Valentines Day!

So many days I am so ashamed of my frustration, anxiety and bad behavior and wonder if I will ever get better. And then I see how far we have come... My son wrote a lovely note to his teacher, sewed a valentine; I make lunches, and even a fruit tray for my daughter and class because she is allergic to everything. While it may seem standard mom stuff, I use to barely even be able to get out of bed. We are healing, we are moving forward, and I am so very grateful to those who love us unconditionally and have helped us gain strength.

I love Valentine's Day. It is just such a happily pink day that we get to make cute crafts and have fun parties in the classes. I dressed up today and was told by another mom I looked like a Valentine Fairy... where are my wings! 

For my son's class I made these raw brownie bites, but I made them really thin and cut them with heart cutters, they were a hit in third grade! 

Gluten free cupcakes with coconut milk and berry whipped topping "frosting" inside secret hearts! 

Oh and of course the lunch! An inside out sandwich with heart shaped turkey, beef, and rice cheese. Side of cupcake, yellow peppers, cinnamon sugar apples, and tomatoes. 

And for dinner, we have pasta, with a big turkey meatball heart. I made little gelatin hearts with pomegranate juice and knox gelatin. 

Field Trip Lunches

It's the kids' last week at their day camps for the summer and they have a lot of field trips happening and needed easy to pack and eat lunches, so I splurged and bought some gluten free loaves from New Cascadia.

I had also just made some chicken and chicken broth in the crock pot, so we had a lot of chicken to be used up, perfect for sandwiches! The kids loved having these with honey mustard dressing and fresh spinach.

Normal lunch

My kids were going to summer day camps and my oldest told me she wanted a normal lunch, I think she was nervous. However, she baked some bread from a package we had sitting in the cupboard, and I had just made some fresh chia seed jam.

Making gluten free bread

"Normal" peanut butter and jelly lunch it is! 

Leprechaun

I saw a similar one online somewhere and of course had to change it up for our restrictions.

Green pepper for the hat; one of those "smashed fruit" all natural fruit leathers for the strap, cut turkey pepperoni for the hat buckle.

Gluten free bread cut into a circle, raisins for eyes, sunflower seed nose, and some chopped carrots for the hair and beard. Super cute, not as difficult at it looks, and the kids loved it!

I also made some gelatin "jigglers" from pineapple juice and knox gelatin for gold pieces, but they came out super tart and were not a hit.

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to my firstborn! 10 years old today.

Gluten free bread, chocolate peanut butter, gluten free pretzels, goji berries for the "cake"; sides of carrot flowers, and Glutino Gluten Free Pretzels -- 14.1 oz.

Interesting sandwich...

Atticus wanted to make his own sandwich, since I had some homemade gluten free bread in the house.

And this is what he came up with: Banana clementine peanut butter sandwich. He ate the whole thing!

Autumn Trees

I was feeling very grumpy this morning about the fall time and how I didn't find it very inspiring at all. My brother is here and I went for a walk in the chilly air and thought there is no way I can feel creative. I sat on my step and saw these lovely, colorful leaves that had fallen to the ground. I decided that I could probably be a little more positive about my attitude. I came inside and cut out these little leaves from the rice cheese, and made happy little fall sandwiches from peanut butter and sesame seeds.

Sides of pumpkin seeds, raisins, apples and carrots. 

Bread shapes

Since we had bread in the house, my son wanted to make the sandwiches, so he got out the Halloween cookie cutters and made up some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, with some Halloween toothpicks.

Worm Sandwich

Look, I baked bread! Okay, it was out of the package, but still fairly impressive for me.

Had this idea from a friend and bought some Surf Sweet Gummy Worms - 2.75 oz - Bag for some peanut butter and worm sandwiches!

Sides of grapes, cashews, pears and snap peas.