Sign {Please}!!!

I don't know how many of you that read my blog follow Autism news (why would you if you didn't have a child affected by this?) but something horrible is about to happen if we don't stop it.  Long story short, there is a proposal that is trying to remove and "lump" the more mild cases of Autism (Aspergers, PDD-NOS and a couple of sub-types of Autism) under a general "Autism Spectrum Disorder".

The reason why this is bad is many reasons but here are some main ones:

A: By lumping these, the milder cases will be overlooked or considered not severe enough to receive services.

B: The proposal claims it will be more helpful but NO research has been done to prove this.  No one can say how this will affect adults and teenagers that struggle the most to get services.

C: By re-working the mild cases of Autism under a general umbrella title, more assessments will need to be done and insurance companies already don't like to cover Autism in general.  Also, most states don't even request the proper testing which in turn ends up costing a family more than they should have had to pay.

D: It's a dangerous move that could leave my own child in the end with no services to help him.

So, please take 5 seconds to click on the link below and sign the petition electronically.  There are way too many families affected by Autism with numbers growing every year.  We can't just lump diagnoses to cover up a problem that needs to be fixed.

https://www.change.org/petitions/do-not-remove-aspergers-syndrome-and-other-autism-sub-types-from-dsm

The Blissful {Chef}.

For Christmas I gave Mr. D (and me too) the gift of a professional chef for a couple of hours.  I realize how much more fortunate I am by living in a larger city as talents-a-plenty seem to flock to larger populated places.  I was informed by Rip Esselstyn (Engine 2 fame) that a woman by the name of Christy Morgan (aka, The Blissful Chef) who happens to be good friends with a famous Vegan by the name of Alicia Silverstone lived in the Dallas area.  I contacted her and the rest is, well, blissful:)

Christy is famous for her vegan and macrobiotic cooking.  She was trained at a specific macrobiotic culinary school in Austin.  The above photo are little, kid-friendly snack bites called, "Blueberry-Hemp Drops".  Completely raw and full of protein so you aren't going to budge your belt buckle indulging in these bad boys! 

We also made a raw Heavenly Chocolate Mousse.  Ok, I admit, when this first came out of the food processor I thought it was too bitter chocolate tasting for my liking as we used raw cacao which is SUPER potent.  However, after it refrigerated overnight, it was sinful!!!!!  Made purely of avocados, medjool dates and cacao powder with a little vanilla.  This is SOOO much better than a nasty packet of jell-o pudding mix any day! 

We made a side dish called Coconut Curry Lentils.  This isn't a pretty dish by any means, but it has amazing flavor and would go awesome with a side of good fish (not Vegan though). 

We also made a raw Nut Meat Taco dish.  This is the raw nut meat.  Totally easy to throw together and although Mr. D didn't LOVE it, my kids didn't seem to notice once in their taco shells.  Personally, next time I make this, I'll add a little more taco seasoning spices and add some pureed beans as it is a crumbly texture (I also think Mr. D would be more impressed if I did that as well).  But we topped them with lettuce, tomato, avocado and olives and thought they were yummy.  Obviously, if you are staying away from carbs you can do what I did and use romaine lettuce leaves:)

The last thing we made I unfortunately don't have a picture of:( We made Macro Mole Enchiladas.  These were good but you realize how versatile this recipe can be which I loved!  Next time I make these I already know what other veggies I will throw in that I can hide from my kids;)

I had an absolute blast, I loved cooking with someone who knew their stuff and got some informative info to think about in regards to my kids and hubby's health. 

Christy will be moving to the San Diego area early this summer so if you are in Dallas get her while you can (except for all of March, she is on a book signing tour for her latest cookbook) but take advantage of this girls head full of knowledge when in the San Diego area for sure!!

The Lion {King}.

A couple weeks ago at church Baby R learned about Daniel and the Lions Den.  Of course when she got a lion's mask to color and take home all she thought about was Disney's, The Lion King.  All the way home from church she kept telling us she was "The Lion King".  After I snapped a couple of photos of her (well, her insistent, "hey mom, take a picture" was what got me to do it) she decided she needed to take a picture of me........

She's proud of it:)

Help {me}.

This post is NOT for the faint of heart.  This is a little TMI so if you get grossed out easily I suggest you fast forward now.......

Last chance to look away........

Ok, now for you brave folk, I have happened to fall into a bit of a stumper that maybe one of you could diagnose?  Yesterday morning I woke up and my cheek seemed to be sort of a little stuck to my pillowcase.  For a brief moment I had wondered if I forgot to wash my makeup off, but no, I did wash my face the night before.  As soon as I sat up my cheek felt a little "off" and a bit itchy so I went to scratch it and that's when I discovered blisters (yes, ewwww is right!).  I ran to the bathroom and saw a red patch of clustered blisters.  I tried to dry them with some rubbing alcohol but it hasn't done anything.  They have grown a little in size and this is the picture from tonight.  If you are wondering some questions, let me help you out....

1: Do you have bed bugs?  Sick, no!  Next question.

2: Could it be a spider bite?  Don't think so, I can't see a tiny pinhole anywhere.

3: Any new products you could be allergic to?  Nope.  Nothing has changed.

4: Dirty pillowcase?  Nope, they get washed regularly.

5: Come in contact with poison ivy/oak/sumac?  Not unless Banana Republic has some in their store.

So, anyone know what is wrong with my face?!?!!? 

Amazing {clarity}.

This is a post mainly for myself to remember as I don't document these moments enough.  As a lot of you know, we did embark on the biomedical train with G in hopes he'd have freedom from his Autism.  Not everything we've tried has worked but other things have and he continually surprises us.  His speech has always been delayed but in a lot of areas he is sitting within normal ranges now when tested and that is an AMAZING feeling.  He still struggles with expressive language but every now and again he figures out what he's trying to say.  Anyway, tonight G and I ran to Target to buy a birthday gift for his buddy Connor's party tomorrow.  On the way home, we rolled the windows down as it was still 75 degrees tonight cause it just felt too good not to.  As we got out of the high beams of the city lights and up into our quiet, sleepy town that does not allow for any up lighting G belts out, "Mom, look at all the stars, I see them, there's hundreds of them!".  I poked my head out my window and gazed up and smiled.  I then told him that there is an old saying that goes, "Star light, Star bright, first Star I see tonight.  I wish I may, I wish I might, have this wish I wish tonight".  I then explained that you then make a wish on that first star just like when you blow out your birthday candles.  He then went silent for a minute and he said, "You know what we should call that first star?  The Candle Star".  I couldn't help but smile more and I told him I thought it was a perfect way to describe that first star in the sky at night, the "Candle Star".

Going to the {Derby}.

G is now 8 which means he started Boy Scouts and got to participate in his first Pinewood Derby!!

It's a simple shape carved from a plain rectangular piece of wood they hand you but from what I hear, simple usually wins.

G's request was that it looked like the red Angry Bird.  I googled an image and worked diligently painting away.  How did I do?

Let the races begin!!  G brought along his own red Angry Bird for good luck, I think it worked!

G sitting patiently at the end of the track waiting for his car to come down the line.

On your marks, get set...... GO!

Red Angry Bird is in the lead!!!!  G ended up winning all 3 rounds and advanced to the finals!! 

And in the end, G's red Angry Bird car took 2nd place overall!!!!  I could hardly believe it myself, I was so excited for G!  He won a trophy but he's covering it up a little bit. 

And all of the boys who raced that night with the 3 winners overall right up front. Way to go G!

Here is a better pic of the car that took that 2nd place trophy home!

PS: As a side note, the trip you read about, we've decided to postpone it till fall:)

{NOOOOO}!!!!!!!!!!

So, I've been hush, hush on this because I didn't want the surprise ruined for my kiddos.  But do you remember this post I did early last year?  Well, go back and refresh your memory, I'll wait....

Ok, so Mr. D gave me a small, but doable budget to plan a trip to DisneyWorld as he knows how much of a Disney Dork I am (anyone notice I follow the Disney blog on the right---->?)  I also have about 5 different Disney apps on my iPhone.  When I get bored in the waiting room at therapy each week, it lifts my spirits.  Anyhoo....

I couldn't believe I finally was taking my kids to WDW (cause we all know it's WAYYYY better than DisneyLAND).  So, obviously, I had to pick up my current Birnbaum, along with....

the KID version since this would be my first time going with my own kids, figured I should see if I needed to know anything I didn't already know.

Now, go refresh yourself with this post again, I'll wait....

This ride, if you have never been, or have gone but didn't go on this particular attraction, is flippin' awesome!  I could ride the Test Track multiple times in a row it is so much fun.  Now, here is the BUT (you knew the 'but' was coming didn't you?)....

After nailing down dates, figuring out which resort fit in my budget, dining plan etc..., etc...., etc... I had a little something in my head say, "Heather, you need to check the Disney Blog".  And I did.  And I got bad news.  Now, wait, let me back up a moment..... 

I am fully aware that Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom is under full renovations and rides my Little R and Baby R would love won't be open until 2013 (new Dumbo and Little Mermaid) but figured they may not notice so I was willing to go this year anyways (although, Baby R is OBSESSED with Dumbo right now ever since Santa brought her the DVD for Christmas).

BUT.... when I read the Disney blog, I learned that the one ride I new G would FLIP over, is going under refurb from April through late October. That would be the Test Track. We were planning for May:( 

So, now my dilemma, still plan the trip albeit the rides I know my kids want will all be CLOSED, or, wait another year until all of Fantasyland is back open so we can experience all the new rides like Little Mermaid, The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Beauty and the Beast castle as well as one of my beloved faves, Test Track at Epcot?

What would you do?

PS: This trip is meant to be a surprise for my kidlettes, so please don't mention this if you see them or talk to them ok!?!!?

ICE! & {relatives}.

It's our annual trip to the Gaylord Texan to see ICE!

If you are an avid reader of my witty yet utterly awesome blog (that is sarcasm) you'll know from posts past, ICE! is, well, ice.  This years theme was Shrek The Halls. 

Little R on her way down the ever popular ICE! slide.  G was on the other side but I couldn't get over fast enough to get a pic but Mr. D did get him on video:)  Every year they have a smaller slide for kids under 40" and of course Baby R was all about going till we got to the top of the stairs and she stared, and stared, and stared then cried.  The lady at the top was so sweet in trying to talk her into it.  I let so many other children go in front of her and since Mr. D was waiting at the bottom with video rolling, I played my "Christmas Story" card and shoved her down whether she liked it or not.  Mean mommy moment?  Probably.  But it was good for her, LOL!!  She did fine until she got to the bottom of this ever so short of a slide and took one look at Mr. D waiting for her and burst into tears.  Mr. D had to go rescue her as she wasn't about to stand up and walk away.  Good times!

This year we got to share this experience with relatives!!  A couple days after Christmas Mr. D's brother Willis and his wife Whitney and baby Oliver came to hang out.  I felt horrible though because if you remember, G wasn't feeling good on Christmas and he passed on his sicky germs to his two sisters just in time for family to arrive:(  I had all 3 kids on antibiotics at the same time, that was a first and I hope to never have that happen again.  In case you are wondering, yes, I disinfected constantly and washed hands religiously but alas, the germs still multiplied faster than what I could do to keep up with them.  BUT, the good thing was is little Oliver wasn't feeling good either so we just had a houseful of sick kids:) 

All of us in our blue parkas. 

Who is coming with us next year?  Hopefully no sick children will be present;)