and our bank and back again. We ended up going to our bank, removing the money and going over to our Mortgage bank and paying in person. Then coming home for another round of calls.

Well at the our bank, we finished closing the old account, nothing more was to come out of the old account. Lordy I had a list a mile long to take care of. And she took care of it.

We get home to find our insurance has cleared out of the old account. This is the point I want to bang my head against a wall. Luckily I was going to deal with insurance on Friday so the money was there for them. But me not happy with the bank over this.

But happy to report our Mortgage is good.

The dust is slowly settling and we are tightening our belts and making plans for the future. We are hoping to never write another check. We are hoping to be creative, on how we pay things we need to pay. We are hoping to pick up where we left off next week. Hoping?

Emma 1 years old. She's the spoiled rotten baby.

It All Started Thursday Night

2011-07-10T23:06:00.000-07:00

Boy it's been a couple of crazy days. It all started Thursday night, as I looked at our bank account to see if our paycheck had dropped and what I found sent me into shock, nearly throwing up and shaking. We were victims of check fraud. A nearly two thousand dollar check cleared our bank, now anyone that knows us knows we don't have that kind of money. So it took our mortgage money, insurance, and money we were going to use for food shopping. And we owed the bank well over one thousand dollars. Not to mention all the fees we got hit with. Which those will be returned.

Hubby was at the bank at 7am to clear this up. We will see our money back, but not in time to clear our mortgage, we had to borrow money to feed our kids, And our paycheck in currently caught in limbo. Basically we are up a creek with holes in the boat and no paddles. We have to change accounts. We spent hours, calling companies and changing this or that.

To let you know the check looks nothing likes ours, makes me wonder if they somehow got our info off line? There were so many mistakes with the check, it dumbfounds me how it cleared? It just kills me on how we work so flipping hard and it sometimes takes everything we have, and someone can come and take it all away.

Poor hubby was between the bank and police department most of the day on Friday. Before he came home for about an hour and left for work. We will recover and move on. But right now the wind has been knocked out of us, and everything is up in the air.

Saturday was spent food shopping. As having three kids at home, seems to wipe us totally out of food. In the evening I had somehow lost total control of the house, kids, everything. So I just focused on the watering and getting my things done and let the kids be total monkeys.

When the neighbors cat came home with dinner. I happen to be close by and the neighbor caught the cat and I took dinner from her, a baby bunny. Poor bunny had taken a beating. I didn't even blink I took the bunny home, and googled on how to take care of it. I sent hubby out to look for a nest. He couldn't find anything. I spent him back after dark with a flashlight and still nothing. It's hard to know about where she got the bunny. So we don't really know where to look.

So it seems we have a bunny. She has perked up, she's eating good, she's about 20 plus days old as far as I can tell. The kids are adoring the new bunny. Here is a photo of the first night we had the bunny. Kirby and the bunny all curled up sleeping on my legs well I was on the computer.

So today I needed to get out of the house. Normally I'm happy to be stuck at home, knowing we are not using gas and saving money. But today I had to get out. I had came across a sewing class I wanted Ethan to take, it costs 350 and it's a week long class and you get a new sewing machine. Well needless to say we don't have 350. Right now we are at negative nothing. So I started thinking maybe next year? Well that won't work, that is about the time we do our family camping trip. So I thought maybe I could find an used sewing machine at goodwill and get it fixed up and teach Ethan to sew?

We found a newer plastic sewing machine that was in pieces. Ethan begged and I said no. We than came across this one. It's metal, it's all in good condition. It runs really well. And at 12 bucks it was a steal. Now I will get it serviced and cleaned out and teach my child how to sew? Lord Help Me.

But as we kept looking around we came across a sewing table. I thought that would be cool to keep his machine on. Well until we realized there was a sewing machine in the table. It's in good shape as well. We will need a new cord. So this one will be a project we will work on later. Hopefully I can get this one fixed up for Tucker. And a steal at 15 dollars.

And then tonight. Here is the cat and the bunny all curled up on the couch. This was after the cat licked the bunny clean. They may become good friends after all?

I for one is hoping for a very calm week ahead. Hoping to clear things up at the bank, so we are able to move forward in our lives.

Playing With The Boys

2011-07-03T00:35:00.000-07:00

Out playing with the boys today.

Backyard Updates

2011-06-28T22:58:00.000-07:00

I really wish I had taken before shots, because you would not believe the changes.

This week we have moved the play structure back, many feet, that very heavy thing. We moved it one inch at a time. We then put the fence back up so the dogs can't get into the play structure. Then Ethan and I moved the wood chips from the old play area, to the new play area. Two very hard days of work there. But we did it.

This is where the old play structure use to be, before being moved back about ten feet. We will now be tilling this area and planting grass.

Well the dogs are thrilled over this new addition. It's a dog run. We totally cleared out the side of the house, and put up a fence, with a latch and now we can lock up the dogs when we have company over. YEAH!

These are the thrilled dogs. In our soon to be very grassy area.

We cleaned out the sandbox. YEAH! This one thrilled the kids.

HEY, Mom is here!

MMMMOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

COTM: Gluten Free Chocolate Basil Cupcake

2011-06-26T21:05:00.000-07:00

So you are sitting there, thinking I had forgotten about Cupcake Of The Month right? Wrong. In fact I have been thinking about this cupcake all month long, well since planted ten tons of basil. I need to find all sorts of ways to use basil now. What better then basil and chocolate?

Ethan liked it, he ate two before he asked "Mom did you add basil?" Cole ate one, and Tucker is just too sick to eat right now.

Gluten Free Chocolate Basil Cupcake
by http://www.cupcakeproject.com/
Converted by Marcie Dingerson

1 cup basil
1/2 cup safe mayo
1 cup rice milk
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup water

Put into food processor and process.

Then add in:

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/2 cup gf bob's red mill flour mix
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Process in the food processor, pour into cupcake pans, bake at 350 for 23-25 minutes. If your food processor is not big, just cut up the basil and mix everything in a mixer. Enjoy.

Graduation 2011

2011-06-25T21:42:00.000-07:00

Graduation, need I say more?

Tucker is now in First Grade....

Ethan is now in Second Grade

Cole is a Self Proclaimed Kindergartner

My three boys...Don't they look snazzy? Well if the photos were better...

There's A New Buddy In Town

2011-06-19T23:44:00.000-07:00

So do you remember a year an a half ago, as there was a MAJOR baby boom on our farm? All due to one goat, a goat named Buddy. It seems he was everyone's Buddy. Well when babies started dropping, the first call I made was to the vet, and she raced right out, and fixed Buddy.

So Sierra had Jelly and Beans, and adopted Bella's son Trooper, All in one day. Beans died a few short months after being born, he was so sickly it was amazing he made it that long. But I had the opportunity to get Jasper who was born the same day Jelly, Beans and Trooper were born. And because the lady was just going to put him down, I took him in, thinking Sierra would take good care of him. Which she has.

So I'm out in the goat field the other day, and I noticed Jelly. Jelly is getting very round and has an udder? Well that can't be, as every boy in the goat field is fixed right? Well I went looking (Yes seriously). Buddy is good, Chip and Dale are good, Leo and Max nothing, although Max looks like he could pop at any moment. That left Jasper.

I take a look and very surprised at what I found. It seems Jasper is NOT fixed after all. So just to be sure, I caught Jasper yesterday and turned him upside down, and looked, and looked. Just totally dumbfounded. But nope Jasper is NOT fixed.

So lucky us, we are on baby watch.

BABIES!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have some very fat girls out there. So wish me luck. I'm excited and ready to rock n'roll. We have a mom pen all set if need be. I have towels and bottles and can't wait to see all those babies. But with the first baby that drops, Jasper will be loaded up and taken to the vets to be fixed. And then he will need to go out and get a job to support all these babies, we will have babies to feed and diapers to change! Ur, I mean hay to buy!

I'm may be re-naming him Trouble. Stay Tuned.

Herb Markers

2011-06-15T22:23:00.000-07:00

I'm showing off my new herb markers...They are soooooo Cool...

I got 14 of them and I just ordered some for the boys, how cool will they be with names in cement, for the bed they planted.

Basil...LOTS OF BASIL

2011-06-15T21:47:00.000-07:00

This is what 73 gallon sized basil plants look like. Um, yeah you heard me right, 73 gallon sized basil plants. My husband got all 73 basil plants for a .25 total. The store was just going to toss them. As they all needed lots of tender loving care and probably would not sell.

This is what happens when you dont' let your parents sleep in. You unload 73 gallon sized basil plants.

This is what you make with 73 gallon sized basil plants. As I gave them tender loving care, I got enough from half of the basil plants to make this much pesto.

So this is what 68 gallon sized basil plants look like planted into the ground. One plant went to the mail lady, one went to the neighbor, two are going to mom in law, and one is in the hospital, so un-sure right now if it will make it.

This is bed 1.

This is bed two.

This is the pizza we ate tonight with the new pesto. This is Carol's recipe and should be all over the web so I won't post it here.

Easy Peazy Pesto
by Marcie Dingerson

3 cups firmly packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 cup diaya white cheese
1/2 cup olive oil
4 cloves of garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Put in a food processor and combine. Put into a glass jar and put into the freezer or fridge. It's seriously that simple.

Cole

2011-06-14T23:55:00.000-07:00

So during the summer we do what we call summer school/home school. Last Thursday, my youngest (4 years old) proclaimed he is now a kindergartner and he will now be going to school with his brothers and that was it.

So hubby today, gave Cole some pre-k work to do, and he told daddy, NO. I want kindergarten work. He said but you need to know your shapes, Cole said this was a square, a circle, and so on. Daddy said well OK then. Kindergartners do letters. So Cole sat down and did his letters. And boy it ticked him off when he messed up one. But he did really good. This kept him busy for hours, as he had to get it perfect.

Cole then got his hands on a sketch pad and that was all he needed for the rest of the day. My have a budding artist as well. Cole has all ready informed us tomorrow he wants math!

Question?

2011-06-12T21:07:00.000-07:00

Any Basil experts out there? I think the top one is basil. The bottom one no idea? I think it's an actual weed.

Ideas?

Because the basil I planted today looks totally different, but I can't remember what type of basil I planted last year...

Don't Laugh!

2011-06-12T20:57:00.000-07:00

So here's the deal, my hubby makes compost. He puts nearly anything into compost bin. And he fills our garden beds and buckets with this compost that he makes. So he is filling a few of the beds with this compost, and a few weeks have gone by and I go out, and pick a bed, and weed it. Well I went out yesterday and dumbfounded, that mixed in with all my zucchinis, I have these little tiny tomatoes. Well how did that happen?

I also noticed in the green house, one or two tomato's mixed in with this flat or that flat and thought it was odd, but OK. I had let it go thinking it was an odd season?

And then hubby realized what happened. When he pulled the tomatoes from last year, he put them in the compost. OOPS. Your joking me right? NOPE. Where when I pulled the tomatoes, I feed them to the goats. So I have tomatoes everywhere at this point. We figure if we get anything we will try and can enough tomato products to last two years and skip tomatoes next year. We are also watching the goats, just in case they start pooping out tomatoes as well.

One of the many babies running around.

We also have a new rule. NO TOMATO'S IN THE COMPOST PILE!

Sadly The Tree Came Down

2011-06-11T22:52:00.000-07:00

So I adore this tree, it keeps the house cool in the summer, and keeps my head wet in the winter. But sadly we know the day we moved it to the house, at some point this tree had to go. So a few things moved us to make this decision now. First we want to expand the house, and this was step one. Two we need to move the play area back and in doing that I want to build a fort the kids can sleep in, during the summer. We can't do anything with this tree in the way. Next, we have a tree in the goat area, it was near dead. It had to come down for safety reasons. So kill both stones at once.

So apparently it is much cheaper to have someone come in and cut them down, and no clean up. So on Wednesday, hubby went to call to make an appointment for Thursday. But they came Wednesday instead. So after I was doing what I had to do, I had to race home and help play clean up. The tree in the goat area, had to be cleaned up ASAP. As the goats were eating the limbs. Too many limbs and the goats will bloat up, and we risk loosing them.

So we worked our tails off and got the back field tree cleaned up. Hubby didn't take photos of the back field tree. But he did take photos of the tree that is right behind our house.

This is the tree up.

Another view.

After

After, from another view.

As of today, we now have EVERYTHING cleaned up. I'm so beyond sore, and tired and hurting. BUT it's DONE! I will try and update with those photos soon.

The Circus Came To Town

2011-06-11T22:30:00.000-07:00

So if you blinked you probably missed the circus that breezed in and out of town. We were dodging rain that day, but luckily the rain stopped and held off so the kids didn't get wet.

At the end of preschool, they put on a circus. Cole was so beyond excited. He had a blast.

The entrance.

Lifting weights, because all lions must keep in shape.

And all lions drum to their own beat right?

More exercising.

The end. How I love my brothers.

Lion Costume

2011-05-29T20:33:00.000-07:00

So yeah, I have a couple of crazy weeks coming up, and one of them is Cole is in a preschool circus. He is a lion. So me being through this a few times before, I know I have a lion costume on hand. Well WRONG as I went to go and look for it today, and we have come to realize we cut off the tail to use as a monkey tail last year for Tucker. And who knows what we did with the costume after that. We tore the house apart, but there is no lion costume in this house/shed/under the house.

So what is a mom to do? Well let's just whip one up? After a minute on google I had an idea. I went tearing through the house, no one's clothes were safe. I need a costume and I need it by Tuesday, yeah two days from now, Tuesday.

Found this shirt in the to toss box, really I don't toss clothes I put them in my sewing pile. So I turned it inside out, to get the furry going.

The pants were another issue, after tearing through the house I didn't find any pants I could tear up. So the tail is pinned to the shorts. See I can compromise.

So I dug out my felt and picked out four good colors, I then cut the felt into strips, and put the shirt on the sewing machine, as I'm sewing, I'm adding the felt, by loping it and sewing as I went. Honestly it took less then an hour to get this done.

And now I think he will be the Coolest Lion at the circus.

That blur is a dog.

Gluten Free Circle Croutons

2011-05-25T22:30:00.000-07:00

Not just any Croutons...But Awesome, looking round croutons. The fancy kind one might buy in a store if they could eat gluten. So you know that Awesome new machine I got, to make cake balls. Yep, that is the one, I sliced up my first batch of cake balls, covered them in olive oil, I used Mrs. Dash as the seasoning and I put them in the dehydrator. Making Croutons is that easy. In fact hubby did some tonight, and he was like I can't believe it was that easy. Yep.

So I now have this Awesome new jar...Thanks Shari...And there was only one thing to do with it. Hold my fancy new circle croutons. The jar will soon be filled. I have another batch going.

OH and just as a bonus I made these tonight. My boys have a tea party tomorrow and of course we HAD to use the new cake ball machine. And thought, let's just cover them with enjoy life chocolate. My boys were drooling.

Allergy Free Sprinkles

2011-05-23T20:49:00.000-07:00

Well I had a dilemma, nearly every sprinkle out on the market has either food coloring/dyes, corn, or soy. And then the one that is on the market that is safe has really dull colors. So I went digging on line and finally came up with a recipe, a very easy recipe and something I can do easily. I like easy.

Now in my life before kids, I was a cake decorator. So you need a bag to hold icing and a number 2 tip. I used a number 2 and a number 4. I will say I like the number 2 tip the best. If you have no clue what I'm talking about go to Michael's or Joann's and in the cake section they have cake icing bags and tips. Tips are numbered, I used a number 2.

I squeezed it out in somewhat straight lines. Now you can leave it out to dry for about 24 hours or do what I did, I used my dehydrator and they were done in hours. You then take a knife and cut them up into little pieces.

Allergy Free Sprinkles
By Marcie Dingerson

1 cup corn free powdered sugar
1 teaspoon egg replacer (I may leave out next time)
Beet Powder, I used about 2 teaspoons

Slowly, very slowly add in water and mix, once it's to icing point, you fill the icing bag and go for it. On the water front, very slowly, I added in a few drops at a time.

Bread Ideas

2011-05-22T13:10:00.000-07:00

So in the midst of Joann's yesterday I had a brain storm. This pan would be PERFECT to make bread in. Then the boys can have round sandwiches. Sometimes I amaze myself. So I bought two cake pans, (well I bought more then two, but don't tell hubby!) I bought a circle one, which I will now go back and buy at least 3 more, after using it today. These pans are from Wilton and you can probably buy them at any Joann's or Michaels.

I also bought a star pan for mini star sandwiches.

Don't they look good coming out?

Another view of them...

My oldest did a mayo, lettuce, chicken and cheese sandwich.

My middle child, God Love him, did a butter, sunbutter and cheese sandwich.

I used my bread recipe here http://threeboysandglutenfree.blogspot.com/2010/06/breadreally-good-bread.html I think I baked for 13-15 minutes, the stars only about ten minutes. Just keep your eyes on them. Now go and get creative, baking gluten free bread shapes.

COTM: Gluten Free Cake Balls

2011-05-22T12:16:00.000-07:00

So on Monday May 23rd is my birthday, now I really don't like birthdays because it reminds me I'm getting older and really I don't feel this old.

So I went out on Saturday and bought myself a gift.

See this all started on Thursday, my boys were at a tea party and there were cake balls there, and they were like Mom you can make those. Yep, in all my spare time I have. But then I got to thinking, I still need to do Cupcake of the Month. So I did some digging and found out JCPenny should have the machine. So the boys and I went up and sure enough, I got the last one on the shelf, but they had a whole line of machines. I will tell ya it was very hard leaving with just one machine.

So here is my new toy. I will say after the first use I was hooked. I adore this machine.

So we came home from a birthday party on Saturday and whipped up Cake Balls. Now the recipe that came with the machine, I was not happy with, one cake mix, eggs, oil, water. I'm sorry but it's not a recipe. After some digging I found one from Gluten Free Mama. Now if you don't have her books, then what are you waiting for? Her books are Awesome. Well she had a donut recipe. So I whipped it right up and gave them to the boys to try. Ethan and Tucker ate about 5-6 each. Cole took one bite and said NO mom this won't do. He then explained to me how to fix my recipe.

So I drag myself out of bed on Sunday and Cole and I go into the kitchen to "fix" the recipe.

Here is the Little Naked Chef helping me.

Adding in the flour.

OK Cake Pops going in.

Cake Pops coming out.

Cake Pops dipped in Chocolate. My chocolate was just melted Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips.

Sprinkle with Sprinkles....

WAIT!!!!! Hold the phone, what do you mean Sprinkles? There are no safe sprinkles on the market what do we do?

Do what I did. I made my own...Look for the upcoming post. Yes, I really made my own sprinkles. And it was so beyond easy.

Gluten Free Cake Pops (Donuts)

Recipe from Gluten Free Mama...Rachel Carlyle

Adapted by Marcie Dingerson (And Coleson)

Wet Ingredients

1/4 cup coconut oil melted

1 egg replacer mixed with sparkling water

1 cup buttermilk (I used rice milk and vinegar) let sit for a few minutes.

Add in Dry Ingredients

2 cups all purpose mix (Rachel uses her blend either Almond or Coconut)

1/2 cup sugar (Cole's fix)

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Mix all together and drop dough into the machine. I cooked for 5 1/2 minutes.

For donuts warm up some oil and drop dough into oil and cook for a few minutes. Roll in powdered sugar or sugar and cinnamon.

Updated Garden Photos

2011-05-21T21:35:00.000-07:00

Been out working hard in the Garden. Crazy times around here as things need to be planted, and get into the ground and the weather is working against us this year again. So we just had a patch of sunny weather and I planted and weeded like crazy. So time to share some updated photos.

First here is Bridget, she was making sure my camera was working.

Front yard apple tree, it's gone crazy this year.

This is our newest addition to the garden. Another apple tree, this one will be red apples.

So one of our strawberry patches. Sadly these still need a good weeding.

One of my tomato beds. These beds are over 30 feet long just to let ya know. I'm planting again over 100 tomato plants.

This bed is green beans and carrots.

Our newest bed, this will be Raspberries, we currently have Raspberries but they are not in a good spot and not doing really well, so now that the bed is in, they will be moved.

Yeah, lovely right? My last set of beds to weed out and get ready to go. We let this go to grass last year as we just ran out of time last summer. So after I clean these out and add more dirt these will also be tomato beds.

I just got done working in this area, the first bed is a herb bed with 9 different herbs. The middle bed is a mix bed. It's onions, leeks, chard, celery, cucumbers, and carrots around the edges.

This is my herb bed again. I have herb markers being made. Very exciting to have a big ole herb bed this year.

So the last bed is another tomato bed, with more carrots around the edges. Carrots are a big hit here so the more the better.

I would say about 50-60% of what needs to be planted is planted. I still have a ways to go. But the green house is slowly being cleaned out. I can't wait to have it all planted and be able to just watch it all grow. We have a summer project of building more beds to be ready for next year. I'm hoping to add over ten new beds, shhh don't tell hubby it's that many. Oh and we are hoping to add two peach trees, we have two pears and two cherries. But we could use a peach. I will try to update as I go.

COTM: Gluten Free Ice Cream Cone Cupcake

2011-04-29T21:17:00.000-07:00

I am so excited about this cupcake, not only because I did them in ice cream cones. A first for me. But I dyed the icing with food. These would be great for a birthday party. Now you all know I love to play with my food. The icing is a butter cream, dyed with blue berries, and tomatoes. Yes, Tomatoes. Both foods are dried, and then put through a coffee grinder. The purple of the blue berries is amazing. A very deep purple. What was really cool was, the boys were helping me grind the blue berries, and tomatoes and putting them into the icing, they saw how the icing naturally changed colors. They got the see the purple getting darker and darker, Loved the look on Tuckers face. Love cooking with the boys.

Amazing isn't it?

Cupcake Of The Month
Ice-Cream Cone Cupcakes
by Marcie Dingerson

1 package of safe ice cream cones, you will need 12.

3/4 cup rice milk
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup pumpkin
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
Mix, then add
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups Bob's All Purpose Flour Mix

I put the cones into a bread pan standing up. I filled the cake mix to the top and baked at 350 for about 30 minutes. I would start checking after 25 minutes.

Top with butter cream or the icing of your choice.

I used this recipe today it covered 6, may have covered more, I also halved the recipe, so double for full batch.

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups corn free powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk (I used a tad more)

I divided the icing in half and dyed half with grind up died blue berries, and the other half with grind up dried tomatoes. Add a teaspoon at a time until you get the color you want.

Fishing

2011-04-16T22:42:00.000-07:00

Today was kids fish day, Grandpa likes to take the Grandkids, and we tag along because there is no way they can keep their eyes on all 5 Grandkids.

This was Tucker catching his last fish.

Cole keeping busy, running around saying Mom Take My Picture.

More Fishing.

Mom Take My Picture

Tucker catching his first fish.

MOM how much longer?

Ethan coming off the dock, after catching both of his fish.

The kids and the fish. What is funny and I guess I didn't catch it, is all these fish are cleaned. Well taking photos, one of the fish jumped, Abby jumped, everyone screamed. Oh it was funny.

THE QUILT

2011-04-10T13:27:00.000-07:00

I'M DONE...I'M DONE...I'M DONE

When I started this project it was because I wanted to play with my cricut and I wanted to practice a certain stitch on my sewing machine. And then it grow and grow. Photos do not do this quilt justice. I absolutely adore this quilt. So in love with it. But sadly I decided long ago if I got the quilt done, I would donate it to the school auction. So sometime this week it will be handed over, and hopefully it will bring in some money for the school?

But of course I had to show off the quilt. So wish you all could see it in person. Would you believe that this cost maybe 30 dollars to make? I had to buy backing fabric, and I had to buy the batting. Everything else came from scraps.

I'M DONE...I'M DONE...I'M DONE...

Look's Who's Cooking

2011-04-09T23:27:00.000-07:00

My Little Naked Chef was in the kitchen tonight making dinner. Oh how Cole loves to cook.

Notice these are waist high shots. I don't call him my little naked chef for nothing.

Tonights dinner was Tuna Noodle Cassarole, with no tuna.

What I'm Growing This Year

2011-03-26T22:02:00.000-07:00

Come On Sun...The sun is so trying to shine here, but the darn clouds keep moving in and raining. So as I'm sitting here dreaming about getting out and planting. Here is the list of stuff we will be growing this year.

Carrots

Green Beans

Pumpkins

Beets (New) (Well on purpose this year)

Jerusalem Artichokes (New)

Tomatoes

Herbs

Ground Cherries (New)

Cabbage

Garden Huckleberry (New)

Eggplant

Leeks (New)

Zucchini

Sunflowers

Ginger (maybe)

Onions

Potatoes

Parsnips

Celery

Garlic (maybe)

Lettuce

Green Onions

Lavender (New)

Chard (New)
Strawberries
Raspberries
Apples

There are things in the past we have tried to grow, but we were not successful. Things like broccoli, cauliflower, peppers.

We are also getting a new apple tree, which I'm so excited about, and if all works well, we will be putting in a raspberry patch. But that requires me clearing and moving and cleaning a-area in the backyard where we once had bunnies. As the bunnies are getting older and leaving us we are finding we have more and more room out back. I mean really they are about 7 years old, how much longer must they live? I can not believe we have had those bunnies for about 7 years. Crazy. But we have 3 outside, and one inside. The one inside went blind almost a year ago, and poor thing was on deaths door when we found him. But anywho he is inside and loving it. He gets the run of the house, and he loves it. I'll have more on him one day.

Well anywho not a post about bunnies, but about what we are growing this year.

The boys are super excited, Ethan and Tucker get their own bed this year. Tucker is growing flowers, and Ethan wants nothing but Watermelon. I will have photos, but that depends on if we get a spring or not this year? I'm sure we will add a few other things to our growing list. Hoping for a really good spring and summer. We could sure use one.

COTM: Strawberry Freckled Lemonade Cupcake

2011-03-25T15:16:00.000-07:00

Who ever thought Gluten Free could be this good?

This Cupcake has all ready had raving reviews. I baked up three batches for a bake sale this past week. I asked people to be totally honest about the baking. I mean really, be honest, I need the feedback. I was told the icing was awesome. I was told the flavors play very nicely off each other. For a cupcake it was really good. And these are from people that don't normally eat gluten free.

Well there you go and to boot, it's allergy free, well unless you are allergic to Strawberries, and then I can't help ya. Unless you use Cherries or Raspberries?

I have to tell ya, how much I have been loving cupcake of the month. It really challenges me in the kitchen. I want to make these cupcakes good, and easy to make. And I want to show people that hey allergy free, can be really good. My idea came from Red Robin who have been selling Strawberry Freckled Cupcakes, which of course the boys can not have. I have hunted for months for a recipe that would work. I can across a site and fell in love. http://www.loveandoliveoil.com/ I loved how this one was egg free from the start.

So enjoy the recipe. I know we are.

Gluten Free Strawberry Freckled Lemonade Cupcakes
by http://www.loveandoliveoil.com/
Converted by Marcie Dingerson

1/2 cup organic sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup applesauce
1 cup canned coconut milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon finely ground lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Mix together and then add

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour mix, I used Bob's
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix all together and then bake at 350 for about 21 minutes. This recipe make 12 cupcakes for me.

Frosting
2 ounces of fresh strawberries, gone through the food processor
1/2 cup sugar
egg replacer mixed with 1/4 cup sparkling water
3 ounces of coconut oil melted
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Appx 3 cups powdered sugar.

Mix all together, mine was a bit runny, but the icing did set up nicely. Now the original recipe did not call for powered sugar. So play with it a bit. I get powdered sugar at Trader Joe's during the holidays. I stock up. I also run it through a sifter before using it. This recipe covered the three dozen cupcakes with icing to spare.

Enjoy!

Goat Photos!

2011-03-19T22:09:00.000-07:00

OMG we got some Sun today. The goats were thrilled and were out and about, asking what is this bright thing in the sky? Oh we like it! Give us more! So I went out to take some updated photos.

Hi, I'm Leo...Welcome!

Hey look MOM is here.

My birthday is next month, What are you getting me? Will there be a party?

My name is Big Daddy, or Buddy.

Hi Mom!

Mom, do I need to get closer? Did you get the shot?

Mom, see I'm doing good. Stop checking on me!

Hi, I'm Trooper. I think I look like my Daddy? What do you think? I can't wait to turn one next month. Did someone say Party?

Hi, I'm Jasper. Hope you enjoyed the photos.

St. Patty's Day Vests

2011-03-17T21:12:00.000-07:00

Somehow in the midst of my crazy week, I did get three vests, and three ties done. In time for St. Patty's Day today. The midnight the night before. And only burnt my hand once. Tell me who grabs an iron like that? Lordy.

Don't they look Great?

Awesome buttons right?

Well after getting this boy home from preschool, mommy wanted a few more photos. Cole didn't! He throw a fit. This is Cole in the art of fit throwing. He was way too cute.

FINE MOM! One shot!

Day To Day

2011-03-15T22:08:00.000-07:00

Well Good News here, Bella is doing great. She made it through the night with flying colors.

I got up this morning and decided to do another round of baking soda mix. She really fought me and screamed. That is a good thing. She had fight. So left her and went through my day.

After a very long day out, I came home, and after she had fought with hubby, it was time for her to go outside. I found a leash and walked (was pulled) outside (I was pulled). All the goats came running to greet her, and she was screaming that she missed them.

And then she ate, not much hay left, but we let her eat, and then I did a round of pepto, she then let her be. I was able to watch her from the house. She was in the goat house, and in the feeding area and back and fourth.

I went out after my dinner and did another round of pepto. And called it a day. I will check on her about midnight through. I am weaning the pepto. So four doses yesterday, three today, two tomorrow. The last thing I need is bloat after her not eating. Slow and steady.

But she is outside and doing great. But keeping my eyes on her.

Goat Hospital-Bella

2011-03-14T20:38:00.000-07:00

Well went out this morning to check on the goats and feed them. I had 14 goats screaming for food, but realized we were missing someone. Who was missing? I went hunting but didn't have to go far to find Bella down in the goat house. Now this goat you can not get close to her, you look at her and she runs the other way. I have given up long ago that I would be her friend.

Well there she was down. And so there is was, she needed me, SHE NEEDED ME! I call for hubby before making my move, just in case. I cover one door he stands guard at the other and I go in. She could not move. So I was able to scoop her up and bring her into the house. I quickly got the Goat Hospital (Laundry Room) ready and put her in it. Gave her some time to calm down and then I attacked, WHAT IS WRONG!

First her feet, she would not stand so did she hurt her foot? Was a hoof bugging her? We got out the hoof clippers and went to town on her hoofs. They were bad, so it could easily be the reason she was not standing. But wait she has a fever now of 105 and not eating. No signs of being sick at all. So what is a goat mom to do? Sit and wait! And Worry!

So thinking and watching her, um. Gave her time to just sit and have quiet, took the temp again and it's down to 103. I had gone to the feed store on the way to get the the boys from school, today. I got a new collar for Bella, she really needed a new one, and since she was cornered, it was a perfect time. I found some proboctic cream type stuff, you are able to put it down her, verses powder in the grain she is not eating. Then realized she is burping. Hum, maybe yesterday well she was out getting into trouble, she may have ate something, that didn't agree with her? So enters Pepto. After the second dose, someone was perky. Although still not eating. So she will stay in the goat hospital over night and see how she is in the morning.

Although the hoof trimming did wonders as she is standing straight up and walking around. If I can't get her to eat soon, I will have to do a baking soda mix and get it down her. Although if I can get her to eat something, she can go back outside, if her temp stays down.

This is Bella doing better. Hope she keeps it up. I want to kick her outside soon! And, yes, only one horn, one is down, someone loves to head butt.

Bella is Trooper's Birth Mom.

I Made A Tie!

2011-03-06T19:16:00.000-08:00

Yep, it's true, only took two hours, but dang it I made a tie. It was sooooo easy, it only took two hours, because I have three kids, and I read the instructions word for word, and I had the help of a seven year old.

But it was so easy and I could easily sit here and make many more. Check out the fabric, safety pens. Picked it up at the sewing expo. I also picked up the pattern at the sewing expo so I won't be sharing it.

Cool Huh?

So Ethan can't wait to wear it to school tomorrow.

COTM: Gluten Free Chocolate Root Beer Cupcakes

2011-02-28T21:01:00.000-08:00

Yes, Chocolate Root beer Cupcakes. This one was out there for me, I messed and messed with this recipe and in the end, there was nothing left of the original recipe. Funny how that happens. So I baked these tonight, and they are all gone tonight. Hubby said they were really, Good. Three boys ate them as fast as they could.

As you can see, they are Really, Really, Really GOOD! And I only took a head shot, you should see him.

Gluten Free Chocolate Root beer Cupcakes
By Marcie Dingerson

Cupcakes:
1 Cup Root beer, (not diet) I used Hansen's
1/2 cup cocoa
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup organic sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup Brown Rice Flour
1/2 cup Tapioca Flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup pumpkin

Frosting
1 ounce melted enjoy life chocolate
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup root beer
1/3 cup cocoa
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar

I actually just dumped in all the ingredients and mixed. Pour into a cupcake pan, this recipe made 12. It was that easy, and they are that good. Bake at 325 for 23-25 minutes.

Gluten Free Crepes and Snow

2011-02-24T21:09:00.000-08:00

Well it snowed. Not happy about it at all, but it snowed. On Wednesday night, Ethan and I were watching something on TV. And Crepes came on, oh Ethan melted. So since I had the computer in front of me, I googled Crepes. Found a Gluten Free, Egg Free Recipe that would work, told Ethan if we are stuck at home, I will make Crepes. So we are snowed in and I had to make Crepes. They turned out really well. I cooked them up and I had the boys do their own fillings, and rolled them up.

Ethan had two and had butter and jam, Tucker had one, but he had Sunbutter and Chocolate sauce, Cole had two, plain. He is my plain boy. Hubby had butter, with cinnamon and sugar.

First here is the snow. Lovely right? Wish it would melt, FAST!

Then Cole came in and helped with the Crepes, he loves cooking.

Here is Tuckers, with Sunbutter and Chocolate.

Here is Ethan's, with butter and Jam.

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free Breakfast Crepes
From livingwithout.com
Adapted by: Marcie Dingerson

1 cup brown rice flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 cup rice milk
Egg replacer mixed with sparkling water about 1/4 cup water.
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon canola oil

I mixed all the liquids, I then stirred in the flour until well mixed. I used a a cast iron flat pan. The recipe said it would make 4, but I made mine small-ish and got about ten. When I put them on the pan I spread them out as thin as I could go, cooked really fast, and was really easy to make. The boys all enjoyed them and I will be making them over and over again. It's a great recipe.

Enjoy...

Natural Pink Icing

2011-02-13T23:29:00.000-08:00

I absolutely can not tell ya how EXCITED I am at this very moment. OK as most of you know we are crap free here with food, red food dye, really no good for a body. I tossed all my icing colors 3 years ago, very sad to do that. But I did it, and I have been lost without them. I have tried a few different so called natural food dyes, and honestly being a cake decorator in my former life, I have not been happy with what is on the market. So me thinking, and thinking and thinking. One night well blog hopping I came across something called Beet Powder, hum I thought, and then an awesome Idea hit. I can get a beet, I can slice it, I can dry it, I can grind it and apparently I can make an awesome pink icing color.

Now I have seriously been lacking time lately so the slices of beets have been sitting in my dryer for weeks now. Now it's 11pm here, and it's V-Day tomorrow and I thought this was the perfect time to try out my idea. I have to say I absolutely love the color, it's such a rich pink.

I took a very simple icing, coconut oil, powdered sugar, vanilla, and rice milk, I then took my grind up beets and just added a little bit at a time until I was happy with the color.

Anyone want to guess what I will be growing in my garden this year? The color is just so utterly amazing. I will post more colors as I go, I have a few other things on my dryer, but with it being V-Day, pink won out this time around.

Shhhhh....I Got A Secret

2011-01-24T19:29:00.000-08:00

I got a secret...Shhhh don't tell anyone.

You see last summer as I was peeling my kids apple after apple after apple, I would put the peels on the dehydrator. I would then take them off when done and grind them up. Me, in my qwest not to waste any food. I figure I will some day use all these grind up apple peels right?

Well that day has come. I am trying hard not to use guar gum when baking. So today well in the kitchen, whipping up yet another batch of Honey Bee Cupcakes, I thought I would use the grind up apple peels in place of guar gum. I have to say I was totally impressed. The cupcake came out really, really well.

So I will be using them in future recipes. Although I think they need a really cool name? Dehydrated grind up apple peels, is a mouthful. DGAP...Yeah, I can call them D-Gap. Lordy then no one will know what I'm talking about. I need something cool and hip, although I'm not cool and hip?

I will tell ya if you don't have a dehydrator, well what are you waiting for. I am so in love with all of mine. During the summer they are going non-stop, along with my canners. I love drying tomato peels and grinding them up for my rice dishes.

Hopefully as I go through this next year, I will have time to put more canning and drying recipes on the site.

So from this;

To this:

OH and the inside of the apples are sitting in the freezer so when I have the time I can juice those for real apple juice. OH I have a new juicer. Got it for Christmas. Hopefully those post will be here sooner then later.

Gluten Free Sun Butter Sandwich Cookies

2011-01-23T14:19:00.000-08:00

Sandwich? Where is the sandwich part of these cookies. OK so I didn't get to the sandwich part of the cookies, but I will include the filling below. These are converted from my lovely Taste Of Home Cookbook-Cooks who care Edition. So loving this new cookbook. They got a four out of four here and I can't wait to make them again. Great way for me to get protein into my little guy, he doesn't eat enough different foods so these help. As of press time he has eaten 6.

Gluten Free Sun butter Sandwich Cookies
By Debbie Koles
Converted by Marcie Dingerson

1 cup shortening
1 cup sun butter
1 cup organic sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix together then add:

3 cups gf flour mix, (I used Bob's all purpose)
2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix, then shape into 1-inch balls and press down with a fork (I used my hands) Bake at 375 for 11 minutes, now the book says 8, but mine took 11. Watch yours after 8 minutes. You want golden brown. Remove to wire racks and cool.

Filling:

1/2 cup sun butter
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
5 to 6 tablespoons milk

Beat together, then spread on half of the cookies and top each with another cookie.

This made well over 4 dozen single cookies. I lost count as the boys were eating them as fast as I was pulling them out of the oven.