Peanut Treatment Going Strong!!!

The past few weeks have been going by great. There is a light at the end of this tunnel in sight. Only a couple months left and we will have this allergy desensitized. Such a good feeling to know my daughter will be safe. We have never had to use an epi-pen and I am feeling hopeful that we will never need one.

We have been taking doses through peanut flour fit into a small capsule. I open the capsule and dump the peanut flour into really anything. She has had it in apple sauce, yogurt, pudding. Her favorite is apple sauce so mostly all doses are dumped in there. what's nice about this dosing is, I don't have to remember to keep it refrigerated. With the liquid dosing their was a time when I came home and completely forgot to put the serum in the refrigerator. I discovered that we still had in in the car 15 min before the office was about to close. I rushed over and got a new bottle. However, I know they would have made arrangements for me to get it even if the office had closed.

Money has become somewhat of an issue with this treatment. The cost of the peanut dosing is fairly cheap however with all the office visits and food challenges each week and my insurance company not paying a dime till we meet our deductible we are beginning to worry about how we will be able to pay for this. Rest assured we wont be stopping this treatment. If I have to take out a small loan just to pay this all off I will. This is worth every penny they charge us, and I have no regrets.

Only a few more weeks until we start dosing with actual peanuts. This is so exciting for us. It will be strange giving her peanuts for the first time. Something that has been such a grave danger will be looked at in a different light.

Progress With Peanuts

      It has been a while since I have updated on my Daughters Oral Immunotherapy for her peanut allergy. In my last blog entry, a noted that we had been having set backs. I am so happy to update, that since then, she has been seeing her allergist each week for a month now. Each week successfully upping her dosage of peanuts, with Zero reaction. Yay its finally working!!! We are on our last week of liquid dosing. Next week we start our "pill form" type dosing. Although this still isn't close to eating a full peanut in each dose. I feel like we are doing the best for our little girl. Each week as we get further into this program I am getting more excited for her future. A future without worrying about birthday parties, family events, & school. When food will no longer be life threatening.

(Waiting at the Allergist Office)                                            (nurse getting ready to give a peanut dose)

      My Daughter just started school this last couple of weeks. At first, I was super nervous to get her started and not be in complete control over her food. To hand over the responsibility of her food allergy to another adult scared me. Lucky for us She has great teachers, who take her allergy seriously. Her teachers are constantly on top of her allergy, asking me what she can and cannot have. It surprises me how stupid people are. One of the other moms in her class brought in a "snack time", type food to donate to the classroom. The teachers informed the mother that their is a child with a peanut allergy in the classroom. the mother responded. "These are ORGANIC it should be fine", I don't even know how to respond to that. HELLO peanuts are organic. And by the way yes their were peanuts listed not only in the ingredients but also in the allergy warning in bold. I am just thankful that her teachers knew better.

We also had a birthday

(Happy 5th birthday to my Birthday Girl who LOVES Cinderella)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Setback With Peanut Treatment

I love keeping this journal of my Daughters Oral Immunotherapy treatment for her peanut allergy. We did however have a setback this past week. We went into her Allergists for her dose of peanuts to be raised and after about ten minutes my daughter started to complain of an itchy back and itchy throat.  I looked at her back, it appeared to have a rash beginning to break out.  So sadly, we will be staying on the same dose for two weeks instead of going up a dose with the rest of the group. This puts us five weeks behind the rest of the kids in the group.

It is so discouraging for us watching everyone else power through this oral therapy, while we are getting setbacks. Her allergist talked to me and said that since he has seen improvement with her to not let us get too discouraged. We talked about how her level of peanut allergy is so high that this treatment really is the best thing I can do for her to insure her future safety. The oral immunotherapy treatment is only suppose to take 5 months, but I have a feeling we will be doing this for closer to a year.

It has been however, a great learning experience for my Daughter and I as we have embarked on this journey. I have noticed my daughter starting to understand what it feels like to have a reaction to peanuts. I have kept her diet very strict in the past so she very rarely had reactions. This treatment has taught her how to recognize symptoms her body has when she has consumed something with a trace of peanut in it. She is very good at knowing and recognizing this and telling me immediately. I think for a 4 year old this is HUGE!!!

My Daughter will be starting school very soon. I am thinking of taking her to the store with me each week and showing her foods that are safe and not safe to eat. To educate her to know for herself what she can and cannot have. I am hoping to not only empower her with this knowledge, but help myself by easing my mind. I just wish I had thought to start doing this sooner. I am so anxious for her to begin school. I know the school is keeping her classroom peanut free, but I cannot help but be scared. Accidents happen this I know, that's what scares me the most. I try not to let her see my fears. I feel her up with excitement for school, I do not want school to be a place of fear for her. All I can do is educate her and her teachers.

I pray this treatment works for us, I just want my sweet princess to be safe!!!

Our Hopeful Cure for Peanut Allergies...

We our in the Second Week on my Daughters Oral Immunotherapy for her peanut allergy. The past week went so well. I thought for sure there would be reactions at home, every time I gave my Daughter a dose of the peanut solution I was waiting for something to happen. The entire week went by doing home dosing without even the smallest reaction. Week #1 was a success!!!

My Daughter is a level 5 peanut allergy sufferer. Which, for those of you who do not know what a level 5 is, I will explain. There are Six levels to food allergies. The first is "Very Low", which would be a level #1. The second is "Low", which is a level #2. Next comes "Moderate", which is a level #4. "High", comes next which is where my daughter is level #5.  Lastly "Very High", which is a level #6. all of these levels are calculated by a blood test for accuracy.  So, for a Mother of a Daughter with such a High level peanut allergy sufferer, I am always stressed out. Constantly on guard for my Daughter's safety, making sure all her food choices and the food around her is safe.

My sons however, do not have any food allergies that we know of, and in order to insure they do not develop any peanut food allergies,  per my daughters doctor, we needed to introduce them to peanuts as soon as they turned one year of age. Which is hard to do with a Sister that's heavily allergic. I have created "safe areas" in our home for her younger brothers to eat things with peanuts in them. So far this has worked out great for our family.

With this type of oral immunotherapy my daughter isn't allowed to do much physical activity. Thirty minutes prior to dosing, and Two to Four hours after dosing. Reason being, too much activity could alter her reaction to the dose and cause her to have some type of reaction. Which of course, we do not want.  I am very strict with her during this time. This part is the hardest of the whole treatment. Having a 5 year old sit still and play quietly for a few hours in the morning and an hour and a half before bed has been my biggest hurdle. As the week has gone by we have embarked on a new routine and it is slowly getting easier.

Today we went in for our weekly visit to the Doctor for her new dosing for the upcoming week. I was a bit nervous about starting this new dose, because she had broken out in hives last week on the exact dose they were planning on starting her this week. As they administered the dose I was literally waiting for it to fail and have a reaction take place. To my surprise, no reaction. After the appointment we spoke to the Doctor in charge. He was so pleased that she did not have a reaction. He pointed out to me how her body is starting to tolerate a dose of peanut that she would normally react to. He clarified how amazing this is. How incredible it is that her body is truly beginning to tolerate peanuts. We are so excited to embark on this journey, and feel very lucky to have the chance to do this. Any mother would want to give their child the best opportunities for them and I am so glad that I could do this for my Daughter.

It saddens me that so many children who suffer from food allergies get teased, tormented, and even misunderstood as to how serious a food allergy is by their own peers and even by adults. I hope to be a voice to those who do not understand these allergies. I hope that one day soon all children with food allergies will be able to get the help we are getting so they can feel "Normal". so they wont have to sit at a lunchroom table all by themselves in school, so they can go to parties and not worry about the ingredients in the food around them. So they can feel like they are just like every other kid in the world. and most importantly so their lives are not put at risk every day by something as little and as tiny peanut.

Do you or anyone you know suffer from a food allergy? What kinds of hurdles have you had to endure with your allergy? I love hearing from my readers so please comment!!!

Frog Fuel Product Review

I had a great opportunity to review an awesome product that I had never heard of before. When Frog Fuel first arrived I was excited. I love trying new products out especially something that was going to be good for my health and help me out with my fitness goals. They sent me two different types of Frog fuel to try out. The first one was the frog fuel protein shot, and the second is the frog fuel energized protein shot.

I noticed that these products were developed by Navy seals. Who better to invent a product to fuel our workout needs than a Navy Seal. I loved that! As I did more research I found The creators, Alex and Jeff, were dissatisfied with all of the standard nutrition supplements available to them. So since they could not find anything worthy of fueling their rigorous workout routines, they made their own supplemental fuel source.

First I tried the Frog Fuel Protein Shot. I love finding easy ways to get my protein in to help me gear up for my workouts. This was a Berry flavor, at first I loved the flavor but as I kept drinking it felt kind of a strong berry flavor. I was glad that the shot was small I really don't think I could have drank much more than the pouch required to drink. I went off on my workout and felt like I had a bit more energy to get me through my workout.

Second, I tried the Frog Fuel Energized Protein Shot. This one had the same similar berry taste. At first it’s really sweet, then a little bit tangy, again not too bad of a taste. I just cant handle much more than the pouch has too tangy for me. This pouch has a caffeine kick to it. Caffeine has a bit of an effect on me so I really noticed a big energy boost when I took it. It gave me so much energy that after my workout I still had so much energy to play with my kids.

The Frog Fuel slogan reads, “Everything you need, nothing you don’t.” What a concept! I wish more food products and supplements employed that simple yet brilliant philosophy. It has no added sugar, no banned or artificial substances, and is lactose and gluten free. It’s simply made up of amino acids, water, collagen protein, taurine, and natural flavors.

I really enjoyed this product. and I am so glad I got the opportunity to try it out and tell you all about it.

Try the FrogFuel Performance App



So tell me, what are your favorite types of workouts?  Do you use Performance Shots?  Have you ever tried FrogFuel?

Disclaimer, FrogFuel provided the samples for my review purposes.  All thoughts expressed above are my own.

Peanut Allergy Treatment Day 1 !!!

     We finally had our 1st appointment today for my Daughters Peanut Allergy Treatment, with using Oral Immunotherapy. Anticipation for this appointment was killing us. Our original appointment was scheduled over a month ago, but they had to cancel because they didn't have the peanut flour in yet. We had rescheduled the appointment for last week but we had to cancel it because my daughter caught a small cold, and you cannot be sick for the first day because they are working with the immune system and need it fully charged. So, today our highly anticipated appointment finally arrived!

Lauren waiting for her next peanut dosage

     At 8 AM We checked in and waited, while the Doctor and Nurses were preparing our peanut doses and checking in everyone else in our group. By 9 AM we began the very first dose of peanut flour. They took small amounts of peanut flour and mixed it in Kool-Aid for the kids to take so it wouldn't taste bad. The first day of treatment is LONG, keeping my 4 year old entertained in a small space for 8 hours was the most difficult part of the day. what made it even harder, was the other kids there were much older than she was and all boys.

     The goal of the day was to get 25 doses of peanut flour. These doses were administered every fifteen minutes. Each dose contained a larger dose than the one before. These doses were so small that by the end of the day she still hadn't consumed a full peanut, just microscopic amounts to slowly build up immunity.  We almost hit the full 25 doses but at dose #22 my daughter had a minor reaction so they stopped the doses on her, and gave her Zyrtec monitored her closely for an hour and sent us home with dose #21 to take twice a day, every twelve hours for the next week.

Taking her dose at home

 



     When the nurses came around administering the very 1st dose I remember being so scared, frightened that at any moment my daughter could have a dangerous reaction. As the day progressed and still no sign of a reaction my fears went away, and as the parents calmed down the kids followed. At dose #22 I noticed my daughter itching her back. I pulled her near to me and noticed she had a couple hives. We informed the Nurse, who was in the room with us, and she grabbed the Doctor. He decided that it was time for my Daughter to end the day. Even though she was the first in the group to end, as the others were not having any reactions and made it to the full 25 doses. Our doctor informed us that her blood test showed a very high level of peanut allergy compared to those in the same group as her.  Our Doctor was happy she made it past dose #18. Our Doctor thought  she would of had some level of reaction to the peanuts much sooner.  I feel as if it was a major accomplishment, especially since she has such a high level of peanut allergy in her. So, day #1 HUGE success!!!

Peanut solution they gave us to take home

     I am nervous about doing the remainder of the week at home, but the doctor assured me that she now has a level of tolerance to peanuts and she should be just fine on the dose he gave me. I have administered a few doses at home with no complications. I am so hopeful that this treatment will work for her. We were advised to call the doctor if she were to have any reaction during the week and if she were to ever get sick with a cold or fever as this will influence the amount of peanut he would want her on.

     I am thrilled that my daughter is so lucky to be able to do this, and especially thrilled that she gets to do it before she will start school. As a mother to a daughter who has such a severe peanut allergy, it breaks my heart watching her feel like she is different or not normal. Imagine watching your child go to birthday parties, or family functions and not being able to eat what everyone else is having and wondering why they cannot, why they have to be different. At a young age a child cannot comprehend what this allergy is, and the side affects it will have on their body. I've comforted her many times when she felt as if she didn't fit in. I am so thankful that we live in a time where treatments are starting to blossom out for young kids that just want to feel "normal".

Chicken & Cheese Enchiladas

So I discovered my new favorite Enchilada Recipe. It is so good I had to share it with all of you. You can make it without the chicken but I love chicken so I added this to the recipe.

2 TBS of butter
1/3 Cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 cups tomato juice, divided
2 TBS flour
1 TBS chili powder
1/2 TSp salt
1 (10oz) can of  enchilada sauce
1/4 Tso cinnamon
10 flour Tortillas
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 (2.25 oz) can of sliced black olives
2 cups chopped iceberg lettuce
sour cream

Melt butter in a saucepan add onion and pepper cook till soft.

Puree vegetable mixure in a blender with 1 cup tomato juice.

Pour into pan, and whisk in flour, chili powder, and salt. Cook till slightly thickened. Stir in 1 cup of remainding tomato juice, enchilada sauce, and cinnamon. bring to low boil. simmer 15 min

Next dip the Tortillas in the red sauce and fill with cheese and pre cooked chicken squares. roll up and repeat until pan is full.

pour remaining red sauce and cheese over and sprinkle olives on top.

bake in oven on 300 for 15 min.

so good!!!

I workout because I can

I saw this quote and I Loved it! This quote inspires me to workout because I can. There are so many people out there that struggle with disabilities and are unable to do half of what I do on a daily basis. I feel blessed and inspired.

The Best Book Ever Giveaway Hop

The Best Book Ever Giveaway Hop

Hosted by The Best Books Ever 

C0-Hosted by I am a Reader, Not a Writer

June 4th to 10th

This is my first book hop I have ever participated in.  I am really excited!!! 
I am going to open my giveaway to both US and INTERNATIONAL Entries.

If the winner is US, they will get a copy of the book!  If the winner is INTERNATIONAL they will receive a $10 Gift Card to Amazon.com.

On my blog you can win a paperback copy of
Divergent!  Which is an amazing Dystopian Read!  If you haven't read it yet, you're going to LOVE IT!!!

*WINNER ANNOUNCED BELOW*

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Realistic Goals

     This week I am going to stick to a consistent workout. It's definitely not easy to workout with three young kids running around me constantly.  Finding time for family, and time to be with my husband can be so hard. I'm keeping my workouts short, as I know I don't have a lot of time during the day to workout.

    Monday: Gym, 20 min cardio, 30 min weights.

 

    Tuesday: Run on my treadmill, for as long as my knees will let me. Walk the rest of the 30 min time, work on strength training.

 

    Wednesday: Gym, 20 min cardio, 30 min weights.

 

    Thursday: Run on treadmill, for as long as my poor post pregnancy knees will let me, then strength training.

 

    Friday: Gym, 20 min cardio, 30 min weights.

 

Saturday: Gym, 40 min cardio, 40 min weights.

 

Sunday: Rest :-)

 

    Going to the gym every day would be ideal, but I know life gets busy, and I only have so much free time during the day to workout. It will be easier for me to accomplish my goals knowing I'm going to the gym only 4 days out of the week.

     I know I focus a lot of my workouts on weight training. I seriously feel like I'm losing a lot more inches than if I only did cardio alone. I feel like I am molding my body and losing fat in the places I want to most. I have also heard that weight training will help you burn more calories during the day. Not sure how true it is, but I am all for it. I actually enjoy weight training anyway, its kind of peaceful.

     I also mentioned I have knee pain. I know a lot of my readers are mothers, and runners. My question for you is did you ever notice having knee pain after having a baby?  I ask this mostly because I have never had knee pain before, and I have been a passionate runner since a was in Junior High.  After having my third child, my knees started giving me sharp pains in the joints. When the pain starts I always stop what I am doing and rest my knees. I am afraid I will injure my knees if I keep running.  Any advice would be great!!! I really would like to get back into racing again. 

Fighting Boogers One Nostril At A Time..

     I'd like to give you my review on the Nasal Aspirator and Saline Drops for newborns.  These are both items I have used with all three of my children and would like to share for any new moms out there who may not know about them.


Graco Nasal Clear Nasal Aspirator

    This is one of my favorite product out there for sucking boogers out of a newborns nose.  I love it, the only thing I have not liked is that if the batteries are not brand new, then the suction power goes down.  

My babies have never cried much when I suck out the nasty juices in their noses with this. The manual Nasal Aspirator that the hospital gives you are great, but my kids always fussed and sometimes got bloody noses from fighting with them to clear out those little noses. I love this product, must buy for new moms!!!



Don't forget to get saline drops

     Saline drops are safe for newborns noses. It is used to thin out those pesky boogers, so the nose sucker can easily swipe them out. Our pediatrician recommended both of these products to us when we had our first child and I have been using them since.  Love them!!!


Your Turn, so tell me have you used this product, or something similar?  What types of products do you use with your kids that you can't live without?

Disclaimer:  I am not endorsing this exact product, nor was I asked or paid by this company to do this review.  This review is based entirely on my own opinion.



My New Favorite Drink

I was excited to receive this great opportunity to try out some Zola products and give you my review and opinion on them!  

Doesn't the wrapping just make you want to be on vacation:)

The first drink I tried was the coconut water. I'd heard that coconut water in general was a great drink to have after a workout.  So after I got home from a rather exhausting workout I decided this would be the perfect time to try it. I have never had coconut water before, and to my surprise it was quite yummy. 
Each can has 5 essential electrolytes and more potassium than a banana (isn't that cool?).  The next morning, I wasn't nearly as sore as I generally am after a hard workout, it's quite possible it was from all the potassium from the coconut water!  Especially since, I am not always good with getting plenty of potassium in me after a workout.  Maybe, or maybe not, but these are my thoughts and I am sticking to them:)

The second drink I tried was Coconut Water with Pulp.  I am not usually a fan of pulp drinks, but to my surprise it wasn't that bad.  The Coconut Water with Pulp has lots of potassium, sodium and calcium, so this is an excellent workout recovery drink!  If your asking me would I drink this particular pulp drink again, the answer is yes.  Although I didn't try this, I did have thoughts that this might taste great as a frozen slushy drink....  Hmmm maybe next time!

Yes, this is me drinking my New Favorite Drink

The last was the Acai Juice. You may think this is odd, but I have never had Acai juice before.  All I knew was that it is a popular super fruit.  It tasted Amazing, I absolutely loved this drink, I could drink it everyday!!!   I also loved that this product is Organic, it also has Antioxidant power of 2-3 servings of fruits and vegetables per serving.  
Acai Juice is absolutely my new favorite drink!!!  I highly recommend this one out to anyone who loves a great fruit drink, delicious!  You won't be disappointed!
I am going to use the Zola store locator, and find one near me!

Me and two of my kids had a fun sunglasses photo shoot can you tell:)   The coolest part is, I had just lost my sunglasses the day before this arrived.  So thanks to the people at Zola, I am now covered:)

Do you want to try out Zola products too?  Or learn more about them?

Visit the Zola Website by Clicking Here

Find a Zola store by Clicking Here

Visit the Zola Facebook Page by Clicking Here

So let me ask you, have you ever tried Coconut Water before?  What did you think of it?  Have you tried Acai juice before?  Did you love it as I did?

**Disclaimer: Zola sent me the items above for review purposes only.  I was not required to give a positive review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Moms are Awesome.

    Sometimes I feel as if I am not doing the best or being the best mom for my kids. With so many things the world tells me I should be. I look on Pintrest I can't add up to all those Moms who are master chiefs, seamstresses, and arts and crafts extraordinaire. To my kids I am everything. They don't know I am not perfect. One day they will realize this, but at this Young age I am their "Super Mom". I may not be perfect but I do so much more than I notice. I make sure they eat healthy, I play with them, and run around the house playing monster. I read to them, wipe away there tears when their sad and scared. I am up all hours of the night consoling them whether they are sick, or having a bad dream. I am a super mom because, I take my job seriously and I need to remember that and give myself more credit.

Healthier Me

   Fitness Friday

    I have recently celebrated my 30th birthday, most people might dread leaving their twenties and getting older. I am taking a different attitude and embracing life and age. I decided to give myself a goal of living my 30s, 40s, and beyond with a healthier lifestyle, and an awesome body to match it. Who says growing old isn't fun. I think its all in how you look at yourself and treat yourself.

    Being fit is all about a lifestyle change. Dieting is just a quick fix to my physical self. If I change the way I look at food and exercising I will permanently change who I am and begin a journey that will not only make me look better but feel better about myself and my health.

     I started this Journey almost two years ago. I have lost a grand total of 30 pounds, it probably would of been more than this, but I also just gave birth to a new baby. Its probably not healthy and safe to lose weight when your pregnant.  While pregnant I maintained my healthy lifestyle and was able to only gain 30 pounds of pregnancy weight, instead of 50 pounds like I did with my first pregnancy. So I am pretty proud of myself for accomplishing this.

    Changing my eating habits wasn't easy. Slowly over time it has started to mold the way I think about food, and the way I think about what I am feeding my kids. A Moms choice to eat healthier affects the entire family. Instead of buying treats I buy fruit, and yes my kids actually think fruit is a treat. I must be mother of the year for this one! This year I am going to attempt to plant a garden in hopes that maybe I can save a few bucks from constantly buying veggies at the store. I don't have a green thumb at all, so this will be a challenge. I know this step will help me on my journey of a healthier me. If anyone has any gardening tips, send them my way. Eek..

    So here is to my thirties, may they be filled with great health, and happy memories.

The Scary Truth About Peanuts.

    I know I write a lot about my daughter and her peanut allergy on this blog. This allergy has somewhat redefined our lives.  Today an old friend of mine whose son has a peanut allergy was exposed to a peanut today at school. School a place where we should feel safe to send our children. A place that not only am I scared to death for my child to start, but I am scared of the lack of training the teachers have on this allergy.


They do not understand that it isn't just the peanut my child is allergic to. It's food that have been processed at a facility that uses peanuts. Strange foods, foods you wouldn't even think of checking like Cheese, Marshmallows, lollipops, sour cream, yogurt, bread, pretty much any pre-made bakery item, donuts, cookies, cake. This list could go on and on.

 I wish that every teacher was required to be trained on all food related allergies. I wish they could teach them everything I had to learn overnight with my daughters allergy, it isn't difficult to learn just check the labels. Labels in all foods, mayo mustard, flour, sugar, etc. There are so many children affected by food related allergies. It boggles my mind how people don't take this allergy seriously. this is something that could kill my child. Careless individuals that don't take me seriously when I say my child cannot have this.


A few months back I was shopping at a nearby grocery store, they were giving away cookies to kids. they asked my daughter if she wanted a cookie well of course she said, "yes". I stopped the man and said, "She cannot she is allergic to peanuts." he said ,"Oh there are no peanuts in these cookies she can surely have one it wont hurt her." I continued to tell him no, he continued to follow me around the store bothering me and my daughter, who is too young to understand why she couldn't have a cookie. Finally, after numerous times of him telling me that my daughter can have this cookie, and literally following me around the store I said, "show me the packaging from which these cookies contain". He then brought it to me, I pointed out in the allergy warning, "This item is processed in a facility that contains peanuts.", I didn't have to say anything to him after that he apologized and walked away. I wish people would take me seriously. I know what I am talking about I know what my daughter can and can't have.

This allergy is not only real, it is dangerous. Would you let your toddler play with a loaded gun? Of course you wouldn't. That is why I wont let my child eat food that I don't know where its come from. I wont let people babysit my daughter that wont take her allergy serious. I wont, because the value of my daughters life is far more valuable than any treasure the world has to offer me. It isn't worth risking her life.

This brings me back to school safety with peanut allergies. I know I will one day soon need to let go of my child's hand and send her off to school. Hoping I have educated her enough to keep her safe from the dangers of her allergies. I will do my best to educate her teachers as well, but I must walk away and find a way to trust that she will be okay.  Seeing my friend go through this with her child scares me a little more. I hope that those at her school are a little more educated and take her allergy a little more seriously, for not only the sake of her child but for the sake of all moms out there that send there babies off to school with this scary allergy.
 

Finding Time To Exercise

    The most difficult thing for a Mom to find time for is herself. I have three kids, and finding that "Me time" is so hard. One thing that I try to do is exercise, because that's usually the only time I get to myself. I have a gym membership so I try to escape a few times a week, get on the elliptical, or treadmill and put on some music. I love that time I get to myself, I feel so rejuvenated after.

    With three small children, one that is also being breastfed, I feel like I am constantly on call. I try to plan my day around my baby's feedings, nap time and other activities. My husband enjoys going to the gym as well, so finding time for both of us can be difficult.  I know if I don't try and make the time it will become harder and harder to find time as my children, and our family grows. I wish I could be one of those moms that wake up at 5AM to go to the gym before their family wakes up. I however, am definitely not one of those moms.
  
   Working out has its benefits too for me. I've noticed that the days I work out I have so much more energy to play with my crazy kids. I kind of feel I can't be the best mom for my kids if I am not in shape and active.  With summer approaching I am going to need that extra energy for all the walks, bike riding, swimming, park hopping, and chasing around.

    Even though its hard to find time for me to get out and go to the gym and get that "Me time", I need to do it for the benefit of not only my sanity but for my kids.

Peanut Allergy Treatment

     I have posted before about my Daughter having a peanut allergy. I am so excited and thrilled, we have the opportunity to be involved in a clinic study for her allergy. Whats even more amazing about this, is that there isn't a Doctor out here in over 800 miles within our home that is doing this study. We literally are just driving down the street.

     My daughter is thrilled. She keeps telling me she can't wait to be able to eat peanuts. She feels like she will soon not be left out anymore. Although it isn't approved by the FDA this treatment has had great results with those involved. The Doctor set us all down and spent an hour and a half going over the treatment, the pros and cons of the treatment, and answered all our questions. He told us that he finally decided to do this at his clinic mainly because, if his child was in this situation he would want this for them. He feels that he now has been educated on this coarse of treatment to the point where he finally feels comfortable doing this.

     The scary part about not doing this treatment, is my child having a severe reaction when I am not around. I have heard of too many cases where a child was accidentally fed peanuts and has died. I feel that trying something like this would be safer than not trying anything at all. At least if she were to have a reaction during this treatment her  Doctor, whom I trust and have been seeing for years, will be there to assist in a clinic setting.

     There are a number of studies out there for people with peanut allergies. The study we will be doing is,  Oral Immunotherapy. Basically they take microscopic amounts of the peanut and mix it in a solution and over a series of 5-7 months gradually increase until she will be eating a total of 16 peanuts a day without a reaction. Once she reaches the 16 peanut marker they will test her with food in the clinic, and if she has no reaction then we will do maintenance. Maintenance  means,  for the first 6 months after she must eat roughly 16 peanuts a day. After that she must eat 8 peanuts a day for the rest of her life. They did say she could eat stuff like peanut m&ms for her daily dose, so it will be easy for me to get her to eat them. She will also be able to eat an unlimited number of peanuts after that required dose with zero reaction.


     I am still learning a lot about this study. So far, everything I've heard is good. I know during this program there will be reactions the doctor told me these will most likely be mild.  It will however, be nice to have one less thing to worry about when she starts going to school.

     Wish us luck! If anyone knows anything about this study please feel free to comment. Like I said,  I am still learning about this. It sure sounds exciting though.

Losing Weight & Feeling Great!

     Last Fitness Friday, I decided to post about my baby fat. I have been working extra hard trying to get my pre-baby figure back, and this week I was able to lose 2 pounds! I feel this is pretty good for a full time breastfeeding mom. I have noticed that it is hard to balance losing weight without losing milk supply, so I am making a goal of continuing to lose just 1-2 pounds a week as I continue on this journey. With only six more pounds to go, I'm feeling extra motivated.

     We even celebrated a birthday party at my house. With tempting yummy cake and ice cream all around me I was still able to lose this weight. I am so proud of myself!

 

I can't wait to see how much weight I will lose this week!

Adventures of the Big Boy Bed

    Switching your toddler from the crib to a bed can be a challenge. Most don't look forward to the switch. However, my little man can't stay in his crib forever. Also we are needing to move the baby into the crib in the next couple months so I am hoping to get him used to the big bed in time.

    Okay now the bed is up, and the dreaded first night of moving my child from crib to bed has arrived!  How am I going to keep my toddler from climbing out and playing, or screaming all night?  Well this is a work in progress, and I am attempting to follow a regular bedtime routine.  I am also letting him sleep with both his favorite blanky & teddy. Luckily for me he hasn't figured out how to open his door by himself yet.

    My biggest challenge so far, is he keeps getting out to play with toys. However, with my first child I had to deal with the screaming. So I guess I will take playing with toys over that. Ive been going in every 20 min or so and putting him back into bed. I sure hope he goes to sleep soon so Mommy can get some sleep.

The incredible edible egg

Participating today in Motivational Monday Link-Up

    During my weight loss journey I've come across foods that are a must when trying to lose weight. We all could use some fun tips to get us ready for swimsuit season.

     1st, always eat whole grain bread, white bread may taste better, but if your trying to lose weight think of trading white for 100% whole wheat.

     2nd, trade those sugary cereals, donuts, or whatever other unhealthy option your eating now that's stopping you from being in the body you deserve. They may taste really yummy but they are doing more harm on, not only the look of your body, but more importantly your overall health. Try trading theses with food like Cheerios, oatmeal or a yummy egg white omelet. Include this with a serving of fruit as well.

   3rd, cook with lean meats, like turkey, chicken or fish. they are a great source of protein (which builds lean muscle) and a whole lot less fat.

  4th, If your one that needs a late night snack, try a healthy option. Skip the chips, ice cream, or whatever other unhealthy concoction you come up with, for egg whites with a little salsa. It's suppose to kick start your metabolism, so you can burn fat while you sleep. I picked up that little trick from my husbands nutritionist.

   5th,  Make sure your drinking LOTS of water and using portion control. Good luck.

Baby Fat

www.jillconyers.com

    I wish this were a post on my cute chunky new baby boy however, this is more of a post on my not so cute post baby fat. I feel its is time to quit the excuses and get my body back into gear. This pregnancy pooch is suppose to go away after baby not stick around.

    Right before I found out I was pregnant I had just lost a staggering 25 pounds! To some people this may not be a lot, but for me it was HUGE... I was just starting to feel pretty again, when I discovered I was pregnant. Even though I was super excited to have this sweet little baby I wasn't excited about gaining back all that weight I had just lost.

     As any pregnant girl knows its hard to not indulge yourself in cravings, especially in the last few weeks of pregnancy when your so uncomfortable, hot, and all you want to do is cry. You really start to look at food like its a reward for being so miserable.  Although I did hold strong to a healthy lifestyle while pregnant, I still packed on a few extra, no so pregnancy pounds most likely from the last month of pregnancy.
   
    My baby is now almost 4 months old, and I have no excuse. I must resist that sinfully delicious chocolate, and must get off my butt and go to the gym! I am 8 pounds short of my pre-pregnancy weight, and I cant wait to shed that off... Wish me luck :)

Next Week's Workout Plan

30 min Gym Cardio 
45 min strength training
(at least 5 days worth)
 

Polish and Dust Dancing:)

1000 Sit-Up's

Vacuum and Mopping Yoga:)

500 Lunges

Daily Baby and Toddler Toting Around Bicep Workout:)

Peanut Allergies, Ya we got that....

    My Daughter was diagnosed with severe peanut allergy when she was 18 months old. I knew then, that our lives were changed forever. A lot of people don't understand this allergy, they don't understand how serious it really is. Many don't understand this is literally poison to my daughter and if fed to her it will kill her if not treated quickly.
   
    It boggles my mind how many people don't take her allergy serious. I have to be a whole different kind of mom. I'm usually a very laid back person, but this has forced me to become a Mom who is extremely over protective, not because I want to be, but because I have to.

     My daughter has struggled with this allergy and I have had to watch her and help her wipe tears from her  eyes, because she didn't understand why she couldn't have the food all her friends were eating. She is always sad when she is left out of the group.  From birthday parties, neighborhood parties, church functions, and yes even family functions I had to be on top of the game. Bringing extra food for my daughter now seems like a must. I really don't expect everyone to understand her allergy, I myself didn't understand it till she was diagnosed. but I do expect people to understand that this is serious. It is pure ignorance to not know a nut allergy isn't serious.

   I am lucky to live in a community where the people my daughter associates with daily understand her allergy. The're always there to ask me if she can have this or that. However, my shields are always up and I am always and forever going to protect her from these seemingly harmless little nuts.

This Mommys got sleepy newborn syndrome

    We all know it can be very difficult to get that new baby to go to bed at night and stay asleep. It can drain you to the core and bring out the worst in yourself. This can be even harder for a brand new Mommy. I am hoping to share some wisdom to you new mommies out there. I am reminded of how difficult it can be with each new baby I have brought into the world. Since I am going through this right now for the third time, it’s been on my mind a bit more.

    With my first child I remember being up all hours of the night constantly rocky my newborn in my arms till she was all the way asleep. This is where I went wrong! 1st rule don’t be afraid to let your baby cry a little.

   With my second baby I was bound and determined not to spoil him like I did with my first. I realized quickly that babies love to be rocked, but they need to learn independence in order for Mommy to get more sleep. rule #2 make sure you have a swing. Swings are the best invention EVER (try and find the kind that plug into the wall you will save money on batteries). I taught my second son to fall asleep without the assistance of his mommy with little to no crying and was able to transition from the swing to just lying him in bed when he was awake he knew it was bedtime and would just dose off. Well I thought I was awesome, I thought I knew it all, I thought I was like the "baby whisperer", until baby #3 came into the picture.

    I never realized how easy baby number two was until my next son was born. This boy loves to cuddle and will cry and cry and cry. But like I said never be afraid to let your baby cry. Right now I am working slowly with him to get him trained. But with my swing and letting him cry for a min or two i have high hopes he will be trained quickly.

    Okay, now that you got the idea of how to get those precious babies to sleep let’s talk about sleeping through the night. The tinnier the baby the harder this will be, but to you moms out there that have healthy babies growing right on track or maybe chunkier, this is for you. When baby wakes up during the night to feed force the binky, don’t pick up the baby and don’t rock the baby just keep putting a binky in their mouth. If baby just won’t take the binky then go ahead and feed. Keep lights off, don’t play with your baby, try to avoid diaper changes if possible, and as soon as baby is done feeding burp him/her and put them right back in their bed. This will teach them night time is for sleeping, and by putting them in their bed instead of your bed it will teach them not to climb in bed with you when their older, and its much safer for baby too.

    Good luck to all you new moms. It’s true it does get easier with each child, as we learn to be more of a tough love kind of mom. But remember it is easier to be a good mommy when you have had sleep, so get those babies trained :)

New to Blogging

I have decided its far beyond time I get into blogging and share my daily journey of motherhood.
I am a married mother of three, who has the busiest job of them all.  I work 100+ hours a week, and attempt to give my kids the appearance that I am brilliant, all knowing, glamorous, full of ideas, never ending energy and on top of it all.
You guessed it, I am also a stay at home mom.  But luckily for me my oldest is three and hasn't quite discovered just yet that I am anything but Fabulous!

I cook and bake, sometimes it turns out great and sometimes not so much.  But every now and then I come up with something really cleaver and it turns out fabulously and I can't help but share my accomplishments with others.  So if you follow my blog, you'll see the occasional recipe gone great and I imagine the gone bad too:)

Like most women after just having a baby, I am out on a quest to lose that lingering baby fat.  It's true running after three kids does in fact provide a lot of exercise!  Unfortunately, when I hear the "mommy can I have a treat", I find it hard to only hand one over to the kids and not enjoy one for myself.  Which is why I am awfully glad I really enjoy working out, and make the time as often as I can for a little ME fitness time.  I look forward to sharing my journey from baby fat to wonder woman:)

I have many hobbies, but like all mom's I don't get to spend much time on them.  I can't remember the last time I read a book that wasn't a princess picture storybook.  Oh wait, yes I can!  It was in college:)
I love to camp and enjoy the outdoors.  But do miss when it only took me five to ten minutes to throw an overnight bag together.  Now packing has become an all day or week adventure.  Although I must admit being a mother has significantly increased my abilities in this.  I can miraculously fit into a minivan what most people would consider the impossible and I take great pride in that talent and ability!

So this post shall start my new blogging journey:)