Baking Betty Crocker

So it has begun!

I have gluten free all purpose flour.  I'm not the biggest fan of it I won't lie, BUT it's a good substitution because everything in the world has gluten in it even some lunch meats - I don't even know how that happens!

So here is our first recipe Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes.

I skipped the icing it looked complicated and I call them muffins - the kids don't know the difference anyway!  So far they are a hit - yay for muffins!

A Gluten & Dairy Free Journey

Tomorrow is day one on a new life journey for our family.

Everett is a kid I can hardly put into words.  If you know him, you completely understand.

He is truly one of the most compassionate caring boys you will ever meet.  He loves everyone, hugs & kisses  all those in his path, shares everything he owns, and wears his heart on his sleeve.  He is the life of the party, adored by many, full of fire, always on the go, incredibly impulsive, and a wild child.  I absolutely adore him with all my heart.

He has been "busy" since he turned 2.  Since starting school this fall his impulsiveness & busy body personality has made reading difficult.  He's smart, loves math, and loves school.  But we have realized something has to change for him to thrive in school and be the best reader we know he can be, and we hate to see him struggle when we know how bright he is.  It's incredibly difficult.

I have done a lot of research, and honestly Everett fits the label of ADHD perfectly...it's like it was written about him.  However, it's just a label that doesn't highlight the boy he really is.  Just like Ollie Faith - I don't see her diagnosis I see her - same with Everett Mason.  You see the qualities inside of Everett can not be taught.  He is full of the character & personality that people only dream about having.  What God gifted him, others work their whole life to try and be better in that area.  He just naturally has that gift.

Medication really is not an option on our table.  I don't want to "lose" the spunk because that is what makes him so stinking great.  It's not something we are ready to dive into until we exhaust other options first.

I truly believe God sent me on my fitness journey to prepare for my son.  To fully understand the way that food nourishes our bodies, and how what we eat controls our health.  I have done amazing things in my own personal health, and I have started to apply that to my family, but I can do more, and have much more to learn.  Because of my own personal journey, I can embrace nutrition changes, before I changed myself I would have NEVER talked about dairy or gluten free - I would have thought it was ridiculous...but alas here I am now.

After much research & the help by some amazing friends & family in my fitness community, I believe Everett has a food intolerance or possibly several.  We are in the process of getting his hair & saliva tested to see exactly what foods may be triggers for him, but until those answers come back...we are going full throttle gluten & dairy free.

If you read about food intolerances & how they impact the body you will start to see what I mean.  It's truly amazing the power of food when you really learn about it.  I believe food can heal or hinder the body, and it's up to you to decide how to fuel it properly.

Within a week, two tops - we should see if this is our solution.  It's a little overwhelming, and in our rural area not a seamless transition.  Kroger forty-five minutes from home may become my best friend!  Fortunately they had an entire area dedicated to gluten free/dairy free items.  And luckily for me Everett really doesn't like dairy products to start so it's easier to pull.  I have great options for breakfasts, lunches, & snacks & honestly dinner has been gluten/dairy free without me even trying for quite some time.

I went today and filled my cart with the proper snacks or items I can bake with to get his nutrition spot on.  I have a bag of snacks for school that he gets for snack time & on special occasions so he doesn't feel left out so all our bases are covered.

Please pray for us that this is the answer we are seeking.  I know many people won't "get" my new age thinking, and that's OK.  Just please be supportive & positive on our new journey - it's not right for everyone, but it is right for us.  I honestly didn't see myself even posting a blog about this because I don't want Everett to be pointed out as "that" kid, but I believe there are other kids out there just like him, and their Moms don't know yet - and since I vowed to educate about Ollie - I will do the same with Everett.  We all need to learn right??

You would assume that after having a daughter with Down Syndrome & going through Open Heart Surgery this would be a piece of cake...compared to Ollie it is, but honestly anytime your child has a need that you can't fully figure out, it's hard.  So just pray for us that God guides us to the right answers for our family, & I know in time he will reveal that answer to us.

Thanks friends!!  And if you see Everett around town - give him a hug - he'll be sure to squeeze you right back!!

Oh and if you are a gluten/dairy free family - any helpful tips or advice is great appreciated as we learn more areid54@yahoo.com

Turning 2...

Seriously, time flies!  Ollie Faith turns 2 on the 10th.

It seems like yesterday I was huge pregnant, and scared to death of what our future would be.  I was on an emotional roller coaster I am thankful to be off of.

Today our present is beautiful.  She is healthy, happy, and filled with pure joy.

She is walking now & has a vocabulary of about 50 words, sounds, & sign language signs.  She has mild delays in just about every area, but that gives her goals & determination to push through life.

Like typical toddlers, she gets mad at her siblings & constantly is yelling out "Everett!"

She sleeps all night, rip shags all day, and eats as much as we will feed her.  She plays hard and laughs harder.  She still cuddles and pats your back.  She likes to sing & give high fives.  And if you say hi to her she always says bye back!

She has big goals to match up with her peers before she starts pre-school next February, but the truth is I think her peers will have to work to match up with her because what girlfriend lacks in one area she has been gifted in another area ten fold!

She is spectacular, and we are truly blessed.  Thanks be to God for creating perfection where most see imperfection!

Girls' Weekend

This past weekend I flew off to Dallas/Fort Worth for a Dani Johnson training event.

It was ah-mazing!  

I got a chance to connect & hang out with other women on my team.  We seriously had so much fun together!  We learned personality types at our training & it was hilarious & eye opening to understand ourselves & each other so much more!  

We did get our workouts in & added some fun stacked planking just for the heck of it!

I had many take aways from this event, here are a few...

Personality Typing (helpful for understanding my family & clients)

How to build long lasting & influential relationships with others by adding true value to their lives

How to tackle debt in my household

And how to grow my business to build wealth for my family.

I had such a great weekend away, I was able to refuel myself to come back a better wife, Mom, & business woman!  I'm ready to make 2013 my year!

Oh and I highly recommend this training - check out Dani Johnson for details on her free trainings, events, & materials - it's truly life changing when you develop yourself!