Seriously... not sure why i didn't try this sooner or no one told me but BAKING bacon is MUCH easier then frying it AND i think it tastes better...
next time you eat bacon.. BAKE IT!
Lay it out in a shallow pan... bake at 425 for 20 minutes.. give or take on how crispy you like it...
ooooo sooooo gooooood.....
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Oh so tasty...
Another recipe on the quest for acquiring more variety ...
Peanutbutter kiss cookies
Seriously tasty and super easy to make!!
Peanutbutter kiss cookies
Seriously tasty and super easy to make!!
Saturday, January 26, 2013
on goals...
So i posted about the goals that i have for myself this year...
i just wanted to update on how i am working towards those goals...
1. Learn more gluten free recipes- I made some GF banana bread that was super tasty... :) Do you want the recipe???
Also some REALLY super Yummy Chicken Fajita bites... do you want the recipe for that too?
2. Spend Less - Yep.. doing good on that front! YAY! Making less trips into town.. using what i have, meal planning... it feels good.
3. Read More - I'm working on this one still... I am currently reading a book on raising boys.. i am in the chapter about hormones and when they kick in and what they do to boys and what not... i have to admit, i feel a little intimidated...
4. Create more - Currently making a christmas rag quilt for a friend :) and loving it. Rag quilts are rather easy to make i am discovering... it may be my new favorite quilt to make. I think a jean rag quilt would be super cute... hmmmmmm ALSO on the music front i am going to be teaching piano lessons to a friends daughter... i'm a little excited... i'm a little nervous. We'll see how it goes.
5. Invite more people over - We had some friends over last week... we are planning on getting together with another family in a few weeks AND i have been spending more time with friends and in the process i have met a new friend! She has a son who has sensory integration disorder as well as autism... she just started the gluten free diet ... so we have lots in common... I'm hoping to develop a good friendship with her.. i am hopeful. :)
So that's how i am doing on my goals.
Oh wait.. did you want those recipes?
OKay i'll share...
Banana bread (on the sweet side)
1 1/4 cup GF flour (i just used plain old brown rice flour and it turned out well)
2 teaspoons Baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 large eggs, at room temp
3/4 cup sugar (yep... a lot... haven't tried honey yet...)
3 mashed bananas
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup oil
preheat oven to 350, grease loaf pan. mix dry ingredients... in small separate bowl whisk together eggs sugar and bananas vanilla and oil. stir wet ingredients into dry until just combined. transfer into pan, bake until golden.. about 45-50 minutes.. let cool completely before you take the bread out of the pan.
Chicken Fajita Bites
4 medium bell peppers, any color
3 Green onions
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
4 oz. Mozzarella cheese
2 cups finely diced cooked chicken
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons chili lime rub
preheat oven to 400
1.Cut off top of peppers and scoop out seeds. Cut pepper into wedges. Arrange on baking sheet.
2. finely chop green onions and cilantro together.
3. grate cheese
4. mix half of the onion mixture half the cheese, chicken, and 1/2 cup sour cream and chili rub.
5. blot excess moister from peppers and then scoop filling on to pepper wedges.
6. Sprinkle peppers with remaining cheese. Bake for 5-7 minutes or until cheese is melted.
7. mix remaining sour cream with remaining onion cilantro mix and top off each wedge (after they have cooked) with extra mixture. YUM YUM seriously super yummy and GLUTEN FREE! YAY
i just wanted to update on how i am working towards those goals...
1. Learn more gluten free recipes- I made some GF banana bread that was super tasty... :) Do you want the recipe???
Also some REALLY super Yummy Chicken Fajita bites... do you want the recipe for that too?
2. Spend Less - Yep.. doing good on that front! YAY! Making less trips into town.. using what i have, meal planning... it feels good.
3. Read More - I'm working on this one still... I am currently reading a book on raising boys.. i am in the chapter about hormones and when they kick in and what they do to boys and what not... i have to admit, i feel a little intimidated...
4. Create more - Currently making a christmas rag quilt for a friend :) and loving it. Rag quilts are rather easy to make i am discovering... it may be my new favorite quilt to make. I think a jean rag quilt would be super cute... hmmmmmm ALSO on the music front i am going to be teaching piano lessons to a friends daughter... i'm a little excited... i'm a little nervous. We'll see how it goes.
5. Invite more people over - We had some friends over last week... we are planning on getting together with another family in a few weeks AND i have been spending more time with friends and in the process i have met a new friend! She has a son who has sensory integration disorder as well as autism... she just started the gluten free diet ... so we have lots in common... I'm hoping to develop a good friendship with her.. i am hopeful. :)
So that's how i am doing on my goals.
Oh wait.. did you want those recipes?
OKay i'll share...
Banana bread (on the sweet side)
1 1/4 cup GF flour (i just used plain old brown rice flour and it turned out well)
2 teaspoons Baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 large eggs, at room temp
3/4 cup sugar (yep... a lot... haven't tried honey yet...)
3 mashed bananas
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup oil
preheat oven to 350, grease loaf pan. mix dry ingredients... in small separate bowl whisk together eggs sugar and bananas vanilla and oil. stir wet ingredients into dry until just combined. transfer into pan, bake until golden.. about 45-50 minutes.. let cool completely before you take the bread out of the pan.
Chicken Fajita Bites
4 medium bell peppers, any color
3 Green onions
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
4 oz. Mozzarella cheese
2 cups finely diced cooked chicken
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons chili lime rub
preheat oven to 400
1.Cut off top of peppers and scoop out seeds. Cut pepper into wedges. Arrange on baking sheet.
2. finely chop green onions and cilantro together.
3. grate cheese
4. mix half of the onion mixture half the cheese, chicken, and 1/2 cup sour cream and chili rub.
5. blot excess moister from peppers and then scoop filling on to pepper wedges.
6. Sprinkle peppers with remaining cheese. Bake for 5-7 minutes or until cheese is melted.
7. mix remaining sour cream with remaining onion cilantro mix and top off each wedge (after they have cooked) with extra mixture. YUM YUM seriously super yummy and GLUTEN FREE! YAY
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
The last day of 7
8 Years ago i was VERY heavy with child. There was an unknown child within me... just passing time... already 14 days late.
I waddled into the hospital for a scheduled induction... this little one needed an eviction notice.
After my water breaking, 14 hard hours of labor, 2 hours of pushing and a little one who did not want to go anywhere, i was whisked into surgery and our little boy was born via c-section on the 23rd. I actually felt them cutting and started freaking out so they put me under. I did not come to until an hour after our son was born. I woke up to him crying... Matt was giving him his first bath... I asked " Do we have a boy?" Matt answered back crying, " Yes a son, and he's so beautiful". I dreamed of him while i was pregnant with him and i knew in my heart he was a boy, even though we didn't know for sure. He was a big 9 pounds 5 ounces and 22 inches long. I guess the doctors never saw a head so big on a baby and they were confident that even if i kept trying to push there is no way he would of come through.
This picture was taken at the hospital the day he was born.. he was so alert and curious.
I waddled into the hospital for a scheduled induction... this little one needed an eviction notice.
After my water breaking, 14 hard hours of labor, 2 hours of pushing and a little one who did not want to go anywhere, i was whisked into surgery and our little boy was born via c-section on the 23rd. I actually felt them cutting and started freaking out so they put me under. I did not come to until an hour after our son was born. I woke up to him crying... Matt was giving him his first bath... I asked " Do we have a boy?" Matt answered back crying, " Yes a son, and he's so beautiful". I dreamed of him while i was pregnant with him and i knew in my heart he was a boy, even though we didn't know for sure. He was a big 9 pounds 5 ounces and 22 inches long. I guess the doctors never saw a head so big on a baby and they were confident that even if i kept trying to push there is no way he would of come through.
This picture was taken at the hospital the day he was born.. he was so alert and curious.
And now it is 8 years later.. and I love him so much. We've gone down this incredible road with him where we have learned so much about ourselves.. we have learned so much about God... and so much about him. I feel so blessed to call him my son.
Today just he and i celebrated together. We went out for fries and soda (a very special rare treat for him), then we went to the store and he picked out a special toy of his own with the money that grandma sent him... and tonight we will go over to Matt's parents house to have cupcakes. There will be no waiting in expectiation tonight.. there will be no labor pains... and the house will be quiet. But i will remember and i will hold close in my heart this special night 8 years ago when i was waiting for him. .. my someday son.. I will always remember this night no matter what the future holds... and someday soon he will be a man... but i will still hold the memories of the past, and the present in my heart.
Happy Birthday Joshua
Nobody knows what
a boy is worth,
And the world must
wait and see;
For every man in a
honored place,
Is a boy that used to be.
-Phillips Brooks
Monday, January 21, 2013
Coming back down...
Okay... So.... After looking at properties all night long and talking and dreaming with the husband... We came back down to earth and concluded that right now we should stay put... Maybe in a year or two we'll entertain the idea more seriously... But we do have everything that we need right here...I can keep dreaming big for my husband .. But in the meantime we're going to plant some fruit trees, get some more chickens and keep dreaming...
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Moving
I have a serious itch to move.... for a couple of reasons... mainly the number one reason is because i want my husband to have a HUGE shop to work out for in his business of developing... (as it stands right now he has a very small 200 sq foot space to develop his products and store his tools.) I mean i don't even care if we cut our square footage of the home area.. i just want him to have lots and lots of space for his dreams....
another reason i want to move is because i want to be even closer to the mountains and all of our fabulous camping and hiking adventure areas...
and the final reason is... because honestly..
i really kinda like change and adventure... i like the challenge of it....
we've been in this house, our first house for 5 years now... and it's been wonderful
BUT
I've got an itch to move...
stay tuned...
another reason i want to move is because i want to be even closer to the mountains and all of our fabulous camping and hiking adventure areas...
and the final reason is... because honestly..
i really kinda like change and adventure... i like the challenge of it....
we've been in this house, our first house for 5 years now... and it's been wonderful
BUT
I've got an itch to move...
stay tuned...
Saturday, January 12, 2013
This year
OKay so i'm kinda a goal person... I like to have something to focus on to keep me on track. I find if i do not have something to work towards i slip into depression. So this is my list for my goals this year...
1. Learn more gluten free recipes- i'm kinda bored with the ones i know... so i want to explore recipes and find some more good ones to add to our current rotation. I just want to be better with meal planning in general! Anybody have any good recipes to share? Favorite gluten free cook books or websites?
2. Spend Less- Spend less which in turn will save more.. I want to be able to have a nice wad of cash to give my husband every month to help finance his personal business and help him towards his goals, Even though his ideas can seem outlandish sometimes... i really believe in him and trust him and i want to support him as much as possible. Don't worry, i'm not going to starve my children and not nourish our souls and the souls of others... I just haven't been one to keep a budget and to stick to a certain spending amount... so i want to do that and see how much i can save. :)
3. Read More - I want to read more to the kids, i want to read more books for myself. Just read! It is so great to keep the mind sharp, to keep learning things, and be able to escape into worlds created by others. There is so much beauty in books.
4. Create More - I love creating art and music. So i want to work more at creating... I especially love water colors... and i LOVE quilting.. i love making quilts for special friends.. maybe one day YOU will get a quilt from me. :) I also would LOVE to have a piano in my home... but that is going to have to stay a dream for a while... we do have a full sized keyboard, but it's just not the same. I do have a flute (Elijah calls it my magic flute ) so i can create music through that as well.
5. Invite people over - We are super bad at having our friends over... So we are going to work on it and try to invite people over once a month. you know.. that thing called fellowship.. I think that's a pretty attainable goal! So you wanna come over?
:)
1. Learn more gluten free recipes- i'm kinda bored with the ones i know... so i want to explore recipes and find some more good ones to add to our current rotation. I just want to be better with meal planning in general! Anybody have any good recipes to share? Favorite gluten free cook books or websites?
2. Spend Less- Spend less which in turn will save more.. I want to be able to have a nice wad of cash to give my husband every month to help finance his personal business and help him towards his goals, Even though his ideas can seem outlandish sometimes... i really believe in him and trust him and i want to support him as much as possible. Don't worry, i'm not going to starve my children and not nourish our souls and the souls of others... I just haven't been one to keep a budget and to stick to a certain spending amount... so i want to do that and see how much i can save. :)
3. Read More - I want to read more to the kids, i want to read more books for myself. Just read! It is so great to keep the mind sharp, to keep learning things, and be able to escape into worlds created by others. There is so much beauty in books.
4. Create More - I love creating art and music. So i want to work more at creating... I especially love water colors... and i LOVE quilting.. i love making quilts for special friends.. maybe one day YOU will get a quilt from me. :) I also would LOVE to have a piano in my home... but that is going to have to stay a dream for a while... we do have a full sized keyboard, but it's just not the same. I do have a flute (Elijah calls it my magic flute ) so i can create music through that as well.
5. Invite people over - We are super bad at having our friends over... So we are going to work on it and try to invite people over once a month. you know.. that thing called fellowship.. I think that's a pretty attainable goal! So you wanna come over?
:)
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Missing the beauty and Dear Daniel...
I have a tendency to focus on the tasks that need to be done. ... which makes me miss the beauty. The beauty of this very moment.
i was watching old videos tonight... there was one of Elijah when he was 16 months old. It made me laugh and smile.. and then i realized that i will never have that age back. I mean don't get me wrong i LOVE being out of the baby and toddler years and NO DIAPERS.. but i feel like i was knee deep in it so long.. that i did everything i could to close my eyes and wait for it to pass for older days.... and now i am on the next season. oh I've heard all mom's with older children tell me how it passes before you know it... and you know what.. THEY ARE RIGHT. But yet... i still miss the beauty of the day.. today... I probably missed it the days that i was making the videos as well. I have to tell myself to relax and enjoy where my children are at right now very often.. because i know that i won't be able to get this day back. They will grow and start a life of their own soon enough.
Today i was asking Joshua what he wanted to do when he got older like daddy. He said that he wanted to travel the world and makes lots of friends... and then he would tell them how much Jesus loved them. He said he would go to Africa and the forests in India and then meet the Chinese people. I asked him if i could come visit him while he was traveling, and he told me i could come with him. My heart smiled... i hope that dream comes true for him. I think at he has a heart yearning for exploration and adventure, just like his mom.
Every morning i wake up and I am greeted with a " good morning mom, how did you sleep?" Elijah crawls into the bed regularly and asks for snuggles and whispers " i love you" with a smile and a hug.
And i cherish... and i slow down... i highly doubt they will be climbing into my bed in the morning when they are 15 to snuggle and tell me how much they love me...
i remind myself that all too soon they will be on their way.. and i will be left with the memories that we've made today, i don't want to miss the beauty of today...
I also have a tendency to get caught up in "normal". Oh normal how you PLAGUE me! Just when i think i am doing good.. just when i think that i can cope with my children's differences I get caught up in normal again... and then i get all grippe and cranky about how hard my normal is.
The one that deals with it the most is Daniel....
Oh Daniel... my heart aches... I really truly want to be able to do everything possible to help you feel comfortable and loved, but also to push you and help you understand the world around you... and for the world to understand you...
Most days I'm lost in trying to figure out how to understand you... most days i am wondering what to do next.. wondering what i can do to "fix you".
Yes son... i am sorry.. i try to much to fix you, instead of trying to understand you and accept you and your special gifts. I get stuck on normal... and I'm slow at learning how to let that go. Because you, my beautiful, loud, laughing, and mischievous son, are amazing.. and you have many many gifts.. and i can see it in your eyes.
You challenge me, you push me and grow me to deeper love.
You are my Daniel.. and as you are sleeping in the room next to me, i wonder who you will be. Will you be able to go out into the world on your own, or will you always be with us? Will you have friends that you feel close to and understand you?
And somedays... like today i wonder if you will you ever be able to drink anything other then out of a straw or a sippy cup? I mean.. yes there are bigger things then that, but sometimes i feel like we are loosing or doing something wrong because you have so many sensory issues... but i think that we just need to let go for Normal... I need to let go...
Because seriously...
if you need to drink out of a straw or sippy cup to get liquid that THAT'S FINE!
really... the world will not end...
we will keep trying to get you to be able to drink water or milk out of a cup ( because that skill will help you when you are older) , but in a way that's loving and healthy for you.
Please forgive us when we loose our patience or we don't understand. We just love you.
And i hope someday you will be able to read this, and look back and know that we love you... the way you are.. and we are learning to let go of that nasty word " Normal" and what life is "suppose" to look like, and embrace YOU.. in all YOUR youness.
i was watching old videos tonight... there was one of Elijah when he was 16 months old. It made me laugh and smile.. and then i realized that i will never have that age back. I mean don't get me wrong i LOVE being out of the baby and toddler years and NO DIAPERS.. but i feel like i was knee deep in it so long.. that i did everything i could to close my eyes and wait for it to pass for older days.... and now i am on the next season. oh I've heard all mom's with older children tell me how it passes before you know it... and you know what.. THEY ARE RIGHT. But yet... i still miss the beauty of the day.. today... I probably missed it the days that i was making the videos as well. I have to tell myself to relax and enjoy where my children are at right now very often.. because i know that i won't be able to get this day back. They will grow and start a life of their own soon enough.
Today i was asking Joshua what he wanted to do when he got older like daddy. He said that he wanted to travel the world and makes lots of friends... and then he would tell them how much Jesus loved them. He said he would go to Africa and the forests in India and then meet the Chinese people. I asked him if i could come visit him while he was traveling, and he told me i could come with him. My heart smiled... i hope that dream comes true for him. I think at he has a heart yearning for exploration and adventure, just like his mom.
Every morning i wake up and I am greeted with a " good morning mom, how did you sleep?" Elijah crawls into the bed regularly and asks for snuggles and whispers " i love you" with a smile and a hug.
And i cherish... and i slow down... i highly doubt they will be climbing into my bed in the morning when they are 15 to snuggle and tell me how much they love me...
i remind myself that all too soon they will be on their way.. and i will be left with the memories that we've made today, i don't want to miss the beauty of today...
I also have a tendency to get caught up in "normal". Oh normal how you PLAGUE me! Just when i think i am doing good.. just when i think that i can cope with my children's differences I get caught up in normal again... and then i get all grippe and cranky about how hard my normal is.
The one that deals with it the most is Daniel....
Oh Daniel... my heart aches... I really truly want to be able to do everything possible to help you feel comfortable and loved, but also to push you and help you understand the world around you... and for the world to understand you...
Most days I'm lost in trying to figure out how to understand you... most days i am wondering what to do next.. wondering what i can do to "fix you".
Yes son... i am sorry.. i try to much to fix you, instead of trying to understand you and accept you and your special gifts. I get stuck on normal... and I'm slow at learning how to let that go. Because you, my beautiful, loud, laughing, and mischievous son, are amazing.. and you have many many gifts.. and i can see it in your eyes.
You challenge me, you push me and grow me to deeper love.
You are my Daniel.. and as you are sleeping in the room next to me, i wonder who you will be. Will you be able to go out into the world on your own, or will you always be with us? Will you have friends that you feel close to and understand you?
And somedays... like today i wonder if you will you ever be able to drink anything other then out of a straw or a sippy cup? I mean.. yes there are bigger things then that, but sometimes i feel like we are loosing or doing something wrong because you have so many sensory issues... but i think that we just need to let go for Normal... I need to let go...
Because seriously...
if you need to drink out of a straw or sippy cup to get liquid that THAT'S FINE!
really... the world will not end...
we will keep trying to get you to be able to drink water or milk out of a cup ( because that skill will help you when you are older) , but in a way that's loving and healthy for you.
Please forgive us when we loose our patience or we don't understand. We just love you.
And i hope someday you will be able to read this, and look back and know that we love you... the way you are.. and we are learning to let go of that nasty word " Normal" and what life is "suppose" to look like, and embrace YOU.. in all YOUR youness.
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
hello, goodbye
Goodbye, old blue van.. we took Daniel home from the hospital in you... we've driven to minnesota in you.. and now you are on a new adventure with a new owner... i hear they want to bring you up to alaska...
Hello 4 wheeler! we are looking forward to making some new memories!
:)
(This picture was taken today... see how all our snow has melted? Now you know why snow is a special occassion for us!)
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