A Tooth Cometh

Yes, it's true, Kaylee's first tooth has broken through. We weren't expecting it to be this one, but I guess that the ominous 'they' are right in predicting the center bottom ones to come in first. It is the right one that has won the race and poked it's little toothy head out from her gums to greet the world. We expected it to be one a little farther back as that's where there was more of a bump in her gums and where she tended to concentrate her chewing, I'm sure that one will be soon to follow though. Now though, I live in fear of being bitten with something that will actually bring about real pain. I guess it was only a matter of time. Surprisingly enough though, the whole ordeal wasn't as bad as I figured it would be.
I'm pretty sure I have our little miracle on a string to thank for that though. A few weeks ago, after reading more about teething I bought Kaylee an amber teething necklace that she has worn pretty much nonstop. We took it off at one point because we were paranoid about her sleeping in it, and forgot to put it on the next day and wow, big difference. She was insanely irritable and unhappy. So she wears it and it seems to work. As a bonus she looks super cute in it, like a little surfer baby.

Muffins

If you know me lately you know I have a serious muffin/cupcake addiction. I'm not sure how to get over this one, so I just keep playing with it and discovering lots of yummy treats to keep me from starving throughout the day when food is just beyond my ability to make because of baby, housework, etc. keep me too well occupied to think about cooking. So I keep a muffin supply and I get by alright. So here I am finally joining the ranks of those sharing quality cooking information in the virtual world of the internet. Like most things I make, unless I'm cooking specifically for someone else, this one is gluten free. I know there's a lot of controversy about whether or not oats qualify as GF or not, but I tend to lean towards the they're alright side because I buy the certified GF Oats and make my own flour. Plus I figure I'm the only one who is really going to suffer if there is contamination, so I risk it. If corn were the ingredient in question I'd probably not risk it. This recipe was adapted from the Whole Foods Allergy Cookbook by Cybele Pascal of which I am not a fan, but I got it from the library so I figured I'd try a few things from it and see what I could do with it.


1 1/2 cup mashed sweet potato
1 cup rice milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp sunflower oil
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup brown rice flour
3/4 cup oat flour
3/4 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup walnuts

bake at 400 for 20 min
11 muffins - I am incapable of making 12 ever!

These were a rotation food, can't always have sweet potatoes, but when I can this is a good way to have them. They didn't last very long.

What Constitutes as "Lisa Safe"?

Since I am constantly being asked what I can and can't have, I decided the easiest thing for me is to just post a list that people can read through if they are really interested. I struggle deciding whether to write up the safe list or the not safe list... They are both pretty close in length at this point. I'll go with the not safe, so anything that is NOT on this list is safe, providing that it doesn't contain some sort of contamination from something on the list (ie: corn, wheat, dairy etc.). These are the things that we are currently avoiding.

• Corn - all varieties, in every form
  
• Soy - only lecithin is OK, and sometimes oil
  
• Dairy -all forms
  
• Gluten grains : wheat, barley, rye and related grains here is a helpful site about things that contain gluten.
• Millet
  
• Potatoes
• Tomatoes
• Eggplant
  
• Peppers - all types
  
• Shellfish
• Nuts -Pecans, peanuts, almonds
• Fruits - Papaya, bananas, strawberry, orange (all types), tangerine, grapefruit, lemon, lime, kiwifruit
  
• Chocolate
• Meats - lamb, pork, turkey
• Anything with caffeine or artificial sweeteners
• Sugar - trying to limit, and if possible no refined sugars
  

I think that's all, but I will probably be editing this as I tend to forget things.

conglomeration of thoughts

• Struggling to blog.... I'm still a a loss as to how people who blog find the time to write so much? I'm lucky to return emails within the same week much less find time to type up novels about everything that happens in my day or runs through my head. Much less recipes, there are lots that I'd love to share, but I really suck at blogging!
• The people who make the majority of baby clothes never had a baby!
• Enlightened once again to the battle going on constantly for our minds and our attention. Satan has quite the influence in this world and sometimes it is really hard to take every thought captive. This hit me again the other day when I was on a walk and saw a bumper sticker that read "One man can make a difference... Jesus did" and my immediate response was 'well He was God' and I had to stop to again realize that he was also fully human. Why is it my tenancy to have this view?
  
• Cooking/baking with real vanilla beans is so worth it.
• No matter how many times you try to discipline a cat, and different strategies you employ, you will always lose the battle to keep her off the table. At least this is how it goes in my life thus far. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.
• Sleep is not so over rated anymore... I think I will always be tired. I'm resigning to not responding that I am tired when people ask how I'm doing, from this point forward if they don't know that already it's not worth me bringing up, it's just a fact of life that I need to grow to see past and find something new to *complain* about
  
• Being sick sucks!
• My house will never be clean... or stay clean for more than an hour after I've finished scrubbing, dusting, vacuuming, etc.
• We have too much stuff.
• People although all very similar are all quite different and unique.
  
• There will never be enough time to do all of the things I want to do. I don't know how anyone could ever be bored in this life.

Teething Sucks!

I don't know any other way to put it. I feel so bad for my little girl who is drooling like a faucet and has goo pouring from her nose, her little tongue poking out repeatedly like a snake and is waking up constantly crying in pain. Neither of us is getting any sleep, and there is really very little that I can do for her it seems. I think Jer picked the perfect weekend to be out of town, but who knows how long this is going to last. I just keep praying that those little buggers will pop out quickly, and that they will all just come at once and get it over with. Ahh if it were only so easy. I guess until they do arrive it's all popsicles, bibs and chewy toys for us. And me learning how to sleep sitting up holding the snorting baby (and the kitten of course)... I should probably start practicing now, as she finally seems to have nodded off. Goodnight.

Another reason to hate the FDA

Chalk one more up on the list of reasons to despise this evil organization. This one now tops my growing list; the FDA has approved food from clones. Nice huh? So much for going out for steak! Not that I normally have dairy, but this really sucks. Sign the petition, at least we can let our elected officials know we're not happy about this unregulated institution's control over our lives.

Politics

I got this in an email and was pretty sickened by it so I figured it good to share. And no, I didn't go out and vote in my caucus today, Kaylee wasn't having any going out, and I'm not fully supportive of anyone running so I don't really feel right voting just yet.

If Hillary wins in 2008 and Bill is 'appointed' to fill her Senate seat and either live to retire 'they' (together or alone) would get two US Presidential retirement checks, two US Senate retirement checks, and a retirement check from the State of Arkansas .
About the only thing they MIGHT NOT get is a Social Security check....but I wouldn't bet on it....

I understand ole Bill has earned $40,000,000 in the past six years. What a guy!

AND THE REST OF THE STORY... Hilarious Rotten Clinton , as a New York State Senator, now comes under the 'Congressional Retirement and Staffing Plan,' which means that even if she never gets reelected, she STILL receives her Congressional salary until she dies. (Would it not be nice if all Americans were pension eligible after only 4 years?)

If Bill outlives her, he then inherits HER salary until HE dies. He is already getting his Presidential salary until he dies. If Hillary outlives Bill , she also gets HIS salary until she dies. Guess who pays for that?

It's common knowledge that in order for her to establish NY residency, they purchased a million dollar-plus house in upscale Chappaqua , New York makes sense!

They are entitled to Secret Service protect ion for life.

Still makes sense.

Here is where it becomes interesting Their mortgage payments hover at around $10,000 per month. BUT, an extra residence 'had' to be built within the acreage to house the Secret Service agents.

The Clinton 's charge the Federal government $10,000 monthly rent for the use of that extra residence, which is about equal to their mortgage payment. This means that we, the taxpayers, are paying the Clinton 's salary, mortgage, transportation, safety and security, as well as the salaries for their 12 man staff -- and, this is all perfectly legal!

As she runs for President, will YOU vote for her?