Life---Natural Green Food Coloring--COTM CANCELLED

Yes, so it's true I have made it through the month of February without doing cupcake of the month. And honestly I don't think I have failed, as life just got in the way this month. And since it's snowing outside and my cable went out I thought I would blog tonight, but then I realized I have not updated things in awhile.

So life is just sucking right now! How I would love to go to sleep and wake up to 1-1-2013 and start the year all a-new again. But I can't, I have to wake up every morning and deal with what is on my plate.

On my plate is; my father in law not doing well at all. My mother is freaking out because she is in early renal failure and thinks she is dying. Planning a rummage sale for the school. Working on our garden. Hubby not doing so well health wise and will be going in for an iron transfusion soon. I have a son that has had so many food issues lately that it just seems like I can not get a grip on things with him.

Speaking of food issues. Now I have done my research on crappy foods. I have looked into food colors, I have researched until I was so very sick and just could not read anymore. It's just sickening. I often wonder how can a parent give a child this crap, because it's not food, and then expect this child to behave? They can't. Bodies can not absorb crap, they reject it and that is where you see the acting out. Seriously google FD&C red 40. Google the coloring they use in go-gurt it's not pretty. Why can't we follow Europe's lead and ban these food colors?

A parent can do this because they don't do the research. They "trust" companies that put out food they buy to pack their children's lunches with. HA! And then because this parent gives their child crappy foods the body can not accept and the body (child) acts out, people start to wonder what is wrong with this child? The parent gets tired of hearing bad school reports, can't get the child to behave at home, takes them to the doc to drug the child, because it's the child, it can't be the food I feed the child? Then a child is put onto a roller coaster of uppers and downers. And did the parent read the fine print to these drugs? It should be law that a parent MUST read the fine print. Did they read all the side effects? Including could cause death? So parents would rather chance death then remove all the crappy foods from the child's diet? I'm very confused over this?

Now back when every doctor wanted to drug my child with adhd drugs I kept saying no. One night was so very bad I was about to give in and call the doc in the morning. But that night I researched adhd drugs. I was sickened by what I read. I was in tears on how bad things have become in the drug world. After all these years and all of research I don't think there is something called adhd, I do think there is an underlying cause. You just have to dig, and often parents and especially doctors are too lazy to look for the underlying cause, because removing crappy foods from a child's diet doesn't pay the bills, giving the child drugs, drugs and more drugs pay the bills.

So I have been on a quest to find good natural food coloring. So in place of cupcake of the month, I give you a natural green food coloring. Now I'm not over joyed thrilled with this green no. BUT it's a green and it's natural and kids won't be bouncing off the walls when they eat my cupcakes. Plus my green comes with health benefits!

So here is my baby, I made these for Valentines day. I think they looked pretty cool?

So Friday is Dr. Seuss's birthday we celebrated early at school. The blue and red food colors came from natural candy store dot com. The recipe is from Cybele Pascal here, I will tell ya if the house was burning and the kids were safe I would grab this book before leaving the house. Every recipe has been amazing. This is her white cake.

Followed by Cybele's vanilla icing. I used the blue and red here, looks more like purple and peach?

And here we have it. Natural Green Food Coloring....Green Tea Powder. I went to our local tea store after researching last night and got me a container. I wanted to practice because we have St. Patty's day coming up. Plus we have a birthday tomorrow so this works. With every child's birthday in my son's class I always make a batch of cupcakes so my kids have something safe to eat. Plus many kids in the class really enjoy my chocolate gluten free cupcakes. (even better then gluten ones) So I'm more then happy to make them.

Allergy Free Wacky Cake

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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

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.