It’s been a while

I keep meaning to post, just so I know what’s going on. Um…. Let’s start at the beginning.

July 4th was my lovelies 38th birthday. He came home from work to barbecue chicken, Italian sausage, cucumber & tomato salad, corn and cake. We tried to watch some fireworks, but it was raining, so we put the boys in bed with a promise to shoot off our fireworks on Sunday night.

July 5th… Michael worked and we did whatever we always do on Saturday.

July 6th… We went to my aunt & uncle’s house in Boca Raton (read rich ass neighborhood) where we had more meat cooked over open flame (chicken, turkey burgers, hot dogs and bologna) with sides such as seven layer dip, fresh fruit salad (we brought it), cucumber salad (we brought that too) and desserts like an über chokolate kake, fresh watermelon, and Tres Leches cake (Yup, we brought that one too). Michael went swimming with the kidlets (I got some snap shots) and I did some work with my uncle. We wrapped up the night by watching The Happening (during which I fell asleep)

July 7th… during running errands, taking the kids to camp and school, we went to Circuit City and got new speakers for the new car. Then we went to Old Vienna, a nice cozy German restaurant around the corner from us. I don’t like it but we go around once a year, usually for Michael’s birthday. He had Jaeger Schnitzel with spaetzel and red cabbage and potato soup. I had Vienna Shrimp with spaetzel and creamy spinach with mushrooms and a German mixed salads plate (German potato salad, corn and bean salad, vinegared carrots and some sort of green bean). We had a nice cozy dinner and I love when that happens.

July 8th… Tuesday is Tuesday around here.

and that brings us to today! I worked on half a melon today (did four stencils) and I’ll finish it up tomorrow I guess. I took my brother and sister to lunch, and tried to stop at AT&T to get our phones checked out, but the guy who “triaged” us said he was going to get an account specialist and then proceeded to help someone else. Whatever. We left. And now I’m home!

Raw Food Diet

First of all, I am snooping around this site: http://www.rawfoodtalk.com It’s a raw vegan diet (as in what you eat, not as in diet foods) site. From the site:

I do not promote a high fat raw food diet which some claim. I promote freedom of choice. For those of you who think I promote a high fat diet, my first response to you would be… READ the book! My second response to people who think I promote a high fat raw food diet is, “no, what I promote is a no starvation diet. That means that if I eat my typical daily diet of juice, smoothies, salad and fruit but once in a while I want something else, like mock salmon pate on top of my salad or if I want a dessert after eating simply for a week or so, im going to have it. My point in doing raw food is not to analyze everything I put in my mouth and not to beat myself up if I want to eat something other then a fruit or vegetable.

My diet is probably much simpler then most peoples here so it’s funny when people say I promote high fat. I think they say that because they get so neurotic about having a handful of nuts once a week or they eat so lightly and then god forbid they have a raw dessert. It’s also bizarre to me that the people who are the strictest and have the most rules are the ones who are not 100% raw or who fall off the raw wagon constantly. My philosophy and book do not promote a high fat raw food diet. I talk about all of this in my book. I talk about transitioning and using lots of recipes at first and then moving away from that to a lighter diet. Im not sitting around making calzones all day. I eat mostly whole fruits, veggies, juice and salads.

But I know that the reason most people fall off of this diet is because they get too rigid. Yes, you may after a time of eating raw foods move gradually to a simpler diet. But if you put rules on yourself around what you can and can’t have within a raw food diet, there will be a day when you want a flax cracker, dessert, pate or a prepared raw recipe and if you don’t allow yourself to have it, you’ll be driving to the local pizza hut. Or, you’ll be white knuckling it. What kind of way is that to live? Certainly doesn’t sound like a fun, easy way to live to me. This diet is supposed to be about, in my opinion, freedom. Don’t make this more complicated then it is. Stress causes just as much if not more sickness in the body then what you eat. Relax, eat raw, and live.

After my post yesterday, and some chatting it out on Punky Moms this is the way for me to go right now. I am looking into getting a nicer juicer than the one I have (I have a cheapie 20$ one, I am looking into getting an Omega 8003 from my organic delivery co.) and juicing it up in the morning, having a nice lunch with DH in the afternoon, and a fabu salad at night. I’ll still be making chicken and stuff for everyone else, but from what I see, this is the way to go.

I picked up a book today as kind of an “intro to raw foods” book. It’s simple, easy to understand, lays it all out. I’m am really excited about this! I want to order a couple of other books, recipes and stuff.

I feel a lot better today. Why? I think it’s because I have something to focus on. I have some new tubes coming tomorrow, so I can work on tattooing, and I have my new camera (I know, I haven’t posted shit – most of the Orlando shots were taken with the new cam) to keep me busy. I just need my brain constantly occupied. I still feel huge, but I really believe this raw food deal is going to help take care of that. Slow but sure, anyway. Plus, it’s basically GFCF, so I can put Malachai on it too. I’m pretty excited about that. We’ll see if it helps him any.

Summer Camp

I just panicked.

Tomorrow is the first day of camp for the boys. They are going three days a week and it’s right around the corner. We told them when we signed Malachai up he was high functioning autistic. I wanted to make sure it wasn’t a problem. They said no problem, and hey, if he doesn’t like it, we’ll refund you (not something they do otherwise, they just offer a program change). They even said they would let them hang out together if need be (with the age difference they would be in different areas). I told Dorian about that, and he said no problem.

I just panicked. What if they can’t understand him? Hell, sometimes we can’t understand him. What if they don’t give him enough notice when they change activities and he has a melt down because he wasn’t properly prepared? His visual schedule in school this past year wasn’t something the teacher typically does – but it did benefit the entire class and wasn’t a big deal.

I am probably borrowing problems. I don’t want to over manage him (and this is *really* unusual for me, because I generally don’t get like this) but I don’t want to put him in a situation where he might not be able to deal with something.

The woman in charge over there was awesome. I think we’re all going to go in tomorrow morning and as a one time thing just get him situated and introduce him to the people. I am going to make a short list of things they can do that shouldn’t be a pain that can accommodate him a little better (like a schedule and ample “warning” time that activities are about to change).

Funny thing is, I am not worried about Dorian. I guess it’s not as weird as I feel like it is… I just know he is able to handle this. They are both super excited about camp and swimming and hey, Monday is bowling day!

I don’t think I keep Mal in a bubble, and that isn’t how I feel now… I just want to facilitate the best summer he can have. So why do I feel like it makes me that hovering mom we all hate?

This is the list (for my records)

Tips to help Malachai through the day:
* If possible, a visual schedule helps greatly. We can send one in if we are given the times for activities.
* Let him know that activities are going to change at least five minutes before, but not more than ten.
* If you need his attention, get down on his level and address him by name until he makes eye contact and replies.
* If he is trying to get yor attention, you must reply to him or he will keep repeating until you do reply (such as, if he is calling your name, you have to say “what,” no other answer will get him to continue)
* He can be difficult to understand and can get frustrated if he cannot communicate.
* He can have problems with his balance and may fall down often. This is normal. Do not limit his gym activities due to this as they are actually a great form of therapy.
* In the event of a meltdown, remove him to a quiet area with little to no outside stimulation so that he can calm down. If this does not work, feel free to call.

We don’t expect any problems, but we felt you should be aware of the potential for difficulties.

Ritz Camera is taunting me

with this incredibly polite message:

It would appear the FedEx system is down, please try again later.

My order has been packed and shipped. I have no idea if it will arrive on Tuesday or Wednesday. Overnight deliveries ship same day if ordered before 10AM or next day if ordered after 10AM. I ordered 2 day shipping, but completed the order around noon today. I got the shipping email around 5PM. I have no clue if FedEx picks up today, or tomorrow or if it wont get picked up until Monday. If it’s not even picked up until Monday, then I expect it Wednesday. If it was picked up today, then I expect it on Tuesday.

I know it’s only a days difference, but it would be nice to know is all.

it’s a bit pre-emptive

I ordered my camera :-) I’m actually paying for it tomorrow. Looooooong story, but short version is, my card was freaking expired, so the company is express mailing me a new card, that will be here tomorrow morning. I will immediately call to pay for my camera, and it should be here on Tuesday.

For those of you following my “wtf should I get” mess, I went with the D80. I got it on sale from Ritz, so it is coming with 18-135 lens and a 55-200 lens. I also picked up a bag for it (that I hope is big enough for everything – it should be) as well as a UV and C-PL filter/carry case that was also on sale.

What else do I need? I am thinking the bulk of my picture taking is outside or inside with tons of ambient light. I try to use my flash as little as possible on my current cameras, so I couldn’t see spending 125$+ on a flash. I found one for 100$, but I just can’t justify it right now. Is it something I should put money away for ASAP?

I am having massive self-guilt over this, because I feel like some members of my extended family think I should spend this money on a short trip north in September instead of this camera. No one has actually said anything to me about it, and I really do think I am reading too much into the emails/projecting, but… I can’t shake it. There is a big family get together LaborDay weekend, but we can’t afford for all five of us to go. I could potentially get just myself up there, but it’s a *family* event, and I’d feel even worse without *my* family there with me, not to mention having to hire a 24 hour nanny for while I was away b/c DH still has to work. Oh yah, and school. It starts here on August 18th. Anyway! I don’t feel bad about this. I sold my stuff for this camera. I worked for it. It wasn’t money that fell into my lap, and it’s a purchase I’ve wanted to make for quite some time. I feel bad that I think other people think badly of me, if that makes any sense.

Something other than camera geekery? Dorian is signed up for Hebrew school starting the Sunday after Labor Day. Weirdly, it is Sunday mornings only through 3rd grade. I always went two afternoons a week, and added Sunday as it got closer to my Bat Mitzvah. Don’t even get me started about having to save for three of these, so close together too! We did not sign Malachai up. I need to talk to the school about it. I completely forgot to ask the teacher this year, but I think it might be best to wait and see how he does beginning of next year anyway.

Did I mention my MIL fixed my compost? I knew she could :-) It was all maggoty and gross. There wasn’t a good brown to green ratio. We’re good now, and hopefully will get it right. If not, we know the fix!

There was more, but I have a brain like a sieve.