Schools out of summer!!

….well almost & I cannot believe it!
Plus I don’t know about you, but that sing always comes into my head when I say\hear the words “Schools out for the summer!”

This year seems to have flown by! I don’t know if it’s because we have 2 in school this year or that we had so much going on this year or both!

The boys get a school lunch calendar every month & I just put that on the fridge so it makes it easy for me to see when they have early release days and\or days off. This calendar came home last week & I was looking over it to see if May had any days that I needed to remember. I was quickly scanning over the weeks & got to the bottom of the page where it said summer vacation. It took a minute to realize that this was the last month of school! I knew it was coming but it hit me like a ton of bricks seeing it on paper.

As the school year comes to a close I am glad that my afternoons won’t be broken up to stop whatever it is that I am doing to get the boys from school but on the other hand it sends me into a whirlwind trying to figure out what I am going to do with  4 active kiddos + a newborn! Just that thought alone makes my head spin! I definitely have things that I need to look into for this summer.
(That will be another post on another day)

Even though we have had some big obstacles this year with both boys (good & bad) I have to say that I am proud of both of them! I cannot believe that they are old enough to be in school and are doing such a great job! I cannot wait to see what next year holds for both of them & see how they excel!

This summer will be trial & error with the ADHD meds the boys will be on though. And with not much school left, getting feedback from the teachers won’t be the best solely because of the amount of time left. But I know that we will try out best and get our boys the help they need to be even better than they already are!

When is school out for you and\or your children? What are you most looking forward to? What are you not so much looking forward to?

Welcome any & all feedback

School nurses make husband go grrrrrr!

Our oldest has never had allergies until this spring time here in Texas. I am sure there are multiple reasons why he is reacting now but that isn’t the point to this post.

I would say about a month ago during a routine check up with his dr, he was starting to show signs (runny nose-itchy eyes) and his dr gave him a prescription for allergy medication. So we have been giving him his meds daily since then. Over the last few days his allergies have kicked up big time!!! His eyes were getting puffy and swollen & they would start to burn. We were just continuing to give him his meds and going to talk to his dr anyway to see what else we could do to help out with this symptoms.
He woke up the other morning with really puffy & red eyes. I felt bad that he was feeling and looking that way, but we sent him to school anyway. No more than 20 minutes after sending him to school I get a phone call from the nurse telling me that I had to come up to the school and pick him up because she thought he had pink eye.
Hung up the phone and told Mister about the phone call (we were in the truck taking him to work) and he said call her back for me. So I did & got the nurse on the phone again. Mister was trying to explain that it’s not pink eye (we wouldn’t send our child to school even if we thought it was pink eye) that he was having a reaction to his allergies. Well the nurse got an attitude with Mister and starting saying things like ‘Are you a dr\nurse? No I didn’t think so.’ She was even interrupting him while he was trying to explain what was going on with our son. He got so mad at this woman that he just handed me the phone and I hung up the phone for him.
After dropping Mister off at work I picked up our son from school. His eyes looked better than when we dropped him off….his meds had kicked in by this time. The nurse stated that he would need a note from the dr upon returning to school. That wasn’t going to happen! I wasn’t going to waste anyones time getting a note telling her that he had allergies. The next day Mister had a day off work & wanted to talk to the principle about what happened. The principle was not happy with what Mister told her, wrote down what he told her, & said that would have a talk with the nurse. She stated that the way the nurse acted was very unprofessional and that she should have listened to what Mister had to say instead of arguing with him.

We realize that there are some parents out there that just don’t care and would send their child to school regardless. But if they nurse would pay attention to how we have acted in the past when our children have been sick, she would see that we aren’t those parents. Hopefully the talk the nurse has with the principle will make her think twice before acting that way again with a parent.

Cancer sucks!

And I am not sure there is anyone out there that would disagree with me! I know that I have had people in my life get cancer and lose their battle with it or beat it….but regardless of the outcome, it still sucks to have to go through it with them and\or hear about them going through it. I don’t think there is anything anyone can say or do to make someone feel about having their loved one go through it. It just sucks and needs to go away!

I have had been informed within the last 24 hours that two of my friends have a parent going through cancer and\or a treatment related to having cancer. I honestly don’t know how long either of them have had it, but that part doesn’t matter. They have it and it sucks!

One of the friends is one that I have known since high school. For a few years we were inseparable. Her parents were like a second set of parents to me. We grow apart our senior year….which sucks now but we were both immature about things and our friendship ended. I am sorry that it ended but I know that’s part of life.
The other friend I haven’t known very long but lived with for a short time before we moved to Texas this past summer. I don’t know if her mom was going through this then or this is something new. But like I said, either way it doesn’t matter and it sucks!

I know that these people will fight their best fight and I pray that they beat cancers butt! No one deserves to have to go through something like this & none of their family members & friends need to go through it. Life isn’t fair and we never know why things happen to the people that it happens to. Have faith in God and know that He didn’t cause these things to happen but He will get you through it!

By the Grace of God

“I don’t know how you do it”

That’s a statement I get by many people in my life.
Mostly it’s about my day to day life with 4 kids 8 and under. Other times it’s about things that happened….like having all 4 kids having strep at the same time….or something along those lines.

I never know how to respond to this statement because, well, this is my life. I could either not care about my kids or be the best parent that I can be and take care of them. I usually respond with “Most days I don’t know either”.
How is one supposed to respond to that statement!?

I had one of my best friends say it to me today and I gave her that response, but almost as soon as I said it, a different response popped into my head. By the grace of God. Who else would give me the strength, will power, and basic things that I need to get through each and everyday!? No one but Him! There isn’t anyone on this Earth that could do what He does for me and my family. He is the one that gets us through our hard times, gives us what we need-when we need it, and He is the one that helps us when we are down & out.

This just doesn’t go for me either..this goes for every single human being on this Earth. Whether or not you believe in God is our own battle but this is my belief. We cannot live day to day without Him. It’s not magical when things happen…good or bad. Things happen for a reason & He is the reason.

So from now on my response to ”I don’t know how you do it” is going to be “By the grace of God”.

Pregnancy blog!

I have no idea if I have mentioned this yet but I figured I would put it out there in case anyone was interested and\or loves reading about pregnancy as much as I do!

I have a pregnancy blog that I have been keeping up with….minus about 10 weeks…opps! Anyway, I am less busy than I have been so I will now have time to update it.
Here is the link! I hope that you stop by and share any thoughts that you might have

Anyone want to help out?!

I am wanting to hold another giveaway! And since I am not crafty enough to make anything, I was wondering if there was any businesses out there that wouldn’t mind helping out in this department.

It doesn’t have to be anything big and\or fancy! It doesn’t even have to be an item….a discount code would work just fine! I will leave what you want to donate completely up to you!

If you would like to participate in this giveaway, then please email me at mommieventures @ gmail . com! I look forward to working with you all very soon!

A New Diagnosis

A little background before I get to talking about what these diagnosis are.

Our 2 oldest children are boys. Our oldest is 8 and then our second oldest is 6. behavior wise I thought our oldest was right on track but our second oldest was a little more out of control than our first. I just thought it was different personalities. Then as our 6 year old got older his behavior started to seem more extreme. I tried everything under the sun to discipline him, asked friends for suggestions, and even did exactly what my husband did in the exact way that he did it. Nothing was working. I was at the end of my rope with his behavior. Now I am not talking terrible twos….I am talking terrible twos times 100 on some days. He had this behavior since he was a toddler…mostly I think this is why I didn’t do anything about it in the beginning because I didn’t know\think there was anything more going on than a typical boy.
For the last several years his behavior has gotten worse. I am talking full blown tantrums, banging his head on the wall, screaming\yelling at me, throwing things, hitting himself in the face…..at this point I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t want him hurt himself or anyone else first and foremost. All the stuff that he was throwing and\or breaking could be replaced. Now don’t get me wrong, I was upset that he was doing that….but safety was my first priority. I would cry to my husband about what was going on, how I was being treated be him, and that absolutely nothing that I was doing was working.
Fast forward to just a few months ago. I was making sure that all our children had well checks and up-to-date on everything with their new pediatrician. I was speaking to their dr about maybe the boys having ADHD\ADD. She recommended a school here where we live that tests for these sort of things. I didn’t need a referral and I could just call and make an appointment with them. As soon as I got home that day…that’s exactly what I did!
Both of their appointments came around and did great during their testing….now just to wait for the meeting to tell us what the drs findings were.
Went to our 6 year olds meeting first. I was nervous because I wasn’t sure what he was going to say and maybe the end result was that I just wasn’t being the kind of parent that I needed to be.

The dr told me what his testings found…my son had Oppositional Defiant Disorder. Mmmm, what?! I asked him what that was because I had never heard of it before. He told me a little bit but when I got home that afternoon….that’s when I start researching what ODD was. I was looking at the ‘symptoms’ of ODD and I could mark a check next to each and every single thing that was listed. ODD fit my son to a “T”.
Ok, so now that I have some sort of understanding of what my son is going through….how do I deal with this? I have found very little sites that have given out information on tips for parents who have a child with ODD. I have found a support group on FB that I interact with every now and then. And though our household is still as crazy as it’s ever been….we are trying to change our old habits when dealing with our son when he is upset. It doesn’t always work and we still yell at times, but it’s nice knowing that we can help him and we aren’t alone.

Just recently we received a copy of the drs findings and have since learned that not only does our 6 year old have ODD but he also has ADHD & Expressive Language Disorder. I agree with the ADHD but I am not so sure on the ELD…more research needs to be done on my part for that one. We have also found out that our oldest son also has ADHD. I have made an appointment with a different dr in the practice that deals with ADHD to talk about options and medication. I will definitely update when I have something to update with.

Is anyone else going through this? Do you have a child with ODD, ELD, and\or ADHD? I would love to talk with you and see if there are any tips you have to offer that we haven’t thought of or tried.

Thanks

Here are some websites that explain ODD & ELD. Please feel free to check them out!
http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/oppositional-defiant-disorder
http://www.ehow.com/how_7523593_deal-oppositional-defiance.html
http://www.minddisorders.com/Del-Fi/Expressive-language-disorder.html

My favorite WAHMs

Let me say something first….
These are work at home moms that I have bought from & have used their product. There are many MANY more WAHMs out there that make wonderful products as well…..these are ones that I personally trust and would definitely buy from again!

Since being introduced to WAHMs (about 1 1\2 years ago) I have always wanted to support them more than the big name businesses. I still have my loves that are big businesses but there is something about having a product made for you by hands….not a machine! And from my experience, when I have had questions about what I bought (usually how to wash the product) I am talking to the person that knows best…not a representative of the person who made it.
Ok, now that I have rambled on…it’s time to spot light my favorites!!!
(*In no particular order I must say*)

Bouncing Woolies:
I have been using my Bouncing Woolies dryer ball for over a year now & love it! I have even bought the rescenting kits to try other scents out….though I am not sure I did those right, haha! Anyway, I love the fact that I don’t have to go out and keep buying dryer sheets & plus everything seems to dry faster and fluffier! I have not had one problem with the material of the ball coming apart or tearing…nothing! I would highly recommend Bouncing Woolies if you are looking for a dryer ball!
Facebook Fan Page

Crazy Leggies:
You can get more than one item at this WAHM’s shop! I have a pair of baby shoes & a few pairs of baby legs. Coming soon to my mailbox are going to be two friendship bracelets as well! I happen to know this WAHM on a personal level and know all the hard work that she puts in. She absolutely loves what she does & makes a great, very well made product. I have to be honest and say that I was nervous washing the shoes for the first time….thinking that maybe stitching would come apart or something along those lines. Nothing happened to the shoes! They came out just like they went in….perfect! I cannot wait to put these WAHM product on Baby L once he\she gets here! If you are looking for baby shoes, baby legs, and other homemade baby products then I would highly suggest Crazy Leggies!
Facebook Fan Page

Daffe Designs:
Now I have had a wet bag from Daffe Designs for right around 2 years now. I have stuffed that thing full & am still amazed at the amount of diapers + clothes that this little bag will hold! Click here to read my review of the wet bag when I first received it. I love this bag and will use it until it’s falling apart! I received another product from Daffe Designs not too long ago also. It’s a plain oneie with a “Hello my name is” label on it…..this is how we will be introducing Baby L to everyone! I love love love this oneie! Again with being nervous to wash it and afraid the label would fall off….nothing happened! Love the oneie and, once again, cannot wait to put it on Baby L! There is so much that I want to buy from Daffe Design….I would need to win the lotto in order to get everything that I wanted!
Facebook Fan Page

Isaac & Rebekah:
I came across this WAHM through a giveaway on Youtube & fall in love with her earrings! I started to buy some and wanted more! She is currently on maternity leave until the middle of summer and so some of the items that I wanted would have to until she returned….needs to hurry up by the way Her earrings are so simple and clean yet they can be worn with just about any outfit for any occasion. I don’t get dressed up hardly ever but I love the feeling that I get when I put her earrings on! I also need to state that these are the first pair of earrings that I have been able to put on that didn’t make my ear lobes itch like crazy! I have 4 pairs of her earrings and cannot wait to get more! Definitely check her out!
Facebook Fan Page

Lara’s Homesewn Goods:
I actually went to high school with this WAHM! When I found out that I was expecting this time around I wanted a nursing cover…I didn’t want to use a blanket because I just didn’t like the way they laid on the baby’s face while they were nursing. So I was looking around her shop & saw that she made nursing covers & fall in love with the pattern that I ended up buying! Now with the nursing cover going through the wash, I wasn’t nervous about stitching….I was nervous that the ring that brings the cover away from the baby’s face would end up bent in some way. I am happy to report that nothing happened to the ring! It is still the same shape & in the same spot that it was in before going through the wash. I love it and cannot wait to put it to use!
Facebook Fan Page

Lucky Girl Design Studio:
This WAHM isn’t a mom to humans bu she doesn’t have the cutest furry children! Her products aren’t something that you can put your hands on! She does web designs! She made my blog banner at the top of the page! I was trying to do it myself and it just wasn’t working for me….I am not talented in this area. And I am happy to announce that she will be adding Baby L once he\she gets here! I would love to have her redesign my whole blog…..but I need to brainstorm more on what I want it to look like and all those lovely details first! If you are wanting to redesign your blog or just get a banner, definitely check out LGDS!
Facebook Fan Page

Miss Lily’s Washing Powder:
I absolutely love this washing powder for my diapers! You can also use it for your normal laundry as well, but I use this just for diapers. I have been using this washing powder for well over a year and would highly recommend it to anyone who cloth diapers! I haven’t been using it for about 4 months now only because my youngest is now potty trained & am now waiting for Baby L to get here to use it! I love the smell of the powder….so many yummy scents to choose from! I cannot wait until I run out of the bag that I have so I can purchase a new scent! Even if you love the washing powder you have for your diapers…..just buy one bag & tell me you don’t love it!!!
Facebook Fan Page
(I cannot find my bag of washing powder anywhere!!! But when I do I will include it in another post about WAHMs)

Those are it for now! There are some WAHM products I am waiting to either receive in the mail and\or haven’t ordered from them yet. I want to ony write about the ones that I have used so I can give my honest opinion about their handy work So if you are reading this, are a WAHM, and know that I have something coming from you….don’t worry! I will make another post and include you on that one! I want to give fair and honest opinions about things & I just don’t think it would be either of those for me to say something about a product that I haven’t received yet.

I hope that all you readers out there will check out all these WAHMs and share some of your favorites as well!!!

I’m back!!!!

Hello there fans & readers! I am back!
I asked for input if anyone was interested in still reading this blog if I started up again…all I was looking for was one person to say yes & I got a few more than that. Which I am happy about!! I have said it before and I will say it again…I didn’t start and\or continue this blog for numbers. I will try to make more of an effort to post blogs about my MommieVentures! With #5 on the way and the craziness that comes along with having 4 already…there are definitely no shortages in stories that I have (& will have) to share with you all!

Before I go any further though, I would like to send out my apologizes to the winners of the Jelly Knife giveaway! I still have the knifes & I will send them out as soon as I can…..life as just been seriously way busier than I ever thought it could be! I have not forgotten about you or the prizes that you have won!

I hope that the old fans\readers come back around & that we have new ones that show up! Thanks again for all the support and love that you all have given me since day one

Thanks loves

Input please!!!

Is there any interest from you all out there for me to start this blog up again? I would really love to hear your honest feedback!

Thanks!