Day 3 – So Not Mainstream

It turns out I am not normal. When I am at home in my own little world, I don’t seem to notice these things. Well, really, what is normal? Should we all aspire to normality? I don’t think so. How boring. But, to the point. With all the allergies and such, we have become atypical. Yup. That is us. It is pouring rain and what do we do for lunch – head into the nearest grocery store and cook up some dinner in the parking lot. Love the RV travel life. This way we are sure to keep the kids on their diet. We arrive at my husband’s cousins and are asked if we would like anything – a normal question, which I respond with a polite – “no thank you. We ate already.” Later comes the questions. “Would your kids like juice? – um, no thank you. They don’t drink juice. Would your kids like a snack? Um, no thank you. I have some food in the RV.” So, I head out to the RV and come back with some watermelon, grapes, and pan-popped non-GMO popcorn. Then comes the – “you did what? Yes, I cooked the popcorn in the grocery store parking lot in case the kids wanted a snack.” Then, comes the food talk. Our kids can’t eat gluten, dairy, melon, tomatoes, chocolate. Which is usually and promptly met with the comment – “What? No ice cream or pizza.” Then comes the alternate food conversation. “Well, yes. We eat pizza – gluten free crust with non-dairy cheese. It really is quite good. And we have found some delicious coconut ice cream. I make nut-cheese, nut-bread, nut-pancakes, nut-cookies, nut-muffins that taste delicious.” I didn’t even begin to explain the lentil based foods that we eat. Now for the comment that I have never heard before, “What about the real food.” Hm. I am pretty much a slave to the kitchen. I make most of our food from scratch. Pre-packaged, processed foods are almost non-existent in our house. So, in my opinion, we are eating more ‘real’ food than most people these days. That was the end of that conversation. Except that the following day my kids were once again offered a pre-packaged, processed food that I had to disallow and received the comment, “It’s only potatoe.” Well, if only she read the ingredients, she would realize that it is so not just potatoe.

Oh and don’t even get me started about home schooling. I received my first critical response regarding our decision to home school. I have received a few, “Oh ya’s” Or, “that’s so not for me.” Or, “I just wouldn’t have the patience for that.” This time, I received a, “Don’t you want them out of the house? And, don’t you have to go to school for that and get a certificate or something.” Hmm. No. And who better to meet the needs of my children – me of course. When I answer that I am a government certified teacher people are usually okay with our decision. Like, I really require their permission.

On to the mall. My husband took the kids to a waterpark during out visit and I browsed some stores with the baby. Well, really we just sat and people watched because I am not much of a shopper. Wow. Were there ever a lot of GQ kids in the mall. All dressed to the nines. It made me evaluate the home made sweatpants twin1 was wearing. Except that he absolutely adores them and loves to tell people that, “mommy made these for me.” What a cutey. I did head into an Asian food market and browsed through the interesting foods and picked up some sushi, veggies, fruit for lunch. While I was waiting in line, the baby was making eyes at the lady behind and smiling. This lady looks at me and says, “Why isn’t she in a stroller?” I respond with the baby comfortably in the sling on my hip, “She has never sat in a stroller before. I have 3 other kids and I find it easier to keep my hands free when I am out and about.” Which is of course met with a full body up/down evaluation and, “4 kids?” response.

Yup. Atypical would describe us.