Hey there, I’m Mary Ellen.

If you had told me a year ago that I’d someday be writing a blog about celiac disease, gluten-free grocery budgets, and the best way to keep crumbs out of a shared kitchen…

I probably would’ve laughed.

Back then, I was just trying to figure out why my stomach hurt and I couldn’t stop burping after dinner.

Then came the blood test.

Then the endoscopy.

Then the diagnosis.

Then the accidental gluten exposure that turned my world upside down.

Somewhere along the way, I realized something.

I wasn’t just learning how to live with celiac disease.

I was grieving.

Adapting.

Researching.

Budgeting.

Advocating for myself.

And wishing someone had documented all of this in one place.

So I decided to.

Buzzard Rock Bake Shop isn’t here to tell you how to live perfectly gluten-free.

It’s here to show you what it looks like to figure it out.

In real time.

Some days I’ll share recipes.

Some days I’ll tell you about the kitchen gadget that actually made life easier.

Some days I’ll probably vent about paying $8 for a loaf of bread that’s somehow both tiny and disappointing.

You’ll also find grocery budgets, product reviews, travel adventures, home projects, and plenty of stories from our little family here in Virginia.

Because while celiac disease changed my life…

I refuse to let it become my whole identity.

I’m still a wife.

Still a mom to two girls.

Still the kind of person who gets excited about a DIY project, trying a new recipe, or finding a really good bargain at Costco.

Celiac is just the newest chapter.

If you’re newly diagnosed, I hope this site makes you feel less overwhelmed.

If you’ve been doing this for years, I hope you’ll laugh with me when things inevitably go sideways.

Either way…

I’m really glad you’re here.

Welcome to Buzzard Rock Bake Shop.

A quick disclaimer: I’m not a medical professional. Everything shared on this website is based on my personal experience living with celiac disease. Always talk with your healthcare provider about your own medical care.