Hot Pockets and Apple Pie!

This is Carly's new favorite food.
She LOVES them. Asks for them every day
when she gets home from school.
Lately, she asks for them for breakfast, lunch & dinner.
I do think, she is hooked, or maybe addicted!

Ham & Cheese is her very favorite.

Each time I pop one in the microwave, her
eyes light up. Which concerns me..because, seriously
who wants their kid to "light up" over any kind of
crap food. Which is what I call Hot Pockets.

The funniest thing; Carly can't for the life of her remember
that she is in fact eating a Hot Pocket. She calls it, "apple pie"
or "pot pie". Yes, she happens to LOVE both of those foods too!
I have to remind her, "no Carly, Hot Pocket". To which she
replies, "duh"!

Speaking of Apple pie. Carly is on a real apple pie kind of kick.
Especially since Easter. When grandma made several kinds
of pies. One being apple!


The week following Easter, Carly kept asking me for "apple pie".
I had no apples to make her one. Which led to quite the
water works! Ashleigh came up with the idea
to call grandma and ask her to make an apple pie.

The catch being, Carly had to actually ask grandma.
That was interesting. Carly gets really shy on the phone.
Even if it's grandma! Eventually my mom heard
in a very quiet voice, "apple pie".
Well, grandma did not disappoint. The next day, Miss Carly
had her very own apple pie. An entire apple pie. Talk about a happy kid.

Rest assured, she did not eat the entire pie all by herself.
Her dad did help her out and her sissy too. But I
have to say, she gave it her best shot to polish the
whole pie off herself.

I'm going to really throw her a curve ball this week. I'm making a peanut
butter pie for Paul. That should really confuse her! I'll bet she'll
enjoy it though! It's pretty tasty and Paul's favorite pie.

Sunshiny Day!

Yes, that's right the sun is shining here in Michigan today.

With the highs expected to go above 75!!

Spring is definitely in the air.

Mmmmmm....

Even though they don't look like Christmas
and
Halloween cupcakes.

They sure do taste mighty good!

I decided to make some cupcakes when Carly came home from school today.
She, of course wanted to put sprinkles on them.
Well.... all I had for sprinkles, were red and green Christmas sprinkles and orange and black
Halloween sprinkles. Ha!
Oh well, she was happy. And I got them used up!

Who would guess..

..that behind this sweet little face.

Is one strong willed.

Determined.

Stubborn.

Little girl.
And even though,
she can push
my buttons, like
no other.
I wouldn't
trade her
for the
world!

Wacky Wednesday.

I've been working on these all day.
No, not the game of scrabble. I only wish that's what I have been doing.

But, no...I'm doing our taxes....ICK!

With no end in sight.

Tax time stinks.

I am Thankful.

"If a fellow isn't thankful for what he's got, he isn't likely to be thankful for what he's going to get".
Frank A. Clark

Each year, as Thanksgiving approaches I seem to reflect back. Back to the beginning of our journey with Miss Carly. A journey that I wasn't sure I was ready to handle or even if I were going to be able to handle. Carly brought me through any and all doubt. Isn't that funny? She brought me through. For that, I am thankful.

Sure, I reflect back often. You've read much of that reflection on this blog. Each anniversary of each of Carly's health crisis' are forever etched into my brain. But this time of year. I look back and realize just how lucky our family is. I am thankful. Thankful to have this little girl our lives.

As we sit down to Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday, I will do as I have done the past 7+ years. Look at this little gift that God gave to our family. Watch her gobble up her turkey with all the fixin's. For that, I am so thankful.

10 Reasons to Give Thanks for Your Special Needs Child.

I found the following while on Twitter this morning. Being this is the week of Thanksgiving. I thought I'd share with you all.

1. You never have to worry about worrying over nothing.
Let other parents obsess over the frivolous and the shallow. Your child will make sure you always have something worthy to worry about.

2. Developmental delays = more years of hugs, kisses, and little-kid sweetness. What mom of a sullen teen doesn't secretly wish for the same?


3. Maybe someday, Ty Pennington will come build you a house.
Hey, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition loves families of children with special needs. Your little one may be your ticket to a lavish living space.


4. Any little milestone is a cause to throw a party. Your child works hard for every step, sit-up and syllable, giving you lots to be excited about.


5. Every day is a learning experience. Some days it's a pop quiz, some days it's a crash course, but life with your child is always an education, for sure.


6. You have the privilege of putting several doctors' children through college. After paying for all those appointments, you may feel like a one-family scholarship foundation. Put your child's name on some letterhead and take pride.


7. You meet a better class of parent in waiting rooms and support groups. Your child frees you from having to hang out with those snotty parents on the playground, and gives you entry into an exclusive club of people who are sensitive, sarcastic, and sure of their priorities.


8. You have an iron-clad escape excuse for any occasion. You'd love to stay at that boring party, crowded event, endless church service, but, you know, your child just can't tolerate it. (And if sometimes it's you who can't tolerate it -- who's to know?)


9. Coming up with new strategies every day keeps your brain sharp. They say doing crossword puzzles helps ward off Alzheimer's. Figuring out your child's schedules and treatments and lessons and rights and restrictions must easily provide twice the protection.


10. Your blessings will always be fully counted. Other parents may take the gifts that their children bring for granted. Not you. Not ever.

AMEN!

What kind of world are we living in?

I often check out the news online. Whether it's our local news or national news. I just never seem to be able to sit down long enough to actually watch the news at the time that it's broadcast. Plus, Carly pretty much owns the T.V in the house. That's not really true. It's actually dinner time around here when the news is on. But Carly does have dibs on the TV most nights!

CNN's web site is one I frequent. The other night I read an article (here) that really has bothered me. Likely because I have a child with a cognitive disability. I'm sure once you read the article, you will be bothered by this too. Whether or not you have a child with a disability. This is just plain sickening.

I have often worried about people being violent toward Carly. Be it bullying...which I really do worry about now that she is in school. Or the unthinkable violation against her. Knowing that it's happening more often just breaks my heart. What kind of a world are we living in? A very scary one by the looks of it.

Makes me want to put Carly in a bubble and keep safe from all the awful things that are going on in this world today. To me, this is the unthinkable. Violating the disable in any way shape or form. Seriously. What kind of world are we living in?

Swim Karen Swim.

Last year, Karen Gaffney swam 9-miles across Lake Tahoe. She did this to raise money for the National Down Syndrome Congress and to show the world that people with Down Syndrome are more alike, than they are different. A phrase I tend to use often.

Karen is such an inspiration. Click here to read what she's up to now.

Swim Karen Swim!

Lets try this again..

Not sure what the heck happened after putting (click here) this video on my blog. Last night it was fine. This morning, it was a jumble mess. Sorry about that. You all must have thought I flipped my lid! Crazy.

Anyway, a friend of mine emailed me this video of Beyonce singing to Chelsey during a concert. Chelsey is a leukemia patient who lives in Australia. It brought tears to my eyes both times I viewed it. What a wonderful thing Beyonce did for this little girl. What a way to lift the spirits of Chelsey and her family. Kudos, Beyonce!