"A Dose of Controversy"

I'm happy to report that Dateline is scheduled to run a one hour special titled, "A Dose of Controversy". Matt Lauer will interview Dr. Wakefield, whose 1998 study was the first to suggest a link between autism and vaccines. Dr. Offit will be featured also. He is well-known for his stance of dismissing any connection between autism and vaccines.

The two biggest players in this debate will have their say. It's Wakefield vs. Offit, or as I like to call it, the Autism Super Bowl!

I'm thrilled that we are receiving so much attention in the mainstream media. There does seem to be a positive trend developing with the media beginning to pursue this issue in a more balanced fashion. I hope that NBC allows for a fair debate on the topic. The special will air on Sunday, August 30th. Please check your local listings to confirm the time.

Set your TiVos and DVRs! You don't want to miss this!

For more information on the special, visit Inside Dateline.

A New Favorite Photo

This was one of the last pictures I took of Jake before The Great Regression. He is meeting his baby sister for the first time and you can really see how happy he is. It was my favorite picture for a while. But, after the autism diagnosis, I couldn't even look at it because I missed the boy in this photo so much.

It's been nearly 3 years since that picture was taken. In that time, I have snapped countless photos of the side of his face, the top of his head and of course, his back. A few times, I was lucky enough to catch Jake by surprise to get a shot of him looking in the direction of the camera. Those pictures never managed to capture what I intended. It's very hard to get a picture of Jake, but now I have a new favorite...finally!

One thing that makes my new favorite picture extra special is that he asked me to take it. Then he smiled and looked right at the camera. Just look at those eyes!

GFCFSFEF Sandwich Bread

Here's an easy bread recipe that is free of gluten, casein, soy and egg. It turned out really soft and was a hit with the kids. Hope you like it too.

GFCFSFEF Sandwich Bread

1 - 22 oz bag Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose Baking Flour (GF)
1 packet active dry yeast
1/4 cup ground flax seed
3 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp salt

2 cups warm water
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 TBS oil
1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Combine the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl and whisk well to incorporate air into the mixture.

Combine the last 4 ingredients in the bowl of your stand mixer.

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet with the mixer on low to medium speed. After it is all combined, increase mixing speed to medium high and let it run for about 5 minutes.

Place batter in a greased 4x8 inch loaf pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for 30 to 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Remove plastic wrap and gently smooth the top of the loaf with wet hands. With a sharp knife, slice the top of the loaf lengthwise (about 1/4 inch deep).

Place in the oven and bake for 1 hour. Cover with foil after the first 20 minutes to prevent over-browning.

Let cool completely before slicing.

Sarahisms

I've decided to take a week off to get in some quality family time before school starts back. Before I go, I'd like to leave you all with a couple of recent funnies from Sarah. Keep in mind that she is only 2 years old.

1. Sarah had a big tantrum one day. There was nothing I could do to calm her, so I left her to work it out on her own. As soon as she realized that I was ignoring her, she suddenly stopped crying. In the most pitiful voice you can imagine, she said, "Mommy, don't you see my tears?" (The kid is smart!)

2. I was busy working and Sarah kept pestering me for a snack. Jeff was in the kitchen at the time and could have easily prepared something for her. I said, "Sarah, there is another grown-up here who can help you." She thought about it for a second and replied, "No...that's just Daddy!"

Have a great week!