Hi friends! As I sit here drinking my summer fruits iced tea staring at the disarray of my house around me, I’m not going to lie, this summer has kicked my butt (the irony of the saying in the picture above is not lost on me). Especially these last two weeks with three trips to the ER. Yes that’s right, we had ANOTHER trip two days ago. My oldest son (15) had a pretty serious allergic reaction to gluten in a food clearly labeled as being gluten-free. It obviously wasn’t. He’s okay now but it was a very scary situation and it’s going to take me awhile to mentally recover. Those of you who deal with life threatening food allergies will know what I mean. I’m just so thankful I was with him at the time and could get him the care he needed. This particular product is one we bought in the US last year that isn’t sold in Canada. I did speak to the company to let them know the situation and they tell me they will pass it on to their quality control department. Just please be careful if you have a gluten allergy and are thinking of trying this particular product. I don’t want anyone else to have to go through what we did.
So essentially I’m a wreck, my house is a wreck and I haven’t blogged in quite some time. Thank goodness for my fantastic contributors who are simply AMAZING! If you want some really great practical organizing tips then check them all out HERE and if you just want some really random ramblings that may or may not make any sort of sense then by all means keep reading!
As many of you know, I’m normally a pretty routine kind of gal. I run a pretty tight ship in terms of daily routines and chores that need to be done. Not only for myself but my kids too. We all work together and share the household duties so no one person (me) is carrying the brunt of the load. We all live here and we all make the mess so we all contribute to the clean up as well. However our routine went out the window when my daughter left for school in July. Not only do we miss her like crazy but she was also our chief cook among other helpful things she did around the house. I knew it would take us awhile to adjust and put together a new routine without her but what I wasn’t expecting was my oldest son to break his foot in that time and be laid up for awhile. Yikes! Let’s just say that when you are use to having the amazing help of two teens around the house and then all of a sudden don’t have that help, well things get a little discombobulated that is for sure.
Side Public Service Announcement:
If you have teens that don’t help around the house, you need to fix that immediately! Life runs so much smoother and is so much more organized when everyone routinely helps out around the house.
Life happens, things happen that we don’t have any control over and so now I need to find our new normal, our new routine. And when my son gets back on his feet we’ll find a new normal after that. Because here’s what I know to be true, when there is no routine or no to-do list, it can be completely overwhelming to get anything done at all. And when one gets overwhelmed, one doesn’t want to do anything at all expect lay in bed watching Youtube videos…ahem. Can anyone relate to what I’m saying?
I find it so funny that in the midst of my routine crisis, Crystal from MoneySavingMom recently published a time management post featuring one of my tips!! Right now not only do I need to remember my own advice but I’m going to soak up the excellent wisdom of the 18 other bloggers that shared tips as well. Check it out if you are interested HERE. And these tips aren’t just for bloggers either.
Want to know something else totally random? If you are still here I’m going to take that as a yes 🙂 I bought a really inexpensive dart board from Dollarama the other day for something for us to do. I set it up in the backyard (hello, I don’t want holes in my walls!), put it on the firepit (because of course!) and it turns out that I’m somewhat of a natural dart thrower girl. Who knew?
So if this organizing gig doesn’t turn out, I’m so relieved to know that I have a fall back “skill” to turn to! Ha!
Also the new Lays Canada chip finalists were recently announced with their four new chip flavors.
Boy do I love potato chips and each year I would take great pains to analyze each flavor as if I was the one lone hired chip taster professional to determine who should win. And yes I feel Cinnamon Bun was robbed last year. This year it’s killing me that I can’t partake due to my diet. And while I do have potatoes occasionally I can’t do all the other “extra” ingredients in these flavors. How do these flavors sound to you:
Butter Chicken
P.E.I Scalloped Potatoes
Montreal Smoked Meat
Cowboy BBQ Beans
So far my husband is loving the Montreal Smoked Meat chips. Anyone else given them a go?
On my nightstand this week is a book I picked up at the library called Better than Before by Gretchen Rubin. (affiliate link)
For some reason I totally wasn’t thinking I was going to like it because usually these types of books are just too overly technical and boring for me. But I have to say that I am really enjoying this one and it has great insight into how to master the habits of our everyday lives in a non-dry, non-judgemental manner with interesting real life stories and examples. Maybe I’ll do a post on it once I’m finished if there is interest.
In the midst of all our ER hub bub these last couple of weeks I did manage to get new head shots done. It’s been three years I believe since my last ones. I’ll be updating everything once I figure out which picture to go with out of the 200 shots my photographer took. I thought it would be fun to do a side by side of the old and the new plus give you a sneak peek. The one on the left is from 2012 and the one on the right is the new one. What a difference 30 lbs. makes in the face 🙂
Have an absolutely wonderful weekend everyone! I pray we stay out of the ER for awhile and you do too 🙂
Rachel @ Architecture of a Mom says
I love your haircut!! Love the new picture. Thanks for sharing a little bit of “real life” with us!
Laura Wittmann says
So nice, thank you Rachel!!!
Tara says
You really have had a rough holiday so far, I really hope you have a relaxed time for the rest of the holidays and no more ER visits. I’m glad that your son is ok. Love the new photo and your hair looks great. Take care Tara x
Laura Wittmann says
Thanks so much Tara!
Lynn says
I love reading posts like this! It feels like the old days of blogging and sometimes I really miss those days, so please do the occasional post like this. I am so sorry about your son. We deal with nut allergies so I totally understand how scary that is and I am so glad that he is fine now. And I love the new picture!
Laura Wittmann says
Thanks Lynn! Yes it’s fun just to ramble off without any agenda whatsoever 🙂
Marcia Francois says
Agree with Lynn, Laura!
Also, LOVE the new headshots. Of course you look beautiful in both but the new ones look so fresh 🙂
Carolyn Caldwell says
It is wonderful to read your ramblings again. It has been awhile since I read your full big and now I remember why I enjoy it so much. You sound so normal! Yup, we have a broken foot (20 yr old who helped out with TONS of driving). And then there is the car that is failing and the cat who is sick. It must be the karma of summer 2015; something about success in the middle of disorganization brought to you by 2 or more veteran Canadian organizers. Would love to hear more about the paleo diet (which 20 yr old swears by) and love your new photo. And thanks for posting about your real life! Good luck with the rest of the summer.
Laura Wittmann says
Oh man that’s rough! Hope your son heals fast too, is he in an aircast as well? Yes I love the Paleo diet, never felt better and what a difference it has made with my Rheumatoid Arthritis. I never want to go back to eating the way I used to.
Annie says
Tam and I were talking about how young you look! My beautiful friend!
Laura Wittmann says
Ahhh you’re the best!!!
Emily @ My Love for Words says
You new pictures are beautiful! I didn’t realize Gretchen Rubin has a new (to me at least) book out. She wrote The Happiness Project, right? I desperately need help forming new habits so I’ll have to check that out. I hope you have some nice, calm, ER free weeks (months, years) ahead of you now. My son’s allergic to peanuts so I know how scary those food allergies can be.
Laura Wittmann says
Yes that’s right, she did but I haven’t read it but definitely want to now.
Marcia Francois says
So glad you’re reading that book. I’m sure I asked you about it before. I loved it (I have about 5 – 6 posts on my blog :)) and I’m still not finished blogging about it!
Seana Turner says
I hope you stay out of the ER as well – that is so scary. My heart goes out to families with life-threatening food allergies… it really affects the whole family. And I think Gretchen is terrific!
Laura Wittmann says
Seana, I haven’t read her other books but I look forward to now 🙂
yuni min says
Laura!! You’ve had quite the summer. So sorry to hear about your son. Hope he is recovering quickly. AND your headshot is amazing! You are gorgeous!!!
Laura Wittmann says
Thank you friend!
Susanne says
You look amazing! Hope your son is on the mend with his foot and his gluten scare. That is crazy that they would have that emblazoned that big on the packaging and then it not be true. Gave three of the four chips a try. Montreal smoked meat wasn’t too bad, cowboy beans…not my cup of tea, PEI scalloped potatoes was ok but probably wouldn’t buy again. I have yet to try the butter chicken one.
Laura Wittmann says
Well that doesn’t sound too good, let me know what you think of the Butter Chicken when you try it 🙂
Karen E says
Have you listened to the podcast HAPPIER? It is Gretchin Rubin and her sister. It is really good, about 20 minutes long each week. I listen to it while I do laundry.
Laura Wittmann says
No I didn’t know she had a podcast, thank you. I love listening to Podcasts too!
Katie says
Man, you guys have had a crazy summer! I hope the craziness is over, and things will get back to a new normal for you.
I loved Better Than Before! Did you know that Gretchen Rubin and her sister have a podcast too? It’s called “Happier.”
Your new headshot looks amazing! Hugs to you and your family.
Laura Wittmann says
I didn’t know that, but will definitely check it out!
Becky L says
You’ve had quite an interesting time lately. Hopefully your sons are better. I’ve not been to the ER but was able to see a dr mid week since I’d not been feeling myself and needed to make sure symptoms weren’t something worse. Still a bit tired. Working on keeping things cleared and organizing a bit. Your new photo is nice….thanks for sharing! As for chips, my fav are fritos.
Laura Wittmann says
Hi Becky, I will be praying you feel better real soon. Thinking of you.
Susan says
You look so cute, and yes, so YOUNG! Like too young to have a child in college 😉 Here’s hoping your life settles down soon!
Tara Gauthier says
We just bought the chips on the weekend and each year we do a sampling of them as a family. I too feel that Cinnamon bun definitely was robbed last year, it was our family fave!!
Vivian says
Enjoyed you rambling and will look for that book at the library.
Lisa Butler says
My husband has celiac and eats GF chex oatmeal all the time….do you feel like it is not Gluten Free? He never tells me if he has stomach issues but it is possible he does and is thinking it is something else. Plus we recently bought GF Chex granola which he says he really likes. I will go home and read the package. Please advise on what your issues were with it. My husband is not as careful as he should be so I am the one that looks at all the products and buys them (and cooks them too).
Laura Wittmann says
Hi Lisa, my son’s allergic reaction was consistent with all other gluten reactions he has ever had. There is no doubt in my mind that there was gluten in the product. Whether or not it was an isolated incident during manufacturing of that batch though I don’t know. It could have been cross contamination somewhere in the process.
Rachel @ Useful Beautiful Home says
You made me smile reading this! Love your humor despite a string of difficult days (and scary too!). Happy to read everything is fine now and you’ve found a new “skill”. 😉 Your new head shots are beautiful!!