This past month Little Guy had a lot of detox fatigue; he's been more tired than usual generally speaking. He's also had a bit more clarity about him in some ways; it's tough to put a finger on, but in addition he's had more interest in us more often.

He's also had some more difficult behaviors such as running back & forth & standing on the couch, which he's no where near coordinated enough to do safely (not that it should be done anyway). He's had his typical rashes in the regular places, but a new, small, itchy patch cropped up on his right upper back just recently. His homeopath feels they may be fungal related. The usual ones respond well to coconut oil & the creams she gave him, but the one on his back has not responded to the oil, so I'll have to try the homeopathic cream next.

Big Guy has had a lot more standing on the couch (huge parasite marker I'm told) & jumping. He's had some bouts of volitility, but no more than is typical for him I'd say. He's had a lot of "mushy" moments with us too this past month.

On the suggestion of his homeopath, after doing some research, I started him on MMS (Miracle Mineral Supplement) this past month too. Overall, his sleeping seemed to have improved & he appears to be reacting positively so far, but he's still on a really low dosage. Jim Humble discovered the stuff & it's supposed to kill all bad pathogens but leave the good ones, although I have heard of big yeast issues with it at the higher dosages. That just means I'll have to keep increasing his probiotics, because I've been going incredibly slow with that (he's really sensitive to it).

So the plan for this next month's packets is to continue clearing the meds from Little Guy's respitory issues when he was 8 months old. That was a bad time for him, with two episodes in a row landing him in the ER; the second time he was admitted overnight. She's also going to increase his parasite protocol, & include that in his packets as well. (They get "clearing packets" for a few days for the month, & "support" remedies for everyday that help with various issues). There's also going to be a liver protocol for him, which will help his ability to detox (a big problem for him).

Big Guy only began his MMR clears last month, so she's really going to ramp that up this month. There's also going to be a concentration on probiotic support, homeopathically, for both, & she'll also increase Big Guy's parasite protocol. I'm going to be increasing his MMS, slowly, & his probiotics that I give him daily.

One thing she's been speculating on from the get go is Lyme. We're in a high Lyme state, & about 40-50% of autistic children have Lyme involved. She's focusing more on this with Little Guy, & me. Lyme can be transmitted from moms to babes. I'm kind of a low risk person, but I have some issues that have been connected with Lyme as well. I'm still not so sure, although it's reasonable to bring it up. She's going to give Little Guy some remedies pertaining to Lyme this month, & we'll see about some reliable testing (the "usual" tests are typically not reliable).

Everything should be in next week. Then comes the organizing, re-doing of lists, & re-scheduling if necessary.

Onto month 6 of homeopathic treatments...

Jordan only asked to have a few friends over for cake during Family Camp for his birthday this year.  So we drove into town and bought a cake.  It rained and rained that day.  I had a video of us singing Happy Birthday to Ian along with The Phillips Family and two other friends at Family Camp (actually two of Kaitlyn's friends, Amanda and Arrij.) Anyway, in the video you can barely hear us singing b/c of the sound of the rain pounding on the canvas of the screen room above our picnic table.  However, the cake was delicious and Jordan was thrilled!

We even bought yellow candles... Jordan's favorite color!

I can't even believe he is FOURTEEN!

 

Last year  I read somewhere (Nancy commented that it was Jill Novak~ thanks, Nancy!)  about a "Prayer Box."   We decided to start this tradition in our home.  I found a pretty box (that looks like a present) and asked EVERYONE (children and dh) to write out several prayer requests (can't remember if it is 3 or 5).   Place them in the "Prayer Box" on New Year's Eve and we would read them on New Year's Eve 2008.   Everyone liked this idea.   Those prayer requests have set  in that box for 10 months and in just a few months we will take them out and read them.  We will also put new ones in for the coming New Year's Eve.  We will see how God worked....  I am sure we will laugh and we will cry.....   but we will witness the hand of God. 

             our *Prayer Box*

Just today I was reading over at Holy Experience and Ann shared  how her family was going to start a tradition from Leslie's blog.    I was reading at Leslie's blog and it is such a great idea I think we will start this one too!   It is a "Thanksgiving Box."   

Here is what Leslie shared~ 

Throughout the year, anyone (even a guest) is encouraged to place a note of thanks to God.  These tiny messages of praise and thanksgiving have ranged from "Thank You, God, that I found my lost shoe" to "Thank you, Lord, for water from the creek, while the pipes were frozen"  to "Praise God for Jesus'  saving grace in my daughter's life, as she has made a full surrender to You".   They are written on post-a-notes, receipts, envelopes and scraps, then folded and deposited through a hole in the top of the can.  Sometimes, this is done secretly, the note folded many times, enclosing a penny or a drawing.  At other times, the author of the note draws much attention to the fact that they have a special note of thanksgiving to add to our box.  If you would like to read more at Leslie's blog  here is the link~

http://weblog.xanga.com/wetherill

I am very excited about this new tradition.....    Michael & Amber will be here this coming Sunday so I am going to share with ALL of us about our "Thanksgiving Box."    We can start putting our thanks in the box that we are thankful for.....     and next month or somewhere between Thanksgiving & Christmas ~ maybe "Tree Decorating Night"  we will read all of them.   I think after we read them we will pray....   and then file our "thanks" in a special place and write the year on them.   Another way to show my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren how we trusted God and PRAISED HIM! 

Now, our God, we give you thanks and praise Your glorious name.  I Chron.  29:13

Here are the links.... to give credit for these great new traditions that have touched my heart~

www.holyexperience.blogspot.com ~ Ann Voskamp

http://www.xanga.com/wetherill  ~  Thanksgiving box

www.remembrancepress.com   ~  this is Jill Novak

www.giftoffamilywriting.com   ~  Jill's too

Thanks for letting me share.... 

Wyatt & Wesley  

Best friends.... and brothers~ 

In attempt to "get over" my desire to post process until I'm cross-eyed I am posting pictures from today's field trip and last night's visit from Papa Bill.
Enjoy...

Walking up to the falls....

Trying to get a little cool spray from the waterfall.  It was an incredibly warm day.

Another family who was there snapped a picture of us!  Baby girl was NOT happy about having her photo taken...

Later she perked up a little...
"Rosie" came along for the trip too...

Baby girl washing a little boo-boo off in the cool water...

"Mom, my toe is still bleeding!"

"I'm going back to the water!"

Here's a few from last night when Papa Bill joined us at football practice.

I did fool around with this one a little because it was dark but I loved Baby girl's expression when I called her name.



In Him,

Boy, do I ever need some help.

We are moving to Alaska.  That's the good news.

My New York home is overrun with books.  That's the problem.

I have decided to list them on my website http://candyfoote.com/ 

That could take me a while!!!

Well, I have managed to put a few of them on it.

It seems to take quite a bit of time.

I have included shipping and handling in the listed prices.  Not one item is more than $5.00.

Please, please, please check it out!

If you don't see something you are interested in, then check back another day.

It will take me quite awhile to list all of these books.

I really can't take all of these books to Alaska with me.

Thanks,

Candy

I love you!

I've been trying to decide whether to close this blog or keep it up. I am no longer homeschooling my children, but I have LOTS of product reviews stored here and I really don't want to take them down in case they might be helpful to someone. Also, I still like to share good sale information or news about good finds related to homeschooling. Someone commented that this blog is only advertising. I don't feel that's true - it's just that I don't have anything to share about homeschooling because I am no longer involved with that as a part of my daily life. So, I will continue to share good finds and leave the product reviews available to those that find them in their Google searches!

"Do Hard Things.” That’s the title of a book by Alex and Brett Harris, twin brothers of Josh Harris of “I Kissed Dating Goodbye” fame.  

If you haven’t read the book, I think you’d find it worth your while. While the book is aimed at teens, it has some real lessons for everyone. I know I stepped away from it reflecting on its lessons for me.

The premise of the book is that society sets expectations for teens ridiculously low, that teens are capable of excellence in their spiritual and material lives, and that the revolution – or as the twins like to say, rebelution -- is already underway.

The book outlines ways for teens to identify their weaknesses and overcome them and ways they can maximize their strengths. It’s packed with real life examples. Above all, it’s a cheerleader in print – a “you can do it” book.

You won’t mistake “Do Hard Things” for C.S. Lewis or Chesterton or any of the deep thinkers of Christianity. It’s more along the lines of the ever popular motivational books that sell by the millions today – but with the twist of simple spiritual substance where many of those books lack it.

I think that if my children were still teens and I wanted them to read “Do Hard Things,” I’d want to make it a discussion book, one that all of us would read and talk about. On the other hand, teens in the throes of rebellion or lacking a good relationship with their parents would benefit from a read-alone approach.

The book would make a very good gift for public school students who long for something more challenging and meaningful in their lives.

Finally, if you read the book yourself, look for the lessons that can apply to our job as parents. Homeschooling can sometimes be one of the very big “hard things” we do in life, and you’ll find help in mustering the courage and tenacity to stick with it as well good examples of what it means to not give up when the going gets tough.

Tammy Drennan homeschooled her sons from 1985 through 2003. She now works as a writer and tutor and maintains several web sites and blogs, including www.educationconversation.wordpress.com and www.homeschoolstarter.com

I was in JoAnn’s this week picking up supplies for a couple of homeschool co-op classes I am teaching and found that my educator discount card was expired!  I sure was glad that I had my teacher ID card with me so they would issue me a new discount card.   

Did you know that you can print a free teacher ID card and ID cards for your kids online?  Here is the site where you will find them. All you need to do is fill out the form on their website and they produce the card and email it to you in pdf format. From there you can print it out or even have it laminated.  

There are A LOT of places that offer a discount for teachers, so be sure to ask wherever you purchase things for your school.  Some of the places I have discount cards are Barnes and Noble, Borders, and JoAnn’s. 

Happy Homeschooling,

Jamin

Happy Show and Tell Friday.  I am feeling under the weather but I wanted Show and Tell Friday to continue on.  I want to wish you a early Happy Canadian Thanksgiving. ( It is celebrated on Monday)  The history is different up here than in the U.S.A.  To find out the history please follow these links.

HERE and HERE

Now....

*** Remember in Show and Tell Friday ...the best way to get a comment is to give a comment. ***

If you want to join us

just...

~Make a Show and Tell Post and make sure it is wholesome.   It can be pretty much what ever you want to share.  It could be about you ...or your family ....or what is going on in your homeschooling.

~Some how link me ( Canadagirl ) so others will know where to go to join S&T.

~Come back to me and  let me know you posted your S&T by using Mr. Linky. ( I need you  to tell me each week that you want to participate  , okay ? )

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~Then , please go visit other gals wonderful Show and Tells !