Proud of my Little Ham

We just got home from my daughter, Ginger, from talking to her principal about her fifth grade class to go to the Brewers game next year.  It has been a school tradition for many years at her school, except for last year.  Last year the fifth grade class went roller skating which is a far cry from going to the ballgame.  A lot of kids were sad that they did not get to go.  My daughter does not want this to happen to her class this year.  So, Ginger got all dressed up and looked professional, had her game face on, and presented her plan to her principal.  Her principal loved her ideas, and even gave her a few more ideas and a game plan to present this to her teachers and fellow students.  She is determined enough to not let this fail.  I am very proud of her and I cannot wait to see her shine this year, and make this dream come true for her entire class.


Until Laterz,
Insomnamom

Tomorrow is the BIG day!!

After I hit submit on my final paper, I will be the proud owner of an Associates degree in Early Childhood Education.  I have been an online student for the past two years, and I really did not think that I had the discipline for it.  I have made the Dean's List every time while in school, which that is an amazement in itself.  Then, after that, I have to concentrate on getting my kids ready for school that starts next week on the 4th.  We have Mr. Twister's open house on Tuesday night, followed by Ginger's on Thursday night.  My daughter got a letter in the mail from her new teacher which really helped the "getting to know you" stage.  She has wrote a letter back to her teacher which we will be putting in the mail today.  A plus to Mr. Twister's open house on Tuesday is that he can put ALL of his supplies in his locker.  For a PDD-NOS child, this is HUGE.  I can actually help him organize and come up with a game plan as to how things will run smoothly.  At least that is the plan.

Until Laterz,
Insomnamom

Is it Just Me OR........

Is it just me or....does it seem that society forgets how to say, "excuse me"

Is it just me or....does it seem that manners are off in the deep part of the ocean

Is it just me or....does anyone seem invisible when going to the store. (meaning that noone seems to know that you are behind them and move at slower than a snails pace, or take up the WHOLE aisle)

Is it just me or....does the schools seem to have weird rules these days.  SOOO much different then when i was a kid.

Is it just me or....are teenagers more "i don't care" than a few years ago

Just a few things that crossed my mind while I was at work today and at the grocery store.

Until Laterz,
Insomnamom

P.S.  Thank you for reading my blog =)

T-minus Four Days and Counting

I have been an online college student for about two years now.  Monday, after I submit my final paper, I will be the proud owner of an associates degree.  The online college that I attend is a bunch of five week courses that I take back, to back, to back, to...well... you get the idea.  We have Thanksgiving Day off, and two weeks for Christmas break.  That is all the time off that we have.  My brain is tired, my fingers are worn out, but it was SO well worth it.  My kids have been my motivation to obtain my degree and not slack off.  They know when my homework days are and constantly ask me if I have homework to do.  Gee, this seems awfully familiar...hmmm where have I heard this before?  Actually, I have appreciated them echoing my words to them, it means that they get it, at least I pray that they do.  Next week, I hope to travel to where my college is and take photos with them and show them where mom really does go to school.  Starting on Tuesday  this Insomnamom is taking a four day vacation away from work, and school, and just hanging out with my children and enjoying some fresh oxygen without being stuck in front of a virtual college for hours on end.  I am 36 years old, and I hope that I can encourage some of you to go back to school because it is never to late to get your degree.

Until Laterz,
Insomnamom

Date Day With my Daughter

My daughter Ginger is a Junior Girl Scout and she had some cookie dough money that she wanted to spend at the counsel store. So, we took the half hour trip so she could bye some goodies.

Here she is with her bag that she bought and holding our pager for our table at Olive Garden. She got freaked out when it went off. It was HILLARIOUS!!

We had a really fun time just hanging out together. I encourage more parents to do this with your children. One on one time means the WORLD to them.

This was pretty cool on our road trip too.

My Little Ham

This is my Ginger daughter today.  Almost 11 years old. I cannot believe it.  She was due towards the end of September, but she came into my world three days before the tragic events of September 11th.  Unlike her brother, Mr. Twister, pregnancy and birth with her was VERY painful.  Back aches, hard contractions, and other things made me swear off of having another child.  But, once I saw that cute little face, I had forgotten ALL of the pain that I was in.  She was born happy and healthy and just over seven pounds being two weeks early.  This little Ginger has held up to the stereotype that follows redheaded people.  I really do not think that their is enough duct tape in this world that can hold her down.  When she is mad or upset about something, she WILL let you know about it.  She is an NT child and has really excelled at school.  She even wants to learn her 7th grade brothers work, which really annoys him.  She loves to act, sing, and just be the center of attention.  I remember there was a time when she was around two years old that she was standing on top of a plastic play table and she was just bopping up and down.  I was not thinking the stage for her, but another profession and was saying, "Oh PLEASE no!!"  I am relieved that she LOVES being on stage and doing awesome work no matter what her role is.  She will be entering the 5th grade in a week and a half.  It makes me sad that my baby is growing up so quickly in front of my eyes.  Yet, I am enjoying watching her grow into a wonderful, and beautiful young lady.

Until Laterz,

Insomnamom

Another Grandma Recipe

Grandma's Mashed potatoes

One package of cream cheese (low fat or reg is fine)
Small tub of sour cream
Instant potatoes (you can use normal potatoes but it doesn't taste the same)
A few good dashes of garlic powder

Boil enough water for the largest amount on the potato package printed. Do not add butter. Once the water boils add the spuds and stir. Mixture should be thick. Then add your softened cream cheese and sour cream and mix well. Sprinkle in your garlic powder to taste and serve. You can place in the oven in a baking dish at 350 for 35 mins too.

Enjoy!!

Until Laterz,
Insomnamom

My blog was nominated for a Liebster Award

                                 
What is a Liebster Award, you ask? 

The Liebster Award is given to bloggers by bloggers. It's given to up and coming bloggers with fewer than 200 followers.  It's a way to acknowledge and encourage each other, and its a great way to spread the word about smaller blogs who deserve a larger audience.  

Here's what I (the recipient) have to do:

1) Each person must list 11 things about themselves.

2) Answer the 11 questions that the tagger has set for you PLUS you MUST create 11 questions of your own for the 11 people you will nominate with this award.

3) Choose up to 11 bloggers linking them to your post.

4) Go to their pages and inform them of the nominations.

5) Absolutely NO tag backs.

6) Remember to ONLY tag bloggers with less than 200 followers 

Here are my 11 questions:

1. Pickles: Sour or sweet? Sweet of course
2. Favorite movie of all time? Has to be One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
3. Handsdown best comfort food ever?  Oh golly..hmmmm....Chocolate!!!!
4. Favorite crayon color?  Red, like there is another...psh
5. Digital or print photography?  I am a HUGE lover of digital
6. Early bird or night owl?  lately night owl (hence the name lol)
7. Coffee or tea?  Tea, Chai, Sweet tea. oh yea
8. Curl up with a good book, or a movie?  Give me a movie please
9. What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?   The airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow is roughly 11 meters per second, or 24 miles per hour, beating its wings 7-9 times per second (rather than 43).
10. Is 3.14 was really a pie, what flavor would it be?  Apple or Blueberry Crumb
11. Doctor Who?  only if it is 10. LOVE me some David Tennent 

Here are my nominees:

A little bit Autistic
Sociology Graduate with PDD-NOS
Autism Family Adventures

And my questions for my nominees are:

1) What is your favorite thing to do when the kids go to bed?
2) Favorite book?
3) Where would you love to go on vacation?
4) If you had a million dollars, what would you do with it?
5) Hamburgers or hot dogs?
6) The next person to stare at your child what would you say to them?
7) Where is your place to get away on your own?
8) Favorite TV show?
9) Paper or Plastic?
10) Should therapy for Autistic Children be mandatory at any age?

Congrats and happy blogging.

Until Laterz,
Insomnamom

Life With My Son Thus Far

So, this is Mr. Twister today.  A bright and wonderful 13 year old little man.  He was born happy, healthy, a bit jaundice, and right on time.  He was the perfect first baby that a mother could ask for.  A very easy pregnancy and birth.  As he was growing and getting to know his environment, me being a young and not very educated as to how things should go with babies, thought that my son was just being a boy and not hitting the milestones as he should.  I was very truthful to the doctors about what he was doing and not doing, but no one ever suggested to see a specialist or other doctors.  I heard that he would be a basketball player one time since he was high in that percentile.  I took him to his kindergarten screening and they said he was not ready yet and that he should go into an ECE program.  He got through the program with flying colors and his teachers just loved him.  In kindergarten his teacher was wondering why he would not play with his peers and asked if he had friends to play with.  I told him that he had access to the kids in his church program where we went to, but not many kids in the neighborhood.  It wasn't until his second half of fifth grade when his teacher and a bunch of others and I had got together to have a meeting about his inability to focus.  I was very upset at the thought that they wanted him on meds.  This actually turned to be a blessing in disguise.  We went to his family doctor and he recommended a WONDERFUL child psychiatrist.  In ONE meeting he not only knew that my son did have ADHD, but also asked me what I thought about Autism as a diagnosis.  I immediately started to cry and asked if I could hug the doctor.  He stated that my son was on the spectrum as PDD-NOS.  He was floored that the Children's Hospital here diagnosed him wrong as having mild mental retardation.  So, then it was off to another facility to firmly have the diagnosis, which of course it was.  I cried to much again since we finally had the diagnosis that I had known for a few years since doing my research on my own.  Then the shoe dropped.  My son was almost twelve and the cut off for in home therapy was age 8 in my state.  SIGH AND DOUBLE GRR!!  The only thing that stopped me from really getting upset was his progress in the school that he was in from kindergarten.  He went from being quiet and in a shell, to a talkative and interactive little dude.  So, in a nutshell, this is the story of Mr. Twister thus far.  I cannot wait to see what these years of his life will bring.

Until Laterz,
Insomnamom

Memories.....

When I was growing up I remember going to my grandma's for the holidays.  She would have such a wonderful spread from the appetizers to the desert.  The appetizers always consisted of chips, bugles, and her onion dip.  The other day while at the store I heard someone say that they wish they had the recipe to their families special onion dip, but I guess french onion will do.  This made me smile and think, "betcha I know what it is."  To you my readers, here is what it is:

My Grandma's Dip

One 16oz Sour Cream container (light or regular is fine)

One package of Lipton Onion Soup mix

Mix until all of the soup mix is blended with the sour cream

Let this chill for three hours then serve with your favorite chip

This is the dip that I would try and beat my dad to while we were at my Grandma's because I wanted to be sure that I would get some.  Now that she is passed on, it is my duty and privilege to make this at every holiday for my family.  Enjoy and happy dipping.

Until Laterz,

Insomnamom

Meet the kiddos

This is Mr. Twister 13 and a half years ago.  I remember holding him and singing "Don't Wanna Miss a Thing" by Aerosmith in the hospital.  Who knew then that I was holding the reason why I wanted to go back to school and get my degree in Cognitive Studies.  The things that I have learned from him have been immeasurable.  He is such a little man now it is scary.  Just yesterday when he and his sister got into trouble, he tried to reason with me and explain like an adult would as to why they did what they did.  Mr. Twister comes from the nickname that his first grade teacher gave to him since he LOVES the storm chasing world.

This is Ginger my almost 11 year old daughter, well 11 years ago just about.  She was born three days before the tragic event on 9/11.  I will never forget this day.  I had just woke up because Ginger wanted to be fed and changed and I turned on the Today Show and my heart sank.  All of the new mommy emotions where going haywire and my then 2 and a half year old son had not a care in the world and would not let me hold him like I so desperately wanted to.  Now, looking at this picture you might be thinking, "wow, she looks like she wants to punch someone."  Well, I am here to tell you that at the present time she is a blue belt in karate.  She also loves to act and is finishing Willy Wonka, Jr. tonight.  

So, these are my kiddos as I first remember them.  Oh were has the time gone??  

Until Laterz,

Insomnamom

Virgin Blogger no More

Well, here I am a first time ever blogger. I have been inspired to do this by my sister Fluffimama. There is a lot on this very tired mom's mind. I have a 13 year old Autistic son who will very shortly be entering the 7th grade. Then, there is my redheaded almost 11 year old daughter. I also have two wonderful parents who are not as up and around as they used to be. Been a lot of stress lately in my life, but I know that God will not give me anything that I cannot handle. So, for my first blog I will keep this short on account I have chicken baking in the oven for dinner. Have a great day all.


Until Laterz,

Insomnamom