I want to begin by welcoming you to my blog. I’m a proud wife and mother to two adorable boys! I previously wrote for a money-saving website but found that it required too much time and it didn’t allow me to write about what I’m truly passionate about: my family. Most of my time is spent with my two boys (aka My Little Men). There is nothing that I love more than being a mom to those little rascals. However, it doesn’t leave much time for “me.” Most days, I’m just lucky if I can go to the bathroom without an audience. I’m starting this blog so that I can share updates and life experiences on this journey with close family and friends.
You can probably tell from the blog name that I carry an epi-pen everywhere! Actually, I
carry two four epi-pens, a bottle of Benadryl and inhalers everywhere I go.
It definitely makes carrying a small handbag mostly impossible. Both of my little men
have severe food allergies. It’s a constant challenge to keep them safe and
reaction free each and every day. We’ve adapted well since our diagnosis but
constantly find new challenges daily. I do my best to find the blessings in our daily
struggles. Some days are harder than others but seriously, what mom doesn’t have
challenges? To read more about my little men and their food allergies, click here.
I’m slowly learning with the help of God that I must make a daily choice to seek out the blessings and remain positive. I try to be thankful for even the small things: a cup of good coffee, a cool morning so the boys can play outside, waking up early so I can have some quiet time with God, ripe tomatoes in my garden, a hummingbird by the kitchen window, etc. When I think about the blessings that I have been given, my husband rises to the top of the list. From the moment he walks in the door he never stops helping out and putting me and the boys first. He is the reason that I’m able to remain sane each and every day. He is my big comfy blanket when I’m having a rough day. My free spirit when I’m too tightly wound. My voice of reason when I’m losing control. My greatest advocate and supporter of each and every one of my hair-brain schemes. (Okay…maybe not ALL of them.) He is so many things to me but most of all my best friend and the most wonderful father to our two boys.
As mentioned above, I’m incredibly passionate about my family. However, there is so much more to me than them (although they take up most of my thoughts and time and I LOVE that). I have lots of things that I love to do. (Note: this is where the “& Beyond” comes in to play.) Prior to having children, most of my free time was spent performing in local community theatre productions, trying new recipes for my husband, organizing and RE-organizing every room in the house, experimenting with new DIY projects, decorating and RE-decorating, watching my favorite shows (anything food network, Law & Order and Gilmore Girls) and working out. One of the biggest challenges to becoming a mom has been trying to fit in all of my favorite things. I haven’t figured out how to do all of them in one day or even one weekend. But I still manage to find time to dabble in many of the things listed above. The only thing that I haven’t found time for is community theatre. One day…one day. As I take on new projects and challenges I hope you’ll follow along to see how they turn out.
Are you struggling with food allergies? Do you have a good allergy friendly recipe? I love to hear from you.