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Wheat Free Fries

I just figured out how to make allergen-free fries for my son - I let him have them now and again if they don't have his other allergens in them, because his allergy to wheat is mild and he LOVES fries.

Cook in corn oil - let it get real hot

-cut potatoes into fry slices
-soak fries in rice milk and lemon juice
-shake wet fries in bag of rice flour, salt, garlic powder, and anything you think muight taste good like fresh chopped up herbs
-put fries in oil and let fry for a couple minutes
-take fries out and let cool on paper towel, if taste like they need more salt - salt lightly.

These were surprisingly just as good as fries I have made before with milk, egg and wheat flour!!

*Please remember your own personal allergies when considering this recipe for yourself

My plan to survive the summer

This summer I am taking the bull by the horns and being proactive with the "We have nothing to do" problem all mothers have while their children are home from school. We have 2 "guaranteed lock" fun days (which can be un-locked with bad behavior). For us it is one pool day at grandma's and one day at a park, zoo, museum, etc. My plan further extends to the days we don't have anything planned and they say there is nothing to do. I pull out large pieces of paper and tell them to make a map of where we have been or draw their favorite part of the last fun day.

I have found that a membership to our local museum is a great deal and there are lots of coupons out there too with everyone vying for business right now.

So far it's working! Ask me in August:)

You Know...

How many You Knows can you come up with? I challenge you...

You Know….

1. You know you have been too sarcastic lately when you pay your husband a compliment and he asks “why are you talking to me that way?”

2. You know you have bad road rage when your kids see orange-striped cones up ahead and they say to each other from the back of the car, “Oh no, Mama’s going to get mad.” In my defense there has been a lot of construction lately and I have a knack for running into more construction when I make a turn to avoid it.

3. You know you better check who your 4 year old’s friends are when she says “that song has the S-word in it” - she may have meant “stupid” but how does she know there is such a thing as an “S-word”?

4. You know that unfortunately your children may grow up to be just like you when your 22 month old says “Scooch, child, scooch!” to his sister.

5. You know your children don’t yet understand that their little brother is not an animal that can be put up for adoption or put down if it doesn’t work out, when after marveling at his skills of remembering everyone’s name correctly, one of them says, “yeh, he’s tamed now.”

Road Rules

I have very low blood pressure, so low that at a doctor's apt. a couple of weeks ago the nurse could not find my pulse. But, nothing gets my blood pressure to the "in danger of having a heart attack" level than slow drivers! This week, three times as I passed the "eldural parrallel" (you know, every area has one, where young meets old, where rural meets ruraler) I got stuck behind some yahoo who apparently had nowhere to go and made me late!, to VBS. Now, I can't get too upset on the way to drop my kids off at VBS (at a church in the boondocks) because that would kind of ruin the whole reason for sending them, but when it happens again on the way back! Well, my kids can get saved again tomorrow. (I'm sorry I know that's not how it works, was highly inappropriate and very flippant) But, as I was explaining to my kids that Mama is not mad, she's just really frustrated and the person in front of her can't hear her - it struck me, it is the slow driver that is rude and inconsiderate. They may not have anywhere to go, but the people behind them do, and have planned their trip by how quickly they would get there by the speed limit, or some may count on 10, maybe 20 over the speed limit - I'm not naming names, I'm just throwing it out there. Maybe I feel this way because I'm one of those lead-footed-impatient-Berg people, but, come on there need to be far more tickets for driving slow!

You know you need to clean your car when...

I have always lived by my early observation that people usually are a "Clean Car/Messy Home" people or "Messy Car/Clean Home" people. If you are "Clean Car/Clean Home" person you are anal and I don't want to know you because you will make me feel inferior and if you are a "Messy Car/Messy Home" person you are a slob. That of course was before I became the mom of 5 small children, because let's face it the house isn't always clean. But I have always felt in my head that I was a "Messy Car/Clean Home" person - the best place to be.

So yesterday while knowing that my house was a wreck back at home, hearing my daughter's perspective on it made me think "I better clean the car!"

Paris - (after having borrowed my father's car while my van was in the shop)
"We're in our car now right? Cause this car is filthy and OUR car is filthy!"

By the way if you have a clean car and a clean home, I still hate you - but I'm willing to consider you might be a nice person.

Allergen Free Vegetable Salad

My friend Heather Wiersma made this salad years ago. I can't remember how closely I have adhered to her recipe over time, but here is how I make it now. It is a great summer salad.

- Cut up Broccoli, Carrots and Cauliflower real small.
- Dice red onion very small
- Mix together
- Put in equal parts of Vinegar and Sugar - you don't need much, maybe a 1/8 cup but taste to your liking (I'll admit I probably put more sugar in:))
- Mix together
- Before serving I like to put bacon bits on the top - the real stuff fried on your pan is best!

Do those Yogurts Really Work?

Due to the Mitochondrial Disease and genetics that pre-dispose all my kids to Reflux and Dismotility, my children have had to all use medications ranging from Mirolax to Reglan. When our Paris was having liver symptoms her Hepatologist recommended we put her on a probiotic and at the time there was only one brand she recommended that actually worked, which was about 25.00 a box. Paris has been on Reglan for years now, luckily without the nasty side effects, but I'm always looking for a more natural way as the only consistent treatment for Mitochondrial Disease is a vitamin cocktail - we are one of the lucky families where this actually makes a difference for us. So, with all the new Yogurts in commericals with probiotics I thought I would give it a try. My sister told me about Keffer brand yogurt drink which has been effective for her family. I am now giving my girls little "shots" of yogurt drinks (I have tried the Keffer and Activia brands)every other night and have not had to use Mirolax or Reglan for any of them since. It is so wonderful not to have little girls complaining of tummy aches on a daily basis. Knock on wood that it keeps working, but worth a try if a natural way that can boost immunity works!

What Paris Taught Me About Myself Today

1. Apparently I complain too much because when I said "I am going to throw up" she replied "No, Mama's don't throw up they just about to throw up."

2. You know you have too many children when your 4 year old says while leafing through a book about babies, "Mama, next time you have a baby in your tummy, I want it to look like this one."

Parisism of the Week

After being told to calm down with her little brother and ignoring the warning, I pulled Paris' hands off of her brother. Forgetting herself she swatted me on the arm and then looked up at me in horror. I gasped and was about to start the lecture and hand out punishment, when Paris put her tiny hand over my mouth and said, "Don't say a word."

I've found it very interesting that Paris suddenly loves to go shopping with me. Today she asked if we could go look at all the things she might choose for her birthday, me being short on time and her birthday not being until January, I said "no, not today your birthday isn't for a long time anyway." Too which Paris said to herself under her breathe, "well, I guess I hate shopping now."

Great Butter Flavored Popcorn without Dairy

I thought I would give bland popcorn a try with just salt one night, as my husband and I were going to be out that night and I didn't want to worry about my son getting into his sister's movie snack and having a reaction. I used white corn kernals and popped them on the stove old-fashioned style with corn oil. As I was adding the salt I recalled how I have added corn oil to other things like mashed potatoes to mimic the butter taste. I drizzled the corn oil on the hot popcorn and mixed it in like a tossed salad. The popcorn tasted great! My mother, who loves real butter, raved about the popcorn and now we have it all the time and my family seems to like it better than the old microwave movie-theatre butter stand-by.

Food Allergies - Vitamin Warning

I just found out that Children't vitamins can contain milk in them. It should have, but it never occured to me to check. My son had been taking a daily multi-vitamin which he needs with all his allergies and was reacting alot to uncommon things. I discovered there was milk in his multi-vitamin by chance it struck me to look at the ingredients.

Rainy Day Ideas #1 - Free Paper Dolls

Since Spring is coming and there are sure to be many rainy days, I will be posting Rainy Day Ideas. My girls craft/project addicts, anything they can cut or glue makes them happy.

Free Paper Dolls

Take an American Girls Doll catalog - or any catalog for that matter, but the AG one will be easier - have your child pick the doll she likes best. Cut out the doll and glue it really well on some thin cardboard. (I save the cardboard that comes in tights or underwear packages) While the glue is drying, find outfits in the catalog that will fit the doll you chose, cut them out remembering to also cut tabs to fold over the shoulders and around the arms/legs of your paper doll. You can find outfits off of similar sized pictures of dolls and just cut the head off:) When I did this our paper dolls were taking a while to dry on the cardboard, so I used a hairdryer and it worked great. Once the paper doll is dry and glued on the cardboard, cut the paper doll out and let the fun begin!

When words aren't needed

This morning I had a wake up call of sorts, a wake-up call with no sound. My 3 year old, Paris had a hard time waking up due to the time change and losing an hour. I had been up in the middle of the night with Jack and tired myself. Jack was crying so I got him up and peeked my head in Paris' room to ask her to come downstairs. "Oh can you carry me?" she crustily cried. "No, I'm already carrying Jack, come on you can do it." "Oh will you hold my hand down the stairs?", she requested. "Sure, I can do that." We got downstairs and I asked her to get dressed while I got Jack changed and fed. Paris continued to whine and cry, not budging from where she had plopped herself on the couch. After a little coaxing and a few threats she finally got dressed while very noisily protesting. Then it was time to eat and she didn't like the way it was prepared, how you go wrong with Fruit Loops (again I was tired and not worried about nutrition) I'll never know. At this point she had been fortold her future of going back upstairs to bed and maybe her bum smarting a little on the way if she didn't eat. And again I was distracted by making lunches. Then I noticed the noise had stopped. I looked over in Paris' direction and I see her face - happiness, tears gone, a smile travelling from ear to ear. Her sister Elise was giving her a big bear hug, arms wrapped all the way around her, holding her tight - not saying a word. As the day has progressed, I reflect on this more and my failure to see what Paris needed the moment she awoke so tired. I have had to ask how did Ellse know what she needed? The answer to that disturbs me more. Elise is our 6 year old who is a year behind her twin in school due to health and developmental challenges, she is a bright little girl but has trouble expressing her emotions properly sometimes if at all. Aaron and I often realize she may be left out or left behind at times. She is the most generous soul who won't demand what she needs. She once (at 4) gave a whole pack of Smarties, with tears in her eyes not saying a word, to her her little sister who dropped hers - because that is what she thought I meant by "can you share some". And now today I find myself remembering all the times she has come into the kitchen to watch me cook and I tell her to back up from the heat - cause the girl just doesn't have spacial understanding - but I don't hug her or ask her to keep talking to me from a distance. Or the times she comes and just stands next to me and stares at me with those big brown eyes with nothing really that makes sense to say and I really don't know what she wants but I'm a little uncomfortable with how close she's standing to me. I think she showed me today by her own empathy what she so badly needs. I can tell you there is one little Kindergartener who is going to get a huge bear hug herself today round about 12:05 PM when school gets out and hopefully everytime she needs to be near me.

All the things I needed to learn for life I learned from my kids....

1. If it looks like poop on the floor it probobly is

2. If you can't see it or hear it but you know it is there, you should find out about it
(this is how #1 happens)

3. All animal analogies can be turned on you, such as...Monkey see, monkey do, When pigs fly (have you ever seen an 18 month old throw chunks of ham?)

4. All baby analogies are not to be believed - have you ever tried taking candy away from a baby?

5. In addition to what goes up must come down, what goes in must come out

6. Sticks and stones may break your bones and so will I if your words hurt my kid

7. Dirt do hurt if it gets in your eye or you track it in on your mother's clean floor

8. Close only counts in horse shoes - this one is true, much to my children's dismay and mine, it does not count in potty training and I have yet to find anything else in their world that it does

9. If you don't want something repeated and traced back to you as the source - don't say it - like s@#% when you're driving and someone pulls out in front of you

10. Don't ask a question that you may not want the answer to (most kids think being fat is a good thing)

How to Cook a Great Piece of Meat Without any Butter or Soy

I like to cook large pieces of meat and stretch it out for 2 or 3 meals. This is a great way to save money, especially with a large family. I have found a basic method that works with all large meats. I usually have a couple extra flavors I use for each one, but here are the basics.
(This can apply to Roast Beef - of course you want to sear this one first, Whole Chicken, Turkey)

1 - The Oil and Salt
~ With Roast Beef sear it in Olive Oil or Corn Oil with losts of salt
~ With Chickens and Turkeys salt them real good on the skin and pour corn oil on the bottom of a roasting bag, then sprinkle a little on top of the bird

2 - The Garlic
~ Cut criss-cross holes in the meat evenly around (4-6) depending on how large
~ place garlic cloves in each hole

3 - The Onions
~ Throw and onion in there! Whether it be your crock pot or your roasting bag

4 - Let it cook
~ For a Roast Beef just leave it in the crock pot on low all day, I usually get mine in around 9 and it's ready around 6, you do want to let it sit in the crock pot turned off for about a half hour.
~ For Chickens and Turkeys I just follow the roasting bag instructions, but they generally cook for about 2-3 hours.

I'll share later my extra ingredients for each meat.
I already have an article on how to slow raost a turkey in November.

The Invincible Paris

Paris - Mom did you know that when I die I am never going to heaven? You want to know why?
Me - why!?
Paris - Because right before I go to heaven I am going to open my eyes!

Parisisms of the week

After walking in what seemed like gail force winds to our car and crawling safely into our van, Paris said "shwew, that wind almost took my talking away!"

Paris - Did you know that you can call ants and spiders bad words?
Me - You can? Why do you think that!?
Paris - Because they poke you and God didn't know that when he made them
Me - laughter and theology lesson ensues

Leftovers - Make it fun!

You can spread your food farther if you can get your family to eat leftovers. It saves you money and time. You can make it fun, here's how;

Have a Leftover Restaurant Night. Make a Menu in a program like Publisher or Word that you can easily change depending on what is in your refrigerator. When you find you have a few options that could feed everyone, declare it restaurant night. Dress up the table a little bit, maybe use the fancy napkins that you can throw in the wash later. Print out the a menu and let them choose what they want. Then serve them like an official maître d', towel hung over arm and all. Payments are made in kisses and hugs, dishes that you worked harder on earlier in the week require more affection!

Parisisms of the Day!

By 10 am this morning my little 4 year old Paris-girl had me laughing since she got out of bed.

While I was putting 16 month old Jack's slippers on:
Paris - Jack you're going to be cozy in no time!

While we were chillin' watching Noggin. Dora came on:
Paris - Mama, quick move take Jack's bottle out of his mouth, Dora's on, he has to say "Dora!"
Jack - "Dora!"

While making a book about God in which "Mary was giving God her ear-rings":
Paris decided God would play ball in her book after I noticed she had spelled the word "at" amongst her letters.
Paris - Mama how do you spell ball?
Me - b-a-l-l
Paris - write it for me! (I did)
Paris - it says at the ball.....game!
Paris - how do you spell game?
Me - g-a-m-e (I wrote it)
Paris - Cracker Jack!.........Mama how do spell Cracker Jack?

Substitute for Butter for Dairy Allergic Kids

I have been expirementing with flavors, as I am having a hard time giving up that little dab of butter in my cooking, especially with meats for the extra umph of flavor. But, since I love my son more than butter, a substitute has been found. I use corn oil. In my opinion it kind of tastes like butter. So, instead of rubbing some butter on the skin on my whole chicken, I splatter it with corn oil and salt. I think as long as you use salt and garlic with your meat, you will have enough flavor. And of course cook it slow as not to dry it out.

You can also use it with your mashed potatoes, just don't use too much.

A "God-Sighting" at the Grocery Store

Today I went grocery shopping with Paris, my almost 4 year old. I went down each isle, as I had run out of everything we need to eat and have a comfortable family life at home. Paris kept jumping up and down from beside the shopping cart, like a small dog trying to see over a screen door, yipping "Mama can I help, can I help?" I would pick something essential to my children's nutrition or something I knew they would like in their school lunches to know I had thought about them while they were away, and hand it to her to throw in the back of the cart, leaving the heavy and breakable things for me to find their place. Then when it was time to checkout, as I started to unload the cart onto the belt, I heard her cheerful, proud voice sing "Mama here, I'm helping you!" Paris was climbing up the side of the cart, stretching and reaching to take things out of the cart and handing them to me, as I effortlessly passed my own items over to the belt. When she had retrieved all the items she could reach, still climbing up and down with each article, she began asking me to hand her her intended target in the cart. I handed it to her, she climbed down, and said "here Mama, I got this for you!" or "here Mama, I'm helping you!" I could not keep myself from laughing each time because the job would certainly be done faster if I just put the items on the belt myself, and she didn't seem to realize that I was helping her, help me.

It struck me as I was bagging up the groceries, that maybe it was like that for God. He knows what we need to "help Him, help us", and that God could certainly do it all Himself, but maybe He delights in watching us trying to please Him. I certainly hope He is laughing at me and not upset that I think I'm proud when I can "do something all by myself!"

My husband and I were talking about "child-like" faith this morning as our child certainly seems to have a lot of questions. I wonder if part of "child-like" faith is just being God's child and Him delighting in that.

Parisisms of the week

A Close Call
Paris - "Mom where did this baby come from?" - referring to her baby brother Jack
Me - "Where did this baby come from!?" - I am thinking "Oh no, not already!"
Paris - "Oh yeh, the hospital"

Hair
With "hat hair" and "heater hair" (frizzy from the static), Paris was dancing to some music. She caught a glimpse of herself in the fireplace door and said, "Wow, I'm having a bad hair day!"

On How You Know You're Gaining Weight
Paris had just eaten breakfast and was jumping up and down. Aaron and I were amazed with Paris that we could hear her milk chuggling around in her tummy. She said (while still jumping up and down and a little out of breathe), "My milk is moving around in my tummy. That's cause there's lots of room in there for it. That means I'm fat."

Lesson Learned
As I was driving through traverse weather, Paris kept telling me over and over again that she was still hungry.
Me - "I heard you, there is nothing I can do at the moment, stop saying that!" Paris - "Mama, don't you know you're not allowed to say stop saying something?"
Me - "Where did you hear that?"
Paris - "YOU"

Paper Cups
"Grace gave me a paper cup right here on my finger when she took the paper away from me at class."

Seizures Misunderstood - John Travolta's son

I have been getting upset watching the news regarding John Travolta's son's death. The people talking about seizures and the Travolta's religion are doing a disservice to those who live with epilepsy. From my own experience with my daughter's seizures I would just like to set the record straight, somewhere. Seizures can not always be controlled with medication or even multiple medications. Sometimes anti-seizure meds do more harm than good. It is a dance to find the right kind of med for the particular kind of seizure(s) an individual has. Seizures that may appear as one kind may actually be another. Not every person with epilepsy is a candidate for surgery. Again, type of seizures have to be identified, where the seizures are coming from have to be identified, and whether that place in the brain is even operable has to be determined. Brain surgery is a huge risk! One of our daughters has a Chiari Malformation in her brain, as we met with a Neurosurgeon we have heard from their mouths, they never do surgery unless it will do more good than harm, anytime you go into the brain, you can do more harm. So, for all the people who are so callously assuming that it was John Travolta's religion that stopped him from getting his son brain surgery or meds, please, please go to medical school first before you talk about such things, or walk a mile, no walk 16 years with a child who has seizures and see if you come to the same conclusions.

Kale - My New Best Friend

I have been racking my brain as to how to get more vegetables into my son who has multiple severe food allergies. He now at 16 months has begun to be a picky eater with the foods he can have. He hates vegetables with the exception of carrots. I happened to watch "Rachael Ray" a couple weeks ago and Rocco Disperto was talking about Kale and how it was the third highest in nutrients of all the vegetables. I looked into it and boy was he right! Follow this link to find out about all the benefits of Kale - boiled even!!

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=38

I have been begun putting Kale into anything I can get away with. The key is to chop it up real small as it is a hearty leaf and does not shrivel easily. I have put it in fried rice, casseroles, homemade Marina Meat & Veggie sauce, and soups. You could even just use it for your salad greens.