An Unintentional Experiment

Ok, so I said I was going to be Gluten free with my kiddo, right???  Well..I've fallen way off the wagon while I'm at work and when he's gone to sleep.  Pitiful.  And guess what happened???  I gained back the 8 pounds I lost when I went gluten-free, became hungry ALL THE TIME, and lost my energy.  That'll teach me, right?!  Yes, Right! 

 I feel like a blobby, slobby mess.  I'm almost to the next clothing size.  Wow.  Not a good feeling. Believe me!  (And, by the way - that is not me, nor my weight.  Just had to clarify in case you thought I'd gained THAT much).


So, yesterday I went back to my GF ways.  And I'm already feeling that energy.  Good, good energy.  Now to just shed these extra pounds!
On another note - I have found a wonderful, yummy, and not for your waistline GF treat:  The Brownies at Subway!!!  Another VERY GF friendly restaurant I highly recommend.  Especially the location right by my work (for those of you who know where my office is).  They are wonderful, and so very careful with our GF foods. 
Hopefully the next time I post, I will have lost those 8 Glutenous pounds! 
-Sandra
(image from allthatnourishes.com)

P-I-Z-Z-A, P-I-Z-Z-A, P-I-Z-Z-A, and Pizza is our favorite!

Ok, if you can't tell, that title was to the tune of the song "Bingo".  Just a little shout-out to our new, favorite pizza joint in town.... (Drum roll, please!)

Palio's Pizza Cafe!!!!!

They have the most delicious gluten-free pizza crust I have ever tasted.  It is so very close to the original, it is truly amazing.  

Want to know more?  Here's a link to their website:  http://www.paliospizzacafe.com/community/gluten_free_pizza_palios_cafe 

I hope you love it as much as I and kiddo do.  YUM, YUM, YUM!!!

'Til next time,
Sandra
 

You Scream, I Scream, We all scream for...

ICE CREAM!!!  Most of it is ok...but not at Marble Slab Creamery.  We learned this just today.  Bummer. 

But...Carvel ice cream is MOSTLY ok.  Just don't get any ice cream with crunchies in it.  Whew.  Thank goodness we can still go out for ice cream - just no waffle cones. 

"I Hate that I have to be Gluten Free!"

These were the words our kiddo spoke to me at a birthday party yesterday.  And I had just told the Mom that he was doing well with the diet and knew what he could and couldn't have.  He felt left out.  And the poor Mom of the birthday boy...she apologized a billion times for not remembering our kiddo was GF.  I told her a million times that it was ok - and that I wouldn't expect anyone to remember, and that is why I go to birthday parties prepared with alternatives (yesterday I took grapes and GF cookies).  Kiddo still cried.  He wanted desperately to have some of the yummy looking Sponge Bob birthday cake.  He begged to just try the icing...and I broke down and let him.  I thought while it was probably cross-contaminated, it was basically GF if it was  normal icing.  Wrong.  He had stomach  pains today.  Big time bummer.

http://www.sugarcraft.com/catalog/novelties/spongebob/spongebob.htm

So - I'm asking...does anyone out there have advice on birthday parties?  Is there something I could be doing differently to make it seem less obvious that he can't be like everyone else?  I'm open to any/all suggestions! 

Otherwise, the summer is going well.  We spent a week going to 6 Flags, and I was very pleasantly surprised to learn that 6 Flags had a printed Gluten Free food suggestion page.  I mean, if they're not going to let you bring in your own food, they better have something suitable, right? 

Ok, back to work tomorrow so I'm off to bed.  Hope you all have a great summer. 
Til next time,
Sandra

A little outing...

Got this from a membership to the FW museum email.  I know I shouldn't broadcast to the world where I'll be, but I do hope some of you will join me:

Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Gluten Freedom
Featuring Weldon Adams and Beth Knudson
The Ginger Man
3716 Camp Bowie
Get more details here: http://fortworthmuseum.org/public-knowledge

I also found Weldon and Beth's blogsite, which has been very helpful!  They are also Casein/dairy free.  Check out their blog on my list of things I follow: From Cows to Quinoa.

'Til I post again,
Sandra

And a couple other tidbits...

It has been a crazy busy spring.  Two sports, and two end of the season parties.  Here's what happened, and how we handled the GF situation:

Soccer party:  Held at McDonalds.  From what I've read from our local GIG (Gluten Intolerance Group) Mc Donald's french fries are OK.  That is such a great thing...because I don't know how we would've given Mickey D's completely.  So - I heated some GF chicken nuggets at home and took them to Mc Donald's.  We ordered the fries and a happy meal toy, and TaDa!!!  A GF Happy Meal. 

T-Ball Party :  This one was held at Sonic.  And well, there is NOTHING GF at Sonic.  This one was also in the middle of the week, and I rushed from work to get kiddo to the party on time, promising we would get Mc Donald's french fries on the way home.  So that's what we did.  Since the Sonic party was outside, we could have easily pulled off bringing our own food.  Should we get to play with this team again, that's exactly what we'll do. 

And I now take fruit snacks or Fruity Pebbles snack bars in my purse for unexpected snacks.  We needed one today at the Family Fun Day for kiddo's last day of school (we had to make up a few days due to icy weather this winter), of course I didn't have one because I hadn't replaced the last one.  Phooey.  Oh well, live and learn. 

Hamburger cookout at a friend's house - we brought our own buns and brought GF cupcakes for dessert.  Worked out perfectly.  We just asked them not to grill the buns with the first batch of burgers, and it was all ok. 

Well, that's it for now.  Wishing you all a lovely Memorial Day!!! 

Hugs,
Sandra

I LOVE you, Betty Crocker!

So, when we last left, it was spring break.  Now, the school year has ended.  My kiddo was "promoted" from Kindergarten to 1st Grade this year.  It was a BIG deal - a ceremony, reception afterward, the whole 9 yards.  The reception was wonderful - and I'm sure the HUGE vanilla and chocolate cake was, too.  At least this time I was prepared...I made GF cupcakes thanks to a GF mix by Betty Crocker!  And guess what? They tasted like the original.  I even got compliments from a non GF friend about how her kiddo loved them.  So, I'll say it again - I LOVE YOU, BETTY CROCKER!  Thanks for finding a way to make a mix for us slacker Moms who don't have time or energy to bake from scratch! 

Here are a couple of pics from that day.

Enjoy!!

Hugs to all,

An official promotion handshake from School Administration

The official certificate!  This pic is with his Kindergarten Teacher

Sandra