Well school has started and things are going well. So far we have battled sinus infections, bronchitis, phnemonia and now a touch of a stomach bug. Good times here in the Doyens house. Christmas was good and we all got a bit spoiled, mainly the kids anyway. But isn't that what is suppost to happen anyway?

We are still trying to get the rash under controll with Evey. She found out the hard way what happens to her when she cheats and eats something with gluten in it. By her choice she ate something at school from a friends lunch. With that she promised me never to cheat again. Live and learn right?

Aj is learning a ton and is shocking Jim and I by what he is learning at school, all in the good way. The main think that is shocking me is that he knows how to add two, two digit numbers together. Like 10 + 21 = 31 and he is only in kindergarden. WOW. The things that they are learning so much sooner than we did, but I guess thats technology for you.

Well that is the short and sweet version of what is going on here. Hope you all had a wonderful Merry Christmas and a safe Happy New Year.

School days

Well, its about that time of the summer where the parents go crazy. Making sure that all the right forms and filled out and turned into the school office and all the doctor visits are all done and the registration fees are all paid up. Then we have to go out and get all the pens, pencils, notebooks and folders for the school year. Now I am not sure if I am ready for this year to even start. My sweet lil baby boy will be entering kindergarden this year. My baby?!?! I know its time and he is so ready for this chapter in his life to start but me on the other hand, I'm just not so sure.

Jim and I took the kids for a road trip. We went to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to visit family on Jim's side that he never knew he had. I just wish that we had more time to maybe go a bit further south and visit some family in Texas, maybe next time. We enjoyed it so much that Jim wants to take us next to Branson Missouri. Sounds great. Well got to go and clean out and finish unpacking.

Mr. Scharbert

Hello my friends, this weekend will be very emotional and bittersweet. This past Tuesday morning I got an email stating that my High School Sunday School teacher, Warren Scharbert ended his long hard battle with cancer. He is painless and healthy in heaven with his Mommy. If I had to say one thing I would remember him for, I would have to say his salvation magic shows he would put on for the differant Awana programs through church. I also liked his laugh. It was one of those true laughs. Meaning that if he laughed he really thought that whatever it was, was really funny and not a laugh cause it was the polite thing to do. I know Jim is broken hearted too. He loved working along side with the differant duties that they had together on the church board for the past 3 years. They bonded so much in such a short amount of time. They swapped all sorts of stories and during his illness they told each other there colon stories.

Well, thats enough of that before I break down again. I will miss you Warren. And for those of you who read this that are related I will continue to pray for you and you move on here on earth. Love you all!!

heavy

Hello my friends, to day I write this with a heavy heart of sadness. I am learning that my Sunday School teacher for my high school days is getting closer to saying good by and hello to his maker. I am sad to learn that he is this far along but I know it is for the better. I will be saying lots and lots of prayer, more than before for this family. Watching someone battle cancer like this is a really really hard pill to swallow and I know the pains that come with it.

For those of you that read that this that are part of his circle of folks, know this that I love you and I am praying for you. I so deperatly wish there was/is more that I can do for you all. I know prayer is so very important but there are times, like this, that I wish I can do more.

Well, I got to go . . .

God bless you all!

prayer request

Hello my friends,

Jim had to go into the office of the company that he works for yesterday for stuff. He came home and told me about a rumor that was told to him by some big wigs at the company. They stated that by the end of the year residential houseing market for what Jim does will be no more. Meaning that Jim could be out of a job. Please pray with me that this doesn't happen and if it does that God will grant us another job. I am thinking of getting a part time job come August when both kids are in school all day. I am hopeing that God will supply a job where I can work during the days that the kids are in school. Please pray that this will come to pass and we can get caught up more with bills that have piled up for us in the past. I am nervous and excited about this change in my life.

random

Well, everyday I am finding new things that are cheaper and are gluten free. I am falling more in love with Aldi's. Lost of things there are gluten free . . . marshmallows, chocolate bars, bratworsts, hot dogs, cheetoes, cheese puffs, powdered sugar. And these things are labeled gluten free which is nice, It gets rid of the guessing game and maybe paying for it in the long run.

My veggies are growning, slowly. There are some flowers there which means that soon there will be something worth eating someday. We have also seen butterflys fluttering around the house. And we wonder if they are some of the ones we released into nature a while back. That would be neat if it were.

Well thats all for now. Hope you are all enjoying this wonderful warm weather that God is blessing us with.

news on the union

Well, Jim told me last night that he might be getting a HUGE pay cut. Seems like the new builders of homes wants to keep the union guys for the installs but don't want to pay them the union wage. The want to pay them the way they paid the non union guys. I don't think that is fair. I look at the higher pay as a way to pay them back for all the special schooling they got to do what they do and do it well and right. The builders are tired of all the messups the non union guys have been doing so they want them out. What do you all think? Am I being silly on this?

bitter-sweet

Hello friends . . . this past weekend was full of things that are bitter and hard to swallow and then some really sweet things.

So lets start with the bitter to end on a good note. Well, found out that my high school sunday school teacher is ill and doesn't have much more time here on earth. Then he will join his Mother in heaven with this Lord. That in its self is bittersweet. You know who you are and if you read this I love you and will miss you and we will see each other again someday. I know that Jim will miss ya too. I know that he has enjoyed the time you have spent sharing stories during your duties at church on Sunday mornings. We love you!!!!!

Good notes, all of our butterflies have hatched and are out there somewhere and hopefully growing. All of the veggies that I have gotten are in the ground and I notices today that there are flower buds growing on them which means that soon we will be having some fresh veggies. We got 2 tomatoes, and a total of 6 bell pepper plants and 2 strawberries. I also got some tomato seeds that are planted but so far nothing from them yet. Maybe soon.

As far as Evey, things are going. I got the herbal meds that we are going to try today in the mail and she got her first does tonight before bed. She is not liking this at all. I have entered the councilor part of being a parent and so far its harder than I thought. So please pray that I help her feel better about her "new body" as she would put it. She got upset Sunday that her friends from the neighborhood were getting things from the ice cream truck that goes around town. I told her no due to the fact that I would have no way of knowing if any of the items are gluten free. It was hard for her to see her friends part taking in this and she is left on the side lines. I told her that maybe she got this so that maybe someday if she meets someone that is new to this maybe she is there to help them figure things out like we are doing now. She told me that she never thought of that. So maybe that calmed her down, or at least till next time.

Yesterday we patched some holes in the pool liner and we are starting to fill it up to get it up and running for the summer. So can not wait. What better than pool, a great tan and fresh fruits and veggies. Aj wants grapes so maybe next year. One may never know. Well I have to tuck in little ones and clean up from the day.

good night, love you all!

garden and more

Hello all. Well I am hopeing to get to play in dirt today. Jim and the kids took me shopping for some gardening stuff. I was able to get supplies to make a raised veggie garden. I also got some new potting soil for my 6 pots and the kids helped pick out flowers for them. I also got some flowers to plant in the front yard.

We know have all 10 cacoons now and we are waiting to see them hatch into beatuiful butterflys. Exciting!

Evey is doing better. We had a bit of a set back during Easter weekend. Not sure if the glaze from the ham or something in the Easter Basket had gluten in it but she broke out in the rash again. I am looking into getting that herbal med for her since heat flares it too. I want her to have a good and as much as possible itch free summer. I know that the masquitos will be out and might nibble on her but its kinda differant.

Both Aj and I tested negative for this. Which means that we both got a faulse negative or we truly don't have it. I am thinking that both Jim and I are carriers of it and since we both stirred the pot for the kids they have it and Aj's negative came out faulse due to him being on the gluten free diet at the time of the test. That would happen this way since there was no gluten in his system to cause a reaction therefore its a bad result. I hope that makes sence to ya.

Anyway to all you mommys have a wonderful Mothers Day and I hope your kids spoil you!!

Well the sun was out in full force today and I LOVED it!! I just hope that it doesn't go and hide again for about a week and pop out for just a day like it has in the past. I went to Whole Foods today and I think I will go back but only every once in a while. The prices are high but the selection and service were out of this world. I didn't think that customer service like that was ever practised and used like that. They were all so friendly, helpful and knowledgeable about the products and the issue of having to have a gluten free diet. They even have a program of a personally shopper . . . loved this idea. You call in ahead of time and scheduale a time for the event to happen. Once there you and the personal shopper goes around the store and helps you with the differant food choices and what they have to offer. Plus if you want to try something before you buy it you can take it up to the costomer service desk and they can open it for you to try it and you don't even have to buy it if you don't like it. This place rocked for folks like me that are starting off in the world of a certain diet like this.

We have 5 cacoons and 2 more getting ready get into theirs. The last 3 I think are just late bloomers, but thats ok they will still be beautiful.

Aj's test came back negative. It is either a true negative or its a faulse one due to the fact that he is on a gluten free diet already which can alter the results. I have a concultation with the dr. in about 2 weeks to talk about this and see what to do now or just leave it. I put in a call to the dermatologist for Evey in asking him what he thought of the homeopathic drug for the skin rash for her. I am starting to think that she may need this help and with it being all natural with no side effects other than helping her rash for the gluten . . . why not. So we shall wait and see. I think with wheat and gluten being in so many things and we don't know it cause manufacturers don't have to label it, the help might not be a back thing for her. The ham that I made may have it in the glaze that was provided. And since they didn't have to tell me that it had wheat/gluten in it I fed it to her and she had a break out on her skin. I gave my blood sample to get tested yesterday (Tues.) so it will be interesting what that comes out to be.

Well I got some strawberrys in the fridge and they are calling my name for some strawberries and ice cream. Laters!

good times

Well, all in all today was a good day. I got some laundry done, not quite put away though. Got my blood work done to see if I have celiac disease too. I got Aj's done on Tues and no word yet for him. Jim called his doctor today to see about getting it done for him too. The bad thing about that is that his doctor is on vacation till Monday so we have to wait on that one. Did some food shopping and found some new things to try. I found some bagels, cinnamon muffins, maple glaze donuts and of course some new snacky stuff. So can not wait to try them. I made some gluten free fish sticks tonight for dinner and they were really good, you couldn't tell that the breading part was make from corn flakes . . . and both kids agree so that will be going back on the grocery list.

At Evey's school they had a family clay fun night. It was a blast to see the creations as the kids put it that they made. I also helped a fellow mom make something too.

I am getting excited for the first field trip that I am going to help with this year. We will be going to the Black Berry Farm . . . I so love that place!!! Anyway I am feeling better and I am getting things done around the house too. Oh by the way we have some caterpillers in their cacoons getting ready to spread their wings. We have 2 changing and 4 or 5 more hanging upside down getting ready. This is so excitting. We got 10 caterpillers. Can't wait to see them hatch and spread their wings for the first time. The place that I ordered them from you can get other bugs too, like ants (like we don't have enough of them already), lady bugs, some kind of spider and a praying mantis . . . I so want to get one or two of them. But maybe next spring.

Anyway I am tired and got to finish some laundry and go to bed. Good night!

Yes I am here

Hello, just to let you know that yes I am still here. This past weekend all 4 of us were sick for Easter Sunday, so we had our own ham dinner just us this year. It was nice but it took all of the energy that I had to cook and clean up. And of course I paid for it the next day . . only got off of the sofa for things I had to do yesterday. Like feed my kids or take a potty break. Today was a better day. I did do some house work but I have tons more to do. Had an appointment with the dietitian this after noon and turns out that I know a ton about this new diet. She, the Dr. was surprised and happy at the fact that I know so much, I even knew some tid bits that she didn't know . . . go me!!

All in all things are going well. I still have a lot of food from my stock piles to get rid of but that will happen in time, maybe next week or so. I hope. Any way I got to get the kids into bed and start clipping coupons from Sundays papers. Love you all!

general update

Hello friends, Well doctor appointment number 2 done and under our belts. We've decided to hold off on any drugs for lil Miss Evey for right now, we shall see what the summer holds. Turns out you can have the rash that she has and not have the gluten sensitivity. One of the triggers for this rash is heat, very much like heat rash. And if we do decide to give her meds for this its going to be a short term basis only! Her poor lil body has been through so much to put her on a med just breaks my heart but if its a must I will.

Evey is now eatting lunch at a table sort of by her self. The school has a table set aside for those kids with peanut allergies. Well turns out that there are only 3 kids with this and to have a table, which is two 6 ft banquet tables at one for just 3 kids we are splitting it for Evey and the peanut gang . . . no pun intended. Anyway, I hate to do this to her but till we find out how allergic she is to this its really the only way. Better to be safe than sorry right now. The only way to see how sensitive she is, is to wait and she how she reacts to it once she has been living in a 100% gluten free zone for some time and her body is happy again. I am hopen that it will be when school starts up again, but only time will tell. We finally found a breakfast cereal that she like with a bowl of milk, praise God!! I bought today chocolate gluten free doughnuts, chicken nuggets and fish sticks so we shall see how those go. I also got gluten free salad dressings/dippin sauces. Slowly but surely things are coming together. I do have to get new kitchen supplies that are of a porous serface nature. Means all my wooden utincles, cutting boards and anything else of these natures. Does this mean I can get a kitchen shower to help with the cost? I am hopin that with the finding that all of the foods that I get are a tax write off due to it being a medical expence, if that goes toward the kitchen stuff to as I replace it/them? That is another phone call I have to make. The list is getting long and longer. Well ta ta for now and God bless you all! Thank you all for your prayers for I fell them every time I get over whelmed with all of this. Thank you!

Wedding bells

Well, 9 yrs ago today I married the man of my dreams. God blessed me with this wonderful man and I love him so very much. Sorry I'm going mushy on you guys today. I never knew love like this. It is wondeful. He has been such a great support in my hard times and we've been having them alot lately. He is the calm to my hyperness and my crutch when I can not stand. He is truely my knight in shining armor. I just hope that for those of you that read this that you have found your knight in shining armor and for those of you that have not yet found him. Hang on and he is out there.

Questions

Well, the first of 3 doctors appointments done and under our belts. The dermatologist wanted to put Evey on a med for the skin rash that she has. This drug has alot of side effects and she would have to take it for the rest of her life. I'm not fond of that one. If she has to take a med for the rest of her life let it be when she is older. The side effects I thought were a bit scary for a 7 yr old person to have to go through. I know that not everyone gets every side effect but I just don't want to take that risk. Then in doing some on line research on this drug I found another med that is all natural herbs and according to this web site it has no side effects . . . first thought is really? Then I thought if this is true and this drug really does excist and it does work where do I sign her up. I did ask the derm. about the fact if she does start this med and 20+ yrs from now is married and she wants to start a family how would that play into affect with that. As far as the pregnancy its self should be alright but the troubles could come in is if she wants to nurse.

I am just so torn so we are going to talk to her ped. tomorrow and get her take on all of this. What do you all think? Do I get her on the med the derm. wants? Do I investigate this new herbal med.? Whats your guys' take on this one?

new book

I got a new book called, "The Gluten-free Bible" and so far it is helping me out. I read that all the special foods that I/we buy for us to eat can be claimed on our taxes since its considered a medical expense. How cool is that, guess we will be holding on to all of our receipts from now on. I am so glad that I got the book can not wait till I really read into it. I am finding out that wheat/gluten is used in a ton of stuff, did you know that med. manufacturers use it in the children's liquid med. Did you also know that they don't have to put notification on the label if they do use wheat/gluten in making the med. So I guess that I will be spending a lot of time on the phone until that changes. I was told that it should be changing sometime this year, I so hope so cause if the label doesn't list it then I will guess that its not in there unless its labeled gluten free somewhere on it. Well we have the first of 3 doctors appointments tomorrow. Well I am so very tired it was a long night last night. Evey's cold kept her up most to just about all night with coughs and I think we are both so tired that we will sleep all night with not a care in the world about whats going on outside. I just hope that tomorrow will be better. So here is where I will bid you all good night and take care.

Thank goodness for Moms

Well, today I just wanted to hide in a corner and cry at the thought of all the foods that were in my pantry that was no long good for us with this new gluten free diet. ALL of it was to be gotten rid of. So then I told Jim I was going shopping. Well, 3 stores later my pantry is getting there. I found a lot and I only got one of the new items for just in case we do not like it. So cross them fingers that the foods that I got today are a hit. I am going to be making chicken meat balls with veggie noodles and then a breakfast casserole for breakfast in the morning. Instead of using regular bread I will be using the new gluten free bread . . . fingers crossed that this one is good.

bread

Well, last night for dinner I made chicken parmesan and garlic bread and mix veggies. I used the gluten & wheat free bread to make the garlic bread and it was a hit. For the first time Evey actually ate the bread. So know I know what to use when I want to make garlic bread for dinner. I was so happy and it really did actually tasted good! This might not be all that bad after all.

Now for crazyness

Well today was chop full of making phone calls and getting doctors appointments lined up. I've been doing some on line research on this and now I have lots of questions for the various doctors that we will be seeing. We have 2 appointments next week and so far one the following. I found on line that there is a gluten - allergen free foods expo at the end of the month. We are planning on going and maybe we can get some new creative ideas on foods and maybe some good deals and coupons from the various vendors that will be there. Pray that all will go well.

We tryed tacos last night for dinner and that didn't turn out so hot. I got 2 differant kinds of shell for them. One pack was gluten and wheat free and the other was corn, both where soft. And no body liked either one . . so for tacos its back to the drawing board. Bread is still on our list of things we don't like. I'm going to see if we can turn it into garlic bread for dinner tomorrow night.

I also think that I am doing way to much research on this since my dream last night was about reading labels in the stores on things to see if it had gluten in it. Funny how things like that work, your reality seeps into your dreams. I just hope that this is not the start of a new trend for me.

Anyway, the kids have now been bathed and in bed, the dish washer is set and running, dinner is done and cleaned up and now its on to laundry so my kids have clean clothes for tomorrow. Hope it doesn't rain to much tomorrow and I am seriously missing the warm windows open weather from yesterday and the day before that.

Good night world and bright hopes for tomorrow!

The wait is over!!

Well, I got that phone call from the Dr. this afternoon and it came back positive. Now she is no longer to eat anything with gluten in it. If you could pray that the possible long term effects if this won't come to pass. Please pray that she will not have to run into other issues with this than all that she has so far. Thank you for your prayers during this waiting game and thank you for all the prayers that you may send our way in the future. She is a trooper and pray that she remains that way. Now the fun begins with the changing of the diet and lots of other doctors appointments. Please pray that Jim's job continues to remain stable to pay for all of these upcoming doctors appointments. I would love any advice you can give . . . for those of you that actually read this.

One more we are officially done with the Rosedale house, it is officially the banks now and its up to them to maintain it . . . it is done!!!