Life As We Know It

Life As We Know It

 

Well school has started...Kelsey is off to college, Jarrod is beginning high school, Marisa is in junior high, and Trevor is in elementary. It makes for one very busy momma!

 

Kelsey is a freshman Eagle at Eastern Michigan University. It is a very strange, yet exciting time for our family. It has been quite the journey getting her there and keeping her there. The fear of leaving what one has always known can hinder the future, yet she took a leap of faith and decided the opportunity to grow and create her own future was the better option, and we couldn't be prouder. It is a scary endeavor for us all! Dealing with financial aid, and tuition issues has been a confusing, frustrating mess, but after a few stressful days, we got it straightened out, thank goodness! She is settling in well and has embraced college life, independence and having fun!

 

Jarrod is a freshman this year at McBain High School. This young man has had a long, hard journey to where he is today. He has worked hard with therapists and doctors to become a person that is just as "normal" as others....well most of the time. He's doing well in school so far and is running JV Cross Country and earned a medal over the weekend. Another proud moment for mom and dad!

 

Marisa is in the 7th grade, 12 going on 30! We are strapping ourselves in again for this ride called, teenage girl! She is starting to resemble a woman, more than a child, and we are glad she has a smart head on her shoulders. She is showing us her creative mind more and more. She has recently taken up sewing, adding to her other creative outlets of music, drawing and writing. She is definitely a lot like her mom. She has always been a born athlete and is playing volleyball this fall with her first game being this week. We are excited to see her spike!

 

Trevor is in the 2nd grade this year. He is beginning to get over his shyness and learning that he can do things on his own. He is an avid lego builder and makes some amazing things! He still says when he grows up he wants to be a spy...or a cop...or a scientist...or a farmer...He likes to explore them all. He is playing his first sport this fall, soccer, which officially makes me a soccer mom for the first time. Oh, and I am coaching his team too. We're not very good, but we're having a blast!

 

We recently bought a pontoon boat and have spent weekends swimming and fishing...and eating, because of course, anything I do is all about the food! We are looking forward to our usual fall activities including, hunting, hiking and pumpkin carving.

 

I finally got a job in the field of my degree and start in a couple of weeks. I am beyond excited about this opportunity and grateful to my family for sticking with me through all those nights of me having a paper due, or being to tired to play. All our collective efforts are finally going to be put to good use!

 

I know this blog post has been maybe a little boring and routine, in comparison with my usual rants, but it's my anniversary today and I find myself full of reflection.

 

Bless you all!

Nurture "The Like"

Nurture “The Like”

 

 

Ok readers – I have had this phrase running through my head for several weeks now. I feel compelled to share….

                Our lives are filled with a series of relationships, starting from birth. Our first relationships are with parents, grandparents, siblings and extended family, such as, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. These relationships are typically founded on love alone…..We continue with life, eventually making our way to grade school and make our actual first “friends”. This continues through middle and high school…. college. We get jobs and sometimes our colleagues become friends too. We get married and inherit more family and friends. Within all relationships there is a certain amount of love that they have been founded on. This brings me to the question of WHY do we LIKE some more than others?

Typically we like one parent more than the other, or at least get along with one better. The same can be said of just about every other type of relationship…siblings, cousins, friends, etc. For example, we all have numerous friends, but most of us have a “best friend”….why is that? Why do we like this person, or feel closer to this person than the others? I think it comes down to compatibility.

What makes us who we are? Our raising. Our surroundings. Where we grew up. The family dynamic in which we grew up. Basic human instincts. Some may say when we were born in conjunction to the stars…ie. Horoscope and zodiac symbology. Some claim numerology and the mathematical formulation of the exact time we were born can make us who we are. Regardless of why we are the way we are….people are exquisitely different. And that makes us all amazing creatures. When we can find individuals in this life that can appreciate and embrace our individuality and uniqueness, it is indeed, a beautiful thing. That brings me to the phrase that has been rolling around in this head….”Nurture ‘The Like’”

When you find someone you “like”, embrace that. Realize what you like about that person and remember to respect it, and continue to nurture it. When you ask two people that have had a long relationship, no matter what the dynamic or circumstance of that relationship, they will say it has worked because they loved each other, but they also “LIKED” each other. I mean honestly, if you can’t stand the person you are with how can a relationship survive? I think it’s easier to love a person sometimes, than to like them. Having both is a blessing, for sure!

So, back to the original phrase of “Nurture ‘The Like’”….Recognize the people in your life that you like, and what you like about them. Nurture those relationships with respect. Recognize that these people that are in your life are a blessing. Don’t ever forget what brought you to like them in the first place. On days when you are angry with them, or you have just gotten busy with the everyday life, which we all do….take a moment to reflect back and remember why you fell in love, and “like”, in the first place. Memories can be a substantially powerful thing!

I hope through all my ramblings, I have made some sort of sense. J I know I am thankful for individuals in my life, from family, to friends, to coworkers, that I have felt “like” feelings for and have felt them reciprocate in return. I am guilty of losing sense of things throughout busy times in my life, but through it all, my support group has remained and for them I remain grateful and will continue to do my part and my responsibility as one half of these relationships….you know who you are! So, in conclusion, nurture the like in your life.

Healthy New Year

Matt and I have decided to get healthier. We are watching carbs and trying to limit calories. Matt has been getting plenty of exercise chopping and stacking wood since we installed out wood boiler for heat. I have been using the Wii Fit Plus and have lost a few pounds, and feel great. My back is a little sore, but it is very weak due to the time it has been in-active from the bulging disc. I have recently made a couple of low calorie, low carb recipes that I wanted to share.

Cauliflower Cakes (Like Crab Cakes)

One Head Cauliflower
1/2 Cup Shredded Cheese (I used cheddar made from 2% milk)
1/2 Cup Ground Pork Rinds (Pork Rinds have NO CARBS!)
1 Egg (I used 1/4 cup Egg Beaters)
Salt and Pepper

Cook cauliflower using your preferred method. Add all ingredients and mix. It should look sort of like lumpy mashed potatoes. Heat a frying pan with 2 tablespoons Olive Oil. Make patties and fry on each side until they are browned and crispy (about 3 minutes on each side). Eat plain, or with sour cream.

This made 22 cakes.

17 Calories/cake. 1.5 Carbs/Cake

These were so good! The kids LOVED them!


Banana Oatmeal "Cookies"

2 over-ripe bananas
1 Cup Quick Oats

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheet using cooking spray. Drop mixture by spoonful onto cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

This made 12 cookies.

26 calories/cookie. 5 carbs/cookie.

These turned out kind of bland. Next time I will add 1/4 cup brown sugar and a pinch of cinnamon. It will add a few calories and carbs, but should still be less than most other cookies. Great for breakfast with your coffee!


I encourage all of you to share any healthy recipes or tips you may have, along with workout tips.

We have taken this on as a family and the kids have thanked me for making such delicious food. I was worried they wouldn't like baked fish or mashed sweet potatoes, but they do! I figured I would be making 2 different dinners each night, but they are liking everything so far. Trevor is not a fan of greens, but he chowed down on the cauliflower cakes. It has only been about a week and we are already feeling better - I can't wait to see how we feel in a month.....and if we lose enough weight we'll have to make a shopping trip!

As promised, here is the scoop on Jarrod. I will start from the beginning for those who haven't known his background. Jarrod was diagnosed with ADHD in kindergarten, although I knew very early on that he was "different" from other children. He was not just a rambunctious child, but he seemed troubled with emotion and social interaction. My youngest brother had been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrom ( high functioning autism) years back, and felt there was some connection with his symptoms and Jarrods. As he has aged diagnosis have been added and dropped, but he continues to struggle with the same things. School is a nightmare and he is contantly being expelled. He cannot maintain relationships with friends, or family members. He has paranoia that people are watching and/or judging him. He acts out in aggressive ways and due to this he can no longer live in our home as he is dangerous to others. He has recently started self-harming, which is what has landed him into the psychiatric treatment center he is in today, as he was a danger to himself. In the time he has been in treatment we have learned that he has extra electrical currents in his brain, which are basically seizures inside his head.These seizures are in the temporal and cerebral areas of the brain, which control impulses and emotions. These are not visible on the outside and are only found when special E.E.G's are run. I thank God every day for this treatment facility and the tests they have run! He has begun taking an anti-seizure medication that takes some time to be fully absorbed into his system. He has not yet been deemed "medically stable", so any psychiatric treatments are not "fully" effective. He has been doing better the last couple of weeks and I am told we are close to being "Medically Stable". When this happens we can much easier adjust psychiatric medications and therapies. We will also know if there are additional diagnosis.

On a personal note, this journey has been a very difficult and emotional one for this family, immediate and extended. No one can know, unless they are going through something similar, what this feels like. For so long, until he went into residential treatment, I was made out to be crazy, a bad parent, or even worse, an uncaring parent. To all of you, it is not your place to judge, and you'll most likely never understand, but being supportive and learning about mental health and the short comings our healthcare system has in this area is a positive thing you can do.

Changing Gears

So...It has been really hard for me to come up with different topics for the Blog. Therefore I have been kind of neglecting it. I have decided to switch gears a bit and make it a little more like a journal/diary type blog. Of course from time to time, especially when something gets me riled up you will likely see a Blog dealing with politics, stupid people, or whatever...LOL.

Our household has recently been attacked by a couple stomach viruses that seemed to linger forever. It has sort of put us behind on our Christmas doings. We have the house decorated, but no gifts wrapped under the tree and we are way behind on our baking and homemade gifts for our friends and neighbors. We like to make things, for 2 reasons....I think it means more, and I would rather get something made by a loved one...any thoughts? Matt has been working long, hard hours since it is Christmas time and the added expense of it. That combined with the fact that I haven't worked since the beginning of October. That brings me to something...has anyone ever been on Workers Compensation? I have heard of people like making out like a bandit...I have not had that experience. I am broke! Maybe I am too honest and don't know how to work the system....Anyways....a HUGE Thank You to my man, my best friend and the main provider for our family!!! We definitely appreciate all you do!!

The kids are great. Very excited for the upcoming holidays. Not just the presents - We try to teach them the real reason for the holiday - but they can't wait to see family, have the big dinner, the house full of people, the picture taking....and of course the gifts!! The girls are doing great in school, making good grades. Marisa has become totally absorbed with band and music in general - haha chip off the old block I'd say!! Kelsey, of course, is still deeply in love with cooking and loves getting to go to cooking class every day. They have started preparing for their "Chopped-like" competition that takes place in February. We are very excited for her! Trevor is starting to read and is able to now pick out words when we are reading books or just out and about. This is very bittersweet for me...he's the baby!
Jarrod is still living with my mother. I thank God for her, and the help she has been to make the lives of all my children special. She has given Jarrod the time and attention I have not been able to, just due to having four children. He is an only child there and is thriving because of it. She has given the other children safety and a little more "normalcy". So to her I say THANK YOU!!

I am getting excited to start classes again. A little nervous, but excited! I can't wait to get my degree. It has been a goal of mine for a long time. It will make me feel fulfilled to FINALLY complete it!

Thanks for listening!!!

Friendship

Hi there! It's been a while since I blogged. Sorry about that. The Thanksgiving holiday treated my family and me well. We did the traditional Turkey, dressing and such. It was just the husband and I and the kids. Nice and quiet. And boy did that new stove I just got get its workout! I was hotter than heck in here! My oldest daughter and I did the early morning Black Friday shopping and got a few deals and an early start on the Christmas shopping. We spent the rest of the weekend relaxing and watched a lot of Christmas movies. It was pretty perfect.

Today I want to talk about friendship. I was very badly burned by a couple of "friends" these last few days. It has really made me analyze what friendship means to me. I think on the top of list are a few fundamental things: Honesty, Trust, Consideration and Courtesy. I think of most of my friends as extended family. I always put them first. Their needs before mine. I guess I figure they do the same. I am learning that it is not always that way. I suppose in some ways I am still very naive about the world and more specifically, the people in it. I have always been a little more "book smart" and not so great with "street smarts" or "people smarts". I try not to judge others, friends, acquaintences, or otherwise. But I still think it comes down to those original basic fundamentals. You must be honest - you should know what to expect out of the relationship, and what you are going to need to put into it yourself. Can you tell this person the brutal honest truth when needed and know when to hold back? Can you in turn take the brutal truth from this person if they feel you need it? Trust: Can you tell this person anything? Can you vent without judgement? Can you trust this person to come into your life? They will be integral in your family life, leisure life, or possibly work life. Are they considerate? Do they feel your feelings? Do they care if yours get hurt? And will they be there patting your back if they do get hurt? Courtesy - just basic common courtesy - will they use it?

So many variables in what should be an easy thing. I have learned that it's not so easy.

I am kind of at a loss here. I would value any comments you readers might have to make me believe in friendship again. For now I stay home. I hold my family that much closer and am SO grateful that God gave me the best friends ever when I was blessed with my husband and my oldest daughter.

The Lengths People are Going to Make a Buck....Selling Their Bodies??

Yes our economy is bad. Many are without jobs, or have been laid off from jobs they had for many years and are now working jobs at a lower wage. Many of these individuals, prior to being laid off, had house payments, car payments, etc. set based on a wage they considered safe. They had worked for companies that, before the plummet of the economy, had been successful. These workers weren't unreasonable to accrue some debt based on a stable job and the ability to pay it back. My family fell into this trap, my husband had been working for his family company since graduating high school, which at the time was 16 years. We were living a good life. I didn't have to work. Our bills were paid ahead of time. We could take vacations, go out on dates, take the family to dinner and spoil the kids. When the economy crashed so did the telecommunications business that had put us in such a sweet position. The business was based in Detroit and serviced the greater metro area. We had a home up north, where we lived, and he stayed with family from Tuesday through Friday, and was home on the weekends. Detroit and the surrounding areas stopped building. They stopped upgrading their systems. They aired on the side of caution. This is what good businesses do, but unfortunately for us it left our business bankrupt. We had to close the doors. We were both able to find work up north, but at half of what we were making before. We called our creditors, who did not want to work with us at all. Our mortgage was through GMAC, who had just received monies from the government through the bailout project. So we found ourselves stuck with payments that were set for a bigger income. We had to walk away. We let the bank take back one vehicle and we bought a used truck. We were foreclosed on and found a house on land contract with a much lower payment. This is happening more and more. So many couples and families are finding themselves in exactly the same boat. Struggling for so long to keep their heads from going underwater, until they can't anymore. This leads me to todays topic....what length would you go to make a buck?


I read an article earlier today about some Mexico residents can cross the border into Texas and sell their plasma. One woman goes twice a week, the maximum allowed in the U.S. She makes $60 per visit. That's an extra $240 per month for her family. This article made me curious if there are other ways to make money from our bodies. A man can sell his sperm, making $50 - $200, per  specimen. Platelets go for about $50 per specimen. Hair at least 10 inches, that is in good condition goes for about $5 - $10 per ounce, but some can see up to $400 for their hair. Some desperate souls sign up for clinical trials in which they use experimental drugs for payment. Amounts are determined by which pharmaceutical company is conducting the trial and the type of drug in the trial. Some extreme individuals travel to countries where selling their organs is legal. A good kidney can fetch up to $25,000. A woman can sell her eggs to fertility clinics or to couples who are facing infertility. Women must answer extensive questions concerning family genetics and health. Clinics generally offer from $5,000 - $12,000 per "donation". Some couples may pay up to $50,000 for eggs.


I'm sure there are other ways the body can pay out, but to be honest...I was shocked enough at the ones listed. I did skim over an article about prostitition, touted to be the world's oldest profession. I suppose the question becomes...how desperate are you? What would you do??