Kaymie at 2 1/2

My Girl

New way of eating

Gluten free and Sugar free
Many of you have asked for recipes and so I will post a few here and there!
I'm still learning this new way of life in the kitchen, but here are a few of our family favorites

Cracker Jacks- makes a great healthy snack or treat in the kids lunch

3 quarts popped corn
1/2 cup honey (I have used half honey and half agave and love it too)
1/4 cup peanut butter (freshly ground is the best)
2 T butter
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Melt on low. Add 1/2 t baking soda. Stir over popcorn and pour onto cookie sheet. (I only like to bake half as I like it more on the gooey side)
Bake at 300 degrees 4-5 minutes

No Bake Crunchy Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
-recipe from http://www.simplysugarandglutenfree.com
Crunchy Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars



Using a combination of carob and unsweetened baking chocolate with a little vanilla tempers the carob flavor and makes them more chocolatey. If you don’t have carob, use chocolate chips. I haven’t found any chocolate chips without white sugar, though, which is why I use unsweetened carob instead.

For the chocolate filling:
2 tablespoons organic vegetable shortening
7 ounces unsweetened carob
1 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped
3/4 teaspoon alcohol free vanilla extract

For the crunchy cookies:
2 1/2 cups gluten-free corn flakes, lightly crushed
2 1/2 cups gluten-free puffed rice cereal
3/4 cup smooth, sugar-free peanut butter
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup coconut palm sugar (aka palm sugar)
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Line a 9×13 pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper and let the edges hang over the side. Lightly mist with cooking spray.

Put the shortening in the bottom of a glass or stainless steel bowl that will fit snugly on top of a saucepan or in the top of a double boiler. Top with carob and chopped baking chocolate. (I don’t have a double boiler and prefer to use a bowl on top of pot.) Bring an inch of water to boil, place the bowl on top of the pot, and turn it off. Let it sit until the shortening, carob, and chocolate start to melt, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, put the cornflakes and rice cereal in a large bowl. Add the peanut butter, agave, palm sugar, and butter to a heavy bottomed sauce pan. Bring to a boil for one minute, stirring. Pour hot peanut butter mixture over cornflakes & rice and stir until coated.

Press half of the cornflake mixture into the bottom of the pan. Spread with melted carob & chocolate. Top with remaining cornflake mixture, pressing the cornflakes into the carob & chocolate. Cover and refrigerate until set, about an hour. Cut into desired size with a sharp serrated knife. I cut mine into 1 1/2 inch x 1 1/2 inch squares.

Sledding down the Driveway

SO MUCH FUN! BUT not the best idea! It is so hard to shovel hardened snow/ice after its been driven on, stepped on, or sledded down. (Just in case you didn't know that already) It had just snowed a little bit, but not enough to make good snow to sled down our favorite hill. All the snow we had previously gotten was hard and that doesn't make for a fun sledding day. So the brillant mother that I am decided that we needed to get outside (afterall we had been couped up most of the entire 2 week Christmas break). So we all bundled up and went outside. Let me just tell you, it only took about a total of two whole minutes before I felt like my fingers were getting frostbite.... January has been sooo cold! And yes I was wearing my suppose to be warm nice gloves. The kids said they weren't cold at all so the sledding fun continued:)

Finshed... we did it!

We told the kids last January that if we finished reading the Book of Mormon in the year that we would take them to Red Lobster. First time ever completing it as a family :) ITs cute to hear Kaymie repeat the words in her sweet little voice. Porter and Seth have done awesome sounding out those big words. And of course they all know And it came to pass... :)

Can you tell...

I am bored so I updated my blog. It is so fun to sit here at the computer and watch the snowfall. I was put on orders not to do anything- shoveling the driveway took it out of me. I hate being sick. Next year I am going to be healthy!!! I am off sugar and gluten and that better do the trick.
Does anyone know how to change the order or your posts???

Christmas

We had another wondeful Christmas (even if it wasn't white :( ) It is so fun to watch the excitement the kids have. And isn't being a parent so fun?
Porter woke Jeff up twice in the night saying he couldn't sleep he was too excited! We enjoyed a very yummy dinner at Uncle Ken's Christmas Eve. I do have to say I am glad I can make red cabbage. Although my kids won't even taste it, they will love it some day. Jeff and I love it and it is worth having the house smell. Memories of growing up. We also ate rice almonde and Porter was so excited that he got the almond. (Its a rice whip cream dessert where an almond is hidden and whoever finds the almond gets a prize) The raspberry danish dessert on top definietly makes the dessert! The adults played the coin game... memories of my Grandpa Christensen. I have to say Lisyl and Jill made this game hilarious.
Christmas Eve once we got home the kids got to open their Christmas jammies and a game. After daddy read from Luke, we played family games. Jarom was excited with Candyland- that has all the pieces. While the younger two drifted off to sleep, the rest of us played electronic monopoly which was a big hit!
Santa had lots to do to set up their new train and hockey table(or new to them hehe love KSL) but had to get on to the other houses that he didn't have time (or he was too tired) that the basketball hoop never got set up. Now it's snowing so we shall see when it is up and ready to play.
Christmas morning came early... daddy and the kids were awake for an hour before they woke me at 6:30am. Opening the stockings is so fun to watch as their faces light up. Kaymie is at such a fun stage and was really into opening this year even if it wasn't her turn or her present. Clothes, shoes, games,socks... love Christmas time. An excuse to get what they need haha.
We look forward to the Christensen family get together in Feb with all of my family. The kids can't wait for cousin time and I am excited to see everyone and hold those babies. I do have to admit taht this year was easier in not feeling homesick. Its hard not seeing the family at the holidays.

Already 9

Who is 2

Kaymie is two!





How in the heck can my baby be 2 already??? On her actual birthday we were driving home from AZ visiting baby Gunnar. But we sure celebrated the next day! Dolls, barbies, princess and girl stuff. Kaymie is all girl and loves everything PINK. Its so fun having her around! But I don't want her to get any bigger... she needs to stay my baby! She was potty trained a few days after her birthday and did exceptionally well. I loved the three day potty training method! Now she is in big girl panties and has to make sure there is pink on every pair she wears.

Meeting baby Gunnar

Heidi and I took a trip with my two younger kids and her two kids to AZ to meet baby Gunnar (Kamala and Chad's cute new addition). So we had a four year old, 2 two year olds (one that was newly potty trained and needed to potty every 1/2 hour), and a 6 week old, a nursing 6 week old. The driving was crazy, totally wore me out BUT worth it to be able to hold those babies. Grandma took us out to roper lake and the kids got a little wet. Grandma even swam in it, she really is crazy:) Even Stacie and Meg were able to come down to mom's so all of us sisters were together. Guess I didn't get many pictures of those babies, hopefully their mommies did.

Ahh how do I fix this picture?