Gluten Free (Update)

So I'm almost two weeks into my Gluten Free life and I am thrilled with how well I've we've done. Matt has taken on a lot of the GF meals with me (like promised) and surprisingly, our meals taste just as good as before, if not better. After reading several blogs, I promised myself I wouldn't try gluten alternatives until I was at the point where I wasn't craving wheat. So for the past two weeks we've eaten completely fresh foods -- lots of fish, brown rice, sweet potatoes, and veggies.

Its amazing how much two weeks of healthy eating will do. I haven't had any pain issues and my stomach was much more happy than it usually is.

I could get used to this.

Like recommended, I also cut down on red meat, pork, and dairy. I thought reducing red meat and pork was going to be the worst thing ever, but I've actually come to learn that I like seafood.

WHAT?!

(I can only imagine the look on my Mother's face after reading this....)

This is coming from the young lady who refused any kind of strange dish as a child and didn't tolerate "fish sticks" any night. I could handle canned tuna, shrimp was good, and I liked sushi. The seafood list ended there. But this week I learned that Tuna Steaks are just as good as normal steaks (and whole hell of a lot healthier) and Tilapia is delicious when blackened with spices. I've cooked Salmon twice in the past and "got through" the meal, but didn't enjoy it. I hoping tomorrow and a new recipe will bring a better outcome. Fingers crossed.

The only thing I've really craved this week and couldn't have was...

Pita Bread?

You better believe it. Hence my status on Facebook the other night that admitted I was eating Hummus out of a spoon. I guess I can make GF pita bread from scratch, but that sounds like a lot of work. So a spoon will have to suffice until I decide to get up and bake.

I will also full heartedly admit that for a split second this week, I contemplated ripping a PB&J sandwich out the hands of a precious two year boy I know and love, so I could stuff it into my mouth as quickly as possible. WTF is wrong with me?? I don't know. It just looked good at the time.

Withdrawals, I tell ya......

Good news is he was able to finish his lunch without any of Miss Jaclyn's GF binge eating sprees interrupting him.

This past Sunday, Matt and I nearly froze to death while trashing my dress in Lake Michigan (Milwaukee, WI). It was a whopping 51 degrees outside --- which I seriously think made the water no warmer than 35-40 degrees. The shock of a wave getting me soaked from the waste down should make a great picture. We will see.

My wedding dress literally trashed.

Hanging to dry in our garage.

Matt and I sat with the butt warmers on and the heat blasting the entire drive back to Madison (from Milwaukee) and as we pulled into Pizza Ranch's parking lot, I was just starting to get feeling in my toes. A little over exaggerated? Maybe....

I know what you are thinking.

But wait, Jaclyn, didn't you just say Pizza Ranch? Aren't you GF?

Oh yeah, Pizza Ranch has a GF pizza crust. The one alternative I ate since going GF. We had never been to Pizza Ranch before and went solely because it was the one place we knew I could eat GF. It was 8oclock on a Sunday night and we were starved after not eating all day in Milwaukee.

So, how did I feel after?

Like Shit.

It was the first "heavy" meal I've had in almost fourteen days and I was shocked at how horrible it made my stomach feel. BUT with that being said -- Pizza Ranch was never going to be favorite place in the world. For starters, it was a buffet. Secondly, I'm 99% sure the crust wasn't fresh and it was most likely frozen before. Third, it was loaded with grease. I've recently learned that Roman Candle (one of my beloved pizza places in Madison) has a GF crust, too, so I'm excited to check that out soon.

In other news: Matt called me a Hippie this week. You guys are probably all thinking it. He's just the only one who will say it out loud.

(Here's us in forty years)

The poor guy is married to a completely different woman than who he married a short three months ago.

Me on our honeymoon (when I was normal) I probably ordered steak, mashed potatoes, ate 500 dinner rolls, and polished off a brownie with whip cream. (oh, and drank a million glasses of wine)

I'm not completely or totally different than what I was 90 days earlier. But all these extreme ideas of going Gluten Free, Juicing, using Essential Oils as opposed to pharmaceuticals, wanting to spend more time outside, doing yoga, and joining a co-op is grounds for any husband to be concerned.

Rest assured people, I will not be doing this anytime soon.

And definitely not this.

Also!

The Fennels have officially started to listen to Christmas music.

Yes, people, we're Christmas crazy. If you already didn't know......

In August, we will head south to Galena, Illinois to visit some wineries and breweries, eat a fancy dinner, and to stay in the Heart's Delight (oh la la) designer suite --- complete with a heart shaped bed and heart shaped Jacuzzi tub. We'll be celebrating our BIG six month anniversary!!!! While booking the hotel, all I could think of was this.....

But I've heard fab reviews and received a discounted rate from attending The Madison Bridal Show with my beautiful, dear, Bride-to-be friend, Chelsea.

(PS: Chelsea, this is one of the only pictures I found of us. WTH! We need an updated picture asap! This is FIVE years old). (PSS: I'm so so excited for your wedding!)

Speaking of weddings, I have officially received a wedding invite for the Evans/Boris wedding! Woohooooo!!!

Our roadtrip vacation is coming up so quickly!!!!!!!!!!!

WE CANT WAIT!!!!

Until next Thursday.... Lots of Love Blogger Buddies <3