Flying needles . . .

About a month ago I decided I needed to try to crochet a hat for an infant photo shoot I was doing. I had never worked with a crochet pattern before, and it a learning experience. I posted the finished product on facebook and my brother posted a picture of a viking hat he wanted crocheted. I bought the pattern and decided to work on it for Christmas. That was a tough one! (pattern from Mamachee on Etsy)


Then I received a wonderful gift from a dear blog reader. She contacted me and asked if I would like a few infant sized hats for my photoshoots. What a kind gesture! She sent me a package in the mail of the most adorable infant sized hats and an angry birds hat for my son! Adorable! It was just the inspiration I needed to sit down and make more hats!

I began posting them on facebook and making them for friends! What fun I have had. It has been nice since I cannot get around right now. I have another surgical consult about my broken ankle (the prior surgeon missed something that is causing a MAJOR problem) and have been ordered to stay off it as much as possible. This gives me something to do while I sit on the couch!

Kermit

Toy Story alien

Owl

Angry Bird

Elmo

My favorite adult size beanie pattern is here. I use this as the base of nearly everything. I learned how to make the balls for eyes and noses here. And the best toddler size beanie pattern is here (except I eliminate the last 4 rows or it tends to be too long)

I taught myself to croceht through YouTube videos and some pointers from my mom a couple years ago. When I came across something in the pattern that I did not know how to do, I simply checked on YouTube and learned the stitch. It was surprisingly easy!

Ears, Pain, and FAS . . .

Dustin does this weird ear thing. He sticks his pointer finger in his ear and scratches up and down about 60 times. He looks like a dog. Drives us batty. It has caused problems in the past by him scratching his ear canal and causing inflammation. This is compounded by the fact that the boy makes more earwax than any other person on the planet. When he does the dog scratch, he tends to compact the wax into his ear.

This Tuesday, he got out of the shower and began carrying on about his ear hurting. Some nasty dark wax was on the outside of his ear and I cleaned it up with a Qtip. He went to school the next day and went straight to the nurses office and said I had crammed a Qtip in his ear and has hurt him. Nice.

After speaking with the nurse, I assured her that I did not do that. She did say that his ears were VERY compacted and that she could not see the ear canal at all. I went to pick him up and headed to the clinic. The doctor said the ears were VERY bad and they needed to lavage them out. This involves a waterpick type instrument and a convenient little water & goo catch-y thing. The doctor also said that he has very odd, narrow and twisty ear canals which complicates things. They did the lavage 6 times on one side and 4 on the other. Not much came out. They still could not see any part of the canal, but his pain was relieved. We left with 2 prescriptions and need to head back in 4 weeks for another go at the lavage.

Dustin has been complaining about loud noises for a month or so. I truly ignored it because he decides to complain about things in a cyclical pattern. He finds one thing to focus on and then he will not let it go. I thought this was the complaint du jour. I was wrong and I feel badly.

The worst part is that because Dustin has lessened pain receptors, he rarely complains about things until it is VERY painful. This doctor told me this amount of compaction would be quite painful for anyone and he could not understand how it got this badly before he complained. He was very kind. He was understanding and kind to Dustin. I really liked him. I feel so terrible that it got that bad before I took care of it. But, I suppose it is what it is. This is exactly what happened earlier this fall with his bowel obstruction. He does not know he is in pain until the damage is far greater than normal.

I can only hope that this is the reason that the last month has been so completely and totally wretched behavior wise. He has been impulsive, explosive, grouchy and grumpy. He has been over-the-edge nasty. I can only hope it was his body reacting to the pain, even if he did not feel it completely. Today I kept him home from school. Last night's behavior was particularly bad and I thought he needed some extra sleep. Tonight has been 1 million times better . . . I hope this trend continues!

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome . . .

Pregnant Women and Holiday Drinking: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder Lasts Forever - ABC News

You must watch the video above.

Please.

Wood Shim sunburst mirror . . .

Mom's birthday. What to get? DIY to the rescue.

I have seen these floating around the web on several DIY sites and decided it was time to give one a shot.

All I purchased was a $3 package of wood shims, some gorilla glue and a 6 inch mirror.

I did prepaint the shims. Mom recently too the plunge and put COLOR in her white walled world. The mirror is a gift for her bedroom so I snuck over while she was on vacation and retrieved the accent color that is in her bedroom. I decided it was be way easier to prepaint than paint when it was completed.

I cut a piece of cardboard for the back just a smidge larger than the mirror tile. I simply began hot gluing the shims in a circular pattern and layering them. I did have to snap a few off so they were shorter and they would lay nicely.



I used the gorilla glue to glue the mirror on and simply placed the paint can on top overnight as a bit of weight to help hold it in place.

Ta da! I will take a picture of it in place when she hangs it.

Mmmmmm Icing . . .

There is a family that makes terrific cakes. The icing is to die for! I have always bought cakes and cupcakes from the daughter who is also a co-worker. She is pregnant and no longer doing cakes and her mother is retired. Aaaaaahhhhh! My icing! I decided to try a few recipes and this one was a SUPER close substitute.

Buttercream Icing

2 egg whites (large eggs)
3 tbsp. water (omit water when using food coloring)
1 1/2 c. Crisco shortening
1 tsp. salt
3 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond extract
2 lbs. powdered sugar

Mix well with a mixer on low. You can add Karo or Corn Syrup to make it a bit more fluid, but I did not need to.


I believe I have posted this video before about filling icing bags without mess, but it is worth it's weight in GOLD so I will post it again.

Shooting stars . . .

I caught these on Pinterest too and decided that they were easy enough to make and I already had felt laying around begging to be sewn.

I think a few of these and a small metal bucket (or perhaps a painted coffee can) would be an adorable gift for my kiddos (shhhh! Don't tell them!)


All I did was cut out a bunch of large stars and a different color small star. I simply stitched the small star on the larger one and then sewed two large stars together leaving the edges raw, it is felt after all! I cut a bunch of ribbons and used a lighter on one end so that they would not fray. I stuffed 4 ribbons in each star while I was sewing them up. Leaving one point open, I used a funnel and filled the stars with rice and finished off the sewing. Adorable!


(The only thing I would do differently next time is leave the large stars as a square and trace the shape on them. I would then sew them and cut around the seem. Those little points got stuck in my machine quite often.)

Poppers! . . .

I always like to try something new for family gatherings. The kicker is that it has to be EASY! I hate long and involved recipes with items that you don't normally purchase. These looked awesome on Pinterest and I gave them a shot . . .

Seperate crescent rolls and add a dollop of cream cheese to the middle of the triangle.

Add bacon and jalapeno pepper slices.

pick up three corners and twist together then pinch the sides together so the ooey goodness does not leak out.



Bake on a slightly sprayed cookie sheet for 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Thankful . . .

I am thankful for my kiddos. They love me unconditionally (even if one was mad at me when I made him put lip balm on his lips in the car pool line this morning because he "HATES that stuff! Argh!"!) They put up with my craziness, my OCD, my DIY whims and my mood swings!
Thankful for my husband who doesn't beat me when I bring home a 100+ pound foster dog for "just a little while" and he eats the seat off his scooter! He puts up with so much!
I am thankful for a job I love. I am thankful that I have been at my job for 21 years and panic at the thought of ever leaving. I love what I do. (I am not saying I always want to get up and go to work though . . . )I am thankful for friends new and old. When I began blogging in 1995, our family felt so incredibly alone raising a special needs child with attachment issues and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Blogging gave me a village of families who do this same hard work EVERY. FREAKING. DAY. They understand me, stand by me, pray for me, listen to my complaining, encourage me when I want to give up, and virtually hold me when I cry. I could not be more thankful for my community of Trauma Mamas!
I am thankful that while I joke that we are "poor" that we have a home to live in, a car to drive, clean water, and food to put on our table. It may not be easy, but we make ends meet.
I am thankful for my mother, step-father and his extended family. My mother's family is not close and his has taken us in as one of their own. I appreciate their love, support and prayers.

I am thankful for my fur babies. I love the snuggling, the wet doggie kisses, the cat head-butts, and the sweet head tilts that melt my heart and make me forget you just pooped in the foyer. (almost)

Dustin update . . .

This weekend was strange. S. T. R. A. N. G. E. A friend came from a couple states away to spend some time with me. Friday, Dustin was having a very bad day. I sent him to bed early before she even arrived. I figured she would not need to put up with his ugliness.

She and I ran a bunch of errands on Saturday and attended an adoption event for a dog we were fostering. When we went home, Dustin and Harrison were playing wonderfully at the dining room table. They were not fighting. They were not yelling. They were not doing anything inappropriate. It continued that way for well over 3 hours. It was amazing.

Now, I must say that they were within eye sight at all times. I was constantly aware of their conversation and making certain that things being said were appropriate. I was still on alert, but it was nice to see them playing well together. I hate that I still have to be so vigilant, but with Dustin's past issues, he has to be supervised at all times. I can calm a bit as the kids get a bit older because they know right from wrong and will not allow certain things, but I am still very careful as he is taller than me and has NO impulse control.

It was a nice break. Today, it continued. there was a bit more bickering, but nothing like normal. Dustin is mild mannered today and quite pleasant to be around. I am savoring it, since I know it will not last. Sigh. We take all positives we can get!

The good mood Dustin was in definitely contributed to my good weekend with my dear friend. It was a nice break all around.

DIY Beaded Chandelier . . .

McCartney and I were shopping at Goodwill a few weeks ago. It was 50% off day and when we were leaving, we came across a big tub of mardi gras beads for a quarter each.


We bought a bunch and I immediately thought about making a light fixture for her bedroom. I knew I had a hanging light kit and an old fabric lampshade cover for it that had seen better days.
I knew I could do something with it. . . I simply used small small gauge wire and a pair of wire cutters.

I started by pulling off the old fabric from the outer layers. I decided to keep the inner layer so that the light bulb would have a bit of a covering. Then I simply started using the wire to tie the beads to the metal frame.


The chandelier turned out so cute. I used a plant hanger screwed into her window frame to hold the lamp kit. She thinks it is spectacular and I think we spent a total of $3 on it!

It really is the perfect bling for my little diva!

Crock Pot Baked Potato Soup

I have seen this floating around Pinterest and thought I would give it a try! It is amazing!

5 pounds of potatoes
1 medium size onion
32 oz of chicken stock
6 cloves of garlic

Cube potatoes and put in the crock pot with chicken stock, onion and garlic.

Cook on high for 6 hours or low for 10 hours

Remove 2/3 of cooked potato soup and puree. Add back to crock pot. Add 2 packages of cream cheese cut into cubes. Continue cooking until cream cheese is melted.

Garnish with cheddar cheese, green onions and bacon. Salt and pepper to taste.

(Don't freak out in the initial 6 hours, it smells REALLY garlic-y. I thought for sure it was ruined and was already thinking I would try it without soon, but once it is pureed and the cream cheese is added, it is not so harsh)

Attachment . . .

We are having a rough go of it right now. Dustin typically has a difficult . . . DIFFICULT . . . D I F F I C U L T . . . time in October. This year will apparently be no exception. He has been pretty decent in recent weeks. He has not ran out of the house since just before school started, he has been sleeping well, and he has been quite helpful. The biggest issue we have been dealing with is a very smart mouth and a difficult attitude. I think that someone at school has been serving as a negative role model, the way he has been lipping off at home is new. His attitude is very "teenagery" yet he is still acting like a 6 year old much of the time.

The thing that I cannot stand the most is that when he hears the word no he melts into craziness. If he does not get his way, the crying, the whining and the jumping commences. It is almost always followed by some attachment junk that spews out of his mouth . . .

"You hate me."
"I don't want to live here any longer."
"I wish I would've never let you adopt me."
"I want you to call the police to take me away."
"Just kick me out."

It bothers me that after 9 years and countless stuff we have dealt with, he still thinks that leaving the family is an option. It breaks me heart that this is even a viable option in his mind. It hurts that he is that "broken" that he even thinks that it is possible.

I respond is mostly the same way . . .

"We love you."
"You have no choice, this is your family and your home."
"You needed a family and we love you."
"The police have no place to take you."
"Where will you live? This is your family. You are my child."

Agh! It makes me nutty. It kills me that we do this nearly every day. He truly thinks that you can simply throw someone out. He feels disposable. It also makes me crazy that he would rather live in a box on the street or ask to go to the psych hospital than live in my house. I know that neurotypical teens want to leave etc, but the difference for me is that he truly believes that it is possible for a mother or father to just be done and toss him out like trash.

Sometimes I believe it is for reassurance. Sometimes I think he just needs to hear that we will not do that to him. I think it is a dance that he feels is necessary to feel attached to us and know that we care. Other times, like tonight, he really thinks he would be better off without us.

If I wanted to be all selfish about it, I would be truly frustrated that he feels this way even after we have sacrificed so much of ourselves to give him the home he has. I would feel like it is a slap in the face that he had no one else who wanted him and we were willing to take on all these issues because we loved him and now he doesn't even want to be here. Of course, I know that he is not doing this to torture me, he is in more internal turmoil than I can ever imagine.

But sometimes, not feeling that way is hard.

Fun artwork . . .

I am still loving me some Pinterest . . .

Button art is all over the place. I love buttons. This one struck my fancy so I made one for my daughter's bedroom wall. Good stuff. The canvas is 8x10 and a two pack at the Mart of Walls costs less than $6.


I painteda small canvas with turquoise and a bit of white and navy thrown in to create some depth in the color. I let that dry for a few minutes while watching a movie.

Then I took a paint pen and drew a tree with some swirly branches and let that drip for a bit longer.


Lastly I took the glue gun and glues on some fun buttons. Voila! Cheap, easy, fun artwork!
(I was too lazy to get up and get my camera, so phone photos will have to suffice!)

Home . . .

We are home. Dustin is a pooping machine. Just a brief update while I get my world back together over here:)

Briefly home again . . .

So, my son is still in the hospital in Wisconsin and I am home. I left him and my husband there and I came home to get supplies and bring the littles home for school. My mother is graciously watching them for me until this is resolved. I will be returning north at some point to retrieve husband and son or to sit with them if surgery is necessary. Right now, we are still about 50/50 chance that surgery will be a necessity. Prayers still welcome. Thanks for all your good thoughts!

Wisconsin . . .

So I am in Wisconsin visiting a dear friend. Dustin began vomiting on the way here, just past Chicago. He was quite ill all the rest of the way here. It was quite a traumatic trip. By the time we got here last night he was acting fairly normal. He had stopped vomiting and I thought that perhaps we had turned the corner and it was just some motion sickness. This morning he had a small episode.

We traveled to a very large farmer's market and enjoyed downtown Madison. Within a couple hours it was obvious that he was not doing well. After more vomiting started I called the pediatrician at home and she directed us to the ER if it did not get better. About an hour later we were at a satellite hospital and having a CT scan done with contrast. things started moving quickly when they came in and said he had a high grade bowel obstruction meaning NOTHING was moving through his system. They transported him to the main hospital by ambulance and admitted him. He is laying downtown at a hospital in Madison with the hubby sleeping in the bed next to him.

Tomorrow I plan on taking my two littles home and sleeping at home. I need to collect some medication, hug my dogs, get some clean underwear and head back up here. My babies will stay with grandma so they can get to school.

One of two things will happen with Dustin. He will either start moving things through his system with the help of his IV fluids and his NG tube emptying his belly, or he will need surgery. Surgery will mean quite a stay and I hope we can avoid that. They said we will likely know what way we are headed in 48 hours. Prayers would be appreciated.

Johnny Appleseed 2011 . . .

Headed out to Johnny Appleseed today. Not such a bright idea with the broken leg! The uneven ground, the gravel and the crowds were not so easy to maneuver with the boot on, but I got some beef vegetable soup which made it all worth while!

Oh my he is getting so big!

Momma and her girl!

Sarsaparilla!

Apple Dumplings . . .

Today after we returned from the Johnny Appleseed Festival, I made apple dumplings. While I am sure theirs were good, I know mine are equally as good and I did not have to stand in line for an hour!

I made a half batch which makes 8. This is plenty for our family! If I am taking it to a carry in I will make a full batch. Here is the half batch ingredients:

1 can of crescent rolls
1 apple (I used one Granny Smith and one Macintosh)
1 stick of butter
1 cup of sugar
sprinkle of cinnamon
About 6 oz of Mountain Dew

All you do is roll a few apple slices in each crescent roll triangle. Place in a 9x13 baking dish.

Melt butter and mix in sugar and cinnamon. Pour over dumplings.

This is what happens when you try to pour a 2 liter of Mountain Dew over the dumplings while trying to take a picture with your other hand. It is not pretty! You end up crushing the bottle and shooting MD all over the stove.

Pour Mountain Dew over and bake for 40-45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Ham and Egg Cups . . .

Made these for dinner tonight, they are all over pinterest so I though I'd give them a try.

All you do is take thin sliced ham and fit it into a muffin tin that has been lightly greased. I sprayed mine with Canola oil. My ham was a bit thin so if there was a tear or a small hole, I just ripped another peice of ham into small bits and layered it on the bottom to "plug" the hole.


When the ham is all nestled in the muffin tins, crack an egg and pop them into the ham cup. I sprinkled with salt and pepper an added grated cheddar cheese on top of some. I also added green onions on a few others. I left a few plain in case the kids preferred those.

Here they are on their way to the oven . . .

They were yummy and the kids loved them! We ate a whole dozen! They called for 15 minutes in a 400 degree oven and the yolks were over done. Next time I will get them out a bit sooner to make the eggs dippers. But they were still yummy!