Summer Bucket List

HELLO SUMMER!

Every summer it seems we "forget" to go do or go see one some of our favorite summer activities.  July starts and before we know it, BAM we missed something.

This year, I got the kids together and we created our very own summer bucket list.  We thought of all of the usual things we love to do, like the beach, camping and going to water parks.  Then we thought of new things we want to try like visit the shuttle, go to the mud adventure park and go up in the Great Park Orange balloon!

We are planning more hikes with Milo the dog!

In total we listed about 20-25 things we hope to do this summer. With all of the "Things To Do" lists that are coming out this month, it is the perfect time to pick what you want to do and make your own Bucket List for the fridge.  Kids love helping to make this list and really love seeing the progress as you cross off more and more.

How about a sunset dinner?

I can't wait to see how much we really get done this summer.  The schedule is already packed, starting with the day after school through the end of August.  While we have many things scheduled, the list will actually help us on those lazy days of summer too.  Just when my kids get ready to say they are bored, they can pick a hike up the canyon or a bike ride through the harbor to keep occupied.

We are sooooooo ready for summer!

We All Stumble Now and Then

She is so strong!  Inside and out

I have really been feeling frustrated lately regarding my daughter's Celiac.  See, she wasn't the most varied eater to begin with, and everything she loved was full of gluten.  We have replaced many items at home, but outside the house?  That is a different story.

It has been around 7 months since we eliminated gluten and for the most part, she has done really great.  Now that time has passed and she has been feeling good for so long, she is starting to really miss her favorite things.  I think it might have been easier if she had never known how good real pasta, bread and tortillas tasted.

I took the girls to Costco this weekend and it was kind of a disaster.  Every other step we took we ran into vendors giving out food she could have.  Want some bread dipped in pasta sauce?  How about a chimichanga?  Wanna try these crackers?  The poor thing not only saw them, but she could smell many of them.  She is so protected at home and this was an all out assault on her hunger senses.  Imagine being on a diet for seven months and then having people put it right in front of your face and basically offer you everything you had missed.  It finally hit her.  She hugged me and whimpered, "I just want to eat what I want.  I want it"  

That was it.  We hightailed it out of there.  I could have kicked myself for putting her in that position.  I know people will say that she has to learn and she has to get used to it.  But you know what?  She's SEVEN!  Do you remember being seven?  Would you have gracefully and completely have given up every food you loved as a kid without complaint?  I don't think so.  I know I wouldn't have.

And now she has an invite to a classmate's party.  With pizza and cake.  More things she can't have and will feel self-conscious about.  I know I can't shield her from everything forever, but after this last incident I am not sure she is ready.  Or maybe I am not.  Yes I know I can make "substitutes", but it really isn't the same, is it?

All kids with Celiac and food allergies deserve so much more than the screwed up immune system they have.