Organizing for extras and Special Needs

Sometimes as a foster parent you get kids in the middle of the night and they have nothing.  It's important that you have a few extra essentials so you don't have to go out in the middle of the night.  

I bought all of these supplies from te dollar store.

They are great for guests too!

I organize them in drawers.

We also keep travel size tooth pastes and shampoos on the counter.

It's important that they have a space of their own so I give them each a little bucket to keep their stuff in and they can keep it in the bathroom or their room.

We have a cart by te kitchen table with school supplies too.

It also hold the reward stuff for Mr. Silly for behavioral therapy.

As for rules and keeping schedules straight it is an ever evolving system.

I use the white board to put the weeks apptionments and any other stuff that's important.  The rules and chores are next to it so everyone that lives here knows what is expected.  

We have two chore wheels one for older kids and one for littles.  The older kids get a room or area to clean and there is a detailed list under them of what that involves.   Never assume a child knows what clean the kitchen means or clean your room.  

We recently added meal rules as requested by the occupational therapist for the boys an those have helped.  

Keep it simple but detailed enough to be clear.  

The Mom Dilemma

As Mom's most of us run our house holds.  We make appointments, plan meals and are the taxi.  If we get hurt or sick it can cause big problems.  I was in a car accident in August for a month I didn't seek treatment because I had other things going on with my kids.  We had a placement move to her Dad's (that will be another post), school started, big issues with our other placement (another post), then out placements were moved. Once things calmed down I realized how much pain I was in.  I started to get treatment and it has added even more appointments to my already busy schedule.  But I'm learning that Mom's have to take care of them selves first.  

So this morning I was supposed to attend one of those appointments.  But alas like got in the way.  Poor Mr. Snuggly  woke up last night screaming and vomiting.  He threw up 4 times then a few more this morning.  So no physical therapy and no occupational therapy for him.  

Instead we will relax eat crackers and sprite and watch tv.

And later "I will put on my O2 mask" and go to chiropractor and leave my sick baby with my mom because if I can't do anything I can't take care of him.

What to do while you wait.

So yesterday I needed to stay occupied, so I did. 
I went to Mr Silly's SEP (teacher parent conference), he is doing great and passed off one of his goals on his IEP!  He is officially potty trained.  No interventions or prompting for pottying!  So glad that he got this far. 
We ran some errands and then we went and picked up pies for my Autism Support Group.  We went home and I had some kids dropped off for a few hours.  We cleaned the boys room and removed 2 bags and a box of toys.  Now there is room for a toddler bed for Mr Silly when we add a few kids for respite on the holidays.  I then made lunch for 6 kids and I made some awesome homemade chicken soup for dinner.

1 can of chicken 1/2 red onion fried up with a teaspoon of butter
Add oragono, garlic and parsley
Add a box of chicken stock and 2 cans of cream of chicken soup
2 cans of water
Bring to a boil as you cut celery 1/2 a stock) and carrots (2 hand fulls of baby carrots) and I added a can of carrots
Then I let it simmer the rest of the day
I added a bag of noodles an hour before dinner.
Boiled for 10 mins then took off heat and left covered until dinner.
It was still piping hot!
Next time I will add 2 boxes of stock because it wasn't enough it was more like a stew.

I contacted my RM but he had no news :( told me he would call today around lunch time! 

I attended the Autism Support Group meeting it was a great training on parenting kids that don't respond to regular methods.
I am going to write up some new rules for our house they recommended no more than 5 and very simple very clear rules.
I'm thinking

Listen to Mom & Dad
Nice words, hands and feet
Do your chores
Use good manners
Take care of your house and belongings

So today I wait more and I plan to clean my room, go to a Dr appointment,  and make rice crispy treats.

When I have news I will share it!

And now we wait!

The adoption board in charge of decieding if a child will be matched with a family that put an inquiry on them is meeting tomorrow.  And so we wait, we wait to find out if the child we fell in love with because she has bloomed into an amazing person can become part of our family. 

 We were told by several people that know her and are close to her that she would do great with us, but will they feel the same based on papers we filled out a year ago and questions they asked in our home study.  I'm hoping since we have built up a relationship with the local RM and he is over her case that he can have more of a say but I'm not sure how it works.  And so we wait!  Tomorrow we will find out if our family will change but tonight we wait!

I wonder if she is waiting?

We don't have a unicorn but lots of brothers and sisters, a dog and kitty and lots of love!  

Our family is growing and changing we just aren't sure how or when.

Christmas is coming!

This year we are having a simple Christmas  full of homemade gifts! 

We are doing

Something you want
Something you need
Something to wear
Something to read.

Plus Santa will bring them a present and little stocking stuffers.

I will also be making them Christmas Eve boxes.  This year jammies, hopefully homemade slippers or aloe sock for the older girls.  Maybe a movie or book or snack.

I plan to make some fun picture book marks and jewlery for other family members.  

So here is my Christmas list and planned buget.

Christmas Eve: Fleece, for PJs and slippers, from Jo Ann's black friday sale $25

Stockings: Buttons and ribbon and yarn for book marks. Already have it! Free
Stocking: PVC for Marshmallow shooters $10
Stockings: Candy and small trinkets $10 Walgreens
Family Gifts: Jewelry pieces $5 with coupons
Family Gifts: Pictures for jewelry and bookmarks $10 from Costco

Want: Flash mask and cape for Mr Silly already have fabric, Free!
Want: Homemade picture game pieces and recycled clue game, for Mr. Snuggles pics printed with others. Free!
Want: room decor for the princess Canvas for wall art, fabric for curtains,  paint for furniture. $30 with coupons.
Want: dance attire  for the quiet one $30 with Dixie Direct and Coupons
Want: home made  for each kid,12 one on one date coupons on a ring $2
Need: Hand made Disney themed Road Trip Pillow cases $10 with coupons
Wear: Disney shirt  not sure how much yet :(
Read: Hand made Learn it Yourself music books for girls $2 paper $2 ink
Read: Hand made learn to draw books for Littles $2 paper $2 ink

Total $140 plus disney shirts and santa present. 
Not bad for a family of 6!

Also I easily add to some of this for not much more if we add more kids.  $40 for a teenager and $20 for a little.

Here we go again.

So I was inspired by a fellow foster mom to start blogging again. 
I would like to show how are kids are not their diagnosis and that how they joined the family doesn't matter they are still a part of it!

Since this is national adoption month I want to let people know about the great opportunity we found to grow our family and what great kids we have had the blessing of being in our lives.

We became foster parents less than a year ago and we were interested in helping older kids.  We have had about 10 kids in our home most. moved on to other foster homes, went home with a parent that was able to get their lives in order and be a great parent or other family members.  We currently have a great placement of an amazing girl and are waiting on adoption inquiries that we put in on the adoption exchange. 

If you feel like you have room in your heart and home for great kids.  Please look into foster care and the Adoption Exchange there are many children waiting on their forever families. 

https://www.utdcfsadopt.org/index.shtml