Allergy Friendly Passion Lunch for Good Friday

Lacy at Catholic Icing created an incredibly clever interactive lunch for her kids to retell the story of Good Friday. I think it is brilliant but wanted to make a few adaptations so it would work better for my family. This one is safe for my kids' food allergies (eggs, nuts, dairy, sesame seed), has a hand out to help me remember what I'm doing without scrolling on my phone, and ends with Hot Cross Buns so I can include that traditional treat while adding the step of Jesus Being Laid in the Tomb.  

A couple of notes about the food:

- In the picture for the Crown of Thorns you can see that I used the Aldi GF cookies with their GF pretzels stuck in them because when I originally did this we were also a gluten free family. Now that we can have wheat again I'm using Lacy's original idea of Ritz crackers.

- For the silver coins I originally melted down the Enjoy Life chocolate chips and made round drops on parchment paper, let them cool, and then wrapped them in aluminum foil. This year I bought an Enjoy Life chocolate bar, will break it into pieces, wrap them up, and call it good enough.

- My kids don't love Sunbutter so the sandwich is butter and jelly cut out in the shape of an Easter egg. Egg salad sandwiches would work, too, but if you can have eggs I'd probably just stick with Lacy's hard boiled one to make it easier.

- Because we are dairy free I used strawberries to represent Peter's ear being cut off.

- For the Hot Cross Buns I use this recipe, shape them into rounds, and then ice them once they are baked. It is not a traditional Hot Cross Bun but it is dairy and egg free, my kids like them, and it works for us.

I hope this is helpful and I wish you a very holy, beautiful, Triduum. If you are joining the Church this weekend please know that I am praying for you!

Coffee Cake: Fluffy, Delicious, & Egg and Dairy Free

At the request of a reader, I give you our super yummy, nice and fluffy, and egg, nut, and dairy free. 

The recipe I use is adapted from the recipe my mom used throughout my childhood. I think it came from her Betty Crocker Cookbook and you can see that my copy of it is well used. 

It's a super simple recipe and you start by mixing all the dry ingredients together. 

Next, you add the Crisco. We used to use butter before we were dairy free but now we use Butter Flavored Crisco Baking Sticks. Really you want the crumbles to be a bit smaller than what I did here but this is a super forgiving recipe so I cheated a bit. 

Next you add the milk and mix it all together. Pour the batter in a 9"x13" dish that has been coated with non-stick cooking spray. Prepare the crumble topping and sprinkle and spread it over the batter. 

 Pop it in a preheated oven, making your house smell great. Once it's done baking I usually let it cool a bit in the pan before we serve it up. It lasts for several days in an air-tight container but we usually eat it in a day.

Coffee Cake Recipe

Batter Ingredients:

3 C flour

1 1/2 C sugar

5 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 C Crisco Butter Flavored Baking Stick

1 1/2 C coconut milk

1 1/2 tsp Ener-G egg replacer mixed with 2 Tbsp warm water 

Crumb Topping Ingredients:

2/3 C brown sugar

1/2 C flour

1 tsp cinnamon

6 Tbsp Crisco Butter Flavored Baking Stick

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 9"x13" dish with non-stick spray. 

Mix all the dry ingredients together. Add the Crisco, cutting it into the flour mix until there are smallish crumbs of Crisco + flour mix. Add the milk and egg replacer and mix well, scraping the bottom of the bowl to be certain you're not leaving any flour behind. Set batter aside. 

In a separate, small mixing bowl combine the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon for the crumb topping. Cut in the Crisco until crumbly.

Pour batter into prepared baking dish, smoothing out surface. Cover with crumb topping, spreading it evenly over the top and going to the edges. 

Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. 

Serves 12-15. 

What do you feed a kid who is allergic to everything

Food allergies: I hate them. I never, ever, ever saw them coming, and I never thought I would have to deal with them. Quite frankly, they have been both a much bigger and smaller cross to bear than I ever imagined.

When I learned that Ben was allergic to nuts I was bummed, but not too worried. Easy PBJs would have to be moved out of the easy lunch menu rotation but we could make it work. But when we learned that JF is allergic to dairy, nuts, eggs, wheat, tomatoes, and soy (along with cats, dust, and various seasonal crap) I was both incredibly sad and really worried.

Food is an important part of every single culture. One's ethnicity, religion, and socio-economic situation all combine to define what we eat and how we eat it, and what we eat and how we eat it help to define who we are.

Food brings people together. It helps us celebrate and grieve. It heals us and unites us. Traditions center around it and our holidays are filled with specific food that for a general culture and individual families help define that holiday.

The Super Bowl has chips, dip, wings, and beer. Birthday parties, weddings, graduations, and pretty much every other celebration has cake. And on it goes...

Valentine's Day: chocolate
St. Patrick's Day: corned beef, soda bread,  potatoes, and beer
Lenten Fridays: mac n' cheese, grilled cheese, cheese pizza and fish
Easter: chocolate bunnies and jelly beans
Fourth of July: hot dogs and watermelon
Halloween: Trick-or-Treat candy and caramel apples
Thanksgiving: turkey, buttery mashed potatoes, stuffing, dinner rolls, and pumpkin pie with whipped cream
St. Nicholas' feast day: Chocolate coins and candy canes
Christmas: cut-out cookies, hot chocolate, and casseroles

So just what do you feed a kid who is allergic to everything? And how do you make stuff special when so many of the celebratory food gold standards (pizza, ice cream, s'mores, and cake) were now off limits?

If you are a mom who just learned that your child has food allergies I want to tell you something: It is hard. And it can be very isolating. And people won't get it. And you will worry about your child every single day, especially if the allergies are severe. But you can do it. Your child will learn to advocate and ask questions to keep himself safe. Your loved ones will come to understand and will put your child's presence above the importance of the family's traditional pecan pie. And you will find that there are lots of foods you can feed for your child and your whole family. You can do this.

But first... go ahead and cry. Mourn those nachos, family pizza nights, Taco Tuesdays, and casseroles. Mourn the birthday cakes and milkshakes and Go'Gurts. Mourn the loss of friends and social functions. Cry and feel afraid for a little bit because I understand and I think you deserve it. But once you're ready to move on and get going, well let's get going.

The first step in moving forward is figuring out what is going to work with your family. Our situations will vary, but I am going to share five ways I feed my son - who is allergic to everything - and keep him safe in the world. Maybe some of them will be helpful to you.

#1 - Realize he's not allergic to everything. When wheat, dairy, eggs, nuts, tomatoes, and soy were taken out of our family dinners I was reeling, but the truth is there is a whole month's worth of dinners that don't have to contain any of those items. Basic meat, veggies, and fruits. Rice, quinoa, and steel cut oats. Vanilla Rice Milk isn't so bad, rice krispie treats can be made with coconut oil, and Earth Balance Soy Free "butter" spread is actually pretty good. Salt, pepper, and other seasonings go a long way and there's lots of tricks vegans have been using for years that can be borrowed. Focus on what still *is* on the menu, not what isn't. 

#2 -Try new recipes knowing that some will flop and some foods just can't be replaced. For a long time I felt I had to find recipes that would give me an exact-tasting, allergy-safe version of the food we wanted to eat. But the fact is baking always, and cooking sometimes, relies on chemistry and when you change the ingredients you are not going to get the same result. That being said, some recipes are simple to adapt (like the rice krispie treats mentioned above) and you will learn what they are - just be patient and don't be afraid to try, fail, and throw things out. And by the way, while most recipes I have tried online have failed me in one way or another, The Healthy Gluten-Free Life Cookbook has been wonderful. I'm not being compensated to say that, either. I just borrowed and then bought the book and want to share, although that is an affiliate link.

#3 - Say "no" to events when you have to. For the most part we have stopped going to potlucks, reunions, parties, and even our parish's coffee and donuts because it's just not safe for our boys, especially our son with the severe allergies. Truthfully, this is one of the hardest parts for me, because I want to be with my loved ones, but food is everywhere and at everything and my child's safety is more important. If it's not a situation where we can control how food is served and when hands are washed we just stay home.

#4 - Say "yes" when you can and help hosts keep things safe. Fortunately there are people who love us and who are willing to learn. We've had entire Thanksgiving dinners that are entirely safe for my boys to eat! When someone offers to make things safe for your child with allergies take them up on it! Explain beforehand what will need to be done and then pitch in, especially if it's the first time for the host. Bringing food, explaining about the allergies and hand washing to other guests, helping to wipe down tables and put food away - all of that helps you and others create a community with the shared goal of protecting your child.

#5 - Have a plan and communicate it.  Since allergies, our family has changed how things work in our home and every time food is eaten. We wash hands and mouths after we eat. Food is eaten at the table unless it is a "safe" food which can be taken outside or eaten from a bowl in the living room (popcorn, potato chips, popcicles, fruit). Grazing is not allowed, especially of "unsafe" foods. A pencil bag with emergency drugs accompanies my son everywhere. Anyone who will be left in the care of my boys is trained on how to use an EpiPen. Our kids are taught to speak up - the boys with allergies ask if food is safe for them and their siblings watch out for them, too. Friends, family members, teachers, bus drivers, babysitters - everyone knows about the food allergies in our family and are told the household rules.

Now you may be thinking, "That's nice, lady, but what am I supposed to feed this kid?" Well, here's some standards for us. These foods should all be dairy, egg, nut, wheat, tomato, and soy free although recipes and packaging change so please read labels!

- Earth Balance Soy-Free "Butter" spread
- Live G Free cookies, bars, and pretzels from Aldi
- Oscar Meyer Turkey Selects hot dogs
- Mustard
- Honey
- King Arthur Gluten Free Baking Mix
- Cornstarch (as a thickener for gravies, sauces, etc)
- Applesauce
- Jello brand jello
- Lays Potato Chips
- Tostitos Tortilla Chips
- Tyson Gluten Free Chicken Nuggets
- Italian Ice
- Frozen veggies
- Rice
- baked potatoes
- BACON!!!
- Fresh meats and fish
- Fresh veggies
- Fresh fruit
- Marshmallows
- Rice Krispies
- Kroger brand Chocolate Cheerios
- Corn Flakes
- Vanilla Rice Milk
- Mott's Fruit Snacks
- Regular Skittles
- Smarties
- Regular Starburts

Hopefully that's a helpful start for you! Most likely, you have a lot of those products in your home already. And remember, you can do this!

Recipes, IEP Prep, Mercy, Scripture, and Fiats - 7QT

1 - Let's start off with a song, shall we?



or maybe you'd prefer this one



L prefers this one. She loves the little dance he does (and so do I, really.)


2 - We have a lot of food allergies in our home and I have tried out a lot of recipes over the years. Just to review, JF and JP do not eat dairy, eggs, nuts, wheat, or tomatoes; Ben cannot have nuts; and I am currently dairy-free for Tee's sake. In case you're in a similar boat here's some recipes that some or all of us have enjoyed recently:

Easy Dairy Free Scones
I made these with blueberries and a clementine glaze the other day - delicious!

Easy Biscuits
Use water instead of milk for dairy free. I even substituted GF flour and added some herbs and they were still really good.

The Healthy Gluten-Free Life Cookbook (affiliate link)
This cookbook has been wonderful! I have tried so many online recipes which have been failures and so often allergy cookbooks don't cover all our bases. But this one has 200 recipes that are dairy, egg, soy, and gluten free. I can easily not use nuts for some but even with the ones that are based on nuts this book has been just awesome and I just had to share.


3 - Speaking of special needs (because I definitely think of the boys food allergies - especially JF's deadly allergy to dairy - as special needs), we are getting ready for JF going to Kindergarten next year and addressing his special needs. Our older kids are at our parish school but because of JF's apraxia he will need services that he can only get at our excellent public school. We're working with both principals to hopefully do a dual enrollment so he can have the best of both schools. At the encouragement of a friend of mine, who has spent many years advocating for her son, I made up an info sheet to pass out at JF's upcoming IEP meeting. I think it's such a good idea that I wanted to share an example in case it might be of help to anyone else. I used PicMonkey to make the section titles and then used Microsoft Publisher for the rest, but Word would work just as well I think.

4 - Earlier in the week I spoke live on Facebook, talking about a really wonderful video called Mercy is Greater, the book Beautiful Mercy, my fears, God's mercy and how I am supposed to live that out, and why I decided to start memorizing Scripture. Knowing that I was going to be sharing some personal stuff I was pretty nervous, which shows a bit in some slight rambling.

You can watch the Mercy is Greater video here, and you can go to my blog's Facebook page to watch the 12 minute video of me. And if you want to follow along and join me in memorizing Scripture please do. I will mostly be posting on Instagram, and mostly as a way to keep myself accountable to my goal of daily reading a chapter of the Bible, doing spiritual reading, and working on my memory verse.


5 - My nerves (and the tears) in the video meant that I forgot to mention something.

I wanted to say that my friend, Heather Renshaw, has been a major influence in my understanding the importance of Scripture memorization. Heather frequently peppers her conversations with Scripture. It's something I noticed while recording The Visitation Project with her (and maybe you've noticed to when you listen) and I've seen that same act in Facebook conversations and in offline conversations, too. She has used Scripture to bring hope, comfort, and praise into so many situations and often in situations where I didn't know what to say but Heather did because she has so much Scripture tucked in her heart. I see that as mercy in action.

The two verses I have memorized so are: Galations 5:22 and Philipeans 1:6. Look them up - they're good.


6 - Maybe you saw already, by the last Breakout Speaker for the Finding Your Fiat Conference was announced - Sr. Clara from the Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary.

We have so many great speakers coming - it's an incredible line-up. I hope you can join us and be there, too. To learn more and buy your ticket visit our website.

7 - I don't really think these were so quick so I'll just end here with a big THANK YOU to Kelly at This Ain't the Lyceum for being hilarious and for hosting the link-up each week.

The Seven Quick Takes that took a Month to Write

As always, thank you to Kelly for hosting!!!

1 - The plan was to post these quick takes a couple of hours ago. Instead I spent over an hour trying to search for the song to begin this epic post. And by "trying to search" I mean I was actually watching clips of The Graham Norton show on YouTube.


2 - But here is the song I was looking for. Warning to Mary of letlovebesincere: if Ryan Adams makes your ears bleed do not listen to this.


I heard this song once on the radio last year. I don't know how I finally found it, but I know it took a long time. The other day I was driving and it suddenly popped into my head and I had. to. listen. to. it. My husband hates it but I can't get enough. Anyways, thank you, YouTube, for the History tab which led me back to Valerie June.


3 - Today I made a mistake:
Volunteering to cover a 1/2 hour of an adoration time slot.

Our parish has adoration throughout the day on Fridays, immediately following the all school Mass and with Benediction at 3pm. Parishioners attend and classes come over through-out the day, K-8, to spend time with our Eucharistic Lord. However, during the kids' lunch time they are sure to have people signed up to be in the pews. I volunteered to take 11:30-12.

My kids' behavior really wasn't that bad (they're 2, 3, and 5) and if we had been the only people in the church I wouldn't have minded at all. But when others are there - well, it's probably just not a good idea for us to be there. I know I wouldn't mind if a parent and children came in while I was praying but I also know how much the silence means to me.


4 - A couple weeks back I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. So now I'm on a special diet (don't tell anyone about the small Butterfinger Blizzard I got on the way home from Adoration today) and have to do finger pricks 4x a day. One of the most interesting things I have learned is that, at least for me, sugar is not the enemy so much as the carbs found in bread, pasta, milk, and even popcorn. It's a bit of a blessing that I can still enjoy some chocolate candy (in small amounts and only following a good bit of protein) since I really have to limit my beloved baked goods.

But if all this means a smaller baby - I'm in it to win it. (Shooting for 10lbs or less. Because that's what a small baby means to me.)


5 - Confession: I began this post weeks ago. But that's okay. Here's a friendly reminder: gonna order something from Amazon? Use my link (or click on that little button in the sidebar) and I'll earn a small referral fee at no cost to you. It's what buys Christmas presents in these parts - no joke - so thank you for helping our family.


6 - SO. Thanksgiving. James survived yesterday and will hopefully survive today. Mostly this, and the intense pain happening in my S.I. joints / hips, is all I can think about.

I know Thanksgiving = casseroles and things filled with butter or covered in cream of something soup to most people. But any more, to me those things are just death threats. Ugh. I hate food allergies.


7 - My kids love using our fireplace. They will haul the wood in, and build it up, and then sit with me and / or their daddy to take it all in. It's the sweetest.

And in case that sounds just too perfect, here's a look at the family room mess. :)


Take care, everyone! See you in Advent!

Super Easy, Dairy-Free Potato Soup Recipe

This potato soup recipe is something I made up so our family would have a comfort-food dinner that everyone loved, filled us all up, and was totally safe for all members of our family.

This is incredibly forgiving - believe me - and really easy to tailor to an individuals preferences and what's in the pantry.

And now, per Jenna's request, here's our go-to, allergy friendly, family supper.

Ingredients:
1.5 lbs potato - any kind
2 bags frozen cauliflower (or raw cauliflower if you feel like chopping)
(optional) carrots
Earth Balance Soy Free Spread
salt & pepper
sage
onion powder

Toppings:
crumbled bacon
shredded cheese
chives
green onion


Directions:
Fill a large pot 2/3 with water. Add salt and bring to boil.
Meanwhile, wash, peel, and quarter potatoes.
Once water is boiling add potatoes and cauliflower. If you're also adding carrots do so now. Cook until a knife easily pierces the veggies.

Option One - a Chunky Soup: 
Remove 1/4 to 1/3 of the potatoes and carrots and set aside.
Drain about 1/2 of the water.
Use an immersion blender, Ninja, regular old blender, or even elbow grease + potato masher and mash / puree the remaining veggies with the water until it's smooth. If it's thicker than you'd like just add some water to create the preferred consistency.
Add 3-4 Tbsp (or to taste) of the Earth Balance spread; mix well.
Season with salt, pepper, sage, and onion powder to taste.
Stir reserved carrots and potatoes back in.
Serve with topping choices.

Option Two - a Smooth and Creamy Soup:
Drain about 1/2 of the water.
Use an immersion blender, Ninja, regular old blender, or even elbow grease + potato masher and mash / puree the remaining veggies with the water until it's smooth. If it's thicker than you'd like just add some water to create the preferred consistency.
Add 3-4 Tbsp (or to taste) of the Earth Balance spread; mix well.
Season with salt, pepper, sage, and onion powder to taste.
Serve with topping choices.

Serves 6-8


I have often made these bread bowls to serve the soup in, and while not everyone can have one they are pretty delicious and help the soup go even further. Otherwise I serve the soup with grapes or apple slices and call it good enough. My kids are always happy and our bellies are always full.

*A couple of notes about cooking for people with allergies. Make sure you read all the labels to see what is in each ingredient and where it was processed. For example, some Kroger spices contain whey and Aldi spices were manufactured with nuts and dairy. Those spices are not safe for my sons and we often have to buy name brand.

The time my boy could have died from a french fry

One night earlier in the week was a bit on the crazy side so I made things easy on myself and got the kids fast food for dinner. They were delighted and they sat around the table eating, chatting, and laughing while I put away groceries and cleaned the kitchen.

Then I heard Ben shout, "No, JF! No! You'll get sick!" L then called out, "Mom, JF was going to eat one of Ben's french fries!"

JF was just being silly, he was teasing Ben. He stole a fry and held it up to his wide open mouth with a grin on his face. But once Ben shouted that he would get sick, JF returned the fry. I went over to him and saw that he looked worried.

"Did you eat it?"

"No, he just held it near his mouth," the kids all told me. JF sat really still.

"JF, it'll be okay, we just need to wash your hands. You won't get sick; it was good you didn't eat it. We'll just wash your hands. You're okay."

JF whimpered and then looked at me with big, round eyes.

"JF, are you scared?"

"YES!" he cried out and started to sob, fat crocodile tears instantly rolling down his cheeks. I picked him up and walked to the living room. He was shaking with fear and crying with fear, and burying his face because he was so afraid. I sat and held him on the sofa, rubbing his back and trying to reassure him that he would be okay.

But I cried too. I cried because stupid McDonald's for some stupid reason puts stupid milk on their stupidly delicious french fries. I cried because my four-year-old boy was being a silly four-year-old boy - just like he should be! - and it could have sent him into anaphylactic shock. I cried because JF was brought back to life after being dead for an hour and now I spend every day worrying about him dying because of freaking milk.

The truth is, when JF was crying because he was scared - scared of the vomiting and the itchy hives, of another ride in an ambulance, of another EpiPen jab, of another IV with steroids, of another face mask-nebulizer treatment on another ER hospital bed - I was crying because I am scared.

I am scared of school cafeterias, filled with milk cartons and peanut butter sandwiches.
I am scared of your child's buttery fingers touching my son or a toy he is playing with.
I am scared of him being ostracized by his classmates because his allergies may "ruin their fun."
I am scared of play dates and potlucks and birthday parties.
I am scared that he'll equate someone's not considering him with that person not loving or caring about him.
But mostly I am scared of him dying. Again. And this time forever.

I don't really know what to do about this, and I don't even know why exactly I'm sharing it. Maybe I just need to get it out there; maybe if I talk about my fear it'll help. I guess I am still trying to learn how to live this life.

This is an old picture, but his is what happened when JF touched cheese and it's 5 minutes after medication.

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PS - a 7QT filled with postscripts

Linking up with Kelly, who now has a new planner for sale and the full time job of hosting these lovely 7QT! Hip-hip-hooray for Kelly!


1 -So many of you recommended Pentatonix's Christmas album in the comments of the Advent Care Package post that I went ahead and impulse bought it. I was pretty happy to see this song listed on the album since I'm a fan of the original. We listen to winter and Advent songs now but keep Christmas carols for Guadete Sunday, which is when we put up our tree and turn on all our Christmas lights, so I'm keeping this album tucked away and will pull it out for something special to listen to on our way to the tree farm.
PS - I have a playlist of Advent and winter songs on the right sidebar if you want to take a listen.


2 - In mid November our local grocery store had turkeys on sale for dirt cheap. I bought a 14lb bird for less than $10. It was the second turkey I've ever made and it came out really, really well. Even if I cooked the giblets in the bag in the turkey. (Shoot.)

Everyone loved it and I felt like Henry VIII eating my drumstick. 

"yummy yummy yum-stick"

PS - I slathered it with coconut oil instead of butter to make it safe for JF, who has dairy allergies. It was still great - just a little tip in case you need to make a dairy-free turkey for anyone.


3 - The good folks at Firmoo are hosting a blogger contest. They nominated 50 of their favorite blog posts that mentioned their glasses and I was one of them. Who knew stories about mom groups and glasses and posers would get me nominated? Anyways, if you would vote for me I would be really appreciative. I have the chance to win more glasses and $100 that we'd love to put towards my son's tuition. Vote here, pretty please and thank you!

PS - you can vote once a day so if you've already voted for me you can do it again! yippee!


4 - Elise sent me the sweetest gift:

I plan on taking it and a couple of Kendra's images to our local office store and have them printed. I want to hang this Fiat in my girls' room; it's so lovely and feminine and that's a word I want my girls to know.

PS - If you want one too you can get it in her Etsy shop, which is filled with many gorgeous prints.
PPS - I wish I had the talent of lettering. So lovely!


5 - Sometimes a great mind, another great mind, yet another great mind, and a mediocre one think alike, and about Santa Claus of all things!

PS - St. Nick's feast day is tomorrow so dash to the store and get your gold coins or other gifts to fill your kids' stockings or shoes tonight!


6 - Yesterday I was shopping to buy some more eye cream and I spotted a great deal that I thought I'd tell you about. The Oil of Olay Regenerist Starter Kit contains their cleanser, face and neck moisturizing cream, and eye serum. To buy all three of those individually would cost almost $50 but the whole kit is just $30. I've only been using it for 24 hours so I can't give you a full review but I will say that my face feels smooth and not greasy, and usually my skin becomes a grease ball when I wear moisturizer.

PS - Not a sponsored post just a good deal I wanted to pass on.


7 - Things might be slowing down around here in the next few weeks as I try to pace myself and enjoy the seasons.

PS - Hoping and praying that you have a beautiful, holy Advent.

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Stupid allergies and the internet's version of a high five

Yesterday on JF's 4 year anniversary of leaving the hospital, milk spilled in his classroom, his throat started to close, the school nurse administered the epi pen and called 911, and he and I ended up spending the night right back at the same hospital.

His oxygen levels never quite bounced back 100% and so Travis and the other kids came to visit this morning and then the hubster and I switched places. Hopefully he and JF will get to leave before too long. Having spent the night with the incredibly LOUD oxygen monitor beeping ALL the time, RIGHT by my head I am ready for us all to sleep in our own beds tonight.

I suppose because I was already emotional about the day, every time the doctors and nurses talked about how important it is that JF's body get oxygen I blinked back tears.

Fortunately the school has been really great and has already reworked how they're going to do snack time so JF is not at risk any more.

In a totally unrelated note, the lovely Caitlin from T.O.T.E. gave me a high five and I love me a good questionnaire so here's all the answers:

1. What is pizza (that one is from Mo)?
One of the most delicious foods ever invented.

2. What is your greatest accomplishment from the last week?
I kept a cheerful disposition and didn't loose my temper with my kids very often.

3. Digital or analog planner? Analog over here.
Is this a question about clocks? Both are in our home, but I prefer the beauty of analog.

4. What are you snacking on today?
Kettle corn. Um.

5. Favorite article of clothing? Why?
Currently it's my cream colored tunic that I got from Target at the beginning of the summer.

6. Who paid you a recent compliment? What was it? You’re beautiful. There now you can’t back out of the question. Mwahahahaha!
My kids were at a Halloween event at a local park and were told repeatedly that they had good manners. I take that as a compliment.

7. Where would you go on a dream vacation? What would you do? Who would be there?
Dream vacation? Gosh, I have three dream vacations. One is to drive the USA and visit every state, living out of an RV for a year. Another is to do a grand tour of Europe like they did in the old days. I've been to Poland, Italy, Germany, England, and Scotland but I'd love to go back to those places and see France, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Portugal... The last one is Africa, especially Egypt and South Africa.

8. Let’s talk superpowers: Which one would you like to have and which one do you already command?
I'd love to be able to bilocate, or trilocate. The one I have? Putting my foot in my mouth.

9. What’s one thing you own that doesn’t match your personality?
I don't know,

10. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Any holiday, any tradition.
Having my mom's home made cinnamon rolls on Easter. They are so good, but a little time consuming, and it's such a special treat to have them on the most special day of the year.


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Allergy-Friendly Food for the 4th of July

The 4th of July is celebrated with picnics, sparklers, BBQs, fireworks, and a nightmare of food if your child has allergies.

As the mom of children with severe allergies to nuts, dairy, soy, wheat, tomatoes, and eggs I know how hard it can be to feed a child with allergies at a potluck or party. I also know it took me a couple of years to figure out what dishes I could bring that my kids would want to eat, could eat, and would fulfill my obligation to bring a dish to share.

I don't believe it is the obligation of the other party-goers or even the host to make sure that everything is safe for my kids. My kids are growing up in a world where people eat the foods that can land them in the hospital, and they need to learn to ask what's in a food before they partake. They need to learn to be safe.

However, I so very much appreciate when our friends and family prepare their dishes with my kids in mind. It is also just as important and meaningful to me when our hosts put in place preventative measures like having guests wash their hands and faces after eating and removing dangerous foods from the reach of little ones so grazing while playing doesn't happen.

So either way: if you're hosting a 4th of July party and you're looking for some allergy-safe foods for your guests OR if you're the one with the allergies, here's some ideas of what we eat or bring to a cookout.

Hot dogs and Burgers:
Good ole ground beef is totally safe for my kids. People can make their own cheeseburgers as they fill their plates, so please keep the cheese off the grill and everyone is happy and safe.

Oscar Meyer Turkey Selects are the hotdogs we prefer since they are nitrate and soy-free.

Buns are a no-go for people with gluten issues, but there are buns without dairy or egg. Check the packaging and purchase those if possible.

Sides:
German Potato Salad has bacon so is naturally delicious. It also has no eggs or dairy and if a gluten free flour or corn starch is used can also be safe for those with wheat allergies. If a party needs potato salad, make the German kind!

Corn on the Cob can be served with just some salt and pepper and perhaps some Earth Balance soy free buttery spread. Melted butter is probably one of my biggest fears since my son's dairy allergy is life-threatening, and even margarine has a dairy product in it. The Earth Balance soy free spread is the only thing I've found that both tastes good and is free of soy, dairy, and so on.

Fruit Salad is an easy way to serve something that is naturally gluten, egg, dairy, tomato, soy, and nut free. Just leave the whip cream on the side for people to add or leave off as they please. Marshmallows are safe, though!

Lettuce Salads are often prepared for cookouts and potlucks with all the toppings on them. It's nice to have a separate bowl that has most of the toppings on the lettuce, sans any nuts, cheese, or egg or dairy based dressings. Most croutons contain contain gluten, soy, and dairy and are often made in facilities with nuts so it's nice to have those separate, too. But veggies, fruit, bacon, and oil-based dressings are all safe!

Tortilla Chips & Salsa or Hummus are also gluten, egg, nut, soy, and dairy free. And they're so good. One of my kids is allergic to tomato and doesn't like hummus but I always appreciate the option which is free.

Plain potato chips are another safe buy. Salt, oil, and potatoes = crunchy, finger-licking, and tasty. Be careful, though! Most vegetable oils that are used on many brands of potato chips contain soy. Lays and Kitchen Cooked are two that use canola oil and are safe for people with soy allergies, though.

Desserts: 
Rice Krispies made with coconut oil or the Earth Balance soy-free buttery spread instead of butter are gluten, dairy, nut, soy, and egg free. And they're delicious!

Apple Pie made with an oil crust and pats of coconut oil instead of butter are dairy, soy, egg, and nut free. I've tried making gluten free pie crusts and was completely unsuccessful, but if you have one please share!

Wacky Cake is a super yummy chocolate cake without dairy, eggs, soy, or nuts. You can top it with a dairy-free icing if you want. We usually just sprinkle powdered sugar on top.

Popsicles are usually gluten, milk, soy, nut, and egg safe and are a perfect treat for a hot day. Be sure to check the packaging first!


I'd love to hear any other ideas! You can link to your own posts or leave your allergy-friendly food ideas in the comment box! Thank you!