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Life Update

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Life happens.  I think my life is happening a little too much at the moment.  I had to take some time off due to events.  I can’t seem to catch a break or relax enough.  Right now I do what needs to be done, then I just can’t do anymore.  I just listen to music or podcasts.  It’s all I have energy for.

My son is still having problems.  School is a month away.  Right now he is in day treatment.  He absolutely hates it.  He goes for three hours a day.  Many of the kids in treatment with him are physically violent or swear and use every manner of bad language.  It is common to hear a 7 year old scream at the top of his lungs “F*ck You, you stupid c*nt.” Wonderful.  My son has Sensory Processing Disorder and High Functioning Autism.  He hates this.  He also says he is hit for no reason.  I know he is telling the truth.  Unfortunately, if the therapists don’t see it, they can do nothing.

I hate to send him here.  However, there is no other place to go.  If I could find a therapist willing to see my son several times a week I would.  There isn’t anyone like that.  Therapists have long waiting lists.

I have even started to have my own panic attacks. I have had 3 so far.  I will definitely need my own medication adjusted.  I’ve avoided a few places because of the attacks which I shouldn’t do.  Bad example for my son.

On a happier note, my family has acquired two new members. We adopted two 12 week old kittens, brothers, from a local pet rescue.  One is a tuxedo cat (black and white) named May.  The other is a grey/brown striped Tabby named Winter.  They were for my son as a way to help distract him from his depression and anxiety.  He was so thrilled to get them.  Check out my Instagram for photos.

I get the joy of cleaning the litter box and feeding them. They are very curious about everything.  Just for the record, I am allergic to cats. I have 5 air filters going all the time.  So far I am getting by.

I also made some zucchini muffins and banana cake.  Check out the blog for recipes.

We have also had issues with insurance. They are giving us the run around on my son’s treatment. I’m sure some random doctor in another state who has never met my son is qualified to decide what treatment he should receive and what he should not.  My son right now is in a day treatment program.  This is the only one we could get him into.  Some programs have three year waiting lists.  We could not wait any longer than a few days.  My son needed therapy.  So he has been going to this program Monday thru Friday for three hours.  He absolutely hates it.

I knew he would.  When I was filling out the paperwork for it, they had two pages on parole officers, and court ordered treatment.  I didn’t feel this was right for my son.  My son has anxiety and depression.   He is not a juvenile delinquent. He is with the 12 and under group.  However these kids are not like the kids he was with in his stabilization places. As stated in the first paragraph, it’s not a good environment.

Starting this month insurance will only pay for three days.  My husband and I can pay for one, and he will have one day off.  I am hoping he can survive being back at school full time.  He has expressed anxiety.  I can only hope for the best.

Until next time.

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10 Things to Clean Today

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There are so many things we forget to clean. Little things that sometimes get missed. Here is a little reminder to clean those easy to forget things.

  1. Wash those trash cans! Trash doesn’t always stay in the bag.  Things leak.  Every 4-6 months I give them a good soak, scrub if needed and rinse.  Keeps them from smelling.
  2. Clean your fake plants.  Yup, they need a good clean every now and then. Dust accumulates on the leaves and blooms.  Give them a good shake, use a blow dryer or a damp cloth to get them clean.
  3. Dust those hanging lights.  Dust and cobwebs are sometimes hard to find.  So give them a good clean every season.
  4. Clean the toothbrush holder.
  5. Ear buds and cellphone or charger.  When was the last time you cleaned your phone accessories?
  6. Reusable bags.  Can you wash them or wipe them out?  Sometimes things leak or get crushed in those bags.
  7. Dish rack.
  8. Clean off your bulletin board. School is about to start, you will need the space.
  9. Wash those backpacks and lunchboxes from last year.
  10. Clean those fall coats if you haven’t done so, and get them out of storage.

Happy Cleaning!

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10 Things to Clean This Month

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I’m a recovering neat freak. If you look around my house today you will see crap everywhere.  Stuff on the floor.  Stuff on the counters. Unmade beds. Nine years ago, this would have drove me crazy.  Now, to be honest, I just don’t care.  Well, I shouldn’t say that.  I do care. I just don’t care enough with all the stuff going on in my life right now.  Priorities right?  However, I still have time to clean those little pesky things that are easily forgotten.  They are usually quick and not part of your everyday cleaning routine.

So here are my 10 things you need to clean.  Do it right now!

1. Stove top Knobs.  I clean the oven, I clean the stove top, but sometimes the knobs themselves get missed.

2. The back splash in the kitchen.  Honesty, mine never looks dirty enough to clean.  However, upon closer inspection there are several tomato sauce splatters (spots) that needed attending to. So take a closer look everyone, there might be a few teeny, tiny items that need some love.

3. The tops of picture frames.  They are always dusty.

4. When was the last time you went through your sock drawer? Get rid of the socks that have seen better days.  Get rid of the ones that don’t have a mate.  Let it go.

5. Wipe out your makeup drawer or makeup case.  Have you ever cleaned it?

6. Wash your brushes too while your at it.

7. Replace your toothbrush.  Well, we are in the bathroom at the moment.

8. Have you wiped off your scale ever?

9. Clean your rings.  Is your engagement ring getting a little grimy?  Take it in to get clean and checked to give it a clean yourself.

10.  Floor lamps.  Give them a little dusting.  The bases and the shades always hold dust.

Happy Cleaning!

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10 Clutter Items to Toss

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Clutter, clutter everywhere.  We always read articles about reducing clutter.  We watch TV shows and listen to podcasts on it.  When it come time for us to do it we are paralyzed with fear. Will we need the item? We paid a lot for that.  Where should we start first?  All of these things run through our mind before we start.  This inner dialogue slows us down and prevents us from moving forward.  To help alleviate this backlog of crap I’ve written 10 things you can throw away today.

  1. Old magnets.  Do you really need 30 magnets to commemorate every road trip?  Clear that clutter by keeping only the ones you use or really like.
  2. Cleaning Supplies. How many buy 3 get one free sales have you shopped? Maybe it’s time to pare down and streamline.
  3. Recipe Books. Recipe books are wonderful. They do take up a lot of room.  How many recipes do you use from each book? In each recipe book, I have had maybe three or four recipes that I look up.  The rest I never use.  I finally got to the point where I photocopied all the recipes out of each book that I used.  What I was left with was a small stack of paper that I could store easily.
  4. Files. Everyone stores paperwork don’t they? How often have you gone through those files?  Sort through them now and toss what you are done with. Paperwork piles up.
  5. Old Spices. This is one area of the house where things pile up for me. I buy Dill for one recipe and never use it again. Spices do have an expiration date.  Check them out.
  6. Mugs.  All those novelty mugs need to go. Enough said.
  7. Condiment Packages. All those extra Chicken McNugget sauce packets or ketchup packages you have are garbage.
  8. Flat Pillows.  Have an old pillow that is flat?  One you constantly fold and scrunch to get comfortable. Get rid of them.  It’s okay to replace them or just let them go.
  9. Old Candles. How many half burned candles do you have lying around your house?  Unless you burn them on a regular basis get rid of them.  All those candle nubs?  Let them go.
  10. Pet Toys. Is your pet fickle?  Mine is.  I have bought her several different types of dog toys and all she wants to do is play with a stuffed duck.  She has gone through 25 stuffed ducks since we have had her.  I got rid of the rest of the toys.
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5 Ways To Save Money

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Saving money, saving money.  Those words often keep running through my head. When I was young I thought that I”d have a ton of money.  I would be able to own amazing  things and never worry about bills.  So young, so naive.  To be realistic, saving money is part of the plan. Always.  Often ways of saving money mean you have to nickel and dime it. Below are some ideas to help you along the way.

  1.  Don’t save credit card info on your computer/iphone.  Make yourself get up and get that card.  Even that tiny act of waiting can make you think about whether or not you really need something.
  2. Get your books from the library.  Ok, I’m really guilty of not doing this.  I justify my expenses because I love to read obscure books.  I rarely get best sellers or common reads.  However, I really need to consider this next time I am in the bookstore.  Thank God for iphone photos.  If I want a book I can just snap a photo and next time I am at the library I can look it up.
  3. Meatless Meal Nights.  Everyone knows about meatless Mondays.  How about instead of just Monday, you do meatless Monday, and Wednesday?  Or Monday, Wednesday, and Friday? Meat is expensive.  Eat in season veggies.
  4. Batch your errands together. It not only saves gas, but also time!
  5. Do your laundry in cold water.  It costs money to heat up water for the wash cycle. Your clothes will still get clean.

There’s you 5 for this month.  Happy saving.

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5 Ways To Help The Environment You Can Try Right Now!

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Trying to be environmentally friendly but don’t know where to start?  Here are five quick tips that you can incorporate into your everyday life.  Which ones are you going to try?

  1. Reusable containers. We all know about storing leftovers right?  You can also use these containers to carry you lunch, thus eliminating the need for both plastic and paper bags.  If you are going to a restaurant that loves to give large portions take a reusable container for the leftover.  Styrofoam never biodegrades! You can also use these containers for craft items, office supplies and storage for a variety of things.
  2. Tote Bags.  I can remember a time when no one bought reusable bags to the grocery store. Now it is common place. Just remember to keep the bags close at hand.  It doesn’t help if you forget to bring the bags with you.
  3. Don’t use beauty products with microbeads. Microbeads are micro plastic beads used to exfoliate the skin.  These plastic products like their bag counterparts don’t biodegrade and end up in our water supply. Yum!
  4. Save water.  There are many ways you can save on water usage.  You can install low flow toilets and shower heads. Update your appliances to make them energy efficient.  Turn off the water when you brush your teeth.  Plant a rain garden or use a water tank/barrel outside. Even take a shorter shower!
  5. Use paperclips instead of staples.  Paperclips can be used more than once!

What are some of your favorite ways to help the environment?

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5 Small Tips To Help The Environment

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Environmentalism is a mainstream concept today. Sometimes it can be hard to figure out how to adapt it to your daily life. Here are some ideas to adopt in your everyday life.  What are some ideas you have for other readers to help the environment.

1. Houseplants. The original air purifiers.

2. Go Native.  Check local plant nursery’s in your area to see which carry native plants and trees.  Next time you want to plant a new flower or shrub choose one from your local area.  It will help the environment and local animal and insect populations.

3. Reuse.  Kind of a no brainier right?  Reduce, Reuses, Recycle is the motto we all hear.  Are you doing all you can do?  You may have stopped using plastic bags, and Styrofoam cups, but have you bought used clothing? Furniture?  Have you looked for organic, environmentally friendly sunscreen?  There may be new ways you can alter your current habits to make a difference.

4. Curtains.  Do you open your curtains during the day to let sun in to warm up your house?  Do you close them at night to keep in the heat? Have you stopped drafts coming in from doors and windows?  Seal those gaps and holes to help keep costs and use of electricity down.

5. Stop junk mail by unsubscribing from catalogs you no longer shop with.

Pretty easy right? Look for more tips once a month here at The Northern Star.  Have some great ideas of your own?  Leave them in the comments below.