Ch-ch-ch-ch-CHANGES

We are on a food adventure. For the past year or so we have been struggling to find out Katelyn's food allergies. (We are assuming it's food-related.) We had some success with eliminating dairy, and as her other symptoms gradually worsened we put her on a natural, whole-foods type of diet just to be sure we weren't harming her with all the dyes and preservative junk that is in so much of the supermarket foods these days. For the past I don't know how long, I have been struggling with eliminating gluten. This is by far the hardest and biggest challenge. That's why I titled this post "Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes"...because we have been making drastic dietary lifestyle changes, with many false starts along the way. (Also I just like David Bowie, right?) Gluten is in so many things, but you've got to be freakin Einstein to recognize it in an ingredients list! If the label says "spices", "natural flavors", "modified", "hydrolyzed"...whatever...then you could be in big trouble. I didn't know all this until recently, but I could have bought supposedly gluten free corn chips, and lo and behold they went down the same conveyor belt as flour tortilla chips and suddenly all the gluten symptoms are back again! The label won't always tell you that. Did you know play dough has gluten? And if your child eats an apple slice after playing w/ the play dough she can get sick all over again? Well, I learned that the hard way three days ago. Did you know that gluten-free peanut butter isn't gluten-free if the last person making a peanut butter sandwich double-dipped the knife? I also learned that the hard way...just last night. Did you know you can call the manufacturer directly to ask them 20 questions about their ingredients and whether or not they were derived from glutenous grains? Well I did that just the other day, and I am relieved to know that Silk Almond and Coconut milks are "to the best of their knowledge" gluten -free. Here are some books I have read lately and LOVED: "The Perricone Weight Loss Diet" by Dr. Perricone (I recommend this one to anyone who is interested in living healthier and looking younger!) and "The G-Free Diet: A Gluten-Free Survival Guide" by Elisabeth Hasselbeck (the conservative girl from "The View"). I'm not sure if Katelyn has Celiac Disease, but the odds are leaning towards it, and this 2nd book has been invaluable to me. Now I will be able to self-test her for gluten without all the confusion, frustration and false starts of the past year. My advice to anyone trying to live a restricted or simply a healthier, more natural diet is to focus on the foods you CAN eat, not the foods you can't. That is the BEST advice I can give you. Oh, and read a book ASAP. Bless her little heart, Katelyn never complains. Sometimes she'll cry or whimper and it breaks my heart because I know this must be hard for her, but she never complains and after we explain things to her she never questions. She has so much faith in our judgement. Sometimes I cry, too. Because I feel like we may be coming closer to an answer, and that is both exciting and scary at the same time. And because I worry about the possibility that we may be pursuing false leads. That is scary, too, because I am SO ready for my little girl to be healthy again. Because I want this all to be over with. I want answers and I want to move forward...get on with life. But...in case we are on a false lead...we are starting her on a DesBio food sensitivities kit tomorrow, and we finally got the allergist appointment set up for next month. I hope he will be willing to consider my concerns about Celiac/gluten. I am a mom on a mission. "I can do this." That is what I keep telling myself. And you, dear reader, thank you for listening to me vent.

Color and Lights

A child's imagination is so unique. I think there's a spark of magic in there somewhere, inspiring them to do amazing and cool things that we grown-ups would never think of. 

Like painting Christmas lights on the sun. I never do that...but Katelyn did. (see above)

Or like the other day when I heard her playing doctor with her cousins. The older girl was saying, "Pretend I'm here because I have a bomb in my stomach, and tomorrow is my last day to live..." I have never thought of that scenario...but she did.

Or the way that each day my Littleman looks me in the eye and tells me (very seriously) that: "Nine years ago, when [he] was four, [he]...(fill in the blank, since it changes every time.)"

I love this quote by Roahl Dahl, one of my favorite childrens authors. He says, "...Watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it."

I believe that children are one of those "most unlikely places" he spoke of. My kids help me believe in magic, and I'm so grateful for the times that they invite me into their world to share their secrets. My advice to those of us fortunate enough to be mothers? Enjoy it!!

Along the Road to Mineral Kings, Sequoia National Forest

 Confession: we left straight from church, thus the Sunday best.

 Further up the road it was snowing heavily. This was as far as we could go.

 Adam dreams of running this road someday. 23 windy, uphill miles.

 Pyrite flecks stuck to the bottom of my shoe...or is it GOLD?!

 Sequoia National Forest

 The sign basically said if you fall in this river you will die.

I was glad when the hike was over!

 Cousins!

Since we couldn't get up to the snowed-in cabin, we camped in Aaron's back yard instead. 

I think the kids had just as much fun!!

Interstate 5

I love California. I'm not talking politics and deficits and such. I'm talking about the land. It's beautiful. The north, the south, the beaches, the mountains, the lakes and valleys. I love my home.

We went north this weekend to visit Adam's brother. Littleman is potty training, which means that when he has to go, we pull over...ASAP. This stop was ASAP. What luck! A cute little farm at dusk with a random tire among the thistles. You can see the Sierras off in the distance. I feel like I travel this road a lot.

Littleman Turns Three!!

 I love you lots, Littleman!!

"Never underestimate the power of the dark side." ;)

Happy Birthday! Love, Mom