More Prayers for Sweet Conner

Cutie pie Conner shaved his head this week in preparation for his next surgery. Doesn't he look adorable?  Conner will be having another brain surgery tomorrow. Please keep him in your prayers. Words cannot express how much your prayers mean to his family.  Thank you.  I will update tomorrow after I hear about his progress.

A walk in the park

Dave was out of town this weekend and we were all missing him (he doesn't usually travel).  So, we decided to do a little nature walk.

Hey boys...wait for me!

Where are they?

Down here, Katie Ru!

We spotted this lone Lily.

Kate found some wild raspberries.  She ate a few.

Will found a hydrangea bush.  Scout would not let Harry in the photo:(

Monkeying around!

Kate's new Matilda Jane clothes arrived this weekend.  We love the ruffle capris.  Look how happy she is in them....

In her doll high chair!

These clothes just make me laugh...

and laugh!

I need some fresh air after all of that smiling and laughing!

\

I adore my new MJ clothes!

(Please ignore the bad eczema rash on Kate's face.  We have noticed that whenever she eats ice cream, she gets a bad rash the next day.  So sad.  Ice cream is such a delight.)

Happy Birthday Doodle!

We had SO much fun at your party.  Thank you for inviting us!

We love you and your whole family!

Thanks for inviting Will too.  He loved being a "helper."

Kim~ The outfit is made by Young Colors and I got it on sale in South Carolina but I found an on-line shop that has it too (on sale).  I will definitely be selling this one next Spring! It fits her perfectly and I am running out of room here.

Supplements

I have been having a lot of mixed feelings about blogging lately and I am trying to sort them out.  However, I promised a list of our supplements and so I will list the ones that I believed have helped us the most. I am not listing them all for many reasons but if you have a specific question, please feel free to e-mail me. 

I do want to throw out another word of caution though. Eating gluten free is not for everyone.  I do think we could all probably eat healthier (less processed and more organic and fresh foods). But gluten is not bad for everyone.  If you have irritable bowel issue, inflammation, auto immune issues, ADD and perhaps autism (many people with autism do better without gluten and casein) gluten free eating could REALLY help.  But if you have no health issues and you feel great, gluten is probably fine for you.  In any case, please do your own research and talk to your own health professionals before you do anything that I write about.  I am NOT advising here.  I am simply sharing what we do. (Dave is very concerned about me sharing this information).

I will list the supplements that I think are the best for our family and then explain their benefits. Truly, I could list fifty things we have tried over the 3-4 years we have been on this path but I only list our essentials now. PLEASE check with a health professional before you take these supplements!  E-mail me if you have any questions.

1. Added Attention (Buried Treasure)  If I could only buy one supplement for my family this would be it (although only one person takes it one a regular basis) This is a liquid vitamin supplement that helps with focus and attention.  We ran out of it once for a few weeks and I vowed that we would NEVER run out of it again.  I can tell immediately if one of my sons has not had this each day.  Dave and I have taken this supplement when we really need to focus on something and it works!  You need to take it everyday if you have attention issues though and it may take a few weeks before you see results. Iherb sells it the cheapest.  I order 5 bottles at a time.  You refrigerate this liquid and while it doesn't taste great it doesn't taste awful either.

2. Zyflamend.  This is an all natural supplement that I take for inflammation.  I get nerve inflammation in my right arm and leg (especially if I am not eating right or I am under a lot of stress).  When I take Zyflamend, it goes away.  I take it because my nerve inflammation is painful but the effects of the ingredients in this supplement are really purported to have amazing long term benefits.  Dr. Weil even recommends it.  So, if you a have any inflammatory issues like arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, nerve inflammation, etc., look into this.  It really works.

3. Natural Calm  This is a magnesium supplement that does so many things.  It will clam you and or your kids down for sleep but there are so many other benefits as well.  We mix it with hot water just before bedtime and drink it.  I must admit that we have been forgetting it lately but it has helped with a plethora of symptoms we experience.  Please go read the list of symptoms of a magnesium deficiency on the link.  I order this from Iherb also.  I think it is the best price.

4. Unbounded Energy

I found this as a sample at my local health food store and I really have a problem with lack of energy many days.  So, I tried it.  It works.  Plain and simple, if I take this vitamin I have a lot more energy to get through the day but I do not feel hyper or jittery.  It is all natural and the energy is both mental and physical.

5. NDF Plus  Cilantro Drops.  When Kate came home from China she had a very elevated lead level.  Our holistic pediatrician (we go to a traditional one too) suggested these drops.  They are basically highly concentrated cilantro drops (and more) but they pull toxins and heavy metals out of the body. These are very expensive but they worked and we only used a quarter of the bottle and then passed them onto another little girl whose lead levels were super high. Hers came down very quickly too and they had been trying for about a year with little success to lower them on their own.    My traditional pediatrician could not believe how quickly Kate's lead levels came down.  They are super low now (<3).

6. Epsom Salt/Baking Soda baths.  We use these as a detoxification process too.  Again our holistic pediatrician recommended them for the boys and then again for Kate.  I use them too. Basically, you fill a tub with 1 cup of Epsom salts, one cup of baking soda and very warm water. you soak for about 20 minutes and then wash your skin to get the toxins off.  People with high blood pressure, heart conditions, liver and kidney problems should not take these baths. Again, please check with your doctor before doing these.  You can read more about Epsom salt baths here  or here . I also learned recently that Epsom salts are good for eczema (which Kate has)!

7. Correomega (free sample here) There is a kids formula and a regular one.  This site has great information on the benefits of omega 3.  Some of them include brain development, eye development, healthy joints, mental clarity and balance, cardiovascular health, overall growth and development. This helps eczema too.

8. Probiotics.  We use these but there are many good ones out there.  Probiotics help maintain healthy bacteria in the stomach.  Again, I am not a doctor but the benefits of probiotics are well documented and they have helped us immensely.  I think these probably are of benefit to everyone.

9. Prescription for Nutritional Healing.  This book is chock full of really great information about nutritional and healing and holistic health.  I love it and I refer to it constantly.

10. SAM-e

This is a mood booster and good for joint health.  When Kate first came home and the euphoria wore of...she was not sleeping and Dave and I were really overwhelmed, we were moody and snappy with one another.  I had heard of this supplement and we tried it.  It works.  I have read that Nature Made brand is the best formulation of this supplement. You can find it at Target.   SAM-e is something our body already makes but as we age and in times of stress we make less of it and need more of it.  At least this is how it was explained to me.

A holistic pediatrician can be very helpful if you are looking at getting away from processed foods and if medicines have not helped any conditions you have experienced.  We see both regular MD's and a chiropractor and a holistic MD when necessary.  I am open to the best ways of healing my family with the least amount of damage to their bodies.

Now, onto other things.....

A few shots from our family celebration of Will's b-day. He was allowed to pick his dessert. He chose the yummiest Maggie Moo ice cream cupcakes. They are not on our usual eating plan.

Oh, that looks so good!  Kate says chocolate like a New Yorker (chawwwklate). 

 She loves it but it makes her CRAZY!

I love this little outfit on Kate.  It was a gift last year but just fits now.

Isn't it darling?  

Update: Thank you for the prayers for Conner.  He did well during surgery and is recovering.  My internet was down for 24 hours so I apologize for not updating sooner. Please continue to pray as Conner faces another surgery very soon.  He is with his Mom and Dad far from home in California while his brother and sister are at home.  I know they appreciate each and every prayer.

Please pray for Conner today as he is having his first surgery.  Apparently, the main artery is so blocked that he has been having mini strokes. So, this surgery came at at critical time. I sincerely appreciate any prayers on his behalf. Prayer for his family and his doctors would be really helpful as well. You can read updates or leave an inspiring message at Conner's caring bridge site. I will also update this post after I hear more.  Thank you so much!

Happy Birthday Will

(The beginning is the story of how Will was born--I am writing it for Will.  Feel free to skip over it.)

Eleven years ago, Dad and I had Sunday Brunch reservations at our favorite place in Houston. We figured it might be our last chance before we became parents to have a quiet and relaxing brunch. The night before (Saturday June 21) we had a very nutritious dinner consisting of hot dogs (my weird pregnancy craving which put me into labor BOTH times).  After dinner, we went for a walk through the neighborhood and I found a penny on heads (which I still have). We hung a quilt on your bedroom wall above the crib and I said, "Okay, now I can have this baby." Little did I know that at midnight my water would break while I was sleeping.  

I woke up and told Dad that I thought I was in labor.  We went to the hospital half expecting to be sent home. Your due date was still three weeks away. I had gone into pre-term labor at 30 weeks while watching someone have a premature baby on ER and I had been on bed-rest. We thought they would probably give me more breathine and send us home.

When we got to the hospital they confirmed that I was in fact in labor and they told me to go walk for an hour.  That is when the PAIN began.  I think I asked for an epidural but they gave me something else instead.  They told me to rest but I was so excited, I could not sleep.  Finally, I got the epidural.  I remember being more afraid of that needle than anything else.  When it was finally time for your arrival I asked the nurse to call Dr. McConnell.  The nurses said, "Aww honey we don't do that.  The doctor on call will deliver your baby."  I said, "No, he said he would come even if he was not on call.  He said to call him. That was why I picked him."  They reluctantly called and sure enough sweet Dr. McConnell came in at 6:00 a.m. on a Sunday morning to deliver you.  Well, I pushed for 3 hours and you were finally born at 9:03!  There was a complete knot in the umbilical cord.

I loved you immediately.  You were a tough, colicky baby and a hyper and curious toddler.  You definitely gave us a run for our money in the early years but you have turned into an intelligent, compassionate, kind and handsome young man.  Daddy and I are so proud of the person you have become Will. We love you more than you can imagine.

Moments after you were born.  Mom is looking pretty tired and pale but I was so happy!

Daddy being silly with you when you were just a few days old!  You looked just like him!

Yesterday, we took Will and two of his friends into the big city for lunch and laser tag.  Will chose one of his favorite Mexican restaurants.  Everyone had a GREAT time!

Going into the restaurant 

Laser tag here we come!

Three Amigos!

Today, we went to a beautiful local lake.  We have lived here almost 4 years and had never been here before. We packed a lunch and had a great time.  I only got 4 or 5 pictures and just as I was about to get some of the birthday boy, my camera battery died:(

At 11 years old, 11 things you LOVE (in no particular order) are legos, hedgehogs, Indiana Jones, Star Wars, your family, bacon cheeseburgers (the forbidden foods), Judo, tennis, Lasertag, Target and God.

Health Series-Part 2--the food!

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Lao-tzu, The Way of Lao-tzu

Chinese philosopher (604 BC - 531 BC)

I begin with this quote because I believe it is the only way we could have come as far as we have with our eating. I could not have started out thinking that I would never eat pizza or ice cream again.  And the boys could only handle one meal at a time, one day at a time.  I could go out to eat and say to myself, at this meal, "I will not have the yummy bread or dessert."

Having said that, when we first eliminated dairy, wheat, soy and gluten from our diets, it was complete.  We did not eat ANY (that we knew of) for about one solid year.  We did not eat out much and we did not "cheat."  I think that was necessary for two reasons.  One was to see if the food we were eating was really making us feel bad (it was). Also, we really needed to change the way our bodies craved and processed food.  We also had to kind of clean up our bodies.  Now, we can have a occasional piece of pizza (last night).  We do suffer consequences. Will gets a stuffy nose and the grumpies, Harry has digestive problems and I get nerve inflammation. But we don't crave those foods much anymore and we know what we will deal with after.

There is so much information to squeeze in here that I will begin with lists.

What we don't eat (most of the time):

wheat products

cow's milk 

soy

gluten

dairy

So we don't eat breads, cakes, cookies, pancakes, pasta, pop-tarts, pretzels, ice cream etc. unless they are gluten -free. We do have these foods on occasion (vacations, birthdays).

What we do eat:

fruit 

vegetables

fish 

meat

potatoes

rice milk

goat cheese

eggs

beans

goat milk (Kate)

Millet and Flax bread

Meals for us are usually some sort of protein (meat, chicken or fish) a veggie and salad or rice/potato/bean. Snacks are often fruit. However, I have found over the years some very good gluten free snacks. I have listed them below. They can be found at Whole Foods or other health food stores.

Some of the best gluten free food I have found:

Rice Dream Ice Cream 

Whole Foods Organic Potato chips

Envirokidz  gluten free cereal (Gorillla Munch, Koala Crisp and Amazon flakes)

Envirokidz also makes great cereal/snack bars

 Van's Organic gluten free waffles (blueberry, apple cinnamon and regular).  

Nana's cookies--These are good for anyone as they have no hydrogenated fats, no refined sugars.

Glutino pretzels and crackers

In stead of syrup we use Organic Agave Nectar.  Let me tell you a little about agave nectar.  It is really a fabulous low glycemic all natural sweetener.  I used to put two teaspoons of sugar in my coffee.  Now I use this and I do not even taste the difference.

Glutano pasta is my favorite but DeBoles is also very good.

Bell and Evans GF chicken tenders--these are so good and they are perfect for when I need a quick dinner before Judo or if they kids are having a baby sitter.  The chicken in antibiotic, hormone free white meat.  They also have a regular variety.  I highly recommend these for a healthy, quick option for kids.

We also buy all of our lunch meat (turkey, ham etc) at Whole Foods.  Yes, it is expensive but it is gluten free and minimally processed and preservative free.

We LOVE bacon (I know it is BAD) so we also buy the nitrate free, organic, low salt, minimally processed bacon from Whole Foods for our occasional fix.  It is SO good!

Applegate Farms makes a really good all beef, no nitrate, gluten free, organic hot dog that is delicious.

A few notes:

~Yes, eating this way is VERY expensive. It was a shock to our bank account when we started shopping at Whole Foods and other places like that.  But, it is what we put in our body and it is what makes us function in a healthy manner.  So, we do it. I feel very fortunate that we can afford to eat this way.  I am incredibly thankful for that.

~ It takes a long time to see the changes and it takes a lot of discipline and commitment. Supplements helped us see results a little quicker.  But think about how long we ate the other way.  It takes our bodies a long time to adjust.  It is definitely worth it though.

~I used to LOVE junk food.  In college, I ate a Philly cheese steak every single day (with a soft pretzel that I dipped in processed meted cheese). So, if I can do this anyone can.

~Now I could not nor would I want to eat that way.  Once your body gets used to good and healthy food, it cannot tolerate junk.  I won't get too graphic here but a McDonalds burger would not even stay in my system for a half hour if I ate one.  I could not eat a bowl of regular pasta without feeling  dizzy and nauseous and I would get a headache.  I used to LOVE pasta.  I still like it and I make GF lasagna and other pastas.

~ The year I changed our eating my cholesterol went down 30 points!  It was 184 and it is now 154.  The good cholesterol stayed exactly the same but the bad cholesterol went down tremendously!  I never expected that since it wasn't bad to begin with and I still eat red meat.  My triglycerides went down 4o points from 89 to 49. Again, they were not bad before but they are great now.

~Allergy testing is very tricky.  Will and Harry have had their blood sent off for the most comprehensive allergy testing available (at the Mayo clinic). The tests came back saying that neither of them were allergic to anything!  Well, we know that Will has an anaphylactic allergy to peanuts and he has a severe allergy to dogs.  Harry has had a stomach biopsy to confirm his milk and soy allergy as a baby.  My point is that allergy testing is not very reliable in kids.  So, I will never know if they have a "true allergy" to all of this stuff.  But I do know these symptoms have virtually disappeared from us since we changed the way we eat:

constipation, diarrhea, anger rages, learning disability, ADD type behavior, eczema, asthma, constant stuffy nose, MS symptoms, megacolon and many more.  These foods affected us all completely differently but eliminating them made us all better.

I really hope that all of this information can help one person out there who is wondering if food sensitivities are hurting them or their child.  As I said, I am not an expert and I am not trying to change anyone's mind.  I am just willing to share what our story is.  I know that for years, every teacher we had thought one of my kids might have ADD (we had him tested) when he changed the way he ate (and took a GREAT supplement  that I will post about next) he changed.  No one EVER thinks that about him now.  In fact, the year we changed our diet his teacher said,  "In the beginning of the year, I did not know what I was going to do with him.  I kept moving his seat next to the calm kids.  By the end of the year, he was the calm kid that I moved other kids next to!"

I am happy to answer anyone's questions about all of this.  If you ask a question, I'll respond in the comments.  Next, I talk about supplements!

Health Series-Part 1

I am amazed at how many people have e-mailed me asking to post about how we eat, the supplements we take etc.  I have even had people come up to me around our town and ask me to post about it.  Changing the way we eat and treat ourselves medically has changed our lives so I am happy to share this but first I need to put out some disclaimers:

1. I am not a health professional in any way shape or form. Please seek your own medical advice before doing anything that I write about here (my lawyers made me say that--LOL;)

2. I have been to the following kinds of health professionals-- nutritionist, NAET specialist, allergists, chiropractor, acupuncturist, Chinese herbalist, holistic doctor and every other kind of "regular" physician you can imagine.

3 .Our family does not ALWAYS make the healthiest choices.  We try to eat very healthy but we do "cheat" once in a while and eat junk food.  Life is short and food is yummy.  We like pizza and cupcakes sometimes but we never eat at McDonald's or Burger King or places like that. We also try not to judge others by what they eat.  We simply do what works for us.

4. We live like this because we need to.  Harry, Will and I have all been very sick in the past.  In fact, as I write this I realized we have all been hospitalized or taken to the ER due to reactions to food and allergies and medicines in the past.  Even Kate needs to be careful. She drinks goat milk because cow's milk and ice cream give her horrible eczema!

I realized that there are so many facets to this topic. So, I will post about it in parts and I apologize in advance to those who find it utterly boring (I would have a few years ago).

First, I will give a little background as to why we changed our lifestyle.  Then I will talk about our diet.  After that, I will post about homeopathy and finally, I will post about some of the supplements that have helped us.

Several HUGE events occurred in our lives to make us completely change the way we eat and live.  I want to share some of that so you realize it was a long time getting to where we are.  As I have shared before, on Will's 2nd birthday the neurologist told me that I probably had MS.  I went for second and third and fourth opinions.  I looked into all of the medications the doctor wanted me to take. I felt awful and I had a terrible time walking. I dropped things all the time and I was exhausted. I had horrendous nerve pain in my right leg and in my face (trigeminal neuralgia). The doctors sent me for dozens of MRI's, spinal taps,  and blood tests. I even had a test where they inserted needles into my legs and shocked me (EMG). I never really believed that I had MS but I wasn't sure if I was just in denial or not. One of the treatments they gave me (IVIG) caused Aseptic meningitis  and sent me to the hospital almost every time. It was bad.

Fast forward a few years, Harry is born.  He is sweet and beautiful but he cannot breast feed. He has a short frenulum (tongue tied) and cannot latch on. He eventually needs surgery to correct this condition. So, we give him formula.  I will spare some of the bloody (yes) gory details but NOTHING would stay in either end of that baby. For 4 months, he was starving.  He was failure to thrive.  It was awful! There are so many more stories I could tell here but I'll save them for another time. In short, an endoscopy when he was four months old revealed that he was allergic to both dairy and soy.  There is little to feed a newborn that does not contain dairy or soy.  There was literally one thing Harry could eat (Neocate).  It was available through hospital pharmacies only and it was outrageously expensive.  After a while, we could order by the case.

While all of this is going on, Will has asthma, allergies and eczema.  He is also a little "hyper." His pre-school teacher even wonders if he could have ADD.

We were all going to our separate doctors for our separate issues for years.  We were taking lots of medication.  Harry was on medication for reflux.  Will was on medication for allergies and asthma.  I was on something for nerve pain and inflammation.  I NEVER once thought that we needed to change anything in our lives. We weren't the healthiest eaters but we weren't the worst either. I thought that once Harry was off the bottle, he would outgrow his allergies.  Over the years, out of pain and frustration, I started to seek out other types of doctors.  I went to an acupuncturist in Houston.  I started to see a chiropractor. Eventually, a good friend directed me to a holistic health care specialist who really turned on the light bulb for us.  Harry was 3 and began have serious stomach issues. He had mega colon. So, I got on the waiting list to see this specialist.

To make a VERY long story short, she assessed me and the boys and determined that we were all having major problems processing wheat, gluten dairy and soy. She also discovered some severe vitamin and mineral deficiencies. She discovered that my adrenal glands were not functioning well at all. This basically meant that everything we ate was causing unhealthy reactions in our bodies.   I did not want to listen.  I lived on bread and cheese.  There was NO way I could give them up. She started treating the boys with supplements.  Their systems were so weak from years of exposure to things that were bad for them. We had lived in Houston, Texas.  I LOVE Houston but it is very polluted.  I have no doubt that also affected our already weak immune systems.

So, Dave thought I was CRAZY when I traveled an hour and a half each way with the boys to see this doctor (a few times a month). He thought I was even crazier when he saw the supplements they needed.  But when I told him how we were going to start eating...he really thought I was nuts. We were on so many supplements early on, he made a chart for the boys so I didn't miss any.  After a few weeks, we saw BIG changes and Dave did not think I was crazy anymore.

I want to mention here that this doctor spent so much time with us and she charged very little ($35 a visit--spending an hour or more with each of us). Similarly, she charged less for the supplements than anywhere else I have bought them.  She was not in it for the money.  She really wanted to help people.

Next, I will talk about the diet.

Lots going on....

We have been so busy around here....I am going to try to catch up with bullet points as I have seen my fellow bloggers do:

~Kate had her 2 year check up today.  She is in the 90th percentile for height.  We continue to get such a kick out of this as the rest of our family is... shall we say "height challenged."

~We had our last home study visit (way overdue) last week.  Both the social worker and I got a bit teary eyed as we have really enjoyed one another over the 4 years we have worked together. The actual visit was a bit of a disaster...Kate put choke-able toys in her mouth, fell and got hurt and threw a classic 2 year old tantrum.  I think they are going to let us keep her anyway;)

Kate and our Social Worker

~Denise had our family and Rachel's family over Saturday night for a delicious dinner. All of the kids played beautifully together (there were 11 of them).  I feel really grateful to know both of these families and live near them.  We have such a nice time whenever we see them.  Thank you Denise.  Rachel made awesome desserts too:)

Kate, Lily and Maggie played quite a game of "Ring around the Rosie!"


Lily and Rachel


Denise and Maggie

Wow!  This dinner looks delicious!

The whole gang!

~I went to see Sex and the City with some friends last week but a horrendous storm blew through town and the theatre lost all power.  So, we sat in the dark and talked and then went out for drinks.  I still haven't seen it:(

~But I did see Kung Fu Panda (with the kids) and P.S. I love you.  I also rented Atonement but have not watched it yet. Dave took the boys to Indiana Jones.

~Will turns 11 this week..where did the time go?

~Thank you SO much for all of the thoughts and prayers for Conner.  They will be in California for about a month for the procedures.  I will update you and ask for more specific prayers as his surgeries approach.

~Also, thank you so much for the encouraging e-mails and comments regarding my flight.  I cannot tell you how much they have inspired me.  I will write each one down (along with who sent it) so that I can look at them on my flights.  I am so appreciative of everyone's suggestions and encouragement.

~Harry got a guitar this weekend.  Dave is teaching him how to play.

~Dave started Judo this week.  I am not allowed to say anymore about that.

~Kate has decided that pink is her favorite color and she love the Fancy Nancy books (thank you Lily and Rachel).  That's my girl.  She also LOVES shoes and sometimes wears them with nothing else.  Her "sparkly starfish shoes" and her "croc shoes" are her favorites.

~Kate is talking and singing like crazy now. She is coming out with these little sentences!! All of a sudden, she is growing up.

~We had a very lovely and quiet Father's Day.  Dave does not like a big fuss. He is an incredible Dad! I had this photo framed for him.  He loves to cook. So, he insisted on cooking something for us for dinner provided I kept all children out of the way.  Dinner was fabulous.

~I let the boys ride their bikes to our neighborhood tennis courts for the first time last week.  I was so nervous.  They called me from my cell phone.  They got lost!  Well, they weren't "lost" they just didn't know where they were.  Someone please tell me the difference.

~Going for Mom's night out tonight!