bits and bites

So Hayley played her first lacrosse game on Friday night! She did very well, considering how it was at 6pm, raining, and she was a bundle of nerves. It was so funny, everyone on the team running amok, sticks in the air, half the time not paying attention, all the while the parents were yelling, cheering and laughing. So entertaining! She did enjoy herself though, and when today rolled around and we had to drive to Fuller Lake to play (an hour over the malahat highway) she was as keen as ever. Would you know it though - raining on Friday, playing outside. Beautiful and sunny today - playing inside. Laugh it up people.

Been busy setting up my new blog as well. It is dedicated to all things pertaining to Celiac disease, and so no longer will my 7 non-celiac readers be bored silly reading about it here. If you still want to check it out, look here.

Peace out until next update.

Photos from Quebec

Likely photo, no one looks good but ME! Hahahahaha
Gilles and Lise.
Lise, Gilles and Manon. (they had NEVER seen the ocean before!)
Gilles and Manon.

These were sent to me from Quebec, these are the crazy aunties that met for the first time two Sundays ago in Sooke. They are wonderful, French women, who I hope to meet again!

New BLOG!

I am in the works of creating a new blog. Check it out!

www.glutenfreeladybug.com

Just to pass on....

My baby sister, Steph, and me. Steph is currently waiting on her results to come back on her biopsy to determine Celiac or not. My thoughts are with her. Photo taken on April 15th.

What is Celiac Disease?

Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. People who have Celiac Disease cannot tolerate a protein called gluten that is found in wheat, rye, and barley. Research has shown that timely diagnosis of Celiac Disease is essential to treating or preventing its complications

10 Facts about Celiac Disease

1. Celiac disease is common: affecting an average of 1/133 Americans and up to 1/22 for those associated with risk factors.

2. The average duration of symptoms for celiac patients before they are correctly diagnosed is 9 years.

3. Celiac disease is twice as common as Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis and cystic fibrosis combined.

4. Approximately 50% of adult patients present with atypical symptoms.

5. Celiac disease is often misdiagnosed as irritable bowel syndrome or lactose intolerance and up to 1/3rd of celiac disease patients have been previously diagnosed with IBS.

6. Celiac disease meets the criteria for the World Health Organization for justifying general screening.

7. Physicians may use more widely known but less accurate serological testing that can result in missed diagnosis.

8. Up to 21% of intestinal biopsies, necessary for confirmation of celiac disease, are rejected by insurance companies, claiming that the cost of the testing isn’t justified by the symptoms.

9. Celiac disease has a 95 percent genetic predisposition.

10. Celiac disease is associated with or can lead to a number of other disorders including infertility, premature births, reduced bone density (both osteopenia and osteoporosis), neurological disorders, malignancies such as adenocarcinoma, non-Hodgkins lymphoma, and others, and a host of autoimmune disorders such as insulin dependent diabetes, thyroid disease, Sjogren’s syndrome, Addison’s disease, Psoriasis, autoimmune liver disease, and cardiomyopathy.

Taken from my new blog friend, Lea's Glutenfree's site. Thought I would pass it on.

Deep Thoughts

I wonder...if you don't say something out loud, does it make it less true?

Just in case it is not true, I will only type it out instead.

Something I am eating, unbeknownst to me, is making me sick. I am struggling with my weight again. Yesterday I tried on a pair of pants - in a size 2 - and got them over my hips and done up. Would have never bought them, way too tight. The fact remains that not so long ago, you would have had to put a one in front of that two to make them fit. Now, I cannot put the weight on.

Now, let me explain. I eat. I eat a lot. Sometimes a huge portion that even surprises Roger. The biggest downfall/symptom/end result of being a Celiac is that I do not retain my nutrients and essential vitamins when there is gluten present. It robs me of everything that I consume. It is, literally, like taking my yummy concoctions and flushing them.

I am very careful. I have my own cupboard full of my own food. I have certain things that I know are safe. I don't eat out. Yet, somewhere along the line I am failing my body.

Some woman would trade spots in an instant to be thin. It scares me that the scale now reads 117lbs. Add almost 100 pounds to that, and that, my friends is the weight that I was on the day that my oldest daughter was born. Scary thought.

Things I am happy about

*spent a great day downtown, even saw Chubakah (Star Wars - just sound it out)
*having friends for a bbq on Sunday
*garage sale mania on Saturday morning, got some great deals - and loads of books
*last night of work at moxies. I officially quit today. So ecstatic you cannot imagine.

Petting Zoo day

Beacon Hill Park boasts its very own petting zoo. There are baby goats, pot bellied pigs, miniature horses, donkeys, sheep, chickens, roosters, bunnies, guinea pigs, finches, and a wild assortment of other four and two legged friends. On Friday it was a Pro-D day here and so I thought we would go and check it out. We had a ton of fun, walked a bit around the Park, fed the ducks, saw a turtle, climbed a tree and basically enjoyed ourselves.

Above is a photo of Quinners and the arse end of a goat. Notice the attire, she is into the "hippy look" right now - so very West Coast and Island living - with pants and a skirt on. Love the accessories of the blanket and rubber boots.
Hayley grooming a goat.
A peacock strutting his stuff to all the peahens. It was hilarious to see him prancing around trying to get all the girls' attention, all the while not one was even looking at him. Typical in humans as well, if you don't believe me, go to any given nightclub here.
A turtle that has been a fixture of the park for many a year. I believe that he once started his life as someone's pet and was released into the water. He lives a happy life amongst the ducks and lily pads.

Pics of the garden

The view from the bottom of the stairs. Taken at 8pm at night.
My beautiful shrub. Hey, you didn't expect me to know the names of the pretty things things that I chose from the nursery? The man that helped me out (of $100) was a very knowledgeable man, who knew the names of all the items that were purchased....in both English and Latin. He had me at hello.
This I do know, it is a Japonica (although probably spelled wrong). It was my fave. Still is.
Roger and I hard at work.

The view from the stairs. It is very pretty, even if I am tooting my own horn. Toot toot.

Most definetely the busiest weekend I have had!

FRIDAY
-Mom and sister arrived on Friday morning. Hugs and cuddles a plenty as this was the first time that I met my new niece, Cadance, and fell immediately head over heals in love with her. She is JUST perfect, and my sister is the BEST mom.
-chat and catch up
-eat dinner
-find out where everyone will sleep
-cannot wait until Saturday!

SATURDAY
-Loaded 1/2 ton of pea gravel in my mom's truck on Saturday morning for my Asian garden
-Unloaded above mentioned pea gravel with Roger
-Roger took bus to town to meet his two aunties who were also here from Quebec to see Gilles
-went to the nursery and got plants and pots for garden, while mom and sister were walking in the sunshine with all the girls (probably taking a ton of photos)
-unloaded truck with plants
-took Steph to the consignment store
-went to work for 8 hours at Moxies, while "Charlotte's Web" was viewed and popcorn was eaten

SUNDAY:
-kidnapped mom and went to Mattick's farm
-marked out other side of front yard with landscape ties
-shoveled free top soil into truck with Roger
-unloaded above mentioned soil onto front yard
-showered
-had a glass of wine
-drove to Sooke for a family dinner with all the French aunties, Gilles, Chantal, mom and sis, all of us, and cousins
-drove home from Sooke

MONDAY:
-daycare kiddies arrived at 8am
-a pot of coffee and a loaf of bread later, we have all eaten
-daycare kiddies continue to arrive ALL morning (eek, what was I thinking...)
-mom and Steph go to scrapbook store
-I go to elementary school, preschool and the grocery store
-feed everyone (daycare wise) lunch and lay most down for naps
-Roger comes home at 2pm
-I leave at 2:05pm to go and load the truck with pea gravel for other side
-unload the crap once again
-daycare kids running amok outside and get picked up one by one
-have a glass of wine
-and another
-and maybe just one more
-bath all kids, all the while taking mass photos
-have one last night with mom and Steph and Cadance

TUESDAY:
-daycare kids arrive at 8am
-sister sleeping in living room, wakes up on her own at 7:30 so she can have a cup of coffee with me before the kids all wake up and arrive
-keep HP home from school so that she can have one last visit and cuddle with her nana
-entice Quinners to do the same
-help load truck for mom and sis' trip to ferries
-all the while stifling a tear
-all wave bye-bye, knowing in my heart that I want ONE MORE DAY WITH MY MOM
-know that things are left unsaid
-drive to preschool
-drive to elementary school
-do about 5 loads of laundry and stifle a tear
-feel as though the house is TOO quiet, even though there are still 3 daycare kiddies here
-think that I am fine, then TH (daycare boy), says, 'I miss nana darling"
-cry
-busy myself all day by transplanting plants into pots that I bought on Saturday
-cook dinner
-drive to Lacrosse
-upload 350 photos
-blog

Photos to come. I am off to bed, to take off my superwoman cape and have a chamomile tea and a cry. I miss my mom.

In honor of Lynn - freetoeat

The easiest and tastiest GF pizza dough recipe.

WARNING: not modified for your other allergies, Lynn, sorry!

1/4 cup milk
2 large eggs
1/3 cup cornstarch
2/3 cup rice flour
1/4 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup melted butter

Beat eggs and milk together. Add the other ingredients, minus the butter. Mix well, THEN add butter.
Spread on greased pizza pan (biggie) that has been sprinkled with cornmeal. Leave a thicker crust on edges.
Spread on your sauce, toppings and *cheese*. Often I eat this with pesto, chicken, peppers and goat cheese. YUM. So west coast though.
Bake in 350 oven for 20-25 minutes. Under broiler for last 5.

Piece (of pizza) out to you too Lynn.

Thngs that make me happy

From my friend, llkw, I am discovering what makes me happy.

*SURPRISE - my mom, sister and new niece, Cadance, will be arriving today
*HP reads to me now
*Quinners, when she says, My do-it mommy
*my front yard, which is finally taking shape and looking like it has potential
*capri weather again
*my well-behaved day care kiddies today
*silence at 9pm when EVERYONE is sleeping
*my new pillows

Thank you Lemon_Parade for enlightening me with what makes YOU happy. For the record, discount the hormonal thing, you are right on target with your list!

NEW CAMERA DAY

Yahoo! I bought myself a new camera today. Visited it many a day at the store, but finally caved and did it. I believe, in all honesty, that my photography skills far exceed my Kodak Easy Share that I previously used to capture all great moments on digital.

So I bought this....although I did manage to get a WAY better deal than the cost that you see. As some of you know, I never buy brand new, never pay retail, and never, never, never settle on the price that is shown on the ticket. I am also not a very good customer to have. After managing to cut $150 off the cost as the battery had been charged up ONCE, I also managed to get free extended warranty for three years, as well as a fairly ugly camera bag. That salesman was glad to see me go - considering how he never made a lick off me for commission. Not to mention that and the fact that I visited this camera every day and just "thought about it". It went on the credit card, but oh well. I guess you only live once. If I only get one ride on the ferris wheel of life then I better be taking some damn good photos to scrapbook my legacy......

Hunting for Eggs at Fleming Beach

Quinn getting some loot for the basket,
The Easter Bunny even left some on the trail from the water!
.....And on the beach! Watch out for crabs HP!
What me? With a chocolate egg in my mouth? Na, you must be mistaken mom!


Well we had our annual Easter Egg hunt on Sunday. This is the fourth year we have had it, and four years in a row we have almost had to cancel at the last minute because of the weather. On Good Friday it was HOT. So hot that Quinn and I went to Sooke and loaded up the van with landscape ties to do the front yard. Spent some time with R's dad - he is moving around with a walker really well now. On Saturday, R and I wanted to actually do something with the ties, and alas, Mother nature was cursing us again. RAIN! So, off to Zellers instead to get some new steel toe boots for work for him. On Sunday, it was nice enough to get them all measured and cut, layed out and organized for rebar'ing them in. (I am not sure if that is a word, but we will be using rebar to secure them....)

Today, in between the rain, sun, clouds, and wind (throw in snow and we have it all....) I put down all the landscape matting so that we can get our load of pea gravel in. Then I can make my "garden with Asian influence" - YAHOO. I am going to have so much fun.

My Lacrosse star!

Here she is! All decked out in her gear, and out in the LAX box, practicing her new endeavor.
Playing scrum with the boys.
Just a mug shot of my big girl!


Well, Hayley decided to "think outside the box" and try a sport that she has watched for many a year, but never played. She is going to try her skill at Lacrosse this spring. So far, she loves the IDEA of playing, but is less than enthused to actually go out there and do it. I think it has something to do with the fact that you have to learn the skills (practice is boring according to HP) before you can play the game. I was struggling as a mom on how to remain positive when she was coming in the van telling me how much that she hated it, or when she cried while practice was actually happening. So we went out and picked out a new stick, she was able to design it herself, she picked the color of the shaft, and of the ties and the colored tape. Let me tell you, that was the best $50 I spent. She LOVES this stick (although was purchased after these photos were taken, so you cannot enlarge and see for yourself). The next practice that she had, she was out there struttin' her stuff with the custom stick and loving it. According to HP, she can catch better and run faster with the new stick.

Who knew allowing her some say and involvement with her would accomplish so much? I am stunned at the change in her! Secretly I am excited to see her play her first game too - as a spectator, practices ARE boring.......