Thirteen Random Less Than Interesting Facts About Me 1. My eyes are green. Not a bright green, sort of a swampy green (I always wanted blue eyes). 2. My hair is brown, but currently has light and medium blond highlights. It's also turning gray, so some of the brown has been added. 3. My arms are double jointed. 4. I am afraid of spiders. 5. I am afraid of flying (but I will fly, I just don't like it). 6. I've always wanted to learn to paint, play the piano, speak a foreign language and learn to cook like a gourmet. I can currently do none of these things so I better pick something and get started. 7. I graduated from college, but I always new my calling was to be a stay at home mom. 8. I don't like political correctness, but I'm afraid to hurt anyone's feelings by being unpolitcally correct. 9. I'm type A with type B tendencies. 10.I love to watch T.V. and can't fall asleep without it. 11. I like crafts, but I'm not very crafty. 12. I think I'm a good person. 13. I love my family with all my heart. I had no idea what to do this weeks TT about. I couldn't come up with a thing, so I hope this wasn't too random. Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Labels: thursday thirteen

Would you survive in the wild? Your Result: Yesiree!.... You could live in the wild if you wanted to! You know what to eat, do, and stay away from! You could get shelter, food, water fast and easy-and the right treatments to injuries, snake bites etc...You know the outdoors like the back of your hand!!
Wouldn't last 2 minutes!.....
Maybe........
Not to sure...
Most likely you'll survive....
Would you survive in the wild? Quizzes for MySpace

This is actually kind of surprising. I'm an indoor girl and although I've been "camping", it's not very rustic camping and usually involves indoor plumbing and some place to plug in my curling iron.
I saw this quiz over at Norma's Blog and thought it looked fun. I was sure that it would say for me not to leave home without my very own Forest Guide.

Labels: quiz

Visit The Headquaters for more Wordless photo's.

Labels: wordless wednesday

FDA Definition of Gluten-free for Labeling
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing to define the term "gluten-free" for voluntary use in the labeling of foods.
The FDA will allow a food products to be labled GF if the level is below
20 ppm wheat, barley, rye.

The only risk free choice for people with celiac disease is a diet free of the amino acid sequences that evoke an immune response. At this time there is insufficient research about personal tolerance levels. There is also insufficient food testing methods for risk free choices. The FDA's regulation is based on food testing methods readily available to food producers. The FDA's regulation means that consumers who are sensitive to gluten at the level of 20 ppm would no longer be able to rely on gluten-free claims to identify foods. A product labeled gluten-free could test from 0ppm to 20ppm making personal risk difficult to access.

CSA's Recognition Seal Program verifies products status with below level of detection by ELISA testing with a lower limit 3ppm with a gluten test that is cross reactive with rye and barley. CSA also specifies no wheat, barley, rye and oats "No WBRO" or their crosses and derivatives in product, processing and packaging to qualify for the seal.

Go to Celiac Sprue Association Website for the complete article with more information or for direct links to the FDA to let your voice be heard.

Labels: fda, gluten free

I'm late, but I'm here.
Today's tackle involved going places. First, I went to a kindergarten open house at "hopefully" my son's school next year. I got the tour, the information, the application and instructions on how to go about getting him signed up. I can drop off the application and fee on Monday. Keeping fingers crossed that he will get in. We should know by the end of February.

Next stop, the sporting goods store. I bought my son a $2.00 pair of swim goggles at K-Mart (yes, I'm cheap) and his swim instructor informed us that these just aren't working. The seal isn't tight and they take on water, so off to buy the $14.00 Speedo pair I should have sprung for in the first place.

Then off to the card shop: Picked up some Valentine's Day stuff (can't say what in case hubby is reading) and birthday cards and wrapping paper for son's birthday this weekend.

Last stop: The Library where I picked up CD's for the party, books, and 2 DVD's in case we get the 12 inches of snow they are calling for and school gets cancelled again tomorrow. The boys are bored and I have a lot of work to do and just can't entertain them 24/7.

I now have laundry, dusting and picking up to do. Hope everybody's tackles are good ones.

Labels: Tackle it Tuesday

I recently discovered this article in the news and although most people would be very happy with it, I am slightly distressed. McDonald's will be switching over to a new trans fat free oil that they have developed, but they are unable to let the public know WHEN they will be doing this. The current oil lists "wheat and milk ingredients" in the allergy statement, but for some reason, my son doesn't react to the fries, so his allergist said to go ahead and let him have them. Maybe the amount of protein is too small, I don't know. These fries are his only "treat". We can't go out for ice cream, pizza, or doughnuts like the average family, but we can go out for fries. I'm concerned that the new oil will have new ingredients and an increase in these proteins and will no longer be safe for my son. He only started eating these in the first place because at the time McDonald's allergy statement said they were wheat and milk free. That is until the new labeling laws were put into place and they had to label for all allergy related ingredients. I don't understand WHY they can't tell us when the oil will be switched. I've sent them an e-mail requesting an ingredient list and allergy statement of the new oil and will post the answer if I receive one. Anytime someone has a food allergy and a company or restaurant arbitrarily makes a change to a product without complete disclosure, they are putting the general public at risk and I hope that McDonald's realizes that and steps up to the plate to be honest and open about what products they are serving to the public (without giving up any secret ingredients of course). Below is the actual new article :

McDonald's Lovin' Trans Fat-Free Oil
POSTED: 5:40 pm EST January 29, 2007
CHICAGO -- McDonald's Corp. has finally selected a new trans fat-free oil for cooking its famous French fries after years of testing, the fast-food chain said Monday.
While it has developed a healthier new oil, the company is still not saying when it will be used in all 13,700 U.S. restaurants. It already trails competitors in committing to a zero-trans fat oil.
Spokesman Walt Riker said the oil is currently in more than 1,200 U.S. restaurants after extensive testing but declined to provide details on timing or locations.
"We can confirm that we've got the right oil," he said. "We're phasing it in."
The choice of a new oil comes as McDonald's and others face a July 1 deadline to begin complying with an ordinance passed by New York City last month making it the first U.S. city to ban all restaurants from using artificial trans fats.
Oak Brook, Ill.-based McDonald's has said for months it would comply with such a ban, and said it would introduce any new oil nationwide rather than have a separate oil for its New York restaurants. But it had not confirmed that testing was complete.
Riker said the new oil is canola-based and includes corn and soy oils.
Addressing long-held concerns that changing the oil could jeopardize the popular taste of its fries, he said: "We're very confident in our test and taste results. ... We're very confident in what we're hearing back from our customers."
The Chicago Tribune, which first reported McDonald's decision on a new oil Sunday, said the company has tested 18 varieties of oil in more than 50 blends during the last seven years.
McDonald's had been under pressure for moving more slowly than smaller rivals Wendy's International Inc. and Yum Brands Inc.'s KFC and Taco Bell to rid its oil of the artery-clogging trans fats.
A public health advocate who has criticized McDonald's fries as nutritionally "disastrous" applauded its move toward a new oil.
"So many people eat there that making this change can really provide a significant benefit to the public's health," said Michael Jacobson, executive director of the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest. "It also reconfirms with the restaurant industry that trans fat is a real problem and now even the biggest chain is beginning to deal with it. Hopefully now the smaller chains and mom-and-pops will also get rid of it."
The $22 billion company was especially cautious after reneging within months on a September 2002 pledge to introduce a new oil, citing concerns about changing the taste of its fries.
"It's just taking a little bit of time because as we move forward we don't want to jeopardize the iconic nature of the french fry, which as you know is so very important to our brand," Chief Executive Jim Skinner told an investor conference in New York two months ago.
The company uses a healthier oil blend in some countries overseas but says regional differences in agricultural production require development of different blends.
McDonald's has not identified the test markets the latest oil was used in. Riker denied that Phoenix was among them, as the Tribune report said.

Labels: Food Allergies, McDonalds

NEGATIVE. That's a good thing and I am not complaining. I'm also not running out and eating shell fish anytime soon. They tested about 20 things on my back and 18 subcutaneous (small injections under the skin) things on my arm. Only thing that showed a small positive was dust mites. No shock there. Doesn't explain the head aches though. The Allergist laughed when I told him about the CAT Scan and the dye issue. He said that the dye/fish connection is an urban legend and that if you are allergic to the dye it's because you are allergic to the dye, not fish. He said that's like saying I had a heart attack in the spring because I have spring allergies. No connection. I love this guy. He really is a great doctor. He's my sons allergist so I've dealt with him before. And considering this was a total long shot, it was nice of him to spend as much time with me as he did. He spent the most time out of all the Doctors so far.

My conclusion to all of this: I'm not bleeding in my head and there is no tumor growing, so unless it becomes debilitating again like it was in the beginning, I'm going with it. I'm sure it will eventually go away. I'm at a loss and I'm tired of spending $20.00 for the co-pay to have people tell me nothing.

The weather held out and I didn't have to drive in the snow. My father got off of work early so my parents decided it would be better if they came here to watch the boys anyway (just in case the snow started later this afternoon). So far nothing. Maybe the weather people are wrong on the Alberta Clipper. I hope so. It was so nice of my parents to drive here (45 minutes one way). I think this is the 3rd time for Doctors appointments and they will be back on Sunday for the birthday. I'm very lucky to have them and to be able to count on them. I'd be lost without them (and out 50 bucks for the babysitter. I know $10.00/hr sounds excessive, but I think that's the going rate now).

The other bonus of the day was that I was able to go to the candy store and pick some "safe" Valentine's candy for Little Man. There are no safe commercial chocolates (that I know of) for all of his allergens, so I found a wonderful chocolate shop (right around the corner from the Allergist) that has safe chocolate. It's called
Chocolate Emporium. They are so nice and so helpful there and I am thankful to be able to find chocolate safe of gluten, egg, milk, and peanut. I didn't get much, because I usually go overboard and he really doesn't even eat it. We still have Easter candy (I think it's time to toss that). It's just that he gets something that looks like what everyone else is getting and he doesn't feel left out. I am so grateful to the people at Chocolate Emporium. It's actually a Kosher candy store and I was very surprised (pleasantly so) that they do crosses and bunnies for Easter. Needless to say I'll be back there in a month or so to pick up my Easter candy.

Labels: chocolate, Food Allergies, head ache

Well, It's Monday morning and a start to another week. We got about 6 inches of snow last night so they cancelled school today. Hubby left for the airport this morning at 6:15 AM, and called to say the roads were terrible. I'm supposed to have my allergy testing at 3 PM today and now I'm torn as to what to do. It stopped snowing (although we are under a snow alert for 3-6 more inches until 7 PM tonight), but I'm afraid the roads will still be too bad to drive the boys to my moms so she can watch them for me. The appointment is supposed to last 2 hours, so there is no way to take them. Keep the appointment or cancel? I guess I have a little time to make up my mind. I could call the neighbor girl to see if she could watch them since school is out. Little Man doesn't do well with sitters though and she charges $10.00/hr. so it'll cost me around $50.00 (plus tip). The $50.00 is worth it to keep the boys off bad roads though. We shall see.

This should be a very busy week. Older Boys 5Th birthday party is on Saturday for his school friends and the Grandparents will come over on Sunday for cake. I rushed around like a mad woman on Saturday trying to get as many errands done as possible. I bought the prizes for the games at the Dollar Store, got them a craft to do at Michael's, went to the party store and ordered the balloons, and finished buying his birthday present. He's been drawing pictures of Power Rangers and having me staple them into books. They other day he told me he was doing that because his friend has Power Ranger books (real ones from the book store) and he wanted some too, so he thought he'd make his own. While this is a very creative endeavor that he has taken on, I now have numerous "books" all over my house and he's using up all the paper. I had to go to 2 book stores on Saturday to find Power Ranger books. Who knew they were so hard to find? This week I'll be putting together the gift bags, making sure all the party plans are checked off my list and trying to get the house organized for a hostile takeover by preschool boys.

Tomorrow I have a Kindergarten open house to attend. I have one tomorrow at the Catholic school and one next week at the public school. We'd like for him to attend Catholic school, but since there is no guarantee that he'll get in (due to the number of kids that apply) I have to attend both. I'm already getting a glimpse of what it is going to be like dealing with "school years". So far everything has been very unorganized and every time I call for details I get a different story. Since they do this every year, I'm not sure why it's so difficult to give me accurate details on days and times, but apparently it is. I just have to remember to have patience and to remember that everyone is not as type A as I am.

I hope everyone out there in Blogland has a wonderful week.

Labels: Monday

The theme for todays hunt is Silver: My sons medic alert braclet is "silver"

The icicles look "silver"

Visit TN Chick for more info on the theme or to join the blog roll.

Labels: photo scavenger hunt

From www.franksredhot.com
Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Dip
INGREDIENTS:
1. 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
2. 1/2 cup blue cheese salad dressing
3. 1/2 cup Frank's® REDHOT® Buffalo Wing Sauce or Frank's® REDHOT® Cayenne Pepper Sauce
4. 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese
5. 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Place cream cheese into deep dish 9-inch pie plate. Microwave 1 minute to soften. Whisk in salad dressing, Buffalo Wing Sauce and cheese until smooth. Stir in chicken. 2. Bake 20 minutes or until mixture is heated through. Stir well. Garnish as desired. Serve with crackers or cut up vegetables.
Microwave Directions: Prepare as above. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH 5 minutes until hot, stirring halfway through cooking.
Tip: For a party buffet table, keep this dip hot in a small crock pot or fondue pot.

Bonus: www.frenchs.com
Michelada - cool drink to wash down your wings
Ingredients:
1. 2 wedges fresh lime
2. Coarse salt
3. Ice cubes
4. 2 dashes Frank's® REDHOT® XTRA HOT Cayenne Pepper Sauce
5. 2 dashes French's® Worcestershire Sauce (optional)
6. 1 dash soy sauce (optional)
7. 12 ounce can beer
Directions:
1. Rub the rim of a tall glass with 1 wedge of lime. Dip edge of glass into coarse salt. Fill glass with ice cubes.
2. Squeeze lime wedge over ice and splash Frank's Xtra Hot Sauce, Worcestershire and soy sauce into glass. Pour beer into glass and stir. Serve at once.

visit Overwhelmed With Joy for more "Super" Superbowl Recipes.

Labels: chicken dip, Favorite Ingredient Friday

Appetizer
If you could take lessons to learn any musical instrument, which would you want to learn?
That's a difficult question. I've always wanted to learn to play the piano, but I also LOVE the sound the violin. Do I have to choose just one?

Soup
Have you ever mistaken a person for someone else?
I'm sure that I have. I can't think of a specific instance, but I know I've turned around and spoken to someone in the store thinking it was my husband or mother and when I looked it was a stranger.

Salad
On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how well do you keep secrets?
About an 8. I'm good at keeping secrets unless it's from my husband or mother. I tell them everything (unless it's about each other).

Main Course
What's the closest you've ever been to a dangerous animal?
I don't think I've ever been close to a dangerous animal. I was by a crazed raccoon once, does that count? We had a coyote in our backyard one time, but I wasn't "next" to it. If an animal is dangerous, you'll usually find me going in the opposite direction.

Dessert
When was the last time you lost your patience?
2 seconds ago. My kids are screaming at each other (and it 7:45 AM and they are already driving me crazy).

Labels: Fridays Feast

Thirteen Things I Need To Do Before My Older Sons Birthday Party Next Weekend

1. Find out if the boy with the peanut allergy can eat the store bought cake.
2. Find out if the boy with the red dye allergy can eat the store bought cake.
3. Finish buying the little trinkets for the gift bags.
4. Put the gift bags together.
5. Order the balloons.
6. Make sure I have an allergy safe cupcake in the freezer for the younger son.
7. Track down the birthday present I ordered on line and make sure it will be here on time.
8. Come up with more games to occupy 8 4-5 year old boys.
9. Buy prizes for the winners of the games (and everyones a winner).
10.Go to the library and see if they have cool CD's that 4-5 year old boys would like.
11. Figure out snacks to serve (that don't involve peanuts, eggs, milk, wheat, or red dye).
12. Buy soft drinks (little bottles of water and apple juice, I think).
13. Order the pizza for Saturday's kids party and enough for Sunday's grandparents party which is also Superbowl Sunday.

This is a Power Rangers party and the decorations have already been purchased so we are set there.




Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Labels: power rangers, thursday thirteen

Went and got my CAT Scan today. Let me start off by saying that the nice, yet humorless technician didn't see any bleeding or tumors in my cranium. But the test was incomplete.
When I got there the tech asked me if I knew I was getting an I.V. today. I did not. As he started to insert the I.V. port (not the correct term, but you know what I mean), he said "The dye will help us to see your brain better. When the dye starts to flow, your arm will feel hot, you will have a bad taste in your mouth and it will feel like you're peeing yourself (yep, you read that right). You aren't allergic to fish or shell fish or anything are you"? Now a normal person could answer this question yes or no. But I am not normal. In high school I had two "reactions" to shell fish both of which were G.I. reactions. Was it an allergy? I don't know. Bad shell fish? Could be. Flu? Maybe. It was bad enough that I have sworn off all fish and shell fish for 20 years. Fish is vile to me. When hubby and I were first engaged, we went to dinner with his parents at a winery. They ordered pizza with scallops on it. The smell was horrid to me. Twenty minutes after the pizza came to our table, I was ill in the ladies room. Was it the pizza (I didn't eat it, just smelled it)? Maybe. Something I ate? Stomach Virus? No one knows for sure. So how do I answer this mans question about fish. If I say Yes: I don't get my test. If I say No: I get my test and risk possible reaction. If I say I don't know: I look like a giant fool and maybe get the test. I said I don't know for sure, looked like a giant fool, and didn't get the dye test. I felt so stupid. How could a 37 year old woman not know for sure if she is allergic to shell fish? Especially with a son with multiple food allergies? They weren't amused either when I said that I had my sons EPI pen in my purse if they wanted to try the dye test to see what would happen. Apparently there is little humor in the CAT Scan industry. So they did the scan without the dye and there didn't appear to be any bleeding or tumor. The dye would have enveloped a tumor had there been one making it easier to see. He said if the pain continues, it would be in my best interest to come back for the dye test. So, Monday I have an appointment at my son's allergist for allergy testing. I'll be getting tested for the top 8 food allergens and I also want tested for environmental allergies and seasonal allergies. This would have been my next step anyway in my Search For The Source Of The Head Pain, I just would have like to have gotten here without looking like an idiot. I'm sure that all of these tests will come back negative and they'll be a Part Trois to the saga, but you are up to date. And if I look on the bright side of all of this, at least I didn't pee myself. What the heck kind of test was that anyway???

Labels: CAT Scan, head pain

Wordless Wednesday

"I'm Doing It"!!



For more Wordless Fun go to The WW Head Quarters

Labels: wordless wednesday

Since all of you in Blogland were so helpful to Kelli through BooMama's fundraiser, I'm hoping you will help again but this time through prayers. Kelli could use a few (and a few extra). She's having emergency surgery tomorrow morning. You can check out her blog for all the details. Living In Grace .

Labels: Kelli

Since I forgot to stop at Sears yesterday to pick up the things I needed for todays Tackle, I had to come up with a different tackle. My inspiration for todays tackle came from Rose who visited my blog yesterday. When I went over to read her post, I found out about an organization called Hugs and Hope . They supply a list of names of sick children, a lot of whom are terminal, and all you do is send happy cards to them to brighten their day. When I read about this organization, I thought "Ah Ha, My Tackle It Tuesday project"! I can help "spread the word". Please go over and check it out and see if you would be willing to help put a smile on a sick childs face. Also, go on over and say hi to Rose and thank her for letting us know about this wonderful organization.




Click to join HugsAndHopeNews

I will also be doing my usual tackles today: Laundry, balancing the checkbook, cleaning something, etc. Good luck with all your Tackles and I hope you have a wonderful Tuesday!

O Christ Jesus,
when all is darkness
and we feel our weakness and helplessness,
give us the sense of Your presence,
Your love, and Your strength.
Help us to have perfect trust
in Your protecting love
and strengthening power,
so that nothing may frighten or worry us,
for, living close to You,
we shall see Your hand,
Your purpose, Your will through all things.

Join The rest of the Tacklers over at 5 Minutes For Mom.

Labels: Tackle it Tuesday

Last week (Wednesday I think) my new bread machine arrived. I hadn't been feeling well, so I uncrated it and there it sat on the counter untouched until yesterday. I decided that it needed christened so I decided to make some bread. I'm still not up to major baking so I decided to use some Bobs Redmill Cinnamon Raisin Bread Mix. It was very easy and came out delicious! It is by far the best Gluten Free bread that I have made to date. I used the gluten free setting on the machine and set the crust setting to light. The bread was moist and the crust was soft, yet had a light crunchy texture to it. The breadmix itself was very good also. I want to try a bread from scratch next to see if I can get it to come out just as good. That will be the true test.

The machine (I feel this machine is like a new member of the family and that I should give it a name).


Bread mixing inside the machine:


The finished product:




The bread was really good, but the best part was my little guy REFUSED to try it. Better luck next time.


Back to the doctor today for myself. No new information to report. I was given Flonase and an order for a CAT scan. I go for the CAT scan on Wednesday.

It's snowing here today, again. I wish it would stop. I'm tired of snow already. It's pretty, but I'm tired of being cold all the time.


I forgot to stop at Sears today to pick up my tools for tomorrows Tackle It Tuesday project, so I'll have to postpone it for next week and come up with something else for tomorrow.

5 Minutes For Mom alerted me that
Local Girl over at An Island Life is doing a Valentines Day swap. Hop on over and check it out. It looks to be a lot of fun.



Happy Monday!!

Labels: bread machine, Monday, ramblings

It's been a busy week around here, and it's hard to believe that we are starting a new one. It's been a wonderful week in Blogville this week. So many people rallied around Kelli (Thanks to one Miss BooMama). It amazed me to see how many people opened their hearts to help someone in need. Someone they only know through the computer. I'm so glad they did and I hope and pray that Kelli can rest a little easier because of it and I hope that the prayers don't stop and that God continues to bless Kelli on her quest. I was also able to witness the power of prayer for Heather and her daughter Emma Grace. I am always amazed at how the blogging community comes together to rally around those in need. I am also a better person for having witnessed it.
It's also been a crazy, busy week at the house of ChupieandJsmama. My migraine/head pain is still present. I'm not really going to call it a migraine anymore, because that's not what it feels like anymore. It's a burning feeling. My ears hurt (which I've been complaining about from the beginning). Things just don't "feel" right. I've been to my family doctor. I've been to my dizziness specialist. I've been on numerous meds and so far nothing has really helped. The specialist suggested that if over the weekend I don't see improvement, to call back on Monday and see his partner, the Neurologist, because he has access to " stronger anti-seizure medication". I think I'm going on my own for the next step. I hate to take this stronger medication since in my opinion we really don't even know for sure it's a migraine that we're dealing with anymore. Tomorrow I'm going to call the family doctor back and bring her up to speed with where we are now and see if I can get an MRI or a CAT scan to make sure that it isn't something else before stronger medication is added. I just think with the ear pain, that maybe something else is going on and they are overlooking something. Then again, I don't have a medical degree, and could be totally off the mark. But since it's my body, I think my opinion should count for something. I have another "rant" about the specialist, but I'll save that for when I'm feeling better.
The boys are good. They are back into the swing of things with school and play groups. I did cancel one play group this week, because I didn't think I was up for it, but other than that I'm trying to keep things pretty normal for them. They totally have cabin fever and are bored out of their minds. Today the older one has PSR and swimming lessons, so that should at least give him something to do today. More school this week, except for Wednesday. I'm supposed to take them downtown to a play sponsored by the school (this is an actual production for children on Playhouse Square), but if I'm not feeling well, there is no way I'm taking a 2 year old and a 4 year old downtown to sit in a theatre for an hour (where the 2 year old is actually expected to sit and be quiet). I feel badly we'll miss it, but it's just not worth it.
Other than that it's business as usual around here. I hope I can come up with some fun things to keep the boys busy around the house this week and I hope the boys and I can keep our cabin fever to a minimum. I hope you all have a blessed week.

Parent's Prayer All praise to You, Lord Jesus,Lover of children:
Bless our family, And help us to lead our children to You.
Give us light and strength, And courage when our task is difficult.
Let Your Spirit fill us with love and peace, So that we may help our children to love You.
All glory and praise are Yours, Lord Jesus,For ever and ever.
Amen.

Labels: sunday

Today's Theme is: WILD


My youngest sons hair was wild as a baby. This was taken on the day of his first haircut. He was about 7 months old.


This next shot was taken a few days ago. The boys were being wild in their Power Ranger costumes.


Visit TN Chick to grab the code, find the theme or join the blog roll.

Labels: photo scavenger hunt

I haven't done one of these things in a while, but I saw this over at Stray Thoughts and thought it was cute and a history lesson of sorts. So while it is silly, at least we are learning something too.

In 1969 (the year you were born)

Richard Nixon becomes president of the US Mary Jo Kopechne is killed when Senator Edward Kennedy veers off a narrow bridge on Chappaquiddick Island, crashing into a pond US astronaut Neil Armstrong becomes the first person to set foot on the moon while commanding the Apollo 11 mission Breathtaking pictures of Mars are transmitted to earth from NASA's Mariner 7 as it passes within 2,200 miles of the Red Planet Woodstock music festival begins in upstate NY, featuring performances by Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, and many more artists 250,000 Vietnam War protestors gather in Washington for the largest anti-war rally in US history The first draft lottery since WWII is held in New York City The Beatles' performance in public for the last time, on the roof of Apple Records The Stonewall riots mark the start of the modern gay rights movement in the US Marilyn Manson, Jennifer Aniston, Renee Zellweger, Edward Norton, Christian Slater, and Linus Torvalds are born New York Mets win the World Series New York Jets win Superbowl III Montreal Canadiens win the Stanley Cup Sesame Street premieres Midnight Cowboy wins the Oscar for best picture David Bowie's debut single, "Space Oddity", becomes a huge hit - in part due to the US landing on the moon Sharon Tate & the LaBiancas are found murdered by Charles Manson & "family"

Labels: 1969

Blogger has been very mean to me today. It wouldn't let me post or visit anyone for the better part of the afternoon. Hopefully it will be nicer now.
Recipe from allrecipes.com
Vodka Mocha Bundt Cake
INGREDIENTS
1. 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
2. 1/4 cup white sugar
3. 1 (5.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
4. 1 cup vegetable oil
5. 4 eggs
6. 1/4 cup vodka
7. 1/4 cup coffee flavored liqueur
8. 3/4 cup water
INGREDIENTS for glaze:
1. 1/4 cup coffee flavored liqueur
2. 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine Cake mix, sugar, pudding mix, oil, eggs, vodka, coffee liqueur and water.
3. Mix at low speed for 1 minute and then at medium speed for 4 minutes.
4. Pour into prepared Bundt pan.
5.Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for one hour or until toothpick inserted into middle comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto wire rack.

To make the glaze:
1. In a medium bowl, combine 1/4 cup coffee liqueur with the confectioners sugar.
2. Mix well and pour over cake.

AND A BONUS TO GO WITH YOUR CAKE:
Chocolate Martini

INGREDIENTS
1. 4 fluid ounces chocolate liqueur
2. 3 fluid ounces vodka
3. 1 (1 ounce) square semisweet chocolate, grated
DIRECTIONS
1. In a cocktail mixer full of ice, combine chocolate liqueur and vodka.
2. Shake vigorously and strain into 2 chilled martini glasses.
3.Garnish with chocolate shavings.

Visit Overwhelmed With Joy to participate or find more recipe ideas.

Labels: Favorite Ingredient Friday, vodka

photo provided by jupiter images
Appetizer
Which television shows do you just refuse to miss?
I don't have any that I REFUSE to miss, life is too short of that, but I don't like to miss Desperate Housewives. We don't have TiVo, and we can't tape anything on the VCR's since we switched to DirecTv. I don't know if something isn't hookedup up right, or if I just don't know what I'm doing, or if it isn't possible, but I wasn't able to tape Bob Greene on Oprah the other day and that made me kind of sad.

Soup
Who did you last speak to on the telephone?
My mother

Salad
How many pillows do you keep on your bed?
2 to sleep with and 9 decorative

Main Course
Name one addition to your computer (software, hardware, etc.) that you'd love to have.
Photoshop

Dessert
What is your favorite foreign food?
Italian (pasta, wine, sharp provolone cheese....yummy).

You are invited to Fridays Feast to dine on more yummy delights.

Labels: Fridays Feast

It is day ***7*** of my migraine and I am getting really frustrated. I am trying to go about life as usual, but my activity level is at about 25%, if that. I'm not really cleaning, doing laundry, cooking (my oldest son is eating chicken fingers for the 3 rd day in a row), I haven't been on the treadmill since last Saturday, and I am about ready to raid Drug Mart for any/all migraine medication (I'm not even sure what is out there). Called the "Specialist" on Tuesday (see Tuesday post for refresher) and they said that if the prednisone isn't working to call at the end of the week and they will get me back in. Well, by 1 PM this afternoon my head was still on fire, so I thought I'd call today to see if they could get me in tomorrow morning (that would be Friday here in Ohio and that is what I normally consider the end of the week). I was informed that they are closed on Friday. So was that whole "call us at the end of the week" thing a big joke? Were they laughing at me in the office? Sorry, I have little humor and little patience left at this point. Well, they decided that they would take pity on me and see me today. I have some new meds (which I took at 4PM and it isn't working and will take again at 5:30 PM and hopefully will have different results, but I should probably take this and lay down but hubby won't be home yet so that isn't going to happen) and if this doesn't work will need to go back in on Monday to see another guy for more evaluation. Please keep your fingers crossed that the new meds will start working. I just don't know how much more of this I can stand.

Labels: migraine

The lovely ladies over at 5 Minutes for Mom are hosting a big bash on their site from March 2, 2007 thru March 9, 2007. All are welcome. Head on over and check it out and be sure to come back here on March 2 for the party!

Labels: party

Don't forget to hop on over to BooMama's
site today and make a donation for Kelli. If you can't donate money, then please stop by and let Kelli know you are praying for her. She needs a kidney transplant and she and her family could really use your help and prayers.
I have to say that I don't know Kelly, just her story, but as a mom it hits home with me. Kelly is the mom of two teenagers and I can't imagine what she goes through daily worrying about if she will be around for her kids. The donations are taken through a secure PayPal account and are asked to start at $1.50.
To read Kelli's story, go HERE.
UPDATE:
AS OF 6:45 PM, THE TOTAL RAISED FOR KELLI AND HER FAMILY WAS $3500.00. THAT'S AMAZING PEOPLE. I'M PROUD OF US AND CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS OVER NIGHT. KEEP THE LOVE COMING!
***AS OF 10:30 PM, DONATIONS HIT THE $5400.00 MARK. GOD IS GOOD!
****AS OF 9 AM, DONATIONS REACHED $5700.00....
***Happy to add: totals have been updated at 6:52 p.m.
$6,144.09.

Since the blogging community has done such a wonderful job rallying about Kelli and her family, I'm going to ask that you all say a prayer for Heather and her family especially her daughter Emma Grace. You can see updates on Emma Grace Here. And you can read the full story Here. Thank you all!
Update: Emma Is Going Home!! -Read update Here

Labels: Kelli

Thirteen Things About My Hubby

1. He's older than me (by 5 years, so I am the "younger woman").
2. He's very kind and very loving.
3. He' s the worlds best husband and father.
4. The kids think he walks on water (and so do I).
5. He's a mans man.
6. He rides a Harley (not as much as he use to before the kids came).
7. He hunts (and yes, we [except for me, I'm not a red meat eater] eat what he bags).
8. He'd like to go on a hunt in Africa one day (everyone needs a dream).
9. He's more religious than I am.
10. He's very hard working.
11. He puts everyone above himself.
12. He's very smart.
13. He's probably reading this and getting a big head. We love you honey!!




Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Labels: thursday thirteen

Wordless Wednesday




Go to WW Headquarters to participate.

Labels: wordless wednesday

In light of recent head ache issues, I'm taking it easy on today's Tackle. My whole house needs dusted, but I'm going to do one room at a time and when I get tired, I'm going to stop. No Butt Bustin' Tackle for me today. Probably no pictures either, depending on how ambitious I get. I'll report back later on my progress. If I get even one room done, it'll be a bonus. Hope everyone has a good tackle!
Head on over to 5 Minutes For Mom to join in on the cleaning fun.

UPDATE:

Ok, so I kinda cheated on the dusting. Instead of using my usual bucket o' Murphy's Oil soap and rag, I used:

At least things are better and seem less dusty until my head gets better and I can clean properly. I also cleaned the tile floor downstairs. Nothing stresses me out more than a dirty floor. So actually, it was quite a productive day.
I also called the the Dr. (my migraine Dr., not the General Practitioner that I saw yesterday) to let him know what was happening and that the prednisone isn't working. His reply: Keep taking the prednisone and if the burning is still happening in six days, we'll figure something out. Oh, that's comforting. Thanks for caring.

Labels: Tackle it Tuesday

I'm still here. My head is still burning. I went to the Dr. and she thinks it's a stalled migraine. Hubby is on his way to pick up my Prednisone as I type. I hate steroids. I get very hungry and very cranky. Hopefully this will help. Nothing else has.
The kids are good and hubby has been helping out a lot. I'm thankful there wasn't any school today. At least we didn't have to rush around this morning. Tomorrow Older Boy has a play date at 9:30 AM, but it's just down the street, so we shouldn't have to rush around again.
The biggest disappointment of the day (beside my head still burning) is that my scale is 5 pounds off and not in the direction you would want it to be. I think I need to go and get me a new scale when I'm feeling better. I know this is correct because it was confirmed by not one but TWO different doctor offices today. Big Bummer. The Prednisone isn't going to help with the weight loss objective either. Maybe if I start lifting weights I'll get big biceps from the 'roids though. Must.Find.Humor.In.Something.
I'll be back tomorrow for Tackle It Tuesday. Even if my big tackle is getting dressed and getting through the day without ripping anyone's head off. Enjoy your evening!

Labels: head ache, prednisone

My head is.....Well, I'm not sure. I thought it was better this morning, but it's not. Right now it's not a full blown migraine. It hurts, but more annoyingly than painfully. It feels like I'm laying on a brick with the back of my head and the front of my head feels like an ice headache. Does that make sense? I also feel like I'm not making much sense. It's not pain per se, just HIGHLY annoying and draining. I'm very tired. Sometimes it feels like my head is hinged and someone opened it up and put a big block of ice in there and it's melting. At this point I'd like to get the bone crushing migraine pain and get this over with. It's coming. I know it. I just don't have normal migraine episodes. In 1999, I had a 34 day migraine. That sucker would just not go away. It made my work day very interesting and my 1 hour commute even more interesting. I napped most of the afternoon and am waiting for the kids to go to sleep so I can go back to bed myself. It kind of freaks them out when I'm in bed all day, so I came down stairs to eat dinner around 6:30 pm and figure I'll hang out until they go down at 8:30 pm. I've checked in on you all, but I didn't comment. Hopefully I'll be back in the game by next week. I hope so, the house is starting to fall apart. Hubby is keeping up with the laundry, but the floors are getting to me, the lamp in the family room broke (I hated that lamp, just can't find one to replace it that I can afford. Have I mentioned that I have expensive taste?), and I need to balance the checkbook and pay bills (not with this head I don't). Hope you are having a great weekend.

Labels: pain

Ingredients:
1. 8 cups thinly sliced peeled Granny Smith Apples
2. 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar, divided
3. 2 tsp. ground cinnamon, divided
4. 1/3 cup old fashioned or quick cooking oats
5. 1/4 cup cold margarine
6. 25 reduced fat Nilla Wafers, crushed (about 1 cup crumbs)
7. 1 1/2 cups thawed Cool Whip Lite Whipped Topping

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Toss apples with 1/4 cup of the brown sugar and 1 tsp. of the cinnamon. Spoon into 8 or 9 inch square baking dish.
2. Combine oats, the remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon in medium bowl. Cut in margarine with pastry blender or two knives, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add Wafer crumbs; mix will. Spread crumb mixture evenly over apples.
3. Bake 30 to 35 min. or until apples are tender. Serve warm or cooled. Top with whipped topping.
Makes 12 servings, 1/2 cup each.
Recipe from Kraft.com

Overwhelmed With Joy for more recipes

Labels: Favorite Ingredient Friday

Feast One Hundred & Twenty Six
Appetizer: What comes to mind when you see the color orange?
Florida Oranges (very original, huh?)
Soup: Did you ever get in trouble while you were in school? If so, what was it for?
Yes, I only got in trouble a couple of times. My worst time was in high school. This mean girl was yelling at me, so I started yelling back. She got in my face and said "let's fight". I said I didn't want to fight. She hit me anyway. I hit her back. It ended up in a hair pulling/slapping fest (very Klassy). We both got in-school suspension for a few days. My parents were mad, but not at me. She hit me first and I was just defending myself.
Salad: Which topping(s) make up your perfect pizza?
I love pizza. My standard favorite is pepperoni (very boring). If I'm feeling adventurous, I love white pizza with artichoke hearts and feta cheese.
Main Course: Do you believe in UFOs/aliens/etc.? Why or why not?
Not something I think about often. Sure, why not. It's a big unknown out there. I guess I'd like to think there are more beings out there (not creeping monster things, just other "beings"). I think it's against my religion to believe this though, so it's really not something I dwell on. I have enough problems here on earth.
Dessert: What color is your bedspread/comforter/quilt? Comforter. It's a multi-colored thing from JC Penney. Gold, purple, mauve, green (very soft colors and not girly).

Labels: Fridays Feast

Yesterday my older son came home from school and told me that some older kids (5 year olds) were picking on the younger kids (4 year olds) during their bathroom break. The older kids were putting their fingers in their ears pretending that they couldn't hear the younger kids speaking to them and they were telling the younger kids that items were in the bathroom that really weren't there (silly stuff that kids do), but apparently this really bothered my son. He hasn't been picked on before and like I said in an earlier post he considers everyone his friend so this behavior was really confusing to him. He has a kind heart and could not understand why someone would behave this way. I tried to explain to him that sometimes older children like to exert control over the younger children and let them know who is in charge (I tried to put it in language that a 4 year old would understand). I thought we were finished with the discussion when he brought it up again this afternoon. He asked me how he could get back at them by tricking them. Again, I tried to explain that the best thing that he could do was ignore them. That by ignoring them he was showing them that he didn't care what they did and they would get tired of it and stop the teasing. I tried to explain to him how Jesus wants us to turn the other cheek, not get back at people who hurt our feelings and for whatever reason,this did hurt his feelings. So he can understand things better, he always likes for my husband or myself to tell him stories of similar situations from our childhood. He likes to hear stories of what happened when one of us didn't listen and got in trouble or when one of his uncles did something crazy (and we have an abundance of those stories). So of course he asks me to tell him a story of when I was picked on in school. It's really difficult to remember that far back. I tried to come up with something on the spot and this is what I got:
I was a chubby kid. Not fat, just a little chubby. I told him that when mommy was little, there was a popular TV program and the kids would call mommy a name from the show. Of course he wanted to know the name so I told him. He looked overly confused now, so I figured that hey, I bet they have the show on YouTube so I'll show him. And guess what? They did. Here it is:





Yes, for a brief period of time in 4th grade my nick name was Fat Albert (and no, I wasn't fat). It seemed like a good idea to share this little tidbit at the time, but now I have opened up Pandora's box of questions. Why did they call that guy Fat Albert? Why did they call you Fat Albert? What kind of show was that? Can we watch it? Did you yell at those kids? Did you tell the teacher? Did you call them Fat Albert back? Why did they call that guy Fat Albert? What kind of name is Fat Albert? Was that a real show? Is Fat Albert a real name? Why did they name him that? Was he mad? Was that his real name? I think my whole lesson was lost here. Maybe I should just stick with bible stories. At least there is no guy named Fat Albert in the bible. I need to review my strategy for teaching lessons. I think I missed the boat on this one.

Labels: Fat Albert, teasing

header courtesy of http://www.mandeesign.com


13 Allergy-Friendly Prepackaged Foods/Mixes That Make Life Easier At The House Of Chupieandjsmama

1. Gluten Free Pantry- thanks for the bread mix
2. Bob's Red Mill- lots of great flours
3. Glutino- We all love the pretzels.
4. Cherrybrook Kitchen- the gluten free cake mix is the bomb!
5. Namaste- we like the cookie mix.
6. Enjoy Life- all allergy free. Highly recommend the chocolate chips.
7. Ener-G- can't live without the egg replacer.
8. Silk- love the milk and the yogurt.
9. Turtle Mountain- Soy Delicious Non Dairy ice cream.
10. Road's End Organics- he loves the Mac and Chreese.
11. Tinkyada- our favorite rice pasta
12. Wellshire Farms - Best Gluten Free chicken tenders and love the hot dogs, lunch meat and smokeys.
13. Chocolate Emporium - yummy safe chocolate.

IMPORTANT: ALL OF THESE PRODUCTS ARE SAFE FOR MY SONS FOOD ALLERGIES. PLEASE READ THE LABELS CAREFULLY TO DETERMINE IF THEY ARE SAFE FOR YOUR OWN.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Labels: thursday thirteen

I was tagged by Michelle for this meme about my blog:

1. Do you like the looks and content of your blog? I do and I don't. For the look, I've tried to make it more my own, but it's still a "blogger" blog. Hopefully in the next month or two you'll see an updated version of Our Story. I like the content, because I put it there.
2. Does your family know about your blog? Yes, my mom, husband, brother, and cousin read the blog.
3. Can you tell your friends about your blog? I can, but I haven't made a big deal over it. When I send out e-mails it says "wanna read my blog" at the bottom with a link and I don't think too many people have noticed it.
4. Do you just read the blogs of those who comment on your blog? No, I read the blogs of those who comment, but I also move around and check out some others. There's some scary stuff out there people.
5. Did your blog positively affect your mind? I don't know if I could say it "positively affected my mind", but it did make me more introspective.
6. What does the number of visitors to your blog mean? That someone screwed up and accidentally ended up on the wrong blog.
7. Do you imagine what other bloggers look like? Sometimes, but I'm really not that good at that.
8. Do you think blogging has any real benefit? I started blogging to benefit me. It was a way for me to journal about our everyday life (hence the title "Our Story") and a way for me to release my thoughts and feelings in a constructive way. Once I started blogging and reading other blogs I realized it was also a way to help educate people about food allergies. I've also learned a lot since I've started blogging. I've learned that there are a whole group of people out there scattered in the world who believe the things that I believe and that want the best for their families the same way that I do. I've learned about the power of prayer, the power of friendship and the power of love.
9. Do you think that the blogosphere is a stand alone community separated from the real world? No. Most of the blogs that I read are from people describing their everyday lives, feelings, dreams, and beliefs. This is their "real world".
10. Do some political blogs scare you? Do you avoid them? Yes and yes. Especially the hardcore ones.
11. Do you think criticizing your blog is useful? Depends on the criticism. I haven't really had much of that, but if someone has something useful to say, I'm willing to listen.
12. Have you ever thought what would happen to your blog in case you died? Maybe it's morbid, but I have. I think it would just stop, but I like knowing it is there and that my boys could pull it up and read it and get a feel for how our lives were and for how much I loved them.
13. Which blogger has had the greatest impression on you? All of the bloggers I've read have had an impression on me and I'd have to say that 99.9% have been positive. There are so many positive, family oriented, God loving people out there that it inspires me to be a better person. Thank you all.
14. Which blogger do you think is the most similar to you? That's a tough one, but I'll say Sue because her daughter has a severe dairy allergy and she knows what we go through daily.
15. Name a song you want to listen to. Anything by Jason Mraz
Now I'm tagging 3 people to do this: Sue, Andrea, Barbara H. Hope you 3 don't mind:)

Labels: meme

Wordless Wednesday
This is how my older son woke up this morning. Need I say more..... (for some reason me snapping his picture didn't make it any better. Go figure.)


To participate go HERE.

Labels: wordless wednesday

Just an interesting article e-mailed to me from The Mayo Clinic. If you deal with food allergies, a lot of this you'll already know, but if you are new to food allergies or know someone with food allergies but don't deal with it on a daily basis, you may find some very helpful information.

Food allergies: Food labels list top eight allergens
Food labels list the top eight food allergens to help you avoid an allergic reaction.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires food manufacturers to list common food allergens on food labels in simple terms that adults and older children can understand. Common allergens are listed either in the ingredients list, after the list, or right next to it. The labeling requirements are designed to reduce your chances of an accidental allergic reaction to a food.

Revised in January of 2006, the updated food label takes some of the guesswork out of label reading, helping you easily identify foods that could cause an allergic reaction. For example, most people mistakenly believe that nondairy means that there is no milk in a product. Before the label guidelines were revised, the use of "nondairy" was allowed even when the foods contained milk byproducts. If a product contains casein, a milk-derived protein, the product's label now lists the term "milk" in parenthesis after the term "casein." Or, the label will simply state "Contains milk." This simple approach is especially helpful for kids with food allergies who may be choosing their own snacks.

The food allergens
While food labels don't include every possible allergen, they do list the top eight, which account for 90 percent of all documented food allergies:

* Milk
* Eggs
* Peanuts
* Tree nuts (such as almonds, cashews, walnuts)
* Fish (such as bass, cod, flounder)
* Shellfish (such as crab, lobster, shrimp)
* Soy
* Wheat

This list also represents the foods most likely to cause a severe or life-threatening allergic reaction (anaphylaxis).
Allergens and food labels

Here are answers to a few common questions about food label requirements.

* What foods are labeled? Any domestic or imported packaged food regulated by the FDA is required to make these labeling changes.
* What's included on the label? The label lists the type of allergen — for example, the type of tree nut (almond, walnut) or the type of crustacean shellfish (crab, shrimp) — as well as any ingredient that contains a protein from the eight major food allergens. The labels also include any allergens found in flavorings, colorings or other additives.
* What foods aren't labeled? Fresh produce, fresh meat and certain highly refined oils do not require listing of potential food allergens on the labels. Foods that may inadvertently come into contact with a food allergen during the growing, harvesting or manufacturing process also are exempt.

Gluten
In addition to the current food labeling changes, the FDA is working to tighten regulations for manufacturers' use of the term "gluten free" on food labels. Gluten is a protein that occurs in grains such as wheat, barley and rye. This protein can cause a serious reaction (though not an allergic one) in people who have celiac disease, a digestive disorder. About 2 million people in the United States have the disease. Often people with celiac disease are unsure about which foods contain gluten. The FDA will issue standards for what constitutes a gluten-free product by 2008.
What this means for you

"If you have a food allergy, the new labeling should help you avoid exposure to even small amounts of a food allergen, something you haven't been able to do before," says James Li, M.D., an asthma and allergy specialist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

If you think you have a food allergy, but haven't been tested, see your doctor. Without specific testing, you won't know whether or how much or how little exposure might trigger a serious allergic reaction.

"Not all people with food allergies are at significant risk when exposed to very small quantities of food," says Dr. Li. "Work closely with your doctor to develop a personalized plan to reduce your risk of inadvertent exposure to the food you're allergic to."
Labels reveal the details

Although the new food-labeling law helps you make safe choices, it might also raise your eyebrows. The law requires food allergens to be identified even in the smallest amounts. As a result, you might notice some surprising ingredients on food labels, such as soy lecithin used as a nonstick agent for baked goods or fish gelatin used in coloring for soup broth.

Food allergen awareness: A refresher
If you have a food allergy, follow these steps to increase your chances of avoiding an allergic reaction:

* Practice prevention. Always know what you're eating and drinking. The best way to prevent an allergic reaction is to avoid foods that cause allergy signs and symptoms.
* Know about hidden food allergens. Some food allergens may be well hidden when used as ingredients in certain dishes. This is especially true in restaurants and other social settings, such as church or neighborhood gatherings or homemade foods brought into the workplace.
* Be proactive when dining out. There's more to preventing an allergic reaction than just avoiding food choices based on a restaurant's menu description. You'll need to ask specific questions about ingredients and how each dish is prepared.
* Read and reread. Even though a food product may have been safe the last time you purchased or consumed it, it's possible that the ingredients have changed or the label has been updated. If you have a food allergy, be sure to always read food labels.
* Identify your allergy. Wear a medical alert bracelet that describes your allergy and carry an alert card in your wallet or purse. These items are available over-the-counter at most drugstores and can be purchased on the Internet.
* Prepare to counteract a reaction. Talk with your doctor about whether you should carry an emergency medication in case of an allergic reaction.

Labels: Food Allergies, mayo clinic

It's Tuesday again and usually my favorite day of the week because I pick a project to do that I think will help de-stress my life a little. I have been planning on cleaning out and organizing a couple of kitchen cabinets (hence the post regarding the spice rack on Sunday), but my upstairs bathrooms desperately need cleaned, so the cabinets may have to wait. The kids have NOT been cooperating lately so if I get anything done today it'll be a miracle. I have to teach my kids to be more self sufficient with their play and leave mom out of it. All I do is fix things, break up fights, get toys, put toys away, and feed children all day and there is little time for anything else. This is really stressing me out, so maybe THIS should be my tackle for today. The older boy also has a doctors appointment today so that will take up most of the afternoon. I will report back later and let you know what, if anything got accomplished. I did start on the cabinets yesterday and threw out a bunch of old or never to be eaten candy and some five year old hot cocoa. It's a start. I'll be back. Hope your Tackles are successful!

5 Minutes For Mom for more Tackles or to grab the code.

UPDATE***:
I finished the cabinets! Since I've been working on it over the past couple of days, it wasn't a monumental task, so I managed to get most of it done while the boys ate lunch and finished it before we left for the doctors. Here are the results.
Before:

After:

I moved some of the spices I don't use often and the lesser used baking supplies-

The EPI pen is still in front with the Benadryl and the Emergency Action Plan is still taped to the door, but things are so much neater-

This is the outside of the cabinet that holds the Epi pen. I need Erna's laminator to make it look neater-


I still have 2 jars to refill on the new spice rack, but it's almost finished. The new cookie jar is next to it-

This was only 2 cabinets and the lazy Susan. I have about 20 more cabinets to go, so I'm sure you'll see more of my kitchen in future Tackle It Tuesdays. These were the worst though. I never did them last year and they just kept getting more stuff shoved in them.
We also went to the doctor. Older Boys ears are clear. Yea! But....He's complaining all day that he's cold and he looks pale and his eyes look glassy, so I think he's coming down with something. The doctor agreed with me. I gave him two tylenol when we got home and made him go upstairs to lay down. He's not happy with me, but hopefully he'll rest and won't get sick. Now I'm off to try and tackle the upstairs bathrooms.

Labels: Tackle it Tuesday

Took Older Boy to school today. It was beach day. Beach day in January. Thank you for making me remember were I stashed sand toys, sandals, sunglasses and bathing suites that have not been used since August. Do I know where these things are? NO! Luckily I remembered it was beach day last night, so it gave me enough time to hunt these things down. Never did find the sunglasses and the beach hat.
After dropping him off, I went on a 45 minutes (round trip) odyssey for free gasoline. Our grocery store offers $.10 in free gas from every $50.00 that you spend and I had amassed enough for a free tank. The only catch is, there isn't a gas station to redeem your free gas at around here. So I need to drive almost an hour (round trip) in any direction to get my free gas. Is it worth it? Sometimes I wonder. I really needed that 45 minutes today to get some things done around the house.
After we returned home from our cross country gas run, I had approximately 1 hour before I had to turn around and go back to pick Older Boy up at school again. As soon as we got home Little Man needed a snack (his snacks are like some peoples meals and usually encompass 3-4 food groups). That ate up more time (no pun intended). So I didn't get too much done other than unloading and reloading the dishwasher, starting a little laundry and making two phone calls (car dealer for oil change and Dr. for appointment).
Picked Older Boy up at school and he said he had fun at beach day. I'm sure he did. He was covered in sand and so are the beach toys (and now so is the inside of my car). I left the toys in the garage, but had to bring a warm bucket of soapy water in the garage to wash off his feet. They were loaded with sand. What were these teachers thinking???
Got lunch for the boys. They wanted hot dogs and french fries. Then Little Man went for a nap and Older Boys little friend from down the street came over for a play date. I thought if the little boy came over that they would play together and I could get some things done. No chance. Every 5 minutes they wanted/needed something else. I did get to play a rousing game of hide n seek for about 20 minutes. I think my kids are high maintenance. They can't just play with toys. They have to play with toys, paint, draw, use glue with special paper, play with more toys, play a game, play a different game, have a snack, go downstairs, play trains, play more games, etc. This involves me getting all of this stuff and eventually putting it all away. I did manage to clean the downstairs bathroom while they were painting. Sigh, no dusting though and someone is going to string yellow caution tape across the upstairs bathrooms if I don't clean them soon. Maybe tomorrow...Probably not.
Older Boyhas a follow up Doctors appointment tomorrow and with the hour it takes to get there (round trip), it usually takes 2 1/2 hours from start to finish (this includes herding kids to the door, and packing allergy friendly snacks for the car). Most of my afternoon will be wasted. I am hoping that his ear infection looks clear. He's had it since November. I'm afraid they'll start talking tubes if it doesn't look clear. Keep your fingers crossed for good results.

Labels: beach day, Monday

Nothing really exciting happened today, but I feel like I got a lot accomplished. Not a lot, but enough to help me get going to accomplish a lot this week.
We went to mass this morning. It was Older Boys first day back at PSR. Little Man did pretty well at mass. No major meltdowns. After mass, we went to the party store so Older Boy could get the invitations for his up-coming birthday party. He wants a Power Rangers party. Although Power Rangers Mystic Force is the show currently on T.V., he really likes Power Rangers S.P.D. which I believe was the one that came before Mystic Force (Power Rangers have been around since the late 80's and every so often they change them so they can keep kids buying new toys and merchandise. Kind of like the Menudo scam of the 80's.) Lo and behold they had the Power Ranger S.P.D. decorations at the party store (must be some old stuff someone needs to unload). So of course we had to get EVERYTHING today just in case it all sells out in the next month. You never know when there may be a run on Power Ranger decorations. I didn't really plan on spending all that money at once, but at least it's over with and the only thing I'll have to go back for is the balloons. Now I have to come up games to keep 10 little 5-6 year old boys (one with a peanut allergy, one with a red dye allergy and my youngest son with his mulitple food allergies)occupied for 3 hours.
Then we stopped at a local kitchen supply store. It's a store that is like the kitchen gadget department of Bed Bath and Beyond, but it's locally owned. I've always wanted to go in there, and I've been looking for a spice rack to help get my kitchen more organized, so I thought they might have something unique. BIG disappointment. They didn't really have anything that you couldn't find at BBB or LNT, and they were very over priced (no big surprise there). The lady working there was not helpful at all. I hope she wasn't the owner, because if she was she won't be in business very long. She was more interested in bragging about her recent trip to Austria than helping me, so I left. They did have a spice rack, but it was $99.00 (on sale from $119.00) and it really wasn't what I wanted nor was it in my budget.
I dropped the men off at home and headed over to the outlet mall where I found a spice rack on sale. It's not exactly what I wanted, but it will work. I wanted one that wasn't prefilled, because with Little Man's wheat allergy I can't just use any spice. Some spices use wheat flour to keep them free flowing. It's This One, and it was 50% off and because it was the last one without a box, they gave me another 10% off. I'm glad it was on sale, because it was prefilled (as most I found were) and I'll have to dump out most of the spices and refill with my own, but now I won't feel too guilty doing so. And of course I had to use my savings to buy a candle and a cookie jar. I'm hoping to get the spice area of the kitchen and 2 other cabinets organized for this weeks Tackle It Tuesday. This will be the start of spring cleaning the kitchen, even though spring is a ways off.
Now we are just trying to get the boys ready for bed and school tomorrow. Hope everyone had a great weekend.

Labels: power rangers, spice rack, sunday

Look what I just bought.....






Programmable bread machine bakes 1, 1-1/2, and 2-pound horizontal loaves
Housed in stainless steel; easy-to-read LCD display; viewing window
Cycles include super-rapid, 100-percent whole wheat, gluten-free, and more
Helpful "add in" beep; pause function; detachable lid; hand wash only
Measures 18 by 11-1/5 by 14-4/5 inches; 1-year warranty

Click Here for more information. The Miracle upon Miracle is ......

IT HAS A GLUTEN FREE CYCLE!! AND IT ONLY COST $70.20 ($89.00 WITH SHIPPING).
All of the reviews that I've read have said that they recommend the Breadman Breadmachine for Gluten Free bread, but they always recommended the $400.00 model. $400.00??? I want to make bread, not gold. I can't afford $400.00, but I can work with $89.00 (including shipping). Now I'm not swift enough to have stumbled on this find by myself. I found it on Glutenfree Goddess. Thank you Glutenfree Goddess for putting this on your site. Maybe I can retire my pan and spoon.

Labels: bread machine, gluten free, glutenfree goddess

This weeks theme is memory

This is my older sons first birthday picture. He'll be five one month from today. Time flies.
To see the theme, go to Here.

Labels: photo scavenger hunt

This was an article that I received in my newsletter from Nicole Smith at Allergic Child. If you have a child with food allergies, I recommend checking out the website and signing up for the newsletter (it's free). There is also a section of the newsletter written for kids by her son who has food allergies. I think it's helpful for kids to see that they are not alone and that other kids have food allergies too.


Food Allergy Project
Denise and David Bunning founded the Food Allergy Project to bring together concerned parents, researchers, educators and experts to advocate for increased federal resources for food allergy research and to spur the fundamental scientific studies that are needed to find a cure.The progress they made in 2006 was substantial. The Food Allergy Project has two main goals. First, they seek to increase the federal resources dedicated to food allergy research. Second, they directly fund promising scientific studies in search of a cure for food allergy.Throughout 2006, The Food Allergy Project's research portfolio grew significantly. Below is an overview of some of the promising studies that were started or continued during the year. With a $3.3 million donation, The Food Allergy Project is partnering with some of the world's leading allergy and immunology researchers from Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School. This project seeks to uncover the basic mechanisms of allergic diseases, and to understand how to attack and neutralize immune system disorders like food allergy at their cellular and molecular levels. Duke University Medical Center's Food Allergy Initiative is exploring a promising immunotherapy clinical study on both mice and human patients. The study seeks to find better ways to treat allergies by desensitizing allergic patients. The study is currently exploring peanut allergies, and thanks to a $1.475 million grant from The Food Allergy Project, both egg and milk allergies have also been added to the study.The Food Allergy Project established a three-institution consortium in Chicago with Children's Memorial Hospital, Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, and the University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital. This consortium, with a more than $6 million gift from The Food Allergy Project, brings together great minds from a variety of research and medical disciplines to find the origins of food allergy and to work towards a cure. Currently, the federal government, through the National Institutes of Health, spends less than $10 million per year on food allergy research. That research occurs at a five-institution consortium involving: Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore; Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC; University of Arkansas Children's Hospital Research Institute, Little Rock; and National Jewish Medical and Research Center, Denver. Earlier this year, part of the federal funding for food allergy was eliminated from the federal budget. The Food Allergy Project covered the funding shortfall by committing $1 million over two years to the consortium so that all of the research currently underway could continue. The Food Allergy Project is also exploring research in disorders closely related to food allergy. Eosinophilic Disorders occur when eosinophils, a type of white blood cell, are found in above-normal amounts in various parts of the body. They are increasingly common in food allergic patients and make an already difficult life even more challenging as more foods must be avoided. The Food Allergy Project recently committed $1.25 million to Cincinnati Children's Hospital, a leader in eosinophilic disorder research.They continue to partner with other leading national food allergy advocacy organizations. For the fourth year, The Food Allergy Project has helped to fund the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network's (FAAN) research program, donating $250,000, which is then matched by other FAAN donors, in order to solicit and fund promising research proposals. The Food Allergy Project also continues to partner with The Food Allergy Initiative (FAI) to support research in search of a cure. To date, The Food Allergy Project and its predecessor organization have funded more than $15 million in food allergy research.They recognize, however, that while private funding is helpful, it is not enough. Food allergy has increased at such a dramatic pace that private donors cannot keep up without federal funding and leadership. They began an advocacy campaign to bring the food allergy story to Congress, the Administration, and federal agencies that conduct research. Over the course of the year, they met with multiple Members of Congress, staff, and other government officials, and will continue efforts with the incoming 110th Congress. Some highlights of the year include: Conducting a meeting with Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). They presented Dr. Fauci with compelling data from children's hospitals around the country illustrating the dramatic rate of increase in food allergies over the last decade. Attracting bi-partisan, public commitments to help advance food allergy funding from various Members of Congress. Hosting a Town Hall meeting in Lake Forest, IL with Congressman Mark Kirk, attended by more than 100 parents and children affected by food allergy. Conducting a national Satellite Media Tour reaching local broadcast television stations all over the country, emphasizing the need for increased federal funding. Additionally, they have met with many Members of key Congressional committees with jurisdiction over federal research funding. New Members of the 110th Congress will be reached when Congress returns in early 2007. You may have been contacted by The Food Allergy Project to assist in writing letters to Members of Congress with whom they have been meeting from your area, to speak with media in your community, and to gather information that is helpful to their educational efforts on Capitol Hill. For more information about this wonderful organization and how to participate, please visit: http://www.foodallergyproject.org/

Labels: allergic child, Food Allergies, food allergy project

Recipe from Hidden Valley Ranch

1. 1 packet (1 oz.) Hidden Valley Original Ranch Dressing Mix
2. 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3. 6 pork chops (about 3/4 inch thick)
4. Optional: dash of paprika

Directions:
1. Mix together dressing mix and pepper
2. Rub mixture on both sides of pork chops. Arrange chops in single layer on baking pan or broiler rack. Sprinkle with paprika(if desired).
3. Bake at 450 degrees F for 20-25 minutes. Makes 4-6 servings.

Visit Overwhelmed With Joy for more Favorite Ingredient Friday ideas.

Labels: Favorite Ingredient Friday, pork chops

The Zoo. The boys had a blast and I think Grandma had fun too. The weather was 56 degrees today, which is unheard of in Ohio for January 4th, so I thought it would be nice to take them. Most of the outdoor exhibits where closed, but we did get to see a few things. The indoor exhibits are open year round and that is their favorite anyway. My batteries in the camera died half way through so I have no outdoor shots at all. Hope you guys had a great day.

Labels: January, zoo

Thirteen Foods That I Miss Because Of My New Diet



1. Pizza
2. French Fries
3. Cheese (I can eat a little of this, just not a 1/2 pound every night)
4. Cookies
5. Sugar laden cereal
6. Candy Bars
7. Ice cream
8. Potato Chips
9. Nachos
10. Did I mention Pizza?
11. Doughnuts
12. Cream based soups
13. Cake

I can eat most of these things on my diet, just not in the quantities that I was. I didn't realize how unhealthy my eating habits had become until I started watching everything again. I really got out of the habit of being healthy the last 4 months.



Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)


Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Labels: thursday thirteen

Labels: wordless wednesday

Good Morning everyone and happy post-Christmas, post New Years! Today is our first day of getting back to our every day routine. Luckily, we have no where to go and the kids aren't back to school until tomorrow. Today is going to be a transition day for us.

For todays Tackle, I have to share with you something that is painful for me.

My Laundry Room: It Is The Worlds Smallest Laundry Room (OK, probably not, but I'm sure it's in the top 3). 3400 square feet and for some unknown reason, the builder built a 2 X 2 laundry room. It is also the black hole for junk. All junk gets sucked into the 2 X 2 laundry room never to be touched or seen again. I love my house, but I really do not like this laundry room. I've been thinking of ways to expand it, but I'm sure that is a project, that if possible, is a good ten years down the road. So in the meantime, I need to de-clutter this room.
Here are the before pictures:





Now come back later for some after pictures. Good luck to all you Tacklers out there.
Head on over to 5 Minutes For Mom to join in or see more projects.

Before I forget, I just joined a Walking Challenge over at The Ultimate Creator. Hop on over and check it out. It's a good way to keep on track with your exercise goal for the year!

The After Pictures (it's better, but far from perfect):

This last picture still shows a bucket of dirty cleaning rags in the sink. I don't know what to do with them between washings. If anyone has an suggestions, I'd appreciate it. This was a harder Tackle than I thought, but it feels good to have it done. And just incase you were wondering, the cabinets all have childproof locks on them. Happy Tuesday:)

Labels: Tackle it Tuesday

Laurel Wreath has asked for us to share some of our New Years Meditations and here is what she has asked:
would like you to post on your site about your hopes, dreams, goals, for the next year. What would you like to see God do in your life? How would you like to see Him move in things? Make this as general or as personal as you feel comfortable. What are your goals for next year? I am not looking for the "lose 10 lbs this year" answer, something a little bit deeper. When you look back December 2007 where would you like to be?

I personally do not do"resolutions", because I never seem to keep them, and I tend to feel like a failure. But I really would like to make some life changes this year, so I'm writing them down to 1. Hold myself accountable and 2. Have a place to revisit, so if I stray from the path, I can come here and remember why I made the choices for change that I did.

1. I know she doesn't want for us to write about losing 10 pounds, and I'm not. I need to lose 15 pounds. But in actuality, I need to get myself on track for a healthier life style. Inside and Outside. Eating healthy and adding more exercise is just the first and the easiest step to self-improvement. I know I will feel better, and then I will be able to do better. I've started a journal to keep track of my progress. It's my own little space out there in the Internet to track this part of my journey.My Journal For A Healthy Life.
2. I really need to turn things over to God more and stop trying to control everything in my life. I know He is present in my life and guiding me where I need to go, but I fight him every step of the way. I want to be in control. And with that control comes stress and resentment when things don't go the way I want them to go. My next step in the journey is to let go and let Gods hand guide me where he wants me to be.
3. By letting go, I need to be open more to prayer. The only way I'm going to relinquish control (yes, I'm type A) is to pray on it and give it to God. I need to make prayer a bigger part of my daily life, and I'd also like to start reading the bible again.
4. One of the things I need to pray upon is patience. I so lack patience. I feel I am constantly yelling at my children, and I don't like the person I become. Dear Lord, please help me to have patience with my children and give me the grace to know when to close my mouth and turn down the volume.
5. In doing all of the above things, I hope that I can take more time to take care of me and in turn that will lend itself to a healthier me who is able to take care of my family, even better than I try to do now. My family is always first for me and will continue to be, but I need to find a better balance. I burn myself out and then fall into disorganization and stress which then takes me further away from numbers 4, 3, 2, and 1.
6. Pray for my husband that God guides him where he needs to be in his job. He and I both stress out over his job and we both need to turn it over to God.

All of the things that I hope to accomplish on my journey this year will help to bring me closer to my family, my God, and myself. I pray that all of you have a healthy and happy New Year and that 2007 is all that you want it to be and more.

Labels: meditations, New Years