Another connection

I happened upon another blog posting that has once again reminded me of why I made the switch to a gluten-free diet a year ago. In case I ever wonder why I did it... or if it's worth it.

"Hashimoto’s is an autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid gland. It is the most common type of hypothyroidism in the U.S. The thyroid controls metabolism, or your body’s processing pace, and affects heart rate and the speed at which you burn calories. The thyroid functions..." [to read more, click on the link below]

 Gluten Sensitivity & Hashimoto's Autoimmune Disease

1 Year of Gluten Free Eating

The last few weeks I've been marveling at how it's already been a year since I made the switch to eating the gluten-free diet. How time has flown and how much I've learned since I began to actually pay attention to the ingredients in the food I consume!

A few things about eating GF that I've noticed along the way:

• Gluten-free does not necessarily mean healthy when it comes to bakery items. Many gluten-free options try to re-create the texture that a baked item containing gluten would have, and they usually don't use healthy ingredients either. But if you're going to have a sugary baked item (regardless of its gluten content) you're probably not thinking about healthy options, anyways!
• Gluten-free food items are still expensive. While I've noticed that gluten-free foods are becoming more prevalent as more and more people are switching to a GF diet, it is still not quite mainstream. It is so helpful to know what tastes good and what doesn't! Hopefully this posting will help.
• It does get easier. When I first made the switch, the learning curve was extremely steep. Every meal was a mountain to climb. Can I eat this? Can I eat that? What is safe?! I began to see gluten monsters behind every food item. But as I continued along, it did get easier. And I console myself with the fact that I can still eat rice, corn and potatoes if I need a carb in a meal. The world is not over, after all. :)
• Going gluten-free encourages me to eat food in its most natural state - probably a step everyone should take in their diets, anyways. Fresh fruits, vegetables and meats (minus sauces and gravies) are ALL SAFE.

If you'd prefer not to navigate the world of gluten-free and experiment with every single brand to find out what is good, I've compiled a short list of a few options that I've found to be great. Several different companies produce a decent line of gluten-free options: Udi's, Canyon Bakehouse, Glutino, and  now even mainstream companies are starting to add a gluten-free line of products for those who have made the switch. Some GF products are not good. Some are okay. Some are excellent. If you are not going to go the all-natural, I'm going to make everything from scratch from here on out route, then here are a few great GF options.

5. Udi's Gluten Free Pizza Crusts (2 in a pack)

If you're in a hurry, but want a decent meal, this is a great way to go. I LOVE these pizza crusts. Simply layer your sauce and cheese and dump as many healthy toppings on as you want! Keep two things in mind: 1) Check to make sure your sauce is GF... or make your own! And, 2) Buy the block cheese and shred it yourself. The pre-shredded cheese you buy in the store often use wheat flour as an anti-clumping agent.

4. Udi's Gluten Free Muffins

For breakfast, Udi's GF muffins and cinnamon rolls are great! Udi's makes lemon struessel, double chocolate, blueberry, and cinnamon rolls. The lemon is great, though can be a bit dense. The chocolate is very chocolatey (in a good way!), though also a bit dense. The blueberry has a bit of an interesting texture (lots of air pockets), and the cinnamon rolls are great. All are delicious when you heat them up in the microwave for 20-30 seconds a piece. 

3. Canyon Bakehouse Gluten Free Breads

When I made the switch the gluten-free, I immediately began experimenting with GF sandwich breads. I love sandwiches, and the idea that I couldn't have a sandwich anymore was more than I could bear! But thankfully (and finally!), I discovered a brand that makes excellent GF bread. Most GF bread is best toasted, but this bread does pretty well cold, too. I love it, and I'd highly recommend it to you if you are making the switch to eating gluten-free food, as well. In the picture you can see that they make a 'Mountain White', a 'San Juan 7 Grain', and a 'Cinnamon Raisin' loaf. Canyon Bakehouse also serves a great hamburger bun, if you like to have the bread along with your burger.

2. Bob's Red Mill Corn Bread Mix

Since corn bread is primarily made of - you guessed it - corn (LOL), it would seem unnecessary to buy an expensive mix when the cheaper one will do. The problem is, there is this lovely issue called cross-contamination, and it affects a lot of gluten-free grain items like corn and oat products. So, to be on the safe side, it is recommended to stick with guaranteed GF items. And besides, this mix is phenomenal. Jody loves the corn bread mix, which goes perfectly with cowboy stew or any soup dish!


1. Betty Crocker's Gluten Free Brownie Mix

I'm sorry, but Betty Crocker has figured out how to do brownies, and that includes the gluten-free version. I love. love. love these brownies. In fact, when I went home to Virginia for Christmas, I made a batch so I could have something sweet to eat over the course of the two weeks we were there. Knowing my family, I put them aside so that they wouldn't be gone in five minutes. Well, my brother and his girlfriend found my batch and ATE half of it. They confessed later, saying they were amazing! I made them go buy me another mix... LOL! So, if you need a chocolate sweet fix, these GF brownies will do the trick!

Part II coming soon....

A few pictures of Penny (and Eu-mi, too)...

When I look back at the pictures of Eu-mi, I can hardly believe she was so little. She grew so quickly, and so I treasure the pictures I have of her from when she was a pup. It is true for Penny, as well, as I see her growing in leaps and bounds every week. It has already been almost a month since we brought her home! Here are a few pictures of her from the past few weeks...

The pups playing...

I wanted to capture Eu-mi and Penny playing together. Here is a quick 1 minute video of them from a week or two ago.
Enjoy!

Blogs I love...

I don't know about you, but I love reading blogs. I started writing my own blog back in 2005, as I prepared to head to South Korea to teach English for a year. That year turned to two, and then three... And my blog became a place for me to chronicle the ordinary events of my life as an expat in a foreign country. It became my journal, my refuge and my means of staying connected to those whom I loved back here in the States. Now that I have returned to America, my blog is still a means for staying connected to those whom I love, because now my friends are spread all over the globe. And I still need a journal. And a way to chronicle events in a manner that social media just does not allow or do justice. 

One aspect of blogs that I have come to appreciate is that they are now a means of valuable information - DIY projects, stories of people's experiences and recommendations in dealing with various issues. Two years ago, when my OB diagnosed me with PCOS and my general practitioner diagnosed me with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, my sister recommended a blog to me, called Keeper of the Home. I began to read everything the blog had to say on natural responses to dealing with hormonal imbalances. This lady's blog became for me a haven. A place to hear the other side. The side no doctor would tell me. The alternatives that are available for you and me out in the marketplace. Her blog became - for me - a beacon of hope along what had before felt like a really dark path. I am so thankful I found her blog... because not only have I learned so much from it, but it also opened up the door for me to read OTHER blogs, as well!

So now, as I happen upon quality sites in blogosphere that I thoroughly enjoy and feel like I can learn from, I bookmark them for future reference. And, when I have a spare moment or two, I'll go to "my" blogs and catch an update from them. I learn fun and thought-provoking new things like:

• A new recipe - especially tasty gluten-free recipes!

• A creative idea for some DIY project (like home-made soap or lotion).

• An alternate approach for dealing some current issue I'm facing. Or will face in the future.

• A godly perspective on issues that women face as wives, mothers and Christians.

These days, the blogs that I bookmark are most related to issues of the home - the place I would dearly love to spend more time one day. If you are - like me - looking for encouragement, inspiration and new ideas, I strongly recommend these blogs!

Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home

Many contributing writers @ Visionary Womanhood

Brandy @ The Marathon Mom

Rebecca @ a daily something

Introducing....

Miss Penelope "Penny" Been!

(click to enlarge)

So, after much deliberation and research, Jody and I have settled on a name for the pup. We have decided to call her Penelope, "Penny" for short. She is a sweet little lady with lots of spunk, and we are really enjoying having her as a part of our family! Thank you to everyone for your suggestions. Here are a few glimpses of her from the past few days.

Photography Shoot

While Jody and I were in Virginia, we had the pleasure of meeting and spending time with my sister Sarah's boyfriend Justin. Justin is a recent graduate of Christopher Newport University and a great photographer! I asked him if he would be willing to a do a photoshoot of Jody and me, and he gladly obliged. This is the result!

For more of Justin's work, visit his website. If you live in Virginia and are looking for someone to catch some good photos, I highly recommend him. :)

Thank you, Justin!

A new addition!

Yesterday Jody and I made a big decision. We drove down to Pueblo and got a puppy! She is a wirehaired miniature dachshund that we've been debating on for several months. She's 8 weeks old and so adorable. We don't have a name for her yet... so we're welcoming recommendations. We're hoping to see more of her personality before we settle on one.

24 hours into it, a few observations:

• Puppies aren't trained. Why don't they understand what I mean when I say, "Sit!"?! :)
• Puppies howl, whine and whimper when unsure and sad. Potentially for hours. :-/
• Puppies disrupt routine.
• Puppies smell good. A smell like no other.
• Puppies are cute. Little. Fun.
• Puppies' 'transmissions' are so low to the ground it's hard to see when they're pottying. :)

Apart from the obvious adjustment of transitioning from one dog to two, this will be a new adventure since we have never had to deal with longer hair. This pup's coat is expected to grow a significant amount within this first year, and the breeder has even prepared us to expect that her coat will lighten significantly to a wheaton color. As in, almost as blonde as a golden retriever! We'll see, though. 

Pray for us. It's been three years since we did all this. Potty training. Crate training. Commands. Grooming. All of it! We'll keep you posted. 

Victory over the Darkness

I can hardly believe it. Our class has ended.

It all started a year ago. I was driving to work one morning, listening to the local Christian radio station, and a song came on. For the life of me, I cannot remember the name of the song or the artist, but message was clear: "Don't expect others to do what God has called YOU to do." The lyrics stayed in my mind and thoughts, and I felt very much that the Lord was speaking to me. For several months, I had felt a that more intentional discipleship was needed in our church. What it would actually look like was yet to be determined, but I decided I needed to obey the prompting of the Lord.

So I began talking with the head pastor at our church and also with Jody about what that could look like. Big group vs. Small(er) group. Bible as curriculum vs. separate book curriculum with a heavy Scripture focus. Sunday morning vs. Mid-week evening. Shorter commitment/smaller workload vs. Longer commitment/greater workload. We went back and forth on ideas as to what would suit the Body here in Englewood best.

In the end, we settled on the book Victory over the Darkness, by Neil Anderson, and Jody and I decided that we would co-teach a small class on Sunday mornings. We started the end of September, limiting the class to under 10 people. We asked for commitment and a willingness to invest in the material during the week, to memorize Scripture that was important to the lesson and to keep confidential personal information that was discussed in the class.

Thirteen chapters later, I am so thrilled that I stepped out and obeyed the Lord. There's nothing like digging into Scripture in the context of a group and allowing people to process what the Word of God is saying to them. And perhaps the most thrilling part of it is observing the Word of God changing them as they submit themselves to His Lordship in their lives. And, as one of the teachers of the class, I marveled at how God began working in me, as well, as we went through the chapters. It reminded me again and again of what the writer of Hebrews wrote concerning the Word of God in Hebrews 4:12.

 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Definitely, if you are hungry to grow in your walk with God but you don't know where to start, I would encourage you to consider this book. It is easy to read, easy to understand, and so helpful in explaining the foundational truths of our faith. I personally recommend it for its heavy Scriptural emphasis. And even if you have been walking with the Lord for a long time, this book will renew your love for the Lord by taking you back to the basics.

We can never get too far from the Cross, right?

Well, if you have any questions about the class or the book, just let me know!

A Trip to Virginia

A week after celebrating Jody's graduation from Denver Seminary, Jody and I packed up a suitcase, a duffel bag and my carry-on (Eu-mi!) for a two week trip to Virginia to spend time with my family. The end of 2011 marked over three (3!) years since Jody had been to Virginia and seen the majority of my side of the family. I have been to Virginia every year at some point (usually at Thanksgiving), but I always went alone because of Jody's school and workload. I did not realize until this trip how divided I have felt without him. He really has become my family.

The flights (a flight to Atlanta, and then one to Richmond) were uneventful, and Eu-mi was fantastic. She whimpered a little when we first arrived at the Denver airport, and she was stuffed inside her crate. Poor thing. So many smells and sounds. But she was a rockstar, and all three of us arrived in Richmond, safe and sound. Thank you, Sherpa Pet Carrier. And thank you to everyone who prayed for her!

During the course of our visit, we saw my whole family. My parents. My siblings. Their spouses. Their significant others. Nieces and nephews. Pets. It was a madhouse! And yet, there were times of quiet, as well. We talked late into the night and got up late. We went on errands together. We ate dinner and sat around the table. Then we'd go into the 'New Room' (that is actually 10 years old, but will always be called the New Room) and continue the conversation near the fire. It was wonderful, and I pray it will not be so long until we can return.

Here are just a few glimpses from our time at home...

With my sister-in-law and friend, Courtney!

Sarah and her boyfriend, Justin

Sisters!

My football studmuffin brother, Daniel

The Holts' new puppy, Charlotte!

The husbands, boyfriends of Clementson girls + Chris

With the kiddos. Love them!

Jane finally started to warm up to Uncle Jody!

With Charlotte, the new puppy in the Holt household!

Clementson girls + Rebekah

Quality Christmas time with Chloe!

Anna and her boyfriend, Nate

What I learned from spending two weeks back in my childhood home... 

1. My family is big.
2. My family is loud.
3. How did I forget?! You must be the first to take a shower in the morning, because if you are #6 or #7 in line, there certainly isn't any hot water left. 
4. Jody brings a lot of laughter to my family... and he blends right in and makes himself at home. So thankful for a husband that can handle the in-laws with grace, gentleness and humor!
5. Everybody is growing up. Each individual is not the same person he/she was when we were little. Shocker, I know. 
6. Living in Virginia and being a Broncos fan means you have to use First Row to get your Broncos games when they're not aired on TV.
7. I'm an introvert. I love my family... but I also love my alone time. 
8. Virginia humidity ♥ my skin. The wrinkles disappear with each passing day!
9. Eu-mi needs her blanket and a soft, warm place to sleep wherever she goes.
10. There's a reason I do that... and that... and that. Yep, all that 'family of origin' stuff makes sense in a whole new way!