Dear Blog,

Sometimes I think I brought you into existence so that everyday I can be reminded I have not gotten to everything on my list!  My phone has nifty little reminders for me, and of course, you, blog, are on that list.  However, how often do I actually make it through my need-to-do list?  Well, I how often do I actually blog?  Sigh.  I would cry myself to sleep, knowing what a bad blogger I am, but I find that when I am not blogging, I am living.  And living a lot.  So... I refuse to feel bad for not keeping up and instead will update what the month of January brought us maffeoberries.

Every year we are fooled into believing that in January, because it is the month of our New Years resolutions, we are destined for greatness, or at least a new start.  January is rarely looked at as simply the month that follows December.  I think it is easy to forget it is like any other month with the capacity for as much greatness as meritocracy and happiness as misery.  Sobering a post as I know this is shaping up to be my updates are not all great, but span the chiasm between life and death.

First, my family lost their dog, Sunshine.  I know non-dog people cannot understand this loss, but we are all very sad.  My thoughts go out to my mom and sister.

Second, my man went in for back surgery.  My mommy-in-law came and helped out.  I miss her company.  It was not until she left that I realized how nice it was to have a conversationalist around.  My man is not much of a talker. 

Third, on the same day my daughter broke her braces (third time), my son had an allergic reaction to peanuts (I know, roll your eyes!  Have a great time doing it too!), and in the chaos of running out the door to the orthodontist and ER someone, we have no idea who, spilt milk over my old laptop.  Thus, slowing my progress down this month on many things, including my photo challenge (that being stated I do not recall the photo challenge stipulating that the 30 days have to be consecutive - so I am still working on that).

Fourth - we got a puppy. 

I have some blog posts on the way, including a post on Strawberry Cheesecake from my mommy-in-law, a post on Coffee Cake and a post on breastfeeding.  And I have photos I am in the process of recovering from my old hard drive.  Maybe I can get some of that up today!

 

Happy Monday People!

Leaves - a photo for the photo challenge.  I am not sure what is more challenging - finding time to take a photo, taking a photo that does not reflect poorly on me (having worked in the photography field) or finding leaves in the Colorado winter. Either way, Ramona gave me a  photo op today with her rainbow loom flower bracelet.  I figure that is as close to a leaf as I am going to get - till Spring.
I know I am a few days behind in this challenge... but I have determined it is only important what I do complete.  Or at least, that is what I will tell myself as I try to keep pace.

Ramona came downstairs today with her Rainbow Loom kit in hand - she is rarely seen without it.  Rainbow Loom is the new craze among her generation.  Kids her age create necklaces, bracelets and other woven charms with a loom and a plethora of colorful tiny rubber bands.  Ramona noticed a girl at school with an advanced bracelet - a woven flower.  She came downstairs this morning determined to make it and I had no doubt she would succeed.  Out of all my children she is the one that can make any lego plane, train or automobile no matter how complicated with minimal to no help, build a birdhouse with a hammer and some nails without help and draw amazing pictures.  She is definitely a creator and a builder - when her dad is making something you can bet she right by his side helping out.  I gave her the iPad so she could looked up the tutorials on the Rainbow Loom site; however, she felt aggravated when the flower weave was a bit too complicated.  I was busy making French toast for breakfast, but was immediately told about how Emily's mom helped Emily to make her bracelet.   I was hoping the kids would drop it there, but instead I got to hear how some parents are just more involved than other parents.  (Thank you Beezus).

I admit, I was about ready to tell them to make their own breakfast.  I was suddenly feeling a little less like being involved in the cooking process than normal.  I am think it is a testament to loving these silly girls that I did manage to finish breakfast, the whole time I am buttering their French toast, putting maple syrup on, dealing with cranky pants little man, getting them waters and listening to the amazing and astounding feats of Emily's mom and the Rainbow Loom bracelet - all while not making any snide comments. 

I admit after breakfast I sat down and looked up the Rainbow Loom bracelet video.  I got guilt suckered into that one.  I figured if Emily's mom could do this with her daughter, I could do this with mine.  However, about thirty seconds into the video I determined that Emily's mom could totally be the better parent.  I do plenty with my kids... and I can feel my brain rotting out my ears and eyeballs as I stare at this rubber band loom tutorial.  I can relate to my daughters artistic streak, but not her Rainbow Loom streak.  Thankfully, I have a great partner.  A man that can not only tile a floor, build a house, hatch a duck, sew a corset, make Christmas stockings, win in a sword fight, but also has mad Rainbow Loom skills.  So, I might continue to hear that Emily's mom is better at being involved in rubber band bracelets, but Emily's dad now gets to hear how Ramona's dad makes great rubber band bracelets.  Beat that!

Here is the French Toast Recipe:
4 Eggs
1/2 Cup Milk
1/4 Heavy Whip
1 Tblspn Vanilla
cinnamon to preference
sugar to preference

I prefer Udi's Gluten Free Bread

Soak bread in batter for ten seconds.  2-3 minutes medium heat on stove top.  Cook a couple at a time.  Cook till each side of bread is cooked through and is golden brown.

Right before I got the parent comparison this morning I had decided to make a "better" French Toast than usual.  Usually it is just milk, eggs and vanilla.  I looked up a couple different links on French Toast and modified this one:  http://www.inspiredtaste.net/22422/perfect-french-toast-recipe/

Happy Beginning of the Work Week!

Smile

Day two on the photo challenge.  I had so many ways I wanted to do a photo for smiling.  Life has it ' s own plans.  So, right before bed tonight we grabbed a cell phone shot of the little man smiling .  I  am grateful for him, his unfaltering smile and constant positive attitude!  

Happy Thursday Night!

Would love to see others smiling faces posted below... People we miss... Maybe I will get one if me too.  

 

For the month of January 2014 I am going to complete the above photo challenge.

The picture of the challenge above is a link to the blog Positively Present, all about mindfulness and the blessing of being present in the moment!  The author talks about how photography is a way to become fully immersed our surroundings.  Combining both being present/mindful and gratitude are two separate and powerful happiness practices.  So, of course I am down with that! 

 

I found this challenge more difficult than I had anticipated.  The first topic is FOOD.  I figured,  photos and gratitude and food!  I can slam this out!  This is my shtick.  Yet, when it came down to it I had a hard time determining what foods I am grateful for - this seems especially ironic when considering the nature of this blog and that to unwind I bake in the kitchen.  I immediately knew my answer: I am the most grateful for cupcakes.  For me, cupcakes are hope in food form.  Cupcakes are the first gluten free sweet I could really take and master for my first grade child diagnosed with celiac disease (CD).  It has been my one treat in my arsenal on the frontlines of a gluten-y world.  I could make any flavor, decorate them professionally and bake from sunup to sundown to bring my child with CD happiness.  Yet, for this challenge I felt I needed to step beyond my defining dessert.  I knew it was time to think up a new food.  Even more to the point - I have taken so many photos of cupcakes over the last few years that it was definitely time to find a different food to photograph.  Or risk getting lazy and using an old one.

 

 

Maybe it was because I was tired from a long New Years Eve night of "my Little Pony Monopoly" (we got to bed at 2am!) or maybe it is because everyone in my house is burnt out from a long couple months of travel and moving.  But, I initially took a photo of coffee (a substance that I am not only grateful for, but might be the only reason I keep up on being a domestic engineer powerhouse). However, my depth of field was too shallow (a problem I struggle with in many of my photos).  I felt this could be symbolic of the blurred hours of the last few days.  Maybe it can be symbolic of a hectic life with three kids and no time to even take a decent photo.  Or simply a symptom of needing to track down my lost tripod.  Either way, I felt unsatisfied and torn on whether to retake the same exact photo... especially since this evening I did not actually feel grateful for coffee.  Sort of goes against the whole point of the challenge.

 

When I am lost... I often get found, by three messy, loud, exuberant children.  And this situation turns out to be no different.  I am relatively excited about taking a photo a day based on a theme, so excited I have extended it to our dinner table (as per usual).  I told my family that I will be taking photos on the theme of gratitude and that each day I will have a different topic.  Tonight the topic is food! 

 

My kiddos had no problem getting into that action.  Beezus says she is grateful for "whip cream, strawberries, mac n cheese and candy, candy, CANDY!"  I believe when we started this her gratitude followed the same line of items.  Ramona, a child more present in the moment, stated "the chicken we are having tonight."  Then she proceeded to eat more than her fair share and got a little scolded for overindulging.  My man proclaims without hesitation "pizza."  Probably the fastest he has ever been grateful for anything at the table.  We are not surprised by that.  I found when I really thought about it, I am the most grateful for foods that are easy, fast, simple to make and healthy to eat.  And, as for the little man...

 

...he is grateful for mashed potatoes and ranch dressing - as long as he can smear it in his hair!  I guess I am grateful for a great photo op, as coffee was a bit of a fall back anyway.

 

Feel free to share anything food related you are grateful for... if you want to. 

 

Happy New Year

May Your 2014 Rock