Autism: Language and Communication

Moving: Again?

I will have mixed feelings when it's time to move. On one hand we will be home owners and still live I'm VA be close to the beach, Bush Gardens and my brother in an hopefully a really lovely home. On the other hand we have inundated ourselves within the structure of the local community helping out in the church, local Veterans, nursing home and have our family has developed a real heart for helping the homeless. We have roots within the community and have become known as the parents can be count on when in a pinch. These type of relationships don't happen overnight and trust takes time to develop in relationships. It is often hindered because we are only in one place temporarily and we are just going to leave, and it's true. Does that give my family a fair shake to share, love, and live socially within the communities? Well, it makes it that much more for difficult to do it successfully because often support is less than sufficient for healthy growth. The divorce rate continues to climb rapidly however, people like me and my family show it is possible to beat the odds and take on the challenge of showing one person at a time, one day at a time fighting those odds together no matter where we end up. Have Fun Together,Love Together, Serve Together, Laugh Together, Stay Together: It's a family thing!

Cooking and Baking Contest

Submit a recipe or perhaps an ideas. They worst thing that can happen is you don't win. Success never happens without failure!
Better Homes and Gardens is doing lots of creative contests to get people who love food involved in sharing their ideas. You should come share and enjoy the fun! The information can be found on these types of contests at:

http://www.bhg.com/recipes/win-money/

I think it would be real neat to keep a running list or board and with most current contests first with the closest expiration date. This could a bit of excitement to our board. If you have any tips tricks, ideas, or can think of any other way you would like to help write me on here, find me on pintereat me, or Facebook me
Have wonderful day tomorrow

Rett's Sydrome

Just a side note: What is expressed in this blog is solely opinion of myself and other writers as stated as such and Is not intended for the purpose of seeking opinions expressed by any formal organization that is for profit or non-profit.

Rett's syndrome information can be gathered from http://www.rettsyndrome.org/
Let's take a closer look: I want you all to meet Katie, my sister. She giggles when we visit her. When I was little she pulled my hair every time I would see her. When we went out to eat she loved to sip on cola and enjoyed our at the same time I would see people move as she would rock back and forth. She didn't notice people's stares, snickers or notice when they moved, but I did. I made sure to say something every time. My words just seemed to seep deep into their soul into darkness. How does a small person like me make a big change to help for people like my sister? I just don't have the answers but I am am actively seeking ways to help.

Turn Blog Blue for Autism Starting Tomorrow!

In an effort to raise awareness for autism starting tomorrow will be a week of Autism Awareness through facts, postings, and stories, and activities to help spread the word about Autism for one whole week!

Oh the Humanity

Oh,the joys of grammar! So I just wanted to put it out there that in an imperfect world, I have decided if I make a mistake which is a common occurrence in the blog, in my attempt to be real honest and human and definitely Sandy, I will leave my grammar mistake, or spelling error for all to see. I have made many mistakes and I live a life in which I never
will be perfect without grace. Only grace is sufficient yesterday, today, and forever.

Welcome Home Harley!

As we peered cage G48 I stared at those gentle eyes. While all the other dogs barking persisted, I could tell his soft kind hearted soul only yearned for love and a tender touch. He put his nose up to the cage and gently touch my husbands hand as he stroked an ear through the bars that dogs. His age seemed premature due to imprisonment that of sentence fit for criminals that don't fit its punishment. As we looked at G48 closer we saw a glimpse of hope in a hopeless caged life. Perhaps all to much like the soldier who struggles with PTSD or TBI who sees their mind or perhaps their heart as their dreams are forever an entrapment, like a web of entanglement to which their nightmare does not end. Perhaps it is good to know like with Harley there is support out there, people who care, and people to love those soldiers, to know they are simply not alone. Perhaps the best ending and my overall goal is to one day train Harley to be a PTSD/TBI certified dog to help reach out to soldiers to let them know- from one Survival Story to the Next Caged Hearts Can't Be Broken- The Story Harley and the story of Survival.

Try Something New Today It Could be Great!

What's for dinner here in VA? Egg Drop Soup today! I wasn't sure how this would turn out but it was simple and delicious! This soup is an easy to choice create different taste sensations for your family so give it a try! :-) Happy Savings!

Hard Boiled Eggs...No problem!

Do your hard boiled eggs give you a hard time? Well, as most of us have seen on websites, the perfect way to hard boil and egg is starting to expand. I prefer the old fashioned method still. I just put my eggs into a pot of water, boil and since I don’t use a timer, I just let them boil until I am ready to take them off. Now as soon as I remove them, I drain them and immediately shock them by filling the pot with cold water. I do this a few times. As soon as I am done shocking them (which gives them the bright orange colored yolk) I keep the eggs in the pot, put the lid back on and shake, shake, shake. The shells are kept in the pot and are very easy to peel. After I peel them, I run the eggs under water to rinse any shells off which may still be on the egg. From here, you can immediately cut them or keep them on a plate and cut when ready. Now the only mess you have is in the pot where the shells are and you just easily wipe the pot out. Easy Peasy!

Party Tags

Party tags? With the school year coming to an end and your kiddos having pool parties, birthday parties and weddings just to name a few, having to find the perfect gifts, perfect wrapping paper and then the perfect label for it can be stressful. Well, to elevate some of the stress, if you are not using the bag for the wrapping, cut an extra rectangle of wrapping paper and make it into your card for your wonderful present. There were many times when I would buy presents for special occasions and I would either forget the card or not have any of those wonderful peels off labels. What was I to do? Well, that was when the last minute improvising came in…cut the extra wrapping paper into card. Cut to whatever size you need, fold in half and write your perfect greeting.

I am Clay

I haven't always been good at cooking. In fact, for a really long time I was quite horrible at it. The first meal I ever made was crunchy garlic chicken. I had just married my husband at them time. I used chicken drumsticks and some garlic salt that was it. That's about all we had on our meager salary at the time. We had decided to get married on a whim and found very minimal paying career starters . I started cooking my first meal and with a pop of my cap the garlic salt came pouring in. It then became "crunchy garlic chicken!" Josh has tried to be nice and eat the chicken but with every bite crunching our mouths felt the utter unpleasant taste and texture. I finally broke the audible silence of the chew fest and said, " Shall we order pizza?"
That was the start to 11 1/2 years of crunchy, Munchy, canned, boxed, store bought disasters from my kitchen that let to an amazing breakthrough of one day this past January saying no more box meals! At the same time I was always searching for a place work to or outside the home, a job where I could make a difference. I needed a place or a calling. Perhaps being an at home mom was my calling all along and I was simply missing it? One day I prayed for wisdom and discernment. I simply just let my job search go. Then the changes began, I noticed some amazing gifts start to take form. It wasn't until I submitted to His will that I could really see changes start to take place. First, I could see beauty in everything. I could see the joy and with that now the ability to create. This leads me to my second newly found gift, the ability to cook and bake but only when I draw near to Him. It is symbiotic because if I lose focus on God, it becomes clear I cannot bake. It is clear God has superbly blessed me with this gift and I clearly believe I did not have in my earlier years or it lay very dormant. Third, is my ability to teach. I am seeing these gifts in the center of Christ as my focus and it's amazing how he continues to grow me and those around me. He is allowing me to homeschool my boys next year and he is allowing me to reach kids and teach through me to them His love. It's so exciting to see this! I am just clay and a work in progress!

Don't Be Afraid to Live Outside the Box, Live so Far Outside the Boxthat There is NO Box!

God uses us the most when we are are beyond our comfort zone! You don't have to go on a mission trip to reach out. The mission is right here in front of us! There are plenty of opportunities right here, right now! Live outside your comfort zone and become fishers of men!

Have You Thanked a Veteran Today?

Take a moment and thank a Veteran for their service. Find out how they are doing. Do they need anything?You can make a difference in a life!

Fireside Chat with Amanda Telesco as she writes about "God's Wisdom forLittle Girls"

I was reading tonight to my dear Isabelle this beautiful book that her Gran & Nana had bought her. God’s Wisdom for Little Girls (Virtues and Fun from Proverbs 31) By: Elizabeth George. (Side note: she did one for boys called God’s Wisdom for Little Boys.)

I will admit this is the first time I have ever set down and read the book through with her (which it is not a long book) since my parents gave it to her back in August 2011.  To be honest I didn’t want to read it at all. Two reasons why; One I am in such a mood I really don’t want to hear God’s word right now and Two, it is on Proverbs 31 and well that is what I try to base my life on as a wife and mother.

Well my most precious daughter begged for me to read this book and I sit down pretty unwilling to do so but do it all the same. As I begin to read the first line it says God’s Little Girl Is… Priceless. Well right there I was cut deep. Because today I don’t feel priceless I feel like a big giant heap of trash. Rather worthless. I feel like a screw up. Defeated and kicked in the face. As I read God say’s I am “worth more than rubies.” God’s little girl is better than gold!

Then the very next page say’s “God’s Little Girl Is… Kind. Being good to others is hard to do! But this is exactly what God asks of you!” WOW… REALLY!!!! Well today and for several days I have been to mad to be kind.  This book is just ticking me off! Of course my little love is sitting beside me in her silky curious George pajamas saying, “Yes, mommy we need to be kind.” UGH! YOU’RE killing me book! Well as you see I may be dealing with some anger at the moment. Being kind to others is so hard to do sometimes, but this is exactly what God asks of you. Didn’t this Elizabeth George put it perfectly, it may be hard but that doesn’t matter we are still asked by God to DO IT! Well that is a hard one to choke down sometimes, like how about right at this moment. I think I may be choking on it a little…

We read on and on and the next few I can take…God’s Little Girl Is…Eager, Helpful, Cheerful, Busy, Hearty, Diligent, Caring, Prepared, Creative, Prayerful, Artistic… Then we get to this one Confident. “What is true happiness? What makes you smile? It’s knowing all’s well when facing a trial. It’s doing the best you can do every day, then trusting the Lord to protect all the way.” She is strong and respected by the people. She looks forward to the future with joy. Proverbs 31:25. Well… geez I was doing pretty good till this one. So why it is the moment a trial comes we go running around like a chicken with their head cut off. I mean is your life a surprise to God? Well if you are not sure I will tell you the answer… NO IT IS NOT! He knows everything you are going through, He even knows why, and what the outcome will be. Yet why are we so quick to forget that when a trial comes our way. Why can I not remember HE is the ALMIGHTY, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Maker of Heaven and Earth. Well needless to say this kid’s book is really chappin my back side about now.

But the last one that just threw me down and convicted me straight to the heart. God’s Little Girl Is…Gracious. And this is how it reads “Some folks hurt others by “speaking their mind.”  But God’s girl speaks wisdom-only says what is kind. She calms a hurt soul and heals a sad heart by saying kind words instead of what’s “smart.”  She speaks wise words. And she teaches others to be kind. Proverbs 31:26. Well, that hurt, because the past week I have been so far from this. Rather than speaking wisdom and only what is kind, I spoke my mind and what is “smart.” I became broken at that moment. I could barley finish the book. I was choking back tears. All that was running through my head was what a wretched women am I?! Oh how you have fallen…

I went and tucked my precious in bed and kissed her head and prayed over her. I thank the Lord for that lovely child because He used her to show me the Light once again. I came immediately to the computer and started typing this. The whole time thinking wretched women why have you forsaken your King? Why do you know the Truth and abide so tightly to it yet when things become chaos you run from your saving grace, you’re Lord Jesus Christ and you sit in your garbage of anger and frustration?

I guess in the end of writing this I am trying to say, I am a fallen woman. I have my broken times. I am not all stitched together perfectly and run around all day long singing how perfect life is don’t you wish you could have what I got, here is step 1,2&3 to get there. No I have my moments I am on the mountain high, so full of God’s Spirit I can barely contain myself. Then I have a moment like right now where I am in the valley broken and beaten, bruised and battered, defeated and heartbroken. And that is when God uses a child. A sweet precious child to hand me a children’s book to read, so He may speak truth into my life. So that I may become truly broken, confess, repent and turn. Don’t miss your moment my friend. Don’t miss that moment when God is using a “child” so you may see the light once more. So that you can be restored back to Him as God’s Little Girl…

Spring Into Action

Spring has sprung. Spring into action, it is about starting a new, starting over or taking the challenge for something new. Be creative – start a garden, learn a new skill, help others, the outcomes are endless. So may possibilities are out there if chances are taken. So, put some spring into your step and blossom into something great and beautiful that will have a lasting effect – even if it is to only one person.

Letting Your Creativity Ignite a Flame

Great things come together when you throw it all in a pan. And they say to not put all of your eggs in one basket…what if you didn’t? How do you know what you could create? Take chances in life. God will be there to help you along the way. He just wants to see what you will do with what He has given you…so be creative and expand your horizons!

Feeling a little sick to your stomach?

No problem! These remedies may sooth your belly and your pocketbook :-)

Ginger and peppermint
These are both known as safe and natural aides to calm a sick stomach. Always check with our doctor especially if you are pregnant, or a medical condition such as diabetes, allergies, or asthma. Your doctor can help guide you in which medications, vitamins, natural herbal treatments and supplements to find a combination that is right for you! Happy Savings!

"In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins - not through strength but by perseverance".

Clean you walls for pennies!

I (Sandy) am so excited to share this new yet old product! I tried it today to see if it would really work and to my amazement it worked way better than I had expected! No more magic erasers for this family! How does in work for a detergent? We will see! What is this amazing product? Alright I have made ya"ll wait long enough, so here's what you do and it's so super now your on the way to saving lots of money! You heat baking soda in the oven at 400 degrees for about 15-20 min then waaalaaaa you have just made homemade washing soda!!! I mixed some today in some water and it worked like a magic eraser. I have heard this makes a great laundry detergent as well. When handling this product use gloves and keep kids and pets away as it has a high Ph level . This leads me to believe this could possibly be used in summer pools and treatment for water softener? I am not sure about these though because I have not researched these areas yet. Take caution it can't be used on no wax floors or aluminum so avoid these areas. It is also not good for clogged drains so don't try to unclog your sink with it! Otherwise have fun and get creative and Happy Saving!

Wisdom Seekers

"How much better to get wisdom than to get gold, to choose understanding rather than silver! The highway of the upright avoids evil; he who guards his way guards his life." Proverbs 16:16-17

Take a Moment if you to Listen

There are so many beautiful moments in life. God continues to bless our lives. It seems in my life right now I see Gods fingerprints in everything and it takes my breath away. It's everywhere! It's amazing now that I am actually stopping to really to listen to God, I hear Him and it's amazing!

Should I buy cheap toilet paper?

Perhaps in ones endeavor to save money and invest in things greater than spending money on life's bare essentials, one may find that cheap toilet paper is a way to save a few bucks. We must tell you don't do it! Randie laughed as she wrote to me this morning about about her fingers ripping right through the paper in her attempt with cheap toilet paper. I (Sandy) prefer to talking more of the chrhhss chrsshhh chrrshhh crunchy feeling that reminds me as as as if we were in a public sanitized top secret security mission. Now my husband said, "It's like using dollar bills!" and that was his two cents! Lol! No matter which way you look at it your better off going with the more expensive toilet paper and there you have it your toilet paper breakdown.

Putting Everything Into Well...Everything

I (Sandy) tried and tried to cook and bake yesterday. Everything I made in the kitchen was an utter failure. Last night I remembered I had a busy day perhaps to busy for Him. Where was my focus? I have quickly discovered without Christ I am simply nothing. More so I cannot cook If I simply get too busy for Him or my focus shifts off of Him. This is a gift He has given me but it simply fails to exist if I am not aligning with Him and picking up my cross daily. Jesus is the true bread of life.

Should I take my kids to the Holocaust Museum?

This little gem of a museum is located in the Heart of Richmond, VA. The staff recommends ages 11+ but this really depends on your child's age and maturity. We went through with guide books and used our imaginations to guide us. The museum flowed with emotions and was an awesome adventure. This is a must see! The kids really loved this! I used this opportunity as a teachable moment and bought my older son the book Anne Frank to read. I am sure he will love this book!

The Master List :

First, God because he is the sun and the warmth
Then yourself so you can love and serve others because you are an Oak the tree full of streghth and wisdom .
Third your family because they are the roots to your tree they need nourishment to grow.
Friends last because are the rain the provides nourishment and encouragement daily.

Welcome!

Happy Spring! We are on spring break here so it will be a bit busier than normal. Hope you take time today and to see the beauty in the birds and flowers and perhaps that pesky squirrel who is on a mission to find trouble. Whatever it is that your doing we hope you find joy and peace throughout your day. May it be fruitful and filled with many blessings.