My thoughts today aren't particularly about being a mother, or about food allergies, but I hope they will be helpful to all of you as we are in the midst of the holiday season. Today I re-learned the importance and benefit of being present in the moment.
With 4 children, life often feels quite chaotic to me. I can never finished today's To Do List today, and there are always interruptions that cause a task to take longer than I planned. As a result, I have become a master at multi-tasking. Some of my multi-tasking is very beneficial, such as bringing a book or magazine in the car so I can do a little reading while I wait for my kids to come out of their activity. However, I have noticed more and more often that I am thinking about the next important task while doing this important task, and as a result I make mistakes.
Two days after Thanksgiving, my kids wanted to start decorating for Christmas. I agreed, and out came the tree, the boxes of ornaments, dozens of strings of lights--we don't actually use them all when we decorate, but we like to have options. Once the tree was up and there were ornaments, boxes, lights, packing material and ribbon spread all over the living room and dining room, the kids started asking about making gingerbread houses. Soon after that, they wanted to make candy for their teachers. I said no, we need to finish decorating, clean it up, and then begin planning our next Christmas project. Sophie asked me why, and the answer that came out of my mouth is so completely true: in order for me to enjoy Christmastime and all the traditions we have surrounding Christmas, I need to be present for today's activities and complete them before I move on to the next thing.
Today I got to try out "being present" in a very small way. Wednesday is my baking day. I decided to make muffins. The past few times I have made muffins, I was so rushed that I didn't spray my muffin tins well and ended up with muffins stuck in the pans, or breaking as I took them out. Today I was enjoying making muffins and focused on my task. I sprayed the muffin tins liberally. I measured and mixed ingredients accurately. And when the muffins were baked, 25 of 28 muffins came out of the pans beautifully, because I was present and focused on the activity at hand, instead of thinking about something else while I worked on the muffins.
A successful batch of muffins is much more satisfying than a ruined batch of muffins and a half-ruined batch of cookies. Being present and enjoying today's activity is more important to me than completing a long list of things that I won't remember doing. I hope that you will also choose to slow down at this hectic time of year and be present for the important things.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Monday, November 14, 2011
Aunt Jeannie's Cranberry Salad
In our family, holidays have always been built around family and food, and we have big families. Last Thanksgiving, we had a total of 16 people staying at our house. Holiday recipes have become traditions, and we were delighted to realize that Aunt Jeannie's Cranberry Salad is safe for Sophie—no modifications are even necessary. This is certainly a family favorite. Last year, we made a double batch for Thanksgiving Day, and a second double batch for after Thanksgiving. Some people might consider this salad to be a relish, but our family eats it like a separate dish. It's been known to be eaten straight out of a bowl, and I've also seen family members pile it onto turkey, mashed potatoes, and even on top of pie! Making it a few weeks before Thanksgiving to take the pictures for this post was a special treat. Every one of my children said, “You mean we get to eat it today?!?”
Aunt Jeannie's Cranberry Salad
1 12 ounce bag of whole fresh cranberries1 navel orange
1 granny smith apple
1 cup sugar
This salad is very simple to make. You will need a food processor or a high quality blender. I use a food processor, so these instructions will reflect that.
Sort and rinse the cranberries if necessary. Be sure to drain them well if you do rinse them. Pour the cranberries into the food processor and pulse until they are chopped evenly, and to the size you prefer.
Empty the cranberries into a large mixing bowl. Wash the orange and apple, but do not peel them. Cut the orange into quarters and process it in the food processor just as you did with the cranberries.
Some people like to process the apple in the food processor as well, but I prefer to chop it instead. I like the texture and color that this adds to the salad. I quarter and core my apple, slice it thin in one direction and then slice it thin again at a 90 degree angle to the first slice.
This photo shows the half on the right has been chopped completely, and the half on the left is only half done.
Add the oranges and apples to the mixing bowl, as well as 1 cup of sugar. Mix the salad together and eat immediately or refrigerate overnight before serving. Make sure to get some quick, or you won't have any at all!
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Support
Recently, a friend of a friend was diagnosed with food allergies. As I tried to help her support her friend, I thought of things that people did to support our family when Sophie was diagnosed with food allergies.
One friend wanted to do a babysitting swap. The idea terrified me at first, because Sophie was crawling at the time, and picked up and ate everything she saw on the floor. But Lisa realized the danger and she decided that "mop the floors" day would be the same as babysitting swap day. Every time it was her turn to watch my kids, she vacuumed and mopped and found every tiny crumb in every corner so that little Sophie wouldn't be able to eat something dangerous, like graham crackers or Goldfish.
Often in those first years, I would get envelopes in the mail from my Mom--recipes she found that would be safe for Sophie to eat. She tore out recipes from all kinds of magazines and mailed them to me. She researched "ice cream" made with soy or rice milk. She found less expensive gluten-free pastas. And when we would visit, my Mom purchased new bags of baking and other ingredients, to be sure there were no cross-contamination issues.
As Sophie got older, it was important for her to be able to have playdates. I always felt more comfortable with friends coming over to our house--honestly, I still feel that way--but Teri liked to have Sophie over at her house. I would pack a little snack for her to take, until Teri told me she always picked up certain little things when she went to the grocery store so that Sophie would have a snack if she happened to come over.
Over the years, I have appreciated all the friends who thought about Sophie's allergies when she was coming over for a party. I have been grateful for every classroom party planner who gave me the menu before the party. I have been glad for each teacher who let me know ahead of time about popsicle parties, or pizza parties, or popcorn parties so that I could check labels or bring an alternative for Sophie. I am grateful to every person who spent enough time thinking about Sophie to realize that she needs to be included, even though she might not be able to eat exactly what everyone else eats. Because, really, when it comes down to it, Sophie is a kid just like any other.
One friend wanted to do a babysitting swap. The idea terrified me at first, because Sophie was crawling at the time, and picked up and ate everything she saw on the floor. But Lisa realized the danger and she decided that "mop the floors" day would be the same as babysitting swap day. Every time it was her turn to watch my kids, she vacuumed and mopped and found every tiny crumb in every corner so that little Sophie wouldn't be able to eat something dangerous, like graham crackers or Goldfish.
Often in those first years, I would get envelopes in the mail from my Mom--recipes she found that would be safe for Sophie to eat. She tore out recipes from all kinds of magazines and mailed them to me. She researched "ice cream" made with soy or rice milk. She found less expensive gluten-free pastas. And when we would visit, my Mom purchased new bags of baking and other ingredients, to be sure there were no cross-contamination issues.
As Sophie got older, it was important for her to be able to have playdates. I always felt more comfortable with friends coming over to our house--honestly, I still feel that way--but Teri liked to have Sophie over at her house. I would pack a little snack for her to take, until Teri told me she always picked up certain little things when she went to the grocery store so that Sophie would have a snack if she happened to come over.
Over the years, I have appreciated all the friends who thought about Sophie's allergies when she was coming over for a party. I have been grateful for every classroom party planner who gave me the menu before the party. I have been glad for each teacher who let me know ahead of time about popsicle parties, or pizza parties, or popcorn parties so that I could check labels or bring an alternative for Sophie. I am grateful to every person who spent enough time thinking about Sophie to realize that she needs to be included, even though she might not be able to eat exactly what everyone else eats. Because, really, when it comes down to it, Sophie is a kid just like any other.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Bucking Tradition
Sometimes it takes something like food allergies to cause us to really look at traditions. Are all of our traditions good ones? Or do we have a few that promote ideas contrary to our personal values?
Along those lines, I've been thinking about Halloween. When it comes down to it, Halloween is such an odd holiday. We let our kids dress up as whatever they want--sometimes depicting really gross or even evil things--and then we send them out to collect candy from our friends in the neighborhood and from strangers as well. The other parts of it are really weird too, like carving jack-o-lanterns, decorating our homes with spiders and witches, etc. And if you start delving into the history behind these traditions--that will give you a real headache!
So I restricted myself to looking at the traditions in which we participate.
1. Jack-o-lanterns: we love to carve pumpkins. In our home, it is a major event. We clear off all the surfaces in the kitchen, get out markers and scoops and safety knives, and everyone gets creative. Jeff and I usually help the kids scrape all the "guts" out of their pumpkins, and I pick out the seeds and roast them while everyone is drawing and cutting their faces, so we have a little treat at the end. Thankfully, Sophie is not allergic to pumpkins or pumpkin seeds, so this is one tradition that is a keeper for us. Bundling creativity, family time, and a healthy snack together is definitely my idea of a productive evening.
2. Booing: this particular tradition is so fun! For anyone who hasn't done it, I would recommend starting it in your neighborhood. Basically, you print off instructions and a little Boo sign from your computer (this is the site we usually use) and put together a little package of treats or toys for a couple of neighbors. Drop them on their doorstep, ring the bell and run. They won't know who dropped them off, but they'll know that someone thought of them, and they now have the responsibility of Booing a couple more neighbors! We love to pick who to Boo, and if we include treats, we always use things with ingredients on them or include a little note about what's in the treat in case of food allergies.
3. Dressing up: I love costumes. I love to research them and create them. I love to take an ordinary little girl (I only have daughters) and some ordinary materials and invent something spectacular. This tradition is also a keeper in my mind. It provides me with a creative outlet, and has given me opportunities over the years to teach my children all kinds of skills, starting with researching and following directions to make their chosen costume, but also leading to many skills specific to the job at hand. Best of all is the sense of satisfaction I see in their eyes when they see our creations.
4. Trick or Treating: for my kids, this is just treating, really, because they would never do something mean because someone didn't pass out treats. This is the one tradition I would do away with if I could. I don't really like them running all over the neighborhood, talking to who knows who, and no one needs that much candy!!! However, if we are going to pass out treats, and receive them, I think a few changes are in order. I've seen my kids bring home spider rings, erasers, pencils, fruit snacks, popcorn, and other healthier options. This year, I am going to join that bandwagon--no more buying candy--I will help my neighborhood kids be a little healthier (and more allergy friendly) this year.
Now, to examine Thanksgiving...
Along those lines, I've been thinking about Halloween. When it comes down to it, Halloween is such an odd holiday. We let our kids dress up as whatever they want--sometimes depicting really gross or even evil things--and then we send them out to collect candy from our friends in the neighborhood and from strangers as well. The other parts of it are really weird too, like carving jack-o-lanterns, decorating our homes with spiders and witches, etc. And if you start delving into the history behind these traditions--that will give you a real headache!
So I restricted myself to looking at the traditions in which we participate.
1. Jack-o-lanterns: we love to carve pumpkins. In our home, it is a major event. We clear off all the surfaces in the kitchen, get out markers and scoops and safety knives, and everyone gets creative. Jeff and I usually help the kids scrape all the "guts" out of their pumpkins, and I pick out the seeds and roast them while everyone is drawing and cutting their faces, so we have a little treat at the end. Thankfully, Sophie is not allergic to pumpkins or pumpkin seeds, so this is one tradition that is a keeper for us. Bundling creativity, family time, and a healthy snack together is definitely my idea of a productive evening.
2. Booing: this particular tradition is so fun! For anyone who hasn't done it, I would recommend starting it in your neighborhood. Basically, you print off instructions and a little Boo sign from your computer (this is the site we usually use) and put together a little package of treats or toys for a couple of neighbors. Drop them on their doorstep, ring the bell and run. They won't know who dropped them off, but they'll know that someone thought of them, and they now have the responsibility of Booing a couple more neighbors! We love to pick who to Boo, and if we include treats, we always use things with ingredients on them or include a little note about what's in the treat in case of food allergies.
3. Dressing up: I love costumes. I love to research them and create them. I love to take an ordinary little girl (I only have daughters) and some ordinary materials and invent something spectacular. This tradition is also a keeper in my mind. It provides me with a creative outlet, and has given me opportunities over the years to teach my children all kinds of skills, starting with researching and following directions to make their chosen costume, but also leading to many skills specific to the job at hand. Best of all is the sense of satisfaction I see in their eyes when they see our creations.
4. Trick or Treating: for my kids, this is just treating, really, because they would never do something mean because someone didn't pass out treats. This is the one tradition I would do away with if I could. I don't really like them running all over the neighborhood, talking to who knows who, and no one needs that much candy!!! However, if we are going to pass out treats, and receive them, I think a few changes are in order. I've seen my kids bring home spider rings, erasers, pencils, fruit snacks, popcorn, and other healthier options. This year, I am going to join that bandwagon--no more buying candy--I will help my neighborhood kids be a little healthier (and more allergy friendly) this year.
Now, to examine Thanksgiving...
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
A little research...
In the name of research I'd like to pass on this letter and request that any of you who are parents of children with food allergies go ahead and fill out the survey.
Thanks!
Thanks!
To whom it may concern,
I am a graduate student at UMBC conducting a research study on food allergy knowledge in collaboration with a pediatric allergist, Dr. Mary Beth Bollinger, and a UMBC clinical psychologist, Dr. Lynnda Dahlquist. The purpose of this study is to develop a measure of illness knowledge for parents of children with food allergy. Although health care providers routinely educate parents about the best ways to manage food allergy, they do not currently have a good way to measure how well parents understand the information that they provide. Given the potentially severe consequences of mismanaging a food allergy, it is crucial to identify any gaps in parents’ knowledge or areas of possible confusion or misinformation.
The measure we are developing will be among the first of its kind. The results of this study will help pediatricians and allergists determine how best to supplement the information that parents are typically given when receiving a food allergy diagnosis. The development of this food allergy knowledge test will also allow parents to examine their own knowledge and determine whether they would like additional information regarding diagnosis, treatment, responses to allergen exposure, or other aspects of managing their child’s food allergies.
Mothers of children (up to 18 years old) with food allergies are invited to participate in this study. Participants will complete a food allergy test and answer questions about their child’s food allergy diagnosis and medical history. These questionnaires will take approximately 25-30 minutes to complete and are available at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/
Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Amy Hahn
Pediatric Psychology Lab
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Emotions!!!
A friend shared this fabulous post about the emotions of a food allergy mom and I had to share it with all of you--I hope you will enjoy it--it made me laugh AND cry!
http://www.rantsfrommommyland.com/2011/10/domestic-enemies-of-allergy-mom.html
http://www.rantsfrommommyland.com/2011/10/domestic-enemies-of-allergy-mom.html
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Health Food
There are loads of reasons to eat health food. You know, the kind of stuff that costs twice or more than twice what the regular brand costs, and has names like BeautyEats and GreenYummies. Health food chips are the weird colored ones--they might be orange or purple instead of the usual light yellow or white. And the health food granola bars have little pieces of stuff in them. You know the food I'm talking about.
The health food companies will tell you that if you eat their food, you will have more energy, have prettier skin and hair, grow faster (if you're still a kid), grow thinner (if you're an adult), have a stronger heart, cleaner blood, breathe better...the claims go on and on.
But I will tell you the number one reason I like health food--the ingredients are easier to understand. Here are the ingredients for a popular flavored chip--the non-health food brand:
WHOLE CORN, VEGETABLE OIL (CORN, SUNFLOWER, AND/OR SOYBEAN OIL), CORN MALTODEXTRIN, SALT, WHEY, NATURAL FLAVORS, SODIUM DIACETATE, JALAPENO PEPPER POWDER, MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE, DEXTROSE, SUGAR, CREAM, BUTTER (CREAM, SALT), CORN STARCH, ONION POWDER, SPICES, CANOLA OIL, MODIFIED CORN STARCH, SOUR CREAM (CULTURED CREAM, NONFAT MILK), CHEDDAR CHEESE (MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES), ARTIFICIAL COLOR (INCLUDING: YELLOW 6 LAKE, YELLOW 6, YELLOW 5, RED 40, BLUE 1), SWISS CHEESE (MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES), COLBY CHEESE (MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES), PAPRIKA EXTRACT, MONTEREY JACK CHEESE (MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES), AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS.
And these are the ingredients for a similar chip--but it's the health food version:
Organic blue corn, expeller pressed canola oil and/or safflower oil and/or sunflower oil, seasoning (dextrose, sea salt, spices [red pepper, white pepper, black pepper], torula yeast, onion powder, garlic powder, autolyzed yeast, tomato powder, extractives of paprika).
You tell me, which one would you rather have your 9 year old read when she's deciding whether or not she's allergic to eat?
Health food companies can keep their skinny bodies and healthy hair--I just want the simple words on the package, so it's simple to see if their health food is healthy for my Sophie.
The health food companies will tell you that if you eat their food, you will have more energy, have prettier skin and hair, grow faster (if you're still a kid), grow thinner (if you're an adult), have a stronger heart, cleaner blood, breathe better...the claims go on and on.
But I will tell you the number one reason I like health food--the ingredients are easier to understand. Here are the ingredients for a popular flavored chip--the non-health food brand:
WHOLE CORN, VEGETABLE OIL (CORN, SUNFLOWER, AND/OR SOYBEAN OIL), CORN MALTODEXTRIN, SALT, WHEY, NATURAL FLAVORS, SODIUM DIACETATE, JALAPENO PEPPER POWDER, MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE, DEXTROSE, SUGAR, CREAM, BUTTER (CREAM, SALT), CORN STARCH, ONION POWDER, SPICES, CANOLA OIL, MODIFIED CORN STARCH, SOUR CREAM (CULTURED CREAM, NONFAT MILK), CHEDDAR CHEESE (MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES), ARTIFICIAL COLOR (INCLUDING: YELLOW 6 LAKE, YELLOW 6, YELLOW 5, RED 40, BLUE 1), SWISS CHEESE (MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES), COLBY CHEESE (MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES), PAPRIKA EXTRACT, MONTEREY JACK CHEESE (MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES), AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS.
And these are the ingredients for a similar chip--but it's the health food version:
Organic blue corn, expeller pressed canola oil and/or safflower oil and/or sunflower oil, seasoning (dextrose, sea salt, spices [red pepper, white pepper, black pepper], torula yeast, onion powder, garlic powder, autolyzed yeast, tomato powder, extractives of paprika).
You tell me, which one would you rather have your 9 year old read when she's deciding whether or not she's allergic to eat?
Health food companies can keep their skinny bodies and healthy hair--I just want the simple words on the package, so it's simple to see if their health food is healthy for my Sophie.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)