Can you tell that I am back to work?

If you have noticed that my blogs have worked their way down to a slow trickle, it is only because I am back to work and have been neglectful. I am prepping the sets for Season 8 of Hell's Kitchen, and my mind has been a bit dizzy lately. We have not stopped living well with our food allergies, in spite of the fact that the world seems to be spinning rapidly off its axis.

Last weekend, we took a little road trip down to San Diego. Sadly, we had to miss the Los Angeles FAAN walk, as our trip had been

planned months

in advance. But we really needed a little sojourn, as our house is on the market and we have been battered with almost constant showings. (No offers, yet!) We had a fantastic time. We were greeted by picture perfect Southern California weather. The resort that we stayed at had everything we needed. There were lots of options at the hotel restaurant. Ella feasted on hot chocolate, rice crispies, fruit and bacon. We visited Sea World, in between the hours that we spent lounging around the pool. Overall, it was a spot perfect weekend.

The biggest news this week is that I cracked my crock pot. Trust me, this IS big news in my world as I so deeply depend on it to provide dinners on the nights that I cannot get home before the kids eat. In a way, this was a good thing. My pot, which came off my wedding registry from Williams-Sonoma, was made by Rival. It gave us 7 solid years of service but recently I have been concerned that the enamel pot might contain lead and thereby leaching the toxin into our food. Rival apparently has a bad reputation for having a high lead content. I have just begun to do research on this issue so it might be a bit of time before I buy a new one. In the meantime, I am concocting all kinds of other options for our nanny to reheat and serve to the kids on the nights that I cannot be there. I am getting creative. And some of my creations have not been met with open arms. Two nights ago, I spent 1 1/2 hours making a wheat/gluten free New York Cheesecake that I was sure Ella would love. It was delicious. But Ella boldly told me, "I don't like cheesecake anymore, Mom." And then refused to try it. A child who refuses dessert? She knows that there is always another sweet around the corner.

Speaking of which, we are gearing up for Halloween and the tensions that might be created when we sift through the trick or treat loot. Last year Ella handled it pretty well when we confiscated anything that is a no-no. As long as there are plenty of things for her to eat, we will be a good shape. And luckily, she is still not at an age where she gorges on sweets. She is happy just getting SOMETHING. Besides, her candy supply never seems to end between visits to Grandma's house and weekend after weekend of birthday parties. Hello, pinatas!