Cayt's Chronic Creations

07/19/2026

The brain fog can be STRONG sometimes.... 😅🤷🏻‍♀️

07/18/2026

Any guesses on what's steeping overnight tonight...? 🤔 stay tuned tomorrow for the recipe and reveal!

06/24/2026

10 Ways to Get “Glutened” That Have Nothing to Do With Food Lists 🍞⚠️

For those with celiac disease or severe gluten sensitivity, gluten can hide in some surprising places:

1. Lipstick, lip balm, and chapstick. Anything that goes on your lips can easily be swallowed.
2. Play-Doh and craft dough. Traditional Play-Doh contains wheat. Little hands touch everything!
3. Communion wafers. Many churches use wheat-based wafers unless gluten-free options are requested.
4. Toothpaste and mouthwash. Most are gluten-free, but it’s worth checking ingredients and manufacturer statements.
5. Medications and supplements. Fillers, binders, and starches can sometimes contain gluten.
6. Pet food and treats. Handling kibble or treats and then touching your mouth can cause accidental exposure.
7. Shared kitchen items. Toasters, cutting boards, wooden spoons, colanders, and air fryers can harbor gluten residue.
8. Paper products such as paper straws, plates, and cups. Some products use wheat based starches to bind the paper together.
9. Gluten can also hide in envelope and stamp adhesive.
10. Personal care products used on hands. Lotions, hand creams, and soaps are generally lower risk, but if they contain gluten and end up on food or in your mouth, they can be a problem.

Living gluten-free isn’t just about reading food labels—it’s about being aware of all the little ways gluten can sneak into daily life.

What’s the strangest way you’ve ever been accidentally glutened? 👇

06/09/2026

Have you ever had a season where every time you feel like you’re finally getting your footing, something else comes along and knocks you off balance?

The last few years have felt a bit like that for our family.

There have been chronic illness diagnoses, autoimmune conditions, rare diagnoses, hospital stays, surgeries, endless appointments, research, lifestyle changes, and learning how to help myself and my children as they’ve faced some of their own daily health challenges. It’s been a journey of adapting, learning, and finding new ways to thrive in circumstances we never expected.

And honestly, I felt like we were finally finding our groove.

Then the stomach flu made its way through our house. Everyone got it and recovered, but it saved me for last. Let me tell you, it was violent... and triggered a flare that hit harder than I expected. Before I could fully regroup, I broke my foot.

At some point you start to wonder if the enemy sees you’re making progress and decides it’s time to throw another obstacle in the path.

The good news is that obstacles aren’t roadblocks unless we stop moving.

Some seasons are for running. Some are for walking. And some are for limping forward one faithful step at a time.

I won’t pretend I’m not tired. I am. The kind of tired all the sleep in the world wouldn't fix. But I’ve also seen God’s faithfulness too many times to believe He’ll stop now.

So if you’re in a season that feels heavier than it should, keep going. The pace may change. The path may look different than you expected. But God is still leading, still providing, and still working even when life feels harder than it should.

One step at a time. That’s enough for today.

"We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." -2 Corinthians 4:8-9

06/06/2026

✨ Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Cinnamon Rolls ✨

There’s just something special about warm cinnamon rolls fresh from the oven! These gluten-free and dairy-free cinnamon rolls are soft, fluffy, and packed with that classic cinnamon-sugar goodness—without the gluten or dairy.

🧡 Dough:
• 3½ cups gluten-free flour blend (recommended Authentic Foods Steve's Gf bread blend) *see note
• 3 Tbsp cane sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup non-dairy milk
• 3 Tbsp light oil
• ¼ tsp salt

🧡 Yeast Proofing:
• ¾ cup warm water
• 1 tsp cane sugar
• 2 tsp active dry yeast

🧡 Filling:
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup cane sugar
• 2-3 Tbsp cinnamon

🧡 Icing:
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• 3 Tbsp dairy-free milk
• Dairy-free cream cheese, softened

Directions:

1. Combine warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy.
2. Mix dough ingredients together, then add the yeast mixture. Mix until a soft dough forms.
3. Roll dough into a rectangle between parchment paper.
4. Mix filling ingredients and sprinkle evenly over dough.
5. Roll tightly and slice into rolls.
6. Place in a greased baking dish and let rise 30–45 minutes.
7. Bake at 350°F for 20–25 minutes or until lightly golden.
8. Whisk icing ingredients together and spread over warm rolls.

Perfect for slow mornings, holidays, or whenever you’re craving a cozy homemade treat! 🤍

Have you found a gluten-free recipe that tastes just like the original? Let me know below! ⬇️

*If you choose to use a different flour blend, you WILL need to add more flour. Be sure to choose a flour blend that works with yeast; many blends do not. Also this brand is more expensive, but you will use significantly less flour per recipe.

https://amzn.to/4e8b5Kv

06/04/2026

Everyone says kids need more outdoor time… more sunshine, more fresh air, more movement but the real reason I take mine outside is because my house can’t survive another indoor parkour competition. 🏃🤸💥🪑

Anyone else’s kids turn into caffeinated squirrels if they’re stuck inside too long? 🤣🐿️🤪👇

06/04/2026

🧜‍♀️ Mermaid After-Shower Hair Spray 🧜‍♀️

This simple DIY has become a favorite in our house! It helps freshen hair, tame tangles, and supports a healthy scalp—all with a light, woodsy-floral scent that reminds us of long summer days.

✨ Recipe
• Equal parts distilled water & witch hazel
• 15 drops lavender essential oil
• 15 drops cedarwood essential oil
• 15 drops rosemary essential oil

🌿 Optional: Add 15 drops tea tree essential oil during the summer months to help discourage ticks and other unwanted buggy visitors.

💜 Why these ingredients?
• Witch Hazel – Helps disperse the essential oils throughout the spray, reduces greasy buildup, and leaves hair feeling fresh between washes.
• Lavender – Helps soothe the scalp, adds shine, and leaves hair smelling fresh.
• Cedarwood – Supports scalp health and may help reduce excess oil buildup.
• Rosemary – Traditionally used to support healthy hair growth and strengthen hair.
• Tea Tree (optional) – Helps keep the scalp feeling clean and refreshed while offering natural bug-repelling properties.

✨ Shake well before each use and lightly mist onto damp or dry hair. We love using it after showers, after swimming, and before heading outside for summer adventures.

Simple ingredients, healthy hair, and a little mermaid magic. 🧜‍♀️🌿

06/01/2026

June is Mast Cell Activation Syndrome Awareness Month, and this one feels especially personal in our home. 🤍

MCAS is a condition where the body’s mast cells — part of the immune system — overreact and cause inflammation throughout the body. It can affect everything from allergies, skin, and digestion to energy levels, heart rate, headaches, mood, and the nervous system. It also commonly overlaps with things like hypermobility/connective tissue disorders, celiac disease and gut issues, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, and Emma’s rare eye disease, Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis.

For us, MCAS isn’t just one diagnosis on paper. Emma, Henry, and I all struggle with it in different ways, and each of us has our own “friends” that come along with it.

What I’ve learned is that awareness matters because understanding matters. The more you learn about your own body or your child’s body — triggers, foods, stress, environment, routines, and supportive tools — the more empowered you become to help make life feel as “normal” and manageable as possible.

Some days are harder than others, but learning how our bodies work has helped our family live with more grace, more understanding, and better support for each other. 🤍

05/15/2026

🤍

This week on the podcast: Spiritual and practical encouragement for moms who are homeschooling with chronic illness. Read more: https://simplycharlottemason.com/blog/homeschooling-with-chronic-illness-and-pain/

04/16/2026

“But what about socialization?”
Or my personal favorite: “I could never stay home all day with my kids…” 🤔

Not only is that kind of a weird thing to say about your own children… it’s also one of the biggest misconceptions about homeschool life.

Coming from an introvert mom—our life is actually busier and less at home than ever. Between sports, co-ops, friends, cousins, real-life experiences, and everyday adventures… my kids are constantly building relationships, learning how to interact with all ages, and growing in ways a classroom alone could never provide. 🤍📚

Homeschooling hasn’t isolated us—it’s opened our world.

And this is just in the last month!
If anything… we had to learn how to slow down. 🫶

What's another homeschool misconception that you've heard or believed? I'd love to hear about your experiences navigating these misconceptions! 👇🏻🤔🥰📚