Brownie in a Mug

I always get those late evening cravings for something chocolate or sweet, but don't have the energy to make and clean my kitchen again! I have found a few brownie in a mug recipes that I liked, but they all seem to be either too dry or too wet. Thus, I started playing with it and found that this worked best for my tastes. So enjoy and here's to only washing ONE cup!!!

4 tablespoons all purpose flour (or 12 teaspoons)
4 tablespoons sugar (or 12 teaspoons)
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa (or 6 teaspoons)
a dash of salt
a dash of backing powder
1 tablespoons 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil (or 5 teaspoons)
2 tablespoons water (or 6 teaspoons)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

**For those who want a little more chocolate add a few chocolate chips
**Also if it is a little too dry add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil instead of 1 tablespoon 2 teaspoons.

Mix together with a fork all the dry ingredients in an 11oz coffee mug or bigger. Usually the coffee mugs that come with your dinning set are 11oz. Mix in all the wet ingredients and chocolate chips if so desired. Make sure you scrape the bottom of the mug, I use a small spatula for this to make sure I got everything off the bottom! Microwave on high for 1 1/2 minutes and you are done! Make sure you let it cool down some before diving in and I like to add some chocolate syrup if I don't add the chocolate chips!

ENJOY!!!!

 

Stache my pencil HERE *Picture Tutorial*

I have had many people ask me if it is really that easy to place vinyl on things like buckets, water bottles, glass containers, etc. I can honestly tell you, YES!!! It really is very simple once you see how simple you will be personalizing and creating every and everything you can think of! My favorite gift thus far this year that I have made is the, "Stache my pencil HERE" pencil holder for Manni's teachers! I LOVE the mustache craze and also chalk board vinyl so I created something that incorporated the two!!! Below is a quick picture tutorial on how easy it is to make something like this and the cost is less then ten dollars. Now note you can purchase little buckets like this almost any place for a dollar of two. I buy mine at Hobby Lobby and the dollar store but I have also seen them at Target and Michael's.

So with out farther a due here is a short picture tutorial!!!

This is how my vinyl applique's come to you in the mail.

 With the tape already on them, but you still need to press firmly

on the vinyl to make sure it sticks to the tape!!!

Start in one corner and lift the tape away from the backing.

As you see the vinyl will or should stick to the tape. If

for some reason it is not sticking place the tape back over

the vinyl and press a bit more firmly.

You can either pull the whole thing off in one piece or do

what I did below and cut the pieces smaller before 

pulling the tape off with the vinyl stuck to it!

As you can see the vinyl is stuck to the tape!

Carefully position the vinyl on your bucket or item!

Make sure you start in the middle of the vinyl and work

your way outwards! I make sure I have something holding

 my bucket in place like two books on either side. Leaving

both hands free to position the vinyl.

Once the vinyl in in place make sure you press FIRMLY

on the tape over the vinyl. 

Starting in one corner pull gently away from the item,

leaving the vinyl sticking to it. If for some reason the

vinyl is not sticking place it back on the item and press 

FIRMLY again!!!

My chalk board mustache doesn't need tape. Chalk board

vinyl is a bit thicker and is easier to place!

Gently lift the chalk board vinyl off it's backing!

Starting with the middles place the chalk board vinyl

on the item. Press firmly over the vinyl a couple of times,

paying close attention to the sides!

Here is what mine looked like when I was done! 

Very easy and it took less then ten minutes to make!

Here is one of Manni's teacher's gifts for 

Teacher Appreciation Week!!

If you have any questions please feel free to message me and I will be more then happy to answer!

Enjoy and CRAFT ON!!!!

Vintage Baby Doll Crib

Isabella and I were walking around a quaint little antique store today when we came across the CUTEST little doll crib.

As soon as you walk through the doors of this old rustic cottage you are hit with the small of old books and wood! The smell reminds me of the past and my imagination starts to run wild with excitement! I look at things not just for what they once did, but what I can use them for today!. Antique stores are like a treasure chest waiting to be opened! 

My eyes land on a small, round glass container with a specked gold lid on it! I start to think about the vanity it must have once sat on and who must have owned it! A gentile southern woman who must have taken a lot of pride in the way she looked and smelled like! Her house was once adorned with lovely glass and gold objects and she sat on her porch with her husband every night talking about the days passed!! I had to have it, it was just too much so I walked over to the shelf hoping it was not overly priced and was shocked to see a five dollar sticker on it! It was MINE!!!

Bella and I slowly walked around the cottage and looked at every booth. We have a rule of thumb we walk around looking at all the wonderful things in the store then we take a second trip around getting down and looking under shelves and in those hidden corners! That is when Bella found her treasure!!!

"AAAAWWWWW!!!! Mommy, look at this bed, I SO think Kit could fit in it!"

I walk over to were Isabella was standing and look down at this cute, but not so sturdy doll crib. It looked like a crib from the 50's error and all in all was in good shape considering it's age! One of the side boards was going to need to be replaced and for the right price it would be a good toy for her! 

I reached down to flip the price tag over and said, "It's twenty dollars Bella, and I am not sure we can fix the side panel right away."

Bella pulled her beaded green purse up and pulled her money out. "Five, ten, eleven, twelve! I have half of the money Mommy, can I get it?"

"You know if it going to take almost all your money Bella and like I said I am not sure we will be able to fix the crib today, we might have to wait till next weekend."

"That's okay Mommy, I really want to get it for Kit," in a sweet yet overly excited voice.

I picked the crib up from the floor and walked over to the counter with my five dollar treasure and Bella's treasure. Behind the counter was an older woman in a flowered shirt and jeans. She had the cutest long gold chained necklace on with a flowers adoring it! She reached down over the counter hitting the edge with her gold bangle bracelets to take the tag from Bella's hand.

"Um, can you ring those up separably please? My daughter has to pay for half of the crib and I want to have an accurate price for her!"

"Oh, my she is going to pay for half?" then she looked down at Bella and said in the sweetest, southern voice, "You are such a responsible young lady and since this is going to be yours I am going to give it to you for fifteen dollars with tax included! Do you think you can pay your mommy the seven dollars and fifty cents?"

With her big green eyes staring up at her and a huge smile on her face Bella softly said in her cute little voice, "That's so nice of you, thank you! I can give you the seven dollars and fifty cents if you want and then my Mommy will only have to pay her half!"

With a chuckle and broad smile on her face she looked at Bella and then at me and said, "I'm sure Mommy can pay for the whole thing and then you can give her the money later on."

Her laugh lines were like a map of the many laughs and smiles she had given to people over the years. Her demeanor  a gentile one and she had the warmest, most welcoming eyes! She then took the five dollar tag off my wonderful treasure and added up my total.

"That's going to be twenty dollars and forty-one cents."

I pulled my card out of my back pocket and handed it to her! She carefully wrapped my glass cotton ball holder and stuck the recite in the bag! Before taking the bag I thanked her and walked out to the car!

All the way home Bella could not contain herself she was so excited she had bought this crib and couldn't wait for Daddy to see it!

As soon as we walked in the house Bella was bustling with excitement telling Jason all about the antique store we had gone to and what she had found. After careful examination he determined with a little TLC and some creativity on my part we could fix the crib for her and Kit could sleep in it tonight!! 

So here are the pictures of the before and after of Bella's treasure!!! ENJOY!!!

The crib minus the broken board

The board that the doll lays on I decided to refinish it 

by adding some left over batting I had!

As you can see I folded the batting to make it a little 

thicker!

I then put the fabric over it and flipped it over.

I hot glued the fabric down and did one side envelope 

style. By the way is not so very easy on an old 

piece of wood and a hot glue gun!

The other side I pulled over tucked the end in and 

hot glued it! Very easy and the best method if you ask me

Here's the finished mattress for the doll crib.

Since we had to repair the side board

it looked very ugly. So I picked out

the Pairs theme paper since the blanket

is Paris and glued it with decoupage on

both sides!

Here's Kit sleeping in her NEW bed!!

Bella is very happy with her purchase! 

Cori Sue

For those who don't already know my sister-in-laws niece was diagnosed with MLD!! For those who don't know what MLD is I would like to give you a quick education!!

Definition:

               MLD is short for metachromatic leukodystrophy. Translated from doctor talk MLD means: meta - change, chromatic - color, leuko - white matter, dystrophy - degeneration. MLD's name therefore comes from degeneration in the white matter of the brain and Central Nervous System (CNS) which has a color on staining that should not be there. Staining was how the disease was observed before the advent of the MRI. -


Biochemistry:

                Basically people who are affected by MLD lack an enzyme in their blood called Arylsulfatase-A, (ARSA). Without this enzyme, sulfatides are NOT broken down and instead build-up in the white matter of the brain and CNS causing destruction of the myelin sheath, or demyelination. Without an intact myelin sheath there is a breakdown in communication between the nerves and the brain. This loss of or miscommunication - accounts for the loss of acquired functions paralysis, blindness, seizures and eventual death seen in MLD.

Types of MLD:

                Generally, there are considered to be three main types of MLD that have different ages of onset: late-infantile, juvenile, and adult. The late-infantile form of MLD is the most commonly observed form of MLD. The most common gene mutations have been identified for both the late-infantile and the adult onsets, however, there are many other less common mutations. MLD is not contagious and can not be passed to others through any sort of contact - it is a genetic condition.

See more at: http://mldfoundation.org/MLD-101-what.html#sthash.S1WX146C.dpuf


Cori Sue is a two year old little girl with MLD and it just happens that she is also my sister-in-laws niece, her brothers little girl. They live here in Houston and are such an inspiration to me. When most would have found tragedy and hopelessness with such a diagnosis they found love, and companion! They trust in God and His will and charge forward with a strength that could only come from the love they have not only towards Cori, but God as well! My heart breaks every time I read about Cori, but then I rejoice in the love and faith her parents have! They have truly inspired me to be a more faithful servant and enjoy every minute of everyday I have with my kids!

Cori Sue and her family need our help to get to Pittsburg for an MLD convention and to have a follow-up with her specialist! I pray and hope that we not only help them meet this goal but far surpass it to help cover any medical bills and things Cori Sue might need!! Please follow the link below and if you can't give SHARE on Facebook, twitter, heck smoke signal if need be just please SHARE!!!

CORI SUE's Story and Fund

"I Love You BUT.....

It comes as no surprise to anyone that know Jason and me that we would have a very head strong, spunky, go getter for a daughter, Isabella. It is also no surprise to anyone that knows our family that Isabella tends to always have the last word. She has one older brother and two younger brothers so she learned very quickly how to hold her own. So the conversation we had the other day should not surprise anyone who knows our spunky little girl.

The other day I was in the kitchen cooking diner when Isabella came in, jumped onto the counter, and sat down on the edge. (Don't worry it was next to the sink away from the stove:)

"Mommy, can I help?"

"UUUUMMM, no not right now, I am just waiting for the water to boil," hoping that would pacify her.

"Mommy, can I ask you a question?"

"Yeah, what do you want to ask me?"

"I was wondering if its okay for me to be a teacher and a nurse?"

Turning to look at her with a loving smile I said, "You can be both, you can teach nursing! That way you are teaching and are a nurse at the same time."

"Yeah, I don't know, I will have to think about that. Maybe, I can just be a kindergarten teacher and have fun all day playing with kids!"

Turing my head slightly to the left with a more serous look I said, "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea, but you know you don't PLAY with kids all day, you have to teach them."

With a sweet smile Isabella said, "I KNOW! Well, I will teach and I can bring my two kids to your house and you can watch them for me!"

"Yeah, that would be nice, but things can change and I might be working some place else!"

"MOMMY, you can't work some place else who's going to watch my kids while I go to work? Any ways, I will be living right down the street so they can just walk down here in the morning before I go to work!"

Looking at her with a big smile on my face now I just knoded and poored the rice into the pot. Thinking the conversation was over, I started to busy myself preparing the rest of dinner.

"Mommy," in a giddy sort of voice! "I love you!"

"Thank you Isabella, I love you too," kissing her gently on her head.

"I Love you Mommy, BUT I can't live with you when I get older!"

Looking surprised and rather amuzed I said, "Really! Why do you say that?"

"Mommy, you know that I love you a lot, but I don't want to fight with you when I get older! I can just live down the street from you that way I have my own space!"

Looking rather surprised and amuzed I asked the ulitmate question, "What do you mean you don't want to fight with me?"

Sitting up straight, Isabella placed her hands on her hips and looked at me with a matter of fact look. "Mommy, you know we fight now because I am JUST LIKE YOU! SO, I don't think we should live in the same house because I am going to want my house my way and you want your house your way. The problem is you are going to be OLD and I don't want to hurt your feelings because my way is better. So it's better if we just live in different houses. I Love you that much Mommy!"

I just look at her and chuckle to myself, because my eight year old daughter is just too much! In one conversation she let me know that I am going to take care of her TWO kids while she is at work, live down the street from her, that I will be OLD, and that her way is better then mine!

YES, that is my daughter through and through and I wouldn't have it any other way!!!

 LOVE YOU ISABELLA, my sweet girl!!!!

"That Taste Like Honey"

"OOOH, that taste like honey!"

I causally turn down the review mirror hoping that Donato isn't eating something totally and utterly discussing. With a weary smile I ask the question I would soon regret!

"What taste like honey?"

With a huge smile on his face and a devious look in his beautiful hazel eyes, he proceeds to shove his chunky little figure into his nose. Before I could utter stop he shoves his fingers into his mouth and smiles a huge smile!

"That taste like honey, Mommy!"

OH MY GOSH! My four year old just eat his boogers and then explains to me that it taste like honey! What do you say what do you do other the gag or throw up! Being oh so clever and thinking quickly I didn't react the way I wanted to and pull over and vomit, no I instead became proactive.

Glancing back at him in the review mirror I smile a queasy looking smile and shake my head at him!

"Donato did you know that your boogers have germs in them?"

"WHAT!? Mommy is that the truth they really do have germs in them?"

"Yes,  Donato they have lots of germs I them and you just put them in your mouth."

Donato looks at me with a sickly look and starts to wipe his tongue with a napkin out of his car seat cup holder.

"Wait a minute, your saying they have bugs in them! Wait, Wait, Wait, I just eat BUGS and they are I my nose!! Mommy germs are little bugs and I eat them"

"OH MY GOSH, I just eat a ROACH and it was in my nose! Mommy bugs are in my nose and I hate roaches so NO it doesn't taste like honey!"

He then looks at his sister and tells her with a very matter of fact attitude that there are bugs her nose too and she should NEVER try to eat her boogers!

A morning in the life of a four year old, whom is too smart for his own good:)

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Broccoli Cheese Soup (Crock Pot Style)

Ingredients:

1 Medium Onion, chopped
1/3 cup Unsalted Butter
Minced Garlic (2 to 3 Cloves)
6 Tbs (tablespoons) all-purpose flour
2 (12 oz) can Evaporated Milk
5 cups Chicken Broth 
4 cups Broccoli (16 to 24oz bag; I like a lot so I use a 32oz bag)
1/4 tsp (teaspoon) Thyme
16oz Heavy Cream
Sharp Cheddar Cheese (Sprinkle on top)
Salt
Pepper

1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat, until melted. 
2. Add onion into melted butter and saute until soften.
3. Add garlic, flour and lightly season with salt and pepper
4. Cook for approximately one to two minutes; stirring constantly.
5. Whisk evaporated milk into mixture and cook until it begins to thicken.
6. Pour into Crock Pot along with chicken broth, broccoli, and thyme; stir together.
7. Cover with lid and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours
8. While on warm add cream and let it sit for approximately 10 minutes.

Serve and garnish with sharp cheddar cheese if desired.

REWIND........Super Hero Birthday

This has been a LONG time coming since Donato's 3rd birthday was WAY back in the beginning of February of last past year. Sorry it's so late, but yet again life and my MANY projects and responsibilities have taken over!!!!

My sweet baby boy turned 3 on January 27, 2013 and I was SO very excited to create and make his SUPER HERO dreams come true! Both my younger boys Donato and Gabriele (5) LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, super hero's. SO it was only natural for Donato to ask for a super hero birthday party and of course he wanted to look like CAPTAIN AMERICA, his fav. super hero! I was all for the challenge, but I bit off more then I could chew with this project for sure!

My Little Super Hero Donato

Shirt made by Create Sew Embellish

My first order of business was to create a unique and fun invitation for my special little guy. This was not as hard since I looked around and took idea's from different sites that I liked and meshed them together. I then uploaded the invitation to Shutterfly and had them printed out and sent to me in a 4x6 picture! They came out better then what I expected and I just LOVED them!!!

CUTE I KNOW:)

The next order of business would be to now take and tie the theme and graphics into the cupcake toppers:) This was a lot harder then it looks because I was working with Photoshop and didn't know exactly how to make the circle the exact size I needed!!! Once I figured it out though it was very simple and anyone can do it all you have to go is YOUTUBE it!!! It is kind of lie looking up your sons algebra homework online and watching a teenager explain it to you. After the fact realizing it was something very simple!!!

 I didn't make the cupcakes but I did the toppers:)

 I LOVE how they turned out. I did buy the "super girl"

off 2 Cute Party Prints but did the rest!!!

Donato's BIG cupcake!!!!

I am also trying to set these up in my shop as well:)

I also did super hero stickers for the bottom's of Hershey Kisses and LOVED the way they turned out. I make matching 1 1/2 inch stickers for all the party favor bags. I am working on putting these in my shop to offer but till then if you are interested please message me via Facebook thru, One Sassy lil Sweet Pea. I would be more then happy to work with you and personalize them as well!!

Speak to Me

One of the most difficult things for some people to grasp about most Autistic children is they are LITERAL. I mean they take every thing you say in a literal sense. For example if you said, "I feel like my head is going to explode!" meaning "I have a horrible headache!" they would take you literally. They would think your head is actually going to explode, they can't make the connection to your sarcasm. This can become very frustrating and at times make them angry because you are talking a foreign language to them.

For my son he takes everything you say in the literal sense and at times you don't even know what just happened till you look at it from his perspective. A good example of this is what some one told him they saw saw at a car show, "This awesome car that had some bad looking tires on it." Manni heard, "This nice looking car that had some horrible tires on it!" he took it in the literal form. I had to explain to him that the word "bad" in this instance was meaning good, but he didn't get it and became very frustrated with me. He wanted to know why you would use "bad" in a way that meant just the opposite of what you were actually trying to say. Another saying we had to drop a LONG time ago was, "Its raining like cats and dogs outside!" he actually thought it was raining cats and dogs. It took us a LONG time to get him to understand that it was a saying for it was raining really hard.

 I think one of my biggest heart ache for my son is he does not know when people are making fun of him. It is a blessing and curse at the same time and my heart melts when I see or hear what is going on. I taught Manni how to laugh at jokes when everyone else is laughing so he will not look or feel out of place as he gets older. To look at the people around him and if they start to laugh at a joke he should chuckle a little bit so he is not out of place. This has been both a curse and blessing for him! This year I found out that during lunch Manni would be sitting with a group of boys that were always telling jokes. Manni doing what I taught him would chuckle or laugh when the other boys did as a way to fit it. The problem is Manni had no idea that they were laughing at him or telling jokes about him. To this day I don't think he knows and I would LOVE to keep it that way. It was a blessing that he was able to fit in and not know what was going on but a curse as well because he didn't know what was happening. He was in the dark and it took a teacher hearing it a few times before realizing what they were doing to Manni and stopped it! Manni does not get jokes and probable never will and I am okay with that, BUT I am not okay with other people using that against him in such a way.

In our house we are careful to speak clearly and make sure we don't talk across the room at Manni. He has a hard enough time focusing on what you are telling him when you are near him let alone across the room. We also found that when we talk to Manni on the phone he has to be in a quiet room that does not have too many distractions or he says he can't "hear you". Even though he does not have anything wrong with his hearing he is not able to tune out everything around him to actually hear what you are saying on the phone. I have found that when I text Manni he is able to focus and SEE what I am saying to him. That way if he can't focus on talking to me at that point in time because there are too many distractions he will wait till he is alone and then call or message me back.

Trips to the Store of Horrors

One of the most profound things I have found with Emanuel being Autistic is taking him to the store. Since I can remember Emanuel has HATED going to the store and for the longest time it baffled me. I remember the first time he went to the store he was a little over two months old. He needed diapers and since at that time preemie diapers were only sold at BabiesRUs that is where we went.

At the time I was living with my mom and she was my ride since I was still not able to drive because of the surgery. Most of the car ride over to the store Manni was content and on the verge of going to sleep. By the time we parked and got out of the car Manni was sound asleep so I gently placed the car seat in the stroller and away we went. Within minutes of entering the store Emanuel had woken himself up and started to scream. When I mean scream I mean SCREAM!!! My mother tried everything from rubbing his tummy to giving him his passy and bottle, but nothing was working. I finally picked him up out of the seat hoping that was what he wanted. NO SUCH LUCK!! He just kept screaming and screaming and SCREAMING. The whole time we were in the store nothing would sooth him or calm him down. We quickly got what we needed and checked out, and as soon we left the store he STOPED. No joke he turned it off as soon as I was out the front door and started to suck his passy and fall back to sleep. It was one of the strangest things I have EVER encountered and unfortunately it would not be the last time he would do that.

After that wonderful day every time we went into the store Manni would scream and as he got older cup his ears and rock back and forth at times. I went to doctor after doctor thinking something was wrong, but no one could give me an answer. When Manni was a little over two years old his OT (Occupational Therapist) suggested that I look up Autism and talk to the doctor about it. From there I started to get answers and started to learn how to help Manni a just to those once dreaded times of the day and week like going into a store. Through a lot of therapy and some VERY awesome therapist I learned how to look for cues from Manni and how to help him verbalize when things were too much for him and when he needed to leave a store without all the melt downs.

Today Manni still gets overwhelmed when the store is too crowded, but he will tell me he would like to go and sit at the food court or go over to the electros (his fav thing) were there are less people. If we are in a restaurant he will get flushed and ask how long we are going to be there, cueing me that something is overwhelming him. Most of the time he is fine as long as he has something to occupy himself in the store. He carries his phone on him at all times so if he does need to go to a less crowded space he has access to me at all times and I have access to him at all times!

I have asked Manni to describe what is going on when he feels over whelmed. He said sometimes there are too many people or it is too noisy and he feels sick to his stomach. He has also described it as if a million people wear screaming at him and the lights are flickering so much that he gets a horrible headache. It is hard to really put yourself in his shoes since you and I have never really gone through anything nearly as profound as what he is going through. I think the best description I have found to this date is one off my fav web site! This AWESOME description @ Autism Speaks is more then enlightening it is life changing and puts everything into retrospect for me. I have copied the description below for you to read!!!

My senses are out of sync.
This means that ordinary sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touches that you may not even notice can be downright painful for me. My environment often feels hostile. I may appear withdrawn or belligerent or mean to you, but I’m just trying to defend myself. Here’s why a simple trip to the grocery store may be agonizing for me.

My hearing may be hyperacute. Dozens of people jabber at once. The loudspeaker booms today’s special. Music blares from the sound system. Registers beep and cough, a coffee grinder chugs. The meat cutter screeches, babies wail, carts creak, the fluorescent lighting hums. My brain can’t filter all the input and I’m in overload!

My sense of smell may be highly sensitive. The fish at the meat counter isn’t quite fresh, the guy standing next to us hasn’t showered today, the deli is handing out sausage samples, the baby in line ahead of us has a poopy diaper, they’re mopping up pickles on aisle three with ammonia. I feel like throwing up.

And there’s so much hitting my eyes! The fluorescent light is not only too bright, it flickers. The space seems to be moving; the pulsating light bounces off everything and distorts what I am seeing. There are too many items for me to be able to focus (my brain may compensate with tunnel vision), swirling fans on the ceiling, so many bodies in constant motion. All this affects how I feel just standing there, and now I can’t even tell where my body is in space.

My Blue light shines for not just my Son but all who suffer from Autism!

 

Light It Up Blue

For those of you whom might not know this month is Autism Awareness Month! Join Autism Speaks by shining awareness on autism, hens the blue light. I am a proud mother of four and I shine my blue light for my oldest Emanuel and all the other children and adults affected by autism!

So ALL this month I am going to try to blog a few times a week and try to help shed some light on this ever growing problem. Maybe if enough people speak out and start to educate those who are not directly affected by autism then one day those people will understand what it is like to walk a day in the shoes of a child who is on the autism spectrum.

   Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of a child's life. It is the result of a neurological disorder affecting the normal functions of the brain, thus impacting development in the areas of social interaction and communication skills.
 
   Both children and adults with autism typically show difficulty in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions, and leisure/play activities. Other characteristics might include unusual responses to sensory experiences, difficulty with transition, and a resistance to change. You should keep in mind that autism is a spectrum disorder and it affects each person differently and at varying degrees.

Individuals with autism can be:

• highly intelligent or cognitively delayed;
• highly verbal or functionally nonverbal;
• “oddly” sociable or have no social interactions whatsoever;
• singularly, almost obsessively, focused on one interest or appear to have no interest at all in their environment;
• either over- or under- reactive to sensory input.

No single individual with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) is exactly a like. This being said that is why early diagnosis is so crucial! By learning and educating people on the signs of autism, children can begin to benefit from the different programs and specialized programs available to them.
 
 "Autism is one of five disorders that falls under the umbrella of Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD), a category of neurological disorders characterized by severe and pervasive impairment in several areas of development."

The five disorders under PDD are:

• Autistic Disorder
• Asperger's Disorder
• Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD)
• Rett's Disorder
• PDD-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS)

  If we all start to educate each other on something that is affecting 1 in 88 children and 1 in 54 boys we might be able to solve the puzzle. So lets shin out light and start educating one another on such an important issue among our children today!!!

Go To:

Autism Speaks

to learn more!!!

I Light Up My Blue Light for Manni:)

Manni!!

For Many years I have dealt with a child who most have said I was spoiling or I was too hard on. I have had people yell at me in the middle of the store because I was being "mean" to Emanuel and even had one woman stand between Emanuel and Me. For many years I have tried to explain to people that Emanuel is not like other children his age and they needed to leave me and him alone. I have had to leave carts full of groceries because Emanuel was having a melt down in the middle of the store. I have dealt with the stairs, sour looks, and judgmental comments for a very long time with Emanuel. I had obstacle after obstacle to hurdle over including trying to get his own father to accept his disability. I have fought with courts, doctors, and even phycologist to accept Emanuel for who he was and to help him learn to deal with his own disability. I remember at one point I was told that I should be grateful that Emanuel is not as bad as some of the other (autistic) children they treat!!! I have had people lecture me on my decision to home school Emanuel and place him in school. I was told that he might never be able to read and I need to accept it. I never gave up though and even though there were days that I wanted to just throw in the towel I knew I was Manni's only hope. If I didn't take action who would, what better person then your own mother to advocate for you. Every decision right or wrong that I made I can honestly say was done out of nothing but love and with the best intentions for Emanuel.

Thus being said it was with a very heavy heart last year that I decided that Emanuel needed to attend public school so they could help him. I had taught him to read, write, add, subtract, and so forth and so on but I needed help now. I thought public school was the best way to get the testing that Emanuel needed and to get him the help I felt he needed. I was shocked to see the public school treat us with such disgust and disregard!! I to this day really do feel that God placed Emanuel in Armstrong at that particular time because of who his homeroom teacher was going to be in fifth grade. Mrs. Russell was the most loving, caring, helpful, wonderful, teacher/friend that Emanuel and I could have had/have. I don't think we would have made it through the year with out her and for that I will always hold a special place in my heart for her. She made such an impression on Emanuel that he still talks about her and holds her in the highest regard. She truly was our angel at Armstrong!!! Fortunately after a year of arguing and fighting with the school we were blessed to have Emanuel accepted into HSSH, thus bringing us to mid October of 2012.

Over the past couple of months I have been talking and going to meeting after meeting for Emanuel. I requested a full evaluation be done on Emanuel back in January of last year (2012) at Armstrong. Unfortunately, the school failed to meet federal regulations and didn't test Emanuel in the 90 days given. Fortunately, for us Emanuel was accepted into Harmony School of Science this school year!! I was more then thrilled with the prospect of him going to a school that would actually focus on education and excel the children at what they were good at and help with their weaknesses.

In mid October I requested a meeting and again signed the paperwork for Emanuel to have a full evaluation done. I was concerned that his needs were not being meet at school and he was not going to succeed or reach his fullest potential. Mrs.Gumpf was more then helpful and was very pleasant with me through the whole process. I voiced my concern with the amount of time it was going to take and she reassured me that they would not drop the ball, like Armstrong did!!! I was still very pessimistic about the process and didn't get my hopes up too much. I knew there were laws in place to prevent what had happened to Emanuel, but no matter how much I screamed NOTHING got done at Armstrong. So very much out of my character I was not optimistic about the same process at HSSH.

Much to my surprise I was contacted my a phycologist in the beginning of December. She notified me that she would be preforming the testing on Emanuel and that I needed to set up an appointment to see her. I was thrilled and anxious at the same time, I was finally going to get some answer. In mid December I meet with the phycologist and we sat and chatted like we were old friends about Emanuel. I gave her some very intimate details about Emanuel and his tentative diagnosis of aspergers back when he was six. I was very concerned about Emanuel's academics and were he actually was grade wise and intellectually. All in all I left the meeting feeling optimistic about Emanuel's testing. Again, I felt like I was finally going to get some real answers for Emanuel and myself, giving me better tools to deal with Emanuel.

After having a wonderful Christmas break the kids returned to school and a meeting was set up to go over Emanuel's test results. As a mother I felt like my world was being turned upside down and I was not sure what to expect. I prayed for days, asking God to give me some peace so I could function better in the meeting, and He heard me loud and clear. The day of the meeting the psychologist who evaluated Emanuel called me to confirm what I had though for a very long time, Emanuel was Autistic. It was not just a social aspect for him it was everything from being over loaded to dealing with change. She gave me a few more details about what to expect that afternoon in the meeting, settling my nerves. Wow, the power of prayer!!!!

That afternoon I meet Emanuel's father up at HSSH and we entered the meeting I had waited a year to have. The evaluation showed so much about Emanuel, things that I had never noticed as a parent. He was very strong in quite a few area's but the areas he was week in he was VERY weak in them. We talked about a lot of my concerns and I asked a lot of questions. Like how to help Emanuel become more organized, to his education, and even him dealing with change in his enviroment. The ARD confirmed so many of the things I had been screaming about for years to doctors and even the school. He needed an aid to help him stay on track and keep redirecting him in subjects he was week n like math and writing. I left the meeting feeling in powered and optimistic about Emanuel's future.

So after so many years I was able to finally say what was once a tentative diagnosis has now been changed to a deferent diagnosis of autisum. His medical records have now been updated and he will be able to tap into some social and behavior theropies to help him as well. It was as if someone had lifted a huge burden off my shoulders and instead of obstacles being placed in front of me helping hands were now in there place. I have fought long and hard as Emanuel's advocate and we have finally reached a place in both our lives were everyone is on the same page! He doesn't need more discipline he needs more structure and people to accept him for him. He doesn't need to have people say he is just being suborn about it or rude, but yet helped him to deal with situations as they come. For people to accept he will have certain limitations and might never be able to have a lengthy personal conversation with some one, but instead work hard at his job and be good at it. There is NO CURE, Emanuel is autistic and that does not mean he will never become anything it just means he has to work harder at some things then others. For instance he is 12 and knows how to write simple computer programs, has networked my house, placed duel screening on all the computers, and so forth and so on. He is amazing when it comes to electronics and because I have nurtured this from a very young age he will succeed in a field he is good at.

Emanuel: VERY GOOD WITH COMPUTERS, LOVING, CARING, HELPFUL, CONSIDERATE, LOVES COOKING, SEES NO FLAWS IN OTHERS, DOES NOT SEE PEOPLE FOR WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE BUT FOR WHO THEY ARE INSIDE, INNOCENT, LOVES TO RIDE HIS BIKE, LOVES ALL ELECTRONICS, and autistic

OH, AND MY SON!!!!

Fort Part 1

Last week I stumbled upon a really cool fort built as the headboard of a twin size bed. I looked at the specs and released it was nothing more then two shelves with a bunch of decorative things around it. I though why not, why can't I do something like that for the boys, Jason and I are handy with tools!! So came the idea to to utilize the closet in the boys room for for a fort. For the past three years we have done nothing with this particular closet other then collect junk in it.

Today I ran to Home Depot and bought five 2x4x6, one 1x12x96 shelf board, 8 L shape brackets, and a small box of 1 1/2 inch nails. Since we already had screws, paint, and one 1x12x96 shelf board we had everything we need to start my insane projects of trying to create a fort in a small closet. I used the left over paint from the living room to paint the closet. I still have to paint the door frame, but I need to buy more paint in the Buzz space dust.

This is after I painted the closet,

it only took almost a gallon of paint!!

The first 2x4 to be placed it is 3 feet long!!

We put boards on the wall to make a dash for

Donato's steering wheel!! We still have to put the 

wheel up and draw the dash on the wood.

We placed a 2x4 in each corner of the closet and then a 2x4

in front of the back legs and one flushed against the door jam.

We then put two 2x4's between the front and back boards.

Both Jason and I were afraid that this would not hold up

to jumping and such so we braced everything with these clips!!

At times it was hard to get them nailed in place because of the

positions, but it was well worth the time and anguish!!

I am not joking when I say I got on this thing and 

jumped and walked around. I wanted to make

sure it was not going to fall of move.

The first board being set into place!!

Gabriele showing us he can stand under the fort too!!

Gabriele on the top part of his fort!!!

Jason made the ladder as well!!

Gabriele was so excited, he claimed the top part

of the fort!! The top part of the fort is a little over

three feet off the ground!!

Donato claimed the bottom part of the fort!

You can see he was very excited about his new

play area!!

Gabriele 

Donato is not able to get up on the top of the fort

without help!! We made the latter hard enough

to keep him on the floor and not up in the top

part of the fort, not yet anyways!!

Donato and Gabriele

Gabriele showing off his new lights!!

We took some lights we had outside and hung them 

in the top part of the fort!

Donato and Gabriele holding his doggie!!

The lights in the top part of the fort!!

We still have a few more things to do before the fort is completed, but for the most part we did really well!! The boys want me to make pillows and Gabriele wants two shelves put in his part of the fort. I still have to place the steering wheel on the wall and draw the dash for Donato. I would like to also put a curtain up for Gabriele, but I need to find the right fabric. I also need to buy two of the click lights to go in Donato's part of the fort. I will post another set of pictures when everything is done next weekend!!