Easter Fun

Now we believe and teach our children that Jesus saves, rose from the dead and that it's by his blood that we are saved. I want you to know this because it does not reflect in the following pictures. I am sorry its hard to show faith, belief and love in a photo. Instead I am posting the photos from Egg decorating and from the Egg Hunt. I will also blog on my recipe blog my Easter Dinner menu.

Have a blessed and safe Easter Sunday!

And yes before you ask, that's Eva!

Their Easter baskets

Again before you ask - 

Yes I think those are the ugliest stuffed animals

but they are soft and my son fell in love with the blue one.

All in all a wonderful fun filled, great food day!

Autism Month

I have written about this before, I have ranted on this subject many a time.

As this month comes to a close I am going to rant again. I know big surprise right? Me rant about something! No way! This time what I am going to rant about is something that many Autistic mothers can fully understand - its something called being the "Young Mother Syndrome."

This syndrome shows up every where, family, friends, church and even worst of all the Doctors Office! Oh no there is nothing wrong with your child, your over reacting because your a "young mom". I use air quotes because one of my friends a now 31 year old mother of two is still being labeled and dismissed as a young mother. So when does this label fall off? How many times does the mother have to be right to prove to people that she DOES know what is going on with her children better than anyone else?

Biggest problem I find is that if THEY (whoever it is that is labeling you at the moment) don't immediately see the problem it then is only in your head. When they tell you that your child is fine, that some children are just delayed and its not big deal, press the issue. Find a way to PROVE your point. For my best friend her child (second child) is fine in a closed dr.s office with no distractions, people, children or noises, hence he is NORMAL. Great right! I know I can only wonder at how that has become the basis of 'normal'. 

My advice to my BFF was to video tape her son for a few days to a week and then put the footage into an easily viewed clip. Her sister then spent two days filming him, filming his ticks, quirks and meltdowns. This time when she walks into the office to speak to the dr. she will be empowered and will be able to get the doctor past his "young mother" idea and into SEEING the CHILD. You know the one he was supposed to be paying attention to in the first place.

A mother is a mother no matter her age. No stigma should be put on the "young" or the "old" mother.

Again for those that have Autistic families in your circle please take a few moments to read up on the subject, find out what you can do to help them personally. Each child/person has their own ticks, likes and dislikes. No Autistic families will not say things as strongly as I will for them. Why? Because they are trying hard to make a world that will include their children. Not alienate everyone around them. We need to bridge the gap between helping and hurting.

I am walking for Autism - I desperately need people to support me financially, all the money goes straight to Autism Speaks. They fund research, grants, awareness and help Autistic families in many different ways. If you would like to sponsor me please click HERE or the blue thermometer on the side of my page to go to the direct link. Thank you for not only reading, sponsoring but for your support of others, no matter how different they are from you!

Closet redo!

This was my kitchen pantry

Nice and deep with very skinny shelves

I mean Very Skinny shelves!

See all that wasted room!

Did this make sense to me?

Nope, not really, but fixing it is pretty easy.

and a close up!

Much better!

Now I just need to buy paper for the shelves!

Unfortunately this is like the rest of the house!

Great amount of space - large well proportioned rooms

But a ton of wasted space! 

As we work on the kitchen I will tell you of our plans to make my laundry hole a laundry room!

Earth Day 2011

 Good Friday!

Now while some people want to make a big hullabaloo about Global warming. Like this guy who wants everyone to see the beautiful parts of the world before its all gone.
For me I am more of a believer that its not global warming as much as its the climates changing, again.
Don't get me wrong, I take care of my planet. Not out of fear but because I can and because I think litter is gross.
I think you should recycle because you can - we have the intelligence and ability to do it - so why continue to waste the items in a useless landfill?
I think reducing, reusing and recycling is not only smart for the planet, but for your wallet.

Buying things greener are also normally more healthy not only for the planet but for you the consumer. Buying organic food vs pesticide filled food is healthier for you AND the planet. See win win.

Now back to climate changing, I live in Utah. A very long time ago my whole state was apart of a lake, this lake sprung a leak a thousand or so years ago and created the grand canyon. (Yes popular scientific theory has that down as a slow leak of millions of years but really?! A giant lake that is no longer there and a big ravine tell me something a little different.) Southern Utah has evidence of being a lake, a swamp, farm land and now a dessert.
Its a cycle, do I know what is coming next for Utah? Nope, Luckily I know it won't ever become a giant lake again - we do have that large handy ravine that would funnel it all to Arizona - nice right?
Hahaha I know I'm evil, but I recycle so its ok!

 

Free Advice vol 3

Free advice for the day if you have a jetted tub, a little boy and bubbles this is what MIGHT happen.

Am I the type of mother who normally take's photos of my children in the bath?

Nope

But you have to admit there is nothing naughty about seeing my sons head! 

LOL!

Next up if you take the Thomas the train helicopter set and add the new 9" elevation track pack you will have two extra curve pieces and need one more straight piece to complete this.

What a fun and rainy day today!

Our first back yard BBQ!

We had so much fun! First off we were able to complete all the necessary yard work in enough time and second the rain storm came early and moved on before the party leaving the day bright and sunny!

The yard (back middle) after all the hard work to remove the dog run, tree and branches!

My BFF and her kids

 Beauty loved Patch!

The Grandparents

The C' family

 Their youngest girl and my baby sitter! 

Yes this girl is brave enough to not only watch them once but Again!

The Engaged couple - sorry Sarah in the sunlight the picture looked better!

Littleman loved his Birthday party and had a great time playing with everyone! What a great night with good friends and good food!

To see the food click the link to my food blog!

I did some great cakes and Teryaki Hamburgers!

5 years and counting!

This day in year 1738 The bottle opener was invented
This day in year 1912 The Titanic sank
This day in year 1817 The first American school for the deaf opened in Hartford, CT.
This day in year 1955 McDonald's started
This day in year 1973 The Walt Disney Store Opened
This day in year 1892 General Electric Formed and was incorporated in NY
This day in year 1800 James Ross discovered the Magnetic North Pole

And most importantly This day in year 2006 my son Little Man was born!

Last night my BFF, my son, and I went shopping. We get a little carried away sometimes when we get to shopping sales and stay out late. So on the last night of being 4, my son just couldn't hack the shopping!
Here are the photos of his last night being 4!

This morning when I woke my son to the sweet tunes of Happy Birthday, I was not expecting him to burst into tears! So much so that I went and grabbed a camera - It got better or worse depending on how you were thinking it might go. Video is posted below and yes we will be entering it into AFV!

You will be happy to know that only a mere 5 hours later he was willing to say he was 5 years old. All it took was me telling him that 4 year old's don't get playgrounds poof! the tears finally dried and he was happy with it being his birthday today! Whew one year down and how many more to go! Hopefully they won't all start with tears!

Free Advice vol 2

RCA has this wonderful set of two portable dvd players but wait they have two remotes and can play TWO dvds! This normally goes from $150-170. Shopko's three day sale that started this morning had them selling for 118.00!

Yes I was there at 9 am and had to wait while the electronic department found keys, and what everyone (15 people) wanted. Not surprisingly 8 people, at least, were there for these!

Management nicely asked those that wanted these to get in line in order of who showed up first we were third in line. The lady behind us was huffy impatient and not paying much attention.
The employee ran to the back room pulled the two items the man in front of us wanted and went to ring him up. Lady behind me rolls her eyes huffs and says, "I knew it!" walking briskly away in an angry huff tizzy of a storm. Very melodramatic.

Husband I look at each other and wait in line, help arrives as another employee comes to help with the long lines in the electronics she asks what we are all waiting for - we tell her. She runs into the back and walks out with a huge armload of them.

My free advice for the day - never suppose something - always wait for conformation before acting like an idiot and losing out on a great deal!

P.S while their sales are while supplies last, if they run out of things on opening day especially in the morning they normally will offer a rain check.

Photos of my BFF and I

Yes the chubby glistening one is me!

and the beautiful one is my BFF!

We recently discovered that it had been 5 years since we had taken photos together!

Now it might be a coincidence that it happens that 5 years ago marks

the birth of my son and my massive weight gain,

but I doubt it.

I am making changes to my life in the hopes that I can finally start shedding some pounds.

First I have met with my doctor and even said that I would like help losing the weight.

Second I am moving to a standing computer desk - hopefully with a treadmill under it!

(hubby still has to agree to my proposed changes!)

Third I am eating better and no not just salads.

I am buying fresh non pasteurized milk locally that does not kill off the good bacteria.

I have lowered shockingly my cheese intake (horrors!)

And am trying to find other ways to be fit and healthy.

I am no longer searching for a quick lose weight deal - they don't work for me!

Instead I hope that remodeling, gardening and yard work as well as eating right and daily exercise will help me stay active enough to lose some weight.

In my corner I have some wonderful and supportive people that want to see me happy.

I also have a book I am trying to get published and I really don't want to be interviewing looking like I do today! 

I mean EEK! the camera adds another TEN pounds!

First Field Trip!

My little girl had her first school field trip - which amazingly enough was to her favorite thing in the whole world! The Ballet! She was able to go see Peter and the Wolf! Cool Right?

In honor of such a great day, we bought her a new cute dress! And yes something that won't look bad after riding on a bus was a prerequisite!

Oh and did I say? Today she got to have her first piggy's since she cut her hair this summer!

When they came off the bus I took a quick shot of the two best friends!

Prissy with Miss A both in piggy's and adorable dresses! What a fun day!

Kitchen work and Fans

New kitchen fan/light

New Bedroom fan/ light combo

We added new sconces to go over the bare bulbs will need to update this in the future!

New kitchen cabinets! 

Yes, I still need to stain them

and buy new knobs

as well as redo the wall

and of course new flooring!

but its a work in progress!

Now our table fits! Even with the extension! 

This year Thanksgiving will be great!

I need some folding chairs though! 

Yes the kitchen is still a work in progress, yes I can't wait for it to be done!

Autism

April is Autism Awareness Month, April 2nd is World Autism Awareness Day. April 11th is Parkinson Disease Day.

Alright I am adding in the last part, mostly because my Husband, age 37, is going in on Monday to be tested for Parkinson's.

I have two major issues with this:
1. I watched a very young and good man die of this when I was younger, so I do know what comes with this diagnosis.
2. My husband does have many of the symptoms and even many of the early signs, that go undetected, and have been prevalent for years.

Back to Autism Awareness (the other I really can't deal with right now) like many people, I have at least one family member that has Autism and my best friends two children have been added to the spectrum. Her son is still undergoing testing, but there is no doubt in our minds!


I have said this before, but it bears repeating. The best thing you can do for people that are caring for someone with special needs is to be there.

It can be to just listen, to sit with someone while they run to the store or to offer a kind word and a smile.

If you have family or a close friend - read up on what they are going through, ask questions and then most importantly, ASK WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP!!!

Please don't think babysitting for them, bringing them food, flowers or toys, or anything else will actually be of help unless you have already TALKED to them! Each family is different in their wants and needs.

Most of the time special needs families need TIME more than anything else.

They need playmates for their children, with parents willing to help the play be good for both sides.
They need someone to listen to them and allow them to vent whatever frustrations or annoyances are happening in their lives.
They may need help in raising funds for walks (hint hint).
They may need help with passing certain legislation.
They may also need a girls or boys night out.

What they don't need:

To be told what they are going through isn't real.
Unwanted criticism or unfeeling advice.
To be told that they are bad parents and that their children are just spoiled.
To be told that THIS is THEIR fault!
--- Yes! To any of you thinking it, my BFF has been told all of the above - more often then you might think!

Also if they seem to not care that much because you got a flat tire or had a really really bad hair day don't take it personal. They are dealing with something that completely takes over their lives and makes other things seem small and trivial. Please understand they would trade ANYTHING! for your problems to be the biggest thing in their lives.

Next up, in support of my best friend and her family, I am walking for Autism this year in October. We have already started our donation page and you can donate to it at anytime! Do not worry if you go to donate the money comes out now, so you don't have to worry about a surprise deduction several months from now.
My Team "Spectrum Soldiers" donation page link. 

Also never fear I will walk, even though this is the same day I will also be throwing my daughters 8th birthday party.
Somethings are important and need to be taught to the next generation. Also this not only for my BFF, but our children are best friends with her children and will want to support them!

To learn more about Autism please visit my BFF's page called Speaking on the Spectrum. A very useful site where you can find all the information. News links, Articles, Science, Medical, Inspirational, Personal Stories, anything Autism related and you can find it here!

Yes, I know I speak strongly about this. I love many people that are affected by this and wish to raise awareness not just to the word Autism, but to the people. I don't just want to help in finding a cure, but for finding compassion for those affected.

 For my son's best friend, for someone he sees as normal.

We saw the Sun!

Hubby took full advantage of the nice sunny day!

What a beautiful day!

Hubby worked while I chatted up the neighbor and met a possible new neighbor!

Yes my friends the mess next door might be bought up by a young vet!

HAPPY DAYS!!!

Then we played a round of ball in the backyard still enjoying the sun!

March is over and April is here!

Patch with a cut!

And yes, today's post is a cobbled bit of everything!

Working on a post for tomorrow that has much more coherency!!