Wheat, why do you hate me so?

Well chalk a couple more things I must do in my battle against Wheat. I have found out that products that have wheat/ or working with wheat give me trouble. So now i am on a hunt for products that don't have any wheat or gluten. That doesn't sound to bad. but, I have Celiacs which means i also have problems with oatmeal. How many lotions do you know have oatmeal?

I have recently found out that some toothpaste have wheat also. It is amazing how much stuff has wheat or wheat by product. Most people don't think of make-up, bath products, and lotions. Our skin is our largest organ and you have to treat it right.

So this is my solution I have a recipe for my own lotion. so I am going to give it a whirl.

The other things I need to do is get both boys Gluten free. Last year at Collin's school I put him on a Gluten free trial. At home he didn't seem that different so I took him off it. but, the teachers tell me that he has lost his focus at school and that I should go back to what I was doing. This won't be hard. It's just a lot of work for me. I now can have almost nothing prepackaged at home almost all fresh produce. It is healthier but its a lot of testing new recipes and prep cooking. Zach is going to suffer. He is odd man out so he has to eat what I fix (muah hahahaha) This is also another good step. I will have tried and true recipes the boys will eat that I can put into a cookbook.

Wish me luck. I will keep you posted.

Yep...it's mudslinging time.

Politics....the word send chills down spines and makes people run the other way.

This year it seems the mudslinging has reached a pivotal high. In Missouri we have been bombarded by campaign adds for almost a year. So, I am looking forward to November 2ND when we can go to the poles and cast our votes.

Now I don't want you thinking I don't like politics. In actuality I LOVE politics. I have for quite some time now. I haven't really had a flavor for it until I hit my middle 20s. To me it's fascinating how people can sway on a subject. I love the inner workings of Washington and how things really get set in motion, not just the face of the clock (president) but the gears and levers that truly move it. I think it's funny how many things get blamed on a figure head. when it's the policies that get voted on my congress and the senate that really impact us. but, that being said the figure head should present himself as a man living and thriving in the economy that has been voted on for the whole of the public under his watch. I think that has always been the problem with the role. People are tired of being told one thing while they go off and do another. I think that falls for any political party. So that is my bipartisan view of the whole situation.

I want to clear the air just a bit though about the parties themselves. STOP LUMPING PEOPLE!!!! that goes for both sides. I am so tired of if you are Democratic that you are a pushover, baby killing, hippie, socialist living on a welfare check. And if you are a Republican that you are a gun slinging, backwoods, bible thumping, uninformed war monger.

I am a Republican. I have been for as long as I have understood politics. I don't vote straight ticket. I research everyone and do my homework....like everyone SHOULD :) I do listen to conservative radio, that is my right and choice. Everything that anyone says can be taken out of context no matter where your loyalties lie. I see so many political cartoons passed around that makes my party seem like inbred hillbillies. Like in all things you don't LOVE some of the people who your party represents. I don't like Rush Limbaugh or Sarah Palin, they have at least to me been a smear on the conservative party. If you even say "Tea Party" people think you are psycho. I myself feel that we should go back to basics. Take the bolt back to remnant. I have other thoughts on subject matters, but i will save your from my personal rantings. I just feel run down this year. People hear what party I support and try to run me down. I am sick of it

so let me say this:

I just don't like to be lumped in a categories. I work so hard to be an Eco warrior so when I look back I can say I did my part no matter how small. I do believe in the 2ND amendment. I try to be a christian...some days are better then others :). I do want green energy, but i know it will take YEARS and we need oil supply until it become cheap and available to everyone. I don't like universal health care, it sounds wonderful, but on paper not so good, ask your doctors what they think. All the doctors I spoke with don't want it and they will tell you why. I believe states have the rights to amend, that is the reason we had a civil war. Government was trying to control to much. I feel everyone should cut back and tighten the belt a bit. But, most of all we should be proud of those who fight and have fought for this blessed gift of freedom.

All these things make me a Person.

Buffalo Chicken Chili

AHHH..... Fall is here!!!

There is something so exciting about the leaves changing color, the crisp morning air, and the smell of damp leaves. Fall gives us such a wonderful time and great food. Pumpkins, squash, and apples just to name a few. This is the time of year we blow the dust off the crock pot and get ready to make great soups and chilies to warm us on the crisp Autumn nights.

This is one of my favorite recipes. A great spin on Buffalo chicken for your football Sundays.

Buffalo chicken chili
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp Butter
2 pounds of all-white meat ground chicken ( I used 2 pounds chopped chicken breast)
2 cups chicken stock.
1 large carrot peeled and chopped finely
1 large onion chopped
3 ribs of celery, chopped finely
5 large cloves of garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp chipotle chili powder or smoked paprika
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground pepper
¼-½ cup hot sauce, depends on how hot you like it (trust me ½ cup is really hot)
1 15-ounce can of tomato sauce
1 15-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
Blue cheese crumbles to top (optional)
Preparation
Place a large opt of medium-high heat. Add 1 turn of the pan of EVOO. About 1 tablespoon, and the butter. Once the butter has melted and the pot is hot, add the ground chicken. Brown it. Using the back of the wooden spoon to break it up in to small pieces, about 5-6 minutes. Add the carrot , onion, celery , garlic, chili powder, bay leaf and some salt and pepper. Cook stirring frequently for about 3-4 minutes. Add the chicken stock and scrape up any brown bit on the bottom of the pot. Add the hot sauce, tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes, and bring up to a bubble. Simmer for 8-10 minutes to let the flavors come together.
Top with blue cheese and serve
　
* note*
It is kind of a liquidity. To make a thicker chili I would brown chicken and veggies in EVOO and take out of pot. Melt butter in bottom of same pan . Add bout 2 tablespoons of flour and brown It to make a rue, add extra EVOO if need. Then use your stock to the rue. Add your seasonings, then return the chicken and veggies and add your hot sauce. This is just what I would do now that I have played with the recipe a bit.
ENJOY!!! We did.

If you want dessert i would suggest warm apples on french vanilla ice cream or apple crisp!

Have fun and Happy Fall!!

Making Plans

I had a strange but lovely time a week ago. I was invited to a 40Th wedding anniversary party of my ex-fiance's parents. They always liked me and I kept in contact with them through the years. It seems a bit strange but I have good relationships with all my exes and their family.
It was nice to reminisce with them. I even caught up with my ex and met his wife and children. It was such a lovely time that is seemed normal I guess is why it made it strange.

Having such a nice time i have decided to do a similar party for my parents this year. They are going to be having their 35Th wedding anniversary. I would have waited till the 40Th but my Grandmother Jackson's health is failing and we wanted to have everyone there on a joyous occasion.

Talked to my Brother Richard and plans are set in motion. I am preparing a guest list. Doing the list it just kind of set you back how many people my parents are close to over the years. So i have the task of rounding up addresses and making sure everyone saves the date and all that good stuff. I had to tell my mother b/c some of the family might stay at her house. She was a bit shocked but, she loved the idea.

I hope this goes over well. I want my parents to have a good time. If you are family reading this you shall get a "save the date". I really hope this goes well. I love to plan things like this and see it all come together. If all goes to plan there may be around 150-200 people.

Cookbook??

I want to write a cookbook.

Now, I know what your saying..everyone writes cook books and there a millions of them. I don't care!

I have been on this crazy lifestyle food change for a while and I realize one thing, there are no good gluten-free/dairy free cookbooks. They just don't exist. And that really sucks! What sucks the most is the all the books I have seen have really obscure ingredients that you would have to live in a big city or have a farmer's market next door. It is ridiculous. What about the busy Mom on the go? There are so many children who have been put on a PKU (gluten-free/dairy free) Diet for their autism, AD/HD, and a laundry list of things. Where is there help? Can you whip up a meal that kids will love, eat, and not complain. You give any kid who is used to eggs, fried tofu in the morning and you are gonna get some groans if you don't know how to fix it right. These are the people I want to help. People who don't have the budgets to by the EXPENSIVE gluten-free mixes and helpers. I want to teach people simple clear cut helps that you could do at any local super market with just a few ingredients.

The hardest part of the GF/DF diet is trying to get adequate fiber, calcium, and minerals from other sources. It is really similar to putting together a Vegan diet. There are a lot of the same challenges that go into both. Vegan is actually easier. I know what your saying...how could Vegan be easier, Vegan can be a hard life change. Here is why it is easier. If you are Vegan you can use Analogs, bread, spelt, wheat, and grains. Your diet is very well rounded in proteins and fibers. Yes, being gluten free we get to use meat. But, you have to use it very very wisely. A lot of people go gun-ho on meat and make themselves sick. When you are GF/DF everything is a balance act you body is so sensitive while it is healing that everything has to be done just right.


You think it would be easy but 90% of products on a market shelf have gluten or maltodextrin. I would like to write the cook book in a clear and easy manor that anyone could do it and help them ease into this lifestyle transition. I need to write out a idea ,a couple of sample recipes, and a rough theme and see if any publishers will bite. It might take me YEARS. Already I have about 10 recipes under 7 different categories that could encompass a lot of ground. I just feel sorry for my family. They have to suffer through the trial phase.

Picking up new things to try.

I love to keep my hand busy. I always tend to have 100 projects going at the same time. I guess it's the old adage of "idle hands are the devil's workshop" My husband hates the amount of UFOs (un finished objects) that run the house. I have come to realize that I am obsessed with thread arts. Most would see my stashes of thread, yarn, and floss and faint in the floor. I feel it's the zeal of learning an art form that hardly anyone does anymore. If you are ever around me for any length of time I am always doing something. Been with Zach for almost 8 years and he told me the other day.. "you know you have never uttered the words I'm bored or there is nothing to do." I am proud that i am NEVER bored.

I get so saddened by the sheer amount of woman my age who have hardly to no home skills what-so-ever. If you handed them 5 yards of fabric, a pattern, spool of thread, and a sewing machine and told them to make there own dress....I think they would cry. It just baffles my brain sometimes. but, I have to remember I come from a LONG LONG line of domestic Goddesses. We are MacGyvers of the sewing and thread arts world. (trying not to toot my horn-but I have got skills) One of the things that I was taught was never stop learning. If there is something you don't know how to do..ask or read. And with some of my work that is what I have done. B/c no one in my family knits and I learned off of You tube. So in that spirit i am learning some new skills. I have learned to Tat. which is easy and fun once you learn.

and I have learned to do an embroidery technique called Chicken scratch. It was very popular in pioneer days. It's making a comeback with people who love retro things (me)

I love the Joy of learning some new thing. I want to share so bad. Some women around here don't care. I am willing to offer lesson for free to anyone. They give me excuses like I don't have the patience to learn or sit down...but, they are watching stupid reality TV all night long. I just don't understand it. But I do have a glimmer of hope. The Local fabric shop asked if i would be interested in teaching Embroidery classes...so who knows. The only people I can get interested in crochet are men. Which is awesome. Men have the neatest and tightest stitches. I just wonder if this recession that we are living in and won't be out of for a long time if home arts will be back in everyones home. I hope so. So many people don't know what joy they are missing.

Camping!

Ahhhh...camping!

It was one of my most favorite things to do as a child and I can't wait to pass it on to my children. There is something about sleeping in a tent, hearing the night sounds, and waking to a dew drenched campsite. I think alot of people now days have lost touch with nature. They are happier to be in a hotel and have everything withing walking distance. I love to leave all the world behind and just sit and absorb nature. I can't think of a better way to spend the sabbath then walking a nature trail and taking in the beauty all around. I don't know why most people don't do it as often as they used to. Plus, everyone now days has campers, 4 wheelers, and posh sitting areas......that is NOT camping. If you have never been...what is stopping you. Tent camping doesn't cost much and is very rewarding.

Here are some of my tried and true camping tips:

-buy a large plastic tub and fill it with things specific to camping. You can find cheap plastic kitchen goods and utensils at dollar store, salvation army, goodwill, and even garage sales. buy things to only be used and kept in your "Camping Tub"...Don't forget the can opener!!!! and since everything stays in the tub you won't forget things like hot pads or matches.

- you can find camping gear on sale or garage sales. you would be surprised how many people sell camping equipment. try craigslist.

-I use the mesh lingerie bag for my dishes. when you wash and rinse your plate, silver wear, and cup. Zip them up in a bag and hang on your clothes line. It works great. It saves room b/c you don't need a drainboard or extra towels. If you have a lot in your party you can write names on clothespins and keep every one's dishes separated. you don't have to dig for you supplies. time to eat you have everything right there.

-I divide the campground into sections. kitchen, tent, other. buy a smaller tubs that will fit into my big "Camping tub". put all things in designated totes and then store in larger tub. Makes it nice when you reach your campsite late and trying to set up in the dark. You don't have to pilfer through everything just to find the hammer and bungees.

-be creative! old sheets make good tableclothes and shade cloths, christmas light are fun to hang up if you have electricity at your site, old wire hangers make great hot dog roasters. just remember that it's suppost to be fun.

Camping is easy to do. you can go to camping web pages and find checklist of the things you need and will use. If you camp at a national park they have fire pits ready for you. If you can light a BBQ you can cook and camp. Try it! get out and get in touch with nature!

Frustration

My oldest son Collin has speech problem. That statement doesn't sound that bad. but, when we first found the problem and had him tested 2 years ago he was 4 and speaking at a 18month old level. It was hard to process but we got on the wagon and started to work to improving speech.

It honestly took a while for me to do anything. I have friends that are close to me with children with ADHD and Autism so you see your child and say he seems normal. He will just grown into it. He is just a late bloomer. Then I finally learned a most important lesson. NEVER compair your children to anyone or anything. Only focus on your own children and don't keep up and follow books that are usually written by people who don't have children.

When you have a child who has difficulties you constantly have to walk the edge of a blade. On one hand you want to be there and help with everything and make sure he knows he is supported. On the other hand you want him to spread his wings and try to fly on his own and learn to handle life in his own terms. This is hard to process and puts stains on everything around you. It especially hard for Moms. We always have this envision of what our child are going to be like when we carry them in the womb. No mother is ready to hear there child has problems. Sometime you blame yourself. Was it something I didn't do? I knew drinking that soda was bad, did i eat to much fish, did i not take enough vitamins. I know that sounds silly but to a Mom she understands. You always feel like you fell short. You just have to be careful not to go overboard with the therapy and drills and be a Mom first. As a Mom we want to right all the wrongs even if we where not at fault at all.

Having him home has full time has been a real test of myself. I am been trying to help him during the summer since school is out. Collin has therapy for an hour a day during school and he is doing well. Right now he is learning to read and struggles so hard with basic sounds and smashing word sounds together. I was helping him read and he gets so frustrated. "Mom, it really hard." He said. Then it kinda dawned on me. trying to get him to make sounds he might not be able to do is kind of like asking a cripple person to walk. That if I push them hard enough they can do it. I have backed off working so hard and getting so frustrated as i was with him and when he feels ready we work on things. I have to hand it to him, He works really hard and wants to learn. It's hard sometimes to realize that you have been pushing your own agenda and not seeing that he is trying so hard to keep up.

It still doesn't sound to hard. but, trust me only someone who has gone down your path knows. It is the worst when he is looked down on...not by peers. Collin is very well like and has lots of friends. It is parents and family that look down on him and judge him so harshly. It is difficult to get family to understand and you wish you could tell them off...but you can't. I have the worst time with this at church of all places. They don't realize they do it they change there voice tone and over pronounce words just around him and not with other children the same age. The handle him with kids gloves. They come to me and say, "OOHHHH, I was able to understand a couple of words today. and he was able to sing some of the words to songs you must be so proud." though I know their intentions are Nobel. It almost feels like a slap in the face sometimes. He is no different then other children. He can understand everything you say...sometimes to much..LOL! He has also tested off the charts when it comes to concepts. He has it all inside he just can't get it out. That frustration make him a bit hyperactive. He is constantly looked down upon for it.

Imagine how frustrating it would be. Lets say you go to a foreign country and you know just a bit of the language. You are starving and you go into the local restaurant to get a bite to eat. You can't really read so you try the best you can to put together what words you know to try to tell them you want some food. But, instead of looking at your hand actions and working to try to understand you they talk to you and try to get you to talk by slowing there speech and over pronouncing. How frustrated are you gonna be?? You may get nowhere and are still starving. Now imagine that same thing in a language you can understand but can't speak.

There will come a time when this will all be behind Collin and he won't remember most of it. But, as a Mom it's hard to see your child struggle. I guess this is more an outcry to people who look down on someones child. Everyone had done it.. I have done it to. Kinda hard not to when a child is screaming their head off in Wal-mart. Now that I have been down this road for a while I understand and give a smile of comfort to the frazzled parent and you should to. Trust me. Just a smile and not a look of disgust or contempt can do wonders.

Getting used to having 2 boys again.

Things have been WILD around here!!! Having Collin back home 24/7 is a change. He has had to adjust back to the slower pace of home and i think he if finally getting the hang of it.

We are working in our workbooks and doing some penmanship excises. It is amazing how much energy little boys have. I have got to hand it to elementary teachers, they must have the Patience of Job.

Collin has matured so much that we are starting to do a reward and punishment system. Collin has matured past the time of "time outs". So this is the system I devised. For every good deed, job asked to do, or chore he is given a "token". I was going to use Bingo chips but they where sold out everywhere around here. So i opted for a Poker chip. He collects them in a bank and i have different things he can buy with his tokens. Treasure chest (small $1 toys) 5 tokens, 25 tokens gets you a new book, 50 gets you a night at the Movies, 75 a new DVD of choice, and the ultimate a Leapster 2 game for 100. To this there is another side. If he is discipline for the same action 3 times we take away a chip. More or less he is "paying" for bad behavior. This had caught on like wild fire!! when he goes back to school Zach and I talked about giving tokens for 100% papers. My teacher when i was in elementary school did that and we are worked so hard to get and keep good grades. I remember 100 chips= ice cream party! i will never forget how hard we all worked to get that.

I also have a new way to divvy up chores also. I have a board with 4 pegs on it. Each day i put a card on the pegs that tell the different jobs to do for the chores that day (4 per day). They are laminated and have pictures to help...things like make bed, pick up toys, feed Daisy. it has a pocket for the cards when they are completed they go into. It is the child's responsibility to do his chores by bedtime at there time. I am getting this one set up as i speak so i will post pics of the finished project.

The last idea actually come from my father. When Collin and Owen are a bit older i will start this one. I was talking with Dad about how kids these days have no concept of money management and skills. And he said something to the fact that to bad you can't give them fake money for purchases to get them used to the idea. Then *Bing* light came on and i devised a system.
At the beginning of Summer you give your child a Budget for the summer...lets say $200. that sounds like a lot but for 3 months...that isn't much, especially if you have a pre-teen. you put the money aside to make sure you have the funds so the system will work...No IOUs. Give you child the same amount in fake money. either money you make or monopoly money. When they want to spend it they have to give you the amount in fake to get the real or if at the store purchase and take out the cash later. you can go to the bank and get blank starter checks and you can teach them how to keep account of cash spent. Do not give them any more cash unless you want to add to the amount with allowance or if they do a job. I will see how this work in about a year or so.

Just some ideas that are being used around our home to help learn to be responsible.

BUSY!!!!

Wow! i have been a busy bee here lately. i know you have to! so i took a second to share an idea for this time of year when everything is GO! GO! GO!!

When our lives are always stuck in in a car, event, family, BBQ, graduations, weddings, and so on, our bodies take a tole. When is the last time you had to fix or sit down to a good balanced meal? if you are like me it's hard to remember to grab drive through..hehehe.

So is there a middle ground? i think so. i have been making a lot of juice here of late. my wonderful mom has kept out an eye for juicers at garage sale and she nabbed me a Jack LaLanne brand new for $25. which is awesome. Most run about $100. but that is money well spent. If you don't have one i suggest you go and get one! you can make a juice that will give you almost 3 servings of your veggies that you can drink on the Go!. Now, i know what you are thinking. That is what V8 is for or the "naked" brand. Well let me tell you something. all of those brands are pasteurized and it does have some vitamins but really most are lost in pasteurizing. so, you are paying for overpriced juice. Plus, if you make it at home you can tamper with taste and you know what you are drinking.

So here is my recipe for green power juice. if you have never drank homemade juice it might be something totally strange and you might want to take it easy and use more carrots or apples at first to get used to the texture and taste.
Make this ahead of time on the weekend. portion this out for your week. use old water bottles to fill and stick in your freezer. Why the freezer? well you want to suspend the vitamins in there freshest form. if it sits to long in a fridge it will lose vitamins. so if you juice it, drink it fast!!
My Recipe:
3 lemons ( peel them but leave the plith(white part))
1 head of celery (just wash and cut off root, leave leaves.)
6 apples ( you can mix sweet and tart, i prefer tart)
ginger about 2 inches more if you like some bite
2 heads of romaine lettuce
1 heads of Kale ( this will give it a bitter wang but it is the greatest super food you can eat)
1 head broccoli
3 kiwi whole (do not peel. you want all the minerals just under the skin)
2 cucumbers

1 bunch parsley

2 bunches spinach.

taste. if it needs more sweet for you add more apple, pear, carrot, or green grapes. get crazy with the recipe. some like fennel, parsley (good to get you off of caffeine), cilantro, hot peppers, green bell pepper (highest vitamin C you can get), aloe juice, sweet potato, strawberries, papaya. the list goes on and on. i added about 3/4 a cup of aloe vera juice. you can find that at wal-mart or health food stores.

pour into bottles. set one in fridge and freeze the rest. At night take it out of the freezer and put in fridge.

There you go! a fast easy breakfast that is packed with all the things you need to keep you going. plus it's cheap. all the things on my list you can get for under $20 bucks/ divide by 7 days=$2.86. you can barely get a store coffee for that. so what do you have to lose.

YARN!!!

Well, i have received an amazing gift this week. One of my friends grandmothers passed on and she received most of her estate. She was a crafter and had lot of supplies. My friend Terri knew i was a crafter and decided to give me the yarn and crochet thread b/c she didn't use it. I was to say the least surprised when i received 6-33 gallon bags of yarn. Thrilled and almost overwhelmed with such a gift i knew i had to put it to good use.

I have decided to try to start a yarn ministry around town. There are dozens of happy "hookers" who work within the town. I wanted to start to make good for local charity chapters.

Well this is more of an undertaking then first expected. Digging around town i found there is no town based organization. I like the people at the "Linus foundation" When i was in the hospital with Collin they gave him a blanket while he was there. I wanted to help in that way. The "Linus foundation" give blankets to preemie children, traumatized children, foster children, and children in stressful situations to give them a constant comfort. I didn't accept that blanket for i have made a lot of my own but the kindness of strangers trying to giving comfort the best way they could really stuck a cord. So i am going to talk to the local shelters and hospital tomorrow and see if they accept this kind of donation. After i establish what they accept and need then i will campus the city for helper and yarn donations.

Wish me luck and send prayers my way! Hopefully this will be the start of a very fulfilling chapter of my life and maybe even a lightning rod to those seeking fellowship with God.

Refrigerator

Well it came time to do one of my most hated chores...cleaning the refrigerator. I won't lie i had mystery bowls of stuff and things i couldn't believe that i saved. but, i do have some helpful hints when it come to such an important appliance.

The best thing to clean your fridge with is good old dish soap. i know it is temping to use bleach, or kitchen cleaner but the fumes don't leave well and get into your food. If you need sometime scrubbed. use baking soda and make it into a paste and it works awesome for getting out the mystery sticky goop. If you have really bad stains i do recommend a cleaner called (barkeepers friend) In your rinse water use white vinegar. it not only helps it dry faster but it will also help keep mold out of your fridge. Replace your baking soda often to keep smells out of there... Nothing worse then fish or onion tasting butter or milk (YUCK). make sure you use a tea towel to dry your work, you don't want a lot of moisture in your fridge.

Ok. here is the best tip i ever received and i want to share it. Tired of knocking over bottles when you are looking for the ketchup that someone put in the back. I put everything on a lazy susan. you can get them at any store for cheap and you just spin to what you need. another good thing is that it doesn't take up to much space. i have another underneath this one for jams and peanut butter (i make a lot of PB&J sandwiches) I also purchased a coated wire basket to keep apples and fruit in the fridge. easy to grab, a must in our household my boys eat about 2 apples each a day.

I have a stubborn husband i didn't use to store chips and things on top of the fridge. But, after much asking i broke down and started putting things up there. I purchased a simple metal basket for the kitchen and put chips in so they won't fall behind. The wicker basket if full of snack item for the children. much easier to grab out of there in keep boxes in my cabinets.

Always keep a shopping list by your fridge. when you are cooking and you need stuff jot it down. Nothing worse then going to a store, getting a brain fart and not remembering what you went in for. found this magnetic one at Michael's for $1 and it came with a pen.

Make your own magnets. i made the picture frames of the animals from a Martha Stewart kit that was on the clearance isle for $1. The fruit magnets i made from 3d paper cutout stickers from the scrapbook isle. i mounted them on a thin cardboard and attached a magnet. tada!

These are just some of the things i have done and some of my tip. i hope i have given you ideas to help you next time you tackle cleaning the fridge.

Bittersweet

Earth day is a special day for me for another reason. I got to bring my oldest son Collin home from the NICU on this day.

When you are pregnant there are some many questions, fear, and excitement about the whole thing. You plan the best you can. You decide on decor, what kind of diapers, breastfeeding, care, and birth plan. Well even the most well laid out plans rarely go as planned. I have planned to have Collin natural birth with no drugs. Well life had other plans. 5 weeks before i was due i went to the hospital for a routine stress test. Well after they did my test and checked my urine they realized that something was terribly wrong. I had preclamsia BAD!!! and it was making Collin weak. They admitted me right then and there and starting putting me on magnesium. That stuff if so bad it makes you feel like you have a fever and you blood is boiling. They kept me overnight only to find that things where worse. Collin's health was still declining and i was getting so bad i was about an hour away from total kidney failure.

I was rushed right to Columbia b/c Moberly hospital didn't have the equipment needed to deal with me and a 5 week early baby. Got to Columbia and they stabilized me. It was a good thing b/c my Aunt Denise was my nurse. Then they decided to give me potosin to start my labor to get Collin out. After 6 hours and no progress they decided on c-section.

All that was a total blur to me. I remember being prepped i was so out of it i didn't remember much. After they got Collin out i got to see him for 10 seconds. i got a side glace at him. I couldn't touch him they had me pinned to the table like i was on a cross and i was strapped down.

He was rushed away and i had to sit in silence as they stitched me up. It was horrifying not knowing what is going on and how your baby is. I was put into a recovery room until the feeling came back to lower half.

I wasn't able to see Collin for the whole first day. Zach took this picture for me so i could see what he looked like.

He was so tiny he only weighed 4lbs and 8oz and was 17 inch long. He was having trouble breathing and his temp would not hold.

I finally got to see him late the day after he was born. I had to stand up and walk as my reward i got to see my son. I went into the NICU and i could barely see him from all the wires, tube, and machines they had on him. It made me so sad and so happy at the same time. i got to touch him through the port holes but was not allowed to hold him yet.

The next day they told me to come down and try to feed him. I wanted to breastfeed. I finally got to hold him. But, he was so small he didn't have the strength to breastfeed. so i had to pump and put it into his feeding tube. After a week in the hospital i was released but Collin had to stay. I have never in my life cried as much as i did that day. I cried all the way home. I hated to sit and home and wait for Zach to get off work to do a 35 mile drive just to see my baby for a couple hours. Then i had the grueling task of leaving. I cried every time in the car ride home.

Each day he was getting better. i could feed him on the breast a little, he got rid of the feeding tube, had all the IVs taken out, each day something was a step in the right direction. I had to fight with the DR. a bit. both Zach and I have low body temp so he got released to a more open crib after that.

Finally we got the call....Collin can come home. He had been in the NICU 10 days. To this day i don't think any other news has made me happier! So that is why earth day is so special to me. It was the end to one of the most grueling emotional times i have ever had.

So i hear people making birth plans about home birth and whatnot. I can honestly say i am so so so glad i didn't do it. I actually encourage people not to rely on midwifes or homebirth in case of unforseen complications. It is scary to feel fine and not relize your body is rejecting to carring your baby. If i hadn't Collin and I would not be here, i feel so blessed for the people that saved us.

Earth Day

Earth Day reminds me of a little fable about a hummingbird.

In a large quite forest a wildfire broke out. The fire quickly turned into an inferno. The forest creatures where frozen in fear by the size and pure destruction of the fire, that is except a lone hummingbird. She quickly darted off to the nearest stream and got her bill full of water and zipped to the heart of the fire and put her mouthful (which is a few drops) on the fire. The other animals watched her in amazement. On her third trip some of the forest animals stopped her, "Why are you doing this, you can't fight this. Why even try?"
The humming bird answered coolly,"I know. but, i don't care how big the fire seems. I will do all i can to save my home."

That is how people should look at the world. Yeah there is an easy route and a tough way. More often then not in our busy lives we take the easy way. Even a small change can make a huge difference. Think of it as a butterfly effect. Did you know just the simple act of turning off the water as you brush your teeth saves the average of 5 gallons a day. After a year you have saved enough water to supply the whole city of New York's water demand for a day.

So this earth day i am not telling you to make major changes just simple ones. Cut off a lights when you leave a room, carry cloth bags to shop, pick up more organic local grown food, use environmentally friendly cleaner, use a stainless steel drinking bottle instead of bottle water, pack a lunch, recycle more, and so on. Just one of these simple things help. So make every day an Earth Day and find out actually how easy it is to live a better life.

Some people have asked why i am so passionate for living "green". I tell them this. When my Children are older and the world's problems are getting bad. They are going to ask me what i did to help. I am going to say,"I did everything in my power to help and make sure you where healthy." Will you be able to look in your children's eyes and say the same thing?

Dandelions

Dandelions!! oh, how i loathe thee! When i was i child i used to love to make chains of these flowers and blow the seed head. but, now that i am older they are my arch enemy. It's a good things i know a way to get rid of them quick that is environmentally friendly.

Take straight white vinegar and put in a spray bottle. spray right at the base. It will turn brown within an hour. this also works other weeds also. I have not tested it around flower that you want to keep. But i do know it will kill all the pesky weeds that are in your sidewalk cracks. So please use this method instead of harmful chemicals. It is wonderful if you have pets and children you don't have to worry about chemicals.

Roses!!!

I haven't written in a while. Things are starting to grow and bloom around my home and that requires maintenance.

My home is a rough stucco, just think concrete with rock shale added. Over 3/4 of my home is covered in Japanese ivy. When we bought our house 5 years ago it was very over run. I have been working hard to make nice flowerbeds and maintain the ivy. It takes me almost 2 weeks to get everything under control.

This year i have decided that things are mostly controlled enough that i can start adding the plants i want. I had already set 6 roses, 20 hosta, a clematis, bleeding heart, and a peony. I have around 5 beds and i have been feverishly cutting grass and mulching to keep weeds out this year.

My veggie garden is turning out not to be a good veggie garden at all. It has to much shade and stays to wet. I have talked with my husband, we have decided to turn that into a large flower garden. YIPPEE!!! now i have been dreaming of gardens. It's a small little thing but i will set a small sitting area and have it draped with wisteria, climbing roses, and clematis. In the beds i will have a mixture of flower and herbs. This is so much fun. It will take a couple of years to complete. Not due to ideasor enthusiasm, due only to funds. i will keep everyone posted.

I might not be on to much during the early summer months. you can bet i am playing the in garden.

Packing a Lunch

After my son's 6Th birthday the whole family will be switching for a gluten free lifestyle. I want to try this for at least 90 days to see if it will help Collin. There are neurological connections to wheat allergy. Hopefully this might help, if it doesn't then we will know to go in a different direction. We are hoping it will help his speech, irritability, hyper activeness, and help him focus. His teachers have been really good with him but i know he can be a trial. i just want to help him lead a normal life as possible.

I myself have been Gluten free for almost 5 days. It is not bad at all. I have found when comparing notes with Mom we don't have that nagging hunger feeling. Plus my pants are fitting better around the upper part of my stomach. I have also noticed that my facial ticks don't seem to last long, i went a whole day without a tick yesterday!! That was about only the 3rd time in almost 2-1/2 years. So that right there is better and i haven't even been doing it for a week. Even if this doesn't help Collin i will continue to stay on it for myself.

To prepare for my whole house switching over. I am going to have to start packing Collin's Lunch and providing a special snacks for his snack time. Things have changed so much from when we where kids. There are so many options for Lunches now days. But i have found the product that I ADORE!!! They are called Snack taxis http://www.snacktaxi.com/ They are fabric re-usable lunch sacks to put your food in. they have a lining in them that is washable. you just rinse and let air dry. They come in so many great designs. The ones in the picture are my personal ones with my favorite fabric pattern (Micheal miller. 50's kitchen) If you are looking to save money and be stylish this is the way to go. I was also bargain hunting in Wal-mart. I found stainless steel drinking insulated Thermoses for 3 dollars each. How cool is that. they are usually 12-15 dollars.

I will keep everyone posted on our progress and see if things are changing.

Gluten Free

GLUTEN FREE DIET!!!! these words strike fear in the heart of the person who loves bread or any kind of wheat product.

My Mom had these words told to her this week. She has just found out she has Celiac disease. If you have Celiac disease, Gluten destroys the lining of your small intestine. The body makes up for this by making bacteria to try to fight it. So instead of working on Good bacteria your body needs, it floods the system with the bad kind. This has a laundry list of things that happen to a body. If your diet it managed your body can regulate itself and stop depleting the body of calcium store, control weight, and have better immune health overall.

So I have decided to go Gluten free also. I want to help my Mom, she has it much rougher then me because she is also Diabetic. So, hopefully we can find great recipes that balance both of these factors.

Now the research! OMG so many things contain Gluten it is almost scary. Come to find out 80-90% off all American food includes wheat products. But, since Mom and I have gone to a lot of Organic cooking it helps b/c we know what is added to our food. There will have to be a lot of adjusting. Yeo women are a creative bunch so we will have ideas on how to sub things in no time. Already we have found some great products. Betty Crocker has a line of Gluten free products. That helps because i don't care who you are at some time or another you have a sweet tooth.

Here is to starting a new chapter. I myself don't know if i have this I just want to be a support for my Mom. It is hard when you eat different then everyone else. We know this to well....try keeping a Kosher diet in today's world. Been doing that for 30 years! Here's to a Kosher Gluten free Organic diet. We will miss our breads (for me especially rye). The health will outweigh the cost!

If you have any gluten free recipes or if you are interested just drop me a line.

Clothes line

AHHHHH!!!! is there nothing like the smell of towels and sheets that where hung on the line. Reminds me of days with MawMaw hanging out laundry. Learning the proper way to hang shirts so you didn't have funky creases and how to put clothes together to conserve pins. The way the clothes feel and smell as they have hung in the warm sun and flapped in the breeze all day. The stiffness of jeans and the so soft cotton shirts. Brings in a loaded basket and it was truly captured sunshine.

For the longest time growing up we didn't have a dryer and there was no choice you had to hang them out. Even after we got a dryer, clothes on the line was still preferred and didn't take long at all to do. I am so glad of this. So many people now days don't know the joy of Hanging out your clothes. If you have dryer and have space, by all means put one up, even if it's a tiny thing.
Not only will you save energy you get the benefit of great smelling and fresh clothes.

That was one of the many selling points of my home. We have a HUGE clothes line for in town. It can fit up to 6 large loads of clothes at a time. We are going to restring it soon. the wires are a little saggy from years of use, but it will be better then ever soon. I just think it's wonderful that all the old things are coming back in style again. I don't feel like such a hippie (but i have always loved being one)

Jell-o Mold

Ah yeah the tried and true Jell-o mold. I happen to love Jell-o it's amazing stuff. What else can you think of be molded, whipped, drank, froze, and anything else you want to achieve. i will share my own recipe for a Jell-o mold that i made for Easter Dinner.

I decided to make a mold that had a tropical flair. Yellow layer is island pineapple, white layer is pina colada , orange is apricot, white again, and red is island fruit.

you can make this salad any flavor you want, this is what i happened to make.

the regular Jell-o layers are a full box of Jell-o deluded half strength. I use just enough water to dissolve the sugars. then use cold water to bring it to a cup.

White layer:

1-8oz tub Greek yogurt or sour cream

1-box cream cheese

1 6oz can pineapple juice

1 box Knox unflavored gelatin

1 tsp coconut flavoring

1/2 tsp Vanilla

salt to taste

1/2 c sugar.

Whip all ingredients together. take out 1/3rd of the batch when ready to layer the mold. use just enough hot water to dissolve 1& 1/2 packets of Knox. whip into bowl and layer. When it come time for the 2nd white layer add 2& 1/2 packets of Knox to the remainder.

Let each layer set well before moving to the next layer. it doesn't take to long and has a really fun wow factor!

If you don't want the pina colada flavor you can leave out the pineapple juice and coconut flavoring. just whip in a tub of cool whip and any flavor you wish.

Just play with it and have fun. great for 4th of July or a baby shower instead of cake.

Happy Easter and egg tips

Easter is here again. Hope everyone has wonderful time connecting with friends and family. Easter has always been one of my favorite holidays. I love the traditions and celebrating Christ's resurrection. It truly is the most wonderful time of year when everything is starting new again. Don't forget to get out and marvel at all of the spring wonders and be thankful for all the God has given us.

Here are some of my tips for after Easter:

if you are like most families you dyed some eggs or had eggs in your Easter dinner. There are something you can do with the egg shells and cartons that will help all year long.

Buy eggs in a paper carton. you can use the cartons as seed starters. when seeds are established you can tear them apart and plant them paper and all. Kids love to watch seeds grow so have them pick out seeds they want and have them help you.

Egg shells are wonderful for your plants. Dry out your egg shells for a couple of days (you can use dyed shells). crush and grind them. Add them to your potting soil or sprinkle around shrubs and plants in your yard.

Lentils

People here the word "Lentils" and automatically they think of gross slimy glop that grandma used to try to make them eat.

They get a horrible wrap!

Lentils, a small but nutritionally mighty member of the legume family, are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber. Not only do lentils help lower cholesterol, they are of special benefit in managing blood-sugar disorders since their high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising rapidly after a meal. But this is far from all lentils have to offer. Lentils also provide good to excellent amounts of six important minerals, two B-vitamins, and protein-all with virtually no fat. The calorie cost of all this nutrition? Just 230 calories for a whole cup of cooked lentils. This tiny nutritional giant fills you up--not out.

Looking for something different try Red lentils. I cook lentils in stock. I used organic vegetable stock they only take just a minute. I use them as a sub to pasta. Great for people who are Vegan, gluten-free, or on a low-carb diet.

They are so tasty! give them a try and take off there bad wrap.

Spring cleaning

Yes friends it is that time of year again. The warmer weather make us itch for change. We must cleanse the house the kept us tied up all winter. Thing you never noticed during the winter begin to bug you! then it hits! its the urge....SPRING CLEANING!!! it is almost at nagging as having the "nesting phase" during pregnancy. For the next couple of weeks every waking minute will be used for organizing, cleaning, pitching, painting, and scrubbing. Everyone does it...so don't fight it. but, i have some great tricks that will help you cut the time so you sit and relax.

here are some of my recipes for good cleaner that are natural and cheap!

things every home should have: vinegar, baking soda, borax, washing soda, olive oil, and vodka.

windows: vinegar and water..that is it! just use newspaper to wipe them down. please reuse old ones and not buy new ones.

woodwork: 1 gallon really hot water, 1 cup of white vinegar, 2 tbsp olive oil.

this will clean all woodwork and wood floors. you can use essential oil instead of olive oil and make the house smell as you wish.

all purpose: 1/2 cup of borax in 1 gallon hot water.

China: 2 tbsp borax per sink load.

To freshen clothes mist newspaper with water and close them into a box. next day nice a fresh.

febreeze is expensive and not good for you home with all the chemicals. use this instead.

1 tsp. lavender essential oil,1/4 cup unflavored vodka, and 3 1/2 cups filtered water

Try to use micofiber towels whenever possible they clean super well and it cuts out paper waste from paper towels.

These are some of my favorite tricks around my home i hope they will help in your spring cleaning. Please don't forget to recycle and send your old clothes to charity.

Happy cleaning!!

Fillet of Beef Bourguignonne

So i wanted to start a new tradition of cooking a nice supper with nice china on Saturdays. I want to instill simple traditions that bring our family together and don't cost an arm and a leg.

The recipe for this week was Fillet of Beef Bourguignonne. thought i would share the steps. if you want the recipes you will have to e-mail me. Just in case it is copyrighted.

things you need. 3lb fillet, 1/2 pound mushrooms, 20 pearl onions, 8-10 carrots, 3 cloves garlic, beef stock, tomato paste, butter, olive oil, dry red wine, fresh thyme, salt, pepper, and 2 tsp flour.
Pat your beef dry after cutting. dry beef brown better. brown on all sides in olive oil and pull out. keep the meat on the rare side. season beef with kosher salt and pepper. ( you can tell i drink while i cook..hehehe)
after you have pulled out the meat. brown your garlic in the leftover oil for bout 5 minutes

add 1-1/2 red wine and turn light to high and deglaze your pan. add stock, 1 tbsp of tomato paste, 1 stick of fresh time, salt & pepper. boil for 10 minutes. strain the liquid and return to the pan.Add carrots and onions and boil on Med-high for 20-30 minutes until veggies are tender.

Cook the mushroom in 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp olive oil. make sure you don't crowd mushrooms and NEVER add salt to mushrooms while cooking. it will make the super tough.

take 2 tbsp room temp butter and smash it into 2 tbsp flour until well mixed. add it to the stock and veggies and cook for 5 minutes. add your mushroom and beef and cook for 5-10 more minutes. serve right away. Do not overcook or your meat will be tough and enjoy!!!

i set a nice table. it might be just us but what they hey. you have nice china show it off even if it's just for one night. This is one of my favorite china sets. My Grandmother Yeo gave me the nice serving dish. and i found the plates at a flea market 6 for a $1.00!!

It was nice to share a nice meal with my family. boys didn't want to touch it but Zach and I sure ate it up!

Laundry Soap

I have had a lot of people wanting to know how I make my homemade soap. So, I thought I would share how to do it.

You need 3 ingredients: Borax, Washing soda, and a Fels-naptha bar. All of these are found in your local grocery store in the laundry isle. you can also find some of these at the local hardware store. If you can't find them, be nice and ask your grocer they will sometimes order what you would like.

It is best if you open your fels-naptha bar and let it dry out for a day. It makes it easier to grate up. you can use your food processor if you prefer. I happen to use a hand grater it takes a bit to do it this way and is the longest step. try to get it as fine as possible. another tip i found out is if you grate it large like you would cheese instead of zesting. let the shaving dry out for a couple days and you can crunch them up really fine. Go ahead and put your shaving in an air tight apothecary jar or screw top container.

To the shavings you will add 1 cup of Washing soda. It must be WASHING soda not baking soda. Also add 1 cup of Borax. Borax will usually be lumpy so i put it through a siv right over the top of the jar. you can put it in a plastic bag and just get the lumps out yourself.So to review. 1 bar of fels-natha grated, 1 cup of washing soda, and 1 cup of borax. easy at that.

To use: you will use 1 Tablespoon. i know that sounds CRAZY! but trust me. 1 tablespoon per load, use 2 Tablespoons for really dirty clothes. This soap will NOT suds.

Now i will be honest. this is great soap i will not lie! you will not need to use fabric softener. you clothes will be so soft and have Zero smell. 1 batch can usually do about 30-35 loads. i make double and it usually last me a couple months.

But, it still have some trouble getting whites white. so use a couple of methods. 1 cup of lemon juice in my white or 1 cup peroxide. but are great natural whitener.

Give it a whirl! find out if a all natural and eco friendly soap can work better then anything you have ever bought in your whole life.

Washing Machine blues

Most all homes now days are equipped with gleaming washers and dryers. Ours on the other hand does not. When Zach and I bought our home where not told a many of things. Papers already signed we didn't realize that our breaker box would not hold anymore after we had to put in a furnace. then we also realized on of two things. 1)there where no pre-existing hook-ups in the house 2) we would have to upgrade our box, run new wiring, and establish plumbing.

Well needless to say. Zach and I don't have that kind of money lying around. In the city of Moberly if you have any thing done to your home you have many steps. First you have to acquire a permit ($), then you have to purchase materials ($$), in the city of Moberly you have to use a licensed contractor ($$$).

That is why for almost the past 5 years we have resorted to the laundromat and my mother's home to do laundry.

If you have both of these blessed appliances in you home you are a lucky soul. But, as far as we are concerned we are tired of lugging our Dirty laundry around. what takes you one trips take me about 5 times as many trips. But, fingers crossed we might be able to get the steps going in the right direction. One day i hope to have the Nirvana of doing my delicates at home.

Finding my cooking passion (again)

I have decided to revamp my blog. I will be sharing some of my day to day things. As anyone knows nothing is boring at home. So i will be sharing the latest crafting, crochet, cooking, gardening, and etc. Plus my adventures of being a mom to 2 boys. i hope this will be a fun journey for you as it is for me.

so lets get started...... Finally! It has struck me, the passion for cooking again.

I dream of making sauces and new dishes again. I live to make my home smell of fresh herbs, garlic, and roasted veggies. The sizzle of meat as it sears to brown bliss and the tangy aroma that lingers in the air. to watch sauces reduce into a creamy pools of flavor.

It is strange to get a rush from going to the grocery store. To smell and feel the fruit and vegetables, to stand and take in the wonderful fresh aromas and colors. Going to the local butcher and selecting the freshest cuts to make for my boys. Going down the wine isle and reading the different wines and thinking of dishes to match them with. ( i have started drinking wine more) Its and adventure all it's own.

It's such a powerful thing to take a few items and chop, saute, grind, poach, bake, braise. And create a masterpiece to set on a flower tablecloth to be shared and loved. I don't only create food that is good for my family, I am cooking love, time, and memories....and I love it!