Award!

Over at Tia's blog, she was awarded the Kreativ Blogger Award. Well, since she said anyone who checks her blog regularly (I was her first follower) could steal the button, I wanted to put it on our blog. So, indirectly, we were awarded! Here is the beautiful first award!The directions are, link to the person who gave you the award, then give it to 10 readers of your blog. Well, if you click on the link at the begining of the post, you can go to Tia's blog. So here are my ten bloggie friends I think deserve this award:

1. Ella
2. Dani (I Move)
3. Lydia
4. Bekah
5. Mrs. Gardner
6. Lane

Well, I have run out of bloggie friends to award, so enjoy!

Busy day....and presents waiting!

Whoo! What a busy day! But...a good one! This morning, I drove Meghan over to my sisters to be a 'mothers helper' today as our little Ty seems to have caught my cold and Lori didn't want to take him out in the cold...poor little guy! Then, close friends of ours are flying home from vacation tonight and I knew their little guy had the stomach bug and wasn't sure if anyone else got it...so after I called, ( and everyone has it), I ran to the grocery store to pick up some things and drop them at their home so they would have them tonight...and wouldn't have to go out in the snow tomorrow or Wednesday! After that, a quick stop at the health food store for some more Elderberry syrup...nothin else in it, but elderberry...and I've been out. Seems to quickly help us feel better...I got 2 bottles! Stopped after that to pick up some baby cereal and teething biscuits for Ty at 'Babys R Us'...they have wonderful baby cereal that is organic, and has probiotics right in it....recommended by Dr. Sears...and gluten free teething biscuits with all natural ingredients...Ty loves them! Below is a picture of what Sara and my little ones were doing while I was gone....'Gym class'! They had so much fun!

Doesn't Sara look like an aerobics instructor from the 80's?!

Then it was home to make some gluten free pizza. I love Carol Fenster's books! As you can probably tell by the stained pages, this is a favorite. As we try not to do a lot of yeast, this makes a yummy GF pizza crust that everyone likes.

What does Rachel Ray say? " Need it twice, make it once" ...I need a GF crust for this weekend, so will freeze one of these.

Here are my talented assistants!

Doesn't this look good?! It tasted even better than it looked!

I had a wonderful present waiting for me when I got home. My friend, Patti, in Idaho sent this package up...I've been waiting anxiously for it! Her son,Garrett, works with wood and has a business. These are their black walnut salad tongs. I love them! You flip them over and that engages the spring action....only 1 hand needed! Every mom should have a pair!

They included this really cool toothpaste squeezer....Sara tried it right away (sceptically, I might add) and was excited to exclaim how well it works! ( I need 3 more!)

But this....this is what I have been waiting for! A size R crochet hook that Garrett made from zebra wood! I cannot tell you what a pleasure it is to hold and work with! This size seems rather large, but for the 2 afghans that I have planned, it will be perfect to work up quickly. It is also the recommended size to crochet strips of fabric together...to make tote bags or rag rugs...especially from old cotton sheets from the thrift stores. I love it! I want to order a couple more in slightly smaller sizes...then I'll have all the sizes I'll need! The wood is so beautiful, smooth and warm!

Here is Garrett's website: www.3gwoodworks.com I encourage you to take a look at the other things that he makes. ( I'm not sure if any other crochet hooks are pictured or not) A certain someone who lives here...actually a couple of certain someones would love to have needle cases and seamrippers....will be placing an order in the near future! Again....I really wish everyone I knew (especially if you have children!) had a pair of these salad tongs...they are the coolest things I've tried! Now...if I only had a wooden salad bowl to go with them?! Hmmm....Garrett, do you make bowls, too?!

Now....after I go make some strawberry kefir smoothies....I'm off to REST for just a little while, enjoying my crochet hook before starting my chili for dinner! Tonight, after dinner, I'm going to our local homeschool group meeting. Haven't seen these ladies in a while...I'm looking forward to the encouragement and fellowship! Have a blessed day! ~Sue~

Menu plan Monday!

I'm finally posting this menu plan on time! LOL We have a particularly busy week this week, so I'm glad I was able to plan this ahead of time...nice, too, to know what to make on the days when we have obligations in the evenings. Here's this weeks menus!

Monday
Hot millet with apples and cinnamon
gluten free pizza, cucumbers
chili, cornbread and salad

Tuesday
gluten free pancakes with blueberry syrup
chicken and rice soup
gluten free veggie lasagna and gluten free parmesean breadsticks

Wednesday
Veggie omelets and potatoes
taco salads
deer chops, sweet/sour red cabbage, brown rice

Thursday
cereal and bananas (out the door early)
gluten free macaroni and cheese, salad
chicken and GF dumplings, green beans

Friday
GF pancakes with strawberry syrup
veggie omelets, potatoes
minestrone soup, cheddar garlic GF biscuits

Saturday
cereal, bananas ( out the door early again!)
GF banana nut bread, pineapple
GF philly cheesesteak pizza
(we have my sisters birthday party!)

Super Bowl Sunday! (Go Steelers!)
Oatmeal and fruit
'Good Sunday' soup
GF pizza and salad
parmesean popcorn (for the big game!)

I just wanted to mention something for a moment. While trying to save money, and eat healthy...like I mentioned before, we are trying to culture a lot of food...drinking kefir smoothies everyday and juicing. Along with that, we usually only used stevia, pure maple syrup and/or raw honey for sweetening. Well...after going to Costco on Friday, we discovered that pure maple syrup there went from 1/2 gallon at around $18 to only 1 quart for the same price...we couldn't justify it. But...as homemade GF pancakes are a staple here for breakfasts ( and to put peanutbutter and jam on for sandwiches) I was stumped as to what we could do. After looking thru some old 'Great Depression' cookbooks, I realized that I could make fruit syrups to put on without any sugar! Aldi's (my favorite store) sells bags of frozen strawberries that have no sugar...simply strawberries. If I thaw them, puree them and thicken with some water and cornstarch....I'll have a syrup....maybe a little stevia to sweeten. Well...the kids were so excited! ANd...I'll do the same with blueberries. So much cheaper...and actually healthier! Just thought I'd mention that. Have a blessed day!~Sue~