Our Story

Chevron Holiday Tablescape Idea

December 20, 2015 by holly 6 Comments

We got a new dining set this year for Thanksgiving. The kids and I were so excited when Bryan brought it home last week. We have always had hand me down, used and mismatched tables and chairs so being able to have a new one this year is such a blessing. My favorite thing about it is that is actually seats all 8 of us in matching seats. Now we can have a lovely table set for the holidays like this beautiful chevron tablescape. I just love the beautifully festive colors. If you’d like to create this tablescape for your own table read more below.

Are you a big fan of Chevron? It seems to be one of the must-have styles in clothing, decor and more. I have the perfect tablescape you can create for the holidays.

We’re going to take a little bit of modern and mix it with a little bit of the natural look. I give you a Red & White Chevron Natural Christmas Tablescape.

Supply List (Table Setting based on a set of 4. You can adjust this to fit your needs)

4 Red Chargers

4 Linen Chargers

4 White Bowls

4 Crystal Glassware

Silverware

4 Red Napkins

4 White Basic Plates

4 Red & White Chevron Salad Plates

Roll out a vinyl natural looking paper.
Set each place setting with a Red Charger, Linen Charger, White Plate followed by the Red & White Chevron Salad Plate.
Set a Cloth Napkin at each place setting, followed by the silverware and glassware
Set a white bowl to the left of each place setting. Fill it with fun Christmas color decor. I used 2 small rustic wood balls and a red one. ( Resource: Pier 1 Imports)
For the center of the table, I used a Natural Christmas Garland to lay in the center of the table.
Then place two silver decorative vases at each end of the garland.
Place small red lanterns by each table place setting.
At the end of the table, you can add some Christmas decor to help complete this festive look. I added cardboard cones (picked up from Hobby Lobby), as well as a Christmas wreath and small jars filled with red Christmas decorative balls.
What do you think? I love all the red! Enjoy!

Pot Luck Dinners and Food Allergies

February 21, 2013 by holly 4 Comments

I was hanging out on Twitter a while back and came across this article about how Pot Lucks make this blogger panic. The title of the article caught my attention because, well, they make me panic too. Although it’s for a different reason than the other blogger.

Pot luck dinners are always so stressful for us as a family dealing with food allergies. There are several issues we have to confront when facing a pot luck. To the non-food allergic parents I look like a crazy overprotective parent who doesn’t think everyone else’s food is good enough for MY child. To the parents of children who have food allergies – well, you understand don’t you? I’d rather look like a nut than have my child accidentally eat one and possibly…Die!

Here are my top reasons to avoid Pot Luck Dinners when dealing with a food allergy.

Pot Luck Convenience is non-existent – I can’t just make one dish and bring it like everyone else. Why? Well, that’s the only thing my allergic kids will be able to eat, and who can only eat one thing at a Pot Luck??!!?? I have to make atleast an entree, side, and dessert.

I have to be the spoon monitor – Even if I exercise due diligence and make food that my kiddos can eat that is all null and void once a spoon from one dish is used in my allergy-safe dish. I have to watch my dishes like a mama hawk to make sure that doesn’t happen before their plates are fixed.

No Yummy, New, Exciting Dishes for My Kiddos – This is more difficult for my 10 yr old than his younger brother because he’s into more foods, but it’s really a bummer for him when he loves to try new things.

I risk hurting people’s feelings – If I went to a larger church this might not be such an ordeal since no one pays attention to what you’re putting on your (or your kid’s) plate in a larger environment. However, I often have very dear, well meaning people coming up to let me know that their dish is safe for my kids. They’ll say things like “It’s ok, it doesn’t have milk, only cheese” 0r some variation like that. Call me paranoid, but if I haven’t read it for myself then they aren’t eating it. I explain this as nicely as possible.

So what can you do as a food allergy parent to make pot luck easier?

Definitely go! Don’t just stay home due to food allergies. We have to teach our little ones to experience life safely with their food allergies – not avoid it!
Bring “Safe” dishes for your child to eat so they can still eat from the pot luck, but avoid allergens.
Have your “speech” ready so you can easily give an answer to others who are only trying to help by offering their dishes to your allergic child.
Enjoy & try to relax!

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The Scariest Thing About Halloween

October 18, 2012 by holly 11 Comments

Halloween and Food Allergies

Once upon a time, oh maybe about 9 years or more ago, I would have looked at the above scene with delight. The first thing I’d go for is a Reese’s Cup.

Oh how I miss those!

I remember the thrill of going out trick-or-treating with my siblings and coming back home with the loot. We used to take for granted something so small as being able to enjoy it without reading labels.

Having children with deadly food allergies has put things into a different perspective. What once gave me warm fuzzy feelings now gives me a feeling of dread and apprehension.During this time of year store owners everywhere are offering my kiddos candy. It’s EVERYWHERE!!

Having strangers dig their hands through a bowl of peanut containing candy to find a “safe” candy for my child is just not practical. Packages can tear open and residue can trickle out onto otherwise “safe” candy.

A common scene while checking out at the grocery store – “would you like a piece of candy?”. This very well meaning question causes anxiety for me, the mom of children with deadly food allergies. I have to ask the question(and sound like overprotective food allergy mom) – Do you have the package? Can I read it?

In most cases I have to politely decline explaining that my sons have food allergies, and that it could kill them..yada yada yada. I then get the looks – they look at my son with pity. They look at me with suspicion – Poor kid, his mom won’t let him have candy.

It’s not only Trick or Treating and Grocery Shopping that’s unsafe either. Many churches have Fall festivals this time of year and there is candy everywhere – Snickers, M&M’s, Reese’s Cups, and so on and so on. All of which are dangerous for my kiddo.

To those who provide candy to children during this time of year I have a suggestion. It’s ok to have the grab bowl of candy for the kiddos with whatever yummy treats you desire!

BUT…What about this?

Buy a bag of Dum Dums, Smarties, or Skittles just for the Food Allergy Kiddos
Keep it in the original packaging so the overprotective food allergy mom can read it and approve it!
Allow the kiddo to reach into the bag & grab it for him/herself.

This small gesture would help me and my kiddos enjoy this fun time of year so much more!

How do you handle food allergies during this time of year? I’d love to hear your suggestions!

A Cure for Egg Allergies?

July 19, 2012 by holly 2 Comments

WARNING: What I am about to discuss is NOT something you should try at home if you are dealing with Food Allergies. It is something you might want to discuss with your doctor.

I came across this article on New Treatment for Kids with Egg Allergy this morning while browsing on Facebook. I find this type of treatment very interesting, but also very scary.

What is it? Basically, the allergic child is fed a very tiny amount of the allergen daily for several weeks which may reduce or eliminate the allergy. Please don’t try this at home.

I would so love it if my little one were not allergic to eggs, but at age 6 he is still very allergic. He can’t even be in the room when we are scrambling eggs as he gets an instant reaction. The older they get with no signs of the allergy diminishing the more likely they are to keep the allergy into adolescence and adulthood (or so I’ve read).

They have said that they’re trying the same types of treatments for peanut allergies. Very interesting!

What do you think? If your child was offered this treatment would you try it?

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Why Free Chicken at Chick Fil-A Day Makes Me Sad

July 13, 2012 by holly 4 Comments

I wanted to bring this up here because I know that many of you can identify with my sadness. Many of you probably have heard that today is “Dress Like a Cow Day” at Chick Fil-A”. It seems to be all over Facebook and twitter with folks sharing their cute cow costumes. If you dress up like a cow you can eat for free at Chick Fil-A.

Free food(especially yummy food like Chick Fil-A) is usually very well received in my family and we’d typically be the first in line.

Not Today…

The Reason? Peanut Oil

Yes, Chick Fil-A fries their chicken in Peanut Oil, and given that 2 of my kid’s can’t even smell the stuff we have to stay away from one of the most awesome fast food restaurants ever. It’s a major bummer! I do love Chick Fil-A, however, I love my food allergy kiddos more so I think we’ve made the right decision to stay away.

Please understand, I am so happy for the people who are blessed to be able to enjoyone of the best chicken sandwiches/nuggets/strips ever. I also do not fault them for using Peanut Oil. It apparently makes for some delicious chicken, and they probably shouldn’t change a thing.

Please just humor me as I mourn the loss of one of my favorite restaurants which we haven’t eaten at in over 8 years. That is all.

Cute Food Allergy Shirts on Zulilly

July 12, 2012 by holly Leave a Comment

These shirts are so adorable.

Our Food Allergy Story

April 26, 2011 by holly 6 Comments

Hello! I’m Holly and I am married to my best friend Bryan. We have 6 wonderfully amazing children ages 8,7,6,5, 4 & 4.

Our 8 year old has a life threatening anaphylactic allergy to Peanuts and Tree Nuts, and our 5 Year Old has an Egg and Milk Allergy.

Our journey with Food Allergies began when my oldest(now 8 yrs old) was about 15 month old. He began randomly(or so it seemed) breaking out into hives, itching, and having other allergic responses. Had had always had Eczema which we had pretty much under control with our post-bath regimen.

But this was different somehow.

At first we thought it was environmental because Bryan has alot of allergies to dust, dander, trees, plants, etc. We immediately switched to allergen free laundry detergent, lotions, soaps, etc.

The incidents still happened! By the time he was around 18 months our pediatrician recommended we take him to a pediatric allergist for further testing.

The diagnosis we received that day changed our lives.

“Your son has a peanut allergy” were the words we heard from the doctor that day. At that time we were disappointed, but did not really understand the magnitude of this allergy. The doctor sent us home with literature to read and a prescription for an Epi-pen, and let us know to give them a call if we have any questions.

At that point knew we would no longer allow him to eat peanut products, but really hadno clue about the life changes we would be making in the next few years.

We have since learned that he’s also allergic to pecans, that he can’t even smell peanuts/peanut butter, we can’t have it in the house, etc. He is now 8 years old and his allergy is not improving as we hoped it would so we just have to take it day-by-day and adapt to this peanut loving world we live in.

After much research and many mistakes we have finally come to learn his triggers and how he will respond, but it is a constantly changing learning experience. The things we have learned from my oldest son’s allergies have helped us to be much more prepared when our 4th born child was diagnosed with a Milk and Egg Allergy.

It’s just very interesting that 4 of our children are perfectly free of allergies and asthmawhile 2 of our boys struggle with these things daily. We don’t know why these things happen, but thankfully God does. He has a plan for each of these little ones, and our job is to teach them to handle it.

I sincerely pray that they grow out of their food allergies one day, but if not then my goal is to teach them to be safe, and to learn how to have as normal a life possible with these life threatening allergies.

On this site I will share a glimpse into our personal lives and experiences with food allergies. I will also share the things I have learned about cooking for kids with food allergies.

I don’t claim to be an expert on food allergies. I’m just a mom who has learned(and still learning) what’s worked for our food allergy family. I’d love to hear your ideas about living with food allergies!

Welcome!

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