Gluten-Free Fail

Trey and I both have immediate family members who are on strict gluten-free diets for specific health reasons.  Trey has been on a gluten-free diet for a couple months and has experienced amazing health benefits (like his cholesterol ratios going from "dangerous" to "optimal").  Now that summer is upon us, we've decided to extend the gluten-free diet to everyone in our household, really in the hopes that it will help our oldest son in particular who has major tummy troubles. 

Here's the thing, my sons like to eat things filled with wheat.  In fact, Owen Ray has been begging for bread, "the square kind... from the store."  He's all but offered to go out and buy it himself.  It's hard to say "no" when the kid has had his fair share of mac'n'cheese and crackers these last three years.  In an attempt to make this transition easier, I promised him that I would make him macaroni and cheese for dinner.  We headed to the store and picked up some quinoa elbows and gluten-free velveeta.  He was so excited because he knew: noodles + cheese = deliciousness.

Unfortunately for us, quinoa mac'n'cheese was not a big hit.  In fact, Owen Ray nearly spit it out seconds after excitedly popping a big bite into his mouth. It was rejected, flat out.  I tried a bite, and I had to concur. This was not edible.  Plan B was sure to be a hit, though.  Owen Ray wanted a quesadilla.  No problem.  We've got extra-large, extra-soft corn tortillas and lots of colby jack cheese blend.  Thirty seconds in the microwave and voila!  Unfortunately, those corn tortillas were not fooling anybody either. Ray took a bite, smiled at me, and choked it down.  Then he said very politely "Oh, I think my tummy is telling me I'm full" (i.e. this food is gross, Mom). 

What I found out today is that I have a lot of room to grow in the gluten-free arena.  The boys have had more fresh produce, dairy, and protein than ever before... but when it comes to making substitutes for things that are clearly meant to contain wheat... yikes.  Mommy has got some learning to do.

Officially a Stay-at-Home-Mom

I cannot believe it's finally here!  I put in my resignation letter months ago, but I still had to finish out the school year and what remained of my teaching contract. It's been exactly one week since I turned in my keys (and my district-issued iPad -- bummer).

On Friday, the boys and I went to the zoo to celebrate the beginning of summer, but for me it was so much more.  It was celebrating the fact that I don't have a mental countdown ticking off the days until I have to report back to work.  It was celebrating four years of waiting and hoping that God would allow me to be with the little ones full-time.  It was a big deal!

The last seven days have been a typical whirlwind for us at the start of summer. We headed out to Lake Fork to spend a few days out of our normal routine. It was good to rest and recharge.  It was also Trey's first time taking Owen Ray fishing.  Our little man was pretty ecstatic that he managed to hook a turtle with his spiderman fishing rod his first time out.

Now that we are back at home, I have been so thankful, but it's hard to believe that it's finally here. I am used to summer with my boys.  The full reality won't likely sink in until the school year starts, and I find myself blissfully at home while my former colleagues are setting up their classrooms to welcome in a new group of students.