My Favorite Foods.......Who Knew??

MMMMMMMMM!!! Fresh baked bread, muffins galore, cookies, cakes, trifles, pear bread, brownies.....these are a few of my favorite things. Well, they used to be my favorite foods, but not anymore.

Earlier this month I went to the doctor for my annual check up (that was overdue). As part of my check he ordered a bunch a bloodwork like he always does - can't be too careful with my history, and my family history. This time, however, he added a new test for "tissue Transglutaminase IgA".
Then on Friday I went back to see him to get a tiny mole removed, and review my blood test results. As it turned out, my results had just arrived at the office that day, so he hadn't had the opportunity to review them before I got there. So together we started looking at the results. Page 1 - wow - "you have no vitamin D" (35.0 instead of the 80.0 - 200.0 that I should have). Perhaps that is contributing to the restless leg problem that I have. The doctor says that vitamin D plays a role in restless leg syndrome. Page 2, hmmmm, "your iron is a bit low", better take a good vitamin with iron. Page 3, uh oh, wow, "you have celiac disease". "What, me, I don't really have any symptoms".

Apparently this tissue Transglutaminase test is a new test for Celiac disease. You should have 0.0 - 20.0 kU/L (whatever that is), and i have >200.0 . They quit counting cuz I had so many. This is not good.

So what does this mean?? Well, my favorite foods just became my favorite memories.
I am now on a Gluten-Free diet. Yikes! Party pooper! It is actually supposed to be an extremely healthy way of eating, and I should feel like a million bucks if I do it properly. I can have all the fruit and veggies that I want (farmer's market here I come), meats, diary, are all ok. Even pop and popcorn, potato chips and corn chips are ok. And good thing I love cheesecake, cuz it's fine too (without the crust, or with a modified crust). The obvious stuff is easy to avoid - all wheat, barley and rye. The trickier part is in avoiding all of the derivatives of those - things like malt syrups and extracts (found in seemingly safe rice krispies and corn flakes). And lots of foods contain some form of wheat - surprizingly things like some soy sauce (kikkoman brand) and taco seasoning, and cream of chicken soup. Hmm, this could be tricky.

So here we go, on a new adventure - trying new foods, and learning a new way of cooking. My energy levels should increase, my leg pains might decrease, and I should live to be a ripe old age.

Oh ya, how did I get this? Well, apparently there is a genetic predisposition to it (so family members might want to be checked), but it can have onset at any age. Onset often follows things like, pregnancies, childbirth, surgeries, major stress, or viral infection. Incidentally, if you are planning on being tested, don't cut gluten from your diet until after you are tested or you will get false results.

Oh, I suppose I should say what Celiac disease is (you'll probably look it up on the internet anyway). It is a digestive disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food (hence my vit. D and iron deficiencies). People with the disease can't tolerate a protein called gluten. So that is why I am on a Gluten - free diet.

The top two pictures show what a normal intestine should look like and the bottom two pictures a Celiac intestine. Normal looks like high pile carpet. Diseased looks like linoleum.

If you know any great recipes that are gluten - free I'd love to have you share them with me (especially if they taste good).

p.s. i wrote this last night, and today i found some great sounding recipes for all the treats i need - cakes, muffins, pizza crust, donuts, brownies etc. This might not be so bad after all :)

200 Things

Barb's blogging buddy has published a *200 Things* life list that can be highlighted in bold for any experiences we've had ourselves.
I thought it looked kind of interesting, so I thought I'd play along. (It's a bit long, so I hope I don't bore you).


1. Touched an iceberg
2. Slept under the stars (on the trampoline)
3. Been a part of a hockey fight
4. Changed a baby's diaper (too many)
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Swam with wild dolphins (not yet, but its on my list of things to do – maybe tame dolphins though)
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a tarantula (probably NEVER will)
10. Said "I love you" and meant it
11. Bungee jumped (how about Parasailed- check)
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea (in Cancun, Mexico)
14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game (NHL- Flames game, not so 'huge' tho)
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty (when I was 11)
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope (saw Saturn and a lunar eclipse, among other things)
20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Bet on a winning horse
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb (even took him to school for show and tell)
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Taken an ice cold bath
28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
29. Seen a total eclipse (solar and lunar)
30. Ridden a roller coaster (love them)
31. Hit a home run
32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
33. Adopted an accent for fun
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors (hope to someday)
35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment
36. Loved your job 90% of the time
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Watched wild whales (someday)
39. Gone rock climbing (does rapelling count)
40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach (in Hawaii and Mexico)
41. Gone sky diving (indoor skydiving in Florida, fun)
42. Visited Ireland (someday)
43. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited India
45. Bench-pressed your own weight (never tried)
46. Milked a cow (I've milked a goat)
47. Alphabetized your personal files (some of them)
48. Ever worn a superhero costume
49. Sung karaoke (in my own home with the kids on the Playstation)
50. Lounged around in bed all day (maybe after having a baby)
51. Gone scuba diving (snuba diving in Hawaii– same thing but someone else monitors your air)
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Done something you should regret, but don't
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Been in a movie (I’ve been in a t.v. commercial)
60. Gone without food for 3 days
61. Made cookies from scratch
62. Won first prize in a costume contest
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Been in a combat zone (just the ones between my kids)
65. Spoken more than one language fluently
66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone (verbally)
67. Bounced a check (only once, how embarrassing)
68. Read - and understood - your credit report
69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy
70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did (came over on the Mayflower, crossed the plains as a pioneer)
71. Called or written your Congress person (Member of Parliament, and Member of the Legislative Assembly)
72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
74. Helped an animal give birth
75. Been fired or laid off from a job (all part time staff was laid off at the bank because they changed their hours – not my fault)
76. Won money
77. Broken a bone (my baby toe)
78. Ridden a motorcycle
79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph
80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
83. Eaten sushi (did not enjoy it)
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read The Bible cover to cover
86. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
87. Gotten someone fired for their actions
88. Gone back to school
89. Changed your name (last name)
90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands (no, but Bruce can)
91. Eaten fried green tomatoes
92. Read The Iliad
93. Taught yourself an art from scratch
94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
97. Been elected to public office
98. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
101. Had a booth at a street fair
102. Dyed your hair (highlites)
103. Been a DJ
104. Rocked a baby to sleep
105. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all four
106. Raked your carpet (green shag, but I was really young)
107. Brought out the best in people (I hope so)
108. Brought out the worst in people (I hope not)
109. Worn a mood ring (my mom had one I liked to wear)
110. Ridden a horse
111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap
112. Cooked a dish where four people asked for the recipe
113. Buried a child
114. Gone to a Broadway show (does Phantom of the Opera in Calgary count?)
115. Been inside the pyramids (only at Chichen Itza in Mexico, I don’t think that’s the pyramids they mean though)
116. Shot a basketball into a basket
117. Danced at a disco
118. Played in a band (jr. high- clarinet)
119. Shot a bird
120. Gone to an arboretum
121. Tutored someone
122. Ridden a train (to Edmonton as a kid)
123. Brought an old fad back into style
124. Eaten caviar (yuck)
125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn’t need
126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant (no, but we’ve fed and bathed an elephant)
127. Published a book
128. Pieced a quilt
129. Lived in an historic place
130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage
131. Asked for a raise
132. Made a hole-in-one
133. Gone deep sea fishing
134. Gone roller skating
135. Run a marathon
136. Learned to surf
137. Invented something
138. Flown first class
139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite
140. Flown in a helicopter
141. Visited Africa
142. Sang a solo
143. Gone spelunking (Bruce says going to the ice caves counts)
144. Learned how to take a compliment (still not great at it though

145. Written a love-story
146. Seen Michelangelo’s David
147. Had your portrait painted
148. Written a fan letter (to Charles M. Schultz, creator of Snoopy. I think it was part of a school assignment)
149. Spent the night in something haunted
150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane (I think a Doberman should count)
151. Ran away
152. Learned to juggle
153. Been a boss
154. Sat on a jury
155. Lied about your weight
156. Gone on a diet
157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget
158. Written a poem (only for school assignments)
159. Carried your lunch in a lunchbox (a Holly Hobbie lunch box)
160. Gotten food poisoning
161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission
162. Hiked the Grand Canyon
163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks
164. Gone to the opera (see #114)
165. Gotten a letter from someone famous (see #148)
166. Worn knickers
167. Ridden in a limousine
168. Attended the Olympics (1988 – Calgary, Figure Skating and Ski ballet)
169. Can hula or waltz
170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books (love them)
171. Been stuck in an elevator
172. Had a revelatory dream (ask me about the parable of the Coyotes sometime, not really a revelatory dream, just a dream with a good point to it)
173. Thought you might crash in an airplane (just worried about it)
174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert
175. Saved someone’s life
176. Eaten raw whale
177. Know how to tat, smock or do needlepoint
178. Laughed till your side hurt (and kool-aid came out my nose)
179. Straddled the equator
180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing
181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival
182. Sent a message in a bottle
183. Spent the night in a hostel (I will next month, in Banff)
184. Been a cashier
185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
186. Joined a union
187. Donated blood or plasma
188. Built a campfire
189. Kept a blog (starting to)
190. Had hives
191. Worn custom made shoes or boots
192. Made a PowerPoint presentation
193. Taken a Hunter’s Safety Course
194. Served at a soup kitchen
195. Conquered the Rubik’s cube (too bad I’ve forgotten from my younger days)
196. Know CPR
197. Ridden in or owned a convertible
198. Found a long lost friend
199. Helped solve a crime (to catch the guy that held me up when I worked at the bank in Lethbridge the summer we got married)
200. Responded to a NJP newsletter (this is related to the originating blog)

Honoring My 3 Favorite Fathers

Happy Father's Day. I have been so blessed to have amazing fathers in my life. Apart from my Father in Heaven, I have 3 fathers I would like to pay tribute to on Father's Day.



First is my father. Dad. How did I get so blessed to be born into this family? My dad has always 'been there' for me. He always wants what is best for his family, and he wants us to do our best too. I'm so blessed to still be living close to my parents after all these years, and enjoy the closeness of our families.





Second is the father of my children. Wow! I hit the jackpot here! Again i don't know what i did to deserve such a wonderful husband. And the kids couldn't ask for a more loving, caring, devoted father.



Third is my father-in -law. I credit Bruce's 'awesomeness' to having been raised by loving, caring parents. My father-in-law passed away 6 years ago, but I still feel his influence on our family on a regular basis. And, although we didn't see each other very often, I knew that he loved me too, and accepted me as part of his family.


So Happy Father's Day. I love you all, and appreciate all that you have done for me and for our family.....I couldn't do it without you!

Seriously....Excited !

So Ross isn't the most cooperative photo subject. But I believe that these two pictures show how he feels about the fact that, finally, at the age of 16 3/4 he was able to finally get contact lenses, and ditch the glasses. Oh Happy Day!!

A Sad Reality

Sad, but true! When there's nothing going on, there's nothing to blog about. But once I start to find things i could make a 'post' out of, it seems i'm too busy to get around to it. I've taken a few pictures recently, so maybe I can come up with a few posts.....stay tuned.

Baby Steps

So I'm working on it! We're not 'there' yet, but the blog is starting to take shape. Lisa is a whiz at this stuff, and I spent some time with her the last couple of days - mostly shopping in Great Falls - and she's been giving me a few pointers on how to get a working blog going. So, baby steps it is. The hardest part of all of this is finding something in my life interesting enough to blog about.

So I guess my tidbit for the day would be to let everyone know that if you plan on crossing the Canada/ U.S. border the line-ups to get back into Canada at the end of a long weekend are brutal....well, at least they are at the Coutts/Sweetgrass crossing. If you're clever though, you can skip the 3 hour or longer wait by crossing at the DelBonita border by Magrath. They have No lines there!!! Oh wait, maybe that's because they closed 45 minutes ago!! ARGH! A good idea too late. If we waited 10 days they would be on 'summer hours' (9-9pm I think the sign said, but check for yourself first....winter hours are 9-6pm). So the next best choice??? How about the partial gravel road through the Blackfeet Indian reservation so go around to the Cardston border crossing ...but hurry, and pray for no lines, cuz they close at 11pm, even if there are still people in line. Luckily our adventure was somewhat 'UN'adventurous and we arrived at that crossing around 8pm, with NO line, yay!! A very nice border guard, and a bit of paper work, and we were on our way.
I think we still saved an hour or more on the trip, but definately not the most direct. Check your times, before you leave.

Maybe....

Maybe someday i'll actually post a real blog entry, but for now, i just wanted to see if i could even create a blog in the first place. Life is crazy busy for us, and i just don't know how i feel about taking on another project. Busy, but wonderful...in our own crazy way!