Chocolate Chip Pancakes, and other News

Spring must be around the bend for us in the northeast.  That's a must!  My usual winter - er, annual - blahs are setting in.  When this happens, I shake them up!  My family knows this all so well (thank goodness they love and understand me).  I got the urge to rearrange furniture, and in the process, clean and recycle some "stuff."  I moved my office to the sunny side of the house on the porch (like I did last year, too) and I moved the girls' art room/supplies to my office.  I really don't mind the closet-sized space - it's cozy, quiet and pretty.  However, there's not much of a view.  So, the porch is the ideal location for plenty of views!  I love having creative options for when inspiration strikes!    

So much has been happening lately.  I'm super busy at the preschool where I teach thirteen little sweet hearts.  I love, love their hugs and the doses of "I love you, Mrs. Liszcz!" that I receive from them.  It gives me so much joy to spend my days with them.  

As for my young girls, though, we've had some rather unfortunate turns of health and well-being ( or maybe that should be fortunate turns ).  After a visit to the pediatrician's office and finding out that our Alanna has not been growing sufficiently over the past year, this momma dug in - and dug in deep!  The doctor mentioned "celiac" and that's all it took for me to put on my detective hat and get to work.  After a little research online, I found that the culprit is gluten.  Turns out such an innocent sounding word is anything but!!  Alanna had stomach pains and IBS, anxiety and leg cramps, iron-deficiency and anemia -- all tell-tale signs of celiac disease and/or gluten intolerance.  She's had 2 rounds of blood work done, and although the celiac test came back negative, you wouldn't believe the difference we have seen in Alanna's mood, stomach problems, etc. since she's been gluten-free!  She gained a pound within a two-week time frame; she's laughing and telling jokes again; she's regaining her appetite and her energy, too!  My dear friends, if you have a child with similar, picky-eater (stomach hurts) symptoms please do not wait to get your child seen by a pediatrician.  This is terribly serious and I cannot stress enough about how awful gluten can be on the body (even for adults!).  My family is now gluten-free in support of a healthier lifestyle.  What an amazing difference it has made!  If you would like more resources, I would recommend picking up gluten-free cookbooks - they will give you lots of great culinary/baking ideas and information about how gluten intolerance shows up in the body.  Also, you will find tons of resources and advice at DBC Natural Holistic Health Center (their YouTube videos are chock full of knowledge).  If you have advice, tips to gluten-free living and cooking, I am open to your wisdom.  

I broke out the camera this morning since we had the day off due to stormy, snowy weather.  Alanna gave me the sleepy-head hugs this morning and then requested (in her sweetest manner possible) chocolate chip pancakes!  Well, what would you do?  Of course, I obliged!  Happy kids, happy momma!!  

The snow pics are from last week's snow - I shot them with my iPhone!  Incredible tiny machines that they are!!  I am having fun with my new toy.  Soon, very soon, I'll be sharing more flowers and springtime wonder.  I'm looking forward to those images to come...  32 days until spring!  Who's ready?!  Me too!!!  

All content unless otherwise cited (c) My 3 Girls Photography 2016