My favorite gluten-free blend

My brother, Jacob, is a health nut. He has experimented a TON with gluten-free flours and found this blend to be the best. After my experimentation, I agree!

3 cups sorghum flour
1 cup millet flour
1 1/3 cup potato starch
2/3 cup tapioca starch

Sift together all ingredients until well blended. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.

For the most part you can substitute this in any recipe and add 1/2 tsp of xanthan gum per cup of flour.

Saturday...

Well, like most Saturdays lately, I am on the computer...Dante is laying by me....Clay is sleeping. He really does sleep most of the day Saturday, and half the day Sunday. Weekends are his recoup time.

I woke up with an extreme hunger for German Pancakes. So I thought, hey- why not experiment with a gluten-free flour mix, milk substitutions, and give it a shot? It's in the oven right now...so, we'll see:) I'm not holding my breath.

Work is crazy busy (i'm a tax preparer), Clay's work happens to be crazy busy too, and Clay is simply hangin on by a thread. It's hard.

However, I don't know if it's cause I haven't had Lyme Disease as long as Clay, or what- but I simply am not herxing! I am REALLY tired- like all the time tired. And my mouth tastes bad. But other than that, I'm basically the same ol me. Thank goodness! It enables me try and take care of the hubster.

The most happy thing is happening this next week though- my mom is coming to visit! YES! I seriously am so stinking excited. She is going to help me make freezer meals so that I don't have to cook so much and think of things to make. I can't tell you how much this means to me. Life will be so much easier! And of course, I just plain can't wait to see my mom! AND get her all to myself! That never happens anymore! The last few times she's visited was when Rebecca was here, so she had to divy up time between us and the grandkids...whenever i visit Oregon, I obviously see my sibs too! (which I loveeee) but it makes it so I don't ever get REAL quality one-on-one time with my mom. So this will be great!

I think it's time I start decorating my walls. I have really been into furniture, pillows, curtains...that kinda thing. But my walls are seriously bare! I need to get on that cause I think it'll just feel better.

I seriously watch a bazillion tv shows I've realized. And it's crazy cause I cut out 2 of my fav's a few months ago (Grey's and Private Practice) but somehow that time has been filled. We've got Bachelor, Parenthood, Glee (which might be cut...they are kinda getting boring and lame), American Idol, Modern Family, Off the Map (I know i know...it's that new one that is similar to those two shows I cut? Whatever), the office, aaaaaand I THINK that's it. ha! Seriously- a lot of shows. Oh well. Btw- I am loving the new judging panel on american idol!!! I think it's a good change. Except I don't like it when Steven Tyler hits on young girls....or any of the girls for that matter- it's kinda awkward.

Aight- I'm out. Sorry if this was boring and lame (like glee:) ). It really does seem like my whole life revolves around tv and lyme disease. Sad, but true. I'll try to have some more uplifting cool things to share next time!

PS- The "german pancakes" just got done. They didn't turn out. Surprise...surprise...

Lace flower pillow

Here's another pillow I made for my cute little blue chair. I LOVE it. It's got a vintagey feel to it...but at the same time modern. I don't know why but so many projects I keep thinking LACE! I love it. I think it's so precious. Just thought I'd share!

It's an abusive relationship

Does anyone else have an extremely one sided relationship with Joanns? Sure, you get their products, but really....REALLY- don't you think they could give you a smile, a note of intelligence, a titch of service...EVER?!

Here's what happened.

I go to Joanns, and ask, "Where is your seam binding?" (we are currently on the thread aisle)

"Just on the other side of this"

So of course I go to the other side of the thread and there are of course, two sides to the aisle, not to mention A BAZILLION things. I've never bought seam binding before so I have no idea what it looks like.

"So is it like...on this side? Or what? I don't know what it looks like..."

"Yeah it's over there- it will say seam binding"

THANKS! NO FREAKING DUH.

"Well, do you know what general area it would be at?"

"It will just be in there with them all you just have to look"

Oh? Look? I was trying to listen for it.

FINALLY she comes over and says, "What are you using it for?"

"A knit shirt"

"A knit shirt?!?! Are you sure?! That doesn't seem right"

"That's what the pattern calls for"

She beeps on her headseat "Hey, what is seam binding?" (and of course I'm sure you're thinking like me...how could it not seem right to her if she didn't even know what it freaking was?) Then she turns to me and says, "Well since we are closing the store and opening in a new location, we are just going through all these really fast"

"So...do you know where it's at?"

"Well all of these here are just selling really fast and we aren't getting any in"

"So...are there any left?" Since she has YET to show me where the freaking thing would be.

"No- they are all gone."

"Okay." Then she sits there for five minutes telling me how seam binding shouldn't go on a knit shirt.

I wish this was all.

I go to the register to buy some Christmas Decor. I have a gift card which LAST time I was there they said either I needed to bring the receipt in or they could call a number and get it working...cause it wasn't activated or something. Well- she runs it (same woman) and it doesn't work. I tell her "Last time I came they said it wasn't activated or something and that they could call a number to get it working". She says, "No they are all activated" and continues trying to run it like 5 more times! Then she slides it to me and says, well it doesn't work. And I'm like...."So can you call that number?" and she is like, "Yeah you call that number and they'll take care of it." And I'm like..."So YOU'RE not going to call?" She says, "No that's the customers job. It's your responsibility"

OH MY FREAKING HECK. I was bursting at the seams.

Like I said, an abusive relationship. And this is just like 2 Joann stories out of a bajillion in my life. GAH.

I don't get it cause I've been to stores where they say, "Aisle 7 middle of the aisle...about...mmm...probably 1/4 way down from the top" and BAM it's there! Why can't everyone do that? Instead of the lovely..."over there"..."you have to look"

JoAnns. Love you. Hate you. Can't live with you. Can't live without you. Don't worry, I'll be back.

Bachelor Week 2 Highlights

WOW Just a few points I need to make:

1. Brad Womack just may be my favorite bachelor. WHY? Cause he sent home the crazy pants! Right off the bat! He saw drama, and sent it packin. Why don't they all do this?!?!?! MELISSA WAS CaRAZY! wowsa. Did anyone else feel sooooo awkward when she had alone time with Brad and was like crying then laughing and then randomly said, "Sorry my breath smells like onions...I ate 4 pieces of pizza" and giggles. Yikes! Did she remind you of Michelle? From Jake's season?

GAH!

2. Speaking of michelles, MICHELLE IS THE MOST ANNOYING WOMAN EVERRRRRRRRRR.
K- we know you're gorgeous, we know you want Brad, and guess what else? We KNOW IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY- FOR THE MILLIONTH TIME! You know what I hate? When girls act like they are picked on cause they are on a group date. Hello? Haven't you seen the bachelor? Don't you understand you will be on group dates? It's part of the deal. GET. OVER. IT.

3. Emily reminds me of barbie, and a robot, and the girl from win a date with tad hamilton. And the Orbit Gum girl. She just has that perfect look. As in- she was digitally made. You know? Unreal. It makes me mad.

4. Ashley H was sooo super cute. I liked her a lot. Their date seemed good and from the previews I think she's goin far!

5. Hmmmm....still don't know what to think about this one.

Are we gonna learn more about the fangs? And did it seem like to you that when brad wasn't around, she didn't have them on? And when he was around, she did? Who knows...

6. GOSH- TALK ABOUT BOOBS. I'm pretty glad Clay hasn't been watching this season with me cause I swear...all of them let their boobies hang out all over the place. It's like- hello?! Do you not have anything else going for you so you have to shove your boobs down his throat?

Well- excited for next week.

Started my pills. Wanna know how I feel? My mouth tastes BAAAAAAAAAAD. As in disgusting...all. the. time. Toxic. Which then makes me feel kinda icky. If I chew gum, I'm really not too shabby. Seriously- hate it. But if this is the worst it gets that's just fine! I AM only 3 days into the pills though:) We'll see how it keeps goin. OH YEAH- today I got 30 viles of blood drawn- and before we were done...she had to switch arms cause my first arm like...ran out of blood or somethin! Kinda crazy.

Aight- that's it for now. Peace OUT.

Chicken Pecan Cheese Salad

This salad is TO DIE FOR! My sister Amy gave me the recipe and let me tell you- I ate this three days in a row! It's soooo easy, sooo quick, and sooo tasty. Definitely one for the guests!

In and OUT

Yesterday morn we woke at about 4:30 am....flew out of Idaho Falls at 6:00am...were at the doctors from 11am-2:30pm...flew out of Seattle at 6:00pm...got home about 11:00pm. I think my favorite part of the whole flying experience was when I opened that little air blower above my head on the plane...and Clay turned to me and said, "You realize you're just breathing in fresh farts right?" My husband is such a charmer :)

My ankles hurt. I'm serious. I have been hobbling around all morning! I think it's from the hustle and bustle to each terminal. We flew 4 airplanes yesterday...

So here's the scoop-

Clay appears to be on the right track! His bloodwork keeps coming back good- meaning his liver/kidneys are in great shape...which is great news considering how many antibiotics are going into his body at once. The doc said, "I wish all my pateints had your liver levels" or something like that.

The doc thinks she has finally grasped what works for Clay's body since he had such a ginormous herx a few weeks ago. She put it like this "First we start with sticks and stones, then we move to guns, then we nuke em"...she emphasized this was an ANALOGY. teeheh. But basically she is like...alrghty, time to turn it up a notch! She explained that when he has bad herx's like that, his body is emptying a TON OF CRAPOLA. So that's good! And sucky.

I got a few answers to things that have been bothering me lately. For instance- the past year or so I have been grinding my teeth like MAD. The doc explained to me that this is classic bartonella (which is a co-infection that runs with Lyme disease- thats what causes the joints to hurt)...who knew?!

Another funny thing- Bad circulation can occur with lyme/bartonella (i kinda confuse which causes which sometimes) Clay always says his hands are SO COLD. I believed him, but was always confused. His hands NEVER felt cold to me. Well, when she was doing physical exams on me....she felt my hands and was like- woah! Cold hands! Are they always this cold? And I'm like...uhh I never noticed! They don't feel cold! And she said- well do my hands feel warm? And I said- yeah actually they do! And then it clicked. No wonder Clay's hands never feel cold! Mine are just like them! Does anyone else think of Edward and Bella when I talk about this? I did too.

I am going to go fill my prescriptions and start getting treated TODAY. Here are some general estimated answers she had for us regarding some things:

She thinks I will be cured within a year. YES! My new years goal will hopefully come true!

She thinks that we shouldn't consider having a baby for at least 2 years...because she thinks that's when she'll have Clay UNDER CONTROL. Not cured, but under control. The thing is, I was just telling Clay the other day that 2 years sounded about right to wait. Pretty sucky, but that's okay. I'm glad to have a general plan. She says that as long as I'm on baby-safe antibiotics throughout my pregnancy, the baby shouldn't get lyme disease. She says she deals with this in her office ALL the time. I'm so grateful we found who we did when we did.

There were a lot of other random things too, but all probably too jargony and lyme detailed for the general public :) haha. Those are the highlights.

OH YEAH- one more thing. This was great news! She wants to see us in one month, for one last time...then we can start going every other month! We will still have phone consults in the off months, but this will make it SO much less stressful, and wallet-friendly to only travel every other month. Yay for us!

Well...I had a list of things I wanted to get done today, but I just don't know that they'll get done. It might just have to be a rest day! I'm so grateful for Walgreen's drive-through pharmacy. I don't even have to get out of my pj's and no one will ever know! ('cept you guys)

Here's to the new year. It really is gonna be a good one. I can feel it. Great things are in store! You just wait!