Project Simplify: Pantry

YEA!  I actually got my pantry organized, wiped down, and labeled.  I wasn't positive it would happen this week, but once I got it started it was really only about an hour....  It took me longer to figure out how to make a stupid simple sheet of labels on the Mac more than anything else - put together!

So, once I got the labels done - I printed it on a sheet of labels I had and used about 18" of contact paper, also something I have on hand...so, essentially free :-D, my kind of project!

I simply put the label on my containers, then so I could wipe them off and re-name if wanted, I covered them with a piece of contact paper.

  

I didn't know some of my flours need to be refrigerated, so I did a little rearranging there too.  I believe with the labels my Gluten Free stuff is less likely to get contaminated.  My family just doesn't get it, not to be mean, but just not thinking about it.  I'm hoping with the red containers and 'GF' written on containers that are needing to stay Gluten Free it helps them stop and think before using.  For twelve years mom's pantry has been my go-to if I ran out, and my pantry has been her go-to...that is a hard habit to break.   I'm not even trying to break it, just re-train.  I'm hoping with the shelves labeled my kids will be better about helping keep the pantry clean.

So, now under my lovely sign and behind my curtain - is a clean organized pantry.  I so, very much love "a place for everything and everything in it's place" {sigh}!  Do you see my poor tree reaching for the light.  It is aimed towards the glass door.  It's starting to get more light.

My Gluten Free journey....

We don't know where our journey leads.  But we do know God has the perfect plan,
and we do know He is with us at ALL times.   Especially, when we can't see around the corners of life.

First of all -- my kids and I have just spent the first five days by ourselves.  In the house. With no one else here.  We’ve left twice, for a total of four hours in the last five days.  Did I mention it has been just us?  I’ve been looking forward to this since April of last year….. 

I have had my pantry and kitchen in 100% my (& my children’s) control for the first time since having to be gluten free.  I know, I know, that is a weird think to say or care about.  But it's because you don’t really get the layout of our house, but I live in an apartment attached to my parents’ home.  I have my own kitchen and bathroom.  My daughter and I share the one bedroom in the apartment, and my son has his own in my parents’ house.  We share a laundry room, what we call the “in-between room”.  So anyway, I knew that even though I have learned to not cross-contaminate my sugar, spices, condiment containers, etc., others haven’t.  Not to be mean, but out of lack of understanding.  It’s just normal – when mom or I need something, rather than make a special trip out we check the others’ kitchen and pantry first. (we do check with the other before just using)

I have had lingering symptoms of something from somewhere – gluten or allergy to something else?  I don’t know, but they are symptoms I didn’t have last summer when I was gone.  Yet, they are symptoms I’m all too familiar with, and especially since January of 2010.  So tired, falling asleep standing up kind of tired.  My hands, feet and abdomen were so swollen and ached.  It’s funny, I was so physically miserable but didn’t know why.  I tried to eat healthier, which was to lean towards whole wheat – which I grew up on.  I quit drinking Pepsi and moved onto to Mug Root Beer, I thought maybe it was caffeine bothering me.  But it just got worse.  Tongue swelling, can't think - let alone think straight kind of worse.

Jump to just 14 months later and the events had been: my mom had an appendectomy and spent 10 days in the hospital; two milestone birthdays-my son turned 13, my daughter 10; an attempt at my children going to school instead of home school; dad completed another round of chemo; finished up another campaign; another job change; 10 years of being a single mom; my mom had knee surgery; another miserable winter; more pounds gained; more swelling; more pain; excruciating exhaustion – but 14 classes later, on April 10^th, my school was finally done.  Yes, 2010 was kind of brutal :-D….but God was, is, and always will be faithful!  

{there are two truly horrible photos coming here - the first is painful to even look at.  My eyes were NOT closed - they were swollen, even the eyelids.  My hands hurt so bad opening that envelope, but it held my diploma -- I had to open it.  The second photo is almost four months to the day later.  My kids playing with the iPhone - we were in Lowes (of course).  Totally blurry, but as you can see - I do have eyes}

May 14, 2011

 May 23^rd, I finally went to the doctor.  I went because my aunt had visited in January and my dad had come home a couple times – they both said it was obvious something was wrong.  I kept saying, “It’s just stress.  School will be done soon.  I don’t have time to deal with making an appointment and then going.”  I knew my thyroid was totally messed up too and that was going to take a few needles and months to get sorted out and on the right dosage.  So I put it off.

When I found out I was going to get to take a wonderful trip out of state for six weeks and a good portion of it would be with my aunt, my mom basically black-mailed me by saying, “You know she’ll {my aunt} want to know why you didn’t listen".

Ugh, mothers! {I’m kidding, :-D} Fine. I’ll go.

I don’t have insurance; I hate needles and medicine…so I went to a naturopath.  I knew this naturopath had a reputation of wanting patients to go gluten free and dairy free (or at least easy on dairy).  I was dreading the appointment for that reason.  

You have to realize, I wasn't concerned about what I'd be "missing".  I don’t enjoy food, never have.  It’s a necessary evil in life as far as I’m concerned.  I told her I really didn’t want to “do gluten free” to see how well I would feel.  I felt it was the new fad food.  It’s too expensive.  I didn’t doubt people would feel better, but unless there was a medical reason for it I really didn’t want to go there.  I didn’t want to know how good I could feel if I wasn’t going to keep it up.  {please don’t think I was being calloused.  I have friends with Celiac, I was in no way referring to them.  It was the idea of “doing gluten free” like so many “do organic”, because it's "better" – in Alaska, it’s EXPENSIVE, and I am very choosy where I will spend money.  Food is not it – it’s not a priority to me.}  She convinced me to try it for three months, then we’d re-evaluate the necessity of it. … well, I decided I would do what she said – go gluten free (GF) and dairy free (DF) for three months.  I would be good, I would be thorough, I would be diligent.  And I was.  Within three weeks, all head aches were gone, the swelling in my fingers and toes was down to the point of my shoes fitting comfortably and I could make a fist again; and my abdominal swelling went down by a couple inches.  The biggest thing for me – I was traveling and not sick, tired, achy, or having headaches.  Unheard of!  I had all summer and much easier access to GF foods, and lots of feeling wonderful to get used to this new way of life. 

As much as I hated the idea of focusing on GF/DF foods for the summer for myself, while in others’ homes – God totally knew what He was doing {of course, duh!}.  It was an amazing summer.  For the first time in my life I felt hunger; and when I ate, I felt satisfaction.  Food tasted good.  I understood why people wanted food.  I actually enjoyed tossing menu ideas around with my cousins.  I never once in those six weeks felt icky.  So mind boggling to me.

After the initial three months I realized the GF was with me to stay, but I begged to have cheese again.  Real cheese.  I promised to keep it limited to just pizza once a week, and nachos/other dishes/cheeseburger a couple times a month.  I love cheese.  Not fancy cheese.  Plain, mild Colby Jack- generic brand, thank you.  

Until a couple years ago I didn’t realize cheese bothered me.  I knew milk did, but chose denial when cheese was involved.  I didn’t go back to milk, because it’s always bothered me and I’ve found I like the canned coconut milk in my coffee in place of half-n-half; and I can actually eat cereal now because I use coconut milk (not canned, the drinking kind).  If I’m out and about and pick up a coffee, I will put half-n-half in it, but not too much or it gives me a tummy ache.  Nothing new there, no big deal. So, I have been really particular and pay close attention to the GF.  I’ve checked my lotions, shampoo, conditioner, soaps – all those hidden places. 

four months later

I have “been glutened” a couple times – each time I’ve had no question whether I should have eaten _____ or not.  Basically, I mentally and physically shut down.  I can try to fight it, but it just makes the headache worse.  About six hours go by and it really doesn’t matter what my “mind over matter” plan might be, I fall asleep.  Hard.  The first time was three days.  When I can get up, I am crabbier than crabby, and there is still a residual headache and intestinal yuck to deal with, for a couple weeks.  But it’s a headache I can work through and at least I’m up, not sleeping.

So – lately I’ve been wondering if I’m blowing this out of proportion and being over conscientious of where gluten is lurking.  I’m tired of reading ingredients (why is it written in huge, non-normal people language words, in all caps, on rounded containers?  Seriously!).  I’ve wondered if I allowed myself to be lured into thinking I “needed to do this”.  After all, what would happen if I just quit?  So what if I don’t feel as well.  It can’t be all that bad, right; I lived that way for 38 years.  That has been a looming thought for me over the last couple weeks.

Well, my dad was home last weekend.  On the way to the airport we stopped to eat.  I had looked the place up online, they had good reviews for accommodating GF…but they were from 2008.  I took food with me, just in case.  I had it in my purse.  

Anyway – to make this a bit shorter I won’t go into much detail.  But, I will say I was told unless I was Celiac {as in just gluten intolerant} I would be fine.  I was not comfortable with the food not being contaminated (not even a salad).  He already had the other three orders, I mentioned I would just eat my own food.  He said, “No, we won’t let you eat your own food in here.”  In the end I ordered a cheeseburger with just lettuce and tomato, and they were going to treat it as gluten intolerance.  

Bad, bad choice on my part….  I was near tears within the hour, but I had promised my kids we’d stop at Barnes & Noble to read; then I had to stop at Costco before heading home.  I had the stupid headache, and my stomach hurt so bad.  When we were getting ready to leave Costco, Vince looked at me and said, “Are you sure you can drive?  Your lips are really white, like creepy looking.”  We got home fine, my kids unloaded Costco, and I don’t even remember laying down on the couch.  I slept from 7pm-10:30am; then again from 1-6pm before that stupid headache let up and I could wake up.  

I'm so very thankful God has blessed me with good children, children who care for and about others.  They just came in the house, did what needed to be done, including unloading and putting away Costco stuff.  They woke me up to go to bed, then the next day just did their school work on their own.  When they woke me up at 6pm, dinner was waiting. Amazing.  Thank you, Heavenly Father.  I know a lot of this is because we home school and they are used to life - and what needs to happen each day.  But they made the choices, and good ones.  Repeatedly.  Together.

It’s now five days later – and I still wish I hadn’t eaten that meal.  I forgot how much your head, stomach, and joints can hurt – and all from something I can’t even see!  

I can say with confidence God has answered my prayer and questioning thoughts of whether I should just quit GF and who cares, I'll get over it. ...Uh, never mind - I will stick to being gluten free, thank you.  I can be confident He will provide the finances to buy the more expensive foods too.  He promised to.

He is faithful. All the time.

My reasoning for dragging you all through this ridiculously long post - besides for me to remember by - is just in case there is someone who needs to make that phone call, or who is thinking of ignoring something health wise.  This is your encouragement to take the time, make the effort - do it.  {It probably won't go away on it's own without some kind of help or additional knowledge.}  Also, and more importantly, for the reminder once again - we have a loving Heavenly Father who cares and hears EVERY request.  Only God knew how much I was wrestling with this.  He could have quickened my heart to not order, or if I didn't listen and ordered it anyway, to not eat it.  Yet, He chose to let me be reminded by feeling the pain because He knows that is how I learn best.  {yes, I am consistently stubborn-not proud of it, but it is the truth}

2011 in review, Jan thru mid-June...

We had an amazing 2011! There were so many highlights I can’t possibly make this short. God was greatly gracious to us and we were very blessed this last year, with minimal hardships and frustrations. I’m sorry to say those hardships and frustrations have threatened to extinguish the overwhelming truths of God’s promises and love for me. There is so much more I could say, but won’t. After all, this is the world wide internet and it includes others. I’m sure as time goes on, I get things better sorted in my head, and I’m understanding the wisdom gained from the experiences and memories you will eventually hear about it. :-)

This was also a monumental year for me personally. There are so many things I learned, I don’t think I could even put it all into words. There are times I read something and think – “yes, that is exactly it!” Maybe some day I’ll do a post of quotes to try to describe some of these ‘personal growths’. The year 2011 signifies the fact I have been out of high school for 20 years! This seems unbelievable to me. I don’t feel old enough to be out that long. The year brought opportunities I have dreamt of for much of my life. I understand better the saying of others, “I feel younger now than I did 15 years ago.”

{warning – this will be really long and may not be very enjoyable to you, but it is a trip down memory lane for my kids & I. If you want to just skim it – I highlighted the main parts :-D.}

January: I made the decision for our family to return to home schooling. It was for the best. If anyone has questions and I am happy to answer them via email. I’m just not comfortable with posting specific reasons world-wide. We did one week of school after Christmas break. The next day, Tuesday January 11^th, I un-enrolled the kids from the school they were going to, then finished the process of un-enrolling them from the home school program we use and in the same hour re-enrolled them into that same home school program. We had the privilege of watching my niece several hours a week. The kids loved having her come on a regular basis.

February and March: I was in my last class. A programming class. I HATE coding, I’m fine with using code and learning what to change for appearance changes, but please, please, please don’t ever make me write code for a program from a blank slate to follow through with all the possible errors! The first programming class I had was May/June of 2010. I was very close to quitting school at that point. I had a horrible teacher for that class and barely passed. At least the teacher I had for this last class was WAY better and I got a high B. For these months I was in the programming class, home schooling, part-time job, and being mom. I was tired, didn't feel well, and living in a blur most of the time.

April: On April 10^th I turned in my last final! I was done with the associates degree in Information Technology and Web Design. I was done – 20 months after starting. Unfortunately, after starting (I realized during the above mentioned first programming class) that I didn’t really want this degree, I wanted Graphic Design. So, while I’m excited I’m done and happy I have a piece of paper to prove I did some college, I am looking at teaching myself what I really wanted to know…as soon as life slows down a bit. In April I bought one way tickets out of state to the cheapest location I could find…{yes, I realize that is a very backwards way to do things, as well as being very uncharacteristic for me :-D. Regardless, God blessed me in this moment of insanity anyways.}. I was just done with feeling yuck all the time, being confined to the computer (doing school), and the lack of sun we had the previous summer (and what sun we did have I missed because I was inside on the computer doing school), and the wind! I was so weary of the wind; and one morning about 10am I heard it start again. When I heard it everything in me went nuts. I got online, searched found a really cheap ticket, called mom (in Juneau at the time) and said “I’m going with the kids, you want to join us? I don’t have any more of a plan, but at the very least we can go for a few days, staying in a hotel, and fly back.” Shockingly, she agreed. Within 3 hours of the wind starting I had tickets out of the state. “Real life” seemed really far away and I was trying hard to recuperate from full-time school, part-time job, and home school down to “just” home school and part-time job. So…why not ‘run away’…it was logical at the moment; and I haven’t ever regretted it. I bought tickets to Denver, Colorado for $150 each! Just so you can understand how good that is - today tickets to Seattle are $530 one way/person! (granted that is no notice - wait a couple weeks and it's $230 for one way/person). All I knew for sure was we’d go to Focus on the Family and see Whit’s End. Something I’ve wanted to take the kids to see for years. I knew the Air Force Academy was across the road and the Garden of the Gods was near as well. (I went to Summit Ministries in Colorado Springs for a session the summer I graduated from high school).

May: May was spent continuing to recuperate and learn to live life again without daily check-ins into class and no homework assignments. Doing “normal” things like cleaning, laundry, and planning possibilities for our summer trip. In late May I was told I needed to make the lifestyle change of going gluten free and dairy free. There were several health issues we were looking for answers to; one of which was to change my hypothyroid medicine. For the next three months I was to be very diligent about being gluten free and dairy free. How fun - switch to a totally different way of eating when heading out on what had become a six week trip to span Colorado, Wyoming, Minnesota, and Wisconsin … oh joy.

June: On the 6^th mom, the kids, and I flew from Anchorage to Denver. We left the car rental lot at 8:30am; went to a restaurant nearby for breakfast then headed to Colorado Springs. We went to Focus on the Family and visited Whit’s End. It was so much fun to “see” Whit’s End and the location of Adventures in Odyssey. The kids got one of Mr. Whitaker’s World Famous Chocolate Soda (Wod-Fam-Choc-Sod). After Focus on the Family went across the highway to the Air Force Academy. It was amazing to see the chapel – I haven’t seen it since 1991 and it was just as amazing as I remembered! Then we went exploring a bit in Colorado Springs (drove a bit in town), including the Garden of the Gods. It was so much fun to show the kids monumental things I saw so many years ago – plus, it is where mom grew up. After the Garden of the Gods we drove back to Denver – we returned the car at 8:30pm! My cousin, Loneta and Aunt Carol were at the car lot to pick us up, we then went to my cousin’s house for the night where my uncle (mom’s brother) was waiting for us. I haven’t seen my cousin since 1991 either… It was fun to see her really cool house! I will be enjoying pictures of her house and yard over the next cold, wintery months for sure! On Wednesday morning all seven of us loaded into Loneta’s jeep and Uncle Dave & Aunt Carol’s truck; we headed to Steamboat Springs, Colorado. What a gorgeous drive! Loneta had a photo shoot for her job and we got to join her. It was so cool to see a bit of her life. Mom & I got to go for a couple hours and see the end of their magazine photo shoot – for real! Oh, it was so wonderful. My creative thoughts started to thaw and there was a trickle of a desire again. The kids stayed with Uncle Dave & Aunt Carol – in the pool – where else :-D. Friday morning we packed up and Loneta headed back to Denver while the rest of us climbed into Uncle Dave & Aunt Carol’s truck to head to Cody, Wyoming. We drove for 14 hours – six of us in a truck – and it was so much fun! We got to drive along the Oregon Trail and see the ruts (still!) from the covered wagons, and into South Pass City & Atlantic City. Uncle Dave and Aunt Carol knew so much history – it was like we were on a personal narrated tour! It was so amazing to see the countryside and the truck was so comfortable we weren’t even desperate to get out when we got there. We spent the next week in Cody and it’s surrounding areas. The last time I was there was about 30 years ago for Christmas, so for all practical purposes it was my first time. It really was a history rich, enjoyable week and wonderful start to the summer. On the 16^th Uncle Dave and Aunt Carol took us to the airport in Billings, Montana. The kids & I were flying to Minneapolis (via Denver?!) and a couple hours after our flight left mom flew back to Anchorage.

… to be continued later. I forgot how much went into this last year. This is just the timeframe from January to mid-June…. Wow, 2011 was a FULL year!

December already?!

How did this happen? I can't believe we're in December, I feel as if I haven't gotten a grip on this year at all - to prove it...I dated something as 2010 just the other day!

This year has been a crazy year - I really want life to slow down, but since I'm not seeing evidence of that happening any time soon I've realized I better forget the idea of getting caught up and just jump to now.... I will get the blog quirks figured out and start posting pictures again. My goal is to start the new year more organized in this endeavor, but in order for that to happen I need to start now...right after making Christmas gifts.

Now to get busy making Christmas gifts and doing all the things that make this time of year so special. It is my favorite season after all...and I did start listening to Christmas music in October! Before this year, I've always stuck to the "no Christmas music until after Thanksgiving dinner" thought. I found it relaxing and freeing. I did still wait until the Friday after Thanksgiving to pull out Christmas decorations. Gotta love Pandora! :-) The Christmas music helped my creative thoughts and list making ideas come to the front of my brain and even though I feel like there is "only" three weeks until Christmas, I'm mentally thinking "how fun, we still have three whole weeks until Christmas!"

Have a blessed, Merry Christmas season!

I want to focus on Christmas as an event void of commercialism and materialism, meaning family, making gifts, maybe experimenting with more gluten free baking, and for sure reflecting on and counting our many blessing of the last year.

THANKFUL

Today is the day before Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful, in everything. We aren't always thankful for everything, but we are told in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 to "give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." God didn't suggest we give thanks only when we feel it; He says to give thanks in all circumstances.

Sometimes I find it easier to grumble and complain about what I don't like rather than to give thanks in all circumstances. All. Not just the ones I enjoy or desire, but all. So, in light of our American tradition to focus on thanks this one day of the year I often wonder why Black Friday was designated as the day after thanksgiving. It seems Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday, have become their own holiday(s) to squelch all thankfulness right out of us. It is hard to remember I am very content when I see all the really good deals, even though I don't like to shop (let alone combat shopping) and we're making our gifts.... Silly me. So, why would I even consider going Black Friday shopping? Because a friend called today and said, "I need a crazy friend to go with me shopping, but this year I'm going at midnight and going all night." This is the friend who introduced me to Black Friday shopping, standing in line at Toy's R Us for 2 hours (did that make it 4am, after we drove an hour and a half to get there?) before they even opened at sub-freezing temps...why would I even consider this? Simple. To spend time with a friend. I'm so thankful I have friends.

On to other randomness:

I finally got a $3.69 box of mac-n-cheese, and today was the day we had "macaroni-n-cheese, with hot dogs cut up, and peas". He wanted to know if I needed the recipe he drew for me. Oh, I love that boy! I was instructed to remember the hot dogs needed to be cut up and cooked first. Then the peas at the end. While I was making lunch he wanted me to play the guessing game to what his most favorite noodles were. So I was asking different foods made with noodles, I suggested mac-n-cheese, he said "no"; I continued asking about shapes of noodles. He finally stopped me and said, "No, none of those. It's not just macaroni-and-cheese, but your macaroni-and-cheese." Oh ya - I was fighting tears.

I always find it interesting how God knows exactly when and where we need Him to show up most. Today has been a thoughtful, deliberately thankful, not so wonderful day...but even with the gratitude offered for simple "mac-n-cheese, with hot dogs cut up, and peas" in the middle of the day, at the end of the evening, I did have a couple more big blessings.

Today I made my very first gluten free apple pie, yes I realize the edges are almost burnt. It is not a pie that could win any kind of beauty contest (but then even with gluten my pies weren't pretty) This was not a small project, I don't want to buy the expensive xanthun gum or guar gum on top of which I've read too much about people reacting to them so I don't even want to go there. So, after fixing lunch I got the apples all prepped and went to sprinkle flour on them....ah, crud! I hadn't mixed up my new batch of gluten free flour so I had to stop and mix that first, for those 3 Tablespoons. I knew I needed to mix a new batch, but I hadn't done it yet - I was trying to get the apples doing their thing first. I had a moment of being really annoyed and put out that I couldn't just use regular ingredients and be done. I had to stop myself and be thankful I have so much gluten free available to me. I'm so spoiled, products are so well labeled, I have so many blogs I can research, I have internet to do the research, and there is so much variety in pre-made that I have absolutely no business being grumpy. None at all. Anyway, I got the pie done (finally) and it tastes yummy! The crust doesn't perform like we think a crust should. It is more of a crumble texture on top and bottom - I'm okay with that, it tastes good :-). Tomorrow my plan is to try my mom's roll recipe I've always used and substitute my gluten free flour to see if I can make rolls....I might chicken out and use the Pamela's bread mix I bought though. We'll see how adventuresome I feel.

Lastly, tonight as I was waiting for pictures to download from my camera to computer, I was over reading Donna at Funky Junk Interiors blog and when I got to the bottom of her post - there was my picture.... I was so shocked! I won the giveaway to Katies Rose Cottage Designs I posted about on Saturday. I'm going to have such a hard time making decisions - but I can't wait :-D! Thank you Donna and Lori for this fun opportunity!