SUGAR-FREE FOODS

During my last two pregnancies I went through a time of being sugar-free and yeast-free.

I admit that my attitude, at the time, wasn't very good. It's hard to be chirpy when you have morning sickness for 34 weeks. But that is no excuse for being grumpy!

Anyway - I found it very hard to satisfy my hunger (you get hungry when a baby is growing inside you -funny that!) with non-sugar items (lots of veges had too much sugar, and all fruits were out-of-bounds).

There is sugar hidden in all sorts of places, and I could taste it, and felt sicker if I ate it!

Here is my list of things I COULD eat, even when I felt sick, published out there in cyber-world in case it blesses someone else (and for me to refer back to, should we be blessed with another baby!).

cashew nuts
cashew butter
brazil nuts
pancakes
fried egg
cold hard-boiled egg
baked eggs
Proper Crisps (made in Nelson)
pikelets
cold cooked chicken (made by me so that I knew it was cooled and put in fridge quickly)
cold grilled chops
scones
Naan bread and Mountain bread chips (made by me)
Quick Cooking oats (porridge) made with Rice Milk and cinnamon on the top
Mozerella cheese
processed cheese slices
Rice Cakes and Corn Thins with cottage cheese on
rice and vegetables
pasta and potatoes cooked in stock (make own stock - purchased stock has sugar)
baked Pita bread (check no sugar in the Pita Breads)
homemade soup with homemade stock (no mushrooms when yeast free)
if you are not yeast-free you can have toast and butter and toast and cashew butter
baked potatoes with cheese and butter and some salt and herbs
mashed potatoes
mashed potato fritters - cold mashed potatoes, cheese, egg, flour, herbs and salt

A recipe for half-way decent snacks I devised:

grind: brazil nuts, cashew nuts, sunflower seeds, almonds - mix with melted butter and a bit of Carob powder, add a smidge of Xylitol if you can take that (Xyliol is a NATURAL sweetner that you use pound for pound the same as sugar. It's easier to use than Stevia in my opinion, but I have used both in the past). When all is mixed together press into a sandwich slice tin, and put in fridge. When cool cut into small squares and put in the freezer. Eat one at a time. :o)

I will come back and add to this if I remember anything else.

If any readers have suggestions then please let me know!!

Blessings
The Mummalady

SEEING ALL THE GOOD THINGS

We have been watching Andre Rieu on Youtube and have borrowed a DVD from grandparents which the children have enjoyed.

His DVD where he is on the way to New York is very interesting! I recommend it as a great "behind the scenes" look at this amazing man and his orchestra. It is rated PG, and there are some bits which I needed to fast-forward as I didn't want the children watching, but other than that it was fantastic.

One evening during a before bed chat, our 7 year old daughter said she'd like to have a life like that - travelling and playing music.

I shared with her that when they make a program like that they show the good parts of the lifestyle.

I really do believe that the members of Andre's orchestra genuinely enjoy playing and touring with each other - that's clear to see, and I have heard from a lady who has attended 25 of his concerts that each concert is wonderful!

But I think each of those performers spent many, many years learning their instruments, practising and tears, auditions, disappointments, separation from loved ones due to touring and performing in different cities - all part of a normal life, but none shown on the program. And I don't blame them. They can't follow orchestra members their whole lives showing the ups and downs! But when a child doesn't see that, they can't imagine what is involved.

Without our discussion, our beautiful little 7 year old could have still thought that their whole lives were full of laughter, playing together beautifully, looking out for one another and enjoying every moment of their lives.

That happens to us sometimes too when we look at the life of a friend or someone we have just met. They seem to have it all together. They are wonderful, their furniture matches in their lounge, their piano is in tune, their car doesn't leak when it rains, their children never show disrespect, a house so big there is room to spare ... whatever we perceive as successful.

But we're not there behind closed doors with them. We don't see loneliness, frustrations, years spent on constant heart-tying and training with their children, the worries about overdrafts and loans ... people can carry any sort of issues that the world never sees.

I will endeavour to keep my attention focused on my own life, the place that God has put me right now, to serve and worship Him. And I will keep my eyes and my heart fixed on Jesus Christ - my saviour, my protector and the reason I live.

Blessings
The Mummalady

READING OUT LOUD

We love reading out loud in this house.

The baby loves it (we think), the 2 year old, 4 year old, 7 year old, 14 year old and 16 year old love it. So do Mummy and Daddy. And the dogs. And the cat.

We read the Bible, picture books, poetry, novels, lots of non-fiction, instruction books, the back of packets of food ... but we are very very careful about what we read. There's a lot of bad stuff out there, and we don't want rubbish running around our heads.

Reading as a family is special - even if sometimes it is difficult. Not everyone wants to sit still while we are reading. It takes forward planning, discipline and consistency to train children to play a nice quiet game while we read out loud. But the benefits are huge!

Our favourite characters develop voices, and often we have a favourite line from a book.

Oft quoted verses include:
From Marguerite de Angeli's "The Door In the Wall" John-Go-In-The-Wind's mother says "I'll bake thee a bannock".




Again, Marguerite de Angeli's "The Black Fox of Lorne" (where I had to do a Scottish accent for a lot of the dialogue - I kept lapsing into Irish, Welsh and Yorkshire, but the children didn't mind too much!). One character (McCrone big nose) only appeared for two lines, but both of them we love: "Meat - is it?" and "Indeed. Indeed."
And another character from that story - Gavin of Lorne "So! Ye be twain! Two cockerels from a double-yolked egg."




From "Jenna's Journal" written by me - Bren the bully-girl says "Get lost rich girl. These are mby trousers." For some reason that line (and the "blocked-nose" voice that it was read in) have become a classic around here.

Henty's books always have something in them that we laugh at. "The Young Buglers" had the African character Sam who referred to himself as "dis coloured gentleman." And he often used the term "dis chile" (our baby is often affectionately called that.)





"The Cat of Bubastes" (which are currently reading for the second time) has Tylus the baddie: "Wrech! Do you dare to murder the High Priest of Osiris?" after which he is dealt with by our hero Jethro.

"Long Way from Chicago" and "A Year DownYonder" by Richard Peck has the very colourful character "Grandma". One of her best lines: "Boys is bad news. Girls is worse."






Our 16 year old reads to The Smalls. Our 7 year old reads to the other Smalls. Daddy reads the Bible to the big boys before he goes to work. Mummy reads to everyone when they will listen.



If you don't read out loud to your family then start now!! Don't know what to read? Try Proverbs! Or the Gospel of Luke. How about some of the good A A Milne poems, or Robert Louis Stevenson? Read heaps of good non-fiction about animals, plants, places in the world, famous people ...

Read!

Blessings
The Mummalady

READING GAME

I picked up some fantastic star-shaped Post-It notes on sale the other day.

The Lord leads me to bargains, He provides the money and then He gives me great ideas for things to do with what He's give me! I can't imagine home education without God.

These star-shaped Post-Its have turned into a fantastic reading game.

I have written the names of familiar items on them - one item per sticker: wall, door, Daddy's boot, drawer, desk etc. Every so often I give one to our little 4-year old he needs to have a go at reading it, then stick it to the item.

Because they are genuine Post-It notes they have good adhesive which actually sticks (some of the cheap imitation ones don't stick!). And they don't leave marks on walls or furniture (but you might like to try it someone inconspicuous just in case!)

I made some stickers for a little friend too and I hope she enjoys them.


Bye for now
The Mummalady