Wordless Wednesday 29 August

 

There is nothing like a really soft potato to create an experiement.  Now we just have to plant the potato to see if it will grow anything.

 

I am linking this post to My Little Drummer Boys.

 

 

Don't let it ever be said........

I am forever hearing and reading that people say that having a disabled child in your house.  While I do not doubt that for some or even many this is true at the moment they make that statement.  Unfortunately I don't necessarily agree. 

Of course there are times when my son Hayden brings laughter into our lives but sadly it has to be said that he and everything that comes with him, is quite some burden right now and for the rest of his life.  I know that burden is a very strong word to use but to us living this life that is what it feels like.  Hayden will for the rest of his life have to live with us.  He will be reliant on us to keep him out of hospital and alive on a daily basis. His 6 hourly medication, constant need to be hydrated, eye drop 5 times a day and two hour breakfast routine, his constant behavioural issues (he is severely ADHD), the interrupted sleep I get and of course the many hospital appointments and hospital stays.  Then keeping his medication supply in stock, filling in the constant paper work and ....well the list just keeps on.

Naturally we do this because we are Haydens parents and we love him.  Then there are times that we think about what might have been and why us?  But don't judge us for this.  You should try leading a busy everyday style of life with two busy children.  Then add a disabled child like Hayden who is like having a very needy whirlwind in your house every day and you might just have the smallest glympse of what it is like. 

Within all of this I know the health system of New Zealand does a good job by Hayden.  Sadly family, in my opinion, are the forgotten link in it all.  I don't think any one health organisation has stopped to enquire how my family and I are, are we stressed, how we cope, how my other children are coping.  No one sits there and really understands Hayden and consequently what that means to our lives.  There is very little respite and certainly very little spontaneous activity in our lives. We can't just spend the day relaxing or sleep in.  I could go on but I think you get the picture.

Fridays Fabulous 5 #18

Friday is here and I am surprisingly posting this on ......yes you guessed it.....a Saturday.  Just one day I will actually post this on a friday like the title says.

So here are my finds this week.

1.  We are looking at upgrading and modernising the lighting at our house.  I am in love with this one.

2.  My favourite website to just browse is Meet at Mikes

3.  Then there is this little post about food sweeteners which is worth a read found at Skinny Bits.

4.  I am thinking that a tote bag with a homemade touch might just make the perfect Christmas gift.

5.  Then these no bake cookies ideal for lunch boxes.  I love how the web site allows me to convert the measurements from imperial to metric.  Perfect me who lives Down Under.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Wordless Wednesday 22 August

There is nothing like before and after photos.  Yesterday McKenzie got braces and so we thought that before after the moment would be fun.  Then the next two years we will see the moving of her teeth so they all actually sit in a line.  She will also be getting bottom braces but the top ones need to be moved some before that can happen.

Here is McKenzie before we got out of the car and then 30 minutes later.

I am linking this post to My Little Drummer Boys.

Macaroons Recipe

I am always on the lookout for a sweet treat that is not too calorific.  This one is really easy to make and fills the sweet tooth need.  Maybe you might like it.

 

Macaroons

2 egg (whites)
3/4 cup of castor sugar
100g melted chocolate
100g almond meal

Method

1. Pre heat the oven to 160 degrees celcius in a convection oven.
2. Beat the egg white until they form stiff peaks.
3. Slowly add the sugar while beating .  The mixture will look glossy when you have completed this step.
4. Carefully fold in the melted chocolate and almond meal.
5. Using a teaspoon place drops of the mixture on a baking tray covered in baking paper.
6. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes.

This recipe is sensitive to humidity which can cause the macaroons to collapse.

Monday Menu 21 August

Here is this weeks menu

Monday   Corned beef (cold) baked potato and green vege.

Tuesday  Noodly Dinner

Wednesday  chicken teryaki stir fry

Thurdsay  vegetable peanut stirfry

Friday  Wraps with salad veges

Saturday  homemade pizza

Sunday  Leftovers

I am linking this post to I'm an Organising Junkie

Fridays Fabulous 5 # 17

Welcome to this weeks finds.

1.  I just love this canvas so I am linking you up.  I am thinking it will make a great gift

2.  If you are into digital scrapbooking then Donna Duncombe has a freebie going on her facebook     page.  She has a grea style which is bright and fun.

3.  How about making some homemade wash cloths.  I got in my email this pattern. 

4.  How about a quick read on school lunches.  Just incase you are feeling a little jaded and need a new view point.

5.  Finally most relevant in my house this article about tweenage girls.

Breakfast

Why is breakfast such a difficult meal to encourage my children to eat especially my 11 year old.  I know we are all tired.  The getting up at 5.30am is a real killer and worse when Hayden wakes up before 5.00am.

On the same hand on know that it is such an important meal that without breakfast your ability to function effectively throughout the day is severely limited.  Not only that it is a long day in our house and without food energy will sure wain and childrens behaviours sure can turn to the negative.....just like mine at times.

So in the last week or two I have trying to work out about breakfast for my children, especially my daughter who is playing a lot of hockey for the next six weeks or two.

This is what I have found works especially when DH is away for work and I am having to sit with Hayden for the next 2 hours and do his food and medication.  This is when, unfortunately, the children need to organise their own breakfast, where I try and make it as easy as I can so they can come to where I am sitting with Hayden.

• porridge, in pre organised packages.  I know this is an expensive way to go but is easy for Andre who is 8, to manage.
• a variety of cereals from Weetbix and Weetbix bites.  Easy to serve with yoghurt made in my Easy Yo yoghurt maker.
• spaghetti on whole grain bread (toast)
• fresh fruit
• not forgetting the drink of milk

Now my children are able to make something to have in hurry, something that is filling so that they are not hungry again until morning tea time.

You can read more about this on the Kiwi Families web site.

Wordless Wednesday 15 August

There is nothing like a group of tweenage girls really focused on the game that they love playing.  Pregame discussion is taking place.

I am still trying to get a photo of McKenzie playing but that might take some time to get that perfect action shot.

I am linking this My Little Drummer Boys.

How tired is tired?

Have you ever wondered how tired, tired really is?

I constantly feel in a state of tired.  I know, I always blame it on having to get up every night to tend to Haydens needs knowing full well that he will, for the rest of his life, need me to tend to his needs.  Then I should add to this list the rushing around like full time taxi service in the after school hours and keeping house while DH is away for 13 consecutive days, tuck in a few days of work and there you have it....everything that makes me tired.

I know that I am not the only one who suffers the effects of children and life all tossed into one bowl but just sometimes I wish that I could wave a magic wand and give myself some sleep moment in storage so I could use them when I really could do with a few extra house of sleep and more energy to cope with the rest of my day.

So for me sleep can happen as and when I need it.  I can snooze in the car waiting for my daughter bus to arrive in in the afternoons, on the chair as I sit down for a few minutes to unwind, etc etc.  To make this happen I need a couple of conditions;

1.  The space is the right temperature for me to sleep/ snooze.
2.  Eat and drink foods that support sleep. 

The sleep/ snooze needs to be short and snappy. Just enough to take the edge off the need to sleep and revitalise my energy somehow. Not too much so I don't really want to wake up.

Then because I get broken sleep I have a couple of things I do

1.  I don't turn the lights on when I am up in the middle of the night.  In fact I could almost do the whole tend to Hayden thing at 0130 hrs.
2.  I have plan B for any eventuation already sorted so I don't have to think too hard and can make decisions easily without waking myself up too much.  If I have to walk myself up more then I am probably getting ready to take a trip into the hospital with Hayden.
3.  Have the house and bed at the right temperature so I can go straight back to sleep.



I am no way an expert on these things but for me who is on the go these few things really help.