This and That

First off, Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian friends! I have been busy baking all day today so far. I have two gluten free/dairy free apple pies, two gluten free/dairy free pumpkin pies and Cranberry sauce all done!
We are having our dinner tomorrow night, boy do I love this time of year! Cooler weather, beautiful colors, yummy flavours, amazing scents and the overwhelming beauty of Autumn and all her splendor.

In the next few weeks here I plan on getting my rear in gear at the sewing machine, so many things to do and get going on. Pilllow cases, Christmas presents (can't say what on here since people who will be getting some read on here!!lol). Also, in the works are the million and one crafts I am going to try and tackle as well...lol. First on the sewing front though, is skirts for myself and Breanna. I really would like some warm wool skirts (since I don't have a wee one in diapers anymore, I can upcycle old wool sweaters for other projects) and Breanna LOVES and I mean LOVES skirts, so I thought I would make her a bunch of simple elastic waist skirts. Oh and I also need to get my window valance made too! I came across some mexican themed cloth napkins at a thrift shop and I thought they would make a perfect window valance. I love the deep reds and earthy colors they have.


26 sleeps until we begin to decorate for Christmas/Yule!! And 19 sleeps until Breanna's 4th Birthday...yes, FOURTH birthday. I know, I feel the same way. How does that happen so quickly?


Um, what else?!?!? Nothing yet from hunting trips. My freezer is weeping....lol. Oh well, I am sure the perfect animal will show itself to Bill and Robert for us to feed our bellies with.

Oh, we went and did Autumn pics last weekend. They turned out perfect, now I just have to go through and pick the best ones for our wall motif. I will post some up here after I am all done.

Oh, aaaaaand!!! I am so freakin' excited!!! There was a contest over at *Boho Girl* the other week, and I WON!!! Oh-my-gosh, I am still so crazy stoked over it...lol...I won a $50 credit over at Boho Chic Etsy Shoppe! Let me tell you, I could've easily spent a small fortune over there and I will be back because there are so many gorgeous, original, splendid, incredible, magical trinkets there!! For now, I chose the Boho Girl Necklace and I will be saving up for This and this and this.... like I said, I could easily spend a small fortune. Funny enough, I have never considered myself a 'Jewelry' type person, but when I know someone has put their love and energy into something and it's original...I don't know, it changes my view! :)

Here's some random pics of recent:

This is what I inscribed on the floor before we put down the new laminate floor

Chaos while doing the floor

Snowflakes dancing on my Borage the other day

Our new fridge and new floor!

September............

It has arrived...well, it's been here for almost three weeks now! LOL What a busy few weeks it has been, so many changes.

Firstly, Bill has officially started his new job! He went and got his Class One drivers license the first week of September. He is now working for one person and eventually we will be buying this company and it will be OURS! What a wonderfully, beautiful, and exciting feeling THAT is! Our dream of owning land is VERY near. (much more than it was at the beginning of this year!!!)
It has been an adjustment, since we are all trying to fit into a new routine, but it will all be good as we go.
So far, Bill has been loving driving the BIG truck!! hehe

Also, earlier this month was the adventure of canning! Whew, that is a killer! It is so worth it in the long run, but getting it done is quite the production. So far, we put up 37 quarts of pickles, 22 pints of pears (some with spices like cloves and nutmeg), 15 quarts of peaches (some with spices as well), a couple small jars of Cinnamon Apple butter and a couple of pickled relishes. I was going to do some canned vegetables, but my vision of purchasing a pressure canner didn't materialize as of yet. Phooey! As soon as I can, I will make that purchase. The thought of being able to add canned veggies and meats to me pantry makes me very happy!!
Right now I am in the process of harvesting up some of my herbs from the garden. I have Stevia, Mint, and Wormwood all drying right now. I think over the next couple of days I will harvest some of my Borage and Catnip as well. Oh, and I took down some LemonBalm as well. Some of my other herbs I have brought inside like Oregano, Sage, Thyme, Basil and Parsley. Makes it nice to grab fresh herbs while preparing teas or foods.

Also new this year, Alex has begun traditional highschool. Not actually going to school, it's just through correspondence, but a change nonetheless! So far he is finding it okay. Of course, he hates the math! LOL
Matthew has also joined us this school year, not that life is all that different than what he is used to....lol. Everyone has been enjoying their new books as they have arrived in the mail. The Easel has been a big hit as have the art kits....all my little artists!!!

We have also had a couple of Birthdays so far too!! Mine was on the 12th...the big 34!!! haha Don't feel any different and could careless about my age, just a number in my opinion! Kayla also had a birthday on the 15th, she turned 10!! Can you believe it??? It seems like just yesterday I was talking abut her being a toddler on this here blog!! WOWSA!

Past that, we have just been enjoying the sunshine and warmth as much as possible before the cold, winter season has it's hold on us.

This upcoming weekend is yet another busy one, Bill and I will be ripping up the current flooring on the main floor and laying down some beautiful light wood laminate! I am so excited, I LOVE the color!!
Also, on the 27th our new fridge will be arriving!! HURRAY!!! Finally, I will have a second fridge, it's not a large one (that will have to wait until we move) but I still love it, here check it out Our New Fridge yup, pretty stoked!!! The when we move we will put our current one back in it's place and then just take this new one with us and use IT as a second fridge at the new place. It is going to make my life soooooo much easier! I will actually be able to stock up on things like extra soy milk and buy eggs in bulk!

And last, nothing yet from this season Hunting. Bill has only been able to get out twice and yesterday he almost had a doe, but she wasn't quite lined up enough for a good shot. Hopefully next time. I am really looking forward to getting the freezer stocked with some good deer meat.

Well, having said all that...time to go and get dinner on the go here!

Blessed be!

Summer Fun!

Well since the last few weeks of summer are upon us, I thought it was time to get some more pics up here from our summer!!

Enjoy!

What Do You Think?

After hours of painstaking agony, okay not THAT bad, but it sure felt like it!! I managed to get my blog all back in order!! Yay me!!! My awesome, wonderful, incredibly talented daughter helped me out too!

I'm not sure what had happened, but for some reason my blog background disappeared..GASP! I know right? I tried to upload and install all different kinds of backgrounds and templates from my favourite place (leelou blogs) to no avail. Not one of them would work, so I had to search out a new blog template.

It's a bit of a nightmare trying to install one (shush, it IS and don't argue with me!!!) but we figured it out, errrr, Alyssa mostly figured it out, but hey, who's counting?!?!lol

So alas, here is the new digs, I like it! It's not quite the Autumn theme I was hoping for, but it will do until I feel like ripping, tearing, enduring another template update. In fact, right about now, I would rather have a root canal done without any anesthetic!

On a more happy note, I have been having the most wonderful time with my neighbours!!! I have to say that I have the best neighbours anyone could ever ask for and I am very thankful for them!

Um, what else??? Hmph, OH! I pulled up a huge bunch of awesome carrots from the garden today as well as some radishes and beans!! I would have more tomatoes but a certain daughter continues to snitch them off the vines every chance she gets!!!

Well, my eyes are about done with staring at a computer screen and I can here some distant rumblings of a far off thunderstorm....probably the last few we will be getting around here this year! Some of the leaves on the Poplar trees already have some specks of yellow in them!!

Blessed be!!!

Happy VERY Be-Lated *~Lammas~*

Gosh! Wouldn't you know it, late again...lol. Actually, we weren't even here for Lammas, we were away on holidays! We went to Kelowna for a week camping! UGH, the campground we stayed at was an absolute NIGHTMARE and I would never in a million years recommend it to anyone...BUT, that is another post all on it's own!

Then, when we came back, the next day Mariah ended up with some nasty stomach bug for a couple of days...ugh...then Matt got hit with some headache/fever illness that he just got over the other day. WHEW! Now, Bill and I are in the process of healing from this weird headache bug...so annoying.

All in all it was awesome to get to see family and friends out there, hopefully we can make it out that way again next year!! Although we plan on staying somewhere different, that's for sure!! Bill's step brother and his wife graciously offered us to 'camp' on thier property, so I think that is what we will do!! They are such awesome people, I am so happy for Bill's dad to have married Ellen and been blessed with wonderful family in the process. Nobody can ever replace Bill's mama, and EVERYONE knows that, BUT, having been blessed with Ellen and having someone special like her to enjoy this stage of life is truly amazing.

We also were able to make our way out to Penticton to visit other family out that way, Auntie Elaine and Uncle Mike! WOW! Let me tell you, these folks have it GOING ON! They have completed changed their lifestyles and diets and LEMME tell YA, it shows! They are extremely active, eat VERY healthy and have lost weight.  I am so proud of them and what they have done, it just shows that changing your diet and lifestyle has enormous effects on you...for the BETTER!

We went to a nearby lake and OH-MY-GOSH, it was amazing! Crystal clear water, silky smooth sand and gorgeous sunshine. It was a wonderful day. We headed back to their place for dinner and I swear, I have never seen my kids eat so much!! But, it was truly awesome. I cannot wait until we can see them again, it was such a refreshing and upbeat visit and I was sad to see it end when we left.

Now, I cannot believe it's already the middle of August!!! WOWSA, this summer has blown past!
My garden is coming along nicely, although my cucumber plant is is a sad state. Unfortunately, the person I left in charge of watering mis-judged the amounts of water needed and thought that some rainfall would suffice.....*sad face* and I came home to a dead cucumber plant, a dead strawberry plant and an almost dead pepper plant. So far, it appears that I may be able to save a very small portion of the cucumber plant, but no where near enough to harvest any cukes this year. The pepper plant seems to be doing okay, but the strawberry plant is long gone.

In the next few weeks I will harvest my carrots and radishes and hopefully some tomatoes (I have cherry and beefsteak) and some more Kale. Hopefully my Broccoli and Cauliflower will start to get better, as well as the Brussles. Hopefully my raspberries will really start to ripen as well!

In September I plan on going to the Harvest sale tp purchase the big stuff for canning! I plan on doing Tomato sauce, pickles, jam/jelly, peaches/pears, applesauce. Then I am also getting a pressure canner so I can can even more goodies like beans and meats!!
I am sooooo excited!!lol I feel like the only wife around who asks for appliances for holidays...lol. No earrings or jewelry for this lady, uh-huh, I am over-the-moon thrilled with a pressure canner!! haha!! I am asking my mom for a juicer for my birthday/Christmas too, I cannot believe how much I miss my juicer (it died a few months ago) sad day indeed!

Also with the approaching Autumn season is SCHOOL!!! I have been in the process of setting up the programs and 'wishlisting' the books and curriculum the kids want. I LOVELOVELOVE this time of year for that. Actually, I just love books in general!!lol This year looks pretty exciting with everything the kids are interested in. So far, we have some Hunger Games novel studies, art stuff, The Lightning Thief, Animorphs, Smurfs, Witchy goodies, Baking, cooking, gardening, self reliance activities, weather goodies, science experiments galore, solar and lunar activities....the list goes on and on!

And yet MORE Autumn hustle and bustle...Bill is officially going to hunt this year!! WHOOHOO!!! He has been busy getting his bow all sited in and get some practice shooting going on. The older boys are actually getting in on it too, they love bow shooting! They won't actually hunt any animals this year, but they hopefully will join Bill on some hunts and get to see what it's all about. Next year, hopefully, will be MY turn!! I am so excited!! How awesome will it be in the future for Bill and I to go on romantic get-a-way weekends hunting!!! YESSSS!!!! I love it!!

Well, that about wraps up what has been going on in my neck of the woods so far this summer!!
I will probably get back into more blogging when it starts to cool off, right now, we try to get outside as much as possible and soak up as much sun as when can.....gotta build up the vitamin D stores for winter!! ;)

Here's some pics from our belated Lammas celebration. We had a wonderful time with a good BBQ (Celtic Salmon and baked beans, baked potaotes and tons of fresh veggies) roasting marshmallows and good company!!

Blessed be!!

Magickal Graphics

Happy Be-Lated Summer Solstice/Litha!!!

We are still trying to get outside and be able to have a fire and roast some marshmallows to welcome the Sun! The weather has not really been cooperating with that though! It's been a bit rainy so far this evening, but maybe we'll still make it out there!

Bill built me a wonderful other garden plot on the other side of yard. It looks really great! Right now in there I have planted some cauliflower, broccoli, Kale, strawberries, borage, tiger lilies, and some raspberry bushes! The other garden has carrots, radishes, tomatoes, catnip, beans, anise, summer savory and peas! Random containers around the yard and other spots have more raspberries, strawberries, tomatoes, herbs and flowers planted! I can't wait for everything to really get going! We also planted two apple tress as well...I am really looking forward to those maturing!

Still no news from my sister's autopsy results. This is a really hard part to contend with...even though we have a good idea and probable cause, it's still not complete closure and it's hard to break past the emotional goo and truly become healed or at least begin a true healing path.
It never goes away, of course, we always miss loved ones when they pass away. It will always be more a case of learning to live with that void in your life. She comes to me in my dreams sometimes and when I see her, she looks as though she is a fairy. I am not sure if that is because we both love fairies or that is what she became...at any rate it is comforting to see her in that light!

The kids seem to be healing alright. It's more difficult on the older ones because they have distinct memories of Auntie Kandie coming to visit and babysit them or just coming over and spending the weekend with us. The younger two don't really have any memories, especially Breanna. Which, itself is so heartbreaking. *sigh* Time is the only thing that will help heal and help us learn to live with the void of her missing in our lives.

Lot's on the table for this summer! A trip to Kelowna is on it's way! As is a day trip to Calaway Park (amusement park), the Zoo, Heritage Park and Bill and I are going to the Dinner Theatre for our anniversary this August.

This next year I feel will be a huge transformation. Emotional and physical. I feel that there is a difference that has been brewing and I have been finding my way through this journey. Finding a new soulfulness in my self and shedding old skins and revealing a much calmer and peaceful woman. I am tired of being trapped in a world of rules and it is time to let that go. Letting go is a definite theme. Letting go of fear. Letting go of negative energy. Letting go of hate and anger. Leaving in it's place only room for love and acceptance. Accepting that I cannot change people and cannot be responsible for their actions. Accepting that family and friends will lie, why I do not know, but it is what it is. I always have the ability to chose how I let their actions affect me and I am choosing to let it go. If I feel a situation coming to be where I know I am being lied to or about to be...I can remove myself from the situation physically or verbally.

I am feeling lighter and happier as I go, but it's a long path and journey. Meditation and Yoga are a tremendous help and are a definite part in this change. Allowing myself to be happy with who I am (mind, body and soul) quirkiness and all!! :)

So as I float through this journey I am allowing emotions to arise, I accept them for what they are and then let them go. I am doing no service to myself by re-living things from the past over and over again, even if it was last week. All I can do is be sure to live each day the very best I can and follow my heart with each experience. I can propel positive energy out to the universe and graciously accept it's positive energy in return! I can smile and show kindness. I can accept people for who they are. There are plenty of things I CAN do and it's better to focus on that.

On a completely un-related topic (well, kind of) we are all done 'school' for the year. I say that loosely because we are always learning, it's not like our brains just shut off because it's June!!lol
Next year Alex has decided to take on some highschool classes, all distance learning. Alyssa will be technically grade nine, but we will be doing stuff to help her get geared up for her highschool program the following year as she wants to attend Hair College. Robert is going into gr.7, Kayla Gr.5, Mariah Gr.3 and Matthew will officially join the 'schooling' group in Gr.1!! Yes, baby Matthew...lol....I can't believe it either! Breanna just loves to watch the other kids when they do projects and do their activities!
Alex is doing great working part time at a local grocery store, he has proven himself to be a great worker who is punctual, ethical, and determined. Not to mention the fact that he LOVES his job!
flyer route that they do to help out with the family finances, which is a huge help! I am very blessed to have such awesome kids and an awesome husband to enjoy life with! We have an exciting road ahead of us!

Blessings to you all!!!

Being Present

First, I am so sorry for such an extended hiatus from my blog. They seem to be happening far more often this year than ever before.  I'm not sure why, but it is what it is.

I have thought often about writing and of course, what to write. I know many bloggers go through this and I am not alone. We have something happen in real life and want to blog about it, but are at a loss for words. Then we second guess ourselves about posting at all. This has been what I have been wrestling with. I'm not sure how one goes about telling the bloggy world about large life experiences, esepcially ones that are private. Although I have contemplated about whether or not to share, I have decided that ultimately, the bloggy world is an extension of my world and I have shared about many of my personal life experiences in the past...why would I stop now?

So, without knowing of the proper way to share this....I'll just come out with it. My younger sister passed away in March. Yes, you read that correctly. My younger sister, Kandie.
She was 26 years old. We still do not have the results from the autopsy, but it is speculated that it was drug related. This was a part that I had kept silent from my bloggy world. My sister had battled drug/alcohol abuse for quite a few years. It had put a tremendous strain on our relationship which ultimately came down to us not really speaking or visiting anymore. She made her choices and realizing that I was never going to be able to 'fix' her, I had to learn to love her from a distance and just accept who she was until she wanted to change for herself. Unfortunately, that day never came and now she will never have the chance. The kids will never get to know their Auntie again and I have lost my one and only sister.  I knew all along that the lifestyle she was living would end one of two ways, either she would realize the destruction and get help...or not. It is the risk all family members must accept when a loved one has an addiction and does not want help. It's heartbreaking and painful to go through, but you cannot change someone who does not want to change themselves. They must want the help and want it for themselves, until then, they cannot change.

So, the last while has been learning how to live with the void. The void of knowing that I'll neve rhear her voice again or see her smile or hear her giggle. I mourn for our future and what it was supposed to be. I mourn for her little boy who will never know his Mama, the real person she was. The real Kandie was sweet and loving and wonderfully talented. The drugs and alcohol devoured that person and left in it's place a person who was sad, angry and empty despite having family that loved her so much. The smiles and laughs were not her true soul smiling and not the true Kandie those of us who knew her all her life was.

My comfort now is that she is not in pain anymore and is reunited with our Dad (he comitted suicide in 1995) and her precious baby boy, Hunter, who passed away in 2005. (he was born at 25 weeks and lived for 3 days). 

Rest in Peace Kandie, until we meet again!

Whipping up good things....and HAPPY SPRING EQUINOX!!

My skin is so extremely sensitive, so I have been using a combination of coconut oil, olive oil, jojoba oil and grapeseed oil. It works pretty good, and is a good compliment to my coffee/sugar/sea salt body scrub I use three times a week. Then, I cam across this Whipped Coconut Oil WOWSA!
This has been awesome! I blended mine with some Rosemary and Tea Tree essential oils and I love it.

My next batch I really want to add some Orange and Sandlewood essential oil for a fresh, summer scent.

Yesterday and today I was out in the garden checking on my soil and trimming up a few of the dead heads. Added a small amount of mulch and next up will be some fertilizer. I think I will go with my compost as well as a coffee ground and kelp mix again. It seemed to do really well in my soil.

I placed my first order for some seeds and plants earlier this week, so they should be arriving soon!!
Then I get those babies into the peat pots and get 'em growing! I am also trying to think ahead and see about having a late fall/early winter garden with some kale and brussles.
We are also going to be building another small raised bed for the fruit bushes (strawberries and raspberries) I simply cannot wait to get things going!!

Busy next few days around here, dentist appointments and family coming to visit this weekend! Yay!!

Happy Wednesday and Happy Spring Equinox

Sh*t Crunchy Mama's say....

Okay, so there are a ton of these going on around you tube and I have to say that a lot of them are so darn funny. However, this one stood out.

And here's part deux!

Too funny, eh?!?!

I *heart* This!

Had to share this quick. I am so happy to see something like this hitting mainstream, it's about time!
Mayim talks about Parenting

How awesome is THAT! The only thing we didn't do was elimination communication. Main reason was that I didn't really know that much about it and in all honesty, I.am.a.chicken. Yup! There, I said it!
Of course, now it's too late as Breanna is coming up to 3 and half and is quite attached to her dipes still.*sigh*

While I realize that our style of parenting is not for everyone, I think it's quite alright for others to learn with an open mind. There is a lot of false ideas out there as to what truly entails AP (attachment parenting) it's NOT about never saying No, it's not about always having the child be right. It's about raising individuals who have respect for themselves and for other people and being responsible for their actions. It's about raising individuals who are safe and secure in their environment. So what if that means a 5yo still breastfeeds?!?! Who cares! Obviously that child needs the nourishment and connection. I have yet to ever see a Mama FORCE their child to breastfeed and when you think about it, it's impossible to force anyone to breastfeed as the whole act of breastfeeding requires the person to be an active participant.

The sheer idea that it's expensive to AP is complete hogwash, I can't even believe people suggest that. So it's more economical to buy a $500 strollers, and brand name clothes and special jumpers and bouncy seats and seats that vibrate (which by the way I had) As opposed to buying a wrap or a meitai and clothes at a thrift store?!?! I am confused.


Also, in this day and age where a lot of mama's have to employed outside the house, AP offers even much more to you and your child, including co-sleeping. I can't even begin with the whole it's dangerous to co-sleep...what?...WHAT?!?!!? Are you for real?!?!?! Of course, if you are under the influence of a substance (even tylenol) that can disrupt your natural sleep cycle , then yes, I would say not safe. But given a normal bed with cotton sheets (no silk or polyester junk) and no pillows for the babe, it is perfectly natural and normal to sleep with your children. No, they won't want to sleep with you when they are in college. Children naturally migrate out of the family bed when they are ready and that can be anywhere between 3-10 yo. 

This is not a fad, this is not just for hippies, this is not spoiling children. This is a natural way to parent and if most parents would just listen to their intuition and follow their guts with parenting, they would see that this style comes naturally.

Thank you Mayim for taking a stand and speaking out about natural parenting.

Oh and by the way, breastmilk is a wonder drug and can cure a load of stuff...including pink eye! (ask me, I know)

Where has January Gone?

Yes, I do realize that it now the last few days of January and I still have yet to post pictures dating as far back as the end of November. Is this where I can play the "I have seven children" card?!?!lol
*sigh* I will eventually get to it, if not for the sake of saving myself therapy bills from the children who did not get their birthday pictures posted on their Mama's blog! HA!

My brain is a complete pile of mush, now that may not be much of a surprise to some...har har....but in all reality it truly feels like it is. This is Brain Fog and is a symptom of Fibromyalgia and yes, Celiac. Brain Fog really bites, it is not fun being lost in a complete sentence or totally blanking out on someone's name or other information that you know.  Thank goodness this is temporary. Thank goodness that very soon I can make it all better!

The dinner theater we went to on Sunday night was positively awesome! We had so much fun. It was fully interactive and hilarious. We get to experience another dinner theater on Tuesday evening as well. Bill won tickets again to a different venue. It's a bit more formal and a little less interactive, but it is supposed to be just as wonderful. Exciting!


You may notice on the left hand side of my blog here that there is a button labeled 'A Year of Choice'. If you click on it and follow to the site it explains what it means. Yes, it is from last year, but I just came across it and I thought it was a fantastic idea for this year as well. (Well, every year for that matter) I think we as human beings have a choice for everything, even if it is just in how we react to a situation. I know life can toss us sticky, yucky messes but we can ALWAYS choose how we respond and react to them. I think if we all try to keep that in mind, we could all be better off emotionally. Keeping in mind that anger is a response to our needs not being met. This is one of my biggest goals for this year, to really focus on emotional well being. It's an interesting journey. There is sooooo much negativity filled in this world and I truly believe it creates a negative energy force that can engulf and encompass us if we allow it. So we can choose to focus on positivity and surround ourselves with positive energy which will in turn attract more positive energy. I firmly believe we manifest what we think, so as the saying goes 'Think Happy Thoughts'

My choice this week has been staying positive while Bill has had to work late almost all week. It really sucks when he isn't home for dinner (we eat dinner as a family EVERY night) and not until later on in the evening, so I decided to try out some new recipes for dinner (the kids are typically more adventurous with different tastes) and I also made some killer desserts (which we have saved for Daddy to enjoy when he gets home!!) So while it is crappy not having him here for dinner, I was able to focus that energy towards something else and make it positive! Yay!

Of course the biggest challenge has been staying focused on positivity while doing this Gluten Challenge...ugh.....but, it will answer some questions and be worth it in the end. The best part about it is I know what is causing all my discomfort and I know I will be better in a couple of weeks where as before, I had no clue what was wrong and if I would ever figure it out!

On that note, here's to sending you all positive energy!!
Blessed be!

Well Hello!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and a great New Year thus far. We certainly did, although we got hit AGAIN with another bug the first week of the new year. It hipped through everybody again, except for me. I attribute that to the fact I was practically eating an entire garlic bulb each day!!lol I also was taking Oil of Oregano in water, I think it worked!

I had an appointment with my family doctor last Friday, my first one in almost three years. It was actually pretty weird, I thought it would be awesome to share all the wonderful things I have done and discovered about myself, but she didn't seem to excited about it and actually shrugged off my gluten issues until I finished telling her all my symptoms and how incredibly better I am not consuming gluten AND that my sister had tested positive. However, in order to get a somewhat reliable test for antibodies, I have to be consuming gluten. I have thought about that for quite sometime now, and I finally decided I want to know. If anything for it to be on my medical record (if I am in fact Celiac) and to keep an eye on the kids since it's hereditary. So, since the 13th, I have been eating Gluten. YUCK! My body is a mess, I am right back where I was before Breanna was born and my stomach is actually worse. The leg pain is insane, I truly do not know how I dealt with this on a daily basis for over 5 years. I know one thing for sure, whether the result is positive or negative, I will NEVER eat gluten again. No matter what, my body does not like it at all.

Funny enough though, I have spent the last 3 years sometimes thinking about all the foods I miss eating or no longer can eat. This has definitely been an eye opener because a lot of the stuff is just gross to me. It tastes so bland and quite frankly like paper. I thought it might be nice to eat some breaded fish (ohhhh, a rebel, I know!!!!) and it was terrible. Pasta (I buy brown rice for myself typically and whole wheat for everyone else) was not nice at all. Brown bread tasted like toilet paper (or what I imagine TP would taste like anyways...lol)

I am honestly looking forward to getting back to MY foods not only to heal, but to enjoy the taste of food again.
Tonight as a treat, Bill and I are getting some Chinese take-out, we NEVER get take out anymore so this is a double treat. I am hoping that it will taste as good as I remember!!

Sunday we are going to a dinner theatre, Bill won tickets through our local radio station awhile back, so I am looking forward to that. We figured that while I am doing this challenge we might as well do all our eating out!lol Except fast food, ick, gluten or no gluten there is no way I could stomach any of that.

We had a huge stretch of warm weather for a bit and it totally got my garden bug itching. I was flipping through my seed catalogs and deciding what to grow this year and all that good stuff. Then we just got hit with bitter, cold temperatures...like -32 degrees Celsius...brrrrrrrrr!!!

Blessed be!

*~*~NINE~*~* more sleeps!!!!!

Until Christmas Eve that is! We count down until Christmas Eve, because that is when the magic starts! From first thing in the morning until the next evening...yay!!

Today is Arts 'n' Craefts day if you are following the Keltelven Traditions, as I said earlier we are very loosely following along. I like the concept of slowing down and taking time to concentrate on the time of year and taking time to re-connect with nature and loved ones.
The one craft that I would love to get into is felting. I LOVE LOVE LOVE how adorable and simple the creations look. This is something I really want to look at getting into this new year. If you already are into it and have the supplies, here's a wonderfully adorable craft to check out and do to tie in with the season and today's tradition!

Needled Gnome Nativity by Em

This evening is grocery shopping, need to get some more supplies to finish up my baking. Actually, to BEGIN my baking...lol. I have not done a single thing regarding Christmas baking. That will change come this weekend! Here's the list. Everything will be Gluten Free and Dairy Free.
*Cinnamon Rings* (these are a staple for Christmas Morning!)
*Sugar Cookies*
*Shortbread Cookies*
*Candy Cane Fudge Brownies*
*Cinnamon Buns*
*Chocolate Chip Cookies*
*Pumpkin Pie*(for Christmas Day dinner)
*Apple Pie*( for Christmas day dinner)
*Yule Log*(for Christmas Eve dinner)
*Bits 'n' Bites* (the one time we allow cereal..lol)
I will try very hard to post recipes and ingredients for the above. My goal this year was to make snacks that EVERYONE can enjoy. Of course there is an increase in sugar, but that is certainly allowed this time of year, I am just trying to use things like Maple Syrup and honey or cane as much as possible as well as Stevia. However, there will certainly be brown sugar and icing sugar in some things..lol

Also on Sunday it's Alyssa's 13th birthday!! She has chosen Candy Cane Brownies instead of a cake for her Birthday..I won't argue with THAT!!

Well, that's a quick update for now. I plan on adding some back posting to include Alex's birthday and we also had Bill's company Christmas party last weekend so I need to post a pic for that.

Merry Christmas!

This, a Little of That, and Then Some.........

My-oh-my!! Today is my oldest child's birthday! The boy who made me a Mama, 15 years ago! FIFTEEN YEARS AGO!! How on earth did time go by that fast? I mean, I was certain that those sleepless nights would never end. That he would be in our bed FOREVER, or in diapers forever for that matter! On this day, at this time, I was in my hospital bed snuggling this wonderful bundle (that each and every nurse tried to convince me to send to the nursery so I could 'sleep'..ugh) inhaling the intoxicating newborn smell and marvelling at how perfect all his little features were. Imagining what kind of child he would be, or what kind of young man he would grow into. Worrying if I would do everything right! Well, when I look up to my almost 6 foot tall son (I am only 5'1") and laugh or joke with him or have the many conversations about life that we have, I am very proud of the man he is becoming. Of course he will make mistakes and will have to learn things for himself, I am confident that we have planted deep running, firm roots.

In the mean time, we have also had yet another birthday! Matthew turned FIVE on the 15th!! My youngest man who was born almost exactly a decade after my oldest!lol Matthew is such a funny little guy, he constantly keeps me on my toes with all his quirks and witty humour. He is also extremely loving and is quite positive that I will be his wife when he is older...lol....although last night in a conversation he decided that he will find a wife that cooks good healthy foods and that she will have green eyes and blonde hair, that is very long! Haha!!!

I only ended up video taping Matthew's birthday and there are no really good pictures, so I have nothing for that. Bummer! But, I do have a picture of his cake!!

 Tomorrow we are having Alex's birthday dinner and cake. He chose a carrot cake with cinnamon spice frosting!

Okay, so we also have decorated for Christmas!!!! Whoohoo!! Here's some pics of that:

here's the before picture of the tree:

and after:

Right now we are dealing with the Flu at our house. Ugh, it started knocking out kids on Thursday morning starting with Matthew, then Breanna, then Kayla and Mariah on Friday morning. Friday night and today has been Robbie and Alyssa and I am beginning to feel some of the symptoms. Nasty body aches and fevers, stomach pain and a bit of nausea. A whopper headache and a sore throat with stomach pain thrown in for good measure. It sucks, but it is good for the immune system to get a workout every once in awhile. The good news is that everyone seems to be handling everything really well and the fevers have been doing their important job!

well, time to go clean up the rest of the draft folder! Halloween pics to be posted!

Blessed be!

November has arrived!!

Wowsa, in a blink of an eye a month vanishes from me! We are all doing quite well and adjusting to life in winter! Our temperatures have still been quite normal and we only have a light dusting of snow on the ground, but the season has definitely changed!!

Our house is completely decorated for Christmas (minus the Christmas tree, which is a possibility for this weekend) and everything is all a go outside...we even had the lights on last night....yipppeee!!!
I will try and get some pics up soon of Christmas at our House. I still want to get some pics up of Halloween!! GAH!!!

Chelsea, our new doggie, has been adjusting nicely as well. We all love her so much, she is such a gentle creature...but she sure loves to play!! She is very routine orientated, which is nice.

Blessings!

Autumn Has Arrived!

Brrrrrr, today certainly has had a chill to it. No snow (it's definitely not uncommon for us to have a bit of snow this time year), but it sure is brisk out there. The perfect day to whip up a batch of Pumpkin Spice muffins for dessert tonight. Oh how I love Pumpkin, and it's so super good for you!

Pumpkin has loads of vitamin A and is a great source of your B vitamins. Pumpkin is low in fat and low in calories. It is super easy to throw a scoop of raw pumpkin into almost any kind of muffin mix. We toss scoops of raw pumpkin into our oatmeal and add clove, nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger with some maple syrup, for a awesome tasting breakfast. Pumpkins are also an antioxidant,  anti-carcinogenic, and anti-inflammatory!! You can also toss a scoop into your smoothie! I would use 1 cup of almond/soy/rice/hemp milk, a scoop of raw pumpkin, a good sprinkle of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and some crushed clove to make a warming Autumn evening snack

You can even use it in cookies! I have used it as a substitute for oil/butter in some recipes.
Hurray for the Pumpkin, a member of the Gourd family who's name means Large Melon in Greek.

Of course, let's not forget the pumpkin's other important job: serving as a Jack-o-Lantern at Halloween!!
That will be for a later post though.........

Onwards! I thought I would share the recipe I will be using for our DF/GF pumpkin pie. I just buy pre-made GF pie crusts from our local GF bakery. It is one time saver I don't hesitate to use, although I have successfully made GF pies from scratch.
Here ya go:
GF/DF/SF Pumpkin Pie

Speaking of GF, I learned the hard way that Kraft Marshmallows are NOT GF. I checked the ingredients and nothing looks Gluten so there must be cross contamination. However, Walmart (cough, choke) does in fact have GF marshmallows (which is why I wrongfully assumed that Kraft's would be fine too, even though nowhere on the package does it say that) which set me up for a week of agony. Ugh, I cannot believe I spent so much time like that and thought it was normal. YUCK! Thankfully, I am on the healing road now and I won't be making that mistake again! I also have every intention on mastering the art of marshmallow making, the bonfires just don't seem the same without!

Tonight for dinner is Cream of Tomato soup (thank goodness for my Vitamix!!) with grilled cheese sandwiches (we use raw, lactose free cheese, so far it has not negatively affected anyone) and fresh cut veggie sticks, the perfect meal for this cool Fall day! Yum!

I most likely won't be on until after the weekend since Bill has the next few days off, but I will be back mid-week next week and hopefully might even have some pics of our new dog!!

Have a blessed Thanksgiving!!

Preserving the Harvest and Other Chatter

So the last couple of weeks we have been busy as bees preserving our Harvest. I have canned peaches, pears, pickles, tomatoes, jams and jellies, and applesauce. We have frozen all types of beans and corn and some more peaches and berries. We have dried tomatoes, bananas, apples, and herbs. WHEW!
Still on the list is some more tomato sauce, applesauce and strawberry jam. I would also like to do some more pears and peaches. I have to say that preserving has a lot of hard work involved, but it is worth it tenfold. Everything tastes amazing and it is so awesome to just send the one of the kids down to the storage area and grab a jar of yummy strawberry jam. I also have stored over 100lbs of potatoes in there as well, which I plan on dehydrating some as well for instant mashed potatoes. As finances allow and we can perhaps find a second freezer, I want to start stocking up on meat and *hopefully* be able to buy half a cow (or through hunting some Elk or Moose) and store that. Go and check this out for more great tips! http://simpleorganic.net/preparing-for-seasonal-fall-and-winter-eating/

In other news, this coming weekend is Thanksgiving in my neck of the woods. We have a wonderful feast planned of Turkey, mashed potatoes, brussles sprouts, corn/peas, and of course PIES!!! Yum, the best part (okay, well almost....the turkey with mashed potatoes is pretty good too!) we are having apple pie, pumpkin pie, and lemon meringue pie. All dairy free and gluten free!! I remember my first big meal after being gluten/dairy free and how daunting it was. I was so filled with all the things I *couldn't* have since I was just learning the ropes, so to speak. Now, I feel so confident and happy that I can cook almost everything and have it be GF/DF AND taste so delicious. No more missing out on yummy food!!

In even more other news, we are expanding our family by one!! No, not another baby *sniff* but by a beautiful 7yo girl named Chelsea. She is of the four legged and fur variety, lol, but is coming to join our family this weekend. Her original family is moving to Australia and cannot take her with them and we are tremendouslyy blessed to have been chosen by them to adopt Chelsea. She is absolutely gorgeous and extremely well behaved and trained. She is a Chesapeake Bay Retriever.
Of course the family is super excited!

Blessed be!!!

A Day at the Dentist

Today was dentist day. Have I mentioned how much I love our dentist? Well, it's definitely worth  sharing. They are all awesome there and my kids love them too. I walked in there and reminded them that we don't want anyone to have a flouride treatment and no x-rays (except for Alex ) and no one batted an eye. No one tried to convince me that my children will suffer greatly without a flouride treatment. Nope, nothing. Just a simple, "Okay, I'll make sure that is marked down". *sigh* Yes, somethings are easy sometimes. I LOVE that I didn't have to defend myself or go into great detail as to why I don't want flouride within a 100 feet of my children's mouths .

Mind you, there really isn't much argument since no one has any cavities. ;)

Tomorrow is Kayla's ninth birthday. NINE!! *gasp* Time is going by so quickly!! We aren't doing much for her birthday but having some cake and dinner on the weekend. I guess we will have a cake for me too, since it was my birthday on Monday!
Tomorrow is also grocery shopping day and I have not even started my menus and lists yet. We go to about 5 different places and won't even be able to complete it all tomorrow night. Some will have to be done on Friday night. *sigh*

I also have to get my homeschool learning plans typed up (they're hand written right now) I am also just awaiting the last of my curriculum order to make sure I will have the supplies I need for the year.

Well, this was quite the random post, eh?!?! As I get back into writing on here, I plan on writing some essays on more particular subjects that I have in mind.
I am planning on getting some pics on here soon!

Blessings!

Trimming the Fat

As some of you may have noticed, my Facebook account is gone. Yup, my family and I decided it was time to trim the fat and delete things that are not benefiting us as a family. Sure it's a way to stay in touch with family members and friends or to perhaps get back in touch with people from the past. However, we were just finding it ridiculous with the amount of drama that entails and not to mention the useless status updates! (Does the general population care that you ate at 'such and such' place with 'such and such' or that you are sitting and watching TV?!?!?) I suppose some folks might find that interesting or some may find constant updating from their Iphones/blackberries a good use of time, and to those people: All the more power to you!! For us, it just wasn't something we wanted to be a part of. For me personally, I MISS MY BLOG!!! I miss writing up meaningful posts about things that I find interesting and our lives. I love that I have far more freedom to write a post as long or as short as I want. If people want to read it, great! If not, then they don't!  I can share my passions and my frustrations. Clicking that delete button was so releasing!

There is always the good ol' fashioned phone and email to stay in touch and it's far more personal that way. I hate texting, really, really hate it. In fact, I would rather spend time having a root canal done than to sit there texting. :)

We are also drastically reducing other sources as well, like the TV! We don't really watch it that much anyways, but we are taking a more conscious approach to it and using it more as a tool rather than just 'something to do'. We all have our favourite shows and will watch those as well as some movies too. We have a ton of board games to enjoy and tons of books to read. For us, this just seems a far better use of our time and much more meaningful!

This is a good time of year to make some changes in your life, what are you guys going to change? Anyone want to share some goals?

Here's my list of Autumn Goals:
1. Get all my canning done and have a pretty good stocked storage. I also have dehydrating and freezing to tackle as well.

2. Organize our book shelves

3.Go through and shred old paperwork and files. (I'd imagine I don't need to hang onto our income tax from 1995, eh?!?)

4. Get my garden all prepped for the winter and get a good amount going in the compost bin for spring.

5. Clean and organize my sewing area so I can tackle the fall/winter sewing I need to do.

I'd love to hear what your Autumn plans are!!!

Ummm, so it's May now

Okay, so please accept my apologies for my lack of posting.  We have been so busy lately! It has been pretty beautiful here lately and even most of April. (well minus the snow storm the last week of April) We have been outside so much. Going for walks and just hanging out in the backyard when we can. I've also been super busy organizing my homeschool shelves and putting together some stuff for selling, as well as trimming out some of the activities we didn't use this year. Next comes planning 'next year', although we actually homeschool year-round because learning never stops!!

As for right now we are getting ready for summer holidays!! True holidays! I cannot wait to get on the highway and see family!
Although it's a major undertaking with this many people to pack for!lol I start good and early.
Need to make all kinds of stuff to take (sunscreen, deodorant, body scrubs, dehydrated crackers and granola bars. GF bread for Breanna and I and the gazillion other things we need)

Mariah's 6th birthday is coming up (can you believe I have been blogging for over 6years now!) I cannot believe how quickly time has passed. We are celebrating her birthday this weekend and it's a long weekend too!
Breanna is doing awesome! Both her and I are still on a GF/CF diet. I may try her with dairy close to her birthday and see what happens. I, myself, will not be going back to a diet with gluten even after Breanna is done nursing. I have never felt so amazing as I do right now. Compared to a couple of years ago, I do not take any medication for my Fibro AT ALL! Nothing, nada! I sleep better, I have more energy, it's incredible how much better one can feel when your body isn't bogged down with junk. Our diets as a family have completely changed as well and I notice a significant difference in everyone. I do yoga every night and it feels awesome!!!
Breanna still isn't walking totally yet. She is such a turkey! If no one is watching she will walk around the living room but as soon as she knows someone is looking, she drops to her knees and starts crawling!!lol
She says quite a bit and understands a ton! She loves to play outside and especially loves to play in the rocks at the playground!
Kayla is doing really good too! She just lost another tooth, so we keep teasing her that she looks like a jack-o-lantern!lol She is doing super awesome with her reading and writing and really enjoys hanging out with her big sister doing 'big kid' stuff since she is going to be 8 this fall!
Robbie is doing really good as well, he has been loving the fact that his brother has been handing down some much coveted Star Wars Lego! He builds things just from his head, it amazes me!I can see him being a Professional Lego builder (oh yes they do exist!! google Robin Sather) or an architect.
Alyssa is embarking on breaking into teenagedom, she is really geared up for babysitting coming up this fall. At least she can say she has a ton of experience!lol She has also been loving collecting Bratz dolls, she has over 50 now! (the baby sitting will help support that hobby)
Alex is doing good, enjoying time spent on world of warcraft..lol....he has his sights set on becoming a Web/game graphic designer! He is now quite a bit taller than me, which is really helpful in the kitchen when I need something from the very top shelves....lol! It's pretty cool having a teenager so far, I love their ideas and being able to have almost adult conversations with him.
Matthew is growing like crazy! He has quite the personality and always makes us laugh with his antics (and sometimes frustrates me to no end with the same antics!!lol) He has an amazing smile and the best giggle! He has just learned that he can use his fingers to count and always comes up to me holding his fingers up asking me what number is it! He loves Toy Story 1 and 2 and especially loves Wall-E!
Whew!
Bill is doing awesome! He's totally changed his eating and has been exercising as well. He's dropped almost 30lbs! He looks awesome and feels really good!

Well, there's a brief little catch up on the family! :o) Now I need to get snacks going and dinner on the go!

Blessings!
Penny