supplement update

Again this is really just for me
they are all gluten free, dye free, casein free, and filler free

2 capsules of super nu thera
carnitine fumarate
acetyl carnitine
zinc picolate
enzymes
vit D3
oil of oregano
co q 10
vit c
fish oil
pro bio gold (probiotic)

Time to Kombucha

I have learned how easy it is to make kombucha so here I go.
First you need a scoby or mushroom. I aquired mine at the westin price conference from an amish family.

step 1: make tea I used 3 qts of water 4 tea bags and 1c. sugar.
step 2: cool to room temp
step 3: add scoby (that is what is floating in the tea)
step 4: cover with a breathable cloth (beware fruit flies love this)
step 5: wait 2 to 3 weeks to stop fermenting



step 6: take scoby out and strain
all done

of course I wanted fruit flavors so I fermented a second time
this bottle is sweet cherries from the freezer


next I just added the plain kombucha back and let ferment for a couple days. I then strained and put in the fridge.

we did 2 flavor and one plain



left to right
plain, cherry, raspberry

I liked the cherry best. Jeffrey liked the raspberry. Jordan not so much.
Health note do not take more than 4 oz it is a very strong probiotic

It has been a year

I started this blog a year ago so I would have a place to keep my thoughts and maybe help someone else out who was just beginning their journey. Jordan went dairy free the day after Thanksgiving and gluten free 3 weeks later.

I have learned a ton the entire time. My life has changed dramatically over the course of a year. In the first month he lost 8 pounds but over the course of the year he gained 16 more. That is an amazing amount of weight for him. Of course he is still skinny but I can't count his rib bones anymore. I have to point out that he has never been ill if he catches a cold it is for a day at the most.

We all started reading labels and I was shocked at what I was feeding my kids. It is amazing to me how many new words they use now for MSG. I decided to cut out all food colorings and flavorings. So now we are gluten free, dairy free, color free, MSG free, and not free but seriously cut back on corn, nitrates, sugar, and yeast. I learned so much over the year that I decided to go back to school and I am working on my holistic nutrition degree.

We have changed our lives a lot over the year and my blog will be changing also. In my research of food I have become more local and sustainable. I tripled my garden, learned how to pressure can. I made some great farmer friend where I learned how to butcher a cabrito and harvested honey from a hive.

corn dogs

If you remember I posted earlier that my son loves corn dogs. That was actually the last time we had them so I thought I would try it again. This time instead of deep frying them I thought I would bake them. WRONG WRONG WRONG Yup you guessed it mister picky wouldn't even touch them. He would not do anything but smell them and gag. I guess when you find something that works don't change the formula. You would think that after 7 years I would have figured this out.

We are in the middle of a food jag. He wants waffles and sausage patties for breakfast and a grilled cheese for lunch. This has gone on for almost 2 months about the time I stock up again he will be done with his jag. I know I am not supposed to only give one food because the proteins start to get through the intestines and that causes a food intolerance but I am just a mom trying to get her kid to eat.

squash pickles

I had to figure out what to do with some of my squash and since our cucumber bombed this year I decided to make pickles. Please don't tell Jeffrey that they aren't cucumbers. I am hoping that he won't notice. I followed the recipe trail from the Dervaaes blog to Emeril.

Pickled Squash
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2001
Prep Time:
20 min
Inactive Prep Time:
0 min
Cook Time:
40 min
Level:
Intermediate
Serves:
Approximately 4 pints of pickles

Ingredients
10 cups sliced squash,zucchini or yellow summer squash (I cut them as spears)
2 cups sliced onions
Kosher salt, for sprinkling vegetables
2 cups white vinegar
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons pickling spice
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, optional

Directions
In a large pot or bowl, layer sliced squash and sliced onions, and sprinkle each layer generously with kosher salt and let sit for 1 hour. Drain well.
In a large non-reactive pot, combine vinegar, sugar, pickling spice, and crushed red pepper and bring to a boil. Add squash and onions and return to a boil.
Divide vegetables between sterilized jars and ladle enough pickling liquid over vegetables to come within 1/2?inch from top of jar. Wipe rims of jars clean, cover with lids and screw tops in place. Process jars in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Remove jars from water bath and cool. Jars should seal as they cool. Any jars that do not seal should be refrigerated and consumed within 2 weeks.

3 day weekend

Yippee a long weekend. I can relax and finish my school work, right. Nope not me I have to find things to do that of course could have waited.

On Saturday after working all day at market I came home and decided to rip out the carpet in the living room/playroom. This really did need to be done it smells really bad. My littliest daycare baby spits up on an hourly basis and it just smelt. Well mom and I get in there and rip out the carpet. step one done. Now step 2 replace floor. Hahaha we have noithing to replace it with. I just swept it really well and we are going to put the blue mats down until I can get the floor done.

On Sunday I run into Rockford. Jordan need supplements and some gluten free food. I also end up getting 4 doz sweet corn and several pounds of concord grapes so I guess Monday will be a canning day.

What an opportunity!

My neighbors at market from K-Lee bar farm raise dairy goats and with fall approaching they were going to need to butcher some goats or have to buy hay. They offered to let me help. Now would be the time to stop reading if you get squeamish.
http://kleebar.wordpress.com/

I woke up Sunday both a little excited and a little nervous about butchering day. I was really going for the experience but came home with a goat that I butchered. I almost feel guilty but what a great way to get meat that I know has no chemicals added and fed and treated humanely.

When I arrived Lisa already had one skinned and hanging there I was pleasantly surprised that it didn't gross me out. My theory is after 7 years of extremelly gross bathroom issues with my son I can do anything now.

We started our goats I didn't enjoyed the amount of innards at first but by the end I wanted to dissect them. The skinning took me a good 40 minutes I can't believe how fast others can do this. I learned a lot about anatomy and very fascinated, next time if I get invited again I am bringing an anatomy book so I can name the parts.

I have to say this is a skill I am happy to announce that I enjoyed learning. Yesterday I worked with the kidneys to see what I could do. This is where the chef in me came out. I marinated them in lemon juice for a while to pull out any impurities and soften. Next I tried them 3 ways. I tried them raw and I actually enjoyed them, I tried them in a rice dish but I was out of rice so I used quinoa again not bad, and then I tried one cut in half and I skewered it and bbq it. The bbq version was my favorite. They are very rich and tasty.

Today I am playing with the heart. I am also soaking in lemon juice then I am going to cut in half and flour the slices so that I can quick saute and then I am going to let them simmer for a good hour with carrots and onions and celery all from my garden.

The liver is next on my list. I am eating some for dinner tonight and then I am going to freeze the rest so that I can grate some into Jordans muffins so he can get some extra iron and minerals.

Watch Jeffrey dive!

He was a little afraid to do this but I am pretty impressed with his skills.

Road trip, Disney, and a cruise!!!!!!!!!!

check out how small the boys are they fit in buzz's shoes



What a week! I am pleasantly exhausted. Grandma and I drove 1500 miles with 2 boys and survived. I am not sure how our parents survived road trips when I was young we must have played the grocery game a million times. Traveling with children today is easy. All I needed to pack was 2 gameboys, a dvd player, and some favorite toys and they pretty much ignored us the entire time. We just had to remember to throw a few food scraps at them every 2 hours or there would be hell to pay.

Disney is an awesome experience for someone on the gfcf diet. I ordered a hot dog no bun and the girl asked me if it was because of food allergies. Before I could blink she had called a manager and we had a new hot dog with a gf bun. Jordan was thrilled to be like everyone else. The next day we ordered a gf pizza but it was Amy's so real cheese I decided to let it go. They do carry tofutti ice cream though. The guest assistance pass is unbelievable and my brother also appreciated not having to wait in line with his barely 3 year old.

We went to the beach in between disney and our cruise and it was a great relaxing afternoon. Of course we had done the pool in the morning so maybe sun was becoming an issue.
a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFdJ-pTuLCcoX_52x0BHGmS6Uf1s6wbBF02vo5SqCTP-0GyoeQt9cDzSFoLQLMng46SwdZ3EOnBnRts8sGkKpr3T_lg40bjHwARLn_aVJhqV1AGYcRNjmgoFiAjqru0v5uLkm-geH_EPA/s1600-h/cruise+007.JPG">

The cruise was unbelievably great. They went out of their way to take care of my son. They made him gf pizza every night. They didn't have the cf ability so I decided to just let it go the gluten free was what was the most important. I did notice more hand flapping and parifial eye movement but that could be because we were away from home for 10 days. This is the longest that Jordan has been away from home without making himself physically ill.






Jeffrey and I went snorkeling in Cozumel and Jordan went with aunt Tami, Kinsey, and grandma to touch dolphins.
Both boys and all the adults had wonderful experiences.

Tom and Jerry Saga

J is awesome at the computer. When he is at grandma's (which is a lot) he surfs the web. Tom and Jerry are his obsession at the moment. He has found a Tom and Jerry game that he would like to buy for the gameboy. He counted his money and figured not quite enough. Well... two weeks ago we had a garage sale and when he counted the money he made he knew exactly what to buy. I helped him go online to purchase a game from a seller on Amazon. He immediately went outside to wait for the mailman, remember it is only Saturday. We finally got him to come in by informing it would be here by next Saturday. I gave the games a whole week just in case there were any problems.

He drove me nuts all week. He practically attacked the mail lady every day. Around Thursday he was starting to get sad and lathargic. I emailed the seller to see when it was mailed so I could have a definate date, they were very nice, and we figured it would be here by Sat. On Sat I come home from work and there is a package in the mailbox I recognize the sellers name so I don't open it, big mistake. J opens the package takes one look at it and says "That is dumb" The game we got was for playstation2 it was tales of the crypt. Not really all that appropriate for a 7 year old. I emailed the seller immediately and they responded right away with a sorry please return and we will send again.

Well it is Saturday again and I am getting nervous. The boys are going on a 2 day car trip in 4 days and the game really needs to get here. I get home from work and there is another package in my box. This time I open it just in case. Tom and Jerry have arrived and the seller threw in a bonus game so now we have 2. I din't want to tell J yet because he needed to do a little work first. Of course the minute he saw me he started asking for the T&J game over and over and over and over and over again. I give! I tell him the games are here but he can't have them until we pack his suitcase. Well that didn't work, he starts hyperventalating and really stressed so I give again and he opens the package. We now have one happy little boy who really wants to get his work done so he can play.

Finally I say he can play and he was glued to his game until bedtime. I have to say other than the length of time(which really wasn't that long but J was driving me nuts) this seller was awesome! They responded to my emails, they resent the game with an extra, and they refunded my money (which they didn't need to do)
All that really matters is that Jordan is happy and he is!

You gotta luv my mom!!

I know the spelling is bad but the statement is very true. My mom did a trip to whole foods. My freezer is now fully stocked with everything Ians. I am trying to only use it when I don't have any time but my son really loves this food, it reminds him of the crappy food he used to eat.

We are going on a cruise in 22 days. I am very nervous about the whole gfcf diet on a boat. I have filled out the special form and I just hope that they get something for my son to eat.

Change in probiotic

I have substituted three lac for the pro bio gold. It is supposed to help with yeast more and since that is a major issue I'll take any and all help.

I have given up on getting my son to eat anything. He still wants to eat what he ate before I have just substituted gf ingreds. Will there ever be a time in my life when I get to cook normal food and my boys will eat it.

strawberry rhubarb muffins

This recipe is copied directly from the glutenfreegoddess blog
Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins Recipe

These tender little muffins are the perfect bite for a morning snack or afternoon pick-me-up. Wrap and freeze in foil for easy take along treats.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease or line a 12-muffin pan with paper liners.

Whisk together the dry ingredients:

1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 cup sorghum flour
1/4 cup arrowroot starch
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup organic light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Make a well in the center of the dry mix and add in:

1/4 cup light olive oil
Ener-G Egg Replacer for 2 eggs mixed with warm water
1/2 cup warm vanilla hemp milk, more if needed
2 teaspoons bourbon vanilla

Stir in and beat by hand until smooth.

Add in:

1 cup sliced strawberries
1/2 cup chopped rhubarb

Stir to mix in the fruit. Spoon the batter into 12 muffin cups. Make the streusel topping.

Streusel Topping Recipe

1/4 cup organic light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1-2 tablespoons Spectrum Organic Shortening, as needed

Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon. Cut in a tablespoon of the shortening and mix until you have grainy crumbs. Add another tablespoon of shortening if you need it. Tou want a light, sandy crumble.

Spoon the streusel topping onto each muffin.

Bake in the center of a preheated oven for about 18 minutes or so, until golden and firm. If your fruit was cold it will take longer to bake, up to 25 minutes.

Cool briefly on a wire rack, then lift the muffins out of the pan to continue cooling.

These are lovely warm from the oven.

Makes 12 muffins.


UPDATE: These are really good. I had them tested any no one could tell they were gluten free. Of course the one person who it mattered with didn't like them. He liked the cupcake just not the strawberries in it. "mom next time make these no fruit O.K."

birthday and parade

We woke up to a rainy day. Of course I still had to do market in the morning we were surprisingly steady. I almost sold out but not quite. We had to go to a parade first. I was a little nervous about the candy but we had a chat and Jordan understood that he had to ask before he could eat any. I was armed with my gfcf guide that named the brands not just the type. He asked about every piece and didn't get upset when I said NO. He just would look for another.

The birthday party was a successful. I served Tacos. I used ground beef, turkey, and venison. I used the taco seasoning recipe from myo spice mixes at gfcfrecipes@yahoo. The toppings were lettuce and olives. I made refried beans from whole pinto beans and I made my version of spanish rice. We also had a fruit tray and chips. No one really complained about the lack of cheese. I made my birthday cake using the same recipe as earlier post except I used coconut oil instead. I gave up and used food coloring for red and black. The colors ran on my cake so it wasn't my best but spiderman has been done 4 years in a row now.

gluten infraction

On friday Jordan ate 10 pringles. Yes I know wheat starch. Now I am not sure what caused the mood breakdown it could have been infraction, the fact that he didn't sleep well or no more school. Anyways the boys were very naughty all day. There was hitting and screaming and crying that came to blows about 5pm. I was not having fun! Anyways Jordan did a few things that I didn't realize I hadn't seen in a while. He was crying uncontrolled and spent a long time in his hidey cubby spot.

supplement update

I am doing this for myself so I know what we are taking and how much
1 tsp super nu thera
1 tsp cod liver oil
cal mag chewable 2x
co q 10 2xday
carnitine 2xday
enzyme 3x day
vitamin d3
zinc picolinate
b-12 shot every 3 days
pro bio gold probiotic daily

b-12 and b-day

I know it has been a while and I have some updating to do. I will do this later I was at autism one lots to tell. but today

We did our first b-12 shot last night. I did it first on myself then jordan while he was asleep. It really is no big deal he felt it but it didn't hurt. Oh my gosh do I feel good today. I wonder what I would feel like if I had a full dose instead of a 50lb kid dose. He woke up so excited and hyper. I am not sure whether it was because of his birthday, the fact that he was going on a field trip at school, or the B-12.

Update poop, rabbits, and sleep

We are doing better now. The diarrhea had stopped. I got the privilege of seeing the stretchy strings of yeast in his poop. No I didn't take a picture but only because my toilet wasn't that clean. I really have my own issues with poop. My kids find it perfectly normal for me to have my head in the toilet to see what it looks like. Pretty pathetic I know. The worst part is I have a home daycare and I can tell by looking at the poop who forgot to flush. I even know my dogs poop from my moms dog. According to Jeffrey he thinks I should get a life and find something better to obsess about. I just keep reminding him that in the olden days doctors diagnosed a sick child by looking at their poop. Insert rolling of eyes here.

The rabbits are getting bigger and have dug their way out but they are to well fed to run away. Yesterday I couldn't find the boys even though I could here them and they were in the rabbit cage. A really good place for them.




Jordan went on a field trip today to a farm. No there was no pigs! I got the biggest laugh out of that. The school sent home a note specifying that there was no pigs on the farm. The funniest part is we are a farming community how stupid people really act when they buy into the media hysteria. According to Jordan "no pigs allowed" I asked him if there was pigs on the farm and I guess that is what he was told. Of course his aid called during the trip because everyone was having ice cream and he wanted some. Now why couldn't they tell me this ahead of time I had ice cream in my freezer that he could have brought along. I caved because I know it only takes 3 days to get out of his system compared to the months it takes gluten.

We are still having sleep issues. Every night about 4 am he wakes up screaming so I let him get in my bed. I am trying to figure it out. I put him back on Melatonin and I will give it a week to see if this makes a difference. It could just be because grandma and grandpa are going on vacation for 10 days and he doesn't think they are coming back. We printed up their itinerary and have it all mapped out so we will be OK unless they decide to stay longer. They can't stay longer though because I need them to watch the kids Sunday so I can go to autism one. They aren't seeing their dad very often anymore and he moved to a new house so I have the feeling that he thinks they are just going to disappear.

Violet Jelly

It is spring here and we are making violet jelly for the first time. Different than I expected but it is gfcf but definately not sugar free: My older son was so excited that he is going to take it to school tomorrow he also has conned me into trying a dandelion flavor next.

1 qt violet flowers (no stems) this is fun for the kids to do
fill the jar with boiling water and let set for 12 to 24 hours


when the water is added it is a ugly blue color never fear it will be pretty in the end


add 2c of violet juice to a pan
juice in 1 lemon (watch it turn pink)
add 1 box pectin and boil hard 1 minute

add 4 c. sugar and bring to a boil 1 minute

pour into hot jelly jars and process for 10 minutes

Its been a while boy am I frustrated!!!!!!!

What fun I have been having! Lets see what has been going on. We have had weeks of diarhea. The sleep has been sporatic and I am burning out. I am frustrated with the diet. I saw a difference right away and now I am not so sure. I think I was at school 3 times this week. It was actually a relief to go tent camping in the rain because I didn't have to read labels or time the medicine.

What do I do? I see improvements everyday but he still is the pickiest eater. All this diet has done is just take his five foods and sub them with a new 5 foods. Any and all new foods I can get him to try which is an improvement but he always and I mean always gags and spits it out.

An explosion!!!!!!

I got another call from school at 1 to come get Jordan because his stomach hurt. I didn't want to bring him home but....jordan had other ideas. We got home and I gave him an enzme and probiotic and he said he felt better. Later we were at grandma's and he was very lethargic and cold he just wanted to sit on our laps and cuddle. Next thing we know he lets out a huge string of farts and said "I feel better" and "excuse me" About 30 minutes later he runs down the hall and yells "I did it" Which means mom I pooped come wipe my butt. My goodness is was a huge pile of mush almost as big as a cow pie. He felt much better. I gave him a bath later with epsom salts and he got out halfway through and did it again. This one must have been what was left it was mostly water.

bedtime was easy no crying and he went right to sleep. He slept through the night and was asleep every time I checked on him. Well this morning he woke up happy and goofy. No crying that he didn't want to go to school. So far so good they get out at noon and I haven't had a call yet.

mom my head hurts

Jordan was doing pretty good all weekend until sunday night at bedtime. They were at their dad for 6 hours so I figured he was just wound from that, his brother always is.

Put him to bed and had to listen to him tell me how I don't like him anymore and grandma doesn't love him. This is his new thing he thinks he is bad and that no one loves him. I calmed down those fears and left his room. Immediately the scream crying started. I let it go like you would with a baby and about pulled out all my hair. Finally I checked on him and he said his head was going woosh woosh I wasn't sure what that meant but typically when he complains his head hurts something is wrong. He is also doing this fake little cough. I gave in and put him in my bed which is what he wanted to begin with. I heard his coughing for a while and then he went to sleep. Later when I went to bed I didn't want to wake him so I didn't turn on the light and climbed in bed. Immediately I felt something wet on the tail of his stuffed animal and my butt was wet. I turned on the light and guess what, no he didn't pee it was worse, he had thrown up. Lucky me I did smell it but it didn't register. I am so glad I put my hand down first. YUCK! This is when I love having kids. but it was my own fault he did say his head felt weird. Good news it did look like his dad fed him food that he was supposed to.

I am still trying to figure out what is the sleep issue I thought we got rid of those with dairy removal. I guess this is from the yeast dying. I just wish it would hurry up and die.

Biscuits FINALLY!

I did it I made biscuits. Of course they were drop because I don't roll out anything. My son finally thinks I can cook. It took a lot of ingreds so I am not sure if it was worth it. I used brown rice, sorgum, amaranth,and tapioca. It also called for sugar which we need to cut out so although he liked them I will keep looking for a recipe.

We are having sleep issues again. I might have to go back to giving melatonin at night again. I haven't needed that since we took dairy out but.... My son seems to be extra afraid of the dark they already use nightlights but it isn't enough. I tried 2 nightlights still not enough. I had to leave the hall light on which I hate to do because you can see right in my house then. Solution by grandma get a 15 watt bulb and leave his light on all night. Well I did that and he did stay in his bed and didn't cry but when I did a bed check at midnight he was sitting straight up in bed. He wasn't making any noise just awake and he lost his pillow.

Finally yeast die-off

I got my call from the school on wednesday to come get him. I knew it was coming he seemed a little off at breakfast. Anyways we had finished flagyl on tuesday and I just assumed it wasn't working but I am happy to say I was wrong.
At school he came late into class and was upset that everyone was ahead of him, usually this isn't an issue. He was mean to his aid that he decided he was naughty and changed his clip from green to orange. His aid just let him go because it wasn't worth a fight. O.k. I know you are wondering what is a clip. The school do a behavior chart like a stop light. Green=good; yellow=warning; orange=better be careful you are gonna be in real trouble and then red=BAD. As you can see he skipped yellow and went right to orange. The only thing he did was tell his teacher she was mean and didn't like him anymore. Well after that it only went downhill. He was crying uncontrollably and biting himself. That is about when they called me. I calmed him down and he seemed ok the rest of the day.
Thursday I kept him home from school just in case. He was fine and very happy to be at home. Finally at 4pm he pooped. Long and skinny with black sandy flecks. Lots of dead yeast.

Best Yellow cake ever

This is what the recipe said and I have to agree
I got this off recipe circus a gfcf yahoo group
original recipe: autism recovery network by B.L. olson

Ingredients:
4 eggs room temp
1/2 c. milk of milk sub (I used rice milk) room temp
2t. vanilla (I used furst mcness)
2 1/4 c. GF flour sifted (I used Bette Hagmans original)
1 1/2 c. sugar
2t. baking powder
3/4 t. salt
3/4t. xanthan gum
1c. shortening softened (I used smart balance)

Adjust oven to lower middle 350 degrees.
Grease 2 rounds and then flour also (I used a small pan and did the rest a cupcakes)

-Beat eggs, milk, vanilla. Measure out 1 c. set aside
-Combine dry ingredients in mixer on low for 30 ( I use the whip paddle)
-While mixer is still running add butter in small pieces one at a time. Mix until pea size. Takes about 30 to 40 seconds.
-Add reserved 1C. of egg mix and turn mixer to #6 beat until light and fluffy about 1 minute.
-Add remaining egg mix in a steady stream.
-stop mixer and scrape sides and bottom
-beat on #6 until look slightly curdled 15 seconds

Divide batter and cook 20 to 25 minutes (my cupcakes were done but the cake took another 10 minutes)

I topped the cake with strawberries from my garden that I found in my freezer they still tasted good.

Bette Hagmans Original Flour Blend

2C. rice flour
2/3 c. potato starch
1/3 c. tapioca starch/flour
use a whisk to blend and store in an airtight container



This cake was so good my kids forgave me for not being able to make biscuits. I served this to my parents who are not gf and they couldn't tell the difference

Nystatin is NOT fun

O.k. we have to take 5ml of nystatin twice a day. What a nightmare!!!! This stuff tastes awful. It is compounded in a xylitol base which makes it sweeter and it still sucks. First dose I didn't know better so I gave it to him in a med cup for him to drink and he immediately spit it out. Next I syringed it in but I had to hold him down sit on his legs and force it in. Again he spit it out. Next this is after 20 minutes I put in juice and he drank it. Now I am sure you are probably wondering why I don't always put it in juice well....let me tell you.

Second dose I put it in juice he refused it. Not only did he refuse the Nystatin but every other supplement we are giving him. I finally got all of them down and then after an epsom salt bath he had to take his probiotic. Big surprise I showed him how to swallow a pill and he did it on the first try. I just don't get it.

Sunday we start again: supernuthera-med cup liquid (refused)
flagly-syringe (fought me)
Nystatin-liquid in juice (drank under duress)
cal/mag-chewable (no problem)
enzymes-chewable (no problem)
carnitine-capsule (in juice with nystatin)
coQ10-capsule(with nystatin)
I am officially not having any fun!
Today is easter and I didn't buy any candy. I stuffed the eggs with change and dollar toys they didn't miss the candy.

Monday no school but they went to grandmas and I never saw them again. I just went next door during medicine time and that was it.

Today: what a fight at breakfast to get everything done but He wants the Nystatin in a syringe and he will just drink it.

It is grandmas birthday today so we have to make a cake.

DAN doc

I absolutely love my DAN. We had to leave the house by 6 for an 8:30 appt but it was worth it. She really didn't add in supplements that I wasn't already doing but she did put him of Flayl for 10 days and then 2 months of Nystatin. It was nice to go to a Dr. and have them have a clue what I am talking about.

The Pharmacy drama: I was going to use the inhouse pharmacy but the pharmacist talked my into trying to get them through the local cvs first because they of course don't take my insurance. I drive 3 hours to get to my local CVS and they tell my they can't compound so I had to call and have the Nystatin shipped to me.

One bonus was Jordan got to have a real pizza that came in a pizza box and everything. There is a new pizza place called pizzafusion 10 minutes from the DAN. We had to wait 30 minutes for them to open but it was next to whole foods so we used our time wisely. He ate the entire pizza I guess it was good. Expensive but worth it.
http://www.pizzafusion.com/

Now all I have to do it take him in for his blood work, not to happy about this and let his hair grow long enough that I can take a sample.

I was bamboozled

Check out our 1 rabbit- oops we came home with 2 but aren't they cute?

My First DAN appointment

I am so excited and a little nervous but I finally have an appointment. I am researching the results of my test. I am compiling the questions I need to ask so that I can keep the hourly cost down because as you know insurance doesn't cover.

The results to my OATS test were sent to my ped and she was not happy. I kinda find it funny. Jeffrey had to go in for a wart removal and she had all the test results. She is convinced that this test is from a supplement company trying to take my money because only medicine is approved. I brought to her attention that since Jordan went off dairy within 24 hours he was pooping and sleeping through the night and she said of course. [Speaking of poop I had to stop typing to go wipe a butt we still don't have that mastered but it is better than cleaning underwear] The funny thing is I think she is aware because when I mentioned excess yeast she mentioned probiotics not a medicine. She is like the typical doc who needs the scientific proof first not just some crazy mom who believes in what she is doing.

Sink or Swim week/ OATS results

We had spring break last week and my plan was to serve whole foods only and offer nothing else. I am sure you can see were this is going. Yup Jordan won. I had a great variety on every meal and there was always something I knew he would eat. No surprise he only ate the familiar food and would sit for hours rather than eat anything else. What a long week no wonder I didn't have time to blog.

I still haven't mastered biscuits and he wants them so bad. Last night he told me to quit making cookies instead of biscuits. We still have the gag reflex with everything. I try to put new food in his mouth and he just dry heaves.

OATS RESULTS: No surprise we have yeast issues and a few other things that I am still researching.

Oats test in the mail

Finally!!! The doctor called at 4 yesterday and we ran over to get the form. Of course it wasn't filled out correctly. All she had to do was sign it and add her phone number and put an I99 number. No number. I give it back for her to add a number and she goes off on her receptionist which of course I can hear. "I signed it what more does the mother expect" I comment to the other recptionist that maybe it was time I found a new doc and she went back and I heard her say "You know the mother can hear you and she isn't happy" The nurse came out then and asked exactly what I want and then she did it for me. I don't think it is the correct number and I am going to ask the girls in my biomedical group for the correct number and just do it myself.
One good thing though I was pissed enough and never really liking her to begin with so I am calling other DRs in town and getting a new one. I just really hate to start over. I checked with Dr. Usman the Dan dr and I am on her waiting list maybe eventually I will get in to see her.
Well we took the test today. He loves to pee in a cup, go figure. I am just waiting for Fed ex to come pick it up. Nothing like having a cup of pee in the fridge.

Still waiting!

I took the paperwork in for the DR. to sign on Monday and she still hasn't signed it. I am hoping it means she is doing her own research and not just being difficult. I will call her again in a minute. Luckily Jeffrey needs to go in so I will ambush her in person.

Next week is spring break. I have a weeks worth of gf recipes including new food everyday. It is going to be a feast or famine week.

He can swing

We were outside working in the yard today and I looked over at the boys and they were swinging. I was shocked Jordan was swinging all by himself. I asked him how did you learn to swing his answer "mom you taught me, remember" I have been teaching him for 3 years with no success but now that his fog is lifted he just knows these things. I am so proud. Next we are going to ride a bike without training wheels. We tried today and he really wasn't interested he would rather run behing his brothers bike than ride his own.
food today; breakfast; menudo snack: apple lunch:hotdogs and chips and (broc) Dinner: bacon, eggs, sausage

Nachos

I know I am supposed to be cutting out dairy but we had nachos at the school today. I decided to let Jordan try cheese. He hasn't had any since thanksgiving. He kept asking me "really mom I can have this it won't make me sick" I am thinking about allowing cheese back in the diet. I will never go back to letting him have a glass of milk but cheese is a whole different enzyme breakdown.

On the bright side he is talking more and in complete sentences. His poop is becoming bright(carrot color) orange and I am hoping it is from the super nu thera but wondering why it took this long to materialize.

I think we are over the insane giggling for no reason. I know I know a classic sympton of yeast overgrowth but one thing at a time.

I got my Oats test coupon in the mail today now I just have to get my doctor to sign off on it. I live in one of the few states where I need a docs script.Jordan is also having a hard time falling asleep again. He layed in bed almost 2 hours tonight.

I have been fully funded!!!!!!!!!!!

Can you believe it I got my entire loan from lend4health and I am now a proud member of autism action plan. I joined in the live chat last night. I got to ask a question and the doc answered it. I am starting on the 12 week plan. I have done most of week one already so I am going to start week 2 tomorrow. I would like to get the recommended dvd from Julie matthews I already have the book.

http://www.nourishinghope.com/cookingtohealDVD3.html

Still waiting for my coupon from great plains for an OATS test.

We bought bologna for Jordan's eggs this morning, wow there was no tears in my house how awesome.

An egg change

I spent the weekend pumping water out of my basement so I didn't make it to the store to buy bologna. Who knew eggs were unedible without bologna. I guess in Jordan world that is the only way to eat them. After 15 minutes of crying and telling me that he was sorry that I hate him he took a bite and then another and then another. Why is there so much drama involved in everything we do.

I have a feeling that it is the high B6 dose that has made him feel better not the gf diet. I am ordering more super nu thera tonight.

school yeah right

Today started out on a high note. The boys ride to school was cancelled. It was a beautiful day today 43 degrees and not windy. The walk to school isn't that far we used to walk it everyday before I got a new baby. I practically had to throw the boys out of the house. Jordan went crying and screaming down the road, poor Jeffrey he gets screwed so many times. After about 10 minutes and them only making it 3 houses and one of the neighbors yelling at Jeffrey to get his brother to stop crying I called Jordan home. Needless to say no school for Jordan today.

He spent most of the morning hitting himself in the head or biting his arm because he thought he was a bad boy for not going to school. I don't know what is going on. I am afraid he is regressing. I really hate regression because every time it happens it is right after a really good spell.

I can't figure out if we got something wrong lately or if this is normal. I am out of super nu thera so maybe that is it. He will only eat eggs so maybe that is it.

On a good note we found a waffle that he likes. Vans fozen waffles -- yum.

The Perfect Pizza Crust

I only wish. Tonight I tried Lisa Lewis's version it was not bad but not great. It was easy to spread out but not very fluffy. We have tried bobs again it was fine but not my favorite. So far the clear winner is 365 which is a whole foods brand. No surprise the closest WH is 2 hours away. I need to find a way to duplicate that recipe. Stay tuned for future winners.

Blue and Gold banquet

This is the big awards banquet for cub scouts. Of course it is a potluck but with a twist the pack provides pizza. I have to say this is a really dumb idea. We spend all of our money on pizza that is delivered an hour before we are even ready to eat so it is cold. I guess I can rant about that another day. The real challenge for me was gf friendly food. I made pizza for Jordan he loved it. I only got a few questions from people what it was. One father wanted the recipe I was impressed. I also made fake or real jello it depends on how you look at it. I use gelatin and 100% fruit juice. It was just as good but not as colorful but it was chemical free. I have another food to add to the list of edibles.

My first TACA meeting - awesome

I woke up today very excited. I am going to my first TACA meeting. The closest one is 80 miles away. Luckily I like to drive but we are having a snow storm today. We have 4 inches already and it is very windy. The boys are going to their dads. I am leaving extra early. The drive was no fun but I made it and what a treat that was. The topic tonight was diets. There was food to try and I learned a ton. One mom mentioned that she gets a great cookie mix at target. I of course stopped at Target before I headed home. The mix is for a sugar cookie company name was cherrybrook farm. I will let you know how it was after I make it. It is just nice to know there is a cookie mix that I can get relatively easy in the next town. I brought home several fruit bars for Jordan to try. I might as well give it up he is still very picky.

lend 4 health

In case you were wondering what this is I am going to explain. Jordan needs medical attention and it is always a lot at a time. This company loans me interest free loans for a period of time that I pay back and any and all investors get there money back. I am asked frequently how can we help. This is a way and you get your money back through a third party so there isn't that funky money issue between family and friends. This loan this time is for an online DAN doc. A Dan doc runs 125 to 200 an hour. I am on a waiting list but they are talking another 6 months and the closest one is 2 hours away. The DAN Doc that runs this is wonderful I have read his books and listened in on his webinar. I have managed to get some of the tests for free due to studies and I really think this online doc is for me. He can write the necessary permission slips for tests and I get get the supplements I need with his prescription. It also has a huge parent forum which as you know most parents are better informed than the regular medical community.

gluten infraction

I was not sure if gluten free was working until last weekend. The school called me on Thursday Jordan was crying because some mother brought cupcakes to school and he really wanted one. Jordan's class has a no birthday food policy so why this even was allowed beats me. They said he was so upset so I decided there was no time like the present to test his tolerance. He ate the cupcake at 2:30 and by 4 he was hyper but not really anything major.

Later that night Jordan was biting himself which is something we haven't seen in a month. Jeffrey and Jordan were playing the wii and Jordan kept getting so upset and tried to bite Jeffrey several times. He also was crying uncontrollably. At one point he was hiding under the kitchen table, also something that had been gone. He went to schoolon Friday and I am not sure how he was there but that night he played what he calls hide and seek. It is really where he hides in a cubby that is part of our coffee table he only hides when he can't handle what is going on in his world. I just let him do it because I knew he needed it.

Saturday night his cousins came to visit. He did play with them but he seemed less tolerant than I had been seeing lately and when they went home he was very hard to console.

It took until Monday before I thought that he was over the agression that the one little cupcake had given him.

I sent the school a list of candy that was acceptable for his aids to give him. I really wish that they would quit giving him any food but it is ingrained in everyones brains that a kid is deprived if we don't give them sweets. Valentines day party at school went very well. I made gf cupcakes and he took them to school. The only mishap was before he went to school somehow a couple of cupcakes were dropped on the floor and the 13 mo old was very happy to eat it and so was the dog. Luckily we still had 4 left. I tinted the frosting with raspberry juice so it was a pretty pink. After school I let him eat 1 piece of candy and then threw the rest away and he hasn't asked for any yet.

We Have Corn Dogs!

I did it we have corn dogs. My son wanted corn dogs so bad so I started researching how to make it and finally decided to just use BRM cornbread mix. It worked. Here is what I did. I dried the dogs and rolled them in cornstarch.

Then I tried dipping them in the batter. Didn't work to thick. I broke the dog in half. So I then just rubbed it on the dog and threw in the fryer




see how happy my son is.


Well I had a bunch of batter left so I started thinking. First I just made hushpuppies then I had some frozen dogs and diced them up and threw them in the batter. Success. My son had them for breakfast today and took them to school for lunch. I like the idea of dogpuppies because they are easier to make and a great snack size. all in all a good experiment.

shredded cheese

I found a recipe for shredded cheese: I am going to try this tonight

This cheese was created for those who cannot or prefer not to eat dairy or who would like traditional recipes like lasagna, but for religious reasons are bound from combining dairy and meat. A very mild cheese that goes well in italian recipes, this most closely resembles whole-milk block mozzarella. It should shred easily by hand, but you may want to freeze it until very firm (but not solid) for easier handling. This recipe makes 3-4 c (about a pound) of non-dairy mozzarella. Variations for nut-free individuals are included in the recipe.
5 tsp agar powder or 5 tbsp agar flakes
1/2 c water
1 1/2 c water OR almond milk
1/2 cup macadamia nuts OR soaked blanched almonds OR 1/4 c tahini +2 Tbsp coconut or palm oil (or shortening)
1/4 c nutritional yeast
2 Tbsp quick grits or quick cream of rice
1/8 tsp garlic powder or very small clove garlic, crushed
3 Tbsp Better Batter Gluten Free Flour
3 Tbsp Fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp chopped green onion
2-3 tsp salt

Instructions
In a blender, combine water or almond milk, nuts or tahini and oil, grits or cream of rice, garlic, flour, lemon juice, onion and salt. Blend for 5 minutes or until smooth.
In a saucepan, mix agar and water and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes.Add liquid mixture from blender to saucepan, and simmer until thick and bubbly, about 3 minutes.Pour into blender and blend until very smooth.
Use immediately OR mold for shreddable cheese.
To mold: Oil a 4 c (1 qt) square container. Pour hot mixture into the container, gently banging the container on the counter to expell air bubbles. Allow to cool, uncovered, to room temperature. Cover tightly and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, for best taste.This recipe should yield a firm cheese that can be shredded and will melt under heat.
To store shredded cheese:Please toss lightly in 2 tbsp of potato starch or cornstarch and seal in an airtight bag or container.

"Am I a man"

This seems crazy but since Jeffrey had a birthday a couple of days ago we are all gung ho about being a man. My son won't quit asking questions which is great BUT the questions he asked are cute on a 3 year old not so cute on a 6 year old. "Mom are you a man" No I am not. " Are you going to turn into a man." No honey I am not. "Then why do you have hair on your mouth?" After I pull myself up off the floor I realize that I must have missed a few. Gotta love the innocence of my kid.

We took Jeffrey and his little friend to the local childrens discovery museum. I love that place. They have a wall of clear pcp pipes hooked up to a fan. The kids put scarves and nerf balls in there and watch them fly. I want one in my own house. My other favorite is the educational pinball machine.

It has been so cold here lately that we had 2 snow days due to cold weather. Let me tell you how bad that is. To cold to send the kids outside and I have extra mouths to feed and we are out of toilet paper. I do send my son next door for some and he comes back with a half roll. I guess he just took it out of the bathroom.

tests and supplements and parties

Let me start with the party. I happened to be in Chicago anyways so I stopped at whole foods and bought several things. I tried Ians pizza bread and added meat and more cheese to it. I called chuck e cheese and got permission for him to bring in his own pizza and they even heated it up for him. Oh my gosh let me tell you he loved it. All he talks about is the pizza and how he wants more. Of course I only bought one since they were 5.99 and the store is 2 hours away. Oh well I can always order from co-op by the case.



Received a call from the nurse today all tests came back fine. His urine was tested for glucose and proteins everything was fine. Let me tell you about getting the urine in the first place. I sometimes forget that my son is very literal. We talked that morning before he went to school that we were going to go pee in a cup that night. I tried to make it seem fun and not scary so I mentioned that he better not pee on my hand. Of course he thought that was funny. We went to the lab at 6. He kept looking at his pants when it dawned on me that he had to pee really bad. I asked when he peed last and he said before breakfast. O.K. that was 11 hours ago. He said he couldn't go because I said he had to pee in a cup. Sometimes I forget. Oh yeah I am sure you were wondering if he peed on my hand. Let me put it this way my hand, the wall, the floor,and the cup.

mac n cheese

We are trying mac n cheese tonight. I got the recipe from http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2008/02/best-vegan-baked-mac-cheese.html

hers looked so yummy. I had to leave out the herbs, wine, crumbs, and tomatoes. Jeffrey really liked it but Jordan just kept smelling it. He didn't react badly but no real eating involved. He ended up just eating a banana and chips.

Last Saturday I made muffins. I used the gluten free pantry mix. Jordan just kept pointing to the picture on the box. I guess mine didn't look the same. I have a challenge coming up this weekend. The boys have a birthday party to go to at my least favorite place, that mouse place and I won't be there. Take a kid with major sensory issues, sight and sound, and make him act normal yeah right. I finally got their dad to take them to the kids museum instead. I am going to have to make pizza and cake for them to take. I hope their dad only feeds them what I send.

Where did the agression go?

I am at a crossroads with this gfcf diet. I was not sure it was doing any good. I saw immediate results with taking dairy out but not so sure about gluten. I am at the point of frustration Jordan is not eating and he is so lethargic. Then my mom called and asked how the boys were getting along during the break from school. Well this made me think. There hasn't been any fighting. Hmm I wonder! I started to think. Has Jordan screamed for no reason lately? NO! Has Jordan bitten his brother? NO! Has Jordan hit his brother? NO! WooHoo this is working!! The only really bad behavior has been when we play games and he loses but instead of screaming he just looks really sad and tries not to cry.

I should be getting my shipment from kirkmans this week. This should be fun trying to get him to take supplements. I bought all flavors liquid and powder in trial size he is bound to like something. Here is a starter guide that is a good place to start. http://www.kirkmanlabs.com/ download and read the beginners manual.