Merry Christmas!!! This has been the best Christmas with the Autism.

We had a Christmas a few years ago that we compare every other Christmas to. On this particular Christmas the boys received a basketball hoop. It was not set up and they proceeded to scream (at the top of their lungs) until it got set up, which took a bit of time. Then they screamed because there was only one ball and both wanted to play. It used to be that while we were at Mom and Dad's house we would constantly be watching the children because there was so much for them to get into. Christmas would end with Darrin taking some of the children home early, very frustrated.

Today we arrived at Mom and Dad's around 10 am. We stayed (all of us) until 4pm. We did not have to consistently watch the children. It was the first Christmas in years that we returned home happy and content. We are truly rejoicing in the Lord's continued blessing today!

Christmas and pretending

We put the Christmas tree up yesterday. I don't dare put any presents under it. They would all be opened. Right now the kids are taking their old toys and putting them in gift bags and pretending it is Christmas morning.

It is so much fun to listen to them play and imagine together.

Times of Change

It has been awhile since I have posted. Every time I sat down to post in the past months something has happened. Today the phone rang, but I am determined to give an update.

A cold has been making its way through out family for the past 2 weeks. I have been very fortunate not to have picked up the illnesses the kids have had, but my body gave up on this one. We did not attend church on Sunday in order to spare the others in the congregation the sharing of my sneezing fits.

We have started a bean burrito tradition for Sunday afternoons. The kids don't eat bean burritos so they get cheesey tacos. I had made a full plate of tacos for the kids. They all sat down at the table to eat. As I was preparing the burritos for Darrin and myself I turned to see all of my children, including Connor in his highchair, sitting and contently eating at the table. That started the tears for the day. I was overwhelmed with emotion and such thankfulness to our Lord. My family was sitting around the dinner table together. It has taken much patience and work to get to this point and we are rejoicing this Thanksgiving season.

So many times in the past few years I have had to look very hard for a few small things to be thankful for....the moment of what we call zen, the eye contact from a child, the acknowledgement from a child that they were somewhat connecting to our world.
This year it seems as if our moments of zen are turning into mornings of zen or afternoons of zen. I am confident that some time soon we will have whole days.

I am able to turn the computers, video games and TV off for periods of time. The children are finding things to do that are "appropriate" play. It is peaceful in our home.

Many times this peace is interrupted, but for the most part it is peaceful and the chaos is becoming a thing of the past.

This year I am looking forward to the holidays. I have children who can understand the wonder and magic of this season. It is my favorite time of year. So many wonderful things have happened in my life during this time of year and so many wonderful and amazing things continue to happen.

My cup is overflowing. I am excited about the changes that are to come this year. The road that we are following on this journey has smoothed out (God sent his pothole crew) and we are excited about where it will take us next.

Bread

Well, I did it. I made bread! We were out of bread, I had the ingredients and we don't get paid until tomorrow. So, I made what we needed. I also made bread for Addi and the boys. Their bread is about $5 a loaf. I can make it much cheaper and I do have to say that it tastes about 300,000 times better then the stuff I buy.

The bread I made for us came out well, but is a bit sweet. It is really good with ham and as toast, but I am not sure I like it for our normal bread.

We are trying to cut back on expenses and live lean. We have spent way too much on groceries in the past and I am doing my best to cut our grocery spending to a minimum. One of the ways that I have found that I can do this is by making the kids gluten free baked goods. I have the time now that the boys are in school all day and my house actually stays cleaned up. It is amazing.
I plan on making a schedule for which foods I make on what days.

I loved the smell of the house as I baked today and I was able to clean my messes as I went instead of being interrupted 10 times and not being able to get back to the kitchen to clean up the mess.

I am looking for a good bread recipe. I am not against using other grains in my bread. So if you have a bread recipe that you love I would love to try it.

I thought that I would be board with the kids in school, but I am having fun cooking and baking again. It has been a long time.

Almost back to normal and New Challenges

After about 2.5 weeks we almost have the gluten out of the systems and we are back on a good meds schedule. It has been a good time to see that the supplements and meds are working. They do make a difference.

I have been faced with new challenges this week. The kids have learned how to open the garage door. They love to ride their scooters in front of the house and play in the front yard. I now have to lock the utility room door again and take the key out of the front door. Fortunately they have all stayed close to the house and have not been wandering the neighborhood.

I think they are getting board with summer break. School starts 2 weeks from Wednesday. I have mixed feelings about this. I have loved (most of the time) having them home and now the boys will be gone all day. They are growing up. Right now I am looking forward to the time when I can have them home for school. (Ask me how I am feeling when that day finally comes.)

I am thinking about starting a "workshop" for moms of kids with Autism. I want to encourage these moms in the same way that many of you have been an encouragement to me. I want to do some cooking workshops and some safety workshops. If I can help these moms keep their kids safe and help them come up with fun gf/cf menus, I think it will help take some stress out of their lives. I know as moms we can all use less stress.

We shall see how things are going once school gets started. These next 2 weeks will be dedicated to getting ready for the school year. All 3 kids have outgrown their clothes and shoes from last year. I guess that means a shopping trip for mom. Rats! :)

Pictures

You know there is nothing like a picture of yourself to motivate you to keep up the weight loss.
Here I was thinking I was looking so fine! :)
Now I have seen pictures from the wedding. I have a ways to go. Brother.
Well here is to another 30 days of shredding and cutting the calories with Jenny Craig.

Nothing like a picture to give you a wake up call!

A reminder

We were in Seattle last week. We took Edy, Spencer and Connor. Taylor and Addi stayed back in Indy with Grandparents, Aunt Amy and Aunt Cindy.
All of the kids we took with us did great. Spencer was complimented numerous times on his behavior. Edy did great as she always does, and even Connor had minimal fussy times.

It was really hard reincorporating everyone back into the family unit. It seemed as soon as we got home the kids started picking at each other. This climaxed yesterday.

Not only did we have to get back into the swing of things after being gone, I also helped Edy host a movie party and we had a bridal shower here last evening. Many think I am crazy, but I refuse to be held captive once again by the Autism. On top of everything both Spencer and Addi ate wheat on Wednesday, making them over the top yesterday. We had so much attitude and screaming, that I was just about to give up and lock them in their room.

Darrin took them to the local school to ride scooters and bikes in the parking lot. They were 100% improved when they got home.

I learned one thing yesterday and was reminded of another.
I learned that after the kids have gotten into wheat they need to move there bodies really hard and it will help with the after effects of the high.
I was reminded of how it used to be every day. It is hard for me to see our progress because it is a gradual thing. Yesterday The Lord gave me a big dose of what it used to be. 2 years ago I never would have been so bold as to host anything, let alone 2 parties the week we returned from a trip. We did it and lived to tell about it, and it was fun.

Today we are calm and anticipating a trip to the pool. I think it will be a great weekend.