Tag Archives: smile

Another Successful Party

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I must confess, I absolutely go crazy over birthdays. My kids birthday’s are probably more exciting to me than to them. I love getting to celebrate the day they came into my life and changed my world!

So yesterday was no different when we came together to celebrate Grant turning 9! First of all, I do not even know how nine years has flown by since Grant came into our lives and rocked our world. But it has. My littlest boy is getting ready to enter his last year in single digits.

When I was talking to him about where to have his party I knew what his choice would be. He chose a roller skating party. He did this for his party last year too and he just loves it. We rent out the rink so it’s just his party there. He gets to get out in his chair and roll around and feel like he’s just like everyone else. It’s the absolute best!

This year I had a week from the time I had to schedule his party to party day. I was really worried that his friends wouldn’t be able to make it and was really concerned when I had no RSVP’s except for those that I was able to invite on Facebook but I figured it didn’t matter we would have fun anyway.

Of course I was worried for nothing!! Some of his absolute best friends showed up and he had a blast just like I knew he would. He was all smiles as friends skated by him smiling and laughing right along with him. He had kids surround him as he sat waiting to eat cake. His smile radiated as we all sang Happy Birthday and the smile on his face when he opened presents was priceless.

One of my biggest fears when I found out he would have CP and especially as the realization set in that he wouldn’t talk was would he have friends. I never have to worry about that because look at this group that showed up to celebrate him!!

He opened presents of Fortnite characters, Hot Wheels cars, and a super big pack of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups which are his favorite. His friends know him so well, a couple of them got him cars with buttons on top that he can push himself! They were all so incredibly thoughtful and so excited to watch him open their gift! He also got several gift cards and he’s so excited to go buy Xbox games that he can play with his adapted controller.

I do have to share this super special card from his best friend. I knew these two were close and I even told my mom that I really think they are best friends. This sweet card from his best friend, Jenna, confirmed that!

I always like to take time at each kiddos party to take a look around and soak it in. Last night, as I did that, my heart was so full of pride and love!!

Moral of the story: Never underestimate children and their ability to see past the disability and accept exceptional children for who they are…even to the point of being best friends!

Have a blessed day!

What Are You Doing?

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That is the question I have been asked a lot lately. Well that and “Do you have any tips?”

Let me tell you a bit about the journey I’ve been on before I dive into answering those questions!

Almost three months ago I started a journey that was all about me. No I didn’t go to some exotic beach (although that sounds amazing) instead I decided to find myself again. Sound a little crazy? Or maybe a little too familiar?

So it’s no secret I’m a mom. Not just a mom but a mom to three amazing kiddos. You know how doctors get to talk about the letters after their name? Well I get to add a few awesome words to the beginning of mine and that is special needs mom. That makes life that much more incredible but also some days that much more difficult.

For the last almost 10 years (that can’t be right, can it? 2008…2018…yep! wow! okay, focus!) I have dedicated my entire being to the three little people that call me Mom. And don’t get me wrong it’s been truly amazing…I wouldn’t have it any other way. But in the midst of all that I lost sight of who I was…and I gained about 40lbs!

I know that doesn’t seem like much but here is where the special needs mom part comes in to play. It was getting extremely difficult for me to lift, hold and carry my 30lb son around. I was constantly out of breath. Constantly exhausted. Constantly in a fog. And he’s only going to get bigger so it’s only going to get even more difficult! Finally, on June 11th of this year I had said enough. I had my moment of “I just can’t do this anymore. I can’t live like this.” And I started my journey.

Now here I sit 20lbs lighter!!! Yes I said 20lbs lighter and it feels amazing. When I decided to start working on a healthier me I was the biggest I had ever been at 145.6lbs. Again, I know that’s not that big but when you are 5’3″ and up until about three to four years ago were never that big then it is a lot! Dropping 20lbs has completely changed my life. But it’s not the weight that makes me happy (although seeing 125 again put a huge smile on my face). Instead it’s the fact that I have more energy than I have I think since having my oldest. I am hardly ever out of breath anymore and the fog has lifted!! I can carry Grant for much, much longer periods of time without being out of breath. I can keep up with my crazy energetic two year old. I can get stuff done around the house even when I do take a sec to sit on the couch. I don’t sink into the couch and let it consume me because I just don’t have it in me to get back up. I feel like I have my life back.

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So enough with all that…how did I do it? It wasn’t a magic pill. No drink that I have to drink X amount of times a day (well except lots of water). It’s not a monthly subscription or auto-ship that in three to four months time I will not want to do it anymore and see no results but forget to cancel and get charged again (you know exactly what I’m talking about!).

It’s a lifestyle change…I’m following the Ketogenetic Diet.

Ugh…don’t you hate that word…diet? I know I do. It’s not a diet but like I said it’s a lifestyle change. It’s a low carb, high fat and moderate protein meal plan (does that sound better?).

This article from thrivestrive.com  perfectly explains what it is and why it works in terms that are easy to understand.

I have been posting my results throughout the last two and a half months on Facebook and Instagram. I have so many people asking me what I’m doing or if I have any tips so I decided to add an exciting piece to 8 Feet and a Set of Wheels.

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Every Wednesday I will be posting a “What’s For Dinner Wednesday” blog post. There I will share a delicious recipe with all of you. One that’s tried and true and of course tested and passed (some even from the pickiest 9 year old I know).

This has truly been the easiest lifestyle change I’ve ever made. I considered myself a very picky eater…veggies? Absolutely not!! But that has all changed for me! I get excited finding new foods and recipes to try!! And now I want to share all of that with you!

I will also be posting little tidbits of info over on our Facebook page. So make sure you “like” and follow to keep up with fun info!

Don’t worry…I’m not turning this into an all diet, all lifestyle change. Or a do what I do and you too can look like me blog!! Nope! I’m still going to be posting about life and the craziness around us. This is just something I am passionate about and want to share with all of you!

So stay tuned next week for our very first “What’s For Dinner Wednesday” post!!

Have a blessed day!

I Smile Because…

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Look at this picture…what do you see?

After looking for a second you will obviously notice Grace being silly and Grant cracking up.

Look a little longer and some of you might be saying “Look at the counter and sink!” Or “Look at all that junk all over the floor!” Or “Is that a TV in her kitchen?”

Yes! Look in the background. You will see chairs scattered, a printer on the floor, a misplaced Spongebob desk that needs fixed. You will see a broken TV that I have been needing to get rid of for a couple months and yes that’s a plate of food that looked like a good place for Grace to put it when I asked her to put it away because I was helping Grant.

You might also notice that beside Grace is a sink full of dirty dishes. They are in there because I didn’t get a chance to help Grant do his chore of unloading the dishwasher yet. You will find a dirty counter in need of a good cleaning because eating healthy requires a lot of mess in my kitchen.

Also, what you don’t see is on the floor beside Grant are some bags of groceries that are still sitting there from yesterday when we went grocery shopping. There are two baskets of towels and blankets that have been sitting since Friday because our weekend was so busy and I haven’t had a second to get them done.

But what you don’t see is that behind the camera I have the biggest smile on my face. I smile because of Grace being silly. I smile because of hearing Grant laugh (which is seriously contagious and can turn your bad upside down the moment you hear it). I smile because Gracie wanted me to fix pancakes this morning and the color of choice was pink and orange. I smile because I get to wake up each morning to three beautiful kiddos. I smile because these two are the silliest and love to make each other laugh.

I smile because in this picture there is no disability. There is no disapproval. There is no discrimination.

I smile because in this picture I see love. I see laughter. I see acceptance. I see a brother and sister truly enjoying each other’s company. And I see pride. Pride in these two little people I get to call my own.

Because of this…I smile!

Moral of the story: sometimes it’s easy to look deeper and see the bad and judge someone because of what’s in the background. But sometimes it’s okay to take it for what it’s worth and find the beauty in it and smile!

Have a blessed day!