Shop GoodSearch and Give to The Celiac Disease Foundation

I had my surgical procedure on Monday and this time has been tougher than the past. The Doctor said the hole from my stomach into my intestines was closed smaller than pea size so he opened it as wide as possible. Normally after this procedure I sleep off the anesthesia and then I am up and going. This time I have had a good bit of pain in my stomach area, which is to be expected, but is not fun. Each day I wake up thinking I'll be over it but so far it still hurts. This morning I was thinking isn't it wonderful to think, this too shall pass. No matter how hard or uncomfortable we get from time to time with our different diets and life in general one day it will all be over.


Today I was making "My Favorite Sandwich Bread" and realized it was time to order more mixes. I am a thrifty shopper so I went to The Gluten Free Pantry and checked out the price there but was able to get a much better deal at Amazon.com through goodsearch.com. I am so pleased with my purchase I was able to give a percentage of the proceeds to the "Celiac Disease Foundation"! Go to Good Search and select your favorite charity then there is a list of stores or you can search for the store you want to shop. I am amazed at how many stores are listed, check it out. It is easier for me to spend our money if I can help someone else in need.

Helpful Hint From My House to Yours



This morning I was in the mood for Banana pancakes but didn't feel like making anything from scratch. I used my "Pamela's Baking Mix" for the pancakes and then added a small banana. I covered them in a little butter and Blackburn's Butter Pecan Syrup. Talk about good it was wonderful!!!!!

Have a nice weekend friend whether sunshine or rain make the most of it.

A Helpful Hint From My House to Yours

Allergies, headaches and surgery

As I've mentioned before I'm getting ready for a procedure on my stomach valve this next Monday so I am off all aspirin products. I have had a head ache for three days now, it may be lack of caffeine so I've have been drinking coffee. I really think it is something in the air. On our trip to Indiana I did great and had no headaches. I swear to you the minute we drove back into the deep south Steve and I both had a headache. What is it about MS that is so different? I hate the idea of leaving this Magnolia state but sure wish my head would feel better.

As for my stomach now that the procedure is scheduled and my part of it is already paid I feel better, go figure! I guess I need to go and let them check me out anyway and the only way they can do this is a scope down my throat I've never had this procedure done that it wasn't closed or had a pea size opening. I mentioned not going to Steve and his reply was, "Grace, you have been sick for a month now and you have two good days and want to cancel the procedure umm no"!


My Family

Steve has been in the Delta and is home now and I'm so glad I hate staying by myself. I have had Sydney here, Ben and Ashia's dog, but she just wants to sleep. The minute Steve walked through the door she was full of energy and seemed to be full all night long.


When Sydney sleeps she gets cold and stays right under me but if I wrap her up she'll sleep for hours. Notice her paw over her nose.


I don't know if you read Ashia's blog (find the link in the right hand margin) but she is very pregnant. She goes back to the doctor on Monday. We still don't know the sex of our Indiana baby but we should know in two weeks, I can't stand the suspense! Both Ashia and Mary are doing very well.


Helpful Hint From My House to Yours

While at Mary's last week my girls and I made gluten-free brownies from a mix I had taken with me. I had made these brownies before and they seemed a little dry but not this time. While Alyana mixed them I added a large tablespoon of sour cream (I use Daisy all natural) to the mixture and they were great. George, my son-in-law, didn't realize they were gluten-free. I use sour cream or mayonnaise (Hellmann's) in a lot of baking gluten-free with mixes it always makes the item moist.



Something new I tried while at Mary's, if I eat at night the food just sets there and I can't sleep so I was looking for something I could drink at night. I bought this at Kroger and it was really good, it would have been better if I'd put a few potatoes in it. The neat thing is that they have soups such as this in many different flavors. UMMM

These Are Special Times

Click on photos to get an enlarged view!

On our way to Indiana to visit our girls and George and Mary! I read and played on the internet while Steve conducted business.


We had to see the changes to the house since our last visit. Alayna has a Princess bedroom and it is sooo cute!



They live in a great neighborhood and the girls enjoy riding their bikes whenever they can. The weather was great so we spent some time outside each day.



We went to Newport Kentucky and ate lunch at a German restaurant. The food and company was wonderful!


The girls really enjoyed our visit to the Aquarium in Newport. We have many photos of them monkeying around.


View from the aquarium.



Emma almost to get ate by a dinosaur looking creature.



Alayna touching the shark on the wall.



Both girls enjoyed the octopus!



The alligator didn't scare them!



They set on the frogs!



We all fed the birds in the rain forest. At one time Steve had three birds on him, when he was able to coax them to get off we left in a hurry!



I was always taking photos of others and Steve insisted that he take one of me while in the rain forest.



I had to include a photo of one of the catfish!




Checking out the sharks, this was the real thing, kind of intimidating!



Emma in front of the penguins.



In front of the jellyfish, they love each other.



Eating ice cream after our aquarium tour.



Our time with our kids is over but we smile and look forward to being together as soon as possible!

Feeling More Like a Grandma Everyday!!!

It has been so hard to find time to blog lately. Ashia and I just returned from Jackson where she finished the last of her baby registry. She registered at Wal-mart and Babies"R"US. The baby showers will start soon and we are excited, to say the least. In the meantime I have been shopping for our baby in Indiana. I have bought a lot of diapers so far, more will be purchased as soon as we know the sex. I just feel it is a boy and you don't know how many times I have almost purchased something for a boy, but I have been a good grandma and waited, as of now can't promise what I may buy on my trip!



This photo is of Sydney resting on baby Austin on the way to Jackson. While we were gone Sydney got to meet Sam and I think she's going to be just fine. I was holding him and she started jumping up even with his body so I went and set on the sofa where she could see him. She sniffed him all over and then jumped down and went her merry way. Maybe it will be the same with Austin when she arrives.



Ashia recently colored and cut my hair. I love it, it is so easy and cool, which means a lot with this hot weather we have. Also with shorter hair I don't look so much a grandma although I feel more like one everyday!

I went to my Gastroenterologist, today the opening of my stomach has blocked off again so they will do the procedure to open it back up on July 27. At this time I feel awful and can hardly eat, although I am trying to embrace this time because I have lost a few much needed pounds. After it is over I will feel so much better and for now I have to eat small meals during the day and drink something nutritious at night.

Another exciting thing in my life, Steve and I are praying we can leave on Wednesday for a much needed vacation. We have not been anywhere apart from a quick trip to see our kids in four years. Steve had told me that as soon as it rained we would go somewhere. I saw a rain passing through the Delta on TV this morning but figured it had missed us, as it always seems to, but when I arrived to pick up Ashia for our Doctor appointments Ben said that it was raining in the Delta and his Dad was coming home. I still didn't think about taking a trip as farmers NEVER get their hopes up, but Steve called and asked how soon I could leave. I can't explain to you the excitement I felt and still feel. I will be spending the next few hours packing and getting ready to go!!! In the midst of it I need to think about traveling "Gracefully Gluten-Free"!

Oh, one more thing. I made gluten-free sandwich bread with my bread machine last night and it did fine. I guess as stated in an earlier blog I did jump the gun and I'm thankful for that.

Gluten-Free Recipe for Banana Nut Muffins

I have been home (in Macon) sick this week. I ran to the grocery store to buy a few items that I needed and found "Gluten-Free Pancake and Waffle Mix". This may not seem like much to you but I live in a small town and for the local store (Tem's) to stock ANYTHING gluten-free is a big deal! Shopping for gluten-free items reminds me of shopping for American made items in Guatemala. I use to get sooo excited when I found anything that I was use to buying here in the good old USA. Now I'm doing the same thing with gluten-free, it's funny how some things never change.


I made these recently and my family loved them. Ben said that he could not tell they were gluten-free.

Banana Nut Muffins
Servings: 12

Ingredients:

Combine in Large Bowl
3 bananas; very ripe, peeled and mashed
¼ c. oil
1 c. dark brown sugar
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 egg

Whisk together in separate bowl
1 ½ c. GF all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. xanthan gum
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
½ c. mini chocolate chips optional
½ c. nuts; chopped optional
½ c. dried fruit optional

Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.
Add the dry ingredients into the banana mixture and stir until well blended.
Mix in your choice of add-ins. Spoon batter into muffin cups and bake for about 20 or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.. Cool muffins on wire rack. Wrap leftover muffins; bag and freeze for easy on the go treats. Reheat briefly in microwave, if you wish.

My Favorite Sandwich Bread

Do you ever have a day like this? I was really tired after working a lot on Thursday and so on Friday I was looking forward to a more relaxing day today. When I got up I started a loaf of "My Favorite Sandwich Bread" (if you have not tried this you should I order mine from "Gluten Free" or "Amazon"). After a while I went in to check my bread and the timer on the bread machine had not moved. I panicked and emptied the bread dough into a bread pan to let it rise and bake it manually. The bread rose all over the oven and so I decided to clean up part of it and then bake it and I dropped the pan! Now I had bread dough all over the kitchen. I should have quit and went back to bed but I managed to persevere and clean up the mess plus make a new loaf of bread. Now that this catastrophe is over I wonder if I actually jumped the gun and didn't give the machine time to do it's thing? HHMMM maybe I'll give it one more chance I love my bread machine, thanks to my great cousins who gave it to me as a wedding gift when I married Steve.



The new loaf of bread never seemed to get done. After cooking it twice I finally cut it up and put it in a box. The inside is a little gooey but after toasting it is is great. Lord please let my bread machine be ok so I can eat decent bread again!

This brings one more thing to mind. Have you ever shopped through "Good Shop"? It is a website that you can shop numerous stores through and give to your favorite charity at the same time. My daughter introduced me to this when I bought my MacBook. Give it a try all of us want to help someone else, right?

To view more photos by Ashia click on the above photo.

On a much happier note, my cousin Michelle and her two children have been visiting Ben and Ashia. And I have been able to spend time with each one of them and have thoroughly enjoyed it. They use to come regularly and visit the farm but do not get too much anymore since Michelle works as a nurse, is VERY involved in the lives of her children and has a new man in her life. Yes, it true Michelle is in love and I am happy for her but the bad thing is he LIVES IN NORTH CAROLINA!!!! I know one day Michelle, Rivers and Gage will be leaving Mississippi to join Dan in NC and I dread it but can't say anything after all didn't I pray that she find true love and be happy? Come to think of it this is the second Michelle in my life that I have prayed this for and the first one moved to Alabama, which isn't so bad because I can see her once in a while but North Carolina. If you're name is Michelle and you want a mate don't ask me to pray unless you are ready to pack your bags!



When I got home from the Delta I mentioned to Ashia and Rivers that I needed to go buy groceries because there was nothing to eat at my house. Rivers brought me this, she had made a grocery list for me of what I needed. Isn't that the sweetest? I can't believe she is this big!



I hope you all had a wonderful 4th. We enjoyed spending time with family for a nice swim and cookout.