It's the Big One

well, we had quite an exciting week here, with over 2 feet of snow falling on wednesday. everything in the city shut down and chris had 2 unexpected days off right before the christmas weekend (yay!) we all sat inside and watched the snow fall--an incredible amount, by our standards, and a big colorado welcome for grame and grandpa, who are moving here from california.

because we were all safe and dry, we were able to just enjoy the awesome display--fire up the teapot and wipe the condensation from the windows. the next day, we ventured out to see the snow and took the pictures of the boys in front of the drifts that are taller than they are. the snow blanketed everything with a coating of silence, and the cars on the busy street next to us were slow and quiet, so the boys could even play out on the street in front of our house. it's amazing how much difference a big storm can make.

being confined for two days made me grateful for many things...the ablility we normally have to come and go when we please, having my family safe and sound, having enough food to weather the storm, hot drinks. a husband with a goofy sense of humor. slippers. and children who remind me that icicles are for *eating*.

Where *Are* All Those Guys??

i have not posted for a while, and i will tell you that it is because i have made a stunning realization in the past few days--that is, that apparently those "santa's elves" i've been hearing about are really ME. that's right, it has taken me until i'm 30, but the sheer magnitude of holiday preparations has finally caught up to me.

it's not even that we are doing a crazy-extravagant holiday or anything. if you read my previous post about christmas, you know that i am somewhat disturbed by all the excesses that we are encouraged to engage in when giving at holiday time. in fact, i have been striving to do many of our gifts in a homemade way. which might be part of the madness, actually, given my genetic predisposition to procrastination.

also, this is the first year that we are having christmas in our new house, and the first year that the boys are old enough to really be excited. and in nicholas' case, it may be the first time that he really remembers christmas, now that he's 4. which means i really want things to be special.

so, here's to all the other santa's elves out there...i gotta hand it to you. i had no idea.

photo credit: Flickr/NoOtherOne

Gluten Free Corn Dog

well, i just have to share this with you because i felt pretty cool. the other day for dinner i made these gluten-free corndogs for the boys for dinner. because, as all you savvy gluten-detectives know, corn dogs are normally NOT gluten free.....either the batter will have wheat flour in it, or the oil that they are fried in will be used to fry other gluteny things like chicken fingers or something.

it's not that the kids have had corn dogs all that often, it's just that its one of those fun kid-things that they would get to have when we were out somewhere, and it's those little things that kill me sometimes. if we end up staying with this diet for the long haul, there are going to be many many things that daniel will have to forgo, things that most kids don't think twice about...and that is hard to take (more for me than for him at this point--he's only 2 after all.) i know, i know, it's only food, but the truth is that food plays a big part in our lives, in our social interactions, and it is a big way that people nurture each other, for better or for worse. and the thought of daniel being left out of those things makes me sad sometimes.

and then, i saw on another blog where a woman made vegan corndogs for her little boy (check out the vegan lunchbox link to the left if you are interested), and i thought if she can do it, so can i! so, i got a gluten-free cornbread mix, and a special pan (really for twinkies, but it was close enough), and then just trimmed the little doggies a little bit to fit--voila! the boys had fun, and so did the mama. score one for outsmarting the gluten, at least this time!

Chewy as a Rat

one day last week we were sitting at the table eating tacos for dinner (mmmmm, tacos.) we have switched to using corn tortillas now that we are watching gluten for daniel, and i found some really tasty ones that use sprouted corn, so they are extra-added-bonus healthfood. partway in to the meal, nicholas offers his latest descriptive phrase, telling me that "mama, this is as chewy as a rat." i'm pretty sure he meant it as a compliment. i really hope that he is not using an actual rat as a basis for comparison.

and just in case you were wondering, if a child of 4 swallows a penny, it is only a problem if the penny lodges in the windpipe before reaching the stomach. ask me how i know this.