Living with Food Allergies and Celiac Disease

Changing What's Real - Dinner's Ready!

2012-03-03T06:28:00.000-08:00

Anna Sides' monthly event, 'Changing What's Real' is upon us once again. A new month, a new idea. This month I'm going to play around with a simple plate of food and see what I can come up with. This, to say the least, was quite challenging. I mean, really...what can one do with a plate of food?

No cropping was done with the original photo, only edits. Some of the edits are subtle changes, others are more extreme.

Lomo-ish

HDR-ish with CinemaScope

Boost, Soften, and Vignette with a Border Frame with rounded corners

Gritty and Boost with a Drop Shadow Frame

Black & White, Vignette, and Holgoish with a Reflection frame.

I must say that I now have a great appreciation for those who work with food advertisement. It was extremely difficult to edit a plate of food while trying to make it look appetizing and maintaining it's appeal. I can't say, this month, that I have any one particular favorite. Each one seems to hit me in a different way, but lends to the authenticity of the original photo.

{this moment}

2012-03-02T03:30:00.001-08:00

{this moment}

"A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

{this moment} is a ritual found on Life inspired by theWee Man adopted from SouleMama which was introduced to me by Sarah-Jane, author of Samuel Michael's Photography. If you find yourself touched by a Moment and would like to participate, post your picture on a Friday and leave your link in the comments section.

Comparison is the thief of joy - yeh or neh?

2012-03-01T03:29:00.000-08:00

Corinne, the author of Everyday Gyaan has invited bloggers to participate in a Blog Hop from March 1st-March 10th. She and Linda Lee came up with this wonderful idea and will be sharing their opposing views as well.

comparison is the thief of joy

yeh or neh

Personally, I say yeh. If you spend your entire life comparing to something or someone else, you limit yourself.

Diet has taken the forefront in our home since Michaela's diagnoses. Our lifestyle revolves around food. For some, that may be difficult to imagine. I remember my first attempts to making a gluten/allergy free meal...what a disaster! Even my dogs turned their nose up at the offering. But, eventually I began to get the hang of it and meals became edible.

Michaela had numerous favorites that were immediately scratched off the list due to her gluten and allergy restrictions. She would constantly remind me of how she missed certain foods. One of those foods was Macaroni and Cheese. I don't know how many of you have a dairy allergy, but recreating a gluten and dairy free macaroni and cheese that tastes good is not an easy task. After three years, I finally got it to the point that it tasted good for everyone in the family.

The major problem that I ran into with meals is that Michaela was comparing new food tastes to what she remembered it tasting like before she was diagnosed. This presented a problem. Although it is feasible to make great-tasting meals gluten and allergy free, they will never taste exactly as remembered. For quite awhile, I remember telling Michaela to taste her food as if this was the first time she had ever had it.

"Mommy, it doesn't taste like it used to." I would reply "I understand honey, but does it taste good?" She would answer "yes".

Anyone who has any type of diet restriction has to begin to have a different outlook on their food. Comparing it to past tastes will only hinder their success. So, in this case, yes...comparison is the thief of joy☺

Please be sure to visit me at Healthy Lifestyles Living. My most recent article is The Many Benefits of Flax.

A Day of Leisure

2012-02-29T03:30:00.000-08:00

Two weekends ago, the children and I spent an afternoon of just goofing off. Our first stop was the library. My son is an avid reader, and Michaela is getting better at comprehending what she reads, so I encourage her to read more than what her curriculum requires her to. She doesn't always agree with me on this, and we have our 'duking-it-out' times, but moma's winning.

After spending about an hour at the library, we ventured onto Walmart for a couple of needed items. It didn't take me long to realize why I stay away from the stores on a Sat. afternoon. The place was packed! It took about a half an hour before we ever got into section of the store we needed to be in for the friends my kids were running into. Okay, I admit, I stopped to talk to some parents I knew as well.

Our next stop was the mall. Today was just an easy-going day, enjoying each other's company, no work-just play. As we walked, we window shopped and discussed how we thought everything was over-priced. Again, we ran into several people we knew, and Michaela even saw some of her friends from her old school. Unfortunately, most of them didn't recognize her. She was a little disappointed, but got over it quickly as we moved on. We checked out the new style of basketball shoes for this season in Hibbits, looked at new games at Game Stop, and ended up in the food court. We ran into some of Michaela's team mates and joined them for lunch. Again, Michaela had to be satisfied with just a drink as there was nothing available for her to eat there. But, she enjoyed her time visiting with the girls she knew.

Eventually, we made our way through the mall and headed towards the door we came in. Josh wanted to stop in a shop to look a little more before leaving. Michaela and I weren't much interested, so we went into a little boutique. I spotted some really neat shoes and bent down to take a closer look at them. Just about the time I did that Michaela says "Mommy, they want $112.00 for this dress! That's ridiculous!"

You have to understand that when Michaela talks, her voice is loud and carries easily. As I was standing up, I heard the little, old lady who was tending the boutique say "Well, this isn't Walmart, honey." I looked at my daughter, and then back to the attendant and replied "obviously". Even though I wanted to explore a little more in this interesting store, I grabbed my daughter by the hand and felt it best to exit stage left.

It wasn't until we were standing along the railing outside this store, awaiting Josh, that I realized how very simplified my daughter's life was when she said to me:

"there are so many people who can't afford food mommy. If I had the money to spend on that dress, I wouldn't buy it. I would give that money to someone who needed to buy food for their family."

It was at that point that I wrapped my arms around my daughter and quietly whispered in her ear

"I know honey. I would too".

We stood there in silence until Josh returned. Heading out of the mall, hand in hand, we silently smiled at each other, knowing that it had been a good day for both of us.

You Tube Tuesday - Trust

2012-02-28T03:30:00.000-08:00

You Tube Tuesday, adopted from Josh at Its Tiger Time, is a day set aside for sharing your favorite video. Feel free to join in each week and see how creative we bloggers can be. Each month, Josh will highlight a selected video and present the winner with the 'You Tube Tuesday' Award. If you participate, remember to leave your You Tube Tuesday link in the Linky Tool at Its Tiger Time. And remember, your video doesn't necessarily have to be from You Tube, it can be any video.

Our experiences with our daughter and the internet have not been positive ones. When my daughter and I decided to watch this movie together, I never realized the impact it would have on her. Watching another child, the same age as herself, go through very similar circumstances seemed to bring everything into focus. Although my daughter didn't actually meet her predator in person, the plans were in motion to. Fortunately, we found out before hand and were able to intervene. What totally amazes me is the protection the child allows for the predator. Even with all of the pain the child experiences at the hands of the predator, they continue to defend them. I guess when a man knows the right buttons to push and the right things to say to a young girl, the girl could only believe that they are actually special to that man and that he loves them unconditionally.

Now that my daughter has watched this, several times, she realizes why they say what they do, and why. Internet use in my household now is military style. If you have to minimize a page when I enter the room, then I'm blocking it!

Be safe, be a hawk over your child's shoulder, be a pain in the backside. Having your children hate you or think you are an absolute witch is better than having this happen.

'Made From Scratch' Monday - Cherry Coconut Chewy Cookies

2012-02-26T16:00:00.000-08:00

Finding foods that cover gluten and allergy free is difficult. More and more caregivers are opting to make meals from scratch to avoid the worry and concern of reaction. If you are a regular visitor, then you know how I enjoy experimenting with recipes...a little bit of this and a dash of that.

If you are interested in participating, just leave your link below. But before doing so, be sure to see the guidelines here: 'Made From Scratch' Monday Page

I also invite you to share our badge on your site so that others may participate in this event.

Thank you for participating this week and I look forward to reading your submission!

Ingredients Needed:

2 sticks Vegan butter (1 cup)

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup applesauce + 2 heaping tbsp Vegenaise (3 eggs for no egg allergy)

1 1/2 tsp almond extract

1/2 cup dairy free sour cream

3 1/2 cups Cookie Flour Blend + 3 tsp guar/xanthum gum

1 tsp. GF baking powder

1/2 tsp. GF baking soda

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp grated orange peel

1 cup chopped GF candied cherries

1 cup GF shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine butter, sugar, applesauce, and Vegenaise. Stir in sour cream (dairy free) and extract.

In a separate bowl, whisk flour, gum, baking powder and soda, salt and orange peel. Mix together with butter mixture. Fold in coconut and cherries.

At this point, I refrigerate my dough for 3-4 hours before baking.

Drop teaspoonfuls of dough approximately 1-2 inches apart (cookies do not spread) on an ungreased baking tray. Bake 10-12 minutes or until the top of cookie is lightly browned. Remove and allow to cool on baking rack.

This is a very moist cookie and have found putting it in with other cookies lends to their moistness as well.

Bon Appetite!

{this moment}

2012-02-24T11:09:00.003-08:00

{this moment}

"A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

Savira...couldn't help but think of you when I saw these shoes ☺

You Tube Tuesday - Claire Thought She Knew

2012-02-21T05:11:00.003-08:00

Please leave your comments on this topic. This video hits hard at the center of my heart.

'Made From Scratch' Monday - Pecan, or Poppyseed Tassies

2012-02-19T16:00:00.000-08:00

If you are interested in participating, just leave your link below. But before doing so, be sure to see the guidelines here: 'Made From Scratch' Monday Page

I also invite you to share our badge on your site so that others may participate in this event.

Thank you for participating this week and I look forward to reading your submission!

These are not always the prettiest cookie on the plate, but are full of flavor. Gluten free pastry is always a challenge, but this is a cream cheese based pastry and works quite well with gluten free flour blends. This recipe was handed down to me by my mother and my Aunt Helen and has been converted to gluten/dairy/egg free.

Ingredients Needed for Pastry:

2 sticks Vegan Butter

1 container (8oz) dairy free cream cheese

2 cup Cookie Flour Blend + 2 tsp. guar or xanthum gum (mix together in bowl)

Allow butter and cream cheese to soften, then mix in flour mixture and chill for only 1/2 hour.

Ingredients Needed for Filling:

3 tbsp. Vegenaise (or 1 egg if no egg allergy)

1 tbsp. of melted Vegan butter

3/4 cup light brown sugar

2/3 cup chopped pecans

1 tsp. GF Vanilla

Mix all together in small bowl with mixing spoon.

Make walnut size balls out of dough and press into ungreased tea sized cup cake tins.

Fill each shell 1/2 way with filling.

Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly brown. Do not let them get dark brown or they will be dry.

Cool in tins for few minutes then easily turn pan upside down on baking rack and tap tin lightly with hand. Tassies should fall right out.

I made two batches of dough and had extra so I experimented with a poppyseed filling. As a young girl, I remember poppyseed cookies always being on our cookie plate. This particular experiment turned out well.

I'm not sure if this Poppyseed filling can be purchased in your local store, I usually purchase a case anytime I am in Pennsylvania. It does come up in a search and can be purchased on line.

As with the pecan mixture, I filled the pastry shells 1/2 way with the poppyseed and baked for the same amount of time.

As you can see, they turned out beautifully. If you are a lover of poppyseed, you would enjoy this twist on the tassie recipe.

Bon Appetite!

{this moment}

2012-02-17T02:30:00.000-08:00

{this moment}

"A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

Michaela's Surgery

2012-02-15T08:50:00.000-08:00

A person would think that with all the pain that this child has gone through over the last four years, that she could tolerate just about anything. She is strong, but the procedure she was about to have done was outpatient under local anesthetic, and I was doubting her tolerance. In the past, I have always let Joel accompany her anytime I expected her reaction to be a lot of crying or screaming. He has such a genuine, compassionate way of calming her, and maybe it's just the fact that he is her 'daddy'. This was a simple toe nail removal with minimal risks. But after watching our son go through it himself, I already knew the pain level involved and was sure how she would react.

During our basketball season, Michaela had been having quite a bit of trouble with ingrown toenails on both feet. At Michaela's request, her doctor scheduled her to have one toe taken care of at a time. We arrived at the doctor's office and waited 30 minutes before we were called back. I was worried that this 'waiting' time would increase her apprehension, but she was calm as a cucumber. Even after getting into a room, she remained cool, as though she has done this a thousand times. I knew that she had no idea what was coming and wondered if even I was prepared for her reaction.

She watched attentively as the nurse entered the room, carefully setting up a tray of surgical utensils. The nurse continued to quietly work as the doctor came in. Michaela's focus stayed on the nurse, although she was answering the doctor's questions without hesitation. We were the last appointment of the day ~~for obvious reasons~~ and the mood was jovial. All at once, Michaela pops up and says to the doctor "You are lazy". The doctor looked up from his computer, the nurse immediately stops doing her set-up, and I just wanted to find the biggest hole I could fit in and crawl down in there. I turned to her and said "Michaela! Why are you saying that?" She looked at me and then back at the doctor and replied "Why does she have to set everything up for you? Why don't you do it yourself? You're lazy." Fortunately for Michaela, she has always been asleep during this part of her procedures and has never witnessed a sterile field being set-up. Unfortunate for the doctor. I believe it was the nurse, who we found out later was the doctor's wife, broke the silence with her bubbly laughter and we all joined in. Michaela didn't quite understand what we were laughing about. We were giggling more about her innocence in the matter than anything else. I quickly explained why the nurse was preparing everything for the doctor while Lidocaine injections were being drawn up, trying to distract her from looking at the size of the needle.

One thing that Michaela has never had a good experience with in her past has been needles. As the doctor prepares to begin, Michaela's uneasiness begins to show. He explained everything he was going to do and she told him she understood, and the surgery is underway.

Outside of the screams that resonated from that room, she did so much better than I expected. It took three injections of Lidocaine before she was numb enough for doctor to work his magic on her toe. All I can say is that it is a good thing that we were the last patient of the day and the office was empty. The nurse was a God-send. She talked to Michaela about everything she could think of to keep the distraction going. Michaela had cried so hard she felt like she was burning up. I held her tight and kept reassuring her that it would be over soon and to hold strong.

Once her toe was numb, the doctor continued and the procedure was over before we knew it. He wrapped her foot up, gave us instructions and prescriptions, and we were on our way home.

Michaela has had only with minimal pain that has been easily controlled by Advil. The wrapping was removed yesterday and there is quite a bit of redness, but that is to be expected. We are hoping to have the other toe done and healed before she begins her basketball Showcase tournaments in March. Thank you Dr. Banks for the wonderful job you have done!

You Tube Tuesday - Chiropractic Care and ADHD

2012-02-14T04:07:00.002-08:00

'Made From Scratch' Monday - Hodgepodge Chicken Soup

2012-02-12T16:00:00.000-08:00

If you are interested in participating, just leave your link below. But before doing so, be sure to see the guidelines here: 'Made From Scratch' Monday Page

I also invite you to share our badge on your site so that others may participate in this event.

Thank you for participating this week and I look forward to reading your submission!

I woke up this weekend to a house full of sick family members, me included. At repeated requests, I begin to search the cupboards and refrigerator for ingredients to make a pot of chicken soup. I found potatoes, celery, carrots, canned chicken breast, and Swanson's Chicken broth. In my imagination of taste, I didn't expect it to taste wonderful, but it would pass. I mean really, when you're sick do you really care much? And just how much can you taste anyway?

I peeled and cubed 6 medium potatoes, and threw them in a pot to cook until tender.

While the potatoes were cooking, I peeled and sliced 3 carrots, covered them with water, and steamed them in the microwave.

I cleaned, sliced, and diced 2 stalks of celery and simmered them in a small pot until tender.

To my disappointment, I didn't have any fresh chicken on hand, so I decided to try canned chicken. I set this to the side to strain.

Thank heavens for Swanson. I always have boxes on hand for flavoring in recipes.

In an 8 quart pot, I added 3 boxes of Swanson's Chicken broth, the strained chicken along with the cooked vegetables, adding salt and pepper to taste. While this concoction was simmering, I prepared noodles and rice.

Gluten free flat noodles are almost impossible for me to find in our area, so I am left with using Tofu noodles. If you haven't ever used these, they take a bit of time to prepare. Rinse, drain, rinse again, microwave for 1 minute, rinse once more, than dry on paper towel.

My son and I prefer to use rice in our soup, so while the noodles were drying, I mixed up 4 servings of white Minute Rice.

When it was all said and done, it tasted better than I ever expected. Everyone in the family came back for seconds which always puts a smile on my face. And, having a hot bowl of soup certainly helped with the sore throat ☺

I'm thankful that I decided to make a large pot full so there will be plenty for tomorrow. Now, I'm going to go curl up with a blanket and hope to feel better.

{this moment}

2012-02-10T02:30:00.000-08:00

{this moment}

"A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

You Tube Tuesday - Teen Depression

2012-02-07T04:14:00.000-08:00

The brutality of kids in school leaves ever lasting marks on their victim. Talk to your children and encourage them to support their class mates and to avoid this type of bullying. Express the importance of reporting this type of abuse to school officials if they become aware of it.

'Made From Scratch' Monday - Potato Soup

2012-02-05T15:30:00.000-08:00

If you are interested in participating, just leave your link below. But before doing so, be sure to see the guidelines here: 'Made From Scratch' Monday Page

I also invite you to share our badge on your site so that others may participate in this event.

Thank you for participating this week and I look forward to reading your submission!

Potato Soup

4 quart pot & 8 quart pot

potatoes (enough to fill 1/2 pot)

onions (2-3 small, or to taste)
carrots (4-5)
almond milk or almond creme
gluten-free potato flakes
Swanson's Chicken broth (1 box)
1 stick vegan butter
parsley flakes (palm-full)
salt and pepper to taste

Cube your potatoes and place them in the pot. Shred your carrots in a food processor and dice your onions, adding them to the pot.

Add enough water to cover your vegetables. Bring to a boil and then simmer until potatoes are tender, but not soft. Mash potatoes with hand-masher until consistency you prefer. Some people like chunkier soup, and others prefer their soup not as chunky.

Transfer to 8 quart pot and add the box of Chicken Broth, stick of butter, parsley flakes, salt and pepper, along with enough milk or creme to add color. I use potato flakes to thicken as desired.

The end product should look like this:

Some in our family just enjoy the soup plain with gluten-free cornbread.

Others like to dress it up with fresh bacon, onion and garlic chives, fresh parsley, and Daiya Cheddar Cheese.

Potato soup has endless possibilities so whip up a batch and see what you can do with it. Be brave, experiment! After all, that is how new recipes come about.

Bon Appetite!

{this moment}

2012-02-03T03:30:00.000-08:00

{this moment}

"A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

I have to break the rules [again] and add a caption to this photo. This is Michaela's grandfather. Today, he turns 89 yrs. old and still is just as feisty and ornery as I imagine he was when he was 18 yrs old ☺

Changing What's Real - Michaela and Softball

2012-02-01T08:13:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, I feel like my life is consumed by recipes, menus, shopping, researching, being in the kitchen, and doctor's appts. Don't get me wrong, I usually enjoy each and every day, always learning something new, but the last couple of weeks have seemed a little more stressful than normal. So, this week I'm taking a little 'me' time and relaxing. Ideally, that would include unlimited hot coffee, mountains of snow outside, roaring fire, and access to numerous photos to browse through and experiment with. Well, two out of four isn't bad, I guess.

This is my first time participating in Anna Sides' monthly event, 'Changing What's Real'. Considering that my blog focuses mainly on my daughter's health issues and recipes, you would think I would have chosen a food item for editing. Ahh, I decided to leave that for next month. I went with a photo that has always been a favorite of mine. Michaela was much younger, and it was back before she was diagnosed, and being in the sun didn't bother her as much.

The first thing that I did was to crop each photo to center my daughter.

Soften, Vignette, and Mirrored Frame

Holgish with a Reflection Frame

HDR-ish and Vignette, with a Border Frame

Gritty with CinemaScope

Pencil Sketch with a Museum Matte

Adjustable Threshold with CinemaScope

and...

Lomo-ish and Focal Soften with a Mirrored Frame.

Personally, I like all of them, but I am prejudice. I think my favorite is the Pencil Sketch. What do you think?

You Tube Tuesday - Summer 2011

2012-01-31T04:26:00.000-08:00

Thank you Bonnie, SJ, and Savira for being part of my life ☺

'Made From Scratch' Monday - Macaroni and Cheese

2012-01-29T16:00:00.000-08:00

If you are interested in participating, just leave your link below. But before doing so, be sure to see the guidelines here: 'Made From Scratch' Monday Page

I also invite you to share our badge on your site so that others may participate in this event.

Thank you for participating this week and I look forward to reading your submission!

Macaroni and Cheese:

3 cups gluten/egg free pasta of your preference

1/2 bag Daiya cheddar cheese (for dairy allergy)

1 stick vegan butter (for dairy allergy)

approx. 1 cup of dairy alternative milk ( sauce consistency is a personal preference and may require more or less milk)

salt and pepper to taste

Bring water to boil and add noodles. Cook as directed on package and strain, rinsing with cold water. While noodles are in stainer, place your cheese, butter, and 1/2 of milk in pot on low heat, stirring constantly.

Daiya cheese will take longer to melt into a sauce than true cheese, so be patient. If you do not have dairy allergies, Velveeta Cheese works quite well with this recipe. I would suggest melting about 2 finger-widths cut off of the block of Velveeta to begin with. If you prefer a cheesier sauce, you can add more.

Once your cheese has melted and you have a sauce, add your pasta. At this point, you can either place into a casserole and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or continue to heat on stove.

Add a green vegetable and a gluten fee roll and you have a easy, quick and appetizing lunch or dinner meal.

Bon Appetite!

You Tube Tuesday - FODMAP Diet

2012-01-24T06:48:00.000-08:00

Recently, I met someone that has a child with Fructose Malabsorption Disorder and he has been placed on a FODMAP diet. Never having heard of this, I did a little research and found that research in Australia found that this diet has also had great results in treating patients diagnosed with IBS [Irritable Bowel Syndrome] The items included and excluded in this diet are of great interest to me since Michaela was diagnosed with IBS at the end of last year.

'Made From Scratch' Monday - Hot Cocoa

2012-01-22T18:09:00.000-08:00

My recipe this week came to me randomly and it's a relatively simple one. It seems that when the weather turns cold, everyone loves a cup of hot cocoa. In the past, I have always made it from packets, but when Michaela had a taste for a hot chocolate, I was unsure of the allergens so I just decided to try to make it from scratch.

I had recently purchased a container of Hershey's Cocoa (natural unsweetened) and it had a recipe for hot cocoa on the side of the container.

Stove Top:

1/2 cup sugar

dash salt

1/3 cup hot water

4 cups milk (I used Almond Milk, Original)

3/4 tsp. vanilla extract (GF vanilla. I suspect if using Vanilla flavored milk, you could omit this ingredient)

Mix sugar, cocoa, and salt with water in saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Continue at a boil for 2 minutes. Stir in milk and heat, but do not boil. Remove from heat and add vanilla.

This particular recipe made enough for two large mugs with a little left over. It certainly surpasses the hot chocolate made from a packet. Personally myself, I would cut the vanilla back to 1/2 tsp. but I imagine that is a taste preference.

The container also includes a single serving recipe that can be made in the microwave.

While making this recipe, it hit me that this could probably be made as a Christmas gift and put in a small canning jar with a decorative lid. Simply pre-mix enough of the sugar, cocoa, and salt to fill the canning jar and add a tag of instructions: 3/4 cup mix + 1/3 cup hot water; boil for 2 min.; add 4 cups milk and heat, remove from heat and add 1/2-3/4 tsp. GF vanilla.

I may have to try this next year and see what I can come up with ☺

Introducing 'Made From Scratch' Monday

2012-01-21T08:17:00.000-08:00

Let me introduce to you

'Made From Scratch' Monday©.
Monday will be set aside each week, for us individuals who love to spend time in the kitchen, to celebrate a festival of gluten and allergy free recipes.

Finding foods that cover gluten and allergy free is difficult. More and more caregivers are opting to make meals from scratch to avoid the worry and concern of reaction and cross contamination. If you are a regular visitor, then you know how I enjoy experimenting with recipes...a little bit of this and a dash of that.

The purpose of 'Made From Scratch' Monday© is to share recipes; recipes that can be made to accommodate diet restrictions that come with Food Allergies and Celiac Disease. I hope that this celebration of recipes, will help to alleviate some of the stress and concern that comes with having a loved one on a restricted diet.

If you are interested in participating, be sure to see the festival guidelines here: 'Made From Scratch' Monday Page

I also invite you to share our badge on your site so that others may participate in this event.

I look forward to reading your submission!

*************************************************

You Tube Tuesday - Alpine Valley

2012-01-17T03:53:00.000-08:00

I came across this the other night and it just totally took me by surprise. Alpine Valley Ski Resort in Chardon, OH. I spent the better part of my teenage years here at this place and when I saw the video, it was like taking a step back in time ☺

{this moment}

2012-01-13T03:30:00.000-08:00

{this moment}

"A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

Only people who really know him can appreciate this photo ☺