Category Archives: Family

7 Quick Takes: Things Not to Say To Me If You Want To Live

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7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

“Don’t you know that vaccines cause autism?” Actually, they don’t. The British doctor who spread that fallacy admitted to falsifying the data and his name was stricken from the British Medical Register. (Translation: he lost his license to practice medicine.) Unfortunately, airhead celebrities like Jenny McCarthy are still spreading that lie. Daniel is completely caught up on vaccines and if I had any say in the matter, all kids would be required to be vaccinated. There’s no excuse for kids in the USA dying from diseases like whooping cough if the access to vaccines exists.

— 2 —

“Have you heard of the GAPS diet? It cures autism.” Yes, I’ve heard of it — I don’t think any parent of an autistic kid hasn’t because we do a huge amount of research in the hopes of finding something to help our kids. It also doesn’t cure autism because there is no cure. It sometimes *helps* some kids who have gluten intolerances and whose behavior is affected by them but it isn’t a cure-all thing. Besides, I have a kid with enough food issues that I’d rather not do anything to limit his diet any more than it already is.

— 3 —

“I can’t believe you didn’t breastfeed Daniel. Don’t you know that ‘breast is best’???” The fun part is that it’s people who know about my pregnancy from hell and the emergency c-section from the HELLP Syndrome who ask me this. Anyway, I have no regrets about not breastfeeding with Daniel. I actually did try pumping but I was so incredibly sick that I needed the sleep too much to have to wake up every few hours to pump. My doctor and I made the decision to suppress my milk supply (it had already started coming in because of the pumping) and it was probably what got me out of the hospital sooner rather than later.

— 4 —

“I can’t believe you want to vote for Obama!!!” I’d love to respond by saying that I can’t believe they would vote for Romney, but that would be wrong to do. 🙂 In all seriousness, I vote my conscience and I can’t, in good conscience, support Mitt Romney or Paul Ryan. Our third party system is crappy at best so my other option is Obama. I stay out of discussions of this on Facebook and elsewhere because I believe one of the blessings of being American is being allowed to vote one’s conscience. If your conscience says “Romney”, more power to you. Mine says “oh Hades no!” to the though of voting for Mitt Romney so “Obama” it is.

— 5 —

“What do you mean your son has never had McDonald’s?!?!?!? Are you some kind of hippie granola freak?” Strangely, I’ve gotten this from people who are astonished that Daniel wasn’t breastfed. No, he has never had McDonald’s. He had a lot of texture issues when he finally started eating solid foods and I just never took him through the drive-thru because I didn’t think he’d eat it. When we were at his preschool picnic in May, peoples’ jaws dropped when they saw me bring the exact same lunch item for Daniel as I had brought for myself instead of going the Happy Meal route. I did get him a cheeseburger from Carl’s Jr a few days later and he was chill with that; but I’ve never gotten him anything from McDonald’s and probably won’t in the foreseeable future.

— 6 —

“Why aren’t you homeschooling Daniel because he’s autistic?” The thought of homeschooling Daniel has never occurred to me and when Jon brought it up, I shot it down immediately… and that was before he was diagnosed with autism. I am not a patient person by nature and homeschooling was never in the plans, especially once he was diagnosed with autism. While I’ve had ABA training, I would rather have people who are far better trained than I am working with him. His preschool class provides him with music, art, behavioral therapy, speech therapy, and teachers/aides who adore the kids. I couldn’t ask for a better situation, especially in a public preschool. Not to mention, he gets mainstreamed with the other state preschool classes in increasing amounts which is educational for them as well as for him.

— 7 —

“Can’t you just take some Tylenol for your fibromyalgia?” If that was a possibility, don’t you think I’d be doing that instead of spending $50+ a month on gabapentin and massage therapy? If you want your death to be slow and painful, just tell me that you don’t think fibromyalgia exists. I dare you!

For more Quick Takes, visit Jen at ConversionDiary.Com.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: August 21, 2012

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY August 20/21, 2012. (It’s midnight right now.)

Outside my window… dark. Actually pretty nice outside.

I am thinking… about Daniel starting school tomorrow. He has a new teacher and while he’s probably going to be fine, I’m a nervous wreck.

I am thankful… for a good trip to see family.

In the kitchen… ramen. I’m having problems eating and it’s a food that doesn’t irritate my stomach.

I am wearing… black shirt and Left Behind shorts.

I am creating… just this entry.

I am going… to try and get some better habits started this school year.

I am wondering… about creating a Facebook page for this blog. It’s probably not going to happen but it’s an interesting possibility.

I am reading… Clergy Killers by G. Lloyd Rediger. I probably would have finished it but I slept most of the way home today.

I am hoping… my clothes dry in time for tomorrow.

I am looking forward to… time with a friend tomorrow.

Around the house… lots of cats.

One of my favorite things… my recliner.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Morning Prayer, errands, and hopefully getting a haircut on Friday.

Hosted by The Simple Woman’s Daybook

7 Quick Takes: Camp Songs, Road Trips, and Speed Reading

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7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

It’s Shark Week on Discovery Channel. Someone posted this video of “Baby Shark” in honor of Shark Week and as it’s a camp song and as a former camp counselor, I think these songs need to be shared. This video is from a Boy Scout camp in Connecticut and as usual, the Boy Scouts know how to do these songs well.

— 2 —

I think we need to add The Penguin Song for good measure. It’s another camp song that I learned from some members of my Bible study in college who learned it as YMCA camp counselors. I have memories of standing outside Marianne’s (an awesome ice cream parlor in Santa Cruz) singing it. I’m pretty sure it would have been banned in the Girl Scouts because it looks like you’re mocking people with mental disabilities.

— 3 —

OK… throwing a question out to my readers. What were your favorite camp songs? They can be from whatever camps you attended — Girl Scout, Boy Scout, church, CYO, whatever.

— 4 —

By the time you read this, I’ll be down in southern California with Jon, Daniel, and my in-laws. Jon’s birthday is Saturday and he wants to take a weekend off. Since he hasn’t actually had one in like… a year, we’re doing it! He has a few surprises waiting for him on this trip so hopefully it will be enjoyable for him.

— 5 —

I got a few books read on the way down. No, I wasn’t the one driving. I finished The Wurst Is Yet to Come by Mary Daheim, read The Fifty Shames of Earl Grey by Fanny Merkin (a.k.a Andrew Shaffer — it’s a parody of THAT OTHER BOOK, stop judging me!) before starting/finishing The Cinnamon Roll Murder by Joanne Fluke, and starting on Clergy Killers by G. Lloyd Rediger. Yes, I do read that fast.

— 6 —

My in-laws are the only people I know with more cats than me. I think the current count is 5 or 6? My mother-in-law is seriously deserving of the hashtag #crazycatlady that I bat around the Twitter. My sister-in-law has three chihuahuas but we don’t talk about it.

— 7 —

Why yes, I’m aware that I’m not #1 this week in posting my Quick Takes. I’ve been busy taking care of my kid and attempting to be social with my in-laws? Oh yes… also catching up on Twitter and Facebook because I didn’t get a chance to be online until tonight.

For more Quick Takes, visit Jen at ConversionDiary.Com.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: August 6, 2012

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY August 6, 2012

Outside my window… dark. It’s supposed to get to 106F this week.

I am thinking… that I wish I had time to be part of the Sacramento Choral Society. In case I wasn’t clear in my Quick Takes, I could pass the audition to join without a problem and I’ve sung a chunk of the repertoire for their first concert but… it isn’t meant to be this season. I just have too much on my plate.

I am thankful… for my weekend with my parents.

In the kitchen… nothing to speak of.

I am wearing… black ratty Arabic shirt and black running shorts.

I am creating… this entry and some crocheting.

I am going… to hope I can get some decent crocheting done on the way down to LA in a week or so.

I am wondering… how long it’s going to take to smog the car and replace the tires that need to be replaced on Friday.

I am reading… Death on Demand by Carolyn Hart which I finished during my doctor’s appointment today.

I am hoping… the pain in my ears goes down. My FNP says the infection in my ears is gone and that the residual pain is my sinuses being inflammed and putting pressure on my ears.

I am looking forward to… a fairly quiet week. Daniel was supposed to have a playdate tomorrow at Fairy Tale Town but I’m not up to taking him.

I am learning that I have to rest myself and not push myself too much when I’m sick with a sinus infection or anything else that is sapping my strength.

Around the house… dishes and vacuuming to do.

I am pondering… how to deal with someone who is seriously irritating me.

A favorite quote for today… “It is better to forget about yourself altogether.” — C.S. Lewis

One of my favorite things… Crystal Light peach tea.

A few plans for the rest of the week: car-related errands on Friday and making cookie dough at some point.

Hosted by The Simple Woman’s Daybook

7 Quick Takes: Reasons You Should Come Hang Out Online With Me Tomorrow

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7 Quick Takes

So tomorrow (or today if you see this on Friday) is Brett’s Blogathon 2012 and I’ll be blogging for 24 hours straight on things starting with the letter B. Here are 7 reasons to come join me and make a donation.

— 1 —

The funds go toward helping Brett’s adoptive mommy and daddy bring him home. Is this not a cute kid?

Brett

Let’s talk about getting him to the States so he can have some physical therapy and stop having to crawl everywhere.

— 2 —

I might actually post a webcam video of me doing something embarrassing hilarious. C’mon… YOU KNOW you want to see me dancing the Timewarp at 3:00 a.m. or singing camp songs at 5 a.m. to keep myself awake. No promises that I’m going to do any of that — it’s a small house and I’d like both Jon and Daniel to get adequate sleep — but something cool might get posted and you don’t want to miss that, especially if it might be useful for future blackmail. 🙂

— 3 —

My evil twin is guest-posting and talking about beer-making. You think *I’m* delightfully snarky? I don’t hold a candle to him! And yes, he is seriously talking about beer-making, which is one of his hobbies. My task tonight is shrinking the pics he sent me of the process.

— 4 —

I’m giving away an Amazon.Com gift card to a lucky donor. It’s not a Keurig or a Kindle Fire but it will enable you to buy books, music, household appliances, or anything else that Amazon.Com sells. It’s not based on your donation amount so you could actually end up coming out ahead on this.

— 5 —

Brett’s mommy and daddy are out there somewhere and they need to see him. Seriously, I fully believe that Brett’s adoptive parents are out there somewhere and that they could possibly find him via my Blogathon for him. If you visit, make a donation and let people know what’s going on over there.

— 6 —

What else are you going to do on a Friday night? It’s not like the Olympic opening ceremonies are on or anything. Oh wait, they are. Darn! Still, you should totally come on over and see what I’m posting. It might be something interesting to do during the Parade of Nations when some unpronounceable country is parading through.

— 7 —

Again, someone needs to get to the States for care. Dude… this kid needs a mommy and a daddy. He also needs physical therapy for his CP. Let’s look at Brett again.

Brett!

Can you really say “no” to this kid?

For more Quick Takes, visit Jen at ConversionDiary.Com.

Tips For Surviving Your First Year (Or Ten) Of Marriage

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Katie, the awesome chica behind NFP and Me is hosting a link-up as a way of celebrating her 2nd wedding anniversary. As I’ve now been married for 10 years, I figured that I’d toss in my $0.02 on the subject.

[+] Respect your spouse’s limitations. I’m a serious introvert (which may/may not surprise people) and I’m married to someone who is the exact opposite — an off-the-charts extrovert. Jon *likes* being around people and gets recharged that way. I, on the other hand, need to have time in a dark and quiet room after sharing the Peace at church. As it would look really wrong if people found me in the coat room reading a book during coffee hour in Montana, we used to take two cars to church. This way, I could leave when I felt “peopled-out” and Jon could stay and have all the conversations he needed. It also means that I need much more “alone” time than he does and I have to be really intentional about communicating this in a way that does not come across as “I don’t want to be around you”.

[+] It is occasionally OK to go to bed angry. There’s a point at which things have been discussed to death and no good is going to come out of talking/fighting about it any more for that night. There are also times when one person needs to decompress before they can really deal with the situation. In those occasions, it is actually better to just get some sleep and deal with things in the morning when everyone is not cranky and tired. I know that there is the verse in Ephesians 4 about not letting the sun go down on your anger but the point that Paul is making to them is not to let things fester. As long as you do plan to deal with it in the morning or at some point the next day, just go to bed. It will work out better.

[+] If you really can’t live without something being done a certain way, just do it yourself. You’re each going to come into the marriage with a specific way of doing things from folding laundry to loading the dishwasher. If something has to be done a specific way or at a specific time and asking your spouse to do it your way is going to start a fight, just do it yourself. It’s easier in the long run and spares the two of you a fight over why not matching socks while folding laundry is a crime that should be punishable by death.

[+] You need to be on the same page when it comes to starting a family. This was one of the reasons why Eat, Pray, Love author Elizabeth Gilbert divorced her husband. The idea was that she would give up her career at age 30 to start a family and she wasn’t ready to do it. There were other things that contributed to her divorce (like her adultery) but that was the main one she listed. Is the wife going to stay home with the kids? Is there a compelling reason to avoid a pregnancy? (I’m assuming that anyone clicking over here from Katie’s blog is probably going to be Catholic and an NFP advocate.) Is a home birth an option? The only piece of advice I can give (other than to be on the same page) is to give yourselves some time to enjoy each other before you start having kids. It’s not to say that there isn’t life after kids — it just becomes a bit harder to get that weekend away once kids are in the picture.

Those are my thoughts on the subject. Happy “not-killing-Steven” anniversary, Katie!

7 Quick Takes: Big Brother, Roasting Beasts, and Not Reading 50 Shades

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7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

To those of you trolling the “Catholics for Choice” group on Facebook: CUT IT OUT! I’m aware that you feel that they’re raging heretics and hypocrites and you’re entitled to that opinion. I’m not going to argue with you on that one. What I will argue with you on is the efficacy of getting yourselves banned from the group. All you’re doing is giving them ammo to say that pro-life Catholics are intolerant, so cut it out! It’s also really bad manners.

— 2 —

REMINDER: Brett’s Blogathon 2012 is next Friday. It goes from 7 a.m. on Friday the 27th to 7 a.m. on the 28th over at Blogging for Brett. I’ll have information on how to donate on a sticky post at the top of the blog during the event.

— 3 —

Big Brother is back on. I don’t have a contestant I dislike thus far as much as I disliked Rachel on the last two iterations but Mike Boogie is starting to be a contender. I’m glad Frank got HOH for this coming week though — it will be interesting to see if he puts Willie up.

— 4 —

My evil twin and hopefully my sister-in-law are coming over for a barbecue on Saturday. If Jeanette (my sister-in-law) is coming, I’ll be needing to find a My Little Pony to put on her birthday cake as well as acquiring some cake mix. I also have to figure out the menu which means figuring out which beast to roast and how I want to roast it.

— 5 —

Going back to #1, I got a call from Planned Parenthood a few weeks ago. It was interesting because I never heard from them during the years when I was sympathetic to them. (I’m not unsympathetic to their practice of providing care to impoverished women — I’m just not in favor of abortion.) I’m guessing that they got my name from the campaign to take down Dan Lungren (my Congresscritter who I loathe because he’s a tool, not because he’s Republican). I don’t know exactly what they were calling about because after the person explained who they were, I politely said, “I should probably tell you that I’m pro-life and I’m not really interested.” I said good-bye and hung up. I’m sure there are some who would argue that I should have tried to debate with them but I had the bear child clamoring for my attention and I had no desire to pick a fight with someone who was probably trying to be nice and volunteer their time for their charity of choice.

— 6 —

Facebook had an interesting Yusef/Cat Stevens question this week. The question was which song you’d want to hear if he ever toured again and sang his secular stuff. It was interesting because a number of my Facebook friends commented who had absolutely no connection to each other. (My answer, by the way, is “Peace Train”.) I still can’t listen to “Moonshadow” with a straight face after the parody someone did on Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me after Cat Stevens was taken off a plane in Maine for being on the no-fly list. “I’m being followed by an air marshall/Air marshall/Air marshall…”

— 7 —

I finally had a parishioner ask about 50 Shades of Grey today. She couldn’t understand why I was laughing so hard until I explained about the review that described it as “Twilight with spanking and no sparkly vampires”. What I told her was that she’s an adult and can read whatever she wants but I didn’t think it would benefit her Christian witness. It was at that point that I found out that she had joked about me having it on my NOOK during Bible study that morning. Yeah… not so much. 🙂 I’m generally not into reading whatever is popular with the exception of the Harry Potter books. I didn’t read the Twilight books until they had been out for awhile.

For more Quick Takes, visit Jen at ConversionDiary.Com.