I have only made a dairy free pumpkin pie recipe since Lamb 1 was diagnosed with MSPI in 2004. We liked it so well that I continued to make it even after he outgrew MSPI. The recipe used orange juice instead of milk. I recently loaned my dairy free cookbooks to the Lambs' piano teacher as she is cooking dairy free for her second son.
Then I found out that Ram's parents are coming to our house for Thanksgiving this year. So I plan to do my best to have a complete Thanksgiving meal that is Paleo. So I decided to look for a new recipe.
I made this recipe last night. The Lambs were shocked I was making dessert and not taking it to church or some place-it was just for our family!
I used the alternative crust recipe and I think this crust would work well for a lot of pies. The Lambs did not like the crust, but I think it is as close to a gluten crust as I would ever get. They ate it even though they complained about it. Next time I will press the crust a little thinner for the Lambs. I think next time I will add a few more spices-we are used to lots of pumpkin pie spices in our favorite recipe.
Lamb 3's favorite pie is pumpkin pie. I will probably make this new recipe several times this fall.
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Exactly!
Yesterday the Lambs finished all their school work, also they practiced piano, did OT exercises, read for book club meeting, practiced speech, and did music flash cards by 3pm. It was because we had no where to go yesterday and we just did everything instead of waiting to do exercises and practice piano after supper.
At supper time the Lambs asked, "May we do this every day?" They were so happy to be able to play outside from 3pm until dark, just coming in for supper.
That's the idea, Lambs. I'm not just talking when I say it is time for school work or time to practice the piano, I'm trying to get our work done so you have play time! It doesn't work on days that we have piano lessons or speech therapy or doctor appointments, but on days that we are home, we should work hard so we can have plenty of play time. Plus Ewe wants time to do something besides keep you on task, even if that means doing housework. I think that means that Monday and Wednesdays are our new favorite days because we should be able to finish our work early and have play time.
At supper time the Lambs asked, "May we do this every day?" They were so happy to be able to play outside from 3pm until dark, just coming in for supper.
That's the idea, Lambs. I'm not just talking when I say it is time for school work or time to practice the piano, I'm trying to get our work done so you have play time! It doesn't work on days that we have piano lessons or speech therapy or doctor appointments, but on days that we are home, we should work hard so we can have plenty of play time. Plus Ewe wants time to do something besides keep you on task, even if that means doing housework. I think that means that Monday and Wednesdays are our new favorite days because we should be able to finish our work early and have play time.
Monday, October 7, 2013
Telephones
Lamb 2 is about 3/4 done with Saxon Math 2. Today his math asked this question.
About how long is a telephone?
2 feet 8 inches 2 pounds 3 inches
He was frustrated because he didn't think any of the 4 choices were correct. He finally circled 3 inches and thought that was as close as he could get. We don't have a landline phone any more. He went and measured my cell phone and it was 4 inches.
3 inches would have been a ridiculous answer when I was teaching in the classroom 10 years ago. Times change. I wonder what the right answer will be in another 10 years.
About how long is a telephone?
2 feet 8 inches 2 pounds 3 inches
He was frustrated because he didn't think any of the 4 choices were correct. He finally circled 3 inches and thought that was as close as he could get. We don't have a landline phone any more. He went and measured my cell phone and it was 4 inches.
3 inches would have been a ridiculous answer when I was teaching in the classroom 10 years ago. Times change. I wonder what the right answer will be in another 10 years.
Sunday, October 6, 2013
No apple cider
Yesterday we made the 1/2 hour trip out to the orchard. We got a bushel of apples but no apple cider. The frost came earlier than they expected and they lost their cider apples. When I asked about the cider, the man replied that hopefully they will have cider next year. You mean I have to wait a whole year? Grocery store cider is not the same!
Saturday, October 5, 2013
Denied because Barren
I read in the Thrivent magazine that they offer disability insurance to SAHM. This sounded like something smart for me to get. We live far from my side of the family and Ram's dad isn't retired yet so his parents couldn't come help us much. If I had a disability for a few weeks our church members would help out. But if I had a long term disability we would have a difficult time. It would be nice then to have dollars to pay someone to do some housekeeping and perhaps to send the Lambs to school if necessary.
So we asked our Thrivent rep. about it. It sounded like something useful for a few more years until the Lambs are older. He asked a bunch of health questions for the application. At first I thought compared to Ram having one kidney now, I haven't had anything in my health history to discuss. I've never had surgery. I don't take any prescription medications. But as he asked questions it began to become humorous-oh yes, I broke my foot a few years ago when I fell down the steps and I broke my finger too when it was smashed in the garage door. Oh yes, I had a thyroid biopsy a few years ago. No, I've never had pregnancy or birth complications. Oh yes, I've had 8 miscarriages. The Thrivent rep. said as he read the list of things that most of what he read was probably going to be things that I never heard of before. As he read the list of possible pregnancy complications, I knew what every single one was and most of them I could name a friend that had had that pregnancy complication!
The next week I received a phone call from Thrivent. She had a very specific list of questions to ask regarding my answers to my Thrivent rep. on my health history. When I tried to elaborate on the answers she asked me to just answer the question. She told me they were trying to not ask my doctor for records and get the info directly from me. But the answers to her questions did need to be elaborated on and she wouldn't let me. Yes, I had a thyroid biopsy a few years ago. It was all benign. I am closely monitored by a doctor for my thyroid, but no signs of thyroid cancer and no need to be on medication. Yes, I've had 8 miscarriages, but I've never had any pregnancy complications nor any birth complications. Do I know what is causing the miscarriages? I answered no. They know I have Factor II, but I've done what they told me to do during pregnancies because of Factor II and I've still had miscarriages. When I got off the phone with her I was frustrated because not only did she not listen to my answers, but my gut told me I was going to be denied coverage.
Next I received a bill from my thyroid doctor that I didn't understand. So I called billing for an explanation. I was being billed by my thyroid doctor for Thrivent inquiring information about me. So then I called my Thrivent rep. I learned then that I was on his list to call that day to tell me that Thrivent denied insurance coverage to me because of my health history. He is going to try to get reimbursement for the bill from the thyroid doctor from Thrivent. I can appeal their decision but it is very unlikely that I would "win" as they very rarely change their first decision.
I am not angry at my Thrivent rep. In fact he went above and beyond his duty for a little tiny policy. I am frustrated and angry that I was denied coverage though. As Ram and I discussed this, I wonder if I was on the pill if they would give me coverage because more pregnancies would be more unlikely.
I'm waiting for the Thrivent rep. to call me back to get more details. Perhaps the denial is more about my thyroid and less about the miscarriages. I don't know. I may never know specifically why I was denied. Although it would have been nice to have, the Lambs are old enough now that I don't feel that we really NEEDED this insurance. But this is one more time that it feels like being punched in the stomach again for being barren. Being barren is so much more complicated than it seems. Not only do I not get another baby to hold, but I also have to answer questions from everyone including insurance people. Being barren is not something that I did or did not do like consequences there would be after smoking for many years before. After explaining everything as best as I could then I'm still denied coverage.
*Update: The letter I received from Thrivent said the reason I was denied coverage was all of the above reasons in my health history-Factor II, miscarriages, and thyroid nodules. I am not going to appeal this decision.
So we asked our Thrivent rep. about it. It sounded like something useful for a few more years until the Lambs are older. He asked a bunch of health questions for the application. At first I thought compared to Ram having one kidney now, I haven't had anything in my health history to discuss. I've never had surgery. I don't take any prescription medications. But as he asked questions it began to become humorous-oh yes, I broke my foot a few years ago when I fell down the steps and I broke my finger too when it was smashed in the garage door. Oh yes, I had a thyroid biopsy a few years ago. No, I've never had pregnancy or birth complications. Oh yes, I've had 8 miscarriages. The Thrivent rep. said as he read the list of things that most of what he read was probably going to be things that I never heard of before. As he read the list of possible pregnancy complications, I knew what every single one was and most of them I could name a friend that had had that pregnancy complication!
The next week I received a phone call from Thrivent. She had a very specific list of questions to ask regarding my answers to my Thrivent rep. on my health history. When I tried to elaborate on the answers she asked me to just answer the question. She told me they were trying to not ask my doctor for records and get the info directly from me. But the answers to her questions did need to be elaborated on and she wouldn't let me. Yes, I had a thyroid biopsy a few years ago. It was all benign. I am closely monitored by a doctor for my thyroid, but no signs of thyroid cancer and no need to be on medication. Yes, I've had 8 miscarriages, but I've never had any pregnancy complications nor any birth complications. Do I know what is causing the miscarriages? I answered no. They know I have Factor II, but I've done what they told me to do during pregnancies because of Factor II and I've still had miscarriages. When I got off the phone with her I was frustrated because not only did she not listen to my answers, but my gut told me I was going to be denied coverage.
Next I received a bill from my thyroid doctor that I didn't understand. So I called billing for an explanation. I was being billed by my thyroid doctor for Thrivent inquiring information about me. So then I called my Thrivent rep. I learned then that I was on his list to call that day to tell me that Thrivent denied insurance coverage to me because of my health history. He is going to try to get reimbursement for the bill from the thyroid doctor from Thrivent. I can appeal their decision but it is very unlikely that I would "win" as they very rarely change their first decision.
I am not angry at my Thrivent rep. In fact he went above and beyond his duty for a little tiny policy. I am frustrated and angry that I was denied coverage though. As Ram and I discussed this, I wonder if I was on the pill if they would give me coverage because more pregnancies would be more unlikely.
I'm waiting for the Thrivent rep. to call me back to get more details. Perhaps the denial is more about my thyroid and less about the miscarriages. I don't know. I may never know specifically why I was denied. Although it would have been nice to have, the Lambs are old enough now that I don't feel that we really NEEDED this insurance. But this is one more time that it feels like being punched in the stomach again for being barren. Being barren is so much more complicated than it seems. Not only do I not get another baby to hold, but I also have to answer questions from everyone including insurance people. Being barren is not something that I did or did not do like consequences there would be after smoking for many years before. After explaining everything as best as I could then I'm still denied coverage.
*Update: The letter I received from Thrivent said the reason I was denied coverage was all of the above reasons in my health history-Factor II, miscarriages, and thyroid nodules. I am not going to appeal this decision.
Friday, October 4, 2013
Did I give in?
I turned the gas fireplace on today. The fireplace heats the downstairs main area. I did not turn the furnace on yet. Is this the first day of turning on the heat?
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
You know you are busy when...
Last night Ram got a message on his phone.
"It looks like you have a busy day tomorrow. You have 7 events scheduled."
I prefer to run out of room on the paper calendar page instead of get a message from a smartphone like that!
I did use a coupon and purchase a 2014 paper calendar already so I don't have the problem of a couple of years ago, when I couldn't find a paper calendar at the end of December.
And yes, today is a busy day for Ram both being a pastor and being a dad. Hopefully it can be a 12 hour work day for him.
"It looks like you have a busy day tomorrow. You have 7 events scheduled."
I prefer to run out of room on the paper calendar page instead of get a message from a smartphone like that!
I did use a coupon and purchase a 2014 paper calendar already so I don't have the problem of a couple of years ago, when I couldn't find a paper calendar at the end of December.
And yes, today is a busy day for Ram both being a pastor and being a dad. Hopefully it can be a 12 hour work day for him.
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