Mayhem, Total Mayhem!

I want to blog, I really do. I also want to quilt, to sit and watch TV and I would love to go for a drive on this wonderful sunny day, but look at what's really going on in the Pumpkin Patch... It's mayhem, total mayhem. Day two of the New Windows Saga, now in progress... Day one brought water, mess and drama. Day two is off to a better start...if all goes well, I might have four new windows today and four more to go, LOL!

Eye Contact, Priceless!

As you may or may not know, when GP was young and very much non verbal we thought he was deaf. We didn't know he was autistic, we just thought he couldn't hear because A. He didn't speak and B. He didn't look at us when we called him. Little did I know that was just one of the first signs that something was amiss... Well, GP could hear us just fine. He just didn't want to look at us because eye contact is just not something that autistic children are comfortable with.
To this day, I am constantly reminding GP to "Look at Mom"...

it goes something like this:

Mom, "Gene Paul did you find your belt?"

GP (looking around)"mumble,mumble..."

Mom" Gene Paul, did you find your belt? Eyes to Mom!"

GP, "Yes, I have it on!" (as if I can see it under his untucked shirt, duh!)

And so it goes, it's like a sentence that signifies, "Social interaction is required". It's as if he totally forgets to look at you when he speaks, even when HE initiates the conversation!

It's like "Yes, I was talking to you eventhough I was looking the other way and speaking softly...what? You didn' get that?" LOL!

While at the beach earlier this week I called him (Blackberry in hand, ready to snap his picture) and when I said "Gene Paul" He lifted his head and looked straight at me, and smiled . I think my heart skipped a beat. I can't believe I actually snapped the picture. He looked straight at me without a prompt. This is sooo rare, and I am so grateful for this small blessing.

Eye contact, it tells me that he hears me. It tells me that he sees me.

It tells me "I am here, Mom."

Eye contact, positively priceless!

Sloppy Joe, It's what for Lunch and Dinner!

There is no such thing as Sloppy Joe for one so here's my recipe for Sloppy Joe. You can feed EIGHT, on one pound of beef, no kidding!

You'll need:

One pound ground beef, I use 95% lean but you can use whatever you like,

but please none of that chicken stuff, yuk!

Two Peppers, I use one green and one red. I've tried lots of pepper combinations, trust me, this one is the best.

One Vidalia Onion, nope yellow is not the same and the end result will prove it... trust me, I've been working on this recipe for years. hahaha

One tablespoon of ground mustard. You can use the liquid kind, but again...not quite as good (but then my favorite liquid one is French's so if you have a fancy one that might have more kick to it, go for it!)

THREE cups of ketchup, I know, I know...use organic if it makes you feel better but I heart Heinz!

Two packs of rolls or pita pockets

BIG, BIG pot...so your stove wont get all messy. =)

Procedure:

Brown the beef, mine has no drippings but if yours does, scoop them out...yuk!

Add everything, and I do mean everything...ketchup, mustard, onions, peppers, kitchen sink...oh wait, leave that out...

Cook:

As soon as you add everything in the pot, mix it all in till it's all pink from the Ketchup.

Lower the heat to LOW, and simmer for one hour (the longer the better...). If it starts to get too dry while cooking add a cup of water, it should look like stew or chunky spaghetti sauce.

It will thicken upon standing.

Let it sit for a while before serving (it'll be even better the next day and it will freeze beautifully!)

Serve: on buns, or in pita pockets for less WW points. =)

Enjoy... it's what's for dinner at my house, and as you can see...it's what we had for lunch!

Hooray, It's National Underwear Day!

I am sooo not kidding. I can't possibly make this stuff up. A company called, wait for it... FRESH PAIR (No, I am NOT kidding, the company IS named Fresh Pair and NO, GP is not the president) started celebrating NUD eight years ago.

Isn't that a timely celebration?

Dollars to doughnuts GP will ask for the day off, LOL! (If you are a new reader you should know that my son is Irish, Jewish, and Christian, depending on what holiday needs to be obseved... if there was a National Chicken Day on the calendar he would be a chicken and want the day off from Homeschool!)

I wonder if they're having a sale on White Fresh Underwear...HMMMM.

Better go check that out now, JIC! HAHAHA!

A Brief Note on Laundry....

GP is getting way too picky... so he tells me, "I need fresh underwear". I tell him, "There are fresh undies in your drawer". He says, "we're all out!" I say, "NO you're not. I put them there just yesterday. I'll get them." Up I go and sure enough he has half a dozen "fresh underwear" (GP need not wait to have dirty underwear, he likes "fresh underwear", about three times a DAY! Thankyouverymuch!) So anyway, I come down and hand him a pair of "fresh" underwear, and he says, "NO. I need fresh underwear." And he is starting to get distressed.

I say "GP these are FRESH, I just washed them ." And he says, "I Need WHITE fresh underwear!"

OMG! I could not help but laugh and...I asked him, "BUT what's wrong with these? He says, "Those are PINK; those are GIRL'S underwear!" HAHAHAHA. I cannot believe my son, who can wear plaid over plaid, red shirts with green pants (just a string of lights short of a Christmas Tree), is now getting picky about the color of his underwear.

WHAT? So I washed a red placemat with the undies...there are ALWAYS undies in there! How the heck was I supposed to know it would turn his undies pink?
I would tell him about all the undie-less children who would kill for a pair of FRESH PINK undies but somehow I don't think it will help my case so off to the basement I go to fish out the White fresh underwear... somedays, I just can't win. Sigh~!

Scarecrow Jack in the Pumpkin Patch

A funny thing happened to Scarecrow Jack this weekend. He moved out of the Pumpkin Patch and into a Wool Crazy Pincushion. It was just one of those things. He was all cut and ready to go onto his mat and then Sandi's wool crazy base came in with a Fall theme and no matter what I tried, nothing fit quite as perfectly as Jack so.... TADA! One of my four Jacks has left the patch, and boy does he look cute n his new pad! HAHAHA~! Guess I'll just have to cut out another one , and hope no other Fall projects come along needing a handsome scarecrow. =)

If you haven't picked up a scarecrow jack kit yet, you better hurry. They are back in stock but going fast (eeks, there are only two left!)...You can order it here:

http://www.pumpkinpatchprimitives.com/catalog.php?item=1155