Fabulous Fall

I know it has been a while since my last post.  Things have been quite busy.  Andrew and I took a short trip to Texas and New Mexico, which I should probably blog about.  Also my mom was in the hospital, she is out and doing much better now.  I have gone in for more blood work which hopefully be my last one and then we'll be able to go.

Not knowing whether we will leave soon or not, I have been getting a little into the fall spirit.  The Georgia National Fair is October 7 through 17th.  This year they are having a Georgia Goes Gluten Free Baking Contest.  If we are here, I am planning on entering.  Here are a few cakes that are giving me some inspiration from Country Living:

Autumn Spice Cake

Chocolate Pumpkin Cake

Tiered Pumpkin Spice Cake

Horseback Riding

Here are just a few pictures to document Andrew's first experience riding a horse last week on vacation!

Just getting aquainted

Getting saddled up!

Ridding down the trail

Gluten Free Bread

Well, I attempted my first gluten-free bread baking from scratch.  It was quite interesting.  I did a bit of reading and looking at different recipes before I got started.  Since rice flour, sorghum flour and all the other flours that are used as substitutes to wheat are so much thicker, it creates some difficulties.  The neatest thing that I did different for baking this bread was putting a pyrex of water on the bottom self of the oven.  It helps to add moisture to the oven and therefore helps the bread to be more moist and not dry.  I also used a convection oven for the first time ever on this bread.  Between trying out gluten free baking and using a convection oven, I'm not sure which one made the biggest difference.

I also decided not to put it in a loaf pan.  It turned out interesting, but it is definitely better than the gluten-free bread that you can buy in a store.  It wasn't exactly bad, but I do think I need some more  practice baking it before I get it right :)

Cookies

Yet again, my husband is my most favorite person in the world.  Tomorrow Andrew and I are going on vacation with my family.  A tradition I started a couple of years ago was to bring my famous ice cream scoop chocolate chip cookies on vacation for everyone.  Well, since this year I am gluten-free, I made myself a half batch of cookies without gluten and made my family a batch and a half of gluten filled cookies.  Unfortunately, my mom's kitchen-aid stand mixer was once my grandmas and therefore an antique.  It tends to be a little finicky, so we decided not to risk it and just use the hand mixer.  Andrew faithfully steps in to be the muscle on my hand mixer, about halfway though mixing up the batch and a half batter the hand mixer decides it is done and begins smoking.  At this point, Andrew again amazes me again by stepping in with a spoon to finish the job!  We had so much batter in the bowl that we were barely able to keep it all in.  Andrew managed to get it all mixed up quite nicely and the cookies turned out as good as ever.  I think probably a little better due to all the love that was put in them.

Mid-Weeker

Have I mentioned in my blog yet that I have an amazing husband?  Well I absolutely do!!  Our continual delays have made me somewhat stir-crazy.  Having nothing to do except go in for the occasional blood work or doctor visit, I have felt a bit out of sorts.  My amazing husband planned a mid-week get away Tuesday/Wednesday.  While we are going away on vacation next week with my family, it was still a great time to get away and just be the two of us together.  We packed in as much as we could on our two day get away to Atlanta.  First we went to Atlantic Station.  A little shopping center/village.  We ate at an amazing little Asian food place (don't worry I brought my soy sauce substitute: gluten-free). Then went to see Bodies...The Exhibition.  Thankfully we waited a little bit in between eating and going to see this exhibition.  While it was quite interesting, it was also quite disgusting. :)

After learning all about our bodies, we checked into our hotel and headed off to Centennial Park.  Andrew took many photographs while we were here which I am sure will turn out amazing and we'll all want to check out on LightlyFocused when he posts them.  After walking the park, we headed to the Coca-Cola Museum for some refreshment.

Waiting in line for Coca-Cola's 4D movie

Andrew was a little bit afraid of the bright light we were standing in.

After a long day of site-seeing and visiting museums, we headed out to dinner at Imperial Fez, a neat little Moroccan restaurant complete with reclined seating and a belly-dancer.

Day two in Atlanta brought us to Salvador Dali's Exhibition at the High Museum of Art.  He was a great artist, but I am afraid I believe he probably had some problems and needed to see a therapist.  

After visiting Salvador Dali's collection and looking around the rest of the High Museum, we headed off for our favorite restaurant, PF Chang's.  I ordered off the gluten-free menu, while Andrew enjoyed all the gluten in his meal :)

  

PF Chang's never disappoints and we left happy and satisfied.  For dessert, we went to Sally's Bakery where I got some gluten-free chocolate chip cookies right out of the oven and some blueberry muffins to enjoy at home over the next few days.

We had an amazing trip to Atlanta and I am so thankful to my incredible husband who is so thoughtful and loving.

Tea

Well, I am trying to think of something interesting to blog about.  I always look forward to reading my friend, Sandra's blog.  She always has the cutest things on there and her life always sounds like such fun.  I can't wait till I have a home of my own that I can be creative with.  I keep seeing ideas all over the place that I would like to do, but have no home to decorate them with.  Hopefully soon!

In the meantime, I will spend the day enjoying some Green Tea Goji Berry with Agave nectar sweetener and reading a mystery novel on my Nook.  Hope you enjoy your day too!

Blood Work

Well, I got my blood work back finally.  My liver enzymes have come down, but they are not back to normal yet.  The doctor believes that it is a result of Celiacs.  This is actually good, because we don't have to look for anything else.  While I am definitely getting better, we still do not know when we will get to leave.