Taking Stock, Vol. VIII

Making: lots of bread. LOTS of bread. I started a pinterest board (for the foodie in me that doesn't care about "the glutens") full of fancy bread recipes. The boys are quite happy about this latest baking spree.
Cooking: this soup recipe (we left out the ginger). It's real tasty. 
Drinking: kombucha and Lady Grey Tea (my favorite).
Reading: Tale of Two Cities. My, how gory. 
Wanting: SPRING! Yes, yes, it's only January, but sunshine! Bright green! 
Looking: forward to our vacation this summer. Maine and New Hampshire, here we come!
Playing: Celtic music. I've learned that this stuff makes me feel better (which is a good thing to know, since my moods have been out of control recently--at least it seems like it). 
Wasting: ~
Sewing: ~
Wishing: it would either snow enough to sled, or warm up enough to spend some time outside.
Enjoying: exam week. That sounds really weird, but I only had two exams this week, and I finished them yesterday. I didn't have much school to do at all, so instead I've been baking, coloring, listening to Odyssey (I don't think I'll ever stop), and sleeeeeeping.
Waiting: ~
Liking: working out with Mommy. It's fun to work out with someone else, and Mom's been wanting to work out regularly for a while and now I'll be bugging her about it. :)
Wondering: if we'll really get a dog this summer. My brother and Mom have finally convinced Dad that it would be okay. Any breed suggestions? We're thinking a collie.
Loving: my bedroom. I don't have a "theme color", just gray walls and white furniture. That way I can add all the little knick knacks and mementos I want. I have a lot of pretty rocks, cool jars and bottles, postcards, quotes and verses, and dried flowers. It's so cozy and...me. :)
Hoping: we won't have a power outage this weekend because of the snow. Last year (or the year before) we didn't have power for about three days. 
Marveling: ~
Needing: to practice some of these this summer. Dad wants meat pies for his birthday this year.
Smelling: ~
Wearing: socks, which I never wear. It is pretty chilly in my bedroom and downstairs. Our coal stove only keeps about three rooms warm, heheh.
Following: Mewsings London.
Noticing: ~
Knowing: ~
Thinking: ~
Feeling: like I need a movie break. Mark and I have been watching Pirates of the Caribbean (ridiculously, stupidly funny), but I think I've had enough of movies for a bit (like, I've been averaging three movies a week for a while).
Bookmarking: ~

Taking Stock, Vol. VII

Making: beef wellington. Dad's birthday was on Thanksgiving this year, and that's what he requested. It was an adventure, and turned out wonderfully! 
Cooking: oh, lots. Cranberry sauce, green beans and bacon, the beef wellington, pecan pie, soup, lemon curd...holiday weekend stuff.
Drinking: hot chocolate.
Reading: these Royal Diaries I loved when I was younger. I don't have the whole series, but they all look interesting.
Wanting: to make clove-oranges today. 
Looking: forward to decorating.
Playing: Christmas music, because that's legal now. 
Wasting: juices. We got some at BB's the other week, but they're a bit too cucumber-y for me. Maybe I'll get around to drinking them, but they were only fifty cents each.
Sewing: ~
Wishing: we could put up the Christmas tree this weekend, but alas! I have to wait till next Saturday.
Enjoying: sleeping in this week.
Waiting: for Daddy to start this year's reading of "Miracles on Maple Hill". 
Liking: this yummy bread my sister brought over yesterday. She changed it up with rosemary, garlic, and walnuts.
Wondering: ~
Loving: the freedom I feel to toss my plans of working out to the winds, and hang out with my family, cook good food, and stuff my face instead. 
Hoping: I'll be able to get back into the rhythm of school next week.
Marveling: ~
Needing: to find a monologue and sign the contract for my audition that's in a week or so. Yup, I'm so responsible. At least I reserved an audition time all by myself!  
Smelling: evergreens.
Wearing: aaaall the sweaters. 
Following: Butter Nutrition.
Noticing: what a foodie family we are.
Knowing: ~
Thinking: that I totally should have been a hobbit.
Feeling: thankful that all my siblings and their families could be here for Thanksgiving. 
Bookmarking: ~

Giving thanks for...

It's a day late, but ya know...cooking, family, and pie.

1. the fact that everyone could be here for Thanksgiving

2. my parents

3. my sister

4. all my brothers

5. theatre and singing opportunities through The Academy (spellcheck says "theatre" is incorrect. Spellcheck got no class)

6. learning to appreciate my body and how to take care of it

7. learning to let go of schedules, plans, and what I think should happen

8. devotions in the morning

9. lights in the kitchen

10. Pumpkin Spice Roll ice cream (it is thing)
11. being able to learn through Veritas Press.
12. family 
13. traditions
14. movie and game nights
15. a patient Redeemer and Friend
16. the beautiful moon last night
17. my nieces
18. the view out back
19. changing seasons
20. having the knowledge and tools to be healthy
21. Thanksgiving break (and breaks in general)
22. my journal
23. youth choir
24. mercies new every morning
25. old and new friends
26. hikes
27. hot chocolate
28. candles
29. (almost) free reign over the kitchen
30. talks with Mom
31. snow
32. chickens and the vegetable garden
33. Christmas lights 
34. the seasonal colors of the kitchen: butternut squash, pomegranates, parsley...
35. family (again)

Links: some laughs, some food, and a story

haha (edible miniature yoga mats...).

tee hee.

The Great British Baking Show is so addictive. Pretty food! Unusual flavors! British accents! I should start narrating everything I do in the kitchen and pretend I know what I'm doing: "then we add the butter because...the recipe said so...and because butter".

My uncle's journey with cancer, on my aunt's blog.

Grain-free biscuit...dinner roll...things

I'm not sure what to call these. They're not flaky enough to be biscuits, but they're not soft and mounded enough to be rolls. They make excellent breakfast sandwiches, though, so I guess I'll call them biscuits.

Grain Free Biscuits

Makes about 6-7 biscuits--adapted from The Preppy Paleo

3/4 c. arrowroot flour (tapioca should work too)

1/4 c. ground flax seed

6 T. coconut flour

2 t. baking powder

1 t. salt

1/2 c. water

1/2 c. olive oil

1 egg

1 t. apple cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix together dry ingredients. Stir in wet ingredients. Let the batter sit for a while so the coconut flour can soak up some of the liquid. After a few minutes, scoop out the batter in quarter cup amounts and plop onto parchment paper. Bake for 35 minutes and let cool completely before storing in an air tight container.

Links: A whole lot of randomness so I can't think of a title

What food additives look like before they end up in food.

My chemistry class is the best. We start class with music, our teacher (who is also a pastor) preaches us devil sermons, and to celebrate Mole Day Eve we watched Jurassic Cookie in class. (I promise we discuss chemistry as well)

Swedish sheep and Swedish chickens and Swedish countryside and Swedish children. You're welcome.

And of course, grain-free (but nonetheless delicious) things I want to make during Thanksgiving break: chocolate pecan pie, pumpkin roll, pumpkin-apple pie, apple pie, pumpkin panna cotta tart, scalloped sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, mashed cauliflower, and who knows what else!

Taking Stock, Vol. VI

Making: cute labels for our kombucha bottles.
Cooking: lots of chicken stock. We typically roast two chickens at a time, once a week, and make two batches of stock out of the carcasses. 
Drinking: coconut water (BB's score).
Reading: Captain Blood, by Rafael Sabatini.
Wanting: ~
Looking: at Bauman College. I'm very interested in studying holistic nutrition, but not a fan of the new age-y stuff that can come along with it. The Natural Chef and Nutrition Consultant programs look promising, and I haven't found anything suspicious while snooping around their website. Two of their locations are in hippie-central, but they also have a long distance learning option. I've got two years left, but I like to plan. :)
Playing: pop music! I never listen to pop, but I took some of The Art in Life's recommendations (like "Fight Song"), added some of my own ideas (like "Rolling in the Deep" and some Hillsong United), and listened to them while running. Much more fun.
Wasting: time while drooling over recipes. At least I wasn't supposed to be doing anything important (and recipes are important! they inspire, they motivate, they...I'm running out of excuses).
Sewing: ~
Wishing: ~
Enjoying: The Nourishing Buzz podcast. The ladies are fun, the topics are interesting, and they give simple and doable tips. 
Waiting: ~
Liking: Forever 21, Gap, and Loft's petites and X(X)S.
Wondering: if our trees will get toilet papered tomorrow night. The local TP-gang hasn't been particularly active in the past couple years. Maybe they're all in college.
Loving: the trees. This year especially, I'm grateful we live in the country, with hills and hills of beautiful color.
Hoping: for snow. I've said it before, and I'll probably say it again. Not immediately, of course, but anytime after December 1st.
Marveling: ~
Needing: to clean out the chicken coop. humph.
Smelling: nothing. I don't think I notice that sort of thing (plus my nose has been kinda stuffy). 
Wearing: my pajamas until lunch time. Too comfortable and too lazy.
Following: Downshiftology and Honestly Nourished.
Noticing: how much Spanish I actually know when I try to have a conversation.
Knowing: I was much more relaxed with school this week. I tried not to make too many plans and overload my brain, but just got one thing done and moved on to the next, as cheerfully as I could.
Thinking: about all the things I want to make for Thanksgiving dinner.
Feeling: glad I don't have any actual allergies, so I can have something with grains or dairy if I want, and not need a trip to the ER (pecan tart? Don't mind if I do).
Bookmarking: ~