Doves and Grandparents...

For the third Tuesday in a row, we've woken up to the white stuff!  The first week, they called it a blizzard and called off school, and we barely got a dusting.  The second week, we got a foot of snow over two days.  And today we got a heavy spring dumping only to have it nearly all melted by this afternoon.

When I opened the door to let the dogs out this morning, I was greeted with one of the most lovely sights I've seen. 

The white flakes were still lightly falling, the sun was shining, garden ornaments covered in a veil of  heavy snow.  On the tree sat a couple of doves.  Seeing them there, it made me think of my grandma and grandpa.  A couple snuggled up in the snow, mates for life, just enjoying the beauty of it all.  

They've been here as long as we've lived here, and I've never named them.  But, forever more, I'll call them Grandma and Grandpa.  Just so long as they stick around, since George loves to run them off. 

Fabulous Saturdays...

I love a beautiful Saturday.

It's the one day I feel relaxed all day.  We take the morning slow...and do what we want through the day.

Today, after a week of snow and seizures, Max was in a fabulous mood and we got out of the house.  We ran a few errands, and ate a picnic at the park.

It was a fabulous day which called for something fabulous to wear.  So, I wore my most fabulous shoes.



Husband must have liked this shot, since he took it as I was eating my lunch on the park bench, next to this fella who was busy watching ducks and jumping fish in the pond.



Fab, fab, fab Saturday.

A nice cuppa...

Max's weekly schedule has picked up significantly this school year.  That's not a bad thing, it's just - busy.

For so many years, we didn't have much going on.  He didn't have school, he only had therapy a couple times a week.  And he snoozed a lot!

Now, I rarely sit down until 3:00 in the afternoon.  He has therapy every day except Fridays.  And has two sessions of school over video chat with his classmates daily, as well as his teacher coming for an hour three days a week.

From 3:00-5:00 I try to catch up on phone calls or do some laundry, or whatever else I can fit in before the evening schedule picks up.

Thursday and Friday are a little easier on the schedule.  I usually have more time to make phone calls, and answer emails that have piled up all week.  I also occasionally will sit and have a nice cuppa.

I have a special cabinet where I keep my tea and teacups.  Each cup is from someone special, or from some place special.

It's always nice to sit, holding a cup of hot tea and think of a special someone, or special place.

Now, back to phone calls and emails!

Morning Crunchy...

I tend to shy away from telling people what to do.  I think it stems from my feeling of not wanting to be told what to do.  So, I doubt I'll be too preachy about diet things on here.  It is simply a place for me to put my ideas and thoughts about why it works for me.  

That said, this change in our way of eating has really made me feel better.  There are so many studies out there about how cow dairy is unhealthy these days, unless you milk Bessy yourself in your clover covered field.  But, again, while I read some of those studies - because my husband is quite adamant about it - it isn't why I've stopped eating cow dairy.  I stopped because it makes me feel gross.  All the other reasons found in studies are just bonus to me.

I do still eat dairy...just not cow dairy.  I eat goat and sheep cheese and coconut milk for my recipes calling for milk.  We use goat butter, and Steve eats goat yogurt every morning.  Max gets fortified rice milk in his daily food blends and he and Abbey both eat coconut yogurt.  And we all like coconut ice cream.

This morning, I had a huge bowl of yogurt for my breakfast.  

That's almond yogurt.

I added some goodies in it...here comes the crunchy. 




Here we have granola, chia seeds, and hemp seeds.  So, so crunchy.  I may as well roll around in some patchouli and rename myself Wilting Flower. But, it is so delicious! 



Chia seeds seem a lot like poppy seeds to me, as far as taste and texture go. They are packed with fiber, protein, minerals, omega-3, and antioxidants.  I've used them in some recipes where you soak overnight and they turn into more jelly like...that's totally a love or hate texture thing for people.  I like it, like little jell-o balls.  Some people just really don't like the texture though.

The granola is gluten free Udi's granola.  I like it for all the nuts and dried fruit in it.  

And finally, the hemp seeds are probably my favorite bit.  They taste like chopped up nuts with a real light flavor not as nutty as nuts.  (How's that for a great description?)  Really, the way I most describe them is "grassy"...but that just sounds weird, so I said nutty.  I really like the taste of them, and you can read more about the benefits on the link above.  They are full of protein, omega fatty acids, fiber, antioxidants and minerals. 

Life is Good...

This year has already handed me a few tough tasks.  I had an acquaintance say recently, God must really trust you to give you so many hard things.

Whaaaaaat?  I think we have different views of God.

I am an eternal optimist.  Even in the hardest of times, I find the silver lining.  Maybe it's a self preservation thing.  It helps me get through the rough bits in life to find the good.

This morning, I was thinking about one of the things that is making me sad right now, and the first thing that popped into my head was this...

This is the logo from the Life Is Good company.  I've seen their faded groovy t-shirts through the years, and have always smiled at their sunny disposition.  It's funny to me that I've never owned one!  I need to change that.  I may as well wear such a positive motto on my shirt.  

Life really is good.  I have far more things in life that make me happy, than the ones that make me sad.  I'll let the happy ones push me forward. 

A new year...

Hello 2013!

I haven't written here in quite a while.  The last part of the year just snuck up on me and here we are, a new year!

The new year always brings about talk of resolutions, and changing habits.  Max has taught me one thing, we don't make plans.   So, I try to make good habits for the new year.

This year, my intention is to live with a good attitude.  I think I already have a pretty optimistic look on life, but I still have my grumblings, and it seemed like lately, those grumblings were getting more and more.

I have noticed on social media sites, for some people, it is a place to just dump every little gripe that pops into their heads for the world to see.  I'm not sure what exactly they're looking for in putting that out to the internets.  It makes them look so sad, and angry, and grumpy!  I have one friend on facebook that seemed to be especially negative in their status updates lately that I have had to hide those statuses.

I'm a firm believer of what goes in, must come out...so fill your mind with good things, and good things will come out.  This includes our own thoughts.

Last week, I was especially grumpy about a cold shower.  I think I was the third in line for a shower and had just barely enough to rinse my hair.  I started grumping in my head and thinking of all the terrible things I would like to say to the water hogs before me, but instead, I turned it around to find the good.  I said instead, I'm thankful I can get clean, and my house is warm so when I get out I'm not going to stay cold.

Then today, Max's feeding pump was giving me problems.  There are few things that irk me more than that feeding pump not cooperating.  I started visualizing throwing it through a window.  Then stopped and said instead, I'm thankful we have a way to feed him.

So, it's my intention/resolution/new habit to try to become positive when the negative starts to creep up.

All Trades...

Throughout my life, people have offered ideas of what I should "be".  My earliest memories of being told what I should be were an artist, or a ballerina.  Or maybe I would be an actress, or Miss America.  I could be a teacher, or a mom and a wife.

As I grew up through my school years, I never had a strong sense of what I wanted to focus my lessons on.  I figured I would be a teacher of some sort, because I truly loved children and teaching.

I got married and we had Abbey, so I was then a wife and Nene, and worked in an office.  I still dabbled in art, and taught Abbey through the summers to keep her on track for when school started back in.

When Max came along, people have so many ideas and offerings of what I should do and be.

You should be a doctor.

You should be a nurse.

You should be a genetic counselor.

You should be a hospital administrator.

You should write a book.

You should start a clothing line for children with disabilities.

And since Abbey's living full-time with us, she has some ideas too.

You should open a restaurant.

You should write a cook-book.

You should be a teacher.


I should.........I could.........but I already am all these things.  I know all of these recommendations through my life have come from people seeing a quality in me.  And it makes me smile when I hear these suggestions.  But really, I'm so happy getting to do all of them at once.

One day, I may focus on one thing and do it.  But for now, I'm happy to be a Deana of All Trades.