Birthday Wish List

Christopher keeps asking me what I want for my birthday. Every day, at least twice. Every time he asks, I answer with "nothing", because really, I have absolutely everything that I need. "But what do you want?", he asks. "Nothing", I respond with, because if y'all remember, a few months back I got my new Canon Rebel, and at the time, I considered that to be my everything present- covering every gift giving holiday at least until Christmas. I wasn't just saying that, I really am in love with it, and the only thing I hope to see on my birthday, is a chocolate raspberry cake, made with love by my beautiful family. I know that sounds lame. But I'm lame, so-

Today while I was putting away the dishes, I was thinking back to when I was younger, and I'd ask my mom what she wanted on her birthday. She'd say "nothing", too. Only, she'd say it in a way that was that was heavy with self pity, and with that I never knew how to react. She wanted something, but didn't want to tell me what, because- well I don't know why? I put a plate on the bottom rack, and then glanced over the counter into the living room. I really, truly, have everything that I need. I have more than I need. I have things that I never even dreamt I'd have. How beautifully blessed am I? A house. A family. A warm cup of coffee to help round out my sanity every morning while I'm waking up. What more could I possibly want?

Wait. I can want things.

But what do I want?

So I decided to make a wish list. A birthday wish list. I sat down at the computer (both of them, on and off throughout the day. 10 minutes on the couch, cook dinner, 10 minutes at the desk, feed the babies, 10 minutes on the couch) and started hearting things on Etsy and google searching anything that came to mind. A couple right clicks and save pictures as later, and I was finished.

It turns out there actually are things that I want...



1. A coffee mug cozy. In blue. Its bright and fun, and maybe my coffee would stay warmer for just a few extra minutes.

2. Some heart shaped measuring spoons. With cute sayings on them. "a pinch of kindness", aww!
3. A yummy red Macintosh Apple scented candle. Not "baked apple pie" or "apple crisp", but Macintosh Apple.

4. Aloe bath bombs. Any bath bombs, really, but aloe sounds particularly nice, doesn't it?

5. A KitchenAid stand mixer. Maybe in yellow? Maybe in blue? I really don't care, just having one would be nice.

6. A really fun macro lens to go with my everything-gift.

7. This "No Gluten Necessary" print. Theres actually a cute little series of them, but I like this one the most.

8. I looooove the music of Stevie Nicks. In the geekiest of ways. I even went so far as to ask Christopher if we could name our child Bella Donna. He said no, haha. So this shirt would probably become my new favorite. In an XL, since its American Apparel, and after having the bean even that will be a stretch.



1. Yellow Rose Stud earrings. I don't have very many items in my jewelry collection. My favorite pair of earrings broke recently, and now I don't have any studs at all. These ones would look nice, I think?

2. Some blue rain boots. Like the one in this picture? Maybe some blue floral rain boots. I want to go puddle stomping. Ok and maybe I want the picture too.

3. This Print reminds me of the Time Travelers Wife. I haven't finished the book yet (I don't even know where it is, I think I hid it in the desk drawer and then ...think its still there?). I lose myself in that book, and maybe thats why I haven't finished it yet, so I can make it last longer.

4. Don't laugh. I want this wolf tank dress, and I want it bad. We saw it at a booth when we went to the Rattlesnake Roundup, and I've been obsessed with it ever since. It would be so hideously perfect on me. I need it. In a size L.

5. A chocolate raspberry cake. I want my babies and husband to all huddle in the kitchen together, wearing matching aprons, holding wooden spoons and plastic bowls, throwing gluten free flours into the air- yum!

6. A butterfly cat coffee mug. Yes, such a thing does exist!

7. More pictures of fruit. I don't have much of a theme in my kitchen, but ever since I've had my own stove to cook on, the only things I've wanted to hang on the walls around it have been pictures of grapes and apples. Even though I can't have either of those things. Fruit is pretty.

8. A bird bath. How about... a mermaid bird bath?! Yes? I've been telling Christopher about how I want a bird bath for months now, but I really don't want to pay full price for one. I'm hoping that randomly we'll come across one at a garage sale sometime this summer, or find one on sale when we're least expecting it. And wouldn't it be amazing it if was mermaid themed?? I'll take what I can get.

Yay, that was fun. It was like internet window shopping. I got to browse brightly colored kitchen gadgets and tank dresses all while changing diapers and putting together tuna noodle casseroles. Now, I probably won't get around to doing that again for another year, maybe longer, but- it sure was fun! Happy birthday to me next Wednesday!

Berry Breakfast Not-So-Crisp

We had a rough weekend, folks. With Christopher working 12 hour shifts both Saturday and Sunday, Eleanore's epic meltdown in the middle of the Earth Day celebration at the zoo (I officially believe in angels after that, by the way, especially those that come to us in the form of cowboys), and Charlie's vitamin c allergy kicking into full gear- this berry cobbler was just what I needed.

I made this Friday night, actually, so that it would be ready for Christopher to have on Saturday morning (I thought maybe it would help ease his I-don't-wanna-work mood).

I haven't had a cobbler since I was pregnant with Charlie. And during that time period, I must have eaten at least six peach cobblers, probably all to myself. At the time, I had no idea of my fructose intolerance, and was always so confused as to why I felt so awful after the peach dish was gone.

I was nervous to make this cobbler. Well not nervous to make it, I knew my family would probably love it whether I ate it along with them or not, but I was nervous that the sugar used to sweeten it would caramelize during the baking process- and if that happened, I couldn't have even a single bite. And I really wanted cobbler.

Usually the "crunchy" crisp topping contains brown sugar. Well I can't have brown sugar (the molasses), so I figured I'd just use cane sugar. And... maybe if I didn't use as much of it... then it wouldn't caramelize?

Y'all, really, I know nothing about baking. And when it comes to baking things fructose free and gluten free, I'm almost always confused and completely overwhelmed.

I had to give it a try anyways though, right? I had to have myself some cobbler!

*********************** Berry Breakfast Not-So-Crisp This recipe is both Gluten free, and fructose free

Preheat oven to 350.

The Filling
-5 cups frozen berries
-1 tablespoon cornstarch
-1 tablespoon rice flour
-1/2 cup cane sugar

The Not-So-Crisp
-1/4 cup gf oat flour
-1/4 cup gf oats
-1/2 cup almond flour
-1/4 cup sorghum flour
-1/4 cup millet flour
-1/2 cup rice flour
-1 teaspoon cornstarch
-1/4 cup sugar
-1/4 cup Earth Balance


Pour your frozen berries (I used strawberries and blueberries) into a glass bowl. Pour the rest of "the filling" ingredients right on top of them.


And then mix it all up.


Mix up all of your "Not-So-Crisp" dry ingredients in a large glass bowl, and then cut in your earth balance with a fork or one of those fancy butter cutter inner thingies. Yep, one of those.

Take a big handful, and sprinkle it inside a greased casserole dish. Just enough to cover the bottom.

Add half of your berries.

Add another handful or two of your not-so-crisp.

Add the remainder of your berries.

Add the remainder of your not-so-crisp.

Cover your casserole dish, either with a lid, or foil- put it into the oven for 50-60 minutes.

Wait, wait, wait. Tick tock, tick tock.


The oven is beeping, and your house smells like a warm orchard, right? And ohmahgosh, it looks so good through the lid, doesn't it?


Aaaand, remove the top. Look- no caramelization!! Well, for those of you who like the crispy crunch of the baked brown sugar, you might not be nearly as excited as I am. For the 2 other people with fructose issues that might be reading this, YAY with me, will you?? YAY!


While your dish sits and cools, the floury crumble is going to soak up the berry juices. It might start to look a little soggy (like the above pictures), and you might start to get a little sad faced, not being used to a soggy crisp, but... this is a not-so-crisp, and it still tastes just as good, I promise.


The cobbler tends to thicken quite a bit when re-heated, so if you're going to eat it warm the next day, be careful not to overheat it.

For the baby's breakfast, I added a few drops of water and ran it through the blender. Hes picky, and I still have to puree things for him, even though hes 16 months old. Hey I understand- not having molars is hard.

If you're feeding this to a little one, you might want to um... be careful?


Because, uh oh. It looks like someone made a lil' bit of a mess, huh?


But I guess that means he likes it!

Of course I'll be playing around with this recipe in the future, I'll probably make it again this next weekend (its so nice to wake up and have a yummy cobbler to eat to get your morning started!), and maybe I'll see what happens if I defrost and pat dry the berries before baking? Maybe I'll use less flour? Maybe I'll use more? It'll take a couple tries to bring it to my own personal perfection, but this is a great start, if I do say so myself.

Enjoy!!