and I raaan. I ran so far away... i just rannnn I ran all night and...

okay so I didn't run all night and day but I did run/walk 3 MILES in 29 minutes and 38 seconds.  That is GREAT for me.  Ohhhh the mind games that I have to play with myself so that I keep on going.  I think about my kids.  It is inspiring to me to think of people who have gone through REAL battles in life.  It gives me the strength to continue.  Who am I to complain about the pain of running when there are people who have dealt with REAL pain. I think about the mommies that have lost their babies.  I think about what it must be like to hold them tight while they fight to battle cancer.  I think about the ones whos babies don't make it and how unfair it is.  I think about the parents that are handed their babies after a long labor only to have that baby never take it's first breath.  I think about Parkinsons and what it must be like for my grandma to not be able to do all of the things she once enjoyed.  I think about parents who have autistic children and how heartbreaking it must be to just have your child be loved and accepted by the world.  I think about the lady at the used bookstore today that volunteered her time selling books with her fat, graying beagle at her feet and wondering if there was anything in her life that she wanted to do but didn't.  Maybe her whole life was her babies... and then they grew up?  Maybe she didn't think she could?  I spell my kids names... first, middle and last.  I count my breaths.  I think about how less jiggly my ass will be if I make it to the corner... not this corner but THAT corner WAYYYY over there.  Don't... stop... running...  I imagine what my bib will look like when I go to pick it up the night before the race.  I think about the little lizard that is ALWAYS in the SAME spot that scurries into the bushes when I pass by.  I think about this nasty women's shoe with a big silver buckle that looks like it came out of the bottom of a Goodwill bin (it's always under the same tree). I wonder if anyone will ever move the Goodwill shoe.  I wonder who you call for things like "nasty shoe removal".  I wonder if things like little mice live in that shoe or go in there to sleep.  I think about little mice that might have died because they tried to seek shelter in that shoe and died because it was so gross.  I think about what it will be like in 70 days when I run my first 5K and how on that day I want to look back and know that I trained to the best of my ability because I will never have a chance to run my FIRST 5K ever again.  And then usually before my mind thinks of even weirder things... it's time to go home.

Motivation?? Why are you hiding you big jerk!?

I am totally losing motivation to run!  I HAVE to start back up NO matter what.  It seems that lately I haven't been home and it's easy to slack off while on vacation with 3 kids.  Then, when I get home it seems to make more sense to sit and sell things on Craigslist to keep our checks from continuing to bounce.  LOL  It's not funny but EFF!  Are we ever going to catch up?! Yes.. we will.  :)  And I will run.  Tomorrow I will run... no matter what... and I will keep running until October 9th... and then I can stop and do something else!  Time to start finishing what I start! :) 

Cloth Diapers

Look what we got!  8 cloth diapers from the brand Swaddlebees.  I am such a cheap @5s I got them on Craigslist.  They are in PERFECT condition and I managed to score them for 7.50 each.  They usually run about 17-28 bucks.  So far... so good!

olive oil.

Check out this site.  My aunt got me a bottle of the Citrus Olive Oil and it is (not organic) but it is great on fish, veggies and in baked goods.  I used it in the kids gluten free pancakes (in place of regular oil) and they chowed down.  I have also used it in stir fries, on talapia, in GF chocolate cupcakes.  Love this place.  Love thier oils.  The selection is HUGE and they have a tasting bar.  That is what sealed the deal for us.  It was so neat to be able to sample all the oils and find flavors that you like!  If you are ever in Old Town Temecula and looking for a healthy way to add flavor to your meals... check this place out.  It really helped me to cut the butter out of food for flavor. 


http://www.temeculaoliveoil.com/

Toast.

A new friend got me started on a bomb diggity way to eat toast...

I use gluten free bread (Udi's is my new favorite) spread coconut oil on toasted bread followed with raw honey.  Ohhhh soooo goood! 

You don't eat dairy, gluten, wheat or soy? HOW DO YOU LIVE?

Haha!  How do I live?  Not like I used to.  I just wanted to share a few new must haves that I have been turned on to...

I love...

My dad introduced this yummy coconut water to me.  I wasn't sure if I would like it but immediatly it reminded me of Hawaii.  And why not... it tastes exactly like sucking the juice from a freshly cut sugar cane.  It is so delish.  Maybe I don't have to miss having starbucks chillen in the cup holder in my car or the stroller handle.  This stuff is so good!

Great... I drank the Koolaide..

 I don't know what is wrong with me because I am usually very understanding but lately I have no tollerance for whiney people that are miserable and do nothing about it.  I have to filter these people out of my life and add those with positive energy.  I am not a fan lately of hearing people complain.  Especially when I can see they have so much to be grateful for.  Yeah sometimes things suck and I like to bitch too but seriously people...  I don't want to hear you are sick if you do nothing to prevent it.  I don't want to hear you are fat if you eat crappy food and don't exercise.  I don't want to hear that you hate your job if you aren't looking for another one.  I don't want to hear you have no money unless you really trying (you don't need that new shirt if you have credit card payments).  Maybe tomorrow I will wake up and have some compassion.  Ehh, I probably won't but maybe with a good nights sleep I will stop being such an asshole.  Sorry for the language but I sorta don't want you to jugde my choice of words when nobody is making you read this to begin with... okay... I am done... I promise.  I will be nice and stop writing bad words... .....................   fajuhwertghjfe ............................... fuck.  OKAY!  :)  Really I am done now!  :D

San Luis Obispo trip.



My dad, me and my kiddos.

Well I survived San Luis Obispo.  Me.  3 kids.  Approx. 600 miles.  Good times.  The kids were great.  We did all the things I love in SLO.  Beach, thrift store shopping, playing outside at the park, driving around looking for fun adventurous things to do.  My dad, my sister, my grandma and great grandma got to hang with the kids and meet Dylan for the first time.  It was a crazy, sleep on the floor pee in a diaper (or a water bottle) on the side of the road, pumping breastmilk while I drive kinda trip.  Hey... we made it happen and that is all that counts. 

Trip highlights

• Nolan and Lincoln sang Justin Bieber almost the whole way there and back
• I succesfully peed in a diaper so I didn't have to unload all my children at an extremelly scetchy gas station off the 101 (my life I swear...)
• Lincon looked out the window shouting at the ocean "Shamu?!  Wheh are yoo Shamu?"
• Everyone got to meet baby Dylan
• We went swimming
• We went to Montana De Oro with Hill, Eric, Wes and Reef
• Went to Shell Beach
• Reef and Nolan caught crabs in the rocks
• I got a bunch of cloth diapers
• We went thrift store shopping
• Lincoln told Grandma Sandy  "My nuts hurt" since his poor little balls got rubbed raw from his trunks in the swimming pool.
• Slept on the floor for 4 nights
• Drank a Redbull which is TOTALLY against my diet
• Found cool parks to play at
• Reef and Nolan prank called me and I didn't know it was them.  "Come pick up your pizza" "Congratulations!  You have won a free bowling ball!"

awww.

Nolan to Taylor "Daddy, will you please be my best man when I get married?"

Ohhh man...

Just re-read my post on vaccines.  I must have been fired up since I don't even think I hit spell check.  Phew... I have my moments that I gotta let off a little steam.  Skip over those if you must cause they may be R rated and I probably forgot to warn you that foul language was heading your way.  Anyway.  Facebook.  Addiction.  My addiction to facebook.  Yeah.  I was thinking about what I used to do.  Chase boys, do makeup, make money at a job to buy makeup, put the makeup on to find cute boys, shop for cute clothes so that I can find cute boys, work, work more, go to school, eat, go out to eat, hang out, drive around going nowhere because it was fun (and we might meet cute boys).  NO WONDER I AM SO FLIPPEN BORED!  I don't do any of that anymore.  LOL  Now... I don't have to look far for cute boys.  I am surrounded by 4 of them.  They keep me so busy that there isn't much time for makeup or work.  Since there is no work there is no extra money for cute clothes and driving around aimlessly while wasting a full tank of gas listening to Green Day. Though I can totally go for a night drive to the beach with the windows down, it just doesn't have the same effect when you have little ones screaming "I STUCK" while trying to unbuckle his own carseat.  So I am here.  Making a home.  Cleaning and washing and checking the computer since sometimes I feel the only connection to outside life I have is through this laptop.  As long as I see the sun... whether it be on a run, a family outing or a few hours at the park letting the kids burn some energy I am fine.  Happy actually that I have everything I always wanted.  Someone who loves me as much as I love him, a place to live, my kids, our health.  I could sure use just a little more money to spend on Etsy but that isn't a must have, just a want.  Things are good.  And if Facebook is my only vice... then I think that I am doing pretty well

A-yi-sin

Lincoln spent the entire night last night calling my "A-YI-SIN" (Allison).  I was happy to have him call me "Mommy" this morning instead of by my first name.  :)  He is such a little goofball.

Justin's Chocolate Hazelnut Butter

This stuff is amazing.  Eat it with a spoon kind of amazing.  Put it on a banana kind of amazing.  The kind of amazing that keeps you from throwing a fit because you have given up all chocolate candy bars that contain "the bad stuff".

Extemely Discouraged- Running

I have been training for a 5k and have been doing way better than I ever thought I would or could do.  I ran a mile for the first time in my entire life.  To some, that is a warm up.  To me... getting to the corner without hyperventaliating is a warm up.  Well at least it was not too long ago.  My knees having been giving me a horrible time and everyone is telling me that knee pain is normal for runners.  "Join the club" Is what they have been telling me.  I don't think I am too big of a baby.  I have had 3 children and can sit for a considerable amount of time while getting tattoed while someone runs a needle repeatedly over my skin.  I realized it was hurting but thought it was "normal" so I tried to push through.  Then it started hurting worse and I finally took 2 days off.  In this time I googled and youtubed and finally found some guy showing a way to rub out your IT band so that it will stop pulling on your knee. (Yes I am aware that a Dr visit is in order but I don't have health insurance).  It helped and so I decided to run again today after a 2 day break.  About 15 seconds into it all the pain that I had is back.  I wanted to punch the brick wall but instead I started crying while running and holding my breath. (I sometimes wish I had my own TV show cause right now I could use a laugh watching myself get frustrated)  I was hoping it would be bearable if I kept going so I can just get through my run.  It took me almost 18 minutes to LIMP home.  I am so pissed off right now.  My knees are swollen from walking so I am sitting here like a big loser with frozen corn on my legs.  I WILL be ready for this 5K.  I am running for my Grandma who has Parkinsons.  I have a whole team of people that I pumped up to do this and I need to be there... and I will be there... and I AM NOT WALKING... I WILL RUN... dammit.

Bob's Red Mill Products

These are some of the first alternative baking mixes I bought when changing my diet.  My mom made my son zuchinni bread and it was so good I decided to get a few bags to try.  I have used the GF DF pizza crust, GF DF Pancake Mix and the GF DF Baking Mix.  So far so good.  It's pretty cool to still have the option to eat "bready" things.  Sometimes I crave pancakes or zucchini bread!  Not all of Bob's Red Mill products are GF (Gluten Free) so check the labels.  I was able to find a few that fit my family's diet needs.  Did I mention they have a brownie mix???  I need to see if my kids can eat that... makes my mouth water.

Check out the site... there are lots of products and recipes

http://www.bobsredmill.com/

Stir Fry

These noodles are good!  Making a quick stir fry with them since we are totally out of food (or at least it seems) until tomorrow!  I tossed citrus oil, honey vinegar, zuchinni, a mix of nuts with onion tossed in the food processor and some chicken.  :)  It better be good or my hungry boys will be mad.  LOL

OHH and the noodle ingredients are: rice, water.  THAT'S IT!

Gorilla Munch Cereal

The kid's favorite cereal.  Sometimes Henry's has them on sale for 2 for $4.  They eat them alone on the go or at home with "milk" (rice milk or almond milk)

http://www.naturespath.com/

Is eating healthy expensive?

I do think that eating healthy seems expensive.  Let me tell you that we support a family of FIVE with a very limited income.  If I can do this... you can too.  As with anything it's just a matter of how bad you want it.

I keep getting asked questions like this... This is an actual question that I recieved on my Facebook inbox.

Q:"Allie - you are truly an inspiration!! I don't even cook real homemade food more than once a week & I have only ONE kid!!!! Where do you buy most of groceries? I know you hit the farmers markets, but where have you found the "pantry" to be budget friendly? Each time I see "organic" or "gluten" free at the store - it all seems so much more expensive (even at Winco). Keep up the great work! I am so proud of you!!!!!"

A:"I have realized that the "pantry friendly" items can be trouble to the wallet.  I have to make my own "to go" foods.  I just make A LOT when I cook.  For example if I make chicken and veggies... I will stir fry and cook tripple of what I think we will eat and then store it.  The way that I think about it now is I had no problem going to Carl's Jr spending $20 bucks or going out to eat for Dinner at Red Robin and dropping $40 or even $5 at Starbucks (daily) or $10 at the field snackbar for hotdogs and candy for the kids (then of course we would all be hungry on the way home so we'd have fast food again-another $10 bucks +).  I was always, always, always having allergy issues, congestion and sinus infections so I would go to Rite Aid and buy things like nose spray, saline, meds, ect.  The kids were always sick as well so I would spend gas for the Dr and prescriptions and spend hours in waiting rooms.   Now we don't do any of that (as often) and I spend about $100 bucks (give or take) a week at the store to feed me, lincoln and more than half of the time Nolan and Taylor.  I made a deal with myself to stop letting food go bad.  (to me now it's a huge money waster and if even a cucumber goes bad I feel like I should have just tossed money in the trash).  It's all how you look at it I guess.  It never seemed like a waste of time for me to sit at a restauant or wait in line for 15 minutes for food but I can cook things on my own with the time I have gained from cutting all of those things out that used to be normal for us.  I just keep telling myself "No more excuses"  I fall off sometimes and I don't always eat the best things but I NEVER ever eat dairy or soy cause those are the biggest ones Dylan and Lincoln can't tolerate. :)  I'm happy that it's inspiring other people.  If I can do this anyone can.  I seriously used to be able to eat an entire package of oreos alone!  LOL  :)  And as for where I shop... I prefer Henry's but our Super Target has a lot of organic produce and options."

Some things that I didn't add where how important it is to get a lunch box/ice chest/mini cooler of some sort.  I also contantly use my thermos products that I thought were extremely expensive even on sale and Target (They were pretty much 2 for $20) but they have helped save me a lot of money in the long run!

Whatta day but I didn't go to jail... phew.

So we had Nolan's Ortho appt this afternoon for his ankle.  The great news is that there is NO fracture.  This means that 1.) The ER Dr was too busy talking to Nolan about Nolan Ryan baseball STATS or he's blind and 2.) NO CAST for the summer!  I am so happy for Nolan.  I was wondering how we were going to pull off the rest of our summer with a casted kid.  The Ortho said that Nolan should be "back to normal within 2-3 weeks.  He is to keep off of it for at least a week and he will walk when he is ready."  Cool deal.  The real drama started when we got to the car.  I parked in a spot far enough away that I was hoping no cars would park beside me (easier to get the kids in).  However I came out with my gigantic jogging stroller full of little people and a hobbling 8 year old to find my car completely squished in. First thought "FML", next thought I am in Redlands and it's hotter than H-E-double hockey sticks get the kids in the car without door dinging anyone.  I help Nolan in (hoping that my stroller doesn't roll into the street with my kids in it).  Run back to save them from getting hit by the Arrowhead water man.  Toss Lincoln over Dylan's carseat (since I can't open the door on his side), Strap Dylan in, run back to get the jogger (A million tiny Sea World figurines go flying while I try to fold up the stroller). I climb under the Tahoe to retrieve Shamu and his friends "dolshin" and "pen-gin" that Link has been carrying everywhere we go.  Have a heck of a time getting the jogging stroller situated in a way that I can close that back of the car.  The kids are hot... I am sweating.  Dylan is fussing.  Nolan is trying to turn the air on and situate his crutches so that they don't break anything.  I start the car.  My gas light comes on (CRAP... I need gas and I know our bank account is low).  Blast the AC.  Take off Make a left.  Stop at a stop light.  BREATHE... relax.  I notice a cop that is about to make a left onto the same path as me and that's when I hear "HI GUYS!"  I flip around to see Lincoln unbuckled right in my face with his chin resting on crossed arms upon the center console with a big huge smile!  Nolan and I flip around and shove him onto the ground so that the cop doesn't see.  I immediately turn into the Shell station.  The cop follows me.  I park crooked in the first spot I am able.  The cop parks next to me.  I run around to grab Lincoln saying "YOU CAN NOT TAKE OFF YOUR SEATBELT!"  The cop smiles and walks into Shell.  My heart is pounding because I was pretty sure he was going to say "Excuse me, Who do you think you are you Britney Spears?!  You are going to jail, your kids are going into foster care and you will never see them again".  So Lincoln... I am publicly apologizing to you.  I know that this time... I forgot to buckle you in.  I feel like a moron and I am sorry that I made it your fault in front of that very nice cop that spared me my life.  Once I got Link safely buckled in.. I pull in to fill my tank.  My heart is still pounding that I just did such a moron thing (I am a freak about carseats and check them over and over to make sure they are installed properly and here is Lincoln having free reign of the car).  Being that I was totally flustered, I accidentally put over $30 in my car which hopefully doesn't make us overdraw.  Seriously... when these kids grow up... I am going to be so bored. 

Farmer's market



Our Farmer's market finds


So.. I am glad that this wasn't my first visit to MSJC Farmer's Market or I would not have gone back.  It was REALLY hot and a lot of the produce looked like it had seen better days.  I did manage to pick up a few things that looked good. I was most excited about the beets because I have never prepared beets before.  I love them... I can't wait to make a salad with cold boiled beets and organic kidney beans.  The tomatoes with probably be cut up and tossed in a salad or added to organic/gluten free spaghetti, carrots we will juice (mixed with orange juice it's sooo good!), I have been throwing a bunch of goodies into scambled eggs (brocolli, squash, zuchinni, tomatoes, the lemons will go over fish or squeezed onto salad.  Ohhh there is asparagas in there too... yum.  That will probably be served as a side with chicken or fish.  I am just excited.  Lots of good food to eat.  Who says you can't shove your face and lose weight??  Just don't eat a bunch of junk. All of this was 17 bucks (not including the spaghetti squash)  We used to spend that in one trip to Carl's Jr.



Cause Baby Your a Firework!

FOURTH OF JULY



Nolan Kid's Pie Eating Champ



                            Our 4th of July weekend consisted of a visit from my brother in law followed by a day at my Aunt's house and ending up in the emergency room.  It's always an adventure when you have 3 kids... scratch that... THREE BOYS.  The day started out slow and at around 2pm we joined the annual 4th of July party for a balloon toss, pie eating contest (which is total child abuse and not healthy food but the kids love it and I love to watch!) and off to the fireworks at the Sports Park... However we didn't make it to the park this year and we didn't see a single firework (except fot the human firework show I tried to put on in the emergency room but Nolan didn't seem to think it was as good as real fireworks... I tried my best attempt at the "Star Jump" I learned in Pop Warner Cheerleading in 7th grade with a few sound effects.)  Annnyway.  Nolan hurt his ankle while jumping on the trampoline in my Aunt and Uncle's backyard.  We left the ER  with a paper saying he has a "Saltic Fracture" and we are now waiting for the Ortho approval so that he can be seen buy a specialist.  Poor kid.  In the emergency room we

• ran out of juice in Lincoln's sippy cup
• Dylan puked all over me
• I forgot diapers in the car
• both babies needed a diaper change
• Lincoln screamed
• Lincoln cried
• Dylan cried
• Lincoln threw Nolan's DSI
• Lincoln told the nurse he had an owie "Dinky have owie" with a very concerned sad face as he showed her his hang nail on his pointer finger
• Lincoln ran away
• I had to pee
• Nolan was sad that he missed the firework show
• We made a music video featuring Lincoln's dance moves
• Lincoln played in a drinking fountain
• Lincoln spilled water all over the ER waiting room floor
• Lincoln tried to stick his arm in the vending machine
• The ER nurse told me "You have more patience than anyone I have ever seen here in the emergency room". 

My Nono with a hurt ankle.  Being wheeled in for Xrays!

So now...

My house is a disaster... I need to go grocery shopping and I am tired.  I haven't taken a shower.  I don't know when I will be able to take a shower and I just ate boiled beets for lunch.  Welcome to my life.

Listening to your instincts

I saw this quote and I will have to agree...
"With the huge discrepancy between the “popular way" (as publicized in the media)and the "natural way" (the way it has been done for thousands of years), it isn't surprising that many parents are afraid to go with their gut and against the grain."-Natural Parenting Advice

Sometimes you have to listen to your gut and nothing else. 

Gluten Free noodles- You can have pasta...

Spaghetti was a big thing around here before going gluten free and I am happy to say that after a few months... I have finally found a brand that tastes "normal".  The brand Ancient Harvest makes great noodles that are organic, low fat, very low in sodium, no cholesterol, and they are GLUTEN FREE since they are made from quinoa and corn.  I have tried a few rice noodles but so far none have compared to this brand. 

I usually make these noodles and use organic spaghetti sauce with ground turkey.  Pretty fast and easy for nights I don't feel like cooking. 

***  Follow the directions on gluten free pasta exactly.  A minute too long boiling can leave you with a pot full of mushy overcooked noodles.

Wow.

My husband just said I couldn't use the computer because he was looking something up.  I took the computer anyway.  He has 2 tabs open.  Craigslist- looking for a mini bike and Themovieshop.com looking for a clubber lang robe from Rocky as he sits here watching Rocky 3.  He is a huge kid.  I love him so much.  :)

Chips!

Chips and Salsa... all day long!  I love chips and fresh salsa!  These chips are great.  NOT made with soy oil, no preservatives and made with organic blue corn. 

Veggie Straws

Sort of a cross between a french fry and a Popchip... These are bomb!

How to eat Chia Seeds without puking.

Making Chia Pudding

I AM SO EXCITED!  I got some organic chia seeds today after being inspired by a recipe by Mimi Kirk.  She has created a recipe for Chia Pudding that tastes like tapioca pudding and it is amazing!  Nolan loves it and we couldn't stop tasting it before it had the right consistency.  I used what we had on hand which was almond milk, agave and a little bit of vanilla extract but Mimi is amazing for putting the ingredients together and making a healthy dessert that can even be used as a breakfast cereal.  I am in heaven.

So pretty much what you need is
Almond Milk 2 cups
Chia Seeds 2/3 cup
something to sweeten- your choice agave, stevia, she uses a fig mix that she made, ANYTHING NATURAL and SWEET!
She also added natural flavor.  I used vanilla extract (unitl I liked the flavor-few drops)

How to cook a whole chicken

This is from Erin Chase's $5 dinners.  She is pretty much a genious at eating healthy on a budget.  She has 3 boys (which may be why I feel like I can relate to her).  Her site is full of great ideas and recipes that are healthy and cheap.  Lucky for me... most of what she posts my kids with food intollerances can eat.  She also has a book out that I have not yet had a chance to get but it's one I can't wait to add to my collection!

I came across this on her blog and have made a few free range (little chicken get to run around and have a happy life), organic (no hormones, no antibiotics) chickens.  It's so easy.  I usually let the crock pot do it's thing during the night and wake up to a delish chicken that falls off the bone.  I bag it in ziplocks and grab it when we are on the go or toss it into recipes.  I also freeze the broth (as she suggests) for soups and whenever a recipe calls for it. 

How to Cook a Whole Chicken

by Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom on August 26, 2009

Recently there have been quite a few Tyson fresh chicken coupons out there!  I have used some when boneless skinless chicken breasts were on sale.  And I have used others for the much cheaper whole “cut up” chicken….which is what I used below.
I have seen whole chickens for as low as $.88/lb!
So here’s what you do…
1. Buy a whole chicken when it’s on sale…it’s MUCH cheaper than the slimmer, boneless skinless breasts. And you can do more with a whole chicken…get more meat…both white and dark…and make homemade stock, too!
2. Unwrap it and remove bag from the inside the chest cavity (I don’t use these parts…except if I wish to make gravy!).
3. Place your whole chicken into the crockpot with 1 cup of water.  I add water so that I can strain the juices after it has finished cooking and freeze them for use in soups (homemade chicken stock!).  Season chicken with salt, pepper, and other favorite spices…perhaps sage, poultry seasoning.  Toss in a some onions, garlic, carrots.  Whatever you like.
4. Set slow cooker to low and cook for 8-10 hours.
5. Once the slow cooker has finished cooking your chicken, carefully remove the chicken and place onto a large platter or cutting board.

6. Let it cool for a bit, until you can comfortably handle it…cause your fingers will get messy!  Remove the bones, and set aside for making stock.   Shred all the chicken meat.  I find it’s easier to use my hands, but a knife will do the trick too.
7. Place the leftover bones/carcass into a pot and cover with water plus 2 inches.  Add a splash of vinegar (this pulls calcium from the bones). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for 1-2 hours.  Strain and then let cool in the refrigerator.  Once cooled, skim off the layer of fat and pour the remaining stock into freezer baggies and freeze.
Homemade Chicken Stock.  Preservative and Additive Free! Plus about 6 cups of shredded chicken!
Not bad for $.88/lb, or usually less than $5!
What to do with the shredded chicken…Use it in your favorite chicken casserole, for chicken tacos…mixed into rice…whatever your hearts content!
- http://www.5dollardinners.com/ 

How to Cook Beets from Tipnut.com

Picked up some beets today from Farmer's Market here at the college MSJC in Menifee.  Can't wait to try them.  I think I am going to boil them without the salt and sugar.  :)  I will probably serve them as a side or just to eat alone.  I am thinking they would taste pretty yummy tossed on a salad with oil and apple cider vinegar.

 

How To Cook Beets {5 Ways + Tips}

 

Fresh Beets From The Garden Make A Delicious & Healthy Side Dish

Cooking beets fresh from the garden couldn’t be easier and since they’re packed with vitamins and low in calories, you can feel good about eating them too!
Here are directions to cook beets five different ways: Boiled, Oven Roasted, Baked, Steamed & Microwave Cooked.

• Note: Cooking times will vary according to the size and freshness of the beets, they can cook in as little as 20 minutes (for smaller, young beets) and up to four hours (for large, older beets from storage).

How To Cook Beets: Boiling

Prep:

• Trim back the roots and leaf stalks to about an 1″ then wash under cool running water. Be careful to not scrub the skin too hard when washing and do not cut or slice off any part of the beet so the skin stays intact (for best results when boiling, the skins need to be on to retain the color and flavor).

Directions:

• Place beets in a large pot then cover with cold water. Add salt and sugar then cover (approximately 1 tsp sugar + 1 tsp salt per 1/2 gallon of water).
• Turn heat on high until water begins to boil then reduce heat to medium to keep water at a simmer.
• Cook 45 minutes to an hour or until done (for large, fresh beets) or up to four hours (for large, older beets from storage).
• Once beets are cooked, remove from heat, drain water and then plunge beets quickly into cold water. Remove beets from cold water, cut off root tips & stems and you should be able to rub the skins off easily with a damp towel.
• Serve freshly cooked beets sliced or mashed with a bit of butter, salt and pepper to taste.

Oven Roasted Beets How-To

Prep:

• Preheat oven to 400°
• Wash, peel and quarter beets (you can also slice beets about 1/2″ thick instead of in quarters–cooking time will be a little less)

Directions:

• Arrange beet pieces on a baking sheet then drizzle with about 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil (or about 1 tablespoon oil per pound of beets). Season generously with salt and pepper then toss the beets until coated.
• Cook in oven for about 45 minutes or until beets are tender right through, turning them at least once during cooking time.

Directions For Baked Beets

• Preheat oven to 400°.
• Prepare beets as for boiling (washing and leaving 1″ ends on the stalks and roots, also leaving skins on) then wrap in two layers of aluminum foil. Place foil wrapped beets on a baking sheet and place in oven.
• Cook for about an hour until beets are tender and fully cooked.
• Once cooked, remove foil, trim off the stalk and root ends then rub the skins off with a damp towel.

How To Steam Beets

Prep:

• Prepare beets as if for boiling (washing and trimming stalks and roots to 1″, leaving skins intact) then place in a steamer above boiling water.
• Bring salted water to a boil in a saucepan or pot, position steamer on top.

Directions:

• Arrange cleaned beets in the steamer, cover, and cook for about 45 minutes or until tender.
• Remove from heat, plunge beets quickly in cold water then remove skins with a damp cloth.

Microwave Cooked Beets How-To

*Cooking times may vary due to differences in microwaves

• Wash, peel and cube beets (about 1″).
• Arrange cubes in a glass microwavable dish, add 2 tablespoons of water (per 2 1/2 cups of beets).
• Cover with a lid then cook on high for approximately 5 minutes, stir, then cook for another 3 minutes or until beets are tender when pierced with a fork.
• Note: To preserve as much of the vitamins as possible, avoid overcooking beets in the microwave and don’t add more water than necessary. If the beets are nearly done but could use just a bit more cooking, allow to sit covered so they can finish cooking in their steam rather than heating longer in the microwave.

Tips

• Beets should be boiled with their skins on so that their flavor, color and juices won’t escape into the water (also called bleeding). Any nic or slice in the skin will release the juice and the result will be loss of flavor and/or color. This is why about an inch of both the stalks and the root ends are left on when boiling.
• For tough, out of season beets, you can try soaking them overnight in cold water. This will help them cook faster the next day.
• Adding 1/4 cup of white vinegar per 8 cups of water when boiling will help keep the beet color bright.
• How to tell when beets are fully cooked: You will be able to pierce the beet right to its middle with a knife or fork, the beet will be tender.
• Try selecting beets that are uniform in size when cooking together, this will prevent some beets cooking faster than the rest of the batch. If you can’t avoid it, remove the smaller ones from the source of heat as they’re done and set aside until the rest are fully cooked.
• Did you know: Raw beets can make a salad extra tasty! Simply wash and peel a beet then grate into salads.
• Did you know: The common beet is purple or crimson colored, but there are golden and striped beet varieties available as well.
• If buying beets instead of growing them yourself, you can tell how fresh they are by their leafy greens…if they’re still attached and look healthy, the beets are freshly harvested. If there are no leaves attached, they’re still good but just not garden fresh. Look for firm, hard beets and avoid any with soft spots.
• Raw beets can be stored in the refrigerator for a few weeks (cut off the greens when storing, leaving at least an inch of the stalks attached), cooked beets will be ok refrigerated a few days.

-Tipnut.com

so...

Lincoln decided to take his diaper off and pee in the refrigerator.  I don't know what would posses a child to do that but this is his second time. 

Not only that... we have Uncle Buck staying with us and between him and Nolan we have had 2 clogged toilets in the house.  I refuse to plunge it.  Taylor can do it when they get home from the mall.  I have to clean the house before they get back and before Dah wakes up... Going to lose my mind.

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH  And I ran a mile last night!   First time in my entire life to run a complete mile!  I am so proud of myself!  We are going to try and do the mudrun with Nolan coming up here in Murrieta!  It is going to be a blast.  Can't wait!

It's sinking in...

In the whirlwind of camping and packing and being exhausted I didn't really absorb the full message that Loma Linda left on my voicemail.  "Pathology came back for Lincoln George.  It is a begnin reactive lymph node.  There is no cancer in that specimen."  I wonder how many times I could press 1 and hear that over and over and over and over on my voicemail.  I wonder how long it will take me before I delete it since I save it every time I hear it.  (sigh)  Even a glimpse of hearing your baby may have cancer will change something inside of you forever.  It makes you want to live better, be a better person, be a better mother, be a better wife, be a better friend, be a better person.  There are people that come into your life that will teach you lessons and that you will learn from.  I never expected that the person to teach me so much can't yet pour his own juice without spilling or tie his own shoes.  (sigh again)  It's funny how I never realized my shoulders were so extremely tense until I was able to take a deep breath and exhale all the bad feelings that have been trying to fight their way to the front of my mind but I just wouldn't let them... they are gone now. 

Camping in Julian and Link's biopsy results

 First off I just have to say that we got the call this morning after waiting for over 3 weeks that Lincoln does NOT have lymphoma!  NO CANCER.  phew...  How's that for the best camping trip ever?  That was the craziest, most eye opening, scariest, 3 weeks of my life.  They will be doing more testing on the 2 lymph nodes that they removed but it's NOT CANCER.  How F*cking cool is that?  I can breathe!  I can relax and that horrible cloud that has been following us around for over a year of what if... is gone.  I still wonder if the further testing will reveal anything but I am pretty sure it won't.  After changing the boys diet they are doing SO MUCH BETTER I just know that we are on the right track. 

So yeah... camping.  We had the best time.  Well the kids and I did I don't think Tay Tay is much of a camper.  We rode bikes, fished, hiked, roasted marshmallows by the campfire, hung out, ate, laughed at the kids doing funny things.  Taylor spent half of his trip trying to catch a squirrel with a stick and a beer box.  Didn't work.  Come to think of it... when he wasn't trying to catch a squirrel he was trying to catch a fish and that didn't happen either!  We did a 1 mile hike (with Dylan on my back all the way to the top... Uncle Chris carried him down for me)  it was so pretty to just be in the middle of nowhere.  Deer, wild turkeys and we even got to see a bald eagle swoop over the lake as the boys were fishing.  I didn't want to come home (and I don't think Taylor could get home fast enough).  I am thinking Taylor wasn't having much fun while Dylan cried the entire way to Julian or when Lincoln thought it would be fun to spread poop all over his carseat at the lake or when he didn't catch a squirrel after buying twine at the general store or when all he could catch is algae from the bottom of the lake when he was hoping for fish.

We had the perfect campsite and sleeping in Chris and Cyn's camper was perfect for the little ones.  I don't know if I will ever want to tent camp after that!  :)  I even got a run in while I was there.  Feels so good to run in nature but I tell ya... the inclines and the elevation kicked my butt.

 I loved it there... I didn't want to come home but here we are... back to real life.  I seriously NEVER want summer to end.  I am enjoying my kids so much.  They are so awesome and this whole thing with Lincoln has really taught me that you nothing is promised to us.  That we should be grateful for every day we have and appreciate everything and everyone.