[sigh]

I'm feeling a little overwhelmed...

Yesterday, I took my son for his check-up with the allergy doctor. Three years ago we began suspecting that Patrick had some serious allergies and we were worried that one of them was peanuts after a couple of reactions and hives. He had to go through allergy testing which was hard on him, but I think even harder on me. (See the scrapbook page above.)



Well, we found out that he is allergic to many inhalent/environmental things like dust, mold, pollen, grasses, animals, etc. In addition to this, he showed tendencies to being allergic to several foods. Strangely, though, peanuts came up negative, although he showed sensitivity to soybeans (another legume) and almonds. The doc told me it would be wise to just avoid nuts altogether to be safe. He also gave me an overwhelming list of things to do and clean around the house and put Patrick on medication to help control the allergies.



Unfortunately, all of this only seems to be helping a little and now Patrick is complaining of stomach aches daily as well as occasional bad headaches. I look at him with his dark circles under his eyes and get so sad. I worry that the tummy aches are due to a food allergy, but am stumped as to what it is. His diet is varied and his stomach aches come after eating lots of different types of food. The only thing I have truly seen is there was one really bad episode after he drank two glasses of chocolate milk at Applebees. The doctor feels that he could be having the tummy aches from either food, or from nasal drainage going into the tummy or a combo of both. So, he asked if I could remove all dairy from Patrick's diet for the next couple of weeks to see if it makes a difference. He also wants to give him another set of allergy tests. He was only 3 years old when he was tested before and got the infant test which isn't as extensive. And he is twice as old and things may have changed for better or worse in different areas. I think the doc wants to consider shots as a possible option and he would need a more current complete picture of what we are dealing with. BUT that means TWO separate visits for testing. Two times he has to have a back and arm full of holes and discomfort. Thankfully, he doesn't really remember when we did it before, but I do. :-(

So, I am feeling overwhelmed. Overwhelmed with the testing, overwhelmed and feeling like I should be cleaning and scrubbing my house more, overwhelmed with figuring out how to cook without dairy. When I said "Sure, we can take him off of milk." I wasn't thinking about all that involved: all cheese, butter, yogurt, cottage cheese, sour cream, ice cream, mac and cheese. Tonight I am making my famous Hot Dog Pie for a family that just had twins so naturally that is what we will be having for dinner, too. But Patrick can't have it because it is full of cheese. I told him I would make him some special pigs in a blanket instead.

Sorry, I am rambling on and on. I guess I just needed to vent. I am off to fix lunch for the kiddos. We have gotten a bunch of beautiful, white, fluffy snow and I plan to take the kids out in it after lunch.

Praise for AllRecipes.com

As I mentioned in my earlier post, it is my daughter's birthday. The tradition in our home is that the birthday child gets a special birthday breakfast in bed. Last night as I was brainstorming what that would be and remembered that I had homemade cinnamon rolls in the freezer that I made around Christmas. I pulled out a pan to thaw and planned to bake them and whip up some icing in the morning. Well, this morning I put the rolls in the oven, opened my cabinet only to find there was NO POWDER SUGAR in the house. It's kinda hard to make icing without it. So, I didn't panic, but instead went to my trusty computer and visited my favorite recipe site: http://www.allrecipes.com/. I did an advanced search for icing specifying that I didn't want powdered sugar as an ingredient. I came up with this delicious Brown Sugar Sauce. (For the record, I left out the brandy. I figured I didn't need to get the kids sloshed first thing in the morning ;-) It was perfect on the rolls.

This is not the first time AllRecipes has helped me like this. I just recently came up with two great granola recipes that contain no nuts. Nutless and peanutbutterless granola recipes are hard to come by but are a neccesity in our house because of my son's allergies. I came up with two keepers that I can use to replace our store-bought bars and cereal. Yay! If you always pick well reviewed recipes, you will almost always have a winner.

In case you are interested, here are the granola recipes:

Playgroup Granola Bars

Cinnamon-Raisin Granola

And here is the recipe I used for the Cinnamon Rolls compliments of the Pioneer Woman Cooks.

14th Anniversary of Motherhood

It's hard to believe that it has been 14 years.
14 years since I held this girl as a tiny baby.
14 years since I became a mother.
It is 14 years that I am so thankful for!

Take note of this photo because it is a rare thing. Typically my daughter hides from the camera and I have shot after shot of her blurry hand or the back of her head. On this day, something special must have been in the air and she actually looked at me and half smiled. Note the new stylish hat she just bought and the wii controller in her hand. She is my teenager and I adore her! Happy Birthday Sweetie!

Recipe Share

My online friend, Cardee, is hosting a fun blog challenge. Her challenge is to share a simple tried and true dish that you might take to a potluck. Now, I have never taken this to a potluck, but I am on a casserole ministry that takes meals to the families of new moms at our church. If the family has other children I always bring Hot Dog Pie. I know that this may sound unusual, but let me assure you that it is delicious. I have never known anyone, kid or adult, who doesn't like it. This is a recipe that my mom deserves credit for. I think it came from a Pillsbury cookbook she has had since I was a child and she has made this for as long as I can remember.

Hot Dog Pie
1 can Crescent Rolls
8 oz.. Monterrey Jack Cheese
12 oz., Hot Dogs or Sausages
Salt & Pepper
2 Eggs
2 T. Parmesan Cheese

Press rolls into a pie crust, saving a few triangles for on top of pie.
Combine eggs and Parmesan cheese. Add sliced, meat and cubed or shredded cheese and mix. Pour into pie crust and decorate top with lattice using reserved crescent rolls. Flute edges. Bake @ 325 degrees for 70 minutes or until knife inserted 2” from edge comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes.

I usually buy an extra can of cresent rolls because it can be more of a challenge with just one can. With 2 cans, you will have extra. Actually, I usually double this and buy 3 cans and it is about perfect. I almost always use the hot dogs, but my mom will use little smoky links and serve it for brunch. You know, just to class it up [grin]. Either way, it is wonderful.

As you can see, I have typed this recipe up on a cute little sheet that you can download and print out. There are two versions. One is the original, but the second one is the "de-fattified" version. (Yes, that's the technical term.) A few years ago, I was in First Place and we had a challenge to take a favorite recipe that wasn't so healthy and improve it. (And lets be honest, this ain't the most health conscious recipe!) This second version uses Healthy Choice hot dogs which is what I usually use anyway because they are yummy, not too expensive, and contain way less fat. It also uses canned (refrigerated) pizza crust in place of the cresent rolls. This cuts out a ton of fat, but I have to say is not near as tasty. Even using reduced fat cresent rolls kinda ruins the recipe for me. Perhaps that is because I grew up eating the full fat version and it is just plain yummy. I have even tried filo dough in an effort to cut the fat, but was unhappy with the results. So substitute at your own risk. Now, my mother hates dinking around with the cresent rolls for this. She doesn't like piecing them together to make a crust. So, when she made this for all of us at Christmas, she substituted regular pie crust. Now, I harrassed her that it just wouldn't be the same, (and it wasn't), but...it was still really good. I don't know that there is any less fat in a pie crust (she used the Pillsbury ones that you unfold and lay in your pie pan), but it is just a bit easier.

You can download a full-sized (8 1/2"x11") printable version of this here.

Be sure to check out Carla's blog for more recipe shares.

Back home again...

in Indiana....

I'll let you guess which of these photos was taken in Indiana and which one was taken in Southern California where I was able to go with my hubby last week. Hmmm...tough one, huh?

I'm glad to be back home with the kids, but the couple days we had out there went way too quick. So, if you catch me daydreaming, I may just be imagining myself on the balcony at the Ritz-Carlton watching the dolphins and listening to the sea....

CrossWalk

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday and we are officially in the season of Lent - when we mentally prepare ourselves for Easter. There have been years when I have sacrificially given up something specific for Lent, but this year I just don't feel lead to. Part of this is because I already feel like I am in a season of self-sacrifice and denial. Hubby and I have been going over our budget and we really need to tighten up. Because of this I am thinking carefully through every purchase I make for our home. This even extends to groceries. I am already denying myself many things that I have to admit are "wants" and not "needs." This even extends to most convenience foods. If I can feasably make something from scratch, I will. I am happy to be doing this for the most part, but there are days when the temptation to buy something to make my life easier is strong. I can't say that I am doing this for Lent because I plan to continue this indefinitely.

While I am on the subject of Lent, I want to share this scrapbook page I just put together. Our church does this cool thing for Lent called Cross Walk. Each year 40 plain 2 x 4 crosses are passed out and the recipients decorate them and write a devotion based on their inspiration. The crosses line the sidewalks in front of our church - one for each day of Lent. The devotions are printed in a booklet available to everyone who "walks the walk." It is wonderful to see how others are inspired by the cross. Our family did one. It was a collaborative effort. Elizabeth searched for bible verses she liked for a theme. We discussed them as a family and came up with an idea. Barry cut the wings and painted the parts. I painted the words and wrote the devotion. This scrapbook page shows our cross and our devotion. Credits for the page can be found here.

Here is what it says:

Under the Refuge of His Wings

“May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.” Ruth 2:12

Read Ruth 1-2

The story of Ruth is the story of a woman, widowed and childless. She was faced with a choice. She could stay in her homeland with her father and mother or she could accompany her mother-in-law, Naomi, as she traveled back to where she came from, the homeland of her deceased husband. She could stay where she was comfortable or leave everything she knew to live as a foreigner in a land with very different ways and beliefs. In a dramatic moment she begs Naomi to let her join her saying, “Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.” (Ruth 1:16) Significantly, she not only chooses Naomi, but, in faith, she chooses Naomi’s God. This decision is blessed.

Ruth is welcomed in this new land. Although a foreigner, she is allowed to glean the fields after the harvesters, and is given food, water and protection by a relative of her deceased husband, Boaz who takes note of her hard work and dedication to her mother-in-law. Ruth is so grateful for this and asks Boaz, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner?" (Ruth 2:10) He replies, "I've been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband—how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge." (Ruth 2:11-12)

When Ruth chose to love Naomi and follow her and care for her, she was also choosing to stay under the protection of God’s wings. She was able to give up the refuge of her homeland and parents because she was instead taking refuge with God who is far superior.

The bible is filled with reminders for us:

How priceless is your unfailing love!
Both high and low among men
find refuge in the shadow of your wings. Psalm 36:7

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me,
for in you my soul takes refuge.
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings
until the disaster has passed. Psalm 57:1

I long to dwell in your tent forever
and take refuge in the shelter of your wings. Psalm 61:4

He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. Psalm: 91:4

Often we try to live our lives using our own strength and life is difficult. We forget that God has called us to an easier way. We only need to choose to come under the protection of His wings and follow Him.

To see photos of previous year's crosses you can go to the church site. As soon as there is a nice day to take photos, the current crosses will be posted, too.

Makes you think...

I saw this video on Christine Smith's blog this morning and it is one that really makes you think. How then should we be educating our children to prepare them for the world of the future?



This one was interesting too, even though some of the info is duplicated.



I can't help but wonder how God will use this age of information. Think about the opportunities for sharing the LOVE of Christ to the world.