by jcastles | Aug 1, 2013 | Family, Uncategorized
These past 2 weeks have been hard for me mentally. I don’t know why because the people i’m about to tell you about have no relations or friendship to me.
Two weeks ago a friend of mine added me to a facebook group and at first thought I didn’t want to be added to it…for a few reasons. 1) I no longer live in Texas. 2) I don’t know this family and sure I feel sorry for them but I don’t know them and I don’t usually like stuff on FB because it usually junks up my page.
So fast forward 2 weeks…….I stayed on the page. Her 1.5 yr old son choked on a pop tart and unfortunately didn’t make it. I read everything that’s posted on the facebook page and cry just about every time. My youngest son is almost 5 yrs old and I am so connected to him because of all the obstacles we’ve hit with him being Autistic. So the thought of loosing him (really any of my kids) is just devastating. All I can think about day and night is what would happen if I lost my kids. I find myself hugging, loving, and kissing them so much more. It should NOT take a child’s death to make me love my kids more. But that’s how I feel lately….that I don’t show them I love them enough. I have found myself slipping on them going to bed on time, wanting to read more of that book, wanting me to read a bedtime story even though I said no the first 3 times….I’m slipping for my kids. We won’t be here forever and I want to learn to cherish those moments more and more.
I’ve seriously thought about getting out of the facebook group. But then that makes me think….she lost a kid….a friggin kid and I haven’t. If I were her I wouldn’t want people to turn away because it was too hard for them….hell she lost her baby!!! So like I said I read the posts and see all the pics and video’s that are posted….and I hurt for her. I hurt for her so much.
This past weekend another death of someone that I don’t personally know affected me…why? I dunno. He was a radio dj back home in Texas. I grew up listening to him on and off my entire life. He had a heart attack and died…..no symptoms led up to it, it just happened and he was dead. I suppose I’m in shock because he’s the first celebrity type person i’ve known my entire life that’s passed on.
Just with those 2 deaths I feel like in some weird way it’s made me a better mom. I don’t think I was a bad mom before but I do think that I can let go of some things like reading a bedtime story….why is the news or a movie I want to watch more important than my child wanting a story?!
To my kids…..I love you all…Derryk, Kennyth, & Jayson…more than you will EVER know!!!
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by jcastles | Jul 24, 2013 | Recipes, Uncategorized
If you hate apples (like I do) you should really try this cake. Honestly if you left the apples out and added a little water I bet it would taste just as good…the batter is sooooo good!!
So because I want to share it with you and I want to be able to access the recipe from the store I wanted to post this most delicious apple cake my grandmother always made for me. I would look forward to this cake every holiday and summer. Once she passed in 1995 I had no idea what happened to the recipe but once my mom got ill (2004) she gave me her cook book and I found this recipe tucked away inside! I was so excited and I make it once a year. I’m usually the only one that eats it but I eat on it for days.
Today I decided to make it in several pans so I could share with neighbors…..hopefully, lol!!
Granny’s Fresh Apple Cake
Mix 2 cups of sugar, 3 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1.5 cups of oil, 3 cups of thinly sliced/chopped apples, 1 cup of nuts (can omit), 2 eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla. Bake at 375 for 55 minutes or until center comes out clean.
That’s it! Enjoy!
by jcastles | Jul 11, 2013 | Family, Moving, Uncategorized
So the homesick set in yesterday. I’m not sure exactly what set it off but I definitely felt it. And I don’t like that feeling.
I suppose when you live in one state for 32 years there are things that trigger your memory and make that “at home” feeling….well so far away. So to help me stay a little close to Texas I made a decal for my car. I’m in LOVE with it!!
I know one day I’ll be able to go visit but I don’t think it’ll be in the next few years.
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by jcastles | Jul 3, 2013 | Family, Uncategorized
Well it’s nothing fancy but I wanted to put my chart out there. Because of Jayson’s age and he should be poo’ing daily I’ve made his chart a little bigger than you’d use to start someone out with. I also put a picture of his prizes on the last square. I decided that he still needed to check off that square to get his prize so he needs to poo in the potty a total of 6 times. I know the poo picture is gross but he’s very literal when it comes to things and I needed a good poop pic w/out actually taking a pic of real poop. So that’s what I got.
If you’d like this potty chart shoot me an email @ messijessimail@gmail.com. You will need Photoshop or another kind of software editing program to edit the name and pictures.
The Poo Poo Potty Chart
by jcastles | Jul 1, 2013 | Family, Uncategorized
Well as you know (if you’ve been following me, lol) my littlest kiddo has High Functioning Autism. He attended school in Texas and missed 3 weeks before he started here (it took Washington a bit to figure things out I guess). Once he was in school I immediately saw him decline. The schools here are MUCH different than back home in Texas. They don’t separate out the different types of special needs here like they do at home. So we immediately saw outbursts that were not normal for him. We immediately tried to stop them at home and we’ve overcome most of them at this time. Now that school is out for summer and things are a bit more relaxed and in order around the house he’s starting to be more like himself. Jayson will attend summer school in 1 weeks so I’m kind of looking forward to getting him back into routine. And I’m actually glad. Even though I enjoy doing nothing and hanging around on the couch half the day I enjoy the busy-ness of life and look forward to getting back into a routine as well.
We’ve had some firsts for him since we’ve been here too. 1) He started getting out of his bed on his own in the mornings. He use to wake up and call us into his room like he’s done forever. I think sharing a room with his brother in temp housing helped change that. So the best thing about that is we get to sleep in cause he’ll play or watch tv and let us sleep in a bit! And I absolutely LOVE how he comes into our room and tells us Good Morning…absolute cutest thing! 2) Now that i’ve been able to update his potty chart to a poo poo chart he’s poo’d in the potty a total of 7 times now! He’s already gotten 1 reward (after 6 times) and he’s only 5 away from the next one. I’m telling you…I’d give him the moon if it’d work! 3) Jayson’s never really liked ice-cream. Well about a month or so before we left Texas I was able to get him to eat frozen yogurt from TCBY. Other than that treat he doesn’t really like anything else. No other ice-cream, candy, cake, etc. Well 2 weekends ago I made pudding pops and he finally ate a popsicle! It was vanilla but hey, he ate it!! He’s requested banana so that’s next on the agenda.
I hope for many more firsts…..I’m enjoying everyone of them. I know for many these firsts come way earlier than 4 yrs old but we’re learning to enjoy these firsts as they come..
by jcastles | Jun 25, 2013 | Family, Moving, Uncategorized
So we’ve been here 2 months now. It’s been sunny more than grey and rainy. I know we came close to summer but I was looking forward to cooler weather. It’s mostly been in the mid 70’s since we’ve been here. Which is all fine and dandy if you have a/c!! The humidity inside is really killing us! We finally put our window unit in the upstairs living room and moved the roll around to the kitchen now (the stove really heats the place up!). The kids seem to be fine in their rooms with just the windows open and a fan going but man is it stuffy in there. Our room is really shaded by trees so it’s not so bad. Of course we’d sleep better if it was cooler but that’s a whole ordeal of making a window unit fit in crank windows….not easy!!
So our first weekend that was kinda slow for us our kids got to play outside all of Saturday. They had so much fun. I’m trying to let them play outside more but I will admit the lack of cleanliness is driving me just a tad crazy. But I want my kids to play and get dirty like I did when I was a kid….so I’m trying to embrace it.
Here are some pictures of my kids having some true outside fun. Sprinklers, bicycles, popsicles, and a slug!!
Of course my 2 aren’t looking at me!
Gross slug!
Homemade pudding pops….oh the love I felt! And Jayson’s 1st popsicle!
Riding his tricycle! As soon as his training wheels get replaced we’re going to start riding that!
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