Haven't blogged in a while! So much to say, or vent.

As I look toward vacation in a few days and I'm running around like a chicken with my head cut off, trying to go in 8 different directions, I though I'd get some crap out of my head. We're going to the beach. Yay! Vacation! I'm actually more worried about these 5 days than I was the 14 days at Disney. So much that seems to not be going our way on it. I literally hit my knees and prayed about this vacation last night at one point while D was at the gym. Prayed more for me to have a positive attitude the whole time and roll with all the ups and more importantly downs than for things to go smooth. I really don't know how my mom didn't kill me and Fred before a trip. It seems like we went all over the place, and she didn't tie us to a tree until time to go. I asked her this once and she said, "Wine." Yes, please! If I have twice the kids she does, does that entitle me to twice the wine? I'm going with YES.
The big kids will be hanging out with their dad on this trip, so it's just the 4 of us going on to Gulf Shores. Rain and thunderstorms and all. Lately I've been craving sun. Lots of it. So this has me a little upset. Hence the praying I don't drive D crazy being upset. God has this plan, and I need to go with it. (And I do keep saying that in my head).
Back to school is looming, and my big kids are growing like the weeds in my backyard. Out of control. I wish they would get rid of uniforms. Yes, they're easier. Blah. Blah. Blah. When I hear uniforms, I also hear my bank account crying. Tax free, thank you. Never on sale. Ever.

Updates on Isaac: He just had his 6 month review since starting Tn early intervention services. He has mastered one goal. One. And we did that before he even started therapy. No pacifiers. He now tries to repeat what you are asking him to say most of the time, however he does not spontaneously say words. We have to say the word first. And they are probably not really understandable for most people who don't see him all that often. Milk is more like "NIL". He does say GO pretty well now though. He seems to have lost the word car. He did have that for a while. Up sounds more like "UM" and it always comes in threes. "UM UM UM" Same with want. And that sounds just like the teacher off of Charlie Brown. "WAA WAA WAA" When he was diagnosed it was officially January. We did a ton of looking stuff up and said we would give it a year to see how he progressed. Then we would seriously talk about moving. I have dropped it since. A month ago we went to see someone at the Autism Society of the MidSouth to talk about his upcoming IEP meeting that will be the day before his birthday in October. We were there for 2 hours and got really great advice. She also told us, in all seriousness, if you really want to help him...MOVE. North. Since we got denied SSI for Isaac, D and I have decided to appeal that. If we get denied again, our options are get a lawyer or let it drop. We'll see how that all goes. It just appears that now Special Kids and Families school for Isaac is out. We are hoping SCS offers him all 5 days of school in October so he can get some of the help he needs. That scares the poo out of me. I'm hoping SCS comes through for him. They sure haven't for Brandon and he only has ADHD. We are now looking towards potty training for him. We are trying to be realistic that it will probably be 4 or older, but are going to start working on it Labor Day weekend.

D and I have realized that we aren't getting invited to things anymore. I asked him what he thought... and I asked if he thought it was because they are so many of us, I'm just a bitch sometimes (heh...sometimes), Isaac, or a combo. He said who knows. Which means he wasn't surprised by my question and noticed it too. So when Mandy invited us to Brandy's for her visit home we were soooo excited! It won't require that much money, we got a good size notice, and kids are welcome. Bonus!! I miss her, and don't get to see Brandy enough either. I am over the moon about this! It seems the planets, moon, and sun have to align just right for us to go to something, if we get invited, and I'm making them align this time. I can't wait to come!
I guess that has been enough for now. The 9 or 10 bags/luggage won't pack themselves. And for some reason the house won't clean itself either. Why it won't, I have no clue. Where did I lose my magic wand?

Sites have been launched.

D and I have gone ahead and made fb pages and an Etsy page for all the stuff we have been making! We have been super busy in our spare time. Every little bit we can think of to help Isaac we are trying! The therapies are hard sometimes, and our sleep is getting shorter and shorter all the time! He is doing alot more than he used to though and we are determined to help him as much as we can. Please "like" our fb page and share the links if you can to help us get the word out! We have our first transition meeting, going from TEIS  to SCS, in just over a week. The full transition won't be until the day before his birthday. When that happens we lose all the therapists. We are trying to save, trying to pay stuff off, trying to make extra money, in order to be more prepared for when we will have to pay for ABA. SCS does not do ABA therapy in schools. Mostly just speech and developmental. They also do physical, but Isaac doesn't need that now. So, we are looking into having to pay for ABA. ABA and OT have helped him the most so far since starting therapies.
D keeps making guitars, and I have been all over the place making stuff! Hair bows, diaper cakes, and my latest fun thing...soap! Cold process soap! I have had some wonderful batches come out, and then I did vanilla. Smells amazing...I guess I should have read the fine print that vanilla comes out brown in soap. Ha! Guess those will be for our home use! The oatmeal and honey came out absolutely fabulous!!! I just got colors for soap in, so I can't wait to try those out in the next few batches!
Please, please, please! Go "like" our facebook page and share! I will be posting giveaways when we are getting close to a certain number of "likes"! I think our first one will be at 25!!

www.facebook.com/handmadecreationsforcourtney

Thank you to all of our friends and family who continue to support us during our trials, therapies, regressions, and crazy times! Mayhem for sure!

Our new furbaby. Hopefully!

As alot of my friends, I get Friends of the Memphis Animal Services stuff in my newsfeed. I have been seeing the 16 recent ones that need homes, and I was BOMBARDED by all the shares of the 4 that still need homes yesterday. D and I have always talked about another furbaby, more when the time came that we might find a groove with Isaac's therapies and stuff. I looked each and everytime at the the 4 left. D has said that IF we get another dog, he wanted another girl. Heh. Well, there was one in that pic. Cinnabun, or however you spell it. Yep, the boys and I were going to look. We got there about 315, before yappy hour. Just me and the autistic child that wouldn't walk, and the nt child that wanted to see the itty bitty puppies. NO. No puppies. Well, maybe that's a stretch, but it would be better if they were past that nipping/gnawing phase. They asked what I was looking for: girl, older than itty bitty puppy. And off we went. So many beautiful babies. Good news for her: Cinnabun was already spoken for by the time I got there! About half the girls were spoken for. I wasn't really paying attention to the boys though (gotta work with D, since he really wasn't down for this in the first place). Narrowed them down to 2. Then it hit me...all of these are still kinda puppies in my opinion. Under 1, some well under 1, being about 3mo to 9mo. By this time D got there. I asked if there were any older ones. They do have a healthy holding area. So if you do go , and they take you around 2 loops...there is another loop. The chances that if you pick a furbaby in the healthy holding area are only about 75% that you can take them home THAT DAY. They are super super nice and let you know that though right off the bat. I fell in love with a girl in that area. We did see the other 2 in a getting acquainted room. One was super playful, not very lovey though, and the other was both! Then we went to get my girl. Super shy, not very sure of if she wanted to go where we were taking her. Scared almost. She's in heat right now (reason #1 we couldn't taker her today, not spayed yet), and was moving so cautiously. She stopped about halfway to the room. So I plopped my butt on that floor and loved on her a bit. Then she came on to the room. She was so shy. But didn't freak out to Landon throwing the tennis balls, or Isaac making his stimming noise to hear the echo in the room. She let me and D love on her, and that was it for me. That was MY furbaby. Her info says she's 1 year old, and came in as a stray. She's scared for sure, and I have a feeling someone wasn't so nice to her. She's stocky, but skinny at the same time. I hope that makes sense. She doesn't have a name yet either. Paper says she's about 57lbs. We told them that we'd go out to the lobby to decide. D wanted the lovey hyper one, I wanted my girl. I won. Landon...he really lost cause while we were talking about it he decided he wanted a cat. He could see them through the glass. D is allergic. No cats :)
D gave in and said we could adopt her. He also said I would owe him. What?! I think this is funny, because he would really dug in and said no if he wasn't ok with it, or he would've said something like we'll finish talking about this at home. So, we went back up there and signed up for a fence check and a background check. No, they don't do this will all of them....only pit mixes. My girl is a pit mix. Well, we have the fence requirement...just need them to come one out and check it. So 1. She has to be spayed. 2. Fence check. 3. Background check (whatever they do for that). 4. Pay for her and bring her home!!!
Her name: Jessi wants to name her, but can't narrow down a name. She has a huge long list. Even though we got home right about 5 yesterday...for some reason D had her a name before 7. Too cute. My hubby, who acted like he wasn't so sure about her had our new baby a name in less than 2 hours. Polly. I'm not so sure about it, but I've only adopted 1 furbaby and that shelter had given him an name already. Owen. Now he was only 3 mo old so I'm sure I could've changed it, but I didn't. I've never named a dog before. Like naming human children. Pressure!! I thought it would be easy, but it's the hardest thing about this! We should have a least a few more days to decide though. But D is really pushing for Polly!
Anyway: Here's the best pic we have right now of Polly?

My big kids holiday

Fat Tuesday. Love, love, love. As I was growing up here it was never really a big deal for me. Yeah, Ash Wednesday is tomorrow, and as a Catholic that was a big deal. Until I moved to Biloxi, I never thought much about it. Not quite on the New Orleans scale, Biloxi and that are always goes all out (as much as they can) for Mardi Gras. Jessica and Brandon grew up with that. Every year, multiple days...Mardi Gras! Before Katrina, so many parades! D'Iberville, Gulfport, and 2 in Biloxi on actual Mardi Gras! If we were lucky we could hit one on Saturday, and both on Tuesday in Biloxi. After Katrina, Biloxi dropped theirs down to one on Tuesday. But still, we made as many as we could. Every parade the kids would get to come home with a backpack (each)  FULL of beads and toys!!! They always closed schools for it! Jessica asks me every year when she knows it's coming up if she can take something for school for Mardi Gras. This is Jessica and Brandon's holiday in my mind. THEIR HOLIDAY. Not mine, not the little ones', theirs. This is something they remember from their young childhood and miss. As they are out of school for ice/road conditions today...they aren't able to take something this year to school (although if Kroger has something today they can take something tomorrow), they don't get to go to a parade (someone said that they may do one downtown- and if they don't they don't really advertise for it), no beads, nothing. As they do get excited about Mardi Gras they are also past the point of construction paper crafts that I could do for them. I have really failed this year on Mardi Gras for her. Somethings are beyond my control (weather), but I could have prepared more anyway. In my shaken up world of Isaac therapies, and everyone sick in a different week with something, I have overlooked something that means alot to my oldest child, and I am crushed over it. So, I guess in a way this is my vow to realize that even though we try to make things even in the house (chores, special days, etc) that some things are just for the big kids and this would be one. I'm not totally beating myself up over this, but I need to pay a bit more attention. O.O
I do have to "work" a bit this morning, but hopefully while I'm cleaning I can come up with something super cool (or at least go get her some beads) for tonight!
Laissez les bons temps rouler!! Bon Mardi Gras everyone!!!

 

 

A crazy life update!

As a whole, we are doing pretty good. We've been slammed with a ton of dr visits and copays lately but hopefully things are settling down! With D's help I've gotten my wire frame finished to hold all the bows I've been making for the ones I've haven't sold yet! I just got the shipment from Diapers.com for the diaper cakes I've been wanting to try too! D got all the stuff he needs to make about 5 of those guitars he's wanting to make. We are almost ready to start taking pics and start the Etsy store and FB store! I'm so excited, and although I'm aware that it could take months, I'm still positive about the whole venture. We are going to try so hard to make something work. After Isaac goes to bed, Landon is chilling on the couch and the big kids are settling down, I work on stuff and D works on his. Stuff we like doing, and when it starts working out it will be so beneficial to Isaac.
We are kinda confused about the whole "branding" thing, and paying someone to help us with that kinda stinks, but I want it to be the same: from the business cards to Etsy banners, logo and possible carryover to a fb page. I've got more research to do!
As I'm almost done with my own "bling" project, I've decided that my next fun thing to try is soap making. I've done some research on it and I can't wait to start!!! The bows, diaper cakes, guitars...well that's fun for us to do for Isaac. The soap is something that can be both...to sell for Isaac and fun and useful for us anyway :)
I think I have narrowed down or come up with a name for all this stuff...
Cute Creations for Courtney
But...if anyone can come up with something with Isaac in it, or anything better PLEASE LET ME KNOW!!!! D isn't totally sold on the name, so we are still open for anything.
Originally I was thinking a soft green and cream for the colors, but I'm still flexible on that too. D doesn't give a poop ;)
The cloth diapers are absolutely wonderful. I wish, I wish, I wish I would have done this YEARS ago!!!! I'm hoping that the Mother's Day out will go for it, but not holding my breath.
Isaac's therapy is coming along. He can sign please, more and all done. D has gotten him to say "go" a few times and that is super exciting for us! We had to stop the additional speech therapy, we can't afford it anymore.
I got to have lunch Sunday with 2 of my favorite people and probably talked their poor ears off. Thanks for the afternoon out ladies! I loved it!
OOOoooooo gotta go!! Isaac's got my phone!

Gypsy Sisters...wha....

In the few "free" days I get, sometimes the stars align just right and I can do chores AND watch my backed up DVR. Two of my fav shoes are Hotel Impossible (Love ya Anthony!), Long Island Medium and Gypsy Sisters. Now, when I say free days, I mean those rare Tuesday or Thursday hours between 930 and 240 when all kids are at school.....and I don't have 8 million errands to run. The rare days when all my chores can be done at home. Laundry, always. Mop, sometimes I can get there. Fixing something that broke, yep. When I can actually fold and watch I go through my stored up shows. The best one, deadliest catch I have to wait for D. Don't think he'd forgive me for that.
On to the Sisters. I do watch Big fat gypsy wedding and big fat American gypsy wedding too, but there are more episodes of gypsy sisters. I have a HUGE question for all you gypsies: WHAT IS YOUR NORMAL SCHEDULE, REALLY?!?! Alot of the show is drama, gossip, clothes, fashion, Mellie's issues, and stuff like that. Some of the show is gypsy traditions, superstitions, etc. Now, as a stay at home mom I am wondering when in the hell they get time to do the stuff I see on the show. I only have 4 kids and two dogs. And I am swamped. These ladies have more kids than I, house other people and their kids sometimes. I understand that the girls clean. Got that. And several times on the show I have heard the "matriarchs" say something along the lines of...we get up and clean top to bottom. And also... what normal people think of spring cleaning we do everyday. HUH? I've seen them clean here and there, do laundry here and there. Y'all, from the moment I wake up I am cleaning, switching loads, dishes, cooking, wiping up messes, etc. Sometimes I get to nap with the boys, but not everyday. And I'm not quite sure how much more I could get done in that hour that I'm not doing already. Spring cleaning takes me more than one hour. So... everyday y'all get up do normal everyday cleaning, and also spring cleaning?! Wipe down fridges between diaper changes then dust the ceiling fans before cooking breakfast or before lunch?! I'd like to know...really. You get this all done before meeting for lunch out somewhere and still had time to fix hair and makeup? I WANT A COPY OF YOUR CLEANING SCHEDULE LADIES. REALLY REALLY I DO. If nothing else than to try it for one day. I think my bedroom gets vacuumed once a week if that. (Shame on me, I know). So...how do you do it? And when I see you sit on your living room floor blinging something out (in what looks like early evening) with NO KIDS AROUND, I'm wondering where's your 9 kids? If I even thought about doing stuff like that in the middle of my living room before 845pm I would have to fight off little ones from messing with the stuff, or worse playing with the plugged in hot glue gun. No, I didn't see any little people messing with stuff they aren't supposed to. And this blog is in no way criticising the way the culture is. I'm thoroughly in shock if these ladies pull off everyday cleaning, spring type cleaning, all laundry, cooking etc in one whole day...everyday. Much less being done in time to get all dressed up to go to lunch or go get their nails done. Jealous by the way. Not that the hubby wouldn't let me get them done every week, but that we don't have the money for that. :)
Ladies...I want a copy of your daily schedule pronto!

Finally got a minute to update! Yay!

With the weather being so wet/icy/cold and crazy, I've been kinda busy lately! D has had to work alot, and with some crazy hours! With Landon being sick week before last, and Brandon having a cold thing last week I've been swamped with the sick bugs. Cleaning, cleaning, and more cleaning is what we did this weekend! My house looks the same....yet I know it's cleaner :) I was able to take an hour and go to the Kidstown consignment sale and get Isaac some puzzles that one of his therapist recommends. And we left right from there to go to Urgent Care for D. Poor hubby had a gout flare up in his ankle and was finally off work to go see someone about it. He is now almost over the limp. Yay!
Now that I have somewhat calmed down after my wonderful breakdown and everyone is in pretty good health, maybe Thursday when everyone is in school I can finally go meet the nephew and if April's up for it go see her and Ms. Cassetty. Just seeing pictures aren't doing it!
I keep posting the gofundme link on fb, so if you get a second please share even if cannot donate! Jack did pay for his speech until the first week of March, and then we are going to have to stop it. We're hoping that by then TEIS speech will start, but there is no guarantee, and he will only get it once a week. We know the psychologist recommended minimum of twice a week, but we aren't able to do that. So please go share the link, thanks!! He is now saying Mamamamama...but doesn't stop with like mama. He is working on the M sound, so we're happy. He is still signing please wonderfully and finally doing the sign for more. We are working on the concepts of UP and DOWN, waving bye bye when D leaves for work, and the word CAR (his favorite toys and favorite movie)! He is also working on IN and OUT. Putting beans in ice trays and taking them back out. He seems to really like doing that!
In more odd news, and since we are looking at Isaac possibly being in diapers for a year or more to come (although we are working on that in therapy slowly) we have invested in cloth diapers. Very few will fit my big boy, and when I told Carol she said no. LMAO. I'm guessing as with most people, she isn't aware cloth diapers have come a long way since they used them and honestly I can't wait til the big bunch gets here so I can get started. This happens to be one of those "If I'd know he would be in them this long, we would have done this from the start." This start up will pay for itself and be a money saver by the time he is 3. I will update on how that is going.
All in all, having today (well, from 930-230) to catch up on stuff that has been needing to be done, and relax for a few minutes has been so great. With sick kids, and I do clean my aunts house one all school day every two weeks, the pool overflow fiasco, it has felt like I was so swamped I couldn't breath. Insert my mom who came and saved me on Thursday. Super Nana. As soon as she teaches me how to sew...I'm going to make her that cape. Sparkly and all. And she did say she'd teach me how to sew! I am truly and eagerly and not so patiently waiting...I'm super excited!
Gotta go! There goes the dryer. Time to switch the clothes!