A new year

I have really been procrastinating about a new year post.  I just did not feel like I had anything to say.
We are already into day 11!  Our family has been kind of down this past month.  I think sometimes life just boggs you down SO much that you can't seem to get out from under it!  I wrote on my chalkboard in the living room, that it is a brand new year "REINVENT OURSELVES."

I need to find the joy in life again.  As I have mentioned I lost my dad 15 months ago.  I have learned that life goes on, and you must develop some coping skills for these really down times in life.  I learned in this past year, that even though others could say comforting things to me(which I have appreciated so much) but it is me that has to come through this darkness to the light.  God has given me more strength than I thought I had to deal with losing one of my parents. 

I have told myself I am going to be more positive, less whiney this year.  I really want my etsy shop to be successful.  Since I was a teenager I have wanted to sell the things I make.  I have a lot of new
ideas, I just need the time and energy to bring them to fruition!

Our daughter will not be moving to London right now.  She was not accepted in the school there, which has been a major disappointment.  I feel someday she will live there, it is just not time yet.

As a parent you want the very best for your children and you suffer when they suffer, and I think that is also part of feeling down right now.  She is uncertain what her future holds now and that is scarey.
My hope is that the love of her family can bring her to a happier place.  We sometimes want to rush things when God has his own timing for it.

I have mentioned Kittyville a few times.  Our kitty, Gemma and our daughters Yoshi & Abby.
I have grown to really love those two.  Yoshi has calmed down a lot.  I am going to reattempt to let them around each other again.  I think Gemma likes being on "only cat."  She is stressed easily.
We shall see how it goes.

I am trying to eat healthy.  The exercising part really has not happened yet!  My husband is also eating healthier.  He rides his bike to school, so he is getting good exercise!  I have been wheat free for at least 4 weeks now, I do see the difference.  Yesterday I had half a wrap made from wheat and I was coughing again in the night.  It was hard for the first couple of weeks, but I have got the hang of it again!.  I made myself rolls last Saturday and they turned out great!  I was happy to find out that the yeast I used in the last batch was NO GOOD!  It wasn't me that ruined them!  :-)

I am wishing a wonderful new year to all!

Marietta

Merry Christmas Cake

I certainly have not been in the holiday spirit this year.  My husband agrees he is not either.  Which I guess is good??  I did very little shopping, ordered a couple of things online.  And very little baking.
Our mothers send us a box of homemade goodies each year, that we really look forward to!. Those did arrive.  Which of course adds to the holiday pounds!  But, I did decide I would make a date cake.
This is the 3rd year I have made one for Christmas.  It is wheat free.  I tried a different recipe this year and it turned out GREAT!  I would like to share it and is is pretty easy too!

For what ever reason when you look for a recipe for this, you find it NOT under date CAKE, but date PUDDING??

1c.  (8 oz) chopped pitted dates
1 tsp baking soda
1 Tablespoon butter
1 c. hot water
1c. chopped pecans

Mix this and let stand until cool.

Meanwhile in another bowl , sift together:

1/4 tsp salt
1 c. sugar  ( I used half sugar and half agave syrup)
1 1/2 c. flour  ( I used all oat flour)
2 tsp baking powder

In the bottom of an 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 baking pan:

1 c. brown sugar
1 c. hot water
3 tablespoons butter

Combine your date mixture and your flour mixture together(mix well)
then pour over the brown sugar water.

This looks a little scary, I had never made anything this way before- but IT IS OK!

Bake at 350  for approimately 35 min. (start checking at 30- don't over bake- should be soft to touch)
The brown sugar mixture makes it gooey around the edges, the cake is very soft-Yummy!

Serve with whipped cream.

We have already eaten part of it!  hard to stay away.

Enjoy!!
This recipe is from my Bethel Mennonite Cookbook

The Holidays

This year I feel like the holidays have crept up on me.  How can that be? You know for 11 mos it is coming?  I feel less in the holiday spirit than I did last year, with my dad's passing so soon before.
I really don't know what my problem is this year, or maybe TOO many problems!

Sometimes life just gets you down, I seem to be in one of those time periods.  Too much to do,(that I don't feel like doing), not feeling well health wise (allergies) too many bills ( and not enough money)
It seems like stress coming from every front.  I am lucky I have good support in my husband, he will always listen to me. 

I did get the Christmas tree up, new spot for the first time in 22 years, decorated it totally different.
SO far, the cats have been non interested! Hurrah.  No favorite ornaments, no childhood ornaments, but still very pretty.

My daughter got back from London/Italy on Monday and by Wednesday was sick.  She has been sleeping A LOT, which is the best medicine.  Sick people at work, too.  So I am guessing about Friday I will be coming down sick too!  Trying to take preventative measures with airborne, etc.

I did get a couple of new things made for my shop.  I had my "creative juices flowing" as my husband calls it!

 

Of course, there was dyeing involved, which I really enjoy making colors!

I am going to be off from work for 5 days starting next Friday and have several ideas I want to try and make.  We shall see!

 

Happy Sunday!!

 

Marietta

London

My daughter was off to London on Sunday Evening,  Her audition at the Royal college of music was today.  There were 2 parts and she was called back to audition for the second part.  I have not talked to her yet because of the time difference and she was traveling to another city, Gatwick, to fly out tomorrow morning to Italy!  She is meeting her professors from USF there, 

A lot of mixed emotions.  Of course I wanted her to do REALLY well!  But, how do I feel about her moving to London??  I think I pretty much have been in denial about it.  Last year, I think I was prepared to see her move to Boston.  But, that did not work out.  She moved home instead.  Since she has been living at home, I think it will be harder to see her leave again.  The first time she moved out her Dad and I felt like our hearts had been ripped out of us.  But, we did adjust.  BUT, London  "the other side of the pond." ????  We shall see what God has for her!

I have not mentioned Kittyville in a while.  That is of course the blending of the 3 cats together.  Amanda's 2- brother and sister and our calico.  I was trying to let them work things out, but Gemma got her nose scratched and that made me upset and over protective again!  It is no wonder my kitty is a little neurotic, with me as her Mamma!  Amanda's cats seem to be happy and well adjusted.  Gemma has licked a large portion of her belly hair off.  So that is the life with the cats.

I am doing pretty well eating wheat free again.  I went to the health food store over the week end.  Spent a fortune on wheat free, bread, bagels, pizza, bread sticks.  But if you do not have it on hand you are TOO tempted to eat the wheat items.  I had made myself spelt rolls for Thanksgiving.  They DID NOT turn out well.  I think I had the water too hot and killed the yeast.  I will try again soon.  You need to have about 3 hours available to you in order to make homemade bread. 

Off to make dinner-    Marietta

Wheat free-Annie's

I wanted to do a quick post about a gluten/wheat free product that I recently came across, and really LOVE!  Little bunny shaped cookies, and macaroni & cheese.  These products taste So good, you would never know they are wheat free!

 

The macaroni comes as a family size or these single serving packets!

 

Made from rice and corn.

 

Target and local health food stores carry them.

 

So thankful that there are people out there trying to make things taste wonderful for everyone!

 

AND.....

New items in my Etsy shop for your holiday shopping! :-)

 

 

 

Marietta