BEWARE, it's colored!

This past week was Halloween and I cringe every year. Now, don't get me wrong...I love dressing up and hanging with friends. But I hate all of the colored candy/food. It is in everything. Things that don't need it at all (like rice crispy treats). The reason that I cringe is because my kids aren't allowed ANY food colored items. I know, it seems harsh. But let me back up a bit.

It is 2002 and my oldest son started having MAJOR behavioral problems. Now, here was a kid who the year prior was making straight A's, in gifted/talented classes, and loved going to school. Suddenly, he could barely make it through the school day without melting down, knocking his work off of his desk, or being absolutely uncontrollable. He was suspended numerous times. To the point that, the school refused to take him back unless we medicated him.

We took him to one pediatrician, and she prescribed Adderal. Then, we added in a behaviorist, a psychologist, and a counselor. The medication started increasing too: adderal, risperdal, trileptal, clonidin, ritalin, back to adderal, adavan. It was a nightmare.

We tried sports as an outlet, but he was tiny for his age and didn't enjoy soccer or basketball. Someone suggested gymnastics. We tried it. He loved it! But we still had an issue with medications and school. He was expelled from the first school and so we drove him to a school for gifted/talented. He was still having trouble. We even had him hospitalized because the medications were making him so unbalanced. We were desperate and didn't know how else to help him.

Just when I felt like neither he nor I could take anymore, we met a family at gymnastics that had severe food allergies. They were seeing a Doctor of Oriental Medicine and were having positive results for their children. We went to see Sylvie, the DOM, and spent hours with her on our first visit. We left feeling hopeful.

That hopeful feeling was soon dashed because trying to get our pediatrician and psychologist to work with her was impossible.

So, we changed to a different pediatrician and stopped going to the psychologist. The new pediatrician did full blood work. (No one had done that before). There was something really wrong with Damian's liver function. The levels were so high that he was closer to being put on the liver transplant list than he was to having normal ALT levels. Our new pediatrician, Dr.G, said that we would never no if his liver functions were already to high and if that was causing some of his behavioral problems or if it was caused by the medication.

Sylvie and Dr. G worked great together. Dr. G handled all of Damian's physical care and lab work. Sylvie would mix up herbs and slowly started replacing all of the western medication with it. With both of their help and support and along with the new school, we kept a strict food diary. Anything he ate was written down and then we would record his behavior a few hours later. After a couple of months, we all sat down and went over the journals. There was a definite pattern. He would eat breakfast at school and melt down before lunch. He would have the school lunch and a snack and would melt down before or shortly after school ended. Through all of us working as a team, we narrowed the food allergies to sulphites and food coloring. We pulled both of these out of his diet and continued to work with the behaviorist to correct some of the old habits. It took us a year and a half to get Damian completely off of both western medication and the herbs.

Fast forward to today. Damian is now 16 years old and a level 10 gymnast. He is a senior, an A student, and is taking honors classes. We know the signs to look for if he accidentally eats/drinks something that is colored. (For Damian, he has a chemical reaction. His eyes can dilate, skin becomes blotchy, and he is extremely angry or weepy sad.) He will tell us that he doesn't feel like himself and will go take quiet time to himself.

Recently, I also starting noticing that when my 7 year old daughter was coming home from school, she would cry, knock her homework off the table, and cry/whine some more. A quick talk to the teacher, we learned that they were eating colored snacks as a class in the afternoon. We now send in her own snacks and made a box of replacement foods (natural jelly beans, naturally colored m&m, fruit juice popsicles, etc.) for her to keep in class. If there is a class party, I send in snacks for my kids.

But, when I went and volunteered at the Halloween parties at school this year. I stood there filled with horror and sadness. Even though my kids had their own treats, all of the treats brought in by other families were colored (even the carrots and celery). All I could think was 'how many kids may be suffering like my son and daughter'? How many are having trouble with behavior or focus because of the food that they are eating? How many parents feel that they have no other choice but to medicate their kids?

Maybe, there is something cheaper and simpler than medication. Maybe, more people need to hear our story so that they know that there is an alternative. Maybe, it is just simply not eating food coloring!

Management issues

Too often, we say that "I want more...." or "I want a different...." (fill in the dots). We pray it. We wish for it. We long for it. Sometimes, we actually get it and then are quickly overwhelmed and become dissatisfied.

My husband and I have been asking ourselves those questions a lot. Especially regarding his job and our kids. I have spoken with friends, family, a counselor. All of them have listened and given advice: "you can have what you want"; "In this economy, be glad that you have anything at all"; "Maybe you have unrealistic expectations and set the bar to high"; "your too controlling and can't control everything".

But as I tossed and turned attempting to sleep this week, I remembered two pieces of advice that were given to me by a spiritual mentor and a business mentor:
1.) Have you made your bed?

2.) How can you expect the universe to provide you anymore if you can't manage what you already have? In order to manage money, you must manage your life.

So, I have started taking inventory of what I am/am not managing well. It has been eye opening and revealing. It is the little details that are derailing me/us/my kids.
Yes, my bed is made, but I ignored the piles of laundry, dishes, paperwork, (the list goes on and on).
Yes, the kids make their sports events, school, dr. appointments on time. BUT, do they help each other, speak kindly to each, contribute to the house? Have we managed to teach them or just managed to make it through another day?

I am ready to manage better and create instead of feeling like I am barely surviving. Do you feel like you are a good manager?

You're a hard habit to break!

I haven't written anything in an extremely long time. It hasn't been because I haven't had anything to talk about, it is because it became a habit to not sit down and blog.
I have been thinking a lot about habits. How they are both a blessing and a curse!
It is a good habit to put things away when you are finished, brush your teeth daily, smile, to set aside time with love ones, etc. The list can go on and on.
But what about the habits that we have that don't serve us. Yelling at people, eating unhealthy food, not exercising, avoiding the tough issues with our kids or spouses, not taking time for myself, not blogging.
On the surface, these habits appear small and insignificant. BUT, they can sabotage your success and create the habit of failure.
So, today I am committing to breaking one of my habits and return to blogging.

What little habits do you have that you want to break?

Feeding the Soul 4

Watching the kids play together!

Feeding the Soul 3

The smell of a baby's breathe!!



Can you smell it? Isn't it yummy?

Feeding the Soul 2

A painting from a friend.

Feeding the Soul 1

Songbird wrote a post about what feeds her soul.
Since I had been realizing that in my own life, whenever I have "a free moment" I usually race to accomplish some household chore instead of breathing and enjoying what is going on around me. So, I decided to play along with her.

Today what feeds my soul is: A late spring snow.

Kids say

On our way to school each day, Mini-man and I have to walk through a small patch of trees. He pretends that there is a lion living in there and that we have to sneak by it.
MM: Mom, lions sleep at the daytime and are awake at nighttime. Peoples sleep at the nighttime and are awake at the daytime.
Me: Yes

He repeats this over and over and even tells his teacher once he gets to school.

MM: Teacher, lions sleep at the daytime and are awake at nighttime. Peoples sleep at the nighttime and are awake at the daytime.
Teacher: So, lions are nocturnal.
MM: No! Not a turtle! I said lions!

We could not stop laughing!

What's one more?

Well, we are adding one more to our family!
NO, sillies, it is not another person! It is a food allergy.
As if Tom's allergies to corn, sulfites, MSG; Lord Humbles allergies to all food coloring, sulfites, MSG; Girly Wirly's dairy (casein, rennet, whey, lactose) aren't enough, we are now adding wheat.
It appears that Little Bit cannot handle wheat. Every time she eats something with wheat in it, she breaks out in a rash on her face and bum. She just screams miserably.
The other allergies were somewhat easy for me to handle. For example, whenever I make baked pasta, I make Girly Wirly's with soy cheese. We buy organic or sulfur free dried fruit. We make most things from scratch so that I can be sure that everyone can eat it.
But this newest allergy has me shaking in my boots. I love bread, pasta, cake, etc. How do I replace them? The Dr. keeps saying that she is too young to have an allergy, but he isn't the one hearing her scream like a banshee because her bum is raw.

I'm back!!!

It has been a long time since I have last blogged and I have missed it. I have thought about blogging often, but something (myself) has always gotten in the way. I made many excuses. I'll blog after the house is unpacked and set up, after the kids are settled into their new routines, after Lord Humbles wrist is healed, etc. But these were just excuses. The real reason that I had stopped blogging was shame.
Yup! Shame!
You see, we had owned our own business in FL. We knew things weren't going well, but with a healthy dose of denial and stubbornness you fight like crazy to save it instead of moving on. Eventually, we had to move on. Tom took a sales job and was traveling a lot. We were planning on moving closer to his job and the gym, but his boss kept making comments about having too many sales people in the district.
Not wanting to be forced to move or being relocated to someplace that we didn't want to be, we got very proactive and found out that the company was hiring around the Seattle area. So, we moved. A month later, they laid Tom off and he didn't find a job until the start of the new year.
It was extremely stressful.
At first, you think that it is nothing. So what if I can't buy curtains for the room. I can wait. But then, you realize you can't buy Christmas gifts for the kids, or food, or pay rent, or any other bills. And your world starts to slowly cave in. There were many days that I felt like I was drowning like my head was barely staying above the water. We had to swallow our pride and start calling friends and family to just make rent. We had to get public assistance. It has been very humbling life experience. So, I hid. Instead of blogging and reaching out to my online friends for moral support, I hid and wallowed in my shame.
I am tired of wallowing. I am ready to play a different game. So, today I am taking the first step and starting to blog again!

What else could happen?

Have you ever asked yourself "What else could go wrong"?

Well, this is what happens while you are packing up to move across the country....



That's right, Lord Humble broke the growth plate in his wrist while practicing on the pommel horse.
For more Phun Fotos, head over to Candid Carries.

To soup or not to soup?

One of the best things about our cross country move is the weather. It is much cooler here in the Pacific Northwest. It is cool enough for soup and I love soup! So after finding the box with my cook books in it, I had to make some Creamy Potato Broccoli soup. Since all of the kids like potatoes and broccoli, I felt pretty safe that it would be well liked.

Boy was I wrong!

Mini Man didn't like the color, so he ate his with his eyes shut!

Girly Wirly didn't like them mixed together. She wanted me to separate the broccoli from the potatoes and melted down crying because I couldn't do that! It would have been very funny except I kept thinking "is this how she will be once she PMS's?"



I wonder if she would have eaten it better if I had melted velveeta on it?
For more velveeta stories and a chance to win some visit Candid Carries.

Foto Memories of Ruthie

My SIL, Ruthie, just passed away a few days ago. This is a photo of her from my wedding.

Ruthie,
You were so important to me. You were the first friend that I made when I moved to Florida and married Tom. You always made me feel like a part of the family. We would work out at the gym together. Go out for lunch or brunch. You would always help me with the other kids when I needed to focus on Lord Humbles medical stuff. I loved the way you would pop by the house to talk politics. You loved talking politics. Even though we agreed politically, I was always impressed and awed by your passion for it. You weren't afraid of sharing your opinions with anyone. Do you remember how you would call and tell me you just said something you shouldn't have? You would laugh and tell me how your shot your mouth off again! Your mouth got you into a lot trouble, but it also produced a laugh that was infectious, and kind words to your friends and patients. Your tenacious spirit amazed and inspired me. You never gave up! I will miss you!


For more Friday Foto Memories, head over to Candid Carrie.

Taking Over

There is an absolute craziness that has taken over the madhouse. One could argue that a house with 5 kids is always crazy, but we have went and added even more.
YUP, Girly Wirly starting kindergarten, homeschooling Lord Humble(9/10th grade) and Red (7/8th grade), fundraising for our upcoming gymnastics season, Little Bit trying to crawl, and Mini Man longing to be in school with everyone else, just wasn't enough. So,we decided to move across the country to the Seattle area and gave ourselves just a few months to make it happen.
I am looking forward to the seasons, and trees--BIG trees (not palm trees). And the thought of being hurricane free just makes us all do the happy dance. No more boarding up and evacuating. Woo Hoo!!!!
But in all of the excitement, there is also some sadness. We are leaving our friends some of whom I consider family. We have shared so much; births, weddings, illness, gymnastics practice.
It would be easy to get lost in the sadness. BUT, the movers will be here in 14 days. So back to the craziness I go!!

Tropical Storm Phun

After being trapped in the house for several days due to a tropical storm, the kids were desperately needing to burn off some energy. So, Tom took them outside to splash in the puddles. The cold hard rain did not stop them from doing the puddle dance of joy or from racing through the natural slip and slide!





For more Phriday Phun, head over to Candid Carrie and play along with her phabulous foto fiesta !

Stew anyone?

About 14 years ago, my ex-husband was active duty Air Force. Every three day weekend, a group of us would head up to Yosemite National Park to hike and camp. Because I was a new SAHM, I was the one responsible for making the dinner for the first night. I always made a big delicious vegetarian stew.
That trip, we were all excited. It was October, snow had fallen to 9000ft. and we were going to make camp at 7000ft. It was perfect weather for stew and we were all looking forward to eating it.
Thursday, the night before we were to leave, I began the soup. I chopped all the vegetables, pressure cooked the beans, made the broth, measured out the spices, and started assembling the stew. Everything was going along so smoothly. The smells were so intoxicating that I could hardly wait to eat a bowl of it. But, I resisted.
Finally, Friday morning. I am checking everything twice: tent, stew, baby back pack, baby, cold weather gear, hiking boots, stew. Oh, the stew. We are all anticipating the stew.
We drive the 4 hours up to the campsite. We hiked in a little ways and set up our camp. Since, we made good time, we all decided that we would do a small day hike and eat the stew later.
Finally, STEW TIME! We heat it up on the fire, spoon it out for everyone, and sit down to eat.
The first spoonful enters my mouth and YUCK! Something is terribly wrong with the stew. Maybe it is just me! But NO! Everyone is sitting around the fire with a mouthful of yucky stew in their mouth and starring at me!
In unison they exclaim, "Michelle, something is wrong with the soup!"
Well, it ends up that I had put in 6 TBS of cayenne pepper instead of chili powder.
It was inedible. It was horrible! We all spit it out and poured out the entire batch! It was so bad that I don't think the bears would have eaten it.
Now, we are starving.
We had to hike back to our cars and drive down into the valley and hope that the market was still open. Nope, no such luck. So we had to leave Yosemite Park and drive to the nearest town. We finally found a pizzeria. It was $20 for a large cheese pizza, but we were hungry.
I was teased about the stew for many years after that. For Christmas that year, some of them gave me jars of chili powder!
If you would like to read more cooking horror stories or share one of your own, please visit Absolutely Bananas.

Snow Monster

Three years ago, we took the kids to Whislter, BC and played in snow. This was Girly Wirly's first time in snow. She fell in love. She wanted so badly to learn how to snowboard with the boys that she would wear their helmet anytime they weren't using it.
To this day, she still talks about the snow and informs us that "we can move if it is to snow!". OH, the monster that we created!
For more phun fotos, please visit Candid Carrie.

Updated For Moose:

Cute & Cuddly?

The speed limit is 55. But everyone is doing 70 on a two lane road that cuts through a swamp. We have been driving this road for almost a year and everyone has warned us about gators crossing the road or feral pigs.
"Be vigilant" everyone says.
"You will total your car if you hit one!"
Well, I have been vigilant. All that I have ever seen is birds flying and the usual road kill (possums, raccoons,ie).
I was beginning to believe that people were making up stories about the gators. Until Monday.
The car in front of me slammed on their brakes. Forcing me to lock up mine and sling all of the kids forward in their seat belts. I'm cursing under my breath about what is this idiot doing! We are in the middle of the swamp with no other cars around.
Then I see it. A four foot gator is racing across the street. It was so adorable and fast. I could see why the Crocodile Hunter called them cute. Okay so not like a 'cuddly take it home with you' cute, but it was cute! And fast!
I couldn't believe how fast it was. I started screaming for the kids to look out the window, but they were still in shock from me hitting the brakes so they missed it.

Top 10

Here is my Top 10 list of things that I have learned from my kids:

1. Babies smell sweet and yummy.
2. Mommy kisses can heal any boo-boo.
3. Veggies taste better from my plate.
4. The only difference between my teen and my toddlers temper tantrums are their word choices (poopie head vs. BLEEP).
5. World of Warcraft is addicting.
6. They remind me to take baby steps and to get up when I fall.
7. They have taught me to be consistent.
8. I have learned that my post-pregnancy belly is their favorite and funniest squishy toy.
9. I have learned that when I am away, Dad lets them do things that I don't (like watch Sponge Bob).
10. The biggest thing that I have learned from them is to love unconditionally and laugh often!

To play along or to view more lists, please visit Absolutely Bananas.

Making a Stand for Summer

5 Minutes for Mom is having a photo contest. Come and play for your chance to win $500.

Here is my entry:

Here is what you get when you take gymnasts (and little sis) to the beach.



*Click on photo for a larger view*