FYI

It has come to my attention that I should write a post whenever I add a feature to my blog, apparently it helps boost the traffic and well I am all about boosting traffic!!! So, I added a new set of links of photography websites/blogs that I love! It is no secret that I am a photo FREAK! I love reading about it. I love learning new tips and tricks to better my photography. I’ve been asked by TONS of people (just kidding, more like 2) if I ever want to pursue this as a profession and my answer to that is probably not. Taking photographs is SUPER fun and a great outlet for me. I seriously love taking them at pretty much every family event I have and running home to see the results but the pressure of capturing important moments in peoples lives would take the fun out of it for me…seriously. So for now I am happy just being the family paparazzi

And what kind of post about photography would this be without a picture in it! These are a couple photos I took yesterday of my new nephew!! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Best dollar I ever spent.

I know I have mentioned this before but I feel that it deserves its own special post. I am talking about the TARGET DOLLAR SPOT or as I like to call it my happy place Just kidding I don’t really call it that but I think I might start. Anyway, I LOVE the target dollar spot!! I like it because you can actually buy stuff for a dollar that is useful and because it fulfills the strong and unstopable urge inside me to purchase something every time I step inside that stinkin’ store but, without breaking the bank. So, of course I have some examples for you …

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a pill remover. I got it like 2 years ago in the dollar spot and it is still going strong! 

 

 

 

 

 

I thought you might want proof that the thing actually worked. This is the same spot on my couch after a couple seconds of using the remover and it is a couple years old…shocking, isn’t it??!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a snack cup. I actually got this last year they sell them periodically and it is hands down the best snack cup I have purchased! I use it EVERY single day and it hasn’t failed me yet. It’s easy to clean, easy for Jonas to use, and carries the perfect amount of fishy crackers to get us through any shopping trip

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Valentine’s Day potholder. I love picking up non major holiday decorations in the dollar spot, ie. Halloween, Easter, the 4th of July, etc. I don’t like to go all out for these holiday’s but it’s nice to have a few simple decorations for them and they always have cute stuff that is perfect for these times of the year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And finally kids dinnerware! Seriously unless I got it as a gift Jonas does not own one plate, fork, spoon or bowl that did not come from the dollar spot. They are always selling cute kids plates, etc. that are perfect for Jonas and most of all CHEAP!!!!

If they would just start selling clothes, I would never have to shop any further

Small Victories

I thought I would post this little clip of the progress we are making with Jonas towards the list of stuff we are working on. If you missed it you can read about it here. This clip in particular is us working on the whole “first this then that concept.” It’s so weird, for some reason watching these videos sort of gives me a different perspective on everything. I think it just really helps me see that parenting Jonas isn’t all that different than parenting a “typical” toddler, same general concepts just a different approach. I am not saying that having a child with Autism is the same because it definitely isn’t, it’s just that parenting is making the difficult daily choice to be consistent and to be patient no matter if your child is brilliant or has special needs (or special talents as I like to call it). I never in a million years thought that it would require SO MUCH sacrifice but I also never thought in a million years that is would be as REWARDING! Ok I just got really sappy sorry about that On with the show:

more about “untitled“, posted with vodpod

 

Always trying to win something.

I am trying to win a coffee cozy with this blog post. What is a coffee cozy, you may ask? Well click here to find out

Also if you love trying to win free stuff like me click here to see what’s out there.

Weekly Meal Plan

Ok last week was a total bust I only stuck to the plan once last week! Terrible, I know but between new babies and new jobs it just didn’t happen so this week is going to look alot like last week’s plan. Sorry if that is disappointing to anyone, although I am not sure why it would be

Monday - Rotisserie Chicken, black beans and yellow rice

Tuesday – Parmesan pork chops and steam veggies.

Wednesday -Leftovers

Thursday - Ham and Asparagus Quiche  

Friday – Cheese Omelets and home fries. 

Saturday – Penne a la betsy (Brian and I can’t get enough of this one) It’s easy and oh so good!!

Sunday – Super Bowl Sunday – You know what I am making!!!

Happy Birthday LEVI !!!!!

My cute little nephew Levi decided to show up a week early last night! He is a healthy little 8 pounder! We stopped by the hospital this afternoon for a quick visit so Jonas could meet his new cousin!!!

Isn't he precious?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Almost makes me want another one...almost

HOORAY!!

I have  a J-O-B!!! I was offered a job this week at Good Samaritan Medical Center on the medical/surgical floor. This is obviously not labor and delivery as I had hoped but unfortunately I am graduating at a time where the job market isn’t great (clearly) so for now this is an opportunity to get my foot in the door, so to speak, in order to reach my goal of labor and delivery nursing which is considered a specialized area. I really can’t believe that soon I will actually be getting paid to work. I have to say that although I am very excited to finally start my career, I am also very sad to no longer be a full time stay at home mommy. I REALLY love being a full time mom to Jonas. I feel so fortunate to have been able to stay home with him for the first 2 1/2 years of his life and although Nursing will only take me away from home 3 days a week, it is still not going to be the same  Sorry I am getting of track…this is supposed to be a happy post…YAY, I GOT A JOB!!!

ps. I know what you are thinking and you don’t have to FREAK OUT, my recent employment should have no affect on my blogging productivity

Stuff we are working on.

I wanted to make a little list of the stuff we are working on in Jonas’ therapy. This is more for me because I think in a couple months it will help me gauge his progress. I know that he is learning more and more everyday but I think because I am with him everyday I start to doubt the amount of progress he is actually making.

1. Require him (using hand over hand) to use the sign for open whenever he wants to go out or use any door and when he wants his snack container opened.
2. Require him (also hand over hand) to point when he wants:  his sippy cup, to get on the swing at the park, or to have his toy containers opened (we keep his toys in clear bins separated by category: blocks, trucks, etc. to encourage him to communicate in order to get them) It started with just requiring eye contact now we are adding the pointing. This also means that once he his done I have to make sure the container is put up before moving on otherwise he will lose motivation to have them opened when he knows he can just play with something else. It’s ALL about MOTIVATION with toddlers!
3. Practice each PECS at least once a day. We are now up to 11 PECS!! Play-dough (of course), his toy piano, his ring stacker, bubbles (video of this coming soon), cookies, crackers, Maisy book, his globe toy, blocks, to watch Little Einstein, & popcorn. Some of these are done like play-dough in that he has to give you the card repeatedly during the activity others he only gives the card once and then gets the item such as the ring stacker or watching Einsteins.
4. Teaching him the concept of “first this, then that.” Jonas likes to eat fruit and yogurt but not so much the protein portion of his meal but I can’t tell him if you eat your chicken you’ll get some strawberries so we are starting to bring out the fruit when he is eating his meat and showing him that he can get it when he eats his fruit. Basically when he reaches for it we direct him to the meat and as soon (like immediately) as he eats the bite of meat he gets a bite of fruit. We will see how it goes!
5. And as for me I am trying to recognize other opportunities throughout the day to encourage him to communicate that I don’t have written down. It is so easy for me to go about my daily routine and completely miss perfectly good opportunities to have him point or make eye contact to get something he wants. I get so used to anticipating his needs but I really need to just stop that because it’s not going to help him in the long run!

That’s it for now hopefully my next report will be that he is pointing and signing without prompting and that I will have a whole new list of daily strategies to work on!

And just cause I can’t resist an opportunity to post a picture of Jonas, here he his doing his bubbles PECS.

Playing tag.

I have been tagged by Darah and DOB to do the 7 things about you post and I have been sort of avoiding it because they just aren’t my specialty. For some reason it’s hard for me to come up with things about myself that are interesting. OK, that sounded really pathetic. I am not saying that I am not an interesting person it’s just that when I actually try to think about it I immediately draw blanks. Anyway, here you are 7 things about me (interesting or not):

1. I love cheese, like all kinds of cheese, even aged cheese! One of my favorite things to do and I haven’t done it in awhile is to go to a nice grocery store like whole foods and pick out a new fancy cheese to test out. It’s fun, you should try it!

2. I have started making my own bread. I recently acquired a free bread machine, THANKS GINA!!!  My first attempt was Kalamata Bread. It actually worked and tasted good! I was surprised because bread making is complicated and even the machines have alot of settings and instructions and I thought for sure my first couple tries would flop. 

 

Doesn't it look yummy??

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. I was in the band as a kid I played the clarinet, I wasn’t good at it just like I am not good at these posts

4. I also tried out for the high school choir but I didn’t make it. The audition was to sing happy birthday, pretty much everybody got in that tried out but the teacher said he couldn’t even hear me. HA!

5. We just decided to cancel cable. Well not all the way we will still get ABC, NBC, Fox and CBS but nothing else! It was for a couple reasons.

• To save money, it would be nice to someday own a home!
• To be more creative with our time.
• And because there aren’t that many shows that I actually care about on cable plus if I really wanted to I can watch just about any show on my laptop although I am going to really try and just spend the time being more productive. (who am I kidding, I will probably just blog stalk with the extra time)

6. One of my all time favorite movies as a kid was Teen Witch. Most of you have probably never heard of it or have and think that I am crazy but for those of you that share my love for this movie you will know what I mean when I say “if you wanna hang with me I’ll give it one shot, top that” 

7. I hate hamburgers, watermelon and tomatoes. I know… I’m un-american.

Ok I am tagging Tina and Alyssa.

Weekly Meal Plan

Monday – Lobster sandwiches and salad. (My dad gave us lobster for Christmas, we just baked it the other night for dinner with DOB so I am making sandwiches with the rest. Just good crusty bread, mayonnaise and key lime juice) 

**Plus I have my first interview this morning so I am hoping these will be celebratory sandwiches!!!!!

Tuesday – Parmesan pork chops and steam veggies (Still using up the Costco pork)

Wednesday -Leftovers

Thursday - Ham and Asparagus Quiche  (doesn’t this look yummy?) I will be buying a ready crust.

Friday – Pizza

Saturday – Rotisserie Chicken, black beans and yellow rice

Sunday – Leftovers