Hello, new feature!
In an attempt to be more candid and bring a little more ME to Melificent (see what I did there?), I will be starting to post entries regularly about things that are going on in my personal life, beliefs, advice or just what’s cluttering my brain at the moment. What can I say? I was a Livejournal kid. It’s my natural tendency to want to bear my soul.
As most of you know, I was diagnosed as being gluten intolerant last January. It has been a very hard year trying to change my eating habits, and unfortunately, I feel like it is only getting worse. I would go on “wheat benders” as I refer to them as, where I would gorge on as many gluten-filled items as possible, only to feel horrible for weeks to come. This would prompt me to go very strict, only to find that a little gluten had slipped in unknowingly, making me ill again. The constant struggle and discomfort was just too much for me, so I decided to go both gluten and lactose free at the beginning of this month. In addition, I started a food diary to track my daily intake and how I felt afterwards. I hope this will help me see exactly what I can and cannot eat and prevent further poisoning.
Unfortunately, it’s been a bumpy road. I’ve noticed I can’t really eat out (which breaks my heart), and that dairy definitely effects me just as bad, if not worse, than gluten. Not a very easy reality to adjust to. If any of you readers have any advice to dish out, I am all ears. I miss living a life without any stomach pain.
So I know I said I would be taking a week-long hiatus, but I couldn’t help but share some of these amazing nods to both myself and the blog. It’s been pretty exciting to see this blog take shape over the past couple of years, and I love having it as my unofficial 2nd job. I’m even more proud of the opportunities that seem to be sprouting all over lately. I can only cross my fingers and hope this string of amazing continues.
Both myself and my girlie outfit for SheCon were featured on Tyra Banks’ beauty and fashion website, Type F. Check out the rest of the slideshow to see other Miami ladies strutting their fashion sense both at the convention and on the streets of Lincoln Road.
I was also published on my first blog outside of Melificent for Ultimate Coupons. I wrote up a post about shopping gluten-free on a budget, which is a topic I am constantly grappling with myself. If you are also anti-wheat, make sure to check it out. Who knows? You may get some pointers! Also, the site has some fabulous ways to cut back on spending without losing style, comfort and fun so make sure to browse around a bit.
I’ve been hearing a lot of negative comments this year about Valentine’s Day, but I have to admit that I really enjoy the holiday, mostly due to the fact that the hubs and I celebrate it a little more non-traditionally. We don’t make reservations at a fancy resturant, we don’t wear matching outfits, we don’t buy each other flowers and stuffed bears. We try our best to celebrate our love in a low key, yet romantic way.
Last year, we had a picnic in our soon-to-be-home, followed by a trip to IKEA and a home-cooked dinner while playing Star Trek scrabble. Awesome? I know.
This year, it was my turn. I decided to decorate the dining area in all things pink & red, and try my hand at both breakfast and dinner. It was a daunting task, but surprisingly a success! Granted, the hubs helped me a lot, but I was impressed with my growing abilities in the kitchen.