Car wash, Happy Birthday Peyton, and a Rainbow

This morning it was quite warm and I think I haven't washed my truck in maybe 2 years.  It was time for a wash.  I got Olivia into her bathing suit and in the driveway to wash the truck.  She had a blast and she was a good helper.  She even decided to clean some of her own toys! Then I brought out her sprinkler and let her play with that!

After lunch and nap we went to Peyton's birthday party.  We had a good time with our friends.  I decided to make Olivia some cupcakes today so she could have one at the party.  At this age she wouldn't understand about not having a cupcake but she had no complaints about the cupcake I brought for her and ate the whole thing!

Brendon took Jake out after dinner and when he came in he said there was a rainbow outside.  So we hurried outside and Olivia saw her first rainbow!  She was so excited and told us the colors she saw and she said it was ,"Just like George!" Curious George saw a rainbow in one of the episodes...too cute!

Fun Friday!

Olivia was in a much better mood today...well sorta.  She did wake up at 4:15 a.m. but asked to go potty! So that was awesome!

Olivia had to go with Brendon to the doctor for his checkup.  He was nervous about taking her but she did a really great job while they were there.  Then they went shopping at Kroger.

After lunch I told her last night that we could play her Super Why game.  So we did.  Well she played it her way anyways which meant moving the characters all over the game board, saying all the letters, and throwing all the cards around.  But in the end she cleaned it all up.  She was not a happy camper about taking a nap so it was a short one.

She was not happy after her nap either.  She did not want to go in the pool...it is 90 degrees...we are going in the pool.  She even walked into the hallway and said, "Mommy I am in time out!" Which is weird because we literally have put her in time out 3 times... I took her crying and screaming outside.  She sat on the pool deck crying for a few minutes and then finally I scooped her up and put her in the water.  I held her and got her calmed down.  Then she asked for the puddle jumper and swam around. 

We then got ready for dinner.  We met some of our friends for dinner tonight at Mellow Mushroom.  Olivia ate the whole bowl of mac and cheese.  I think I was most nervous about talking to the server about her allergy.  I made sure to look at the menu before we left.  Restaurants are really good about listing allergen stuff on their websites which is great.  But still I felt weird about it but I am going to have to get used to it...but still worried.  But Olivia ate her whole bowl of mac and cheese and was good with her friends. We made several trips to the potty.  She was 3 for 6 while there.  I really think she just liked that the bathroom was purple! Funny girl!

Unhappiest Toddler on the Block

Tonight we win the award for the unhappiest toddler on the block.  Poor Olivia was upset about everything from 6:40ish pm on.  She cried about everything...I mean everything.  I think she was really tired because we were up a few times last night plus got up early for Susan's house.  Plus she was upset about pooping...such drama!! Then everything just made her cry....finally after her bath she calmed down.  But definitely an award winning night for unhappiest toddler on the block!

1st Day of Second Grade

Today I started teaching my new grade level...2nd grade! So happy and blessed with this opportunity.  This will be my 11th year teaching and I am excited and feeling a bit lost and disorganized being new to a new grade.  It will take a few weeks and it will be all routine.  We had a great first day!!

I am also so proud of my school...we were featured on the local news channel! I was not on tv but I was walking in the building when they were talking about using devices in the classroom. 

If you click on the link you can learn all about what is going on at my school...so proud to be part of a great school!

http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/story/23059738/wed-bts-harbins-elementary-dacula-gwinnett

Processing

Still processing lots of information we have found out about tree nut allergies.  So blessed and thankful to have friends and family who have given us some helpful information.  This is going to be an adjustment for us.  I already was cleaning out some things last night... I love almonds...so now they will stay at school.  I have found some good snack lists and found that most restaurants post their allergen information...which is so great and scary at the same time! I think my breaking point today was when a friend shared with me that her daughter can never have cake at birthday parties...this is going to be hard for Olivia...I cried when I got home about this!  She loves cakes and cupcakes at parties.  So we will either have to bring our own or as my friend suggested she takes her daughter out for ice cream after parties.  I picked up the Epi Pen today and I am so thankful there is a plastic practice one so I can make sure I can do it properly.  I have to look at this whole part of life just as an inconvenience that will become part of our life...there are problems and inconveniences in life and this is just an inconvenience for us at the moment but once we are used to it, it will feel more normal.

Other then that Olivia has been fine.  Since being tree nut free she has only asked for a few things she can't have- yogurt covered raisins and Earth's Best Smile Grahams.  But I when I told her no I tried to explain that she can't eat it anymore because she is allergic. 

Brendon and Olivia did some practice casting of the fishing pole today and worked in the yard.  Olivia is getting pretty good at telling me what they do.  They worked on the stumps and weeds too. I am glad that Brendon is able to get some stuff done with her now.

Going Tree Nut Free

Let me make a long story short...

It all started with a cupcake with almond flavoring and hives that won't go away since the 4th of July. 

I apologize...I am going to become one of THOSE moms.  You know those moms that ask you what you are having to eat at your parties, restaurant menus, etc, etc.  I am going to be THAT mom.  I don't mean to be a pain in the you know what but this is important...

It is important because Olivia was diagnosed with having an allergy today.  Not something easy like carrots...but pistachios (which she has NEVER even eaten before).  To be on the safe side she is to avoid ALL tree nuts including...

• Almond
• Artificial nuts
• Brazil nut
• Beechnut
• Butternut
• Cashew
• Chestnut
• Chinquapin nut
• Coconut
• Filbert/hazelnut
• Gianduja (a chocolate-nut mixture)
• Ginkgo nut
• Hickory nut
• Litchi/lichee/lychee nut
• Macadamia nut
• Marzipan/almond paste
• Nangai nut
• Natural nut extract (e.g., almond, walnut)
• Nut butters (e.g., cashew butter)
• Nut meal
• Nut meat
• Nut paste (e.g., almond paste)
• Nut pieces
• Pecan
• Pesto
• Pili nut
• Pine nut (also referred to as Indian, pignoli, pigñolia, pignon, piñon, and pinyon nut)
• Pistachio
• Praline
• Shea nut
• Walnut

Tree nuts are sometimes found in the following:

• Black walnut hull extract (flavoring)
• Natural nut extract
• Nut distillates/alcoholic extracts
• Nut oils (e.g., walnut oil, almond oil)
• Walnut hull extract (flavoring)

Some Unexpected Sources of Tree Nuts*

• Tree nut proteins may be found in cereals, crackers, cookies, candy, chocolates, energy bars, flavored coffee, frozen desserts, marinades, barbeque sauces and some cold cuts, such as mortadella.

NOT so fun! I admit I am devastated and overwhelmed.  Being that I was a child that had food allergies I was hoping to avoid this with Olivia.  This means reading labels on EVERYTHING.  We may just have to bring our own food places to avoid the cross-contamination.   We really don't mean to be a pain or inconvenience  anyone BUT we need to know...

We will now carry 2 Epipens with us at ALL times.  I am hoping one day she will grow out of this like I did, but now telling her she can't have things (even M and Ms) is going to be hard because she doesn't understand.  Reading the labels and finally when she gets bigger for her to read the labels will become part of our life from this point forward.  We will have to clean out our food and find some "new" foods to try with Olivia.  So please pray for us as we take this new difficult journey of living in a tree nut free world!

Summer Sunday

Since we really didn't have a summer it was the perfect summer day today.  It was pretty warm and the sun was shining.  We fed the birds, Brendon made apple butter and apple pie mix, and swam.  We actually swam twice!!

We went in the pool after lunch and after Olivia's nap.  Little did she know we were in the pool while she snoozed away! We ended up taking Jake in the pool since he hasn't had a swim yet.  Olivia thought it was funny but I think she was a little scared at the same time. 

After dinner we went out for ice cream! The perfect way to end a summer day!