2012 family update

  (I searched for the perfect bow tie for baby he looked so cute!)

It has been a busy year!

Telan: This year Telan discovered that he loves rugby and played in the spring for the Glendale rugby league. He started 7th grade in the fall and turned 13 in November, I can't be old enough to have a teenager can I? He is going to school full time and enjoying it for the most part. He does really well. His goal is to go to John Brown University and become an engineer so he is working hard now to get good grades.

Micah: This year she brought the 80's back, she loves anything 80's and has become quite the fashionista. I have to admit she makes the 80's look good!
She turned 12 in December and has taken on the preteen attitude with no problem.
Micah started 6th grade this fall she loves going to school one day a week to see her friends but is not a fan of doing her school work at home (or at school) the rest of the week, she would be completely content to never do math again. Her goal is to be anything that she doesn't have to learn math for, or a missionary, barista, hair dresser, fashion designer...yes all of them.

Reagan: Is 10 going on 20...with 2 older siblings she has taken on a more mature attitude then most 10 year olds...sometimes this is good, sometimes not so much. She started 4th grade this year and is doing great, she is self motivated and usually has her school work done before the rest of us are even coherent. She loves to cook and is usually next to whoever is in the kitchen. Her other hobby is designing wedding dresses and knows all the style names.
Her goal is to be a barista and chef and open her own restaurant, watch out Uncle Eric you may have competition soon.

Colden: Turned 8 this year and is transitioning from the baby of the house and a little boy to a young man. Most days the transition is smooth. He does enjoy being a "big brother". He has an amazing imagination and can entertain him self for hours playing Indiana Jones, Pirates or Perry the Platypus.
He started 2nd grade this fall and is so smart but struggles because he compares what he does to his siblings and gets frustrated because he is not as good as the older kids. He is so passionate about everything. We joke that he is either mad or happy there is no in between.

In February we took in two 4 month old foster boys. One of them got to go home just a few weeks later. We still have the other he is now 15 months and has fit into the family just fine. We will see what next year has in store for him.

At the beginning of the year Nathan took a promotion to VP of valuations at his company. In July the company had major lay offs and his position was eliminated. We decided to start our own company. It has been a walk of faith but God has blesses us so much in it and a company that we expected to take 6 months to get started was up and running in just a few weeks with enough clients to keep us busy and stable. We are expecting to be able to higher on a few more appraisers next year and are excited to see what God has planned.



We are looking forward to 2013 and all that it holds.

the big 10

2 years ago Reagan announced that if Jesus didn't come back she wanted a

 Paris party for her 10th birthday.

Well since there has not been a rapture we had a big Paris party this year!

 

 

She had it all planned, pink, black and pearls.

champagne cupcakes with strawberry whip cream

champagne glasses rimmed with pink sugar and sparkling pink lemonade

 

 

 

Fashion shoot Paris style!

 

I can't believe she is already 10!

10 years ago she came into this world with drama and finesse and the last 10 years have been no different!

 

 

Special Birthday gift for both the girls

 

Quilts made with love by Grandma and Aunt Tari

 

 

Creative Kids!

The kids school had a pumpkin decorating contest on Monday. They spent all weekend working on their pumpkins. They designed them and decorated them all on their own.

 

 

Micah won 1st place with her monster pumpkin, Telan won 2nd place with his cookie monster. Colden's  mustach crab and Reagan's turkey tied for 4th.

so proud of my kids and thier creative minds.

Road Trip

Thanks to wonderful parents and sister we got a much needed time away without kids.
we decided to take a Road Trip 10 days and 4066 miles.

 

 

We went from Denver to Kearney, NB to Chicago to Niagara to Hammonds Port, NY (voted best small town in America and I would have to agree) to Manhattan to Roanoke, VA (which I think is a close second for best small town) to Nashville, TN

We had a great time in Nashville with Nathan's brother and his wife and of course my cute little nephew. It was the first time we have had the chance to spend time with them without  tons of family around. It was such a nice time we hope to go back soon before they move out of TN.

 

It was a great trip and a great time to connect with each other after a rough year as foster parents.

 

Thank you Dad, Mom, Barb, Craig and Tari for Loving on all our Kiddos while we were gone.

Birthday Party

Sunday we had a Birthday party for baby. It was so much fun he was so warn out by the end that we didn't even make it out of the parking lot before he crashed. So many friends and family showed up to support us and love on baby it was amazing. I know this maybe the only birthday we get to celebrate with him but I am glad we got to.

I decided to do an apple theme. I am so ready for fall and apples just seemed to fit, even though the weather was not fall feeling at all it was great for an outside party.

I wanted to just go simple and did a DIY carmel apple bar, it was a hit. I made my carmel with a trick I saw on Pinterest (I found a few different sites so I am not sure who to credit) but anyway it made my whole week that this worked and I didn't have to spend hours unwrapping carmels and melting and trying not to burn them. The trick is...crockpot + can of sweetened condensed milk (unopened) = the most yummy carmel ever. Stick the can in the crockpot, fill crockpot with water till reaches top of can. Cook on low for 8 hours. Open can for the perfect dipping carmel.

 

My sister made the cutest apple cupcakes to go with the theme and to wash it down apple cider punch of course!

 

 

My cousin helped with the decorations/photo props. They turned out so cute I loved it and

think I will do something like it at all my kids parties I loved how it turned out and will

make cute thank you cards.

 

 

 

 

Crystal also did a photo shoot for me a few days before. It turned out so cute and even though I chose these pics because you can't see his face I think these are my favorite anyway because they show how busy baby is.

 

 

 

Baby I don't know where you will be this time next year

but wherever it is I know you will do amazing things

you are such a determined little boy and can use that to move mountains

we love you

 

 

2012 update

I was looking back at my post from the beginning of the year and the goals I put down for this year and some have happened some have been forgotten and some have changed. Lots has changed since that post.

In February we took in two 4 month old foster babies. They were related and wanted them placed together. We didn't know what we were getting ourselves into, or we were just in denial. One of the babies was had extreme attachment disorder the other was over sensitive to any and all stimulation which was not a fit in our house in which there is always some sort of stimulation. Needless to say the stress level in our house was at an all time high. In April the sensitive baby was placed back with mom to every ones relief. We still have the other little one in our house and he is doing amazing, you would never know that he had attachment issues 6 months ago but getting here was a long, rough process trying to get a baby to attach like a newborn when they are supposed to developmentally be starting to detach with learning to crawl and be more independent. It was hard to watch the conflict go on in his little mind.

3 weeks ago Nathan's company went though major layoffs and let most of their upper management go which included him. But It has turned out to be a major blessing.  We have started our own appraisal company which in just 2.5 weeks has grown by leaps and bounds and we are expecting within 6 months to have an office out of the house and employees. This has always been Nathan's dream job but after having the false stability of a corporate job we were (OK I was) reluctant to give it up and try on our own. The layoff was just the push I we needed to try.

Goals I wrote down at the beginning of the year

*Cook a healthy dinner for my family every weeknight (weekends will still have to fend for themselves) I have tried but I am a horrible meal planner and Nathan is a bad influence so between those two things we find it easier to jut "go grab something" but I am getting better.
* Once a month family outing Not exactly once a month but now that Nathan is not on call 24/7 this will be so much easier.
* Go on one date night with each of my kiddos there is still 5 months left....it will happen
*Go camping as a family for the first time ever. (as I write this Jim Gaffagin is in my head..."my parents never took me camping, "BECAUSE THEY LOVED ME" ) we had to cancel any plans because of forest fires or fire bans...that's my story and I'm sticking to it
* Buy a 12 passenger van...yes most people dread those words but we a strangely excited about the possibility. we ended up with an 8 passenger...that we hate. Next car will be an suv. no more vans
*Visit Nashville to see my nephew Liam...oh and his parents Get to do this in October!!!!
*Stop at Silver Dollar City and Lamberts on our way home from Nashville.  Not this year but plans for next year in the works.
*Get my last 13 years of pictures organized I have them organized on a external hard drive and thanks to mixbooks.com I have one of my 7 years worth of pictures put into a book.
*Spend less time pinning (pinterest) and more time making what I pin. I don't think I have spent less time pinning but I have actually made some of the things I have pinned!
*Paint the kids bedrooms still have 5 months...it will get done...maybe
*Start saving for a trip to South Africa in 2014 This trip has now turned into a 2015 trip to Ireland with family to go see the World Cup Rugby!!!!
*More date nights, late night talks, laughing and enjoying the love of my life.  Of course this can always be better and have more. If anyone has any ideas about cheap date night I am always looking :)

Gluten Free Turnovers

I found a recipe on another blog for Gluten Free croissants which I made for Easter. They turned out OK. I had some left over dough so a few days later I decided to try to make turnovers since GF ones aren't easy to come by. Everyone L.O.V.E.D. them including my toughest critic...my 12 year old Celiac son.
The basic recipe can be found at WildFlours I used her basic flour blend recipe but subbed the Brown Rice flour for more White Rice flour and the Millet Flour for Oat Flour.

a few things I discovered.

• if the dough was to cold I couldn't get it to roll out without cracking so there was this fine line between to cold and to warm.
• It took WAY longer to rise than the hour she said. I let my croissants rise for about 45 min (I ran out of time before having to head to families house for Easter dinner) and it was not enough time they came out heavy and very dense and not flaky at all. But I let the Turnovers rise in a warmed oven for almost 21/2 hours and they were nice and flaky

I rolled out my dough in to a rectangle and cut it into smaller rectangles. About 3x6. and filled with cream cheese and cherry pie filling next time I have had request to do cream cheese and blue berries. I think I will also try chocolate chip. After they had risen I brushed with milk and sprinkled with sugar.
I think these would be good to freeze once baked and then have available to pop in the oven to warm.

Enjoy!

A Gluten Free Valentines Day

Getting a sitter for valentines day is next to impossible and besides spending 2 hours on a waiting list at a restaurant because we forgot to make reservations is not my idea of romantic. So the last few years we have done valentines day as a  family. This year I decided to bring the Melting Pot home. I made a full 3 course fondue meal. All gluten free. I am not one to brag but it turned out so good and we all had so much fun as a family.

              First Course Cheese Fondue

 

4 oz of your favorite white wine

2oz of a dry red wine

2-3 tsp of cornstarch

mix wine and cornstarch then heat with

chopped garlic 1/2 to 1 TBS

9oz of cheese

I use 2-3 different kinds I love to experiment and usually don't use the same every time

this time I used

Fontina (4 oz)

Dubliner (3 oz)

Manchego (2oz)

When wine is heated add cheese little bits at a time stirring till smooth

(I usually make this on the stove and then transfer it to my fondue pot to keep warm. You can make it in the pot but it takes longer and I am impatient)

serve with cubed apples, GF bread (bagels work best) and veggies

        Second course beef fondue

1 can beef broth (I use swansan because it is GF)

1 can water

3-4 oz wine

garlic

salt & pepper

anything else you feel like

add veggies and potatoes to the broth to cook as you cook the meat

serve with cubed meat of choice to cook in broth

   The Best Course

12 oz of chocolate

1/8 cup cream

liqueur  or flavoring of choice (we like Irish Cream)

melt together

server with

fruit

GF pretzels

toasted marshmallows (put in oven on broil for 5 min)

I think this will be a new family valentine tradition

Gluten Free 101

Since finding out our son needed to be gluten free (GF) 2 years ago (and since I am to lazy to make two meals) I have had to learn how to either make our "normal" meals GF or change our menu all together. So here are a few things I have learned to make my GF cooking life a little easier.

*Chex cereal is GF!!!  Gluten Free cereal from a health food store is SO expensive $5 for a 9oz box just doesn't work when feeding 4 kids.

*Corn chex crushed make a great substitute bread crumbs

*corn starch makes a better substitute than GF flour in stews and breading chicken.

*cream soups have gluten in them...the GF ones you can find, in kid term are yucky. but it is very easy to make your own.
                          - 1/2 stick butter
                          - 14oz can chicken broth (or veggie)
                          - 1/2  to 1cup cream (depending on taste) (I use milk if I'm out of cream it will just take more cornstarch to thicken)
                           -  1-2tbl cornstarch
                           then add one can chopped mushrooms or chopped chicken depending on kind of soup you need.
                           melt butter in pan add chicken or mushrooms add chicken broth (leave a little in can to mix with cornstarch. add cream  and cornstarch mixture. cook on med heat till thick. add salt, pepper to taste. add to your favorite recipe!


*Artisanal Gluten Free Cooking  is my favorite GF cook book

* Debby's Bakery  has great flour blends

* Most any cookie or cake recipe can be changed to gluten free by adding an extra egg and maybe a little more liquid

* Schar pasta and bread is the best we have found they have different style noodles, Sunflower Market and Sprouts both carry some of the products.

* Amazon is a great place to buy GF foods and flours to make your own blends

* Target brand chili beans are the only chili beans I have found that don't have gluten in it.

* Malt and Barley Malt are gluten Maltodextren is not

* Wheat free is not the same as Gluten free so read the ingredients

*Qdoba is an easy place to eat GF most everything except the flour tortillas are GF....Taco Bell is NOT...everything except the lettuce has some sort of gluten in it.

* a product can be GF or not depending on the brand and type. ie. Kraft ranch dressing IS GF, Hidden Valley ranch IS NOT. Milky Way Darks ARE GF,  Milky Way regular are NOT.

* You can find the answer to just about any GF question on Google.

2012

Goals, Resolutions, New Traditions for 2012

*Cook a healthy dinner for my family every weeknight (weekends will still have to fend for themselves)
* Once a month family outing
* Go on one date night with each of my kidos
*Go camping as a family for the first time ever. (as I write this Jim Gaffagin is in my head..."my parents never took me camping, "BECAUSE THEY LOVED ME" )
* Buy a 12 passenger van...yes most people dread those words but we a strangely excited about the possibility.
*Visit Nashville to see my nephew Liam...oh and his parents
*Stop at Silver Dollar City and Lamberts on our way home from Nashville.
*Get my last 13 years of pictures organized
*Spend less time pinning (pinterest) and more time making what I pin.
*Paint the kids bedrooms
*Start saving for a trip to South Africa in 2014
*More date nights, late night talks, laughing and enjoying the love of my life.

here's to 2012 and the adventure, heartache, joy, and fulfilled plans God has for our family this year