Another year... Another month... Another day

It's been over 2 years since my last post!

Our little guy recently turned 2 and he is

just a hoot!  What a blessing he's been

throughout the last 2 years.  His sisters 

adore him (except when he is demolishing

their toys with his trucks!).

We are preparing for a move to a new house,

just across town.  It has been an interesting

process, to say the least.  Actually... I think

frustrating is more accurate.  It's a long story

and I won't get into it here - goodness knows

my mother and sister have heard me re-hash

it a number of times.  It's probably just best

to let it go...  

So we're hoping to be in the

new-to-us house in the next few weeks.

Then there will be the scramble of unpacking

and getting settled while I try to get our

homeschool curriculum all planned out and

organized.  Luckily, I use "Sonlight" which

has the lessons all planned, but I have an

order to things that I like to follow and I'll

need to get that all worked out.  It's hard to 

believe Eloise will be in 4th grade and Dinah

in 1st!  Time flies!  I hope to enjoy this 

schooling year more than I have the past

couple.  There are challenges with anything,

but I found it particularly challenging having

a newborn and toddler last year while trying

to navigate schooling 2 kiddos.  I'm hoping

this year doesn't have quite the bumps that

last year did!  I guess we'll see!

It's a dreary day in PA, but thankfully it is

cool outside.  Eloise is battling a random fever,

so I'm going to make some homemade chicken

soup and rolls for dinner and pray that her body

continues to fight off whatever it is she caught.

I hope to be back a little more often

in this space... I kinda miss it!

😁

We're Still Here!

We are still here, I just haven't made the effort to post on the blog in quite a long time!

Eloise finished up first grade (second grade, here we come!)...

and Dinah finished up pre-K.  Not sure if we'll move on to Kindergarten

or not yet.  We may just focus on learning to read this year as we adjust 

to having a new baby!

Speaking of new baby... he/she is due any day.  

We are impatiently waiting!

Today we are headed to a 4th of July parade!

Hope you have a wonderful, safe holiday with your friends

and family!

Happy Halloween 2016!

Happy Halloween from Snow White, Cinderella and Belle!

Park Day!

Last week was a Homeschool Day at the Playground.

Our neighbor watched Audra while she napped.

I was thankful for the cooler weather so that the girls 

could wear long pants and sweatshirts (to keep any 

potential peanut residue off of them).

They had a blast!

Bread and Braids!

Things have felt a bit out of sorts lately!

I have been getting Eloise and Dinah's homeschool stuff organized...

(First Grade and Pre-K!)

As well as general upkeep at home, Cory with back pain from 

a herniated disc, medical appointments (good news, thankfully!),

a few custom sewing orders (HERE is my shop!),

and then my mom getting thrown from her horse a little over 

a week ago!  It's really put a kink in things, but thankfully my

sister's family and aunt (who live much closer to my parents than

me) have been taking the brunt of caring for my mom now that

she is home from the hospital.  Instead of taking the time to 

write it all out - you can read about the Horse Mishap HERE

(on my sister's blog).  My mom is healing and resting!

That's all we can ask for right now... and are grateful it wasn't

much worse!

Here is a little of what we've been up to...

The girls love to help me bake!

Delicious blueberry bread, made with coconut sugar, 

no eggs and whole wheat flour (and more!).

 Eloise and I enjoy making weird "squiggles" on paper 

and then seeing what we can create from them!

She creates a picture from my squiggle and I create one from hers!

 

We attended my cousin's wedding a couple of 

weekends ago!  The pictures from inside were 

pretty grainy... but here are a few from outside!

It was a beautiful day!

My parents gave me an Instax Polaroid camera for my birthday...

and I had fun taking some photos at the reception!

And I taught Eloise how to braid!

She was a quick learner!

(I'm talking, maybe.. 30 seconds!)

It has been wonderful having her want

to braid my hair all of the time!

Does anyone else love having their

hair brushed and played with?

So relaxing!

 

I think she's doing a pretty good job!

Summer's almost over!

Hard to believe!

Girls!

Summer Days

Holy Moly! 

It's been a month since I posted!

Time has flown.

 Eloise finished up Kindergarten and is enjoying 

spending her days playing with her sisters!

Audra turned 18 months old!

She says all sorts of words and phrases.

She is still a fire cracker (exhausting)!

And is very interested in the potty - woo hoo!

Dinah enjoys "reading" books, writing her letters and playing.

We got Eloise and Dinah bunk beds (but we're keeping them as singles for now).

Out went the old crib and toddler bed!  :(  It made me sad to see them go, but

we were able to get a little money back for the bed and the crib went to my cousin

who was in need of one.  

Audra is using the old crib/toddler bed that Eloise and Dinah have both used.  

They are all three sleeping in the same room now... which means Cory and I 

have moved out of the living room after 10 months!

FINALLY!

We've been enjoying the cool, breezy days here with the windows open!

It's been nice to be able to go outside in the comfortable weather.

 

I also introduced Eloise to the game of LIFE (my old one... not sure what it's like

these days).  It's been fun playing when Audra naps!

Food Allergy Awareness Week

I know I've been MIA lately... 

Honestly, I have a separate private blog for friends and family 

that isn't censored on personal information like this one is (for the most part)... 

so I spend most of my blogging time over there!

BUT, I wanted to share a few things today!

If you've read my blog for any length of time, you know that 

Eloise has severe food allergies to eggs and peanuts.  

I am continually surprised by how much people don't know about 

food allergies, but then... I was once that person also, 

so I'm not sure why I'm so surprised!  

My life has become totally engulfed in avoiding El's allergens

 that it's just second nature to me.  Though even at home, where we 

live in a nut-free environment, any little hive or sneeze makes me

 jump into action to make sure she didn't accidentally come

 into contact with something she is allergic to.

This week is FOOD ALLERGY AWARENESS WEEK!  

Normally I am not all about assigning special "weeks" or "months" for things.  

But, of course, this one is near and dear to my heart... 

so I can understand why some people are passionate about 

other specially designated days, etc.

Here is a little graphic I made with some information...

(Someone lost their first tooth!)

 

Did you know that 1 in 13 children now has a life threatening food allergy?  

That's roughly 2 in every classroom!  (Thankfully we homeschool - last day 

of KINDERGARTEN!!  Hooray!).  I took El to a library program this 

spring and in just the small group of children and adults that attended there 

was peanut and egg allergy (Eloise), a boy with red dye sensitivity and 

shellfish allergy, a little girl with wheat allergy, a little girl with gluten allergy, 

2 adults with several food allergies and a librarian who learned she was all 

of a sudden allergic to peanuts and milk in her early 60's!  

(Food allergies can develop at ANY time in your life!)  

That's a lot for just a small little town and a small little library!  

It's more common than people realize.  Research shows that 

allergies DOUBLED between 1997-2007.  Of course, I can speculate on 

reasons why... but I am no medical or scientific professional, so I won't 

get into all of that!  

As a mother who deals with the anxiety of food allergies every time we 

step foot out of our own home (and sometimes while in it), I would urge you 

to think a little bit about those around you when you're out and about.  

Don't touch people's babies or offer them food without checking with 

a parent first (not saying any of you do!) and if you're hosting a party 

or get-together for children, maybe inquire if there are any allergies to be aware of.  

Trust me, it will be appreciated by the parents!!  At Halloween time, 

maybe look into the Teal Pumpkin Project.  You put a teal pumpkin 

out on your porch so Food Allergy kids know that they can get safe 

(non-food) treats at your house!  (But please, don't mix them in a 

bowl with food items as even the outside of wrappers can be contaminated 

just from being in a factory with allergens).

Also consider things like bird seed that usually contain or are manufactured

around peanuts and tree nuts.  Garden/Potting soil often has peanut shells

as a filler.  And also know that company's are required by law to list

any allergens that their food products may contain, but they are NOT

required to disclose if the items are made in a nut free facility or even

manufactured on the same production lines as allergens.

If you are trying to get information just from a label, it most

likely is not complete information.  The allergy community often are

making phone calls and sending inquiry emails as to the safety of food items.

I recently learned that there are lighter fluids that many contain peanut oil

due to the fact that they use "recycled oils" from restaurants and

can't guarantee that peanut oil or other allergens weren't in the mix.

Never would've thought of that one, would ya?

Me either.

In other words, Food Allergies are not so cut and dry!!

 Taking time to educate yourself, even a little means so much!!

This summer, Eloise plans to trying to raise enough money to buy 

some Food Allergy Awareness Children's Books to donate to our local library!

Homeschool Outing!

Today was Eloise's first official homeschool outing!  

I think I may have been a tad bit more excited about it than she was...

We traveled to a local State Park to visit the Sugar Shack

where they tap and make maple syrup!

Eloise got the chance to help drill the hole and also clear the 

sawdust out of the hole.  And at the end... got a sweet taste!

Here are pictures from the day!

 

El and I decided that we definitely want to try to 

make our own Maple Sugar Candy!

 

Roasted Seeds!

Our girls LOVE spaghetti squash

roasted in the oven! 

Last year when we did our first little garden, 

we grew our own... and that was a BIG hit.

I don't know why I didn't think of it before,

but last week I decided to roast the seeds and

see what the girls thought of them.

I used THIS recipe that involves soaking

and drying them to break down the phytic acid.

(Super Easy!)

I *may* have used a little too much oil...

but they definitely turned out delicious and

got rave reviews from my older two!

 

YUM!!

Her First Hair Cut!

Oh, the craziness that has been Eloise's hair!  

She was born with practically NONE.  

 

 
 Then it started growing in around her first birthday... very, very slowly.  

By the time she was 2, and Dinah had arrived, it was filling in down the middle... 

Gradually over the next 6 months she ended up with a faux hawk!  

And finally, we've ended up with this crazy mass of uneven 

curls that you can't brush without making it ten times more crazy!

 

Never in my wildest imagination would I have expected to have a child 

with such crazy hair!  BUT... I have to admit, I am so thankful to have a 

little girl (and now 3!) with hair to comb, brush, play with and put clippies in!

So, let me tell you a little story.

Over the past several months I have been constantly thinking about needing to cut my hair.  I decided that I'd like to take Eloise along for a trim to even hers out... and hopefully make it less crazy.  For the majority of my life, except for maybe TWICE, I have gone to my Aunt to get my hair cut.  Since she retired a year or two ago (I can't keep track!), I have put it off.  I *did* go to Holiday Hair one time, for lack of knowing where else to go, and got a teeny tiny bit trimmed off.  For the price they charged (I went with a wet head, they didn't even do anything but barely trim!), I vowed never to go back there!  So I set out to find a hairdresser in the area.  I asked around to my mother-in-law, neighbor and a great aunt.  No one really had any suggestions as they all kind of go "here and there" depending on what they want done.  Of course, I'm sure my aunt would have done it, had I begged her!  Haha!  But I know she is busy, and honestly we don't get to my hometown much these days, so it would be crazy trying to set a time/day.  

This picture was taken the other day.  

You see how long my hair is?  

 

Yeah, that did it for me.  I love long hair, but upon seeing that picture, I knew I needed to make an appointment.  So my husband told me about a shop he'd heard good reviews about from people at his work.  So I called.  I had to leave a message.... and she called me back a couple of hours later (she was out of town).  I have to admit, her phone manner put me off a little, as did her price!  But I thought Heck With It!  I would just go and if it didn't go well, we wouldn't have to go back!  So we set a date and time.  Meanwhile Cory and I had been trying to "talk up" the soon-to-be hair cutting experience to a nervous Eloise.  She honestly didn't know what to expect.  She'd never had her hair cut.  Never seen me get mine cut, or anyone else for that matter.  I showed her a YouTube video just to kind of give her a clue.  She would waver between being OK and being nervous.  Couldn't blame her, really. 

So the day came (that was her nervous mug shot above in the pink striped shirt!), and I was texting my aunt asking if I should leave a tip and all of that rot.  Like I said, I never really went anywhere else... and I heard you aren't supposed to tip a person who runs their own shop??  I didn't want to do the wrong thing!  My neighbor came and watched the two younger ones and Eloise and I left with time to spare.  Thank goodness.  As I drove by the person's place, there were only TWO parking spots.  Both of which were filled!  So I drove around and around, not sure where to go, hoping one of the two vehicles would leave by the next time I looped around.  Finally, I HAD to park because I didn't want to be late.  I called Cory and he told me to go up a couple of streets where you could park on the road... so that's what we did.  And we walked to the shop.  Thankfully it was a gorgeous day, and hey, I won't complain about getting to hold El's hand! :)

She was nervous.  I was nervous.  But we walked in and had a seat.  There was a gentleman there getting his hair trimmed and another lady under the dryer.  When it was El's turn, I picked her up and sat her on the seat... and she just gave me a look.

Yep.  That look.

And... then there was that.

But after a couple of minutes, she realized it was OK

.  She liked watching in the mirror and said that she was happy with the results!  

 

Look!  A smile! 

The hair stylist was nice enough and I was pleased so far... except for her putting "product" in El's hair.  We are very much conscious of the beauty products we use and try to follow the EWG Skindeep site to find less toxic products.  But I know that one time won't hurt!

Anyway... while I was getting my hair cut, the hairdresser and I were chatting... the topic of school came up, where I explained we are homeschooling... which brought up El's severe food allergies and talk about that type of stuff.  Then, moving on... the woman started telling me about her low blood sugar.  She doesn't have diabetes, but her doctor recommends eating protein filled snacks.  And since she works off a room of her home, she says she is more of a snacker than a meal eater.  I can understand.  When you're in between clients, it's probably easier to just grab something real quick than prepare a meal.  However... then she proceeds to tell me how she eats peanuts all the time.  Keep in mind, we had JUST had a conversation 2 minutes beforehand about how Eloise has a LIFE THREATENING FOOD ALLERGY TO PEANUTS.  I could feel my heart rate go up.  I kept glancing at Eloise just to watch her for a reaction.  I know it may sound ridiculous... but if that woman would've gone in and grabbed a handful of peanuts before she saw us, then handled Eloise's hair... then Eloise ran her hands through her hair after getting it cut (there was no washing involved, just spritzing of a water bottle)... we could be in for a serious reaction.  I know I can't live in constant fear of the unknown... but there I was, having just told her...and she started going on about how she eats peanuts and candy coated peanuts all the time.  I couldn't get out of there fast enough!!  I was actually pleased with the results of our hair (sorry, no "after" picture for me!)... but I just don't know if I can go back.  The panic and fear I would feel knowing that she is a regular eater of peanuts, it's just too much.  Granted, there are TONS of people we encounter who eat peanut products on a regular basis, I'm sure.... but when I can control a situation, I will.  So I don't know that we'll be going back there.... But on the positive side, Eloise didn't come in contact with peanuts.  AND... we had a good experience.  I even saved some curls!

 

Me and My girls!