Turtle Power!

This year's birthday was Ninja Turtles.  So funny to see something that was SOOO popular when I was a kid make its comeback while my kids are little.   Fun!

First came his party shirt.  I was super proud of it!

Next, the cake.   This was our first attempt at natural icing coloring, so it was a learning experience.  But, he said it was yummy and looked great, so I was happy!  Leonardo is his favorite, so he was kind of our theme.

My husband came up with these balloons kind of at the last minute, and everyone loved them!

Ninja apples. :)

The table before the chaos hit. :)

 And the banner.

 We decorated his door the night before his birthday, hoping he'd "bust through" the next morning.  I even waited and waited to take my shower waiting for him to wake up (first time he has EVER slept til 8!), and the little stinker CRAWLED UNDER the streamers! :)

We also played a little ninja star throwing game.  I folded some origami ninja stars I found and the kids tossed them into a bowl.   We played pin the mask on Leo, too, as people were leaving.  The weather was so pretty that we spent most of the day outside.  They had so much fun outside that we COMPLETELY FORGOT we had made a photo prop!!  Oops!!  (I'll post the picture of it tomorrow...it is in Little Man's room and he is asleep...finally...)

Recipe (and product) Roundup, Birthday edition

It was my little one's birthday this week, so we used this cake recipe for his Ninja Turtle cake.

                  King Arthur Tender White Cake  Everyone said it was yummy!  It didn't last as long as a store-                     bought cake mix, but that's not a problem!  We had plenty for party day and the next day, which                   his real birthday, so it was perfect timing.  I will post party pics later so you can see the end                           results.

We also found some natural white vanilla chocolate to make candy Ninja Turtle suckers, and we used these colorings to make the colors:

                 Natural powdered food coloring   It took very little powder to color the chocolate, and the                            taste was minimal.  Both of our kids were fine with it.  The colors weren't as bright as the                              artificially colored candy you can melt for suckers, but that was okay.   At least no one's behavior                  was affected from it!

 I dyed the icing for the cake with these:  Natural Liquid Food Coloring   Again, the colors were more subdued, but tasted fine and were safer for my kiddos.  I bought a small pack to start, as I wasn't sure how they would work.

We always have muffins on birthday morning so that we can put candles in them and blow them out.  Since our boxed/packaged muffins are no longer allowed, we tried these:
                   Chocolate chip muffins from BreadBeckers website
                   Cinnamon roll muffins

We also found some chocolate chip cookies from Immaculate Baking Company that have no artificial colors and flavors.  Those were my little one's school birthday treat for snacks.  I didn't want to send snacks because I am "over" how many snacks they serve the kiddos at school, but Fridays are snack day anyway, so at least I knew there would be something safe for him.  :/

Now that we have been on the plan for quite a while (7 weeks I think??), we are going to be working to reduce our sugar intake as well.  These first few weeks we've been trying to increase compliance and decrease how much the kids felt "left out" by our food choices, so we have been modifying their "junk food favorites."  Now we are going to work on the sugar issue. I  am not going to completely eliminate it, but we are going to work to reduce it.  It's just not the healthiest way to go.

My one "cave" to convenience has been these Tyson nuggets, which claim to be 100% natural. I know there are better choices, but for the occasional "oh no, we got home really late and have 30 minutes to fix and eat dinner" nights, these have been a life and sanity saver.

15-going-on-forever!

Okay, so I admit it.  I'm a dork. I still keep up with cheesy things like how long it's been since we started dating, how many years since my hubby proposed, etc.   Today is one of those days!

15 years ago today, my life changed forever when my now-husband and I went on our first date.  Not only OUR first date together, but MY first date ever!  Earlier that week we had started talking a lot.  I mean, for HOURS each day.  We went to a small, private college, and we'd sit out on the porch (in the freezing cold) and talk for hours or walk back and forth to the post office (which, at that school, practically means you're engaged...ha!), or instant message through AOL (remember that?!).  That was before cell phones and texting and all that.   (Since that day, we have not failed to talk to each other a SINGLE DAY!  That is almost 5500 days!Even when we had to date long distance during summers and breaks in college, we found a way to talk to each other, even if for only a minute.  Back then, phone calls weren't cheap, so we chatted online a LOT.)

Anyway, we had talked for several days and were becoming good friends when he got up the nerve to ask me out and took a risk.   Everybody but me saw it coming. I  was naive and clueless.  The only "problem" was that he asked me out on a day I already had plans with my parents and siblings to see a basketball game.  I REALLY wanted to go with him, but I didn't want to ditch my family or let them down because it was Parents' Weekend at school.  So, I just told him I'd go with him if my parents could come, too.   Weird, I know.  BUT, he said YES to that, and the rest is history!!  As a matter of fact, our first 2 or 3 dates were with my parents at basketball games.  Hahaha! 

I am so thankful that my now-husband took a chance on the unknown and asked me out.  He is super shy and very introverted, so I know that it must have been really hard for him to step out on a limb and take that chance.  I have no doubt that we were "supposed" to meet, because the way we met and the way our circumstances worked out could not have been coincidence.  Too many things had to be "just right" for all this to turn out as it has.  And, he led me to Christ and to the church at a time when I was desperately seeking the Truth.  I had studied and found the pieces but wasn't sure how to put them together to be pleasing to God, but he was there to help me make sense of it all.  Not a day goes by that I don't thank God for putting the right person in my path at the right time.   Since then, I have tried to pay really close attention when someone new crosses my path, because you never know when that someone will change your life (or vice versa). 

Recipe Roundup, Week 5

I jokingly told my mom today that, with the number of new recipes we are trying lately I need to open up a "real food cafe" for other families like ours that just want to eat somewhere besides home! :)

Cheeseburger Soup (This one's mine, but there are tons of other recipes like it online if you want other options.  Feel free to tweak this to suit your tastes! )

1 lb super lean ground beef
3-4 cups water (enough to cover the beef in a pan)
seasonings of preference (I used Mrs. Dash garlic, onion powder, and some montreal steak.  Yes, I know that's not "approved" right now, but I can't afford to throw out all my spices, so I just used a little.)

Cook the ground beef and seasonings in the water until meat is no longer pink (It took mine about 15-20 minutes, but it was also still not completely thawed when I started.).  This makes broth, too, by the way!!

In the meantime, cube 4-5 medium potatoes and place in the bottom of the crockpot with a little water to cover the bottom and turn on high while the meat is cooking in the skillet.

Dump ground beef and broth into the crockpot over the potatoes, stir slightly, and cook on high for an hour.  Turn heat down and cook the rest of the day (or leave on high for faster cooking).

30 minutes or so before eating, add 2 cups cold milk mixed with 1 TBSP corn starch to soup and stir thoroughly.  Add approximately 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese and stir well.  Cover again and cook until cheese is melted and soup has thickened (about 20-30 minutes).

I really wanted to add some other veggies to this, but my hubby can't do veggies, so I didn't.  It was still hearty and comforting on this freezing cold rainy day!  I served it with grilled cheese on homemade bread.  Yum! 

Verdict = yummy but either needed more cheese or less liquid, because the cheese flavor got lost in it.  Also, needed a little more seasoning, because the potatoes absorbed most of the flavor.

Broccoli Cheese Bites - both kiddos liked these, and so did I!  I used gluten free bread crumbs and did 1/2 and 1/2 cheddar and mozzarella cheese.   Next time I will use a little less bread crumbs (maybe 3/4 cup) and more cheddar/less mozzarella.  Also, I forgot the salt and pepper, so I just added those when we ate them.

Yeast Cinnamon Rolls  (You can also make these plain yeast rolls)  I have used this basic recipe from a lady at church for a long time, but I have gradually tweaked it to make it "mine."

1.  Dissolve 3 tsp yeast in 1/2 cup warm water and set aside to foam.

2.  Mix 1/2 stick melted butter and 1 TBSP flax (or up to 1 stick melted butter) with another 1/2 cup warm water.

3.  Add 1 egg, 1/3 cup honey (or sugar), and 1 tsp salt

4.  Combine butter mixture with yeast mixture and mix well.

5.  Gradually add about 3 cups sifted white whole wheat flour.  Dough will be somewhat sticky because it will get stiffer in the fridge.  Mix by hand or with a mixer/dough hook.  Refrigerate overnight or for a few days.  (ALTERNATE METHOD:  Add a little extra flour...maybe 1/4 cup...so not so sticky, cover with a towel, and place in warm place to rise instead of refrigerating overnight.  leave until doubled, probably 1 hour or so).

6.  The next day (or after risen in warm place), knead slightly by hand and then roll out into a long rectangle.  

7.  Brush with melted butter and then sprinkle with equal amounts white and brown sugar and as much cinnamon as you want...you have to play with this to get what you want.  Also, if you are out of brown sugar, it is not necessary.  You can also add raisins and nuts, but I don't.

8.  Roll up and slice as you like (I get about 12 thick or 16 medium thickness rolls) and place in greased 9 X 13 pan.

9. Let rise until doubled.  Bake at 350 degrees about 20-25 min.  

10.  Glaze with a mixture of powdered sugar and milk to desired icing consistency.

Childish Behavior

So last night I got THE CALL.  You know, that first call home from a teacher about your child's behavior in class?   Oh.  no.  Being married to a teacher makes me dread calls like that even more!  When I found out the call was coming, I was a nervous wreck.  However, I had to play it cool because my daughter was having a complete and total meltdown over the situation.  Finally, 5 minutes before the kids went to bed, the teacher called.

First, she talked to my daughter about something that was causing my sweet girl quite a bit of distress, no matter what I said!  They chatted a few minutes, laughed a lot, had some "true confession" moments, and then my daughter went to bed.  And fell asleep.  Instantly.  Unconcerned.  (Such a rare event in our house!)

Secondly, I took the phone and talked to her teacher.  Let me just say before I tell the rest of this that every teacher has their faults, but any teacher who tries THIS hard to help my daughter through some of her struggles deserves my full respect and praise.  It does my heart good to know that someone is watching out for my daughter so whole-heartedly.

So, with great trepidation I began the conversation.  As we talked, what I heard from her was that my daughter has been ACTING HER AGE in class.  She told me that it had not been disruptive, just odd.  She assured me that she was not angry or frustrated, but that it was so out of character for my sweet girl that she wanted me to know about it.  She relayed stories to me about my girl laughing almost deliriously during school at something goofy, about her "risking" reprimand by getting up out of her seat during independent work time, and about her making "weird noises" during spelling.  As I listened, I was dumbfounded.  And elated!  And amazed!  And thrilled!  [I probably sound like a lunatic, but my daughter has always been a "little adult."  She is super serious at all times.  She has rarely smiled, even more rarely laughed, and has extreme difficulty with social interactions and finding humor in anything "childish."  She doesn't "get" jokes, and she seldom lets go enough to laugh.  A tight smile is usually the best we get, unless she is acting in a play or playing with her brother.  He is the only one who can truly make her laugh. ]
Her teacher even said that, when she started giggling or making noises, the rest of the class looked at her as if to say, "She's finally one of us!"  Where the teacher saw reason for concern, I only felt relief.  We have tried for 8+ years to break through her shell, and, for the first time, it's happening.  Usually, she is so afraid of getting in trouble that she will follow the rules TO THE LETTER, PRECISELY, with no deviation to the left or right.  Where we see silliness and goofiness, she disdainfully sees childishness.  Having her step out of her comfort zone to do these "silly" things is huge.  A major step. No, make that a giant leap!

As we finished the conversation, I stressed how much we support the teacher's opinions and efforts. I reminded her that we want to help in any way that we can to make sure our daughter is behaving.  I asked for more updates next week so that I can monitor this, but I also let her know that this was a huge (albeit probably annoying at school) step. Her laughter was probably louder than necessary or crazier than appropriate, but she has so little practice at it that it will take time! I am probably the only parent in history to be RELIEVED by a call from a teacher about strange classroom behavior!

I can't help but wonder if our food changes are to explain for this extreme change.  About a week into our plan, my daughter started to relax and become less uptight and wound up.  She started hugging us willingly for the first time in ages.  She admitted to having "fun" at family night.  She slept better with fewer nightmares.  The tantrums and meltdowns lessened.  I could go on and on.  I have been hesitant to assign the credit for this to the food, but we have tried everything else with little to no success, and this is the FIRST time we have seen something like this.   I am hopeful that it will continue and maybe we can "find" the girl that I know is inside of her somewhere.  She treated us to the laughter at my parents the other night, and it was all I could do to contain my tears.   As a baby learning to laugh, she had a deep, guttural laugh that thrilled us all.  I would call the grandparents and let them listen over the phone because it was such an incredible sound.  It was such a thrill to hear it again this week.

Oh, our beloved apples!!

We  have successfully been on plan for a little over a month, and though some differences are subtle, others are blatant.  All in all, I think the plan is a good fit for our family, but it does require constant diligence!!

At the end of last week we decided to add apples back to our meal plan.  I wanted to wait another week, but I knew we were going to be somewhere that we had agreed to bring fruit, and apples would be among those.  So, I wanted the kids to go ahead and try them a day or two before.   The first day was not a problem.  2nd day was iffy.  By the 3rd day our daughter was like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.  It was crazy the transformation of her attitude, behavior, and ability to function!!!   I went ahead and gave her apples one more time just to see if maybe she was having a bad day, but it was awful.  Tears, rigidity of attitude, tantrums, meltdowns, misbehavior, hateful speech, and panic. She had no control. Scary!!!  I felt like the worst mom ever!  So, I promptly took apples out of her meal plan.  I am going to give her a week or so without them to let them clear her system.  Already yesterday (day 2 without again) was better.  After a while, I will test once more to confirm that it wasn't just "one of those weekends."  With her emotional issues, it is possible the 2 weren't connected, but it was a completely stress-free, FUN weekend, so I can't imagine that would have flared up her emotional stuff.   I may wait a few weeks, though, because we have a long weekend for president's day and that way it won't interfere with school.  She (and I!) will be heartbroken if apples are a trigger for her because she LOVES them.  Raw, cooked, juiced, slices with pb, cinnamon baked apples, natural applesauce, you name it!  I have heard, though, that it is often the favorites that kids crave that cause problems.  I will probably cry if I confirm that, but, at least I would know!!!  It is sad to think that one of the "good for you" foods could cause issues for her, but I am willing to do what it takes to help her feel better and more in control.  

I have always heard that "you are what you eat," but until we started this journey, I didn't really understand what an impact the fuel we give our bodies can have on our entire well-being.  I knew it could cause digestion problems and make you feel sluggish or "off" if you ate something wrong, but I had no idea the full extent of the problems it could cause.   The more I read and study and experience, the more frustrated I become with what the food industry has done to our food.   For most of us, we blindly accept that what is placed before us as options is okay for human consumption.  Though I know some of the regulatory agencies aren't strict enough on their guidelines, I never really realized how harmful some of the things they allow truly are, and I CERTAINLY never realized how aggressively dangerous chemicals and additives are marketed to children.  I knew that the fluorescent marshmallows and rainbow cereals were probably not ideal, but I had no idea how many hidden places chemicals and additives lurked.  Did you know that WHITE marshmallows contain blue food dye?  WHY??????  Or that orange peels sometimes have red food dye added to make them look more appealing?   It makes me realize how much we rely on looks and appearances to satiate all aspects of our lives.   I am disgusted that I, a mom who has always tried to keep my family healthy, was duped despite all the reading and research I do.  I can only imagine how ignorant our society is as a whole about these things.  I wonder how many of society's medical issues would be resolved if we could somehow move back towards natural foods and products.  How much of the insurance mess would be improved?  How many of us would have the much-coveted energy we seek through supplements, foods, and even coffee??

Forgive my rambling.  Today I am feeling quite frustrated and helpless and contemplative!  My prayer is that our struggles might help even one person have the courage to experiment with this themselves and improve the lives of their own sweet family!  :)