Just for fun :)

Typing Test. Have you ever done one? Just to see how many words per minute you can type. I had no idea and when Luke challenged me, well I was just as surprised as he was! He is now determined to beat me and occasionally wants a rematch. My best is 72. It's kind of addicting and you just want to keep trying. Or maybe I'm weird and it's just me. Totally possible :)

Do you juice or love smoothies?

Then here is something for you! My own creation, that actually came out great! So I know juicing might be a fad that has already passed, in fact my sister talked me out of doing a juice cleanse, and my brother-in-law told me that juicers are in goodwill stores by the dozens. Still, Luke and I decided to use some Christmas gift cards and get a Ninja. We were kind of wanting and needing something like this anyway, and we love it. It is amazing. It has the ability to juice, make smoothies, make mixed drinks, chop and dice food, and even mix up things like cookie dough and pizza dough. It came with it's own little recipe book too which has been fun. 

So I haven't done a total cleanse, I'm just trying to have healthy smoothies or juices a little more often in the course of a week. I get in so many more servings of fruits and vegetables this way, it's so great. And with all of Owen's allergies, I need to get creative!

This drink was a handful of spinach, a kiwi, a pear and some apple juice, and a little bit of water. Luke was making this one and he threw the whole kiwi in, I like to peel it.

Another one I love to make is: half an avocado, about a third of a cucumber (I scrape the seeds out), some spinach and a kiwi. Again with a splash of apple juice and water to bring it all together.

So there you have it! If you give it a try, I hope you like it! :)

4 and a half months

It just doesn't seem possible. Where has my little baby gone?

At his 4 month check up he weighed 15 and a half pounds, and is 27 and a half inches long. He is wearing 9 month clothes, and his feet are sticking out the end of his car seat ( I think I already mentioned that in another post). We all just love him to pieces. My favorite moments are when Hailey plays with him on the floor on a blanket, she talks to him and hands him different toys. He lights up whenever she comes near him. Casey, about twice a day goes up to him and says, "hiiii, hiiiii, hi." Imitating the way I coo and talk to him I think :) But then he immediately adds, "ugg-a-mugg-a" while moving his nose back and forth in front of Owen's face. It sounds strange, but it's from Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, a kids tv show on PBS that is a cartoon carrying on the legacy of Mr. Roger's Neighborhood. It's a super cute show.

Owen is frequently in the swing while I am making dinner and will often drift off to sleep for a little cat nap. The last couples days though, he has wanted to be held. So I've been putting him in Ergo carrier. Well, it was pretty interesting trying to knead pizza dough while gentle bouncing to help lull him sleep. haha, he did fall asleep though and the pizza got made so I felt pretty good about that! And it was the sweetest thing, when he woke up after about 30 minutes, he turn his head and looked up at me and gave me the sweetest smile. I thought, how beautiful, to fall asleep in your mother's arms and wake up again in, her arms, seeing her face. I know it sounds sappy, but in that moment, his smile, reminded me how blessed I am to be a mother.

Broncos Disappoint

Well, they lost, and it was such an embarrassing final score, and with Peyton having just gotten MVP for the 5th time in his career...it was just such a disappointment. Like it wasn't even a good game. But so those things go. The half time show was fun and I have to say we did a pretty good job showing our Bronco love and support!

Every year the seminary has a super bowl party that we go to, and it's always a lot of fun. Great food and company. Luke decided to wear our Bronco blanket as a cape for fun (from his high school days in CO), and since it's our only Bronco item! hahaha. The kids had a fun time eating hot dogs and cookies, and crawling under tables (or tunnels). My favorite moment was when I asked Casey if it was time to go home and put on his Thomas pajamas and he said, "No, watch football."

Dairy no more

At the beginning of December, Owen was dealing with a rash that was all over his entire body. He didn't have a fever or any other symptoms. It was just red, very inflamed, getting worse by the day, and so so dry. I could not get it under control. Whatever cream I put on him, his skin would drink it up and then look the same. In desperation, I called my aunt, who is my godmother, and a pediatrician. She is so knowledgeable and has seen a lot. Before I actually connected with her on the phone, I had sent her a picture text and she right away said in a voicemail she left me that she thought it looked like eczema. When we did connect on the phone later that night and she heard about what it looked like more in detail, we agreed it was eczema and she gave me a list of things to do to treat it.

-1% hydrocortizone cream

-Aveeno Baby Cream, Eczema Therapy

-no Dreft, use a free and clear laundry detergent

-no soap in his bath, just water

I was at the store first thing the next morning, picking this stuff up. Poor baby, when I first applied the hydrocortizone cream, he was in SO much pain. I just about cried with him as I gently rubbed it all over his body. I felt so bad for him. But the result the next morning was amazing. About two more applications after that, in addition to the Aveeno cream each time as well (she told me to do both at once), his skin looked brand new. I couldn't stop rubbing his soft little legs as he nursed. It was so wonderful to see him doing better. 

However, his battle with eczema is not over. My aunt also told me that something in my diet could be triggering this response. I had no idea eczema could be related to a food allergy. So in addition to the lotion and taking other possible irritants away, I did two weeks of no dairy, eggs or nuts. I know this probably helped his skin clear up so quickly and so well too. Then one by one, I reintroduced these foods. And the culprit was.....dairy. At first, I thought, ok, sure, no milk. no big deal. I like almond milk. Then about 2 seconds later, I realized, oh wait, that means no DAIRY!! No...

-cheese

-cream cheese

-blue cheese dressing

-ranch dressing

-butter

-sour cream
-yogurt`

And that's just naming a few of the most obvious. But let's just focus on no CHEESE!! Do you know how many foods we put cheese in!?!?! There's Cheddar, Parmasean, Mozzerella, American, Colby, Pepperjack, Feta....and they are all on salads, burgers, pasta, sandwiches, wraps, tacos, our family's beloved chicken wing dip, pizza!! ::::moan::::

And no butter! Well, I felt like I was saying goodbye to baking for the next year. I can't run through a list of items....its just too painful. And I just can't, can't even think about milk chocolate.

But slowly, slowly, I am learning how to substitute! And find recipes that are yummy and dairy free. It's not easy, and it's expensive, but I can once again eat chocolate chip cookies. And pancakes.  

Obviously, it's all worth it for my little man. He appears to be very sensitive too. I can't cheat or slip up at all. Even if a label says, "may contain traces of milk" he will break out. We are very curious to see if this is something he will outgrown or if this will become a way of life for him. In the meantime, I will continue to learn the ways of vegan butter, tofu sour cream, coconut milk and goat cheese. And if you know of any good recipes or websites, send them my way!