Amanda is the one looking at the camera

The water was so cold this morning.  Poor thing had to wake up at 6:30 this morning to get to the meet.  Such discipline!

Amanda's first swim meet was today also!

She is a natural who just glides so smoothly through the water.  We first took her in our pool at 6 months when the weather warmed up and she's been swimming ever since.  She's never even had a formal lesson!

Way to go Mandy!!

Sean's first swim meet today!

With his famous jack-o-lantern look.  He's 6 and was so fast in the free style.  Every one was amazed.

The reason I changed my Blog's name

So I started this blog to blog about Amanda's peanut allergies.  And there is certainly a lot to say about that subject.  Then I started feeling a bit repressed.   I wanted to post more about my life and both of my beautiful children - all of which I am so thankful for.  So I changed the name because really I am a story teller and I love telling a story each day about life.  Hence the name Life Happens.  And I really am a busy mom.  So I'll stick with this name for a while.

I have been trying to upload photos of our lovely hermit crab so ineptly named Paradise but the pictures I took were from a disposable camera because my digital stopped working at the beach.  I was, to say the least, mortified that my beloved camera could stop working at such an inoppertune time like a family vacation, but it did.  And I am deeply saddened, being the rookie photographer that I am.

So I'm off to Costco in search of the perfect camera.  What do you think?  Sony?  Nikon coolpix that Ashton Kutcher pitches?   

At the beach

A crab who was crabby

As if getting stung by a jellyfish while in Port A wasn't bad enough, after school today the hermit crab that we had bought Amanda at the beach clamped on to the palm of her hand and wouldn't let go.  He was all balled up in his shell holding on for dear life with his claws in Amanda's hand. Amanda was screaming at the top of her lungs and we could not get the darn thing to let go.  My mom turned white as a sheet and I got well, freaked out.  After many unsuccessful attempts to get it off while Amanda was crying and sweating I called 911.

I'm not going to ever call 911 again - not even if the house is on fire.  Don't get me wrong, I love fire fighters and have tremendous respect for them, it's just that one of them looked so much like my brother (tall, thin and handsome) and the emotion it evoked in me was overwhelming to say the least.  I just love them all.  They are our heros.  What would we do without them?  We're just less one awesome fire fighter whom I miss like there's no tomorrow.

honestly.....

I think I didn't update my blog for so long because I was thinking about my brother, Jay and the upcoming date of the anniversary of his death (I last blogged May 10, he died May 17).  I don't know if anyone else does it, but it's like the weeks before the day Jay died is actually harder than the date itself.  At least that's how it is for me.  I re-live every moment of what I was doing and what I imagine he was doing until the day he died so unexpectedly and so tragically....until the moment he was.....gone.......forever.  In those weeks.....those days are hard.  Every moment is hard.  Holidays are hard too, but there is no count down.  His birthday is hard, but there is no count down.  Not like the date that he actually died.   And that's how it is for me.  

My story of Jay

and the next weekend....a trip to Corpus Christi

on the anniversary of my brother's death, May 17 2005 - a day i'll never forget.  miss you Jay.

Sean lost a tooth

Saturday, May 9th - the day before Mother's Day, Sean lost his second tooth.   He lost his first tooth at Disney World on October 9th and Tinkerbell came into his room and sprinkled fairy dust.

A memory I'm sure he'll never forget!

I have fallen off the blog wagon!

And now it's time to get back on!  I've had so many things happen since I last blogged that I don't even know where to start.

Since I last blogged:

Amanda and Sean made the swim team and have since started practicing 4 days a week after school - love it!

Sean lost a tooth.

Went to Corpus Christi - the city my brother last lived - and died in.

We went to Port Aransas for a family vacation and had a great time.

And, thankfully no peanut allergy incidents, although Amanda and Sean (yes both kids) got stung by a jelly fish at the beach.

And I am busy being a mom - love it!

My Pony Says Naaay to Peanuts

He prefers carrots to PB&J hands down!  And please don't put peanut butter on my crackers! I am allergic to peanuts!!!!  Thank you.

Amanda and Sargent

Thanks to Divvies

I forgot to mention that when I ordered a box of Chocolate Chip cookies from Divvies  last week, what came in the mail was a nice surprise.  They sent me 1 dozen Oatmeal Raisen cookies for free as a Mother's Day gift.  How awesome is that?    Thanks Divvies!!!  They are out of this world good.  Amanda loves the fact that on the front of the packaging it says Peanut and Nut Free!

Thanks Lori (the owner of Divvies) for your comment.  We would love to tour your facility and in the mean time I'm spreading the word about how good your cookies are. 

I just watched the video of Lori's  son showing Martha Stewart how to make cupcakes.  He is adorable!  I'm sure Benjamin will have his own cooking show some day!  Now I need to order some cupcakes.  Yum!

Please make sure your tuna says "Dolphin Free"

This trip to Disney World last October really enlightened me about Dolphins.  We now only buy tuna that says Dolphin Free.  Amanda eats a lot of tuna sandwiches since she can't eat peanut butter.

A Peanut Free Planet

Thank you Diana who sent me this link today peanutfreeplanet.  A totally awesome site full of wonderful food for children with peanut and tree nut allergies.  I never knew I could get so excited about shopping for food!!  This is a very exciting discovery for me.  I will be ordering soon and will let you know what the expert (Amanda) says.

My Divvies Arrived!

I ordered some Peanut Free Chocolate Chip and Oatmeal cookies last week and they just came in last night.  On the front of the box it clearly says   MADE WITHOUT PEANUTS, TREE NUTS, EGGS, MILK    

These cookies are made by DIVVIES

And they best part?  They are yummy.  We all gobbled them up, even Sean who is not allergic to peanuts but doesn't like cookies that much.  Yes he has not been exposed to cookies or cakes because of Amanda's peanut allergy.  We simply just don't have a lot bakery goods laying around our house.  Sean (age 6) doesn't like chocolate either (again because I don't have chocolate in the house because of Amanda) but he gobbled up the Divvies chocolate chip cookies saying they were yummy.  This is how afraid Amanda is to eat anything new.  Even though she clearly read the label stating no peanuts or tree nuts she was still VERY hesitant to try them.  With much coaxing she took a very small bite and deemed the Oatmeal Raisin cookie one of the best she's had.  Besides Mom's of course.

Product recall on Market Pantry Chocolate Chip Chewy Granola Bars

Market Pantry has recalled their Chocolate Chip Chewy Granola Bars that have a "Best By" date of "18JAN2010" and were sold in 15.2-ounce boxes containing 18 bars per box. The product contains peanuts, which are not listed as an ingredient on the box. People with peanut allergies can suffer serious or life threatening allergic reactions if they consume the product.

Most children that have an allergic reaction to peanuts is usually always accidental.   Granola bars have never been a safe food for me to buy.  Every box I have looked at says "may contain peanuts" or "processed in a plant that manufacturers peanuts".  We just simply stay away from ALL granola bars.

Food labels that clearly state "Peanut Free"!

These pictures were sent to me by my wonderful friend and illustrator Diana who saw these products in her grocery store in Ontario, Canada.

They clearly state on the front of the box "Peanut-Nut Free".  How awesome would that be instead of looking for it on the back?  I don't know of one manufacturer in the U.S. that puts that on the front.  If you do, let me know.  I'll probably buy the products.  I know for sure it would make shopping for peanut free and nut free products so much easier.