Mom, you’re making me funny! He says as he laughs at the joke I read off the kid’s site we’re looking at.
I smile & pat him on the shoulder, “Jojo I’m making you laugh?”
He looks at me but the whole moment is spoiled. “I was saying that!” he says now frustrated with me.
As I’ve mentioned before, I have 2 sons. One of them is vision impaired & the other has an auditory processing disorder accompanied by a language delay. My 8 year old speaks the way a 3-year-old should. There are so many different ways he says the same thing, yet he can quote a movie word for word seeing it only once. He can recall things from years ago but can’t remember what I asked him to do 5 minutes ago. He has taught me so much about life, learning, & above all patience.
I always knew Jojo was a little different, even though he was always getting in to things, always curious, but I didn’t begin to understand until he had turned 3 & wasn’t speaking but a few words. I talked, read, sang, & played with him everyday. But his brother excelled & was (still is) advanced for his age. Jojo on the other hand couldn’t grasp audio concepts, like picking out sounds from a set, hearing his name when the TV was on, or even following directions in a series. He still can’t do most of these things. I’ve tried many techniques & found some that work for us, and, some that don’t. But isn’t that what parenting is, trial & error until you find something that works for your family?
It took me a long time to even begin to understand what Jojo & I were dealing with. I’ve had no medical, therapeutic, or other intervention other than a school district evaluation when he was 4 that was a complete waste of our time & theirs since all they cared about was that he had a set of words he used as aposed to pointing & grunting, & that he could pick out colors when prompted; & another screening when he was about 5 years old that lead us to a SLP (speech & Language Pathologist) who had nothing on her mind other than insurance money. So needless to say those got us nowhere. So, I put him in school as planned & found out fairly quickly that _that was not going to work.
All through his kindergarten year & half way through his 1st grade he struggled with simple reading & mathematic concepts, behavior, & just about everything else. I was called in to the school office & parent teacher meetings several times through out the year. His teacher was an unfriendly “lady” who would call to yell at me over the phone on several occasions, & she saw it fit to make him eat his lunch in the nurse’s office, “as a precautionary measure to prevent him from getting in trouble”. I spoke to many a supervisor, including a YMCA supervisor to deal with a director of the afterschool program who didn’t particularly care for my son, & was determined to kick him out of “her” program. This particular director was so mean to him that he would wake in the middle of the night with nightmares crying:
“I don’t have any puzzle pieces! I don’t have them see? Look my hands are empty!”
My heart ached for him & since I was working at the time & I saw no way to fix this problem. I went to prayer & asked God to guide me through this. Soon after that, I started hearing, reading, & just about tripping over information on home schooling. It seemed that everywhere I went someone or something was talking about home schooling. Even at work. Shortly after my plea for help, I was booking a reservation for a lady who was telling me that she homeschooled her daughters, & that because they had annual passes to the local amusement park they would go every Monday to learn from the drawing academy there.
So I looked up, & said aloud, “Ok Lord, I can take a hint.”
The following week, I spent gathering information, planning, & then I quit my Job. I walked in the request for my children’s school records & handed it to the principal myself. I wasn’t about to let anyone mistreat my baby anymore. Once I started working with him at home, I realized that in the year and a half that the school had to teach him, they taught him nothing. He had the same knolege he started with & that’s where our home school journey began.
I tripped & fell; I slipped & slid, but Thankfully the meltdowns have stopped, & Almost 3 years later we’re finding our way to _our education. I may know how to read & right, but I’m finding that I still have much to learn, & Thanks to my babies, I will continue to learn for them, but most importantly with them.
I’m now developmentally dealing with a 9/12-year-old, an 8/4-year-old & a typical 5-year-old. They are the 3 cherubs God sent me & I’m determined to raise them right. It’s not easy, I pray a lot & I try to learn all I can from them, but I think the biggest lesson I’ve learned & have even taught some people is that not all learning is done behind a desk, in a book, or in a group setting. I know someday my kids will have to go out in to the real world, so why not start there. I love that we can take our education out of the box & run with it. This is our light & we’re going to let it shine for all to see.
That’s the part of our story we know so far. I’ll add more to it as we grow & change & as God sends us where we need to go. If you have any suggestions, resources, or just ideas that might work, please share them & your stories with me. The reason I’m sharing is to let other’s know I am here & maybe just maybe make a difference in someone’s life.
Take care, God Bless, & make it a Great day!
Saturday, February 26
Saturday, February 19
Just 5 Keys
Comunication Honesty, Prayer, Respect, Trust
These are the 5 keys to any relationship. I did not put them in a numbered list, I have them going across the top of this post in alphabetical order for 1 simple reason; that is because they are not 1 more important than the other. I am not a marriage counselor, a therapist, or a spouce of 20 years. I’ve been married for 5 years & we have our moments; believe me. No marriage is perfect, no marriage is like another. Each person is different in this world & so is each person’s life partner. Soul mates have differences in opinion too.
Let’s take a look at each of these “keys” & see what I mean.
Comunication:
If you & I walk by each other in a shopping mall, you go your way & I go mine. Will you ever know my name, where I come from, or who I am? No.
If you stop me in a grocery market to ask me a question, at least then you’ll know what my voice sounds like.
& If you love me wouldn’t you want to know everything about me?
How do you know what I think or why I’m laughing. ASK ME! Communicate with me & learn about me.
Learn about your spouse, learn her desires, learn his frustrations, learn all you can about them, because the more you know the more you understand, & the more you understand the more you can support, help, deal with what ever curve ball comes your way.
Honesty:
In a relationship, honesty is truly the best policey. Why? Because if you can’t tell the person you love what you hold in your heart, how can you expect them to tell you. Noone likes to be lied to including you & me. Simpley, telling the truth is sometimes not always the easiest rout to take, but if you can’t talk to your spouse you can’t work through difficult times.
Prayer:
Prayer is often overlooked in Christian marriages. “but I pray every day.” I’m not talking about your alone time with God, I’m talking about Praying with your spouse. Since prayer is a time to share with God your deepest concerns, your Requests for His help, & a time to open your heart to Him; a person is likely to feel vonerable. Letting your spouse in & coming in agreement with each other is a truly awesome way to strengthen your marriage. In time of need, or time of rejoice; let your unity be known to God, your spouse, & yourself.
Respect:
Everyone gets frustrated, everyone makes mistakes, & yes at some point or another _everyone looses their temper. Name calling, cursing, yelling, & even hitting can do major damage in a marriage. You’d be surprised to find out how many people go to church, bible in hand, & in their Sunday best; that are in some way abusive. Life has it’s moments, but if we tare each other down how can we call ourselves building anything up. Marriage, family, & parenthood all require R.E.S.P.E.C.T. from everyone involved.
Trust
Trust just like all the others is a two way street. You have to be able to trust but you also have to be trustworthy. Maintaining the other 4 keys in this set of 5 is essential to showing & learning how to trust. Trust that he/she will tell you what’s happening in his/her mind. Trust that you’re being told the truth. Trust that you can both trust in God. Trust that there is enough respect in your relationship to handle your differences. & Trust that your trust is mutual.
While these keys are simple, they are not always easy. But working together, leaning on each other, & making sure you support one another is what makes a marriage. God picked you two to be together & it’s you both against the world outside. Lean on God & each other through thick & thin, & you’ve got a plan for success.
I hope these keys help you as much as they’ve helped DH & I in our marriage. Here’s to your happiness.
Make it a great day!
These are the 5 keys to any relationship. I did not put them in a numbered list, I have them going across the top of this post in alphabetical order for 1 simple reason; that is because they are not 1 more important than the other. I am not a marriage counselor, a therapist, or a spouce of 20 years. I’ve been married for 5 years & we have our moments; believe me. No marriage is perfect, no marriage is like another. Each person is different in this world & so is each person’s life partner. Soul mates have differences in opinion too.
Let’s take a look at each of these “keys” & see what I mean.
Comunication:
If you & I walk by each other in a shopping mall, you go your way & I go mine. Will you ever know my name, where I come from, or who I am? No.
If you stop me in a grocery market to ask me a question, at least then you’ll know what my voice sounds like.
& If you love me wouldn’t you want to know everything about me?
How do you know what I think or why I’m laughing. ASK ME! Communicate with me & learn about me.
Learn about your spouse, learn her desires, learn his frustrations, learn all you can about them, because the more you know the more you understand, & the more you understand the more you can support, help, deal with what ever curve ball comes your way.
Honesty:
In a relationship, honesty is truly the best policey. Why? Because if you can’t tell the person you love what you hold in your heart, how can you expect them to tell you. Noone likes to be lied to including you & me. Simpley, telling the truth is sometimes not always the easiest rout to take, but if you can’t talk to your spouse you can’t work through difficult times.
Prayer:
Prayer is often overlooked in Christian marriages. “but I pray every day.” I’m not talking about your alone time with God, I’m talking about Praying with your spouse. Since prayer is a time to share with God your deepest concerns, your Requests for His help, & a time to open your heart to Him; a person is likely to feel vonerable. Letting your spouse in & coming in agreement with each other is a truly awesome way to strengthen your marriage. In time of need, or time of rejoice; let your unity be known to God, your spouse, & yourself.
Respect:
Everyone gets frustrated, everyone makes mistakes, & yes at some point or another _everyone looses their temper. Name calling, cursing, yelling, & even hitting can do major damage in a marriage. You’d be surprised to find out how many people go to church, bible in hand, & in their Sunday best; that are in some way abusive. Life has it’s moments, but if we tare each other down how can we call ourselves building anything up. Marriage, family, & parenthood all require R.E.S.P.E.C.T. from everyone involved.
Trust
Trust just like all the others is a two way street. You have to be able to trust but you also have to be trustworthy. Maintaining the other 4 keys in this set of 5 is essential to showing & learning how to trust. Trust that he/she will tell you what’s happening in his/her mind. Trust that you’re being told the truth. Trust that you can both trust in God. Trust that there is enough respect in your relationship to handle your differences. & Trust that your trust is mutual.
While these keys are simple, they are not always easy. But working together, leaning on each other, & making sure you support one another is what makes a marriage. God picked you two to be together & it’s you both against the world outside. Lean on God & each other through thick & thin, & you’ve got a plan for success.
I hope these keys help you as much as they’ve helped DH & I in our marriage. Here’s to your happiness.
Make it a great day!
The Absolutely perfect Marriage
The Absolutely Perfect Marriage
It’s valentine’s day once again. Heart-shaped packages, flowers, juelery, candy, & teddy bears are flying off the store shelves like cupid’s arrows. But here’s something to think about; in 2days time, the candy will be gone, the flowers wilted, & the teddy bear in your youngist child’s toy box. It was fun while it lasted. But what if you had something that really meant something special, what if you had something that never went away, what if?
“OK Annie, Get to the point.”
Ok, so what I’m talking about is Memories/
If you have a spouse (cause this goes both ways) who is not so nice to you except for holidays, these commercial jestures are _MEANINGLESS!
“Are you saying my spouse doesn’t love me?”
Not at all, what I am saying however is; while valentines day is a great opportunity to express love & friendship, there are 364 other days to do the same thing. Marriage, is like a flower, it’s beautiful when it’s new, but if not cared for properly it wilts, & whithers away. SO, let your spouse know how much you love him/her.
“Ok, I get that, but love notes in a lunch pail or written on a mirror don’t work cause we can’t see to read or write them. Oh, & um makeup tips they don’t work either because my spouse can’t see my face.””
Here are a few tips that just might help:
1. Touch. Sighted people rely on just that _sight, touching your spouse whether or not you can see him/her brings you closer together. Hold hands, hug, heck sneak in a kiss once in a while (as you walk through the door for example).
2. If your spouce can’t see to read a note, Braille one and put it on a door knob or a backpac handle where he’s sure to find it,. If she reads what you can’t write then cut out a hart shape & leave it to be found.
3. While colors may not fit the bill, a nice outfit still may do the trick. Ladies, little dresses & some good perfume works for any man. Gents, a nice shirt, some colone, & of course a clean shave; will do quite nicely.
4. Make a favorite meal, complete with candle light, music, & wine/shampaign/sider (soda?). Candles give light, but nowadays scented candles are available everywhere & anywhere & can be a sweet touch.
5. Pray, share, & work together. Work together to cook a meal, clean the house, & complete projects. Share your dreams, likes, fantacies, successes, & failures. Prayer is the best & sometimes the hardest thing to share; being that praying means vonerability & some have a hard time feeling vonerable. Putting God first in your marriage is the first of 5 keys to marriage. (I’ll post those another time)
“Alright, Just who do you think you are tellen me how to run my marriage? Your’s ain’t perfect eithr.”
Nope, my marriage isn’t perfect, noone’s is. But if you work together, you find a place that works for both of you. No 2 marriages are alike, just as no 2 people are either. So take that in to consideration when planning your special dates.
What do you do for your spouse throughout the year to show your love? I’d love to hear your ideas.
Make it a great day!
The Absolutely Perfect Marriage
It’s valentine’s day once again. Heart-shaped packages, flowers, juelery, candy, & teddy bears are flying off the store shelves like cupid’s arrows. But here’s something to think about; in 2days time, the candy will be gone, the flowers wilted, & the teddy bear in your youngist child’s toy box. It was fun while it lasted. But what if you had something that really meant something special, what if you had something that never went away, what if?
“OK Annie, Get to the point.”
Ok, so what I’m talking about is Memories/
If you have a spouse (cause this goes both ways) who is not so nice to you except for holidays, these commercial jestures are _MEANINGLESS!
“Are you saying my spouse doesn’t love me?”
Not at all, what I am saying however is; while valentines day is a great opportunity to express love & friendship, there are 364 other days to do the same thing. Marriage, is like a flower, it’s beautiful when it’s new, but if not cared for properly it wilts, & whithers away. SO, let your spouse know how much you love him/her.
“Ok, I get that, but love notes in a lunch pail or written on a mirror don’t work cause we can’t see to read or write them. Oh, & um makeup tips they don’t work either because my spouse can’t see my face.””
Here are a few tips that just might help:
1. Touch. Sighted people rely on just that _sight, touching your spouse whether or not you can see him/her brings you closer together. Hold hands, hug, heck sneak in a kiss once in a while (as you walk through the door for example).
2. If your spouce can’t see to read a note, Braille one and put it on a door knob or a backpac handle where he’s sure to find it,. If she reads what you can’t write then cut out a hart shape & leave it to be found.
3. While colors may not fit the bill, a nice outfit still may do the trick. Ladies, little dresses & some good perfume works for any man. Gents, a nice shirt, some colone, & of course a clean shave; will do quite nicely.
4. Make a favorite meal, complete with candle light, music, & wine/shampaign/sider (soda?). Candles give light, but nowadays scented candles are available everywhere & anywhere & can be a sweet touch.
5. Pray, share, & work together. Work together to cook a meal, clean the house, & complete projects. Share your dreams, likes, fantacies, successes, & failures. Prayer is the best & sometimes the hardest thing to share; being that praying means vonerability & some have a hard time feeling vonerable. Putting God first in your marriage is the first of 5 keys to marriage. (I’ll post those another time)
“Alright, Just who do you think you are tellen me how to run my marriage? Your’s ain’t perfect either.”
Nope, my marriage isn’t perfect, noone’s is. But if you work together, you find a place that works for both of you. No 2 marriages are alike, just as no 2 people are either. So take that in to consideration when planning your special dates.
What do you do for your spouse throughout the year to show your love? I’d love to hear your ideas.
Make it a great day!
It’s valentine’s day once again. Heart-shaped packages, flowers, juelery, candy, & teddy bears are flying off the store shelves like cupid’s arrows. But here’s something to think about; in 2days time, the candy will be gone, the flowers wilted, & the teddy bear in your youngist child’s toy box. It was fun while it lasted. But what if you had something that really meant something special, what if you had something that never went away, what if?
“OK Annie, Get to the point.”
Ok, so what I’m talking about is Memories/
If you have a spouse (cause this goes both ways) who is not so nice to you except for holidays, these commercial jestures are _MEANINGLESS!
“Are you saying my spouse doesn’t love me?”
Not at all, what I am saying however is; while valentines day is a great opportunity to express love & friendship, there are 364 other days to do the same thing. Marriage, is like a flower, it’s beautiful when it’s new, but if not cared for properly it wilts, & whithers away. SO, let your spouse know how much you love him/her.
“Ok, I get that, but love notes in a lunch pail or written on a mirror don’t work cause we can’t see to read or write them. Oh, & um makeup tips they don’t work either because my spouse can’t see my face.””
Here are a few tips that just might help:
1. Touch. Sighted people rely on just that _sight, touching your spouse whether or not you can see him/her brings you closer together. Hold hands, hug, heck sneak in a kiss once in a while (as you walk through the door for example).
2. If your spouce can’t see to read a note, Braille one and put it on a door knob or a backpac handle where he’s sure to find it,. If she reads what you can’t write then cut out a hart shape & leave it to be found.
3. While colors may not fit the bill, a nice outfit still may do the trick. Ladies, little dresses & some good perfume works for any man. Gents, a nice shirt, some colone, & of course a clean shave; will do quite nicely.
4. Make a favorite meal, complete with candle light, music, & wine/shampaign/sider (soda?). Candles give light, but nowadays scented candles are available everywhere & anywhere & can be a sweet touch.
5. Pray, share, & work together. Work together to cook a meal, clean the house, & complete projects. Share your dreams, likes, fantacies, successes, & failures. Prayer is the best & sometimes the hardest thing to share; being that praying means vonerability & some have a hard time feeling vonerable. Putting God first in your marriage is the first of 5 keys to marriage. (I’ll post those another time)
“Alright, Just who do you think you are tellen me how to run my marriage? Your’s ain’t perfect eithr.”
Nope, my marriage isn’t perfect, noone’s is. But if you work together, you find a place that works for both of you. No 2 marriages are alike, just as no 2 people are either. So take that in to consideration when planning your special dates.
What do you do for your spouse throughout the year to show your love? I’d love to hear your ideas.
Make it a great day!
The Absolutely Perfect Marriage
It’s valentine’s day once again. Heart-shaped packages, flowers, juelery, candy, & teddy bears are flying off the store shelves like cupid’s arrows. But here’s something to think about; in 2days time, the candy will be gone, the flowers wilted, & the teddy bear in your youngist child’s toy box. It was fun while it lasted. But what if you had something that really meant something special, what if you had something that never went away, what if?
“OK Annie, Get to the point.”
Ok, so what I’m talking about is Memories/
If you have a spouse (cause this goes both ways) who is not so nice to you except for holidays, these commercial jestures are _MEANINGLESS!
“Are you saying my spouse doesn’t love me?”
Not at all, what I am saying however is; while valentines day is a great opportunity to express love & friendship, there are 364 other days to do the same thing. Marriage, is like a flower, it’s beautiful when it’s new, but if not cared for properly it wilts, & whithers away. SO, let your spouse know how much you love him/her.
“Ok, I get that, but love notes in a lunch pail or written on a mirror don’t work cause we can’t see to read or write them. Oh, & um makeup tips they don’t work either because my spouse can’t see my face.””
Here are a few tips that just might help:
1. Touch. Sighted people rely on just that _sight, touching your spouse whether or not you can see him/her brings you closer together. Hold hands, hug, heck sneak in a kiss once in a while (as you walk through the door for example).
2. If your spouce can’t see to read a note, Braille one and put it on a door knob or a backpac handle where he’s sure to find it,. If she reads what you can’t write then cut out a hart shape & leave it to be found.
3. While colors may not fit the bill, a nice outfit still may do the trick. Ladies, little dresses & some good perfume works for any man. Gents, a nice shirt, some colone, & of course a clean shave; will do quite nicely.
4. Make a favorite meal, complete with candle light, music, & wine/shampaign/sider (soda?). Candles give light, but nowadays scented candles are available everywhere & anywhere & can be a sweet touch.
5. Pray, share, & work together. Work together to cook a meal, clean the house, & complete projects. Share your dreams, likes, fantacies, successes, & failures. Prayer is the best & sometimes the hardest thing to share; being that praying means vonerability & some have a hard time feeling vonerable. Putting God first in your marriage is the first of 5 keys to marriage. (I’ll post those another time)
“Alright, Just who do you think you are tellen me how to run my marriage? Your’s ain’t perfect either.”
Nope, my marriage isn’t perfect, noone’s is. But if you work together, you find a place that works for both of you. No 2 marriages are alike, just as no 2 people are either. So take that in to consideration when planning your special dates.
What do you do for your spouse throughout the year to show your love? I’d love to hear your ideas.
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!
my forgotten blog & what I've learned
Today I had to laugh. I found my blog again. I had lost it in may of last year, started another, only to find that _nothing I had written over the past 10 yes 10 months had posted live, start another to find that I couldn't download the client to use it, (can we say arg?) & then.. so, here I am looking through someone's posts, & it occurs to me that I had a blog on here too.
What I've learned is, how to tweet, how to facebook, & most of all how to find my way back to my long lost blog. I think I'd better keep better track of my info. lol oh well, you know what my modow is,
"experience is the best teacher, even if it means making mistakes" - author unknown.
Note: I hate to find a blog I love, only to see that the last post was _um 10 months ago.
What I've learned is, how to tweet, how to facebook, & most of all how to find my way back to my long lost blog. I think I'd better keep better track of my info. lol oh well, you know what my modow is,
"experience is the best teacher, even if it means making mistakes" - author unknown.
Note: I hate to find a blog I love, only to see that the last post was _um 10 months ago.
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