ELIMINATING TYLERS ASTHMA & ALLERGIES

So I have not quite ever felt right about medicating Tyler as much as we do for allergies and asthma. Every day we are pumping him full of medications – steroids with a nebulizer, albuterol when he has symptoms, singulair everyday, occasionally a strong steroid and zyrtec. Our pediatrician even told us that these WILL stunt his growth, but so will not breathing well - a seemingly double edged sword....

YIKES!!!!!

So my cousins were telling me about an actual treatment to ELIMATE allergies and I was very curious. Its call NAET – namburdripads allergy elimination technique.

Apparantly what they do is find out EVERYTHING a person is allergic to, not with scratch tests or other inconclusive methods, but by testing the body on anywhere from 40 to 180 different substances and finding out what substance is adversely affecting what organ of the body. Once they find that out, then they have each subsequent visit be about eliminating just ONE of the allergies. So if Tyler is allergic to cats, then they will do a treatment for cats on one visit, and then there is an avoidance period of 25 to 48 hours and the body will not have the allergy to that substance anymore.

The Dr. my cousins went to had severe milk and peanut allegies so severe she went to the hospital several times by even tiny amounts. She found out about this and was treated and now she can have both milk products And peanuts without any adverse reactions. It totally changed the way she lived – no longer in fear of eating everything. So she decided to do this herself and charged minimal amounts because its she feels it is so important.

So..We went to a doctor certified in all the advanced levels of this technique yesterday and he did a 2 hour rundown on Tyler to see what he eats, and all sorts of questions about poo and fun things. He looked at Tyler’s eyes and saw dark circles and said – These dark circles tell me right now that he has food allergies. He had been tested by an allergist, but only on a handful of things – and I have been wondering about that…I have a hunch there are more things than we realize. The Doctor also looked at his tongue, his eyes, felt his hands for temperature, looked for easy bruising, and looked at his skin.

He asked about what he eats. Tyler is a crazy cereal and sweets fanatic. He eats other things too, but he loooooovvvvvees his cereal and cookies, cheese, butter, and bread. No pop, no juice, no candy, much, and he does eat fruit and most things I make, BUT….

The doctor told me point blank that he can see that Tyler has a lot of yeast in his intestines and stomach. The yeast feeds off of sugar and if you have all this sugar in your diet it can cause your immune system to be compromised, especially in leau of the other things going on. So Tyler has to be off ALL Sugar, White flour, Dairy – milk, cheese, butter, condiments during the treatment period. Its going to be difficult, especially during family outings or other things. But the treatments won’t be effective until we get his immune system on track. We also have to do a poo sample to find out what strains of yeast he has in his gut.

So this Saturday we go to do testing on the actual things – he is going to do tests on roughly 80 different things. The dr said we would be lucky to get through 15 per visit. The kids that young get tested through the PARENTS – its pretty cool.

Also, this Doctor has had TONS of success treating AUTISTIC kids, which have lots of candida needs. He also has had great success using NAET with kids with ADD and ADHD.

Its nice to know there is something out there to help these kids without pumping them full of meds every day…and having them need higher and higher doses as the body becomes used to the meds.

The website is www.naet.com to find out who you can go to that does this and to find out about it. I will let you know how it goes!!

The STRANGEST anniversary of them all...

At least for us. It started out innocently enough. We did our usual - go blueberry picking in the morning at Michigan City. We picked a decent 14 lbs of a very sweet variety.

Then things got interesting - we were pulled over by a cop telling Brian he was going 51 in a 35 mph zone. Well apparently it WAS 45 MPH and Brian missed the sign change. We waited in silence as the cop wrote out the ticket in his car. It was only when the cop came BACK to the car with ticket in hand, did Brian try the sob story “ I’m just a high school teacher, I have 3 kids at home. If anything like this goes on my record, I can’t drive the activity bus for the kids I coach.” All of it, is of course, true. So we do HAVE to get it taken off the record. He has to go to court.

So, going to the outlet stores next was a little tainted. Brian and I half heartedly looked around and got some Harry and David’s popcorn as a “thanks for babysitting” for Brian’s mom.

As we ate at Red Lobster, the mood lightened. But heading towards home on the 1 hour drive, Brian got bawled out by a truck driver in this weird Yield area of the freeway under construction. The truck driver literally went off, “WHAT ARE YOU DOING? DON’T YOU KNOW YOU HAVE TO GO RIGHT HERE! DON’T YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR DOING?!?! And so on…

Yet we pressed on celebrating the day. We went to go to Batman, with Kyli in tow this time. The theatre we ALWAYS go to - kids or no kids – tells us that we CANNOT take any children below the age of 6 to a PG 13 movie.

I said incredulously, “SHE’S…..a …newborn?!?!?” (as if to say, why the HECK would that apply to her, she is JUST going to sleep through the whole thing.)

Brian was adamant that we go to another theatre. WE felt rejected and continued to see a common thread running through the day seeming to say “You have a problem with rules and guidelines and you will PAY.”

So we saw Batman, which I thought was complex and BRILLIANT. Especially Heath Ledger. He was fantastic. I am staking my bet right now that he wins an oscar – let it be known!

So after picking up the kids and getting to bed, the crowning part of my day was nothing less than............... FOOD POISONING. Apparently the pina colada sauce with our coconut shrimp had been in our hot car to long and as I was eating it in the car on the way home I thought – "maybe it HAS been in here too long. NAW !!!!!!"– I shrugged it off.

And then - up EVERYTHING came – lovely. Brian also had food poisoning.

HAPPY 8 YEAR ANNIVERSARY TO US!

The REST...of the trip

Soooooo,

The wedding was awesome. My time at the computer has been very sparse, but here is a quick rundown.

Mark’s Wedding was beautiful. We will post some pics. That was my first time in the SLC sealing room. We had a great luncheon at the JS Memorial Building and the reception was in the backyard.

Brian was called on to give a little speech- he talked about how much Mark would text Allison when they first met over their cell phones. We wanted her to send a pic over, but he was embarrassed to ask because “there was no reason.”

They seem like a very well matched couple. Brian thought about texting them every day during the honeymoon…but luckily I talked him out of it!!!!

Brian and I spent our OWN 8 year anniversary doing what we love so much (said in a fecitious tone) DRIVING. We had woken up at Yellowstone and we rushed over with the kids to the 7:30 AM eruption of Old Faithful. As we ran to Old Faithful I yelled over my shoulder at him 12 feet away (carrying Kyli) “Hey Babe, did you remember it was our anniversary?”

“No! I just remembered right now!” He called back.

I could see the tour bus driver looking at him sympathetically like, “You shouldn’t have admitted that! You are IN for it!”

But because of where we were and the circumstances I simply said, “ME TOO!” And the tour bus driver watching us gave me a double take as if to convey, “Wow, the wife always remembers and usually starts out a conversation like THAT when they want to ensnare their spouse!”

I was sorry to disappoint him!

We spent lots of time at friends and family: We LOVED LOVED LOVED seeing Kelsey and Ryan Sorenson, Darcie Boyack, Karen and Trent Halterman, (meeting all their kids) The Barrowes Clan, the Wright Clan, the entire Wayne Clan, the Jolley Clan (Mark’s new inlaws) and my wonderful Granparents on both sides (see Alzheimer's Ward entry).

The whole Wayne Group consisted of Brian and his 5 other siblings, their spouses, the kids and Brian’s parents in a medium sized ranch style house. We had 25 people in the house, so even with the 6 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms it got to be QUITE crowded. It was both FUN and CHAOTIC.

Some of the siblings stayed up til 1:30 AM each night and chatted and played Guitar Hero. I was so LAME because I had gotten so little sleep the prior nights I just crashed. It was a sacrifice to stay up until 11 or 12 for me. Normally I would have been up their with them chatting – but I just couldn’t do it!

Corin, my sister in law, got all the boy cousins foam swords and they had some crazy sword fights in the small living room.

We all ate together, having gotten the food at Costco and splitting the cost. Most people stood against appliances or walls during mealtimes and ate, while the kids ate at the table.

The bathrooms were constantly occupied. I found I could only get in one without waiting DURING a mealtime.

I have to say, I did take some decorating notes at this place because it had the CUTEST decore!

It was TOTALLY fun even at its craziest. As a kid I would have loved it because all the cousins got to sleep more or less in one big family room with two big sleeper sofas, with kids wedged in between. What a PARTY!

We saw BYU and MAN has it changed since 2004! More buildings, some additions, and just lots of changes. We took a pic of our old Wyview Apt. and it was very déjà vu ish. The entire building we lived in is currently vacant.

On our trip home, which went MUCH faster, we stopped at Independence at the Visitor’s center, Liberty Jail, and Adam Ondi Ahmen (or however your spell it!)

Why is it on the tail end of the trip, all I can think about is everything I have to do waiting for me at home. I started thinking of all the bills I have to pay, all the things that need to be done, hoping my flowers and garden are still alive (Thanks Kami and Tami and Kevin) and I have to remind myself, “JUST ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

AN ALZHEIMER'S SACRAMENT MEETING

SACRAMENT MEETING IN AN ALHEIMERS WARD:

So, this has got to be one of the weirdest parts of our trip:

The meeting “begins” at 10:15. We sit listening to prelude music for 20 minutes as the wheelchairs are brought in one by one. They all reside at the Alzheimers home, and the meeting takes place in a center room in the middle of this Alzheimer’s home. There are about 20 wheelchairs in there and we are the only family. There are two spouses of those in the home. The bishopric gets out of its meeting in a small room in the corner and takes their seats.

After the opening hymn and sacrament hymn the Sacrament begins

There is Obviously no ward business to attend to.

THEN, it seemed like all heck started to break loose...

As the bread is being passed, a lady in a wheelchair 3 seats away is LOUDLY giving a full on DISCOURSE on PRIDE and the SINS OF THE WORLD. People occasionally try to shush her as she continues giving what seemed like a very well prepared talk. She went on and on, talking to her imagionary congregation.

After she closed her talk, I think she thought that she was also in charge of the special musical number in her own little world. She loudly began humming “Come Come Ye Saints” about the time they started passing the water around. The faculty had to actually wheel her away at that point, and it struck me as interesting that in this sacrament meeting, none of the kids present had to be taken out, just the adults!

Another lady was loudly reading the newspaper during the sacrament – rustling the ads about, and loudly turning the pages.

There was immediately a hymn after the Sacrament, and then a short 4 minute talk, and then they CLOSED THE MEETING!!!! We couldn’t believe it – it was all of 20 minutes long!

Then for the closing song, a man in back of us sweetly sang a SOLO during the INTRODUCTION. I suppressed my giggle – and I thought it was very sweet.

After the closing prayer, an Alzheimer’s pateient named Arlene that is in LOVE with my Grandpa (in front of my still mentally sharp Grandma) came over with a vengeance and said to my GRANDMA

“Tell him (Grandpa) he needs a LECTURE! If we are going to get married in the TEMPLE, He needs to go to church MORE OFTEN!!”

Brian said to her, “Well, he is already SPOKEN for.”

Arlene said defensively,” Yeah he’s spoken for - by ME!!!”

Grandma said patiently, “Arlene, we’ve talked about this, I’M the wife.”

Arlene said in a puzzled tone, “You’re the…..Wi-….”

Then she said with decided certainty,” No,no, I like... THIS ONE....(pointing to Grandpa) and YOU like ....(pointing AWAY from Grandpa)…….That….OTHER ONE!”

Grandma said patiently, ‘Ok, lets take you to your room now, Arlene.”

“First,”Arelene declares, “I have to give him a KISS!”

Arlene proceeds to give him a sloppy kiss while my Grandma issued an annoyed “UUUUUHHHHHHHHHHH” to herself.

Brian and I looked at each other like, “THIS IS MADNESS!!!!” no pun intended!

WE ARE IN....

Here we are in Utah! Mark, Brian's youngest brother, is getting married tommorow. So here we are - although a little crazy getting here.

We have driven pretty much 10 - 11 hours each day, starting Friday morning - complete with camping items.

Our first night camping was pretty much a NIGHTMARE for me. I like camping - I am a fan....BUT when the temperature (near Mt. Rushmore) gets down to 35 degrees at night in the middle of July, I have only so much love for the place.

NOT TO MENTION, camping with an 8 week old can be a little tricky. Kylianne was congested and all night I was thinking " Do I need to suction out her nose" or "Is she breathing?" " Do I use the aspirator and have her cry bloody murder and wake up all the campers around us?"

Needless to say, I got about 45 minutes of unsettled sleep. Brian, who is a FANTASTIC sleeper couldn't get any sleep either.

So at 4:30 AM we looked at each other in the pitch black tent and said, "LETS GET OUTTA HERE!!!" So we loaded everything up before anyone else in the campground was up and vanished from that place - Custer State Park - as soon as the tent was down. The kids had no idea what hit them or where they were - they just knew they woke up at the crack of dawn in the car.

Mount Rushmore was great - the entire 5 minutes that we were there.

Yellowstone was by far our favorite. We were GOING to camp there too, but after that horrible night we had, we quickly acted and made hotel reservations at Old Faithful Inn which I LOVED LOVED LOVED. Old Faithful was literally like 40 feet away - it was amazing. And there were like 50 other geysers along pathway that we could walk around outside of the hotel. I LOVED it.

Also - in our room - it was supposed to be the feel of the hotel as it was 100 years ago. So there was no phone, no clock, no TV and no bathroom in our room. There was a lonely sink and two queen beds. But after camping it was luxery beyond compare for me. The lobby was amazing and whimsical - like something you would see at Disney World - larger than life. I was sad to leave - I really think we could have been entertained there for days.

Brian and I BOTH wanted to see a bear, but sadly, we didn't. We did see buffalo, moose, bison, and a goat - VERY close by.

We were a little disconcerted when having a picnic there because as we were cooking eggs bacon and stir fried veggies on a kerosene stove and we read a sign nailed on the picnic bench which read, "EAT AT YOUR OWN RISK. BEARS ARE ATTRACTED TO THE SCENT OF FOOD AND MAY APPROACH YOU." So every 30 seconds as I was cooking I would glance nervously over my shoulder at the surrounding woods and turned the heat up as high as it would go to make everything go a little faster.

The only way we could drive 10 hours a day was the Medela pump I had that has a car adapter. I would pump a bottle and then contort my body so I could feed the bottle to Kylianne in the seat behind us. The only bad part - since I couldn't burp her - I would take her our at the rest areas and she would projectile vomit and drench everything and everyone in site. POOR GIRL!! But she was an ANGEL and never EVER cried in the car...AND she still slept through the night despite her being sick. What a dream baby! AND thank goodness for a laptop to play videos for Brooke and Tyler. And I didn't even MIND that "CARS" is 2 hours long, which I generally hate.

And now we are here in Salt Lake for Mark's wedding.........!

Do you dare to try it?

Every year around this time – late June/early July we go Mulberry Picking.

IT is one of the many pickings we do during the year.

We picked strawberries for .80/lb. We picked as long as we could STAND it for a whopping 40 lbs this year.

We pick mulberries for FREE ...if we can find a tree that hasn’t already been picked

We pick blueberries for $1.50/lb (it WAS .95/lb 2 yrs ago!) We try to pick 50 lbs each year!

We pick apples for $1.25/lb in September. We picked $100 worth of apples last year!

We pick raspberries in the fall as well – they are NO deal to pick. We pick 2 pints only.

To my dismay, right after we picked 4 lbs of hard to reach mulberries, the Homewood Village services came by and CHOPPED ALL BRANCHES within reach. We have been picking them on the outskirts of a VERY near by golf course. SO, we have been forced to find ourselves a new tree(s) to patronize!

Before the trees were BUTCHERED 3 days ago, we had enough to fill a gallon size zip lock freezer bag.

So with Mulberries I made Mulberry Ice Cream for Recipe club.

I found it too sweet so I changed the recipe and added ½ cup LESS sugar. WAY better and I probably could have lowered the sugar even more. And I make it in the Vitamix- so it takes like 2 minutes.

My recipe:

1 cup soy milk

¼ cup or less sugar

2 lbs Mulberries

½ tsp vanilla

1 cup ice cubes optional

blend it on HIGH for 30 seconds and WHALAA!!! (That is at Vitamix speed, NOT Kitchen Aid high speed, if you know what I mean!)

YUM!! And as you can tell, this ice cream is no WIMPY PASTEL color - it has MAJOR teeth staining, clothes staining, face staining qualities. But man is it worth it!