An Alternative to Christmas/Advent Chocolate Calendars

I know this isn't about cooking, but as the holidays approach, mainly Christmas, I have to find ways to keep Precious Butterfly involved too, just because she's allergic to Milk, Eggs, and Rice doesn't mean she cannot participate.

So, it's almost December and that means the count down to Christmas and the birth of Jesus!!!!  My kids and I go to church just about every Sunday, there a few times here and there that we don't attend (usually due to sickness in the family).  Anyways, when my sister and I were little our parents bought those Advent Calendars that had the little windows that we open each day and get a small chocolate.  This year my mom bought one for Little Man, but didn't get one for Precious Butterfly (Precious Butterfly can't have the chocolates due to her dairy allergies) so I decided to come up with a special treat for her to count down to Christmas. 

So I've been looking all over the place to find a way for her to get to do a count down to Christmas.  I finally found on that I like and just in time since tomorrow is December 1st! I like to call it the Count Down to Christmas Craft.  I printed the blank one and colored it myself.  After coloring it, I assembled it following the directions on the web page.  After assembling it I glued it to a piece of construction paper so the it would be sturdier and less of a chance that it would rip.  Here's a photo of it completely put together:

 

I am planning on adding cotton balls to his hat's pom and probably to the brim where's it's normally white.  Then starting tomorrow I will help Precious Butterfly glue on a cotton ball each day to Santa's beard so that she can count down to Christmas too!  It's an alternative if you'd rather not give your kids chocolate or if they are allergic to regular chocolate.

Thanksgiving Dinner 2012 (Part 1)

So now that the holidays are upon us, you may ask how can we have a good time, but avoid an allergic reaction?  Well, I've got some ideas:

This year due to finding out Precious Butterfly's allergies keeping her safe is my number 1 priority.  How will I do that you may ask, well I'm hosting my own Thanksgiving Dinner.  I figured that if my in-laws were staying home, they'd invite us over and make food that just wasn't safe for Precious Butterfly since they don't seem to remember that she's got food allergies and not just that, going to their house means bring the high chair (which doesn't fit in the car) and making a separate meal safe for her.

So I decided to have my own Thanksgiving dinner, besides my mom isn't sure if she'll be having a dinner at her house or going to my aunt's house.  So If my mom doesn't have/host a Thanksgiving dinner, then my mom's mother (my nana) will host one.  If she does, I'm in the same predicament as I'd be in if I was to go to my in-laws regarding the high chair for Precious Butterfly.  So I told her to come to my house both her and her husband (grandpa) and my sister and her husband too.  Afterall Thanksgiving is about being with family. 

Now what's my plan, well my in-laws have accepted the invite for dinner.  My mom still hasn't made up her mind, she said she will this week.  It's fine if she hosts dinner because she hots a noontime meal and I'll host a dinner meal.  I also invited a friend who will be alone for the holiday since her kids will be with her ex-husband and her grandmother won't be having a dinner.  She might go to her aunt's house, but isn't sure so I told her she was more than welcome to come here for dinner.  So right now there will be six for dinner, but there could be up to 6 more coming for dinner.  I hope to find out in the coming days.

So the menu...that's tough, but hubby and I think we've figured it out.  This is by no means set in stone, but an idea of what to have and also catering to the needs of Precious Butterfly's food allergies.

We are planning on having:

• Turkey
• Stuffing
• Gravy
• Corn
• Green beans
• Crescent Rolls
• Mashed Potatoes
• Green Bean Casserole
• Stuffed Mushrooms
• Crab Ragoons

I know some of it contains items she's allergic to, however, I've got a plan and I'll tell you about later this week!  Just wait and I'll even post my recipes that I'll be using.

It's been crazy!!!!

It's been a while since I've posted, but I wanted to fill you in on where we're at with Precious Butterfly...

Recently, last Thursday night to be exact, we took a trip to the Allergist's office to get her flu shot.  Now you may say OMG, she's allergic to eggs, but calm down...the allergist's office gets the low egg concentration of the shot (it's special) and they gave her that shot rather than the regular flu shot.  We had to hang out there for 30 minutes with the nurse present the entire time.

Before being given the shot the nurse looked her over head to toe and front to back and found nothing out of the ordinary.  Once given the shot we let her play while we chatted and waited until the 30 minutes were up.  We got some more helpful information and even a re-training on using the epipen correctly.  Her pediatrician showed us, but he told us to do it in the front, but it should be in her side of her thigh per the nurse.  I know you're saying DUH! that's where you're supposed to do it, well I know that per the instrustions and it's reinforced by the nurse. 

After the 30 minutes were up, the nurse looked her over and she was fine!  Now we did ask that since she was fine could we just have it done at her pediatrician's office and the answer was no.  She was given the low egg concentration and from now on until she is no longer allergic she will get her yearly flu shot in the Bedford office.  Oh well, we tried.  No biggie though, we find that it's better to do it there even though it's sorta a long trip.  We want to do whatever we have to to keep Precious Butterfly safe even if it means trips to Bedford for the allergist visits and the flu shot. 

So now the entire family has had their flu shots and hopefully none of us will catch the flu this year!