Sunday Sound Out

First, I want to thank all my readers for being so awesome! You guys seriously lift me up and make me feel better regularly! I'm blessed to have you guys and sure hope we get the chance to meet when my book comes out.

Speaking of, a few people have asked me when my book is coming out. It's scheduled to be released Mother's Day, 2009. I think Mother's Day is the perfect time for my book to come out, don't you? Plus, it was originally going to be released as a hard cover, but the publishers are now thinking they'll release it as a paperback which is good news for us moms who are on budgets! I know the amazing folks at Guideposts are planning some really great, fun things for when it comes out, but I can't tell you any details. Mainly because they haven't told me yet! (I hate secrets!) But I have no doubts it'll be good! :)

And speaking of Guideposts, check out their newly designed website! It's so cool! And right now, there are pictures of Ty Pennington on it! Woo Hoo! Run, go check him it out! Seriously, if you've never read a Guidepost magazine, you're missing out. It's SO inspiring. You'll walk away from it just feeling GOOD! Their website's the same! It's super-easy to navigate and it's full of interesting, fun, informative, inspiring stories.

I was reading comments like I do most every morning, and I came to one that said something like, "I was laughing so hard that my 13 year old looked at me like I'd grown 10 heads, in that way a 13 year can do....." That's all I read because my hand slipped and I accidentally deleted it. I'm sorry. I just wanted the writer of the comment to know that I hadn't purposely rejected it. And I'm bummed I didn't get to finish reading it!

OK, without further ado, here are the answers to life's pressing questions...

Is is wrong that I feel famous because two (count 'em, TWO!) of my comments/questions made it into this week's SSO?
Probably. But that's ok. :D

Good news! Banana Splits is coming back to the Cartoon Network this fall.Are you humming the theme yet, lol?

Hahahaha my 10 year old went back to school today...oh it was so nice and quiet. Sorry I just had to bloat!

Ooo I hope I don't bloat when my kids go back to school! (Sorry, I couldn't resist.)

My kids explode everywhere they go. You're not giving me much hope that as they get older it gets better...unless your 3 youngest are totally to blame.

It's the youngest 4 who make all the messes. Thankfully, Austin and Savannah have learned (as much as a kid can learn) to clean up after themselves. See? There's still hope.

Remember back in the beginning of summer you were looking forward to the kids being home?

I remember writing that by the time August rolled around, I would deny ever looking forward to school getting out!

I have an unrelated question. I just started a blog, the intent to keep family and friends up to date on our life these days. I decided to make it a public site to make things easier - no one has to "sign-in". I have all the security settings on the highest except for the fact that it's public. I hesitated slightly at making it public since there are pictures and descriptions of my kids all over it. So I'm wondering, since your blog is very well read, do you ever feel like you're living in a fishbowl hoping no creeps are looking in? Do you do anything extra/special in the name of safety?

Good question. When I first started my blog, I used fake names for my kids. After my auction took off and my blog went from 5 hits a day to 94,000 hits a day, people started calling me for interviews. The first one that called, The St. Petersburg Times, asked for my full name and the names and ages of my kids. I told her I didn't want to give out that information. She replied that she wouldn't be able to interview me without it. I told her I'd think about it and hung up. I called all my friends and family for advice; I prayed about what to do. Based on the advice I was given and what I felt in my gut, I went ahead and disclosed all that information. If I hadn't, I wouldn't have been interviewed and may not be in the place I'm in today with a book coming out in a few months. It's a personal matter that you'll have to decide for yourself though and there are a lot of things to take into consideration. At BlogHer there was a session all about this very topic that I think you'll find interesting and informative. HERE's a link to the live blog about that session from BlogHer '08.

The diet doesn't seem to be working for my son after 3 months on it. Do you have any other ideas that I could try before we do meds? Just wondering.

First off, I know people have a lot of strong opinions on whether or not to use medication for ADHD, but I really think you have to make the decision based on what's right for your child and your family. The way I look at it - if my kid had diabetes, I wouldn't hesitate to give him the insulin he needed. I don't personally think ADHD is any different. It's a chemical imbalance in the brain that can be treated.

That said, if you want to avoid medication, trying an all natural diet can help. Make sure you check food labels carefully. Learn the different terms used. For instance, a label might not read "artificial vanilla". Instead it might read "vanillin" which is just another word for artificial vanilla. A cereal may not have artificial ingredients in it, but the packaging may contain TBHQ which is an artificial preservative that will be absorbed by the cereal in the box. Be aware that there can be a lot of hidden ingredients.

For some kids, therapy can help. I think all kids (especially ADHD ones) strive on a routine. A rewards system works for a lot of kids too. My son loves to earn stuff. If he accomplishes A,B & C, he can earn a privilege or small treat. Like a lot of ADHD kids, he really wants to do well and please people. He just has a hard time controlling himself enough to do it.

People have suggested other things to me like fish oil, and other vitamin/herbal supplements. I've not personally tried any of them, but it might be something you'd like to look into. Research online and or ask your pediatrician about it.

Dawn, You should get a Wii fit. It is fun, entertaining and hilarious.

I would love to actually! I got to try one back in April when I went to Johnson's Camp Baby. Unfortunately, Nintendo's production and distribution never seems to meet demands when they release a new product. I have yet to see a Wii fit in a store anywhere. The Nintendo rep at the BlogHer conference told me that Nintendo was increasing production and I should be able find them in stores within a couple weeks. Notsomuch.

Hi, I just started reading your blog, and was wondering what you're treating for Jackson with the diet... ADHD?

Yep. He had to go off meds because they gave him high blood pressure. The diet doesn't work as well as the medication did, but it certainly helps. Plus, it doesn't give him high blood pressure!

I laughed out loud no less than five times. and how the heck did u get the paper to look so spiffy and bright and new? obviously those aren't pictures of the pictures...so spill it:)

I just scanned them. Voila!

Did you show your older kids [your old schoolwork and drawings]?

Yep. Austin laughed his head off with me. Savannah just gave me a withered look that said, your drawings are lame and so are you.

Dawn, I love this post! I was able to figure out most of them, but I appreciate your help in translating a few. Did you know what they were because you remember your writing and spelling and what you were drawing back then or because you're used to figuring it out from your own brood?

I don't remember what I had for lunch let alone something I wrote in first grade! I knew what they said because I have kids who spell the same way.

I've been wondering...I only have 2 boys and it seems like every night one of them (usually the 3 year old) calls me or comes to find me for something (bathroom run, needing company, because he is lonely, etc.)...do your kids come looking for you in the middle of the night?

Yes, which is why I sleep in my car.

By the way... "I like are rome" -- did you share a room w/siblings? Was it you and 2 siblings in individual beds? I wondered about that all through the rest of the pictures... Yes, I need help.

Nope, that was my classroom. You can't see the teacher and the other kids. They're hiding.

I'm guessing this just because of your spelling, but did you grow up in the South? Your phonetical spelling looks like everyone in my town sounds. ;)

LOL! Nope. I grew up in Chicagoland.

Did your "Car Hops" [at Sonic] wear skates??

The ones I saw were wearing skates. I think that would be a fun job to have in the summer. Notsomuch when it's 20 below and the snow's up to your waist. Of course, I doubt there will be too many people willing to pull up and eat in their car when the weather's that bad.

We don't have a Sonic here. I keep seeing these commercials on tv and people talk abott it all the time.

I know! We've been tormented by commercials for a long time. I asked a Sonic employee about that and he said it was cheaper to do a nationwide campaign instead of targeting specific areas.

Where is that new Sonic? I live in Chicago, near Evanston and haven't had Sonic for a LONG time!

Aurora. But there are some scheduled to open in Bartlett, Algonquin, Lockport, and Country Club Hills.

lol- that is crazy! I can't believe people get that excited about Sonic! Don't get me wrong, I love them too- hit up happy hour every time my kids are awake during that time frame ;) I just don't have the patience to wait that long for food.Wow, people out there must really love Sonic.

I think it's just the novelty of it. This is the first one in Chicagoland, despite the fact that we've been seeing the commercials for it for years.

And you? Not a good Christian? Oh, come on. You can only turn the other cheek so many times.

I guess I had already turned my cheek 490 times. Get it? Hee hee. 7 times 70. 490? Get it? I just crack myself up. (Yes, I know that's not really what that scripture means.)

You really should move here. Cheaper houses, great paying jobs, Mimi, No snow, and of course a Sonic on every street corner. ;o)

No snow, Sonic's on every corner and Mimi? Sold! When I'm rich and famous, I'm moving to Texas. ;)

I was wondering did you ever deal with that in any of your pregnancies? Not just your average morning sickness, but hyperemesis.

I got the typical morning sickness with every pregnancy, but nothing too bad. If I had, I'm quite certain I'd only have one child. Of course, I say that about Brooklyn all the time - if she'd been first, she'd be an only child!

Maybe if they opened a White Castle in Oklahoma, but not a Sonic. LOL.

White Castle? Blech. There's a reason they call 'em "sliders" you know.

What is this *Subscribe in a reader* it is located on the right side of the blog.

I don't have the slightest flipping clue. It's something computery that I don't understand at all. I'm sure one of my readers who isn't technologically stupid, can explain it though.

And how did you sit in the car [in line at Sonic's] without anyone having to go potty?

Funny you should ask this. Actually, Clay did have to go potty. We thought about letting him go to the back of the van to pee into the little cup the slushie sample had come in. Then we realized the cup was probably much too small and that was probably not the best idea. So, Austin grabbed one of Brooklyn's diapers and he and Clay went to the back of the van where he held the diaper up and Clay peed in it. Smart thinking, huh? I mean, it's not like there was a Walmart RIGHT THERE! It's not like I could've sent Austin or Savannah to just take him to Walmart to use the bathroom. I'm such a dork.