Another day

SO far today has been well! I got some tips yesterday from a long time friend...get GF bisquick! OMG! It is amazing! She said to just insert it whenever flour is called for! Sooo instead of paying high prices for GF flours and specail flours (which I will still buy from time to time just not every day!). Thanks Apryl! I am loving the tips mamas! Keep them coming! They help me and I like passing them on as well. We have to help eachother through this. It isn't the easiest but it is worth it for the well being of our kidlets! until next time!

Did some more shopping for GFCF

I do not feel as bad now. It is a bit more costly, yes, but I have found ways to do this. There is always a way. I have two children that go to their dad's on weekends so keeping them GFCF won't be so hard. I can send certain things and he should be able to get some as well. I think I was overwhelmed. A lot. lol. Well since we started no one has had upset tummies, dark purple rings around eyes are going away and no massive trips to the bathroom, or ER for a couple of my kids who have sensitive tummies. Next step is getting the antibody tests for gluten and casein done on all of them. All of them get the pink/dark purple circles under their eyes, the red ears/cheeks after a meal and then the major tummy issues. I am glad Nik's doctor told us to do this, not just for him, but all of them. (I went over family history with him as well). I still need a lot of blood work done on Nik. I guess first person to ask will be the doctor this friday and if he can't help, then when we go out of town to his neuro doc we will ask them. SOMEONE has to do these tests. Soooo...after some looking around town I think I have a few places down for most of our stuff. We will start making our own pastas. The kids love ravioli's and this has been one of the hardest things to tell them they can't have. Strangly they all listen when they are told they can't have certain things. Not too much fussing. Dinner tonight went well and I am hoping this is a good sign.

GFCF...a new journey

So if you have been following my story, you know what is going on from facebook. If you do not know, I will give a quick rundown... I have 8 children, am in school full time, married to a wonderful man who supports me in all I do and is a stay at home dad. Three of my children face some challenges in life. One had meningitis as a younger child and has some brain damage from encephalitis. Then I have one autistic child who also has complex epilepsy, astham and some severe allergies. Also there is my youngest boy who may have asperger's and some mild delays. I finally got the autistic dx from the psych doc. Now he wants us to do a GFCF diets. For those who do not know this is gluten and casein free. Which is in almost every single thing you buy! Casein is in dairy, gluten is pretty much all wheat and wheat types. So we also did research and since we have two other children affected in some way we are all going gfcf. It has been a couple of weeks and the transition has been tough but worth it. I myself am not having tummy issues anymore. So that makes me wonder if the dark circles under the kid's eyes and tummy issues come from a sensitivity to these foods?! We shall see. Is anyone else out there gfcf, one or the other? If so, why? And what has been the hardest part of it all? How long have you been doing it and how do you survive to pay for anything? lol this stuff is expensive! I mean we have been making our own breads and such because while it costs more to use gfcf produccts, it is cheaper to make yourself. I am looking for tips, hints and any help. I am hoping to get into a better routine here so I can post more. Life has just been beyond hectic lately! Until next time...

08-29-2012

Wow. It has been a busy week! Got a lot done with appointments and school started back up. With homeschooling, it is not as stressful as it is for you parents that have to buy uniforms, school clothes, supplies and the like. We are a bit more laid back. I buy my supplies every year when things are on clearance. I usually get much more than I need. So we have plenty for the entire year with no worries. The dress code is pretty simple here and for meals, it is where our pockets get hit hardest. We go through a lot of food and snacks for 8 kids. All the way down to the baby does some form of school work. We count, ABC, and draw and do art. The older ones stay on track with work books and additional work I find and give them. lol It is a lot. Nik has a lot of upcoming appointments and we are trying to buy a new home. A bigger place. I am not sure how we will do it all but we will. Somehow things will work out for us. So I am letting that go and doing what I do best...go with the flow. I am also working on my other book. I have gone back and forth and now it is time to finish this. I need to promote my other book as well. I have more copies if anyone wants one, hit me up =) More to come this week as we begin the new adventure with Nik and his therapy for ASD. Follow me and keep up with us! Hope everyone in Isaac's path is staying safe! And glad we got to dodge that bullet. Until later...

Topic of the week shall be...

Okay, this week it is going to be autism. I chose this topic to start because I have child with ASD and it is important for this awareness. Today a social worker came to talk to us about Nik's therapy he will be starting. We have been fighting this for 6 years and finally we are going in the right direction. I have been told several times (by a doctor, a therpist and a few other professionals) that Nik seems to have some ASD going on. Just not sure exactly how bad, what part of the spectrum and so on. Well now we are on our way to getting answers and finally getting help. The meltdowns are the hardest part, as is the emotionless stares and reactions. I have shared some of my story in a previous blog posting. So now it is your turn. Share your story. If you have an autistic child (or loved one) please share with us your story of this beautiful being! These children (an adults even) are special on another level. But this seems to be happening more and more to our children. Let's get the awareness out there. Share tips, stories and just vent if need be. Pass this blog along and I promise you will not get bored. I have so much to talk about... =) Until next time!

Time for mommy...

Okay mama's...how many of you actually take some time out for yourself? After a long day of cooking, cleaning, working, homeschooling, laundry, playing with the kids...however you spend your day as mama... what do you do for you? Hhow do you keep your supermommypower? here are some tips for making more of the little time you get...alone.
First off, once kidlets are in bed, what do you do? Finish dishes? School work, work you brought home? Do you mop? Do you find yourself looking around overwhelmed wondering what you need to do first? This is your que mama's!!
Drop whatever it is your are doing! (I promise it won't go anywhere, who else is going to do it?)
Go find your iPod, tablet, whatever you enjoy, then go run some bathwater, add some lavendar oil, or your fave essential oil, light a few candles and RELAX!!!
Even if you only read a couple of chapters, or meditate for five minutes or lay there and just not think....DO IT!
It is important that mama is happy, rested and relaxed. IDK about ya'll but when I am stressed, my kidlets know! and they act out even more.
So...I want you ladies to share your tips on here. Tell us what you do to relax and unwind and recharge your supermom status. And if you do nothing, start tonight!!
Take care my mama's! More to come...

Living with a disabled child

I know I am not the only one out there. I have read many stories and felt as though I could have written them myself. Having a child is not the easiest job in the world and when you are given a special gift it makes your job even harder. The doctors appts, the medications, the trips out of town to specialists...it all takes a toll. and that is just the beginning.
Parents need an outlet, other parents to talk to, a place to meet and breathe. So through my experience (and since I have not found one here in town as yet), I am thinking of starting a group where parents can meet locally, we can have playdates and learn from eachother, support eachother and just be there for eachother.
My son has complicated epilepsy, asperger's (about to find out if it is more as he had only been diagnosed by a pedi), severe asthma and allergies and something wrong with his immune system which we will soon get more answers for as well. So I am looking for parents who live in and around panama city who would like to try this. And if one for these things already exists, please let me know! I really need other's to talk to. It has been over 6 years and while we are finally getting answers and understanding more, this is far from easy.
Also, things people outside of my family can do ius, be there for us. We have 8 children. Yes, that is a lot. Yes we know how they are made... We did not expect to have a child with issues as a lot of his are from his birth itself. You just do not plan your life thinking of these things. Can you imagine if we did? We would live in such fear and not even have children. This is a chance you take. So when people are hateful, it hurts. We have been through hell, are in hell with no sight of getting out anytime soon. SO much is going on...so a little help would be nice. Everyone has their problems, yes. I try and be there for others, no matter what. But sometimes I need someone. Sometimes I need to cry and mourn my birth, and feel upset and angry because this happened. Just once in a while I need to let go and feel.
I spend so much time blocking out how I feel and stay strong so that I can keep going and make things happen for him. My husband does so much, I do not want to put more on him...
please understand how hard this is and put yourself in our shoes...for one moment and realize I space out sometimes, I am sleep deprived and doing all I can to make things better for all involved. To top everything off we have some crazy ish going on lately and now having to find a new place to live. I am stressed, I am human. I am not ignoring anyone and I am trying to make a living and everything else that my husband and I do...
not exactly sure where I was going with this post...seems it turned more into a vent. I am exhausted. Please share this blog with others, get the word out. More to come.