Schools let out early today in anticipation of this Winter Wonderland...:) I got three school calls to let me know that each school will have early dismissal. All the times were different according to busing so I got Jen and the girls to walk home and they didn't mind at all...Then I parked the van at the end of the driveway for Jordan and Javon to bring in while I went for a quick run... It felt great to get out!
This is where the kids ended up after school with cousins... The fish pond has been froze solid for weeks now. They are getting the sleds ready for the snow! Jordan went goose hunting with uncle Jonathan! He was so happy to be able to get this hunt in!! Jonathan had asked him to go along but because of school and not being home in time he was going to miss this but then when he got out early he quickly texted Jonathan and he was still in time to go along!! He bundled and I'm hoping to get some pictures of this fun time out for Jordan!
I have the most beautiful back porch visitors!! These birds are so beautiful and I never tire of watching them during the winter months! They cheer up my "winter blues" everyday!
I have had up to twenty blue birds here at once!!! Love it!!
Two of my favorite guys were off early this morning!... Where this time?? Nicaragua with a church group. Work groups go down to Nic throughout the winter months and Dave decided to take Justin this year, They will be gone almost a week... I took this about one o'clock AM this morning!! Enjoy the sun for me you guys!! We will miss you!! (Jordan's comment this morning... "I bet if Sim and Silla did this work group thing in someplace like "Alaska" nobody would go!") Right on Jordan! The sun does AMAZING things to the soul and we are all drawn to it!...:)
Food Group...
Today was Gluten/Food Sensitivity support group day. It was great to start this again! Thanks to the ladies that showed up! We all enjoyed catching up about where we are on the food journey. Everybody's journey is different. The family health issues are different and what works for one person might not work for the next, but we always leave with the feeling of support and great ideas to take home and put into action!
Jordan is the reason that I do these meetings. I got educated some and I need to keep educating myself. I have moved from just Jordan though to the rest of us now. Things like this take time!! I look back and some days I can hardly believe how far we have come and yet we are not yet where the goals are set to be.
If somebody would have told me a year ago that my two bottom "pantry shelves" would look like this by this time next year I would have said "Yea Right! Who are you kidding!?" These foods looked so foreign to me and my pantry back then! Excuse the unorganization... It's so me...:) (My sissy's will laugh!)
A closer look at our sweeteners...
So many great alternatives that we rarely use white sugar anymore! Dave is missing dessert but he is telling me he is feeling more energy since he is taking the herbal tinctures and not eating sugar. Right now we really are not baking anything for him but when he gets back I want to try a few desserts for him with these sugar alternatives.
We found a pancake mix we like!! It took a really long time and after many many tries we have a winner! The kids like these pancakes and they look fluffy and not gummy or heavy like gluten free pancakes tend to get. Take great care to measure perfectly and these things get really nice looking! (I'm not a fan so I haven't tasted but the kids gave me a huge thumbs up!)
Pancakes...
11/4 cups white rice flour, 1/2 cup potato starch, 1/4 cup brown rice flour, 2 Tbls. flax meal, 1/4 cup sugar or sweetener (I use Xylitol or Coconut sugar) 1 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum, 3 tsp. baking powder, 2 tsp. baking soda, 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 eggs (duck here) 2 1/4 cups Almond milk.
I always have enough for two breakfasts. It keeps great in the refrigerator if you have it left.
We still try to only make pancakes a treat with Saturday mornings for sure, but when we get tired of egg creations everyday we do do pancakes and fruit on some school mornings.
Fruit...
Berries and citrus are back in season! The oranges, grapefruits and berries are great right now! We use frozen berries for smoothies and when the berries are so expensive and not the greatest I don't buy them fresh. But they are back in season again making them cheaper so the kids are enjoying fresh fruit a lot right now!
Chicken... I got two cases of great chicken from friends this week!! It's a great feeling to be stocked up on "Good" chicken since it is our most favorite meat, I don't like to buy the stuff that is loaded with antibodies and pesticides and what not else. At first I kept Jordan's chicken (the good stuff) separate and just used store bought stuff for the rest of us but I now use the good stuff for everybody and just try to find ways to make it reach farther. Two cases go a long way here.
I cut up the one case so we have some legs and thighs, wings, boneless skinless breasts. (backs and necks to) I was glad my grandpa Dienner had a chicken stand at market for many years where I worked. There my dad taught me how to cut up those chickens the proper way! It was a long chore but knowing how to do it saved me money and it will be so worth it!..:) I had to keep sharpening that knife!
The backs and necks are at a simmer on a big pot on my outdoor cooker right now. I put some onions, carrots and herbs in along with the chicken to get a good chicken stock. It takes about twenty four hours so I put it outside so I don't need to smell that in my sleep!...:) I will probably put this stock in pint jars and open them up as I need them. Rice and veggies are so much better with a great stock base!
Jordan is having another great winter!! We are so happy about this!! I did a coffee table book of his journey in pictures. It's fifty pages long and I love to see the before and after pictures in this book! He has an amazing testimony of "HEALING THROUGH FOOD"!
He still has his moments... Example... Last week at Linville Hill, they had the first hot lunch since he is there. He still don't like to draw attention to himself so he just said "I'm not hungry"! He had a lunch packed but he waited until he got home afternoons to eat it! I was surprised since he loves to eat and he never skips that lunch! I asked him why he was so shy about his special diet?!! He didn't know, he just was!?
At Fairhaven school they knew him so well. They knew him sick and missing lots of school days! He had hospital stays and they made him cards often over the years. He was so overweight and they watched as his diet made him well. They watched as the forty pounds just fell off of him. They saw how much more energy he had! They knew the reason that he left school at one o'clock every three weeks. (infusion day) They knew that his diet was an important part of his daily life! He was comfortable there with those that knew him so well.
He said the only person that knows about his diet at his new school is the principle. I think Jordan even surprised himself that he was so inferior about his packed lunch. I'm hoping this gets better. He loves Linville. He loves the school. He is doing great on his school work! He likes his teachers a lot. He loves basketball!
He misses recess, fresh air and his friends at Fairhaven but he is adjusting so well, we are proud of him and his attitude about the whole thing. He is still adjusting to the loud, long, noisy bus ride. He misses the three minutes from school thing!..:) All in All it has been good. I'm threatening an appointment with his class (in his homeroom) to share his story. So these group of kids know the reason that he NEEDS to pack that lunch no matter what. He still says "No Way" but I will not watch him go hungry to often before something gives..:) He might have challenges ahead yet if he's so worried about what those around him think of his special diet..:) If you have a student in his class at Linville thank you for teaching your children to be so kind to new students! He has felt nothing but acceptance and this is a huge BLESSING!!
Results of telling the cleaning lady (Rachel Ann) to take a break for a few months...
Yes she can!! She even seems to like feeling important! I came back from "Goals" with a new determination to teach my only daughter how to work. She is a "Party Girl" and she has not done much more then "fun stuff" since she was born eight years ago. To her life is all about fun.
Jenika's way of thinking..."Why would you ever do anything if it's not fun!!?? Oh yea and Fair to!?? Why would you not make Javon do the exact same amount of chores as me!?? Why do I have to pick it up or put it away if I didn't even put it there!?? If we do the clean up then "oh yea" I get to boss Javon off as we go! My back hurts so bad! (after ten minutes!)" Seriously I hope it's not to late! Thanks Rachel Ann, I will so miss you the next few months but I have some serious work to do here!..:)
I like to start them with their own rooms. (This room is yours to care for) Once they seem to get the knack of that then we move on to other parts of the house. The big boys do amazing jobs with there rooms!! I'm so proud of them! I rarely do much in their rooms and they keep them neat and tidy. Jenika on the other hand is different. For a really long time now I have been working on the thing where "When you are done in your room you shut off the lights, close the closets doors and the dresser drawers.!! We just NEED to do that here. (since that drives this momma crazy) You pick up the wet towels and hang them up when you are done with your showers. You put your clothes in the laundry chute. How hard is it really!? How many times do you say the same thing over an over again!?? I kept hearing this "Rachel Ann will get it". I was not okay with that mind set! I asked her many times how she will ever be a responsible momma and house keeper on her own one day for her future husband and family, (If God blesses her with that) if she just depends on mom and Rachel Ann!? She would say..." You can just come over to my house" !! Yea Right little girl, guess again!...:) I love her so much and I am looking forward to working along side her here to pick up some of my slack. I can already tell it will do her much more good then harm!!
The Little's are outside sliding on the pond! They are so enjoying the snow fall! They are hoping it snows tons and tons so they can get out the new snow tube for behind the wheelers! Secretly I hope it stops soon but I do enjoy seeing them enjoy the pleasures that the beautiful white snow brings!
I'm off to create supper... Not as fun with my two biggest eaters out of the house. Maybe Jordan will bring us goose meat!...:) Yes he will!... This is so his thing!! Thanks Jonathan!!
Enjoy the Snow and the time off of school!!
Crazy kids here!... They can't wait for more snow! They are at it already! We love cousins next door! It just makes the outdoors so much more fun!...:)
Pleasures of Winter... If you chose to look on the bright side..:) #stilllovesummerbest!
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