Recipe: Spanish Rice - Gluten Free and Vegetarian

Right before I added the rice.

Before I mixed it together, isnt it pretty!!

Ingredients:

2 Green Peppers - Optional Red, Yellow or Orange Peppers...

1 Yellow Onion

2 Tsp Olive Oil

1 Can of Corn ( You can use frozen or fresh)

1 Can of Black Beans

1 Can of Diced tomatoes

1 Can of Rotel Diced tomatoes

2 Tsp Cumin

2 Tsp Garlic Salt

1 Tsp Paprika

1 Tsp Mild Chili Powder

4 Cups cooked rice... ( I steamed mine in the steamer while cooking the rest..)

1 package of mexican cheese

Directions:

1. In large saute pan on medium high heat, add Olive Oil... 
2. When oil is hot add peppers and onions. Saute until soft.
3. Add Tomatoes, beans, corn and all spices...
4. Mix together and reduce heat to simmer...
5. Simmer 10 - 15 minutes just to warm through.
6. Fold in rice. Place in serving dish.
7. Layer cheese on top.
8. Serve hot or room temp...

Enjoy!!

Sorry I didn't get a pic of the final product! I got to excited to eat it! ;)

Recipe: Turkey Stroganoff

Turkey Stroganoff

Ingredients:

1 Package of Egg Noodles
1 lb of ground turkey - can use beef if prefered
1 tsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion
1 cup of mushrooms
1 cup of chicken broth
1/2 cup of sour cream
1/2 can of cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup shredded carrots

Directions:

Cook noodles according to package.
Bring saute pan to a medium heat. When hot add oil to pan.
Toss in onions, and carrots. When onions are slightly translucent, add ground turkey.
When turkey is no longer pink, add cream of chicken, chicken broth, sour cream and mushrooms. Stir all together.
Turn heat to simmer.
When noodles are cooked, layer them on plate and place stroganoff on top.

Enjoy!

Feral Feline Madness!

I started a garden a few weeks ago.

Or at least what I like to call a garden.

For those who know me, they know I have a brown thumb, maybe even darker, like a black thumb... the garden thumb of death... I can kill anything growing in the ground or dirt. Its a gift... Ok fine, its a curse!

So as a homeschooling project, I allowed my kids to help me plant these packets of seeds I found.  I bought this garden starting kit about 4 years ago as a school fundraiser.  I never actually expected them to sprout. Seriously.

We took our time and planted them by following the directions. YES - I needed directions to plant seeds. Be quiet!

And we watered them. And waited, watered and waited. And HOLY COW! I saw a sproutlet!!!
And then another!

It was the zucchini.. we all got super excited! We allowed it to get a little bigger before we replanted it into a bigger bucket... I was so excited - I nursed those babies til they got even bigger! As I was preparing the new pot to plant them in, Eli decided to rip the leaves off of one set of the zucchini plant... DANG IT!!

I replanted it anyways, but it isnt growing as healthy as the other one... Not sure if it will produce anything, but I am still watering it!!

The top one is thriving, the bottom one is the one Eli shredded...

I also noticed the other seeds sprouting! A week after the zucchini! We had green peppers, eggplant and tomatoes and cucumbers! I waited for them to get just a bit bigger and stronger before replanting...

I replanted them a few days ago.

And then it happened...

I came home from an errand ( getting free paint from the Swap Shop at the local dump.) and I headed over to weed and water my plants... Something dug into them and the seedlings were destroyed! I also noticed a large amount of huge flies... The same flies that swarmed my sons poo, when he pooped outside of the pool the other day... something used my garden as a litter box. THE CATS!!!!  We have these pesky neighborhood cats who hate me, no seriously they do...

I dug out the cat dookie and tried to dig thru the soil to salvage any seedlings and sproutlets...

I lost 6, but salvaged 6... the eggplant is gone, the peppers only have one and I think I lost all the cucumber....

ARG! I was so upset. Because I cant grow anything, and here I was growing SOMETHING! And it was all gone, three weeks of hard work, gone. I was so sad...

So I went online and asked a few friends what on earth I could do to keep these pests away.. I was suggested to put ka bob skewers in the dirt sticking up so the cats cant walk thru, then suggested I put some wiring down, so they cant dig and then toss citrus peels all over cuz cats hate citrus....

I did all three....

I havent been out there yet today, frankly - I am afraid... 

I was getting excited about growing something myself! I am not really *that* girl... but it felt good! I felt accomplished. And those cats squashed my dream!

Hopefully I can manage to at least produce one veggie! Just one! That would be vengeance enough!

I also started out a new set of seeds - with more tomato, lettuce, cucumber and carrots... here is to hoping those will sprout as well... 

I know the boys really enjoy helping me garden so it would be great for them to enjoy the fruits of their labor... see what I did there? Ha!

RECIPE - Zucchini Pizza

Ingredients:

3 Medium Zucchini

1 Jar Pizza Sauce

Handful of Sliced Mushrooms

Package of Pepperoni

16 oz Brick of Mozzarella

Directions:

Set Oven to Broil

Slice Zucchini and cheese

Lay zucchini on a baking sheet, add spoonful of sauce on top, cheese, then mushrooms and/or pepperoni

Broil 10-15 minutes until cheese is all melty!

Serve!

Yum!!!

Birthdays!!! My littlest bro and my step-dad!

So theres this boy - he was born like super early - and the doctors told us he might not survive and if he did, he would be like weird and stuff... We worked with sleep apnea machines, we worked with tube feedings, we worked with therapists... He lived. He thrived. He is TOTALLY weird!! But thats what big sisters say about their bros, right?? Happy Happy Birthday to the most amazing young man! I can not believe how old we are all getting! My final brother to graduate high school!! Jesse Pierson you are amazingly talented and amazingly loved! Happy Birthday, babycakes!!!!! XOXOOXXOXOXOXOXO Love - Your feeling very old - Big Sister!

So theres this guy - He came into my life when I was ohhh 13 maybe? A built in family pre-made. That was me and my mom. Headstrong teenager full of angst. Hatred for men for other personal reasons. And he jumped in ... with both feet. He accepted me as his own. He loved me and stood up for me - which is saying a lot cuz no one really stands up to Momma bear!! Ha! He has always been calm and patient. He loves me as his very own daughter. He has been a huge influence in my life. And I love him like a father. He has overcome some pretty huge demons on his back and he never fails to make me laugh. He loves my kids and showers them with attention. He is amazing and kind hearted. I could sit here and go on and on about what a rock star my step dad is - but those who know him - already know that. Those who dont - are missing out. 
Jon - THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for just being you. For being a strong father figure and teaching me life lessons. Happy Happy birthday! I hope your day is filled with blessings and love!!! 
Love always, 
Your daughter, 
Melanie ♥

Love you baby cakes!!

RECIPE: Taco Seasoning

Taco Seasoning

Ingredients:

1 tsp Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Garlic
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
Salt and pepper to taste

Stir seasoning and 3/4 cup water into 1 pound browned and drained ground beef or ground turkey; simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Homeschool - Its All About Me/Emotions

This weeks lesson was All About Me! And Emotions.

Dakota has been struggling lately with dealing with his emotions, and struggling with himself. So we decided to make an entire weeks lesson on these things to help him communicate just a little better :)

Here are a few things we touched on:




This is our weekly bulletin board. These are the things we worked on that we display. As you can see, each boy has a side of the board. They proudly hang their items and love looking at them all week!

We worked on "People Watching" We sorted through magazines and ripped pieces out. They were supposed to be people doing things but the kids got excited and started ripping out things they liked instead, so I rolled with it and we pointed to people in the magazines instead and discussed what they were doing - i.e. reading, sleeping, crying, playing at the park etc. 

We then thanked God for making us who we are, boys and girls and unique. Dakota wasnt really feeling this lesson, so he didnt try very hard but he sat and listened as we sang, Jesus Loves Me and I talked about the things that made us different i.e. Blond Hair, Brown Hair, Blue Eyes, Tall, Short etc.

We did some rainbow finger painting! We tried to draw some faces that were happy and sad, but ended up smearing the paint all over, because it was way more fun!

We made emotion puppets. So we could express how we were feeling. We tested them out and made funny sad sounds and happy sounds. We used these all week, they were so much fun that I think I will keep them out a little longer!

We had fun this week talking about what makes us different. We read a few books about Down syndrome because I have been waiting a long time to use them in a curriculum!

The books we read were:

We'll Paint the Octopus Red
I Can, Can You?
and
The Best Worst Brother
(This one is our favorite because it reminds us of our life)




And last but not least, I leave you with our silly Sunday morning faces!!
How can I resist!

BeefARoni!!

A lazy Saturday...

Today has been one of those days. A lazy Saturday.
While everyone else is outside being active - going to the beach, mowing their lawn, playing baseball, going for a jog - we are home playing.
I got no chores done, other then the menial homeschooling and meal making.
We played. All day.  Inside. and Outside.
And it was glorious.

I even got my Aspie to join in on the wrestling fun. As I blew raspberries in my sons ear, she was tickling his arm. When I ran around the couch pretending to chase my other son, she sat back and laughed, a gut chortling laugh, one that makes you throw your head back and laugh yourself. As we sat and ate lunch together, my daughter explained to me how her week has been great at school and how much she loves to play kick ball, while my boys hungrily munched on their boxed pizza and fruit snacks. My son showed me how he could fit a million toys into his knapsack, and my other son showed me how his truck made honking sounds. We all discovered together just how many times we could throw a ball into a bucket, and we cheered each other on when one of us made it in. We made popcorn and made a mess eating it. We ran outside to check on the growth of our newly sprouted seedlings and we brought them into the sun....

This is "that time".
You know that time that you want to go back to when your child has drawn on the wall. Or that time when you are so depressed you feel like you cant go on. Or that time you are so angry, you feel like your head could spin round.  This is that time that you go back to. And you smile.

Because you know...

You have done something RIGHT as a parent.

You created a memory. One that will hopefully last until your children are parents. And they sit back and tell their children about a time when Mom took an entire day and played with them. On their level. And there was laughter. And there was happiness.

Isn't that what life is all about? Those small seemingly meaningless moments that actually mean so very much?

Well I know it didn't mean much to them now. It was just mom playing and having a stuffed animal pillow fight or listening to their day or just trying to keep them busy. But it meant the world to me. As I sit here blogging, staring at the aftermath of my torn apart living room, I smile.

A warmth fills me up and a small giggle escapes my lip. (Because for one, I know my husband would have a heart attack if he saw this room). But you know what I see? I see one boy sitting on the couch with his "night night" blankie relaxing after a hard days play, I see another boy sitting quietly on the couch with his toy animal watching television, and I see a daughter snacking on a granola bar, satisfied with her life.

Thats it folks. That is my idea of what my heaven will be. Because it really cant be better then this can it?

This is me and this is my life and this is where I am. And you know what? I am still smiling.

Happy Saturday folks!

BzzAgent Review - Green Giant Snack Chips

Hey guys!

As you know I am a BzzAgent.
And I get to review some items that they send my way!

This time around they send me some super awesome snacky-doos!
Here is the info:

A GIANT SURPRISE FROM GREEN GIANT^™

Brace yourself for a giant surprise from the Jolly Green Giant^™ — he’s now in the snack aisle! Introducing new Green Giant^™ Veggie Snack Chips, available in two delicious varieties:

• Roasted Veggie Tortilla Chips with Zesty Cheddar are crispy tortilla chips made with real vegetables like carrot, broccoli, and tomato, plus 17g of whole grain
• Multigrain Sweet Potato Chips with Sea Salt are made with real sweet potatoes and 14g of whole grain, with 40% less fat than regular potato chips*

*Green Giant^™ Multigrain Sweet Potato Chips (6g per 28g serving) have 40 percent less fat than regular potato chips (10g per 28g serving).

As a Bzzagent I am going to let you know what I thought of these - 
They were amazing!  My kids and I prefered the Zest Cheddar Veggie Chips out of the two we were given. I think its just because they were coated in cheese! :)
They both packed a great crunch and the snack sized bags proved to be beach worthy! 

I love giving my kids healthy snacks during the day and was pleased that Green Giant decided to step up and make something in the snack line. 

As veggie chips and potato chips are a staple in this house I am glad for the healthier version!

Our family rated these 2 thumbs up!

You might be an autism parent if:

YOU MIGHT BE AN AUTISM PARENT IF:

Your 8 yr old has mastered every level of Lego Star Wars but can't put on his own shirt w/out help.
You're not sure who needs the padded helmet w/ faceguard more...your kid, or you.
You know its a bad day when you find all the trains lined up
You have more people that understand you in other states and countries than in your own neighborhood.
You have to communicate in sequences....i.e. first brush teeth, then bedtime.
You get so excited when your child masters a skill that he/she is a year or more delayed in!
You know *just* how much silence is too much silence. And then you run to check on them.
You use the phrase "use your words" repeatedly throughout the day
Your son is 8 years old but still pees on his pants at least once a week.
Your child makes up un-funny jokes in an attempt to understand humor, irony, and metaphor - unsuccessfully.
The school staff hates to see you coming! Because they know you're not taking any crap when it comes to your kids!
You make up songs for almost anything because your kid responds better to it.
You have a heart attack when you see the school phone number on the caller i.d. Shit! What did he do now?
You've ever carried a screaming, flailing child out of a store & you knew it was for the best.
There are days you feel and look like a battered wife because your child had a major meltdown
You're accused of being overly protective of your child, and overly sensitive to popular culture!
Your kid has the hardest time telling you the simplest of things, but can turn Legos into amazing things with no plans
Your child tells a joke over and over until somebody laughs
Every activity you do comes with a series of warnings approaching the end of the activity.
You can't vacuum without a 15 minute warning announcement
You're sometimes amazed at the sounds and faces your child can make in a day!
You have had someone say "maybe if you were more consistent...." and you want to gut punch them
It doesn't matter how cold it is, your child WILL NOT go to sleep without the fan on in his room.
Anything "_____tard" is likely to not only offend, but infuriate you!
You start to realize the apple doesn't fall far from the...hey is that a squirrel?
You really relate to ' Gerald Mc Boing Boing'
Your twitter friends understand you and your child better than your local friends
You know exactly what a pooptastrophe is and are happy beyond words when your child outgrows this behavior.
Everytime ANYONE comes to your house your child tries to hijack them to come play legos with him.
You have to think through EVERYTHING you need to say first so that your child doesn't take something literally.
You sigh when other people tell you how their parents handled that when THEY were kids. 
You've given a complete stranger a tongue lashing for suggesting your kid has a discipline problem
You're used to strangers looking to you for translation because they couldn't understand a word your kid said
You sometimes have to remind yourself there are a lot worse things that could happen to your child than autism.
You avoid public bathrooms because they are too loud and cause sensory overload.
People always question your child's behaviour and the way you raise your child.
You see no problem with your child scooting around on the floor with his head down for hours making weird sounds
You've apologized to restaurant staff because your child said the place smelled bad and you had to leave.
There are lines and lines and LINES of small toys all over the place
You know your child was given dairy milk at school because he's acting crazier than normal.
Your child refers to a friend as "The Third Boy" rather than by name even after a year.
You forget how delayed your child's speech is until you hear a 4 yr old talk better than your 8 yr old
You still get nervous before an IEP no matter how many times you've had one.
You dont even blink an eye when seeing a child twirling and flapping in public
You have to buy your child's favorite food in bulk quantities because anything else you buy will go uneaten.
You have the child locks on your car doors because your child has tried to jump out driving down the road.
Your 7 year old has designed 40 different versions of the Dominator from Storm Chasers
It makes you sick when other normal kids your child's age make comments or stare during an inclusive sport
You feel like a stuck record when asking a kid to do a simple as "put your jacket on"
You think a meltdown is something that happens to a child, not a nuclear reactor.
You get pissed at parents of neurotypical kids because they call you selfish for NEEDING A BREAK
Your child lectures you on the dangers of speeding as you drive them to kindergarten
You can tell the difference between a meltdown and a temper tantrum even when nobody else can
You have to explain EVERY step in the process. i.e. 1.raise hand 2.WAIT to be called on 3.answer.
Your child has 3 time frames - Today, Tomorrow, and Later.
You're afraid to put your child in sports because it could cause a sensory meltdown in public
You've ever cleaned poop off the walls of your apartment at 5am.
You plead with your child to be allowed to throw away the packaging
You've ever cried because a teacher "gets it"
You remarry and are super grateful that your spouse chose you and loves your child like his own.
You've ever wanted to strangle a neighbor kid for bullying your child but were too busy crying instead.
You've ever put special locks on your doors to keep your child from eloping.
The words, "he doesn't look like he has Autism" make you roll your eyes.
You don't even react to all the strange screeches, grunts, snorts, etc coming from your child.
You've got Meltdown Early Warning Radar
You want to cry when someone says, "He must be mild..."
You use the Nintendo or ipod as a muffling device when you know you're going somewhere overstimulating
You consider friends you've only talked to on-line as some of your most trusted confidants
You know the name of every Thomas engine.
You've wanted to strangle a parent of a neurotypical child who says your child just needs some discipline.
Some days you don't have much to say to "normal" parents.
There are three sets of rules on your fridge, including one your child made for the dog. (Rules are important!!)
You celebrate with a friend when her child eats two bites of pancakes!
You brace yourself for a tantrum when you inform your kid there's an errand you forgot, and wasn't on the list
You've left a full cart in the store and left because of a meltdown.
You consider twitter peeps you've never met, who have autistic children, some of your best friends.
Your child has beaten Lego Star Wars 3 times in the last year and he's only 7.
You watch a movie via your child mimicking it back at you instead of watching it on TV.
You get excited when your child eats something more than chicken nuggets and pizza.
You still bear scars from your child's last 3 meltdowns.
You carry earmuffs and sunglasses in your purse for your child at all times.
You get excited when your child swears because at least they said something.
You have to change the movie your child is watching 10 times in 5 minutes because he wants to watch something else.
You watch the same movie over and over again with your child and don’t complain. 
You get both hit and hugged within 5 seconds of each other. 
You can’t wait for your child to go to school after a hectic weekend but miss ‘em minutes after school starts. 
You would trade everything you have to spend just half an hour in your child’s mind to know how and what they’re thinking. 
You find yourself using your child’s therapeutic coping strategies for yourself. 
Your blood boils every time you see a status update about an autistic child being bullied. 
The definition of a clean house is now one that doesn’t have an overflowing trash can, dishes in the sink are rinsed, and laundry is at least in the hamper or in the basket. 
Your friends fade as your life is consumed with many therapists, teachers, doctors, case managers, intervention specialists and these people have no clue you almost feel like they are your new best friends because you spend so much time around them and the subject of conversation is your children… 
A ‘good day’ means no one’s in the hospital, no one from the school called, no one from the police department is standing on your lawn and everyone’s sitting in one room without a problem.
You might be an autism parent if someone walks into your house and asks if you live in a dangerous neighborhood and you say no… the window locks, gate locks and three types of door locks are to keep my kid in… not bad guys out.
Your blood boils and it touches a nerve whenever you hear a child with autism being called the ‘R’ word. 
Sleep has become more of a luxury than routine.
You never dare touch or move any of the perfectly lined toys/items on the floor, not even by a millimeter because you know he/she will immediately recognize the difference.
If your child accomplishes something that may seem minor and trivial to others, but for you it's a great milestone that calls for a huge celebration and victory dance.
You're able to spot another child on the spectrum from a mile away.
You've come to the realization that no one else will ever truly get what being an Autism parent is like than another autism parent. ♥


I bolded the ones that hit home the most and underlined the ones that TOTALLY consume me!!

This is my life guys. My daily life. Bet you dont think I am the perfect mom any more huh...
Some days are better then others. But we live day by day.

Blessings!

Honey Mustard Chicken Tenders

The Fresh 20

Honey Mustard Chicken Tenders - 

We served them with a citrus salad and a broccoli rice...

Chicken Alfredo

Sloppy Joes with Zucchini - The Fresh 20

This week is Kids Friendly week on The Fresh 20

Today we served Veggie Sloppy Joes with Zucchini

I thought they were going to be vegetarian, but they werent - you can use ground turkey or beef. We opted for beef. And there are tons of veggies packed inside. And Zucchini is ALWAYS a hit in our home!

The kids gobbled this one right up!!

Chicken and Bok Choy ~ Recipe

Chicken and Bok Choy

Ingredients:

2 tsp Olive Oil

2 lbs Chicken of your choice (Pictured is deboned boiled drumsticks)

Bunch of Bok Choy

Package of Snow Peas

1/2 cup of Leeks sliced

2 Cups Chicken Broth

1/4 cup of Corn Starch

Directions:

Heat pan on medium heat, add Olive oil.
Sautee chicken until cooked.
Add snow peas and leeks.
Sautee for another 5 minutes.
Add Chicken Broth and Bok Choy.
Lower heat to simmer
Cover and allow Bok Choy to wilt.
In seperate small bowl add corn starch and a few teaspoons of cold water. Stir until Corn starch is dissolved. Add to liquid in pan and stir.
Recover for 5 minutes then serve over steamed rice.

Enjoy!

Sausage Jambalaya ~ Recipe

Sausage Jambalaya

Ingredients:

1 lb Sausage (Smoked) - (we used turkey sausage and chicken sausage)
1 Yellow Onion
2 Ribs of Celery
1 Green Pepper
1 Bay Leaf
Pinch of Cayenne Pepper
1 Can Diced Tomatos (14 oz)
1 Can Chicken Broth (14 oz)
1 Tsp Cumin
1 Tsp Chili Powder
1 Tsp Poultry Seasoning
1 Tsp Worcestershire Sauce

Optional - Add Chicken and/or shrimp...

Directions:

Chop onion, celery and green pepper. Add all ingredients into crockpot. Cook 6 - 8 hours.
Serve over rice or pasta.

Enjoy!!!

World autism Day! April 2nd

Today is Autism Awareness day!!
My daughter is 1 in 88!

How are you celebrating??