We're G-Free!

We've taken the plunge into the g-free world! Several years ago, before K was born, my doctor suggested I go on a g-free diet to help with my probable irritable bowel syndrome. But do you think I did?? No way! I wasn't about to give up my bread! So, life went on, with headaches, daily stomach issues, rashes, etc. Then recently I've noticed many of the same problems with K, but I never thought about going gluten free until she was diagnosed with ADHD (and I realized I was too). I read all the time about how much a g-free diet helps with adhd, so finally we've decided to try it. So far, it's going pretty well. We've had fewer headaches and stomach problems. K had a migraine last night, but it wasn't as bad a usual. K has been very agreeable about the food she can't have anymore and we've been happy to discover some of our favorites, like Cocoa Pebbles, are already g-free! And she does not have the bread obsession that I have. Really, I could eat nothing but bread and be happy. I could eat just bread dipped in olive oil and be perfectly happy. So, I've tried several bread mixes and they are awesome! I'm so happy I don't have to give up bread! But they are a little pricey, so I plan on visiting a local store tomorrow where I can get the flours I need (brown rice, sorghum, tapioca, etc) to make my own bread. Luckily I love to cook, so I'm enjoying the challenge of cooking with new ingredients and thinking how to change our favorite recipes to be g-free. So, this is our newest adventure, and I think it will be a successful one!

We are staying busy busy busy! Every weekend we have something going on. I don't know how this always happens, but it does, and it's not even summer yet! I'm looking forward to the summer...we've got a couple of trips planned, which will be fun. Kristin is most looking forward to our visit to Florida to see Uncle Kenny and Aunt Connie...it will be her first plane ride, first trip to Florida, first time to see the ocean. Can't wait!!!!

Green Thumb

Yesterday Kristin and I spent the chilly, drizzly, dreary day ignoring the weather and working on our gardens. Last night and early today I regreted that decision, but more on that later. I decided not to use the garden space I've used the past couple of years, but instead to make a raised garden. So, off to Walmart/Lowes/Atwoods we went and came back with....three bags of soil, raised garden kit, potato growing kit, seeds (lettuce, green beans, okra, chives and oregano), sweet yellow pepper and green bell pepper plants. Kristin also picked some flower seeds for the front yard, so I got her a greenhouse to get those started in. We had a great time digging and planting! Here's our little garden. I've got the chives and oregano growing in the kitchen.



Remember the garden space I said I wasn't going to use anymore? Well, last year I planted strawberries there and had no clue that they come back! So, I have strawberries growing amongst the grass, weeds, and rabbit nest. I guess it will end up being my strawberry patch!



This afternoon K planted the flower seeds in her greenhouse. Actually she planted half, got bored, and I did the rest. She will be into the transferring of the plants when they start growing, when she will be able to dig and get dirty! This is the first time we've done the greenhouse. I've got it in the kitchen window...hopefully it will work.



Remember how I said I regretted working outside all day yesterday? Last night I was broken out, head to toe, in hives/itchy bumpy rash! I took lots of benadryl and when I woke up this morning the rash was gone, but my eyes were still swollen. I've had horrible allergy issues the past few weeks and am seriously considering going to an allergist so I can start taking shots again.

Those of you who know me best know that I am not a plant person. I'm sure Mandy and Alison remember the cactus and philodendron that I managed to kill back in college. How I killed a cacuts, I'll never know, but I did it! Anyway, after Chris' funeral I ended up with 4 plants, one of which has 4 different plants in one pot, which I will later have to transfer, so really, it's 8 plants! But I am happy to report that they are all living and doing well. Here is my beautiful peace lily about to bloom again :)



BABY BUNNY REPORT
The baby rabbits are still alive and growing...in fact while I was checking on the strawberries, one hopped out of the nest! I managed to get a picture of him before he hopped away. The other three are still in the nest, they aren't quite as big as the one who left. Hopefully after they leave they will not be back to eat my strawberries!

Kristin has wanted an American Girl doll FOREVER even though she's never been that into dolls. But she loves these dolls. And I love the books that come with them, etc. I tried explaining that these dolls are pretty pricey and we just can't spend that much money on a doll right now. Well, I was browsing on ebay and found the AG doll, Julie, that she has been wanting...for 30 BUCKS! In excellent condition. Needless to say I ordered it and didn't say a word to K. A couple of days later she got a birthday party invitation and the girls are asked to bring their dolls (AG and such) and she said, pitifully, "But I don't have an American doll." I gave in and told her that I'd already ordered her one...she immediately broke into tears and started screaming THANK YOU! Her doll came in today...looks brand new! And the best part, she thinks it is ;)

A few days ago I was pulling weeds in the garden and found next to the strawberry patch (which I didn't know I'd have...I didn't know strawberries come back!) a rabbit nest with four babies! They are so cute! I've had to keep an eye on the dogs so that they don't catch the mom when she's out there. They don't have a clue the babies are there. As cute as they are, once they are gone, I will let the dogs get after any rabbits eating okra in my garden! Don't mess with a Southern girls okra! Here are the baby bunnies, all cute and cuddly!




Tonight we made a milk run. Kristin had the best time seeing the cows being milked. It really is cool to see the milk going pretty much straight from the cow to our milk jars. One interesting thing I've noticed about this milk...K and I both have a milk allergy and while it's not bad, but if we drink too much milk, we'll start breaking out in a rash. Well. we've both been drinking this milk more than once a day and NO RASH! LOVE IT! I broke out in hives last week and thought it might be the milk, but lo and hehold, it was the new laundry detergent. But thanks to my friend, Kristen, I have some homemade laundry detergent to try :)

Mouse In the House?

I think I just heard a mouse in the kitchen. Great. What happened to my kingsnake living under the rosebush??? He's either dead or no longer catching mice for me. Time to break out the Dcon!

I THINK Kristin is beginning to feel better. Last Wednesday she woke up complaining that her lower back was hurting, right around the kidney area. The next morning she was in tears and running a temp. I took her to work with me and by that afternoon she was fine, so I was still unsure about taking her to the doctor, especailly since it wasn't hurting when she went to the bathroom...not that she was letting on, anyway. We went to Walmart after work and picked up and over the counter UTI test kit, a wonderful invention (wish they made one for strep). It almost immediately turned positive. So, we went to the new walk in clinic at Walmart. I LOVED the nurse practicioner and the fact that I didn't have to pay over 100 dollars either, which is what I would've paid at the doctor since K's Arkids hasn't gone through (they are taking their time). We got her started on some meds (4 bucks, thank you wallyworld), but the next day was still running a fever. Yesterday she was feeling ok but last night had a horrible stomachache and woke up with a fever again. Now she is fine and says she feels much better. I hope so, for both our sakes!

Kristin had requested that we go to Red Lobster one day to use my gift card, so we went yesterday for lunch. We both ate shrimp and it was so so good. After lunch we ran by Old Navy to see what they had on sale. Kristin found some really cute shirts and a sundress. I hadn't been in Old Navy in years...they made me mad when they quit carrying women's jeans in tall. But I gave in and took K shopping. She had a good time and even agreed to try on the clothes, which she hates and gets from me. Neither of us are much of shoppers. I realized after we got home we should've run in Target and I needed to go by Ozark Natural Foods. Oh, well, there's always next weekend.

Odds and Ends

Kristin LOVES to draw and design clothes. She never really played with dolls, ever. She just draws and draws and makes her own 'fashions' as she puts it. Well, she found this new fashion design 'toy' she decided to buy with her allowance money. It really is neat. It comes with a mannequin and pieces of fabric that you can fold and fit on the mannequin and design outfits. Oh my gosh, this is the perfect thing for her. She loves it and now says she's going to design school when she grows up. Here she is showing off her first design.

We have started buying fresh milk from a local farmer. A friend of mine knows the family who owns a dairy farm outside Siloam and have started selling their milk to the public, for a very reasonable price. Best of all the milk comes from grass fed cows, without antibiotics or growth hormone. It is so so good. Here is my gallon of milk, in two half gallon jars, that was pumped at 5 and at my house by 7...gotta love it!

Easter evening while I was in the shower, Kristin comes running into the bathroom, "Matt's Mom was at the door!" I got out and there was a message on the answering machine from her...she'd made up two Easter cupcakes and left them in the car. They were so so yummy and were a great surprise!

Happy Easter

Happy Easter! We've had a really good Easter weekend. Mom got here Friday around 5:00. We were brought a yummy dinner of chicken casserole, green beans, homemade bread, sweet tea and cookies from a family at church. It was nice to not have to worry about dinner that night. Saturday we got up at went to the Beans Place (Taquiero El Rancho), Kristin's favorite Mexican restaurant. It is good and we hadn't been there in awhile. This morning Krsitin hunted eggs and had fun going through her basket. We went to church and then came home to a lunch of ham and potatoes cooked in the slow cooker, green beans, and rolls. So so good! Mom left around 1:30. We had a nice, relaxing weekend! Here are some pictures:

Here are some more pictures from the past several weeks....

We began spring with a foot of snow! It was so strange to have snow on the first day of spring, but it really was pretty. Kristin had fun playing with her friends, building forts and having snowball fights. By the next day, most had melted.

Here's Krsitin with the flowers from her class....

and the card that the kids at Sunshine made for us...so so sweet!




We are doing well and love our great friends and family!