Hello dear friends and welcome to Summer!
How is it June already???
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Time is flying by so fast and I am finally feeling better!
Here’s a quick health update!
After the Christmas holiday, I started having pain in my left side under my ribs after I would eat and developed horrible bowel problems.
Since January I’ve seen three doctors, and had numerous blood and fecal tests, two ultrasounds, and an MRI!
To make a long story short, I cheated on my gluten/dairy-free diet about FOUR times during Christmas week.
I usually avoid gluten and dairy to help reduce inflammation since I have Sjogren’s syndrome and to control my irritable bowel syndrome symptoms.
In the past, I had occasionally cheated and never had a problem.
I am not allergic to gluten and do not have celiac disease but for some unknown reason, I am highly sensitive to it.
The gastro doctor thinks eating gluten for several days in a row wrecked my gut and that’s what caused the pain.
The last time I had pain was mid-March so it took over three months for my gut to recover.
It seems impossible that food can wreak so much havoc on my body!
Eating this way is no fun, but I learned my lesson and will stick to my diet now!
Does anyone else out there have pain after eating gluten??
Enough about my health woes, let’s move on to the fun stuff we’ve been doing!
WHAT WE DID BEHIND THE SCENES IN May
Celebrated Mother’s Day
Look at this yummy breakfast Rich and our son, Griffin, made for me!
Rich makes gluten/dairy-free pancakes the same way I do but for some reason, I always think his taste much better!!
We were planning to go to church, out to lunch, and then shopping but instead, we spent a quiet day at home because I had been fighting a bad cold that developed into a sinus infection.
Saw a Surprise Concert
We had a pleasant surprise the last time we visited the EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival.
Garden Rocks is a concert series featuring popular artists on the weekends mixed with local acts during the week.
We had not checked the calendar to see who was performing but when we got there, we found out it was The Spinners, one of the most famous groups in R&B history!
They were wonderful and Rich and I sang the words to almost every song!
It was a fabulous ending to our favorite EPCOT festival.
We sure will miss seeing all the amazing topiaries, beautiful flowers…
and eating yummy food like the fabulous gluten/dairy-free grilled corn on the cob!
Now, we patiently wait for the Food and Wine Festival to start on August 29th!!
Celebrated Rich’s Birthday
Rich had a birthday in May and we celebrated for a couple of days!
First, we went to Disney Springs had dinner, saw a movie, and then caught the first showing of “Disney Dreams That Soar!” It’s a new drone show appearing nightly through September 2, 2024, and it was fabulous!
After the show, we went to Erin McKenna’s Bakery to pick out yummy gluten/dairy-free desserts!
The next morning, we went to Animal Kingdom and enjoyed the park until around 2:00 pm when it started getting hot!
Enjoyed Memorial Day
I can’t get over the fact that Memorial Day has come and gone!
We relaxed at home on Monday and binge-watched “Band of Brothers.”
I don’t enjoy war movies, but this miniseries is a must-see for all Americans.
It made me stop and reflect on how so many brave men and women have given their lives to protect and defend our country.
It is unbelievable what some of our soldiers endure fighting for our freedom!
A huge thank you to those who served (past and present) in the military!
Our heart goes out to all who have lost loved ones!
WHAT WE DID ON THE BLOG DURING May
Here’s a look at what we posted in May in case you missed anything!
DIY
- We decided to add a bit of patriotic flair to our home by making these festive pillows from Dollar Tree bandanas!
- See how we magically transformed candles by decorating them with napkins!
- I adore topiaries but they are expensive to buy so I figured out three ways to make faux topiaries!
- Want a flower arrangement that will last for months instead of days? Learn how to arrange dried flowers in a cloche!
Home Organization
- During Spring we stop organizing inside the house and work outside instead. We have spent every weekend in May working in the yard and are finally caught up! We took pictures along the way and will share them in a post next week!
- Hurricane Season starts today so we shared a previous post on how to prepare for an emergency.
Home Decor
- We are in the process of transitioning from Spring to Summer decor and we started by adding some patriotic touches to our mantel!
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INSPIRATION FROM AROUND THE WEB
Are you excited for Summer? Here are some of our favorite posts to welcome the new season!
- Want to have the best Summer ever? Consider these themes and ideas to make a Summer Bucket List!
- Would you like to add seasonal decor but aren’t sure how? Here are 100 relaxed Summer decor ideas for your entire home!
- I always say I want to plant flowers or a garden but don’t plan for it! I need guidance from an experienced gardener! If you can relate, check out this post listing my friend’s top gardening books!
- If planting flowers or veggies in the ground isn’t your thing, check out this ultimate guide to easy container gardening!
- Do you dream of having your own “she shed”? You have to see this shed all decked out for Summer!
FAVORITE SEASONAL FINDS
Father’s Day is coming quickly and we’re sharing Rich’s wish list to give you some fabulous gift ideas!
Click the blue links below to get info on each item!
Frozen Beer Mugs | Digital Tape Measure | Smart Dash Cam
Car Vacuum Cleaner | Solar Bird Feeder | Stanley Quencher
Magnetic Portable Charger | Wood Phone Docking | Pickleball Paddles
Remote Control Holder | Blackstone Tabletop Griddle | Captiva Tabletop Griddle
Griddle Accessories | Outdoor Griddle Cookbook | Gas Griddle Cooking Station
HOME ORGANIZATION CHALLENGE WEEKLY TASK
To help keep everyone motivated to organize their homes throughout the year, here are weekly suggestions of spaces you can tackle!
You can organize one week of the year or all 52!!
POSTS YOU MIGHT LIKE FROM OUR ARCHIVES
Here are some posts from our archives that are relevant to this season!
DIY
Are you looking for a patriotic wreath to display this Summer? Why not DIY this festive star ribbon wreath?
Fun Father’s Day Idea
Need a fun idea to celebrate Father’s Day or suggestions on a great gift? Learn how to set up a donut buffet for Father’s Day!
Tips For a Fabulous 4th of July
Are you thinking about hosting family or friends on the fourth? See how easy it is to host a 4th of July celebration!
We’ll see you back here on the first Saturday in July for our Seasonal Sentiments June Rewind!
Blessings, Donna and Rich
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Happy to hear you are okay. Eating too much gluten affects my MS.
That being said, my cheats are pasta once a week and stuffed breads we make. I’m careful not to eat too much gluten.
Hi Cindy! I know you can relate to how difficult it is to deal with a chronic health issues! It’s crazy how food can affect our bodies. Sorry to hear you have issues with gluten too!
Love your succulents Donna, and I am sorry to hear you were having issues. I have read gluten can stay in the body for 4 months. I am gluten free, and you are right, it is not always so much fun.
Hey Cara! I’m so happy because I’m actually keeping those succulents alive! Woo Hoo! It is difficult having such a restrictive diet but I feel so much better when I stay on it! Glad to know I’m not alone! Thank you my friend!
So glad to hear you are on the road to recovery, Donna. I had no idea how bad chronic inflammation caused by food, stress and allergic reactions could mess up your gut health and overall immune system until this year. I also didn’t know that you could develop food sensitivities or allergies as an adult either. It’s been an eye opening experience to learn about it in more detail though and I appreciate you sharing your journey. It’s not something a lot of people talk about so it’s nice to know we can come to you when/if we have questions. Thank you so much for sharing my summer theme ideas, I really appreciate it. While this summer hasn’t been anything like I originally expected, it’s still been filled with beautiful moments. I hope you’ve had some fabulous moments full of adventure too. Sending you big hugs and thank yous, CoCo
Hi CoCo! I don’t think people understand this unless they or a close loved one has experienced it. It is embarrassing to talk about but I know I’m not alone and hope I can help others in some way! Thanks for your kind words! So far so good this summer as we just continue to take things slow! Sending hugs back to you!