LaLaGirl - Twinfinite Chaos! Parenting Multiples and Dealing with Autism http://lalagirl.org LaLaGirl - Parenting 2 Sets of Twins and a Child with Autism Mon, 14 May 2012 18:00:35 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Lalagirl-TwinfiniteChaoshttp://feedburner.google.com Unplanned Family Picture http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Lalagirl-TwinfiniteChaos/~3/2tvS9mOA3PM/ http://lalagirl.org/2012/05/14/unplanned-family-picture/#comments Mon, 14 May 2012 18:00:35 +0000 LaLaLaura http://lalagirl.org/?p=3686

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I took some impromptu photos of the children on Saturday to print out for my mom for mothers day. After I snapped half a dozen, Paul and I decided to set the timer and jump in a couple of the pics! I think they came out pretty good!

Random LaLa Goodness


]]> http://lalagirl.org/2012/05/14/unplanned-family-picture/feed/ 0 http://lalagirl.org/2012/05/14/unplanned-family-picture/ It’s all Good in the ‘Hood http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Lalagirl-TwinfiniteChaos/~3/LmCqxbttgKY/ http://lalagirl.org/2012/05/06/its-all-good-in-the-hood/#comments Sun, 06 May 2012 15:55:48 +0000 LaLaLaura http://lalagirl.org/?p=3683

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Yesterday felt like summertime, with all the neighborhood kiddos running through the sprinklers and slurping up popsicles. Love it.

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]]> http://lalagirl.org/2012/05/06/its-all-good-in-the-hood/feed/ 0 http://lalagirl.org/2012/05/06/its-all-good-in-the-hood/ Happy Star Wars Day! http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Lalagirl-TwinfiniteChaos/~3/SWxBarPczDM/ http://lalagirl.org/2012/05/04/happy-star-wars-day/#comments Fri, 04 May 2012 15:30:30 +0000 LaLaLaura http://lalagirl.org/?p=3680

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May the 4th be with you.

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]]> http://lalagirl.org/2012/05/04/happy-star-wars-day/feed/ 0 http://lalagirl.org/2012/05/04/happy-star-wars-day/ Breakfast is the Bomb. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Lalagirl-TwinfiniteChaos/~3/MN-7QPJOP7c/ http://lalagirl.org/2012/05/02/breakfast-is-the-bomb/#comments Wed, 02 May 2012 18:19:50 +0000 LaLaLaura http://lalagirl.org/?p=3673

Mornings are insane at my house, with five kiddos getting ready for school and my hubby getting ready for work. In the past, you’d see me slinging bowls of cereal at my kids, hoping they’d put away a few bites before we dash out the door – and usually pouring most of it down the drain! Things have changed a bit at our breakfast table since I started working with Mountain High Yoghurt. I’ve discovered the best way to get my kids (and hubby!) going in the morning is with a nice fresh smoothie, made with milk, yoghurt, frozen berries, and a banana. It’s fast, it’s fun, the kids LOVE it, and I actually have more time to pack four little lunches every day, while the kids slurp down their breakfast. We even bought fat straws, specifically designed for smoothie drinking.

Are you a smoothie lovah? Do you have a favorite yoghurt recipe? You should definitely share it with me. I’m always looking for new ideas.

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Mountain High Yoghurt. I received a gift card to purchase yogurt, a product kit, and a promotional item to thank me for participating.

Random LaLa Goodness


]]> http://lalagirl.org/2012/05/02/breakfast-is-the-bomb/feed/ 0 http://lalagirl.org/2012/05/02/breakfast-is-the-bomb/ Sidewalk Paint http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Lalagirl-TwinfiniteChaos/~3/rEae13ci2LI/ http://lalagirl.org/2012/04/22/sidewalk-paint/#comments Sun, 22 Apr 2012 17:27:49 +0000 LaLaLaura http://lalagirl.org/?p=3668

I found the most awesome quick, easy, fun, and CHEAP activity for my kiddos – SIDEWALK PAINT! We live on a cul-de-sac, and my kids are outside pretty much all day long, riding bikes and scooters, rollerblading, or just hanging out with friends. And we’re lucky enough to have several good friends who live right on our street, so the stream of kids running in and out of the house is pretty much ongoing. I love it. This is a great activity to keep all ages entertained, and it costs next to nothing.

Here’s all you need:

  • 4 tablespoons water
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 6 to 8 drops food coloring

I just mixed them up in plastic bowls, although I think it would have been nicer in little plastic containers, which I didn’t have any of, because I have a ton of leftovers in my fridge. We used sponge brushes, which worked so nicely. The color isn’t bright at first – it almost looks like you’re painting with water – but it dries brightly in seconds. We had a blast! I think we’ll be making more today.

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]]> http://lalagirl.org/2012/04/22/sidewalk-paint/feed/ 12 http://lalagirl.org/2012/04/22/sidewalk-paint/ Day of Silence http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Lalagirl-TwinfiniteChaos/~3/0wPazBjmZAQ/ http://lalagirl.org/2012/04/20/day-of-silence/#comments Sat, 21 Apr 2012 05:46:03 +0000 LaLaLaura http://lalagirl.org/?p=3658

Today, April 20th, was Day of Silence at schools all across the country, and at my daughter’s high school as well.

What is the Day of Silence?

The Day of Silence is a student-led national event that brings attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools. Students from middle school to college take a vow of silence in an effort to encourage schools and classmates to address the problem of anti-LGBT behavior by illustrating the silencing effect of bullying and harassment on LGBT students and those perceived to be LGBT.

I was proud to see my daughter decked out in her pride gear today, ready to show support for her gay and lesbian friends! (Honestly, though, I probably would have vetoed that shirt if I’d realized how low cut it was. Yikes. She had a hoodie on when she walked out the door!)

As the mom of a special needs child, I am extra sensitive to bullying, especially involving kids who are different in some way. I stress to my daughters that they need to look out for their brother at all times, and speak up for anyone they see being mistreated or harassed. And I love the idea of students leading an awareness campaign like this – advocating on behalf of their peers!

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]]> http://lalagirl.org/2012/04/20/day-of-silence/feed/ 3 http://lalagirl.org/2012/04/20/day-of-silence/ Yo-verdose. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Lalagirl-TwinfiniteChaos/~3/ZSD0PiZCJjI/ http://lalagirl.org/2012/04/15/yo-verdose/#comments Mon, 16 Apr 2012 04:42:48 +0000 LaLaLaura http://lalagirl.org/?p=3647

We are so completely addicted to Mountain High Yoghurt in our house. I’ve been trying to make healthier meals for Paul and I and the kids, and I can’t even tell you how much we’re digging this yoghurt. (Yogurt? Yoghurt? What’s the deal, there?) I’ve never been super crazy about yogurt. I always think I like it, or want to like it, and then get grossed out by it almost immediately. I think it’s the texture. The Mountain High yogurt isn’t weird, though, like every other yogurt I’ve tried and then had to eventually toss. It’s so creamy and delightful and just yum. And the weirdest thing, to me, is that I am digging the PLAIN yogurt most of all! I do mix in berries and granola, but that’s it. It’s just…good. I eat it literally every day, either mixed with fruit, or stirred into oatmeal. Luckily, the kids aren’t into the plain, so we aren’t fighting over it – they can have the vanilla and strawberry!

Oh, and Mountain High is a Colorado-based company, which I always love. (So is Udi’s! Yum!)

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Mountain High Yoghurt. I received a gift card to purchase yogurt, a product kit, and a promotional item to thank me for participating.

Random LaLa Goodness


]]> http://lalagirl.org/2012/04/15/yo-verdose/feed/ 0 http://lalagirl.org/2012/04/15/yo-verdose/ Listy List. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Lalagirl-TwinfiniteChaos/~3/AYxGW68f9gQ/ http://lalagirl.org/2012/04/04/listy-list/#comments Wed, 04 Apr 2012 06:40:13 +0000 LaLaLaura http://lalagirl.org/?p=3598

Twenty Things I Hate, and Twenty Things I Think Are Awesome.

(Kayley inspired me to write this.)

Hate. (This was surprisingly hard to complete – I’m pretty content, I guess. But I finally came up with twenty things.)

  1. Stupid voices in commercials. If you’re a Denver local, think of the O’Meara Ford lady. Nails on a friggin’ chalkboard, man.
  2. When my kids are completely wired at bedtime.
  3. The fact that every character in every kid-geared TV show is a smart-assed little brat.
  4. In Draw Something, when someone draws like a circle and a line and some random squiggle for “Titanic.”
  5. Also, when people write out the word. Why are we even playing?
  6. Getting the boingy bite of chicken. Ptooey!
  7. When I don’t get the joke. I AM CLEVER, GOD DAMMIT. I SHOULD ALWAYS GET THE JOKE.
  8. Volume disparity between songs on my iPod.
  9. When the dishwater gets cold and I have to reach in to pull the drain. Bleahhh.
  10. Cold feet.
  11. When I forget my next list item because my kids have to come in and tattle.
  12. Getting trapped behind a wall of lookie-loo walkers at IKEA.
  13. How long it takes to get any measurable amount of laundry done in this house.
  14. The fact that it’s cheaper to buy a new printer or a new cordless phone than it is to buy ink or a new battery. Yay for technological waste!
  15. When things are wonky and I can’t figure out why. Like how I just dicked around for half an hour trying to figure out why an image on Pinterest keeps pinning SIDEWAYS. WHAT IN THE HELL.
  16. Not having floss when I need it. I am a compulsive flosser, and will drive myself batshit crazy if I can’t unwedge something from my toofs in a timely manner.
  17. Having a stack of books on my nightstand, but no real desire to read them. I want to want to read, I just don’t want to read. Does that make any sense?
  18. Your shitty taste in music. Well, not YOU. But, you know what I mean.
  19. Not being able to find a bike helmet that doesn’t make me look like a tool.
  20. Being clumsy, stumbling, tripping, running into things. Lame.

Love. (This was easier.)

  1. Feeling like my life is exactly as it should be.
  2. Being comfortable in my own skin, for the most part.
  3. Being married to Paul, who is hysterical and adorable.
  4. Having cool, funny kids.
  5. Star Wars.
  6. Netflix.
  7. Sushi. Oh my God, how I love sushi.
  8. Springtime, and all the fun it brings. (My birthday, pedicures after wearing boots for months, flowers in bloom)
  9. My iPhone. Hey, I can admit it.
  10. My faith.
  11. Kayley. As much of a pain in the ass as she, like all teenagers, can be, she brightens my world like no one else.
  12. Chiweenie!
  13. New bras. (Especially the ones I just got, with “Age Defying Lift!” Oh, jeez.)
  14. My fabulous friends.
  15. The new sheets I just bought.
  16. Taco Star.
  17. My adorable bike, and going riding with my family. Whee!
  18. COFFEE.
  19. Thrift stores.
  20. Being a wife and mommy. Awwww.

    21. Now you!

    Random LaLa Goodness


    ]]> http://lalagirl.org/2012/04/04/listy-list/feed/ 12 http://lalagirl.org/2012/04/04/listy-list/ Banana Splits with Yogurt – yum! http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Lalagirl-TwinfiniteChaos/~3/SzwuiiTedEc/ http://lalagirl.org/2012/04/03/banana-splits-with-yogurt-yum/#comments Wed, 04 Apr 2012 05:17:50 +0000 LaLaLaura http://lalagirl.org/?p=3604

    So. I’ve been excited about doing this campaign for Mountain High Yoghurt, because I always dig working with Colorado companies. I’m one of several other bloggers called Yogurt Ambassadors, which I think is just fabulous. I AM A YOGURT AMBASSADOR, HONORED TO REPRESENT MY PEOPLE. I’d like to be referred to as Supreme Yogurt Overlord, but since they chose the term, ambassador it is.

    Anyway. Mountain High Yoghurt is a brand I’d never really looked to before doing this campaign, mostly because I tend to stick with whatever is cheap/generic/store-brand when I’m doing my grocery shopping. We’re going to stick with Mountain High Yoghurt now, though, because it is SO good. It reminds me of what yogurt tasted like when I was a kid, probably before it was all full of crazy flavors and chemicals and whatnot. Paul and I have been trying to eat healthier, drop a few pounds, and get into better shape, so we’ve been eating yogurt A LOT more, and eating it in lots of different ways, too. The kids are digging it as well, and I thought I’d share with you our new favorite dessert – pseudo banana splits, made with vanilla yogurt instead of ice cream. SO good!

    Here’s what I gathered up: Bananas, frozen and fresh berries, Nutella, granola, a little whipped cream, and of course, the tub ‘o yoghurt.

    I actually sliced the bananas lengthwise and roasted them in the oven for a bit, which Paul and I thought was AAAMAZING, and which the kids could have totally done without. I layered the bananas in bowls, along with a big scoop of yogurt and berries, and topped it off with whipped cream, granola, and a drizzling of Nutella. It was almost too pretty to eat. I mean, for me. I’m not a food stylist and we mostly eat off of paper plates, so this looked mustache-twirling fancy to my children.

    Can you see these excited faces? Imagine several more. It’s hard to fit all of us in one picture.

    This is what mine looked like after I stirred it all up – it tasted just like a banana split. I think the only thing I’d add next time is fresh pineapple.

    Here’s Mallory, digging in. She finished all of hers and her brother’s, too.

    Good stuff, man. You can check out lots of other recipes using yoghurt at Mountain High‘s site. (Like the cheddar fondue – how bomb does that look?) Have you found ways to help your family eat slimmed-down versions of their favorite foods? If so, you should totally share your ideas with me.

    I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Mountain High Yoghurt. I received a gift card to purchase yogurt, a product kit, and a promotional item to thank me for participating.

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    ]]>     http://lalagirl.org/2012/04/03/banana-splits-with-yogurt-yum/feed/ 3 http://lalagirl.org/2012/04/03/banana-splits-with-yogurt-yum/     Little Workers http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Lalagirl-TwinfiniteChaos/~3/NhysOBHMGSo/ http://lalagirl.org/2012/03/31/little-workers/#comments Sat, 31 Mar 2012 18:52:56 +0000 LaLaLaura http://lalagirl.org/?p=3595

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    I love that my three little girls are deep in the “let us help, pleeeease” phase. I know all too well that when they hit those teen years, that phase will be LONG over!

    Random LaLa Goodness


    ]]>     http://lalagirl.org/2012/03/31/little-workers/feed/ 0 http://lalagirl.org/2012/03/31/little-workers/