Getting to know my juicer again with the allergy diagnosis.  Tried this new juice the other day and it was delicious.  The lemon and parsley added just the right zing.  What about you?  Do you juice?  Send some recipes my way!

Who Knew?

It has been quite a food journey since my blogging break.  I got into some serious blood testing etc. which was expensive but has turned out to be worth it.  The good news is I may not be allergic to eggs.  It was other ingredients in the banana bread and cupcakes that I never would have suspected: Pineapple and Banana.  The overall allergy list that came back is really strange, but the irrefutable fact is that since I have eliminated all of these, my symptoms have almost disappeared.  And since some of these sneak into foods, when I accidentally have some, my body lets me know it.  Ouch.  So for now (or forever) it's goodbye gluten, dairy, pineapple, banana, cranberry, asparagus (sob), broccoli, ginger, fennel and vanilla.  The vanilla is a killer, as it is often listed as "other natural flavors" and is major ingredient in gluten free baked goods.  It's a learning process.  Wish me luck!

Christian Book Reviews - 2 books

I'm back, at least for a little while!  The folks at Bethany House were nice enough to send me Angels Are For Real by Judith MacNutt and Spirit Wars by Kris Vallotton.  Both books were good in their own right.  I loved the book on angels - it presented MacNutt's views on angels in a readable, comprehensive manner.  Billy Graham's book on angels is much more detailed on the biblical background and purpose of angels, but it is a hard read.  This would be a good starter book.  Spirit Wars is a book I would have been very skeptical of several years ago.  However, the more I study and experience, the more real spiritual warfare becomes.  Forewarned is forearmed.  I recommend both of these books for those interested in venturing into these two areas of spirituality.

I recieved a free copies of these books from Bethany House to review.  The opinions are my own.

Time for an Official Break

As much as I would like to think I can keep the blog up along with everything else, the fact that my last post was in Oct. 2011 would indicate otherwise.  So, I will be taking a brief hiatus until I can get my ducks in a row.  When I come back I hope to be more organized (hah!) and have some cool topics to discuss.  If you are subscribed to me, you will get a new post when I come back.  Hope to see you in April!  Anne

A New Way of Living

Where have I been?  Working on solving the food allergy problem, working (the paid kind) and being a taxi service for my family.  Whew.  The good news: I love my family and it is well worth it.  The bad news:  looks like I am allergic to not only gluten, but dairy and eggs as well.  I am going to have to find a whole new way of cooking and eating.  I never cheat on gluten, as I know the consequences.  I was wondering if the occasional egg would hurt.  Answer is yes - had a scary reaction to one in some GF banana bread I made for R's birthday.  Had it again with the GF cupcakes I served for her party, as one of her classmates is allergic to wheat.  The dairy seems to kill my stomach, while the eggs cause full on hives, nausea and dizziness.  So, any of you out there who are gluten, dairy and egg free, send in your suggestions and resources!

I'd Rather Deliver Pizza

How's this for a way to make money?

CLOO' is a service designed to help city dwellers make some spare cash by renting out their bathrooms to people who are desperate to find a clean place to pee. Hey, times are tough, and, where there's a need, there's a market.

You can see how the service works in the video at the link above. In their own words:

CLOO' is based on one simple truth- we all have to pee. Though in urban cities finding a clean, available restroom is difficult & frustrating. That's where CLOO' comes in.

CLOO' is a community of registered users who choose to share their bathrooms and make city-living easier, while earning a small profit. Using social media connections, CLOO' shows what friends you have in common with the host, turning a stranger's loo into a friend of a friend's loo.

The next time you're desperate to find a bathroom near you, you can use CLOO' and the power of your social networks to find friends of friends who will let you use their bathroom for a buck or two.