Spring Stuff

We bought these shoes yesterday at Hawley Lane Shoes. The young man who helped us told me he was on the autism spectrum. He was so kind and connected to all of my kids, especially Mia. He helped her find these shoes. She is wearing them today. What a nice Autism Action Month feeling.

Each year I must cover my eyes with eggs to connote Easter joy. My Bella made me the rockin' apron in 2007. I love it.

On St. Paddy's day we ate green cupcakes. GREEN? Kim uses dye? Of course not.

My pal Maureen gave me a recipe for an egg based cake -no flour. The sunflower seed butter reacts with the baking soda and turns the cake dark green inside. It's disgusting, but my kids love it. The cake is spongey and cuts well. It is made from 10 eggs I can not touch it. Eggs. Ick.

Check out this handsome Dad and his girls. Mia, Bella and Gianna with Mark on Valentine's Day.

Before Autism Awareness in Kim Stagliano's Life.

December 15, 1994. Think autism. If you want to help, consider a donation to Age of Autism or any of our sponsors. Thanks.

Win a Copy of FaceBook Fairytales Modern Day Miracles to Inspire the Human Spirit by Emily Liebert!

FaceBook Fairytales, by Emily Liebert, "presents 25 true stories emanating from the world's most populat social networking site. These tales with surprise, amuse, touch and inspire anyone who has regained a lost friend or been touched by the kindness of a stranger."

It's great fun to read an uplifting book that also happens to feature one of your favorite people in the world - Barbara Fischkin. Barbara's adult son Danny has autism, and has connected with the world in a new way because of Facebook. The chapter about them is called, Magic.


Leave a comment to enter to win! Good luck. Purchase a copy HERE.

Become a FB fan HERE and visit Emily's website.

Good Mornin'! We sing this song all the time. Enjoy!


Singing in the Rain - Good Morning !! - Watch more amazing videos here

The Ancient
Communication

Mark is on a business trip. He can Tweet me, Skype me, FaceBook me, text me or call me on his cell phone to my cell phone. The one thing the I know he won't do is call me from a landline at his hotel to our house phone.

In the olden days (1996?) I had the main number of every hotel where he stayed memorized. Atlanta Marriott? Check. Chicago Marriott? Check. I dutifully called, asked for him by name, and a kindly soul transferred my call to him.

This morning I snapped a darling photo of Bella in a new outfit and sporting braids and sent it via MMS to his cell.

The number you have reached...

Kathleen Sebelius Admits that HHS Actively Suppresses American Media on Vaccine Safety


From Reader's Digest, which, if you're 74 years old and still get a subscription, you know has more drug ads than content at this point. Whether you believe that the science on vaccine safety is incomplete or not, this admission that the United States government actively suppresses information should chill you to the bone. And if it does, I'm sure RD advertises a drug for "cold bone syndrome."

RD:What can be done about public mistrust of vaccines?

KS:There are groups out there that insist that vaccines are responsible for a variety of problems despite all scientific evidence to the contrary. We have reached out to media outlets to try to get them to not give the views of these people equal weight in their reporting to what science has shown and continues to show about the safety of vaccines.

See the full article HERE

Kim Stagliano, you busted a crime ring, what are you going to do now?" "I'm going back to bed."

Miss G Kicks Some Science Butt!

Perfect Book For Autism Treatment from Newly Diagnosed to Old Timers "Cutting Edge Therapies For Autism."

This book is from Skyhorse Publishing (my publisher) and features a compendium of treatments, described by experts in that area, from behavioral therapy to psychiatric drugs to chelation. It's a real A-Z explanation of choices and something I think has been missing from our libraries for some time. I'm glad to see so many options between the covers.

Purchase Cutting Edge Therapies today!

AOL Health Interviews Kim Stagliano

Those are my "crapisode" gloves from the Autism One dinner and auction last Spring. Pretty fancy, huh? Ms. van der Leun did a terrific job with this interview and I thank her. I particularly appreciated her questions about the criticism I (we) face for using biomed treatments and and seeking a cure.

The Mother of Three Autistic Children Shares Her Story: From AOL Health HERE.

By Justine van der Leun Mar 4th 2010 5:00PM

Connecticut-based stay-at-home mom and autism advocate Kim Stagliano chronicles her trying and illuminating daily experiences raising her three daughters with autism on her eponymous blog. In her other venues -- she's the managing editor of the Web site Age of Autism and blogs at The Huffington Post -- Stagliano argues alternately for research for a cure, government funding for children with autism and their families, alternative therapies and biomedical interventions. She is also the author of a forthcoming memoir. AOL Health asked Stagliano for her take on the joys and challenges of being a parent to children with autism and what she says to her critics.

AOL Health: You have three daughters, all of whom fall on the autism spectrum. What do you believe caused or contributed to their autism?

KS: The million-dollar question. I think we have a genetic predisposition to environmental insults, which could include vaccines, toxins, my husband and my heavy metal load, the quality of my breast milk and unknowns.

AOL Health: Over the past 15 years, what treatments have you tried with your girls, and how have they responded to them?

KS: The GFCF [Gluten Free Casein Free] diet has been our best treatment. The diet has helped with stomach problems, which, in turn, has greatly cut down behavior issues. It also helps the girls sleep through the night. Imagine taking a test on a day when you have terrible cramps or a headache. How well would you do? We've also used a number of biomedical treatments -- supplements, vitamins, other natural products -- that have helped the girls function and feel better.

AOL Health: On your blog, you contend that autism is curable and that your role as the mother to children with autism is to "get rid of it." Can you explain your perspective?

KS: Every mom wants to make her child's path easier to travel -- whether it's tutoring to get better grades for college admission or weight-loss camp to address health issues or trying to ameliorate the undesirable behaviors and pain associated with autism. Autism affects every aspect of my children's lives. I'd be remiss if I didn't try to help them.

---

AOL Health: How do you respond to parents and adults with autism who believe that individuals should be celebrated for their different "way of being" and not cured?

KS: I respect every parent's desire for his or her own child. But I don't confuse my children's wonderful personalities -- loving, kind, funny -- with the very real deficits they face from their autism. Not being able to speak and make your needs known is not the same as having a quirky personality. And traits that are endearing in a 6-year-old may not be so at 21. I try to look at what my girls will need as adults and after their Dad and I are gone. They need to be able to function as well as possible for their health, safety and well-being.

AOL Health: Studies show that 10 percent of kids can recover with intensive behavioral therapy, while no studies have shown that biomedical treatments like chelation have any effect on kids with autism. Knowing that, do you support putting a child through potentially dangerous and sometimes painful treatments -- and if so, why?

KS: I find the assumption that biomedical treatments are potentially dangerous and painful misleading. Risperdal, the approved drug for autism, has atrocious side effects, but no one seems to mention that. Some behavioral centers use aversive therapy, including shock treatment, on children and young adults with autism. I find that abhorrent. The majority of the biomedical treatments are based on healthy, pure food; vitamins and supplements. Where there are prescriptions involved, that's under the care of a doctor. No one questions parents who allow their children to undergo chemotherapy with known side effects, and yet in autism, we are expected to let our children languish and remain in pain. It makes no sense to me.

AOL Health: As someone outspoken and opinionated, you've received criticism in autism circles. What do you say to your critics?

KS: Come live in my household for a week.

AOL Health: Raising three children with autism is clearly challenging. Do you get any help? How do you cope?

KS: There is very little help available. My husband is fantastic with the kids, and that's a big plus. I cope because I adore my girls and I love being their mom. And I am actively involved in improving their lives and the lives of others with autism. When you take control of a situation, it empowers you to feel confident and hopeful. Plus, to know that I am helping other families gives me a huge boost. Some days are easier than others; I'll admit that.

Mom of three busts burglary ring (connection to Orange)

So how was YOUR Monday?

Mom of three busts burglary ring (connection to Orange)





Posted using ShareThis I was seated at my desk in the breakfast area when I heard breaking glass and a loud rumble from my garage. I peeked out my window to see that dark car and knew I was being robbed. Mark had just left for the bank. I hightailed it out my front door with the portable phone. I was talking to Sarge Goodchild of Active Healing at the time. I'm fine. They got a few nice pieces of jewelry and apparently, I broke up a decent sized crime ring. The best news is that the loot (look at me talking all Al Capone) from the previous day's take (hey, now I'm Bonnie!) was in the car, which they abandoned while escaping the house once they saw the police outside. (They tossed my jewelry box into the dining room, so I have most of my stuff.) Several families got their laptops and other belongings back.

Our town police were awesome. I do love a man in uniform, and now more than ever!

That is the end of my crime fighting career, I promise you.

16 Year Old Blinded (Bilateral Vision Loss) After Gardasil Vaccination

I assume this headline, "Girl Blinded by Gardasil Vaccine!" is in your newspaper today, on the front page, as every case of measles, mumps and chicken pox is reported. Will the doctors at Connecticut Children's Medical Center be hailed as heroes or villains, and run out of town on a rail for publishing this report like a certain doc from the UK who raised a question about MMR? Heroes, I hope.

How dreadfully sad for this child and her mother, who I'm sure is heartbroken and guilt ridden. Let's pray the damage is reversible. When Walgreens advertises flu shots l on TV or when PBS tells you, "Go Get your H1N1 Vaccine" after an episode of Arthur, they are not required to share side effects. Protect your daughter? Of course. We all want to do that. Oh, and Merck is lobbying for Gardasil for boys on the routine vax schedule, so get ready to protect your son too. The .pdf from the journal is HERE.

A 16-Year-Old Girl With Bilateral Visual Loss and Left Hemiparesis Following an Immunization Against Human Papilloma Virus

Francis J. DiMario, Jr, MD

Departments of Pediatrics1 at Connecticut Children's Medical Center, Hartford, Connecticut, fdimari@ccmckids.org, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut

Mirna Hajjar, MD
Department of Neurology at Hartford Hospital, Hartford, Connecticut
Thomas Ciesielski, MD
Department of Pathology at Hartford Hospital, Hartford, Connecticut

We report the course of a 16-year-old girl who presented with near complete visual loss associated with chiasmal neuritis and a biopsy proven tumefactive demyelinating lesion on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in association with a recent immunization against human papilloma virus.

Key Words: demyelination • tumefactive • blindness • chiasm • HPV

Journal of Child Neurology, Vol. 25, No. 3, 321-327 (2010)
DOI: 10.1177/0883073809349322

Check iut this report from 1978 too:

Am J Ophthalmol. 1978 Oct;86(4):544-7.
Optic neuritis complicating measles, mumps, and rubella vaccination.
Kazarian EL, Gager WE.

A 6-year-old boy developed bilateral optic neuritis with decreasing visual acuity 18 days after administration of live attenuated trivalent measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine. The patient was treated with oral corticosteroids. The optic neuritis resolved within several weeks and normal vision returned. An afferent pupillary defect persistent in the more severely involved eye for 14 months following vaccination.

Movie Lines: John Robison Inspired This One

I had breakfast with John Elder Robison this week. He was on his way to a speaking engagement in NJ and made a pit stop in CT. We talked about writing, my book, his book Look Me In The Eye which continues to sell at a brisk clip and is approaching it's 26th printing - yes, 26. He told me more about an exciting therapy study at Beth Israel called TMS that I am going to begin supporting in a more formal manner and that it's on the radar screen of a large autism organization. And org I occasionally throw mud at for it's dearth of usable research. I'm praying they get on board with TMS.

Today on FB John asked his friends to share a favorite movie line. I thought about it for a moment then hit Google to find this scene from Parenthood, my favorite movie for a hundred reasons. Listen to it, and see if it speaks to you. It's not easy to stay on board the rollercoaster. The ride stops and you have a chance to get off. I raise my hand and tell the operator, "Hit it!

A Young Girl Begins Her Writing Career

I posted this on http://www.ageofautism.com/ today. It's an award winning poem from a second grader whose older brother has autism. This could be the start of her writing career - isn't that neat? What a terrific child she is. We often get so wrapped up in dealing with our child(ren) with autism, we forget that there's a family there as well - and the sibs have a special row to hoe. It's not easy. In fact, it's the premise of my next book - fiction. I'm ready to dig in to that story now.

Managing Editor's Note: An Age of Autism reader named Allison T. sent us this lovely poem by her daughter. Congratulations, Carolyn, on winning the Northern Virginia Award of Excellence for Literature. You're a wonderful little sister to Jackson.

Artist's Statement:

My brother Jackson inspired me to write a poem. He has autism and I think that makes him beautiful because he is different from other 10 year old boys. And being different is beautiful. I always feel safe with him around because he is not a bully. He does not pick on me like most older brothers or boys do. He is kind to me. He makes me happy and plays with me. I trust him to always love and care for me. He has a good heart.

A brother named Jackson
Understands the way things work
Tells his feelings
Is always respectful
Special to me
Makes great movies on his video camera

Is not a bully
So kind

Before I was born he did not have autism
Every time I show up, he is happy
Always nice to little kids
Usually he doesn’t need help with work
Tells the truth
Is in control of himself
Follows directions
Unbelievable kid
Listens to music once and he can copy it by heart

Caroline T.
2nd Grade
Sleepy Hollow Elementary

Thank you BeePosh of Rowayton, CT!

I bought a pair of darling fleece boots for Bella for Christmas at SWOOZIES. They were a bit too snug. Swoozies didn't bring in any larger sizes. Oh no! I looked up the company, BEEPOSH and they are right down the street from me! I emailed them and asked if I could swap the boots for a larger size, since the retailer wasn't able to assist me.

Sure enough, they let me send them the boots and they sent me a replacement pair shortly thereafter. I know from Mark's experience with LEIFHEIT what a pain in the ass it is when a consumer contacts the vendor about a product. But the folks at BeePosh were lovely.

I'll be on the lookout for more of their products and you should too!

Happy Birthday, Tracy Giordano and RIP

I have this strange ability to remember the birthdates of many of my old classmates. Tracy Giordano was born on February 13. 1963 I assume, same year that I was born. She and I attended Dominican Academy in Plainville, MA together. In our small class of about 20 kids, Tracy was always the smartest. She was kind too. And in sixth grade, she needed to start shaving her legs. (Oh the thing kids take note of!)

Tracy went to Bishop Feehan high school and then Brown University. (I told you she was smart.)

She died on December 2, 2000. I don't know what was the cause of death. I have a feeling it was something-- difficult.

I liked Tracy. We were competitive, but we were friends. I think of her every year on February 13th.

Happy Birthday, Tracy.

Kim Stagliano on CNN

I got a call last Wednesday to appear on CNN's lunchtime newscast about the retraction of a series paper by the UK medical journal The Lancet. What I really wanted to say to Elizabeth Cohen is that clearly she is NOT the mother of a child with autism or she would never even own, let alone wear, an entire oyster bed full of pearl strands for fear of being choked to death or skating on loose pearls and breaking her neck. I think I held my own. As usual, I, "the broken hearted passionate mommy" was followed by the "kindly elderly doctor in the white coat with the soothing voice and lollipop in his pocket."

Finally My Worlds Collide!

This was a big dance, aerobics song in the 90s - Haddaway, "What is Love." My kids adore the Spot videos. So here's my life, in a nutshell circa 2010. Youth meets Motherhood. Now hold in your stomach and lunge!

Something New from Ray Bradbury. JOY!

Just got an alert from Harper Collins. He is my favorite author. The world's he's created. My gosh.. Check this out! Read more at Harper Collins.

In We'll Always Have Paris—a new collection of stories gathered together for the first time—the inimitable Ray Bradbury once again delights us with prose that soars and sings. He imagines great things and poignantly observes human foibles and frailties. He enchants us with the magic he mastered decades ago and still performs flawlessly. Whether he's exploring the myriad ways to be reborn, or the circumstances that can make any man a killer, or returning us to Mars, Bradbury opens the world to us and beckons us in. His tales will live forever—we will always have Bradbury.

RIP Robert B. Parker

When I left Boston for Ohio, I could always return home by reading a Spenser novel. RIP and thank you for decades of great reading. From Media Bistro Galley Cat.

Kim Stagliano Now on HuffPo

When I began writing for Huffington Post in 2007, Fearless Voices was both the theme of the category in which I was published and the title of Arianna's book. I had a fearless voice, and was thrilled to chime in here. But now, I feel like an outcast. Everyone is talking about how to get to sleep. How to stay asleep. How to sleep well, deeply, restfully and many more adverbs all of which imply that sleep is an elusive dream.

Not for me.

I sleep like a rock within minutes of turning out the light. It's almost too embarrassing to share. No Ambien. No wine. No Lunesta. No melatonin (although my kids get a spray of it every so often.) No warm milk .I can drink a gallon of coffee at 6:00pm and still zonk out at 10 p.m. as if on command... Click the headline to read the full post and comment. Thanks!

Support Debut Author Maria Garcia Kalb!

Maria is a member of the very cool grog, The Debutante Ball. Her book launches today. Day 1 is really important for sale - so is week 1,2 and 3. Fast movement is GOOD. So, if you'd like to add to your list of how to torture the loved on in your life, grab a copy on Amazon and leave a review after you read it. Check out her WEBSITE HERE.

"101 Ways to Torture Your Husband" is a fun, devilish manual for every wife who dreams of makingher husband pay for his naughty wrongdoings.

While the title refers to "husbands," boyfriends and lovers are also included, and can suffer the same consequences when they drive their woman insane! Sure, it’s a passive-aggressive way to seek revenge, but boy will you feel better afterwards!

HELP HAITI

BEEPOSH Too Cute!

STUPID BLOGGER WILL NOT UPLOAD A PHOTO! Anyone?

Santa brought Bella these boots - alas too small! And the store where we bought them didn't bring in the next size up. So I contacted the company, which happens to be right here in CT and they are helping me. Isn't that nice? Check out their cool stuff - very creative and fun.

Autism Speaks Autism Forum


Please join me to tell Congressman Himes how autism has affected you and/or your family and what you need now and in the future. KIM

Moderated by Congressman Jim Himes (D-4)

Saturday January 23
2:00 – 4:00
Darien Library
Community Room

Please RSVP HERE.

Panelists:

Peter Bell, Autism Speaks Executive Vice President Programs and Services
Father to a child with autism

Senator Bob Duff Connecticut State Senator representing Darien and Norwalk

Dr. James McPartland Assistant Professor, Yale Autism Program

Julie Swanson Special Education Advocate
Mother to a child with autism

Kim Stagliano Managing Editor Age of Autism
Mother to three children with autism

It's Time for the Manic Mommy 3rd Annual Blood Drive!

I've borrowed Manic Mommy's entire blog post - I've done the drive for the last two years and if you're able to donate blood, you should too. Read on:

Welcome to the New Year, New Decade and the Third Annual MaNiC MoMMy'S Virtual Blog for Blood Drive Challenge! I can't believe this is the third year of the blood drive and I wasn't sure if I was going to do it again, but something pulled at me and here I am! Thank YOU for taking the time to consider participating! I ended 2009 by donating my pint yesterday, and I've been bulking up on the iron and came in at 15.4 for my iron count! That's like a MAN's iron count! Been eating a ton of red meat lately now that I'm not eating SUGAR or Diet Coke any more!

If you're new to this, thanks for stopping by, and here's a quick explanation: In 2008, I had a carload of 6 kids and drove past a Heartland Blood Center and decided to stop in to see if I could donate on a whim. With SIX KIDS in the car. We all went in, I donated, and it was SO EASY! I blogged about it, then thought, if that was so easy, why isn't it this easy for everyone else to do it?

Then I thought to make it fun, I'd put some money into it, and give away prizes. Some other awesome bloggers came forward, donated their time and money toward prizes. The next year, a company donated a trip to Florida, and we had even more great people give up a pint of their blood for the cause.

ONE PINT OF YOUR BLOOD WILL SAVE THREE PEOPLE. Some of you have a blood type that can save up to FIVE BABIES. But my mom said it best. Your blood saves more than just three people or five babies. It saves their whole FAMILIES.

To participate in MaNiC MoMMy'S Virtual BLog for Blood Drive, all you have to do is head to your local blood bank and donate a pint of blood from now through February 28. (Make sure you've eaten enough iron-rich foods and have had breakfast and that you drink water before you go.) Have someone there take your photo WHILE YOU ARE DONATING BLOOD and email it to me, along with your name, email, and city and state. Tell me what motivated you to donate. Every Sunday I post the photos calling it SUNDAY BLOODY SUNDAY.

Email photos to: manicmommy@comcast.net.

At the end of the drive, we'll have great prizes to give away, some of them yet to be determined, but I am ponying up like every year, $3 per EVERY DONOR of my own cash toward prizes ($1 per every life saved - up to a total amount determined by me).

A grand prize will be a ROUNDTRIP SOUTHWEST AIRLINE TICKET for one random winner so if you're looking to head somewhere warm, and if you've got a pint of blood just flowing in your veins that YOU DON'T NEED that maybe someone else COULD USE TO LIVE, you might consider giving it away!

I'm trying, desperately, to entice Ellen Degeneres to give a pint to the cause on her show - wouldn't THAT be fabulous? Or maybe SHE would let a winner come visit HER in California? I've been emailing and tweeting her trying to get her to notice my blood drive efforts, but I know she gets thousands of requests every day, but just as she wanted to be on the cover of Oprah magazine, she didn't quit, so I'm not going to quit bugging her on my quest to get her to at least give me a pint of blood. In fact, wouldn't she look GREAT donating a pint of blood?

All you have to do is donate a pint of blood and have your photo taken. If the staff says you can't get your photo taken in the chair, that's NOT true. See all the people who have had their photos taken: Last Year's Donors! Don't they all look awesome--and they're ALL full of SMILES!

SHOW the staff the photos from the above link! If they still won't let you take a picture, give your pint, and take your picture outside the establishment and take a picture of your "Be nice to me, I donated" sticker, or a picture of your paperwork you fill out, or your bandaged arm. Photos will be considered at my discretion, and I do prefer the photo of you in the chair, but if they're being sticklers about it, do what you can!

Remember to EMAIL your name, email address so I can contact you, city, state, and what motivated you to donate to: manicmommy@comcast.net. Photos will be posted every Sunday!

If you would like to consider sponsoring part of the drive, or donating a prize, those opportunities are also available as well, just email me! Any gift at all is welcome and appreciated! But most of all, the gift of your pint of blood is what we want most!

Thank you very much and if you have any questions about anything I might not have covered here, please leave them in the comment section! Below is a photo of some of the awesome staff at Heartland Blood Center in Naperville, Illinois! Thanks Tammy & Chez! And we'll be seeing the other Tammy and Gloria soon when I bring Mr. Manic in for blood later this week

How about it, Got a pint to spare? It's a great way to start off the New Year! Happy 2010!

Stephanie Elliot
* * * * *
Follow me: http://twitter.com/stephanieelliot
http://www.stephanieelliot.com
http://www.manicmommy.blogspot.com - THeRe'S a MeTHoD To HeR MaNiC

I ask you...

If you spray Scrubbing Bubbles in your bathroom, then forget you sprayed Scrubbing Bubbles in your bathroom and then decide two hours later you have to use the bathroom, then remember you'd sprayed Scrubbing Bubbles in the bathroom two hours earlier and then wipe down the bathroom and then use the toilet did you ever really clean your bathroom?

Look! Birthday Cake!

Decorated by Gianna no less. And then, Kim left it on the dining room table after serving a mere 3 slices. And Bella got a hankering for another slice. Or handful!

And that was the end of the cake!

Hello, Back Nine! (Maybe 11th hole?)

46 today.

Is it January Yet?

Random photos, Sunday gravy prep.
GFCF Peppermint creams for cookie party.

The Giginator.

Meesk.

Rudolph GFCF cupcakes. Have a wonderful winter break, everyone.

Merry Christmas, Friends.

(Borrowed the idea from Stephen Parrish. )

CDC Did Not Properly Screen Medical Experts for Financial Conflict of Interest on Vaccine Safety

If there's one story the NYT has avoided, it's vaccine safety. No matter how many drugs they'd "out" for being dangerous, needing recalls, or pharma ghost written studies or their myriad other hard hitting journalism about pharma, vaccines were always the Virgins in Church, piously pristine. Maybe not.

Read the full article by Gardiner Harris in the New York Times, HERE.

WASHINGTON — A new report finds that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did a poor job of screening medical experts for financial conflicts when it hired them to advise the agency on vaccine safety, officials said Thursday.

Most of the experts who served on advisory panels in 2007 to evaluate vaccines for flu and cervical cancer had potential conflicts that were never resolved, the report said. Some were legally barred from considering the issues but did so anyway.

In the report, expected to be released Friday, Daniel R. Levinson, the inspector general of the Department of Health and Human Services, found that the centers failed nearly every time to ensure that the experts adequately filled out forms confirming they were not being paid by companies with an interest in their decisions...

The Island of Misfit Toys Diorama is BACK!

My brother, who is an architect, made this diorama last year. Isn't it fabulous? Enjoy! (And if you need a gorgeous house built or remodeled, he's with a firm in Bethesda, Rill Architects.

15 years old today.

Let's Make Gluten Free Whoopie Pies!

I love to bake. And my kids are gluten and casein free, so I sort of have to bake. We made holiday shaped Whoopie Pies this weekend. A Whoopie Pie is a sandwich of two pieces of soft cake with a cream filling (almost like an Oreo but softer) inside. So, follow our story, won't you?

First, you need a helper. Bella stepped up to the plate.

I tried the new BC GF mix. Excellent. I was really pleased with it.

Use a holiday shaped "Cookie" pan. They make nice detailed shaped cakes. Only fill them about halfway, to cover the full shape, otherwise they'll rise too high and dome.

Mmm, here's the first pan. Cakey! Holiday-ey!

Cooling on a Santa mat. Onto the filling. I couldn't remember how to make it. Fear not! I have a cookbook!
When I was 11, my Mom gave me, "Kim's Cookbook." In it is a recipe for Whoopie Pies. Along with Chinese candy (remember the butterscotch chip and chinese noodle candy?) and many other favorites. I've had this book for close to 35 years and I treasure it. I bought a replacement on e-bay just in case anything ever happens to this onw- shocked to find it! The publisher was part of American Greetings, I think. Oh, you can't believe I'm that old? Ha! Look down.

My Mom inscribed the book. Isn't that the very best?!

Here are the ingredients for the filling. I used a Kosher corn free powdered sugar - although any kind will do.

Here's the finished product. Yum. I think. Are they good?

Gianna looks pretty happy! Guess they ARE good!

When Your Child Needs You.

Last night, my Mia, who will turn 15 next week, was very sad. She was crying, almost sobbing. And she was desperately trying to tell me what was wrong, but she doesn't have the words to do that. She was saying, "Fix it! Fix it!" and "Elmo?" and I paced the house looking for a broken Elmo toy. For a while I thought she wanted my laptop - she likes to ferret it out from where ever I've hidden it and log herself on. We keep one CD-ROM in it, a Blues Clues game - in case we're traveling and she needs some entertainment. She tore my room apart looking for the laptop.

Bella went to sleep easily around 8pm. Gianna's eyes were closing as we tackled her night time reading assignment. She crawled into bed at 8:30. Mia was still crying and roaming the house. She'd say a word here or there. She tapped her finger into her palm, "Can I have.... Can I have... PLEASE?" But she couldn't tell me the noun - I ask her, I try to help her. I wrack my brain trying to piece together her thought process to see what she wants.

I was tired. We'd had a snow day. So from 5:30am until 8pm it was just us girls. We drove Mark to the train station at 7am to catch the train to Newark airport. Then we started on the world's longest day.

I gave Mia Melatonin to help relax her. She finally got into my bed - which she NEVER does. IT was clear she needed me. I just wanted some quiet time to read and then go to sleep. But I let her into the bed, put her three snowmen, six arts and crafts Halloween friends she now carries everywhere next to her. She grabbed them all and lined them up in a different order. The RIGHT order. I stroked her head.

She stopped crying abruptly and fell asleep.

This morning she handed me one of her snowmen - she has three. And she named them Mommy, Daddy and Baby. She loves that little family. I looked at the snowmen, and noticed that one of them is missing a fuzzy pom pom button. AH HA!! FIX IT now meant something to me.

She took my hand, and placed MY finger on the missing button. "Fix it."

I hugged her and promised her six ways to Sunday that today I will fix her family. That's my job. I'm her Mom. And I must fix her family.

I'll be at JoAnn's or Michael's the second they open today.

I Denied my Inner Guidette.

There's a new reality show called, Jersey Shore. Remember the two, buff, Mafia wannabe's on the Soprano's? Jersey Shore elevates their ilk to godlike status as it follows a group of Italian kids/young adults at The Jersey Shore. No Madam Marie here. None of Sandy's Fourth of July love at the boarwalk. Not a hint of the heartache of Puerto Rican Jane.

Some folks are finding fault with the show for its stereotypes. Tanning beds and abs are Italian? Since when?

I went to a prep school. The minute I walked in, freshman (pardon me, IV Class) year, I realized there was this thing called the WASP - and I was not one of them. It was the first time I had ever felt any difference from my peers, a teeny tiny taste of feeling inferior, although nothing like other groups feel every day even in 2009.

I straightened my hair. I wore hot pink wide whale cords (for which I will NEVER forgive my sister who dragged me to Olken's in Wellesley to buy them.) I bought Bean boots (still have them and wear them.) I wore grosgrain ribbon headbands. I was a preppie. With a vowel at the end of my name. So not really a preppie at all.

How much more fun would it have been to have embraced my inner Guidette? I had the perfect hair for a mountainous spray on top of my head. I had the right lips for copious globs of pink gloss. I had big eyes that begged for sparkly eye shadow and six coats of mascara. I had a cute figure that would have looked kickin in tight jeans (wait, I did wear Sasson, does that count?)

Not sure I'll watch Jersey City - Boston Italians aren't Jersey Italians, though now I'm mid-way between the two in CT. I find it amusing that the show exists. It doesn't offend me. And maybe I'll check out the abs for a minute.