Gluten/Dairy Free Banana Bread

I made a really fantastic loaf of sweet banana bread for my son and I yesterday.  It was so delicious I knew I wanted to share the recipe with you all:

Ingredients

• 3 ripe bananas
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil butter such as Earth Balance
• 3 eggs
• 1 ts. vanilla
• 1/4 ts. salt
• 1 ts. baking soda
• 1/4 ts. cinnamon
• 2 cups rice flour
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Mix the bananas, sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla.  Then add the remaining ingredients.  Pour batter into desired pan and bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes for a loaf.

I'm so delighted to have made something that my son can enjoy without the cost of "an arm and a leg"!

The Value of Life

I've been pondering for some time whether or not I should write a post about this topic.  I mean, I've really wanted to use my blog as a source to get the word about this little angel but wasn't sure if it were appropriate or not.  But then this morning, after visiting the new web site in honor of this little girl and after viewing the photos of her I thought to myself that what I have learned from this situation as a mother, as a friend and as a human should be brought into words on my blog for all to be reminded of.

In other words, I strongly feel that we need to remember ALL the time what is most important in this short life we all have.  Not money nor prestige and popularity, but for the respect and love for those close to us every minute of our life.  ESPECIALLY for those we have brought into this world!

About a month ago, I found out that a little girl to someone I know was in the hospital, unexpectedly, and was struggling for her life.  Here is her story (in a quick recap without giving personal details):

Little Mia was a strong, healthy energetic and beautiful budding child with the world at her fingertips.  She comes from a very loving, hands on family and has more friends and people that love her than most of us could ever dream of.  And one day, she fell ill.  Ill like most of us have experienced.  But within hours, it was clear she needed to be seen by a doctor. 

Within just a few days, this young girl went from having a common illness to fighting for her life.  This is when I first found out about her condition through a friend and through a blog in her name.  And the first post I read was from her father.  In my own words, this was the message he had for everyone:

Go and hug your children.  Tell them you love them and tell them why.  Don't take for granted one second you have with them.  Then he went on to talk about his daughter's condition and to ask for our thoughts and prayers.

Which I did.  Every single thing he asked, I did.  And more wholeheartedly than I have ever done.  I looked at my sons and cried.  I cried for the love that I have for them and for their precious lives.  I cried for the love he and his wife and family have for his little girl who was dying.  I cried for the pain that they were experiencing.  And I cried for the guilt I felt for having healthy children right in front of me.  Although I am no where near close with his family or his little girl, her father has always shown sincere kindness to my own family.  He has always cared for our health and has been very supportive of my own son whose health we were so concerned with in the past.  So it was easy for me to care as much as I did.  I would for anyone whose child was going through what she was.  And most of all, I know that he would do the same for me or for anyone for that matter.  And so I wouldn't let her out of my thoughts.

This family has so many caring and loving family, friends and acquaintances in their life as seen by the thousands and thousands of visitors on their web site in honor of their daughter.  In other words, their family has many people thinking about them, praying for their little girl and sending their energy and love in their direction.  I prayed, more than I've ever prayed for anything in my life.  And to be honest with you, I was a little rusty.  It's not something I do on a regular basis.  But I did.  I couldn't get her and her family out of my mind.  And I wasn't the only one.

Within just a few days, this little girl needed a new heart, received a new heart and has been recovering ever since.  She has a long road ahead of her.  But she is a fighter.  And she has so many thoughts and prayers and energy going to her 24 hours a day that she continues to get better.

I wanted to share this story with you all because I wanted it to do for you what it has and forever will do for me.  Love your children.  Don't waste a second with them not showing how much love you have for them.  And pray for them, pray for all children.  Don't ever underestimate the power in doing so.  And lastly, please pray for this little girl and her family.  
 
Mommy Bridget

Sea-Band Giveaway- ends 6/27 LOW ENTRIES

For any of you who are pregnant and experience nausea, who suffer from migraines or who get motion sickness, this giveaway is for YOU.  Entries are very low so your chances of winning are high.  To enter the giveaway, click here.


Good luck!

Udi's VIP Gluten Free Kit Review

Udi's Gluten Free VIP Kit Review

As many of you know, my son has a gluten/dairy free diet.  Earlier this year, my son tested positive for food intolerance to these strong proteins so we made the switch.  Because of this change in my son's diet, his erratic behavior eased and we began to see positive changes in our little boy.  He became more attentive, less aggressive and more willing to learn language.  I give ALL credit to this major change in his diet and will forever be a strong advocate for the relation between diet, behavior, health and well being.


After months of adjusting to the new diet around the house and after a few blog posts about Park's food intolerances and the changes in his behavior, I thought to myself what a great idea to approach Udi's about doing a review of their really really wonderful products.  And to my luck, they were happy to do so.

A few weeks ago I was delighted to find a box that came just a quick hop-skip-and a jump over the Rockies from Denver full of a few of their popular items, baked fresh just a day or two before.  Since Udi's is our bread of choice, we found no reason to wait our review.  The "Udi's VIP Gluten Free Kit" contained:

• 9" Pizza Crusts pack of 2
• Double Chocolate Muffins pack of 4
• Cinnamon Raisin Bagel loaf
• Loaf of Millet-Chia bread
• Blogger multi-use box

 
First, I must say that Udi's does a really, REALLY great job making tasty breads and muffins for those adjusting from a gluten and dairy-filled diet to a gluten/dairy-free diet.  For those of you who have made the switch you can attest that the trial and error and trial and triumph period of gluten/dairy-free products is trying and costly.  However, we were lucky enough to have been recommended Udi's breads right away.  So I highly recommend Udi's to anyone in the market for such items.

Udi's Pizza Crusts

 

I enjoyed the taste of their pizza crusts.  I didn't know these were offered anywhere locally so this was the first time eating them.  I have tried brands in the past...and unsuccessfully.  But these are great.  We made personal pizzas for Park and I the very first night we received the kit for review and other than my overdoing it with our dairy free cheese, it was a hit and I would definitely purchase these in the future.  I was also happy to have recently found Udi's pizza crusts at a Whole Foods store not far away.  A pack of 2 costs $5.

Udi's Double Chocolate Muffins
 

Can I say one more please?!!  These are SO yummy, so decadent and so brilliantly made that one would never know the difference nor care that they contain no milk products.  A package of 4 muffins sells for $6-7, depending on where you purchase them.  The muffins are very large in size so well worth the cost.  We cut them in half for a serving size because they are so large.  My recommendation:  Drizzle dairy-free cream cheese frosting over them and enjoy!  Park call the muffins "cake".  I think he thinks it's his birthday each time he gets to eat one!


Udi's Cinnamon Raisen Bagel Loaf
 

This product, although highly recommended to me by a handful of people I know, is not one of my favorites nor my son's.  We have purchased them many times but we feel they tend to be a bit on the dry side.  Even with Park's Tofutti cream cheese on them he still doesn't want to eat them.  I wonder if I purchased them more fresh if they would come out more moist?  I was hoping they would be tastier since I got them in the mail so quickly after being baked but they seemed to taste the same.  A bagel loaf costs about $6.  

Udi's Millet-Chia Bread Loaf

 

I'm a HUGE fan of the Millet-Chia bread.  Not only does it not disappoint, my son and I both love it and it's packed full of healthy ingredients.  Each slice contains oats, Salba, rice bran, fiber and pea protein along with other great ingredients.  And each serving boasts 6 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein!  I was worried about where my son would get his fiber from when we quit using our other high fiber bread product but not any longer now that we've found Udi's Millet-Chia bread.  A loaf of Udi's bread usually costs between $5-6.

I want to thank Udi's for the really great opportunity for my son and I to review some of their tasty gluten/dairy free products.  Udi's also carries more products for those with similar diets as us and I look forward to trying them someday soon.  Thank you to Udi's for creating products for those of us with food sensitivities and consequently making what we eat safer for our health and well being.

 

Buy it:

You can purchase Udi's products here online or at any one of their participating store locations. You can often times find $1 off coupons and other great savings by joining their email list here.

Bridget James

3 Months and 3 Years...Oh My!

It seems like forever since I've written a personal post.  Well, it has been forever for me.  I've been wanting to for some time now but, as many of you know, having new babies around doesn't leave much free time.  We had a major milestone a few weeks ago.  Park turned three and the next day Jude turned 3 months.  Wow how time flies when you are having fun...:)

It's Father's Day today.  Happy father's day to all the wonderful men out there that support our families, that encourage us all to be ourselves and to those that keep our little ones smiling.  We thank you for all that you do!

So much has happened since baby Jude was born.  Many milestones to talk about so I will keep it quick:

Park, oh my little Park...is turning into such a big boy.  He is still in love with his baby brother and has yet to get jealous of the lack of attention he receives because he is now not the only child.  He still loves his trucks and trains like most little boys, and gets really creative while playing with them.  He has a garbage truck that he loves to put "garbage" (usually coins or paper clips) into to watch it go in and out.  Now that the weather is beautiful he tends to live outdoors, playing in his sand box, watering everything in sight and riding his trikes.  He continues to talk more and more everyday (although we had a lull or a baby back step for a few weeks which was frustrating).  It's fun to see his personality emerge through his language.  He can count to 19 now and loves picking out letters in words that he knows.  And lastly, we are slowly working on his big boy potty training.  As long as we keep his bottom unclothed he uses the toilet.  But we find that removing his clothes before he goes is still a challenge for him so we aren't pushing it (as much as I am tempted to).  Park is also to the age where he enjoys picking out his own clothes to wear.  So far, he has 2 favorite shirts.  They are both turquoise colored (I once read that the color turquoise to many Pueblo peoples signify positivity in many aspects of daily life).  And in the past few days, his favorite shoes are actually galoshes.  I always said I would be the kind of mom that let her children pick out their own clothes to wear...so if you see us out and about and my sons are wearing snow boots in the summer or non-matching outfits it's because of this.

Jude is growing like a beanstalk...or should I say like a zucchini plant or a weed since I have no idea which grows faster?  Park was a really big baby but I don't remember him being as long as Jude is at this age.  He wears a 9 month size in Carters and a 6-12 in Gap sizing.  I keep finding myself putting on new clothes for him and then he not getting to wear them more than once or twice.  But really, what should I expect?  My husband's and my average height is 6'2".  Jude is talking ALL the time which I absolutely love.  I've always said Jude is my little angel, not only because he was born under such peaceful circumstances but because he is just a little joy to have around.  He smiles and laughs all the time.  He rarely fusses and if he does it's for 2 seconds until he gets what he needs.  He has rarely kept me up at night so I'm a very well rested Mom for having a 3 month old.  And his little cry is so soft and quiet, it almost breaks and melts your heart all at the same time.  Like I said, an angel:)

It's interesting, now that I have 2 boys, how different my boys were from one another as infants.  I keep saying that either Park was a really hard baby or Jude is just really easy.  But the differences are remarkable.  Park never cried as a baby either but that was because I always gave him what he needed (that being holding him and nursing him at all times).  I believe strongly in attachment parenting so my philosophy was if that was what Park needed at the time then I would give it to him so he would grow to be an independent and loving child.  Which I believe he is.  He is always laughing.  He rarely throws tantrums but instead asks politely for what he wants.  And when he doesn't get what he wants, the fit of frustration literally lasts 2 seconds.  He loves his little friends and his little cousins.  He is trusting to those that we trust and is very happy to have time away from us when his Grandmas or cousins or even my close friends are with him.  The other day I dropped him off at my brother's house for the first time and he happily jumped out of the car and kissed me good bye.  It was so sweet!  But back to the boys' differences from one another:)  Their personalities as babies are just really really different.  And I love it.  I look forward to watching them continue to grow and develop their individuality. 

That is all for now. Our summer has kicked off and we are enjoying every day of sun (and even rain like we are getting today). My vegetable garden is looking good and we are already enjoying fresh, organic strawberries.  I'm really excited to visit with my family this summer (as most of them live so far away) and to experience our children playing together.  I love and miss my family more than ever and as I get older I realize how important it is to have family close by.  We are all fortunate enough that we can make time for one another and travel to visit, even if it is only once a year.

Oh, and one more thing.  We had an unexpected surprise the other day.  A friend called to let me know there was a fashion photo of me at our local mall.  Since it's been over a year since I've worked, I had no idea what shot it was.  So my family went down to check it out, and what a fun surprise it was for all of us!  Park was REALLY excited to see how large I was:) 

I'm sure you've noticed that I'm not as busy posting on my blog, writing reviews and hosting giveaways like I have in the past.  And I apologize.  But really, the last thing I want and SHOULD be doing with my free time is sitting on the computer.  My children are only children once.  I could never ignore their wants and needs while I sit in front of the screen.  And so I must say to you that until both my boys nap, on their own, at the same time, I won't be on here as much.  But I promise you I'm not going anywhere!  I do have some great reviews and giveaways coming up so stay tuned.  And I hope you are all having a beautiful summer thus far.

Yours truly,

Mommy Bridget

Sea-Band Review and Giveaway- ends 6/27

Sea-Band Review and Giveaway-ends 6/27

I was absolutely ecstatic when I learned I was going to do this review.  After many, many years of being a migraine sufferer, and after countless trials of prescription cures to alleviate the horrible pain and nausea associated with these headaches, FINALLY, a product safe to use to help ease the nausea that comes with these debilitating headaches.

Sea-Band International has devoted themselves for more than 20 years to providing natural, drug free products for the treatment of nausea.  Sea-Band created acupressure wristbands and anti-nausea ginger gum to work with the body in easing the discomfort associated with nausea from not only migraines but morning and motion sickness, chemotherapy and post operative surgery.

In a 2010 study conducted at a clinic in Germany, Sea-Band wristbands reduced nausea and vomiting in those who have suffered from migraines for more than 26 years.  The study found that 83% of patients noticed a marked reduction in nausea symptoms and 44% found their nausea largely reduced.   More information on the study is below:

A study conducted at the Berolina Clinik (which specializes in migraine and headache therapy) in Loehne, Germany, showed that 85% of chronic migraine sufferers who participated by wearing Sea-Band (acupressure wristbands better known for helping people with motion/travel sickness and morning sickness) during a migraine attack reported positive results:

• 41 patients participated in the test; participants had, on average, suffered from migraines for more than 26 years
• All participants had forgone the use of anti-emetics (anti-nausea drugs) for the purpose of this study
• 83% indicated a perceptible reduction in nausea associated with migraine as a result of wearing Sea-Band
• 44% indicated a significant reduction in overall (collective) migraine symptoms
• Relief was reported after an average of 28 minutes  of wearing the Sea-Bands
• Nearly all participants (98%) said they’d use Sea-Band again

How it works:

The Sea-Band wristbands work by using the ancient, healing Chinese principle behind acupressure.  The points on the wristbands exerts constant pressure on the P6 or the Nei-Kuan acupressure point on the inner wrist.  (See picture to the right.)  The wristband is supposed to take affect within five minutes of being applied to the wrist and can be worn as long as needed.

I've been waiting for a good time to review these products as I get migraines regularly but can only stand to not take my prescription medication when my husband is on hand to help tend to the children while I gain control over the pain and nausea. On Sunday, I found my perfect opportunity to give the wristbands and ginger gum a try.

The wristbands worked really well.  Since my migraines first begin with the loss of clear sight then the nausea, I was able to review the bands within minutes of the onset of my headache.  The wristbands did work well and took exactly 5 minutes to take affect, just like they said they would.  I kept them on until I could no longer take the headache and wanted to use my prescription medication to regain proper vision.  But the wristbands kept my nausea away the entire time.  They are also great because I can use them over and over again.  Machine washable too!

I also had the opportunity to review Sea-Band's ginger gum.  

How to use:

Each piece of gum is to be placed under the tongue, where it most effectively is delivered to the rest of body.  Each piece of gum contains 25 mg of ginger oil (equivalent to 8 grams of fresh ginger root). 

The ginger gum seemed to help out with the taste in my mouth too.  To be honest, it was difficult to tell if the gum helped take away the nausea as much as the wristbands or if it was more soothing to have the ginger taste in my mouth.  I know ginger is well known and well used to treat nausea symptoms but I have never been much of a fan of ginger products I've used in the past.  The ginger gum was really good tasting and helped take the focus off of my nausea.

 

Buy it:

Sea-Band products are available in the U.S. in Walmart, Target, CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens, as well as in Canada in Overwaitea, IDA, Familiprix, Guardian and other independent drugstores or pharmacies throughout North America or online at drugstore.com and online here.  The Sea-Band wristbands retail for $10.99 in the US and $12.99 in Canada.  The anti-nausea Ginger Gum retails for $6.99 in the US.

Win it:
Sea-Band is graciously giving away their set of  a Sea Band for nausea relief AND their anti-nausea Ginger Gum away to one lucky winner on The Curious Case of Mommyhood!  (open to US and Canada residents only)

To enter:

***REMEMBER: POST A COMMENT FOR EACH ENTRY***

***Also, remember to leave your email address with your comments so you can be reached*** 

Subscribe to my blog (located on the left side of my home page) and tell me something what you currently use to combat motions sickness or nausea related to migraines.  This is MANDATORY to enter the giveaway.

You also have the opportunity for additional entries (one each) if you do any of the following:

• follow The Curious Case of Mommyhood on Google Follower
• grab my blog button and share (please post link)  
• tell me how long you have been suffering from migraine nausea and/or motion sickness
  
• like The Curious Case of Mommyhood on Facebook
• like Sea-Band on Facebook
• repost this giveaway on your facebook page and post the link with your entry
• follow The Curious Mommy on Twitter
• tell me something about Sea-Band's blog

Again, please be sure to leave your email address with each entry.

You have until June 27th at midnight to enter.

Good luck to you all,

Mommy Bridget 

Sea-Band products were provided to me by Robin Leedy and Associates, Inc. for review.  All opinions on the products are purely my own.