In my last post, I wrote about a few games my cherubs & I play to help get the jobs of household cleaning done & keep smiles on all our faces.
Here is the post I promassed with the game instructions.
1. Laundry Basketball:
Have children search for any dirty laundry they can find. Set a line where they can stand & toss the clotheing into a hamper or basket. (try searching online or department stores for an Over-the-door basketball hoop hamper)
2. Room Clean Relay:
Set all out of place items in a pile. Have children take turns in relay fassion running each item to it's place. Time them & try to beat their previous record. This teaches team work, & helping others since the mess in each child's room is handled by everyone.
3. The Vacuum Dance:
Have children take turns vacuuming different shapes on the floor. For while they dance behind the vacuum. Toddlars may enjoy a short ride on the fromt of the vacuum while mom vacuums in a few shapes.
4. Mop Hocky & Scrub Skating:
For mop hocky, simply soak a rag in mop solution, place it on the floor & have small children push it with the mop to every corner without it stopping in the middle. TO Scrub Skate, take 2 shop towels or rags, dip them in mop solution, have kids stand with 1 rag under each foot, then skate from 1 end to the other. (the children can take turns or simply take care of another floor)
5. The 15 Fling Boogie:
(I left this for last because its my adaptation of The flyLady's "27 Fling Boogie")
Have children scan the room & pick up 15 things 1 at a time, to put or throw away. Make it even more fun by turning it into a race, or relay.
These are just some ideas that work for us. What Ideas do you keep up your sleeve to make chore time more fun? Please share them with us in the comment section below. I hope you & your family enjoy these as much as we do.
Until Next time;
Take care, God bless, & Make it a great day!
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 6
Our Homeschool Schedule
Summer is winding down & we’re picking up the homeschool pase & getting back in our groove. This year, I’ve made a few adjustments to our schedule, method, & adopted a few dreams to work on through the year.
The 1st change I made was to bring in the “workbox” method. Except that I sort of tweeked it to fit my family’s needs. Here’s how.
While shopping for school supplies, I happened across a Crayola lapboard thingy, (I’m sorry, I don’t know the exact name for it) it’s a storage clipboard for lack of a better explanation. Anyhow, I bought 3 of them. I print off the worksheets for the week & any other materials from our A2 Curriculum CD, an instruction letter (with a touch of love of course), detailing the assignments & put it all in the storage portion with any colored pencils or tools they may need. (Note, the storage portion is thin, so it only fits a few utencils at a time.) This is worked on Agter our morning prayer & announcement circle; during the 3 sections of our morning lesson time; Math, writing, & reading.
After lunch we work on household chores (AKA “living Skills”), which is a time to teach tasks, etiquette, team work, etc. We try to make it as fun as possible by incorporating games like laundry basketball, mop hocky, vacuum dance, Room cleen relay, & who could forget the not-so-old fassion 15fling boogie. Now let’s give credit where credit is due; the 15fling boogie is my modification of The Flylady’s 27fling boogie.
I’ll post a subsequent entry on these games & their rules emmediatly after this one.
The 2nd change was to adapt my Iphone to keep us on track. I’ve used the alarm feature of the world clock app to set alarms for each section of our day with sounds that best correspond to the upcoming activity. This gives my cherubs & I an idea of what to expect instead of just jumping up every time we hear the beep/bell.
While we have time set for paper lessons, I try to structure the day so that we’re always learning something. Whether it's a dinner-table discussion about american history, or a round of brain-teaser questions in the car or taxy cab; I try to keep our brains from turning in to spiderwebs. lol
I love kinesthetic learning techniques since a little fun helps get learning done. But I think our favorite tool of all is the wonderful world of video. A huge thanks to Hubby who did some searching & (over time) purchased some of the best video teaching tools from our own childhood. Anyone remember schoolhouse Rock, or Bill Nye The Science Guy? Ok, how about The Magic School Bus? Those were some of my favorite shows as a kid, & still are.
Homeschooling is a trial & error, have it your way, family fed but most of all _1 _of _a kind experience.
I’ve taken bits from here & pieces from there to create a schedule and method that best fits my family. I’m happy with it. I think the cherubs will really benefit from it (provided we can keep little attitudes in check).
I’ve learned so much from reading ideas that other mom’s have posted on their blogs & I’d really like to thank them all, There are so many of them though, that I’ll have to post my thank you list another time
But, until next time; a huge thank you to all the moms who blog their homeschool, life, & other experiences so that people like me can learn & grow from them.
&
As always:
Take Care, God bles, & Make it a great day!
The 1st change I made was to bring in the “workbox” method. Except that I sort of tweeked it to fit my family’s needs. Here’s how.
While shopping for school supplies, I happened across a Crayola lapboard thingy, (I’m sorry, I don’t know the exact name for it) it’s a storage clipboard for lack of a better explanation. Anyhow, I bought 3 of them. I print off the worksheets for the week & any other materials from our A2 Curriculum CD, an instruction letter (with a touch of love of course), detailing the assignments & put it all in the storage portion with any colored pencils or tools they may need. (Note, the storage portion is thin, so it only fits a few utencils at a time.) This is worked on Agter our morning prayer & announcement circle; during the 3 sections of our morning lesson time; Math, writing, & reading.
After lunch we work on household chores (AKA “living Skills”), which is a time to teach tasks, etiquette, team work, etc. We try to make it as fun as possible by incorporating games like laundry basketball, mop hocky, vacuum dance, Room cleen relay, & who could forget the not-so-old fassion 15fling boogie. Now let’s give credit where credit is due; the 15fling boogie is my modification of The Flylady’s 27fling boogie.
I’ll post a subsequent entry on these games & their rules emmediatly after this one.
The 2nd change was to adapt my Iphone to keep us on track. I’ve used the alarm feature of the world clock app to set alarms for each section of our day with sounds that best correspond to the upcoming activity. This gives my cherubs & I an idea of what to expect instead of just jumping up every time we hear the beep/bell.
While we have time set for paper lessons, I try to structure the day so that we’re always learning something. Whether it's a dinner-table discussion about american history, or a round of brain-teaser questions in the car or taxy cab; I try to keep our brains from turning in to spiderwebs. lol
I love kinesthetic learning techniques since a little fun helps get learning done. But I think our favorite tool of all is the wonderful world of video. A huge thanks to Hubby who did some searching & (over time) purchased some of the best video teaching tools from our own childhood. Anyone remember schoolhouse Rock, or Bill Nye The Science Guy? Ok, how about The Magic School Bus? Those were some of my favorite shows as a kid, & still are.
Homeschooling is a trial & error, have it your way, family fed but most of all _1 _of _a kind experience.
I’ve taken bits from here & pieces from there to create a schedule and method that best fits my family. I’m happy with it. I think the cherubs will really benefit from it (provided we can keep little attitudes in check).
I’ve learned so much from reading ideas that other mom’s have posted on their blogs & I’d really like to thank them all, There are so many of them though, that I’ll have to post my thank you list another time
But, until next time; a huge thank you to all the moms who blog their homeschool, life, & other experiences so that people like me can learn & grow from them.
&
As always:
Take Care, God bles, & Make it a great day!
A Quick Update
Hello Friends,
Here we are at the beginning of September & this summer like much of the 2011 year has flown by.
This summer has had it’s ups & downs for the pineda family. We’ve seen the doctor almost every week, swam to our heart’s content, the boys experienced summr camp for the 1st time, hubby took some much needed time off work, I’ve been swamped in paperwork, & life is good. Lol
We’ve gotten back in touch wit some childhood friends, & ended some long time friendships. But, over all we have much to be thankful for.
The boys really enjoyed their trip to Camp Ronald McDonald For Goodtimes. It’s a camp for children & siblings affected by cancer. They spent a week there & had a wonderful time. I missed them so much it was hard to get through the week but that week was a super busy one which did help some. They’re both looking forward to winter camp now. Daughter didn’t get to go because the age requirement is 9 years & up, but I’m hoping to pull a small event together for her & her Missionette friends in the fall.
Thanks to my awesome Mom, we were able to spend a good portion of the mid-summer swimming; which was a lot of fun for us all. Daughter ditched the life jacket with a little encouragement & gained a bit of self confidence in the process. I’m proud of her.
But the best thing about this summer without a doubt is the growth, experiences, & love that we’ve all shared that helped us through all these ups & downs. I know we can make it through anything as long as we have each other. & that friends is a blessing you can’t buy anywhere. So, as I bring this update to a close, I wish you all the love, & blessings in the world.
As always, Take care, God bless, & Make it a Great day!
Here we are at the beginning of September & this summer like much of the 2011 year has flown by.
This summer has had it’s ups & downs for the pineda family. We’ve seen the doctor almost every week, swam to our heart’s content, the boys experienced summr camp for the 1st time, hubby took some much needed time off work, I’ve been swamped in paperwork, & life is good. Lol
We’ve gotten back in touch wit some childhood friends, & ended some long time friendships. But, over all we have much to be thankful for.
The boys really enjoyed their trip to Camp Ronald McDonald For Goodtimes. It’s a camp for children & siblings affected by cancer. They spent a week there & had a wonderful time. I missed them so much it was hard to get through the week but that week was a super busy one which did help some. They’re both looking forward to winter camp now. Daughter didn’t get to go because the age requirement is 9 years & up, but I’m hoping to pull a small event together for her & her Missionette friends in the fall.
Thanks to my awesome Mom, we were able to spend a good portion of the mid-summer swimming; which was a lot of fun for us all. Daughter ditched the life jacket with a little encouragement & gained a bit of self confidence in the process. I’m proud of her.
But the best thing about this summer without a doubt is the growth, experiences, & love that we’ve all shared that helped us through all these ups & downs. I know we can make it through anything as long as we have each other. & that friends is a blessing you can’t buy anywhere. So, as I bring this update to a close, I wish you all the love, & blessings in the world.
As always, Take care, God bless, & Make it a Great day!
Wednesday, July 27
special needs in public
Recently I was reading my facebook feed & happened upon a question that got the wheels in my head turning. A question to the tune of "what not to say to a parent of special needs child/ren.
Hmm...
The following is what I posted in response to this question, what comes next are my thoughts that came after that particular post was already sent.
There is so much to be said on this subject. I think that being a blind parent of 3 children 1 vision impaired, 2 has an auditory processing disorder, & my 3rd is typical; people are inclined to stare, whisper, or even yell their questions in to my & my husband's faces (he's also vision impaired). I've been blind since age 2 due to cancer tumors in my eyes which were passed from my dad to me & then to my son, & hubby was born with congenital cataracs. People can really be rude but I can tell you as a now grown child with special needs, I would much rather answer a genuine question about my disability than deal with someone screaming "HOW'w'W AAARe YOOOOUUUU" in my face. (when I say in my face, I mean literally 2 inches from my face) I think the other thing I would suggest to those who really want to help, ask how you can help before just pushing us out of the way. I say that because as friends, relatives, & even my own parents have done in the past; the thought process is "I can get it done faster" while it may take us more time to do something, it only makes our frustration that much greater. I once had a gentleman pick me up & cary me across the intersection. I'd much rather walk on my own thank you. :)
With things the way they are in society now, awareness has come a long way, but we're nowhere near where we should be. The comunity around us has no idea what our day to day life is & I personally feel that a day spent in sensory deprivation may just bring the light of awareness that much closer.
When I began the early childhood program at the Blind Children's Learning Center in Santa Ana California, my parents attended a lunch event. This event was held for the parents of blind children. Parents had to eat their lunch blind folded. Most parents were in tears by the hour's end because they were unable to complete the meal with out a spill or even at all.
In my own parents's words,"you never know until you walk a mile in a person's shoes. & every person in the world is different. What is easy for you may be hard for me & everyone is different."
I was blessed with parents who didn't hold me back saying I couldn't do something I was always given the opportunity to try. My parent's are responsible for the person I am today. I don't give up easily, I don't take no for an answer if it's something I feel I _can achieve, & although my financial status may not be as great as that of others (I am richer in blessings than I am in finances), by no means am I poor.
If I made a mess, it was my job to clean it up. If I needed help, they were there to help me, not to do it for me.
I asked my own parents what they thought the worst thing a person could say was & to be honest I have to whole heartedly agree,
Poor baby, s/he'll never ... I'm sorry"
There is no way to really show a person what it is like to be autistic, or to have any number of developmental disabilities; but if we start with the physical ones we may just break the ice & teach the "normal" *what is _normal anyway?* people what our everyday lives are like.
Most people that stop & stare have a question that is genuine, but once a person knows the answer, they no longer wonder & thus they no longer feel the need to stare. I believe that _everyone has a special need of some sort. Maybe you have a weak knee, maybe a lazy eye, maybe even an alergy? All of these are special needs, something you have to make an adaptation for; is a special need. Some needs are bigger than others & believe me it truly is a small world after all.
I'll be happy to answer any questions you may have; you can post them in the comments below & I'll try my best to answer your questions to the best of my ability.
I really do hope to hear from you,,It wasn't until I spoke to an adult friend who has an auditory processing disorder that I was able to understand more of how to help my son make the adaptations he needed.
As always; God bless, & Make it a great day!
:(
Hmm...
The following is what I posted in response to this question, what comes next are my thoughts that came after that particular post was already sent.
There is so much to be said on this subject. I think that being a blind parent of 3 children 1 vision impaired, 2 has an auditory processing disorder, & my 3rd is typical; people are inclined to stare, whisper, or even yell their questions in to my & my husband's faces (he's also vision impaired). I've been blind since age 2 due to cancer tumors in my eyes which were passed from my dad to me & then to my son, & hubby was born with congenital cataracs. People can really be rude but I can tell you as a now grown child with special needs, I would much rather answer a genuine question about my disability than deal with someone screaming "HOW'w'W AAARe YOOOOUUUU" in my face. (when I say in my face, I mean literally 2 inches from my face) I think the other thing I would suggest to those who really want to help, ask how you can help before just pushing us out of the way. I say that because as friends, relatives, & even my own parents have done in the past; the thought process is "I can get it done faster" while it may take us more time to do something, it only makes our frustration that much greater. I once had a gentleman pick me up & cary me across the intersection. I'd much rather walk on my own thank you. :)
With things the way they are in society now, awareness has come a long way, but we're nowhere near where we should be. The comunity around us has no idea what our day to day life is & I personally feel that a day spent in sensory deprivation may just bring the light of awareness that much closer.
When I began the early childhood program at the Blind Children's Learning Center in Santa Ana California, my parents attended a lunch event. This event was held for the parents of blind children. Parents had to eat their lunch blind folded. Most parents were in tears by the hour's end because they were unable to complete the meal with out a spill or even at all.
In my own parents's words,"you never know until you walk a mile in a person's shoes. & every person in the world is different. What is easy for you may be hard for me & everyone is different."
I was blessed with parents who didn't hold me back saying I couldn't do something I was always given the opportunity to try. My parent's are responsible for the person I am today. I don't give up easily, I don't take no for an answer if it's something I feel I _can achieve, & although my financial status may not be as great as that of others (I am richer in blessings than I am in finances), by no means am I poor.
If I made a mess, it was my job to clean it up. If I needed help, they were there to help me, not to do it for me.
I asked my own parents what they thought the worst thing a person could say was & to be honest I have to whole heartedly agree,
Poor baby, s/he'll never ... I'm sorry"
There is no way to really show a person what it is like to be autistic, or to have any number of developmental disabilities; but if we start with the physical ones we may just break the ice & teach the "normal" *what is _normal anyway?* people what our everyday lives are like.
Most people that stop & stare have a question that is genuine, but once a person knows the answer, they no longer wonder & thus they no longer feel the need to stare. I believe that _everyone has a special need of some sort. Maybe you have a weak knee, maybe a lazy eye, maybe even an alergy? All of these are special needs, something you have to make an adaptation for; is a special need. Some needs are bigger than others & believe me it truly is a small world after all.
I'll be happy to answer any questions you may have; you can post them in the comments below & I'll try my best to answer your questions to the best of my ability.
I really do hope to hear from you,,It wasn't until I spoke to an adult friend who has an auditory processing disorder that I was able to understand more of how to help my son make the adaptations he needed.
As always; God bless, & Make it a great day!
:(
Monday, June 13
Time Flys When You're Having Fun
Hello again friends! It is now the middle of June and half of this year has just flown by like a rocket.
This past few months have been a bit hecktic with health issues, and unexpected chalenges. Getting settled in to our new place has proven to be a bit more time consuming than I had expected, and of course homeschooling always keeps us on our toes. But life would be borring if it never threw a curve ball in our direction at least once in a while; right?
So here I am once again and this time I have compiled a short version of a list of sights and resources that I hope will be of some help to you. Some of these I've known about for a while, still others are new additions to our ever growing list of resources. I will be creating a page of recommended resources but until then, here's a few to check out in the meantime.
Below are some websites that cary all sorts of gadgetry that will help you as a parent &/or as a homemaker, won't break the bank, and who knows, you may just find something you'd like just for the fun of it.
future Aids: http://www.futureaids.com/
(Formerly known as The Braille SuperStore, it's a great resource for adaptive toys, games, educational materials, & transcription services.(
American Printing House For The Blind: www.APH.org
(A great resource for braille, large print, and recorded materials, as well as some neat embossing and braille teaching equipment.)
Maxi Aids: www.maxiaids.com
(This site caters to all sorts of disabilities including blind & low vision.)
Independent Living Aids: http://www.independentliving.com/
(This is another site catering to all sorts of disabilities. Sometimes they may have a lower price or a product in stock that may not be available at Maxiaids.)
Seedlings Braille Books For Children: http://www.seedlings.or/
Seedlings offers brailled board books for early childhood development these are nice for children just beginning to read braille or for parents who are blind & wish to read to their sighted children. Don't forget to look for books for older kids too.)
Lakeshore Learning: http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/
(a site dedicated to early childhood learning lots of neat toys, games, books & Teaching resources.)
Blind Mice Mart: http://www.blindmicemart.com/
(this site caries a large selection of discriptive audio movies, & some adaptive equipment including but not limmited to labeling machines and cook books.)
WGBH: http://main.wgbh.org/
(This is the company that describes television shows such as Sesame Street and The Simpsons, theater motion pictures, and also offer a wide selection of home videos with description, ranging from clasic disney movies, to scifi and documentaries, and anything in between.)
Extreme Geek: http://www.x-tremegeek.com/
(this isn't spacificly a "blind" site, but they cary a few kitchen & household products that may help you & some silly things you just might have fun with.)
IDTags: http://www.idtags.com/
(just thought I'd throw this out there, a site offering medical & child ID neckleases & bracelets maybe a good thing to have on yourself &or the baby just in case.)
Note: Future, maxi, & independent living aids; cary canes, labeling equipment, writing equipment, & so much more so don't forget to check for those things, their prices are much lower than the Braille instatute student stor.
I hope this helps. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to leave them in the comment section below, I'll do my best to find the answers for you.
Take care & as always, God bless, & Make it a great day!
This past few months have been a bit hecktic with health issues, and unexpected chalenges. Getting settled in to our new place has proven to be a bit more time consuming than I had expected, and of course homeschooling always keeps us on our toes. But life would be borring if it never threw a curve ball in our direction at least once in a while; right?
So here I am once again and this time I have compiled a short version of a list of sights and resources that I hope will be of some help to you. Some of these I've known about for a while, still others are new additions to our ever growing list of resources. I will be creating a page of recommended resources but until then, here's a few to check out in the meantime.
Below are some websites that cary all sorts of gadgetry that will help you as a parent &/or as a homemaker, won't break the bank, and who knows, you may just find something you'd like just for the fun of it.
future Aids: http://www.futureaids.com/
(Formerly known as The Braille SuperStore, it's a great resource for adaptive toys, games, educational materials, & transcription services.(
American Printing House For The Blind: www.APH.org
(A great resource for braille, large print, and recorded materials, as well as some neat embossing and braille teaching equipment.)
Maxi Aids: www.maxiaids.com
(This site caters to all sorts of disabilities including blind & low vision.)
Independent Living Aids: http://www.independentliving.com/
(This is another site catering to all sorts of disabilities. Sometimes they may have a lower price or a product in stock that may not be available at Maxiaids.)
Seedlings Braille Books For Children: http://www.seedlings.or/
Seedlings offers brailled board books for early childhood development these are nice for children just beginning to read braille or for parents who are blind & wish to read to their sighted children. Don't forget to look for books for older kids too.)
Lakeshore Learning: http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/
(a site dedicated to early childhood learning lots of neat toys, games, books & Teaching resources.)
Blind Mice Mart: http://www.blindmicemart.com/
(this site caries a large selection of discriptive audio movies, & some adaptive equipment including but not limmited to labeling machines and cook books.)
WGBH: http://main.wgbh.org/
(This is the company that describes television shows such as Sesame Street and The Simpsons, theater motion pictures, and also offer a wide selection of home videos with description, ranging from clasic disney movies, to scifi and documentaries, and anything in between.)
Extreme Geek: http://www.x-tremegeek.com/
(this isn't spacificly a "blind" site, but they cary a few kitchen & household products that may help you & some silly things you just might have fun with.)
IDTags: http://www.idtags.com/
(just thought I'd throw this out there, a site offering medical & child ID neckleases & bracelets maybe a good thing to have on yourself &or the baby just in case.)
Note: Future, maxi, & independent living aids; cary canes, labeling equipment, writing equipment, & so much more so don't forget to check for those things, their prices are much lower than the Braille instatute student stor.
I hope this helps. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to leave them in the comment section below, I'll do my best to find the answers for you.
Take care & as always, God bless, & Make it a great day!
Sunday, April 10
Common Cents - Some Tips for saving them
This recession has been on for a very long time. Now the government is having a "shut down" (leaving active military with only half a paycheck to work with until they get it together & pass a budget), some rely on supplemental security income, others are single income families, and Lord knows there are a million and one different reasons why families have to function on less than the ideal budget. Whatever your reason may be; I've been looking for and putting to use these tips & tricks I'll be sharing with you today.
These are suggestions, you may choose to use some or all of them, but I hope that if you do use them you'll consider that many of these suggestions take a little more hands on work, and while they don't take much time to make or put to use, they will save a very pretty penny. The following prices are based on California prices as of April 2011, The cost of a box of baking soda is anywhere between 1 and 3 dollars, a box of borax runs about the same, and a gallon bottle of vinegar is about $5 or so. These are the basics for most of the recipes here & a bar of soap is only a few cents to a dollar.
1. Making your own:
Soaps/cleanser: If you take a bar of soap, and grate it in to a bowl, then add enough distilled water (you can find gallon containers of distilled water for about a dollar in any grocery/drug store) to make it a thick liquid, pour it into a washed flip top bottle. You've made your own body wash. (Note: boys can use this for hair as well saving on actual shampoo).
Toothpaste:
By mixing a teaspoon of baking soda, a pinch of salt, and some peppermint or your preferred flavor extract, then just enough water to make a paste; you can make very effective toothpaste. Put it in a small jar with a lid and mix it with a clean toothpick or the like before each use, put the same amount on your tooth brush as usual and brush away.
Laundry soap:
Grate a bar of Zote, Fels Naptha, or ivory soap into a bowl, add a cup of baking soda, and a cup of borax to it, pour it into a zip lock bag and shake or move around to mix well. Add 1 tablespoon to each load. It lasts a good while and cleans clothes just as well if not better than the stuff you pay $17.00 for at the store every month.
Carpet freshener:
In a jar with a lid, mix 1 cup of baking soda, and a tablespoon of your favorite spice such as cinnamon or ginger; shake the jar to mix well. Sprinkle this on your carpet then vacuum it up. It keeps your carpet fresh, eliminates any odors, and makes your home smell good as well.
2. Barter:
Offer a service such as babysitting, meal preparation, or something you are good at, in exchange for a product you need or a service you might not be so handy with. In this way both parties benefit because you'll have saved each other an expense that could very well mean saving either one of you from overdraw or other unfortunate hardship.
3. Change some cleaning methods:
Washing dishes
Fill 1 side of the sink with hot water, add a cup of white vinegar (don't worry the smell will not be there for long), sprinkle some baking soda on your dish sponge and use it to scrub your dishes, once all debris is un stuck place the dish in the vinegar water and when that side is full of clean dishes, you can remove them and rinse them before setting in the strainer or drying them and putting them away. Baking soda cuts grease better than anything I've ever seen & using this method I've cleaned pans I had long sense lost hope for. The vinegar is nontoxic so if water usage is an issue there is no need to rinse the dishes after dipping them in the water.
All-purpose Cleaner:
Fill a spray bottle with the juice from half a lemon, half a cup of vinegar, a teaspoon of baking soda and top it off with water; to clean everything from surfaces to vegetables. Baking soda is safe to use on glass surfaces because it's a fine powder just strong enough to remove grime, but gentle enough not to scratch.
Mopping:
After sweeping the bare floor, sprinkle baking soda on the area to be mopped, in a bucket of hot water add a cup of vinegar. Mop floor as usual cleaning up the baking soda as you go. It is interesting to have someone see the bucket when you're done, because the surprise in his or her voice is genuine.
4. Menu plan:
It's always a good idea to have some sort of reserve just in case. Some foods I like to keep in my pantry are basic staple items that can be thrown together in a pinch. Create a menu plan based on lower costing foods such as rice, beans, pasta with canned or jarred sauces, and canned goods. I like to keep these foods in my pantry for emergencies. Think about what foods you and your family enjoy and see if you can figure out a way to make those meals using lower priced ingredients.
Home cooking:
If you buy a burger you eat 1 time, if you make burgers at home, you're more likely to have left-overs and feed the family at least 1 more time before your food is gone and for the same amount of money. The same rules apply for most any other food you can think of. Save restaurant outings for big celebrations such as birthdays or holidays.
Starbucks:
Well ladies and Gents, I'm going there. No, Starbucks. I realize that coffee shops and juice smoothies are simply awesome, if they don't feed the fam it's time to give em up for a bit. Buy coffee you can make at home then try adding your own spices such as cinnamon, vanilla, or nutmeg to your cup. It's just as easy to come up with flavors of your own, and who knows; you may even find that you like your creations better than the ones that cost 4 dollars a cup. Try brewing tea as well, grocery stores carry a wide variety of teas and there is bound to be 1 that you enjoy.
5. Shop with care:
Make a list and stick to it:
When shopping for groceries, make a list before hand of all the things you will need for your meals. Take that list with you and stick to it. It's tempting to grab that extra candy bar; bag of chips, or even soda on the way out, but it is not really a necessity so leave it for another time.
Coupons:
While I'd love to say go through your Sunday paper and clip out the coupons, I know that I couldn't do that if I wanted to because I can't see them. So, get online, google whatever company or product and then add the word coupon in the search field. You should be able to either print out coupons for these things or find online coupon codes you can use during checkout. Don't hesitate to ask friends or family to help you look for coupons and you can keep them in a set of envelopes labeled by category. Also, while a great bargain can be helpful, sometimes we buy things we don't really need because we can get them at a cheaper price. Instead, look for a bargain on a specific item you need & leave the rest for later.
6. Write out a budget:
Creating a budget allows you to see how much you have and then decide how much you can afford to spend on each bill. If you can set a certain amount each month, or each pay period you can save yourself time, stress and of course money. Take each bill you have and divide your earnings evenly amongst them. Be sure to add the category of groceries, savings, and household expenses. That way you can tell how much to spend on payday.
7. Reduce:
You can also reduce your expenses by calling the utility, gas, phone, cable companies etc, and asking about downgrading minutes, package plans, or baseline programs offered by the utility and gas company. Some of these programs may require a doctor's report, but it's worth the trouble to reduce the monthly cost. A LAN line phone company may also offer a reduced rate program. Ask if your state has a telephone Accessibility Program. These are programs that offer free accessible adaptive phone equipment to people with disabilities.
There are so many ways a person can save from the simple common sense changes like turning off lights and appliances every time you leave a room to extreme changes such as making your own baby wipes (some people make wipes from flannel instead of buying toilet paper or cotton fabric napkins for dining and clean up) and using cloth diapers either for a baby or for feminine needs. If you can sew this may be an option you may wish to consider. But no matter what changes you make, always remember that money isn't everything and money is not what makes us who we are, it's our family and the time you spend together. Getting the kids involved with making soap, baking your own snacks, or just a good board game instead of cable TV can create some awesome memories. An added benefit, these are skills that our children can use in case they run in to hard times when they grow up, and they can pass them on to the next generation.
I hope you take these suggestions and recipes with you and that they help you save as much as they've helped me. I'm not rich, I'm not anywhere near it, but I still have enough to keep my family safe, healthy, and happy. I wish the same and more for you.
Do you have any tips to share? If you do, I'd really love to hear them. Please feel free to leave them in the comment section below.
Until next time, God bless you all and as always; make it a great day!
These are suggestions, you may choose to use some or all of them, but I hope that if you do use them you'll consider that many of these suggestions take a little more hands on work, and while they don't take much time to make or put to use, they will save a very pretty penny. The following prices are based on California prices as of April 2011, The cost of a box of baking soda is anywhere between 1 and 3 dollars, a box of borax runs about the same, and a gallon bottle of vinegar is about $5 or so. These are the basics for most of the recipes here & a bar of soap is only a few cents to a dollar.
1. Making your own:
Soaps/cleanser: If you take a bar of soap, and grate it in to a bowl, then add enough distilled water (you can find gallon containers of distilled water for about a dollar in any grocery/drug store) to make it a thick liquid, pour it into a washed flip top bottle. You've made your own body wash. (Note: boys can use this for hair as well saving on actual shampoo).
Toothpaste:
By mixing a teaspoon of baking soda, a pinch of salt, and some peppermint or your preferred flavor extract, then just enough water to make a paste; you can make very effective toothpaste. Put it in a small jar with a lid and mix it with a clean toothpick or the like before each use, put the same amount on your tooth brush as usual and brush away.
Laundry soap:
Grate a bar of Zote, Fels Naptha, or ivory soap into a bowl, add a cup of baking soda, and a cup of borax to it, pour it into a zip lock bag and shake or move around to mix well. Add 1 tablespoon to each load. It lasts a good while and cleans clothes just as well if not better than the stuff you pay $17.00 for at the store every month.
Carpet freshener:
In a jar with a lid, mix 1 cup of baking soda, and a tablespoon of your favorite spice such as cinnamon or ginger; shake the jar to mix well. Sprinkle this on your carpet then vacuum it up. It keeps your carpet fresh, eliminates any odors, and makes your home smell good as well.
2. Barter:
Offer a service such as babysitting, meal preparation, or something you are good at, in exchange for a product you need or a service you might not be so handy with. In this way both parties benefit because you'll have saved each other an expense that could very well mean saving either one of you from overdraw or other unfortunate hardship.
3. Change some cleaning methods:
Washing dishes
Fill 1 side of the sink with hot water, add a cup of white vinegar (don't worry the smell will not be there for long), sprinkle some baking soda on your dish sponge and use it to scrub your dishes, once all debris is un stuck place the dish in the vinegar water and when that side is full of clean dishes, you can remove them and rinse them before setting in the strainer or drying them and putting them away. Baking soda cuts grease better than anything I've ever seen & using this method I've cleaned pans I had long sense lost hope for. The vinegar is nontoxic so if water usage is an issue there is no need to rinse the dishes after dipping them in the water.
All-purpose Cleaner:
Fill a spray bottle with the juice from half a lemon, half a cup of vinegar, a teaspoon of baking soda and top it off with water; to clean everything from surfaces to vegetables. Baking soda is safe to use on glass surfaces because it's a fine powder just strong enough to remove grime, but gentle enough not to scratch.
Mopping:
After sweeping the bare floor, sprinkle baking soda on the area to be mopped, in a bucket of hot water add a cup of vinegar. Mop floor as usual cleaning up the baking soda as you go. It is interesting to have someone see the bucket when you're done, because the surprise in his or her voice is genuine.
4. Menu plan:
It's always a good idea to have some sort of reserve just in case. Some foods I like to keep in my pantry are basic staple items that can be thrown together in a pinch. Create a menu plan based on lower costing foods such as rice, beans, pasta with canned or jarred sauces, and canned goods. I like to keep these foods in my pantry for emergencies. Think about what foods you and your family enjoy and see if you can figure out a way to make those meals using lower priced ingredients.
Home cooking:
If you buy a burger you eat 1 time, if you make burgers at home, you're more likely to have left-overs and feed the family at least 1 more time before your food is gone and for the same amount of money. The same rules apply for most any other food you can think of. Save restaurant outings for big celebrations such as birthdays or holidays.
Starbucks:
Well ladies and Gents, I'm going there. No, Starbucks. I realize that coffee shops and juice smoothies are simply awesome, if they don't feed the fam it's time to give em up for a bit. Buy coffee you can make at home then try adding your own spices such as cinnamon, vanilla, or nutmeg to your cup. It's just as easy to come up with flavors of your own, and who knows; you may even find that you like your creations better than the ones that cost 4 dollars a cup. Try brewing tea as well, grocery stores carry a wide variety of teas and there is bound to be 1 that you enjoy.
5. Shop with care:
Make a list and stick to it:
When shopping for groceries, make a list before hand of all the things you will need for your meals. Take that list with you and stick to it. It's tempting to grab that extra candy bar; bag of chips, or even soda on the way out, but it is not really a necessity so leave it for another time.
Coupons:
While I'd love to say go through your Sunday paper and clip out the coupons, I know that I couldn't do that if I wanted to because I can't see them. So, get online, google whatever company or product and then add the word coupon in the search field. You should be able to either print out coupons for these things or find online coupon codes you can use during checkout. Don't hesitate to ask friends or family to help you look for coupons and you can keep them in a set of envelopes labeled by category. Also, while a great bargain can be helpful, sometimes we buy things we don't really need because we can get them at a cheaper price. Instead, look for a bargain on a specific item you need & leave the rest for later.
6. Write out a budget:
Creating a budget allows you to see how much you have and then decide how much you can afford to spend on each bill. If you can set a certain amount each month, or each pay period you can save yourself time, stress and of course money. Take each bill you have and divide your earnings evenly amongst them. Be sure to add the category of groceries, savings, and household expenses. That way you can tell how much to spend on payday.
7. Reduce:
You can also reduce your expenses by calling the utility, gas, phone, cable companies etc, and asking about downgrading minutes, package plans, or baseline programs offered by the utility and gas company. Some of these programs may require a doctor's report, but it's worth the trouble to reduce the monthly cost. A LAN line phone company may also offer a reduced rate program. Ask if your state has a telephone Accessibility Program. These are programs that offer free accessible adaptive phone equipment to people with disabilities.
There are so many ways a person can save from the simple common sense changes like turning off lights and appliances every time you leave a room to extreme changes such as making your own baby wipes (some people make wipes from flannel instead of buying toilet paper or cotton fabric napkins for dining and clean up) and using cloth diapers either for a baby or for feminine needs. If you can sew this may be an option you may wish to consider. But no matter what changes you make, always remember that money isn't everything and money is not what makes us who we are, it's our family and the time you spend together. Getting the kids involved with making soap, baking your own snacks, or just a good board game instead of cable TV can create some awesome memories. An added benefit, these are skills that our children can use in case they run in to hard times when they grow up, and they can pass them on to the next generation.
I hope you take these suggestions and recipes with you and that they help you save as much as they've helped me. I'm not rich, I'm not anywhere near it, but I still have enough to keep my family safe, healthy, and happy. I wish the same and more for you.
Do you have any tips to share? If you do, I'd really love to hear them. Please feel free to leave them in the comment section below.
Until next time, God bless you all and as always; make it a great day!
Tuesday, March 29
Human Again
Q: what’s worse on your sleep cycle, daylight savings or sick children?
A: A combination of both.
This particular week started with my youngest cherub screaming from the bathroom, “mommy I barffed.”
“Ok, I’ll have to call you back bye.”
I went to the bathroom took care of her & stayed up all that night (which just happened to be the night we sprang forward. IE: Losing an hour of sleep) &
My husband went to bed. He relieved me at 7 AM & I took a nap. Tuesday Hubby informs me that he’s sick, Friday was my smallest boy’s turn, & Saturday took me down. ON Monday my eldest son felt chills but nothing more. FEW! I was so caught up in taking care of everyone & myself; over the past week that I let mostly everything about me go. I am embarrassed to say it had been about 3 days since my last shower. (Can we say eeeew!)?
But the truth is I’m not the only mom out there that this happens too. It’s so easy to forget about yourself when you are trying to take care of everyone else. Whether it’s a new baby, a cherub with medical issues, or a tummy bug. At some point, we all need to feel human again.
Sometimes, it’s just a shower, clean teeth, & a fresh outfit that make all the difference in the world. Other times, it’s getting out for a moment to just blow off steam. Yes, we all need to “blow off steam” at some point or another. I remember when I had moved out of my parent’s home for the 1st time some of my friends asked me,
“What if you need to go for a drive, what are you going to do?”
Ok, let us be realistic here. If I had a license to drive, (even _if I was calm) you wouldn’t want to be on the road anywhere near me. (Note to newcomers: I’m totally blind.) Obviously I needed to figure something else out. & Eventually I did hit that point, I walked out, slammed the door, & stood there. Not having the slightest clue or idea of what in the world I was going to do next. So I sat down, cooled off, & when I was ready I walked back in the house. But it was that time alone. Sure, it would have been nice to see some trees passing by or to go somewhere else like the park or the mall, but aside from the fact that it’s not really safe to drive in that state of mind; I had neither the transportation nor the funds for such a trip. SO, I made due with what I had.
When we can regain our composure, boost our spirits, & maybe even feel special for just a moment, it makes tough days just that much easier to deal with. .
Here are just a few ways to boost those spirits without depending on anyone else or flattening our wallets.
1. A nice shower, with your favorite scented washes, & shampoo. Even if you turn off the water during your shampoo session, massaging your scalp will help you relax & release much of that stress.
2. Put on some music. Even quiet upbeat music can get some rhythm back in your step & relaxation or classical music can help slow things down when it’s time to take a break.
3. Buy a small treat just for you. Sometimes we forget how nice it is not to have to break a candy bar into 4 pieces & equal pieces at that. While it’s nice to share, sometimes I just don’t wanna. ☺
4. Make something just for you. We spend time making things for our children, spouse, & others; when was the last time you worked so hard to make something for you? It sometimes goes that we give everyone else a turn & when it comes to us we skip because some one else needs or wants something else. So even if it’s just a simple favorite meal, or a project you’d like; take that turn for you.
In doing these things, not only do we help ourselves feel human again, but we teach our children that we as moms & dads, Grands, or guardians are people too. We teach them that taking time for ourselves is important & when they have cherubs of their own, they will be able to make those same concepts apply in their lives.
So while we may not always be 1st in line, we need to make sure that we take our turn. I’ve shared a few of my favorite spirit boosters, but I’d like to hear what works for you. What do you do to feel human again?
God bless & as always, make it a great day!
A: A combination of both.
This particular week started with my youngest cherub screaming from the bathroom, “mommy I barffed.”
“Ok, I’ll have to call you back bye.”
I went to the bathroom took care of her & stayed up all that night (which just happened to be the night we sprang forward. IE: Losing an hour of sleep) &
My husband went to bed. He relieved me at 7 AM & I took a nap. Tuesday Hubby informs me that he’s sick, Friday was my smallest boy’s turn, & Saturday took me down. ON Monday my eldest son felt chills but nothing more. FEW! I was so caught up in taking care of everyone & myself; over the past week that I let mostly everything about me go. I am embarrassed to say it had been about 3 days since my last shower. (Can we say eeeew!)?
But the truth is I’m not the only mom out there that this happens too. It’s so easy to forget about yourself when you are trying to take care of everyone else. Whether it’s a new baby, a cherub with medical issues, or a tummy bug. At some point, we all need to feel human again.
Sometimes, it’s just a shower, clean teeth, & a fresh outfit that make all the difference in the world. Other times, it’s getting out for a moment to just blow off steam. Yes, we all need to “blow off steam” at some point or another. I remember when I had moved out of my parent’s home for the 1st time some of my friends asked me,
“What if you need to go for a drive, what are you going to do?”
Ok, let us be realistic here. If I had a license to drive, (even _if I was calm) you wouldn’t want to be on the road anywhere near me. (Note to newcomers: I’m totally blind.) Obviously I needed to figure something else out. & Eventually I did hit that point, I walked out, slammed the door, & stood there. Not having the slightest clue or idea of what in the world I was going to do next. So I sat down, cooled off, & when I was ready I walked back in the house. But it was that time alone. Sure, it would have been nice to see some trees passing by or to go somewhere else like the park or the mall, but aside from the fact that it’s not really safe to drive in that state of mind; I had neither the transportation nor the funds for such a trip. SO, I made due with what I had.
When we can regain our composure, boost our spirits, & maybe even feel special for just a moment, it makes tough days just that much easier to deal with. .
Here are just a few ways to boost those spirits without depending on anyone else or flattening our wallets.
1. A nice shower, with your favorite scented washes, & shampoo. Even if you turn off the water during your shampoo session, massaging your scalp will help you relax & release much of that stress.
2. Put on some music. Even quiet upbeat music can get some rhythm back in your step & relaxation or classical music can help slow things down when it’s time to take a break.
3. Buy a small treat just for you. Sometimes we forget how nice it is not to have to break a candy bar into 4 pieces & equal pieces at that. While it’s nice to share, sometimes I just don’t wanna. ☺
4. Make something just for you. We spend time making things for our children, spouse, & others; when was the last time you worked so hard to make something for you? It sometimes goes that we give everyone else a turn & when it comes to us we skip because some one else needs or wants something else. So even if it’s just a simple favorite meal, or a project you’d like; take that turn for you.
In doing these things, not only do we help ourselves feel human again, but we teach our children that we as moms & dads, Grands, or guardians are people too. We teach them that taking time for ourselves is important & when they have cherubs of their own, they will be able to make those same concepts apply in their lives.
So while we may not always be 1st in line, we need to make sure that we take our turn. I’ve shared a few of my favorite spirit boosters, but I’d like to hear what works for you. What do you do to feel human again?
God bless & as always, make it a great day!
Monday, February 28
My Miracle Cherub
I sat on the edge of my hospital bed holding my new baby in my arms. After 5 days of labor, & 2-1/2 hours of pushing, vacuum extraction, green fluid, & a traumatic birth; He was finally here. I remember thinking about how small he was in comparison to me as an adult. He was no small baby, he was 9 pounds 6 ounces, & he was 22 & 3-quarter inches long. He was my Nathan Angel (God has given Angel) I spent the next 2 weeks nursing, changing, & simply loving him.
The day of his appointment at Children’s hospital had arrived. I was nervous, because I knew these appointments all too well, they meant being held down while a doctor pried your eyes open, shined a light in them, & that was if you were lucky enough not to need dilation. My new baby, my sweet son would have to endure what I had felt many times before. Can’t I just take his place this time? No, he had to be checked for bilateral retinal blastoma (cancer tumors of the retina (. These are the same tumors that took 2 of my grandmother’s babies, my dad’s right eye, & both of mine.
So there we waited, in came the doctor, & I held my baby & my breath. Just as I had anticipated, he was strapped down, his eyes were checked, & he cried. So did I. But not as much as I would a moment later when the doctor who had treated me 15 years before proceeded to inform me that my son did in fact have the very same tumors.
I was crushed. I felt like someone had just kicked me in the stomach. He was so small, so innocent, and so sweet; & I was so sad. Would I lose my baby? No! We’re going to fight this. I held him, I cried, & tried so hard & so unsuccessfully to figure out what in the world I was going to do. I had so many questions & felt like nobody could possibly answer them all.
He had examinations under anesthesia several times over the next 4 weeks during which he received cryogenic treatments & laser heat treatments that killed some tumors but not all. It was decided that Nathan would need chemotherapy. At 5 weeks his pick line (a longer term version of an IV) was placed in his leg just _after waking from his examination that week. I took him home & tried to prepare myself, my baby & my family for what was to come. But I had no clue what to expect so really all I did was sit at home care for my baby & wait for the next step.
It was 2days later that we returned to the emergency room because Nathan being the now 5-week-old baby that he was kicked his pick line out of his leg. But we didn’t go home with a band-aid as I had hoped. Nathan had a blood infection & we were sent to the 4th floor & put in isolation for the next few days. Once his infection was gone, his doctor recommended a broviac line (a line placed just over the heart for the distribution of medication) be put in so he could begin chemo. Surgery was done after 14 hours of waiting for a space in the operating room. & The following Thursday he began his regimen. Nathan was now 6 weeks old & already so much had happened.
Every week we were at the hospital for 1 reason after another; infections, transfusions, examinations, infusions, & of course chemo treatments. Nathan was 3 treatments in to his therapy when he had a severe allergic reaction to 1 of the 3-chemo drugs he was taking. His heart rate was sky high, his body was almost twice its size, & he was a bright tomato red in color. I only know that his color changed because several nurses told me. I was so scared & so bewildered. Eventually that drug was stopped & he stayed on 2 of the 3 drugs for the remainder of his treatment. 6 months, of chemo, lasers, cryogenic treatments, & countless examinations under anesthesia Nathan was diagnosed with a retinal detachment. He had a clearal buckle (a band that squeezes the eye together so the retina can heal) put in his eye, 3 months later, that buckle snapped & was poking a hole in his eye socket. It was removed & at almost 3 years old he was finally in remission. In all, Nathan had had over 64 surgeries including his examinations, corrections, eye injections, & much more. We patched, we worked, & we did what we could for his vision but doctors could not tell how much vision he had. We would just have to wait for Nathan to grow up enough so he could tell us himself.
Nathan is now 9 ears old; He is growing up to be a wonderful young man. & I thank God everyday for that. We found out recently that the tumors took the center vision in his right eye, leaving him with nothing but perifferal & only about 6 inches of vision in that eye. & That his left eye has nothing but center vision, even though it’s his stronger eye. So he wears glasses both for correction & protection, but I am just glad he’s here. It’s been 6 years since his treatments. & This is the 1st time I am able to sit & write all of this out. It’s been too long, but until now I could not bring myself to revisit those years. It was so hard, but we prayed, & God saw us through. Nathan truly is a blessing as are all of my 3 cherubs, but I know that he is my miracle, God’s gift, & I love that lil boy.
If you take nothing else from my writing, please take my story with you & love love love your babies. I’m blessed to have mine, but there are so many others who don’t & I just pray that we don’t take our cherubs for granted. I know they try our patience, they test our strength, they simply make us crazy at times, but we even in those moments – especially in those moments, need to show them that we love those babies.
If you have a story you’d like to share with me please share. I’d be honored to have you guest post on my blog. I’m here sharing my stories with everyone in hopes that I can encourage someone.
God bless & as always, make it a great day!
The day of his appointment at Children’s hospital had arrived. I was nervous, because I knew these appointments all too well, they meant being held down while a doctor pried your eyes open, shined a light in them, & that was if you were lucky enough not to need dilation. My new baby, my sweet son would have to endure what I had felt many times before. Can’t I just take his place this time? No, he had to be checked for bilateral retinal blastoma (cancer tumors of the retina (. These are the same tumors that took 2 of my grandmother’s babies, my dad’s right eye, & both of mine.
So there we waited, in came the doctor, & I held my baby & my breath. Just as I had anticipated, he was strapped down, his eyes were checked, & he cried. So did I. But not as much as I would a moment later when the doctor who had treated me 15 years before proceeded to inform me that my son did in fact have the very same tumors.
I was crushed. I felt like someone had just kicked me in the stomach. He was so small, so innocent, and so sweet; & I was so sad. Would I lose my baby? No! We’re going to fight this. I held him, I cried, & tried so hard & so unsuccessfully to figure out what in the world I was going to do. I had so many questions & felt like nobody could possibly answer them all.
He had examinations under anesthesia several times over the next 4 weeks during which he received cryogenic treatments & laser heat treatments that killed some tumors but not all. It was decided that Nathan would need chemotherapy. At 5 weeks his pick line (a longer term version of an IV) was placed in his leg just _after waking from his examination that week. I took him home & tried to prepare myself, my baby & my family for what was to come. But I had no clue what to expect so really all I did was sit at home care for my baby & wait for the next step.
It was 2days later that we returned to the emergency room because Nathan being the now 5-week-old baby that he was kicked his pick line out of his leg. But we didn’t go home with a band-aid as I had hoped. Nathan had a blood infection & we were sent to the 4th floor & put in isolation for the next few days. Once his infection was gone, his doctor recommended a broviac line (a line placed just over the heart for the distribution of medication) be put in so he could begin chemo. Surgery was done after 14 hours of waiting for a space in the operating room. & The following Thursday he began his regimen. Nathan was now 6 weeks old & already so much had happened.
Every week we were at the hospital for 1 reason after another; infections, transfusions, examinations, infusions, & of course chemo treatments. Nathan was 3 treatments in to his therapy when he had a severe allergic reaction to 1 of the 3-chemo drugs he was taking. His heart rate was sky high, his body was almost twice its size, & he was a bright tomato red in color. I only know that his color changed because several nurses told me. I was so scared & so bewildered. Eventually that drug was stopped & he stayed on 2 of the 3 drugs for the remainder of his treatment. 6 months, of chemo, lasers, cryogenic treatments, & countless examinations under anesthesia Nathan was diagnosed with a retinal detachment. He had a clearal buckle (a band that squeezes the eye together so the retina can heal) put in his eye, 3 months later, that buckle snapped & was poking a hole in his eye socket. It was removed & at almost 3 years old he was finally in remission. In all, Nathan had had over 64 surgeries including his examinations, corrections, eye injections, & much more. We patched, we worked, & we did what we could for his vision but doctors could not tell how much vision he had. We would just have to wait for Nathan to grow up enough so he could tell us himself.
Nathan is now 9 ears old; He is growing up to be a wonderful young man. & I thank God everyday for that. We found out recently that the tumors took the center vision in his right eye, leaving him with nothing but perifferal & only about 6 inches of vision in that eye. & That his left eye has nothing but center vision, even though it’s his stronger eye. So he wears glasses both for correction & protection, but I am just glad he’s here. It’s been 6 years since his treatments. & This is the 1st time I am able to sit & write all of this out. It’s been too long, but until now I could not bring myself to revisit those years. It was so hard, but we prayed, & God saw us through. Nathan truly is a blessing as are all of my 3 cherubs, but I know that he is my miracle, God’s gift, & I love that lil boy.
If you take nothing else from my writing, please take my story with you & love love love your babies. I’m blessed to have mine, but there are so many others who don’t & I just pray that we don’t take our cherubs for granted. I know they try our patience, they test our strength, they simply make us crazy at times, but we even in those moments – especially in those moments, need to show them that we love those babies.
If you have a story you’d like to share with me please share. I’d be honored to have you guest post on my blog. I’m here sharing my stories with everyone in hopes that I can encourage someone.
God bless & as always, make it a great day!
Saturday, February 26
On The Move
The day I had waited for had finally arived! After 4 long years of hoping, praying, & frustration; it was our time to leave the 5bedroom house we'd shared with my inlaws. We paid the downpayment, 1st year's taxes, & staid in 2bedrooms & a bathroom. We fought, argued, & even shared a few laughs. But now it's over. I don't have to answer to anyone but God, my hubby, & my kiddos. I don't have to explain what I'm doing or why. I can have things the way I want them.
One of the many things that made living with my MIL next to impossible for me was the fact that I could not make her understand that I needed things to be set in 1 place & left there. I don't mind sharing but I want to find what I need when I need it. My frustration was almost unbarable at times, but God never gives us more than we can handle. He had many lessons for me & he put me in the house with someone who could teach me whether I liked it or not. I hope I was able to teach her something that would benefit her too.
I never realized that in my anticipation of our upcoming move. I had purchased many a dish, saved every box we ever got in the mail, & crammed my computer full of recipes, tips, & resources to use whenever that day came. Truth is, I'm glad I did.
We've been in our 2bedroom apartment for 1 week & a half now. & I'm sooo happy. I cook, clean, & do what I need to do much better than I did before. I had time to learn, grow, & adapt.
God knows why he does what he does. I may have lost all the money I had, but I gained priceless experience that has made me a better person, wife, daughter, mommy, & even though I didn't understand it then, I look back & see what God wanted of me. I've learned so much from all the bad experiences. I don't ever want to be in a situation like that again. But I can certainly be grateful for what I have now. I praid, ranted, raved, cried, then I put it in God's hands. I'm not going to say that I didn't take it back, cause I'd be lying through my teeth. I did that several times. But ultimately I gave it back to Him when I was done.
I am blessed to have my sweet yet simple apartment, with my sweet yet simple furnature, & my many baking dishes. lol But over all God has blessed the PinedaFamily5 with a place that meets our needs, & wants, but is perfectly sized for us. My God knows me, He knows my thoughts & Prayers, & He has blessed us in so many ways.
I think that sometimes we have to be broken down & rebuilt from the ground up. That is exactly what this experience was for me. I was broken & rebuilt, some old parts, some new parts, & a few gaps for filling in later. it wasn't easy, it wasn't pretty, & it wasn't my way; it was however God's hand that lead me to where I am & it will be God's hand that guides me to where I need to go. So as I've said before,
"experience is the best teacher, even if it means making mistakes."
& as long as I have God on my side, _ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.
Bad days are for learning, good days are for enjoying, & no day is a waste because they all come together to make us who we are.
That's my latest testemony, & I hope that it helps you in some way. If you are in a situation you aren't happy with, try as much as possible to take in all there is to learn from it, & always keep your faith. We may not be ready for what God has in store for us yet, but when He's ready, & only when He's ready We will see what that is.
I wish you happiness, joy, & strength in the Lord.
Make it a great day!
One of the many things that made living with my MIL next to impossible for me was the fact that I could not make her understand that I needed things to be set in 1 place & left there. I don't mind sharing but I want to find what I need when I need it. My frustration was almost unbarable at times, but God never gives us more than we can handle. He had many lessons for me & he put me in the house with someone who could teach me whether I liked it or not. I hope I was able to teach her something that would benefit her too.
I never realized that in my anticipation of our upcoming move. I had purchased many a dish, saved every box we ever got in the mail, & crammed my computer full of recipes, tips, & resources to use whenever that day came. Truth is, I'm glad I did.
We've been in our 2bedroom apartment for 1 week & a half now. & I'm sooo happy. I cook, clean, & do what I need to do much better than I did before. I had time to learn, grow, & adapt.
God knows why he does what he does. I may have lost all the money I had, but I gained priceless experience that has made me a better person, wife, daughter, mommy, & even though I didn't understand it then, I look back & see what God wanted of me. I've learned so much from all the bad experiences. I don't ever want to be in a situation like that again. But I can certainly be grateful for what I have now. I praid, ranted, raved, cried, then I put it in God's hands. I'm not going to say that I didn't take it back, cause I'd be lying through my teeth. I did that several times. But ultimately I gave it back to Him when I was done.
I am blessed to have my sweet yet simple apartment, with my sweet yet simple furnature, & my many baking dishes. lol But over all God has blessed the PinedaFamily5 with a place that meets our needs, & wants, but is perfectly sized for us. My God knows me, He knows my thoughts & Prayers, & He has blessed us in so many ways.
I think that sometimes we have to be broken down & rebuilt from the ground up. That is exactly what this experience was for me. I was broken & rebuilt, some old parts, some new parts, & a few gaps for filling in later. it wasn't easy, it wasn't pretty, & it wasn't my way; it was however God's hand that lead me to where I am & it will be God's hand that guides me to where I need to go. So as I've said before,
"experience is the best teacher, even if it means making mistakes."
& as long as I have God on my side, _ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.
Bad days are for learning, good days are for enjoying, & no day is a waste because they all come together to make us who we are.
That's my latest testemony, & I hope that it helps you in some way. If you are in a situation you aren't happy with, try as much as possible to take in all there is to learn from it, & always keep your faith. We may not be ready for what God has in store for us yet, but when He's ready, & only when He's ready We will see what that is.
I wish you happiness, joy, & strength in the Lord.
Make it a great day!
Thursday, January 27
Five Fun Family Friendly Foods
As much as I love to bake, cook, & creat in the kitchen; there are days when I just don't have time. Since it takes me a little longer to measure & chop, I like to have a few super simple "throw-together" recipes on hand.
Here is a list of my faves. They are easy to make, store well, & they're easy on the pocketbook.
1. Kids love spaghetti:
Keep some noodles & a can or 2 of sauce, boil & drain the noodles, pour the sauce over & stir over medium heat to warm, you can even sprinkle some parmesan or mozarella chese over it. & who says you need those long noodles, try some stars, macaroni, shells, or any other pasta you can find. Get creative.
2. Soup & sandwich:
A can of tomato or vegetable soup accompanied by a grilled chese or ham/turkey sandwich makes a perfict meal & it's easy too. Kids can even put their sandwich together if it's a cold one. Heat the soup in a pan & ta-da! This is so easy. For a fancier touch, use mini bagles to make the sandwiches.
Note: To reduce the saltyness of condensed soup, drain the liquid & add the can of water as usual.
3. PB&J:
As a child my favorite lunch was a PB&J (peanut butter & Jelly) sandwich & a glass of milk. Don't like Jelly? try honey or apple butter instead. Kids can spread these using a spoon or butterknife & you can even use cookie cutters to make shapes if crusts are a problem or even just to be "fancy".
4. English muffin Pizza:
These can be made ahead or have fun with the kids while they create their own. English muffins, sauce & chese are the base of this meal. You can add any toppings you want; from pepperoni & olives, to roasted tomato & mushrooms. The possibilities are indless. Bake them for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees & serve them warm.
Note: I love this for play dates because it pulls the group together & if I line the baking sheets with foil cleanup is a snap.
5. Chicken bites & fries:
I love how easy this is to make & the kids love to help . I cut boneless skinless chicken breast in to 1 inch cubes, roll them in egg, then put them in a bag of crushed potato chips (our favorite is BBQ), once they're coated, put them on a foil lined baking sheet & bake at 375 until golden brown about 20 minutes. The kids love to crush the chips, & shake the rolled top bag to coat the pieces.
To make the fries, cut 6 clean unpealed russet or sweet potatos length wise to create 1/4 inch wide sticks, coat them in a mixture of 1/4cup oil, 1tsp garlic-salt, & pepper. Arange in a layer on a lined baking sheet; Bake at 450 for 30 minutes until golden brown,
Note: While this can take more time to prepare, the fries can be cut & seasoned (omitting the oil) & frozen to have on hand for a later time. If using sweet potatoes use 1/2 tsp salt instead.
Serving these with some fresh fruit, carott or celery sticks, or some apple sauce adds a yummy extra bit of neutrition to these easy fun & healthy meals.
What easy recipes do you like to keep on hand? I'd love to hear your responses, please leave a comment below.
Here is a list of my faves. They are easy to make, store well, & they're easy on the pocketbook.
1. Kids love spaghetti:
Keep some noodles & a can or 2 of sauce, boil & drain the noodles, pour the sauce over & stir over medium heat to warm, you can even sprinkle some parmesan or mozarella chese over it. & who says you need those long noodles, try some stars, macaroni, shells, or any other pasta you can find. Get creative.
2. Soup & sandwich:
A can of tomato or vegetable soup accompanied by a grilled chese or ham/turkey sandwich makes a perfict meal & it's easy too. Kids can even put their sandwich together if it's a cold one. Heat the soup in a pan & ta-da! This is so easy. For a fancier touch, use mini bagles to make the sandwiches.
Note: To reduce the saltyness of condensed soup, drain the liquid & add the can of water as usual.
3. PB&J:
As a child my favorite lunch was a PB&J (peanut butter & Jelly) sandwich & a glass of milk. Don't like Jelly? try honey or apple butter instead. Kids can spread these using a spoon or butterknife & you can even use cookie cutters to make shapes if crusts are a problem or even just to be "fancy".
4. English muffin Pizza:
These can be made ahead or have fun with the kids while they create their own. English muffins, sauce & chese are the base of this meal. You can add any toppings you want; from pepperoni & olives, to roasted tomato & mushrooms. The possibilities are indless. Bake them for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees & serve them warm.
Note: I love this for play dates because it pulls the group together & if I line the baking sheets with foil cleanup is a snap.
5. Chicken bites & fries:
I love how easy this is to make & the kids love to help . I cut boneless skinless chicken breast in to 1 inch cubes, roll them in egg, then put them in a bag of crushed potato chips (our favorite is BBQ), once they're coated, put them on a foil lined baking sheet & bake at 375 until golden brown about 20 minutes. The kids love to crush the chips, & shake the rolled top bag to coat the pieces.
To make the fries, cut 6 clean unpealed russet or sweet potatos length wise to create 1/4 inch wide sticks, coat them in a mixture of 1/4cup oil, 1tsp garlic-salt, & pepper. Arange in a layer on a lined baking sheet; Bake at 450 for 30 minutes until golden brown,
Note: While this can take more time to prepare, the fries can be cut & seasoned (omitting the oil) & frozen to have on hand for a later time. If using sweet potatoes use 1/2 tsp salt instead.
Serving these with some fresh fruit, carott or celery sticks, or some apple sauce adds a yummy extra bit of neutrition to these easy fun & healthy meals.
What easy recipes do you like to keep on hand? I'd love to hear your responses, please leave a comment below.
Wednesday, January 26
Chores & Fun Go Hand-In-Hand
We all have house work, that needs to be done. But, who ever said we had to do it all alone?
Not this mama that's for sure. lol If I'm gonna have the mess of 3 cherubs I'm gonna have the help of 3 cherubs too.
How?
By making a game of it all.
here are some ideas to help you & your cherubs get started.
Before playing, Create a check list of cleaning tasks for each room in the house.
Post this on the back of the door or in a place that is out of sight but can be accessed easily; such as inside the pantry or cupboard door.
Get the kids involved in this process by having older children write the list, younger children draw & little ones color the pictures, then place the list so it can easily be seen by all who need to se it.
Kids just have this thing for seeing things they made. If you're like me & need to braille a list, use label tape under their written words, or post your list above the kid's list.
It's a good Idea to have their lists laminated so they last longer & when you don't need them anymore, you can save them.
Games:
1. Scavinger Hunt:
a. Hide clues in the last place each check list leads to. (IE: if the last place in the bathroom is putting the toothpaste in the holder, leave a small sticky note with the clue there for the kids to find.)
b. Have each clue lead to the next room, & in the last room place a small surprise; such as stickers, or a snack.
Additional ideas: Have children write a list of favorites & earn tokens tward things on that list, Have the clues lead to the front door for a trip to the park or icecream shop etc.
2. Relay Race of Chores:
a. Have each child choose a task from the check list for that room, (see above)
b. Upon completion of that task each child passes a simple object (such as a baton, bracelet, small sign, etc) to the next child. until all tasks are complete
c. reward the "team" for a job well done.
These games not only get the house work done, but teach reading, teamwork, and independent living skills. The best thing with out a doubt is that you & your babies will have fun doing it all.
So, whether it's everyday household chores, or a big cleaning day; let those little hands take some pride in helping mommy&Daddy make home a cleaner place.
I hope these ideas help you as much as they have helped me.
Make it a great day!
Not this mama that's for sure. lol If I'm gonna have the mess of 3 cherubs I'm gonna have the help of 3 cherubs too.
How?
By making a game of it all.
here are some ideas to help you & your cherubs get started.
Before playing, Create a check list of cleaning tasks for each room in the house.
Post this on the back of the door or in a place that is out of sight but can be accessed easily; such as inside the pantry or cupboard door.
Get the kids involved in this process by having older children write the list, younger children draw & little ones color the pictures, then place the list so it can easily be seen by all who need to se it.
Kids just have this thing for seeing things they made. If you're like me & need to braille a list, use label tape under their written words, or post your list above the kid's list.
It's a good Idea to have their lists laminated so they last longer & when you don't need them anymore, you can save them.
Games:
1. Scavinger Hunt:
a. Hide clues in the last place each check list leads to. (IE: if the last place in the bathroom is putting the toothpaste in the holder, leave a small sticky note with the clue there for the kids to find.)
b. Have each clue lead to the next room, & in the last room place a small surprise; such as stickers, or a snack.
Additional ideas: Have children write a list of favorites & earn tokens tward things on that list, Have the clues lead to the front door for a trip to the park or icecream shop etc.
2. Relay Race of Chores:
a. Have each child choose a task from the check list for that room, (see above)
b. Upon completion of that task each child passes a simple object (such as a baton, bracelet, small sign, etc) to the next child. until all tasks are complete
c. reward the "team" for a job well done.
These games not only get the house work done, but teach reading, teamwork, and independent living skills. The best thing with out a doubt is that you & your babies will have fun doing it all.
So, whether it's everyday household chores, or a big cleaning day; let those little hands take some pride in helping mommy&Daddy make home a cleaner place.
I hope these ideas help you as much as they have helped me.
Make it a great day!
Monday, January 24
A Message from God - while cleaning out a deep-freezer
Today was the _stinkiest day I've had in a loooong, time.
Why?
Because I spent the better part of my afternoon cleaning out a deep-freezer.
A few weeks ago, my son came in from the garage where I had sent him to retrieve a bucket of cookie dough. "Mom the fridge stinks!" he said holding his noes.
Upon investigation of this "stink" I found that my inlaws had disconnected my freezer. (gee thanks.) so the food, (3 trashbags full, as we would find out later) had all spoiled.Needless to say, nither one of us was looking forward to cleaning that out.
Lesson #1. Procrastination only makes things worse.
My brother inlaw (who has been nothing but kind through all this) reconnected the unit. But, that only refroze the now bad food. (yuck!)
Lesson #2. Lazy people work harder.
When we finally decided to tackle the problem, the smell was as expected, not pleseant but still barable. Problem was, we couldn't take anything out since it had all frozen solid. (Eeeeewww!)
So we had to leave it to defrost overnight. After running out of excuses, my husband & I looked at each other & went out to the garage, opened the freezer to find the smell had increased significantly. We held our breath & got to work.
Lesson #3. it's me & hubby against the world. Or, noone will care for your things the way you do.
We spent 2hours defrosting, tossing out food, & sopping up water from the bottom of the unit. (ug!) but in reaching down to the bottom to pull up slimy packets, I bruised my rib cage, & pulled a muscle in my arm. I had to throw out 3 trashbags of food that otherwise could have been eaten.
Lesson#4. Who I was meant to be.
Sometimes God will put us in a place we _hate for our own good. This is 1 of those times. I've lived in a hous we share with my inlaws for 3 years. It's finally coming to an end. Although I have learned lots during this time. I saw all this food go to waste, (we paid $2600 at the time) I thought about all the fights & arguments, All in a moment of reaching for another defrosted packet; & then I thought about how I used to be. Outspoken, strong, sassy, &... then ... it hit me. That's how God wanted me to be. Stand up for me&mine, be loving but strict, & most of all not a push over like I had been for the past few years.
So, here's my challange to you & me. Be you, if you don't like something make it known, stand for what you believe in, & know that God is on your side. Live, Love, & Light the way for your children so that they will gro to do the same.
Don't let yourself be belittled like I did. Stand tall & strong.
Make it a grate day!
Why?
Because I spent the better part of my afternoon cleaning out a deep-freezer.
A few weeks ago, my son came in from the garage where I had sent him to retrieve a bucket of cookie dough. "Mom the fridge stinks!" he said holding his noes.
Upon investigation of this "stink" I found that my inlaws had disconnected my freezer. (gee thanks.) so the food, (3 trashbags full, as we would find out later) had all spoiled.Needless to say, nither one of us was looking forward to cleaning that out.
Lesson #1. Procrastination only makes things worse.
My brother inlaw (who has been nothing but kind through all this) reconnected the unit. But, that only refroze the now bad food. (yuck!)
Lesson #2. Lazy people work harder.
When we finally decided to tackle the problem, the smell was as expected, not pleseant but still barable. Problem was, we couldn't take anything out since it had all frozen solid. (Eeeeewww!)
So we had to leave it to defrost overnight. After running out of excuses, my husband & I looked at each other & went out to the garage, opened the freezer to find the smell had increased significantly. We held our breath & got to work.
Lesson #3. it's me & hubby against the world. Or, noone will care for your things the way you do.
We spent 2hours defrosting, tossing out food, & sopping up water from the bottom of the unit. (ug!) but in reaching down to the bottom to pull up slimy packets, I bruised my rib cage, & pulled a muscle in my arm. I had to throw out 3 trashbags of food that otherwise could have been eaten.
Lesson#4. Who I was meant to be.
Sometimes God will put us in a place we _hate for our own good. This is 1 of those times. I've lived in a hous we share with my inlaws for 3 years. It's finally coming to an end. Although I have learned lots during this time. I saw all this food go to waste, (we paid $2600 at the time) I thought about all the fights & arguments, All in a moment of reaching for another defrosted packet; & then I thought about how I used to be. Outspoken, strong, sassy, &... then ... it hit me. That's how God wanted me to be. Stand up for me&mine, be loving but strict, & most of all not a push over like I had been for the past few years.
So, here's my challange to you & me. Be you, if you don't like something make it known, stand for what you believe in, & know that God is on your side. Live, Love, & Light the way for your children so that they will gro to do the same.
Don't let yourself be belittled like I did. Stand tall & strong.
Make it a grate day!
Friday, May 14
out of the ordinary
Wow, I can't believe it! I actually figured out how to work the blog editer. Yay me!
I should probably explain that this was a chalenge for me; why, you ask? Because I have no vision. And while I don't dwell on it, it does make a significant difference in my life as well as the lives of the ones closest to me.
Hi, I am Annie. I am a blind wife and mother of 3 beautiful children. We are a home schooling family, and I am a work from home mom. I am the secretary, teacher, nurse, handy-woman, chef, maid, and CEO of my home.
Oh, I forgot to add mother and wife too. lol While some people may say that it's a thankless job, I beg to differ.
I take my childrens happiness, my husbands comfort, and all of our accomplishments as gratitude for the late nights, messy moments, burned hands, and everything that comes with the job of being a mommy and wife.
Ok, so maybe not so fine and dandy. The truth is I am a human just like anyone else. I have my moments.
I can yell with the best of them, eat junk food like a man on 1 cirtain sunday of the year, and I can deffanetly fall asleep on the "job"
But guess what, that doesn't mean that I don't love my babies and hubby all the same.
Having to feel aroung, listen closely, and keep a sharp sniffer, is another aspect of my life. My children have learned at a young age that
"mommy's eyes don't work."
but they still play tricks, hide, and show me their artwork. I smile every time I get one of these little quirks because I get to pretend I know what they are talking about. But, if nothing else, they build some really exceptional describing skills.
You guessed it ladies and gents, we get by just like, you got it, anyone else.
So, maybe we are different, but you know what? If we were all the same, this world would be one heck of a borring place to be.
My advice:
Learn all you can about the people around you and love them for who they are. Because, you are loved by someone for who you are, and I'll bet dollars to doughnuts, you are nothing like them.
Make it a great day,
I should probably explain that this was a chalenge for me; why, you ask? Because I have no vision. And while I don't dwell on it, it does make a significant difference in my life as well as the lives of the ones closest to me.
Hi, I am Annie. I am a blind wife and mother of 3 beautiful children. We are a home schooling family, and I am a work from home mom. I am the secretary, teacher, nurse, handy-woman, chef, maid, and CEO of my home.
Oh, I forgot to add mother and wife too. lol While some people may say that it's a thankless job, I beg to differ.
I take my childrens happiness, my husbands comfort, and all of our accomplishments as gratitude for the late nights, messy moments, burned hands, and everything that comes with the job of being a mommy and wife.
Ok, so maybe not so fine and dandy. The truth is I am a human just like anyone else. I have my moments.
I can yell with the best of them, eat junk food like a man on 1 cirtain sunday of the year, and I can deffanetly fall asleep on the "job"
But guess what, that doesn't mean that I don't love my babies and hubby all the same.
Having to feel aroung, listen closely, and keep a sharp sniffer, is another aspect of my life. My children have learned at a young age that
"mommy's eyes don't work."
but they still play tricks, hide, and show me their artwork. I smile every time I get one of these little quirks because I get to pretend I know what they are talking about. But, if nothing else, they build some really exceptional describing skills.
You guessed it ladies and gents, we get by just like, you got it, anyone else.
So, maybe we are different, but you know what? If we were all the same, this world would be one heck of a borring place to be.
My advice:
Learn all you can about the people around you and love them for who they are. Because, you are loved by someone for who you are, and I'll bet dollars to doughnuts, you are nothing like them.
Make it a great day,
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