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After one trip to the beach with my whole family (extended) in the same
beach house and one car camping trip with the other side of the family, I
find myself still struggling with how cautious I need to ask others to be.
If I shake hands with someone who has just eaten a sandwich, do I need to
wash my hands before I eat? (Iknow, I know, good idea anyway. Not always
possible). How grumpy of a mom do I need to be when my preschoolers eat
peanut butter and jelly and begin to play with their toys before they've
washed their hands? They are great on the whole, but sometimes I just get
sick and tired of constantly negotiating meals when I am with extended
family and my own young children who struggle to get it (my 4 year old is
awesome these days. 2 year old...well, she's very very 2. Mind of her own,
that one). 

The adults in my extended family came off defensive and there were many
meals on our beach trip I had to avoid parts of because of their
forgetfulness, inconsideration. When I attempted to once again explain what
was necessary, my pre-teen nieces were AWESOME (!!!) asking great questions,
very considerate. The adults were the ones who responded, "But we were
trying...but I thought...we did what we thought..."

Not having fun being gluten free right now. I LOVE LOVE LOVE to travel but
I'm finding it extremely difficult these days. If my kids eat the pretzels
on the plane and I help them out (and inevitably my 2 year old spills them)
then I have to find a way to clean my hands before I can eat the snack I
brought. So much trouble. And I hear some saying, so have your kids go
totally GF, at least on trips. But it is cheaper to feed them the other.
Simpler. Less food to have to carry with us. And who's to say I'm not just
contaminating myself by sitting in the plane seat, touching the tray table,
the arm rests? Do I need to worry about these things or is it more of a if I
can't see it, it doesn't matter?

My symptoms are VERY inconsistent so I really can't tell right now if I get
glutenated. Sometimes I react. Sometimes I don't.

Sorry for the long ramble. I'm hoping to somehow get my thoughts across. I
want to care for myself, I need cheat on purpose, and after almost 2 yrs on
the diet it feels impossible without just holing up in my home...which is
totally not who I am.

Thanks for listening and for any stories you have to share,
Cris

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