In just a month....

In the month of May I will be going to see all four of my girls, not at the same time, but all in the same month.  That doesn't happen very often.  In fact, I'm not sure, but Audra's wedding may be the last time we were all together.  I'm not going to strain my brain to figure it out, because today I'm on the mend.  Yesterday, I was very sick..........very, very sick..... I think it was food poisoning.  I tried to go to work, but had to return home to bed and the couch the entire day.  I managed to eat a yogurt and some fishy crackers and that was it all day.  I'm feeling much better today and that's good because I'm in charge of Daniela today.  Hurrah! for Ashley it's her last class of the semester!

The end of May I will be flying to Maine.  I've been watching ticket prices for the last month and decided they weren't going anywhere but up, so bit the bullet and just bought one.  I just have to go see my Mainer-Grands.  I will be going to take care of Meghan's little ones in July and have recently seen Rowyn and she's also coming to visit this week. 

I can't wait to love on this little guy and feel his two little teeth for the first time.

I hear that Ava's been itching for a Gramie Treasure Hunt. 

I'm already planning a Hunt for you and thinking about prizes.

And this guy although he looks way to mature for them, is going

to get a million big hugs and kisses.

Ava shared her Easter bunny with Henry, because the Easter Bunny

thought he was to little for his own basket.

Of course, he didn't eat very much of it, just the pink part (the box).

The Easter Egg hunt was a huge success. 

 Michael's egg hunting skills have vastly improved from his younger

years when they had to hold Ava back, so he could get a few.

Way to go Michael!

Very cute, pink and brown is one of my favorite combinations.

We'll have to do a photo shoot in that outfit when Gramie comes to visit.

Pretty in Purple

Here are some photos I wanted to share.

I know that some of you have already seen them on face book,

but for those of you who don't get on that often or

prefer to leave face book alone,

these are for you.

Oh! How Adorable she looks in her Purple Easter Dress.

Grandma Lynn bought it for her.

Rowyn is 7 months old now.

I wish the photo quality was a little better on this one, it's so cute.

A family photo before church, I presume.

Someone looks a little bit tired, but that's okay it's a looonnng ride to church.

And this one is my favorite.

I love the way the parents are in it, but not totally

so the focus is on the little one in the middle.

And she looks like she's ready for take off.

Let me at those eggs.

Meet Hungry Girl!

Nope that's not me.

It's a real website and I heard about it at Weight Watchers, just

had to come home and look it up online.

Check it out here.

Tips and Tricks for Hungry Chicks is their jingle.

I've printed out a couple of their guilt-free recipes to try.

It even gives me the PointsPlus values for weight watchers.

Here's one of the recipes I plan to try

Prep Time is 10 minutes!

Scoopy Salmon Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. Hellmannn's/Best Boods Dijonnaise
• 1 Tbsp. fat-free cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• 6 oz. canned or pouched boneless skinless pink salmon, drained & flaked
• 1/2 cup quartered cherry or grape tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chopped cucumber
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 1/2 Tbsp. capers, drained   ( I plan to omit these)
• Optional: salt and black pepper

Directions

• Combine Dijonnaise, cream cheese, and lemon juice in a bowl.  Thoroughly mix until smooth
• Add salmon and stir well.  Add remaining ingredients and toss lightly to mix
• If you like, season to taste with salt and pepper.   Dig in!

Makes 2 Servings

Per Serving:   136 calories, 2g fat, 745 mg sodium, 7g carbs, 1g fiber, 3g sugars, 20.5g protein.

PointsPlus Value 3.

Do you know of any other sites that would help me on my weight loss adventure.  Please leave me a note in the comments.  Thanks!



My Weight loss Battle

Remember this post last August?  Weight Loss Week #3 I had lost 3 lbs. and I believe that's where it all ended.  Well I'm back on week three, but this time with Weight Watchers help and I have been a pound more sucessful and this time I will be sticking with is for at least 13 weeks, because that's how long the program has been paid for, for me to attend.

This is what's been hard for me:

• Two new employees that have been bringing baked goods into the office.
• Portion control.  A serving of chicken is the size of a deck of cards - really?
• Popcorn without all the butter & Parmesan cheese - isn't that great.

This is what I've done to help me be more successful:

• Bought the walking fit DVD's.  Two weeks of rain and nothing but rain in the forecast.
• Cleaned out my recipes & cookbooks - Pitched old recipes & cut out new ones to try.
• Bought me 3 pair of NYDJ Capri/shorts a size smaller for summer on EBay - for the price of one new pair at the store.
• I'm making a weekly run to Aldi's for produce & some Fit N Active products.
• This week I purchased the Points Plus Calculator to make calculating those points much, much easier.

My goal is 10% of my weight and I'm now four pounds closer to that goal.

Good-bye four pounds.  I hope you are gone forever.

Early Easter

Daniela celebrated Easter with us before going to Mexico.

Oh! I'm suppose to open it.

There's something in here.



Yum! I love yogurt melts



More yogurt melts in this one.

A Dora Sticker.

Fruit leather too.  I love Easter!

Daniela will be celebrating another Easter in Mexico,

although there customs are very different from

ours, I'm sure it will involve some more goodies.

Walking at Home

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

After a week of nothing, but rain.

I purchased Weight Watchers Walking Kit.

It was $20.

Did I really need it?

Well if it gets me walking, it worth every cent.

This is what I woke up to this morning

But I did get my walk in thanks to the WW DVD.

DVD Portion of the Walking Kit

So while I have snow in Michigan;
Ashley & Daniela are enjoying 90's in Mexico
and Meghan & family narrowly escaped tornadoes in North Carolina.

 

If you locate the words North Carolina on the map,

left of all the red blocks....

Well Asheboro is about where the Capital C is on the map.

I called this morning to see if they sustained any damage to their

property or anything, and all is well.

  High winds & heavy rains was the luck of the draw for Asheboro.

I bet there's a lot more sticks in the yard for Griffin to pick up.

Bill was traveling more in the thick of the storm and

he admitted it was pretty darn scary.

Homecoming Tears

I'm not ashamed to admit I cried when I received Audra's email and pictures.

I knew Rick was on his way home, 

but they are not home until they are all the way home.

(Last trip his plan was struck by lightening between

Houston & El Paso)

Ceremony first.  I'm sure it's hard to wait.  It's hard to find

them in that crowd of soldiers.

It's got to be hard to hold yourself back

from running to them and wrapping your arms around them.

Looks like someone was not shy.

Rick & Rowyn. 

I bet it was hard for him too. 

He has not seen his little girl since October.

One Happy Family.

Thank you, GOD, you are ever so faithful.

Rowyn's outfit to meet her daddy.

The shirt says "My Daddy is a Combat Engineer".

This all happened in the wee hours of this morning, while most of us were fast asleep.

What can pull you out?

What can pull you out of a writers slump?

Well this is what did it for me.

Pictures of my Mainer Grands.



Little Henry is sooooooo dang cute!!



Henry sporting his new chompers - 6 months old



Henry looking really sharp in his sweater set.



Sick baby - Not everyone can look good when attached to a breathing treatment machine!

Michael look for IPad2 on the internet

Lordy - even Ava's shocked at the Price.

I don't think Michael or I will be getting one any time soon,

because it's between $500-$700.

Guess I won't be needing that Weight Watchers application,

just a tracker booklet and a pencil.

On a happy note....I've lost 3.6 pounds so far.

Writer's Block

Yes, that me!

I have the dreaded writer's block.

Can't think of anything to say.

Doesn't help that I've had a weather induced migraine

and migraine rebound.

I'll be posting again soon.

This writers block can't keep me quiet forever.

News Coverage in the El Paso Times

Here's the news coverage in the El Paso Times, it's just a tickler it says the full article will be in Sunday's paper. 

I'll see if I can put it on the blog as well.

So much good news for our family.  Amanda received a big raise and Ashley received a scholarship for her study abroad program coming up in less than two months.  We've surely been blessed lately and we are oh so thankful for the shower of blessings.  Truly grateful!

Home Again!

It finally happened, the reunion Audra had been hoping for.

Dakota was on the 9:00 pm flight to El Paso, 11:00 pm our

time, hence she didn't make the news last night.

Excited to see her Mama!

And if you think flying is stressful for humans;

just think what it must be like for a dog,

especially one that's had a very topsy-turvy life

since early December.

Audra's dog & Rick's dog Cody reunited.

Here's part of Audra's email to me early this a.m.

She made it :)   Everything ran smooth at the airport.  Dakota was super thirsty and tired, she passed out on the way home.  She sure didn't forget who Cody was and seemed excited to run around the back yard again.  The El Paso Times is doing an article on her, Home Again taped the reunion and 3 other news stations.  kfox14 news is one of them, it's a local station, but I was told Home Again is going to try and pitch it nation wide, but if you want to look it up it's supposed to air tomorrow night  (Sat). Delta ended up covering her ticket, which was a nice surprise. I think after the kennel size screw up and holding her in Atlanta all day they probably felt bad!!

It's been a long day so, I'm headed to bed, definitely saying my prayers and counting my blessings, God has been so good to us!!   *** Audra also got new Rick may be home ahead of schedule, so good news all around.



Somebody' is Sneezing.....

It'a All About Attitude

  

That is the Title of the latest book I'm reading on Autism.

Sorry the picture is out of focus, but that's how it is on the book's cover.

loving and

living well

with autism

by Kathy Almeida

& Gayle Nobel

On Amazon.com there are 4 reviews. 

All are 5 Stars!

Both of the authors are Mom's that  have raised sons with autism.

Excuse me now while I sneak in bed with the book

to get started on the first chapter.

Taryn's Baby Shower

Yesterday was my niece's baby shower.  I love baby showers and this

one was especially nice, because the person it was for is so sweet and

deserving of all things good.  All babies are eagerly anticipated, but those

who have to wait years for their wish to come true are especially ecstatic.

Emotions ran high and more than a few tears were shed.

Michelle helped with the gifts and Aunt Debbie assisted with the food.

Martha had the church hall decorated very nicely with butterflies and

amazing balloons within a balloon.  I'm bummed that I didn't get a picture

of the cake, which was a big purple butterfly as well.  Of course, if you

know my sister the food was exceptionally good as well.  Taryn received

a nice assortment of everything.  It's a good thing the highchair my girls

and I went in on together was accidently shipped directly to her, because

she had a ton of baby things to cart to the other side of the state.

Martha

Taryn

   &

Ashlynn Jane Rayment

Autism -- Recommended Reading

April is Autism Awareness Month --  Pick a book from this list and learn a little more about Autism.

This is the Recommended Reading List in the back of "Three Times the Love" a book about finding answers and hope for triplets with Autism.


Attwood, Tony:  The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome

Barbera, Mary Lynch and Tracy Rasmussen:  The Verbal Behavior Approach:  How to Teach Children with
Autism and Related Disorders.

Biel, Lindsey and Nancy Peske:  Raising a Sensory Smart Children:  The Definitive Handbook for Helping Your Child with Sensory Integration Issues.

Bleach, Fiona:  Everybody is Different: A Book for Young People Who Have Brothers or Sisters with Autism.

Bondy, Andy and Lori Frost:  A Picture's Worth: PECS and Other Visual Communication Strategies in Autism

Brazelton, T. Berry and Stanley I. Greenspan:  Irreducible Needs of Children:  What Every Child Must Have to Grow, Learn and Flourish

Brazelton, T. Berry and Joshua Sparrow:  Touchpoints, Three to Six:  You Children's Emotional and Behavioral Development.

Edwards, Andreanna and Tom Dineen:  Taking Autism to School.

Gerlach, Elizabeth:  Just This Side of Normal:  Glimpses into Life with Autism

Grandin, Temple:  Thinking in Pictures: And Other Reports from My Life with Autism.

Grandin, Temple and Margaret Scariano:  Emergence:  Labeled Autistic

Gray, Carol:  The New Social Story Book.

Greenspan, Stanley with Nancy Thorndike Greenspan:  First Feelings:  Milestone in the Emotional development of Your Baby and Child.

Greenspan, Stanley with Nancy Breslau Lewis:  Building Healthy Minds:  The Six Experiences That Create Intelligence and Emotional Worth in Babies and Young Children.

Greenspan, Stanley with Serena Wieder:  Engaging Autism:  Using the Floortime Approach to Help Children Relate, Communicate, and Think.

Greenspan, Stanley with Serena Wieder and Robin Simons:  The Child with Special Needs:  Encouraging Intellectual and Emotional Growth

Gutstein, Steven E., and Rachelle K. Sheely:   Relationship Development Intervention with Young Children:  Social and Emotional Development Activities for Asperger's Syndrome, Autism, PDD and NLD

Jepson, Bryon, Katie Wright and Jane Johnson:  Changing the Course of Autism:  A Scientific Approach for Parents and Physicians.

Kaufman, Barry Neil and Raun Kaufman:  Son- Rise:  The Miracle Continues.

Kephart, Beth:  A Slant of Sun:  One Child's Courage.

Kerby, David:  Evidence of Harm:  Mercury in Vaccines and the Autism's Epidemic:  A Medical Controversy.

Kluth, Paula:  You're Going to Love This Kid!  Teaching Students with Autism in the Inclusive Classroom.

Koegel, Robert L and Lynn Kern Koegel:  Pivotal Response Treatments for Autism:  Communication, Social and Academic Development.

Leach, Penelope:  Your Baby and Child:  From Birth to Age Five.

Lear, Laurie:  Ina's Walk

Leszl, Janet Lord:  A Pebble to Polish

Lewis, Lisa:  Special Diets for Special Kids

Lovaas, Ivar O.:  Teaching Individuals with Developmental Delays:  Basic Intervention Techniques

Maurice, Catherine:  Let Me Hear Your Voice

McCandless, Jaquelyn:  Children with Starving Brains

McCarthy, Jenny:  Louder Than Words

McElwain, Jane J-Mac:  The Game of My Life:  A True Story of Challenge, Triumph and Growing Up Autistic.

Miller, Lucy Jane and Doris A. Fuller:  Sensational Kids:  Hope and Help for Children with sensory Processing Disorder

Naseef, Robert: Special Children, Challenged Parents:  The Struggles and Rewards of Raising a Child with a Disability

Notbohm, Ellen:  Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew

Notbohm, Ellen and Veronica Zysk:  Ten Things Your Student with Autism Wishes You Knew.

Parish, Rover:   Embracing Autism:  Connecting and Communication with Children in The Autism Spectrum

Robison, John Elder:  Look Me in the Eye:  My Life with Asperger's

Senator, Susan:  Making Peace with Autism:  One Family's Story of Struggle

Seroussi, Karyn and Bernard Rimland:  Unraveling the Mystery of Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorder:  A Mother's Story of Research and Recovery

Shaw, William:  Biological Treatment for Autism and PDD

Shore, Stephen and Linda Rastelli:  Understanding Autism for Dummies

Siegel, Bryna :  Helping Children with Autism Learn:  Treatment Approaches for Parents and Professionals.

Twachtman-Cullen, Diane, Jennifer Twachtman-Reilly, and David L Holmes:  How Well Does Your IEP Measure Up?  Quality Indicator for Effective Service Delivery

Waltz, Mitzi;  Autistic Spectrum Disorders:  Understanding the Diagnosis and Getting Help

Weber, Jayne Dixon:  Children with Fragile X-Syndrome:  A Parent's Guide.

White, Burton L. :  The First Three Years of Life, 20th rev.

Wilens, Timothy E:  Straight Talk About Psychiatric Medications for Kids.

Wiseman, Nancy:  Could it be Autism?  A Parent's Guide to the First Signs and Next Steps.

Wright, Peter:  Wrightslaw:  From Emotions to Advocacy: The Special Education Survival Guide.

If it's underlined I've read it, but not to worry I have a whole shelf of books on autism waiting to be read and I plan to dig into it soon.

I challenge you to read a book on autism this month, or check your TV Guide there's bound to be some movies or documentaries on autism this month that you can watch.  If you have something to recommend for others, please leave a comment.