Dinner Conversation

Every day at dinner for many years we have talked about:
1. What was the best thing about today?
2. What was the worst thing about today?
3. What are you looking forward to about tomorrow?
4. How did you show the love of Christ today? (Recently added)
Most days we get through the questions pretty easily, other days, someone gets excused from the table before we finish or we don't get to all four. I am not big on talking while eating, but we found it necessary to guide dinner conversation to avoid the occasional yelling, screaming, sassing and eye rolling that comes along with our boy-girl-boy-girl family.
Some of the face turners :)
"Where are we going tomorrow?" asked almost everyday by Number Two Son in response to question 3 when he was just learning how to speak. Number One Daughter seems to think it us funny if she asks, honestly, it is just annoying.
Number One Son always has tall tales about an adventure building, digging, climbing or whittling in the backyard. We call his bluff and he reels it in. One of these days he is going to find someone who hangs on every word and laughs at all his un-funny jokes. I wish that was me, but it is not. I like non-fiction and the truth!

Happy Anniversary!

Today is our 13th wedding anniversary. About this time thirteen years ago I was getting my nails done at a walk-in salon at Lamar Square. Lamar Square is currently a giant hole in the ground. Most of Lamar Blvd from Barton Springs is a construction zone, I drive up and down that street almost daily and except for this one shopping center, I don't remember what they tore down. The gentrification has it's positive and negatives. Hopefully, more store fronts will make the ones we already have less crowded. More apartments without more grocery stores will compound the crazy-busy grocery store problem we already have. Since I have lived in South Austin, two grocery stores have closed and one has expanded. I can not even guess how many new homes and apartments/condos have been built in our part of town. Our HEB is always busy. I shop late at night because any other time of day is unbearable for my busy bee brain.
Thirteen years have moved along at a fully indescribable pace. Our Number One Son is middle-school aged, how did this happen so quickly? Number Four Daughter is sitting, crawling and cruising, simply unbelievable! I started blogging as a way to catalog our food allergy recipes, so family and friends would have some idea of what the kids can eat. Hubby uses it, but we are still pretty much on our own at family gatherings, even after 11 years of dealing with multiple food allergies. I also wanted an outlet for frustrations. Most of the time when I would sit down to blow off steam, something else would happen. I would see the bright side of things. The time moving slowly part of our lives mostly has to do with money. Disability, job loss, healthcare regulation changes, underemployment and increasing expenses weigh heavily on me. There are so many things I can let go, but when you don't have money to go anywhere besides work and the grocery store (we can walk to church if we are running low on gas money) it makes the days, weeks, months feel so much longer.
I had the conversation with a friend last week that I have had with others, including our Priest: how do we know if this is earthly suffering, bad choices or depression? Today I count my blessings: Hubby, my sweet honey bear who knows how to love me everyday; Number One Son, who gives me daily joy with his resilient attitude; Number One Daughter who challenges me to see things in different ways; Number Two Son with his bright eyes, loving, helpful heart and big hugs; Number Two and Three Daughters praying for us while in the arms of Jesus and Number Three Daughter who reminds me every day that miracles are real and God doesn't give you what you can't handle.
I won't be getting my nails done today. We will all go out for ice cream to celebrate the birthday of our family.
"Happy Anniversary to us, happy anniversary to us, happy anniversary to our family! Happy anniversary to us!"

Siblings

I went to a friend's wedding right after I got out of graduate school. It was a moving and beautiful weekend. What I witnessed profoundly changed how I viewed sibling relationships. I had known brothers and sisters who were friendly and nice to each other, but the bond I saw between the Bride and her brother was different. I thought, some day I want that for my children too.
I have two sisters, three girls growing up in a tiny house with different interests and aptitudes. When we were young, we played together. I remember our electric Hot Wheels track, Barbies, Operation, UNO, Go Fish, Mad Libs and backyard softball. I'm not sure when things changed. I remember fighting, feeling bossed around and very lonely.
Fast forward 30 years. I have seen numerous sets of siblings show me what it really means to be family. My friend who's oldest sister moved her other sister, brother-in-law and two teenagers in with her when her sister was diagnosed with a devastating neurological condition; the twice widowed stroke survivor who lived independently because her sister and brother-in-law lived next door; the 98 year old sister feeding and pushing her 104 year old brother around in the nursing home and the construction worker brother transforming into nurse, secretary, bank and chauffeur for his brother battling cancer.
I have had several conversations with my mother why my sisters don't help each other (or me) like our cousins? I want to be positive and believe that things can still change, but above all else, I will do whatever I can do so that my children love and support each other until the day we all meet up in Heaven.

Gluten Free Waffle Bowls

Ingredients:
6 T unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
3 egg whites
1/2 cup garbanzo bean flour, minus 2T
2T tapioca flour (total 1/2 cup flour mix)

Slice butter into tablespoons, put it in a microwavable bowl, heat on high for 30 seconds, stir until butter is liquified, set aside.

Plug in waffle iron.

In a standup mixer with whisk attachment, whip egg whites and gradually add sugar 1T at a time until a smooth, shiny meringue forms soft peaks.

Switch mixer blade to paddle. Gradually drizzle melted butter into egg whites. Gradually add garbanzo bean/tapioca flour until well combined.

Spray waffle iron with cooking spray, add approximately 1/3 cup batter, cook until golden brown.

When done, form bowls over 1/2 pint jar or small bowl. When bowl has cooled, remove form.

Yield: 5 bowls


The kids have been after me for years to make them ice cream cones. We have a heart-shaped waffle iron similar to this one:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000A3PBWO/ref=mp_s_a_1?qid=1362966611&sr=8-1-fkmr0&pi=SL75

The bowls looked good and tasted great! We used an allergy friendly vanilla ice cream and maple flavored agave syrup.

Today is Laetare Sunday, I thought I read somewhere, sometime that we were supposed to have Sundaes, but I confused today with the third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday.

SXSW

Baby Feet!!

I Still Can't Believe It!

Every day since November 7, 2012, I look into this angelic face and sit in utter disbelief. I wake up in the middle of the night and I smile that God has given us this little miracle. Thank You Jesus!