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."