He Did What?

We took a drive to my mother's over the weekend, where the kids got to spend some time playing with all the animals. My mom and stepfather have quite the little menagerie going--horses, lambs, goats...I think chickens and pigs will be coming soon as well.

Some of the goats are itty bitty, and my kids thought it would be fun to try to catch one and ride it. Well, goats are also quick on their feet, so they ran; my kids ran after them. What no one bothered to realize is that the goats and kids were running in a rather small circle in the pen that houses these animals. Eventually the chasee became the chaser; and when Ayden turned around, Tex the Goat promptly got up on his back legs and knocked my son right down to the ground! Ayden wasn't hurt (thank God), though when he realized what had happened he started to cry a bit. Here's a photo of the sad little guy, post-smackdown.

Pancake Supper

Pancake?

Who wants a pancake,

Sweet and piping hot?

Good little Grace looks up and says,

"I'll take the one on top."

Who else wants a pancake,

Fresh off the griddle?

Terrible Theresa smiles and says,

"I'll take the one in the middle."

--by Shel Silverstein

Ever been to a pancake supper? I know lots of churches have them; members of the congregation get together for fellowship and pancakes in a relaxed atmosphere. The formality of Sunday services gives way to friends and neighbors getting to know each other.

Having food allergies/intolerances prohibits some people from participating in events like those. I know we avoid things like our church's pancake dinners and fish fry nights for that very reason. But that doesn't mean we can't do breakfast for dinner sometimes! I used my go-to banana pancake recipe, omitting the chopped nuts, and replacing them with Enjoy Life allergen-free chocolate chips. These fluffy, delicious pancakes were served alongside some bacon I purchased from a local butcher and, of course, real maple syrup. Mmm, pancakes.

Zoe and her Great-Grandma

These two are the best of buddies. A sixty-eight year age difference and slight language barrier can't keep these two apart.

Anxiety Bites

I am a pretty mellow girl by all accounts. I try to keep my life and home as peaceful as it possibly can be; my house is my happy place...as it should be. I grew up in a home that was anything but my happy place, so when Flamenco Dad and I settled down, keeping things loving, harmonious and low-key, peppered with kid fun and sprinkled with Flamenco fuego, was--and continues to be--a priority.

Outside influences have their way of affecting me in ways I don't like. They are counter-productive, and it irks me that I haven't quite figure out how to just let that stuff go. My family (the family I was born into), whom I love and would never replace for anything in the world, has a special brand of drama that I am powerless to fix--and yet I agonize over it. Decisions regarding school and my feelings of guilt for not always being there for the ones I love; concerns about getting my tests results back*; making sure my assignments are getting done on time; making sure the laundry is done...you get the idea.

So you can imagine what was going through my mind when last week I started experiencing chest pains that I was sure were signaling a heart attack. The first thought in my head was not "Oh crap, I think I'm having a heart attack," but "Shit, I'm gonna die right here in my kitchen and my kids aren't going to have a mother!" We left the kids with my mother-in-law while FD took me to the emergency room. Six hours, a litany of tests, and a hospital bill the size of a small country's budget later, I was told that I was having classic signs of a panic attack. The ER doctor monitored me for several hours, gave me something to chill me out (along with a script for more of the same), and sent me home.

With that ER scare behind me, I realized I've got some work to do as far as learning that I don't have to be "on" all the time. I am harder on myself than I should be. Things aren't always perfect, and they don't need to be. Laundry can pile up; assignments can be late; I have to accept that I don't always have all the answers. But it will make for a happier wife, mother, ME.

*The test results that my doctor ordered came back--and aside from a whacked-out thyroid and the fact that I am officially allergic to wheat--my bloodwork came back great. My cholesterol and glucose levels were perfect; my blood pressure is normal, and I've lost 11 pounds since starting the candida diet back on January 2nd.

Petenera

I received an email from a gentleman by the name of Michael Brown, a filmmaker and the co-producer of a movie called Petenera--A Flamenco Drama in Music and Dance. Given my screen name and my love of all things flamenco, Michael thought I might be interested in looking at his website. The site features multiple trailers and other info about this project. I was not familiar with the story of Petenera, so I gave the website a look. I was particularly fascinated by one of the clips featuring the Elena Marlowe, the Artistic Director and Choreographer of the film. She discusses who Petenera was, and talks about how the story of this tragic figure evolved over time. Like in oral tradition--where stories have morphed over time as generations of storytellers have shared them, so has folk dancing told stories that have slowly evolved over the ages. I'm looking forward to adding this movie to my film library. You can view the site and trailers here.

A Visit With Annie

I haven't been blogging much lately, but with good reason. School is totally sucking the free time out of me. I managed to carve out a few hours this week to spend with the family and take care of my mountain of laundry, but that's been pretty much it. I had a project to do and I've got a major exam later this week. On Valentine's Day, no less! Flamenco Dad and I have to postpone our Valentine's Day date, but it will happen...just not this week; especially since all the hot restaurants are booked through the weekend.

In other news, I met a fellow blogger...live and in person! On Friday I met up with the lovely Annie of Blooming Marvelous fame. She and I first "met" online two years ago through a discussion board for stay-at-home moms. Turns out that we live less than 30 miles from each other. In fact, Annie lives in the city where my husband works. So, last Friday I rode with my hubby to work and left him at the college while Annie and I went for a leisurely walk along the lake next to hubby's job. Zoe had the day off from school so she, Ayden, Annie, Baby J (Annie's son) and I had a great time chatting, walking, feeding the ducks, and getting chased by some hungry--and rather fluffy--geese. Miss E (Annie's daughter) was at school and unfortunately missed the fun; but I'm looking forward to meeting her sometime soon.

Rock That Vote

Martha Stewart Living Online is having a competition called the Big Idea; MSLO staff members submitted ideas for new projects for the media and home giant. Alexis, the Deputy Home Editor, submitted a proposal to publish a special magazine devoted to food allergies and sensitivities. Ms. Martha has decided to let the public vote for the winning project, so get to gettin' and vote! Voting is open until February 7th, and you can vote as often as once a day. You can look at the finalists and vote here.