Angry Birds

Yesterday morning, I was reading about planning school lunches and I found something that made me jump up and run into the kitchen. I had all of the ingredients to make a lunch that would make my kids smile.

I decided we'd have lunch for breakfast and that I'd keep it a secret until I finished the sandwiches.

Angry Bird Sandwiches
Circle sandwiches with sunbutter (or peanut butter) in the middle and jelly on top. Add marshmallows, raisins, and oranges to make a mean angry bird face.


I added fruit, cheese, and pepperoni as sides. I called the kids to the table and told said,

"I am angry summer break is almost over."

Their expressions were priceless.


The kids gobbled them up with vigor.
All except for one, he was intent on making his bird crazy angry.

His masterpiece was grand.

He was just a little proud of his wild bird.


I'm linking up with Ann Kroeker's Food on Fridays.

The Big Reveal

Today's the big reveal.

It seems absurd to suggest that idea but, I am anticipating an unveiling of a disposition. Today, I will meet the school principal, nurse, and counselor at our new school. We will discuss my son's food allergy and his asthma. I will discover their attitudes and desired approach.

I am hoping for the best. I am praying for the best.

The school nurse called me last week to request a 504 Plan meeting.

What is a 504 Plan?

The 504 Plan takes its name from Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Section 504 is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability. It applies to all institutions, including public schools, which receive financial assistance from the federal government. The purpose of Section 504 as it relates to students with food allergies is to ensure that a child's education is not negatively affected by your child's food allergy.

Did you know that a severe food allergy, one that can lead to anaphylaxis, is considered a disability? Students are protected by a law so that they cannot be discriminated against on the basis of a severe food allergy or asthma (included under the "other health impairment" section). Interesting, isn't it?

My husband and I are well-informed about food allergies. And yet, we sat up last night researching 504 Plans, Emergency Care Plans, Individual Health Plans and Individual Education Plans (IEPs). The bottom line is: My son will be kept safe. Beyond that, we have to determine the reasonable provisions that need to be made for him.

Parents of food allergic kids take many approaches to protecting their kids. I've been amazed by the lack of provisions for some and surprised by the extremely strict rules for others. So many factors come into play: the severity of the food allergy (or the perceived severity), the allergist's approach to managing food allergies, and past allergic reactions and experiences.

When you consider the dissonance between adults managing food allergies (parents and doctors, alike) and the way food allergies are covered in the news, it is no wonder that the general public doesn't know what to think about food allergies.

So, the big reveal... What will the attitudes be? How will the medication be handled? What provisions will be put in place?

Thursday Thanks Tank #162

Each Thursday I try to make a list of my thankful thoughts. Sometimes I jot it down on paper, sometimes I share that list here, and other times I just highlight one or two things that I am thankful for. This is my Thursday Thanks Tank...

I spent the day thinking about what makes me smile. And then, the day got away from me.

I am thankful for:

- Being a complete family. I've done separation a few times due to military assignments. This last separation was job related. It feels so good to be a family day in and day out. I love how complete it feels.

- Coaches. It's interesting how a good coach can have a great impact on a kid. All three of my boys have good soccer coaches. It's great to see them work hard and try their best because they want to please their coach. I'm thankful for coaches and the volunteer hours they put in.

- Air conditioning. The A/C in the van is still out. My husband is sweet to drive it. In the meantime, I'm still loving driving his truck. I also love the air conditioning in our home.

- Cool nights. The nights are just perfect. They are cool enough to leave the windows open overnight. Sleeping to the sounds of the outdoors (crickets instead of frogs!) is something I missed. (We couldn't really manage that much in the NW because my son's allergies were so bad. He is doing wonderful here.

- Changed Attitude. I'm excited about school starting. This is a big switch. Last week I had a really bad attitude. Not sure why I was so surprised, but I have some work to do at the new school to keep my food allergic kid safe. I had a wonderful talk with a nurse that's in the district and now I am looking forward to doing all I can to make the school a safe place for kids with food allergies.

- This: "I love you even when I am grumpy." My daughter has said that twice to me this week. I melted both times. (She's three. She can do grumpy quite well.)

- Outside lights. The lady that we are renting the house from left some decorative outside lights for us to enjoy. They hang in the trees in our backyard. They are set on a timer. It's a simple pleasure but I love them.

- The patio. We have a covered patio. Every morning I get my coffee and sit on the patio. It's cool in the morning. The sun is just coming over the hills. The wind blows and leaves rustle. I watch the birds eat plumbs off the plumb tree or play in the bird bath. I admire the flowers. This is my peaceful place. It is brings me joy... so much so that I wake myself up early (who am I kidding? I get my husband to wake me up) so that I can enjoy it before the kids wake up. I am thankful -oh so thankful- for this peaceful spot.

Those are my thankful thoughts tonight.
Life is good. We are still in the middle of transition- lots of boxes yet to unpack- but we are happy.

Our New House

Tomorrow is Moving Day (again!). We got the keys to our house tonight. The movers will bring our stuff in the morning. We looking forward to getting settled. Let the unpacking begin!