Brownies

Due to various reasons in my family dynamic, I had to cut out the use of dairy and eggs when I am cooking for myself and my youngest boy. Along with watching my youngest fruit and vegetable in take. So crazy how that happens.
Here is a egg, dairy, and oil free recipe at least in the brownies themselves.

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp whole chia seed
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 1/2 cups cane sugar (those look like minuscule tan cubes)
1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup cocoa powder (not so strong/bitter taste then just do 1/2 cup)
1 tsp vanilla
 
Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and coat square cake pan with shortening/oil
• Grind the chia seeds, add 1 cup of water (I use a magic bullet equivalent and add the water after the chia seeds are powder, and blend it for about 2 seconds). You can just stir the water into the powder.

• Put cane sugar and 1/2 cup warm water into the  Medium size mixing bowl and stir together.
• Add in the chia seeds mixture into the bowl
• Add in vanilla
• Add in baking soda and salt and stir
• Add in the cocoa powder and stir well try to diminish as many lumps as possible
• Add in the flour stir
• Add mixture to pan and make sure it is evenly spread 
• Cook for about 30 minutes, or until brownies are firm (note the amount of time cooking varies depending on where you are residing, and time of year as well)

Hope you enjoy my recipe next time I will post a recipe using applesauce, and possibly bananas as well, granted I have not tried that out yet. 
** Note: I did not use any oil, because of the water the oil will not actually settle into the mixture probably, and you will just have oily brownies, believe me that is what happened my first try. Here is a picture of finished and half eaten product. :)
 

Answers

I found out this past month that my oldest boy that will be six years old in a little over a week. Does have Autism, Expressive-Receptive Language Disorder, and ADHD. All that in it self is a lot to say. I already knew that he had a language delay, he was already diagnosed with that years ago. My husband and I also highly suspected that our oldest does have ADHD just because he is so hyperactive and inattentive at times that is off the charts. The Autism diagnosis surprised me, because of how heightened he is to most emotions. 

Looking back at all he did and all we went through kind shows off warning signs, and makes sense on that could have been the Autism. For instance, when he was a baby he would not sleep on his own very well. It took him till nine months before we could even try to get him to sleep in his own bed. Then we would have a lot of sleepless nights where he would cry himself to sleep. Even though we were in the room with him and giving him support. He just wanted to sleep with mom or dad. That took about 3 months to get him used to sleeping in his own bed in his own room. 

If anything would throw off his routine such as sleeping at grandparents, or staying out later than normal. Than it would back lash, and it would take about a week at least to get him back to sleeping on his own again. After his brother was born almost a year and a half ago, my husband just had him sleep with him downstairs. Now, that is what he is use to, wants to sleep with "daddy" all the time. 

Thinking back on all I just mentioned is mostly around these three areas: repetition, routines, and sensory. He needs that body there to sleep. I have researched ideas on what try to get him to sleep on his own. Will we try this out yes, but it will be a slow process because that is what works for our family.

Picture schedule, honestly, that should have been like a light bulb for me, I learned that Autistic children especially take well to picture schedules. That is the best way at school and at home (when we he feels like using it), worked for him to understand what is going on. One other idea we are going to try out is also a rewards chart of sorts, to help him understand consequences. Also want to work towards doing things that are positive, and not just do things because he wants to. Something that our boy has big struggle in, is understanding how is behaviors affect others. He like most children think that they should get something because they want it and see it. 

The big thing I have noticed with him, and trust me I do know that not all children are alike. He is very open to suggestion. Such as when we were at the store today, we were in the Tupperware isle. He saw pictures on some of the Tupperware of lunch. So he said, he needed that for lunch as well. 

I never truly thought after learning about everything that is going on with my oldest would open my eyes to want is strengthens and weakness are. Because I thought I already knew them all. Oh how I was wrong on that one. 

He is very powerful to persuasion, so that means we really have to watch what we have him, watch, and say to him. Along with, what others say to him. As I thinking about this, I have to cut back more, what shows we allow him to watch and what video games we allow him to play. 

Now I have been searching for visual aids, and what do to in the home for Behavioral needs help for his Autism. Do I think he is beyond hope, no way. He has made such progress especially this year. This has been a blessing in disguise. He is in a Autistic based classroom through our local public school. Granted is it as intensive as lets says a school for for Autism, no. Do I think he needs that kind of help, no. Why, because he is very high functioning, he can express his needs pretty well. The things that he really needs help with is language, and he getting that at school and through at home center. Will I seek out the extra help for his behavior, more than likely, just to help him better be able to make friends, and how to better approach children his age. 

Goodness that boy wants to play with everyone, he calls everyone his "friend". I mean everyone, cousins, neighborhood children, classmates, and occasionally his younger brother. He is such a loving boy and will give anyone that he gotten close to hugs hello and goodbye. I will post more after I make some calls and do more research. Have a blessed evening.

Lay it all down

There are many times in my life where I just wanted to lay it all down, and just walk away. We all have been there. When our child screams out at you, when you are trying to discipline them, so they can learn right from wrong. When we make a wrong turn end up being late to an important meeting that you were not supposed to be late too. When we make a wrong turn in life and end up loosing out  those relationships that meant so much too you. Even worse when your significant other does something that upsets you. You lash out on them and belittle them for they are supposed to be perfect when we are still so flawed.

Oh how many times I wanted to give up and walk away. Because it would just be so much easier to start a new. At least that is what the world is telling you. Think about yourself, you should be pleased first above all else. Whatever happened to the thought process of thinking about how our actions will affect those around us? Whatever happened to putting others needs first? Whatever happened to giving others second chances? Whatever happened to sitting down and thinking about the big picture before just giving it all up and walking away?

Will giving another a second chance harm you, depends on the situation. I am not in anyone else situation. The thing is we are all flawed and make our fair share of mistakes. The way I see it, it is only through God that any situation can be made clean and new. I am living proof of that, I made my fair share of mistakes.

I lied to my parents, I deceived my parents. I lied to  my then current boyfriend. I left my then current boyfriend for another, he became my husband. We got married before we were even together for a year. Then a few months later we had our oldest.

We had many spats, at times it had nothing to do with our too fast marriage and birth of a child. It had everything to do with not working out with our past relationship issues. Bringing all this past relationship issues along with all the issues that come with being married and having children.

Children are wonderful oh boy can they be a pain. I love my children I would not trade them for anything. Yet they are very taxing, they are time consuming, they can even zap you of all your energy. At times we can let our children take everything out of us, that we have nothing left to give our husband or wives, but resentment. No one deserves to be treated horribly just because we are wore out from our children.

Instead try to thank them everyday, for even the littlest things. Give one another hugs and slight affectionate touches whenever possible. These little things can make a huge improvement. Just let go of the little things, and start appreciating your significant other for what they are rather than what we want them to be. Have a wonderful day with the ones you love.