Show and Tell - Who Cares About the FET When I Get News Like This...

There is nothing to show, but there is a whole lot to tell.

So, as you know, we just had our EI evaluations. I was nervous wreck about them and walked away feeling like I am a miserable failure as a mother. Well, this week I finally got the completed evals back for my review. You know what?

My boys fucking R.O.C.K.

ROCK, I tell you!

Wanna know why?

I'll tell you why...

Sh.awn's eval:

actual age: 22 months 29 days
adjusted age: 19 months 29 days

cognition - 16 months (although we all agree this is on the low side of what it actually is. unfortunately, the tests for cognition use fine motor skills, one of his weaknesses, so it will likely be on the low side until he is either talking better or is no longer delayed in fine motor skills. the therapists and I informally agree that he is probably at his adjusted age or higher here.)
Gross motor - big delay (delay, we spit in your face. pa-tooey.)
Fine motor - delayed
Social emotional - 25 months!
Self-Help - adjusted age!
Language - adjusted age!

Ja.son's eval:

actual age: 23 months 3 days
adjusted age: 20 months 3 days

cognition - adjusted age!
Gross motor - delayed (damn lack of walking)
Fine motor - delayed (I am not sure I agree with this--I think he wasn't interested in doing their testing. plus he doesn't exactly like his therapist. plus, his delay keeps him qualified for OT--a little too neat, isn't it?)
Social emotional - actual age!
Self-Help - adjusted age!
Language - adjusted age!

See?!!? My boys are rockstars. I am so proud. :-)

Go see what the rest of the class is showing!

Show and Tell - My Opinion Counts Part 2

Guess what showed up at my door today? I am so excited!

The Niel.sen Home.scan equipment is finally here!

I have yet to read all of the information included in the package (because I never really read pamphlets on products anyway--I am more of a trial and error kind of girl), but from the literature I've seen on their site and through their emails, it should be a fairly simple setup. One of the emails they sent also said that they will contact me to answer any questions I may have and to assist in the setup process. That is assuming that I have lost my brain power and can't follow the directions provided to install the program. How hard is it to stick a CD into the drive and click next? Ahem.

Anyway, the scanner couldn't have come at a better time. We always do weekend Tar.get runs, and we plan on going clothes shopping for the boys this weekend. That means we'll get the chance to figure out how it works right away.

We are officially product panelists! Whoot!

Now it's your turn. What are you bringing to Show and Tell? Don't forget to go check out what the rest of the class is showing, too!

Show and Tell - Score on Savings!

Today, I would like to present my weekend shopping spree for this week's Show and Tell.

Ahem. It started with this little baby, here...

And ended with an armful of loot! Check this out:

4 shirts for me +

6 pairs of pants for the boys +

6 shirts/onesies for the boys =

$105.00 + tax = $114 and some change -

$75 off coupon (whoot!) =

$39 and some change!

( I'm not sure why it is turned this way.)

I got 16 things at Old Navy for under $40 bucks. Not too shabby! That's an average of $2.45 per item. I am simply giddy! (contented sigh)

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So, a few of you have wondered what I am talking about lately. Old Navy has started a coupon promotion. Once a week, on Thursdays, the site is redesigned, and new coupons are "hidden" throughout the page. Usually, there are different frames depicting the different Old Navy mannequins doing various activities. The coupons can be found in these different scenes. For example, this week there were coupons at these places:

• The mannequin in the pink striped shirt was hiding a $5 off coupon (when you buy swimwear) which was revealed when you dragged the blue striped shirt over to dress her in.
• Another coupon was on the African American mannequin. She has a white shirt with something all over it. Clicking on her shirt until the mess was gone gave a $15 off of $75 coupon.
• In the video if you clicked the pad for loose powder the second time it appeared on the screen it was a coupon for $10 off $50.
• The mannequin in the white tank top hid a 30% off coupon, revealed when you clicked on her hair style twice.
• The big prize was in the frame with the woman, the girl, and the slide. To get the $75 off $100, I clicked between the woman's legs, right where the slide ends. I kept clicking there and when the red ball came bouncing, I got the coupon. It took me three tries. The first time, I didn't get there in time. The second time, I spazzed. The third time was the charm.

At the top of the screen, there is a scrolling marquis which tells the number of coupons available and the different values of each. Obviously, the greater the value, the harder the coupon is to find. I just tend to run my mouse over the screen a few times and look for my pointer to turn into a little hand with a pointed index finger. I don't really have any tricks, per say, to finding what's available.

The fun for me is that I get to try all over again the next Thursday. Plus, I am a sucker for a bargain. And, well, a challenge--no matter how slight--keeps me coming back for more, too. :-) The only downside is that you have no idea when the new week's coupons are set. You just have to keep checking throughout the day until you see the new scene. Last week, I happened to get lucky.

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I have a few coupons that I didn't use. If you are interested, email me and I'll send them to you on a first come, first served basis. They have to be used in store, and they expire on 4/30. Sadly, each coupon has its own individual bar code, so I can't share with everyone. :-(

• 30% off your purchase (it says to comb your hair like Kelly's, but I don't think you actually have to)
• $5 off a purchase of $25 or more (2)
• $5 off your purchase when you buy a piece of swimwear (2)
• $15 off a purchase of $75 or more.

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Here are a few other links to blogs who will help you on your bargain search:

It's Hip to Save! (savings on loads of stuff! updated several times a day)

Freebies 4 Mom (family savings)

Baby Cheapskate: Saving Big Bucks on Baby Stuff (baby/child savings)

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Go check out what the rest of the class is sharing for Show and Tell!

Show and Tell -- Celebrate Sh.awn!

One of my New Year's Resolutions is to celebrate the achievements of my boys. So, for today's Show and Tell, I'd like to present my little guy, Sh.awn, sitting up on his own! I am so very proud of him.

Those of you who may be new here might not be overly impressed with a 14 month old boy sitting up (holy cow, 14 months old!), but let me tell you that my little Sh.awn Bon has been through more in his year of life than most people have EVER been through.

He has shown his strength and determination each and every day. He is a fighter. He is a miracle.

And I love him.

So, let's celebrate the first achievement of the new year!

Hm. A new book. Let's have a looksy.

Good Night Moon is pretty good, mommy!

Doesn't the look on his face say something like, "What's all the fuss about, mom?"

Find more show and tell posts here!

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As a little aside, I have posted that we are having teething fun. I think Sh.awn is working on 4 - 5 teeth right now (better late than never).

I strongly suspect that Sh.awn may have hereditary supernumerary teeth. Now that I see how they are growing, I am thinking that at least three of his front teeth will eventually be diagnosed as such. One bottom tooth looks to be okay, but really the only way to tell is through x-rays, and we're not considering doing that for a while.

Anyway, the condition comes from my dad's side of the family. Dad didn't have them, but several of his eleven siblings did, and my oldest brother had three sets of canine teeth. (the one that shares a birth date with the boys. he was always the odd one, too!) I did not have supernumerary teeth either.

We shall see if it does end up that Sh.awn has them, although my intuition is telling me yes. If he does, we will just wait and see what they do over the next several months. It may mean some extra time at the dentist in the long run. Doesn't that sound fun?

Can't we just have a boring, non-eventful life here? Is that too much to ask? Jeez.

Show and Tell - A Beautiful Ornament

For today's Show and Tell, I would like to present this beautiful ornament.

Isn't it pretty?

And, if you can believe this, I won it!*

You see, back in September, I won a drawing celebrating the 200th post on Kristin's blog--The Fertile Infertile. Her older boys helped her with the drawing and I was one of two winners. (I never win, so this was a great surprise.)

Even more incredible to me is that she let me choose what I might like!

I chose the ornament, and I am so glad I did. On one side, it has a blue star with both my initials and wonderful Kristin's initials, plus the date. It has the same thing on the back in green thread.

I absolutely love it.

Right now, it is the only ornament on my Christmas tree.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Kristin. The ornament is beautiful and I will treasure it always!

*It hasn't escaped my attention that she was able to get her gifts out to the winners of her drawing in September, and I still owe the winners from my contest (in MARCH!) their gifts. I haven't forgotten...

Seriously. I haven't.

Cinnamon Roll Recipe

Here's the recipe for last week's submission of my famous cinnamon roll. If you can believe it, I ate the entire pan of rolls myself! Heaven.

Holler if something doesn't make sense.

Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients for dough:

• 2 1/2 cups warm water
• 2/3 cup honey
• 2 pkgs yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup oil
• 4-5 cups whole wheat flour (I don't always use wheat flour, it depends on what I have to use. It tastes just as good with all white flour.)
• 3 cups white flour (so if you don't use the wheat flour, make this 7-8 cups of white flour)
  

Ingredients for cinnamon rolls:

• 1 cube butter (softened)
• 1 cup sugar and 1 tbsp cinnamon (mix together)
  

Ingredients for glaze: (I mostly eye-ball this, so I am not exact here)

• 2-3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4-1/3 cup milk
  

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in the warm water. Add the honey and oil.
2. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Add flour until it can be kneaded easily or until you get to the 8 cups, whichever comes first.
3. Once mixed, place dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead dough until no longer sticky(3 to 5 minutes total), adding more flour if needed. Shape dough into a ball.
4. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl; turn once. Cover; let rise in a warm place until dough doubles (about 1 to 1 1/2 hours). (The dough is ready for shaping when you can lightly and quickly press two fingers 1/2 inch into dough and indentation remains.)
5. Punch dough down. On a lightly floured surface, divide dough in half**; shape each half into a smooth ball. Cover; let rest for 10 minutes.
6. On lightly floured surface roll half the dough to 12x8 inches. Spread with 1/2 of the softened butter cube. (I am usually kind of skimpy with the butter and put just enough to hold the cinnamon mixture.)
7. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon mixture over rectangle. Roll up from a short side.*** Seal edges.
8. Make a second roll with remaining dough, butter and sugar mixture.
9. Slice each dough roll into pieces about 3/4 of an inch thick. Arrange slices, cut side down, in a greased 13x9x2 inch baking pan. Cover; let rise until nearly double (about 30 minutes).
10. Bake rolls in a 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until light brown.
11. Drizzle rolls with the powdered sugar glaze while still warm. Serve warm.

**My grandmother's recipe calls for dividing the dough in half. I don't do that anymore, I just roll the whole thing out as one until it is about 1/4 inch thick, however big that makes the rectangle.

***Because I don't divide the dough into two, I roll up from the longer side.

Show and Tell -- Cinnamon Rolls

When I was a little girl, my grandmother made us cinnamon rolls whenever we'd visit my grandparents or they'd visit us. She'd get up early in the morning to get the dough started, and work on them periodically throughout the day until they were ready around dinner time. It just always seemed that those cinnamon rolls would be piping hot just as soon as dinner was over. We loved those cinnamon rolls.

Approximately 20 or so years ago, my grandparents began to age and their trips to CA began to become fewer and farther between. Our trips to thier house dwindled to about once a year. The lack of regular visits made the cinnamon rolls even more coveted. My grandmother asked if I'd like for her to teach me how to make them myself...

and the rest is yummy herstory.

This week was my late grandfather's birthday. He passed while I was on bed rest last year. I figured that I would make some cinnamon rolls to help me remember some of the happier times with my family. I think it helped.

Anyway, for tonight's show and tell, the cinnamon roll.

the dough (just to affirm that I do make them from scratch)...

rolling the dough out...

cinnamon and sugar time...

rolling it up (my favorite part by the way)

slicing them extra thick...

on the pan (don't worry, they'll rise to meet each other)...

fresh from the oven (yes, I already ate one)...

up close and personal...

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a few pounds to put on tonight! :-)

Show and Tell - The Challenge

This post does double duty. First, it's my contribution to Show and Tell. Second, Topcat issued a challenge, and I am not one to back down from a challenge. (If someone above happens to read this, I do not need, nor do I want any more challenges in my life at the moment. K? I was just making a point. Seriously. As it is, I could do with quite a few less challenges than I've got already!)

Anyway, the challenge is to find the dorkiest pictures you've got of yourself. Supposedly there will be some sort of a dorky prize for the dorkiest pictures. Here are a few dorky pictures of me during my adolescent years. (someone really should have said something about that hair of mine!)

This is me for my third grade pictures. I got the brilliant idea to curl my hair, but there was one curl that just had a mind of its own. And because I am a dork by nature, I had to take pictures of my pictures because the scanner is in the boys' room, and I am not going to wake them up for anything.

Then I got my hair cut toward the end of the year. Here I am getting a girl scout award. (notice the amount of badges on my sash. I was one eager girl scout.)

And then there was fifth grade. I again decided the curl was the way to go. Maybe I was trying to offset the nice little wave my hair in front started doing when I got bangs. I tried to reign in the right side with a clip. I see now I should have done both sides. Oh, let's not forget the gap between my teeth. Had that until the tenth grade, when it mysteriously disappeared one day. (Did you notice the collar?)

Here I am with my bowling trophies. Man, I was a total nerd.

This is my eighth grade Halloween costume. I was a cat. Original, I know. Anyway, the hair is still a disaster. I have a pit stain going, too. Plus, what you can't see is that my undies are totally showing in the back. AND I WORE THIS TO SCHOOL!!! (so embarrassing!)

Okay, so where are your dorky pictures? Come on, we want to see!

Show & Tell -- 08/02/02

My wedding day...

August 2, 2002, was six years ago, but it still feels like yesterday.

A little background -- Is.aac and I met in high school. It was all very cliche, actually. He was the quarterback/captain of the football team while I was the captain of the cheerleading squad. We had always known one another, but up until the end of our junior year, he had always been attached to someone. He swears that the girls he went out with before me were the aggressors. He swears that each one told him that he was dating her and to get used to it. Which he did to make things easier on himself. I am not sure I buy that, but whatever.

Anyway, we started dating at the end of our junior year--the last day of school to be exact. (Personally, I think he was interested because I could have cared less about him at the time. I was the first person who didn't tell him his shit smelled like roses.) We've been together ever since.

He finally proposed two days after Valentine's Day in 2002. The rest, they say, is history. We were married less than six months later. (I apologize for the pictures. Couldn't get the scanner to work, so these are pictures of my pictures. Note to self, scan wedding photos in free time.)

Our families are quite diverse. Is.aac's extended family are very Catholic. I didn't quite understand what it was to be very Catholic until I met his family. Whoa. Is.aac's immediate family (mom, brothers, and sisters-in-laws) converted to Je.hovah's Witnesses right after we met, which is how I have the rep for leading my man astray--straight to hell. My family were not overly religious, except for my dad's family who were, I kid you not, Ho.ly Rollers. Let's not forget the Mormons we've got in the mix, too.

And then there is Is.aac and myself who are not very religious at all. (wonder why?) It wouldn't have mattered which religion we chose to follow, people would have been pissed.

To help make the ceremony as religion friendly as possible (the Witnesses wouldn't go to a church ceremony was one factor as well), we were married in a small non-religious ceremony on a golf course. It was beautiful. This picture shows just a little of the scenery at the ceremony site (and yes, we could see the ocean, but for some reason I can't find those pictures).

See all the bubbles...

We were married by a female pastor--man was that an unexpected controversy...

I thought she was great, though.

This is Is.aac when he first saw me walking down the aisle.

Me just before I saw him.

This next one was taken just after we were pronounced "man and wife." It is one of my favorites of us ever.

Here is the beautiful cake. I loved that thing. It was banana cake with strawberry/banana filling. Yummy.

At the reception...

Special pictures of me and my parents...


Look at how short my dad is was.


Lastly, these are some of my favorites of the two of us.

So there you have it folks.