January Heat Wave

It almost feels like a heat wave outside this week with temps in the 30's, if only it would last, but Florida is just less than 2 weeks away. The break from the cold will be amazing. And I know the boys will love being able to be outside every waking minute they can be. Now, just prayers and preparations for the flight!!

Oakley and I put together a fun activity to do for our playdate we had this morning, I think they would have been more fun had they turned out a little harder. We made baked cotton balls for smashing and playing. It was good for those fine motor skills ;) However, they were a little soft so I think I maybe didn't cook them quite long enough. None the less they turned out pretty and seemed interesting. Here's our process and link, I got it from Pinterest of course :)

Baked Cotton Balls

1 C water

1 C flour (this was a good way to use up my non-gluten free flour too)

Cotton balls

Tin Foil

Cookie Sheet

Food coloring

We made four batches, so one cup flour and one cup water in each bowl. Preheat oven to 300. Mix flour and water add some food coloring, dip cotton balls in bowl, cover completely and place on foiled cookie sheet. Bake for 40 minutes.

We also made what might possibly be the best way to have a brownie than I have ever have. I thought the blog I got this from was exaggerating a bit in her post, but boy was I wrong. I may hype these up even more. Are you ready for it? Drum roll please........................

Nutella Brownie Bites

1 C Nutella

10 Tbsp Flour (we used GF flour)

2 Eggs

Bake at 350 for 20-24 minutes in a mini muffin tin. Makes 24 perfect little bites. 

Go make the trip to the store and make them now!!

On a slightly healthier note, my new go to snack are Blue Diamond Wasabi and Soy Sauce Almonds. I stole them from Jeremiah, try them too!! ;)

Last night Jeremiah and I decided to have dinner a little later and we cooked together. We realized this was something we have only done once in the almost 10 years we've been together. Not that I always do the cooking, but its usually me just telling him to hand me something so I can do it. I'm kind of a control freak when it comes to doing things in the kitchen. So last night I let him help me and he was very excited. I let him scoop out the pulp in the tomatoes so we could have Wild Rice stuffed Tomatoes. I think he did a perfect job, what do you think??

Once the inside is removed we filled them with some simple ingredients. Here is the recipe in our version.

Wild Rice Stuffed Tomatoes

4 Tomatoes

1/2C wild rice, cooked and drained

6 oz. Cream cheese softened

1/2 cup turkey bacon, cooked and chopped

3/4 C cheddar cheese

Slice the tops of tomatoes and remove the pulp. (Jeremiah saved the pulp for his eggs in the morning) Mix the cooked wild rice, cream cheese, bacon, and cheese. Scoop into tomatoes. Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes until browned. I also topped with cheese the last few minutes. We also thought next time we make them we will add a little cooked sausage instead of bacon, just another way to try.

 

Time Flies

I cannot believe almost an entire week has come on gone since I've had a chance to sit down and type my thoughts and happenings. When did life get so busy for everyone? We are approaching the countdown to Callahan's 2nd birthday......2nd!!!! I can't believe it. Then I looked at Oakley today and he seems to have grown another inch. His shirts are shorter, either that or I've become very good at shrinking things in the wash this week too. The boys were exceptionally good this morning while I cleaned (I allowed them to play in the sink in the bathroom with soap and cups, it kept them busy for a good hour AND Oakley cleaned up his mess!!) so we ordered a special well deserved lunch.........GF pizza from Dominoes. And yes it was amazing. They are the only pizza place in Marshall to carry GF. So happy they do and so worth paying the price of a large for a small ;)

Last weekend we finally took a shopping trip to Sioux Falls. Call us crazy but this is what we drove there in :) Nothing was going to stop us from getting to a big city to help the economy out a little. 

Don't worry the driving wasn't as bad as it looks. We made it there and back safely.

The main reason we made the trek to Sioux Falls is because we FINALLY got to celebrate our Christmas with each other and Jeremiah said he needed to pick up a few "last minute" gifts. Ok, by me :) My little shopping buddy and I had a nice afternoon walking around the warm mall. 

Of course Jeremiah can never hold onto anything when he buys it for me, so we did our Christmas right away that night. It was perfect. 

The boys helped me make GF blueberry muffins this week. They turn out yummy! I also made these little bite size egg and bacon "cupcakes" for a quick and healthy breakfast alternative. I feel we are constantly only eating toast, cereal, bread, or oatmeal. And being GF, the bread adds up, so these are a little more filling and so so easy to make.

Bacon & Egg "Cupcakes"

12 pieces turkey bacon

12 eggs

3/4 cup cheddar cheese

4 oz cream cheese, softened

Preheat oven to 400. Wrap bacon in each pocket. Whip together eggs, cheese, and cream cheese. Fill each pocket about level with pan. Bake in oven for 30 minutes. DONE!

Planning for Callahan's little people birthday party are in full swing. Invites have been ordered. I think I'm going to have to get very creative on this one this year. But he LOVES those little people so I couldn't not do it, right? I love parties!!!

~~~Happy Friday~~~

Just a few points of mind I'm having right now. Again, successful nap day for both boys so some much needed quiet and thought time was needed for me today. I've had a heavy heart today and I can't quite pin point why or what it is, but writing on here seems to clear the air........deep breath :)

I have come to a time where I officially miss shopping and am missing my friends back in the cities terribly. I am so used to going all the time that when we moved here it forced us to stay home and be content. I am still so happy with that but have missed my shopping trips...........though Jeremiah would say I'm probably doing ok if you ask the UPS driver delivering packages ;) However, here is not to complain because it has made me focus on so much more and thanks to the wonderful world of Pinterest I have been able to be more creative as well and have the time to actually do some of those ridiculous things that some people seem to post and do every day.

I realized today as well that I have not been baking and decorating desserts like I was and I feel it is something I am missing. So new announcement, I am also going to be starting up a blog for this. I am going to focus on it being gluten free as well and will begin to start a menu and taking orders. So look for that to come shortly. 

I saw this great idea, on pinterest of course, called a calming jar I made it this afternoon and we are going to begin using it when the boys feel they need some time to unwind. The other day at MOPS we made magnets with inspirational quotes and verses to put around the house. One of the ones I made says "Have you prayed about it as much as you have talked about it" This one struck a cord with me because I feel some of the issues we deal with with Oakley I am constantly going to other people for advice. "what would you do?" "Is your son the same way" "I'll take any advice I can get" I go to God about everything now, except that. I will pray "God give me patience" or "God help me deal with the situation better" Instead of praying for a change of hearts for both of us and for God to take control of the situation. When I do this and start my day like this..........yup its a good day and Oakley seems almost perfect. Once again, a perfect example that we can control nothing!

        It just brings me to tears and I just cannot see how people can go around and say for some reason it all worked out, or some one was really looking out for us. To me this leaves the door open for other ideas of what or who really gave you everything. Let's just give credit where credit is due!!! Let's not be a Judas and beat around the bush to not "offend" anyone.

I made it a little darker than it needed to be. But same effect!

 

 

I haven't posted recipes this week, its been an off week for family dinners. But we have been able to successfully stay gluten free for another week. It is definitely becoming a way of life and its easier than I thought it would be so far. Jeremiah and I had honey-lemon shrimp again. Cauliflower dough pizza, chicken and potatoes. Again, it was an easy laid back week, but my eggplants are still good and some tofu is waiting for us in the fridge so more to come next time!! 

Have a great weekend! We are headed to Sioux Falls Sunday, not excited at all or counting down the hours ;);)

Good Day

Today has been a very good day!! First both boys are napping so I am taking a few quick moments to blog what I can and hopefully take some me time this afternoon :) 

So, I have succumbed to the addiction of Downton Abbey. After months and months of hearing how amazing it is I have drawn the line and officially got on the fan wagon. The first episode had me in tears then extreme shock finding out that Thomas was gay, however for some reason I am still drawn to keep watching and to get caught up on what everyone is talking about. My opinion so far: recommended 

Yesterday at the gym I was dreading getting through just my 3 miles, however President Obama was on every station so it made it easy to whip them out of the way so I didn't have to watch/hear/read any more of what he was saying. I don't think I have heard someone have more ridiculous speeches than that man. I do fear for our country and what the future holds. I am so thankful every day that my husband is able to have a stable job and that I am able to stay at home with our boys. It has been a very hard four years and the economy struggles have definitely hit us hard as well in many ways. I am grateful that when I do have to go out and look for part-time work that I have been able to find something that still allows me to be at home. But more importantly through all of this my trust remains in the Lord and that is what the bottom line is. There is no grey area there. 

This morning I sneaked a peak at Jeremiah's devotional that he is doing and it is one I have done before as well, but it really spoke to me yet again. 

      Help is Here

            Many people have received Jesus as Savior and Lord, They will go to heaven, but never draw on the full capacity of the Holy Spirit that is available to thme or experience the true success God wants them to enjoy on Earth. Simply put, many will be on their way to heaven, but they won't enjoy the trip. 

          We often look at those who have wealth, position, power and we consider them "successful" But many people who are considered successful still lack peace, joy, contentment, and other true blessings. Such people have never learned to depend completely on the power of the Holy Spirit. 

        God's work for you today: Your worst day with God will be better than your best day without Him. The Holy Spirit is here to speak to you and help you in every way you need help today.

    John 14:16  

That is just a little bit of it, but the big parts :) It is something that can be talked and talked and talked about but I think it is an interesting perspective of what Heaven will be like some day. It will be more amazing and breath taking than anything anyone could ever imagine, who wouldn't want to be a part of something like that. So lets not live just mediocore lives with Christ in our hearts, lets live great ones, ones he wants us to have!

   This is a plan called "hearing from God each morning" by Joyce Meyers and it is an app called youversion. 

In a couple of weeks we are going to be having a huge 90th birthday celebration for my Grandpa Goehring. Last night I needed to call my aunt and discuss some details about the photo album she is putting together. When I called though she was not home from work yet so I got the opportunity to talk to my Uncle, Merlin, my dads brother. I was telling Jeremiah this and I realized sadly that that conversation was probably the longest one I have had with him in my life. Not being a bad or sad thing it was just something I never realized before. Not that we dont get along or there is tension or anything it just has never been a situation at holidays or gatherings where I have ever been able to sit down and hold conversations with him. It kind of made my night. Jeremiah's family and mine are very different. Where his moms side of the family all talk alot and are all close, my dad's family is more laid back and my moms family are all in North Carolina or Virginia. So I came to realize though that even though in talking with my Uncle is that I felt completely safe (probably because he is just like my dad) but knowing that no matter what and no matter how often I see or talk to my family I know they will always, always be there for me and mine. That is an amazing feeling that I never really thought about before. 

Today as well was a MOPS day. This is a small moms group at a local church that gives us moms a time of fellowship and learning. It's also a time for brunch :) It is a time I have looked very forward to ever since I started 3 years ago in Eden Prarie and I was so happy when I found out they had one in Marshall. I do get excited again for....brunch! But I was a little sad today because I thought with going gluten-free now that I wouldn't be able to have anything but fruit and coffee. To my surprise though a sweet mom named Gina brought pumpkin bars, coffee cake, and an egg bake.....all gluten free. She had no idea we were gluten free now and it just made my day to know that someone had thought about that and God placed it on her heart to bring those. Very successful brunch :)

 

Changes are good

So it has been a few days since I last posted anything and I feel like I have a ton to share so bare with me if you want or can :)
I've got some great recipes that we have tried. I think they all went over well for the most part.

Monday night I threw together an egg salad tossed in a tasty curry sauce. We are not huge boiled egg people but the dressing was very good. I served them on GF tortilla wraps. I gave the boys quesadillas for supper with these wraps and they tasted a lot better. I would try the salad over GF toast as well as possibly add in some onion and celery, this may be the only time in my life I've wanted celery added to something.

   Creamy Curry Dressing
      1/2 cup low fat yogurt
      1/2 cup low fat mayo
      3 Tbsp Lemon juice
      2 Tbsp Water
      1 Tbsp Honey (used agave nectar)
      1 Tsp Curry Powder
      1/4 tsp salt
      1/4 tsp pepper
Mix all ingredients and whisk or blend until smooth.
I boiled and chopped I think 8 eggs, I would do for sure a dozen or more as there was a little to much dressing to egg ratio.
http://www.delish.com/recipefinder/creamy-curry-dressing-recipe-ew0411

Tuesday for lunch I made tofu nuggets for the boys. Oakley has always liked tofu as I gave it to him more as a baby than Callahan. Oakley devoured these! I was a little surprised since he hadn't had tofu in some time, but so happy he loved them :) So if your kids love chicken nuggets maybe this would be a different alternative for you.
      14oz tofu
      1-2 cups bread crumbs
      2 Tbsp soy sauce
      2 Tbsp spicy mustard
      2 Tbsp agave nectar
      1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
      1 Tbsp mayo
Cut tofu into 8 slices. If you have never worked with tofu, you will want to drain the water then once sliced I lay them out on a white towel, you know those great ones our grandparents and parents used or in churches. They work great. Then brush the soy sauce on both sides and let them sit a few minutes while pre-heating the oven to 400 degrees. Then mix mustard, honey or agave nectar, soy sauce, and mayo. Dip tofu slices in mix then in bread crumbs. This is where I used Kellogs corn flake crumbs instead. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and bake for 20 minutes. Done.

Two more recipes I want to share.......
Tuesday night we had spaghetti. Probably the boys' favorite meal. So of course I bough GF spaghetti and our usual ground turkey with sauce. We have had GF pasta, but the spaghetti was a disappointment. Tasted fine but did not cook up well unless I just needed to pay more attention to it so I think I'll try a different brand next time. But I can never have spaghetti with out some sort of garlic or cheese bread so I tried this little number and again....AMAZING.
    Cauliflower Pizza Dough
       2 Cups riced cauliflower (grate the cauliflower on a cheese grater)
      2 eggs ( I used egg whites)
      2 Cups Mozzerella
      2 garlic cloves
     1/4 cup fresh basil
Preheat oven to 450 degrees
Line baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with non-stick spray.
Combine all ingredients then press onto paper and bake for 12-15 minutes.

Ok, now my changes. I didn't use garlic or basil. Instead I grated up pepper jack cheese and threw in a little dry oregano and basil. I cooked it for 15 minutes. For bread with spaghetti I will leave it in a little longer next time to be crispier. But when I use it as a pizza crust the time was perfect. I will definitely be doing this a lot more often. It was so easy and I can freeze it as well and it is ridiculously cheaper than buying the tiny GF frozen pizza doughs.

Before

All Done!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last night Jeremiah and I had a little at home date night. We often do these Wednesday and Thursday nights and catch up on our DVR'd shows, parenthood, modern family, the middle, the office, parks and rec, and up all night. Seems like a lot but makes us look forward to just a couple of nights of TV watching then we get our fix :)

So last night I made......drum roll please.........Honey-lemon shrimp!!!! The blog I got this recipe from is actually for honey-lime shrimp but I made my own modifications, so you can check out the link if you want to.
   One bag of small-medium sized shrimp
  1/2 cup olive oil ( I only had canola)
  3 Tbsp Honey (again used agave nectar)
  Juice of one small lemon (2-3 Tbsp of bottle......I added a little bit more since it was not a fresh lemon)
  2 garlic cloves
  1/2 tsp salt
  1/2 tsp red pepper flakes.
My added ingredient......Pampered Chef Chili Lime seasoning. Probably about 1Tbsp.
Throw the shrimp in the marinade for 30-60 minutes. I would almost do all day or overnight to see if I could get a little more flavor.
Heat a skillet over medium heat. I did not add any more oil since there was oil on the shrimp already. cook a few minutes on each side and done. 
http://thedoughwillriseagain.wordpress.com/2012/07/31/honey-lime-shrimp/

Now that I have covered my meals, will make sure to make it fewer at a time next time. I'm moving on to family stuff. New idea in the house. I am going to start a "Letters from God" theme with Oakley. I thought of this yesterday and maybe its not original, but I thought of it on my own to my knowledge ;) I am going to begin writing hand written letters to Oakley and mailing them to him from "God". He loves to get mail and we've been having a very had time with discipline, so I'm going to try this and see if he can understand that God is also always watching him and knowing him. I'm hoping he finds it fun.

While going GF I have totally seen a change in my energy levels and attitude. I don't feel as deprived during the day and I don't feel like I have a crash during the day where I need a nap or some caffeine. It's only been a week and a half, but I am definitely feeling the changes for the good.
     

Ok, here is Callahan's Zumba dance if you haven't seen it already. I think its great :)

New lunch obsession: sliced tomatoes topped with Parmesan, shredded provolone, oregano, basil, and a little salt. Stick it in the oven @ 450 and 15 minutes later I have a plate of wonderful waiting for me. Now to get the kids to eat it.

A little treat obsession: Hodgson Mill GF cookie mix. Can't cut out sweets completely!

Listening to Pandora right now: I surrender all by Jadon Lavick. Bringing me to tears it is such a powerful song. A classic and such a sweet reminder that nothing on this earth is ours and we are in control of nothing. HE IS! If you are looking for a great station on pandora: Hillsong radio. Never once have I gotten sick of it (and I pretty much have it going ALL DAY:))

Jesus Calling for January 5- You can achieve the victorious life through living in deep dependence on ME. People usually associate victory with success: not falling or stumbling, not making mistakes. But those who are successful in their own strength tend to go their own way, forgetting about ME.
    Wow, yes! I hate when I make a mistake! I am very hard on myself as I am always trying to seek perfection from myself and everyone around me. The minute I make a mistake personally  I feel I have failed. Success is never going to come in a material form. I feel I will see success in myself when I see Him through me, my marriage, and my children.  I'm never going to be perfect and that is ok with me because I love a GOD who is perfect and who is forgiving. Just a little tidbit on my part.:)

And Finally.......went to Les Miserables yesterday with a friend. And it was AMAZING. So much better than I ever had expectations for. Go see!!!

 Menu this week:
   Honey-lemon Shrimp
   Spaghetti- GF pasta and ground turkey
   Crock Pot Chicken chili
   Mushroom Feta Risotto
  

Zumba

All right here goes post number 2......no don't worry I won't be numbering every post ;)

So going gluten-free has been a pretty easy change for the first week. We've tried some new recipes and trying to get the boys to broaden their taste buds when it comes to eating (this is the part that is the most difficult) They are snackers so thankfully having gluten-free snacks and fruits around have been an easy transition. Now to get them to eat chicken and other non-red meats. All in all though the transition is going well and I think it is going to be great for us all. Here are some recipes we've done for this first week:
    Tofu and a GF Indian curry sauce mix with rice and brocolli
    Baked sweet and sour chicken with rice and green beans (pinterest recipe, I used less oil and less cornstarch than it calls for to make it a bit healthier ;)....http://life-as-a-lofthouse.blogspot.com/2010/09/baked-sweet-and-sour-chicken-with-fried.html
    Bacon wrapped chicken with sweet potatoe fries and green beans (pinterest again :)) of course I used turkey bacon instead of the regular. http://foodgawker.com/post/2010/03/10/53631/

I see more Tofu and some eggplant in our future week ahead as well as some experiments.....we'll see how they go.

Today is also kind of bittersweet. I am going back to work tonight. I picked up a waitressing job at a local restaurant to bring home a little extra money and to get me out of the house a bit. I have been incredibly blessed to be able to have been able to stay at home for the past 41/2 years, but with the economy and not coaching dance its something we feel I need to do. But, I'm actually very excited. Not only to be bringing home some money and contributing to the household income a bit but also to get out in our new little town all the while still being able to stay at home with our two amazing boys during the day.......super mom is coming to mind ;) Just kidding. Thinking tonight will be great.

Last night we had a dance party before supper. Turned onto Zumba and let loose! Callahan is quite the dancer. Rhythm is yet to come but its still very stinkin' cute. Will post video later.

Hello and Welcome to my very first blogpost!! I am so excited to start this as one of my 2013 resolutions. Yes, its nothing new but something I've wanted to do for a while and hope my friends and family near and far will enjoy and help keep you all posted with our happenings this year and years to come.

2012 was probably the hardest year of my entire life. Both good and bad things took place but so glad its over and so very much excited to see what God has in store for our family and me this coming year.

In August Jeremiah accepted a job offer to manage the Wells Fargo in Marshall, MN. Where is that you say?? Well, not sure how to explain it but I am a 45 min-1 hour drive from the closest Target!!!! Now, WHY?? We had been praying about moving out of the cities for a while and have always desired to have our children grow up in a small town atmosphere. So when God opened so many doors and answered so many of our prayers to make the move happen we couldn't say no. Has it been completely easy? No, not yet but we can already see what the change has done to our kids and our family dynamic and for our marriage. All I can say is GOD IS GOOD!

Also for 2013 we have decided to be a gluten-free family. I'm hoping to post recipes and tips as this is a learning process for sure for all of us. Thanks to pinterest I've also been able to come up with some great DIY projects for working on our new home. I can honestly say it is my dream home. There are minor facial things on a list of to-do's but for the most part I am absolutely in love with this home and have to give all of the credit to God for allowing us to have it. The boys have a yard and plenty of space to run and be free. We were able to host a couple of Christmas parties and a great birthday party for Oakley. If you now me well, you know this is my element and what I absolutely love love love doing. Shopping and entertaining! Now to just get through winter........at least me ;) Jeremiah's parents also relocated to Florida for his dad's job, we are looking forward to a warm place to go this February!

2012 Recap
Callahan turned 1
Went to Mexico
Took a 2 week vacation to North Carolina
Jeremiah's brother got married
Jeremiah's parents moved to Florida
We moved to Marshall
Oakley turned 4
Ran a half marathon......YAY!!!
My best childhood friend got married!
Started a new job

The boys got to go Trick o' treating in our neighborhood. Oakley was a spy kid and Callahan an elephant

My Best Friend Rachel

Getting ready for the Women Rock 1/2 Marathon.......I finished and am training to do it again next year!

Our new home

Oakley's Preschool Pic. He loves school and his teacher. He has learned so much this year. It has been a true blessing that he got in with our last minute move.