What do Stay at Home moms with Three kids do all day?.......

Sometimes this

To Start this Story....I apparently do not need to keep her anonymity so here I go.  Twenty Three years  or so ago my Father and stepmother moved into their house.  I remember they moved in around summer and the pregnant lady across the street said "I have a little girl your age" and introduced us.  She was a year younger than me....and in the land of being 7 or 8, being ONE whole friggen year younger I thought she would never be able to relate to me.  Yea, that's the rational of a child.  

So as things go, we grew up, friends at some points, not friends at others, great friends again and distance again....such is life, no?  In the last couple years my neighbor friend picked up her family and moved away to provide more for her kids (I'm jealous...like very jealous) and I stayed.  We both have boys who have a certain spunk and total 3 kids each...... 3 kids in 4 years.....like its no big deal.

If you know me, you know I'm honest.  I just tell it like it is in my life.  Yes, yes, yes, Instagram and Facebook make my life and my children look perfect but....no, no no, nothing is perfect.  So today, I talked to my favorite neighbor (you be Wilson, I'll me Tim Taylor) via text......and shit got real......because i guess we were both in the mood to be real.....and then share it on the Internet.....lmao.

This may only be funny to us but....whatever..... #thisisreallife  Stop lying.....all you moms lie

This is the REAL REAL Housewives of Long Island/ North Carolina

  


 
 
 
 

DIY HE Safe Laundry Powder Soap

DIY HE Safe Laundry Powder Soap ....

Featuring Young Living Essential Oils

Im cheap.....ok maybe cheap is too harsh....Im THRIFTY!

I hate buying Laundry Detergent.  Its pricey, it goes quickly and the fragrance just SCREAMS Chemicals to me.  Don't get me wrong....I love things to smell nice, but there is no way that green slime detergent has anything natural in there.  I started researching and stumbled upon articles like THIS and THIS oh wait here is some MORE and here is a FOURTH article just for fun.

After reading about Optical brighteners, irritants etc......i didn't want to buy anymore blue green slime to wash my clothes in.  IT was time to research and pull that box of Borax out of the laundry closet.

I got the recipe from a friend a few weeks ago but with my second batch I decided to use some Young Living Essential Oils to give me some natural fragrance!

Recipe is as Follows:

• 1 Cup Washing Soda
• 1 Cup Borax
•  1 Bar of Kirks Castille Soap Shredded ( I used small size of cheese grater)

MIX DRY ingredients in a medium/large bowl

Now for the Fun....well scent is fun for me anyway.  Note you can use any Essential Oil Combination you'd like, I just did some common ones for this batch.

For this batch I used 

10 drops of each of the following oils 

Lavender: Lavender is an adaptogen, and therefore can assist the body when adapting to stress or imbalances. It is a great aid for relaxing and winding down before bedtime, yet has balancing properties that can also boost stamina and energy. Therapeutic-grade lavender is highly regarded for skin and beauty. It may be used to soothe and cleanse common cuts, bruises, and skin irritations.

 Thieves Oil: Thieves® was created based on research about four thieves in France who covered themselves with cloves, rosemary, and other aromatics while robbing plague victims. This proprietary essential oil blend was university tested for its cleansing abilities. It is highly effective in supporting the immune system and good health.*

* This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

NOW MIX AGAIN.....MIX FOR 5 Minutes or so

Grab a Quart Mason jar and TA DA!!!

When you do your wash......Add 1 Table Spoon of powder (2 for heavily soiled items)

Remember this detergent is HE SAFE!

There you have it.  A Natural, inexpensive, safe way to wash your clothes.  

Enjoy!

No......He was not Misdiagnosed

As Frankie gets older, I have this question/comment made ofter.  After YEARS of intense therapy my son has learned to cope and live in this world like any other typical child.  There are some days he reverts and I see an old behavior, to others who don't know him, they think he's being a bad kid....I know better.

So for those who can't believe it.... here are a few examples we had video taped so that the Psychologist could analyze.

For 6 months, 5 days a week we had therapists in our house 3 hours a day....teaching him to PLAY....because he literally had no idea how to play.

WARNING:  First video involves A LOT of screaming, turn volume down....or be ready to at least.

I'm So Thankful They Asked

Yes, I blocked out faces for privacy reasons :)

This may end up being an Ode to the moms that asked.....that CARED.

This year my son started out in a self contained Special Ed class that had 8 students, one teacher and about a million Aides.  He was placed there because the year prior he had a difficult time.  I'm not really sure what it was about his pre-school that turned my child into a behavioral disaster but, it happened....all year.  When the district observed him our hope for inclusion was squashed and honestly, that was fine.  I knew he needed more support than inclusion could have provided, so in reality it was a blessing in disguise.

About a month into the school year Frankie's behaviors had almost all been extinguished.  He still had some social issues, not understanding boundaries and copying other behaviors positive or negative , he would then take those behaviors to an extreme.  Because social issues could only be remedied by positive role models his special ed teacher made the decision to start mainstreaming him for specials and certain time of the day.....cue water works.

Unfortunately, my tears were not of joy but instead of fear.  This is what I had been waiting for, this was our chance, he was ready to be with typical peers, he was ready, I was not.  As his teacher told me I started hyperventilating slightly, she calmed me down, I was so worried.  I would constantly ask what the other kids thought of him, if they thought he was like them....maybe it was because I was teased growing up but, my biggest concern was how his peers would react.

You have to understand that a child's diagnosis or issues can not be shared with the children in the classroom or their parents because of confidentiality.  I am all for confidentiality (hence photo cover ups) but I didn't realize at first that NO ONE in the mainstream class knew where my son came from, why he had an aid or what his all around deal was.  SO while I get respecting our privacy, if they would have told me I would have MADE the teacher tell everyone, heck I would have written a letter to every parent.....

Here is where I get to say Thank you and be happy my son hit another child (this is the ONLY time lol).   I was lucky enough that a mom asked me about Frankie.  That she made mention of a situation and I got to explain Frankie and how to deal with him.  I spoke to that same mom today and she mentioned how she was happy she talked to me back in October because after becoming AWARE she could talk to her son and now the boys were friends.  I am thankful that Other moms ASKED about him and I am happy I have no issue telling.  My son had a great year because people were aware of his situation and some explained it to their children who then understood Frankie.

So I say THANK YOU!  Thank You for asking, thank you for caring and thank you for suggesting.....

Yes, Thank you for suggesting.  Because of the suggestion of two moms, we are working on an Awareness type program staring for the younger kids this year in SEPTA. (Another Story for another BLOG)

I've said it before in different Forums but, I am So Thankful to everyone in that class that took the time to Ask, to listen and to accept him.  In two weeks he starts school again.  This time in a 12:1:1 1st grade.  I'm sad because he won't be mainstreaming as much (unless he surpasses the class academically) but I know he will see his friends at lunch and recess..... Here is to another great year.....and if he is mainstreamed and there is a question, i pray they ask.