Action Plan

We had our consultation with Little Bell's allergist yesterday and well all I can say is...that's it? Short medical background on Little Bell: She was always a healthy child until last Sept. She started kindergarten but it was not her first exposure to school. She also attended a daycare at 3 then pre-school at 4, so she has been exposed to lots of germs! Since Sept of last year, she has had 6 sinus infections, 4 strep throats, 3 ear infections, 1 regular flu, 1 "piggy" flu and lots of "viruses". We finally took her to the allergist. So here's what we found out, she has asthma - not severe but enough that we have to an inhaler on hand. She is not allergic to any, you heard not one, environmental element. Now food is a WHOLE different subject. I know you saw my post of going dairy-free. Well needless to say, we are still on day 1! So here are her know food allergies, list from greatest to least: Wheat, corn, milk/casein, egg whites, oats, rice, peanuts, chocolate and soy bean.

For some reason, maybe denial, I am having a hard time grasping the concept of having to find all new things to cook. Like lots of people, I have 3 very picky eaters. Hubby and Little Bell, I can pretty much talk them into "trying" new things but baby sister, I will use her favorite quote "No way!".



I found myself on the computer for 2 hours trying to decide what to feed my kids for lunch and then when my husband nor the kids could take it anymore, he brings home hot dogs and burgers! Really?

I am very frustrated with the concept of change. I like cheese, I like bread, I like corn!! Don't give me crap for wanting Reese's peanut butter cups! I am not a bad person!! Sorry I forgot this isn't Free Therapy Day!!

On top of that, baby sister is really showing her age! She is 2! She is the most stubborn little thing. I get so frustrated with her tantrums. Tonight's episode ended with mac'n'cheese on the fridge and her red bum in the "no-no" chair!

I am so pissed off at the allergist doctor. I very clearly remember her telling us that she would set us up with an action plan. I remember feeling so relieved knowing that at the end of all the tests, we would have a precise "action plan". She had a ton of information on environmental, nothing on food!

New action plan????

Thank You Very Much

It's Free Therapy Day! That's right, you heard me! No more excuses as to why you can't figure out why all your relationships SUCK! Visit Daily Dribbles and grab the button and let it all hang out! The way it works is that you take out all your frustrations on people/things that peeved you off during the week and thank them in a very sarcastic way, for being who or what they are/doing what they did. So hold on your panties, girls, I am getting me some FREE THERAPY!!

• Thank you very much, my precious little 2 yr old for making me hate the phrase "No way". I remember, not that long ago, using it in sentences and thinking to myself, Man I am REALLY Cool. Now after hearing it repeatedly day and night, I know I can live the rest of my life not hearing it again! So thank you for making me realize that I am annoying, not cool.
• Thank you very much squash bugs. Without your need to kill my plant, I would have never known, truly what a terrible farmer I really am.
• Thank you very much my beautiful little girls, without you I would be such a stuck up mom. Just when I start to get a little bit of a big head about what angels I have raised, you pop that bubble with a simple, "Mom why is sister taking her diaper off?" Of course, we are in the middle of Target! How, why and exactly when I have no answer to but I can tell you, she at least had enough decency to wait until the parking lot to pee!
• Thank you very much soccer. Don't get me wrong, I can go all day with David B. and no shirt but really you need to be that interesting? Can you at least have shorter innings or whatever you call it, 45 minutes, really? By the time the game is over, I am too tired and have done forgot what in the world I was mad about, really?

So now it's your turn to let it out! Grab the button & link up.

Welcome Wednesday

Here I go again, off to find great new blogs!

If you want to be a part of Welcome Wednesday, just follow these 5 simple steps:

1. Follow the Welcome Wednesday Host (Take It From Me) as well as the 2 Spotlighted Blogs of the Week. (These will make up the top three slots on the Linky)
2. Link up your blog name and URL with our Linky. (You only need to add your info once for it to be seen on all the blog hops)
3. Grab our Welcome Wednesday button and include it in a post about the event on your blog.
4. Go to as many blogs on the MckLinky as you want and Follow them. Be sure to tell them you are from Welcome Wednesday!
5. Be sure to Follow back any followers you have gained from our Welcome Wednesday event!

So if you are stopping by for the first time, Welcome! I love new followers and always follow back. Be sure and check out my first ever GIVEAWAY!!

Follow Me Back Tuesday

Hosted by Survey Junkie, Little Yaya's, Review Retreat , Boobies, Babies & A Blog and our special guest co-host for the week Dave from Musings Of Life!

Link up!!

You Got This...

I love my husband but really? So yesterday was a loonngg day. My 6 yr old woke everyone up at 5 am with a scream that would wake the dead. She had a bad dream :(  The day got progressively worse. I am not one to complain much, I said MUCH OK!

Sister, 2 yr old, is now refusing to take naps, WTF? Little Bell, 6 yr old, was in a bad mood which I can't blame her, nobody likes being woken up after being chased by GIANT CATS!? Jack*ss (the loving nickname I am using for my husband today! DON'T JUDGE ME!) works 12 hour shifts on Sat and Sun so needless to say I HATE WEEKENDS!

Within 10 minutes of my husband Jack*ss returning to work after lunch, my door bell rings. It's my sister, she never ever comes to my house so I knew it was serious. She has a 7 yr old little girl so the 3 cousins happily played together while my sister (who is not in the blogging world) proceeds to lay it all out there. Let me just say without giving too many juicy details, it entails another recently separated man. So I find myself watching not only my house fall apart but my sister, too. I have such mixed feelings so I won't even began trying to explain!

Luckily, I had to pick up my husband from work (he drives work truck on the weekends). Otherwise I think she would have stayed all night! I was 10 minutes late picking up Jack*ss which of course I have to hear all the way home! We had not even pulled into the driveway when he gets a call from work. (He works for a data center, don't ask me, I am just pretty) If you don't know, we have our beloved cat, Seraphina, and our not so much beloved dog, SeeSee (my 6 yr olds version of CeCe). The cat gets to come inside not the dog, sorry.

On the weekends, I feed the girls their dinner before my husband gets home then we eat together later. We walk in the door from picking up Jack*ss, I immediately head to the bathroom for baths because I am always trying, hardly ever achieving, bedtime at 8:30. My kids are sleepers, big shout-out to Jesus! Water running, check. Kids in bath, check. Dirty dishes still on table, check. Remainders of tornado that ran through my house, check.

For some reason, I still do not know why, Jack*ss let the dog in the house then abruptly heads to the front door. This is what I hear "I am headed back to work. I let SeeSee in and she is chasing the cat! Uh Oh Seraphina is on the table! Yup, there goes SeeSee after her! Well I gotta go. You got this!" The door shuts. CRASH!

Morning after, we still have a dog and a cat. We no longer own a complete set of dishes, excuse to spend money. Both kids did not drown. One husband who is very sorry or least that is what he said. And a very BIG hangover! Thanks Hornsby! Yes this all happened on a Sun. Don't even get me started on my conspiracy theory about how God has it out for me! He has been on my butt for years to go to church on Sundays!

Monday Minute

I love exploring new blogs. Once again I have found a great new blog Kmama! I think I will give myself a pat on the back, I deserve it! So here's what I found, Kmama is co-hosting a great Q&A.

So link up with Kmama  @ The Daily Dribbles!

So here we go:

1. Who is your "what-if" person?
Weelll, if I must....thank gawd my mama does not know how to turn on a computer (much less a man, sorry I couldn't resist)! The last I heard of him (thanks fb), he was married to the slut girl he left me for with 2 very beautiful kids. He is a "musician" and manages a website that sells silver pendents. I think I traded up! (No offense to musicians, I wish I was talented enough or silver pendent website managers. I'm just saying.)

2. What is your nickname?
Depends, if it is my husband...darling. My bestie...whore, slut, Kris you know anything affectionate. My sisters...babysitter, dog babysitter. The people that I very kindly yell ask to move out of the way whether it be grocery store, post office, any place that large crowds of idiots gather...b*tch!

3. If you could choose how you died, how would you like to die?
WOW! What a question...I know how I don't want to die. Young, I don't want to drown. I don't want to burn or be murdered. Crap I could go on and on and on. So I'll ask someone with a slower less complicated brain, no the kids are asleep. My husbands reply "The best you can hope for is to die in your sleep. You got to know when to hold'em. Know when to fold'em. Know when to walk away. Know when to run!" Awesome, now I will have to hear him sing that stupid song for the rest of the night.

4. If you could have named yourself, which name would you have picked?

You do not know how many nights I laid awake at night thinking about this question. You see, I do not like my name, Kristel (pronounced Krystal or however to want to spell it). It is a common name with a uncommon spelling! Actually, my parents claim that someone in the hospital changed the spelling on my name, really. Until I was in the 7th grade, myself and my parents spelled my name Krystal. That is how my name is spelled on all report cards until the 7th grade. We moved the summer between 6th & 7th grade. At the new school, they required a birth certificate (apparently my parents did not need one when I enrolled in Kindergartner). On my birth certificate my name is spelled Kristel. So to answer the question, I always wanted a different name until 7th grade!

5. Who were you named after or for what reason did your parents choose your name?
I am not named after anyone. It just fit the rhyme. I have 3 older sisters Amy, Angela, Kristin and me Kristel or Krystal depending on when you knew me! Yes all of our middle name rhyme, too. I can't wait until Fawk You, Friday!

Backpacks

So here we go again...School is almost upon us and I am feeling the need to shop for backpacks, shoes and school supplies. (Am I the only one that gets that sick feeling in the pit of their stomach when they smell Elmer's Glue. You know that feeling of OMG I didn't do my homework and the teacher just called on me!)

I have a 1st grader this year and I am super nervous. You see I am a worrier. I worry about EVERYTHING, which is a great post for another day. Today I am worrying about backpacks. Last year, I bought 3 different ones, all of which didn't suit my kid's ridiculous needs. So this year, I have decided to shop online and include her the entire way. I have been doing my research and have come up with some great choices. Here is what I found (BTW these are all eco-friendly aka PVC free):

1. Rawganique - They are a company that sells hemp made clothing, food, pretty much anything. After we found out my daughter was allergic to milk, casein, wheat and corn, hemp seems to be one of the only alternatives.
2. Timbuk - This one lets you design your own backpack.
3. SealLine - I am not really sure about this one but at least it is an option.
4. Patagonia

Well I have 4 options for her maybe we can find one that we both like? Probably not but since Mommy has Daddy's credit card, I have the final say! Right Daddy!!

Eat Pray Love

I recently started reading the book Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I know it is about time, the movie is coming out in a couple of weeks! What can I say, I am a late bloomer!

Well, needless to say I am really enjoying the book. It is a great book for anyone who is confused as to where their life is leading them and needs a little push in the right direction.

I am not very far into the book and I won't share too much so not to ruin it for anyone wanting to read the book or watch the movie but there was a part that struck a cord with me. Elizabeth Gilbert wrote it best "The great Sufi poet and philosopher Rumi once advised his students to write down the three things they most wanted in life. If any item on the list clashes with any other item, Rumi warned, you are destined for unhappiness."

That's where I am, trying to figure out the 3 things I want most in life. That is my assignment for the weekend. So how about you? What are the 3 things you want most in life?

Vacation

So my husband's vacation is over. He had 10 whole days off with us, his adoring family! I know that doesnt seem like a long time but for someone who hasnt had a weekend off in 2 years it was a blessing. Last night while we were laying in bed, I asked him what he was going to tell his co-workers what he did on his vacation. His reply "Nothing but relax with the family"! Which is completely true! I had a very long honey-do list and it is still very long. I think we got one project done, the rest is still a work in progress.

I enjoyed every moment we had together and cant wait for the next one. Some of the highlights were going to the river, the aquarium and of course our little sister's 2nd birthday!!

Carbon Neutral Blog...

I found this great new blog! Which lead me to yet another great cause, reducing my carbon footprint. There was a program that was started in Germany, that has a goal of trying to reduce carbon emissions. They plant a tree in honor of your blog and help reduce your carbon footprint for the next 50 years. It is real easy, check out the original post.

Day 1 - Dairy Free

Well we officially have gone dairy free at our house!! After my 6 yr old's allergy test, we decided the best thing to do was start with dairy and see how the changes affect everyone. I can pleasantly say that nobody at our house really missed it! It is just day 1.

After my overwhelming experience on Monday with the grocery store, I pleasantly returned on Tuesday morning. I am happy to report the outcome was different this time. Instead of leaving with nothing but a big headache this time I returned home with lots of fruits, veggies and lots less money. I did realize that it would be a lot cheaper and smarter to learn to cook the basic things from scratch, like spaghetti sauce. I am nervous and excited about learning to cook again.

So for breakfast yesterday we had blueberry pancakes with soy milk, lunch we had peanut butter and banana sandwiches, and for dinner we had stir fry over rice with watermelon. The kids loved the veggies in the stir fry quite to my surprise. I do have to say that the gluten free dairy free bread was quite chewy. Thank goodness we only used bread on one side, it was more for dipping. I am looking for ideas of better gluten and dairy free bread, if anyone has any!

HookableDesigns Giveaway...

Courageous Mother is having an awesome giveaway that ends today!! She is featuring HookableDesigns on Etsy. The jewelry is beautiful...

The giveaway is from the I Am Wonderful collection. It is for your choice of headbands so link up and enter to win!

WOW..

So my 6 yr old had her first allergy test done yesterday and well it wasn't what I was expecting at all. Even now all I can think is...wow! She is allergic to milk, casein (the protein used to make cheese), wheat and corn. Thank God she is not allergic to peanuts, chocolate or eggs.

So if you don't know much about casein (which I didn't until a lot of questions and research) it is in all dairy products. Not only will we become gluten free but dairy free also. WOW. I cant even began to explain our love for dairy products at this house.

I made my first visit to the grocery store to find something for us to eat. It is all so overwhelming for me at this point. We still have one more allergy test before our "action plan" visit with the doctor so I have plenty of time before totally freaking out. But still even now, when I really starting thinking about meals my mind just shuts down and all I can think is...WOW!

Funny...

I got this email today and I had to share...

Friendship ~ None of that Sissy Sh*t

Are you tired of those sissy 'friendship' poems that always sound good, but never actually come close to reality? Well, here is a series of promises that actually speak of true friendship You will see no cute little smiley faces on this ~ Just the stone cold truth of our great friendship.

1. When you are sad ~ I will help you get drunk and plot revenge against the sorry bastard who made you sad.
2. When you are blue ~ I will try to dislodge whatever is choking you.
3. When you smile ~ I will know you are thinking of something that I would probably want to be involved in.
4. When you are scared ~ I will rag on you about it every chance I get until you're NOT.
5. When you are worried ~ I will tell you horrible stories about how much worse it could be until you quit whining.
6.. When you are confused ~ I will try to use only little words.
7.. When you are sick ~ Stay the hell away from me until you are well again.. I don't want whatever you have.
8. When you fall ~ I will laugh at your clumsy ass, but I'll help you up.
9. This is my oath .... I pledge it to the end. 'Why?' you may ask ~ because you are my friend.

Friendship is like peeing your pants, everyone can see it, but only you can feel the true warmth.

2nd Look Saturday..These are My Words

So here is a great new blog hop that I found today! The rules are simple. Re post a blog of your own that you think deserves a second look! Post the button and link up!

So here is a post from June 24 not that long ago!!

_________________________________________________

So where have I been? I could tell you some BIG lie about being so busy that I just haven't had a chance!!! Well I haven't been busy at all. I could tell you that I decided to DISCONNECT from technology for a while but if you really knew me, you would know that was simply untrue!! I would sleep with my iPhone if it didn't bother my husband. I really do not have one good reason why I haven't been on my OWN website. I even got an award!?! (BTW..that was completely AWESOME!!)Well, I sure hope that you will forgive me for being away cause I AM BACK, BABY!!

So what now? I have a serious question that needs an open and honest response. How many true friends do you have in your life? By true friends I mean the ones that you can honestly rely on for anything, not the ones that you think will be there for you only to disappoint you. I can honestly say that I have 2 true friends in my life. One of course is my husband and the other is my high school bff. She lives 4 hours away but is always with me in spirit. (Notice I didn't mention family members outside my home!)

So throw a dog a bone and leave a response! I don't think you can write it off your taxes but you can have a nice feeling knowing that you helped a lost soul in search of some answers!!! Oh, and don't forget...SMILE, someone needs it today!!!!

Follow Me, Chickadee...

Once again I have not been around lately due to "bad weather"?!? No really I just haven't been into much lately but it is slowly changing! I found this great HOP from MannLand5 and cant wait to see what new and exciting posts I come across today!! Check out here for rules!!

I am so thankful this Friday for love, luck and everything in between!! So here's to a nice working weekend. May all your chores get done and maybe even get some extra sleep this weekend!!

Asthma

I think I finally had a victory yesterday! We have been struggling since September of last year to figure out what was going on with our 6 yr old. She has been constantly sick. I can not tell you how upsetting it is to hear your daughter wake up almost everyday and tell you that her head, stomach and throat hurt. Not just because that she is sick but because I had no way of helping her. We have spent so much money on co-pays, deductibles, medicine and anything else that was suggested to us to buy to help her. Now 10 months later, I realize that her Dr. is a moron, that has been taking us to the cleaners. It seems to me now that she never even tried to help us. She would merely classify all of her illnesses under a "virus" and tell us that all little kids have a bad year when starting school. All kids miss over 40 days of school? Really? I can tell you for a fact that we will NEVER return to her practice.

So my 6 year old has been diagnosed with asthma & severe eczema. We have to go back 2 times next week for skin allergy testing. The Allergist says she is more than positive that she also has some kind of food allergy. Which is no surprise to me because I asked her regular Dr. to test her for gluten allergy. She refused because she didn't think that had anything to do with her "viruses".

I feel vindicated but extremely upset and sad. I didn't want to be right, I just wanted my daughter to feel good and be able to go to school like all other little kids. I guess the moral of my story is that even though they may be doctors or lawyers or rocket scientists, they are still human. I am the only advocate that my kids have and I will never stop yelling, screaming or fighting just because someone with a degree tells me I am wrong.