Friday, February 27, 2009

Autism Awareness Month

I'm really excited to be invited to participate in this locally...I hope this April's Autism Awareness month is a huge success!







The Autism File Campaign. Get involved!

Due to the huge impact the front cover of the forthcoming April issue
is receiving, mothers have contacted us to say they want to get
involved.

Mothers are already getting together in groups of 6 and emulating our
campaign shot and You Tube clip in their own style. Mothers around
the world of all different shapes, colour and size are demonstrating
how autism mothers are strong and 'Delivering where governments have
failed'

Striking the same pose with the same headlines makes mothers of
autism a powerful force as we unite around the world. This is not
about expensive cameras, photographers and make up artists, it's
about us, the mothers showing our strength. So, grab a camera and 5
other mums and have some fun!

'The campaign is about strength, not weakness, it's about demanding
support not hoping for it and it's about how we, the parents are
having to deliver where our governments have failed'

Please You Tube any clips and send us your photograph. We will
feature these images on the website and in the July issue of The
Autism File and at the Autism One Conference in May.

Above all, have fun and some time with friends!

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Tackle it Tuesday

Tackle It Tuesday Meme


I hate making lunches! I miss when I use to give Isaiah $10 on mondays, and not have to worry about it again until next monday! But sense we are GF/CF I have to make lunches now. There's a few reasons I hate making them, for one, the time...call me lazy but I hate taking the time to make them every morning. The other reason is frustration...while I'm at work the little people in my house tend to get in to the food and we run out, and I don't know it till the morning and I'm scrambling to try to make a full lunch improve style. The 3rd reason I hate it, is BECAUSE the little monsters eat up the food, I end up having to go back to walmart 1/2 way threw the week to get more food! So the time money and energy I put into these lunches really isn't my favorite. So this week I decided to make all the lunches on Sunday. I wrapped everything up in walmart bags and stuck it in the fridge (out of sight out of mind hopefully)...So in the morning I grab a walmart bag, and transfer everything into his lunch bag. So far it's working great, and nobody is getting in to the food, so hopefully I won't have to do any mid-week lunch shopping! I didn't get a picture this week, I had everything set out, went to grab my camera, and somebody took the batteries out @@, I'm assuming for the WII remote lol.

Monday, February 23, 2009

Zip It

zip it now. Pictures, Images and Photos

Xander is sooooo loud sometimes tonight, as he was driving me crazy and not listening to my requests to lower his voice, I finally said "ZIP IT"...he looked at me quite puzzeled and said "You can't zip a tongue" LMAO...I can just imagine the image that went threw his mind!

Menu Plan Monday


Monday: Meetloaf
Tuesday: Vegtable Beef Stew
Wednesday: Tacos
Thursday: Sweet and Sour Chicken
Friday: Pizza night

Friday, February 20, 2009

Dating...how old????

OMG, what is WRONG w/ parents??????? I try to find a nice balance between allowing my kids their freedom, but yet still being the parent, and still setting limits and boundaries. But some of the things that parents allow just dumbfound me. I don't want to be the over protective parent where my kid is the only one not aloud to do something....but seriously I don't feel THAT over protective...sometimes Rob and I feel like we're living in the twilight zone, it's amazing what parents allow their children to do!

Case in point our 12 year old, is in middle school, 6th grade to be exact...we JUST started letting her go to the movies w/ her friends w/out an adult. We drop her off and she calls us to pick her up when the movies over. This was a leap for us...but we feel it's the appropriate amount of freedom for a 12 year old girl. A couple hours in a confinded public area w/ a group of friends.

Sooooo today, she is going to the movies w/ 3 of her girl friends. Well the girls decide they are going to go out to eat after the movie...they get in their head they are going to walk over to a restaurant and go out to eat after the movies...um NO I don't THINK SO...first of all, I don't think it's safe for 12 year olds to be walking across a parking lot at night, much less to go out to eat at a restaurant at night w/out any adult supervision. Well 2 of the girls were aloud to go (my evil next door neighbors kid being one of them)...and apparently 2 boys are meeting the 2girls there...so basically these girls are going on a double date at 10 o clock at night at 12 years old...am I the only one that see's something wrong w/ this picture????

stupid

When I called the house tonight from work to say hi to the kids, Zae was really upset...I guess he got a note sent home, that this last time he was sick (w/ strep) put him at 5 missed days for the school year...the kids are only aloud 4 sick days a year...so now he has to stay after school twice next week. He said his feeling are hurt (I think he just means he's sad but doesn't know how to express that)...I feel so guilty though, one day he missed because I was soooo horribly sick I just couldn't get him ready and off to school, it was the one and only time I've used a sick day at work in a year. But as the mom I should have pushed harder and MADE myself get him ready, I feel so bad that he has to suffer because of me now. But honestly I think the 4 sick day rule is a little over the top, hell I get more than that for work and I'm adult!!!...I understand we're an exemplary school district and it's important for kids to be in school blah blah blah...but I am NOT sending my kids to school w/ strep! And the more they force parents to send their kids in sick the more the kids are going to GET sick @@@@@@@@@@.

Thank goodness last year they were aloud 10 missed days, last year Isaiah was phobic of thunderstorms...he has bad anxiety issues, as well as sensory issues...and thunderstorms were too much for him, if it was storming i couldn't get him to school he was in full meltdown mode. I mean it was fright or flight, pure terror...so he missed probably 5 days to being sick and probably 5 due to storms.

I don't know I'm just annoyed and feeling guilty...so thought I'd vent and tell on myself lol.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Wednesdays Window Into My World




I hate my hair...I want beautiful hair w/out the work!!! Ok so I know THAT'S too much to ask...but seriously...I can never find a hair style I like...I try and try and I don't ever really like any of them...I grow my hair out to be a blank canvas...then pick a hair style...chop my hair, dislike it then grow it back out...I wish I could find a style I loved...I hate that I"m one of those moms that throws her hair up in a pony tail and goes...how do you find a great hairstyle???

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Tackle it Tuesday

Tackle It Tuesday Meme









This weeks tackle was the boys closet...it has started getting out of hand...I like the closets (theirs especially) very organized...Xander's clothes are on the right, Isaiah's are on the left...Play clothes are on the bottom where they can reach them and dress themselves on non school days, and the nicer stuff is at the top...and then anal me likes them separated by long sleeves, short sleeves, pants and outfits....When Rob and Tierra help w/ laundry they don't abide by my little system...usually I go in after them and fix it right away, but I hadn't been doing that...thus the closet was getting out of control...so I finally tackled it and got it back in order...

Friday, February 13, 2009

Changes at work

So we always knew this was coming, it was just WHEN instead of if...the demise of the resource department I work in. So now we will, in a since be auctioned off to the various floors...we don't know if we'll get any say or input at all on the situation...it would be NICE if we somewhat got to PICK our floors...

If I could pick it would be (in this order)
PEDS
OB
ICU
Cancer floor

My LEAST favorite are

IMCU
Ortho
Detox
Med/surg
Tele

I don't WANT to work ONE floor, it's really going to SUCK, I like the variety, I like things changing, I like avoiding the drama of one floor...but that's not an option any more

I'm certain that the floors that are in my LEAST favorite are the ones that will be getting the majority of us...I know I'm not going to ICU, they wanted me, and approached me, but said they neecded someone who can also work days not just 3-11's so that SUCKS, cuz I won't go there, I have heard that IMCU wants me as well as Med/surg...I don't think ortho or detox will pick me, cuz I don't float there much so they don't really know me...soooooo I will probably get IMCU or Med/surg. So that's that...I'll update when I know more.

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Menu Plan Monday


Monday- Chicken, Brocoli, Cheese and Rice Casserole (made w/ Gallaxy Vegan Rice Cheese)
Tuesday- Teriyaki Chicken and fried rice (recipes below)
Wed- Lasagna
Thur-Tacos
Fri-Pizza


Teriyaki Chicken

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
12 skinless chicken thighs




DIRECTIONS
In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the cornstarch, cold water, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger and ground black pepper. Let simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens and bubbles.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
Place chicken pieces in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Brush chicken with the sauce. Turn pieces over, and brush again.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Turn pieces over, and bake for another 30 minutes, until no longer pink and juices run clear. Brush with sauce every 10 minutes during cooking.

Fried Rice

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
2 cups enriched white rice
4 cups water
2/3 cup chopped baby carrots
1/2 cup frozen green peas
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 eggs
soy sauce to taste
sesame oil, to taste (optional)




DIRECTIONS
In a saucepan, combine rice and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
In a small saucepan, boil carrots in water about 3 to 5 minutes. Drop peas into boiling water, and drain.
Heat wok over high heat. Pour in oil, then stir in carrots and peas; cook about 30 seconds. Crack in eggs, stirring quickly to scramble eggs with vegetables. Stir in cooked rice. Shake in soy sauce, and toss rice to coat. Drizzle with sesame oil, and toss again.

Friday, February 6, 2009

just venting

Today wasn't my most favorite day in the world...it started out kinda crappy waiting w/ Isaiah at the bus stop...for those who don't know, my middle child (who is autistic) has been the brunt of bullying by the neighborhood children. I wait w/ him at the bus stop to make sure they aren't evil to him. The little boy across the street is still nice to Isaiah, but the rest of them are mean little spawns of satan...so this morning the little boy from across the street starts coming over by Isaiah and one of the kids tells him DONT GO BY ISAIAH HE"S MEAN...I wanted to strangle the kid, but I resisted the urge. WTF, my son is standing there minding his own business but yeah HES mean @@@@@@@@@@@@@@...so needless to say I was all upset, and couldn't go back to sleep after he got on the bus. Which I NEEDED to get some sleep cuz I worked tonight...

Which leads me in to work....

I was having a PRETTY good night (for those who don't really know me, I am a CNA at a hospital, I float around to different floors), Tonight, I was on the med/surg floor which is a hard floor, but tonight wasn't bad, I only had 9 patients which isn't horrible, there were 3 CNA's plus a light duty aide (she hurt herself) who was suppossed to help out by doing our vitals, water, garbages, and other light duty tasks...plus there were student nurses there, who were helping take care of one of my really hard patients, so all in all the night was going smoothly...

UNTIL (ok obviously I wasn't going to brag about what an easy night I had right??? lol)...

little Miss Light Duty, comes over to me and this other girl and tells us she's not pulling our garbages and that our rooms aren't stocked and their a mess...now this girl has the same job title that we do, and has NO business to be telling ANY of us what to do, so that kind of irked me...but I let it slide, I went and pulled my garbages, since she said she wasn't going to...I did rounds on my rooms, everything was fine, great no big deal. So about a 1/2 hour later she comes BACK over to me and this other CNA and tells us AGAIN that we need to do our rooms. We're like THEY"VE BEEN DONE...she's like, well they are a mess...and starts going off...now, I don't do drama, and if you yell at me, I won't yell back, I will laugh at you...it's just my nature...and no matter how hard you try you CAN"T get me riled up enough to yell at you, I just don't do it...I guess this was frustrating her, I could tell how bad she was trying to get a rise out of me...I simply said...look I did my job to my satisfaction, if it's not up to your standards than by all means, you go do it...OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH she was MAAAAAAAAADDDDDDDDD...she's like FINE I'LL LET YOUR SUPERVISOR KNOW THAT...I said please do, and started laughing......so on my last rounds I made sure I took out my handy dandy camera phone and took pictures of all my rooms, including my EMPTY garbage cans, and my fully stocked linens...to PROVE that my work, HAD in fact been done, and she was just on some ego trip and was angry she couldn't get a rise out of me...she's lucky I don't turn her in for code of conduct, because they don't allow that kind of drama at my place of employment!!!

Now even though you can't get a rise out of me on the outside, I am a very sensitive person on the inside...so of course I'm pretty upset about it...I'm not one of them people who can just blow it off on the inside...so I guess I'll be up all night long.

:::::::::sigh::::::::::: Hopefully this little vent will help!

Monday, February 2, 2009

Menu Plan Monday and My quest for GF/CF Mac and Cheese


Monday- Mac and Cheese
Tuesday- Chili
Wed-Tacos
Thur-Meatloaf
Fri- Fried Chicken, Mashed Potatoes and maybe more Mac and Cheese!


Since going GF/CF w/ Isaiah in October, my quest has been to keep his diet the same as it was, but w/ GF/CF subs...this isn't a very easy task...one of my challenges has been Mac and Cheese...

Mac and cheese was a pre diet lunch time fav at our house, I also like it as a side dish w/ meat loaf and several chicken dishes I make, so needless to say we've missed it...I've tried a few different recipes, and even some expensive boxed items, w/ no luck...but today that changed, I finally made a GF/CF mac and cheese he would eat!!!! We both get so excited when trial and error finally pays off. I made him a huge bowl of it, which he scarfed down and promptly asked for more!

Here is what I used to make it...

De Boles Wheat Free Corn Elbow Style Pasta
2 slices of Galaxy Vegan Cheese
Dari Free Milk Sub
Milk Free Butter


I wasn't sure the cheese would melt well enough to make it, but it did...I boiled and drained the noodles, added probably a tablespoon of milk, 2 slices of cheese and 1/4 stick of butter, cooked until the cheese melted all the way. Let cool slightly and serve. I'm really happy to finally be able to serve mac and cheese again!

Sunday, February 1, 2009

25 Things about me

I'm sure everyone has seen this going around facebook, but thought I'd add it on here too, since some of my blogging friends are not on facebook, or at least not on MY facebook

1. I stay VERY calm under stress...people often mistake my lack of panic for lack of emergency, that can be a fatal mistake.

2.I have probably watched close to 100 people die...when it doesn't phase me I worry I'm not human anymore

3.I would have had lots more kids if we could afford them...I secretly envy big families

4. My father was an addict, I'm afraid to drink or take pain killers for fear of ending up like him.

5. I can't ride spinning rides anymore...I miss spinny rides, exspecially the tilt a whirl it was my favorite

6. I'm afraid of heights, I don't like visiting father in Colorado because he wants to take us to see the mountains.

7. I feel trapped when I have to stand in line...some times it give me panic attacks...

8. I've been driving the same car for 11 years now...I wonder how much longer it will last

9. I hate to clean, but love to organize

10. I hang all my clothes, I only use my dresser for socks and underwear

11. My hero's are my grandparents. Next to Rob my Grandma is my best friend, I can tell her anything, and my Grandpa is Super Man.

12. I've suffered from insomnia for as long as I can remember, I started taking benedryl to help me fall asleep when I was 12...it's the only thing that's ever worked for me.

13. I always wished I had siblings. I was lonely growing up...I still wish I had that kind of relationship w/ someone that people have with their siblings.

14. I am extremely tired ALL the time. I could sleep for 14 hours and still be tired

15. I don't have the best sense of humor, I rarely laugh at jokes

16. I am a bargain shopping queen

17. I need caffeine to function

18. I am old fashioned, I would be perfectly content to stay home, and cook, clean and raise my kids

19. Since I have to work, I'm very lucky to have found a job that I love (most of the time)

20. I hate the F word

21. My body feels much older than it really is, I think I have arthritis, I should probably get it checked out...but I hate going to the Dr.

22. I love animals, it is more upsetting to see an animal hurt than a person hurt, animals seem innocent and helpless and dependant to me...I can't watch animal rescue shows for that reason.

23. I have to watch old comedy shows when I'm tring to fall asleep. Friends is one of my favorite to fall asleep to

24. My most favorite thing to do is cuddle in bed and watch the tv shows we've dvr'd all week w/ my husband...I love that snuggle time, it is worth every penny we pay to comcast

25. I am a pretty boring person, but I like things that way...if I didn't I'd change it, that's my life philosophy :)