Halloween decor

While I have this opportunity to possibly make an impact at this time regarding Halloween fun and food safety issues, obviously Halloween is a strongly chocolate based holiday , which poses a real threat to those allergic to milk, nut/peanuts, perhaps when choosing candy choose peanut free selections, and ask the question to children or parents trick or treating???? are you allergic?, children will not offer this information to strangers . Last year several local families asked at the door, I was thrilled, while asking is great for families like mine it also draws awareness to the issue and that is always a good thing. If you can not find peanut free perhaps a stash of non-food treats from the dollar store to offer as a safe alternative for those allergic to milk or peanuts, as carrying these allergens can often pose a threat of reaction.
Have a safe and Happy Halloween.


How I would love to deck out my front porch in the manner as pottery barn kids has, magical.
I have come up with a great idea I can make that web out of electrical tape , as long as it doesn't rain.Won't that be fun.

These are my little ghosts, I made them many years ago, they are simply a square of felt head stuffed with a bit of cotton , neck tied tight and two stitched on x eyes, super simple, some years I have hung them from clear thread but with my candelabra that has the perfect perches they now stay there every year.



I especially love these scull candles they are so goolish

Food allergy project

There is a 12 minute video at this link , feel free to watch and learn..thank you .

http://www.foodallergyproject.org/videopage.html


As a mom of a peanut allergic child I am touched to find this new organization , pushing to find a cure. There is a 12 minute video , it is very eye opening.







This is child, my child is sick everyday , because her immune system is not adequate to protect her from one simple food, something that came from the earth , something that should nourish her ,but it can kill her, I do everything I can do to prevent that , I want her to live a full long life, to do what ever it is that she chooses , I don't want anything to be stolen from her because of this challenge.
How can this be? There needs to be a cure.

Tough Day with a Peanut Allergy

Saturday Sophie was so excited to go to a friends birthday party , I spoke with the mom who is a teacher and very familiar with peanut allergies,she was to buy a cake from a "peanut free" shop and I checked all the food which all should have been just fine, finally a party where Sophie could eat cake, but when I picked her up her face around her mouth was red , I thought it was just food stain, but after a clean it was a reaction there were hives and the texture of her normally perfect complextion changed, she has come in to contact with nuts or peanuts,it was a very stubborn reaction compared to the others that resolved on their own very quickly, didn't go further than rash , we gave her a double dose of benadryl and it knocked her out , she slept for several hours, could be also that she was so excited to go to the party that she woke at 6:30am and even spend a half hour in the car waiting because she was so excited to go???

Her breathing was fine so we didn't go to the hospital, and after the clear of 6 hours and no respitory problems we had the all clear, or sigh of relief , but this morning I still see the after math , her face is blood shot and some exzema , which she doesn't get ,on her chin and arm , so it was for sure a real exposure, now I have call the mom and find out what it could have been , I didn't think to talk about the environment if they eat peanut butter in the house that can be enough to set off a negative response, I felt like crying the whole time, sad really for what could progress and for the fact that she will not be going to any more parties or playdates at others for quite a while , with every exposure it does get more grim, I should feel grateful some kids faces swell so much their eye lids flip inside out , but I feel fragile today not so grateful but still grateful.

Sophie my baby girl

Now what can I say , I adore this kid, she sure knows how to push my buttons and make me melt, I see her as more fragile than perhaps most , I feel like all our time together is so precious, I feel like she can be taken away without notice, of course this is true of any child , but because Sophie is allergic to peanuts I alway feel impending doom, we have been lucky so far, I am very cautious of course with everything she puts in her mouth .This past weekend Sophie was a guest at two birthday parties , she was the only one who couldn't enjoy a piece of cake, the just in case , they didn't "have" nuts but no one can tell us if there has been cross contamination, poor kid she hates to be pointed out in any way ,really ever, thankfully she knows the seriousness of her allergy and it is nothing to play with , what a burden for such a little girl. But I have faith there will be a cure or a treatment .So until then I go on ,scanning every new place , every environment for danger, there behind the glass of the office at swimming class sits a bag of reeses balls, wondering did her swim coach wash properly, on the handle of the water fountain I wipe with vigor, letting the servers know everywhere we eat, yet by the end of a meal they usually forget .

I can't complain it is just what we need to do , like seatbelts , like helmets, but unlike those that are obvious to all , we have to protect her from an invisable or hidden danger most times , but boy am I glad we are dealing with this now and not 10 years ago , people are much more aware of this issue of concern.

I am lucky to be her Mom.