Testing, Testing...

I recently received a free bottle of Hellmann's real mayonnaise to test from Influenster.

Now you probably won't understand why I was so excited about getting free mayonnaise to test. I mean some people get cameras and fabric and stuff. But, those people probably don't have a child on the Ketogenic Diet for Epilepsy. This is the brand of mayo that we always use for Owen's recipes!

Rod and I have had a long going argument about which is better... the jar or the squeeze bottle. Rod prefers the squeeze bottle because he says it's easier and less messy to get the exact amount with the squeeze bottle. Remember, we have to weigh out all ingredients to the nearest tenth of a gram (plus or minus 2 tenths). I have always preferred the jar and a mini spatula because the squeeze bottles have a tendency to sputter and send little bits of mayo flying around and because there is always so much left in the bottle at the end that just goes to waste. Well, the new Hellmann's squeeze bottle takes care of my problems!

There is a precision valve tip that keeps globs from coming out at the end and the shape of the bottle lets you get almost all of the mayo out of the bottle (there was a little bit left over that was stuck in the cap, but not more than about 2 grams). Now we are both happy with one product! We loved it so much that we've already bought not one, but TWO new bottles! The only problem I had was that the first squeeze comes out fast, so we have to be careful if we don't get exactly the right amount in the first squeeze. It's hard to get less than 2 grams in one squeeze which, of course, wouldn't be a problem to anyone who isn't on the Ketogenic Diet. It was so easy to control though that we got 5 out of 8 of our batches exactly right on the first try the very first time we used the new bottle and 8 out of 9 exactly spot on the second time I made his food with it.

It's always nice when someone comes out with a product that makes my life easier and this one really does. I feel really weird being so excited about mayonnaise, but seriously it takes us about 2 hours to make a weeks worth of cheese sandwiches for Owen so a 10 minute time savings is a big deal.

Owen's Cheese Sandwich   282 calories  3.5:1 ratio

8g   Egg (raw, mixed well)
8g   Hellmann's/Best Foods mayonnaise
22g Ketocuisine baking mix
14g Tillamook cheddar cheese

Mix  first 3 ingredients together with about 10MLs of water. Add another 5MLs of water, mix again and pour into a silicone mold sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake at 350F for about 10-15 minutes. Watch carefully because it goes from done to burnt really quickly. Let cool and take out of molds. Put cheese in between "bread" pieces.

We wrap the finished sandwiches in plastic wrap and store them in the freezer for up to a month or 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Owen like them microwaved until the cheese melts. We've also reheated them in a non-stick pan on the stove or a camp stove.

Disclaimer: The Ketogenic diet is a special medical diet and should never be used without Doctor's supervision.
Disclaimer #2: I was given a free bottle of Mayonnaise for testing purposes through Influnster

Ashlinn {3 months}

 At 3 months Ashlinn really started playing with us! She's always been a very expressive baby, but she really started interacting with us.

Happy Birthday Duncan! {Eleven}

We have a semi-tradition in our family about unusual gift wrapping methods. Especially when we want to conceal the gift for as long as possible.

This year, Duncan really wanted a Nintendo DS for his birthday. We'd already told him that it was a little out of our target price range, but Rod and I started talking and realized it had been quite a while since Duncan had gotten a "big ticket" item as a present. For Christmas he had actually asked for a present that he know Owen wanted instead of something for himself. So, we ended up getting it for him. But, we had to torture him a little first.

We wrapped the DS in Ashlinn's diapers and put it in a shoe box.

He was pretty happy once he got to the actual present. So was Owen!

After presents, Duncan got to go on his traditional shopping trip with Rod's Dad.
Grandpa started taking the kids for a one on one shopping trip for their birthdays  back when Devon and Connor were just little. It's now one of their birthday highlights.

Then he came back home for homemade pizza and store bought cake ( Hey, I had surgery less than 2 weeks ago and Devon gets sick of cooking now that she works in a bakery) with Kristi, Simon, and Carlitos.

Carlitos had more fun with Duncan's cake than he had with his own birthday cake last month!

Ashlinn thinks her nephew is pretty cool.

Carlitos was more interested in the toys though. He was especially interested in the basket the girls brought him toys in which was actually the flower girl basket from his parent's wedding.

All in all, I think Duncan had a pretty great birthday. He's been too engrossed in his new toy to tell anyone though!

Ashlinn {2 Months}

I decided when Ashlinn was born that I would take her picture on her blankie every month for the first year of her life and give or take a day or two I've managed to keep up so far. I haven't, however, managed to keep up with posting the pictures, so here's a catch up post of her 2 month pictures.

I can't believe how rolly-polly she is. I shouldn't be surprised since all of my kids have been at this age, but since all the rolls disappear once they start moving, it still startles me.

Devon came in to help me take pictures (her camera is MUCH better than mine). She took a few pictures and decided she was done since Ashlinn was boring and didn't do anything yet.

So, Ashlinn rolled over! I'd been pretty sure she was rolling before this since I'm careful to leave her on her back when I'm not watching her and I'd found her on he stomach a few times, but this was the first time I'd caught her in the act!

She was pretty proud of herself!

Ashlinn {4 months}

Ashlinn was 4 months old yesterday! She now weighs about 16 lbs. She is wearing a medium onesie in these pictures and 6-9 month size pants. I can find out for sure how much she weighs soon since she will FINALLY be added to our insurance June first and I can take her in for a check up. I can't believe how complicated adding a newborn to insurance is now. I highly recommend having a baby in December when it is still open enrollment time.

Ashlinn rolls over from both her back to her tummy and from her tummy to her back. She scoots on her back and is trying really hard to scoot forward on her tummy. She now plays with toys, much to the delight of her youngest older siblings!