Surviving The Testosterone

I'm going to whine.......

2011-06-07T22:08:00.000-05:00

You know, I try not to complain too much. I can look around for a whole five seconds and always find someone that has it worse than I do. In the big grand scheme of things, my life is very do-able.

And most of the time I manage to keep that perspective based on one condition: life is great as long as I stay in what I call my bubble. Let me explain. When you have a special needs child your day to day life takes on a different meaning. You tend to even have a vocabulary that most people don't hear i.e. developmental delays, therapy goals, sensory input, spectrum issues, etc. These are also part of my 'bubble.'

Since I am blessed enough to be a stay at home mom, it also enables me to be at almost EVERY therapy appointment 2x each week. I like being there during the therapy transitions so I can hear firsthand how my little man did and what they are currently working on. So it's always awesome when you hear how great he's doing and how he's meeting his goals and how they can tell I work with him A LOT at home. ;)

However, all it takes is one moment around NT (neuro-typical) children Aden's age to burst my bubble. Literally. About the time we have several good therapy sessions in a row and I think, 'Wow, I so got this!' then reality kicks me in the butt. I am already having a panic attack thinking about things like VBS coming up this summer. There are so many precious little ones there the same age as Aden. They are potty trained, talking, coloring pictures, can sit and watch videos, and the list goes on. My chunky monkey can't do any of those things. Last year during VBS I volunteered in the preschool class like always and it almost killed me. After coming home from Church (yes, I know), I would grab the biggest wine glass I could find and fill that bad boy to the rim. Then my poor wine glass and I climbed into a bubble bath and cried. Every. Single. Night. For a week. It was great.

So that leads me to this: How do you keep from just completely flipping out on a daily basis? How do I keep from worrying about his future and just make it through the next day, week, or month? How do I keep from wondering if he will ever have a girlfriend, go to college, have a good job, be self-sufficient? I halfway jokingly told a mom at therapy that I needed to figure out how to take the man approach. You now, if I don't think about then it's all ok. LOL

I guess time will only tell, huh? In the meantime, I hope the people at the liquor store don't have the chance to know me on a first name basis. ;)

Autism Awareness

2011-04-19T01:46:00.001-05:00

April is Autism Awareness Month. I am aware of autism every single day so here is the story of our journey so far:

I am the mom of some seriously amazing little boys. Yes, I am just a little biased. ;) But being a typical mom I also panic when something isn't quite right with one of the munchkins. Fevers, colds, boo-boos always make me nervous but thankfully they are almost always temporary. Almost.

There is no way you are ever prepared to deal with something that will have a negative affect on your children for the rest of their lives. Even the good stuff can throw you for a loop. But already having have one kiddo on the spectrum (Ethan is a very high-functioning Aspie), you would think I couldn't have been shocked by much. Guess again.

Ethan actually went through Early Intervention Services and tested out by the time he was three. I was a little thrown by his Aspie dx a couple of years later but it was do-able. Nothing, and I do mean nothing, prepared me for Aden's. I still remember the day I realized he had not said a single word to me in two days. He had recurrent ear infections so I could only hope he had another one and just couldn't hear me. Yeah. Right. After a trip to the doctor that gave him a clean bill of health, that sweet little voice didn't return. Then I realized he wouldn't look at me anymore. Actually, he wouldn't look at anyone or even acknowledge someone else unless you were right in his face. The final heart-sinking moment was when he started randomly rocking. He rocked to the point he busted out the back of an overstuffed chair in the living room. I remember standing in the doorway between the kitchen and living room just watching him until I ran to my bathroom because I couldn't fight off being sick when it finally clicked about what was wrong with my Mr. Chunky Monkey.

After the shock wore off, the phone calls and appointments began. An endless string of hearing checks, evaluations, paperwork as tall as Aden, etc. Even though I already knew in my head that he was autistic, I still got physically ill every time I read how delayed he was/is and then when he was officially diagnosed I had one major pity party after seeing it in black and white.

However, due to some AMAZING therapists I began to slowly but surely get my son back. It has taken over a year but Aden is able to say a few words and is learning sign language to fill in the gaps. He will now look at me again and even laughs at his goofy big brothers. :) He loves to be tickled and will do just about anything for apples. He will notice us in the same room. Well, most of the time. And the best part? I got to hear him say 'mommy' again for the first time in almost two years.

I hope someday he is talking so much we will be begging him to shut up. I hope someday the big world around him isn't so scary that he covers his ears, tightly closes his eyes, and tries to make it go away. I hope I get to someday hear him add the words 'I love you' to his verbal vocabulary. I hope someday he will be able to hold down a job, get married, and make beautiful babies with his big brown eyes. I hope he becomes the very best Aden he could ever be, no matter what his future holds.

In the meantime I will be ecstatic over those smiles that can melt steel. I will treasure every single hug and kiss he gives (especially since he didn't do that for a long time either). I will be his biggest cheerleader when he masters a new sign or reaches a milestone most children his age reached years ago. I will be thankful for this very special -in every sense of the word- boy that has taught me more than I could ever teach him. I will be thankful that for some reason God chose me to be his mom.

Review Giveaway!!

2011-04-07T20:56:00.000-05:00

Time4Learning is a flexible online educational program that I recently began using for my second grader. They offer a complete curriculum in language arts and math for grades pre-k through eighth. They also offer science, social studies and art as a bonus.

I arranged a Review Giveaway for the first 25 of my readers interested in writing an honest review in exchange for a FREE 30 day trial of Time4Learning. If interested, click HERE to get started. Also, don't forget to leave a comment below with a link to your blog. I want to be able to read your review! Have fun and good luck! :)

Bro Jitsu

2011-04-03T22:49:00.000-05:00

Hi there!! In this crazy thing I call 'my life' I still try to find time for just me. Part of is accomplished in the wee hours of the morning since I don't seem to be able to sleep much. Some of the things I do when I can't sleep is check my email, harass my friends on Facebook, harass my friends in real life ;), I crochet a little, and I LOVE to read.

So when I get the opportunity to review books I get really excited! Awhile back I was asked to review a book called Bro Jitsu. The title alone cracked me up. Not only do I have three boys but as some of you know my oldest has almost completed his third year of Taekwondo. I figured this book was right up my alley!

Well, I have not laughed that hard in a while. Maybe it's from being around boys all the time or just remembering all of the Bro Jitsu movesy big brother and all of his friends tried on me at least once. Either way, it's hysterical and fun. :) Too bad I didn't have knowledge of some of the defensive moves when I was growing up. LOL. My oldest was also able to read some of it before this review and I lost count of how many times I heard him giggling out loud.

If you were an older sibling, the baby, or somewhere in between you should check this out. It would also make for some fun summer reading for kids on a break from school. You can click on the title of this post to order it from Amazon or click here to watch a short Youtube video. Have fun!!

Many thanks to Daniel H. Wilson (the author) and to Darlene Chan (publicist) for allowing me the opportunity to do this review. A copy of Bro Jitsu was provided to me free of charge for an honest review on this blog. I was not compensated in any way.

Time4Learning

2011-03-30T21:57:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago I was asked to do a review of the Time4Learning website. This program is for Preschool - 8th grade. Being a homeschool mom, I was very interested in using the website as the biggest portion of our curriculum. (Please click HERE for information regarding using it as a whole curriculum.)

Part of my being able to review the website and curriculum, I was given a free month to try it and see what I thought. Since my oldest was already using a computer based program for school, I decided Ethan (the middle one) was the perfect candidate for being a guinea pig. :) We normally use textbook, library books. and workbooks for the majority of his curriculum. He is a very visually oriented munchkin and he likes workbooks because he can see exactly how much of the workbook has been completed and what he has accomplished. It also gives him light at the end of the tunnel as more pages are completed, but he doesn't think I know that yet. (The more they gripe, the more work I assign. LOL)

He was actually really excited about the idea when I approached him with it. We had actually played around with some of the demo lessons before but I wasn't sure it would be enough to make a complete curriculum. Well of course he shocked me by LOVING it. Because of his Asperger's, we tend to focus a lot on the basics so that he can always build on them more later. However, within two weeks he was so proud of himself because he had completed every single Science lesson they provide. Every. Single. Lesson. It also cracked him up when his older brother tattled on him about playing video games during a school day and he got to proudly say he was done with his lessons and the video games were allowed because they were on the school "playground." It's a good thing he's cute, but I digress..............

The bottom line is Ethan was excited about school again and it didn't fade after a couple of weeks. He also seems to be learning a lot of new information that seemed to sink in better than other textbook type material. I think I will probably continue to supplement some of the information, but for a basic curriculum I really liked it and plan on continuing to use it. Check out it out when you get a chance.

**This website was provided to me for an honest review on this blog. I was provided one (1) free month of the program for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was provided.

TOS Review: Brill Kids Aesop's Fables

2011-03-21T22:42:00.001-05:00

A few months ago I was able to review the software for Brill Kids Early Readers and loved it! This time I was able to review storybooks by the same company. The story books were classic tales of Aesop's Fables made especially for beginning readers.

The books are made with really cute illustrations that are bright and colorful to keep little ones' attention. They are also made with a flap to cover the picture while you help a young reader learn the text then show them the illustration that goes with that text. The words along with the delayed visual can make the meaning of the words sink in. And if you are already a Brill Kids Early Reader member, you can download these into your program already installed on your computer too. They are available HERE for $37.50. Although my little guy isn't quite ready to learn how to read yet, I look forward to keeping these on our book shelf for a long time.

For other reviews of this product, please check out the Homeschool Crew below:

**These products were provided to me free of charge for an honest review on this blog. I was not compensated by the vendor.

Time4Learning

2011-02-24T11:27:00.000-06:00

I've been invited to try Time4Learning for one month in exchange for a candid review. My opinion will be entirely my own, so be sure to come back and read about my experience. Time4Learning is an online educational program that can be used in many ways including as a homeschooling curriculum or afterschool tutorial. Find out how to write your own curriculum review for Time4Learning.

KidScoop: Reluctant Reader Solution

2011-02-23T23:02:00.000-06:00

For this review, I was able to review the KidScoop: Reluctant Reader Solution. These are fun-filled 5, 6, or 7 page what I would call mini unit studies. The were so fun! I used them with Ethan, my 8 year old Aspie, and he couldn't get enough of them. Between the fun graphics and the time he was able to spend on the computer, he thought it was more of a treat than actual schoolwork. And you certainly can't beat the price! For only $97 you can receive 365 pages of these activities, short articles, writing prompts, etc. with a money-back guarantee. Also, you can't beat the choices that are included. There are more than enough to choose from to keep the most picky boy or girl interested. They have everything from baseball to bubble gum to butterflies.

Along with the various activity packs, you receive a subscription to a monthly newsletter than can either be printed out or viewed online. Ethan really enjoyed these to and they tied into the lessons he had already completed. Since he could be the poster child for being a reluctant reader, I was thrilled that he enjoyed them so much and can't wait to finish more of them.

**This product was provided to me free of charge for an honest review on this blog. I was in no way compensated by KidScoop.

TOS Review: Zombie Fire Ants

2011-02-11T23:44:00.000-06:00

This review was so fun! Members of the TOS Crew were given a choice from the following list (all of which are available for download if you click on the title of this post):

*Blue Diamond
*Dung Beetle
*MRSA
*Puffer Fish
*Red Tide
*Zombie Fire Ants
*Blue-footed Booby
*Cicada Killing Wasp
*Quicksand

I was really surprised the boys didn't pick Dung Beetle simply because it might include something really gross like poop. However, they chose Zombie Fire Ants just because the title said 'Zombie.' This was so much fun since we haven't completed a unit study in FOREVER. The Curiosity Files are for ages 8 - 13 so it was perfect for the older two.

The Zombie Fire Ants can be downloaded for $6.95 in The Old Schoolhouse store and it's well worth the money. You will receive 88 pages that will intrigue little minds. They are colorful, easy to understand, FUNNY, and the boys had a ball. The worksheets that go along with the lessons were great! This is what is included in the download:

•Bible study, discussion ideas, and memory verses
•Math, history, and geography investigations
•Literature and suggested book list
•Writing, spelling, and vocabulary activities
•Beautiful copywork pages (manuscript and cursive)
•Science observations, projects, and experiments
•Discussion questions
•Art, crafts, and drawing and coloring pages
•Lapbook/notebook pages and helpful lapbooking links
•Special needs, hands-on discoveries
•Internet resource and video links
•Complete answer key

Honestly, we didn't get to complete all of the unit study but I'm definitely going to use it again. We can review what we've already done and I want to be able to use all the lapbooking links and more of the projects. The boys are also looking forward to the other unit studies that are available.

**This unit study was provided to me free of charge for an honest review on this blog. I was not compensated in any way by The Old Schoolhouse.

Guess What I've Been Up To......

2011-01-30T00:35:00.000-06:00

When you get a chance, please check out the website for the Mason Medlam Foundation. I have been able to get to know his mom on Facebook and she is just precious! Because of her I was inspired to get the Take Me Home program in my own community. This program alerts local law enforcement of the best way to help a nonverbal person should they become missing or be found wandering. Sgt. Lucas called me from our local PD and let Aden be the very first one in the system. I was able to give them multiple people to contact in an emergency, a recent picture of him, his current weight and height, description of physical appearance, and most importantly I was able to give them clues on how best to approach him. I gave them information such as loud noises frighten him so sirens would not be a good option, he's drawn to water, he knows his name but can't speak it, he has a very limited vocabulary both verbal and sign language, heavy blankets might help calm him, he loves rocking and swinging, etc.

Not only is it already up and running, but I got to see first-hand how well it works and how they can perform searches with it when they find someone wandering. The officers patrolling will also have access to it in their vehicles. We were even interviewed for a local station in Little Rock to help get the word out. Check out the article here and the interview videos on are the right. You can see my chunky monkey running around. :) I wasn't even going to do an on-camera interview. I was just going to email them some pictures of Aden. However, my mom literally told me to put on my big girl undies and suck it up. LOL She made a very valid point that she thought it would help get the message out if people could see a real life face to connect with it. Unfortunately, I had to agree and just tried not to throw up on anyone while we were there. :)

If you feel led to bring the Take Me Home program to your community, please do not hesitate to do it! It was a very easy process and you never know whose life it might save. All it takes is your local law enforcement requesting the software and parents/guardians being willing to fill out a simple form and provide a recent picture. And did I mention the program is FREE??

Also, this program is not just for autistic children either. It is available for people diagnosed with any nonverbal condition: Downs Syndrome, Alzheimer's, deaf (not every police officer knows sign language), etc. I am more than willing to help in any way I can - emails, follow-up phone calls, etc. This has become so important to me and I will do whatever possible to help maintain the safety of our children.

A million thanks to Sheila for sharing her story of Mason with us. You have been an amazing and uplifting support system while I was doing this. I feel so blessed to be able to get to know you. :) And to Officer Donohoe for being such a sweet guy and providing the software.

Weather Woes

2011-01-20T00:49:00.000-06:00

I think Old Man Winter is really ticked with Mother Nature. They must have had one doozy of an argument. Here in central Arkansas, we usually don't get a lot of typical winter weather. We get below freezing temps sometimes, but usually not a lot of snow, etc. Well......... it hasn't even been 2 weeks since the last snow melted and we are about to get it again tomorrow! And being the good up-to-date blogger that I am,
this is the first time I've thought about posting pics of the snow on here.

Obviously the boys had a blast. :) Even Mr. Chunky Monkey loved it. In fact, he screamed and cried like a banshee when I made him come in to warm up. LOL Enjoy the pics and there may be more to come after tomorrow.

You gotta check out this next one. It's probably one of my top 10 pics of the boys. The looks on their faces is priceless and it definitely represents what they try to do to each other on a daily basis. ;)

Boys...gotta love 'em!

TOS Review - Easy Classical

2011-01-10T21:30:00.000-06:00

"Do you like the idea of Classical Education, but find it hard to implement? We can help! Easy Classical provides a variety of resources for teachers and homeschool mothers who desire to teach within the classical framework. We provide schedules, writing guides, copybooks, and geography curriculum all integrated for ease of use and increased retention."

For this review, I was asked to review one of the schedules for Easy Classical, Early Modern History. These schedules are based on the recommendations by Susan Wise Bauerʼs book The Well-trained Mind: a Guide to Classical Education at Home. In fact, it is highly recommended that you read that book first before beginning any classical education approach.

Since I have never tried the classical approach to homeschooling, I was eager to check this out. The schedule I was giving was an Adobe download file. Although, I like that fact that I had access to it immediately, I think I would rather have the printed version so that I would be able to write notes, etc. Otherwise, I think you would spend more on ink than you would save purchasing the digital version. (Digital version is $29.95, Notebook version is $35.95) Other than that, I really liked it! It is very well planned and thought out. The schedule is for a 36-week time period and includes lessons for Monday through Friday, although you could easily adjust it to fit a 4-day school work if you prefer. Also included with the schedule are the quizzes with answer keys, Instruction Sheet, and Icon Sheet. See a sample history schedule here. The Icon Sheet is a short list of 4 icons that are used with the schedule sheets as easy reminders for mapping skills, history summary, history song, and reading narration. Personally, I would also want to print out a copy of the schedule sheet and icon sheet each week for the kids to see as well. I know my guys like to be able to see their progress and some of it they could do independently.

I also liked that Easy Classical uses Story of the World as part of its curriculum. I've not used these, but I catch myself looking them over every year because they are so interesting! They also have some of the best actitivies to go along with it. I think using the Easy Classical and Story of the World together would be a GREAT curriculum.

The only other downside that I found, which has nothing to do with Easy Classical, is that my local library has a very limited catalog. A lot of the books recommended with this schedule just weren't readily available to me. I would either have to hunt through several local libraries or purchase them myself. Overall, if I had access to most of the recommended reading books, I wouldn't hesitate to try this.

See what other crewmembers had to say by clicking the picture below:

**This schedule was provided to me free of charge for an honest review on this blog. I was is no way compensated by Easy Classical.

TOS Review See-N-Read

2011-01-07T23:23:00.001-06:00

I was recently asked to review products by See-N-Read. I'll be honest, when I first opened the package I wasn't that impressed. I couldn't see how these pieces of colored plastic could make that big of a difference. I will also admit that I was so wrong. I started reading the research behind the See-N-Read products and it just made sense.

I was given one smaller version for smaller books and chapter books, a larger one for picture books, and a version for the computer screen. I loved every one of these! There are some that have a clear window where you view the line you are reading and some where the window is left open so to speak so that you can highlight it or mark it. Where were these things when I was in college???

My oldest is a very fast reader but we discovered not too long ago that he gets the job done but doesn't always comprehend everything he has read. He's moving through it too fast. These didn't really slow him down that much but he was able to remember more afterward. He especially loved the eSee-N-Read since most of his curriculum is completed on the computer. He could adjust it to fit the page and it works over any window you might have open on your computer.

My middle son enjoyed the smaller version called Memory Mark. These have the open window for highlighting etc. His reading skills have really just taken off this year so the open window still gave him a place for his finger to go along as he read if needed. He also turned it sideways and used it to keep math columns lined up. The open window obviously allowed him to write answers to math problems as well. I think it also shows what an awesome product it is since he now asks for it every day before we start school. :)

Besides helping the boys do a better job with their schoolwork, I was also impressed with how inexpensive they were. Individually, they are $3.49 or less. They can also be bought in multi-packs. The eSee-N-Read can be purchased for $29.99. I also found out that a local retailer sells them and I can't wait to get more! I want to keep one for books, one in my bible, and the rest will go with our school supplies.

For more reviews, check out the rest of the Crew:

**This product was provided to me free of charge by See-N-Read for an honest review on this blog. I was in no way compensated by the vendor.

TOS Review - Positive Action for Christ

2011-01-03T20:43:00.000-06:00

Hi there! I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Part of getting back into the swing of things was completing the first review of this year.

This review was for a company called Positive Action for Christ. Positive Action for Christ (the 5th grade version) is a 35 week bible study. These studies are divided by grade beginning in Kindergarten one for each grade through high school. I'm sure you have already guessed from the picture, we were asked to review their 5th grade bible study called Possessing the Land. There were several great things we (Trevor, my 5th grader, and myself) LOVED about this. I for one loved that almost all of the planning was done for you. The Teacher's Manual was very user-friendly and concise. Also included in the Teacher's Manual were examples of a 5 day lesson plan week vs. a 4 day lesson plan week.  Possessing the Land reinforces good character traits and showed practical applications of those.   Another thing that sold me on it was the fact that it could easily be changed for various ages. I think some of the concepts would be easy enough for Ethan (2nd grade) to understand, but I could also buy a grade level in the middle of those 2 ages then use it to meet the needs of each student. This is key when teaching multiple kids with not a huge amount of time for each individual subject. These bible studies would also make great family devotions and not necessarily just used as a homeschool bible curriculum since the lessons usually take less than 30 minutes each.

Trevor said he enjoyed the workbook a lot. He also enjoyed that the lessons themselves were short but he was able to take the time to research his bible for answers. (And I loved this part because it also showed other places in the Bible that referenced that character trait/lesson/etc other than the weekly memory verse!). He also liked that it was colorful but "not like a cheesy coloring book." LOL That's my boy! In other words, it kept his attention but still let him think of himself as a big kid. Really, the only thing he didn't enjoy was answering, in writing, the questions in the workbook. He's a boy (my first disclaimer) and he was just much more comfortable discussing the answers with me. I can honestly say, even if he never made one ink mark in the workbook, I think it would be worth every penny to have anyway.

In my opinion, the prices were very reasonable.
Teacher's Manual - 3 ring binder: $33.95
or on CD: $19.95
     Veteran homeschool moms would probably be fine with this if you didn't         necessarily need the binder but you would have to print pages out for your handwritten notes for lesson plans, etc.
Student Workbook: $12.95
5th grade music CD: $9.95
     Optional if you want to complete the hymns/music curriculum that goes with the bible study.

Overall this is definitely something I would like to continue using in the future. For more reviews on this product, check out The Old Schoolhouse Crew by clicking on the picture below:

*This product was sent to me free of charge by Positive Action for Christ for an honest review on this blog. I was in no way compensated for the review by this vendor.

Another year come and gone..........

2010-12-26T23:02:00.000-06:00

Yes, I know it's not quite New Year's yet, but it's REALLY close. So much has happened this year that it literally boggles my mind (no smart remarks please LOL). It amazes me how much one year, just 365 days, of my entire life can bring about such huge changes. Here's a quick recap in no particular order:

*My youngest son began his journey of endless therapy appointments. We started out in Early Intervention Services and by January he was receiving speech therapy, developmental therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy.

*My middle son is just as hilarious as always. ;) I'm amazed at how much he has matured this year. And his reading abilities took off like a jet! He also started guitar lessons that came to a screeching halt with an unfortunate circumstances with his instructor. Hopefully we can get him set up with another one soon.

*My oldest is still going strong (literally!) in Taekwondo. We attended two tournaments for him this year and he earned another belt. In April, he will have completed 3 years with the same instructors. I'm so proud of him and his dedication.

*I've grown closer to family and friends this year. Especially my mom. She has been and continues to be my best friends. She's the first one I call when I have concerns and the first one I call when I have exciting news. You just can't help but love her. I'm also glad she has her extremely warped sense of humor so I can blame mine on her. ;)

*I've been blessed to have the same friends for many years and I love them all. Steph moved to Japan this year. It was devastating for her to be so far away but I love hearing about all the exciting things they have been doing! Fortunately, Lori and I are planning a trip there later in 2011. Woohoo!!! I get to go to Japan!!! And I get to go with Lori, who is my voice of reason on probably way too many occasions. But she is also the most fun to get into trouble with on our shopping adventures. Hehehehe. I am also still able to talk at least daily to my best friend from high school, my other Laurie. She is often my rock and has been for almost 20 years now. Her stories about her husband and children have mine alive many times and vice versa. At least I know I'm not alone in trying to figure out what makes the creatures with the Y chromosome tick. LOL

*Mike is still Mr. Steady in that he is still working at the same job he's been in for almost 20 years. (I love how that makes him so much older than me. Ha!!) He enjoys the people he works with and we have been very blessed for him to continue to have a good job when so many have been laid off in our present economy.

*I lost 40..yes, you read that right - FORTY..pounds this year! Yay me!! I have a love/hate relationship with my elliptical machine. I hate to use the *&^%# thing but I love that I have lost weight. LOL Although I feel like I still have another metric ton to lose, I'm glad that all that blood, sweat, and tears is paying off. ;)

*I saw a dear friend's marriage end, and I've watched her soar in her new independence in a healthier environment for her and her children. Although she lives further away now, it has been wonderful to see her regain her confidence, self-worth, and happiness again. I love her children like my own and I applaud her courage through it all.

*As I am sure you've noticed from many of my other posts, I was chosen to be part of the TOS (The Old Schoolhouse Magazine) Crew this year. I get review various products from all different types of vendors then post a review on my blog. So far it has been so much fun! I've gotten to review some really interesting things and the kids are enjoying helping me. It's amazing how God works, because it seems like each new product I receive has had a perfect spot in our homeschooling journey.

*Lastly, 2 weeks ago we received the news that Mr. Chunky Monkey (a.k.a. Aden, our 3 year old) is definitely autistic. Although I knew it in my head already, my heart still wasn't ready for it. He's had a lot of the classic symptoms for over a year now. BUT early intervention services in our state has worked so well for him. The doctor that diagnosed him was very impressed with how much progress he has made in the past several months. She said she is very eager to see what he will be able to achieve in the next couple of years. Fortunately, we were already doing everything she would have recommended so it's good to know we weren't missing anything. He is such a sweet little boy and we have already learned so much more from him than we will ever be able to teach him in return.

Thank you for hanging in there with me this year. I've enjoyed being able to keep a journal and think through my fingers on this blog. I've also enjoyed being able to read all of your blogs too. I'll be the first to admit, I'm a blog junkie. I love getting to see a small glimpse into your lives. They are often uplifting, creative, and fun.

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May you be blessed with many great things in 2011.

Hugs,
Amanda

TOS Review - Good Morning, God

2010-12-10T20:23:00.008-06:00

The latest product I received for the TOS Reviews is an absolutely sweet book called Good Morning, God by Davis Carman. (You can click on the title of this post to purchase this book from Apologia Press) This book retails for $14.00 and you can see a sample of it here.

I was so excited when I received this book in the mail. It is one of the most adorable books for little ones that I have seen in a long time! It is designed for ages 1 to 8. There are just a few pages to be read each day of the week. In the last few pages, there are questions/activities for the parents to participate in with the child. The pictures are BEAUTIFUL and I love that every other page is black and white. It gives little ones' eyes a rest AND keeps their attention on most of the words. Also, since there are maybe 4 pages to be read each day, it's quick, even with the suggested questions, but thought provoking. I love that introduces God to small children on their level and teaches them how to have conversations with Him at such a young age. I really can't say enough great things about this book. We loved it and I plan on keeping for many years.

**This product was provided to me at no charge for the purpose of an honest review on this blog. I was in no way compensated by Apologia Press.

TOS Review - KBTeachers

2010-11-19T20:48:00.006-06:00

Hi bloggers! For this TOS Review, I was able to review KBTeachers, an educational website for supplemental worksheets/info. You can click on the title of this post to see for yourself. :)

"KBTeachers brings the best the web can deliver to you and your students -- It is the one-stop destination for teachers and parents who are always on the lookout for new and engaging 21st century teaching tools and materials." - KBTeachers.com About Us section

I have been homeschooling my children for the past 6 1/2 years. During that time, especially during the early elementary age, I looked up and used A LOT of online information and worksheets. Did I mention we did this A LOT?? The good thing is there were always a lot of websites and worksheets to be found. However, such sites were geared mostly toward Pre-K.

Guess what? KBTeachers solved this problem! KBTeachers not only covers Pre-K (the Alphabet Factory is really cool!)but it also includes great information for the elementary grades as well. My oldest (age 10, grade 5) completed some of the worksheets under Plants & Microbiology that happened to go right along with his recent science lessons. With my middle son, we were able to review telling time and handwriting that also went along with his recent lessons.

Are you already passed the elementary grades in your homeschooling adventure? No problem! You can also find Social Studies worksheet and creative writing worksheets that are for grades 10 - 12.

I really loved that I could find something for all the kids to do on just one website. KBTeachers is designed for you to find what you need in three clicks or less which also saves a ton of time. Homeschooling moms always need to save time. ;) But here's the best part..........you can try it for FREE! All you have to do is join the website and if you aren't satisfied then cancel the membership within 30 days. If you decide to keep it, it's only $29.00 for 12 months. A lot of the worksheets are already free, but the premium membership is SO WORTH IT. You could be saving time AND money.

Please check this one out and let me know what you think!

Also, I hope everyone has a very safe and Happy Thanksgiving!

*This website membership was provided to me for free so that I could provide an honest review on this blog. I was in no way compensated by KBTeachers.

TOS Review - Corps of Rediscovery

2010-11-15T23:11:00.004-06:00

Hi there! :) This time for your blogger viewing pleasure, we were able to try a product by the Corps of Re-discovery. This family owned/operated company sent us a Fringe Pouch Kit and it was so much fun! Normally this Kit is $14.99 but is currently on sale for $11.99. You couldn't pick a more perfect gift for a little boy, especially now before the holidays. They also have some other great kits that will take you back in time. I really enjoyed browsing their website (which you can get to by clicking on the title of this post). Corps of Re-discovery has some very cool things for boys but also has great projects for little girls as well. Despite all the bells and whistles that most toys have today, I think children and adults alike would enjoy these.

Since Trevor was able to help the most with the last review product, I let Ethan help me with this one. He's 7, so he needed a little help understanding the directions but after that he took off with it. He had never sewn anything but did great with that also. I just had to show him the first couple of stitches and he was able to do the first few steps of instructions by himself.

After doing a running stitch along the sides and edges of the pouch, you have to go back the other direction to fill in any gaps. This also makes sure that whatever treasures go into the pouch will stay there. (In our case, it was Lego mini-figs, some gum, and a couple of rocks. LOL) I did most of these for Ethan but he watched. Besides, the product label instructed us to have adult supervision so Ethan was more than willing to make sure I stayed safe. ;)

After all was said and done, he LOVES this thing. The kit itself didn't take very long to complete (maybe 30 mins or so) and then he carried it around for the rest of the day. It's amazing what kind of things he found to put in there.

I would most definitely recommend this company and their website to others. Not only would some of these kits make great gifts, but they also have some very inexpensive kits (Clothespin doll kit, $3.99; Headband kit, $3.50, etc.) that would make great party favors, stocking stuffers, co-op activities, etc.

*This product was provided to me free of charge for the purpose of an honest review on this blog. I was in no way compensated by the Corps of Re-discovery.

TOS Review - Buckets of Fun

2010-10-29T23:00:00.012-05:00

"Sticky Yuck

This Yuck is by far our stickiest. Yes, it has the consistency of…well SNOT! Use it by itself or mix with Chunky or Saucy for interesting results. Makes 5-10 gallons per pound of Yuck, not water*. - Buckets-O-Fun

Oh my goodness, we had so much fun with this!! As you can imagine in a house full of boys, anything that is considered close to snot is going to be a hit. LOL I knew the boys would LOVE this the day we received it in the mail.

These samples from Bucket-O-Fun included Sticky Yuck (the snot-like material LOL), Chunky Yuck, Snowy Yuck, and Saucy Yuck. These may be purchased starting at $16.00 per pound. Just click on the title of the post for the link. ;) All you need is water, your imagination, and preferably an outdoor place to do this. That makes for easy clean-up. Since it is getting cold here, I used disposable bowls so we could go ahead and play inside. Then I just threw the bowls away in bags from the grocery store.

Sticky Yuck is just that: STICKY. The boys didn't know whether to be grossed out or think it was funny so they just went with both, including doing fake sneezes into their hands. :) Trevor even mentioned how fun it would have been to put green food coloring in it.

Chunky Yuck: This required a little more patience since it takes quite a while for the stuff to 'grow.' It starts out looking like crushed ice from a restaurant and gradually grows into larger ice cubes, but it stays warm which was really interesting to the boys.

Snowy Yuck: This one was my favorite because it was actually kind of pretty! It looked like snow in a bowl and my guys were fascinated that it could look like snow and be warm. It was even sparkly like snow would be during the daytime.

Saucy Yuck: Of course the boys equate everything with food these days so they said this one reminded them of flavored slushes they love to drink.

Overall this was their favorite product to help me review. I would definitely recommend them to other, and not just homeschool moms! This would make great Christmas gifts since the holidays are coming up. Not to mention, they have all of these great accessories to go with the buckets of yucky stuff you can buy. ;) There are shooters and water balloons too! Just think of how fun that would be to buy and send to someone else's house. My brother might need to be very concerned about what I buy for my nephew this year.........

*I was provided free samples of these products for the purpose of an honest review on this blog. I was in no way compensated by the vendor.

TOS Review: BrillKids Little Reader System

2010-10-22T12:47:00.001-05:00

For quite some time now, it is well known how important early education is to young learners. Not only is the education itself important, but also instilling the LOVE of learning. Let's face it, you can never start too early! Infants are born with a natural curiosity to try to figure out the world around them and here is another way to help them navigate.

I was recently asked to do a review for BrillKids' Little Reader program. This program is available for purchase online (click on the title of the post) for as little as $149.00 for the basic program. It is also recommended for ages 3 months and up.

Since it was geared toward much younger kiddos, I had a ball doing this with Aden. :) Although he will be three in just a couple of weeks, he only says a handful of words and we are currently working on sign language. However, his sight and hearing are great so I was anxious to see what he thought it. He really enjoyed it! The lessons are already planned and organized for you and it is very user friendly. Also, you can tell this vendor has done it's homework for the little ones. It is very colorful and kept Aden's attention for several minutes at a time, it had just the right amount of repetition to reinforce the lesson but not so long he quit watching it. I also liked the fact that during the repetition parts, they used great pictures to go along with the words but each time that word was shown, a different variation of the picture was used. That's HUGE when you're dealing with a kid on the spectrum. It shows them, for instance, that a koala bear isn't always facing the right or in a tree or eating eucalyptus, etc. etc.

Again, even though Aden doesn't have a large vocabulary, in addition to the lessons I was able to also show him the sign language for a lot of the words so that was very helpful to us.

I also think the price for the basic program is very reasonable. I know a lot of homeschool moms worry about teaching that first student how to read and this would give them an excellent head start! I would definitely recommend it to other moms and I'm looking forward to hearing what you think too. Please check out the links in this post and leave a comment.

*I was provided a free copy of this program for the purpose of a review on this blog. I was in no way compensated by the vendor.

Random funny things about my kids

2010-10-21T21:27:00.004-05:00

Funny things my kids do:

(Ethan our first day of school)

*Ethan was sliding out of his seat in the van when he loudly announced, "Welcome to Wedgieville! Population: ME."

*I was fussing at Ethan and said, "Ethan, please stop. That's really annoying." Ethan says, "It's ok, Mom. I'll stop. That's now how I roll anyway." He's 7 by the way.....

(That's Trevor by the bleachers warming up before our last tournament)

*One of my bestest girlies watched the boys today while I had a doctor appointment. She has tons of chickens, etc. including a duck that was chilling out on the sidewalk. Trevor walks by it and says, "AFLAC" in a perfect imitation of the commercial.

*Trev was in Taekwondo class the other day and just completely spaced out. His instructor said his name a couple of times and he says, "It's all good. I'm back on Earth now....."

(Aden eating a cherry tomato)

*Aden's speech progress (much to my chagrin)
- When he gets in trouble he looks at me like I've lost my mind, puts up his hand and says, "Otaaaay."
- He has learned to say "mine." Nuff said.
- He now shakes his head 'no' at us. Nuff said again.

*I have worked with Aden for MONTHS to teach him to use a spoon (or any eating utensil for that matter). Two days...did you hear me????....two days working with his occupational therapists and the little chunky monkey did it. I told them I didn't know whether to think they were my heroes or hate their guts. LOL I also offered to pack him a back and let them potty train him for me. After all, it should only take two days, right?? :P I don't think they bought the idea but I'm working on it.

And for the record, I have absolutely no idea where my kids get this stuff. Hehehehe

TOS Review: Map Skills

2010-10-15T21:04:00.003-05:00

Map Skills by Soli Deo Gloria is a 2-3 week unit study for K-3rd grades ($14.00). It is a comprehensive unit study that only needs to be supplemented with your own choice for a math curriculum and phonics/language arts for younger readers. Map Skills contains several ideas for practical applications along with crafts and fun activities for young learners. It also provides worksheets (for copy work, handwriting, etc.) along with an answer key.

One of my favorite practical applications was for the kids to make their own drawing/map of their neighborhood. I took this one a step further. You know those rugs you can buy that have some sort of cartoon-y (is that a word? LOL) town with streets on it? You know, the same ones they sell for little boys to drive Hot Wheels on? Ours bit the dust so I plan on taking a used flat bed sheet and have the big boys draw a map of our neighborhood on it with fabric markers. Then they have learned part of their map skills and my little chunky monkey has a new toy for the gazillion Hot Wheels we have. :)

Most everything else you need for Map Skills you probably already have in your home such as a globe, a road atlas, and map of your local city. Along with the purchase of this unit study, it is recommended that you purchase an additional workbook from another source. However, I think you could probably find your own supplemental worksheets, ideas, etc. free online. There are also recommended books that are available at most libraries. I noticed my own local library only had a few of the recommendations, but we are a small community. When using other unit studies, I've learned that ANY books related to a unit study can usually be substituted. ;)

Overall, I think the boys enjoyed this. It is definitely a beginner's study for map skills, but my oldest was able to inject some of his previous knowledge into the lessons for my middle son.

*I was given a free copy of the above curriculum only for the purpose of a review on this blog. I was in no way compensated by the vendor.

Read, Write and Type

2010-10-11T20:20:00.008-05:00

This TOS Review is for product by Talking Fingers called Read, Write, and Type. It's premise is to teach phonics, spelling, and typing all in one program. This program is $35.00 for one child (additional costs for more students) and is geared toward children in grades K-3. You may also download other information including an activity book here. It also has free printable reports to show your child's progress. These would be great in addition to report cards and other records, especially for those required to keep portfolios for each year.

It is really more like a video game than a curriculum program. We've tried other typing products like Mavis Beacon, etc. but they literally suck the fun out of learning to type. This was great! Ethan, my 7 year old second grader, LOVED it. He was asking constantly if he could "play" it some more. He didn't even realize it was part of his school day. That doesn't happen very often. The other thing I loved about it is even though Ethan doesn't have the best multi-tasking skills, he was able to keep up with the lessons so it was great for his self-confidence on the computer as well.

Although Ethan had a very good time playing this, I'm not sure it would measure up to being a full phonics/spelling/typing curriculum. I could see where it would make a great supplement (and it did supplement our Explode the Code phonics very well). It would also do fairly well as just a typing curriculum. And let's face it. In today's world of technology computer and typing skills are a must! So why not make it fun? I would definitely recommend this product to someone else.

*I was given a free copy of the above curriculum only for the purpose of a review on this blog. I was in no way compensated by the vendor.

TOS Review: Digital Frog

2010-10-08T22:30:00.003-05:00

Ok, I have to admit. When I found out I would be receiving this DVD I assumed it would be the digital frog dissection. Although I have all boys and for the most part they probably would have thought that was cool, I was still a little leery.

However, the same company that can provide you with digital dissection also provides digital field trips! Digital Frog International (click HERE for web information) sent me this DVD that provided a virtual tour of the wetlands, the rain forest, and the desert. According to the company, this would be most recommended for middle school to high school level learners. For the most part this is true but as with many other field trips, my 7 year old was still able to participate.

The DVD was very easy to install or simply use from your CD drive. It was also very user friendly. The boys were able to navigate around the various pages fairly easy(of course learning about the animals in each region was their favorite part). I personally liked how you could take your children on many rabbit trails or you could just cover basic information. Isn't that one of the main reasons we homeschool? ;)

I would definitely recommend this to other homeschoolers but I'm not sure that most single income families would be able to afford the $125.00 cost for something that isn't a complete curriculum. What do you think?

**This review was completed as a TOS Review and I was not compensated in any way. The vendor provides the product free of charge and honest reviews will be posted.

TOS Review - Vocabulary Cartoons

2010-09-29T23:38:00.003-05:00

Hi there! I hope everyone is have a great school year so far. One of the many blessings we have already experienced this year is my being able to do reviews for The Old Schoolhouse magazine. I have thoroughly enjoyed this so far and have gotten to experience some great products. So far, Vocabulary Cartoons has been one of our favorites and it's also very inexpensive ($12.95 to be exact). You can see it for yourself by clicking HERE or by clicking on the title of this post. :)

Vocabulary Cartoons is exactly what the name says. It's a vocabulary curriculum that could work well for all types of learning styles. Each vocabulary lesson includes 10 words and uses a mnemonic device to assist the student in remembering the definitions. It also helps that there is only one word per page, which helps with focusing issues. I LOVED that. On each page there is obviously the vocabulary word, it's pronunciation, definition, a rhyming to associate with the new vocabulary word, a funny picture, and three sentences using that word to better explain its meaning. That combination definitely helped Trevor (age 10, 5th grade) remember the words even a couple of days later with no review. He especially liked the funny cartoons. I caught him literally laughing out loud at some of them.

At the end of the 10 word lesson, there is a review for the student to complete. Each review has a matching section where you match the word to it's definition (they are all listed), and a section where you use the vocabulary words to complete sentences that are not the ones used in the lesson itself. In other words, they have to really understand the definitions and the context of the sentences for the review. That makes the review short and sweet. It is easy to tell in a matter of a couple of minutes whether or not a student has mastered the material.

Of course with the cartoons making the lessons fun, it also makes it easy to teach which is always a big plus for mom. :) We really enjoyed this and I would definitely recommend it to others.

*I was given a free copy of the above curriculum only for the purpose of a review on this blog. I was in no way compensated by the vendor.

I want this!

2010-09-05T18:18:00.002-05:00

You gotta check this thing out! I'm not exactly the most organized person you will ever meet. However, being a homeschool mom has kind of forced me to be even though it goes against my nature. LOL I've learned to keep good records, box up curriculum into organized boxes at the end of every year, etc. I also have "The Binder" as my friends lovingly refer to it. ;) It has my whole life in it. Seriously.

I have a calendar, addresses, lesson plans, homeschool articles, Misc. articles about autism and what have you, and blank forms. BLANK FORMS. I've accumulated those over the past few years but I've never fully utilized them because they weren't exactly what I wanted. Well, these from TOS are able to be edited. I swear I started foaming at the mouth right then. :D

Here's the link: TOS Planner

So, you know, if you really wanted to, I would let you donate one to my house. Or better yet, help me convince Mike I NEED one. I'm just sayin'.

TOS Review - Spelling City

2010-09-03T23:23:00.001-05:00

So let me introduce you to Spelling City. This is an online spelling curriculum that will let you do quite a bit with the free membership but they offer a premium membership as well. I really liked this website. It has the options of creating your own list of spelling words (which I usually do to go along with whatever we happen to be studying at the moment) or you can find lists that have already been created. I also noticed you could even search for lists used by your local public schools so it's not just for homeschoolers. Whether you decide to use your own list or a previously created one, there are tests, games, word searches, handwriting worksheets, you name it to go with each list. I have several websites saved under my favorites that can do these, but they are all separate websites - one for games, one for crossword puzzles, one for word searches, etc. It's nice to be able to do this in ONE place. I also like the fact that if you decide to pay for the premium membership, you can use it as your spelling curriculum because it will save student records, grades, test scores, and lessons completed.

The other thing that caught my attention was the age groups included. Most spelling websites are geared toward younger kids. This one has everything From Dolch sight word lists to vocabulary for Wuthering Heights. Even the games can be played by the older students. They make think the games are a little young for them but I'd be willing to bet they would do it just to break up the monotony of doing vocabulary by writing the definitions themselves or writing the word several times each to learn the spelling.

I think the only complaint that I have would be that it took a little too much navigation to find the appropriate word lists. When you click on 'find a list' it actually takes you to a search on the site for local schools or to enter the name of a specific person whose list you are looking for. Actually, the pre-made lists (including the Dolch sight words lists) are located under the 'Resources' tab.

All in all, I think I would recommend this to other homeschoolers and especially those just starting out. I think if they followed the lists by grade, you could almost guarantee that kids in that age group/grade would not miss anything in Spelling that their peers are doing. If you have a chance, check out www.spellingcity.com and let me know what you think!

Animals beware

2010-08-20T12:28:00.002-05:00

OMG........In the past several months we have lost 3 animals in my house. It has not been fun. We lost 2 of the most precious dogs ever earlier in the summer. This time, Harley the beta fish went to the big pond in the sky. Ethan is devastated. He cried over a fish and dang near had a coronary when I told him we were flushing him and not burying him. I didn't know someone could get attached to a FISH.

So......the fish bowl is cleaned out and I promised him we would go tonight and let him pick out another one. Poor Trevor got the job of flushing the fish while I consoled Ethan. Later when Ethan wasn't around, I told Trevor that he had just performed his first funeral. He rolled his eyes, laughed, and said, "Nice, mom." LOLOLOL

The good news is Ethan came to me a few mins. ago and announced "I am over Harley now. RIP Harley" and just walked back out of the room like nothing had ever happened. Now why can't every other meltdown he has end that easily?

My kids are going to need so much therapy and I need a lot more margaritas........................

TOS REVIEW - Travel Kits

2010-07-22T23:48:00.008-05:00

I was recently asked to do a review on Travel Kits - A Simple Way to Bless Others. You may also click on the Title of this post or in the previous sentence to take you directly to the website for ordering.

I have to be honest. At first I really thought this one would be less than impressive. I mean how many ways can you really describe putting a gift together, right? WRONG. There are TONS of ideas in there that I would have never even thought of. For instance, when I think of putting a gift bag, basket, box, etc. together for someone I usually buy a couple of coordinating gifts, throw it in a gift bag with some tissue paper sticking out of the top then call it done. However, Travel Kits had some amazing suggestions and you can tell she put a lot of thought into each and every idea.

One particular part that sticks in my mind is giving hand wrapped gifts to kids at different times of their travels. Ok, so that part is a no brainer.....until you read the rest. Then you get red from embarassment and keep going. :) You know that especially with smaller children, quantity always wins over quality. So when she bought a package that had several Hot Wheels type cars, she took them out of the package and wrapped each on separately. Now I can't figure why no one told me that before! LOL Those types of suggestions make the gift giving last longer as well as stretching the dollar the with which the gifts were bought.

Of course there were also suggestions for movie kits (movie -even borrowed from the library if you want, popcorn, snacks, drinks, etc.) but my favorite suggestions were the once I wouldn't have ever come up with on my own. I think I'm a little creatively challenged when it comes to those types of things. One in particular that sticks in my mind is a basket of blessings that the author even used for her daughter. She included a lot of choices from Scripture that could be put into envelopes for each day her daughter was traveling. Sometimes the envelope would contain just the scripture for her blessing and others there were small gifts tucked inside.

Another important part of this was the ability to make these with as little or as much as you want. With the economy the way it is right now, every dollar counts. Just like splitting the package of cars into individual presents, there were also suggestions for books on loan from the library, gifts from you local Dollar Tree, and for the more expensive examples that were suggested would be great gifts too because they were all to be kept long after the drinks and snacks were gone. One of my favorites for boys (or girls) would be inexpensive nylon rope and a book on the types of knots and what they are used for. She also gave AMAZING ideas for girls too. She suggested things like a book on crochet/knitting, a couple of crochet hooks and/or knitting needles, and maybe just a couple or so of skeins of yarn so they can practice while they are stuck in the vehicle. There was mention of a book on braiding hair too. You could add some inexpensive hair accessorie and girls will play with that FOREVER.

One more that I enjoyed reading about what how easily adaptable the kits could be used based on gender (lip gloss, play jewelry, etc for girls with cars, silly putty, bandanas and cowboy hats for boys) but she also based them on some of the major gift giving occasions. All of those trinkets wrapped in individual Christmas paper would be great to give as donations too. I thought the boys and I might do that. They could make boxes for each other and then make some to donate.

The only negative thing I have to say is that the ebook was a little repeptive, but I would take that in a second for the way it can get your creative juices flowing. I'm already thinking about some of the cool things I could put together for an upcoming trip we're taking. My oldest son and I will be traveling out of state for a Taekwondo tournament in a couple of weeks. Even though he is 10 going on 35, he still gets bored in a car. I thought about looking to see if I could a DVD at the library or maybe on Amazon that we could watch in the van before we get there, colored pencils and cool paper (it's too hot in Arkansas for crayons that might be left in the car), maybe new pajamas for rooming with other kids in the hotel, so you see what I mean.

The Travel Kits really got me to thinking litterally outside the box and I loved it. I think you would enjoy it too. Just click HERE and by the time you use just a handful of the suggestions or any of yours added to them, you will more than made your money back on this one. You're friends and family will also really enjoy all the gifts that had so much thought put into it just for them and their tastes. Let's face it, that's a lost art form and I hope the Travel Kits book brings it back!

If you have this already or would like to purchase one, please feel free to stop by and let me know what you think (the good , the bad, and even the ugly).

I hope you enjoyed this review so please let me know what you think in the comments section . I would also love seeing what creative travel kits you can also come up with and send them to me! That would be too fun!

Prayers and Hugs,
Amanda

*I was given a free copy of the above curriculum only for the purpose of a review on this blog. I was in no way compensated by the vendor.

And the winner is.........

2010-07-15T00:08:00.003-05:00

Sorry I didn't get this posted yesterday! Imagine this, I was busy enjoying my birthday. :P

Anyhoo, I used random.org to pick the winner. So, Kat Fisher if you'll email me (amanda_mosley@yahoo.com original, huh? LOL) with your address I'll get your copy of Cowboy & Wills in the mail to you!! If you don't mind, put Cowboy & Wills or something to that effect in the subject line so I'll catch it even if it goes to my spam folder. :)

Thanks to those that participated.

Good News vs. Bad News

2010-07-09T23:41:00.002-05:00

So do you want the good news or the bad news first?? I guess since it's my blog I get to choose anyway. And since I'm a natural procrastinator I'll put the bad news last.

The good news: The effectiveness of cooties is no longer an issue at my house. Evidently we've outgrown them at least for a little while anyway. Especially until Aden is big enough to ressurect them.

The bad news: The cooties have been replaced with something much worse. I overheard the older 2 arguing earlier today. (Imagine that. I know. It's hard. We'll attend therapy together........maybe we can get a 2 for 1 deal?) Ethan had asked Trevor for a drink and Trevor announced there was no way he was sharing. He told Ethan, "I DO NOT want your DNA all over my coke." DNA?????? Wow. I guess you now know what we'll possibly be covering in Science this year. {Sigh}

Now you will not be surprised to find me trying to alter lesson plans with pen in one hand and a huge glass of wine in the other. ;)

Book giveaway contest!

2010-07-01T18:41:00.004-05:00

I know I've said it before, but you really have to read Cowboy & Wills by Monica Holloway. I've read A LOT of books about autism, but this is one of my favorites. Even if you don't know anyone with autism, you can still appreciate the struggles she experienced as a mom and the love Wills had for his dog, Cowboy. There were parts where I thought I would wake up everyone in my house because I was laughing so hard. There were parts where I cried and snotted like crazy too. :)

So, that brings me to the contest................

Check out this video http://www.youtube.com/monicaholloway#p/a/u/0/oq6u-JaE3IQ.

Don't worry, it's a safe link to the trailer for the book. Leave a comment here and tell me who's your Cowboy. (You will understand what that means AFTER you watch the trailer. I promise.) I'll do a random drawing and someone will receive their own hardback copy of Cowboy & Wills. Since my birthday is this month, we'll celebrate on the 13th when I pick the winner! It will be my birthday but you can have the present. Cool, huh? ;)

By the way, I am in no way being compensated for this. I just think it's a great read. It's uplifting and you'll love it. It's a bestseller. And it's FREE. Good luck! I can't wait to read your stories.

Apron Giveaway

2010-06-29T10:28:00.001-05:00

Ok, you have to check out this giveaway! It's the cutest cupcake apron EVER!!! Do not pass go, do not collect $200 (ok, you can because I would take the $200 bucks too LOL), and click on the title of this post to enter. :) Have fun!

Free Father's Day gift

2010-06-19T11:55:00.002-05:00

According to my friend Steph, I’m really not cheap (at least not by some standards but I just refuse to go there...:P ), instead I’m supposed to say I’m FRUGAL because it sounds better. So there you go. Actually, I think I’m just cheap.

Anyhoo, my dad and step-dad are the two hardest men on this planet to shop for and someone posted this on Facebook (thanks Amanda W. I owe you girlie!) so I thought I would share. Nothing like exploiting the images of my kids for the sake of staying true to my cheap self. Don't worry it's not what you think. It's a free 8x10 collage from Walgreens. ;) You register with them, upload some pics, pic your collage, use the coupon code from the link below, and voila you have a Father's Day Gift.

http://www.heyitsfree.net/2010/06/17/free-8x10-photo-collage-2/

Never a Dull Moment with Boys

2010-05-17T23:45:00.002-05:00

I hear a strange noise. That's never a good sign. I usually recognize the weird noises in my house that the boys make (toys, gun sounds, the Wii, bodily functions, etc.). I walk into the living room to find Ethan holding their bathroom towel rod in 3 pieces. I take a deep breath before I ask why he's holding their bathroom towel rod in his hands and he says, "I was climbing." Only, here's the deal: God love my little man, he talks like Elmer Fudd anyway because he can't really say L's and R's and now he's missing one of his top teeth so now I have Elmer Fudd with a lisp. It really came out like "I was cwiming." I asked him why he would literally be climbing the bathroom wall. His response: "To impwess Twevor" (To impress Trevor.) At this point all Trevor is impressed with is how much trouble Ethan has now managed to get himself into.

{Sigh}

So, I asked him, "And did it work?" He said, "No, because I fell and hit my butt on da fwoor and my head on da potty."

"Are you ok?"

"Yes ma'am"

"And how's this working out for you so far??"

"Well, at weast nufing is weaking. Not me or da potty." (Well, at least nothing is leaking.)

Really? Seriously???

Dear Lord, it's a good thing he's cute.

Amanda Bennett Unit Study Review

2010-05-13T23:12:00.006-05:00

I was recently asked by The Homeschool Magazine to do a review of one of Amanda Bennett's Unit Studies. The was a one-week study of Australia. As luck would have it, we actually have a friend of our from Australia coming to visit this summer so we couldn't have received this at a better time! This particular unit study located in the Download N Go part of their website.

Although we didn't have time to complete the entire unit study since we were busy finishing up our usual curriculum before the end of our school year, what parts we did complete were really fun!! It is something we will also try to complete before our visitor this summer, especially since it covers everything from geography to animals to the language used there. This was a downloadable PDF file that was VERY user friendly. It included links to recommended books (available at Amazon if you aren't able to find something similar in your local library) along with links to YouTube videos that went along with each days lesson. The one thing I loved about the videos is they were short and sweet. Let's face it, I have three boys and they have the attention spans of a gnat on speed. Those videos were each less than 5 mins. long and perfect for all of their age ranges (my school-aged guys are 10 and 7). Most of them were clips from National Geographic so they were appropriate for children. Trust me, I checked every one of them.

The other aspect of this unit study that I really enjoyed was that it came complete with instructions for lapbooking. Along with the instructions were all of the templates needed for the lapbooks. You would just need to print one copy for each student. If you have never tried lapbooking, this would be a great opportunity to get your feet wet and see how well your kids do with them.

As a busy mom of 3, I was thrilled that each lesson was planned out for you. I have used several other unit studies in the past and some of them require A LOT of planning on mom's part. That wasn't an issue when I was just homeschooling one, but by the time we added two more into the mix, for me that was a deal breaker when it came to buying curriculum.

I also appreciated how inexpensive they were ($7.95 per each weekly unit study). Personally, that's something I could easily fit into our budget even in our current economy. It probably isn't something I would do every single week of our school year, but it would make a great supplement for us. They do offer special deals for purchasing all of them at a discounted price if you wanted to use them as a geography/history curriculum.

To be honest, there were only two downsides to this unit study that I found. The first was that it is geared toward younger children so you may have to add some information and vocabulary words for older kids. Also, since it is a PDF file when you reach the end of a day's lessons there is a link that takes you to the part of the file for the lapbooking template. It's an easy fix. You just have to remember what page you were on BEFORE you click the link so that you can go back and read the instructions for those templates.

All in all, this is definitely something I would recommend for others to try. If you do, let me know what you think!

Happy Homeschooling,
Amanda

*I was given a free copy of the above curriculum only for the purpose of a review on this blog. I was in no way compensated by the vendor.

Uh Oh!

2010-05-13T15:51:00.003-05:00

Ok, I'm just going to apologize to the world now.......Aden has mastered what my friends call "the Amanda look." I was on the receiving end of it when I took him to therapy today. LOL

He got so P****D at me today because he took off across the parking lot at therapy so I made him sit in a chair instead of playing with the toys in the waiting room until his therapist came to get him. Then he wouldn't do the sign or say "more" when he wanted something else to drink so all hades broke loose. He finally just stuck his arms out at me so i could make him do the sign for "more" and I gave him his sippy cup. When his therapist came to get him he looked over his shoulder at me and said "BYE!" Not bye bye and his cute little wave but he let me know he was done with me. If looks could kill I would have been six feet under and digging fast.

I was forgiven by the time I came back to pick him up. :D

Jackson's Story

2010-05-10T00:36:00.005-05:00

For those of you that don't know, I have a serious passion for animals, particularly dogs. I've had several breeds and mutts over the years, but none have touched my heart like pugs have. First we got a fawn female named Gracie. Bless her heart, she's my own little piece of estrogen heaven in our house full of boys. LOL Then we were able to get Jackson, a black male. He was going to be put down because of his blindness. I have no idea why, but I had the most unbelievable pull toward him before I even met him. So he wouldn't have to be put down, an amazing lady (Dr. Kimberly Greer) was able to help me get Jackson flown to Little Rock from Texas. After a couple of unsuccessful attempts due to weather, we FINALLY got him here and it was literally love at first site. He was the fattest, most awkward looking pug I had ever seen. LOL I loved every weird inch of him. He sat in the front seat beside me on the way home from the airport and never made a sound unless I had the audacity to quit rubbing his tummy. I guess driving safely wasn't that important to him.

Anyway, he adjusted quickly to our household (well, except for the other dogs which earned him the nickname Mr. Grumpy Butt). There were a few days of puggy pinball where he ran into things while he was trying to memorize where the furniture, walls, etc. were. After that he did great and he was even happier if he found my feet so I could rub his tummy with them. He also discovered that he if scratched the refrigerator door enough, we would give him baby carrots out of there. :)

Unfortunately, old age began to affect him these last couple of years. He was already approximately 5-7 years when we got him. The last several months have been the worse. He began to lose A LOT of weight, he lost control of his bladder and bowels, he became extremely senile, and in more and more pain from arthritis. Despite our best efforts to increase his appetite and control his pain, he was still miserable and his health was failing fast. He finally let us know that he was tired and ready to be healthy again. So yesterday we lost one of our beloved furbabies. The hardest part was watching Aden look for him when Mike didn't come back with him from the vet's office. They had bonded so well and I think that broke my heart worse than anything. I'm just glad we were able to enjoy him the last few years of his life. He was truly a blessing to us and took a huge chunk of my heart with him.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

2010-05-09T01:27:00.000-05:00

Happy Mother's Day!

For those of you that are moms by giving birth, by adoption, by friend, by mentor, by babysitting, or if you do anything else that helps us moms keep our sanity. :) I hope you have the best of days.

Funny Things My Kids Do/Say

2010-04-29T21:06:00.002-05:00

Since we've been so busy with therapy and trying to finish up our school year, I haven't really had time to post much. So here are just a few random things:

The time change has not been kind to Aden. The poor kid still hasn't adjusted. A couple of weeks ago it was almost 11 p.m. when Mike and Aden were standing in my room. Mike looked down at Aden and said, "Son, you HAVE to go to sleep now." Aden looked up at his daddy, with his eyes wide open, and started to fake snoring. :D After I got through laughing, I told Aden I didn't think his daddy bought it. Then I told Mike we had one of two problems: Either Aden wasn't the brightest bulb in the box or he didn't think his daddy was. LOL

Then the other day I was making toast for Ethan when I heard Trevor yell at me from the living room. I heard, "Mom, Aden is having an issue.........and bring the camera!" That's never a good sign. Aden has now learned how to take his pants off. He leaves his diaper on (thank goodness!) but he was standing in the middle of the living room with his pants around his ankles and a HUGE smile on his face. And yes, I took a picture. ;)

Last night, Ethan came in my room crying like someone had shot a puppy right in front of him or something. I asked him what was wrong and he said he was in "twouble" and his daddy has fussed at him. I asked him what he did and he said, "I don't want to go to sweep in my woom all by myself and daddy told me I had to." (The boys all share a room and our extra bedroom is a toy/movie/video game room for them.) So then I asked him where Trevor was. He said,"Twevor is sweeping on the couch and he doesn't want to get up. Can I sweep wif you instead??" I asked him if he had talked to his daddy about it and he said Mike had told him no. Then he got the lecture about when daddy says no, you can't come ask mommy. I also asked him if he was trying to get me in trouble with daddy too. LOL He said, "You can't get in twuble with daddy because YOU know where the spanking stick is." Obviously I probably don't use it near as much as I should because I really don't know where it is but please don't tell Ethan. I wouldn't want to ruin my image. :D

Another Aden Story

2010-04-07T01:02:00.002-05:00

The time change is still affecting my kids in a not-so-good-I'm-about-to-pull-my-hair-out-and-then-sell-the-boys-on-Ebay kind of way. So, the other night it was 11:00 p.m. and Aden still wasn't asleep. Short of drugging him (which may become a viable option in the next few days. I'm just sayin......) we had done everything to get that child to sleep. Mike and Aden were standing there and Mike looked down at Aden and said, "Son, you HAVE to go to sleep NOW!" Aden looked up at his dad, standing there with his eyes wide open, and faked snoring. LOLOLOLOL After I laughed until I almost peed myself, I told Aden I didn't think his daddy bought it.

Now I'm trying to figure out if that means Aden isn't the brightest bulb in the box or maybe he thinks his daddy is that big of a goober. I'm voting for the second choice. :D

P.S. I love you, Mike, I really do. Hehehehehehe

Trevor is a brown belt!

2010-03-29T09:59:00.005-05:00

Our oldest, Trevor, has been participating in Taekwondo for almost 2 years now. He usually attends class 3x a week and is VERY dedicated. In just under those 2 years, he's been able to earn a lot of belts/ranks. In Trev's TKD class, within each colored belt there is also an advanced belt that has to be earned. (White, Yellow, Advanced Yellow, Green, Advanced Green, etc. etc.)

Last week he tested and received his brown belt! Here are a few pics. Enjoy!

Be Careful What You Wish For

2010-03-29T09:50:00.002-05:00

Ok, so you know I've been completely stressed out about everything going on with Aden, including his lack of speech. Well, guess what. Now that he says a few things he may not survive to learn the rest........

Bless his heart, he has learned a few things in sign language which has helped his frustation levels TREMENDOUSLY. It's so much easier when they can tell you what they need instead of just standing there screaming and crying at you. He has learned the signs for "more" and "all done." He also says a few words such as "mama," "daddeeeeee" (daddy), "tanks" (thanks), "awww man," and his new favorite is "tada!"

Aden has decided since we make such a big deal every time he talks or signs to us that it's a free ticket to get away with murder. For example, he was climbing up on the bench to get into all of our school stuff on the kitchen table. I told him no and to get down. He just stared at me as he put his little hand on the school books again. I said, "Aden, get down now!" He still just sat there so I started walking toward him and he hopped down off the bench and said, "TADAAAAA!" I guess now when he actually minds I'm supposed to throw a party. LOL But at least he's talking, right?

Who's Your Cowboy?

2010-03-22T18:54:00.008-05:00

A while back I was able to do review of a book called Cowboy and Wills. To say that it was amazing just doesn't really suffice. It hit home in more ways than I can count, especially since I've been there done that and wasn't sure I wanted THAT tshirt. Now I'm on round 2 of the journey and there's never a dull moment. But with moms like Monica Holloway on our side, it feels a little less lonely.

If you are on Facebook, please click the title of this post (or copy and paste this into your browser http://apps.facebook.com/whosyourcowboy/ ) and tell your own Cowboy and Wills story. If your story is picked, you can win an autographed copy of the book and a t-shirt that's actually worth having. :)

You can also follow Monica on Twitter .

Here's my Who's Your Cowboy story:

I don't really have one Cowboy. I have three. My children are my heroes. My children didn't ask to be born and they certainly wouldn't have asked to have their lives affected by autism. Although the oldest is NT (neuro-typical - doesn't that even sound like a weird diagnosis??), he certainly didn't ask to have his patience, his unbelievable amount of understanding, or his heart tested every single day. My middle son has been diagnosed with Asperger's and who knows where the littlest munchkin will fall on the spectrum. They have to deal with this 24/7, without breaks, without vacations. I've seen how hard the younger two have worked during therapy to overcome some of the things that would eventually hold them back. I've seen how frustrated the little one gets because we can't understand what he's trying to tell us. He doesn't understand why the vacuum cleaner scares him to death, or why he gets in trouble for hitting his head when it's one of his sensory issues, etc. etc. etc. Don't get me wrong. I have the most amazing friends and family anyone could ask for. We have also been blessed with therapists that love their job and it shows. But no one works as hard as these kids do.

So who's your cowboy?

Diagnosis Etiquette

2010-02-10T00:35:00.003-06:00

I'm the mom of 3 gorgeous boys. They are ages 9, 7, and 2. When my middle son was around 18 months we noticed certain behaviors that caused concern. With the help of Early Intervention Services, he made some great strides and didn't even qualify for therapy by the time he was 3. However, some of those same behaviors (and even some new ones!) stuck around and began to interfere with his daily life. In December 2008he received an Asperger's diagnosis and thus begin our journey into autism. Fast forward and we have Aden, our 2 year old. I've posted blogs about him before. :) He still doesn't talk, has several developmental delays, and is now in Early Intervention Services through our state. It won't surprise me at all if he eventually receives an autism spectrum diagnosis at some point. In the meantime, we were able to use the same therapy providers that saw Ethan and we love them just as much.

Despite the blessings that we've had through this journey which include loving our children exactly the way God gave them to us, we've also experienced some serious heartbreak. The very first time your motherly instinct tells you something isn't quite right is enough to make anyone just want to crawl in a corner and drool on yourself. Then when you receive evaluation after evaluation that specifically state how delayed your child is and what all of the issues are, you find yourself in that place again. The cool thing about that motherly instinct is the survival part of it. You mourn that diagnosis and evaluations for a day or 10, have your pity party, then attack it head on like a woman on a mission. We are on a mission. We are on a mission to make the situation as well as you possibly can and do whatever is possible to help your child survive in this 'normal' world.

The hard part is also dealing with the mixed blessings of well-meaning friends, family, co-workers, etc. Despite everything in my being telling me something was wrong, I can't count the number of times I was told there was nothing wrong with him and he would grow out of it. Or better yet, being told how many people they knew that were just like that without having autism. In other words, I was being over dramatic (or at least that's how I felt). The other part of the healing process is when you are in attack mode, the pity party is several days behind you, and you realize that people are just trying to make you feel better. In these situations, no one really knows what to do for you and you aren't even sure what you need either.

I'm from the South and whenever there is a major life event, there is food involved. LOL When there is a death in the family or in a friend's family, you take food for after the funeral, when a baby is born you take meals so the new mom doesn't have to cook, when someone has a cold or the flu you take homemade soup. None of those do anything to help you deal with a diagnosis of autism or any other neurological disorder. Looking back, I think the people around us feel helpless and without words. Our loved ones know this will be along process. So although I don't have any advice, the last thing we need to hear is that our children are fine.

I also realize that there are a ton of worse things that could happen besides an autism or Asperger's diagnosis. Right now, my children are healthy and there is nothing terminal that is going to take them away from me. That alone makes you feel like you're whining over nothing. It still temporarily rocks your world. But in the end, my friends and family did offered very useful things for me. They never faltered when I cried, they offered to keep the older boys whenever needed so I could take Aden to therapy and give him my undivided attention, and most important of all, they don't love my children any differently than they did before. They accept them just they way they are.

So, I would love to compile a list of things that would have helped you. I know a lot of times we don't thing of those things until we're looking back in hindsight. I'm on several email groups for homeschooling and even one specifically for homeschool Asperger's kids. Every time a new member pops up, I'd love to be able to pass on some words of wisdom. Give them some things they won't be afraid to ask for from their family and friends. I know they will appreciate it. :)

Moms of Children with Special Needs

2010-01-30T13:17:00.001-06:00

This was originally published in a Dear Abby column:

HEAVEN'S VERY SPECIAL CHILD

A meeting was held quite far from Earth

It was time again for another birth.

Said the Angels to the Lord above –

“This special child will need much love.

“Her progress may be very slow

“Accomplishment she may not show.

“And she'll require extra care

“From the folks she meets down there.

“She may not run or laugh or play

“Her thoughts may seem quite far away

“So many times she will be labeled

“'different,' 'helpless' and disabled.

“So, let's be careful where she's sent.

“We want her life to be content.

“Please, Lord, find the parents who

“Will do a special job for you.

“They will not realize right away

“The leading role they are asked to play.

“But with this child sent from above

“Comes stronger faith, and richer love.

“And soon they'll know the privilege given

“In caring for their gift from heaven.

“Their precious charge, so meek and mild

“Is heaven's very special child.”

Has it really been that long??

2010-01-20T22:33:00.002-06:00

I didn't realize I hadn't posted anything on here in over a month. Life has been INSANE to say the least.

We survived Christmas and the boys had an amazing time. Poor little chunky monkey got so overwhelmed Christmas morning that he spent a lot of the time in Mike's lap. He just kept hanging onto Mike's pajama pants for dear life.

Speaking of Mr. Chunky Monkey: Since we already have one child on the autism spectrum, we were really concerned when Aden still wasn't speaking after he turned 2. He still says 'dadadadada' for Mike and he FINALLY said 'mama' while he was in the rocking chair one night. I was so excited because I actually caught it on my cell phone! Now if I could only figure out how to get it transferred to my computer. {sigh}

Anyway, we had him evaluated through our state's early intervention services. I knew he would qualify for speech therapy but I wasn't prepared for the developmental delays we discovered or how many sensory integrations problems he was having. We have therapies scheduled for him 2 days a week.

As if that weren't enough (LOL) Trevor is still doing Taekwondo 3 nights a week. We will probably be throwing in another class once a week, or at least every other week, because he's thinking about participating in competitions now.

We also recently received our 2nd (or 3rd. All these appointments are starting to run together....) opinion that Ethan definitely has Asperger's. At the recomendation of early intervention services, we decided to file for social security for him. We had to take him to a psychologist contracted by the state to evaluate him.

So, that probably or at least hopefully explains my lack of posts on here. By the end of the week, I'm so exhausted that the fibromonster sends me to bed for at least one day of each weekend.

I hope the new year is being kind to you so far. Despite all of this, we really have been blessed this year. Aden has great therapists, Ethan is still functioning pretty well for the most part, and Trevor is still LOVING Taekwondo. Mike's job is going well and we're grateful for a job in this economy. :)

Gotta run. I'm going to enjoy my quiet house for a while.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.........

2009-12-01T20:19:00.002-06:00

So how was your Thanksgiving? We actually had a fairly quiet holiday at home. I made dinner (and everyone survived!!) for my family, my mom, my step-dad, my aunt, and a new friend of the family. (If you're reading this, Hi Paul!)

Then of course I had to be one of those crazy shoppers on Black Friday. I actually got out of bed after less than an hour of sleep, picked up one of my girlies, and we were one the road about 4:15 a.m. We literally shopped 'til we dropped. Lori and I didn't get home until almost 3 p.m. and I'm pretty sure at that point my feet and legs and just become numb (and so did my bank account). The good news is that except for a couple of small gifts I'm done Christmas shopping. WOOHOO! Now we just have to find time to decorate the tree, figure out how to keep a toddler out of it for the next month, and get presents wrapped without any little eyes seeing them. :)

And in case you didnt' notice, check out my new blog template. Cool, huh? I found this at Leelou Blogs. You can find everything from blog templates, custom designs, and even desktop layouts for your computer. Be sure and check it out.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

2009-11-26T10:47:00.002-06:00

I hope you and yours have a very blessed Thanksgiving!

Thanks to Ky for sending this to me! LOL

Black November

When I was a young turkey, new to the coop,
My big brother Mike took me out on the stoop,

Then he sat me down, and he spoke real slow,
And he told me there was something that I had to know;

His look and his tone I will always remember,
When he told me of the horrors of ..... Black November;

"Come about August, now listen to me,
Each day you'll be thick, where once you were thin,
And you'll grow a big rubbery thing under your chin.

"And then one morning, when you're warm in your bed,
In'll burst the farmer's wife, and hack off your head;

"Then she'll pluck out all your feathers so you're bald'n pink,
And scoop out all your insides and leave ya lyin' in the sink,

"And then comes the worst part" he said not bluffing,
"She'll spread your cheeks and pack your rear with stuffing".

Well, the rest of his words were too grim to repeat,
I sat on the stoop like a winged piece of meat,

And decided on the spot that to avoid being cooked,
I'd have to lay low and remain overlooked;

I began a new diet of nuts and granola,
High-roughage salads, juice and diet cola,

And as they ate pastries, chocolates and crepes,
I stayed in my room doing Jane Fonda tapes,

I maintained my weight of two pounds and a half,
And tried not to notice when the bigger birds laughed;

But 'twas I who was laughing, under my breath,
As they chomped and they chewed, ever closer to death;

And sure enough when Black November rolled around,
I was the last turkey left in the entire compound;

So now I'm a pet in the farmer's wife's lap;
I haven't a worry, so I eat and I nap,

She held me today, while sewing and humming,
And smiled at me and said "Christmas is coming..."

Ky

Rome wasn't built in a day......

2009-11-02T00:07:00.007-06:00

But Jamestown was!

This is a model of Jamestown that we put together along with some teepees we made.

This is Trevor's subtle hint while I was talking on the phone to my best friend. LOL I can't imagine where he gets that..........

Last but not least is a picture of the boys from Halloween. Yes people, that's Alvin and the Chipmunks. :D I found this idea online and the more I thought about it the more I realized how much this really fits their personalities. LOL However, poor Aden a.k.a. Theodore only lasted about 10 mins before he had a meltdown and was done trick-or-treating. We sent him back home with Mike (who refused to dress up as Dave. He's such a spoil sport....) while a friend and I took 5 little boys trick-or-treating. It was complete chaos but it was fun!

I hope everyone had a great weekend!

Cowboy and Wills

2009-10-12T10:19:00.002-05:00

In a nutshell: This book was AMAZING. I literally couldn't put it down. I got it in the mail on Thursday and sat up all night on Friday reading it. Between laughing and crying, I was worried I was going to wake up my husband. :)

It is just the most heartwarming story I've read in a while. Wills is a little boy with high functioning autism (been there done that) and Cowboy is the sweet little golden retriever that helped Wills become much more involved in the world around him. It is so honest and open and I loved the writing style. The entire book felt like a conversation I've had with other moms. I could picture myself sitting with Wills' mom talking over a couple of lattes in Starbucks discussing the children and animals we have in our homes.

Even if you have a child that isn't on the autism spectrum I think you'd enjoy it. Every mom can relate to fighting for anything and everything it takes to raise a happy, healthy child. You certainly have to admire how hard Wills had to work too. He had to overcome a lot of fears in his little world and it certainly gave insight to how the autistic mind works.

I certainly thank Monica for sharing her son's story with us.

Trevor earned his blue belt!!

2009-10-07T20:13:00.004-05:00

He is really good at Taekwondo and I'm so proud of him. He's also really excited because we got his sparring gear last week so now he can really kick some butt. :)

Amazing book about Autism

2009-10-01T22:25:00.002-05:00

As you probably know by now, anything to do with austism spectrum disorders is dear and near to my heart. I was lucky enough to have this great publisher contact me to review a new book coming out SOON. If you have a minute, please click on the title of this post to read an excerpt or use one of the following links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjyUJGw7urk

To purchase this book click on http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Cowboy-and-Wills/Monica-Holloway/e/9781442300651/?itm=3&USRI=cowboy+and+wills.

I can't wait to get my copy and give a review of it. If the video is any indication, I think it will be very uplifting and heartwarming.

Thanks and I'll keep you posted. :)

God is Good!!!

2009-09-30T09:03:00.003-05:00

One of the most amazing things that can happen for a mom happened on Saturday night. Ethan came into my room while I was trying to relax. I was just listening to my iPod and he asked if he could listen with me. I put in one of the ear buds for him and we just got to snuggle. After all of 10 seconds of no talking (which is a long time if you know Ethan LOL), he told me that he even when he was alone or even if Trevor was in their room but sleeping he knew God was always with him. Then he began to ask me if I was a Christan, if Daddy was a Christan, if Trevor was a Christian and just went down the line of some of our family members. Ethan asked me what you have to do to become a Christian so I told him about how Jesus died for us so that we can go to Heaven and how He changes your heart. He said he knew that already so I asked him if he wanted me to pray with him about it. That little boy said one of the sweetest prayers I've ever heard!!!!! It took everything I had not to burst into tears (and I'm not a crier!!!).

It just goes to show that you can learn much more from children than they learn from you. Salvation is kind of an abstract concept and I worried that would be hard for him to grasp. He's such a black and white thinker. Since he couldn't touch and feel and see salvation I wasn't sure how much of it he would understand despite how smart he is. I should have known better, huh?
God is and always will be stronger than Asperger's. Even if Ethan had never said it out loud, God knew his heart. Since he was able to pray with me about it, I also got to see into his heart and realize once again how big that little heart is and how much it can hold.

Pretty amazing, huh?

Yes, I have a warped sense of humor.......

2009-09-22T08:52:00.001-05:00

I think we should all be required to look at these before we start the day. I swear I just felt my IQ jump a 100 points. LOLOLOL Also, please note that not all of the Wal-Mart photos were taken in Arkansas thank you very much.

http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/

http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/

http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/

You're welcome. :)

Crock Pot Recipes

2009-08-25T09:47:00.001-05:00

I received this from a mom in my homeschool group and thought I'd pass it along to you. Thanks Stephanie. :)

If you own a Crock Pot this is GREAT!!
Just click on your choice and the recipe will appear.
All Day Crock Pot Beef
Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry
Beef and Pasta Casserole
Beef Diablo
Beef Fajitas
Beef Ragout Over Rice
Beef Tips
Beer Braised Beef in Crock Pot
Burritos Crock Pot Style
California Tamale Pie
Cattleman's Beef and Beans
Cheeseburger Sandwiches
Cheesy Meat Loaf
Chili Beer Brisket of Beef
Classic Swiss Steak
Complete Crock Pot Dinner
Corned Beef and Cabbage
Country Swiss Steak
Cowboy Casserole
Cranberry Pork Roast
Crock Pot Beef Burgundy
Crock Pot Beef 'n Peppers
Crock Pot Beef with Mushrooms
Crock Pot Beef Roast
Crock Pot Cabbage Rolls
Crock Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
Crock Pot Creole Steak Strips
Crock Pot Delight
Crock Pot Easy Swiss Steak
Crock Pot Enchiladas
Crock Pot Fajitas
Crock Pot Fajitas II
Crock Pot Italian Beef
Crock Pot Meatballs
Crock Pot Rump Roast
Crock Pot Sauerbraten
Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce
Crock Pot Swiss Steak
Crock Pot Taco Casserole
Fiesta Tamale Pie
Glazed Corned Beef
Glazed Corned Beef #2
Harvest Dinner
Harvest Pot Roast with Tomato-Wine Sauce
Hot-and-Spicy Sloppy Joes
Lean Crock Pot Beans
Nina's Beef and Beans
Pot Roast Dinner
Old Time Beef Stew
Pot Roast with Noodles
Ranch Style Beef
Reuben Casserole
Roast Cooked with Coke
Roast with Veggies
Sage Pot Roast
Salsa Swiss Steak
Savory Pepper Steak
Savory Stewed Beef
Slow-Cooked Beef Stifado
Slow Cooked Pepper Steak
Slow Cooked Steak Rolls
Slow Cooked Swiss Steak Supper
Slow Cooker Italian Spaghetti Sauce
Slow Cooker Lasagna
Slow Cooker Swiss Steak
Slowly Deviled Beef
Smothered Steak Strips
Spaghetti Sauce Italiano
Spicy Wine Pot Roast
Stuffed Cabbage Casserole
Stuffed Pasta Shells
Swiss Bliss
Swiss Steak
Teriyaki Steak
Three Pepper Steak
Three-Way Beef
Yankee Pot Roast and Vegetables

Crock Pot - Pork
Casserole in the Cooker
Chicken Lickin Good Crock Pot Pork Chops
Chinese Style Country Ribs
Country Pork with Mushrooms
Cranberry Pork Roast
Crockpot Apricot Pulled Pork for Sandwiches
Crock Pot Festival Sausage
Crock Pot Hawaiian Pork
Crock Pot Pork Chops Supreme
Crock Pot Sausage & Potatoes
Crock Pot Sausage and Egg Casserole
Crocked Cherry Pork Chops
Polish Kraut and Apples
Pork Chop Delight
Pork Chops and Mustard Sauce Potatoes
Pork Chops with Corn Stuffing
Pork Stew with Vegetables
Rosemary Potato Pork Chops
Sauerkraut Supper
Slow Cooking Pork Chops
Soy-Glazed Spareribs
Super Easy Pork Chops
Sweet and Spicy Kielbasa or Polish Sausage
Sweet 'n' Sour Ribs
Sweet 'N' Sour Sausage

Crock Pot - Poultry
90s Style Crockpot Coq Au Vin
Bacon Wrapped Chicken
Baked Cajun Chicken
Baked Chicken Breasts in Crock Pot
Basil Chicken
Broccoli Rice & Chicken
Caf? Chicken
Cantonese Sweet & Sour Chicken
Caribbean Chicken
Cheesy Crock Pot Chicken
Chicken & Cherries Jubilee
Chicken a la King
Chicken and Cherries Jubilee C/P
Chicken & Rice Casserole
Chicken and Artichoke Casserole
Chicken and Dumplings
Chicken Breasts Supreme
Chicken Creole
Chicken Crock Pie
Chicken Curry
Chicken Curry #2
Chicken Curry Hurry
Chicken Hearts Crockpot
Chicken in the Crock Pot
Chicken Marengo
Chicken Merlot with Mushrooms
Chicken Ol?
Chicken Paprika
Chicken Parisienne
Chicken Parmigiana
Chicken Sesame
Chicken Stew
Chicken Stroganoff in Crock Pot
Chicken Taco Filling
Creamy Chicken with Vegetables
Crockpot Buffalo Wings with Blue Cheese Dip
Crock Pot Chicken
Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore
Crock Pot Chicken Dinner
Crock Pot Chicken in Mushroom Gravy
Crock Pot Chicken Teriyaki
Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla
Crock Pot Garlic Chicken
Crock Pot Lacquered Chicken
Crock Pot Robust Chicken
Easy Chicken Noodle Soup
Forty-clove Chicken
Garlic Lemon Chicken
Ham 'n' Swiss Chicken
International Chicken
Italian Chicken and Potatoes
Italian Chicken Breast
Lemonemonade Chicken
Lemony Roasted Chicken
Lo-Cal Crock Pot Chicken
Low-Fat Glazed Chicken in Crock Pot
Mama's Chicken Stew
Pat's Creamy Chicken
Portugese Garlic Chicken
Turkey Casserole
Turkey Rice South with Tomatoes
Working Woman's Chicken and Rice

Crock Pot - Fish & Seafood
Bayou Gumbo
Bouillabaisse
Cheese-Shrimp Chowder
Cioppino (Fisherman's Stew)
Crock Pot Bouillabaisse
Crock Pot Citrus Fish
Crock Pot Clam Chowder
Crock Pot Clam Chowder #2
Crock Pot Crab Soup
Crock Pot Fish Stew
Crock Pot Manhattan Style Clam Chowder
Crock Pot Shrimp Marinara
Jambalaya
Louisiana Gumbo
Mediterranean Fish Soup
No Clams Clam Chowder
Oyster Bisque
Seafood Naples
Shrimp Creole for the Crock Pot
Shrimp Creole
Shrimp Curry Macaroni Salad
Slow Cooker Seafood Chowder
Sweet and Sour Shrimp
Swiss Crab Casserole

Randomness

2009-08-04T08:49:00.003-05:00

Wow! I didn't realize it had been so long since my last post. It's amazing how busy life can be and before you know, 2 or 3 months have gone by. Anyway, here are a few random updates, funnies, and anything else that came to mind:

1. My kids are hysterical. The other night Ethan told me that he "didn't want to be hairy like Daddy when he got OLD." ROFL :D He wanted to know if I would help him shave it all off if he looked like that someday.

2. Aden had gotten into our computer stuff and confiscated a wireless mouse. Trevor was trying to chase him down when it got dropped on the tile floor and the batteries scattered. It took forever for them to find them. Trev announced they had found them and I said I was glad because we certainly didn't need Aden or the dogs eating them. He said, "I guess if they pooped batteries that would be another form of recycling." LOL

3. Ethan, who is 6, informed a couple of weeks ago that there is a certain girl in our homeschool group that he would like to date when he's a teenager. I told him he had to at least be old enough to drive a car before he could date and you would have thought I had asked him to wait until he's 100 or something. I guess that does seem like a long time when you're little. Anyway, he did at least tell me there was no way he was ever going to kiss a girl. He said he didn't want anyone going "oooooohhhhhhh" like that do on TV. LOL :D I told him that doesn't really happen (what was I thinking???? I should have let that one go..........). I said, "Ethan, no one goes 'ooooooohhhhh' when I kiss your daddy." He said, "Well of course not. You're not on a kid show, mom."

4. I'm still in a fibro flare-up (and have been since December. Sounds fun, huh?) but it's not as bad as it was. I've been in physical therapy for about a month now and that seems to be helping. I was also able to get a TENS unit (portable electrical stimulation thingy-ma-bob....and yes that's the technical term for it). Rhonda lovingly calls it my electric shock therapy. :D It's really cool and has done wonders for me. It's like getting a little mini massage. Next to the epidural, it's the coolest thing EVER.

5. Finally, we started school yesterday. There was a lot of whining, screaming, crying, and gnashing of teeth, but the kids put up with me anyway. :D We only butted heads a few times. We're taking it easy this week and maybe next week while we get the basics covered and just get back into the swing of things. I'm using Adventures in My Father's World for our unit study, Spectrum workbooks for the supplemental stuff, and Explode the Code for Ethan. Trevor is still doing Taekwondo (or as Ethan says "Twicondo") three times a week. We're considering that PE and he's an advanced green belt now! Ethan just likes to RUN. :) I'm still trying to find ways to keep Aden occupied while we do school, but as usual we're learning as we go.

I guess that's about it for now. The boys are up and have had breakfast so it's time to start school for the day. I hope you have a great week! :)

Happy Birthday BooBoo!

2009-05-31T20:35:00.008-05:00

My oldest son, Trevor, turned 9 on May 23rd. I can't believe it's been 9 years since that sweet little munchkin came into this world. It wasn't until I got pregnant with him that I even knew that I really wanted to be a mom. We almost lost him and all of the sudden that became the ONLY think I had ever wanted. It was a long, high-risk pregnancy but we got him here safe and sound. He has been such a joy and continues to be a blessing to us every day.

Christmas 2000

May 23, 2009

He got his very own cell phone for his birthday!! :) We also waited until this weekend to have his birthday party. I realized once again, not only do I have great kids, but we have great friends as well.

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-10T04:09:00.004-05:00

I'm so blessed to be the mom of the three little boys God picked out for me. I also think the fact that I have three boys proves God has a very good sense of humor. LOL You see, when I was younger I swore I would never have children. My goal was to be the coolest aunt to any kids my brother might have (which ended up being the cutest niece and nephew you've ever laid eyes on!). However, as always, God had a much better plan than I did. I had a lot of complications with each pregnancy but especially my first. When I was at risk of losing him, all of the sudden having that baby and being a mom became the only thing I had ever wanted. We got him here safe and sound and he was BEAUTIFUL. Since I had such an awful pregnancy, I certainly didn't plan to have any more. hahahahahaha Famous last words. Once again, there was a much better plan than what I had. Lo and behold almost 3 years later, we had baby boy #2. Although he has some issues, he is probably one of the funniest kids you'll ever meet! He keeps us laughing CONSTANTLY. Because we were having so much fun and enjoying our sons as much as humanly possible, Mike and decided that whatever sickness/pain I had to endure while pregnant would be worth it for baby #3. Let's just say, Mr. Chunky Monkey made it all worth while. He'll be 18 months on Tuesday. I'm so lucky to have those munchkins in my life, even though there are days I threaten to sell them on EBay or something. ;)

I'm also very grateful for the women in my life who have taught me how to be a good mom. I still call my mom at least a couple of times a week with questions about my children. I can also count on my best friends for great advice, an outside perspective, or just a mom's night out to eat dinner and recuperate (or better yet, some retail therapy!)

I hope you have a very blessed day, whether you are a mom, grandmother, aunt, friend, or anyone else that helps in raising a child. Enjoy YOUR day today.

FOXNews.com - Student Wins Suit After Teacher Says Creationism 'Superstitious Nonsense' - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News

2009-05-04T22:34:00.001-05:00

FOXNews.com - Student Wins Suit After Teacher Says Creationism 'Superstitious Nonsense' - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News

Posted using ShareThis

My funny kids

2009-04-20T23:38:00.002-05:00

Story #1:

Ethan has Asperger's, which also means that Ethan has one volume and it's usually at about 30,000 decibels. He is also blatantly honest even when he should try to be more tactful.

So Friday night I had to go grocery shopping and Ethan decided he wanted to go with me. Off we go to Kroger to stock up for the week. We're about halfway done and it's taking forever because Ethan is counting everything on my list and then recounting when I mark something off, etc. We go down this one aisle and there is this guy (I'd say in his late 40's or so) with really long, blonde hair and he's only about 3 feet away from us when Ethan says, "Mom is that a boy or a gerl (girl)?" I told him it was definitely a boy to which he replied, "Well, he REALLY needs a haircut!" I tried to explain that some men and boys like having long hair even if he doesn't really like the idea so he kind of dropped the subject.

Or so I thought.

We get ready to check out and wouldn't you know. Lo and behold guess who's in line in front of us? Yep. You guessed. The guy with the long hair.

Ethan points and said, "Look mom! It's the boy with the really long hair again!" Geez. I said, "Ethan, you really shouldn't say that anymore." He completely misunderstood. He just said, "Oh. I'm sorry. I'll try again. Hey Mom. There's the MAN with the really long hair!"

The cashier is laughing so hard at this point she's crying. I told her I'm glad she was enjoying this because I sure wasn't. LOL

And what do you do? Ethan wasn't being rude. He was just kind of pointing out the obvious. I think next time he can stay home with Daddy. ;)

Story #2

Trevor definitely had my sense of humor (poor kid). Today I had to go to the store to pick up a few things and to get my prescriptions refilled so Trevor went with me after Taekwondo class. (Are you beginning to see a pattern here? My kids and stores don't mix well).

We were in the baby section so I could get diapers, etc. for Mr. Chunky Monkey when we came across those little squishy potty seats that go on the regular toilet. I told Trev we'd have to get one of those for Aden next summer when we start potty training him. Then I found one that had the characters from the Cars movie on them. I thought it was really cute and showed it to Trevor.

He just rolled his eyes and said, "That's great Mom. Now Aden can pee and poop on Route 66." ROFL

Story #3

Since we homeschool, part of Trevor's lessons consist of journaling. This let's him just keep track of what's going on in life and it also makes him practice his handwriting. Sometimes I give him prompts when he is having a brain lapse. Today I told him to write about our family. This is what I got:

"Today I'm journaling about my family basicly because I have to. First lets do Mom. My mom is a loving, hardworking person, and what she doesn't know is that I love her more than she does me, eehhh, probably not. Next let's do dad. My dad is also loving and hardworking but quite the rough-houser. :-) Moving onto Ethan, energetic, playful, and goofy but sometimes annoying. Last but not least is Aden, curious and always getting into stuff, plus diapers so rank we could sell them to the military."

I'm so proud.

April is Austism Awareness Month

2009-04-17T10:17:00.003-05:00

Resurrection Cookies

2009-04-05T17:49:00.003-05:00

Resurrection Cookies

1 c whole pecans
1 t vinegar
3 egg whites
pinch salt
1 c sugar

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. (this in important - don't wait until you are halfway done with the recipe!) Place pecans in a zipper bag and let children beat them with a wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested he was beaten by the Roman soldiers.

Read John 19:1-3

Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross he was given vinegar to drink.

Read John 19:28-30.

Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life.

Read John 10:10-11.

Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin.

Read Luke 23:27.

So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us He wants us to know and belong to Him.

Read Ps. 34:8 and John 3:16.

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus.

Read Isa.1:18 and John 3:1-3

Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered ookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid.

Read Matt. 27:57-60.

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door.Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed.

Read Matt. 27:65-66.

GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed.

Read John 16:20 and 22.

On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.

Read Matt. 28:1-9.

HE HAS RISEN!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-04-01T12:58:00.008-05:00

FDA Warning

2009-04-01T12:57:00.000-05:00

FDA. Do not eat pistachio products.

Details...http://www.emergenc yemail.org/ newsemergency/ anmviewer. asp?a=351& z=1

FDA recommends that consumers avoid eating pistachio products until further information is available about the scope of affected products.The FDA and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) are investigating Salmonella contamination in pistachio products sold by Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella Inc, Calif. The company has stopped all distribution of processed pistachios and will issue a voluntary recall involving approximately 1 million pounds of its products. Because the pistachios were used as ingredients in a variety of foods, it is likely this recall will impact many products. In addition, the investigation at the company is ongoing and may lead to additional pistachio product recalls. The contamination involves multiple strains of Salmonella. Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Thus far, several illnesses have been reported by consumers that may be associated with the pistachios. It is not yet known whether any of the Salmonella strains found in the pistachio products are linked to an outbreak. The FDA is conducting genetic testing of the samples to pursue all links.FDA is working closely with the pistachio industry and recommends that consumers avoid eating pistachio products until further information is available about the scope of affected products.FDA first learned of the problem on March 24, when it was informed by Kraft Foods that its Back To Nature Trail Mix was found to be contaminated with Salmonella. Kraft had identified the source of the contamination to be pistachios from Setton and conducted a recall.

Thorns

2009-03-30T09:47:00.002-05:00

I've seen this one before but it wasn sent to me again in an email this morning. Have a great week!

Amanda :)

THORNS

Sandra felt as low as the heels of her shoes when she pulled open the florist shop door, against a November gust of wind. Her life had been as sweet as a spring breeze and then, in the fourth month of her second pregnancy, a "minor" automobile accident stole her joy. This was Thanksgiving week and the time she should have delivered their infant son. She grieved over their loss.

Troubles had multiplied.

Her husband's company "threatened" to transfer his job to a new location. Her sister had called to say that she could not come for her long awaited holiday visit. What's worse, Sandra's friend suggested that Sandra's grief was a God-given path to maturity that would allow her to empathize with others who suffer. "She has no idea what I'm feeling," thought Sandra with a shudder "Thanksgiving? Thankful for what?" she wondered. "For a careless driver whose truck was hardly scratched when he rear-ended me? For an airbag that saved my life, but took my child's?"

"Good afternoon, can I help you?"

Sandra was startled by the approach of the shop clerk. "I . . ... I need an arrangement," stammered Sandra.

"For Thanksgiving? I'm convinced that flowers tell stories, " she continued. "Are you looking for something that conveys 'gratitude' this Thanksgiving?"

"Not exactly!" Sandra blurted out. "In the last five months, everything that could go wrong has gone wrong."

Sandra regretted her outburst, and was surprised when the clerk said, "I have the perfect arrangement for you."

Then the bell on the door rang, and the clerk greeted the new customer...

"Hi, Barbara, let me get your order." She excused herself and walked back to a small workroom, then quickly reappeared, carrying an arrangement of greenery, bows, and what appeared to be long-stemmed thorny roses. Except the ends of the rose stems were neatly s nipped: there were no flowers.

"Do you want these in a box?" asked the clerk.. Sandra watched - was this a joke? Who would want rose stems with no flowers! She waited for laughter, but neither woman laughed.

"Yes, please," Barbara replied with an appreciative smile. "You'd think after three years of getting the special, I wouldn't be so moved by its significance, but I can feel it right here, all over again," she said, as she gently tapped her chest.

Sandra stammered, "Ah, that lady just left with .. . . uh . . ... she left with no flowers!"

"That's right," said the clerk. "I cut off the flowers. That's the 'Special'. I call it the Thanksgiving Thorns Bouquet. Barbara came into the shop three years ago, feeling much as you do today," explained the clerk. "She thought she had very little to be thankful for. She had just lost her father to cancer; the family business was failing; her son had gotten into drugs; and she was facing major surgery. That same year I had lost my husband," continued the clerk... "For the first time in my life, I had to spend the holidays alone. I had no children, no husband, no family nearby, and too much debt to allow any travel."

"So what did you do?" asked Sandra.

"I learned to be thankful for thorns," answered the clerk quietly... "I've always thanked God for the good things in my life and I never questioned Him why those good things happened to me, but when the bad stuff hit, I cried out, 'Why? Why me?!' It took time for me to learn that the dark times are important to our faith! I have always enjoyed the 'flowers' of my life, but it took the thorns to show me the beauty of God's comfort! You know, the Bible says that God comforts us when we're afflicted, and from His consolation we learn to comfort others."

Sandra sucked in her breath, as she thought about what her friend had tried to tell her. "I guess the truth is I don't want comfort. I've lost a baby and I'm angry with God..."

Just then someone else walked in the shop.

"Hey, Phil!" the clerk greeted the balding, rotund man. "My wife sent me in to get our usual Thanksgiving arrangement ... . twelve thorny, long-stemmed stems!" laughed Phil as the clerk handed him a tissue wrapped arrangement from the refrigerator.

"Those are for your wife?" asked Sandra incredulously. "Do you mind telling me why she wants a bouquet that looks like that?"

"Four years ago, my wife and I nearly divorced," Phil replied. "After forty years, we were in a real mess, but with the Lord's grace and guidance, we trudged through problem after problem, the Lord rescued our marriage. Jenny here (the clerk) told me she kept a vase of rose stems to remind her of what she had learned from "thorny" times. That was good enough for me. I took home some of those stems.. My wife and I decided to label each one for a specific "problem" and give thanks for what that problem taught us."

As Phil paid the clerk, he said to Sandra, "I highly recommend the Special!"

"I don't know if I can be thankful for the thorns in my life" Sandra said to the clerk. "It's all too . . fresh."

"Well," the clerk replied carefully, "my experience has shown me that the thorns make the roses more precious. We treasure God's providential care more during trouble than at any other time. Remember that it was a crown of thorns that Jesus wore so we might know His love....Don't resent the thorns."

Tears rolled down Sandra's cheeks. For the first time since the accident, she loosened her grip on her resentment. "I'll take those twelve long-stemmed thorns, please," she managed to choke out.

"I hoped you would," said the clerk gently. "I'll have them ready in a minute."

"Thank you. What do I owe you?"

"Nothing. Nothing but a promise to allow God to heal your heart...The first year's arrangement is always on me." The clerk smiled and handed a card to Sandra. "I'll attach this card to your arrangement, but maybe you would like to read it first."

It read: "My God, I have never thanked You for my thorns. I have thanked You a thousand times for my roses, but never once for my thorns. Teach me the glory of the cross I bear; teach me the value of my thorns. Show me that I have climbed closer to You along the path of pain. Show me that, through my tears, the colors of Your rainbow look much more brilliant."

Praise Him for the roses; thank Him for the thorns.

God Bless all of you. Be thankful for all that the Lord does for you.

"Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly, and leave the rest to God."

We often try to fix problems with WD-40 and Duct tape.

God did it with nails.

Aden is walking!

2009-03-19T10:55:00.004-05:00

Forget about calling him Mr. Chunky Monkey. Now that he's walking he looks like a mix between Frankenstein and Gumby, my best friend from high school has started calling him Gumpystein. LOL I still can't get used to seeing his little head bobbing around the house as he goes from room to room.

Hugs,

Amanda

P.S. Sorry about the video quality. I took this using my cell phone. :)

The big boys

2009-03-18T14:53:00.004-05:00

Here are a couple of pics of the other two munchkins. These were taking less than a month ago when Trevor tested for his green belt in Taekwondo. :)

Trevor is the one in front:

Ethan waiting not-so-patiently during testing:

I've since decided it was a good idea for me to try the adult Taekwondo class. ROFLOLOLOLOLOL Nuff said. I'll keep you posted on how THAT goes. :D

When you play hard, you sleep hard

2009-02-22T00:30:00.002-06:00

Aden was literally asleep standing up tonight. LOL

I hope you're having a good weekend and let me know what you think of my new blog!

Hugs,

Amanda

Happy Valentine's Day

2009-02-14T23:58:00.002-06:00

Picture posted with permission by http://jackiehollowayphotography.com/blog/ Isn't she awesome??? I met her the year we started homeschooling.

My first post :)

2009-02-14T23:49:00.002-06:00

Welcome to my new blog! I think I'll like this better. I've heard it's much more user friendly, especially for posting pics. For archives of any previous posts, please see my blog at www.homeschoolblogger.com/SurvivingTheTestosterone.

Thanks for stopping by!

Hugs,
Amanda