I take issue with your news story NYT

I struggled greatly with the idea my daughter could be diagnosed with ADHD as early as age 4, and it took me close to 3 more years to agree to get her diagnosed, and a few extra months to agree to use prescription drugs. I read as much as I could about it and when I finally did take that step with her I still felt some hesitation. No amount of drug company propaganda or doctor reassurances made me feel any better until I saw with my own eyes how she reacted to it. As I have mentioned before in this blog, it wasn’t an easy road, but what did make me feel a bit better about taking that first step was reading other parents’ experiences with their children, and still and proceeded with caution.

If I had any long lasting proven alternative to prescription drugs I would go that route in a heartbeat, because I know the cons to prescription drugs as well as I know the pros, and at this point in time the pros outweigh the cons. As a parent I feel it is my job to safeguard my children by being informed, and I happen to think my physician’s office is not the end-all-be-all for information. That may not be the case with other parents.

I take issue with reporting that “Several doctors mentioned that advertising from the pharmaceutical industry that played off parents’ fears” such as Shire’s Vyvanse showing a parent looking at her son and saying, “I want to do all I can to help him succeed.” I saw that ad and I still didn’t want my child on medication, but those exacts words came from me months afterward when she finally was on medication and succeeding. If anything, that ad is SPOT ON. Whoever thinks otherwise has obviously not gone through the angst of deciding to medicate their child with a stimulant.

The below is their current ad campaign for Vyvanse, and I think very accurate about the work still needed regardless of the medication.

http://www.vyvansekids.com/?mid=V002682

Other drug companies may have similar ads, but I am greatly familiar with this one as we use it in our family.

I also take issue with physicians and other healthcare providers making less of our parental concerns. I heard Dr. Hallowell refer to stimulants as being “safer than aspirin,” and I knew that wasn’t accurate. Aspirin actually has several risks, but we live with them anyway because we weigh the options. Yet, most people aren’t given those options to weigh up-front and in the open. The information is there for the taking, but in fine print, in libraries, in medical publications, in places you need to go out and look for. It isn’t the first thing they give you when diagnosed. It is actually one of the lasts things they give you, and usually after they have given you a prescription.

I know many people are still reluctant to take their children to get evaluated because of all the negative media surrounding ADHD and medication. I have personally spoken to several parents who had concerns about their children and getting an ADHD diagnosis, and their chief complaint was exactly that. I don’t make less of their worry, I relate, but I also share my experiences with both my children. I also advocate for them to get informed and show them the way to several publications.

I don’t doubt there are plenty of children being misdiagnosed, and I know there are some teachers out there not helping matters by pressuring parents into getting their children medicated as if that was the one and only solution. There could be a happy medium. Healthcare providers could be more careful in their diagnosis, and provide parents with additional reading resources so they can make informed decisions.

Scare tactics by the media, and the New York Times in particular with yet another article blowing out of proportion ADHD diagnosis and treatment, is not the way to go. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/01/health/more-diagnoses-of-hyperactivity-causing-concern.html?pagewanted=all I have read this article published yesterday several times now, and I understand there is some very accurate information in it (although two corrections have been made from yesterday to today, so maybe they were too quick to the punch), but it also has very alarming language that can make a hesitant parent steer completely away from even getting their child diagnosed fearing the worst. Several other people I spoke to who read it had the same first reaction I did, which was that of an “alarming” story. It wasn’t till I pointed out other facts in it and some of my own that they realized they walked away with only the negatives and none of the positives, such as the wording changes expected from the American Psychiatric Association to the criteria for ADHD diagnosis to allow that symptoms merely “impact” daily activities, rather than cause “impairment.” This is actually a good thing, which they attempted to point out, and yet I still find their choice of words didn't help when saying:

 merely “impact” daily activities

It make it feel unimportant, small, insignificant. This “merely” has some heavy repercussions when the symptoms show up every day several times a day. A leaky pipe can have some permanent damage on the rest of your house.

My kids have shown great improvement through medication, but also through patterns and structure in their routines and some diet modification. We are doing so well that we can have our weekends OFF of medication. Their symptoms are still there, but less prevalent and a bit more manageable during days that don't require so much focus on detail and where their impulsivity can be curtailed by their parents (i.e. me and Hubby).

I am just tired of people who don’t know what it is to live with ADHD to pass judgment. It is a daily struggle, and you are not making it any easier. If only one child gets better options simply because of the diagnosis alone it will make their life that much better, even if they choose not to use medication. Don’t scare them off. Medication is one small part of treating ADHD, but this sort of publicity makes people stay away from the rest when it can make all the difference in the world to simply KNOW.

Do you think some news stories get exaggerated?




Rossana G-A



FTC Disclaimer: I am not compensated to write this post.

Change is difficult…duuuhhh!!

Change is difficult to cope with for most people.  There is security behind routine. There is a whole industry making money teaching people how to cope with change. And since I deal with change management at work I should be an expert in it, right??!?! Nope!!!

I am probably one of few people out there that actually enjoys change, but it depends on the circumstances. I find it exciting to try something new. I have no qualms in trying it out and giving it a good chance, and if the cost isn’t great, moving on to something that may be better. This has actually worked in my benefit for most my life, and in particular when finding solutions for the 3 ADHDers I have at home. I would read about a particular strategy, schedule, meal plan, and if it sounded like something that would work for at least one of mine I would give it a go. We have found many solutions that way.

This same attitude made it easier, for me at least, to see a particular solution stop working all of a sudden for one or all of my ADHDers, simply because of the nature of who they are. They get bored, tired, frustrated a lot quicker than others, and sometimes there is just no use in swimming up stream.

I had incorporated so many new things into our lives as of late that I really didn’t take into account how they felt about YET ANOTHER CHANGE!! Oh yes, you know what is coming, that big BOOM is near!!!

So my ADHDers have been taking medication for a few years now, and since Dad is the one that takes the kids to school because I have to be on a train to work at that time, Dad is the one that dishes out the pills. One small problem here….Dad needs a pill too….a pill that helps with what again?? Oh, that’s right, with focus (a.k.a. not getting distracted and doing what you are supposed to do). So it came as no surprise to have a day pop up here and another day pop up there where we had stronger ADHD symptoms show up in one or two or all in my clan. We came to figure that it was very possible someone didn’t take their pill that day.

We had never really counted pills, nor did we think we had to or wanted to. Imagine counting as many as 90 pills a day to find out if all 3 had taken their dose. NOT GONNA HAPPEN!! So I talked to some people, looked on some blogs, and read some advice columns. I came to the conclusion that a pill box for each would be a great solution. I found ones that came with dividers not only for the 7 days of the week but also for AM and PM. Awesome, right? Hubby didn’t think so. It was messing with his routine. So I let it go…till we had 2 more incidents of forgetfulness and going without a pill. It had been him that didn’t take his pill, or so he thought…he couldn’t be sure, and he couldn’t take a second pill just in case. So I very quietly ordered the pill boxes for all four of us (I have my own set of medications and vitamins, etc. so may as well get us all in the same habit). 

Two a Day Pill Organizer, Small

Pill boxes arrived, in different colors for each so there was no confusing medications, and I was excited. Daddy wasn’t so excited, and with good reason. I didn’t ask him. I didn’t prepare him. I didn’t even consider him. Not my M.O., but I somehow felt it was O.K. to go ahead anyway because it was in everyone’s best interest. HAVE I LEARNED NOTHING FROM ALL THOSE BOOKS OF “CHANGE MANAGEMENT”???? What was I thinking?? And I did it in my own home!! Shame on me.

The kids, on the other had, were rather excited to have a pill box of their very own. But we will have to see how this NEW strategy works. Hubby warmed up to the idea after I apologized and told him he didn’t have to use his box if he didn’t want to. After allowing him a few hours to calm down and maybe think about it a bit more, I asked him if he wanted me to prepare his box for him, and he nodded yes (reluctant acceptance). Victory?? Nope, not yet! Not in this family. Victory is only if it actually works, not if they agree to try. So I counted my blessings.

Last night everyone took their PM share from their pill boxes. We were all excited to start. This morning, running out to go to work as I always do I almost ran out without checking my pill box, till my kids pointed out they would be checking theirs once breakfast was done. Jeesshhhh!! And here I was complaining about them forgetting their stuff and about how hard Hubby took to my idea for this change. I got a look from hubby that was a mix between a smile and a silent “I told you so”, but we have been together way too long to say it out loud, so early in the morning, and before our coffee was all gone. I learned my lesson. Fingers crossed and this will actually work long term.


What have you changed recently that was hard to get used to?






Rossana G-A



FTC Disclaimer: I am not compensated to write this post.

Time stops for no one, so enjoy it! Carpe Diem

Around this time of year I really get thinking about how quickly time passes by. My son's birthday is at the end of January and my daughter's birthday is at the later part of March. Additionally, my Mom's birthday is today. All those things together make me be enormously grateful that I get to spend another moment with my kids, that I get to go home and see them, and that I get to enjoy watching them grow into such caring wonderful people.

I enjoy having them crawl into bed with me just to snuggle and cuddle because they want to be with me. I may be sleepy and want a few more minutes in bed, and they do let me stay in (although chatting away in a whispery voice). I can't even make myself open my eyes yet, but I love those precious moments under the covers.

I enjoy having them ask me to make them something yummy, because "your food taste so good Mommy. It must be because you make it with LOVE!!"

I enjoy reminding myself that our brand of crazy isn't crazy at all, it's just US, and we love it.

And even if our humor isn't for everyone, it is for us, which is what matters.

And I definitely enjoy that all the hard work, sleepless nights, constantly guiding them in the right direction....is actually paying off in terms of building these warm hearted individuals. 

I was shocked to realize that all the things we say to our kids that appear to go in one ear and out the other actually do stay in their heads. While on a road trip to go spend Christmas with our family back home, I heard my little girl tell a complete stranger at a gas stop restroom what she was most excited about for this Christmas. When asked if she was excited about presents she said "No, not the presents for me. I am excited about giving presents to my family. I want to see them happy, because Christmas is not about getting, it is about giving and family". Wow!!! She actually heard some of what I have been saying. My explanation was a bit more religious of course, but I am glad the major points stuck with her.

I've always thought you have to seize the day, but with the hustle and bustle that is everyday life with 2 kids it can be easy to forget to do so.

And a message to my hubby: Babe, we've done right!!! And we did it together!!!

OK, so not the best grammar, but this is not English class but it is So Perf!

How do you make sure you seize the day?




Rossana G-A



FTC Disclaimer: I am not compensated to write this post.

Avoiding dairy. Harder than it sounds!!

Since my son was diagnosed with a dairy allergy I went into full-blown research mode (as I tend to do with everything that is new to me). I read medical journals, went into dairy-free forums, blogs, books, and even some Facebook pages that talked specifically about this topic.

One website with tons of good info is www.godairyfree.org.

I liked the info on the website so much that I bought the book “Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance, and Casein-Free Living”. 

That had tons of good recipes but also information. 

My husband wanted even more information about dairy allergies and ADHD, so he purchased for us “The Kid-Friendly ADHD & Autism Cookbook, Updated and Revised: The Ultimate Guide to the Gluten-Free, Casein-Free Diet”. 

That is another good book as well. It also shared some very appealing recipes. All fine and good, but my son is a picky eater, and I searched far and wide for recipes that besides being dairy free could be appealing to him….visually and taste wise….so I hit the jackpot with “Cooking for Isaiah: Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Recipes for Easy, Delicious Meals”. 

The author of this book, Silvana Nardone, also has a website http://www.silvanaskitchen.com/ , a Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/silvananardoneglutenfreedairyfree?fref=ts , and is the Editor –in-Chief of “Easy Eats” http://www.easyeats.com/ . This last one is more of a gluten free site, but many times gluten free recipes are dairy free and a good source. My son has seen all the pictures in the book and is excited every time I tell him I am trying out one of the recipes there. So far so good. Anecdotally I can say he is doing much better, both with his allergies and with his ADHD. I can even say all four of us (Mom, Dad, Daughter, Son) are all doing much better health wise, so much so that even if his allergy goes away we will continue to do our best to be dairy free.

It is a pain to be dairy free though. My focus is more on dairy and I was surprised how many thinks use dairy or even casein. The strangest to me was to find out my kids’ multi-vitamin had milk http://www.centrum.com/centrum-kids#chewables.

I have become an expert food label reader. And it is exhausting.

We have decided to do our best to go organic, free of most preservatives, and thus mainly fresh products. We have also decided to do our best to avoid gluten and artificial colors, like Red 40. Red 40 is another one that surprised me how many things contain it. I expected it in my son’s bag of skittles, but then it turned up in a Duncan Hines icing, and again in that multivitamin I already discarded because of the milk. Jeshhhhh!!!

So as I am about to hit the “purchase” button on a vegan multivitamin that is milk free and red 40 free http://www.nowfoods.com/Supplements/Products-by-Category/Vitamins/Multiple-Vitamins---Childrens/M075933.htm I am hopeful that my whole family will benefit from leading a more simple way of life. 

Don’t get me wrong, because I still am enrolling my son in a study to slowly increase his tolerance to milk, but that is only so he can partake in pizza and cake at birthday parties at some point. Hopefully starting this journey so early in his life will make him a life-long healthy-lifestyle convert. Time will tell.

What healthy life-style changes are you making lately?


Rossana G-A



FTC Disclaimer: I am not compensated to write this post.

My part to change an imperfect world - Spreading the word about ADHD

ABC 20/20 story April 2012

Back in April I saw a 20/20 story about how Human Resources at different places still discriminate against people, and one topic that struck me hard was the fact that they still avoid hiring Moms. The story mentioned having the company rep walk out with the candidate all the way to their car to see if they could notice a baby seat or booster chair in the car. Really? People still do that? What a world we live in, huh?

I am doing my part to take away that stigma as well. I talk about being a working mom to everyone at work. They can see how being a mom does not take away from the quality of work I do. They can see I have no qualms about asking for a day off because I need to take my child to a doctor’s appointment, or the dentist, or leave early to go to their holiday recital, because I can still come back the next day and work just as hard to make up for my time. I actually think I work harder BECAUSE I am a MOM, because I know I will take time off, or call in sick when my child is not well, so I make sure my business is taken care off before I leave or in case I can’t come in. And many other Moms and Dads have done the same here in the Bay Area where I live. Coming from Texas and to Northern California I was able to see how the culture over here was much more family friendly. And this did not happen over night. This happened because of people talking and writing about their family life, making it a priority to have certain accommodations, not being ashamed of putting family ahead of work.

I make mention of this because I feel a lot more people would relate to fighting for work/life balance then they would about something more specific to me or my family.

TIME Magazine - Are you Mom enough? May 2012

Back in May, not long after the famous (and for some, the “infamous”) cover photo of TIME with the breastfeeding Mom and the article about “attachment parenting”, I read a criticism about the image and its effect on the child in it when he grew up. The article spoke about how this child may some day be a regretful adult looking back at this picture, wishing it had never happened. Maybe so, but maybe not.

Parenting.com - Pop Culture- May 2012

These parents (and I don’t only mention the Mom as both Dad and Mom agreed to the publication) have strong opinions about attachment parenting, and about how they feel the message needs to be out there, that it is OK to breastfeed past a certain age, and the important bonding that occurs, etc. etc. I will withhold my own opinions about attachment parenting, as that is not the point of my mentioning it. What IS the point is that I am confident that with such strong beliefs they will continue to talk about how they parent and how they decided to speak out about it, and this child may very well be a very proud adult that decides to also follow attachment parenting and continue to be a “poster-adult” for the cause.

That is how I feel about talking and writing publicly about what my family faces every day because of our ADHD. I say “our” even though I don’t have ADHD, but when 3 out of 4 in my family have it is like I have it too.

I have written about how my husband was diagnosed with ADHD since he was a baby (yes, it was that obvious and severe with him!). I have also written about how hard it was for both him and I to notice the same symptoms in my daughter since she was little, and then finally face the music and get her evaluated and diagnosed. The every day things are still hard, but once you have gotten as far as getting informed and getting diagnosed, the rest is a lot easier. My son has also recently gotten evaluated and diagnosed as ADHD, but this time around it wasn’t as emotional or hard to take.

I have also learned to talk with my kids’ teachers about what accommodation they need and what they don’t, and I happen to be very proud of the fact that they will talk to people about their symptoms and how they cope with them in a very informed and nonchalant fashion. Why should they act any other way?

I have admitted before that I was afraid to get my daughter diagnosed because I was afraid of having her be labeled, but after getting much more informed and weighing the pros and cons, if a label is what they need to get the accommodations they deserve and for their self-esteem not to suffer as much then so be it.

Many ADHD posts on my own blog, So Perf!

We live in an imperfect world, and it is up to us to change it. In a perfect world people wouldn’t care if you are a Parent to make a hiring decision. In a perfect world they wouldn’t care if a 4 year old were still breastfeeding or doing it in public. In a perfect world they wouldn’t care if you were ADHD or not.

In a perfect world they would see that most parents are super multitaskers and an asset. In a perfect world we would see breastfeeding more naturally and not so shocking, regardless of age or place. In a perfect world they would notice an ADHD symptom and know exactly why it is happening and how to address it and how to even help (like giving them time and space to get over a hurdle). In a perfect world their school wouldn’t need a parent to ask for a special accommodation or plan, because they would simply know that not all kids are alike and they ALL (even those without ADHD) learn differently.

What I am doing by writing about what we as a family go through and how we handle things is what I consider my part to change this imperfect world, if only a little bit at a time.

For however long ADHD has been acknowledged, and people hear about it on TV and in newspapers, the vast majority of people know nothing more than it is a label for someone who gets easily distracted and is more active than most. And that is about as much as I knew about it for over 10 years of being with my husband, and how we suffered for that lack of knowledge. Why would I want others to go through the same struggles that ignorance causes, lack of understanding and empathy, and the heartache?

In the few years my daughter has been diagnosed, the people we interact with at her school have increased their knowledge and understanding of ADHD through us. Some parents have even taken the extremely hard step of taking their kids to get evaluated, and some even came back with an ADHD diagnosis. I think that is a major accomplishment because my daughter struggled with school, her self-esteem, and her social skills simply because we had not diagnosed her. Since then she has been doing incredibly well. Why would I want another child to suffer along several years with ADHD without the right tools to help them?

I am proud that we went to get my son evaluated a whole year sooner than my daughter. We had our suspicions about him around the same time my daughter was diagnosed, but we wanted to give him a chance to mature and either show it was just his early age or that it indeed was ADHD, but at least we did not struggle with the fear of taking him to the doctor. It was easier now that we had all the information.

ADHD is found in families, but no specific gene has yet been determined. Odds are that my grandchildren will be ADHD. In a perfect world, my kids will know so much more about this, their spouses/partners will know as well and not from my family informing them, and my grandkids will have all that my husband didn’t; understanding from others, empathy, and ready for success from the get-go.

I am working towards my perfect world.



What are you doing to help change this imperfect world?








Rossana G-A


FTC Disclaimer: I am not compensated to write this post.

The simple things make me happy

Sometimes life gets so busy, you face so many struggles, and the days pass buy like a blur. When I feel myself sinking down I make a point to stop and reflect on the little things that always make me happy.

My mornings are never the same if I don't have the time to drink a cup of hot coffee. During the week it is a must, but some weekends I get up and get going with so many things that I forget I haven't had my coffee, but ultimately I always realize it and run to get a cup even if it is later in the day.

Making delicious and yet healthy meals for my family also fills me with joy. Knowing that I have such a great impact on how my family is eating is not always an easy weigh to bear, but it is very rewarding. And when your youngest, in kindergarten, has an assignment to say what are the things he loves and he writes down "I love when Mommy makes me food"you know it is all worth it.

And since we are on the topic of food, eating some Mexican food always puts me in a good mood. It doesn't matter if I make it at home or run to one of my favorite restaurants, the taste of those comforting flavors in my mouth make me not miss being back home so much.

I saved the best for last. Seing my children smile and knowing they are happy will always be the greatest pick-me-up for me. I am also blessed to have such noble hearted children, and very perceptive and sensitive. They somehow know to come over to give me a hug, a kiss, and a smile just when I need it the most. And somehow all grey skies disappear.


What simple things make YOU happy?

Rossana G-A




FTC Disclaimer: I am not compensated to write this post.

Fighting for your right to get a diagnosis - the many struggles ADHDers face.

In this world we live in there are plenty of obstacles for your ADHD children, but I never imagined those obstacles would be at your Doctor’s office. I personally have been very lucky to have been in the care of very attentive health providers, but that isn’t always the case for everyone.

I was shocked to find out a co-worker of mine had been turned away from her local ADHD specialists’ office by whomever was in charge of taking appointments. I was even more upset by the reasons they used to turn her away. She is the mother of an 18-year-old boy that has had a history of forgetfulness, inattentiveness, and falling grades. Schoolteachers never asked for an ADHD evaluation, but then again ADHD kids aren’t always as easy to spot. She told me she had finally worked up the courage to get her son evaluated when she heard me talking about my husband and my daughter and how different things are now that we know what we are dealing with and have implemented tools to help address our issues. She felt there was hope for her and her son, about to start college, and that what she thought would be a terribly difficult journey could somehow be made less so if diagnosed properly.

With a brand new attitude she went on the search for a specialist. She mustered up the courage to call, and when asked the normal questions of the reason to get an appointment, the person on the phone kept attempting to persuade her to desist from an appointment. The main reason she was given over and over? “Your son is too old to be ADHD!!” “What??, But I have been told ADHD doesn’t go away! It is not cured, only managed! What do you mean he is too old?” “If your son has made it this far without being diagnosed, then he isn’t” “Isn’t there a chance they never caught it?” “Maybe, but those odds are slim. Teachers know how to catch these things. It doesn’t sound like your son would benefit from seeing the doctor”.

Insist to have the Doctor see you!

I was a bit more than upset when I heard the story. I have been up to my eyeballs in articles and research papers for the past 2 years reading how so many adults have gone undiagnosed. They lead troubled lives, suffering from depression, mood swings, addiction, all because they were never diagnosed. And this one person is doing all in their power to add one more young man to the list, simply because he didn’t cause enough havoc in school. 

I am not an expert, and I have not met this young 18-year-old boy, so I cannot say if he is indeed ADHD, but neither has this person on the other side of the phone.

To those people out there thinking “my child could be ADHD” or “my spouse could be ADHD” or even “maybe I am ADHD”, please don’t let the naysayers stop you from getting the proper attention you need. If it isn’t ADHD, maybe you can still benefit from a Doctor taking a look at the symptoms and giving you another diagnosis or provide additional help.

Hold to your guns, and ask for the appointment. If the Doctor has availability to take new patients, and you have all your required paperwork (insurance and the like),  there should be no reason to turn you away.

To all those working in Doctor’s offices: You are not the doctor, and working in their office for however much time does not make you one. Please don’t stop patients from getting the help they need and want.

What are some of your Doctor's Office pet peeves?

Rossana G-A




FTC Disclaimer: I am not compensated to write this post.

Guess what's for dinner!

I had a bit of fun yesterday sending out on my Facebook page this picture and getting a bunch of different responses to my call for a guess of what was for dinner.

I got everything from "Pizza" to "Tuna Loaf". I guess you could actually make a pizza with these ingredients, but it is not one my kids or I would be eager to try. I have also, believe it or not, not ever tried a tuna loaf let alone know how to make it.

So what did I make for dinner? Tuna Croquettes!

It is a simple and healthy recipe, and most times I have all but one of the ingredients at home (celery is not always in my fridge).

Ingredients:

3 (5-ounce) cans of water packed tune, drained and shredded.
3 large celery sticks (or 5-6 ready-packed small celery sticks) finely chopped
1 round slice of red/purple onion, finely chopped
3/4 cup bread crumbs
2 large eggs
freshly ground pepper and salt to taste.

This yields about 30-36 kid sized croquettes. I prepared this in 20 minutes (give or take for some picture taking) and cooked them in about 5-6 minutes.

I drained all 3 cans of tuna and placed it in a large mixing bowl. I added the celery, onion, bread crumbs and eggs. I also ground some fresh pepper (not too much because my 6 year old boy has a sensitive palet and pepper is "HOT AND SPICY" according to him) and a bit of salt.

Here is where you can't be afraid to get messy. I actually enjoy this part a lot.

I mix all the ingredients by hand, literally. I squish it all together and start making little balls, small enough to fit in the palm of my hand.

Then I flatten them out a bit and lay them on a well oiled grill. You need enough oil to sauté your croquettes, which means it is not deep frying but just lightly fried. About 2-3 minutes on one side, then you flip them over to get a golden brown on the other side. I also keep the grill on medium or medium-high heat to avoid having the croquettes stick and not need as much oil.

As a mentioned before, this is a fast and healthy recipe. More elaborate recipes include some mashed potatoes to help keep the croquette together, but that adds starches, carbohydrates and calories to the recipe. We are also a low carb and low-glycemic diet family, so even though it is definitely a much yummier croquette with the potatoes, we stay away from it and keep all the flavor going with the onions, celery and pepper in it.

This is what my plate looked like

A few sides, and lots of salad. My kids love their rice and beans, and I am increasing how much salad they eat, so their plate looked a bit different than mine, yet it had the same sides.

I do admit, my daughter did say "Mom, next time, can you make them without the celery?" because she is not a fan of celery, but once we got some ketchup out for her she stopped complaining.

From kitchen to table in less than 30 minutes. Not bad for a school day.

Tuna croquettes are definitely one of my "fast cooking" go-to recipes when I didn't plan ahead my dinner, and my kids love them.

What are some of your "fast cooking" go-to recipes?

Rossana G-A




FTC Disclaimer: I am not compensated to write this post.

Greater than the sum

My Mother

My Aunt and second Mother

My Sis, always there for me.

My friends since forever

My Grandma

Today is Mother's Day in Mexico. I want to thanks all the women in my life, present and past, young and old, with kids of their own and not. I am inspired by their strength, their kindness, their patience, and their constat fight for happiness. May God bless you all.

Bearing a child does not a mother make. It is the love the you give so unselfishly, no matter the cost.

I am a better Mother and Woman because of you, and every day I strive to be more like you.

Who do you celebrate on Mother's Day even if they are not your Mother?

Rossana G-A




FTC Disclaimer: I am not compensated to write this post.

Mrs. and Mr. Jane Doe - Are you taking her name?

Image from Wedding Photography Ink

I was sitting at my Doctor's office today and while I waited to be seen (for almost 90 minutes, but who is counting) I read a very though provoking article on Parenting magazine about changing your last name after marriage. "What is so though provoking about changing your name after marriage?" you may ask, and the spin on it is that it was written by a man. He went on to note how his grandmother told him "I'm gonna kill you" after they announce Mr. and Mrs. "insert wife's family name here". He also noted how credit card companies made it so hard to go through this process that is so common for women, all because he was a man and something fishy had to be behind it.

Happiest Day, even without changing my name.

What struck a cord was that he also noted how men live their whole lives with the name they are given at birth, and expect that to always be so, and yet we say nothing when women don't. I understand the romanticism behind it, but I never identified with it.

I grew up in Mexico, where you have two last names. When I started college in the US I when through a lot of hurdles all to keep those names because I didn't identify with having just one. I felt I was loosing my identity. When I met my husband we talked about this long before planning our wedding, he understood that this was not about him or his name, but about mine and my identity. This was not coming from a prideful place either, because when we had kids I was the one that decided they have only his last name and not mine ( I didn't want them struggling with a hyphenated name as I had for half my life).

But my decision to keep my family name has been question many times, by many different people. More so now at my kids' school when they finally find out (I try not to mention it, but somehow it always comes out). So I do see the value of a "family" name, but all because of what others see, others who grew up in that same society where women change their names once married. My kids, who have always known Mommy doesn't have their same last name, don't care, or they actually do but they care that I keep my last name because "it is your name Mommy! why would you change it to ours?" 

From the mouth of babes!

To each their own. But not everyone agrees with "to each their own". Why would it be such a big deal for a man to change their name once married? This man wanted for the whole family to have the same name, and so their kids would take on his wife's family name. He was teased with such comments as "should we address you as Mrs. and Mr. [insert wife's name here]?" Well, why not?

I would never ask my husband to change his name, for the same reason he didn't ask me to change mine, but why should anyone care if he did.

I won't preach to my children in one direction or another, as I want them to form their own opinion and decide for themselves. At the same time, I would support my daughter if she chose to change her name or if she chose to keep it, and I would do the same for my son. He should not have to fear ridicule or extra hurdles just for changing his last name.

If men can be Nurses, Nannies, Stay at Home Dads, and society accepts them, why can't we accept a simple name change? Any Man that decides to blaze their own trail regardless of gender roles deserves to wear the "SuperMan" ring in my book.

What do you think about men taking their wives' last name?

Rossana G-A




FTC Disclaimer: I am not compensated to write this post.

Hearts for breakfast! Eggs in a french toast cage.

Here is another cute idea for breakfast. My kids love french toast, and they love eggs, so I combined them. Here is what you need:

12 eggs

8 slices of bread

some salt

syrup of your liking

Yep. It's that easy!! And I had all the ingredients at home.

I cut out some heart shapes on 8 slices of bread (2 each for my family of 4). I whisked 4 eggs to dip the bread in. 

I used 2 pans, one for the caged eggs and another for the french toast alone. I cracked 1 egg inside each cut-out slice. Add some salt to taste to the eggs and cook for about 2 minutes. Make sure to turn them over if you like them 'over-easy".

Again, my kids usually don't like mixing sweet and savory, so they got their french toast with chocolate syrup on a separate plate.

This took me maybe 10 minutes in the morning, and it is yummy yummy!!!


They got some extra protein in their breakfast, and Mom got praised for how big her heart was. Win-win!!


Do you have a recipe with hearts?


Rossana G-A





FTC Disclaimer: I am not compensated to write this post.