little bit o'elbow grease

it was SO icky gross

awful

yucky

filthy

well.. I don't really HAVE enough words to describe it's nastiness 

so I got myself a bucket 

filled it with a 

Scotch scrubby sponge

and

Murphy's Oil Soap

grabbed a microfiber cloth and GOT down to work

because it was carpeted .. 

those staples were EVERYWHERE

so i used my handy dandy Opa Tool

and pulled them RIGHT up

see all about it 

HERE

looks a LOT better right?

I think so 

mind you the picture doesn't really 

SHOW it.. but it's pretty badly stained..

I plan on painting it..

 MORE on that later!

well,

the Farm house is coming together!

so exciting!

beneath my feet

tearing up that fluffy stuff beneath our feet

means protecting hands

using hardy tools

protecting lungs

and it's really hardy work

Machine Man is up for the job too

after finishing the staircase

and leaving me a mess to clean up

they had to find this

the original flooring was 

HIDING

beneath these boards

and awful carpet

removing the carpet totally stressed the guys out

but they started pulling and found wide planks

(**smiling**)

Machine man also found concrete something or other smeared over the boards..

??

LOVE wide plank boards

but these big gaps???

what's a girl to do?

in some spots we can SEE through 

DOWN to the basement

(think "PSYCHO" scary when you think of our basement)

This big change in flooring might be causing some tripping..

must consider WHAT to do

Big mess

all cleaned up

next?

not sure..

we need to block those gaps to the basement..

perhaps we should put some boards beneath these

sort of on the basement ceiling

...

?

I am 

NOT 

volunteering for 

THAT

Let the ripping and repair BEGIN!

It all began a little over a week ago

We got some tools and attacked the floors

or I SHOULD say

the GUYS attacked the floors

They began on the upstairs hall and stairwell 

it was

MESSY

&

DUSTY 

and EVERYONE wore one of these

chaos reigned that weekend

and carpet remnants were WELL worth the taking out

ICKY! 

so what was I doing whilst the lads and their Father

labored away on ripping up carpets?

reading this lovely novel

by 

JOHN BUCHAN

it's 

simply 

BRILLIANT

missing frozen pizza? EMERGENCY PIZZA HELP

Going GLUTEN Free

has been really good for our family...

everyone is feeling SO much better,

 & healing is happening in our systems. 

Less inflammation, 

less of everything ICK that comes from having

Gluten sensitivities

but

we make our own bread

our own cookies

our own muffins

our own dinner rolls

from scratch

we make nearly 

EVERYTHING

even pizza 

from scratch

but 

sometimes...

you KNOW those times,

when you've been EVERY place BUT home

running, running running

ALL over creation

and what you REALLY want is something simple

easy

not dramatic

just yummy food

that is 

a bit of a 

shortcut.

AND

sometimes

as much as we LIKE

 Dinty Moore Beef Stew

(which is gluten free/Casein free fyi)

we just don't WANT it

we want something

crunchy

cheesy

easy

like

frozen Pizza

but have you ever LOOKED at the price OF

gluten free FROZEN pizza?

it's just .. 

WOW expensive

and being on the 

DAVE RAMSEY plan

doing that

is like watching ME hyperventilate

because you'd be doing that 

WOW expensive frozen pizza TIMES 8

which = fall over in the isle paying

or

8(WOW $$) = FOITIP

(a little home school moment)

WAIT!

times 8?

Are you counting Dusty & Teanie?

Do the bunnies REALLY eat pizza too?

no

but C.S. & Machine Man eat about 2 of them each!

2(C.S) + 2(M. M) + M + P + B + L.M = 8

That said

we've looked for 

alternatives to the frozen gf pizza.

now 

PLEASE do not misunderstand.

we HAVE a wonderful

amazing 

gluten free crust we MAKE from scratch

but this post is NOT about 

those happy times.

THIS post is about when LIFE is CRAZY

and 

YOU NEED HELP

when making from scratch is just 

NOT 

possible ! 

when?

When would that be?

ok..

list of reasons to NOT make from scratch...

exhaustion

preservation of sanity

lack of time

energy

patience

illness

defeat

too much traffic

eating at a pizza party with friends

the list is really endless

but

it's there if you stop to look..

so in THOSE cases

I have a freezer with a case of these inside!

UDI's to the rescue!

yep

super yummy, 

crunch crusts

and right there in my freezer

but WAIT!

Pizza.. YOU are eating PIZZA?

what about that Little Man is allergic to Casein?

that MILK protein thing you blogged about 

HERE

HOW can he have Pizza with out CHEESE?

isn't Buddy allergic to Dairy too?

What do you feed THEM on those Emergency Pizza nights?

you don't make them eat frozen PEAS do you?

oh..FEAR NOT

we are not that cruel

though

truth be told Frozen Peas are a favorite of Little Man right now

Mama did her research

&

they eat THEIR pizza with this

not always with cheddar.. but

If I find the Mozzarella

I buy it.. 

this time they didn't have it at the store

and ya know what?

the boys didn't care they LOVED it

it is casein free

gluten free

soy free

 & who KNOWS what else it's free of

it's wonderful

it tastes good

and it MELTS more like cheese 

than any other "fake cheese"

because of SOY allergies

this is the only "fake cheese" we've found so far

thankfully it's also the BEST

this is our favorite "topping"

I know

it's probably awful

but as far as I recall none of us are allergic to any ingredients

also it tastes good

AND

we eat so darn good ALL the time

it's sort of OUR way of feeling

AMERICAN

(giggling)

now. we ARE American's by the way

and we LOVE our Country

we just don't GET how most folks here eat...

there are no words 

Buddy is SUPER excited! 

he LOVES his pizza

look at Little Man GO after that slice!

I love watching him eat things that he LOVES to eat

Toddlerhood is SO fun 

OH MY! 

what sauce?

oh..

any that has not gluten or cheese or well any dairy

we like Trader Joes Pizza sauce

but we often get other kinds

we just 

READ 

READ 

READ 

all the lables

so there ya have it

if you EVER need a fast and easy pizza crust

this one's fun & fast, 

just top it and pop it in the oven !

Bunny lovin'

wait!

Stop the PRESSES!

is that TWO fuzzy soft friends I see?

yep.. your eyes do not deceive you

that's not ONE rabbit

but TWO!

Buddy got a new pet for his BIRTHDAY!

We all KNOW and LOVE our Dusty Bunny

but 

please welcome to our Blog

Teanie!

Teanie is SUCH a lovely addition to the family!

a beautiful 6 year old Holland lop!

Do the bunnies get along? 

you could say that..

they hop and play together all day long!

Fun times.. 

Welcome to the Family Teanie!

crocodiles?

we hear it ALL the time

i do NOT exaggerate friends

it is at LEAST a dozen times a day

most likely 

a dozen times an hour

"Mama" or "Papa"

"I have a question...."

notice he NEVER 

i mean NEVER

just ASKS the question

it is rather...

an announcement

it sort of DEMANDS that you ask HIM the question

"what's your question Buddy?"

and then HE feels SO helpful in sharing the question with you.

all sorts of questions

they never stop

they go on and on and on

probably for 

eternity

but we can't see that far

because it just doesn't stop

nope

he'll WAKE up

and 

come DOWNSTAIRS

to 

announce

YES

ANNOUNCE 

that he has

a QUESTION

today's funniest SO far?

"Mama... "

"I have a Question...."

long pause

maybe if i pretend i am REALLY enthralled in what I am doing

it might stop..

still paused..

"MAMA, perhaps you didn't hear me, but

I have a QUESTION"

i turn

praying to God for a serene look to appear on my face

"yes Buddy... that's nice"

(new approach)

"yes Mama.. don't you want to KNOW what my question is?"

(new approach thwarted)

"sure Buddy" 

(I smile.. he's SO darling)

"Well, I want to KNOW if Crocodiles can climb trees

and If they can't 

can they knock a tree down IF I climb it?

and how thick ought the tree be that I ought to climb

IF that is I ought to climb at all?

I just really need to know

the next time a crocodile chases me..

what I ought to do"

to this I answer

"pray Buddy.. PRAY"

he gives me the LOOK

and asks Princess to google it for him...

oh MY

I thought we lived in the 

NORTHERN part of the MIDWEST?

crocodiles?

planning to...

RIP OUT

these carpets!

That's what's ON the docket for this weekend!

don't you love my vacuum cleaner?

a falling apart shop vac

well...

it WORKS

even if it takes a long time. 

it works

sort of..

yah

i know..

we'll pull out the carpet on the stairs too,

and in the upstairs hall way

soooo exciting

and so icky dusty allergen producing

blah 

I forgot to show you how CLEAN the walls in the living room are 

thanks to the girls 

Princess, Bean, Swan & Phin

they scrubbed away

and really got the room looking GREAT!

next 

we RIP up the carpet

and 

PULL up the staples

and wash everything with 

VINEGAR

you are just SO excited right?

me too!

C.S. BTW

I have always thought

that 

BTW 

meant

By The Way

gee, it did when writing notes & passing them during study hall in 

Junior High School

it meant that in note writing whilst in High School

(yes i know they text each other now right? I'm dating myself!)

it even meant that when things began exploding on the internet

in chat rooms

and all THAT jazz

it STILL means "By The Way" on 

Facebook & Twitter

but today

 it took on a WHOLE new meaning for me

BTW

Behind The Wheel

I signed my first born up

for Drivers ED...

this is MOMENTOUS for us

for those who've 

been there

& 

done that

you nod and comprehend, and long to tell me 

it's NO big deal

for those of you with kids 13 and under

I see the beads of sweat forming JUST beneath your skin

only because I was JUST there

it's STRESSFUL to think about

isn't it?

well here we are

at the EDGE

ready to JUMP off the cliff

he looks ready

says he IS ready

feels ready

me..

not so much

but then again

maybe I am ready

he's FANTASTIC

fun

smart

thoughtful

cautious

(can you hear me starting to breath regular?)

I can't believe we've come this far together

I remember his first car

it was like THIS

we still have it.

shocking.. but it was built to last

(little tikes ROCKS!)

but C.S. isn't a little tike anymore

he's growing into quite a young man

it happens

so quick

days may seem to drag

but months and years

FLY by

so now.. 

Machine Man and Mama C

have one that is in diapers

and one that will be BTW

Behind THE Wheel

and 

EIB

Everything In Between

as always

prayers welcome

(giggling)

Reflecting on a great weekend

Making friends

it seems to come easy when we are young

it's not always so simple to 

nurture those new friendships

to grow them

friendships are like flowers in a garden

sometimes plants go dormant

and BLOOM with 

JUST a bit o'water and attention

for MY self and my girlfriends

it's been a long stretch

I have known both the brilliant 

Glamour Moms

since I was a girl!

yep

and ya know what, 

they are such a joy and blessing to me

so MANY ups and downs

bends in the road

and yet 

a joy

that is what these ladies are..

and their daughters

and my daughter...

WOW ! 

They are a BLAST !

Fun

energetic, compassionate, hard working

a pleasure just to KNOW...

and I think

I wonder

about their days ahead

their lives

the bends in them

the ups and downs 

Where will the new found friendships take THEM?

Who knows...

But at least this ONE weekend

they had one another

a lot of silliness

a LOT of adventure

a whole LOT of fun 

I look forward to having these girls 

COME to Blessings Farm again and again

thank you SO much Swan

you are a joy,

We are glad to know YOU

and hope to watch you grow and grow

into an amazing woman 

Thank you Phin

for your energy

you passions

I look forward to seeing you grow, mature

blossom into the fabulous lady you shall be 

Princess

I am JUST so very thankful to God

that I get you be YOUR Mama

that I get to raise you up from little to Lady

so far it's been Brilliant!

thank you for all you do, and for being YOU!

Bean, you are bright and shiny 

a true Sunshine gal

thank you for coming to Blessings Farm

and blessing US!

May your days be filled with wonder, and love

and JOY

May each of you young ladies 

be BLESSED beyond measure

May God touch your lives in profound and unimaginable ways

may your days be joy FILLED to overflowing

may you ALWAYS know

no MATTER what,

that you matter SO very very much

that you are appreciated

that you have great friends because YOU are lovely !

and MOST importantly

that you are 

LOVED

thank you to you and your AMAZING mothers 

for attending the 1st EVER 

Blessings Farm

Mother Daughter Getaway Retreat !