gluten-free meals i've made so far...

after lots of researching, making lists and more researching... i finally went grocery shopping! earthfare & lowes foods have gluten-free shopping lists, which help SO MUCH! this is after my 2nd shopping trip: i LOVE going grocery shopping, so you know i enjoyed this!






here are some meals i've made 100% gluten-free...
first picture- rice noodles with ragu sauce, salad with annie's honey mustard
vinaigrette



second picture- chef salad with gluten-free ham, red peppers, mushrooms, shredded cheese, cranberries and cucumber topped with annie's honey mustard vinaigrette!



third picture- gluten-free blueberry waffles with 100% gluten-free maple syrup, i can't believe its not butter,and blueberries! so delicious!

so far i'm eating 2 out of 3 meals gluten-free each day, starting with tuesday's lunch that consisted of a turkey sandwich (gluten-free rice bread... yuck!) sea salt rice chips and applesauce. i'm on my way to a gluten-free life!

next week: gluten-free breadmaking :) yes!

confused.

confused.
this is the longest i've gone without sleeping beside you and talking to you a few days out of every week for the past 3 years.
i think there's someone new, but i can't bring myself to think about it.
i don't know what you're doing everyday, and i don't like it.
ever since i met you, we've been connected at the hip & we were best friends. i'll never forget when i started crying at elizabeth's pizza & my mom said "you just miss your best friend, don't you?"
i read back to the beginning of this blog and saw what i had written about that weekend... why did you say those things to me? why did you make me think that the only person i've ever given my heart to may actually want to spend the rest of his life with me?
i can't bring myself to call you, text you, or facebook chat you because when i talk to you i'm happy, sad, excited, mad, jealous and fearful.

that is so sad.
i need to find something else or someone else to occupy this time.
i want a tattoo to remind myself i'm strong than this, and i'm strong than you.
stronger than a boy who broke my heart and took me for granted.
stupid boy.
i'm writing this on here so i'll know where to find it, so i can look back and see how badly you hurt me.
this is the last time i'll miss you, feel sorry for you, and think about you.
because right now, i want to FORGET YOU.

gluten-free girl!

hey guys!

i have EXCITING NEWS!!
my mom told me about a friend who has had the same symptoms as me over the years (dizziness, nausea, headaches, fatigue, lethargy, depression, etc.) and instead of looking for medicine to control these symptoms, she started researching. after months of researching, she found a disease in which she had about 50/100 symptoms- Celiac's disease. Celiac's disease is when your body cannot digest gluten, and all you have to do is change your diet to a "gluten-free" diet. she took on the gluten-free diet, and the symptoms we share have disappeared! totally! i could not believe it, and had to due some research about this disease for myself.

after hours of reading and learning, i have come to a conclusion. this may work for me.

monday night i made a grocery list, and found gluten-free shopping lists on earthfare.com and lowesfoods.com, which are SOOOOO helpful. shopping took a while because you have to read all of the labels, but i came out alive! i went to earthfare, which i fell in LOVE with. everything there is so healthy, pure, natural and organic; it was love at first sight. i don't know why i've been shopping anywhere else! yes, everything is more expensive, but everything was also labeled GLUTEN-FREE. at the normal grocery store, i'm going to have to read ALOT to see what i can and cannot buy. i know shopping around the outskirts of a normal grocery store is where you should stay, because those are the healthiest things to eat. everything in the middle is processed and not as healthy. i bought a few things at earthfare (my cart was overflowing!) and bought the basics so i can start going off of my medicines (fludrocortisone and midodrine). yesterday for lunch i tried my new bread, lunch meat, honey mustard and chips, and only liked the meat & HM. i didn't like the bread at all, and the chips were just okay. for dinner i had my new pasta with ragu sauce, salad with shredded cheese & HM. all of it was great! for dessert i tried my new ginger snap cookies, which were spicy, but are okay to eat for now until i try more.

and today was the first morning in a while that i have NOT woken up with a headache! yes! this may work :) and i am so excited about it!

so today is day 2 of the partially-gluten-free-diet-soon-to-be-100%-gluten-free! i may go to lowes foods to see what i can find :)

happy gluten-free day! :)

birthday!

i haven't written in this thing forever! i have been sooo busy with school, homework, work, etc. that i haven't had anytime!

updates!
-i think t & i are officially over... long story, and i don't really feel like talking about it! short story- he's been busy with school & training aka no time for Ashley. this is my time to move on if i want to, and i'm thinking about taking advantage of it! weird, because we were best friends basically the whole time i've been going to school here, so i have mixed feelings. wah :(
-i'm interning at watauga medical here in boone next fall! i am excited :)
-i got a new apt! woohoo! no more leaky roofs, dirty carpet, or lack of washer & dryer :) i am sooo happy! and i have a new roommate moving in soon- katie from twigs- and her kitten toby! i hope this works out...
-the hills &&& the city start tomorrow! i am so excited!

and today is my BIRTHDAY! 22! i can't believe it, i feel so old now! i went to brunch with mom, dad, adam & meredith yesterday at makatos :) so yummy! we came back to the apt afterwards for presents and cake, which were both amazing. today is my actual birthday, but alot of ppl are busy finishing up school stuff since tomorrow is the last day of class (yippee!) so we're all going out tomorrow to celebrate my birthday, being done with class, and those that get to graduate in a few weeks!

i almost wish i was graduating in a few weeks because i think it will be weird to still be here when alot of my friends have graduated (i.e. SW will be gone :( ) and i wish i was taking grad pics when the trees are in full bloom up here & the skies are a clear blue with sun! maybe next year i'll come back and take a few :) haha!

thats all for now, i'm waiting on tara to meet her for birthday lunch at mcalisters! xoxo!

snowed-in!

so, there's nothing really new here in boone!
.still trying to get into the swing of classes...
.lots and lots and LOTS of snow... currently dumping 10+ inches on top of the 12 inches we already have. uggggh!

however, there has been progress made!
.beth is going to talk to her dad about me renting out his bedroom! WOOHOO!
.i connected my twitter and facebook accounts together :)
.i found an internship! WESTERN YOUTH NETWORK. i am soooo excited! when i officially get it, i'll describe what it is! for now, keep your fingers crossed :)
.i alllllllmost have my toe-side turn while snowboarding, i am really excited! i just need a session where all i do is work on it. maybe jess & i can make it up to the mountain early before class starts sunday!
.LOST is back on! yessss the final season! i finally get to see how they get off that freakin' island

now, i'm off to watch the time traveler's wife :)
xoxo!

WARNING: WINTER WEATHER STORM IN FULL EFFECT

ahhh! a snow/ICE storm is coming! no fun :( ice always ruins everything! so, i'm trying to figure out my plan of action. wish me luck! xoxo

lazy saturday :)

Here's a preview of my Saturday in my little apartment :)


woke up to 10 inches of snow at 10am! God is great :)


orange cinnamon rolls!! :)


hot chocolate + dexter


max is in love with the heater... this is where he spends most of his time in the winter!


homemade chili for dinner!

so, after my day of relaxation, i decided to venture out with jessica to jacqui's apartment! we didn't do much of anything, just girl talk + papa johns breadsticks!, but wanted to go out because i had been in the apartment since friday morning when i had gotten back from the on-campus doctor. Dr. Geiger is such a lifesaver; she was able to give me medicine for the bad germ that may need one extra kick in the pants, and i am starting to feel much better!

tonight, jessica & i are attempting our snowboarding class again! wish us luck :) hopefully i'll be able to post pics from our first class later on tonight!

xoxo!