Battle of Knits

What does it mean to be Gluten-free?

What you can eat:

With a gluten free diet, you can still eat any of the following food products since they naturally do not have gluten:

1. Fresh, dried, canned, or frozen fruits and vegetables as long as they do not have thickening ingredients and additives that have gluten.

2. Starches and flours made from rice, soybeans, tapioca, corn, and buckwheat.

3. Dairy products like cheese. However, avoid these products at the beginning of your treatment for celiac disease.

4. Eggs

5. Alcoholic beverages like wine and liquor like brandy, whiskey, ciders, and liquers.

6. Unprocessed meat products

7. Frozen or canned meat products, provided that they do not have any sauce.

8. Cereal products made from corn, lentil flour, rice bran, amaranth, lentil flour, psyllium, and polenta.

9. Rice crackers, rice crispies, corn tortillas, taco shells made from corn.

10. Gluten-free pasta, bean or rice vermicelli, buckwheat noodles, and rice noodles.

11. Condiments like tomato paste, jam, honey, cocoa, vinegar, honey, tahini, and some salad dressings and sauces.

12. Snacks like plain corn chips, plain chocolate, and popcorn.

13. Drinks like coffee, tea, mineral water, and spirits.

A few precautions

Be careful when buying foods that are labelled as “wheat-free” because it does not necessarily mean that they are gluten-free. When buying food, read the ingredients on the labels and be aware of the kinds of hidden gluten like those that can be found in different food additives and medications. Also, be aware that there are products that have “modified food starch” written on their labels because they may contain gluten.

Do not self-diagnose

Never self-diagnose that you have celiac disease. Before going on a gluten free weight loss diet, make sure to check with your doctor first. Only your doctor can give you the right diagnosis by showing that your bowel lining is damaged through endoscopy, blood tests, or by performing a biopsy on your bowel. More importantly, it is advised that you do not go on a gluten free weight loss diet before going to the doctor for a real diagnosis.

Stuff to remember

The gluten free diet may seem a little overwhelming at first. However, with enough knowledge, information and support, you can incorporate the diet into your lifestyle without any problems. Having celiac disease does not mean you have to stop eating majority of your favorite foods because despite several restrictions, you can still enjoy a variety of foods included in the diet. Furthermore, if you need more information on celiac disease and gluten free diets, you can consult a gastroenterologist, your doctor, or a credited/licensed dietitian or nutritionist.

Christmas Muno!

I finished the Christmas Muno last night.

He was really fun to make and I look forward to making the rest of the gang. Toodee and Foofa are up next. Then Brobee and Flex as soon as I find the yarn! I am also debating on knitting my son a sweater that looks like DJ Lance’s shirt.

Muno in stocking!

Muno by the poinsetta

Muno in the tree!

I had this fantasy about Muno traveling the world like a lawn gnome… pictures of him at the Eiffel tower, in a gondola on the streets of Venice, in the arms of a Koala bear… but, yeah… just a fantasy.

I have about 5 inches left on the shrug for Rachel’s daughter and I have one leg left on Laura’s shorties for her son. I am confident that my Christmas knitting will be done before 12/25… however I do not think I will have everything mailed out.  Speaking of mail…

I got these in the mail today…

I'm on the path to eliminating all things disposable! LOL

Yep.

Those are exactly what you think they are!

I am jumping on the hippie wagon. Well, I think I am already there with my cloth diapering and all. It just feels so good to throw less away. You may think I am gross (Josh does!) but I am okay with it. I know that I am saving the world– one month at a time, LOL!!! These were made for me by Celia at Cow Belle Boutique. Please visit her shop! I will be knitting some longies for her very soon in trade for this present that came in the mail today. I am really not sure if there are special washing instructions or not, but I will let you all know how this adventure works out for me. They are really soft. Which makes me excited, as nerdy as that sounds.

Well, off to check Facebook and knit-knit-knit…

Namaste Gluten-free Brownie mix

I was in a bit of a funk today. Didnt want to get out of bed…when I did I was still tired. The boy did not sleep well, so neither did I! I felt like I was dragging all day long. Finally after coffee didnt work, food didnt help and I tried to nap, but kept getting interrupted by a wild toddler… I slammed a red bull and cleaned the kitchen, which led me to the idea of baking. I had some GFree brownie mix that Josh’s mother bought me. I had never tried it before, so I decided it was time!

8X8 pan, egg, oil, water… 45 mins later I had some brownies. Not sure what to expect, as it always is with GFree foods… some are a home-run, some are severe strike-outs. You  almost never get something similar to the Gluten-filled counterparts that are imbedded in your memory. Today seemed to be a lucky day for GFree baking. They were/are great! I love them!!! Almost as soft and springy as REAL brownies! Very tasty too. I would add something to my next batch though, like chocolate chunks or something. They were a pleasant surprise and did seem to lift my mood a bit. Now the problem is that I am the only GFree eater in my home, so I know I will be eating an entire pan of brownies myself. To combat this problem I am going to freeze some and see how they hold up. I will report back and let you all know how they are after being frozen.

Toddler-bed Success!

It seemed to take FOREVER! I was a zombie for over a week… getting about 4 hours of sleep a night. Well, Tuesday night he slept the whole night, only waking a few times and falling back to sleep quickly. I woke up feeling pretty good. I was floored when he actually took a nap yesterday too! (Just after I finished my blog post about him not napping, of course.) Well, then he went to bed without a fuss at 8:15pm and I was just delighted at the idea of having our routine back! He slept decent… not wonderful, but better than he has been! He woke around 12:45am, I was up, reading the Kindle, so I went in and nursed him. I was really surprised when he was done nursing he let me get up, (yes, I squish into the toddler bed with him) and he simply rolled over and went to sleep rather than make a fuss or fight the sleep. I snuck out of there within 5 minutes and he did not wake again until 7am. I went and retrieved him, bringing him to our bed at that point. I shouldnt, but it seems if he wakes me between 4am and 7am I am on auto-pilot and I just grab him and bring him to our bed, some mornings I dont even remember doing it… I am a sleep-walking Mommy! So I feel GREAT today! I still tried to sleep in a little, but he really wasnt letting me today. I made the mistake of giving him a small piece of coffee cake with his banana for breakfast, so of course, he ate the cake and left the banana… then buzzed around on a cinnamon-sugar high for about an hour. He just finished lunch and I am hoping he naps again today. Sneaky me, I just replayed today’s Sesame Street so I could get some housework done and bang out this post! The house is swept, the blankets are being washed, most of the laundry is folded, dishes are in the dishwasher and I am on cup of coffee #2… hoping to get a bunch done and then have some knitting time during his nap.

I wanted to share something painful that happened yesterday…

I made a nice lunch for my baby-Boo. I put it on a plate, since he thinks he is too big for the highchair now and usually does pretty well at eating when I set meals out for him. He is a good buffet eater, eats what he likes, feeds the rest to the dog… yesterday, however he was a bit hyper and I should have known better!

Beautiful Lunch!

YUM!

All done!

I told Josh I want to take a class at Hanks for my Christmas present. Now I am having the hardest time deciding which one I want to take. There are about 4 I am interested in…Beaded Knitting, Spinning, Soap Making, Sweater Design and I am sort of wanting to take the 2 Toe-up socks on Circs, but I think I have sworn off socks forever. Spinning seems interesting, but also –expensive. I cant really afford to add to my habit. There is a drop spindle class, which is cheaper, but still… eh. I dont want to get addicted to another craft at this moment.

We have a date tonight. Kind of lame, but I am excited… we are going to sit on the couch and watch Evan Almighty. Yes, I am aware that it is an old movie. Last night we were talking and I mentioned that I was happy he had DVR’d that movie since I never saw the whole thing. We then remembered that I was pregnant the first time we watched it and I had to leave in the middle to go to work. He saw the whole thing after I had left, but he really likes Steve Carrell, (although he has not noticed I cleared The Office from the DVR yet… I find it excruciating!) so he declared that we have a date to watch it tonight. I am hoping we get some Pizza Hut wings too… I have not had them in almost 2 weeks. So, as easily amused as I am… I look forward to our “at-home” date, especially since the kiddo is sleeping so well lately.

Traveling Woman Shawl, on “Raspberry Beret” by Perhaps Today is a Good Day To Dye

Traveling Woman Shawl, on "Raspberry Beret" by Perhaps Today is a Good Day To Dye

Originally uploaded by Slychikadee

Email subscriptions now available…

I wouldn’t call myself computer-retarded, but somedays I think I am. I have been trying to create a spot for email subscriptions for quite awhile. The problem is I rarely have time to just sit around and read things on the internet… finally today I figured it out and also added another RSS feed button, since my theme stuck the RSS feed button at the very bottom —???— of the page. Well, it is available and now if you add your email address to that little box thingie, I will magically transport my blog updates to your inbox! No more digging through your favorites list… just open your email!

I have been getting subscriptions to a few of my favorite blogs through email and I love it, so I have been trying to make the option available on mine. Enjoy! In addition I have been fixing some little things too… like mis-directed links, dead links and other things that have not been on my priority list. Maintaining a blog, a toddler, a significant other, a dog, a home, 2 online stores, a knitting habit and a gluten free diet is a tall order. I am not exactly a type A personality. When I was in the work force, working 40 + hours a week, I did not even attempt housework except like once or twice a week… I lived like a slob, but mostly because I was exhausted when I got home and on my one day off I was not in the mood to clean anything. Those full time working moms who have less than helpful husbands/baby-daddies have my support, because I know I couldnt handle it!

On the subject of:

…Susan Powell — I think the husband killed her!

…Casey Anthony — Thank you Stan Strickland for denying the motion to toss the death penalty!

…Potty-training — I am scared to death!

… 2010 — I have a few ideas to liven this place up! Like contests, blogs, KALs, CALs, freebies and I am going to team up with some other bloggers to make 2010 a good time. Stay tuned!!!

That is all…

Be sure to subscribe!!! And thank you all for reading! I had 259 hits just on Monday. I feel so loved!!!

Where did I put my motivation?

Somehow I misplaced my motivation. I think I lost it somewhere between the transition to the toddler bed and the new “non-napping” kid I have. It seems that if I lose just a few hours of sleep that I turn into this grumbly, bitchy, whiny, lump-in-pj’s who slumps around in a zombie like state. I am not hunting brains though, just caffeine! Coffee… hot, warm, barely tepid or straight up cold, I am guzzling it. I am stashing redbulls in every corner and drawer in the refrigerator. All just too make it until 8pm when I put the boy to sleep. My sweet-darling boy has decided he isnt going to nap… without a crib or restraints, I am at a loss on how to make him realize a nap is a “good” idea! He used to be so manageable and he would just crawl into my lap around 1 pm, ask to nurse (non-verbally, of course) and then drift off to sleep while nursing. Well, not anymore. I thought the problem might be that he wasnt getting enough energy out and needed to be tired out, so yesterday when the temps jumped from low 60’s to the low 80’s we went outside to play like we used too. I kept crossing my fingers as I chugged my energy drinks… no dice. Wide awake all day long! Now the big problem with ingesting tons of caffeine all day while trying to keep up with an unstoppable toddler is that eventually you crash! I fight it, trying to stay awake, knowing I wont even get any sleep until at least 4am, but to be straight up honest… it sucks. Sometimes I find myself putting on Yo Gabba Gabba so I can sneak out and grab a shower or even a ten minute power nap.

He is doing better in the toddler bed. Much better. Monday was one week and Monday night he slept until around 3am, then woke up. I went in, nursed him to sleep… or so I thought. I got up and he was not asleep. So we played that game for another half hour, until finally he was deep in slumber… I snuck to my bed around 4am and got a nice 4 hours sleep. It was the first night in a week that we did not have a kid in our bed by 8am! Then last night, even more progress… he woke at 3 am, and I fully expected to repeat the process from last night… I got out of bed and before I got to my door, he had already fallen back to sleep! I jumped back in bed and fell asleep smiling!!! I expected to wake up in an hour to have to go to him, but he must have either cried quietly (HAHA yeah right!) or he slept right on through to 8am. Now this is all well and good, but I still did not get more than 4 hours sleep. So I asked Josh to put on PBS and give the little Boo-bear a few mini-pancakes and a banana. I also asked him to pick up the dogs food and water before he left. He came in to kiss me goodbye and I asked again,
“Did you pick up the Dog’s food and water for me?”
“Yeah, I did.” and he kissed me goodbye. I felt happy. The baby boy slept nearly the whole night and I get to stay in bed until he decides to get distracted from the boob-tube and come bother me to get at my boobs! I can nurse in my sleep though, so I fully expected to get an 45 mins of sleep at least… and I did…

but it came with a price!

Roughly 45 minutes later… like clockwork, my little guy came running in, making lots of noise in his footie pj’s. He climbed into the bed and jumped on me. Normally I find this so adorable, but today I did not. He was soaking wet! Instantly I knew that the only place he could have found that amount of water was the dog’s dish… I jumped up, stripped the kid down, and went to the laundry room where we are keeping the dog’s food. Sure enough, water and wet mushy dog food all over the floor. So I had a good time cleaning that up.
I called Josh and squawked, “I thought you said you put the dogs food and water up for me??!!”
“I did.” He said.
I then looked at the washer and dryer and could see that he may have, but only put them on the edge rather than move a laundry basket full of clothes. His sheer laziness infuriates me. I then went off about how I feel like I am taking care of two children and that he is always unreliable and blah-blah-blah. All falling on deaf ears, I’m sure. I think I hung up, bitching about having to mop the floor. He sent me a text about 5 minutes later saying “I’m sorry.”
and I replied “I love you, stupid.”
and he replied “I love you too, bitchy.”

At least I have an excuse though… 4 hours sleep and waking up to a sopping wet child on your chest, followed by cleaning up soggy wet dog food would dampen anyone’s day… he on the other hand, has no excuse. ((((DUH))))

So I have filled my housekeeping quota for the day! Although I might watch Hoarders later. Every time I watch that show I get this amazing burst of energy and clean everything… even those toast crumbs out of the toaster. They should have a Hoarders channel, then I could put Martha Stewart to shame.

In other news, I am mailing out my Christmas cards and gifts tomorrow… permitting that Josh does not forget or put it off. I also got a new book on the Kindle. I was torn between 3 books, Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential, High on Arrival by Mackenzie Phillips, and NutureShock: New Thinking About Children … I was torn, but eventually chose the Mackenzie Phillips book. I am sure I will eventually read all 3, but I am sure the Phillips book will be the most shocking and juicy. I have to admit the writing is already surpassing and expectation I had. If she wrote it herself, she is a good writer and shocking details aside, she should be commended for such good writing… by the way, I am only on chapter 1. My fear about this book was that all the good stuff had been discussed on Oprah. Chapter one has proved to be pretty intense. What a wild childhood she and her brother endured. It surprises me that so many people even survived the 60’s and 70’s. I will be sure to let you all know how the book turns out. So far though, chapter one is promising and it looks like it may be worth the $8.10 I paid.

What am I making?

Well, here is a few of the things I am in the middle of right now!

Shrug for Rachel's daughter

Capellet

For some reason I cannot upload the rest of my pictures… but I am also make some shorties and a Muno doll!

The Middle on ABC

Are you watching this show, “The Middle” ? If you are not, you are missing out! I stumbled upon this show by accident. I tuned in for “Hank” since I love Kelsey Grammar and I sat through an entire 30 minutes (even though I hate live tv) and it was a horrible, painful experience. It seems that if you take away the Fraiser character, Mr. Grammar is a terrible actor, who knew? Well, I sat there on the couch knitting something and forgot to change the channel… “The Middle” came on and I said “AHA! Its the janitor dude from “Scrubs” !” So I watched it and what an amusing show! To sum it up, it is a Dad, Mike Heck, working hard at in his construction business, Mom, Frankie Heck, working hard trying to sell cars, all while they are raising 3 kids…Axl, the tortured teenager who rarely wears anything more than boxers, watches too much tv and picks on his younger siblings. Sue, the poster girl for awkward, trying to survive as the middle child who really cant find her niche, since she isnt good at anything. She tries out for everything and never makes it and even gets a “boyfriend” who is more feminine than she is. Last but not least is Brick, the adorable youngest who is overlooked a lot and is uncontrollably weird, yet considerably charming. He just plods along, cute as can be and does this catchy thing where he repeats things he just said under his breath… we are all doing this at my house now. Have you seen “House Bunny” ? It was undeniably stolen from that movie, but much cuter when Brick does it.  Add Chris Kattan to the mix and you really have a great sitcom.

"The Middle"

ABC spent so much time advertising “Modern Family”, “Hank”, and “Cougar Town” when they really should have pushed this gem. I was not impressed by “Hank” and I think it was cancelled after 3 or 4 episodes… “Modern Family” clashed with “Law & Order:SVU” (MY FAVE) and “Glee” (JOSH’S FAVE) So we did not catch that one… “Cougar Town” was amusing, but I had to catch that on FOX’s Reality Channel and I dont think they played more than 4 episodes over there… So sorry ABC I think you really missed the boat, but I hope you keep “The Middle” since it is by far my favorite family comedy since “Roseanne”. I read on Wikipedia that after airing just 2 shows they were renewed for a full season with 22 episodes.

I finished a book!

FINALLY! Yes, ridiculous I know, to be sooooo excited over finishing a book, but you have no idea! As a child I read everything inder the sun and couldnt get enough to read… as a teen I loved and adored the classics, but somewhere between my short stay in college and my ending up as a stay at home mom, I just gave up reading anything that was not a 3 paragraph article. I loved magazines until I had my son, now if I had time for them, he would surely rip them to shreds before I got past the first 40 pages of advertising! Now, I read a lot on the internet… articles, blogs, and my personal fave— TWITTER! I really think twitter was made for me. I love it… catch my interest with a quick sentence and I click the link if I care enough too. Perfect for my short attention span. Topics range from everything to everything-else and I just think it is the greatest thing since gluten-free bread!

I downloaded the Kindle app for my phone recently and bought Jane Valez-Mitchell’s book “IWant” it was a good read. As I mentioned before it seems to be written in a “manic” fashion… as if she is racing to get the stories out! It slows down to a more book-like pace around chapter 8. I love her advice and ideas about environmentalism and how the average person can do more to help the earth and live a more natural life. Personally I try to do the best I can, using washable towels instead of paper, cloth diapers instead of disposables, I eat gluten-free (not by choice, mind you!) and this cuts down on a lot of processed food in my diet that would be over-packaged in cardboard and plastic. I did buy the re-usable shopping bags, but I always forget them. When I clean in my home I use vinegar and baking soda. I am not 100% enviorment-friendly but I am working on it. I would say to grab the book– or upload it to your kindle or iphone. It is a good book with lots of exciting stories, good lessons and advice for every day life. Over consumption is a HUGE  problem in our country and the more people that realize it and work towards change, the better.