Blog Scheduling

I am trying to blog every day for the entire month of March, along with my fellow yarnies from Ravelry in Kristen's Reclaiming the home group. But I figure I may stay on task better if I schedule a specific topic subject per day. So here is my t.v guide version of my blog, and like any t.v guide, subject to change without notice! I'll list by my favorite tags....

Sunday - Lessons in Faith.
Monday - Crafts
Tuesday - Gluten Free Recipes, Main Dishes
Wednesday- Gluten Free Recipe, Bread and Desserts
Thursday - Family Life
Friday - Crochet Projects
Saturday - Anything Goes!

I Just Might Make It!

It has been a tough couple of days. Very little sleep mixed with testy relationships and a very busy and sick with flu family. But despite the fact that I barely feel sane, I have successfully cast on my very fist knitted project....EVER! I am making a simple sweater for DS#1, and I have a week to finish it (it's small, he's 5 in 6 days!) So despite all my frustrations, I do feel proud, and that I finally figured out that all the times I ever tried to knit, I've just been casting on backwards! (Silly me!) If I really do figure out this knitting thing,watch out!

Dress for Dolly

I should have been house cleaning today. I should have taken a nap this afternoon, as I was up all night(really, ALL night) with two sick boys. But I am the most creative when I procrastinate! I did actually start to tackle my sewing room that has been ignored since our last baby bundle arrived almost 3 years ago. But I found a box of thrift store pillowcases and some pink ribbon, so I allowed myself to be distracted instead!!
I had bookmarked the Red Instead Blog on her pillow case dress and when I found a pure white pillow case I went to work! Here's how it turned out.......






DD loves it and wore it all afternoon, she can't wait to show it to Grandma! She wants a matching sun hat, time to dig through my patterns (Oh DEAR!)
I also had some old, REALLY old pillow cases, so I used them to make a nightgown with sleeves today to. I love the crochet lace on the bottom!



So I'm ready to tuck everyone in bed. I'll try to ignore RTH chat room so I might actually accomplish something today! But one more picture of my little model! She is reading for Awana next week!

Apple Cake

Here is my sons very favorite cake. It is an GF adaptation of my moms old standby that has been made in my family for at least 4 generations. I will write it with my Basic Gluten Free Flour with Xanthan gum. See the recipe in labels at the side. If you want to try it with regular flour, I suggest cake and pastry in the same amount.



Apple Cake
5-6 cooking apples cored, peeled and sliced apple pie thin into a large mixing bowl
Set aside.

In a second bowl beat together
2 eggs
3/4 cup brown sugar

Add
1/3 cup oil
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup Basic Gluten Free flour
1 tsp baking powder
salt
Beat well. Add apples and stir gently until all apples are covered. Pour into a greased 9x9 cake pan. Level out.

Bake at 350* for 30 - 40 min

Cheese Burger Meatloaf (GF)

I'm posting our favorite meat loaf recipe today! I make it with 2lbs of hamburger and serve half one night and reheat half the next. It is great as leftovers in sandwiches or Hamburg buns, warm or cold. Or reheats in a frying pan with some water to keep it from drying out. As soon as I get a picture of it, I will add to this post!

Cheese Burger Meat Loaf

2lbs hamburger
1/2 cup parboiled rice, raw
1 onion chopped small
1/2 cup milk (we use rice milk)
2 Tbsp. Ketchup
1 Tbsp Worchestershire sauce (1 TSP Gluten free soysauce for GF)
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp each -dryed marjoram
-dryed thyme
-pepper

Mix all together and pat into a 9x13 pan. Cover with foil and bake 350* for 1hr and 15min. Pull out of oven and tip slightly. Lift fat out with a spoon. Add on top the

"Secret sauce"
2 Tbsp Ketchup
2 Tbsp Miracle Whip
- mix well and spread on top of the meat loaf

add grated cheese (and optional crumbled bacon) and place back in oven uncovered for another 15 minutes. Cut into squares,Serves 6-8

Meat may appear slightly pink from the ketchup, meat should reach an internal temp of 160* if measuring.

Comfort Shawl

I finished a comfort shawl on my knitting machine a few weeks ago. So I thought I would get around to posting pictures. It is a basic stockinette stitch with lace weight yarn for 600 rows. And I created a lace edge pattern of my own to edge it with. I will try to post the pattern soon. (I usually choose the 7th of the month to post patterns, I'll see if I can get it written by then!) It is for my Grandma T. She has made so many wonderful things for all her grandchildren over the years, but I wonder if any of us have ever made something for her?! It's a very simple shawl/wrap and I am including a vintage handmade beaded pin I found at the thrift store. The violet hue is perfect with the gray! I'm excited to get it to her. I hope my parents are going to see her soon. I hesitate to take it myself, as I have no where to leave my three busy beavers while I go the hour and a half distance. I'm afraid they would tire her quickly. Perhaps we can convince her to have a visit with my parents in Owen Sound soon, as she has been on day long outings since the sun has began to shine again. I am sure she would love to see us all for a short time!
I am also making a shawl wrap for myself. I purchased a bag of pure wool vintage yarn at the thrift store. 5 1/2 skeins, 4 oz each. I paid $3 for the bag, which would cost about $40 + to buy new. It is a dark gray, and I wanted to make something with a vintage feel to it. So I have created a pattern for a shawl that wraps in several fashions. The wrapping style I found on a knitted pattern called Versatility I have designed a crochet pattern with a simple cable through the middle and some puff stitches. And I intend to edge it with the same edge as my grandmothers shawl, but with the thicker yarn. I will post a pattern for this as well when I have it tested better! I am excited to finish this one for summer ( a strange time of year to need a wool shawl, I know!) It gets cold at night in some of our favorite vacation locations. I hope to wear it to chapel at Stayner when we rent a cottage this coming August. It's an old fashioned open concept tabernacle. One step above tent! I just need to decide on what color of ribbon to use. Any suggestions?

Bedtime Prayers in the presence of Angels

I grew up saying nightly prayers with my mom, on our knees at my bed. And now, more than 20 years later I am in the same place with our children. It's more than just routine for us. I really do believe that God is interested in our desires and our concerns. And every night my dear son #1 prays for God to send his angels to guard and protect him, and to keep him safe.

Matthew 18:10 says:
Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.

As a believer in the bible, that confirms to me that God doesn't leave our children by themselves. I didn't always trust God to watch over my babies, but that's another story for another time! But I've learned it isn't humanly possible to protect them 100% of the time. And I can't protect them from every bad image or bad thought or bad deed or bad word that this world produces. But I can trust God to influence their thoughts, guard their eyes and direct their feet through their consciences, and to keep harm from happening to them. And I believe God sometimes uses Angels to minister to our families when we ask for our safety.
My Dear Son #1 was having night terrors and nightmares when he was 3 years old, and it was his grandma's suggestion to pray for angels to protect him. So that is what we started praying each night. I had never shown him a picture of angels before this, only the story of the birth of Jesus was where he would have heard of them. But here is his description of angels. He will tell you that angels have flaming swords, and that they appear in a hue of green. He will tell you that they made the bad images in his dreams run away. He will also tell you Angels live in Africa!? I don't understand child innocence, but I wish I had it! And he feels safe each night, and I get sleep each night!
Each of my children have a lullaby I sing for them after their graces each night. Our youngest, Dear Son #2 has Brahms:

Lullaby, and goodnight
Go to sleep little baby
Lullaby, and goodnight
God is hol-ding you tight
Angels watch, through the night
Until mor-ning light
Angels watch, through the night
Until morning is bright


I am sure God is watching over us as adults as well. And we never know when we may be entertaining angels unaware!


Psalm 103:20
Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.