End of the Year Teacher Gifts and U-Pick Strawberries

Yes, this might seem like an odd post to find on a homeschool blog, but if you've been here before, you know that this year we took the "buffet approach" to schooling.

That being said, as of May 23 we are officially full-time homeschoolers!!  Yeah!

But the next five days mark the end of our boys' brick & mortar school experience and we've got some very special teachers to thank.

On Monday, some friends of mine and I packed up our kids and headed to a U-Pick Strawberry field.  It was our first time to do a U-Pick but will not be our last.  I highly recommend it.  

In fact, I'm pretty sure it's an unspoken requirement for homeschool families to pick their own berries at some point in their education.

We had a blast and the boys worked really hard; those buckets get heavy after a while and they lugged them up and down row after row in the hot sun.  Everyone slept really well that night ;).

So in honor of both events, for teacher gifts I grabbed some mason jars (oh, how I love thee...), some red gingham scrapbook paper, leftover red ribbon from Christmas and my huge bowl of fresh cut strawberries.  The boys made cards for their teachers and we were DONE.  

On the top of the lid I wrote "Thank you BERRY MUCH for being my Teacher."  I know...cheesy...but fitting.  Sorry for the blurry picture ;).  

It cost me nothing (except the fraction of the $11/bucket strawberries) and looks so pretty and summer-ish.  I kept mine in the freezer overnight but I suppose you could do the fridge.  My only concern is the strawberries "breathing" so maybe leave the lid off.  

In Memory

I'm not a huge fan of wearing my heart on my sleeve, but it's been a few weeks since my last post and I feel like falling off the face of the earth requires just a little explanation.  A lot has happened that caused this temporary leave and it just doesn't feel right to start posting about smoothies and homeschool projects without at least mentioning it.

As I announced, I am pregnant with Rinnagade #4 and it has been much more exhausting than anticipated.  The worst has been some morning sickness that I seem to be getting past now...thank you, God.

The bigger reason for my recent absence is that something very sad has happened to our family.  

My dad passed away suddenly.  He went to bed at 9:30 on a Thursday night without a single complaint and slipped out of our lives a few hours later, due to heart failure.

So after a 3 a.m. phone call that no one wants to get, we hightailed it to Michigan for 10 days.  We got in late last night and the fridge is empty, our luggage is vomited all over the house, library books are due, and the laundry is three feet deep.  I feel part numb and the rest of me scatter brained and I keep wondering why Starbucks doesn't deliver.  Needless to say the only writing I've been doing has been a eulogy.  So I figured, in his honor, I would post it.

This was my father...in a most succinct form.

Thank you everyone for coming; one thing my dad particularly loved was having a full house.
Today I will attempt to paint you a picture of my dad as clearly as I can in these few moments. 

If you’re here today and you really knew my father, you know he wasn't perfect.

He liked his TV too loud, his beer too much and his cigarettes for too long.  He didn't always know how to relate to his family.  He had a temper, an overwhelming desire to win an argument, and gave a good guilt trip.  It made him a nervous wreck to have someone in his kitchen while he was cooking and he hovered over you while you ate.  He’d ask every few seconds, “so what do ya think?” and then inconspicuously switch up his question to something like “so, you like it, right?  Good.”  He was convinced there was a conspiracy involved any time he couldn't find food he was looking for and he accused everyone of illegally downloading music any time something went wrong on the computer.  He was stubborn, over reactive, and a little less than humble. 

But the last time I checked, "perfect" isn't one of the qualities that any of us can add to our resume. 

I tell you these flaws of my father not to be offensive, but to avoid romanticizing who he was.  In our efforts to remember the good times, we sometimes forget the whole person.  And in doing that, especially with my dad, we would miss the opportunity to see his efforts to do better and the ways he improved over the years. 

My dad was much more than that though. 

If you knew my dad for more than 20 seconds, you knew he was a Lion’s fan.  He loved any Detroit team, for that matter.   

He loved Food channel, Motown music played at maximum volume (especially the Temptations), BBQ joints, babies, dogs, farm markets, cookouts, pool parties, and Bath & Body Works Moisturized hand soap.  He could tell a great story and he loved a good practical joke.  He watched the weather channel religiously and loved the thrill of a good storm.  He loved his flannels, pjs, hats, and slippers.  More recently, he had one other outfit and that was his work uniform.  In his younger years, his other outfit was the cutoff jean shorts you see him sporting in half the pictures on the photo boards.  He had an impeccable work ethic and he taught us that you were sick on your days off.  He was an extreme couponer and a candidate for the show Hoarders because he just could not turn down a good food sale.  This habit made it possible for him to partially cater his own funeral, which he would've gotten a kick out of.

He loved his family and provided for us tirelessly.  He might not have always had the right words to say, but he had his own ways of showing love and we knew them. His favorite love language was in giving gifts.  And he gave great gifts.  In my lifetime, can personally account for a keyboard – for me as a child and this last Christmas for my children, a telescope, a TV, a harmonica, a yodeling CD, a BOSE radio, a special ordered tin of popcorn, an inscribed art case, a calligraphy set and a much needed 10-foot ladder, to name a few of my favorites.  He was also known for picking up the bill at a restaurant, paying a car payment or insurance as a surprise and even as an adult, he would slide some of my food into his pile at the grocery store.

Some of my favorite memories growing up were our parties and vacations.  He loved a party.  Adult, kid, both, didn't matter.  All the screaming little girls and the New Kids on the Block music and the 15 sleeping bags in the family room, all the pizza and hot dogs and hamburgers and cakes and chips and pop he paid for, and I never heard one complaint.  He loved my friends and loved that I have such great friends.   At family parties you could count on my dad grabbing you up for a dance in the family room and singing every word to you.

He loved taking trips.  My best memories with my dad involved a tiny one room beach house in Mackinac, a ferry ride and seeing the “Grand Hotel” from his and my mom’s favorite movie Somewhere in Time.  There’s a fond memory of mine where he made me run down a grassy knoll screaming, “Richard!”  If you've seen the movie, you understand.  There was Virginia Beach, Washington, and many more, but above all my Uncle Charlie’s where he swore time didn't exist.

What I can say about my dad on a more personal note is that he loved my husband and kids… and especially my dogs.  He instilled in me a love for cooking and “food things” and kitchen gadgets and we enjoyed swapping recipes.  Because I have Celiac Disease and cannot eat gluten, he found it a great challenge and adventure to find a tasty recipe to share with me or a new food product at Meijer.  He would forward me emails with gluten-free recipes and information on autism which showed me he cared about my life.  He often spoke to me through emails and newspaper articles.  He sent me movie tickets for my birthday to see “March of the Penguins” when it came out because he remembered it was my favorite animal to see at the zoo growing up. 

We got each other’s jokes and we were both "breakfast" people.  He took me to see “My Girl” and “Robin Hood” and to daddy daughter dances when I was in Brownies.  He bought me my first real perfume, “Sunflowers.”  When I was ten, he bought me real flowers after hurting my feelings.  He drove me to softball and soccer games and tennis matches and stopped at the donut place before my tennis matches so I could get a donut and chocolate milk.  He believed in an exceptional education, which I benefited from first hand.  He never limited his expectations of what I, as a girl, could do academically.  He supported me in my writing and my degree and was always asking when that first book was going to be finished.  He only paid for half of my first vehicle which I am grateful for.  It was a great lesson I plan to repeat.  In my tumultuous teen years, I learned the art of debate.  I think my husband resents this particular life lesson, but it has made me a “thinker” nonetheless. 

At the end of the day, our lives will not be the same without him.  He was a memorable man who didn't leave this earth without leaving his mark.

A funeral is really a testimony to a man’s life.  In the movie “Waking Ned Devine,” the following is said in regard to a man’s passing: “The words that are spoken at a funeral are spoken too late for the man who is dead.  What a wonderful thing it would be to visit your own funeral.” 

Time is fleeting and merciless and we do not know how much of it we have.  I leave here with no regrets today, but I ask you to live in the moment and be sure the ones you love know how they are loved.  Any amount of days back with my dad would not be enough but I am glad for the memories I have that will live on forever.

Product Review: Time Tracker

Oh, the Time Tracker Timer...how I love thee.

The sound of a timer is nothing new in our home.  We use timers for everything. For transitioning from one activity to the next, for when it's time to leave the house and go somewhere, for toy sharing, for "alone time" (when one child wants to play alone with a toy), and use of the computer.  And it's not just the kids - I have a timer set right now to go pick up one of the boys from therapy!  We have been responding to the sound of a timer for a few years now.

My poor kids are worse than Pavlov's dog; my kitchen timer went off for dinner one night and all three of them looked up and then at me wondering, what are we supposed to do next?!

When we started this practice of timers, I used what I had which was a traditional wind up kitchen timer.  I quickly found the downsides of a traditional kitchen timer: that obnoxious ring at the end, the incessant ticking, and no visual of how much time is left.  So I changed to a digital timer which was better because of no ticking and the alarm sound but still no visual.  And then I found... the Time Tracker Timer.  This link will actually take you to a video explanation of how the timer works.  Really cool.

It's  an autism family's dream timer but can be used for any child with great success. 

Pros:
You get to choose from multiple sounds to alert the child of changing levels of color, for instance, ticking, buzzing, or even a man saying "begin" or "time's up." 
It's programmable and visual with three levels of time and a warning sound at each level but silence in between, no incessant ticking.  It's especially helpful with computer time - no more feeling like times up comes out of left field.  The boys can see yellow light, red light, and they know it's going off soon.

Cons:
I do wish the final sound would last longer - maybe until you physically turn it off, just because sometimes I am not right there when it goes off and I cannot always depend on the boys to let me know ;).
It takes a minute to figure out how to set the timer.  There's a few steps involved - more than just spinning a dial, certainly.

I will say, if this particular timer is not your style, our second choice was the Time Timer which is a very, very popular choice in the autism community and may even be a purchase for us in the future.  I can see where each timer would be beneficial in different situations.

Three Ingredient Morning Smoothie and Some Big News

Mornings are crazy here.  I think that's pretty much the case in any body's house who's trying to get out the door by a particular time!  This post is dedicated to everyone who thinks they don't have time to get a healthy start to the morning.

Here's my go-to to make sure I get some fuel for the morning.

You'll Need:
Frozen berries or other fruit mix
Coconut Water or Coconut Almond Milk
Chia Seeds

Pour frozen fruit into blender.  Most blenders have measurements on the side - about 6 or 8 oz. is good
Pour Coconut Water and/or Coconut Almond Milk (the combo is good, too) over the berries - enough to cover
Scoop about 2 Tablespoons of Chia Seeds on top
Blend, pour into a cup and you're done!

Seriously, it takes less than five minutes and it's so refreshing!  I can't wait to have this on those 80 degree Alabama summer mornings...

When I'm really motivated, I throw a handful of baby spinach into this for an extra nutrition boost.

The Chia seeds will give you energy without a nose dive drop a few hours later; they provide endurance and are regenerating, as well.  These little magic wonders were considered superfoods even by the Aztecs and the Mayans.  They soak up water like crazy therefore helping you stay hydrated longer.  The coconut water is good for hydration and gives you about a banana's worth of potassium for your day.  I use berries because you get the most bang for your buck - they have the highest amount of nutrients with the lowest amount of sugar compared to other fruits.

So What's the Big News????

Some of my upcoming posts may mention pregnancy related topics because...

there'll be a new Rinnagade joining the crew come November :)!

Does it Really Matter if You Clean Green? Home Edition

Who really wants to waste ice cream?  

I know no one in my house does.

I've never been able to tolerate the smell of bleach and have an incredibly hard time breathing around products that contain it.  So early on, I knew I'd have to find a disinfecting alternative (thank you, vinegar and peroxide).  The more reading I did on chemicals in our cleaners, the more dangerous I found they were.  A great site to do some research on is the Environmental Working Group.  For years, I've cleaned without using harsh chemicals (more for my own comfort), but as the kids started doing odd things (like licking tables) I realized how truly important it is.

I will admit that many of these things I could make myself and as you'll see some are homemade.  It's true you can clean your whole house with baking soda, vinegar, peroxide and lemon.  I am working towards making more of these items homemade but sometimes, grabbing something at Target is just more practical.    

Here's the room by room break-down of how we keep clean without harmful chemicals:

Multiroom

Shaklee's Basic H Concentrate

This stuff could clean almost everything in your house.  I use it for windows, floors, and surfaces.  The best part is you add literally 2-5 drops to water to create your solution.  It's sold in a 16 oz. bottle so the stuff lasts forever.  *Shaklee products are only sold through a consultant.  Their website will direct you.

Method Wood for Good Daily Cleaner

For giving wood surfaces like tables, chairs, shelves and cabinets some shine and an awesome almond smell.  Also sold in wipes.  I buy my Method products at Target.  Make sure to flip the package over and read their product write ups...very amusing.

Method Foaming Hand Wash

With three little boys in the house, foaming hand wash is a must for portion control.  This stuff lasts a long time and all scents smell wonderful.

Method Foaming Hand Wash Refill

Refills a bottle 3x

DIY Cleaning Wipes

Lysol Replacer

Especially when we're sick, or even if I just need to disinfect something, I walk around like I'm in an old western movie with two spray bottles: an opaque bottle with hydrogen peroxide in it and another one (any color) with equal parts vinegar and water and a few drops of essential oil.  I use it on surfaces or fabric. Be sure to do a test area first on fabrics.

Kitchen

Method Dish Pump

For washing dishes.  

Method Dish Pump Refill

An economical and environment friendly refill.  Refills a bottle 2x.
Honest Dishwasher Pods
Sparkly clean without using any kind of extra shine product.
Microwave
Pour 1 cup of hot water and 1 cup of vinegar into a glass measuring cup.  Microwave for 2-3 minutes (or longer if necessary).  The gunk should wipe right off.
Dishwasher

Bathrooms

le scrub bathroom cleaner

Great for tubs, toilets, shower and surface and all in one product.

Laundry

I use The Honest Company for all of our laundry stuff as well as other cleaning and personal care.  I love, love, love this brand.  You can set up a monthly bundle - 5 products for $39.95 + shipping (through March 8 free shipping on $50+ orders).  This brings the cost to $8.50 a product.  So even though I'd never pay $8.50 for dryer cloths, it brings the cost of the detergent down to $8.50 as well so it works out.  They even have a diaper bundle and although I have no use for this right now, I think that's cool :).
To Clean My Washing Machine
It's just gross to try to clean clothes in something dirty.
Stain Remover
Honest 4 in 1 Laundry Pods

We go to Michigan quite a bit and this is the PERFECT way to do laundry while traveling.  The formula is great and the clothes come out really soft and clean.
Honest Laundry Detergent
Great for every day washing.  Lasts us about a month.
Honest Dryer Cloths
Great alternative to dryer sheets.  You can use them twice and I use them to accompany spray cleaners after their laundry days are over.

Honest Oxy Boost
Because when you have three boys, laundry usually needs a boost!

Happy Cleaning!

Dear Mom at the Park...

It's been a few months since this incident, but truthfully, I've been working up the courage to write this.

We were there taking family pictures.  We must have looked to you like a happy family - dad, mom, and three vibrant boys all smiles.  All sunshine. It was an oddly warm and beautiful day in late October.  We must have looked, ya know...annoyingly happy.

You, on the other hand were not.  We first noticed you and your kids because we heard you.  From behind us, on the other side of the gate, we heard you yell.  It was a little hard to make out what you were saying and to be brutally honest we really didn't care at first.  A friend of ours was following our boys around the park, snapping candid pictures here and there and my husband and I were enjoying the sun.  Peace.  Peace for just a moment.  We thought maybe it was a moment for you, too.  Just a moment of frustration that would end as quickly as it began.

But we were wrong.

You yelled again, so loudly we couldn't help but turn around.  Really, though, that wasn't what made me turn my head.  It was the sound before you yelled, "shut-up, just SHUT-UP!"  It was the sound of a boy, maybe seven or eight.  It was not words - it was a noise.  A screech.  A long and loud uninhibited screech.  It was autism I heard.

Fire burned in me.  I know autism.  I know it well and intimately and I know it in public parks.  I know it through high-pitched screeches and grunts and animal-like noises because sometimes our kids just can't muster words.

The boy, in fact, could not muster words.  All the communication I heard from him was wordless which lead me to believe he was probably non-verbal.

You had three kids with you, including two little girls who were younger than your son.  You were all dressed in old clothes; one girl had a stain on her shirt.  Their hair was unkempt and shoes were worn.  The older sister was trying to distract the little sister and at one point brought her into the gated area of the playground to go down the slides.  She took the role on without being told which made me think she plays it often. From the looks of your car it was clear you didn't have much money.  No private therapists.  No health food store membership card.  

You and your son stayed on the outside of the gate fighting over something that was unapparent, near the large decorative stone turtle we had just taken pictures on.  Maybe he wanted to go.  Maybe you didn't know what he wanted and from his lack of language just couldn't begin to figure it out.  You shoved a bright red kid's drink at him and he refused. Nothing would make him quiet.  Not even your incessant grabbing and commands to shut-up.

We were beyond trying not to look.  I for one wanted you to see me.  See my glare.  See our disapproval.   See our disgust in the treatment of your severely autistic son.  I wanted to tell you you were horrible and pick your son up and hug him - if he would allow it - or comfort him in some other way.  I wanted to throw the red drink at you and tell you that feeding him junk was not helping, but hurting him.  I wanted to understand him and make you feel bad that you didn't.

I was all judgement and no grace.

It was time for us to move on to the next location - or maybe it wasn't.  But something in the air told us all it was time to go.

I walked ahead with one of the boys, trying to get out of the uncomfortable environment as fast as I could.  Trying to save my kids from the image of what was going on.  As I did I heard the yelling finally subside.

But my husband and our friend lingered a moment behind.  One of our boys was taking longer to leave and as God would have it, you walked to your car with your kids at the very moment my husband passed.

"Sorry, he's autistic," you said, dismissively.  Annoyed.  Exhausted.

"So are they," my husband said shortly, nodding to our boys.  He was brief.  He was unaccusing.   He was the picture of grace I wouldn't have been.

You got into your car with your kids and drove away.  We got in our van and continued our day, but you never left my mind.  The day's events were burned in my memory; they broke my heart.  I thought about you all night and for a long time now.

If I had it to do over, this is what I'd change:

I'd get past my pride and judgement and anger and I'd feel pity.  I'd feel remorse.  I'd see a woman without resources and without help and without an education on autism.

I'd see an opportunity instead of a catastrophe.

I'd introduce myself to you in the midst of the yelling.  I'd pray for the right words to say to bring you comfort and peace.  I'd tell you right off that I know how you feel.  I'd look past your sin and bad behavior and recall mine.  It may not have been me yelling shut-up or having a fit at a public park, but I've lost my temper plenty of times.  And it's all the same in the end.

How many times have I been frustrated by autism?  How many times, especially pre-diagnosis, did I throw up my hands because I could not understand what the boys wanted because of their language impairments?  And where would I be without God's mercy in pointing me to resources and services and training?  Or without Him giving me the support of my husband and our friends and family?  I'd probably be at a public park on a Saturday, losing my mind.

We are all just one short step from falling.

I'd point over to my sweet twins who happened to be having a good few minutes at the park and tell you they have autism.

Then I'd say that I want you to know we don't always look like that.  In fact, in public, it's taken us years of therapy to work up to looking like that.  And even more specific I'd tell you that just that morning we'd worked through multiple meltdowns because picture day is not exciting for kids who have trouble sitting still and looking into a camera and smiling all at the same time.

Then I'd level with you.  I'd say that I know it's hard.  I see you're frustrated.  I'd tell you it takes work - a lot of work.  And then I'd give you my number.  I'd offer to help and I'd mean it.  I'd tell you about the support groups I'm in and the buddy program at our church for special needs kids that allows parents to stay in service without being a nervous wreck.

Now, I doubt you're reading this.  Maybe you would be if I'd had the decency to give you this blog address as a resource.  Maybe.

Whether we ever meet again or not, I want to send it out into cyberspace that I'm sorry.  I want people to know things are not always what they seem.  How many people have judged me and my boys because of autism?  Too many to count.  And even though I stand judged, I was so quick to judge.  This was a hard learned lesson - and one I will never forget.  If God is gracious enough to put another opportunity in front of me like this, I will think of you.  And for your sake, I will try my best not to drop the ball again.

Seven Ways to Homeschool on a Shoestring

Homeschool can get expensive.  Just like anything else, there are many options out there and the variety has a dollar sign attached to it.  The first thing you’ll need to do is shake the idea that learning has to involve a text book – oftentimes it doesn't have to.  For Preschool and Kindergarten, we've managed to keep things pretty cost efficient while not sacrificing our goals for our boys and the curriculum they learn from.

Here's seven ways you can homeschool on a shoestring...

1.     Go to the Original World Wide Web...the Library

In the day of the Internet, it’s easy to take this beautiful building for granted.  With all that you can do online, there’s still nothing that beats an actual book…for free.  Not only can you borrow books, but educational DVDs as well.  Take advantage of the library’s children programs and schedule them into your teaching week.  At our local library, weekly story time provides teaching of days of the week and weather, song and movement time and two stories with discussion.  After the story time, there is hands-on art or sensory time.  It’s a good opportunity to meet other kids and a huge bang for your buck considering it’s FREE!

2. Write it Yourself

It's not as hard as you think, especially for the early years.  Think of it more as systematic planning.  Pick something you want them to learn, say the continents then find a book (preferably at the library) and break it up into bite sized pieces.  Check out my Kindergarten Geography for a simple introduction to continents.  With Pinterest, there are so many ways to do things like this yourself without spending much money at all.

3.  Talk to your friends who homeschool kids a year or two ahead of yours...and be flexible

Some of the books I've used may not have been my top choice if I had a catalog to go through, but a science book for $4 can be pretty convincing.  I am blessed enough to be in line behind a couple different homeschoolers who have the habit of halving a book's price when they resell it.  This has been immensely helpful not only financially, but I have access to their opinion on the curriculum and even their lesson plan for the book.  

An offshoot of this is to get involved with a homeschool group.  Often times they’ll have used book sales online or in person.  We have not yet entered the land of cover schools and co-ops but I’m sure they will provide many curriculum benefits among other valuable things.

4.  Consider the Dry Erase Marker and Page Protector

For the twins’ Math this year, we used a page protector and a dry erase marker so they could share the book.  We also do a lot of partner work where they will work on the page together, one building the problem, the other writing, or vice versa.

The upside to this is you save money.  The downside is there’s no record of their work.  This may not be practical to continue, it but it's saved us money this year.

5. Look Around

Chances are, your kids own some books.  How about a unit study?  Or a Literature series on Bernstein Bears and one of their many books?  Most of our Literature has been from books we already have. Click here to see what on the Rinnagade Reading List.  We just read a story a night but you can easily plan an activity to go with the book the following day.

Or what about a study on plants…in your garden?  Sure you can pull in a book or website to enhance the study, but the hands on experience will likely leave the biggest impression on the kiddos.

6. Get Online

Our Phonics curriculum has been almost entirely online.  Starfall is an amazing site and although we've done some things with sight words and a Chicka Chicka Boom Boom tree, the boys have learned most of what they know about letters from this site.

Here's my other favorites:

The Bigsby Show

My Place with Jesus
PBS Kids
National Geographic for Kids

You Tube will help you find any song or video you can think of

Follow my "Homeschool Curriculum" Pinterest board to check out all the goodies I find online.

There are many homeschool blogs out there (besides mine ;)) so find one you love and follow it!  Many bloggers write and sell – or make available for free - their own curriculum.  

7. In the End...Know What to Spend Money On

You’ll have to spend some money so choose wisely.  Math  and Handwriting have been the only curricula we've been "married" to the past two years.  When you find something that works, stick with it; resisting trying every curriculum out there will save you a ton of money, too.  Don’t feel pressured to choose a “curriculum in a box” unless that will make your life much easier and you love everything about the kit.  Most of these choices are very expensive and you may be disappointed with one or more of the subjects.  For our family, the Eclectic approach to homeschooling has been the most rewarding (by giving us the most freedom) not to mention easiest on our checkbook because of flexibility.

If you are considering homeschooling but concerned about the cost, don’t let that be the deciding factor.  While there is cost involved, it is not a set in stone price and you can find many options for what works for your family.

Book Review: Yertle the Turtle

First, a Word on Seuss Stories...
We are in our Literature series of Dr. Seuss here at Rinnagade Academy and I could easily write a review on every story.  Over the next few weeks I will choose some of our favorites from the collection and try to offer a fresh perspective.

Who doesn't love Seuss?  Most Americans could rattle off ten of their favorite Seuss titles without hesitation and entire unit studies are dedicated to his work across elementary schools the week of his birthday.  He is indisputably one of the most prominent children's authors of all time...but why?  I've been reading Seuss to the boys since they were infants.  Not only are they fun to read ("Would you like them in a boat?") and incredibly well-written, but they're full of meaty messages, too.  As a child, the rhyming and crazy illustrations kept my attention but as a parent, I love finding the underlying message woven into so many of the stories.  Yertle the Turtle is one of those stories.  At a closer look, it is laced with heavy moral issues and ethical direction, but as Seuss stated early in his career, "Outside of my Beginner Books, I never write for children.  I write for people."

In our particular copy of Seuss the titles are sub headed by dates. This brings better perspective for parents as to what was going on in our country when the words were written.  We know all great literature at least scratches the surface of character and values, but to be accidentally teaching American history is an added bonus.  Seuss' stories give us opportunities to bounce lightly through rhyming stanzas of unrealized trepidation.  We can gently and subliminally teach powerful lessons about mankind through the journeys of imaginary characters.  There is much to be learned between the lines of a Seuss tale.

Does Seuss have an agenda with his books?  I think oftentimes, yes.  But, I've never read one I couldn't get behind.  I'm sure Dr. Seuss realized parents would be reading these books to their children and who better to influence in the idea of raising children than the parents doing it?

Yertle the Turtle
The story takes place on "the far-away Island of Sala-ma-Sond" where Yertle is King of the Pond.  All of the turtles are quite content to begin with plenty to eat, warm clean surroundings, and "everything turtles might need."  Then, greed reared its ugly head and Yertle the King decides the kingdom he ruled was too small.  Because he's ruler of all he sees, he decides he needs to see more and to do this, he must be higher up in the air - even desiring to surpass the moon that dares to be higher than him.  This is achieved by literally standing on the backs of the other turtles, using them as his throne.  Yertle becomes more hostile the more power he gets and the higher he goes (from nine turtles to five thousand, six hundred and seven high). There is little attempt by the turtles to free themselves of their plight except for one "plain little lad" named Mack who speaks up politely on behalf of the turtles about being hungry and hurting.  In the end it is this little lad's burp that shakes the tower and eventually causes Yertle to fall from his throne, leaving him King of the Mud...which is all he can see.  The story concludes that all the turtles are free and "maybe, all creatures should be."

There is a sentiment of Edmund Burke's famous quote: "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."  It's a classic tale of rooting for the underdog and him eventually being freed from the big bad super power but when you look from the other direction, we have much to learn from Yertle, as well.

Yertle the Turtle was originally published in 1958; not far beyond the shadows of World War II.  With one careful read of Yertle's character you'll see an uncanny resemblance to Hitler and Mussolini in his tyrannical approach to taking over the pond.  Yertle wanted more no matter how much he had and he abused the weak to get what he wanted.

If it feels a little far fetched for you to start teaching your Kindergartner about Hitler (and believe me, I have not approached this yet myself!), try these lessons on for size...greed, discontent, power struggle, and using the weak...that sounds a lot like sin.  It sounds a lot like pride and a certain evil someone's fall from grace.  That sounds a lot like the garden of Eden.  And even more practical than all that, it sounds a lot like a present day struggle to teach our kids (and ourselves) to resist wanting more, more, more....and to be content with what we have.  The truths of the story are universal and many.

Want more Seuss?
Buy the Book
PBS Kids Cat in the Hat
Seussville

Gluten Free Teriyaki Wings with Rice and Steamed Veggies

When I was diagnosed Celiac, I thought I'd be saying good-bye to beloved teriyaki sauce.  But thank goodness, there are yummy gluten free choices for this family favorite.  Just be sure the label clearly says "Gluten Free" because traditional teriyaki is not.

Ingredients:

1 lb. thawed/fresh chicken wings
1-2 servings Jasmine Rice
 (GF) Teriyaki Sauce
1-2 servings Fresh Broccoli and Carrots
Paprika
Salt
Pepper
Turmeric (optional)
1 c. chicken broth (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. **these wings would be great in a rotisserie, as well, if you have one.
2. Sprinkle wings with paprika, salt, pepper, and turmeric to season.
3. In a bowl, toss wings in teriyaki sauce to coat.
4. Bake chicken for about 30-35 minutes.
5.Once you put the chicken in, cook the rice per instructions on the package.  I like to replace the water with chicken broth because it makes the rice more flavorful.
6. Boil water in a steamer pot for your veggies.
7. When the chicken is done, brush with another layer of sauce.
8. Broil chicken for about 2-4 minutes to give it a nice crispy outside.
9. While the chicken broils, steam veggies.
10. Enjoy!

Ready or Not, Gluten Free/Casein Free Here We Come!

Okay so a GF/CF Diet is not really a destination but the going GF/CF is certainly a journey.

Having Celiac Disease, I've been gluten free for going on three years, but have never done an elimination/intervention diet with the boys.  The reason is that because they're such problem feeders, that's pretty much all they eat.  This is very common with kids on the spectrum - to be addicted to the foods that are worst for them.

But going GF/CF is not an "autism thing."  I mean, it certainly is, but it's not only an autism thing.

Do a quick Google search and any true health freak/green guru out there will speak against having gluten and casein in your diet.  At very least they will admit that you don't actually need these grains and dairy in your diet to eat nutritiously.

The core of our food intake should really be water, vegetables, fruit, lean meats and good fats.

It looks really good on paper; so does the thought of minimizing aggression, tantrums, belly aches, GI problems, sickness, stimming and zoning out - all things that a GF/CF diet claims to help with.  It's a no brainer, right?

It would be if it were easy and realistic.  Like if the grocery stores were lined with these foods clearly labeled...but they're not.  Even though it seems to be getting better, (I cannot fathom doing this ten years ago) this kind of eating requires label reading, research, and putting as much thought into what's on my grocery list as I did for some of my college papers!

There's a really human side to this that says: This is going to stink.  And not just for practicality reasons.

Food, whether we mean for it to be or not, is emotional.  We tie particular foods to celebrations like birthdays and weddings, we eat while we're out with friends, and family dinners connect us.  Call me a weirdo  but there's just something sad about knowing my kids will probably never eat some of their favorite foods again.  I, myself, went through a grievance of gluten as I realized all the food that gluten is in.  People say things all the time like, "I couldn't do it" or "If you could pick one cheat food, what would it be?" which proves to me it's not just me - there is a legitimate struggle in this!  Of course, I say this knowing full well it could be much worse.

We won't deal with the same initial shock some families do because pretty much all the boys have ever known is a "special diet."  We already show up to kids' birthday parties with special cupcakes, the boys have their own snack stashes at church and school, and I can be caught stealthy reading labels whenever we're on a playdate and offered food.  But this will still be a big adjustment.

Consider the most popular kid's foods...

Mac and Cheese: Gluten and Dairy
Grilled Cheese: Gluten and Dairy
Hot Dogs: Gluten and Casein in both
PB&J: Gluten and Dairy in the bread
Pizza: Gluten and Dairy
Chicken Nuggets: Gluten and Dairy

As you can see, kids are getting a double hit at almost every meal.  

Today at lunch, I served a GF Grilled Cheese.  Most people recommend to cut Casein first but because I'm so familiar with GF I went that route.  They ate it willingly and loved it, which is good news because that means we found a bread which can be one of the hardest foods to replace.

The next step will be to list all of their favorite foods and figure out how to replicate them.  I'm not talking about Frankenfoods - ya know, Tofu pretending to be something it's not like cheese or meat.   I'm talking about filling a desire; for instance, they love crackers.  Well, that's not going to be an option so finding something else crispy and salty, like a healthy chip, to replace it will be my quest.  Really my goal is to fill the boys' bellies with the list I mentioned earlier of what we should all be eating, but I've got to be realistic...we're going to have to baby step this.  Once we get accustomed to these changes, I can start removing more processed foods.

I know this is a change for the good; hopefully their nutritional intake will improve, aggressive behaviors and sickness will decrease, and we will move a few steps further on our road to recovery with Autism.

Nevertheless, my husband and I agreed this weekend we'd have one last hoo-rah, so at the grocery store today I picked up some new foods... and I also grabbed a bag of cheese puffs.  Cheetos All Natural White Cheddar Puffs are one of our favorite treats; they're additive free, so yummy, but also very full of dairy.  I haven't really prepped the boys for the change yet.  When I do prep them, I suppose I'll say something like "ya know how your bodies are out of control sometimes and your bellies hurt a lot?  Well turns out there's some foods that your body doesn't like.  So we're going to eat foods your body does like!"

And pray for the best.