Friday, Friday.... catching up blogging.

Today was a very unusual day for me.. I got to go out TWICE with friends! 

In one day.  :0)

 PLUS had Keepers so I got to visit with Brenda too. 

It was an awesome day!  and to be honest I needed it.

Emily and I have been going round and round and I was pretty burned out.  But I got a little perspective talking to Brenda, Amy (my friend) and of course Dave.  I have a little better battle plan..
I know it seems like I make a lot of plans and I hope that you don't think all these plans fail!  The plan is for how things are going THEN and when that changes, so does the plan!  Hence, lots of plans.  Every season, every time change, every schedule change, every "new" kids stage.. gets a new PLAN OF ACTION

What bogs me down is the "plan" working or even sometimes failing, and a new stage creeping up on me and REALIZING I need a new plan!  It is that "in between" plans time that gets to me.  Maybe because I haven't gotten to the point of being able to recognize it sometimes, so I start feeling discouraged when something isn't working an THEN BOOM I realize need to change the plan.  I always feel better once I have a new strategy!

We are going back to our original plan for Emily, with a few tweaks.

I am going to try to week out a few food items, that I think might be a culprit of a few behaviors.

*nitrates ( I have no problem with a few--I know that are not good , but am not at a place that I can or want to worry about everything food wise.  However I do feel the need to limit.)

*red dye  (again, a little is okay.  But we are going to limit-- and at the least keep a watchful eye)

*any beverage beyond water ( I am putting the whole family on a beverage fast (nothing but water for the next 50 days)    We shall see how we all fare.

*apples  ( I am going with the Feingold mentality on this one, got apple juice to put her Natural Calm in and I think I am undoing the GOOD of Natural Calm-- I am NOT sure, and never really noticed it with just APPLES, but feel like I am seeing a difference with the juice so we are going to try it.  I haven't decided about tomatoes yet.

And that is all for now food wise.

I am starting her on PEACE AND CALM today actually.  We are putting a drop on each foot and I am going to put a drop on a cotton ball near her desk in the school room. 

She is also going to do Epsom Salt bath soaks--- it wont hurt her and may help with the "little" bit of nitrates or red dyes that she still be getting...

So that is it, that and Rainbow Looming of course.  My new go to  (EMILY CALM DOWN) method.  :0)  Keeps her busy! 

• It is great hand/ eye coordination. 
• It is following directions and
• Logic (reading and interpreting those visual directions)
• It is good for her eyes.
• It is a creative outlet
• It is pretty darn cheap! 
• She practices kindness by making them for people
• She learns about "other people" by wanting to make them "their" favorite color 

WIN, WIN!