Catching up

 I have been sick, yep, I finally came down with the virus that has been running through my home for three weeks as of today. UGH! 

Not to much has happened and yet a lot has happened since my last blog entry..

I did some experimenting with THIS recipe on "I dream about food" 

My mom suggested that it would make a good waffle recipe with some tweaking so I tweaked away and found an AMAZING waffle recipe, that is gluten free and sugar free.

 Here are the minor changes I made to the recipe:

1 cup almond flour
3 tbsp granulated erythritol
2 tbsp vanilla whey protein powder
4 tbsp flax seed meal
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
1 tsp almond extract
1/2 cup almond milk

Pour 1/4 cup onto well greased HOT waffle iron and TADA!

For the whipped cream I used heavy cream & half a jar of Strawberry Smucker's Simply Fruit Jelly (don't buy the "sugar free" as it has aspartame in it, be SURE it's simply fruit) Whip until peaks rise!

Serve over warm waffles with sugar free ORGANIC berries! (got mine in the freezer section, just defrost) 

There is some good protein in the waffles since they are made with almond flour, but you can always use more... SO, serve with a slice of warm ham... Also, not pictured here but we did have green juice this morning... BUT another good way to get veggies into your breakfast is to add sweet potatoes 

(another post coming on sweet potatoes soon!) 

Meanwhile sickness continues around here... This has been a REALLY nasty bug and it takes so long to make it's way through the whole family. But I'm rather beginning to see a light at the end of the tunnel.  Since I was the last one to catch it... Hopefully now we can mend.

Poor Evie-lou is on antibiotics now (double ear infection)  She's such a good natured girly though, Doesn't look that sick in these pictures does she.

OH, and Carter J got a haircut today, THAT was long coming, let me tell you... could hardly see the boy for all the hair! 

I continue to work on ideas (while I've been laying on the couch coughing) to help relieve stress and work around here for my health. I am having a really hard time with all of this to be just completely honest with you. It feels SO hard to impose upon my family in order to help myself. It's contrary to everything I've always strived for. To be a servant, to have a servants heart for my family.

I know in the long run that this will all amount to a training in my children that will be invaluable. But at the same time it doesn't make it easy when you have a child who is completely reduced to a hysterical sobbing mess because his world is changing in a manner that isn't to his liking. 

The biggest change we're going to make is in the boys schooling. 

I just simply can't keep up with it on my own anymore... The idea of sending them away is just not a possibility  (nor do I think it would be right) 

SO... We are now having a school week that starts on Thursdays and runs through Sundays. With double lessons spread throughout the four days to equal one more day.

"The Boss" will be schooling on the weekends and I'll be taking the week days. This will help lighten my load considerably. (even though they are less than thrilled, I hope that eventually this will be a good thing for all of us.)

Also, my grandparents have graciously offered to pay for me to have a cleaning lady (maid) come to our home to do the deep cleaning in the bathrooms. I am beyond excited about this, mostly because for quite some time it has been beyond my abilities physically to do this often. This will take pressure off of my husband more than I can say (in his already WAY to packed load of having to care for me and work)

Also, I MUST remove ALL toxins from our home... Even the most innocent of cleaners/soaps can be full of harmful things for your family.  (another post devoted to this topic to come too.) 

Last of all, I now have "One Thousand Gifts" by Ann Voskamp laying on my desk in front of me.

NEVER in my life have I been so fearful and yet so excited to read a book.

This quote on the back made me cry moments after reading it:

"One Thousand Gifts beckons you to leave the parched ground of pride, fear, and white-knuckle control and abandon yourself to the God who overflows your cup."