#98- Learn to cook a good breakfast

100 Things to Teach Your Son

#98. Learn to cook a good breakfast

For many reasons son, my advice to cook a good breakfast is of importance. Women like a man who can cook. There is nothing more wonderful than after a night spent with their man...he getting up to cook a well deserved breakfast. Very romantic..while dating anyways, however very pracitcal when married with children. I mean if you are not helping with the children on a Sunday morning then you better be getting breakfast started. Let's not forget the most important meal of the day is breakfast...its the fuel to start your day :) (Sorry...i know you have been hearing that for year's, but its time to start listening too it!)
You are on your way son, you have mastered the grill and only good things to come. Keep working hard, your eggs are great too...well done!!  Your future love interest is going to be one lucky young lady~

Happy Easter Everyone...

Well my friends, I am not too sure how much blogging I will be doing over this weekend. With the good weather approaching I really hope to be out there enjoying it. Easter is a very special time for me, it was the first time after my accident that Braden showed us a sign that we so desperatly prayed for. It was beautiful and by far one of the most important moments in my life. Each Easter I give thanks, I am thankful for my son's survival and for his conitnued success.
I am wishing you all a wonderful, happy, relaxing and thankful Easter and may you have much time with your family and loved ones. Until my next post, god bless~

100 Things I want to Teach My Daughter...#98 Life is Not a Race

#98. Life Is Not A Race

My dear girl...PLEASE always remember this, it has taken me a long time to get my mind around this one~
Never compare yourself to where others are around you. Your plan is different from everyone else. It has been through experiences with your brother that I have come to calm down with "keeping up" with others. I suppose the best test for me related to you was to agree to you not heading off to University this coming September. It was very difficult for me to come to terms with initially as I felt it was more important for you to go straight into University right out of highschool
Realistically I know, you WILL go to school...its not a question of will you go, its just a question of when. I am more than pleased with your choice to wait another year, its not a race my baby. You will get to where you want to be when YOU are ready...not when others are. It doesn't mean you are any less a student, any less a mature than the person who has chosen to move ahead in their plan..it means you are mature enough to know YOU are not  and that is perfectly fine.
Always remember that their will always be people who want to live their lives on a "schedule"...they want to be maarried by 25 years old, children by 30, career stable by 35yrs...if you have a plan or a schedule in mind and things don't work out the way you had hoped, promise me..you'll be ok with that. But always work hard, and never give up on any dream or milestone you hope to achieve. Its not about how fast you get there....it's just that you do. Life is NOT a race, do not compare yourself to others and do not EVER let someone tell you, you are doing something wrong. It's YOUR journey....don't hurry along, enjoy the ride...all the ups, all the downs, the turns and even the stall's. Live in the moment~ THAT's important.

Good Friendships Are Equal...100 Things To Teach Your Son~

99. Good Friendships Are Equal.

Dear Son, I have never been prouder of the friends you have chose to keep in your life. You have been very smart with seeing the good ones and the bad ones. Thankfully you have many friends and you are very well liked. I hope you always have that quality to draw people into your life, you are a ton of fun and people migrate to you for a good time. Your father and I admire that about you. You are a very generous friend, you give to others, you share your time and you are always available to listen when someone needs you.
May you always remember to expect the same back from your friendships. If you find, that someone is not giving equal time and attention in the friendship please always...think twice before moving forward. Each relationship you have needs to be the same on both sides. Its just as important as you recieve the support and effort from your relationships as you give them. Anyone who is involved in your life will be blessed with your presence. They are the lucky ones...never give up on a friendship that you know is worth keeping.

He's cooking on his own!! The steps we are taking for independance~

In the beginning of the week, Braden bought himself a griddle. He has decided he would like to learn to do some cooking on his own. We are so proud of him...its just another step for independance.

The picture above is Braden cooking his very own salmon. I know he wants to be the kind of man that can cook for a date or eventually even a family. I love that he is taking this seriously and is wanting to become responsible. As we practice these things, we are learing exactly what it will be that he will need in his future. Eventually he will have his own kitchen, its great to see what will work best for him while he prepares a meal. When he does move out and is on his own, his kitchen will be suited for his needs. Everything will be lowered and accessible for him. Its also nice to see how he can manouver kitchen utensils, we are learning so much.
The picture below is him cooking some chicken for dinner, he did a fantastic job. Its been nice having this time with him. We laugh, we joke and share in stories...its good bonding time.
 

I think at this time in life, Braden will always need someone available to help him out for most hours in the day. Regardless of that, its super important that he is learning to cook...cause it is something he can do for himself. Even if his "help" sets up the kitchen for him in the morning before he leaves...at least he will have the skills to follow through and cook himself a meal.
Great job Braden, this year off has been a year of learning...I have enjoyed this time with you and look forward to always being there when you need me~

Throwback Thursday....When we lived a Ronald MacDonald House~

 

 

These pictures were taken back when Kailey was just one years old and Braden would have been three. We were asked to pose for some pictures at the Ronald McDonald House, they were using them in some of the bedrooms. You can see in the top picture we were in the dining room, Paul and I as well as my parents had spent many hours in that dining room. We have always had Sunday family dinners and thankfully for the most part during our first 4 month stay we continued that tradition. My Uncle Wayne was always wonderful with that, he would come up to the hospital with meals cooked for us...he always made his delicious spagetti. It really was a treat for our family. We had a good meal, time together and managed to continue on with a regular thing in our lives. The bottom left we were in one of the bedroom's, I remember being so thankful for this place. It was a place were we could retreat, have some quiet time. I had a warm, comfortable bed, a shower and place to rest my weary head and hope to sleep for even a few hours without the worries of the world on my mind. We didn't spend much time in there, but it was the best place we could have ever been. It just provided a sense of home. It was away from the hospital, away from the bells and whistles...but still close enough to Braden. The bottom right, was in the games room. They had a pool table, ping pong table, tv's, video games and Foose Ball table. Paul and my dad use to have tournaments all the time, it was so great for them to be able to blow off some stream and stress and have some fun. They managed to still bond together and when some people came to visit we could sign them into the Ronald McDonald house and bring them to the games room to have some fun.

In all honesty, the Ronald McDonald House was a life saver. I don't know what Paul and I would have done without this place. Every night we would tuck Braden into bed...usually we'd get out by 11:30pm..on a good night. We'd go for a drive around Hamilton, just to settle down and unwind..we'd talk, this was usually when we would discuss our new life, try to understand and comprehend all the new changes. There was a restaurant down the road from MacMaster Hospital and some nights we'd head down there and share some wings..they were the best wings ever. I remember sitting in that restaurant, watching other people in there laughing and joking, smiling, snuggling and talking about their jobs, their kids..their lives. It was painful, I hated it. I hated that they were so happy...and we were not. I envied them, I was so jealous that they could laugh, and enjoy the time they were having. NOT us, we were sad.

We tried, I remember Paul would try so hard to keep things positive. He worked so hard to get me to smile, even though I was unbelievable sad sitting in that restaurant booth, realizing that not one person knew our son was sleeping still in a hospital bed on life support...those moments were some of the hardest. I was 23 years old, we didn't deserve this much sadness.

Some nights Paul and I would drive to the highest peak of the Hamilton mountain just so I could get out of the car, stand tall and pray for strength. It would be as late as 1am. I would stand there...car pulled over to the side of the road, Paul sitting on the front of this car and I would walk to the edge of the mountain, look to the stars and wonder..."Is he there?" "Is God listening to me?"...I am as high up as possible, can you hear my prayers.

We'd get back in the car, and sometimes I would scream, cry...beg for a miracle. Then i'd tire..which I am sure was Paul's favorite time of the day...and we'd head back to the Ronald McDonald House and off to bed we would go. Thankfully we had that bed...cause as years followed and Braden got older, we didn't leave him often and poor Paul was stuck with night shift. Many years spent in a chair at the side of his hospital bed while Braden fought once again for his life.

When these pictures were taken, Braden was healthy..it was a good visit. I believe we only had Kailey stay at the house with us one time and maybe only for a week. Sometimes during long hospital stays I would miss her trememdously. I wanted her to be with us, it wasn't really a place for her. So we didn't keep her there long...she always went with Nana and Papa.

We were very fortunate to have that room, it was comforting to know that others that were staying in the house with us were going through the same kind of thing. I will never forget that place, I can say it really was a foundation for us, and escape...a place to lay, a place to pray~

Until tomorrow my friends, good night and god bless~

100 Things I Want To Teach My Daughter...I Will Never Be Tired Of Being Your Mommy~

99. I will never be tired of being your mommy~

This one is probably one of the most important ones....I want you to know that I will never get tired of being your momma. I love you more than anyone else in this world and will always love you more than anyone can. It doesn't matter to me which path you go down, which choices you make in life...I will never stop loving you. Even after today's events, there is nothing that can change how I feel about you...you are extra special, and don't ever forget that.
I promise to laugh with you, to not judge you and to always be available when you need me. I love and value every minute I have with you, and I can only hope that someday we will have even more time together. I am looking forward to those days, when you are a grown woman with children of your own. Regardless of what you do in your life, always remember that I will be in your corner. I am your biggest fan, and I will always be here when you need me. I promise to give you all the space you need to grow and make your own decisions, but I will forever linger closely to be sure you are doing well, because that's my job.
So don't get mad when I give you my advice, or share my concerns...cause I will always be there to do so. Always remember..I will never be tired of being your mommy~

I am a special needs parent.

Many of you might think that just because Braden has grown up, and is now a 20 year old man...that my job is over being a special needs parent.
Well this couldn't be further from the truth, I will always be a special needs parent. Is your job as a parent ever over? NO?? Well being a special needs parent doesn't end either.
When my children were little, and my life was a bit crazy. I had great friends and family, I was lucky that my closest friends understood my needs. They got it, they knew if I hadn't called them daily it was because I was busy. None of them put expectations on me that naturally set me up to fail. They followed my lead and never really made me feel bad for not always being available to them.
I have also been blessed with most family and friends who have taught their children about  acceptance. I love and admire dearly those of you who brought your children to my house for play dates. The people who spent time teaching your own children the importance of acceptance.
I didn't always talk much about how I was feeling or how things were going, I never truly felt anyone could possibly understand anyways..so I never bothered speaking out. Before cell phones and texting, you use to have pick up a phone and actually talk to someone. I hated the phone, it just seemed that everytime I tried to have a conversation...something would happen and I would have to let that person go. I still to this day hate the phone, there are so many other things I could be doing with my time. I have never been one to "make" my children wait while I sit and gossip on a phone.
However....texting while busy is something that I am more than capable of doing. Lol..just ask Braden, he waits many times a day while I text away and have full on conversations with people. I remember at one time feeling guilty cause I couldn't call friends, or even make time to talk and catch up weekly. But, then I had to let that guilt go and realize if they are true friends, they will be patient with me and learn to understand that my life requires my time to be spent on other things. As a special needs mom, that is one of the harderst parts in our lives. We have so many demands put on us that no one can ever understand unless of course you are raising a child with special needs. Sometimes its lonely, you get forgotten about at times because you may not get to keep in touch as much as people may expect. You don't have the time to meet up with friends, its alot harder to get away for a weekend for "girls weekends", still today its hard for me.
Another difficult thing for us parents, is the fact that through the years it was just easier to have people  here at our house. It was accessible and all the supplies needed were here at home, but what people don't understand is that entertaining at my home is like entertaining at work. Imagine working all day at your job...tired, flustered, anxious and even maybe grumpy and then at the very end of your day 3 friends drop by your office with their kids. Now you have to entertain a small group of people. ...it was exhausting.  I am not complaining as through the years, I was VERY grateful to have had those times swimming in the pool, picnic lunches...etc etc, but what us special need mom's need too...is to get OUT of this environment. I work here..in my home is my job. Like I said, imagine working all day at your job then having people come in at the end of your day to hang out at your work? Ya, thats how I feel. I know thats how other's feel as well, we don't always need to meet at our homes, its nice to get out and healthy too.
If you are a friend to a special needs parent, that makes you a special friend. Especially if you fully try to understand the life your friend lives. I can guarantee you...she is trying her best to be a good friend to you, she is wanting to put your needs ahead of her own some days. She does care about you, she wants very badly on days to be there for you as well. She doesn't always want it too be about her, its nice to let her listen to you as well. Please be patient with her/him and I promise you will learn much about life from your "special needs" parent friendship. If you listen closely her heart will speak, and you will come away with knowledge, committment and a forever friend.
I am a special needs parent, and I have special needs...my son is growing up. But his needs haven't changed, and neither has mine.

Odds and Ends To A Typical Monday....

 

 Baby Ella had to go in for surgery today. Mommy's baby girl had to be spayed this morning. It was harder than I thought it would be dropping her off. I spent the whole day worrying about her, trying to keep myself busy while waiting for the phone to ring. We went to  pick her up this evening and she was so happy to be in mommys arms. She loves her daddy too...and has been with him on the couch all evening. Look at her little face..she's all stoned up here. Poor lil'baby girl~

 

Ok so I tried this cute little crafty idea, I really like to share idea's especially on days that I have not much to blog about. This little idea was made from Twinkies...yes I said Twinkies.

I actually wanted to use Peeps for the drivers but couldn't find any so I picked up these easter monsters. Cute though right?

 

The cake balls above are for Kailey and a few of her friends..mostly for Char. I hope they enjoy them, unfortunatley the Red Velvet ones didn't turn out as good as I had hoped. Unfortuantely I used to much icing and the cake is a bit too moist. Oh well...enjoy anyways!!
Well my lovelies, until tomorrow good night and god bless~

100 Things I Want To Teach My Son~Those who are able to laugh at themselves and at the rest of the world equally outlive us all.

As I said in the previous post, I am doing the same idea for Braden as I am for Kailey. I am doing 100 posts on 100 things I want to teach each of my children. Naturally, I want to teach both of them the same important facts of life. But for the sake of this blog I will mix it up a bit and leave each of them with similiar yet different pieces of advice.

100. Those who are able to laugh at themselves and at the rest of the world equally outlive us all.
Pretty self explanitory I think. One of the most important lesson's I actually have been teaching Braden since the day he could understand the relevance of laughter.
Being able to laugh at yourself show's the maturity of that individual. We started teaching Braden this lesson WAY back. Right back to the beginning, when he stared his very first physiotherapy program when he left the hospital. I remember wanting to send Braden to SickChildren's Hospital, once he was diagnosed with the Spinal Cord Injury I wanted him to go where I felt he would best be looked after. I kinda figured, Sick Kids was my hospital..they did a great job with me, maybe Braden would be better off there.
The medical staff reassurred me that Braden would be a big fish in this little pond at MacMaster and if sent to Sick Kids he would be a little fish in a big pond. Meaning...they have seen all kinds of things at Sick Kids and that Braden's needs wouldn't be necessarily a top priority. NOT that Sick Kids wouldn't have done a wonderful job cause in my eyes they are the best...but I did understand what MacMaster was saying and we then agreed to keep him right where he was.
With being in a smaller hospital...it left Paul and I with the chance to be more involved with Braden's care. We had to dive in and get hands on really quick. We became part of his rehabilitation routines, working with all the medical staff to help get our son healthy again.
Well...the best way to get a 2 year old to do something they don't want to do..is with laugher. We broke out all the funnies we could. Talk about becoming comedians...quick work on our end.
It really wasn't easy, he was 2...and he didn't want us telling him what to do, not alone tell him to do things that were NOT fun in any way.
Challenge, is one word that described a good 3 years...
I will have to say it was probably my dad who stared the "sillies" in the hospital room. For whatever reason Braden really responded to someone inflicting pain on themselves. Slapstick humor. My dad would literally "pretend" to bang his head on things in the room and Braden would die with laughter. He LOVED it.
Braden would mimic papa and pretend to do the same kind of "physical harm" joking...sounds sick, I know, but we'd all laugh and pretend he was hilarious(well in all honesty, we didn't need to pretend, cause he was funny. His laugh alone made us beam with pride and laugh with love). This then taught him to laugh at himself, he loved to make us laugh and our reaction fired him up. I do remember wondering if all this was healthy and of course through the years we banged into those idiots who "looked" to deeply into this humor and felt it was inappropriate...lol...whatever!
Anyways, thats how we managed to get Braden to learn how to laugh at himself. We'd make his "workout" fun. There was a fine line between laughing with him, or laughing at him (something we NEVER did)...
So when you are trying to get a young child of 2 to understand that his left arm isn't fuctioning normally but keep trying to "make it work", the best way to do that is through humor. We named his left hand "baby hand" and his right hand "dinosaur hand"..well actully Braden named them that, baby hand didn't work so it was like a baby. Dinosaur hand did work and it had more power..therefore a dinosaur. We made fun games with those, and when baby hand didn't "work" we learned to laugh at some situations related to "baby hand"....Braden had fun with it as well...it was our beginning to teaching him its ok to laugh at yourself, don't take things so seriously.
We have had ups and downs in this department. He natually went through difficult stages in different times in his life and sometimes laughter wasn't appropriate. SO we laughed at others...and that too is another story..and probably one that once again my dad started~

I love us....I really do*

100 things I want to teach my daughter....Always Be Yourself

I have always wanted to be that mom whom on her daughter's wedding day can pass her a journal filled with all my own words of wisdom~
For about a year I have been planning this, and slowly putting away things that remind me of "things I want to teach my daughter". So I have this journal, and I want to put all this stuff into it and then I realized I have this blog. This blog is filled with tons of my stories, quotes and important thoughts, so why not just someday print off this blog, or the posts that are relevant to my daughter.
Great idea right? So this is what I am going to do, for the next 100 days I am going to commit Wednesday's blogs to a topic in which I want to teach my daughter...after those 100 days I will have a wonderful journal completed..right here on my blog. Ok, of course there are things that I will write privately to my daughter and I will not share that on my blog, cause some things will be just meant for her.
So, now my son...I will do the same for him. Except I will commit to Sundays, I will post a thought around 100 things I want to teach my son. Of course, I will have to discuss certain things with Paul, cause I bet he will have alot more insight around "teachings" for Braden.
Wish me luck, I hope I can stick to this...

100. Always be yourself, never change for anyone. Those who understand who you are will make the effort to be in your life, and they will understand your own uniquness. This is something my dear daughter that took me some time to accept. I use to find it difficult to understand your "potentially quiet" demeanor. Considering I am a bit more of an extrovert, and your father is more of an introvert..I needed to accept how much you are like your dad. I always worried how you would take more time to "warm" up in situations..or maybe you seemed timid, or maybe a bit self-conscious. All I wanted was for you too see how amazing you are, how strong and beautiful you are. I wanted you too shine, sparkle and tell everyone..look at me, I am awesome!!!!
YOU taught me one of the biggest lessons in life my darling girl....YOU didn't care what others thought of you, and that showed more maturity than alot of women my own age. It may have taken me a bit longer to accept that this is who you are...YOU didn't need to be loud and outgoing to get others approval, you were comfortable in all your situations...and you didn't care what they expected of you.
 I apologize. I am sorry for putting expectations on you to try to be someone you were not. I want to thank you for being you...for being true to you~
I will not worry about this for you in life, you have proven to me over and over again that no one is going to alter your character.
I absolutely love everything about you and your wonderful, funny, exceptional personality. You are a true friend to those who respect you, and you are feircely loyal to your family. I couldn't have been luckier to have a daughter like you~ Love you bug, shine on!

Brownie in a Cup~

 

 

So I found this cute adorable idea on Pinterest and thought I would give it a try. I got out my fine tip permanent marker, the one Kailey went to the dollarstore to buy me. I already had this white mug that I bought at the dollarstore previously, and I started to write out the directions.

How To Make Brownies In a Cup

 

So simple,

you need a microwave safe mug,

4tbs Flour

4tbs Sugar

2tbs Cocoa

2tbs Oil

2tbs Water

1/3 tsp of Vanilla

Then you mix the ingrediants together and zap in microwave for 1 minute.

I wish I would have put more thought into this, cause I would have made this treat into something spectacular! If only I would have had caramel sauce, ice cream, sprinkles, and maybe some fudge topping...OMG the goodness!!!

Honestly when Paul and I were tasting it all I could think of is what a great idea for a kids birthday party...they could all decorate their own mug, then make their brownies and add toppings. Such a cute crafty idea...would work well in a home day care as well.

I chuckled and told Paul I am going to be the best Nana someday..cause all these cute ideas will go over so well with grandkids someday. I might even try this at the cottage this summer with my nephew and god daughter...don't let me forget this one!!

Well my friends, I am off for the night...until tomorrow good night and god bless~