Dec 31, 2011

Retiring


I just wanted to let you know that as of this post, I am retiring Twisted Cinderella and Ever After . . . My Way. I have found that over the last little while I have felt the need to censor myself due to certain comments and my reactions to them. I feel that the whole purpose of my blog has been for me to be able to say what was on my mind, whatever was on my mind. I need my blog to be a place where I can feel free to share my inner-most thoughts without worrying about being judged. Having come to a point where my blog no longer gives me this freedom, I felt that there was no longer any purpose in it's continued existence. I know that I am a good mom who always puts her kids first and as I go forward I will continue to do just that.

I feel like this is a good time to walk away and begin fresh somewhere else. This is a new year, I am moving to a whole new province and I am adding a new little person to my family and with all those new things, it feels like a good place for an ending and a beginning.

I would like to say thank you for all your comments and support, it has meant a lot to me.

For anyone wishing to follow me in my journey, feel free to email me for the link at aftertheglassslipper@hotmail.com.

One step forward, two steps back

 For about 6 months, I posted on another blog.  This a post that was copied from that blog.  I used different names for the family.  Just so you know the names were as follows:

Prince Charming - Wandering Aengus
Princess Belle - Lilly
Princess Magpie - Rose
Princess Snifflefritz - Lotus
Little Prince - Reed


There is a reason that it has taken us so long to move back to Nova Scotia. We love it there. We always have, but moving from the island of Newfoundland to Nova Scotia is a right pain the neck. It is expensive and just when I think I have it all sorted away, there is another unexpected expense to jump up and rear it’s ugly head. In the past, when this happened, we changed our mind and stayed where we were, or moved to someplace second best, when Nova Scotia was still where we wanted to be. Well, this time, we will not be deterred. I don’t care how much stuff gets thrown in our way, how many new kinds of expenses I have been made to try to cover with this move, I WILL do this. I am tired of second best. We knew when we started this move that it was going to be a pain, it was going to be difficult, but we knew that just one month following this awful move, we would be SO MUCH better off than we are now. So we are sacrificing, we are working, we are doing what we can to get this done. If it means an awful first couple of weeks once we get there, we know that it will so much better afterwards. Our kids will be doing so much better over there, homeschooling will be better there.

This is kind of rambling post, but I guess I am feeling the need to justify why I am working so hard to move. The truth is, it is where we have always wanted to be. We have worked out our budget again and again and we will be better off financially there. And finally, I think it will be good for my family. People (family) don’t get it, but that is too bad. I am doing this for my children and my husband, nobody else has to get it.

Coming Along

 For about 6 months, I posted on another blog.  This a post that was copied from that blog.  I used different names for the family.  Just so you know the names were as follows:

Prince Charming - Wandering Aengus
Princess Belle - Lilly
Princess Magpie - Rose
Princess Snifflefritz - Lotus
Little Prince - Reed


Well, I am feeling better today.  Everything I had to sell is sold.  So financially we can now swing this move.  Yay!!!!  I have about 4 days to finish packing the house and while that is intimidating, I am sure I can get it done.  Wandering Aengus is going out to get me some more boxes when he gets up and then I will try to get everything possible packed up.  It is funny, it is New Year’s Eve and that is really the last thing on my mind today.  I will be glad when 1 week from now, I am out of this house and on my way to being settled in a new home.  And I will have several months between the move and the birth of our new little boy, Reed.

Dec 30, 2011

The Autism Puzzle - Something to Ponder

We have all heard the saying, you can't fit a square peg in a round hole.

If you try to fit a square peg in a round hole you have to force it in.

Some may even try to pound it in so it fits.

In the process the peg becomes damaged.

Now ponder this...

What happens when you put a round peg in a square hole?

It will slide in easily and move about freely.

It can spin completely around in a full circle.

What is the moral of the story, you might ask.

It is easier to change the environment to suit the Autistic child,

Than it is to change the Autistic child to suit the environment.

#Autism

Wearing out the Refresh Button

 For about 6 months, I posted on another blog.  This a post that was copied from that blog.  I used different names for the family.  Just so you know the names were as follows:

Prince Charming - Wandering Aengus
Princess Belle - Lilly
Princess Magpie - Rose
Princess Snifflefritz - Lotus
Little Prince - Reed


At this moment, I have a fridge and a washer and dryer for sale on Kijiji.  I really need them to sell to help make our move a little easier financially and because there is no room for them in our new place.  I have been in contact with a few people and I am anxiously awaiting a response that says they would like to buy one of the items.  So I have been wearing out the refresh button driving myself crazy seeing if anyone has gotten back to me yet.  I really do obsess over things sometimes.

More Cuteness

For about 6 months, I posted on another blog.  This a post that was copied from that blog.  I used different names for the family.  Just so you know the names were as follows:

Prince Charming - Wandering Aengus
Princess Belle - Lilly
Princess Magpie - Rose
Princess Snifflefritz - Lotus
Little Prince - Reed


When Lotus was a baby, she would cry hysterically every time we changed her bottom.  She was so upset and the only thing that calmed her down was singing.  So I would sing nonsense songs to make her happy while I changed her.  One song that was a hit was the “Changa Bum” song.  It was silly and it made her smile.  One of the first things she or her older sister Rose started doing was saying the “Hey!” line at the end and it would make her happy.

Right now, two year old Lotus is in her room singing:
(to the tune of Jingle Bells”
Changa Bum
Changa Bum
Changa Bum today!
Mommy’s Gonna Changa Bum and make stinkies go away
Hey!
Listening to her sing from her nap is making me smile today.

Dec 29, 2011

Oh My Goodness!

For about 6 months, I posted on another blog.  This a post that was copied from that blog.  I used different names for the family.  Just so you know the names were as follows:

Prince Charming - Wandering Aengus
Princess Belle - Lilly
Princess Magpie - Rose
Princess Snifflefritz - Lotus
Little Prince - Reed


Just got a call from our movers and they are going to be picking up our belongings even earlier than they had originally told us!!!  So now I have to have the whole house packed in just six days!!  I will be glad to have this move over, but I really hope I can get everything done and not exhaust myself.  It is just so hard to be doing all this while in the middle of a pregnancy!  So here’s counting down the days until we move.
(On a sidenote, I think I may have sold an old fridge we have so that will help a little with our expenses too).

Dec 28, 2011

A Moment or Two of Cute

For about 6 months, I posted on another blog.  This a post that was copied from that blog.  I used different names for the family.  Just so you know the names were as follows:

Prince Charming - Wandering Aengus
Princess Belle - Lilly
Princess Magpie - Rose
Princess Snifflefritz - Lotus
Little Prince - Reed


Wandering Aengus and I were talking in our room this morning, planning our day and such while the girls ran around outside playing.  After a few minutes, we heard 3 year old Rose outside our door, “Daddy!  Daddy! I hurt me!”  Aengus asked her, “What do you need?  Do you want me to kiss it better?”  “Uh huh”.  So he opens the door, kisses her knee and she runs off  happy as can be.

A short while later, 2 year old Lotus comes up to the door, sticks her little fingers underneath it and starts *talking* to Aengus.  Now this conversations mostly consists of baby talk and copying daddy’s words, but she is convinced that they are talking.  Then Aengus says, “I’m gonna get you!”  And she takes off running down the hall breathlessly giggling.

This is my life as the mom of three girls.  Giggles, hugs, snuggles and cuteness.  Now how can anyone really still question me on why we are adding one more sprout to our little garden.

Dec 27, 2011

Christmas Present Pics









Stressed

For about 6 months, I posted on another blog.  This a post that was copied from that blog.  I used different names for the family.  Just so you know the names were as follows:

Prince Charming - Wandering Aengus
Princess Belle - Lilly
Princess Magpie - Rose
Princess Snifflefritz - Lotus
Little Prince - Reed


I am nervous about this move.  Because of the schedule of the movers, it is happening a LOT sooner than I had planned.  Instead of a month after Christmas, I am moving in less than two weeks.  AAAACK!  I am not ready.  Packing while 6 months pregnant is exhausting, and having no car anymore makes it harder to get the empty boxes we need.  On top of that, two weeks means two weeks less of income that I have been able to save.  So, I have enough for the movers, and I have enough for our transportation, but I am worried about enough for groceries.  The thing is, we will be fine, more than fine after we get there.   Financially we will SOOO much better off than we are here.  Our rent will be less and our income will be more.  The movers have even said they may have a job for Wandering Aengus once we get there.  I am just so stressed about the getting there part.  I am even dreaming about it at night.

Dec 26, 2011

Christmas Decorations





New Home

 For about 6 months, I posted on another blog.  This a post that was copied from that blog.  I used different names for the family.  Just so you know the names were as follows:

Prince Charming - Wandering Aengus
Princess Belle - Lilly
Princess Magpie - Rose
Princess Snifflefritz - Lotus
Little Prince - Reed


I am Glimmering Girl, married to Wandering Aengus, stay at home, homeschooling mother of 4 (Lilly, Rose, Lotus,  and soon to be born Reed).  Having moved more than 40 times (no that is not a typo 40 times!) in my life, I have definitely done my share of wandering.

As we begin our adventure to yet another home, I thought it was good time to start over in a new blog home.  Here I will document our new life, in a new province, with a new (4th!  baby who happens to be our first boy!).  I will share the fun of homeschooling with one big girl, one little preschool girl and two littles not even ready to homeschool at all.  I will share the adventures of discovering new and wonderful things to do with our family and my attempt to curb my wandering ways and finally settle down to provide my little sprouts with some roots.


Dec 25, 2011

Merry Christmas


Merry Christmas to all my friends out there in Blogland!

Mine is going well and I hope yours is too. I made a bread pudding last night and when I got up this morning, I popped it in the oven. So it was ready to while we were opening presents. I stuffed the turkey yesterday and peeled all my veggies so that is another thing off my plate for today. Princess Belle and I made candy cake chocolate bark for Santa this year and it was fabulous! I am definitely going to be doing that again. Princess Snifflefritz and Princess Magpie tired themselves out while playing with their presents and are both napping. It was so much fun to watch them this year. Princess Belle is playing with her big girl toys and with one of the baby dolls that the little girls got. I love that she is at an age where she likes the big kid stuff but is not too cool to play with little kid stuff too. I have lots of pics from today, but I will post them later. Here are some other Christmas pics I have.









And Congrats to Notsosnowwhite and her White Knight who are now engaged to be married!!




This is absolutely beautiful.

Dec 23, 2011

Good News

We got a wonderful call last night. There is a moving company that is willing to move us for a little less than we had planned to spend on a uhaul! He was wonderful about working with out limited budget and he was extremely accommodating to us. The only catch is that we now have to move earlier than we had planned. We will be leaving in the first week of January! Well, it will be tough to get it all together, but I will be glad to have it behind us, to have professionals moving the stuff and to not have to worry about drivers, packing a truck, fitting everything into a truck and all that sort of stuff. This truly is a blessing. So, now I just have to work out the budget for going SOO much earlier than I had planned and to get everything packed.

Dec 22, 2011

TWO!!

Princess Snifflefritz turned TWO!! Can you believe it? I have pics that I plan to share when I upload them. There were two cute things. The first was that Princess Magpie kept trying to blow out the candles for her (I am not entirely sure it wasn't her to ended up doing the lions share of the blowing LOL). And Princess Snifflefritz kept singing, "Happy You! Happy You! Happy Day! Hap Happy Day!" It was very sweet.

Dec 20, 2011

Princess Snifflefritz

I am super tired today. Princess Snifflefritz, my perpetual night-owl is back at her little tricks again and I didn't get much sleep last night. I joke that I haven't slept through the night in 2 years, so I will be all ready for late nights with my Little Prince. I don't mind, really. I am tired, but last night when she got distressed, I changed it up and sat with her cuddling for a while. And, when she cuddled me it was sweet. But the sweetest thing was watching her climb down out of my arms and stagger back to her bed when she decided she was ready to back to bed and go to sleep. She really is a bundle of sweetness.

Dec 19, 2011

Preparations

I stayed up last night and packed up all the presents. I am trying to do as much as I can in advance so that I am not working so hard on Christmas Eve that I spend Christmas Day broken and sore. (sort of like I feel today).

I am glad to have it all done.

On a side note, we have been making arrangements to secure our income for after we move. We were speaking to a company there that said that Prince Charming should come in when we get in town. Our driver is lined up and I am feeling more and more confident about this move going fairly smoothly.

Dec 18, 2011

Welcome to . . .

Welcome to Holland

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this......

When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."

"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."

But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.

The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.

So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.

It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."

And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.

But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland.



This one is inspired by the first one, it is a more gritty look at being the mom of a Special Needs child

Welcome to Beirut

"I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with autism--to try and help people who have not shared in that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this.."

There you are, happy in your life, one or two little ones at your feet. Life is complete and good. One of the children is a little different than the other, but of course, he's like your in-laws, and you did marry into the family. It can't be all that bad. One day someone comes up from behind you and throws a black bag over your head. They start kicking you in the stomach and trying to tear your heart out. You are terrified, kicking and screaming you struggle to get away but there are too many of them, they overpower you and stuff you into a trunk of a car. Bruised and dazed, you don't know where you are. What's going to happen to you? Will you live through this? This is the day you get the diagnosis. "YOUR CHILD HAS AUTISM"!

There you are in Beirut, dropped in the middle of a war. You don't know the language and you don't know what is going on. Bombs are dropping. "Life long diagnosis" and "Neurologically impaired".

Bullets whiz by "refrigerator mother." "A good smack is all he needs to straighten up." Your adrenaline races as the clock ticks away your child's chances for "recovery". You sure as heck didn't sign up for this and want out NOW! God has overestimated your abilities.

Unfortunately, there is no one to send your resignation to. You've done everything right in your life, well you tried--well, you weren't caught too often. Hey! you've never even heard of autism before. You look around and everything looks the same, but different. Your family is the same, your child is the same, but now he has a label and you have a case worker assigned to your family.

She'll call you soon. You feel like a lab rat dropped into a maze.

Just as you start to get the first one figured out (early intervention) they drop you into a larger more complex one (school).

Never to be outdone, there is always the medical intervention maze. That one is almost never completed. There is always some new "miracle" drug out there. It helps some kids, will it help yours? You will find some of the greatest folks in the world are doing the same maze you are, maybe on another level, but a special-ed maze just the same. Tapping into those folks is a great life line to help you get through the day. This really sucks, but hey, there are still good times to be had.

WARNING! You do develop an odd sense of humor.

...Every so often you get hit by a bullet or bomb not enough to kill you, only enough to leave a gaping wound. Your child regresses for no apparent reason, and it feels like a kick in the stomach.

...Some bully makes fun of your kid and your heart aches.

...You're excluded from activities and functions because of your child and you cry.

...Your other children are embarrassed to be around your disabled child and you sigh.

...You're insurance company refuses to provide therapies for "chronic, life long conditions" and your blood pressure goes up.

...Your arm aches from holding onto the phone with yet another bureaucrat or doctor or therapist who holds the power to improve or destroy the quality of your child's life with the stroke of a pen.

...You're exhausted because your child doesn't sleep.

...And yet, hope springs eternal.

Yes there is hope. There ARE new medications. There IS research going on. There are interventions that help. Thank God for all those who fought so hard before you came along. Your child will make progress.

When he speaks for the first time, maybe not until he is 8 yrs old, your heart will soar. You will know that you have experienced a miracle and you will rejoice. The smallest improvement will look like a huge leap to you. You will marvel at typical development and realize how amazing it is. You will know sorrow like few others and yet you will know joy above joy. You will meet dirty faced angels on playgrounds who are kind to your child without being told to be. There will be a few nurses and doctors who treat your child with respect and who will show you concern and love like few others. Knowing eyes will meet yours in restaurants and malls, they'll understand, they are living through similar times. For those people you will be forever grateful.

Don't get me wrong. This is war and its awful. There are no discharges and when you are gone someone else will have to fight in your place. But, there are lulls in wars, times when the bullets aren't flying and bombs aren't dropping. Flowers are seen and picked. Lifelong friendships are forged. You share an odd kinship with people from all walks of life. Good times are had, and because we know how bad the bad times are, the good times are even better. Life is good but your life is never normal again, but hey, what fun is normal.

#Autism

Dec 17, 2011

Saturday PhotoHunt: Joy


Technorati PhotoHunters and Photohunter Facebook

My photo for the theme JOY this week is of my new baby boy. This pic is perfect to symbolize the joy I feel at being a mom, the joy I feel at being pregnant again and the joy we all feel at knowing that a baby boy will be joining our family in April.

Dec 16, 2011

Another headache

I have another headache today. It is tough that I am getting so many of these with this pregnancy, but even with these it is still worth it in the end.

Dec 15, 2011

Deep Breath

Things are coming together for our move now. I have one potential driver to help with the truck and one wonderful volunteer to help should we need it. Financially, things will be tight, but they will be okay. I am making lists and lists and lists of lists in planning such a big move to another province, but I am feeling more and more confident that we will be able to get through this move and be somewhat settled before I end up in hospital having my new little boy. It is nice to be able to take a breath and stop worrying quite so much.

Dec 14, 2011

Special Moments

I remember when I first got pregnant and I was experiencing scary troubles that made me terrified for my baby. I was so scared that I was going to lose this baby and I felt so helpless to do anything about it. So I did what I could, I talked to my baby. I rubbed my belly and begged my baby to hold on in there. I promised that there was a wonderful family waiting out here to love him/her and all the baby had to do was hold on. Well, I am over half-way through this pregnancy now and we are holding on together. And this evening, while my son was kicking me, I looked down and wrapped my arms around my belly (this is the closest I could get to holding my baby boy) and we talked again. I thanked him for holding on, I thanked him for being strong. With tears in my eyes, I talked to him and he kicked and squirmed like he was trying to talk back. It may seem a bit silly but it was wonderful as I loved on my baby, so grateful that we get to go through this together and that soon, I will get to hold him for real.

Dec 13, 2011

Productive day

I paid the rent and the deposit on the new apartment and got some groceries. It is funny how exhausting such simple activities can be. I am super-tired tonight, but at least I feel like I am getting things done.

Dec 12, 2011

On My Mind

There is so much going on right now. I am trying to arrange our move. We have a place lined up and I am trying to find movers who will work with our VERY TIGHT budget. We could use a u-haul and we will if we have to, but it is just so hard to find someone to drive it and to find someone to help us load it. I will be 6 months pregnant at that point and will be of NO USE at all. So I am pounding the pavement (or rather the keyboards) trying to find someone who is willing to move us within our budget. The closest bid so far, is still $600 more than we can come up with, so we are still looking. Once we get this nailed down, I can relax and just concentrate on packing.

In the meantime, I enjoy listening to my girls, playing, giggling, Princess Magpie chasing Princess Snifflefritz up the hall giggling, Princess Snifflefritz singing "Twinkle Twinkle" (so adorable when she can hardly talk) and Princess Belle singing, "Hallelujah" beautifully.

Dec 11, 2011

A Special Mother

This one brought tears to my eyes, reminding me how blessed I am to have my "Special" Child. She has taught me so much more than I could ever hope to teach her!

Most women become mothers by accident, some by choice, a few by social pressures and a couple by habit.

This year nearly 100,000 women will become mothers of handicapped children. Did you ever wonder how mothers of handicapped children are chosen?

Somehow I visualize God hovering over earth selecting his instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As He observes, He instructs His angels to make notes in a giant ledger.

"Armstrong, Beth; son. Patron saint...give her Gerard. He's used to profanity."

"Forrest, Marjorie; daughter. Patron saint, Cecelia."

"Rutledge, Carrie; twins. Patron saint, Matthew."

Finally He passes a name to an angel and smiles, "Give her a handicapped child."

The angel is curious. "Why this one God? She's so happy."

"Exactly," smiles God, "Could I give a handicapped child to a mother who does not know laughter? That would be cruel."

"But has she patience?" asks the angel.

"I don't want her to have too much patience or she will drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wears off, she'll handle it."

"I watched her today. She has that feeling of self and independence that is so rare and so necessary in a mother. You see, the child I'm going to give her has her own world. She has to make her live in her world and that's not going to be easy."

"But, Lord, I don't think she even believes in you." God smiles, "No matter, I can fix that. This one is perfect - she has just enough selfishness." The angel gasps - "selfishness? is that a virtue?"

God nods. "If she can't separate herself from the child occasionally, she'll never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than perfect. She doesn't realize it yet, but she is to be envied. She will never take for granted a 'spoken word'". She will never consider a "step" ordinary. When her child says 'Momma' for the first time, she will be present at a miracle, and will know it!"

"I will permit her to see clearly the things I see...ignorance, cruelty, prejudice....and allow her to rise above them. She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life, because she is doing My work as surely as if she is here by My side".

"And what about her Patron saint?" asks the angel, his pen poised in mid-air.

God smiles, "A mirror will suffice."

#Autism

Dec 10, 2011

Saturday Sum-up

  1. I am super-tired tonight. I am pretty sure it is because I have been packing and getting things done, but I am going to have to watch my food and my blood sugars to make sure that is not why.
  2. We have a new house lined up. Thank goodness. That is one thing off my plate to think about.
  3. I just have to find someone to drive our moving truck now because I am not comfortable driving such a big truck such a long distance especially while pregnant.
  4. I am glad we will be moving before I am 7 months pregnant so that we can be mostly settled before our litttle Prince is born.
  5. I mentioned before that I was sad that Michelle Duggar lost her baby. I said so on facebook and had people (one in particular) choose that post to vent all her disagreements and to air all her grievances against the Duggar family. That bothers me so much. Whether you agree with their lifestyle or not, this was a very sad loss and it is not the time to start bashing. I feel like people should pay attention to the lessons learned in childhood shows like Bambi (Thumper: [clears throat] If you can't say something nice... don't say nothing at all).
  6. It sucks to rent a place from so far away and while I know my new house won't be very big, but I do know that it does have a dining room and that is already better than this place. It will cost us a LOT less money too! I already have plans to make the best use of space and storage.

Dec 9, 2011

Homemade Gift ideas

Snowman Soup

1 package Hot Chocolate Mix
3 Hershey Kisses or Hershey Hugs
10 miniature marshmallows
1 peppermint Candy Cane

Place all the above into a new mug, then cover or wrap with cellophane, decorate
and attach the following poem:

Was told you've been real good this year.
Always glad to hear it.
With freezing weather drawing near
You'll need to warm the spirit
So here's a little Snowman Soup
Complete with stirring stick
Add hot water, sip it slow.
It's sure to do the trick!
----------------------------------------

Playdough

"Playdough" is much cheaper to make than it is to buy. Make up a batch in your child's favorite color, wrap it up nicely, and include it with other goodies in a "theme basket" for your child. Or just save the recipe for a rainy day when the kids are bored, and looking for something to do.

I have included 3 different recipes, so that you can see which one you like the best. Experiment and have fun!

Recipe #1

1 cup Flour
1 cup Water
1/2 cup Salt
2 tbsp. Cream of tartar
1 tbsp. Oil

Cook all until it forms together. Turn it out onto a plate and cover with wet cloth. Store in the refrigerator.

-----------------------

Recipe #2

1/2 cup Salt
1/2 cup Hot water
1/4 cup Cold water
1/2 cup Cornstarch

Mix salt and hot water and heat to boiling point. Stir cold water into cornstarch in a small bowl. Add cornstarch mixture to boiling water. Stir continuously to break up lumps. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is like stiff pie dough. Remove from heat, and turn out onto plate to cool. When it is cool enough to handle knead until smooth and pliable.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

When stored in an airtight container, the "dough" will keep a long time without refrigeration.

-----------------------

Recipe #3

3/4 cup flour (no self-rising)
1/2 cup salt
1 1/2 tsp. powdered alum
1 1/2 tsp. vegetable oil
Food coloring

Combine flour, salt, and alum in a mixing bowl. Add vegetable oil and boiling water. Stir until well blended. Dough should not stick to the sides of the bowl and should be cool enough to handle. Add food coloring and knead into until the dough is the desired tint.

Makes about 1 cup. Double the recipe for large projects. For groups, mix several double recipes rather then one large amount.

Dec 8, 2011

Sad

I am sad today for Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar. They were expecting their 20th baby in the same month that I was and she has lost her baby. No matter how many children you have and what anyone's feelings on that may be, to lose a child is heartbreaking especially this far alone in her pregnancy. My thoughts and prayers go out to Michelle and her family.

Dec 6, 2011

Party

We had our Christmas Party at the Healthy Baby club today. It was a lot of fun. It was so nice to chat with all the moms and to just socialize for a while. There were two little babies there and they were both adorable little boys. I kept thinking as I was looking at them that in a few short months, I would holding a little boy like that in my arms. Wow, it is hard to believe that after all this pink, we are about to add a little blue to the family.

Dec 5, 2011

Monday Musings

Today was a good today. I was up early, sipping my coffee and relaxing before the girls got up, when I got a call from Notsosnowwhite's White Knight. He happened to be in town to help his father and wanted to stop by. So we spent the day with him and Prince Charming and the girls, just hanging out. It was nice to see him again.

Dec 4, 2011

When I'm An Old Lady

I thought this was too funny! It made me laugh out loud and I had to share it!

When I'm an old lady, I'll live with each kid,
And bring so much happiness... just as they did.
I want to pay back all the joy they've provided.
Returning each deed! Oh, they'll be so excited!
When I'm an old lady and live with my kids.

I'll write on the walls with reds, whites and blues,
And I'll bounce on the furniture wearing my shoes.
I'll drink from the carton and then leave it out.
I'll stuff all the toilets and oh, how they'll shout!
When I'm an old lady and live with my kids.

When they're on the phone and just out of reach,
I'll get into things like sugar and bleach.
Oh, they'll snap their fingers and then shake their head,
When I'm an old lady and live with my kids.

When they cook dinner and call me to eat,
I'll not eat my green beans or salad or meat,
I'll gag on my okra, spill milk on the table,
And when they get angry... I'll run if I'm able!
When I'm an old lady and live with my kids.

I'll sit close to the TV, through channels I'll click,
I'll cross both eyes just to see if they stick.
I'll take off my socks and throw one away,
And play in the mud 'til the end of the day!
When I'm an old lady and live with my kids.

And later in bed, I'll lay back and sigh,
I'll thank God in prayer and then close my eyes.
My kids will look down with a smile slowly creeping,
And say with a groan, "She's so sweet when she's sleeping!"

Dec 3, 2011

It's beginning to look a lot like . . .

It was a lovely day. We tidied the house and then when the little one's went down for a nap, Princess Belle and I (with Prince Charming's help) set about making our house look festive. I love how it turned out. (there are no batteries in the camera right now). We drank egg nog, listened to Christmas music and made the living room look lovely. Princess Belle had a fabulous time! When Princess Magpie came out, she was filled with wonder. She called it a magic tree and she kept saying, "look at all the Christmas . . . ). She softly touched the ornaments and played a game letting the dangly ones touch her on the head. It was very sweet. Princess Snifflefritz did her very best to disassemble everything she could reach. She even tried desperately to eat the plastic candy canes hanging on our wall. (she was convinced they were real.)

This evening I was tired from all the work, but it as so nice to sit and admire all the pretty decorations.

Dec 2, 2011

Friday Five


  1. I think I have gotten all my shopping for the kids done for this year. I am sure it will be a good Christmas for them and that is what matters to me.
  2. I plan to decorate for christmas tomorrow after i clean the girl's rooms. Princess Belle asked why clean first and I said I didn't see making parts of the house look pretty when parts of it were a disaster.
  3. I have gotten used to drinking percolated decaf coffee. As long as I have one cup of regular coffee in the mornings, decaf will do it for me the rest of the time.
  4. I have to admit that I am not always great on my diabetic diet these days. When those pregnancy cravings kick in, it is hard to stand strong and say NO.
  5. I have no idea why my children will put their pillows and blankets on the floor and sleep on there beside their bed??? I feel like such a bad mommy when I walk in and see my little girls sleeping on the floor!

Dec 1, 2011

Explanations

I am feeling good about things today. We have started a savings account to prepare for a move.

I should have known better than to move back here. The reasons we moved last time have resurfaced and it has been a little stressful (thus the lack of wordy, loving, mom-posts lately). I don't understand how these people can sense I am pregnant and choose this time to harass me again! This house was awful anyway, it was too small and the downstairs apartment has a bug and rodent infestation!!!

Anyway, we are planning to move when we can afford it, we are doing everything we can to prepare. I feel better with a plan in hand. I really like the town we are moving to. It is in a different province that has better regulations regarding homeschooling. We lived there before for quite a number of years and really love it there. So I am anxious to get there and get my family out of harms way and to get back to our peaceful, happy, loving existence that we are used to.

I am choosing to try to stress as little as possible because I have enough issues in my pregnancies without adding to them in any way. When this little boy arrives he deserves a relaxed mommy and I am determined to do what I can to give him one!!!

Nov 30, 2011

Better

I had a better today. I am still anxious to get the heck out of Dodge (so to speak) but I am willing to let it happen in it's own time. I will say it won't be soon enough for me, but that's okay too.

Nov 29, 2011

Yuck

I have had a couple of crappy, stressful days and my head is pounding. I will be back with more cheerful thoughts, for now I will just wish that Santa would bring me enough money to leave this awful place!

Nov 27, 2011

Two Frogs - An Inspirational Tale

Here is another story that really inspired me and I had to share it with you all!

A group of frogs were traveling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep pit. When the other frogs saw how deep the pit was, they told the two frogs that they were as good as dead. The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit with all their might. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and gave up. He fell down and died.

The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out. When he got out, the other frogs said, "Did you not hear us?" The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time.

This story teaches two lessons:

1. There is power of life and death in the tongue. An encouraging word to someone who is down can lift them up and help them make it through the day.

2. A destructive word to someone who is down can be what it takes to kill them. Be careful of what you say. Speak life to those who cross your path.

The power of words... it is sometimes hard to understand that an encouraging word can go such a long way. Anyone can speak words that tend to rob another of the spirit to continue in difficult times. Special is the individual who will take the time to encourage another.

Nov 26, 2011

Saturday PhotoHunt: Handwritten



The theme today was Handwritten and it reminded me of the fact that a handwritten note, got me busted on the tooth fairy this year. She noticed that our handwriting was the same. So I am posting pics from the day she lost her very first tooth . . . back in 2008. She was afraid that the tooth fairy wouldn't be able to find her tooth under her pillow so she put it in an envelope on her desk and taped a note to her headboard. She was so excited by the letter the tooth fairy wrote back to her.











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