Trip By The Numbers

2000 + Photos

3,500 miles driven

1 State Park

4+ National Parks

= 1 wonderful trip

This summer we went on a trip we have been wanting to go on for 10 years.  Last time we were in Yellowstone and Custer was 10 years ago.  We knew we wanted to see Custer State Park, Yellowstone, and the Grand Tetons.  Neither of us had ever been to Grand Tetons and it was one of the things on our bucket list.  Now that we have been there, we can't wait to go back.  Hopefully, it won't take 10 years to get back to there.

Like I said above, I took a TON of pictures, but I thought I'd share a few with you.  I will let the pictures do the talking.  Next time we go I hope I have a better camera then a little pocket point and shoot.  But still, the pictures aren't too bad.

Summer Projects

We have been homeschooling for SIX years now.  I can't believe it!  Time has flown by.  Our little office room we use as a school room has gone from one child using it to three children using it.  I have added bookshelves and a couple tables and it has just gotten fuller and fuller.  It was so crowded and chaotic; I started just shoving stuff in open spots.  Last couple years I have pulled things out I knew we were done with and sold them, but I never did a full re-do.

This summer I decided it need a complete and utter make-over.  My goal was to spend as little as possible and use what we had on hand.  Total cost ended up being time plus $5 for a gallon of paint.  SWEET!  God is so good, the color I wanted for only $5!  Check this out, we were at Menards and I checked out the clearance shelf and there was this beautiful shade of yellow sitting there.  I grabbed that baby up and had them re-shake it for me. I wasn't sure if it would work, but I am happy with it.

We pulled everything out (and I mean EVERYTHING) and I spackled the walls.  Then sanded.  Rewashed the walls and I then painted.  As soon as the paint was dried, I started putting things back in.  My goal was to NOT put everything back in.  I made three piles

Keep
Throw
Sell (our homeschool group has an upcoming book sale)

Three days later, my project is complete and I think I am ready to start our year.  This is a little late for us since we usually homeschool year 'round, but I think it will be so much more enjoyable.  Our set up is way different.  The bookshelves ended up an another wall but we had to take the door off to do so.  But, we never use the door so it doesn't matter.  The room seems more open and bright.  I still need to recover the chairs and put up curtains, but there isn't a rush for that.  Hoping to find a fun print that works for both.

Here are a few pictures:  (the yellow looks WAY darker!  It is much lighter)

I know it looks messy still, but it really is organized!  Really.  Shelves by subject and how often used....

Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread Heaven

I have seen quite a few recipes go across blogs on how to make this yumminess.  And my sister kept telling me I HAD to make it.  So I figured it would be a good time to alter it to fit the boys' allergies.  So here ya go...

(oh, if you want the non-allergy version, click here and for a different take click here)

Since I didn't take a ton of pictures (what's wrong with me?  LOL) it will give you some visuals of what it should look like!


To make this I used my basic bread recipe with a small twist ~ 1 tsp vanilla.  If you aren't familiar with it, here you go....

BREAD Mix

Using a large gallon Ziploc, assemble the following ingredients:

4 cups superfine  brown rice flour (Authentic  Foods)
2 cups tapioca flour (bob's red mill)

2 cups arrowroot flour (bob's red mill)

1/2 cup sugar (I use cane sugar from Trader Joe's)

8 tsp. Guar gum (don't skip this!)

1 1/3 cup DariFree milk substitute~ use in powdered form...(it is a powdered dairy free milk that is potato based)

3 tsp salt (I use sea salt)

Zip up baggie and shake until mixed.  Or mix in a mixer and then put in a bag.  I usually make 4-6 bags of this to have on my shelf.  Will keep one month.  This bag with make two batches

 

To make bread:

*Preheat oven to 400 degrees
*Heat one cup of water to 110 degrees, add 2 tsp sugar, 4 tsp yeast, and  let it sit 5 minutes, ~meanwhile~
*Measure out 5 cups of mix from your Ziploc into mixing bowl/stand mixer
Add:
*1/4  cup Rice Bran (Ener G brand) (good for fiber, very healthy)  AND/OR ¼ cup Flaxseed meal
*4 TBSP. oil (I use olive oil, coconut or safflower) or use your allergen free butter substitute of choice

*1 tsp apple cider vinegar (trader Joe's)

*1 cup water room temp

*3 eggs (or use egg replacer ~ 4tsp of the dry powder plus an extra 1/4 cup water)

Add in the yeast mixture and beat at medium  for 2-4 minutes.  Add water if too stiff.  If too thin add rice flour or more rice bran.  Should be thicker then cake batter but not as firm as regular bread dough. 

Grease hands really well, it is very sticky.  Keep some palm shortening close by so that as your hands get sticky you can grab some more. 

To rise the bread...Place bread on top of stove, cover with towel, let rise 30 minutes.  I drape the towel so that the heat vent from my stove blows under the towel and over my bread.  Or let it rise inside your microwave with hot water in a pan.

Cook in oven for 50-60 minutes for a loaf of bread.  For 4 mini loaves I cook mine for about 40 minutes.

READ HERE FOR MAKING 

CINNAMON PULL APART BREAD DIRECTIONS 

 

The dough will need to be a bit stiffer.  Do not use eggs, use egg replacer instead.  Do not add the extra ¼ cup of water (unless too stiff).

*Dust pan with cinnamon

 *Melt 2 TBSP Earth Balance Soy Free butter in a bowl. 

*Mix 1 cup Turbinado sugar and 2 tsp. cinnamon in bowl

*Roll out ½ of the dough and use ½ of the melted butter to cover the rolled out bread.  Dust with ½ of the cinnamon sugar mix.  Using a cookie cutter, cut into 3 long strips.  Place strips on top of eachother.  Then cut into 1/4ths.   Place vertically in A bread loaf pan.  Repeat with other ½ of the dough.

*Let rise 20-30 minutes

*bake at 400 degrees for 50-60 minutes

 

Homemade BBQ Sauce

It seems to me that more and more people are becoming corn sensitive.  And corn is in everything.  It is a sneaky additive that can wreak havoc on your body.  I get asked about safe BBQ sauces, ketchup, Worcestershire sauces and other tomato based products often.  Since we are corn free I have a few recipe in my repertoire.  For people new to corn issues, here is a little info...

Sidenote:  Skip if you just want the recipe LOL

Sneaky words for corn:                                                                           

Natural flavoring

Fructose

Dextrose

Glucose

Invert Sugars

Dextrin

Maltodextrin

MSG

HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) now also known as "corn sugar" to throw us off its nasty trail

Citric acid 

Maize

Any MANY more 

 Symptoms of corn consumption and sensitivity:

Headache/Migraines

Depression

Eczema

Stomach bloating, upset

Weight gain or loss

Anger or aggression

Asthma

and more....

While Fructose is natural in fruit and other products, it is in higher ratio of fructose to glucose in corn sweeteners.  Fructose heads straight to our livers.  It then start lipogenesis, which in my understanding, is when we produce cholesterol and triglycerides, aka "fatty liver."  Your body then begins to rapidly absorb glucose which does what? triggers spikes in (you guessed it) insulin (which is BAD!)  The corn industry and recently taken time and money to advertise how safe and wonderful corn sweeteners are.  Have you seen the TV ads?  A basic fact is that it is cheaper then cane sugar due to government subsidies.  A basic fact is that it is found in highly processed food that has little or no nutritional qualities.  I did a bit of digging around online and there are numerous studies either way.  But the ones supporting corn sweeteners and saying how safe it is are often paid for by the corn industry its self or the government (who subsides it).  Huh.  As for my family, we are mostly corn free (except some organic popcorn about once a month for me~shh.) and we are going to stay that way, allergies or no.

 We love BBQ sauce for ribs and so many other goodies, however, one of the first ingredients in most store sauces is HFCS.  Not only is HFCS bad for you, but who needs that much sugar?  I came up with a recipe for BBQ sauce that fit my family's food restrictions.  We just love it.  Hope you do too!

BBQ Sauce

1/4 cup chopped onions (saute them in coconut oil)

1 cup ketchup (make sure there isn't any citric acid or HFCS) or tomato paste with extra sweetener

1 TBSP drippings (from your cooked pork or omit)

1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce (click for a homemade corn free version)
2 TBSP apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon (again, use fresh to avoid corn)
2 TBSP Brown sugar or coconut sugar or molasses
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. dry mustard powder

optional:
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp. coriander

Notes: 
There is no fancy way to make this, saute the onions, add in the other ingredients and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally so it doesn't adhere to the bottom of the pan.

Like it sweeter?  Add some honey or extra molasses. 
Like it spicier? Add some dried red pepper flakes or chili powder
Like garlic?  Add it.

I always use Frontier, Trader Joe's or McCormick spices.  They are gluten free.

Laundry Rules for Line Drying

There really is a correct way to hang clothes on a clothes line.

My rules:
1.) Shirts must be hung upside down to avoid the shoulders getting those funny points
2.) Socks are hung from the cuff and you only pin one part of the sock, leaving it open (dries quicker)
3.) Any type of bottom requires two clothes pins at the waist band, again leaving a gap at the top (see sock rule)
4.) Socks are to be hung together, easier to remove from the line.
5.) Fold laundry as it comes off the line
6.) If you leave the laundry basket outside, turn it upside down (keeps the inside clean)
7.) Bed sheets are meant to be dried on the line.  They smell heavenly.
8.) Towels dried on the line can be rough, but washing them with a cup of vinegar (before line drying) makes them softer
9.) Start a load of laundry before breakfast, put the line after breakfast.  Take off the line after lunch. (Except in the spring and fall, then after dinner before they get damp again from the night air)
10.)  All children, regardless of age, can assist.

REAL SUMMER FUN

Our small group from church recently went to one of the family's cabin.  It a time of blessed fellowship for both adults and children.  The oldest children in the group have know each other since they were about 15 months old.  That makes for almost 11 years we have know each other.

Trying out the boom first

They all got up on skis using the rope!

This smile says it all!

They were OUT!

Such a stinker!

The boys all got to water ski, tub, jet ski and wear themselves OUT!  I only took a few pictures, but the memories I have are so sweet and I will savor them for years to come.

Everything Free Ranch Dressing

My boys have seriously been deprived!  They haven't had ranch dressing in years!  Considering it is my main source and joy of dipping sauce, I have been searching and searching for one that works for them.  A great friend (who also has a kiddo with a similar food journey) shared this recipe with me.  Of course, I tweaked it a bit, but it was FABULOUS!  My dearest husband LOVED it! (shocker).  The kids weren't so sure, but I think it will grow on them.

Recipe adapted from http://dairy-free.food.com/recipe/dairy-free-ranch-dressing-65119

Everything Free Ranch Dressing

1 cup Vegenaise Dressing and Spread**
1/2 TBSP fresh squeezed lemon juice
4 TBSP coconut milk (or more to get to desired consistency)
1/2 tsp chives (dried)
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp dried dill
1/2 tsp garlic (I love my garlic!)  Use less if it is too strong
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 sea salt
1/8 black pepper freshly ground (optional~ we don't use pepper)


** Vegenaise is my new, favorite product.  Made devil eggs and egg salad with it and my mayonnaise loving sister even said it was tasty!!! and she is REALLY picky about her mayo!


NOTE:  This is really good as a dipping sauce for my zucchini fritters!