A special needs Christmas...

Special Needs Christmas Ideas Part 1

Do you need Christmas Ideas for a Special Needs Child?

Are you like us and have had a difficult time searching for Christmas gifts that work for a special needs child in you family? I have some great ideas for you!!! I am a special needs Momma and understand how frustrating it can be to find things that work for your child. These items can be pretty pricey. Don't get discouraged yet... I have an IDEA! You can always have family go in together and get one of these GREAT toys! I had to explain to my family that Logan would be happy getting one thing that works for him vs. many things that are just going to frustrate him. Besides he gets overstimulated by the time he gets the second gift unwrapped anyway. Note: I have had 8 years practice with this issue! :)

This is a GREAT toy for children that need alot of sensory stimulation!

We got this one for Logan. He is going to LOVE it! It's such a GREAT sensory toy for him. Logan gets very frustrated with toys because he likes cause & reaction. However they don't give him the reaction he's seeking. He likes on/off buttons but then gets mad when he turns them off. This one only works when you push the buttons or pull the object. It's GREAT for children like Logan who don't have great fine motor control. It is VERY easy to manipulate!!! The Big blue button vibrates and has a little light when touched. The red button activates the little glitter dome. and the wooden ball on string plays like a little music box. The mirror a beads are one of his favorites. This is a great toy also because it's portable! Best of all it can be anchored to keep it from sliding or dropping. Velcro is one of my favorite things to use!

You can find this toy and many other GREAT toys at enablingdevices.com

Little Cutie ...

Isn't my little bear cute?!

I'm Back to Blogging /Birthday Party Part 1

It has been FOREVER since I have done a post... I have had a BIG blog vacation and now I am back. You may have been wondering if we were even still alive. The Answer is YES! We are alive and doing GREAT! Just super super busy!

The Lord has done many many wonderful things in our lives since my last post in June and I am completely ashamed that I have missed blogging about them.

So for a few updates..

Our newest update is... that we now have an 8 year old!

Yes Mr. Logan just celebrated his BIG 8th Birthday!
The balloon arch was one of my favorite things. We had around a total of 200 balloons at this party. I had a couple girls help me with blowing them up and decorating. Thanks Kaitlyn and Ariel for ALL your help with this party!!! I truly couldn't have done it without you both!

We made these yarn balloons. They were a fun decoration and looked great hanging. I liked having something different too! We had a great time at this party... The kids dressed up and enjoyed playing Bingo. bucket toss. face painting. cookie walk. photo booth. This party was ALOT of work but well worth it all!

Some of our

Photo Booth Pics...
I am so thankful that we have had the last 8 years with our sweet Logi. There has been many challenges as well as many blessings! I pray we will get to have many many more healthy and wonderful years with him. Over the past year Logan has made tons of progress... with his oral feedings which is like one of the BIGGEST Praises EVER! He is doing GREAT in school as well. Also he can now get out and go pretty much anywhere without having a hard time! It's wonderful!!!!

Fathers Day

Super DAD was our theme this year...

I couldn't get the boys to smile for their group picture. They were more interested in going outside to play.

The SUPER DAD banner is made out of paper napkins. ha

Logan and I got up extra early to decorate for our party.

We didn't really decorate to much.

But everything had a meaning... We hung 5 stars.... get it 5star dad! The BEST!

We even had superhero plates (spider man).

Logan helped me make his daddy a pancake breakfast... John's weekend favorite!
Landon expressed his love with his i heart dad shirt. Logi had one to match also.
We made a photo memory book for John and the boys did great on it!
He loved it!

We were so busy doing fun stuff all day...

John's parents came up to have dinner and play with us.

I didn't get a picture of our dinner but we had brisket, sweet corn, oven roasted seasoned potatoes, and rolls... oh and for dessert I made the BEST EVER strawberry cream pie! I will have to post that recipe. It is YUMMY!

John's dad said and I quote...
"that was the best * pie I have ever eaten. I could have ate the whole thing."

We had a bowling tournament on the wii. I actually tied John once! That is pretty exciting because he ALWAYS beats me.

Jumped on our new trampoline ( by the way I got it for $20 at a yard sale!)

Johns mom even gave us a GREAT performance jumping on it. We made a great video of her! She's has such a great since of humor!

The boys played in the pool.

Here Landon was giving papa his card. John's dad and Logi hanging out together.
I'm not sure who had a better time... Johns parents or us! L & L love playing with them and they just can't get enough of the boys.
It's really sweet to me because my grandparents were such a BIG part of my life growing up.It was such a fun day!

He is faithful...

GOD IS GOOD & HE IS FAITHFUL...

For sometime now we have been searching for a Church we could call home. We have tried out a couple churches in our area but none of them felt "right". We have now found a church & everything is so right! I really feel the Lord has lead us here. He has shown us so many little details about it that are SO RIGHT!

It has been difficult for us as a family to attend church. Logan pretty much has to have a one on one person with him most of the time. Meaning John and I hardly ever get to attend church together. He also has to be able to "handle" where he is.

(anyone that has a special needs or "Autistic" child understands what I mean :0) ...

If you do have an autistic or special needs child or know someone that struggles with these same issues don't give up on God! He doesn't give up on you. I can tell you from experience... Keep serving the Lord. Pray that he will lead you to somewhere that will work for your family. He does Love and care about you! Not everywhere you go people "accept" your challenges. But there really ARE people who care! Pray Pray Pray and don't give up!
GOD IS GOOD!

So last week we had VBS at Our Church. I am SO excited and Praise God for our "New Family." Everyone there LOVES and accepts Logan. It's GREAT!!!! I am so GRATEFUL and this has been a HUGE answer to my prayers. PRAISE THE LORD!

Logan & Landon are in the front row sitting by each other.

Logan did really well and had so much fun!

He really liked the music but got mad when it went off.

Logan and some of his new friends.

The playground is even handicap accessible! The Lord even works out the smallest details! Isn't it GREAT!
Which is actually a big deal to Logan.

Wednesday night the BIG surprise was HOT AIR balloon rides. It was really fun!

PHILLIPPIANS 4:13

I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRAIGHTENS ME. PHIL. 4:13

This is my verse and I'm calming it! In my Monday night bible study our teacher has ask us to find a verse and clam it. As soon as she gave us this challenge I was on it! I knew exactly what MY verse was! This has been my verse & I have often said it but never have I TRULY calmed it!

Our teacher Kathy (which IS AN ABSOLUTELY AMAZING AMAZING WOMAN!) has also ask each one of us to be praying for one another about our verses. And WOW I can feel the ladies are praying for me.

The Lord is SO GOOD to show how he works in and through our lives when we allow him to.

I DO feel like I REALLY CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRAIGHTENS ME!

It's when I am trying to do you know those fleshy things that I have a REALLY hard time. But when the Lord is given me the strength WATCH OUT!!!

(by the way I am writing this post for myself as a reminder for those days when I seem to forget)

He even knows what & how much I can handle. Remember in the last post I said I was getting help this summer? I am so excited! He will not put more on us than we can ever handle. If we are seeking him and in his word daily, we will respond to things so much differently! Giving ALL my worry and stress to The Lord I feel like I can say "I've got this" And that is ONLY because I have God on my side.

Praise the Lord! He is so good!

Summer plans...

Just in case I don't get to blog this summer... You will know why. Ha

Logan gets out of school for summer break on Wednesday! YEA and YIKES! I am so excited to have him home for the summer. I have also prepared to have some extra help! We have lots of fun things planned. Each week we have a FUN theme and activities, crafts, games & outings planned. So here's what our summer looks like...

Week 1~ Baseball theme... Logan is starting baseball on Saturdays and I thought this would be a fun theme to kick it off.

Week 2~ VBS~ We always have SO MUCH FUN we are going to 2!

Week 3~Summer Fun & we are going to have a splash party! We LOVE PARTIES!

Week 4~Going to Grandma's. Daddy has to go out of town with work for training so were taking off to Grandmas. How FUN!

Week 5~ 4th of July week. PARTY!!!! SO EXCITING!

Week 6~ VBS~ AGAIN... YEA! YEA! YEA!

Week 7~ Fire Trucks and Landon's 2nd Birthday.THAT MEANS ANOTHER PARTY!!!! We are going to the fire station too!

Week 8~ FISH and we are going to visit an aquarium. This will be a new trip for us and I can't wait! I really think the boys are going to LOVE it!

Week 9~ Camping. You can't have summer without at least one camping trip. (this will be in our back yard.) ha. It will still be fun and we can end the night in our own beds. Logan will be much happier this way. We sometimes have to get creative! HA

Week 10~ Back to School~ it takes time for us to adjust to changes so we will get prepared the week before school starts and talk all about it.

Oh and I didn't mention... Swimming, Bike Riding, Park, Picnics, OT, PT, SPEECH, HORSES AND BASEBALL. Logan is one very busy boy so be praying I can keep up with him. I Just LOVE SUMMER! DON'T YOU?

So with all this I have made up my mind that I am going to just be flexable and have fun! If something doesn't workout that day then ok! I'm stress proofing my summer! My new moto is Live and be Happy! And I am going to allow other people to help me instead of tring to do everything myself. I have to let little things go.

SPEAKING OF GETTING CREATIVE

I just love this one...

We are making Logan one of these for his room. Logan has a difficult time with holding on to toys and to release things he throws. Now that he has gotten bigger his throw is much more forcefull. ONCE AGAIN we are having to get creative! We are going to bulid one of these ourselves with the help of Papa. In the therapy books this one cost ONLY $1950.00!

( I'm pretty sure we can make it a little cheaper ourselves. Thanks to them for the ideas:)

Hey Sara :)

I have been going to a Monday night bible study and I love it!

We have just starting a new study and it's SO EXCITING.

Discipleship: The Road Less Traveled. By Kathy Hedges.

The Lord is already showing me so much and we are only in the second week.

Our teacher Kathy is WONDERFUL and knows so much about the Bible.

I love hearing her tell stories of how God uses her. It truly BLESSES me beyond words.

The ladies in our class are so kind and caring.

They are always praying and watching out for one another.

It is so amazing to hear these women share how God uses them.

They encourage me so much!

If you don't attend a bible study I would highly encourage you to do so.

It's GREAT!!!!!!!

I wanted to share a few things from this study...

there is no one who has ever been born that is so evil that they cannot be made holy by the blood of Jesus Christ and the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit of the living God.

Romans 3:23

All have sinned and fall short

2 Corinthians 5:17

If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation, the old is gone and the new has come!

2 Corinthians 5:21

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us,

so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Romans 3:10-12

There is no one righteous, not even one,

there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.

All have turned away, they have together become worthless there is no one who does good,

not even one.

When God says go a disciple goes.

1 Samuel 16:7

The Lord does not look at the things man looks at.

Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.

It is ALWAYS all about GOD

I am my brothers keeper

What view of Jesus am I giving others?

John 16:13

When he, the Spirit of truth comes he will guide you into all truth.

(2)

He's Faithful...

I'm not going to question God why things happen the way they do.

God is in control of my life.

He has a plan for me and I know he will remain faithful.

I can always count on God, my heavenly Father,

For He changes not; He is always the same.

Yesterday, today, forever, He is faithful,

And I know He loves me, praise His holy name! ~Felten

I thought this was a cute picture of John and Logan. Logan has such a sweet smile.

I love pictures of my boys together.

My favorite pictures of Logan...

Since we are doing a fundraiser in honor of Logan to raise money for

ARKANSAS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL

(check out the details at http://www.sillysockbook.com/ )

I thought I would post some(A LOT) of my favorite pictures of Logi from these last 7 years.

These pictures say it all... They are defiantly worth a million words!

We are beyond blessed! Logan is amazing!

Valentines Day...

Our Valentine's

This was one of my favorite Valentine's I have ever had! I was SO busy the whole day decorating our house for John and the boys. I couldn't WAIT for them to see their party.

Logan was so EXCITED when he saw all the party decorations. He LOVES parties! He had a HUGE smile and crawled around the house looking at everything.

John got home and was SO surprised. I loved seeing his reaction to everything. I love giving surprises! You have to know John is THE HARDEST PERSON EVER to SURPRISE!
He was really EXCITED! I never dress up. LIKE DRESSY Dressy up. So I did for him. I wore a little black dress. I thought it was funny when he said he felt under dressed. I told him it was ok we were just at home and I was still barefoot. But he went and put on a sweater. It was cute.

I had like 25 candles. I was a little afraid I was going to burn the house down. I have been known to have to call the fire dept. before...

When John and I first got married we had our first little home. I didn't like anything to be out of place so I put the krispy kreme doughnut box in the oven. Later turned on the oven. There was smoke EVERYWHERE!!!!! Lets just say those doughnuts for definitely KRISPY! HA

John was feeling lots of LOVE!

Logan and Landon got their daddy some candy and oreo's. (Landons Favorite)