Gluten and allergen free Expo - Dallas: Review - how I felt

How much would you pay to feel normal? How much would you pay to relax when you didn't realize just how tense you were? How much would you pay to finally see that you are really not alone? My cost: $40 for tickets and $130 in gas.

When DH and I first started talking about going to Dallas on Sept 8, it was just to see Social Bliss play a show. Then about 3 weeks ago I realized that the Gluten & Allergen Expo would be in town, I just had to make it happen. Dallas is a 3.5 hr drive so it could be a day trip. Kill two birds with one stone; expo for a couple of hours and then Social Bliss. Sounds like a great day to me!

Wednesday my allergies began to kick my ass. By Friday I looked like hell and DH was wondering if we should be going anywhere. By bedtime my voice was walking out the door. Saturday morning, my voice was gone and thoughts of staying crept in. 9am I woke DH up and started getting dressed to go. He still had doubts. Ravebaby woke up and didn't want to go anywhere. About an hour away DH got car sick. We were really wondering if we had made the right decision.

We found the conference center and as we walked up the energy changed. We started to relax. Once we got to the Udi's table and Ravebaby focused on pizza and brownies, I relaxed. It occurred to me that I didn't need to freak out about what DD was grabbing to eat. She could eat everything! There in that place we were normal. There in that place we were just like everyone else. Every single person in that expo was dealing with living without.

After having two incidents in the last two weeks of telling Ravebaby no, it was liberating to say yes to everything. It was a bit overwhelming to realize that I didn't have to ask if it had wheat. No wheat allowed. No need to ask. There was pizza, sandwich bread, pita bread, cake, pie, chips, crackers and the list goes on. There in that place for the first time in almost three years, I could relax.

Wa the trip worth it? It feels like a MasterCard commercial:
Gasoline for the trip: $130
Entrance fee: $40
Finally feeling normal: priceless

To be continued: up next - products

Proud member of Steeler Nation

So as a Texan, I take a lot of heat for not being a Cowboys fan. How can you live at close to Dallas and like the Steelers? Are you from Pittsburgh? Is your family from Pittsburgh? How can you like the Steelers?! Dallas is America's team!

Well the story is pretty simple and a little embarrassing. So I'm going to tell you but don't spread it around. My love of the Steelers is all Coach Bill Cowher's fault. How can it be his fault? Well back in the day, my family lives out in the booneys, the sticks, BFE, you know out in the middle of nowhere. My parents could not afford a satellite so we were had one channel, ABC, which meant watching Monday Night Football. I was not a football fan but it was noise so we had it on. One day the Steelers were playing and they showed Coach Cowher on the screen. My first thought: Sgt. Slaughter! That's all it took, seriously, I've been a Steelers fan since. I've come a long way from those days under DH's tutelage I've learn I made a smart choice. My tram is awesome. I can talk football with the guys and even make some smart calls.

I own a terrible towel, which I bought in Virginia Beach, VA. I have my very own Troy Polamalu jersey. Love me some Troy on the field. Love watching him bring people down and stripping people of the ball, so hot. He is my top freebie.

So in short the Steelers became my team on a fluke and the need for glasses. The Groom is a huge Steelers fan; he wore a Steelers tie to his wedding. Really before the Steelers '06 super bowl win, I didn't let the Groom know I liked the Steelers; it was just too much fun to tease him. Yes I am a member of Steeler nation and yes I love in Cowboy country and no I don't mind.

Am I the only who thinks these guys look a little alike? :)

Wordless Wednesday: Read with me

Ravebaby reading with a friend. To protect friend's identity, since you shouldn't post pics of other people's children, I'm using the pictures I took with Photo booth on my iPad. Still cute.