...that I miss peanut butter.
I haven't had dinner. It's too late to cook anything, yet I need something substantial.
It's nights like tonight that I used to pull out the peanut butter and spread it on some toast.
It's nights like tonight that I used to pull out the peanut butter and spread it on a tortilla with a bit of drizzled honey and warm it in the oven.
It's nights like tonight that I used to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
It's nights like tonight that I miss peanut butter.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Friday, May 7, 2010
Allergies: 2, Girls: 0
The girls had their allergist appointments today. Layla's was to retest for the egg allergy. Piper's was to test for food allergies.
Going in I was 99% sure Piper had a peanut allergy. When things like this.....
become commonplace, you know something's wrong.
When this.....
occurs after physically coming in contact with peanut butter, you can pretty much bet that's the culprit.
But we made it official today. Piper tested 4+ on a 0-4 scale. We will now be living in a "peanut-free" environment.
Layla tested 4+ on the same scale. It sounds as though her allergy has worsened, but this was a different test than the one we had a year ago. Her first test was with a blood draw and she scored a 2-3 on a scale of 0-6. I'm guessing that a blood test is more accurate.
Egg allergies (although they can be fatal) are not as likely to pose a serious threat like the peanut allergy does. So we do still have eggs in the house. I don't eat them, though. I've never been a fan of eggs. It's the baking that was an issue for me. But after a year, I have finally found a substitute I really like.
1 Tbsp. flax seed + 3 Tbsp. water = 1 egg
Mix together and let it sit for 10-15 minutes until it becomes gelatinous (you will have to stir it occassionally at the beginning)
There are three benefits for this substitute:
1) It's natural (that boxed egg-substiute stuff scares me)
2) It's healthier than eggs
3) I can eat my cookie dough guilt-free!!
This peanut thing is going to give me a run for my money, though. Peanut butter is my favorite food!!
I've voluntarily been off of it for a month now and have realized just how often I eat it. It's the perfect snack! It goes with everything! And now I'm left without it in my diet :-(
However, the benefits (and cost) of breastfeeding outweigh my desire to eat peanut butter. So for 6 more months I will not consume peanut butter.
Our house will remain peanut-free for quite a while, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy the delicious goodness that is peanut butter while I'm at work :-)
The egg allergy will still prove to be the most inconvenient and annoying because egg is in everything!! This peanut allergy, however, is going to be mentally difficult.
Going in I was 99% sure Piper had a peanut allergy. When things like this.....
become commonplace, you know something's wrong.
When this.....
occurs after physically coming in contact with peanut butter, you can pretty much bet that's the culprit.
But we made it official today. Piper tested 4+ on a 0-4 scale. We will now be living in a "peanut-free" environment.
Layla tested 4+ on the same scale. It sounds as though her allergy has worsened, but this was a different test than the one we had a year ago. Her first test was with a blood draw and she scored a 2-3 on a scale of 0-6. I'm guessing that a blood test is more accurate.
Egg allergies (although they can be fatal) are not as likely to pose a serious threat like the peanut allergy does. So we do still have eggs in the house. I don't eat them, though. I've never been a fan of eggs. It's the baking that was an issue for me. But after a year, I have finally found a substitute I really like.
1 Tbsp. flax seed + 3 Tbsp. water = 1 egg
Mix together and let it sit for 10-15 minutes until it becomes gelatinous (you will have to stir it occassionally at the beginning)
There are three benefits for this substitute:
1) It's natural (that boxed egg-substiute stuff scares me)
2) It's healthier than eggs
3) I can eat my cookie dough guilt-free!!
This peanut thing is going to give me a run for my money, though. Peanut butter is my favorite food!!
I've voluntarily been off of it for a month now and have realized just how often I eat it. It's the perfect snack! It goes with everything! And now I'm left without it in my diet :-(
However, the benefits (and cost) of breastfeeding outweigh my desire to eat peanut butter. So for 6 more months I will not consume peanut butter.
Our house will remain peanut-free for quite a while, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy the delicious goodness that is peanut butter while I'm at work :-)
The egg allergy will still prove to be the most inconvenient and annoying because egg is in everything!! This peanut allergy, however, is going to be mentally difficult.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Tires Blow!
We were driving to small group last Tuesday when we suddenly notice an odd sound. This was shortly followed by a "ding" in the van. Yep, our suspicions were confirmed....we just blew a tire. Lovely.
I call around to get a decent price and find $116 to be it. Lovely.
It's Thursday, we're driving to drop off the van (which requires the hubby to follow behind) and low-and-behold a tire on the car goes out! Are you kidding me?!?!
Change of plans. We take both vehicles back home and decide to get the work done at the same place.
Jeremy's car was first on the list. Turns out the other 3 tires are in poor shape and it's not smart to continue too much longer on them. [We completely trust this guy, by the way.] Final bill - $200. Lovely.
Next we drop off the bad tire from the van to see if they can get that particular type. They can, and once the tire is put on we have a second total of $140. Lovely.
We hear similar news about the tires on the van. We'd probably be fine for a while....except that we're planning a trip to Texas in a month. So 3 more tires it is. The bill will be around $400. This brings our grand total to approximately $750. Lovely.
It's not like the tires on the van are old, either. We just bought the thing 2.5 years ago off the lot.
This is not the best of times to be facing a $700 expense. Taking three months off of work has really affected our monthly income....yet our daycare expenses have more than doubled to a whopping $900/month!! Things have been tight, to say the least. It won't change until September when the new pay-year begins, either. Lovely.
So are we really trying to sell our house in order to move into a bigger house with a bigger payment??? Maybe God really does know what He's doing with the timing of our house.
The feeling I felt as we were driving around south of town today makes me want to move regardless. I could literally feel my stress levels drop. It just feels so much more calm down there. There is room to move around. Streets are great for long runs. The wind blows freely through nature and only a few structures - quite the opposite of our current location. It was quiet. It was lovely.
But before I go on & on about something I can't control, how about I focus on this $700 pain in my side. Boy, do tires blow!
I call around to get a decent price and find $116 to be it. Lovely.
It's Thursday, we're driving to drop off the van (which requires the hubby to follow behind) and low-and-behold a tire on the car goes out! Are you kidding me?!?!
Change of plans. We take both vehicles back home and decide to get the work done at the same place.
Jeremy's car was first on the list. Turns out the other 3 tires are in poor shape and it's not smart to continue too much longer on them. [We completely trust this guy, by the way.] Final bill - $200. Lovely.
Next we drop off the bad tire from the van to see if they can get that particular type. They can, and once the tire is put on we have a second total of $140. Lovely.
We hear similar news about the tires on the van. We'd probably be fine for a while....except that we're planning a trip to Texas in a month. So 3 more tires it is. The bill will be around $400. This brings our grand total to approximately $750. Lovely.
It's not like the tires on the van are old, either. We just bought the thing 2.5 years ago off the lot.
This is not the best of times to be facing a $700 expense. Taking three months off of work has really affected our monthly income....yet our daycare expenses have more than doubled to a whopping $900/month!! Things have been tight, to say the least. It won't change until September when the new pay-year begins, either. Lovely.
So are we really trying to sell our house in order to move into a bigger house with a bigger payment??? Maybe God really does know what He's doing with the timing of our house.
The feeling I felt as we were driving around south of town today makes me want to move regardless. I could literally feel my stress levels drop. It just feels so much more calm down there. There is room to move around. Streets are great for long runs. The wind blows freely through nature and only a few structures - quite the opposite of our current location. It was quiet. It was lovely.
But before I go on & on about something I can't control, how about I focus on this $700 pain in my side. Boy, do tires blow!
Saturday, May 1, 2010
"I ate it"
That's what Layla said to me as she was sitting on the potty. No...she didn't eat anything that deals with the bathroom!! She was referring to play-doh. Lovely. I'm not entirely sure if she did or not, but I don't know what would have prompted her to tell me she ate it if she didn't. It looks like homemade play dough will make an appearance at our house in the near future.
I cleaned up the play-doh and gave her a cupcake to eat instead. Here she is enjoying the last bite. :-)
As I was cleaning her up she looked at her plate and said, "All gone. I ate it." Perhaps she truly did take a bite of her orange play-doh. :-/
I cleaned up the play-doh and gave her a cupcake to eat instead. Here she is enjoying the last bite. :-)
As I was cleaning her up she looked at her plate and said, "All gone. I ate it." Perhaps she truly did take a bite of her orange play-doh. :-/
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Layla & Piper laughing
I just figured out I can share my videos from YouTube on my blog!
Here are two videos showing the fun we had outside my parents' house yesterday. We were sitting on the porch swing when laughter ensued. I have never head Piper laugh so hard for so long...and it was all due to the antics of her big sister. :-) I did miss her biggest bout, but will I really remember that years from now??
I believe this is just a tiny taste of the joy these two will bring each other over the years. I can't wait to witness it!!
Here are two videos showing the fun we had outside my parents' house yesterday. We were sitting on the porch swing when laughter ensued. I have never head Piper laugh so hard for so long...and it was all due to the antics of her big sister. :-) I did miss her biggest bout, but will I really remember that years from now??
I believe this is just a tiny taste of the joy these two will bring each other over the years. I can't wait to witness it!!
Sunday, March 14, 2010
"hug"
The lone word muttered twice by my sleeping beauty.
I went in to check on Layla as I always do before going to bed myself. She was turned around in bed so I gently lifted her to put her back in the right direction. As I did, she woke up for a brief moment and said, "hug."
She then turned onto her side and, I thought, immediately fell back asleep.
However, a couple of seconds later she fluttered her eyes and muttered "hug" as she rolled onto her back.
I bent down to give her a hug. She wrapped one arm around me, gently patted me on the back, then promptly fell asleep.
Such a sweet moment.
I have to say, I'm quite proud to be the mommy of a little girl whose first thought is to ask for a hug after being awakened from a sound slumber :-)
I went in to check on Layla as I always do before going to bed myself. She was turned around in bed so I gently lifted her to put her back in the right direction. As I did, she woke up for a brief moment and said, "hug."
She then turned onto her side and, I thought, immediately fell back asleep.
However, a couple of seconds later she fluttered her eyes and muttered "hug" as she rolled onto her back.
I bent down to give her a hug. She wrapped one arm around me, gently patted me on the back, then promptly fell asleep.
Such a sweet moment.
I have to say, I'm quite proud to be the mommy of a little girl whose first thought is to ask for a hug after being awakened from a sound slumber :-)
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Pause, Please
As I type, tears are flowing down my cheeks.
I have realized tonight that I can't remember Layla as a baby. I try. I remember the first night at home. I remember trying to get her to sleep those first few weeks. I remember her 1st birthday and how she toddled around. But I can't remember just holding her (which I know I did a ton of!). I can't recall the feel of her little body in my arms. I can't picture her crawling around, her baby talk, pulling up.
If only life were on constant record. If only I could rewind and view what has been.
I'm looking at her 2-year pictures and wondering how in the world she's gotten so big.
I'm looking at Piper's 3-month pictures and am sad that I won't remember this stage of her life, either.
I know each stage of life is precious. We're in such a sweet, fun stage right now. I honestly wouldn't change it. I'd love to just pause our life and stay here for a little while longer.
Just tonight I was rocking Layla before putting her to bed and sat there longer than normal simply taking in the moment - the two of us singing together. Rock-a-bye, baby; Baa, Baa Black Sheep; Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star; I Love You Lord; It Is Well With My Soul. The sound of her two-year-old voice singing the words in a normal, not hushed night-time voice, and just being so relaxed in my arms. Not quite getting the point of rhythm and speeding through lines she knows super well. Being quiet just to hear her mommy sing (off-key and all). Not sensing me stifling my chuckles of joy as I listen and enjoy her songs. Hearing her whisper, "I love you, Mommy" after giving me a big hug and kiss before resting her head on her pillow. Telling me, "Thank you, Mommy" as I place her blanket over her.
But I want to have a stronger grasp on the past, too.
Pictures are good. Lord knows I have plenty of those! If I'd just get them off my darn computer and into an album.
But there's something special about just being able to pull a memory from your head and reliving it at a moment's notice. I want that! I want more!
Maybe I'm just too stressed and tired right now to be able to do that. Oh how I wish! I fear that's not the case, though. So I will have to be okay with the pictures I have, the few fleeting memories I can hold on to, and try to savor each moment before they quickly fade away.
I completely understand now why my dad used to always say, "I tried telling you girls to stop growing and you never listened."
If I can't get them to stop growing, I'd at least like a pause, please.
I have realized tonight that I can't remember Layla as a baby. I try. I remember the first night at home. I remember trying to get her to sleep those first few weeks. I remember her 1st birthday and how she toddled around. But I can't remember just holding her (which I know I did a ton of!). I can't recall the feel of her little body in my arms. I can't picture her crawling around, her baby talk, pulling up.
If only life were on constant record. If only I could rewind and view what has been.
I'm looking at her 2-year pictures and wondering how in the world she's gotten so big.
I'm looking at Piper's 3-month pictures and am sad that I won't remember this stage of her life, either.
I know each stage of life is precious. We're in such a sweet, fun stage right now. I honestly wouldn't change it. I'd love to just pause our life and stay here for a little while longer.
Just tonight I was rocking Layla before putting her to bed and sat there longer than normal simply taking in the moment - the two of us singing together. Rock-a-bye, baby; Baa, Baa Black Sheep; Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star; I Love You Lord; It Is Well With My Soul. The sound of her two-year-old voice singing the words in a normal, not hushed night-time voice, and just being so relaxed in my arms. Not quite getting the point of rhythm and speeding through lines she knows super well. Being quiet just to hear her mommy sing (off-key and all). Not sensing me stifling my chuckles of joy as I listen and enjoy her songs. Hearing her whisper, "I love you, Mommy" after giving me a big hug and kiss before resting her head on her pillow. Telling me, "Thank you, Mommy" as I place her blanket over her.
But I want to have a stronger grasp on the past, too.
Pictures are good. Lord knows I have plenty of those! If I'd just get them off my darn computer and into an album.
But there's something special about just being able to pull a memory from your head and reliving it at a moment's notice. I want that! I want more!
Maybe I'm just too stressed and tired right now to be able to do that. Oh how I wish! I fear that's not the case, though. So I will have to be okay with the pictures I have, the few fleeting memories I can hold on to, and try to savor each moment before they quickly fade away.
I completely understand now why my dad used to always say, "I tried telling you girls to stop growing and you never listened."
If I can't get them to stop growing, I'd at least like a pause, please.
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