Change is Coming

This little corner of my world has been around for years, and I was writing long before that. But I've known I've needed to take it much more serious for a while, and I kept putting it off waiting for God to give me "the bigger picture."

But I’ve seen a theme in my bible study time over the last few weeks (or more)... OBEDIENCE. From songs, to God’s word, to conversations with friends and family, being fully obedient to God has continued to come up. So here I am, taking a step I “wasn’t ready” to take. There are lots of things undone (like an actual website), and that’s not really how I like to do projects, but God is no longer whispering, He’s boldly saying it. So I’m boldly going to do it. I hit “publish” on my Facebook page today, and going forward, my Instagram will meld my writing AND my family in one place, and I’d be honored for you to follow along!! Much more coming in the days ahead, including an exciting announcement I can hopefully share next week! (FB Page is @HisStory-HisGloryFB, Instagram @itsCarrieAllison).

A Break Up Letter

March is Endometriosis awareness month, a disorder that affects approximately 1 out of every 10 women in the United States. For me, however, I’m aware of it every single day of every single month, and I have been for the last 20 years (although, that’s REALLY weird to say).  I’m raising awareness this month by sharing my story in a unique way - a breakup letter to my uterus and her friends. For most women with severe endometriosis, the best treatment to take care of the disorder is to have a hysterectomy. That has been my reality since 2007, before I was even married or had kids. It was on my plan for any emergency c-sections I might have had (Praise the Lord for His plans!!), and it’s now the top priority for me from my doctor.

Endometriosis is a condition that happens when tissue similar to the lining of a woman’s uterus grows outside of the uterus. Lack of education and awareness is a big reason endometriosis goes undetected and undiagnosed.

Dear Uterus and Friends,

It’s not me, it’s definitely you, and it’s time we officially break up.  While you have carried three precious babies, and I will always be grateful for that, you have played a role in some of the darkest days of my life - both directly and indirectly. Please don’t pretend to be blindsided. You’ve been wreaking havoc since I was 15. If you need a little help remembering, we can take a trip down memory lane...

The first time you and your pals ever reared your ugly head, I was 15 years old and I didn’t have a clue what was going on, other than the fact I was in excruciating pain in my abdomen. I remember one of the worst days, one of my best guy friends carried me out of the school to my car and my best girlfriend drove me home where I ended up on my couch, almost paralyzed for hours.

The days surrounding that time are a blur. I remember lots of fun days with friends, but I also remember so much turmoil. I remember so much pain and uncertainty. Our initial doctors’ appointments led to a depression questionnaire- and there it was... physical pain unexplained manifested to a mental health crisis and I learned to keep my feelings to myself. (Slammed with 375 mg of an antidepressant a day, where the normal average was 75...but that’s a story for another day and another letter.)

You made me question everything. There were days I outright thought I was crazy, until another flare up ramped up, and I remembered all too well how intense the pain could get.

Two doctors, several specialists, multiple scans, trips outside of my hometown of Sulphur Springs, and a gynecologist later...I finally found myself in the office of a new doctor, a man that would begin to pave the way for some answers for us and a plan! He's been with us for almost every single plot twist you sent our way.

6 years from our first round together, I finally had a name for the torment you were causing in my life - ENDOMETRIOSIS. A laparoscopic procedure in the summer of 2007 revealed I had endometriosis that had taken up residence with you and your surrounding friends. I believed we’d have the surgery, follow the protocol, and be on our way to healing, coming back to you later when we could use you to grow a baby!

I couldn’t have been more wrong.

You never did act right. And this was the first time I saw just how much you refused to do what you were supposed to, even with medical help to ensure you would! After a successful surgery and standard recovery (PRAISE!), we got ready for the Lupron injection. The injection was to stop my cycle for a period of 3 months, but you did just the opposite. A time where my body was supposed to heal and rest went into overdrive and allowed endometriosis to make its home in my body even more.

Once the injections were done, we moved on to hormonal birth control to try and tame you and your buddies, but that worked only slightly better than the shots, and I moved into a period of time I refer to as the “deal with it” period where I just lived my life and ignored you as much as I could, quietly suffering through the pain you caused on an almost daily basis.

Over the next 4 years, Brad and I graduated from college, got married, started our professional careers, and moved...a lot. But in 2011, I told Brad I was ready to redeem you a little and put you to some good use! We knew it might take some time because of all the fun you'd already caused, so after a minor freak out from Brad - I got off birth control and we started trying to grow our family.

Month after month, you and your little posse reminded us in the most ugly of ways that you were still “in charge” and had no plans of slowing down! I’d like to send you the bill for all those pregnancy tests we wasted our money (and emotions) on.

In the fall of 2012, we decided to take some steps to combat your ugly attitude and I met with a PCOS specialist who could also help with my endometriosis. I had my second surgery (August 2012) and was officially diagnosed with PCOS. The healing from that surgery was BRUTAL. It flared up all the endometriosis that was on my pelvic wall area and it took months to get me back on track. The shooting pain in my lower back began with that surgery and has never stopped since.

In September, we began to ease into the protocol for how that doctor managed PCOS and to say my body freaked out would be an understatement. The purpose of the drugs were to get you in check so that I could move forward with trying to get a baby for you to hold on to, but my body went into complete shock. I was sick for days before Brad and I decided a trip to the ER was necessary. What I thought would be a few hour stay for some IV hydration turned into some of the toughest days of this entire experience. (You and your little friends should have to endure an ABG for good measure just to see how it feels! Pretty sure you’d be nicer after that!) 28 pokes later thanks to some severe dehydration, I was admitted for further testing because my levels were critically high - acidosis was the final diagnosis, and my organs were in danger. (Of all the trouble you’ve caused...that’s still not the worst I saw from you, although it was terrifying at the time! more on those days here.)

I took myself off all of the medicine and we switched it up to Ovulation Tests to try and time things a little better. Once again, you and your mini army were all over the place and my first positive ovulation result was almost a WEEK after it should have been...but it was also our lucky charm and our sweet Bryleigh was conceived. 

You handled pregnancy 1 really well. (I did not. But that’s another story, unrelated to you, so congratulations for that.) For the first time in 13 years, YOU had to take a break and do the job you were made to do.

From 2014 when you finished your job of carrying Bryleigh, until 2019...we would go through tremendous loss together when I miscarried our second little babe. To say I was angry and done with you and your friends doesn't begin to cover it, but I held on to hope that we could be a team again. And we were! In 2016, we would work together to bring sweet William into the world... However, you were dead set on releasing him to the world WAY too early and every chance you got. A contracting uterus from 15 weeks pregnant on and preterm labor at 31 weeks is NO way to remind me you are still marching to your own beat. (You should know that the magnesium they used to calm you down was the absolute worst experience of my life, ever.) Things went almost identical in 2018/2019 when we carried Carson together, except I knew better than to trust you and took all necessary precautions to ensure he stayed put!!

So that brings us to basically present day, and while you have served your greater purpose of carrying precious little lives, and while I am eternally grateful for that opportunity and the job you did...I am officially done with you. The months since we delivered Carson have been tough, when you, your friends, and your evil counterpart - Endometriosis - have caused issues in almost every part of my body including memory loss and severe headaches,  knee and joint pain, back pain that stops me dead in my tracks, depression, anxiety, and cycles that leave me dizzy and close enough to passing out. And while I know living without you will present some of its own issues, I know my days will be far better once we go our separate ways! I can't help by look forward to the future and know that healthier days are ahead of me.

Hear me when I say, you and the damage you have done to my body are NOT a mistake. God didn’t “mess up” when He made me. He allowed your role in my life for a reason and a purpose, and He will receive the glory from my life - every single part of it. I know that every day I have endured in this serve a greater purpose for His plans for my life.  I know that every issue we have faced is one that can be used to bring Him glory. I know that I am partially who I am today because of your role God allowed in my life, and He alone will get the glory for that.

Sincerely,

Carrie Allison

For more information about Endometriosis and what is being done, read here: https://www.everydayhealth.com/endometriosis/awareness-month/

The Wild and Sweet of 2020 - A Yearly Review

My favorite blog of the year will likely always be THIS one. I love taking a look back on the year and all the ways our family has grown and all we have experienced. It's always such a great reminder of God's faithfulness to us! I started sharing these the year before we had Bryleigh, so this will be my EIGHTH one to write, and hands down it's definitely the craziest.

As we wrap up this year, it would be so easy to focus on what SHOULD have happened, all that we missed out on. Similar to the ESPN fan-favorite "Not Top 10" segment, I could write a whole post on our Not Top 10 from 2020: NOT going on our Disney trip, NO big 1st birthday celebration bash, NO Rangers games, NO football games, NO summer library trips, NO Labor Day beach trip, NO kindergarten graduation, NO concerts in the summer (or any other time...), NO big family holiday get-togethers, NO end of the year celebration fun or last days of school...

While it is so easy to focus on all we wish 2020 could have been, there are so many things 2020 actually was...and that is where I choose to leave my focus. As I started to make our top 20 list (because 20TWENTY...), I realized there was SO MUCH MORE than 20. It's certainly all about perspective, and God gave us some incredible gifts. So without further ado, here's the HAMMONS TOP 20 of 2020!

20. As I've shared before, the BIG moments of a year might not always be the BEST moments, and this year we had our fair share of those - disappointments and heartbreak. This year, our family said goodbye to our MawMaw (my dad's mom) and to Cliffie (Brad's grandpa). We are thankful for the hope we have in Jesus and that we know they are celebrating with Him today, fully healed, fully whole, never more alive!

19. We started 2020 in the cutest way...our B girl got GLASSES!! She had been tested at her 4 year appointment, but we chalked up the colossal failure to her anxiety. She did a terrible job on her preschool eye check as well, but we just hadn't made the time to get her in with a doctor before the note came home from kindergarten...requesting a doctor's note signed back. Sister has been dealing with some major vision trouble, and we hoped it would help with some balance and headache issues, but so far she hasn't had any luck there. But goodness, she's just the cutest thing in her little pink ("cupcake") spectacles!

18. In February, back when our world (read: in the states...) was still normal and large social gatherings weren't frowned upon... our B-girl and B-dad headed out on a double date with our neighbor besties to the father-daughter dance at Bryleigh's school. They had the best time!

17. Right before getting out for Spring Break (you know...the one that didn't end...), Bryleigh's kinder friends were able to take a field trip to the zoo! It was both of our first times to the Fort Worth Zoo, and we had the best time hanging out with all her buddies and their mommas. I am SO SO thankful that she got this bit of normal!

16. If you think your never-ending Spring Break of 2020 was eventful...we potty trained a toddler who likely has OCD and is way too smart for his own good. There were nude days. There were potties in multiple rooms of our home. There were movie sessions on his little white throne. But all in all, our little guy did great and was able to enroll in preschool as a potty trained 3 year old!

15. With so much time at home, we had time to get a little more settled. When you sell your house last minute, live out of storage for a few months, do a bit of home improvements, and move in with weeks to spare before having a baby...you tend to take care of the basics and let the rest go. We kicked off 2020 with a new fireplace mantle from Pappy's Next Project and we're wrapping up the year with some new shelves. We got some new furniture for our media room/office where we spent hours together! This house certainly feels like home these days!

14. When the world shut down, Post Oak Academy opened up (twice). We did our best to have a routine to our day. We did our best to keep up with any and all work Bryleigh's kindergarten class received. And we did our best to keep Will somewhat entertained while sister had school work going on. We ended kindergarten in our dining room and we started first grade upstairs in Bryleigh's room. There were youtube videos with dancing fun, coloring activities, and so many books read. Listening to your child learn to read is like nothing I ever imagined.

13. Our first holiday to celebrate in quarantine is one of our favorites. We like to combine celebrating St Patricks Day and Brad's birthday and just make it 48 hours of fun...and this year was no different! We made the best of the stay-at-home situation and turned life at The Post as green as we could, including green milkshakes that left the kids begging for more!

12. The next holiday quickly followed with Easter, and this one was TOUGH. As Christians, it's certainly such a special time for our family and there are normally a few things we do to celebrate, but this year, we weren't even able to attend church. Our church did an incredible job and making the most of such a difficult situation. It was during a time when virtual services were still so new and most businesses were still shut down. It really was such a sweet time for our family with a Seder Meal on Thursday, a Good Friday service with Bryleigh, and a full day of celebrating on Easter Sunday - complete with watching church online, a crock pot roast and banana puddings all around, easter baskets, confetti eggs, and an indoor glow in the dark Easter egg hunt!

11. 2020 was a big year for Bryleigh. She wrapped up kindergarten - an adventure we never dreamed she'd conquer the way she did - and went on to first grade. Watching (and listening to) her learn to read has been one of the greatest joys of 2020. It is so fun to listen to her read and watch her look up at us for celebration as she tackles the tougher words. It's given us a taste of what it will be like over the years to work with her and cheer her on as she faces all life has to offer, and I'm here for it!

10. Friendships have carried us through 2020. We are so grateful for the love of our friends, for making the effort to still have time together - whether on zoom, socially distanced in person, or small in-home gatherings, we have cherished every single minute with so many that God has put in our lives. Hours of laughs followed by the sweetest words of encouragement and surprise parties followed by a blessing basket after some of the scariest days we've faced. We never dreamed when we started this year that so much of it would revolve around the unknowns and health of our kids, ourselves, personal issues we have struggled and fought through, and beyond, but we had a circle behind us that was there every step of the way. I'm looking back on 2020, beyond thankful, and looking forward to 2021 knowing there are more memories to be made, laughs to be had, and encouragement to be given!

9. The highlight of 2020 and being quarantined at home was definitely having the best neighbors on the planet. Bryleigh and Will's next-door-besties spent countless hours outside at the fence, talking and playing. There was some property damage done at one point, but all in the name of good fun and better communication. The kids might call it problem-solving skills! The fence has since been completely replaced, but they're still finding ways to enjoy time outside together. We are so excited to watch these friendships over the years and are so thankful for the safe-space they always have to come home to in each other.

8. We had a trip planned to Disney. We still have a trip planned to Disney. We are hopeful we will get to take it, but we didn't sit around and mope - we made a plan!! We booked a lakeside condo in Conroe and had a Conroe-cation with the cousins, and everyone was happy about it! There were many rounds of cards, some little league baseball, and really yummy food. There was also a coca-cola puzzle that never got finished, a whole lot of laughs, and memories to cherish no matter where we ended up!

7. I'm a sucker for a cozy cabin, a pretty view, and some really good food - so our anniversary trip to San Marcos was absolutely perfect. 5 months into a pandemic, wrapping up a summer that seemed like it might not ever end, and 3 stir crazy kids - it was so nice to get away with Brad and enjoy time just us. We ate our way through the entire weekend, and I'm still dreaming about the garlic knots from the pizza place we randomly stopped at. We can't wait to go back to the cabin in the woods someday!

6. This was a big year for Brad. He celebrated TEN years with his company. He's moved from project to project and role to role, but he's kept his feet planted firm and he's whole-heartedly followed the Lord in obedience, staying every time the Lord said stay. And it was worth it. Brad received a well-earned promotion this year, and he also received the Shining Star award for all his efforts. We are so so proud of him, and so thankful for how hard he works to provide for our family. We are also thankful for all the time he's been at home with us, dating back to before the pandemic even hit!!

5. Bryleigh turned 6. These end of year blogs are always a little funny because our girl's birthday is right at the new year - meaning I chat about her turning 6 when she's so close to 7 now. At the time, it was big and new and exciting, but now, so is 7!! It is an absolute JOY to watch this girl grow and see all God has created her to be. I've loved watching all 6 had in store for her. (We actually celebrated in 2019 with a combined birthday, so she's more than ready for her 2021 party. Check back in a year for that update!) Bryleigh celebrated 6 at school with her classmates, Carson and I took her lunch, and Will was waiting on her arrival at the bus stop with presents for her at home. I think she had a great day!!

4. William turned 4. I had to continually remind myself all year that William was ONLY three years old. So much of the times he seems so much closer to Bryleigh than he is. We love listen to his sweet conversations and hearing as much as we can that he shares with us! But in 2020, he officially turned 4 and he was so excited about it! We had a front yard s'mores party for him right in our front yard where we were able to celebrate with some of our friends and family.

3. Carson turned 1. Carson's 1st birthday was April 29th, right at the beginning of the state-mandated shut down, so we were home and unable to have friends or family over to celebrate with us. While it wasn't anything like we pictured, we did our best to make the most of the situation and celebrate our precious little rookie...baseball style! We decorated, had ballpark food, zoomed everyone we could, and played with his new toys all day! He had the best time!!

2. To be honest...I always fill this little list out as the year goes and I think about the excitement of the holidays to come. I'm not sure when I first started the Top 20, but I wrote "diagnosis" on there because I was just so sure that we would have one for Carson by the end of this year. Just like so many times I thought we were about to have one for Bryleigh. We are closing out a year of more doctors appointments and tests than I can count and we still have no clear answers for either of them. It's not at all how the year began or how we expected it to go, but God has carried us every scary step of the way! He has provided us with incredible friends and family that have prayed for us, loved on us, and encouraged us. So while it wasn't a great part to 2020, it was definitely a major part of it, and it definitely drew us even closer to God.

(Will came in at the 11th hour and added to the fun, so he gets his picture included too - this was our first trip to the ER as parents in 7 years, so we take it as a win!)

1. Time. One of the greatest things to come out of 2020 was the TIME we got to spend together. It absolutely made life more difficult at times, more frustrating, more sad...but the time we got to spend together is something we will never take fore granted! There was LOTS of extra time with Brad home because of no traveling. There was extra time with Bryleigh getting to watch her learn and understanding how we best work together. There was time for art projects and card games, home cooked meals and dance parties...so many dance parties. (Our kids are officially country music fans, and we are SO proud!) The time with Bryleigh reading books each night is something I will hold so dear in my heart for the rest of my life.

...Meet The Ham Fam 2020 Quaranteam...

First up, we have BRADLEY KYLE. Lovingly referred to as B-Dad around our house. While this year didn't have quite the normal excitement of a usual year with football games and cross-country travel, it was still a really good year for him! We are so thankful for all the time we had with him at home with us, and we are celebrating his promotion to Manager this year along with an award he received for his hard work. Highlight of the year:

Next up, we have big sister BRYLEIGH RENEE. In the last year, this girl has continued to blow us away as she has learned to read, loved her brothers well, and danced and created her way through a pandemic. She rocked virtual school and waited patiently for the day she got to go back and meet her new teacher and new classmates. She has taken everything in stride and never once complained about missing out on different things or being home so much more. I have loved all my extra time with her! Highlight of the year:

Middle of the line and middle of the kids, we have WILLIAM BRADLEY. William is a force to be reckoned with, lovingly referred to as our wild one, and frequently makes me do mental math to figure out how old he really is. He has kept us laughing through the pandemic...and kept us pressing into Jesus. His strong will and debating skills are going to take him for in life! Will wrapped up his ECC 2's class and has moved up to the 3's this year. Highlight of the year:

We can't forget littlest brother, CARSON MERRITT. He's proven to be tiny and mighty! Our little guy spent lots and lots of the last year in therapy and doctors offices. He's got some work ahead of him, but he has proven to be quite the fighter, both with his physical strength and his mental. We are praying that 2021 holds answers for him and lots of growth, but I can honestly say the progress he's shown over the last year has been such a joy to watch! Highlight of the year: Early morning Teen Beach marathons with mommy or daddy when I was awake before everyone else.

Momma. Me. CARRIE ALLISON. I was able to start and finish this year with weddings...and a whole lot of life (and growth) was lived in between! I've learned so much about life and myself this year. I've learned more about who God is and who I am in Him. I've learned about letting go and hanging on. I've learned about trusting in the Lord and His plans for me. I've learned about honoring Him in all ways, always. Highlight of the year: Spending SO much time with my family: watching Carson grow, listening to ALL the William stories, reading with Bryleigh at nights, and my getaway trip with Brad!

Rooted in 2021

For the last 7 years, I have had a "Word of the Year" that God has put on my heart in some form or another before the new year begins. Some years, it feels like I'm going in to the 11th hour with no word in mind, and other years it feels like it's dropped in my life just moments into a new year with an already brand new, fresh word just starting. And that's what happened for 2021...God basically flashed it up in neon lights in the early days of 2020!

Every where I looked, I saw and heard the word ROOTED.  Since this is my 8th year doing this, God doesn't have to yell them too loudly at me anymore, but a little repetition does help me know just what the Lord is up to!

On a recent podcast with She Reads Truth, Amanda Bible Williams said, "You can't live by the book you don't know." If that's not the truth, I don't know what is! To live it, we must read it, study it, and know it. We must be ROOTED in God's word to be able to live by God's word. When we are ROOTED in Him, the things going on around us cannot uproot us. My prayer is to be ROOTED in God's word this year spending time with Him daily by reading and meditating on His word, listening to His words in music, and talking to others about what He is teaching us.

I'm planning ahead for the year to come and how I can be ROOTED in God's word -- I will be following the She Reads Truth plans throughout the year, starting with Faith in Practice on January 4th, and I will also be following a plan to read the Bible through this year with a group of ladies as we hold each other accountable and share what God is teaching us. I have a new journal that Brad got me for my birthday from Well Watered Women that will allow me to journal my prayers and all that I'm learning as I read. And one of my personal favorites - I love creating playlists with music that God is using to speak to me at any point in time. These are songs that are based off of God's word and allow me to continue to be ROOTED in Him throughout the day.

A few other things I have planned and in place include a bible study basket that will hold all of my supplies for bible study - my bible, pens and highlighters, journals, and a favorite candle. This is set up next to a chair in our room, and I'll have my new cozy blanket ready to grab for my quiet time.  I'm not quite ready to put the time in my daily planner because toddler life/mom of 3 life tends to make our schedules a little crazy! My hope is to have an early morning quiet time before any of the kids wake up, but most days it ends up being during Carson's nap time! Because of this, I'll start my day in prayer, reading a verse of the day and listen to a worship song (or 10), so that God has the first moments of my day! (I'm nowhere near perfect at this, but it is a goal worth striving for!!)

Another idea if you are doing a word of the year is to display it in various ways so you see it on a regular basis. This could be with home decor, creating a special art projected using the word, or doing something that represents your word.  For example, I think it would be fun to plant something this year as a symbol of being rooted. My favorite idea on this part is JEWELRY!! There is a beautiful "Rooted" necklace I have my eye on, but there are also giving keys and other ways you could "wear" your word - shirts, bracelets, etc.

Her roots were deep in His radiant truth. She knew that her journey was always through Him. And was always for Him.

A special thing I will be doing this year is reading through the Bible in a new one I purchased for Bryleigh. I plan on taking notes as I always do and leaving notes, stories, and advice to her throughout my reading. Then, over the next several years, I will continue to add notes for her and then gift it to her at a special time - high school graduation, 16th or 18th birthday...or more likely just when the Lord prompts me to pass it on to her. I am so excited to do this for her!

The Sweetest Unsweet Life - Dole Whip

Three years ago this May, we learned that Bryleigh was allergic to cane sugar, among 9 other things.  We praised the Lord for answers to what had been causing so many health issues for Bryleigh, but we were devastated as we began to realize exactly what this diagnosis meant for her (and for us).  Every expectation I had of baking in the kitchen with my daughter, every way I knew to celebrate any and all special occasions, and anything my daughter loved to eat were all officially a thing of the past.  The beginning was survival mode for all of us, then we moved into the learning and growing phase, and now we are officially at the point that we want to share with the world all we have learned along the way.

Bryleigh has asked for a while if she could have a YouTube channel, but to be honest, I never thought it was something we would actually do...until I began to get this little vision of the two of us in the kitchen sharing all of our favorite recipes.  And just like that, God pieced my heart back together and showed me just how faithful He is in redeeming what seemed to be complete ash, our very own rainbow in the sky reminding us that He is so good to us.

We decided to start simple and fun with a tasty summer treat in honor of summer officially being here! And the Texas heat is here, right on time.  We had a trip planned to Disney this summer over 4th of July, but thanks to the Coronoa virus, it has officially been postponed.  That will not, however, keep us from bringing a little Disney magic to our entire summer, so it was the perfect way to kick off THE SWEETEST UNSWEET LIFE!

This simple 3 ingredient recipe is super easy to make and will leave your taste buds satisfied in no time, not to mention cooling you down in the 100* Texas heat!!

For all of Bryleigh's ice cream treats, we use Blue Bell's No Sugar Added Vanilla Ice Cream.  It can occasionally be out of stock at our local Kroger, but for the most part, we have no trouble finding a gallon or two.  It is also available in pint size, most of the time.

In addition to your ice cream base, you will also need 4 ounces of pineapple juice and 2 cups of frozen pineapple.  We had trouble finding any, so we just went ahead and bought a fresh pineapple, cut it into cubes, and then froze 2 cups.  (Speaking of fresh pineapple, we may never be the same after visiting Maui, Hawaii last year and getting to tour the MAUI GOLD pineapple farm and eating fresh pineapple straight off the plant.)

This recipe can be easily modified to make various versions, including placing it back in the freezer and serving it more like ice cream or by adding more pineapple juice or milk to it for a creamier, drink type treat.  It would also be fun to pour the mixture into popsicle molds and have on hand for those hot summer afternoons after a morning of playing outside!