To eat or not to eat...

At a playdate last week, I was stressing over the woes of having a 3 year old girl who thinks she rules the world. Who acts like life is over if she doesn't get her way. Who 1 minute is an angel, and the next an irrational mess, throwing a temper tantrum. One of the mamas there said it sounds like a gluten issue. I totally blew off the comment (probably for selfish reasons...like not wanting to deal with the hassle of changing a diet).

But then I got to thinking about it. Hadley has been complaining ALOT lately about her tummy hurting. So Friday, I made pancakes for breakfast. After she ate, she was holding her belly and said "Mama, every time we eat pancakes, my tummy hurts." I don't use junk on my pancakes...we eat agave nectar as opposed to syrup, and we topped that with berries. So it definitely wasn't Aunt Jemima hurting her belly.

So I decided at that point we were going to spend the weekend on a "gluten-free" experiment. Now we didn't go hard-core. Just no bread, pasta, crackers, etc. I didn't go so far as to read labels on things. Ya'll, I'm not kidding...she's a different kid. Completely compliant, obedient and pleasant.

So then Monday I made some muffins, and Tuesday morning she wanted one for breakfast. I decided to let her have it to see if her behavior changed. Halfway through the muffin, she said her tummy hurt. And 2 hours later in the CVS parking lot...meltdown of epic proportions.

Part of me feels bad that all this time, I just had to tweak her diet, and she is so much better. Then the other part of me is glad we caught it while she's still young. So I guess we are going gluten-free (for her at least). I know dinner time will need to be mostly gluten free for all of us. So any suggestions on INEXPENSIVE (anyone who knows me, knows I'm a big saver, and couponer) meals to feed my family in the gluten-free arena, I'll listen!

Words on my hubby

Just a few thoughts:

1) I don't like when my hubby has a stressful day, but my tummy does. He relieves stress by cooking gourmet meals. OK by me! So night before last we had gulf shrimp (in freezer from before oil spill), over pasta with some amazing white wine cream sauce...yum!

2) Whey can I go to a cell phone store and get nowhere (except to be told I have to spend a ton of money for a new phone or to get out of my contract), and he goes in for 5 minutes and comes out with a free new phone for me? Not complaining...it's great, but sometimes I wonder if my sales and negotiating skills got lost somewhere between my stretch marks and c-section.

3) Locked my keys in my car today. If you are close to me, you know this happens WAY too often. Once again, Super Tadd to the rescue. Not mad at me, no yelling...just shakes his head and laughs as he once again shows up to save me. I always tell him to be glad I have all the kids, and didn't lock them in the car! Glad he finds my air-headedness endearing.

I think these things are God teaching me that I don't have to be so independent, and to learn to depend on my husband, and that it's ok to do that! Love my man!

How Hair Makes Me Happy

I love to braid hair. When I was preggers with Hadley, I was so excited to be having a girl so I could play with her hair. Well, she's 3 1/2 now, and still not much hair to work with. However, this is what the Lord blessed me with as a niece!

Seriously? Who could keep their hands out of that hair? Not me! While we were in Mobile with the whole family, I did Gianna's hair in double french braids and it was so cute! She finally sits still for me to fix it!

I also visited my sweet Maw-Maw in Mobile. She is aging quickly, and we can barely communicate with her anymore. She has lost her sight as well. Very hard. Anyway, this visit, I only had Eli with me, and he was very clingy. But I did play with Maw-Maw's ponytail and told her I hope my hair will be beautiful like hers one day. One of the nurses agreed, and said she loves to have her hair braided, and that anytime someone tells her that her hair is pretty, she asks if it is in a french braid. She also said that one of her granddaughters always french braids it. That is me I told her! Since I had Eli, and nobody to hold him, I couldn't braid her hair. But it made me feel so good, that no matter how far gone I think her mind is, she knows she loves to have her hair braided when I visit. I told her that it brings me as much joy to braid her hair as it does her. Now every time I do a french braid (hopefully on my own daughter eventually), I'll always think of my Maw-Maw.

May/June Transformations

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Can You Guess?

Can you guess how much this outfit cost me? I'll throw some name brands at you to help you out.

• Old Navy Tank
• Banana Republic Skirt
• North Face Flip Flops
• Hat, bracelet, necklace brands unknown

Go ahead, give it your best shot! And sorry about the poor quality, I Phone picture!

I have confidence...

...that if I were a man with hairy arms (like up to my shoulders), I would refrain from wearing sleeveless shirts.

We Are Nashville

Thanks to all of you who called to check on us during this crazy time in Nashville. We are fine, thank God! We had one house in our neighborhood that had flooding in their garage, and we had some roads buckle and some damage to a bridge and our neighborhood playground. So in the big scheme of things...nothing. So many have lost their homes, their possessions, and some, their lives and loved ones.

But I can't tell you how beautiful it has been to see such an outpouring of love and community during all of this. We have had friends affected by this terrible flood, and have heard stories of how people have come to the rescue. Before FEMA arrived, before Red Cross arrived. Neighbors, churches, complete strangers were there to help these people pick up the pieces that were left and lend a helping hand. Strangers, covered in mud and sewage from climbing under houses and ripping out ductwork. Covered in dust from cutting out drywall. Coughing, sneezing, sick from the mildew infested carpet, furniture, clothing, and air. It's such a good reminder that you don't have to look far from help. And that people really are generous...sometimes it just takes a natural disaster to get people going.

There are tents set up in these neighborhoods that were destroyed. Here, people, restaurants and grocery stores bring food and drinks daily so that lunch and dinner will be available to these people who still have no power, no food, and some of them no money to replace these things.

Below is a video clip of some of the pictures from the flood, and the quotes are from a blog post from a local who had some great things to say. Please continue to reach out to these people in any way you can. If you aren't local, there are plenty of ways to donate. If you can't donate, please pray. There are so many stories out there that would just break your heart.

One way you can help (and be really fashionable at the same time) is to buy a "We are Nashville" t-shirt. I'll be heading over to Nashville Clothing Company to pick up one for myself this weekend!

'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.' Matthew 25:40