I want to {BURST}!

I gotta be honest, I am ready to BURST!   Mr. D wants to keep our WDW trip a big surprise, which I wholeheartedly agree but his way vs. my way is making me chew my nails off!!

Last time we did Disney, it was "land" and look how little my Baby R is!!!  She was still so tiny the baby pink mini ears didn't even fit her head! 

And just look at Little R, she is the same age Baby R will be when we go this year, it's crazy!!  G still has a baby-ness look to him still.  He was only 5 here, and today he turns 9 (but that's another post;))!!

Mr. D wants to just drive them to the airport with no pre-warning, could definitely be fun.  BUT, every time I see my kids, I want so bad to let it all out and yell, "WE'RE GOING TO DISNEY WORLD!!!!!!!".  

Mr. D and I may need to compromise here cause I don't know how much longer I can hold it in!  Especially since I booked all our dining reservations yesterday so it's that much more "official", you know??

Since I can't blurt all the news out, I'm telling you all here, on my blog, to see if it makes me feel better.........I'll let you know later how I'm doing:)

#8's the {charm}.

I EFFING DID IT!!!!!  WAHOO!!!!!

See my gorgeous loaf of bread so perfectly golden brown?  It freaking took me 8 diligent tries (and a handful more of naughty cuss words) to come up with a *new* bread for G.  I challenge ANY of you to take on GF baking without the use of eggs, sugar or yeast.  I went through so many awful GF bread recipes, and I'm still baffled on why those homemade breads had people commenting on OPP's Blogs like they were, well, "the best thing since sliced bread" (like how I got to use that saying?).  People, people, people, as I bow my head and shake it ever so slowly to show my disappointment in all you who feel GF has to taste like crap, I bring you.....

BREAD!!!

Yes, this bread is so allergy friendly and tasty even your picky eater will eat it up yum!  So, are you GF too? Well, here is a lesson (ok, the recipe) on how to make what GF bread should taste like.....

1 c potato starch (can sub for tapioca starch but NOT Arrowroot-trust me)

1 c brown rice flour

1 Tbls flax meal

1 tsp xanthan gum

4 tsp baking powder (yes, 4!)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt (can go down to 1/2 tsp if you'd like, but no less, IMO)

4 Tbls cold butter substitute of choice

1 c buttermilk sub (1 c favorite milk sub w/1 Tbls lemon juice or white vinegar mixed in-allow to sit for a couple of minutes to percolate and say their "I do's")

2 frothy egg whites (OR, if you need egg less bread such as moi, boil 1 c water and dissolve one packet of Knox gelatin in it.  Use 4 Tbls worth of this mix to equal the egg whites but don't throw the excess out, heavens no!  Pour it in a air tight container and put it in the fridge, you can melt it back down for later use!).

NOW:

1: In a medium bowl, throw all your dry ingredients in and whisk up to combine.  

2: Add your cold butter and w/a pastry cutter or two knives work the dough (like you make biscuits) till you get a crumbly texture.

3: Add your eggs OR 4 Tbls gelatin mix into your milk and give a quick stir.

4: Pour your milk mixture in and stir till combined.

NOW:

This is where things get a little funky....If you let the batter sit in a warm spot for a few minutes, it will actually get a little puffy!  This is when you add the batter to your prepared bread pan for best height results.

CRAP (I almost forgot!):

Preheat your oven to 350 and grease your favorite bread loaf pan however you see fit.

NOW:

Bake that loaf like you mean it for 50 minutes.  No more, no less, it's perfect I tell ya!

If you bake this bread and love it, let me know!!

XOXO, Heather

P.S.: This bread is so fabulous, you can even slice it straight out of the oven for warm, butter smothered, jam kissing (sugar free of course) awesomeness!  

Oh, {brother}.

I've been getting really frustrated with our world of late, especially within our own country.  Between the upcoming presidential elections, gay marriage, child molestation (Penn State) etc.... I feel like everyone is trying to be heard for their own specific cause but there is so much hearsay and uneducated individuals that no one is being heard and it's all a big jumbled mess.

The other night as I was watching my local news, not one single story they reported was positive.  I think with the news only reporting negativity, it is allowing people to continue living in their sad tales of woo.  When everything happening within your own community is devastating to someone in someway, how can you not always be in a constant state of negativity towards everyone in the world that has different values than you?

In church on Sunday, I found it interesting as we were talking about the role of moms in the family.  We were discussing that when a family is thriving in a healthy way, with a mom staying home to raise her children then that leads to healthy neighborhoods and with a healthy neighborhood, that leads to healthy city life and with a thriving, healthy city life that means the government can butt out.  But sadly, we come back to the news and its misrepresentation on certain topics that make for a lot of controversy:(

Here are some of my issues of late:

1: People flat out saying they won't vote for Mitt Romney as president because he's Mormon.  So?  Do you really know about Mormonism to make that statement?  And what stupid video you saw on YouTube or what your pastor preached at last weeks sermon doesn't count.  Have YOU truly studied the religion?  No? Then shut up and listen to what the man has to say on how he feels this country should be ran and go from there.  Don't be ignorant to another persons religion if you've never personally studied it for yourself.  We are talking about our country here and never has a candidate's religion been brought forth more than Mitt Romney's.  You need to focus on which person is the right one for the job and stop with the ignorant talk.

2: The Chik-Fil-A corporation vs. the gays.  Look, I've said it before, I could care less if you are purple, yellow, polka dotted, gay, lesbian, transgender etc... We all have struggles in life and we can't judge each other on how we choose to "make our lemonade".  So listen, the gay community is pissed off that Chik-Fil-A is "anti-gay" (which the man never said he hated a gay as an individual, he simply stated he didn't believe in gay marriage).  Who cares?  So what that the gentleman who is over this company is choosing to live the teachings he was taught in his Bible?  He's trying to live how he believes will help him come Judgement Day.  Is that so bad?  The gay community is being just as hateful towards those who are wanting to live the way they believe.  Yes, we should all just get along, I get that, but don't force people to accept something they truly don't believe in.  Just cause the man came out and said "yes, we don't believe in gay marriage" and "yes, for religious reasons we do choose to stay closed on Sundays" is a man just trying to live the way he feels is right.  We will never come together in this world and agree with one another, it just is not possible.  So stop hating on people, look out for yourself and just accept the fact that others will always have a different of opinion.  But, Chik-Fil-A does make a good chicken sandwich, I personally will still go there even though the company head doesn't believe in gay marriage, putting money into the community is a GOOD thing.  Everyone just needs to get over themselves and focus on what they feel will get them back to Heaven, should they believe in that path and stop worrying about everyone else.

3: Penn State and the charges towards the school:  K, people need to get over themselves (once, again) and realize the fact that the game of football is JUST A GAME!  It is not a lifestyle, it is a hobby.  If you live, breathe, eat football or any other sport for that matter, you are missing out on life around you.  When I saw people actually crying over the punishment the NCAA laid down on that school, I couldn't help but shake my head.  Your schools coach broke ALL rules something drastic and fair needed to be done.  Several children suffered in the hands of your coach!!  Cry for the children, NOT for your school!  It's not the end of the world because your school has to take the next 4 years off.  You won't be forgotten, you all get to pick up with a clean slate and move forward, be grateful!!  And please, never cry over a game again, it's the same thing I always have to tell my kids and you are not a child if you attend Penn State.  Focus on your homework and building the economy for hell's sake!

So, now that my posting just sounded like my nightly news, let me end on a good note.....

Hmmm, I'm thinking a giveaway is in order, let's bring happiness in the form of something FREE for one of you!!  I'll think of something good so watch for a future post!!

Yes, I'm {stressed}!

Well, I've got started on changing up G's diet even further which is good.  The bad thing?  I'm failing in my efforts:(  I have made 4 loaves of bread so far, all different recipes and they've all sucked.  What kills me the most though is that the blogs I'm getting these recipes off of have people commenting on how great the bread is.  Huh??  Do people who go gluten free believe food has to taste like shiz??  Or are they just so excited about being able to have something that resembles bread??  I personally refuse to make G eat anything I wouldn't enjoy eating myself, so it is possible to eat amazing even when you have to remove certain ingredients, I do it daily!

So I've failed at bread making.

I've also failed at my attempts with the food dehydrator.  I bought this ugly box believing I'd make marvelous things with it.  Nope.  Raw blogs, YouTube and the manual are all liars.  I'm convinced of it.  I've wasted 5 trays of potato crisps (aka, chips) that turned out wicked hard and not edible.  Mr. D thinks I left them in too long but according to everyone else and the manual, no I didn't!

So I've failed at making potato crisps (aka, chips).

And yes, I've failed (do you sense a trend here??) at making my deserving child some homemade chocolaty goodness in the form of  "dark chocolate Sunbutter cups".  I bought chocolate making molds in hopes this would be so easy, it's not.  Nope, not at all.  My filling tasted good, so I thought, but when it mixed with the chocolate I painstakingly melted in a double boiler (after burning my first batch, again, FAIL!) they were disgusting.  They looked good, tasted bad.  Very bad.  Poor Little R was so happy to try one even though I told her they were gross and later found that she had spit it out in her garbage can in her bathroom, I didn't blame her!!  

So I've failed at chocolate making.

I'm banging my head against a wall here and I'm frustrated as all hell!  I need to get my act together quick because school is going to be starting and my G needs to eat!  Autism is a major dictator, I hate it.  Because of Autism my G won't just eat anything, it has to be a good texture he can tolerate, it has to be something he recognizes and it has to be something that doesn't cause a huge mess (soup anyone?).

I've taken the time to write down foods G will eat to help me come up with suitable lunchbox fare but there isn't enough:(  I keep telling myself that G just plain has to learn to eat new foods, again.  We went through this 3 1/2 years ago, we can do it again, right??

Now, that I've stressed myself out over my panic of finding foods for G to eat I've broken out in a lovely, disgusting display of fever blisters on my lips.  Seriously, I feel like I'm being kicked when I'm already down.

What does a girl have to do to get a break around here?

{Chicago}!!!

As you may already know, we took G to a new Autism specialist in Chicago a couple of weeks ago.  G did amazingly great through it all and I was SOOO grateful we could then spend a couple of more days and play with just G:)  Mr. D's sister was so generous with her time as she flew out to TX to stay with our girls so we could go do this appointment and not have to deal with the little girls at the same time:)

It was super hazy the afternoon we flew in, if you look super close, you can make out the Chicago skyline:) 

G chilling at the airport as we waited for the car service to come get us. 

G's doc is located in a suburb of Chicago so the first night we got there we stayed one night in the suburbs before moving onto downtown.  Across from our hotel in the suburbs was a true mid-western pond complete with a black top trail that we could walk around the water (just like the good ol' days).  I immediately missed the mid-west, such fond memories:)

The next morning we woke up and went to G's appt.  It was 3 hours long which was draining and informative all at the same time.  The physician is hopeful we should be able to clear out the toxins that have caused G's hypotonia among other issues.  She was a very bright woman and we feel really good about her.  We have decided she is worth seeing from now on.  So, lucky for Chicago-ans, they will see us yearly:)  The only suck-y part is, although she took G off of 4 of his current supps, she added 8 more in and pending test results, even more could be added:(  However, the approach with G is to start slow with herbs and work our way up if needs be.  So, some of his supplements are herbal drops that we apply to his skin which is easy-peasy:) 

After G's appt we checked out and high-tailed it into downtown to take full advantage of the time we had left since it was such a quick trip.  We took a walk down to the river from our hotel and hopped on a water taxi for a fun little ride.

Chicago is BEE-U-TEE-FUL!!!  The architecture is stunning, I would seriously consider living here:) 

The next morning we had tickets to go to the top of Willis Tower (formerly known as the Sears tower).  It's funny, as the locals all still call it the "Sears tower" as if to make it a point that they are all angry over the name change:) 

Downtown Chicago is chalk full of skyscrapers, not as many as NYC but still impressive:) 

We did this solely for G as he wanted to go see really tall buildings.  He walked right out on these windows with ZERO hesitation and Mr. D followed!  Me, well, I did do it, it was just the worlds most awkward sensation!!  I had to take a picture of mine and G's feet to prove I did it.  103 stories down is a LOOONNNGGG way to fall if the glass was to break under our feet. 

After we came back down there was a nice lawn across the street with these über comfy adirondack chairs. The weather was awesome too, it felt amazing to just sit and enjoy the view.  Something you can't do in TX, it's way too hot, we hole up in our houses here, it's sad:(  G was just staring up at the Willis Tower and relaxing:) 

We also went to the planetarium later that day.  It was a lot of fun, great place to visit.   

G loved it, tons of hands on stuff for kids:)  We ended up spending more time there because some super dark, mid-western clouds were rolling in and fast!  However, we couldn't wait out the storm as we had tickets for a boat cruise so we had no choice but to purchase some choice, cheap plastic ponchos and take a run for it all while trying to hail a cab:) 

The first part of our boat ride it was still raining so I sat downstairs on the inside of the boat till it let up.  G and Mr. D didn't care, they went straight upstairs and braved the rain:) 

It's always fun to hear about why things are the way they are.  We learned that back in the late 1800's due to  too much toxins coming in they had to reverse the flow of the river.  So, when you leave the river area to go out to Lake Michigan, there are these locks that you approach and stop.  The locks then slowly open (it took about 15 minutes) and we couldn't proceed until our boat rose another 15 inches.  The locks then close behind you to keep the river running a totally different direction.  Cool eh? 

The Chicago skyline. 

Wouldn't be the great lakes without lighthouses:)  This one was seized after the gentleman who purchased it held too many loud, rowdy parties.  It's been vacant for years now. 

After the boat cruise we had to go find Millennium Park to see the famous "bean" sculpture.   

They have these really fun fountains that project images behind the glass bricks.  Every so often a face will appear and look like it's spitting water.  We were told that all the faces are of locals that came down to the project to have their faces photoed making the "ooo" face.  Love city culture! 

G and Mr. D wading in the water of the fountain:) 

We then took a walk to see this HUGE fountain called the, "Buckingham" fountain.  It was named in honor of Clarence Buckingham.

That evening, we still had some daylight hours to burn and since we were going home the next day, we had to take advantage of one last attraction we could fit in.  So, we went to Navy Pier:) 

This was my first time EVER being on a ferris wheel.  Crazy right?  It was about as exciting as I thought it would be;)  

Mr. D paid for G to drive some cute little water boats.  Mr. D got a little frustrated when G was just driving his boat all crazy without aiming it through the tunnels and such.  G didn't care, he laughed and had a good time anyways:)

All in all, it was an awesome short trip and to be able to take just G was a lot of fun:)  I'm again super thankful to my sister-in-law who watched our girls and kept them safe and for Mr. D and his hard work he puts in at his job to be able for G to have the care he deserves:)

But now, my work begins....  At the appt G was taken off of sugar, yeast, refined carbs, fruit juice, peanuts and pistachios.  So, even though it doesn't sound that bad, take into consideration the list those things were added to.  He is now GFCF, egg free, soy free, garlic, oysters, almonds, peanuts, pistachios, yeast, sugar, cranberry, orange, fruit juice & refined carbohydrates free.  If you ever stopped to read ingredients, you'd see that pretty much, G can't eat anything unless it's homemade. So, I've got a food dehydrator to make G some chips for lunch as well as crackers and dried fruit for snack time at school.  I also bought a Yonanas to make ice-cream and popsicles w/o added sugars.  Also, his new supp schedule is quite daunting but I'll get it down, just give me some time to find a new "normal".  

With all of this, it's a wonder I've never smoked pot or became an avid friend of wine, LOL!

Happy {Daddy's} Day!

Every year we get to celebrate Father's Day and I always try to personalize it a little bit with the kids:)

Mr. D's stash this year.  If you notice the iPhone in the forefront of this pic, G thought some nice "Father's Day" music was appropriate.  I love that G loves to throw in his own spin, it makes things that much more awesome.  Did any other dads out there get "Father's Day" music??  Exactly. 

I always have the kids do something to show how much they grow from year to year.  This year I let them choose their own scrapbook paper and color of paint, then outlined their hand prints.  They open up like a traditional card where each child wrote inside their own card.  

Mr. D holding up G's to see if for sure that is G's hand....it is! 

And of course, presents and 3yo's don't mix.  Baby R successfully opened up every single one of Mr. D's presents while he watched:)  

We love our daddy!!!  Happy Father's Day!!

My {puppy}.

I sort of made a mistake.  See this fun little beauty below?  I took her to the "Disneyland of all pet stores" a couple of weeks back.  Why?  To get the kids out of the house.

The problem is, that after Baby R laid her pretty blues on this little girl below, she was smitten.  BAD!  I also sort of made another mistake by asking if we could hold this dear little thing.

I was gifted the grace of getting to hold this puppy for my kids to see.  They even put us in a "meet your new puppy" room to get acquainted.  The two older ones barely touched her, they were a little frightened but Baby R, nope, she was practically pulling this little puppy out of my arms.  I helped Baby R hold her for a little bit until it was time to give her back to the puppy keeper.  She was so sad, she even batted her baby blues at Mr. D in hopes he'd cave and let her have this little sweet thing when we got home.  But, sadly, puppy had to stay at the pet store:(  Baby R brings up "my puppy" daily, multiple times in fact.  In defense of this puppy that we sadly walked away from, she was SUPER sweet, so calm, very quiet etc... she was on sale for $1200 (gulp!) and I know whatever family went in after us found an amazing family member to add to their home:)

One day we may get a puppy, but it's just not a good time for our household right now.  Our expenses need to go elsewhere right now.