That Christmas Tree was pretty spectacular...but what now?

Today is Tree-Recycling Day... but the flyers the collection department passed out stated that you need to cut the tree up so that it would fit into your yard waste container. This is no small feat when you have a freakin' TWELVE-FOOT tall tree!!!!

Because I know a thing or two about trees (having majored in Floriculture and Ornamental Horticulture in college...yes, that is a real major), I was able to boss guide my husband to a perfect solution...

First, trim off the branches...

 Can you find the loppers?

Working out some post-burglarization frustrations...

Who am I kidding? I don't think I've used my college degree in any job I've ever held. My husband is a born arborist and wields those loppers like a pro without any help from me.

Okay, so this isn't as funny in pictures on a blog post as it was in real life. But I was laughing so hard I almost fell down the stairs.

And this post is saving us from another 'ravings of an insane injured athlete' post. You're welcome :)

The Biggest (tree) and the Best (gluten-free chocolate chip cookies)

For the last two years, we've used a dinky fake tree at Christmas. Both times the kids were really bummed. The first time, I used the excuse "We're in the middle of moving!" which was true. Last year, laziness, bad weather and lack of funding conspired to formulate this awesome line of reasoning "You don't really want to go out in the pouring down rain and tromp through the super muddy tree lot to pick out a soaking wet tree in the freezing cold, do you?" The kids did not.

This year, I was in agreement with them. We all wanted a real tree. A nice tree. A big tree.

On Friday, I called my husband on his way home from work.

"Hey, honey... can you meet us at the tree lot?"
"Sure... I'm right near it."
"Excellent! Start looking. If something appeals to you, just get it. I give you free rein."
"Really? Wow."
"Yeah, whatever you want. I promise not to complain. Go for it."

And I hung up.

A mere five minutes later...no exaggeration... he called back.

"I got it!" I could here a semi-smirk in his voice. "Tell G he got his wish!"

I turned to Big G. "Dad says you got your wish."

The boy squealed. Seriously, squealed with delight. "He got a massive tree! He got a massive tree!"

Oh, jeez. I promised not to complain...so I didn't.

Twelve feet tall. 

It's like a mall tree.

I actually kind of love it. And while I did the lights, I have relinquished all decorating control to the kids...with the one instruction that they place breakable items out of Miss C's reach. Letting go... finding the balance :)

So that's the biggest part of the post...now for the best...

Being surrounded by goodies this time of year is a challenge for the non-wheat eater. Cookies and breads and cakes abound, but it's hard to find gluten-free options...and I know why. Often, GF options are cardboardy or taste 'off' or have the 'wrong' texture. Today I'm sharing a recipe that is, according to my kids, better than the regular option. I want to preface this by telling you that until about a year ago, I really thought the only way to make chocolate chip cookies was by following the recipe on the back of the chips bag. I had no idea that you could do it any other way. Really. But my friend Catey set me straight. This recipe below I got from her blog and then substituted gluten-free flours.

My Favorite Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

makes approx. 5 dozen 2-1/2 inch diameter cookies

• 3 c. gluten-free flour (I use a combo of Gluten Free Pantry All-Purpose Flour and King Arthur Flour's gluten free multi-purpose flour...the flour you choose definitely makes a difference!)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1-1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 c. butter (2 sticks)
• 1/2 c. white granulated sugar
• 1-1/2 c. golden brown sugar, packed
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 360ºF.

Stir the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together and set aside.

Cream together butter and sugars in another large mixing bowl until thoroughly blended. Some people soften the butter...I don't. I cut the sticks into lengthwise quarters and then slice it all into small chunks. Creaming the sugars with cold butter yields a texture of cookie I prefer. I also cream the sugars one at a time. You can use an electric mixer (easier if butter is softened), but I use a wooden spoon.

Add in slightly beaten eggs (you can just beat them in the same bowl) and then the vanilla. Beat until well blended.

Combine dry ingredients with the creamed mixture (most recipes say to do this gradually. I just dump it all in at once and then "cut" it all together with the side of my wooden spoon...sort of like making pie crust) until it is well mixed. If it seems too dry and crumbly, you might add a splash (between a tsp and tbs) of milk or cream to the mix...it doesn't take much.

Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheets (I recently discovered parchment and swear by it).

Baking time: In my oven, baking for 11 minutes and then allowing to cool on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes yields a perfect chewy cookie. Baking for 13 minutes and cooled for 2 creates a delicately crisp cookie. My husband is a cookie-making master and taught me that keeping an eye on the cookies is VERY important! These gluten-free cookies seem a little more fragile than regular cookies and really benefit from those "2 minutes on the sheets" cooling period. Then transfer with a spatula to racks to finish cooling.

YUM.

What I wish for...

My kids have been talking about what they want for Christmas for months now. The other day I was asked for some paper so they could write these things down so no one would forget. I love how they seem to think that the simple act of writing these wished-for items down on paper will make them materialize in our house for them on Christmas morning. A standard 8-1/2 x 11 sheet of paper was insufficient. They wanted BIG paper. Two-foot by three-foot big.

While they were writing, I started reflecting on my own wishes. Here's the list I came up with:

1. Comfort and Joy for my son...

Big G just got braces on, and he is miserable. 

Not so much in this picture because this is before. 

The misery level was like a race horse charging out of the gate from the moment the bell sounded...

in this case, from the moment they cranked his lips open with the scary mouth thing :(

 First, they painted his teeth blue...

 and after they painted them blue, they washed it all off.

Then they started putting the brackets on...

This was the part that took the longest, I guess because they need to position them just so.

 Once the brackets were in place, they added the wire...

which is held on my these super cool, teeny tiny rubber bands...you can pick the color.

Big G chose a sedate and unobtrusive grey.

His eyes are not smiling.

Now his whole face is not smiling :(

The whole procedure took about 2.5 hours. And the situation went rapidly downhill. He doesn't care about how they look...for him, it is all about the comfort and the food. He has spent the last 48 hours crying and wimpering and just being super super sad that he is not able to eat any of his favorite foods...except ice cream...but he can't very well eat that for every meal...I mean, it would melt in his lunchbox. 

So that is my first Christmas wish... for my son to be comfortable and happy.

2. O, Christmas Tree...

A real one this year...

not like last year.

I want one like we had in 2006...

but that was a different house and a lifetime ago.

3. All is calm... all is bright...

I want to feel solid and secure. I want to always be able to remember that sunshine (or starlight) is just around the corner...even when things don't seem that way. I know that exercise helps immensely with this...as does a healthful nutrition plan. And let's not forget therapy. I keep plugging away at this. I want to be an optimist...

4.  Some figgy pudding...

I get so tired of not being able to eat gluten. I wish for the ability to safely eat regular food!

okay...enough Christmas carol openers...

5.  A solid right hip that never hurts...okay... let's broaden that... a body that doesn't hurt. This would include no more migraines. Yes, migraines...that would be you. You are not welcome around here. Go away.

6.  A house that works for our family. This house is like one big room. You can hear everything and anything, everywhere and anywhere. There is no separation of space. I liked this at first, but now it just doesn't work...for any of us.

7.  A procrastination antidote and punctuality serum. Do I really need to explain this, other than to say I am one of those people everyone seems to hate in that I am always running about 5 minutes late? Always. Even if I leave my house more than an hour before I am told I need to, I will invariably get stuck behind a 20-minute train and a jack-knifed tractor-trailer rig on the interstate that slows traffic down to a crawl...rendering me 5 minutes late! It isn't that I don't care, so don't give me that line about how it is such a sign of disrespect and selfishness. 

8.  Perfect, uncorrected vision, both close and far. I want to not need glasses or contacts to see. I want to wake up in the morning and see the world clearly from the moment I open my eyes. I want to see my child's splinter easily so that I can remove it quickly. I want to enjoy my children's artwork when they jam it up into my face instead of freaking out at what I cannot see so darn close!

9.  This...

source

I want the one that comes with the 5,000-sq.ft. house on an acre of land...in my area.

And that house that comes with the dog would also come with a staff to take care of said house and grounds and help out with the dog when I required assistance.

10. And this...

source

Luckily, they added 2 rear seats to this model, so the dog can ride around with me :)

This is by no means a finite list! 

What's on your wish list?

And I decided to link this list up with Stasha, my favorite NorthWest Mommy :) for this week's...

and yes, I know it's Thursday... see #7.