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Top 10 Posts from 2014 {Link Up!}

January 10, 2015 by Emilee Evans

Top 10 Posts from 2014
I still can’t believe 2014 has already come to a close! I wanted to share the Top 10 Posts from 2014! To see my Top Posts overall, be sure to check out the Top Posts in my side bar! I will be sharing my 2014 in Review this coming week as well! It was a rough year, but I hope to share more solid, helpful posts in 2015!
This list is comprised based on total number of views from posts written in 2014! Thank-you so much for your support in 2014, and I can’t wait to share more this year!
Let’s start with #10 and work up to the top post of 2014!
#10 High Protein, No Powder Book Review. This is a fantastic book and is perfect for kicking off a healthy new year! Make protein bars and powder with whole foods and say good-bye to powder and processed alternatives!
High Protein No Powder Book
#9 Canyon Bakehouse Review. Are you looking for some tasty, gluten-free breads? No matter how hard I tried to make my own, it was something I couldn’t quite get down, so I was excited to find some gluten-free breads our whole family loves!
Cinnamon Raisin gluten free breads review
#8 Chewigem Discreet Chewelry. This is one of our favorite products we got to review in 2014! As a family with special needs, we appreciate companies that understand and create products for special needs. Our daughter and I each got to review discreet necklaces.
Chewigem Discreet Stylish Sensory Chewelry
#7 Homeschooling Essentials Printer and Copier. This was one of the posts from the 5 Days of Homeschooling Essentials. I share how important it is to have a good copier and printer – an essential we use almost daily!
Homeschooling Essentials
#6 Finally a Reliable Pencil Sharpener!. Another homeschool essential is a reliable pencil sharpener, and I had a chance to review the Classroom Friendly Pencil Sharpener – easy to use and reliable!
Pencil Sharpener Review
#5 Super Teacher Worksheets Review! Are you looking for worksheets for a variety of grade levels and subjects? Super Teacher Worksheets has over 10,000 PDF files for easy printing and use!
Valentine's Worksheet
#4 Woo Bamboo Eco Toothbrush Review! We’re always looking for healthier products for the family, and we were excited to discover an eco-friendly toothbrush!
Woo Bamboo Review
#3 My VeggieTales Day. VeggieTales Day was definitely one of my personal highlights for 2014 as well! It was amazing getting to know more about VeggieTales, those behind VeggieTales, and get sneak peeks of the Beauty and the Beet movie and VeggieTales in the House on Netflix (both are available now!) I even got to try my hand at voice over work (which I just realized I still need to add that clip to the post!).
VeggieTales Day
#2 5 Advantages to Using a Tablet in Homeschooling. I’m not sure why I didn’t include a tablet in the Essentials of Homeschooling because it is definitely a tool we use regularly – and for good reason! I shared 5 of the advantages we have found with using a tablet in homeschooling!
advantages of using a tablet in homeschooling
and…. *drum roll*
#1 Tailgating with Wilton Armetale. Are you looking for a good grilling or tailgating recipe? I share my recipe for marinated pork chops and how we prepared in on the grill with an amazing grillware bowl from Wilton Armetale!
Wilton Armetale Bowl Tailgating Recipe
I hope you enjoyed my Top Posts of 2014 countdown! If you’re a blogger I’d love for you to share yours as well – link up below! I will be sharing a more detailed 2014 in Review this coming week as well, so stay tuned!

An InLinkz Link-up


 

Homeschooling Sensory Seekers

September 4, 2013 by Emilee Evans

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Homeschooling with Special Needs
Day 2 of my 5 Days of Homeschooling with Special Needs is “Homeschooling Sensory Seekers.” Although our three children are very different in many ways they do all have one thing in common – sensory seeking. Our oldest is on the Autism Spectrum, and as you may know, many children on the Autism spectrum exhibit sensory related behaviors as well. His are fairly mild in the sensory avoidance area but plentiful in the sensory seeking area. Our daughter and youngest son both have Sensory Processing Disorder (I will be sharing a post soon on how Autism Spectrum and Sensory Processing Disorder are NOT the same) and both have sensory seeking and sensory avoiding behaviors.
I’m sure you’re wondering now if our days get pretty crazy. The short answer is “yes.” I have to be very in tune with what behaviors are present that day and work with them the best I know how. Sometimes one is having a high sensory day while another isn’t getting enough sensory input. So it CAN be a tough balance, but I just handle each day as they come. Tomorrow I will be covering Sensory Overload.

So, what is sensory seeking?

Sensory seeking happens when the person (I don’t say child because I have Sensory Processing Disorder as well – it is not limited to just children) isn’t getting enough sensory input. They will act “hyper” as some people may call it because they can’t sit still. They may chew on their pencil, kick their feet a lot, jump out of their seat often, draw all over their paper, and overall have a hard time concentrating. It can be exasperating, but instead of throwing in the towel we should look at ways to accommodate their needs and still make it through the homeschool day.
Every person is different, but I want to share some general tips we have found helpful for our household!

Change their seat

Many times movement can help with sensory input and still allow them to concentrate on their work. Instead of using a standard chair switch it up to something that can offer that such as: an exercise ball or wiggle seats. I also saw in a store recently a bungee chair. Even a rocking chair or swivel chair may be a good solution if you have one. The important thing is that they are able to move around easily without the need to get out of their chair often.

Take frequent breaks

We take a break in between each subject. Sometimes it’s simply a 5 min break or up to 15 minutes if that is what is needed. If I can tell one of our kids is in desperate need of sensory input I will suggest they jump on the trampoline for a few minutes. We have a small indoor trampoline that I got in the fitness aisle of a store, which was more reasonably priced than others I had seen, but it is still a little trampoline. We do also have a large one outside now as well. I don’t generally use the one outside in the middle of our homeschool day (though we will at the end for PE or just to play) because getting them to come back inside can be quite a hassle!
If you don’t have a trampoline available you can play quick, high-activity games that get them running and moving!
Homeschooling Sensory Seekers

Provide other resources

Does your child fidget with or chew on their pencil? Our oldest son does this. Instead of replacing pencils a couple times a week it made more sense to give him things he COULD fidget with and chew on such as: fidgets, chew tubes, a chewable pencil topper, etc. That way he was still getting the input he needs without ruining the pencil and getting the materials from the pencil in his mouth.

Do more hands-on work

As I mentioned in my Homeschooling with a Chronic Condition post, it’s not always easy for me to do a lot of hands-on work depending on the day. Luckily, not all days are “bad days,” and a lot of hands-on work is the perfect solution when your child is in need of additional sensory input. Let them get dirty, make a mess, do their work outside, etc. You may feel at first it’s counterproductive, but you’ll learn that the more input they get will also mean better results on their schoolwork as well!

Have patience

The best way to tackle the day when your child is sensory seeking is to have patience. I know this can be a hard one because I, for one, am NOT a patient person overall. I find starting our day with Circle Time and prayer (and some at-home therapy) helps me to gauge their overall “mood” for the day. If I know one, two, or all three are having a day where they need additional sensory input I adjust the day’s plan accordingly and prepare to be patient.
I know you’re probably thinking “how do you prepare to be patient?” I simply change my mindset and expectations. There will be a lot of jumping out of chairs, yelling the answer, fidgeting, etc., unless I have fully utilized all the resources above, so I know to be prepared and not instantly correct with sharpness but rather with a reminder and redirection. If I discover I misjudged and needed to include more fidgets, then I do so. I also find praying that I will acknowledge that and move forward to have the best day we can really helps me to not overreact but respond lovingly and with consideration.
So where do you get those type of products? NationalAutismResources.com has a variety of products like the products I mentioned.
My 5 Days of Homeschooling with Special Needs was meant to be part of a large blog hop by other Schoolhouse Review Crew members. Although my posts are coming very late, you can still check out the blog hop by clicking on the picture below! Many different topics were covered, and I know you will find something amazing!
Summer Blog Hop
 
autism products

Homeschooling Special Needs Children – It IS possible! Our Story

June 25, 2013 by Emilee Evans

If you have a special needs child (or children) and are considering homeschooling I hope you will read through this post (I apologize mine is a little long) as well as the other great posts in this Blog Hop, which you will see at the bottom of the post and that you will feel encouraged and empowered! Homeschooling special needs children IS possible!

Homeschooling Special Needs

When I knew we were expecting our first I knew I wanted to homeschool. I actually knew that if I was blessed to be a mom I wanted to homeschool.
I am very blessed that I married a Godly man who is very supportive of homeschooling. There was hardly a discussion – more of a known agreement. God had really placed it on both of our hearts. We’re going to be parents! God is blessing us with this child (eventually, children), and it is our responsibility to raise them, which includes educating them.
It wasn’t based on anything we knew or grew up with. Neither of us were homeschooled and didn’t know very many people who were or who were homeschooling their children. We were excited to embark on the journey of parenthood and all the responsibilities it entailed nonetheless including their spiritual guidance and education.
Our oldest son was such a sweet, easy baby, and we were so excited to be parents. When he was around 15 months old we realized something wasn’t quite right. I was almost due with our daughter when we first discovered he had a definite speech delay and the first mention came up that he might have PDD-NOS, which is high functioning on the Autism Spectrum.
To be honest, we blew off the idea. He was a toddler! He was just frustrated because he had a speech delay, which is probably genetic because my husband had one. This is what we told ourselves until the behaviors escalated.
To make a long story short we went through a few more evaluations (and a few misdiagnosis) before there was a roundabout that came back to – you guessed it – PDD-NOS. Our son is on the Autism Spectrum. They say that with a diagnosis a little bit of your hopes and dreams for your child dies, but mine started fading in the evaluations, referrals, etc. Everything I thought I knew about our plans as parents, as a family, were becoming blurry.
Homeschooling? How? We had to request a disability-based move from two-story to one-story housing because I couldn’t control my child and my pain disorder and still feel like everybody (including his little sister) was safe. The feeling was overwhelming.
Light It Up Blue for Brayden
So, by the time he was 3 he was in a special education preschool class, and he did very well. Of course, I would get reports back about his typical triggers, but overall, it seemed to be really good for him with the exception of his bad attitude. I figured he was just cranky from no longer getting a nap.
I talked to his teacher who was wonderful, and one of my biggest concerns I expressed was how would I explain to him later on why his siblings were going to be homeschooled but he wouldn’t. Yes, I had made up my mind. There was no way I could homeschool him. He NEEDED that environment, right? It seems to be what so many people recommend and we’re led to believe. I took my focus COMPLETELY off of God and gave into my fears.
By the time Kindergarten rolled around God was using people he had placed in my life to speak to me and encourage me. Some were homeschooling children on the Autism spectrum, and they were telling me how much BETTER their child was doing since they were homeschooled. Some didn’t have special needs children but were just amazing, loving examples that shared their hearts with me.
I may have hardened MY heart to His Will, but they were listening and He was working through them to reach me. Would you believe I ignored them? I sent him to Kindergarten at the public school I was so convinced he needed. It was a nightmare. This decision that I thought was so right finally slapped me in the face as being clearly WRONG. I withdrew him from public school the second week, and we have been homeschooling ever since.
Homeschool
Not everybody will have that “A ha!” moment like me, and I pray they don’t have to. I pray that if you are feeling like I did – like you can’t possibly homeschool a special needs child – stop. Take a moment (maybe a long moment) and just listen to what God is trying to tell you. He may be talking to you through your friends or a nudging at your spirit, but consider the cost if you don’t listen.
I pray nobody has to have negative experiences to say “woah! this is wrong!” That is what it took for me, and that is exactly why I created this project. I wanted others to share their experiences as well. I want to encourage others before they hit that wall. Maybe you have hit that wall and you’re still uncertain. I’ll pray for you. Maybe your child still has a couple of years until they’ll be in Kindergarten but you’ve already made up your mind – I encourage you to open up again! You CAN do it!!
We are proof that you can homeschool special needs children. Yes, children. Plural. All three of our children have special needs. Our younger two children have Sensory Processing Disorder – as it turns out – so do I! Can you imagine the despair I would have felt if I hadn’t decided to trust God and homeschool our children. I would be homeschooling none of them because they all have special needs.
We’re definitely not the most likely family to homeschool. We DO have hard days. I have pain flare-ups still, the kids have hard moments and meltdowns, and my husband helps when he cans, but he has had cancer twice, so he has his bad days as well.
But do you know what? We’re doing it! The kids are happy and healthy and plugging along! Our oldest son’s behaviors have improved considerably since we started homeschooling. You see, what “they” said we needed was the exact opposite. He needs his parents who love him, understand him, and care about his spiritual life. He needs to be taught how to live out in the world, not in a class room with same-age peers. They all do.
There are things about our special needs children that we cannot change, but what we can do is pray for them, love them for who God made them to be, and learn from them. Yes, I’ve learned a lot from my children, and our whole family has been blessed by homeschooling. I pray we will be a blessing to yours as well.

Homeschool

In addition to the Blog Hop, some homeschooling moms with special needs children wanted to share some words of encouragement:
“Nobody cares about your child like you do. Being there daily to help them deal with all the challenges can make all the difference.” – Karen @ Harbor Lights
“When I took my son (high-functioning Autism Spectrum) out of school it was because he was small for his age, needs were not being met at school, and {he} would have been entering a middle school that would have been disastrous for him. It has been hard at times, but we’ve never regretted our decision. He has come a long long way with learning life skills and educationally too. We still have difficult days, but we just keep looking forward…..” – Susan G.
“Trust that God has a purpose for putting this desire in your heart and move forward with faith and prayer. You know your child best and no one else is more invested in his/her best interests and education than you are!” – Sara @ Embracing Destiny
“It’s very possible to homeschool a special needs child. No matter how bad you think your day has been your child has learned more that day than being in a classroom!” – Houry
“You may be on the fence about homeschooling your child but that all changes when you see your child’s face just light up because they finally start understanding and they get this look of I CAN DO IT! :)” – Sharon

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DIY Mother's Day Gift

May 9, 2013 by Emilee Evans

Mother’s Day is this Sunday! Already?? If you’ve been busy like I have you might be pressed for time when it comes to buying or making a Mother’s Day Gift. Maybe you want to make a gift because you feel like it’s more personal but because there isn’t much time left you’re afraid you can’t. Well, I’m going to share a recipe for a DIY Mother’s Day gift that will take you only 10-15 minutes to make! Not only will it save you time, but it’s also very cost-efficient as well and something that will make Mom feel pampered, which is exactly what Moms deserve! A DIY sea salt scrub!
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Regardless, I only recommend products I use and feel are good for my readers.

Sleepy Time DIY Sea Salt Scrub

This sleepy time sea salt scrub is a great way to unwind after a long day full of mom duties. Made with a Night Time essential oil blend to promote relaxation and help Mom wind down.
What you will need:
1/4 cup of finely ground sea salt (or ground to your preferred texture)
1/4 cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Essential Oil of Your Choice
1/4 measuring cup
Mixing bowl
Rubber spatula
Recycled or new container
In my recipe I am using a Night Time essential Oil blend, but you can use any essential oil. (*Update 5/7/15 – The company I used to buy essential oils from like the one used in this recipe no longer offers them. I use and recommend Young Living Essential Oils and would recommend RutaVaLa for this particular recipe).* Lavender is also a popular essential oil used in pampering products and would be good fort his recipe. Please remember my tip in my DIY isn’t always “natural” post – make sure you use essential oils NOT fragrance oils! Fragrance oils are synthetic whereas essential oils are natural. When mom is pampering herself you also want to be able to rest assured that the ingredients are safe!
DIY Sea Salt Scrub
First I ground the salt until I had 1/4 cup of Sea Salt and added it to my mixing bowl. Then I measure *just under* 1/4 cup of the Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I find the full 1/4 cup is just a tiny bit too much, so I make sure I use just a little less. I add it to the Sea Salt in the mixing bowl and mix them with the rubber spatula. I then add 3-5 drops of the essential oil. I mix it up again, and that’s it! Easy, right?

salt scrub

The final step is choosing a container! If you’re like me, you like to recycle containers and have a variety of containers saved up for such an occasion. If you don’t, though, no problem! Check your local craft store, beauty store, retail store, etc. You’ll be surprised where you can find the perfect container! You can even add a special touch by decorating the container in a way you know she will appreciate! Remember, though, since this container will likely be used in the shower/bath stickers would need to be waterproof or they will come off. Decorated container or not, the gift is Mom knowing you thought of her enough to make something special she can use to pamper herself and feel appreciated!
salt scrub
For more great Mother’s Day gift ideas for under $25 or even to share your own head over to NerdWallet for the Mother’s Day Your Way Contest!
*Runner-Up!* I’m excited to announce my DIY sea salt scrub was nominated as a Runner-Up in the NerdWallet contest!
 

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