Pretend Cheese

This week, we tried a new dairy-free "cheese" for Cole called Daiya shreds.  Daiya is free of dairy (casein, whey, and lactose), soy, gluten, eggs, peanuts, and tree nuts, so it's right up our alley!  The package claims it melts and stretches like real cheese, but I was very skeptical.  I decided to make Cole a chicken quesadilla and see how it went.  I'm here to report that their packaging is 100% correct.  It is exactly like cheese in every way (especially for Cole who doesn't know any better), and - the best part - Cole ate it!

http://www.daiyafoods.com

We Joined the Farm!

This year, our family decided to be community-supported agriculture (CSA) members of a local farm.  As part of our membership, we receive weekly shares of fruits and vegetables for 20 weeks from June through November.  We also receive free entry to the farm itself, which has all sorts of fun activities, from an Easter egg hunt and marshmallow harvest in the spring to a catch-and-release party for dads at Father's Day to a pumpkin chunkin after Halloween and Thanksgiving harvest celebration in November.  The farm also has a pet-a-pet farm, laser tag, and - of course - pick-your-own produce.  We enjoyed our first visit of the year this past weekend when we attended the Easter egg hunt and marshmallow harvest (who knew that peeps grew on trees!).  The kids had so much fun!  They visited with the Easter bunny, played on some awesome playgrounds, found eggs, and ate their weight in roasted marshmallows and peeps!

Rollerskating!

For a while now, I've wanted to take the kids skating but haven't gotten around to it.  Then, the other day, some close friends invited us to meet them at the local skating rink.  We had a blast!  The kids learned really quickly, and by the end of the afternoon, both were beginning to be able to skate without assistance!  Here are some fun pictures from our afternoon:

New Treatment for Food Allergies

This morning, the Today Show featured a story on food allergies.  They interviewed a 10-year-old named Tessa Grosso, who suffered from multiple food allergies.  I think the part of the story that struck me was when they said, "Tessa wasn’t even 2 when spilled milk sent her into anaphylactic shock."  This is exactly what Cole is struggling with right now.  We've been to the emergency room twice because of spilled milk.  Anyway, the story described experimental new treatment that appears to be working for children with multiple food allergies.  Cole is on the waiting list for similar treatment at Johns Hopkins. 

Here's a link to the story:

http://todayhealth.today.com/_news/2013/03/14/17298809-childrens-severe-food-allergies-fade-after-one-docs-new-treatment?lite

Great Wolf Lodge

We have toys - an incredible, unbelievable amount of toys.  So many that this year, I told Sydney that she could choose between having a traditional birthday party or going to Great Wolf Lodge to celebrate her birthday.  I pulled up the GWL Web site and showed her the water slides and really sold it (perhaps I was a bit biased, but I'm really finished with the toys in this house, and I'm not a fan of expensive birthday parties either).  So - we went to GWL to celebrate Syd's birthday, and we had a blast.  Syd was a MANIAC on the slides and in the wave pool, and this trip marked our very first vacation as a family.  I packed food for Cole, and he did great.  GWL was incredibly helpful with his allergies, and we made it through the weekend without an allergic reaction!  Here are some pictures from the trip.

Cousins!

THAT's Dairy Free?!?

Cole recently went to Johns Hopkins for his annual allergy testing.  I was devestated when I received his results.  Not only are his allergies getting worse, but also more encompassing.  Anyway, I'm trying to focus on the positive, so I figured I'd post about how I've recently come across a ton of snacks and treats Cole CAN eat.  A ton of store-bought food that has made me stop and say, "WHAT?  That is dairy free?  You've GOT to be kidding me!"  I try to stick to nutritious fruits and veggies and homemade goodies, but man do these store-bought treats make things easier when we're on the go! 

Barnum's Animal Crackers
Teddy Grahams
Thomas Bagels
Oreos (Oh my goodness - when I heard about these, I nearly dropped dead... but - another touch-allergic milk mom told me, and Cole loves them)
Pillsbury Frosting
Duncan Hines Classic Yellow Cake Mix (haven't tried this yet, but can't wait)
Del Monte Fruit Chillers - love these!
Scooby Doo Graham Cracker Sticks
ToFutti Cuties
Potato Gnocchi
Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
Sunbutter (we live on this stuff, and we ordered the squeezy packs off Amazon - totally worth the price for the ease of use on the go)

Now - if I could just find unsweetened hemp milk in single-serving boxes, I'd be in heaven!

Sources that help:
http://milkallergymom.blogspot.com
http://www.eatallergyfree.com/
http://www.milkfreekids.com/

Mission Accomplished

After nearly a month of weekends of hard work, the townhouse DIY project is complete, and the townhouse is on the market!  Check out these gorgeous floors!

My Baby Girl is FIVE!

Sydney turned 5 years old this week.  I feel like she was a newborn just yesterday!  This fall, she'll go to Kindergarten, and I'll need professional counseling.  Here is this year's edition of the birthday questions:

Favorite food? Macaroni and cheese and milk.  Last year: Macaroni and cheese - WITHOUT ham!

Favorite color? Pink.  Last year: Pink and blue

Favorite thing to do with your family? Go to the playground and on the bike path.  Last year: Snuggle, swim, and go to the beach

Favorite book? Pinkalicious.  Last year: Strawberry Shortcake Easter Hunting book

What do you want to be when you grow up? Veterinarian.  Last year: Super star

Weekend Projects

For years now, we've rented out a townhouse in Ashburn.  We've had really good luck with renters, and for the last three plus years, we've had the same set.  Just recently, however, we received noticed that they'd be moving out.  The townhouse needed some TLC, so Tom and I decided a DIY project was in order.  For the last couple weekends, we've worked to pull out the flooring on the middle floor of the townhouse, correct some subflooring problems, and lay new floor.  Anyway, it was an adventure!  Here are some pics of the project in progress:  

Ugh - what a mess!

Getting there...

Purrrty!

Woo hoo!  Just needs some trim!

Required material for such a project.

Stay tuned for pictures of the finished product.  It looks gorgeous!

Snow Day!

We haven't gotten a lot of snow here this winter -- just enough to get out and have a little bit of fun.  This week was no exception.  Thursday morning, we made the most of an inch and a half of snow!

 

Evie Visits Crazy Town

Lorraine needed a sitter this week, so we offered our professional services.  Even Papa came over to help.  Poor Evie was probably a little overwhelmed.  She was read to, presented with many toys, told what to do, snuggled (perhaps violently), fed, covered in blankets to "keep warm," and entertained in other assorted ways.  Anyway, she was returned with no visible injuries, and she seemed to enjoy herself!  The kids and I can't wait to have her back!

A Trip to the Zoo

Along with my parents, Lorraine, and Evie, I took the kids to the National Zoo for the first time ever last week!  It was supposed to be 65 degrees and partly sunny, but it ended up being probably 40 degrees (at best) with drizzle.  Notwithstanding the weather, we still had a good time, and I saw more animals than I've ever seen at the National Zoo (Tom swears there actually aren't any animals at the zoo, but I'm here to tell you there are).  The kids had fun, although next time, we'll skip the three-mile bike ride we took Syd on the day before (it doesn't lend itself well to having her walk the grounds of the zoo without a stroller).  Some of the animals we saw included the sea lions, elephants, wolves, gorillas, fish, snakes, lizards, lemurs, zebras, and cheetahs.  We even took a ride on the zoo's new train!

Kicking Off a Healthy 2013

What a great way to start off the new year!  Only 11 hours into the new year, and we've got a 5K under our belts.  Here's to a happy, healthy 2013!  

Top 10 Moments of 2012

10.  Taking the kids to see their first movies in the movie theater.

9.  Making the most of another spectacular year of snowmobiling in New England.

8.  Having friends' and family support while continuing to learn to play roller derby and then winning season championships with the Vineyard Vixens roller derby team.

7.  Getting together with friends and family to watch the Redskins win football games and go to the playoffs!

6.  Enjoying a rainy beach vacation with the Chabots, including nontraditional beach activities like peach picking.  

5.  Watching Cole transform from a toddler to a preschooler, full of independence, an ever-growing vocabulary, and his own plans!

4.  Watching Sydney continue to swim independently and having a completely worry-free summer in the pool.

3.  Running a couple of 5Ks as husband and wife!

2.  Family fun adventures of all sorts: Udvar Hazy Air and Space Museum, Frying Pan Park, ICE!, Natural History Museum, apple picking, Temple Hill Farm, Great Country Farm... the list goes on!

1.  Continuing to learn more about Cole's allergies so he could safely attend preschool and we can leave the house on family adventures.  

Number one cannot be understated.  Late last year, it became clear that Cole has a touch allergy to milk.  For example, Syd spilled her milk, Cole touched the puddle, and we ended up in the emergency room.  Other times, he develops hives after just inhaling milk or dairy "fumes."  Just this Christmas, he developed hives after simply picking up the dog's milk bones (yes, milk bones have milk in them - who knew?).  Anyway, it's been a learning experience.  We have to take some pretty serious precautions, but now that we're a little more ahead of the game, we're able to get out of the house more, take day trips, and enjoy life!  We're looking forward to more of this freedom and flexibility in 2013!   

Catching Up... Again

I do so well... and then, I don't.  Ugh.  So - here I am - again having to catch up.  At least, I can say - with certainty that it's because we've been busy having fun!  

The beginning of November marked the end of the presidential election and the roller derby season!  After a grueling 8-month season, it was incredibly satisfying to finish it off as undefeated season champions - Go Vineyard Vixens!   

Fall ended with a packed Thanksgiving celebration at the house.  We hosted the entire Bergeman crew: Grandma, Papa, Jodi, Bret, Sarah, Haley, Dylan, Tom, Syd, Cole, and me.  But - before there was turkey to eat, there was a 5K to finish!  Bret, Tom, and I ran like maniacs in Ashburn and kicked the day off with a bang!  Tom finished in 27 minutes, and Bret and I finished in 29 minutes.  Not bad!  I think this will start a yearly 5K tradition.

December was full of cookie exchanges, Christmas pageants, birthday celebrations, snow, and Christmas itself.  We took advantage of vacation time to take a few day trips to see ICE! at National Harbor and to visit the museums downtown.  Most of all, it's been fun to relax and spend time with family and friends!