Go big or go home Autism

I think I've already done a go big or go home post. I can't remember. It's one of my all time favorite sayings because that's the way I do my life. Doodle is going to do something and I will push her to get that speech and I will get her to do that OT. Her teacher used to always go big when it came to submitting Doodle's work for art competitions. And now it's my turn.

At Doodles' school they are having a family writing event. To show the importance of love and togetherness through everyone's writing abilities. First off, never ask a writer, publisher or artist to submit work for these types of events. Because you know there will be parents who get their feelings hurt as another parent takes the cake. No surprise I'm the parent that went all out. Of course it doesn't hurt for where I work part time and it being Michaels craft store.

Here's the deal. The kids had to write a piece for this event. It was suppose to be during school with the teachers help. But the teacher asked me to do this. Not a problem. And yes I cheated. I went to shelsilverstein.com they have tons of kits to help teachers and parents to allow their kids to learn all about poetry. I took about 2 hours going through all the kits to find something that Doodle would be able to do. And I found it. It was really easy, all she had to do was just put in the words at the end that described herself. Okay, that was easier said then done. That took at least 30 minutes just to get Doodle to figure out what to even say about herself. Scientist popped up a lot. After I filled in what she said about herself, the next day she wrote it out. I of course used my work ruler to draw the lines and all she had to do was just copy what was on the paper.

I wanted her to try to write with at least ink on bristol board but that wasn't going to happen. So I opted for regular drawing paper that I use when I teach drawing in my classes. It's a sturdy paper so it's not going to have a problem with getting ripped when send to school.

Sunday morning I finished my artwork on my poem about Doodle. And this morning I laminated it myself. I used contact paper because yes I used bristol paper on my piece for this event. I had an option of writing a letter to my child but that wouldn't get me BIG. Remember, I'm the go big or go home mom. So I combined all the elements where I can use this piece in all of my classes to show case what we have to offer. Which would be drawing, painting, and two types of calligraphy.

And what would an autism post be about if something isn't getting wrecked? Not my art piece that's for sure, but the ipad will never be the same. As long as it won't cost me an arm and a leg to have it fixed I will be fine with saving up for this to get fixed. But Doodle and I have a concert to go this weekend and I have shirts to buy for the upcoming Special Olympics meet next month on my birthday. I will tell you in advance, you will not be hearing from me that Friday in April.

Hope you guys have a great day, as of right now I am typing this and dodging paint splatters coming over the tri-fold. Doodle has a Science Fair project due next week, so that's what she is working on right now. She's not the form of autism that she can do a proper science fair project but they are letting her at least enter with what she does know and that's the solar system. More on that in a later blog post.

The sketching phase after the ink went down for the calligraphy.

I used gouache to paint everything on the bristol board.

The easiest form of lamination for such a large project. Contact paper. Does a fabulous job every time.

And this is what the ipad looks like now.

When you're sick Autism

So apparently being sick right now is not just localized in the south. Right now we are in early spring and the pollen is flying! So of course we are sick with allergies. I was down for about a day and a half. And as you might imagine I can't stay sick for long.

Because my nasal passages were swollen I needed relief to breathe. My biggest problem was I was called into work because they had set up a quick calligraphy class for me to teach. Not a problem except I couldn't breathe. Here's a quick tip to bring the swelling down so you can breathe like a normal human being. Put coconut oil on the bridge of your nose and if you need even faster relief put it under your nose too. Next with just a drop of peppermint oil run that over the coconut oil you placed on your nose and under your nose. This is a quick way to dilute the essential oil. Remember you need to use essential oil not peppermint extract as that is used for cooking not for the promotion of healing. Under your nose will begin to sting but you can wipe it off with a tissue if it gets to be too strong to handle.

In less then 5 minutes I was able to breathe again and no one knew I was starting to get sick. At this point I was able to put my make up on with not a problem.

When allergy season hits your go to oils are peppermint oil and lavender oil. In the above solution to breathing it's not suggested to use lavender oil. Peppermint oil is a lot like icy hot. It works fast and has the sting of icy hot. For when you have aching muscles, mint or peppermint oil should be your go to oils for relieving muscle aches and swollen nasal passages.

I have also been diffusing in my diffuser oregano oil, frankincense oil, lavender, eucalyptus oil, rosemary oil and tea tree oil. They all work great together for promotion of healing. If you are very congested I suggest that you add some peppermint oil to your diffuser as well.

If you are trying to sleep and you are coughing I highly suggest that you place on a cotton ball tea tree oil, rosemary oil and eucalyptus oil. Mixing these three oils yes I know, smells like vick vapor rub. Rub the cotton ball on the bottom of your feet. This will help keep you from coughing in the night and you get a restful sleep.

Along with my elderberry tea, your body can't help but to heal faster. I'm not a big fan of the whole greens thing. I think green drinks from the health food store are great for flu season, but this isn't the flu it's allergies. Elderberry tea or elderberry wine (if your over 21) do just great with getting you well again. I haven't seen elderberry wine but my mother says they used to make it in our family a long, long time ago.

Those are my tips and tricks for getting well as quickly as you possibly can.

Fireberry tea is my all time favorite. Elderberry if one of the main ingredients in this tea.

The greens that help you get well but taste oh so horrible in my opinion.

One of the many oils I use. The Now company is great on the wallet and as well as they work, yes they are pure. Don't let some "essential oil saleswoman" tell you any different. And yes I've wanted to throat punch a woman for telling me that young living was the only certified pure oil out there. No, it's not. Just because their oils are a higher price then the Now brand is because how else is she going to be able to make commission. All that is tacked in there. For the price of one bottle of their oils you are actually paying for it 3 times over. Trust me I know as I am pricing oils from the Spice district in India. So I know the price of the oils and how much they actually retail for.

Preparing for battle Autism

So apparently I'm only able to do blog posts once a week now. My schedule has yet to settle down and I've added a new piece of machinery to my arsenal. I saved up for the new Silhouette machine and I'm going into work Friday night to learn it.

And I taught our first calligraphy class tonight. It was pretty interesting. I was teaching my students the do's and don'ts of the fountain pen. I said, "Whatever you do-Don't shake your pen!" All while I was shaking my fountain pen. My students learned first hand why you don't shake your pen. Because ink just exploded out of my pen and I was covered! I taught my entire class covered on my face and neck in indian ink. Of course I played it off cause I teach one of the messiest classes there which is fine arts. I said, "If you're not getting messy in my class, you're not learning." Which is my motto because I always leave work covered in either acrylic paint or leads and graphite's."

Yes, I'm aware that tonight is Thursday and not the normal Monday, Wednesday or Friday that you would find a post. But like I said, my schedule has yet to settle down.

But this blog is not about work or what I'm doing with my business to grow it. It's about the battle that is brewing. Doodle had an eye appointment on Monday. I had been contacted two weeks ago to call in the insurance information. Which I did. When we got to the appointment on Monday and early I might add because the appointment was at 1:00. Since it was a new place I knew I had information to fill out and that takes time. So after my gps told me that being on the interstate was my destination, which it wasn't and getting turned around several times. I finally found the doctors office. And I was still early. Checking in, the girl chastised me for not getting the information in. Well, by this time I was already irked. I have a lot to deal with. I'm not married to this girl, I don't need a tongue lashing. I told her I did call it in. She checked the computer and said oh they didn't tell me. So she had to call our pediatrician to get a referral.

Of course our pediatrician was closed for lunch. So we waited an hour after our appointment time had come and gone. By 2:30 she was finally calling Doodle's doctor. 3:00 I found out that we had to be switched to a walk in. Hello, I did my part. I called in what the girl asked for. Don't tongue lash me because you dropped the ball.

Admit it, you have a kid on the spectrum and you have some of those Doctor appointments where you are mentally and physically preparing for battle. The eye doctor is one of those appointments. Doodle never cooperates. She has a bad eye and she's always trying to keep from using it. No matter what. So it's hold her down. Or force her to not turn around to look closer at the actual chart that's behind the chair. My child is not stupid. She knows how these things go.

And I'm just trying to get her some glasses that she will wear. I found a place where I can pay out of my pocket and she will get what she wants and they will even be tinted pink. Why tinted pink? Well, some places kids on the spectrum do better with tinted glasses, either pink or yellow. Dr. Temple Grandin suggests it so I'm going with it. The tinting won't cost me a dime. The glasses can be replaced when she breaks them which is a lot! And I can get two pairs of glasses instead of just one pair. Face it we all have that type of insurance that restricts you. Well, darn it, I'm not going to be restricted. My only problem is the place where I can get what I want can't handle Doodle to get an accurate reading on her eyes. So I'm stuck using insurance, to keep from putting some doctors kid through college. I mean I'm sure I could pay for it all myself but I would end up paying out of the nose and saving up for several months for them to charge me $200 to turn off the lights, $100 for Doodle sitting in a chair and $1000 for the eye machines. The insurance I hate it is!!!

So because we were switched to being a walk in and hoping that someone didn't show up and sitting there until well passed the time for her school to be out. I got fed up and rescheduled for Friday. Which means Doodle won't be going to school on Friday because this appointment is early am. And I'm sure by the time we get out Doodle will only have an hour to be in school. She's still on short days.

Mentally and physically preparing for this appointment is really draining! Not to mention that on Monday the only thing on my mind was all the work that I hadn't finished that I needed to get turned in before 5 that afternoon and at the rate it was going I only had an hour left. It was a horrible Monday. Next time I'm going to call an office up every hour on the hour and make sure they got the information that I called in to begin with.

I know some people think they are high and mighty in the position that they are in. But seriously, I'm usually pretty meek and try to hold my temper. The girl is lucky I didn't flip my wig on her. I was polite and beat feet to get out of there before I did lose my cool.

I think the only thing that saved that day was Dairy Queen for dinner on Monday. Doodle got to see her favorite person and she loved it. That's all that mattered to me. And FYI yes tomorrow we will be having DQ for lunch. That might be the only way that I can get her to cooperate and use her bad eye so they can see what needs to be done.

And well, like I said earlier I have a class to take at work to learn how to use my new machine. So there is a little break for me. Praise the Lord for small things! Hey I don't have girl friends to go out with on the weekends, so I opt to take free classes at work to get some me time. Though I am thinking I might get a mani pedi next week. I've earned it!

As time is ticking down for bed, I hope you guys have a great night. If you are reading this during the day I hope you have a great day!

Yes I'm getting Doodle Rose colored glasses.