Archives for 2019

Peanut Allergy: The “Almost Epidemic” Food Allergy

December 28, 2019 By Jacqueline 35 Comments

We attended a small church years ago with the family of a young boy who had a severe peanut allergy. This family lived in a state of constant concern. They could not eat at restaurants, they shared pitchins with us with extreme caution. We were all on high alert as he had experienced repeated anaphylactic reactions to peanuts. They kept an epi-pen on hand everywhere they went. The vigilant parents felt even trace amounts on the lip or skin or even the scent of the food could trigger a reaction. It was very hard on their child and family.

Back then we had no idea why this happened….

Apricot Pits: The Amazing Seed with Life-Saving Poison

December 21, 2019 By Jacqueline 9 Comments

Apricot pits (seed kernels that look a lot like almonds) contain life-giving phytonutrients.

But they also contain life-saving poison! …

Treasured Old Booklist: There Is No App To Replace Your Lap

December 18, 2019 By Jacqueline 4 Comments

This booklist of older (sadly-forgotten) children’s books is a treasure. This doesn’t mean they are not worthy of our time, but an evidence of how far we’ve actually slipped in the quality of our reading material.

Print this booklist before going to the library!

I loved listening to my mom read books like these in different voices to us when we were little. She told me she learned it from her mother, my Nana. She could make us laugh just by putting the emPHASis on the wrong sylLABle. She used an itsy-bitsy, squeaky mouse voice and a hysterical, booming giant voice. She tried to do all the voices. Sometime it was horrid, but always it made us feel engaged and very loved.

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