Getting Excited for Fall

Oh I can feel it....I can sense the change in the air...fall is coming. Today we had a cool front and it was a little taste of fall heading our way. Usually we get a few 'teases' of fall, so we could be in the upper 90's again next week, but I'm going to enjoy this weather while I can! We let the windows down, air out the house, and get outside!! We can suddenly enjoy a bike ride, swinging, playing outside, without feeling like we'll die of heat exhaustion. The heat down here truly is an entity of itself, an angry demon you don't mess with. You avoid it with air conditioning and wait it out.

Fall means Saints football is back, and although that makes me a football widow because my husband watches EVERY SINGLE GAME he can, I enjoy a good game. Fall means a chance to wear and use the crochet things I make! Fall means leaves changing, apples, pumpkins, Thanksgiving is soon! I LOVE FALL!!

So, I've got my windows down, yarn out and enjoying it!

Even my guinea pigs love the cool weather!

Enjoy it!!
~~Amy

Fall Back...into Hell...

The seasons they are a-changing. I LOVE this time of year....the falling back, the cooler weather, warm slippers, long pj's on tiny humans, sweaters, hot chocolate, football, fires, no hurricanes, pumpkins, turkeys, mommy wanting to drink because her child has lost his ever loving mind....

er what?

Yes, perhaps you mommies of children with Autism or other special needs are aware of this phenomenon. I do NOT have any data to back this up, but my son's therapists have told me he's not unique that when the weather changes, seasons change or even if a bad storm is approaching, their children on the spectrum go NUTS.  Children who were making fine progress may regress, others may have rampant mood swings, others may stim a lot more than before, and overall it just drives parents/therapists/the poor old lady at walmart INSANE.

Eli has taken the rampant mood swing route. If I did not know he was a nearly 3 yr old boy, I'd swear he was PMS'ing. We LITERALLY had this exchange this morning...

"HI MOMMY!" (happy as can be)
"Hi Eli!" (returning happiness)
"I...want...jerky" (fruit strips from target)
"Okay buddy!"

Mommy gets out jerky, unwraps it, hands it to Eli..

Commence meltdown of Chernobyl proportions. I take jerky away. Screams. I give back. Screams.

This continues over EVERY DECISION HE COULD MAKE DURING THE DAY.
Socks on. Screams.
Socks off. Screams.
Needs Diaper changed. Screams.
Clean diaper on..Screams.

God bless naps and daddy being home on Sunday...

Let's just pray he adjusts to the temp/season changes soon...we're stuck home ALL DAY tomorrow awaiting a UPS package I have to sign for. Oh the suspense...

~~Amy

Home Again....New Directions, Cleaning and another Addiction...

Hello friends! I am home again after a recent trip to Gulf Shores, AL. It was beautiful, and a great trip for spiritual and family renewal and I am grateful we take such a trip every year!

I shall reopen my shops hopefully on the 10th. I'll be evaluating where I want certain items to go. I took advantage of the Artfire 5.95 a month deal and would like to refocus my energies on selling on Artfire for 2011. So we shall see how that goes as I reopen, move things around and put certain items on SALE :)

I'm still blogging also at Daily Handmade Picks if you've not taken a gander over there. I'm enjoying it, simple, short and to the point!

Our trip also brought me home with a new computer since our old one was slow as molasses, and that also brought me back to memory lane---I got Sims 3. I forgot how addicting that game is. So if ya'll don't see me make new stuff for awhile, you know why, I'm spending all of Eli's naps in Sims land! Nahh I don't have an addictive personality!

I also tried a nifty technique today. See, I am determined to get my household ORGANIZED so I can better focus my time on kids, house, work, creating, bible study, and fun. So today I tried my friend Dee's tip of cleaning for 10 minutes at a time. I decided to do 15 minutes every hour. So on the 45 of every hour I will clean, tidy, put away!

It is amazing how much you get done in that uninterrupted time! In 15 minutes I was able to load dishes, wipe down counter, make bed, pick up toys and clothes, sweep and still had minutes to spare to change a diaper!! :) I will not do the plan during Eli's nap which is my "work" time...sewing, creating, photographing, listing, etc. But I'm hopefully that I can keep it up. I'm guessing if you need a major DEEP clean you should do that first, then this is a great method at KEEPING things clean!

So what's new with you guys? How is your fall going? Fall is my favorite time of year! Cooler weather, football, hurricane season ends! Its also a time to clean out, decorate for harvest time (we don't do Halloween or Christmas but I love to prepare for Thanksgiving and fall season!) and just enjoy the beautiful weather!

And on that note guys, hot chocolate calls me!!

~~amy